Description

Two small time hustlers loose a winning lottery ticket in a robbery.They scour the city and battle thugs to retrieve it. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Load of Fun
From the time I saw this movie when I was a child until now, this movie never fails to keep me laughing. From the time Poitier and Cosby goes to Madame Zenobia's,(this high swanky place to have a good time) and gets robbed out of Poitier's lottery ticket; to their encounters with Little Seymour and Big Percy(Harold Nicholas at his best);Geechie Dan Buford(Harry Belafonte)to Silky Slim(Calvin Lockhart:"Never have so few done so much for so many"); The good Reverend(Flip Wilson:"Loose Lips sink ships, bubbla,bubbla,bubbla"), and put it all together and you got one heck of a funny movie. I love it and it will make your day as well.

Fast and Funny
Cosby and Potier exhibited good chemistry together in the wild comedy about two friends in search of a stolen lottery ticket. This film is also somewhat of a who's who in African-American entertainment, with Harry Belafonte, Richard Pryor, Flip Wilson, among some of the talent filling in the roles. Look for an extremely funny scene featuring Harold Nicholas (of the Nicholas brothers).

great to get it on DVD
finally One of My favorite films Ever has made it to DVD.Sidney Poiter is a true Tralblazer. the soul brother truly flipped the Hollywood Script.this is the first of the cool Trilogys he did with Bill Cosby. 80's Cos was all Smoothed out&a Modern Day Mr.Cleaver but on this film&the other two he did with sidney Poiter Bill cosby was a Funky soul brother who was funny&Had His Screen Game down pat.Harry belefonte is on point here as is Calvin Lockhart(a very underrated Cat) Paula Clark is a Foxy Momma&rocking the Afro Puffs.Roscoe Lee brown is cool as well&so is the rest of the cast.Much Dap to Brother Dr.Todd Boyd whose commentary knocks it out the Box.

DVD should mean EXTRAS
Uptown Saturday Night was one of the first films I looked for when I acquired a DVD player a few years ago. Finally it is available. Nonetheless, one of the major reasons I purchase DVDs is to ascertain what extras and supplements might be included to complement the film itself. I was a little disappointed with what Warner Bros included as "Special Features" for this great film. The commentary by Dr. Todd Boyd is insightful in accurately setting this film in its proper social, cultural, historical context. However Boyd's commentary provides little insight into the making of the movie, the depth of its actors, and behind the scenes dynamics that went into making the film. Like so much commentary available on DVD "extras", Boyd's comments do nothing more than provide a cheering section to the film (i.e. this is a classic scene, I loved this scene, etc.). It would have been nice to have had more input from Richard Wesley who wrote the screenplay, Sidney Poitier who directed and starred in the film, as well as comments from Bill Cosby who is the key comedic figure in this caper film.

I was also disappointed in the "documentary" included as a "Special Feature" entitled "The Lowdown on Uptown: A Retrospective". This "lowdown" is a little too brief and even suffers from false advertisement. On the back of the DVD package, the consumer is led to believe that this retrospective would include comments by Denise Nicholas and Jimmie Walker. I saw or heard nothing from either of them. Again where was Poitier, where was Cosby?

Enough complaints however because this is one of my favorite films of all time. I particularly like the character roles of Roscoe Lee Browne, Richard Pryor, and Flip Wilson. The film also includes great displays of the lives and concerns of Black folk in the mid 1970s. All I have to say as with all DVDs ... bring on more "special features" and "extras".

All Time Great Buddy Film!
This is one of the best buddy films ever! I remember seeing this at the drive-in when it first came out. I love the scenes at Madame Zenobia's and the picnic.

Does anyone know who sang the gospel song "How I Got Over"? I would love to add it to my collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Back in the day, when Richard Roundtree, Fred Williamson, Issac Hayes, and Pam Grier were stickin' it to the Man, Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby collaborated on three buddy comedies that offered urban audiences an alternative to private dicks, sex machines, and bad muthas. The Uptown Saturday Nightstars re-team for an "outtasite" scam involving hypnosis, a hopeless beanpole boxer (Jimmie Good Times Walker), and two rival kingpins. Though in fashion and patois Let's Do It Again is a candidate for the '70s time capsule, it does hold up better than most of its more militant blaxploitation brethren. Poitier, the straight man, and Cosby, working his improvisational mojo, are a great comedy team. Worth the price of purchase alone is the sight of these icons decked out in flamboyant Mack Daddy duds to impress their marks, Kansas City Mack (John Amos) and Biggie Smalls (Calvin Lockhart). Curtis Mayfield's score, with vocals by the Staples Singers, is also good for the soul. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (21)

cool Film&Smoking Soundtrack
Props to the Genius of Brother Sidney Poitier for directing this Classic&also to the Funky vibe of Bill Cosby.John Amos One of the Most slept on Actors Ever.same thing with Clavin Lockhart.Ossie Davis was Cool as was the whole Cast.this Movie pre-dated Hip-Hop.keep in mind the Name Biggie Smalls.the Soundtrack which has Music Produced by curtis Mayfield with the Staple Singers on vocals is a Must have as well.the Movie&Music go hand in hand.finally on DVD with Great commentary.Enjoy.this is a Feel Good Movie with Soul.

It's About Time... Good Comedy From The 70's On DVD
This is one of the few movies I can say I was waiting for to arrive on DVD. Yes, its campy corny, and predictable, but it has something for me at least that a lot of movies dont; it just makes you feel good and have a good time watching it.

Bill Cosby and Sidney Potier had great chemistry together in all three of their films. Uptown Saturday Night was more critically acclaimed, but this film is just more fun.

The Characters names are still unforgetable: 40th Street Black, Bootney Farnsworth, Kansas City Mack, Jody Tibbs and of course Bill as Mongo Slade. Great Stuff.

The Soundtrack with the Staple Singers still makes you move even though the songs are about 30 years old; the mark of hitting the bullseye musically. One thing that must be mentioned is the mostly black cast for a film of this kind was not the norm back when this film was made and the actors in the film all were either stars in their own right, or would be stars later.

Best scene in the movie without giving too much away for those who have not watched it: the final boxing scene and the aftermath; just plain funny.

Anyway, go out and get this DVD. You will be sure to enjoy it. The whole family can watch it also as I can't recall hearing any foul language.

Highly recommended

Two of the Best, in their Best
Of the three that Bill Cosby & Sidney Poitier made (Uptown Saturday Night, Let's Do It Again and A Piece Of The Action) I
loved this one best. An all-star cast along with the plot in
the boxing match,their wives and dealing with the two kingpins
gave me enough laughs to drive my wife up the wall. The Cosby/Poitier team I feel, is a positive comedy duo that rates with Crosby/Hope.

For real
This movie is good clean fun. Not a lot of cursing, fun comedy action. A must see for the new generation. Don't wait for the new Will Smith version. Which he won't give me a roll in. He's going to redo Let's Do it Again and Uptown Saturday night.A very pleasant movie.

THEY DID IT AGAIN
Of all the movies Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby made, this is the best comedy made together. Very funny and I love the music. I have been waiting for YEARS for this movie to come out on DVD. I,m buying many to give to all my friends. If you wanna laugh a lot, this is the dvd you want. Very, very funny movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The last, and least, film in the so-called Uptown trilogy, this 1977 buddy comedy is preachier than its more rollicking predecessors, Uptown Saturday Night and Let's Do It Again. It begins like The Sting, but then veers into To Sir, with Love territory, as Dave (Bill Cosby), a safecracker, and Manny (Sidney Poitier), a con man, are blackmailed by a retired detective (James Earl Jones, who would achieve pop-culture immortality that year as the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars) to work at a community-improvement center and inspire the delinquent youth to respect themselves and find jobs. An answer to the violent and militant blaxploitation films of the period, these films, each directed by Poitier, were the Barbershop of their day. Poitier and Cosby are a seamless team; their ease, charm, and integrity carry the film's more plodding patches, as does Curtis Mayfield's authentic score. Fans of these icons will want to get a piece of this action. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

glad to have this on DVD
I can watch Sidney&Bill all day long period.there films had style,balance&a coolness about them all rolled into one.this film takes the fellows to the Hood to educate&teach students how to get jobs.Denise Nichols is a foxy Lady Yes Lawd! Cosby was grooving on the dance floor in this film.great to see sheryl lee Ralph in this film.I dug the realness&vibe with this film that dealt with all kinds of backgrounds of students.on point commentary as well.Props.

Among the Best of its kind!
I LOVED this movie as a young teenager. Cosby and Poitier are forced to mend their ways and do the "To Sir With Love" thing with kids in a ghetto. Mighty satisfying scenes that are still worth watching today without being hokey. Love the fadeout where Bill Cosby does "the bump" with this heavyset lady that sends him halfway across the room (this scene is surprisingly done in a way that doesn't degrade the lady in question) as they dance to the Staple Singers' title song. But enough of that-SEE IT, and ENJOY!

Great Wholesome Comedy
I love this classic movie, about 2 men being forced to changed their evil ways, by working in a community center with under privilege youths, all the while trying to find the mystery man who is behind this blackmailing scheme. The movie features Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, Denise Nicholas, James Earl Jones, Tracy Reed, and many more up and coming actors and actressess.

A Piece Of The Action!
This was the last pairing of Cosby and Poitier in 1977 and watching it, you can easily see where Quentin Tarantino and a lot of other young filmmakers get ideas for plotting, pacing and musical backdrops. The most refreshing thing about the film is that it manages to deliver a message about empowering today's youth without beating you over the head with it's preachiness. Brilliantly scored by the late, great Curtis Mayfield and featuring contributions from The Staple Singers, "A Piece..." perfectly encapsulates it's time without sinking to the depths of 'Blaxploitation' and buffoonery. The terrific all-star cast includes James Earl Jones, the impossibly gorgeous Denise Nicholas matched only by the lovely Tracy Reed, a very young Sheryl Lee Ralph and the soon- to- be- a- star-via-"What's Happening!", Ernest Thomas. One scene is of particualar note: one of the youngsters involved in the job search program, Willie, delivers a powerful, tear-filled monologue about why he has to find a job 'or something, so that he can be a man' that just breaks my heart and lends the film an air of poignance that elevates it above the level of simple comedy. With that said, "A Piece Of The Action" is an all time favorite that contains elements of drama, action & suspense (I could watch these people plot, scam and sneak to get Nikki back all day!) and comedy that makes for a very satisfying viewing experience. A Classic. Go get a piece!

Piece of the Action
I have seen this movie many, many, times, and I just wanted to own a copy of it. It's a funny upbeat true to life movie. I recommend it to all who like Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, and especially James Earl Jones. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Funniest Movie I Have Seen In My Life
This movie is the most funny one I have seen before. Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are great in it. It is them that make it so funny. My favorite part is when they dress up like woodpeckers and sing the song. When I watched this movie, I could not stop laughing throughout the whole entire thing. I give this movie 5 stars. If you have not seen it, I suggest you do

Almost as funny as "Silver Streak"
"Stir Crazy" is Gene Wilder's and Richard Pryor's second film in which they starred together. Although this film contains many very funny scenes, the chemistry that Wilder and Pryor display here isn't as strong and cohesive as in their first film "Silver Streak", but is do-able. The scenes which slow this picture down are the rodeo-escape scenes toward the end of the film, and display very little life and are somewhat boring. The plot of "Stir Crazy", though, where Wilder and Pryor are framed for armed robbery and sent to prison, is quite amusing and hilarious, with the right amount of flavor and texture to grab my attention! The fact is, any movie starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, with the exception of "Another You", will command at least a four-star rating. Any die-hard fan(s) of these fine actors/performers will want to add "Stir Crazy" to their must-have collection(s).

"Yeah, that's right, we bad..."
In my opinion, there has never been a greater comedy duo than Richard Pryor/Gene Wilder. They are two comic geniuses who mesh perfectly when they come together.

In STIR CRAZY, their best film in my opinion, the two play an actor and a playwright from New York who decide to head out west to look for work. However, along the way, their plans are put on hold as they get framed for bank robbery and find themselves in a Texas penitentiary. They then go through a series of adventures attempting to prove their innocence, escape from prison, and stay alive.

The movie does not contain a very original plot, but the viewer can expect many laughs watching two of the greatest comedians of all time at their best!

I LOVE PRYOR AND WILDER
THESE 2 CHARACTERS ARE THE EASIEST TO JUST LOVE RIGHT WHEN YOU SEE THEM ON FILM. THERE ACTING IN THIS WAS HILLARIOUS(EVEN THOUGH I HAVEN'T SEEN IT). I THINK THAT THE ROLE THEY HAD IN SEE NO EVIL HEAR NO EVIL WAS ALSO AWESOME AND I JUST HOPE YOU CAN SEE THESE MOVIES ALSO.

COMIC GENIES !
i FIRST SAW THIS MOVIE WHEN I WAS TEN YEARS OLD...IM NOW 30 AND EVERY TIME I SEE IT I LAUGH EVEN MORE THAN THE LAST TIME! YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THEIR (RICHARD PRYOR/GENE WILDER) FACES AND YOU WILL BESIDE YOURSELF LAUGHING ! A TRUE COMEDY CLASSIC...ITS DOESNT PRETEND TO BE HIGH BROW JUST FUNNY ! THIS MOVIE WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD AGAIN AND AGAIN..IM SO GLAD I AM PRESERVING IT AS A DVD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO SEE ! A MUST SEE ..GO AHEAD LAUGH OUT LOUD AND ENJOY. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Brought The Black West to Life Before Posse
While I liked Posse, This was the film that brought the Black West to a wider audience. Sidney Poitier as Buck is exciting and Harry Belafonte and Cicely Tyson give him a big helping hand.

Yahoo! Great shoot-em up fun!
Looking for fast, shoot-em up fun with a little morality tale attached..this is it! Sidney Poitier is terrific as Buck, the former slave now gun slinger who helps newly freed slaves to homestead out west and guards them night riders trying to bring them back to a dying, post civil war south. Belefonte is charming as the Preacher who gives the good word as well as sling a colt .45. Don't miss Belefonte's terrific "fornication" speech scene. It's topped off with a stellar supporting cast including Ruby Dee as Buck's wife. This movie would be great fun to watch back to back with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid just to compare the relationships between the four characters. So sorry this movie is hard to find. It's great fun, especially for western fans. Happy watching!

Reconstruction.... Western style!
Although I originally viewed this film as a child and viewed it then just as a comedic western I have in more later years come to know and understand this story as just one of the many injustices done to black americans after slavery had ended. The events portrayed dramatically and I must assume all too accurately reflect the open hostility and lawlessness that was too often visited upon a people simply in search of a better life.

Historic, dramatic, and comedic... Buck and the Preacher illuminates, educates, and entertains all at the same time.

The struggle for a fair life.............
I thought that this movie should have been a little longer. Actually I wished that it had been a little longer. This movie marks more of the heroic deeds done by African Americans that went unmarked and ignored by this "Glorious Country". This movie takes place after slavery had officially "ended". Many, African Americans desired to head out west to find better lives in the open country. But, they were often harrassed, beaten, and, sometimes, killed along the trail by racist whites. Many had no ideal or sense of direction how to get where they wanted to go. There were African American "wagon masters" that knew the countryside well and often lead fellow African Americans to their destination regardless of the possible death that lie ahead. Native Americans proved to be very important allies in the struggle. Excellent job by Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Ruby Dee. Great job on the video and audio transfer for a movie that hit the big screen in 1971. I also liked the menu audio which was done in dolby digital 5.1. However, the soundtrack for the movie is 2 channel dolby didgital. But, it is ample and satisfying. If you are a fan of African American westerns and or cinema, then this is a good movie to sit down and enjoy on a sunday evening. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Radner and Wilder Rule!! Delightful Mystery Spoof!!
The beautiful and reknowned late Gilda Radner with Gene Wilder rule in this delightful mystery spoof about a mistaken murder.Check it out!!Gilda, we all love and miss you dearly!! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

ghost dad rules
Ghost dad is one of the most best movies I've seen.
I have seen most of bill cosbys movies, but this one takes the
cake...

Bill Cosby shines in this heartwarming comedy!!!
Ghost Dad is a cult classic that was unfortunatly ignored whenever it was released. However, it is very cheap now, so today is the time to get it... before the public re-discovers it and the prices climb again!

You may notice I gave this movie only 5 stars... I would rather give it a 10, but It wont go hirer than 5. >_<

When Bill Cosby is on screen he puts you in another world. Like a world when your dad is a ghost. Bill Cosby does a good job it feels like the ghost is really there. This movie really means alot to me, and it helped me cope with my own father, who was killed in Vietnam.

Thank you Bill Cosby. Your heart warming performance saved me from a life of crime and sin. I would not be here with out you.

One of the best African American Movies!
As everyone would know if they go to the movies or watch TV shows, African Americans are portrayed as ghetto trash that speak slang, do drive bys and think about nothing but sex. This movie is one of the few movies that break from immmoral stereotypes and show a decent African American family with values and a little class and ordinary family issues. I wish I had more wholesome movies like this to show my future children. Because in a course of years and years, the African American cinema has been a big disappointment to a Christian black female like myself with morals and standards. This movie is the type of movies young African Americans should see instead of the ghetto trash I see today. Cosby has done me right.

Ghost Dad is funny!
Ghost Dad stars Bill Cosby as a workaholic father who is never at home and leaves all of his reponsibilities to his oldest daughter. His oldest daughter begins to resent him when he forgets her birthday. That day also changes Bill's character life forever when a crazed taxi driver picks him up and runs off the bridge causing him to become a ghost. Bill is forced to be at the mercy of his children who help him darken his office at work, so he can be seen. As the movie progresses, Bill's character becomes closer to his children and learns that he needs to make more time for them. This movie has a lot of Bill Cosby's humor, which is really funny at times. One of the funniest scenes is with Bill and a guy in England who calls himself "Ed-ith", instead of "E-dith." Definitely see this movie if you like Bill Cosby.

Come on people!
This movie straight up is really bad. I dont know why all these people are saying it is funny. It really isn't. It is a disgrace to the world of black cinima and in fact the african american community in general. Don't buy this movie. ... Read more