Reviews (3)

ASSAULT AND BATTERY
John Carpenter's cult classic is a fine example of this director's genius, that has been evidenced only strongly in two later movies:HALLOWEEN and his remake of THE THING.In this tense and brutal film, a soon to be shutdown police station is attacked by a bunch of ruthless gang members.Carpenter takes his time (using his hypnotic musical score) to set up the confrontation, with teasing bits of impending doom, the most noteable being the scene with the little girl and the ice cream man.That scene alone will blow your socks off.The movie's "stars" were unknowns at the time, and this lack of familiarity helps make them more convincing.Austin Stoker as the besieged lieutenant and Darwin Joston as convicted killer Napoleon Wilson have a credible chemistry, and Carpenter regulars Nancy Loomis and Charles Cyphers round out the cast.The movie is like Halloween in its shadowy depiction of the gang members and the violence is almost Western-like in its relentless brutality.I haven't seen the recent remake, but they'd be hard pressed to capture the stark ruthlessness of this well done thriller.

A Carpenter classic, but buyer beware
Two years before John Carpenter made a name for himself with the original Halloween, he put together this low budget classic in which desperate cops and prisoners must band together to withstand a siege.The original Assault on Precinct 13 mixed elements of Rio Bravo and Night of the Living Dead as a rather large gang wages a street war on a soon to be closed police station.Weaving an engaging character study with some incredibly intense action sequences, Assault on Precinct 13 still manages to pull out all the shocks today that it did in 1976, including the infamous ice cream truck scene which helps set the stage for police station siege.Forget about the recent watered down Hollywood remake; the original Assault on Precinct 13 remains one of the best low budget action films ever made, and one of the best films to come from the mind of visionary John Carpenter.Buyer beware, do not mistake this version for the Special Edition version which happens to have the same cover artwork.This cheaply priced edition has no extras whatsoever, and can be found in bargain bins.

Low cost version of the original
If you want to refresh your memory before seing the new release, this is better than a rental.You can find this version in the bargain bin for about $5.

Originally filmed in 1976, this movie follows a fairly common theme of that era.Criminals on a rampage.

They mayhem starts with the assasination of a group of gang members by police.This is followed by the sensless killing of a young girl and her father's attempt to strike back at the gremlins.He stumbles into an abandoned police station that is occupied by a handfull of cops and some convicts on their way to Death Row.Everyone must join forces and defend themselves against the assault that follows.

Since 99% of the movie takes place after dark, it is very difficult to pick out details in the scenes.A noticeable error was the weapon used by one of the prisoners against the gang members.He is given a silenced handgun that he uses during the assault.Note to the technical staff...a suppressor (silencer) doesn't work on a revolver. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

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

Reviews (111)

"John Carpenter's Escape from New York"
Escape from New York (R) *****/5
Kurt Russell, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau.
Directed by: John Carpenter.
Synopsis: A former war hero turned criminal must save the president, and recover his briefcase to save his own life when he is dropped in the criminal penitentiary of N.Y. City.
Special Features: Trailer
Review: One of the greatest films ever made, and the greatest vision of the future ever. John Carpenter's widely acclaimed success of a film. It follows Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken who has two bombs planted in him. He is given a chance for his freedom if he can rescue the president and his briefcase from the clutches of The Duke in the prison city of N.Y. Plissken the former war hero turned criminal goes in, and he must survive the terror town, complete his mission, and get back before the bombs go off. Kurt Russell forever shed his Disney image for this film. He is on the ball, with the performance of a lifetime, and he creates one of the greatest characters in cinema history. Borgnine is lovable as the cabbie, Hayes is a fantastic bad guy, Stanton is cool as usual, and the supporting cast gives it their best effort. Carpenter shines with his tiny budget. He introduces us to a world where anything can happen, and he unveils his world to us in spectacular form. He even filmed it in Saint Louis and made me think it was New York. As for the DVD? ...

Snake Plissken Escapes from DVD Hell...
A few years ago, MGM released a bare-bones DVD of EFNY and were rightly criticized for not including anything in the way of supplemental material. A glaring omission for such a beloved movie. The studio has more than redeemed itself with this new two DVD Special Edition that should please the fans.

There are two audio commentaries on the first DVD. The first one is with producer Debra Hill and production designer Joe Alves and focuses on production anecdotes and how the special effects of the film were achieved.

The second audio track is with John Carpenter and Kurt Russell, and is the one fans will enjoy the most. The two men joke and banter with each other like old friends and it is this relaxed, conversational tone that really makes this track such an enjoyable listen.

There is an excellent documentary entitled, "Return to Escape From New York" located on the second DVD. A treat for fans is all the new cast and crew interviews conducted especially for this documentary: the always radiant Adrienne Barbeau, the normally publicity shy Harry Dean Stanton and even the Duke himself, Isaac Hayes! They all speak fondly of their experiences on the film.

There is also a so-so a photo montage of how an issue of the comic book is put together, from rough sketches to its arrival in stores. In a nice touch, the issue that is shown is also included with the DVD.

"Snake Bites" is a collection of clips from the film scored to some atmospheric electronic music. This really isn't all that interesting and seems like unnecessary padding to fill out the DVD.

The other extra that has been eagerly anticipated by fans is the famous original opening of the film. Snake and his partner rob a bank and are caught with Snake being arrested and his partner being gunned down. This scene sets up Snake's arrival at the New York prison but Carpenter cut it because test audiences were confused by it. This footage was thought to be lost long ago. It is finally being presented in its entirety on this DVD. The footage is quite grainy but watchable and features an optional audio commentary by Carpenter and Russell (who had never seen the footage before).

Rounding out the disc are a nice collection of TV spots, a theatrical trailer, and a photo gallery with lobby cards, behind-the-scenes and production stills.

Escape From New York is a fast-paced action film that contains a dark, satirical edge that never falters, even right up to the film's conclusion. The DVD, with its wonderfully themed menus (done in the same style as the film), stunning transfer and top notch extras, ranks right up there with the excellent Big Trouble in Little China (1986) special edition set that came out a few years ago. This new special edition was obviously made with the fans in mind and this only enhances its value.

"You mean I can't count on you?...Good!"
What can I say.

Strangely enough, despite the fact that I am a child of the 80s (I was 12 when this movie first came out), I never saw Escape from New York until 6 weeks ago.

Then I was hooked.

Most people know the story. In the "future," (1988, haha) the US crime rate rises 400%. To combat this crime wave, drastic measures are taken. The United States becomes a fascist-like police state, and in 1992 New York City becomes the country's one maximum-security prison to house the worst society has to offer. Sealed off from the outside world by a 50-foot containment wall on all sides, Manhattan Island becomes a modern (or postmodern) Botany Bay. All bridges, tunnels and waterways surrounding the island are mined, and the US Police Force constantly patrols by helicopter, to ensure that no prisoners escape. Criminals unlucky enough to receive a maximum-security sentence are given a choice: be executed or be airdropped into the New York for life to fend for themselves. As the chilling opening narration observes, "There are no guards, only prisoners and the worlds they have made. The rules are simple. Once you go in, you don't come out."

Into this black pit of despair comes one S.V. "Snake" Plissken, played by Kurt Russell. A war hero (he won 2 purple hearts, one in Leningrad and one in Siberia - remember, the Soviet Union still existed when this film was made), Snake for unspecified reasons has turned to a life of crime. And at the film's beginning, the Law has finally caught up with Snake, and he is being transported to New York to serve a life sentence for bank robbery when Fate steps in.

On the same evening that Snake is brought to Manhattan Island to begin serving his sentence, the President of the United States (played by Donald Pleasance) is on his way to a peace summit when his plane (Airforce One) is hijacked by a terrorist posing as a pilot, and is crashed into the prison. (In today's post-9/11 environment, the hijacking scene, at least to me, is particularly chilling and I have a hard time watching it).

Miraculously, the President exits the plane via his special "escape pod" and he survives the plane crash...only to be taken captive by the "Duke of New York," played with beautiful understated menace by Isaac Hayes.

Police Commissioner Bob Hauk (played by Lee Van Cleef), has an idea: send Snake Plissken, trained combat veteran and specialist at "getting in quiet," into the prison to find the President and rescue him. If he succeeds, Snake will be pardoned for every crime he's ever committed in the United States. And just to make sure that Snake fulfills his end of the bargain, Hauk has the prison's chief doctor implant 2 explosives in Snake's neck. If Snake does not return with the President in 22 hours, the explosives will go off, and, as Hauk wryly notes, "No more Snake Plissken."

So the die is cast. Snake goes in...but will he find the President alive? Even if he finds the President alive, will he get out in time to have the charges in his neck neutralized? Watch it and see.

This film is entertaining on many levels. It's an excellently crafted story, complete with social commentary and irony. It's a dystopic vision of what can happen when we trade too much of our liberty in exchange for what we think is security - definitely another resonant theme in our post-9/11 reality. We clamp down on individual rights/freedoms, supposedly in the name of protecting the collective - and leave society's undesirables to prey on each other in an asphalt jungle hell. But then what are we? According to this film, we're only slightly less inhuman than the criminals.

And the DVD contains various extras and bonuses which are sure to round out one's Escape from New York knowledge. This includes the documentary film "Return to Escape from New York," which details the making of the film. There are also commentary tracks by John Carpenter and Kurt Russell, as well as by producer Debra Hill.

Another real treat is the deleted bank robbery scene (the original first 10 minutes of the movie). This scene was cut from the final film because, in Carpenter's words on the commentary track, premiere audiences thought it diminished Snake's character by "humanizing" him too much. I actually found that humanization to be a good thing, and thought that the Bank Robbery sequence helped to set context for the story.

Along the lines of the deleted bank robbery sequence, another potential flaw of this movie, at least in my opinion, is that we never really know much about the characters or why they are the way they are. In other words, there's not much in the way of character development or backstory. For example, we know that Snake is sullen, embittered and in general concerned for nothing but his own self-preservation (though occasionally flashes of humanity do show and when it comes down to it, he does the right thing). But why?

I've read that Mike McQuay's novelization of the movie sketches out some history for Snake's character (and for the characters of Hauk, Brain, Maggie, Cabbie and the President as well). It would have been nice to see some of that in the film, with subplots, flashbacks, etc. It would've made the story richer.

But, regardless, what is there is great stuff. The cynicism and one-liners will bring a wry smile to your face, especially when they come from good old snarling Snake. Check it out.

Snake Plissken; Add Him To Your List of Movie Heroes
There's always something bizarre, in a very cool way, about watching a futuristic movie set in a year we've already passed. It's very eerie. Released in 1981, "Escape From New York" opens to explain that in 1988, Manhattan Island was transformed into a Maximum Security Prison, surrounded by a massive wall from every angle; guarded by police, with landmines at every exit route. The film is set in 1997, when terrorists bring down Air Force One, president and all, right into the heart of the forbidden island. Luckily, the president has survived thanks to his escape pod, and a rescue team is immediately dispatched in an effort to retrieve him and his special cargo. The president carries with him a cassette tape (very futuristic, eh?) of recorded information that could bring peace to the currently warring nations, but the time left with which to use it in is short. The rescue team finds the escape pod empty, and is soon approached by a loony prisoner with a grim message. The president has been taken captive by the A-Number One inmate of Manhattan Island, The Duke of New York. This is a job for... SNAKE PLISSKEN!

Yes, Snake Plissken: war hero; the youngest man ever to be decorated by the president; and recently, bank robber. Before being condemned to join the other inmates of Manhattan Island, Snake is made an offer. Go in, come back with the president and the tape before the clock runs out, and get a full pardon. But to sweeten the deal, another card is played. Snake is injected with two tiny capsules into his bloodstream. If he doesn't make it back in time to have the capsules neutralized, they will explode and rupture his arteries, killing him immediately. The only thing Snake really cares about anymore is himself, so now he has no choice. He must fly a glider into the heart of the city, locate the president and his tape, and together, they must escape from New York!

John Carpenter creates another masterpiece with "Escape From New York." The city is turned into a truly intimidating, downright frightening environment, with every kind of crazy one could think of. Kurt Russel as Snake Plissken, creates one more of those wonderful iconic anti-heroes the likes of Bruce Campbell's Ash and Rowdy Roddy Piper's Nada; self-serving, gruff, and full of great one-liners, but always doing the right thing when it comes down to it. The always fun Ernest Borgnine is great as Cabbie, Harry Dean Stanton is perfect as Brain, and Donald Pleasance and Isaac Hayes are also well cast, as was the entire film. Carpenter's usually haunting music runs throughout, and the adventure and action is non-stop. A must have for all fans of the sci-fi anti-hero genre and apocalyptic future films. Sorry I can't comment on the Special Edition DVD, but I currently only have the bare bones edition. It sounds great though, and I definitely want to get it. Mine does include the theatrical trailer though, and it's very cool. Love those creepy theatrical trailers for sci-fi films of the late 70s and early 80s. "Escape From New York" was followed by a sequel in 1996, "Escape From L.A." Some (maybe most) may find the sequel overly campy, with too many special effects and too much comedy. I have to confess that I slightly prefer L.A., probably for those very reasons. I'm not huge on camp, but it seemed to work well with the material. The plot was fairly similar though, and both movies have GREAT twist endings.

One of the most important films in my life
Carpenter's 2nd best. The fact that I'm a loser who does nothing but sit in a room all day and watch movies all day and has no friends and dreams of making movies of his own some day. This is the 2nd most inspiring movie in my life No.1 is Halloween. No 3. is Ghostbusters No 4. is The Thing. and No. 5 is Big Trouble In Little China. I'm not really sure what to say because words can't explain how much I love this movie but I wiil say this Incredible movie very ahead of it's time amazing story, amazing cast including western legends Lee Van Cleef and Ernest Borgnine and my favorite actor of all time Donald Pleasence, Amazing photography by Dean Cundey who I think is the best of all time, the best character of all time (besides Michael Myers) Snake Plissken, best Director of all time and I really really mean that, very funny ending just amazing and believe me I really really mean that too. I will Never forget it. Well I'm gonna go watch some more movies I'm thinking about watching Prince Of Darkness or maybe Halloween 4 The Return of Michael Myers well so long. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Don't get involved with things you don't understand
"Serpent and the Rainbow" is a classic horror voodoo flick with a good dose of intrigue and mystery to keep the viewer guessing. Perhaps the highlight is Zakes Mokae brillant performance as the evil voodoo high priest Dr. Peytraud. He steals each and every scene that he's in. Bill Pullman is passable as the naive doctor searching Haiti for a magic drug that turns humans into zombies. With any Wes Craven film, there are plenty of spooky "dream" sequences were the lines between reality and the sub-conscious become blurred. This film should not serve as an introduction to the practices of voodoo, possession or zombies but just as a fun, scary film that should remind many of the B-movies of the 50's.

The World of Black Magic
An interesting, yet far-fetched tale of black magic and political upheaval during the final days of the regime of Haiti's dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier is entertaining fare for any horror fan. An anthropologist (Pullman) is sent to Haiti to investigate the mystery of that country's zombies. There he gets himself involved in the chaos that erupts in the world's oldest black republic in addition to discovering a world of black magic that brings him more trouble than he expects.

Directed by horror-king Wes Craven ("Scream"; "Nightmare on Elm Street"), the "Serpent and The Rainbow," is partially based on the novel by the same title by anthropologist Wade Davis. Unlike his book, the film moves away from the books central theme and into a horror movie only Hollywood could create. Although, a reviewer from the neighboring Dominican Republic says that he totally agrees with the voodoo theme of the film, he probably has read or done his research in understanding the complexity of Haitian spiritualism. Due to both countries ongoing strife with one another, I would ignore such comments if I were a newcomer to the topic, and read the book before watching this film.

Having very scary scenes, including a live burial, and a final battle with a the head voodoo master was great, but the film lacks the authencity of a true story converted into a horror film (e.g. "Amityville Horror"). Regardless, this is a good film if you want to take a glimpse of poverty-stricken Haiti and the severity of race and politics on the western end of Hispaniola.

Great, except for the ending.
This is a well-crafted thriller. It weaves together everything from Amazonian shamans and ayahuasca dream-visions to Haitian voodoo rituals into a ripping yarn that follows the explorations of a Harvard anthropologist in search of the next great medical breakthrough. Retained by a medical conglomerate, he ventures to Haiti to find the secret of zombification. He finds it alright, together with a host of creepy characters and a sexy native doctor. The acting is altogether first-rate. Not a weak performance in the lot (though Bill Pullman is not the best of the group).

It's visually fascinating, engrossing, and just enough grounded in reality ... until an ending that is both rushed and almost comical. I don't to ruin it, and you really should watch it--if for no other reason than to speculate about how you might have ended the movie.

Surprisingly Excellent Creepy Drama/Horror
Though not nearly as famous as "Scream" or "Nightmare on Elm Street", this is possibly Craven's best film. It isn't a terrifying movie but is a spooky film with a smart, well written story. This is one of Bill Pullman's earliest roles (first time I'd seen him) and he does a great job as a scientist sent to Haiti by a pharmaceutical firm to research the medicinal potential of a mysterious powder known to plunge people into a temporary deathlike state. The story effectively touches many different topics (life under the Duvalier regime, profiteering drug companies, religion, the supernatural...) without overdoing any of them. This is a diamond in the rough. You'll get more enjoyment out of it than you expect. Always a nice situation.

Great Craven romp
Making an attempt to legitimize a horror film, Wes Craven adapted the best selling true life account by Wade Davis into this creepy horror romp. When a Harvard researcher (Bill Pullman) travels to Haiti to find a mysterious voodoo powder which can put anyone whom it is given to in a state of perpetual death, he gets way, way in over his head as he tries to uncover the mysteries behind the black magic. Craven manages to play with the viewer's psychological fears (including arachnophobia and claustrophobia as Pullman is buried alive with a huge tarantula crawling all over him) while inducing a few visceral thrills as well, but The Serpent & The Rainbow is definitely one of Craven's best films thanks to the realistic touch given to the film and Pullman's superb performance. Just like Universal's recent horror DVD re-releases, The Serpent & The Rainbow is devoid of any extras whatsoever, not even a trailer. ... 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

Description

Dr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman) is a psychiatrist with a firm understanding of human nature-or so she thinks. When the mysterious Dr. Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck) becomes the new chief of staff at her institution, the bookish and detached Constance plummets into a whirlwind of tangled identities and feverish psychoanalysis, where the greatest risk is to fall in love. A transcendent love story replete with taut excitement and startling imagery, Spellbound is classic Hitchcock, featuring stunning performances, an Academy Award(r)-winning score by Miklos Rozsa, and a captivating dream sequence by Surrealist icon Salvador Dali. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Psychoanalysis
Dr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman) is a psychiatrist, who thinks she has a firm understanding of human nature, that is until she meets Dr. Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck). He has just become the chief of staff, at the institution, where they both work. As one might expect, the 2 fall in love. but all is not as it seems...For each is hiding a secret.

Direected by Alfred Hitchcock, SPELLBOUND, like the "Master's" later film, MARNIE, this movie concentrates more on the human drama aspects of the story. The film is not a thriller per se` The end result gets bogged down by too much psychobable at times. That said though, I still admire the film, thanks to (the lovely and radiant) Bergman and Peck. Even though some of the dialogue is now dated, the pair gives solid peformances. The movie also boasts an Oscar winning score by composer Miklos Rozsa and memorable dream sequence, created by icon Salvador Dali

The Criterion Collection DVD contains some fine extras. Hitchcock scholar Marian Keane provides another good commentary, as she has in the past, with other Hitchcock Criterion DVDs. There's an illustrated essay on Dali's dream sequence. One of the best supplements on the disc is the '73 radio interview with composer Rozsa, really rare stuff. Speaking of radio, the disc also boasts, the complete 1948 LUX radio adaptation. Additional essays on the director, an exhaustive photo and publicity gallery, and the theatrical trailer, top off the extras on the disc. The look of the film has never been better...

SPELLBOUND may not be among my favorites from Hitchcock, but I still think it's worth your time, as a film, and the rare extras can't be beat. Recommended with *** and a half stars

Spellbound is Unforgetable....DVD is Superb
This review refers to the Anchor Bay release of the "Spellbound" DVD....

Anchor Bay has done it again. This 1945 classic directed by Alfred Hitchcock, was beautifully transfered onto this DVD. The black and white images are sharp, crisp, and clear. Barely a sign of this film's age. The sound remastered in Dolby Dig 2.0 is great. If you're a fan of this film, you'll be thrilled at how good it looks.

Haven't seen it yet, but love Hitch, or maybe it's been a while since you have?....Here's a little of this riveting story.....
The beautiful Ingrid Bergman plays the distant psychiatrist Dr. Constance Petersen. She treats a number of troubled patients at the Green Manors Mental Asylum, but her toughest case is yet to come. With Dr. Murchison(Leo G Carroll) being forced into retirement a new chief of staff will be arriving. It is the esteemed Dr Edwards(Gregory Peck)who takes over. It is not long before Edwards and Constance find themselves attracted to one another, and it is not long before Constance figures out that Edwards is not really who he says he is. He displays signs of paranoia and amnesia and it is possible that he murdered the real Dr. Edwards.They are on the run to try to solve the case but as the original theatrical poster says,"Will he Kiss me or Kill me?"(The DVD comes with a mini version of this poster).

You'll be awed Hitch's definitive style of camera angles, shadow and lights, romance and a unique dream sequence designed by Salavdor Dali. Not to mention all the wonderful talent that graces this film. Bergman and Peck make screen magic together, Carroll is a legend and this film shows us why.Also starring is Rhonda Flemming,Michael Chekhov, and Wallace Ford. The music by Miklos Rozsa also adds greatly to the building tension, and romantic scenes in the story.

Looking for Hitch: About :40 minutes in, you may see him if you're quick!

It never ceases to amaze me that we are lucky enough to be able to see these great classics as they were first seen and with the added treat of the origianl theatrical Overture.(I will be adding this one to my listmania of "Old Movies That Look Great on DVD") Now, if you are looking for special features, this DVD does not have any, there is another version by Criterion that offers more in the way of extras,although quite a bit more expensive.(Criterion also does great transfers)Which ever you choose, this a a must have for fans of Hitch, Bergman or Peck.

So don't worry about trying to over anaylze this one....As Hitch himself said "It's just a movie." But a GREAT one! So enjoy!......

Ingrid Bergman In The First Of Her Classic Hitchcock Roles
The words "Directed by Alfred Hitchcock", in the opening credits always alerts me to the fact that I am possibly about to see something special up on the screen no matter what the genre. This legendary director put his stamp on a large number of classic films such as "Rebecca", "Notorious",and "Rear Window". With "Spellbound", Hitchcock made cinematic history by beginning his successful collaboration with favourite leading lady Ingrid Bergman that also produced the classic "Notorious", co starring Cary Grant. Ingrid Bergman here has a most challenging vehicle as a dedicated psychiatrist who through psychoanalysis attempts to uncover the dark secret life of an amnesia victim that possibly involves murder. Bergman here shows what total emersion into a character can do for the conviction of a story and the results are most satisfying in what was to become one of her many fondly remembered roles by fans and critics alike.

The action begins at Green Manors Psychiatric Sanitarium where there is a change occuring in the head personnel with the "retirement", of facility head Dr Murchison (Leo G. Carroll), after a bout of illness. His replacement a Dr. Anthony Edwardes is due to arrive shortly and in the meantime we are introduced to young psychiatrist Dr. Constance Peterson, (Ingrid Bergman), an all business enthusiast of psychoanalysis totally dedicated to her job. When Dr. Edwardes arrives however all is not well and not only does he appear to be far too young for such an important role but he has a number of "spells", where his own mental health is called into question. Constance finds herself experiencing an immediate attraction to this strange young man who before long she realises is not actually Dr. Edwardes but an amnesia sufferer who harbours a severe guilt complex about something unexplained that occured in his past. When complications start to arise and "JB", as he now calls himself is accused of the murder of the real Dr. Edwardes he quickly leaves the sanitarium and hides out in a New York Hotel. Convinced of his innocence Constance follows him to New York and together they try via psychoanalysis to get to the root of JB's problems and find out actually who he is. Pursued now by the police who also are also searching out Constance as an accessory, JB and Constance then travel to see her old University mentor Dr. Alex Brulov (Michael Chekhov). Alex discovers the truth about JB's real condition and feels that he might have been capable of murder all along. Constance is firm in her belief of his innocence however and after travelling to a ski resort JB starts to recall his past and what happened to cause him to loose his memory. It seems his severe guilt complex was over the accidental death of his young brother for which he has always blamed himself. It is revealed that Dr. Edwardes actually died on the ski slope which caused JB to assume the blame for his death. With a clearer picture now JB and Constance work to trace the real murderer. The police however apprehend JB leaving it up to Constance to prove his innocence. The clues lead Constance back to the Green Manors where Dr. Murchison has resumed his former position. A slip of his tongue where he states to Constance that he thought the real Dr. Edwardes was a horrid man when earlier he stated he had never met him alerts Constance to who the real murderer is and in a fateful confrontation the real truth and its tragic consequences all come out. The bright aspect of this conclusion of the situation is that "JB", learns his real name, "John Ballantine", and is freed of any suspicion in Dr. Edwardes' death. He and Constance also can then plan a future together now that he is cured of his earlier amnesia.

Despite the dated medical practices that make up the core of the action in "Spellbound", the uniformily fine acting performances by the cast make this film a memorable viewing experience. Ingrid Bergman was in the middle of her extraordinary run of critical and box office success as possibly the freshest performer in Hollywood at this time and she had her choice of a dazzling array of leading men eager to work with her. Gregory Peck only teamed with her the once and despite his relative inexperience with film at this time, despite being nominated for an Oscar for "Keys of the Kingdom", he already shows the mettle that would make him one of Hollywood's most enduring leading men. A favourite character actor of mine, Leo G. Carroll long associated with pedantic, fussy men in his film roles had one of his best roles here as Dr. Murchison who features prominently in the unexpected thrilling finale to "Spellbound". He teams particulary well with Ingrid Bergman and their nail biting climatic scene at the film's conclusion has become a classic. Hitchcock used a number of quite innovative practices to make "Spellbound", a creative and for the times quite thought provoking work of cinema. Boasting an Oscar winning musical score by Miklos Rozsa, the film is also justly famous for the elaborate dream sequence designed by the legendary Salvador Dali. Originally much longer and surreal than as it appears on screen now, it was cut in length due to Studio pressure so as to not "alienate", the average audience. Its rich expressionist symbolism however creates a marvellous illustration in showing Gregory Peck's characters search for the truth about his past. Also the famous colour gun shot at the gripping conclusion in an otherwise black and white production helps create another not expected element in the story.

Viewed today "Spellbound", might not be considered the best work in Alfred Hitchcock's acclaimed body of work however it provides interesting asides into the then fashionable world of psychanalysis and its benefits to those suffering guilt complexes and associated memory losses. Despite its dated elements that are very obvious with the passage of time and advances in medical practices "Spellbound", I feel justly takes its place as one of David O. Selznick's more thoughtful productions from this time and is still best remembered as one of the jewels in the crown of Ingrid Bergman's career in the early 1940's. Enjoy

Timeless Classic
What's remarkable about "Spellbound"--aside from wonderful performances by stars Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck--is that despite its foundation in psychology for plot, it never devolves into the dark, pretentious psychobabble of contemporary films. Instead, the framework of a brilliant man (Peck) suffering from amnesia that results from a murder he may have committed is just that--a framework for what is essentially a mystery-love story. And it works because of Alfred Hitchcock's dream-like direction and the chemistry of its eminently watchable stars. Less film noir and more expressionism, the film delights in a terrific atmosphere of the strange, including a brief but interesting animated sequence by Salvador Dali. Nonetheless, the main characters are always warm and sympathetic. Add Miklos Rosza's elegant score (which will remind some viewers of his work 30 years later on "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes") and the result is an often overlooked masterpiece from an era of great films.

Extremely sacrilegious review...
First things first: I am not a Hitchcock fan, fanatic, or devotee. The only film I like by him, after seeing quite a few, is Frenzy, a lesser known work from the early 70s.

Why is that?

Let's take Spellbound, the film here reviewed. Hitchcock is famous for romantic suspense; there are quite a few examples of his work in this category, and Spellbound is one of the most flagrant. I say "flagrant" because he delights in working with actors who can provide emotional overheat, supposedly signifying passion. When Ingrid Bergman as psychoanalyst Constance Peterson is worried about her lover, John Brown (nee Ballantine), played by Gregory Peck, she rants and cries and throws herself around. When Gregory Peck remembers something about his past, his face becomes completely zomboid and he subsequently spouts emotionally overheated dialogue, making absolutely sure the viewer knows he is upset about what he's experiencing.

Hitchock may have believed in "MacGuffins", but he did nothing to hide this bombast from the audience. Anyone seeking subtlety and real depth--i.e., intelligence--in the portrayal of human behavior won't find it watching a Hitchock film.

Additionally, he's not only not above using stereotypes, he often loves them, because they convey what he really wants to convey--his fulfillment of what he believe the audience EXPECTS to see and hear. Thus, in Spellbound, for example, he has a wise old psychoanalyst, Bergman's mentor, who proffers sagely advice. This is a character the audience can relax with, and the principal reason for that is that they, the audience, EXPECT this character to deliver certain lines and that's excatly what he does.

Hitchock was an arch conservative who may have been innovative in cinematic technique from time to time, but storywise, took no chances. Spellbound, like most of his films, today seems dated, even coy, because the actors are enacting what really amounts to an emotional tableau--a series of set pieces designed to elicit intensity of feeling by providing them, the actors, with dialogue and related behavior attempting to force the audience to experience simple responses. This simple-minded approach to film making is, in fact, an insult to intelligence.

While much has been made of the Dali-inspired dream sequence, it counts for little here, because it is used for show only. Once presented, its analysis is piecemeal, which is all very well and good, but its detail is discarded. That is, the care and precision that went into creating the sequence itself is essentially thrown out in favor of, yet again, a simple-minded subsequent "analysis" that disregards any real discussion of its bizarre-ness and instead focuses on its basics. One might argue that this is necessary to prevent audience loss of interest, but the converse of this arguement is, as I would maintain, an approach to filmmaking that refuses to really investigate human behavior but only scratch the surface.

This being the case, it appears that Hitchcock is really afraid that he will not appeal to the common man if he makes a film that provides the viewer an opportunity to think with his heart, or feel with his head. Instead what we have, in Spellbound as in most of his films, is a work that revels in overkill to insure that the "message" is not lost.

While Spellbound's message, like that of many films, is that love conquers all, the manner of its presentation is much too simplistic and overwrought to make this an interesting film today. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Best romantic comedy
(...)This is a wonderful movie!

Carole Lombard gives a brilliant, elegant & understated performance in this film. It is often overlooked for her more over-the-top roles such as Mildred Plotkin in "Twentieth Century" or Maria Tura in "To Be or Not To Be". Watch her facial expressions carefully, especially in the hallway scene on the way to the bedroom - -"Get goin' Annie". But enough boring analytics. Why should you watch this film?

1)Robert Montegomery & Carole Lombard have unbelievable sexual chemistry in this film.
2)If you've ever been in a relationship (...) you will get a good laugh out of this movie. It shows up both men & women and their foibles but in light-hearted way.
3)Robert Montegomery is hilarious as a manly, capable, sexy & yet hen-pecked husband.
4)It has a politically incorrect ending but it is still funny and very sexy.

So if you enjoy a good romantic comedy like me and are fed up with the trash Hollywood has been putting out lately (bad acting, bad scripts, lots of sex & NO sex appeal), ignore the stodgy Hitchcock fans (remember the word fan originates from fanatic), feminists and other assorted dour & unromantic poops and watch this film. By the way, why is this movie not out on DVD?

Not a Typical Hitchcock, but His Trademarks are Still There!
Hitchcock was "The Master of Suspense." His films were famous for combining action, big stars, Bernard Herrmann music, suspense, and even traces of wry and subtle humor. However, in his long career, Alfred Hitchcock only made two films that can be classified as total comedy. One was 1955s The Trouble With Harry, which was a black comedy, but still definitely a COMEDY. His only other comedy, he made 15 years prior to this, in 1940. He made the film as a favor to a friend of his. That friend was Carole Lombard, the undoubted Queen of Screwball Comedy. She had read the script and fallen in love with it, yet she couldn't find a director, so Alfred Hitchcock agreed to do it for her. The film was Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and it starred such comic legends as Carole Lombard, Robert Montgomery, Gene Raymond, and a young Jack Carson.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith is the story of a bickering, but non-the-less happily married couple. In the films hilarious opening scene, the Smiths are locked in their bedroom. It seems that they have a set of rules they follow each time they get into a quarrel. They lock themselves in their room and do not come out until the fight is solved. One time, they stayed in the room for 8 days. When they finally solve the dispute, they sit down for breakfast, where they are as happy and as "in love" as ever, but rule number 7 permits Mrs. Smith to ask Mr. Smith a question, and she asks him, "If you had to do it over again, would you have married me?" He tells her how much he loves her and how happy he is, but he concludes by saying that married life is too much for him, and that if he had the chance, he wouldn't have married her. At first a little disappointed, Mr. Smith soon comes to see that her husband really does love her, and he goes to work happy, and she blissfully starts the chores.

Unfortunately, a man comes to Mr. Smith's office and informs him that because of the fact of "the town is across the river and is in one county and has been considered in another county, but the other county isn't in the state" that Mr. David Smith and Mrs. Ann Smith aren't legally married. The laughter and humor keep rising after he is kicked out of the apartment and has to live in a local men¡Çs' club. Each gets a temporary partner and after a hilarious restaurant scene, a crowd of three is off for a weekend in the county in the uplifting conclusion of Hitchcock¡Çs classic Screwball Comedy.

Marvelously scripted with beautiful and flawless performances by all the cast, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a breathtaking and fast paced classic. Although not typical Hitchcock, his traces are still evident. There are small incidents of suspense, a small chase scene in a department store, a stalled Parachute Jump in the rain at the World¡Çs Fair, and some great chemistry and rapport between the stars on the screen. If Carole had not died tragically a few years later, in 1942, I would not have been surprised if Lombard and Montgomery had made more films together. Looking at them here, how can one have doubt as to how successful they would have been?

When is the DVD going to come out!
I wish that this movie would come out on DVD soon. It is a wonderful comedy filled with humor and action. It is truly a wonderful movie to see if you are looking for a really good classic, but like other Hitchcock films, this movie is a comedy, not a thriller. So, if you are looking for a mystery by Hitchcock, don't pick this one. Hitchcock has a great sense of humor when he created this spectacular classic. If there is a DVD, (which I hope) I hope there are great special features. If you are looking for a great film to make you laugh, Go see this one!

Extremely Funny!
This is a funny movie! It should be put on DVD. If you are expecting a mystery from Hitchcock, this is not the movie to see, but if you are looking for a funny and entertaining film, this is a great one. I recommend this to everyone. Go see it.

Hitchcock Does Comedy!
Alfred Hitchcock has always shown sly humor even in his darkest moves. This 1941 black and white comedy shows what he can do with obvious comedy as well. Mr. (David) and Mrs. (Ann) Smith are a well off couple who find that they are not legally married. When David (Robert Montgomery) is given this information, does he tell his wife? No way. Instead he chooses to toy with her first. Unfortunately, Ann (beautiful and talented Carol Lombard) and her mother have received the same information. Ann's mother makes her promise that as an unmarried woman she won't ---?!. 'Of course not' she promises. Later, Ann and David talk on the telephone, she asks about his day, he does not mention their invalid marriage but he does tell her that they are going to what used to be their favorite restaurant. As David is talking, he writes "Mrs.", crosses it off and replaces it with "Mistress" then smiles. This unshared knowledge starts a wonderful, sexy cat and mouse game between Lombard and Montgomery. The getting ready for bed scene is just super. Gene Raymond as Jeff Custer, David's friend and law partner is full of southern charm and is wonderfully sly as he double crosses David. Jack Carson as the hard drinking womanizing club friend Chuck, who helps to land Montgomery in more hot water than he is already in, is perfect for this role. One of my favorite scenes is the hilarious 'restaurant' scene where Montgomery and Carson are on dates with two of Carson's lady friends. Watch Montgomery's face as he desperately tries to make his nose bleed. It's our loss that they don't make sophisticated screwball comedy like this any more. (~.~) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of Wes Craven's more recent major studio work (the Scream series) may be put off by the low-budget griminess of his sophomore feature, The Hills Have Eyes, but the director's longtime supporters and aficionados of '70s horror will be riveted by this unsettling culture clash fable. Originally titled Blood Relations, Hills strands a suburban family (which includes E.T.'s Dee Wallace Stone and future documentarian Robert Houston) in the desert and pits them against a clan of inbred cannibals. The resourceful killer brood quickly decimates the outsiders' numbers, forcing the survivors to fight back with equally savage means. Like Craven's debut, Last House on the Left, Hills is a relentlessly tense film which demolishes numerous societal taboos (fratricide and infant kidnapping, for starters), but it also delivers a powerful subtext about family and the fine line between civilization and animal behavior amidst the mayhem. Highly recommended for Craven completists and fans of no-holds-barred horror. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Anchor Bay delivers a great print of a classic film.
Firstly, I will begin by admitting that prior to owning this two disc set, I had watched THE HILLS HAVE EYES a multitude of times and just never appreciated it. The old VHS prints were just too darn dark at times making the action on screen very difficult to decipher. This DVD rectifies this problem with a near flawless print and I can finally see what all the fuss is about. Undeniably this is a great seventies horror film and a close relative to Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre in style and content.
The story is quite simple: some city folk on their way to California detour through the desert, crash their vehicle and are set upon by a murderous clan of cannibals. The result is truly Darwinian survival of the fittest as the civilized family must resort to murder and babarism to survive. This theme being a recurrent one in Wes Craven's films that the potential for violence lurks within all of us. The acting is quite good especially Michael Berryman as the bald headed cannibal Pluto and Janus Blythe as the reluctant cannibal protagonist Ruby.
This film is much more watchable than Craven's previous film, the horrific and sadistic Last House On The Left whose over the top cruelty made it an uncomfortable viewing experience. This film is very enjoyable and gets better with repeated viewings.
The extras shine also, especially the fascinating sixty minute documentary Looking Back on The Hills Have Eyes, full of anecdotes and reminiscing by the cast and director, this is a fabulous supplement.
Anchor Bay should be commended for this awesome DVD, now if only they would release Craven's follow up: the early Sharon Stone film, Deadly Blessing(1981).

Before SCREAM, before ELM STREET there were THE HILLS...
The editorial review for this film says HILLS HAVE EYES is "highly recommended for Craven completists"- which again causes me to ask: When the heck can NZer's get to legally see LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT?, especially with the much anticipated FREDDY VS JASON coming soon (to NZ) which sees LHOTL's Writer/ Director Wes Craven (ironically, a former Professor of Humanitarian Studies) & Producer Sean Cunningham's famous characters going one on one- isn't that a sure sign for LHOTL to be reclassified R18? OK, enough of my liberal rambling & on to the review.
Wes's next cult hit (which he also wrote) was THE HILLS HAVE EYES, which has to be one of the scariest movies I've seen. Bar none. It's not technically brilliant or anything, but in terms of the scare factor HILLS is up there with the best of 'em.
The premise is pretty basic: The Carter family are heading away on vacation when their car & trailer are run off the road in the desert when swerving to avoid hitting a cute little bunny rabbit. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, little do the Carters know they are being watched by a redneck cannibal with a walkie talkie, who memorably & menacingly purrs into the radio: "They's done gooooood! Easy pickin's now!" No more cornbread an' buttermilk for these yokels no mo'! Yee haw! To celebrate; the Entree on their menu is Beauty, the family dawg.
With their car temorarily out of order, Fred Carter (John Steadman) an ex-cop who served 25 years on the Force; & son Doug set off to on the long trek to get help, leaving the rest of the family behind at the mercy of the cannibals.
When Fred reaches the township, he meets an old man who recounts the tale of his wife giving birth years ago to a baby boy who "was ten pounds & hairy as a monkey". Fred learns that Junior's leisure pursuits extended to killing dogs, biting off chickens heads & burning down the family house. So the old man did what had to be down: he bashed in the mutant's face with a tyre iron & left it in the middle of the desert to die. Junior survived & met a lovely hairy cannibal girl & soon there was a whole family of mutant cannibals roaming the desert, among them mama Ruby (Janus Blythe), Mercury (Arthur King) & of course who could forget Pluto? (played by cult fave Michael Berryman). Must've seemed like a good idea at the time.
Now Pappy's scared that "the devil boy's grown up to be a devil man". Then as soon as he finishes speaking, a cannibal conviently leaps through the window & stabs him to death....
Meanwhile the rest of the family find themselves fighting for their lives & a bad situation gets even worse when the mutants kidnap their baby with the intention of eating it. But I won't elaborate any further because that will just spoil everything.
Craven has made a geniunely frightening movie which is not for all tastes, with subject matter including numerous taboos like cannibalism, incest & infanticide; but in my opinion that's what makes the film all the more terrifying. THE HILLS HAVE EYES is a must-see for horror fans; though people of a nervous disposition are advised to pass on this one. Try and avoid the sequel, best categorized as a lesser remake which is mainly just comprised of flashback footage from #1 and was probably only released in 1985 (after being shelved for two years) to cash in on the success of ELM ST. Proof that you (usually) can't beat the original.

Boring
I watched this movie for 20 minutes until I turned it off. It was boring and going nowhere. The characters were uninteresting and the movie took too long to set up. I'm glad I didn't waste money to rent this.

a horror masterpiece
This is one of the best horror films I have ever seen.The plot is simple:modern family on vacation vs.inbred family cannibals looking for a meal. hills have eyes screams "made in the 70's" so expect that vibe when you watch.It has plenty of violence,a little blood,a little gore(cannibals,Hello?)but most importantly it has buckets of dread @ intensity.

They may have eyes...but are they blind...
lol i crack myself up! anyways--yea i rented this from blockbuster not really knowing what to expect, and i get it home and i find myself in the same situation as I did in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 77', except this was a little more...fun i guess...it made me jump a lot more, even tho the acting wasnt the greatest, neither was the score...or the quality of the picture...or the story line...eh it was a middle of the road video....the 2nd disc sucks too...hardly any features...not enough to make a 2nd disc...and the ending...both alternate and orginal, werent the greatest...the movie doesnt really have an ending..it just...stops...and i said to myself "wow this is the worst ending i've ever seen" but what do you expect from a low budget 70s horror movie...if youre expecting titanic...youre gonna be disappointed, but if youre in for a semi scary good time....this will blow your skirt up ... Read more

Reviews (90)

Rope
"Rope"

For it's time Alfred Hitchcock's suspense film, "Rope" was a masterpiece in it's own right, this is true today as well. The movie brings together elements of suspense of how it feels to commit a horrendous crime along with the excitement of getting away with it. Or so "Brandon" (played by John Dall) and his unwilling assistant "Philip" (played by Farley Granger) think. The two friends commit this crime because they want to prove that they have the intellectual capability to commit the perfect murder. This mind set was shared by their former prep school teacher "Rupert" (played by James Stewart). The difference between Rupert and his apprentices is his ultimate inability to act upon these extreme principals. Brandon and Philip mastermind the plot to kill a mutual friend, David in the opening scene of this film. To add to their "amusement" they hide the dead body in a trunk in the room where a party is later held for Mr. Kentley, David's father. Brandon and Philip also decided to serve the dinner from the chest where the body is hidden. Throughout the entire party the father and other acquaintances are wondering where David is and are concerned that something has happened to him. All the while Brandon is keeping his cool playing along with keeping the murder a secret perfectly. This cannot be said for Philip however. He has been sweating bullets since the guests have arrived to the party.
The technology of this film is not up to present-day standards. The aspect of the film is not particularly to my liking; however Hitchcock uses may other aspects of film making to his advantage. His use of music in the opening scene sets a gloomy mood immediately and makes you suspect that something bad is going to happen or already has happened. Towards the end when Philip is playing the piano and making many mistakes, something he never does also helps set a certain mood that Brandon and Philip are getting closer and closer to being caught by Stewart. Though this film is set in one main room, Hitchcock uses is continuous shot method of camera work to get a sense of what the characters are thinking or feeling. Granger does a wonderful job of playing the unwilling participant in this film. He is constantly fidgeting and sweating with anticipation and worry, while Dall remains calm and collected he unsuccessfully tries to settle Granger down throughout the film until the very end. All the guests seem to be ignorant of anything being wrong except for Rupert. As Rupert plays the character with a remarkable curiosity he is always wondering why Philip is acting so upset and worried. Rupert does a wonderful job at wearing Brandon and Philip down to the breaking point.
While "Rope" may not be the technological masterpiece of present day films, it is very well crafted and stands the test of time to remain on of the greatest suspense films of all time. Who would expect anything less than that from Alfred Hitchcock?

Another techincal and dramatic masterpiece by Hitchcock
Rope is an amazing, amazing film. Don't miss it. It may seem a bit slow for some, but Hitchcock enthusiasts will love it. James Stewart is a bit miscast for Rupert Cadell (he looks a little young), but his performance is as memorable as always. John Dall does well as the psychotic murderer with theories of superiority, but his stutter becomes a bit frustrating. Philip (Farley Granger)does well as the slowly maddening co-murderer (if i may call it that) of David, becoming overridden by guilt during the course of the party. I've heard this film is loosely based on the Leoplad and Loeb murders and adapted from a play. THIS MOVIE MUST BE WATCHED SEVERAL TIMES TO NOTICE THE SUBTLE BLACK HUMOR BETWEEN THE GUESTS OF THE PARTY. HITCHCOCK'S TELLTALE SYMBOL CAN BE SEEN IN A NIGHT SCENE IN A NEON SIGN THROUGH THE WINDOW.

Measure your words carefully. They may be taken seriously

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: May 23, 1995

Cast:

James Stewart ... Rupert Cadell
John Dall ... Brandon Shaw
Farley Granger ... Phillip Morgan
Cedric Hardwicke ... Mr. Kentley
Constance Collier ... Mrs. Atwater
Douglas Dick ... Kenneth Lawrence
Edith Evanson ... Mrs. Wilson
Dick Hogan ... David Kentley
Joan Chandler ... Janet Walker
Alfred Hitchcock ... Man walking in street after opening credits
The Three Suns ... Group cast appearance (radio sequence)

Two young men decide to kill a friend for kicks. ala Leopold and Loeb, because one of them, Brandon Shaw (John Dall) thinks he is a superior human being, and above the rules, and the victim is inferior and therefore fair game. He quotes a former professor, Rupert Cadell (James Stewart) who has verbalized such a proposition in class.

They do, indeed, strangle the other young man, David Kentley (Dick Hogan), place his body in a trunk, and then throw a party to which they invite Bentley's parents, his girl friend, Prof. Cadell and others, and serve food and drinks from the trunk in which the body lies. Cadell, a bright man, realizes that something funny is going on and investigates.

This is an entertaining movie. Hitchcock. the director, admitted that he made the film on a lark, and that it was not a serious endeavor, but given his genius it came out very well anyway. It rates 4 stars with me, at least.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

"I Hope You Like What You See!" -- (You Will, Via This DVD!)
"Rope" debuted in theaters in August of 1948, and represented the first movie shot in COLOR by Director Alfred Hitchcock.

James Stewart, Farley Granger, and John Dall are the stars here, with Stewart (as always) giving a flawless, effortless-looking performance. I really liked all the character portrayals in this film. Murderers Granger and Dall exhibit just the right mix of "Will we get caught?" angst and the cockiness and sheer gall of those that murder simply for the sport of it.

Although not one of the "higher profile" Alfred Hitchcock entries, I think "Rope" is, in fact, one of his better films. It's certainly unique, style-wise, being filmed in ten-minute, continuous takes, giving it a "seamless" uninterrupted look.

There has been much talk about the supposed "homosexual overtones" between the two murderers in "Rope". Now while I know this to be the director's intention, if I hadn't read about it after seeing the movie, I would never have thought those two male characters were supposed to be homosexual. In my view, *nothing* that is said or done in the film particularly points to this conclusion. I suppose it's designed to be there, but "just beneath the surface". But, I looked at the two killers as merely being close friends. I don't really know why the sexual orientation subject even has to enter into it. And, really, it *doesn't*.

"Rope" is unique in another fashion as well -- Hitchcock's "cameo". Unique because we get not one, but TWO, "Hitch" cameos in this picture. Right after the opening credits, we see Alfred walking on the sidewalk below. With cameo appearance #2 (which was originally intended to be his lone cameo) coming 55 minutes into the fairly-short 80-minute film. This second cameo is not of Hitchcock "in the flesh". Instead, the director inserted the image of a flashing neon sign outside one of the windows of the apartment. This sign depicts the famous Hitchcock "profile". A very inventive cameo indeed (rivaling his "newspaper" appearance in "Lifeboat" for the most creative, IMO).

As with a much-later Hitchcock picture, "The Birds", "Rope" has no music score to aid the story and move it along (save the opening theme music and the piano-playing of Farley Granger's character). An entire movie void of music is something that I don't imagine too many directors could pull off. But Hitchcock, in "Rope" and "The Birds" (which was fifteen years later), did it quite successfully.

This Universal single-disc DVD offers up a fine-looking and very clear Full Frame picture (1.33:1 aspect ratio). Colors do look a tad dated, though. But, overall, "Rope" looks excellent here! The soundtrack on the disc is in Mono (Dolby Digital 2.0).

The disc's Menu system is simplistic and easy to use (which is OK by me). When the Main Menu is on screen, the theme from Hitch's TV series, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", plays. This is nice, but I wonder why they didn't use the "Rope" opening theme music for the Menu?

Although not officially labelled as one of Universal's "Collector's Editions", this "Rope" DVD could very well have been so designated. This disc has very nearly as many Special Features as the other Hitchcock "Collector's" packages. Here's a gander at the "Rope" bonus supplements .................

>> A 32-minute documentary, "Rope Unleashed", covering the making of this motion picture. Included here is an interview with actor/writer Hume Cronyn, who collaborated on the "Rope" screenplay. Sadly, not too very long after filming the interview for this DVD, Mr. Cronyn passed away, in June 2003. Many backstage pictures are mixed in with the interview segments, including some eye-opening pics of the color camera equipment of the era. Color cameras during those days were more than "bulky" -- those babies were humongous! And via some still photos we can see just how cumbersome those cameras were, circa 1948.

>> The Original Theatrical Trailer for "Rope". -- I absolutely love this unique trailer. It really (in a way) serves as a "deleted scene" from the movie. And shows us the film's murder victim ("David Kentley") before he falls prey to his killers' rope. The trailer has David (played by Dick Hogan) and his fiancee, Janet (Joan Chandler), sitting on a park bench, talking about their upcoming engagement. It's just a short scene, but sets up some of the plot points very nicely in just a few seconds. After David kisses his betrothed and leaves the park, this becomes more of a "conventional" trailer, with star Jimmy Stewart appearing on camera to narrate. Video quality for this color trailer is a bit splotchy and blurry in places, but still certainly in watchable condition. I think the introduction of the murder victim in this "added" scene was a very clever idea by the filmmakers. Trailer length = 2:25.

>> A very nice Photo Gallery (which has many behind-the-camera images).

>> Some text screens with film notes and cast bios. (There's a kind of funny little mistake in the DVD's bio of John Dall. Dall's character is referred to as "Shaw Brandon" on the text screen, instead of the correct name, "Brandon Shaw".)

Alfred Hitchcock directed more than 50 films -- with "Rope", his first venture into the world of "Technicolor", resting among my personal "Top 10 Hitch Flicks". This Universal Home Video DVD comes recommended by this Hitchcock enthusiast.

Tense and Unusual HItchcock Classic
Brandon (John Dall) and Philip (Farley Granger) are two rich, educated young men who think very highly of themselves indeed. At college, they were taught by Rupert Cadell (James Stewart) who, having read a little too much Nietzsche, explained to them there that, for truly superior people, murder need be no crime. They have taken this ugly lesson just a little too much to heart and so, just for fun, they kill their friend David. Then, his body hidden in a chest, they hold a dinner party for his parents, his girlfriend, the girlfriend's ex-boyfriend and Cadell himself. David is invited too, but of course, he doesn't show up. But Philip, especially, is decidedly nervous and, as the evening progresses, Cadell starts to smell a rat...

Technically, this is one of Hitchcock's most consciously experimental pieces of film. There is no music at all, except over the credits and in a couple of scenes where Philip plays the piano. And it is made to at least appear to have been shot in a single very long take. In fact it is not and there are a few cuts that maintain an appearance of seamlessness by taking place as the shot passes across some dark surface like the back of a jacket. This contributes nicely to the tension. It does has a certain awkward consequence however in that the action is thereby set in real time and it takes some suspension of disbelief to accept that a society dinner party might last about 45 minutes from start to finish. (It also means that, whether you think this is a movie worth buying or just one to rent, it would be particularly criminal to watch it on TV with commercial interruptions.) Another nice technical touch exploits the location of Brandon and Philip's apartment high in New York and close to some neon signage. For much of the film it is daytime outside but in the scenes towards the end as a climax approaches, a surreal, nightmarish atmosphere is created by the slow by constant modulations of colouring of the light that result.

This is Hitchcock's first movie collaboration with James Stewart who does an excellent job playing a smart intellectual type who gets a nasty shock when he finds two of his students putting into action the clever sounding but disgusting ideas he thought he was so smart in expounding. It's a rather nice study in the perils of a shallow predeliction for novel, supposedly "advanced", moral thinking. (Brandon and Philip, arrogant patricians killing for fun, will have recalled to an American audience of the time the famous '20s case of Leopold and Loeb.) The movie is a interesting moral fable and also a nice, if slightly stagy thriller. It's not one of Hitchcock's greats but it's certainly no dud. There are no high-drama moments of nailbiting suspense but instead a constant uncomfortable tension as social events unfold in an apartment where only two of the participants know there is a fresh corpse in the cupboard just under all those fancy dinner goodies and their nerves are starting to fray... ... Read more