Reviews (10)

Maybe Baby Wraps You in Witty, Warm, Wonderful Blanket
I love, loved, loved this movie. This movie is right up there with Bridget Jones' Diary, You've got Mail, and Four Weddings and a Funeral. The movie is based on Ben Elton's book, Inconceivable, which takes a witty look at Elton's real infertility experiences with his wife before the birth of their child. The movie handles the whole infertility problem in a witty yet touching way. Rowland Atkinson is a stitch as the gynecologist. Joely Richardson is radiant, as Lucy, and there is really warm chemistry with Hugh Laurie who is quite surprisingly a charming and handsome leading man. So nice to see Hugh Laurie in this role instead of his more usual broadly comedic roles. James Purefoy is DIVINE as the movie star client and Purefoy plays this role beautifully giving the role a credibility and humor which must have been difficult. When James Purefoy recites Sonnet XVIII, I certainly felt like the girls in the agent's office in the film-knock me over with a feather. What a handsome, charming, smoothie is James Purefoy. There were several really clever lines in the film. On hearing Carl Phipps recite the sonnet, his agent, played brilliantly by Joanna Lumley, says, "Why Mr. Phipps you are perilously close to turning me back into a heterosexual." Joely Richardson's character, Lucy, keeps a diary and in it she writes about her little crush on Carl Phipps. In the diary, Lucy writes, " I saw Carl Phipps today. He came into the office looking all brooding and byronic like the dispossessed lord of a bleak Moreland estate." Anyway, the whole film is a delight, and I enjoyed it on so many levels-the trying to have a baby issue, the marriage is not all moonlight and magnolias issue, the little crush on Carl Phipps issue, the odd colleagues at work stuff, etc. Go see the movie! The soundtrack was also great!

charming
I stumbled onto this movie on a late night session of mindless channel surfing and was instantly drawn in.

I loved the way Sam and Lucy's marriage is depicted in this film. There's something instantly endearing about these two, and you just want to follow along in their (at times hilarious, at times gut-wrenchingly-sad) attempts to conceive a child. This movie is written in a way that really allows you to become (perhaps reluctantly) emotionally invested in the two main characters (perfectly captured by Richardson and Laurie). I also found myself completely enamored by Hugh Laurie, not because I thought he blatantly good looking or something, but because I really felt for him as the devoted but imperfect husband. I later stumbled on to the fact that Laurie played the equally haughty and attractive Mr. Palmer in another one of my favorite films -- Sense and Sensibility.

I suppose this review is just one glorified run on sentence, but don't let my stream of consciousness praise put you off -- this is a truly delightful movie.

Inconsistent and politically correct
The first half of this movie starts out promising; the 2nd half is not so good.
It becomes slowly predictable and stereotypical, whereas it started out charming and promising.
Of particular annoyance is the ending, where we find the hackneyed politically-corret stereotype of the husband having to admit culpibility for all the wrongs of the couple's separation, and the woman never having to admit her half of the bargain, despite the fact that she was clearly as poor a communicator as he.

Indeed, the wife's character is strikingly uneven in this movie: her personality appears to be one thing in the first half of the movie, but she seems to become a whole different person by the second half. Quite inconsistent.

My [rear]... is an orange
Oops! I got edited... I chose that subject heading because that was the title that the director guy in the book of this movie wanted to call the movie that the character in the book wrote the script for. Confused? Sorry, there's no need to be. Just watch the movie and read Ben Elton's 'Inconceivable' like I did and it will all make sense!!

This movie displayed fantastic English humour as well as touching romance. Not to mention tackling the sensitive subject of Infertility. You find yourself laughing at the fact that Hugh Laurie's Sam has to shove a container of man juice up his bottom to keep it warm, yet at the same time, you feel sad because no matter what they put themselves through, Sam and Lucy just can't seem to get pregnant. And to make matters worse, ignorant old Sam isn't giving Lucy the attention she deserves!!

Hugh Laurie was absolutely gorgeous and Joely Richardson was stunning. It was funny yet sad, and seemed to present both a bloke's and a woman's point of view in the most honest of ways. I felt all fuzzy and lovey towards my partner afterwards, and I think it would probably have that effect mainly on people who are in a long-term relationship.

The one-liners are brilliant and there are cameos from a few great English actors that we all know and love.

What can I say? I love it! I had a tear and a giggle.

Hysterically Funny
I ordered this movie on Pay Per View cable tv. because of the fact that James Purefoy was in it...never expecting it to be so well done and...Funny! It was one of ny first experiences with British comedy and I was extremely pleased not only with Mr. Purefoy's performance but also the entire cast. if you are looking for an off the wall comedy..this is it! ... Read more

Description

Accidentally blinded, John Ratcliff (Joseph Bottoms) has a "seeing eye" computer chip implanted directly into his brain, only to witness a murder and see the serial killer--but only in bold outline. The cat and mouse game begins in this riveting shocker featuring Kirstie Alley, "Star Trek: The Next Generation's" Marina Sirtis, and "2001: A Space Odyseey's" Keir Dullea. Now available for the first time in Nico Mastorakis' director's cut, "Blind Date" has been newly remastered and features extensive bonus material including never before seen footage of Kirstie Alley's daring love scene. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good presentation of a bad movie
This film is very amateurish and tries to be an erotic thriller, but never gets there because the characters are flat and the dialogue is wretchedly mundane and doesn't cut to the heart. A big problem with this film is that it is so obviously in love with women as objects and not as characters, this is one main problem, lots of naked women and killing with no set-up. The main woman who the lead character cares for is only seen and we never actually hear her speak until the very end, this is very sloppy writing and execution. This film has no momentum because of this bad dialogue, action without meaning, and misuse of female actors for prurient means. The one thing in this film that is interesting is the video game ogglers that the main character gets after he loses his sight. Interesting how the setup for the eyes looks exactly like the walkman that he wore before he went blind, oh well. This film shouldn't have been made, that's all. It's a good study of things not to do in film and a measuring stick of whether your story pans out. As for the DVD release, it's very good. It was release by the director's own personal label through Image and so the picture is as good as it can get and has numerous special features introducing you to the director's work which is just as bad, if not worse that "Blind Date." I think the worst thing about Mastorakis' career is that he had talented people at his disposal on the acting end, but he just couldn't make a good film if his life depended on it. He should have had someone else write his ideas.

3 sexy popular actresses before fame--2 topless!!
Where else can you see Kirstie Alley and Marina Sirtis topless in the same film, plus a young Valeria Golino posing in a bikini? Those are the 2 or 3 reasons to collect this film, obviously. However storywise it's definitely a unique concept: a guy goes blind so they hook an Atari chip to his brain to give him sight. Unfortunately, everything looks like Space Invaders to him. I wonder if he's now upgraded to X-box?
The dvd extras are quite good, with a very comprehensive film history of the director, including some outtakes of this film which include even lengthier nudity from Kirstie during her sex scene, some of which had been trimmed for the final print.

A chilling sci-fi thriller
There's a serial killer running amok...and no one knows who it is. Suddenly, through a tragic accident, a well-to-do business man has an accident & is blinded. He tries an experimental CGI chip implanted in his brain to help him "see" again. He witnesses one of the murders & "sees" an outline of the madman. Now the blind man must stop the killer before he kills again. Will he do it or be killed himself? Watch & find out! Great visuals! An erotic thriller! ... Read more

Reviews (55)

THE IRISH "BRAVEHEART": LENGTHY BUT ENGROSSING
Passionate screenplay and breathtaking cinematography, supported by Goldenthal's top notch background score: this film truly surprised me.

Plot-wise, you will learn a lot about the Irish rebellion against the British. The story, I found on some googling, has some crevices (e.g., Ned Broy was NOT murdered by the Tans as shown in the movie, in reality he survived the whole thing and went on to become the first head of the Gardai, the unarmed Irish police force.)

Yet, the superbly executed plotline unravels with an exciting pace, and is easy to follow. I was riveted.

Acting-wise, tight convincing performances all around, seems they couldn't have selected anyone better than Liam Neeson to portray Collins, although Julia Roberts was a bit expendable (and what's with that ill-achieved Irish accent!) Alan Rickman as de Valera was stunning as usual.

Despite its length, the film does full justice to the inspiration character of Collins. Recommended!

A Superb Film
I am not qualified to argue the history of modern Ireland, but have a general understanding of it and have experienced British arrogance first hand. No wonder this movie offends Anglophiles. Liam Neeson should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of freedom fighter Michael Collins. The acting and scenery are fantastic and I feel this movie captures the Irish soul. Critics are reduced to sniping at Julia Roberts Irish accent, but she does a fine job overall. If you liked Braveheart, then you will probably enjoy Michael Collins. I came away from this film thinking that Michael Collins is Ireland's greatest hero and would like to know how Irish citizens view the "Big Fellow".

Eire gu Braugh
Liem Neeson is absolutely magnificent. The movie is heart-joltingly rivetting. If you are interested in Irish History at all, you need to see this movie.

Something else altogether!
I'd usually steer well clear of films with alot of death in them (half because it turns my stomach, and half because it's so fake) but Michael Collins has to be an exception. This film is just so *real* in some parts. You can credibly believe the cruelty being doled out by both sides - neither Irish or English side is idolized as being the righteous one - and the pure shock will have you shaking just as much as the characters on screen.

The relationships here are beautiful, whether they're platonic (Michael's dealings with Harry, his best friend, and De Valera who in certain places would have you believe that they are like brothers) or romantic (with Kitty Keirnan) and the reactions of the actors are fantastic - especially De Valera (Alan Rickman)

However, if you're looking for historical accuracy... read the history first. The film takes plenty of liberties, to the extent of having one attack in Croke Park (Pairc Ui Crochaigh) that never actually happened and inaccuracies in the manner of some deaths.

And good gracious, someone kill Julia Robert's voice coach!

If you'd like to sit down with a moving film that never lets up, Michael Collins is perfect ^^;;

Shallow and inaccurate
Set just after the 1916 Easter Rebellion in Dublin, Neil Jordan's film follows the life and times of Irish revolutionary Michael Collins (Liam Neeson), detailing his relationships with Kitty Kearnan (Julia Roberts), Harry Boland (Aidan Quinn), and Eamon de Valera (Alan Rickman). It essentially covers the period leading up to the Civil War in Ireland, and ultimately Collins' untimely death.
It must be said the movie proves to be an opportunity missed, considering the budget and all involved. While it is usual for historical epics to have inaccuracies, "Michael Collins" is rather a disaster. After a very self conscious opening scene, the film seems to loose it's way and trods a distinctly uneven and incomprehensible path. It tries to hard to be all things: epic war film, romantic movie, and politically descisive. It fails on all counts, essentially because it is biased towards one side of the argument, and ridicules the other. The script seems to make no attempt at exploring the intricacies of the politics involved which led to Civil War, and the picture ends up like something a not very knowledgable schoolboy would write in primary school. Despite Liam Neeson's historonics, the casting in disasterous - particulary Aidan Quinn as an americanised Harry Boland, and Julia Roberts resembling a cross between Maureen O'Hara and Tinkerbell. What ultimately comes across from the acting is a cast who just want to pick up their pay check as quickly as possible and move as swiftly as they can onto their next, more serious, production.
The film is particulary offensive to those brave men and women who would not accept half measures, and took the view that the Anglo Irish Treaty was not the Republic of Easter Week 1916. Certain historical figures are missing, especially Arthur Griffith and Cathal Brugha (although Gerard McSorely appears in a brief scene with a "mcsorely" wig on his head which looks like something one would find in the middle of a cow field.

The Boland familly in general were outraged by the production, and the film did extremely well in Ireland, but flopped like a pan cake outside our four green fields.
It also suffers from the tendency to point to the indigenous population saying "Isn't this cool, we're all so important on this production. Yes I played such and such in the movie". I myself turned down any part of it with utter contempt, as I have taken the view that regardless of what side one was on during the Civil War, all concerned were heroes with no villins. Was Robert E. Lee any less in greatness then Grant? Both men are held with equal respect by the American populace.
RTE produced a much rounded and interesting production "The Treaty" which deals with the period in a more mature, intelligent way. The great Brendan Gleason appears as Collins, and the equally excellent Barry McGovern as de Valera.
"Michael Collins" is a total fiasco and an embarrasement ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Hilarious, but where's the big picture?
Quite simply, this movie is hysterically funny. Well written, evenly paced and contains one of the most catchy soundtracks ever recorded. Chances are, if you're looking at this page for the DVD, you've seen the movie. If not, you can read the other reviews for the particulars because I'm going to focus on the technical aspects of the DVD. Besides, this is my second-favorite movie of all time, so any attempt to review the plot would be extremely biased and I know this movie isn't everyone's cup of tea.

First of all, the movie itself looks beautiful. They did a great job on the digital transfer... the compression isn't all that noticeable and everything is crisp and clear. Audio is par for the course. Nothing too special here, but nothing lacking.

However, one question begs to be asked: why, in these days of "Enhanced for 16:9 televisions," is a DVD being released containing ONLY a full screen version? The fact that they have "Full Screen Presentation" bulleted as a special feature shows just how far Columbia/Tristar missed the boat. The lack of widescreen is the only reason I've deducted a star from my rating. As for the other special features, don't be fooled by the "Bonus Trailers," which are all for other movies.

Should you get the DVD? Certainly! If you love this movie, you'll enjoy watching it with a clean digital picture (especially if you've had the tape for years and it's getting worn out.) But if you've been waiting all these years for a widescreen version, you're going to have to keep waiting. This DVD can only be described as a visual and audio upgrade from the videotape, but not a definitive version of the film.

Uneven, not for everyone, but still pretty good
It's uneven because the movie can't quite figure out what it wants to be. It's a comedy, mostly--I burst into laughter several times. Yet, at times it's sad, and at other times it's almost horror, as when people start dying through electrical contraptions gone bad, and possibly through anorexia. It's also pretty scatalogical, what with all the enemas and obsessions with bowels (that's why it's not for everyone). It's a pretty good satire of John Kellogg, of Kellogg's Corn Flakes (who, by all accounts, was a thoroughly strange fellow), and it does a good job of sending up the kind of obsessive vegetarian anti-fur silliness that exists even today (there is an amusing scene when Kellogg shows the audience his "vegetarian wolf"). Anthony Hopkins, with buck teeth and glasses, is unrecognizable, as is Dana Carvey as his rotten-toothed adopted son. What the movie says clearly is that people who are this obsessive-compulsive over their health have sexual problems, and come from dysfunctional families. It's pretty funny, but certainly not for everyone.

Don't read the book first...
I made the unfortunate mistake of reading The Road to Wellville before watching the movie. I think it would be less forgiving if I had watched the movie first, then read the book, but the inconsistencies in the movie vs. the text are so blaring that I just lost all interest in the movie.

The screenwriter took many liberties with the text to make this movie a more "adult" film, and I found this really disheartening since this is not what T.C. Boyle intended it to be. I'm not against "adult" movies (i.e. nudity), but there a few things that occur in the movie that do not occur in the book at all.

The ending of the movie was to most "let's tie this up real quick-like" ending I've seen in awhile, and in fact, the ending (where all the main characters meet to watch the "san" burn down and then slowly walk away) didn't even happen like that.

I know, I know.... it's like comparing apples to bananas to pineapples, but I just want others to know that if you've read the book, don't bother with the movie. If you haven't read the book, then you'll probably get a bit of a kick out of the really quirky movie. Laura Flynn Boyle plays an excellent patient with "green sickness" (this was before she became unusually thin). There is a great cast of actors involved as well. Nice to see them play characters outside of what they normally do.

Blah. Not necessarily awful, just blah.
The Road to Wellville (Alan Parker, 1994)

I have thought for years that the novel upon which The Road to Wellville was based was written by the loathsome Garrison Keillor. Well, my copy showed up in the mail the other day, and I found out the novel was written by the far more easily-digested T. Coraghessan Boyle, so I decided I wouldn't exile the wife to the living room to watch this alone as I had planned.

What a horrible mistake.

The Road to Wellville chronicles, supposedly, the doings of a number of folks in the late nineteenth-century, all presided over by cornflake inventor John Harvey Kellogg (Anthony Hopkins). The story centers, if there can be said to be a center, around the Lightbodies, Eleanor (Bridget Fonda) and Will (Matthew Broderick), who come to Kellogg's sanitarium in order to recover from an unspecified disease of Will's (his wife confides in someone later what it is, and it's something of a major plot point). Also weaving through the tale is that of Charles Ossining (John Cusack), who gets involved with Kellogg's outcast adopted son George (Dana Carvey) and a crook named Bender (Michael Lerner, the "lost another loan to Ditech!" guy). And we haven't even begun to cover the principal actors yet, much less the cameos.

You may already be able to see where I'm going with this. If so, feel free to skip to the end of the review.

I've always considered Alan Parker an inconsistent director, but while mulling this travesty of a film over, I realized why. The movies he made early in his career that worked so very well (Midnight Express, Fame, The Wall, etc.) are movies where a lot of stuff is going on, and the viewer is being bombarded by stuff from every direction at all times. That's how the movies are written, and they succeed very well.

The movies he's made since then have had scripts that are more focused (or, in the case of The Road to Wellville, were in desperate need of more focus), but Parker is still using the same technique. And we're still getting bombarded when we require focus. Simply put, there's too much going on in any two hours of Alan Parker celluloid, and whether or not it works has to do with the material rather than the director or the actors. After all, Parker has a history of getting fantastic actors to work on his films (perhaps another thing; in every movie Parker made until Birdy, he was working with a cast of unknowns. Starting with Mississippi Burning, he started getting the A-list) and do things that could very well destroy their careers. I'm amazed that, after this mess, Hopkins, Broderick, Cusack, and a number of others survived with their careers intact.

Yes, this is a mess. Provides a few good one-liners here and there, but is basically the grown-up version of the unfunny teen sex comedy (and I can never say that without saying "American Pie and its sequels are not funny, and if you think they are, you're wrong"). Will probably be enjoyed by those who thought Scary Movie was a laff riot. Everyone else can safely stay away without feeling like they've missed anything. **

Does no one get this move?
Let me first say that the only reason this movies got made was because it seemed an interesting script to the Hollywood execs. Luckily enough it was shopped to enough big stars that it made at least a little splash in Hollywood. Part historical record, corrupted by the industrialism of America, and part comedy. Not one review I read captures the truth of this movie. I must admit I should read this book first, but having studied Eastern and Western medical practices for over a decade, I understand the premise behind the book, movie, and Dr. Kellog's, somewhat, misguided health practices themselves. The truth behind them is real, despite what your doctor wants you to belive, "become an slave to the pharmaceutical companies." I emplor all that read this to discover the power of "food combining" and a fitness related lifestyle. Your health and longevity depend upon it. Please read anything by Daniel Reid, and any author he recomends. I myself am working on writing a series of books that tackle this problem and many more. This movie is nothing more than Hollywood taking liberty with a, slightly, misguided idealist from almost a hundred years ago. He had the right idea, just a little early for what we really need in this day and age. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although A Shot in the Dark is often cited as the best of the Pink Panther comedies starring Peter Sellers, the fifth film in the series--The Pink Panther Strikes Back--is a close runner-up. Combining a James Bond-ish plot with Sellers's trademark lunacy as Inspector Clouseau, the film finds Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) driven insane by Clouseau's incompetence, threatening global destruction unless Clouseau is eliminated once and for all. Of course, the bumbling Clouseau leads a kind of charmed life, emerging relatively unscathed (and completely oblivious) from a phalanx of 26 unlucky assassins! Along the way, Sellers dons a variety of costumes and hilarious accents, and his improvisational style is given free reign. Karate showdowns with his valet, Cato (Bert Kwouk), once again keep Clouseau on his toes, and lovely Lesley-Anne Down plays a would-be assassin who finds Clouseau amorously irresistible. Highlights include the memorable "Does your dog bite?" scene between Clouseau and a goofy innkeeper, and a dental extraction scene in which Sellers and Lom reached the peak of their on-screen comedic antagonism. For good ol' fashioned slapstick comedy, they don't get much funnier than this. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (34)

The Bumbling Inspector Clouseau's Best Movie
This is the Pink Panther I remembered as a kid. Peter Sellers as the bumbling inspector Jacques Clouseau. Herbert Lom as Dreyfus, the former chief inspector that's been committed to a mental institute due to Clouseau's ineptitude. While there's no stolen diamond (as the previous "Pink Panther" movies usually had), this movie centers around the two main characters. A simple plot... Dreyfus wants to stop at nothing to rid the world of Clouseau. Memorable scenes: the opening scene at the mental institute with Dreyfus falling into the lake time and time again; Clouseau trying on his new hunchback disguise followed by an explosion; Clouseau disguised as a dentist working on Dreyfus' tooth; many failed attempts to get into Dreyfus' castle by Clouseau; and the apartment entry fight scene between Clouseau and his trusted Asian servant Cato. Memorable lines: "What kind of Bomb was it? ("The exploding kind"); "Does your dog bite? ("No") -the dog bites Clouseau- "I thought you said your dog doesn't bite?" ("That's not my dog"). Director Blake Edwards did a wonderful job guiding Sellers and then letting him go off on his own when needed while the camera was rolling. I can see where this movie was inspired by the James Bond series. As well as this movie proved to be a big inspiration to anything Austin Powers ever did. This movie has very few extras... a trailer, an 8-page booklet with some insight from the director, and your choice of full/wide screens. Picture is clear and sound is (only) average. Good movie overall and still fun to watch after all these years.

The funniest "Panther"
The inimitable Peter Sellers strikes again as Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau, in this fourth installment of the classic "Pink Panther" series, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again," directed by Blake Edwards. Given the fact that the assessment of comedy is intrinsically subjective, this film is arguably laugh for laugh and sight gag for sight gag the funniest of the five (followed closely by the second of the series, the hilarious farce, "A Shot In The Dark). In this one, former Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) is about to be released from the mental hospital-- in which he has resided since being driven crazy by Clouseau-- when on the very afternoon of his hearing he is visited by none other than Clouseau himself, who has come to speak on behalf of his former boss. Suffice to say that by the time Clouseau is through "helping," he is driven from the premises by the relapsed, raving madman, Dreyfus. And it's only the beginning of the inept French Inspector's antics that, before it is over, will include a trip to the Ocktoberfest, encounters with a dozen hit-men from around the world, a beautiful Russian spy named Olga (Lesley-Anne Down), a surprise Egyptian spy (who will remain nameless) and a one-man assault on a castle. As Laurel and Hardy proved so many times before, for every action there is a reaction; a theorem of which proof is unequivocally provided here by the relationship between Sellers and Lom. This was the film in which Edwards and his stars not only further devised, but honed to perfection, their foolproof formula for laughs: After the "first wave" of hilarity provided by Sellers, it is followed up-- in just enough instances to be totally effective-- by Lom's reaction to 1.) Sellers directly (as in the first, classic scene at the mental hospital), or 2.) Lom's reaction to Seller's antics as they are related to him by a third party. It's a one-two punch that never fails and which, in effect, derives twice the fun from a single gag. And it's brilliant. But at the end of the day, it must be noted that there is one element above all else that accounts for the success of this film, and that, of course, is the Man himself, Peter Sellers. Sellers must be regarded as-- if not "the," then at least one of the-- funniest actors ever to grace the silver screen. There was no end to the ways he could make you laugh; from the subtlest expression-- an eye averted or perhaps the slight raising of an eyebrow-- to the broadest slapstick, it was all within his personal domain, and he was the Master. Physically, practically all he had to do to get a laugh was show up; consider the scene in which he arrives at the hospital to visit Dreyfus: As he saunters across the lawn of the vast grounds surrounding the buildings, a croquet mallet and ball lying to one side catches his eye; there is just the slightest hesitation in his step, the subtlest change of expression in his eyes and the merest inclination of the head. And there, in that briefest of moments upon the screen, you know-- beyond the shadow of a doubt-- what is about to transpire. And you're right; a moment later Clouseau has the mallet in his hand and his foot on the ball, and even as it's happening-- just as you knew it would in that split second before it did-- he has you on the floor laughing. That was the gift-- and the genius-- of Peter Sellers. Was every film he made a classic? A great film? Of course not; but you would be hard put to find a single performance of his, even in a bad film (Like 1970's "There's A Girl In My Soup"), that did not embody that unique spark that defined him. It was certainly alive in his portrayal of Clouseau (possibly the definitive Seller's character), and in retrospect, what a shame it seems that there were only five "Panther" movies ever made. But so it is, and shall ever be. The supporting cast includes Burt Kwouk (as the ever faithful and attacking manservant, Cato), Andre Maranne (Francois), Colin Blakely (Alec Drummond), Leonard Rossiter (Inspector Quinlan), Richard Vernon (Dr. Fassbender), Briony McRoberts (Margo) and Michael Robbins (Jarvis). A funny movie that showcases one of Cinema's truly unique and funny actors, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" is a side-splitting, fun movie you can watch over and over and never grow tired of. The best of the series, it stands as a glowing tribute to the comedic genius of Peter Sellers.

"The Phone Is Ringing....Relax, I'll Get It."
This is my all time favorite Pink Panther film. I think that I like it the best of the series as is dwells so totally on Herbert Lom's madness, which is, of course, entirely caused by Clouseau. The opening scene of the film sets the pace, with the brilliant slapstick 'Dreyfus in the lake' segment (I am particularly fond of the role of the rake in that scene.)

The characterizations of Dreyfus and Clouseau are totally wonderful in this film. Watching Dreyfus descend into total madness is one of the all time greatest comic performances. Sellers as Clouseau is wonderful playing off of Lom, in such great segments as the 'hallucinatory dentist' and the 'hunchback and the bomber' scenes. This film is much less subtle than my other favorite from the series "A Shot in the Dark", but what it loses in subtlety, it gains in situational humor unrivalled in any other comedy ("Does your dog bite?"..."No."..."I thought you said your dog did not bite."..."That is not my dog.") Only Sellers could make these scenes work, and work they do, brilliantly so.

There are so many great scenes and lines that I couldn't possibly list them. Some of the best lines ever written for a comedy are in this film. To go with the brilliance of the script, the excellent direction from Blake Edwards, the always entertaining animated credits, the beautiful sets, the acting from everyone, led, of course, by Sellers and Lom, is letter perfect.

The DVD is an excellent transfer, and very pleasant to watch. The only real options are language and subtitle related, though there is an original trailer. I would have loved to have seen some outtakes as extras. Reportedly the cast frequently broke up laughing during the filming of this movie, and there is no wonder, given how funny the material is.

I first saw this in the theater when I was a kid. I loved it so much then that I went back several more times, and never tired of it. Now, almost thirty years later, I still never tire of this film. If you haven't seen "The Pink Panther Strikes Again", by all means do so at once. If you have, it's time to get reacquainted with a brilliant old friend!

Classic Clouseau
Unlike the other Panther films, which still mix in some of director Blake Edwards' skillful subtle comedy ala "Breakfast at Tiffany's," this Panther outing is strictly high caliber slapstick. The plot, which is far-fetched, exists simply as a framework to get star Peter Sellers out of one comic situation and into another. This is not a bad thing - some of the funniest comedies are the ones that have the skimpiest storytelling. I've seen all the Panther films many times, and this is the one that I always laugh the loudest at. It's hard not to enjoy Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and how he unintentionally outwits his former superior Dreyfus (Herbert Lom). The DVD release contains both the widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film (though no real extras)and is a step up from the old VHS release. It's always nice to have this choice on a single disc. I honestly don't know what extras could be included as most of the outtakes were unfortunately recycled in the inferior "Trail of the Pink Panther." I recommend this DVD to anyone who enjoys a slapstick approach to comedy.

By Far the Best in the Series
Since there have been other reviewers here who have taken the time to write in detail why this movie was so good, I will just agree in saying that it is indeed an excellent film! It is by far the best in the entire Pink Panther series and will have you laughing the entire time. If you enjoy this film, be sure to check out the rest of the series. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As unflinching and bleak as it is beautiful, Tim Roth's directorial debut, The War Zone, is remarkably accomplished filmmaking. Adapted by Alexander Stuart from his own novel, the film centers on a family that has just moved from London to the wind-swept English seaside during winter. The relative isolation soon reveals an ongoing incestuous relationship between the working-class father (Ray Winstone) and his 17-year-old-daughter, Jessie. The middle-class mother (Tilda Swinton) has just given birth to their third child and desperately avoids knowing the truth, leaving Tom, the younger brother, with the horrific responsibility of exposing the family secret. Fearless in its hard-fought depiction of incest, The War Zone pulls no punches; this vivid portrayal of abuse within a family and the scathed consciousness that results is not for the faint of heart. True to his theater background, Roth doesn't explain how or where such brutal choices were first taken, choosing rather to let the actors bear the ambiguities and anguish of a terrible knowledge in the their body language. --Fionn Meade ... Read more

Reviews (35)

SLEEPER HIT OF 99
One of the sleeper hits of 99, CROUPIER being the other, this film is a beautifully artistic masterpiece. It also proves that Tim Roth is not only a great actor(FOUR ROOMS,RESOVOIR DOGS) he can now be considered to be one of the best rescent filmmakers. Yes, this would be his directing debut.
Although you've never heard of this film, own it, see it. This film is unbelievably powerful and unforgettable. It's about the boy who trys to save his family. The actors turn in brilliant performances lead by Ray Winstone(SEXY BEAST). He plays the father who eventually is unable to hide his hidden secret. Forget the Oscars, this was the best supporting acting job this year.
This type of movie does not come around often but it's one of those that's hard to watch but yet you can't stop watching. Do yourself a favor and buy this film. Should've been nominated for at least 5 awards including Best Picture and Director. This DVD has audio commentary and the making of the film.

Hard to find, hard to watch
This film is hard to find in that
your local Blockbuster will hesitate
to carry a movie with such a difficult
subject matter. Essentially, we see
the sexual abuse of a teenage girl
through the eyes of her brother.
Everything about this movie is
bold, the actors take great emotional
and physical risks as does the director.
Scenes are not blasted through with music,
he allows the nakedness of the situation
to hit you as it would the praticipants
in the film. Ray Winstone and Tilda Swinton
let it all hang out(literally) in very
unflattering scenes. Such a willingness
to sacrifice personal dignity is hard to come
by in American cinema. As a recent example
though, Halle Barry performed admirably in
Monster's Ball- so not all is lost.
If you have been sexually abused in your
life you might want to avoid this film and
stick to therapy though. Proper treatment
of wounds does not always necessitate
reopening them.
And Congratualations for Tim Roth as
director. I hope he ignores the paltry
box office receipts and dares to bring us more.

The film that should not exist. But it does.
This is a very sad film. Why are people so cruel to each other? Why is there so much trouble in the world? Why do parents do this unforgivable sin to their own children who they claim to love? I wish to say that this film should not have a reason to exist. But it does. It shows us the effects of incest, and it's a devastating unforgettable experience.

A brother's crisis
If I hadn't read other reviews here I'd simply say that the movie is mainly a study on a brother's incestuous love (to which he had been beaten by his monstrous father) and jealousy. The scenes that really disturbed me were the boy looking at his half-naked mother, instead of answering the phone, the boy being told by his sister of what she thouhgt of his fuss, and, towards the end, the boy asking his sister "what shall we do" and slam the door shut. See for yourself to know how I came to this conclusion. Mr. Tim Roth is a genius!

Cut and dry
Well, I was wandering around the video store, looking for something different, something completely and utterly out there, seeing as me and all my friends are in that 'stage' now where we need to see things that no one is seeing yet everyone will want to see once we have seen it, and I found it. I saw the name 'Tim Roth' and my eyes couldn't leave the cassette, even as I tried to find something else. Finally I broke down and read the back and refused to let go.
Needless to say I was intriuged by the fact that a great actor had directed this movie, and that it touched on some touchy subject matter. Once I rented the movie I was itching to watch it, making ym way home and through a few days before the weekend came and I was able to watch it in full.
First things first, this is not some Lifetime movie for women. This is brutal and real, with unrelenting shows of nudity even outside of the sexual scenes. The acting, also, was outstanding, with the son perfectly acting the role of the disturbed young man trying to work out what to do with his newly attained knowledge of the affair between his father and sister, while both of those indulging in incest were equally disturbing and compelling. The mother played the submissive-ignorant perfectly. The cinematography was also amazing, with no need to ellaborate on it.
One problem presented itself to me: I wasn't as shocked emotionally as I had been expecting. What was wrong with me? Was I so desensatized that I had missed something? NO! I later found out that the video version had the 'shocking' scene of incest cut! All I can say is that is like watching the movie Titanic and not getting to see the ship hit the iceburg. The emotional punch in the face was taken out, leaving you with a superficial and utterly watered down version of what could be a good movie.
All in all, the movie is amazing, and probably would have been better and earned its deserved 5-stars if the video company had not cut out the shocking final revelation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I try very hard never to distort or dissemble," says Mr. Neville (Anthony Higgins), a draughtsman of considerable talent contracted by a certain Mrs. Herbert (Janet Suzman) to make 12 drawings for her absent husband of their English estate. Part of that contract involvesMr. Neville taking his pleasure, and that pleasure is Mrs. Herbert.While Mr. Neville aims for fidelity in his drawings, infidelity in privateis quite another matter. Then the film becomes a cerebral puzzle when objects start appearing mysteriously in the subjects of Mr. Neville's various drawings: a ladder that wasn't there before, a pair of boots standing in a field. Mr. Neville's penchant for realism is stymied by these clues, which may or may not suggest the murder of Mr. Herbert. Peter Greenaway seems to have directed this, his first art-house success, with the aim of exploring the failings of perspective in art and casting his doubtful eye on the possibility of "faithful" drawings such as those by which Mr. Neville makes his living. Greenaway was, after all, an art student, and must have known that drawing machines like the one Mr. Neville uses in the film (whichis set in 1694) led not only to the invention of photography, and therefore of film itself, but also to the renouncing of perspective that informs so much of 20th-century painting.

In the film, Greenaway overlays the story's mysterious elements withhighly mannered tableaux, making each scene like a realistic, though sumptuous, painting, while having his actors spout witty and complicated sentences. While this is very entertaining, it has a dual purpose, which is to depict the falseness of surfaces. Mr. Neville's faith in the same is his downfall, and Greenaway's triumph is in his distortions and dissemblings, the narrative lie that gets closer to the truth than any architectural drawing could. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Lovely & Amazing
I first saw "the Draughtsman's Contract" in the movies when it first came out. I was rivited by the wholeness of every detail in the film. For example, the filmmakers eye for accurate detail, even down to the orange ribbions the men & women wore on their clothes!
The story is a real mind bender as well. Everything seems so matter-of-fact, but it's not that way at all. I also love how the tables turn for the obnoxious, know it all draughtsman, and how the clothes colors were reversed when that happened(black/white).
The scenes filmed by candelight were wonderful, not as pretty as those in Barry Lyndon, but with a starker authenticity, making them appear more real.
Another great thing about this movie is how it was scored. Greenaway uses Purcell, but with a twist, it's so clever & very appropriate to this film. Also, Janette Suzmann is terrific as Mrs. Herbert.
Like all of Peter Greenaway's films, this does not have mass appeal, but it's truly a masterpiece & worth a watch especially for those who enjoy period peices, mysteries & stories about the human condition.

Utterly British
This film could have come only from England, and only from director Peter Greenaway. I wasn't sure what this film would be like, but I'd enjoyed all the other Greenaway films I'd seen: THE COOK..., BELLY OF AN ARCHITECT, DROWNING BY NUMBERS, THE PILLOW BOOK, and 81/2 WOMEN. Still, this one seemed different from all of those. I was sure it'd be at the very least interesting, but like I said I had no idea what to expect when I put the brand new DVD into the player. Right away, I liked the film, as I saw a group of powder-faced aristocrats relate some "Tales of Ribaldry". Immediately, I was reminded of Ken Russell. But as this most unusual film unfolded, I realized that this was the first time I could actually call a film a "moving painting" and not feel totally pretentious; THE DRAUGHTSMAN'S CONTRACT is nothing if not an animated landscape painting of the 17th century. Mr. Neville (Anthony Higgins) is our "hero"; he isn't a very likeable sort, supercilious and overeducated, and unabashedly lustful. But even as he causes trouble among the men and women of the Herbert household, beginning an affair with Mrs. Herbert as part of his payment for the 12 drawings of the estate he has been commissioned to produce, he is a fascinating character, played to the T by Higgins. But something strange is going on: as she peruses his drawings, Mrs. Herbert's daughter, Mrs. Talmann (whose husband dislikes Mr. Neville very strongly) believes she sees evidence of "misadventure" (in 20th-century parlance, "murder") in the pictures. So she now blackmails him for favors similar to those which Mr. Neville gets from her mother. Complicated? It gets worse... but if you're really into it that won't matter. Plot isn't important here. Greenaway is making a statement about art which, in spite of the epoch in which it is set, is timeless. No matter how hard an artist (presumably in any medium) tries, it is impossible not to "distort or dissemble". There's more to it than that, but if you're interested you'll have to work to get to it like I did. Don't worry, it's probably more interesting and entertaining than the way I've described it; Greenaway's dialogue is DELICIOUS and the photography (this was before Sacha Vierny became his cinematographer) is excellent, making brilliant use of light and shadow, evoking some of the nuances of painting at that time. Each frame of Greenaway's film is literally a painting in and of itself, and instead of an easy, comprehensive story with likeable characters that anyone could identify with, Greenaway gives us a narrative that resembles that of a painting (witness the scene in which Mr. Neville and a haggard Mrs. Herbert examine a painting, trying to ascertain the story it tells). For those tired of films with characters and situations that supposedly "anyone could relate to", Greenaway's crisp, challenging, funny, and fascinating THE DRAUGHTSMAN'S CONTRACT may be just what you're looking for. See it!

The Draughtsman's Contract
"The Draughtsman's Contract" is a precise, almost mathematical dissection of human motivation, desire, envy and retribution. The wonder is that it is delivered by a painterly director at the height of his powers. A rare mix.

Cunning and subtle, yet in love with the subject...usually doesn't work - but while you're being beguiled by the visuals, the story sneaks up on you from behind, and leaves you with a puzzle which rewards the solving.

Michael Nyman's memorable score perfectly complements the gorgeous cinematography, while providing a constant reminder of the enormous underlying tension of the story.

If all of this sounds a little earnest, let me put it another way - it's all about..., and it looks and sounds beautiful - what's not to like?

Simply perfect
Minimal style could perfectly fit this work. Notwithstanding, it is not a minimal music understood as a boring, monotonous or interminable series of notes, but a magisterial example of mixture 20th and 16th century music. Watching the film is not a neccesary condition to understand this surprising music, supposed to be dated on Purcell's times.

Nyman wonderfully metamorphoses his music, according to the film. You must also listen to Gattaca, a very realistic view of our future world. In this film, the images of the scenes and the music "inhabit" in a perfect simbiosis. The same as this score.

The first song "Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds" is the main theme, from which all the music is developed. This is why it could sound minimal but the lovely use of different baroque instruments (and not so baroque, such us harspichord, horns, electric bass...)smears up any idea of monotony.
Quite right.

Detached & Aloof.
This tale of a 17th Century draughtsman who takes a commission to do drawings of a wealthy Englishman's estate only if he can "do" the Lady of the estate at the same time, is an intriguing piece for those unhurried and with a taste for something different.

Meticulously recreating the era, with the best candlelit scenes since Barry Lyndon, we realize that a stately sort of mystery is unfolding as we watch the arrogant artist have his way with first the mistress of the house and then her daughter, all the while insulting and denigrating everyone around him.

The Draughtsman is arrogant, self-confident, and sure that he is superior to the aristocratic twits he serves with his art. That he believes he is smarter than everyone around him will come around to be his undoing. Being used while he thinks he is doing the using, the Draughtsman finds out too late that he has been nothing more than a pawn in a game he never understood.

Not for everyone, I found the film fascinating but as detached and aloof as its protagonist. This cold detachment becomes the wry amusement in the story, but also separates us from any emotional connection to the characters. There are also the typical Greenaway non sequiturs, in this case a naked fool, painted, posing as statues etc. At any rate, worth a look for those wanting something different. ... Read more

Description

Get ready for fun! (Leah Rozen, People) with the "feel good movie of the year!" (Clay Smith, Access Hollywood)Love Actually is the ultimate romantic comedy from the makers of Bridget Jones's Diary and Notting Hill.Funny, irresistible and heartwarming, an all-star cast (Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson, to name a few!) will take you on a breathtaking tour of love's delightful twists and turns.Fall under the spell Love Actually and share the laughs and charm again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (397)

Romantic fluff, but a little romance never hurt anyone
I was only mildly interested in seeing this movie, but I really enjoyed it. Yes, there was an amazing amount of different threads to follow as this film told the story of nine or ten different people and their partners over a five week period leading up to Christmas. Nevertheless, the witty script and the first rate acting made the whole process relatively painless.

There was charm in abundance from Hugh Grant, playing Hugh Grant as usual, but he does it so well that you can't help but warm to him. Martine McCutcheon as his love interest was surprising unannoying, and not in the least bit chubby!

Plenty of laughs from Bill Nighy and Gregor Fisher as a faded rock star and his long-suffering manager. Colin Firth in pursuit of his Portuguese maid also provided a few laughs courtesy of the language barrier, and the nerdish caterer with his dreams of being a sex god based soley on the strength of the lure of his British accent would have on American women kept the humour flowing.

Acting kudos go to Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson and most notably Emma Thompson. Ms Thompson once again plays the kind of gung-ho, upper middle class woman who has contributed to my usual dislike of her chosen roles, but she outdid herself in this slight role. I was moved to tears by her brilliant acting performance in the scene where she retreats to her bedroom to adjust to the knowledge that her husband is having an affair with his secretary.

Eye candy was provided for both sexes in the shape Keira Knightley and Andrew Lincoln. I enjoyed their storyline, despite it's flaws, but that may be because I'm just a sucker for physical beauty. Laura Linney and her erstwhile Latino lover were also very attractive, but slightly less sympathetic. And what can I say about the wonderful performances given by young Thomas Sangster and Liam Neeson as his grieving stepfather? Excellent, believable acting rescuing a storyline that verged on unashamed bathos.

Overall, I would recommend this film and commend Richard Curtis for an enjoyable, feel-good movie that left me smiling with tears in my eyes.

Lovely actually
Love Actually is a wonderful movie in all respects. Its cast, script, and direction are all absolutely top-notch. Set at Christmastime, the story encompasses numerous plots, all of which are equally interesting and effective in leaving one on the edge of one's seat, waiting to see what's going to happen with each group of characters next.

One of the most wonderful aspects of the film, in my opinion, is how we eventually discover that every single one of the vignettes is interwoven. For example: one story is about Karen (Emma Thompson) and her husband (Alan Rickman). The latter, although certainly not without affection for his wife, has begun to dabble in infidelity - thanks to his attractive secretary. Working with Rickman's character is Sarah (Laura Linney) who has been desperately in love with her co-worker Karl (unfortunately, I can't recall the actor's name, but he does a nice job) for years. And then of coure there's David, the prime minister (Hugh Grant) - who just happens to be Karen's brother.

Wonderful performances are also given by Liam Neeson (as a recent widower), 13-year-old Thomas Sangster (as Neeson's young son), Rowan Atkinson (who does a hilarious job as Rufus the Jewelry Salesman), and in one of the best vignettes, my personal favorite, Colin Firth.

This is an extremely funny and extremely touching movie. As usual, I hesitate to give away too much more about it. Nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING, should deter you from seeing it.

One of the Best Current British Comedies I've Seen in Ages.
I saw this in the theater when it first came out and, despite the fact that a couple behind me kept talking through it, I fell in love and decided to own it as soon as it was released on video. Now I have it on DVD, and want to spread the word. Love Actually is a great English romantic comedy full of several different stories going on at the same time, and each engages you in its plot quickly.

1. We have a young couple who are just married, and the groom's best friend is in love with the bride. Keira Knightley plays the role of Juliet with such sweetness and innocence, that even her dialogue free acting is powerfully convincing. Watch the scene where she views Mark's video of her wedding day and realizes he's in love with her.

2. Liam Neeson is Daniel, a newly widowed father who has to bridge the communication gap between himself and his son Sam. Sam's crush on an American girl provides this link, and the story is touching to watch as it unfolds throughout the film. Thomas Sangster is a promising child actor in his role as Sam, so keep your eyes on him. He is sure to be cast in more movies down the line.

3. Emma Thompson is always exceptional in every movie she's in. This is no exception as she plays Karen, a devoted and loving housewife who must come to terms with the fact that her husband Harry (Alan Rickman) is cheating on her with the office tramp.

4. Laura Linney plays Sarah, an American office worker who is in love with another American at work, but her sick brother makes the relationship difficult to see to its fruition.

5. Hugh Grant is David, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Britain, and he falls for his staff caterer Natalie, played by Martine McCutcheon. This story line is not without charming, laugh-out-loud moments, but it's also a bit corny and Benny Hill-ish at times.

6. One of my absolute favorite stories is the one involving Colin Firth's character Jamie, a writer who leaves England for the European countryside to write after discovering his brother is cheating with his wife, and he falls in love with his Portugese housekeeper Aurelia (Lucia Moniz). Neither of them can speak the other's language, but they manage to communicate in their own way, and the plot is very sweet.

7. Chris Marshall is very funny as Colin, the ugly, rude guy who strikes out romantically with English women, so he thinks he'll have better luck in America because of his "cute" accent. He goes to Milwaukee and discovers supermodel-type girls hanging out in a bar that fall for him instantly which really makes me laugh. I live an hour away from Milwaukee, and we are NOT plentiful with thin beautiful girls hanging out in bars. This was one joke that wasn't lost on me for a moment, and I couldn't help laughing quite loudly.

8. My favorite storyline is Billy Nighy as Billy Mack, a washed up 50-something rock star who makes a comeback on the charts with a shameless revamp of the old Troggs song, "Love is All Around" for Christmas. He is absolutely hysterical with his outrageous behavior as he publicly bashes the song and pulls all kinds of defiant public stunts. Of note is his relationship with his longtime manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) who, despite all the headaches his charge gives him, is still admirably loyal and proud of him.

One small storyline I detest is the porn actors we see a few times, conversing as they shoot dirty scenes on a movie set, and I also don't like the anti-American plot of the evil lecherous US president played by Billy Bob Thornton. These are two points for my not giving this film 5 stars.

Other than my minor grievances, I couldn't recommend Love Actually more highly. This movie is rated, R so please don't expose children to it just because one of the stories involves a little boy. This is great adult entertainment, and some of the DVD extras are a bit blue as well. Moving, funny, and full of clever dialogue (A favorite line: "Ten minutes with Elton John, and you're as gay as a maple!"), Richard Curtis has directed one of his best comedy projects yet. With the exception of small children, there's something here for everyone. You shouldn't just come away liking this one; it should be Love Actually.

Quite simply the worst movie I have ever seen...
Really! This has to be one of the worst movies ever produced and speaking as a Brit, I am ashamed. The plot or lack of any plot(s) is absurd. The jokes aren't funny, the premise is farcical and it is about as entertaining as being stung by a wasp.
Really, avoid this movie at all costs - it is that bad.

Not for the kids!
My inlaws came over to visit me from England, and raved on about this movie. They were keen to take us to the movies with our 2 children, 8 and 10 yrs to see it again with them. In the end we chose something more fun for the kids, as children don't want to go to the movies to watch a love story.
Anyway, not long after it came out at Blockbusters, and we hired it out of curiosity.
After the first 5 minutes we and sent the kids off too bed, as it wasn't really the swearing /cursing but the just that it seemed a little too explicit for my kids to watch.)
I would say that some scenes are just too crass, and they could had done without them.
In the second half of the movie, I noticed that the swearing and the sexual content tended to calm down...unless I was just getting used to it by then. The story was very funny at times, but alittle confusing having so many couples to follow...hard to get into their characters, or you forget at times that someone was in the movie, until they showed up on screen 20 minutes later, and would have to remember what their life was all about.
I'm not a prude in the slightest, and love comedies like Euro Trash, Coupling (the BBC Series) and American Pie etc...but the beginning half of this movie really did make my husband and I cring at times.
I'm surprised that my inlaws, who are in their late 50's really wanted to show this to my children...especially as they are very conservative.
Anyway it does get better, if you can stick with it after the first 30 minutes.
Hugh Grant's story line was also bit too cheesy. ... Read more

Reviews (96)

A most enjoyable experience
Naturally, as the DVD is not yet released this review is on the movie which should appear uncut on the DVD. It makes one realise the depth of theatrical talent in the UK when one can produce show like this with a large cast and not know one of the performers. Don't let this be a concern. The show is realistic, to the best that one knows of the life and times of Gilbert and Sullivan. It really shows their interaction, not always perfect, their failings, personally and in business, all of which makes you feel that you know them well, so realistic are the settings and the script. The humourous interludes are plenty and the music, superb. In the theatre and I would surmise on the DVD, the soundtrack is exceptional. You do not need to be a G & S enthusiast to have a pleasurable three hours of entertainment, musically and theatrically. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a movie as much and it deserves as many awards as can be offered. Strongly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Billy Wilder is a wonderful director, after all . . .
Why a mess like IRMA LA DOUCE makes a profit and a lovely film like this sinks without a trace is a mystery bigger than anything on display in this "lost" case of Sherlock Holmes, which involves the Truth About The Loch Ness Monster, some very sinister monks, and a lovely woman (Genvieve Page) who drags Holmes into the middle of it all (Well, she does show up on his doorstep stark naked in the middle of night. What's a gentleman, even one who's a bit of a misogynist, supposed to do?). Robert Stephens brings wit, melancholy, and anger to the role, keeping all of these elements of Holmes' personality at play simultaneously, and he is matched splendidly by Colin Blakely's Dr. Watson, who's smarter than Nigel Bruce's Watson and more fun than Conan Doyle's. Page is poised, charming, and ambiguous as the heroine, just the sort of girl to hold Holme's interest. There's also a wonderful supporting performance by Christopher Lee as Holmes' brother Mycroft, a sputtering mixture of affection and aggravation for his impetuous younger brother. And all of this is played against the backround of a splendid score by Miklos Rosza, adapted from his Second Violin Concerto (even if you don't like the movie, try and get a recording of the music). Just when movies like KISS ME, STUPID and THE FORTUNE COOKIE make you wonder if Wilder ever knew what he was doing, along comes a film like this, which reminds you that yes, he knew EXACTLY what he was doing--some of the time, at any rate . . .

Something's Been Lost Over the Years...
Let me preface this with the introduction to the "Deleted Scenes" extra on the disc because it describes the film as Wilder had intended:

"The original screenplay as described by Billy Wilder was a symphony in four movements. Following a modern day prologue (represented here in still photos and script pages) the intent was to illustrate four stories that Dr. Watson optednot to have published in the 'Strand Magazine'.

"Wilder wanted to explain Holmes' distrust of women, his drug addiction, his relationship with Dr. Watson; and, at the same time reveal Holmes' human side. The completed version would run approximately three hours, including an intermission. Upon its release in 1970, Wilder's symphony was presented with only two of its four movements."

Two biographies I've read confirm that Wilder cried openly when he saw the final product.

This Deleted Scenes section is most intriguing as it meticulously reconstructs as much as possible the four "movements" of Wilder's "symphony" which are titled: "Original Prologue" (including an appearance by 'Dr. Watson' circa 1970), "The Curious Case of the Upside Down Room", "The Adventure of the Dumbfounded Detective/Holmes Recounts an Affair of the Past" and finally "The Dreadful Business of the Naked Honeymooners". As mentioned above, still photos and script pages were used - and a lot of actual filmed footage which is presented with subtitles because the soundtrack could not be located. Taking all of this into consideration, I'm not all that sure that the three-hour version would have worked; and the final cut released by the studio is something of a disappointment.

The opening scene nicely introduces a somewhat different interpretation of the main characters, with Holmes complaining that Watson is always exaggerating his exploits and putting words into his mouth; and diluting his "seven-percent solution" of morphine to five. Then they're off to the final performance of Petrova in The Russian Ballet, after which Rogozgin (Clive Revill), Petrova's manager advises that she's retiring.

"She's been dancing since she was three-years-old...now she is thirty-eight."

"I must say, she doesn't look thirty-eight!"

"That's because she is forty-nine."

(And that, unfortunately, is one of a mere handful of jokes in the screenplay.)

Petrova also wants to have a "beautiful and brilliant child"; she has the beauty, and Holmes has the brains. But something's afoot! This extended 20-minute scene is meant to confirm Holmes' homosexuality and deny that the heterosexual Watson has been his secret lover. The problem is that it doesn't have anything to do with the basic plot, which doesn't kick in for a full thirty minutes. It may have "balanced" Wilder's symphony concept, but out of that context it's totally extraneous.

And by comparison to Arthur Conan Doyle's plots, this one is pretty skimpy. It was probably intended as a simple framework to hold your interest while the deleted scenes were to enlighten you about the "private life" elements. This also makes the title of the film misleading. I won't go into the details of the plot or bring up any spoilers for those who want to see it, except to say that it is shamefully simplistic.

The acting is topnotch all around and Robert Stevens makes an excellent Holmes, though Colin Blakeley's Watson is sometimes too blustery and exasperated; at times you almost expect to hear that "blowing-off-steam-whistle" sound affect associated with Lou Costello and Oliver Hardy. Christopher Lee as Holmes' brother, Mycroft, steals the few scenes he's in.

He also provides and interesting extra titled "Christopher Lee: Mr. Holmes, Mr. Wilder" in which he recalls a few behind-the-scenes tales of working with Wilder (whom he greatly admires), and brief overview of the Holmes legend, some of which was seen on the "The Hound of the Baskervilles" DVD released last year. This is followed by a 30-minute interview Ernest Walker, the film's editor who provides some interesting information on meeting and working with Wilder. There's also the usual Photo Gallery and Trailer.

The best part of the film is the beautifully poignant score by Miklos Rozsa, which I wish had been offered as an isolated track. The cinematography is by Christopher Challis ("Sink the Bismarck!", "Two for the Road", "Arabesque", "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines") - but it's hard to judge his contribution because of the poor quality of the transfer. It looks washed out with dull colors; and several transition scenes (probably reel ends) take on a fogged-up appearance, though not one suggesting a London "shroud". In fact, the film itself isn't much better that the found footage used for the reconstructed scenes. This is surprising coming from MGM whose "Women in Love" DVD is spectacularly lush. For that matter, so are the transfers in their Midnite Movie series. It may have been the original "Private Life..." film stock; but most of the Midnight Movies are cheap exploitation and horror films and I find it hard to believe that, say, Roger Corman, had better film than Wilder.

I must be in the minority because on imdb, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" has a rating of 7.3 rating (with over 500 votes; and hereAmazon 22 reviews averages a 4 ½ out of 5.

Perhaps I should have bought Wilder's "Kiss Me, Stupid" instead.

Wilder's Sherlock Mystery...
Wilder spices up the personality of Sherlock Holmes as the master detective enters another remarkable journey into the world of mystery and crime. It all begins with a beautiful lady who appears out of nowhere at Holmes' front door, and it seems as if she suffers from amnesia and a lost husband. However, these mysteries are old news for a genius such as Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. Watson. Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is an interesting film, but the overall picture lacks the usual spice that Wilder used to combine into his creations.

A Grand Film and DVD but We Still Want the Missing Parts
First the good news: Billy Wilder's wonderfully comic--and tragic--examination of the romantic life of "the world's greatest consulting detective," Sherlock Holmes, is reproduced beautifully in this terrific and long overdue DVD. Indeed, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" has never looked better or more complete on the small screen, as it is presented here in a digitally remastered widescreen format that preserves the integrity of director and co-writer Wilder's original vision. As fans of the film know, Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond fill in the blanks regarding the sexual orientation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous literary creation (a hot topic among intellectuals in the late 1960s) with both a sparkling wit and grand sense of respect for the subject matter. In the film, Holmes embarks on his most scandalous case, which includes the search for a missing engineer, the discovery of secrets of state, and his burgeoning love for a mysterious woman who might not be who she claims. With his lisp and penchant for sarcasm, Robert Stephens' Holmes is less the classical hero than in previous screen versions, going so far as to chide Watson (played wonderfully by Colin Blakely) for embellishing both his habits and physical stature in his "Strand Magazine" articles, yet Stephens' Holmes retains the keen mind, loyal affability, and vulnerable spirit we have come to admire. The supporting cast, which includes Christopher Lee as Mycroft Holmes, is excellent, but it is the production, including Miklos Rosza's hauntingly luscious score, that helps propel the film to greatness. Now, the bad news: As most fans know, Wilder wanted this film to be more than three hours long and contain several other adventures that would complete this heretofore unknown set of cases whose "delicate and sometimes scandalous nature" made them unsuitable for print. Unfortunately, the studio forced him to cut much of that footage, only some of which is included here (and without sound; in other cases, stills of filmed scenes are intercut with pages of the script and recorded dialogue). The result is that those of us who have waited for years to see the film as the brilliant Wilder had intended it have to make due with the bits and pieces included here. What a shame that, once again, marketing interfered with the artistic process.

So much was LOST!
This film is a cult classic and well deserving of that status. It's one of my favourite films and for YEARS we were promised the excised footage would be replaced and we could finally see this marvellous film in the form Billy Wilder meant it to be. Well, I am sure like all fans of the film, we waited with hope that NOW they would include all these scenes. And while the film transfer is great and I was sad to see there is NO footage to speak of to be added. There are snippets of film of other adventures, stills flashed over a poor soundtrack, but according to MGM there is no extra scenes, they have been lost.

WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

The film is still a must for Billy Wilder, Robert Stephens, Chris Lee or Sherlock Holmes Fans. But just do not expect all the lost footage to be restored.

It is a very very funny look at Holmes, a more human look perhaps. This is a mirthful look at the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, lovingly portrayed with a twinkle in his eye by the late great Sir Robert Stephens. The adventures are fun (the ones we see) but mainly centre around a woman's missing husband. Toss in several hundred canaries, the Loch Ness Monster, missing midgets - the Tumbling Pickaloes to be precise - the mysterious red runner, Queen Victoria, some Trappist monks, an ageing ballerina that does not 'look 39' - that is because she is 49!! -who wants Holmes to father her child and an amnesiac damsel in distress that temps Holmes, all done with the best British wit and droll sense of humour...and you have a mix that cannot miss.

Incisive writing and direction, this fill pay homage to Holmes and Watson, with tongue firmly planted in cheek...

Even so, the currently version is a true gem, and so overlooked,
all we have left of Billy Wilder genius vision. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

One of the most suspenseful films
This is one of the most suspenseful films ever made, even more so because it is a true story. I was back in the small town when the two families were preparing the balloon. Some of my friends in Poessneck knew them. The film actually captures the run down town, the anguish of the people living there and the absolute terror of the wall. This is one film everyone who loves freedom should see.

Fantastic!!!
I showed this movie in my American History class during the Cold War Unit. My seventh graders loved it!!!!!!

Excellent!
Wondrful movie of a daring escape from East Germany. True story. Very engrossing. Worth the watch.

Amazing!!!
I loved this movie it was full of excitment, suspence and when I first saw it I couldn't believe how terrific it was to see the famlies escape. I knew the story becaues I had heard if it before but to actually see them go across the boarder at MIDNIGHT and with guards and watchtowers everywere that was truly a amazing. I enjoyed this movie alot and I hope you will to.

A True Story of Courage
I remember when Night Crossing was first released in the theaters. It was a pleasant surprise from Disney Studios. What especially appeals to me about this movie is the fact that in the face of defeat and what seemed to be a hopeless situation, two families refused to give up, and with great determination and courage accomplished the impossible. I never forgot this movie and have long awaited its release on DVD. It is a welcome addition to my library. ... Read more

Description

Plagued by uncertainties and worldly desires, five Protestant missionary nuns, led by Deborah Kerr's Sister Clodagh, struggle to establish a school in the desolate Himalayas. All the elements of cinematic arts are perfectly fused in Powell and Pressburger's fascinating study of the age-old conflict between the spirit and the flesh, set against the grandeur of the snowcapped peaks of Kanchenjunga. Criterion is proud to present Black Narcissus in a new Special Edition. ... Read more

Reviews (39)