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Kevin Kline took home an Oscar for his performance as a self-absorbed lothario who prepares for lovemaking by drinking in his own "manly" musk, but it would be hard to single him out as the best thing about the film. The fact is, the entire cast of this hilarious comedy is perfect: John Cleese as the conservative barrister defending a member of sexy Jamie Lee Curtis's gang, Ms. Curtis as the conniving crook out to grab the haul for herself, and Michael Palin as the stuttering, animal-loving hit man whose attempts to murder a little old lady only decrease the size of her poodle pack. Cleese cowrote the zingy script with British comedy veteran Charles Crichton (The Lavender Hill Mob), whose smooth direction balances Monty Python farce, hysterically tasteless gags, and an unexpectedly romantic subplot with style and confidence. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (81)

An Classic Comedy.
When a British Man by the name of George Thomason (Tom Georgeson) came up with the Perfect Crime with his Friend (Micheal Palin), George's Girlfriend-Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her another lover passing as her Brother-Otto (Kevin Kline) to steal a Fortune in Jewels. When his girlfriend and her lover-Otto double cross-George, who came up for the Idea. But when George is being sent to Prison and Keeping a secret, when he hide the Jewels. Then Wanda is trying to seduced George's Lawyer-Archie Leech (John Clesse) to find out, if he knows about the Jewels but Archie ended up falling in love with Wanda.

Directed by Charles Chichton (The Lavender Hill Mob) made a Clever, Outragerous comedy that become a Contemporary Classic. Written by Clesse and Director:Chichton came up with a sure winner, that never seems to run out of energy from the talented cast. Kevin Kline steals the film with his flamboyant Comic Performance that win him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. This was a Box Office Hit in the Summer of 1988. This film might offend some people. This is one of the most funniest movie, ever made. Clesse and Palin re-team together again from thier glory comedy days from the Monty Python's group. Clesse, Curtis, Kline, Palin, Maria Aitken & Cynthia Clesse re-team together again in the Uneven but Funny-Firece Creatures:(1997). Grade:A.

British humor for the American palate
Charles Chrichton's hiatus from the big screen had been interspersed with The Avengers after his direction of The Lavender Hill Mob. John Cleese in fact sought out Chrichton in hopes of a collaboration for A Fish Called Wanda. Starting out with only a rudimentary idea of the story, and Chrichton's request that he wanted "...to see someone steamrolled", the final result was a film that somehow struck a humorous chord all over the world. The film just somehow "worked", and it's been a cherished classic ever sense.

Kevin Kline as the violent, idiotic, and egotistic Otto indirectly steals the film, but it is John Cleese who is the genius behind the scenes. Utilizing the dry absurd whit perfected in Monty Python with co-star Michael Palin, the duo alongside sultry Jamie Lee Curtis evoke a dysfunctional yet harmonistic world of laughs, slaptstick, and that oh so familiar English congeniality that "bloody well works" in comedy.

For those longing for the complicit, balanced, and tight-fitting humor of the older English comedies, such as Alec Guinness in Our Man In Havana, and Alec again in Lavender Hill Mob, A Fish Called Wanda is a must-see. If only Hollywood knew what it was missing too.

Quite simply the best comedy film in decades.
This movie is, in a word, hilarious. I defy anyone to watch it and not have tears streaming down their face from laughter. It's one of those classic, uproariously insane comedies in the Monty Python style, just plain crazy funny. I am an animal lover but even the part where the poodles that get annihilated was hilarious and Michael Palin's reactions to that are beyond funny. This is one movie that is guaranteed to make you scream with laughter. I have seen it about a dozen times and it still makes me laugh till I cry.

Not Monty Python, but funny
I LOVE Monty Python AND John Cleese teaches part-time here at Cornell, so when he gave a talk and mentioned the plot of AFCW, I thought I'd check it out. It was great seeing a couple of the Python troup in a non-Python role. Be warned, although the movie is very funny (7.8 out of 10) it's not at all the same type of humour as Python.

My absolute favorite part, which doesn't give anything about the movie away, is near the end when John Cleese imitates an American accent. Usually we see comedians here making fun of British, French, and other foreign accents, so it was fun to see someone try to imitate us here in the States.

I'd say this is a MUST RENT no matter what and a MUST BUY for anyone who likes British humour and/or wants to see Cleese do something different.

Stands the test of time
I still remember the first time I saw that crazy heist caper called A Fish Called Wanda. My high school drama class went to see a sneak preview double feature of Wanda and Monkey Shines (which I will only go as far as to say that it was pretty awful) and I was floored.

I knew about Monty Python and has all the episodes that my PBS affiliate would broadcast, but was relatively unfamiliar with any work the troupe's members had done outside of the series (I don't even think I had seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail yet), except for a late-night cable run-in with Michael Palin's The Missionary, a mild sex comedy about a missionary and a home for fallen women.

I had no idea what to expect. Palin had always been my favorite Python (and still is), so I was very curious to see what he would do outside the Python realm. I got more than I bargained for.

Written by John Cleese from a story by Cleese and director Charles Crichton (various Ealing comedies including The Lavender Hill Mob), A Fish Called Wanda is a comedy about four crooks (Jamie Lee Curtis: Wanda, Kevin Kline: Otto, Tom Georgeson: George, and Michael Palin: Ken) who are all trying to double-cross each other by linking with other members of the group. Wanda in particular has the cards stacked in her favor, as she is--in one way or another--attempting to seduce all three men.

The humor comes from several directions. As the old lady is the only one who can ID any of them, George asks Ken to eliminate her. Unfortunately, he keeps killing her pet dogs instead--one at a time. As an animal lover, this leaves Ken in no end of distress. Very black humor, indeed. Meanwhile, Otto is trying to get information from Ken by pretending to be gay. Ken isn't either, but Otto doesn't seem to care. He continues to come on to him. (Kline won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar that year for his performance as Otto.)

Surprisingly, A Fish Called Wanda has stood up well over time. It is still one of the films that I continue to return to for dependable belly laughs. The promotional short for the film was one of the funniest things I saw that year and Wanda deserves a full DVD treatment. Until then, though, I guess I'll have to make do. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

For a movie: BEST MOVIE Compared to book: NO CONTEST
I read 'Catch-22' first, and it instantly became my favorite book (as soon as I finally got through it). When I heard of the movied version, I was estatic, but in wonderment. How can such a complex book with no linear structure ever be adapted to movie form? My expectations were high, but weary...

First of all, casting was excellent. Alan Arkin played a perfect Yossarian, as well as Jon Voigt as Milo, and so on. The settings were great, really convincing from what I read from the book.

As far as the comparison to the book. If it stands true for one instance, the book is worlds better than the movie. As a reader, you get so much more out of Joe Heller's sardonic universe. The complex plot, the meticulous descriptions (in which he used words I never knew existed...either have a dictionary with you when you read 'Catch-22', or have a vast vocabulary!), and all the rest...

The movie does attempt to follow Heller's complex plot structure, hopping back and forth to unravel plot points with each pass. The movie does this well with Yossarian's epidemic with Snowden. Most of the ingeniously clever dialogue is brought to the screen, but that's what makes the book/movie so great.

At any rate, I highly recommend this movie, as well as anything from Joe Heller...the best writer of the 20th century.

an excellent dvd
"Catch-22" is a beautifully designed, shot and executed movie that, in the end, doesn't really work. However, it's too elaborately staged and too ambitious to be considered a "bad" movie. And the extra features that accompany the DVD help the film transcend a "thumbs up/thumbs down" rating.

First and foremost, it looks amazing. I loved this film when I initially saw it on tape in 1990, but it was only recently that I was able to see it in a widescreen format -- letterboxing reveals what a brutal disservice pan-and-scan does to the compositions of "Catch's" 2.35:1 aspect ratio. If you've only seen this movie in fullscreen, you haven't really seen this movie.

The transfer is also incredible. I'm so used to seeing the grainy print of my VHS copy that I hadn't realized how great a lot of the cinematography is. The use of front-projection during the air-combat scenes is astonishing and the detail and color really surprised me.

But the main reason to get this DVD is the commentary. Director Mike Nichols is joined by Steven Soderbergh to talk about "Catch-22" and through their discussion, one really gets a sense of how Nichols (who had just directed back-to-back hits with "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and "The Graduate") took on this project with the best intentions and inspiration... and quickly got swallowed up by the massive project and even bigger budget. Soderbergh is, in my opinion, one of the best directors doing commentary these days (he gives a perfect mix of technical details and storytelling) and he really knows his "Catch-22" ---though I find it a little incredible that he never noticed the changing portraits in Major Major's office, as he claims while watching the scene.

This movie is a great mix of Fellini, Laugh-In, Welles and Salvador Dali. Some may feel there's not enough Joseph Heller here but it would take a mini-series to cover all the bases of such a deep, rich novel. At times, this movie can try your patience (like most Catch-22's often do) but it's definitely worth seeing and hearing in this new format.

A change
I take back most of the things I said. This is a great movie, and Milo is good.

A good film that should have been better
First, I was upset to see that the Hungry Joe's character from the book was all but not used, and that he didn't even die because of the cat, but instead suffered Kid Sampson's death from the book. Now...

I do admit, this movie is better than I thought it would be. I'm especially happy with Bob Newhart's Major Major, the Chaplain, and Major Danby. My only problem is that many of the characters aren't portrayed to the best of their abilities, considering how well the book fleshed them all out. The best example is Balsom's take on Colonel Cathcart. In the book, Colonel Cathcart is prim, proper, and insane. In the movie, he is simply a crude, crusty old soldier, reminicent of Ernest Borgnine in "All Quiet on the Western Front." Though he is good when interacting with Dreedle. Orr is good in this, but maybe just a touch creepier than he should be. Milo is just wasted, and a little bland. Orson Welles is surprisingly good, but that is in direct effect of the good writing of his scenes.
Alan Arkin gets off to a slow start, but becomes very good as the film picks up speed. The Snowden films are great.

My main problem with the film, however, is that two very important characters from the book are completely and utterly not in the movie: Clevinger and Dunbar. Clevinger, while only in the first few chapters of the book, had a lot of very interesting things to say about Yossarian's behavior, and would have just been a good character to have. Dunbar, on the other hand, actually had a very large part in the book, serving as Yossarian's side-kick. He also delivered the classic monologue about boredom being the key to a seemingly-longer life. A great piece of writing that would have worked well with the rest of the film.
All in all, I suppose the main thing that would have made this movie better is an extra half-hour, so that more of the classic scenes could have been used. But still, surprisingly good.

It's not the book - what movie is?
I read Catch-22 many years ago. Loved it. I've seen Catch-22 the movie several times. Loved it. But they are different. You are not going to get every nuance of the complex, convoluted book into the movie, but it is a good approximation. The movie works on its own, mostly due to the collection of oddball characters and circumstances. The long list of big named actors did a good job. However, the cinematography may be the star, here. As an "anti-war" comedy, this ranks near the top.

The reasonably-priced DVD has a so-so commentary by director Mike Nichols with Steven Soderbergh. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

What y'all really want is some gross, caricature of a woman!
In 1982, Dustin Hoffman played one of his most memorable roles as Michael Dorsey in the hilarious comedy, "Tootsie". As an out-of-work actor, Michael teaches acting classes because no director will hire him due to his somewhat peremptory attitude, or so says his agent George Fields (Sydney Pollack, who also directed the film). Frustrated with being undesirable and wanting to prove himself, Michael dons a dress and high heels so that he can apply for a female role in a television soap opera. Calling himself Dorothy Michaels, the soap opera director, Ron (Dabney Coleman), thinks that Dorothy is too ugly for the part, but Dorothy's dominance earns 'her' the right to a screen test and 'she' gets hired! As the film progresses, Michael's pretense as a woman earns him the stardom and recognition that he longed for. However, it also gets him into trouble not only with a woman that he's dating, Sandy (Teri Garr), but also with two of the regular stars from the soap opera, Julie (Jessica Lange) and John Van Horn (George Gaynes).

With an excellent script, superb acting and a hilarious story, it was completely unsurprising that "Tootsie" earned 10 Oscar nominations, including nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Syndey Pollack), Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay. Dustin Hoffman was nominated for Best Actor and both Teri Garr and Jessica Lange were nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Of all the Oscar nominations, only Jessica Lange won the Oscar. Dustin Hoffman won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, as did Jessica Lange for Best Supporting Actress. The number of Oscar nominations that the film earned demonstrated the many strengths of the film, not to mention that the film will keep you laughing and fully engaged!

Other very memorable characters in the film include Julie's father Les (Charles Durning), Michael's roommate Jeff (Bill Murray), soap opera producer Rita (Doris Belack) and soap opera nurse April (a young Geena Davis).

If you enjoy films such as "Some Like It Hot" (1959) and "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993), you will more than likely enjoy "Tootsie" equally as well. I rate "Tootsie" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and am very pleased to own it on DVD.

We Are Large...We Contain Multitudes
When I first saw this film more than 20 years, I really did not fully appreciate then what director Sydney Pollack, his cast, and his crew had achieved. To be sure, I found the humor hilarious, the cross-dressing and gender-bending clever, and all of the performances first-rate. I have the same opinion today. However, in ways and to an extent no previous film had done, Tootsie makes certain assertions which have serious implications, then and now. For example, that at least some men can more fully develop their masculinity by recognizing their femininity, as indeed Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels (Dustin Hoffman) does. And the same is also true of at least some women. Moreover, this film effectively demonstrates how difficult it can often be to gain and then sustain another's complete trust. To salvage his acting career, Michael repositions himself as Dorothy so he will be hired to play a character in a soap opera. As Dorothy, he establishes an especially close relationship with another cast member, Julie (Jessica Lange), and falls in love with her while continuing to deceive her. Later, her widower father Les (Charles Durning) falls in love with Dorothy and thus becomes another unwitting victim of Michael's deceit. The eventual happy ending does not include Les.

Shakespeare never devised for his Italian comedies a plot as complicated as the one Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal provided for Tootsie. Under Pollack's direction, all of the cast members provide brilliant performances, notably Bill Murray as Michael's friend Jeff and George Gaynes as John Van Horn, another cast member. Jessica Lange was selected to receive an Academy Award as best actress and deserved it. Much of this film is hilarious, it is always entertaining, but as I indicated previously, having seen it again recently, I find it much bolder and more thought-provoking now than I did 21 years ago. To some, perhaps, its serious implications may even seem threatening.

A Nearly Perfect American Comedy
I heard a story that Dustin Hoffman was considering doing this movie, but that he waited until he had been made up to see if he made a convincing enough woman before agreeing. I don't know how true this story is, or even how convincing he is as a woman, but thank goodness this movie was made.

I can't think of another movie more perfectly cast except.... maybe... Casablanca? Jessica Lange is perfect as the beautiful soap actress and love interest. Charles Durning is perfect as the sweet older man who falls in love with Dustin's "Dorothy". Terri Garr is perfect as the insecure female friend who loses the role on the soap to "Dorothy". Bill Murray is great in his few scenes - this is one of the first movies where we actually got to see him "act". Dabney Coleman is perfect as the arrogant director of the soap who cheats on poor Jessica. Director Sydney Pollack wisely casts himself perfectly as Dustin's exasperated agent. (The scene early on where he informs Dustin that NO ONE will hire him because he's too "difficult" is fantastic.) Lastly, Dustin Hoffman is perfect as the actor who becomes a better man by pretending to be a woman.

The film is full of situations that turn your expectations sideways - I'd give examples, but that would ruin your enjoyment if you haven't seen it yet! Trust me - just watch this movie - but only if you want to be entertained!

FUNNY. AND MEANINGFUL.
What a tightly scripted, beautifully acted, finely paced comedy! Having seen it a long time ago, I felt it must've been very much like an older version of Mrs Doubtfire, but this marvellous film has a lot more going for it than the female impersonation angle.

When a failing actor cross dresses to get a job, he also discovers the inconveniences of being a "woman of the 80s". Throughout the film, there's always a pleasing sense of cynical humor (e.g., "I dont believe in hell. I believe in unemployment, but not in hell") and Hoffman is topnotch in his role.

The from Morricone has a somewhat grating refrain of Stephen Bishop's "It might be you" but I guess it perfectly serves its purpose, providing the touching backdrop to the actor's increasing awareness of the strength of feminine qualities -- the touch of the baby to his cheek, the poignant sight of Julie's skirt swishing in the kitchen, the offering to Dorothy of her chocolate-covered finger to suck, etc.

I can see that Hoffman must have committed to this movie bigtime, and I notice that there's a book that describes the making of this film but is currently out of print. Perhaps something to this effect would have been great to include on the DVD itself, which is incidentally quite lousy for such a classic film.

At any rate, it's a great addition to any movie collection.

Dustin Hoffman is the best!
Dustin Hoffman is a fantastic character actor, one of the all time greats. He is superb in this movie. He is an actor who can't get a job as a man but through circumstances, ends up getting a woman's part in a soap opera. The cast thinks he is a woman and it really was funny watching Hoffman try to keep them from learning he was a man. This movie was really funny and yet it had a lot of drama and humanity included.

I found his portrayal of a woman more interesting and likable than that of the male character, in fact, there were times that I would get so wrapped up in the character, Dorothy, that I would forget that he was a man acting as a woman. The cast, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durney, Geena Davis, were all great.

This is one of those movies that will be remembered for years to come! Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (54)

The Ramones kick!!
I own Rock and Roll Highschool. This movie is awesome!!! The Ramones totally can't act, and they give all the lines to Joey, but hey, the movie is a classic. Its got some great scenes (i love when they blow up the school) and AWESOME music. I was surprised they put music from Paul McCartney and Wings in their since Paul isn't even close to punk, but thats cool wit me cuz im a big wings fan anywayz. They put great Ramones songs in it too. ( i wish they put beat on the brat in it,i love that song but it has nuttin to do with the movie)

The Kids Are All Hopped Up And Ready To Go
It's hard to admit, but the recent death of Joey Ramone took a lot of the wind out of my sails, bringing with it a feeling of vulnerability, mortality and, yes, approaching middle age. Having said that, it's a treat that this part of his legacy is finally available again for all to treasure. Sort of a twisted mix of low-budget 1950's juvenile delinquent movies and 1960's beach comedies, "Rock 'N' Roll High School" has aged surprising well, thanks in most part I guess to the timeless appeal of the "brothers" Ramone. Highlights, besides the hopped up concert footage (filmed in front of an enthusiastic audience), include the Ramones pulling up to a concert venue in an old Cadillac singing "I Just Want To Have Something To Do," a fantasy sequence in which self-proclaimed #1 Ramones fan Riff Randall (P.J. Soles) imagines the band serenading her in her bedroom, complete with Dee Dee and his bass under a running shower, and the final scene in which The Ramones play the title track while the high school explodes behind them in a piece of perfectly staged incendiary directing by Allan Arkush. Timeless, mindless, exuberantly staged entertainment...

Whose the Ramon-e-s
This is the best movie ever, it's funny, has great music, and has the Ramones in it. ME and my friends watch this movies over and over, and there aren't that many movies that we do that to. So if you love a great laugh and great music then this is the movie for you!!!! Rock on

Cult Classic + Ramones = Fun Fun
This is a masterpiece of low budget cinema. Everything about this movie rocks. The Ramones are undoubtedly one of the best punk rock bands of all time and this film showcases them to great effect. Really fantastic live footage. PJ Soles is mighty sweet and Dey Young is even sweeter. Great stuff from Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel and the mighty Dick Miller as well. Some of the cornball dialogue is unforgettable. And did I mention that Dey Young is sweet? She used to make my heart go pitter patter watching this in high school.

"1,2,3,4!!!"
Hey Ho! Let's Go! Listen up, kids. Rock 'n' Roll High School may have been released way back in 1979 but it still kicks the butt of any of those square MTV movies. Forget about Britney Spears and Mandy Moore's brand of bubblegum pop music -- they don't hold a candle to the unbridled power of those punk rockers from New York City, the Ramones!

The movie does a great job of playfully championing the Ramones as rock gods and yet shows them being accessible to their fans. The band first appears in a car driving down the street on the way to their venue as they play "I Just Wanna Have Something To Do." Once outside the club, they get out of the car and interact with the crowd of ticket buyers. The editing, coupled with the insanely catchy song gives the scene an infectious energy.

From B-movie veterans like Paul (Eating Raoul) Bartel and Mary (Death Race 2000) Woronov to newcomers (at the time), P.J. (Halloween) Soles and Dey (Strange Invaders) Young, the entire cast has a lot of fun spouting the film's wonderfully inspired cornball dialogue ("If you don't like it, you can put it where the monkey puts the nuts."). The Ramones are good sports and mumble their way through the film and truly coming alive during the music sequences. The movie rightfully cements their reputation as legends.

Rock 'n' Roll High School embodies the essence of the punk rock music that made the Ramones famous. The film is bursting with youthful energy, a dose of good ol' fashion anarchy and is loads of fun to watch. These are also the ingredients that made Rock 'n' Roll High School a cult film. It was a commercial and critical failure upon its initial release but repeated midnight screenings, coupled with steady appearances on TV, have helped the film endure over the years.

Producer Michael Finnell, screenwriter Richard Whitley and director Alan Arkush deliver an engaging and rather chatty audio commentary. The three men laugh and joke about working on Rock 'n' Roll High School. They clearly have fond memories of their experiences on the movie.

Also included is a dynamic theatrical trailer that gives away the ending! Definitely watch this last if you haven't seen the movie.

Leonard Maltin interviews Roger Corman about the movie. To his credit, the veteran filmmaker admits that he was wrong about the Disco High idea and was glad that Arkush convinced him to go with Rock 'n' Roll High School.

A real treat for fans of the Ramones are several audio outtakes during the filming of the concert sequence. These are the original audio tracks of the band in action.

While Rock 'n' Roll High School will appeal predominantly to fans of the Ramones (duh!), it is also one of those fun, goofy movies to invite friends over and watch with copious amounts of junk food on hand. Despite a lackluster transfer, the audio commentary and audio outtakes are worth the price of purchase for this fantastic cinematic oddity. ... Read more

Reviews (145)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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After his successful direction of the Broadway hits Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple, Mike Nichols made his filmmaking debut with this outstanding and still-powerful screen adaptation (by Ernest Lehman) of Edward Albee's taboo-shattering play. In their fourth film together (and by far their finest), Richard Burton and Oscar winner Elizabeth Taylor play a New England couple whose marriage hangs by a thin thread of self-deception, vicious verbal jousting, and embittered mutual need. George Segal and Sandy Dennis (who also won an Oscar) play the younger, unsuspecting couple who awkwardly witness the devastating rivalry of their hosts. Handling adult themes with intelligence and forceful dramatic impact, this was the film that finally shattered Hollywood's self-censoring Production Code with commercially successful results. The DVD features an insightful commentary track by Haskell Wexler, whose black-and-white cinematography deservedly won an Academy Award. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Watch this movie if you want to be an actor...
If there is ever a film acting students must watch, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? is it. Personally, I had no problem with the DVD. Burton and Taylor are simply marvelous in their roles as two seriously disturbed people who have been married for...much too long. Taylor won an Academy Award and Burton should have won (no disrespect towards Paul Scofield for A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS). Edward Albee's brilliant characters and writing is simply breath-taking. That is if you can take 2 1/2 hours of absorbing drama about four miserable people (George Segal and Sandy Dennis are also excellent as the guests). It is true that a film like this isn't for everyone. The negative reviewers concern themselves with the mood of the film...why would anyone want to watch 4 people yelling at each for over 2 hours...but that isn't a review, and people expecting a Disney version of Albee's play shouldn't be watching it in the first place. Real life isn't easy to watch. Albee's story about an alcoholic professor and his over-bearing alcoholic wife is not easy to watch. Instead, the viewer must watch the film as life-like art, and an example for all filmmakers to follow. Director Mike Nichols had it filmed in black and white (Haskell Wexler), and most of the original play (screenplay by Ernest Lehman) remained intact. In a day when your average movie-going experience involves empty-headed entertainment (Matrix, X-men, Hulk, American Pie, Dumb and Dumberer, etc. - you know what I mean), WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, even if you need to be in the mood to watch it, is far easier to take in the long run.

Quite likely the best acting ever in one film
It's no small praise that Elizabeth Taylor's acting in this one at one time was taught in college acting classes, and she's at her best as Martha, the drunken, bawdy and disillusioned wife to then-husband Richard Burton's professionally and emotionally blunted college professor George. Together, Taylor and Burton subject two young neighbors, played stunningly by George Segal and Sandy Dennis, to a night of hell where the line between reality and vicious fantasy of cruel mind games isn't clearly drawn. Taylor, in a class all her own in this one, earned a second Oscar for her tour de force while looking every bit the deglamorized unfulfilled shell of a beauty goddess Martha undoubtedly was. Burton is as compelling in his viciousness that is George's life blood. He was Oscar-nominated as were Segal and Dennis with the latter winning Best Supporting Actress. Shot in black and white and centered in Martha and George's hell house, the intensity of the sense of being penned and the desire to run are urgent and, in the end, we leave George and Martha with a sigh of relief, hoping neverto return and a sense of pity for these two battered souls who, for whatever reason, gave up on life in favor of mutually assured destruction. Taylor is awesome: her performance her may well be the single best ever in cinematic history.

The Atomic Bomb in Your Living Room
The title of this film is derived from the classic childhood rhyme, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" and is used to illustrate the immaturity of the characters and the fright of confrontation. The addition of "Virginia Woolf" into the title is not only a play on words, but a reference to the author's suicide - basically, the question asked is: who's afraid of going insane?

Apparently everybody. "Woolf" is an emotional roller-coaster of a film. The premise is simple: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor are husband and wife. Burton is a somewhat washed up University professor, and Taylor is the University president's daughter. They invite the new math professor and his squeaky, drunkard wife over for a few glasses, which quickly turns into a few bottles, which leads to an escalated, violent verbal assault on everything the four characters hold dear.

Egos are shattered. Relationships are ruined. Children are murdered. By the end of the film, the actors sulk away to their dark corners, exhausted and fragile. The same happens to the audience. If there ever was a "draining" film, this one is it. You feel like you just watched your parents fight for a whole evening. You physically feel tired, upset, angry, sad ... just about every emotion exercised in the film is exercised on your well-being.

"Woolf" is based on a play by Edward Albee, which takes place in the living room. Mike Nichols, in his stunning directorial debut, ventures only a few places other than the living room, knowing full-well that the powerhouse performances by Taylor and Burton especially (as well as the most convincing drunk ever played by Sandy Dennis) will keep the audience captivated. All dialogue in this film, save for two or three lines, are directly taken from the play. Albee said the added lines were "all garbage" - but you won't notice.

This is arguably Nichols best film, and yes, I am including "The Graduate." The cinematography (glorious black & white by Haskell Wexler, who provides commentary on the DVD), the performances, the violence, the suspense, the mind-bender at the end ... everything about this film is absolutely perfect.

Note that this isn't just a marriage disaster film, and there's a great deal of intelligent humor involved. This film also broke censorship standards, with the passionate involvement of the then-married Taylor and Burton, and featured the very first "goddamn" every uttered. Without "Woolf," the perfect TV sitcom family would still exist today. Now deviant relationships in shaky households has become the norm for modern films.

Burton was shafted again by the Academy for this film, but Taylor won a much-deserved statuette, in what is called her best performance.

Check it out. You will not forget it.

Mike Nichols made his masterpiece with this one!
I have to make a hazardous statement and I really hope you to think carefully about the fact that somehow, Mike Nichols and Artur Penn were two american film makers powerful influenced by European directors.
If you agree with this , I would say that Mike Nichols has had a clear influence in his first stage of his brilliant career of Ingmar Bergman. Think for instance in three excellent future films of Nichols (Four easy pieces , Carnal knowledge and Black widow)
This long introduction is necessary for understand the weird presence of a dark and even bitter film like Who's afraid...
The film undoubtly has deep roots related with two important films of the swedish director like The silence and The hour of the wolf.
This comment doesn't deserve a bit about the great level of this magnificent picture.
First at all, watch for the resource economy . The film runs at night hours and with two locations .
Two very different couples, one of them extremely young almost teenagers , and in the other side a midle aged marriage. He's a patetic man , extremely weak character (Richard Burton) and she is the unsatisfied woman , and domains the relationship in every little detail.
The meeting with this young couple will allow to Elizabeth Taylor exhibit her monumental skills for acting and give a tour de force performance , that became in her well deserved Second Academy Award.
The script is extraordinary. The dialogues are pregnant of crude realism , the horror, the multiple facets of a woman who has kept in silence so many dissapointments , the countless consequences as result of a poor comunication , the anguish of her about knowing and being the axis of the relationship.
And this is the ocassion for her to eject her most hidden thoughts ; she exploits like a earthquake , literally without a drop of prudence with all the violence that you can imagine and even more , the past phantoms emerge from the deepest dark shadows of her soul .
The hopeless, the loneliness , the sense of going nowhere and however not be able to separate instead the inferno in which she lives.
All this micro universe exploits before us and you feel its impact and the tragedy.
That film is a challenge for any director in any age, but Nichols is a master who besides had the presence of these two giants actors as Taylor and Burton. The house and the garden are the silent background in which this disgraced marriage reveals its intimacies before the young marriage.

You'll be disturbed but plenty of admiration by this splendid work .
A timeless masterpiece .
(With this film Nichols became the first director to reach the one million dollars by this picture.)
Excellent transfer to DVD.

A powerful movie that will grab you!
I saw this movie with my parents and let me tell you...this movie really grabbed me into being part of the story, part of the movie! Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton play exceptionally well! I couldn't help but drop my jaw on their powerful performances between eachother. They made me want to further
become a great actor. This a great movie for anyone who wants to be a
successful actor, director, or anything else that goes with movies. Teenagers (like myself) should see this kind of movie that really makes you think about life and just overall observe the movie and be touched. Nowadays, as other reviews here have said which I totally agree is that many people just watch non-thinkable trash movies. This is a masterpeice which everyone should love! When the movie will be over, it will literally take days to talk about the ending...because it is THAT good!! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

In case you missed this movie...
This isn't one of Harrison Ford's bigger hits, but it should be, at least within the dramatic genre. Sure, he's Indiana Jones, and he's Han Solo, but outside of those series, Ford's movie choices have occasionally left this fan, at least, scratching her head (Sabrina? What were you thinking!?).

"Regarding Henry" is a rare little gem of a story, a simple film about a man whose life changes, believe it or not, for the better when he's shot and nearly killed by dint of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ford's Henry Turner takes us through a life he doesn't remember, including a daughter and a wife played by an impossibly young and fresh-faced Annette Bening.

Sure, it's a little sentimental. But it's a pretty simple story with a positive feel. Filmed on location in New York City, the Manhattan scenery is rather delightful as well.

It's not film noir, it's not a tour de force of characterization, and no, it's not Academy Award winning screenwriting. But it is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, one Ford doesn't have any reason to be ashamed of.

Sometimes the worst curse is your truest blessing
Despite being less well known, "Regarding Henry" is one of Harrison Ford's best works. The film demands a wide spectrum from this great actor and he delivers convincingly. For the most part, the other performers take their cue from Ford's "Henry" and render a near perfect glimpse of a life that could have been.

The tile character, Henry Turner, is introduced to us as a top-flight litigator for a large New York legal firm. He is well groomed, dressed in a designer suit and he is seen speaking sincerely to a jury about human desires and justice. Our opinion of him changes as soon as Henry leaves the court. He quickly makes a call to his interior designer to berate her for having the wrong table delivered to his palatial home. He is just another lawyer, after all.

It is hard to watch this movie at the start. Henry is one of those men we all love to hate. He is selfish, self centered, successful and confident. His daughter is frightened of him and his wife is a pale reflection of him. Luckily we are not forced to watch this Henry for very long. He makes the classic movie exit and "goes out for some cigarettes."

What follows is a scene that is perfectly directed. Henry walks into a corner store demanding his brand of cigarettes, unaware that the other patron is robbing the owner. Henry does not become scared but before he can even attempt to control the situation, he is lying on the sidewalk with two bullets inside his body and the wail of approaching sirens in the background. This event is the cusp of Henry's life.

Annette Bening plays Henry's Wife, Sarah. She may not be in love with her husband anymore but she needs him. As her financial position becomes clear, she realizes she needs him very much. But she is not unaffected by it all. This is the man in her life, the father of her child, a good provider and protector. Seeing him lying motionless in a hospital bed, drooling and staring vacantly, is probably the most painful thing she has ever experienced. But there is some hope of recovery.

Henry's long rejuvenation at a specialty medical center is like a rebirth. He remembers nothing, coming into his new world without the power of speech or the ability to walk. His midwife/physiotherapist, Bradley, is wonderful. He is full of life, energy and enthusiasm. As Henry is taught to walk and speak and function, Bradely becomes the mainstay of his life. Sarah keeps her distance and Henry doesn't get to see his daughter, (Rachel), at all until the day he is deemed fit to go home, a scary separation from the only people he trusts.

But the Henry that returns to a home he barely remembers, is not the same man that left for cigarettes. He is a little shy, very calm, forgiving, gentle and above all, nice. His transformation is interpreted in different ways by different groups. The movie serves as an interesting depiction of how society views disabilities. His boss is patronizing, his daughter delighted, his mistress is distraught and for the longest time, Sarah doesn't know what to feel.

The ending may be predictable but in this case, it is the journey that we love. Most of us feel we have lost our innocence and that our honor has been a little tarnished by life's decisions. Henry takes us on a trip to see what might happen if we surrendered all the hard won prizes in our life and instead, chose to embrace life itself. This is a film that will make you feel. Some days, that's just what we need.

RITZ!
a great movie. even if you dont like drama i think you will like this one. its about harrison ford gets shot in the head and has to go to rehad to learn how to speak and work again so he can go home to his wife and kid. its not is most knowen movie but still a great one

Worth Seeing
I know this movie was not a big hit when it came out but it is really a good film. Harrison Ford is great as one of his most likeable characters that I have seen him portray. Henry, a corrupt lawyer who withholds evidence when his client is obviously guilty and a womanizer is seriously injured in a robbery. When he comes to, he has lost his memory and has to be re-taught just about everything. His teacher is a very virtuous man, who teaches Henry to enjoy the good things in life (Henry loves most of all Ritz crackers). Thus the mean, cheating Henry who forced his daughter to remain at a boarding school that she hates, is suddenly transformed into a kind man who cares about everybody's feelings.

Eventually, he figures out that the Henry he once was was a horrible person and he hopes never to go back to that life.

Annette Benning is great and beautiful as the wife that had an uncaring husband who all of a sudden loves her more than anything. She has to decide if she is ready to leave the life they led with other uncaring and obnoxious friends.

Priceless scenes, especially those involving Henry and his secretary!

AT LEAST THE FILM'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE..
A hotshot, hyper-workaholic lawyer finds himself in the middle of an accidental shootout, loses his memory, and lo and behold, his world goes topsy turvy. Quite predictably, as is the case with pretty much every scene in this feel-good Oscar bait, the man turns over a new leaf, becomes a good father, a conscientious husband and a decent human being. Yawn.

The movie's slowly unfurling narrative and its high predictability levels could have made it a skippable fare, but Ford's rendition of amnesia is moving, and Annette Bening's performance is very impressive. An occasional saving grace is also the music, if you have an ear for that kind of stuff.

Recommended rental. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Encore to Charlie, the Little Tramp
Chaplin's Modern Times leaves us awed with various noteworthy marks. First of all, Chaplin endeavored to make his second sound film following City Lights (1931), in spite of the wide-conquering trend of talkie. Not only the background music but also occasional sound effects bring out the brilliance of the director. Second, even after two decades since his silver screen debut in 1914, the performance of Charlie the Little Tramp and Chaplin's directing had been matured, not faded, like a good wine. Those laughing spots fairly spread in the entire film proves it. Last but not least, you can never forget this film for the moment when the long-time silent Little Tramp finally open his mouth to sing!--for the first and final time, unless you count The Great Dictator (1940), the following film and another masterpiece of Chaplin. --After all those struggles, Charlie gets a job at a cafe, where his adventure partner the Gamine (Paulette Goddard; Chaplin's wife at that time) works as a dancer. Charlie is to wait and sing. As he can't remember the lyrics when rehearsing, the Gamine helps him writing the lyrics on his cuff for a cheat sheet. A fanfare goes and the Little Tramp marches in the floor stage performing an eccentric dance until he dances so hard that the cuffs are blown away. He frantically and desperately searches for the cuffs and the Gamine says (in the spoken title) "Sing! Never mind the words!"-- It is well known that Chaplin was the last resistant against talkie claiming the universality of silent films. What he performed in this "Titina" sequence, singing in the stateless language (still obvious it is conjured up with a few languages such as French or Italian) and storytelling by his brilliant pantomime. The audience in the film reacts the same way as we do: get a nice-surprise, laugh and applaud. With its theme song "Smile", composed by Chaplin, the performance of Charlie the Little Tramp is definitely one of the highlights of this film. Play it again, Charlie!

My favourite of this first series of Chaplin reissues.
It helps that Modern Times is one of Chaplin's best films, period, running a close second behind City Lights (I hope that's next on the re-release list). And happily, unlike The Gold Rush, which was ruined by awful sound choices, the Modern Times DVD offers a clean transfer of the film with all the beloved original elements intact as far as I could see and hear, plus a host of extras.

The film itself is the most briskly paced of Chaplin's feature-length films. And his writing is sharp, unhindered by the sermonizing which permeates his last works. The dilemma facing our Little Tramp this time is something all of us can relate to: For the first time, we see him thinking ahead, wanting to have a future, to form a family, and working towards that end. Chaplin's physical-comedy skills are at their peak: Witness the extended takes of the rollerskate scene, and the factory assembly line. Even if the 18fps (sometimes 16fps) film speed made everything look faster than it really was, it's still impressive physical co-ordination requiring flawless execution, since Chaplin rarely edits using coverage.

In Modern Times we see one of the first truly well-rounded Chaplin heroines. The radiant Paulette Goddard was Chaplin's best leading lady, her high spirits and lively presence being a much better foil for Chaplin than the starry-eyed icons of perfection that were Georgia Hale, Edna Purviance, or Virginia Cherrill. She just has more star quality and brings a quirkier, more animated personality to Chaplin's films, balancing them nicely.

And the gags -- some of the best in the Chaplin canon. The eating machine always has me rolling on the floor; the nonsense song is terrific (the DVD offers a "karaoke" version which, though a novelty, does tell us finally what the lyrics actually are); and all the machine gags are fast-moving gems.

The bonus materials include a long outtake and several documentaries. "Chaplin Today" features guests Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, the French filmmakers behind the film Rosetta, and though their film-historian banter is not entirely to my taste, they do bring up some insights that I hadn't observed about Modern Times.

In all, a great release, and a great DVD to have for movie nights. It's a wonderful presentation of a comedy classic.

'Where's the Boss?'
Caught between the cog wheels???

If you are suffering from work woes, this film is a great one to watch. A co-worker at my last job recommended this film to me. We worked for one of those genome companies, some of us working in a production capacity, doing the same repetitive tasks ad nauseum. The, (in real life), multi-talented Chaplin in this film is a simple-minded factory worker who spends his day going through the same motions over and over again. He does get lunch breaks, but of course his day at work is not without its mishaps. Funny that a 70 year old film about modern times is still not dated.

This film was made in 1936 during the Great Depression, a time when money and bread were scarce, many people feeling the effects. The story line for this movie reveals some of these circumstances, but as Chaplin lives through them, as when he is forced to drink rum bursting out of casks shot by robbers of a department store, one of whom was a previous co-factoryworker, you can't help but laugh, and as the song says, 'just smile'.

One of the golden gems of Charlot
Modern times was a smart comedy in the previous years to WW2.
Charlot made raptures images in several sequences.
Our unlucky or disadapted little man , definitively wasn{t made for working with the industrial process. This kinetic introduction in the middle of the complex mecahnism of machine systems is a issue to develop unforgettable laughable situations. The sense of alienation in front the no ending belt , causes in him an insane loss of the reality. And the machine who feeds you without waste of time for your employers is a classic.
Obviously Charlot inspired himself in Metropolis, the bitter nightmare of Fritz Lang from 1927. (Watch for instance for the employer who works around the machine control) .
So our beloved anti hero goes out from this the factory to the hospital and over and over he tries to get a job but he fails , by one reason or another.
In the middle of the film will appear a deep inspiration. The eternally beauty Paulette Godard represents exactly that weird mix teenager-woman who will work out as link for him later.
He is a guy with good feelings. He acts always as humanity benefactor but the long arm of the fate runs behind him and the results are not succesful.
The sequences in the dinner hall with the chicken that never comes to the impatient client is a masterpiece. Literally it's a funny coreography dance in the purest sense of the word.
Smile ; no matter what's wrong with you. We'll keep ahead , overcoming all the possible obstacles.
A remarkable film and one of the landmark pictures of this timeless genius.
Haven't you seen it? Make yourself a favour and buy it as a gift for you or your wife or fiancee or kids. This film will never dissapoint you , at least in the next three hundred years.

Getting Chaplin
Until I saw "Modern Times" I only knew Chaplin from clips and impressions rather than from his films. I didn't see the talent. I understood that he parlayed his popularity into power and control over his work and that he made a huge contribution to American cinema. But I found Chaplin the performer, cloying and sentimental.

After watching "Modern Times" however, I understand why he is one of the great performing talents of the 20th century. The film is nearly silent and mostly a series of comedic set-pieces, each one a virtuoso display of Chaplin's boundless talent.

What struck me most in watching Chaplin was both his ability to come up with a routine; strapped to an eating machine, skating blindfolded in a department store and amusing hardened diners as a dancing waiter and executing the concept with grace, humanity and humor. It is also a great testament to his acting that we never question Chaplin's "little tramp" an average, slightly ludicrous character who has amazing talent that deeply undercuts his character's supposed mediocrity.

My other surprise was how effective and nuanced the satire is in "Modern Times." Chaplin's little tramp is the perfect protagonist in a story about the perils of automation and technology. The little tramp is never defeated and always optimistic. He is like a cartoon character in that each travail is new and he doesn't carry with him the baggage from the previous experience. But he is also terribly human; frail, self absorbed, eccentric and resilient so that we the audience don't feel the oppressive weight that automation and technology has upon the working person. Without a strong, human protagonist, the attack against modern society could seem more global and distancing. Instead we witness the pain from an individual perspective that connects to our own lives. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Tears of Endearment
Fresh off the success of his television series TAXI, James L Brooks came to the big screen with his directorial debut: a comic film culminating in a main character succumbing to cancer. That certainly doesn't sound like the most promising comedy material but TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is a success in both comedy and drama. It is a very funny film that ends up a tearjerker without ever sacrificing the humor.

The mother and daughter act of Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) and Emma (Debra Winger) are at the heart of the story. The mother is consistently over-protective and disappointed in her daughter. Emma is one of the most compassionate human beings in the cinematic world. When Emma ups and marries the wrong guy (Jeff Daniels) there relationship becomes one of the phone lines. Even that doesn't squelch Aurora's power of her daughter. But when Aurora finally dates her free-spirited neighbor (Jack Nicholson), she softens as a human being and backs off of.

The film is quite clever with its characters and dialogue, often right from McMurtry's novel. Brooks works wonders with a dream cast that was often a nightmare. The audio commentary on the DVD offers a very open discussion of the Diva attitudes on the set. And Brooks exposes some other things as well but the commentary is often self-congratulatory. This is a great film in the style of BROADCAST NEWS and AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

Funny,sad,intense,just like real life.A classic.
I first saw "Terms of Endearment" in the theatre when it first came out at Christmas 1983 and thought it was an excellent picture. Then,saw it several years later on home video and I still think so. I even gave a copy of the video to my sister for a birthday present(along with some other of her favorite movies). A lot of the credit should go to James L. Brooks who was the writer and director.Mr. Brooks was a writer on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the '70's and wrote the enjoyable movie "Starting Over" in 1979.

Shirley MacLaine stars as Aurora and Debra Winger is her daughter Emma and the story is about their relationship over many years.The two leads both gave fabulous performances. Ms.MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress(her one and only win) and Ms. Winger was nominated.Jack Nicholson gave a very funny,likable performance as the former astronaut who lives next door to Aurora. Nicholson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role(a role that Burt Reynolds turned down due to a prior commitment.Reynolds regretted it later because the movie he turned the role down for turned out to be a flop).Actors John Lithgow and a then unknown Jeff Daniels also give good performances in supporting roles.

However, the real kudos go to James L.Brooks who won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Adaptation(from the novel by Larry McMurtry)and for Best Director,very impressive since this was his directorial debut.And,it also won Best Picture of the year.The story has many funny moments,sad moments,and intense moments,just like in real life.Mr.Brooks went on to write and direct "Broadcast News" in 1987 and "As Good As It Gets" in 1997 which were both very good pictures also.There was a sequel to "Terms of Endearment" some 16 years later in 1996 called "The Evening Star" with Ms.MacLaine and Mr. Nicholson but with a different writer and director."The Evening Star" was no classic but "Terms of Endearment" truly is.

Somewhat cold, but still wonderful.
I saw this movie after I had seen Steel Magnolias, and to be honest it did not impress me as much as Steel Magnolias did. They are both classics in the film world, but I found Magnolias better and more heartwarming. Shirley Maclaine did a wonderful job acting in this film as the troubled mother of a sickly daughter. The movie comes together in the end but at some points the movie lacked that sense of heart and home that Steel Magnolias had. See it and make the judgment for yourself. I do reccomend it.

Tear-jerker
Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger play mother and daughter who are alternately at love and war with each other as they go on the roller-coaster of life. On a routine visit to the pediatrician for one of her sons, Winger's doc is more interested in her swollen glands than he is in her son's ear ache - and the next thing we know, Winger's diagnosed with a terminal illness. The pathos is well played, and I challenge anyone to emerge dry-eyed from the scene in which she says good-bye to her sons, esp to the one who is so angry and uncommunicative.
Everyone comes thru in the end, including the lumpish ex-husband, and Jack Nicholson, playing a free-spirited astronaut who is MacLaine's love interest, deservedly won an Oscar for this performance.
Excellent book by McMurtry; great movie by James L. Brooks.

As a Male, I Dig This Movie
This film is categorized as a chick flick...but hey it made me cry too. I was a kid when I saw this film. My cat had just died, and guess what her name was? ...EMMA!!!!
Well when Emma died in the film I almost lost it..
Shirley MacLaine said working with Debra Winger was hard to do as Debra was very gassy... ... Read more

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On October 20, 2001, this now-historic concert took place at Madison Square Garden, a mere six weeks after the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, survivors, families, and fans witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event as, in the space of nearly six hours, many legendary musical performers donated their time and their talent to one of the greatest causes ever, in the process giving their audience an unforgettable burst of pure emotion.

Organized by Sir Paul McCartney, the Concert for New York City was an overwhelming experience that deserves to be saved for posterity. The two-CD audio recording is crammed with dozens of superb performances but doesn't give a sense of the whole show that this two-DVD set certainly does. Not only can we relive such seminal performers from that evening as the Who, David Bowie, John Mellencamp, and Sir Paul himself, we can see the charming and personal short films made for the occasion by such New York filmmakers as Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, or the dozens of celebrities and unsung firefighters and police officers who immortalized that day with their stories and musical introductions.

There is one quibble: the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," one of the blues standards Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy played, and McCartney's "From a Lover to a Friend" and "Lonely Road" are all missing, which seems curious, considering that the entire show could have easily fit onto two DVDs. So don't erase that videotape you made of the concert the night it aired, because that remains the definitive version. But this DVD (with very good Dolby 5.1 surround sound) comes close. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (37)

POWERFUL
I preordered my dvd in early january, i was not fortunate enough to see this event live. Why buy this? You could cop out and only say: Mc Cartney, jagger,keif, elton john, james taylor etc. etc.. You could buy this to feel the emotions of the firefighters and police who lost so many. Listen to politicians who represent the emotion that we felt at the time. Not fighting for a partisan but for the people. Toss in a few entertainers who can make us laugh and cry. Still you have not gotten to the point of why to buy. This may be the most powerful dvd you can ever buy. You cannot watch washington cross the delaware or see lincoln give the gettysburg address. We have watched the towers be struck and tumble again and again. This concert is the beginning of the healing. We cry with our great servicemen and women We sing along to the songs that we have grown up with. We cannot, will not forget sept. 11th and if only one penny from each item purchased goes to help someone who lost a loved one. Then it is a penny well spent. GOD BLESS AMERICA and may god bless new york city. Thank you for a great piece of history and an even better night of entertainment

Heart and Soul of New York
This concert exemplified the magic of music as the background for Americans coming together to grieve collectively. Watching this concert will show you raw emotional energy rarely seen on television. It is a sad concert and there are many times where you can see individual instances of personal grief among the music of many different superstars. It is a long concert and well worth a viewing. Among other things, I thought Paul McCartney was cheesy and his song "Freedom" was a situation where you had an amazing song writer reacting to bad circumstances but with poor results. The Who in my opinion, stole the show and then some, they were amazing as always. I don't think Jay-Z was placed at the right time when he came out. Billy Joel was everything New York as he always has been.
The ultimate point for you, is that you should own this DVD as it is a recorded reminder of music's response to an American tragedy with an audience showing us the rawest and most powerful of human emotions out for the world to see. Some may say it was convenient for superstars to show up and act really concerned and to use their fame as a pulpit to try and relate to everyday people; however, those people are uptight, why else do you go to concerts?, to be taken away from everyday routines and tragedies of life, so a concert of this magnitude after 9/11 was exactly what the country needed.

The Best Concert Ever...With a Few Exceptions
Overall, 99% of this concert is very good. David Bowie, the Who, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney and Elton John all played fantastic sets here. But I have a problem with some of the other music. Eric Clapton plays "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," totally unreated to 9/11. Jay-Z also had no business appearing at this show, especially if the only piece he can come up with is "H to the Izzo." My other complaint is that this DVD is incomplete. Two Paul McCartney songs, one Eric Clapton song, one Goo Goo Dolls' first song, and a good cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends" are all missing. The entire 6-hour concert could've easily been released. But what's here, for the most part, is very good. So on the whole, this is a good buy.

The Concert That Proved New York Is Still Number One
It was a night of healing. It was a night of reconcilliation. It was a night for firefighters, policeman, paramedics, musicians, actors and "Saturday Night Live" alumni alike to join together and prove New york did not grow weak after 9/11. It grew stronger and this 5 - hour concert showed those shems in the Middle East right.

Disc 1 is chock full of memorable moments. For me, the highlights were Billy Joel doing "New York State Of Mind", Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy doing a scorching rendition of the blues standard "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" and Adam Sandler reviving Operaman. But as just about every reviewer pointed out, The Who blew everyone away. I think it was "Won't Get Fooled Again" that stood out. It was also a spectacular swan song for the band's bassist, John Enthwistle. This was his last live appearance ever. He died suddenly in June 2002.

Disc 2 is even better. My favorite performer here is Elton John, who delivers a powerful version of "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters". Mick Jagger and Keith Richards do great versions of "Salt Of The Earth" and "Miss You", though I would have liked it if all of The Rolling Stones were onstage. Jimmy Falon does an interesting medley of 1980s' hits that includes "Who's Johnny", "Der Komisar", and "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight". Paul McCartney brings down the house at the end. I really enjoyed it when Richard Gere got booed. He was asking for it.

Overall, a great concert.

Support a Good Cause
Just a reminder that proceeds from the sale of this video still go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund. ... Read more

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A milestone comedy of the 1980s, Ruthless People delighted critics and audiences alike and set the tone of Hollywood comedies for years to come. Along with that other popular farce about wealthy Californians, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, this ingenious romp revived Bette Midler's career and launched Disney (by way of its subsidiary, Touchstone Pictures) into the lucrative production of R-rated comedies; it also ensured the star power of then-TV star Danny DeVito. Dale Launer became Hollywood's hot screenwriter du jour by cleverly reworking O. Henry's Ransom of Red Chief into a wicked tale of marital malice heightened by a bungled kidnapping. Midler is sublime as the victim of low-rent abductors ("I've been kidnapped by Kmart!"), and DeVito's the gleeful philanderer who refuses to pay ransom for his wife's unwanted return. With Anita Morris, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater, and Bill Pullman among the plot-twisting schemers, the movie's so much fun that an eventual remake seems almost inevitable. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A Comedy Classic with an All Star Cast!!!
I saw this movie on cable, several times, I watch it every chance I get, I don't personally own it, but it will soon come into my DVD collection. The main character is played by Danny DeVito who plays philandering, money hungry tycoon Sam Stone(Danny plays this character with such relish) who has made enemies of the couple played by Helen Slater and Judge Rheinhold, whom he has wronged. They retaliate by kidnapping his wife played by Bette Middler. Put it this way the kidnappers end up being the most likable characters in the movie, with all the manuevers done by Sam Stone, his mistress played by Anita Morris, her dumb as a rock boyfriend played by Bill Pullman, the Police Commissioner, and the unsuspecting wife played by Betty Middler, who hopes to be rescued by her husband. It is funny, intelligent and it takes you for a cool entertaining ride with it's plot twists.

An 80's comedy time capsule!
I hope everyone didn't forget that Bette Midler was the highest grossing female film star of the 80's! This is the classic that will prove how she got the attention. This was released after Down And Out In Beverly Hills which brought Bette back into popularity at the movies. In fact, Down... is probably considered her funniest movie. I think Ruthless outshines all her comedies. It's sooo 80's, too! Scene after scene, this movie moves along with no time to be bored. Acting is perfect by all. Although Danny and Bette are never seen together until the end, they look so cute together. Danny Devito wants his abrasive wife kidnaped! Judge Reinhold had his multi million dollar idea stolen from Devito. Devito's mistress wants his money. And did I mention the serial killer? Very funny! I hope this will soon be re-released on DVD!

Fumbling kidnappers join forces with victim
Bette Midler in yet a