Reviews (7)

"Mothers Lock Your Daughters In"
Between 1962's "Manchurian Candidate" and 1967 when Sinatra shot "Tony Rome" in Miami, the world's greatest pop singer made some of the worst films in movie history (Marriage On The Rocks, 4 For Texas, Assault on A Queen et al); he somewhat redeemed himself playing Dade County's toughest gumshoe--Anthony Rome--
(it's worth noting the "Rome" was filmed smack in between the infamous brawl in Beverly Hills and the missing teeth fracas in Las Vegas).

"Tony Rome" is flavored with enough in jokes to make any Sinatra fan smile--Frank sleeping in his office underneath a copy of the Jewish Daily Forward; confronting a lady who needs help finding her "lost pussy"...telling a lady elevator operator "nice ride" andoverhearing a honeymoon couple making love to the music of Randy Newman's "Something Here Inside Me"!

Sinatra gives just about everyone in his inner circle cameo roles--from Mickey Rudin To Jilly Rizzo to "Prince" Mike Romanoff--what can you say about a film in which the finest supporting performance is given by Sheckey Green (who always claimed that Frank's bodyguards assaulted him up during the filming--(he does appear in one scene with his head bandaged).

Multiple viewings of "Tony Rome" always leaves one asking "Who else but Sinatra could run around that 95 degree Miami heat in a black suit and hat and not shed a drop of perspiration?!".
*****************************
Note: The Fox DVD issue (as well as The DVD issues of "Lady In Cement" and "The Detective") skimps dramatically on the special features--there a few trailers and tv spots and coming attractions for the Raquel Welch movie "Fathom", a film so bad it made "Assault On A Queen" look like "On The Waterfront"

Frank Sinatra & Marvin Albert At Their Best

I read many westerns, and your immediate question may be:what do westerns have to do with Tony Rome?

Well, the same author who has written many of my western paperbacks, is none other than Marvin Albert.And since Mr. Albert writes mysteries too, it comes as no surprise that he wrote all the Tony Rome mysteries from which these films were made. The two Tony Rome mystery books are: Miami Mayhem and Lady In Cement.

I've had a copy of Tony Rome on VHS for years and have viewed it many times, now with the advent of the DVDs I will purchase both Tony Rome and Lady In Cement. The movies are just great, and for me it is Sinatra playing Sinatra, with a little room for difference, but not too much.I like Sinatra and I like Marvin Albert's writings, and I like these two films very much.

Miami background, a good looking Ford convertible, boats, wisecracks, adventure, among many other elements: try them and you probably will enjoy all of it, too.

Miami Vice...
Frank Sinatra is Tony Rome, an ex-cop turned private eye, who makes his home aboard a boat, in sunny Miami.Cynical, semi-tough, and a wise cracking gambler, a call from his ex-partner, draws him into a case revolving around the troubled family affairs of influential businessman Rudy Kosterman (Simon Oakland).His daughter Diana, (Sue Lyon) has a habit of passing out in strange places.Rome's search for Diana's missing diamond pin, leads to a twisting tale of intrigue, deception and death.

We get a glimpse at the dark side of Miami, as we follow Rome on the case.Sinatra pulls it off pretty well, without being too cute.The plot is not predictable, and requires that you pay attention.Violent at times, but not gratuitously so.

Gena Rowlands appears as Klosterman's wife.Jill St. John looks good, but her performance never rings true.Ex-boxer Rocky Graziano makes a cameo, and Deanna Lund, from TV's Land of the Giants, also briefly appears.Billy May's musical score sounds like it was lifted from the 60's TV series, Batman.And Frank's daughter Nancy, sings Lee Hazelwood's corny title song to the movie.

A good piece from the period, that doesn't stray too far from reality or sink into excess.Worth seeing for the story.Sinatra would reprise his role as Tony Rome for a sequel, "Lady In Cement".

Tony Rome'll Getcha Ya
Not as bright and crisp as Lady In Cement but a delight all the same. Frank Sinatra plays Tony Rome with a touch of down at the heels class. Jill St John takes lines that would be cheesy in the hands of a less capable actress and makes them ring with humor and mirth. It's a toss up who gets the best line: Sinatra's "Oh I'll have some of that." or St John's "Slut?" It won't educate you or lift your moral fiber but it's a great popcorn movie. (Home viewers may find that some other sort of diversion comes to mind after the fifth or sixth "Malcom . . .")
Thirty years and counting and this one hasn't lost any of its appeal.

A Republic B with a dashing good script
TONY ROME, if you had noticed, is not a Republic Pictures B detective movie.It's up a grade or two with a dashing good script and . . . WHAT a cast! Sinatra joins a well knowncrowd of movie detectives; the Marlowes, etal. as he sleuths for assorted clients. Well, maybe not in Charlie Chan's class, a gumshoe who never laid a bookie bet as Tony Rome often does.Thesuspect end of the plot is loaded with decoys, but at the end everyting is sorted out, the crime is resolved and the criminals are either dead or . . . well, best to see TONY ROME to find out. You just can't help enjoying Sinatra's laid back style. Yeh! I think younger folks could handle this film. The language is unsmutty.The sex is rather subtle and nothing naughty goes on in the back seat of Sinatra's Ford-bulls-eye-tail-lites convertible The violence is certainly minimal by today's standards. For example, my wife at the finish asked, "Has he killed only three people?" Actually, I counted about five. TONY ROME is an excellent B+++++ movie that doesn't lag a moment . . . even in the mushy scenes and there ain't that much smoochin'anyway. ... Read more

Reviews (101)

This film is FALCOTASTIC!!
Wow! This film has it all ~ Great direction, a superb cast of very funny 'cats' and a really rocking soundtrack.

It's stars the very excellent KEANU REEVES, as Shane 'Footsteps' Falco, a professional football player who bombed back in '96.

He and his fellow team mates are given a 'second chance' to make it big as the 'replacements' when the real Washington Sentinels go on strike.

This is based on true events, which I always find more endearing.

Howard Deutch has made a gem of a film, which I'd gladly watch over and over again with no difficulty.

His sense of what is humourous is spot on and I just love the way different scenes are interspliced to give the movie it's own unique style.

The guys that directed the 'plays' on the football field did a marvellous job! You get to see the real action and it keeps you glues to your seat. The background music is well chosen to suit the situations that come up and just plain ROCKS!!

This is definately a film to watch whilst wearing headphones.

Watch 'The Replacements' and you will understand why I love Keanu Reeves. Mr Reeves is absolutely awesome as the quaterback with the hard task of getting his rag-tag team together. He's humble yet when it comes to the crunch can stand up there on his own.

His character reminds me of Neo, due to his initial self-doubt, but with the help of a good strong woman [Annabelle, played very well by Brooke Langton], anything is possible [I'm sounding all Matrixy now LOL].

The other characters are uniquely wonderful and played marvellously. My favourites are:

ORLANDO JONES as 'Clifford Franklin'. Has to be seen to be believed. This gentleman is a real talent and had me rolling with laughter. He has some great lines.

RHYS IFANS as 'Nigel Gruff'. Man! he is soooooo funny and has some real classic moments.

JON FAVREAU puts his all into 'Bateman' ~ not to be messed with, but truely hillarious!

Go buy this movie ~ you will not regret it!

Boring and Recycled
Let's get the only two eliments that I liked about the movie out of the way first. 1) The cast: With Keanu Reeves, John Favreau, Orlando Jones, Rhys Ifans and Gene Hackman. 2)The soundtrack: lots of great sport theme songs you would here at a real football or baseball game. The Movie itself. Well, maybe Hollywood thought the world needed a up to date sports comedy. Taking off of other such sports movie as Major League or Necessary Roughness where you have a bunch of underdogs (that are made of rookies, has-beens, and off-the-wall characters) that, if only they work as team, they will beat even the best of the best, win the hearts of all fans and ulitmately get the girl. I like movies like this, but this one didn't seem work. The crew didn't seem to click together, like the actors were just doing this movie inbetween their real projects (Keanu- waiting for Matrix sequels, Favreau- getting back to directing and writing, Orlando Jones- making an actual funny movie with non-recycled gags). The plot seemed too hokie. They needed a story line that could bring together a bunch of underdogs (In Major League, the owner wanted to put together the worst team so she could get relocated to a new stadium. In Necessary Roughness, the actual college players were pulled from the field because of bribes and under the table perks they were getting). In this movie, the actual pro-team players go on strike mid season forcing the owners to bring in average joes (with remarkable abilities ofcourse) to fill in their places (which is probably taking off the real life strike Pro Baseball went through and owners recruited outside players). The striking proplayers turn into the school bullies, all loyally following their quarterback, as they attempt to torment the players (turning over Falco's ((Reeves)) truck on more than one occasion). There is bar fight, a leading lady (which claims she doesn't date football players, but just happens to fall for one in this particular instance) and plenty of slap-stick gags that seems they may appeal best to 12 year old males. This isn't the first time Keanu has played a former football player. He goes from Johnny Utah (college quarterback turned FBI surfer in Point Break to Footsteps Falco in this movie). This isn't the first football movie for John Faveau, he played an over-weight nerd in Rudy. Gene Hackman played a better coach in Hoosiers. For some of these actors like Orlando Jones or Rhys Ifan this may be a big deal. Major motion pictures with big names to help out on their resume. Not that they haven't played in other movies with equally big stars, this one didn't hurt. For me, with the amount of actors in the movie, it makes playing "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" that much easier. All and all, don't worry about rushing to your local video store to see this one anytime soon. If you like any of the actors in this movie, then it may be something you may want to pick up.

Worth Seeing
I've seen this movie no less than 5 times and I've found it funny each time. Definitely one to add to your collection.

Always Good for a Laugh
This film is essentially Necessary Roughness reincarnated for the 21st century. Except this time, Kathy Ireland has been traded for a wise-cracking, nipple-rubbing Welch kicker.

Despite the similar plot lines, The Replacements has enough surprises and character twists to stand alone. The musical score is simply incredible, and does a fantastic job of setting the mood for each scene. I've gotten more miles out of this dvd than many "critically acclaimed" films.

Bottom Line: It's uplifting, hilarious fun that is worth every penny. Anyone who has had a dream will enjoy this one.

Entertaining, but Nothing New
Overall, you will remember Remember the Titans (interaction of each member), and Jerry McGuire (true spirit of sports) when watching this movie after the twos.

Why this movie is worth to be watched more than once :

1. Like other sport movies, you will find friendship, teamwork, sportsmanship, overcome previous failure, and doing the impossible. So .. you will enjoy the game.

2. It's always interesting to watch someone (in this case, the coach) collecting different people with different skill to build the winning team, and how the skill is applied in the story.

3. You will not bored. The story is flowing quite fast (only a few unnecessary scenes), lots of laughable moments and good songs.

If you are film critics, perhaps you will find this film is 'usual' or 'light'. The plot is obvious, there is no intrigue/twist. Acting is so-so since characters are only revealed as much as this film needs.

But overall, it is very entertaining. ... Read more

Amazon.com

David Suchet and Hugh Fraser team up again as the great detective Hercule Poirot and trusty Captain Hastings for three engaging hour-long adventures. In The Cornish Mystery Poirot has an unusual visitor--a victim who says she's not dead yet but is slowly being poisoned. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat blends international intrigue with the gentle comic relief of a foolish American FBI agent, and Double Sin contains a novel twist: Poirot announces his retirement and Hastings is left to solve the case by himself. The cast has the easy rapport of old friends, and as always Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp and Pauline Moran as the remarkable Miss Lemon are welcome companions. Special DVD features include selected cast filmographies and biographies for David Suchet and Agatha Christie. Brew some tea, check it for arsenic, and get ready for a thoroughly entertaining evening.--Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Shows, Mediocre Video Transfer
This rating is an average, taking about 5 stars for the quality of scripts and performances, and about 1 for the technical quality of these DVDs. I've been a fan of Suchet's Poirot from the get-go; and have just about worn out my tapes. For my wife and me, Poirot is video comfort food. That's why I'm buying the DVDs-to have wear-proof copies of these beloved shows.

Having said that, Acorn should not be proud that this is the best technical quality they can produce. Basically, these shows on DVD look no better than mediocre VHS; perhaps less than mediocre. The imagery is neither sharp nor crisp; dark scenes have a sort of permanent haze over them; they're almost in a monochrome, washed out with little color to the wonderful period scenery and sets.

I believe the shows were shot on film, which means negatives must exist. One has to wonder if the negs were lost or damaged, and these DVDs were made from secondary or tertiary sources. At any rate, I would love to know the story of how these video transfers came to be.

Whatever the reason, it's too bad that such a great series is being represented this way on DVD.

No Closed Captioning
I bought the previous Poirot set and was extremely disappointed that it did not have closed captioning. I love Poirot but if I had known that cc was missing I would have passed. I haven't purchased this one but no mention of closed captioning here either.

Poirot Series 2
This is classy, intelligent entertainment. I've watched the series many times and have returned to it like an old friend. Beats everything else on TV hands down.

Poirot Gets Better and Better!
The Cornish Mystery - Perhaps not the most complex mystery ever concieved, but the character interaction in this episode more than makes up for that! There are great bits about an Indian restaurant, a man in a scarlet kneeband, a yellow-haired hussie, and Japp once again losing a case to Poirot. The actors really shine in this one! Also the background music is great! - 4.5 stars

Double Sin - This one combines great character interaction as well as a great mystery. The solution is great, and even the background music is good! If this episode has any flaws it's that the Miss Lemon side-plot seems out-of-place, but that doesn't really detract from the episode at all - 4.5 stars

The Adventure of the Cheap Flat - Another great mystery with a tad of a plot stretch. There are some enjoyable side-characters in this one like an American FBI agent and a club-owner who never picks up his phone. Just as good as the first two, rounding out this set rather nicely! - 4.5 stars

Box Set Overall score (Not an Average) - 5 stars

Good fun and no gore
There were many one hour and somewhat less two hour episodes of the Hercule Poirot mysteries shown on PBS; and foresighted fans should have taped them then, because when A&E re-runs them, parts of each have to be removed to make room for all the commercials. Very often, the solution at the end flashbacks to scenes that we never saw because of the abridgments and frankly the value of these episodes are reduced considerably.

But now Acorn Media is reissuing them in complete versions, with the two hour features on DVD and the shorter ones on VHS. Both series are a delight. The acting genius of David Suchet is enhanced by his usual supporting cast (Hugh Fraser as Hastings, Philip Jackson as Japp, and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon), the wonderful guest casts, the done-to-perfection ambiance of time and place--the late 20s and early 30s--with all those fabulous art-deco buildings they have managed to find and populate.

The first boxed set of 3 episodes contains "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim," "The Veiled Lady," and "The Lost Mine." In the first, you might spot a bad flaw in the solution. Hint: how long was the playing time of the average 78 rpm disc back then? The second set includes "The Cornish Mystery" (with a genuine "blonde hussy"), "Double Sin" (with a Sweet Young Thing in Distress), and "The Adventure of the Cheap Flat" (with a neat reversal on the plot of Doyle's "The Red Headed League"). And if too many solutions depend on Poirot overhearing by chance some remark early in the story, well that should teach you to be more alert to these things on future viewings. Also if Poirot is not above breaking the law with a little forced entry now and then, well so did Sherlock Holmes. Very amusing sleuthing for one and all--and a very welcome relief to the grizzly "modern" mysteries now being shown with extreme close-ups, whispered dialogue, and as much gore as possible in each frame. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

MYSTERY MAGNIFIQUE!
It's no mystery why this is the most-watched detective show in the history of the PBS "Mystery!" series -- Christie penned a brilliant Belgian dick who solves crimes only using his "little grey cells" and the aid of his affable associate Captain Hastings. And not one hair out of place on his perfectly coifed hairy lip! No mystery why fans can have sleuthing fetes: Acorn is releasing the entire canon. Mystery magnifique!

Some heavy revision to the source, but well done
"How Does Your Garden Grow?" is taken from _The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories_, while the others are taken from _Poirot Investigates_.

"The Adventure of the Western Star" - There's a legend about twin precious stones, the eyes of an idol in the Far East, having long been separated - the Star of the East and the Western Star - and of what is fated to happen when they meet again. The Western Star resides in the famous Yardley collection in England, while the Star of the East belongs to an actress about to film on the Yardley estate...

"How Does Your Garden Grow?" The old lady wrote to Poirot on a matter requiring such discretion that she would not commit it to a letter. Alas, she died before her commission ever reached him...

"The Kidnapped Prime Minister" - Viewed solely on its own merits, an interesting case. Viewed as an adaptation, however, it is flagrantly unfaithful to the source; the writers seem to have had a free hand in adjusting matters to make a more dramatic and puzzling story. The action now occurs between wars instead of during WWI, so the motive has altered and the kidnappers by necessity are a somewhat different group than in the original story. Written early in Christie's career, the victims and witnesses were just stage props leading up to one of Poirot's flashy conjuring tricks, with no depth or personality. While this worked in short story form, I can see the inherent difficulty in adapting it for the screen, so while I ordinarily deplore heavy revision, I concede the need for it here. Not to put too fine a point on it, the revision helped this story no end, and it's much more interesting on video than in its original form.

Poirot Does it Again!
How Does Your Garden Grow? - Good mystery, not too much depth, but at least Miss Lemon gets to leave the office! And it's always fun when Agatha Christe uses nursurey rhymes as plot devices. It creates sort of a surreal atmosphere. - 4 stars

The Adventure of the Western Star - More typical Poirot. It's easy to get used to how wonderful these are and start treating their greatness casually! My favorite part of this one is Hastings and his China-man! - 4 stars

The Kidnapped Prime Minister - Ireland gets some of the lime-light in this one as Russia did in the first. My favorite part of this one is when Miss Lemon is trying to remember the name of the castle! - 4 stars

Box Set Overall score (Not an Average) - 4 stars

Brilliant production values and truly gifted scripting.
Hercule Poirot is second only to Sherlock Holmes in the hearts of mystery fans everywhere and, along with Miss Marple, Agatha Christie's most famous and beloved private investigator whose "little grey cells" would figure out the guilty party in a style all his own. This third volume in the Acorn Media video set series showcasing the British television productions that brought Poirot vividly to life for millions of English and American viewers features three of Agatha Christie's best Poirot cases: The Kidnaped Prime Minister; The Adventure of the Western Star; and How Does Your Garden Grow? Flawless produced with meticulous attention to historical detail in set designs, clothing, automobiles, streets and building architecture, these stories present some of the finest actors that contemporary Britain has to offer and under brilliant production values and gifted script writing, lighting, and direction, present a very highly recommended addition to any personal and community library video entertainment collection.

More of the same and just as wonderful
There were many one hour and somewhat fewer two hour episodes of the Hercule Poirot mysteries shown on PBS; and foresighted fans should have taped them then, because when A&E re-runs them, parts of each have to be removed to make room for all the commercials. Very often, the solution at the end flashbacks to scenes that we never saw because of the abridgments and frankly the value of these episodes are reduced considerably.

But now Acorn Media is reissuing them in complete versions, with the two-hour features on DVD and the shorter ones on VHS. Both series are a delight. The acting genius of David Suchet is enhanced by his usual supporting cast (Hugh Fraser as Hastings, Philip Jackson as Japp, and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon), the wonderful guest casts, the done-to-perfection ambiance of time and place--the late 20s and early 30s--with all those fabulous art-deco buildings they have managed to find and populate.

I have already commented on the first two sets (see those webpages). This third entry contains "The Kidnapped Prime Minister," "The Adventure of the Western Star," and "How Does Your Garden Grow?" The first offers a plot (in both senses of the word) that has been copied in many a mystery since then, and the red herrings are quite good. The second reveals its r.h. half way through, and still holds some surprises. The last is a good old Christie murder story in which all the villainous characters turn out to be...well, see for yourself.

I keep asking myself if the reason that I keep watching these episodes over and over is the superb acting, the marvelous décor, the other way around or both in equal measure. I will guess at the last.(...) ... Read more

Reviews (169)

"Scuusssssseeee Me?"
Holes is a brilliant book by the fantastic Louis Sachar. Now its the utlimate book adaption and family film. Many films based on books, rarly compare, but this won me and many others over.
This movie has a fantastic cast as well. Let me start off with my favortie cast memeber. Sigourney Weaver is AWESOME as the mean spirted warden. She lights up the screen and you find yourself begging for more Sigourney. Shia LaBeouf is great at Stanley Yelnats and brings humor and heart to the screen. Patricia Arquette is great as Kissin Kate Barlow and totally embodies her perfectly. The rest of the cast I will mention in the following review.
When a famous pair of sneakers falls from the sky and lands in Stanleys hands, he finds himself in court with the decision of jail or Camp Green Lake. His family (except his mom) quickly blame this on Stanleys dirty rotten pig stealing greatgrandfather. Well, hes never been to camp so thats better than jail. He is sentenced to 18 months at Camp Green Lake to build character. Once there, he realizes he is not in any normal camp. He also finds out that there is no lake, and the place is not green. He is in the middle of the desert, and Camp Green Lake has the only water source for 100 miles. It doesnt take long, before MR.SIR (Jon Voight, who perfectly acts out this odd character) takes Stanley's bags and gives him his work clothes and his relaxation clothes and explains to him that every morning he will be required to dig one hole 5 feet deep and 5 feet wide to turn around his bad character.
The movie continues to explain how something fishy is going on at Camp Green Lake, and explains Stanley's greatgrandfathers curse, and the life of Kissin Kate.
I bought this film without seeing it and i am pleased. It is a fantastic movie for kids and adults. Its funny and extremely heart-warming. Dont miss this one.

Remains remarkably faithful to the book!
I read "Holes" several years back for a children's literature course I took in college. I highly enjoyed it! It was one of the best books I read in that class.

So when they introduced the movie, I was quite interested. Part of me was hopeful it would turn out well, the other part of me was skeptical that it would be anywhere near as good as the book. However, my fears were dashed. This movie was FABULOUS!

The story jumps back and forth a little between three different tales -- the story of Elya Yelnats, the main character's "no good, dirty-rotten, pig-stealing great-great-grandfather"; the story of Stanley Yelnats IV himself; and the story of a legendary outlaw, Kissing Kate Barlow. The three stories are interwoven quite ingeniously. In some cases, you aren't completely sure what the connection will be, but then when you find out, it fits perfectly.

The story IS slightly altered, of course, as most books-brought-to-movies tend to be. But it very much keeps the spirit of the original book. The boys are very believable -- I especially love Zero! Sigourney Weaver makes a wonderfully nasty warden. And John Voigt does a wonderful insane portrayal of Mr. Sir.

This movie will keep you laughing and curious throughout. And if you enjoyed the book, you'll like this film!

Adults can watch it with their kids and all actually enjoy!
The wildly popular novel for youngsters "Holes" gets turned into a movie that is completely in keeping with the spirit of the book.

The young cast bring to life the beloved characters at Camp Green Lake, where convicted juvenile delinquents are sent to toil in broiling Texas sun. It was great to see X-Ray, Zero, Armpit and of course Caveman brought to life. The adult parts are played by Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver and Tim Blake Nelson, and they look like they're having a WORLD of fun playing the malicious staff at Camp Green Lake. The story is not insulting to kids, and adults can watch it and be entertained the entire length of the movie. Vignettes back at Caveman's home where Stanley Yelnats the second and third live under the curse incurred from the first Stanley Yelnats, and trips back in time where that first Stanley was cursed by European VooDoo Woman Eartha Kitt as well as the back-story around Kissin' Kate and her treasure all add to the viewing pleasure.

The DVD comes with just the right amount of supplemental features, interviews and commentaries.

Not many "children's movies" are as appropriate for all ages. Highly recommended.

if you don't like this movie - shame on you!
This is a movie for the entire family to watch and love with its humorous and clever plot, based on the hit book "Holes" by Louis Sachar, who also writes the screenplay for this. The movie is about a twelve-year-old boy named Stanley Yelnats who's family has been cursed due to his "no-good, rotten, pig of a grandfather". He's walking along the road when a fantastic pair of shoes fly out of nowhere. He thinks his luck has finally started, when he finds police chasing him and in a courtroom because those shoes were the greatest basketballer player's of all time, and it was for a charity event where the money raised would be given to homeless children. He is sent to Camp Greenlake, where once was a beautiful lake, which is now a dry and scorching desert. Deadly adventures befall him there as he makes a friendship with Zero, a mysterious, shy boy. Their adventures lead them to a hidden treasure that belongs to Stanley... If you want to findout more, watch the film!

Girls' movies are better
I liked the movie, which Stanley stole a pair of shoes that fell from the sky and landed on his head. Then he got sent to the courtroom and the judge asked him: "Your choices: Camp Green Lake or Jail?" Then Stanley decided to go to Camp Green Lake because he never been into any Camp before. Camp Green Lake is a camp for bad boys, because they're too young to go to jail. When he got sent to Camp Green Lake, he had to dig one hole each day, and each hole must be 5 feet deep and 5 feet in diameter. I think this movie is OK, but I like girls' movies better, like "The Parent Trap", "The Lizzie McGuire Movie", "What A Girl Wants". ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An Absence of Little Grey Cells
The BBC Poirot series is, overall, an excellent one, with many excellent adaptations from Agatha Christie's works. But when some diehard fans insist that even the clinkers are worth 5 stars, they cheapen the whole series, and do a disservice to the superior entries.

On the plus side, all three stories in Set 4 are lavishly produced with period attire and fully-elaborated sets, and thoughtful cinematography. On the minus side, nothing close to the same competence went into the plots.

"The Million Dollar Bond Robbery" recounts how bearer bonds disappear en route from London to New York aboard the Queen Mary. The story is so full of implausibilities and outright holes that one wants to weep. (Quasi plot spoilers ahead.)

For starters, the mise en scene is unconvincing. What bankers in their right mind would ship such a quantity of bonds (worth over $20 Million in today's money) in a mere briefcase left unattended by a solitary bank official in his stateroom? These people never heard of armored vaults or professional security guards?

Much is also made of the fact that only a few people have keys to the briefcase (thereby supposedly limiting the list of possible culprits), when in fact any thief would simply take the whole briefcase. Once you appreciate that the bonds could be stolen without benefit of one of the authorized keys, the whole storyline is revealed as a Rube Goldberg concoction of gross proportions, using a pathetically convoluted scheme entailing many risks, when a much simpler plan would have done the job much more easily and safely (for the thief).

Then there's the person who needs to be in two different places at once, and is able to shift from Place A to Place B and back again with truly impressive ease, like Captain Kirk beaming up. And if this person had to be in B as part of the grand plot, why the appearance in A? There was no need for it. Wait, the appearance in A did serve a purpose after all; it was so Poirot could notice the clue that solved the case. . .

"The Plymouth Express" concerns a jewelry theft and murder aboard a train. This, too, evidences extraordinarily shoddy plotting.

Again, the villain orchestrates an elaborate scheme when a much simpler one would suffice. This villain goes to tremendous lengths to mislead the police (and the audience) about whether the murder took place before or after a certain train stop. To what end? As the story unfolds, we eventually come to realize it is totally irrelevant when the murder occurred.

And, let's not forget, there is no need whatever to commit this particular theft and murder aboard a train, exposing the perpetrator to many potential witnesses, not to mention requiring eight hours on a train (out and back) - not the most clever of getaway plans. There was ample opportunity to rob and kill the victim back in London.

Worst of all, the solution to this case is pulled straight out of a hat. All we're told is that Poirot was able to identify the perpetrator by studying his secretary Miss Lemon's "files". That's it?

The third story, "Wasps' Nest", succeeds a little better than the other two, though it still leaves much to be desired as a whodunit. Here, at least, the murder plan is interesting and plausible. However, the motive for the murder is somewhat of a stretch, and the story development is also spun out of thin air. Poirot in effect makes a series of lucky guesses, based on no clue discernible to the audience. No little grey cells at work here, just one guess after another to move the story along.

Agatha Christie would not approve.

Not as Good as Some Poirot, but any Poirot is great!
Poirot is such a superior series that even it's mediocre episodes shine brightly. But when judging one episode against the others there must inevitably be some that don't measure up.

The Million Dollar Bond Robbery - This is actually the highlight of the trio and features much enjoyable footage with the Queen Mary. As well as a rather good solution. - 4 stars.

The Plymouth Express - This is very well done and draws more emotion out of you than most episodes, but is still lacking. The plot just seems too simplistic when set against other episodes. Still the footage of the murder is chilling and you really feel for the victim's living relatives by the end. - 3.5 stars

Wasp's Nest - It's always nice to see them try something different, but this episode just didn't click with me. I've seen them all many times and I just can't get used to this one, even though I like the "solution." - 3 stars

Box Set Overall score (Not an Average) - 4 stars

A coincidental juxtaposition and one extraoridinary episode
We are now well on our way to the first six sets of the collection in boxed sets of three VHSs each. Please see my reviews of the first three sets for general comments on these sets as a whole.

Collector's set 4 contains two similar and one quite unusual episode from the immensely popular British television series. Without wanting to reveal the solutions, I can only say there is a marked similarity in those of "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery" and "The Plymouth Express." The former is quite different in detail from the short story, which runs only 8 pages in my "Hercule Poirot's Casebook" and thereby pretty well represents the changes necessitated by inflating short mysteries into full hour episodes.

The second is a few pages longer and the television version is more faithful to the original. Although you do not have too much sympathy for the murder victim in this one, the shot of the body and Poirot's description of the deed itself is chilling. One of the better entries, to be sure.

"Wasps' Nest" is the most unusual of all the mysteries in this series. Again, I must not reveal too much, but we have a very nasty Poirot suffering from having no case at hand and berating himself for looking at a new situation concerning a friend in a most negative light. Of course, his suspicions are confirmed and he sets out not to solve a killing but to prevent one. But I must say no more. What is doubly fascinating is that the original story takes place only between Poirot and the person in question. So what you see in the final scene of the video is pretty much how the original story is handled. It is also one of the slower moving of the episodes.

Do not forget that the most excellent and are available on DVD.

Agatha Christie is the greatest mystery writer of all time.
If you enjoy mysteries, you will love this collection. The plots are interesting and complex. The characters have great depth. Hercule Piorot is charming, clever, and full of surprises. Hercule always knows more than he lets on which make his explanations seem fascinating. There is not a dull moment and the mysteries are very easy to get involved in. Agatha Christie has done it again with this classic collection of mysteries and I guarantee that the end will surprise you!

Sachet
Made for BBC 1, this series was the kind of thing the BBC did really well - expensive, well-mounted period drama, this time based on Agatha Christie's Belgian (not French) detective 'Poirot' (rhymes with 'Kitaro', before you ask). At the time he was the most obscure of Christie's heroes, and this series rectified that in style. David Suchet (who, like all British actors, has played the bad guy in a Hollywood film - this time 'Executive Decision) played the character to perfection - fussy, pedantic and always right, he was nonetheless charming and an enormous hit with women of a certain age. The 1920's art deco presentation, especially the title sequence, worked well, and the atmosphere of dapper sophistication was a welcome change from the more homey Miss Marple. Technically the series is still going, although it's restricted, 'Inspector Morse'-style, to one-off specials. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This lushly produced fantasy has gained a loyal following since its release in 1985, and it gave a welcomed boost to the careers of Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Rutger Hauer. You have to ignore the overly aggressive music score (critic Pauline Kael aptly dubbed it "disco-medieval") and director Richard Donner's reckless allowance of anachronistic dialogue and uninspired storytelling, but there's a certain charm to the movie's combination of romance and heroism. Broderick plays a young thief who comes to the aid of tragic lovers Isabeau (Pfeiffer), who is cursed to become a hawk every day at sunrise and Navarre (Hauer) who turns into a wolf at sunset. The curse was cast by an evil sorcerer-bishop (John Wood), and as Broderick eludes the bishop's henchmen, Navarre struggles to conquer the villain, lift the curse, and be reunited with his love in human form. The tragedy of this lovers' dilemma keeps the movie going, and Broderick is well cast as a young, medieval variation of Woody Allen. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (135)

A Medieval Legend comes to Life
A young thief named Philippe (Matthew Broderick) escapes being hanged and is embroiled in a supernatural tale of love and betrayal. He is rescued from the evil bishop's guards by Navarre (Rutger Hauer) who travels with his trusty steed and his graceful hawk. At night Navarre disappears, leaving Phillipe who meets a beautiful woman (Michelle Pfieffer) and her dangerous wolf. As the bishop's guards close in on them, Navarre and his hawk are wounded. It is then that Philippe meets a drunken monk (Leo McKern) and discovers the horrifying tale that joins the man and woman together. The scenery in this movie is magnificent and the lighting, which was a terrible problem in video versions of this film, has greatly improved making the night scenes enjoyable. Matthew Broderick provides wonderful comic relief. Rutger Hauer is handsome, strong, and plays Navarre perfectly. Michelle Pfieffer is beautiful and graceful. And Leo McKern is.. well Leo McKern, fantastic no matter what he does. A wonderful, magical story of love and friendship triumphing over evil.

Wonderful Fantasy Film
In medieval times, a young thief named The Mouse (Matthew Broderick) escapes from the dungeons from Aquila, led by a menacing Bishop (John Wood). He is saved by a mysterious knight named Navarre (Rutger Hauer), who roams around with a hawk. By night, however, she is a charming beauty (Michelle Pfeiffer) and he is a wolf. The two are in love, but are cursed by the Bishop. So, with the help of a former priest (Leo McKern), The Mouse is determined to help them break the curse and destroy the evil Bishop.

I really love this film. It's one of my top favorite fantasy films of all time. It's also a childhood favorite; they used to show it on the ol' family channel right after Neverending Story. Nostalgia aside, this is a wonderfully made film. You have a traditional medieval story about starcrossed lovers, epic battles, beautiful locales, and humor along the way. I especially liked The Mouse's misconceptions about God and towards the end of the film, he finally has an idea of what's going on. The acting is quite good, especially considering the main three stars were up-and-coming; Broderick just got off of doing WarGames and Ferris Fueller before taking the role. Hard to believe that Rutger Hauer wasn't the original choice for Navarre (it was reported that Kurt Russell was originally selected to play the part) because he makes the role all his own. It's also nice to see him play a hero role, too; for a long time I thought of him as the psychotic replicant from Blade Runner. Of course, Pfeiffer is excellent as she is beautiful, too.

Richard Donner, best known for helming the Lethal Weapon series, directed and co-produced. His wife, Lauren Shuler, produced the film. His directing style here is actually different from most of his films, allowing the beauty of the old landscapes and the fight scenes to be portrayed properly. The screenplay is top-notch, which is no surprise since one of the writers wrote Enemy Mine and the other contributed to the Superman series.

Probably the only quarrel I have with it is the music score by Andrew Powell (one of the members of the Alan Parsons Project). I actually liked the score, especially with its jaunting theme, but one critic described it as "disco-medieval." I can't agree more. It screams the 80s so well that a contemporary score set to a medieval picture seems very inappropriate. Still, a good score despite what people say.

Overall, I highly recommend this fantasy film to anyone that likes the genre. In fact, I recommend it even if you're not because it's such a beautiful film that must be seen. A must-see.

Great movie
I loved the movie, but the Disco Fever music had to go. Otherwise its a great story.

Needs to be releasd with some bonus features.
Just saw this movie the other day and loved it. Warners should re-release as a two disk set with new interviews with Richard Donner and the cast. I would like to hear how they made the movie and what they think of it, all these years later.

In Need Of A Road Map
Here we have the type of story line that most Fantasy enthusiasts with pastel posters of unicorns on their walls reliably swallow like Ecstacy. Albeit much more Fairy Tale than Fantasy (for those followers who discern the difference), "Ladyhawke" is a film thematically purloined from the hey-day of Dungeons & Dragons, alongside such escapist fare as "Dragonslayer" and "Excalibur" and various other 80's-era movies permutating swords, sorcery, dungeons, and dragons into a costumed mystical hootenanny. Only this time the sorcery takes center stage as the story's main plot device, ranking as the Romantic angle which is supposed to entice viewers to care about two "cursed" characters (Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfieffer) wronged by a jealous, tyrannical priest/bishop (John Wood). But don't worry, kids -- there's still ample swords and dungeon stewed into the mix.

Those elements in place, what could have been an interesting and entertaining fairy-tale-adapted-to-big-screen premise takes so many wrong turns it's hard to know where to begin documenting them all. Not that I won't try: the first place to start is with the bottom-shelf performance of the eternally-youthful and highly overated Matthew Brodderick, who slips in and out of the most dreadful excuse for a British accent this side of Kevin Costner. Considering the characters are supposedly all French, one wonders why Brodderick didn't simply go the route of his American co-stars Hauer and Pfieffer, who eschew any pretense towards linguistic affectations and just settle for native U.S. of A. Perhaps he was attempting to measure up to the British cast members who constitute the majority of the film's antagonists, most noteably his former "Wargames" co-star Wood, here doing his darnedest to add Lead Nasty to his resume. But perhaps all actors involved would be a bit more convincing if they weren't provided with dialogue that's as stiff as David Duchovny with lockjaw. (As if I haven't already offended the disassociated Fantasy set, now I'm sure to have the X-Geeks on my case.)

However, as multiple other reviewers have pointed out, perhaps the film's gravest error is the use of Alan Parsons as "soundtrack consultant" -- whatever that means. As best I can tell by the music in the film, it apparently means providing a soundtrack as anachronistically out-of-place as the more recent "A Knight's Tale" -- except in this case, it's arguably worse in that, where "Knight's Tale" made no pretentions towards augmenting the story with an appropriately Medieval music style, "Ladyhawke" commits the sin of appearing to nod a head to traditional symphonic soundtracks while undermining it by utilizing heavily-orchestrated schmaltz-rock in Parsons' signature '70's AOR FM radio style. Without the visuals I'd be hard-pressed to tell whether I was hearing a movie soundtrack or tuning in to a Meco revival. Either way, it's cornball that comes close to out-cornballing the worst Mannheim Steamroller; pseudo-rock that aims to be "sophisticated" but is actually more suited to background diversion while picking out wallpaper samples. In any case, it's laughably ill-conceived for a Medieval Romance.

Still, if you can stomach the gaudy soundtrack, the stilted dialogue and Brodderick's feigned attempt at British theatre, there's enough authentic scenery, settings and costuming to keep one absorbed towards the fairy tale plot resolution. The fact that it's Fantasy-by-the-numbers and features every appropriate cliche (ie., The Dastardly Man of the Cloth, the Thief with the Heart of Gold, The Penitent Religious Hermit, etc) won't deter those with a predilection towards anything remotely smacking of their basement role-playing sessions of yore.

Richard Donner has delivered some very fine films over the course of his career, but the amount of slack I'm willing to cut him for this forgettable cheese-fest is directly proportional to the amount of stylistic input he had in forging the final "Ladyhake" project. For his sake, I'm hoping it wasn't too much. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Hilarious and lighthearted
Dan Aykroyd and John Candy are hysterical in this lighthearted comedy. Candy and his family go to a cabin in the woods for what Candy hopes will be a relaxing summer vacation. Soon after their arrival, Aykroyd and his family show up uninvited and take over. Over the course of the week, they meet a man who has been struck by lightning 66 times, a 100-year-old man who dies on his birthday yet still comes to the party, and a feisty local girl who toys with Candy's oldest son. Add to this a family of determined racoons with a language all their own ("What do they think we have these wonderfully dextrous fingers for?"), an unwelcome bat flying in the house ("It buzzed me"), a dump full of hungry bears ("Yogi and Boo-boo in the flesh"), and a bald-headed grizzly ("Big bear chase me!") and hilarity ensues. It's a movie you'll want to watch again and again.

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES
I LOVED this movie and would recommend it to everyone.
John Candy takes his family for a relaxing vaction in the mountains. To his surprise his obnoxious brother-inlaw, played by Dan Aykroyd and his family arrive. They were not welcome visitors.
Poor John tries desperately to have a relaxing time despite a cabin full of unwanted company. Unfortunately everything bad that can happen does. Including in this is another unwelcome guest, this time a bat. I'm telling you, I laughed myself silly over this scene. Perhaps it is because I have had such an adventure and it was much more fun watching someone else go through it. Of course the attack of the bald headed bear has to rank up there as well, as John and his brother-in-law try to protect their family against yet another unwanted guest.
This movie is a laugh a minute and one that will leave you with a giggle in your heart. Feeling down? Get this movie!
Truly a legacy of the one we all will greatly miss, Mr. John Candy.

A Perennial Favorite
We watch this movie at least once per summer while at the lake in Wisconsin. There's nothing like it to make the entire family crack up laughing with nearly every scene. This movie is as much a part of our family summer vacation as the stay in the Northwoods alone.

You can't go wrong with this classic movie, The Great Outdoors.

One big laugh riot
I adore "The Great Outdoors". This is one of my favorite John Candy movies of all time. Yeah it is no Shakespeare but I wouldn't have it any other way. Dan Ackroyd plays the obnoxious brother-in-law who crashes John Candy's family vacation up in the woods at a cozy little resort. Dan brings his neglected wife played by Annette Benning and their identical twin daughters who are bit on the scary side. The results is a non-stop laugh riot. No many how many times I have watched this film, I still find myself laughing uncontrollably, especially when the raccoons comes out at night to raid the trash cans. I loved it when the young raccoon is told what hot dogs are made of. Anyone familiar with Doug Seuss's bears would know that this is one of the films that the late Bart the Bear made as the bald-headed bear. I loved the final interaction between John Candy's character and the bald-headed bear. It is one of the funniest scenes in the film, next to the water-skiing scene. One of the classic moments in the film is when the entire family goes out to dinner and John Candy decides to order the ol' 96er (this enormous chunk of beef). I personally love "The Great Outdoors". It remains one of my favorite movies from the '80s. It is pure physical comedy. There are a lot worse films than this if you ask me, namely Carrot Top's lone film "Chairman of the Board".

A Good Family Movie
This is a pretty good John Candy/Dan Aykroyd movie. While it's not as good as Uncle Buck or Planes, Trains & Automobiles, it's not bad at all. It's a great Summer/Family Comedy. It doesn't make me laugh and laugh, it's just fun to watch. I'll never stop liking it. ... Read more

Description

"The Root’s Of A Classic" – Explore the story’s journey from book to film through interviews with the author’s wife and filmmakers. "Lights, Camera, Animals" – See how the film’s animal stars were "discovered" and trained for their roles. ... Read more

Reviews (157)

Hilarious stoner comedy
Half Baked is a hilarious movie that some complain has no plot, but that does not detract from an otherwise very funny movie. Four stoner friends in New York live for one thing and one thing only. Pot. On a munchies field trip, one of the friends, Kenny, feeds all the food to a diabetic horse, killing it, and is then sent to jail for the murder. The remaining three must raise the money for Kenny's bail so they decide to start selling marijuana. At the same time, a fellow drug dealer takes notice that they are stealing his business and goes after the trio. This is a hilarious movie with too many great moments to even mention. Each member of the cast has their own personal shining moment at some point in the movie. This is a great movie with low-brow humor that never ceases to be funny at any age.

The cast of Half Baked is truly hilarious, working well together throughout. Dave Chappelle plays janitor Thorogood, Jim Breur plays Grateful Dead fan Brian, Guillermo Diaz as foul-mouthed Scarface, and Harland William plays Kenny. All four are great. The film also has cameos from Snoop Dogg, Tommy Chong, Janeane Garofalo, Jon Stewart, and Willie Nelson. What the movie may lack in plot, this very funny cast makes up for. The DVD offers production notes, the widescreen presentation, and theatrical trailers. This is a very funny movie that will have you laughing throughout. Don't miss Half Baked!

Bob Saget's greatest role
An uneven attempt to revive the stoner comedy genre made famous in the '70s by Cheech and Chong, Half-Baked deals with three potheads who become drug dealers in order to raise money to get their friend out of jail. The plot is an excuse to give us a comedic tour of the wide, wonderful world of marijauna. For every funny joke, there's about ten that fall flat but, under the, shall we say, right circumstances, I've found this film to be truly hilarious. (And if you can't pick up the hidden meaning of that statement then this film probably ain't for you.) None of the four leading actors are all that funny (I've never been a big fan of Dave Chapelle who has always seemed to be a third-rate Wayans Brother) but the film features some truly hilarious cameos with everyone from Willie Nelson to Janeane Garofalo to Snoop Doggy Dogg showing up as examples of common stoner types. (My favorite was Jon Stewart with his whole, "But have you ever tried watching TV ... on weed!?" routine.) Probably my favorite cameo (and the one scene that always has me on the floor laughing no matter what circumstances might have led to me watching the film) comes from Bob Saget of all people who, with one simply question, manages to make you wonder what really was going down on the Full House set! I can't quote the line on this service, sadly, but anyone who hears it will never be able to get it out of their head. Hopefully, someday, Saget and Stewart and all the other cameo actors in this film will get together to remake Reefer Madness.

very funny
this is one of the funniest movies i've ever seen. i hope a special edition comes out soon. there is a good chance because it has become very popular.

"I Wanna Talk To Sampson!"
Half Baked has to be one of the funniest movies around. Even if you are not a weed smoker, you can enjoy this movie. I think the big misconception here is that one must be a pot smoker to enjoy this movie and it is not true. The movie is about 3 friends trying to raise bail money for their friend who was arrested for feeding a diabetic police horse junk food which resulted in the horse dying. That right there is reason enough to see this movie. The characters are great and there are so many funny scenes in this movie. It's a must see...and if you still have doubts, watch the movie just to see the scene where Bob Saget (The dorky dad from Full House) says "I used to suck d*ck for coke."

Nick Hinton's Stop being a Hater
Hey Nick Hinton if you don't like stoners or the movie why are you wasting your time writing a review about it... what type of movies you like Monsters Inc & Lilo and Stitch... my opinion is if you like stupid comedies like the scary movies and not another teen movie this movie you gotta watch you won't stop laughing Dave Chapelle one of the best comedians out there right now is hilarious this is a must watch.. you'll laugh at how burnt and stoned these guys are... and the guy who sleeps on the couch... another great add on.. who ever hasn't seen this movie i recommend it gather a few of your friends and watch it while drinking some beers you'll love it .... this your boy .. JT LiL Money... ... Read more

Amazon.com

The offbeat casting of Cary Grant as a submarine captain pays off in this tense WWII underwater picture; he ably trades in his sophistication for the sweaty close quarters of an action movie. The mission? Infiltrate the mined harbor of Tokyo itself, a feat bookended by a brief confrontation in the Aleutians and a depth-charge chase through the open sea. Skipper Grant is supported by the usual stock crew of Navy melting-pot types, with John Garfield drawing duty as the resident dame-crazy fantasist. (Somebody forgot to put the saltpeter in his chow, apparently.) The solid action alternates with dialogue that tends toward the schmaltzy or jingoistic (the movie's become somewhat notorious for its unusually nasty propagandistic jabs at the Japanese enemy). Destination Tokyo was the directing debut of Delmer Daves, who would later excel in smart Westerns such as 3:10 to Yuma. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Submarine Drama
Destination Tokyo is a fine dramatic action film about life aboard an American submarine during WWII that is sent on a mission that puts them into Tokyo Bay. Cary Grant stars as the captain who wishes he could be with his wife and children and who has the total respect of his crew. It's a good performance, not typical of the character that you expect to see Grant playing. Members of the crew include John Garfield, who has a story about every girl he's ever met; Dane Clark, an intense sailor with a reason for hating the enemy; and Alan Hale as the cook, providing much of the film's humour (as he often did in other movies). The film has a series of tense episodes, and mixes the drama and action well. Other than saying that it could have been shortened, the movie is quite good, and it must have had a strong impact on audiences during World War Two who were able to see what life on a submarine may have been like.

This Destination Is a Good Time
Delmer Davies's Destination Tokyo is very enjoyable WWII submarine action drama about a covert naval operation to scope out information for the aerial bombing of a primary Japanese naval yard. Starring a very charming Cary Grant as the sympathetic commanding officer and John Garfield as the girl obsessing crewman. Destination is very realistic in its depiction of submarine life and very watchable fifty-six years after its release. Though brimming with out-dated and silly comic relief, the contrived humor just adds to its considerable charm as a very watchable and dramatically engaging war film.A real gem of movie, Destination also has one of Grant's most unappreciated roles. Any fan of old war movies and Cary Grant can't go wrong buying this one.

You might be surprised.
A WWII sub film made during the war? Probably a jingoistic, even racist, bit of ma-and-apple-pie propaganda with woefully dated special effects. That much is true of Destination Tokyo, to be sure. From that angle, it's still an interesting bit of WWII-meets-Hollywood history, and its plot even ties into the famous Dolittle raid. (The film never calls the raid by that name, but it uses the actual footage of the bombers leaving the carrier Hornet, so it's all clear enough what the inspiration is if you know WWII history.)

Destinaton Tokyo is also a strong enough film in its own right as long as you can accept/stomach its propaganda aims. The action sequences are pretty exciting by the day's standards, and the nicely acted slice-of-life bits with the colorful crew are formulaic but quite entertaining nonetheless. They're often funny too, thanks to John Garfield's perpetually horny braggart character.

A Great Submarine Movie
Thankfully, this movie has NOT been colorized as mentioned in the format. It is presented in glorious black & white ... AS IT SHOULD BE !!!

Today is June 7th ... Let's see how long it takes Amazon to fix the description after receiving notification.

How to ruin a Fantastic motion picture
COLORIZE IT!!!! I have a problem in taking a wonderful action packed WWI sumbmarine movie with suspense, action, and more stars that you can count and totaly mess it up with someones interpertation of what something looks like in color. I bought the colorized movie by accident some years ago and it looked like a 5 year-old took a crayon and colored inside the frames. I returned it the next day. Keep B/W movies the way they were made. In the movie someone asks "Do prayers really work" and the reply was "I know they do", well I'm praying that the B/W version comes out VERY SOON!! ... Read more

Reviews (54)

The Ramones kick!!
I own Rock and Roll Highschool. This movie is awesome!!! The Ramones totally can't act, and they give all the lines to Joey, but hey, the movie is a classic. Its got some great scenes (i love when they blow up the school) and AWESOME music. I was surprised they put music from Paul McCartney and Wings in their since Paul isn't even close to punk, but thats cool wit me cuz im a big wings fan anywayz. They put great Ramones songs in it too. ( i wish they put beat on the brat in it,i love that song but it has nuttin to do with the movie)

The Kids Are All Hopped Up And Ready To Go
It's hard to admit, but the recent death of Joey Ramone took a lot of the wind out of my sails, bringing with it a feeling of vulnerability, mortality and, yes, approaching middle age. Having said that, it's a treat that this part of his legacy is finally available again for all to treasure. Sort of a twisted mix of low-budget 1950's juvenile delinquent movies and 1960's beach comedies, "Rock 'N' Roll High School" has aged surprising well, thanks in most part I guess to the timeless appeal of the "brothers" Ramone. Highlights, besides the hopped up concert footage (filmed in front of an enthusiastic audience), include the Ramones pulling up to a concert venue in an old Cadillac singing "I Just Want To Have Something To Do," a fantasy sequence in which self-proclaimed #1 Ramones fan Riff Randall (P.J. Soles) imagines the band serenading her in her bedroom, complete with Dee Dee and his bass under a running shower, and the final scene in which The Ramones play the title track while the high school explodes behind them in a piece of perfectly staged incendiary directing by Allan Arkush. Timeless, mindless, exuberantly staged entertainment...

Whose the Ramon-e-s
This is the best movie ever, it's funny, has great music, and has the Ramones in it. ME and my friends watch this movies over and over, and there aren't that many movies that we do that to. So if you love a great laugh and great music then this is the movie for you!!!! Rock on

Cult Classic + Ramones = Fun Fun
This is a masterpiece of low budget cinema. Everything about this movie rocks. The Ramones are undoubtedly one of the best punk rock bands of all time and this film showcases them to great effect. Really fantastic live footage. PJ Soles is mighty sweet and Dey Young is even sweeter. Great stuff from Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel and the mighty Dick Miller as well. Some of the cornball dialogue is unforgettable. And did I mention that Dey Young is sweet? She used to make my heart go pitter patter watching this in high school.

"1,2,3,4!!!"
Hey Ho! Let's Go! Listen up, kids. Rock 'n' Roll High School may have been released way back in 1979 but it still kicks the butt of any of those square MTV movies. Forget about Britney Spears and Mandy Moore's brand of bubblegum pop music -- they don't hold a candle to the unbridled power of those punk rockers from New York City, the Ramones!

The movie does a great job of playfully championing the Ramones as rock gods and yet shows them being accessible to their fans. The band first appears in a car driving down the street on the way to their venue as they play "I Just Wanna Have Something To Do." Once outside the club, they get out of the car and interact with the crowd of ticket buyers. The editing, coupled with the insanely catchy song gives the scene an infectious energy.

From B-movie veterans like Paul (Eating Raoul) Bartel and Mary (Death Race 2000) Woronov to newcomers (at the time), P.J. (Halloween) Soles and Dey (Strange Invaders) Young, the entire cast has a lot of fun spouting the film's wonderfully inspired cornball dialogue ("If you don't like it, you can put it where the monkey puts the nuts."). The Ramones are good sports and mumble their way through the film and truly coming alive during the music sequences. The movie rightfully cements their reputation as legends.

Rock 'n' Roll High School embodies the essence of the punk rock music that made the Ramones famous. The film is bursting with youthful energy, a dose of good ol' fashion anarchy and is loads of fun to watch. These are also the ingredients that made Rock 'n' Roll High School a cult film. It was a commercial and critical failure upon its initial release but repeated midnight screenings, coupled with steady appearances on TV, have helped the film endure over the years.

Producer Michael Finnell, screenwriter Richard Whitley and director Alan Arkush deliver an engaging and rather chatty audio commentary. The three men laugh and joke about working on Rock 'n' Roll High School. They clearly have fond memories of their experiences on the movie.

Also included is a dynamic theatrical trailer that gives away the ending! Definitely watch this last if you haven't seen the movie.

Leonard Maltin interviews Roger Corman about the movie. To his credit, the veteran filmmaker admits that he was wrong about the Disco High idea and was glad that Arkush convinced him to go with Rock 'n' Roll High School.

A real treat for fans of the Ramones are several audio outtakes during the filming of the concert sequence. These are the original audio tracks of the band in action.

While Rock 'n' Roll High School will appeal predominantly to fans of the Ramones (duh!), it is also one of those fun, goofy movies to invite friends over and watch with copious amounts of junk food on hand. Despite a lackluster transfer, the audio commentary and audio outtakes are worth the price of purchase for this fantastic cinematic oddity. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Long before Henry Fonda played an irascible patriarch in On Golden Pond, he played an equally crusty family man in this warmly rustic, 1963 drama Spencer's Mountain, based on an Earl Hamner Jr. novel that later inspired the television seriesThe Waltons. Fonda plays Clay Spencer, a fiercely independent, hard-drinking, foul-mouthed Wyoming laborer who believes in God but rejects (to his tiny community's consternation) organized religion. Scraping together enough money to build a new house for his wife (Maureen O'Hara) and nine children, Spencer runs into an obstacle to both his plans and family pride when his college-bound son (James MacArthur) romances the daughter of Spencer's boss. Director Delmer Daves whips up a kind of morose schmaltz out of the earnest material, but it's Fonda's grit and heartland integrity that carry the day and establish some self-effacing wit. Some nice features here, including interviews with Fonda and a short documentary, "Spencer's Mountain: Grand Teton Premiere." --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Good Adaptation of the Hamner Novel With One Exception
Before THE WALTONS, Earl Hamner Jr. wrote a novel called
SPENCER'S MOUNTAIN, a fictionalized version of his childhood
in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The film version of
his novel is in general excellent--Henry Fonda is a standout
as tough-but-loving Clay Spencer--but I always thought
James MacArthur was too old to be playing Clay-Boy, and he's
certainly NOT the charming but gawky red-headed kid described
in the novel! Richard Thomas was also older than the John-Boy

character he portrayed on the television series, but he
was made to look like a gawky teenager where MacArthur never
does. (Incidentally, the family on TV is known as the Waltons
rather than the Spencers because after the movie was made
the studio owned the rights to the name "Spencer" so Hamner
had to change it for TV.)

My big quibble with this movie, and the reason I won't rate
it higher, is the character of Claris. In the novel she's a
bold, precocious, but ultimately nice girl--in the movie she
just comes off as a slut. The actress slithers and oozes like
some sort of Lolita-clone.

INSPIRED "THE WALTON'S"
Fonda plays the larger-than-life patriarch of 9 (with O'Hara as his wife) who's inherited the Wyoming mountain land claimed by his father. Fonda's dream is to build a new house large enough to contain his brood, but something always gets in his way. Sentimental family fare based on a novel by Earl Hamner, Jr.

Classic Delmer Daves production
"Spencer's Mountain" , written by Earl Hamner, Jr. of "The Walton's" wrote this script in the 1950s and it shows. Like many of the Delmer Daves movies of this era, this film combines a Max Steiner score, great cinematography and a heart-tugging story from a more innocent America. This is a great movie to get lost in, enjoy, and have a good cry. I sit back and re-live this film at least once a year.

A great family video
I loved this movie--Henry Fonda is wonderful as the hard-working, loving, commonsense father of nine children. Maureen O'Hara plays his wife and does a great job as a woman of faith who is constantly being challenged by the struggles of raising a large family with little income. It gives a beautiful portrait of a close-knit family whose members sacrifice freely for one another. A great family movie.

This is a funny, heartwrenching movie
This is such a beautifully made film. It made me laugh (really hard), then had me on the verge of tears. This is a true look at rual America in the 40's (or was it the 30's). And for a movie made 40 years ago, it has some pretty smart dialogue. Spencer's son has this "loose" girlfreind who's always getting the poor guy in trouble. "Wannna get the dictionary and look up all the dirty words?" she asks the son while she tries (unsuccessfully) to seduce him in the town library. Don't get me wrong there is nothing vulgar about this film. It really is a family classic. Hnery Fonda is in peak form here. A REAL look at family life. ... Read more

Reviews (113)

Solid Acting
This movie is beautiful and painful to watch. It tries hard to live up to Toni Morrison's novel and succeeds in capturing many of the book's powerful images. The story's central characters are Sethe and Paul D., two ex-slaves from the "Sweet Home" plantation. Denver is Sethe's teenage daughter, the only of three (living) children who has not been driven away by the baby ghost in Sethe's house. Beloved is a strange young woman who comes to stay with the other three characters, stirring up memories of Sethe's horrible past. Acting awards go to Kimbery Elise as Denver and Thandie Newton as Beloved, who carry the movie with grace and strength. Denver is the movie's heart, and dares you not to look at her each time she crosses in front of the camera. Oprah Winfrey and Lisa Gay Hamilton do very well with the character of Sethe, portrayed at two different ages. Danny Glover is neither special nor offensive as Paul D. The story is easier to follow if you have already read the book, and might even then take more than one viewing to sufficiently grasp. The camera work is skillful, and the sets and costumes add very much to the film. Because of its style and three hour length, seeing this movie feels like watching a really good miniseries. It's an inspiring and artfully made film.

Loved Beloved
For those who did not understand or found it difficult to follow the story line of this hauntingly strange yet beautiful tale, I'm sorry for their loss. Had I closed my mind to this film after its first five minutes or because of the critics reviews, I too would have missed this powerful drama. Winfrey, Glover and the entire cast have my gratitude and respect for bringing Toni Morrison's story to film. Sethe, Paul Dee and Denver were wonderful strong characters. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. My eyes beheld Beloved and found it a beauiful well done work of art. Like many, I allowed the critics to discourage me from the theater and almost ignored it completely.

The shock of several scenes depicting the horrors and cruelity of slavery wained after my first several viewings, but I continued to find the story powerful, sad, joyous, strange and hauntingly beautiful. I can't seem to get enough and have returned again and again. My purchase of this movie will be a great addition to my most selective library of films.

This film has stayed with me. I though it should be giv