Reviews (185)

A few scenes more
Sergio Leone proudly served up his finest spaghetti Western to a Roman audience in the final days of 1966. The premiere print of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" sprawled over three hours in telling its tale of three desperados in search of gold amid the chaos of the Civil War.

The men from United Artists also were on the trail of treasure. American audiences, they knew, would not sit for a 178-minute Western, especially not an import starring a TV actor (Clint Eastwood).

Out came 17 minutes, and so was breach-born the version of "Good, Bad, Ugly" that has endured as a male-bonding touchstone for four decades. Looking to make things right (and to mine more gold), MGM a few years ago decided to re-create the storied film that unspooled in Rome that night. The restored, full-length English version of Leone's epic is worth every dollar in this two-disc DVD Collector's Set.

Sure, Leone's film loses much on the small screen -- its borderline-surrealistic vistas shot in Spain are legendary -- but the DVD's visuals are clean, with decent contrasts (anamorphic widescreen, 2.35:1). Compared to MGM's 1998 release, there's a dramatic reduction in flatness, speckling and miscellaneous wear. The 5.1 Dolby Digital audio has its moments but isn't up to the standards of the imagery.

The DVD medium is, of course, unrivaled at presenting the history of complicated productions like these. MGM's set gets that job done, for the most part. Eastwood biographer Richard Schickel does the heavy lifting in a commentary that, amazingly, runs on fumes only near the end of three hours. The 2002 restoration project is covered in an 11-minute docu that goes over the added/restored scenes. They mostly just smooth out the narrative, but it's hard to reimagine the film without them.

"Good, Bad, Ugly" is as closely associated with composer Ennio Morricone as with Leone. Film music historian Jon Burlingame talks about the maestro in a short featurette and in a more-detailed audio lecture. No explanation is given for Morricone's lack of participation on the DVD, and you get the feeling he's been downplayed for not playing along.

There are two types of people, my friend......
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the classic spaghetti western that completes Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy. This is personally my favorite over the other two, although all three are great. The movie follows three men in their pursuit of $200,000 in gold. The story is set in the Civil War in southern Texas. The adventures of the three characters include a Union prison camp, a huge battle reminiscent of World War I, and of course the famous showdown in the Sad Hill Cemetery with Tuco running frantically around the graves looking for the one marked "Arch Stanton."

All three main characters give excellent performances here. Clint Eastwood stars as Blondie, Eli Wallach as Tuco, and Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes. The fourth star has to be Ennio Morricone's soundtrack. The music is fabulous throughout and well worth buying the soundtrack. Also starring are Mario Brega, Luigi Pistilli, and Aldo Sambrell. Leone's use of extreme close-ups and epic landscapes are excellent throughout.

The DVD is awesome and well worth the purchase. It contains the widescreen presentation, excellent color and sound, theatrical trailer, and 14 minutes of never-before-seen footage with English subtitles. This footage includes scenes that help explain how Angel Eyes ends up in a Union prison camp and also how Blondie later joins up with Angel Eyes' gang. After seeing the movie so many times without this footage, it was odd to see it, but still very entertaining. A must have for Spaghetti western fans!

Brilliant Restoration!
"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" is Sergio Leone's magnum opus. An audacious undertaking, it would have flopped miserably in any other director's hands. Only someone so commited to his artistic vision as Leone could have pulled off this bombastic pageantry of human nature in all its facets, its capacity for cynicism, greed, bloodlust, revenge, heroism, redemption and honour.

This movie must be *experienced.* Put the DVD in, turn the stereo all the way up and let it pummel you from the moment the Lardani titles blast onto the screen in a blaze of Technicolor fury. The montage of colour, interspersed by stark black and white visages of Eastwood, Van Cleef and Wallach is a tough act to follow, like Saul Bass' mesmerising titles for Hitchcock's "Vertigo."

The wait is now over! Last year, MGM/UA issued a restored 35mm print, which showed at the Film Forum in Manhattan. First restored in Italian by Cineteca Nazionale, the English-language restoration was spearheaded by Martin Scorsese, whose efforts with the Film Preservation Foundation have helped fund preservation of America's celluloid heritage. Both Eli Wallach and Clint Eastwood returned to the sound studio to dub new dialogue for approximately 20 minutes of restored footage. Both sound a little older and scratchier, but these added scenes help to explain both Tuco's and Angel Eyes' gangs and some plot points that were previously unclear. However, they both sound great! (Van Cleef's voice was dubbed by a professional voiceover artist, and sounds almost on target). The movie now has the true feel of a sprawling epic, one that's earned its right to take its time.

This special edition DVD features the movie restored to its original length in the Italian version, and comes jam packed with interviews with Eastwood, Wallach, producer Alberto Grimaldi and -- most importantly -- Mickey Knox, who wrote the English language dialogue. Knox crafted lines that lived up to the larger than life screenplay. You'd swear the original was in English, the dialogue is so perfectly tailored!

But the vision is singularly Leone's. It starts slowly, as a band of bounty killers home in on their prey, small-time bandit Tuco Ramirez (THE UGLY, played by the venerable Eli Wallach). They pile through a saloon door, then the camera imediately pans away laterally. Suddenly, his body hurtling through the front window in a rain of glass, Tuco bursts onto the street -- in what has to be the most absurd grand entrance in screen history -- revolver in one hand, a chicken leg in the other. It's total chutzpah on Leone's and Wallach's part.

If you think *that* can't be topped, watch Wallach's entire performance. Animated is putting it mildly. More than a performance, Wallach is a one-man band, nay, Army. Never has such a selfish, petty, ratty and shifty little man been played so larger than life. Wallach smirks, scurries, grimaces, chuckles, shouts, bellows and slyly oils his way across the screen in what has got to be the hammiest performance ever by a method actor. Or *any* actor: He makes Orson Welles, Burt Lancaster and Charles Laughton look like the grey and sullen cast of Woody Allen's "Interiors," he's so alive with passion that he literally sweats his performance out through the filthy pores on his stubble-ridden face. And he's wonderful!

If that's a tough act to follow, you haven't met the bad. They don't come any badder than Angel Eyes, Lee Van Cleef's hired killer who's got ice water running through his veins. Van Cleef is ruthless, bold and heartless. Riding out of nowhere onto a doomed man's rancho, Angel Eyes pays a visit, carrying out a murder for hire. The price: $500. But the victim offers him $1000 to look the other way. No dice: Angel Eyes isn't in it for the money. Rather, he's a man who loves his work, and always sees the job through. So, the poor sod dies anyway.

Clint Eastwood is as cool as a cucumber as The Man With No Name (but really one with sort of a name, in this case "Blondie," which is Wallach's moniker for him). It's fun watching the ongoing relationship between Blondie and Tuco as bounty hunter and prey. In another life, they would have been great pals, but in this life ("we're all alone in this world," Tuco confesses to Blondie, half seriously, half cynically) their love of money is thicker than friendship. So, they invent ingenious and cruel ways to exact revenge of each other.

It's during one of Tuco's sadistic plots - in which he marches the pale-skinned Eastwood across 100 miles of scorching desert - that the plot finally comes to a head: A driverless stagecoach full of wounded Confederates happens across their path, and through a twist of fate, Tuco and Blondie each have two halves of a secret which, if put together, will make them a quarter of a million dollars richer. But, without each other the two halves are worthless. Thus does Tuco do a 180 from brutal executioner to Blondie's would-be saviour. Now that he could be rich, he suddenly realizes how valuable their friendship is.

It's not before long that they wind up with Angel Eyes, as they're captured by Union soldiers. At the prisoner of war camp, a deadly game of cat and mouse begins. Van Cleef is now more restrained and less thuggish as he deals with Tuco to extract the secret; his henchman Wallace (Mario Brega, a Leone stalwart), pummels it out of Tuco.

In epic fashion, after a shootout in a deserted town and a bridge demolition that explodes across the screen, Tuco, Blondie and Angel Eyes make their way to the cemetery where the treasure is buried. In a fanfare of brass, percussion and chorus, the three face each other down in the cemetery plaza. It's a gorgeous and cathartic set piece. Credit must go not only to composer Ennio Morricone but also to musical director Bruno Nicolai, who conducts the score con fuoco.

The West as it never ws
It took an Italian to revolutionize the American Western. Everything was strange and new about the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Perhaps the strangest was that it was not a contest between good and evil -- the white hats and the black hats -- as was the typical western, but instead had a plot driven by the greed of the three characters -- one of whom is charitably called good, the other two certifiably bad and ugly.

The music is extraordinary -- one of the best and most original soundtracks ever. The photography is weird -- no one had ever focused so close-up on people's eyes or the pores in their skin. The violence is brutal and surreal. The three-cornered gunfight is one of the great scenes from cinema. The scenery is off. It doesn't look like the American west -- and in fact it isn't. The movie was made in Spain. The characters are incredibly seedy. Most of them look like they took a bath about a decade ago and haven't changed their clothes since. And nobody gets the girl -- because there isn't any girl.

I love this movie! It makes my all-time top ten list. Clint Eastwood is cool beyond belief; Eli Wallach is a hoot; and Lee Van Cleef is really, really bad.

"Such ingratitude after all the times I saved your life..."
"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" is Sergio Leone's epic masterpiece. While it is part of his Spaghetti Western Trilogy( all three films have different characters and plots), the film stands on its own and really shows you how good a movie can really be. This movie has it all. It has action, drama and even some comic relief in it. It is a timeless classic that is unforgettable. When I first saw it, I was a little kid and couldn't truly appreciate it as I can now at age 22.

Blondie (The Man with No Name) isn't your typical good guy. He mainly does things that suits his own agenda. However, when compared to the murderous Angel Eyes and the greedy Tuco, Blondie is saint. This tale involves bloodshed, shoot-outs, search for treasure, and double-crossing. And it all takes place while the Civil War is going on, which makes things a lot more "interesting" for the notorious three. The West has never been wilder or more unpredictable than it is now. With an incredible score, excellent acting, and superb story-telling, this is one memorable film that you will never forget.

As I said in the beginning, the first time I saw this was when I was a little kid. When I just recently purchased this new edition of the movie, it truly was like I was watching it for the first time. Coming from a guy who isn't a big fan of Westerns (I don't mind them, but I don't watch too many of them), I absolutely LOVED this film. In fact, I wanted to give it a standing ovation when it was all said and done due to how moved I was by it. This really is filmmaking at its finest. I wasn't terribly impressed with Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America," but he is absolutely flawless with this amazing and timeless Western. It is slower than the second film ("For a Few Dollars More"), but I think that makes this all the better. The build up of tension is much more present in this film, and you really get the sense that these characters are real people. Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach are brilliant in their roles, and a lot of props need to go to Lee Van Cleef as he is absolutely chilling in his role.

This new edition really does the film the justice it deserves. The film has been restored to the director's original vision as much as possible, giving you an extra 18 minutes. You will notice the added scenes as the voices have been re-dubbed (the first time you will notice this will throw you, as I think that specific part has the worst re-dubbing, but the other added scenes are done a lot better, even if you still notice it). The picture looks incredible and the sound is great. Extras included are commentary from Richard Schickel, a couple of documentaries and featurettes, poster gallery, deleted scenes and the original theatrical trailer. Along with the nice packaging, you get an 8-page booklet that includes pictures from the film along with Roger Ebert's most recent review of the film. And, you get some mini-posters included inside the packaging as well. A superior edition of the movie, without question.

"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" is a pure triumph in filmmaking and should be seen by everybody at least once. Don't let the fact that this is a Western throw you. I think this can be enjoyed by everybody, and even by those who are not big fans of Westerns. A film filled with authentic emotion and action, this is one that shouldn't be missed by anyone. I LOVE this movie, and I cannot express that enough. -Michael Crane ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Not only was Barry Levinson's comedy shot in a relatively fast period of 29 days, the satire of politics and show business feels as if it were made yesterday. There's a fresh spin quite evident here, a nervy satire of a presidential crisis and the people who whitewash the facts. The main players are a mysterious Mr. Fix-It (Robert De Niro), veteran Hollywood producer (Dustin Hoffman), and a White House aide (Anne Heche). Can the president's molesting of a young girl be buried in the two weeks before an election? A war in Albania just might do the trick. In the good old days, the president would just invade. With modern technology, it's even cleaner. The hungry press looks for any lead, convenient misinformation is created by the latest Hollywood fakery ("all developed by the new James Cameron film") creating images and merchandise all instantly packaged. And it must be real, because it's on TV. David Mamet's script never questions the morals or the absolute secrecy needed to pull this thing off. He and director Barry Levinson have enough truth in the story to make you wonder what is real news and what is just promotion the next time you see CNN. Many of the supporting players impact the story with mere presence: Denis Leary as a quote man, Willie Nelson as a songwriter. The three leads are magnificent. With the similarities between history and this film, Wag will forever linked to the Monica Lewinsky saga. This video version contains a new minidocumentary focusing on the parallels of the film with the Bill Clinton scandal, including comments from director Barry Levinson and hosted by newsman Tom Brokaw. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (99)

"We haven¿t declared war since WWII. We¿re going to war"
Despite the appearance that it has the typical "Lewinsky" plot, Wag the Dog is a masterfully scripted satire that concerns more than tainted politics. The movie opens with the seemingly pointless and unanswerable question, "Why does the dog wag its tail?" But it interestingly continues, "Because it's smarter... otherwise the tail would wag the dog." And that's what it's all about: control and intelligence.

Wag the Dog finds the president in a dire situation a mere two weeks before Election Day. Allegations that the president groped a Firefly girl on a Whitehouse tour are sure to hand the election over to Sen. John Neal. Conrad Brean (DeNiro), A political "Mr. Fix-It," is promptly brought into the picture, and he decides to distract the media with a fictitious war in Albania. He and Winifred Ames (Heche), the presidential advisor, delegate the fabrication of the war to a famous but eccentric and self-pitying producer, Stanley Motts (Hoffman). As they use all types of propaganda including film, music, and catchy slogans, the trio tumbles further into the abyss of corruption, continuing with more propaganda, but the public buys it.

Wag the Dog boasts a first-class cast. DeNiro shines in his role; he is sometimes so great at his job of hiding the truth that even his co-workers are unclear about what's real. Hoffman surprisingly deviates from his usual sober, intense roles. His amazing talent gives life to his egotistical attitude and his constant declarations of power as producer.

The movie's witty screenplay is especially potent in its ability of making jabs at the government. Brean says, "We haven't declared war since WWII. We're going to war."

While it is amusing that the movie makes trivial items like shoes become symbolic of patriotism, the disturbing thing about Wag the Dog is that it hits dangerously close to home. The fact that the media can falsify footage that moves the country to tears shows its power over public sentiment. Truthfully, how smart is the American public? It also arouses suspicion because the movie preceded the actual bombing in Albania, which seemed similarly planned to deter attention focused on the Lewinsky scandal.

Probably not the President's favorite movie, but it's mine!
As a Brit living in the USA I have noticed a very welcome trend in life Stateside, you's all starting to take yourself less seriously!. In a country which takes a somewhat harsh view of showing a nipple on NBC, this film is nothing less than an exhilarating ( and apposite) joy!.

Trying to keep the Presidents name off the front page when he's been found to be groping a 13 year old just two weeks before an election demands the services of an extraordinary guy ( Robert de Niro). The answer?, war with Albania! ( does this give you folks a sense of deja vu?)

Not a real war of course, a virtual, televisual war, designed to show the heroic qualities of the American Nation, The American Army ( listen for the hymn of praise to the "men of the 303") and, not least, the American President.

A plot that, though labrynthine, never really loses it's way, and the combined efforts of everybody from De Niro and Dustin Hoffman to Willie Nelson ( yep!, Willie Nelson!) make this film the equivalent of the best-seller you can't put down, We cannot buy it in the UK, I suspect that Prime Minister feels that he owes enough to Bill to at least stop us getting our hands on THIS!!.

Pity though, it's the best film of 1998 by a country mile.

This movie was funnier BEFORE we started engineering wars...
Oh dear.

Originaly a parody of the Lewinsky "situation," this movie has grown even more timely since its release. We are currently embroiled in a fake war that this movie definately saw coming: from manufactured heros that don't quite work out (whatever happened to Jessica Lynch anyways?) to theme songs ("Let the Eagle Soar," anyone?) to photo-op battles (the pulling down of Saddam's statue, with the American tanks off-camera so that it looked like it was being done by a mob of Iraqis).

This is a very funny parody that is sometimes subtle, sometimes abrasive, but always hits its target dead on: whether it is the greasy advisors, the complacent news media, or the easily duped American public. Everyone should give it a watch before the next presidential election.

Wag the Dog
This movie has got to be the worst script ever written. If it even had a script. It must have been conceived during a dream of a left-winger. It is a conspiracy fantasy of how the White House must be for those who have no idea of how to cope with real world.

In the end, the movie has two great actors, Dustin Hoffman and Roberth DeNiro wasting their breath.

CLINTON PARODY
"Wag the Dog" was straight out of the Clinton files. The President (partially shown, but apparently not resembling Clinton physically or politically) defiles a girl scout on a White House trip and it becomes public. In real life Clinton lobbed bombs at Iraq and Bosnia to get the story off page one. In the movie a Bob Evans-type movie producer (Dustin Hoffman) is asked to create fake footage of a war with Albania, in order to get the girl scout story off page one. Think of the personal characterictics of Ron Reagn, then the personal characteristics of Bill Clinton. Nuf sed.

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

Description

Two-Disc Special Edition:
* Digitally remastered with THX certified sound
* Commentary by George Lucas and co-writer/sound effects editor Walter Murch
* Theatre of Noise sound-effects track with branching segments to 13 master sessions with Walter Murch
* 2 New documentaries: "A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope" and "Artifacts from the Future: The Making of THX 1138"
* George Lucas's original student film "THX-11384EB"
* "Bald": 1971 production featurette
* Five new trailers from the 2004 theatrical release
* Original theatrical trailer ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Owes a debt to several writers, but makes a better movie.
THX 1138 obviously owes a debt to literary works like Huxley's "Brave New World", Ayn Rand's "Anthem" and "Atlas Shrugged" and Orwell's "1984". The movie directly borrows elements from all four books, but since those four works can be said to have created an entirely new sub-genre of futuristic political allegory in science-fiction, these similarities are forgivable in the same way that any space opera using recognizable methods of space travel are forgivable. Certain things become the conventions of a sub-genre and their use is not only permissable, but almost expected.

Given that, take THX 1138 (plus Logan's Run and a few others) as examples of talented writers and film-makers walking in the shoes of giants to produce meaningful and entertaining products.

THX 1138 is a better movie than Logan's Run or any film adaption of Huxley or Orwell's work (Rand herself has never been adapted in film, save one neutered film version of The Fountainhead). In truth, the student film version Lucas originally did is MUCH more powerful than the watered-down big-budget version (though the characters were better developed in the longer version). Maybe Lucas can do a Director's Cut release to capture the grand sense of liberation in the student film, but with the production values of the theatrical release.

Great memories
I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out with my dad. One of the few movies I remember going with him. The car chase was burned into my meory. I haven't seen it since, and yet that chase scene remains with me. But it was the mood of the film, the use of light and shadow, emotion, sound, that makes it stand out for me. I was looking for it just last week and was disappointed it wasn't out. So I'm glad it's finally going to be released!

I hope the director's cut makes it just like Lucas wanted it originally, and not with his "refined" sensibilities. I'd like to see it through his eyes back then.

Has eveybody been fooled?
In my entire life I have never met anyone who liked this movie. And by like I mean, "I sat down to watch THX1138 last night and Lord that's a good movie! I never get tired of looking at that one!"
I made a similar comment this week in front of a group of people and someone came to it's defense with a rousing, "It wasn't THAT bad!"
It wasn't THAT bad is the kind of comment we all make when we come to the defense of filmmakers whom we like but movies which we don't particularly care for!
This whole, "It was ahead of it's time," and "It's a Forgotten Gem," is just ludicrous.
Lucas put a bald man in a white room, filtered in weird sounds, suggested torture, mental as well as physical, and suddenly everybody started to say "Well it's art, and if you don't like it it's only because you don't understand it!"
I understand this movie just fine.
The big white room isn't visionary, it was just a way for Lucas to deal with the very low budget he had to work with. In poor man's theater people sit on chairs that don't match, pretend there's a table between them, pretend there's a bottle of wine, glasses to pour the wine in, wine to taste... People watching this kind of theater don't go around saying "it's brilliant, by not having real wine they're making a comment about reality!"
No, they're making a comment about how we need to support amateur theater more!
If you look at the new Star Wars films you know that the last thing Lucas wants is empty space. Every corner of the screen if filled with buzzing ships, screaming aliens, shooting stars. This is not a man who took a minimalist approach because he was trying to make a statement. This is a man who took a minimalist approach because he was nobody at the time, no one would give him any significant amount of money to make his film, so he made due with what he had. Nothing. By filming in an empty white space, he was able to put all his money into that short car chase at the end of the film instead.
Can anyone honestly explain to me what a car chase is doing in a film like this anyway? I can, it's Lucas' fascination with speed, as evidence in things like the trench scene in Star Wars, the speeder-bike scene in Jedi, and over and over again. Lucas loves speed, and if he'd had any kind of budget for THX138, believe me it wouldn't have been just one race car peeling away at incredible speed, the film would have been wall to wall cars.
No walls, no decor, no nothing. I can almost hear the students saying, "Oh God, look how sterile and colorless the future is. These people have lost their very souls!" And Lucas, laughing to himself in a corner and coming back with, "Yeah, that's it! That's what it means! I meant to do that!"
Lucas was a young man when he made this. Originally a student film, it is the boring and pompous kind of crap that only a student would have the balls to make and only other film students would waste their breath defending.

It was later expanded into this feature length film, with the help of Francis Ford Copolla (who obviously fell for the bald man in a barren world trick like everyone else), a name which of course leads everyone to think that it must have some merit.
When I first saw THX I was all excited because, still being a young man and an avid Star Wars fan, I was expecting a "lost gem." Instead I got this long, muddled, incomprehensible cautionary tale (I think calling this low budget bore-fest a cautionary anything is elevating it to a status it does not deserve).
When I saw it later as an adult I thought I might have a different opinion of it since I had changed my mind about so many other movies I had seen when I was young. But nope, it's still boring.
This story is okay to watch once. I can imagine it was much better as a student film since it was shorter, and there really isn't enough material here for a feature, which is why it breaks down so badly.
The value of a DVD after all is in how many times you're going to watch it, and THX1138 is simply not the kind of movie I can imagine anyone saying they've seen 42 times.
The bonus' will be interesting, though Lucas has become so full of himself over the past few years that he's become insufferable to listen to.
the other day, someone asked me what was wrong with Lucas. Why is he changing the Star Wars films. Doesn't he know what they mean to the fans.
I mentioned he was so secluded on Skywalker Ranch, surrounded by people who practically worship him and think he's a genius, that he'd lost touch with reality and he has no idea how the fans really feel.
The person laughed, and wanted to know what Lucas did on Skywalker ranch anyway.
I said he probably walks around looking at all the knick-knacks he's collected over the years and says things like, "Oh my, I am a creative guy, aren't I?"
Love of Star Wards doesn't men you have to praise everything Lucas has done. THX1138 is not his best work, is not visionary, and is not even particularly interesting.
If you've never seen it borrow it from a friend before you waste money on it. If you're interested in the bonus features, which I admit I am, rent it and watch them. This is simply not a film worth owning, watching more than once, or discussing in any conversation involving serious, important works of cinema.
And, what's even more disturbing, people are saying that Lucas has added CGI to this film as well, just like he has in Star Wars. Perhaps when we get back to that white room it won't be so white anymore!

A Minimalist Epic
I first saw this incredible film in a local theater in Long Beach, California in 1971, while still in the U.S. Air Force. I was expecting a "shoot-em-up" science fiction diversion... but was I ever amazed. Just three years before I saw Kubrick's masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey" and thought no other film could touch my soul like that movie could. I think this film hit those same visceral roots within. Like "2001" there is little dialog, and much of the verbage in this film is heard through computer, robot or intercom noise that "first viewers" might dismiss... however, every word in this film is vital in telling the story of THX and LUH.

Robert Duvall is superb in the title role, as is Donald Pleasance and character actor Don Pedro Colley.... but the real surprise is Maggie McOmie in her only movie role. She is totally convincing as the strangely beautiful LUH, THX's love interest. Every frame of this film is a work of art... each one is like modern art... visceral, haunting, unforgettable and brilliant.

This is a film to be experienced.... and with repeated viewings, new clues open up, and you begin to wonder where these people come from, and where they are headed.

This is not a film for those with limited attention spans... it is not about "quick cuts" and simple solutions. And this film was not made in 2004, but in 1971, keep that in mind when you realize this film shows technologies we take for granted today long before they were a reality.

The sets for this film were largely REAL locations in San Francisco and Oakland, by the way. The escalators in the school for boys is actually still in Golden Gateway Center near the Embarcadero. The still-under-construction 16th Street BART station is the realm of shell dwellers. The shopping center is the San Raphael Civic Center Building by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is amazing to visit most of the same locations today since they remain looking relatively the same. To me, the use of these actual and unaltered locations point out that this film is not about a future society at all, but was rather a metaphor for the state of our society in 1971. Viewed from that point of reference, the film's panorama is truly on-target in more ways than one.

I understand the "Directors Cut" will restore the film considerably. This will be thrilling, since I have always felt the film should "move slowly" as one chrome robot says in the film and allow the viewer more access to this frightening but fascinating world. I look forward to this new DVD release!

Stupid and Pointless
Lucas makes the entire world seem like a terribly boring place in THX-1138. I personally hate this film, but I'm sure there are others who like it alot. If you're interested in seeing it, then go ahead, but from the point of view of a huge Sci-Fi buff, this film doesn't cut it. ... Read more

Reviews (127)

Genius black comedy / Satire
This film personifies high school, classic 80's teen angst cult film. Right down to the cliques in high school. The one difference between Westburg High & my high school is nobody was killing the popular kids off. Christian Slater plays Jason Dean (JD) a sociopath new kid in school who is fed up with cliques and the everday sheep students trying to fit in with the cool kids. Winona Ryder plays Veronica an individual but hangs with the Heathers to make life in HS easier. She notices JD's individuality and they start dating. Everythings is great until he wants to kill off the Heather girls & popular students. So he manipulates Veronica to help him kill off her simple minded friends & make it look like suicides. At first she is repulsed but can't stand her friends so she gives in. If you look deeper into this film beyond the quirky comedy the message is scary the desensitized unemotional oblivious parents, the quirky teacher who still wants to be a student, the song "teenage suicide don't do it" set to a pop upbeat melody. It really reflects high school a bit exaggerated but still relatable. A very dark film about the lengths kids will go to fit in and be liked. One kids twisted view of how the world should be. The ending is great the little speech Christian Slater gives to Wynona Ryder after attempting to blow up the school listen to it makes you think about what he says long after viewing the film. One of my favorite films and essential to collection, a must see to anyone grew up in 80's cinema.

Darkly wonderful and peculiar gem of the 80s
This dark comedy is laced with satire, humor, and wit, much like many of my favorite novels. Winona Ryder and Christian Slater make the ideal duo - until she realizes she needs "cool guys like him out of her life."

Winona, here as Veronica Sawyer, was formerly the best gal pal of dorky yet insanely innocent and kind Betty Finn (both character names are derived from the Archie comic strip). Now, she's taken it up with three girls by the name of Heather. Duke and Chandler may or may not be genuinely evil, while McNamara is just plain pathetically insecure. The thing is, Veronica hates her new so-called friends. It's just their "job to be popular and s***," that's all.

Christian Slater, to my utter dismay, seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth since this booming debut. Here, his performance mimicks that of witty and humorous Jack Nicolson.

"Greetings and salutations." :)

J.D. and Veronica make the ideal couple. Both are witty, bright, and loathe the existence of the high school world. Only J.D. is insanely violent as well, and his actions are bringing about vast repercussions for not only himself, but for Veronica as well. And Veronica is beginning to wise up and realize that J.D., despite his charms and wit, isn't worth all his trouble(s) and excess baggage. Besides, he's got an unhealthy fascination with guns.

After the demise of the leading Heather - their doing through liquid bleach - a second Heather takes her place as leader, even more aggressive and bratty than her predecessor.

Veronica ponders what to do over old and new friendships and accidental deaths in her diary. She and hunky J.D. manage to kill a Heather and two dim-witted jocks but escape suspicion for murder because they leave behind suicide notes. Veronica can perfectly imitate handwriting styles, as we find out during the first 5 minutes of the film when the three Heathers coerce her into writing a love note to high school outcast Martha "Dumptruck" Dunstock and signing a popular jock's signature to it. She approaches him at his lunch table and uproarious laughter ensues.

Teenage suicide seems to be all the rage in the world of Westerburg High, despite the popularity of fictional band Big Fun's hit single, "Teenage Suicide (Don't Do It)." Even though Veronica has left J.D. behind, he still has conjured up his own evil plans concerning the future of Westerburg. And the Heather in control is abusing her privileges - Veronica knows she wants out.

HEATHERS is so much more than a screwball comedy. Since its release, no other film has managed to live up to the same wit and dark humor and charm found throughout, making this film a genuine benchmark in the history of movies - and the 80s, for that matter. HEATHERS takes one glimpse at the work of ultra-cool 80s director/writer John Hughes and laughs in his face, making his Molly Ringwald flicks look like garbage in comparison.

Could this be why Winona is still alive in Hollywood and Molly is not?

Perhaps.

The End of John Hughes Teen Dramas...
Don't get me wrong - Love John Hughes. But this is not Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles or even the Breakfast Club. If you're looking for the sugary sweetness of those happy endings - Heathers isn't for you. There are no scenes that are going to make you overly nostalgic for being a teen in this dark comedy.
The 3 Heathers rule the school of Westerburg High and Heather Chandler (#1) is the dominant red wearing queen. Veronica Sawyer (Ryder) her best friend is dressed mainly in blue - for truth? She is our perspective for the most part and her diary entries (where she pours out all her true feelings) are perfect. Heather Duke - dressed in green for envy of Heather Chandler's power. And Heather MacNamara dressed in yellow for her fear of - everything. They walk the halls of Westerburg secure in their popularity and the fear the instill in their peers.
Enter Jason Dean (Slater) the "black horse in the running". He attracts Veronica mainly because he's an outsider too cool for anyone else and she's sick of the Heathers. He is seen in black for a very good reason. He is ultimately the protagonist for the killings (which are all too believable)
The movie is great, showing without remorse the absolute solitude that HS can be. The stereotypes, while exaggerated are suspiciously close to the truth. Arrogent teachers, clueless parents, heartless peers... Ahhh High School.
Heathers is also has great quotes. BVS is the only other thing I can think of that perfected it's own slang so well. It makes the movie timeless.

"F*** me gently with a chainsaw. Do I look like mother Theresa?" - Heather C.
"I just killed my bestfriend." - Veronica "And your worst enemy." - JD "Same difference." - Veronica
"Did you have a brain-tumer for breakfast?" Heather C.

DARK AND OFTEN BIZARRE, BUT DAZZLING IN EVERY WAY
What a superbly crafted black comedy with an insider's view of highschool powerplays, teenage angst, clueless parents, twerpy faculty, etc etc. Could have easily gone down the beaten path and become one of the countless teen movies, but this is undoubtedly an under-rated gem!

As some reviewers lament, be prepared for parts that are dark and disturbing, but the film is also hilarious for the most part, and whatever your emotional reaction, the dialogue is never off-target. In fact the film's script and visual style are so clever that laughing at murder does not seem much of a guilty pleasure.

For all the talk of suicide, the underlying theme couches a universal and heartening meaning: that all people are created equal, the "in crowd" as well as the nerds.

You need your sense of humor in the right place, and if you've got it there, this movie comes highly recommended from me!

You will hate life more than life hates you...
"Our love is God... let's go get a slushie."

This film is actually smarter than it lets on. It knows its subject matter so well that you can't help but marvel at the relevance. The look, fashion and soundtrack might be dated, but the point sure isn't. ... Read more

Reviews (145)

An American Werewolf is reborn
This was one of the first 'horror' films I ever saw, and it is by far one of the most memorable films of the genre I have ever seen. From the cold, bleak beginnings with the two young American back-packers wandering into The Slaughtered Lamb, there is a certain ominous and effectivly eirey quality from the word go. The comical naivety and the even-more comically sombre attitude that the locals at the pub engage in is movie entertainment at it's best. It sets the scene for the true rollercoaster of a movie that is yet to come. The gore is gorey, the scares are scarey, the comedy is spot on and the surrealism is baffling and highly disturbing. It has to be said that the setting for the film in London is inspired. Of course, the tolken well-mannered coppers and the ever-so nice doctors and nurses seem to be plucked straight out of the nearest Britsih book of cut-out stereotypes, but I don't think the film could have worked any other way. A lot of people claim that Scream (1996) is the best horror-comedy since this little masterpiece, but how they can even be compared is beyond me. Scream mocks (respectivley) an entire genre of slasher movies that died way before Freddy even hung up his old slasher-glove. An American Werewolf was the only, and still is, the only film in it's 'genre'. Original, profound, desperately enteratining and memorable in every aspect. The soundtrack's great (fantastically ominous title music clashing with hilariously cheesy covers and classics). The acting is also spot-on. Buy this film. Buy this film and then wonder why Michael Jackson's Thriller video isn't shown as often as it should be too....

3.7 out of 5
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON is undoubtedly one of the greatest horror films ever made. David Naughton stars as a young American tourist attacked by a werewolf in England; meanwhile, he is visited by his dead friend Jack (Griffin Dunne), falls in love with his nurse (Jenny Agutter), and is called insane when none of the locals (lead by Brian Glover) will admit the creature exists. Director John Landis throws in some black comedy right when it's needed and knows all the right moves; his script is very fun. There's also a good soundtrack (including a very short score by Elmer Bernstein), nice performances by the cast - but of course, the true highlight of the film is Rick Baker's make-up, which won the first Academy Award for "Best Makeup". Baker's make-up couldn't even come close to being matched today; words cannot explain the sheer brilliance in his work! Followed by an in-title-only sequel in 1997.

The greatest Werewolf film ever!
1981 was The Year of the Werewolves...the furry fiends leaped onto movie screens in three major films: "The Howling," "Wolfen," and the classic of the genre, "An American Werewolf in London." There has never been a greater werewolf film, there has never been a better transformation scene, and few horror movies can match the entertaining mixture of humor and scares that writer/direction John Landis ("Animal House," "The Blues Brothers") achieved here.

Although there had been humor in horror films before this movie, "An American Werewolf in London" showed once and for all that having comedy in a horror film didn't mean that the film would lose out in the scare department. Landis makes it clear that the film is NOT a comedy -- the horror scenes are carried with dead-seriousness and shocking impact -- but there is so much quirky humor surrounding these scenes that the film becomes incredibly likable and buoyant. Most of the laughs come from seeing the old movie werewolf premise dropped into the modern day and watching the characters try to deal with it.

Actors Griffin Dunne and David Naughton, neither of whom had been in a movie before, create a wonderful 'ordinary guy' feeling to their characters of two young American boys backpacking through Europe. In rural England, they have a nasty encounter with a legendary monster, and Naughton faces the consequences of being bitten when he returns to London and takes up living with a pretty nurse (Jenny Agutter).

The transformation scene is justly famous and a milestone in visual effects. Make-up wizard Rick Baker lets the viewers watch a real-time twisting of a human body into a wolf shape: limbs stretch, snouts pop, hair grows, the body contorts...it's amazing to watch. (And on DVD, you can watch it over and over and over again). Even computer graphics can't achieve an effect as startling as this one.

This DVD offers some nice extras. The image is good, and the 5.1 Surround Sound is decent (although there's not a lot of back speaker sound). Actors Naughton and Dunne do feature commentary on the film, and provide some interesting information and sound as if they were having a great time reliving the experience. I wish that Landis had been on the commentary as well, but you can hear his thoughts on the film in an 18-minute interview. Landis is an absolute hoot to listen to; the guy is as funny as his movie, and he absolutely bursts with ideas and observations. To go along with the Landis interview is an 11-minute interview with make-up maestro Rick Baker. He provides a fascinating look at crafting what he calls "the coolest werewolf film ever made." Also included is a vintage featurette on the making of the film, although it's only about five minutes long (but you get more of wise-cracking John Landis), ten minutes of archival footage of Baker making a cast of David Naughton's hand, and an assortment of storyboards, outtakes, and production photos.

"An American Werewolf in London" is a major turning point in horror films and visual effects -- and even over twenty years later, it is still one of the most entertaining movies of its decade. It hasn't aged at all, and this DVD lets you experience it the way it should be seen (and in the company of wild-man John Landis!)

the best werewolf film ever!!!!!!!
this movie is awsomely cool!!!the transformation scence is way cool.david naughton and griffin dune are hilarious. this is my favorite movie! for werewolf lovers every where this is your movie. don't see it on tv rent it.

THE Werewolf Movie to See!
David Kessler and Jack Goodman are two young Americans backpacking through Europe, just trying to have a carefree, good time. On a particularly chilly night, they find themselves wandering across an English countryside and getting pretty desperate for shelter, when they come across a pub called "The Slaughtered Lamb." Not deterred by the graphic advertisement, inside they find the pub is really quite cozy and atmospheric. Fellows are playing darts, having a game of chess, telling politically incorrect yet totally hilarious jokes... Everyone seems a bit disturbed at first sight of the two American travelers, but things warm up once they are accepted as being completely harmless. That is, until Jack asks the forbidden question: "What's that star on the wall for?" The two young men are quickly turned out into the cold without an answer. If only they had known, but the only information they were given was a bit of advice: Beware the moon... and stick to the road. But these are two carefree, American boys just looking for a good time. They're not worried about things like...werewolves! After only walking a short distance, the boys have wandered off the road and onto the moors, and only a few moments later, they are being circled by something horrible! The fog is too thick to see, but before they can react, the beast has attacked! In seconds, Jack Goodman is ripped to shreds! His friend, David, is running in fear! He stops to think for a moment, then runs back to help is already dead friend. Now, David is the one being slashed at, but before the creature can do his worst, a shot rings out and it's all over.

David wakes up to find himself in a London hospital 2 weeks later, desperately searching for his less fortunate best friend. He is cheerfully informed of his situation by the stern but benign Dr. Hirsch, and the short-tempered American representative, Mr. Collins. But when David insists that it was a wolf that attacked him, he is treated less than respectfully. It seems to have been confirmed that it was an escaped lunatic that did the damage to David and Jack, and no one is interested in hearing otherwise. David is frustrated, and his new, animalistic nightmares aren't helping, nor are the ones involving nazi were-creatures, but his mood is lightened as he is distracted by a lovely nurse named Alex Price. Alex is equally infatuated with David, and the two grow closer by the day, despite David's apparent mental state. You see, while having breakfast one morning, David had a visitor: his friend Jack; his DEAD friend Jack. The purpose of his visit was to warn David that he would transform into a werewolf at the next full moon, and if he doesn't want to hurt anyone, he must take his own life. When David is finally released from the hospital, his next stop is Alex's flat. The young pair indulge themselves in each other, but all is not well with David, who is plagued by repeated visits from his increasingly decaying friend. Soon, the full moon is upon him, and David's moment of truth has finally arrived.

In 1981, John Landis put his own spin on Universal's "The Wolf Man," and the result was a new classic for werewolf fanatics everywhere. The story is very familiar. A young American travels to England and gets bitten by a werewolf. He falls in love with a local girl, but their romance is interrupted when he grows convinced that he will become a werewolf himself. He finally transforms, reeks some havoc, and commits some murders. He becomes a sympathetic character as he expresses his fear and guilt over what he has done, but soon he transforms again and is finally killed, the film ending as suddenly as his life. With the brilliant look of its werewolves, Rick Baker's masterful effects (thankfully, CG free), and the genius of John Landis, "An American Werewolf in London" brought a realism to the werewolf genre that is reminiscent of the olde legends and lore. No silver bullets or fully dressed lycanthropes here! Many call this film a horror-comedy. Well, it's definitely more horror than comedy, despite what you might hear. It doesn't have any more comedy than one would find in the real life of an average, young, American male. It's just so honest that it's funny. I was in London last New Year's, and they DID have Dart competitions on TV! As for horror on the other hand, this movie's got it. You may not find the film scary at first, but try taking a lonely, nighttime walk after viewing it. I've always found the subway scene particularly disturbing. And what can one say about the cast? Simply perfection. David Naughton plays the American werewolf superbly, from carefree traveler to suicidal lover. Jenny Agutter is lovely and sympathetic, Griffin Dunne is funny yet convincing, and John Woodvine is the Doctor you hate to love. Brian Glover is disturbingly suspicious, and who can forget the cast of "See You Next Wednesday?" *ahem* It all adds up to one of my favorite motion picture experiences!

A sequel was released in 1997 called "An American Werewolf In Paris." CGI effects, a few confusing plot points, and zombies that were more annoying than funny marred the final product, but overall it was still a highly fun viewing experience, despite all its criticism to the contrary. See it and judge for yourself. Some say it's not a legitimate sequel because the story has nothing to do with the original film. I've heard conflicting theories though. Some sources have stated that the female lead in "AWIP" is supposed to be the daughter of David Kessler and Nurse Alex Price. Intriguing and highly possible, even probable, but it's never stated outright in the film, so I'm still waiting for some official word on that. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

There was a time before Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago when David Lean made smaller, more effortlessly picturesque movies, and this splendid Venetian travelogue and love story is one of them--the last, actually, before the epic onslaught started with the Oscar-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai in 1957. "Sometimes I think a schedule in Venice is just, well, all wrong," observes a bewitched tourist to Katharine Hepburn's vacationing spinster near the beginning of Summertime, which is based on Arthur Laurents's play The Time of the Cuckoo. Before the end, however, Jane will have thrown her idealized romantic notions into the canals and embarked on a passionate affair with a married art dealer (Rossano Brazzi). More blissful than Lean's adulterous fable Brief Encounter 10 years prior, but not entirely guilt- or pain-free, this deceptively simple romance is an often-fascinating glimpse at a time when sexual revolution for Americans--and especially middle-aged women--was confined to fanciful European trysts. Plus, with all the architecture, art, Italian conversation, music, and fine cuisine around you (all richly photographed on location by Jack Hildyard), who's to pish-posh a furtive all-nighter between one repressive country and a free-loving one? The two leads are graceful and even musical in their movements and line deliveries. Hepburn's initial outrage at the idea that illicit love is part of her impossibly beautiful surroundings may at first seem outdated, but the Academy Award-winning actress is too good not to suggest as well the poignant, deep fear her character has of opening up emotionally to anybody. Ultimately, Summertime is the movie equivalent of a deep, satisfying sigh. --Robert Abele ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Venice, Katharine, Rossano, Romance; enough said!
I have watched this magical bittersweet movie at least 25 times. And it only gets better every time. Katharine Hepburn is just superb as the spinster who finally makes a much anticipated trip to Venice, Italy. 'Everything' about this delightful film creates the ultimate escape for the true romantic viewer. The scenery of Venice, filmed in 1955, is breathtaking. Katharine is at her very best and Rossano is perfect as the married Italian man she reluctantly but helplessly falls in love with. The symbolism expressed throughout the film is sweet, sad and haunting. The little boy she befriends is adorable, and the almost ever present theme song quickly becomes, "One of your favorites"... I cannot recommend this charming, captivating and heart-warming film enough!

take me to venice!
this criterion collection "sleeper" is a treasure! the film itself is a poignant love interlude for the independent but lonely jane hudson on her long-awaited trip to venice. hepburn gives a beautiful performance and is matched every step of the way by rossano brazzi as her love interest.a bitter-sweet tale of "be careful what you ask for" that doesn't sweeten the pill. the real winner(apart from you, if you purchase this disc!),is the stunning dvd transfer by criterion-simply one of the most beautiful of films and a showcase for the format venice has never looked as ravishing!a must have for any serious collection.

A thoughtful and colorful Hepburn film
Katharine Hepburn plays Jane Hudson, an unmarried woman vacationing alone in Venice. The city captivates her, though it's not long before her loneliness begins to take away her enjoyment of its sites. When she meets Renato, an Italian who owns an antique shop, she is nervous and thrilled by the near instantaneous attraction between them. Like the city itself, Renato holds out the promise of an unforgettable experience, even though he's a married man. Hepburn does a fine job as a spinster seeking a little bit of romance before she grows too old.

Summertime
My second all-time Katharinge Hepburn movies. I have seen it at least five times. It is the epitimy of romance movies. Miss Hepburn and Rosana Brazzi, with the masterful touch of David Lean, make Venice come alive on film. Watching it is the best 90-minute summer a movie lover can spend.

An really good movie for Criterion
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD release of the film.

This is a good movie filmed entirely on location in Venice, Italy. Just getting back from a trip to Italy a week before writing this review makes it more interesting. The film stars Katherine Hepburn in one of her most memorable roles. It is also filmed in Technicolor making it more interesting.

There is also a memorable scene where she backs up and falls into a canal while attempting to photograph a certain building. This scene was filmed in the same location of the exterior shots of the "library" in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This building is actually a church. Chiesa di San Barnaba. Located south of the Grand Canal in Venice.

The DVD itself only has the theatrical trailer as a special feature but it still is a nice movie to watch and very well photographed. ... Read more

Description

"Weird Al" Yankovic, Kevin McCarthy (Innerspace), Michael Richards ("Seinfeld"), David Bowie (The Cable Guy), Victoria Jackson ("Saturday Night Live") and Fran Drescher ("The Nanny") star in this inspired comedy about an offbeat guy who turns a deadbeat TV station into a raging success! Broadcasting Weird Al's uniquely strange brand of humor, UHF's Channel 62 is a place you'll want to visit...with increasing frequency!George Newman (Weird Al) is a daydreamer whose hyperactive imagination keeps him from holding a steady job...until his uncle hires him as manager of Channel 62, a TV station that's losing money and viewers fast. But when George replaces the station's reruns with bizarre programs like "Wheel of Fish," "The Wonderful World Of Phlegm" and "Raul's Wild Kingdom" (where poodles fly from third-story windows), ratings begin to soar! But as the ratings rise, so does the wrath of TV mogul R.J. Fletcher (McCarthy), who wants to turn the station into a parking lot. Can George find the money he needs to stay on the air? Stay tuned! ... Read more

Reviews (283)

"Complainers? We don't need no stinkin' complainers!"
How can you resist a movie where they throw poodles out of windows, let kids drink from fire hoses, where Conan hacks people apart because some people turned a book in late? The movie does have its slow parts, but the spoofs and skits are absolutely hilarious. I won't tell you all of them because then you won't go and rent or buy this great movie. This movie is really good if you are a Weird Al fan, like REALLY off-the-wall humor, parodies, something that can make you laugh. Some people hate this movie, but I think it's because they're trying to see it as a movie. UHF is not really trying to be a movie, it's trying to be more of a collage of parodies. Anyway, see it for yourself. There's no telling how many stomach muscles you'll burst watching this hilarious film.

OK?? What's the point?
~80's music and movies always scare me but this movie has a SMALL exception. This movie is about when George Newman, a teenager with no job, ("Weird Al" Yankovic) gets permission from his uncle Harvey (Stanley Brock) to run a television station with his friend Bob (David Bowe), the really weird janitor Stanley Spadowski (Michael Richards), the television reporter wannabe Pamela Finkelstein (Fran Drescher), and a laboratory scientist from another planet named Phllo (Anthony Geary) while trying to avoid another television company owner (Kevin McCarthy) from taking over his company U-62, and turning it in to a parking lot . This movie is what I like to call a "slapstick movie" which is a move with nothing but mere jokes and gags. Many of the zany programs on the station that George runs are called "Wheel of Fish" (A cross between "Lets Make a Deal" and "Wheel of Fortune"), Raul's Wild Kingdom", "Stanley Spadowski's Clubhouse", "Fun with Dirt", "Ghandi II" and "Strip Solitare". A lot of these things just don't make sense! This movie is rated PG-13 and has Language, Adult Content, and Rude Remarks. It's kind of weird but kind of funny in an odd kind of way. Raul's Wild Kingdom was hillarious when Raul (Cliff Stephens) shakes up an ant farm and says "OHHH! They're really mad now!" and when he throws a poodle out of a three-story window because he thinks he can teach it to fly. Ghandi II was also quite funny along with "Conan the Librarian" and "Spatula City". This movie is overall in my opinion, ALRIGHT but next time MGM/UA makes a movie, don't put Weird Al in it!~

Cult Classic
If you are a fan of Weird Al's parodies, this is the DVD for you. I know some people don't get it (a.k.a: Roger Ebert and some other critics). Yeah, the plot is a tad weak, but the main focus of this project was to give Al an outlet into doing parodies of movies and TV. There are many priceless gags in the movie ("Raul's Wild Kingdom" and "Ghandi II" come to mind). There is also a fabulous performance by Michael Richards (a.k.a.: Kramer from "Seinfeld") as the station's janitor turned TV star. There are also appearances by Victoria Jackson (SNL) and Fran Drescher (The Nanny).
The audio commentary is fantastic. You get to hear about what inspired some of the scenes and also what was not included in the movie. You also get to find out why the DVD wasn't released until June 4, 2002! There are deleted scenes on the DVD in the bonus material including a fantastic one of Michael Richards ad-libbing an entire scene!

weird al
if you liked weird als music,youll like this movie.its very silly but loads of fun.the kids will like it.if you are worried about how cool you are all the time and cant relax then dont watch this because its a movie for people who likewhat they want.individuals and dreamers.the bad guy is this old man from a tv station who is als rival when he has to run a tv station.this movie is very very funny.the bad guy is a real pain in the ass.its definately worth watching!

THE BEST of random humor!
I think this has to be one of the funniest movies i have seen in my life! just all the random shows in between the plot of the movie just make it like a family guy/futurama show mixed in with a healthy dose of random al. ... Read more

Description

Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for the ride of your life! Super Speedway puts you in the driver's seat of an Indy-type race car tearing up asphalt at speeds of over 230 miles per hour. Follow the excitement and drama of championship auto racing with narrator and celebrated actor Paul Newman, and join racing star Michael Andretti and his legendary father, Mario, as they craft a state-of-the-art race car. Then, follow the pulse-pounding action of Michael's high-speed quest for victory as he pushes the limits of the new car at the PPG CART World Series. So start your engines - Super Speedway is about to begin! Ever wonder "how did they do that?" The Making of 'Super Speedway', shot on High-Definition Video, takes you behind the scenes. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Not just for racing fans
I was initially put off by the title and the artwork on this DVD, believing it was aimed at hard-core racing fans. After reading numerous reviews praising the quality of the sound and images, I decided to buy it as a "show me why DVD is so great" disk. And in that regard, I certainly wasn't disappointed; it is a spectacular showcase DVD.

What I didn't expect is how much I enjoyed the human interest story of the Andretti family. The movie takes you into their world, and places racing in perspective: technological, historical, and social. The story arc gently draws you to the racing track, immerses you in the raw excitement of driving at over 200 MPH, and then eases you back out to the real world, your heart still pounding. While the cars are unquestionably exciting, this isn't just about sitting in the cockpit. It's really about the people who do this, from the driver all the way back to the car's designers.

In the "Behind the Scenes" video (an outstanding piece in its own right), the director points out that you couldn't invent a story like this, that no one would believe it. Without giving away anything, the finale of Super Speedway is more touching, more emotional than any Hollywood fiction. Highly recommended.

A waste of money and time.
Boy was I disappointed when I watched this! IMAX films are generally designed to wow viewers in their exclusive massive theaters with hundreds of speakers and a monster sound system. But the story-line, dialog and every other aspect of the films are are pretty sterile, contrived and basically boring. Well take away the big theater and what you get is the lame story and only a glimpse of the films visual and audio impact. (Yes, I've got all the cool stuff, 42" TV, DTS, 200W/channel...blah blah blah). There lots of IMAX-y shots that start at a distance then slowly zoom in. In the IMAX theater the crowd goes ooh and ahh. At home you go huh? And don't expect any real racing excitment. They show a few random clips of a race, then wha-la the winners are spraying champagne. The dialog is presented as if it's genuine, but it's obviously scripted. The test track footage is pretty cool and the engine sounds are good but inconsistent,they have to turn them down so you can hear the lame dialog. Mario Andretti is of course way-cool, he can't help it. And if you're into it (I'm not) there's a handful of old clips of horrific crashes, most of which someone was killed (neat huh). These are not filmed in IMAX. I haven't watched the making-of bit yet but I'm sure it's more interesting than the main feature.

Simply Amazing!
This DVD is a must have for your home theater. I bought it on the recommendations here on the website and was not disappointed. The clarity is amazing. I am using an Optoma H56 projector onto a 92" Da-Lite screen and it is one of the sharpest programs I have ever seen. Nearly HD. The sound is even more mind boggling. The music and the sound effects are great.

Incredible footage...
This is an incredible DVD. The images are absolutely the cleanest. As clean as you can get on an HDTV without an actual HDTV signal - almost 3D. The racing and testing footage was spectacular. I have an Hitachi 65" HDTV(WS) but the DTS and 16:9 function would not work on this DVD - each time I selected 16:9 WS and DTS it would lockup the DVD. I watched it in 4:3 fullframe in the 16:9 std mode on the TV and the audio in DD 5.1 EX with no problem. That is the beauty of Hitachi WS televisions. They will take a fullscreen 1.33:1 and expand the image without distortion in the 16:9 std mode - although I prefer movies in WS. Do not use the 4:3 expanded mode - it creates distortion. I have no idea why the 16:9 WS function would not work along with the DTS audio and I tried it several times. I am returning it for another. I know there is nothing wrong with my system because we watched Cheryl Crow - Rockin the Globe in DTS before watching SuperSpeedway and the Eagles Hell Freezes Over in DTS after that - it must be the DVD disk. If you like racing - it gives an incredible feel - at times "almost" as if you were actually driving...

Simply Awesome!!!
This is a must see DVD. It's everything the previous reports have to say about it. It's simply AWESOME if you do indeed want to show off your HD surround sound system get this DVD NOW. The visual and audio propertys are breathtaking. Every audio visual dealer should be required to use this DVD as a selling point for its products. Very highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

CAPTIVATING
Despite a twist of almost unbearable sadness and grief within the twisty plot of this enchanting thriller, this movie is a perfect family adventure, filled with thrills, joys, humor, fantasy, absolutely amazing special effects and some wondrous performances from all involved. Yes, the Indian/Egyptian tomb sequences are eerily reminiscent of The Temple Of Doom, but it hardly matters. Sherlock Holmes, here seen in his youth, is apparently both a super-sleuth and a dashing young swashbuckler. Mix into this mystery wonderfully imaginative, and horrific, hallucinations brought on by poison darts; flying machines; a sweet romance, and the answers to all of your questions regarding Holmes' character as a man, and you have yourself one dandy entertainment as directed by Barry Levinson. It is a shame that this film was not a bigger hit, it deserved to be, and had it been, we would have finally been treated to the sequel this movie so richly deserved.

A Fun, if Derivative, Addition to the "Holmes" Canon
Though lacking the scope and real sense of tragedy of Billy Wilder's "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" (1970)--another "what if Holmes fell in love?" film based on the characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle--hit-or-miss director Barry Levinson scores a hit with "Young Sherlock Holmes." Here, a teenaged Holmes (played convincingly by Nicholas Rowe) battles an arch nemesis, years before the realization of who that villain really is, all while meeting Watson (a very Harry Potter-esque Alan Cox) and falling in love for the first time with the delightful Elizabeth (Sophie Ward). The best parts of the film are watching the pre-adult Holmes developing his acute mental sensibilities, besting the local teen blowhard as well as the bumbling Inspector Lestrade in the fashion that only Holmes can; the worst parts are the campy moments of whimsy--the odd, gravity-defying flying machine--and the, perhaps, typical subtext that English culture must be under threat of erosion from foreign ideals. Still, the film moves at a good pace, even if it is at the expense of echoing other films, such as the Indiana Jones series, the aforementioned Wilder film, and the Rathbone/Bruce series.

EHTAR-RATHE
Young Sherlock Holmes is a truly excellent film. Although the story is totally apocryphal and Holmes Purists may be upset by the story, it is certainly one of the most fun I have ever watched about the Sleuth.

The Acting is great, the story is great and the score is a classic, but the where this film truly shimes, at least for me, is the visual effects.

Since this film was made before Computer Animation was widely used, there are a number of puppetry/stop action scenes that are amazing, as well as a computer animated stained glass knight.

This movie is a must watch, all the way through the credits (which contains an excellent indulgent twist).

You can watch this over and over
I remember seeing this when i was 10 years old in the theater and loved it. 18 years later it is a movie i can still watc hover and over. This movie did not get the credit it deserved! whatever happened to the actors of the movie? especially sophie ward who played elizabeth. she was great. nicholas rowe and alan cox did a good job as well as sherlock and watson.
Basically the plot is about a "Young sherlock holmes" meeting watson at school and his love interest elizabeth. along the way they happen to find a cult and set out to destroy it. The best thing about this besides the special effects is the acting! they should rerelease this in a few years for its 20 anniversary the same way they did E.T. highly recommended!!

OK potboiler, done to a turn
YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES (USA 1985): In Victorian London, the teenage Sherlock Holmes (Nicholas Rowe) and John Watson (Alan Cox) meet for the first time at school, where they become intrigued by a series of apparently unrelated 'suicides' which lead them to a murderous Egyptian cult operating in the bowels of the city...

Barry Levinson's reimagining of Holmes' teenage years is an enjoyable - though inconsequential - work which blends old-fashioned British melodrama with the demands of a US summer blockbuster (Steven Spielberg is one of the co-producers), whilst simultaneously acknowledging its debt to previous Holmes movies (note the iconic 'shadow-on-cobblestones' during the opening credits, derived from a similar image featured in the Rathbone-Bruce movies of the 1940's). The script, by future director Chris Columbus (HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR'S STONE), plays fair with audience expectations by setting Holmes on the trail of a shadowy villain who leaves a series of intriguing clues in his/her wake, and the entire production is sumptuously designed (by Norman Reynolds) and photographed (by Stephen Goldblatt). Vivid set-pieces include a number of frightening hallucinations suffered by the 'suicide' victims before they die (parents of younger children, take note), and there's a major plot development at the VERY END of the film. Of the younger cast members, only Cox makes much of an impression, playing Watson as a decent, loyal friend prone to juvenile weaknesses (in particular, a fondness for custard tarts!), while Sophie Ward is unable to make much of an underwritten role as Holmes' first - and only - sweetheart. Rowe's performance as Holmes lacks the zest and dynamism that might have lifted the movie out of the ordinary, and his blank-faced, emotionless characterization is the single most disappointing aspect of the entire production, though the supporting cast of familiar British thesps (including Freddie Jones, Anthony Higgins, Susan Fleetwood and Roger Ashton-Griffiths) does much to fill the void in Rowe's wake. Look out for some interesting names in the credits, including animatronics supervisor Stephen Norrington (later the director of BLADE and THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN) and computer animation technician John Lasseter (director of TOY STORY and A BUG'S LIFE).

The print used for Paramount's DVD has a few stray speckles, and part of the image seems to 'flicker' slightly, easily spotted on larger monitors during stationary shots (cf. the shot at 00:05:30, particularly on the right hand side), but this visual blemish won't even register for most viewers. Sound quality is excellent, with extensive use of surrounds, though bass is somewhat lacking in the 5.1 version. There are no extras, not even a trailer.

108m 44s
1.85:1 / Anamorphically enhanced
DVD soundtracks: Dolby 5.1/Dolby Surround 2.0
Theatrical soundtrack: 6-track Dolby Stereo
Optional English subtitles and closed captions
Region 1 ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ever wonder what would happen if the imaginary worlds of Bedknobs and Broomsticks and SpongeBob SquarePants were to collide? If so, chances are good you've yet to discover The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Starring the irrepressible Don Knotts, this 1964 family feature combines live (land) action and animated (undersea) sequences with delightful results. During World War II, Knotts is mild-mannered, spectacle-sporting bookkeeper Henry Limpet. More than anything--he's a fish fan and a patriot. When the navy rejects him due to poor eyesight, he falls into a funk from which not even his beloved aquarium or loving--if bossy--wife can rescue him. So he makes a wish... to become a fish. Next thing he knows--he is! With a little help from a hermit crab named Crusty and the lovely Ladyfish, it's as a talking, bespectacled fish that Limpet proves himself the war hero he always knew he was meant to be. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Don Knotts¿ Citizen Kane
Although this film may be "Stupid" to today's teens - that it doesn't have the emotional resonance of 'Monsters, Inc' nor the Shakespearean scope of 'Lion King', it is still Don Knott's 'CITIZEN KANE'.

The '64 movie might seem a bit creaky by today's standards; so much celluloid has passed under the bridge since then, but there's still something downright charming about the milquetoast bookkeeper who turns into a fish after falling off a Coney Island pier, then winds up becoming the Navy's secret weapon in the fight against German U-boats (which, if the movie is to be believed, were cruising the waters just off Long Island in 1941).

It's all a matter of perspective to compare. The movie seems so dated, so carefully cute. Still, there is much to love (or at least fondly admire) in these brisk 102 minutes. On this DVD, the colors are as bright as a load of laundry just run through a cycle of All-Tempa-Cheer. Even the live-action sequences in Henry's apartment at the Coney Island wharf on board the Navy ships have the vibrancy of a well-inked cartoon. The Incredible Mr. Limpet at times resembles a tankful of exotic tropical fish. The seams between animation and live-action aren't always perfect; it's less clunky than the Gene Kelly/Jerry Mouse dance duet in 'Anchors Aweigh' nineteen years earlier, and a far cry from Roger Rabbit's mind-boggling effects twenty-four years later, but the combination is believable enough for any kid's imagination circa 1969.

If Limpet IS Knott's Kane, where does that leave films like The 'Apple Dumpling Gang' or 'The Shakiest Gun in the West'?

-Of course it's all a matter of taste and discretion, but I'd say those are his Magnificent Ambersons and Touch of Evil.

A nice soft gem, but don't push it on pre-teens or older.
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Don Knotts plays a namby pamby, fish-loving, bookish bookkeeper in Brooklyn, married to a lively wife who doesn't relate to his habits. Unable to join the navy in anticipation of WWII, Knotts' character lands in the waters off Coney Island and turns into a fish, finally able to help the US war effort.

It's a cute blend of animation and film, carefully steered by a director who was involved in such efforts as "Mr. Ed" and the Francis (the mule!) movies. You'll recognize the blend of animation and film if you've been watching Disney movies with your kids (although this comes from the Warner Bros studios), and the media jump won't seem as silly as when Sponge Bob surfaces from Bikini Bottom.

The younger kids will like it, but it took a little cajoling to get some nine year olds to stick with it until the war scenes - - initially it was beneath them. But adventure developed, and the movie actually brings up themes regarding roles which they were familiar with from movies like The Little Mermaid (is Limpet a fish? a man? what's this mean for his old relationship with his wife, and new relationships with other sea creatures?) I hate to wax overly philosophical about this, but these are the parts which make it interesting for adults. As Limpet-the-fish says, "There's nothing like realizing your importance to the world to make a man out of you. Even if that man is a fish."

Yes, it has a bit of pathos, but it also has submarine battles, jokes, a crusty hermit crab, cute animation, and a great group of B-grade actors who are somehow able to keep a straight face through the whole exercise. (What may surprise you -- or disappoint you -- is that Knotts' character is never the frenetic, shrill Barney Fife. But he is very good nonetheless, and you shouldn't typecast him.)

Be prepared for animation but is true to Barney's character
This is almost 100% animated (except for beginning and ending wrappers of real film) but Barney's (ok, Mr. Limpet but you KNOW you think of him as Barney) voice and character comes through. The reason it doesn't deserve 4 stars, even from a die-hard Barney fan like me, is the animation but it's the only way this could have been done. It's enjoyable but the least of the post-Any Don Knotts movies.

A great movie
I hadn't seen this movie for years. One evening a couple of months ago my 6 year old daughter walked into my office and said "this movie is cracking me up!" Turns out my wife had rented it for her. My daughter wanted to know if we could buy it so we logged onto Amazon and made the purchase. I watched it with her a few days ago and fell in love with it all over again. It's a great movie!

What are you talking about?
I just read many of these reviews and have to completely disagree!

Sure Don Knotts acting is fine but many of the other actresses are just too over the top. The story line is terrible. It's too serious to even just be able to laugh at it.

DON"T WASTE the 2 hours of your time!

And I would not recommend it for kids either. It is a PG movie. Young children would not get it and be bored. And older kids would pick up on the mixed marriage message. (Yes you should honor your marriage vows but if you grow apart just give up on the marriage.) ... Read more