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Describing Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise as an update of the classic Phantom of the Opera doesn't do justice to this demented movie. While De Palma's Hitchcock homages have sometimes led him into dead ends, this rock & roll remake seems to have liberated De Palma's imagination, and the result is weird and funny, with the scruffy underground spirit of the director's early pictures. The Phantom is one Winslow Leach (William Finley), a nerdy songwriter whose "pop cantata" on the subject of Faust is stolen by a freakish, Phil Spector-like rock impresario called Swan (Paul Williams). After getting his head caught in a vinyl-LP compressor, Leach is transformed into a masked creature, haunting Swan's music palace, the Paradise. De Palma proves how nimbly he can establish narrative rhythm: the story moves like a cannon shot, and the musical numbers (especially in the Alice Cooper-like Paradise sequences) are brilliantly cut. The movie seems to predict the Studio 54 scene, MTV, and punk rock--the last, especially, in the figure of Beef, a screeching singer played by the unhinged Gerrit Graham. The songs were written by Paul Williams, that diminutive '70s music icon (he cowrote the Barbra Streisand wet noodle "Evergreen"), and his performance is a reminder of his peculiar, self-spoofing presence: at one point, the preening Swan announces, "You know how I abhor perfection in anyone but myself." Comedy, musical, horror film, '70s artifact--this movie isn't quite definable, and that's what's wonderful about it. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (101)

The movie that made me a DePalma fanatic
The first Brian DePalma movie I ever saw was "Body Double" with Melanie Griffith. I was not impressed and didn't think much of DePalma as a director. But that was before I saw "Phantom of the Paradise," DePalma's lunatic hybrid of "Faust," "Phantom of the Opera," "Frankenstein," and "The Picture of Dorian Gray."

I first read about "Phantom of the Paradise" in Danny Peary's book "Cult Movies 2." It sounded too good to be true, and I was thrilled to find a used copy at a video store's clearance sale. The movie turned out to be even better than I'd imagined. The movie seemed to have a bit of everything: horror, comedy, music, and melodrama. It gave me a newfound respect for Paul Williams, and it made me an instant Brian DePalma fanatic. Soon, I was seeking out all of his early classics -- "Greetings," "Carrie," "Blow Out," and the mind-boggling "Sisters."

The DVD of "Phantom" contains almost no extras (except for a trailer and an alternate French soundtrack), but the picture and sound are satisfactory... at least compared to my worn-out VHS copy. It's just too bad DePalma didn't do a commentary track. Then again, he hasn't recorded commentaries for ANY of his movies yet as far as I know.

Great Movie
Phantom of the Paradise is a '70s rock version of Phantom of the Opera. Winslow is a composer whose music is stolen by a famous producer named Swan. During all of this, Winslow ends up falling for Phoenix and only wants her to sing his songs. Meanwhile, Swan plans to open a new rock palace called The Paradise using Winslow's music - with a few changes.

Phantom of the Paradise actually borrows more from the 1962 version of Phantom of the Opera where the Phantom gets his music stolen and his face is disfigured by acid while trying to destroy the printing plates of his stolen music. In Paradise, Winslow's face is injured while trying to destroy the recordings of the stolen music. Paradise really combines the plots of the 1962 Opera and the play Faust.

Thanks to the truth behind the character of Swan (Paul Williams) the movie does have a Twilight Zone quality to it. You even have Rod Serling speaking at the beginning. Brian DePalma likes to borrow from Hitchcock, and he has an interesting and humorous variation on Psycho's shower scene here. It also takes elements from The Picture of Dorian Gray.

It does poke some fun at the music industry and some of the insanity of those in it. The movie takes a humorous approach to things - the scenes where Winslow is sentenced was done by using a very basic set and just two lines. May come across as silly to some but the style of parts like that add to the fun. Parts of this movie are not to be taken seriously. (I can't really explain without doing spoilers.)

Paul Williams wrote a nice variety of music for this movie - 50s style for the opening scene. One piece reminds me of The Beach Boys. A somewhat darker song is used during staged construction of Beef. The closing song could be viewed as comments on people who had been corrupted by the biz - plus it's humorous. (You'll find some better comments on the songs in the reviews for the soundtrack. I'm not a music pro.) Everyone except for Gerrit Graham does their own singing. In fact, the three groups in the movie are played by the same three artists. They just switch off on who plays the lead singer.

The DVD is a wonderful edition of the movie. Image quality is great considering the age. A trailer that doesn't even have the movie's title in it is included as well as trailers for other movies including Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The movie does have some truly weird moments, but I love it!

A few trivia notes: Sissy Spacek was set dresser on this movie. Archie Hahn, who sings "Goodbye, Eddie, Goodbye," has appeared on the UK version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Gerritt Graham starred in Used Cars. Jessica Harper appeared in the movies Shock Treatment and Harper Valley PTA.

In the back of the Signet Classic edition of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera, this movie is mentioned and there is a reference to The Paradise looking like New York's Museum of Natural History. (p271) Phantom of the Paradise was filmed in Dallas, TX. The Paradise and most of the musical moments were filmed at The Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas. In 1991, I saw Ken Hill's musical version of Phantom of the Opera there which added a nice touch for me. Swan's office building (exterior shots) was at one point owned by Mobil Oil, but I'm not sure if they owned it when this movie was made. Although it's changed alot since 1974, it is along Stemmons Frwy (I-35E) just after Carpenter's Frwy (183) joins it when going south. This same building appeared in Logan's Run.

Phantom of the Paradise was also mentioned in the program for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera and the same material was published in some special editions of the Gaston Leroux novel. I believe the writer was Peter Haining. He described Phantom of the Paradise as simply having The Phantom terrorizing teenyboppers. That does not fit this movie at all. I really wish people would watch a movie before reviewing it.

What is this~?
What's up with this film? It was my waste of money, and I saw anything good in it. Why is this film has almost 5 stars? American thing it must be.....worst class, worst art, and worst story. I want my money back. I would rather spend it for MacDonald Sandwhich or something.

A golden treasure !
This film is unique. De Palma was in a efervescence creative in this decade as fery few directors in the story. I think the next film in his career Carrie mad the people forgot this one, who in many aspects goes beyond Carrie due his artistic character and innovative resources.
Once more De Palma accepts the challenging duel to adapt this classic version but set and described from another perspective.
This film also allowed him to follow his bliss wothout the powerful presence of Hitchcok .

In other order of ideas , something similar happened with Chabrol , the french master , but the difference in the case of Chabrol is his major versality.
De Palma has reached the peak with this one. You feel Sisters and Phantom as his major achievements in this decade.
Don't forget one film that in a way was a twisted wrench of this one : I'm talking about the rocky horror picture show.
This was a decade in which the concern about others ways of expression were in the minds of many film makers.
Think in Ken Ruseell with Tommy , Jewison with Jesuchrist , Robin Hardy with The wicker man , Dario Argento with the cat with nine tails , The clockwise orange , Badlands , The harder they come , Pink flamingos, Walkabout , Don't look now or the honey moon killers. You felt besides the desperate spirit of the german cinema Fassbinder , Wenders (Paris Texas) , Herzog , Hauff and the french cinema under the kingdom of Truffaut , Chabrol , Molinaro Pierre Granier Deferre and Claude Sautet . This decade experienced an authentical creative and innovative tour de force in what concerns with new themes and proposals.
That's why this film wins, because it kept his level and status and still remains.
Watch this one and it will become one of your favorites!

Overlooked rock music film which was somewhat prophetic
The 1974 rock music film Phantom Of The Paradise is perhaps one of the most unusual and intriguing films i've ever come to know. This film was one of Brian DePalma's best films to date next to 1976's Carrie, 1983's masterwork Scarface and 1987's The Untouchables. The film is seen as somewhat as a rock and roll version of Phantom Of The Opera but it's a film about getting revenge on those who have hurt us. The hero in the film is nerdy and disgruntled composer Winslow Leach(played by William Finley) whose rock cantata about the magician 'Faust' whom was stolen by music impressario Swan. Swan had his own record label Death Records(originally Swan Song before Led Zeppelin coincidentally came up with the record label name and the producers changed the label to Death) and his own music channel(predated MTV by many years. Swan then proceeds and destroys Leach's life (steals the lovely Phoenix from Winslow, has him wrongfully framed, arrested, teeth pulled and had metal teeth in its place(predates the look that rappers and rockers like Marilyn Manson would adopt) and appearance). After being badly disfigured, Leach disguises himself as a phantom (whose Phantom outfit and make-up could easily have been the predecessor to the Goth Rock era of the 80's) wreaking havoc on the devilish (and that terms comes in quite handy here) and will stop at nothing to terrorize Swan. He tries arson (blowing up the set design during one of the 'Faust' rehearsals with a Beach Boys send-off The Beach Bums) and even murder (electrocuting over-the-top singer hard rock singer Beef mid-performance whose backing band look like what KISS would appear like a few months after this film was made. Also, the people at the door scene predicts the Studio 54 scene by a few years as does the partying/wedding scene at the end. The music in this film is great and the story proves that in the end, the nerds win over the arrogant types! Highly recommended! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (539)

His Name Is Tony...
Actor Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance in 1983's SCARFACE. Paciino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee hoodlum, who quickly rises to the top of Miami's cocaine industry. On his way to the top, Tony uses any means at his disposal to get there, no matter who he hurts or betrays in the process. Pacino takes hold of the character and never lets you forget that he is "Scarface". The supporting cast is wonderful too. It features Steven Bauer, as Tony's right hand man, "Manny" Ray. Michelle Pfeiffer is Tony's girl, Elvira, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in a role early in her acting career, plays Gina, Tony's sister.

The hard-edged script for the film is written by Oliver Stone, who holds nothing back, as usual Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie doesn't flinch at all to tell its story. The film remains a favorite of mine and will leave you with quite a lasting impression. A "remake" of 1932's SCARFACE, in name only, the film is nearly flawless.

The "Collector's Edition" contains a feature length retrospective documentary, that is so well done, you almost forget that there is no commentary track. It is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of the film and its place in cinema history. There's also a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that were nice to see. These fine extras add up to one heck of a DVD for one of the best gangster movies ever made. SCARFACE should not be missed and comes highly recommended.

Nothing Succeeds Like Excess
Given the high-power talent behind the camera (Brian DePalma), in front of it (Al Pacino), and at the typewriter (Oliver Stone), SCARFACE should have quite a lot going for it. It does indeed, although I can't quite call this a GODFATHER-type masterpiece for certain reasons.

Ostensibly, this is a reworking of Howard Hawks' classic 1932 gangster pic about Al Capone. This time, the setting is Miami circa 1980, the contraband in question is cocaine, and the lead character, Pacino's Tony Montana, is a Cuban-born criminal who just came off the Mariel boat lift with 125,000 others that Castro let go, twenty percent of whom were known criminals. Pacino gets in on the ground floor with a local drug boss (Robert Loggia) and soon works his way to the top, doing just about everything to tick someone off--associates, enemies, cops, his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and the Colombian drug kingpins he has to do business with.

But in his cocaine-fueled journey to achieve the so-called American Dream, he neglects to follow two rules taught to him by Loggia: (1) Don't underestimate the other guy's greed; and (2) Don't get high on your own supply. He finally crosses the line in the end by alienating a Colombian drug boss (Paul Shenar) so much that Shenar sends assassins to Pacino's Miami villa. The result is a horrific and bloody shootout in which most of the assassins are rubbed out, and so is Pacino.

Without a doubt, SCARFACE continues to generate wildly divergent opinions, both pro and con. I for one had some trouble trying to stomach Pacino's Cuban accent at first, but then his ultra-charistmatic performance kicked into high gear, four-letter words and all. The film is very true to its essentials of showing how a certain segment of the Cuban boat people, a very SMALL segment, tried to latch onto the American Dream by trafficking in illegal narcotics and thus earning millions. Probably the most interesting thing about SCARFACE is the political view that Stone espouses in his screenplay: he seems to espouse a very Reaganesque view of the world of the 1980s (virulent anti-Communism; anti-Castro), but in truth he is severely critical of those very same policies that motivated Castro to send the worst of his worst onto American soil and thus accelerate this nation's drug problem.

SCARFACE does have its faults. It requires a lot of patience to sit through with a running time approaching 170 minutes, and I am not all that sure there is enough in there to sustain it for that kind of length. The film continues to be controversial in some quarters for its extreme (as opposed to merely excessive) violence; the chainsaw scene in an apartment, the hanging from a helicopter, and the ultra-gory shootout at the end rank as some of the most violent scenes ever shown on film. Only four other films in history challenge it in this respect: THE WILD BUNCH, SOLDIER BLUE, TAXI DRIVER, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Finally, this film set a record for the greatest number of times the "F" word, or variations of it, are used; I lost count at two hundred. This IS a bit much, although it probably fits the reality of the situation it depicts.

On the other hand, DePalma, whose 1976 film CARRIE remains one of the touchstone suspense/horror films of all times, does make quite a lot out of Stone's wild and crazy screenplay--though surprisingly, for the violent scenes, he doesn't use slow-motion or montage that much, which would have earned him favorable comparisons with the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Just as solid is the camera work of John Alonzo, who worked on CHINATOWN and BLACK SUNDAY, among others. Giorgio Moroder's score is pretty good, though I do admit it gets a little cheesy after a while. And Pacino's performance is also high-caliber; just get used to his Cuban accent, and it works very well.

This film comes highly recommended, but with this warning: It is definitely NOT for younger audiences, it is rated 'R' for a lot of good reasons.

Best Movie Ever!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest movie that was ever created! I could not beleive how great this movie was when I saw it. Not only the movie was great but great actors like Al Pacino. If you have any money don't spend it on anything else than this movie!

WOULD YOU KISS ME IF I WEAR THE HAT!?
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and the AFI top 100 movies of all time refuses to acknowledge it. Al Pacino deserved an oscar for his portrayal of Tony Montana, the movie deserved an oscar for something yet this movie is constantly overlooked by all critics, but the cult following that it has amassed is by far more telling of it's popularity than sheer box office numbers. ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you Scarface is one of the best movies ever made, and if they don't think so they haven't seen it. So sit back, crack some hennessy and alize, light up a cigar, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made!

Classic Gangster Flick
No matter what anybody says, this has to be one of the ten best gangster movies ever made, if not in the top three. If you are a fan of this genre, Scarface is a gourmet banquet of acting, action, dialogue and intensity. And if you don't enjoy this, all I can say is I'm sorry that you're missing out. The only reason I don't give this movie 5 stars is that I don't know what to make of Giorgio Moroder's cheesy sythn soundtrack and disco tunes. If you think in the context of the movie, that 80's Cuban drug dealers might like listening to really bad disco music ("...Rush, rush to the yeyo") then this music works in the confines of the Babylon nightclub along with the bad hair, clothes, Belzer's lousy comedy and the mime. But these songs, if they had to stand on their own outside the movie, would be totally ignored. I wonder if Deborah Harry ( then at the height of fame with her band Blondie) knew when she laid down the vocals for Moroder's muzak that this song was designed as junk to suit the movie or if she thought this might boost her singing career. If you account for the disco muzak as necessary "set dressing" for the Babylon it still doesn't excuse Moroder's cheesy synth soundtrack. How much better this movie could have been if it was scored by an accomplished orchestral composer such as Morricone or Williams. If you want more proof of Moroder's shortcomings check out the soundtrack of Metropolis. ... Read more

Description

In THE UNTOUCHABLES, federal agent Elliot Ness leads a group of mob fighters with the intent of taking out the infamous Al Capone in 1930's Prohibition-era Chicago.Realizing that practical methods will not work in securing Capone's capture, Ness and his men resort to using even more force in order to take down the Chicago mob boss once and for all. ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Good versus Evil in a deadly dance of operatic proportions.
Sometimes dubbed "the Master of the Macabre," director Brian De Palma is best known for his enactments of the supernatural ("Carrie"), mania ("Dressed to Kill") - and his mob stories. The latter part of his reputation is primarily grounded on four of his movies from the ten-year period between 1983 and 1993: "Scarface" (1983, starring Al Pacino), "Wise Guys" (1986, starring Danny De Vito, Joe Piscopo and Harvey Keitel), "Carlito's Way" (1993, again starring Pacino) ... and "The Untouchables" (1987), featuring an all-star cast including Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith. Among these, "The Untouchables" stands out as the only movie not primarily told from the gangster's but from the lawmen's perspective - but what it does share with all of De Palma's works is an almost voyeuristic appeal to its audience's visual senses; going far beyond the lavish display of film blood it is most often cited for.

Less fact-based than cinematic grand opera par excellence, the movie takes as its premise the end of the career of Chicago's ganglord of ganglords, Al "Scarface" Capone, who (after a few half-hearted attempts to prosecute him for murder had failed due to the unavailability of witnesses) pled guilty, in 1931, to evading federal income tax, and was sentenced to an 11-year prison term and a $50,000 fine. Capone's downfall was brought about by a group of initially 50 but later only nine Treasury Agents, formed in 1929 (not in 1930, as suggested here) with the express purpose of breaking up his operations, and headed by Eliot Ness, whose 1957 book "The Untouchables" posthumously gave new rise to his fame - Ness died of a heart attack without ever having witnessed the full extent of his book's success - and inspired, inter alia, the like-named 1959 television series starring Robert Stack and Brian De Palma's 1987 movie.

Scripted by Pulitzer Prize winner and Chicago native David Mamet ("Glengarry Glen Ross"), "The Untouchables" is not so much a study in character development as based on a western's classic "good versus evil" setup; although that doesn't mean that its protagonists are two-dimensional in any way. On the contrary: Robert De Niro imbues his Capone with a ruthlessness and glib charm very likely matching those of the real "Scarface," who was known for his little hesitation to commit murder and other acts of violence as much as he cultivated a reputation as a savvy businessman and benefactor of the poor, for example by running several soup kitchens. (And yes, all of De Niro's mannerisms are on full display, too; but rarely have they fitted a role as well as here.) Kevin Costner's Eliot Ness may be a little too assertive - Robert Stack once commented, after several conversations with Ness's nearest and dearest, that the real-life Treasury Agent had been described to him as "rather soft-spoken, but very effective and brave" - but mildness is certainly not the principle trait written into the larger-than-life role of the man who "got" Al Capone, and Costner *is* an effective lead; although he is matched (not entirely sidelined, but darn near outplayed) by Sean Connery, who deservedly won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a National Board of Review Award as the crotchety old-timer Malone who has seen it all, somehow managed to stay both clean and alive, and now lets Ness talk him into becoming his tutor in all things Chicago Gangland. Andy Garcia, in his break-through role, is instantly likable as George Stone, the smart, fast kid from the South Side who doesn't take kindly to put-downs of his origin but can nail a human target with one hand while lying down and holding a baby stroller with the other hand. Charles Martin Smith finally brings humanity and subtle humor to the character probably closest to the real-life "Untouchables," accountant Oscar Wallace, who first has the idea to charge Capone for income tax evasion. Strong performances by Billy Drago as Capone's right-hand man Frank Nitti (who of course was not really thrown off a rooftop by Ness), Richard Bradford as Police Chief Mike Dorsett, Patricia Clarkson as Ness's wife, Jack Kehoe as Capone's bookkeeper Walter Payne and others round out an altogether impressive cast.

Unmistakeably scored by Ennio Morricone (whose style often, and certainly here, doesn't even take a full bar to recognize; and who with an ASCAP Award, a Grammy and a BAFTA Award was the movie's other major winner besides Connery), "The Untouchables" lives off its splendid cinematography, production design - costumes courtesy of Giorgio Armani - and the exquisite timing of its sharp-edged dialogue and editing: Not only is screenwriter Mamet known to have his actors practice their lines according to a metronome; the editing of some of the movie's most memorable scenes has the distinct feeling of a carefully choreographed, veritable ballet. This is particularly true for Malone's death, pointedly set against the aria "Vesti la Giubba" from Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera "I Pagliacci" ("The Clowns"), which is based on a real-life murder and which Capone attends while his lieutenants waylay Malone in his own apartment; and the famous shoot-out in Chicago's Union Station, which turns into a deadly dance of bullets, blood and a baby stroller, shot almost entirely in slow motion.

Paradoxically, the one plot element this movie is most often criticized for - the jury switch at Capone's trial - is one of the few facts that actually did take place (although Capone's attorney would have had to be given the right to conduct a new voir dire). But ultimately, it doesn't even really matter how much of the plot is fact-based and how much fiction: Even if "The Untouchables" doesn't quite reach the mythical status of the "Godfather" trilogy - particularly its Parts 1 and 2 - as the mob movie to end all mob movies, it is one of only a handful other films that at least come close to the proportions of Francis Ford Coppola's epic masterpiece.

"What are you prepared to do?"
Brian DePalma's 1930s gangster film is none-the-less ingenius. Sean Connery deservedly won an Oscar for his moving performace, and the screenplay is fantastic.
Kevin Costner is Eliot Ness, an idealistic crime-fighter who moves to Chicago with his family to fight the infamous gangster Al Capone, brilliantly played by Robert De Niro. Ness enlists the help of Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery), an aging cop who knows how to defeat Capone. also helping Ness are George Stone (Andy Garcia), a young, streetwise cop, and FBI accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith), whose knowledge may help crack open the violent war that has broken out. Chicago gangsters are battling a hapless police force in the Prohabition.
the coolect scene has to be when the "four riders" take on a shipment of alchohol on the U.S.-Canandian border. after their triumphant victory, however, Capone retaliates violently, which leaves our friends - and the audience - in shock and for-lasts the film in tragety.
truly one of the greatest detective/action movies ever made, "The Untouchables" is a modern masterpiece. rent it and then buy the DVD!

Touchable...
This film marks several remarkable firsts: The first true representation of a David Mamet film script (although "The Verdict" in 1980 came first), the leading-man status of Kevin Costner (deservedly so, since despite disasters like "The Postman" and "3000 Miles to Graceland", he's a very good actor with a very impressive resume and an Oscar to boot), Sean Connery's first Oscar win, also very much deserved, and most importantly, the first good film from Brian De Palma. People call films like "Body Double", "Carrie", "Blow Out" and "Dressed to Kill" classics... why they do, I have nary a clue. Those are some of the worst rip-off films in history. His "Hitchcockian" feeling is, to me, straight-up plagarism. He rips off plots and shots that are embarassing mish-moshes of Hitch's best (and worst) stuff. And did you see "Mission to Mars"? I didn't think so. And the only people that I can imagine that liked "Femme Fatale" were fans of the bathroom sequence (If you saw it, you know what I'm talking about). The only other film of his that was worth watching was "Mission: Impossible". But "The Untouchables" is a real work of art. I won't go into plot points, but I'll comment on the film's great points: 1) The dialogue is sparkling. Mamet makes these people real as opposed to just making them standard action caricatures (the young idealist, the grizzled old wise-man, the cocky rookie, and the dorky fifth-wheel). 2) The performances are top-notch. Costner, Connery, Martin Smith, Garcia, De Niro, and an underrated performance from Richard Bradford as Chief Dorsett really help to pull this film off. They give it all they got. They make the tragedy and drama and excitement and horror and triumpth of this film work. 3) The visuals are stunning. Stephen Burum really makes that camera work, especially with those beautiful shots of LaSalle Street. This film is a great revisionist telling of the Eliot Ness vs. Al Capone brawl. The film obviously takess a lot of liberties with history, but they really work, especially with the dispatching of one particularly bad man which in my opinion makes for the MOST satisfying film death EVER. It really makes you happy to watch this guy bite it ("Did he sound anything like THAT?!?"). This is a great film and I could not recommend it more highly. But go ahead and skip the rest of De Palma's 'classics'.

i love the movie and it's series
hello,my name's aaron johnson
the reason i'm writting this review for the untouchables film
is because i've seen it so many times that i enjoy how malone says his famous line to elliot , the one about getting capone
anyway, the whole entire plot is excellent
especially when the federal agents try to stop capone's men in time

the other reason i'm writting in this review , is because i've seen the untouchables tv series
and i'm wondering this very question ;
"when will the untouchables tv series from 1993
be out on dvd"

because i think that people would enjoy the entire [whatever how many seasons it ran for [if it was one or two] of the series

i'm sure a lot of other customers would appreciate the untouchables tv series on dvd

Great gangster cartoon!
The Untouchables tells the story of four policemen who fight Al Capone during the prohibition of the 30's. Don't expect anything like The Godfather though: this movie merely aims at -sometimes cartoonish- entertainment. Don't be surprised with the stereotypical characters and story and the all too colourful 30's setting. It's just how this movie works. Robert de Niro's Al Capone is excellent as the funny bad guy, Kevin Costner and Sean Connery both fit excellently in their roles as two persistent police officers with a mission. Yes, several happenings in the story may be somewhat cliché, but it is nothing less an exciting movie to watch. Executions, shoot-outs, trials and much more: it's all here. It's still better to pinch something well than to invent something badly! ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Realistic, Gritty Crime Tale
In one of his best performances ever, Al Pacino is the engine that keeps "Carlito's Way" moving from beginning to end. Recently-released from prison, Carlos Brigante (played marvelously by Pacino) is a former Puerto Rican drug lord who ruled New York City's drug world during the 1960's and 1970's. Assisted by his lawyer (Sean Penn) Pacino is determined to stay out of the trade that landed him in prison in the first place. However, as usual trouble always lurks in every corner.

Deciding to buy and operate a Latin nightclub from an owner who is seriously in debt (played by the famous Argentine comedian Jorge Porcel, who had a cult following throughout Latin America due to his sexually-charged comedy skit show "A La Cama Con Porcel; he is know as the Latin-version of "Benny Hill"). Yet as old faces reemerge onto the scene, newer faces have also started to take a foothold in Brigante's former empire, especially Benny Blanco (played by the ever-wonderful John Leguizamo).

Directed by Brian de Palma ("Carrie"), this is one of the most realistic, and historic accurate pictures of life in New York City's urban jungle during the late 1970's/early 1980's. Penelope Ann Miller ("Adventures in Babysitting" is great as Brigante's love interest, and Luis Guzman always is a scene-stealer playing Pacino's right-hand man.

The DVD version contains production notes, cast biographies, and the original theatrical trailer and the sound and picture quality are excellent. Pacino (a Bronx native) masters a perfect Puerto Rican accent in the same way he mastered his Cuban-emigre accent in "Scarface". "Carlito's Way" is guaranteed to keep you entertained due to thrilling performances by the entire cast, amazing cinematography, great directing, and most importantly, incredible realism. Destined to become a modern urban classic.

scarface with a twist
When the guys that brought you Scarface team up again what bad
things can happen.Brian De Palma and Al Pacino two of the biggest
stars on their film duties in Hollywood today.This movie really
has the 80's,disco feel scarface as but as the De Palma plot turn
and twists seen in Snake Eyes,Body Double,and Raising Cain so it'
s all very entertaining.Along with another De Palma regular Sean
Penn(Casualties Of War) plays the coke addicted wacko lawyer to
absolute perfection.This film not as violent as Scarface as more
plot twists which makes it almost more entertaining with a great
cast including John Leguizamo and Penelope Ann Miller Carlito's
Way is one of Pacino's,Penn's,and De Palma's best films ever so
if you like a mixture of The Usual Suspects and Scarface give
Carlito's Way a watch it's great.

What is so Wonderful about this movie?
This is not that great of a movie. I dont know why people are making such a big deal out of this movie. I saw it, I tryed to understand it, I just thought it wasnt one of Pacino's best....sorry

Pacino and Penn give great performances
almost a sequal to scarface..Carlito Brigante is Tony Montana after doing 15 yrs and having a change of heart...I cant beleive there wasnt some thinking on those lines from the actor and director of both movies...Sean Penn nearly steals this movie as David Kleinfeld Carlitos lawyer is more crooked than the crooks he defends..and Luis Guzmán as Pachanga shows why hes one of the best character actors working today...

The best film of Brian de Palma
The facts derivated from the story put us before a man who wants to get away his destiny , but (in a mgnificent shakesperian mood), nobody can escape from his past.
There's no doubt that this film has multiple virtues. Sean Penn grew up like actor al least two thousands steps. His role is so well made like the sinister lawyer without a drop of scruples, and this is the fate's arm that literally takes to Tony Montana and throws to hell.
In my personal view, I think Sean Penn deserved an Academy award by this role.
It's a sinister view about the redemption given by Montana since he leaves the jail.
Pacino gives one of his more relevant roles all along his career.
He gives us that crude sensation of walking in the edge of the knife through all the film. Will it be necessary to say that in this film like in others, Pacino is much more than an actor, he is a nature's force and elevates the standard performance of every one of his partners?.
Watch for instance one of my favorite beauties of the cinema: Penelope Ann Miller. Her role is so well made that this film literally gave to David Lynch the final decission for including her in Mulholland's drive.
There are several unforgettable sequences in the film. The first of these belongs to that claustrophobic situation in which we find Carlitos, when he decides to rescue the money of his beloved friend. In his honor code, Carlitos can not give a "no" like answer. And that's the road to his perdition.
The other anthology scene is that made in the hospital when he visits to the lawyer by last time. The slow camera describes all the movements of the false police who revenges to his father and we can see how the bullets are released by Carlitos just before.
The final shots camera in the chase when Carlitos has planned everything and runs with the clock dictating its final minutes. The angles of camera and the tension produced in the train station for me is above his tribute to Potemkin in "The untouchables".
Carlitos way is a cult movie. But also you can consider like the shakespeare spirit made present in what I would design together with Road to Perdition , the most original "film noir" movies in the last fifteen years. ... Read more

Reviews (211)

Unique blend of horror and sentiment.
There's one thing I specifically like about certain horror films, and that is those that contain the horror elements, yet have a story that allows you to feel a great deal of emotion for a main or secondary character, depending on the focus of the plot. When Stephen King wrote his first novel, Carrie, it was shocking as well as emotionally heart-stopping. Brian de Palma's film, following soon after, is groundbreaking and intense, and captures the horror of the character's actions as well as the horror of her secluded and alienated school and home life.

Carrie White has never been popular in school, and the verbal and physical abuse has apparently gotten worse with each year. One day, she gets her first period in the showers of the girls locker room, and frantically running to everyone for help, she is bombarded by shouts of banter and flying tampons. After it is learned that she was never told by anyone about this process of life, we soon learn the reason why: her mother is a Bible-thumping embodiment of a true maniac, who believes that every action committed by man is a sin in the eyes of God. Her treatment of her daughter is extremely harsh, but only until Carrie learns that she possesses a special gift, the ability to move objects with her mind. Meanwhile, Sue Snell, one of the girls involved in the malicious locker room incident, feels guilt over her actions and asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the prom. Carrie accepts, and attends the event despite her mother's warnings of doom and sin. But something much worse will happen, something more terrifying than Mrs. White could ever imagine.

"Carrie" is one of the most well-known horror films of all time, and has set the standard for many later films of the genre. The entire premise for the movie is quite original, and the execution of the material is even more powerful and emotional than the novel itself. What makes it so emotional is the fact that there is a human story that happens everyday around the world. Carrie is constantly bantered and teased about every aspect of her life: her home, her mother, her apparel, and her demeanor, and it is done in such a manner that you cannot help but feel a great deal of sorrow for her when she commits the ultimate act in the finale of the film.

De Palma's camera angles and cinematography add an immense amount to the overall effect. Many of his shots usually center on someone in the foreground, while Carrie is somewhere within the near background, making her appear minute and small among everyone else. His use of the two-window effect for the prom sequence helps us to see more of the destruction and the reactions people have to events going on around them. One more notable sequence is opening scene, in the girls locker room, where we see the rest of the girls having fun and making merry while Carrie is alone and singled out in the shower stall. Throughout the movie, De Palma does a spectacular job in making Carrie seem insignificant when put with a group of people.

Sissy Spacek was brought to the project to play the title character, and does a top-notch job. She is the perfect "ugly-duckling" type for the role, and she is able to play out all of the emotion and terror that Carrie experiences throughout the novel. Amy Irving is does a credible job as Sue Snell, and her performance makes us believe that Sue really does feel sorry for what she has done to Carrie. The rest of the ensemble makes the movie believable, and never is there a moment where you will question the authenticity of a performance.

Certain to remain a hallmark of moviemaking, "Carrie" will shock, scare, and incite emotion for years to come. It is a movie that operates on many different levels, each beginning at separate times of the film, yet converging in the end to sweep us up in horror and sorrow.

Here's to the Devil with false modesty...;)
Released in 1976, "Carrie" is a disturbing horror film that's generously fueled by psychological tension and religious iconography. Unlike the decade's other two occult works, "The Exorcist" and "The Omen," this is not a tale about the Devil's chicanery. Although it overlaps ominous images of Christ with the raging feminine hormones of teenagers, the film actually decrys the tragic reality of school bullying; as an underrated form of child abuse, this so-called "rite of passage" involves a youth culture so cruel and thoughtless that it drives its victims to suicide or murder.
Actress Sissy Spacek portrays Carrie White, a shy and lonely misfit who is constantly harrassed by her classmates. After another strenuous game of vollyball, she begins to mensturate in the girls' shower. Terrified at seeing the blood running down her fingers, Carrie hysterically cries to the other students for help. But instead, all of the girls corner her in the locker room, jeering and tossing tampons at her. From that moment on, viewers are introduced to the appalling ignorance of the high school staff; not only do the teachers refuse to take Carrie's word seriously, but even Principal Morton (Stefan Gierasch) can't seem to remember her first and last name. The only official to pity her is gym teacher Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), who realizes that she was never taught how to deal with PMS. Fiercely determined to protect Carrie's well-being, Miss Collins punishes the class with a week's worth of brutal, boot camp athletics; anyone who refused to attend detention was excluded from the senior prom.
Meanwhile, behind closed doors, Carrie is tortured and chastised by her Mother (Piper Laurie), a straitlaced Christian fanatic who corrupts every passage in the Bible, blatantly accusing her daughter of being sinful. After hearing about her first period, Margaret White assumes that Carrie is inflicted with the curse of blood, and that she's tempted by the Antichrist's lust. Forcing her to pray for strength, Margaret drags her helpless daughter into a tiny closet, where a gaunt effigy of Jesus stares into a dark void of nothingness. It seems that all hope is lost for this little girl, but that mood eventually changes. Through library research, Carrie discovers she possesses telekinetic powers; whenever she gets angry or afraid, she can flip an ashtray off a desk, shatter a mirror, or make doors open and close unaided. Eventually, this is the weapon she uses to fight back against her Mother's assault.
Seeking revenge, one of Carrie's most hateful bullies, a spoiled and nasty girl named Chris (Nancy Allen), cajoles her drunk boyfriend Billy (John Travolta) to play a sadistic prank on her. On prom night, after Carrie and poet Tommy Ross (William Katt) are crowned King and Queen, Chris dumps a bucket of pig's blood on her head. Drenched and degraded, she is surrounded by a kaleidoscope of laughing spectators. In an act of murderous rage, Carrie unleashes her telekinetic anger upon the crowd. With her cold and blank stare, she showers water from a firehose, electrocutes the microphone, and engulfs the entire school in flames. In perhaps the most shocking split-screen sequence in history, this unforgettable night of terror is shot through multiple perspectives, while glowing a grisly, hellish red.
If you are seeking a horror classic for your DVD collection, I strongly recommend this film, as well as "The Exorcist," "Evil Dead," and "Nightmare on Elm Street."

Classical
Carrie White is a bit strange. She is friendless, her mother is obsessed with worshipping god, and sin, everybody at school harrases her, and to top it all off, she gets asked to the prom by the "hottest" guy in school, which also happens to be the guy Carrie has "special feelings" for.

Now, when you mix all those things together, do you come to the conclusion that Carrie might be under a lot of pressure? Well sure you do, cause she is. And to her horror, when she and Billy or whoever it is, i forget his name, starts to dance to the school song, a huge bucket of pigs blood is poured on her.

Blood, guts, gore...not really, but during the last half hour or so, the violence is pretty strong, not too graphic, but there are some graphic scenes of violence. When a girl gets crushed by a basketball hoop thingy, and when Carries mom gets killed by knifes being stabbed in her. I am sure there are some other ones, but those are the most graphic that i Can remeber right now.

Not too sexual, but there are definatly some sexual scenes, after all, this IS stephen king we are talking about, read this book and that will be enough dose of sexuality for you for one day, guarenteed.

Chilling ever time I see it
This movie is a very rare type of teen horror moive. It perfectly balences our fears and teen angst with phenominal acting at the same time. I think the reason why Carrie is still so fresh even today is because we all have a little bit of Carrie in all of us. All of us at one point in our lives have been teased, beaten up, or felt like you didn't belong at some point in our lives. We all know exactly how Carrie feels when all the girls laugh at her at the prom, or the excitment she felt when the most popular guy in schol askes her to the prom. We have all experienced these feeling throught out our teen years. Pino Donaggio did a superb job with the sountrack. Its so simple yet so effective. The music playing just before the blood is dumped still gets me everytime. It sounds almost like a clock ticking. Almost as if itsticking away the time that the kids have left to live. Even though I know whats gonna happen that scene never fails to scare me to death. This movie is a must see. Even todays teens will love this movie.

Steven King at his best
Probably the best translation of a Steven King novel into a movie. You can't miss this one. ... Read more

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This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (539)

His Name Is Tony...
Actor Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance in 1983's SCARFACE. Paciino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee hoodlum, who quickly rises to the top of Miami's cocaine industry. On his way to the top, Tony uses any means at his disposal to get there, no matter who he hurts or betrays in the process. Pacino takes hold of the character and never lets you forget that he is "Scarface". The supporting cast is wonderful too. It features Steven Bauer, as Tony's right hand man, "Manny" Ray. Michelle Pfeiffer is Tony's girl, Elvira, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in a role early in her acting career, plays Gina, Tony's sister.

The hard-edged script for the film is written by Oliver Stone, who holds nothing back, as usual Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie doesn't flinch at all to tell its story. The film remains a favorite of mine and will leave you with quite a lasting impression. A "remake" of 1932's SCARFACE, in name only, the film is nearly flawless.

The "Collector's Edition" contains a feature length retrospective documentary, that is so well done, you almost forget that there is no commentary track. It is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of the film and its place in cinema history. There's also a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that were nice to see. These fine extras add up to one heck of a DVD for one of the best gangster movies ever made. SCARFACE should not be missed and comes highly recommended.

Nothing Succeeds Like Excess
Given the high-power talent behind the camera (Brian DePalma), in front of it (Al Pacino), and at the typewriter (Oliver Stone), SCARFACE should have quite a lot going for it. It does indeed, although I can't quite call this a GODFATHER-type masterpiece for certain reasons.

Ostensibly, this is a reworking of Howard Hawks' classic 1932 gangster pic about Al Capone. This time, the setting is Miami circa 1980, the contraband in question is cocaine, and the lead character, Pacino's Tony Montana, is a Cuban-born criminal who just came off the Mariel boat lift with 125,000 others that Castro let go, twenty percent of whom were known criminals. Pacino gets in on the ground floor with a local drug boss (Robert Loggia) and soon works his way to the top, doing just about everything to tick someone off--associates, enemies, cops, his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and the Colombian drug kingpins he has to do business with.

But in his cocaine-fueled journey to achieve the so-called American Dream, he neglects to follow two rules taught to him by Loggia: (1) Don't underestimate the other guy's greed; and (2) Don't get high on your own supply. He finally crosses the line in the end by alienating a Colombian drug boss (Paul Shenar) so much that Shenar sends assassins to Pacino's Miami villa. The result is a horrific and bloody shootout in which most of the assassins are rubbed out, and so is Pacino.

Without a doubt, SCARFACE continues to generate wildly divergent opinions, both pro and con. I for one had some trouble trying to stomach Pacino's Cuban accent at first, but then his ultra-charistmatic performance kicked into high gear, four-letter words and all. The film is very true to its essentials of showing how a certain segment of the Cuban boat people, a very SMALL segment, tried to latch onto the American Dream by trafficking in illegal narcotics and thus earning millions. Probably the most interesting thing about SCARFACE is the political view that Stone espouses in his screenplay: he seems to espouse a very Reaganesque view of the world of the 1980s (virulent anti-Communism; anti-Castro), but in truth he is severely critical of those very same policies that motivated Castro to send the worst of his worst onto American soil and thus accelerate this nation's drug problem.

SCARFACE does have its faults. It requires a lot of patience to sit through with a running time approaching 170 minutes, and I am not all that sure there is enough in there to sustain it for that kind of length. The film continues to be controversial in some quarters for its extreme (as opposed to merely excessive) violence; the chainsaw scene in an apartment, the hanging from a helicopter, and the ultra-gory shootout at the end rank as some of the most violent scenes ever shown on film. Only four other films in history challenge it in this respect: THE WILD BUNCH, SOLDIER BLUE, TAXI DRIVER, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Finally, this film set a record for the greatest number of times the "F" word, or variations of it, are used; I lost count at two hundred. This IS a bit much, although it probably fits the reality of the situation it depicts.

On the other hand, DePalma, whose 1976 film CARRIE remains one of the touchstone suspense/horror films of all times, does make quite a lot out of Stone's wild and crazy screenplay--though surprisingly, for the violent scenes, he doesn't use slow-motion or montage that much, which would have earned him favorable comparisons with the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Just as solid is the camera work of John Alonzo, who worked on CHINATOWN and BLACK SUNDAY, among others. Giorgio Moroder's score is pretty good, though I do admit it gets a little cheesy after a while. And Pacino's performance is also high-caliber; just get used to his Cuban accent, and it works very well.

This film comes highly recommended, but with this warning: It is definitely NOT for younger audiences, it is rated 'R' for a lot of good reasons.

Best Movie Ever!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest movie that was ever created! I could not beleive how great this movie was when I saw it. Not only the movie was great but great actors like Al Pacino. If you have any money don't spend it on anything else than this movie!

WOULD YOU KISS ME IF I WEAR THE HAT!?
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and the AFI top 100 movies of all time refuses to acknowledge it. Al Pacino deserved an oscar for his portrayal of Tony Montana, the movie deserved an oscar for something yet this movie is constantly overlooked by all critics, but the cult following that it has amassed is by far more telling of it's popularity than sheer box office numbers. ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you Scarface is one of the best movies ever made, and if they don't think so they haven't seen it. So sit back, crack some hennessy and alize, light up a cigar, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made!

Classic Gangster Flick
No matter what anybody says, this has to be one of the ten best gangster movies ever made, if not in the top three. If you are a fan of this genre, Scarface is a gourmet banquet of acting, action, dialogue and intensity. And if you don't enjoy this, all I can say is I'm sorry that you're missing out. The only reason I don't give this movie 5 stars is that I don't know what to make of Giorgio Moroder's cheesy sythn soundtrack and disco tunes. If you think in the context of the movie, that 80's Cuban drug dealers might like listening to really bad disco music ("...Rush, rush to the yeyo") then this music works in the confines of the Babylon nightclub along with the bad hair, clothes, Belzer's lousy comedy and the mime. But these songs, if they had to stand on their own outside the movie, would be totally ignored. I wonder if Deborah Harry ( then at the height of fame with her band Blondie) knew when she laid down the vocals for Moroder's muzak that this song was designed as junk to suit the movie or if she thought this might boost her singing career. If you account for the disco muzak as necessary "set dressing" for the Babylon it still doesn't excuse Moroder's cheesy synth soundtrack. How much better this movie could have been if it was scored by an accomplished orchestral composer such as Morricone or Williams. If you want more proof of Moroder's shortcomings check out the soundtrack of Metropolis. ... Read more

Reviews (145)

how spy films should be done!!!!
We've seen James Bond, the Man from Uncle but Mission Impossible is the only spy film that shows how to create a real world of espionage and action.
Based on the successful 1960's series, it starts off with the impossible missions force(a group of specially qualified agents) doing a simple job of catching a traitor,who is stealing secret files of every undercover agents real identity. The team is wiped out except for Tom Cruise who becomes the number one suspect for their deaths. Using all his skills he has to prove his innocence, find the real culprit and keep one step ahead of the authorities.
The set pieces are truely dazzling, the finale on the Channel Train tunnel is absoloutly stunning and the possibly one of THE best action sequences in cinematic history.
The story never slows down for a second and although at first viewing a little confusing its still gripping stuff.
The supporting cast is fantastic from Jon Voight to Vanessa Redgrave it's very hard to criticise a film so well-thought out.
The best action-orientated espionage film since You Only Live Twice. Shame De Palma would'nt stay for the sequel.
The DVD extras are few but who cares when you've got a film this good!!!!!!

Ethan Hunt is right up there with James Bond!
"Mission Impossible" is probably one of the best spy films I've seen in a long time! Different from James Bond 007 movies, "Mission Impossible" has a clever plot, lots of twists and turns, edge-of-your seat suspense, some parts where there is witty humor, and action which would satisfy any movie lover!

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is sent on a mission with other IMF agents Jim Phelps (John Voight), his wife Claire Phelps (Emmanuelle Beart), Sarah Davies (Kristin Scott Thomas), Jack Harmen (Emilio Estevez), and Hannah Williams (Ingeborga Dapkunaite). It's a fairly simple job in Prague, their mission is to keep surveillance on the top-secret NOC list. But everything goes wrong as the list in stolen and one by one, all of the agents are killed, leaving only Ethan alive. He then learns that the list that was stolen was actually fake, and that the whole thing was a set-up to capture a 'mole'. And since Ethan was the only one left alive, he is now the prime suspect for being the traitor. Now disavowed with a man-hunt going on for him, Ethan must find out who the real culprit is and to do that, he plans on stealing the real NOC list to bait him! With help from Claire who had not really been killed and two other disavowed agents Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Franz Krieger (Jean Reno), they now have a 'mission impossible', to catch the traitor!

This is certainly a 5 star movie since it has what I think all the ingredients that are needed in a good action movie: acting, plot, action, suspense, and a bit of humor. And "Mission Impossible" has it all! But probably the two ingredients which were the most well used was the superbly written plot and the action.

The plot was pretty original, not the usual 'an evil man/group planning to take over the world' plot, but one where agents all over the world would be in danger if the NOC list isn't kept safe. Also there was plenty of mystery, surprises, and twists and turns, making the watcher actually having to think during the movie. You would actually have to watch "Mission Impossible" a few times to get the whole story.

As for the action, probably the highlights of the film are most probably the beginning where the agents are keeping surveillance on the NOC list, the breaking into the CIA computer vault, and the helicopter/train scene. My personal favorite is the breaking into the safe in the CIA safe, it was a really exciting part!

There was a sequel made after this movie, "Mission Impossible 2". Returning in the movie are of course Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt and Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell. Though it was very exciting and more action packed, the plot was very, very simple compared to the first movie and also it had a different director, John Woo, direct. All in all, an OK movie which I recommend to watch. And of course, all James Bond movies are must-sees.

Mission Declassified
Adapting a popular television series for the big screen is never an easy undertaking. Not only do you have to compete with audience expectations, but, the filmmakers also have to make it their own as well. Considering all of the rumored backstage problems, that were said to have happened while Mission Impossible was being made, it's amazing that the movie got made at all.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is the leader of a crack squad of intelligence operatives. When a dangerous mission in Prague goes inexplicably wrong, Hunt finds himself out in the cold. A mole has infiltrated the CIA, and suspicions are that it's Hunt. His only chance to clear his name, is to find and expose who the realmole is, and turn the tables on that person. With potential enemies all around him, it's hard to know whom he can trust. The plan takes Hunt through a series of close calls as he tries to stay one step ahead of his foes.

Anyone who has followed the career of director Brian De Palma will recognize many of his familiar trademarks. The cast is top notch. Ving Rhames as Luther, Henry Czerny as the smarmy Kittridge, Emmanuelle Béart as Claire, are just great support for Cruise. Sadly though, save for Jim Phelps (John Voight), none of the chacacters from the television series are in the film. The only other connective elemements of the show are the "Good Morning Jim...mission briefings and Lalo Schifrin's classic theme song, updated by coposer Danny Elfman. As a fan of the seies, I wish more of a direct homage were paid to what came before. The script, credited to Robert (Chinatown) Towne and David (Panic Room) Koepp, has plenty to keep the viewer guessing. But the major twist is pretty easy to spot and that's disappointing. One final problem--we don't really see The IMF work as a team all that much-- everyone's kind of scattered for too much of the film.

"Friction" between Cruise and De Palma may explain why a special edition DVD hasn't been released yet. Whatever the case may be...Mission Impossible is good enough to deserve an upgrade. As it stands now, the only extra on the current release, is the theatrical trailer. You can watch the film in either the widescreen or fullscreen formats.

de palma: cruise
Brian De Palma's (Carrie; Scarface; The Untouchables) 1996 action film starring Tom Cruise and Jon Voight is a pretty good action film. Well, once you suspend all belief. But that is what this movie is about. Putting real life on hold and believing in the impossible, the fantastic. Cruise, an excellent dramatic actor, does a great job crossing over into an action star--even with the bad haircut. Lots of cool gadgets and interesting scenarios and that great Mission: Impossible theme. And it is great to see the intimidating Ving Rhames casted as a computer genius/geek. Inspired casting.

Mission: Impossible (1996)
Director: Brian De Palma
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Emilio Estevez, Vanessa Redgrave, Harry Czerny, Ving Rhames, Jean Reno.
Running Time: 110 minutes.
Rated PG-13 for violence and some language.

Based on the popular 1960's television series, this Brian De Palma ("Carrie", "Scarface") production possesses all of the qualities of a fun, top-of-the-line action flick--only to see it slightly crumble due to a storyline that is extremely tough to follow. Tom Cruise stars as the slick covert agent Ethan Hunt, who has been assigned with a crack team of American undercover agents to set up operations in Prague to catch a double agent (Jon Voight) in the act.

There are many scenes that are very exciting, especially the chase scene on the train finale; however, De Palma does not expand on a script that assumes the audience knows all of the technological and spy jargon, leaving us loving the action but lost in the wind. Cruise is only fairly adequate as Hunt, not given the chance to expand his character. Excellent special effects, a riveting, catchy musical score, and some fine supporting roles from Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, and Ving Rhames. A good action movie, but nothing more. Luckily director John Woo stepped in as director the second film, creating a rough-and tough, out of this world sequel that surpasses the original. ... Read more

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To condemn Dressed to Kill as a Hitchcock rip-off is to miss the sheer enjoyment of Brian De Palma's delirious 1980 thriller. Hitchcockian homages run rampant through most of De Palma's earlier films, and this one's chock-full of visual quotes, mostly cribbed from Vertigo and Psycho. But De Palma's indulgent depravity transcends simple mimicry to assume a vitality all its own. It's smothered in thickly atmospheric obsessions with sex, dread, paranoia, and voyeurism, not to mention a heavy dose of Psycho-like psychobabble about a wannabe transsexual who's compelled to slash up any attractive female who reminds him--the horror!--that he's still very much a man.

Angie Dickinson plays the sexually unsatisfied, fortysomething wife who's the killer's first target, relaying her sexual fantasies to her psychiatrist (Michael Caine) before actually living one of them out after the film's celebrated cat-and-mouse sequence in a Manhattan art museum. The focus then switches to a murder witness (De Palma's then-girlfriend Nancy Allen) and Dickinson's grieving whiz-kid son (Keith Gordon), who attempt to solve the murder while staying one step ahead (or so they think) of the crude detective (Dennis Franz) assigned to the case. Propelled by Pino Donaggio's lush and stimulating score, De Palma's visuals provide seductive counterpoint to his brashly candid dialogue, and the plot conceals its own implausibility with morbid thrills and intoxicating suspense. If you're not laughing at De Palma's shameless audacity, you're sure to be on the edge of your seat. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (76)

It's maybe flawed but it has an Excellent Direction.
When a sexually unsatisfied attractive older woman (Angie Dickinson) decides to cheat on her husband for a One Night Stand. Then she's got killed by a unseen murderer. A High-Priced Callgirl (Nancy Allen) is the only witness to the killing. When no one believes her. The dead woman's Son (Keith Gordon) decides to help the woman to trap the killer.

Written and Directed by Brain De Palma (Sisters, The Phantom of the Paradise, The Untouchables) made a clever, razor-sharp thriller but the film suffers some predicability moments that puts it down a bit. There's strong performances by Micheal Caine, Dickinson, Allen and Gordon highlight this film. It's almost perfect in it's own way. Palma does homage to the another Hitchcock's film-Pyscho and Palma's his own film-Carrie at the End. This has excellent cinematography by Ralf D. Bode and a chilling score by Pino Donaggio. DVD has the R-Rated and the Unrated Version in this Special Edition. This has an good anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an fine Digitally Remastered-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, also with the Original Mono Soundtrack. DVD's Extras are great, including an 45 Minute Documentary, Three Featurettes, Trailers and More. This Thriller is Certainly Unique, Do Not Miss It. Panavision. Grade:A-.

An entertaining, occasionally very suspenseful thriller.
Director Brian De Palma has never helmed an original film his entire career, but let's face it, he's just as good as anybody else when it comes to creating palpable suspense, which is what makes his more blatant rip-offs immensely watchable. Dressed to Kill is one such example. Taking a few cues from Alfred Hitchcock, the film is an erotic thriller that certainly features its sexy moments, and also has the power to disturb as well.

Angie Dickinson stars as Kate Miller, a sexually dissatisfied wife (though quite loving mother) who needs some things to spice up her personal life. She relates her problems to her psychiatrist, Dr. Robert Elliot (Michael Caine), to the point of almost prodding him to sleep with her, but he refuses. On a random day in an art museum, she encounters a mysterious man with whom she plays a little game of cat-and-mouse. Following him to a cab, they enage in a tryst inside the taxi, all the way to his apartment, where they proceed to go at it for several more hours. Then as she awakens to leave, she finds out (through a little note by the health department) he's got STD's! In a panicked state, she runs to the elevator, but is then brutally murdered by a tall, blonde woman brandishing a razor blade. The rest of the film focuses on Miller's son, Peter (Keith Gordon), who teams up with a gold-hearted prostitute (Nancy Allen) to find his mother's killer.

Dressed to Kill doesn't get off to the best start. For the first half-hour, the sexual frustrations of this middle-aged woman are far less than captivating, and until the elevator scene, this is a snoozer. But let me tell you, the remaining 2/3's or so of the picture is often first-rate entertainment, delivering a lot of suspenseful moments and shocking violence.

The film grew more interesting when it focused on the relationship between Gordon and Allen. Both deliver good performances, and there's a sort-of non-sexual chemistry between them that works superbly. Too bad De Palma doesn't really focus on this interesting couple until the last half-hour.

The last five or so minutes are among the film's most suspenseful (and you get to see Allen naked!), though I think we're all in a little agreement when we say that the final shock is a bit gratuitous. Also excessive is the film's resemblance to a certain Hitchcock film. Even without that resemblance, though, Dressed to Kill would still have been predictable. I mean, come on, I knew the identity of the killer in a heartbeart. You'll figure it out just as fast, too.

As an erotic thriller, Dressed to Kill isn't as fluffy as films like Wild Things, Color of Night, or Basic Instinct, though it also happens to be less steamy and sexy than the latter two. Actually, as I said before, the focus here is to disturb, and the movie doesn't do such a bad job of that.

Pino Dinaggio's score is chilling and among his better works. De Palma goes with his usual camera work, meaning there are a lot of uninterrupted shots and split-screens, the latter of which fails to build suspense as it's meant to. A lot of people see Dressed to Kill as a "have safe sex" message, which I could kind of agree with, even though Dickinson's character would still have been offed in a horrible manner even without that tryst.

The first of De Palma's two erotic thrillers, Dressed to Kill happens to be the weaker of the two. Yeah, it's often suspenseful and entertaining, but Body Double stands out more, as that film's suspense sometimes reaches heights of exhilaration. My advice, take a look at both and decide for yourself.

Glossy, meaningless, and occasionally scary
Brian de Palma knew his 1970s audience. When choosing what film to see at the cinema (if you had a choice in those days), it was difficult for many men to persuade their girlfriends to choose an out-and-out erotic movie. (The cinema scene in 'Carry On Camping' gives you some idea of the prevailing attitudes.) So, much like the Hammer movies, de Palma wrapped up the sex in a glossy horror thriller coating. Bizarrely, girls found it much easier to tell their mums that they'd be going to see 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' than 'Swedish Nurses Get Hot', or whatever.

But watching this movie with 25 years of hindsight, when people tend to be more open about sex, you have to wonder what was the point of this film, and what was an actor as good as Michael Caine doing in it. Angie Dickinson, another highly paid actress of the era, is also in it, but frankly her death is so badly acted that you could fairly say she deserved this film.

De Palma is a great user of that "Actually it was all a dream" device that we're warned to avoid in creative writing classes. So we get two dream sequences -- each with a central shower scene -- which are both flimsy excuses to get the clothes off his leading ladies (Dickinson and Nancy Allen). Despite the partial use of a body-double for Dickinson, these are attractive, gripping scenes, and probably the highlights of the movie.

The less said about the geekish son and the police detective, the better. Allen's redemption from NY hooker to sleep-alone companion (in chintz night attire!) to the son is also less than convincing.

GOING UP?
DRESSED TO KILL is very much like "Psycho" in its opening segments. Here we meet the lovely Angie Dickinson who feeling sexually unsatisfied engages in a cat and mouse game with a stranger in a museum. She ends up having wild sex with him in a cab and then off to his apartment for an afternoon of fun. That fun turns sour however when she finds a doctor's report that is disturbing in itself, and then she forgets her wedding band and so after intending to leave, she goes back up and meets..well...it's just like Janet Leigh in Psycho. Your heroine is offed in the first thirty minutes. The killing scene in the elevator is extremely disturbing and brutal, and made even more so in the unrated version.
DePalma has often been accused or ripping off Hitchcock, but I don't think that's the case. Always using an imaginative twist as his fulcrum, DePalma gave us some really intense, chilling thrillers, heavy at times on sex and violence, but nonetheless, hypnotic and mesmerizing.
The cast performs adequately, although Caine seems a little disinterested and Dennis Franz plays his crude cop for the hundredth time. Nancy Allen and Keith Gordon are fine, but Angie really steals the film, even if only briefly. Without any dialogue, she shows how lonely and "hungry" she is while chasing this stud around the museum. And as with Leigh, one can't help but feel sorry for their untimely demise.
Not one of DePalma's best, but still a deserving thriller.

one of my all time favorites!
One of my top ten favorite movies along with Carrie also by Depalma. i won't say too much about the story without giving too much away. basically it is about a mother, her son,a hooker, a psychiatrist, and a woman in sunglasses. These people all get caught up in a murder mystery where all is not as it seems. several scenes will have you leaping from your seat. it is interesting that in this movie and carrie depalma closes with a dream sequence. and both movies have beautiful music as well. Angie Dickenson, Nancy allen, Michael CAine all do a great job here. highly recommended. and i am not kidding that sometimes when i get on elevators i get a chill thinking about this movie. im sure i am not the only one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Call it Boss in a Box. This two-disc set of music videos and concertperformances is a must for any Springsteen fan. While the 1989 VHS version contained just 18 songs, the expanded DVD set has 33 performances dating through2000, including "The Ghost of Tom Joad," performed in 1995 on The TonightShow, and an acoustic "Born in the U.S.A." from a 1998 appearance on TheCharlie Rose Show. Most of the highlights are, not surprisingly, fromSpringsteen's electrifying concerts, including raw versions of "Rosalita" and"Thunder Road" from early in his career with the E Street Band. Also not to bemissed: the 1987 performance of the harrowing "Tougher Than the Rest," shot withpoignant close-ups of wife Patti Scialfa singing backup; the raspy, gospel- tinged "Leap of Faith"; and the barely contained smolder of "Fire." Most fanswill find themselves wishing that this was strictly a concert DVD; the MTVvideos from the Born in theU.S.A. years (the John Sayles-directed trilogy "Born in the U.S.A.,""I'm on Fire," and "Glory Days") seem too canned and glossy sandwiched in withthe rougher, more exhilarating live performances. And Springsteen's tendency toget preachy in the late '90s ("Murder Incorporated," "Dead Man Walkin'") cangrate as well. But until there's a full-length performance DVD, the VideoAnthology will keep fans on their feet. --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Like having 57 Channels with somethin' on.1978-2000-2 DVDs!
Track rundown-Disc 1:Rosalita, The River, Thunder Road, Atlantic City, Dancing In The Dark, Born In The USA, I'm On Fire, Glory Days, My Hometown, War, Fire, Born To Run, Brilliant Disguise, Tunnel Of Love, One Step Up, Tougher Than the Rest, Spare Parts, Born To Run(acoustic) Disc 2:Human Touch, Better Days, 57 Channels (and Nothin' On), Leap Of Faith, Streets Of Philadelphia, Murder Incorporated, Secret Garden, Hungry Heart, Dead Man Walkin, The Ghost Of Tom Joad (video and from The Tonight Show), Highway Patrolman, If I Should Fall Behind, Born In The USA (from Charlie Rose Show), Secret Garden (Alternate version with strings). I love the music of THE BOSS and this should be a welcome addition to any collection. I've watched the original video 1978-1988 until it broke, so I was so happy to get this awesome DVD set!

Sringsteen's video are cinematic
Springsteen's songs are so cinematic in nature, that on some levels, videos seem a good match. Sure enough, that is reflected in the titles here. We have no less than 3 videos here with film clips, all stellar films. We have John Sales directing a short story version of I'm on Fire. Brian DePalma, Jonathan Demme, Tim Robbins, & Sean Penn also make appearences in the credits.

This is a fine collection of videos, like the music, that is basic, non-flashy, and direct. It also contains many live concert videos, which, of course, are wonderfull glimpes into the magic that Springsteen brings to the stage.

The Atlantic City, I'm on Fire, Brilliant Disguise, Human Touch, Secret Garden, Ghost of Tom Joad, Streets of Philidelphia, and Highway Patrolman videos are the highlights of the non-performance selections. Of the live footage, an extremely energetic 'Rosalita' from '78, a hilarious 'Fire,' a totally reworked and beautiful 'Born to Run,' an angry 'Spare Parts,' a spectacular 'Leap of Faith,' and a moving If I Should Fall Behind are the best.

Best of all is the closing clip of Bruce reworking Born in the USA solo on guitar for the Charlie Rose show. This ledgendary athem of rage is transformed into a dying horse whisper.

This is video collection with very few misses, and a rich collection of Springsteen's quiet but successfull stroll into the world of videos.

Near Perfect!
A nice summary of Bruce's early video work. However, why the edit on "Rosalita" - the band introductions (which were originally included when the video came out in the 80's) were a lot of fun. I'd love to find a copy of them.

Otherwise, a great presentation

Good live performances on disk 1
Disk 1 is very good with live performances. Disk 2 was not that great and is videos. I wanted the song Rosalita as that is the best song and is missing from latest DVD's.

Ecompasses the Best of Springsteen
This chonological colection of Springsteen's work is great for any Springsteen fan. The 2 DVD set is essentially his greatest hits in video form. A lot of these videos are live performances and show how great Bruce Springsteen is as a live performer. Bruce Springsteen truly is The Boss, and this video collection adds to the legacy. Highlights of the DVD include a rivoting live performance of War, found on the bos set, and a rare version of Fire, a song he wrote for the Pointer Sisters. This also shows some of the later work, including Secret Garden from Jerry Maguire, and Murder Incorporated from his greatest hits album. 4 out of 5 because of Weak representation form the pre-BITUSA era. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Realistic, Gritty Crime Tale
In one of his best performances ever, Al Pacino is the engine that keeps "Carlito's Way" moving from beginning to end. Recently-released from prison, Carlos Brigante (played marvelously by Pacino) is a former Puerto Rican drug lord who ruled New York City's drug world during the 1960's and 1970's. Assisted by his lawyer (Sean Penn) Pacino is determined to stay out of the trade that landed him in prison in the first place. However, as usual trouble always lurks in every corner.

Deciding to buy and operate a Latin nightclub from an owner who is seriously in debt (played by the famous Argentine comedian Jorge Porcel, who had a cult following throughout Latin America due to his sexually-charged comedy skit show "A La Cama Con Porcel; he is know as the Latin-version of "Benny Hill"). Yet as old faces reemerge onto the scene, newer faces have also started to take a foothold in Brigante's former empire, especially Benny Blanco (played by the ever-wonderful John Leguizamo).

Directed by Brian de Palma ("Carrie"), this is one of the most realistic, and historic accurate pictures of life in New York City's urban jungle during the late 1970's/early 1980's. Penelope Ann Miller ("Adventures in Babysitting" is great as Brigante's love interest, and Luis Guzman always is a scene-stealer playing Pacino's right-hand man.

The DVD version contains production notes, cast biographies, and the original theatrical trailer and the sound and picture quality are excellent. Pacino (a Bronx native) masters a perfect Puerto Rican accent in the same way he mastered his Cuban-emigre accent in "Scarface". "Carlito's Way" is guaranteed to keep you entertained due to thrilling performances by the entire cast, amazing cinematography, great directing, and most importantly, incredible realism. Destined to become a modern urban classic.

scarface with a twist
When the guys that brought you Scarface team up again what bad
things can happen.Brian De Palma and Al Pacino two of the biggest
stars on their film duties in Hollywood today.This movie really
has the 80's,disco feel scarface as but as the De Palma plot turn
and twists seen in Snake Eyes,Body Double,and Raising Cain so it'
s all very entertaining.Along with another De Palma regular Sean
Penn(Casualties Of War) plays the coke addicted wacko lawyer to
absolute perfection.This film not as violent as Scarface as more
plot twists which makes it almost more entertaining with a great
cast including John Leguizamo and Penelope Ann Miller Carlito's
Way is one of Pacino's,Penn's,and De Palma's best films ever so
if you like a mixture of The Usual Suspects and Scarface give
Carlito's Way a watch it's great.

What is so Wonderful about this movie?
This is not that great of a movie. I dont know why people are making such a big deal out of this movie. I saw it, I tryed to understand it, I just thought it wasnt one of Pacino's best....sorry

Pacino and Penn give great performances
almost a sequal to scarface..Carlito Brigante is Tony Montana after doing 15 yrs and having a change of heart...I cant beleive there wasnt some thinking on those lines from the actor and director of both movies...Sean Penn nearly steals this movie as David Kleinfeld Carlitos lawyer is more crooked than the crooks he defends..and Luis Guzmán as Pachanga shows why hes one of the best character actors working today...