Amazon.com

David Lynch's 1990 Wild at Heart is an utterly random and ugly experience with pockets of startling imagery and inspired set pieces. Based on a Barry Gifford novel, the film stars Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern as lovers on the lam whose relationship is tested and who meet some truly dangerous wackos (including an almost-simian Willem Dafoe). Lynch's thoughts seem to be everywhere, and he expects the audience to keep up with a story that seems more a collection of avant-garde whims than a coherent vision with the intuitive brilliance of his Blue Velvet. Cage gives one of his more chaotic performances, but then he was just reading Lynch's signposts. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (68)

if you're truly wild at heart, then you must .....
i first saw this film in theatres back in 1990 and i couldn't get the film outta my head. at that time, i knew very little about david lynch or his unique style. needless to say, i fell heart and soul for this maniac film and knew i would probably want to watch it over and over. nicolas cage gives perhaps his best performance prior to the wonderful leaving las vegas and i still think this film was very overlooked by everyone with the exception of true lynch fans. while this is probably his easiest film to date that the mainstream cinema could DIGEST, wild at heart is still very much avantguard as it is excessive in the language, violence, and sex departments. what makes this film so digestible is the ironic humor which surrounds the plot like a second skin. while still not a film for everyone, there is much to like about this david lynch treat. i particularly love the scene where nicolas cage is visited by the good which played by then unknown sheryl lee who advises him that the wild at heart must follow their dreams. shouldn't we all follow our dreams no matter how crazy or chaotic things may be?

Dear Tom Keogh,
Wild at Heart is, indeed, a film with some startling images. Any David Lynch fan will tell you that you should expect no less from him. In this film, Lynch is showing a subtle form of humor, he is referencing the Wizard of Oz (I'll not dare say "remake," he is rewriting it in his own fashion), and he is creating film as art in his typical fashion. You see, you actually have to pay attention to Lynch's movies in order to fully understand them. You likely have to watch them more than once to get his points. That's all part of the fun. If you bother to pay attention to the details of the movie, then you will understand that his thoughts are not all over the place at all, but are telling you a story, in Lynchian fashion. He doesn't take you by the little hand and lead you through a smarmy Hollywood film about life and love then whisk you off to a nice, rosy conclusion with a sunset and cutesy music. Don't expect the point to Wild at Heart to come easily. If that is what you want, may I suggest "Dumb and Dumber." David Lynch combines film with art and Wild at Heart is no exception. If you want a movie to present a simple story line and to conclude with a pretty red bow, then skip this one. But if you want to watch an outstanding David Lynch movie, then Wild at Heart will not disappoint. This is a fantastic movie.

PLEASE RELEASE IT ON DVD!!
David Lynch's Wild At Heart is a masterpiece, it won Palme D'Or at Cannes Film Festival for Best Picture. It has an outstanding cast, featuring Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Isabela Rosselini, Sheryl Lee,
Diane Ladd, Harry Dean Stanton, Willem Dafoe and so many other great actors! Why wasn't yet released on DVD in North America? Everywhere else in the world was. David Lynch is one of the best American directors and "Wild At Heart" is one of his masterpieces.
My favorite line from this film is: CENSORED.

Film of the Future
Lynch uses cinema the way it should be used. It's a naturally surreal medium, something only Lynch has truly understood, ever since Salvador Dali made Un Chien Andalou, all those years ago. Wild at Heart is totally coherent, as many reviewers have realised, even if only partly and subconsciously. All I would like to know is this: is the American South really the raw and mindless hell on earth that it seems to be in almost every film I've seen located there?

David Lynch's violent adaptation of the Wizard of Oz
Wild at Heart is David Lynch's violent adaptation of the Wizard of Oz with mesmerizing cinematography, which offers an exceptionally artistic cinema experience. Many scenes are visually packed as they offer much to ponder since they are often surrealistic or full of symbolism. The symbolism and surreal environment enhance the fantastic adventure into love, passion, and righteousness that Lynch provides for his audience. The tale begins with Sailor (Nicolas Cage) who was sent to jail for manslaughter as he killed a man in self-defense that was sent by his girlfriends neurotic mother. Released on probation Sailor is free and loving as he can reunite with his girlfriend Lula (Laura Dern) despite Lula's mothers opposition to their relationship. Lula's defiance upsets her mother who hires another hitman to slay Sailor. However, Lula and Sailor decide to take off to California and break Sailor's probation by following the yellow line on the road to the promise land. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Hot Spot is best known to lecherous film buffs for Jennifer Connelly's topless scene, but this sultry southern noir deserves more than prurient interest. It's arguably Dennis Hopper's best directorial effort (OK, so that's not saying much), and Charles Williams's source novel Hell Hath No Fury finds Hopper in a comfortable B-movie milieu, riffing on Double Indemnity with an overripe tale of sex, greed, and blackmail in an unnamed Texan town. Fresh from the final season of Miami Vice, Don Johnson stars as a shifty drifter, conning his way into a salesman job on a used-car lot, where the boss's insatiable wife (Virginia Madsen) offers him sexual favors and a lovely secretary's (Connelly) innocence is threatened by a percolating scandal. Nobody's really innocent, of course, and Hopper spices this languid web of secrets with enough trashy misbehavior to qualify The Hot Spot as a bona fide guilty pleasure. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A 'Slice of Americana' Film Brilliantly Directed by Hopper!
If a list of top 100 most unappreciated films was ever composed, this movie would make the top ten easily. Siskel & Ebert raved about this movie, and if you give it a try, you'll see why! Well written, expertly cast and almost flawlessly directed by Dennis Hopper, this movie brings small town America to life like few others in recent memory. A steamy tale indeed, put the kiddies to bed before starting this one. Don Johnson and Virginia Madsen are perfect in their parts, and I defy any male to watch this movie and NOT fall in love with the character (Gloria Harper) played by stunning Jennifer Connelly. I could write a 1000 words alone on how good each actor was in their part, main actors AND "small-part" actors, and perhaps that was the genius of this movie; chemistry among the characters that WORKED! Combine that with a plausible and well written story line, set in a uniquely small town America setting, and just plain solid movie making compliments of director Dennis Hopper, and you have "The Hot Spot", a movie that any movie connoisseur can't watch just once! Excellent!

My favourite film..!
Well, my first review and my favourite film to boot. Having read the book by Charles Williams- a gift from a friend who is big into literature and the classics, therefore I felt it might be good - I thoroughly enjoyed conjouring up the images of dusty hot Texas whilst trying to keep cool with the steamy sultry shenanigans between the two diverse female leads and Harry Madox, the main character. Watching the movie for the first time a year or so later, it struck me how rarely when one reads a book does the film match up to the imagined filmscape. In this instance it exceeded my expectations like no other film had done or has done since. With the wonderful music, evoking the atmoshpere in spades and the masterful performance by Don Johnson - hitherto remebered by most for his role in Miami vice and its lack of real depth - the movie comes alive to me as a romantic representation of what I imagine a small Texan town and its bizarre characters may be like. Jennifer Connely is indeed one of the most beatiful women on screen, a shame that many seem to have just focused on her nudity as a reason to watch (or fast forward) the movie, I guess it must tell you a thing or two about them..

You will either love or hate this movie for many reasons. I make no apologies for liking this and if you want a slick, stylish movie with great music, a hot steamy atmosphere and the opportunity to watch Don Johnson perform in the movie of his career (if only for posterity) then you will do worse than spend a couple of hours watching this.

"I found my level and I'm living it."
Drifter Harry Maddux (Don Johnson) arrives in town and takes a job as a salesman at a used car lot. The boss, Mr. Hawshaw, isn't sure quite what to make of Harry. Harry aggressively tells another salesman: "in this life, you've got to take what you want," but he privately admits that his past is "a series of jams over floozies." Hawshaw has a nubile, seductive young wife, Dolly (Virginia Madsen), who quickly targets Harry as her next prey. Harry lacks the willpower to resist her rather obvious charms, but at the same time, he is also attracted to Gloria (Jennifer Connelly), Hawshaw's young female employee.

"The Hot Spot" --a Neo Noir film--is directed by Dennis Hopper, and it's an excellent entry in the genre--complete with a sleazy blackmailer, crimes, and a wicked femme fatale. I am not a Don Johnson fan, but he did a credible job in this film. He was suitably sweaty and stressed at the appropriate moments. But the film really belonged to Virginia Madsen. She drives a vintage, pink Cadillac, and her tackily decorated mansion resembles a bordello--complete with a stuffed Polar bear. Madsen writhes, coils and slithers her way from scene to scene, and she holds Maddux in a state of horrified fascination--what a performance. There are several scenes with strippers swinging around poles, etc, and one topless scene with Connelly. Obviously not for the kiddies--displacedhuman

The Hot Spot is scorching HOT
I am a big Jennifer Connelly fan so this film is very close it my heart and I recomend it because not only do we get to see Jennifer topless on a beach but the film is pretty good.

Don Johnson does an admiral job in the film and I was impressed with the director Dennis Hopper a very nice film that wasn't expected to do anything when it was released in 1991.

A worthy addition to your DVD collection or the guilty pleasure that is my collection

Oh, Jennifer!!!!
It's true Jennifer's topless scene is very nice for us guys
but,that is not all this movie offers.The acting in this film is
good all way round. (At least in my eyes) Hopper is exellent at
bringing the southern heat to the screen and telling an offbeat
story that's fun to watch and that's what it's all about! I think
this movie is an overlooked gem and i watch it at least once a year!

Oh, Yeah!.... Did i mention Jennifer Connelly??? ... Read more

Description

Downtrodden writer Henry (Mickey Rourke) and distressed goddess Wanda (Faye Dunaway) aren't exactly husband and wife: they're wedded to their bar stools. But they like each other's company - and 'Barfly' captures their giddy, din-soaked attempts to make a go of life on the skids. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

A fascinating Dramatic Comedy.
When a real druken alcool (Mickey Rourke) has a real hidden talent for writing. While a drunken woman likes him (Faye Dunaway) lives with him in his apartment. A rich attractive woman (Alice Krige) bought the rights of his short stories. She tries to give him an new look for him and a change but he has to choose, what right for him or stay being one person rotten sodden sleazy misadventure after another.

Directed by Barbet Schroeder (Single White Female) made a hip, flip and often gruesomely funny Semiautobiographical film written by Charles Bukowski. Superb Performances by Rourke, Dunaway and Krige. As well as a Dynamite Jazz and R&B Score. Mickey Rourke was Nominated for Best Actor in the Independent Spirit Awards also for Best Cinematography. This Film is Not for all tastes. Rourke is a Standout in this. DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an good Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Sound. DVD has Interviews with the writer:Bukowski, Behind the Scenes featurette and Trailer. This is a cult classic. Exective Produced by Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalyspe Now). Grade:A+.

To All My Friends!!! - Hail to the Great Charles Bukowski
This movie is profoundly entertaining. Pick up and read some of the great Bukowski novels (Ham On Rye, Post Office, Factotum, and more), short stories (Tales of Ordinary Madness, South of No North), and books of poetry (Love Is A Dog From Hell, Play The Piano Drunk Like A Percussion Instrument Until The Fingers Begin To Bleed A Bit) and you will get a glimpse into the darkest depths of the supremely talented and tormented Charles Bukowski. This film is filled with so many quotable lines and is the only film of its kind. Mickey Rourke plays a wonderful Henry Chinaski and Faye Dunaway is brilliant. Pay attention to when Henry spots Wanda from across the bar. In that scene, when they pan across the bar, the old man tilting back a bottle of Budweiser is none other than the actual Charles Bukowski himself. For fans of Bukowski, this is a must see. For those of you who don't know him, read his stuff before and after you see this film and you will potentially find yourself turned on to one of the greatest poets and writers of the 20th century.

Love it or hate it
You will either love or hate this film and either way it will be for a good reason. If you like dark and subtle comedy, enjoy a movie that takes some time to develop the characters, like irony, like acting that is good but doesn't call attention to itself, and if you have seen drunks before and are not shocked by them, then you will probably love this film. If you don't get the comedy, if you are disgusted by drunks, if you like fast moving pictures, if you looking for redeaming social value and if feel a film must have an obvious and direct point, then you will not like this film.

Personally, I started out disliking it for all the reasons that others have said it is not worth seeing. Then about 1/4 of the way through, I got what the writer, actors and director were doing. I saw the irony, the undercurrents of social and personal satire, and the downright humor in it. I started laughing and enjoying myself, and I didn't stop laughing for the rest of the film.

The degree of subtilty is greater than we are accustomed to in a Hollywood film, so alot of people not only don't get it but don't know there is anything to get because they are not expecting anything this subtle. The Director, Barbet Schroeder, cut his teeth working with director Eric Rohmer, who is as slow and subtle as they come. The now common phrase, "Watching paint dry," was unfairly coined by an unappreciative viewer to discribe his films. Schroeder is no where near as slow as Rohmer, but he seems to have learned how to build up elements of plot and character that open new dimensions in the film and suprise the attentive viewer in very pleasing ways.

This is certainly true of Barfly. Aside from being funny it is also deep. If are looking for an action flic or light comedy, this is not for you. If you are looking for something to glance at while you are cooking dinner then this is the wrong movie. If you have the time and inclination to pay attention or you will be disappointed with it. It is not for everyone. Some people view film as only good for recreation and that is fine. But if you want to take the time to understand the subtly and humor of the film, you will probably enjoy it - a lot.

please kill me
this was one of the worst movies i have ever seen. it was a total waste of my time. please someone kill me for i have seen pure evil and i am now tainted from this stupid movie

One of My Favorite Movies
I first caught Barfly on Late Night Television about 12 years ago and instantly fell in love with it. I had been looking for a cheap used Uncut VHS copy of this for awhile and just couldn't come across one. So I just purchased The DVD version. I am glad I did. Nothing like watching an older Film without the VHS wear lines and squiggles. Back to Barfly, it stars Mickey Rourke in a powerhouse role as Henry Chinaski a mostly drunk modern day poet disenfranchised by life. Faye Dunaway does an awesome job as Crazy Wanda Wilcox, Henry's love interest and self styled drunk herself . Barfly contains an excellent cast, even Frank Stallone shows up in a great role as Eddie the Bartender. Barfly contains many lines that once you hear them they will be burned into your conciousness forever. ("To All My Friends"). Barfly Blows away Leaving Las Vegas and puts Nicholas Cage to shame. I can't believe no Oscar Nominations were handed out for this Film. Barbet Scroeder directed a true masterpiece. Writen by Charles Bukowski and Loosely based on his life, and I say loosely. The DVD version has some extras which include a piece on the making of Barfly. You can't go wrong with owning this picture perfect un-cut version of Barfly. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even more than most of David Lynch's deliberately bizarre and idiosyncratic movies, Dune is a "love-it-or-hate-it" affair. An ambitious, epic, utterly mind-boggling--and, let's admit it, all-out weird--adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune remains one of the most controversial films in the director's exceedingly provocative career. The story (if Dune can be said to have just one story) is complex and convoluted in the epic tradition; it has something to do with political intrigue and a planet that is home to a precious spice and gigantic sand worms. Think Shakespeare's Henry IV with a dash of Tremors, and set in another galaxy. But despite plenty of strangely whispered voice-overs that explain the characters' thoughts (and endlessly detailed exposition), storytelling is not really among the film's strong points. There are, however, a lot of memorably fantastic/grotesque images, an extraordinary cast, and a soundtrack featuring Toto. I told you it was weird. Among the stars are Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, Sting, Kenneth McMillan, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, and Linda Hunt. The DVD contains the original release version; a shorter version cut for television has been disowned by Lynch, who insisted his name be replaced by that famous Hollywood pseudonym "Alan Smithee." --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (435)

Dune: the sleeper has awaken.
David Lynch's (Eraserhead, Twin Peaks) adaptation of Frank Herbert's defining saga 'DUNE' may very well be, if truth be told, the most epic enterprise, and in many ways the most rewarding, of Lynch's work thus far.

Dune is a difficult movie to review, if only because there is no easy (or maybe I should say simple) way to look at it. At its core though DUNE tells the story of Paul Atreides, a young man whose destiny as a Messiah of worlds echoes that of such classics like Brazil or Spartacus, where seemingly ordinary men become extraordinary beings. This however is an over-simplification, DUNE is built from a collection of stories and legends that form a unique whole -perfectly captured by Lynch.

Make no mistake, this movies begs to be seen in its original 2,35:1 widescreen format. Freddie Francis' photography of the barren Dune world is simply amazing, and even though some of the special effects may seem old when compared to today's standards, the amazing designs by Anthony Masters will simply take your breath away. The DVD edition, while not anamorphic, is very well presented, sporting a very high quality video transfer and excellent sound. A brief, if yet interesting, collection of production notes are also included, as well as cast and crew bios and the original theatrical trailer in widescreen format.

DUNE seems slow at times and it may not be for everyone -but then that's always been the trademark of Lynch's work, I think. Still, DUNE is an excellent example of how a complex story can make a Sci-Fi movie be truly epic. Couple that with the amazing designs and the beautiful photography and you got a winner here. Highly recommended.

Lynch's Dune leaves lasting impressions
Oil planets, rubber suits, flying Buicks and lots of industrial images and soot...
Who else could come up with a vision like this for the Frank Herbert novel other than David Lynch?
This so-called box office disaster has to be one of the most controversial sci-fi films to ever grace the silver screen, and though it has been repeatedly bashed by sci-fi buffs and Dune purists, the two-hour-plus feature always manages to surface either on television (in a hastily- and carelessly-edited extended cut), in conversations among admirers of sci-fi or cinema, as well as in personal movie collections worldwide.
So why was it scorned during its initial release?
Expectations of the film adaptation were high. The film hardly captured every facet of the novel. But how could it?
Also, many theatergoers and sci-fi fans were expecting, well, more of a futuristic approach to Dune as opposed to Lynch's industrial vision. A spaceship with plush leather interior lacking any flashy computers just didn't do it for the Star Trek/Star Wars crowd.
However, Lynch's script remains faithful to the story and its characters. The first-rate casting, combined with (undeniably) Lynch direction, pack enough flair to make the film more than worthwhile viewing and certainly worthy to own on DVD.
The entire cast give first-rate performances, most notably Kenneth McMillan, Jose Ferrer, Sian Phillips, Francessca Annis and, of course, Patrick Stewart.
Toto, the 80s rock band that proved to everyone that musicianship isn't everything, contribute a worthy score, though it steers toward a Flash Gordon-esque style in the film's finale.
In sum, Lynch - like a true visionary - leaves us with more fantastic impressions of the enigmatic Dune world than he does comprehensive storytelling. The impressions, however, are lasting. They are the key to why this sci-fi flop survived the relentless criticism and has proved, repeatedly, to be in demand among consumers.
Note: Lynch withdrew his screenwriting and director's credit from the extended TV version of the film, and for good reason.

Duned
Woh! I didn't know what to expect when I first sat down to watch 'Dune'. Not having read the novel, the first hour of the movie made me think I had Attention Deficit Disorder, I didn't know what was going on. After that first hour, I gradually left my efforts at understanding behind and just revelled in its sheer spectacle.

Poor David Lynch was driven to the brink of suicide while making this picture. The success of 'The Elephant Man' must have made him believe that adapting other people's work would be a much more successful venture than trying to develop anything on his own at this stage of his career. 'Dune' is full of Lynchian touches even if his commanding vision is sadly missing. The Emperor's court looks like something out of pre-industrial Europe in contrast to the Harkonnen culture of brutal industry and festering disease (Lynch would have been in his element here). Indeed the Baron Harkonnen's face bears some resemblance to John Merrick's in 'The Elephant Man', biological explosions bursting through the skin.

'Dune' would have made a pretty good T.V. series if it had been directed by Lynch, there certainly would have been wider scope for plot and character development. As it was left in it's 137 minute version Lynch had to cut entire scenes and have them explained in one line of voice-over dialogue instead. This makes much more of the profound elements of the film seem like excerpts from a daytime soap opera, the slow zoom into the static face as the voice-over speaks the thoughts of the actor.

Locked into producer Dino De Laurentiis's and writer Frank Herbert's vision, it's not surprising that Lynch returned to small-time film making as a way of retaining artistic control.

Generally, I liked it
Yes, the movie is weird; yes, they changed a lot from the book, like another movie which shall remain nameless (*cough*"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"*coughcough*), and yes, it borders on the incomprehensible at times. Still, IMHO, it beats the hell out of the later remake, which is twice as long and half as interesting. The actors in this movie have great charisma, and besides, who can beat Patrick Stewart as Gurney Halleck? I ask you!

The main flaw (again, IMHO) is that the "long version" has yet to be released on video or DVD, although it can be seen about once a year on the Sci-Fi Channel. The shorter version is just not enough; write your congressman and DEMAND the full-length extended cut of "Dune". 'Nuff said.

Oh Lordy
Well. Time to write a review of this on Amazon. So many things to say. A beginning is a delicate time. Well, lets state the obvious first and foremost.

This movie was a flop. A bomb. A disaster. It cost a great deal of money to make and it made almost nothing at the box office. This was due to a number of reasons. One, in the early eighties, science fiction was considered very uncool. So that any young dude in the early eighties worth his salt wouldn't be caught dead going to this movie. The other matter is that any of those young dudes who DID happen to wander into this movie probably had to wonder just what the hell was going on.

Dune is very challenging science fiction that almost might be considered the work of a genius. It is far more complex and interweaving than the plot for something like "Star Wars" for example. By that, I'm not saying that Star Wars was a bad movie, indeed, it was a very profitable one (unlike Dune). It is just that from my viewpoint, it is incredible that this movie was even created at all, considering the usual attitude of movie studios toward complex plots of any kind whatsoever. In fact, I would go so far as to venture the guess that this movie being a flop set a standard for one dimensional movie plot lines for years to come. A movie must make a profit, the dumber the movie, the bigger the profit.

Anyway, the point is this movie somehow, against all odds, WAS made. And the director, to add to the weirdness, was that master of weirdness (the weirding way?) himself, David Lynch. Lordy, this movie is a miracle against all odds.

The thing to keep in mind is that this movie didn't have an immediate impact when it was first released. However, slowly, over the years, it gained a massive cult following. It has become known as that "other" sci fi movie, alongside Star Wars and Star Trek. And indeed, I believe Frank Herbert wouldn't have had it any other way. On the video shelf, Dune has become the "underground" sci fi epic loved by a select few - who rent it very often.

The movie has had a sweeping impact upon culture, regardless of who hates it or loves it. If you have seen it, you will never forget it. Some scenes remain breathtakingly modern with incredible special effects, others are rough edged with some editing that could use something to be desired. Yet despite it all, it remains powerful today (especially when compared to the awful tv miniseries version). ... Read more

Reviews (185)

"It's a strange world, isn't it?"
That line of dialogue from David Lynch's unquestioned masterpiece BLUE VELVET describes Lynch's film universe perfectly. With the new SPECIAL EDITION dvd out we truly get a glimpse inside the making of a great film and how it can immediately be misunderstood by someone like Roger Ebert. The behind the scenes documentary is great with interviews from many of the film participants. To enter the world of David Lynch is to cross into an unknown vortex of subconscious desires, fears, and dreams. The film brilliantly shows us the illusion of the perfect smalltown life vs. the city underworld right next door. The images stay with you long after the movie is over. Dennis Hopper is absolutely perfect in a harrowing, funny, and brutal psychopath filled with self loathing and anger. I just saw a revival showing at a theater in Los Angeles and I highly recommend to anyone to see it in a theater if possible. On the big screen the movie envelops you into its world from which there is no escape. BLUE VELVET is definitely not for everyone, and that's ok. Lynch wasn't trying to make a film for the masses, but rather as a complete personal expression in the movie art form.

Blue Velvet, the best film of the 80's
In what one could regard now as a precursor to TWIN PEAKS, David Lynch explores his primary fascination, the possibly seedy under-belly that may or may not exist in Middle America.

Jeffrey(Kyle Maclachlan) lives in an idealic small town. It's picturesque, everybody knows everybody, and the doors are left unlocked at night. However, evil is lurking. Jeffrey discovers this one day as he walks through a remote field, he finds a human ear. Jeff takes the ear to a local Police Detective, who thanks him and then asks him to stay away from the case. But Jeff, with the Hardy Boy inside getting the better of him, does no such thing, and with the help of the Detective's Daughter(Laura Dern) he decides to investigate. His snooping eventually leads him to a mysterious and seemingly disturbed night club singer, Dorothy(Isabella Rossellini), who Jeffrey is uncontrollably intruiged by and attracted to. In fact, it is only when Jeffrey meets Dorothy's derranged tormentor Frank Booth(Dennis Hopper at his twisted best) that he starts to realize that he just might be in way over his head.

Bizarre, captivating, hypnotic, and haunting. You've heard these words describe BLUE VELVET before. But that's because these descriptions are very accurate. This is David Lynch's brilliant painted portrait of what might lie beneath. It's violent, it's comedic at times, it's disturbing at others. It's a film that Lynch fans will love, and that non-Lynch fans will find pointless and boring.

But then again, that's true of all of Lynch's work. His films are definately an acquirred taste. Here's the best way to describe it. All the mystery aside, it's about a young man who loses his innocence on his way to adulthood. That's BLUE VELVET in a nutshell. In way it's one of Lynch's most straight forward stories(THE STRAIGHT STORY being an exception).

So to all Lynch fans to have yet to see BLUE VELVET for themselves, log off your computers, run to your nearest Blockbuster, check out this masterpiece, and be prepared to pay some major late fees. Because this is one film you will want to experience over and over again.

Thanks for reading my review.

Much Less Than its Rep
Weird, dully acted, occasionally gross and sometimes unintentionally funny. Lynch desperately wants to have his cake and eat it too by being so uncool that he's cool. Lynch cannot just tell, he has to show. All the time. Like the weird kid in 3rd grade who always brought something unsettling to show-and-tell and the kids told their parents and the parents complained and the teacher had to talk to his parents about his not bringing anything else. The weirdos Lynch populates his underworld with are hilariously overacted by actors who obviously don't know what the heck is going on and probably think Lynch is full of it. Dennis Hopper is hysterical. He basically didn't change his act a bit from Apocalypse Now and, of course, the critics and fans raved about how "brilliant" ansd "electrifying" his performance was. After Blue Velvet, I imagine Hopper got down on his knees every night and thanked God for giving most people short memories and short attention spans.

Hey neighbor
I've had a weird experience with this movie. The first time I saw it, I couldn't help being disappointed having already seen some of Lynch's other films. While Dennis Hopper's performance was impressive and many of his quotes from Blue Velvet stuck in my memory, somehow things just didn't click and I more or less thought of 'Blue Velvet' as a somewhat interesting, but ultimately forgettable experience. The seemingly good vs. evil theme of the film (the robins and Sandy's dream) in particular annoyed me and the whole thing added a definite 'cheese' factor.

One night I decided to give Blue Velvet another chance and surprisingly the experience was a much richer one; in fact, I would now say that this is an excellent movie.
[Incidentally, Lynch's Lost Highway had a somewhat similar, but completely opposite effect - I went from thinking that it was a great flick to thinking it was an alright one].

I would say that it is wrong to say that this film is about 'good vs. evil' or that Lynch is trying to make any sort of a moral statement in it; the nuances of Blue Velvet are much more subtle than that and the characters more complicated. As most of Lynch's work, Blue Velvet is about obsession and obsession luring people into dark corners of the world. The film pulls the viewer (as a voyeur) into its dangerous and strange universe and relies much (as a lot of other Lynch movies) on the pure flow of images, the atmospheric experience. The sound element adds much to enriching this powerful experience and Blue Velvet as a whole invites multiple viewings.

In my opinion this is one of Lynch's fairly straight forward films in terms of the linear-time progression (along with The Elephant Man and The Straight Story) and as such might serve as a good introductory movie to those who want to become more familiar with his work. (Mulholland Drive is, I believe, so far the consummation of Lynch's previous efforts into one crowning achievement).

Also, there are many interesting bonus materials in this little DVD package.

Weird film
Blue Velvet has got to be one of the strangest films I have ever seen. It started off o.k. but when we first see frank booth it just gets weirder and weirder. The film also suffers from bad script. The acting in the film is very poor expect Dennis Hopper.
There are so many films like this and I can't understand why people think this one is so special. I was really looking forward to watching this when I bought the DVD but after watching it I felt cheated into buying a poor film.
Overall bad film, bad acting and bad script. People who appeciate those three should steer clear. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Another review of the German DVD
If you are able to play Region 2 PAL discs (as I am), the German edition of Lost Highway on DVD is the way to go. The English soundtrack is included in Dolby 5.1, and (unlike the Canadian edition) it's in W-I-D-E-S-C-R-E-E-N. Another review of this disc convinced me to purchase a copy from Amazon.de. Surpisingly, Amazon.de recognized my Amazon.com login! And placing the order was pretty easy, even though my German is almost non-existant.

The picture and sound quality are good (though not exquisite), and the disc even has some extras - which, on Lynch DVDs, are usually scarce. The sound track does appear to be slightly out of sync with the picture, but that could be an artifact of converting PAL to NTSC on the fly. What I wouldn't give for a multi-standard widescreen monitor...

The film itself is a dark psychological study similar in many ways to David Lynch's more recent Mulholland Drive. It's about obsession, murder, guilt, secret identities, and the demons that often drive people to desparate, destructive acts. Don't try to make sense of it the first time through; just go with it. Then, on repeat viewings, look at it as a symbolic map of a man's mind stressed beyond the breaking point. Apply a little Jungian psychology, and its meaning should, if not exactly come clear, at least brush past you close enough to touch.

Lost Highway is an underrated masterpiece of psychological horror, and not to be missed by fans of David Lynch! C'mon, you can get through the German...

A Masterpiece of Crime Cinema
I'm not an audiophile nor an expert on video quality. However, I have quite a number of DVD's in my collection and this one plays just as well as any of the others. Anyone saying otherwise are maybe hoping to generate interest in a new edition of the film on DVD or something, which I certainly wouldn't be against if it contains some nice extras.

If you're already a David Lynch fan then I won't preach to the choir because you already must love this film. However, if you're new to Lynch's work, you must not expect anything 'normal' to happen. He usually breaks the rules of linear story-telling. This effort is no exception. The film, according to one theory, is one man's nightmare dreamt from inside the cell of a penitentiary, but it is time displaced and characters switch roles. The nightmare is based on what we can only assume is real events that involve the main character murdering a young woman whom he loves, but who is tied to a nefarious character named Mr. Eddy. It's hard to tell who Lynch sees as the real villain here - Mr. Eddy or the girl.

Knowing the dream/nightmare premise, though, you can stop wondering what's going on and just enjoy the ride. If you're of the Freudian psychoanalysis school of though there will be a lot to keep you focused. If not, there's still enough linear filmmaking here to keep you enthralled as in a 'normal' movie, but there's enough strange weirdness (Robert Blake's character for instance) that tips you off that this is all a really wacked out nightmare. The fact that it is probably based on actual events that the main character is remembering in the dream makes it all the more chilling.

insane Pyshc Thiller, or devilishly complex mystery
This movie left me bedazzeled for a week. After I watched it I was still trying to solve it,once i did figure it out, {i'm no dummy}, my senses were delighted

WARNING! STOP! RED LIGHT! LISTEN UP!
DO NOT BUY THIS LOST HIGHWAY IMPORT DVD! I should have trusted the other reviewer who said that the transfer quality is beyond awful because it is! Honestly, the quality of this import DVD is as bad as a poor quality bootleg DVD. There is a small strip on the left side of the picture because the picture isn't centered. The look of the picture is very poor and grainy. The sound does not even match up with the picture. I love this movie, but do yourself a favor and do NOT buy this import DVD. The VHS version not only looks better than the import DVD, but it is also in widescreen.

Lost Movie
This is my theory on David Lynch. He is either the greatest filmmaking genius of our time, or he is completly insane. Take your pick. "Lost Highway" is a very deep movie that relies almost completly on the moment, what is happening now. As a whole coherent story, it would be hopeless to try to give a synopsis. I think it is basicly a nightmare caught on film. It is not logical; the concept of time is meaningless; and characters are literally interchangeable. It is hard to say if the actors did a good job or not because a lot of what they do makes no sense, but it was designed that way. I remember reading an article where Bill Pullman said that no one knew what the story meant. I believe it. Patricia Arquette plays two women who are the same soul (I think). Bill Pullman is her husband, a paranoid man who is caught up in a mental breakdown. He literally transforms into a 19 year old mechanic in his prison cell (he was arrested for murdering his wife). Then the movie shifts over to the kid's story. He is involved with a mobster (played by Robert Loggia, who actually makes me thing he's related to Frank, the crazy Dennis Hopper character from David Lynch's "Blue Velvet"). And finally Robert Blake plays...um, well, some guy who can literally be in two places at once. He is really creepy in this movie, we're a long way from "Beretta". All I can say is that this movie is all about atmosphere and style over content, and that isn't a good thing at all. I keep thinking that Lynch will make the movie that will make all his other movies make sense. But, good luck trying to guess what it means. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A great road movie!
The best of the "Trailer trash livin', acid droppin', convenience store robbin', bald head tatooin', chased by crazed speed freak killers" genre. ... 10 years ago the critics of this movie would have been accusing Tarantino/Stone/Bright etc. of [copying] other directors that had passed before them or inspired their work. The truth is, Love & a 45' is a highly entertaining road movie that may be compared to Natural Born Killers, Freeway, and others but has the strength to stand on it's own two feet. Personally I think it's a great ride and after watching the comparison films thirty or forty times I dont see any comparison to speak off. Peter Fonda is great as a wheelchair bound throwback to the 60's living off a fat disability check and still working down his acid stockpile from the good ole' days. Renee Zellweger is yummy as ever and Gil Bellows is adequately loopy and neurotic as her live in soon to be husband. Whacky characters and crazy scenes galore and it is fun to watch. Five full clips!

this one rocks!!!!!!!!!
was this out first or was it natural born killers?who knows?they are both good though so whats it matter?2 lovers get into trouble over a robbery gone wrong and have to bail out.the only person i recognized was that dj chick from full house.she played a heroin [prostitute].thats quite a switch from miss goodie 2 shoes from the tv show.its a bit violent for kids.there is a lot of speed use in this one also and one guy takes lsd so its not for kids.there are a few really amusing robbery scenes in this movie.

A darker side of Renee Zellweger
I'll admit that I own "Love and a .45" mainly because I'm a HUGE fan of Renee Zellweger and worship the ground she walks on. Not only is she beautiful but she has talent, and she proves that yet again in this "running-from-the-law" flick. She also proves that she can take on any type of role and be great in it, and her role in this movie almost takes a 180-degree turn from her typical roles in other movies.

But Renee isn't the only reason to own this movie. I was equally impressed with the performances of all the other actors. Some scenes, especially the violent ones, are somewhat over-the-top, but then again that's what makes this movie so fun to watch. And contrary to what many say I found the level of violence high but not excessive. This isn't only a "shoot 'em up" pointless movie; there's more than just stage blood.

As for the DVD itself, bonus features are adequate but not overwhelming. I'm not too crazy about the letterbox format but at least the image and sound quality are good. All in all, a great movie for the fan of the "Pulp Fiction" style, or anyone who wants to see Renee Zellweger as a "bad girl." And get the soundtrack too!

Hilarious
What a funny laugh out loud - roll on the floor funny!!!

What?
Natural Born Killers is lame. Love and a .45 rules! Don't forget it! ... Read more

Description

A 1930's gangster/detective yarn about a Kansas City police lieutenant on the trail of underworld thugs and the private detective that keeps getting in his way. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Mindless Fun
Mindlessly funny in some parts - if you don't expect too much. Missing is the scene where Clint explains to his girlfriend that he shot his wife when he found her in bed with his best friend. When asked about the friend, he replies, "He was my best friend," indicating he didn't shoot him.

Not a great one*
Sorry, but it's not a good one... & I love most Clint movies... sorry to have to give this one a bad review.
To sum up- alot of fighting- but boring!

Screw The Critics This is A Funny Movie
Watching Clint Eastwood & Burt Reynolds work together is fun, They are old friends and have a natural sense of comedy timing. Also Shaft himself Richard Roundtree appears.

A Thin satire
Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood play a PI (former cop) and police detective respectively seeking to bring down "snotball" bad guys in a 1930's genre gangster movie. While not normally a fan of satire, it has an entirely different flavor when actors are poking fun at themselves rather than someone else. It is fun to watch Reynolds and Eastwood play highly exaggerated stereotypes of their signature characters - a little like watching Jackie Chan outtakes.

Unfortunately, the satire rapidly wears a little thin like the same joke being repeated over and over again for an hour and a half. The ending is especially lame; as if they just got tired of making the movie and slapped something together so they could all go home.

Is it worth watching? Yes, if someone is in the right mood and doesn't expect too much.

Eastwood and Reynolds try Abbott and Costello.
I must take exception to Mr. Maltins' review of this one. At no time during the viewing of this film (my copy at least) do the stars "pour gasoline on a guy and set him on fire...". There is a scene where a gangster becomes soaked with gasoline from a ruptured gas tank. There is a subsequent fire but I saw no one being burned. In another scene our heroes threaten to ignite the posterior of another guy after saturating it with alcohol but no ignation takes place. All in all a good time killer with some pretty good sight gags. The gun fight in the garage is close to being a classic. Give us a break Len, it's escapism and worth a look. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Motorama : B-Movie with allstar cast
Motorama is about 10 year old Gus who steals a car , and runs away from home collecting Motorama cards , if he collects them all he wins 500,000,000 $. Gus is played by Jordan Christopher Michael. the film also features special appearances by Jack Nance as a crazy hotel assistant, Meat Loaf (spectacular singer) as a biker who makes his living by armwrestling for money,Drew Barrymore as a Dream Girl , Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) as a busboy with a couple of loose screws ,Garrett Morris & Micheal J. Polliard as auto-Mechanics.also featuring music by Andy Summers and songs by Range Wars.Not suitable for children due to swearing , brief nudity , & Brief violence. Although the movie is kind of slow moving overall , it is pretty fun to watch out for cameos by some well known actors and singer/actors. it's pretty good

A surreal little gem of a road movie
This is an entertaining surreal road movie about a ten year old kid named Gus, who drives a red Ford Mustang across some fictional states with names like Tristana, Essex, South Lyndon... in search of eight elusive Motorama game cards from various gas stations. The film has a surreal feel to it because a lot of the things are unusual; like the money for instance, which is like blank paper with numbers on.

Most of the characters are nasty to Gus on his trip. They tattoo him, punch him, but this doesn't stop the kid on his relentless quest. Some oddball actors like David Lynch incumbent Jack Nance, Meat Loaf & Flea also make appearences. Jack Nance plays a motel owner, who when he first meets Gus tells him, "If you see any Squirrels, give them to me." An odd little gem of a movie.

What the Hell?
Okay, so the kid is getting the letter. No one notices he is 10, gets the R, blah blah blah. The reason this movie is abysmal is the ending. What in God's name were they thinking? He gets "motorama" and tries to claim his prise, but there is none; and after being thrown out of a sckyscraper what does our protaginst do? He hitchhikes back to the first gas station and takes the attendent job, fills up the car of a man who won 1 million dollars..the man is hit by a truck.. Credits roll after he has a meaningless 3(short)sentence conversation with the owner......and that's all. I feel the need to repeate, What in God's name were they thinking?

Zero stars wasn't an option.
Others have outlined the plot, so I'll get to the point.

The film is dull, listless, and offensive.

Here's a brief list of some "clever" moments:

* The protagonist (a ten year old boy) is beaten so that he loses an eye (in part because he's maliciously denied medical care)

* After dining in a biker bar, the protagonist is forcibly tatooed (which is depicted as excruciatingly painful).

* Some parents who are low on cash intentionally abandon their young children at a rest stop.

I *like* odd ball films (e.g., After Hours, Eraserhead, Dark Star, Moulin Rouge, Big Lebowski, Repo Man, etc. etc.) and am not easily put off by weirdness.

But this film is so mean spirited, tawdry, boring, and poorly performed that I couldn't find anything about it to like. I don't understand the favorable reviews it has received here and suggest you check out some more mainstream reviews (in reviews I read it was not just panned but reviled).

Ps. Despite the child protagonist, this is definitely not a children's movie.

Surreal Masterpiece
10-year old Gus (Jordan Christopher Michael) steals a car and travels across a bizarre Southwestern landscape, playing a road game called "Motorama." He encounters many eccentric characters, mostly nasty, and endures all sorts of abuse, growing gradually older until, at the end of his life.... Ignore the idiotic cover; oppressive heterosexism is refreshingly absent here. ... Read more

Description

From an early age, David Lynch was inspired by the arts and the warm inner glow that comes with the pursuit of creative expression. "Pretty as a Picture:The Art of David Lynch" examines how this modern day Renaissance man makes a motion picture, and examines, through his artistic explorations, the very nature of creativity. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Strangely disappointing (the movie, that is, not Lynch)
A behind the scenes look at the various products of David Lynch. Sounds interesting enough, but alas! this movie is no more than a mixture of Lynch-at-work footage, an all-too brief look at his work as a sculptor and an incomplete survey of his pictures. How is it possible that there is no mention of Lynch's absolute masterpiece 'Twin Peaks' in this documentary?? The 'Eraserhead' cast reunion is a unique display of dullness; a bunch of old actors visiting their former dwellingplaces. If you want to find out how exactly Lynch shot the prison scene in 'Lost highway' (better watch that movie again!), you have to take a look at this. However, people who know all about Lynch ànd people who know nothing at all about him, may both get disappointed. Better luck next time.

"Jimmy Stewart from Mars"--Mel Brooks
Here's a good documentary about Lynch. Of course, you never get a clue of insight from him or his friends about what informs the strange metaphysics and obsessions that we the audience experience in his films. But sensing what a likable and completely normal person he is in these interviews makes the disjunction all the more fascinating. He's just a painter and sculptor (albeit one whose medium sometimes involves dead rats, flies, and his beloved ants) who happened to get a commission from AFI in 1970 and has chosen to make films at his whim ever since, with complete artistic control of his projects. We experience his close working collaboration with composer Angelo Badalamenti in Prague and elsewhere, and it drives home how important music and sound is to him, and get glimpses of his earliest films. "Pretty as a Picture" is a must-own for his fans.

Not Bad, But...
Pretty As A Picture is an 80 minute documentary focusing on America's most original director, David Lynch. And while it was somewhat interesting in spots(the clips of his early short films were pretty neat), as a Lynchaholic, I was hoping for something a little more in depth. While it spends a lot of time talking about Lost Highway, Lynch's other films(The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, TV's Twin Peaks) are only brushed over slightly. Wild At Heart, winner of the Palm D'Or for whoever cares, was barely mentioned if at all. For my money, I'd go with the 80 minute documentary on the Blue Velvet Special Edition DVD. Yes, it focuses mostly on Blue Velvet, but it is far more informative and interesting than Pretty As A Picture. I just think that a brilliant filmmaker like Lynch deserves a much better documentary. That's my two cents.

Look at that HAIR!
yes, David has 'genius' hair...spikey, going in at least 5 different directions, when untamed...what joy to behold!
anyhow, I found this to be an enjoyable glimpse into Lynch's work (as much of a glimpse as I think we're going to get from the strange and media shy guy).
Most striking to me was the portrait of his artwork and his creation of it...I think this speaks most directly to his film work, since as his ex-wife put it, he wanted to make 'art that moves', and I'd purchase any of it (if I could afford it) in a second!
The discussion of his filmwork is rather shallow, but it's the interviews by people such as Peggy Lynch, Jack Fisk (longtime childhood friend), and his kids that light up this piece (Austin Lynch sounds *exactly* like David, with the midwestern twang and the long, slow deliberation with which he speaks). The Jay Leno interview is priceless ('they were sugar ants, but I think they were coming in for water...'), but, overall, if you're looking for what makes Lynch 'tick', you won't really find it here, but it's worth watching if you're a fan.

Good, but not good enough for such a genius.
This is so-so. I liked it because I am a David Lynch fanatic. My boyfriend found it boring (his favorite movie was Dune!). I was glad to see his children speak well of him and it is always a thrill to listen to David speak. However, this seemed to focus too much on Lost Highway and the producer complaining about how difficult David is! I think David should have had a final edit approval on this peice, that would have made all the difference. If you really want a glimpse into David Lynch's soul: 1. Watch Eraserhead and Blue Velvet 2. Read Lynch on Lynch by Chris Rodley-the finest book out there! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Made in the heady days of movies like Convoy and Smokey and the Bandit, when CB radios were expected to create the kind of communication network the Internet has provided, Breaker! Breaker! tells the tale of J.D. Dawes (Chuck Norris of Good Guys Wear Black and TV's Walker, Texas Ranger), a trucker in tight jeans and a blonde shag. While J.D. is defending his arm-wrestling reputation in a truck stop poolroom, his younger brother Billy is being taken advantage of by the crooked cops of Texas City, California, a former ghost town turned would-be tourist trap, run by a corrupt judge named Joshua Trimmings. When the scam gets out of hand, Billy disappears--and J.D. comes to town to find him. There are many campy things to appreciate about Breaker! Breaker! (the sequined collar of the shirt Norris wears during a meditation teaching, or the glorious air-brushed eagle on Norris's van), and by contemporary Jackie Chan/The Matrix standards the fighting is slow and unspectacular--but ironically, this actually gives the action some grit and makes the blows feel more visceral than the wild flips and kicks of more recent movies. The chase scenes have surprising momentum, and there's some fine scenery-chewing by George Murdock as the wicked judge. And for a curious bit of trivia, Jack Nance--who must have been playing the lead in David Lynch's Eraserhead concurrent with Breaker! Breaker!--plays a trucker friend of Norris's. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This is the movie that started it all!
For all Chuck fans this one is a must. Its got all you'd expect from a Chuck film....loose plot, bad acting, continuity problems, and shaky premises. But aside from all that its hillarious from its lewd intro song to the earth shattering dialogs, "Drink Trucker?", thoughout the film. If you want to have some fun this one is a must see!

Decent Action Flick, not a bad start for Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris made his starring Debut in this slightly hokey action film about a trucker who's brother gets caught in a one horse speedtrap of a town called Texas City. The DVD was mastered well with both wide and full screen versions. My only complaint is a lack of a trailer and the misprint of the time on my copy of the disk. How they lost 20 minutes of movie on the case is a mystery to me, as the movie really is 85 minutes, not 65.

chuck norris is old
How the hell did Chuck Norris become a star I mean the guys like 50 and he's so slow. I can't stand guys like him Steven Segal and Van Damme.

Truckin Action
Very good movie lots of truckin action and other stuff like that also lots of talk on CBs. Chuck Norris does a good job as a trucker and others do to. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

"THEY'LL GET YOU IN THE END."
These are two of the greatest B movie classics of the 80s I've ever seen. It's low-budget cinema at its finest and never ceases to entertain an audience. The Ghoulies are one of the most popular monster movies ever made and though the special effects are cheesy and the acting is sometimes bad, it's all in all a scary (and FUNNY!) movie series. (Though 3 & 4 sucked!) With this DVD, you get two great movies for one low price in a special double feature bundle all in one single disk! They are both the original "Ghoulies" & the sequel "Ghoulies II".

"GHOULIES" (1985)
Rating: ****

The one that started it all! A story about young Jonathan and his girlfriend, Rebecca who inherit a mansion which used to be used for an evil cult. After Jonathan finds a mysterious book about summoning demons, all hell breaks loose! (literally!) But soon the evil also corrupts Johnny and the little demons called Ghoulies obey his every command as their master. The original master of the Ghoulies rises from his grave (close to Jonathan and Rebecca's home coincidently) and from there the troublemaking, toilet gurgling monsters begin to kill all of Jonathan's guests! Regretting his actions after losing his one true love and friends, Jonathan does battle with the evil warlock.

OVERALL: Good! This one has some of the most cheesiest special effects in the WHOLE series considering all the Ghoulies are mostly puppets. There's also plenty of bad acting and ridiculous jokes involved so don't expect an academy award from this turkey except to have a good time watching it for it's grand entertainment. RATED: PG-13 for mild violence, drug use, brief sexuality, and some language.

"GHOULIES II" (1987)
Rating: *****

A LOT better than the original! The second installment picks up where the first left off. The Ghoulies are nearly destroyed by an old man but one of them is able to put him out quickly. After hitching a ride in the infamous 'Satan's Den', a travelling haunted house attraction owned by a young boy named Larry and his uncle Ned, they wind up at the local town carnival and from there, once again the demons start wreaking havoc! The attraction quickly makes a fortune, thanks to the efforts of the Ghoulies. (or "rats" as the tourists call them) However, some of the people who enter the hanuted house never come back out alive! When Uncle Ned is killed by them however, Larry vows to destroy them all before even more innocent people are killed!

OVERALL: Great! A VERY fun and exciting sequel with an even higher budget than that of the first. The Ghoulies effects in this one are simply amazing for its time and even the acting is well done at times. It's also a better black comedy than that of the first, and the Ghoulies are funny (but incredibly SCARY!) at the same time. Believe it or not, this one actually gave me nightmares! I especially enjoyed the climatic ending, where the Ghoulies run amok in the carnival and begin cooking up more of their mischief! The giant demon-eating Ghoulie is possibly the most cheesiest I've ever seen and looks almost as if it's a Halloween costume somebody's wearing. (Godzilla anyone?) I loved this one more than the original! RATED: R for graphic violence, sexual references, and some language. Well in this DVD, it got changed to PG-13, but I do agree with some of these reviewers here that it should've been R rated because there is plenty of shocking blood and gore to be found in this one.

All-in-all a fun trip back in time to one of the most popular 80s horror flicks and goes excellent with some soda (or beer) and popcorn! MGM did a good job with remastering these cult classics and both films are in their WIDESCREEN anamorphic format, giving the viewer a more theatrical feel to them. Sure they're not the best in the world, but for those of you starting up a horror collection (like me) they are worth owning and watching over and over again! Just be sure to check all the toilets in your house the next time you decide to use the bathroom! :)

Another excellent MGM Double Feature DVD!
MGM has done an admirable job for this new Double Feature DVD. It contains both Ghoulies and Ghoulies 2, both presented in Animorphic Widescreen with their original theatrical trailers. The picture and sound are as good as we're ever going to see these two films on DVD. A great value, even if you only wish to buy it for one of the movies.

GHOULIES was an early release from Charles Band and Empire Pictures, predating the later Full Moon Pictures. The budget was fairly low for the mid-1980's, but it is still an enjoyable late-night film.

GHOULIES 2 was the sequel and probably had a little larger budget. It featured more talented actors (Royal Dano, Phil Fondacaro, Starr Andreeff, Sasha Jenson) and the Ghoulies are a little more animate than in the original movie. On a whole it is better than the original in many ways.

There were two more later sequels (Parts 3 & 4) to the Ghoulies franchise...maybe they will also come to DVD someday soon.

GoooGaaah!
Yep, you heard it right from the mouth of a screaming ghoulie: GoooGaah! These films aren't horrific, they're slapstick comedy. Anyone who thinks a midget monster running out of corners, or shooting out of toilets, is not funny, well, maybe they need to grow up and face the demons in their life, because there is much more scarier things out there than midget Satanists. The films are like the Cabbage Patch Kids Gone Wild, and Green, and some fuzziness too. I'd yet to see a flick where a cute blond picks up a ghoulie thinking it's a doll, and it bites a chunk out of her face, now that would tip me out of my chair. I just love the cheesy effects and puppeteering in these films. It's a classic for all those people who love to see cheesy horror flicks.

Just a reminder before you decide to sit on the pot:

Turn on the light and flush the ghoulie before he eats you.

FLUSH! GOOOGAAAH! BLURP!

Two Awsome Flicks
These are two awsome films that mgm has put on one disk. Ghoulies 2 is a but better than Ghoulies. Anyway, the first one is so cheezy, it's a great 5 star in my book. The second is more of a low budget gore infested flick that is once again a 5 star movie in my book. The second should not be PG-13. It should be R no doubt about it. It is gory with nudity, sex and coarse language. Anyway, the first Ghoulies is about a young man who has inhareteda mansion. I curse was put on him and no one knows but his caretaker Wolfgang. Soon, the affects come in and the young man calls up the Ghoulies. Ghoulies are ugly little creatures that come out of water and the ground. But when the Ghoulies real master shows up when a party is going on, the Ghoulies go wild and eat everyone in sit. Ghoulies is a violent movie for PG-13 but than again R would be to high for it.
Ghoulies 2 is about the nasty looking demons who hitch a ride with a carnival. When the carnival sets up, the Ghoulies hide in a haunted house at the carnival. The haunted house is a spooky ride called Saten's Den, but it just got spookier since the Ghoulies arrive. When all the customers go into Saten's den, they ain't coming out. Ghoulies 2 is very violent for a PG-13 rating and should be R. But what can you do about.
So, two good low budget films that are great for parties. Get this dvd. It's worth every penny.

Great B flicks but where's the music video?
Ghoulies 1. Havent seen it in so long I forgot how cheesy it is. But that dont make it bad. I really enjoyed it again. Even though I didnt get the dvd from Amazon (I got it at Walmart) I still recommend getting it. Preferably through Amazon though. I really like the fact these two flicks are widescreen and their is trailers for each but the only dissapointment besides two sided discs is where the heck is the awesome music video by WASP. One of the best heavy metal bands in existence. They done Scream Until You Like It for the soundtrack which you can hear in the flick (part 2 that is). Unless the video plays after the credits or is an easter egg I cant seem to find it. Anyway 4 stars for both flicks and I agree with a few other reviewers that pt 2 is better. ... Read more

Reviews (185)

"It's a strange world, isn't it?"
That line of dialogue from David Lynch's unquestioned masterpiece BLUE VELVET describes Lynch's film universe perfectly. With the new SPECIAL EDITION dvd out we truly get a glimpse inside the making of a great film and how it can immediately be misunderstood by someone like Roger Ebert. The behind the scenes documentary is great with interviews from many of the film participants. To enter the world of David Lynch is to cross into an unknown vortex of subconscious desires, fears, and dreams. The film brilliantly shows us the illusion of the perfect smalltown life vs. the city underworld right next door. The images stay with you long after the movie is over. Dennis Hopper is absolutely perfect in a harrowing, funny, and brutal psychopath filled with self loathing and anger. I just saw a revival showing at a theater in Los Angeles and I highly recommend to anyone to see it in a theater if possible. On the big screen the movie envelops you into its world from which there is no escape. BLUE VELVET is definitely not for everyone, and that's ok. Lynch wasn't trying to make a film for the masses, but rather as a complete personal expression in the movie art form.

Blue Velvet, the best film of the 80's
In what one could regard now as a precursor to TWIN PEAKS, David Lynch explores his primary fascination, the possibly seedy under-belly that may or may not exist in Middle America.

Jeffrey(Kyle Maclachlan) lives in an idealic small town. It's picturesque, everybody knows everybody, and the doors are left unlocked at night. However, evil is lurking. Jeffrey discovers this one day as he walks through a remote field, he finds a human ear. Jeff takes the ear to a local Police Detective, who thanks him and then asks him to stay away from the case. But Jeff, with the Hardy Boy inside getting the better of him, does no such thing, and with the help of the Detective's Daughter(Laura Dern) he decides to investigate. His snooping eventually leads him to a mysterious and seemingly disturbed night club singer, Dorothy(Isabella Rossellini), who Jeffrey is uncontrollably intruiged by and attracted to. In fact, it is only when Jeffrey meets Dorothy's derranged tormentor Frank Booth(Dennis Hopper at his twisted best) that he starts to realize that he just might be in way over his head.

Bizarre, captivating, hypnotic, and haunting. You've heard these words describe BLUE VELVET before. But that's because these descriptions are very accurate. This is David Lynch's brilliant painted portrait of what might lie beneath. It's violent, it's comedic at times, it's disturbing at others. It's a film that Lynch fans will love, and that non-Lynch fans will find pointless and boring.

But then again, that's true of all of Lynch's work. His films are definately an acquirred taste. Here's the best way to describe it. All the mystery aside, it's about a young man who loses his innocence on his way to adulthood. That's BLUE VELVET in a nutshell. In way it's one of Lynch's most straight forward stories(THE STRAIGHT STORY being an exception).

So to all Lynch fans to have yet to see BLUE VELVET for themselves, log off your computers, run to your nearest Blockbuster, check out this masterpiece, and be prepared to pay some major late fees. Because this is one film you will want to experience over and over again.

Thanks for reading my review.

Much Less Than its Rep
Weird, dully acted, occasionally gross and sometimes unintentionally funny. Lynch desperately wants to have his cake and eat it too by being so uncool that he's cool. Lynch cannot just tell, he has to show. All the time. Like the weird kid in 3rd grade who always brought something unsettling to show-and-tell and the kids told their parents and the parents complained and the teacher had to talk to his parents about his not bringing anything else. The weirdos Lynch populates his underworld with are hilariously overacted by actors who obviously don't know what the heck is going on and probably think Lynch is full of it. Dennis Hopper is hysterical. He basically didn't change his act a bit from Apocalypse Now and, of course, the critics and fans raved about how "brilliant" ansd "electrifying" his performance was. After Blue Velvet, I imagine Hopper got down on his knees every night and thanked God for giving most people short memories and short attention spans.

Hey neighbor
I've had a weird experience with this movie. The first time I saw it, I couldn't help being disappointed having already seen some of Lynch's other films. While Dennis Hopper's performance was impressive and many of his quotes from Blue Velvet stuck in my memory, somehow things just didn't click and I more or less thought of 'Blue Velvet' as a somewhat interesting, but ultimately forgettable experience. The seemingly good vs. evil theme of the film (the robins and Sandy's dream) in particular annoyed me and the whole thing added a definite 'cheese' factor.

One night I decided to give Blue Velvet another chance and surprisingly the experience was a much richer one; in fact, I would now say that this is an excellent movie.
[Incidentally, Lynch's Lost Highway had a somewhat similar, but completely opposite effect - I went from thinking that it was a great flick to thinking it was an alright one].

I would say that it is wrong to say that this film is about 'good vs. evil' or that Lynch is trying to make any sort of a moral statement in it; the nuances of Blue Velvet are much more subtle than that and the characters more complicated. As most of Lynch's work, Blue Velvet is about obsession and obsession luring people into dark corners of the world. The film pulls the viewer (as a voyeur) into its dangerous and strange universe and relies much (as a lot of other Lynch movies) on the pure flow of images, the atmospheric experience. The sound element adds much to enriching this powerful experience and Blue Velvet as a whole invites multiple viewings.

In my opinion this is one of Lynch's fairly straight forward films in terms of the linear-time progression (along with The Elephant Man and The Straight Story) and as such might serve as a good introductory movie to those who want to become more familiar with his work. (Mulholland Drive is, I believe, so far the consummation of Lynch's previous efforts into one crowning achievement).

Also, there are many interesting bonus materials in this little DVD package.

Weird film
Blue Velvet has got to be one of the strangest films I have ever seen. It started off o.k. but when we first see frank booth it just get