Description

A special one-time event documenting one of rock and roll's greatest and most unique performances. Recorded live at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy Orbison is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars. Highlighting this all-star line-up are Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Orbison and fellow performers spend a scintillating hour performing many of his greatest hits. Songs: Only the Lonely, Dream Baby, The Comedians, Ooby Dooby, Leah, Running Scared, In Dreams, Crying, Candyman, Go Go Go, Mean Woman Blues, It's Over, Oh Pretty Woman, Dream You, Blue Bayou, Claudette. ... Read more

Reviews (118)

An Amazing DVD!
We saw part of this dvd at a party at friends house last week and bought it from Amazon. We just watched it all at home tonight. Fantastic! I was never 'into' Orbison in my youth when he was first popular, but after watching this cd I have to recognize him as one of the greatest. What an amazing, unusual, voice. You feel as if it is going to 'crack' at any moment from those long, high notes, but never does--it's always perfectly controlled. As if Orbison doing Orbison's great repertoire wasn't enough, the "Friends" doing backup for Orbison doing all his great songs are, among others: a young Bruce Springsteen [looking star struck the whole night b/c he was playing with Orbison], Jackson Brown, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, with Bonnie Raitt, k.d. Laing, and Jennifer Warnes doing the female backup vocals. The Orbison/Springseen duo on "Sweet Dreams" alone would be worth the price of the album but all the songs are great. Play it in SurroundSound if you have it--can't beat it.

I didn't realize how great Roy was...
I didn't realize exactly how great Roy Orbison was until I saw his "Black & White Night" on PBS several months ago. That session brought all of my memories together into one massive event. I contributed to the PBS station just to get the VHS and CD versions of that concert, recognizing just how special it was. I just now spent nearly five hours listening to that CD while I read most of the 115 reviews on Amazon (avg = 5 stars out of 5) of the DVD, and the advantages (editing, video enhancements, extra tracts) of the DVD over the VHS and CD version I have. I just ordered two copies of the DVD (one to watch/listen to, and one for backup).

If you have read this far, you realize the contribution of Roy, his talent, and the incredible array of stars that attended him at the "Black & White Night" event. For no other reason than your personal satisfaction, buy this DVD!

simply stupendous
I first saw this DVD on public TV as an enticement to donate. What a great investment. Roy's voice and songs are unique and hopefully will live on indefinitely through this CD and DVD. When I'm home alone and can crank up the sound on the DVD and watch and listen to Roy and friends it is almost spellbinding. I can't get enough of the "girls" as backup. Bruce is great (he seems like a baby almost)....totally in awe of Roy and James Burton...who seems to be the White of "Black and White"...what a plucker he is. When in the car, the CD carries me through until I can watch the DVD again.I own many CDs and DVDs but watch/listen to these two the most...over and over!!!

Five stars NOT ENOUGH
I have been to hundreds of concerts, from Jazz, Pop, Big Band, Country, Classic and whatever I've left out. I wasn't aware of this one until I saw it on PBS. With the Boss, k.d.lang, and a group of the best musicians all playing free and singing along with Orbison's unique and beautiful range, this wasn't a concert, it was a celebration. It was in the top 5 I've seen in a lifetime (with my range of interests there have been others, such as a Mahlar's Symphony of a Thousand, The Highwaymen, Jazz at the Philharmonic, etc. that reached a peak of their own form). But the excitement and pure enjoyment of the performers and listeners made it an emotional experience. Like a great Willie Nelson or Louis Armstrong performance it can be seen over and over.

Stunning! Not just for "fans"...
Last year, an electronics store here in Tokyo wisely chose this DVD to try to sell more 'home theater' systems. I was in a huge rush, but was instantly captivated by the phenomenal guitar sounds I was hearing. Milliseconds later, I recognized the song, the major artist and the fact that there was probably a whole, live concert of Roy Orbison being played. I stopped my mad rush to an appointment to listen to "Pretty Woman" in its entirety. [This is the finale...] Then, as the crowd in front of me dissipated, I caught sight of some of the performers on a gigantic, but low, plasma display and was a little surprised to see that the whole concert had obviously been recorded in monochrome.

I have to admit that I've never been a huge Roy Orbison fan--I didn't buy his albums when I was young, but no-one could really DISlike his voice or his compositions. I probably knew every one of his numbers that was regularly played on the radio and I consider myself to have "grown up" singing along to Roy Orbison's mellow sounds. So, although my tastes run the gamut from world and ethnic music, thru blues, jazz and 'fusion' all the way to classics and a (very) little opera, I don't classify myself as a great 'rock-a-billy' fan, or even as an expert on music. That day, however, I became obsessed with getting hold of this particular concert for enjoyment at home.

I got hold of it easily enough from Amazon and have to say that it knocked my socks off. For me, the real highlights are the guitarwork of James Burton and Bruce Springsteen, but the whole 'feel' of this concert is one of a tribute to that inimitable, great voice. Many of the supporting artists are legends in their own neck of the woods, but there are no 'show-ponies' here--it's all just a well-rehearsed, supportive, even modest performance--yet there are many moments when one gets a feeling of watching and hearing musical genius in action.

Younger friends and relatives who had only a passing knowledge of Roy Orbison were stunned by the brilliance of the performances on this DVD. I've bought several copies as gifts, which were very highly appreciated. I think the playing of those at Christmas and New Year gatherings may have stimulated a buying spree among the many other people who were captivated, as I was, by the whole sound and feel of this delectable DVD.

I don't avidly collect music videos, yet I've seen many from all of the 'greats'. However, I've never seen a better concert on video. I don't think anyone who really loved music could watch this and be unaffected. I've read all of the reviews, so far, and I agree with almost every single one...I have one or two very minor gripes, but it's probably not worth your time to read those. If you love great music, just shell out the money and buy it. You will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Now here is a movie that's practically perfect for DVD. Shot over many years with eccentric actors, Jim Jarmusch's collection of black-and-white vignettes is as uneven as a collection of music videos (without songs). Even with the dull spots and the drop-dead-hip ambiance, there's something touching about this parade of frazzled people holding on to their coffee and cigarettes like life rafts--especially in the final sequence with Taylor Mead. There are some severely misconceived pieces, but the best are a treat:Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan in a hilarious Hollywood encounter, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop getting off on the wrong foot in a funky diner, and Cate Blanchett doing a dual role as herself and a jealous cousin. Bill Murray can't save one underwritten piece, but Jack and Meg White are amusing in an absurdist blackout. Use the Scene Selection menu, and revel in the fetishizing of java and butts. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Coffee, cigarettes and verbal sparring
Coffee and Cigarettes is not a movie that everyone will like, but fans of Jim Jarmusch may appreciate it as much as I did. This is not a conventional movie, but a series of short conversations between well known people over coffee, mostly in improbably seedy places. The dialogue reminded me a lot of Jarmusch's first film, Stranger Than Paradise; there is an existentialist absurdity to many of the encounters. There is also a fair amount of tension. Most of the conversations are between two people who don't like each other very much, or who are at least are engaged in some kind of power struggle or game of one-upmanship.

Among those that stood out to me --Two English actors, Steve Coogan and Alfred Molina conduct a clever spoof on celebrity egotism. Molina tells Coogan that they may be cousins; Coogan is arrogant and indifferent until he finds out that Molina has Hollywood connections, and then the tables are turned. Tom Waits and Iggy Pop barely conceal their competitive feelings as they verbally spar over trivial topics like quitting cigarettes (both smoke, but claim to have quit). Steve Buscemi, a ubiquitous presence in independent films, is a waiter in a Tennessee diner who imposes himself on a pair of twins ( Joie and Cinqué Lee) and espouses his theory that Elvis was impersonated by an unknown twin brother. Cate Blanchett has a dual role as a celebrity and her resentful cousin. This one really highlights what I liked about the whole movie. You could easily read it either way --seeing Blanchett (the glamorous star) trying her best to be supportive while dealing with an envious relative, OR as a suave celebrity who has mastered the art of polite condescension. The line between the two interpretations is paper thin.

I appreciated the atmosphere of these scenes as much as the dialogue. Shot in black and white, they evoke a kind of noirish simplicity from older films, although the dialogue itself is very postmodern. I found all of the scenes entertaining; the lack of a plot beyond the talk, if anything, added to the charm. It is refreshing to see a film that stands on the actors' performances. Since dialogue is so central here, every word, gesture and nuance becomes filled with meaning. There are no special effects, car chases, shoot-outs or sex scenes to distract us. I can imagine someone criticizing this as being almost an exercise for the actors rather than an actual film, but I found it totally captivating. In fact, contemporary directors and screenwriters would do well to study this as a class in subtle and intelligent dialogue, something many of them could use. I highly recommend this to fans of Jarmusch or anyone who has an ear for offbeat conversation.

Check, please!
I read about this film in the lobby of my neigborhood indy movie house, and thought, "Well! That sounds like it could be very interesting!" A series of vignettes all centering on people meeting over coffee and cigarettes. Names you must know, like Cate Blanchett, Alfred Molina, Bill Murray, et al. Concept, yes. Execution, no.

Despite there being so many different actors, almost every vignette was basically the same--one person is trying awfully hard to please or make a good impression on the other, who isn't having it. And, the object of desire is never worth it, either.

The exceptions: Two old Italian guys in a diner somewhere, cursing up a storm at each other. This was very New York and very real; there must be about 1000 longshoremen here just like that. Taylor Meade and another old guy wind up the film as two friends on a coffee break hearing a tune in Taylor's mind. Clever and artful.

But all the rest--even the much lauded Cate as two cousins--were just TOO irritating, I suppose because my own Personal Motto is "Don't cast your pearls before swine." The idea of trying so hard to get a hostile person to like you is anathema to me, sorry, and this whole movie turns on that. The odd thing is that it seems the filmmaker is on the side of the "hip" unpleasant people, so I guess I won't be meeting him for coffee and a biscotti (I don't smoke) any time soon. Misanthropic without a filter.

Would you like coffee with your cigarettes?
I just saw the latest Jim Jarmusch film "Coffee and Cigarettes" today. I was intrigued bythe film when I first saw the trailer for it when I saw "Dogville" a couple of months ago. I thought it looked very interesting. The film centers around the notion of smoking cigarettes while drinking a cup of coffee. In the film there are a slew of celebrities including Steve Buscemi, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Wu Tang Clan's Rza and Gza, and Alfred Molina. The film is shot in entirety in black and white so it has this grainy feel to the film which really worked out for the best. I couldn't imagine seeing this film in color. There are approximately a dozen vignettes (or close to a dozen) with two or three different celebrities discussing the finer points of smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee or just having a pointless conversation. Steve Buscemi was quite funny as this annoying waiter in a Memphis diner. The only vignette that didn't have more than one celebrity was in "Cousins" with Cate Blanchett who played both herself and her cousin Shelly. That was one of my favorite vignettes. I had a good laugh at the "Cousins?" vignette starring Alfred Molina and Steve Coorgan. It wasn't all comedy until the final vignette where the moviegoer catches some glimpse of bleak and despair where two elderly men are on a coffee break. The dialogue in most of the vignettes were hilarious. I loved the two old Italian men who got into each other's faces over their bad habits, one drank too much coffee and the other smoked too much cigarettes. There were moments in the film that did get on my nerves like the "No Problem" vignette but overall I enjoyed this movie. There may not have been much of a plot but it was refreshing to see a group of actors and musicians be themselves rather than try to pretend to be someone other than themselves.

A couple of the vignettes may make it worth your time
Coffee and Cigarettes is not for everyone. It most certainly is not an action film. Did you perhaps see the fabulous 1981 production, My Dinner with Andre? If so, you should get the general idea. Some parts of this film are very boring. The interaction between Roberto Benigni and Steven Wright, for instance, didn't work for me. Is Director Jim Jarmusch trying for the existential angst crowd? Are we all supposedly insane in a world which doesn't have any meaning? Oh well, Cate Blanchett is at least superb playing both sisters, Cate and Shelby. Blanchett once again proves that she is one of our most brilliant actresses. It wasn't until I read the credits after the movie ended when I even realized that she was performing both roles! One sister is a success in the eyes of the world and the other is deemed a loser. They have little in common but their bloodline. It is hauntingly beautiful. The vignette staring Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan is also provocative dealing with the theme of snobbery and the desire to belong to the elite class.

There's enough here to warrant buying the the eventually released dvd. You will then be able to decide which vignettes grab your attention while skipping over the others. As a matter of fact, many viewers may prefer avoiding the theater experience altogether. Your living room TV screen may be deemed more than sufficient for your viewing pleasure. Coffee and Cigarettes earns four stars.

must have coffee?
saw it and loved it!; 10 or so vignettes pieced together so that the venue of where the actors are consuming coffee improves, while the acceptance of both caffeine and tobacco wanes -- until the end --when it is rejected in toto. Each vignette is subtlely linked to at least one other. Our renowned director is trying to tell us to listen to one another -- the interaction is essential for the human being, even if the parties do not particularly like one another. Coffee and cigarettes are the life blood or conversation, or, are they? As the film moves forward we see that good social intercourse can take place without actually drinking coffee or inhaling cigarettes -- but that is because we once did. The final vignette summarizes the world and takes a drab, depressing locale and elevates it, existentially, to the highest peak ... Read more

Reviews (190)

The Outsiders
When I was in high school, I had the pleasure of reading a fantastic novel named, "The Outsiders." The author, Susan Eloise Hinton, only 15 years old, wrote her rendition of the conflicts between high society and the lower class citizen. Her novel was so well written that you couldn't stop reading it. Recently, I discovered the movie version of the novel and just had to view it. Francis Ford Coppola, who's known for directing the films, "Apocalypse Now" and the first two "Godfather's" directed the film version of, "The Outsiders." Although no awards were won for the movie, the cast was full of the top stars that we see today, which includes, C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estves, Tom Cruise and Diane Lane. With a cast this good how could you go wrong?
The story takes place in the early 1960's in Tulsa, Oklahoma where we see the classic rivalry between the rich, whom are call, "socs" (short for socials) and lower class citizen who were called "greasers" building tension toward each other until the final climax of the big rumble. The main themes of the story, are the struggles between two conflicting groups trying to bridge the gap between rich and poorer, honor among the lawless and treacherousness of male-female interaction through the narration of the main character "Ponyboy".
Although I felt the movie was incredible I believe the music soundtrack needed a little help. This action pact drama is rated PG for violence but, I believe that any age group, accompanied by an adult, would love to see and understand how society sometime manipulates individual outcomes. When you get right down to it, the movie, with its great story line and cast, causes you to laugh, cry and get wrapped up in all the conflicting moments. Any movie that can take you from the couch and place you and the middle of the drama deserves a high rating. That's why I recommend this movie to anyone and give it *****5 stars.

The Outsiders
The Outsiders is about some rival gangs, the greasers, and the Socs(short for social). Ponyboy wants to fit in, in his brothers gang. Ponyboy lives with his brothers after his parents are killed in a car wreck. The greasers never had much trouble fighting the Socs, until one night a Soc takes thing to far. Ponyboys friend is forced to killed him in self-defense. Their friend Dallas helps them hide out in the country in an old abandonded church. They are hiding from the town that doesn't want them around, until they are caught by the police. The actors who are in the movie are GREAT! most of them got their start in The Outsiders, like Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, and Tom Cruise. The movie teaches young people to not judge others before getting to know them. If you enjoy the movie, you will love the book by S.E. Hinton.

The Outsiders is the #1 Movie
Hey I watched the movie and read the book this year in gr.8 and I have seen the movie like 5 times and read the book like 4 times it's the best movie ever!! all the cast are so0o0 great and talented and I will watch this movie over and over again
From The BIGGEST Outsider Fan
GEL

Just as GREAT as the Book!!!
One of the best adaptations of a book I have ever seen. This movie brings everyone to life from the book. For me, this movie is a classic!!! This movie takes place in Tulsa,OK in 1966. All of the characters fit the description in the book for me. They all look like the typical greasers. I bought this movie without even seeing it and I was tremendously blown away. This is a great movie for the whole family to enjoy.

Outstanding
I had to read the book for a project in school this year as an 8th grader. It was outstanding. It was the last week of school and my class had finished our finals and we wanted to watch the movie, so my teacher went to our school library and got it for us. The movie follows the book pretty well but some parts were left out.

This book shows how lucky some people are compaired to others and makes a great point. It is like a less dramatic version of the movie "Elephant" which shows what people are going through. I am going to head down to my towns public library to borrow it and watch it again becuase it is one of the movies that you can just watch over and over again and still love it becuase it makes a great point and was directed really well.

I would recomend this movie to anyone who has not read it. I would read the book first becuase there are some parts that are left out in the movie that were pretty good.

~Doug Mellon
Kennebunk, Maine USA ... Read more

Amazon.com

With dizzying cinematic tricks and astonishing performances, Francis Coppola's 1992 version of the oft-filmed Dracula story is one of the most exuberant, extravagant films of the 1990s. Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder, as the Count and Mina Murray, are quite a pair of star-crossed lovers. She's betrothed to another man; he can't kick the habit of feeding off the living. Anthony Hopkins plays Van Helsing, the vampire slayer, with tongue firmly in cheek. Tom Waits is great fun as Renfield, the hapless slave of Dracula who craves the blood of insects and cats. Sadie Frost is a sexy Lucy Westenra. And poor Keanu Reeves, as Jonathan Harker, has the misfortune to be seduced by Dracula's three half-naked wives. There's a little bit of everything in this version of Dracula: gore, high-speed horseback chases, passion, and longing. ... Read more

Reviews (345)

The Best Dracula Movie I've Ever Seen!
Francis Ford Coppola does an excellent job retelling the Dracula tale using actual history blended with legend. Gary Oldman is excellent as the Count. Oldman's portrayal of the Count as a tortured man longing for the lost love of his life acutally had me feel sorry for the man. When he observes the portrait of Mina(Winona Ryder) and remembers his lost bride it is truly an awesome scene. Oldman's Count can also be bloodthirsty as well! Sir Anthony Hopkins as Professor Van Helsing is very fun to watch. To say that Van Helsing is a little nuts is an understatement! The music is also classic and it really sets the mood during the entire film. Winona Ryder as Mina playing a woman torn between the Count and her intended husband(Kneau Reeves) is well done. The most awesome scene is when the Count receives Mina's letter saying that she'll never see him again. You can feel the heartache and pain in the Count and also feel his anger. Awesome! A must see for the true Dracula fan!

16:9 HDTV/480p DVD/5.1 sound = SUPERBIT DRACULA !!!
This review is about "SUPERBIT COLLECTION" an outstanding Home Theatre version of Bram Stokers Dracula, a Francis Ford Coppola film.

Columbia Pictures has raised the bar on DVD video and sound quality with the new "SUPERBIT" series movies. This feature improves the picture by doubling the bit rate digital transfer. Simply, twice the picture quality of existing DVD transfers. Also the sound has been enhanced equally in performance.

NOTE: GOODS NEWS - All this can be enjoyed on existing DVD players with noticeable improvements. BAD NEWS - Its not really bad news its really the "BOTTOM LINE NEWS" - the "SUPERBIT COLLECTION IS FOR YOU IF" you have; a Home Theatre, HDTV WideScreen (Enhanced 16:9)w/Component Video, Progressive Scan DVD (480p) w/Component Video & DTS or 5.1 Sound environment. IF you have this then the "SUPERBIT COLLECTION" Dracula explodes of the screen!!!!!!

Summary: SUPERBIT Dracula directed by Francis Ford Copplola is a very beautiful photographed eerie love story. With a story line more to the tragedy of Dracula (brillantly played by Gary Oldman)than the viciousness of vampires. The detailed scenes & colors explode off the screen with this "SUPERBIT" version film. The 5.1 sound is crystal clear and adds immensely to the eeriness of this dark gothic horror film. This SUPERBIT detailed film makes for an unbelievable visual experience. Coppola does a grand job providing us with an unsusual twist in the story of Dracula.

This is the best "SUPERBIT" transfer so far in the Columbia Pictures Collection. Just remember, "SUPERBIT" was developed to give the Home Theatre owner a new improved DVD experience and they have done this with "Bram Stokers, Dracula". Enjoy.

Bram's Stoker's best
You can't go wrong with Drakula, and this is the best translation to film of Bram Stoker's Masterpiece to date.

A classic telling of a classic tale
Francis Ford Coppola breathed new life in to the classic vampire story by Bram Stoker, keeping faith with much of the original novel while adding his own touches that made it an artistic wonder.

The best parts of the movie are those that remain true to the book: Jonathan Harker's travel to the castle and fateful meeting with the Count; Harker's confrontation with Dracula's three vampire lovers; the newly arisen Lucy Westenra confrontation as a vampire with her loved ones in the cemetery; and the exciting race with the sun and the gypsies taking the coffin-bound Dracula to his castle.

The script follows Dracula's strengths and vulnerabilities faithfully. The Dracula of this movie walks in the daylight -- just as in the novel.

Even when the movie departs from the original and the plot lags with the romance of Dracula and Mina, Coppola creates breathtaking images with their own potent spell that held me enchanted.

Overall the performances are well done with one or two notable exceptions. Sadie Frost, however, steals the movie in the role of Lucy Westenra.

The movie, in my opinion, would have been better with more emphasis on horror. Dracula should be more scary than sympathetic.

Still, this is one of my favorite vampire movies ever and well worth repeated viewings.

The best vampire movie ever!
Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse now) delivers the best vampire movie ever. "Dracula" has great performances from Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and Monica Bellucci (!). The only bad performance comes from Keanu Reeves -- everytime time he's on screen he looks like a pale moron. Anthony Hopkins role is even shorter, yet, he's great, as always. "Dracula" is very well written and directed, it has great sound & visual effects, a haunting soundtrack and it is very scary and erotic(!), see Monica Bellucci (Irreversible, The Passion Of The Christ) as one of Dracula's sexy undead brides.

This version of "Dracula" is fascinating because it's so different from the Bram Stocker famous novel. In the novel there was no mentioning of a love story between Dracula and Mina. In this film exists a sad love story.
There is a scene where Dracula and Mina drink Absinthe. That scene is hypnotic. It proves the film's tagline to be right: love never dies. See it for yourself if you don't believe me. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

It's a sad and beautiful world . . .
I can't say enough good things about the "Down By Law" Criterion DVD! The high-definition digital film transfer is wonderful and it really shows off Robby Muller's breathtaking b/w camera work. The DVD has 2 discs and the packaging is well done. The first disc contains the film itself and the second disc is packed full of goodies such as the insightful "Thoughts & Reflections" from director Jim Jarmusch, a "2002 Video Interview" with director of photography Robby Muller, "1986 Cannes Film Festival Press Conference" with Jarmusch and cast members John Lurie, Roberto Benigni & Nicoletta Braschi that is fun to watch, a great "1986 Interview" with John Lurie + his hilarious commentary on the interview, a bunch of film "Outtakes" which feature some great never before seen bits (especially with Lurie!) a terrific Tom Waits music video for "It's All Right With Me" also directed by Jarmusch and 3 wonderful recorded phone conversations from 2002 that Jarmusch had with Waits, Benigni and Lurie about making "Down By Law", etc.

The extras on the DVD give an intimate view of this very personal film and are amazing to watch and listen to. It's so complete that I can't imagine what else could be added to the Criterion release to make it more perfect. Many years from now when Jarmusch and the cast have left this sad and beautiful world, this gem will no doubt be a priceless look at one of the best American films ever made by one of America's best directors. Fantastic! One of the best films Criterion has released.

Somewhat interesting, saved by Roberto
Down by Law, Jim Jarmusch's 1986 film has a premise that has been used by countless filmmakers: Guys who should never be friends end up in prison together, try to make a break for it, and end up as better people. The atmosphere is this film works; one can feel the foggy Louisiana bayou creeping up around them as these characters slog their way around. The problem is the acting; better, that Tom Waits and John Lurie, while doing an admirable job, are not natural actors, but musicians. It is Roberto Benigni, who many now recognize as a tremendous talent, who saves this film. In this, his first English-language performance, his character (aptly named Roberto) is charming, witty, and valiantly puts comradeship and friendship above all else. Benigni and the great Louisiana locations are the best reason to see this film.

Not only moody, but moody New Orleans
Great movie, inspired casting, subtle direction.

"Down By Law" also perfectly crystalizes the lower echelon life experience in New Orleans, which is pleasantly surprising given that it's so elusive, and, that none of the principals are natives. Although Tom Waits did spend a lot of time here - I saw him and Rickie Lee Jones perform together while they were living here in the 9th Ward, so maybe that counts for something in terms of him getting into character.

BTW, just as an aside, I saw this film again with Italian friends in Italy in a cinema last year and the Italians LOVE this movie. Not just because of Benigni (like any big star in his home country, there are mixed feelings about him) but because the film is so wonderful.

Pure Magic!
Three Stooges meet "Waiting for Godot." Lurie, Waits and Benigni turn in great performances. They've been locked up in a Lousiana penitentiary for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jarmusch gives you each of their sordid lives in turn before throwing them together in a jail cell. Benigni plays wonderfully off Lurie and Waits, culminating in a hilarious version of "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice scream." Eventually, they find the light at the end of a tunnel, only to have to escape through a swamp. Jarmusch gives his characters plenty of room, making for many amusing interchanges. Jarmusch provides deft camera work and his usual wonderful eye for detail to make this his most memorable film.

Great movie, great transfer
This movie is a classic. The criterion collection DVD's are, in general and in this case, worth the little extra money. While DVD's may not be forever, they are certainly longer-lived than VHS tapes and Criterion's treatment of the films is worthy of such a lifespan.
Bonus: If you are a fan of any of the three main actors, this film is a gem. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ever wonder if there was a class system in the world of superheroes?After all the big names like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, etc., who were the supporting players? The folks assigned to the less-than-stellar gigs of saving only a small part of the world? According to this intermittently successful send-up of comic book heroism, there are indeed masked heroes who struggle and toil for their moment in the super sun. Based on the Dark Horse comic book series, Mystery Men follows the travails of three B-list avengers--Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller), the Shoveler (William H.Macy), and the Blue Raja (Hank Azaria)--as they fight to make themselves known to the citizens of Champion City, quite difficult to do when the flashy Captain Amazing (Greg Kinnear, never better) takes all the cool gigs and has product endorsements up the ying-yang. According to them, it's all a matter of timing--never mind that Mr. Furious never rises abovea snit, or that the Blue Raja wears green. Their big break comes when Captain Amazing is abducted by the evil Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush), and it's up to this motley crew to save Champion City.

Blessed with a wondrously gifted comic cast and full of droll details, Mystery Men struggles in fits and spurts towards its climax. Transcendently witty in parts, it's also woefully sophomoric in others. Literally, this is the kind of movie in which someone gets off a brilliant line and then sits on a fork. Still, when this movie is rolling, it's gleefully on target, thanks primarily to the mordantly cocky Stiller and Janeane Garofalo as a latecomer to the superhero gang; her secret weapon is a bowling ball in which her dead father's head is encased. The comic chemistry between these two is fierce, and when you add the dryly funny Macy and the endearing Azaria (who finally gets a chance to let loose with his comic gifts), it's a hilarious joyride. Too bad that the gas tank is only half-full; this stunning cast deserves a first-rate vehicle. With Tom Waits as a weapons expert, Claire Forlani as the requisite babe, and Paul Reubens as the Spleen, the world's most flatulent superhero. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (192)

a big bag of stinky wind
This movie looked expensive, but it was cheaply done. Poor screenplay, bad timing. No laughs, whatsoever. The entire audience seemed like they were in a coma when I saw this in the theater...

Deserves a goose egg
This was a horrendous flick. Slow moving, delayed punch-lines and waste of money and talent on what was obviously poor direction and/or screenplay. The Oscar goes to the editor who put the trailer together making this appear to be a well-timed comedy. Bravo for talking me out of my $7. What a load of garbage this film was. This is the last time I go to a movie when it first comes out. There was a big reason this was in theaters for less than a month... word of mouth spreads like wild fire. Yuck yuck yuck. I feel like I must warn the world about what a waste of time it is to sit through this torture.

Delightful superhero satire
I rented this video and decided that I absolutely had to buy a copy for myself. This movie is a delightfully satirical sendup of superhero flicks. The story revolves around a group of wannabe superheroes who ineptly try to fight crime only to wind up face down on the floor time and again. Their big chance comes when supervillain Casanova Frankenstein abducts the self-centered protector of the city, Captain Amazing, and they must ride to Amazing's rescue. Unfortunately, they botch the rescue and must fend off Frankenstein and his evil forces on their own. The trio of William Macy (the Shoveler), Ben Stiller (Mr. Furious), and Janene Garofalo (the Bowler) anchor the movie, but they receive excellent help from the rest of the cast. If you have always rooted for the underdog, you will enjoy this movie.

Trashed by Critics Who Don't Understand It
The negative reviews for this movie on this site are just as bad as the negative reviews that were given to this film upon its opening, and apparently, there's a whole bunch of people who try to give support to a negative review for MYSTERY MEN on Amazon (or perhaps it's only three or so people, and one person's voting twice). So allow me to enlighten you.

Let's face facts: This is a movie parodying superheroes. The fact that the description says parody means that it may not be for people who don't read superhero comics. That's already a huge flare signal. Second, the only reason fart jokes and the more juvenile jokes were included were to hold interest from the people who can't understand a joke from a clever line in the film. Someone sitting next to me in the theatre, and as the clever and funny answer as to why Lance Hunt couldn't be Captain Amazing was said, the guy next to me had a rather clueless look on his face. But when the Spleen farted, he went, "Hey! he farted! That's the only joke in here so far and it's dumb!"

Moral of the story? IF YOU KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT SUPERHEROES AND COMIC BOOKS, WATCH IT. IT'S ENJOYABLE. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ENOUGH, SEE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK, OR ASK SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN THE JOKES TO YOU.

Horrendously MISUNDERSTOOD!
Judging from the negative reviews and the people who found them helpful, I have to ask this question: How many of the jokes did you actually understand? If all you could understand were the parts involving fart jokes and sitting on forks, then you're not getting anything from the movie. If you didn't enjoy this, then hey--fine. Go ahead and go back to watching "Seinfeld" or an Adam Sandler film. The jokes in there are about as subtle as a a gasoline truck crashing through your backyard. You'll be able to understand those jokes and be able to laugh. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Originally produced for the Independent Film Channel, John Lurie's idiosyncratic take on the classical fishing program places the genre in entirely alien terrain--and that doesn't just refer to the strange and exotic locations. Best known to filmgoers for roles in Stranger Than Paradise and The Last Temptation of Christ, Lurie is also a composer, a saxophonist, the leader of the jazz group the Lounge Lizards, and a painter. Fisherman, however, is nowhere to be seen on his résumé, so this city-bred hipster's foray into rod and reel country is obviously another kettle of fish. Reeling in buddies Tom Waits, Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Dennis Hopper, and director Jim Jarmusch to join him on his fishing trips to such faraway locales as Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Thailand, Lurie takes his show completely out of the "how to" realm: imagine a talk show defined by its contemplative silences. Fishing with John teaches nothing about fishing. Instead, John simply enjoys the company of his buddies as they venture out into unfamiliar territory and drop a line in the water, tossing in a current of absurdist commentary (dryly intoned by Roy Webb) and surreal speculation for good measure. This is the ultimate fishing show for people who could not care less about fishing. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (31)

a new perspective on fish, life, and everything in between
Awkward, and at times uncomfortable, John Lurie invites the viewer to accompony him and some rather amazing film and music stars on his extreme fishing trips. While going completely off target, and abandoning all sense of reality, Lurie manages to leave everthing behind except what is fundimentally important in life (whether you're Dennis Hopper, Tom Waits, or nobody in particular), and that is: well, i'm still not quite sure. Whatever it is, John Lurie has somehow caputered in these episodes...
Brilliant work...

But what about fishing with John 2: Peanut Butter on Cheese
I can't believe that it's been ten years since John Lurie made this series and it still holds up. Great comedy fishing show that isn't over-the-top. Its more crack a smile humor most of the time but certain episodes are clearly made just to make us laugh - the episode with John and Jarmusch comes to mind (every time they show a school of fish they use the sound effect of a bunch of children playing) - and other episodes - such as the one with Tom Waits - are more thought provoking. The locations that are used - Montauk, Vietnam, Canada - are all gorgeous and are far and above any run of the mill fishing show. Even if you aren't into fishing at all - this is the show for you. Its a fishing show that isn't about fishing at all - just a guy hanging out with his celebrity friends and occasionally catching some fish. That is, until he and Willem Dafoe find themselves snowed in and unable to catch anything and they go insane and die. There aren't any fish in that episode.

Fishing with bad movie.
Fishing, in general, is dull, which makes it a bad premise for anything. Nowhere in the Amazon.com review do the words funny, laugh, amusing, or good appear. The review describes it excellently, "imagine a talk show defined by its contemplative silences." What does that mean? It means don't watch this.

Life is beautiful,for some more than others.
This DVD is the next best thing to fishing.

an odd comedy and mockumentary
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition.

This is the first non movie released through the Criterion Collection. It is a short lived TV series, which is a satire of the saturday morning fishing shows which used to be popular.

Im this show, experimental musician John Lurie goes fishing with movie stars. There are 3 half hour episodes and one two-part hour long episode.

The special features are audio commentary by John Lurie and a music video of his band, the Lounge Lizards.

This show is one of the oddest comedies I have ever seen and completly out of the mainstream. Fishermen and comedians will both like this show. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Cotton Club is routinely eclipsed by the controversies that surrounded its tumultuous production, but the film itself offers abundant pleasures that should not be overlooked. If Apocalypse Now represents the triumph of director Francis Coppola's perilous ambition, then The Cotton Club represents the ungainly glory of uncontrolled genius, as brilliant as it is out of its depth. As an upscale homage to classic gangster films it's frequently astonishing, cramming a thick novel's worth of plot and characters into 129 minutes, gloriously serviced by impeccable production design, elegant cinematography, and stylistic flourishes that show Coppola at the top of his game.

What The Cotton Club lacks is cohesion. As written by Coppola and novelist William Kennedy (then enjoying the peak of his critical acclaim), the movie struggles to exceed the narrative scope of The Godfather, but its multiple early-'30s plot lines fail to form any strong connective tissue. It's three (or four) movies in one, with cornet player Dixie Dwyer (Richard Gere, playing his own jazzy solos) drifting from one story to the next--loving a young, ambitious vamp (Diane Lane, with whom Gere shares precious little chemistry), enjoying the success of a hotshot hoofer (Gregory Hines), and protecting his brazen bother (Coppola's then-newcomer nephew, Nicolas Cage) from the deadly temper of mob boss Dutch Schultz (James Remar). Bob Hoskins and Fred Gwynne also score big in grand supporting roles, but The Cotton Club is perhaps best appreciated for its meticulous re-creation of Harlem's Cotton Club heyday, and the brilliant music (Ellington, Calloway, etc.) that brought rhythm to gangland's rat-a-tat-tat. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (22)

OK, so it's not The Godfather
There have been many criticisms of this movie: that it favors style over substance, that it has too many conflicting storylines, that it slides all over the place without any real character development. I don't disagree. But, that being said, I still like this movie an awful lot. It is packed with talent from end to end, not just the proclaimed stars of the picture, but other little surprises that turn up from time to time. Look for Tom Waits in a bit part that takes place within the Cotton Club, Laurence Fishburne (credited as Larry) as a stylish and dangerous member of black organized crime, and Jennifer Grey as Nicholas Cage's perpetually dim and semi-clad young wife. Diane Lane is as lovely as can be, and really seems to convey the singleminded amorality of her teenaged character, determined to get some security for herself, and the conflict created when she is forced to confront the growing madness of her keeper, mobster Dutch Schultz, and her love for Gere's character of Dixie Dwyer. The music and dance numbers are as good as you've heard, and the sets and costumes beautiful and believable. I think that one problem with this movie may have been the era in which it was released, when a 2-hour movie was still considered extraordinarily long. It does have the jerky, confusing feel of a movie that's been too heavily cut. Perhaps if it had been made today, audiences would be willing to sit through three hours of the intricate plot development that so complex a story really needs. Let's hope a director's cut is released someday.

All in all, this is worth a look, or several, despite its rather considerable flaws.

Satisfying Fun
There was enough tap and dance to keep my creative spirit satisfied and smiling wide. The poetic drama was wonderful and the singing was quite entertaining as well. I was surprised to see Nicolas Cage in his supporting role, although he has played other gangsters in his time. The sex and violence were not too graphic, however, not tame enough for the younger set. You can't beat it for the price, especially if you like tap and drama. Nice late 20s music and costumes... Hines fans should be pleased!

Skip the movie, get the soundtrack!
Like many of Coppola's movies, Cotton Club is great to look at and listen to, but the storytelling falls flat and lacks coherency.
If you're going to watch it, watch it for the musical numbers and don't set your expectations too high for anything more, or skip the DVD and just get the STUNNING soundtrack.

One of my personal favourites.
This movie is brilliant and fascinating from beginning to end. It's so romantic, stylish and beautiful. I always loved everything about it, and was really surprised to know it wasn't a huge hit when it first came out. To me, it's a cult movie.
Diane Lane's character, the tough adolescent who looks like a grown woman and whose face is her fortune, is a personal favourite of mine. I love her wardrobe and hair style, as well as how she starts out as a brunet in the movie and turns blond by the end. People talk a lot about Richard Gere's trumpet playing and not enough about what a nice singing voice she has. I always thought she was a very underestimated actress.
The musical scenes are unforgettable. I loved the late great Gregory Hines, both as a dancer and as an actor, and he really excelled in this picture.
It's a master piece and no one should miss it.

Moments of Greatness Only
I think the biggest problem is the casting. Richard Gere and Diane Lane did a wonderful job together in the recent film Unfaithful but in Cotton Club they seem more like big brother and precocious little sister. Gere plays a Hollywood actor and he is just too smooth with his little moustache and greased back hair--one moment he is smooching with Diane Lane, the next moment he is onstage playing trumpet, the next hes talking tough to a ruthless killer. Its like hes supposed to be some kind of Harlem Renaissance Man. I think at this phase in his career Gere was not so popular because people perceived him as being kind of conceited and this role just seems crafted for a guy who adores himself. Nowadays he comes across as a much more appealing type of fellow but then the self love was just annoying. Diane Lane was a wonderful child actress but in this role she is not a child anymore and not quite a woman yet either. The awkwardness of the Gere-Lane relationship hurts the film considerably. Plus when your lead just isn't Al Pacino or Robert DeNiro and its a mob picture you feel disappointed. Gere is not a mob guy, he's too sophisticated to play mob roles, and he knows it.

Additionally what happens on-stage at the Cotton Club really takes us out of the drama that is happening off-stage. By the time each musical number ends you almost forget what the film is about. There are so many characters(Bob Hoskins, Fred Gwen, Nic Cage, Joe Dallesandro) saying so many things and yet no one character ever grabs our attention and so its hard to care what each character is plotting to do. Its possible to watch this film and not really know who the main character or what the main plot line is. The writing is that obscure. Even if you figure out its a film about Gere and Lane it doesn't help much because they just don't seem right for each other anyway. As a result we have no one and no thing to root for. Beneath the flash of the costumes the film just has no heart and soul. Its like a glossy magazine with pretty faces but no substance.

That said the film is a wonder of cinematography and choreography. One wonderful scene toward the end of the film has Coppola cutting between Gregory Hines tapping and a particularly lurid murder scene. This is the kind of thing Coppola did so well in Godfather--mixing life and death in an operatic way--but here the great camera work seems kind of empty because the characters have failed to really make their mark on our imaginations.

Perhaps in the future Coppola will release an extended version of this film which will make the story clearer. Until then I would recommend this film only if you want a strictly visual entertainment. ... Read more

Description

Award winning director Ron Mann filmed over 75 poets and writers for what AMERICAN FILM called "the Woodstock of Poetry".Ginsberg, Burroughs, Baraka, Giorno, Ondaatje, Bukowski, and Di Prima are just a few of the "beat" poets featured for the first time in this groundbreaking film.Through the spoken word they reinvented language giving a fresh, loud voice to an era contending with major change.Like Walt Whitman before them, these poets felt their world deeply, and sought the assemblage of words to bemoan its injustices and celebrate its multitudinous beauty.For younger generations Poetry in Motion is one of the few remaining documents that capture the genius and innovations of post-modern American poetry.Home Vision Entertainment is proud to present this well-crafted documentary on DVD for the first time. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

New medium will be an improvement
My knowledge of "Poetry in Motion" comes from its first incarnation as a CD-Rom released in 1994. I just dug this program back out the other day and thought to myself how much better it would be today if it were released on DVD. The video clips from the old CD-Rom were isolated to boxes about 2" X 3", with 1994-era resolution and streaming quality, so they left a little to be desired. I would expect the new format to improve things quite a lot, providing clear, full-screen video, in which case it will be a worthwhile investment for those interested in poetry-in-performance from about 15 years ago.

I would also hope that the DVD would offer more options for how to view each piece. On the CD-Rom the text of each poem is always on-screen next to the video of the performance, and I find myself having trouble watching the tiny video instead of following the text as it's read. It would be nice to be able to choose for oneself whether to direct one's attention to the performance or the printed text by adding or removing the words from the screen. **Update -- I bought the DVD and it doesn't include text copies of the poems at all. It's just the movie, chapterized so you can jump to particular performances of course. So it's far better for viewing the performances, but loses all the cool multi-media features of the CD-ROM. I'm a bit disappointed they didn't do more with the DVD format.

As for the poems and performances themselves, I'd say they're pretty middling overall, with of course a few bright spots. One of my favorites is actually "Four Horsemen," who perform a vocal quartet that is wordless and tuneless, but nevertheless very meticulously organized and musical -- sort of like four mad Bobby McFerrins performing a Charles Mingus score based on a lost Bartok string quartet. Anne Waldman's reading of "Makeup on Empty Space" is spectacular, with her signature energy and wit, and there are good outings by Tom Waits, Michael Ondaatje, Robert Creeley, and a couple of others. But a lot of the work -- both the writing and the reading -- suffers from a host of post-Beat cliches, making for some pretty tedious clips to sit through. As for Charles Bukowski, he declines to read at all. And as for the prescription he offers for contemporary poetry, it's amusing to a point, but ask yourself whether you really care to savor what he offers as the model for a poem.

Poetry Brought to Life
"Poetry in Motion" is an early documentary by Ron Mann, who is now more widely known for his documentaries "Grass" and "Comic Book Confidential". As with most of Mann's documentaries, he partly uses this film as an excuse to explore "alternative culture" by meeting with people he admires and capturing it all on film (something most people would love to be able to do for a living). But, as always with Mann, the product is meaningful and insightful, as well as entertaining and educational for anyone with an interest in the arts and culture, and not self-indulgent or fluffy.

In some of the most interesting parts of the film, Charles Bukowski bravely dismisses most poetry, including most poems considered to be classics, as boring and pretentious and lacking in any meaning to the average person, and is equally critical of most people making a living as poets. In fact, his rant strongly reflects the feelings (usually not so well expressed) of most people I knew in highschool. But while Bukowski makes a great point, the rest of the film manages to prove that at least some poets are not guilty of such crimes as it brings their works to life.

Most of the film consists of various poets, some unfortunately now departed, performing one of their poems, plus there are a few scenes wherein several of them explain their philosophies about poetry and its performance.

The performance styles of each poet varies as greatly as the contents of their poems. Some poets are accompanied by background music or actually turn their poems into songs. Others incorporate dance or other visuals. Others merely read out their poems (some, e.g. Jonathan Carroll, with more feeling than others), sometimes proving that a poem is an intrinsically beautiful thing without a big production. Of course very few people will enjoy all of the performances. I found a few (e.g. the Four Horsemen's) to be horribly pretentious, showing all style and no substance. However, even the less palatable performances do a wonderful job of illustrating that poetry can be given unexpected and exciting new form when removed from the page and given life and motion, and that one's experience of a poem can be significantly transformed merely by the way it is performed.

To mention a few of my favourite performances: Tom Waits performs a song, playing solo on an accoustic guitar (illustrating the fine line between poetry and music). William S. Burroughs delivers one of his poem/stories in his usual laid back, gravel-voiced, sardonic style. And, in an especially entertaining performance, Allen Ginsberg energetically sings an anti-government poem with a full rock band accompanying him while the audience dances and twists (Ginsberg sometimes joining in, wiggling and shaking on stage).

"Poetry in Motion" is an interesting documentary which should be especially enlightening to those whose exposure to poetry is limited to classroom dissections of those boring, stale poems Bukowski gripes about. But old converts will find it enlightening as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the most famous productions of its time, Francis Coppola's One from the Heart is a "little movie" that grew into a gigantic, studio-bankrupting behemoth. Entirely shot on glorious sets in Coppola's Zoetrope studio, the teeny story follows a bickering Las Vegas couple (Teri Garr and Frederic Forrest) during a night's madness with others. It would be nice to recommend the film to romantics, or movie-musical mavens, but really this film is for the technologically minded:it's a flashy display of camera trickery and painted sets (anticipating Moulin Rouge). Alas, the techno-dazzle is somewhat at odds with the clunky performances and choppy editorial flow... and it has all the warmth of neon. Since its initial botched release, the film has developed a small but devoted following, in part because of the terrific song score by Tom Waits (sung by Waits and Crystal Gayle). It should be seen, not least as a case study in bravado. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (26)

THANK YOU ZOETROPE!
I know, the DVD isn't out yet, but my husband and I have loved this film since the mid-1980s, when we first saw it on video. I thought it would never be released on DVD, and now, not only is one coming, they're treating it with the respect that it deserves, with all those great extras! We're in heaven, and the anticipation of finally getting to see this in the theater for the first time, and then owning this DVD, is driving us batty.

Who will like this movie? Well, although plot and music-wise it's nothing like Moulin Rouge, if you have the mindset to enjoy an off-kilter, gorgeously-filmed, nutty, romantic, bizarre, funny, sweet movie like that, you have what it takes to enjoy this. It takes an open mind, a willingness to give yourself over to the film from the very beginning, when the red curtains part (yes, Baz got that from OFTH), and an open heart, to ride along with these characters, forgive their faults and foibles, and be there for them at the end of the film. I've seen this film so many times that I understand the characters better than I did the first time I saw it. It not only holds up on subsequent viewings, it gets better and better. Besides getting to know the characters better, you notice so many more little details in the gorgeous production design.

There's so much to say about this film, I wish I were more articulate. It's one of the most BEAUTIFUL films you'll ever see. The soundtrack is wonderful too. Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle sound sublime together, and I've always considered them as playing characters too.

It's my most fervent wish that the upcoming theatrical re-release, and this DVD release, will garner this movie the audience it deserves. It was so roundly and unfairly trashed upon the original release that it never even had a chance to gain a cult audience. There are people out there who will love this film. I hope they discover it.

I Believe in Francis C.
"One from the Heart" is a typical story of two lovers breaking up, running around and ultimately coming back together, but the simplicity allows for experimentation. The stylized, studio-bound film's complexities are revealed by Tom Waits' light jazz score and Vittorio Storaro's very theatrical lighting. Both are well-served by a gorgeous, eye-popping re-mastered transfer and 5.1 mix (an isolated score is also available). Modern day stylized films like "Moulin Rouge" owe a lot to this movie.

Director Francis Ford Coppola's highly engaging commentary on disc 1 goes into detail of his aspirations for "live cinema" - a product that combines the beauty of film with aspects of live television and theatre. He stands by his film despite its failure; it's easy to see how this unconventional film flopped, but you can't help but get swept up in Coppola's vision. Casual viewers may find "One from the Heart" pretty boring, but it should be required viewing for budding filmmakers.

Disc 2 features a sheer wealth of documentaries, both old and new, on almost every aspect of "One from the Heart"'s creation, as well as a special one on the history of Zoetrope Studios, which was bankrupted by the project. You can find out more about Coppola's shooting technique of 'electronic cinema,' Tom Waits' score, the stop-motion effects, and even the massive rehearsals for the picture. A selection of deleted and alternate scenes, alternate takes of Waits' score, trailers and other ephemera round out this excellent DVD package.

Poor editing and transfer of this masterpiece
Let me say I loved this movie. I saw it when it was first out (yes someone did go to see it in the theater)and bought the video some years ago.
The video (VHS) was true to the theatrical release, unlike the DVD, but the saturated colors (especially the reds) really caused the quality to suffer on tape.
What's with cutting the opening sequence? And then again changing the sequencing and cutting of some of the dance scenes?
As far as the re-master, there was one sequence where there was a hair on the film? (lower left corner). What's up with that?
This is a beautiful movie, ahead of its time. Its a shame they have not done it justice. Those who did not see the original are really missing out.

Movie: 2 stars; DVD: 4 stars
After his disastrous experiences filming "Apocalypse Now" in the Philippines during the '70s, director Francis Ford Coppola decided to play it safe with his 1982 follow-up, "One From the Heart," a modest musical comedy he filmed entirely on the stages of his own Zoetrope Studios.

But the excesses that plagued "Apocalypse" carried over onto "Heart" and Coppola eventually built huge indoor re-creations of the Vegas strip, imported real passenger planes for an airport scene and commissioned detailed, 75-footlong models of the city. The budget ballooned. Upon its release, the film tanked and Coppola's little studio went bankrupt.

Since then, "Heart" has remained discussed but largely unseen, leading curious film fans to wonder, "Could it really be that bad?"

Now it's out on DVD and the answer is available: "Yes, it's really that bad."

"Heart" follows two estranged lovers (Teri Garr and Frederick Forrest) through a charmless musical fantasy. The story and characters are slim and feel slimmer in the midst of the huge, flashy sets. Tom Waits wrote all the songs, but they don't approach his best work. And, ironically in light of the film's title, an air of artificiality hangs over the picture; much like the black ceiling that can clearly be seen above the nighttime streets of Coppola's Las Vegas, the movie's sugary ideas about love and romance feel hopelessly fake.

As an experiment, though, the film is interesting; it borrows the look and feel of classic musicals yet remains a unique attempt, and it's arguably a forerunner of "Moulin Rouge" and "Chicago," but that's not enough to redeem "Heart." As a DVD, though, it's worth checking out for the second disk's exhaustive extra features, particularly the documentaries that explore the ups and downs of Zoetrope Studios, the processes behind Waits' compositions and the debacle surrounding this odd, frustrating movie.

More Like A Knife In Your Heart
I had heard a lot about this Francis Ford Coppola film. None of it was good. I heard rumors such as Coppola had to file for bankruptcy after this. Whether any of this is true I don't know, these are only rumors I heard. But, now after this this film, I can understand why this movie would flop at the box-office. This is honestly one of the worst films I have ever seen.

I think highly of Coppola. No one can doubt the man has directed several American masterpieces. "The Godfather" films, "Apocalypse Now", and "The Conversation". But there's something those films have in common, and to me, this it where Coppola's strenght lies.

All of those films deal with people. They are character studies of sorts. When Coppola is dealing with people, rather than special effects, or plot formula driven films he succeeds.

Make no mistake about it Coppola has limitations. Every director has limitations. Coppola has proven he can not direct comedies (Jack), horror fillms (Bram Stoker's Dracula), and jazz bio's where effects came before characters (The Cotton Club). But look at the films that deal with characters first. "The Godfather" series, "Apocalypse Now", "The Conversation", "Peggy Sue Got Married" and "The Rain Maker". Here is where Coppola shines.

A lot of people as I understand it, had problem with Coppola directing a romantic film. I wasn't bothered by that, because as I thought about it there were elements in "The Conversation" that possessed as certain romanticism. At least I thought so.

"One from the Heart" fails on so many levels it's hard to fins a place to start. The movie lags. The pacing of the film is off. This is what I like to call "coma inducing". "Coma inducing" works are works that can put you to sleep for a very long time. Or they at least have the ability to do so. "One from the Heart" has the ability to do so.

The characters are not believeable. I understand this was suppose to be a lighthearted fantasy, but I found nothing romantic about the film. The situations and the characters are flat. You can't relate to them or the situations they are put it. If you found that you do relate to them, you must have tried really hard.

The acting is here dreadful. Fredic Forrest stars as Hank, a man pining after his ex-girlfriend, of many times, Frannie (Teri Garr). The problem is they have no chemistry. And Forrest is not a leading man type. There is nothing about him that makes you want to watch him for the duration of the film. In fact no one look good in this film. People such as Harry Dean Stanton, who plays Hank's friend, seems to disappear after a while. I'm not entirely sure what purpose he served to the story. The same goes for Natassja Kinski who's role is pretty much a joke and Lainie Kazan. There is no depth given to any of these characters. And to be honest, after a while, I really didn't care to know anything about them. All I wanted to know was when would the movie end.

Another problem I had with the film was the music. It is also thought this film is a musical, but a number of songs sang by Tom Waits I felt did not fit. I also thought in the beginning moments of the film too much music was being used. Though Waits was nominated for an Oscar. I'm still trying to figure that one out. But, the Academy is always doing something wrong.

But, this is not to say I am not able to find anything positive about this film. I did enjoy Vittorio Storaro's cinematography. He is my absolute favorite. Though, I have to be critical here again, because Storaro's work doesn't quite build up to some of the other films he's done such as "The Last Emperor" and "Goya in Bordeaux".

Overall though what he have here is a bad movie from a good director. In other words, I wish I never saw this film.

Bottom-line: Not just one of Francis Ford Coppola's worst, but one of the worst films I've ever seen. A boring, slow moving, unsympathetic, style over substance film. ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more

Reviews (345)

Bram Stoker's Dracula
So often I find myself with an uncontrollable urge, an urge only silenced by the viewing of Francis Ford Coppola's gothic masterpiece, originally conceived in 1897 by Bram Stoker. I would like to point out that both these names scream artist and I'm filled with envy due to my rather plain name. I recently purchased this copy of Dracula so that the urge may be quelled more easily. The DVD features no special features and a pathetic excuse for a menu, but the widescreen presentation was worth the purchase.

I must mention Dangerous Liaisons as Keanu Reeves (Jonathan Harker) plays almost the same character with the same character story line. Simply replace Gary Oldman (Dracula) with John Malkovich and Winona Ryder (Mina Murray) with Uma Thurman; once again John Malkovich will take Keanu's coveted bride and then, just like in Dangerous Liaisons, taste Keanu's fiery blade of vengeance. John Malkovich (who was in Shadow of the Vampire) I think would have made a great Dracula, although it would be hard to surpass Gary Oldman's stunning portrayal of the famous Count. I suppose they picked Keanu for this role because of Dangerous Liaisons and I also suppose they picked Winona Ryder for her role in The Age of Innocence because of her role in Dracula. Having mentioned The Age of Innocence, I must note that Winona is not the only actor the two movies share as Richard E. Grant (Dr. Seward) is in both as well.

Perfection is what Francis Ford Coppola has accomplished here. 1992 must have been a real batty year with the theatre release of Dracula and Batman Returns. My favorite scene is near the end when the chariot is racing into the castle courtyard as the sun goes down, the music is so suspenseful and when Keanu steps up to that wooden crate and BLAM, now that is what movies are all about.

I loved once and I will love again
This is a gothic love story of sorts, but is different in that it spans an amazing four hundred years.
In the beginning we encounter Prince Vlad who is leaving to battle the invading Turkish army. Leaving behind his beautiful, if somewhat emotionally fragile bride Elisabeta. When she receives a forged note telling her that her husband is dead, she flings herself into the river. Prince Vlad vows to avenge her death, by selling his soul to the Devil.
Forward four hundred years, Prince Vlad is still alive and kicking. He has hired a lawyer by the name of Jonathan Harker, who has left behind his fiancee Mina Murray. Prince Dracula sees her picture, realising that his beloved wife has returned, he imprisons Jonathan in his castle and travels to London to meet and woo Mina/Elisabeta.
Gary Oldman shone in the role of the tormented lovesick Count Dracula, he was dark, dangerous, mysterious and [...] on legs. Which made me wonder why Mina went through with her marriage to the bland and unromantic Jonathan even after she had met the Count. Winona Ryder was spectacular as the woman torn between the man she died loving four hundred years ago, and the man she's stuck with in this life. Anthony Hopkins gave some much needed wit and humour in the role of Dr. Van Helsing.
But don't be surprised if you find yourself barracking for the Count to woo Mina away from Jonathan, or for the Count to defeat Van Helsing, or praying that Mina will come to her senses and realise that she belongs with the Count.
Love comes but once in your life, but I guess it depends which life you can remember!

"Bram Stoker's" Dracula?
While the story does follow the major events of Stoker's novel, it has been rewritten to the point that it is almost unrecognizable. I will admit that visually this film is impressive. The scenery and cinematography are quite good. As for the cast, Anthony Hopkins is a very enjoyable van Helsing, and Gary Oldman does very well as Count Dracula- but not Bram Stoker's vision of the vampire. The other performances are forgettable.

Mix of legend and novel
Francis Ford Copppola's adaption of Dracula is unique; Coppola combines legend and novel to create a visually striking tour de force. There are a number witty visual references to silent movies (particularly previous adaptions from 1929's Nosferatu to Hammer's Horror of Dracula)and the visual effects are quite stunning. The effects themselves borrow liberally from older film and stage techniques. They prove just as striking and effective as any CGI images that could have been used.

The literate script is more faithful to Stoker's novel than previous adaptions but there's still a considerable amount of liberaties taken with it. Calling this Stoker's Dracula is being generous;Coppola transforms anything he adapts and this is very much Coppola's Dracula.

The acting and casting is more problematic. The most glaring problem is Keanu Reeves as Harker. Yes, I realize that Reeves' wooden acting style is deliberate. It's a stylized reference to the acting of the 20's and 30's. Unfortunately, given the other performances, it doesn't work. Anthony Hopkins manages to chew just about every bit of scenery in sight. Still, he's an effective Van Helsing. He plays Van Helsing with as obsessed bordering on madness. It works within the context of the film and is a fine contrast to Gary Oldman's fine performance as Dracula. Cary Elwes and Bill Campbell round out a fine cast of performers (although I personally would have loved seeing the versatile Elwes play Campbell's role). Tom Waits makes the role of Renfield his own. Waits' take on Renfield is the strongest since Dwight Frye's in the 1931 Todd Browning version of Dracula.

The romantic element of the film is completely screenwriter James Hart's invention. It's a surprise and makes this something more than a run of the mill vampire movie. His script breathes life into a moribound subject that's been done to death. Coppola and his collaborator Hart have invented a tragic gothic Dracula mixing gore with the sensibility of a romance novel.

The film is well staged and the action sequences have a kinetic energy that only a thoughtful director like Copppola could create. The cinematography veers from beautiful to eerie within the same sequence. Coppola's Dracula takes the vestiage of Greek tragedy and grafts it to the horror film in a way that makes this a fresh and vital film.

The Superbit DVD has no extras to speak of (and the extras on Columbia's DVD pale compared to the original Laserdisc version). The picture quality and sound are both outstanding. Columbia/Sony have done an outstanding job with this transfer. It's one of the sharpest and best looking DVDs around.

A Perverted Lab Experiment
... You people that have rated this film 5 stars need your heads examined. Yes, I do agree with the fantastic color,the special effects, breathtaking costumes,the surround sound effects, but what else is there for peep sake!!. The story is twisted, girls are getting raped by Satan himself, Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves acting is out of place. The only person that fits in this movie is anthony Hopkins, at least his british accent is authentic. This movie is so twisted that even Count Dracul looks like he belongs in one of the Star War films and not to mention Dracula's slave who craves insects and cats.
Not only is this film offensive, but a tremendous dissapointment to all Dracula film lovers. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The second of Francis Ford Coppola's films based on the popular juvenile novels of S.E. Hinton (the first being The Outsiders), Rumble Fish split critics into opposite camps: those who admired the film for its heavily stylized indulgence, and those who hated it for the very same reason. Whatever the response, it's clearly the work of a maverick director who isn't afraid to push the limits of his innovative talent. Filmed almost entirely in black and white with an occasional dash of color for symbolic effect, this tale of alienated youth centers on gang leader Rusty James (Matt Dillon) and his band of punk pals. Rusty's got a girlfriend (Diane Lane), an older brother named Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), and a drunken father (Dennis Hopper) who've all given up trying to straighten him out. He's best at making trouble, and he pursues that skill with an enthusiastic flair that eventually catches up with him. But it's not the whacked-out story here that matters--it's the uninhibited verve of Coppola's visual approach, which includes everything from time-lapse clouds to the kind of smoky streets and alleyways that could only exist in the movies. The supporting cast includes a host of fresh faces who went on to thriving careers, including Nicolas Cage, Christopher Penn, Vincent Spano, Laurence Fishburne, and musician Tom Waits. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Chemistry and Vision
What makes a five star film? How about a cast starring Matt Dillon, Mikey Rourke, Dennis Hopper (and a cameo appearance by Tom Waits!), a soundtrack by Stewart C