Reviews (292)

Truly a cult classic!!!!!!!!!
When I first saw this film it scared the Hell outa me. George A Remero is a genuis. this film spawned a new genre of horror movies like "Halloween," and The "Evil Dead" series. This film is definately the best horror movie of all time. Although Black and White films are mostly corney and dull, this is one of those films that set the standards for future movies to come.
Anyway, A satalite from outerspace let out radiation from the planet Venus and is causing the dead to walk. Barbara (Judth O'dea) and her brother Johnny (Russel Streiner) go to visit a deseaced family member to pay respects.
Barbara and Johnny were attacked by the famous cemetary ghoul (Bill Heinzman). Barbara Escapes to the car and makes it to a nearby farmhouse only to meet her hero Ben (Duane Jones) who helps her through this incredible ordeal. later they find out five people are in the basement hiding out. Ben and the others must come together to defeat these terrible flesheating creatures outside. This is my favorite film of all time and I defenitally recommend it. I give it two thumbs up. I also liked the remake in 1990 by Tom Savini. He did an exellent job of bringing back the characters although it was missing the erie atmosphere the original had. Savini's good, but he'll never be a George Remero.

The original is always best!!!!!!!!!
Night of the living Dead is the best horror movie picture of all time in my eyes. I give it 5 stars for its creepy soundtrack and its great one of a kind feel. It starts with Barbara(Judith O'dea) and her brother Johnny going to visit thier mothers grave to pay thier respects, when all of a sudden "Ther're comming to get you Barbara" says Johnny just fooling around. and it actually turns out to be the creepiest Zombie of the film. Anyway Johnny gets what was coming to him and Barbara gets away and runs to a nearby farmhouse where Ben(Duane Jones)helps board down the doors and windows to keep the flesh eaters out. later on they find out there were five people in the basement hiding. The whole plot is seven people in an isolated farmhouse trying to stay out of reach of the flesh eating ghouls outside the house for the night. The film that started the best and coolest Dead series of all-time, thanks to George A. Remero.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
BY FAR THE ABSOLUTE BEST ZOMBIE MOVIE EVER!!! BEING IN BLACK AND WHITE ONLY MAKES THIS CLASSIC SCARIER.THE MOOD OF THIS FILM IS INCREDIBLE. JUDITH ODEA DESERVES AN AWARD FOR HER ACTING!!SHE GAVE AN EXTREMELY CONVINCING PERFORMANCE.NOT VERY GORY BUT DEFINITELY SCARY!!!!THE SOUNDTRACK IS AWESOME AND IS A BIG PART OF WHY THIS FILM IS SO FRIGHTENING.A DEFINITE TRUE HORROR MOVIE THAT SHOULD BE SEEN AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE OR MANY, MANY TIMES LIKE MYSELF.A+++++ ALL AROUND!!!! GET THIS MOVIE.

Piece of Crap.
Another terrible movie from that terrible Director George A. Romero. This time, there are only about twenty zombies waiting outside.

The zombies in this look better than those in Dawn of the Dead (1978)but are still very boring and unrealistic. Like i've said before, zombies wouldn't be able to move without certain orgains opertating properly in their bodies. Another thing I have just discovered is the fact that if the heart and lungs were operating and moving the body, then the rest of the organs in the body would be recieving blood, so they would be operating too. Meaning the body would be alive. ALIVE!!!!

The story is terrible. A group of people seek shelter in some house and, for some reason, are afraid to leave. There are about 15-20 zombies waiting outside. Why don't they just brake in the house? Because the man sets a chair on fire and throws it outside. Wait a minute. Why are they afraid of fire? They're dead. They don't know what fire is and they don't get hurt by the flames. Why does it scare them so? Romero never answered that question. It sounds to me like Romero just needed an answer.

Another question not answered. Why are zombies walking around the earth? They put out the idea of radiation from Venus, but never confirmed it. In Dawn of the Dead (1978) they said that there was a possibility of a viral outbreak. So , they still haven't found the answer. I wonder when Romero will tell the answer. If Romero doesn't need to answer the question, why does James Gunn's and Zack Snyder's obviousley superior version of Dawn need an explanation. They set out the idea of a virus, just like the original Dawn. Who knows? It sounds to me like the people are just trying find away to make an argument between which version of Dawn was better. The answer to that is obvious. The new Dawn.

The acting is terrible. I know it was low-budget, but you could get better women performances from the lady serving you at the resteraunt. The women in the movie were just terrible. The men were good, but the women were terrible. I couldn't stand them.

This is a comedy that was poorly done. It wasn't very funny and...What? It's not a comedy? It looked like a comedy. It wasn't scary, or entertaining as a matter of fact. I thought they were trying to be funny. The way the zombies acted, the acting, the lines, the pathetic attempt to gas up the truck. I thought this was supposed to be a comedy.

This is a terrible movie and a terrible DVD. I think it's about time George Romero died. He's just not a good director.

Thank god they fired him from Resident Evil. I can't stand thinking of the name. George A. Romero's Resident Evil. It's the George A. Romero's part that I don't like. Paul Anderson did a better job than Romero would have ever done.

A Classic That Worms Its Way Into Your Dreams
"Night of the Living Dead" is a classic that worms its way into your dreams. Truly amazing stuff. Back when Romero and Russo wrote and films this, they did not yet realize they were created a whole new subgenre of horror. Much as I like the remake, the undead are creepiest in the shadows of black and white film.

I'm writing to respond to one reviewer's nitpick and another reviewer's well-intentioned mistake. Complaining that most of it is in mono is like complaining that it's in black and white. That's how the original was made, plain and simple. Another reviewer complained about how horrible the version with added footage is. That individual is right about that version, but that's the 30th Anniversary Edition and NOT the Millenium Edition. The 30th Anniversary Edition with added scenes and weird, distracting music is too horrible for words, and not even in a "Plan 9 From Outer Space" so-bad-it's-funny way. The Millenium Edition is simply an official DVD made from a cleaned up print, with extras like the interviews. If you want to see the real "Night of the Living Dead" and get some cool extras for your money, this is the way to go. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Lust, sex, deception and the old South
This fairly erotic movie features strong performances by Sherilyn Fenn, who displays quite a bit of skin in the movie, Louise Fletcher, the late Burl Ives, and a surprisingly not bad looking Kristy McNichol, in a tale of lust, sex, and the old South.
Without giving the plot away, Fenn is a girl who can't say no to an all teeth, tanned, and long haired carnival worker; befor she marries into an upper class Southern families (or better to say merges the two families). (And she has the nerve to wear white!) Her grandmother and the local sheriff and friend of the family (Ives)have other ideas. There is a fairly hot dancing sequence with Fenn and McNichol (who definitely left any traces of her character on "Family" behind, exposing a little skin of her own; though she's clearly overmatched, bodywise, by Fenn). Not a bad movie, I wonder how the sequel will be.

An erotic story for women
I went to see this film in a movie theater when it was released. A man in the audieance yelled out "What is the point of this?" during the movie. Honey, there is no point. Zalman King's movies typically are geared toward male sexual fantasies, but this film will appeal more to women. Sherilyn Fenn is gorgeous and Richard Tyson will have women drooling. This is what porn should look like, from a woman's point of view. Every woman friend that I know that has seen this has liked it. The plot is questionable, like plots are in a lot of Zalman King's films, but it is erotic and steamy visually. Check out "Red Shoe Diaries" & "Delta of Venus" for more hot and sexually charged visuals.

Chick Flick Indeed
OK. So it's either a masterpiece or cheesy soft porn. This is still one of the best chick flicks to see after a break-up. I own it now and watched it for the first time while in a long-term relationship. It still works. The cinematography is beautiful, the costumes are white and the story is timeless. What woman wouldn't want to cross over to the dark side if she can encounter someone like Richard Tyson? Yum! Besides, men can appreciate Sherilyn Fenn and women can see the full monty, although not Tyson's. Order a pizza, pour a diet Coke or Pepsi, invite your female friends and just enjoy.

hardly worth it
I picked this film up after seeing Fenn in Kiss of the Beast. The love-making and overall acting of this one are both very weak! It's basically a cheesy romance novel with no heat. They need to make Kiss of the Beast into a DVD version. That film is much better!

about the movie two moon junction.......
This movie is basically about the actress whom at first gouing to marry someone but got 'intimated' with another man whom work in the fun park(something like knots Berry farm) and then he switched job top become a dish washer after he went to the actress home to bathe without her consent to enter the house. The story ends with him almost killed by 'rangers' during the time when the actress is about the get married(excution plan ordered by the actress family members). The last part shows that she in the end went to the actor's place to bathe and this concludes the story. There are two sex scenes in this movie as I've seen the Malaysian bootleg version DVD9(as good as code 1's clarity) after my friend brought back from there. For those whom are interested in this genre of movie by Zalman King....recommended purchase...... ... Read more

Reviews (30)

wonderful.
This is a movie everyone should see. I know that everyone always writes that, but I really mean it. I've never seen another movie like it in my whole life. there's something hauntingly, charmingly true about it. The story is set in 1918, in a small french town that has been evacuated because there's a bomb hidden. A scottish soldier is sent in to disable it, but he doesn't know where it's hidden or when it's going to go off. Accidentally freeing all the inmates of the insane asylum who've been left (by the fleeing townspeople) in the town, the soldier finds himself stuck among them, trying to convince them to leave, but having no luck. the inmates are irresistibly lovable, carefree, full of wisdom and completely free of all societal restraints. it's impossible not to fall in love with the world they create in the evacuated town. I think the movie is only made better by being in another language: reading the subtitles, you can imagine the characters saying the lines in any way that you want. French is such a beautiful language: that, combined with the unobtrusive music, makes for a film strangely silent and beautiful. It makes me cry. Please go watch it. It's definitely one of my favorites.

Enchanting fantasy; topical allegory; classic movie
A fairy tale set in a French town caught between the opposing armies of the First World War, "King of Hearts" has lost none of its beguiling charm in the 35 years since its original release, nor has its message grown stale. Alan Bates shines as Charles Plumpick, a simple private in a Scottish regiment and perhaps the only sane man in the abandoned town. But is his world of war and brutality really any saner than the make-believe world conjured up by the escaped inmates of the town lunatic asylum, the only residents Private Plumpick encounters during his reconaissance? It is a point of view that depends entirely on one's perspective. This whimsical, gentle tale challenges the watcher to reexamine what constitutes true madness, just as the asylum characters force Pvt. Plumpick, having been to his initial discomfort acclaimed as the King of Hearts, to choose which role he prefers: king of the fools or fool for King George V? Broca directs his own screenplay with a deft touch and using a stellar cast of mostly French actors. A very young Genevieve Bujold makes one of her earliest appearances in a major picture. The English subtitles aren't the best I've seen (and unlike the VHS version, are distractingly present even during English dialogue), but far better than the awful English-dubbed version of "King of Hearts" that is sometimes broadcast or sold. (The best subtitles I have ever seen were on a print that circulated around theatres during the 1970s and 1980s, but I've never seen this version used for home video.) The score by Georges Delerue is one of his best.

Quelle Surprise! This DVD version has, without fanfare, at least two entirely new scenes in the film that I have never seen before (and I first saw this in 1977). The first is a lengthier "homily" by Monseigneur Marguerite (aka Bishop Daisy) in the church before Charles' coronation. But the real grabber is an added scene at the very end of the movie that offers a parting glance at the primary players and a final bittersweet twist. Where on earth did this footage come from, and why has it been missing from this film for so long? Does this DVD version offer a "better" ending than the familiar one? It's debateable. But it's certainly intriguing.

Best Ending Ever!
This movie has the very best ending ever. I'd like to see someone try and find a more surprising, happier, funnier ending than this one. The loonies are in town and they've found their king and my heart. This movie takes the bag. It's my father's very favorite movie and one of mine. I definitely recommend this movie.

A buck-naked skip with birdcage!
This gem should hit many different emotions for the avid viewer. A true parade of carnival characters set in an antiwar theme -- this bit of royalty of the heart brings up aTHE enigma: Is the difference between psychosis and psychic just a paper-thin line of cultural subjectivism? Is the lunacy of blowing up yet another vacant city on the path to glory any different that skipping naked down a path with a birdcage in one's hand?

This film started the boomers reading subtitles and (hopefully) brought them out of their fears of foreign film. (Don't get the dubbed version, it lacks so much charm.) Its popularity had a great deal to do with the country's mass-consciousness about the Viet Nam war; but I hope it would have found the same audience without such a catalyst.

One feels like dancing in a fountain and blowing bubbles on the back of a bus after seeing this great flick. Keep a kazoo handy; you'll want to have something to toot after the film is over and you are left to your organized sanity!

Better yet, follow it up with the 1972 release of "The Ruling Class" and have yourself a truly insane evening of jocularity.

Is there something extra on this DVD?
King of Hearts was, in my younger and more vulnerable years, one of my favorite movies, but I had not seen it in many years. In fact, I'd rather forgotten about it. Then I came across the DVD and bought it and watched it again. Still a great movie, but I was puzzled. My recollection was the final scene of the movie is Plumpick (Alan Bates) appearing at the gate of the asylum naked. Then the credits began (rather abruptly as I recollect). In the DVD, however, there is a short scene after this where Bates has joined the inmates and there is a brief exchange of dialog. I don't recall ever seeing this before, but maybe my memory is foggy. No one else seems to have mentioned this either in ... of IMDB, nor does the DVD tout a restored scene. Can anyone tell me if they recall this scene? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Along with Ken Loach (Poor Cow) and Mike Leigh (High Hopes), Alan Clarke was one of Britain's leading television and film producer-directors in the 1970s and '80s, specializing in works of "social realism," i.e., stories that resembled contemporary society and those who helped shape and/or were shaped by it. The Alan Clarke Collection, a six-disc boxed set encompassing most of Clarke's directed efforts (1986's Rita, Sue & Bob Too, probably his best-known film in the U.S., is not included, unfortunately) is not only an intense introduction to Clarke's concerns with institutional and private violence, but a chance to see phenomenal early performances by the likes of Tim Roth and Gary Oldman.

The son of a bricklayer who also spent some time as a laborer before studying acting and directing in Canada, Clarke (who died in 1990) got his start at the BBC in the 1960s. By 1977, he had directed his explosive and controversial television feature, Scum, starring Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) as a survivor at a corrupt and brutal juvenile prison. Harrowing, claustrophobic, and deeply tragic, Scum was banned by the BBC for graphic brutality (and, quite likely, criticism of the justice system), leading Clarke to remake it with Winstone and the same script as a 1979 theatrical release. Both versions are included in this set, and each is a unique experience. The earlier Scum is a lean, low-budget, relentlessly nightmarish drama while its second take is moodier, slower, and intermittently shocking.

Disc 3 contains the 1982 Made in Britain, featuring Roth in a brilliant film debut as a ferociously intelligent skinhead determined to rampage his way into oblivion. Written by David Leland (writer-director of The Land Girls), Made in Britain ingeniously turns Roth's character, Trevor, into a sympathetic if irredeemable monster who rejects every effort to force him into Thatcher-era conformity. Disc 4 includes two of Clarke's most interesting films and, at least in this set, the best evidence of a surrealist streak often noted by his contemporaries. The 1998 The Firm stars Gary Oldman in a dazzling performance as a London realtor, Bex, whose hobby is soccer hooliganism. Surrounded by other middle-class mates with nice cars, homes, and families, Bex is essentially a gang ringleader who exchanges violent hostilities with another gang of even better-dressed, better-spoken London soccer fans. Clarke's images of grown men, with lives of real responsibility, beating each other's brains in is too bizarre to shake off. From the same year is Clarke's short, Elephant, in which a wordless series of vignettes about shootings take on a ritual, almost musical, form. The final disc offers a fine, 1991 documentary about Clarke that helps place his films into a personal and stylistic context. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (126)

One of the Best Werewolves films in a long time.
When two Oddball sisters named Brigette (Emily Perkins) and Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) are obessed with death. When the both of them are planning to play a cruel prank on one of thier classmates. On that night, Ginger is attack and gets bitten by a Werewolf. Rapidly Ginger wounds are fixen but she`s turning into one slowly and her hormoans are up the roof, because of the curse. Clever black comedy with Horror Elements. Filmed in Canada. Mimi Rogers is funny and well cast as thier over-protective mother. Perkins and Isabelle gives fine performance in this one of a kind werewolf film since An American Werewolf in London. DVD`s has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer with an fine Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. But This DVD is from Canada.

It`s from Columbia/Tri-Star/TVA International/Lions Gate Home Video/Unapix Entertainiment. DVD is Digitally Mastered for Anamorphic Video and Sound.-Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) Aspect Ratio Transfer.-English:Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound. French:Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound. Scene Selections. No Subtitles for English, French or Spanish and No Closed Captioned. DVD is Packed with Extras as:An running commentary track by Director:John Fawcett. An running commentary track by Writer:Karen Walton. Deleted Scenes with/without separate commentary tracks by Fawcett and Walton. Featurette.Cast & Crew Information.Theatrical Trailers & T.V. Spots. Behind the Scenes on Designing the Werewolf.Screen Test & Rehearsals.Production Design Artwork:Bailey Downs, Illustrations and Logos magazine covers. Hidden Feature. This film recieve Three Genie Awards nominations, including:Best Cinematography-Thom Best, Best Editing-Brett Sullivan and Best Sound Editing. Walton recieve an Prize for Best Original Screenplay at the Canadian Comedy Award. Do not miss this wonderful flick. Grade:A-.

Another Interesting Twist On The Werewolf Legacy...
"Ginger Snaps" is a suprise sleeper. Like "The Company Of Wolves", this film deals with the aspects of puberty and the metamorphosis of a girl... becoming a woman. Sure there's a werewolf storyline here, but the heart of the movie comes from the relationship between the two sisters, Brigett and Ginger. Without these intimate characters, this could have been just a campy low budget movie. There is a bit of campiness to the film, but it doesn't overshadow the plot. The effects are low budget, so don't expect "An American Werewolf In London" Rick Baker wizardry here. But you should expect an enteraining horror film with characters you care about. Katharine Isabelle (Ginger) and Emily Perkins (Brigette) are fantastic and hopefully have promising film careers ahead of them. Heads Up: There is a Canadian DVD version of this film that offers a Widescreen Format and loads of extras (including some great and crucial deleted scenes)

One of the best!
This is one of the BEST werewolf films EVER made. It's "curse" is brilliant, its about a girl just reaching "womanhood" let alone "werewolfhood". The film taps both in a brilliant way. However I would suggest trying to find the canadian version on ebay etc as it is widescreen etc and has ALOT of bonus features not presented here.

GREAT WEREWOLF MOVIE
I remember coming across this DVD a few years ago in the horror section and thinking that it was just another teen movie. I later found out that it was a werewolf movie, which is one of my preferred themes in horror (there aren't that many good ones out there) and I therefore ended up watching it. IT BLEW ME AWAY!!! This is a great movie with all the right elements: great story, great effects, a lot of blood for those who like gore and good acting. If you're a fan of horror and especially werewolves, DO NOT miss this movie.
If you decide to buy the movie instead of renting it, buy the special collector's (Canadian) edition. It includes a lot of extra features that are not available on the regular edition. Ginger Snaps II is also available on DVD and is just as great as this movie. Ginger Snaps III (aka Ginger Snaps Back or Ginger Snaps: The Beginning) is being released on DVD in Canada in August 2004 and in US in September.

I was shocked at how good this was!
I saw part 2 sitting in the rental section and laughed and thought it was going to be a horrible movie, so I didn't pick it up...even though I love B movies. But I came to Amazon to look at some customer reviews of part 1 and part 2. To my surprise there were great reviews of the movies. So..I said to hell with it and bought this movie from Amazon. A few days later it shows up and I throw it in the DVD player and me and 4 of my buddies started to watch it. All of us got a kick out of this movie (even though we didn't like the ending that much). The beatdown on the school field was classic to us guys and we had to rewind it twice to watch it..lol. This aint your typical Werewolf movie, which is a good thing! If you are a fan of renting those movies that aren't block buster hits...'B' movies...then you owe it to yourself to pick this movie up. I'm 100% satisfied I bought it and now I'm waiting on part 2 to show up in the mail! ... Read more

Reviews (291)

'The Rocky Horror Show' Movie
There is one reason why everyone should see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show": it is the best cult film ever made. There are also three reasons why everyone should want to watch it: 1) It is one of the only 'R' rated musicals in existence. 2) It has strong science-fiction overtones. 3) It is very funny. The movie starts Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon (before they were stars) as the recently engaged Brad and Janet. However, they are upstaged in nearly every scene by Tim Curry who plays Frank N. Furter, the mad doctor. The cast delightfully performs many memorable songs including "Over at the Frankenstein Place" and, of course, the "Time Warp". To fully enjoy RHPS, one must not be closed minded or the picture could prove to be quite offensive. Don't think it's gratuitously violent- it isn't. Merely, the situations the characters find themselves in could shock or appall overly sensitive viewers. If you think you won't enjoy RHPS, going to a midnight screening might be your best bet. The live audience participation will guarantee you a good time, despite your opinion of the actual film. So overall, RHPS is quite a good adaptation of Richard O'Brien's original concept, which always honors its roots on the stage.

DVD = Perfect format to truly experience "Rocky" at home
I loved going to "Rocky Horror" when I was in college, but watching on home video just wasn't the same. I'm probably committing heresy but there's a reason why this sci-fi, horror, B-movie satire, rock musical didn't really make it big until theaters started showing it as a midnight movie and fans started attending in costume and talking back to the screen. The 25th anniversary DVD, with several audience participation options, really is the next best thing to being there.

For the uninitiated, "Rocky Horror" tells the story of two clean-cut American youths, uptight Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick of "Spin City") and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon of "Dead Man Walking") whose car breaks down on a dark, deserted road in the middle of a storm--the classic beginning to many horror movies--and who seek help at a nearby castle. Castles, as Rocky fans know, don't have phones! What this castle has instead is a cross-dressing mad scientist Frank-N-Furter Tim Curry, in perhaps his finest performance), two very creepy servants, Riff-Raff (Richard O'Brien, who wrote the musical) and Magenta (Patricia Quinn), and various other hangers-on, including lovers Columbia (Little Nell) and biker Eddie (Meat Loaf). Brad and Janet walk in on a party celebrating the creation of Frank-N-Furter's muscle-bound boy-toy "Rocky." Bed-hopping chaos soon ensues, until the servants reveal their true identities and take control.

Punctuating this wacky plot are some of the wildest rock-musical songs ever written. In addition to the classic "Time Warp," there's O'Brien's salute to cult-classic B-movies, "Science Fiction Double Feature," Meat Loaf's "Hot Patootie," and Sarandon ode to sexual self-discovery, "Toucha Toucha Touch Me!"

So much for the "Rocky virgin" portion of the review... What makes the DVD so exceptional is the chance to experience "Rocky Horror" at home nearly like you would in the theater. The DVD has the option of turning on the audience screen comments as well as another option for viewing members of the Rocky Horror Fan Club performing select scenes before returning to the main movie. For those less familiar with audience participation, the DVD can prompt when to throw toast, toilet paper, rice, etc., light a match, put your newspaper on your head, etc.

The second disc contains fascinating interviews with cast members, where fans can find out about their reaction to starring in this cult classic. Meat Loaf's description of not realizing what "Rocky Horror" was going to be about and running out of the theater when Tim Curry entered wearing fishnet stockings, spiked heels, a merry widow, and a leather jacket and singing "Sweet Transvestite" is hysterical. Patricia Quinn talks about how her fondness for the opening song, "Science Fiction Double Feature" made her want to take the role even though she hadn't read the rest of the script. What? Don't remember Quinn singing that number? In the stage versions she did, but the song got reassigned in the film version--and Quinn makes her feelings about that QUITE clear. Sarandon makes the interesting observation that "Rocky Horror" probably kept a lot of art house theaters in business over the years, since they could count on good revenue from the midnight movie, even if the latest regular-hours offering flopped. In Bostwick's interview, however, the actor sounds a bit like William Shatner giving his anti-Trekkie diatribe on "Saturday Night Live."

The only disappointments on the DVD are that the outtakes really aren't that interesting and actor bios aren't provided. I would have liked to see what else the "minor" cast members did after Rocky, but that information is limited to a few lines in the companion booklet. Also, some of the audience-participation comments are nearly impossible to understand because fans are talking over each other. But then that's part of the modern-day theater experience. Even Sarandon noted in her interview that talking back to the screen has gone from the more unison catechism approach to a loud free-for-all.

What seemed so risqué and shocking a few decades ago seems much more innocent today, but it was great when it all began and it's still great! If you've never ventured into the theater to experience "Rocky Horror," this is the best way to experience it at home.

Mesmerizing film.
This is a very outrageous movie. The rock is the background to tell us a horror movie but also spiced with sex , ransvestism and above all a splendid tribute to the movies specially King Kong .
One couple strands in an old house full of weirdos . This movie (here between you and me)could have inspired for Tim Burton in Beetle juice .
In this decade there were great visuals films too . Sherman built a magnificent story absolutely free , intelligent and sarcastic, irreverent and bitter . You might state that Fellini's influence (dressed of english manners and clothes) is present all along the film .
Inmediatly after its release this one acquired the status of cult movie.

The original is still the best!
Don't bother with the play, or the music from the play. The original is still the best. Nobody can fill the shoes of Sarandon, Curry, etc. They originated the roles and have been associated with them for far too long for anyone else to come in try to change them so many years later and attempt to redo them. Stay with the best.

Those Gold Shorts!
Ahhhhh...Rocky had such a lovely outline showing in his gold lame shorts. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Get your cheese right cheer!
Ahhh,the good ole days of 80's exploitation films;gratuitous nudity,lots of lingerie,lesbian overtones,tons of bleached blond cuties with mile high hair.It all comes together in this absurd spoof of bad girls in prison.The movie never pretends to be anything more than what it is,which is a total goofoff.From the cruel,grotesque,300lb whopper head guard(Pat Ast)who delights in torturing the helpless girls to the androgynous S&M inclined warden;to the 35 year old teenager(Wendy Williams);to the good girl who made a mistake and landed in the slammer(Linda Carol)this flick has more cliches than you can count.But the cliches are apparent early so that an annoying plot line doesn't distract you from checking out all the cleavage and barely there outfits.The film even includes a branding scene in a bathroom and of course,wrestling and fights.For those who can take this type of cinema for what it is it will definitely prove delightful.

A definite women prison of the 80's!
At first, this movie was very forced and contrived, but cameo actress and Andy Warhol film graduate, Pat Ast,(who I first spotted in a Motley Crue video "Smokin' in the Boys Room"; whose character in the movie is very similar), really gets the film off the ground with her terrifying performance that is cold and evil! It also features rocker Wendy O' Williams who committed suicide years later as a lesbian tormenting her cell mates. Linda Carol plays an innocent teenager sent to prison, Sybil Danning from the motion picture "Chained Heat" plays a bitchy warden. The movie heats up towards the end, which all action fans would enjoy if they start falling asleep half way through. I liked this movie, the only thing I didn't like about this is when Pat Ast crushes a kitten to death - Yuck!!! Linda Carol starred in an awful, soft- core porn dud "Carnal Crimes", which went straight to video; she was better in this one.

The benchmark for women in prison films.
As a serious women in prison film collector, I can state that no other film than 'reform school girls' better epitomizes what the genre is about more completely.
It has all the humorous elements one would expect in a such a film; the wicked wardeness, the bad butch girls, the helpless girl, the kitten stomp, shower scenes, fights, brandings, DDT delousing and did I mention shower scenes? Where do girls in a juvenile facility get all that fancy langerie anyway?
Wendy O'Willimas puts in a convincing and moving performance as a wicked correctional official and seems to delight in her evil role. Sybil Danning makes an extended cameo that was mandatory for a film of this type in the 1980's.
Although it lacks the gladitorial competitions of 'Lust for Freedom' or the exploitative child birth scene of 'Bad Girls Dormitory', it is cheerful and builds up gradually to a frenzy of revolutionary fervor. This film will definitely not disappoint.
This is also a good film for those new to the genre and those who enjoy the excesses of the 80's.

Yow!
I watched this dvd last night and here are ten (10) observations:

1. This film is probably not going to inspire anyone to do anything. No one is going to say "Gee, seeing 'Reform School Girls' was the turning point in my life and that's why I'm so successful today." This is probably not likely, but who knows... Stranger things have happened.

2. There's not a lot to think about here. "Reform School Girls" is not exactly intellectually challenging. The best thing to do while watching this is to have a beer and maybe start doing the laundry.

3. The cover for the dvd shows Sybil Danning, but Wendy O. Williams got the top billing. I could care less about Sybil Danning. What I would have liked to see on the cover would have been Williams wearing shaving cream and electrical tape with a chain saw. That would have been a great cover.

4. Wendy O. Williams' acting ability was pretty one-dimensional, but that's okay because the film isn't supposed to make any sense anyway. I especially like the part where Williams gets on top of the runaway bus, because it absolutely made no sense at all.

5. The end title song, "It's My Life" was written by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. This is an example of how the ideas of Gene Simmons have systematically perverted the nature of our culture for years.

6. If you buy this dvd, watch the trailers first. They're funny.

7. The Commentary by director Tom DeSimone and humorist Martin Lewis is pretty good too.

8. If you're a Wendy O. Williams fan, this dvd is worth having. In the last part of the film, she basically goes nuts, and I think it's commendable that someone was able to capture that on film.

9. As spoof, "Reform School Girls" works pretty well, on a very simple level. Other than Williams, the characters really don't mean anything and the story could easily have been replaced with anything else about women in prison.

10. The bottom line is, "Reform School Girls" is a far more interesting and plausible story than "The English Patient".

Good babes!!
This movie it's really impressive, the girls are the most gorgeous I've ever seen in a female prison movie. Sybill Danning looks perfect, and Sherri Stonner with her babydoll face and innocence. The shower scenes are very gruesome. Unfortunately the medical check is short for a movie like this. But if you enjoy watching girls with few clothes and nice bodies, this is your film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the more controversial episodes in the long history of the BBC'sDoctor Who series, this 1989 three-part story starring seventhDoctor Sylvester McCoy has generated an equal amount of praise andbrickbats for its complex plot. In the serial, the Doctor and hiscompanion Ace (Sophie Aldred) travel to Victorian England, where theyencounter a scientist (Ian Hogg) whose research into evolution hideshis true identity as an alien determined to assassinate Queen Victoria.Platt's script is rich with dialogue and detail that for some fans,fleshes out the hidden pasts of the Doctor and especially Ace, whileothers consider it needlessly confusing, but wherever one's opinionfalls in regard to the script, Ghost Light stands out as one ofthe more atmospheric stories from the Sylvester McCoy period, withstrong performances by the cast (most notably, McCoy himself, who playsdown the humorous aspects of his portrayal) and direction by AlanWareing (his final turn for the series). --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Excruciating
Watching 'Ghost Light' after a few months immersed in the Tom Baker years (which are currently screening on Australian TV) is a revelatory experience ... and not a happy one.

I had never seen any of the later series of Doctor Who - I've watched all of the surviving episodes featuring the first four Doctors (some of them two or three times since first becoming a fan in the 70's).

So I guess I have an unusual perspective, like someone who went to sleep in the show's golden age and missed everything that came afterward.I decided to buy 'Ghost Light' largely on the strength of a favourable write-up in the Doctor Who 'Discontinuity Guide'.To see how far the program had deteriorated by 1989, however, is frankly shocking.The authors of the Guide obviously had time to gradually acclimatise to the Doctor's awful decline after Tom Baker.Otherwise, it's impossible to conceive of any reason for their liking this disaster.

The plot is just rubbish and the direction is risible.With a script and direction as bad as this, it's probably not entirely the fault of the actors that the whole thing takes on a kind of horrific fascination, like watching a school play go terribly wrong.Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor, however, is a constant embarrassment;his mannerisms and tics can't hide the fact that he hasn't remotely inhabited the part - and I think this was his third season in it!Sophie Aldred is just as bad - you feel even a non-speaking part would stretch her abilities, so the role of Doctor's sidekick is utterly beyond her.

Fortunately, for most of episode one you can't hear them anyway, as they're drowned out by the appalling score (which sounds like a cheesy organ from a game show), so it probably couldn't have been improved even if they'd cast Michael Gambon and Glenda Jackson in the roles.No wonder the series disappeared for so long!

I'll stick with the Tom Baker years, thanks, when the script writers actually had a story to tell.Even the worst of the Tom Baker years ('Power of Kroll' comes to mind) was far better than this.We're earnestly informed by various people in the 'extras' sections of the DVD that the plot really does make sense - but who would endure the whole dreadful mess again to test that assertion?

As for the names given to the characters - Light, Ace, Control - they appear to be symbolic of a pathetic attempt to shift the Doctor Who demographic from its traditional male base of anoraks, rail fans and bespectacled swots, to embrace the post-punk generation and get a few girls interested.That's presumably what the Ace character's ridiculously underwritten psycho-social issues (yawn) are there for.When the Doctor says 'wicked' at the close, you just cringe.

Even the show's humour has evaporated completely - the attempts at humour in this story are reduced to a series of pathetic puns, perhaps in part because McCoy doesn't have even a fraction of Tom Baker's authority, comic timing and delivery, though largely I think because the writer, Marc Platt, just didn't have a clue on any level.He might have usefully watched the better episodes of the 'Key to Time' series to work out how the balance was achieved.Instead, the script isunintentional farce from start to finish - but never amusing.

I realise it's all sixteen years ago and we should forgive them, but Marc Platt, Alan Wareing (director), Mark Ayres (music - and I use the term loosely) should have been turned into primordial soup themselves for their parts in this travesty.

Those who think I'm being too hard might want to watch, say, 'Pyramids of Mars' or 'Talons of Weng Chiang' (which used the Victorian settings to effect, instead of just as furniture for the actors to chew).Then try to watch 'Ghost Light' immediately afterward.You'll get the point.

This is True Doctor Who
Dont let those one star reviews fool you.What is so great about Doctor Who is that each new actor gives his own "expression" to the main title role.Each new Doctor has his own quirks, his own shadows, his own mystery about him.Think about it, there have been eight Doctors and that is wonderful.

While Tom Baker was a great Doctor, for example, he was only one of many Doctors.I have to give Sylvester McCoy a standing ovation.While I loved the Colin Baker stories, all of them, and I hated to see him end before he could truly shine, S MyCoy gives a new additive and a new dimension to the role of the Doctor.

The Doctor by now has returned to his mystery.Just who is the Doctor? Just what is the Doctor?Yes we think we know where he comes from, we think we know why he left his world.But do we?Do we indeed?That's what's so great about Sylvester.He's awesome as the Doctor.He's funny and yet he canbe almost terrifying at the same time.Think, for example, how comical he acts at first in the Greatest Show in the Galaxy, and yet suddenly he shows that he knows just what is happening and why.

Ghost Light is a wonderful additive to any and all Doctor Who collections.The story is rich, it is advanced.The story is haunting and so fast pace at times.While I dont agree with the Evolution lauding of the storyline (as a Christian I am a Creationist), as a fiction story, I love how it is produced in the story.

Good Science fiction with strong elements of reality!
I would have given it more stars if I could. This story makes you wonder why Ace is feeling so troubled. This show has a psychological element, which is hard to describe. Sort of like the movie "Panic Room", only better. I found myself so fascinated watching it, that I went back and viewed it several more times. There is something about this show that sort of defies explanation yet viewing it brings to light understanding.

Exit the Doctor
Ghost Light was the last Dr. Who produced at the BBC and ended 26 years of regular time travelling for the Doctor. If one was to describe the story in one word that word would be 'confusing'. The sets and guest cast are typically top notch for the BBC, however the plot appears to have gone missing in action.The direction is uneven and McCoy is not handled well. The viewer is left to piece together meaning from a few scaps of plot exposition. Ultimately the viewer is left unsatisfied although the story does leave behind some strong visual impressions.

A classic.
Watch this once, and you might not work it all out.But this really is video generation Dr Who, one of the most densely-plotted and sophisticated episodes ever made.Virtually every line of dialogue has some kind of significance or deeper meaning.McCoy's Doctor and Sophie Aldred's Ace continue to prove they are one of the strongest Doctor-and-companion duos in the series' history, the Doctor taking his unsuspecting sidekick back into Victorian Perivale to confront childhood demons.The Victorian house looks like it could have been designed for an expensive period drama, there are strong performances from all the cast, the soundtrack is one of the most moodily atmospheric ever written for the series.Well worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (222)

It is about time!! GREAT MOVIE
Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America" was released almost 20 years ago, and it is still one of my all time favorite films. The film spans over a period of 20 years. The characters - Max, Noodles, Cockeye, Patsy, and Fat Moe, all grew up in the violent immigrant ghetto of New York's lower east side. The tough streets forced the group of friends to grow up fast, which in turn forces them to fight their way to the top. All of them vow to stick together. The story fastforwards 20 years into the future where childhood friends Max ( James Woods) and Noodles (Robert De Niro) form a partnership to run a powerful crime organization along with the rest of their childhood buddies -Cockeye (William Forsythe), Patsy ( James Hayden), and Fat Moe(Larry Rapp). However as time passes, things start to spin out of control, and the partnership between Max and Noodles unravels in death and mystery...

"Once Upon a Time in America" utilizes the four basic traits of human nature - friendship, crime, love, and betrayal, to create one of the most dramatic and rich stories ever captured on screen. The entire cast - Robert De Niro, James Woods, William Forsythe, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams, Larry Rapp, James Hayden, Joe Pesci, and Danny Aiello were all unbelieveable and each helped to bring the story to life. However, the best performances given in my opinion were by the young actors that were chosen to play the characters as children. Their performances meant the most to the film, because that was the age when the tragic pattern of the characters lives were set. This film marked the first time appearance of Jennifer Connely, and even then at the age of 14, you could tell that she was a fantastic actress. Sergio Leone drew inspiration from the New York ghetto photographs of Jacob Riis. The authenticity that the photos provided to the settings was absolutely outstanding, and were the film's best feature.

The actors, well developed story, and stunning authenticity really provide for a wonderful film. "Once Upon A Time in America" offers a look at the dark side of the American dream that you can watch time and time again. Not to mention the fact, that this film finally came out on DVD!! If there was ever a film that deserved the special treatment of a DVD, it was this one. The movie is finally available with the best picture and sound quality available and we don't have to sit through the grainy picture of a videocasette either. This 2 Disc DVD set truly is a must buy!!

Great Film,VERY Dissapointing DVD!!!!
Sergio Leone's final masterpiece ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA is by far a unique and amazing piece of filmmaking by one of the cinema's greatest Italian directors since Fellini and De Sica.The story involves a ruthless gangster David 'Noodles' Aronson (played brilliantly by Robert DeNiro) who ends up fleeding away from his friends in the 1940's and returns back to them in the late '60's through many years of hardships as young kids growing up on the wrong side of the tracks to being successful in crime during the prohibition era of the '30's.Prior to its original U.S. release in 1984,this film recieved many great reviews and audience praise when it was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and The New York Film Festival.The film's distributor,Warner Bros/The Ladd Company,uncerimoniously cut out 90 minutes out of the original running time fearing that the movie would run too long and that they wouldn't get as many showings in a single day.The edited version totally changes the complete story continuity of the original film and therefore isn't even as good to watch ,even if you have already seen the longer version.In fact,this edited version of the movie has already been shown once on cable network television on the TNN network (now called SPIKE TV) in April,2003 and believe me,it isn't even worth watching! Warner's 2-disc Special Edition of the film is perhaps,in my opinion,one of the worst special edition DVD's I have ever purchased so far!!! Although the film is presented in its original 229-minute uncut version and in a beautifully preserved 1:85.1 aspect ratio,Disc one innapropriately stops in the middle of the Diamond Robbery scene,even though the disc jacket says it ends directly at the intermission title card!! But on Disc two,the intermission takes place nearly ten chapters into the second disc!! What a real travesty!!! Plus,there are no really great bonus features other than a terrific audio commentary by film critic/historian Richard Schickel,trailer,an excerpt from the hour-long documentary "Once Upon A Time:Sergio Leone" on the making of the film itself,and nothing else!!! However,the movie appears on HBO from time to time and is actually the same version that's on the DVD in which this version includes the Ladd Company credits and no intermission title card!!! I taped that version not too long ago and trust me,it's a lot better than this DVD mess,plus,I got the entire movie on one tape!!! Tape this longer version off of HBO and you won't be dissapointed and enjoy and appreciate this true masterpiece of Sergio Leone in its entirety!! Warner Bros could've done a lot better and nicer job on this DVD,but thankfully learned their lesson with better-selling DVD's after this fiasco!!!

be warned.........
If you're like me and you are thinking of buying this film because it's a Deniro/gangster movie, think twice. Despite some of reviews, this is NOT a materpiece. It is true that the cinematography is brilliant and the production design is top-notch. It is a very authentic-looking, well-made made film. However, those things do not make a masterpiece. The story is so convoluted and moves at such a glacial pace you lose interest. The climactic scene is anything but climactic. Nothing happens. Literally. Deniro and Woods' characters have a conversation and just walk away. Whatever emotional impact thier words are supposed to have has long been drained away by the four-hour running time. The packaging declares that Deniro "smolders" and a New York Times review anoints it as "the definitive gangster picture". Neither is true. You can count on two fingers the number of times Deniro changes facial expressions. He practically sleepwalks through the film. The worst flaw of the movie is that you cant identify with, or even remotely like any of the characters. At the end we are supposed to be moved by the tragic turn of events between two life-long friends, but after witnessing four hours of sexual perversion, graphic murder, etc., you end up having no sympathy at all for them. It has all the emotional impact of seeing Saddam Hussien and Adolf Hitler holding hands and running down the beach in slow motion. As a Deniro fan I really wanted to like this movie, but his character is repulsive. He's a serial rapist who takes his one true love out on a long awaited date and then forcefully rapes her in the back of a car. That scene alone is hard to watch. The Godfather films triumph because the characters have redeeming qualities that balance out thier evil deeds. This film wallows in dirt and excess from the very beginning and gives you no reason to care about these people. Almost the entire first disc is taken up by child actors who arent believable. When you see scenes of them walking around in fedoras and zoot suits acting like pint-size gangsters who intimidate the local cop and make deals with adult mobsters its almost comical. If they were'nt trying to trade cup-cakes for sex it would almost be Disney-ish. By the way, the four scenes that have been "restored" to this director's cut include the two rape scenes and two dialouge extensions. The added dialouge does flesh out the characters a bit, but it slows down an already slow pace. I wish that I had not seen the rape scenes. I hate to be so negative, but I wish I could get my money back. If you have an interest in seeing this movie, rent it- dont buy it. Dont believe the hype and the gushing declarations of being a masterpiece. Its altogether forgetable. The scenes that do stick in your mind do so because they are disturbing, not because of any great acting or artistic reasons.

A masterpiece no matter what anyone says
Yes, the film is four hours long, and yes, there is an hour and a half flashback sequence. But don't let this ward you way from what is truly a masterpiece of a gangster flick. The flashback itself is engrossing and endearing. If you love movies, if you love great acting, if you love history, this is the epic for you.

'Once Upon a Time in America' is a film about a group of four friends who have grown up together in New York City since the turn of the century. They grew up around crime and took part in it themselves. 'America' doesn't focus on the truly criminal aspects of the tale, though; nor does it glorify violence in any way. In a genius move, director Sergio Leone portrays how crime influences this tough, beautiful, but delicate friendship.

This brings me to the famously long flashback. Anyone who tells you it is boring, unimportant and relentless was obviously not paying attention. They must also have a short attention span, for the portrayel of the four main characters' childhood is at times beautiful, elegiac and hilarious. It tells a timeless tale of the central character in the film, Noodles (later played by Robert DeNiro), and his obsession with the local beauty (a young Jennifer Conally, later played by Elizabeth McGovern) who refuses to love him because he'll "always be a two-bit punk." It reminisces on the constant loss of virginities to the town prostitute who makes love for the price of one pastry (what accompanies this story line is a legendary scene where a young teenager succumbs to the temptation of his pastry gift). And it ends in one of the film's most emotional moments that proves you must have a strong stomach to really pay attention and/or appreciate the film to full extent. It is quite hard to watch not because of any sort of violence, but because of its emotional rawness ending in a near cataclysmic incident.

This carries over into the rest of the film, dotted with modern day looks at Noodles and his three friends who are dead at the beginning of the film. After his mental journey through the past, he searches in real life for the love of his life, played by Elizabeth McGovern. What ensues is a twist, one of the best in cinematic history (that I've seen, anyway). You won't be disappointed.

What is masterful about all of these storylines, flashbacks and flashforwards is the extent of their depth. Leone accompanies each detail with an unforgettable emotional truth that extends deep into each character's (and our own) psyche. And for those who love history, Leone sets this saga in the days of prohibition, which offers the four friends an occupation, of sorts.

Apart from the amazing depth in character and story, the production values are top notch, with glorious sets, cinematography and editing. And don't forget the delicacy of the writing and direction. It all works together so well on so many levels.

So to those who have strong stomachs (there are bouts of intense violence) and those who are not too young (this is definitely not a family film, as it portrays some graphic sexuality) and also those who are in love with cinema, I recommend 'Once Upon a Time in America.' Oh, and make sure you have a good attention span. This is not a short movie by any means, although it zips by in the best sense.

Why this "director's cut" is still a muddled mess
One thing that you should know about this movie, according to the running commentary on this DVD set, is that Leone originally shot 10 hours of film. Then from this 10 hours of film he apparently did an original 6 hour film cut. Realizing this length was not practical for a single movie release, and opting not to split his work into 2 seperate films, Leone then got out his scissors once again and cut his film down to this 3 hour 49 minute version. This, I think, is where the problems begin. For instance, Leone chose to leave in the now legendary 5 minute scene of a kid eating a piece of cake. However, Noodles' girlfriend Eve who gets wacked at the start of the movie, never gets properly introduced into the story after the film goes back in time, she just is suddenly there with Noodles in Florida. Even at almost four hours I got the feeling that the movie was over edited like the original US release. A lot of times in the second half of the movie I felt like I had to try and catch up with the story and figure out what had happened- i.e., suddenly the gang is backing up the trucking union, and we're thrust right in the middle of this intense situation.
And then there's the part of the movie where it's supposed to be 1968. The film critic doing the running commentary says that the film "works best" if you assume that the 1968 scenes are just Noodles' opium dreams in 1935. To me this just seems to be a cop-out to excuse the holes and confusing story telling. I don't see how Noodles in the 1930's could have a dream about watching a TV in 1968 when the television hasn't been invented yet at the time he was "opium dreaming".
Then there's the business of Mr. Bailey and the garbage truck at the end. I'll not spoil it for you, but James Wood says himself in the included documentary that he doesn't know what happened at this point and that was Leone's intention. I can accept what Lennon and MacCartney said about their song lyrics meaning whatever you interperate them to be, but in my own opinion this style doesn't translate for me when I'm watching a movie. I like a definate outcome to be evident, but if this is okay with you, well, I warned you. And if you don't mind being irritated by 20 loud rings of a telephone for artistic style, same thing applies.
I could go on and on but, hey, I already wasted 3 hours and 49 minutes of my life. Don't get me wrong. I've got all of Leone's spaghetti western's and I'd give them all 5 stars. There is some good stuff in this movie like the acting of the leads and cinematography but they don't make up for the other problems I mentioned. Like the Beach Boys ill-fated Smile album Once Upon A Time In America seems to be a project that "sank under the weight of it's own lofty ambitions". Maybe Leone was just ahead of his time. If he had filmed this story today perhaps it would have been a success as a one-season HBO series. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A Smart and burst out loud stylish movie
When I first saw the title I was thinking it was one of those 60's beach movies..But then I saw actors and actresses that are current, so I tuned in and I must say I am greatful I did.
Psycho beach party is a funny and witty movie. That makes fun of the beach movies of the 60's ( It's about time).It's a Psycho/Manic-mixture of 50's Suspense and "DUH" 60's beach movies,and 70's Halloween/friday the 13thish slasher flixs
My favorite actress Lauren Ambrose ( HBO series Six feet Under) is Florence (Chicklet) Forrest who really wants to be a surfer chick and be part of the Malibu beach crowd and also win the heart of StarCat, Plus also fight some inner demons and problems which is due to the fact her personality is spilt like a sliced pizza. Her personalities are wacky as she is, but as diffrent as night and day, there is Anne Bowman a sexy and forward & dominate personality that see's herself as the dominatrax empress of the planet earth. So don't mess with Anne Bowman and don't try to escape her power. Than there is Tylene Carmicheal Carmel who is a tough chick that works the check out at the safeway who has a blade who will cut you , so don't mess with this personality of chicklet's. Lauren Ambrose is a great actress who makes each one of her diffrent personalities sound and act so diffrent from each other that makes you wonder how this actress can do it. She makes being a perky and Zany surfer chick with multi-personality issues seem easy and fun.
Nicholas Brendon who's claim to fame is Buffy the vampire slayer's Xander. In Buffy he plays the Not popular-dense comedy one liner, but in psycho beach party he plays StarCat...who is the great Kanaka's handsome right hand man and the coolest and hottest surfer in Malibu, StarCat is smart and has a background in Psycho Analytic theory , the perfect golden boy of the Malibu beach crowd. But he is still a goof ball with deep rooted complex anxiety and feelings, who doesn't see the cool in chicklet. Plus doesn't know if he can trust Chicklet due to the fact she may be the slasher of malibu beach.
Then there is Thomas Gibson who is the Greg in Dharma & Greg..here he plays the king of the beach Kanaka, the smooth surfer who has a shack on the beach who more than anything lives for mother wave. But with a unknown fetish of being dominated until chicket uncovers the slave boy side of him. Who also had a thing with Captain Monica Stark, who just wants to live for the moment and then surf the waves.
All the actors and actresses are funny and superb.
Psycho Beach Party is so funny and wacky I can't wait till this movie is on vhs so I can watch this movie any time I want to. This movie is a cool and clever & stylish movie. You don't know who's the slasher, it has hilarious comedy lines and moments this movie is sure to be a classic.. I give it two thumbs up & *****5 Stars..I highly advise anyone who likes movie spoofs and just wants to laugh to go out and buy or rent this movie. It Rocks!!!

It's a funny classic , a clever spoof
When I first saw the title I was thinking it was one of those 60's beach movies..But then I saw actors and actresses that are current, so I tuned in and I must say I am greatful I did.
Psycho beach party is a funny and witty movie. That makes fun of the beach movies of the 60's ( It's about time).It's a Psycho/Manic-mixture of 50's Suspense and "DUH" 60's beach movies,and 70's Halloween/friday the 13thish slasher flixs
All the actors and actresses are funny and superb.
Psycho Beach Party is so funny and wacky I can't wait till this movie is on vhs so I can watch this movie any time I want to. This movie is a cool and clever & stylish movie. You don't know who's the slasher, it has hilarious comedy lines and moments this movie is sure to be a classic.. I give it two thumbs up & *****5 Stars..I highly advise anyone who likes movie spoofs and just wants to laugh to go out and buy or rent this movie. It Rocks!!!

Twisted, silly, and clever
This is a good one for when you are in one of THOSE moods. The plot is cheesy serial killer whodunnit mixed with b-movie melodrama and the results are really funny. Lauren Ambrose is a riot as the outsider beachy Gidget character - with multiple personalities no less. The voices she does combined with the over-the-top dialogue make her "crazy" scenes those stop-and-go-back moments becaue you don't want to miss a line. Charles Busch is a hoot as the "female" detective with a past and the other supporting actors/characters round out the insanity. Good, silly fun. Enjoy!

"Sorry kid, go back to Mom and Papa square."
Surf's up all you hep cats and hep kitties! Psycho Beach Party is a crazy movie that parodies and celebrates those kitschy beach party movies of the'60s and sci-fi films of the'50s.

Like John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China before it, Psycho Beach Party is a clever satire of genre films because it faithfully presents all the important characteristics of the beach party movie, the psychological thriller and the slasher film and then turns them on their head.

One of the movie's strengths is the wonderful casting against type. Nicholas Brendon, known for playing the geeky Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is cast as a confident surfer with issues. Thomas Gibson, whose claim to fame was playing a straight-laced office worker on the popular T.V. series, Dharma and Greg, is the Great Kanaka, the suave king of the local surfers.

The extras are slim at best, however, the engaging audio commentary by director Robert Lee King and screenwriter Charles Busch is excellent. They talk about the constraints they faced with a tight shooting schedule and a low budget.

The DVD also features a music video for the song Los Straitjackets performs during the climatic luau in the movie. The video features footage of the band with the go-go dancer from the opening and closing credits cut together with clips from the movie. Finally, there is the theatrical trailer for the movie.

Psycho Beach Party is a fun movie that features an diverse cast, a killer soundtrack of contemporary surf music (from the likes of Man or Astro-Man and The Hillbilly Soul Surfers) and some truly memorable dialogue. This is a movie that slipped through the cracks of theatrical distribution only to find new life on Cable T.V. and video.

Damn Funny!
I could watch this over and over and over and over... ... Read more

Reviews (160)

A straightforward story honestly told.
A wonderful gentle movie that I'm still enjoying after several viewings. Clearly Mr Lynch is not afraid to experiment and deliver something different and this is so unlike his previous output. Judging from some of the reviews this is not a movie for everyone but fortunately the one or two stars are in a minority. Most of the others, like me, appreciated the slow moving (just like five mph Deere mower) unfolding of Alvin's big adventure and the folks he met. Where else other than the Midwest, where honesty comes as standard, could this story take place.

There is so much to enjoy! Angelo Badalamenti creates the perfect bluegrass style theme music, cinematographer Freddie Francis captures the gorgeous colors of the Midwest, the actors and especially Richard Farnsworth sparkle. Great lines, too, Alvin says to a hitchhiker, who has run away from home and shares a meal with him around the campfire, "A warm bed in a house sounds a mite better than eating a hot dog on a stick with an old geezer travelling on a lawn mower".

The 'Straight Story' is a little gem and I bet I'll still be enjoying its warmth and honesty for a long time.

Clearly one of the best acted films of the year
This film is probably one of the warmest and heartbreaking films of the year and it is all because of David Lynch and Richard Farnsworth. Unlike your typical Hollywood movie, David Lynch is able to work in the multitude of charachters in "The Straight Story" in a very natural and unpretentious way. The beauty of the picture is the way in which Alvin Straight (Farnsworth) is able to touch all the people he meets as he travels from Iowa to Wisconsin on his tractor to meet his ailing brother. The ending, which may leave the typical moviegoer scrathching his head and asking "so what happens?", is brilliant in how the expressions on the brothers' faces explain how they feel; and there is no need for a long drawn out speech that screams for the Academy's attention.

This film, in essence is about getting old and how aging has its benefits as well as its tragedies; how anger and resentment of family and friends is really not worth it in the end. Richard Farnsworth does a brilliant job that not many actors could have done. The wisdom he seems to have just by staring at him is astonishing. The second best line in the movie is when a young man asked him, "What is the worst thing about getting old?" and Alvin stares at him and says quietly, "Remembering when you were young." The best line, of course is the last sentence of the movie which makes you feel happy as well as sad inside.

David Lynch did a beautiful job in making the cornfields of the midwest seem amazingly scenic; trust me, I have been through Iowa and it is not as gorgeous as he made it out to be. The soundtrack goes perfect with the movie also. And I did not even mention Sissy Spacek, who plays Alvin's daughter and she does a great job as well as the rest of the cast in playing characters touched by Alvin and his mission.

What makes a movie a classic or a great film is that after you watch it, you sit there and think about it and have discussions with your friends about it. This movie did that to me, and I have been reccommending it to all my friends. But I must warn you, you also have to be in the right mood for it, and it might be best if you either watched it alone or with only a couple of other people. It is a must see for anyone.

a (mostly) orthodox story
wilhelm furtwngler; the conductor of the berlin philharmonic up until 1954, had a very unorthodix beat. indeed, his conducting was in itself unorthodox. he had heard some grumbling amongst the orchestra members that his beat was hard to follow, and that his conducting was too improvisational.
he then appeared before them and said ' so you dont think i can give you an orthodox beat?, okay let's go' and he proceeded for several minutes to do a 'by the book' reading of brahms. he then stopped. ' see i can do it, but it has no life. its not interesting!'.
the same could be said for the films of david lynch and his most ardent critics.
lynch has, all along, been able to tell a story straight, as he did here and elephant man. but even then lynch has to be lynch. he has to filter the story through his own sensabilites and style.
elephant man and straight story both have lynchs style deeply stamped upon them.
elephant man has his visual artistry, straight story his quirkiness.
the beauty of straight story is this is his 'g' rated quirkiness, and that's very appropriate for a man,who despite all of his progressive accomplishments in film, still lives in the suburbs.
with straight story lynch set out to prove that he could indeed tell a story straight and its most certain there was a sly wink in titling this film.
he actually upped the furtwangler philosophy one in that he did an orthodox narrative and STILL made it interesting, but naturally its still lynchian all the way through.
by the way this was farnsworth last film. he was terminally ill and took his own life about a year later.
he was a charactor actor with grace and vulnerability.
he will be missed

Boring... These other reviewers are nuts!
The Straight Story is horribly boring. Nothing of note happens in the entire film. The people that have given this four and five stars must be crazy. You will be very disappointed if you watch this film "The Straight Story". There are some nice views of Iowa in the film, and if that's all you expect you may be satisfied. If you want to see a plot or story line you will be disappointed. All you will to see is character development with nothing ever happening. The retarded daughter(Sissy Spacek) is totally pointless btw. Anyway, don't say I didn't warn you!

What a priviledge
Where do you begin with a film that is as beautiful, poetic, moving, powerful, substantial, grounding, uplifting, and definitively sublime as The Straight Story. From it's emotionally and technically pitch perfect score by Angelo Badalamenti to the brilliant direction of David Lynch, the film takes us on a journey we will never forget.
Despite everything I've offered, the film depends upon one man- Richard Farnsworth. In his last role, his award-winning performance is a master class in listening and being. He IS Alvin Straight instead of acting like Alvin Straight. His beautiful blue eyes are weary with pain and memories. I have never seen the eyes convey so very much. To watch his scene at the bar and not have a resounding physical reaction- well, there may be no help for your soul.

Simply put, allow yourself the priviledge of viewing The Straight Story. ... Read more

Reviews (130)

Crumb's Crunchy Delights
While Director Peter Jackson may have gained international recognition as the director of LORD OF THE RINGS, many horror fans knew him first from this highly entertaining 1987 splatter comedy. This film is a real testament towards Peter Jackson's talent and love for the genre... the movie was filmed on a shoestring budget on weekends for four years. Reminiscent of other successful horror comedies like RE-ANIMATOR and BASKET CASE, BAD TASTE is a truly eccentric film that has gone on to become a cult hit.

The film has something to do with an alien army that takes over a secluded town in New Zealand. The government has no other choice but to send in "The Boys" to stop those pesky extraterrestrials from turning mankind into the next ingredient on their fast food menu. Led by the evil Lord Crumb, the aliens wage a no-holds barred war against "The Boys" that culminates in an outrageously extended attack on a house that's reminiscent of the climactic showdown in DEAD ALIVE.

BAD TASTE is simply one of the most entertaining horror films that I've ever seen. The action sequences are surprisingly well staged (considering the limited budget) and the graphic violence is presented in such an exaggerated and goofy manner that you can't possibly take it seriously. The film is filled with so many hilariously sick jokes and sight gags that you won't possibly believe that what you're seeing on the screen is actually happening. Peter Jackson handles all the action wonderfully, with a particularly impressive scene filmed on the side of a cliff standing out as the most remarkable (reportedly, this scene was very dangerous to shoot).

While Peter Jackson would top himself a few years later with the release of his over-the-top zombie masterpiece DEAD ALIVE, BAD TASTE first showed genre fans that the New Zealand director could deliver the goods in both the gore and the comedy departments. BAD TASTE is an unforgettable film that comes highly recommended to cult film fanatics. Anchor Bay Entertainment's new release on video and DVD features the quote "From the Director of LORD OF THE RINGS." It's really funny to think how many unsuspecting viewers will sit down to view this bizarre flick on the basis of that quote alone... I envy their ignorance.

Anchor Bay's Bad Taste: Good Taste!
After the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it was pretty much inevitable that director Peter Jackson's old classics would be released to DVD. Already available in a plain, single disc edition, DVD wonder Anchor Bay has re-released Jackson's Bad Taste in a limited 2-disc DVD pack.

THE FILM

Bad Taste was a sensation it was released, and it is a major cult film now. Peter Jackson's 1987 debut picture finds four alienbusters coming to a New Zealand town, where the discover the town overtaken by aliens. Of course, these aren't your everyday Sigourney Weaver aliens. Un-uh. These guys are part of the intergalatic food chain Crumb's Crunchy Delights, and all they want is some major human flesh to chew on. Hmmm ...

Being Jackson's debut, the film obviously can't meet up to later hits like Braindead (a.k.a. Dead Alive) and Lord of the Rings, but there's some talent in here yet. It seems like a backyard picture, and I suppose that's one of the reasons it's so popular. What I do know is that it's gory, entertaining, and the most digusting film I've ever seen. [7/10]

THE VIDEO

Anchor Bay has done a terrific remastering job. There isn't any grain anywhere. A flawless work. [10/10]

THE AUDIO

As all the voices in the film were dubbed after shooting, many times the words didn't meet the mouth movements. Well, Anchor Bay has - somehow - fixed this problem with its lovely DD 5.1 remix. No problem here. [10/10]

THE EXTRAS

Well, if you consider the fact that it's a Limited Edition (of 50,000) an extra, then we got that here. Anchor Bay's double-disc set includes a Peter Jackson bio, the film's trailer, and a very good documentary about the film: "Good Taste Made Bad Taste". I think fans of the film will be pleased. [7/10]

Cult film fans won't wanna miss this DVD release. If you're a fan of disgusting horror or sci-fi with laughable comedy thrown in the middle, then this is the movie for you. Those with a weak stomach will want to stay the hell away from this baby, though!

OVERALL SCORE: [8/10]
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THE FILM: [7/10] Disgusting, funny, and very entertaining. Essential for horror fans.
THE VIDEO: [10/10] A beautiful remastering job.
THE AUDIO: [10/10] Nice DD 5.1 soundtrack.
THE EXTRAS: [7/10] Very satisfying.
OVERALL SCORE: [8/10] Fans of the film won't wanna pass this DVD.

- Thomas Benton

Micro-Budget Masterpiece
This movie is too much fun. This is schlock of the highest caliber. Peter Jackson's considerable talent is on full display in his debut feature film. The camera work and the editing are amazing. The physical schtick is impeccably timed and photographed. Despite the nothing budget, the technical aspects of this movie are outstanding.

Peter Jackson stars as Derreck(sp?), the sadistic, snivling scientist whose four man government agency, the Alien Investigation Defense Service, has been called upon to thwart a hostile alien invasion of a small backwoods town. Jackson's Derreck is revolting and charasmatic at the same time - a truly original anti-hero. The aliens are actually employees of an intergalactic fast food chain that has just begun marketing human meat - and it is evidently delicious. Can our four heroes save the relief worker (con artist) and foil the aliens' evil plan?

There are some great gags in this movie including a Monty Pythonesque exploding sheep and a recurring joke involving Peter Jackson's character's cerebellum continually falling out, being trodden upon, and then being stuffed back in.

This is an extremely enjoyable movie. For optimal enjoyment, watch it with plenty of alchohol and a couple of friends.

Doesn't live up to the hype...
I am a huge fan of horror/gore movies. For years I have heard about this movie with people talking about how good it is, how gory it is. Finally I shelled out the cash for the DVD and was really dissapointed. Other reviewers have described the plot well enough so I won't delve into that. I will say that you should probably rent this before buying it.

If you are looking for crazy gore I think that you would be better off with a movie like the directors cut of Citizen Toxie or maybe one of the newer japanese gore movies (which bl