Reviews (114)

I can dig it!
I am 21 years old. My mother raised me with the monkees music and tv shows. I did not see this movie until 2 years ago. I was impressed. And so should everyone else be that called them a "fake" band and so on. The talent is remarkable, as well as the direction and the writing. This film involves all of the angst and emotion of their personal lives as well as the sign of the times. They were trying to find love and peace in a world ridden with war. At the time they were so passionate about their beliefs, as well as with trying to strip off the stereotypes that people put on them by thinking that they weren't original or by comparing them to the Beatles (with whom they were friends with and hung out with on a regular basis). Everyone will have a different opinion after watching this movie. My opinion is that it is thoroughly enjoyable and an absolute shame to never see. There are so many different scenes and wonderful actors and great music! I think I am going to watch it again right now. Oh, and remember:Nobody ever lends money to a man with a sense of humor.

The Ultimate Acid Trip
Bob Rafaelson and Jack Nicholson were at a party with the monkees while all of them were stoned and asked them questions about their fame, their desires, and their fantasies and the result was Head, a psychodelic, plotless mindtrip which flows like a good Monty Python Episode.

Those tuning in to see the rapid-fire improv-filled laughtrack which was the TV series are in for a shock as this has none of their ultrasticom comedy, but hey! Hey! it's still the monkees....everything is just a bit more abstract and surreal :) And let's not forget the music! Wow! The monkees have never sounded so good, writing nearly all of their material. Mickey shines on Psychodelic "Porpoise Song" (while we see him jump off a bridge into a mermaid-filled sea) and the sweet ballad "aas We go Along. Mike Nesmith really rocks on "Circle Sky" and Peter Tork gives us more songwriting weirdness with his rapid fire "Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again?"

This is a good movie to sit back with your friends and watch entranced at its path. Lots of fun cameos by the likes of Teri Garr, Frank Zappa, and of course Victor Mature and his hair!

Groovy!

cult classic
All I have to say is if your a true monkees fan your wasting your time I'ts terrible. How ever if your a huge fan of Rocky Horror Picture Show, Shock Treatment,J-Men Forever and any movie that director
Ed Wood did "except" Orgy Of The Dead (thats just asking for punishment.)than this movie is awsome.
I don't under stand why Peter Tork is the star of the movie ,he's on the least compared to the other guyes.

Head is a trip!
What is so unique about HEAD is that it's dreamlike in a way that few movies are. A uniquely crafted film inspired by the underground films of the 50s & 60s. Few movies manage to be entertaining solely on the strength of editing, but here a series of dreamsequences are seemlessly strung together in a fun and innovative way. The most revolutionary part has to be the way the beginning and end sequences were connected by the events between them yet are the same scene with only slight variations. Huh? As the Monkees put it, "when you see the end in sight the beginning may arrive". How they do it is masterful. If you try to make sense of this movie, you'll be missing the point. The best thing to do is just mellow out before you watch it and allow HEAD to mess with your head a little. It will if you give it a chance and that makes for a truly rewarding viewing experience. Outside of the Monkees trying to escape their manufactured image, nothing really makes sense in this strange little movie. However, criticising HEAD for it makes about as much sense as critising your dreams for being equally strange and nonsensical. Where comedy is concerned, HEAD is not funny in a humorous way but rather in a peculiar way, similar to the way dreams have you saying, "what was that all about?" later on. If this had been a hit, it could have taken popular filmmaking in a whole new direction.

The Definitive Anti-Masterpiece
When this film was made the career of the Monkees was already in decline as their show had been cancelled and their music was no longer charting ('Porpoise Song' from the "Head" soundtrack got up to number 62 on Billboard). The group was tired of their squeaky clean image as the 'Pre-Fab Four', and they just wanted out. This film was conceived in an effort to reach out to more adult audiences, and to hasten their departure from the scenes as the prototype MTV 'boy band'.

The film itself is a quirky, stream of consciousness movie that treads the line between anti-war statement film to over the top comedy in scenes where, for instance, they have to frolic on the scalp of Victor Mature (in a sequence known as 'dandruff') and are subsequently sucked into a giant vacuum cleaner by Victor Mature's hairdresser. There is no plot as such, but there is some redeeming social commentary such as when Frank Zappa tells Davy that he needs to work on his music more (but compliments his dancing, done with Toni Basil). At the end of the scene Frank Zappa's cow offers her opinion of the Monkees, in a scene that must be my favorite of the movie.

Some of the music is great, with the Nesmith tune 'Circle Sky' getting top mention. It's a great song, filmed live in a scene designed to show how the boys had been devoured by their public image. Other musical numbers are a bit lacking, particularly 'Daddy's Song' and 'As We Go Along.'

Highlights in the film are in the cameos. Not only do Toni Basil and Frank Zappa put in appearances, so do boxer Sonny Liston (who fights Davy), Terry Garr (who pleads to have poison sucked from her finger), Annette Funicello (who pleads tearfully with Davy in a love interest scene), and Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper in a cantina scene. Most peculiar of all credits are for writers and producers, namely longtime Monkees collaborator Bob Rafelson, and Jack Nicholson, who later collaborated on "Five Easy Pieces" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice", among other projects.

There are also extras consisting of theatrical trailers, including one in Portuguese, and television ads for the film. The film was essentially not promoted, certainly didn't connect with the typical Monkee demographic, and was a disaster at the box office. This didn't trouble the band, as it gave them a clear path out, with Peter quitting very shortly after the movie was released. This is as unlike the Monkees TV show as can be imagined, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a trippy sixties flashback stranger than most any other. I was fortunate enough to see this in a theater, and have loved it ever since. I recommend the film to people who know about the Monkees or just think they do. I guarantee that it will shatter your preconceived notions of the band. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Brilliant mood piece
How can you not love a movie whose soundtrack successfully intermingles Tammy Wynette songs with classical music pieces??

I like to think of this film as more of a "mood piece" than a "character study". It succeeds tremendously as both; but if I had to describe to someone what is meant by a "mood piece" I would direct them right to this film. It epitomizes the early-70s American wasteland look and feel common in some great "New Hollywood" films of its time (Jack Nicholson was in several such movies, like the classics "The Last Detail" and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"). The scene outside the bowling alley especially captures this beautiful grit.

You all probably know the story, so I won't bother with the obligatory references to the diner scene, the hitchhikers, or the truly heartbreaking scene where Robert Eroica Dupea clumsily spills his guts to his sick father. I will admit it took several viewings to truly appreciate this film. But now I rank it as one of my favorites. It's rare to find a film that can take you to a time and place you weren't at and introduce you to people you've never known, yet feel it as if you had.

This one is not to be missed. Give it a few tries if you have to.

Five Easy Stars
After his strong supporting turn in Easy Rider brought fame to Jack Nicholson, he got his first starring opportunity in Five Easy Pieces. Teaming up with his old pal Bob Rafelson (from Monkees fame), they created an interesting character study. Mr. Nicholson is Robert Dupea, a hellion who is oilrig worker in Texas. He is basically shiftless and has no direction in life. What we soon discover is that Dupea is a piano playing prodigy who grew up on the Puget Sound in Washington. His girlfriend, played by Karen Black, wants to be a country & western singer and is constantly singing along to "Stand By Your Man". She drives him nuts, but after his best friend is arrested, he heads back home to Washington with her in tow. He ends up falling for another woman who also plays piano and is staying at his father's house. The title of the film is derived from five easy piano pieces that Dupea and the woman dissect. Mr. Nicholson does an incredible job of peeling back the layers of Dupea and his scene ordering a chicken salad sandwich is highly memorable. Ms. Black is perfectly annoying in her role and she does a tremendous job. Mr. Rafelson & Mr. Nicholson have teamed several times since this movie, but never were they any better together.

NOT Texas!
Why does everyone say Nicholson's character is working in the "Texas" oil fields? It's the California oilfields (Bakersfield, Shafter California).
Good character study, excellent acting. and the chicken salad scene is classic Nicholson.

A Great Film
In a story of two worlds and what happens when they collide, Jack Nicholson gives a performance that should have won an Academy Award. As Bobby Dupea, Nicholson abandons his privilaged life for that of an aimless drifter- something he will eventually apologize for. He goes from being a talented musician to working as an oil rigger but a family illness will bring him back to his affluent roots and it is here that he must decide the course the rest of his life will take. And while all the perfomances are excellent, it is Nicholson that keeps us spellbound. In a long career, he has played many facinating characters but in my humble opinion, it is as the wasted talent Bobby Dupea that Nicholson shines the brightest.

A film about people
This film got a fair amount of buzz in its time but I had never seen it. Having been interested by some of Nicholson's work (Head, Witches of Eastwick, Chinatown) I thought, in a weak moment, that it might be good to own a copy of this.

It is a film about people I wouldn't want to know relating deeply with other people I wouldn't want to know and has few other qualities which stand out after a first viewing. I give it two stars rather than one because it was, I suppose, professionally done. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Through solid dramatic impact and global exposure on cable TV, Brubaker gradually joined the ranks of all-time best prison movies. While preparing to direct Ordinary People, Robert Redford brought his considerable star power to bear on his title role as a prison reform warden, in an unnamed Southern state, who poses as an inmate to expose corruption, violence, and administrative abuse in Wakefield, a prison farm where trustee inmates are armed and encouraged to shoot at would-be escapees. Originally developed for director Bob Rafelson and ultimately filmed by Stuart Rosenberg, this rugged exercise in social commentary has undeniable power, even if some its characters--including Redford's--seem more like stick-figure ethicists than real human beings. It's also got a dynamite supporting cast including Yaphet Kotto, Jane Alexander, and Morgan Freeman in one of his earliest films. Bolstered by his Oscar-winning directorial debut, Redford didn't star in another film until The Natural ended his four-year hiatus. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Dark but incomplete tome on corrections reform
Robert Redford is Brubaker, an honest expert in corrections sent to clean up a trouble-plagued penitentiary. Sent to Wakefield Brubaker enters undercover, living his first few days as a prisoner. We learn that for its brutality, Wakefield was conceived along the lines of a noble experiment - one that gave the prisoners unusual autonomy, and was intended to actually correct those imprisoned there. Instead, the experiment has carved a super-class of prisoners who rule over the rest of the prisoners as Trustees. Unafraid to use force, they skim off books while stealing supplies already paid for. Brubaker, once revealed as the new warden, slowly but surely turns the system upside down - he can't move too quickly because those prisoners or administrators who are most guilty are also the only ones who can tell him what's wrong. Eventually discarding the old guard, Brubaker soon learns that Wakefield has an even darker secret, one whose discovery threatens the Wakefield's future.

This was a good movie, although it's hard to understand the first time around. The sophisticated system of prisoner autonomy is somewhat hard to believe unless you've already seen the movie before. The setting is interesting - a dessicated prison, complete with an antique electric chair (which emerges from the shadows like the monster from "Alien" - quite yet terrifying). That said, the movie has no surprises (comparisons to "Last Castle" are incorrect). Brubaker is an utterly honest and incorruptible soul. Once we see how he uncovers grafters among the prison administration and trustees, there's little more for him to do. We know that outside businessmen will be corrupt croneys and that even well meaning corrections bureaucrats will try to rein Brubaker in for the good of the system. The movie blows what should be its focus - having Brubaker connect with the prisoners - something he does too easily, too much so considering that his first speech reminds them that they are prisoners and that they are there for a reason. There also aren't enough really supportive roles - as if Yaphet Kotto was the only reliable prisoner. Still worth a look.

Not your average prison movie....
Brubaker is based on a true story and tells of the events of one man's attempts to reform a prison system mired in corruption, brutality, and a lack of order to any general degree.

Henry Brubaker, as stated in the movie, gained his past experience in corrections working in military prison systems. Brubaker hatches the ingenious plan to insert himself into the prison population at Wakefield Penitentiary as an inmate to experience first hand all the problems inside the facility. What he uncovers is nothing less than barbaric punishment methods, no structured management of inmates, lack of medical care, and the penitentiary itself in advance stages of disrepair.

Henry Brubaker, after revealing his status as the new warden and assuming his duties, goes on to discover that there are no state hired corrections officers on the staff. Inmate trustees, armed with weapons, are given the responsibility of manning watch towers, supervising work crews, and keeping the peace inside of the prison. Furthermore, prisoners are farmed out to local businessmen in the community for work with no pay which amounts to slave labor.

Upon deeper investigation into all the activities in and around the prison, Brubaker discovers other illegal activities including theft of prison food supplies and equipment, inmates being charged fees for almost non-existent medical care, and the revelation that there are prisoners buried on the prison property that were the victims of murder by fellow inmates.

Brubaker confronts the state prison board with these problems only to find out that the prison board is not only aware of these incidents, they think the system should reamin unchanged because it has always been this way and should remain so. You can sense their unhappiness with Brubaker as the new warden who wants to come in and upset their system rather than tow the line.

Henry Brubaker is portrayed as a man of honesty, integrity, and professionalism and in defying the prison board's message to leave well enough alone, he launches his own campaign to reform the prison and correct the wrongs he has inherited as the new warden. Unfortunately, with the power of the prison board and the governor of the state against him, he is eventually removed as the warden and fired.

In the final outcome, many inmates saw the necessity of the changes attempted by Brubaker and were dismayed at seeing him removed and the new warden not making proper progress to reform the prison. This prompted many inmates to file lawsuits against the state for inhumane prison conditions resulting in the governor not being re-elected the following year.

This movie is a fine drama with a very good plot, great acting, and poignant conclusion. I highly recommend this movie to everyone.

A+!! One of Robert Redford's best films.
This ranks right up there with ... as one of the great "hero with integrity goes up against the corrupt system" movies of all time.

I used to teach American Government and would show this and Redford's ... Two of the best political films of all time.

This movie brings up many important and insightful issues involving prison reform/management.

A real story, like Walking Tall
Of course, I'm biased. "Brubaker" is a fictionalized account of the real story of Tom Murton, warden of Tucker & Cummins prison, in Arkansas, in 1967-68. Tom Murton was my dad & I lived on both those prisons as a 5th grader, before we were unceremoniously kicked out of Bill Clintons state. Most of the movie's events really happened, including the electric torture--called the Tucker Telephone--the whip, the horrid food, the inmate trustees carrying guns, painting death row, & digging up some of the 200 unmarked graves, most of which remain unmarked on Tucker farm. Fictional events include the female prison board member, the black old inmate dying--his name was Reuben Gaines & he got out of prison. My dad assuredly did NOT infiltrate the prison as an inmate, but the scene w/ the old warden barricading himself in his office w/ a Thompson submachine gun was true. Like Redford's character, my dad was not PC & probably unecessarily antagonized both the corrections board, & the governor. But who could really agree to cover up 200 murdered inmates? Governor Winthrop Rockefeller fired my dad, even as the Arkansas legislature was moving to indict him for grave-robbing. We had 24 hrs to exit Arkansas. My dad went on to be a tenured professor of Criminology at the Univ. of MN, Minneapolis & passed away in 1990. The book about all this is "Accomplices to the Crime" by Tom Murton & Joe Hyams, Grove Press. Long since out of print, but available over the internet from rare booksellers for a reasonable price. My verdict on the movie: considering that it's primary purpose was to make money, it's a lot more factual than it could have been.

Must See
A wonderful movie for it's day, and even today.
I could see it being the Shawshank Redemption of the early 1980's, except this movie is true. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Excellence!!
I first saw this movie in 1991 and instantly fell in love, wishing I could go out and dicover something as monumental as the source for the Nile River. The acting in this movie is stupendous, Patrick Bergin as "Richard Burton", Iain Glen as "John Speke", and Fiona Shaw as Burton's wife,(I forgot here name in the movie), they all deserve Oscars for their performances. This movie was highly overlooked by hollywood and that is a huge mistake by them, this movie could and should have won best picture honors. The scenery is breathtaking the way it is filmed and the history is potrayed in a fairly accurate light. This movie should be on everybody's top ten list.

Whatever happened to Patrick Bergin?
This movie is fantastic, that is until it decides to roam aimlessley through history, picking up bits of plot from Speke's consequent journey, and discarding the events of the first expedition entirely. This movie should by seen by people whoe either have no idea of what actually occurred, or by people who have a complete idea of what occurred, otherwise one would become completely lost. The viewer has no sense of time or place, only through casual reference, sometimes none at all, is the chronology or place of events given to the viewer. Anyone who thought the plot of this movie was good should immediately read "The White Nile" by Alan Moorehead for more casual reading, or the journals of Burton and Speke themselves to realized the travesty of diverting the plot. Why do screenwriters insist on changing history when the history is far better than anything their pea brains can come up with? I will never know. However, despite the historical indolence, the movie does have superb casting, dialogue, and cinematography, I know why the Coen brothers always use Roger Deakins as their DP, the man is a genius. But what the hey ever happened to Patrick Bergin? He is fantastic in this movie, it seems to me that "Sleeping with the Enemy" killed his potentially great career. But then again I havent seen any of his other work, so maybe his career is as great as it should be. Mountains of the Moon, although badly titled, since the movie has absolutely nothing to do with the Ruwenzori mountains(mtns. of the moon), is a good movie, but the divergence of history cannot be overlooked says me. When are they going to make a Samuel Baker movie? That's what I want to know.

Full screen vs. Wide screen
Several other reviewers had commented that this was a widescreen edition mis-labeled as a full screen DVD. They are 1/2 right. It is a letterbox edition that thinks it is full screen. I had difficulty getting a wide image on a 16x9 screen (black bars on top bottom and sides), but on a regular TV got a letterbox image. Black saturation is not great on the image. I think it was probably transfered to DVD from a letterbox videotape. It would be nice if Artisan re-did this movie as a widescreen anamorphic DVD from the original 35mm print. The movie has spectacular scenes of Africa and it is a shame that the image quality is not the highest.

Ripping Good Yarn and the Last of Genre
This wonderfully intelligent, beautifully acted, photographed and directed film of an exciting and true chapter in history bombed at the box office for no discernible reason other than it didn't have big stars and probably wasn't hyped enough.

Made by one of America's best directors, Bob Rafelson, this story of Burton and Speke's quest for the source of the Nile is one of the last best of the great historical epics made pre-CGI and shot on location and ranks right up there with Lawrence, Zulu, etc.

The film makes plain just what a dangerous and crazy enterprise this kind of effort was with both men nearly killed on the first outing. Speke is captured and speared in arms and thighs and Burton has a spear shoved through one side of his face and out the other. They barely manage an escape and return to England. And yet, they go back and try again!

The second attempt is an arduous and ghastly journey as well, with danger, death and disease plaguing every step. The character of the two men is revealed in these travails, and the film is an exploration of the bonds of friendship and loyalty and the strains that can bind or tear them apart.

This is wonderful stuff with two daring and mad white Englishman traipsing around uncharted Africa in search of a river's source for the adventure, discovery, thrill and fame of it all. They endure unimaginable hardship only to have a falling-out on their return to England.

Sir Richard Burton , translator of the Arabian Nights and various erotic literature, swordsman, rake, linguist was a brilliant, unorthodox and unconventional man. He is wonderfully played by Patrick Bergin, with vitality, humor and charisma to spare. John Hanning Speke is shown as a disciplined and courageous explorer & friend, but troubled and conflicted sexually and emotionally. LLain Glen is wonderful as the tightly wrapped Speke, severely suppressing his (probable) homosexuality.

The supporting cast is fine, and the photography and location filming exceptional. The complications of the relationships: Burton and his wife, Burton and Speke, Speke & his probable lover, are limned with taste and intelligence.

Nineteenth century Africa would be a forbidding and hazardous place for native and non-native alike. It would take exceptional men to leave behind all they knew and venture into a completely unknown and uncharted vast continent, without communications and without a supply line and completely on your own. Lunacy if you think about it. Well, whether historically accurate in every detail or not, this film captures the essence of this mad quest and the extraordinary men who made it! Well worth your while.

It is a MOVIE you know
Ken Burns makes documentaries, Bob Rafelson doesn't. To the people who complain about the alleged historical inaccuracies of this film, I say, "relax". First of all, as is mentioned in the script, no one knows exactly what the relationship between Burton and Speke was except them. So I think it acceptable for the filmmakers to take liberty there. If a film isn't entertaining...well, it won't get made in the first place. And considering how un-Hollywood films like this are, I consider it a minor miracle that it got made in the first place. Same can be said about many others.

Anyhow. I think if you watch this film with a non-judgmental mindset, you'll be sure to enjoy it immensely. It's just so well made. As others have written, the cast and performances are top-notch, as is the directing and photography. The numerous scenes using what appear to be real native Africans are mesmerizing. The sense of adventure that exploration of this type embodied, both good and bad, is brought through very clearly. Yes, it makes you want to go off to Africa and discover something great. Not a bad idea.

Historically accurate? I don't know. What's more, I don't care. This is a great movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In The Postman Always Rings Twice Jack Nicholson teamed up again with his Five Easy Pieces and King of Marvin Gardens director Bob Rafelson for this 1981 version of James M. Cain's hardboiled novel of lust and murder. This version takes a much grittier (and sexually explicit) approach to the material than the slick 1946 MGM version starring John Garfield and Lana Turner. Nicholson plays Frank Chambers, a drifter who happens upon a roadside diner run by Cora Papadakis (Jessica Lange) and her swarthy Greek husband, Nick (John Colicos). Sparks fly, and before you can say l'amour fou, Frank and Cora are making the beast with two backs on the kitchen table. One thing leads to another and they conspire to murder Nick. The movie is still a little too cold and distant to fully convey a hot-blooded passion that leads to murder, but it is a strangely haunting and disturbing film nevertheless. The screenplay is by David Mamet, the photography is by the great Sven Nykvist (Ingmar Bergman's cinematographer), and watch for Anjelica Huston in a supporting role. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Underwhelming
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1981) serves as a cautionary lesson to anyone who's considering renting or buying a film on the strength of its starring leads, and then proceeds to plunk down dollars after asking the rhetorical question, "With that cast, how bad can it be?"

Jack Nicholson is drifter Frank Chambers, who washes up in a rural roadhouse run by Nick Papadakis (John Colicos) and his too young (for him) wife, Cora (Jessica Lange). The time is the 1930s, and the place somewhere in the coastal mountains between Los Angeles and San Francisco. After Chambers is employed by Nick as a mechanic in the outpost's garage, Frank and Cora soon ignite a spark of mutual lust that eventually spreads into a conflagration of betrayal, attempted murder, murder, violent sex, insurance company venality, blackmail, and bad driving.

There's a good story here somewhere, so how did it go so badly wrong? Most damaging, there's no likable character for the audience to champion. Nicholson's character is as sleazy and vicious as any role he's ever done. Cora, married to an unsuitable older man for reasons we never learn, initially gains some audience compassion, perhaps. But then, after she demonstrates a cold-bloodedness worthy even of Frank, I ceased sympathizing with the character. Of the lot, only Nick is blameless, but he's such an old fool that it's hard to care.

The supporting cast is no better. The award for Worst Performance In A Negligible Role (Female) has to go to Anjelica Huston as Madge, a lion tamer and manager of a traveling wild cat show, who sports a goofy accent and hairdo worthy of Natasha (of "Boris and Natasha" on the old Bullwinkle TV series). The same award for a male actor is due William Traylor as Sackett, the Los Angeles DA out to nail our heroic couple.

There are only three reasons to view this film. First, if you're a diehard Nicholson fan. I'm not. Second, if you're a diehard Lange fan. I am. But, while she's undeniably gorgeous and indulges in tempestuous sex that would make my Mom blush and fuels my personal fantasies, prurient interest isn't enough to carry the day. Lastly, the scenery surrounding the roadhouse is beautifully pastoral.

I haven't seen the 1946 release of THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, nor do I intend to because Jessica isn't in it. This 1981 version is over-acted, over-scripted, under-edited, and implausible. It's just silly in a lurid sort of way.

Underrated, but still not entirely realized
This remake of the 1946 film which starred Lana Turner and John Garfield is significantly better than its reputation. The script, adapted from James M. Cain's first novel, is by the award-winning playwright David Mamet, while the interesting and focused cinematography is by Sven Nykvist, who did so much exquisite work for Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. An excellent cast is led by Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange, whose cute animal magnetism is well displayed. Bob Rafelson, who has to his directorial credit the acclaimed Five Easy Pieces (1970) and The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), both also starring Jack Nicholson, captures the raw animal sex that made Cain's novel so appealing (and shocking) to a depression-era readership and brings it up to date. Hollywood movies have gotten more violent and scatological since 1981, but they haven't gotten any sexier. This phenomenon is in part due to fears occasioned by the rise of AIDS encouraged by the usual blue stocking people. Don't see this movie if sex offends you.

Lange is indeed sexy and more closely fits the part of a lower-middle class woman who married an older man, a café owner, for security than the stunning blonde bombshell Lana Turner, who was frankly a little too gorgeous for the part. John Colicos plays the café owner, Nick Papadakis, with clear fidelity to Cain's conception. In the 1946 production, the part was played by Cecil Kellaway, who was decidedly English; indeed they changed the character's name to Smith. Also changed in that production was the name of the lawyer Katz (to Keats). One wonders why. My guess is that in those days they were afraid of offending Greeks, on the one hand, and Jews on the other. Here Katz is played by Michael Lerner who really brings the character to life.

Jack Nicholson's interpretation of Cain's antihero, an ex-con who beat up on the hated railway dicks while chasing any skirt that came his way, the kind of guy who acts out his basic desires in an amoral, animalistic way, was not entirely convincing, perhaps because Nicholson seems a little too sophisticated for the part. Yet, his performance may be the sort better judged by a later generation. I have seen him in so many films that I don't feel I can trust my judgment. My sense is that he's done better work, particularly in the two films mentioned above and also in Chinatown (1974), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and such later works as The Shining (1980) and Terms of Endearment (1983).

The problem with bringing Postman successfully to the screen is two-fold. One, the underlying psychology, which so strongly appealed to Cain's depression-era readership, is not merely animalistic. More than that it reflects the economic conflict between the established haves, as represented by the greedy lawyers, the well-heeled insurance companies, the implacable court system and the simple-minded cops, and to a lesser degree by property owner Nick Papadakis himself, and the out of work victims of the depression, the have-nots, represented by Frank and Cora (who had to marry for security). Two--and this is where both cinematic productions failed--the film must be extremely fast-paced, almost exaggeratedly so, to properly capture the spirit and sense of the Cain novel. Frank and Cora are rushing headlong into tragedy and oblivion, and the pace of the film must reflect that. A true to the spirit adaptation would require a terse, stream-lined directorial style with an emphasis on blind passions unconsciously acted out, something novelist Cormac McCarthy might accomplish if he directed film. I think that Christopher Nolan, who directed the strikingly original Memento (2000) could do it.

For further background on the novel and some speculation on why it was called "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (Cain's original, apt title was "Bar-B-Que") see my review at Amazon.com.

All happiness demands its prize!
There we have a well remade from the James Cain's novel . It's good to remind that Visconti made a superb film in 1941 with Ossesione but without this cast and this atmosphere ; Visconti is concerned about other issues and abandons the clues of the film noir.
Nicholson is hired to work in a gas station ; the seductive Jessica Lange (who lives a ficticious live with an alcoholic and inhuman greek husband) establishes the chemical and sexual rapprot with Nicholson and become lovers.
There will be too much to watch in this sordid , nocturnal and bitter tale ; but the dazzling direction of Nichols , the ravishing acting of Lange and the cold blooded mind of Nicholson make a team hard to equal . There are smart twists about Macbeth and his wife in this one (a man without ambition is not a man) . I've always thought the film noir is the last son of the greek tragedy: any happiness is innocent ; and only under this gaze it's possible to understand and to discuss a film like this.

Excellent and fundamental in your golden collection. A cult movie and a classic sample of the purest film noir.
It's remarkable to state that the best trilogy of films noir in the eighties were with this one ; Bad timing and Body heat .

Postman is right, the second time around
Twice is nice. Hollywood had to try twice to get this story right. Lana Turner was beautiful in the 1946 version, but Jessica Lange was something to kill for opposite Jack Nicholson.

Such raw sensuality would easily persuade a man to lose his very soul. Nicholson's part is certainly unscrupulous to begin with, but in Jessica Lange he finds a confederate with even less scruples. The legal loose ends that dangled in the earlier version are avoided this time with a more plausible chain of events... and the story ends when the story ought to end, instead of being dragged on.

Wonderful character and situation development, intriguing and engaging, even when you know the story. Nice twists of the story from the Lana Turner and Italian ("Ossessione" 1943) versions.

Much closer to the book
This movie was much closer to the book than the original movie, which for me was a treat. Filled with torrid sex and self centered reckless abandon, the two main characters convey those in the book as they were meant to be. This fleshes out the story quite nicely and keeps it moving through the twists and turns in the plot. Though there were a couple of minor changes in the story, what surprised me, and really let me down was the very ending. Though viewers should pick up on the irony of the situation, it is really driven home in the book! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Solid, attractive suspenser
Okay, the story is preposterous and technologically dated, and some of the dialogue is melodramatic in a retro kind of way. That said, BLACK WIDOW still makes good viewing because it remains true to itself and the premises it has set up, and Debra Winger and Theresa Russell do a smashing job on their characters. It also has an interesting style, managing a noir atmosphere even while filming a considerable portion of the story in the bright sunshine of Hawaii and dressing the leads in the blues and red-oranges of '80s fashions.

Debra Winger plays a bright young unattached woman in a drab, stultifying life as a statistics accountant for the federal government. She does not openly indulge in self pity, but when she identifies a wisp of a possible crime in the statistics she compiles, she sells all her possessions and quits her job to pursue the case on her own. The case surrounds Theresa Russell's character who Winger believes marries older men and somehow precipitates their deaths to reap their inheritances, what is called a black widow. This is all established with swift efficiency, as is the guilt of Russell's character. The suspense lies in if and how Alex will corner her black widow, who is equally intelligent. The two make a sensational pairing, circling around each other, getting closer and closer.

Leonard Maltin's movie guide says the film doesn't deliver the big pay-off. That depends upon what kind of pay-off you are looking for. I happen to think it did deliver.

Don't Miss the Kiss of the Spider
I caught this movie on HBO in 1988-15 years later, I can still sit through it from beginning to end with out being the least bored. It is one of my favorite great movies that few people seem to know about.
Debra Winger is perfect as feisty Government agent, Alex, who notices a pattern and sets out to find the Black Widow-Theresa Russell, who reminds me a lot of Kathleen Turner in "Body Heat".
I would like to see more of her movies, as her portrayal of the woman Alex hunts down, is complex and compelling.
There are enough twists and turns to always keep your attention, and as other reviewers note, the scenery is spectacular.
The peripheral actors are well cast, and you find yourself caring about every one in the movie...and wondering what makes the Black Widow tick.

Superb script!
A young woman (Theresa Russell) seduces , marries and murders all the men who appear in her life and selected for her to join in this undesirable club . Obviously the case becomes too suspicious and a female investigator (Debra Winger) is assigned to watch her . This plot will turn in a challenge . You will experiment the gradual transformation starting from intrigue to obsession .
A very well made script with high caliber performances . Unforgettable locations and dazzling direction.
Imagine this tour de force: the seductive Theresa Russell (Bad Timing) and the captivating acting of Winger.
A must for you.

A greedy widow spins one web too many
This fine thriller could have been much better if the currents between Alexandra [Debra Winger] and Catharine [Theresa Russell] were explored and developed by the film-makers instead of letting the moment pass. The electricity between the hunted and the huntress is obvious after Alexandra finally catches up with black widow Catharine and from their first shared moments it seems as though Alexandra is spellbound by the woman she has set out to capture. Although Alexandra spends most of the film chasing after Catharine, she has a deer-in-the-headlights look when they spend time alone, whether in a hotel room, on a beach, or at a party, because she isn't as sure of herself as she was before she finally tracks down her dangerous prey. Catharine's seductive, flinty green eyes and sidelong glances at Alexandra suggest that this beautiful but ruthless killer is spinning her web to snare her pursuer before she can solve the mysterious deaths of her late husbands.

Dramatic Thriller
Debra Winger plays a detective who is on the trail of a psychopathic woman. She quickly meets, "falls in love" and then marries her man, but soon kills him before moving onto the next man repeating the process all over again. When the detective finally locates her in Hawaii, she meets her and the two become friends. As she investigates the woman's web of lies and murder, the woman becomes suspicious of her. When she finally discovers that her friend is a detective, it becomes a deadly rollercoaster ride as she repeatedly tries to kill her. Some of the best scenes were... poisoning the wine scene, the scuba-diving scene, the scalding shower scene, and the end scene. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

You can't grow without burning
To begin, I'm a life-long bodybuilder and Arnold Schwarzenegger fan, so, although he's strictly a co-star in this, I'm obviously biased. That being said, however, I absolutely LOVE this movie all around! One of my favorite parts is the way some of the very best advice I've ever heard on friendships and relationships in general is dispensed throughout the film at times you didn't even realize you were learning something. Examples: Joe Santo (Arnold) is putting Craig Blake (Jeff) through a workout and advising him, "You can't grow without burning!", and we come to realize just how profound that was when Joe repeats those words as the two dispute just why Mary Tate Farnsworth (Sally Field) left Joe for Craig. Also, there's Craig's uncle Albert, whose voice is heard previously at times reading letters to Craig, telling him, "It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do something, and do it unsparingly.". Again, awesome movie. I've worn out two videos of it thusfar, having watched it so many times. Time to get ANOTHER one...

If you grew up in Birmingham
If you grew up in Birmingham, specifically Mountain Brook, in the 50s to the early 70's, this movie is a hoot. Look closely and you can see all of the people you know in the characters of the movie. The characters are based on real people, making the movie far more entertaining for those who have been there.

Not a bad movie
If you are looking for a great script exhibiting the artistic acting skills of Jeff Bridges and Sally Field...forget it!

If you are expecting a Arnold in a Collateral Damage or Terminator type role---again forget it.

This movie was made in the mid 1970's. It really doesn't do much for bodybuilding but it did launch Arnold to stardom.

You also get to see the beautiful Sally Field and the distinquished Jeff Bridges, the real stars of this movie.

If you are a Arnold fan, you may be dissapointed. Seeing Arnold play a fiddle is interesting.

Stay Hungry worth 4 stars.

Introducing Ar-nold!!!
This movie is largely what brought the great Arnold S. to prominence as a actor. Arnold even won a Golden Globe award for his performance!Stay Hungry is somewhat of a quirky movie. Seeing Arnold play a fiddle, the beautiful Sally Fields who gets raped in this movie (yeah the Flying Nun) and excellent acting and athletic skills by Jeff Bridges (dodging barbells, dumbells and iron plates by a madman) makes Stay Hungry a enjoyable and rewarding movie to watch.

Good ol' day's
This is a great film for any Arnold fan to add to his/her collection. It is just a fun film to watch and get a good laugh at how we all were back then, you know what I'm talking about, and if you don't , well then I suggest you buy this! ... Read more

Amazon.com

How did Bob Rafelson, the director of small-scale American studies such as Five Easy Pieces and The King of Marvin Gardens, find himself helming an old-fashioned adventure story such as Mountains of the Moon? Whatever the reasons, Rafelson invested this 1990 epic with passion and professionalism. The hero is one of the greatest British explorers of the 19th century, Sir Richard Burton (played by Patrick Bergin), a fascinating figure and a man out of time: a modern in the Victorian era. Mountains of the Moon is primarily concerned with Burton's trek into East Africa to discover the source of the Nile, accompanied by fellow adventurer John Hanning Speke (Iain Glen). Rafelson is at least as interested in the tricky psychological jockeying between the two men, as he is in the grueling conventions of the adventure movie, but he delivers well on both counts. The brawny Bergin is sensational in a role that should have made him a star, but didn't (though he had a shot, menacing Julia Roberts in Sleeping with the Enemy); the film disappeared quickly. Perhaps audiences were put off by the lack of marquee names and confused by the title, which refers to a piece of African landscape. Providing solid support are Fiona Shaw (another should-have-been star), Richard E. Grant, and Delroy Lindo, as an African warrior. A very satisfying excursion into the National Geographic pith-helmet genre. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whether you're indulging nostalgia or experiencing the Monkees for the first time, Our Favorite Episodes--chosen by Davey Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith--is a curious time capsule. Even for veteran Monkeephiles, it's obvious that the TV series, totaling 58 episodes from 1966 to 1968, hasn't aged very gracefully. It's fun as a pop-cultural artifact, and original fans will fondly recall the eagerness with which each week's episode was anticipated. Looking back, however, the shows are marginally amusing, and their improvisational, low-budget strategy tends to limit their lasting appeal. For die-hard fans it won't matter a bit; any chance to own and archive the Monkee phenomenon (with brief latter-day interviews included) is going to be welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed.

Because Jones's favorite episode was actually the Emmy-winning "Royal Flush," the inclusion of "Hitting the High Seas" is a conspicuous blunder, but it's compensated by Peter's "Monkee vs. Machine." Directed by series producer (and then-budding filmmaker) Bob Rafelson, and featuring comedian Stan Freberg as a stodgy toy-company executive, this early episode was a first-season highlight. Mickey selected (and directed) the series finale, "Mijacogeo (The Frodis Caper)," which is noteworthy for a filmed performance of Tim Buckley singing a rare acoustic version of "Siren Song" (further proof that the Monkees were hipper than their TV personas). Mike's favorite "Fairy Tale" is a wild romp indeed, with Nesmith in drag (as a fairy princess), sounding shockingly like Cher from her later TV variety show. They're semi-inspired at best, but these vintage episodes still capture the lunacy that accompanied the meteoric success of the "Pre-Fab Four." --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Their Favorite Episodes
You can't really disagree with someone else's favorite episodes, they are THEIR favorites. For the most part, I found myself agreeing with the Monkees. While I think Mike's and Micky's pick are the standouts, I also enjoyed Peter's MONKEES vs. MACHINES.

I do wish Rhino would release a Monkees Holiday DVD with the two Halloween episodes and the Christmas installment featuring Butuch Patrck.

Monkees discuss their shows
A nice concept by Rhino, having the four Monkees select and discuss their favorite episodes. The dvd shows the episodes in their entirity with bonus features including commercials featuring the Monkees and interviews with the band. Three of the four episodes are excellent, but the Davy Jones entry (Out to Sea) is a little weak. Since no other Monkees TV episodes are currently available on dvd, this disc is a must for any Monkees fan who wants to see the shows on a digital format. It also makes for a nice introduction to the group's shows for the new or casual fan.

monkees
i enjoyed your show alot and more i enjoyed it.i know that is hard for the monkees that way for live and learn from your mass up the monkees show on the television show and i know that is fun for the monkees do and haveing fun on it for kid's two watch whan i was 5 in 1976 i ues two watch them alot and my mother and my father was talking two me about it so i understand why the monkees go thought on the television show the monkees they happy in the show @ the first time in the middie they are not of monkees war i am so sorry thatthat happned two them and my heart just with out of them 30 year's in the hey hey monkees show.
beverly ann clark

A Good DVD "Stand In"
This disc was Rhino's first attempt to package Monkee episodes in the then-new DVD format. Clips of each of the Monkees from their 1997 documentary are used to introduce their favorite episodes.

It has already been noted that the episode that Davy mentions is really "Royal Flush" ("Hitting the High Seas" is shown instead as his favorite). "Royal Flush" would have been a better choice because it would've balanced the DVD better to have 2 episodes from the first season and 2 from the second, instead of having 3 from the second and only 1 from the first.

The film quality was a bit of a disappointment, especially during parts of "Fairy Tale". The quality is much better on Rhino's second Monkee DVD (Monkees Volume 1 & 2) although there are some good moments on this disc. Some of the episodes have the original end credits with Kellogg's products. It's fun on both discs to pause the picture and use the "step" button on your DVD remote to discover things that have never been noticed before on VHS copies.

The chapter breaks are much better than on Rhino's second Monkee DVD and there are actually breaks for all of the songs in each episode; even the Kellogg's commercial shown during Mijacogeo has a chapter break.

Since the DVD format was still young when Rhino released this, it has no extras, not even closed-captioning. It's too bad that the Monkees couldn't have recorded audio commentary in addition to introducing the episodes. A photo gallery and some more Kellogg's commercials wouldn't been a nice extra also.

Fans desparate for any Monkee episodes on DVD will want to pick this up but keep in mind that the VHS edition is packaged better in a retro-style metal Monkee lunchbox with a mini-ceral box and puzzle. This DVD will have to do as a "stand in" until Rhino gets around to issuing the entire series on DVD.

Davy is little, but PETTY?!!
First off, I'm a 1st-gen fan (yes, I'm very old) and since this DVD has been well-covered by other reviewers, I wanted to use this space to explain Davy's choice of "Hitting The High Seas".

When this DVD was being produced, Davy was in the center of a protracted and one-sided snit with Michael Nesmith... seems the mystery surrounding Mike had drawn all the attention away from Davy, the self-professed heart-throb of the group, and Davy is not one who relinquishes attention easily. Its widely known that he chose this particular episode as his "fave" because Mike doesn't appear in it for more than 3 minutes! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Echoes of The Maltese Falcon reverberate through No Good Deed, a loose, updated adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's kidnapped-cop tale The House on Turk Street. Unfortunately, the film proves an interesting disaster at best, certain to leave fans of noir director Bob Rafelson (Blood and Wine) wondering what happened.Samuel L. Jackson plays lonely police detective and amateur cellist Jack Friar, whose search for a missing girl results in being taken captive by a motley gang of dreamers, lost souls, and psychopaths on the eve of a bank heist. Left alone with an armed but sympathetic, Russian-classical-pianist-turned-femme-fatale (Milla Jovovich), Jack finds someone to save. But the film's credulity is lost when Rafelson fails to convince us that Jack's honor-bound refusal to escape, despite a prime opportunity while nuzzling the defenseless Milla, is a good and honorable thing. One can feel authentic Hammett themes stirring here, but it's not enough. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (11)

So-so Noir Film Featuring Sam Jackson and Milla Jovovich
"No Good Deed" is based on Dashiell Hammett's short (and very short) story titled "The House on Turk Street" which is included his book "The Continental Op." The original short story appaered in 1924, but as is often the case with film adaptations, the story is extended to cover its running time, perhaps stretched beyond its limit.

In this noir film, not an "op(erative)," but a cop Jack Friar plays the usual role of reluctant hero. Jack is asked to search the whereabout of a missing girl when he, being an amateur cellist, is about to join in the classic music festival. Against his better judgment, he promises to seek for her, and goes to "the house on Turk Street." Too late that he realizes he stepped into the wrong place where he, or any other cops, should not be.

There he encounters a motley group of criminals, who plan to get easy money from a bank. Captured by them, Jack has only his brain to rely on, to get away from this big trouble.

Be warned. This is a noir film, which means you cannot look for any conherent logics (can anyone summerize the plot of "Maltise Falcon"?) There are so many incredible decisions the characters make, or so many unbelievable coincidences. If you don't like these kinds of situations too good to be true, just forget about the film.

But the film looks beautiful as noir, and director is Bob Rafelson, who recently gave us atomospheric "Blood and Wine." "No Good Deed" has also equally credible sinister atmosphere, thanks to production designer Paul Peters and photographer Juan Luiz-Anchia. If you love this genre, you might find the film more engaging than other movie fans do.

As to actors. Sam Jackson is as good as ever (have we seen bad Sam Jackson?) but his actions sometimes lack convincing touch, not because of his acting, but because of the plot (Amazon's editorial review is perfectly right). As a femme fatale Erin who must survive, using whatever method she can grab, you can see Milla Jovovich, whom I thought, though she is doing her best, still slightly is miscast. But some people might find otherwise, so leave it to other reviewers.

More interesting and funny is the couple of Mr./Mrs. Quarre, played by Joss Ackland and Grace Zabriskie. They are simply amusing to see, with the wicked humor only those veterans can show. Oh, and I almost forgot to say that Stellan Skarsgard is the leader of the criminal group, whose character is always full of menace hidden under his calm attitude. He makes a great contrast with Doug Hutchison's most dangerous computer wiz that appeared on the screen.

"No Good Deed" is not good indeed, but its characters are drawn farily well, and the film manages to show some nice atomosphere of noir films. I don't think not many people have seen it, and that is understandable, but those who like the genre will find it pretty interesting.

By the way, in the film, you hear an old song "I'm not Your Stepping Stone" originally played by the Monkees. Of course, Bob Rafelson was producer of this popular TV series (1966-68), and the version you hear here is performed by Peter Rafelson, his son who is also known for Madonna song.

We Are The Pawns
No Good Deed is yet another example of a movie, with a fine cast, that despite that, ends up as a film with wasted potential instead.

While investigating a missing persons case, detective Jack Friar (Samuel L. Jackson), is captured and held hostage by a group of sadistic thieves. This group of waywards are in the process of pulling off an elaborate bank heist and Friar must be dealt with. Cruel mastermind Tyrone (Stellan Skarsgård, manipulative girlfriend Erin (Milla Jovovich), and deranged henchman Hoop (Doug Hutchinson) are locked in a dangerous game of deceit, double cross and romantic intrigue, making Jack a pawn in the lethal high stakes plot. Against the odds, Erin and Jack find themselves erotically drawn to each other, igniting a volatile love triangle that turns deadly as the body count starts to rise.

Based on a short story entitled 'The House on Turk Street' by Dashiell Hammett, No Good Deed, is directed by Bob Rafelson. With the likes of a talented cast, and under the usually sure handed stewardship of the man behind Black Widow & The Postman Always Rings Twice, I expected a better film. Things end up as a convoluted mess, rather than a taut thriller, that it should have been. The acting is ok but the script has a few holes in it, to subvert any strides, the movie makes. It's hard to imagine that this passes for anything resembling "film noir" though.

Aside from the theatrical trailer, the DVD, doesn't have any other extras. I was also shocked to find, that the only version of the film that's available, is in the full screen format. Huh?? What gives Obviously, having a widescreen viewing option, would have been the fair way to go. 2 stars for the actors involved...but a real disappointment otherwise.

HAS GOOD ACTORS IN IT, BUT...
DURING A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION, A COP [SAMUEL L. JACKSON] GETS KIDNAPPED BY A GANG OF THIEVES. MEANWHILE, AN ELABORATE BANK ROBBERY IS ABOUT TO GO DOWN. OF COURSE, SAMUEL DOES GREAT AS ALWAYS, BUT THE SCRIPT AND ESPECIALLY THE VERY SLOW PACE BRINGS IT DOWN. WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GOOD MOVIE TURNED OUT TO BE A DISSAPOINTMENT. FAR FROM BEING THE WORST MOVIE YOU CAN RENT, BUT, IT'S JUST NOT AS GOOD AS IT SOUNDS. MAYBE NEXT TIME, THEY WON'T TAKE ALL DAY TO GET STARTED.

Name of the song
Movie was ok, like both Samuel L Jackson and Milla but was disappointed. But does anyone remember the name of the song that Milla and Samuel play together - her on the piano and him on the cello - she asks him if he has ever played it and hands him the sheet music. thanks

anon
this movie is like eggs and biscuit on a thursday mornin' ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Rare Gem-Amazing!
This film really is spectacular. From the very opening(which is slightly disorienting-but becomes clear quickly), it weaves a tale filled with some very odd and fascinating characters. Nicholson plays a radio deejay of sorts that spouts some fictionalized, but engrossingly told tales. The story itself deals with his visit to his brother-played by Bruce Dern, who he must attempt to talk out of some financial scheming. Dern turns in a fine performance-comparable to his performance in SMILE(very different characters, both great performances). Ellen Burstyn is also terrific. Photography by Laszlo Kovacs ranks up with his best. A welcome follow-up to Rafelson's FIVE EASY PIECES(a follow-up that doesn't get the press it deserves). Looks beautiful on dvd!

The Best Nicholson Film You've Never Seen
The film opens with Nicholson in a tight shot talking to someone. We aren't sure at first to whom he's talking or why. From that opening scene I was hooked. Nicholson is a radio personality (David) who one day gets a phone call from his brother Jason (Bruce Dern) who is in jail. Jason is basically a big-time loser who has been trying all his life to make something big happen. His latest scheme is to encourage his brother to join him and his female companions (played by Ellyn Burstyn and Julia Anne Robinson) in Atlantic City while contemplating the purchase of an island near Hawaii. Many strange events happen along the way, not the least of which finds the two women competing for Jason's affection. A very strange scene occurs involving a fire on the beach. Without giving too much away, I will say that this is a turning point that has tremendous impact later in the story. So few films today have even slightly interesting characters. These characters are so vivid and interesting that you can't help but be intrigued, wondering what's going to happen next. Each scene seems to have no rhyme or reason, until finally the pieces fall into place. When the pieces do come together, you realize that you've witnessed something very unique, original, and haunting.

The four leading actors are all at the top of their form. I have never seen Nicholson timid, unsure, or at a loss for words before. Dern is hopelessly reckless. Robinson is an innocent in an evil environment. Burstyn is perfect as the key to the whole story, which is one that I'll never forget. You'll think about this quiet little film long after the credits are over.

Excellent
Dont miss it, you'll be sorry if you do

Jack Nicholson
If you are looking for a film that has no "fx" and also no "over the top" Jack Nicholson ,try " King of Marvin Gardens" You can see glimpses of pre casino " Atlantic City". Along with Bruce Dern, as Nicholson,s brother, this film examines just how disconnected from reality certain "apparently mainstream" folks are. Ellen Burstyn delivers a haunting performance. Unlike many films of today, this film has a real script and devilishly good acting..involving a very downbeat subject.

Please see this film. You'll thank me.
There once was a space in Hollywood for small, carefully crafted films that raised intelligent questions about existence. This is one of the best such films I know, and it's too well-kept a secret. Another top-twenty pick from the weird, bossy lady hangin' in the video store. ... Read more

Description

A star-studded trilogy of romance and drama - each story presents a provocative look at life and love, molded by the creative touches of three talented directors: Norman Jewison, Peter Bogdanovich and Jonathan Kaplan. "Soir Bleu" stars Alan Arkin as Tully, a circus clown in love with the beautiful, but abused, wife of the circus manager. During the touring company's last performance, Tully finally decides to act on his love with tragic consequences. "Song of Songs" features George Segal as middle-aged baker, Ted, with Brooke Adams and Sally Kirkland as the women in his life - one is his wife and one is his mistress. In a comical twist of fate, Ted learns the difference between true romance and passion. "Language of the Heart" is set against the exquisite backdrop of the ballet world of the 1920's. A beautiful young ballerina and a talented street musician realize the fulfillment of their love and dreams through the hand of the wise Maestro (Michael Lerner). ... Read more

Amazon.com

When viewed through the rose-colored glasses of happy nostalgia, thesefour well-chosen episodes of The Monkees TV series (1966-68) provide 100 minutes of shameless anarchy, courtesy of Mike, Davey, Mickey, and Peter. The show--and the Monkees themselves--were conspicuous attempts to capitalize on the Beatles (by copping their Help! and A Hard Day's Night formula of pop music and comedy), but these episodes demonstrate the show's emerging identity, from its original pilot (filmed a full year before its November 1966 broadcast) to the casual lunacy of two above-average episodes ("The Picture Frame" and "Hillbilly Honeymoon") from the series' second season.

The pilot (which features cowriter and series developer Paul Mazursky as a TV reporter) shows the Monkees in embryonic form; their hair's much shorter, and you can even spot a Beatles poster in their Monkee-pad. But it wasn't long before the group's distinct personalities emerged (Davey was always molded as the heartthrob), and by the time "The Picture Frame" aired on September 18, 1966, the show's combination of silly slapstick, groan-worthy punch lines, and catchy pop tunes had become a ratings smash. (Indeed, that episode's featured song, "Pleasant Valley Sunday," had recently topped the Billboard pop chart.) And while "Alias Mickey Dolenz" is clearly a Mickey showcase (in which he aids police by doubling as a wanted killer), it also features two songs ("Mary, Mary" and "The Kind of Girl I Could Love") that established Mike Nesmith as a talented songwriter. All in all, these four episodes neatly summarize what the Monkees were--a marketing ploy that took flight as a legitimate pop-cultural phenomenon. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Monkees were the best and still are...........
I always loved watching there shows when I was growing up. And I still do. My two nieces love watching it too. And I know my children will too someday. There show was the first rock and roll show ever shown that played rock music. They were the first mtv. That's Classic......

The Debut, The Frame, The Alias, & The Shotgun Wedding
Four of the strongest episodes of The Monkees series are on display on this two-disc set covering much of the show's evolution.

Here Come The Monkees - the debut episode filmed in November 1965, the episode telegraphs that this series will not be like anything on TV to that point in its brilliant prologue as Paul Mazursky conducts man on the street interviews and elicits from a doctor a vow to break up any outburst of violence - which goes out the window when Davy appears, being beaten senseless by Micky, Mike, and Peter.

The episode then proceeds into its main plot - The Monkees are hired for the sweet-sixteen party of Vanessa Russell, a gig that nearly gets the boys canned when Vanessa and Davy's dating ruins her history studies. A corporate board meeting ensues and the boys work out a plan. When Vanessa aces her makeup exam as a result, her teacher tries to persuade Vanessa's father to relent, but initially he won't, until shamed into doing so by his distraught daughter.

Following the madcap events of the episode - highlighted by both versions of "I Wanna Be Free" and the party rocker "Let's Dance On" - the episode closes with the October 1965 screen tests of Davy and Mike being interviewed by off-camera Bob Rafelson - scren tests that reveal Davy's love affair with horses and being a jockey, and also Mike's love of music and his anxiety to get this series.

The Picture Frame - The most overtly slapstick episode of the series, The Monkees are tricked into robbing a bank by a phony movie director. Bank cameras film the incident - which Micky, Mike, and Davy think is just rushes from the movie - and interrogation by the sergeant who manages to out-Friday Joe Friday ensues, highlighted by the boys' comedic turns - such as wehn they agree to spill the beans, and use the empty cans as phones, and when Mike catches the overdue book thrown at them.

Trial then ensues, and Micky, Mike, and Davy make a shambles of the results, complete with bribery of the judge, hilarious cross-examination by Micky, hotdogs, and Mike's Wile E. Coyote gag on the prosecutor. All the while Peter is snooping around the studio and finds the evidence that will clear the others - but he must outrun the real crooks amid the snarling strains of "Pleasant Valley Sunday." When Peter succeeds in getting the boys acquitted, they celebrate with the video of Micky's London mod scene anthem "Randy Scouse Git."

Alias Micky Dolenz - Members of the gang of Baby Face Morales mistake Micky for their jailed boss, and two attempts on Micky's life - the second, a drive-by machine-gunning, leads to the show's funniest speed-up photography shot - force him to impersonate the jailed malfeant and infiltrate the gang. A bar brawl establishes Micky's bona fides with the gang, but the worst ensues when the gang force Micky into helping them spring the loot they've hidden, and Mike and Peter must go along as "specialists" - until the real Baby Face Morales escapes and appears.

Hillbilly Honeymoon aka Double Barreled Shoutgun Wedding - The first episode to feature Micky's second-season afro hairdo, it finds the boys caught in the middle of a feud between two hillbilly families, which snares Davy when the sweet young thing of one of the families seduces him and he is kidnapped - leading the show's funniest wordplay: the girl's father snarls, "All right, say it! 'Will you marry me?'" Davy replies, "Will you marry me?" and Mike deadpans about how millions of chicks (Dixie and otherwise) are madly in love with Davy.

100 MINUTES OF GREAT MONKEE BUSINESS!
If you grew up when I did (during the 1960s), and you're into Monkees (like I was and still am), and you're into DVD (like I am), then I think you'll like this DVD. It doesn't feature the best four episodes of the TV series (in my judgement), but the episodes are an excellent representation of the series. I think that Rhino Records and Video should be congratulated for their contribution to "Monkee madness." I hope they market all the Monkees TV episodes on DVD--soon!

Buy it for the episodes, not for the extras.
The actual episodes on this DVD look terrific! I've seen episodes such as "Here Come the Monkees" dozens of times through out the years and I saw many things in the background on the DVD that I've never noticed before. I've watched the VHS copies of Monkee tapes put out by Rhino and even though I thought those episodes looked good, they look even better on DVD.

The extras were a little disappointing. There are some brief cast bios and a short band history but I thought it was rather odd that Micky Dolenz's name was spelled wrong (with an E) and even the title of one of their songs was listed incorrectly. Rhino has a long and extensive history of releasing Monkee products so mistakes like these are inexcusable.

Overall, I hope Rhino releases more Monkees episode on DVD (especially the alternate version of the pilot). I think the following would make great extras on future Monkee DVDs: 1)Include the original Kellogg's and Yardley commercials, as well as the Kool-Aid commericals from the CBS reruns. Network promos would be nice too. 2)Have the ability to swich the soundtrack to play the original songs, songs from the summer 1967 reruns and CBS reruns. 3)Have a chaper break for each of the songs. 4)Captioning. 5)Interviews or audio commentary with the Monkees. 6)A booklet about the episodes instead of just a piece of paper with the chapter breaks.

More Monkees on DVD PLEASE?????
I got the DVD today and I LOVE it! The whole series should be released in the DVD format. The Bio Screens as well as the Main screen were cool! The guys at Rhino Home Video did a superb job at restoring these episodes to top notch quality!

The picture was sharp, and colors were crisp and clear.. Much better quality then in the VHS format.

The Pilot was cool to see as well as the one about Micky impersonating Babyface Moralas. The picture Frame has me on the floor when Peter is in a shower and covers himself while having a funny look on his face.. Hillbilly Honeymoon is not my favorite episode but the scene where Mike "Plays his nose" was a scream! Aside from that, it is a worthy addition to my DVD collection... THANK YOU RHINO HOME VIDEO! Keep them coming on DVD... ... Read more