Reviews (81)

You know . . . for movie lovers!
Massively undervalued thematic sequel to *Barton Fink*. I say that because *The Hudsucker Proxy* (a bad title that guaranteed box-office oblivion, btw) treads a lot of the same water as the earlier film: hucksterism, commericalism, the notion that one person can singlehandedly come up with One Great Idea -- in short, the American Dream. This time, it's the world of business instead of Hollywood, but the corporate fatcats at Hudsucker Industries are relevant enough "proxies" for movie-studio fatcats; i.e., the point is well-taken. Indeed, the movie is -- as most Coen Brothers movies are -- about movies themselves, and you're not giving the Coens enough credit if you think *The Hudsucker Proxy* is merely a send-up of some Frank Capra movie. It's a send-up of the entire film industry, which is pretty cheeky, considering that this was their first "big-budget, major-studio" production. If you must have it: the plot concerns a doe-eyed graduate of Muncie Business College who winds up in the basement mailroom at Hudsucker Industries in New Yawk City. The President of the company has just taken a swan-dive from the 45th floor (not counting the mezzanine). Meanwhile, the fatcats on the Board of Directors, of which Paul Newman is the cattiest, come up with the brilliant idea of promoting a moron to the President's chair in order to devalue Hudsucker stock -- that way, they can buy up the remaining shares of the company, after which the moron can be comfortably dispensed with. But Tim Robbins, the putative moron, has one killer idea up his sleeve that throws a monkeywrench in the gears. But don't take all this too seriously. The fun's in the details . . . and, let's face it, you probably have to be in on the joke to really appreciate what the Coens are doing here. Meaning? They assume you have a knowledge of old-movie conventions, and that you appreciate the homage this movie pays to them. Basically, they insist that you bring something to the party. They insist you get off your Lazy-Boy and meet them halfway. Oh, by the way: the movie's hilarious, too.

You know, for kids!
When Waring Hudsucker (Charles Durning) of Hudsucker's Industry commits suicide by plunging out the window of his building, the board of directors lead by Sidney J. Mussburger (Paul Newman) comes up with a brilliant scheme. They will appoint a 'proxy' president for the company, someone so stupid that their stocks will drop. And when they do, the board of directors will buy up all the stocks, then restore their fortunes. So who do they appoint as their proxy? Who else but idealistic and naive Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins)? But things don't exactly work out perfectly for the greedy board of directors as Pulitzer winner report, Amy Archer (Jennifer Jason Leigh), starts digging around. And suprisingly, Norville just might not have been the perfect 'dummy'...

The key word to describing this movie would probably be 'bizarre'. And bizarre it is. The plot is admittabley very original, and the directors (and writers) Joel and Ethan Coen put a certain style into this movie which we don't see very often. Most of the humor is incredibly dry while there is some slapstick involved.

The characters in the film are not your average characters in that they are so obviously two-dimensional but the actors give such a flair into their acting that you can't help but love 'em. Take Tim Robbins as Norville for example, he's totally lovable though he's not actually very birhg or incredibly smart. But I must say that Jennifer Jason Leigh's character Amy Archer is one of the most fascinating characters I've seen. She's a replica of the sassy Katherine Hepburn and as fast-talking as Rosalind Russel in "His Girl Friday". She just talk soooooo fast that I recommend you see the movie at least twice to enjoy her dialogue all the more so.

My recommendation for "The Hudsuckers Proxy"? I'd say that a rental first is a good idea. I'm really not sure if everyone will love this movie since I feel that only certain people could appreciate the humor and the whole 'bizarreness' of the film.

Boring beyond belief
This is one of the most boring movies I have ever seen. I wish I could give the movie a rating of zero stars, but that isn't an option. I just got through watching "The Sword of the Valiant", it was so bad it made me smile. "The Hudsucker Proxy" is so bad it made me groan. I couldn't wait for it to end. It was pure torture, I expected a lot better from Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. I would just burn the DVD, but maybe I can find someone who will be as taken by this movie as all the other people who gave it glowing reviews, maybe one of them would be willing to give me the $15 I paid for this turkey.

a thingamajig that would bring everyone together
A film by the Coen Brothers

"The Hudsucker Proxy" is the fantastic story of Noville Barnes (Tim Robbins). Norville is just some poor shmoe looking for work, but he isn't qualified for anything and he has no work experience. He takes a job as a mailroom clerk at Hudsucker Industries. We're not sure what they do or what they make, but at a board meeting, we find out the company is posting record profits. When a man is done with his litany of the company's successes, the chairman, Mr Hudsucker himself, stands up on the long table, starts running, and commits suicide by jumping out the window and falling to his death.

What to do? The rest of the board needs to be able to purchase a controlling interest in Hudsucker stock, but the stock price is too high. The formulate a plan to temporarily drive down the stock prices by hiring as president of the company someone so incompetent that shareholders will be so scared that stock prices will plummet. The dimwit president: Norville Barnes. It is Sidney Mussburger (Paul Newman) who is pulling the strings behind the scenes to make all this happen; it is his master plan that sets all this in motion.

Amy Archer (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is the fast talking reporter who goes undercover to investigate Norville and find out why Hudsucker would have hired him as the president. "The Hudsucker Proxy" is funny in a smart, clever way, and is highly entertaining. The Coen Brothers do not make ordinary or conventional movies ("Intolerable Cruelty" aside), but they definitely make some of the top movies of any given year.

-Joe Sherry

Not the Coens greatest, but.............
This is a great movie from the Coen brothers. It is not a violent or gory as some of their other films, but there are certainly some very devious characters. The movie includes a heavily character driven story, it is very well paced and fun all the way through. The visual style is brilliant, showcasing the Coen brother's ability to make film footage of ordinary settings seem surreal and slightly comic bookish, and they keep it up consistently for the length of a movie. This inevitably aids their storytelling by making the movie's world distinct and vivid as a setting for the characters who are equally ordinary yet unmistakeably unusual. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Ingmar Bergman's 1966 film, photographed by Sven Nykvist, begins when famous actress Elisabeth Vogler (Liv Ullmann) freezes on stage in the middle of a performance. Struck dumb by an unknown cause, she winds up in the care of young inexperienced nurse Alma (Bibi Andersson), and together they retreat to the seaside for the summer, where they enter into an uncommon intimacy and clash of wills. Bergman's study of the fragility of the human being and the treachery of life is incredibly moving in its perception and unrivaled imagery. And as always with Bergman and his reappearing ensemble of actors, the performances are flawless. Especially notable is the scene in which Alma recounts for the silent Elisabeth a morally and emotionally ambivalent erotic encounter she had experienced on a beach with a friend and two teenage boys. It is one of the most strangely erotic scenes ever filmed, and not a stitch of clothing is removed. Also of interest, and one of the most intriguing scenes in the film, perhaps among the most intriguing in all of cinema, is when Elisabeth paces barefooted back and forth over a patio on which we know there to be broken glass. It is an achievement in simple suspense from which many an aspiring director of thrillers could learn a bit. For those who've had their fill of predictable plots, irrelevant matter, and apish acting and are looking for something a little more sensual, poetic, and relevant to what life is about beyond the daily grind, this may be a good place to start. --James McGrath ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Broken Mirrors
"Persona" is by far one of the most complex films ever fabricated in cinema. Like all Ingmar Bergman films, "Persona" challenges the viewer's thoughts of reason and reality. Made in 1967, this still remains to this day, the most haunting and confusing film on self-identity and the duality we have as human beings. Some might find the overlay of the movie too cynical maybe, but only because Bergman so purposely shows us our contradictory natures. Both character leads played by Bergman regulars Liv Ullman and Bibi Anderson give stunning performances, as usual. It's really amazing how well both women played such difficult roles, Ullman's character doesn't speak one line throughout the film and Anderson so captures all the different moods with an almost too realistic touch. Recommended to only serious movie-goers, Bergman fans, art house, foreign film fans, and those who can handle disturbing commentaries on self reflection.

One of the All-Time Greats
"Persona" is not only Bergman's masterpiece; it is consistently ranked as one of the greatest films ever made. It is admittedly difficult, but never pointlessly so. The underlying spirit feels much the same as the High Modernist literature of the 1920s: a brilliant fusion of emotion and intellect resulting in a startling new form of expression. Indeed, the opening sequence of the film -- "a heap of broken images" -- brings "The Waste Land" to mind, and Bergman himself remarked, "I had it in my head to make a poem, not in words but in images."

Despite the unconventional style, one never has the feeling of novelty for the sake of mere effect. The formal innovations follow from the content. Much of the film, in fact, is shot in a fairly traditional way, though with Bergman's usual painstaking subtlety. The detailing is even finer than one might expect, with every sound, almost every word, orchestrated with great care.

"Persona" is a deeply compelling film, but it is probably not an ideal starting point for a newcomer to Bergman's work. "Wild Strawberries" is more straightforward and warmer; a great character study that retains elements of fantasy.

A final note: Avoid the grungy transfer on Hen's Tooth Video. The MGM version is far cleaner and is worth the extra money.

Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson are AWESOME!!!
I've never quite been into foreign films, but I decided to check out 'Persona' because it has been associated with one of my favorite films, Robert Altman's '3 Women.' I was frequently told by other film buffs, "If you like '3 Women,' you'll really like 'Persona.'"

They were right, for I was completely blown away by this Bergman masterpiece. 'Persona' is a powerhouse of emotions, and the acting is superb. Liv Ullmann's silence is extremely compelling, for her nonverbal communication conveys a whole lot more than any dialogue could relate! Bibi Andersson's performance is heart-wrenching at times, for her persistance and confusion draws the viewer into her corner like a spider caught in a web.

As far as Ingmar Bergman, I am now a dedicated fan of his films after viewing 'Persona.' There were a few bits during the opening montage that made me wince (beware!), but after seeing the entire film, I can understand why they were there. In addition, the visual look of some of the key scenes are among the most breathtaking I have ever seen in a film, such as the one where Liv almost floats into Bibi's room like a Nordic goddess.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Ingmar Bergman, arthouse cinema or films about the psychology of relationships.

The Greatest Film of the 20th Century
This is Ingmar Bergman's greatest achievement as a film director (most of us have not seen his stupendous stage productions and only a few of his "made-for-TV" films).

It is, quite simply, the greatest film of the 20th century by its greatest film director. All films should be judged against it---and found worthy or wanting.

one of the best ever made
This is one of the best rated films of all time...and it's definetely justified. It might very well be Bergmans materpiece, and THAT says a lot. The story behind one of the greatest achievments in cinema history was (is); Liv Ullmann, Bibi Anderson, Sven Nykvisk and Ingmar Bergam....That's the whole movie !!! Only 4 people,but it doesn't get much better than this. It's perfect - ... Read more

Amazon.com

In spite of its atrociously misleading packaging, Exotica is abeguiling mystery by enigmatic Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, in whichpeople and their relationships are not what they seem. What at first appearto be disparate stories of a tormented tax auditor, a lonely pet-shop owner,and a sensitive stripper and her coworkers gradually merge to reveal alarger, interconnected portrait. The sequences involving Mia Kirshner'sschoolgirl stripper are particularly engrossing because of her character'sintelligence and the scenes' deeper subtext. Indeed, Exotica is lessabout stripping than about fragile human relationships, and it is not untilthe truly revelatory final scene that we are able to fully absorb the film'sdeeper meaning. --Bryan Reesman ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A fascinating and highly provocative mosaic
First of all, Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan's lavishly intense film is NOT to be mistaken for "Showgirls," nor for any triple-x movie (although it IS R-rated).
Although the film presents certain elements of mystery (and one must pay extraordinary attention to both detail and innuendo), the intensity of the characters and plot propel the film across several levels. The viewer hangs on every word, both to pick up (almost desperately) clues toward understanding the over-lapping stories, but also because the characterizations are so thoroughly riveting.
Bruce Greenwood displays excellent range as he portrays both a care-free young family man as well as that character in middle age, besought with layer upon layer of tragedy and "baggage."
Mia Kirshner similarly impresses as we see her character at various stages: as a troubled pre-teen, replete with pony tail and braces, and also as both a mature college graduate and, quite convincingly, as an exotic dancer.
Elias Koteas is stunning as an anguished and lost club DJ/poet.
Don McKellar and Arsinée Khanjian are also quite brilliant in supporting roles.
Be prepared to want to immediately view the film a second time -- to do so is not merely repetition but serves as an opportunity to continue to fathom the depths of the characters and the film's unrelentingly passionate intrigue.

Obsession and desire, Atom Egoyan's best to date.
An obsession is not unlike a dream, in the sense that you can find in both a very peculiar stance where sensibility and madness go hand in hand. But any attempt, by man or woman, to tread new roads to and from such places is often futile, simply because the journey to such underminded conditions is always one of self-discovery and self-torture.

Quite possibly his most sucessful movie to date, Atom Egoyan's marvelously written EXOTICA delves deeply into the world of pain and obsession, painting for us a canvas in which the characters and their stories are never static or cold, but organic and contrived. Painfully marred by their fractured lives and by their fears.

EXOTICA tells the story of three very enigmatic and confused individuals. Francis (Bruce Greenwood), an obsessed man who recently went through a very traumatic experience; Christina (Mia Kirshner), an erotic table dancer who has a very special relationship with Francis, and finally Eric the club's D.J. (powerfully played by Elias Koteas), who seems in turn to be obsessed with Christina.

As I was watching the movie, I quickly became enthralled with the story, if for no other reason simply because I was absorbed at how very well portrayed the characters were. It seems that at some point or another we all go through times when our own existance seems to flicker, something breaks inside which gnaws away our sanity. The only way to prevent our destruction is to see ourselves reflected in someone else's life.

This is the story told in EXOTICA. Don't be discouraged by the name, the movie is very enjoyable and fun. I was particularly amazed by Elias Koteas performance. The DVD edition is nicely presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1, the video transfer is solid throughout and even though there are no extras to speak of, I think the movie itself is worth its price (or at least a rent). Give it a try, I recommend it.

Shallow to deep.
One has to wonder if those who rated this movie poorly 'got it'. I gave this to a co-worker and he was highly confused at the end because he missed a critical link. For myself, I'm not sure what I expected. I knew I liked Mia Kirshner, and the pick-up of the DVD in a bargain bin was a "what the heck" purchase though I'd read reviews that seemed to promise a dark, disturbing, thought provoking movie.

Well, the packaging, as alluded to in the description, makes this seem like a standard erotic thriller. The addition of much of the action taking place in a strip club only seems to reinforce this as being standard, even shallow, fare. It's anything but. It might not be believable as a story, but the characters themselves are. Not only that, but fittingly enough, the shallowest seeming character through much of the film turns out to be potentially the most complex. It wasn't until after the end credits had rolled, and while still wrapping my mind around the whole canvas of the movie, it clicked as to why the character may have acted in a certain way.

I'll add a disclaimer here for anyone interested in the movie. If you are at all squeamish about the concepts of pedophelia, homosexuality, strip clubs, etc... well, just be aware that you might feel highly uncomfortable. I only plead discomfort to the first and parts were painful to watch even though nothing explicitly happens (and as is the case of the whole movie, nothing is anywhere near as simple or obvious as it first appears).

Highly recommended if you want a thought provoking, dark movie that at times makes you do a mental doubletake.

Don't waste your time with this trash
I was browsing movies on Amazon looking for something new and different to watch, using customer reviews to decide if it might be worth my time or not. When the movie started, I already knew this one was a mistake. I sat through the whole thing (another mistake) and in the end I felt very cheated out of a buck and a couple hours of my life I could of spent doing something else.

The acting, characters, script, and plot were pathetic. The climatic ending that people keep mentioning wasn't a big deal at all. This movie was not artistic as some claim. It wasn't thrilling or suspenseful. It was just a bad attempt at a bad story with bad actors. Move right along to the next movie.

Egoyan's swan Song!!!
O.K. this film sarts off with a elderly Kung Fu instructor that, at the end of his life, realizes that his five students could become evil. Each of the students has become a master Kung Fu fighter and has specialized in one of five deadly techniques. The problem is that the master has no idea who each of the " deadly venoms " are now that they have been able to leave the secret Kung Fu school......oh, wait! This is Atom Egoyan's Exotica I'm writing about. Sorry!

Exotica made me fall into a deep, deep sleep. I had a dream about a real strip club. It was NOTHING like Egoyan's over the top exotic wonderland. In reality strip clubs, strippers and strip club DJs couldn't be LESS interesting. The average strip club is , at best, entertaining. There is nothing exotic or entertaining about Exotica. I wonder if Egoyan has ever been in a strip club? Well, I'm sure he's too cultured for that kind of thing.

5 stars for the the Shaw Brother's Kung Fu classic Five Deadly Venoms! Top notch Kung Fu !!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Nana (Anna Karina) is a Parisian salesgirl who drifts into prostitution.The story is told in the form of a documentary, separated into 12 tableaux.Godard has said that the division into tableaux was to emphasize the theatrical nature of the film, and also because when you look at something for too long you end up knowing less about it.Breaking it up into bite-size chunks can be helpful.What we see is a romantic portrait of womanhood caught between her own role (she wants to be an actress) and that which she is allowed or compelled to do.This is brought home most poignantly when Nana goes to a showing of Carl Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc and her tear-streaked face is intercut with that of Maria Falconetti playing Joan, about to be led to the stake. Add to that the further layer that we have a Danish actress (Karina) in a French film, watching a French actress (Falconetti) in a Danish film, and the implications play out grimly.This is one of Godard's finest films, both austere and compellingly watchable. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (21)

"Il faut se preter aux autres et se donner a soi-meme."
(Lend yourself to others and give yourself to yourself---Montaigne): ominous advice for the heroine of one of Godard's most easily digestable and congenial films. A seamless and cohesive twelve chapter documentary, _My Life to Live_, starring Godard's then wife Anna Karina, succeeds at striking the perfect balance between the filmmaker's more esoteric artistic tendencies and the ability to relate to a more mainstream audience. Loosely, the plot involves Nana, a 22-year old woman who leaves her husband and takes up casual prostitution. No doubt it is also an allusion to Emile Zola's novel about a female courtesan of the same name. Brilliant camera work is especially evident in the opening scene where we are introduced to Nana and her husband not by their faces, but by an affronting view of the backs of their heads. This visual device is used throughout and is contrasted with some mesmerizing shots of Joan-of-Arc-coiffed Karina, staring directly at the camera. If you thought Godard too intellectual or abrupt, give this film a try.

beautiful moving movie, godards best along with weekend
this movie i think will surprise most fans of godard accustomed to his formalism or his quotations of culture and art that some people regard as childish. which it does not mean that the movie is not interesting formally but i rarely cared about form since it seems it might be the movie in which godard cared the most about its content and characters; which cannot of course be said about the more famous and more representative of godard's style "breathless" which not surprisingly influenced some rather shallow, self indulgent filmakers such as martin scorsese or quentin tarantino. the movie moved me so much it made cry. the story of a young woman who leaves her unhappy relationship with her husband to seek an opportunity in the movies but instead must become a prostitute to support herself, is presented in a almost documentary-like style which lets the events speak for themselves and which lets the viewer see inside the girl's soul. theres no cheap manipulative music or exagerated acting. the camera style resembles more the simplicity and stillness of a movie by bresson or dreyer. this style was also used to great effect in "Masculin/Femenin" but here it leaves from the attention of the viewer which will most likely be caught by the great touching performance of anna karina. i cannot do anything right now but recommend this movie which just shows the awesome potential of cinema as an artform.

One of the best films I have ever seen
I watched this film in a theater full of people who did not like this film. They were loud, obnoxious, and groaned at the ending. I am embarassed and appalled to say that this was during a screening session at the film school I currently attend. I personally found this to be one of the most amazing films I have ever seen, and because of this was devestated: it was the film that I have always wanted to make, and now will never be able to without seeming like a pale imitation.

As soon as the word "FIN" came up on the screen, complaints were flying at the screen. My fellow students lammented either about how the ending was "contrived" or "too rediculously sad." It is my very strongly held opinion that they missed the entire point of this film. This film was not about the ending. This film was not even about the "plot." This film is about the human connections that we make and the human connections that we fail to make. It is about conversation at its most banal and at its most liberating (sometimes seperated by mere words). It is about life, it is about morality, and it is about filmmaking.

Although the silouette shots that compose the flawless opening credits sequence are beautiful, they are immidiately outdone by the cinematography of the first conversation of the film. This is a conversation with opposing motivations. The two people "engaged" in it (I use this term in the loosest sense) are not connecting with each other, and, indeed, only seem passively interested in each other.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HEAR A SINGLE WORD OF THIS CONVERSATION TO UNDERSTAND IT.

Granted, the words shared are spectacular, and their performance is even better (amazing considering the lines were given to the performers only a few short moments before the camera began rolling) - especially the moment in which a phrase is uttered several times just to explore its different potential meanings. But the words are utterly superfluous - the visual language is all that one needs to take in. Every shot is of the back of the performers' heads. We do not see their faces. They are expressionless. They are ciphers. Their conversation is tossed off, it does not even connect on a surface level. We not only never see their faces, but also never even see them in the same frame. It is disconnection and discontentment completely and utterly represented on purely visual terms.

Needless to say, the amazing camerawork continues throughout the film to the point where it would be impossible to analyse it all (not to say that my previous comments were analyzation - you'd need to write at least a 10 page essay just to approximate what the first sequence illustrates effortlessly), so just watch the film yourself, take it in, and enjoy it.

May I suggest that if you do not enjoy the film the first time (as my fellow students certainly did not), try to focus on other aspects of it. There are a tremendous number of layers to this film, and any one element of it demands a viewing of its own. If you still can't wring any enjoyment out of it, well, then, I'm terribly sorry. You're missing a wonderful experience.

Essential
Although the basic DVD extras (a commentary track, for starters) are missing, the print quality is very good and the movie is absolutely great - first-quality Godard and Karina.

a great film for little money
I believe someone complained about this film being full screen, but I'm pretty sure that's the original aspect ratio. I have to give a hand to Fox Lorber. Although Criterion does the best with older films, at least they have made these great films available on DVD at LOW prices! Where I live there are no decent video stores, so if I want to see something like this I have to buy it.
Now about the film.......the cinematography is beautiful.........and it doesn't hurt that it's main subject is Anna Karina.....i love it when she does 'itsy bitsy spider' to find out her height, and the editing in the cafe when the gun shots are fired & just about everytime she smiles......this was the first time I laid eyes on her *heart beats* ..now i want to see A Woman is a Woman badly.......the word is Criterion will release it this year.....yippee!! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Life And Crimes Of Dawn Davenport
John Waters' follow up to his classic PINK FLAMINGOS doesn't plume the same depths of hilarious depravity but is still an entertaining movie. FEMALE TROUBLE sees Waters (who also co-edits and wrote the lyrics for the title song) reteaming with PINK FLAMINGOS stars Divine (who also performs the title song) and Mink Stole (who is also credited with the stills).
FEMALE TROUBLE tells the tale of the life and crimes of Dawn Davenport (Divine) beginning with her High School days in 1960. After destroying Christmas for her family Dawn runs away from home and is picked up hitch-hiking by a sleazy guy who impregnates her. Not surprisingly she ends up giving birth to her daughter in typically tasteless Waters fashion.
With a daughter to support and a scuzzy hippie boyfriend spongeing off her earnings, Dawn works a series of menial jobs from waitress, hooker and gogo dancer (not a pretty sight) before discovering her true niche as a career criminal. As a result she meets a bizarre artistic couple who want to photograph Dawn's crimes because they feel "Crime equals beauty". This predictably leads to media fame and plenty of Waters' bad taste: gratuitous nudity (not the good kind), maiming, mutilation, incest- all the usual barrel scraping (Which I don't have the heart to spoil for potential viewers), though this is pretty tame compared to PINK FLAMINGOS which I still consider to be his masterpiece.
FEMALE TROUBLE will appeal to cult movie buffs but mainstream viewers should probably steer clear; especially those only familiar with his more accessible PG rated movies like HAIRSPRAY and CRY BABY. Connoisseurs of camp and vulgarity will love it. Personally, I have mixed feelings about FEMALE TROUBLE hence my 3 star rating. I still rate later Waters' movies like SERIAL MOM and CECIL B. DEMENTED higher than this, but it's still worth a look.

Divine at her best!
Finally! A re-release of this John Waters classic! I was fortunate enough to find an original copy of this in sealed condition on e-bay. It tells the tale of misunderstood Dawn Davenport, the girl in high school who was cool because most of the other girls hated her, and she didn't care. She has to deal with parents who don't understand her, and later, teen pregnancy (fathered by, of all people, herself!). We then get to see what her traumatic formative years formed her into, and the type of laissez-faire parent she would become.

Again, John Waters uses his wry wit to point out glaring facets of modern culture, and views on beauty and the near deification of criminals. It's a must see for any true John Waters fan!

Beware of the girl who does not get her cha-cha heels
In my opinion, John Water's movies have always been smarter on paper than most give him credit for. All of his work skewers the establishment was well as some of its offshoots and although intended to be shocking (in many instances just for the sake of being able to do so), my favorite moments generally involve the amazing Mink Stole and when John Waters in a very matter of fact fashion throws in something absolutely jaw-dropping as if it were just another scene.

On one hand you'll have people who will find Waters' early work to be too repulsive to watch and on the other extreme, you'll find others who worship his movies without any reservation and reject any critique as a sign that people just don't get it. My perspective is a little different as after watching Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Desperate Living, my view is that while the ideas continue to be as fresh as they were made in the mid to late 1970's, his early work is much funnier when taken in little dozes rather than full length movies. Although, many may disagree I find Desperate Living to be his early best, while Female trouble is highly overrated. Pink Flamingos falls somewhere between the two.

There are scenes in Desperate Living that had me laughing so hard that I cried. In fact, the first half hour of the film is absolutely hilarious. Every scene involving Jean Hill who plays the hilarious Grizelda Brown and/or Mink Stole who plays the crazed Peggy Gravel, is a gag waiting to happen. There is a scene that takes place after something horrible happens (like I am going to tell you what happened) when Peggy is driving away with Grizelda that is worth the price of owning this movie. Said scene has Mink Stole going off like a madwoman regarding her hatred of nature, and it never fails to surprise me how funny she is. As happens with most of Waters' early films, it ultimately runs out of steam and starts relying too much on shock value and by now almost any Waters fan is hard to shock visually so it better be funny too. Desperate Living is my favorite early John Waters film, although many find it to be his most grim and depressing.

Female Trouble is one of the early Waters movies that most fans tend to like, and I just did not like it at all. Of course no John Waters film can ever be made without having hilarious moments, but they are far and few in between and I was mostly bored. Mink Stole as usual steals every scene that she is in and she does a variation on her "I hate nature" soliloquy from "Desperate Living," this time involving humans. Although I could not get enough of Edith Massey as the egg lady Pink Flamingos or as Queen Carlotta in desperate living, her role in Female Trouble made me feel for her as I was not laughing with her or could not bring myself to laugh at her. While she has her moments and awesome potty mouth, Waters (possibly without meaning to) takes her costumes to a point where you want to hug her instead of laughing. Divine has the opposite effect as the cruder and ruder that she is, the more that I loved her in this movie.

Pink Flamingos, which is Waters' breakout movie, without a doubt uses shock value more than any of his subsequent films. It is supposedly centered around defining who is the filthiest person alive in Waters' beloved Phoenix, Maryland. Since this was Waters' first fully realized early picture, he went for the jugular in trying to get away with as much gross out material as possible. The story, as is the case with Female Trouble, is not worth following and starts to get old quickly, but there are MANY scenes that will shock the numbest person alive. In many instances, the shock is not a bad thing as my motto is if it's funny, bring it on. Edith Massey as the egg lady is so funny that I can't help seeing her scenes over and over again. There are little touches as the manner in which Divine steals some ham, or apparently throwaway scenes involving dealing drugs and a baby selling ring, that are too funny to describe.

In a nutshell, I think that John Waters in hilarious and is responsible for some of the funniest movies of our time (as is the case with Serial Mom, just to name one), but these early exercises in guerilla filmmaking work better as boundary pushers than fully realized self contained movies. Those who enjoyed Jackass - The Movie, said movie would probably never have seen the light of day if it were not for John Waters, and although some may wish that such were the case, I for one think that Jackass - The Movie is one of the funniest movies ever. Part of that success is due to Johnny Knoxville not attempting to create a linear narrative or a storyline but intertwining bigger and smaller ideas just for the sake of making us laugh. Maybe it was not a choice at the time, but all of Waters' early movies would have worked much better with extensive editing and bypassing the narrative to focus on being funny.

I give Desperate Living 3.5 stars, Pink Flamingos 2.5 stars, and Female Trouble 1.5 stars. New Line home videos has released several two-packs of John Waters' films, but none that I know of that have Desperate Living and Pink Flamingos on the same package. I mention this because in my opinion, Female Trouble is not a must see by any stretch of the imagination, even for hard-core Waters fans.

"Who wants to be famous? Who wants to die for Art?"
In "Female Trouble," when teen rebel, Dawn Davenport (Divine), doesn't get the pair of Cha-Cha heels she wants for Christmas, her temper tantrum ruins the family christmas. Dad threatens to send Dawn to a school for juvenile delinquents, and so Dawn runs away wearing proposterous turquoise blue baby doll pyjamas and fluffy blue mules. A brief encounter with a rather disgusting fellow named Earl Peterson (also played by Divine) leads to Dawn becoming a single parent, and Dawn's life goes downhill from here.

Characters in this film not to be missed include:

Donald and Donna Dasher (David Lochary and Mary Vivian Pearce)--the creepy owners of the Lipstick Beauty Salon whose rather nasty habits include liquid eyeliner. They believe that "Crime and Beauty are One" and encourage Dawn's exhibitionism and violent criminal tendencies.

Another great character is Aunt Ida (Edith Massey). She dreams that her nephew Gater will come to his senses and become gay, but her hopes are dashed when Gater, a stylist at the Lipstick Beauty Salon walks down the aisle with Dawn. Aunt Ida and Dawn are neighbours and sworn enemies.

Cookie Mueller has a small role as Concetta--Dawn's high school friend who later forms a girl gang with Dawn, and she also helps muscle Taffy when she gets rebellious.

Dawn's daughter, Taffy, is played by Mink Stole. She flounces around in little Shirley Temple dresses and alternately infuriates and frustrates her mother, Dawn. This mother-daughter relationship is probably the most perverted relationship in this film.

Some of my favourite scenes involve Divine and Taffy as they play their mother and daughter roles in their hideous home life. Dawn's continual frustration with her role as mother is simply hilarious. She never sees her frustrations as her own inadequacies, and she interprets Taffy's behavious as deliberately maddening. Taffy's "unreasonable" demands include asking why she can't go to school or why she can't eat dinner. And Dawn doesn't hestitate when it comes to discipling little Taffy--there's even a bed with chains ready for Taffy's next violation. The very best domestic scene occurs during Divine's dinner party hosted for the snobby and decadent Dashers. Dawn is at her most outrageous and antisocial while trying to charm, cook and serve a meal--all at the same time.

Director John Waters says that this is his favourite early Divine film, and I do prefer "Female Trouble" to "Pink Flamingos"--even though the latter is the more infamous of the two. Francine Fishpaw in "Polyester" will always be my favourite Divine character, but the psychotic Dawn Davenport is a close second. Divine (whose real name was Glenn Milstead) sings the title song of the film and also performed all of his own stunts--this includes the trampoline jumping and swimming through rapids. Divine also suffered through 2 hour make-up sessions (courtesy of Van Smith) prior to filming every day, and for the acid-scars, Divine tolerated liquid rubber. Divine's costumes are simply priceless, and there is even one scene with Dawn working as a go-go dancer. This early comedy from John Waters is not for everyone--it's tasteless, offensive, and downright abnormal. "Female Trouble" is simply Cultural Nihilism at its best. Keep an eye open for the scene in which Divine prances through the streets of Baltimore to the accompaniment of "Dig-dig-dig-a-rooni" much to the amazement of the stunned citizens of Baltimore. You just don't see Divine tripping along in a shiny mini-dress every day--more's the pity--displacedhuman--Amazon Reviewer.

Every line is delivered like a hollywood classic.
Every line is delivered like a hollywood classic. From the outlandish outfits to the long diatribe delivery style of John Waters writing this film is a piece of "high" Hollywood art (although is Baltimore filmed) Divine has never looked as delicious in any of the other films, nor has crime been glamourized to the extent that I killed my neighbors cat and filled a trashcan with alka seltzer and dropped my infant in and waited and waited...until...BINGO KABOOM! Baby needs to pee. Okay, so it is sick and perverse too, but we all know TV and movies have no effect on the weakest of minds. ... Read more

Description

Legendary director Ingmar Bergman creates a testament to the strength of the soul-and a film of absolute power. Karin and Maria come to the aid of their dying sister, Agnes, but jealousy, manipulation, and selfishness come before empathy. Agnes, tortured by cancer, transcends the pettiness of her sisters' concerns to remember moments of being-moments that Bergman, with the help of Academy Award®-winning cinematographer Sven Nykvist, translates into pictures of staggering beauty and unfathomable horror. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Lies and sisters
Loved It! IS THIS THE FILM THAT TURNED ME ON TO FORIEGN FILMS. But it should not be classified as a FOREIGN film. Our worst fears about death, our selfish thoughts of how others pain as our pain is explored. Like a mirror, this film shows us our own ugly reflection.

It is the story of three sisters, and a servant girl. One sister is dying, as the other three women wait on her. The performances are out-standing, my favorite is Bergman-regular Liv Ullman. There are reflections of the past, a need for answers and redemption. It will ruin our day, but we'll be better because of this cinematic triumph. It is very important to experience this picture, (The dvd has an opinional ENGLISH-dubbed soundtrack)it might make you feel better about your life and family.

Sven Nykvist's Oscar-winning Cinematography is haunting, beautiful, and makes characters out of every color. RED is very dominant and even sticks with you long after the film is over. This is a masterpiece, a bit of truth and pain rolled up in a film.

a shocking and haunting film
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This film, with the original title, "Viskningar och rop", remains one of the most chilling art house dramas to come out of Sweden.

The story is about two women Karin and Maria who have moved in with their terminally ill sister, Agnes to help care for her.

While the disease Agnes is dying from is never mentioned by name, seems to be a form of cancer as many other terminal illnesses of the time were contagious and the sisters and the maid don't seem to be worry about being infected.

The film shows flashbacks of the sisters when they were all healthy and some others also. The film is definately not for children as there are many scenes that even some adults might not be able to watch. One of these scenes is sexual in nature and involves self-mutilation with a piece of broken glass.

There is also a disturbing death scene and several others related to terminal illnesses

The Criterion DVD has an interview with director Ingmar Bergman as a special feature and there is also an optional English language track.

One of the top films of Ingmar Berman!
This film is bitter . And merciless . It challenges and disturbs you deeply . FIlmed in the purest mood of resources economy , the film tells about Agnes , a dying middle aged woman with the presence of Karin (Ingrid Thulin) and Maria (Liv Ullman).
The complex and increasingly tense relationship among the members of the family ; with the red color as an additional personae ; will make a story loaded with the anguish you may find in the existencial portrayal ( to name a few The stranger of Camus , House of dolls of Ibsen or Crime and punishment Dostovieski).
The loneliness , the dark shadows of the death , the inner reactions of each member of the family , the pain and the lack of affect who are clearly shown in the ending shot demands from you a special attention . Think it over , because this movie represents one of the milestones in all the cinema story.

The Sounds That Haunt Us
"Cries and Whispers" was one of the first films from Ingmar Bergman I had seen. I was about 13 years old and was a strongly devoted fan. I had only seen the film that one time, but it stand with me. Only, I didn't think it was that powerful. Maybe my age had something to do with it. Could it be I was too young to appreciate it? I enjoyed the previous films I had seen at that point though such as "Wild Strawberries" and "The Seventh Seal".

Well, whatever the reason I saw this film again. Now I'm 21. And I think "Cries and Whispers" is one of Bergman's very best films. A memorable and powerful film. A sheer work of genius.

I read Roger Ebert's review for the movie. He said he had never seen a film to be so much about pain.

Maybe that is true. I hadn't thought of that the first time I saw this masterpiece, but now I understand.

Bergman paints such a bleak, depressing picture here, that you could call this film typical Bergman. Even though it my be a depressing film, you should still see this.

The story has three sisters, one is dying. She is played by Harriet Andersson, who gives what I feel is the film's best performance. The other sisters include Maria (Liv Ullman) who is almost childlike. She seems so innocent. Then there is Karin (Ingrid Thulin) who is cold-hearted. And even though she is not one of the sisters Anna (Kari Sylwan) who is a mother figure. She is the only one who truly cares for Agnes (Andersson).

Bergman than has these characters reflecting on moments from the past, and thus the "cries and whispers" those moments bring. Some are truly terrible memories these characters live with. A scene involving Karin and her husband comes to mind.

Are these people trying to learn from their mistakes? Do they regret their past choices? Is there hope for them? I can't give you the answers to these questions, it is for you to decide.

"Cries and Whispers" on second viewing is one of Bergman's best films. A work of art.

Bottom-line: One of Ingmar Bergman's best films. It was nominated for "Best Picture" in 1973 and Bergman was nominated for "Best Director" as well. A haunting film dealing with our life choices, who we really are and how these events shape us. It leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. I can't speak highly enough about this film.

Viskningar och Rop
Agnes is dying of cancer at the end of what one imagines to be late 19th Century, and is taken care of by her sisters Karin (Ingrid Thulin) and Maria (Liv Ullman), and the maid Anna (Kari Sylwan). This is one of the purest and most horrifying films I believe Bergman has ever made. A shade of the color red dominates throughout the film, and brings an immediate and naturally convincing mood. All actors contribute with a powerful and chilling intensity, especially actress Harriet Andersson--whose pain as Agnes is very believable, even enchanting--and are more than well supported by the amazing camera work of Sven Nykvist. To prove that this is the work of a brilliant, highly skilled director, and professional actors and crew, the movie was shot on location in only six weeks!
The Criterion disc features a 52-minute interview with Ingmar Bergman and Erland Josephson (who appears briefly in the movie), taped for Swedish television in 2000. Interviewed by Malou von Sivers, Bergman and Josephson discuss life, death, and love. Bergman, here at age 82, proves to be a down-to-earth and young-at-heart guy. The sound in the interview (surprisingly enough for a Criterion disc), distorts a bit, and can be quite distracting at times, but is not so bothersome that one wouldn't want to continue listening to what these masters of film and cinema have to say (even if the topics barely touch upon their work and careers).
Optional subtitles, as well as an English-dubbed soundtrack are available. The dubbing is surprisingly accurate to the picture, and is done by the actors featured in the movie. At times this accuracy may convince you that the movie was made in English. Still (despite this stunning surprise), I would suggest watching this in Swedish, as intended - at least the first time around.
I watched this movie with a pair of good head-phones, in a comfortable chair, and alone in the dark at three o'clock in the morning. I recommend others to watch it under similar conditions - it adds to the intensity, and one can appreciate the intended mood of the film better if there aren't distractions. I seriously doubt that this picture will disappoint any true fan of good cinema. ... Read more

Amazon.com

François Truffaut again tackles the elusive nature of creativityand the elusive creation in this thoughtful, sumptuous, 1980 film.Nominated for the Best Foreign Language film Oscar, and a winner of various Césars,The Last Metro is a tale of the theater in occupied France during World War II.Marion Steiner (Catherine Deneuve) manages the Theatre Montmarte in the stead of her Jewish husband, director Lucas Steiner (Heinz Bennent).He has purportedly fled Francebut is really hiding out in the basement of the theater.The one hope to save the Montmarte is a new play starring the dashing Bernard Granger (Gérard Depardieu).The attraction between Marion and Bernard is palpable, and as usual Truffaut creates tension and drama from even the most casual of occurrences.The theme of the director locked away while his lover and his creation are appropriated by others makes for interesting Truffaut study, but first and foremost this is a well-spun romance.--Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Truffault can be a lot of fun
Francois Truffault, who has always terrified me as a true "art" director, comes across in this film with warmth and humor; not only that, one get to learn a little about Paris under the Nazis and how people "coped." Catherine Deneuve, wife of the director and lead lady, is gorgeous as she balances the needs of her cranky Jewish husband in hiding (Heinz Bennent; he's continuing to direct by listening in to rehearsals through the pipes) and those of her handsome leading man (Gerard Depardieu), whose only way of coming on seems to be to grasp a pretty woman by the hand, gaze into it and murmur, "I seem to see two women here." For a movie about a sad and terrible time, there is a lot of strength, here, and I found Truffault, for some bizarre reason, easy to understand.

Grace and Elegance
If films were planes, Francois Truffaut's "The Last Metro" would be a glider, cutting gently through the winds of occupied Paris, and moving gracefully through the lives of a theatrical troup attempting to mount a production during wartime. As Marion Steiner, Catherine Deneuve brings elegance and beauty to the subtle intrigue and fluctuating emotions of day-to-day life under Nazi occupation in 1942. Like Truffaut's film, her performance is one of nuance and subtlety, and garnered her the award for best actress in France.

Marion Steiner leads two lives, separated only by a stairway. Below the theatre, in the cellar, she shares a love with her husband Lucas (Heinz Bennet), a Jewish theatrical director who must live in hiding, coming to life only when Marion's footsteps bring her into his claustrophobic world.

Their love is real, but is slowly threatened by the distance and contrast of the living going on up above and the stagnation and frustration below. The internal strain becomes greater when Marion falls under the spell of her leading man, Gerard Depardieu, Truffaut's camera capturing the fleeting glances and icy demeanor that is our window into Marion's heart. Depardieu's passion for French resistance, however, may prove greater than his passion for the theatre, and Marion must also contend with a pro-Nazi theatre critic who could sink the production before it begins.

Only after Truffaut has used his camera to show us this elegantly detailed world of the French theatre during wartime does his screenplay suprise us, and remind us in an uplifting way that life itself is but a play, and we are all part of the cast.

This is definitely a masterpiece, but if you have not ventured into foreign films yet, I would not suggest this be your maiden voyage. One must ride the 747 first to appreciate the grace of Truffaut's glider, turning ever so quietly, without a sound, into the winds of the human heart.

Warning: subtitles cannot be turned off
Zone 1 Francophones beware: the english subtitles are on
the video layer and cannot be turned off. I suppose this
might save the production cost of redoing subtitles for
DVD, but it would be nice if this fact were mentioned in
the technical info. Completely unacceptable, hence the
automatic one-star rating.

A true classic
One of Truffaut's and Deneuve's best pictures. It has warmth, history, a sense of the absurd, excellent pacing, and a bit of suspense. It's also has more a linear storyline then many French films. All of the performances are excellent.
Two Warnings:
1. Avoid dubbed versions (Deneuve's sense of humor is in her voice, not on her face, resulting in a mirthless character when dubbed).
2. The new Fox version changed the sub-titles and wrecked some of the best lines.

Late Truffaut that gets better with every viewing.
Truffaut follows in the tradition of Jean-Pierre Melville by adapting a popular genre as a serious allegory for the darkest period in French history: the Nazi Occupation. Just as Melville used the gangster film to examine notions of legality, legitimacy, authority and criminality in a period when the Resistance were outlaws and the police were rounding up Jews for the death camps, so Truffaut takes the beloved putting-on-a-show warhorse, and uses it as a metaphor for the conditions of life in Occupied France: the need to act, adapt and continually discard roles. When Depardieu's character leaves to fight for the Resistance, he puns about exchanging his make-up (maquillage) for the maquis. What Truffaut is most interested in, as in all his films, is the effect this need for constant dissembling has on individual identity and relationships.

This wonderful romantic comedy plays like a mature update of 'Casablanca', richly stylised, bravely open-ended, with Truffaut's moving camera wrenching spirit from claustrophobic confines. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Great movie, but lacking in DVD version
Let me just start by saying: I LOVE this movie. I've had the VHS version for quite some time now and I never got tired of it.

However, I was a little disappinted by the lack of features on this DVD. I thought it would have behind-the-scenes footage (if it did, I would give it 5 stars).

After seeing other movies with commentary, I was really surprised that John Waters' commentary was excellent. It really explains a lot about the movie (and some of the lesser known actors). Sometimes it almost compensates for the lack of the other features normally seen on DVD.

Okay, back to the movie itself. Like other Waters' films, the plot focuses on a particular social problem (in this case, the fame gained being a serial killer and also about the death penalty). Kathleen Turner is outstanding as an old-fashioned mom with high morals who goes nuts and kills people for very minor infractions (chewing gum, for example). When she is caught, she defends herself in court (with hillarious results!)

Again, this is a great movie, but I could only give it four stars because of the features on the DVD version.

John Waters does it again !
Kathleen Turner chews up the scenery as Beverly Sutphin , A June Cleaver type mom who cooks , cleans , and kills . Her Loving family is made up of Sam Waterson ,Ricki Lake , and Matthew Lillard .
Water's regular Mink Stole is on hand as harrased victim , Dottie Hinkle .
Patty ( Patricia ) Hearst , Traci Lords , Suzanne Somers , and Joan Rivers make up the cast .
Beverly Kills her victim's with a Fire Poker , a Air Conditioner , even a Turkey Leg , all with a Smile and all her Hair in place .
My oldest son's favorite scene is the Sneeze in Church .
This is John Waters at his most Demented Best !
If you've not seen " Serial Mom " you are in for a Twisted Treat !

true murder story from baltmore
yep,its all true!if you watch it,youll laugh hystericly.its about this super- mom who goes around wasting people for very small social flaws like not rewinding thier videos before returning them and not wearing thier seatbelts.o kid should view this under 15.the humor is good natured.there is a good deal of blood.a chick goes topless for a short while towards the end.thats always a plus!riki lake is in it as the serial moms fat little whiny daughter.the message is that everyone has skeletons in thier closet.if you watch closely,everyone in this movie has a wierd flaw.as far as rikki lake goes,this one is far far better than that 50s movie she did.very funny indeed!check it out!

One of the Greatest Comedies Ever!
I've loved this movie since the first time I ever saw it! It's pure comedy and genious! Be prepared for language and gore, and the wildest movie of your life!

so funny
This movie is hilarious. A crazy mom who goes nuts and anyone who gets in her way gets killed. I know it sounds gross, but this movie is too funny to miss. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Not as good as Jules & Jim, but still worthwhile...
This is the story behind Jules & Jim. It is a fictionalized account of the author who wrote it. So, instead of being one woman for two guys, it is one guy for two girls. Let me say this right off the bat - this is not in the same league as Jules & Jim. The other reviews of this movie which cite it as one of Truffaut's best are overly generous. Even the look of this film cannot compare to J&J, which was shot in timeless, glorious black and white and it still looks just as fresh today. Two English Girls is shot in color, which has faded somewhat and it makes the picture look cheaper.

In his book, The Films in My Life, Truffaut pledges his admiration for Henry Miller. He has a fascination with eroticism and it always troubled him that Miller could be frankly erotic in prose, but on screen it loses something and becomes [more erotic]. This movie is an exercise in testing the boundaries of artistic eroticism. It is a hit and miss affair: sometimes it comes off as a letter to Penthouse Forum and there is a scene which is disturbing to modern sensibilities involving two little girls. However, at its best I do think the film captures some of the awe of physical love that it aspires to.

I hope I don't seem too down on this film. It is still a Truffaut film, which means that it is better than anything you are going to see in theaters now. It's just that he is competing against himself, which is alas, too much competition.

Truffaut's Best Film
Only Truffaut could have made this film. It is very sad, but it has all his charm and tenderness, his very French appreciation of love and happiness, and his literary cast of mind. He said that he liked to make films about "the sentiments". If that was his goal, this was his best film.

A BEAUTIFUL SENSITIVE MOVIE
Arguably the director's best movie,LES DEUX ANGLAISES ET LE CONTINENT is both charming and moving.TRUFFAUT always loved stories about love triangles(his own life was like that).It is not surprizing that he added the scenes that were originally missing when the film was first presented in 1971.He was obviously very fond of that movie.JEAN-PIERRE LÉAUD his alter ego from the DOINEL series was miscast to be sure,but it doesn't diminish the quality of the storytelling.A common TRUFFAUT device here is the use of the voice over that comes off perfectly.Very few films have succeeded in presenting the theme of love in all it's cruelty and physical aspects.MURIEL and ANNE the héroines are reminiscent of the BRONTÉ sisters.A good choice for anyone who wants to understand the psychology of women.

Truffaut's Best
Truffaut made lots of great movies, and lots of mediocre ones. "Two English Girls" stands out, I think, as his best.
Like "Jules and Jim," this film involves a love triangle, only instead of two men and woman, as the title suggests, this triangle is made up of two women (sisters) and a man named Claude (Jean-Pierre Leaud).
Initially, during an extended stay at the girls home in England, Claude falls in love with Muriel (Stacey Tendeter), but after a period of separation, he decides to "play the field." When Muriel's sister Anne (Kika Markham) moves to Paris, Claude begins a relationship with her, only to find that she can play the field too. Eventually, Claude and Muriel come together for one night, and the experience rekindles Claude's love. But it is not to be. I won't spoil the films ending, but will say that it leaves only the most unsentimental viewers without tears in their eyes.
The films sole flaw is a short part in which Muriel confesses to masturbation in a letter. This detracts from what is otherwise a supremely sensitive and touching film.

ANN & MURIEL
One of Truffaut's favorite movies of mine, TWO ENGLISH GIRLS is an adaptation of a novel from Henri-Pierre Roché, the author of "Jules & Jim", a book Truffaut had adapted 10 years before.

Two women, one man and the waltz of the misunderstandings and the hesitations dancing between the walls of a love that doesn't dare to speak. The movie features a romantic love story happening a hundred years too late, so, as always in Truffaut movies, the characters are out of focus, they live a virtual passionate love that could fill hundreds of pages of a novel but are doomed to suffer in the trivial reality of the beginning of the XXth century.

A superb musical score by Georges Delerue and a Jean-Pierre Léaud lunar as usual should tempt you even if the quality of the DVD presented by Fox Lorber is no more than average.

A DVD zone your library. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There is no denying this fact: Ingmar Bergman's films are true commitments.Though averaging only an hour and a half in length, the psychological depth, the magnitude of human exploration, and the emotional rollercoaster you embark on while watching his films can stick with you for a lifetime.According to Bergman, "No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls." By the mid-sixties, Bergman was about to show the world how far the medium film could go. He began to move away from his Seventh Seal style into the dreamlike, deconstructive, nonlinear realm that would continue throughout his career. This DVD set wonderfully captures all his landmark films of the late 1960s marking this significant transition. Each film stars Liv Ullmann, Bergman's beautiful muse, and involves another longtime collaborator, cinematographer Sven Nykvist.Each film has been remastered, and is presented in its unedited theatrical version loaded with pertinent extras, including a featurette on each film, interviews with cast members (every disc has an on-camera interview with Liv Ullmann), a feature-length commentary by Bergman biographer Marc Gervais on four of the films, and a wonderfully surprising commentary by David Carradine on The Serpent's Egg. Couple these films with an extra disc of supplemental material and you have yourself an incredible Ingmar Bergman film festival. --Rob Bracco

The Films:
In Persona (1966), Elisabeth Vogler (Live Ullmann) has stopped speaking and withdrawn from the world. At her doctor's orders, she moves to a remote cottage to be watched over by Nurse Alma (Bibi Andersson). To fill the silence, Nurse Alma talks aloud to her silent listener and slowly lays out her soul and identity to her patient. In essence, the nurse becomes the patient herself. If the extent of your Bergman exposure is The Seventh Seal, be prepared to get blown away by this film's hallucinatory, multilayered exploration in identity and personality.The hallucinatory analysis of personal identify continues with the haunting The Hour of the Wolf (Vargtimmen) (1968). Artist Johan Berg (Max von Sydow) is desperately trying hold on to his sanity, while being haunted by his demons.His wife (Ullmann) is trying to help, but also begins to share Johan's hallucinations. As they both begin a downward spiral Ullmann has to make a painful decision between the love of her husband or her own sanity. Shame (Skammen) (1968) stars von Sydow and Ullmann as a couple in the midst of a civil war. They escape to their farm for safety only to be haunted by the soldiers that invade their home. The Passion of Anna(En Passion) (1969) again stars von Sydow and Ullmann. Andreas and Anna live on a remote island with a neighboring couple. While trying to escape the skeletons of their pasts, they each seek solace in one another, even as their lives are torn apart by deception, isolation and psychological turmoil. The last film in the set is a leap forward to 1977. The Serpent's Egg (Das Schlangenei) may be the weakest of the set, but by no means is it a lesser film. It tells the tale of two Jewish trapeze artists trapped in Berlin during the Nazis regime. Bergman would only turn out three more feature films before disappearing into retirement. --Rob Bracco ... Read more

Reviews (21)

John Waters and friends go mainstream... sort of.
John Waters' first mainstream film is tamer compared to the likes of PINK FLAMINGOS and DESPERATE LIVING, but it's still bound to offend someone out there.
The movie stars Waters regulars Divine, Edith Massey (Both of whom mercifully remain fully clothed in this. Thank God!) & Mink Stole.
Written, Produced and Directed by Waters & Exec-Produced by Robert Shaye (who would later go on to produce the ELM STREET series) and once again set in the film maker's beloved Baltimore; POLYESTER centers around Francine Fishpaw (Divine) an unhappy 300lb housewife, whose philandering husband Elmer is a porn peddler. This makes the Fishpaw residence a perfect target for anti-porn/violence protestors (One of whom looks freakishly like Patricia Bartlett) who want Elmer to show G rated family movies (presumably) like the psychologically damaging ANNIE; because they feel X rated movies encourage sex offenders (Just like the Bible left Jim Jones & David Koresh with heads full of bad wiring- can you see the hypocrisy here? Waters certainly can).
But love comes into Francine's life in the guise of Todd Tomorrow (Tab Hunter) the owner of an adult drive-in theater also picketed by the Chastity Belt Crusaders. (NB: I just made that up).
POLYESTER is; in actuality, a suburban satire in which Francine attempts to deal with her dysfunctional family consisting of her pothead son Dexter, who has a foot fetish which is causing him to attack women in the street and steal their shoes, to say nothing of her skanky daughter Lulu who to her mother's horror is dating Bobo, a greasy, glue-sniffing punk (played by Stiv Bators from the band Dead Boys).
Though personally I prefer Waters' underground movies to this, POLYESTER still has enough bad taste & sick humor to please his devotees and is a good introduction to his work for novices.
As with all Waters films (with the exception of HAIRSPRAY) POLYESTER will offend the heck out of prudes; which is always a good thing: People whose idea of a wild night is watching a PG movie in the dark and drinking two lite beers.
I've nearly forgotten the most important detail: This is the movie where on its original theatrical release; Waters introduced the gimmick of a Scratch & Sniff card where when numbers 1-10 flash at the bottom of the screen the viewer would scratch the corresponding square for the aroma. Today it just looks odd with the numbers flashing onscreen. I pity the fools who actually scratched the numbers for the flatulence & glue bits. Good idea though. The title song was written by Debbie Harry of Blondie & is sung by Hunter.

it's all good...
not john waters' best but certainly one of his more quirky pictures (after cry-baby, of course.) perhaps the most interesting thing about this waters' film is the approach that he took when creating the whole atmosphere of the movie. the set decoration is superb, recreating the average formica, plastic, and polyester household of the late 70's and early 80's. the lighting is interesting, ranging from a radiantly lit dining room for the paradoxical fishpaw "family" breakfast, to awkward overhead lighting placed at varying angles in the fishpaw living room making it look like a window display at woolworth's. john waters' had to sacrifice much of his humorously depraved eccentricity of his earlier films but makes up with the kitschy atmosphere that is best embodied by the title polyester. the performances are classic waters. divine is hilarious as the neurotic harried housewife, francine. edith massey is her child-like best friend who does what she can to cheer up her buddy. all in all, this is one of waters' more (for lack of a better word) accessible films. not the best but certainly one of the most memorable. (*odorama cards REALLY help the polyester viewing experience.)

hilarious
I found this movie very entertaining and funny. Divine was at her ultimate best. I've watched this one several times and can't help but roar laughing. Once you see one of Divine's movies you'll want to see the rest! In case you've never heard of Divine, she's a guy who always portrayed big fat women on the verge of virtually anything. This type of comedy is offbeat and can be on the dark side. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone without a serious sense of humor. This one is about a porno movie theatre owner who is out cheating on his overweight wife with his secretary. Their teenage kids are totally out of control and the mother takes to drinking when she finds out about him. 50'S hunk Tab Hunter also is featured doing the title song which was written by Debbie Harry (Blondie) and also plays the man who comes into her life. Buy it and have a good laugh!

The Normal American Family
... After several years of crudely made, crudely funny films such as PINK FLAMINGOS, director John Waters graduated to a somewhat more sophistocated style, and POLYESTER has a comparatively (note the word: comparatively) subtle script, cinematography that doesn't shake, sets and props that don't actually look like they were salvaged from the local junkyard, and even a mainstream star: 1950s matinee idol Tab Hunter. But although POLYESTER has the same outrageous vulgarity as previous Waters films, it lacks the same shock appeal that made his previous films work so well; consequently, the joke wears thin after a certain point.

Even so, the sight of Tab Hunter (who is even more of a stud here than in his earlier pretty-boy days) romancing Divine is a major draw, and there is enough hilarity--ranging from a nun-enforced hayride for pregnant women during a rainstorm to a black gospel singer who hijacks a bus to chase down a juvenile deliquent--to keep the show rolling, and the satrical edge is often quite effective. Not one of his best, but Waters fans will love it just the same!

Low budget chic?
Have you ever been to the gallery opening of a starving artist who is desperately trying to pretend he is much more worldly and chic than the wealthy clientele who view his creations?

Poly-disaster was an obviously low-budget film made with some very enthusiastic film actors. Hats off for the charity work, guys but the movie was just not very entertaining. Tab Hunter is the debonair stud who sweeps the downtrodden housewife of the local King of Porn off of her feet. He steals her heart just as her philandering husband has abandoned it and their astronomically dysfunctional teenage children.

This is one of those low-budget movies only a starving artist would find fun to watch and then claim is a world "classic." ... Read more

Description

In this final installment, Apu is forced to abandon his education. His future looks bleak until he marries an abandoned bride, beginning a new life as a husband and a father. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Named 1960’s Best Foreign Film by the National Board of Review. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Satyajit Ray concludes the his beautiful Apu Trilogy
Having lost his sister and his parents in the first two installments of "The Apu Trilogy," I made the mistake of thinking there was no one left for Apurba Roy (Soumitra Chatterjee) to lose, but Satyajit Ray proves in Apur Sansar ("The World of Apu") that such expectations are foolishness. At that start of this 1960 film Apu has left school before graduation, dreams about being a writer, and is three months behind in his rent, which forces him to sell some of his beloved books. Then Pulu (Swapan Mukherjee), an old college friend, convinces Apu to attend a village wedding. When the groom turns out to have gone insane because of the fasting and meditation in preparation for the wedding, Apu's friend suggests he become the groom so that the wedding can continue and the family's honor maintained. At first Apu dismisses the idea out of hand, but then relents because he does not want the young woman to be cursed forever, and gets married to the beautiful Aparna (14-year-old Sharmila Tagore).

The middle of the film shows the happy time when Apu and Aparna get to know each other and fall in love. Two people who were complete strangers become incredibly close as we see a simple romance that rings true in a way few in cinema ever have before or since. However, after all of the suffering and hard times we have endured to this point in the trilogy it is hard to believe that Apu has finally found happiness, and indeed tragedy follows. We are suddenly confronted with the sense that we have come full circle and that once again our hopes in this story have come down to the fate of one small boy.

Even after three films Ray's genius is in using the camera to show character. What is memorable in these films are always the moments, and not the dialogue. It is the look that characters give each other than communicates much more than the words. For those who would complain that they do like to watch foreign film because it involved reading subtitles, these films should not be a problem. Ultimately it is the cinematography of Subrata Mitra and music of Ravi Shankar that are the chief mediums of communication (the only other time I have been struck this much by a similar combination was in "Road to Perdition," where the late cinematographer Conrad L. Hall won his final Oscar and Thomas Newman was nominated).

Although "The World of Apu" can stand on its own, you would be foolish not to go back and start with "Pather Panchali" ("Song of the Road") and "Aparajito" ("The Unvanquished"). Satyajit Ray is one of the greatest directors of the world, whose impact on the film industry in India was monumental, and deservedly so. When you are working out the short list of "foreign" directors with whom you need to become familiar Ray is right there with Akira Kurosawa and Ingmar Bergman.

A true portrait of LIFE
Satyajit Ray is just perfect in this 1959 classic and the last of Apu Trilogy.

Leaving his disturbing past,Apu is now working in Calcutta.He is now alone in the world- no strings attached.He dreams to be a writer,he plays flute in his time off and he thinks he is different from any other young man-Apu lives in his dreams.He never ever wants to "settle down"-he hates that kind of a life.One day his friend Pulu comes in to his den and invited him to his sister's marriage.By some beautiful twist of fate,the groom turns out to be eccentric and Apu lands up marrying the bride(Aparna).They start a new life back in Calcutta.

Ray paints the young and funful lovelife of Apu and Aparna with some eternally beautiful scenes.Camera tells more than spoken words in this part of the movie.Apu assures Aparna on the way back from a movie show that he would dedicate the book he is working upon to Apana.

Now comes the inevitable-Aparna dies in her native place giving birth to their son Kajal.Apu couldnot believe this news--how could this happen to him again and again?He leaves Calcutta forgetting Kajal(to Apu,Kajal's existence would mean Aparna is nowhere now) although the manuscript was with him.

Apu did not want to "settle down"--now his life has been unsettled by fate-the whole world is now meaningless to him.
Now,far away from Calcutta,he roams about here and there, aimlessly,searching for peace of mind.One day in a forest,he seems to have got some meaning of his life and throws all the pages of the manuscript on air that he was still carrying and decides to lead a different life by taking up a job in coal mine.Pulu enters here once again here and Apu has to swallow a lot about his lack of responsibility towards his son.

On the other front,in Aparna's native place,the 6-year-old boy Kajal's world is strikingly different from any other boy's world of his age-while he believes his father is very strong ,very big and stays in Calcutta although he has never seen him-and he does not belive these guys who are telling that his father would never come back.But,one day his father really comes back--just to show up his "responsibilty" and not to take his son back as he's an alien to him. But,seeing Kajal's life has become a hell without a "father's presence" -Apu,perhaps for the first time in his life makes a conscious and mature decision of taking his son back with him.

The ending scene of the movie is a celebration of life--as Apu is seen laugh