Reviews (67)

Another Legendary 1969 film
What a magical time! Sometimes I watch these late Sixties movies and think how great it would have been to lived in those times. Then I remember, wait, I DID live through that! I was a 14 year old film buff and Huge Michael Caine fan since I saw him in "Zulu" on something like Sunday Night at the Movies on our black and white TV. The Italian Job looked like a great vehicle for the suave anti-hero Caine, so I dug up a $1.50 (evening show) and was absolutely blown away. Curse you, Marky Mark for defiling this wonderful show! The gifted and perfect cast (blimey! it's Noel Coward..and wouldja lookit that-it's Benny Hill!), the music (mega-ditto blimey, it's Quincy Jones!), the breezy plot (tailor-made for dear Mr. Caine), the locations (the Alps, Rome, London), and the perfect time (the climax of the Swinging Sixties, baby!) make this a classic that no cg animation-enhanced 21st century film can touch. Can you even imagine a big budget movie today having the guts to pull off that crazy ending? I've been trying to figure out what Charlie was going to try next for decades. Good to see it's finally making it to DVD. Raise your glasses gents, for this "self-preservation society!"

Self Preservation Society!
This is the movie that defined the word, 'Classic'.

Michael Caine plays Charlie who's just been released from prison. Rather than trying to keep on the straight and narrow, he immediately embarks on trying to steal gold bullion from the Italian's. He gets the backing of Mr. Bridger, London's head of crime, who's in prison himself.

To help him carry out the plan, he gathers together an array of colourful people including Benny Hill as the clever professor who has a penchant for big women.

Add to the mix three Mini Cooper's as the unlikely get away cars and you're in for a fun filled, action packed film that sees Charlie and his gang trying to outrun both the police and the Mafia.

The build up to the heist is interesting and funny but the unique get away at the end is the scene stealer. Through underground sewers and subways, down church steps, through rivers and up to the very rooftops, it's gripping and highly entertaining. I think anyone that watches the film will just yearn to have a Mini Cooper afterwards.

Of course, the cliff hanger of an ending just fits so perfectly too.

To add; I also think the soundtrack is great and the film produced one of the most, if not THE, memorable quote of all time from Michael Caine when he sees the truck explode into thousands of pieces during a practice run and then turns to the unfortunate explosives 'expert' and says, "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off."

Mr. Caine has said that he still has people come up to him in the street and say that to him, even now!

To conlcude, The Italian Job is very patriotic, even the cars are red, white and blue, and I think it's the masterpiece for all British classic's.

So, "get your skates on, mate" and buy it now - your collection is lacking if this film isn't a part of it.

take it as a mood piece and a cult classic
I gave the remake of this movie a much higher rating, and the main reason is that it simply has a better plot. Michael Cain is wonderful in the original, and some of the other outrageous characters as well as the pretty original plotline together should be the ingredients for an unforgettable film, yet this one leaves you really unsatisfied, maybe because it really never decides what it wants to be: satire, comedy, serious heist movie or thriller, so it ends up being unsatisfying on all accounts. See it for the brilliant chase scene with the mini coopers, and view it also as a sensitive mood piece of 60ies swank.

REMEMBER STYLE ?
The original ITALIAN JOB is one of those "little" movies that won't go away as it continues to reap the dividends of having been done with panache and style.
Michael Cane's Charlie character is an artist working effortlessly in aloof charm. He's the kind confident character you'll admire like Murphy in CUCKOO'S NEST in spite of the obvious reasons not to. There is seductive music and beautiful scenery and plenty of restrained continental humor.
I have no interest in cars, but even I admitt the classic models of the time featured here are beautiful and add to the ambiance of elegance infusing the scenes .
The chase is more clever than thrilling although the site of four cars performing on the top of a tall rounded building still makes me shake my head when I see it thinking they must have been mad. Remember, no remote control models or studio set ups were used here. That car jumping from roof to roof is real.
Don't come here looking for an action adventure though - it's more adult than that albeit geared for adults of another generation.
Director Collinson's influence makes the movie as good as it could possibly have been. The art direction also contributes strongly throughout. Because this version is so good, I am not tempted to see the remake. Why?
Basically; it must have been pretty impressive then and it's definately fun now. Sometimes all you want is a little fun with a dash of style.

The Italian Job - Michael Caine
A wonderful action movie set during 1969 Italy and England. This movie is actually better than the remake. When I first heard that someone had finished making the remake, I tried to find a copy of the original. I remembered seeing it on TV years ago and that it was a great show. The music in the original is super and true to the era. What makes this movie great is the Minis ofcourse, but also Michael Caine. I bought the original. Too bad they never made the sequel that had orginally been planned. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The gothic horror of Hammer Films gets a mod update in this interesting curio, directed by the erratic Peter Collinson (The Italian Job). Rita Tushingham is a Liverpool girl, slightly soft in the head, who travels to London determined to get pregnant. Unfortunately (or perhaps not), she meets a blond psycho (Shane Briant), who installs her in his mod '60s pad--he calls himself "Peter" and her "Wendy," sustaining the Peter Pan theme of the title. The ideas here seem borrowed from those key British thrillers Peeping Tom and The Collector, and the editing style is clearly influenced by the disorientation of Performance. And yet there's something out of control about this picture, something authentically weird. In one scene Tushingham pretties herself up in what may be the ugliest make-over in screen history. Jazz singer Annie Ross, who also contributes a wispy song, appears in a small role. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Shane Briant is fantastic!
This unique and complex thriller from Hammer is one of their most off-beat films. If you can withstand the erratic editing in the beginning of the film then you're in for a real treat. Besides swinging London settings and terrific performances from so-hip-it-hurts Shane Briant (DEMONS OF THE MIND & FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL) and so-NOT-hip-it-hurts Rita Tushingham (A TASTE OF HONEY & SMASHING TIME), the film has an original style that's very daring for the time thanks to the great direction by Peter Collinson (FRIGHT & THE ITALIAN JOB).

The Peter Pan inspired story unfolds slowly and has a quiet creepiness that sticks with you long after it's over. Shane plays a twisted 'Peter' to Rita's clueless 'Wendy' in this odd and slightly uneven film. In minor ways it resembles other great 'trapped women' thrillers such as THE COLLECTOR, but in STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING 'Wendy' is an almost willing victim. It also has some similarities to the classic PEEPING TOM, but 'Peter' enjoys recording his victims instead of filming them.

Shane Briant's low-key acting style makes his performance as a murdering psychopath very believable and he brings a vulnerability to his role that makes you both love and loath him (similar to Terence Stamp in THE COLLECTOR). The movie contains very little gore and the murders that do occur take place mostly off screen, which probably makes the viewer more sympathetic toward 'Peter.'

Unfortunately the film has gone unappreciated due to bad reviews when it first played in Britain by critics who seemed to not like the new direction Hammer was taking. Overall I think it's a terrifically weird little film, but probably not for everyone. Fans of unusual psychological thrillers should enjoy STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING.

And reviewer Robert Horton was right, STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING does indeed contain the following: "In one scene Rita Tushingham pretties herself up in what may be the ugliest make-over in screen history."

The DVD print quality is wonderful and very sharp. The sound is very good but recorded a little low. Like most Anchor Bay releases, the overall quality is great!

A surprise from Hammer
For fans of Hammer, this film comes highly recommended.Set in modern London (1972), those familiar with the period Hammer pieces might expect a somewhat confused plot or hard to follow story. Whlie such Hammer films are still enjoyed by many, pleasingly, this is not the case here. This one should easily hold your attention from start to finish, and is truly a departure for Hammer, being a rather modern story, in a modern setting. For purposes of comparison, Fear In The Night comes closest, but Straight on Till Morning has a far better story to tell, is much clearer, and is therefore more rewarding. A genuinely enjoyable, substantial, and frightening thriller- you'll spend the length of the film trying to figure out the extent of madness to which Shane Briant's character has fallen into- not to mention wondering when, and if Rita Tushingham's character is about to be murdered by him. I was expecting a fairly average Hammer film with this one, but got much more.
Really interesting and unique piece for Hammer fans.

great psycho thriller from Hammer
I've been wanting to see this rarely shown Hammer movie for a long time so it was great to finally get the chance with this superb release from Anchor Bay.This is a disturbing and quite shocking psychological thriller with some genuinely unsettling scenes that must have packed quite a punch in the early seventies.Rita Tushingham is brilliant as the northern girl who moves to London in search of a boyfriend to father the baby she desperately wants.Shane Briant is suitably creepy as the guy she eventually meets.The print used here is astonishingly clean and sharp.Absolutely pristine in fact.Well done Anchor Bay.Again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Italian Job (2003)
Though it bears little resemblance to the original 1969 thriller starring Michael Caine, the 2003 remake of The Italian Job stands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer--this time it's actually a Los Angeles job--but the action's just as exciting as it propels a breezy tale of honor and dishonor among competing thieves. Inheriting Caine's role as ace heist-planner Charlie Croker, Mark Wahlberg plays straight-man to a well-cast team of accomplices, including Mos Def, Jason Statham, and scene-stealer Seth Green in a variation of the role originally played by Noel Coward. As the daughter of Croker's ill-fated mentor (Donald Sutherland), Charlize Theron is recruited to double-cross a double-crosser (Edward Norton in oily villain mode), and once again, speedily versatile Mini Coopers play a pivotal role in director F. Gary Gray's exhilarating car-chase climax. It's perhaps the greatest product placement in movie history, and just as fun the second time around. --Jeff Shannon

The Italian Job (1969)
This little-known cult caper is about as depraved as they come. Michael Caine, ever the enterprising swinger and swindler, has an ingenious plan to steal a huge cache of Chinese gold to be shipped to Turin as collateral for a new Fiat plant. Since the Italy-Great Britain soccer match is being played at the same time, Caine wants to create a diversion in the form of a monumental traffic jam. For financing, he turns to Noel Coward, who directs British criminal enterprises from his jail cell. A motley crew is assembled, including Benny Hill as a computer expert with a fetish for large-breasted women. It's all a nasty and fun parody, with the most memorable robbery-chase sequence in the history of the caper genre. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Exceptional combo
With a common deminator of Morris Minors these two movies reflect the entertainment of their day. The original, starring a ridiculously young Michael Caine, remains fresh despite its age. Filled with irepressible Cockney humor it moves between the comic moments to the final 'cliffhanger' leaving us all hanging. With appearance by Noel Coward, Benny Hill (in true form)
The new version is much more a thriller of today. superbly fast paced, a truly rotten villain (a great performace as always from Edward Norton) and some brilliant heist scenes this ranks up there with the Rock, Con Air and the like for excitement. Mark Whalberg shines and Charlize Theron is so much more than joyous eye candy here.

Two Very Different Movies with minis
One cannot compare the two movies because they are only somewhat similar.
I love Michael Caine. He's always at his best. The movie seems to be the spoof of the newest one.
The American version has more action, suspence, great lines, and some fab actors. Jason Statham is one hot actor, who can say anything and it is so well done.

THE ONLY QUESTION IS WHICH ONE I LIKE MORE.
This is the right way to make a remake: fun, clever, and full of great stunts (as opposed to unbelievable CGI effects a la Charlie's Angels).
The old version is pretty good too, I bought it without having seeing it before and it didn't dissapoint. It doesn't always make sense (just what the heck did the Minis climb that huge roof for ?) but then again, who cares ?!?
Great movies which make your DVD player a great reason to exist!

Brill Film
If your a Italian Job fan of not get this this is one of the best films i've ever seen much better than 1969 version so BUY IT NOW

Just get the 1969 version...another remake "letdown"!
All that hype?..not only has the story changed from the original, that itself not necessarily a bad thing, but there really are some slow and boring bits that modern technology doesn't make up for. The stars of this NOT ALL THAT BAD movie are the the cars themselves and the all too brief appearance of Donald Sutherland. Get the original 1969 Michael Caine version only to keep...you'll watch that much more than once for sure, storyline, the setting, the cast of actors AND all the classic cars put on a much better show. Five stars for 1969 movie!..subtract two for the "remake". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Horrible!
This is without a doubt, the WORST "horror" film I have ever seen, and I've seen them all. It is slow, plodding, and outright laughable. The fact that Susan George is beautiful dosent't make up for the fact that this story was so predictable, the "frights" so laughable and the acting so pitiful. Yes, it may have started the "trapped babysitter" genre, but it is horrible. If you truly want to see a great "trapped babysitter" film, rent Halloween.

A forgotten horror gem
A truly frightening film. Babysitter (Susan George) is hired to take care of kid, while couple goes to dinner. But that couple has a skeleton in its closet in the form of the woman's ex-husband who once tried to kill her. He's sent away to a psychiatric hospital, but escapes and decides to get even with wife who put him there.
Film contains truly scary sequences and is a hundred times better than the generic "babysitter in peril" that appeared during the late 70's-early 80's. Acting is superb throughout, and Ian Brennan as the psychotic ex-husband is truly brillant. Film is a must see for horror fans. ... Read more

Description

In this action-packed spy drama filmed entirely in Israel, retired CIA operative Sam Lucas(Richard Wildmark) discovers that he haas been involuntarily reactivated. He reluctantly returns to espionage at the sudden uring of his protege and friend Garbriel Lee(Oliver Reed) who defected to the Soviet Union but wants to return to the American side. Adding to the turmoil is Deborah(Gayla Hunnicutt). Wife of Lucas and former lover of Lee. Neither agent is aware that both superpowers have sent assassins to Israel to eliminate them both. ... Read more