Description

In 1964, the Beatles had just recently exploded onto the American scene with their debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The group's first feature, the Academy Award-nominated "A Hard Day's Night," offered fans their first peek into a day in the life of the Beatles and served to establish the Fab Four on the silver screen, as well as to inspire the music video format.Songs: I'll Cry Instead, A Hard Day's Night, I Should've Known Better, Can't Buy Me Love, If I Fell, And I Love Her, I'm Happy Just to Dance with You, Ringo's Theme (This Boy), Tell Me Why, Don't Bother Me, I Wanna Be Your Man, All My Lovin', She Loves You. ... Read more

Reviews (264)

Wonderful Film with FABulous Extras
This is one of the great films from the 1960s and should be seen by everyone at least once during their lifetime.

The film has held up very well and the editing still looks innovative nearly 40 years later. One thing that is very noticeable with this set is that the music has been digitally remastered and the sonic quality of the songs is markedly different from the dialogue in the rest of the movie.

The extra disc provides a lot of insight into the making of the film and the whole Beatles scene. Everyone from Richard Lester to the tailor and hairdresser on the film talk about their memories. Klaus Voorman gives an interesting interview where he shows drawings that he made during the early years of Beatlemania. There is also a documentary on the first disc that repeats clips from some of the interviews on disc 2 but most of the insights are unique to this special.

Despite the fact that there is a lot of bonus content, even more would have been appreciated. While there is an interview with the man who designed the film's movie poster, an actual gallery of posters and lobby cards would have been appreciated. It would have also been appropriate to include theatrical trailers for the film. This set does include DVD-ROM content but I did not have access to it so perhaps these things are located there.

Other things that could've been added to disc 2 include deleted scenes shown in "You Can't Do That! The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'" and the "I'll Cry Instead" intro that was added to the film when it was re-released in the 1980s. Richard Lester's "Running Jumping Standing Still" film should have also been included since it's mentioned so much on the DVD.

For fans of 1960s cinema or the Beatles, this set is a keeper. Here's hoping "Help!" gets similar treatment someday.

Fab -- A very clean old movie
"A Hard Day's Night" makes most critics' best-ever lists. It's widely considered an electrifying mix of great music and hip comedy, both a time capsule of the swinging '60s and a timeless entertainment. Roger Ebert calls it "one of the great life-affirming landmarks of the movies."

Respect hasn't led to respectful treatment. Legal wrangling followed "A Hard Day's Night" throughout its home video life, resulting in oddities like the "tribute to John Lennon" musical prologue tacked on for VHS. The first DVD version, from MPI in 1997, disappeared after a few months of distribution.

Here, finally, is an up-to-date rendition worthy of the film.

"A Hard Day's Night" looks and sounds about as good as could be expected. The carefully lit black-and-white images should please most viewers -- even though they're on the flat side, with persistent minor speckling. The stereophonic songs swing as they must, smoking the tracks on Capitol's (shamefully outdated) soundtrack CD. (The MPI video had significantly worse sound but deeper contrasts.) Try this: Put on the Capitol version of "Tell Me Why" and then play the movie version. Perhaps Capitol can tell us why they continue to sell 15 year old Beatles CDs.

The film, shot in 35mm, is presented in widescreen, letterboxed with a ratio of about 1.66:1, enhanced for 16x9 televisions. The spiffed-up audio comes via Dolby Digital, with the musical numbers in stereo.

The first disc contains the movie as well as "Things They Said Today," a new promo film that gives the big picture. The second disc is all interviews, arranged by category (cast, crew, etc.).

Martin Lewis, a Beatles historian and pal to most of the filmmakers, conducted 30 video interviews for the package. They include key players -- Martin, director Richard Lester, United Artists exec David Picker, cinematographer Gilbert Taylor ("Star Wars") and Beatles publicist Tony Barrow -- as well as those who were just lucky to find themselves working on a film project "at the center of the universe."

The reminiscences get infusions of energy from upbeat clips, some amplifying the talkers' points and others making Beatle-esque visual jokes. The production was extensively filmed and photographed, with hours of that material first seen in this collection. The interviews are tightly edited, surprisingly focused and often a great deal of fun. It becomes clear that contributing to the film profoundly changed the lives of most of these people.

Seriously Lacks Originality
An overrated band starring in an overrated documentary. I was under the impression that the goal of a film such as this was to convey a sense of time and place, and realism, but apparently the cliched "flop tops" couldn't be bothered for that. In 90 minutes, these third-rate musicians skip a television rehearsal almost ruining the entire program, neglect responding to fan mail, harass their manager, harass young women, harass old women, harass the police, encourage school drop-out, endanger the elderly, and let's not forget play horrible generic pop music (which is obviously lip-synched, completely destroying any realism the director might have been going for). I'm surprised they weren't arrested, seeing as how all of their deeds were caught on film. If anyone had a Hard Day's Night from this film, it was me from the nightmares I had after seeing it. God bless Aaron Carter - now there's a candidate for a documentary!

An Original
This could have been a "B" movie exploitation film of a short lived pop group. Instead, it turned out to be the precursor to MTV and music videos, shows what made the Beatles so much fun and manages to play a few of their great tunes at the same time. The plot is minimal, consisting of the Beatles entourage getting the Beatles to a live television show on which the Beatles are to perform. Nearly from the beginning to the end, the Beatles are chased by pimple faced young teens, the police, their handlers, and everyone else. And throughout the film, Paul's grandfather, played by William Brambell (a very clean old man), keeps stirring up problems.

The nominal plot allows the Beatles natural likeability to shine. This film established the personas of the individual Beatles (as portrayed to the media) -- Paul -- straightforward and good natured, John -- incessantly sarcastic, George -- subtle with a dry sense of humor, and Ringo -- quiet, shy and introspective. The movie is irreverent, inventive, funny, droll, deadpan, filled with non-stop movement, and some great, if dated, rock-n-roll! A wonderful film showing the exuberance of youth, the innocence of an earlier time, and Beatlemania in all its glory!

The DVD's extras include interviews with about everyone still living who participated in the film except the surviving Beatles. While it is nice to have all of the insiders reminiscing about the film, it would have been nice to hear from some of the Fab Four.

Movie is great but extra features aren't that spectacular
A Hard Day's Night is a GREAT movie and the DVD does help with the quality of the film. However when i bought this i thought possibly some of the extra features would contain interviews with the Beatles and so on. THERE WERE NONE..But since the movie is great and so is the quality i would still recommend buying it. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Grand Entertainment on a large scale.
The Three and Four Musketeers I recommend to anyone who loves swashbucklers and the writings of Alexandre Dumas.These films remain pretty faithful to the original novel.Michael York does an excellent job as D'Artagnan.The musketeers excellently played by Oliver Reed(not as attractive as Athos in the book),Frank Finlay (not as tall or large as Porthos in the book or other screen versions),Richard Chamberlain (perfectly cast as Aramis).Raquel Welch did a great comedic turn as Constance but did not fit the characterization in the book.Faye Dunaway perfect in her acting ability as Milady de Winter.Christopher Lee and Charlton Heston great in their rolls as Count de Rochefort and Cardinal Richelieu.Simon Ward,Geraldine Chaplin,Jean Pierre-Cassel,Roy Kinnear and Spike Milligan also very good as the Duke of Buckingham,Queen Anne,King Louis,D'Artagnan's servant Planchet and Constance's cuckold of a husband Monsieur Bonancieux.The costumes,acting and scenery excellent for this period swashbuckler.I highly recommend it.Be sure to watch both parts to get the full story.Part 1 deals with D'Artagnan and the musketeers saving the Queen's honor from the machinations of Cardinal Richelieu and his agents "The bad and beautiful Milady de Winter and her lover Rochefort two birds of prey in fine feathers".Part 2 known as the Four Musketeers deals with the Cardinal and agents going for revenge against D'Artagnan and the Musketeers and viceversa.To fans of this version Ursula Andress was also considered for the part of Milady de Winter (an excellent choice,good actress and a real blonde beauty) and Charlton Heston was first wanted for the part of Athos but demanded the part of Cardinal Richelieu and got it.For those who love this version also be sure to see the sequel The Return of the Musketeers:The Musketeers 20 Years After.It has the same cast as the Three and Four Musketeers filmed 14 years later and also might add it has some new character additions.It's ashame that Oliver Reed and Roy Kinnear are gone.There could have been a fourth film about the Musketeers final days.If you want full film treatments of this novel I recommend The Three Musketeers-Gene Kelly version,The two part French version of 1961-62(quite similar to this one)the 1999 145 minute made for video stageplay and the Douglas Fairbanks 1921 version and its sequel the Iron Mask which not only deals with the Man in the Iron Mask Story but with the second half of the Three Musketeers novel (Fairbanks versions were Richard Lester's (Director of the Three,Four and Return of the Musketeers)favorites.If you've never seen these see them.If you have seen them and love them-BUY THEM!

ANCHOR BAY DOES IT AGAIN!!!
You can tell that the folks at Anchor Bay Entertainment love movies. It shows in every disc they release (like last years wonderful "MAD MONSTER PARTY" DVD). And this new release of director Richard Lester's delightfully enjoyable 70's comedy/ swashbuckler's "THE THREE MUSKETEERS" and "THE FOUR MUSKETEERS" in one 2-disc set is yet another example of their care and love. This is a wonderful release and a superior job over the DVD's Fox-Lorber have had on the market for the last couple of years. No one ever mentioned it (maybe nobody noticed it), but the Fox-Lorber DVD of "3 MUSKETEERS" was missing about 1 minute of footage in a scene between Charlton Heston and Christopher Lee. These new discs have the complete versions of both films and they look and sound great! For the first time they are presented in anamorphic widescreen in their proper aspect-ratio (full screen versions are also included but I haven't yet viewed them so I can't comment on them). The extras are also very nice. Two half hour documentaries on each disc includes interviews with stars Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee, Charlton Heston, Michael York and Frank Finlay and producers Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler. Trailers, tv spots, radio spots, photo & poster galleries and star biographies (that are actually informative and worth reading) round out this very pleasing package! Buy it, watch it and enjoy!

ALMOST PERFECT
Almost, but not quite. Too much unnecessary slapstick, especially in Part One, and the Spanish locales used in both films (well, three films actually, if you include THE RETURN OF THE MUSKETEERS, 1989) cannot possibly pass for France. But still, very lavish, handsome and entertaining films the whole family can enjoy. I was especially impressed with the costume designs and period detail, and I never tire of watching Raquel Welch in just about anything, but the entire cast was equally excellent. A definite must for Dumas aficionados. Peace, bro.

Easily the Best Version but what about the Region!
I love these films! Pure joy! They differ a little from the books but the spirit is spot on! What annoys me is that I cannot buy this pack because it is not in my region (Australia)!!! This whole region thing is a cruel joke. It is especialy unnessesary when it is an old film like this. When will these distributors wake up to themselves???

A Swashbuckling 2 DVD Set!!! Awesome!!! 5 Stars!!!
This is the ultimate collection of these two classic movies!!! Two Thumbs Up!!! Anchor Bay does another quality job with this "Complete Musketeers" 2 DVD set!!! You get both full and widescreen versions of both movies(The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers!!! Excellent picture and sound quality!!! And the extras are top notch too!!! A five star package!!! AWESOME!!! A+ ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Many Songs are missing...but still great
Ok, when a movie stars Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford and Buster Keaton, you know it is going to be an outrageously funny movie. As is the case with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." "Forum" was adapted from the highly sucessful, extremely comical Broadway musical of the same name. The show, the first show featuring the music AND lyrics of now legendary composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, was a huge hit.

When it was made into this movie version, many of Sondheim's songs were dropped. In fact, at some points it doesn't even seem like a musical. However, the movie is still extremely hilarious. Mostel played the role of Pseudolous, which he originated on Broadway. When filming began, he was just done wih a little musical called "Fiddler on the Roof". Mostel is great in this , as is the great Phil Silvers.

This movie is highly comical, seeming almost like a Monty Python movie. If your a fan of wild antics and very funny songs including "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought To Have a Maid", than you'll love this movie. By the way, it also features a very young Michael Crawford, who many years later would win a Best Actor Tony as The Phantom of the Opera.

Classic Funny Men enliven this trip to the FORUM
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM is one of those shows that you just have to let go of all disbelief, in order to accept the broad and wacky humor. Using the 2 stars from the original cast (Zero Mostel & Jack Gilford), this film is a fun and silly romp for everyone to enjoy. Mostel leads the pack as the crafty slave plotting his way to freedom, while Gilford is perfect as his VERY nervous cohort. Buster Keaton is a gem as the befuddled, blind-as-a-bat, old man searching for his long-lost children, while Phil Silvers is oily perfection as Lycus, the buyer & seller of the flesh of beautiful women. Leon Greene is vanity personified as the roman soldier, Miles Gloriosus. Richard Lester directs using his trademark quick-cuts and cinema tricks, and while they don't always work, they keep the film from dragging too much. Fans of the stage show will be disappointed to see some of the musical numbers cut, as well as the liberties with the script. (The part of Lycus is expanded in the film to accomodate Silvers.) However, the chance to see these old pros of burlesque humor strut their stuff makes this trip well worth taking. Be aware, however, that this film is NOT for the PC inclined. This is a "Comedy, Tonight" worth recommending.

Overall not great, but has its good isolated moments
I do not claim to have a broad knowledge of Broadway musicals, and so this, Richard Lester's film version of Stephen Sondheim's A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, was my first experience with this musical.

Mr. Sondheim is certainly something, isn't he? In such classic musicals as GYPSY or WEST SIDE STORY, his lyrics always seem to sparkle with such exhilarating wit. It's the same here, at least in the few numbers the filmmakers retained from the Broadway show in the film, particularly with the catchy opening tune "Comedy Tonight" (a tune that's still stuck in my mind right now).

As for the stretches without music---well, for me it's a mixed bag. Having not seen Richard Lester's more famous previous films (like A HARD DAY'S NIGHT), I can't say whether the frantic editing style he employs here is a trademark of his or not. Mostly it works here, giving the material a welcome screwball farcical edge. Lester, though, pursues this chaotic style at the expense of clarifying the story, resulting in a movie that eventually becomes a mess in terms of plot (since so much seems to be going on at once). Perhaps the climactic chase scene towards the end is the prime example of this fault: Lester and his editor John Victor-Smith hardly bother to clarify at certain points who's chasing whom---it's simply chariots and horses flying by, in a visceral whizz of fast motion. That's basically the problem with the storytelling overall. In short, the style is mostly effective but self-conscious (although perhaps it is a forbear of the blitzkrieg comedy style of later movies like AIRPLANE!).

Still, the movie has its moments, although most of those moments come in the witty songs and Zero Mostel's likably over-the-top performance as Pseudolus (a precursor to his classic portrayal of Max Bialystock in THE PRODUCERS). It's not a great film, but for the most part, it's good entertainment.

Schizophrenic; and hardly a MUSICal
This movie is schizophrenic. It is not funny. It is just half-funny slapstick gags delivered as if by a schizophrenic on drugs. Example: the Chariot race... What the hell is going on during that scene? It looks like everyone is just chasing everyone else and has no idea where they themselves are going. It's frightening. Another example: choreography for "Everybody's Gotta Have a Maid"... what the hell is going on during that scene? Rapid cuts from totally different settings and really random choreography make this one of the most bewildering stagings I have ever seen.

I've seen this stage musical, and it is far funnier than the film. Firstly, because it retains the music. Sondheim's music is absolutely hilarious, in many ways funnier than the book. Songs like "That'll Show Him", "Dirty Old Man," "Pretty Little Picture", "Love I Hear", and of course, the fabulous "I'm Free" are all missing. Why? For the love of God, why? And secondly, because the director did not replicate the good pacing of the musical. The musical itself is fast-paced but funny. Apparently, while making the transition to film, the director figured "I can do even more with a film" and thus WAY overdid it. Seriously, this film could give you a heart attack.

Also, other than Zero Mostel (who arguably is not at his best) the performers are not very good, except for the "Lovely (Reprise)" which was the highlight of the film. And the Captain has a good voice too.

Horribly Dated
With apparently no faith in the pretty strong material, the filmmakers decided to do away with most of the aspects that made the musical charming in the first place (like, oh, most of the music!) and replace it with groovy 60's trickery that looks like something right out of Benny Hill (look, the action is sped up to make everyone look like they're running really, really fast...isn't that funny?)

Zero Mostel does what he can, but he can't salvage this. No one else even registers.

I saw this on stage, and that version blows the film version out of the water.

Grade: D ... Read more

Reviews (132)

"Superman II: The Wrath of Zod!"
That would have made a better title when it came out into theaters in 1981(Giggle)! Anyway, the second Superman movie was definately a gem for anyone to watch! It is action packed as the Man of Steel (Christopher Reeve) takes on the 3 Kryptonian villains (wonderfully played by Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O'Halloran), and its romantic in terms of Superman becoming serious with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder)! Although it was sad that Richard Donner didn't get to direct the second movie, Richard Lester did a wonderful job filling his shoes! However, this was the first film which really began the down-fall of the series! It was clear that Richard Donner did set the tone for Superman which meant not to muck around with the legend! That being the case with the powers you see in this film! If you are a die-hard Superman fan, and know the character and his powers, you'll know what I mean when you watch it! Second, the romance of this film with Lois and Superman does reach it's peak, but then at the end of this film, the fans will be upset with the total outcome! The worst was yet to come with the next 2 films! Fortunately, this DVD is special to me because the magic is still there! Along with the "letterbox" widescreen version to the film which preserves this film and the other so well! Still, I know there were scenes cut-out of the original film that I wish could have been added onto this DVD! Maybe they will come out with the complete version someday soon! Still, a very good movie I recomend to anyone!

Superman II - Extended ONLY
This film gets 4 stars from me based on its extended version and not on the pathetic theatrical cut! A lot of footage was cut from this film but did make it onto various extended versions that were screened across the world. The theatrical cut of this film is a poor reflection on what director Richard Donner intended the world to see. After his sacking by the Salkinds, Richard Lester was dragged in to complete the film and refilm perfectly filmed scenes which Donner filmed in 1977. This decision cost everyone a great movie.

In 1984 fans finally got a well edited film when a lot of Donner's footage was re-inserted into TV broadcasts of the movie. The longest version having accumalated some 24 mins of additional footage. This version has only been screened in Europe and Australia and contains 7 mins more footage than the 1984 ABC telecast. Most notable extended scenes are of Lex and Eve exploring the exterior of the fortress. Miss T to Les, "...It is funny that there is no front door...". Also present is Superman's "Blast off!" line after Lex and the villains are taken away by the Arctic police. These crucial scenes were cut from the theatrical and ABC extended broadcasts.

In saying that still, the film will get 5 stars when I see all director Richard Donner's footage restored into the film.

Anyone thinking that the theatrical is a good film is much mistaken. Any of the extended TV broadcast are a MAJOR improvement over an average film!

A Richard Donner Cut is what I'm after
Not nearly as good as the first movie, this suffers from production problems as a result of Donner's sacking by the Salkinds.
It's plainly obvious which scenes were shot by Donner and which weren't. And sadly, they left out a hefty chunk of what Donner had filmed, giving Lester the top billing as director.
Another sad omission is John Williams rousing score, which has been poorly duplicated. Not nearly as uplifting and powerful as John William's efforts in one.
Although the primary focus is on Lois and Superman's relationship, it doesn't save this picture from stinking. Even Gene Hackman's wonderful performance(which was all directed by Donner, with the exception of scenes where Lester used a body double and an impersonator for Hackman's voice) can't salvage this.
So why do I give this three stars? Because it does have it's moments, though scattered, and I live in the hope that a Richard Donner cut, using primarily all his footage, which would bring back all the scenes with Marlon Brando, will eventually pop up and finally put to bed the question of what could have been.

We need a 21st Century Superman movie!
Very bad film.
They released Spiderman into the 21st century, why not Superman?
I've always found him to be the most appealing comic book character. He is sure for an amazing performance.
RELEASE HIM INTO OUR CENTURY!

BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!!!
All you people complaining about what is and should have been (Donner not being able to complete the project) the end result is a movie that many people view as better! Leave my Superman II alone! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Sean and Audrey camp out in the woods
Growing up as a young reader in WASP America, it was inevitable that I should be exposed to the Robin Hood legend. Indeed, it was that tale, along with my young (and imperfect) knowledge of Becket, Henry VIII and his wives, and King Arthur and the Round Table, which first got me to dreaming about visiting England. After my first journey across The Pond in '75 to that green and pleasant land, I was hooked. Thus, it was with great relish that I viewed ROBIN AND MARIAN.

How could one possibly find fault with the casting of this film: Man's Man Sean Connery as the aging, creaky Robin Hood, and the always beautiful Audrey Hepburn as the love of his life, Maid Marian. As a bonus for the viewer, Robert Shaw and Nicol Williamson play the Sheriff of Nottingham and Little John respectively. It doesn't get better than this.

As the movie opens, Robin and faithful pal Little John are off in France attendant to the death of King Richard the Lionhearted (Richard Harris), after having rummaged around with the monarch on the Third Crusade. Richard's funeral over, our two heroes return to Sherwood Forest. Robin soon learns that the new sovereign, wicked King John, has ordered the Sheriff of Nottingham to evict a group of nuns from a local abbey. As circumstance would have it, Maid Marian took the veil in Robin's long absence, and is now the abbey's prioress. Despite his aching bones and stiff joints, Robin sets off to rescue his damsel-in-distress from his old archenemy.

There are so many joys to this movie. One is watching Sean's Robin deal with advancing age. He's still young at heart, but sleeping in the damp, cold forest isn't what it used to be. Both he and Little John are too much "over the hill" for such nonsense, but only the latter, with increasing skepticism, seems to realize it. Then there's Audrey's Marian, who isn't at first sure that she needs the renewed attentions of her old beau. (Audrey is so exquisite! They don't make actresses like that anymore.) The intervening years have even had an effect on Shaw's Sheriff of Nottingham, making him much wiser in his dealings with his rascally nemesis.

Finally, the scriptwriters give their own interpretation to the traditional ending of the Robin Hood story. In their hands, it becomes at least a two-hankie event. Just remembering it now, I'm looking for the Kleenex box. Call me a sucker, but I just ate it up!

Brings Out My Sentimental Side
I liked this movie when it was first released, which answers my sons' challenge that I like Robin Hood as a middle-aged guy because I AM a middle-aged guy. It is everything that a good movie should be. It is well written, well cast and acted, and it holds up as a good story and a good film many years after its theatrical release.I have always thought that Sean Connery was a cocky kid and a not-so-good actor in the James Bond movies, but became profoundly good later in life in "The Rock" and "The Untouchables", and that same developed talent comes through here. He IS the middle aged Robin, a perfectly realized role, as is Audrey Hepburn as Marian. The plot follows Robin's return to England after the death of King Richard in the Crusades. King John (Boo!) is in power and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw)is up to his old larcenous tricks. But now they are "old guys" and their efforts to fuss with each other as in days of yore are sometimes funny and sometimes sad. But the movie is an excellent addition to any DVD library. Technically, the picture has been remastered to modern standards, and if the sound is not DTS, it is acceptable. Good job, but where is the outastanding "Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn?? It's long overdue in DVD format.

A wonderful, wonderful movie
This movie is an undiscovered gem. It is not only a beautiful love story, but it is also attempts to present a realistic picture of the age of the Crusades.

The acting is wonderful. The scenery is gorgeous. The audience is treated with respect. The writing is wonderful. You can stop reading now, as this should be enough to make you buy the movie.

Two additional points: the movie contains the best once sentence describtion of the middle age mind set: "he was my king" and watch this movie and you will get Eddie Izzard's joke in his HBO stand up routine.

A great sequel...but to what?
This movie isn't so much a sequel to The Adventures of Robin Hood as it is to The Lion in Winter. James Goldman wrote the scripts for both and he seems to have a fetish for the Plantagenets. This movie opens with Robin and Little John in the service of a very mad Richard the Lionhearted (wonderfully played by the late Richard Harris). They make their way back to Sherwood to find that Maid Marian has become a nun. (A little tip: if, in a British legend, your girlfriend becomes a nun, you just know it is going to end badly.) The only person who seems truly happy to see Robin again after twenty years is the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw). Watching him fight Sean Connery again, I felt as if this might also be a sequel to From Russia With Love!

The movie is a very good bittersweet romance between famous lovers in their later years. It is not on the same level as The Lion in Winter, but then, how few things are. Watching it, I was reminded how wonderful it is to see Connery act in a real role - instead of mouthing the inanities they give him now ("Welcome to the Rock!").

It is a very good period piece, made the way the used to make them. For any Sean Connery fan, it is a must.

A CHARACTER STUDY, NOT AN ACTION FILM
In this version of the Robin Hood myth, an aged Robin and Little John played wonderfully by Nicol Williamson return to Sherwood and Nottingham after the death of Richard Lion Heart whom they followed on the Crusades. Upon their arrival, they encounter Tuck and Scarlett, forcibly recruit Marion who's now the Abbotess of a nunnery, and in doing so, re-initiate hostilities with the Sheriff of Nottingham. I can't blame anyone for being disappointed in this film; you hear the name Robin Hood and you automatically expect feats of Zen archery and balletic sword duels between Robin and The Sherriff of N. But while not as dynamic as other Robin Hood films, Robin and Marion is not as facile as those films either. This film is about people; it's not supposed to serve as a visual roller coaster. If you prefer comic books to literature, by all means stick with the Errol Flynn version, because Robin and Marion, while it may not be a great work, is still a good piece of literature. It's about being human and being alive, to which, in this film, the fighting is secondary. And while the fight between Robert Shaw and Sean Connery did look arthritic and clumsy, it was also a lot closer to a real fight than Flynn's bladed flashdance with Basil Rathbone (sp?) ever was. ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Disappointing.
Aside from Christopher Reeve's fine performance once again as Clark Kent/Superman, "Superman III" was a major disappointment back in 1983. I remember sitting in the theater as a 10-year-old and thinking, "Is that all there is?" Superman vs. a Supercomputer just cannot compare with him rescuing California from a major tectonic disaster or duking it out above Metropolis with three Kryptonian villains.

I also could never understand why the producers cast Richard Pryor. It's like he bumbled onto the set accidently from a different movie. He's a very talented comedian, yes, but exactly what audience were the Salkinds aiming for? I know I wasn't old enough then to see his concert movies or his vehicles with Gene Wilder. Mind boggling to me.

I missed the magic and awe I felt during the original film. I missed Lex Luthor's scheming ways. But mostly, I missed the witty relationship between Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. Annette O'Toole is lovely, but her character simply wasn't as fun or interesting as the best girl reporter in Metropolis. With her husky voice and hilarious manic energy, Margot Kidder was absolutely perfect. Two small scenes were not enough.

I really don't like leaving negative reviews, but as a Superman purist, the only REAL Superman movie to see is the orginial. Richard Donner's vision for the film was flawless. The first sequel was fine, but it could have been sooo much better had Donner been allowed to finish (he was unjustly fired after the Salkinds worked him to the bone). Do yourself a favor... preorder SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE on DVD and enjoy!!

This Looks Like A Job For...Richard Pryor??
After getting off to a great start, the Superman film series, got muddled a bit by a director change while filming Superman II. Thanks to the fact that Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz's original story for the sequel stayed intact, despite all of the backstage hostility, Superman II still manages to work. Superman III, hovwever, is a whole nother matter entirely, with its own set of problems.

Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor) is a down on his luck computer genius, who is hired by Websco industries, to doa meanial data entry. Soon though Gus learns how to imbezzle large sums of money. When CEO Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn) finds this out, rather than send him to jail, Webster uses Gus and his computer skills to hold other competitors around the world at bay. Soon his plan becomes one of worldwide domination Superman (Christopher Reeve) tries to stop Webter and his cohorts in crime, but is halted by a synthetic chunck of Kryptonite, that turns the Man Of Steel against the planet he had sworn to protect.

Superman III took the series in a more comedic direction. From the farsical oppening credit sequence, to Pryor bumbling his way through one unfunny scene after another, It's sad to see a Superman film depart so drasticaly from what's come before and the comic book. Thanks to yet another dispute with producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind, the character of Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) is all but forgotten, save for a thankless, throwaway of a cameo. The action seems a bit silly, particularly at the end, as a super computer runs amok. For me, Reeve is the only thing about Superman III, that keeps it alive. Clearly director Richard Lester has it in for our hero, running him nearly into the ground. Superman III is more of a paraody, than a superhero flick.

The only extra on the DVD is the theatrical trailer.

I could have done with less comedy and moore of Reeve being...well...for lack of a better word super

You Will Believe Pryor Can Fly ...This Film Into the Ground!
When the movie poster first came out to promote SUPERMAN III with the illustration of Superman flying while carrying a distraught Richard Pryor, it was suspect. When the film was finally released, all suspicions were true. Director Richard Lester (A HARD DAY'S NIGHT)did such a great job on SUPERMAN II making it a straight action adventure film, but SUPERMAN III was just too campy. From the poster, we go to the opening credits. As they roll, a sequence of "Rube Goldberg", slapstick, domino-effect, accidents happen around a clueless Clark Kent walking through the streets of Metropolis. Somehow the audience knows that this is going to be a different Superman film. Richard Pryor (as Gus Gorman) is a computer whiz who is caught electronically embezzling from his conglomerate boss Robert Vaughn (Ross Webster). Instead of turning him in, Webster offers Gorman a job to help him rule the world by controlling a weather satellite (through Gorman's computer skills), and building a super computer. Superman gets in their way and they devise a plan to kill him with a bad batch of Kryptonite. Instead of killing him, the kryptonite turns Superman evil. He mostly flies around neglecting himself, the people of Metropolis (and of the world), and doing juvenile pranks (i.e. straightening out the Leaning Tower of Pisa). Richard Pryor is not bad in the film, but more of a distraction. The movie-going audience is not used to seeing him in this type of film. British comic actress Pamela Stephenson (whose talents were wasted during her one season on Saturday Night Live--was hardly used or seen in any sketches--but she was brilliantly hilarious on BBC's sketch comedy series NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS) is wasted and miscast in her role as Lorelei Ambrosia, Vaughn's/Webster's mistress. The special effects are decent for the pre-digital age. Some of the action sequences are excellent (i.e. when Superman has to fight the super computer). Also, the Smallville sequences with Clark Kent rekindling his frienship with Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole) are noteworthy. However, most of the film did not work due to the casting of Richard Pryor, other casting decisions, some cheesey sequences (some involving Pryor), and unnecessary humor! As John Lennon's appraisal of the Beatles' film HELP! (also directed by Lester) to paraphrase, "it was a movie about frogs with snakes in it!". That seems to be the case with SUPERMAN III.

Another Really Cheesy 1980s Movie!
Get "Superman III" and "Supergirl" by the Salkind folks and you'll have the cheesiest evening ever! In fact, Superman III nearly beats Supergirl in the "pure cheese" category. And if, like me, you're a fan of such movies, you'll absolutely love this DVD.

The story - Clark Kent/Superman goes back to Smallville for a school-reunion and meets up with a really lovely Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole). Unfortunately, there's this businessman and his bimbo girlfriend and his sister who hires Richard Pryor to mess up the world-weather (and Columbian coffee) with computers. Superman turns evil after touching some green crystal (Kryptonite mixed with tar) and gets drunk, then ends up sleeping with the aforementioned businessman's bimbo girlfriend and even pushes the Tower of Pisa straight. Finally, a supercomputer designed by Richard Pryor turns evil and transforms the aforementioned businessman's sister into an evil, mechanical sister. Superman fights them all with acid and then proceeds to make the Tower of Pisa a leaning tower again before soaring off triumphantly. Movie ends. Roll credit.

I hated this as a kid but watched it again last night and absolutely loved it. It's the nostalgia thing again. I knocked one star off my rating for it because there's this scene where Richard Pryor skies off a skyscraper, lands on the street and DID NOT die!

Superman can be better
Without Lex Luthor, this film rather suffers. But it was an attempt to create an original story instead of returning to the same old theme, which, let's be honest, can get exhausting.

This also got me interested in psychology as a child, because I thought the whole notion of two sides of the same man duking it out was fascinating, to say the least.

Besides, Richard Pryor is a scream here, though what he does on the computer intuitively instead seems to be very close to what a skilled hacker can do today.

This film has one other great idea: Clarke should forget about Lois and start dating Liana. Liana is much sweeter, and unlike the Superman-obseesed Lois, Liana only wants her old friend, Clarke? And, she's smart enough NOT to put herself into deathtraps. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An outstanding thriller!
Like many of the other reviewers, this was a film that I recalled with great fondness.
I had seen it when I was younger...not even a teenager...but I remember loving it.
I had been looking for it forEVER when I read that it was being released on DVD.
I happily popped it in my DVD player and put my feet up.

You know how some movies are not NEARLY as good as you once thought? They're not as funny, not as scary, often plain stupid.

Well I'm happy to report that this film is terrific. It STILL raises the blood pressure, and will still having you guessing by the end.

Richard Harris plays the quasi-heroic bomb defuser, Omar Sharif the beleaguered captain and a young Anthony Hopkins has a one-note performance as a stressed out Scotland Yarder.
Roy Kinnear is a painful hoot as the Ship's Steward (think Julie on the Love Boat) who tries to raise everyone's spirits EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THERE'S BOMBS ON THE SHIP.
Trying to get everyone to sing along to "Roll Out The Barrel"? Priceless.

The script is spare but witty. I loved the comment about "A Night To Remember".

This is among the best "disaster" movies ever made, and a terrific thriller.

Overlooked Disaster Film of 1974 showcases British Actors
A taught tense adventure of a mad bomber who holds an oceanliner for ransom after he plants a series of bombs aboard. The villian is known, as each bomb has a signiture style. Richard Harris leads the team who attempt to defuse the bombs, only somewhat successful. As the countdown continues, the tension mounts, and it becomes more a cat and mouse game between the bomber and the police expert as they debate whether to cut the red or the blue wire. The final minutes are excrusiating.

I saw this on the big screen in 1974 and could convince no one to go to a free showing in Lansing, Michigan with me on a Sunday afternoon. An overlooked gem, I recall this film fondly. The plot is somewhat predictable, but Richard Harris is surrounded with major British actors who give good support to this tension filled adventure. Try it. It has to be better than any of the US dissaster picts of the period.

Great DVD Of A Little Known Gem
Those of you wanting to upgrade your old VHS copies of Richard Lester's taut little thriller should now do so: MGM has given Juggernaut a sterling DVD transfer, in 1.66:1 widescreen, with good color balance and nary a blemish in sight (ah, the wonders of digital restoration). Hardly any edge enhancement either, as far as I can see. Way to go MGM!

David Hemmings (1941-2003) R.I.P.

Juggernaut
i have been hunting this movie for many years.. i finally had a chance at a beaten up copy from my local video shop and was about to buy it when i found it on amazon.com in dvd format..

its an awsome thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire movie..

i would reccomend it to anyone who likes the disaster move genre..

At last I have found you!
I originally saw this in the theater when it first came out, and several times on TV. Unfortunately it seems to have disappeared from network programming, and my local video store both.
This was one of the most intense "cat and mouse" type thillers of it's day. The battle of wits between Fallon (R. Harris) and the bomber will keep your eyes locked on the screen to keep from missing anything. The plot and storyline are as intricate as the bombs themselves.
If you enjoyed the more recent movie "Blown Away" then you will enjoy this one. Blown Away used many of the same techniques developed in Juggernaut, and is the logical film decendant of this classic. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A delightful satire of the Cold War
One of my favorite comedies from back when I was a kid (and they used to show old films like this on broadcast TV...) One of those rare instances in which a sequel to a cult film is still fun enough to make it on its own merits, despite losing the original lead actor. This is the followup to the kooky Peter Sellers classic, "The Mouse That Roared," returning us to Duchy of Grand Fenwick, an eccentric European backwater that makes Lichtenstein seem like the Ottoman Empire. Sellers is gone, but the farce remains, as the Grand Fenwickians inadvertently enter the Cold War space race, with the US, USSR and UK all falling over themselves to try and either control or subvert the tiny country's absurdly rickety space program. There are fine character bits, with Ron Moody and Margaret Rutherford starring, respectively, as Grand Fenwick's prime minister and queen, but what makes this film an enduring classic is how deftly it satirizes the already-farcical propaganda wars between America and the Soviet Union (that Great Britain really factored in as a "player" in the Kennedy-era Cold War is a quaint, Bond-ian affectation...) A genuinely funny film that stands on its own dramatically, but which is also a priceless snapshot of the times it was made in. Recommended!

Even funnier than "The Mouse That Roared"
I bought this movie based on reviews I read here on Amazon.com and wasn't disappointed. I watched "The Mouse That Roared" first and thought it was funny, but in my opinion this movie is even better.

Magaret Rutherford is great as the clueless Grand Duchess, I wish there was more of her in the movie.

Ron Moody does a great job as the prime minister who is hung up on getting running hot water for his bathtub at any cost.

There was a small take off on Dr. Strangelove that I liked. Two ex-German scientists one for the US and one for the USSR give their boss a Nazi salute before catching themselves.

I had some good laughs throughout the movie. If you liked "The Mouse That Roared" I'm sure you'll like this movie.

"It's not that kind of privvy council, your majesty."
A superior sequel to "The Mouse That Roared" where Prime Minister Bobo (a manic and hilarious Ron Moody)cons both Russia and the USA into sending Grand Fenwick space research funds and equipment that he can recycle into a plumbing system for the castle. Then the scientist from the first movie actually heads for the moon in a Jules Vern-ish Victorian space ship using the Grand Fenwick wine crop as rocket fuel. Lester and Shenson made this film right before they teamed for HARD DAYS NIGHT and the dry British wit is very apparent. Margaret Rutherford even says a line that John Lennon would say in HDN.

cute, funny,... but where's MARGARET RUTHERFORD??
First off, I must say that while I am a fan (albeit, not a huge one) of "The Mouse that Roared," I bought this movie SPECIFICALLY for Margaret Rutherford. I figured that with her name FIRST in the cast list, that she MUST be the star of this picture. That couldn't be further from the truth. I would guess that her screen time, literally, is about 3 minutes, with perhaps about 5 lines. What a disappointment. I discovered the great Dame Rutherford in the four Miss Marple films from the '60s (Murder, She Said, Murder at the Gallop, Murder Most Foul, and Murder Ahoy [my personal favorite]), and couldn't wait to see a film from the same time period as the Miss marple series.And while the movie was cute, and it certainly had its moments (Terry-thomas is ALWAYS great), my poor little heart was broken to find Margaret Rutherford in only a few scenes. AND, don't you HATE it when the trailer has scenes in it that are NOT in the movie? MORE scenes of Margaret that must have been cut! So, if you're a HUGE fan of "The Mouse that Roared", you'll love this film. MGM went all out with their transfer. The colors look fantastic. But if you're buying this because you're a fan of Miss Rutherford as I did, you'll probably be more than a bit disappointed. Why don't you buy "Blythe Spirit" instead? She is absolutely PERFECT in THAT movie.

Don't let the title fool you!
This is one great movie. I take it as a spoof of the former Great British Empire, now reduced to a "Duchy" compared to it's Uncle, Sam. Dame Margaret Rutherford is wonderful as the befuddled "Duchess" who really has no clue as to whats going on. Now, what does that remind you of, hmmmm? And to boot, it has Terry Thomas. Fans of British humour will love it. It is a "niche" movie, of course, but what a niche!! Buy it!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fresh from the playfully exuberant A Hard Day's Night (1964), director Richard Lester applies the same acrobatic, tongue-in-cheek style to this delightfully frivolous take on swinging London and the sexual revolution. Gawky young Michael Crawford is a meek landlord who vies with his ladies-man lodger Ray Brooks for the attentions of spirited funny-face Rita Tushingham, whom he literally picks up while pushing his new brass bed through the streets of London. Lester floats his sweet nothing of a goofy romance with an offbeat sense of humor, a compendium of sight gags and non sequiturs stirred in with devil-may-care spirit, and a pair of winning leads. Crawford's underdog desperation and endearing naiveté makes for an appealingly nerdish hero, but it's Tushingham's kooky charm and deft comic delivery that steal the film. A lovely score by John Barry balances the energy and invention with a tender romanticism. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Blend of Avant-Garde and Slapstick
This 1965 Cannes Film Festival Palm D'Or winner still looks innovative nearly 40 years after it was made. The John Barry soundtrack used throughout the movie is outstanding. This film is not to be missed by those who love the 1960s and the films made during that decade.

The story started out as a play by Ann Jellicoe. The film shifts between broad slapstick and avant-garde as it tells the story of an unlucky in love schoolteacher, his womanizing housemate, the artist who moves in with them, and a naive girl who has just arrived in London.

Director Richard Lester uses all kinds of editing shots that still look fresh and there's something about this film being in black and white that somehow makes it more "1960s" than if it had been shot in color.

MGM released this in widescreen with the theatrical trailer but it really could use some extras where the making of the film is discussed. (Check out the liner notes on the CD soundtrack for some behind the scenes information.) Audio commentary from Richard Lester and any of the actors would have also been much appreciated.

WE ARE ALL, MORE OR LESS, SEXUAL FALURES...
...So Tom tells us about half way through "The Knack...and how to get it". Whether he speaks for the other characters or for humanity as a whole the viewers have to decide for themselves but it is just the sort of thing that keeps you guessing in this amazing film.

When someone askes me to name my favourite film I usually say "The Knack...and how to get it" which is almost always met with a puzzled look in responce; so few people have seen this movie, even though it won the main prize at Cannes the year it was made and was a popular and commercial success across the world, that you might be forgiven for thinking that perhaps it had been surpressed or maybe overtaken by fashion that lumped all the "Swinging London" films together and forgot them. Either way I think it is a neglected clasic that deserves wider recognision.

Taken from a not very successful play by Ann Jellicoe, that ran at the Royal Court experimental theatre for six weeks about a year before it was filmed, Charles Wood's screenplay expanded the action away from the run-down house, which is at the centre of the play, to use London as the backdrop for the film; not tourist London but the back streets and slightly run down areas of Shepherd's Bush. The true masterstoke was to give the running commentary by the old people on what the four main (young) characters are up to. This babble is so typical of the British attitude to sex sensorious, but at the same time obsessed and slightly regretting that they haven't done it themselves that it is hillarious. This aspect of the film is clearly influenced by Dylan Thomas' "Under Milk Wood" but used here it takes on it's own identity. Charles Wood also has a small part in the film himself; he is one of the Guardsmen that Nancy encounters in their "Bear Skins" (pun fully intended) while trying to find the YWCA.

The performances by the main actors are all superb. Michael Crawford as the accident prone, sex starved Colin, living in his run down Victorian house, who careers from one disaster to another is clearly the reletive of Frank Spencer the character Crawford played to such great effect in the 1970's "Some Mother's Do 'ave 'em" before he went on to even greater success in West End and Broadway musical theatre.

Ray Brooks delivers a totally beliveable Tolan, the superior, promiscous man living on the top floor of Colin's house who's self confidence eventually leads to his own downfall. A year after making this Brooks was the male lead in "Cathy Come Home", one of the most famous British television plays of all time, which shocked a nation by graphically showing the full reality of the homeless in the UK. It is difficult to imagine two more contrasting rolls.

Donal Donelly as Tom the manic painter and decorator who acts as the catalyst bringing the other elements of the film together. He was in some other 1960 movies including "Waterloo" but I haven't seen him in anything for a very long time now.

Rita Tushingham always has a vulnerability about her and never more so than in this film as Nancy. She arrives in London and wanders haplesly around costantly being mis directed to the YWCA until she comes across Colin and Tom in a junk yard. As she comes to know the other characters she comes under Tolan's spell until she suddenly finds she is in love with Colin. Tushingham handles her part well as she develops from the innocent new girl in town to the more confident woman at the end of the picture via a sort of breakdown after which she accuses all and sundry of "rape". It is this aspect of the film which has drawn most criticim bringing with it accusations of misogyny. I don't think that it is justified after all nobody gets raped they just shout it a lot!

John Barry's score brings the whole film together; He uses a choir of womens voices and the jazz organist Alan Haven, who had previously enlivened the opening titles of "From Russia With Love", to a variety of moods with one basic theme in 3/4 time. It is one of the most creative uses of music I can think of.

Richard Lester directed this gem of a film on location at break neck speed just as he had some months earlier with "A Hard Day's Night". His surreal imagination, sense of humour and love of scilent movies all combine to make one of the most original films ever made. Using black and white stock allowed him greater freedom to film in awkward locations as well as to experiment with over exposure so what started out as a budget restriction became a creative tool. There are some wonderful individual shots; at one point, for instance, Colin, Tom and Nancy are seen throwing stones in the river and there is a shot of their reflection it is only there for a few seconds but it is the composition of the film for me. It is rare to find a film which has good dialoge and creative cinamatography.

On DVD the film looks great even with so few extra features. I was pleased that there were suptitles as some of the lines of dialoge are a bit indisdinct and even as a native English speaker I've often wondered what they were.

One final thing. Whenever I'm feeling a bit depressed I often look at this film and it never fails to make me feel better you never know perhaps it will do the same for you.

Mods and Rockers Indeed
Since everybody and his brother is out reviewing the recent re-release of Hard Day's Night (including people who cannot tell John from Paul!) I thought I'd review Richard Lester's other great film instead.

Richard Lester obviously learned to tell a joke at the knee of Spike Milligan. It's a shame that the television shows he directed for Milligan (and Peter Sellers) in the 1950s haven't survived the BBC's notorious indifference to posterity. This makes it even more important that MGM has again made available this film that is now so politically incorrect I long ago concluded it was being surpressed.

This film won the Palm d'Or (best picture) at Cannes in 1965. It has more brilliant silent sight gags than most any three Buster Keaton pictures combined yet has so much verbal wit that you'll likely be back to watch the film at least three times, just to make sure you really got it all, which I'm not certain is really possible. The running commentary on youth by the older generation is one of the most hilarious things I've ever heard (and I am amazed I've never seen anyone steal the idea for a lesser picture.) Listen carefully to the broken dialog in the teacher's lounge where a spinsterish teacher worries no one wants to rape her and a boorish old male teacher reminisces over once hitting an unruly student right up the nose with a piece of chalk. The sight gags are more obvious, usually broad though occasionally subtle, with large parts of the film having no dialog at all, such as the sequence pushing the old bed frame across London, the sequence with which the film is most frequently identified (note that the bed turns white when they get pulled through a car wash).

The film is politically incorrect from the first shots of all the identically dressed girls queued up the stairs waiting for their turn in Tolin's (Ray Brooks) room. (Tolin has guestbook in his room and asks women to keep their comments to a single word). School teacher Colin (Michael Crawford) is obsessed that he will end up one of the dirty old men who hang around the school yard to watch the little girls play sports. Tolin offers to let frustrated Colin share his girls if Colin, who owns the house, will rent the empty room downstairs to Tolin's ladykiller friend, Rory, with everyone sharing in all the girls (we never do see Rory in the film but his presence keeps popping up in important ways). Before Tolin can move in his friend, however, a stranger, Tom (Donal Donnelly), a painter who paints white everything he sees, moves into the room on his own initiative. Releaved at not being drawn into the sex deal, but still wanting the knack of getting girls, Colin decides that his real problem is the size of his bed. Meanwhile, in the other story line, innocent Nancy (Rita Tushingham) has just arrived in London, where, in one of the film's best sight gags, she soon gets an educating eyeful from a prostitute working the photography booth trade. Nancy has further adventures trying to find the YWCA, including a very funny sequence in a dress shop where a salesman gives the same seductive spiel to each customer, various silent gags involving getting around the streets, and a very strange encounter in a phone booth with a man taking a call about Rory. Finally, she encounters Colin and Tom out acquiring a large old bed, that Colin likes because of the noise it makes. The three roll the bed back to the house across London. But back at the house Tolin quickly puts the moves on Nancy just to show Colin how its done. And then it all gets even more politically incorrect in a hurry so I'll leave the rest for those who watch the film. Let's just say it has a nicely moral ending even if the commentary from the older generation disagrees (there are things on their clothes line you wouldn't expect from three young lads).

Another review on Amazon describes the film as anarchic but I think that misses it. The jokes do come very fast and there are some decidely surreal sequences, some very stylish editing, and the occasional interupting fantasy. Yet somehow nothing ever seems so silly or outrageous that you completely lose some sense of reality. In this sense it is more Hard Day's Night than Holy Grail.

The picture and sound quality of the DVD are very good despite the picture's age. There is obviously a small amount of cropping of the original picture taking place though the aspect ratio is said to be the original 1.66:1. The DVD provides no extras beyond it's very entertaining trailer. Since the idiots at Mirimax didn't include Lester's Running, Jumping, Standing Still film on the new Hard Day's Night double DVD set, when it was on the earlier cheapo DVD release, it would have been awfully nice for MGM to include it here.

mod must-have!
i first saw this film back in the mid 80's. i was in high school then. i remember not really "getting" the film, but that i really enjoyed it, especially the music, the fashion, and the energy. i saw it that one time (on pbs, believe it or not) and i had been looking for this film for a long time. i'd forgoten about it until recently. now that i finally have my own copy, i can see that i didn't "get" it the first time because it was all just some energetic mod absurdity! this film is so much fun....impress all your hipster friends and get this film. if you're a fan of quadrophenia, to sir with love, or a hard days night (richard lester directed this film and that famous beatle one) you must add this to your collection! this needs to be on DVD!

An example of an extinct film: the smart comedy
This movie is great in the grand sense of the word. The cast is superb, the gags are funny, and it is among the most stylish films I've ever seen. Other reasons to see it:

1) Rita Tushingham stars---Tushingham is gorgeous in an unconventional way, and is known for being a gay icon---the first leading lady who preferred the company of gay men over straight.

2) A young Michael Crawford in a hilarious performance

3) Swinging London portrayed in a non-cliched manner.

4) The film in its entirety (cast, script, setting, cinematography and wardrobe)is more "hip" and avant-garde than anything I've ever seen---and it was done forty years ago.

If you are a fan of smart comedy, hip fashion and lifestyles, or just great cult films, you must have it. If you are none of these, you probably won't get. Let it be known---Lester, who is known most for A Hard Day's Night, surpassed that film tenfold in making The Knack...and How To Get It. ... Read more

Reviews (119)

4.5 stars - even better than their previous film
Help! (1965.) The second Beatles movie.

INTRODUCTION:
In 1964 the Beatles proved that they were more than just talented singer-songwriters - they were talented actors, too! Their first film, A Hard Day's Night, demonstrated that the band could act quite well. For the band's second film, Eight Arms To Hold You, they went for a very different sort of movie - it was in color, and the plot was NOTHING like that of their previous film. At the last minute, the film's name was changed to Help!. Read on for my review.

BASIC PLOT:
An evil cult has prepared a ritual to sacrifice a young woman, but quickly finds out that they can't do this without the ceremonial ring - which has somehow ended up on the finger of Ringo Starr. The cult chases the band across the world in an attempt to reclaim the ring.

FILM OPINIONS:
This is a very strange movie - but it's also a very good one. In my opinion, this film is far superior to its predecessor, A Hard Day's Night. Also, as with all of the other Beatles films, the band plays their songs at various points through the course of the movie - these little sessions are some of the best parts of the movie. All in all, a good movie.

DVD:
The DVD doesn't have a whole lot of extras the way the A Hard Day's Night disc did, but it does have a few extras nonetheless. If you're a Beatles fan, you're sure to get a kick out of these bonus features.

OVERALL:
Overall, it's a good movie. Sure, it's weird, but that doesn't mean it's not a good film! If you're a Beatles fan, do yourself a favor and check this movie out - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Goofy fun, great music-- SO WHERE IS THE DVD?
My three daughters (ages 11, 7, and 5) are suddenly in the full thrall of Beatlemania, something I thought I'd gotten over 20 years ago. Lo and behold, they totally re-infected me at age 44! We can't seem to get "1", "Revolver", "Abbey Road" and "Rubber Soul" out of rotation on our CD player. My kids and I also watch the DVDs of "Yellow Submarine" and "Magical Mystery Tour" (which shows how truly hard core we are) every few days.

Anyway, I went in search of DVDs of "Hard Day's Night" and "Help" and found out THEY ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. It seems they have been TAKEN OFF THE MARKET just as the Fabs were hitting Number 1 again across the land! Same goes for VHS tapes and DVDs of the "Beatles Anthology" and "Compleat Beatles" documentaries, all listed as "out of print and no longer available."

HELLO-- Who's reponsible for this FIASCO? Someone ought to be fired immediately for this, since there's no telling how much money is being lost minute-by-minute. The Beatles are once again the HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD, and their best movie work is suddenly UNAVAILABLE? The stupidity of this marketing move is almost inconceivable.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to find a tired, worn-out VHS tape of "Help" on the bottom shelf of the local video store and brought it home. The kids, of course, FLIPPED and I found myself once again amazed at what truly natural, charismatic performers the Fabs were.

Although rock critics have always liked "Hard Day's Night" more, I must admit "Help" has always been my favorite Beatles movie. Viewing it again after 20-odd years, I'm amazed at its innocent charm and how well some of the sight gags hold up. It's a sheer pleasure to watch all the proto-music videos in it, particularly the fabulous "Ticket To Ride" sequence (my youngest still screams "The SKI SONG! YIPPEEE!" whenever the opening chords come over the stereo). The Mad Scientist character reminded my girls of "The Brain." Some of the casually tossed-off lines have amazing staying power. "A feindish thingee!" "You've got a plan, haven't you inspector?" "Not a bit like Cagney!" "Ah, you see? British! If I had a Luger..." "So these are the famous Beatles / So this is the famous Scotland Yard" "Lovely boys! Just the same as they was before they was" etc.

The spirit of both "Help" and "Hard Day's Night" is definitely "cheeky," as opposed to the "snotty" and cynical attitude adopted by today's teen-oriented music stars (don't believe me? Compare the excruciating "Jose and the Pussycats" to any Beatles flick and tell me we haven't gone BACKWARDS in 30-odd years in terms of music, talent and attitude). That's the only bad part of watching or listening to the Beatles in this day and age: It reminds you that pop/rock music is long into its decadent phase, with the themes so daringly explored by the Beatles and others so long ago simply being hashed, rehashed, sampled, computerized, and spat out by today's soulless performers.

Anyway, I would happily buy a "Help" and "Hard Day's Night" DVD IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE! How long is this agony to last?

Beatles Rule
I am 27 and from India, i was in my 9th graded when my sister presented me RUBBER SOUL, and from that moment on I have been a beatles fan, Around 10 years back I saw Hard Days Night and I was in love , then i saw HELP and i was BLOWN, the movie is full of humor,energy and lots more, One of my favourite scenes is when they all are in the Loo and the baddy turns on the dryer, the best part of the scene is when Georges shirt gets sucked into the dryer, and RIngo says "Ther is More Here than meets the eyes". It's funny the way he says this.
There are some people whose review i have read says movie is okay, those people must be doped, not to appreciate this movie,
For Gods Sake its THE BEATLES, it dosent get any better than this,KUDOS to the Beatles and their Masterpiece

Help!
Beatles in colour + them smoking way too much dope + lots of weird crap + the coolest house ever = great movie. It's my favorite one of theirs. Personally I think the only bad thing about this movie was the acting of the male middle easterners but I'm no proffessional movie critic so eh. John Lennon's utter insanity shines through as always and something about watching the beatles beat up people seems very intriguing.

This movie has got the best collection of beatles song clips (videos) in the world. The tank scene is really great and the clip of "you're gonna lose that girl" has got to be one of the coolest beatles performances on tape. The camera looks like it's having a gushing orgasm of radiant blue colour.

Anyways, these Beatle movies shouldnt even be allowed to be rated. They could film themselves sitting drunk on lounge chairs for an hour and a half and people would call it a masterpiece. It's the Beatles for christsakes A+ I say.

Before the time of MTV, CD's, and Desk-top Computers...
One cannot deny that Help! is a significant cornerstone in the musical video industry. This is exceptional footage of the boys' primetime. Whether you believe other Beatles footage is better or movie content is better, the visual and musical content of this movie will stand out forever. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Brilliant, dark satire on the darkest of subjects.
Richard Lester created in "How I Won the War" a film that simply cannot be categorized.

Symbolism abounds in the film, and in alternating instances, its overtness and its subtlety can prove confusing. For this reason, the film needs to be viewed more than once.

The blatant attack on the military mindset is brilliantly executed. In swift strokes he makes a mockery of military officers and warmongers; one scene in particular has two British officers exchanging bubble gum cards of war scenes, with one insisting in a haughty accent "I want school bombing ... I do."

Michael Crawford and John Lennon are joined by an excellent supporting cast, including Victor Spinetti the brilliant (but unfortunately "late") Leo McKern. Crawford plays the role with just the right amount of smarminess, egoism and overt stupidity that it calls for. Lennon and McKern's innocence causes the closing segment to be doubly powerful.

Overall ... a fine film worth seeing, especially for any fans of social commentary.

Not Chuffed, Mate
Richard Lester has directed great movies, and Three Musketeers (Michael York) is on my ten favorite action movie list. "How I Won the War" is not one of his best.

The problem with the movie is it is English humor with a capital "E." The movies consists of a melange of British Butlin's holiday camp farce and insider public school jokes shot in rapid fire. The lead character is an irritatingly eager chipmunk of an officer who is impossible to connect with. I didn't like him and quickly wished to see him capped by the equally incompetent Germans. The movie would have definitely fed George Patton's biased stereotype of British officers as fawning twits.

Oh, and John Lennon? He doesn't occupy much of this film, and when he speaks, it's rapid-fire one line blitzkreig Liverpudlian. Had trouble understanding "Magical Mystery Tour?" This will really be a stumper.

A historical artifact, only, if harmless.

Surrealistic Anti-War Movie
HOW I WON THE WAR was filmed in Spain in late 1966. The movie features John Lennon and Michael Crawford of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA fame. Richard Lester is the director. The movie is a surrealistic anti-war movie.

The surrealism will turn off many viewers. There is no standard plot structure. This movie can almost be seen as experimental and avante-garde. These qualities drew Lennon to the project. But they are bound to draw viewers away.

HOW I WON THE WAR is akin to REVOLUTION 9 on THE WHITE ALBUM or WHAT'S THE NEW MARY JANE from ANTHOLOGY 3. This movie is cutting edge and pushes the envelope. It is unconventional and approaches psychedelia. Not surprisingly, Lennon composed STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER while making this movie.

The movie suffers from not having songs or compositions by Lennon on the soundtrack. Both Lennon and Crawford are singers, but there are no songs in the movie. John Lennon's character Gripweed is a supporting character in the movie.

The movie, moreover, has an anti-war theme by showing the absurdity, banality, and hollowness of all war. There is no good war. The movie shows how "winning" a war really occurs. The movie, thus, lacks a feelgood perspective. It leaves the viewer disgusted with war by showing that war is not glorious and noble, but the opposite.

Viewers should realize that this movie is surrealistic and experimental. In other words, it is not a commercial movie. It is a satirical look at war. It is a unique movie unlike any other Beatles movie. It is closest to MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR in that it is not a traditional movie. It is a very different war movie. Obviously such a surrealistic movie will not appeal to many. Nevertheless, it is a unique movie experience, not the usual formula movie.

Don't expect to be laughing the whole movie
First off, don't expect a fun M*A*S*H or Hard Day's Night romp. this is a dark movie, and it's supposed to be. but you can't judge it because you want to see a lighthearted Lennon. it's dark and sad and very well filmed. as a war movie, this is one of the best (in my opinion). the last scene with lennon is almost otherworldly, guaranteed to depress. True, the cover is really rather irritating, lennon is only on for a bit. But the cast is top-notch, the writing crisp, and the overall feeling one of amazement. which is, after all, the point of a movie to begin with.

Beatles fans be forewarned
If you're seeking this movie out as a Beatles fan there are a few things you ought to know. First of all, despite John Lennon's handsome mug being prominately featured on the cover of this videotape, he only features in about 15 minutes of this film. (It is NOT how John Lennon's character Gripweed won the war - as the artwork on this tape might lead you to believe - but rather how Michael Crawford's character won the war). Secondly, John does not have much of an opportunity to act silly when he IS featured on camera so if you are expecting another performance like "A Hard Days Night" you will be disappointed. Thirdly, John's last scene in this movie is somewhat uncomfortable to watch given the tragic way in which he died (John's character is mortally wounded in combat and he addresses the camera one final time lying dazed and bleeding). Some of the British humor and the accents in particular are hard to interpret but not any more so than "A Hard Days Night" or "Help". Being that it's a Richard Lester film some of the same actors seen in "Help!" are featured here but this is by no means a vehicle for Lennon's acting career. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Cuba, don't bother
I love movies, books and music...anything about Cuba and other caribbean cultures. This movie was awful! The acting is bad, the story is bad. Don't waste your time unless you need a nap. As great at the movie Havana is, is how bad the move Cuba is.

Impressions.
*Cuba* may be the best movie you've never heard of. The setting is 1958, just before the final collapse of the Batista regime. Sean Connery stars as a British mercenary with the odd name of Dapes, whom Batista's colonels hope will help them to stamp out Fidel Castro's revolutionaries. However, Connery pretty much figures out -- almost as soon as he arrives -- that Batista's cause will be lost, and so his attempts to guide the incompetent military are rather half-hearted. He's much more interested in reviving a love affair with an old flame, Brooke Adams (surprisingly glamorous, but with an on-again, off-again accent). Problem is, she's married to the profligate son (Chris Sarandon) of one of Cuba's wealthiest industrialists . . . and it's a lifestyle that rather fits in with her imperial demeanor. (She runs the cigar factory and the rum distillery while her husband gets drunk and chases the skirts of the hired help.) The movie does not pretend to be a terribly accurate account of the Cuban Revolution. What director Richard Lester goes for instead are impressionistic sketches of the land, its people, and its culture. All the stereotypes are here, lovingly rendered: the fat, pompous jefes; the sultry women; the tacky gringo culture superimposed on the place for the visiting American businessmen (one of whom is the always-welcome Jack Weston, in a terrifically sleazy performance); the cigar factories; the prostitutes; the skinny kids playing street baseball; posters of politicos; languid bathers poolside; tropical drinks with the little umbrellas . . . get the idea? The movie succeeds spectacularly in delineating the death-throes of a way of life. Havana in particular seems deserted, denuded of people: even blonde American strippers can't find an audience. *Cuba* is a poignant, and at times funny, daguerreotype of a nation filled with ghosts, just on the cusp of revolution.

historical drama
very few of us now a days, know of the incidents and life in cuba and why fidel castro took power, from a corrupt gangster style goverment of the baustista goverment.
sean connery plays a british mercenary, trying to scope out the situation for the in power goverment , and re-live a old fling
with a old flame from north afrika, ww2 days.
chris sarandon plays the handsome husband of brooke adams, who's family is that of the elite and powerful.
see this movie and undersatnd the life that once was.

Stands the Test of Time
This movie is on any list of my family's 10 favorite movies. We saw it in the theater when it was new, and hoarded the homemade videotape made from a TV broadcast, which was a major event in this household. Finally on DVD - it's wonderful that now we can see it in both widescreen and non.

The film rewards repeated viewing, since eventually you realize that all the comic business ties in with all the main plot lines. I think this mixture of relevant-to-the-plot background comic bits throughout a film must be Richard Lester's forte, since he does it so well in all of his movies. Here the comic bits are superb - there really are no loose ends!

Every character, every actor is wonderful, even the bit parts. Jack Weston gives one of the best performances of his life. It lingers in the imagination as THE picture of life at every stratum in Cuba at the end of the 1950s, even though (as has been observed in other reviews) the locations were really in Spain. The colors, the ambience, even the music - wonderful.

It's obvious to me, anyway, that this movie stands the test of time...it has survived to be reborn in DVD format. Thank goodness! - Because it deserves to be remembered and enjoyed.

Let's hear it for the location scout!
This awful adolescent drivel is saved only by Sean Connery and the breathtakingly accurate scenery. The late 50's interiors are dead on and throughout the movie, I kept wondering, how on earth did they get permission to shoot in Cuba? Of course they didn't - it was shot in Spain.

Despite the interesting atmosphere and backstory, the story itself isn't cohesive and there are holes in it big enough to hold one of Batista's white baby grands.

Perhaps the story would have held if the female lead had more strength. Brooke Adams portrays Alejandra Pulido with a here-again, gone-again Spanish accent and a weakness that betray