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The facts have become legend. Star Trek, the NBC series that premiered on September 8, 1966, has become a touchstone of international popular culture. It struggled through three seasons that included cancellation and last-minute revival, and turned its creator, Gene Roddenberry, into the progenitor of an intergalactic phenomenon. Eventually expanding to encompass five separate TV series, an ongoing slate of feature films, and a fan base larger than the population of many third-world countries, the Star Trek universe began not with a Big Bang but with a cautious experiment in network TV programming. Even before its premiere episode ("The Man Trap") was aired, Star Trek had struggled to attain warp-drive velocity, barely making it into the fall '66 NBC lineup.

The series' original pilot, "The Cage," featured Jeffrey Hunter as U.S.S. Enterprise captain Christopher Pike--a variation of the role that would eventually catapult William Shatner to TV stardom. Filmed in 1964, the pilot was rejected by NBC the following year, but the network made a rare decision to order a second pilot. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was filmed in 1965, and only one character from the previous pilot remained--a pointy-eared alien named Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), whom Roddenberry had retained despite network disapproval. The second pilot was accepted, and production on Star Trek began in earnest with the filming of its first regular episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver."

Never a ratings success despite a growing population of devoted fans, Star Trek was canceled after its second season, prompting a letter-writing campaign that resulted in the series' third-season renewal. It was a mixed blessing, since Roddenberry had departed as producer to protest the network's neglect, and Star Trek's third season contained most of the series' weakest episodes. And yet, the show continued to "to explore strange new worlds…to seek out new life and new civilizations…to boldly go where no man [a phrase later amended to "no one"] has gone before."

There were milestones along the way. The first interracial kiss on network primetime TV (between Shatner and series co-star Nichelle Nichols) furthered a richly positive and expansive view of a better, nobler future for humankind. The series offered a timelessly appealing balance of humor, imagination, and character depth. And at least one episode (Harlan Ellison's "The City on the Edge of Forever") ranks among the finest science fiction stories in any popular medium. Beloved by long-time fans in spite of its cheesy sets and costumes, and the now-dated trappings of late-1960s American culture, "classic Trek" has aged remarkably well, and its sense of adventure and idealism continues to live long and prosper. --Jeff Shannon

The three 2004 DVD sets collect all 79 episodes of the show, including "The Cage" in both a restored color version and the original, never-aired version that alternates between color and black and white. Each set is supplemented by over an hour of featurettes incorporating new and old interviews with Shatner, Nimoy, other cast members, and producers, and there's also some vintage footage of Gene Roddenberry. Accompanying the 20-minute seasonal recaps ("To Boldly Go...") are a number of interesting featurettes: "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy" examines the two pilot episodes and the development of the crew; "Sci-Fi Visionaries" discusses the series' great science fiction writers; Nimoy debunks various rumors in "Reflections of Spock"; "Kirk, Spock & Bones: The Great Trio" focuses on the interplay among Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley); and, in what is probably his last Star Trek appearance, James Doohan (Scotty), slowed by Alzheimer's but still with a twinkle in his eye, recalls his voiceover roles and his favorite episodes.As they've done for many of the feature-film special editions, Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda provide a pop-up text commentary on four of the episodes filled with history, trivia, and dry wit. It's the first commentary of any kind for a Star Trek TV show, but an audio commentary is still overdue. The technical specs are mostly the same as other Trek TV series--Dolby 5.1, English subtitles--but with the welcome addition of the episode trailers. The plastic cases are an attempt to replicate some of the fun packaging of the series' European DVD releases, but it's a bit clunky, and the paper sleeve around the disc case seems awkward and crude. Still, the sets are a vast improvement both in terms of shelf space and bonus features compared to the old two-episode discs, which were released before full-season boxed sets became the model for television DVDs. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

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Whether it's a snowy nude sprint down Main Street, the mysterious appearance of a long-lost relative, or the improbable death of yet another of Maggie's boyfriends, life's never dull in the remote hamlet of Cicely, Alaska. Colorful characters and quirky plots propelled Northern Exposure into the hearts of millions of viewers, earning the CBS "dramedy" series seven Emmy awards between its 1990 debut and its demise six seasons later.

In season 1, we meet Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow), an urban New York yuppie who consents to four years of rural servitude after Alaska pays his medical-school tuition. Joel's fish-out-of-water adventures drive the show, but it's the quirky ensemble of characters--Chris, the DJ/philosopher (John Corbett), Holling, the bartender (John Cullum), Maurice, the town patriarch (Barry Corbin), Ed, the filmmaker (Darren E. Burrows), and Maggie, the bush pilot (Janine Turner), among others–-that keeps the series consistently entertaining. The town develops its own offbeat personality as well, a Mayberry-meets-Twin-Peaksblend of Native mysticism, Aurora Borealis-induced dreams, unlikely tales of long-lost family members, and rumors of a Bigfoot-like creature known simply as "Adam."

Northern Exposure provides a utopian escape--a place where life is interesting but never dangerous, everyone's insightful, the mystical becomes real, and nobody's burdened with a mundane 9-to-6 desk job. Cicely is a delightful place to visit, even if it's only for an hour at a time.

A mid-season replacement, season 1 consists of just eight episodes on two DVDs. Each episode includes 5-10 minutes of outtakes and deleted scenes. --Shane Burnett ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Yay! Finally!
With the glut of completely forgettable TV shows and movies flooding onto DVD, it's nice to see a series of great quality, superior writing, memorable characters, and consistent imagination make it finally to DVD! "Northern Exposure" is a true classic! It'll be great to have it available legally in Region 1 NTSC (there have been bootleg Region 2 PAL versions floating around for a couple years already on eBay, but with extremely poor sound/video synchronization).
The first season only has 8 episodes (since it premiered during the summer of 1990. It might have been better to combine the 1st season with the 7 episodes of season 2 (which ran in April/May 1991, for a 15 episode set, but comprehending the mind of marketing 'geniuses' is bound to lead nowehere.) The first 'regular' seasons with 22-24 episodes only began in September 1991.
Let's hope this release signals that after season 1, the next 5 seasons will also soon see the light of day.

Some of the extras promised for this release:

Deleted Scenes
Video Documentary Footage
Mock Movie Footage
"Unexposed" Footage

(and special limited edition "Parka" packaging!)

Where's the Beef?
Norther Exposure is probably one of the best cast, best written, & best Location-scouted TV shows ever aired. My wife & I eagerly awaited for the show's arrival to DVD. When we purchased the show--for an outrageous $50.00--we were shocked at what we received. Yes, the innovative packaging was fun, but it hid the fact that there was nothing inside. As others have noted, the price is horrible when you realize that there were on 8 episodes! What makes it worse is that there is absolutely no information included. No booklet with stills from the show, no list of episodes, nothing at all. On top of that, they do not even give you multiple discs, they give you cheezy 2 sided discs with 2 shows on each side. What were they thinking? Others have noted that seasons 1 & 2 should have been combined. I agree. If you are a fan of the show & want the episodes from season 2, you'll get reamed gain... there are only 7 episodes!

Great TV you can't find these days.
I am giving this DVD 5 stars because that's what the show is worth. You can't find TV like this now days and perhaps never will again. I have watched late night re-runs and fell in love years ago. I cannot wait to revisit Sicily Alaska again.
The 1st season is only 8 episodes so yeah it is a little short. I can guarantee it will only leave you wanting more though. Because the show is so amazing I am not to concerned about price. I am crossing all fingers and toes that they will release the rest of the seasons on DVD or I will be forced to buy the A&E VHS copies.

Northern Exposure--The ultimate TV show!
I remember watching the TV show when it was in it's 2nd or 3rd season and I became completely hooked on it. I'm very glad I got this DVD that contains the entire 1st season of shows and the extra goodies that come with it. I can hardly wait for the 2nd season to be released on DVD.

Close, but not enough.
This was great. My friends were able to see how the story all started and I got to see it all over again. But only 8 episodes, I would agree with other reviewers, they should have gave the first two seasons. Definitely better than a lot of other TV to DVD issues out there right now. ... Read more

Description

This 7-time Emmy Award-winning series is a remarkable blend of quirky humor and heartwarming storytelling. With an ensemble cast including Rob Morrow (Quiz Show), John Corbett (TV's Sex and the City, My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and the beautiful Janine Turner (Cliffhanger), Season Two takes us back to the slightly bizarre, yet charming, little logging town in Alaska. Relive the Complete Second Season of the show TV Guide calls "...one of television's truly fine series." ... Read more

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Saved from the brink of cancellation by its loyal fanbase, Star Trek's third and final season rewarded them with a number of memorable episodes.Tight budgets and slipping creative control, however, made it the series' most uneven season, though it did have some of the coolest episode titles ("For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky," "Is There in Truth No Beauty," "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield").Some of the best moments involved a gunfight at the OK Corral ("Spectre of the Gun"), a knock-down drag-out sword battle with the Klingons aboard the Enterprise ("Day of the Dove"), the ship getting caught in an ever-tightening spacial net ("The Tholian Web"), TV's first interracial kiss ("Plato's Stepchildren," and it should be easy to guess who participated), Sulu taking command ("The Savage Curtain"), and Kirk's switching bodies with an ex-love interest ("Turnabout Intruder").

Also appearing in the set as a coda are two versions of the series pilot, "The Cage," a restored color version and the original, never-aired version that alternates between color and black and white.Starring Jeffery Hunter as Captain Pike, Leonard Nimoy as a relatively emotional Spock, and Majel Barrett (the future Nurse Chapel and Mrs. Gene Roddenberry) as a frosty Number One, this pilot was rejected, but a second was commissioned, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," now considered the "official" beginning of the series.But "The Cage" is very recognizably Star Trek with its far-out concepts (telepathic aliens collecting species samples), sexy humanoid women, character development, and of course cheesy costumes and special effects.Footage was later reused in the season 1 two-parter, "The Menagerie."

The best of the 63 minutes of bonus material focuses on three of the actors: Walter Koenig, George Takei, and James Doohan.Koenig discusses how he was cast and shows off his various collections, one consisting of Chekov figurines.Takei speaks movingly about the Japanese American internment and, in what is probably his last Star Trek appearance, Doohan, slowed by Alzheimer's but still with a twinkle in his eye, recalls his voiceover roles and his favorite episodes.The Easter eggs are amusingly called "Red Shirt Files" in tribute to those poor saps who everyone knew were only in the landing party so they could die.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Third Complete Season in an 8-DVD Set! Fantastic!
When Paramount Home Video first started to release the original series of "Star Trek" in 1999, I was aghast at the fact that only one DVD with two episodes per DVD were being released one DVD at a time at a very high cost. The cost to own all 40 volumes (DVD's) was staggering. Of course, this doesn't even address the amount of shelf space required for all 40 DVD's.

Now, with this repackaged version, all 24 episodes of the third season are being released together on 8 disks. It will probably also include both versions (color and black-and-white) of the unaired original pilot "The Cage". This is the packaged version of the original "Star Trek" that I fully intend to purchase because even at full list price, the cost of owning the third complete season is less than half the cost of owning its earlier cousins on an equivalent 13 DVD's. Also, the packaging itself has been designed similarly to the packaging used for other "Star Trek" series released in complete seasons, meaning that it will only require a small amount of shelf space. It is also possible that extra documentary and commentary material not released originally will be included in this complete third season box set.

The original series of "Star Trek", that ran for three complete seasons between 1966 and 1969, started a franchise that has included six television series and ten big screen motion pictures. The main original characters of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Lt. Commander/Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard H. 'Bones' McCoy (DeForest Kelley, 1920-1999), Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott (James Doohan), Lt. Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Ensign Pavel Chekov (Walter Keonig from 1967-1969), Yeoman Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney from 1966-1967) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett) have become an inseparable part of Americana. Though series creator Gene Roddenberry (1921-1991) was not able to keep the original series alive for five seasons as originally envisioned (it was cancelled after its third season), he, along with the countless series fans, was able to resurrect it in the form of six motion pictures beginning in 1979 and the first series spin-off, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987, which ran for seven years and had spin-offs of its own. There was also a 22-episode animated version based upon the original series that ran from 1972 to 1974.

In spite of receiving five Emmy nominations during its life and several previously successful efforts (including letter-writing campaigns) that had saved the show from cancellation on more than one occasion, the combination of poor Nielsen ratings, a shrinking budget and too-often weak episode writing made the third season of "Star Trek" its last. The most memorable episodes of the third season include "Spock's Brain", "The Enterprise Incident" (using Klingon ships for Romulans), "The Paradise Syndrome", "Is There No Truth in Beauty" (with guest character Dr. Ann Mulhall as played by Diana Muldaur, who had previously guest acted in the second-season episode "Return to Tomorrow" and also played the unpopular character Dr. Katherine Pulaski in the second season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"), "For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky", "The Tholian Web", "Plato's Stepchildren" (which had the first inter-racial kiss on televsion), "Wink of an Eye", "The Empath", "Elaan of Troyius", "Whom Gods Destroy", "The Mark of Gideon", "The Lights of Zetar", "Requiem for Methuselah", "The Cloud Minders", "The Savage Curtain" and "All Our Yesterdays". Arguably, the worst episode during the third season was "The Way to Eden", about a group of hippies searching for Eden (the probable inspiration for the worst-ever "Star Trek" film, "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" in 1989). Other particularly weak third-season episodes include "And the Children Shall Lead", "Spectre of the Gun" featuring a re-enactment of the old-West shoot-out at the O.K. Corral, "Day of the Dove", "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" about racism, "That Which Survives" and the final episode "Turnabout Intruder" that showcased some of Shatner's worst acting abilities.

Ironically, six weeks after "Turnabout Intruder" aired on 6/3/1969, Neil Armstrong and 'Buzz' Aldrin became the first human beings to land and walk upon an extraterrestrial body, Earth's moon, on 7/20/1969. Shortly thereafter, interest in "Star Trek" grew considerably. Paramount Pictures nearly resurrected the television show in 1977 (called "Star Trek: Phase II") after all but Leonard Nimoy had signed on, but the project was abandoned shortly after George Lucas' 1977 film "Star Wars" blew audiences away. Fans had to wait another two years when the disappointing film "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was released. It is interesting to note that two of people (Jo and John Trimble) who started one of the successful letter-writing campaigns that had once saved "Star Trek" from cancellation in 1968, were the same people that started a letter-writing campaign to convince NASA to name the first space shuttle "Enterprise" in honor of "Star Trek".

Overall, I rate the 8-DVD set of "Star Trek: Original Series Season 3" with an anticipatory 4 out of 5 stars. Clearly, this is how Paramount should have released the original series to begin with. Though the third season suffered from more poor episodes than the previous two, I continue to thank Gene Roddenberry for taking all of us "where no man has gone before".

Only a small handful of good shows.
Thrid Season of Star Trek was it's last and it was marked by both a feud between Gene Roddenbery and a new producer over the show's budget. Somewhat more cheaper production values, decreaaed visual effects work, and poore writing. The few Exceptions were "The Enterprise Incident, The Tholian Web, Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, That Which Survies, The Lights of Zetar, and the Savage Curtain

ST's final frontier
Barely getting renewed for a third season,Star Trek had two disadvantages when it returned.First was executive producer Gene Coon's departure from the series, as well Gene Roddenberry's decreased involvement.The other was a new timeslot on Friday at 10:00 PM, a slot known to bury flagging shows by the networks.
Over the years, many blamed the new producer Fred Frieberg for the lacking quality of the show. Freiberg's only sin was coming aboard a sinking ship which was suffering budget cuts as well as weak stories and it's creator's lack of interest due to the networks total disregard of the show.
Even with the few brilliant episodes (Empath, Paradise Syndrome,Enterprise Incident, Tholian Web, Requium Of Methuselah,All Our Yesterdays), season three is notorious with two of the worst ever in the history of Trek (The Way To Eden, and Spock's Brain).
By the end of season three,ST was finally cancelled after 78 aired episodes in 1969.Even fans couldn't save it, as NBC buried the show.But thanks to syndication, ST became even more popular than when it originally aired and build upon a growing franchise (Conventions, Saturday Morning cartoons,toys, etc,).The ten years after the end of the series,Star Trek The Motion Picture premired.And that was just the beginning. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Spot on!....A Brilliant Serious/Story Tale.
Spot On! This BRILLIANT serious indicates exactly what gay life is about and the difference amongst us all within the gay community. Well done and congratulations to the writers of Queer as Folk. I am totally hooked to this serious.

EXCELLENT TV SHOW!!
I absolutely love the show!!
It's so cool that the show presents a different world to me!
I enjoy involving the relationship between those charaters! They are adroable and memorable!! Especially the affection between Brian and Justin! It would be precious to you if you decided to buy those series!! I promise!!

Best Series Ever For Our Gay Community!
ITs about time that Queer life is celebrated! I own "Queer As Folk Seasons 1-3" and its the best showtime series I have ever seen! All 3 seasons so far have drama, romance, lust; and each season makes you want more! I became hooked instantly; having watched every season atleast five times!

At first, I was worried, seeing that I never watched the series before buying them. I jumped with both feet and bought all three at once. I Definitely, 100% not disappointed! The drama and the complications in the series between queer friendship, love, devotion, pride and honor is the best I have ever seen in any gay portrayed series!

Queer as folk shows all aspects of Queer life! The love between Justin and Brian, Mikey and Ben, Ted and Emmett, Lindsay and Melanie; and many other characters brings this series to a new level. Showing the honest view of gay life. I feel for every character, and care for each person and their lives, as it unfolds. Words can't express this series other than its a must see and definitely MUST OWN collection!

At times, this series will show sex and nudity, so its not for the faint at heart. But thats what makes this series even more special. The fact that nothings held back; in your face truthfulness of gay relationships! Its awesome!

If you never watched Queer as folk, I recommend to everyone they should! I cant wait to own Season four!

The Entire Collection From a Great TV Show
When "Queer As Folk" debuted on Showtime in 2000, it immediately sparked controversy, raising many eyebrows. Its unique graphic visionaries of sexuality has kept many talking. Not because of the sexual theme itself; it's the sexuality between two members of the same sex. The "in-your-face" effect earns the brave cast and crew tremendous respect for doing what no other has successfully done before. Before its debut, only two sitcoms have explored sexual orientation extensively: "Ellen" and "Will And Grace". The brilliance and the success of "Queer As Folk" has since earned rave reviews by many critics and still is today. Since its debut, the show has won and been nominated for several awards, including three, and counting, consecutive GLAAD Award nominations for Outstanding TV Drama.

The variey of character personalities offers great plot variety. Brian's frequent sexual activity, Michael's homelike presence, Emmitt's flamboyance, and Ted's shyness are only some traits that offer such joy to audiences. Justin, Debbie, Mel, Lindsay, and Ben also offer their own unique presence. The acting offers more great additional entertainment value. New and interesting ideas always keep audiences awaiting for the next episode. The combination of realism, drama, and slight comedy offers issues that some viewers can relate, including the straight/ ally community. Besides GLBT issues and struggles, it explores drug use, HIV/ AIDS, hate crimes, pornography, and many others. The shock value offers a great unforgettable experience. As the seasons progress, the plot and the characters follow.

Season one, the season always to be watched first, explores the coming out process, struggles in high school, struggles in the workplace, same sex couples raising a child, and others. Those who haven't watched the show will witness Justin meeting Brian for the first time, Lindsay giving birth to Gus (Brian is the father), Justin coming out for the first time, and of course Brian being Brian. Such deep chain of events and many others lead to a surprising and shocking season finale that keeps audiences awaiting for the second season premiere episode.

Season two starts with the result of the traumatic event on last season's finale. The characters begin evolving more throughout this season. Some surprising turn of events keep audiences interested in every detail. New viewers will witness Michael and Ted beginning their dream jobs, Michael meeting Ben who is HIV-positive, the birth of "Rage", Justin beginning college, Brian admitting more of his love for Justin, and of course Brian still being Brian. Viewers will be shocked when they learn Debbie's weak spot, despite being a strong GLBT ally. Robert Gant makes a wonderful debut as Ben. The acting from everyong shows great improvement throughout this season. Everyone creates their own tactics to keep audience watching. The chain of events, and many others, lead to a great season finale, leading to season three.

Season three answers questions that were cliffhanged in the second season finale. This season shows a greater variey of expressed issues, some which have not been expressed before, including politics, hustling, drug abuse, and others. This shows a greater emphasis on HIV/ AIDS issues, especially when Ben and Michael help a young hustler and when Ben's ex-boyfriend/friend dies of AIDS. This season shows surprising revolutions of some characters: an unlikely town hero arises to prevent a town from being run by a homophobic mayor candidate, an unlikely person becomes a crystal meth addict, and others. The chain of events and others lead to a shocking season finale that keeps audiences awaiting for season four.

This "Queer As Folk" set is a great collecion item for fans. This is sure to keep audiences entertained for a long time. First time viewers must watch this edition in order. Otherwise, the chain of events will be confusing.

Cast: Gale Howard (Brian), Hal Sparks (Michael), Randy Harrison (Justin), Peter Paige (Emmitt), Scott Lowell (Ted), Robert Gant (Ben), Michelle Clunie (Mel), Thea Gill (Lindsay), and Sharon Gless (Debbie).

Queer As Folk The Complete Seasons 1, 2, and 3 are wonderful
Queer As Folk is one of the most amazing TV Shows ever and is a landmark as the show for the new millennium. This amazing Box Set has Season 1,2, and 3. After three seasons I am still amazed at how honest this show is on dealing with gay life. Not every gay person lives a life like these guys, but that is not what this show is about. Queer As Folk ia about the life of a group of gay guys and a lesbian couple living in Pittsburgh. Queer As Folk makes no apologies and thats what is so great about this series. From the graphic sex scenes to the drama of dealing with the prejudice that still haunts America, this show is so brave and I give Showtime a big thumbs up for having the balls to take on such a big risk as Queer As Folk. This show is as close as it gets to real life. This is not a show just for gay people, but for ALL people. It deals with human emotion and thats something that we can all relate to whether we be straight, gay, bisexual, black, white, brown or in between. I encourage anyone who has a open mind and a open heart to BUY this amazing DVD collection as it will inspire you and if nothing else open your mind to a lifestyle not as uncommon as you may think. Watch more than one episode before you judge this amazing series. With season 1, 2, and 3 you will be entertained with this awesome show for more than a few days!

Queer As Folk The Complete First Season - The first Queer As Folk DVD Box Set has all 22 episodes of the first season of the most controversial and bravest series in the history of television. The total running time of all 6 DVD's is approx: 1,205 minutes which includes Bonus features such as: behind the scenes outtakes, deleted scenes, special edition episodes, a Photo Gallery, DVD rom extras, A 6 minute Season 2 Sneek Peek, and much more. Queer As Folk shows the life of a group of gay guys and a lesbian couple living in Pittsburgh and all the dramas that go on in each of their lives.

Queer As Folk The Complete Second Season - The DVD Box Set is over 900 minutes and has all 20 episodes of the second season of one of the most controversial television shows today. The BOX SET includes over 3 hours of Bonus features such as: behind the scenes outtakes, deleted scenes, special edition episodes, a Photo Gallery, DVD rom extras, and much more. Queer As Folk shows the life of a group of gay guys and a lesbian couple living in Pittsburgh. I feel the first season of QUEER AS FOLK is better, but this second season is very good as well and shows the growth of the characters. I have seen all 20 episodes of Season 2 and it is slower paced than the first season, and I sometimes find myself looking at my watch which rarely ever happened with season 1.

Queer As Folk The Complete Third Season - This New Queer As Folk Season 3 DVD Box Set is over 673 minutes and has all 14 episodes of the third season, which is still one of the most controversial and bravest series on television today. This BOX SET like the seasons before include over 3 hours of Bonus features such as: Behind-the-camera, Hot Summer Days, Wrap Party Reel, Enter Babylon LA, Meet the Folks, Animated Photo Gallery, Season Four Sneak Preview, Weblink, Music Videos, and a few other surprises. I have seen all 14 episodes of Season 3 and it is another great season with some major twists. Season 3 is also a step above season 2 which was a little drawn out when compared to season 1. I do have to say I am a little upset that this season is very short when compared to season 1 and 2, which both had about 7 or 8 more episodes, but either way it is still a good season. Can't wait till the new Season 4 starts on Showtime soon. ... Read more

Reviews (102)

One of the funniest and darkest comedy/musicals of all time!
There's never been a movie like "The Little Shop of Horrors" before, and there probably never will be. The film it resembles the most is undoubtedly "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," but I find it cleverer, funnier, and more enjoyable than that movie, if still as sick in its own twisted little way.

The movie stars Rick Moranis in the role he was born to play: that of a geeky and timid New York City kid named Seymour, who works at a crummy florist shop way downtown along with Audrey (Ellen Greene), a blonde gal who sounds as if she's sucked in too much helium. Seymour is too shy to confess his love for Audrey, and his only way of dropping a hint is when he finds a mysterious plant at another flower shop and names it Audrey II. "I hope you don't mind," he tells her, and then he drops it by the front window of the store in hopes of drawing customers.

It does. The first customer (Christopher Guest) enters with a cheerfully stupid grin and buys $50 worth of roses. "Do you have change for a hundred?" he asks. They don't. "Oh, well, then I guess I'll just have to buy one hundred dollars' worth!"

Business starts to boom, and the plant starts to bloom, turning into a ferocious man-eater that demands a sacrifice of human blood from Seymour to crave its hunger. After a few weeks, Seymour is bone dry, unable to slice any more fingers open and feed his gargantuan plant. "Feed me, Seymour!" the talking plant bellows.

Audrey has a new boyfriend who has been beating her up. He's a dentist, played by Steve Martin, and as he puts it, "I have a natural talent for causing people pain!" He likes to cause people intense pain, walking through his dentist's office and purposely knocking orderlies in the face with door handles and pulling teeth without applying sedatives. "Wait! I'm not numb!" a customer shouts during an introductory song. "Eh, shut up, open wide, here I come!" his dentist yells, starting to drill away.

Steve Martin has played a dentist since, in the undoubtedly lesser but unjustly bashed "Novocaine" (2001). His outing as a pain-driven dentist in "The Little Shop of Horrors" is ten times better, and Martin is truly the highlight of the entire film, from the point when he is introduced riding his motorcycle to the job with a leather jacket (only to strip it off and reveal a white dentist's coat as he enters his office), to the part where Seymour enters his office with a gun in hopes of killing him and feeding him to his plant. Martin doesn't get what's going on, because he's wearing a comedically oversized laughing gas mask he invented that's making him chuckle like a moron. "What are you gonna do? Shoot me? Ha!" The laughing gas kills him before Seymour musters up the emotional strength to.

Seymour drags the dentist's dead body home, chops him up and feeds him to Audrey II, but this is only the start of his worries, because soon the media frenzy centered around the wonderfully odd plant starts to drive him to insanity, as he desperately tries to juggle between keeping a clean conscience and keeping away the media.

Then Audrey II reveals its true intentions - to take over the world with its offspring - and Seymour decides that it's time to stop Audrey II before it gets too far.

"The Little Shop of Horrors" is such a wonderfully offbeat comedy it's almost impossible to dislike. It's one of my favorite comedies, the type of odd little film that doesn't promise to be very much at all but provides a lot.

Frank Oz directed the film (based on Roger Corman's classic), and it was filmed on a visibly low budget, but that's okay, because it's supposed to be that way. It's part of the fun. All the stages are obviously just that, with poorly painted backgrounds of New York City and the skyline. You can literally see the cracks in the wall where the different stages meet with each other. And it's great! It makes the movie, and the movie knows it isn't anything special. At one point, Audrey has a dream sequence of living in a nice little Brady Bunch home, and we see Seymour cutting the lawn with a lawnmower. It's so cheesy and fake that it barely meets the quality standards of a children's television show - but, once again, it helps makes the movie.

The movie has tons of cameos, too, including James Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest, Bill Murray, et al. And if the guest stars, dark humor, and delightful direction don't interest you, perhaps the songs will - because many of them are quite good. The highlight is "Suddenly Seymour," in which Seymour and Audrey have a duet, and Audrey's voice suddenly turns from meek to booming, overpowering Seymour's lyrics and pounding the stage.

This is the definition of a cult film. Everything about it just strikes you as a cult film. But whereas "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is a cult film for - in my opinion - sick people, "The Little Shop of Horrors" is a cult film for people who love comedy. It's all in good nature, with cheery little musical numbers every once and a while that are as funny as the songs in "The Blues Brothers," if not more so. But what makes the film particularly different from the rest is its deliciously dark humor - especially for a mainstream comedy like this. From the plant's adamant bloodlust to the shadowy image of Steve Martin slapping Audrey around behind a backlit stage prop, this is one of the funniest, darkest, and yet also cheerfully lightweight comedies ever.

What a Great Film it Could Have Been
Little Shop of Horrors is the definitive modern musical comedy. The music, as written by Alan Menkin, is melodic and beautiful, with some of the best lyrics in recent memory. The pacing is quick, with sharp directing by Frank Oz and great comedic performances by Steve Martin, Ellen Greene, and Rick Moranis (and the very over-rated Bill Murray, in a painfully extended cameo as a masochistic dental patient). The film knows that it isn't art, or thought-provoking, which is what keeps it from being truly campy. But what prevents it from being great is the extremely controversial, oft-discussed original ending.
In the play, Audrey and Seymour are eaten by Audrey II, and the Greek Chorus sings a cautionary song to the audience. In the movie, Audrey survives, Seymour electrocutes Audrey II, and they all live happily ever after. It wasn't always so, however. Oz had filmed the play's ending, but in test screenings, the audience was angry and appalled, so Oz opted to reshoot the film for the ending as it is.
In 1998. a Special Edition DVD was released with a VERY rough cut of the original ending, but it was pulled from the shelves by the producer after only two days. A second release DVD came out in 2000, sans original ending. The first issue DVD has become a collector's item of the highest degree, often selling at online auction sites for upwards of $100.
Well, I own that first issue DVD, and having seen what the film could have been, I can't rate it higher than 3 stars. In that ending, Audrey's death is handled with dramatic emotion now absent from the film, never playing for laughs. There is a breathtaking Death March (Now available on the New Broadway Cast Album) as Seymour carries her body to Audrey II. Seymour undergoes a psychological spiral within minutes, before being devoured by the plant. And during the finale, "Don't Feed the Plants," many enormous Audrey II's are shown wrecking havoc on a devastated New York City, blowing up cinemas, eating trains, and crushing the very symbol of our country, the Statue of Liberty (sort of). Had this ending been used, the film would have been a memorable masterpiece, but as is, it is merely a forgetable (if enjoyable) musical flop.
It's a shame Frank Oz surrendered his vision to please the people. I can only imagine what the ending would have been like in full technicolor on the big screen.
Let's hope for a 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition DVD in 2006 with a re-edited film containing the original ending, as promised by the producer when he had the disks puled from the shelves.
Little Shop of Horrors is a fun film, if not for younger audiences. If you have 90 minutes to spare and are a fan of musical theatre, check out this modern classic-that-should-have-been, about a singing plant, a daring hero, a sweet girl, and a demented dentist.

Mean, Green and Mad!
Can you imagine Barbra Streisand in this film as Audrey? Although everyone familiar with this movie (and stage musical) immediatly sees Ellen Green in the part, we find out from the documentary on this disc that Babs was offered the role first. Thankfully she wasn't interested.
The film itself is the best stage-to-screen musical adapt. since Grease and none (even Chicago) have since come along to beat it. The music by Alan Menken and the lyrics by the late, great Howard Ashman are fantastically intertwined to evoke laughs as much as the required early-1960's atmosphere. This talented duo went on to score Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and (in part, due to Ashman's death) Aladdin. When listening to Little Shop's Somewhere That's Green it's easy to see where Mermaid's Part of Your World came from.
The cast are uniformly excellent and succeeded in making their parts their own (meaning that any production now seen on stage features clones of Moranis, Green, Martin etc.). Rick Moranis as Seymour seems to have been born to play the part and his singing voice comes as something of a revelation! Green, as I have already said, IS Audrey but Steve Martin just about manages to steal the entire film from all of them in an extended cameo as Orin the sadistic dentist. Other cameos include James Belushi, John Candy and (brilliantly) Bill Murray.
Audrey II (the plant) is a wonder of engineering and puppetry and watching the film now, I couldn't help but think that if this movie was made today Audrey II would be CGI - impact lost! Thank goodness then, that Frank Oz, director and some-time Muppet-man, gathered a group of talented people together to create a truly startling character. Although the character would be nothing without Levi Stubbs so wonderfully providing his voice.
Wisely it was decided to change the ending from the stage shows bleak (and, frankly, poor) conclusion to a more up-beat and 'Hollywood-style' finale. The original ending is glimpsed in the all-too-short deleted scenes section of this disc, as a couple of Audrey IIs attack a building, but it would have been nice to see the scene in tact perhaps with an option to swap it for the actual ending when watching the film. Also the inclusion of 'Mean, Green Mother' really helps the second half of the film which sadly sags in the show due to the absence of such a show-stopping number.
The 'making of' was made of the time and so is light and fluffy. I would have prefered a little more depth on the realisation of Audrey II. The trailers are worth watching - mini masterpieces of campy kitch but Oz's commentary is a little on the ponderous side.
So, in conclusion, the extras are acceptable if a little dull, but who needs extras when the film is as thoroughly enjoyable and toe-tapping as this! Just remember: - whatever they offer you - don't feed the plants.

Fun, Fun and way out fun!
This off beat musical comedy is too fun, too sick and just plan rolicking for words!

The cast is perfectly matched to each character, the do wop Motown ala Crystals combined with Levi's rock out bass as "da plant" draws you onto the screen!

One for today's generation, sophisticates and those who want to really enjoy a musical - when it's over, all you want to say is "Wasn't that a lot of fun!"

Rent it, buy it, but ENJOY it.........

Oz & Corman-Fabulous Musical With TONS OF SURPRISE CAMEOS!
Frank Oz's masterpiece of Roger Corman's B- Schlock Horror movie of the same name. Originally produced off broadway, it had a very successful run. So... What is Hollywood to do but make it into a blockbuster with big name stars and cameos.

Ellen Greene as the plucky Audrey, who also played the part on stage, Steve Martin as the sado-masochistic Dr. Orin Scrivello, DDS, Rick Moranis as the milquetoast Seymour, Vincent Gardenia as the crusty Mr. Mushnik & the voice of Levi Stubbs as the people-eating, mean green mother from outer-space, Audrey II.

Bill Murray has a hilarious cameo as Arthur Denton, the pain loving dental patient. He screams CANDY BAAAAR whilst the dentist inflicts pain upon him! John Candy cameo as the radio announcer, Wink Wilkinson, Jim Belushi as Patrick Martin, Christopher Guest as the first flower shop customer.

Great musical numbers from all, especially Ellen Greene who has one of the best set of pipes EVER!

Great family movie with only mildly irreverent language.

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Description

Comic wizard Bill Murray (CRADLE WILL ROCK, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) teams up with Academy Award(R)-winner Richard Dreyfuss teams up with (Best Actor, 1978, THE GOODBYE GIRL) in an outrageously wild comedy that's sure to drive you off the deep end! Murray plays Bob Wiley, a troubled but lovable therapy patient who fears everything! After seeking help from noted psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (Dreyfuss), Bob feels revived. But when the good doctor skips town to go on a quiet family vacation, Bob, afraid of being alone, follows -- showing up unexpectedly at the therapist's lakeside retreat. That's when the fun really begins! Bob innocently becomes the houseguest who just won't leave -- endearing himself to the other family members ... and, in the end, driving the stressed-out shrink absolutely crazy! ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Mmmm... Was this movie hand-shucked?
The story is pretty simple. Bill Murray stars as Bob Wiley, a manic who invades the life and family of Dr. Leo Marvin, a psychiatrist played by Richard Dreyfuss. Bob comes to him for guidance but Dr. Leo is in a rush to go on his summer vacation, so he gets brushed off and sent out the door with a copy of the Dr.'s new best-selling book, Baby Steps. Bob can't handle it himself and decides to follow Dr. Leo to his vacation home. Bob's insistent efforts to get to Dr. Leo causes his family to become endeared to him and his child-like qualities, while Dr. Leo sees Bob's efforts so invasive he starts to become unhinged himself.

This movie is a real treat. Great performances all around and one of Bill Murray's funniest roles. From watching the reaction of the family members, one wonders how much of the goofiness was improvised by Murray. Dreyfuss is splendid also as he slowly loses his patience and eventually his sanity. It gets a solid four stars and a buy recommendation. Watch it when you need a lift. But remember--baby steps... baby steps...

Baby Steps!
What About Bob is one of the funniest comedies of the 90's, and one of Bill Murray's best roles as the neurotic Bob Wiley, who seeks help from renowned psychiatrist Dr Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss). As Leo's patient, Bob follows Leo to his holiday house at Lake Winnapasokee, where the crazy Bob pesters his exasperated Doc for answers to his problems. The gradually- increasing craziness between Dreyfuss and Murray is fantastic, with an outstanding script and superb comedic timing.

The film also stars Julie Hagerty (Airplane) as Leo's wife and Charlie Korsmo (from Spielberg's Hook) as Sigmund 'Siggy' Marvin. But this movie belongs to Murray. His brilliant comic timing and neuroticism provide some great laughs ("I want, I want, gimme, gimme, gimme, I need I need!"). Which is exactly what people are saying about this DVD. Must-have comedy.

The Greatest Movie of All Time
I seriously think that this is the best movie ever. I haven't seen it in a few months but my stomach still hurts from all the laughing I did (ok, not really but you get the picture). Bill Murray is one of my favorite actors and he made me love him even more in this film. I cannot count how many times I laugh everytime I watch this movie. If you are going to watch this movie, be ready for a stomach ache afterwards because I can guarantee that you will laughing for all eternity after you watch this movie. If you have a pulse, you will enjoy this movie!

Lots of Quotes!
One of the measures of a good movie is if you recite lines from it in normal dialog. My family uses many quotes from this movie and has been doing so for years. Whenever my wife is run down she pulls this one out and immediately starts to laugh. This is one of our favorite wacky comedies.

What About ...Annoying?!
There is no question that Bill Murray has an outstanding body of work, but in WHAT ABOUT BOB? he plays one of the most annoying characters in the history of cinema (even worst than Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace). The audience is supposed to cheer 'Bob' as he battles his way through his neurosis and phobias, at the expense of his psychiatrist, Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss). This reviewer had the opposite effect of what the movie was supposed to project. I felt sympathy for Leo/Dreyfuss and none whatsoever with Bob/Murray who literally invades the life of his doctor. The fact that even Dr. Leo Marvin's family, who find no harm in Bob's innocent stalking througout the course of the film, was even more frustrating. The movie plays like the tv show GREEN ACRES. There is one central character who is supposedly smarter than everyone, but somehow everyone still gets the best of him. The climax in all this was the nail in the coffin. A vacation home is blown-up and 'Bob' ends up marrying Leo's (Drefuss) sister, while Leo is reduced to a dribbling vegetable. This reviewer did not think this film was a comedy, but rather it was fingernails scratching across a chalkboard. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Superb!
This is one of my favorite book adaptations ever. It's finely crafted and the characters are portrayed realistically. What's more, it has it all, romance, treachery, gritty (realistic) scenes and Ciaran Hinds. :) Oh, my God. He's a must see. If you love the medieval genre do not miss this film! Did I mention C. Hinds? Well as others have said, the R.A. actor IS the film, taking it over completely, no question. I have no idea why Steve Waddington gets top billing b/c he's just okay, okay, he's dull as dishwater and deserves his love, Rowena who is a bit bland too. Rebecca and Brian Bois de-Guilbert are wonderful, however. And for those who whine that the movie did not stick to the book, well I say why should it? This is the movie the director decided to make; all book adaptations are just that - adaptations and are not there to copy the book vis a vis. If you love Ivanhoe the book, don't bother with this b/c you'll just complain. But if you love a finely crafted medeival, this is your film. No paranormal, no bull about chivalry, just the way it was - and one more thing about Walter Scott -- he totally romanticised this period in Norman/Saxon/Crusade history so you should take that into consideration when comparing book to film. The fact is that the knights templar were not saints and many were burned at the stake for their die hard beliefs as well as the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of saracens.

New Ivanhoe-great!
I'll try to be brief. This is a fantastic movie. I enjoyed it far more than Spider Man 2, or any of the Lord of the Rings.

The story is easy to follow, the charachters have reel feelings, strengths, weeknesses, and the acting was exellent. No need for 100-million dollar special effects.

My only complaint, and this seems to be true for many of the "new" films, is that the spoken word is sometimes difficult to hear because of all the background music or battle sounds etc.
But this movie has all we wish for. Action, romance, heroes, villians-and the good guys win!

"Realistic" but dull
Ivanhoe is a great classic of romantic literature. The creators of this version, however, abandoned the romantic aspects entirely in order to present what they see as how it "would have really been." In other words, they present Ivanhoe without any romance whatsoever. The knights present no pretence of chivalry, the women have no charm (Rowena is a churning cauldron of bitterness and nagging), Athelstane is no longer a comic relief, the fool is not foolish (or funny). The surprises of the book are revealed in advance (Ivanhoe reveals himself to his beloved before the tournament), so that there is no tension in the story. Rowena is played as a modern feminist and the addition of the Queen Mother as the deus ex machina in the end is lame. Can anyone really believe that a Queen Mother of that period would have insisted that her sons "hug" at the end? Or that Richard Lion-Heart would have done so?

In short, the drama that arises in the book is absent in this version, which replaces it with a sort of modern psychological pseudo-drama about individual feelings. The absence of context is fatal. For example, there is no explanation of the Knights Templar, their role, their principles, or their hypocrisy. As a result, it is impossible to make sense of the trial of Rebecca. The best performances were by Christopher Lee and the actress portraying Rowena, although the character she portrays bears little resemblance to the Rowena of the book.

I see no reason to remake a romantic novel without the romance, but this seems to be the modern way. As in the movie "Troy," which took away the Gods from the story, leaving the events inexplicable, this version takes away all the information, culture, and history that makes the story understandable and fun.

Ivanhoe Goes To War
Ivanhoe is a classic story, loved by children and grown-ups alike. By what misguided arrogance do screenwriters think they can write a better story than the original author? The attempt to introduce new motivations for the characters leads to a plot full of holes and empty of the delight and careful craftsmanship of Sir Walter Scott's book. The tenor of the film is monotonously angry and the battle scenes are a tedious, cheesy hacking and hacking. The male roles look and act so alike that one cannot tell them apart. The last scene with Eleanor from A Lion in Winter has nothing to do with anything and disconnects both John and Richard from the characters they have played all through the rest of the movie. If you like Ivanhoe, reread the book. If you do decide to buy this, do yourself a favor, at least, and fast-forward the battle scenes. You won't miss a thing and you'll be able to get to bed on time for a change.

Grittily superior to a prissy book
This is one of my favourite portrails of early mediveal life in all it gritty detail. The adaptation takes all of Walter Scott's annoying Deux et Machina out and leaves the watcher with a gripping, dynamic tale. The care that is taken with the minor as well as major details is a joy to behold with great costumes and settings and a wonderfully authentc feel.

Ciarán Hinds is absolutely superb as the Templar Sir Bois-Gilbert as is Christopher Lee as the Templar Grand Master Sir Lucard de Beaumanoir and Susan Lynch as Rebecca. Steven Waddington's Ivanhoe is good, but definitely diminished by the three previous actors.

Whilst more Brannagh's Henry V than Olivier's I feel that this adaptation is only strengthened by that fact and would be replacing my tape version with a DVD one today if it was available as region 2. ... Read more

Reviews (494)

Simply in the wrong place at the wrong time
The world was not ready for a return to the days of the movie-musical when "Newsies" was released in 1992. A box-office flop, it has quickly risen to cult classic status with fans everywhere. Newsies is based on the true story of the New York newsboys' strike of 1899. Granted, Disney is guilty of "improving the truth a little", but doesn't any musical, where people break out in spontaneous song and dance, require one to put reality aside for a while? This film tells the tale of the newsies, led by tough, street-smart Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) and intelligent, reasonable David Jacobs (David Moscow), who form a union when Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall) ups the price of newspapers from fifty to sixty cents a hundred. The street children - with names like Racetrack (Max Casella), a compulsive gambler who steals many scenes with his wisecracks - are aided by a newspaper reporter named Brian Denton (Bill Pullman). Together the unlikely company endures many troubles, including run-ins with the police and their leader's betrayal, throughout the strike. The actors are believable as poor orphans and runaways during the turn of the century, and one look at any of them shows that they've poured their heart and soul into this movie. The lack of depth in some characters - especially Sarah (Ele Keats) and Medda Larkson (Ann-Margret), roles that serve no discernable purpose other than sex appeal - is my only qualm with the film. Looking past that and the many continuity errors (some of which are actually quite amusing), this is a highly enjoyable movie for the entire family to share. Not a masterpiece, but plenty of entertainment!

Extra! Extra! See All About It!
An uplifting story portraying the greatest accomplishment children have made in our entire lifetime. Well directed by Kenny Ortega with amazing choreography (Kenny Ortega/Peggy Holmes) with amazing music by Alan Menken and creative lyrics by Jack Feldman. This motion picture has a wonderful cst including stars such as Robert Duvall (Joeseph Pulitzer), Ann-Margret (Medda Larkson), and Christian Bale (Jack Kelly). Other actors in this film include David Moscow, Aaron Lohr, Max Casella, Gabriel Damon, Luke Edwards and many more.
Set in 1899, this courageous group of newsboys from New York City, organize with other newsies from all to take on the most powerful man in New York City, newspaper giant Joeseph Pulitzer, to make their dreams come true. Through all the difficulties, the boys stay srong and become unlikely heroes by challenging the powerful.
After seeing it in my history class, i soon became a big fan and have researched everything from the actors to the acrual story. this motion picture gives accurate information and is fun for the whole family.

Newsies Rocks my Sox!
Wow. This movie has got to be one of the best ever. I was visiting a friend in St. Louis who had gone to a musical camp, and they watched it there, and she made her mom go out and get it for us. We watched it 5 times! It really is that good. It's got great singing and dancing, an awesome story line, catchy songs, and plus it's based on real events. And Christian Bale is sooooo cute! If you haven't seen it yet, go rent it NOW!

NEWSIES IS THE BEST!!!!! I love this movie!
Well, if you didn't already read my title NEWSIES IS THE BEST! And I love it. It's a great story about friendship and sticking up for what you believe in. Plus, it's Christian Bale and David Moscow...how can you go wrong with those two! I love the singing and dancing too. If you love the music as much as I did I suggest you buy the soundtrack because it's awesome! I'm telling you girls, if you have a bad day, pop this movie in and watch it. I mean it's a bunch of cute boys singing and dancing...it works everytime. I recomend this movie to anyone who likes musicals, boys, and great Disney magic. Watch it...trust me. It's probably one of my favorites movies of all time! If your cool you won't regret it.

Newsies
I love the Newsies....if your into musical's this is a must see! ... Read more

Reviews (59)

One of the funniest movies of the last 20 years!!
An absolutely terrific comedy!!! I won't rehash the plot much, but let's say that Steve Martin plays a crass, American, two-bit con man trying to move in on a town on the French Riviera, where Michael Caine, a suave, successful, tasteful con man, already runs the show.

The men start as rivals, then become reluctant co-conspirators (in the FUNNIEST scenes of the movie, and maybe EVER!), and then, in the extended final act of the movie, rivals again, both trying to con the same woman, a naive American (Glenne Headly, terrific and enchanting as always).

Martin gets to show off his best comedic moves here. His physicality and pure ridiculous side is amply on display, but his more sophisticated, verbal skills are showcased as well. I'd be willing to say this is best, sustained purely comedic performance. Michael Caine is PERFECTLY cast as the suave Brit. He isn't "funny" per se, really the straight man, but he is the perfect foil for Martin, and he is charming and winning. He's seldom been more appealing and lighthearted.

Frank Oz directed this movie with zest and the right amount of panache. We enjoy the scenery, and we are eased into the movie slowly. The tension between the men is allowed to build slowly over time, making the final twists and turns (and there are many delightful ones) all the more fun.

I've seen this film half a dozen times, and I've got all the twists memorized, but there are still scenes I look forward to eagerly, and still laugh hysterically over. IN one bit, Martin is assigned to play the younger, insane brother of "Prince" Michael. Caine lures the rich women, gets their money and devotion, and then introduces them to his revolting brother (Martin), who scares the women away, leaving their money behind. Martin is so unbearably funny, and Caine plays his end so straight that, truly, the five minutes this stuff takes up in the movie may be the single most delightful five minutes you can spend in a screwball comedy.

I don't like to toss out the word "classic" too often, but I feel that perhaps this movie warrants it. I know I'll be watching it again and again in years to come!

Good Clean Humor and Under-rated..
If you are a fan of Steve Martin and Michael Caine, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a must-see. For some reason, this comedic gem was over-looked by many a critic. To me, it's a classic that will be enjoyed twenty years from now. The wonderful acting performances by Martin and Caine are side-splittingly HILARIOUS! Tie in the physical comedy of Martin, the snake-oil smoothness of Caine and a hilarious script and you've got yourself a winner. The scene where Freddie Benson has to endure five minutes of punishment from Dr. Schuffhausen will have you rolling on the floor!

I love the European backdrop of the French/Italian Riviera and the soundtrack is also well done. I have this movie on VHS and am looking forward to a copy on DVD, see this movie as soon as possible if you want some good clean fun!

Monkey Boy
Why do I love this movie so much? Clever dialogue, twists, predictable, yes but still funny, elegant setting, odd ball pairing, bad French accents...What more can you ask for in a movie. I love it all, especially Martin as Ruprecht, and the reactions he elicits.

Michael Duranko
www.bootism.com

One of the best .
A great comedy about con-men. Steve Martin will have you on the floor laughing and Michael Caine is brilliant as always. Directed perfectly by Frank Oz. This is a must see.

Ruprick, the genital cuffs!!!
I can't believe this movie is a decade and a half old! Neither will you when you view it again (or for the first time). The cinematography is fresh and the comedy is timeless.

The story revolves around a simple American con-man (brilliantly played by Steve Martin) who specializes in charming wealthy women out of whatever charity he can manage to swindel. That is, until he stumbles on to the master (Michael Caine), a suave ultra-swank European who doesn't go for the fast buck, but rather for the slow millions.

The difference in their styles, as Martin invades Caine's comfortable European playground (and then ultimately decide to work together) make for extreme comedy. However, not the Jim Carrey slapstick that's been so popular lately, rather, this is infinitely more subtle in it's buildup, but "net net" as funny as most of the best contemporary comedy out there.

If you have yet to see this film, count yourself lucky. Buy this DVD and give yourself 15 minutes to get into it. You won't be disappointed. For those of you who have seen it and are thinking about buying. Do it. It's one of the few DVD's in my collection I frequently watch and enjoy.

Hope this was helpful to you.

Christian Hunter ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Superb chick flick!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to admit that I was initially attracted to this movie because of the Enya music--there is no more romantic music to listen to when you are in love or to make love to than Enya's music. James Cameron realized that and tried to get Enya to write songs for "Titanic"--but it turned out that she did not have time to do so.

Regardless, this movie is a definite top rate, excellent chick-flick tear-jerker if there ever was one. Of course, what better city in which to set a romantic movie than San Francisco, which is where this movie occurs. Sara Deever, a quirky 90's style woman chases after Nelson Moss, a hard driven ad designer. After she sends him a cute little dog, he immediately returns the dog to her and, as she is cleaning up his left hand (that he had cut earlier in the day), he tells her about his day: "I got fired. They took the company car. And my GIRLFRIEND left me" "Perfect!", she says. "Define 'perfect'", he says angrily. Perfect in this case is the lead in to the rest of the movie, a series of romantic crises, wonderful love scenes, ultimately leading to a two boxes of Kleenex ending. This is my number 9 chick flick of all time (see my list of all time chick flicks). And if you end up liking this movie, you will love the soundtrack!!!

Charming, moving, uplifting, and surprisingly good!
Charlize Theron brings on her charm, and Keanu Reeves turns in a surprisingly worthy performance in "Sweet November," a movie that's as light as a fall breeze. Slammed by most critics as a soggy romance with no star chemistry, the movie's premise centers around two people who, through an unlikely series of events, fall in love, though not without hardship.

Let it be known, the movie is not that bad. In fact, when put in comparison with movies like "Bounce" and "The Wedding Planner," "Sweet November" is actually kind of refreshing in it's own little way. Yes, the way in which the two develop their romance is a bit tough to swallow at first, but if you can ignore that and allow their growing relationship to touch your heart, then the movie succeeds on those terms.

Keanu Reeves plays Nelson Moss, a man who is all work and no play (when leaving for work one morning, he tells his girlfriend, "I have a life, and I'm late for it") as a big ad executive. While taking a test at the DMV, he runs into Sara Deever, played by Charlize Theron, who gives him an answer and gets caught cheating. What does Sara do? She milks the situation for everything she can in order to get Nelson to her home.

Her offer? To allow him to live in her house for a month, no more, no less, in order to help him get rid of all of his life's stresses and restrictions. She takes it to the extreme, too, giving his clothes to a homeless man, telling him he cannot go to work (he got fired, anyway), and taking him out into the town to show him the ways in which life can be fun.

Like any movie relationship, there are complications. Sara is reluctant to reveal anything about her past or her family, or her reasons for taking in a new man each month. All she will reveal is what she does to help each one of them. Near the end, there will come a revelation that will put the stability of their bond in jeopardy.

It seems preposterous, but with a movie like this, the events come in such an order that you can forgive these little pitfalls. Their budding romance really does have a kick to it, and despite the outside criticism, Theron and Reeves do have some good onscreen chemistry that lights up the screen in moments and provides for some very touching moments.

The film also has a lot of warm-hearted laughs. A scene in which Sara stands outside Nelson's apartment and begins shouting risque comments at people in order to gain his attention will have you chuckling, while her neighbors, two homosexuals who host a dinner party for the four of them in drag, are a riot. And the overall sweet nature of the relationship between the two is something to smile about, as well as shed a few tears over.

In one of his better roles, Keanu Reeves is convincingly emotional as Nelson. In the beginning, her perfectly portrays the egotistical attitude and outlook of his character, and then makes a very believable segue to someone who is so in love he is willing to change his whole life. Charlize Theron is, as always, a gem, bringing a touch of warmth and cheerfulness to her role as Sara. Her acting embodies her character with the zest for life needed to sell us on Sara's motives, and Theron captures that completely.

While it's not on par with many other romances on the market, "Sweet November" is nowhere near as bad as critics have made it out to be. In fact, it's a charming movie that is very uplifting, due in part to the moving relationship that Reeves and Theron bring to their characters. It met all of my expectations, which were few, but the fact that it met them is enough to recommend the film.

the best movie ever
I have to say this is the greatest romance moive. It has it all; love, drama, and comedy. I dont want to give away the details but I cant help but love this move. She is beautiful and hes so lost. Everyone needs balance in there life and she gives it to him. Although the ending is sad i have to watch it until its over. I dont see anyone not loving this movie. In final words this is a great movie and everyone should own it!

Sweet sleep throughout this movie
The best thing about this movie is that it finally got me out of my insomnia spell. It was stupid and boring at the begining and so it didn't hold my interest enough to stay awake through the rest of it. Don't rush out to watch this - that's for sure.

Sweet November okay movie
I saw this movie and to be honest .To like the movie you are going to have to watch it over and over again. to like the movie its not a bad movie overall but , they tried and the effort was good enough for me. I liked it. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

ASTOUNDING EROTICA.....
This is an amazing film to watch. Not only is it beautifully filmed but the atmosphere is quite vivid in its' depiction of a Japanese servant girl who becomes mistress of the master of the house and sexually obsessed with their relationship. She leads him deeper into the sexual realm until it becomes the focus of both their lives. Their relationship becomes so intense that it can only lead to destruction. Film is extremely sexually graphic and to be honest, I wasn't even aware that I was watching "pornography" because the acting and story were so mesmerizing. By then, I didn't care because it wasn't offensive---just honest. The two leads are wonderful actors and they made me forget I was watching a supposedly one-time controversial film. The film is supposedly based on a true incident. The ending is shocking and depressing but that's allegedly what happened. I consider this film a classic and a must see for foreign film buffs. It's one of the most beautiful erotic love stories ever made and one of the most disturbing.

An actors film, based on a true story.
Based on a true story, Nagisa Oshima's 1976 film about possession, sexual obsession and love, is still fresh in its portrayal of a woman named Matsuda who struggles to posses her husband Fuji, wholly and completely.
In what must be one of the most shocking movies to come out of Japan in decades,
Nagisa's skillful use of location builds a claustrophobic atmosphere of intimacy, with very little light, cramped space and no fresh air (minor character comments about the smell that builds in the room the couple are in). Though at times seemingly pretentious, my feeling is that this may be due to the translation.
From beginning to end the controversial and explicit nature of the film will either turn you on, or off or leave you in jaw-dropping awe. Its still amazing what the two main actors do for this film, and the levels they go to, to bring these two characters to life. Still fresh and worth a good unbiased viewing every other year.

Serious Minded Erotica......
Nagisa Oshima has achieved what few other directors have managed in dealing with the very touchy subject of sex, in this instance, with sexual obsession. If you plan to watch this movie for a cheap sexual thrill, you will be most disappointed. Oshima has drawn from a real incident reported in a 1936 Japanese newspaper. The film centers around the love between two people expressed physically, graphically, into realms of the senses where few dare to tread. And with good reason. This is a very intense film as it progresses from the attraction of two people through increasing experimentation in an effort not only to express their passion but to try to find the outer most limits of passion itself. Oshima must have had something metaphorical in mind but the journey as chronicled in the film also has retained the feel of the specifics. It's quirkey and eccentric. The backdrop of the story is as interesting as the story itself. It is an amazing spectacle to observe, giving the viewer a perspective on Japanese life not usually rendered but often alluded to in some historical accounts. One wonders what this experience must have been like for the actors. Oshima has managed what I have always believed should be done in order to treat the subject of sex fully and without shrinking from its' less savory aspects. This is serious minded erotica and quite unlike anything else on screen. The only other film I can recall that compares at all is "Taxi Zum Klo" which was autobiographical and starred a number of actual people playing themselves.Obviously a different catagory in that regard from what is going on here, but both films draw much of their power from explicitly sexual scenes without compromising the integrity of the story being told. This is a film experience that should not be missed.

Interesting movie...
I have to say that this movie is most certainly not one for everyone. That's quite obvious from it's NC-17 rating, and the fact that it was banned for quite some time.

But aside from that.... It's an interesting movie about obsession and sex. The characters don't really get too deep, and you don't necessarily feel much sympathy for them, but that's part of the point of the film. You're supposed to feel the obsession, and the fact that the two lovers really only ever have sex on their minds, that it's taken over their lives.

It's graphic, violent even, with tons of sex... But if you know what you're getting into and can look beyond just the simple act of sex, you might find it a worthwhile movie.

Not worth the time or money
After reading some of the other reviews I was expecting a film that would leave me thinking about something of significance in life, even if was an extreme reaction to sexual obsession. I also, often forlornly, hope for a cathartic experience whenever I watch drama.

Unfortunately, this film provided neither. I was left thinking that there was something left on the cutting room floor that would explain the actions of the main characters. There was little in the film that would help me understand how the two 'lovers' could end up in their final situation. It was northing more than a voyeuristic following of a couples' series of sexual experiences that were neither erotic nor enlightening of motivations.

Then there were those unexplained forays by the female lead that had nothing to do with the main theme of the movie. The only reason for them seemed to be "comic relief" to the sex. The problem is that they were not funny and did not inform the audience about the main character.

Over all, the only reason to watch this film would be to see what really bad movies are like. ... Read more