Description

Radiation from bomb tests creates giant, mutant ants that descend upon a town. ... Read more

Reviews (100)

Best of the Big Bad Bugs!
Yes, the special effects are very much of the 1950s, but those effects are fun to watch--and unlike most other 1950s sci-fi/horror films, THEM! has a lot more going for it than special effects alone: sharp and aggressive performances, a cast of truly memorable supporting actors, a witty and intelligent script, and best of all (unlike many other films of its era) a story that can still generate plenty of suspense.

The grand-daddy of all mutant-monster movies, THEM! concerns a colony of A-Bomb-created giant ants that have lurked in the desert unnoticed until the colony begins to divide. When newborn queen ants take flight, the world is in danger--particularly Los Angeles, where a nest establishes itself in the city's largely forgotten storm drains. Edmund Gwynne and Joan Weldon give strong performances as the father-daughter scientific team sent from Washington to investigate, and James Whitmore and James Arness give able support as the action-heros of the piece. Fess Parker is also very effective in a small supporting role.

The real winner in the film, however, are the clever cinematography and sound effects that build tremendous suspense, particularly when investigators must enter the desert ant nest and later track the ants to their Los Angeles lair. These scenes possess a claustrophobic feel not seen again in any sci-fi/horror flick until ALIEN. Without graphic gore but more than a few serious thrills, THEM! is a film the whole family can enjoy.

Finally this 1954 scifi landmark Classic comes to DVD!!
In the 1950's the world was testing A-bombs, Hydrogen Bombs, strange results were beginning to appear & Hollywoods imagination was added to the theories. The results a series of movies about radioactive mutated creatures. The first was "THEM".

"THEM" (1954) is a landmark movie about giant radiation-mutated ants that gets better with age and boasts remarkable, Academy Award-nominated special effects.

Summary: Our story begins in a New Mexico desert with a shocked wandering child, destroyed general store & battered corpse full of enough formic acid to kill 20 men. The search begins to find & destroy these menacing insects. The giant mutated ants are on the move and the climatic battle is in over 700 miles of Los Angeles sewers.

An ALL-STAR cast led by James Whitmore, James Arness and Edmund Gwenn.

Special Features include; Behind the Scenes Archive footage, Montage & Operation on the Giant Ants, & film trailer.

This was the first and probably the best movie featuring the worlds & Hollywoods take on the possible results of radioactive mutation.

"THEM" in a great Black & White Standard version (Original theatrical exhibition) digitally restored presenting a very exceptional picture & sound. This sci-fi classic is worth the price of addmission so get out the popcorn and ENJOY!!

You Can't Stop "Them"!
In the late 1940's and 1950's the USA and the Soviet Union repeatedly tested nuclear bombs. In the USA the early tests were done in the desert southwest, and the mushroom clouds could be seen for dozens of miles (and the noise could be heard for hundreds of miles). As scientists measured the increased levels of radiation in milk served to schoolchildren and their parents built bomb shelters in their backyards, Hollywood decided to take the cold war paranoia which made the fifties so unique and create a new type of sci-fi/horror movie - the "mutant monster" film. Along with the original "Godzilla", 1954's "Them" is one of the best of the lot. It starts out in the New Mexico desert, where two state troopers discover a mobile home that's been ripped apart by some unknown animal. The adults are missing, but they do find a terrified little girl (a creepy Sandy Descher) who's so shocked that she can't talk and simply stares wide-eyed and zombie-like at the policemen. A fierce sandstorm blows up, and the troopers then arrive at a local general store that's been ripped apart like the trailer. Curiously no money or valuables were stolen, but sugar has been spread everywhere, and the owner's corpse is found. He had emptied his shotgun at his attacker before being killed with a massive injection of acid. The troopers also find some tracks from an "unknown" large animal. Baffled by this turn of events, one trooper takes the mute little girl to a hospital. The other trooper stays behind to guard the store, but he is attacked and killed by an unknown assailant. The next day Robert Graham (a pre-Gunsmoke James Arness), an FBI agent, arrives to help with the investigation. Soon they are joined by two scientists from the Agriculture Dept. in Washington - the eccentric but brilliant Dr. Harold Medford (a scene-stealing Edmund Gwenn) and his lovely daughter and assistant, Dr. Pat Medford (Joan Weldon). The scientists have a hunch that the "unknown" animal that killed the storeowner and destroyed the buildings was - a giant ant! The ants had been at the site of the first atomic bomb test in New Mexico in 1945, and the radiation has caused them to mutate to an enormous, man-eating size. Soon our heroic quartet is involved in a race against time to find and destroy the ant's colony before they can reproduce and spread across the world. When the queen ant and some male escorts escape the search becomes even more frantic, and leads to a final showdown in the vast sewers of Los Angeles. This film features fine performances by all three of the male leads - James Whitmore as the gruff-but-warm-hearted New Mexico cop, Arness as the quintessentially stern and macho 1950's movie hero, and Gwenn as the quirky ant expert. Although the special effects are obviously primitive by today's standards, "Them" actually had a larger budget than most fifties sci-fi movies, and the ants themselves were an impressive creation for their time. This film also features an impressive number of cameos by future celebrities, including Fess Parker of "Davy Crockett" fame in a hilarious role as a hillbilly pilot who sees three "ant-shaped" UFOs buzzing his airplane. When he tells his story he is declared "crazy" and locked in a mental hospital. Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek's "Mr. Spock") also has a tiny cameo. "Them" was so successful that it was followed by a string of imitators, but it remains superior to all of them. This DVD offers a neat featurette on how they made the giant ant puppets work, but it has few other "extras". However, the film itself is more than worth the relatively cheap sticker price, IMO. Recommended!

A great 1950s horror classic
This adventure was perhaps the best of the mutant-insect monster films that were so popular in the 1950s. In this story, huge, fearsome eight-foot ants were spawned as a result of nuclear testing in the New Mexico desert, and they wreak havoc in the White Sands area, where several people are missing or found dead under mysterious circumstances. The FBI enters the case and they enlist the expertise of two entomologists to help uncover the disappearance of missing persons and the awful realization of what has been taking place in the desert. A nest of the mutant ants is found and destroyed but the queen has already taken flight and must be found before she can hatch another batch of monsters. Eventually, the nest is discovered in a system of storm drains below the streets of Los Angeles, and sets the stage for a tense finish. The black and white cinematography is moody, and the good music score has an eerie, haunting quality that suggests a terrifying, unknown evil.

Great Film For Fans Of The Genre!
Them! has always been one of my favorite 50's American monster flicks. The story and the human drama are very well done and do not overdo themselves.
Really the only sour part about this film is the ants' screen time is very limited, but sweet when they are on screen!
A must have for those who are fans of the genre! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Elvis hadn't dyed his hair a permanent midnight black yet in Follow That Dream, which is another way of saying this is still the point in his career when he was making movies, not just Elvis Presley vehicles. Elvis road-trips with his crabby, anti-government pop (Arthur O'Connell) and an adopted brood to a Florida beach, which by a legal quirk they can homestead. The authorities and some fairly unbelievable gangsters would like to stop them. The songs are undistinguished but not awful, the scenery is nice, and Elvis--looking well-fed and relaxed--shows off good comedic chops doing a dumb-guy shtick. Screenwriter Charles Lederer and director Gordon Douglas are a class act by Presley picture standards, keeping the sitcom-style plot moving along. No fancy clothes or cars in this one, just Elvis and some beachcombing and an old git-tar, and not a bad time-killer for all that. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Fabulous movie; why no wide screen?
A non-typical "Elvis Movie" with charming story line, terrific acting by The King, great supporting cast with Authur O'Connell, Joanna Moore (Tatum O'Neil's mom), Simon Oakland and Roland Winters (who Elvis movie fans will remember as Elvis' father in "Blue Hawaii"). This movie could have been the pilot for the Beverly Hillbillies with Elvis as a Jethro Bodean meets Peter Sellers "Chauncy The Gardener" from Being There character. Elvis fans will love his performance, particulary as the family's lawyer in the courtroom scene near the end of the film. Very tourching performance.

Great bit of rock trivia from this movie: Florida native Tom Petty met Elvis on the set of this movie when he was a kid and was inspired to pursue a career in music. Also, Bruce Springsteen often referenced this movie from the stage during his 1985 Born In The USA Tour and performed his own version of the title track, "Follow That Dream".

I've waited several years for this movie to come out on DVD and have seen it before on Turner Classics in wide screen; it was wonderful. Why on earth MGM is releasing the DVD in full screen format is a complete mystery. What a disappointment. Great movie, lousy format.

Elvis delivers a great comedy performance! One of his best !
Elvis is in great form in "Follow That Dream",and this film shows just how wonderful his acting can be when given a good script to work with! The songs: "What A Wonderful Life", "I'm Not The Marrying Kind", "Sound Advice", "Follow That Dream" and "Angel" are among some of Elvis' best movie songs! Another song called "A Whistling Tune" was recorded for this movie, but was dropped before the film's release. It was re-recorded and included in Elvis' next film "Kid Galahad".I was very pleased to see "Follow That Dream" coming out on DVD...however, you guys at Amazon need to correct the technical details above concerning the DVD release! You have it listed as being available in Full-Frame only, when it is actually both Full-Frame AND Widescreen! I was very dissapointed when I first read this information here, and didn't realize that it was ALSO in widescreen until I saw a copy at the store! A great film with wonderful performances by the entire cast, which includes Arthur O'Connell, Ann Helm and Simon Oakland!

Great Fun
There are only three Elvis films that I enjoy: King Creole, Jailhouse Rock, and Follow That Dream. While the first two are great musical dramas from when Elvis still had the air of rebellion about him, Follow That Dream is a piece of comedic fluff like most of his later films, but one which avoids being as formulaic or sickly sweet or filled with terrible music as are most of those later films.

In this one Elvis plays a true innocent who is somehow still ignorant about the ways of the world despite being a vet. He and his family (including some orphans they are looking after) build a homestead on government land which happens to be prime real estate and find themselves in the position to legally obtain ownership of this land. As a result they become the targets of organized crime and feds (who can tell them apart?) who want the land. Elvis also finds himself the target of a crackpot social worker looking into the welfare of the orphans who seeks revenge after he innocently spurns her advances. Elvis gives a really fun performance as a naive character who is so positive in his outlook that when somebody shoots at him he automatically assumes it was an error.

The film pokes great fun at bureaucracy and greed, but it maintains the optimistic outlook that good guys will win in the end. Such an innocent perspective tends to turn off many fans of social satire who find such things too escapist, but what most cynical viewers miss is that much of the innocence is tongue in cheek, and I personally see nothing wrong with optimism so long as it doesn't interfere with realism. If you enjoy, e.g., the film Harvey, then this might be your cup of tea.

Only 2 stars because it's not Anamorphic
There are a lot of complaints from people who thought this DVD would not be widescreen, however,no one has mentioned it is not Enhanced For Widescreen T.V.'s. MGM is releasing a lot of films this way to save money. If this bothers you as it does me then send an email to MGM.
I really like this movie but am very disappointed with the format. When you have a widescreen T.V. in the future you'll curse MGM.

I made a mistake in a early Review of this Release.
This Version of Follow that Dream DOES contain the letterbox transfer as well as the full screen version. I withdraw my earlier review, which was in response to others on this board that insisted the movie was being released in Full Frame only - This is very much incorrect. 5 Stars. Joe has left the building. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When it was released in 1968, Lady in Cement was the perfect movie for "The Man Who Reads Playboy." It was tailor-made for middle-aged martini-and-poker men who enjoyed Frank Sinatra in Tony Rome a year earlier, and this slapdash sequel finds Ol' Blue Eyes in sun-soaked Miami, where his treasure-hunting discovery of a naked blonde (the ill-fated lady in cement, found dead underwater) gets him tangled up with a massive thug (Dan Blocker), a retired Mafioso (Martin Gabel) with an over-ambitious son, an ultra-sexy heiress (Raquel Welch, in her sexpot prime at age 27), and a variety of Floridian lowlifes who lent the film its R-rated appeal for the cocktail crowd. With its disposable mystery, rampant homophobia, go-go club lechery, peekaboo nudity, bursts of red-blooded violence, and swinging score by Hugo Montenegro, this not-so-lucky Lady bombed at the box office and tested Sinatra's legendary temper, but it's still raucously entertaining (it partially inspired the Austin Powers comedies), and there are plenty of in-jokes to be seen (and especially heard) for anyone steeped in '60s pop culture. Nestled between The Graduate and Easy Rider, Lady in Cement was a cinematic fossil even before the cameras rolled, but Frank's fans are sure to love it anyway. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"I Once Knew A Dame Collected Bullfighters!"
Even considering the amazing aspects of the six decade long Sinatra career, the 60's was easily Sinatra's most interesting and diverse.

He started the decade by being the hero of the cocktail generation and wound up the era marrying and divorcing a flower child, thirty years his junior and appearing on TV wearing love beads and a Nehru suit.

"Lady In Cement", shot in Miami in early 1968, found Sinatra reprising his 1967 Tony Rome character; Sinatra shot the film in 30 days (while simultaneously appearing at the Fountainbleu at night).

"Lady" sunk faster at the box office than the dead blonde and helped put the nails in the coffin of Sinatra's film career--this was the era of "The Graduate" and "Easy Rider" and tough talking on screen private eyes were at best, an anachronism.

That said, "Lady In Cement" is a hoot to watch.

Sinatra, in his usual uncanny fashion, is simply terrific and the film is peppered by a knockout performance by Dan Blocker and the bikini clad apperance of Raquel Welch (she can't act her way out of a paper bag, but once she climbs out of a swimming pool, in her opening scene, one is promopted to ask "who cares?"

What makes "Lady" most appealing is that Sinatra allows his film (and HIS film it is without question) to be sprinkled with all manner of political incorrectness (even by 1968 standards)-- leering glimpses of semi nude ladies, rampant homophobia and a liberal amount of hip in jokes ("I knew a dame collected bullfighters"); not to mention hilarious cameo appearnces by Sinatra intimates Jilly Rizzo, Joe E. Lewis and B.S. Pully.

No review of "Lady In Cement" would be complete without a nod to the performance of the great Dan Blocker as Waldo Gronsky, who, in his 3 major scenes, practically walks off (or in Blocker's case, lumbers off) with the film--"Don't tail me pal...I like guys who don't tail me."




Kitty Kelly, in her infamous 1986 Sinatra bio writes that towards the end of filming Sinatra got so angry at one of the screenwriters, he chopped down the door of the writer's hotel room with an axe.

Considering the uniformly bad reviews that were awarded "Lady In Cement's" incomphrehensible screenplay, Frank's early review was probably the kindest.

"A unique murder mystery".
I learned about "Lady In Cement" during my childhood. At least the song, for I saw it as one of the tracks on Paul Desmond's "Summertime" record album, which my late father owned. When I listened to it, it had the rhythm of a suspenseful crime drama. As I got older and read the information inside the Paul Desmond album, I discovered "Lady In Cement" was a motion picture crime drama, starring Frank Sinatra.

I liked "Tony Rome" (1967). But I find "Lady In Cement" (1968) a more suspenseful mystery. Rome (Sinatra) makes a shocking discovery while scuba diving in a Florida bay: the nude body of a beautiful blonde is found with her feet encased in a block of cement. Hence, the "Lady In Cement".

Frank Sinatra again comes off well in the role of the tough-talking cool private detective Tony Rome. Dan Blocker, well-known for playing "Hoss" on the "Bonanza" tv series, is quite impressive and believable as the crude, statuesque Gronsky, who takes a liking to Tony Rome, and hires him to investigate the murder of his former girlfriend, Sondra Lomaxx, who is the 'Lady In Cement'. His crude behavior and gruffness, however, does not make him a bad guy. He's actually on Tony Rome's side!

Richard Conte again reprises his role as Lieutenant Santini. There is a humorous part later in the film where Rome gets Santini in a bit of trouble with the law! It is during this 'car chase' sequence the familiar "Lady In Cement" theme is played.

Raquel Welch turns in a good perfomance as the wealthy heiress Kit, who suffers alcoholic blackouts where she (conveniently)is unable, under Rome's interrogation, to recall specific details concerning her dealings with the "Lady In Cement" before she died. Although it seems there isn't much for Welch to do in the film but look voluptuous and pretty, she manages to bring sensitivity to her character.

"Lady In Cement", like "Tony Rome", shows the underground, sleazy side of Miami life, replete with late 1960's strip clubs and 'Go-Go' dancers. There is a lot of mature, smart talk in the dialogue. Particularly between Sinatra, Dan ("Hoss") Blocker, Richard Conte and, of course, the villains. Then, again, isn't smart talk usually a part of a crime drama??

There is the musical score by Hugo Montenegro in the film. When I first watched "Lady In Cement", I enjoyed the music so much that I didn't pay close attention to the movie's plot. I soon ended up ordering the movie soundtrack cd.

Finally, I think credit should be given to the "Lady In Cement", herself: the bit actress playing Sondra Lomaxx, Christine Todd. The film's highlight, where Rome discovers Todd in her cement anchor beneath the sea, is worth repeated viewings. It is surreal and hauntingly beautiful with the background score "The Shark" being played.

First, Rome vaguely makes out in the distance what appears to be a blonde topless 'statue', with arms splayed overhead, gently rocking in place in a patch of seaweed (which strategically covers Todd's nude lower half). Upon closer inspection, Rome discovers that it is not a statue, but an actual woman who is naked before him. And dead. There is a close-up of Rome's shocked expression seen behind his mask and scuba regulator. To make sure his eyes are not deceiving him, Rome next proceeds to swim around the upright corpse, eyeing the nude form up and down. One can imagine what's going through Rome's mind: That he's encountered corpses before. But nothing like this! A shocking, yet hauntingly beautiful scene.

This surreal underwater scene abruptly ends when two sharks turn up unannounced, and go in pursuit of Rome. (Note: If you look at that scene closely, one can see Christine Todd's eyes, which were formerly lowered, are now clearly opened! Worse with the sharks swimming about her and Sinatra/Sinatra's stunt double.)

Christine Todd's brief stint as the "Lady In Cement" is unforgettable and convincing. My only question is how did she manage not to release air bubbles, or choke on water as her mouth was slightly opened underwater as she played dead?? I've viewed the 'Undersea Discovery' sequence many times, trying to ponder how was that effect achieved. It isn't a special effect, for everything was clearly done underwater. And I'm quite sure scuba divers were nearby off-camera supplying air to Todd when she needed it. Despite I can swim, I am unable to hold my mouth open underwater prolonged, without me sputtering!

Anyway, "Lady In Cement" is my favorite film, next to "The Amphibian Man" (1962). It is unique and well-done.

Not SoTough Guy
This is the best and most delightful of the Tony Rome films. Frank Sinatra is on top of his game as the not so tough P.I in seedy pre-drug Florida. Raquel Welch is nice to look at and Dan Blocker is marvelous as the unstopable Gronsky. For a thirty year old film this one stays fresh and bright. Crisp dialogue and ham without the rye makes for a fun evening.

The Chairman of the Board does Bogart
In "Lady in Cement," Frank Sinatra, apparently hoping to duplicate Dean Martin's success with the Matt Helm series, reprises therole of the private detective he originated in "Tony Rome" a yearearlier.The first film found Frankie in pretty good form, thoughcertainly no match for Bogart (whose portrayals of private eyes in"The Maltese Falcon" and "The Big Sleep" established atemplate of sorts for every actor who followed him as a private eye). Sinatra fares less well in this sequel due to a less than invigoratingscript and a overly generous helping of sleaze.But Frankie has a morealluring than ever Raquel Welch, as well as a heavier than usual heavy inthe form of Dan (Hoss Cartwright) Blocker to keep things moving along at anentertaining clip.And since Tony Rome lives on a houseboat, one istempted to wonder if he was the inspiration for the heroes of TV's"Miami Vice" almost two decades later. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

"Mothers Lock Your Daughters In"
Between 1962's "Manchurian Candidate" and 1967 when Sinatra shot "Tony Rome" in Miami, the world's greatest pop singer made some of the worst films in movie history (Marriage On The Rocks, 4 For Texas, Assault on A Queen et al); he somewhat redeemed himself playing Dade County's toughest gumshoe--Anthony Rome--
(it's worth noting the "Rome" was filmed smack in between the infamous brawl in Beverly Hills and the missing teeth fracas in Las Vegas).

"Tony Rome" is flavored with enough in jokes to make any Sinatra fan smile--Frank sleeping in his office underneath a copy of the Jewish Daily Forward; confronting a lady who needs help finding her "lost pussy"...telling a lady elevator operator "nice ride" andoverhearing a honeymoon couple making love to the music of Randy Newman's "Something Here Inside Me"!

Sinatra gives just about everyone in his inner circle cameo roles--from Mickey Rudin To Jilly Rizzo to "Prince" Mike Romanoff--what can you say about a film in which the finest supporting performance is given by Sheckey Green (who always claimed that Frank's bodyguards assaulted him up during the filming--(he does appear in one scene with his head bandaged).

Multiple viewings of "Tony Rome" always leaves one asking "Who else but Sinatra could run around that 95 degree Miami heat in a black suit and hat and not shed a drop of perspiration?!".
*****************************
Note: The Fox DVD issue (as well as The DVD issues of "Lady In Cement" and "The Detective") skimps dramatically on the special features--there a few trailers and tv spots and coming attractions for the Raquel Welch movie "Fathom", a film so bad it made "Assault On A Queen" look like "On The Waterfront"

Frank Sinatra & Marvin Albert At Their Best

I read many westerns, and your immediate question may be:what do westerns have to do with Tony Rome?

Well, the same author who has written many of my western paperbacks, is none other than Marvin Albert.And since Mr. Albert writes mysteries too, it comes as no surprise that he wrote all the Tony Rome mysteries from which these films were made. The two Tony Rome mystery books are: Miami Mayhem and Lady In Cement.

I've had a copy of Tony Rome on VHS for years and have viewed it many times, now with the advent of the DVDs I will purchase both Tony Rome and Lady In Cement. The movies are just great, and for me it is Sinatra playing Sinatra, with a little room for difference, but not too much.I like Sinatra and I like Marvin Albert's writings, and I like these two films very much.

Miami background, a good looking Ford convertible, boats, wisecracks, adventure, among many other elements: try them and you probably will enjoy all of it, too.

Miami Vice...
Frank Sinatra is Tony Rome, an ex-cop turned private eye, who makes his home aboard a boat, in sunny Miami.Cynical, semi-tough, and a wise cracking gambler, a call from his ex-partner, draws him into a case revolving around the troubled family affairs of influential businessman Rudy Kosterman (Simon Oakland).His daughter Diana, (Sue Lyon) has a habit of passing out in strange places.Rome's search for Diana's missing diamond pin, leads to a twisting tale of intrigue, deception and death.

We get a glimpse at the dark side of Miami, as we follow Rome on the case.Sinatra pulls it off pretty well, without being too cute.The plot is not predictable, and requires that you pay attention.Violent at times, but not gratuitously so.

Gena Rowlands appears as Klosterman's wife.Jill St. John looks good, but her performance never rings true.Ex-boxer Rocky Graziano makes a cameo, and Deanna Lund, from TV's Land of the Giants, also briefly appears.Billy May's musical score sounds like it was lifted from the 60's TV series, Batman.And Frank's daughter Nancy, sings Lee Hazelwood's corny title song to the movie.

A good piece from the period, that doesn't stray too far from reality or sink into excess.Worth seeing for the story.Sinatra would reprise his role as Tony Rome for a sequel, "Lady In Cement".

Tony Rome'll Getcha Ya
Not as bright and crisp as Lady In Cement but a delight all the same. Frank Sinatra plays Tony Rome with a touch of down at the heels class. Jill St John takes lines that would be cheesy in the hands of a less capable actress and makes them ring with humor and mirth. It's a toss up who gets the best line: Sinatra's "Oh I'll have some of that." or St John's "Slut?" It won't educate you or lift your moral fiber but it's a great popcorn movie. (Home viewers may find that some other sort of diversion comes to mind after the fifth or sixth "Malcom . . .")
Thirty years and counting and this one hasn't lost any of its appeal.

A Republic B with a dashing good script
TONY ROME, if you had noticed, is not a Republic Pictures B detective movie.It's up a grade or two with a dashing good script and . . . WHAT a cast! Sinatra joins a well knowncrowd of movie detectives; the Marlowes, etal. as he sleuths for assorted clients. Well, maybe not in Charlie Chan's class, a gumshoe who never laid a bookie bet as Tony Rome often does.Thesuspect end of the plot is loaded with decoys, but at the end everyting is sorted out, the crime is resolved and the criminals are either dead or . . . well, best to see TONY ROME to find out. You just can't help enjoying Sinatra's laid back style. Yeh! I think younger folks could handle this film. The language is unsmutty.The sex is rather subtle and nothing naughty goes on in the back seat of Sinatra's Ford-bulls-eye-tail-lites convertible The violence is certainly minimal by today's standards. For example, my wife at the finish asked, "Has he killed only three people?" Actually, I counted about five. TONY ROME is an excellent B+++++ movie that doesn't lag a moment . . . even in the mushy scenes and there ain't that much smoochin'anyway. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Frank Sinatra's 1968 film The Detective was a serious attempt at a social statement sandwiched between the chairman's two lighthearted detective films Tony Rome and Lady in Cement.Directed by Gordon Douglas (who also directed the Tony Rome films), the plot centers around Detective Joe Leland (Sinatra) and his investigation of the murder of a prominent businessman's gay son.The film was notable at the time for openly depicting the gay community; however, it still falls back on the same tired stereotypes.Rounding out the cast is Lee Remick as Sinatra's nympho-wife, Robert Duvall as a violent homophobic cop, and Jack "the Klugster" Klugman as Sinatra's only honest ally on the force.Off screen, the film was notable for causing the irreparable rift between Sinatra and then-bride Mia Farrow, when she opted to star in Rosemary's Baby instead of this film.Obviously a wise choice, but The Detective is still a solid effort, with a great Jerry Goldsmith score and solid performances from all involved.Interestingly, this film could be considered the unofficial prequel to Die Hard.Both films were based on the same series of detective novels by Roderick Thorpe. --Kristian St. Clair ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A BIT DATED BUT STILL DECENT CRIME DRAMA
Sinatra really was an underrated actor and I'm guessing a lot of younger people today may not even know about his acting career.Sinatra starred in a number of crime dramas in the 1960's notably Tony Rome and Lady in Cement.The Detective is one of his lesser known films but by no means a bad film.He plays a New York Detective named Joe LeLand who is investigating the murder of a gay man and fighting a political battle as well with the pressures to solve the case.Lee Remick plays his estranged wife and a bit of a sex addict.

The supporting cast really helps out a movie that has a plot that's a bit all over the place.Besides Remick we get Tony Musanta, who was so gripping as the thug in "The incident", Jack Klugman, and Robert Duvall.With it's homophobic, and sex and drugs undertones The Detective was probably fairly edgy for 1968 but in present day it all comes off a bit forced and a bit cheesy.Sinatra manages to rise above it all and based on that I give the film three stars.

SINATRA'S BEST 1960's DRAMA
Stark and brutal for its' time, THE DETECTIVE, was Frank Sinatra's best drama of the 1960's(THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE belongs to Laurence Harvey and Angela Lansbury). This is a story of tortured people keenly told focucusing on wwo main plots: a homosexual murder and the connected subplot involving an urban housing scandal. Both are well woven into a gritty storyline that is stronger that the written work of Roderick Thorp. The most effective visuals: ugly police tactics that lead to the execution of a wrongfully convicted petty criminal, convincingly played by Tony Musante, in one of his first screen roles and the stench of 1960's NYPD corruption.Sinatra is outstanding in the lead role, showing a realm of extreme emotions: dogged, rigged, self righteous, guilt ridden, defeated.Credible support comes from William Windom, Jack Klugman , Robert Duvall as a racist, homophobic cop and Ralph Meeker as a snivler, to whom Sinatra gives a beat down. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Our Gang returns!
I loved "The Little Rascals" when I was growing up. I'm glad to see they have a nice mix of episodes with my favorite characters. Spanky, Alfalfa, Jackie, Buckwheat, Marianne, and Pete (the dog!) are all here!

If you are unfamiliar with the Little Rascals, it was a series of short comedies filmed in the 1920's and 1930's called "Our Gang". The films were about poor kids and their very funny escapades. (Note: there is racial stereotyping that was common at the time of filming, not that that is any excuse!) These were intended to be stand-alone films. In some films, the gang had parents. In others, they live in an orphanage. There were plenty of other inconsistencies like this from episode to episode. Hal Roach sold the original series to MGM, bought it back, and renamed it, "Hal Roach's Little Rascals". More episodes were filmed into the early 1940's. No episodes were ever produced for TV, but it started playing on TV in 1955 under the name, "The Little Rascals". Jackie Cooper played "Jackie". (Robert Blake played "Mickey", but not in any of these episodes.)

Here is an episode guide, with a tiny description:

Teacher's Pet: Jackie brags to a nice woman about the tricks they plan to play on the new teacher. Guess who their new teacher is?

School's Out: Jackie is worried that the new teacher, Miss Crabtree will get married and leave. So when the gang thinks she has a boyfriend, they try to discourage his interest.

Readin' And Writin': Brisbane tries to get kicked out of school after his mother reminds him that he can be president if he does well.

Spooky Hooky: Spanky and Alfalfa want to skip school and go to the circus, so they send Buckwheat and Porky to put a fake doctor's note on the teacher's desk. When they find out the teacher is taking the class to the circus, they do everything they can to get the note back.

Sprucin' Up: Spanky and Alfalfa show off to the new truant officer's daughter.

For Pete's Sake!: After Marianne's doll is destroyed by the local bully, the gang tries to get her a new one. They end up trading Pete, the dog, for a doll!

The Kid From Borneo: The gang decides that a wild man from Borneo wants to eat them up.

Dogs Is Dogs: Pete, the dog, ends up at the pound after he is accused of eating Mr. Brown's chickens.

The Pooch: Stymie steals a pie, but is forgiven when he gets the other kids' dogs from the dogcatcher.

Dog Heaven: Pete, the dog, is upset because Joe spent money on a girl rather than a promised dog collar. Pete saves the girl from drowning, but gets in trouble when Joe thinks Pete pushed her into the water.

CLASSIC LITTLE RASCALS
I am now 27 Years old From United Kingdom and these Kids where apart of my Youth, when i was about 7 Years old i remembered watching these kids and love how they had there Own Fire Engine..How much i wanted to be there with them, Remembering how they hated Girls at that youthful age, That Always made me grin Because at that age of 7, they where Public Ememy to me aswell..Since then years have gone By, and it look like i never see then again, But I check your Site and was made up to see that i was able to Own these classic Episodes again and even better on DVD.. Now i will be able to share these classic Little Rascals moment with my 3 Neices and let them see the Great Fire Engine....***CLASSIC** :o) ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Robin and the Seven Hoods a Classic
Robin and the Seven Hoods is a great story, with Bing Crosby upstaging both Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. Frank's singing of "Chicago My Kind of Town" at the movie's end is a tribute to mob boss Sam Giancanna, and the entire movie shows that crime CAN pay if you share the proceeds with the less fortunate. It's campy, but good viewing and the music brings back feelings of the good old days.

Off to a very slow start... but improves
Not long before this started shooting, there was a major rift in the rat pack, and because of that, only three members (Martin, Davis, and Sinatra, of course) show up here. The other two roles were filled in, and quite ably, by Peter Falk and Bing Crosby. And if you like rat pack-style music, having ensemble numbers with Frank, Dean, and Bing is something you're gonna love.

The last half of this movie is good. It ain't Oceans Eleven, but it's good. Too bad the first half moves slower than a snail on ludes. Crosby doesn't show up until an hour into the film, and the action starts right there; before that, what the movie needs most is an editor who isn't afraid of Sinatra. It does, however, have some fine music (Sinatra debuted "My Kind of Town" here), and once it picks up, it's a lot of fun. Watch it when it comes on AMC, but spend the first half hour or so going to the store to get munchies.

Marvelous
This was a fabulous movie, and deserves much more credit than it is usually given. It's hilarious and smart, and besides the given that the Rat Pack was great in it, Peter Falk was also very funny. The movie is full of great one-liners ("Anybody got beef with that, I got a special complaint box 6 feet long, 3 feet wide."), as well as great songs, sung by the greatest singers who ever lived. Isn't that in itself reason enough to buy this?

An underrated classic.
Why this musical isn't more popular is beyond me. It features the essential core of the Rat Pack, Frank, Dean and Sam, in a great plot, unlike the fun but unfocused "Ocean's Eleven" with the whole gang. It has fabulous songs by that legendary duo Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, including the classic "My Kind of Town." The music is arranged by Nelson Riddle and all the numbers grow out of the plot very naturally, unlike "Guys and Dolls" (plus these guys can sing, unlike Brando). And how about throwing in Bing Crosby and Barbara Rush and Peter Falk for good measure? This is a tough-guy musical with a lot of funny parodies of Chicago gangsters and crooked cops. We've got Prohibition-era gambling joints with bootleggers and booze and Sammy serenading the sound of a machine gun. Dean sings how he loves his mother as he hustles Frank in pool. One hood has a weakness for "knittin'" and another is always making a motion that somebody open a "windah." This is funny stuff, and fast-paced. It has more edge than most musicals, thanks in large part to the world of Sinatra & Co. in the mid-1960s. It may not be the best, but I find it to be the most entertaining musical I've ever seen. There's Bing doing a kind of "Swinging on a Star" thing in "Don't Be a Do-Badder," but-- look out-- there's a lot more to this guy who ain't got style than you think. And there's Edward G. Robinson-- the original gangster-- standing up and making a smiling toast at the beginning, like he did in "Little Caesar," right before . . . well, you'll get the picture if you get this picture, so to speak. Maybe I'm nuts, but I say it doesn't get any better than these guys and these songs in this hip, sly, hard-hitting but fun-as-Christmas beauty of a movie.

My Kind of Movie
Dismissed by many as overly-long, poorly-scripted Rat Pack self-indulgence with inferior musical material, "Robin and the 7 Hoods" is a wacky mafia musical in the fun-loving style of pre-Hammerstein Broadway variety shows, and with a pretty snappy collection of Cahn-Van Heusen tunes. Remember, it's this musical, not "Chicago," that gave the Windy City its proudest anthem. But as solid as the Chairman's performance is, it can't match Crosby's, in the venerable crooner's next-to-last film appearance.

Once Bing appears mid-way through the film, the rest of the picture--with the exception of the"My Kind of Town" gala number--belongs to Crosby. His acting, singing, and dancing not only outshine his on-screen companions but in many respects make the Rat Pack appear like a coherent musical comedy team. At five foot seven inches, Bing was usually the shortest member on the set, but in both this film and "High Society" his crisp, economical body movements and quick, graceful feet make him "play" taller than his actual height.

The dubbing is, as others have observed, pretty unconvincing. On the other hand, most of the dance and music scenes are shot continuously in a single take or two, like an Astaire film. Others may prefer the frenetic and manipulative MTV editing style of films like "Chicago," which permit the filmmaker to "construct" a reality while transforming bozos into Baryshnikovs. I'll take these bozos just as they are. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

EXCELLENT Film / DVD Good (Better than Video)
This is an outstanding movie for many reasons. For cinema fans only familiar with the "rat pack", this Frankie may be an eye opener. YOUNG AT HEART (1954) is a showcase for Frank Sinatra's excellent acting. He is intense, focused & nuanced, becoming one with "Barney Sloan," a gifted musician suffering through multiple "bad breaks" since birth & sorely lacking confidence.

Doris Day also brings much to this classic with a very moving performance. She is warm, lovely & upbeat as the woman of Sinatra's dreams, & so expressive in her eyes! The chemistry between these two actors grows with their characters' relationship; they share a number of memorable scenes together. They are surrounded by a very good supporting cast, especially Gig Young & Ethel Barrymore.

This is a romantic drama with superb singing. Doris & Frank's duet together is "You, My Love", which is a personal favorite. Ms. Day delivers several 50's pop songs beautifully. Frank makes his impact here as the saloon singer, with brilliant, moving renditions of "Someone to Watch Over Me," "One for My Baby," & "Just One of Those Things."

Initially, this film is light-hearted & glossy - until Barney Sloan arrives. There are multiple issues that his character brings to the surface such as: "destiny" & the strength of the human will, the pain of loneliness, the power of hope, life-changing experiences, & recognizing "love".

It's worth noting that the forty-eight year old YOUNG AT HEART was actually a re-make of a 1938 mega-hit "Four Daughters", & carries over some of its plot contrivances. . Don't let this bog you down. This little gem rises above it.

In my opinion, the DVD is a visual improvement over the fuzzy video. Having both the Video / 40th anniversary edition & now the DVD, I've watched each, sometimes scene by scene, to compare, both on the same television. This video has the same small scratches, circles / spots that can be viewed on the DVD; note the gingerbread scene in the kitchen. The DVD's Major Plus: visual details, such as skin & facial features, are improved: Doris' cute freckles are back; thankfully, the character "Amy" no longer has a blackened tooth when she is tying Gig Young' s tie (as seen in Video); and Frank's face shows some scars in close ups, a realistic touch for his character. Actually, the DVD's visuals, preceeding the film, are quite beautiful! The DVD is reasonably priced, although I would have been willing to pay a little more for some extras, such as behind the scenes photos... Now if the film preservationists could help restore the original negative of this classic movie, that would be wonderful. YOUNG AT HEART deserves it -- How about it , AMC? .

TOTALLY ROMANTIC AND GREAT MUSIC
Sinatra's portrayal of Barney Sloane (who is one of my all-time favorite characters in movies) is what really MAKES this film great. It's gritty, his acting is seamless - this film has some of his best acting ever. In fact, there IS no Frank Sinatra in this film, only Barney Sloane - I was totally engrossed in the character and he made me forget he was Frank Sinatra - now THAT's acting! Also, Doris Day is at her absolute best in this film. The chemistry between her and Frank is so much more exciting to watch than her work with Rock Hudson, who is like cardboard compared to Doris and Frank together. Great songs from Doris, and an absolutely PERFECT selection of songs by Frank. This film is sad, joyful, but most of all, ROMANTIC. Highly recommended if you want to feel your Heart!

Great Tear Jerker
This movie features Frank Sinatra in a rare very moral dramatic role. He is a sad low person who meets the ever beautiful Doris Day. Well she falls in love with his boss the ever impressive Gig Young. But then one day she finds out that her older sister has a crush on Gig. So she marries Frank. Well their married live is full of hardships and depression. And poverty. But when they have a baby at the end of the movie Franks outlook on life changes and he becomes cheerful once again. Great tearjerker. Catch Frank singing the title song Young At Heart!

Doris Day must choose Gig Young or Frank Sinatra.
Doris Day plays "Laurie", one of three daughters who live with Pop (Robert Keith) and his sister, Aunt Jessie (Ethel Barrymore) who keep the young ladies in line. Fran (Dorothy malone) just got engaged to Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island). Laurie and Amy (Elizabeth Fraser) make a deal to have a double wedding when they finally find the right guys or end up as old maids. Laurie has a new beau, Gig Young. Then Gig Young hires Frank Sinatra, a traveling piano player, to write music for him. Doris meets Frank in the family house and is sweet to him. One day, Gig Young professes his love to Laurie and they decide to get married. However, Amy secretly had feelings for Gig Young and Frank Sinatra had some feelings for Laurie. Frank tells Laurie, "Sometimes when you're on the outside looking in, you see some things other people can't". Things are about to change and not to as orginally planned. If you have not seen this one before, it's a real soap opeara doozy! Great set of a neighborhood and family house.

Never too Young!!
YOUNG AT HEART is a decent melodrama intersped with a couple of musical numbers featuring the musical talents of Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. Doris Day's numbers are light and upbeat and Frank Sinatra plays meloncholy blues (as a 'piano man' at bar dives, i.e "One For my Baby-One More for the Road"). The only time they actually sing together is a duet near the end of the picture but its worth the wait because its a great song and a great performance. However, the dramatic scenes they share are just as good as Day and Sinatra have good onscreen chemistry. Its a shame they only made this one film together because they were good friends professionally off screen as well. Day/Laurie Tuttle is one of three musical prodigy daughters to Gregory Tuttle (Robert Keith -Lt. Brannigan in GUYS AND DOLLS). A songwiter, Alex Burke (Gig Young-THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?)charms his way into the family home becoming a border to get inspiration to writing a musical. He becomes the object of affection to the three daughters, but is smitten with Laura immediately. However, when he brings in a piano player, Barney Sloan (Sinatra) to help out, Laura falls for his low self-esteemed but talented musician personality. Sinatra gives a very low-key understated performance as the angry (thinks-he-has-no-talent) piano player and Day is as good as always. The rest of the film is a little predictable, but entertaining and engrossing nontheless as love triangle(s) and misunderstandings arise as part of the drama. Gig Young's character and performance as the charming good guy and lovable songwriter is a bright spot in the film but it is slightly overshadowed by magnitude and presence of the two lead performers. All together, a film with a palusible melodrama plot, great songs, and most notable for the one time pairing of Day and Sinatra who have great on screen presence together. Lastly an overlooked performance by Gig Young. Note: Look for Alan Hale, Jr. (The Skipper of Gilligan's Island)in a supporting role and also,the great Ethel Barrymore (Grand aunt of Drew) as Aunt Jessie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sidney Poitier is seldom praised as a pioneer of blaxploitation, but that's what he is in They Call Me Mister Tibbs. This sequel's title is cribbed from its groundbreaking predecessor, In the Heat of the Night, but similarities end there, since this engaging murder mystery owes more to "blaxpo" and the urban police procedurals that dominated film and TV in the early 1970s. Poitier's got plenty of proto-funk charisma (and a Quincy Jones groove) as San Francisco detective Virgil Tibbs, dominating his Caucasian colleagues with quiet fortitude and sure-fire instincts. His latest case is rife with likely suspects, including a Bible-thumping reformer (Martin Landau) and a sleazy landlord (Anthony Zerbe). It's a routine plot by latter-day standards, but director Gordon Douglas enlivens it with solid character details: Poitier's scenes with his defiant young son (George Spell) are genuinely moving, and performances are uniformly superb. Poitier did another sequel, The Organization (1971), ending his Tibbs trilogy on a high note of success. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great Movie a Cult Classic!!!! See it!!!
Starring Sidney Landau, Martin . McNair, Barbara (Tibbs Wife), "They Call me Mr. Tibbs is the sequel (sort of ) to `In the Heat of the Night'

I saw this on turnerclassicmovies, and it's one of the most entertaining 70's movies I've seen and you've probably never heard of it.

I can't blame you though, the 70's had a lot of `B' movies that only revolved around drugs, violence and had no plots and bad actors but this movie is one of the best movies made during that era.

The great element of this movie is Poitier himself who resembled the ideal black man- Strong, Intelligent, and Independent. As pointed out in his biography Poitier grew dirt poor in Miami and worked menial jobs, often sleeping in bus terminals. Then he started auditioning in theaters until he eventually got acting parts.

In fact actors like Denzel Washington idolized Poitier growing up, though with all respect to Mr. Washington, he didn't really break down the color barrier as did Sidney. Poitier has broken down color barriers in films like "In the Heat of The Night", "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner", and " The Defiant Ones (with Tony Curtis)" He proved that a minority actor can be at the same acting level, if not better than his white counterparts. In fact many of his roles, had him acting against white bigots like "In the Heat of The Night" and "No way out."

Now on to the opinion.

Sidney Poitier reprises his role as lieutenant Virgil Tibbs from `In The Heat of The Night', this time though, Tibbs is working in San Francisco trying to solve the murder of a prostitute called Miss Joy.

Tibbs approaches the crime scene and like a good detective makes detail of everything that could provide a clue to as to who murdered Miss Joy.

This is a great detective movie, this movie gives you the important aspects of what a good detectives looks for in solving a case.

Fingerprints, pieces of lint on a new carpet, searching for marks on the victim and above all looking into the history of the victim are all clues that Tibbs uses to find the killer.

The suspects are: Reverend Logan Sharpe: Tibbs best friend for the past 18 yrs who is campaigning for a special
proposition for the schools. The role is played here by the legendary Martin Landua who has appeared in over 50 movies or so in his lifetime. While not the charismatic actor, Landua plays his roles perfectly. In touch with the times of the 70's, Landua's role called for a political preacher who cares about the community and wants to give control back to the people. Pay close attention to the speech he gives while supporting his proposition. The words he says are words that most community leaders would use. Also the words he says are bitter sweet too because all the problems he points out are still going in today's school: Better teachers, teachers who care, rights for the less fortunate, etc.

Woody Garfield a real estate man, is the other suspect ,played by the legendary Ed Asner who first became a celebrity through the Mary Tyler Moore Show and other hit tv shows and movies. He plays a real estate man who lends his property to pimps like Mr. Weedon.

Mr. Weedon is a pimp who lives on the same apartment where Miss Joy was killed.

Without revealing too much (since I want you to see this great film the movie keeps you guessing as to who the killer is. Also there are some decent action scenes where Tibbs (resembling Shaft) beats up the white drug dealers who try to interfere with his investigation.

On top of that the film depicts the life of a hardworking black man who protects his family but is tough on them if need be.

For instance, in one gripping scene, Tibbs must discipline his son , Andy Tibbs, for hitting his sister and for not cleaning his room.

Tibbs gives his son a chance to make up for what he has done by giving him the opportunity to clean his room,but he doesn't do it. Tibbs slaps him on the face because he knows that his son, has not learned to respect authority. His son starts crying but still doesn't follow his father's orders. Tibbs slaps him again until he gets the message. A very gritty, tough, great police crime drama movie.

A great inside look into the abilities of Sidney Poitier.

They Call Me Mister Tibbs
Sidney Poitier was wonderful "In The Heat of the Night". Yet the sequel, "They Call Me Mister Tibbs!", comes across as a disjointed movie at best. With overlapping incomplete story lines it is difficult to feel empathy for any of the characters. The plot is so silly it is like watching a bad re-run of the "Street of San Francisco" cop show.

Am I the only one who noticed the major character flaws that don't mesh with who Virgil Tibbs was "In The Heat Of The Night"? In that finely acted and well written film Tibbs was a detective from Philly. He was unmarried, without any children. Now three years later he is married, with two half grown kids and has been a S.F. cop for twelve years. DUH?

Also we have several scenes where Black and White citizens hang out and socialize as if there never was a need for a Civil Rights Movement. And Ed Asner is wasted as a suspect who runs from the police, not because he commited any crime, but for cheating on his wife. The car chase here is maybe the worst in film history.

We see Tibbs, in boring scenes, driving his police car with a carboard partner who never says a word but just chain smokes. In fact all the cops, except Tibbs, are window dressing. While the actual killer's motive for murder doesn't make sense and is totally out of sync with his personality.

Also the famous line of defiance from "In The Heat Of The Night", "They call me Mister Tibbs!", is never uttered in this film. Sidney Poiter doesn't show the emotion and conflict that we saw when he was opposite Rod Steiger. In that film Tibbs shined brightly. In the sequel he is just an echo. This Turkey don't fly and I will stick with the Virgil I knew and loved from "In The Heat Of The Night".

Another Poiter hit!
As a Poiter fan I couldn't wait to see this film. This story gave a look at Virgil Tibbs from a personal side. The struggles he faced as a detective were portrayed with his usual brilliant acting! A must see for any fan of his!

Excellent Cast
For 1970, this movie was very interesting, multiple issues for the time were displayed. A look into Virgil Tibbs personal life was an excellent touch, with a troubled son, a beautiful wife (Barbara McNair) and a demanding job, the performance by all was excellent. The cast included very talented actors. The plot was interesting, as it was a murder mystery, the movie included, suspense, romance, and some would say the scene with Virgil and his son was quite comical.

Simply weak
"In the heat of the night" was a great film, but all the sequel did was make it look bad. It's a muder mystery with a father and son conflict which we don't care about, and it goes on too long. ... Read more

Description

"Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome" starring Boris Karloff. Interview with creator Chester Gould. "Dick Tracy in B Flat" starring Bing Crosby (Tracy), Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore & Jimmy Durante. 4 Radio Broadcasts. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dick Tracy: The Ultimate Collection
If you liked the Dick Tracy comics, you'll love these 4 films. The first 2 on disc 1 star Morgan Conway, a little known actor, who does look the part. The other 2 on disc 2 bring back Ralph Byrd who played the role in 4 cliff hanger serials in the 30s. Plus there are some nice little extras after each movie on each side of each disc. So put on your yellow trenchcoats it's time for some grade B mysteries of grade A caliber. ... Read more

Description

3 Great Movies on 1 DVD.Star Power, Exciting Genre with Extras on each DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Don't bother
The collection of Dick Tracy movies offered by the Roan Group is much better, and the Roan DVDs offer all of the movies on two discs. This set is not worth spending your money on. You will pay a lot more for a lot less by buying this.

Dick Tracy Bonanza
In 1945, the world beheld Dick Tracy, a popular comic strip, materialize to screen. The first film (which is not in this collection), was entertaining, but lacked the excitment, and the panache of the comic strip.
RKO Radio Pictures (it's distributar), realized this, and started to make pictures that were almost identical to the beloved comic strip.
"Dick Tracy Meets Cueball", was in the greatest Gould tradition. For one, Morgan Conway is just the image of good old Dick, and the story, is amazingly entertaining. (...) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Much Better Than "Slaughter"
A lot of people feel that the original "Slaughter" is the best one, but "Rip Off" is a much superior sequel. This is still a "revenge flick", but the characters are far more intersting. Jim Brown gets to have alot more fun and alot more sex. The added bonus is Dick Anthony Williams portrayal as a Pimp/Burgular who helps Slaughter bring down the Mob. The only downside to this one is that most of the songs from James Brown's classic soundtrack are missing from the movie.

Not So Exciting: See the First "Slaughter" & Stella Instead
"Slaughter" may not be exactly a first-rate action film, but it still can be proud of its own energy and Stella Stevens. Its quickly-made sequel has none of them; instead, you got Ed McMahon as a villain. Oh no....

This time again some crime syndicate tries to kill Jim Brown aka. Slaughter by shooting from a flying airplane. Instead, his friend got killed, so again Slaughter begins his own vendetta to get the man behind the killing. As usual, FBI got involved, and as usual, he has a girlfriend (Gloria Hendry) to protect.

Though action scenes themselves are not bad, McMahon of "Tonight Show" as baddie is as incredible casting as Demi Moore in "Scarlet Letter." Well, Jim Brown is as cool as ever, but there's nothing exciting about he film. The actions come too few and far between to raise the film's tension too the level of other blaxploitation films. Too ordinary.

Try to spot Valda Hansen (credited as Hanson), remembered by some movie fans as one of the friendly circle surrounding Edward Wood Jr. -- fondly called "the worst movie director" -- and herself star of his unbelievable "Night of the Ghouls."

I bought a VHS tape, but it MAY contain a different soundtrack from CD's or DVD's. As I have not listened to or seen either CD or DVD of "Slaghter's Rip-Off," I'm not quite sure, but the IMDB site shows the existence of the alternate take of the film, which uses a different soundtrack. Some part of the soundtrack of VHS tape, interestingly, clearly uses the same songs you can hear in "Coffy," including the instrumental version of that famous theme song. Very curious.

Not Bad Brainless AIP Jim Brown Vehicle
Though the original is preferred if only for some stunning Stella Stevens nude scenes, this is pretty entertaining on its own terms. Unfortunately, Ed McMahon (!) plays it straight in the bad guy role, when I was really hoping for some of the ol' "John P. Ryan As the Fake Nathan White" scenery chewing. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Cagney is bad to the bone!
I've always loved watching film noirs & of course I'm a huge James Cagney fan. I must confess that when I bought this the other day I'd never even heard of it. Along with White Heat, Cagney proved he was truly a screen villian to be feared. He had already established his reputation with his great gangster roles of the 30's, but never did he play a more evil character than in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye. A comparison to Al Pacino's "Tony Montana" character in Scarface is not far off, believe me! Other reviewers have gone over the plot, so I won't waste your time. Without a doubt this is one of Cagney's finest performances, & no Cagney fan should be without this classic or White Heat, his only other film noir role.

Cagney: A Hood Who Rules With Personality Not Logic
When James Cagney was offered the role of criminal Bruce Cutter in KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE, he thought that he had long since finished playing gangsters. He changed his mind though, and his role as the psychopathic killer was the last that he would play. What stamps his performance as the opportunistic killer in this film is that he hearkens back to the sort of prohibition type thugs that he immortalized in the 30's, but unlike those roles in which he combined immorality with a certain likeableness, here he is totally feral. More than a few supporting characters note that he insane with ambition.

KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE is not the kind of crime film in which believability ranks highly. The impetus of audience reaction is carried solely through the kinetic force of Cagney's over the top performance. From the opening scene in which he escapes a prison work farm with the help of girlfriend Holliday (Barbara Payton) to every scene that ought to drown in illogic, the flow of plot runs so smoothly that the audience can't help but overlook the extraordinary concatenation of coincidence. As soon as Cutter rolls into town, no cops recognize him, even when he strolls leisurely into and out of the town's police station. He pulls a stickup and when apprehended by the police, he is let go by a crooked cop (Ward Bond), who promptly implicates himself on a recording device. To further complicate matters, Cutter starts an affair with Margaret (Helena Carter), the daughter of the town's most powerful citizen. Considering that Cagney was 50 years old at the time, the implausibility of a pair of pretty twenty somethings falling for him is breathtaking. Finally, the blatant use of police corruption adds to the feeling that you have seen this movie at least 20 years before. Several critics have pointed to it by paying homage to its origins as a 30's type gangster B movie. This, I think, is being a little too kind. It is no such thing. Instead, it stands as the swan song of a gifted actor who tried once too often to reprise the role of a ruthless thug that made him famous in the first place.

Original Tough Guy
Cagney along with a fine cast of co-stars portrays a mentally disturbed, escaped convict with high aspirations. Betrayal, greed and unrestrained ambition are the key ingredients to this underated film noir masterpiece. The DVD plays clean and clear with good sound quality.

Tough Guy Cagney Does It Again
When socialite Margaret Dobson (Helena Carter)attempts to scare gangster Ralph Cotter ( James Cagney) with a high speed joy ride in her expensive convertible, Cagney's darting eyes and slight smile alerts viewers that this high society mistress has made a grave mistake. No celluloid dame ever put fear into the heart of a James Cagney character, and Cagney as escaped convict Ralph Cotter in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye doesn't disappoint his male legion of fans. With the speedometer needle already bouncing at the 90 mph. mark, Cotter calmly places his shoe on top of Miss Dobson's foot and mashes the accelerator pedal down even further. In one of the most revealing female/male test of wills ever captured on screen, the two characters battle a mind game that Cotter eventually wins. Just when we thought we have seen every James Cagney gangster persona , scenes such as the convertible ride command our attention once again. Cagney is ruthless in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye in which he portrays an escaped convict who courts two girlfriends, blackmails two police detectives, robs a supermarket payroll, murders three mob bagmen and pilfers the daily gambling bankroll. Although Cagney wasn't always amused at how studios continually pushed gangster scripts his way, he seems to have had fun in the role of Cotter. Especially when his other girlfriend Holiday (Barbara Payton)throws everything but the kitchen sink at him during an on screen spat. The film does contain flaws which challenge the believability of viewers, such as Cotter's miraculous escape from a chain gang, the use a dictaphone to frame a police inspector, and Cotter not being reckognized as an escaped convict. These shortcomings aside, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye is watchable because of Cagney's commanding performance. Cagney leads the holdup of Hartford's Supermarket with coolness, his beating and disposal of a garage mechanic is violent, and his towel smacking of girfriend Holiday and her reaction are memorable. The film also boasts fine performances from Luther Adler, who plays shrewd and influential lawyer Cherokee Mandon. Ward Bond who portrays the corrupt police inspector, Weber. Barton Maclane who later gained TV fame as General Peterson on I Dream of Jeannie, also gives a fine supporting role as Weber's sidekick. Overall the film does make a statement about crime and corruption that slowly creeped back into America's consciousness after WWII. With graft, corruption, bribes, and scandals shocking the nation, filmmakers once again drew fine lines between crimminal characters and the characters that represented law and order. For fans of crime, noir, gangster, or just James Cagney, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye is a great way to spend an hour and fifty minutes.

A misogynistic predator
James Cagney is ruthless as Ralph Cotter, a murderous crazed hood who blackmails cops and everyone else in his path after a break from chain gang.

Made after "White Heat," and while preparing dancing scenes for his next film "West Point Story," Cagney abhorred doing another gangster flick, but you can't tell it here. He throws himself into the role, and does the best with what he has.

Cagney is the whole show, and his evil is more pronounced than ever. Not only is he a murderous thug, but a sexual predator, seducing and coercing women to doing his bidding along the way.

Cagney -- a gentleman in real life -- played a lot of misogynistic characters, and he is no less in this -- savagely beating a moll with a rolled up, wet towel, then seducing her as she falls weeping and hysterical into his arms.

One could say, if you reviewed his gangster flicks as a whole, that Cagney hadn't made a whole lot of cinematic progress from grapefruit squashing and dragging chicks across the floor by the hair (as he did with Mae Clarke in previous films). Seen without that hindsight, he is brutal and effective.

While he played other bad guys in subsequent films, this is the last true gangster that he played, and he was relieved to call it quits.

It was poorly reviewed at the time -- a well made bomb -- but it's worth viewing for Cagney's savagery. You need to suspend belief just a little bit in certain scenes -- not a whole lot of visible planning goes into big stakes heists, so his gangster comes off more ruthless than smart. ... Read more

Description

Created by producer Hal Roach, The Little Rascals (aka Our Gang) starred in more than a hundred shorts from 1922 to 1944 (one of which, Bored of Education, won an OSCAR®) and one feature, General Spanky.With the Gang aching to hit the gridiron, team captain Spanky’s got to play Little Papa and mind the baby, while Pete is framed by Wheezer’s hateful stepbrother, Sherwood, and sent to the pound in Dogs Is Dogs.Sherwood’s dog kills a chicken, so he blames Pete, but Wheezer and his sister Dorothy have the last laugh; then Spanky and the Gang try to impress the daughter of Mr. Jones, the new truant officer, by Sprucin’ Up. Black & White. 56 Minutes ... Read more