Reviews (10)

Hitchcock Confesses
This film is seemingly standard Hitchcock fare, with a twist. A man is accused of a murder he didn't commit. That is typical Hitchcock. However, instead of the man trying to find the real murderer while trying to escape the police and criminals, the man knows who the murderer is and he cannot do anything. This is not typical Hitchcock. Montgomery Clift gives a good performance as the priest who cannot reveal the truth. Karl Malden is also well cast. Not the greatest of Hitchcock efforts, but a interesting plot and the Master of Suspense's touch makes this well-worth a look.

ANOTHER FIND FROM HITCHCOCK!
This was another one of Hitchcock's movies that I had never seen, but I'm glad I did! Montgomery Clift, as a priest who knows a terrible secret, is wonderful! (What a great actor he was - I have never seen him give a poor or mediocre performance in any of his films. It's such a pity his life was cut short)Karl Malden and Anne Baxter give good performances, as well, but the movie is all Clift's. The movie has an interesting premise - a murderer confesses his crime to a priest, who is bound by his vows not to reveal anything told to him in the confessional. There was a little too much talk in the film, but the surprise ending more than makes up for any minor complaints I may have had. Alfred Hitchcock's movies are wonderful - classy and intelligent as opposed to some of the rot being churned out of Hollywood today. A great film, a great cast, a great viewing experience into the dark sie of human nature!

clift: probably the greatest screen actor period!
this is by no means a great film, but it's essential for the incredibly intense, internalized acting of montgomery clift.
and that's what so incredible with clift. he could still make thin material like this an unforgettable experience.
it's no accident that brando, james dean, and countless others have named clift their biggest influence.
all potential actors should watch this perfromance, which clift said was inspired by reading kafka and watching chaplin.
it shows.

Remember when Hollywood believed in God?
This is an excellent movie! Montgomery Clift turns in a superb performance as Father Michael Logan, a priest who hears a confession of a murder. Shortly thereafter, Father Logan himself is suspected and, eventually, accused of the murder. Of course, he knows who committed the murder, but he can't break the seal of the confessional even to save his own life! Anne Baxter plays an old girlfriend who tries to help, but ends up making things worse. Karl Malden is very good as a police detective determined to solve the murder.

This is one of the best and most Catholic movies ever! I am a priest, and I encourage all of my brother priests to watch this movie. It is an inspiring look at the kind of priest that God has called us to be. It is also an excellent reminder to all Catholics about the great gift we have in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

a lesser Hitchcock, but still recommended
"I Confess," set in Montreal and starring Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter, is not one of Hitchcock's finest, but it's still worthy of your entertainment time. The musical score is rather lugubrious but the plot does move along. Clift presents his trademark longsuffering, noble look throughout, resisting the passionate entreaties of Baxter.

Unfortunately, the murderer with his accent somehow reminded me of Bruno Hauptmann, the German immigrant who may have been falsely accused of the Baby Lindbergh murder. (I 'm not giving away the plot; the opening scene reveals who commit the crime.) I don't accuse Hitchcock of national bias, though, as many of his villains are accentless Americans in other films.

A young Karl Malden turns in a fine performance as a detective, part of the strong supporting cast. There are some good scenes of the beautiful capital of Quebec. Recommended. ... Read more

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Ted Neeley makes for a wimpy looking Jesus in Norman Jewison's screen adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice "rock opera," which was a smash on stage in the early '70s. Jewison (Other People's Money) adds some good exteriorsettings in the desert, but Lloyd Webber and Rice's dialogue-freestory (everything is sung, as in a real opera), with itsquasi-profundities about the inner demons of principal figuresin the life of Christ, is the real hook. Yvonne Elliman singsthe show's best-known song, "I Don't Know How to Love Him."--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Rice & Lloyd Webber's Operatic Passion Play on Film
After the bizarre Broadway staging of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" had to be a more traditional offering. Producer-Director Norman Jewison filmed on location in Israel, using natural settings and sparsely constructed sets for what is essentially a string of music videos (since it was written as a studio album first, the music presents problems for moving from one scene to the next). The framing device for the film is the cast arriving/departing by bus. Ted Neeley's voice is suited to the role, but certainly he is the shortest Jesus I can recall seeing in films. Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen remain from the original studio album and Broadway production as Mary Magdalen and Pilate, which is perfectly all right. However, it is clearly Carl Anderson as Judas who gives the best performance in the film. The film version suffers from the inadequate voices of several of the supporting cast members (most notably Josh Mostel as Herod) and the grossly reduced chorus of singers which never comes close to matching the number of bodies on screen, and there are a few unintentional laughs (as when Israeli tanks come over the dune and chase Judas). But the use of paintings depicting the crucifixion and the final shot of sheep being herded past the cross the cast leaves behind on the hill, are particularly effective. Of course as with most movies, if you want to watch it you want to get a hold of the widescreen edition, otherwise you cannot appreciate the Last Supper tableau or just enjoy the compositional elements of the shots. Every Easter weekend I watch this film, even if I do not have time to do all of "Jesus of Nazareth" or "The Greatest Story Every Told." The only thing radical here is the music, but I still have to think it qualifies as the requisite joyful noise.

Controversial Rock Opera
Jesus Christ Superstar was Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice's first major success. The rock opera was first a concept album that exploded on the charts hitting number one and spending almost a year in the top ten and unleashed Murray Head on the world. It was then made into a successful Broadway play starring Ben Vereen. In 1973, respected director Norman Jewison (In The Heat Of the Night, Fiddler On the Roof) brought it to the big screen. The film was shot on location in Israel and that gives it an authentic feel. There is no dialogue in the film, everything is sung in true opera fashion. It kind is like a forerunner of the music video in that fact. Mr. Jewison mixes the biblical setting with modern nuances such as guards carrying machine guns, tanks and planes appear and at the beginning of the film, the cast arrives by bus and at the end it leaves on the same bus. The beginning of the film shows the cast setting up what appears to be a play. They get into costumes and set up for the play. The movie focuses on the last seven days of Jesus and Ted Neeley appears in the title role. The movie focuses on Jesus' relationship with Judas, who is played by Carl Anderson. The plot likens Jesus to a modern-day rock star, who rises above all the other prophets due to the hype-machine. Judas thinks that Jesus is believing the hype and moving away from his humble roots. He turns traitor in the belief he is helping the nation. At the end, we are left wondering if this was just a play or was it real as all the cast members get on the bus except Mr. Neeley. The movie fades out quite powerfully in the sunset on the cross. The movie moves along through the series of songs and is well choreographed. The album, play and film were highly controversial due to its take on the Passion of Jesus, but putting religious beliefs aside, it is an excellent film.

Most powerful movie ever produced!
Too many people miss the point. This movie was not made as a literal portrayal of Jesus' last days...it was (and remains) a figurative interpretation of the last days of one who would inspire a new branch of religion.

From the opening moments of the movie when Carl Anderson (Judas) sings ("...my mind is clearer now, at last, all too well, I can see, what we all, soon will be...") through Ted Neely (Christ) during "Gethsemane" ("Allright! I'll die, just watch me die!") the viewer is mesmerized by some of the most powerful music, lyrics, and staging ever written and performed. This particular sequence (when Jesus is climbing the mountain, fairly crying out for God's explanation of things to come ~ "Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain") still brings tears to my eyes and I've seen this movie at least 100 times!

The movie was shot on location in Israel a few years after the 6 day war, and during the Vietnam war. These realities are not lost on the writers, and evidence of their beliefs and opinions are sprinkled throughout the movie (the tanks coming over the horizon and the F-16's flying over Judas' head were a nice touch). Their religious convictions are displayed in such moments as when the priests are on the scaffolding ("He is dangerous") and the crowd extols Jesus below ("Haysanna, hosannah, sanna sanna ho, sanna hey sanna hosanna; hey JC, JC won't you die for me...") watch Jesus' face at that moment....

Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdelene) does a fine job of balancing the angst of Judas with the over-arching compassion of Jesus, and Barry Dennen (Pilate) captures a high point when he washes his hands of Jesus' plight. Bob Bingham's (Caiphas) bass rattles your soul with his deep melodic tonality.

While the acting is certainly not on par with the great actors of our times, one has to take that with a grain of salt. I was 7 when I first saw it and I still watch this movie at least once per year (can you guess which day? :) By far this is Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at their best.

Who the Hell did they get to play Jesus?!
The guy who plays Jesus is an awful singer. He ruined the entire movie sounding like the lead from some punk band. Also, it's clear they did not cast the actors based on their looks (or even their talent for that matter). I tried very hard to like this. I love musicals but this ranks down there with Cats, Hair, and Nine. If you want a great musical based on the scripture, check out the amazing Godspell.

awesome
OK, granted this musical was done in the early 70's and therefore has some 70's overtones, but the acting and singing are magnificent. The relationship between Judas and Jesus is powerful, and Ted Neeley stares right into your soul. I first saw this movie when I was about 7 years old and it left a lasting, positive influence on me regarding Christ. ... Read more

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Before hitting the big time with his second film Boogie Nights, young filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson impressed critics with this deftly conceived, low-budget film noir chamber piece. With its minimalist plot, deliberate pacing, and brief, but shocking bursts of violence, Hard Eight won't please everyone, but Anderson and his first-rate cast were clearly working on the same authentic wavelength. It's a mystery at first why a solemn professional gambler (Philip Baker Hall in a captivating performance) cares for a down-and-out loser (John C. Reilly) and a dimwit, Reno cocktail waitress (Gwyneth Paltrow). But his motivations become clear--and the movie packs a quietly effective punch--when the gambler faces blackmail by a small-time crook (Samuel L. Jackson). This unheralded film seemed like a closely kept secret itself, until it showed up on the 1997 top-10 lists of several prominent critics. In tandem with Boogie Nights, it marked the arrival of a new filmmaker whose talent is as impressive as that of that other '90s hotshot, Quentin Tarantino. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A nice Find
Hard Eight is one of those sharp character driven dramas that film fans will appreciate if they Like Paul Thomas Anderson in general. Anderson is the kind of writer that brings new things to life each time out. This time he finds a lonely gambler in his later days who befriends misfits. A great cast led my Phillip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly make the movie a treat and Sam Jackson and Gweneth Paltrow also show up for supporting roles.

The Special Features offer three scenes from the movie shot on video as part of a Sundance workshop. It also has two commentary tracks. The first one with Anderson and Hall is interesting, because Anderson is really funny and well spoken and has a lot of interesting things to say. Hall, on the other hand, drones on and on about character motivation and dynamics and sounds like a junior level college course on acting. Not to take away from Hall's performance which is top notch, but listening to actors talk about what goes on in an actor's mind is numbing.

Hard Eight is as interesting if not as ambitious as Anderson's later projects. If you like his other films, you'll do yourself a favor seeing this one.

compelling and heartfelt
My personal favorite of Paul Thomas Anderson's films, Hard Eight quenches my thirst with a good twist and ending. Boogie Nights and Magnolia seemed to me to be primarily centered around the characters (which is great in it's own respect), but both movies left me wanting a bit more. Philip Baker Hall stars this time as elderly lonesome gambler Sydney, who, for reasons unknown, helps two young confused kids find love and peace in the world.
This film deals with issues of regret, guilt and self-redemption as Sydney's generosity and charity is not as selfless as it may seem. And so we follow the daily lives of Sydney and these young adults, as their neuroses guide them into very unique situations which brilliantly outline the chaos they feel in their lives. The characters are sad, realistic, and evoke empathy from the viewer simply on maintaining their everyday lives.
The question that is raised is whether or not personal guilt of the past can ever be abolished by performing acts of kindness in the present. Can a man redeem his character even when he is in his 70's, or have his bad choices set the tone for his existence? Is covering up the past while refusing to deal with it head-on a detrimental decision? These questions are left unanswered in this compelling story of a lonely old man's attempt to clear his conscience.

SLICK
Move over Tarantino and Mamet we got a new writer director in town.Paul Thomas Anderson.Boogie Nights and this one Hard Eight
make him an easy competitor in the world of indie film-making
this movie is great.Philip Baker Hall finally scores a lead role
and does an outstanding job as Sydney,the kind,nice,and all to
calm and slick pro gambler who helps John(John C. Reilly)a down
on his luck chum.Then they become good freinds and we skip a head
2 years and we meet Clementine Johns new love played good as usual by Gweneth Paltrow and slick casino pro Jimmy played by
Samuel L.Jackson who is the standout.This movie crackles with
dialogue and your never bored because you never know whats gonna
happen next and we find out secrets about our nice freind Sydney
and from their it gets interesting.SEE IT NOWWWW

Too ambiguous and understated
Maybe I was born into a generation of short attention spans, but I just felt this movie moved too slowly. I understand that it's a character-driven drama and not an action flick, but I do now believe there's such a thing as too much subtlety. Ninety percent of the film consists of extremely drawn-out, quiet conversations between two characters, with lines no more than a couple of words long: "Cigarette?" "No thanks," etc. It seems too artsy and contrived. A lot of filmakers - I can't help but mention Tarantino here - use mundane, understated dialogue to act as comic bathos, or to develop character, but it doesn't work so well in Hard Eight.

That said, it still deserves at least 3.5 stars (rounded to four). Hall's unrelentingly phlegmatic Sydney plays so well off of Jackson's 'enobled thug' Jimmy; the scenes where they confront each other, Sydney doggedly trying to assert his principles, Jimmy exposing Sydney's hypocrisy and condescension, are well played-out. You have trouble deciding where your sympathies lie, which always good, and I was strangely satisfied with the ending as well. Also, it's such a short, simple and (in some ways) unpretentious movie that it's hard to judge it very harshly; it would be like condemning a nice little schoolhouse in relation to the Taj Mahal.

Hard To Stay Awake...
Don't get me wrong here. I am a fan of Anderson's work in general, especially Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love. But I just could handle Hard Eight. Usually Anderson's slower pace is a welcome change for me as I really enjoy character driven dramas. The acting was pretty good, but I just thought the script lacked anything of interest. Maybe next time, but I can't recommend actually buying this one unless you want a complete Anderson collection. ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Laughs, Tears and A Lasting Memory
I recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it. It will make you laugh and even cry. Bridgette Andersen portrays Savannah, a child who runs away from home and ends up in the back seat of two criminals' car. Although she seemed to be neglected at home, after she is found by these men she learns to love them and they learn to love her. For two people who didn't do anything honest, they both loved and cared for her as her parents should have. They love her so much, that they must give her back. A wonderful film with a wonderful story and cast!!

When Savannah Smiles I hear The World Saying Hey Loser You W
This is so heartwarming. You'll laugh and cry and just want to snuggle with the kids. Your kids will want to snuggle with you. It's just one of the great films of the 80's. I had seen it, as a child loved it had to find it as an adult to show to my girls. I searched far a wide for a copy and I'm pleased to see they've re-released it. It took me a long time to acquire it but so happy with it. You can get for 17.99 on Amazon. I paid close to 40 dollars for it before the re-release and I'd pay that much for a used copy again in a heart beat. It's just that good. Fall in love with Bootsie, Alvie, and of course Savannah.

Wonderful!
This movie is a must see for everyone. It is an incredibly touching story. I saw this movie when I was 10 years old (I am now 30)and it has remained a favorite.

Savannah Smiles on PFE
I bought this movie because I loved it as a kid and now have 4 girls, I read that the Pacific video was awful, it was certainly not DVD quality but it was like a good VHS video and the sound was kind of low thank Goodness for Bose.... All in all I still cried at the end and I would recommend this video to anyone with a heart....

Not bad guys
The review I just read made it sound as if Savannah just bumped into and left with Boots and Alvie, but she didn't. She was hiding in the back seat of their car, and these two(who are rather short on brains) don't know what to do with her. So in my opinion this isn't suggesting to children that it's o.k. to go off with strangers. Also, kids need to be taught that what happens in movies and in real life are 2 entirely DIFFERENT things!!! ... Read more

Reviews (245)

Well-paced, edgy story with steamy romantic scenes
This is a film that at first seems familiar. It's about a suburban housewife's love affair and the unexpected aftermath. Diane Lane shines in the role of the woman, happily married to Richard Gere and the mother of a 9-year old son. They live in an upscale Westchester community and their marriage seems perfect. Then one day, while in New York City, she accidentally meets Oliver Martinez, a bookseller with huge apartment in the Soho-Tribecca area. One thing leads to another and soon they are engaged in a hot affair. And when I say "hot", I really mean it. The erotic scenes are some of the steamiest I've even seen and I could feel their passion right down to my own toes.

There are complications, of course. Especially when the husband finds out. Richard Gere is a fine actor and the scene in which he comes face to face with his wife's lover calls for superb acting ability. There's tension and upset seething as they make polite conversation and what follows seems inevitable in the context of the story. How it all plays out is different from what I expected.

I was completely drawn into the story and felt a deep understanding for all the characters and their motivations. The screenplay was excellent, making the characters seem real and sympathetic as it manages to create the feeling that nothing good can come of this. It is well paced with an edginess that is completely appropriate to the story. And I certainly wasn't disappointed in the conclusion.

Definitely recommended.

Not a work of art, but entertaining
I've never been a fan of director Adrian Lyne; I've always thought he treated his female characters badly. In this one, however, he seems to have mellowed a bit. Diane Lane plays Connie Sumner, a married woman who falls into a love affair with a hot young French guy. I've followed Diane Lane's sporadic career for years, and she gives the best performance of her life here. The complexity of her situation is reflected on her face and in her actions. As her husband, Richard Gere is more one-note, and turns out to be the real villain of the film in my opinion--you'll have to see the movie to understand why. The movie has no real moral or lesson to teach--it just presents a compelling story of adultery with a few genuine surprises. It's not a work of art by any means, but it's entertaining, thoughtful, and has some great performances. Worth the price of admission, which is more than you can say for most of the other box-office choices this weekend.

Don't bother
A suburban housewife(who is dressed as plain jane but wears hooker shoes) meets French book dealer(who sounds like he just came from Mexico). She is bored with her nice but dull Richard Gere and I guess the other guy is much more irresistible because he is "French" and wears a scarf. They start a steamy sexual affair and carry on without a care in the world. Nice husband eventually gets suspicious about why his wife doesn't want to get it on anymore and hires a private investigator. In the meantime, our little wifey obviously thinks that the "French" stud is faithful to her and is shocked to find out that he is definitely a gigolo.
Husband, upon finding out that his darling is having an affair, goes to her lover's apartment and brazenly declares "I'm her husband". To which the lover boy says"Oh, ok, you want a drink?" After having a drink, Richard Gere gets enraged(which I thought was the most pathetic acting I've seen in a long time) and kills the other guy. Then, he does a few other stupid things -like tries to drag the dead body out the apartment, apparently not worrying if anybody sees him and rides around with it for a while before dumping it . Eventually, he has to tell his lying cheating wife that he killed her lover and I guess he has to turn himself in. Movie ends on this note, where the wife is begging him not to do it and they could just disappear to Mexico(visit the boyfriend's relatives perhaps?). This was supposed to be a drama but I was laughing through the whole time.

EROTIC,ROMANTIC,DRAMATIC...THE HUMAN DILEMMA
THIS MOVIE HAD THE BEST EROTIC SCENE EVER ......WHEN THE WIFE WENT TO THIS GUY'S APT. , SHE WANTED HIM SO BAD THAT AFTER SHE LEFT THE APT AND TURNED HIM DOWN SHE HASSLED BACK TO HIM WILDLY AND THEY WENT FOR IT LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW...HER BELLY WAS SHEVERING AS IF THIS IS A REAL FRIST TIMER WITH MULTIPLE ORGASM.... AFTERWARDS THE MOVIE TAKES YOU INTO A JOURNEY WITH OUR ETERNAL CONFLICT BETWEEN OUR INSTINCTS AND MORALS......THE CLASSIC TRIANGLE OF A HUSBAND,CHEATING WIFE , AND A LOVER BUT THIS ONE IS CUTTING DEEP INTO OUR NATURES.....REALLY WORTH BEING IN YOUR COLLECTION.

Diane Lane gets cheated too....
Months before the award ceremonies that honoured 2002 began, there seemed to be an unspoken decision among the powers that be that the actress of the year would be Nicole Kidman for delivering what was essentially a supporting role in Stephen Daldry's brilliant film THE HOURS. A shame really. While Meryl Streep delivered what was arguably her finest work to date in the same film, the Actress of the year was undoubtedly Diane Lane for her honest, naked work in this perfectly realised melodrama. Adrian Lyne's best work always seems to spring forth when he examines women & their emotions. Sharing similarities with FATAL ATTRACTION in it's study of urban angst, the power of the film springs from a screenplay that doesn't justify Connie's(Diane Lane)behaviour. When we first meet her, it appears she has everything. A stable homelife, a handsome, loving husband & son. Literally crashing into a handsome bookdealer during a violent windstorm(aided by a very clever credit sequence..watch closely), Connie slowly but surely begins a hot, torrid affair. Unable to resist the temptation, watch her closely as she wrestles with herself(& with him). Her train trip home following her first sexual encounter is a wonder to behold. In flashback we are shown the encounter while Connie alternately laughs, cries, squirms & exalts as she rejoices in her own(almost new)sexuality. To watch her behaviour as she(& we)realizes how much her handsome new lover has set her free, the feeling is infectious. Ably supported by Richard Gere( a big year for this guy) & Olivier Martinez, Lyne delivers a film filled with honesty & warmth. More than just a fantastic central performance, for my money, this is one of the best films of 2002. ... Read more

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Parties are not always as fun as they look like they should be. The distinction lies in the realm between watching people have fun and actually having fun. Case in point: Groove. Set in San Francisco over the course of one night, this is the story of a rave, plain and simple. Preparation includes inhabiting an empty warehouse, finding the power supply, and sending out coded invitations. The movie kicks in as the party does, when people start arriving and the DJs start spinning. There's a nice moment early on when a cop shows up asking for the owner of the building, who is then taken on a tour of "a new Internet start-up." It becomes even funnier when the cop turns out to be smarter and more compassionate than anyone would expect. Writer-director Greg Harrison does a smart thing by focusing the story on David, a novice who's never been to a rave before, which breaks the story out of what could have been the suffocatingly insular world of rave culture. Unknowingly dosed by someone (his brother?), David is adopted by Layla, an attractive but lonely East Coast transplant who has begun to regret her party lifestyle. Other characters include a guy who's just proposed to his girlfriend, a college teaching assistant selling his own manufactured drugs, a nefarious lothario, a DJ who gets to meet his idol, and a gay couple having trouble finding the party. If the characters turn out to be just character types, that's OK because the movie itself floats by on its own high-octane enthusiasm. Groove is light and frothy entertainment with a beat you can dance to. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An Inside Look At Big City Corruption
Abraham Polonsky's 1948 film Force Of Evil is drenched with cynicism, corruption, greed, and love. Capturing the lure of noir, Force of Evil is a violent ballet which depicts the struggle of two brothers vieing for a rung on the urban ladder of existence. Joe Morse ( John Garfield) is a Wall Street lawyer with connections to an underworld kingpin. Morse is not content with being a straitlaced lawyer. Longing for a big score he becomes embroiled in a plan to drive the neighborhood number rackets out of business. Morse's greed is compromised by his protective instincts for his older brother Leo ( Thomas Gomez)who happens to operate one of the small policy games. Morse's morals and emotions are further stirred by Doris ( Beatrice Pearson), Leo's secretary who innocently is scarred by the veil of crime. A dichotomy emerges as each brother's values about life come to the surface. Gomez is outstanding and upstages Garfield in a memorable performance. Although Leo runs a small numbers operation, he is a proud and honest man that remains loyal to his workers. He has provided poor neighborhood people with extra income and justifies the numbers racket as a simple five and dime game that might bring a windfall to a blue collar laborer. Conversely, Joe has it all- Wall Street law office, secretaries, and expensive suits. Yet Joe's success is partly due to his representation of his most influential client, mob boss Frank Tucker ( Beau Bridges). Joe cannot break his ties with the mob and instead becomes more involved with them. Polonsky's location shooting in Manhattan adds the concrete texture and intimidation that shadows the film. In one scene, John Garfield's lone figure walking along desolate Wall Street, with Trinity Church looming in the background creates a sense of urban alienation. Polonsky's camera work when Mr. Bower is shot is riveting. No film up to that time had captured the brutality and urgency of mob gunmen at a hit scene as did Polonsky. That scene alone bridges some of the influences that Martin Scorsese speaks about in the film's prelude. Characters, scenes, and emotions from Mean Streets, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas are distinctly culled from Force of Evil. Also Jeff Shannon's review incorrectly states that Leo Morse's secretary is played by Marie Windsor. The beautiful, buxom fixture of many noir films, Windsor played the role of Edna Tucker, the mob boss's wife. Upon release, Force of Evil was relegated to B status, but recently and rightfully so, it has been reevaluated as one of the most influential crime noirs in American cinema.

A Look At Big City Corruption
Abrabham Polonsky's 1948 film Force of Evil is drenched with cynicism, corruption, greed, and love. Capturing the lure of noir, Force of Evil is a violent ballet which depicts the struggle of two brothers vieing for a rung on the urban ladder of existence. Joe Morse ( John Garfield) is a Wall Street lawyer with connections to an underworld kingpin. Morse is not content with being a straitlaced lawyer. Longing for a big score he becomes embroiled in a plan to drive the neighborhood number rackets out of business. Morse's greed is compromised by his protective instincts for his older brother Leo ( Thomas Gomez) who happens to operate one of the small policy games. Morse's morals and emotions are further stirred by Doris ( Beatrice Pearson) , Leo's secretary who innocently is scarred by the veil of crime. A dichotomy emerges as each brother's values about life come to the surface. Gomez is outstanding and upstages Garfield in a memorable performance. Although Leo runs a small numbers operation, he is a proud and honest man that remains loyal to his workers. He has provided poor neighborhood people with jobs and extra income and justifies the numbers racket as a simple five and dime game that might bring a windfall to a blue collar laborer. Conversely, Joe has it all- Wall Street law office, secretaries, and expensive suits. Yet Joe's success is partly due to his representation of his most influential client-mob boss Frank Tucker (Beau Bridges). Joe cannot break his ties with the mob and instead becomes more involved with them. Polonsky's location shooting in Manhattan adds the concrete testure and intimidation that shadows the film. In one scene, John Garfield's lone figure walking along a desolate Wall Street, with Trinity Church looming in the background creates a sense of urban alienation. Polonsky's camera work when Mr. Bower is shot is riveting. No film up to that time captured the brutality and urgency of mob gunmen at a hit scene as did Polonsky. That scene alone bridges some of the influences that Martin Scorsese speaks about in the film's prelude. Characters, scenes, and emotions from Mean Streets, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas are evident in Force Of Evil. Also Jeff Shannon's review incorrectly states that Leo Morse's secretary is played by Marie Windsor. The beautiful, buxom fixture of many noir films, Windsor played the role of Edna Tucker,the mob boss's wife. Upon release, Force of Evil was deemed a B crime flick. Recently, and rightfully so, Force of Evil has been re-evaluated as one of the most influential crime noirs in Amercian cinema.

One of Garfield's best films is thankfully on dvd!
This was one of John Garfield's final films before he was wrongfully "blacklisted" & it's easy to see why it was a "major influence" on director Martin Scorsese's crime dramas. Garfield plays a wise young Wall Street lawyer who works for a mob boss in order to make money "the easy way". However, when Garfield forces his older (& weaker) brother to join the crooked organization, problems quickly arise, & there's plenty of backstabbing & double-crossing involved! I'll admit the movie starts off a little slow, but Garfield's incredible acting had me hooked in no time. The photography in this gripping film noir is simply amazing, & although Garfield's the only "big star" the cast is very good. Unfortunately, the dvd has absolutely no special features, not even a trailer or cast bios. Oh well, this classic is so awesome that I'm satisfied with the dvd release. Maybe someday a special edition will be released. If you're a John Garfield or film noir fan than this is a definite must!

Classic Garfield Noir
Force of Evil is a fine example of 1940s film noir. Polonsky's direction is crisp and the pacing perfect throughout. John Garfield turns in an above average performance as Joe Morse, a lawyer turned enabler for mob boss Ben Tucker, who is played by a not entirely convincing Roy Roberts.

Force's plot turns around the effort of Tucker and Joe Morse to monopolize "policy" (i.e., the numbers racket) in New York, and Morse's effort to keep his brother, who runs a small-time numbers bank, from being crushed in the process. It is the brother-to-brother aspect of the plot that provides the real juice for this noir, with Thomas Gomez turning in a riveting performance as Joe's brother, Leo Morse. The female lead, Doris Lowry, is played well by Beatrice Pearson, but, in the end, the character stands to serve only as a sounding board for Joe as he struggles with what he has done to himself, and to his brother.

Technically, it looks as though Artisan, a perennial purveyor of poor quality dvds, has finally gotten a release right. The transfer here is crisp with solid blacks and a serviceable grayscale. The only obvious flaw on the disc can be found in the chapter selections, where the stills for the last two scenes are reversed. The audio is quite acceptable, and the score for this work is incrementally more memorable than most. As for features on this dvd, there are none -- it's the film, and just the film. However, because Artisan must learn to walk before it runs, the absence of special features is forgivable in light of the effort Artisan has finally put into getting the film right.

All things considered, I recommend this dvd to those wondering what film noir is all about, and strongly recommend it to confirmed fans of the genre. If you know what noir is about, and are not a fan, this dvd is decidedly not for you.

fine noirish effort
Not quite on a par with the best film noirs such as Touch of Evil, Double Indemnity, and Sunset Blvd., FORCE OF EVIL is still a fine film starring John Garfield. Garfield is an attorney, caught up in a drama with an older brother, the numbers racket, and a life spiraling out of control. Excellently made, it only lacks in topnotch performances.

Truly this is not a film noir, because our protagonist is corrupt from the beginning. Still, it often gets classified as a noir; it has much in common with the famous film noirs, and I would recommend it to any fan of the noir genre, as well as fans of 1940s cinema.

I loved it. 90 minutes well spent, and I'm recommending it to all my friends.

five stars ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Ever Wanted to Wake Up from a Bad Dream?
The plot of this film was a recurring nightmare that Alfred Hitchcock apparently tried to get out of his system with a starkly documentary type of movie that didn't go down too well with audiences. It's a tedious reworking of a case of mistaken iedntity in a robbery prosecution in New York City, entirely devoid of any of the glamour or wit that Hitchcock usually used to mask his obsessions. "The Wrong Man" might have been the subtitle of several of Hitchcock's films, and he laid his worst fears on the line with this one. Henry Fonda, the hapless musician victim, is reduced to praying for miracle to get out the trap, and one turns up, an echo of Hitchcock's Catholic upbringing. In the context of Hitchcock's other work it's an interesting couple of hours, but only in that context.

Intense suspense
This is an extraordinary Hitchcock film. It's very powerful and very different. "The difference lies in the fact that this is a true story - every word of it"; a quote of Hitchcock's from the opening of the film. It is sad that a story like this is true and that it has happened, but it's part of what makes the film as powerful as it is. Another power-factor is the black and white cinematography , which lends a whole other mood, than if it had been shot in colour. Great acting, great directing. I'm very much looking forward to this film's being released on DVD, I'm surprised that it isn't available yet, considering how much of Hitchcock's work is.
Enter your e-mail address above, and thus vote for the release of this disc, everybody - it's a lock!

Is the DVD coming out soon?
I hope the DVD comes out really soon. "The Wrong Man" is a wonderful film filled with drama, suspense, and action. Go see it!

WRONG MAN RIGHT FILM!!
Alfred Hitchcock again shows his mastery of the art of film making. "The Wrong Man" is done in a true documentary style..and Henry Fonda is so perfect he is scary.

With Fonda's superb low key style you will find he isnt acting at all.. he IS Manny Balestrero !. Fonda's inner rage is completely under control..and one wonders if it will ever explode..this fact sets up the tense drama to a breaking point.

The emotional breaking point is visited on his wife played by Vera Miles. The films plot has overtones of another film called " Call Northside 777" with the Police on one side and the rest of the characters on the other.

One of a kind film experience !
CP

A great thriller!
"The Wrong Man" is wonderful, it deserves five stars. The movie stars Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. They are both great actors. This film is actually true. It is a thriller but it is also a drama. An excellent Hitchcock film. Go see it! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Dramatic Invective
Patrice Leconte's film on the pageantries and sophistries of King Louis XVI's Court, a place where there are many words flying about yet little substance in governance. The protagonist is Ponceludon de Malavoy (Charles Berling), a low-ranked nobleman who seeks a royal grant to drain the swamps plaguing his region. He is, unfortunately, a new-comer to the King's court and needs to be properly introduced to the King. He receives help from the Marquis de Bellegarde (Jean Rochefor) and his loving daughter (Judith Godrèche.) Malavoy also comes under the machinations of Madame de Blayac (Fanny Ardant) to befriend the King. As he navigates through the King's court, Malavoy is subjected to the invectives of sycophantic nobles who seek to exploit the King for their own petty needs. With little wealth and a low title, Malavoy soon realizes that the only weapon he has is his wit (esprit.) As he come closer to appealing to the King, he maneuvers his wit and invective as a musketeer wields his rapier. The script is excellent and the story is filled with the art of invective and wit. A perfect example of some of the witty encounters in the film is when the King asks Malavoy why he has made jokes of only the aristocracy but not of him? With a reserved smile Malavoy replies, "The King is not a subject your Majesty!"

Literate and Wicked
Ridicule is a French film which takes place in 1783, a few years before Louis XVI lost the ability to wear a hat; where "...in this country, vices are without consequence, but ridicule can kill." The film is about the effect of wit and word play on people's lives and careers. Malicious, mannered and highly enjoyable. Charles Berling, Jean Rochefort, Bernard Giraudeau and Fanny Ardant are excellent. A man would be a fool not to want to bed Ardant, and even more a fool to trust her.

The film is sumptuously mounted and the DVD transfer does it justice. The dialogue is so clever a knowledge of French might be in order, but the English subtitles do a superb job of conveying the witty, cruel, self-serving word play.

About the DVD...
The DVD is pretty bare bones. You get a nice widescreen transfer (the full-screen VHS was pan and scan, so you do see more image with the widescreen) and surround sound. The English subtitles are not "burned in" to the image...you must activate them with the captions option on your DVD player.

The only "extra" is a commercial ballyhooing Miramax's achievements in recent years.

Off With Their Heads!
It's the waning days of the old regime in France. A conscientious but impoverished nobleman from the south travels to Versailles to petition the royal government for funds to drain his swamps so that his tenants can be spared periodic outbreaks of disease. Instead of finding the sympathetic ears he expected, he finds a government nearing bankruptcy, a well-intentioned but befuddled king who is surrounded by a bureaucracy trying to temper the king's naive generosity and stave off the final collapse, and an aristocracy that has descended into a depraved comedy of manners. All substantive thought at court has been replaced by endless games of witticisms, whereby a person's social standing and political access are functions of mastering the art of the putdown . . . preferrably in as ascerbic a manner as possible.

To everyone's surprise -- including his own -- our hero turns out to be quite good at the art of malicious wit. First trying to use his new-found talent to speed up his campaign to drain his swamps, he soon succumbs to the appeal of the game for the game's sake. A series of events eventually snaps him back to reality, and therein lies the plot of the piece.

This is a supremely engaging costume piece. The cast is superb, the settings and costumes dead-on accurate, the dialog entertaining and sophisticated. In the end, it's really a gorgeously-filmed morality play about the triumph of conscience over wealth, power, and hollow social graces. The only real fault with the movie from a historical perspective is that it portrays Louis XVI as the affable nitwit of popular legend instead of the serious monarch overwhelmed by ultimately uncontrollable events that he really was.

This movie is so good at drawing you in that you soon cease to notice you're reading subtitles (at least if you don't speak fluent French). Although the plot hinges on the most delicate subtleties of 18th-century court French, the story telegraphs through with searing clarity. And it's a story for all times, all places, and all tongues. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This little-seen, 1947 drama is a treat for jazz fans, thanks to an otherwise creaky, if nobly intentioned story built around the music's Crescent City genesis that provides an ample excuse to turn the camera on authentic jazz greats. Nick Duquesne (Arturo De Cordova) is a Bourbon Street charmer whose gambling club provides the mythic stomping grounds for none other than Louis Armstrong, whose vocalizing sweetheart Endie, played by none other than Billie Holiday, proves no slouch herself. A newly arrived debutante, Miralee (Dorothy Patrick), arrives in New Orleans and falls first for the music and then for the roguish but ultimately gallant Nick. The movie follows knee-jerk plot machinations revolving around her family's efforts to excise Nick from her life, her own dream of mingling jazz and classical music, and the gambler's transformation into a jazz promoter.

The script works in the squalor and much of the geography of Storyville and the French Quarter, even providing a contrasting look at the genteel parlor music being played in "respectable" casinos, and the casting telegraphs the production's reverence for jazz. Satchmo's other musical partners are equally serendipitous, including Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Bud Scott, Zutty Singleton, Meade "Lux" Lewis, and Red Callender. A brief arc late in the film adds Woody Herman and his orchestra.

When the musicians are featured, New Orleans is a frequent delight, with Armstrong as magnetic as always, and Holiday endearing. As an actress, she's a terrific singer, and luckily Lady Day's dialogue is far briefer than her featured vocals. The DVD version boasts additional period shorts showcasing Armstrong (1932's "A Rhapsody in Black and Blue") and Holiday's "Symphony in Black" from 1935). --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great footage of many early jazz legends
I have always found jazz performances much more captivating live rather than recorded, and although I can't travel back in time and see Louis Armstrong play during his prime, this video is the next best thing.

The makers of New Orleans did not waste the talents of the musicians, and a good chunk of the movie is concert footage of many of the giants from the golden age of Jazz including Kid Ory, Woody Herman and Billie Holiday doing old standards such as Basin Street Blues and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.

These performances truly convey the joy that enrapt the musicians as they played, and Armstrong in particular, is irresistably charming and funny as usual and appears for much of the film.

Unfortunately, Holiday is possibly the most wooden actress I have ever seen, but since for most of her comparatively short screen time is spent singing, it isn't a problem.

I strongly recommended this one to all fans of early jazz.

Who knows
What are the names of the classical music songs and the jazz by Woody Herman?

Silly plot, fantastic music
I bought this DVD blindly just because I'm such a fan of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and of New Orleans in general. The plot (what there is of it) is clichŽd and uninteresting, but the music is fantastic, and I ended up playing the musical pieces over and over. The entire movie is filmed on a Hollywood soundstage; if you're looking for shots of old New Orleans, look elsewhere.

B-grade movie comes alive via Satchmo and Lady Day!
For years I've wanted to see NEW ORLEANS, knowing that thestoryline wouldn't match the quality of the music, and now it is finally available...on DVD no less. After watching it, I can say that the movie lived up (musically) and down (plotwise) to my expectations. However, with Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong and Billie 'Lady Day' Holiday in prominent roles, the musical strengths more than cancelled out the thematic/cinematic shortcomings.

The musical footage of Holiday and Armstrong (seen in solos and duets) is worth the price of admission, and the entirety of the movie is fairly entertaining if you don't expect too much....

Amid the cliched plot threads... fortunately the racial stereotypes are quite inoffensive by 1947 standards (albeit Billie is cast as a maid). Due to the lack of available Billie Holiday footage alone, this movie approaches essential status, at least among jazz fans.

The DVD includes two bonus shorts: a young Louis Armstrong sings and plays in the 1932 A RHAPSODY IN BLACK AND BLUE, and Duke Ellington teams up with a VERY young Billie Holiday in the priceless 1935 short SYMPHONY IN BLACK. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Too kool!
This movie was an indie release (I think), but it's awesome! The drama & action are like nothing I had seen before. It's about teens in New Jersey stealing cars for joyrides, then selling them to Chop Shops, or just keeping them. Jason Petty's (Sharron Corley) character is the most dramatic, because his friends steal cars, but he doesn't want to get into that. He just wants to be friends with them, no crimes involved. This also brings up the subject of race; white cops are always out to get the inner-city youth (who are of-course, black) of New Jersey. If you want a powerful action/crime-drama flick, or if you're one of those in da hood, ghetto flick people, buy this.

Eh...Could have been better...
No, this movie is not "da dopest car movie evah" or anything like that. I am a huge fan of films about Black-America, being that some of my favorites are Menace, Boyz, Lean on me, and many more. However, Let's be honest, there is nothing that is that great about this movie. It doesn't have much of a plot that will really hold you down and make you want to watch, and the acting is, average at best. I will say though that the acting of the police officers is horrible.

This movie could have been something much more, had they tried to make you want to watch it for more than what it is, just people stealing cars. I doubt many people will see this film that live outside of New Jersey, but it is an accurate portrayal of life in Newark, so for that I commend it. But if you want to see a great movie, I suggest looking elsewhere. If you are just in the mood to watch cars being stolen and enjoy the action, then this movie might be for you.

Are you kidding?
This movie was a total peice of garbage. I lost IQ points watching it. Take your money and buy lottery tickets. You'll get more value for your dollar.

Great ghetto flick with everything you'd want
This movie is one of my favorites ever. I love ghetto movies, and this one has everything you'd want in an action ghetto movie. It is about ghetto teens who steal cars and take them to chop shops for cash or just for joy rides. The main characters are Jason, "Midget", Richie and "Tiny". With Richie being definately the funniest one of the bunch, I wish he had actually had more parts in the movie. His mannerisms will have your stomach hurting you'll be laughing so hard-even when he's not even trying to be funny. Midget is the biggest car thief of the crew, and Jason is his best friend, who starts out not really being a car thief himself, just a tag-along. But he gets increasingly more and more involved with his buddies' hijinks, leading him to some time in Juvenile hall. There is also an unbelievably hysterical scene where Richie, jason and Midget steal a POLICE CAR and take it for a joy ride!! Richie was so unfreakin' belevably hilarious in this scene, even thhough he didn't even have that much talking. Midget also does something with the squad car that I won't give away-you just hav e to watch the movie. Midget was a great character too. He was very funny and had no shame. For some great ghetto entertainment, buy this movie! There is also a maniac cop who messes with Jason alot in the movie because of something Jason witnessed the cop doing.

hot
this movie was hot it funny and a movie that you should have in your dvd libary ... Read more

Description

Music-based romantic drama about the late singer/songwriter Frankie Lymon, who was responsible for many hit records but whose self-destructive life ended early, with many relationships left unresolved. three women, each claiming to be his wife, each with ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Entertaining delight!
The filmmakers know you've heard this tale before - true life chronicle of a young singing star's rise and tragic fall - and so they wisely downplay the standard bio trappings and instead focus on a raucously entertaining ride through Frankie Lymon's woman troubles. The smart screenplay revolves around the court battle of Lymon's three wives (yes, three!) over song royalties, leading to vivid (and often humorously contradictory) flashbacks of their lives with the singer. Larenz Tate is magnetic playing the many different sides of the ever-changing lead character, but the film ultimately belongs to Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox and Lela Rochon as the wives. Each is allowed to shine as the trio portrays 30 years of changes in the women's lives, with Fox drop-dead hilarious as the most outrageous of the three. There's beautifully detailed '60s-era cinematography, sets, costuming and musical numbers, plus a side-splitting turn by Miguel Nunez as a young Little Richard. Major issues (such as '60s race relations) are barely glanced at, but what this film lacks in depth, it makes up for ten-fold in entertainment value. A winner!

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I may be in the minority, because...
I really didn't care for this movie very much. It told you virtually nothing about young Frankie Lymon's career with the Teenagers, and the focus was on his three wives fighting over whom was most entitled to the small fortune he left behind when he died at age 26 of a heroin overdose in 1968. Instead of a true biography of this young man's tragic story, we got this.

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" never really gives you the reason why Lymon (played by the talented actor Larenz Tate) was so very important in the history of R&B/rock and roll. Ignoring the fact that he was the first teenaged idol of rock and roll (like the little Michael Jackson of his era) and was an influence on other groups that would come after his, in this film Frankie was overwhelmingly portrayed as nothing more than some '50s rock music has-been who was a bigamist and a drug addict. On top of that, the three actresses who played his wives (Halle Berry, Lela Rochon, Vivica A. Fox) got more screen time than Larenz Tate did, and was billed over him. Excuse me, but wasn't this film supposed to be Frankie's story? I was not interested in seeing a movie about his wives.

Tate did his best, and I had no problem with the rest of the cast...but the script was just not worthy of his talents. I gave it three stars for the musical performances, but I feel the definitive movie about Frankie's life has yet to be made.

Love is Blind and So Are the Women!
The title fits the movie's subject because these women were foolish to falll in love with him. Despite his early career in music and rise to fame, he was on a path to destruction, which he could have controlled. Frankie Lymon, lead singer for the group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, had the voice that made girls across America scream. But watching the movie, he was also selfish because he used his own members, who were also his friends to pursue a solo career; which was never achieved. He married Zora Taylor, a member of The Platters, Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Eagle; none of whom he divorced.
The movie got me to wonder if any of these women could see below the surface of this man. Why did they allow him to descend into drugs and self-loathing? If one really loves someone, they would either help them through or send them packing. It was obvious that he had them on a string. All three of them had to go to court to prove they were legally married to him and collect money from his estate. Unfortunately, the music industry wasn't as legally together as it is now. Therefore, any claim to what he sang is out of their reach.
Lymon's music still lives on as a reminder of the "good old days" when music wasn't sexually explicit and musicians could actually sing.

Frankie Lymon for Beginners
I never knew much about Frankie Lymon until I watched this movie. He was one of my father's favorites. This movie, while it did not cover everything and sometimes it was historically inaccurate, it gave a good review of Frankie's rise and fall as a doo-wop star. The acting by Halle Berry, Lorenz Tate, Vivica Fox, and Leah Rochon was superb!

Fools in Love-Great Acting
Didn't know much about Frankie, except that he was a bigamist. The acting is great! It is worth having in your library. ... Read more

Amazon.com

At the top of his game, Stephen King has a real gift for miningmonsters--zero-at-the-bone horror--out of everyday faces and places. Adaptedfrom a novella in the 1982 collection that also spawned Stand by Me and TheShawshank Redemption, Apt Pupil looks at first as if it might drawauthentically enlightening terror from the soul-cancer that makes bloodrelations of a Southern California golden boy (Brad Renfro) and an aging Naziwar criminal (Sir Ian McKellen). Turned on by a high-school course about theHolocaust, Todd Bowden (such a bland handle for this top-of-his-classsociopath!) tracks down Kurt Dussander, a former Gestapo killer hiding in theshadows of sunny SoCal. Blackmailing the old man into sharing his firsthandstories of genocide, the teenager trips out on the virtual reality of themonster's memories. There's perverse play here on the way a kid hungry forknowledge can bring a long-retired teacher or grandparent back to life. Trulysuperb as James Whale in Gods and Monsters, McKellen brings subtlety to thisStephen King creepshow: his dessicated Dussander is like a mummy or vampire revivified by Todd's appetite for atrocity.

Considerable talent intersects in Apt Pupil: It's director Bryan Singer'sfirst film since The Usual Suspects, that enormously popular, ratherheartless thriller-machine. The outstanding cast also includes DavidSchwimmer as a Jewish guidance counselor pathetically impotent in the face ofTodd's talent for evil, and Bruce Davison as Todd's All-American Dad, lackingthe capacity to even imagine evil. And the story itself has the potential forgazing into the heart of darkness right here in Hometown, U.S.A. But Apt Pupiljust turns ugly and unclean when it trivializes its subject, equatingHolocaust horrors with slamming a cat into an oven or offing a nosy vagrant (Elias Koteas). Reducing the great spiritual abyss that lies at the center ofthe 20th century to cheap slasher-movie thrills and chills is reprehensible.Both Todd and the writers of Apt Pupil should have heeded the old saw: Whensupping with the devil, best use a long spoon. --Kathleen Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (94)

DISAPPOINTED
I gave this film two stars - one each for the great performances given by the actors. As far as the movie itself, it started out great but ended with not only a fizzle but left me scratching my head...

What was the point? An A student going bad? Where was the Stephen King in this picture? This could have been based on any old story.

While the storyline itself was fascinating and when the boy forced the old man into the Nazi uniform, I was right there. I invisioned all sorts of follow up but felt so let down with the dismal ending.

WARNING: Anybody who really wants to see the movie stop reading at this point. To sum it up the movie is boy finds old Nazi, boy tries to manipulates old Nazi, old Nazi comes back swinging, changes his minds, get found out, dies and boy becomes somebody not very nice. Blah, blah, blah. So what. I wanted the movie to make me care. It didn't.

Don't take that trip to the video store, save your money and wait for it to come out on cable or rent something really good because Apt Pupil simply wasn't.

Don't believe true evil exists? You have a lot to learn!
Director Bryan Singer seems fascinated by the dense blackness that comprises the unpleasant side of the human psyche, and he has built a reputation on creating films that explore those darker facets of mankind. Fans will not be disappointed, then, by APT PUPIL (1998). It is a riveting but disturbing fictional thriller that deals with the real-life subjects of evil and the Holocaust, the latter being a topic that is often regarded as too sensitive and controversial for all but non-fictional works. With APT PUPIL--which is based on a Stephen King novella--Singer actually uses the Holocaust as a backdrop for his exploration of the ease with which evil can take root in even the most prosaic of locations in the everyday world. And to a lesser degree, the film is also Singer's comment on the strong influence that an authority figure can have on shaping the worldview of a naïve and eager disciple.

In the film, an American high-school honor student (Brad Renfro) who is fascinated by the history of WWII--specifically the Holocaust--discovers that an elderly German émigré (Ian McKellen) living in the neighborhood is actually a hunted Nazi war criminal incognito, and the clever boy is able to gather enough evidence of this fact that he could easily expose the old man's true identity. But instead of turning his data over to the authorities, the boy uses it to muscle the elderly gent into sharing the details of the atrocities he committed during the war--details that "they're afraid to tell us about in school."

Of course, the old Nazi is outraged, but he also knows he's been trapped. So he ultimately resigns himself to the situation, and detailed stories of heinous actions he does tell. It isn't long before the recounting of his wartime atrocities awakens the old man's long-dormant fiendish and sadistic urges. And though the stories at first give the boy nightmares, it doesn't take too long for the boy's mind to start soaking up the vicious and perverse Nazi philosophy like a sponge soaks up water. The boy is an apt pupil indeed.

The acting in APT PUPIL is nothing short of superb. As the Nazi fugitive, the venerable Ian McKellen delivers a tour-de-force performance. He skillfully creates a convincing portrait of an utterly sadistic and amoral personality that is successfully kept hidden behind the façade of a subdued and affable persona. McKellen's performance is so realistic, in fact, that one is simultaneously awed by the actor's talent and disturbed by his characterization. Brad Renfro is also excellent--and frightening--as the white-bread everyboy whose minor inclination towards sadism is transformed into unfettered evil under the influence of the aging Nazi refugee. And though Renfro hasn't McKellen's range of skill or experience, he plays well against his mature colleague and does not come off as second-best.

David Schwimmer--better known from his role as Ross on TV's wildly popular FRIENDS--gives a believable and refreshingly somber performance in a supporting role as the boy's school counselor. And genre fans will surely recognize Bruce Davison, here playing the boy's father, from his break-out performance as the titular character in the original WILLARD (1971). Fans may also recognize genre regular James Karen, who here appears as the boy's grandfather.

As stated before, it is often considered a no-no to reference or address the Holocaust in fictional films. So it's not surprising that some critics decry APT PUPIL for trivializing the Holocaust and the suffering of Holocaust victims. But this criticism is unfounded, especially in light of the character treatment in this film. While it may be true that McKellen's interpretation of the fugitive Nazi is sometimes sympathetic, the actor never portrays the old man as repentant and therefore never assuages the repugnance or wickedness of the acts committed by such Nazis during WWII. And when the boy reveals what HE has become under the old Nazi's tutelage, his true nature is regarded as frightening and dangerous and NOT glamorous or alluring.

The DVD edition from Columbia/Tristar is a two-sided disc that offers an anamorphic widescreen version of the film in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio (side A), as well as a full-screen pan-and-scan version of the film (Side B). The widescreen version is pristine, with few, if any, visible digital or filmic artifacts. Also on the disc are the original theatrical trailer and a short making-of featurette. All in all, this is an impeccable, reasonably priced edition of a captivating film that belongs in the collections of all serious genre fans or lovers of good cinema.

"Well today I am going to tell you story about an old man.."
This movie was not a horror movie like the preview might stimulate it as being but it is more of a dark drama, until the middle when it starts going into the thriller genre. This movie was as good as it was because of one person, Ian Mckellen. He made the movie and put on a chilling performance as the Neighbor Nazi. The movie's ending I didnt expect it, but it did not have the huge twist like Usual Suspects, Singer's other movie, but I still thought it was neat. Overall for six dollars i felt that this movie was sure worth the price and i would have payed ten to see it.

Implausable.
'Apt Pupil' was half decent until the ending, where the resolution of the story was ridiculously implausable. Yes, the Germans did very terrible things during WWII, but how long will the media continue to hammer the Germans over and over again? Haven't we had enough of the German Holocaust Thing? How many more movies can they possibly make about the subject matter??

DILATED PUPIL
Buoyed by the marvelous performances of Ian McKellen and Brad Renfro, APT PUPIL, Stephen King's expose on the horrors of the Holocaust, manages to entertain and provoke thoughts of this horrible blight on mankind.
However, at the heart, I couldn't understand Renfro's obsession with the Holocaust, nor really understand where his cold heart came from. His cruelty in humiliating McKellen during the infamous uniform/march scene, is totally despicable in showing Renfro's callousness. Everything points to the fact that despite McKellen's evil, Renfro's is even worse in that he chooses it for pleasure, rather than the distorted duty of a Nazi soldier.
The movie seems a little long at times, but director Bryan Singer keeps things interesting and his evocation of the above mentioned performances, is to his obvious credit. ... Read more

Description

In the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, a young cyclo (pedicab driver) transports anonymous passengers through the teeming streets, trying to eke out a meager living for his two sisters and elderly grandfather. When his bicycle is stolen by a local gang, he descends into the gruesome underbelly of this corrupt and violent city. Seduced by easy money, the Cyclo is swept deeper into the crime ring lead by the quietly charismatic Poet (Tony Leung of CHUNGKING EXPRESS and BULLET IN THE HEAD).

Unbeknown to the Cyclo, his older sister (the exquisite star of THE SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA) has also been mesmerized by the brooding Poet and turns to prostitution to please him. Director Tran Anh Hung, whose brilliant debut THE SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA established him as a master visualist, fuses the neorealist style of THE BICYCLE THIEF with the kinetic energy of TAXI DRIVER in this gritty tale of innocence lost in the urban jungle of Vietnam. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Take a ride on this dangerous Cyclo
Cyclo is a Vietnamese movie that features Tony Leung Chiu-wai one of my favourite Chinese actors. He appeared in Wong Kar-Wai's In the mood for love and Happy Together as well as Jackie Chan's popular film Gorgeous. In this movie Leung plans an angst-ridden gangster, and he seems to have that silent angst-ridden look down pat. Playing opposite him is Tran Nu Yen Khe, a beautiful actress who also starred in Tran Anh Hung's Scent of the Green Papaya.

Whereas Papaya was sensual and moody, Cyclo is gritty and more in your face. The main story is that of a Cyclo (a bicycle rickshaw taxi) that gets stolen and the cyclo driver must work for the gangsters to pay off the debt he has from when he borrowed money to get the cyclo. When you get past the violent scenes (there is one torture scene that rivals the cop torture scene in Taratino's Reservoir Dogs) it is a captivating story.

It is excellent on Video or on DVD - the zone-free DVD is available from Poker Industries which is an associated store of Amazon.com.

Cyclo ... The Viet Nam by the Vietnamese
Cyclo is not an usual movie : it's a movie about Viet Nam, Vietnamese people, about suffering, wondering, being lost and being saved, about desperation and hope, about love and frustration .. but all is perfectly mastered and controlled by Tran Anh Hung.

The film is about the ordinary life in Viet Nam, about hard times, struggle, the temptation of money and corruption ... violence and tenderness.

It is probably as of today the most accomplishd vision of modern Viet Nam, the most "insight journey" into the soul of Vietnamese, and as such, it's not an easy movie : for each scene, you need to wonder "what is the message", "what doe sthat mean" : behind the story, there are messages and analysis about the human being and their path.

Cyclo shall be a delightful movie for those who love Viet Nam and who want to feel and to understand its destiny, at a time where it stand at a crossroad.

On top of that, the movie keeps beautiful scene ful of peotry and beauty.

If You Liked "City of God," You'll Love Cyclo!
This movie should come with a warning cause it's simply dynamite! However, it's not for beginners. If you want to see some romanticized view of exotic beauty in foreign lands, grab some wine and your honey, and see Tran Ahn Hung's other movies, like "The Scent of Green Papaya". That movie, although dealing with serious issues, is like 'Reality Lite'. You can ignore aspects of the human experience that plague the mind of your inner insomniac. But "Cyclo" is no joke! This here is some powerful stuff. Not for beginners, this! And, what could be better than Cyclo on DVD?! I can see my favorite parts anytime and instantly transport myself to my own private VietNam. Cool.

If you are familiar with popular cinema from Asia, you know the system's are not like American movies. Often certain popular actors are routinely coupled. I find this habit refreshing, especially here. In some ways, the more films you see the more shades there are to an actors ability in the big picture. On a small scale, the film makers bank on the public seeing more films since certain famous pairings generate the feeling that the actors are like your old friends. If you don't feel manipulated by this tactic, it can be the cinematic equivalent of a fun time at an amusement park, when you're with your way-out-of-town friends, always taking different rides.

Furthermore, as far as East Asian Cinema goes, in my experience, as with all world cinema, you don't know what's it's all about until it's over. This film, like much of world cinema, is not trying to spoonfeed you. This movie gets 'heavy'. But if you stay with it, the whole of the film and the story within are very gratifying.

As far as my criteria for a good flick goes, this one meets my standard for world cinema, and far surpasses American commercial films. The editing is seemless. The actors are fluid and charismatic as always (Remember, old friends are we). The cinematography is stunning. The script has a definite feeling of realism. These characters say what they really would say (and maintain appropriate silences too), not that I know what a struggling Vietnamese escort or cabbie would say. But, dig this, a good story like this feels real, draws you in, shows you things you never saw woven into a story that holds you 'til the credits, and stays with you after, spinning in your mind in true 'twist-a plot' fashion, ya? If you let yourself into the world of these characters, alternate possibilities will come to mind when it's through.

Aside: Those of you who love Hong Kong film will enjoy seeing Tony Leung here - very believable and adorable! Secondly, and most important, DON'T EAT PORK BEFORE YOU SEE THIS MOVIE!!!! Nuff said.

I won't ruin the story by divulging any specific special parts or attributes of the film. My (somewhat pompous) point is, I saw the movie... The movie was good.

Visually and Poetically Powerful...
A young man has already lived a long life as he has lost his parents and must work as a bicycle taxi driver in Ho-Chi-Min-City where he lives with his sister and grandfather. He struggles as his bicycle is stolen by the company from which he is renting it, and now he must turn to crime in order to pay for it. The world of crime is inviting as it offers fast money, but it is a ruthless world. As he is away from home his sister turns to prostitution in order to advance in society and she is managed by the same character who is controlling his life in the criminal world. Cyclo is visually powerful with a deep socioeconomic and cinematic complexity as it depicts the tr