Amazon.com

Maverick film director Samuel Fuller was doing some of his best work in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and in the years since its release in 1963, Shock Corridor has become a B-movie classic and a prime example of Fuller's gritty tabloid style. Never hesitant to explore the darkened corners of contemporary life, Fuller depicts the chambers of an insane asylum as a microcosm of American society, telling the story of a cynical, ambitious journalist (Peter Breck) whose obsessive quest for a Pulitzer Prize leads him into the depths of madness. To investigate a murder, the reporter goes undercover in a mental hospital, having convinced a psychiatrist that he needs treatment. Once inside the asylum, he pieces together clues to the murder, but his own mind begins to deteriorate until he's trapped in a downward spiral towards insanity. Fuller heightens the melodrama with his aggressive style of filmmaking (his next film, The Naked Kiss, proved even more effective), and his imaginative use of black-and-white cinematography (by noted cameraman Stanley Cortez) fills the movie with raw, emotional power. It's the kind of film one would expect from a rebellious director on the Hollywood fringe, and that's why Shock Corridor remains an enduring low-budget examination of the "rat race" and the consequences of pursuing success at any cost. The Criterion Collection DVD presents the film in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, and a rarely seen color dream sequence has been fully restored. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dario Argento's sequel to Suspiria, his first and to date only American hit, is an even more incoherent nightmare fantasy. Laden with symbolic imagery and fantastic explosions of death shot in candy-colored hues, it's a bloody feast for the eyes. Mark (Leigh McCloskey), an American music student in Rome, rushes home to New York after a frantic phone call from his sister only to find an empty apartment and obscure clues about a supernatural presence in her spooky building. It all has something to do with the mysterious Mater Tenebrarum, one of the "Three Mothers" of Argento's murky mythology, and the fun house of an apartment house she inhabits, complete with a fully furnished underwater ballroom, miles of secret tunnels flooded in red and blue light, and hidden passageways under the floorboards. Meanwhile, there's a killer running around stabbing beautiful women for who knows what reason, a crippled bookseller attacked by rats, and a homicidal hot-dog vendor in Central Park. Why? It's best not to ponder such mysteries--Argento obviously isn't as concerned with making sense of his meticulously staged murders as he is with lighting them with just the right hue. Dramatically it's inert, a parade of quirky but faceless victims dispatched with elaborate care, but it's beautifully designed and executed, a spectacle of elaborate set pieces and magnificent decor orchestrated with a complete disdain for narrative logic.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Dario throws a sharp dagger and misses
OK, nobody watches a Dario Argento movie expecting a great plot. Its just the immense style and care he handles his movies with. So just about everyone can easily lose track of the plot and concentrate on the gracefully-staged killings and highly original (sometimes outragous) story elements. The problem with INFERNO is that (despite the fact it has some nice Argento touches, some great scenes involving an underwater chamber and an old man getting eaten by an army of rats), the plot is so thin that in this case you tend to somewhat ignore SOME of the Argento trademarks and start wondering what the hell is going on!

An American music fan returns home from Rome after getting an urgent call from his sister. By the time he returns, she's already dead so he handles the case himself finding the SUSPIRIA-type killer which somehow relates to an evil myth.

INFERNO isn't really such a bad film. With horror maestro, Mario Bava giving it his last shot with the special effects (he died the same year), the film has some kind of punch and, though it is fairly slow, it feasts the eyes with some nice imagery but as I said, it just DOSN'T MAKE SENSE. Argento helped Bava's son, Lamberto on DEMONS five years later which I found a little bit more fun.

More Supernatural Mayhem From Argento
Dario Argento's INFERNO, the sequel to the great SUSPIRIA, is the director's most difficult film; it was hard for him to pull this one off and it took a lot of time. In the end, however, it was all well worth the effort. INFERNO establishes its link to SUSPIRIA in the beginning, as Rose Elliot (Irene Miracle of MIDNIGHT EXPRESS fame) reads the book "The Three Mothers" by one E. Varelli, an architect and alchemist who built three houses for the Three Mothers, who are really evil beings who rule the world through sorrows, darkness and tears. Rose, in fact, might live in one of those dwelling places, a hotel in New York, which is the dwelling place of Mater Tenebrarum, Mother of Darkness. (SUSPIRIA covered Mater Suspiriorum, Mother of Sighs/Sorrows.) Anyway, her brother Mark (Leigh McCloskey) comes to New York and gets caught up in the weirdness that ensues.
As I said before, Dario Argento had a real difficult time filming INFERNO. He bypassed the witchcraft of SUSPIRIA in favor of alchemy for this story. Fortunately, he had help from another Italian horror legend: Mario Bava (TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE, BLACK SUNDAY, SHOCK), who filmed an amazing underwater sequence in the beginning which is a sight to behold and is really scary. Some think that the music student with the cat (Ania Pieroni of TENEBRE and Fulci's HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY) in the scenes in Rome is a representation of Mater Lacrimaurum, Mother of Tears; if that's so, what a great setup for the third film that would have been. While not as mind-blowing as SUSPIRIA, INFERNO is a wild experience in its own right and has an equally awesome music score (here by prog-rock vet Keith Emerson) and scary imagery and lighting reminiscent of an EC Comic book.
BTW: Have you noticed any similarity between this and Fulci's masterpiece THE BEYOND? I mean there's the house that maybe concealing some sort of evil, there's the gruesome murders at random, and there's the awesome score! Anyway, you have to see THE BEYOND, and I'll explain why in another review. But give INFERNO, Argento's purest film, a try but watch SUSPIRIA first so you'll understand this movie better!

Sequel to "SUSPIRIA"...
This 1980 Italian horror hit by Dario Argento is one of his finest since its previous installment, "Suspiria" and carries some of the same resemblance of that film with its beautifully artistic atmosphere and it's stylishy grotesque layout. However, the plotholes that were of the first film start to come together a little more in this one and is easier to understand. It is also the second part to the still incomplete 'Three Mothers' trilogy and will keep you at the edge of your seat. I don't think I've watched too many of these films that actually makes me jump at certain scenes, whether its a falling vase or just a plain old stray cat.

When a young man's sister, Rose disappears after opening a mysterious diary known as "The Three Sisters", her brother, Mark (acted well by Leigh McCloskey) must investigate her old apartment complex that she lives in which also used to be an old mansion used by an old alchemist who created the three homes where each of the sister's ghosts take refuge. All this leads to an scary adventure through the many secret passageways of the old estate, complete with an underwater ball room, a mute old man who's always watching our hero, & a killer that lurks around every corner for those who learn more about the second mother: the Mother of Darkness. In the end, Mark must stop the evil presence before all hell breaks loose out into the world! It's a terriying trip into the unknown and will leave you breathless till the last thrilling scene!

The movie is in its WIDESCREEN Presentation (1.85:1) & is enhanced for 16x9 T.V. sets and includes an Exclusive Dario Argento interview, the original theatrical trailer, a still gallery, and talent bios. I only wish they had the soundtrack for this film which features an excellent orchestrated score by Godfrey Salmon that has a little more effect than that of Goblin.

The film is also in its original UNCUT & UNCENSORED version and gives you more than what may've been offered before. Dario Argento does it again in this worthy sequel! But I should warn you to NOT see this film without seeing "SUSPIRIA" first, otherwise you may not understand it as much. Otherwise, I say to all those either Dario Argento fans or plain Italian horror fans altogether to give this one a shot. "Inferno" is a great movie worth watching again and again. I only hope that Dario will complete the 'Three Mothers' trilogy one of these days. Please, Mr. Argento! It is a very good series!!

Good, but a few noticable flaws bring it down
I am a huge fan of Suspiria and Dario Argento so naturally after seeing Suspiria I rushed out and bought this. I knew this installment couldn't really match up to Suspiria but to tell you the truth I couldn't help but be a little dissapointed. Here are some of my likes/dislikes with the film.

LIKES:
Dario's direction and sense of style have not changed and the set pieces and shots in the film are top notch.

The kill count nearly doubles in this installment which leads to some very good moments, and some not as good. But nothing horrible (I mean you gotta love that hot dog vendor scene). And although the music may not be as creepy the suspense is still very much there.

The elaboration on the plot (although still a little confusing) is always nice.

DISLIKES:
The music bugged me a lot and is by far my number 1 compaint with this film and basically why I gave a 3 instead of a 4. This may seem trivial but the heart pumping masterwork in Suspiria gripped you and kept you on the edge of your seat for the rest of the film. The score in Inferno just fails to do this and is mostly just a soft piano score which loosens the tension and atmosphere for a lot of the film.

The only other thing that bugged me enough to mention was a few of the killings. I mean as I stated earlier I like most of them but they failed to match up to the grandiose masterpieces in Suspiria. More deaths are always good but it seems in some cases they exchanged quality for quantity. Moreover the back on the DVD says it's uncut but particularily in one of the scenes it fades out rather abruptly which bugged me because it was probably the best death in the film (I speaking of the window scene where Rose is killed).

OVERALL:
Despite a few areas most of the aspects of this movie are quite enjoyable and I highly reccomend this, especially to fans of Suspiria and Dario Argento.

The Funk Was Flamin' Outta Control
Argento's back in the house. This time it's a semi-sequel to Suspiria. Argento's trademarks are all back in full swing: Fantastically orchestrated murder scenes, cool music, red and blue lighting for no apparent reason, killers in need of a manicure, dream-like structure. Everyone seems to think this film doesn't make any sense, but I don't think that statement is entirely true. There actually is a thin plot running through all of the weirdness. This is established right from the beginning. There are indeed strange goings on, but you've been told from the start what's going on, so you can chalk it all up to supernatural mumbo jumbo. This isn't Lost Highway where there's no rhyme or reason for anything, you just have to remember that the witches are running the show here, so naturally things are gonna be messed up. And I tell ya, I don't think I've ever laughed harder in my life than I did in the scene with the guy at the hot dog stand. I can only hope Argento wanted that to be funny. I'd recommend this highly. ... Read more

Reviews (91)

"Campy Shoot-em-up Western that's just flat fun to watch!"
Let me make sure I understand...a shoot-out 'tournament' with and old-west setting....why didn't someone think of this before?

This is just a great flick to watch. It's 10% 'camp', and 90% action. Gene Hackman is the only legitimate highly-skilled actor in the action, but the script is so good it makes even Sharon Stone and Leonardo deCaprio look good in thier roles. Gary Sinese and Russell Crowe are great, though Sinese's role is minor.

The zooming cinematography, and the sub-theme of a little girl traumatized keep the plot on the roll! Killing is done with little or no thought to the value of human life, so screen the kids. DeCaprio's death scene will wrench the heart of every teenage girl.

The film is strange at times, and the performances are nearly as methodical as characters from Batman, but it all works. Good does triumph, and there is enough explosion at the conclusion to satisfy the hard-core sensation freaks, so the hour and a half never drags.

I liked this film--even if the plot is as unbelieveable as the fact that Sharon Stone has a great performance!

The Quick and the Dead - A marvelous western!
The Quick and the Dead is an old time favorite of mine that is of course if you can count an eight year old movie as an "old time" favorite. One thing is for sure, it couldn't go wrong with this phenomenal cast; Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gary Sinise and a Sci-Fi favorite of mine, Lance Henriksen. This wonderful western is also quite blessed with the original idea of having a heroine in Sharon Stone, given the rarity of a female lead in a western. Given her exceptional beauty and her extraordinary acting skills, she melds into this role with perfection.

The premise:

Welcome to Redemption, your typical old west town. Herod, played by Gene Hackman, is in the villain role, which befits his talents well, since he's at his best as the villain. Herod is a long time criminal who controls Redemption from the ground up. He's arranged for a "Quick Draw" contest for gunslingers. Ellen, played superbly by the ever beautiful Sharon Stone comes to town with more than just a quick draw competition on her mind. Cort, played by the then burgeoning superstar, Russell Crowe is a former outlaw and friend of Herods, who has found the lord. Kid, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, prior to his huge break in "Titanic" does an acceptable job as the Herod's son and competitor. Let the competition begin! Also mentionable along with these outstanding actors are several others, and a number of actors that always to seem to find their small parts in westerns, with an outstanding script, a traditional "western" score and here we have a fantastic western.

I highly recommend this exceptional film to any and all fans of the western genre or to those that rarely allow themselves to be taken back to the wild, wild west, for it is indeed a wonderful trip and just a plain old fun western.

Special features: If you're a special features hound, this one will leave more than disappointed, as its one and only special feature is a theatrical trailer. For me, as far as this movie is concerned, who cares because this one is just about the escapism of the movie itself! {ssintrepid}

Great cast and terrific apadtation from the original
One of the most recognizable westerns is 'the quick and the dead', this is one of the best westerns i've seen, not that i like westerns but this one is different, with the greatest cast ever and that tournment that happened, like kid (DiCaprio) vs. Harrod (Hackman), then Cort (Crowe) vs. lady (Stone) AND FUNNY CHARECTERS LIKE Ace, with great plots, directing and script, this one outbeat the original, this is a must see for western drama action lovers. 10/10.

Classic
The Quick And The Dead is my favourite film of all time. It is a classic film, with an amazing narrative and an incredible cast. Sharon Stone is fantastic in it.

Please pass the popcorn
Frankly, I have certain reservations about the postmodern (name your "pasta") western and yet I enjoyed this film which has an outstanding cast, featuring Sharon Stone (Ellen), Gene Hackman (Herod), Russell Crowe (Reverend Cort), and Leonardo DiCaprio (the Kid). The supporting cast includes Gary Sinise (Marshall) and Pat Hingle (Horace the bartender). Herod is the corrupt mayor of Redemption (I'm not making this up) who has organized a quick-draw competition for gunfighters. Ego and greed motivate most of the contestants. Ellen is motivated by revenge. Once an associate of Herod's, Cort is a pacifist and refuses to participate. (Of course, he's also renowned as the quickest draw.) Through a process of deadly elimination, two "finalists" will soon face each other in the streets, probably without hope of redemption, and then....

As directed by Sam Raimi, my only significant criticism of this film is that we learn almost nothing about the background of the major characters prior to their participation in the competition. (Perhaps I have been spoiled by Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai, John Sturges' The Magnificent Seven, and more recently, Jeff Blitz's Spellbound.) The Kid is a case in point. Whose son is he? (Herod's?) Raimi raises even more questions about Cort. For example, is he really a clergyman or merely assuming the identity of one such as Robert Mitchum's character in The Night of the Hunter or Clint Eastwood's in Pale Rider? At this point, I ask "What difference does it make?" So I settle back with some refreshments and stop analyzing the film. (My wife would claim "over-analyzing" it.) It is what is so I enjoy it for that rather than rattle on about what it is not. Roll it! ... Read more

Description

The Doctor and Ace are put to the ultimate test when the Tardis materializes in Second World War England at a top secret naval base. ... Read more

Album Description

Canadian DVD release for 1974 spaghetti-western inspired by Sergio Leone who produced, starring Henry Fonda & featuring a soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. Also known as 'Il Mio Nome E Nessuno'. 2000 release. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Quick Draws......
This review refers to the WHAM! DVD edition of "My Name Is Nobody"......

Who is faster on the draw than the legendary gunslinger Jack Beauregard(Henry Fonda)?.....NOBODY! (Terence Hill). That's Who! This is the most delightful western, that the whole family can enjoy together(there is some mild violence and language).

Jack Beauregard who has made quite a name for himself with a gun, just wants to slip away quietly on a slow boat to Europe. But it's easier said than done. There are others who would rather see him dead and young gunslinger Nobody is hired to do away with Jack. Nobody is so taken with the his idol though, that not only does he want Beauregard to live, but wants his legend to live on in history as well. The pair become the Odd Couple of the 1890's and you'll have a fabulous time watching their antics.

It is filmed in the wonderful "Spagehitte Western" style. Based on an idea by Sergio Leone("Fistful of Dollars" et al), directed by Tonino Valerii, and with a fabulous whimsical score by Ennio Morricone. It has all the great western landscapes, camera work, and some terrific acting.

I was very confused when I was shopping for this DVD. I knew this edition was an import only but I was confused as to how many versions there were.The tech info here says the studio of release is Pid, yet most of the reviews that mentioned the name of the studio refered to it as WHAM. But I really like this film alot, so I went ahead and ordered it. The image of the case here is the same as the one I recieved, but does not say Pid anywhere on it, and is WHAM!. So I just want to clear that up in case anyone else was wondering the same thing. And by the way, it's a decent DVD transfer as well.

The DVD is very good. The sound is excellent. I wasn't sure what to expect as there was no info here or on the box as far as the sound was concerned. My DVD player decoded it at DD2.0, and the music as well as the dialouge was crisp and clear. Every little detail(like Fonda getting a shave) was distinguishable. The picture was clear and good for the most part. There were times when it seemed a little grainey, and also the colors seemed somewhat dated. But the widescreeen (1:85:1) was great and it was a nice view. As far as extras, you won't find too much, but there is some. You can go to "soundtrack" and listen to the music from your favorite scenes. There are also bios on Henry Fonda, Terence Hill and Ennio Morricone (no filmographies though), and there is a theatrical trailer as well.

If you have seen this and know you like it, I would say this DVD is a good buy. If you have'nt seen it but love these kind of spaghetti or comical westerns, you'll love this one! It's a keeper!
Happy Trails...Laurie

Funniest Western Ever
I have seen many comedy westerns including Cat Ballou, Blazing Saddles, and City Slickers. None have made me laugh harder than "My Name is Nobody". Henry Fonda plays a retiring gunfighter, Jack Beauregard, for the law while Terence Hill plays a comedic young gunfighter, Nobody, for good. His methods are quite different and should keep you in stitches more than once. The scenes at the Circus can't be beat. Although he is proficient with a gun, you never see him kill anybody to make his point. Did I mention the musical score by Ennio Morricone is great? As mentioned in a good review, laurie's boomer views, you can play just the soundtrack. I love Morricone's happy go lucky intro song , My Name is Nobody, and all the western themes that dramatize the scenes with Beauregard. I do hope this will be released on DVD in the US and for a lower price. The import quality lacks a little to be desired so I am hoping for a better transfer of the master in the future. The WHAM! version menu is overly red and the Bio has Henry Ford instead of Fonda as the name, but the bio is correct. The DVD is decent quality with a only a few screen glitches and the sound is good. The occasional graininess can't be helped since the original VHS quality was no better and probably the master print wasn't sharp. I don't regret getting the DVD since this is a great movie and my VHS is wearing out.

Nobody beats nobody ...
You will not go wrong with this jewel. Even if you've never seen an Italian western, you will find this one addictive. The only bad thing about this movie is that there is no sequel. This one is the epitome of a spaghetti western. I've enjoyed it time and time again! I 100% agree with all the reviewers remarks on this one.

Incredible Scope
In another review I mentioned this was the funniest Western, but to avoid losing votes on it I had to write another review to mention that the scope is amazing as well. Fans of movies like "How the West Was Won" and "Once Upon a Time in the West" will enjoy it as well. The realism of the movie sets and performances make you believe you are actually seeing this dramatic change in the West from watering hole and cowboys to ranchers and towns. The West is becoming civilized and Henry Fonda as Beauregard is the old ways and Terence Hill as Nobody is the new. I really wish I had pointed that out in my other review. This movie goes well beyond being just a great comedy. It is like he wrapped "The Magnificent Seven" with "Shrek". Sometimes incredibly dramatic, sometimes downright goofy, but always magnificent.

My Name is Nobody - Terence Hill & Henry Fonda
One of my all time favorite comody Westerns! Lots of laughs and funny wit from Terrance Hill and an awesome performance from Henry Fonda. Even my teenage kids love this one!!! ... Read more

Description

A surprisingly moving retelling of the Bard's famous romantic tragedy in fine Troma fashion, complete with a Manhattan setting, gratuitous violence, body-piercing, and a hard-driving alternative soundtrack. Winner of the Raindance Audience Award.Tromeo and Juliet features the work of Scooby Doo and Dawn of the Dead screenwriter James Gunn and more tromatic obsessions than one can shake a nipple-ring at!In director Lloyd Kaufman’s hands,Will Keenan and Jane Jensen provide an intoxicating screen chemistry that has garnered critical acclaim from critics everywhere.Featuring All the body-piercing, kinky sex, and car crashes that Shakespeare wanted but never had, Tromeo and Juliet is a modern classic!Features a showstopping turn as Lemmy from Motorhead as the narrator. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

They found a peanut, all right...a peanut of DEATH!
I've always had this fantasy that some thoroughly disreputable quick-buck movie would end up being brilliant. Like, what if some soft-core "Erotic Thriller" ended up having gutsy, breakthrough performances and a riveting plot? What if "Police Academy 12" was Oscar-worthy?

My fantasies came through with "Tromeo & Juliet." The very concept of a punk "Romeo" is brilliant - they conceived this before Baz Luhrmann's movie - but seeing as how this is Troma we're talking about, Lloyd Kaufman could have steered this in a very wrong (read: conventional) direction. Fortunately, they managed to find a young mad genius named James Gunn to write the script, and they found some hungry young acting talent who threw themselves into the project. And Kaufman, perhaps inspired by all this, finally directed like a man more concerned with making a good movie than cashing in on the quick-buck exploitation trends that nearly ruined "Troma's War" and "Sgt. Kabukiman."

Not that "Tromeo & Juliet" isn't a quick-buck exploitation movie. It is. It's also a hilarious and inventive comedy, an art film, a soft-core porno, a gross-out gore flick, a surprisingly moving love story, and - best of all - one of the most oddly faithful Shakespeare adaptations I've ever seen. Amazingly, it's all these things all at the same time, sometimes even in the same scene (check out Murray Que's final scene, in the tattoo parlor). "Tromeo" captures the spirit, the wordplay, and the abandon that so many staid Shakespeare movies completely miss. And it's one of the most energetic and creative movies you're likely to see.

I could gush on and on about "Tromeo," for it is my favorite movie. Now that James Gunn is a big-time - although still delightfully weird - Hollywood writer, I wouldn't be surprised to see a surge in "Tromeo" sales. This is a good thing. "Tromeo" is a completely unique and exhilirating movie, and it deserves a huge audience. It's not for everyone, I suppose (the close-up shot of the nipple being pierced will pretty much clear the room of those who should have stayed away in the first place). But if you like a little trash in your art, or art in your trash, give "Tromeo" a chance.

Oh - and the budget for "Tromeo" was $350,000, or about what it costs to cater lunch for a week on your basic Adam Sandler movie.

Above-Average TROMA effort!
I realize Troma Studios has an extremely loyal, if not large, following and I am about to honk off what few loyalists will read this, but I just don't get it. I know Troma is trying to cater to those who prefer their movie entertainment to whack them in the face with a brick, but I get the feeling watching a Troma-produced movie made in the last few years that they are becoming a parody of themselves.

This is not meant to be a slap at "Tromeo and Juliet," but I can't help but vent about Troma. I don't, and never did, think that doing a "take" (turning your face toward the camera with your mouth and eyes wide open - some people refer to it as "mugging") was funny, and Lloyd Kaufman is the king of this. My feeling is that when I see a "take" in a movie, I am reminded that I'm watching a movie and am not simply a bystander in some characters' lives. I say this fully knowing that Troma-produced movies are not meant to be great art and are made to appeal to a certain viewer - I think he lives somewhere in New Jersey - and God forbid I tell someone what they should do with their money, but they could at least TRY.

The ultimate example of Troma's "love of self" - besides their commercials for their merchandise that show up before AND after each of their movies on the tapes - is the movie "Tromeo and Juliet." Tromeo?!?!?! I thought the world was coming to an end when I saw "The Toxic Avenger" made into a Saturday morning cartoon and then referred to as "Toxie" every time he makes an appearance, but "Tromeo?!?!?!". I always liked "The Toxic Avenger" but with each successive sequel, it got hokier and hokier (is hokier a word?). I respected Troma about 15 or 20 years ago when they were making movies such as "Combat Shock," "Class of Nuke 'em High" and the original "Toxic Avenger" but now it seems they are doing nothing but exploiting their viewers...whose numbers appear to be dwindling. Not that there's anything wrong with capitalizing on an alleged strong point and making money, but "Ars Gratia Artis" (art for art's sake) seems to mean nothing to Troma.

Phew...all that without taking a breath. On to the movie review.

"Tromeo and Juliet"...damn, I can't get past that title...is not a terrible movie. That is, if you like tattoos, body piercing, off-the-wall violence and the 'F' word. I could go on and on about over-the-top acting, stifled camera work (what I could do with HALF that budget!), rubber-mask effects, blah, blah, blah. Other than that, it's pretty good.

The main characters, Will Keenan, who pays Tromeo...Tromeo?!?!?...and Jane Jensen, Juliet, are actually pretty good. Their attraction for each other is actually believable because neither one of them are matinee idols...above average looks, below average IQs, rebellious, etc. Their characterizations, though, by no fault of the actors (we blame the writers for this), are very uneven. One example of this is that Juliet is portrayed as virginal and naive, yet at one point she pleasures herself after calling a 900 number and in more than one scene makes out with the maid, played by Debbie Rochon.

Aaahhh, Debbie Rochon. Rochon has a certain something that I haven't been able to put my finger on. She is very good when it comes to her needing to be sexy, although if the scenes in this movie are any indication, she has shattered a bunch of my illusions (I could never understand why guys get turned on by lesbian scenes). I don't think she is as good when she need to be evil, but she is convincing in straight roles (such as the mom in "Santa Claws") and alluring roles (again, when her character is shooting the strip scenes in "Santa Claws") or when she's scared (as in "Abducted 2"). The one constant about Rochon...she sure is easy on the eyes.

A couple other actors give above-average performances. I'm getting old and my memory is failing so I don't remember their names, but the actor that plays Juliet's father does a commendable job, as does the woman who plays Tromeo's...Tromeo?!?!?!...girlfriend (before he meets Juliet), but when you see her you'll know why I like her performance. Who needs silicone! All the other performances are well over the top and on their way down the other side.

As I said, I will always bring up the positive points of the movies I review, so here goes. The overall tone of the movie is fast-paced and has a lot of energy...a lot of shouting, a lot of arms flailing, and none of that introspective acting that sometimes gets in the way of a performance.

Even with her tattoos, numerous body piercings and the darkening of her eyebrows - which I didn't understand - Rochon is a breath of fresh air - literally. When her character sees that Juliet loves Tromeo...Tromeo?!?!?!...and needs to show a hint of a conscience, she makes it believable and it tugged at my heartstrings...but I was drunk when I watched it...

One last thing about Troma itself. I'm not sure if Lloyd Kaufman thinks people watch Troma movies because of him, but his name is the only credit on the front of the video box (directed by...) and appears on the box more times than the title of the movie! Being in advertising myself, I know the theory behind promotion and selling, but the word "subtle" is not in Troma's vocabulary. OK, one more thing - I don't know why, if they shoot on 35mm, everything looks so grainy. Rent a Panavision.

Well, I think I just killed any chance I might have had of working with Troma.

I can see how someone in their early twenties would love this movie. You know, the more I think about it, perhaps this movie wasn't aimed at my demographic. I should have known better when I saw a soundtrack which included bands such as Motorhead, Superchunk, Ass Ponys and Unsane. It's sad that filmmaking at this level has come down to demographics, isn't it?

classic troma
this is troma at its best.being a troma junkie i found this great as anything the troma boys have done.this movie is the second best troma flick i've seen next to the toxie movies.
its made evan better by the appearance of the man the myth the legend lemy kilmeister of motorhead.
i showed this to my buddy who never saw a troma film and got him hooked on troma.when i read romeo and juliet i was bored out of my mind,and the leo decrappio made me queesy butt this is the best retelling of that snorefest bill shakespear i've seen
so if your a weirdo or just likeoffbeat movies yull love this flick i did and i'm a looney

LOVE MEANS NEVERY HAVING TO SAY A THING
hey:

mr. k. has done it big time with this classic. only kaufman can take on shakespeare and come out a head.

wow.

i dig it like a vegtable.

jack e. jett
the jack e. jett show

a decent film...tromatized!
Tromeo and Juliet was a good flick. I am new to troma films, and this is the first one I viewed. I was pleased with it's bizzaire story line which mimiced shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The violence, nudity, sex (read like a cheap porn, which isnt a bad thing mind you!) and overall wierdness that I had heard about and was expecting from Troma was all there, and I loved every bit of it. If you are new to Troma films, you might want to check it out, and if even if you are a rabid fan, you might want to pick this one. The extras are cool to check out too. Especially the cut scenes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After the success of the wicked little sci-fi satire Death Race2000, producer Roger Corman quickly recast David Carradine, this time as arebel warrior in the year 3000 paired with B-movie vixen Claudia Jennings. Theresulting mix of barbarians and bikers lacks the inspired humor and satiricaltwist of its inspiration, but it works just fine as a drive-in action pictureabout gladiators on motorcycles and bug-eyed mutant cannibals in second-ratemakeup. Carradine gets to go all kung-fu and Jennings bares all in completelygratuitous (and frankly bewildering) torture scenes, and for all their New-Ageyphilosophy mumbo jumbo, they rise to the occasion in the gladiator ring (thedeathsport of the title), where they pack in enough cycle stunts and fierycrashes to please an exploitation junkie. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Better than Kill Bill!!! Carradines best work!!!
Oh man. My friends and I went to Blockbuster to look for movies, and saw this movie. The cover looked totally tremendously spectacular! it was like.. omfg it owns the matrix special effect. The motorcycles were totally cool looking, and theyr swords are SO AWESOME, CUS THEY WERE CLEAR!. and oh man, i love how they recycle scenes over and over and put funny buzzing noises everytime the awesome motorcycles roll bye. The BEST, AND I MEAN BEST PART about this movie is when the girl gets naked in the torture chamber omg, my friends mom came in while we were watching, and we changed it right away, but thats another story. HAHA OMFG, THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME, the girl is hot too! and i love their ray guns, where whatever they shoot just dissapears, i also love how things explode for no reason. Yeah thats about it. A+!! I REALLY SUGGEST YOU BUY THIS MOVIE!... lol oh man... their swords... are... GREAT.

Death Sport
Entertaining cheerful low budget crap, that is strangely less dated than the bile of sword & sorcery films that came in the next decade.
Looking at this film now it is basically an adult version of Battlestar Gallatica, with violence and female nudity
David Carradine sleepwalks through this and he is still superb.
However this not in the same league as the brilliant satire DeathRace 2000. Still it's fun to see films like this, that would
not have a pray of being made in this day and age.

Post-apocalyptic World of the DeathSport
Death Sport is one of my favorite films. It is the best of the post-apocalyptic action genre which, sadly, with the fall of the Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union has seen its heyday. No one has done it better than Roger Corman. David Carradine, a free and independent "guide," exhibits a cold-blooded and deadly swordsmanship showing no mercy to the "enforcers," a uniformed, motorcycle-riding force of "state-men," the conformist and totalitarian-ruled city-dwellers of the future "after the neutron wars." Claudia Jennings co-stars as a warrior equal in prowess to Carradine and equally deadly to the "enforcers." Richard Lynch is superb as a renegade "guide" who joins the "enforcers" and leads them in their evil plans to capture enough "guides" to hold the Death Sport, a gladiator-like motorcycle combat in which the "enforcers" hope to prove the superiority of the "Death Machine" over the swordsmanship of the "guides." It's the details that make this movie so different. Carradine cleaning the blood from his sword on his cape, the sound-effect when he skewers an "enforcer," the short screams of the "enforcers" when they see imminent death in the upraised swords of Carradine or Jennings, or get vaporized by a "Death Machine," and the whole cold, death-embracing world created in the film. I find myself strangely attracted to this world in which I wouldn't last my first encounter with an "enforcer." Finally, Jerry Garcia did electric guitar-work on the soundtrack. The special features don't match the DVD case - there is no eight page booklet of an interview with Roger Corman - but I didn't buy this DVD for the interview.

Best Movie Ever
Death Sport is the greatest movie ever made. It was on clearance ...and although i own 100,000 copies i couldnt resist so i bought it. the movie has some great action scenes all leading up to the final duel between some guy and another guy who looks like chuck norris. In one scene you can actually see a rope connected to the stuntman. Also scenes are used over and over just with different noises. there is some great machines in the movie such as a scooter painted silver made to be a motorcycle. this movie shows that with the trillions of dollars it costed to make it the movie was great

Death Sport, Death Machines -- How about Brain Death
With this kind of movie you know three things are going to happen: (1) lots of explosions, (2) naked women, (3) none of it will make sense.

As mentioned by another reviewer, most of the "action" is seeing a bunch of motorcycles being driven around fields, rocks, and something that appears to be borrowed from a monster truck rally.

The climatic swordfight has only one good choreographed move, when Moor does a nice somersault kick--too bad Oshay forgot to react. Almost the entire sword fight is filmed really close-up so you don't see them actually hitting the swords together, just swinging elbows. Of course, since the "crystal" swords are clear plastic, they would have broken on the first hit.

If you really want to see this movie, wait until you can rent it for free at your local video store. Should you get the VHS or DVD? With a movie as lousy as this, does it really matter? ... Read more

Reviews (22)

THE Movie That Set the Style of 70s
All of Pam Grier movies in the 70s, "Coffy" is the most famous. She deserves it; watch this movie, and you see what so-called blaxploitation films are all about.

The fast-paced "Coffy" starts with a dynamite opening, in which Pam's character Coffy lures her enemy into a nasty surprise, and she blows away poor fool's head with a shotgun literally. Then, her mission of eradicating drug racket goes on until a very bitter ending. There are actions, fighting, nudity, and battling girls at a party where Pam uses most unexpected weapon -- salad! Frankly they look rather bland by today's standard, but good soundtrack by Roy Ayres is still wonderful.

Probably the most interesting thing about "Coffy" is its gorgeous 70s fashion: music, clothes, and hairstyle. even if you find its story a little stale, you never get tired of watching dresses, glasses, hats, and everything -- they are so big! And surprising thing is that the film to certain extent reflects the political condition of those days (see how a black congressman address a speech about drug issues among Afro-Americans).

"Coffy" is one of the movies that set the style of the 70s. Those who are interested in that period should watch it (and the original "Shaft") once.

Vigilante action with Pam!
Pam Grier is Coffy, an inner-city nurse whose younger sister's life has been destroyed by illicit drugs, and who is now out to avenge her by killing the drug dealers. Her method is to lure the dope pushers by offering them her sexual favors, and then blasting them with a sawed-off shotgun!

And what man can resist such a statuesque beauty? Many a dope pusher meets his Maker after making it with Coffy. Pam Grier has some outstanding nude scenes in this movie, and that alone makes this DVD worth the price, but director Jack Hill's commentary is an interesting bonus. This DVD is a must-have for every Pam Grier fan!

One vengeful mama.
For a blaxploitation movie this one isn't too bad, thanks largely to Pam Grier. She is one tough lady in this interesting retooling of "The Bride that Wore Black," only in this case it is little sister who Coffy is seeking vengeance upon. There is plenty of violence and nudity to thrill, but the movie actually develops a story and posits the moral question whether vengeance is justified if criminals can't be brought to justice. Ultimately, Coffy enters the world of prostitution, posing as a sultry Jamaican bombshell, to get the top crime boss in the city. The movie is vintage 70's with luscious babes lounging around swimming pools, garish interiors and love-inducing fireplaces. Too bad Pam Grier had to wait such a long time to get the plum role of Jackie Brown, building her fame on Jack Hill movies.

Errors and omissions
From the information from other sites I am to believe that this is not an 'Anamorphic/16:9 enhanced' DVD. Foxy Brown is. All Region 2's in the MGM Blaxploitation-series are...

They call her Coffy and she'll cream you!
This was a pretty enjoyable movie, but I have to admit that I enjoyed Foxy Brown just a little more. This movie is basically about Pam Griers' character getting revenge on those who have hurt her and her family. She starts out with lower level pimps and pushers, and workers her way up the power structure to the head sleezebags. The one thing that didn't really sit well with me was the way she portrayed the moments of remorse her character felt about what she was doing. I am not saying that a person who becomes a vigilante wouldn't have these feelings, but I just didn't really buy it coming from her. I know, I know, maybe I am delving too deep into the character, but if they're going to go there...anyway, it didn't make me enjoy the movie any less. And it's always nice to see as much eye candy as there was in this movie. Pam Grier is really hot and made most of the other women in this movie look kinda dumpy. To sum it up, it's a fun movie, some minor slow points, but it kept me interested throughout. If funk with a dash of groovitude is your bag, then this movie is for you. ... Read more

Description

A frank exploration of voyeurism and violence, Michael Powell's extraordinary film is the story of a psychopathic cameraman-his childhood traumas, sexual crises, and murderous revenge as an adult. Reviled by critics upon its initial release for its deeply unsettling subject matter, the film has since been hailed as a masterpiece. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Career Killing Mother of Slasher Films
If Hitchcock's Psycho can be called the father of the modern slasher film, than PEEPING TOM must be the mother of them. Director Michael Powell (Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes) kissed his career goodbye when he made this still disturbing, denounced, and banned film about a psychotic serial killer (much like Tod Browning did when he made Freaks). Most of the film is told from the perspective of a disturbed serial killer and several murder scenes are shown from the perspective of the killer and these are the ones which upset people a great deal in 1960. The film has many thematically similar ideas to Hitchcock's Rear Window and voyeurism. This film however took ideas where no man had gone before and did so in color. It's still a sometimes surprisingly brutal film, though it's minimal gore is quite tame by today's standards.

I'm sure there will be some who will call the film's mixture of psychological terror, voyuerism and mild gore dull. But these are people who need films to hit them over the head with images, loud noises, and be edited like an MTV music video.

Christopher J. Jarmick, Author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder...

Subversive at the time, mild today
When British director Michael Powell and screenwriter Leo Marks collaborated on the 1960 film "Peeping Tom," the two really thought they had something special. The movie about a mentally unstable young man caught in the clutches of his father's psychological experiments horrified audiences and critics alike. Obscene, depraved, wildly inappropriate--these were only a few of the milder labels attached to the film. The movie played less than a week in cinema houses throughout Britain before disappearing. Powell, come to find out, was so devastated by the response to his movie that he promptly left England for Australia, never to return. In our crazy modern world, what people thought horribly twisted yesterday has an allure beyond reckoning for today's cranks. Thus, "Peeping Tom" has now become a movie lionized by modern filmmakers, students of film history, and critics. The Criterion Collection's release of the movie goes so far as to call Powell's film a "British 'Psycho.'" Well, I wouldn't go that far, but the movie is intriguing considering the date of its release (1960) and the subject matter it fearlessly tackles.

Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm) spends his days working the cameras at a film studio and his nights moonlighting as pin-up photographer and documentarian. He always carries a camera wherever he goes, photographing seemingly mundane objects as buildings and people. Lewis seems like a harmless sort of chap, but the dark secrets swirling in his mind would give the stoutest soul pause. He is a Peeping Tom, always gazing into windows or using his camera to spy on the intimate details of other people's lives. His illness seems to come from his childhood, when his famous psychologist father used Mark as a test subject in his work on human fears. Father would set up a camera in different rooms of the house, along with a tape recorder, and proceed to torment his son in various ways in order to monitor the boy's reaction. At some point in the proceedings, young Mark equated women with his terror fits, and as a full grown man he has decided to conduct his own amateur experiments. With camera and tripod firmly in tow, Lewis tricks women into situations where he can murder them and record their fear on celluloid. His first victim is a woman of the night, the next a would be actress at the studio. Mark initially gets away with his crimes because he blends easily into the background. He's polite to a fault, quiet in manner and movement, and solitary. He spends most of his time in the huge dark room at his house, endlessly replaying his sordid film footage and anguishing over his painful childhood.

Enter Helen Stephens (Anna Massey), an aspiring author and tenant in Lewis's house. Young Stephens notices Mark when she sees him staring into her apartment during her birthday party. Intrigued, Helen follows Lewis up to his apartment, discovers he owns the house and acts as its landlord, and witnesses some of his bizarre behavior. Despite the uneasiness of their first meeting, Mark and Helen become fast friends. In fact, Lewis takes such a shine to Helen that the mere idea of "photographing" her--code for committing another murder--shocks him to the very marrow of his being. Helen really likes this man even though her blind, alcoholic mother despises young Lewis because she has an intuition that he is up to no good. Things begin to turn south for Mark when the police launch an investigation into the murders, Helen's mother confronts him about his activities, and he learns that his little problem will take years of therapy to overcome. Lewis loses his cool as the authorities close in but discovers a peace of sorts during the film's conclusion.

Modern audiences will scratch their heads as they try to figure out why "Peeping Tom" was so controversial when it first came out. I think the primary reason this movie shocked British moviegoers and critics concerns how the movie presents such an appalling criminal as a figure worthy of sympathy and outright pity. No one wants to feel for a murderer of young women, but Powell's movie often gives Boehm's character endearing traits. When Helen comes to Mark requesting his aid with the photographs in her soon to be published book, Lewis visibly enthuses that anyone would honor him with such a request. The guy is genuinely happy about Helen's success, and further confounds audience perceptions by buying her a very nice brooch for her birthday. He gives her this gift not as a means for tricking her into a situation where he can victimize her, but because he likes her, respects her, and wants her to be happy. There are a few other reasons why "Peeping Tom" scandalized the British film industry, probably reasons best left unelaborated on here, but the film's refusal to judge Mark Lewis's behavior is probably the biggest reason for the insults heaped on this picture.

I liked the film even though it is a relatively bloodless affair. Carl Boehm's performance as the tortured Mark Lewis provides the primary impetus for viewing this film. He captures perfectly the concept of a scared, tormented little boy wrapped in a man's body. Hats off to Criterion as well; they did a grand job with the widescreen picture transfer and the heap of extras included on the disc. There's a stills gallery, a trailer for the film, a lengthy documentary about screenwriter Leo Marks, and a commentary by one of those hoity-toity film historians. Don't go into this movie looking for a gory thriller. What you will find is a colorful, quiet movie about a very disturbed young man looking for a way out of his personal darkness.

A true breakthrough
Micahel Powell made more than a movie, he opened the troubled mind of a disturbed man who suffered in his childhood exreme abuses from his father played this role by Michael Powell.
The use of the camera and the script opened the gate to new world of young directors who still are influenced by this film forty four years after.
This film is a cult movie. Powell reminds us that Peeping Tom are us too, the viewers every time we seat in front of the screen.
Psycho would come after, but this was the pioneer expression of a new genre of horror.
And that's why about its relevant place in the brittish cinema.
Do you need another advise for buying this landmark film?
Carl Boehm made an intimate and credible portrait that this difficult and even complex role demanded.

a film ahead of its time
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This movie directed by Michael Powell, (after severing ties with longtime business partner, Emeric Pressburger) was highly controversial and almost cost him his career. The film was taken from theaters after only a week and was rarely distributed.

In the film a young filmmaker interested in feelings of terror, films women while killing them with a blade attached to his camera's tripod. The film captures the sadistic nature of people and shows how things are for them. He meets a young woman who is a tennant in his home. (he lives on the 2nd floor [1st floor in England] and has 2 apartments on the 1st floor. [ground floor in England]) She later becomes interesting in him and his life.

The film has great acting and the fright of the victims is very convincing. The DVD has a theatcical trailer as a special feature along with a behind the scenes slideshow, a documentary about the film called "A very british psycho" which aired on TV in England, and an audio essay about the film by Laura Mulvey.

Michael Powell crosses over the line with "Peeping Tom"
"Peeping Tom" is a film whose place in cinematic history cannot help but outweigh the critical value of the film itself. When it was released in Great Britain in 1960 it was universally condemned by the critics and pulled from released the first week, effectively ending the career of director Michael Powell ("I Know Where I'm Going," "Black Narcissus," "The Red Shoes"). "Peeping Tom" is about a young man who not only murders women, but who films them as he kills them. What upset the critics was that Powell used the perspective of the camera to turn the viewing audience into voyeurs as well, and that he made the murderer into a sympathetic figure.

Reducing "Peeping Tom" to the level of a slasher film misses the point, because this is much more of a psychological portrait of a troubled young man. Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm) works as an assistant cameraman at a film studio and has trouble appreciating the difference between the real world and what he sees through the lens of a camera. Mark has another job, taking "views" of half naked women for the owner of the local news agent shope (Bartlett Mullins) to sell discretely to his customers. But Mark's voyeurism is ultimately not about sex, but rather about fear: provoking it and recording it. As Mark slowly opens up to Helen (Anna Massey), the girl who lives downstairs in his building who shows an interest in his work, we learn that his father was a psychologist who filmed his son in a series of disquieting experiments into the nature of fear. The boy is following in daddy's footsteps. Powell and screenwriter Leo Marks had wanted to do a film about the work of Sigmund Freud, but John Huston was working on "Freud" in Hollywood, so Marks suggest a story about a voyeuristic murderer as an alternative psychological thriller. Ultimately, the psychological dimensions of "Peeping Tom" outweigh the thriller elements and are what make this a noteworthy film.

"Peeping Tom" came out before "Psycho," and the comparisons are inevitable, although they seem as much the work of different times as of different directors. Part of it is that Powell is working in technicolor, with rich colors which work against the horror elements in the film. But we also have to take into account that Powell is not dealing with suspense as a key part of the equation and that there is nothing in "Peeping Tom" anywhere near the level of the shower scene in "Psycho." The key scene is the opening sequences, where we see Mark approach a prostitute on the street, his camera becomes the point of view for the audience, and we see the terror on this face of his first victim before she dies. Then, during the opening credits, we see Mark watching the film he has just shot. The film's opening sets up the rules for the game in this film and no doubt outraged the London film credits before the director's name appeared (shown over Mark's projector no less). Add to this the fact that Powell and his son played Mark's father and Mark as a child, and that probably outraged them more than the half naked women lounging around in display positions. Powell's leading man was the son of a noted Austrian conductor and Boehm's slight German accent probably afforded the critics the small confort that this twisted individual was not a proper English lad.

Since this is a Criterion Collection DVD the presentation of the film is done right, with a commentary track by film theorist Laura Mulvey who combines criticism of the film with the history of the film, cast, and crew. Serious film students will enjoy her insights and her comprehensive critique of the film as a true commentary on "Peeping Tom," and not the gay banter of actors and crew trying to come up with things to say that are so disappointing on so many commentary tracks. There is a theatrical trailer, whose tenor seems quite at odds with the film itself, a gallery of production stills, and a Channel 4 U.K. documentary "A Very British Psycho," which relates the controversy of the film and interviews screenwriter Leo Marks and the critics who bashed the film on its release in 1962. You cannot help but feel that while it was Michael Powell's directing career that was ended up this film, it was Marks who should have suffered more as the writer is at least as disturbing a personality as his fictional creation in the film. ... Read more

Description

London. The 60s. Two unemployed actors-acerbic, elegantly wasted Withnail (Richard E. Grant) and the anxiety-ridden "I" (Paul McGann)-drown their frustrations in booze, pills, and lighter fluid. When Withnail's Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths) offers his cottage, they escape the squalor of their flat for a week in the country. They soon realize they've gone on holiday by mistake when their wits-and friendship-are sorely tested by violent downpours, less-than-hospitable locals, and empty cupboards. An intelligent, superbly acted, and hilarious film, The Criterion Collection is proud to present Bruce Robinson's semi-autobiographical cult favorite in its complete and uncut version. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Cult Masterpiece!
Withnail and I is one of those movies that you'd either love or hate. Fortunately, there's a better chance of you falling in love with the film---and no wonder why, thanks to the characters and the great dialogue.
While it will resemble Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (including Marwood's living quarters, messy enough to rival Hunter S. Thompson's hotel suites!), the film itself is more about two drug addicts (and not to mention jobless actors) who gets away from the pessismistic atmosphere of London---and drugs---by moving into a cottage in that wonderful English countryside, where it's as cold as Greenland and as sunny as England can get (read: RAINY) in order to "rejuvenate". And as one can guess, what they really do is far from rejuvenation.
The cast themselves are excellent, from our anxiety-ridden narrator, Marwood, who frequently gets paranoid about things, to the main star of the film, Withnail, an alcholic with a tendency to say insulting things... as well as to recite a few lines of Hamlet, along with a bottle of booze, of course. Also of notable mention is Richard Griffiths, who plays the delightful role of Withnail's old-fashioned, homosexual uncle who lends to our to characters; and Ralph Brown, who plays drug dealer Danny---picture your stereotypical American "Dude", and then add in a British accent, holding the infamous "Camberwell Carrot", a collection of cigarettes rolled into one giant one!
A fascinating, exceptionally funny (in a British sense, of course!), and ultimately engaging, if unconventional, film, filled with outstanding perfomances, and great (if at times insulting, which makes it even greater) dialogue. A definite cult masterpiece, and thoroughly British, too.

One of my favourite films of all time
Criterion has done a wonderful job with this DVD release of WITHNAIL & I. The picture looks sharp, the sound is clear, and the extras are a lot of fun. The biggest difference for me was that the only video version of this film I owned was the full-screen version that contains numerous edits. Watching this film uncut for the first time in years really pointed out how much I had been missing with the video version. Getting this DVD is definitely worth the money.

The film itself is a joy to experience. While the plot cannot be accused of being overcomplicated, this simplicity is more than made up for in the wonderful characters and brilliant dialogue (virtually none of which can be quoted in an all-ages forum such as this). Loosely narrated by Paul McGann's "I" character, this film depicts a brief period in the life of two struggling actors as they attempt to find booze, drugs and jobs in the dying days of the 1960s. The movie covers a wide spectrum from some scenes featuring the funniest lines that you'll ever hear to small touching moments that are surprisingly moving. This is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good moviemaking.

Every character in the picture is superbly acted and written for. It's a testament to Bruce Robinson's directing skills that the characters compliment each other so well instead of clashing and overbearing the others as could so easily have happened. The secondary characters work as well as the leads and each one adds their unique flavour to the mixture. Robinson doesn't make the mistake of giving the smaller parts too much on-screen time and having them overstay their welcome. Each character says and does no more than they need to and leaves everyone wanting more.

Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann are perfectly cast in their roles. Each bile-covered insult roles off of Grant's tongue as if he'd been swearing at McGann all his life. It's amazing that Grant is a teetotaler in real life and was relying on pure skill for most of his inspiration. Excellent acting.

The documentary that is included on the DVD is 30 minutes long and quite excellent. There are interviews with Richard E. Grant (Withnail), Paul McGann (...& I), Bruce Robinson (writer/director), Ralph Brown (Danny) and a host of other people related to the production. It's a funny and enthralling look at the people and ideas behind the film. Just fast-forward through the trainspotters.

Enjoyably eccentric black comedy
Written and Directed by Bruce Robinson (who would later go on to make the Uma Thurman movie JENNIFER 8) WITHNAIL & I is a semi-autobiographical black comedy about two struggling actors in Camdenton London during the last months of the 60s. The future is looking rather bleak for Withnail (Richard E. Grant) and I (Paul McGann). Both are out of work and in the midst of drug and alcohol problems. After hitting rock bottom the pair decide to take a peaceful vacation in the country and plan on how to re-establish some direction in their lives before the new decade begins.
However their stay in the country turns out to be anything but tranquil when the boorish, self absorbed Withnail manages to bring out the hostilities of the locals. Both reduced to the status of village pariahs, the unwelcome duo find themselves confined to the tiny cottage where they are forced to burn their own furniture to stay warm, and literally shooting fish in order to survive.
Though the movie is a bit plodding and self-important at times; WITHNAIL & I is nonetheless an absorbing and well-acted low key cult item that is worth a look for curiosity's sake. (Not something I'll have to point out to those people have seen the movie more than a dozen times! I've only seen it once.) The highlight of the movie for me is the scene in which Withnail concocts a novel way to get let off a drink driving charge.
The movie was Produced by the late George Harrison, and Ringo Starr also appears in the credits as "Richard Starkey M.B.E". Sadly, the DVD I watched didn't have any bonus features.

GETINTHEBACKOFTHEVAN!!!
I dunno, folks - you just gotta love England, eh? LOL...

Great Drinking movie for Monty Python Fans
If you like dry English humor, as I do, you will LOVE this flick. Great movie to drink to you ponce. If you draw a Queen at Uncle Monty's you're doomed. See it, it's great. Also, it's produced by the Dark Horse himself! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Very Likeable 70's Movie
Two of the most likeable and enduring actors of the 1970's, Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston, teamed up for this 1975 gem. They play a pair of modern day, small-time cattle rustlers. The film is mostly a comedy and mostly a character study, although the plot is quite funny also. The rancher from whom they rustle cattle is quite befuddled and hires Slim Pickens to solve the case. This is the kind of overlooked 1970's movie that has become a bit of a cult classic but deserves greater recognition.

Bridges and Waterston also had roles in the disaster "Heaven's Gate," but fans of the actors would be much better off checking out "Rancho Deluxe." Fans of Jimmy Buffet should appreciate his music in the film; he also appears as a singer in a bar scene. This film is also the last good one from director Frank Perry. Before this movie, he directed "David and Lisa," "The Swimmer," and "Last Summer." He later bombed with duds such as "Hello Again" and "Mommie Dearest." A very good, enjoyable movie that 70's film buffs should check out.

Amazing, but you need a very dry sense of humor.
How can I describe this movie in a nut shell? Odd and dated but with a very good heart- and dry dry dry!

It is a pseudo-western, featuring actors who would now be too "good" for a small cultish movie like this one. Can you picture a Law & Order T.V. star in this?? This could be viewed as a great piece of 70's era B movie making with slumming A list actors. Or how about one of Jimmy Buffet's first appearances in popular culture- a must see for parrot heads!

Listen for the one liners from Cecil (Sam Waterson), they could definately enter into your movie quote lexicon. Also, if you know any cowboys, watch it with them and check out their reaction to Cecil's Father's monolouge about the disease of "pickup truck debt" for which there is still "no cure in sight".

Not likley to please everyone, this movie is for people with a twisted sense of humor but if you like stuff like Space Ghost you will love.

Ramblin' Around Big Sky
A quirky look at stereotypical (although not too far fetched) characters around Livingston, Bozeman and Paradise Valley before the onset of present day contemporary "Californication". Looking for a way to "keep awake", Jeff McKee (Jeff Bridges), a bored rich kid from the east who has run away from a looney girlfriend, and Cecil Colson (Sam Waterston), a local Indian drifter, take up together as chainsaw rustlers looking to make a few bucks to put down on their own spread, Rancho Deluxe. In the process, they prey upon a local cattle baron (Clifton James) and his flurtatious wife (Elizabeth Ashley), recent transplants with lots of loose cash and plans to be the next cattle king of Montana. After some steer tossing and bull-napping for beef and front money, the rustlers plan the big one with some inside help only to get knabbed in the end by the hired regulator (Slim Pickens) and his mischevious niece (Charlene Dallas).
Jimmy Buffett's lively score and the scenery (natural and man made) contributes to the mistique and rough edge of the wild good old times.
Rancho Deluxe struck a nerve of interest when it was initially released and the film reached cult status in Montana. The phenomena might be partially attributed to the perception many young Montanans had at the time of being rather disconnected from the rest of the country (not that that was necessarily a bad thing). The film helped open up Montana to Hollywood movie makers who soon followed to make Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974) and The Missouri Breaks (1977). Big Sky Country would never be the same, what a shame.

A Bad 70's "Western"
Encouraged by many positive reviews, I purchased this DVD for viewing at a "movie nite" with a group of friends. Unfortunately, the film was a great disappointment - one of the least entertaining films I have seen, and often painful to watch. Even Slim Pickins couldnt save this artifact of the 70's. None of us found this film funny, and it is perhaps the only film in recent memory that was so awful and dated that I found myself hoping it would just hurry up and end starting painfully early-on in the film. Viewed on a 10' home theater screen, the video quality was only fair at best. Audio quality is similary only fair, and despite my like of Jimmy Buffet, his music did not make this film more tolerable.

RENT IT
It is interesting for the first 45 minutes but after that the plot dies. I did enjoy watching it so I gave it a honest 3 stars but I don't want to watch it again. The ending ruined the movie for me. People totally overrated this movie so I bought it. I waisted my money but it was not a total loss. I made note of their names and I will never trust their judgement again because I know they are insipid. ... Read more

Reviews (79)

Definitely worth seeing. Worth owning? Questionable.
Dustin Hoffman is a living legend. You can read any of the other excellent reviews here to get a good idea of what the movie is about, so instead I'm going to give you 'the truth as I see it' about why you should see this movie.
Obviously, Dustin Hoffman plays the role of David wonderfully. Susan George does a good job, although it would have been nice for this intended town hottie to have a pretty smile along with her pretty physique. But I guess that's the catch 22 in selecting a British cast, especially from that day and age.
The controversial rape scene in this movie, is almost paralyzingly disturbing. (Yes, paralyzingly...I don't care if it's not a word.) It's disgusting really. It was also very confusing for me, because of the fact that she was saying no, but the viewer actually does get the impression that she doesn't mean no. She kisses her 'rapist' and pulls him closer, and she invites him in in the first place, and then tells him not to leave. A very awkward occurrence. When the second guy rapes her, we understand clearly that she does not want him, but still she seems to have some strange bond with the first guy (apparently and ex-boyfriend or something) as they have a sort of strangely mutually understanding chemistry throughout the movie. This was one of the most disturbing scenes in any movie I've seen recently. It doesn't help that all the while we get up close facial expressions from her, showing a sense of horror and disgust, but at the same time thrilling satisfaction.
Basically, she gives in very easily when there is any sense of punishment as a consequence of resistance. She is trapped in a kind of school-girl mentality, playing childish pranks and teasing the men by showing her breasts and underwear to them. I'm guessing this is related to the way she was treated when she was that age. David, on the other hand, is a controlled, maturing man, trying to focus on his work. He doesn't give in so easily, and although some have said that he plays the role of mouse time and time again until he finally emerges as a 'real man' in the end of the movie, I personally feel that he is not the timid guy everyone thinks him to be, but rather that circumstance does not allow him to show his manliness (for example, when his wife brings in the bowl of milk with the beers). He is more confused than anything because he doesn't believe there is any real reason to confront the hooligans, until the execution of Kitty.
Anyway, like a lot of other people I was very confused by the ending. The implications of David defending his house, his wife, his honor, and his sense of manhood by protecting a man that actually was guilty of murder (albeit accidental), raise a whole other topic of discussion.
The violence, with the exception of the rape scene, is pretty tame according to today's standards, but the psychological horror is in full throttle here. This is a thinker's horror/suspense (not horror in the conventional sense of the word) movie.
The laughter of the crazy hooligan was really annoying to me. I'm sure many people will disagree with my views on the movie, but I think it's important to look at the movie for what it IS, as well as what it means.
I'm definitely glad to have seen this movie, and would highly recommend it, but I don't believe I'll be adding it to my collection. I might see it again one day, but movies this disturbing and confusing aren't usually on my list of favorite flicks to cuddle up to late at night.

PEACENIK HOFFMAN GOES BONKERS
In 1971 Sam Peckinpah's controversial STRAW DOGS was censored by the British Board of Film Classification. The cuts made it even more provocative than Peckinpah intended. Consequently, Straw Dogs was labeled by the media as an obscene, misogynistic piece of filmmaking. Regarding the uncut American version, even the esteemed Pauline Kael said it's "the first American film that is a fascist work of art."

"Straw Dogs" stands as one of Peckinpah's best, and a reminder of the ongoing struggle between an artist's freedom and suppression by the powers that be. But more than that, it's a brilliant and harrowing exploration of man's primitive animal nature and its implied, inherent violence.

The transfer's clean and sharp. Extras include an 80 minute look at Peckinpah's films and a new interview with Susan George, who talks about her daring, controversial performance of a woman who for a few brief moments seemed to enjoy being raped.

What does "Straw Dogs" mean? Is it from the saying: Behind every coward's eyes burn straw dogs? If so, what does that mean? What are "straw dogs"?

Another thing. Recently (of this writingt) Dustin Hoffman has made a point of speaking out about certain military operations to free brutalized, oppressed people. Personally, I'd rather not know what an actor thinks and feels about politics. However, in "Straw Dogs" Hoffman shows what it takes to fight evil aggression. His screen performance will outlive his words.

Recommended.

HORRIBLE!!!
I agree with another reviewer in that you'll either love this or hate it. But I think most people will hate it. (Note: I have nothing against violence in films, and I liked the Kill Bill movies.) The main problem here is that almost every character in this film is utterly unlikable, and terrible things happen to the two characters who are likeable. But even that wouldn't be so bad, if the film had a message.

Dustin Hoffman's character is a whiney, wimpy, and mean spirited person who, when he finally decides to act, he does so for all of the wrong reasons & defends the wrong person. I end up hating him MORE than the bad guys.
I rank this as the most unwatchable movie I have ever seen, even below "Short Cuts".
However, if you liked "Short Cuts", you'd probably like this, and vice versa.

A Remarkable Film Which Stands the Test of Time.
This is a really interesting film on many levels. It's not perfect; but, few works of modern art are. Nevertheless, this work stands the test of time. Firstly, one of the most remarkable things about this film is the absolutely Hitchcockian editing, which is remotely primitivistic, but strangely compelling: the editing engenders a peculiar ambience to the film right from the beginning brawl scene in the pub. Then, from the denoument sequence--which begins with the equally primitive church function and runs through to the climax and epilogue--the editing is nothing less than fine art. Secondly, the sets of the pub and the farm house are very convincing and interesting in their own right: there's plenty to look at. Also, the outdoor scenes with the ocean in background and the Cornish village all have the verisimilitude of realism. Thirdly, the soundtrack is not at all bad. Fourthly, the acting is good: of course, Hoffman is nothing less than brilliant; Peter Vaughn is excellent as the burly boorish Englishman; and Susan George isn't bad: she begins weak, but by the middle of the film she's quite okay, and from the denoument mentioned above, she's fine. Also, David Warner as the half-witted cripple is excellent--though not given notice in the credits. Lastly, the story is fairly well formed and possibly