Reviews (1)

the best ever
This movie is so great. I loved it since the day it came out. I have been looking for it everywhere. If you have not seen this movie yet, then you're missing out. ... Read more

Description

White Oleander chronicles the life of Astrid (Alison Lohman), a young teenager who journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) goes to prison for committing a crime of passion. Set adrift in the world, Astrid struggles to become her own person while coming to terms with the challenges of living life on her own. ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Memorable Performances in a Highly Dramatized Movie
White Oleander, featuring Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman, is the movie based on the book by Janet Fitch. Viewers of the Oprah Winfrey daytime television show and readers will recall that this book was one of Oprah's book club selections. Now this compelling and disturbing book has been brought to the silver screen in what many viewers will agree was an intriguing and well-crafted movie. And rarely, if ever in my opinion, has a movie been so finely done or as faithful to the book as was done in this movie. In addition the cast was well chosen and the performances are creatively superb, handling a most difficult subject.

Michelle Pfeiffer, in the lead role, plays Ingrid Magnusson, a single parent and artist who is raising her adolescent daughter Astrid played by Alison Lohman. Ingrid is an incredibly selfish woman with a Bohemian lifestyle who treats Astrid more like a friend than her child. While Ingrid's life is dictated by her passions and whims, Astrid is merely a bystander to the lifestyle Ingrid dictates for them. When she is angered by the rejection of her current lover and while Astrid sits in their car, Ingrid poisons her lover with the inner juice of a white oleander plant ultimately killing this man. When Ingrid is arrested by the police, Astrid is removed from their home by social services and becomes a ward of the state. Now the focus of the movie shifts from Astrid as Ingrid's daughter and work in progress to Astrid, a child who will become much too familiar with the foster care system in Southern California. Unfortunately for Astrid, the foster homes she stays in are less than happy situations for her and she also must contend with Ingrid's views of her foster mothers as she goes from home to home, learning more about the seamier side of life than any child should have to learn at this pivotal time in her life. And all the while Astrid remains loyal to Ingrid as she continues to be subjected to her when she visits Ingrid in prison.

This is a movie populated mainly by an all female cast. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Ingrid with a mixture of anger and compassion about her situation and Astrid's circumstances. And both Renee Zellwegger and Robin Wright Penn shine as two very different types of foster mothers who greatly influence Astrid's life. But if the movie belongs to one actor it is Astrid played by Alison Lohman who shines as the confused young woman forced to face life as an adult way before her time. And the last scene as Astrid becomes an artist in her own right and creates valises filled with the faces and objects of her life which remains with the viewer long after the movie ends.

I found this to be an excellent movie especially since I read the book. The director and other associates are to be commended for tastefully presenting a difficult subject to the audience in such a fine manner. One is left with a feeling of hope that Astrid, despite her early difficulties will succeed as an adult.

doesn't live up to the power of the book
A film by Peter Kosminsky

"White Oleander" is the story of one girl's experience through the foster care system as she learns who she is, what she wants, and who she does not want to be. This is the story of Astrid (Alison Lohman), a 15 year old girl who is living with her mother, Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer). Ingrid is an "artist", with all of the pretensions that you can stereotype onto one character. Ingrid believes the way she does and anyone who does not believe as she does (about anything) is being intellectually dishonest. She encourages Astrid to think for herself, but it seems only if that means that Astrid's conclusions agree with Ingrid. Things would probably stay as they are, but when Ingrid is arrested for murder, Astrid is put into foster care and the movie truly begins.

Astrid spends relatively brief stays with several foster homes. We see her at the home of Starr (Robin Wright Penn), a white trash born again Christian who speaks about Jesus an awful lot, but may not live like a Christian. Problems arise, and Astrid is moved to the orphanage to another home, that of Claire (Renee Zellweger). Claire is, to Astrid's view, the perfect foster mother. But, like before, something happens and she is moved to another home, that of Rena (Svetlana Efremova). Rena is an immigrant (from Russia?) and is entirely about making money. Through each of the stays in a foster home, Astrid is blending her personality with that of the foster mother, trying to figure out who she is. While this is happening, Astrid stays in touch with her mother and this is where we see the most growth for Astrid, in how she interacts with her mother.

It is not fair to compare a movie with the book which it is based on because they are two entirely different forms of media, but sometimes a brief comparison needs to be mentioned. The film is filled with talented actresses and they turn in fine performances, but the film is missing "something" that keeps it from being a truly excellent film. The novel has a lot of emotional power that the film lacks (though there is one scene in particular that is very powerful, closer to the end of the film). That power is part of the "something" that is missing. There is nothing that is actually wrong with the film (despite some complaints with the ending), and it is competent, but it is simply not special at all. Alison Lohman, on the other hand, is an actress to watch.

Stick to Tea
Men covet the hunt and women desire the perfect nest, so when we see a story about women and these women suffer in melodramatic fashion, we say this is a "Chick Flick." The men leave the room to drink beer in the garage. Well "White Oleander" did not threaten my burly manhood. I found the story compelling. I rooted for young teen, Alison Lohman. Her mother, Michelle Pfeiffer poisons a lover in a jealous rage. Consequently mom is arrested and gets 30 years in the slammer. Alison is shuttled from foster home to orphanage. Alison falls for the man toy of a Jesus freak and gets shot. Then terror girls at the orphanage jump her and she gets even. Renee Zellweger is L.A. as a substitute mom even if she is suicidal. The final foster home is all drugs and punk. So we see Allison morph from innocence to a worldly punk chick. Pfeiffer has a Feminist-Goddess hold on her daughter even from prison and her daughter must break away. This is the weakest part of the story, muddled. After all, mom should have kept her feminist panties on and her poison Oleander in the garden.

Bad movie!
This movie was very superficial, we don't feel it real, it go to one situation to another without exploring it enough.

...
It's a terrible representation of foster care, but a great representation of a child trying to shake away from the grips of an overbearing mother. Astrid, the main character, is desprately trying to find herself, but having difficulty as her mother, who has been sent to jail for murder, tries to control her from behind bars.

Astrid's mother is a sick and manipulative woman. That's one thing you know right off the bat. She claims to be an artist, but she knows nothing about true beauty. She claims to be protecting her daughter, but she really doesn't care either way. She claims to want her daughter to think for herself, but in reality, she tries desperitly to do all her thinking for her.

This movie has very interesting characters. Watching Astrid go from a fairly naive girl to a hardened woman is disturbing, but understandable. All in all, it's a good movie. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Brilliant ERIC Roberts
So you thought Julia Roberts had all the talent in the family? Think again, and see "It's My Party" if you want proof positive that Eric, her brother, deserves the same level of praise and attention. A shattering performance that was grossly overlooked in 1996, Roberts plays the central character, dying from AIDS with dignity and self-determination that is so rarely captured ANYWHERE it's often astounding to the viewer to get through. If you thought "Terms of Endearment" was a terrific film, you might dislike the honesty and wrenching sincerity of this movie. There is little room for self-disdain here, or sadness. Rather, what erupts throughout is pure emotional awareness....Roberts captures so many dimensions of a dying man, you're celebrating AND reflecting at once. There is also an incredible supporting cast and special kudos to Harrison, Newton-John, and Cho. A real family film - see it and share it with the people you love. A note to the studio - how about a DVD release with some behind-the-scenes extras and perhaps even some reflections from the lovely Julia Roberts on her brother's extraordinary turn

Don't waste your time
A few weeks ago, I attempted to watch this movie with a small group of friends. We had all read the summary on the back of the case, and though it sounded good. We were wrong. While the basic story has potential, the presentation is extremely melodramatic. The acting is terrible, and the writing even worse. This is, without a doubt, among the worst movies I have ever seen.

Powerful film, inspired by true events
IT'S MY PARTY (USA 1996): In the last few days before an AIDS-related brain tumor renders him insensible, a young LA designer (Eric Roberts) decides to end his own life, though not before throwing a final joyous bash for family and loved ones. However, the occasion is strained by the arrival of Roberts' former lover (Gregory Harrison), seeking reconciliation at the eleventh hour...

Though heartfelt and moving, Randal Kleiser's powerful film - inspired by actual events - feels a little fragmented and plays like a reunion of his closest showbiz friends (the cast is a veritable who's-who of familiar faces), anchored firmly by Harrison and Roberts in the central roles. Their former relationship is outlined briefly at the start of the film, too briefly for the subsequent break-up to register as anything more than a minor event, though their love for one another is conveyed with real strength and conviction. Roddy McDowall essays the voice of conscience during a brief cameo appearance in which he questions the ethics of suicide, but his character's conservative views are given short shrift by Kleiser's defiant screenplay, which uses a sprinkling of mordant humor to keep mawkishness at bay (at one point, Roberts and his best friend [Bronson Pinchot, camping it up with abandon] launch into a rousing rendition of "It's my party/And I'll die if I want to"!). Viewers are advised, however, that the final twenty minutes are relentlessly, heartbreakingly sad. Amongst the high-profile supporting players, look fast for Nina Foch, Sally Kellerman, Greg Louganis, Steve Antin and a virtually unrecognizable Dennis Christopher and Christopher Atkins.

Sound and picture on MGM/UA's DVD are uniformly fine, and the extras include extended/deleted scenes, a trailer, and an audio commentary with director, cast and crew which goes into greater detail about the 1992 events which inspired the movie.

109m 35s
1.85:1 / Anamorphically enhanced
DVD soundtrack: Dolby 5.1
Theatrical soundtracks: DTS
Optional English subtitles and closed captions
Region 1

Yes it is Moving, But Geez is it ever Depressing
As a rule, if you are a gay male, you are suppose to support any independent type gay film thrust upon you. I have yet to be impressed with these art house gay themed films (with the exception of "Monster"). This one is no exception.
Yes the story is written well. Yes the message is deep. Yes it will make you cry and blah blah blah.
Why do gay films depict the main characters as either drag queens, tramps, or suffering from disease?
Maybe I don't like this film because it was disturbing in the true depiction of what an AIDS victim could possibly face. Or the flashbacks of others that have died in the film. Or the shallow lover that abandons the sick main character. I don't know, it isn't a bad film, it is just horribly depressing and not a film I ever care to watch again.
Why can't the next gay film embrace life, not death. Embrace love, not break-ups. Embrace happiness, not sadness?
Olivia Newton-John sings a beautiful song over the ending credits, if you watch the film, leave the credits rolling to witness this moving song.

Great performances enhance a timely story!
I came upon this little-known film by accident the other evening and it was a discovery that I was glad to have made. As has previously been stated, Eric Roberts portrays "Nick" who has been living an idyllic existence with his partner "Brandon", portrayed by Gregory Harrison. Suddenly, their lives are turned inside out when Nick is diagnosed with AIDS. Brandon is unable to cope with the revelation and begins to distance himself from his friend. The strain on the relationship caused them to have a permanent and ugly separation.

One year later, as the disease begins to progress to its eventual fatal end, Nick decides to throw a "bash" for his himself, as well as his family and friends. Nick also intends on taking his own life because prior to his mind and body's deterioration.

Nick's family and friends all come with the exception of the unknowing Brandon. Margaret Cho, playing one of Nick's friends, intercedes and seeks out Brandon, telling him about his former lover's intentions. During the party, Brandon appears and amidst the celebration, he and Nick briefly reconcile.

The final meeting between the two is poignant as well as celebratory.

As far as the performances are concerned, the principals are superb. Why Roberts did not attain the heights, as his better-known sibling, Julia, is unfathomable. He is quite good as the dying Nick.

Harrison is appropriately confused and compassionate as one that must deal with his own guilt and the mortality of someone with whom he had planned to share his life.

Lee Grant, as Nick's mom, is brilliant, showing why she has been one of the most under appreciated actresses of the past fifty years.

With a supporting cast of Bronson Pinchot, George Segal, Bruce Davison, Marlee Matlin, Olivia Newton-John (who supplies the song heard over the closing credits), Roddy McDowall (in one of his last roles), and a cameo appearance by acting legend Nina Foch (as Brandon's mother), the film has the clout to be one of the best ensemble cast in recent years.

It's too bad that this well-made film came and went with little fanfare and seems now relegated to late night on cable televsion.

The film is powerful and deserving of wider viewership. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

TIG OL BITTYS (Think about it)
Pam gets naked. Nuff said.

One of the best
This movie was good because Pam was in it, it has a few good scenes in it, but overall it was pretty good. It shows a few good and steamy pam scenes in it, there are a few good riding scenes and some good sex scenes, but over all a good flick

The 2 stars are for Pam's body
This movie is very bad. If not for a very young, often nude Pam Anderson, it would be a total waste of time.

Snapdragon: A sexy suspense-thriller
Pamela Anderson Lee makes her best performance in this gripping thriller about the investigation of a serial killer (Anderson). If you enjoy good cop movies, you'll love this one. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Well written story
This film set on the beaches of Brittany, is an engaging story that shows the pleasure and pain of adolcence. During the summer of 1958 two sisters, 13 and 8, are too much for their governess too handle. There spirited antics take them from pranks to real trouble. But neither of the girls are ready for the path that their mother has chosen. Diane Kurys did a wounderful job directing this film.

Coming of age adventure at Brittany's Beaches...
During the late 50s Frédérique and Sophie, two sisters 13 and eight years old, are sent with a governess to spend their summer in Brittany. Their parents never disclose why they are not going to Brittany with them, but the secret cannot be kept from the children. As the film unfolds the children commit several shenanigans when failing parental supervision surrounds them, however, one day Frédérique trips on the secret of why the parents did not come with them to Brittany it changes her view of life. C'est La Vie is an interesting "coming of age" film where the audience follows the summer of two young girls containing friends, love, adventure, and betrayal. The story intrigues through humor and tragedy, which ends up being a pleasing cinematic experience. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Spencer Tracy gives a great performance.
In these times where ignorance (high school high is an example) is produced for the public to consume, and special effects are the driving force in many movies, it is very pleasing to watch a movie where the message is positive. The old man & the sea is a story of an aged fisherman living in Cuba who finds himself not only chasing a giant Marlin, but himself. He has reached a point in his life where he has almost lost hope in himself and in life. The ironic point is that although he landed and brought the fish back to shore, it was devoured by a group of sharks. He showed people his luck did not wear out, only that persistence (hard work) pays does pay off. If only he had a bigger boat... If you are interested in another great performance, see "Going My Way" starring Bing Crosby who won an academy award for best actor for the movie.

Eighty-Four Straight Days Without A Fish
Santiago is an aged Cuban fisherman who has not caught any fish for eighty-four straight days. Because he is considered unlucky by the other villagers, the young boy who usually assists Santiago is told by his parents to join a luckier boat which has recently been catching some fish.

On the eighty-fifth day Santiago sets out alone and after a while he hooks a huge marlin. Most of the rest of the movie is about Santiago's struggle with the marlin and his battles with attacking sharks which are trying to eat the big fish. The story is also about Santiago's relationship with the boy who cares for the old man both before and after his epic voyage. The boy is indebted to Santiago for all that he has learned from him about fishing. Santiago is a widower and childless.

Much of the film shows Santiago alone at sea struggling with the marlin. In other words the movie is mostly focused on Spencer Tracy who does an excellent job of holding the viewer's interest.

In spite of Tracy's great performance, however, I still think that Anthony Quinn would have been a better choice for the role of Santiago - except for the fact that Quinn was fifteen years younger than Tracy.

The script closely follows Hemingway's novel which makes the movie even more remarkable.

A mythical cycle!
Hemingway decide to make an apparent simple story when in reality , he would write one of his most emblematic and passionate works.
Santiago is a simple man . In all his life nothing has happened , a flat life in the middle of this fisher community.
Suddenly the fate's call comes for him . 84 days in the sea Ñ twelve weeks without getting any important piece.
This means the unavoidable journey , the invisible conflicy between the man and the nature . You have to realize that the sea has been for this single fisherman a friend and a silent lover and witeness of his miseries and hopeless.
Suddenly he catchs a gorgeous piece; a beauty blue needle fish. His triumph deserved all the hunger since three months he left his home. This means the epic fight. But the long arm of the fate smiled him just for a brief moment , the sharks will appear and the tragedy begins .
Now Santiago has to fight to preserve his piece . The fight is inhuman and awful , he must leave that zone and keep the fish .
More than a fish you've killed a man replies in loud voice our simple man.
When our hero arrives to the coast he's another man . He won the combat and no matter there were no witeness . The life in many times it's capricious , but you must never give up . You must follow your bliss , no matter how high be the prize you pay.
Spencer Tracy made a top knotch performance with this one.
The film keeps its inner force and the spirit of the original novel, since its release forty six years ago.
Watch this movie . It goes far beyond than a simple entertaining !
Dazzling direction and obviously who can fail with a script like this one?
A cult movie !

the old man and the sea review
Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea is a story about an old sea fisherman and his struggle with a greatest fish he has ever seen. The story takes place on the coast of Cuba in a small fishing village. Due to the fact he has not caught a fish in eighty-four days, his young apprentice is forced to go fish in a more prosperous boat. Although the book seems to have a simple plot, there is a lot of symbolism and the ending was interesting.
Some criticize The Old Man and the Sea for dragging on, but the character development only makes it more interesting to find out what happens. The main character, Santiago, is modest and keeps up hope despite his circumstance. His willingness to keep on, even despite his outcome, is moving.
Hemingway's style of writing also creates a detailed environment. The plot may be too straightforward but what it lacks, it makes up for rich detail. The way Hemingway depicts man's battle with nature makes it a good book to read.
The symbolism in the book is hard to read at first. As the book goes on, Hemingway uses more and more words that link Santiago to Christ and are very hard to miss. During the old man's battle with the fish, fishing cable cuts his palms. When carrying a mast across his shoulders in the village, images of Christ's march to Calgary can be related.
I would suggest this book to almost anyone over fifteen. The book is short (around a hundred pages) and straightforward. Although it has such a simple plot, the symbolism is a little more difficult to understand. Writing in short declarative sentences, Hemingway's style of writing makes it harder to read.

First Movie with a Saving The Planet Message.
When I first saw this movie, I thought this was an early save the planet movie. Well In addition to Spencer Tracy's powerful performance as a fisherman trying to catch the Marlan, there is also a lot of natural/wildlife photography in it that serves as the background for the movie and it's quite extensive for a 1958 film. I heard that Hemmingway really enjoyed the outdoor world, well this movie certainly had plenty of the natural world to show of. ... Read more

Description

Joey works with Rosalie in their pizza parlor. She is convinced that he works all of the time for them and her world dissolves when she finds that he has been fooling around for years. So she, her mother and her best friend decide to kill him. Hopelessly incompetent as killers, they hire incompetent professionals as they beat, poison, and shoot Joey who remains oblivious to their attempts.An ensemble cast starring Academy Award® winner Kevin Kline,Tracey Ullman, Academy Award® winner Joan Plowright, River Phoenix, Academy Award® winner William Hurt, and Keanu Reeves. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

True love just won't die ¿ no matter how hard you try!
Watch this with someone who knows you well enough to appreciate that awful, embarrassing snort-laugh you have when you can't catch your breath. This movie has put a nice twist on the jealous wife who wants to murder her cheating husband. Who'd think it could be funny! The characters aren't polite or glossy, they're down-to-earth and hilariously direct. Watching these actors chew up the scenery is a treat. Tracy Ulman really does nearly love Kevin Kline to death, enthusiastically assisted by loved ones Joan Plowright and River Phoenix and two hopelessly high hit men, William Hurt and Keanu Reeves, who can't (and never will) get it right. Everyone concerned does a terrific job and you may just find yourself liking these unlikely but endearing characters. Just like Joey and Rosalee, there's no accounting for what you love-you just do.

Far Under-Rated Comedy..
I saw this movie shortly after it's release on HBO in the earliy '90s. It has a full fledge cast that just make it superb to watch. Kevin Kline as Joey the Pizzaria Owner, who just can't get enough women, and is soo fun loving. Tracy Ullman plays his wife Rosalee, who loves her husband soo much, she would rather kill him than share him with any other woman. Joan Plowright plays Rosalee's Mother, who has a nack for mechanical work and it's nothing for her to be working on a carbortor at the Dinner Table at a restaraunt while the family is dinnig out. River Phoenix plays the boy who works at the Pizzaria, and is deeply in love with Rosalee, so much so,that he is willing to aid her in knocking off her husband, only after the futile attempts from Rosalee and her Mom. After he fails, they call in a couple of bargin basement junkies,(William Hurt & Keanu Reeves) from the local tavern to finish the job, but even they can't seem to pull it off. It's just one good laugh after another. I wore out my VHS Tape and then got the Laser Disc. I was happy to discover that it has been released on DVD!

Also, I believe that this is based on a true story as well!!

SITCOM-STYLE COMEDY OF MISADVENTURES WITH APPEALING CAMEOS..
I take off one star for the somewhat slight theme based on the true but quaint counter-intuitive romance of a couple whose marriage was revitalized after the wife almost succeeded in murdering her husband.

But it comes with some brilliant cameos from some big names: Kline as an Italian pizza shop owner, William Hurt and Keanu Reeves as spaced out druggies, Plowright a staunch mother with a thick Yugoslavian accent and extremely funny, and an absolutely pivotal wife's role played by Ulman, who finds the stubborn vindictiveness inside her character, sunny and trusting one moment and unforgiving and brutal the next.

It's not an astounding comedy and some gags are hit-and-miss, but as a saving grace the film is well-paced. The DVD I got features trailers for three other movies (go figure) but I still recommend this one as a decent rental.

Yes, I Love You All to Death!
There are some films of which you should never be critical on details but should just sit back and enjoy what the film gives you. gI Love You to Deathh is the best one of such kind. Oh, yes, having watched it for many, many times, it never fails to give me fresh bliss every time I watch it!

Why this film is so excellent is obvious: it has a shiny set of brilliant, extraordinary and adorable characters that are played by the gorgeous-like-chandelier actors. My personal favorite of all these stars is, of course, Marlon, the a-bit-moronic-but-lovable drug addict turned gtoo-sweet-to-killh killer, played by Keanu Reeves with drastic hair-do and off-beat fashion sense.

And, you got to see this Joey (Kevin Kline), the womaniser pizza shop owner, who broke his faithful wife, Rosalie (Tracey Ullman)fs heart so devastatingly that she decides to kill him. One problem here is, he is not a human! Seriously! He works 14 to 15 hours a day, 7 days a week, never sleeps more than two or three hours a night. And still has surplus energy (or hormones, maybe?) to go out with a different woman every night! Personally, I would like to kill him just because he eats like an excessively greedy elephant yet gain no weight at all!! That ability alone is intolerable for all women, not to mention his outrageously frequent adultery. But, still, Rosalie loves him so much that she wants him to die but not to be hurt!? !

To see other countless jewel moments that make you burst to laugh, smile, mad and moved, and to witness how on earth you can ever kill this monstrously superhuman-like cheeky Italian guy, you definitely got to see this yourself.

Everyone becomes happy in the end including ones who have been watching. Once I tried it when I was extremely depressed and found myself still be able to laugh and love. For that quality, gI Love You to Deathh is undoubtedly irreplaceable treasure to me.

A classic finally arrives on DVD!!
I've been waiting for years for this to come out on DVD. I won't recap the story, because most people have already heard it. Just want to say that the DVD version offers both wide-screen and full-screen versions. There's nothing in the way of extras, which was a little disappointing--I would have loved to have seen something about the real-life couple that inspired this movie. But I was just so excited to get my hands on this DVD, it's one of those movies that not many people heard of, but don't forget once they've seen it. And you'll never be able to take Keanu Reeves seriously again, no matter how many times you see him in the Matrix!! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

90210 Dvd Debut!
So many petitions on the web have been crying out for 90210 to be released on DVD. Well its finally happened but not to the large scale everyone was hoping. Still one dvd release is better than nothing.

If enough people buy this DVD, then companies will take notice and begin to develop the Seasons everyone so dearly craves, converting them onto DVD for enjoyment.

This DVD is brilliant featuring the original pilot in its best form yet. The picture and sound have never been so finely tuned for a 90210 episode from season 1 which were always medicore in quality... UNTIL NOW!!!

You have the FULL cast featuring in this 90 minute pilot with the only exception being Luke Perry who plays Dylan. He is introduced in the second episode which follows the pilot. I can only hope that Season 1 will be released soon so we can all witness his big introduction into the show.

It's taken ages for this show to be released, dont follow the companies example and hesitate into whether you really want to purchase 90210 on DVD. JUST DO IT!

90210 FANS COME TOGETHER!~
First of all, it is NOT action packed, full of extra's and contains original music, like we'd all like. BUT THE POINT IS....... THEY HAVE PUT A 90210 product on DVD!!!! The more that are purchased may enhance our chances of ever seeing the entire series on DVD. I know a huge reason they havem't made the series on dvd yet is because all the music in all the episodes, and that would cause liscensing problems. If you are a TRUE 90210 fan, you will buy this simply to support any chance of them releasing the series in our lifetime. And I'm sure when they do, those box sets will include extras and fun stuff, but this is JUST the pilot episode, so you already know what you're gonna get, (if you've already seen the pilot.) One more note, on the cover of my now most favorite dvd, did anyone else notice they super-imposed Doug Emerson's head over top Luke Perry's body? Simply because "Dylan" isn't in the pilot, and "Scott" is. Sigh..... (Luke was HOOOOTTTTT!~ )Anyways, buy the dvd if you want to start your 90210 dvd collection, because I have faith in the powers that be that they WILL evetally put the series out. And when they do I'll buy every single season. WORD.

90210 on DVD!
One day in the near future...COULD WE PLEASE get 90210....all 10 seasons on DVD. I know a ton that would purchase them. They are a collectors. I grew up with this show. I could watch it everyday and never get bored.. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, I beg of you. PUT 90210 on DVD - You will make millions happy....and me!!! Good start with the pilot...but, lets keep going....lets get Season 1 out...!!!!

Please put it on DVD!
Hi,

i am really waiting for the producers to put the whole 10 seasons on DVD. It was so successful! Everything else is on DVD - why not 90210??? And please put it out in germany too! :-)

I grew up watching 90210 every saturday afternoon and i really would like to have it forever in my own collection.....

Jessie

French version PLZ
Hello, i'm french and i would like to order this DVD in French Version or with French Subtitles

Please do it for French people !!!

Merci beaucoup ... Read more

Amazon.com

The jaunty rhythms of Irving Berlin drive Alexander's Ragtime Band,an epic musical from 1938 that follows the up-and-down romance of a youngbandleader (Tyrone Power, Witness for the Prosecution) and thesinger he loves (Alice Faye, Tin Pan Alley) over decades. Theirjourney from a San Francisco honky-tonk to mass popularity is marked byclassic songs like "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning," "Blue Skies,""A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," "Easter Parade," and the title track.Power and Faye are a little bland, but the supporting cast--includingDon Ameche (Midnight), Jack Haley (the Tin Woodsman from TheWizard of Oz), and a very young Ethel Merman--give the movie some realpersonality, as do a few wild dance numbers. At the end, the movie becomessurprisingly suspenseful and even a little touching. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Stunning tribute to some of Irving Berlin's very best
"Alexander's Ragtime Band" is wonderful entertainment in so many different ways and its chief fame rests undoubtedly on the fact that it provided a perfect showcase for almost two dozen Irving Berlin tunes that have gone down into musical history. Who can forget the magical "Blue Skies", and of course the celebrated title tune "Alexander's Ragtime Band". Twentieth Century Fox pulled all the stops out with this 1838 production not only providing Irving Berlin with a stunning showcase for his musical genius but with an opulent no expense spared tribute to the enduring talents of lead performers Tyrone Power and Alice Faye.

Tyrone Power has the lead role of Nob Hill raised Roger Grant ne: Alexander, an earnest young conductor in 1911 San Francisco committed to the elevation of swing as a musical force in its own right. The story covers over 3 decades as we see his rise and fall and rise again as his fortunes change with each passing decade. In particular the focus is on his love/hate, on again/off again relationship with the band's lead singer Stella Kirby (Alice Faye)a brassy saloon singer from the Barbary Coast with no refinement but alot of energy and a great talent. Their's is a tumultous relationship which sees them unwillingly thrown together in their work, through a veiled attraction to each other, to separation by war, to Stella developing refinement and then finding fame in New York as a solo singer through to her unhappy marriage to a member of the Band Charlie Dwyer (Dom Ameche in another underrated performance) Of course the resolution at the conclusion is a happy one with the pair being finally reunited in a rousing rendition at Carnegie Hall of, you guessed it "Alexander's Ragtime Band"!

Having just previously worked together in Fox's classic "In Old Chicago", Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche were by this stage a well oiled team of professionals that were as effective in period dramas as they were in this production. Alice Faye in particular has a real showcase in this production with her development from the loud saloon singer into a world acclaimed artist in her own right.Her unusual deep smoky singing style in particular really suits the tunes she performs here. In particular her rendition of "Blue Skies" is unforgettable and really is the most memorable song used here. Tyrone Power was just reaching his peak when "Alexander's Ragtime Band", went into production. His stylish good looks often hide the fact that his was a fine acting talent and he certainly proves it in his playing of the determined young band leader who encounters all kinds of difficulties in his climb to the top in swing. His onscreen chemistry with Don Ameche and with Alice Faye in particular works wonderfully and he would work with her rather sadly only one more time in the next year in "Rose of Washington Square". Also of great interest in this film is a rare early appearance by the legendary Ethel Merman as Jerry Allen who comes in as the replacement singer when Stella leaves the band. Merman was a formidable talent but somehow with the exception of her classic "Call Me Madam", never really became a successful movie actress. Her great stardom came fittingly on Broadway where her name became legend. Merman is best in her musical numbers in this film where her terrific vocal range and delivery are evident. Her rendition of "Blue Skies" is also one of the films show stoppers.

The Beauty of "Alexander's Ragtime Band", also lays in the great attention to period detail employed here. Fox went all out as befitted a Darryl F. Zanuck production with lavish sets, stunning costumes and brisk energic direction by the legendary Henry King who always worked so well with Tyrone Power. Indeed the look of this film is really eye stopping and it was Fox's most expensive production that year. All the effort resulted in a stunning six Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture, it being a rare honour for a musical to be included in that category.

For anyone looking for a musical feast for both the ears and the eyes "Alexander's Ragtime Band", is unsurpassed entertainment from the old school of movie making. Knowing that so many of Irving Berlin's signature tunes came from this production certainly reserves it a special place in musical history. For those that love his work, and admire Tyrone Power and Alice Faye at the peak of their success and beauty then you can't go past this film rendition of Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band".

A joyous musical
Alice Faye has never been better. Ethel Merman shines in a supporting role. Don Ameche shows why he should have been a lead, and then there's Tyrone Power who simply ravishing. The music is superb, and the script is solid. This is one of the best musicals. A real treat. Don't miss it.

Ragtime Showtime
If you like ragtime and Alice Faye's voice, and if you love the classic old musicals and how Tyrone Power looks, then this is the movie for you.

Beautiful songs performed with all the style and glamour of that era, charming people to cheer for and hurt with, the universal element of true love . . . all this makes for a classic.

One of the nitpicks, of course, is that none of them age a day throughout the entire movie. And the eerie feeling you get from the taxi driver seems better suited for a mystery or a suspense, not a musical such as this.

Alice Faye (spunky and sincere) and Ethel Merman (smooth yet practical) both singing to Tyrone Power (handsome as ever) is rather amusing. The songs, including "Blue Skies" which both lead ladies sing, are some of Irving Berlin's best.

THIRTIES GEM
A beautiful example of a high-gloss production of the thirties, ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND is slick, well-edited and backed by stunning sets and costumes. Chock full of Irving Berlin ballads, this movie takes us from 1915 to 1938 and it's great fun throughout. Alice Faye is amusing as a rather risque floozie and although Merman is rather unphotogenic, she comes off with a better performance (in all actuality, when seen in close-ups, young Tyrone Power is more beautiful than either!)

Excellent movie. Great for couples and families.
This wonderful old musical will even captivate your children. The songs are thrilling, and the acting superb. Modern movies can't compete! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Yawn
This movie got a great credential: Ashley Judd, Andy Garcia & Samuel Jackson. The storyline is what you would expect from Hollywood. Ashley's character is a homicide detective. His father was a detective as well, partnered to Samuel Jackson's character but alas, he committed suicide. Her mum was supposedly killed by her father, according to Samuel's character who is now chief to Ashley's character. Anyhow, despite that Ashley's character is a great detective, she is a fallen angel, who has the propensity to be violent to his suspects & she torments herself by sleeping with men of violent temparement. The movie got excited when all the men she slept with died a violent death. It's the case of a serial killer who attempted to outwit the investigators. Andy played Ashley's character's partner but as any Hollywood movies would have it, the suspicion would lead us to believe that he's the killer. Hollywood has a tendency to think that audience is thick & that the twist is always predictable & somewhat daff. In the end, the explanation given to the deaths of those characters & to tie them to the death of Ashley's character's parents is somehow vague & overly illogical. Anyway, it's just an excuse to get this movie made. Truth to be told, all the actors & actresses in this movie are underutilised. The script could be tighter or better. Give me "Law & Order" anytime. I have just wasted two hours of my valuable time. Forgettable.

not a turkey
My wife and I were lucky enough to see this movie at Mann's Chinese Theater during Oscars weekend while on holiday in LA.

We are both fans of good movies and, quite honestly, this film delivers the goods and sometimes more. It doesn't matter if you can work out the ending in advance, it is an extremely competent piece of film-making. Not an ewigkeitswerk perhaps, but very good all the same

Definitely could have been better
This movie is not a must.wait till u see it on tv

Waiting for the DVD
The movie sounds pretty good, I never listen to reviews from critics; I prefer to form my own opinion. I am a Russell Wong admirer and I really want to see the movie to see him. I do like Samuel Jackson, Andy Garcia and of course Ashley Judd. They are all fine actors. I am very anxious for the DVD to be made available. Thanks

THE TRAILER PROMISED SO MUCH MORE
The trailer promised so much more. How could you go wrong with Ashley Judd playing a cop who bangs every hot guy she meets in the roughest bar in town and then finds them dead as part of her SFPD homicide duties? Well, somehow TWISTED is as good as an ABC Sunday night movie.

Judd is a sex addict and an alcoholic, haunted by the violent deaths of her parents. Her mother was a slut too, and her father apparently killed several of her lovers before wasting his wife and them himself. As her father was also an SFPD cop, this frustrates Judd to no end.

After the deaths of her parents, Judd was taken in by her father's partner, Samuel L. Jackson. Judd drinks, passes out, and finds the bodies of former sex partners. All you have to do is figure out who in her life is killing all her lovers. He also killed her parents. Surprise, surprise.

Enjoyable, because Judd is poetry in motion. Maybe you should wait and rent it when it comes out on DVD in a couple of months. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Delightful Holiday Story
Cary Grant stars as an angel named Dudley who suddenly appears and befriends an Episcopal bishop (David Niven) who is completely focused on raising money for his new church, and the bishop's wife (Loretta Young), who has become lonely and unhappy as her husband has gotten lost in his work. Grant uses little bits of heavenly magic and loads of charm to help Niven raise money and to help Young rediscover the joy of life. He also helps Niven and Young rediscover each other and realize that love must be the highest priority for anyone, including an ambitious bishop who's devoted to his job.

The acting is superb, as one would expect from this stellar cast. The story takes place at Christmas and, while not shown as much as other Christmas movies, I think it's one of the best. Cary Grant, all charm and suave coolness, plays this part perfectly, and the viewer even sees a touch of wistful envy in the angel who cannot have the Earthly love and happiness he helps Niven and Young rekindle for themselves. Buy this one and watch it every Christmas (or any other time you need a happiness booster or a reminder of the importance of love and kindness).

P.S.: "It's a Wonderful Life" is a good movie, but definitely I prefer "The Bishop's Wife".

A Family Favorite!
This film is one of the best of the Christmas Classics. The Bishop's Wife tells a story of an angel (Cary Grant) who comes down to earth in answer to a busy Bishop's (David Niven) prayer. The angel helps the Bishop learn to adjust his priorities and comes close to falling in love with Julia, the Bishop's wife (Loretta Young). The movie includes a lovely Skating/ Dance scene that defies description. Make this movie a tradition for your family this year.

Christmas with Cary Grant.
I think overall, this movie is maybe my favourite that was set around Christmas time. It's better than the brilliant - although overrated - Capra classic, "It's a Wonderful Life". I am in no way meaning to compare the two though. "The Bishop's Wife" is not really like that movie. But both films remain the two greatest christmas time classics to come out of the 1940's.

The film is, as one would have already guessed, set around christmas time. The main plot of the story, is that David Niven is this Bishop, who prays for guidance, of how to get a new cathedral built. Dudley (Cary Grant) is an Angel, who has been sent to help, although the Bishop does not take to him being an Angel too seriously, for some time. Dudley helps everyone he meets, but not always in the way they might prefer, to start off with. Dudley spends a lot of time with the Bishop's wife (Loretta Young) and he is not liking it. Dudley becomes the popular friend among all the people he meets, and helps, but the Bishop is the odd one out, becoming more annoyed, and frustrated with him as it goes along. It all ends nicely though, of course.

The film is really wonferful. There is a skating scene, that is inparticularly memorable, among Cary Grant always charming, excellent performance. The acting in this movie, is simply brilliant. I cant possibly have seen it being any better. The script, the story, everything about this movie is great. Repeated viewings are easy, and its one of Cary Grant best movies.

This DVD from MGM has a great print. It contains very few signs of scratching, and the other little artifacts you find in some movies of this age, and is an overall good looking transfer. The extras are lousy. You get the trailer (which is quite fun, might I add) but absolutely nothing else. Oh well, the print is the main thing, and they have done a good job in that part. Highly recommended.

Charming but overlong
Bishop: Are you expecting a letter?
Dudley: Well, you never know. If I did get one, the stamp would certainly be worth saving.

That's because Dudley (Cary Grant) is an angel sent to give guidance to forlorn Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven), and who eventually lights up the lives of everyone else in the Bishop's life, especially The Bishop's Wife in this delightful Christmas film from 1947. When the Bishop prays for help in getting a new cathedral built (the local millionairess widow will only give if her late husband's name is prominently displayed), Cary Grant shows up as his "assistant" but soon makes the Bishop even more miserable by charming his wife Julia (radiant Loretta Young), daughter Debby, and even housemaid Matilda (Elsa Lanchester, always wonderful).

The Bishop's Wife is truly "heavenly" with Grant playing off his tried-and-true persona. Originally Grant and Niven were supposed to have the opposite roles, but Grant decided he could do more with the angel role -- and Grant was a bigger star -- so they were exchanged. Good thing, too: I can't imagine Cary playing the indecisive Bishop any more than I can imagine Niven charming a woman away from Cary Grant.

Only a few things keep The Bishop's Wife from being perfect. There is an overlong ice-skating scene that really stretches the believability (I had to keep telling myself "he's an angel; he can do anything), and the film runs on about twenty minutes too long. In the beginning, Grant is so taken by Young that, if he weren't an angel, those looks would feel really sleazy. Turns out that Cary is just discovering temptations, which makes the ending all the more noble.

Watching The Bishop's Wife in June (during a Cary Grant festival on Turner Classic Movies) is a little strange, but the movie is so ... happy that it's easy to slip into the vibe, especially with all the Christmas carols being bandied about like so many candy canes. I'd certainly recommend that fans of the stars watch it at least once (especially since Loretta Young, whom I don't find all that attractive, is made, through Gregg Toland's photography, into a very appealing woman). Niven is rather on the milquetoasty side and his richest scene involves him being stuck in a chair, but the rest of the film is two hours of Christmas joy.

Charming!
THE BISHOP'S WIFE is a thoroughly charming movie about an "angel" (Cary Grant) who changes the life of a bishop (David Niven) who at Christmas time is trying desperately to raise funds to build an elaborate cathedral and has consequently neglected his wife, Julia (Loretta Young). The three leads give beautiful performances, and there is a wonderful supporting cast, including Monty Woolley as a kindly if doubting professor and James Gleason as a loveable cab driver. The screenplay is subtle, as is the musical score. The scene near the end of the film in which Grant, Young, and Gleason take time out for some ice skating is a delightful respite, very much like a number in a movie musical. THE BISHOP'S WIFE is a relatively recent addition to my video library, but it has quickly become my favorite classic Christmas movie -- next to MIRACLE ON 34th STREET and Alastair Sim's A CHRISTMAS CAROL, that is. ... Read more

Reviews (620)

The Ultimate
2001 is the ultimate cinematic experience. This movie has it all for fans of film. When i say this, I don't mean your casual film goer who thinks "2 fast 2 furious" is an instant classic, I mean those who appreciate film for what it is. For those pop culture movie goers, this film will bore them within five minutes. But, those who appreciate the art of film, will drool over the sheer awe that this movie has.
The story is a little more than simple. It starts in prehistoric africa where Moonwatcher the man-ape and his clan. A mysterious monolith appears and teaches them the use of crude, but usful tools in order to eat. It suddenly jumps (via on of the best jumps cuts ever) inot space in the year 2001 where a monolith has been discovered buried in the moons surface. When it is dug up it sends an ear peircing ringing through all of space, a sort of call letting the worlds know it is time. We then jump to the Jupiter mission in which the main story starts. This is where Hal 9000 makes his first appierence with Dave and Frank. We all should know what happens next.
This movie, released in 1968 but filmed before, was a technological phenomenon. Not even star wars can hold up to the power of 2001. The scene in which Dave enters the monolith could be one of the best in cinema. It is a filmed acid trip pretty much. Except it gave us a look at what other constalations might look like (remember we weren't even on the moon yet).
This is Kubricks best film, and by far and away one of the top five films ever made.

Still a masterpiece
Regardless of how "bored" some (probably adolescent) viewers may become (forced to maintain their attention span over vast minutes of time on something other than sex, car chases and dripping blood), this is obviously a great movie. At least for the rest of us. Rated in the top 250 (#66) at IMDb, and the subject of innumerable articles and reviews, Stanley Kubrick's much studied and admired visual, artistic and thematic masterpiece, based on the novel by Arthur C. Clarke, is still--remarkably, after all these years--a mesmerizing motion picture experience even on a television screen.

This is no mean accomplishment when you realize that Kubrick made his film before humans actually walked on the moon in 1969, and furthermore, when you consider how much more we now know about space travel and how much more advanced special effects have become. What I think contemporary movie makers might learn from Kubrick's work is (1) special effects without rhyme or reason may titillate first time viewers and the very young, but quickly grow meaningless; and (2) even in a movie that relies heavily upon special effects and ideas--which 2001: A Space Odyssey certainly does--it helps a whole lot to have a story to tell.

The story begins in the prehistory and ends in the future. It begins with a pre-human consciousness and ends in mystery. (Note that the last sequence in the movie is labeled in part as being "beyond the infinite"--whatever that metaphysical notion may mean.) Along the way we have a creditable hero (Astronaut Dave Bowman played by Keir Dullea, whom I also recall from David and Lisa, 1962) and a very cold and merciless villain (HAL 9000, the computer as megalomaniac--apparently his makers never heard of Issac Asimov's rules for robots!).

Today we know more about pre-humans and more about computers, artificial intelligence and space exploration, and with such knowledge today's movie makers would avoid some of Kubrick's mistakes. For example, the space craft was far too roomy (ask the astronauts!). Real space ships must be as small as possible to save fuel and they are incredibly cramped. Also, the year 2001 has come and passed, and we are nowhere near the practical capability of providing artificial gravity in space. And of course computers (or robots) don't have emotions unless such emotions are built or programmed into them.

Yet the visual sense of space and the terrible isolation of being alone in the vast vacuum has never been conveyed so well. Using music synchronized with visual effects laden with meaning for our earth-bound minds and bodies, Kubrick managed to depict the Pythagorean "music of the spheres" in a most splendiferous and awe-inspiring way.

However, the opening sequence with the hairy apes is probably what Kubrick would most like to redo if he had the opportunity. In the first place, the terrain, which is semi-arid, is all wrong. No hairy, long-armed, bent-legged creature would occupy such a landscape. The "foraging" they were supposed to be doing was ludicrous since there was obviously next to nothing to forage. The tapirs (forest-dwelling animals native to South America and Southeast Asia, by the way, and not to the savannas of Africa, which should have been the terrain depicted) were almost comedically fat for the ecosystem. And the apes themselves, looking and acting a lot like chimpanzees (no doubt the model that Kubrick used), are in conflict with the fossil record as we know it. Our primordial ancestors, the australopithecines, were upright walking apes and probably not exceedingly hairy since they needed to sweat as they walked and ran over the savannas and grasslands of East Africa.

As for using bones as weapons, yes, there can be little doubt that that is what our ancestors learned to do, followed by using hard wood and stones and then shaped stones. And the idea that a bone tool is a proto-type for all the tools to come is also correct, most saliently in the form of the space ship and HAL.

An interpretation of the ending would necessarily include the idea of time as being something other than we think it is. We see Dave as an astronaut in his thirties, and then as a middle-aged man dining in something like a very expensive Parisian apartment, and then on his death bed, and finally as a soon-to-be-born fetus returning to earth. I think it was wise of Kubrick not to attempt to explain what he clearly points to as unexplainable, as "beyond the infinite."

Perhaps the most haunting image of all, at least for me, is the red and yellow "eye" of the HAL 9000 computer as it coldly viewed the two astronauts talking. Therein was expressed, long before it became fashionable, the coming inexorable conflict between us and our machines, between our culture and our biological nature, between natural and artificial intelligence. Never in the history of cinema has that tension been so concisely conveyed as in that scene and in this movie.

See this for Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest film makers of all time.

the movie that set the standard in sci fi
in 68,this movie was the best sci fi film ever.in it there is this force referred to as the monolith.it shows up at different points in time.finaly,a space crew goes to check it out.it is too intellectual for children.stanley kubrik directs so you know-since hes the greatest directer ever and all-that this movie is a classic!it is better than the sequel.thinkers will like it.in 68 there wasnt a computer paranoia like today.in this film,kubrik explores what would happen if the computer decided to just take the hell over.an idea not toyed with for years to come.he was a visionary.the music in it is very good too.for you wrestling fans,ric flairs theme song begins it.an abselute must for sci fi fans.

One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made.
This was a brilliant movie. It never ceased to make interesting theories concerning life other than ours, whether or not we should be in space, and how exploration of the ether will affect our lives.

The film opens up with pre-historic man. They are shaggy, ape-like creatures who fight in loud blasts of sound, calls, etc. But at one point, they discover an immense slab of rock that is so finely crafted, they conclude it was made by "something." And with that, they discover they can use left-over bones as weapons, furthering their standing on the planet.

That is the not only the opening for the film itself, but also for its mood and thesis. It makes the case that knowledge of greater beings will propel us into greatness ourselves, using advanced artifacts as motivation and example. But the movie will eventually take a darker turn you'll have to explore for yourselves. If I went into any of the symbolism, I would be writing an essay, not a review, and could potentially ruin your experience.

As a film, it is not traditional by any means. I've heard of people walking out at the premier muttering furiously about how there was no story, or that they had no idea what Kubrick was trying to say and that his obsession with imagery and perfection led to the demise of what could have been a masterpiece. But to those who stayed and to those who see it now, it is apparent Kubrick meant to be challenging and intelligent: this is not for the light-hearted or the impatient. For instance, many of the sequences are realistically slow, such as an early docking sequence. But the images are so engrossing, I doubt you'll turn away.

And to top off Kubrick's obvious genius, there is an unforgettable soundtrack of famous classical music that complements the imagery so well, Kubrick left it in over an underscore that was being prepared. It often conveys the mood very well, expressing wonderment, curiosity and fright with incredible power. If you can't take the movie, if you can't take its themes and its slow-moving plot, if you can't take the sparse dialog (this is essentially a silent movie), at least sit back, close your eyes and watch the film through the tones and moods the music evokes: it matches Kubrick's imagination with every moment from the opening shot of an orb to the end shot of a star-child floating among the nebular and the giant.

Quick-Buck artists ruin a classic.
The video detail and special effects are great. The aspect ratio is good, but the sound track has been trashed. No bass, garbled treble and a dolby 5.1 remastering that sounds as if it was recorded off a small radio in another room. The producers of this remake should be ashamed. The original sound track would blow you away. I was very dissapointed to say the least. What a waste! I wish I could talk to their sound people. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Philip Kaufman's intimate epic about the Mercury astronauts (based on Tom Wolfe's book) was one of the most ambitious and spectacularly exciting movies of the 1980s.It surprised almost everybody by not becoming a smash hit. By all rights, the film should have been every bit the success that Apollo 13 would later become; The Right Stuff is not only just as thrilling, but it is also a bigger and better movie. Combining history (both established and revisionist), grand mythmaking (and myth puncturing), adventure, melodrama, behind-the-scenes dish, spectacular visuals, and a down-to-earth sense of humor, The Right Stuff chronicles NASA's efforts to put a man in orbit. Such an achievement would be the first step toward President Kennedy's goal of reaching the moon, and, perhaps most important of all, would win a crucial public relations/morale victory over the Soviets, who had delivered a stunning blow to American pride by launching Sputnik, the first satellite. The movie contrasts the daring feats of the unsung test pilots--one of whom, Chuck Yeager, embodied more than anyone else the skill and spirit of Wolfe's title--against the heavily publicized (and sanitized) accomplishments of the Mercury astronauts. Through no fault of their own, the spacemen became prisoners of the heroic images the government created for them in order to capture the public's imagination. The casting is inspired; the film features Sam Shepard as the legendary Yeager, Ed Harris as John Glenn, Dennis Quaid as "Gordo" Cooper, Scott Glenn as Alan Shepard, Fred Ward as Gus Grissom, Scott Wilson as Scott Crossfield, and Pamela Reed and Veronica Cartwright are superb in their thankless roles as astronauts' wives. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (107)

A CLASSIC
It's great to finally see The Right Stuff appear on DVD as a special-edition. The sound and image quality is awesome, much better than the LD.

This is one of the greatest achievements in film, depicting the birth of the space program. It's difficult to think of anything wrong with the production.

The cast (many of whom at the time were not A-list caliber) is top notch, especially Ed Harris as John Glenn and Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager.

The beginning, which chronicles the breaking of the sound barrier, is excellent. One particular scene has Yeager staring down the X-1 while on horseback; almost as if two living ceatures are involved in duel. The Oscar-winning score by Bill Conti brings tears to my eyes every time, especially the breaking the sound barrier and the final coda, which ends at Gordo Cooper's historic orbit.

Director Philip Kaufman (just look at his resume; what an incredible career, with Henry and June, Unbearable Lightness of Being and Quills among his films), brings a humanness and respect to his characters, and dots the script with bit of humor and tenderness as well. He depicts the Mercury astronauts as heroes, an aspect that unfortuantely has gone away. These men (and their wives) pushed the envelope to it's capacity, went to the top of the pyramid.

We live in a time in which we no longer look up when a plane passes overhead, where, instead of real people risking their lives to further technology and science, our heroes are born out of comic books or the sports pages.

The Right Stuff is truely a very special film! They don't make 'em like this anymore!

New Stuff
The Right Stuff is Phillip Kauffman's sprawling three-hour epic about the Mercury Space Program. Based on Tom Wolfe's amazing book, the movie is a visual stunner with a top-notch ensemble cast. Sam Sheperd stands out as Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier. He portrays Yeager as a cowboy who flies jets instead of riding horses. Mr. Sheperd gives a cool and impressive performance. Ed Harris first sprang to attention with his performance of John Glenn. He gives a gentle and passionate performance and the scenes with his wife (who was hearing-impaired) are touching. Fred Ward gives a blustery and gruff performance as Gus Grissom who appears to be on the verge of cracking after his space launch goes awry. Scott Glenn adds a touch of humor to film as Alan Sheppard the first American in space. Dennis Quaid is brash and cocky as Gordo Cooper. This 20th Anniversary two disc special edition is an immediate upgrade over the original dvd, which was one of the first films to be released in that format. The film is perfectly suited for the dvd landscape and while the picture quality was excellent on the original release, the digital transfer adds depth and scope to the film. The real bonus is the 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. The film won four Academy Awards and two were for Best Sound and Best Sound Effects and the remastered audio increases the powerful and majestic tones of the film in home viewings. The extras are great for any space program aficionados as there are interviews with the real life astronauts from the film.

well done
Hollywood has mostly ignored one of the most dramatic events of the modern age, the space program. It's been willing to lavish millions on sci-fi and fantasy but has been meager in detailing the real drama. Tom Wolfe's marvelous book has been captured in this film with the same blend of irony, whimsy, humor and real drama.
The astronauts were accidental heroes, men who never expected to be elevated to such a public Olympus. They were never what the PR machine promoted but they got the job done and eventually earned the heroic status they were automatically granted by the propaganda machine of the time.
An interesting film that genuinely manages to distill out the essence of the 'right stuff.'

The Greatest American Epic
The fact that "The Right Stuff" lost the Oscar for best picture to "Terms Of Endearment" is beyond me; this movie should have won. The fact that it wasn't a hit at the box office back in 1983 is also beyond me. We are talking about what I think it's the best American epic in all the sense of the word.
It's strange that a Venezuelan-born like me should talk about a movie like this, but I feel that "The Right Stuff" should have been a classic -well, it is for me. The story of the "Mercury" astronauts is portrayed marvelously by Philip Kaufman's direction, showcased beautifully by Caleb Deschanel's stylish photography, and supported by an incredible cast including Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Barbara Hershey, Sam Shepard, Pamela Reed, Kim Stanley, and Veronica Cartwright.
In fact, I remember when I was watching that movie at home, and my late father asked me if a man that appeared on the screen was astronaut John Glenn because he looked just like him. Of course I told him he was an actor who was playing his role. That said, it's incredible to see how Ed Harris is perfectly cast as Glenn.
And I don't want to forget one of the reasons why I love this movie, and that's Bill Conti's spectacular music score. Of course it may sound a little like Holst's "The Planets", but I usually weep every time I listen to the main theme.
I'm glad that a special edition DVD of "The Right Stuff" has been released, with fantastic extras that include new interviews with the cast and crew, deleted scenes, and an incredible documentary on John Glenn. I'm also glad about it because I think that this movie should be rightfully appreciated not only because it deals with historical events like the breaking of the sound barrier and the first American astronauts, but also because, as I said before, this is a classic.

FABULOUS
"The Right Stuff", based on Tom Wolfe's book and directed by Phillip Kaufman, was a wonderful American story about the Mercury space program that told the tale of U.S. pilots just brimming with gusto, bravado and...the right stuff.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Sidney Poitier -- NEED I SAY MORE -- From Las Vegas, NV
All I need to see is that Sidney Poitier is in a movie and it WILL BE A GOOD MOVIE. I thought that this movie with him and Tony Curtis was GREAT! I own almost every movie that is available that has Sidney Poitier in it. I was hooked on his movies and intrigued by Mr. Poitier when I saw "To Sir, With Love" for the first time. I have yet to see Sidney Poitier do a bad movie. This movie was done as a lot of his movies during the times when there was a lot of racial tension. I think that Sidney Poitier picked his movies carefully and all of them have had a very good point to make and in making the point on each of his movies they have all been good story lines. I really think that Sidney Poitier should have won a lot more academy awards than just the one for "Lilies of the Field"! I realize that this is more a commentary than a review, just wanted to put my thoughts down.

Poitier/Curtis Jail-Break Classic
Sidney Poitier continues to break race barriers with this formula jail-break drama. Teamed with Tony Curtis, the escaped prisoners encounter many situations, where their difference in color seems to matter more than the fact that both are fugitives from the law. Throughout the film, the viewer empathizes with the escapees, figuring that they always got a bum deal in life.

A scene towards the end, where a single mother sees a chance to "hook up" with Curtis, shows how Curtis, although often disagreeing, even physically fighting with Poitier, still sees Poitier as an equal in their quest for freedom. Rather than "sell out" his friend, he would rather die trying to save him. The inevidable ending (remember that one of the rules in Old Hollywood was that the bad guys can never win)is quite moving.

Definitely among the established Hollywood Classics. Although many of the "old ways" have changed drastically since the late 50s, this film offers insight into a piece of Americana many people living today can still recall. An important piece of Film Hostory, and highly recommended!*****

Curtis and Poitier Perfect Together
Typical felons on the run movie in all but the racial aspect. Curtis' character grows and matures throughout the movie. A fine acting job by Curtis. This is the 1st in a series of classic performances by Poitier. For nearly ten years, starting with The Defiant Ones, he was just about the best actor in Hollywood. Definately worth a look.

A great drama in black and white
This tough, gritty film may be tame by today's standards but was a bold cinematic statement when it was released in 1958. Two escaped convicts, one white and the other black, are chained to