Description

Marco Ferreri's greatest international success, "La Grande Bouffe" scandalized audiences when it was released in 1973. Audiences were shocked by its tale of four world-weary middle-aged men (superbly portrayed by Marcello Mastroianni, Ugo Tognazzi, Michel Piccoli and Philippe Noiret) who decide to gorge themselves to death in one final orgiastic weekend full of gourmet food, call girls and a hefty, lusty schoolteacher. This blackly humorous parable of modern society's collapse won the Cannes Film Festival's International Critics Award. The New York Times called it "vulgar vaudeville on an epic scale...a mordant, chilling, hilarious dirty movie." Nearly 30 years later, it continues to challenge audiences' sensibilities and test the limits of shockability. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Flatulence Fantasique!
You will never forget seeing this movie. Like another reviewer I have carried images from this film in my mind for decades. It's not that it's a great movie, there have been better "food" movies - but nothing that has the black humor and the joyful vulgarity of this one. Philippe Noiret's infantile Judge is a wonderful performance and the entire cast holds nothing back. Philippe Sarde's haunting theme is superb - especially in the death by flatulence scene. Funny, farcical and oddly thoughtful beneath the somewhat contrived artiness that is French filmmaking of the 1970's.

There can be only one.
Some movies sear an image into your brain for ever. Like the end of "The Wild Bunch" or the beginning of Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West" - "Looks like we're shy one horse". "No, you brought two too many".

I saw "La Grand Bouffe" over 20 years ago. I still have the image in my mind of the guy eating the two blancmanges at the end of the picture before he dies.

This movie is surreal, bizarre and wonderful. If we go to movies to see images and things we have never seen before, then this movie is spectacularly successful.

There is no greater movie about food and death.

One of the most provocative movies of all times
I like this movie for its outrageousness and its ability to combine an allegoric vision and a creeping reality: what are we doing with our lives? Where will this boredom of modern living lead us to? The idea of four friends engaging in an all-out "Grande Abbufatta" (the original title in Italian) is quite a perceptive allegory of what happened to the so-called Western civilization as a whole. It seems it has nowhere to go but to a formidable blow-out since its very beginning...

I'm not a big fan of Marco Ferreri's work. I think he was quite irregular in his output, but when he hit the mark he was simply second to none. For me, this "La Grande Bouffe" and "L'Ape Regina" ("The Queen Bee" or "The Conjugal Bed", 1963, with Ugo Tognazzi and Marina Vlady) are among the best examples of black comedy ever to be given us by filmmakers anywhere in the world. His choice of actors couldn't be better: Mastroianni, Piccoli, Noiret and Tognazzi will be forever among the greatest in this trade, and in "La Grande Bouffe" all of them give us one of the finest of their efforts ever.

I was very happy when I knew this movie was being released on DVD because I had seen it twice in movie theaters: in 1978 (the Italian-spoken version) and in 1981 (the French-spoken version, the one on this DVD). I was hoping the DVD version would bring both. I was quite disappointed to see that it brings only the French-spoken version, with English subtitles. It would have added much more to my pleasure if this DVD version of "La Grande Bouffe" would come with both Italian- and French-spoken versions, and also with Italian and French - besides English - subtitles.

If I'm not mistaken, it's possible to do this with any DVD (if not, please correct me), for I have many DVDs at home with a choice of several languages on the audio tracks and an equally wide variety of subtitles' choice. Also, the music that Philippe Sarde wrote for this movie has haunted me since the very first time I saw "La Grande Bouffe". I have been hunting for this movie's music all over the world to no avail for decades now (can anyone out there help me on that? Was this music ever issued on tapes, LPs or CDs anywhere?). I was hoping that on DVD they would provide us also with a choice of hearing this sensuous and intriguing music without the dialogues, but this too was denied to us viewers.

For these two reasons only (lack of a wider choice of languages and subtitles, and lack of a separate track for the music) I don't give this DVD a 5-star rating.

little known but glorious
Once in awhile you see a film that makes you rejoice with awe and pleasure; this is just such a film. A celebration of life in 24 dashing hours, Grand Bouffe portrays a hedonistic reunion of four old friends in the grandest style. A beautiful and thoughtful examination of aging and, ultimately, mortality underlines what is otherwise a touching and very amusing romp through all the delights of the senses. Mastroianni is only one of a truly talented crew of actors whose poignant portrayals mold the wonderful script into a delightful and humanistic work of cinematic art. See this film.

Most Hilarious Black Comedy I've Ever Seen
Sure, the French really have a way with movies, but I don't think I've ever laughed as much as I did when I first saw La Grande Bouffe. What's even better is that every time after that, you find more and more to laugh at. This movie is a must for food lovers everywhere! ... Read more

Description

The story of a wealthy woman who teams up for revenge with the hitman her husband has hired to kill her. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

"FAITHLESS"
THIS IS THE ONLY CHER MOVIE THAT I ONLY SAW ONCE. CERTAINLY,NOT HER BEST. SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS SLEEPWALKING THROUGH THE ROLE & THE MATERIAL WAS LACKLUSTER. I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE HER SITTING IN A CHAIR THROUGH THE WHOLE MOVIE. SHE NEEDS A WIDE ARENA TO SHINE & THIS MOVIE DIDN'T PROVIDE IT.

FAITHLESS? NO! FAITHFULLY ENJOYABLE
I would love to rate this 5 stars but I'm an equal opportunity Cher fan. To begin with as other reviewers have remarked, this film - originally produced off Broadway by Palmienteri (who at the time was hot from "The Usual Suspects") does not translate as well to the screen. The wordy script, however, gives Cher some great lines and she really carries the film. It is a very interestingly written screenplay (it varies drastically from the original show) and once again there were rumours of trouble on the set between Cher and Mazursky, the director. The ending and last shot is so obviously stapled on - something Cher was so angry about you can actually see her seething in the scene while she is in the car. And she has good reason - the film reaches a crescendo and then BOOM just falls flat. Cher's performance is wonderful and emotive; unfortunately her recently "touched up lips" shall I say - are hard to ignore in many scenes. (I don't know what she did, however I rode up in an elevator with her back in February and she looked amazing). Ryan O'Neal, as well, is bloated - so there is a desperation of the aging Hollywood actor feel about the film. However, in an odd sense that all actually works very well with the theme of "out with the old" that is O'Neal's character's motivation and Cher's character's desperation as well. A very enjoyable and underrated film.

it can keep you laughing,it's enjoyable movie
from the beggining this movie has a great soundtrack and a beautiful suburb.as for chazz palminteri who played a hired mafia,is such a brilliant actor together with cher.the two actors makes this movie looks like a comedy at times and it can keep you laughing always.this is an enjoyable movie and a must see for all.

A Broken Heart Treat!
Unlike the other reviewers, this under rated and overlooked film put Cher in fine form. She adequately went through the paces of a depressed and suicidal wife to an assertive and in-control woman by the films end.

Anyone who has ever been in a long term relationship will find that their thoughts have been placed in full view on the screen.This was superbly written and acted by Chaz Palmitari who enhanced Cher's performance.

It seemed odd to cast Ryan O'Neal as the slimy husband, but he did manage to pull it off with the accurate yuppie whining headset that the role demanded.

If your heart has been broken or is currently in the throes of a disintegrating relationship, this film is a MUST see! Many introspective ideas will come to the forefront that you may not have considered before.

Rent it if you must, but it is certainly one of those films worthy of a purchase as well as repeat viewings.

Ever had a ceaser salad with ranch dressing?...
...it doesn't quite work, but it's okay right? All the tools are presented to put together a pretty good movie. Paper flat direction by Paul Mazursky is the real let down with this play turned film. No sweat!! Cher and Chazz Palminteri hold things together. Palminteri's script makes many good points, but some how shoots for a degree of shock value that makes for some dialogue that can be a little more hardcore than one might of expected. Thats cool though I haven't heard Cher talk like that since "The Witches of Eastwick" (1987). Some traditional married folk may find themselves offended. This movie was often halarious and insane in it's honesty. Bottomline..for those that love Cher and expect the magic of "Moonstruck", "Mermaids", "Mask", or "Tea with Mussolini". You won't find it with "Faithful". ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Great Modern Drama about Sexual Obsession
Surreal as it may "The Adjuster" is still streaks and bounds ahead of most other sexual dramas. The story basically revolves around an insurance claims advisor (Elias Koteas) who helps people come to terms with the lose of their homes and possessions to some form of accident. He wife Hera (Arsinee Khanjian) works as a film censor who secretly films the pornography that she is viewing. There are various other characters who come into contact with the pair and sexual fantasies are the main theme that drives the story forward.

In many ways it is hard to describe without actually seeing it. There is very little plot but the movie does have some very memorable characters and it does have a good climax. It is sort of like a tone-downed version of a David Lynch movie and film director Atom Egoyan does wonders with the cinematography. The film looks visually wonderful and is very pleasing to the eye.

All in all this is a great drama but do not try and find too much of a plot here. It is more about the characters and their sexual dysfunctions. Some very memorable scenes throughout.

Well worth seeing.

Egoyan's most complex,funny and reflective
After sitting through multiple viewings of both a Pan & scan, censored vhs and a dim, murky widescreen PAL transfer, what a JOY to finally get to see this splendid film in a clean widescreen transfer. The soundtrack is possibly the best I've heard since "The Conversation" -a curious layering of soundtracks to films which are being censored, which you'd never want to see. Sometimes the film is funny, sometimes thoughtful, always it gives me time to think my own thoughts about its' troubling implications regarding our inability to see the whole picture. I LOVE this movie. I Love owning it. This is what DVD is really great for: being able to own great looking and sounding copies of your favorite films at reasonable prices.

mal-adjusted cinema
Of all of the early Egoyan's this is the one most like Sweet Hereafter as both are centered around a character whose job it is to assist victims of a tragedy but it doesn't hit as many notes as Sweet Herafter in fact mostly its just dark and occasionally darkly comic. Perhaps too dark in places and in other places just too bizarre to be taken seriously. I like Egoyans cast of actors many of whom appear over and over again in his films. Egoyan is sort of like Altman in his use of tangled narratives and ensemble casts but unlike Altman he doesn't give us much variety. Everyone in the Adjuster is wounded beyond repair and after awhile one longs for at least one character who is not emotionally crippled but its a vain hope. Sweet Herafter had its share of bizarre characters and moments but many of those characters had moments of self realization and found their way toward some form of redemption and though the film focused on human vulnerability and weaknesses and imperfections the film also offered glimpses of human strengths and will and capacity to endure. The Adjuster focuses on the weaknesses and imperfections exclusively. The Adjuster himself played by Elias Koteas is a complex character who has collected the victims of various tragedies around him. Its his job to help these vitims collect on their insurance claims but his interest in the job has him doing more than that. Apparently others tragedies arouse him in some way and he ends up sleeping with many of the people he is supposed to be helping. No one seems to notice what hes doing, in fact all the victims inexplicably see him as some kind of angel there to help them through their suffering(perhaps they see him in this light because they need something to give them strength)but of course the Adjuster is no angel. Since most of the victims have been burned out of their homes they all live in the same hotel and this makes for one of the more inspired dark comic scenarios in memory. A few of the characters are interesting but some of the story lines are so outrageous that they dwarf everything else in the movie. At points the film feels like overkill. For instance the adjuster's wife is a censor who watches porn flicks all day and then along with other censors casts her vote as to which bits need censoring. However she actually really enjoys watching the stuff and shes strikingly beautiful so its not a scenario without considerable appeal. But the scenario gets out of hand when Egoyan makes the censors offices (as well as the people working there) look and act like something out of Kafka or Orwell. Egoyan seems to be trying too hard to be clever and so the point he is making about humans fascination with forbidden or dark subjects gets lost or misplaced. And then the nymphomaniac/exhibitionist seemed like a character from a very adult version of Saturday Night Live. The ending of the film reveals how Elias Koteas met his wife but reveals very little as to why Elias Koteas is so turned on by the victims that seek his services. Tragedies induce strange maladies is all we know. Koteas deserves credit for finding something human in his character. The film itself seems to be a study of the various ways we become dehumanized but the study seems superficial. Unlike Sweet Hereafter the film never digs deep enough into its characters to give us a chance at knowing them as sufferers of one bizarre affliction or another. Koteas does an excellent acting job with what hes given but even he seems a frustratingly incomplete sketch.

A CLASSIC OF CEREBRAL CINEMA
What little hope I held for the future of mankind retaining any intellect, capacity for introspection, or sense of humor is now gone due to the asinine, stupid, brain-dead comments below that this film is slow and stupid.

THE ADJUSTER is a great film. Wicked, funny as all get out, darkly comic, sexy as hell, and perhaps the most chilling and dead-on critique of '666' and consumer-society ever filmed. Mychael Danna's score is Byzantine-perfect; Elias Koteas is at his peak as an enigmatic, lost soul.

What's it about? Well, it's about us. Modern people in a listless, overindulged, sensate-conscious lifestyle flailing about in a Northern American state of emotional repression doing anything they can to give meaning to their lives, or rather, just accumulate more stimulation. And in such a society, who becomes a 'Christ' figure to people who can't afford one due to their lukewarmness? Well, an Insurance Adjuster, pal. Who else? The guy who evaluates your 'lifestyle' and returns a semblance of it to you. I mean, it is ALL 'lifestyle' now, isn't it? You don't need a Diety, do you? No, all you want is an insurance adjuster. He will even sleep with you.

The ending quotes from "The Sound of Music" in a comic/horrific finale. One of the main characters - unable to 'play house' anymore in the landscape of modern time and space - decides to burn down the Insurance Adjuster's house he has rented - starts singing "My Favorite Things" as he proceeds to extinguish them all. Filmmaking doesn't get much more sly than that.

5 STARS for the ... Fantasy Play ALONE!
True this movie is SSSSLLLLLOOOOOWWWWWW.
That does not negate, however, some fantastic scenes and dialogue. Terrific ... Role Play situations!!! ... Read more

Reviews (31)

This Movie Is Hilarious
I just rented this movie the other day to watch in my dorm lounge and it damn near killed me. :) What a beautiful world! I live in and love southern california which this film, despite production values, reeks of. Plus, it's got graphic sex, violence, crime, machismo, chase scenes and a happy ending . . . everything silly and seedy (yet fun!) that queers get left out of in straight films. Plus, it's a welcome relief from the sappy, shallow, straight-pandering gay films (read: Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss) that make it mainstream. And, unlike mainstream gay films (read: Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss), it's got black people! (and ones that myself as a black queer absolutely *loved*. Bless you dr. davis! I *love* that scene: "that was not a rape. merely an exercise in black power.")
 Though the movie is better served with LaBruce's autobiography The Reluctant Pornographer, which shows this particular work of art to be the result of something greater. Plus, it helps to understand his blend of sincerity and camp that's evident in the film. :) I came here to buy it!

The funniest low budget film since Faster Pussycat
I'm merely a "mutant hetero" but I found that what the film lacks in technical skill, it more than makes up for in quotability. It needs to be seen multiple times in order to catch and memorize them all.

Bruce La Bruce sure knows all about tragic Hollywood suicides. I'm tempted to order his books now. The sex scenes are certainly not as graphic as "regular" gay porno. What you imagine is much worse than what you actually see on screen. It's not as if there are any close-up penetration shots. Perhaps the razor blade scene with the "Versace Model" (don't want to give away the gag), made me cringe the most.

Not to be taken too seriously, I recommend this film to anyone wants a truly "burnt" midnight movie laugh-fest. It's been the biggest hit among my friends since "Faster Pussycat" and "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls"!

Rent it even if you're not gay!

Find Better Ways to Spend Your Time
Just horrible. Not worth more than a curious peek...then turn it off!

Downright digraceful
I have seen a lot of films, but this is definitely the worst. The content of this film almost made me ashamed to be gay, as it showed a real ugly side to a sick and twisted world of the film-makers fantasies. You couldn't even class this garbage as good porn.

Disturbing...Neurotic...A waste of good time.
This film is deeply disturbing. Besides being utterly revolting, this film also leaves the viewer contemplating suicide after being submitted to such utter depravity and lack of anything decent or worthy of flattery. What an utter waste of film. Don't waste your time or money. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Tuvalu - a masterpiece by Veit Helmer
Tuvalu is a simple lovestory about a man who tries to save an old bath institut from being closed. His evil brother wants to earn alot of money and therefore tries to sell the building. One day a mysteri girl shows up and he falls for her at once. But so does his brother and a competition starts between them but he can not compete with the brother because he doesn't have alot of money to impress her with. The story develops and soon the and the bathinstituit are almost out of his range, but then things starts top happen.

The film is very beautyfull shot and veit helmer really makes this simple story work. The acting is exstremly good even though it sometimes looks animated. But the best part of the film is that the launguage is international and therefore doesn't have to be subtitlet. The film is inspirede by especially Emir Kustorica.

Pan-European whimsey
Equal parts Guy Maddin (Tales from the Gimli Hospital, Careful), Lars von Trier (Element of Crime) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie, City of Lost Children), this unique almost-silent film uses monochromatic tinting to convey an otherworldly feel in its story of characters whose life is primarily confined to an ancient bath-house located in the middle of nowhere. The single color permeating the screen varies--from sepia to blue to black-and-white to green, and back again--giving the work a fantastical aura that works quite well.

The characters act out the story with spoken language confined only to their names, an occasional "OK" and the phrase "technology system profits". Only once I caught some French, but that disappeared as suddenly as it was heard. The written words that are displayed seem to give the feeling of an eastern European setting, but the viewer is never sure where he is. This is accentuated by the isolation of the castle-like bath-house and the costumes which could be worn by denizens of a dozen different places, at least.

Though the director is German, it was shot in Bulgaria and features Bulgarian women singers and a cast of actors from various countries throughout both Eastern and Western Europe. The story is of a young man, Anton, who, with his blind elderly father and a middle-aged woman, runs the bath-house for those who need aquatic soothing. An ancient machine in the basement keeps everything going, supplying steam power to run whatever must be run. When a pretty young woman and her father visit for a swim, Anton's world is shaken; this is the first time in his life he's smitten and this, of course, sets the real story in motion.

Anton's brother Gregor is the bad guy; not only does he have an evil laugh, but his Eraserhead hair is a dead giveaway. Gregor's idea is to do away with the bath-house and make money by converting what's old into what is "modern" (another word that pops up a few times, with the accent on the second syllable). Also involved are a friendly policeman, a safety inspector, and a group of helpful villagers.

The suspension of time and place is critical in appreciating this piece, whose title refers to a mysterious place that...well, better if you watch the film.

Definitely recommended.

An Amazing Film
The director of this film intended it to be understood by everyone -- hence there is very little dialogue. It is a haunting and surreal setting (shot on location in eastern Europe). Moreover, it has one of my all-time favorite actors: E.J. Callahan

Fritz Lang Resurrected as a Surrealist in Bulgaria?
I love films in which the director shows that he's a true auteur by creating a universe of his own, a universe that is neither past, present, nor future, a universe that can't be found on a map. And while Tuvalu is a real place and can be found on a map (the tiny nation has about 10 square miles of dry land and you might come across it somewhere between Fiji and the Marshall Islands if you're ever drifting across the Pacific Ocean on a raft), Veit Helmer's film by the same name doesn't take place there. Tuvalu was filmed in Bulgaria but the film is set in a stark dreamland during what seems to be either a mildly post-apocalyptic future, a somewhat stilted present, or maybe just another dimension altogether.
Tuvalu is a relatively simple love story, but unlike other love stories this one is draped in enough surreal eye candy to keep you interested even if the thin plot doesn't. The details are amazingly well thought out. The interior scenes are shot in sepiatone, the outdoor scenes in a stark blueish black and white. The locale is vaguely Eastern European with evidence of a local Slavo-Germanic language: one scene is shot inside the workshop of a "Mekanika", a building inspector waves a piece of paper labelled "Protokol" in another. The cracks in the walls, floors and ceilings of the bathhouse in which most of the action takes place are beautifully decadent. Every light fixture and doorframe seems chosen for atmosphere. The fact that this is effectively a silent film adds to the dreamlike feeling. There are snippets of speech, and sound is heard, footsteps, crashes, the roar of steam engines, and water dripping, lots of water dripping, but the film could be viewed with the sound turned off without any loss of understanding: a filmic Esperanto, film as international language. This universalism was intentional according to Helmer, although he did state in a recent interview, "My sound editor would like to kill everyone who calls it a silent film, because he worked for six months creating the sound design."
French "Next Wave" actor Denis Lavant's portrayal of Anton, the bathhouse attendant, is very believable and at times he seems to channel Buster Keaton, performing physical comedy without seeming to be aware of it. His harmless yet weathered face is also perfect for the role of innocent in a netherworld.
Russian actress Chulpan Khamatova was also a good choice for Eva, Anton's love interest. She looks like a teenaged schoolgirl (she was in her mid-20s at the time of filming) but when she first catches Anton spying on her while undressing her laugh betrays anything but innocence. Clothed or not, Khamatova also has a bearing, an offbeat beauty, that is completely in sync with the world in which the film takes place. She seems to belong to this time and place as much as the grotesques that populate much of the rest of the film. Helmer has mentioned in interviews that he auditioned over a thousand actors for this film and it shows. French veteran actor Phillipe Clay plays the blind bathhouse owner with understated grace. Terrence Gillespie as Anton's rival comes off like a slimy Eastern European Lyle Lovett. Even down to the extras, Helmer has cast this film with the same eye for detail that went into its design.
A blurb on the box for the DVD version of this film says that Tuvalu feels like Fritz Lang directing Delicatessen. I think the Fritz Lang comparison is valid, and would be surprised if Helmer didn't cite him as a major influence but, except for the surreal elements and the alternate universe both films portray, the comparison to Delicatessen is a bit of a stretch. Tuvalu is a much kinder, gentler film, and while its world is not without its dangers, and indeed even death and night and blood, its spirit draws more from classic European cinema of the 30s and 40s than from the post-punk Gilliamesque humor of Caro and Jeunet. Tuvalu to me feels more like Fritz Lang teaming up with Guy Maddin to make a classic love story.

Una obra maestra
Esta es tal vez una de las mejores peliculas de los ultimos años, con la gran fortaleza de ser contada en una narrativa clara y nostalgica, con cambios en los colores de fonde y dandole la mayor iportancia a la historia y no a los efectos especiales. Indispensable ... Read more

Amazon.com

Long before Pleasantville, this 1992 comedy featured a familytaking its problems out of the real world and into the loopy fictions of televisionentertainment. John Ritter and Pam Dawber star as Roy and Helen Knable, asuburban couple with a host of marital problems, most of which have to dowith Roy's couch-potato attachment to his TV's remote control. Things take ahellish turn when the devilish Spike (Jeffrey Jones) turns up at the Knable house offering Roy a great deal on the ultimate satellite-TV system.

Surprise, surprise: The contract signed by the less-than-cautious Royactually requires a one-time payment of his soul. He and Helen findthemselves sucked into their own television set, where they are kept on the run through such monstrous fare as "I Love Lucifer" and "Northern Overexposure."Eventually, their disenchanted kids (David Tom, Heather McComb) discover momand dad are on TV, in a whole new sense of the term, and they set aboutrescuing them.

A genuine novelty, Stay Tuned is powered along by a chain ofimaginative sequences, most memorably an original cartoon by Warner legendChuck Jones that cleverly integrates Ritter and Dawber's characters. Thescript's implicit social satire about the overbearing nature of television onunderachieving lives isn't lost on the lively cast or director Peter Hyams(Timecop), easily one of the most imaginative action filmmakersaround. The old rivalry between television and movies carries on in thisclever parody, and the feud has rarely been so much fun. With tons ofsupporting players, including SCTV legend Eugene Levy, Saturday NightLive announcer Don Pardo, and hip-hop performers Salt-n-Pepa. --TomKeogh ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A hilarious and one of a kind comedy movie
"Stay Tuned" is a great one of a kind movie. Roy Knable (John Ritter) and Helen Knable (Pam Dawber) are captured inside a television set after they are mischievously tricked by a salesman named Spike (Jeffrey Jones). Roy and Helen have to find a way to survive 24 hours of the hellish Tv by completing several tasks and finding a television screen in whatever situation that they are currently in. Their journey inside the television will take them to many places and adventures such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, The French Revolution, a game show, and even a cartoon where they are both rats.

"Stay Tuned" is a hilarious comedy movie. It's funny just about the whole time. John Ritter, Pam Dawber, and Jeffrey Jones all put on great performances. If you like innovative and hilarious comedy movies, I recommend getting "Stay Tuned." The movie never gets old no matter how many times you see it, so you might be staying tuned longer than you think.

Tune In, Turn On, and Drop that Remote
An underrated sci-f/horror comedy from Director Peter Hyams (CAPRICORN ONE, 2010:THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT) starring John Ritter. STAY TUNED would have worked better as a made-for-tv-movie (no pun intended) than a major release. There are some inspired gags in the film and social satire about television viewing habits. John Ritter is perfectly cast along with Pam Dawber (both television veterans) as a husband and wife whose marriage is on the rocks due to Ritter's (as Roy Knable) over obsessive couch potato persona. He unknowingly signs away his soul to the devil (Jefferey Jones) for "DirecTV" from hell. The package includes a big screen tv and a most unusual satellite dish that broadcasts programs from the netherworld and also serves a portal into those shows. Naturally the two get transported into this dimension (via the satellite) and this is where the fun begins. Taking cues from SNL or Mad Magazine, Ritter and Dawber are thrown into and forced to participate in very clever (yet evil) parodies of popular televison shows and movies (i.e. WAYNE'S UNDERWORLD, NORTHERN OVEREXPOSURE, & DRIVING OVER MISS DAISY) and are supposed to be eliminated so their souls could be collected immediately. One hilarious sequence Ritter/Roy Knable ends up in is a tribute Ritter's series, THREE'S COMPANY. It's a shame they didn't do the same for Pam Dawber's series MORK AND MINDY. One complaint of the film are the scenes of the tv programming offices (featuring Jeffery Jones and Eugene Levy). It is very vague where these scenes come from as they are monitoring the televsion programming activities. The audience is supposed to assume that this is supposed to be "Hell" but it makes no mention or distinction of this fact. Perhaps the message in the film is that all television (executives and programming) are located and come from "Hades". Overall, the film is harmless and entertaining family fare. On a peculiar note, another film released the same year that almost has the same premise, along with the look and feel to it (and also has actor Jefferey Jones in the cast) is MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD. The late John Ritter is an engaging personality and the film was suited for his talents. Overall a decent comedy horror/sci-fi that succeeds mainly for the hilarious tv/movie parodies and John Ritter's likeable on and off screen personality.

Not your usual programming.
I first caught STAY TUNED on weekend afternoons when I didn't have anything better to do. Sure the movie was kind of cheesy and had a plot that was meant to be satirical and not realistic, but I always enjoyed watching. John Ritter was a great comic and like all great actors, was able to improve any material given to him.

Ritter plays Roy Knable, a traveling plumbing supply salesman who is suffering from a midlife crisis and slowly retreats into the world of television. One night a strange man (Jeffery Jones) shows up at his doorstep offering him that chance to preview a new satellite system. Knable can't refuse, sings a contract, and after an argument with his wife (Pam Dawber), the couple are sucked into the satellite system and begin living television shows. The big hitch is that the satellite station is a pet project of Satan and some of his demons and all the shows have a diabolical twist meant to kill the "participants" and steal their souls. The only way out of the contract that Knable signed is if they survive 24 hours in the tv programming world from Hell.

Besides Ritter, the movie provides some decent performances from Dawber and Jones (he seems to be the king of modern cheesy movies) and also a fine supporting turn from Eugene Levy.

The movie offers some comic parodies that are now outdated (Wayne's Underworld for instance) and some cheesy dialogue. Still, the show is fun to watch and Ritter is a total joy. Also, this film was made years before reality tv (the first season of MTV's REAL WORLD hadn't even aired yet) and it's satirical look at television viewing and making is even more relevant today than when it was more than a decade ago.

The DVD includes a brief featurette, theatrical trailers, and a list of cast information.

Don't Change That Remote!
Or you'll be sucked into a hell-like television world of etertainment where anything is but ordinary television. Roy Knable (John Ritter) is a lazy couch potato. Is life is all about TV. I mean, don't get me wrong, here, I love television just as the guy does. But would you have been insance enough to sell your soul to the devil for a new TV satellite dish? Apparently that is what Roy decided to do when a devilish executive (Jeffrey Jones) comes over to make all of his dreams come true. Not only does Roy gets to enjoy classic TV, he gets to live it as well. If they can survive the world of fantasy TV, then a new portal opens and they are able to get out of the demononically morphed television world. But it appears that the only real way to get back into reality would simply distroy the devil exec, and everything will return to normal. Hopefully. It would be nice to be able to travel through the worldly teleworld dimension. But the real question is, would you be able to make it back? This fun-filled comedy adventure is a couch potato of laughs.

John Ritter sucked into TV land.
Synopsis:
John Ritter stars as Roy Knable, a true couch potato whose life and marriage is disintegrating around his ears as he watches TV to escape it all. On the same night that his wife Helen (Pam Dawber) intends to leave him, a mysterious salesman named Spike (Jeffrey Jones) appears to sell Roy a new television set, complete with a gigantic satellite dish that will beam 666 channels right into Roy's living room. Yet something goes awry when Roy and his wife get sucked onto the satellite dish and enter the hellish world of Satan TV. From there it is a frantic rush to survive before time runs out.

About the Movie:
Stay Tuned is probably one of my favorite comedic movies. I first saw it in the early 90's and when I saw that it had come out on DVD I jumped at the chance to get it.

Stay Tuned is filled with slapstick humor, a great many very twisted comic plays on classic television clichés and TV shows. Among them are Saturday Night Live, Star Trek The Next Generation, Three's Company, WWF, and classic cartoons. The cartoon is presented in a wonderfully delightful animated sequence that was actually supervised in production by the legendary animator Chuck Jones (who did many of the Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoons.)

This is truly at the top of the films John Ritter starred in. Ritter's comic timing help make this film. While this film never got much notice, it certainly is an excellent example of why John Ritter's comedic career managed to span over 2 decades. He was very good as what he did.

Veteran comic Eugene Levy ("SCTV" and "American Pie") also plays a major role in this film as Crowley, a down and out Hell TV Exec who helps the Knables on their journey. He manages to play the lovable slimeball quite entertainingly.

Jeffrey Jones plays the bad guy, Hell TV's CEO, Spike. He's a great actor for the bad guy in a comedy, and he manages to be convincingly evil and funny at the same time without making the role look stupid, as tends to happen to bad guys in slapstick comedies these days.

With John Ritter's comic timing and Pam Dawber playing the straight-man as they tumble from demented channel to demented channel, this film is great for a lot of laughs.

About the DVD:
Stay Tuned comes in a cardboard DVD snap case, marking it as budget fare. It is presented in widescreen format with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Both the picture and sound are pretty good. I did not notice any issues with either. The DVD comes translated into French (why no Spanish?) and has English, French and Spanish subtitles.

For special features, the DVD comes with an extended theatrical trailer, cast info and a behind the scenes featurette look at the movie. The cast info is simply a list of actors in the film. They don't even provide bios for them, making this a clear case of beefing up content with minimum effort.

The featurette is the type that they used to show on television just before the movie came out, with interviews with the cast that are completely unenlightening if you have seen the movie. It's only mildly interesting. The bad side is that the music which plays behind the commentator is outright annoying through the first quarter of it.

This DVD release is a pretty standard no frills release.

Overall, a great movie on a standard unexciting DVD release. 4 stars ... Read more

Amazon.com

It grows more quaintly silly with each passing year, but The Wedding Party can be enjoyed for more than Robert De Niro's modest screen debut. Brian De Palma's first feature is not entirely his own (friends Wilford Leach and Cynthia Munroe are credited as codirectors), and that may explain why this whimsical black-and-white comedy reveals no early hint of the Hitchcockian thrillers that De Palma became known for. If anything, it's a close cousin to De Palma's subsequent satires Greetings (which was actually released first) and Hi Mom!, which further capitalized on De Niro's fast-rising talent. Jill Clayburgh also makes her debut here, and while De Palma makes good use of idyllic locations on Shelter Island, New York, and Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, he employs all variety of low-budget techniques (fast-motion, unsynchronized sound, etc.) to cobble together a giddy chronicle of impending nuptials between an anxious pair (Clayburgh and Charles Pfluger) of Long Island lovebirds. De Niro (credited as "Robert Denero") is actually quite funny as the bridegroom's buddy, and Valda Setterfield gives a standout performance as Clayburgh's mother. It's a ridiculous mish-mash of familial mirth and mayhem, but with a budget of $43,000, De Palma showed enough directorial promise to win a theatrical release, three years after this film was made in 1966. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I love this movie!
This movie is such a classic!I especially commend the acting talents of not only Robert DeNiro, but that young Judith Thomas!She was robbed of her oscar in 1969 for her wonderful performance!

The Wedding Party
A great movie with an early Robert DeNiro who's great and everything he does and this is one of the first movies before he worked with Martin Scorsese and became a legend in Hollywood so enjoy this Bobby classic ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Granton Star Rules!
I hadn't read the Irvine Welsh book from which this movie is based. A friend of mine though said that he thought 'The Granton Star Cause' was one of the best short stories he ever read and of the 3 stories within this film it certainly works the best. I first saw the film in North America and if you happen to be from the Celtic side of the pond the use of English subtitles for English dialogue can be quite disjointing and takes away from the enjoyment of the film. Nevertheless the 'Granton Star Cause' creates a big impact in the guise of a modern fable. Add to that the satirical nature of the policemen's investment, God's theological justifications and Nick Cave's brooding, melancholic soundtrack and you wonder why more filmmakers (indeed writers for that matter) don't incorporate more traditional story-telling elements in their work.

'A Soft Touch' proves to be morbidly depressing, while 'The Acid House' story itself just works as an extended pop video. All in all it doesn't work as a full feature, the remaining 2 stories develop as a huge anti-climax to the magnificent and insightful narrative of the first. Watch just for 'The Granton Star Cause'.

= - A_c_i_D - =
This movie is excellent. I suggest you read the book before you see the movie though, otherwise you'll really not know what the hell is going on because its very difficult to understand what thoes goddamn people are trying to say even though it has subtitles. This movie take three main stories from the book and recreates them into live action, following strictly to the written material. It was cool to see the movie after reading the book because it gave me a new view on how to picture everything in my mind, from the way the cities looked, the way that the characters looked and so on. This movie was dead on. Everything that I imagined while reading the book is what I saw on the screen when i saw the movie. Irvine Welsh has done it again. He is a literary god!

Strong adaptation
Bearing in mind that this film is of the same style and tone as "Trainspotting," it stands as a departure from what the casual Irvine Welsh (no pun intended) fan may expect. Whereas -- despite some surrealist sequences -- "Trainspotting" had a realistic plot, this effort is a sort of Twilight Zone set in the schemes (projects)of Edinburgh. The movie's three segments closely follow their respective short stories in Welsh's novel. One departure, which I actually liked, was that unlike the Coco Bryce in Welsh's short story "The Acid House," the character is portrayed as more of a protagonist in the screen adaptation. Admittedly, Ewan Bremmer wasn't who I'd pictured as Bryce based on having read the story (much like I hadn't pictured Carlisyle as Begbie in Trainspotting), but he does an outstanding job with the character. Really good sequence at the end, where Welsh used actual Hibernian FC fans in the final scene. Overall, it's worth seeing; although, I found it difficult to find in the U.S. and would have prefered that the subtitles be optional on the DVD version.

I LOVED THIS FILM!!!
"the acid house", reunites 3 different stories written by irvine welsh...(writter of "trainspotting" , and co-writter of "dockers")...about misfortune,football,drugs,god,neighbors and of course,coco!

these hilarious shorts are really bizzare!...the title says it all! it's very "acid".

the first segment of the film is called "the granton star cause"...in this introduction, boab (stephen Mccole) an apparently mediocre football player is being rejected from his team, his fiance,his parents and to top it all,beaten by a bunch of cops and punished by GOD!(maurice roeves)...after a long arguement with boab.,god finaly decides to transform him into an insect.(what happens next is just too long to explain)

the second part of the film is entitled " a soft touch",it's the most depressive and detestable moment of "the acid house"..johnny,(kevin mckidd) is married to catriona (michelle gomez),a self-destructive,dumb wife who sleeps with her neighbor,prostitutes herself and eventualy gets pregnant..the neighbor,larry(gary mccormack) uses johnny's electricity,he comes and goes in johnny's flat,sleeps with his wife..etc..the ending of this short film is very annoying!...but the acting in this segment is simply magnificent, and frightfully realistic!
...

the final, and 3rd part of the acid house...called "the acid house", and is without a doubt the best short of this trilogy. it's about coco (ewen bremner),who is struck by lightning and suddenly swaps his mind (or soul) into a newborn baby...the reslut is simply hysterical!...

the direction: the acid house was paul mcguigan's first film . after that,followed the exellent "gangster number one" and recently, "morality play"...his style is very recognizable!,and works even better in "gangster number one",(it's a more mature work IMHO)...the same goes for andrew hulmer (his editor),who also worked on G.number1 and Morality play. his style goes pretty wild on the final segment of the film!

the acting and cast:
the best thing about the "acid house" is it's cast of incredible actors...from michelle gomez (who also played in michel blanc's "the escort" starring daniel auteuil & who also was in the "stage version" of trainspotting), to kevin mckidd (also known for his part in trainspotting as "tommy", topsy-turvy, small faces) , there's also maurice roeves (beautiful creatures , last of the mohicans) , stephen mccole (orphans , band of brothers , my name is joe), garry sweeney (small faces) , gary mccormack (gangster n.1 , gangs of new york) and ewen bremner or "spud" (trainspotting , naked , julien the donkey boy , snatch , black hawk down, morality play )

the music...if you dont own it already, make sure to buy the soundtrack of this film ,it features great groups such as "primal scream" , "oasis" , "chemical brothers" , "texas" , "the pastels", "beth orton" , "arab strap"..etc......etc..

the acid house is not as good as "trainspotting" but it's worth checking!. (try fo find the dvd version of the film if possible, it contains interesting stuff such as irvine wlesh's commentary and interview,theatrical trailer,and of course a glossary (you'll need it!,some words have different and several meanings..)

WELSH DELIVERS AGAIN
Well, ladies and gents. If you are a fan of Scottish cinema or Irvine Welsh or just strange indie flicks you should take a flight on the Acid House airlines. 3 sorted stories to make your skin crawl. The Acid House delivers yet another one of Welsh's great books. Nice, romatic, sweet people should stay away from this flick. But anyone who likes their movies full flavored should stop and pick up this masterpiece. If you are a fan of Welsh than the accents and slang should be no problem but for anyone else it will take some getting used to. This covers lots of cool things that people were afraid to put in Trainspotting. Thank Zeitgeist filmsfor delivering a fantastic new movie for a real collectors collection. BRAVO!!! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Not as good as I remembered
I saw this on cable a few years back and I really enjoyed it. I like Michael Caine in about anything. I couldn't wait for it to be released on DVD and I was a bit disappointed on second viewing. I think there is something to be said about expectations. It wasn't bad on second viewing, but I loved it the first time.

Punchy stinging black comedy of the workplace
Here's where Michael Caine shines, as a corporate exec who gets passed over for the promotion he's so feverishly expecting he'll get in favor of a young Turk--well played by Peter Reigert--who lords it over Caine's character in subtle (and not so subtle) ways. Caine's wife, also well played by Swoosie Kurtz, one of the great unknown American stage and film actresses, is a serious [problem] to him. So he has two people in his life who are supremely annoying.

What does he do? Well, let's just say that his solution to these two problems ends in the population of the world changing, shall we?

The dialogue in this very smart blackly comic thriller is sharp as a razor; it's a lot of fun to watch Mr. Caine give us his best as a put upon exec who's more than capable of flying into a rage at the drop of a hat and of executing his very sneaky and well thought out plans for revenge. Also on hand is Elizabeth Perkins, an equally intelligent office colleague who attracts Caine in more ways than one, but does not suspect him of any wrongdoing at all. That is, until...

One of the best office comedies around, A Shock to the System is a stinging portrait of greed and selfishness in America--for my money, far better than the somewhat overblown Wall Street. This is a movie that gives you a great evening's entertainment and part of the reason for that may be to secretly exact vengeance upon those corporate bigwigs who've prevented you from getting a job for so long, given this miserable economy.

Great job. Highly recommended.

Play Naughty; Win Big
Michael Caine is marvelous when playing a happy villain. He was impossibly beautiful as a young man, but middle aged Michael with serious bags under his eyes and a slight weight problem has an air of wounded vanity, as if he can't quite understand how things went wrong.

Caine, as Graham Marshall, is a fairly successful marketing director with an expensive home, an expensive and slightly boring wife, and is desperately anticipating a promotion for his many years of diligence. He is stunned when he is passed over for a young, brash associate. Graham has an epiphany when a particularly smarmy panhandler enrages him, and Graham impulsively shoves him off the subway platform in the path of an oncoming train. No one has seen him and Graham muses on his "magical" powers. He quickly and cleverly dispatches the wife and the business rival, gets rid of his white elephant of a house in the suburbs, boards the pets and gets a tasteful apartment in Manhattan. Though homicide Lt. Laker (Will Patton with a splendid Long Island accent) is suspicious, nothing can be proved. Graham not only gets the promotion, he has his eye on taking over the company, dispatching his rivals on his upward climb.

What keeps the tension intact is the victims are not cartoon-like villains. The wife is irritating, but not evil. The youngster who beat him out for the promotion is vulgar, but it is clear he is clever and competent. We just cannot help but cheer Graham on his nefarious way. Michael Caine's glee and satisfaction are catching.

There is more than a whiff of Alec Guinness's "Kind Hearts and Coronets" in Caine's performance, but Michael Caine has a knack for villainy all his own. "Shock to the System" may be a trifle of a movie, but it is a highly enjoyable trifle. ....

Michael Caine is brilliant in this black comedy.
You're here so you're probably a Michael Caine fan. So, the crux of the issue is; Is this a performance you need to see? The answer is yes. If you're a fan of Michael Caine's you HAVE to buy this film. He is absolutely brilliant in it. No other actor could have pulled this off. The wicked, sly, dark humor, the subtlety, killing people and making you believe it, laugh
about it, and actually root for him. Caine nails it. If you're a Caine fan, you're not looking for some big obvious slap-stick comedy, you're looking for something a little more off-beat and
original. You found it. Enjoy.

Defines black humor
This is a witty, morbidly funny movie. It's weak in spots, andthe occult "magician" comments in Michael Caine's voice-over narration is perhaps a little misplaced. But it is an original movie, and entertaining, and as Michael Caine said when making it, "The thing is, this guy is murdering people, BUT YOU ARE ON HIS SIDE." After seeing this movie, you might find yourself looking at conniving rats in your life and thinking back to this movie! Even though Michael Caine plays an Englishman, it takes place in New York, and is a VERY American piece, in that it shows the absolute subtext of all American life is that you MUST be a success. I've seen this movie a number of times. The humor is twisted. But good... ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"There is no deceit in the cauliflower."
Charles Grodin is hilarious (as are his sideburns) and pathetic as a man who, while on his honeymoon, falls in love with another woman. He decides to prove himself to Cybil Shepard (the woman he's fallen in love with) and her father (rich, conservative, loathes Grodin) by leaving his wife in mid-honeymoon and following Cybil and her family back to Minnesota and trying to win her hand in marriage.

Classic lines include: "Don't... don't do that, honey. Don't ever put a Milky Way in someone's mouth when they don't want it." and "There is no deceit in the cauliflower."

One thing I found surprising about this movie is that Charles Grodin's character isn't really all that likable. For that matter, pretty much everyone in this film is somewhat morally bankrupt. Not that that's a bad thing... it just surprised me because the screenplay is by Neil Simon, whose stuff tends to be a bit lighter.

All in all, this is definitely worth seeking out... it'll take you back to the days when movie-makers actually knew how to make a comedy that was FUNNY...

CULT MOVIES 43
43. THE HEARTBREAK KID (comedy, 1972) Lenny (Charles Grodin) a young Jewish man, marries seemingly perfect-match Linda. On their way to their honeymoon in Miami Lenny realizes that Linda's various idiosyncrancies are driving him crazy. In Miami he meets Kelly (Cybill Sheperd) a young-WASP beauty whose lustful innuendoes he falls under. After 2 days of courting her he decides to leave Lina and go away with Kelly. He follows her to Minnesota where he plans to marry her. However, Kelly's rich parents object to her seeing the undaunted Lenny. But he shamelessly fights for Kelly's hand in marriage.

Critique: Extremely funny, satirical film adapted by Neil Simon and directed by Elaine May. It is Charles Grodin's best outing, proving that once he could act and have a comic touch (his persona has become strangely wooden, as if entranced or something). Lenny is the ultimate, unthinkable 'schmuck' who cons his way into any situation. The comedy of the film relies on his unnerving pursuit of Kelly, and how his ridiculous lies and deceit work to his favor. Trying to pass himself as an honest, likable fella, we are astonished that Kelly even notices him. Thinking that 'honesty is the best policy', he repeatedly infuriates those around him with his pathetic stories. Inspite of all this, we can relate to this guy. Maybe because at one time or another we have sunk as low when pursuing our lusts. At the end, you really have to admire the guy for trying. After all, the never say attitude sometimes works.

QUOTE: Lenny: "You were very attracted to me. You were? . . That's cute, that's a really cute thing. So I was. . .something to do?"

A Great American Comedy
Thankfully, Anchor Bay(Genuises!!!) has re-issued this classic comedy with a nice widescreen transfer. It's a fantastic film and deserves a nice dvd. Though the dvd has little in the way of extras, I was still pleased as it one of my favorite films. I rank it right up there with great American comedies like ANNIE HALL. It's certainly the darkest stuff that Neil Simon's ever had a hand in. Grodin, Berlin, Albert and Shepherd-they're all excellent here. A great film from a great female directorial voice(Elaine May-who also directed A NEW LEAF with Walter Matthau-why is there no dvd for that film yet!). At a low list price, this film is impossible to pass up on dvd!

The Great Gatsby With a Twist
Lenny is a repulsive, vapid nonentity who, with nothing but ambition, represents the most ugly kind of American imaginable, the ruthless upwardly mobile narcissist who will trample on anyone--including his wife--to get what he wants, namely, Cybil Shepherd, who plays a young woman from a family of old money. To use a cliche, watching this movie is like watching a car wreck. You cringe, you laugh, you shake your head in disbelief (yet you believe all the same!) as Lenny, played by Charles Grodin, manipulates his bovine wife and sets the stage to marry the Cybil Shepherd character. I've seen this movie a half a dozen times over the last twenty-five years and feel compelled to hail it a masterpiece, a variation of The Great Gatsby theme.

A Qualified Winner
On the surface, The Heartbreak Kid is a small movie with a simple plot. Lenny (Charles Grodin) dumps his wife (Lila played by Jeannie Berlin) of five days to pursue a beautiful coed (Kelly played by Cybill Shepherd). Standing between Lenny and Kelly is Kelly's possessive father (Mr. Corcoran). Character portrayal is almost perfect. Charles Grodin is convincing as the self-centered and reckless Lenny. Finding an actress more capable of playing the naive and boy-teasing Kelly (Cybill Shepherd) would have been very difficult. Eddie Albert (Mr. Corcoran) stands like a brick wall between Lenny and his conquest (Kelly).

More interesting than the character portrayal and story line are the underlying motives of the characters, and the consequences of their actions. Lenny abandons his wife (Lila), and leaves her brokenhearted. He is headstrong and determined, but also callous and foolish. Kelly's affection for Lenny is quite immature: she see's him as a strong father figure although he is actually egotistical and, quit frankly, short-sighted. The most mature and rational character in the film is Mr. Corcoran. The Heartbreak Kid works as a lighthearted love story; that is, cute boy wins cute girl despite their social, economic and religious differences. Thankfully, The Heartbreak Kid doesn't attempt to promote any moral themes. If it did, the film would fail. The viewer could not be satisfied with the nice cute boy wins nice cute girl conclusion because the boy (Lenny) cares for no one except himself. In summary, The Heartbreak Kid is a qualified winner with just one caveat: don't think too much. ... Read more

Description

Una agente inmobiliaria con suerte... Un cadáver descompuesto... Una comunidad de vecinos codiciosos... 300 millones escondidos en el sótano... Algo huele a podrido en esta casa. Julia (Carmen Maura), una mujer de unos cuarenta años que trabaja como vendedora de pisos para una agencia inmobiliaria, encuentra 300 millones de pesetas escondidos en el apartamento de un muerto y no le queda más remedio que enfrentare a la ira de los miembros de una comunidad de vecinos muy particular, encabezada por un administrador sin escrúpulos. El humor negro deja paso al suspense, luego al terror y, finalmente, a la locura desencadenada. ... Read more

Description

From Mike White, the writer of "Dead Man on Campus" and producer of TV's "Freaks and Geeks," comes a tale of comically twisted obsession.Chuck and Buck are childhood best friends whose lives have taken very different paths. While Chuck moved away and now has a real life, Buck stayed behind and developed a dangerous fixation--on Chuck's life. The result is a wickedly hilarious story of two guys about to learn that growing up is the strangest trip of all. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Forrest Gump meets Fatal Attraction
Certain members of the pseudo-intellectual crowd, the type who attend film festivals to be "challenged" by a film instead of merely "entertained," will flock like lemmings to see or rent this film.   I know this type well, because I am currently dating one, and he persuaded me to view this film with him.   What a waste of two hours of my time!

Before I receive hate mail for being "mainstream," let me make it plain that I have enjoyed many films which are off the beaten path: Maurice, My Beautiful Launderette, Beethoven's Nephew, or the recent (WONDERFUL) Big Eden, the list goes on and on.   Unfortunately, the main characters of this tiresome little opus have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and neither does the script.  

Buck, the main character, is an emotionally retarded man in his late 20s, who has never moved past an early adolescent sexual experience with his best friend, Chuck, who HAS grown up and is preparing to get married.  After Buck's mother dies (the first scene in the movie, a charming way to start a film, don't you think?) Chuck attends the funeral, where Buck makes a pass at his old friend in the restroom.  When Chuck rejects Buck's advance, he remains undeterred, and moves to Los Angeles to, in effect stalk Chuck.

While Mike White tries to portray Buck as fragile and lovable, he merely comes across as creepy and irritating.  Frankly, I wound up having more sympathy for Chuck and his fiance, and kept wondering why they didn't go to the police for a restraining order.  That's what any real person would have done.  In another instance of unreality, Buck befriends a young boy who injures his hand with a firecracker. But would any responsible (or even semi-responsible) parent let a character like Buck get within a hundred feet of her son? The utter lack of verisimilitude in these characters' behavior makes it impossible for any semi-critical person to suspend his/her disbelief. The movie rambles through several subplots until Buck winds up blackmailing Chuck into one, final, sexual encounter. The saving grace of this scene is that the viewer knows that the film must be finally nearing an end.

There are those who call this type of film deep and relevant. Frankly, I can find more depth and relevance in an episode of Star Trek.  

Punches a nerve
When Buck, an immature 27-year-old, is reunited with his best friend, Chuck, a successful music industry executive, his resulting infatuation threatens to ruin Chuck's previously stable existence. CHUCK & BUCK successfully blends comedy, drama, and stalker films and is made all the more immediate by Miguel Arteta's decision to shoot on digital video. This, coupled with the striking performances by the two leads--both nonprofessional actors (Mike White and Chris Weitz are successful screenwriters)--results in a highly original film that can't easily be categorized.

"Chuck and Buck" is a disturbing but fascinating film. I have been in both Chuck's shoes (I had a guy in my math class who would not leave me alone, to the point of following me around constantly, asking me out, and calling me) and in Buck's (I was in love with my best friend for two years and went through hell because of it), and let me tell you, neither side is pretty. That's why "Chuck and Buck" is so powerful. It is an extremely real depiction of a stalker and his stalkee. Sure, it's hard to take at times, but the writing, directing, and especially acting, are brilliant.

An expert at finding the humanity in seemingly irredeemable characters, director Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl) touches more than a few raw nerves, and he taps into the characters' memories through dreamlike footage of young boys and the use of an insidiously catchy kiddie-pop ditty. "Chuck & Buck" is the sort of film that burrows under the skin by refusing to establish the expected cinematic distance between the audience and the bizarre man-child at its center. It may freak us out, but it's never a freak show. Good times!

This Is The Movie That The Cable Guy Should Have Been.
This is one of those movies that makes you laugh and squirm at the same time. Mike White's script and his impressive performance are the driving force behind the film. If you like smart dark comedy, I recommend this movie highly.

You could use a reality check
Shut up. Try getting stalked for 4 years by a Buck-like person and you'll see what I mean idiot.

A welcome refresher
Woah...sounds like the last reviewer could use some therapy of his own.

Yes, a dark movie...yes, a disturbing movie...but it keeps your attention, challenges you, and most importantly its' complexity is an experience...that's why a movie should be about.

And for what it's worth, Buck's desperation and anti-social behaviors are pitiful...how can someone not feel bad for the guy on some level? ... Read more

Description

Randolph Smiley (ROBIN WILLIAMS) has it all - as the costumed star of the highest rated kid's show on TV, "Rainbow Randolph" has a Manhattan penthouse, a Times Square billboard featuring his beloved character, cars , boats, horses and all the indulgence that celebrity brings. Until he get's caught by the Feds in an under the table bribe, busted and instantly reviled, Randolph is a star no more. Enter Sheldon Mopes (EDWARD NORTON) and his alter-ego "Smoochy", a puffy, fuscia rhinoceros. Smoochy is the perfect remedy for what ails the networks...Now it's Smoochy who's got the swanky penthouse, the Times Square billboard and the smooth-talking agent (DANNY DEVITO). Sheldon soon learns that children's television is a dangerous world steeped in corruption, back-stabbing and violence with his biggest problem being Rainbow Randolph. Broke and homeless, Randolph seeks revenge on the Rhino that stole his job and his house; he's convinced the foam rubber carpetbagger is the face of evil sent by the devil to destroy him and he will not sleep until Smoochy takes a permanent dirt nap. ... Read more

Reviews (134)

This movie kicks..., critics don't know...
If your open-minded and got a sense of humor (not one of those stupid... romantic comedy or "goonie-google" white sense of humors) this movie will make you laugh so hard that you'll be having a six-pack at the end. God Bless the cynics and the sadistics because if you don't fall some where in between those two categories you won't fully enjoy this masterpiece.

"SMALL BUT FIERCE !!!"-Rainbow Randolph.

Brilliantly, ingeniously twisted...
This film boasts one of Robin William's finest comedic performances, as a scorned ex-kiddie show host hell-bent on revenge, as well as some excellent, hilarious work from the likes of Ed Norton, Danny DeVito, and Jon Stewart. It also boasts amazing directing from Danny DeVito, in this, his most accessible (yet still, thankfully, demented) work yet.

This film is a freewheeling satire of the dumbing-down and commercialization of children's television, and has a ball taking pot shots as such kiddie pop culture travesties as Barney the Dinosaur. The twists and turns that the plot takes are not only completely unpredictable, but hilarious to boot, as our beloved purple...um...rhino, gets involved with everything from the Irish Mafia to the Ice Capades. There a few moments in this film where you will literally need to have your jaw scraped off the floor, and also hold your sides, in pain, from laughing too hard.

Now, not everybody enjoys or "gets" this type of humor. If you are a fan of very dark comedy, I would recommend you pick this film up instantly. If you're not, you just might find yourself not enjoying yourself very much.

The funniest black comedy I've seen in a long time!
Upon learning of Robin William's decision to take on some more darker roles in future movies, I was definitely interested and intrigued by this career move... in watching 'Death to Smoochy' I knew he definitely did NOT make a mistake in being in this film. The film is not only a laugh out loud, almost nonstop laugh fest, but it also does an excellent job at poking fun and showing the darker side of children's television. and there is a great dichotomy in the characters of Rainbow Randolph and Sheldon Mopes (played respectfully by Robin Williams & Edward Norton). both characters represent two complete opposite ends of the spectrum in regards to light and darkness within us. Rainbow Randolph is a corrupt, selfish, greedy, manipulative degenerate person, while Sheldon Mopes is honest, kind, caring, and a sweet person, but even these qualities don't exactly make him perfect either. but regardless of their rivalry and all the other circumstances that threaten to destroy them both...this is one of the coolest and funniest films I've ever seen...

A real sick comedy
I'm not going to go on and on like i usually do because words can not discribe how sick and funny this film is. Seeing that this film comes from the brains of DeVito, your in for a rare treat of real sick demented belly-gut laugh humor.I have a great respect for Ed Norton as an actor. I believe he is one of Hollywoods most gifted and veritile actors to ever come down the pike. In this film you'll see even a different Ed Norton,,,,a real sick Ed Norton. He is GREAT!Can't wait for the DVD!

!this movie was funny as hell!
this movie was the funniest movie ive ever seen i hope they make death to smoochy 2 ... Read more

Reviews (160)

The Coen brothers tackle Film Noir and get it right
is a delight to find the Coens in top form and an equal delight to view their take on Film Noir. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a seemingly bland and simple barber named Ed Crane whose life is about to be turned upside down after he discovers his wife is having an affair with her boss.
The film starts off slowly, allowing plenty of time for the mood to develop and seep into the viewer's consciousness. The movie is filmed in black and white, a good choice for a story centered in small town life - and, of course, black and white film helps drive home the film noir mood. This is noir with a capital N, heavy on mood, insinuation and tone. You can almost feel the length of the slow-paced days, the heaviness of the hours as they creep by. Every shadow, every moment is tinged with foreboding.
Some viewers who are used to the fast pace of most films today might be put off by the slow, langourous pace of this one - but they'll be missing a rare, lovely treat of a film. They might also find Billy Bob Thornton's monotone voice and unemotional exterior a bit off-putting but I didn't. He is, after all, playing a man who fades into the woodwork, a man who people forget as soon as he walks out the door.
He is also a man who wants a different life than the one he's been living and sets out to make his dreams come true. Unfortunately, his efforts set off a complicated set of tragedies. Far from making the film dark and depressing (in spite of the black and white) these events reveal the precariousness of everyday life and the mysteries of the heart.

Coen Brothers Do It Again
You never know what to expect from the Coen brothers. I guess that's what we like about them. I sure never expected a black and white film about a barber in 1949 California to be anything special...but it is.

Billy Bob Thornton, in one of his finest performances, plays Ed Crane, a quiet, almost ghost-like barber who is married to a woman (Frances McDormand) who barely communicates with him. The problem is, she communicates a little too well with another man who is not her husband. What appears to be a very simple story takes off in several different directions through the course of the film an