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The last, and least, film in the so-called Uptown trilogy, this 1977 buddy comedy is preachier than its more rollicking predecessors, Uptown Saturday Night and Let's Do It Again. It begins like The Sting, but then veers into To Sir, with Love territory, as Dave (Bill Cosby), a safecracker, and Manny (Sidney Poitier), a con man, are blackmailed by a retired detective (James Earl Jones, who would achieve pop-culture immortality that year as the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars) to work at a community-improvement center and inspire the delinquent youth to respect themselves and find jobs. An answer to the violent and militant blaxploitation films of the period, these films, each directed by Poitier, were the Barbershop of their day. Poitier and Cosby are a seamless team; their ease, charm, and integrity carry the film's more plodding patches, as does Curtis Mayfield's authentic score. Fans of these icons will want to get a piece of this action. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

glad to have this on DVD
I can watch Sidney&Bill all day long period.there films had style,balance&a coolness about them all rolled into one.this film takes the fellows to the Hood to educate&teach students how to get jobs.Denise Nichols is a foxy Lady Yes Lawd! Cosby was grooving on the dance floor in this film.great to see sheryl lee Ralph in this film.I dug the realness&vibe with this film that dealt with all kinds of backgrounds of students.on point commentary as well.Props.

Among the Best of its kind!
I LOVED this movie as a young teenager. Cosby and Poitier are forced to mend their ways and do the "To Sir With Love" thing with kids in a ghetto. Mighty satisfying scenes that are still worth watching today without being hokey. Love the fadeout where Bill Cosby does "the bump" with this heavyset lady that sends him halfway across the room (this scene is surprisingly done in a way that doesn't degrade the lady in question) as they dance to the Staple Singers' title song. But enough of that-SEE IT, and ENJOY!

Great Wholesome Comedy
I love this classic movie, about 2 men being forced to changed their evil ways, by working in a community center with under privilege youths, all the while trying to find the mystery man who is behind this blackmailing scheme. The movie features Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, Denise Nicholas, James Earl Jones, Tracy Reed, and many more up and coming actors and actressess.

A Piece Of The Action!
This was the last pairing of Cosby and Poitier in 1977 and watching it, you can easily see where Quentin Tarantino and a lot of other young filmmakers get ideas for plotting, pacing and musical backdrops. The most refreshing thing about the film is that it manages to deliver a message about empowering today's youth without beating you over the head with it's preachiness. Brilliantly scored by the late, great Curtis Mayfield and featuring contributions from The Staple Singers, "A Piece..." perfectly encapsulates it's time without sinking to the depths of 'Blaxploitation' and buffoonery. The terrific all-star cast includes James Earl Jones, the impossibly gorgeous Denise Nicholas matched only by the lovely Tracy Reed, a very young Sheryl Lee Ralph and the soon- to- be- a- star-via-"What's Happening!", Ernest Thomas. One scene is of particualar note: one of the youngsters involved in the job search program, Willie, delivers a powerful, tear-filled monologue about why he has to find a job 'or something, so that he can be a man' that just breaks my heart and lends the film an air of poignance that elevates it above the level of simple comedy. With that said, "A Piece Of The Action" is an all time favorite that contains elements of drama, action & suspense (I could watch these people plot, scam and sneak to get Nikki back all day!) and comedy that makes for a very satisfying viewing experience. A Classic. Go get a piece!

Piece of the Action
I have seen this movie many, many, times, and I just wanted to own a copy of it. It's a funny upbeat true to life movie. I recommend it to all who like Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, and especially James Earl Jones. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Doris Day, Kirk Douglas, Lauren BaCall in a jazz setting.
A boy (Orley Lindgren) loses his father who passes away and is sent eventually to California.He has problems in school and doesn't really care to go anymore.He goes to a mission chapel mostly full of drunk people, where he hears a lady playing piano.There he picks up piano playing rather quickly and practices every night.One night he hears jazz playing in a bar.The men appreciate his good ear for music.They buy the boy a trumpet.
As a man (Kirk Douglas), he searches for a band where he can be the trumpet player.At the Aragon Ballroom, he fits right in with the band even though his playing is quite selfish.There he meets Doris Day, the lady singer of the band.
Also in the cast is Lauren BaCall.Jerome Cowan was in several films of the "Blondie" film series.
It is not Kirk Douglas playing but Harry James dubbed in.
Very depressive movie to watch.

Great Drama
This is a excellent drama! Rick Martin (Kirk Douglas) is a man who as a child peeked through the window one night into a Night Club and saw a person playing the Trumpet! Well he sees what is happening and he wants to play! The man teaches him and he turns into a big famous movie actoress! Well it ends up in a big nice story! This is an excellent movie and I promise you that you will deffinately love it he gets married to Amy North (Lauren Bacall) but then finds out that she is the wrong woman for him the girl who he really loves is Jo Jordan (Doris Day) this is a great movie that you will enjoy!

All that jazz...and all that star power to boot!!
The happy ending is clumsily tacked on and reeks "Hollywood" in the worst sense of the word.Otherwise this is another very good Michael Curtiz film with solid acting and great black and white cinematography.Kirk Douglas may surprise you as the obsessed jazzman, Rick Martin.Doris Day and Lauren Bacall are wonderful as the female leads (with Day being so definitively Day, and Bacall so quintessentially Bacall).Hoagy Carmichael is a remarkable screen presence as well.And the music is wonderful. So what's not to like?...well, the cornball ending and the (at times) stilted dialogue.Still well worth watching. And for jazz movie fans, fans of any or all of the stars or admirers of director Curtiz it remains a must have.

Very Engaging
Michael Curtiz, who could direct just about any genre of film does it again. Episodic and musical events of a man( not Bix) obsessed with his horn. Any film with a duet between Hoagy and Kirk has to be fun.

Watch for Jerome Cowan as the band leader and of course another fine turn of acting from Juano Hernandez ( Art Hazzard) Day sings, Bacall broods and I do believe I saw what looked like an el!

Young Man With a Horn: NOT the story of Bix
Bix Beiderbecke was unquestionably one of the forerunners of so-called "hot jazz" that led to the golden era of this musical discipline. His career was short as was his life. This complex young man possessed agrand talent and was able, according to Hoagy Carmichael, to bring tears tothose who were wedded to this new musical art form. Bix made his way fromthe Davenport, Iowa to places East, in the late 'teens of the century justpassed. He had a significant impact on the evolution of "Chicago"jazz and his reputation was singular for the sweetness of his tone, and hisability to express what was in his soul.

His music peaked in themid-to-late '20s, and he died from external excesses in 1931. His cornetwas stilled, but his legend was vivid for many decades after he was gone. Iwould recommend reading the twin autobiographies (under a single cover) ofHoagy Carmichael both of which offer a sincere tribute to Bix and hisimpact on jazz without being smarmy.

The insinuation that the 1950 flic,"Young Man with a Horn", depicted Bix, just ain't so. ... Read more

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"Any man's my man if I want it that way." The speaker could only be JoanCrawford, as a wicked man-eater terrorizing her Deep South household in QueenBee. Crawford's the whole show in this campy 1955 melodrama, which aspiresto be second-rate Lillian Hellman but doesn't even reach that level. Havingtrapped a wealthy Southerner (Barry Sullivan) into marriage, Crawford takes hermain pleasure in making life miserable for the other women of the mansion. Thisis fun to watch for a while, but director Ranald MacDougall (he wrote MildredPierce for Crawford) can't get the pace moving, and the final comeuppance isall too predictable. Crawford was going into her final high-diva phase at thispoint in her career, all chalky makeup and yard-long eyebrows, and QueenBee clearly points the way toward What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?Star power prevails, however, and at least the picture summons up its share ofunintentional laughs. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Can you say over-the-top?
Joan is at her delectable best, as she steamrolls her way over the supporting cast, totally stealing every scene with her over-the-top style.
This is one dame who's not going to blend into the scenery. If you are a Crawford fan, and if your reading the reviews of this film, you must be, you simply must add this film to your collection. Joan plays Eva Phillips, a conniving southern socialite, with a taste for the finer things, only matched by her taste for other women's men. Eva's the queen bee, and there's no doubt that she's the one running the hive. Joan delivers some wonderful lines in the film, for instance, "Any man's my man if I want it that way". Joan looks wonderful slinking around in drop dead gowns designed by Jean Louis. Whether she's verbally abusing her alcoholic husband or driving the poor unfortunates who dare cross her to suicide, Joan can do no wrong. Of course in the end, Eva gets what she deserves.
Add this film to your Joan collection, it's really a keeper.

Joan at her bitchy best!
This is a must-have for every Joan Crawford fan. Her star was beginning to fall by this time but she does a bang-up acting job as the evil Eva Phillips. (One wonders if the character was given that name purposely - Eva, evil, get it?) Everyone else in the film, with the exception of John Ireland as the tormented Judson, pales in comparison with Joan.

Certainly, the plot is pure soap opera (but if you know that at the outset and just take it for what it is, you'll find it enjoyable and a nice escape from reality).

Joan is in fine form as the Queen Bee in her little Southern mansion hive, ruling her unhappy family with an iron stinger. Particularly, the targets of Joan's ire are the other women of the mansion, whose men Joan is always determined to steal, as summed up in her classic line, "Any man's my man if I want it that way." And Joan usually succeeds in what she sets out to do. Plus, Joanie excels at emasculating the men of the mansion (such as her long-suffering husband Avery, who withdraws into an ocean of alchohol to escape his misery).

Of course, she eventually gets her comeuppance as punishment for all the unhappiness she's caused (a nice coda that doesn't happen nearly often enough to rotten people in real life).

Long story short, this DVD's very worthwhile. Joan fans get to see her in a superbly over-the-top performance, and it's a feel-good type story because Eva at long last gets exactly what she deserves, and the last laugh is on her. I won't give away the ending, but suffice it to say that if you like to see good triumph over evil, you'll be very pleased at how things turn out.

Godzilla in a Jean Louis Gown
Joan Crawford appears to have a field day in this silly, but extraordinarily engrossing, overheated family melodrama. Ranald MacDougall's script is like Tennessee Williams without the poetry or the subtext. And it's like Douglas Sirk without the sumptuous color or the inner turmoil those autumnal hues disguise.

Eva Philips is possessive, controlling, and self-absorbed, and Crawford plays her to the hilt. What more could any fan ask?

A monument of selfishness, Eva fascinates like a cobra about to strike. In one memorable scene, her cousin asks what the doctor said (about Eva's troubled child). "Such extravagant things!" responds Eva. She continues: "Did you see how the doctor trembled as he spoke to me? You'd think he'd never seen a beautiful woman before!"

Moments like these are pure gold (or should it be 'honey'?) in this wondrous opera-without-singing.

The rest of the cast consists of some more than adequate talent: Barry Sullivan (Eva's booze-soaked, trampled husband), John Ireland (a former lover, still caught by her stinger. He gets one of the best lines: "Whatever you are Eva, you're on wheels!"), Betsy Palmer (the deer in Eva's lethal headlights). Lucy Marlow (another deer, that starlet from the opening sequence of A STAR IS BORN, 1954) is passable. (In a TCM documentary, it is revealed that Crawford really slapped the younger actress with all her might.). Fay Wray makes a brief, but noteworthy appearance early on, a past casualty of Eva's rampaging ego.

The DVD is pretty bare-bones. But the transfer is luminous.

If you enjoy watching a 5' Godzilla in a Jean Louis gown, don't miss QUEEN BEE.

Bee with an Itch!!
This is a great movie and as one other reviewer put it, Joan stands there acting furiously in every scene! Believe it or not I have known manipulative, bitchy women exactly like Joan was in this movie and it wasn't pleasant ... was she really playing herself? I think so. Trouble was that there were a lot of women who imitated her. In any case this movie is a great period piece, and I'd also recommend the noir classic Sudden Fear also with Joan Crawford.

Grade A Crawford
In one of her best and boldest. This film is really too amazing to explain. You will awe as Crawford smashes the living room with a riding crop. You will marvel when she slaps the young ecstatic girl across the face. You will be amazed as she easily steps into a bath that has to be at least 200 degrees! You will applaud as she seduces another man while her children lay in bed with the covers over their heads shaking in fear! Beauty bagged himself a real wild one here! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

James Earl Jones at his finest....
This is a remarkable and forceful film, well written and directed. Jones shows a physical prowess that does not come through in any other film I have seen him in and carries the role with a natural grace. Sharply exposing the prejudice of the time, it is also unfliching in the portrait of a man brought to ruin by the forces around him, with not a little assistance from his own feeling of being untouchable. Highly recommended.

tight film
this Movie for it's time frame was Ground-Breaking.in 1971 to be doing a Movie with a Black Actor&White Female Lead was Big.well sorry to say it still is in 2001.James Earl Jones was Good as Jack Johnson.but I'd dig a New up-dated take on it.anyway The Soundtrack was a Knock-Out.Miles Davis&His Band went the full 15 Rounds.this Film has a Cool Pace&isn't like many other films for that Reason alone.It's History seldom mentioned.

Riveting early performances by two great actors
I saw this movie when it first came out in the theatres in 1970. It may not be quite as powerful today as it was then, but it is definitely worth seeing for the performances by Jones and Alexander, two of the finest actors in America.

Definitely Worth Seeing
This movie (which claims to be based on true events) compellingly deals with the struggle of America's first black heavyweight boxing champion against racism (both black and white).

Far from being pointless, the movie (adapted from a successful stage play) realistically presents the outrageous way this man is treated for having the "audacity" to win the heavyweight championship from a white man, have a relationship with a white woman, and openly celebrate both of these facts. He is shamelessly persecuted by the governement (using obscure laws never intended for the purpose) and disowned by some in the black community for being a "traitor" to his own race and a bad role model to young blacks who admire him.

The acting is superb, and the story (set in the early 20th century) takes on an added dimension when one considers how closely it parallels the events of the year it was released (1970 - a time when Muhammed Ali had been deprived of the right to box for several of his best years due to his refusal to be drafted into the U.S. armed forces; many have argued the real reason for this was that he scared and outraged some white Americans, being a vocal, opinionated black man who embraced the teachings and religion of Malcom X). there are a number of people who have seen this relatively obscure movie and who think very highly of it.

AWFUL
This was an awful movie that had no point and was extremely boring. Don't see it! unless its just to make noise in the background while you do something thats going to be worth ur time. i hate it i hate it i hate it! note: it doesnt even derseve one star! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

RUBY - A FLAWED GEM
Jennifer Jones certainly did not get type cast in her screen roles.As a complete contrast to her normal saintly image (Duel in the Sun excepted) she plays Ruby Gentry,a Sth.Carolina girl from the wrong side of the tracks who gets emotionally involved with Boake Tackman (Chalton Heston) her sometime aristocratic boyfriend who is promised (more as a property contract) to Tracy who comes from another good Sth.Carolina family.Ruby has a religous zealot brother who constantly harps on about "doom and gloom" if his sister carry's on her liaison with Boake.When Ruby realises she will not become Mrs Tackman she agrees to marry Jim Gentry -a working class local boy made good, played by Karl Malden, (funny how he always looks the same age in all his films no matter when they were filmed!).After a boating accident Jim dies and Ruby "cops the lot" arousing suspicion in the local town folk who knew Jim Gentry.There is nothing more scary than a woman scorned and when Boke rejects Ruby's last offer of money for marriage, she goes ballistic and purposely ruins his carefully cultivated fields he has reclaimed at great expense from nature but I will not divulge the ending.The poor old doctor does not press his suite enough but Ruby does not fancy him anyway.
An interesting new role for JJ who certainly looks "the biz" in her tight fitting jeans!

Ruby Gentry Depressing
This video is typical of many videos filmed in the 50's. Melodramatic to the core. Jennifer Jones as Ruby was not pretty enough to be so desirable; the doctor's role wasn't developed enough, and there were never any bright spots. Ruby lacked wisdom and depth of character. Charleton Heston was pretty shallow, also. I thought the entire plot totally rediculous. I resented the presentation of God and Christianity in the character of Ruby's brother. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Hollywood From the Bottom Up
In just one of the trenchant lines in this superbly written film, Shelley Winters's character, a pathetic starlet/whore, tells the film's tortured protagonist (Palance), "You don't see these people the way I do, from the bottom." Unlike the preponderance of other reviewers here, I love Rod Steiger's performance as studio chief Stanley Shriner Hoff. Steiger has an incredible dynamic range-one critic called him a cross between a cobra and a bull. I've read Odets' play, and the film is a remarkably faithfull adaptation. Robert Aldrich's films could often be coarse and catered to an audience of jaded working class men looking for action, but here he comes through with one of his best films.

TOUGH ENTERTAINMENT.....
Great movie. Big movie star Charlie Castle (Jack Palance) doesn't want to renew his contract to his studio. He wants to reclaim his soul and his family who have left him. But The Boss (Rod Steiger---going full-blast) won't hear of it. Castle's pictures make money and he will do anything to keep it rolling in. Wendell Corey is slime personified as The Boss' right-hand man. Ida Lupino is Castle's wife who loves him and wants him to have his soul back too. Jean Hagen is the trampy evil wife of Castle's best friend and Shelley Winters appears as a troubled starlet and party girl for the Big Boys who knows (and drinks) too much. According to this story, down and dirty blackmail was how they kept stars in line back in the studio days and Castle has a tragic scandal to hide. Based on Clifford Odets' play, the film shows it's stage origins but is fascinating to watch nonetheless for the performances of the top-notch cast. A must see for film buffs and the DVD looks great. A keeper for your collection.

Hollywood stabbing itself in the back
This is a superbly searing attack on the days of the old studio system when actors were placed under seven year contracts by the big studios.Jack Palance is great as the tortured and angst-ridden actor Charlie Castle who is put under terrific mental pressure to sign a new contract by the deranged studio boss Stanley Hoff-played by a massively overacting Rod Steiger.Steiger's performance in fact,is a great example of the method school of acting taken too far-it becomes a caricature,a parody of a character rather than a realistic portrayal.That said though,his performance is compulsively watchable and entertaining.

50's Exotica
Too talky for some, too stage-bound for others, too strident for all, this is not a movie for everyone. Yet The Big Knife contiues to fascinate at the same time it annoys. Maybe it's the savage depiction of Hollywood politics and the amoral glamor industry surrounding it. After all, neither blackmail nor murder is off-limits to egomanical studio boss Stanley Hoff ( vintage Rod Steiger), while the human sharks swimming around him behave nothing like opening night at the Oscars. Maybe it's the sterling cast, featuring such 50's exotica as Steiger, Jack Palance, Wendell Corey, and Shelley Winters. In the end, of course, everyone gets to explode on screen except the ice cold Corey whose chronic bemusement proves ultimately more satanic than cynical. Whatever the reason, the result is an over-the-top cavalcade of unusual flair.

It's likely that producer-director Robert Aldrich targeted the film in behalf of blacklisted mentor Abraham Polonsky with whom he had collabrated on 1948's Force of Evil. After all, the year was 1955 and the all-powerful list could not be attacked directly, so what better vehicle than Clifford Odet's corrosive stage play adapted for all America to see. (Odets would do the same for Broadway in 1957's revealing Sweet Smell of Success.) It's fun to imagine how Aldrich's resulting indictment played in studio screening rooms where real reputations were at stake. Then too, much of the film's dirty laundry appears based on fact. The hit and run on Clark Gable's hushed-up 1933 episode; the Palance character on John Garfield's death at 39, listed officially as heart attack.

It's hard to picture the producers ever believing such curdled fare would actually make money. Of course it didn't, angering many ticket-buyers with a title that seemed to imply real action instead of endless palaver. Still, this overheated exercise in shameless baroque remains an interesting oddity. A permanent record not only of individual styles, but of artistic protest amidst the throes of cultural repression.

dark film that ages well
Here's a film with superb acting and a great script. It also ages well and doesn't seem dated. Riveting. Understated acting with dark subtleties. The exception is Rod Steiger, who turns in my favorite performance of his career - as a megalomaniacal, sleazy yet debonair movie mogul. His performance is dynamic and intense. Wendell Corey and Shelley Winter turn in excellent supporting roles.

A nihlistic, dark, riveting film. Excellent. ... Read more

Product Description

One of Abbott & Costello's funniest comedies. The bumbling pair are hired as guides by gangsters who are in search of a secret treasure. They embark on a journey that leads them on a wild safari of outlandish fun. Abbott & Costello will keep you laughing as they encounter hungry cannibals, growing lions and brooding apes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One act that doen't stand test of time
I rented this mainly for my 5- and 3-year olds, who were predictably amused, though they volunteered that Abbott & Costello aren't as good as the Marx Brothers. That's putting it mildly.

I also wanted to see if they were as entertaining as I remembered them from my childhood: They aren't. I can only suppose they were an innovative act in their heyday in the '40s, when they were the biggest grossing movie comedians, but -- what can I say? -- they fail the proverbial test of time. They were fated to Trotsky's ash heap of history -- or, in this case, comedic history -- along with Eddie Cantor, Ma & Pa Kettle, Martin & Lewis, and, hopefully before long, Adam Sandler.

There's a saving grace or two, though, in this movie: One of the Three Stooges, Shemp Howard, has the best bit as a Mr. Magoo-like big game hunter, while a future Stooge, Joe Besser, who, eerily, would one day replace the deceased Howard, does his usual turn as a ludicrous sissy. If only this Abbott & Costello feature had a tenth of the classic qualities of those Three Stooges shorts that contemporaneously got so little respect!

Classic Abbott & Costello!
Being born in Paterson NJ, I guess maybe I'm a little privy to the whole Abbott & Costello thing. I remember when channel 11 was WPIX..now it's WB11....but every Sunday morning; at 11:30AM, they'd run an Abbott & Costello film(they did this for years)and Africa Screams was one of our favorites.

Why? Well, it was classic Bud & Lou all the way. Picture Lou finding a trail of diamonds.....calling on Bud to help him carry ALL HIS MONEY! I'M GOING TO BUY POLO PONIES...OFFICE BUILDINGS!!!

I forget the name of the guy who plays Gunner, but you'll recognize him instantly as well........YOU GOTTA BUY THIS!!!!!!

Would you trade Lou Costello for a bunch of diamonds?
Diane Emerson (Hillary Brooke) is looking for a copy of the book "Dark Safari" by the famous explorer Cuddleford in the book department of Klopper's Department store. When Buzz Johnson (Abbott) hears Diane will pay $2,500 for a map that is in the book, he passes off Stanley Livingston (Costello) as a great explorer, who had accompanied Cuddleford to Africa. Stanley says he can reproduce the map, but when Buzz overhears Diane offer Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to Africa, he knows there is much more money to be made. So the boys take Diane and her henchmen to Africa, where they set out to locate the Ubangi tribe, which has a fortune in uncut diamonds. Eventually the group stumbles on the Ubangi and find out the cannibals are willing to trade the diamonds for Stanley.

The best comedy routines in "Africa Screams" involves Costello and animals, whether it is Abbott dressed up in a lion skin so "Stanley" can prove what a great hunter he is or being rescued by a gorilla. But my favorite scene is when Buzz thinks Stanley is dead and does not notice that his "dead" friend is commiserating with him over his regrets for having treated Stanley so badly. "Africa Screams" is one of the funnier Abbott & Costello films from this period, playing to Costello's strength in pantomime. This 1949 film was directed by Charles T. Barton and features not only the famous hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck, but Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges as Gunner, the near-sighted gunman employed by Diane, and former World Heavyweight Champion Max Baer and his "little" brother Buddy as Grappler McCoy and Boots Wilson, her two goons.

ONE OF ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S BEST FEATURES
A classic A & C film. The boys play two employees of a NY department store. Lou's claim that he can draw a map from a famous big game hunter's book, gets them involved with an unscrupoulous gang of fortune hunters who are organizing a safari to Africa, to hunt for diamonds. Two of the film's BEST highlights are the team's encounters with then famous big game hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck. The film also teams them with Hillary Brook (who co-starred with them in the film "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD", and later co-starred with them in the first season of their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW"), and Joe Besser and Shemp Howard ( of "THE THREE STOOGES". Howard co-starred with the team in their films "BUCK PRIVATES", "IN THE NAVY", and "IT AIN'T HAY". Besser co-starred with them in their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW" playing the part of 'STINKY'). ... Read more

Description

By the late Forties, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were superstars. And sprinkled among their usual pictures for Universal were wildly original independent films that gave them more control and showed off the influence of their vaudville roots.Africa Screams and Jack and the Beanstalk offer perfect examples of these classics made outside the studio system.This DVD features pristine prints of both films in a package that will certainly entertain as it sparks nostalgia. In Africa Screams (1949), Bud & Lou find themselves on an African safari. And in one of their funniest films. Over the course of the picture, they encounter lions, a giant ape, uncut diamonds, a crocodile, crooks, cannibals and a great cast that includes Hillary Brooke and Joe Besser, who'd both end up in the Abbott & Costello TV show; lion-tamer Clyde Beatty; famed explorer Frank Buck; boxers Max and Buddy Baer; and Shemp Howard, who took time off from The Three Stooges to play a very near-sighted big game hunter. Jack And The Beanstalk (1952) gave Fifties audiences their first look at the boys in color. Managing to work Bud & Lou into a faithful musical adaptation of the fairy tale, the script places less emphasis on the team's burlesque origins and focuses more on their appeal to children. As Jack, Costello gets to show off his pantomime skills. And, naturally, Abbott is the butcher that cons Jack out of the cow. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Go Ape or go Giant!!!
Ok, here it is. I am a huge fan of Abbott and Costello movies. Africa Screams is a decent one and has many funny moments but its not their best. Jack and The Beanstalk is ok but thats about it. You won't go wrong watching these movies though. So, on this DVD double feature i went Ape and Not Giant if you get my drift. Ape for Africa Screams and throw out the magic beans for Jack and the Beanstalk. 3 stars is all i could give!

Abbot and Costello - Reallyu Had A Thing Going!
Abbot and Costello were a comedy team for a long times until the fought more then they acted. As a result of the on-screen chemistry - many memorable moments in film history were created. (Who could forget Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein? A classic.)

This very cheep DVD features two of their funniest films and great for kids too. Africa Screams and Jack And The Beanstalk. Africa Screams is hysterical. It puts all the stereotypical impressions of the African Culture and mixes them with Abbot and Costello. What could be funnier?

Jack And The Beanstalk was cleverly written and involves music, magic harps and a lot of character performances all mixed in with the humor that is only Costello's brand. He plays Jack and boy do you realize what a mess the fantasy world would be in if he was actually there!

The quality of the transfer is not the best I have seen, but the movies speak for themselves. And, it's a great price!

Entertaining for the youth
Jack & The Beanstalk...an amusing film for an adult but really good for young children. Basically it's the story of an old woman who lived in a shoe, little boe peep and jack and the beanstalk. All of the kids fairy tales in this amusing movie. Africa Screams here would be the better picture for adults however. Africa Screams which features 2 of the Stooges third stooge(Joe Besser and Shemp Howard)Shemp's character is rather unamusing and Joe Besser's character is ok. But the stars that shine here as always are Bud Abbott & Lou Costello. Very funny picture and this 2 dvd combo is definitly a worthwhile purchase.

If you like quality transfers Don't buy this
I have just received my copy of Africa Screams/Jack and the Beanstalk and I'm seriously considering returning it. In this day of computer enhancements and digital restorations why does this transfer look like it was done by a blind, deft Saint Bernard. I have over three hundred DVD's to date in my collection and I have never seen a transfer this bad. It appears to have been copied from a third generation VHS tape originally recorded at SLP speed. The scratches, dropouts' lack of contrast and poor sound quality makes this DVD a waste of money. The color in Jack in the Beanstalk continually shifts and bleeds through each scene and the black and white sequences also shift from B&W to blue at scene changes. Add to that the same scratches and lack of picture quality as Africa Screams gives you two inexcusably bad copies for the price of one. I for one, will not purchase any more transfers from MADACY in Canada

You can't get much better than this!
In this amazing Abbott and Costello package you get two great movies: Jack and the Beanstalk and Africa Screams. Jack and the Beanstalk is a portrayal of the childrens tale but done to a much funnier extent. Costello takes the part of a peasant boy and Abbott as the town butcher, both of whom climb the beanstalk in pursuit of saving the princess and slaying the giant.

Africa Screams is the story of when Abbott and Costello make up a story that they are big game hunters. It is then when a women is looking for a big game hunter that knows the map of a trail that leads to a Orangutang Gargantuan and takes Abbott and Costello along for the adventure.

This dvd should not be passed up if you are interested in a laugh or just want to see some good old classic movies. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BIG booooo for amazon.com
Due to the lack of description I thought this DVD might contain some of their TV work or something like that, oh boy was I wrong.

What is it ? - "Jack and the Beanstalk" & "African screams" Neither of these movies compare favourably to some of thier classics like "Hold that Ghost" or "A&C meet Frankenstien", especially Jack and the Beanstalk. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great live show!
"The Come Together Tour" is Third Day's second live DVD release, following "The Offerings Experience." Once again, the band delivers an excellent performance from Mac Powell's vocals to the guitar tandem of Mark Lee & Brad Avery to the kickin' rhythm section consisting of bassist Tai Anderson & drummer David Carr. Some great musical highlights include the opening song, "Get On," "Show Me Your Glory," "God of Wonders," Consuming Fire," "Nothing Compares" & an excellent cover of Rich Mullins' "Creed." I also love the medley featuring "Give" & "Your Love Oh Lord" with a couple of choruses of the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" and a fragment of U2's "With Or Without You" ("And You give Yourself away..."). "The Come Together Tour" is a great concert DVD, and this disc and "The Offerings Experience" DVD really complement each other very well. My recommendation is to buy both DVD's and watch them back-to-back.

Blessed every time I watch!
I am a very big Third Day fan and have seen them several times and own every cd/dvd they have available. They just seem to get better and better. However, I was a little surprised to say the least when I read the other reviews. One review in particular seemed to contradict itself and just generally not make a lot of sense. So to help clear things up I thoroughly enjoyed this dvd as it was a huge improvement from the from the offerings experience dvd. Visually it was a lot more entertaining to watch. I do enjoy the offerings dvd very much, but am very glad to see that the guys quickly followed it up with a product that has a lot more production value and appeal to the masses. (that is what were trying to do still, right? Reach the world with the gospel?) As a musician I also appreciated the much improved sound quality and overall clarity. It amazes me how these guys seem to get tighter as a band as time goes on. All in all this dvd does an excellent job in capturing the excitement of the Come Together tour, while bringing that same sprit of worship that the Father has blessed them with into your living room. It just proves how Christ will honor our offerings when we put Him first.

Better than the first but still not where MWS is
as a huge 3rd Day fan i was so excited about the new DVD. needless to say, i was a little disappointed. the quality is better than their first dvd, but it still lacked the feel of a secular dvd. i wished that 3rd day had put subtitles on the dvd so that i could use the video portion for kids that are hearing impaired. also, i would liked to have seen an option to remove the commentary that is scattered throughout the dvd. i was looking for more of the concert feel and really got tired of the cut between songs to talk about the album. why not give me the option of that if i want it, but do not ruin the worship experience. also, i would have liked to see more footage of the concert. for the perfect Christian concer dvd, i will still hold on to my MWS Worship dvd, it is truly like being there!!! but for the biggest 3rd day fans, this dvd will do for now, i just wish that we could have a full blown concert/worship dvd from these guys!! (hint)

Big Let Down...
As a huge Third Day fan, and owner of their debut DVD, I was prepared for a worship extravaganza the evening I popped it in. The first few songs smacked of over production with 3-second scene cuts (much too rapid for me to enjoy), ala MTV. It appeared as though they wanted to make sure one (or several) of these songs "made it" on MTV with this type of filmography.

Finally, things slowed down to a more reasonable level and we are treated to a brief interview about this project. It is explained that one goal was to give 5.1 listeners the most bang-for-buck by utilizing special mixing techniques to widen the soundstage and give special effects. Now let me say that I have a 52" widescreen with a 5.1 system that "brings down the house" (for me), and I thoroughly enjoy watching concert videos. Well, not in this case. This DVD has the ABSOLUTE WORST sound of any I have heard! We could not understand a single word sung during the music portions - AND we already own the CD!!!

I don't mean to come off hard here, but I do happen to own a recording studio and consider myself a fair judge of what good sound should be (audibly comprehensible would have been nice). Let's just say that if you enjoyed 3D's first concert DVD...well, don't expect the same experience! (The Offerings Experience DVD is excellent BTW). It seems the band should have left well enough alone. (*Note - we tried every combination of sound settings - even stereo only, to no avail! Can't understand a word.)

On to imagery...it seems too many people were hired to "pull off" this DVD project. Almost a hundred cameras were used (from looking at shots of the setup), yet ironically - almost every single shot of the drummer is either pixelated or out of focus! They did a much better job in the first DVD with more limited resources.

Lighting - in the first DVD 3D's lead singer Mac looked almost like a prophet he was so well lit - it was surreal (and very impressive considering this was a live concert shoot!), yet nearly every frame of the "Come Together" disc is poorly lit with excessive blue hues (I actually stopped at one point thinking something was wrong with the set, popped in the "Offerings" disc - and it was again, perfecly lit!), and never once in "Come Together," is Mac seen properly lit. (The guy who shot the first DVD should get a lighting award though - it's amazingly fantastic!).

Extra features: Outtakes on the first DVD were truly authentic and even funny, but the ones on "Come Together" seem gratuitous and contrived. Now, these guys are touring almost daily - and I KNOW some "real" funny stuff has to be going on...why not show some of it? Third Day is truly talented - yet only the "dregs" seem to have made it onto this disc.

Maybe Mac, Tai, and the boys will read this and realize that too many men wearing too many hats were involved "too much" in this project, and perhaps God was pushed aside abit to accomodate the technical niceties. I think it could have been much better with much less (next time throw away a cocktail napkin or two!)

Final Score: This project (Come Together) = 2, the first project "The Offerings Experience" = 5 If, like me - you have to have the latest project available from one of your favorite bands, buy it...but don't expect it to come close to "Offerings" - they're not even in the same league. Maybe "next time." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

NOT the Michael Curtiz Movie!
Please be aware that this is an NBC News documentary released in 1961. It is not the 1952 Michael Curtiz movie by the same name.

We need more like this today
As I was born in 1955, I loved this movie. It made me remember our countries strong points are in each other. His life is an insperation to us all to be ourselves. Being 1/6 native american, I realy saw his point on some things.This movie is one of the best about a life and times I have seen, with the exception of Mark Twain. Our country needs more movies like this today. back to what we are and what makes us strong. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Fun!
I think nobody reviewed the dvd edition yet, so I'll start saying that the anamorphic widescreen transfer is fine, colours are not drab and sharpness is very good. I did not check the full-screen side of the disc.
I'm not sure the movie itself comes out so well but it sure is fun. Jeffrey Hunter playing some kind of part-time detective college professor, glasses and all, is something to be seen. And legendary Mary Astor is always a delight, she only appears in a couple of scenes though. Couldn't this mother/son relationship be a prelude to the one in "Psycho"? And what about killing the leading lady halfway the movie and having her sister investigate her death?
Well, plot holes, stilted directing, goofs (the clouds and the light in the important rooftop scene, obviously shot in different days or perhaps different times of the same day) and all, this is really fun to see (and Robert Wagner is so thin).

KISS BEFORE DYING
Great fun! I enjoyed so much to see Bob Wagner so young and scary. Jeff Hunter's part is so small(sorry!). After all other comments I just want to inform future buyers that the DVD has both versions of the movie (standard and widescreen)something to consider when you still don't have a Widescreen TV but is planning to buy one soon. I had to import a copy once it's not available in my country. Worth every cent. Buy it!

Bollywood Movie "Baazigar" is a remake of this movie
The India based Bollywood Movie "Baazigar" is a remake of this movie...

one of the best books to movies made
I first read this story in a 1972 doubleday mystery volume. When I found it was a movie I was hesitant about watching as most books and movies just don't follow each other closely. This movie certainly does and wow, it is a chiller. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and is well worth watching and reading over and over again. This is a great story by Mr. Levin and movie by the director who made it.

Classic thriller from Gerd Oswald!
"A Kiss Before Dying" is an outstanding thriller with Hitchcock-level suspense courtesy of Gerd Oswald, a director much better known for his TV work on "The Outer Limits" and "Star Trek." Robert Wagner is excellent as a sociopathic killer who carries out the perfect crime but is done in by his own ambition and cleverness. The whole thing could have become ridiculous very easily, owing to certain gaps in story logic, but the dead-serious tone, the fast pacing and editing, and the high artistry of all involved make this a classic, if unusually elegant, piece of film noir. ... Read more

Product Description

One of Abbott & Costello's funniest comedies. The bumbling pair are hired as guides by gangsters who are in search of a secret treasure. They embark on a journey that leads them on a wild safari of outlandish fun. Abbott & Costello will keep you laughing as they encounter hungry cannibals, growing lions and brooding apes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One act that doen't stand test of time
I rented this mainly for my 5- and 3-year olds, who were predictably amused, though they volunteered that Abbott & Costello aren't as good as the Marx Brothers. That's putting it mildly.

I also wanted to see if they were as entertaining as I remembered them from my childhood: They aren't. I can only suppose they were an innovative act in their heyday in the '40s, when they were the biggest grossing movie comedians, but -- what can I say? -- they fail the proverbial test of time. They were fated to Trotsky's ash heap of history -- or, in this case, comedic history -- along with Eddie Cantor, Ma & Pa Kettle, Martin & Lewis, and, hopefully before long, Adam Sandler.

There's a saving grace or two, though, in this movie: One of the Three Stooges, Shemp Howard, has the best bit as a Mr. Magoo-like big game hunter, while a future Stooge, Joe Besser, who, eerily, would one day replace the deceased Howard, does his usual turn as a ludicrous sissy. If only this Abbott & Costello feature had a tenth of the classic qualities of those Three Stooges shorts that contemporaneously got so little respect!

Classic Abbott & Costello!
Being born in Paterson NJ, I guess maybe I'm a little privy to the whole Abbott & Costello thing. I remember when channel 11 was WPIX..now it's WB11....but every Sunday morning; at 11:30AM, they'd run an Abbott & Costello film(they did this for years)and Africa Screams was one of our favorites.

Why? Well, it was classic Bud & Lou all the way. Picture Lou finding a trail of diamonds.....calling on Bud to help him carry ALL HIS MONEY! I'M GOING TO BUY POLO PONIES...OFFICE BUILDINGS!!!

I forget the name of the guy who plays Gunner, but you'll recognize him instantly as well........YOU GOTTA BUY THIS!!!!!!

Would you trade Lou Costello for a bunch of diamonds?
Diane Emerson (Hillary Brooke) is looking for a copy of the book "Dark Safari" by the famous explorer Cuddleford in the book department of Klopper's Department store. When Buzz Johnson (Abbott) hears Diane will pay $2,500 for a map that is in the book, he passes off Stanley Livingston (Costello) as a great explorer, who had accompanied Cuddleford to Africa. Stanley says he can reproduce the map, but when Buzz overhears Diane offer Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to Africa, he knows there is much more money to be made. So the boys take Diane and her henchmen to Africa, where they set out to locate the Ubangi tribe, which has a fortune in uncut diamonds. Eventually the group stumbles on the Ubangi and find out the cannibals are willing to trade the diamonds for Stanley.

The best comedy routines in "Africa Screams" involves Costello and animals, whether it is Abbott dressed up in a lion skin so "Stanley" can prove what a great hunter he is or being rescued by a gorilla. But my favorite scene is when Buzz thinks Stanley is dead and does not notice that his "dead" friend is commiserating with him over his regrets for having treated Stanley so badly. "Africa Screams" is one of the funnier Abbott & Costello films from this period, playing to Costello's strength in pantomime. This 1949 film was directed by Charles T. Barton and features not only the famous hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck, but Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges as Gunner, the near-sighted gunman employed by Diane, and former World Heavyweight Champion Max Baer and his "little" brother Buddy as Grappler McCoy and Boots Wilson, her two goons.

ONE OF ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S BEST FEATURES
A classic A & C film. The boys play two employees of a NY department store. Lou's claim that he can draw a map from a famous big game hunter's book, gets them involved with an unscrupoulous gang of fortune hunters who are organizing a safari to Africa, to hunt for diamonds. Two of the film's BEST highlights are the team's encounters with then famous big game hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck. The film also teams them with Hillary Brook (who co-starred with them in the film "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD", and later co-starred with them in the first season of their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW"), and Joe Besser and Shemp Howard ( of "THE THREE STOOGES". Howard co-starred with the team in their films "BUCK PRIVATES", "IN THE NAVY", and "IT AIN'T HAY". Besser co-starred with them in their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW" playing the part of 'STINKY'). ... Read more

Product Description

One of Abbott & Costello's funniest comedies. The bumbling pair are hired as guides by gangsters who are in search of a secret treasure. They embark on a journey that leads them on a wild safari of outlandish fun. Abbott & Costello will keep you laughing as they encounter hungry cannibals, growing lions and brooding apes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One act that doen't stand test of time
I rented this mainly for my 5- and 3-year olds, who were predictably amused, though they volunteered that Abbott & Costello aren't as good as the Marx Brothers. That's putting it mildly.

I also wanted to see if they were as entertaining as I remembered them from my childhood: They aren't. I can only suppose they were an innovative act in their heyday in the '40s, when they were the biggest grossing movie comedians, but -- what can I say? -- they fail the proverbial test of time. They were fated to Trotsky's ash heap of history -- or, in this case, comedic history -- along with Eddie Cantor, Ma & Pa Kettle, Martin & Lewis, and, hopefully before long, Adam Sandler.

There's a saving grace or two, though, in this movie: One of the Three Stooges, Shemp Howard, has the best bit as a Mr. Magoo-like big game hunter, while a future Stooge, Joe Besser, who, eerily, would one day replace the deceased Howard, does his usual turn as a ludicrous sissy. If only this Abbott & Costello feature had a tenth of the classic qualities of those Three Stooges shorts that contemporaneously got so little respect!

Classic Abbott & Costello!
Being born in Paterson NJ, I guess maybe I'm a little privy to the whole Abbott & Costello thing. I remember when channel 11 was WPIX..now it's WB11....but every Sunday morning; at 11:30AM, they'd run an Abbott & Costello film(they did this for years)and Africa Screams was one of our favorites.

Why? Well, it was classic Bud & Lou all the way. Picture Lou finding a trail of diamonds.....calling on Bud to help him carry ALL HIS MONEY! I'M GOING TO BUY POLO PONIES...OFFICE BUILDINGS!!!

I forget the name of the guy who plays Gunner, but you'll recognize him instantly as well........YOU GOTTA BUY THIS!!!!!!

Would you trade Lou Costello for a bunch of diamonds?
Diane Emerson (Hillary Brooke) is looking for a copy of the book "Dark Safari" by the famous explorer Cuddleford in the book department of Klopper's Department store. When Buzz Johnson (Abbott) hears Diane will pay $2,500 for a map that is in the book, he passes off Stanley Livingston (Costello) as a great explorer, who had accompanied Cuddleford to Africa. Stanley says he can reproduce the map, but when Buzz overhears Diane offer Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to Africa, he knows there is much more money to be made. So the boys take Diane and her henchmen to Africa, where they set out to locate the Ubangi tribe, which has a fortune in uncut diamonds. Eventually the group stumbles on the Ubangi and find out the cannibals are willing to trade the diamonds for Stanley.

The best comedy routines in "Africa Screams" involves Costello and animals, whether it is Abbott dressed up in a lion skin so "Stanley" can prove what a great hunter he is or being rescued by a gorilla. But my favorite scene is when Buzz thinks Stanley is dead and does not notice that his "dead" friend is commiserating with him over his regrets for having treated Stanley so badly. "Africa Screams" is one of the funnier Abbott & Costello films from this period, playing to Costello's strength in pantomime. This 1949 film was directed by Charles T. Barton and features not only the famous hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck, but Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges as Gunner, the near-sighted gunman employed by Diane, and former World Heavyweight Champion Max Baer and his "little" brother Buddy as Grappler McCoy and Boots Wilson, her two goons.

ONE OF ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S BEST FEATURES
A classic A & C film. The boys play two employees of a NY department store. Lou's claim that he can draw a map from a famous big game hunter's book, gets them involved with an unscrupoulous gang of fortune hunters who are organizing a safari to Africa, to hunt for diamonds. Two of the film's BEST highlights are the team's encounters with then famous big game hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck. The film also teams them with Hillary Brook (who co-starred with them in the film "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD", and later co-starred with them in the first season of their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW"), and Joe Besser and Shemp Howard ( of "THE THREE STOOGES". Howard co-starred with the team in their films "BUCK PRIVATES", "IN THE NAVY", and "IT AIN'T HAY". Besser co-starred with them in their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW" playing the part of 'STINKY'). ... Read more

Product Description

One of Abbott & Costello's funniest comedies. The bumbling pair are hired as guides by gangsters who are in search of a secret treasure. They embark on a journey that leads them on a wild safari of outlandish fun. Abbott & Costello will keep you laughing as they encounter hungry cannibals, growing lions and brooding apes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One act that doen't stand test of time
I rented this mainly for my 5- and 3-year olds, who were predictably amused, though they volunteered that Abbott & Costello aren't as good as the Marx Brothers. That's putting it mildly.

I also wanted to see if they were as entertaining as I remembered them from my childhood: They aren't. I can only suppose they were an innovative act in their heyday in the '40s, when they were the biggest grossing movie comedians, but -- what can I say? -- they fail the proverbial test of time. They were fated to Trotsky's ash heap of history -- or, in this case, comedic history -- along with Eddie Cantor, Ma & Pa Kettle, Martin & Lewis, and, hopefully before long, Adam Sandler.

There's a saving grace or two, though, in this movie: One of the Three Stooges, Shemp Howard, has the best bit as a Mr. Magoo-like big game hunter, while a future Stooge, Joe Besser, who, eerily, would one day replace the deceased Howard, does his usual turn as a ludicrous sissy. If only this Abbott & Costello feature had a tenth of the classic qualities of those Three Stooges shorts that contemporaneously got so little respect!

Classic Abbott & Costello!
Being born in Paterson NJ, I guess maybe I'm a little privy to the whole Abbott & Costello thing. I remember when channel 11 was WPIX..now it's WB11....but every Sunday morning; at 11:30AM, they'd run an Abbott & Costello film(they did this for years)and Africa Screams was one of our favorites.

Why? Well, it was classic Bud & Lou all the way. Picture Lou finding a trail of diamonds.....calling on Bud to help him carry ALL HIS MONEY! I'M GOING TO BUY POLO PONIES...OFFICE BUILDINGS!!!

I forget the name of the guy who plays Gunner, but you'll recognize him instantly as well........YOU GOTTA BUY THIS!!!!!!

Would you trade Lou Costello for a bunch of diamonds?
Diane Emerson (Hillary Brooke) is looking for a copy of the book "Dark Safari" by the famous explorer Cuddleford in the book department of Klopper's Department store. When Buzz Johnson (Abbott) hears Diane will pay $2,500 for a map that is in the book, he passes off Stanley Livingston (Costello) as a great explorer, who had accompanied Cuddleford to Africa. Stanley says he can reproduce the map, but when Buzz overhears Diane offer Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to Africa, he knows there is much more money to be made. So the boys take Diane and her henchmen to Africa, where they set out to locate the Ubangi tribe, which has a fortune in uncut diamonds. Eventually the group stumbles on the Ubangi and find out the cannibals are willing to trade the diamonds for Stanley.

The best comedy routines in "Africa Screams" involves Costello and animals, whether it is Abbott dressed up in a lion skin so "Stanley" can prove what a great hunter he is or being rescued by a gorilla. But my favorite scene is when Buzz thinks Stanley is dead and does not notice that his "dead" friend is commiserating with him over his regrets for having treated Stanley so badly. "Africa Screams" is one of the funnier Abbott & Costello films from this period, playing to Costello's strength in pantomime. This 1949 film was directed by Charles T. Barton and features not only the famous hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck, but Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges as Gunner, the near-sighted gunman employed by Diane, and former World Heavyweight Champion Max Baer and his "little" brother Buddy as Grappler McCoy and Boots Wilson, her two goons.

ONE OF ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S BEST FEATURES
A classic A & C film. The boys play two employees of a NY department store. Lou's claim that he can draw a map from a famous big game hunter's book, gets them involved with an unscrupoulous gang of fortune hunters who are organizing a safari to Africa, to hunt for diamonds. Two of the film's BEST highlights are the team's encounters with then famous big game hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck. The film also teams them with Hillary Brook (who co-starred with them in the film "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD", and later co-starred with them in the first season of their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW"), and Joe Besser and Shemp Howard ( of "THE THREE STOOGES". Howard co-starred with the team in their films "BUCK PRIVATES", "IN THE NAVY", and "IT AIN'T HAY". Besser co-starred with them in their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW" playing the part of 'STINKY'). ... Read more

Product Description

One of Abbott & Costello's funniest comedies. The bumbling pair are hired as guides by gangsters who are in search of a secret treasure. They embark on a journey that leads them on a wild safari of outlandish fun. Abbott & Costello will keep you laughing as they encounter hungry cannibals, growing lions and brooding apes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One act that doen't stand test of time
I rented this mainly for my 5- and 3-year olds, who were predictably amused, though they volunteered that Abbott & Costello aren't as good as the Marx Brothers. That's putting it mildly.

I also wanted to see if they were as entertaining as I remembered them from my childhood: They aren't. I can only suppose they were an innovative act in their heyday in the '40s, when they were the biggest grossing movie comedians, but -- what can I say? -- they fail the proverbial test of time. They were fated to Trotsky's ash heap of history -- or, in this case, comedic history -- along with Eddie Cantor, Ma & Pa Kettle, Martin & Lewis, and, hopefully before long, Adam Sandler.

There's a saving grace or two, though, in this movie: One of the Three Stooges, Shemp Howard, has the best bit as a Mr. Magoo-like big game hunter, while a future Stooge, Joe Besser, who, eerily, would one day replace the deceased Howard, does his usual turn as a ludicrous sissy. If only this Abbott & Costello feature had a tenth of the classic qualities of those Three Stooges shorts that contemporaneously got so little respect!

Classic Abbott & Costello!
Being born in Paterson NJ, I guess maybe I'm a little privy to the whole Abbott & Costello thing. I remember when channel 11 was WPIX..now it's WB11....but every Sunday morning; at 11:30AM, they'd run an Abbott & Costello film(they did this for years)and Africa Screams was one of our favorites.

Why? Well, it was classic Bud & Lou all the way. Picture Lou finding a trail of diamonds.....calling on Bud to help him carry ALL HIS MONEY! I'M GOING TO BUY POLO PONIES...OFFICE BUILDINGS!!!

I forget the name of the guy who plays Gunner, but you'll recognize him instantly as well........YOU GOTTA BUY THIS!!!!!!

Would you trade Lou Costello for a bunch of diamonds?
Diane Emerson (Hillary Brooke) is looking for a copy of the book "Dark Safari" by the famous explorer Cuddleford in the book department of Klopper's Department store. When Buzz Johnson (Abbott) hears Diane will pay $2,500 for a map that is in the book, he passes off Stanley Livingston (Costello) as a great explorer, who had accompanied Cuddleford to Africa. Stanley says he can reproduce the map, but when Buzz overhears Diane offer Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to Africa, he knows there is much more money to be made. So the boys take Diane and her henchmen to Africa, where they set out to locate the Ubangi tribe, which has a fortune in uncut diamonds. Eventually the group stumbles on the Ubangi and find out the cannibals are willing to trade the diamonds for Stanley.

The best comedy routines in "Africa Screams" involves Costello and animals, whether it is Abbott dressed up in a lion skin so "Stanley" can prove what a great hunter he is or being rescued by a gorilla. But my favorite scene is when Buzz thinks Stanley is dead and does not notice that his "dead" friend is commiserating with him over his regrets for having treated Stanley so badly. "Africa Screams" is one of the funnier Abbott & Costello films from this period, playing to Costello's strength in pantomime. This 1949 film was directed by Charles T. Barton and features not only the famous hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck, but Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges as Gunner, the near-sighted gunman employed by Diane, and former World Heavyweight Champion Max Baer and his "little" brother Buddy as Grappler McCoy and Boots Wilson, her two goons.

ONE OF ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S BEST FEATURES
A classic A & C film. The boys play two employees of a NY department store. Lou's claim that he can draw a map from a famous big game hunter's book, gets them involved with an unscrupoulous gang of fortune hunters who are organizing a safari to Africa, to hunt for diamonds. Two of the film's BEST highlights are the team's encounters with then famous big game hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck. The film also teams them with Hillary Brook (who co-starred with them in the film "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD", and later co-starred with them in the first season of their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW"), and Joe Besser and Shemp Howard ( of "THE THREE STOOGES". Howard co-starred with the team in their films "BUCK PRIVATES", "IN THE NAVY", and "IT AIN'T HAY". Besser co-starred with them in their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW" playing the part of 'STINKY'). ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Go Ape or go Giant!!!
Ok, here it is. I am a huge fan of Abbott and Costello movies. Africa Screams is a decent one and has many funny moments but its not their best. Jack and The Beanstalk is ok but thats about it. You won't go wrong watching these movies though. So, on this DVD double feature i went Ape and Not Giant if you get my drift. Ape for Africa Screams and throw out the magic beans for Jack and the Beanstalk. 3 stars is all i could give!

Abbot and