Description

Richard Chamberlain stars as Australian lawyer David Burton, who takes on the defense of a group of aborigines accused of killing one of their own. He suspects the victim has been killed for violating a tribal taboo, but the defendants deny any tribal association. Burton, plagued by apocalyptic visions of water, slowly realizes his own involvement with the aborigines...and their prophecies. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Shocking, haunting, evocative
I saw this film when it first came out in 1977. It blew my mind then. I recently saw it on television and it still blew my mind once again. Pretty good for a film that is over 20 years old. This is a fantastic film that covers a variety of genres. It's a mystery, it's a thriller, it's science fiction, it's a drama. It should appeal to anyone who like the strange and the wonderful. Richard Chamberlain is fantastic as David Burton a lawyer who finds himself representing a group of young Aborigines accused of a brutal murder. However this is not just any murder, and Chamberlain finds himself drawn into a battle between the old and the modern when he finds out that the man's death is connected to the theft of some ancient stones that depict the end of mankind. To add to his problems Chamberlain is having strange dreams, dreams in which he is surrounded by water and he is drawn to the Aborigines and the secret world of dreamtime and ancient prophesies. For David Burton is part of what is happening, he is part of something that is old as old as time, history is repeating itself and the Last Wave is about to fall... This film is packed galore with symbolism, pretty good special effects and damn good acting. David Gulpilil is great as the young Aborigine torn between the past and the present and Nanjiwarra Amagula is superb as Charlie, a pure blooded Aborigine who just might have answers to secrets spanning thousands of years. This is a thinking-person's film. It is slow moving but suspenseful and the plot is sometimes complicated but never confusing. Well worth adding to your video collection if you want something excitingly different and intellectually stimulating.

Eerie, evocative, and haunting
Our modern, rational culture floats like a small boat on a huge, dark ocean of unguessable depth. Richard Chamberlain, in perhaps his best role ever, is a lawyer specializing in the arid technicalities of corporate taxation who is, by chance [well no, not really, as it turns out] drawn into the Shamanic world of the tribal aborigines who, unknown to most people, still inhabit Sydney, Australia. Little by little, the comfortable everyday world in which Chamberlain's character lived starts to dissolve, or at least become transparent, before the unguessably ancient and very different world around it. Meanwhile nature is acting very strange, paralleling the breakdown in Chamberlain's character. A wonderful movie, full of rich metaphors and images (including the final one) that remain in the mind long after the film is over. Even the soundtrack: some aboriginal instruments, some very nervous-sounding Australian-Irish dance music, and some spare but oh-so-telling chords, can stay with you for days. What are dreams anyway and what do we buy by living in a daylight world where we cannot see them? Weir suggests some provacative and disturbing answers.

disappointing
the story was just ok and the acting was fair but the quality of the vhs tape wasn't very good. actually the sound was terrible!!!!
actually worse than a homemade movie.

Future Shamans learn from Past Shamans
Frankly,my college degree emphasis was on Philosophy focusing on Aesthetics; this movie is a classic. It is amazing that the time period of movie represents a conception of reality that is difficult for any film to convey. As such, modern film uses the software animation for the art of props which used to be done by artists with skilled hands.

The early movies could not easily portray ideas and concepts which were beyond simple props. An example is a car scene prop - a car with a painting of a scene in the background.

Dreams are the most diffifult imaginal form of concept to convey because a dream is pre-reality. Artists since the dawn of art have tried to portray dreams. From that art we arrive at religion, science and hence psychology.

Art is a communication of the abstract. In this film, the Dream Time is communicated as it is: an imaginal world which overlaps the objects we perceive as a real world.

Future Shamans must always be aware that our Ancestors knew what reality was based upon their sense of Pre-Imaginal Conception. Shamans of the Animalistic Religions knew that We Dream Our Reality because We Percieve through our Imaginal Sense of Reality.

Never believe that the props are real. The props are the illusion. The message of this movie comes from the line;

" You are already in trouble. You forgot how to dream..."

We forget that the props of our world are our inventions; in another time, another realm, our beliefs mean nothing. We dreamt the meaning into them.

Dream Awake; Dream Aware. The Dream Time gives us clues if we can remember that we are living our dreams, and for some our night mares. If we know that we are creating our illusions, we might be able to live like our ancestors... with the nature as our home.

Toke up and fall out, your in for a strange trip.
My father turned me on to this film when I was about 4. He used to play it for me when he was cooking dinner, listening to music, studying, any time he needed some time to himself and needed me to stay in one place. (Chariots of fire and The Warriors work well too. lol ) Well, I am 25 now and this film is as creepy, fascinating and hypnotic as it was then.

I mean, the third wave, for christ sake. It's over. Your outa here. Done. Would you be remembered as a quality addition to the human race? Really, "Who are you?"

I can add no more than my peers here, as all except one giant bozo found this film to be as good as I did. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Sort of a greatest hits of "Avonlea" from seasons one & two
"Tales from Avonlea: Beginnings" is a mixed bag, with the good news being that you can get the eight of the first sixteen episodes from the first and second seasons of the beloved series (I got the Disney channel just to watch it), but nothing else in this stripped down DVD. Based on characters featured in "The Story Girl," which was author Lucy Maud Montgomery's favorite novel, and its sequel "The Golden Road," the series also adapted tales from two collections of short stories known as the "Chronicles of Avonlea." The eight episodes provided are:

Episode 1.1, "The Journey Begins" tells how young Sara Stanley (Sarah Polley) is shipped off to her late mother's relatives on Prince Edward Island when When her father is threatened with financial ruin. Sara arrives in Avonlea with her Nanny Louisa is tow, only to meet up with the formidable King family, headed by the imperious Aunt Hetty (Jackie Burroughs), who also happens to be the local school teacher.

Episode 1.6, "The Proof of the Pudding" finds Felicity in charge of her siblings when Alec and Janet go to Charlottetown to celebrate their anniversary. Sarah is added to the mix when Aunt Hetty goes to visit the Governor's office to prevent an over-zealous lawyer from denying the King's water rights to the local pond. Actually it is sawdust that ends up in the pudding and the woman who shows up at the King's farm is not the tone deaf Great Aunt Eliza but Agnes Leslie, the wife of the Governor.

Episode 1.3, "Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's" is one of the best adaptations of a Montgomery short story. Mrs. Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton) is put in charge of the boy's Sunday School class and when she finds the young boy who work's Alexander Abraham's farm has gone truant, she heads out to save the boy's soul. However, everybody involved is in for a big shock when they all end up in Abraham's home only to discover he has been quarantined because of the small pox.

Episode 1.4, "The Materializing of Duncan McTavish," begins when Sara asks Marilla Cuthbert (Colleen Dewhurst) "Did you ever have a beau?" Having endured a lifetime of slurs because she never did, Marilla defiantly declares "I had one once" and weaves a fantasy about her beau Duncan (because it is her favorite name) and McTavish (because she sees an advertisement for McTavish Porous Plasters). Of course, who should arrive in town but Duncan McTavish himself and Sara Stanley knows Fate has brought the two former lovers together again.

Episode 1.11, "The Witch of Avonlea" is about Peg Bowen (Susan Cox), who lives in the woods smoking her pipe and doing whatever she wants with no concern for what the good folks of Avonlea think or say. When Felix King (Zachary Bennett) finds himself unable to spell anything during the class spelling bees because he is so afraid of Aunt Hetty, his nightmares convince him she might be a witch. So he goes off to visit Peg, who gives him a "magic" stone to give him confidence

Episode 1.13, "Nothing Endures but Change," finds that Blair Stanley, Sara's father, has been acquitted of the scandalous embezzlement charges that forced him to send his daughter to live with her mother's relatives on Prince Edward Island. Blair arrives in Avonlea ready to take Sara back to Montreal, at which point everyone of Sara's King relatives absolutely freaks, especially Aunt Hetty, who announces she will not give the child up to her father. Sara wants to say goodbye to all her friends and attend the upcoming skating party she has been looking forward to, but her father wants to get out of Avonlea and as far away from Hetty as quickly as possible. Sara cannot abide the thought that two of the people she loves most in the world cannot even talk to each other civilly, and so she hatches up a plan to force their reconciliation.

Episode 2.2, "How Kissing Was Discovered" begins Great Aunt Eliza (the real one) coming for a visit and turning the King household upside down. Meanwhile, Alec discovers that playing cricket is not as easy it was when he was a younger man and Felicity has her eye on a young cricket player on the visiting team. After all, she is now all grown up and has decided it is time to receive her "first kiss." However, Sarah and Felix have made a new friend in Gus Pike (Michael Mahonen), a young sailor recently arrived in Avonlea and looking for work. Alec lets Gus stay in his barn and while Felicity will not give the boy the time of day, it is clear that he finds her rather interesting.

Episode 2.3, "Aunt Hetty's Ordeal" begins the pivotal relationship between Gus Pike and Hetty King begins. Given how Hetty treats Sara, Olivia and everybody else in the extended King family, you have to worry about poor, uneducated Gus. The problem is that everybody in Avonlea knows to take Hetty King with a grain or salt. But Gus thinks everything Aunt Hetty says is carved on stone tablets and when Hetty makes a heated offhand remark to the young man it has significant repercussions. Gus had been a minor character in previous episodes, and "Aunt Hetty's Ordeal" is where he starts becoming more important to the show in general (and Felicity King in particular). This is also the point where Hetty King, who tended to be a bit insufferable for my money, started to thaw, because the big difference between Gus and Sara, is that Gus is not family and Hetty ends up opening her heart to him.

Granted, these are probably the better half of those first sixteen episodes. But the legion of fans for "Avonlea" would be better served by having each season available on DVD and they may well hold out for that then pick this up.

Complete seasons found!
For all of those who would like to see complete seasons of Avonlea, I have found them! Released through Sullivan Entertainment, you can go to www.sullivanboutique.com and purchase the first three complete seasons of Road to Avonlea on dvd. Not only are all of the episodes included, there are also bonus features, such as bios and behind the scenes. I have also found these dvds on ebay, where you might be able to purchase them for less. Hope this has been helpful!

good, but not what I was expecting
This is a wonderful DVD whether you grew up with this show as I did or its your first exposure to the wonderful series. However, I bought this thinking it was the complete first season - for those of you who are familiar with the series, please be aware that it is not. This dvd contains 8 episodes - 6 from season 1 and 2 from season 2, and the episodes are not in direct sequence. However, I still very highly recommend this dvd as the complete seasons are difficult to find and very expensive.

Full Season Sets (Season 1 and 2) are Available
After opening up the box, I was so disappointed to find that only eight episodes were listed on the back. I don't what I had been thinking, but had been under the flase impression that I had ordered a complete season set.

However, if you go to amazon.ca (Canada) you will find much more to choose from on this wonderful series!

Quality of DVD leaves much to be desired...
I was thrilled to find out the television series "Avonlea" had finally be released on DVD in the United States. I was very disappointed to discover that Disney was the one releasing it, however, and not Sullivan Entertainment. Instead of the complete first season on DVD, only eight episodes from the series are available. Disney really ought to reconsider bringing out a complete first season set of the series. I, for one, wouldn't mind spending a little more money to have ALL of the episodes instead of just eight. Another thing I was very disappointed with was the quality of the DVDs themselves. The disc art is great, but the menus on the disc are absolutely horrible. No care was taken into putting them together at all. All-in-all, I'm glad to have at least some form of Avonlea on DVD, but Disney should've taken more care with such a splendid series. Let's hope they fix this if they plan on having future releases of the series. Major fans of the show really ought to consider buying the show on DVD from Sullivan Entertainment's web site. They offer all the episodes from the first three seasons in three sets, complete and uncut. Yes, it's a lot pricier, but at least you get the whole package. If I had the money right now, that's definitely the version of "Avonlea" that I would be purchasing... ... Read more

Description

It's senior year for Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen and Jack! After spending the summer together, Joey and Pacey find it difficult to keep their romance going with the realities of school, college applications and their strained relationship with Dawson. Dawson rediscovers his true life's dream, Jen turns over a new leaf after getting a new boyfriend, and Jack tries to rebuild relationships after revealing he's gay. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

History/360
We already had black face movies people. Are you from America or not? White people are the only race allowed to be made fun of in this way because of America's history. There have been countless movies made in this manner where there was an uproar from the minority community with no response from the movie studios. Now the old white men who are the head of these companies have decided that it is OK to make fun of themselves. ITS ABOUT TIME. You don't have to look too far to see the blackface movies being made recently (without the black paint on the faces). One of the most recent racist hits was Bringing Down the House when Steve Martin did his "hip hop" minstrel show. Give me a break with the racist crap OK.

White Chicks is an all-time favorite.
This movie is spectacular!!! The Wayans brothers are fantastic and the entire cast keep you laughing through the entire movie. This movie also has a great ending and message for all.

black men II white chicks
White Chicks is a rehash of every single 'man dressed up as a woman' movie. This plot has been done to death in countless movies like Tootsie, Mrs. Doubtfire, Big Momma's House, among dozens and dozens of others, but White Chicks doesn't bother to hide its unoriginality; it has fun with it. Add a hint of Miss Congeniality and you have the formula for this standard, but enjoyable comedy.

The problem with this one is that the Wayans Bros. are totally unconvincing in their woman make-up and do not look ANYTHING like the women they are pretending to be. In fact, they look damned scary. This can get a bit distracting. If that is something you could get past, White Chicks turns out to be a forgettable but entertaining time-waster. There are a few scattered laughs and the story certainly stays interesting. Add the beautiful and extremely talented Brittany Daniel, of SWEET VALLEY HIGH fame, to the mix, and you have a fun, if unenlightening motion picture experience. Yes, it's stupid, but it sure is fun to watch.

Extremely hilarious
I have watched this movie 4 times in Theatre, and would not mind seeing it the fifth time. This movie is lovably funny and nice. You can laugh till your hilt for the 1 hr 45 min. I do not care about what critics say, but this movie is a must see for people who love sense of humor and fun!!

Hmmmm
Yes some people think this movie sucked. Some people think it was great. I personally think that it was good. It wasn't the best movie ever, but it was good. It had all the things a good movie needs...comedy...love...stupid blonde's...etc. This was a great movie, my friend and I both agree. I went into it thinking it would be stupid, but when I came out I was laughing my head off. I don't what there is not to like about it. I mean they fought, there were jokes, dancing, laughing, and lots more. If you ever get the chance, you should go see this movie. I mean you should at least rent it. I loved it and am thinking about buying it on DVD. :-) Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did. ... Read more

Reviews (272)

Another Flop From Notorious Dreamworks Pictures!
Honestly, the way I see it is that "The Haunting" was the only commendable production from Dreamworks Pictures. This feature animation, on the other hand, puts Steven Spielberg to a great deal of shame, I'm afraid; and it all the more proves how Jeffery Katzenberg can hardly survive without the expertise of the Walt Disney Company.

First of all, it is terribly non-accurate in terms of restoring a "tale" of how Moses delivered his people. And secondly, eew...imagine how the people looked! Many praised this movie for its stunning background design; I personally feel horrible-looking CGI-animated people pale in accompaniment to how "stunning" the audience opines the animation to be - either in a positive or negative way. Why, I think even Don Bluth's "Anastasia" could do many times better!

The soundtrack itself isn't all the more that fantastic, despite the several rather meaningful songs like "River Lullaby", "Through Heaven's Eyes" and "When You Believe", due to that familiar sensation from listening to scores of similar tones. I suppose this is the only portion of "The Prince of Egypt" which persuades me to only hang on to it with an unimpressive 3-star rating. Better luck next time, Dreamworks - looking forward to your much anticipated "The Iron Robot"!

AN ARTISTIC MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF ANIMATION!!
The Biblical story of Moses has become a spiritual cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. To adapt it to an animated motion picture presented an epic challenge to Dreamworks founders Steven Spielberg and Jeffery Katzenberg, which they have triumphed over very successfully. Disney's somewhat disappointing Hercules made movie fans look for a different angle of story-telling as it was becoming clear that they were tiring of the tried and true Disney hit formula. .

After the Oscar-winning Pocahontas, the studios had not been to deliver its best (though I completely agree that The Hunchback Of Notre dame is one of the most underrated animated classics). Fox's Anastasia conquered a large number of hearts with its amazing character-depth and haunting tunes, but a box-office success of a larger proportion was required to dethrone Disney's monopoly. The Prince Of Egypt is easily the best non-Disney feature ever made (followed closely by Anastasia) and in every way, it as unique a classic as Beauty And The Beast or The Lion King. It is emotional, musical, captivating, and inspirational and has a profound moral meaning and beauty.

The story remains mostly true to its Exodus origin. It varies from The Ten Commandments in exploring the relationships between the two brothers who are destined to be enemies. The strength of the movie lies in the strong emotional bonds it depicts between its characters, something which The Ten commandments failed to portray. The animation is lush and vibrant, blending both classic hand-drawn cels and Computer Generated Imagery. The backgrounds and visuals and breath-taking and even the CGI sequences such as "The Parting of The Red Sea" are to be marveled at. Dreamworks artists have adapted a new angular style of character sketching which looks refreshingly beautiful on the silver screen.

Stephen Swartz's music is melodious and meaningful; from the spine-chilling "Deliver Us" to the soul-searching "When You Believe" which won the Oscar for the Best Song in 1998. (though I must say that I love Pfeiffer and Dworsky's version much more than Mariah Carrey and Whitney Houston's pop reprise). An astoundingly deep, sensitive and piercing score almost overrides the film's music; strongly highlighting the sentimental points with its rich orchestral appeal and Ofra Haza's tantalizing choral accompaniments. Nominated for an Academy Award, it deserved the Oscar for the Best Musical Score category (though I would personally have loved to see Goldsmith win his second Oscar for his incredible score of Mulan). Warbeck's score for Shakespeare In Love which eventually won, though appealing, pales before Zimmer's work or Goldsmith's masterpiece. Then again, I have noticed that Oscars go more by popularity than by talent. David Newman's nominated score from Anastasia was most definitely the Best among the Musical scores of 1997, although the Oscar favored The Full Monty, which could not possibly win in any other field where it had been nominated (owing to Titanic) and so walked away with a very undeserving award.

The Prince Of Egypt utilizes a host of acclaimed on-screen actors and actresses; comprising the voice talents of Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Glover, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jeff Goldblum, Sandra Bullock, Patrick Stewart, Martin Short, Helen Mirren and Steve Martin. It is undoubtedly the most ambitious vocal cast ever assembled for an animated movie. All the actors bring the characters to life with striking warmth and depth. Both Kilmer's as well as Fiennes' work are very praiseworthy.

The DVD offers a excellent anamorphic 1.85:1 video transfer which looks very crisp and colorful. The Dolby digital 5.1 sound makes good use of surround, nicely highlighting the score and special effects. Dreamworks has also recently released a DTS version of the DVD in April, 2003 which is an improvised version of the earlier Dolby release. The special features provide an in-depth look at the making of the movie. Also included are two trailers, "When You Believe" multi-language reel, still galleries, interviews with the cast and a "Basics of the Chariot Race" CGI explanation segment.

The Prince Of Egypt is nothing short of a masterpiece in animation history. The movie is geared more towards the mature audiences and those expecting fast pace fun-oriented stuff will not find it towards their taste. Young children may find some scenes a little disturbing, hence Dreamworks rated the movie a PG. So go enjoy Dreamworks' first animated motion picture, which is a classic to be cherished now and for generations

Excellent Animation and Story
The Prince of Egypt is an excellently animated movie from Dreamworks, with
great storytelling and characters and usually very good music. One doesn't
have to be religious to appreciate this movie (I'm not at all) -- the
emotions expressed by the characters are touching and the conflicts still
relevant.

As far as the animation in the movie goes, it is never less than excellent.
Besides the special effects sections (the parting of the Red Sea being the
most ambitious and breathtaking of all), the character animation is superb.
Each character is different and distinct, with this quality most noticable
when Moses is leading his people. Every person walking behind him, most of
whom have only seconds of screen time, is unique. As an animation
enthusiast, I appreciate this unwillingness to cut corners. Also standout
in this production is the appropriate and effective combination of computer
graphics and traditional hand-drawn animation. The dream/history sequence

that plays out in heiroglyphics on the palace wall is an effective use of
computer graphics in a 3-D setting that wouldn't work as well with
traditional animation, but the movie isn't overburdened by CG shortcuts
that just look fake.

The storytelling is also very well done. I have read reviews that say it
changed the Bible story too much, but the movie flows well and has a good
sense of pacing. Although I've never read the Bible story, the key points
I've heard of are included, and it seems the spirit of the story is intact.

The music, for the most part, is very good as well. "River Lullabye" and
"Through Heaven's Eyes" are beautiful in that they have a more
middle-eastern feel to them, with a broader range of instruments than the
hit "When you believe", which in the ending credits is sung by divas Mariah
Carey and Whitney Houston.

One complaint: The Steve Martin/Martin Short scene is bad, bad, bad. The
characters seem borrowed from too many Disney movies: as snide, snooty
henchmen with no character development, they are also way too modernized to
fit the theme of the story. And their "Playing With the Big Boys" song is
terrible -- I just want to fast-forward through it. That scene
notwithstanding, I think the movie is worth watching, for both children and
adults.

not very good
I know many rated it very high, but this movie was very disapointing. The graphics are not great, the songs are below average at best, the story "more or less" follows the biblical accounts, but worse, the characters are not attractive. I found Moses a reluctant participant, The Pharaoh a good guy and God a little sadistic (perhaps the authors should have emphasised what really went on with slavery, but then this is a film for kids). I shook my head a few times, wondering how such a wonderful and powerful historical account like Exodus could be rendered as lifeless and sadly my kids were just turned off by the story (as was I). My son's comment was "it is so much better when you read it from the Bible" and I have to agree.

I am still waiting for a good account of the Exodus to show up on film. Perhaps (instead of using their imagination to fill in the gaps) the writers should just follow the biblical text when making their movie... It has lasted and will last longer than their films will anyway.

Was the movie a good biblical account? Not bad, but not good either. The author took alot of his own inspiration when making the film. Is the movie good for kids? Perhaps some will like it... But most of the ones I know left the room before the end of the movie.

A Wonderful Movie!!
When I first saw it when I was like 8 or so, I liked it... and now, many years later, I still do! The songs are breathtaking and original, and match the scences. The characters, storyline, colour... oh, the list goes on! It's a fabulous movie! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A sexy parody of the Blair Witch Project? No, not really.
Yes, I should have known better. I stumbled across this film on a movie channel late on night and for some reason thought this might be an interesting parody of "The Blair Witch Project." Four sorority sisters head into the mountains to do a class video project on the legendary Bare Wench. There is Nikki Fritz as Nikki, Julie K. Smith as Chloe, Lorissa McComas as Lori, and Antonia Dorian as Toni. Fritz, star of "A Ferret in My Bathwater" (how on earth did I ever miss that one?) is the lead character here, with more brains than the rest of the group put together, a fact which is proven repeatedly throughout their trip up the mountain. As their faithful idiot companion there is Lenny Juliano as Lunk, who gets ample opportunity to leer at four pairs of bare breasts but not much else. Julie Strain makes an appearance as the title character, who inspires lust in those who dare to climb her mountain, at the film's less than thrilling climax.

There are two reasons for seeing this film and neither one of them really pans out. There are lots of scenes of the girls running around topless and rubbing up against each other, but nothing particularly memorable. The parody elements consist of finding sex toys out in the woods, an obvious twist on the famous camera shot of Heather, and the game of hopscotch. Most of the film is shot with a hand held camera, in the spirit of the original, which at one point when everyone is running screaming through the woods actually made me physicall ill (I am not kidding, it made my head spin). I stuck around for the end to see how lame the final punch line was going to be and discovered that the funniest and best part of the movie are the end credits, which have outtakes of the bonfire scene. It seems that no power on earth or in heaven can get Antonia Dorian to say the line "I used a piece of paper." Watch in amazement as she gets the line wrong time after time, and even when she in the ballpark, she immediately messes up the next line. Finally you hear director Jim Wynroski, having given her the line several times in clipped tones, just laugh and say, "I'm just going to put all of this at the end of the film. It's going to be two-and-a-half hours long." Thankfully, this is not the case.

FYI: Apparently there are sequels to this 1999 film: "Bare Wench Project 2: Scared Topless" (which is, I guess, the same as "Book of Babes: Bare Wench 2) from 2001 and the upcoming "Bare Wench Project 3: Nymphs of Mystery Mountain." Consider this fair warning.

cute girls- bad movie
If you are looking for a few girls to flash their tops for a few seconds and then the camera focusing on this really fat ugly comedic character, this may be the movie for you. The camera is hardly ever on the girls more than a few seconds and the strip scene is ruined by it beinf shot in the dark and through a huge roaring fire. Do not waste your time with this movie. There are much better ones of this genre out there.

Too little action, too much pointless talking.
Bare Wench is another softcore parody of the Blair Witch project (I think there's about two dozen of those things out there). It has 5 very attractive women (which includes Nikki Fritz, Julie Smith, and Julie Strain), and one dorky guy whose only purpose is to provide comic relief.

Okay, so I'm thinking "Cool. Great looking women, having softcore lesbian sex with each other very 10 minutes or so. This should be real good."

Unfortunately, the producers blew it. There is nothing in this video that actually qualifies as a sex scene. There's a couple of false starts, but the majority of the action is just the women posing for the camera. I guess once the producers had spent their money on the women, and spent more getting them to remove their clothes, they didn't have any money left to get them to actually do anything. And I guess they also used up all their alloted nudity time too early, because towards the end of the video, there is a huge amount of pointless dialogue that is obviously being used for no other reason than to pad out the run time. "You're a liar! No you are! You go into the cave! No you go! I think we should go home! Well, I don't!" This goes on and on and on forever.

There's way better stuff than this.

Better than the Original..............
This movie is pure greatness. Every girl has massive breasts and they ain't shy about it. I would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't so stupid. Still you can't deny the allure of naked breasts.
I give it three thumbs up (if you know what I mean)

A half-hearted half-sexy parody of "The Blair Witch Project"
I stumbled across this film on a cable movie channel late one night and for some reason thought this might be an interesting parody of "The Blair Witch Project" (Hey, it could happen). Four sorority sisters head into the mountains to do a class video project on the legendary Bare Wench. There is Nikki Fritz as Nikki, Julie K. Smith as Chloe, Lorissa McComas as Lori, and Antonia Dorian as Toni. Fritz, star of "A Ferret in My Bathwater" (now, how on Earth did I ever miss that one?) is the lead character here, with more brains than the rest of the group put together, a fact which is proven repeatedly through this hike into the mountains. Lenny Juliano is Lunk, their faithful [not too bright] companion, .... Julie Strain makes an appearance as the title character, who inspires lust in those who dare to climb her mountain, at the film's less than thrilling climax.

There are two reasons for seeing this film and neither one of them really pans out. There are lots of scenes of the girls running around [with not much on], but nothing particularly memorable. The parody elements consist of finding sex toys out in the woods, an obvious twist on the famous camera shot of Heather, and the game of hopscotch. Most of the film is shot with a hand held camera, in the spirit of the original, which at one point when everyone is running screaming through the woods actually made me physicall ill. I stuck around for the end to see how [weak] the final punch line was going to be and discovered that the funniest and best part of the movie are the end credits, which have outtakes of the bonfire scene. It seems that no power on earth can get Antonia Dorian to say the line "I used a piece of paper." Watch in amazement as she gets the line wrong time after time, and even when she in the ballpark, she immediately messes up the next line. Finally you hear director Jim Wynroski, having given her the line several times in clipped tones, laugh and say, "I'm just going to put all of this at the end of the film. It's going to be two-and-a-half hours long." Thankfully, this is not the case. "The Bare Wench Project" is strictly a frat party movie, for what that is worth. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

so so so funny
I could not stop laughing its adam sanlers version of kings of comedy very funny good thing to watch whiel your eating not really for seating down and watching it like a film or by urself its better if your having a party or something to put it on. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

DARN GOOD MOVIE!!!!!!!!
He's the gentleman who did such a superb performance in Detroit Rock City, now in this movie he plays an aspiring photographer who's work includes everything from a pic of his sexy girl friend, (played by the ravishing Christina Ricci) to photos of the food cooked on the grill where he works. His art evolves around his life in a lower middle class neighborhood in Baltimore Maryland.
Then one day, Pecker (yes that's his name in the movie) holds an exhibit of his work in the grill. Just so happens an expert in photographic art is there and she buys one of the photos then inquires about having him come to New York and exhibit his work there.
Pecker goes to NY, and his exhibit is a success, bringing him instant fame, as well as many of the people he has photographed. But fame has its price, especially when many of the town folk turn against him for making their lives a public display. Lives are transformed, and at the first, in a bad way. His sugar hyper sister is put on medication by Social Services, which puts her in a zombie state, his girlfriend is hounded by "excited" men to the point to where even where she works isn't safe due to pervs who drop in to "display" their activities, and others experience different types of changes. But as the movie proceeds, lives become better for the town folk, as Pecker does another exhibit and exploits the exploiters.
Instead of his hometown people, Pecker shows off photos of the photograph collectors and photographers and others from NY. Now its their turn to learn what its like to have their lives put out for the public to see. In this movie people learn that success has its price, but when you learn how to handle it, it can be a sweet thing.
This film is a mild comedy, with superb dialogue. Actually, the dialogue is inventive, and shows a unique skill. It is also wonderfully cast, with each actor and actress filling his or her role perfectly. Not a cornball movie by a long shot. Sort of fits into the Woody Allen style of Comedy. From time to time it has some strong language, but not overtly, and adult situations.

Relax and enjoy this quirky, special movie
If you keep looking for Divine in every new John Waters film you will surely be disappointed. Divine is gone and cannot be replaced, so why not just relax and enjoy this special little film, with all of it's quirky Baltimore characters and its mild "poking fun at" art and intellectuals. I highly recommend this film. If you miss having something to feel intellectually superior about, you can always see "The Blair Witch Project". If you want to have some fun, see "Pecker"

A must-see for photographers
There's a deeper understanding for this movie from photographers, especially pro-level amateurs who keep a day job to support themselves. Almost anyone familiar with the so-called "art scene" will also find many poignant moments. There's a lot of visual and verbal innuendos, so it's great viewing the second and third time around. John Waters fans will love it.

If we are normal?
If you like Waters, you will like this film. As for the guy who said you won't like this if your "Normal", What is normal again? You? Sorry sir, you have a disorder known as solipsism, where you think the universe actually revolves around your conciousness and "normal" is defined by you. Wake up dude. Normal is relative to perception, a concept you obviously can't grasp. I think this is why you don't like this movie, you couldn't apply it to your "normal" life, which is life where you don't have to think, just process information with mouth hanging open.

If you can think for yourself, watch this film, if you are a slack jawed, drooling fool, find something "Normal".

If you're normal, you'll hate it
Pecker's been out for 5 years and it has a whopping 46 reviews (you're about to read the 47th. That tells you something: The maker of this movie has a following, and the following is WEIRD.

The movie isn't funny. Not even a little. The acting seems deliberately awful (maybe it's a movie that makes fun of people who act. God only knows). The background music seems deliberately awful. I normally don't notice background music in a movie (except a thriller), but this one you notice, because the music is obnoxious and distracts the already unbelievably stupid scenes.

Who cares. Look. "Adult Film" actors put forth a better job of acting. Every single scene leaves you wondering if you should turn off the movie. And guess what? I didn't make it through. I kept waiting for it to get better, and it never did. After a half hour, off it went.

Seriously, if you're not familiar with John Waters, don't buy it. If you're stubborn and you're thinking of renting it, get a backup movie just in case you found it as horrible as I did.

And remember: If you're normal and into normal movies, you definitely will hate this movie. Maybe if you like totally weird movies that make absolutely no sense and the whole point of the movie is to showcase horrible acting, then it's your cup of tea. It's not slapstick comedy. It's just stupid. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A Duke Classic
The Alamo is a true western/historical classic that John Wayne wanted to make for years before the actual release. The movie tells the story of the days leading up to and during the famous siege of the Alamo. Many people say it isn't accurate or its boring, but it is really anything but. The movie is full of patriotic speeches that at times slow it down, but they are still very enjoyable. As for historical accuracy, The Alamo goes on its own way. Many things seen in the movie never actually happened, but it contributes to the overall feeling of the picture.

All the performances are truly great. John Wayne portrays Davy Crockett with Richard Widmark as James Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William Travis. The cast is full of Wayne regulars who also give great performances; Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Hank Worden, Chuck Robertson and many others. Other good parts include Joan O'Brien as Susannah Dickinson and Linda Cristal as Flaca, the woman who captures Crockett's heart. The only out of place actor is Frankie Avalon as Smitty, the youngest of the defenders of the Alamo.

Overall, The Alamo is one of my all-time favorite movies. The set built in Bracketville is truly amazing. The final assault on the old mission is one of the best battle scenes ever made. The original, un-cut VHS version is much better than the DVD since it adds almost 30 minutes to the movie that are missing elsewhere. There are several scenes that are very interesting that I don't think should have been cut. However, the DVD does have an interesting documentary about the making of The Alamo. Excellent score by Dmitri Tiomkin, excellent performances, great battle scenes. Do not miss this movie!

one of the best movies ever made on the Alamo
as far as historical reference, it's not a documentary, but this movie is awsome. i've been watching The Alamo since i was a little kid. i pratically have the entire movie memorized in my head. the music is great in film, the guitars and mexican sounding music is relaxing. my favorite part as music goes is when the Mexicans are surrounding the Alamo and all you hear is the drums for like 5 minutes. Sounds awsome.

as far as the movie goes, this was a huge production and the Alamo still stands today! The real Alamo of course is in San Antonio, but the Alamo for this movie stands in Bracketville, TX, where other movies have been made. John Wayne stars, produces, and directs this one of a kind film. truly a great film by a great man.

of course, in every Wayne movie, there is always a love story of some sort, and the Alamo has a short love story. The Alamo centers around 185 Texans and fellow men fighting for their independence from Mexico and General Santa Anna, ruler of Mexico. the movie stars Richard Widmark (Jim Bowie) and Laurence Harvey from The Manchurian Candidate as Colonel William Barrett Travis. great movie and great cast. the actual battle scene rocks. tons of explosions and action.

there are 2 sad parts in the movie.
the first sad part is the day before the battle. all the men are together talking about life, because they know tommrrow they are going to die. the background music sets the right tone and i like Davy Crocket's quote during this scene. one of the guys asks him "What ya thinkin Davy?" and John Wayne (Davy Crockett) replies, "Not thinking, just remembering."

the second sad part is after the battle is over, and Lady Dickinson is leaving with her child and the boy. all the Mexican Soliders are standing around, there are some bodies of the men on the ground, and then Santa Anna makes his soliders stand when she's leaving. he also takes off his hat as a sign of respect.

what i liked about this movie is that John Wayne makes both sides look galiant and brave. the men of the Alamo know they are going to die, but they still stay to fight for what they believe in. then he makes the Mexican soilders look honorable twice. the first time, Santa Anna asks that all women and children be evacutated before he attacks, and this takes place.
the second instance is right after the first attack, which happens right after the women and children are released. the Tennessian boys are standing around and one of them says "even though i was killing them, i was proud of them. men dying for what they believe in."

the DVD features include about a 40 mintue feature on the making of the Alamo. this is where you really get to see how much The Alamo ment to John Wayne and just how loyal of a man he really was.

The Alamo is a classic that everybody should watch at least one time in their life. great film that to me, will always be remembered as John Wayne's greatest work.

Still Waiting For the 2-Disc Special Edition
One could easily say that seeing this film for the first time was a turning point in my life (it probably had a great impact on a lot of other 6-year old boys, too). To this day, John Wayne's "The Alamo" still has a firm grip on me emotionally.

True, the film is not accurate to history, but I dare anyone to name a movie that is! As I stated in my review of "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", Hollywood makes "movies", not documentaries (and most documentaries don't agree on the details of the Alamo, anyway). Movie producers, like John Wayne, try to make an "entertainment", to sell tickets and make money. Anyone who thinks film makers are honor-bound to tell the truth on the screen is kidding him or herself.

So the question is: Does this movie entertain? Speaking subjectively, I say a resounding "Yes!". I guess there's still a lot of 6-year old in me.

One suggestion I have for Ted Turner (or whoever makes the DVD decisions over at MGM) is to release the roadshow Director's Cut version on a 2-Disc Special Edition. Include the 40-minute documentary found on the current disc, and any other archival footage pertaining to the film (Oscars, premiere, interviews). I would also like to see the television special, "Spirit of the Alamo", that John Wayne hosted in 1960. A part of it was used in the aforementioned documentary, but it would be nice to see the program complete for a change. Perhaps the discs could also include a printed history of the Alamo and other events during the Texas Revolution, so viewers won't come away from the film thinking they just witnessed the truth.

A few good scenes, mostly nonsense
The script of this movie is awful. There are so many historical inaccuracies. There's also a lot of schlock in the movie.

Frankie Avalon didn't disgrace himself, but why was he in the movie, anyway? Smells like pandering to the younger generation!

I couldn't believe The Duke as Davy Crockett. I always thought of him as Duke, rather than Crockett. You can't superimpose one big legend on top of another.

Richards Widmark and Boone were good in their performances.

Laurence Harvey as Travis was terrible! That accent was all over the place. Finally, in his last big speech he abandoned it altogether, sounding more like Laurence Olivier.

This movie was long and bloated. I kept checking my watch. I'm thankful that I don't have to sit through the director's cut!

Skip the first two-thirds of the movie and check out the last third, and you'll be just as well off!

Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles
The movie is good and with Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles. ... Read more

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Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Like the video game series it's based on, Tomb Raider is best enjoyed for its physical strategies, since even casual scrutiny of story details will induce a headache. It's more concerned with puzzles than plot, populated with characters that don't have personalities so much as attitudes. It's silly and somber at the same time, but as a franchise vehicle for Angelina Jolie in the title role of relic hunter Lara Croft, this is packaged entertainment at its most agreeable, ambitious in scope and scale, and filled with the kind of globetrotting adventure that could make Jolie the best thing that's happened to action movies since Indiana Jones. Could being the operative word here, because Tomb Raider can't match any of Steven Spielberg's celebrated joyrides, but the ingredients are there for an exquisitely cinematic meal. Perhaps to distance himself from Lara Croft's video game origins, director Simon West takes things a bit too seriously; Tomb Raider handles its plot (involving a planetary alignment, the nefarious Illuminati, and coveted relics that hold the key to controlling the flow of time) with all the gravity of a championship chess match... minus the tension. If the movie had lightened up and been truly suspenseful (instead of being suffused with been-there, done-that familiarity), it would have been an instant popcorn classic. As it is, however, this is an elegantly mounted adventure featuring exotic locations (in Cambodia and Iceland) and an exotic star born for her role. Even without her padded bra, Jolie would be the living embodiment of Lara Croft, and that's enough to bode well for inevitable sequels.
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
This sequel is certainly better than its 2001 predecessor, but its appeal is mostly aimed at fans of the video games that inspired both movies. That pretty much leaves you with some fun but familiar action sequences, and the ever-alluring sight of Angelina Jolie (reprising her title role) as she swims, swings, kicks, shoots, flies, jet-skis, motorcycles, and free-falls her way toward saving the world, this time by making sure that a grimacing villain (Ciaran Hinds) doesn't open Pandora's Box (yes, the actual mythological object) and unleash a deadly plague that will "weed out" the global population. Exotic locations add to Jolie's own coolly erotic appeal, but we're left wondering if this franchise has anywhere else to go. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What happened to Paramount....?
Well since Paramount became a Viacom company, their choices in what screenplays to turn into movies and who goes about doing them have been very shotty at best. Like building a bridge with very questionable steel and building materials. The Tomb Raider movies are what they are. Based on a video game. Using tons of CGI effects and really big film sets. Going on location to different areas of the world. Using high tech gadgets and various stunt work. At best, this is Paramount's effort to cash in on the James Bond movies, although the efforts seem rather pale in comparsion. Jollie is awful in the part. Her looks are ment to sell the movie while her acting is non-existent. There is no real story to be told here. It's lost in the production design over-kill of the movies. The DVD's are even worst. Paramount's DVD production is hit and miss at best. Either the DVDs are bare bones editions, or they will have behind the scenes featurettes on how the movies were made, but the interviews are useually poorly conducted and run way too long. I've bought several DVDs of Paramount movies now, and only a small handful have turned out to be any good. I have pretty much scrached Paramount off both my movie and DVD watching lists. They have lost it. and this Drek that they have been making the last several years now, proves it.

A Joy
I have a large DVD collection and these two movies are the ones that are the most watched. I love these movies because they are pure fun adventure that takes place all over the world and in these wonderful environments that have never been seen before on film. Angelina Jolie is the best female action hero when she is Lara Croft. The character suits her perfectly. Tomb Raider 1 and 2 are nothing but FUN! I love them! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Shazam! It's Captain Marvel vs. The Scorpion
Definitely the finest of the old-time movie serials, and the finest live action version of Captain Marvel. This movie was voted by Wizard magazine as the best comics-to-movie adaptation ever.

It has decent special effects and a fine story. A classic desert adventure, including angry horde, offended god, and stalwart hero. The flying sequences are well done. The cliff hangers are appropriately dramatic. The Scorpion is a nice serial villain, complete with hooded face and ultimate weapon, and Captain Marvel remains my favorite hero.

If you like serials or Captain Marvel you really can't go wrong with this.

Shazam! It's Captain Marvel vs. The Scorpion
Definitely the finest of the old-time movie serials, and the finest live action version of Captain Marvel. This movie was voted by Wizard magazine as the best comics-to-movie adaptation ever.

It has decent special effects and a fine story. A classic desert adventure, including angry horde, offended god, and stalwart hero. The flying sequences are well done. The cliff hangers are appropriately dramatic. The Scorpion is a nice serial villain, complete with hooded face and ultimate weapon, and Captain Marvel remains my favorite hero.

If you like serials or Captain Marvel you really can't go wrong with this.

Greatest Serial
The 40s serial "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" has to be the "Greatest Serial Ever Made." The special effects, for its tme, are outstanding. The flying scenes stood the test of time until the first Superman movie.

Many in the cast do a fine job. Tom Tyler makes an excellent Captain Marvel. He looks the part and he demonstrates the great athletic ability required of the part. The actor playing Billy Batson leaves a lot to be desired. He delivers his lines as a Junior High student would do in a school play. The "bad guys" are just great. They fill the bill in typical 1940s serial style.

By today's standards, the plot is childish, but for its time and targeted audience it must have proved to be exciting from week to week. Anyone with a penchant for memoribelia would surely want this video in their collection.

Lighthearted fun
I do not know how accurate this is to the original comic book--the first time I read "Captain Marvel" (SHAZAM), I got the idea that Bill Batson was only between 10 and 15. Here, he is closer to 21 or so.

Told in 12 parts, "Adventures of Captain Marvel" tells of a man trying to get all six lenses to a golden scorpion, which has an ability to turn regular objects into gold--and other powers. So which of the men is behind the "Scorpion" mask? You guessed it! None of the suspects are developed enough to bother guessing.

Captain Marvel walks like a mummy, and the bad guys continue to shoot him even after it is apparent bullets will not harm him--why is this always the case? Captain Marvel does not talk much, and Billy Batson is the real hero...after all, he is the person behind the superhero.

The story is good. Corny at times because as a serial, it wants viewers to wonder how the hero will escape at the beginning of each week. Billy is flying a plane that explodes. We know he is not dead because he is Captain Marvel, but they do not reveal how he escapes until the next episode.

The effects are obvious, but remember that this was the 1940s.

While not rated, the DVD does contain violence and parents might want to monitor younger children...equivalent of a PG.

One of the Best Superhero DVD's from the 20th Century!
No, there's no Dr. Sivana, Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel or even Uncle Marvel...but you do have the prototype for which all superhero movies should be judged. The origin is actually pretty close to the well-known comic origin, with the old wizard SHAZAM, just in a different setting. I grew up watching the CBS SHAZAM! series in the '70's, and actually loved it. But this blows that series away by a mile. The flying scenes, by today's standards, are mediocre...but for someone seeing this in a theatre in 1941, groundbreaking would not begin to describe them. This Cap isn't afraid to get rough with the badguys, and will even use a machine gun when necessary! If you love serials, superheroes, cliffhangers or Captain Marvel, you gotta get this! ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Great movie, but lacking in DVD version
Let me just start by saying: I LOVE this movie. I've had the VHS version for quite some time now and I never got tired of it.

However, I was a little disappinted by the lack of features on this DVD. I thought it would have behind-the-scenes footage (if it did, I would give it 5 stars).

After seeing other movies with commentary, I was really surprised that John Waters' commentary was excellent. It really explains a lot about the movie (and some of the lesser known actors). Sometimes it almost compensates for the lack of the other features normally seen on DVD.

Okay, back to the movie itself. Like other Waters' films, the plot focuses on a particular social problem (in this case, the fame gained being a serial killer and also about the death penalty). Kathleen Turner is outstanding as an old-fashioned mom with high morals who goes nuts and kills people for very minor infractions (chewing gum, for example). When she is caught, she defends herself in court (with hillarious results!)

Again, this is a great movie, but I could only give it four stars because of the features on the DVD version.

John Waters does it again !
Kathleen Turner chews up the scenery as Beverly Sutphin , A June Cleaver type mom who cooks , cleans , and kills . Her Loving family is made up of Sam Waterson ,Ricki Lake , and Matthew Lillard .
Water's regular Mink Stole is on hand as harrased victim , Dottie Hinkle .
Patty ( Patricia ) Hearst , Traci Lords , Suzanne Somers , and Joan Rivers make up the cast .
Beverly Kills her victim's with a Fire Poker , a Air Conditioner , even a Turkey Leg , all with a Smile and all her Hair in place .
My oldest son's favorite scene is the Sneeze in Church .
This is John Waters at his most Demented Best !
If you've not seen " Serial Mom " you are in for a Twisted Treat !

true murder story from baltmore
yep,its all true!if you watch it,youll laugh hystericly.its about this super- mom who goes around wasting people for very small social flaws like not rewinding thier videos before returning them and not wearing thier seatbelts.o kid should view this under 15.the humor is good natured.there is a good deal of blood.a chick goes topless for a short while towards the end.thats always a plus!riki lake is in it as the serial moms fat little whiny daughter.the message is that everyone has skeletons in thier closet.if you watch closely,everyone in this movie has a wierd flaw.as far as rikki lake goes,this one is far far better than that 50s movie she did.very funny indeed!check it out!

One of the Greatest Comedies Ever!
I've loved this movie since the first time I ever saw it! It's pure comedy and genious! Be prepared for language and gore, and the wildest movie of your life!

so funny
This movie is hilarious. A crazy mom who goes nuts and anyone who gets in her way gets killed. I know it sounds gross, but this movie is too funny to miss. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Billy Wilder is a wonderful director, after all . . .
Why a mess like IRMA LA DOUCE makes a profit and a lovely film like this sinks without a trace is a mystery bigger than anything on display in this "lost" case of Sherlock Holmes, which involves the Truth About The Loch Ness Monster, some very sinister monks, and a lovely woman (Genvieve Page) who drags Holmes into the middle of it all (Well, she does show up on his doorstep stark naked in the middle of night. What's a gentleman, even one who's a bit of a misogynist, supposed to do?). Robert Stephens brings wit, melancholy, and anger to the role, keeping all of these elements of Holmes' personality at play simultaneously, and he is matched splendidly by Colin Blakely's Dr. Watson, who's smarter than Nigel Bruce's Watson and more fun than Conan Doyle's. Page is poised, charming, and ambiguous as the heroine, just the sort of girl to hold Holme's interest. There's also a wonderful supporting performance by Christopher Lee as Holmes' brother Mycroft, a sputtering mixture of affection and aggravation for his impetuous younger brother. And all of this is played against the backround of a splendid score by Miklos Rosza, adapted from his Second Violin Concerto (even if you don't like the movie, try and get a recording of the music). Just when movies like KISS ME, STUPID and THE FORTUNE COOKIE make you wonder if Wilder ever knew what he was doing, along comes a film like this, which reminds you that yes, he knew EXACTLY what he was doing--some of the time, at any rate . . .

Something's Been Lost Over the Years...
Let me preface this with the introduction to the "Deleted Scenes" extra on the disc because it describes the film as Wilder had intended:

"The original screenplay as described by Billy Wilder was a symphony in four movements. Following a modern day prologue (represented here in still photos and script pages) the intent was to illustrate four stories that Dr. Watson optednot to have published in the 'Strand Magazine'.

"Wilder wanted to explain Holmes' distrust of women, his drug addiction, his relationship with Dr. Watson; and, at the same time reveal Holmes' human side. The completed version would run approximately three hours, including an intermission. Upon its release in 1970, Wilder's symphony was presented with only two of its four movements."

Two biographies I've read confirm that Wilder cried openly when he saw the final product.

This Deleted Scenes section is most intriguing as it meticulously reconstructs as much as possible the four "movements" of Wilder's "symphony" which are titled: "Original Prologue" (including an appearance by 'Dr. Watson' circa 1970), "The Curious Case of the Upside Down Room", "The Adventure of the Dumbfounded Detective/Holmes Recounts an Affair of the Past" and finally "The Dreadful Business of the Naked Honeymooners". As mentioned above, still photos and script pages were used - and a lot of actual filmed footage which is presented with subtitles because the soundtrack could not be located. Taking all of this into consideration, I'm not all that sure that the three-hour version would have worked; and the final cut released by the studio is something of a disappointment.

The opening scene nicely introduces a somewhat different interpretation of the main characters, with Holmes complaining that Watson is always exaggerating his exploits and putting words into his mouth; and diluting his "seven-percent solution" of morphine to five. Then they're off to the final performance of Petrova in The Russian Ballet, after which Rogozgin (Clive Revill), Petrova's manager advises that she's retiring.

"She's been dancing since she was three-years-old...now she is thirty-eight."

"I must say, she doesn't look thirty-eight!"

"That's because she is forty-nine."

(And that, unfortunately, is one of a mere handful of jokes in the screenplay.)

Petrova also wants to have a "beautiful and brilliant child"; she has the beauty, and Holmes has the brains. But something's afoot! This extended 20-minute scene is meant to confirm Holmes' homosexuality and deny that the heterosexual Watson has been his secret lover. The problem is that it doesn't have anything to do with the basic plot, which doesn't kick in for a full thirty minutes. It may have "balanced" Wilder's symphony concept, but out of that context it's totally extraneous.

And by comparison to Arthur Conan Doyle's plots, this one is pretty skimpy. It was probably intended as a simple framework to hold your interest while the deleted scenes were to enlighten you about the "private life" elements. This also makes the title of the film misleading. I won't go into the details of the plot or bring up any spoilers for those who want to see it, except to say that it is shamefully simplistic.

The acting is topnotch all around and Robert Stevens makes an excellent Holmes, though Colin Blakeley's Watson is sometimes too blustery and exasperated; at times you almost expect to hear that "blowing-off-steam-whistle" sound affect associated with Lou Costello and Oliver Hardy. Christopher Lee as Holmes' brother, Mycroft, steals the few scenes he's in.

He also provides and interesting extra titled "Christopher Lee: Mr. Holmes, Mr. Wilder" in which he recalls a few behind-the-scenes tales of working with Wilder (whom he greatly admires), and brief overview of the Holmes legend, some of which was seen on the "The Hound of the Baskervilles" DVD released last year. This is followed by a 30-minute interview Ernest Walker, the film's editor who provides some interesting information on meeting and working with Wilder. There's also the usual Photo Gallery and Trailer.

The best part of the film is the beautifully poignant score by Miklos Rozsa, which I wish had been offered as an isolated track. The cinematography is by Christopher Challis ("Sink the Bismarck!", "Two for the Road", "Arabesque", "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines") - but it's hard to judge his contribution because of the poor quality of the transfer. It looks washed out with dull colors; and several transition scenes (probably reel ends) take on a fogged-up appearance, though not one suggesting a London "shroud". In fact, the film itself isn't much better that the found footage used for the reconstructed scenes. This is surprising coming from MGM whose "Women in Love" DVD is spectacularly lush. For that matter, so are the transfers in their Midnite Movie series. It may have been the original "Private Life..." film stock; but most of the Midnight Movies are cheap exploitation and horror films and I find it hard to believe that, say, Roger Corman, had better film than Wilder.

I must be in the minority because on imdb, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" has a rating of 7.3 rating (with over 500 votes; and hereAmazon 22 reviews averages a 4 ½ out of 5.

Perhaps I should have bought Wilder's "Kiss Me, Stupid" instead.

Wilder's Sherlock Mystery...
Wilder spices up the personality of Sherlock Holmes as the master detective enters another remarkable journey into the world of mystery and crime. It all begins with a beautiful lady who appears out of nowhere at Holmes' front door, and it seems as if she suffers from amnesia and a lost husband. However, these mysteries are old news for a genius such as Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. Watson. Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is an interesting film, but the overall picture lacks the usual spice that Wilder used to combine into his creations.

A Grand Film and DVD but We Still Want the Missing Parts
First the good news: Billy Wilder's wonderfully comic--and tragic--examination of the romantic life of "the world's greatest consulting detective," Sherlock Holmes, is reproduced beautifully in this terrific and long overdue DVD. Indeed, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" has never looked better or more complete on the small screen, as it is presented here in a digitally remastered widescreen format that preserves the integrity of director and co-writer Wilder's original vision. As fans of the film know, Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond fill in the blanks regarding the sexual orientation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous literary creation (a hot topic among intellectuals in the late 1960s) with both a sparkling wit and grand sense of respect for the subject matter. In the film, Holmes embarks on his most scandalous case, which includes the search for a missing engineer, the discovery of secrets of state, and his burgeoning love for a mysterious woman who might not be who she claims. With his lisp and penchant for sarcasm, Robert Stephens' Holmes is less the classical hero than in previous screen versions, going so far as to chide Watson (played wonderfully by Colin Blakely) for embellishing both his habits and physical stature in his "Strand Magazine" articles, yet Stephens' Holmes retains the keen mind, loyal affability, and vulnerable spirit we have come to admire. The supporting cast, which includes Christopher Lee as Mycroft Holmes, is excellent, but it is the production, including Miklos Rosza's hauntingly luscious score, that helps propel the film to greatness. Now, the bad news: As most fans know, Wilder wanted this film to be more than three hours long and contain several other adventures that would complete this heretofore unknown set of cases whose "delicate and sometimes scandalous nature" made them unsuitable for print. Unfortunately, the studio forced him to cut much of that footage, only some of which is included here (and without sound; in other cases, stills of filmed scenes are intercut with pages of the script and recorded dialogue). The result is that those of us who have waited for years to see the film as the brilliant Wilder had intended it have to make due with the bits and pieces included here. What a shame that, once again, marketing interfered with the artistic process.

So much was LOST!
This film is a cult classic and well deserving of that status. It's one of my favourite films and for YEARS we were promised the excised footage would be replaced and we could finally see this marvellous film in the form Billy Wilder meant it to be. Well, I am sure like all fans of the film, we waited with hope that NOW they would include all these scenes. And while the film transfer is great and I was sad to see there is NO footage to speak of to be added. There are snippets of film of other adventures, stills flashed over a poor soundtrack, but according to MGM there is no extra scenes, they have been lost.

WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

The film is still a must for Billy Wilder, Robert Stephens, Chris Lee or Sherlock Holmes Fans. But just do not expect all the lost footage to be restored.

It is a very very funny look at Holmes, a more human look perhaps. This is a mirthful look at the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, lovingly portrayed with a twinkle in his eye by the late great Sir Robert Stephens. The adventures are fun (the ones we see) but mainly centre around a woman's missing husband. Toss in several hundred canaries, the Loch Ness Monster, missing midgets - the Tumbling Pickaloes to be precise - the mysterious red runner, Queen Victoria, some Trappist monks, an ageing ballerina that does not 'look 39' - that is because she is 49!! -who wants Holmes to father her child and an amnesiac damsel in distress that temps Holmes, all done with the best British wit and droll sense of humour...and you have a mix that cannot miss.

Incisive writing and direction, this fill pay homage to Holmes and Watson, with tongue firmly planted in cheek...

Even so, the currently version is a true gem, and so overlooked,
all we have left of Billy Wilder genius vision. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Very Funny!
A great story and script make this a wonderful movie to see. Jack Lemmon falls in love with Irma, a streetwalker played by Shirley MacLaine. To keep her off the streets, he begins to work four to five jobs at night to pose as a wealthy English lord. Of course things don't quite work out as he would like. Very funny movie by Billy Wilder, the same director as "Some Like It Hot".

A must see.

Darin

irma la douce
Is there another movie this great? My 90 year old grandfather and I are in total agreement about this hilariously wonderful film! Jack Lemmon and Shirley Mcclaine at their young and sweet best. It tops my all time favorite list.

Sweet Faeri Tale for the grown ups
This movie has a slow start (understandably being made in 1962) but then before you know it, it transforms in to a sweet faerie tale for the grown ups. From this aspect, it was indeed a very creative idea even though the movie has its own slow moments and not so knitly tied up sequences.
Shirley MacLaine's performance is certainly memorable!