Description

After five successful years of living and working together, a couple decide to get married.But what they don't count on is how to survive the honeymoon -- especially one that involves meeting each other's family. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great flick! I'll second the other five star reviews.
But if you're looking for the scene where Goldie is briefly topless in the shower, forget the DVD. Either the widescreen format cut it off or this is the later edited for TV version. Stick to the original VHS tape version.

One of the few Goldie flicks I like
This is a sweet movie about what happens when you add the pressures of family, unspoken expectations, and travel to a new marriage. no matter how well you think you know one another...

Best Friends
Funny, sad, heartwarming. I'm happy to see that Amazon has this movie for sale. The Patty Austin/James Ingram music gives a lovely air to this touching story.

Enjoyable, but drags a bit...
Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn are two of the most likeable actors in Hollywood, so it's natural that a movie that places them on-screen together is bound to be great, right?

Well, for the most part.

Yes, the two do have a natural chemistry, and the premise of the movie is decent enough. But as the movie progresses -- and as their characters' love affair begins to disintigrate -- the laughs get fewer and farther between and you might find yourself wanting to see what's on TV. However, if you fight through the lulls that dominate the middle-third of "Best Friends," you'll be rewarded with perhaps the best part of the movie -- the end. Ron Silver is great as a Stephen Spielburg-ish director, and seeing Burt and Goldie make up is worth watching the grueling break-up.

Funny, heartwarming and irresistable
Heartwarming, funny and touching story of a couple where woman (Goldie Hawn) is afraid that marriage will destroy their already loving and stable relationship. Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds are both great. I loved this movie. It was very funny at times because it was very realistic and true-to-life. Very entertaining movie! Watch it, you won't be sorry (men and women can enjoy it). ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Provacative and entertaining
After having just seen the latest version of the Thomas Crown Affair I much preferred the original version with Steve McQueen & Faye Dunaway. It had subler shadings in it and even though it wasn't as slick as the Brosnan-Russo "Affair", I felt it was more stylish, and had more substance. It really kept you guessing more, and the ending was more in keeping with the nuances played out during the film itself. The newer one threw in so much unnecessary nudity it grated on me. Too much of the "90's obligatory gratuitous sex" trying to make a good movie better. It didn't succeed. Steven McQueen gave you much more of a feel of a man who had his finger in many pies and was simply bored with his predictable (boring, rich life) and out to pit his considerable brain power against his antagonists. There too, there was more of the picture of the Law against the man who believed he could beat the odds. All in all, McQueen's Thomas Crown Affair had both style AND substance; the Brosnan Affair had only the style.

Chess was never this much fun
I was interested in seeing this film after I saw the remake, especially when I heard so many people say the original was so much better. After having seen both, I'd call it a toss up (both were good!).

Actually, the remake was only loosely based on the original. The original is about a rich guy who knocks off a bank, and the remake about a rich guy who steals art.

This film is well crafted and though the story is far fetched (as in the remake) it's entertaining. Norman Jewison does a terrific job of directing. His visual interpretations, camera angles and dramatic effects are timeless. He overuses the split screen concept a bit, but we need to remember that in 1968 this was fairly new technology and he was probably enamoured with the novelty of it. Think of how much `morphing' was being used when it was first developed.

Probably the best scene involved the chess match between Thomas (Steve McQueen) and Vicki (Faye Dunaway). It was far more erotic than all the scenes where Rene Russo was running around naked in the remake.

The acting was excellent, with Dunaway taking top honors as the stop-at-nothing insurance investigator who literally gets her man. Steve McQueen played the rich macho ego maniac to perfection. His only minus was his phony victory laugh, which was overacted and overused. Paul Burke stayed appropriately but effectively on the sidelines as the police detective.

In comparing the two films, I'd have to say it's about even. The remake had a more inventive and interesting story, replacing the bank robbery with an art heist, but it was also more ridiculous in the final disposition of the stolen painting. The original had better direction and use of the camera, while the remake was much better in use of costumes, props and sets in recreating the opulent lifestyle. Clearly the remake benefited from 30 years of technological improvement in sound and film quality.

The remake was more self indulgent, especially in the sexual area. The McQueen interpretation of Crown was more realistic than Brosnan's conflicted and emotional distraught version. Each reflected their respective times, but McQueen's character was a better representation of the timeless arrogance of the ultra rich. I have to give Rene Russo a slight edge as the investigator. She gave the character more complexity and range. Paul Burke was far superior to Denis Leary as the cop.

The ending of the original was definitely superior, though each ending was really true to the characters' personalities as portrayed.

I gave this film an 8/10. If you like classic films, and you enjoyed the remake, you will probably enjoy this one as well.

Has It Been THAT Many Years?
After enjoying the remake of this movie I ordered the DVD of the original. I loved it at the theater back in the sixties and hadn't seen it since then. For once in a blue moon, I discovered I liked the remake better! The plot is only vaguely the same for these two movies. I remember this film was a great departure for Steve McQueen and he still seems to have a thug-like quality to me. Ms. Dunaway is a walking parade of late-sixties fashion, with lots of makeup and eyelashes. Strange, I didn't ever realize she had a scar on her forehead. Regardless, the style of cinematography is extremely dated now. Sort of like what today's jerky-camera commercials will look like a few years from now. Oh, it's fun to watch. It's just not as good a story as the remake.

The Original Crown!
This is an extremely fine film. Besides a ingenious story and terrific acting by McQueen (who plays a "cool" and very wealthy businessman perfectly) and Dunaway (who looks absolutely stunning and plays it "smart" in nearly every scene), this movie has some fascinating and utterly BRILLIANT editing like no other film I know of... and a HAUNTING and GORGEOUS music score created by Michel LeGrand.

What about the NEW version?

I have been a huge fan of the original Thomas Crown Affair since I first saw it while in the military in 1969..... and bought the 1999 "re-make" because I heard so many good things about it. I must say that honestly there are good points in BOTH films. I never quite bought the fact that the original wealthy "Crown" got his "kicks" robbing a bank.... so stealing the "Monet" made much more sense to me. I also thought the story was a bit more interesting in the new version and I was more satisfied by the challenge Bronsnan's character found in Russo's bluntness.

Overall, however this 1969 "Crown" is the version I prefer. It contains an absolutely beautiful music score by Michel LeGrand (which is superior to the loud, lackluster and frangmented score that Bill Conti created for the new version). The title track here is "Windmills of Your Mind" is an awesome song, but also amazing is "Her Eyes, His Eyes" created for the infamous chess playing sequence. I also prefer the sensuous and sexy elegance of the fire between McQueen and Dunaway to the overtly sweaty lust that Brosnan and Russo desparately share together... this film is more subtile and suggests sexuality.. which seems more fascinating than just the plain nakedness in the new version.

Although I do prefer this film to the remake, both versions are well made and interesting in their own right, and should be enjoyed for what they are and what makes them so entertaining.

"Cat and Mouse" At Its Finest
Once again, why did they ever even think of remaking this movie? Steve McQueen is at his best in his portrayal of Thomas Crown, a wealthy genius who is a mastermind for constructing elaborate bank robberies. I really enjoyed the music in this film, particularly the way it interacts with the director's (Jewison) use of split screens. While it's a dated technique, it really helps move the plot along without unnecessary cutting. Additionally, the anonymity of his accomplices and the way that several loose ends come together to form the perfect robbery is best captured by this technique, in my opinion.

Beyond McQueen's powerful performance, Faye Dunaway blows Rene Russo's remake performance out of the water. Dunaway is smart, sexy, and knows how to handle herself. While it's a bit slow in some parts, this movie is a psychological piece that focuses primarily upon the "cat and mouse" interplay between McQueen and Dunaway. This is a "battle of wits" movie-not a pure action flick, as the remake might have you believe. The ending is also extremely well done. Rather than end on a typical Hollywood note, the final scenes of this film will leave you perplexed and wanting more of this film. With one of the longest screen kisses I've ever seen and the famous "chess" sequence, this film is a classic that definitely belongs in your video library. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Hollywood History
If you're looking for a documentary full of facts, this movie is not your choice.

Fat Man and Little Boy uses history as the foundation of its story, which is really to illustrate the great moral dilemma the scientists and military personnel involved in the Manhattan Project were faced with as they realized the potential (both positive and negative) of "The Gadget" they were building. The story is not so much on "how" the bomb was built, but on the repercussions of the bomb. In this, it does quite well, trying its best to be balanced. In the end, however, the producers miss the balancing act and come across fairly strongly "anti-nuke". They do present both sides throughout, despite the stand they take at the end.

A well-acted movie, Newman and Schultz do a good job and the film is entertaining. History as a backdrop for a moral argument, rather than history for history's sake.

Entertaining enough
As most viewers will already know, the film basically depicts (inaccurately, from what I've heard) the developement of the first atom bombs.
What can I say? This drama is highly uneven; Paul Newman is in fine form as the general in charge of the project, his conflicts with Dwight Shultz, who plays the leading scientist, Dr. Oppenheimer is very enjoyable to watch, you got some very (good) dramatic acting there. However, the romantic subplots (especially the one between John Cusack and Laura Dern) are boring and wooden.
The most memorable scene in the film is the finale, where we have the final count-down to the testing of the world's first atom bomb (or, in humanity's case, the final count-down towards doom); with the scientists and military officers waited with both hopes and fears, any yet not really knowing the immense power of their creation; the clock ticks away; with the memorable Nutcracker's Suite playing away in the background.
Overall an entertaining movie; Newman's excellent performance makes this worth seeing.

"I am become Vishnu - the destroyer of worlds."
J. Robert Oppenheimer said on viewing the first atomic bomb explosion, "I am become Vishnu - the destroyer of worlds."

An intriguing rendition of the trials and tribulations of creating the first atomic bomb.

This is not the first or maybe the best and it surely will not be the last interpretation. However there is some fine acting and well designed story. This has held my attention more than once. Every part, in fact every line contributed to making you forget that you are watching a movie ant that this is real.

This is the story of how the need for the bomb came about and the building of a camp and the collection of men needed to accomplish the job. We see technical difficulties as well as emotional.

Mostly Fiction
Yes, there was a Manhattan Project and people named Groves, Oppenheimer and Szilard and yes Leo Szilard did like to spend as much time in the bath tub as possible (thinking) but other than that, this film was largely fictional. I was bothered by the historical inaccuracies including: 1. Groves met Szilard at the University of Chicago along with the rest of the scientists that worked there, not in a bathroom in Szilards hotel with Szilard in a tub and Groves on a toilet. 2. The Manhattan Project was much bigger than Los Alamos and Groves dealt with two other major groups that are mostly not even depicted. 3. Groves and Oppenheimer had a very different and more cooperative relationship than is depicted in the movie. 4. Groves was not subject to temper tantrums like Newman's depiction. He was actually very quiet, but extremely sarcastic, socially awkward, pear shaped and somewhat arrogant. He was also smart as a tack, having attended both MIT and West Point, where he was fourth in his class. He created three cities that are now major cities in their states and an industry bigger than the U.S. Automobile industry in just over three years. This was no dummy.

A more accurate movie is "Day One", at least as far as the plot goes, but even that fails to grasp the Manhattan Project's scope. The best film on it, which unfortunately no longer exists, was "The Beginning or the End" which was made in 1946 (Brian Donlevy played Groves). The main people on the project served as technical advisors for that one. Unfortunately, that was never put on video and probably rotted away in some warehouse.

A very good drama
This movie is the best film that depicts the story behind the atom bomb. It shows that although the original reason for building the bomb changed with the defeat of Germany, once the began, it was almost impossible to stop. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Groundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was aninnovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitiousDisney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940.Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, resulting insurreal fantasy and playful escapism. Leopold Stokowski and thePhiladelphia Orchestra provided the music for eight segments by thecomposers Tchaikovsky, Moussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ponchielli,Bach, Dukas, and Schubert. Not all the sequences were created equally,but a few are simply glorious, such as "Night on Bald Mountain," "TheSorcerer's Apprentice," and "The Nutcracker Suite." The animationranges from subtly delicate to fiercely bold. The screen bursts withcolor and action as creatures transmute and convention is thrust aside.The painstaking detail and saturated hues are unique to this film,unmatched even by more advanced technology. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (158)

Fantasia is Brilliant, But 3 Disk Set is Overrated
Walt Disney's 1942 FANTASIA was a groundbreaking film and remains a landmark to this day, a brilliant series of animated sequences set to notable concert music conducted by Leopold Stokowski of The Philadelphia Orchestra. The three disk FANTASIA ANTHOLOGY, however, is extremely overrated.

The first disk is the original FANTASIA, which Disney describes as restored. This is not strictly true. First and foremost, the restoration of visual elements is sloppy at best, with the film plagued by streaks and blips, and at least one sequence ("Dance of the Hours") appears to be slightly cropped. That aside, portions of the Deems Taylor narration have been completely lost, and these have been rerecorded by Tim Matheson--and Matheson's voice is not a good match for Taylor and the sychronization is poorly done. Lastly, one selection ("Pastoral") has been censored: a brief image, which would be considered racist by today's standards, has been deleted from the sequence.

Even so, it is still FANTASIA, and it overcomes all of these liabilities. The animation, which was created by hand and photographed through a number of laborious processes, shows Disney Studios at the height of its powers. Every one is certain to have their favorites among the selections (mine are "Dance of the Hours" and "Night on Bald Mountain"), but every selection is brilliantly conceived and executed, and although the content varies from sequence to sequence the overall style of the film hangs together in a most remarkable way. FANTASIA was, is, and will no doubt will forever remain a touchstone in animation art.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the second disk, FANTASIA 2000. This particular film is extremely uneven, the sequences lack the same cohesive style that held the original FANTASIA together, and the entire film is beset by a series of often obnoxious "celebrity" introductions that give the film the feel of a made-for-TV variety show. Still, some of the visual ideas are very impressive, and while they are too few to offset the portions of the film that do not work, they still make FANTASIA 2000 mildly entertaining.

Both the FANTASIA and FANTASIA 2000 disks include documentaries and commentary tracks on each film. The third disk, called "The Fantasia Legacy," is a bonus packed with interviews, archieval footage, and sketches that show how each sequence in both films was developed and then filmed. Some of this material is redundant, for it is included on the documentaries on the first two disks, but most of it is unique to this disk alone. Disney originally saw FANTASIA as a film that could be re-released with a mix of old and new selections every few years, and the most interesting material on the "Legacy" disk is a restored "Clair de Lune" (made for and then cut from the original FANTASIA) and various storyboard ideas for future sequences.

The only way one can obtain the "Legacy" disk is to purchase this three disk package--and therein lies the rub. The original FANTASIA is brilliant, and even in its so-so state it is worthy of a place in any DVD library. FANTASIA 2000, however, is trivial, occasionally interesting but not greatly memorable and not a piece that one would normally go out of the way to purchase. And the price for the three disk package is quite steep.

If you are a Disney fan who must have every scrap of material available, I would recommend the investment this package requires. But if your primary interest is the original FANTASIA, you are much better off simply purchasing a DVD of that film alone--the other two disks are simply not worth the expense. Purchasers should alos remember that the original FANTASIA does not often appeal to very young children, and if the purchase is being made for a child you are likely to be disappointed in their response. Final thought: the original FANTASIA is brilliant, FANTASIA 2000 is so-so, and the bonus disk is for hardcore fans. This pricey package is recommended to the latter only.

Fatasia is Beautiful - Even Better on DVD!
I saw Fantasia 2000 before a saw the original. And I love both of them, but I think I love the original just a little bit more. After I saw 2000, I wanted to go buy the original. But it wasn't around. When I found out it was coming out on DVD, I rushed out to buy it. The "Making of Fantasia" feature is great!

1. Toccata & Fugue - Rousing music, good choice for opening. But I'm not a big fan of abstract animation.

2. Nutcraker Suite - Although most people like the Sorcorer's Apprentice best, I like this one the best. The music is so catchy! This peice's fantasy characters make me feel like a little kid again.

3. The Sorcorer's Apprentice - Ummm . . . Its O.K. Its good to own since its hisotric in Micky Mouse history.

4. Rite of Spring - This segment rocked! Why doesn't anyone like it? If featured breakthrough technology for the '40s! And the dinosaurs were so accurately drawn according to science at that time!

5. Intermission & Sound Track - Was this stuff necisary?

6. Pastoral Symphony - Great music, mythological characters. I guess it depends on your conscience for wether or not to like this one.

7. Dance of the Hours - LOL! This piece was great! I never knew Fantasia had the "Camp Granada" song! And the hippos and croc are so cool!

8. Night on Bald Mountain - Disney went overboard on this one. It's pretty demonic. It's up to you one wether to watch that one or not. I know he wanted the biggest battle of good vs. but this was too much.

9. Ava Maria - Kinda hokey and religous. It's alright. but the multi-plain camera was put to good use.

A Work of Art
Fantasia is a very unique creation, there has never been another movie quite like it, before or since, and I think it's safe to say there never will be. Disney took a risk with creating something so dfferent from the norm; most of the American public is not likely to sit and listen to classical music for two hours, or watch a movie with no words. However, it was a very worthwhile risk, as Fantasia is a beautiful work of art, and has become a classic.
There is a certain captivating magic when the incredible sounds of the world's best musicians combine with the dazzling sights of the world's best animators. The imagery is full of fantasy, rich color, and graceful beauty. It's impossible not to be dazzled as the music washes over you, and you watch the stories of each of these little worlds unfold.

Misleading box, but it's still a masterpiece.
First, go click on the picture of the box so you can see a larger image. See how it says "Walt Disney's Original Uncut Version" at the bottom? Well, it's not. No, one scene in Fantasia was edited for every single home release as far as I know. It's in the scene "The Pastoral Symphony". When the female centaurs are getting all prettied up and ready for the male centaurs, you'll notice a very fuzzy extreme close up on one of them. What's going on in this scene? There's a black skinned centaur named Sunflower helping that one out. Go do a search for "Disney Sunflower Snopes" and it should show up. Why does Disney do this? Kids watching that part aren't really going to have any racist thoughts regarding the scene, or become a KKK member or anything after watching it. But there you have it, this isn't really "uncut" because of that. And this only enforces that there's a high chance of Disney not releasing Song of the South anytime soon. And this is a shame that they're going so P.C. that we're never going to be allowed to see how everything was originally released. If they can put out the Treasure tin sets, which have a lot of Asian and Spanish stereotypes, why is there such a problem with Song of the South and a black centaur?

Other than that, Fantasia is a masterpiece. While it didn't really help Disney out much financially, the animation that accompanies the music is flawless. You really admire the artists that worked on each short. While it took hundreds to work on one piece at a time, now it'd only take a couple of guys on a computer with the latest animation software a few days. It's funny that most of this looks better than a lot of recent Disney films. The colors, smoothness of the animation, and how it blends with the music is just breath taking.

The picture is as good as you're going to get for a movie this old. There's very little grain and dust on the print, and you'll hardly notice it with all the beauty on-screen. The audio is crisp and clear, so go nuts turning it up.

The special features are ok. The commentary is made up of interviews and clips from Walt and others. When some people speak on it, there's a little bit of static, which doesn't matter since it's taken from an early source. It's not going to interfere with hearing anything they say, but I just thought I'd mention it. It's still a very interesting commentary track. I listen to it from time to time and always learn something new. The documentary is pretty cool too, though a lot of it I've already heard from other Disney specials and such. If you want the real goods as far as extras go, get the Fantasia Anthology edition. The third disc on that sucker is amazing.

So if you're really expecting the "uncut" version, you'll be disappointed. I doubt it'll ever be released unless somehow Leonard Maltin can get that put out too. I mean, if he can get the Donald Nazi short put out in the newest wave of Disney Treasures, he's gotta have SOME chance of giving us the original Fantasia. Pick this up before it's out of print for another 10 years. It's a film to pass down the generations.

classic
This is a classic marriage of two art forms Music and Animation. There are six sets of classical pieces By the Philadelphia Orchestra under the leadership of Leopold Stokowski. Each piece is accompanied by animation that either tells a story or illustrates visually the music. Each piece is a feast for the eyes and ears. The most famous piece is Mickey Mouse as the sorcere's apprentice. He gets ahold of his master's magical hat and decides to take a short cut indoing his chores with disastrerous results. The two pieces that really stand out for me is the "Nutcracker Suite" and "Night on Bald Mountain" This is a great movie for anyone who enjoys classical music. It may be too "High Brow" for children but it could be a good medium to introduce them to classical music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Get mindless for awhile with this 1997 disaster flick, starring the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles as a funky place for lava to spew, plus Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche as the brave souls who know how to shut off the spout. Director Mick Jackson (TheBodyguard) wastes no time getting to the good stuff--it's happening even before opening credits are over--and neither should anyone in the mood for technical efficiency without the burden of art. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Better than that other volcano movie with James Bond ;)
I've watched this movie dozens of times, the first being at an ampitheater in Indiana on a cold fall day. I hadn't heard of it before but the tickets were free, so I checked it out. Wow! What a movie! I couldn't believe it, the entire time I was sitting on the edge of my seat, I left with no fingernails at all. All the actors were just terriffic, especially Tommy Lee Jones, who just adds flair to any film he's in. I'm not sure where people get off saying that this movie is too fantastical, either. As they say in the film, one day in Mexico a man saw a smoking fissure in his field; the next day there was a volcano growing there. That story is completely true, and it's happened repeatedly throughout the world. Why couldn't it happen in LA, the most geologically unstable major city? That's like saying that an earthquake can never hit New York City because it just can't happen. And as the current quote on the page said, you can't fight nature? The techniques used in Volcano are used constantly in Iceland and Greenland, which are all highly geologically unstable places with many volcanos. Anywho :) off my soapbox, if you've got a second, check this out on a large TV with a huge sound system! And skip that Dante's whatever, Volcano is the bomb... literally.

Haha, what were you people expecting? Pyroclastic flows?
I think, overall, this is a good disaster movie. I mean, are you ever REALLY looking for a realistic scenerio in an action flick? I think the plot progressed smoothly (not one of those movies where the screen comes on and starts with people running around getting fried), and the music was great.

Obviously this is a small volcano, considering that if it was a Mount St. Helens thing with pyroclastic flows and lava all over, then yeah, LA wouldn't stand much of a chance, but its fun to think how a major city like LA would face a little volcano deciding to pop up in the middle of the city.

I think I lost some IQ...
This has to be one of the dumbest movies...ever...Yes ever...Seeing this movie I think my IQ dropped 20 points from it's stupid storyline and totally impossible happenings as a volcano magically forming in LA

Really dumb....the only thing good about this movie is laughing at it the entire way for its sheer stupidity

A stale and lame piece of junk
Is it fun to watch? Yes. Why? Because this is so bad you can't help but enjoy. They completely and utterly disregard any realism and totally defy the laws of physics. Let's put it this way, in this movie the coast is toast and the plot is rot. Tommy Lee Jones gets a major pay check to lead the rescue effort when geological mumbo-jumbo causes the La Brea tar pits and the new L.A. subway system to spit steam, ash, fire and a rolling, molten sea. Actually the coast is not even toast. Let me quote from everyone's favorite smart alleck Mike Nelson: "I hate to start this by nitpicking, but the movie really should be called lava and not volcano. The "film" starring Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche, really was long on lava and, as far as I could tell, had only one small-quite small, really-volcano. And, despite all the hype, the coast was not, at any time during the film, toast. The coastal city of Los Angeles, CA, was indeed in no small danger of being incinerated by flowing magma, but the situation was completely handled by disaster workers, and only the most pessimistic naysayer would describe the situation by saying 'the coast is toast.'" Beyond all that, seeing as how close our characters were to the lava, one would have to wonder why they weren't burnt up. At the temperature of the magma the characters could've in no way been as close as they were. Oh well it's simply a terrible movie. Bad acting, boring plot, crumby music, and doesn't even remotely live up to the hype! Unless you're in the mood for a cheeze-fest I suggest you see something else. Heck watching grass grow would be more stimulating than this.

valcano rocks on!
I love the movie valcano. I recemend it only to people who like horror and death movies becuse valcano is one of them. I hope kids don't really belive that this has happend becuse there has not ever been a valcano so powerful to blow up so much ash and magma to destruct a whole state and more than that so dont belive this happend. I will like this movie so much I am willing to pay for 2 copys of it if I had that kind of money but I dont so dont think I will. ... Read more

Description

CITY OF JOY is the story of a dispirited American doctor (Patrick Swayze), a British woman who runs a clinic for the poor, and an Indian couple — all of whose lives come together in perhaps the most impoverished place on earth, the section of Calcutta known as the CITY OF JOY. Directed by Roland Joffe (The Mission, The Killing Fields, The Scarlett Letter). ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A Good Film
Of course no Patrick Swayze film could ever compare with a wonderful book, still City of Joy has much to offer. I grew up in a city just out of Calcutta and found the movie to be very true to the culture and everyday life I experienced there. Poverty is difficult to portray from a developed country's point of view without becoming self-righteous, but nowhere in the movie do the foreigners propose to change the state of the city. The two characters(Patrick Swayze and Pauline Collins) are there because they want to be and to lend a hand when needed. The cast of Indian characters(Um Puri in particular)is especially good. All of the actors possess great human qualities that makes them easy to connect with and likable. Although these people live in squalor, they have a joie de vivre that keeps the tone from being one of despair. This film is simply a slice of life that doesn't try to prove anything. I highly recommend seeing the film AS WELL AS reading the book.

Pretty Good
There are parts in this movie that are kind of cheesy, but for the most part, it is a very nice story about the life of a poor family in a Kolkata slum and of an American doctor's attempts to "find himself" by giving something back to the world instead of always being wrapped up in himself. Swayze's character is kind of annoying, especially at the start of the film, and certain lines seem kind of trite and silly . . . saying that he came to India for "enlightenment" was kind of daft and predictable, and of course, the meolodrama with regards to Swayze's character I think was a bit much . . . I don't think you need to have a special reason or event that occurs in your life to make you question things or look for answers to some of life's problems . . . still, the movie did a good job of presenting the inhabitants of Kolkata with dignity and sympathy . . . they were fully human and not caricatures, which was good. Om Puri does an outstanding job here. I wish that Shabana Azmi, an excellent actress herself, would have been given a bigegr role instead of playing the typically quiet and meek India wife, though. The brutality anmd dehumanisation of living in a slum in an overpopulated city was not sugar-coated either, but at the same time many of the people in the slums were portrayed with respect, and their attitude does give a substantial glimemr of hope instead of implying that all humans are "out for themselves" as the main character seems to think. Not a masterpiece, but a nice film all the same.

Many better options to this
I read the book, have seen the movie and have visited Kolkata. I'm troubled by the book and the movie. I felt the book trivialized poverty and made a sentimental treatment of it. This is because it was viewed through the eyes of a Catholic priest and he was taking voluntary poverty. It is another matter when you have children, live in bone crushing poverty and have fewer choices available to you. (Yet Kolkata is a city of miracles in that the poorest can often find a place and a way to survive there.)

I don't think the movie came close to showing the culture of Kolkata's poor. It was very much a westernized gloss and it definitely pulled punches. Consider just one important cultural element: Indian has many great musicians who have produced centuries of beautiful music. But this film sticks us with an entirely western score.

I am in love with this region and had to read the book and see the film. But if you want to see a film about this part of the world, see anything by Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen or Shyam Benegal.

In particular, Satyajit Ray - Apu Trilogy or Two Daughters. Although more modern and middle class, Aguntuk (The Stranger) is also a much better film.

Best of the Best
I am a movie fanatic and this is in my opinion the best film that I have watched ever. It is extremely moving and passionate. I cried three or four different times during this movie. I have been looking to acquire this movie in the past and it is the first time that I find it. It is a good way to see some aspects of India, at least through a window because nothing in life can prepare you to be in India. The drama ocurrs around an Indian family in Calcutta and an american doctor who volunteers to work in a poor neighbourhood. He becomes so involved with the family that...well, you should see the rest by yourself if your are not already a fanatic of this movie. I could say many more things but I will leave it brief and not boring.

Real India
Most movies, even the ones from Bollywood gloss over the reality of the poverty, dirtiness etc. This movie is true to the life and culture of the people. The characters are well fleshed out; they seem real and you care about them. Unless you've been to India you might not believe that people can be so poor and not be miserable. This movie shows how everyone can find joy in life, where they are, with what they have. Excellent movie. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Good, but pales in comparison to "The Best of Will Ferrell"!
Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon were like two peas in a pod on "Saturday Night Live." They had good chemistry and when they combined forces they could induce plenty of laughs. Of course, Will Ferrell is equally funny without Molly Shannon. "The Best of Molly Shannon" proves it is exactly the opposite for her.

Yeah, she's a funny lady, but she pales in comparison to such "SNL" comediennes as Gilda Radner, Jane Curtain, and even Chery Oteri, who is very goofy. Molly Shannon's "Best Of" collection is fine, I suppose, but I didn't laugh that much -- and not nearly as often as I did with Will Ferrell's "Best Of" DVD.

Here she plays her most famous (and mostly original) characters: Salley O'Malley, Mary Katherine Gallagher, Courtney Love and Anna Nicole Smith (in a disgusting but funny segment with Ben Affleck), among others. But they're never exactly laugh-out-loud funny; I smiled a few times. I enjoyed some of the gags. But I was only really laughing when Will Ferrell was interacting with Molly.

Whether or not they are good films is definitely arguable, but there's a reason that Will Ferrell has been cast in virtually every mainstream Molly Shannon film. They go together. She cameos in his movies, he cameos and/or stars in hers. Remember "Superstar"? Remember "A Night at the Roxbury"? Maybe they're not good, but at least Lorne Michaels was smart enough to realize that the two have some sort of chemistry.

I noticed that Molly Shannon likes to move around a lot. I watched the Conan O'Brian interview with her (included on the DVD), and she absolutely could not sit still at all, just like her "Joyologist" character, who, in the DVD's outtakes, flipped over her chair from moving around so much.

She's good as Courtney Love, and Molly Shannon is undoubtedly a good comedic actress, but to say that she deserves her own collection of best moments at this point in time is a bit presumptuous, especially considering the fact that classic "SNL" actors have yet to appear in any sort of "Best Of" DVD collections. (Or am I just not finding them on Amazon and in the stores?) Besides, most of the compiles sketches aren't even that great -- or is it just that Molly Shannon herself isn't that great? I hope it's the former.

If you're a fan of Molly Shannon and/or "Saturday Night Live," I would definitely pick up this DVD. I bought it for fourteen dollars, and I've got to say that I'll probably return to it once and a while for some good grins. But not nearly as often as I am already returning to "The Best of Will Ferrell," which still stands as the best "Saturday Night Live" DVD I own at the current time (only three, but I'm getting there).

"Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon" runs 76 minutes. It contains outtakes, a deleted dress rehearsal scene, a picture gallery, two TV interviews with Conan, and so on. It is not rated, but contains some language and sexual content/partial nudity. The feature's guest stars include, among others: Val Kilmer, Matthew Broderick, Gabriel Byrne, Tina Turner, Alex Baldwin, et al. It is now available on video and DVD.

Molly: One of the all time GREAT TV ladies of comedy!
Molly Shannon's presence is sorely missed on "Saturday Night Live" but not you can relive some of her finest moments with this DVD. Although I personally would have chosen some different sketches , this DVD is sure to put a big smile on even the grumpiest of faces.

Included are:

"Mary Katherine Gallagher"- Mary auditions for the school variety show and sings "Sometimes When We Touch" and does a Meredith Baxter Birney tv movie monologue. (with Gabriel Byrne)

"Helen Madden, Licensed Joyologist"- "I love it! I love it!" Helen appears on "Pretty Living", hosted by Ana Gasteyer. (with Matthew Broderick)

"The Courtney Love Show"- Courtney's got a talk show, and she interviews Julie Andrews (played by Christine Baranski)

"Elizabeth Taylor"- Elizabeth picks the winning lottery numbers on Weekend Update ("Gladiator!")

"Jeanne Darcy"- the very unspontaneous and over rehearsed comedienne makes an inappropriate appearance at a nursing home.

"Monica Lewinsky"- Monica addresses court, with Hillary watching.

"Sally O'Malley"- Sally auditions to be a Rockette! "I'm 50 years old! And I like to kick! Stretch! And kick!" (with Danny DeVito).

"Veronica & Co."- The European supermodel has a talk show whose set is located in the middle of a fashion show runway (with Val Kilmer).

"Delicious Dish On NPR"- Molly & Ana Gasteyer as the very low-key hosts of a radio cooking show. This is the famous "Schweaty Balls" episode (with Alec Baldwin).

"Leg Up!"- Molly as Ann Miller, and Cheri Oteri as Debbie Reynolds. (with Phil Hartman as a very cranky Frank Sinatra)

"MTV FANatic"- Molly as Anna Nicole Smith (with Ben Affleck as an obsessed fan who looks to Anna Nicole for a mother figure).

"Mary Katherine Gallagher"- Mary meets the real Tina Turner by hiding in her dressing room. (with Alec Baldwin)

"Rae Murphy"- an awkward blind date at an airport bar goes horribly wrong (with Will Ferrel and Chris Kattan).

"Dress Rehearsal Sketch"- that was cut from the final broadcast features Molly as an odd, accent loving girl who brings home date Bill Paxton to meet her parents (with Ana Gasteyer and Horatio Sanz).

Also features a photo gallery of Molly in different costumes, outtakes: Molly as Xena, Princess Warrior (with Brendan Frasier), as Helen Madden (with Ben Stiller), NPR's Delicious Dish (with Alec Baldwin), 70's Ladies In Bar (with Calista Flockhart), Dog Show! (with Will Ferrell- it's just a teeny blooper clip), and Jeanne Darcy on Weekend Update.

Two more goodies: two appearances on Conan O'Brien. On the first one she discusses how Courtney Love didn't seem pleased to be parodied and how Gary Coleman once trapped her in his hotel bathroom and tried to put the moves on her; the other appearance is with Will Ferrell and she talks about dating and a new sketch she was working on called "Hot Cocoa Girls."

Great collection! I would have given it five stars had it included some "Goth Talk" and "Dog Show" sketches on it. My absolute favorite Mary Katherine Gallagher sketch isn't here either (Gwenyth Paltrow was the host that week)- but it'd be nearly impossible to include everyone's favorites. I'd say that Molly Shannon definitely deserves a second "Best Of" DVD!

Good, but brief.
I believe that most people buy a "Best of" title mainly to see some of their favorite skits. Don't set your expectations too high here. This is just 76 minutes long, which includes outtakes, tv interviews, a dress rehearsal, and some recognizable skits. One can always argue about what should be on a "Best of", but this is so limited as to leave one convinced that this was made short to allow for other "Favorites" to be bundled up by producers for other DVD's to be released later. Disappointing.

Query about review
What happened to the review I wrote two weeks ago?

Molly Shannon at her most hilarious!
Out of all the Saturday Night Live collections that I have viewed, this one is the most consistently funny. Like some of her fellow SNL alumni, she may not have carved out a film career for herself, but she still does some of the most side-splitting routines. This DVD contains two Mary Katherine Gallagher sketches, her Betty Broderick monologue and her meeting Tina Turner; her Sally O'Malley "I'm 50 years old" bit with Danny De Vito; her spot-on impression of Courtney Love; the giddily over-the-top sketch about "joyologist" Helen Madden; her impression of a spaced-out Elizabeth Taylor randomly spewing out lottery numbers; her Jeannie Darcy bit in the elderly ward ("Don't get me started"); and the "Schweaty Balls" sketch with Alec Baldwin. Some of the other routines, such as the Veronica & Co. clip, the Anna Nicole Smith scene (poorly developed) and the airport bar scene with Will Ferrell, are less consistently funny. However, the first 45 minutes or so of this DVD more than compensate for the last 20 minutes. If I wanted to cheer up a friend, I would give him or her this DVD. In fact, I know that I will give it to some of my colleagues in the future. This DVD is heads above my Dana Carvey, Steve Martin, and Will Ferrell DVDs. How much do I like this Molly Shannon? Don't get me started! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first of two features Walt Disney made at the behest of the OfficeofInter-American Affairs, Saludos Amigos consists of four cartoons linkedby live-action travel footage. The very funny "Lake Titicaca" findsDonald Duck high in the Bolivian Andes, struggling with a recalcitrant llama."Pedro," the story of a little airplane replacing his father on a mailrun across the Andes, is a variation on "The Little Engine That Could.""El Gaucho Goofy" continues the popular "How To" cartoon series thatjuxtaposes a deadpan narration with increasing physical mayhem. Here, Goofy demonstrates Pampas-style riding and the use of the bola. The jaunty parrot Jose Carioca makes his debut in "Aquarela do Brasil." Although largelyeclipsed by the wilder The Three Caballeros (1944), SaludosAmigos retains its charm. Included in the supplemental material is South of the Border withDisney, which chronicles the Good Will Tour Walt and a group of hisartists made in 1941. The 16mm footage has darkened, but this featuretteoffers rare glimpses of some of these artists at work, including FrankThomas, Norm Ferguson, and Mary Blair, whose stylized drawings set the lookfor much of Saludos Amigos and Caballeros. --CharlesSolomon ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A Very Charming Little Picture...Not Dull and Boring
While most of the reviews have been critical of this 1943 "package feature", it is really cute and informational. It is a Disney classic, featuring the animation of many classic artists and animators, such as Mary Blair, Fred Moore, Norm Ferguson, Les Clark, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball and others. It is the first feature which combines live action with animation, and would pave the way for other features to come, such as "Mary Poppins", "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", and many others.

"Saludos Amigos" is comprised of 4 shorts, "Lake Titicaca", "Pedro", "El Gaucho Goofy", and "Aquarela De Brasil". Many classic Disney characters are included, including the slapstick Goofy and Donald Duck. New characters are introduced, which include Jose Carioca, the samba dancing friend of Donald.

There is also an array of bonus features, including an original theatrical trailer from 1943, and a documentary on the making of the film, which displays many of the films' crew members at work.

Overall, I think this is a very charming feature film.

Fair Disney movie
Being a fan of the Three Cabalerros I was excited to hear that this movie would finally be available on home video minus a previous laser disc release. This movie was slightly a dissappointment. Not because of the film, just its length. 42 minutes just doesn't constitute as a feature for me. Other than that squabble, I enjoyed it. The DVD transfer is sharp and clear once again in the animation scenes, but the live action 16mm stuff is grainy but will probably will never look better. The extra "South of the Border" featurette is a nice addition but it reuses a lot of the material from the feature. Losing 2 seconds of footage of Goofy smoking is really no big deal to me, if Disney wants to "protect" children, whatever, it doesn't change the plot and is really insignificant.

Not as lively and exciting as The Three Cabelleros.
In this film, we see Disney and his fellow animators travel to Latin America. In this however, you feel as if you are watching the Discovery channel with a little Disney thrown in. The film is whimsical when you come across a Disney cartoon, but all the inbetween bits are lackluster and boring. If maybe you traveled along with Mickey or Goofy it may have been more exciting. Sorry. Good but lacks.

Disney's 6th Animated Masterpiece!
Walt Disney took his staff on a special trip to South America where the animators found all the needed material to create this wonderful, although rare, feature. The film does not really have much of a plot but it is very entertaining, the animation is wonderful and it briefly describes all the good things in South America, from their beautiful landscapes, to their sweet music. One of my favorite scenes is when Donald tries to cross a suspention bridge on a llama, it was very funny. The film has four different cartoons, as I said, not much of a storyline but really something fun to watch once in a while.

The DVD, as all the other Gold Collection titles does not bring much in bonus features, but since this isn't one of Disney's most majestic titles, it will do. This edition only brings an original trailer and a documentary featurette, not much, but enough.

For True Disney Fans
This film was made during the war and Walt didn't have the money to turn out another full length animated film. To appease his fans, he made a film which is basically a trip with him and some of his best animators "South of the Border." The animators where then inspired to make several short animated films, which are all packaged together to make this feature. The back of the box says "Total Running Time: Approc. 75 Minuites." By total running time, the mean with special features. The film is only 45 minuites, and the bonus "South of the Border With Disney" was a television show he did. If you are not a Disney fan, I don't recomend this film to you, because it is not like the other well known animated films you are used to. The picture and sound are not very good. Disney didn't feel the need to tough it up because hardley anyone knew of it's existance. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

it ROCKS, it ROCKS
The funniest thing about this feature-length release from MTV's mid-1990s animated poster children is how well-done it was. The story is simple, and silly in spots, but well told. It's a typical Beavis & Butt-Head tale writ large, with developed characters and enough sight gags and plot twists to keep the whole family interested.

"Beavis and Butt-Head Do America' could almost be called wholesome family entertainment in this post- "South Park" world. Indeed, the...fire references that were considered over the top in 1996 when this movie first came out seem almost quaint compared to movies like "South Park: Bigger, Louder & Uncut" which pushed the envelope much further.

The only problem I see are the scarcity of bonus materials on the DVD edition. All you're getting is the movie and little extra. Buy it anyway, the movie's good enough by itself.

Is this a God dam? Hehhehheh
I love this movie! My favorite thing about B&B is that no matter how dumb they get,the writing is always very intelligent...a point that is overlooked far too often.Of course fun is the main factor when watching B&B,and no,it shouldn't be taken seriously,but I hate when these snobbish yuppie types get on their high-horses and dismiss it as unintelligent,because it is everything but that! Major gripes aside,let's get down to business.I'm not gonna reveal any details about the movie,for those of you who havn't seen it yet.All I'm gonna say is that it's absolutely HILARIOUS,and very well-written...crude and low-brow of course,but that's the whole point! The show was literaly the official show of my childhood (it started when I was 8,and ended only months before I turned 13),and the movie is everything the show was,and then some.So,if you like crude but intelligent humor,and you're prepared to laugh your gluteus maximus off,then by all means check out "Beavis and Butt-head Do America".Oh,by the way,my review title is taken from one of Beavis's lines (and I didn't misspell "dam"...you'll see what I mean when you watch the movie). -Peace-

A Great Movie!!!
A long time ago, my dad and mom bought this movie and they said a lot of people were buying this. So I watched it. And I didn't remember a lot of it. When I was older I was understanding it. so I watched this over and over because it was very good.

Two stupid teens, Beavis [Mike Judge] and Butt-head [Mike Judge] had discovered their tv is stolen. then Butt-head go search for their TV. Then they go stealing the school's TV and then they get caught from the Principal [Mike Judge]. Then the 2 teens visit a guy [B. Willis] and do his wife [???].
Mike Judge directs this movie and does most of the voices. He does Beavis, Butt-head, Tom Anderson, Principal McVicker, others.

This movie is very funny. I would reccomend it to many people.
I would give it a 5 if it would have more humor in it.

Beavis & Butt-Head RULE!!!
Alot of people today seem to have forgotten Beavis & Butt-Head. People today usually restrict themselves to The Simpsons or South Park. Although those shows are EXTREMELY hilarious, we must never forget the crazy antics of Beavis & Butt-Head. Because without Beavis & Butt-Head, shows like South Park would probably never exist. Matt Stone & Trey Parker (creators of South Park) themselves said that they like Beavis & Butt-Head. And there would CERTAINLY be no King of the Hill without Beavis & Butt-Head. If you have seen little to no Beavis & Butt-Head in your life, then you are truly deprived of really funny comedy. Mike Judge (creator of Beavis & Butt-Head and King of the Hill) is a very funny person with very good ideas, and this movie proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

For those of you who don't know, Beavis & Butt-Head are two very stupid yet very funny teenagers who are completely perverted and who are obsessed with heavy metal bands such as AC/DC and Metallica. Their crazy antics affect their life at home, at school, at stores, and basically everywhere. If you don't think they are funny from just this description, buy this movie and your attitude will change COMPLETELY!

Beavis & Butt-Head Do America is basically Beavis & Butt-Head on a roadtrip across America. After their T.V. is stolen, they are somehow thrown into an international conspiracy dealing with two criminal masterminds and a virus that is inside a computer-chip-like object. While they are being thrown into all this, they are prooclaimed the most dangerous men in America. And while the FBI is after them, they are blissfully unaware of what is going on. I don't want to give away what actually happens in the movie, but I will say that their journey takes them from their home town of Highland to Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, a church, the Old Faithful geiser, the middle of a desert, and Washington D.C..

All in all, this movie is one of my favorite comedy movies of all time. This movie deserves a place right next to South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut in your personal VHS/DVD library. If you like comedy like South Park and The Simpsons, then you will definately like Beavis & Butt-Head and ultimately...Beavis & Butt-Head Do America.

HEHEHEHEHEHE HUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUH
I think like most people who have purchased this DVD are ike me, and love the movie, it truely is a classic comedy. But the DVD could have done with more bonus features.

I was hoping that maybe Mike Judge would do an Audio commentary? I could imagine quite clearly the opening credits rolling, and Mike saying that persons name, and then Beavis and Butthead saying somthign like "shes a s**t" and "I scored with her" and all the other classic things that Beavis and Butthead would say.

Plus there is apperently delted scenes that are not on this DVD. This movie is great. But the DVD should have more features then just a couple of trailers. ... Read more

Description

Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect, The Clearing) stars in this compelling murder-mystery set amid the murky underworld of illegal art trade.

Maggie Sheridan (Mirren), once one of the most famous blues voices of her generation, lost decades of her life to drinking and hard-living. After a failed suicide attempt, she was taken in by Sir Charles Stafford (Iain Cuthbertson, Antonia and Jane) and his son Sebastian (Iain Glen, Tomb Raider). She has lived quietly on their Irish estate for ten years. But one summer evening, her peaceful life is shattered when Sir Charles is brutally murdered, and a valuable sixteenth century painting is stolen. The painting is one of several disturbing pictures sent to Sir Charles marking the major events in his life.

Maggie is convinced that the stolen painting holds the key to Sir Charles' death and decides to track it down. Meanwhile, Sebastian uncovers a terrible secret, with horrific consequences. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Oh those zany 80's
I remember seeing this in 1987 at the theater. It was kind of embarrassing because there were like only ten people in there.

If you're looking for the zaniness of Ferris Bueller, this is right up your alley. Jerry Mitchell has to fight a school bully at three o'clock. He tries to pay off a huge jock to protect him, which ends up being film history's largest domino demonstration. He tries to get detention, but just ends up turning on his English teacher. Throw in a bratty little sister, a new age girlfriend, the 'perfect girl' and a nerd sidekick, and you got yourself an hour and a half of decent entertainment.

Hey we all had those butterflies in our stomach when we knew we had a fight set for after school, it's all apart of growing up. It just sucked when it happened first thing in the morning, so you had to dwell on it all day. So there's a little Jerry in all of us. Of course those were the 80's. For those too young to remember, teenagers would settle their differences with their fists, not guns. Hard to believe but it's true.

Notice how at the end of the movie, the whole school looks like the Roman Collusium or a scene out of Mad Max. Outrageous.

Great Teen Film
Ask any "child of the 80's" and they'll give you the usual list of classic "teen films" - Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, etc... But there's a good chance they'll fail to mention one that really stands out: Three O'Clock High. It takes place over the course of a single school day. Jerry Mitchell (Casey Siemaszko) is a nerdy, wimpy kid assigned to tackle a frightening assignemnt: write a school newspaper story on an incorrigible badass bully names Buddy Revell (Richard Tyson). Not knowing Buddy's temperamental nature, and inability to forgive a grudge, he gets Buddy upset enough to make him set up a fight after school. At three o'clock, natch. Jerry spends the day trying to avoid the confrontation with Buddy, and everything he tries simply gets him in trouble with school authorities, and with Buddy himself. And the moment of truth draws closer... Three O'Clock High is basically High Noon in high school, but it's done in such a fresh and interesting way. The cinematography is spare and clean, with some deft camera moves. The dialogue is pretty crisp, and occasionally hits the mark dead-on. It's surreal, but any recent ex-high schooler will easily recognize the "types" depicted here. END

Great comedy-drama, even better than da BREAKFAST CLUB!
To make one thing clear in front; THE BREAKFAST CLUB is one of those films I'll even love and won't get enough of, when I've even seen a thousand times! Because of its typical 80s-flair, and the great intense actings, it is for me one of the greatest films ever made!
Wouldn't there be THREE O`CLOCK HIGH - a laconic highschool-comedy-drama with a hilariously extravagant story and a standout in acting-qualities!
Casey Sziemasko has to match Richard Tyson in a fight he can't win! So he does anything to prevent the fight - funny, but also dramatic situations follow and in the end anything has to come how it had to come!

GO WATCH IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

If you like the 80's and movies like the Breakfast Club.....
...then Three O'Clock High is for you. I have an old VHS copy that I taped off of Starz or Encore many years ago and I haven't seen it on any of the movie channels for quite some time. Needless to say, my old VHS copy is worn out and I've gone in search for the DVD and I've found it!

I've watched this movie countless times as I've introduced it to my friends who hadn't saw it or even heard of it before I turned them on to it. Everyone I've shown the movie to has liked it. Many of the other reviews do a good job of describing who's in it and what the story is about. It's a movie I think a lot of people can relate to with their own experiences of high school.

It'll become one of those movies that you watch while you're not so sober too! Enjoy.

High Noon at Three P.M.
THREE O'CLOCK HIGH is a forgotten gem and one of the better high school teen movies from the 80's. Casey Siemaszko (BACK TO THE FUTURE, STAND BY ME) plays Jerry Mitchell who inadvertantly gets challenged to an after school fight with the new kid in school, Buddy Revell (Richard Tyson -KINDERGARTEN COP, BLACKHAWK DOWN). Buddy is mean, moody, huge, and probably has a questionable past. This happens practically at the beginning of the school day so the film focuses on Jerry's activites the rest of the day leading up to the time of the fight. He gets in all kinds of funny predicaments (at some of his classes, and at the student supply store which he runs and operates) trying to figure out how to get out of the fight. In the meantime the rest of the school finds out and want to be there (at the school parking lot). The audience is allowed to watch, along with Jerry, the school clock(s)and see his 'life' ticking away. There are many twists and turns involved including a scene where the two meet up again at a math class (actually sitting next to each other) and Jerry helps Buddy cheat on a math quiz. The film could have been predictable, but the fight does insue and it is handled with good direction, care and timing. The filmakers let Jerry hold his own against Buddy with a great and amusing payoff. Then, part of the ending is taken straight out of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. Genuinely, a smart movie with some interesting camera work, good production values, a good performance by Casey Siemaszko and a good supporting cast which includes veterans Jeffrey Tambor (AND JUSTICE FOR ALL) and John P. Ryan (THE RIGHT STUFF). Note: Look for Mitch Pileggi (Agent Skinner from the X-FILES) as the school security guard. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Peter O'Toole (Lawrence of Arabia, My Favorite Year) gives an exuberant performance in High Spirits. Peter Plunkett (O'Toole) hopes to save his mortgaged castle by turning it into a tourist attraction--the most haunted castle in Ireland. When American tourists arrive--among them Jack (Steve Guttenberg) and Sharon (Beverly D'Angelo), a couple whose marriage is rapidly disintegrating--Plunkett's tomfoolery arouses the real ghosts, who decide to give these interlopers everything they're asking for. But when Jack accidentally helps a beautiful ghost named Mary (Daryl Hannah), she decides he's the man to help her break the curse she's been suffering for 200 years. High Spirits is an odd foray into comedy by director Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire). The special effects are clumsy, but the strong supporting cast includes Jennifer Tilly, Peter Gallagher, and Liam Neeson as Mary's murderous 200-year-old husband. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Still Delightful After All These Years
High Spirits is the kind of movie that the whole family can enjoy. Although the title would indicate that this may be a ghost story, there is nothing to fear. The ghost sequences are only the slightest bit "creepy" and soon lose all their edge when we meet the ghosts themselves. (Liam Neeson and Daryl Hannah) Most folks would probably not mind being haunted by one of these two!

This movie has two BIG things going for it. Number one is the cast, all of whom just shine. Big names of Guttenberg, Hannah, Neeson, D'angelo and most notably O'toole can almost guarantee a good time. Peter O'toole, as always, is especially endearing.

The other thing this movie has is pure charm. Its a good old fashioned almost disneyesque kind of film. Its a love story with enough fun in it to keep everybody entertained. Its MAIN charm comes from the setting. A quaint old "haunted" Irish castle where the servants have a beautiful old fashioned brogue. I found myself wishing I was there on several ocassions. Some will say it is insipid and has no social value. This is true. Its just good old fashioned movie fun. Sit back, kick off your shoes and enjoy. :)

Fabulous Phantoms!
Despite the critics views, I love this movie.... Peter O'Toole is wonderful as a titled Irishman trying to keep his family castle by infesting it with home-made ghosts (the castle staff) to attract an international, phantom-following clietele. A bickering couple from America (Steve Guttenberg and Beverly D'Angelo) discover that there really are authentic ghostly denizens of the castle (Liam Neeson and Daryl Hannah--- he murdered her 200 years before in a fit of jealous passion, and they are doomed repeatedly to reenact the event)-- Steve Guttenberg falls for Daryl, and Liam is randy for Beverly D'Angelo. Peter O'Toole's relationship with his dear old deceased Dad-- wonderful... Entertaining(at times hilarious!), engaging and original; A Might-Have-Been-Great, but still WAY Entertaining movie--- and one I was lucky enough to find on video!

My favorite movie of all time.
It really is! I think everyone has that one movie they never tire of watching whether it's an Oscar winner or not and this is mine. When life gets me down I can pop this DVD in and get lost in this wonderful haunted castle. No other movie I've found has so much "castle" ambiance. I love the large cast as well, only wish more time was spent portaying the wacky Irish staff. Watching it for the first time on my 60" widescreen was a double delight in that all the background detail unnoticed on a smaller set becomes evident, adding new dimension to the film. I even plan on visiting Castle Dromore someday which is the castle this movie was set in. It really is a shame that Neil Jordan's career began a downward spiral after this movie was released with such terrible reviews. Gutenberg and Hannah were probably the real reasons for the bad reviews, not the direction. Luckily he made a comeback years later with another favorite of mine, Interview with a Vampire. Any fan of castles or 80's comedy will really enjoy this one.

Indescribably funny
To save his castle from becoming an attraction in Malibu, Peter Plunkett (Peter O'Toole) came up with a scheme to turn the castle into castle most haunted in the area. Unknown to him is that the castle is haunted and visitors are really really really going to find out just how haunted it is. And if that is not enough Martin Brogan (Liam Neeson) had warts, his feet stank, and he squished.

Be sure to purchas the MGM DVD and not the poor quality Video Treasures VHS

O'Toole and Cast are hilarious!!
This is one of the funniest films I've ever seen. Peter O'Toole and this amazing cast have cooked up a class-act comedy with lots of spooks galore. A must have for the comic collector! ... Read more

Reviews (68)

An actress way out of her depth
As a public service to high school students who has been assigned to read The Scarlet Letter and decided to watch this movie to cheat, I have one word of advice: don't. (Unless you are certain that your teacher majored in secondary education instead of a real subject.In that case, go ahead. She or he won't know the difference.) This film has only the most tenuous connection with the Hawthorne novel. The novel was a study in contrasts between the hypocrisy of the Puritan clergy, people as superstitious, arrogant, and self-righteous as Hollywood types with causes, and the nobility and courage of a "fallen woman" willing to undergo public humiliation to protect someone she loves. This is, instead, a romance novel, a bad romance novel, on film. As far as I can tell, the new-and-improved plot exists mostly to give Demi Moore a excuse to get rolled in the hay. Her ability to fake (I assume) an orgasm is impressive, and she cries on command very well. Other than that her performance was embarrassing to watch. She really ought not to attempt period pieces. They often require acting. The only reason I didn't hit the eject button about a third of the way through was the fine supporting cast whose performances only heighten the contrast with Ms Moore. There are actors and actresses, and there are movie stars; Ms Moore is the latter. (Why is it that so many British actresses can do flawless American accents and most Hollywood stars do British accents so badly it is like listening to fingernails on a blackboard?) Unless your erotic recreation requires the juxtaposition of barns, petticoats, and fear of the authorities, skip this one.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?!
I read all of the reviews for this film and even amazon trashed it! Here is my question. If you read the book, and you know that whenever they turn a book into a movie it's going to be an obvious abomination, what the hell are you expecting. Cast all preconceived notions aside and just enjoy the flick! The Scarlet Letter was a wonderfully acted and directed spectacle for the eyes. I am not really what you would consider a "Demi Moore fan" but I think she did a remarkable job here. The scene where Matumba is bathing is enriched with metaphorical images that strikes a chord in the imagination department, all the while as the movie's integral scene is taking place between Demi and Gary Oldham, is this not cinematic splendour? Yes I will admit, I never read the book, maybe that is why I enjoyed Scarlet. Overall, this is a descent movie. It takes you back in time and lets you relive the puritan hell days on earth, all over again. A great Thanksgiving movie, wouldn't you say?

We still love you Demi!

Oldman does it again!
Not a big fan of Romance movies, but a sucker for anything Oldman stars in, I bought this DVD without ever having read the first thing about it. And once more? I cannot say I was dissappointed.

The story is about Hester Prynne (Demi Moore), a young wife who travels to the new world to prepare for her husband's arrival. She ends up in a conservative community, who are rather shocked with her modern ways of dealing with certain things.

When Hester's husband travels to the new world, he is believed to be murdered by the Indians. She falls in love with the Reverend Dimmsdale (Oldman), whose feelings match hers. Out of their love, a child is conceived. However, since her husband hasn't been proven dead, the child is seen by the community as being born out of wedlock.

The conservative and very religious communion demands Hester to name the father of the child, which she denies. She's locked up in prison and has her baby there, while Dimmsdale is torn over whether to step forward as the baby's father.

Hester then is freed but ordered to walk around town wearing a Scarlet Letter 'A', which is meant to belittle her whereever she goes.

Shortly after the child is born, her husband (Robert Duvall) suddenly reappears, and tries to incite the indians (whom he befriended) to act against the community. Single-handedly, he manages to offset the fragile peace that was between the two peoples.

Moore doesn't do too bad of a job as Hester, Duvall is good as the husband, but Oldman still manages to steal the show. All in all, even though I don't enjoy romances, the movie managed to keep me amused.

Scarlet Letter
Although the movie veered off from where the book went, I found that, differently from the book, the movie focused more on the intimacy between Hester and Dimmsdale (which for the hopeless romantics out there like me-- is a perk!) I loved the actor who plays Dimmsdale and Demi Moore comes through with a strong performace as well.

Letter "S" for sizzling!
Demi Moore is an early American colonist who loses her husband in a Native American attack. She seeks a new soulmate with the town doctor. She gets pregnant out of wedlock which is deemed sinful b