Amazon.com

After her son is killed in an accident, Manuela (Cecilia Roth) leaves Madrid for her old haunts in Barcelona. She reconnects with an old friend, a pre-op transsexual prostitute named La Agrado (Antonia San Juan), who introduces her to Rosa (Penélope Cruz), a young nun who turns out to be pregnant. Meanwhile, Manuela becomes a personal assistant for Huma Rojo (Marisa Paredes), an actress currently playing Blanche DuBois in a production of A Streetcar Named Desire. All About My Mother traces the delicate web of friendship and loss that binds these women together. The movie is dedicated to the actresses of the world, so it's not surprising that all the performances are superb. Roth in particular anchors All About My Mother with compassion and generosity. But fans of writer-director Pedro Almodóvar needn't fret--as always,Almodóvar's work undermines conventional notions of sexual identity andembraces all human possibilities with bright colors and melodramatic plotting. However, All About My Mother approaches its twists and turns with a broader emotional scope than most of Almodóvar's work; even the more extravagant aspects of the story are presented quietly, to allow the sadness of life to be as present as the irrepressible vitality of the characters. Almodóvar embraces pettiness, jealousy, and grief as much as kindness, courage, and outrageousness, and the movie is the richer for it. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Beautiful
This is an amazing film that gets better every time I see it. The first time I saw it was in Spain, without English subtitles. I figured I had probably missed a significant part of the movie because my spanish is far from perfect, so I rented it as soon as I got back home to America. I've seen it again, and again, and it never gets old. The reason might be that the concept is so original. Beware all people who like only like safe, conventional American movies, this film is not for you. It's plot centers around homosexuals, transvestites, a pregnant nun, a drug-addicted actress, and just about anyone you might expect to see on Jerry Springer. Any one without a VERY open mind might be frightened, worried, "weirded out" etc. by this movie. Nevertheless, despite it's odd cast of characters the movie is really about concepts that are universal. Funny, shocking, dramatic, disturbing, powerful, this movie hits all the bases. You'll want to read Bodas de Sangre (Blood Weddings), a Street Car Named Desire, and watch All About Eve, just to get more of of thisspectacular movie. Almodovar is a genius, the cinematography is great, the plot amazing, what can I say, I love this movie.

All About Las Mujeres....
I bought this dvd recently at a discount as a previously viewed item. I've always enjoyed Pedro Almodovar's work, especially my favorite, "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown". I had read and heard lots of good things about "All About My Mother" and after watching it, I wasn't let down. Cecilia Roth is excellent as Manela, a mother her loses her only son, Esteban, to a car accident before her very eyes. Grief stricken she decides to run away from Madrid where she lived and return to Barcelona, the city that she left years ago as a young pregnant woman. Once in Barcelona she meets an old friend called La Agrado, a transsexual prostitute, who in turn introduces her to Rosa, a nun, who becomes a new friend. She also finds work with Huma Rojo (played wonderfully by Marisa Paredes) an actress who is touring the country playing Blanche DuBois in Tennessee William's great work, "A Street Car Named Desire". It was this play that she saw with her son the night he was killed, as he was trying to meet Huma Rojo. The story has lots of twists and is always interesting, as you would expect from Almodovar. But it is the relationships between these women that is the real star of this movie. Almodovar explores the depth of friendship and sisterhood between these women but never turns it into a Lifetime Movie. And due must be given to the actresses, in paticular Cecelia Roth, Marisa Paredes and Antonio San Juan. This movie is a great find and I recommend it to all.

It's a womens' world-even the men want to be women!
The death by accident of a mother's much loved son compels her to go to Barcelona and inform the father, who doesn't even know of the boy's existence. Finding the father is not so easy and by going to Barcelona, the mother digs back into a world she had left behind in order to bring up her son. It is a sordid but colourful world with transvestite prostitutes, junkies, an AIDs riddled nun, divas, and the usual associates of one's past. Remember that this is Almodovar, not Ivory-Merchant. However, these people are not displayed as freaks, but portrayed sympathetically. Almodovar celebrates their lives. He does not pass judgement.

Like other Almodovar films, the complex story line shows the strains that pull apart and bring together relationships. The emotional lives of the characters are laid bare. While there may be melodrama, there is a strict avoidance of sentimentality. The acting is wonderful, especially Cecilia Roth, who for some reason reminds me of the British actress, Hannah Gordon.

My only criticism is the use of coincidence. This is also a feature of other Almodovar's films; but here he stretches it a bit far. For instance, first the Cecilia Roth character steps in to take the part of an actress in a professional stage play, to great acclaim, and then when she leaves it, her transvestite friend, who as far as I know has never acted in his life, effortlessly takes over. This is a small criticism. "All About My Mother" is a splendid film by a great film maker. Without being a dreary feminist polemic, it is a celebration of women in all their roles: as mothers, as lovers, as carers; and to those who want to be women. Warmly recommended.

Family Ties
Despite being utterly overrated, "All About My Mother" is still a compelling and well-crafted movie nonetheless. Avoiding the "style over substance" tendencies that marked some of his work, director Pedro Almodóvar delivers a tight and strong cinematic experience with enough drama and comedy to create a relevant achievement. This is a deep story about mothers, sons, and families (conventional or not), with some dysfunctions and problems along the way. The acting is pretty good, the dialogue is realistic and convincing and the direction is adequately intimate and close to the characters. Yet, the movie isn`t as great or remarkable as some seem to claim. Basically, it`s just a well-told story, not a landmark efort. Not great, or even very good, "All About My Mother" is still an interesting melodrama worth checking.

Good enough.

All about What??
The actresses are good. The subject/hidden feeling as explored are also good. However can't the director work out a better, compelling plot line, a reasonable/believable touching story instead of piece together his unconnected dreams?? ... Read more

Amazon.com

On October 20, 2001, this now-historic concert took place at Madison Square Garden, a mere six weeks after the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, survivors, families, and fans witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event as, in the space of nearly six hours, many legendary musical performers donated their time and their talent to one of the greatest causes ever, in the process giving their audience an unforgettable burst of pure emotion.

Organized by Sir Paul McCartney, the Concert for New York City was an overwhelming experience that deserves to be saved for posterity. The two-CD audio recording is crammed with dozens of superb performances but doesn't give a sense of the whole show that this two-DVD set certainly does. Not only can we relive such seminal performers from that evening as the Who, David Bowie, John Mellencamp, and Sir Paul himself, we can see the charming and personal short films made for the occasion by such New York filmmakers as Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, or the dozens of celebrities and unsung firefighters and police officers who immortalized that day with their stories and musical introductions.

There is one quibble: the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," one of the blues standards Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy played, and McCartney's "From a Lover to a Friend" and "Lonely Road" are all missing, which seems curious, considering that the entire show could have easily fit onto two DVDs. So don't erase that videotape you made of the concert the night it aired, because that remains the definitive version. But this DVD (with very good Dolby 5.1 surround sound) comes close. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (37)

POWERFUL
I preordered my dvd in early january, i was not fortunate enough to see this event live. Why buy this? You could cop out and only say: Mc Cartney, jagger,keif, elton john, james taylor etc. etc.. You could buy this to feel the emotions of the firefighters and police who lost so many. Listen to politicians who represent the emotion that we felt at the time. Not fighting for a partisan but for the people. Toss in a few entertainers who can make us laugh and cry. Still you have not gotten to the point of why to buy. This may be the most powerful dvd you can ever buy. You cannot watch washington cross the delaware or see lincoln give the gettysburg address. We have watched the towers be struck and tumble again and again. This concert is the beginning of the healing. We cry with our great servicemen and women We sing along to the songs that we have grown up with. We cannot, will not forget sept. 11th and if only one penny from each item purchased goes to help someone who lost a loved one. Then it is a penny well spent. GOD BLESS AMERICA and may god bless new york city. Thank you for a great piece of history and an even better night of entertainment

Heart and Soul of New York
This concert exemplified the magic of music as the background for Americans coming together to grieve collectively. Watching this concert will show you raw emotional energy rarely seen on television. It is a sad concert and there are many times where you can see individual instances of personal grief among the music of many different superstars. It is a long concert and well worth a viewing. Among other things, I thought Paul McCartney was cheesy and his song "Freedom" was a situation where you had an amazing song writer reacting to bad circumstances but with poor results. The Who in my opinion, stole the show and then some, they were amazing as always. I don't think Jay-Z was placed at the right time when he came out. Billy Joel was everything New York as he always has been.
The ultimate point for you, is that you should own this DVD as it is a recorded reminder of music's response to an American tragedy with an audience showing us the rawest and most powerful of human emotions out for the world to see. Some may say it was convenient for superstars to show up and act really concerned and to use their fame as a pulpit to try and relate to everyday people; however, those people are uptight, why else do you go to concerts?, to be taken away from everyday routines and tragedies of life, so a concert of this magnitude after 9/11 was exactly what the country needed.

The Best Concert Ever...With a Few Exceptions
Overall, 99% of this concert is very good. David Bowie, the Who, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney and Elton John all played fantastic sets here. But I have a problem with some of the other music. Eric Clapton plays "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," totally unreated to 9/11. Jay-Z also had no business appearing at this show, especially if the only piece he can come up with is "H to the Izzo." My other complaint is that this DVD is incomplete. Two Paul McCartney songs, one Eric Clapton song, one Goo Goo Dolls' first song, and a good cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends" are all missing. The entire 6-hour concert could've easily been released. But what's here, for the most part, is very good. So on the whole, this is a good buy.

The Concert That Proved New York Is Still Number One
It was a night of healing. It was a night of reconcilliation. It was a night for firefighters, policeman, paramedics, musicians, actors and "Saturday Night Live" alumni alike to join together and prove New york did not grow weak after 9/11. It grew stronger and this 5 - hour concert showed those shems in the Middle East right.

Disc 1 is chock full of memorable moments. For me, the highlights were Billy Joel doing "New York State Of Mind", Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy doing a scorching rendition of the blues standard "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" and Adam Sandler reviving Operaman. But as just about every reviewer pointed out, The Who blew everyone away. I think it was "Won't Get Fooled Again" that stood out. It was also a spectacular swan song for the band's bassist, John Enthwistle. This was his last live appearance ever. He died suddenly in June 2002.

Disc 2 is even better. My favorite performer here is Elton John, who delivers a powerful version of "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters". Mick Jagger and Keith Richards do great versions of "Salt Of The Earth" and "Miss You", though I would have liked it if all of The Rolling Stones were onstage. Jimmy Falon does an interesting medley of 1980s' hits that includes "Who's Johnny", "Der Komisar", and "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight". Paul McCartney brings down the house at the end. I really enjoyed it when Richard Gere got booed. He was asking for it.

Overall, a great concert.

Support a Good Cause
Just a reminder that proceeds from the sale of this video still go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pedro Almodóvar scored his first international hit with What Have I Done to Deserve This?, cementing his reputation as Spain's bad-boy director of darkly comedic melodramas. Many of the themes that dominate Almodóvar's later films are evident here, especially his sympathetic affection for downtrodden women like Gloria (Carmen Maura), an exhausted housewife who's addicted to No-Dōz tablets and spends 18-hour days cleaning apartments and tending (just barely) to her teenage sons (one deals drugs, the other offers sex to local perverts), neglectful husband, and looney-tunes mother-in-law--all of whom have a particular knack for getting on her nerves. Toss in a prostitute neighbor, an accidental murder, and a pet lizard named "Money," and you've got the makings of a soap opera by way of Luis Buñuel and John Waters, served up with Almodóvar's distinctive blend of compassionate humanity and kinky outrageousness. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Dark Humor Gives the Film its Edge
As a North American, one is subject to films which are essentially shallow, mindless and repetitious. Rarely is there a film that comes as a surprise. However, Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto offers a completely different cinematic experience. Pedro Almodovar's use of dark humor in Qué he hecho yo is what I found most appealing. The film takes a peek into the lives of the members of a poor working class family and explores their many problems in a tragic but comic way. The film opens with a shot of an enormous apartment complex similar to "the Projects" of the United States defining the films dark aspects and the tragic situation of the family. Soon, the close up takes us into the tiny apartment which is decorated in humorously bad taste, "kitsch". This allows the audience to relax and laugh as it reveals the film's dark humor. Furthermore, the film deals with subjects such as prostitution, child molestation, adultery, murder, drug addiction, and poverty. What I found most interesting was the way in which Almodovar manages to poke fun at these issues. A North American film would never even dare to mention child molestation unless it suggested that the criminal would end up dead, however Qué he hecho yo presents a mother who allows her young son to live with his homosexual dentist after he makes advances towards the boy at his practice. Interestingly, it is one of the films funniest moments. Hence, the film is truly a must see for anyone wishing to escape the monotony of American cinema and who enjoys an unconventional dark comedy.

"No-Doz" are caffeine pills
In Pedro Almodovar's fourth film "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" Gloria (Carmen Maura) lives in a tiny high-rise flat in Madrid which she shares with her boorish, lazy taxi-driver husband, Antonio, their two sons--one is a drug pusher and the other is a teen male prostitute, and Gloria's selfish mother-in-law who hoards her own supply of mineral water and cakes in a locked cabinet. Gloria scrapes by with a pittance doled out to her by her begruding husband, and she cleans homes and businesses to supplement their meagre income.
Gloria exists to serve and clean up for those she lives with, but underneath that harried housewife exterior boils a woman of passion--the film makes that clear very quickly, but will Gloria ever have the opportunity to be more than an unpaid maidservant? Gloria looks around at the four walls of her squalid tiny kitchen, and wonders how her life got to this point. She copes with her miserable, joyless existence thanks to an addiction to caffeine pills, but when she runs out of tablets one day, Gloria explodes.
Almodovar films always include deep friendships and loyalties between women, and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" is no exception to this rule--Gloria's best friend and confidante is Cristal (played with great good humour by Veronique Forque). Cristal is a chatty prostitute who dreams of going to America. Her free-spirited ways are a threat to Antonio who can't really contemplate a woman like Cristal--a woman who may rent her body out temporarily, but she still remains owned by no-one. Cristal is Almodovar's prostitute with a heart of gold. She finds extra work for Gloria, and Gloria's friendship with Cristal eventually leads to trouble. Some of the best scenes in the film involve Cristal--her open approach to life is hilarious, and some of the scenes with her clients are priceless--the professor who is doing 'research' and the exhibitionist who needs more than Cristal to make up an adequate audience. This is darker than some of his later films, and the bleakness may prove difficult for some viewers to see the film. But the comedy is there--black comedy, but comedy nonetheless. The juxtaposition of the television romances next to the squalor of Gloria's real life are marvellously laced throughout the film. Keep an eye open for the dentist who wants to "adopt" Gloria's youngest son, Miguel. Due to themes and language ... this film is not for the kiddies

Classic Almodovar
This Almodovar classic from the early 80's is an excellent dark comedy. Great characters such as the next door prostitute, the little redhead girl with telekinetic powers, the cheap grandma, the impotent policeman, the gay dentist, the two writers, and so on make for an interesting watch. Many classic lines are found in this one, like the newlywed who gets her face burnt from her husband spilling coffee on her "I'll never forget that cup of coffee" and "I'm diabetic? oh, I always forget at dinner time?"
This film is not really driven by plot, but rather by the characters' lives. Like all Almodovar movies, it is a piece of art, a meditation and a comical look at life, sexual orientation, coincidence, destiny and love.

"Wouldn't happen to have a whip, would you?"
In Pedro Almodovar's fourth film "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" Gloria (Carmen Maura) lives in a tiny high-rise flat in Madrid which she shares with her boorish, lazy taxi-driver husband, Antonio, their two sons--one is a drug pusher and the other is a teen male prostitute, and Gloria's selfish mother-in-law who hoards her own supply of mineral water and cakes in a locked cabinet. Gloria scrapes by with a pittance doled out to her by her begruding husband, and she cleans homes and businesses to supplement their meagre income.

Gloria exists to serve and clean up for those she lives with, but underneath that harried housewife exterior boils a woman of passion--the film makes that clear very quickly, but will Gloria ever have the opportunity to be more than an unpaid maidservant? Gloria looks around at the four walls of her squalid tiny kitchen, and wonders how her life got to this point. She copes with her miserable, joyless existence thanks to an addiction to "no-doze" sedatives, but when she runs out of tablets one day, Gloria explodes.

Almodovar films always include deep friendships and loyalties between women, and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" is no exception to this rule--Gloria's best friend and confidante is Cristal (played with great good humour by Veronique Forque). Cristal is a chatty prostitute who dreams of going to America. Her free-spirited ways are a threat to Antonio who can't really contemplate a woman like Cristal--a woman who may rent her body out temporarily, but she still remains owned by no-one. Cristal is Almodovar's prostitute with a heart of gold. She finds extra work for Gloria, and Gloria's friendship with Cristal eventually leads to trouble.

Some of the best scenes in the film involve Cristal--her open approach to life is hilarious, and some of the scenes with her clients are priceless--the professor who is doing 'research' and the exhibitionist who needs more than Cristal to make up an adequate audience.

While "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" isn't my all-time favourite Almodovar film, nonetheless, I do re-watch it from time to time, and it really is a great film. It is darker than some of his later films, and the bleakness may prove difficult for some viewers to see the film as a comedy. But the comedy is there--black comedy, but comedy nonetheless. The juxtaposition of the television romances next to the squalor of Gloria's real life are marvellously laced throughout the film. Keep an eye open for the ... dentist who wants to adopt Gloria's youngest son, Miguel. Due to themes and language ... this film is not for the kiddies--displacedhuman--www.Amazon.com Reviewer.

Great dark comedy
Almovodar's Best! (Terrible first date movie, however, with the opening sex scene). Humor along the lines of "Eating Raul". ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Robert Altman's great masterpiece of the American Experience
I recently rewatched this film for the first time in a long, long time, and was amazed at how much better it was than I remembered. Moreover, I remembered it as being very, very good. In this film, director Robert Altman tracks the interweavings of over twenty major characters over the course of a few days in Nashville. Some of the characters are major Country-Western performers, and others are mere wannabes. All is set against the background of a mysterious third party presidential candidate for the Replacement Party, whose cars and vans drive around the city, broadcasting his commonsensical yet superficial political messages.

Altman has always excelled more than anyother director with ensemble casts, and this is the greatest example of that in his career. No one cast member predominates. Ronee Blakley probably should have won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but was hurt by Lily Tomlin's also being nominated. Lily Tomlin and Henry Gibson's performances were both completely unexpected at the time, since both were considered television comedians and had been regulars on Rowan and Martin's Laugh In. But truly, none of the cast members were weak, and most were exceptional. Keenan Wynn was superb as Mr. Green, whose wife is dying of cancer in the film. But the true star of the film is Altman, who is utterly masterful in the way he brings his characters into contact with one another, like a dance director choreographing an immense ballet. One becomes accustomed to seeing all the same faces in one scene or event after another, and for some odd recent it doesn't strike one as at all coincidental. I especially enjoyed seeing Jeff Goldblum's nonspeaking character The Tricycle Man popping up in scene after scene on his triwheel chopper that seems more a parody of EASY RIDER than an imitator.

The movie is laced with songs, and what makes them special is the fact that everyone did their own singing and most wrote the songs that they sang. Keith Carradine especially distinguished himself with two great songs, "I'm Easy, " which actually netted the Academy Award that year for best song, and the rousing closing number, "It Don't Bother Me." To be honest, while most of the singers are at least competent (except for the intentionally awful Sueleen Gay, heartbreakingly portrayed by the excellent Gwen Welles), few are truly first rate. The two great exceptions are Ronee Blakley, who manages an utterly stunning Loretta Lynn impersonation, and the improbably spectacular (in the context of the movie) Barbara Harris, whose unexpected rendition of "It Don't Worry Me" provides one of the movie's more amazing moments. Some real Nashville musicians turn up as well. In particular, Vassar Clements, considered by many to be the greatest country fiddler, turns up in a Nashville music club as himself.

The movie has many subtle things to say about celebrity and politics, and the ongoing confusion of the two (brought out powerfully by the ending, in which an entertainer rather than a political figure is assasinated, and by the fact that one person is mentioned as a gubernatorial candidate, when his only qualification would seem to be that he was a singer). But the movie has broader appeal than just of the Country Music Capital of America. The film intends to be about America itself. It truly does succeed in being an epic about the American experience. A great, great masterpiece.

One of the 70's greatest films and that's saying a lot!
I am waiting for a better DVD version with more extras and 1:85 ratio 2:35 is too small for me. I do own the video and I have no idea how many times I have watched this movie. It's almost worn out. If you are looking for a movie about country music this isn't it. It's about the way we were living and what was going on in the world and our country in the 70's. Yes I am old enough to remember! It is a film that most people seem to really love or really hate. I love it! Great cast! I am a huge Lily Tomlin fan and she is is wonderful in this film, but so is the rest of the cast. The 70's had some of the greatest films ever made this is one of the best!

The real Nashville?
Does this movie portray the real Nashville? I don't know; I don't work in the music industry. However, something tells me that this movie really does portray the real Nashville. It portrays people of mediocre talent; people who think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. Some of the lyrics are so corn-ball they make you squirm with embarrassment, for example, "My mommy and daddy, my Idaho home".

American Life as a microcosm
An astonishing film, rich in satire and brilliantly executed. Altman manages to weave so many subplots and characters seamlessly. One of his crowning achievements. I still don't understand the negative reviews.

What we should mean by patriotism
Robert Altman's 1975 picture remains as enigmatic as ever. The film has a huge cast of 24 actors, most of who appear in only brief scenes with few other characters. Add to this the fact that many of the lines are delivered in a flat or even seemingly improvised fashion, with a tendency for characters to interrupt and speak over each other, and it's easy to feel that the disparate characters are not connected to each other at all. This is Altman's intention though, because this film is about the hopes and ambitions of the individual within the larger society of bicentennial America.

And the plot does come together to some extent as we build to the final song, one of the most moving endings in film history in my opinion. The lyrics, sung by an unknown, interspersed with scenes of America's young in a melting pot American city, suggest a stoicism, perseverance (as one idol falls, another rises to replace her) and vitality. Even after Vietnam, Watergate, assassinations, and deep recession, crossroads America itself maintains hope and optimism. 'Nashville' suggests we are not such a young and homogenous country after all.

Among the individual islands the film explores, standouts are Ronee Blakey as the beautiful and intense but fragile diva, Hnry Gibson as the king of country, with political aspirations, and Lily Tomlin as a loving mother and gospel singer facing a marital crisis. The incredible fact that much of the music was written and performed, with little rehearsal, by many of the actors (Keith Carradine and Karen Black's musical performances are also noteworthy) lends a kind of democratic (for lack of a better word) authenticity to the film as well. ... Read more

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When it was first broadcast in 1975, there had never been a more lavishly produced science fiction TV series than Space: 1999, a British production whose budget for the first of its two seasons ran an astounding 3.25 million pounds. What keeps us fans enthralled after all these years has only partly to due with the first-rate production values, the plausibly constructed spaceship models, and expert special effects. The tone of the show is one of scientific dispassion, setting it apart from its TV sci-fi predecessors such as Star Trek, whose mood was more convivial. Our heroes here are in dire circumstances that require cool heads as a survival trait. Those circumstances: the 311 crew members of Moonbase Alpha experience a cataclysm that causes the moon to break away from Earth's orbit and travel endlessly through space, turning our heroes into unintentional explorers. No TV series has created a more palpable feel of hard science fiction than this. Of course the show is not without its detractors; it has been soundly lambasted for its many scientific errors. No less august a figure than Isaac Asimov criticized the show for its premise in the opening episode, "Breakaway," which had nuclear explosions on the "dark side of the moon" somehow propelling it out of Earth's orbit and flying through space without regard to any physical laws. In "Earthbound" (included in this set), aliens traveling to Earth state it will take them 75 years to reach their destination, making one wonder why it didn't take the moon that long to encounter the aliens. While these are serious complaints, fans tend to remember the scientific seriousness of the series and the sense of awe created by the many strange creatures and phenomena that the crew members encounter on their journey through the galaxy. In addition to "Breakaway" and "Earthbound," this set includes "Matter of Life and Death," "Black Sun," "Ring Around the Moon," and "Another Time, Another Place." --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Possibly the worst written Anderson series
The four Gerry/Sylvia Anderson series with which I am familiar ("Thunderbirds", "Captain Scarlet", "UFO", and "Space 1999") all have much in common. At their best, they have high-spirited adventure, good character situations, campy humor, and gee-wiz sets, costumes, and gadgetry. At their worst, they have jaw dropping logical flaws, stock footage overused to the point of obvious inconsistency, and excruciatingly painful sci-babble.

"Space 1999" has some of the coolest sets and gadgetry, and it's hard not to fall in love with them. Despite critics to the contrary, I feel the acting is overall quite competent. However, the episodes tend to be so unflinchingly immersed in trademark Anderson sci-babble that at times I find them almost impossible to sit through. This is a classic and unforgivable example of a show trying to be more cerebral and failing miserably because it substitutes sheer, almost random BS for science and logic. By all means rent these discs, but don't bother to buy them.

WOW!
Where has this show been all my life? I just discovered it on DVD and I'm very excited about it! Great cast, excellent scripts, and striking FX! I will can't wait to see the other episodes of this series.

black sun on DVD
Black Sun is my all time favorite episode of Space 1999 and it looks wonderful on DVD. Space 1999 was a very unique Sci-Fi program and it remains largely misunderstood. One reviewer notes that only when facing certain death do the Alphans come alive, but that's the point: These are highly trained soldiers who must focus entirely on their duties in order to survive. They are trapped inside the Alpha base, which is described as both a barracks and a prison, and are always close to death.
Only under unusual circumstances can the Alphans let down their emotional guard. Black Sun is an unusual circumstance in which they are powerless to avoid destruction. Having exhausted all options, Bergman shares his inner thoughts and feelings with Koenig, who has tears in his eyes, and they make a final toast. It's a wonderful scene which demonstrates just why fans love this show so much.
Black Sun is a great episode of a great series.

YES!
THANKS A&E FOR PUTTING SPACE 1999 ON DVD!
THE FIRST EPISODE GETS THE WHOLE SHOW STARTED WITH THE MOON BLASTING OFF INTO SPACE AND I LOVED THE ZOMBIE LIKE ASTRONAUTS IN THIS EPISODE TOO! SET 1 ALSO HAS CHRISTOPHER LEE AND EPISODES LIKE 'BLACK SUN' WHICH SIMULATE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON QUALITY LSD. THINGS DRAG AT TIMES AND I WISH THE ZOMBIE LIKE ASTRONAUTS IN THE FIRST EPISODE ACTUALLY ATE THEIR VICTIMS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'M REAL HAPPY WITH THIS SET. GREAT SHOW!

really 'out there'
Critics have often not been kind to Space 1999. The program is often accused of having wooden actors because the performers are portraying military and scientific types in a tense situation that they deal with seriously. There's plenty of action, but again some critics fail to be impressed and write it off as just a display of special effects. The weirdness and mysteries presented in the show have often been viewed as bad story telling, and the Alphans have no mission other than to survive and that tends to be viewed as a lack of anything significant happening. Space 1999 is entertaining and exciting if seen as a hybrid of disaster movie and 2001. The moon is hurtling through space and things look grim for the people on it as they struggle for survival and encounter confusing 'far out' alien weirdness. They try to maintain their military and scientific bearing , but their true fear and confusion are visible below the surface and can be incredibly intense. These are great perfomances, the action is exciting, and the weirdness and mystery of it all is compelling. By season two, which I also enjoy, changes were made so that the program was more of a kid oriented adventure show and the Alphans had grown more used to their life on Alpha, but both the tense/trippy atmosphere of season one and the more jovial/comic book vibe of season two can make for entertaining viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

good grief
A Chorus Line is a truly great show, when performed onstage keeping true to the original *ahem* SONGS, but the movie kind of failed in the attempt to re-create the magic. I mean, "Music and The Mirror" is a perfect example. Did they think it was too subtle for the movie-watching American public? Did it really have to be replaced with something as blunt as "Let Me Dance For You"? Puh-leaze. And they cut out the entire montage, which really helps in exploring the character's personalities, etc. Why did Cassie seem like such an...annoyance? She did interrupt "I Can Do That". She did harass him into giving her a role. She didn't seem graceful, like in the stage version. (ie, falling while getting into the taxi) I really liked the Sheila, and I loved Terrance Mann. I also found the drag show monologue very well done. It's good, but not even close to the singular sensation it was onstage.

"One Singular Sensation!"
The screen version of Michael Bennett's landmark Broadway musical lets the audience experience the struggle, anxiety and triumph of a group of dancers auditiong for the chorus of a Broadway show.

This is a classic and not to be missed. One of the best "backstage musicals films" ever made. Michael Douglas soft-shoes 16 dancers through a grueling audition to Marvin Hamlisch's Oscar nominated music and Jeffrey [Flashdance] Hornaday's sizzling, synergistic choreography.

The cast is excellent most notably, Michael [Chaplin] Blevins, who brings charming honesty to the role of 17 year old Mark, the youngest dancer on the line. Other fine performances are given by Gregg Burge, Audrey Landers, Nicole Fosse, and Terrence Mann. For such excellent dancers they all bring great credibility to their respective acting roles.

Oscar winning director Richard Attenborough heads-up this dazzling three-time Academy Award nominated adaptation of Broadway's long running musical that received nine Tony awards and the Pulitzer Prize. Attneborough gracefully blends big production numbers with intimate moments.

This movie is so enjoyable to watch because the transition from stage to screen is smooth and entertaining. Afterall, the New York Times called the film :

"A single burst of breathtaking inspiration!" -New York Times

The Dance and Theatre critics raved about it:

"It is the best dance film, and for that matter, the best movie musical for years!" -Clive Barnes, New York Post

"...exhilarating...one of the year's best pictures..." -Jeffrey Lyons, Sneak Previews, INN

This is a Great White Way phenomenon. Join the chorus of this high-stepping piece of celluloid - it is truly "One Singular Sensation"!

Fun movie, very true to life of a dancer
Considering I have never seen the Broadway show, I found this movie to be quite enjoyable. The songs were fun, the dancing fantastic, the acting was relatively good, and I thought the plot would have been very good without the Cassie/Zach relationship being thrust into the limelight. Many people did not like "Surprise, Surprise," due to its replacing of an original song. However, I thought Gregg Burge did an absolutely amazing job with it. His dancing was so high-energy and almost technically impeccable. No complaints there. I loved: "Dance Ten, Looks Three", "Nothing", "Hello Twelve", and "At the Ballet." My one major complaint with this movie is Cassie. I felt she was annoying, she detracted from several of the musical numbers with absolutely pointless shots of her sitting in a chair, and I didn't enjoy her songs very much. Other than that, good movie, and hopefully I will get to see the Broadway show sometime.

Don't delete old songs
While I can understand the need for space and time in a movie, the two new songs, Richie's "Surprise" & Cassie's "Let me dance for you," are both fascinating and reveal to us something more about their characters. It was good that part of the excessively long montage went away, though they should not have left out Richie's previous part, in which he reveals that his athletic skills give him a scholarship to college in which he intends to become a kindergarten teacher, until he realizes that "Nobody's going to be standing there with no scholarship to life" and selects dancing instead.

But Cassie's distracting subplot gets in the way a bit. It would have been better to have Cassie appear twice, singing both her original "Music & the mirror" (and emotionally stronger song) earlier, getting tossed out, then returning later to sing "Let me dance for you."

In addition, Kristine's song, "Sing," reveals more about this pathetic bride whom we know or care nothing about in the movie. Her husband (and assistant in the song) is more powerful, but he too suffers from losing all importance to the plot.

Beyond this, the character of Connie is completely ignored. She didn't even get a song, nor much to say. She could at least have helped out a bit with Diana's "Nothing."

That's it. My tirade is over. I like the film, but I could bear to watch a further half-hour to include more for these characters.

Unjustly Underrated!
I can't believe all the negative reviews I am reading for this film, but then again, I haven't seen the stage version, so I can't compare. The film adaptation of "A Chorus Line" is the quintessential backstage musical, a celebration of the lives and tribulations of the dancers who turn up by the hundreds to audition for a handful of jobs on Broadway.

The simple story goes like this: A choreographer is casting eight dancers for a new musical, and during one long and truthful day he auditions hundreds of dancers before he makes his final selection. The remaining dozen pour out their hearts and souls through song and dance, all desperate for a part, and all deserving of one. We learn about their lives, loves, fears, and sacrifices through the brilliant lyrics.

From what I understand, Richard Attenborough's film treatment of the story sticks to the outlines of the stage version, although he takes the liberty to fill in the details of the choreographer's old romance, and he leaves out some of the original songs to make room for new ones. I think it's a wonderful idea, and hey, for me, it works.

The result may not please purists who want a film record of what they saw on stage, but this is one of the most intelligent and compelling movie musicals in a long time. Everybody, at one time or another, has been on a line similar to this one--anxious to be accepted and terrified of being rejected by someone judging his or her worth.

Attenborough (Gandhi) makes the most of this dramatic tension, along with the hopefulness of all those in the audition. Best of all, he captures the vibrancy of modern dance from the free-form confusion of the opening scenes to the high-stepping kicks of the finale.

This is truly one of the most underrated films EVER, an emotional, powerful, and anxious musical definitely worth seeing. Give it a chance, it won't hurt! ... Read more

Amazon.com

What happens to the people putting on a Passion Play? Someday Mel Gibson may tell us, but Denys Arcand's Jesus of Montreal proposes an engaging possibility. In hip present-day Montreal, a group of actors stages the Passion in an outdoor, somewhat avant-garde style, led by the quietly charismatic and increasingly uncanny young man (Lothaire Bluteau, Black Robe) playing Christ. His identification with the role, and the way it bleeds into real life, gives director Denys Arcand plenty of opportunities for social comment--some of it spot-on, some of it a little facile. But the fragile Bluteau is such a fascinating lead presence (the other actors are familiar from Arcand's Barbarian Invasions and Decline of the American Empire) that the movie's spell lasts long after it's over. Turns out the French-Canadian approach to the Passion can be just as intriguing as the original Aramaic. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Moving story of Jesus's message in a modern reincarnation...
« Jésus de Montréal » was a stunning, thought-provoking film by Montréalais director Denys Arcand. The strong ensemble cast includes Lothaire Bluteau ("Le confessional," "La robe noire") and Robert Lepage (famous Québec playwright, author of "Nô," and "The Seven Streams of the River Ota"). The story revolves around a series of actors: Constance (who works in a soup kitchen, plays Mary Magdalene and sleeps with the priest), Mireille (a sexy young actress whose sole talent, according to her ex, is in her backside), Martin and Réné, actors who dub porno films in French, and Daniel (Bluteau), a fragile young actor enlisted to play Jesus in a popular passion play. Bluteau is frail and androgynous to a certain degree, lending him an angelic quality. He is extremely soft-spoken and I often had to turn the volume up to hear him. His voice was barely above a whisper in many of the passion play scenes and near the end.

Daniel does extensive research into the life and times of Jesus, taking into account new archaeological findings. Instead of merely "updating" the passion play he, along with his fellow actors, rewrites it. Jesus is the son of a Roman soldier in the play, the crucifixion is performed accurately (naked, with the torso twisted to the side), and the Catholic priests are upset and demand an end to the passion play on the mount. Martin works in his Hamlet soliloquy "To sleep...perchance to dream..." in a scene that is strangely powerful as the resurrected Jesus comes to the disciples.

The normally mild mannered Daniel rebels at the treatment Mireille receives at an audition, and mirroring Jesus' disruption of the moneylenders in the temple in Matthew 21:12 ("And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of he money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves.") Daniel becomes irrational when the casting director (Mireille's ex-boyfriend) tells her to strip. Daniel orders her to refuse, then, flying into a rage knocks over tables, smashes cameras and monitors and causes thousands of dollars worth of damage. His life begins to mirror that of Jesus.

Lothaire Bluteau was the only choice for the role of Daniel/ Jesus. He becomes so involved in all of his roles that he walks a dangerous line. Robert Lepage says that he embodies and expresses emotional pain better than any actor in the world. Lothaire Bluteau says of himself that he still is struggling to learn to live with the searing pain he feels for real. According to a recent interview, "In person, the theatrical, charismatic, deeply analytical and cathartic Bluteau wears many emotional scars beneath his pale and skeletal physical armour. His immersion into the characters that have inhabited not only his physical being, but his emotional thoughts and each waking moment are the very extension of himself into some intangible realms. He readily admits that these fictional characters are always awaiting his presence to fill them and breathe life into their troubled existences." Ask Bluteau if he finds it difficult to achieve a separation point between the characters her portrays and himself and he frowns: "Sometimes I think I'm getting better at not drowning in the emotional sadness and the fear I have when I start working on a film or play. When you are enriched by your characters life, you do tend to share a lot of things together. They will call upon your emotions and leave you with souvenirs and old scars, that you manage to survive from. The character wants to borrow that pain, and of course there is a transformation and collar of sadness that you are attached to." So he is ultimately believable as a modern-day Jesus, preaching to the crowds at a Montréal subway station, chasing the "money lenders" out of the studio, and finally sacrificing his life so that others may live through him. The final scenes are unspeakably powerful as Daniel's message lives on.

There are moments of humour as well, irreverence towards Catholic doctrine and its unwillingness to change. When the priest informs them that they have to revert to the original script, Martin, Réné, Constance and Mireille begin an absurdly funny ad-lib update of the passion play. First Constance recites a line and makes it sound like a line from a porno dub, then Mireille turns it into une comédie française, Martin tries New York method acting, Réné vulgar joual, and Martin and Réné do a Kabuki version that had me in tears. It was the funniest thing I had seen in years. There are similar lighthearted moments between the actors/friends, but much of the story has a sombre tone.

The cinematography is spectacular, with enticing shots of Montréal at work and at play. The nighttime scenes are particularly effective, as are the passion play scenes. The music is sparse but haunting: an aria from Pergolesi's Stabat Mater that is sung at the end over the credits, and during the passion play we hear haunting music from Le mystère des voix bulgares. There is some nudity, although it is not sexual. There is a lot of offensive language, especially during the improv passion play, and during the porno dubbing scene (which is hilarious in a sad way). This is not a film for those who are devoutly religious or easily offended. The film is subtitled in English (with French subtitles over the English dialogue).

« Jésus de Montréal » explores the story of Jesus, updates it, gives it a fresh young face in the form of Daniel. What would happen if Jesus reappeared in the world today? Denys Arcand explores this through multiple Biblical parallels and imagery and a stellar supporting cast, also using the film as a vehicle to express his distaste of the all-consuming media and material greed. We see the transformation of a group of ordinary actors into Biblical beings who are profoundly changed by Daniel's/Jesus's presence in their lives. This film will leave you thinking for hours afterwards.

a gem that will move you and make you think..
Of all the depictions on film of the crucifixion of Christ, I find this one the most harrowing...it's wrenching as well as uplifting, and the always wonderful Lothaire Bluteau is extraordinary as Jesus in the passion play, and as the actor who won't compromise his art for commercial success, and starts to acquire aspects of Jesus' character into his own.

On a lighter note, the "hot" dubbing scene early in the film is hilarious, and there are many other extremely humorous parts. The talented ensemble cast is superb, as good in the comedy as in the drama.

Perhaps this is not a film for those with strict beliefs, but if you can accept diverse views, it will move you on many different levels.

Thanks for the warning!
Thanks for the warnings, everyone! I'm taking this off my wish-list. I liked this movie (saw an old taped version off TV once) but only know a little French. Certainly not enough to follow the film without subtitles. That's too bad because I was looking forward to seeing the movie again.

My favorite film
Jesus of Montreal is an allegory in which a troupe of actors experience the life of Jesus of Nazareth as they strive to rework a passion play to make it more contemporary and "relevant." I first saw the film in 1990, and it touched me deeply, challenging me to reconsider my understanding of Christian faith. Great art strikes home, and no other film has given me such cause to ponder. It remains my favorite film.

BEWARE, however, because as other reviewers have warned, the DVD edition Amazon sells provides no English subtitles for the French dialog. My copy arrived in the mail today, and I am returning it to Amazon unopened. I should have paid more attention to what the other reviewers wrote.

It appears that an edition with English subtitles has been released in Europe and Australia, but it is in PALS format and not compatible with Region 1 (NTSC) DVD players. Such a disappointment, as my French is just not adequate to the task without some support from the subtitles.

SHAME!
Shame on the producers of this DVD for not including English subtitles. Shame on Amazon.com for not drawing our attention to this. UNLESS YOU ARE FLUENT IN FRENCH, DO NOT BUY THIS DVD. ... Read more

Description

Based on Jerzy Kosinski's satirical novel about an illiterate gardener who has lived his entire life behind the walls of a Washington, D.C., house, his only knowledge of the world coming from the TV programs he watches.When his employer and protector dies, he is catapulted into the fast lane of political power. ... Read more

Reviews (120)

Excellent Satire - Incredible Acting from Peter Sellers
This film came out in 1979 and seems to get better every year. It is the bizarre story of a blank slate of a gardner who literally has never been outside of the walls of a single house until he is in his 40s or 50s. The entire view of this man comes from watching television.

The basic story is quite simple. As Chance the gardner is forced to leave the house he has lived in as a child, he is hit by a limosine transporting the wife of a dying plutocrat. Taken to the home of the plutocrat, he eventually meets the rich and powerful of the land (the president included)and is taken to be an oracle of wisdom with his simple statements about gardening and the television he has watched. It is a great satire that just keeps getting better as we rely more and more on soundbites for our information.

The best part of the film is Peter Sellers who plays this absolutely blank, innocent, and slow-witted person with complete aplomb. I remember an interview with Sellers when the movie came out, and he said it was a real struggle to develop an accent that had no roots at all -- a perfect blend of voices heard on television. He plays the movie absolutely straight, the comedy being how people react so seriously to his child-like comments. For example, in a television interview about the economy, people take his comments that "there is always growth in the spring" to mean an end to a recession when he is simply talking about his garden.

This is a unique film with lots and lots of subtle humor (no slapstick ala Clouseau). There are some very funny moments as people react to Peter Sellers, but the humor always comes back to how we choose to see the world. There is no deception of the part of the character of the gardner -- it is everybody else who plays the fool here.

This is a definitely a movie to own and to watch over and over. I know some people who have found it a bit slow, in that very little really happens -- it is almost a comedy of manners. It is a great memorial to Peter Sellers from one of his very last movies.

"I like to watch..."
Peter Sellers is wonderful as the simpleton gardener who in middle age finds himself in the real world for the first time and through a series of coincidences is hailed as a genius with all cures for mankind's problems. As a confidante to a wealthy philantropist, Chance the gardener is introduced to the President of the United States. Paraded through formal dinner parties, invited as talk show guest, and eventually investigated by the CIA, "Chance Gardener" becomes an unprecidented enigma .

A star-studded cast includes a beautiful Shirley MacLaine as the tycoon's wife who is very attracted to the "inexperienced" Chance. Melvyn Douglas took the Best Supproting Actor Oscar (his second) for his role as the dying philantrophist.

The slow moving yet poignant film offers many observations about people and how they are perceived by new acquintances. Peter Sellers' character benefited greatly from his handsome, classy attire when forced out of his home of many years. His simple speech would have been taken as foolish babble, had the man been dressed in rags.

There is a particularly moving scene near the end of the film, when Chance's benefactor is layed to rest. Seemingly disinterested in the ceremony, Chance wanders off, examining nearby plant life, to see what improvements need to be made. The DVD version offers a hilarious set of "bloopers", showing how Sellers can't get through the lines without laughing out loud.

"Being There" is certainly quite a departure from any standard comedy/drama. Not for everyone, but worth a chance!****

Two movies in one!
This is really two different movies. Most viewers will watch the DVD up until the credits start, hit the Stop and Eject buttons and will have seen one, admittedly excellent, story.

BUT... those lucky few who tend to watch the credits to the end...will get a mind-snapping shock! For there's one additional scene burried in the credits, a scene that changes the entire meaning of the movie - and will send you back to chapter 1 to watch the entire film all over again.

And you will then see the SECOND story.

It was THIS movie that has led me to sit in theaters until the end of the credits ever since!

I'm very hungry
My wife and I tend to quote lines from this wonderful movie, much like I do on the golf course with Caddy Shack lines. As Caddy Shack is to golf, Being There is to life: a delightful comedy but with meaning.

Brilliant and haunting.....
This film is like none I have ever seen before. In the past, when I thought of Peter Sellers (who plays lead character "Chance the Gardener"), my mind automatically went to Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther series. I thought of the bumbling, clumsy and silly detective in hot persuit of the pink panther jewel. What a terrific change of pace! I really got a sense of Peter Sellers' depth as an actor in this brilliant film. Sellers, Melvyn Douglas, and Shirley Maclaine were all strong leads in this story, along with a great supporting cast.

BEING THERE tells the story of Chance, the Gardener, a simple man who spends his entire life gardening in the backyard of his boss' house, until one day the old man passes away. When a couple of journalists come around to find out more about the former master of the house, Chance is the only one there. The house must close, and for the first time the man must make strides into the big, wide world. This world is like nothing he could have ever imagined outside of the house where he worked. One thing that keeps him tranquil and holds his attention is the television. As Chance says, "I like to watch." (this line is misinterpreted a few times during the course of the movie.) By chance, Chance meets up with Shirley Maclaine the wife of an elderly billionaire. This is just the beginning of an intriguing series of events where Chance--renamed Chauncey Gardner--the simple man who speaks of plants and their growth (the only real knowledge he has about the world) becomes central as wise sage in one of the most intriguing political ventures.

This film has moments of laugh-out-loud comedy, and serious elements as well. (The final scene is chilling.....that is all I am going to say......)
Check it out if you are in the mood for something completely different. In the words of Chauncy, this is definitely a film "I like to watch." ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the most rousingly enjoyable sports movies ever made, this small-town drama tells the story of the Hickory Huskers, an underdog basketball team from a tiny Indiana high school that makes it all the way to the state championship tournament. It's a familiar story, but sensitive direction and a splendid screenplay helped make this one of the best films of 1986, highlighted by the superb performances of Gene Hackman as the Huskers' coach, and Oscar nominee Dennis Hopper as the alcoholic father of one of the team's key players. As the drama unfolds we come to realize that many of the characters (including Barbara Hershey as a schoolteacher with whom Hackman falls in love) are recovering from disappointing setbacks, and this depth of character is what makes the otherwise conventional basketball story so richly rewarding. Like Rocky, Rudy, and Breaking Away, this is a quintessentially American movie about beating the odds and rising above one's own limitations. Just try to watch it without cheering! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Cinderella comes to Indiana to play basketball!!
Hoosiers is a wonderful movie about a small high school in Indiana who's basketball team beats the odds and goes to the State Finals. It is a wonderful Cinderella story that warms your heart. Gene Hackman plays Norman Dale, the new Hickory High School basketball coach, who teaches the boys on the team the importance of working as a team. He teaches them to respect his authority as coach and teaches the town to respect an outsider.

Dennis Hopper gives an unforgettable performance as the town drunk and the father of one of the players. It is an unforgettable tale that is backed by a wonderful musical score. I recommend this movie to all basketball fans.

A classic and good all around sports movie.
What a great movie this is. It has everything in it. Good Basketball, drama and ultimately triumph. A movie that shows a team or character that beats the odds and comes out a winner is always great to see. Even better is when it happened in real life. This is what this movie is based on, a tiny farming town in 1950's Indiana that rose above the odds and became the state champion by between a high school powerhouse that was at least 6 or 7 times bigger in population than the little high school.

Gene Hackman plays the coach of the team who has a mysterious background. He reminds me a bit of how the famous Bobby Knight is, a hard disciplinarian who instills pride, respect and total commitment to being the best. Barbara Hershey plays his protaganist at the beginning of the movie, but later becomes the love interest. Dennis Hopper, plays the town drunk, but who is also the source of basketball strategy that the team rely's on.
The high school basketball team players are unknown actors, but who cares? They do a great job.

It is also nice to see how the town really is supportive of the team, but that is how Indiana Basketball is in reality. The "innocence" of the 1950's is also shown in the movie, when things were a bit simpler and people had alot of faith in religion. That is nice to see as well, since I know alot of small farming communities do rely on the local church for their needs.

But all in all this is a great sports movie. It would seem hard to believe that such a small school can become a champion in sports, but that is what makes it great! I like to see it when an underdog can overcome and become a champion, like what Chaminade University did in 1983, when it beat the mighty Ralph Sampson and the University of Virginia in a pre-season tournament, or when Villanova beat the mighty Georgetown to become NCAA Basketball Champions in 1986 (I think).

Anyways this is a HIGHLY recommended movie!

Hoosiers a real life story
I lived in Milan,Indiana when this happened and if all that enjoyed the movie want the real story as told by Bobby Plump the hero just get the book "Bobby Plump Last of the small town heros" A wonderful film but a wonderful happening in real life..sort of the small guys winning over the big guys and who doesn't love that..

50 Years Later...and Still a Great Story
How true-to-life is this immensely popular film? In an article written for ESPN Page 2, Jeff Merron notes a number of differences between the "real" story about a small Indiana high school which wins the state championship and the "reel" story which appears in the film directed by David Anspaugh, with Gene Hackman starring in a script written by Alvin Sargent. (The entire article can be accessed by visiting http://espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/020327.html.) The significant differences noted by Merron include these:

"In real life, Milan High School didn't come out of nowhere. The Indians had made the state semifinals the previous season. In reel life: The team that wins the championship is Hickory High. In real life: The team that won the championship is Milan High. There is no town of Hickory in Indiana. In reel life: Hickory wins the title in 1952. In real life: Milan won the title in 1954. In reel life: The previous coach dies, which is a crucial part of the plot -- the team's star player, Jimmy, doesn't play part of the season because he's so upset. In real life: The previous coach, Herman "Snort" Grinstead, who Bobby Plump (the real-life hero) said in an ESPN chat was "the most popular coach in Milan's history," was fired for ordering new uniforms against the superintendent's orders.

"In reel life: Coach Dale alienates just about everyone with his independence, and there is a town referendum on whether the school should keep Dale on as coach. In real life: Marvin Wood did face an uphill struggle, because he replaced Snort and changed both his offense and defense. But by the time the Milan Indians were playing their championship season, he had won the town over. In reel life: The assistant coach, "Shooter," (played by Dennis Hopper in an Oscar-nomination performance), is the town drunk and the father of one of the players. In real life: There was no assistant coach."

These may be among the most significant differences between "real" and "reel" but invariably, certain liberties must be taken with historical material to increase and enhance the dramatic impact of a film based on (but not limited to) that material. In this instance, Anspaugh, screenwriters Pizzo and Sargent, Hackman, and their associates have a story to tell and they tell it very, very well. As always, Hackman is first-rate, as are Barbara Hershey in her role as the obligatory love interest (Myra Fleener) and Hopper as Shooter, a name so appropriate to the character that nothing more need be said. Yes, this is a "feel good" film among several (e.g. Rudy on which Anspaugh and Pizzo also collaborated later) which have been immensely popular. However, the film has crisp direction, an excellent cast, and a story line close enough to what really did happen in 1954. FYI, here are a few brief passages from the official Web site of Milan, Indiana:

"Milan, Indiana, a quiet rural town in the southeastern part of the state, was the scene of one of the greatest basketball stories in history. The rise of the 1954 Milan basketball team actually started the preceding year. In 1953, the team went all the way to the final four only to be beaten in the semi-finals. Then the 1954 season arrived.

"In a high school of 162 total students, 73 were boys.   A young Marvin Wood was returning for his second year as coach, along with Marc Combs and Clarence Kelly.   The core of the 1953 team also returned.   From this came the David vs. Goliath championship story.  

"Although their accomplishments seem to have grown to almost mythical proportions as the story of the greatest underdog in sports' history throughout the years, there was a real team who lived a dream that came to life. Under the leadership of twenty-six year old coach Marvin Wood, the Indians began their rise to the top of the 751 teams entered in that year's tournament, with a record of 19-2. The mighty men of Milan then cruised through the state tournament relatively untested, until the final game against Muncie Central. The Indians were paced in scoring throughout the game by senior Ray Craft. However, Coach Wood's delay tactic game plan would place the ball in the trusty hands of another senior, Bobby Plump.

"Bobby Gene Plump, who at-the-buzzer hit the shot that gave tiny Milan High School the 1954 state basketball championship over the Muncie Central Bearcats. Called 'the most famous shot in Indiana hoops history,' the real-life event became the basis for the fictionalized movie, Hoosiers.  Milan beat Giant Muncie Central 32-30 in the final seconds of the game."

Although Hoosiers may differ somewhat from what really happened in 1954, so what? Both the film's story and the Milan team's season affirm the same values which now seem so rare 50 years after Bobby Gene Plump's winning shot.

Question: Why are no SPECIAL (rather than cheesy) Features provided with the DVD version? That is disgraceful!

Come on Hickory Huskers Team!
This film is a winner. David Anspaugh made the best film of basket in all the story of the american cinema.
A script extremely simple but fullfilled with conviction, well written with unforgettable shots in the battle field.
Gene Haxkman gives one of his most famous performances as the chief of the team. Dennis Hopper shows us why he was nominated in 1986 for this role as supporting actor. His performance is extraordinary. Hershey as always makes the perfect balance for Hackman showing his inner interpretative force.
This film has been choosen as one of the classical film for management approachs ; togeteher with Tunes of glory, Moby Dick , The bridge over Kwai river and Lawrence of Arabia.
So watch this; the film is much more than a famous fact in Indiana in 1952. It's a life lesson; the metaphor of David and Goliat is underlined.
If you think carefully , this film is very close in what its epic actitude concerns with Seabiscuit, that pearl of David Ross , nominated recently as best movie by the Academy.
Watch this movie and let this item be part of your DVD collection. ... 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 (324)

Sandler finally has a chance to shine.
Anyone who has watched Adam's Sandler's movies knows he has the ability to become a great dramatic actor. While his other films were slapstick comedies, the characters in them were often more than just pratfalls and booby jokes. 'The Waterboy' was by no means intelligent fair, but Sandler artfully managed to imbue into his character a sense of despair, of being trapped by love and a sense of responsibility to his mother. You found yourself feeling sympathy and understanding for a character who, in less capable hands, might only have been obnoxious and irritating. True, this does not make the film anything more than a lowbrow comedy...but the potential was there.

Punch-Drunk Love finally offers Sandler a worthy medium for his talent. It's a story of Barry Egan, a socially inept businessman who, by virtue of his loneliness and an ad in the paper, finds himself being extorted by a phone sex operator. As if this were not difficult enough, Barry also has seven controlling, verbally abusive sisters to contend with. Yet even while he struggles (at times violently) against the shackles of his existence, Barry manages to find love. Or rather, love finds him--and it won't take no for an answer.

It's difficult to categorize Sandler's character in this movie. Barry is a wonderfully three-dimensional character, a man so repressed by his circumstances that when he does explode it with with all the intensity of a nuclear bomb. He is awkward, painfully shy, depressed and at times physically violent. The floridly colored inserts between certain scenes in the film make you wonder if Barry isn't suffering from some more severe mental illness. Yet despite all his flaws Barry is a very likeable character. You find yourself aching at his lonliness, experiencing his rage, rooting for his ultimate victory over adversity...even if your initial instinct says this probably won't happen.

A lot of people say that the love story between Barry and Lena (played by Emma Watson) is unrealistic. It's true that Barry and Lena seem to be polar opposites, yet those kinds of relationships are very often the best kind. And they do have some things in common (the unusual nature of their pillow talk, for one). Also, one must remember than Lena chose Barry--she saw a picture of him on his sister's desk and she wanted to meet him. Perhaps she saw what a vulnerable, damaged person he was from the picture alone and therefore was not surprised by what she found. Or, having discovered his flaws, perhaps she wanted to help him. It's called Florence Nightingale Syndrome and it isn't all that uncommon. And as for Barry loving her... She was the first woman who ever treated him with affection and respect; he was a lonely man. Of course he fell in love with her. And P.T. Anderson never tried to convince us their relationship was a flawless fairytale. He never implied it would last. He just made us want it to...all I can say is it takes a special type of person to watch this kind of fare. If you are a fan of 'The Royal Tenenbaums', 'Magnolia', or anything Hitchcock, you will most likely love it. If, however, your tastes run to the more obvious, shallow kind of neat little love story save your time. Take your money and rent 'A Walk to Remember' instead.

One of the Best Films of the Year
Paul Thomas Anderson is probably the most talented new director in the industry, with the possible exception of Wes Anderson. With Boogie Nights and Magnolia, he tried to make big Hollywood films with indie supplies, and I have to say, he did a fine job at that. This time around, he tried to do something simpler with Punch-Drunk Love, and he presented to us one of the most extraordinary-looking indies of the past few years.

Adam Sandler plays Barry Egan, a single man with his own business who for years has been unable to fall in love and show affection for another. Part of this is due to his upbringing, with seven sisters who dehumanized him in childhood to fear and more or less hate women as an adult. Despite this, he is still a lonely person who never has anyone to talk to when he needs help. One day, he calls a phone sex company just for conversation and finds himself caught up in a credit card scam ran by the repulsive Dean Trumbell (PT Anderson regular Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Things get even more complex when Barry meets one of his sisters' coworkers, a timid young woman called Lena, played by Emily Watson. After one date and a few chance meetings in between, they immediately fall in love with each other. To make things even stranger, Barry realizes that if you buy enough Healthy's Choice pudding packages, you could wind up with enough frequent flyer miles to last you your entire life.

Though labeled as a romantic comedy, you should expect anything when you see this film. Not to mention that there's more to this film than what I've told you. The biggest surprise of all is Adam Sandler's terrific performance, proving that he can play both a lovable fool and a truly psychologically damaged human being at the same time.

Furthermore, Punch-Drunk Love is filled with excellent moments of wry humor, some gorgeous painting-like images, and some unforgettable performances. A real achievement in independent film.

Or: Adam Sandler¿s attempt at being taken seriously
I rented this movie with an open mind. Sure, Adam Sandler is responsible for some of the dumbest comedies of recent times; but he's also done some very good ones- THE WEDDING SINGER, ANGER MANAGEMENT & 50 FIRST DATES as a case in point. Then there's the Rob Schneider comedies Sandler co-produced. And admittedly THE WATERBOY & HAPPY GILMORE were stupid but still reasonably enjoyable- plus there was the added incentive of ogling Fairuza Balk and Julie Bowen.- here we have Emily Watson but ..... More on that later.
I also had high expectations for the movie when I saw Paul Thomas Anderson's name on the credits as director. BOOGIE NIGHTS was excellent and MAGNOLIA was very good (if half an hour overlong). Anderson managed to elicit a brilliant performance from Tom Cruise, and the climax with the plague of raining frogs ranks in my opinion as one of the coolest moments in recent cinema. Ingenious.
Now Anderson has given the world PUNCH DRUNK LOVE. What can I say, except when I subjected myself to PUNCH DRUNK LOVE I was STONE COLD SOBER.
Sandler plays Barry Egen; a naïve, shy, sheltered young man whose life is dominated by his seven highly dysfunctional sisters who would drive any guy mad. Even Ron Jeremy and Randy West would be struggling to crawl out from under them, giving a frenetic "time-out" sign. Folks, this is The Brady Bunch as envisaged by Robert Crumb, with artistic pretension substituting for the laughs.
At heart a kind, but lost and lonely soul, Barry has previously looked for companionship by calling phone sex hotlines - the women in question taking full advantage of his naivety and conning him into giving them his personal details and social security number, ending with Barry willingly allowing money to be extorted from him. Poor schmuck.
But one day while working his dead-end warehouse job Barry finds himself struck by Cupid's Arrow when he lays eyes on the lovely Lena Leonard (played by the incredibly cute Emily Watson, who sadly is utterly wasted here). It turns out for some reason that Lena likes him a lot too, but the socially awkward Barry doesn't know how to build on their attraction. In time they have their first date and slowly but surely; love blossoms.
Now, I'll admit that I don't mind the occasional love story if there's a good story or an interesting angle to it (e.g.: THE GRADUATE, SUMMER OF '42, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3- seriously!) but words almost fail me when it comes to describing this movie. The picture has a bright, chirpy look about it but its tone is very bland. It had the potential to be a good movie but Anderson's self indulgence swallows everything up and the result amounts to nothing more than 90 minutes of wasted time.
However, every cloud has a silver lining, however brief, and here is some amusing dialogue from the love scene:
Watson: "I wanna bite your cheek and chew on it coz it's so f***in' cute."
Sandler: "I'm looking at your face and I just wanna smash it- I just wanna f***in smash it with a sledgehammer and squeeze, you're so pretty."
Watson: "I wanna chew your face and I wanna scoop out your eyes and I wanna eat them and suck on them."
Sandler: "OK" [pause] "This is funny." [Pause] "This is nice."
So bear than in mind next time you're on a date and you experience one of those awkward silences!

Punch-Drunk Perfection
Right off, I want to say that I'm a huge fan of Paul Thomas Anderson. Boogie Nights and Magnolia are two of the best ensemble pieces I've ever seen. Needless to say, I was quite surprised when I heard that he'd done a small picture, a love story, and that it starred Adam Sandler. But that was only the beginning of the surprises, as I soon found out...

Sandler plays Barry Egan, a quiet, lonely guy who is experiencing a degree of emotional angst about life. He's trying to make his business prosper, dealing with seven nagging sisters (all of whom badger him relentlessly about life, love, etc...), and yet finds himself swinging from sobbing uncontrollably to abject rage from time to time, with no apparent reason. In a lonely moment, he indulges in a phone-sex scam with unfortunate consequences. He's also buying up lots of groceries in an attempt to gain a million free air miles and meanwhile, a romance is blossoming with Lena (Emily Watson), a friend of one of his sisters. With me so far?

The real beauty of this film is in its imagery and simplicity. Barry and Lena are imperfect people trying to connect in an imperfect world. Anderson gives an amazing amount of trust to the actors to portray these people honestly, and it works wonderfully. They are able to convey a universe of emotion with very few words, and the connection seems so real, so tangible, that just watching them is almost like falling in love. The use of music, always excellent in Anderson's films, is just as perfect here and I have to say, the scene in which Barry and Lena walk down a hotel hallway in Hawaii with the song Maui Chimes playing quietly in the background, as he takes her hand and the camera irises in on their hands as they round a corner is quite possibly the sweetest love scene I've never seen. An earlier scene in which the two meet in the same hotel is done all in silhouette, and the effect is brilliant and beautiful. I'm getting all teary-eyed just thinking about it.

Luis Guzman and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, two of Anderson's stock cast of actors, as usual, turn in great performances and it makes me happy to see that Anderson appreciates the quality of these actors as much as many of us do. And though it appears that Sandler has returned to his more familiar genre of movies, he shows us that he really does have the chops to play serious, character-driven roles and with luck, we'll see more performances of this caliber from him in the future.

Weird.
It is a poor man's Lost In Translation, but only because it has a similar theme to it. The film style is also similar. This movie is straightforward without many plot twists, more like red herring plot twists. All the major events in the movie seem like swatting flies instead of ultimately affecting the ending somehow. This movie was not how I envisioned, and I was a little disappointed after so much I heard about it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good. It's not really a movie I'd want on my shelf, unless the people who noticed I had it had not seen the movie. The movie does not uphold the edgy theme I heard about it, but instead seems like an extended short film. And if it comes down to a reccommendation, see Lost In Translation, which is a little more intellectually stimulating, if not really weird also. I'll admit the music was appropriate for the movie, really taking the movie from a boring weird taboo ride to really identifying the movie as a trip fest. Being a new director, I think he tried too hard too include stylistic fanfare and demonstrate some creativity, and I don't think the story's level of drama validated a need for strange effects. ... Read more