Reviews (6)

My most unforgettable film
This tale of British decadence continues to resonate after many years and many other films. There seems to be no more impactful and arresting vehicle for viewing the nature of the end of the 'Age of Kings' and the planting of the sordid into the fresh earth of the twentieth century. Yet it is sufficient to view the film for the vision of Scacchi, as she bares herself and lures us into the African theater of the grotesque. There we meet the European supremacy practicing their many-pronged acts of desecration of the land and the social contract. There where civilization was 'cradled,' drugs, the most unredeemable cruelty in sex and human attachments is viscerally illuminated. Those bluebloods and bloody-handed occupiers; still regarded as archetypal standards for class and wealth make the Beats, the variety of 60's renegades look like the stereotypical pilgrims in a school play. Oh boy, there is every reason to sink into this film, because it doesn't leave you- and it continues to provoke. We haven't changed folks, though Gretta's beauty in this steamy, sordid African mystery is daringly one of a kind.

by the way, its a true story
this movie is based on a history of the same title. the events were, more or less, as presented in the film. of course, the real people weren't quite as beautiful, and the sordidness wasn't quite as photogenic.

africa, like australia and new zealand, was where the 'remittance' men were sent by their families, to remove the scandals from the homefront. these sometimes extremely black sheep were sent, by the families who could afford it, 'remittances' (money) to keep them in the colonies. in those days of difficult communication, they could get up to whatever mischief they wanted without embarrassing the home folks. the group in happy valley made the most of this.

the acting is superb. the sets are marvelous. the scenery is magnificent. charles dance is gorgeous. the story is gripping. what more could you ask for?

A decadent slice of colonial Africa
This is the decadent counterpoint to Out of Africa (both are good films). It's the story of British ex-pats drifting through their days in colonial Kenya. With all their money and boredom, the only thing that entertains them are parties, sex and drugs, sometimes all done together. This is the mischief these white folk get up to, while their black servants look on dispassionately but with certain disdain.
Charles Dance is wonderfully smarmy as the playboy who wins Greta Scacchi's affections. She is the young beauty who married an older man for title and money, but has no love for him. It's shameful to see how brazen Dance and Scacchi are in their affair. The old husband does what any man with pride left would do. You can almost feel the British Empire crumbling around you as you are absorbed by this movie, in much the same way as A Passage to India (another great film).
Great supporting performances by Sarah Miles and Geraldine Chaplin as part of the high society swingers.
I was fortunate to find this video on sale second hand at my local video store.

White Mischief
I loved this film~ Very excellent. I'm wondering why Charles Dance always manages to be killed off (our hero) just midway (see China Moon) into his films. He is truly a "Star" as is Greta Scachi.

I have 5 copies of this film, (not for sale). It took 5 purchases to find one in good condition. And the Sound Track is "Excellent"~

I loved the story and you will too~ A very true account. Beautifully done and well worth the $ for the film~

one of the best films I have seen in 30 years
This film has style,intelligence,panache,a passable story line and incredable filming,costuming and terrific acting -why Amazon does not offer it is beyond my 67 year old comprehension --unless of course your computers tell you the entire world is between 18 and 45.For your information we older guys have all the dough and love to spend it.Please make it available on -yes-DVD-Thank you very much. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A Real Classic
This is a real classic movie. Don Ameche and Tom Selleck did a supurb job. As any movie it has its slow spots but keeps you laughing. Ive watched this flick a dozen times already and still laugh just as hard and times even harder. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who's looking for a warm comedy with lots of laughs. Now if it would only come out on DVD.

Folks Is One Of The Funniest Movies Out There!
I would recommend this title to everybody! It is one of the funniest movies that I have ever seen and I couldn't stop laughing the first time I saw it! This Video is a MUST GET for all movie lovers!!!

My uncle loves it!
I purchased this for my uncle to show at the VA Hospital. Alot of the veterans had not seen "Folks". THEY LOVED IT!

the worst movie ever
I'm sorry, but this is one of a few movies I've ever seen that I couldn't finish. It's that bad. Poor acting, poor script, poor everything. Only good for tormenting someone.

very funny
Totaly enjoyable, very funny. Tom Selleck is very good in this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Stunning Tribute To War Time Nurses Everywhere
"So Proudly We Hail", often comes in for more than it's fair share of criticism over it's depiction of the sterling work carried out by nurses in the South Pacific during World War Two. Mention is made of the nurses looking like they have just stepped out of the beauty parlour with makeup and hair all looking perfect. I'm always mystified by that reaction as I feel this production goes a long way towards depicting the back breaking and often extremely dangerous work that nurses carried out during the war in the Pacific. The film was made with the very best of intentions at a time when the outcome of the war was still far from certain. Criticism has also been leveled at the propaganda inherent in parts of the script. Once again one has to view this film in it's time and place and if it motivated people to feel patriotic about their country in time of war and at least partly informed the movie going public about some of the work of wartime nurses then that is a job well done in my belief.

"So Proudly We Hail", traces the stories of 9 nurses from the time they leave San Francisco through the trials and tribulations of their service with the armed services in the South Pacific. Three in particular are focused on, team leader Lt. Janet Davidson (Claudette Colbert), vivacious Lt. Joan O'Doul (Paulette Goddard) and inwardly tormented Lt. Olivia D'Arcy )Veronica Lake). Their stories are interwoven through the real life action of the group first being sent to Hawaii and then after a torpedo raid which sinks some of their companion vessels, being removed to the Bataan and Correigador regions where they care for and then help evacuate the military and civilian wounded. The saga ends with the remains of their party being evacuated after much loss and suffering to Australia before embarking for home at the end of their tour of duty. The women experience all the deprivations of war and personal loss along the way as Lt. Davidson falls in love with Lt. John Summers (George Reeves) only to live in daily fear of him being killed while still having a job to do as the team's main source of strength. Lt. O'Doul (Paulette Goddard) experiences similiar feelings for "Kansas" (Sonny Tufts), the gangly soldier who wins her heart and in the most tragic situation Lt. D'Arcy who confronts old demons and the loss of her fiance at the hands of the Japanese. Many frightening incidents darken the daily grind of the nurses work such as regular bombing of their medical camp by the enemy and having to experience all the pain and suffering of wartime casualties and death of loved ones. Each woman is touched in some way by her involvement in the action and emerges the better for her experience. We see the women work under not only hazardous conditions but in those that would test the sanity of the strongest person with daily shortages of supplies, shelter and food a constant feature in the daily work.

The film places great emphasis on the inner strength of the individual under fire whether it be soldier, nurse or wounded civilian. In this respect the film could never be judged superficial as many real life elements of this period are tied into the story. Powerful scenes abound in "So Proudly We Hail", a standout is the scene during the evacuation of the camp when the nurses are stranded in one of the huts under fire and the real life treatment of war nurses in Nanking is mentioned as a telling reminder of the brutality of war. Lt. D'Arcy's ultimate self sacrifice for the good of the group still is a scene that packs a real punch with it's graphic depiction of a suicide killing of enemy soldiers. All three lead actresses are standouts in their own unique way. Claudette Colbert delivers yet another powerful and totally convincing performance as the leader of the group. Long associated with extremely glamourous roles here she portrays a character forced under terrible conditions to still be strong for the sake of her nurses. Paulette Goddard in an Academy Award nominated performance is excellent as the flighty mantrap with only men on her mind who develops into a responsible and dedicated nurse as her wartime experiences deepen her character. Veronica Lake also minus her o usual glamourous persona is effective in her role as the bitter nurse who is out to punish all Japanese because of the loss she has suffered. Despite the reported tension between Claudette Colbert and Paulette Goddard during filming none of that shows on screen as the main three actresses work very effectively together as the one team. One last standout in the cast is actress Mary Servoss who plays Capt. "Ma" McGregor the lead of the camp and in ultimate charge of all nursing staff. Her beautiful scene where she faces the death of her wounded son is a stunner and the emotional highlight of the whole film.

Passed off as Hollywood's removed idea of what war is like, "So Proudly We Hail", offers much more than that and contrary to popular belief in a number of scenes where appropriate, the women do show what the wear and tear of war work does to the individuals. I find the film a powerful depiction of war and the terror it causes. Mixed with horrific scenes such as Lt. D'Arcy's suicide are inspiring ones like the simple Christmas celebration on the boat and the scenes showing operations being conducted right in the middle of air raids. These can't help to move the viewer and instill even in the most hardened cynic a belief in the basic good of man. A true epic is how I would describe "So Proudly We Hail", and a film I recommend to anyone who believes in the power of a person's inner strength to beat outside adversity.

ONE OF THE BEST WARTIME MOVIES MADE!
If there had been a 6-7 star rating for the picture, I would've given it 6-7 stars. Excellent writers, Good direction, + an excellent cast made for an excellent wartime drama.

excellently acted war drama
Story of nurses on Bataan & Correigador during WWII. Paulette Goddard deserving of her oscar nomination for this film. Other performances uniformly good. Reflects role of women early in war & also attitudes at home when film was made.Events depicted in film are true.Love story fiction.Well worth viewing

Truly A Great Movie!
I think that So Proudly We Hail is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. It definately keeps you on the edge of your seat! It has everything that a good movie needs...plenty of action, romance and even humor. The ladies play very convincing roles as the nurses, with the exception of Veronica Lake, whose acting leaves a little to be desired. All in all this movie is the BEST and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good movies.

Excellent movie, showing a little known part of World War II
Excellent action movie depicting a little known women's role during World War II. The pride in duty, country and extreme courage in the face of adversity is something lacking in todays world. That particular battle is one of shame to our government in leaving military personnel to become prisoners of war or die. This movie says it all. Nitengail8 ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Pretty Despicable
The film almost totally ignores the sole surviving ancient historical account of Masada (contained in Josephus' "Jewish War") as well as the evidence found during modern excavations of the site in favor of presenting an almost wholly made up and, at times, tawdry melodrama. The only events in the film which come from the sole ancient source (Josephus) are the building of an inner wall of wood and earth for the fortress and its subsequent destruction by fire. All other events in the film are devices employed in the service of a fraudulent patriotic fantasy--as any legitimate scholar of the ancient world will attest. As pure drama, this film would not be so bad. Unfortunately, the film does not settle for that--it also claims to be actual history, and, on that scale, it fails miserably. Worse than only not informing, it actually misinforms its tabloid browsing, television "Movie of the Week" watching audience.

Get the 4-tape version, definitely
The major virtue of the hacked 1-tape version is that it inspired me to go get the real one.

This miniseries is one of the few historical epic TV series that is any good -- and strangely enough it is way more than "any good" -- it is superb. The two leads (Roman general and Zealot leader) are almost equally charismatic, compelling actors, though Peter O'Toole's trademark weary melancholy tends to steal the show. The supporting parts are solid. The writing is tight, wry, and literate. The scenery is convincing, the siege weaponry looks darned authentic.

I have a weakness for costume epics, and this is perhaps the all-time best... reasonably large in scale, very well-mounted, but best of all, very well written and acted. It feasts the eyes without insulting the intelligence.

The viciously cut 1-tape version is incoherent, of course, but by Hollywood standards it's still a pretty good film -- many mainstream movie directors can't be coherent even when they know they're working to a 120 min format. But do yourself a favour and get the complete edition.

Complete Masada Mini-series Available on 4 VHS!!
I bought my copy of the miniseries, MASADA. I just looked and I saw one copy from there. When I bought mine, I got it, factory sealed, from a seller called buy.com. I went to buy.com website and the movie is on back order but, hey, you've waited this long, right? I also see that www.moviesunlimited.com has it for sale; you will need: (item # 072787). I am looking to get mine put on DVD to preserve the video. I, too, remember watching it as a child and the indelible etching it left on my memory. I have watched all 394 minutes again as an adult and it is as huge and glorious as I remember it. I didn't even know an expurgated version exists - I can not imagine cutting even a minute from this perfect epic. It would be like cutting The "10 Commandments" or Homer.

Brilliant historical epic
Masada the mini-series was first shown in Australia on Network Ten in 1982 and then repeated once only a few years after its intital premiere. I was 10 years old when I first watched it back in 1982 and it has always lived in my memory up to today as a magnificent spectacle.

I doubt any remake would surpass the original, even with computer technology that is available today. With actors like Strauss and O'Toole, who would be able to surpass them for the characters that they portrayed.

Great Roman Siege, Story Shortened Egregiously
From a Latin teacher's viewpoint, this is great to demonstrate Roman siege techniques, but as compared to the uncut version, it is sadly lacking. I find myself constantly having to fill in information gleaned from the book and uncut version to make it coherent for my students. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ever spend eight hours in a "Productivity Bin"? Ever had worries about layoffs? Ever had the urge to demolish a temperamental printer or fax machine? Ever had to endure a smarmy, condescending boss? Then Office Space should hit pretty close to home for you. Peter (Ron Livingston) spends the day doing stupefyingly dull computer work in a cubicle. He goes home to an apartment sparsely furnished by IKEA and Target, then starts for a maddening commute to work again in the morning. His coworkers in the cube farm are an annoying lot, his boss is a snide, patronizing jerk, and his days are consumed with tedium. In desperation, he turns to career hypnotherapy, but when his hypno-induced relaxation takes hold, there's no shutting it off. Layoffs are in the air at his corporation, and with two coworkers (both of whom are slated for the chute) he devises a scheme to skim funds from company accounts. The scheme soon snowballs, however, throwing the three into a panic until the unexpected happens and saves the day. Director Mike Judge has come up with a spot-on look at work in corporate America circa 1999. With well-drawn characters and situations instantly familiar to the white-collar milieu, he captures the joylessness of many a cube denizen's work life to a T. Jennifer Aniston plays Peter's love interest, a waitress at Chotchkie's, a generic beer-and-burger joint à la Chili's, and Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show) has a minor but hilarious turn as Peter's mustached, long-haired, drywall-installin' neighbor. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (493)

Way underrated
Anyone who has ever worked in corporate America will relate to this hilarious gem.
It is low key as opposed to slapstick comedy. I think the movie was well cast about a cube dweller who had enough and basically quits working and gets a promotion to upper management while his hard working and dedicated buddies get slated for layoffs by "The Bob's" two management consultants.
Ron Livingston does a great job as Pete Gibbons, and Ajay Naidu as "Samir Nu, ne, nunu, uh nnn ,not work here anymore" David Herman as Micheal-why should I change - Bolton.
The boss Lundbergh is played perfectly deadpan by Gary Cole, and I think there is a Tom Smykowski and Milton Waddams in every organization. Lets not forget the "Bob's" I knew two idiot consultants just like them.
Office Space has it all, from stupid meetings, CI programs, and of course the infamous TPS reports - "didn't you get the memo about the new cover sheets?"
I could not stop laughing through the whole thing.

Well worth the price of the DVD, even though the transfer was only fair.

Hiliariously Close to the Truth
Though the situations and characters in Office Space are certainly larger than life, they are not that far from the truth--to which those of us in the corporate world will readily attest. That's what makes the movie so delightfully funny: seeing characters on screen act out (without much exaggeration) the trials and tribulations of today's desk-bound workforce.

The plot of the movie itself is somewhat secondary to its entertainment value. Basically, the main character (Ron Livingston) isn't happy with his job; having been asked once by his high school guidance counselor to picture what he'd do without being paid and consider that his ideal job, he responded that he's like to sit around and do nothing. The rest of the main plot centers on his attempt to get his life back on track, from discovering a love interest in a local waitress (Jennifer Anniston) also unhappy with her job to plotting revenge on his company for firing his friends.

Quickly one sees exactly why the characters are so unhappy with their jobs: a clueless, paper-shuffling boss who speaks in total monotone; inane office regulations requiring more time spent on reports than on real work; faulty office equipment; and so on. Carefully crafted to represent archetypes we all know from our own office experiences, the characters and their attempts to break free of the 9-to-5 drudgery are absolutely hilarious.

You don't have to be a computer programmer or engineer to enjoy this film--all you need is to have worked somewhere once in your life that was far from the ideal environment. Watch this film and enjoy a laugh at schmucks who have it ten times worse than you ever have!

THE comedy movie to see from the late 90s
If you see one comedy from the late 90s, see this one! The cast is great, and the story is better. The only person I know who didn't like this movie just doesn't understand the modern industrial/metroplitan environment. Driving to work in Silicon Valley REALLY IS THIS BAD, and if your definition of heavy traffic is going 15-20 mph on the freeway, you might not appreciate this film.

Dilbert's got it easy!
OFFICE SPACE either suffered from bad marketing or poor distribution because I had never heard of it nor did many of my movie-going friends. When I saw it on cable, I kept asking myself, "Where did this come from?" While the film occasionally breaks down in predictable sequences and cheap shots, it really does hold together remarkably well. This is one of the better written, directed and acted comedies in a long time. Even though the late 90's office world it illustrates is long gone, muddle-headed supervisors, know-nothing consultants, and very weird office workers are not. Enjoy this movie!

A MODERN CULT CLASSIC
Having seen and enjoyed bits and pieces of this movie countless times on cable (usually on Comedy Central) over the last couple of years, I finally broke down and purchased it to add to my DVD collection. Smart move on my part. Now that I've seen the entire movie from start to finish, it makes a lot more sense now (I'd never seen the hypnotism scene). It has all the makings of a modern cult classic. How do I know? Because every time I roll across it on cable I usually wind up watching the balance of the film and enjoying it all over again. Having 2 Geto Boys songs on the soundtrack and co-starring Jennifer Aniston doesn't hurt either. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A sensitive yet humorous adaptation of the stage play, this 1970 film directed by William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) is one of the first films to openly address gay issues in a matter-of-fact style that largely avoids stereotyping. Shot on one set and featuring a birthday party as the festive setting, a group of friends assemble to celebrate, reminisce, and discuss their lives and the travails of being gay, even as one friend insists he's straight. The night turns from a light celebration to a sometimes-vindictive ordeal of revelation and betrayal, as each man in turn must confess his true feelings. Performed by the original cast of the stage production, the film may feel dated to some, but it still manages to be truthful and entertaining as it explores a subject that to this day is not often addressed. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (42)

'I don't understand any of it... I never did' ... Michael
Mart Crowley's 'The Boys in the Band' is a minor masterpiece of American cinema that was also instrumental in thrusting gay life and issues into the American mainstream.

Based upon the 1968 Off-Broadway play, this 1970 film adaption by William Friedkin retains all of the stage cast and most of the dialogue. The story is simple enough, Michael Connelly is throwing a party for his friend Harold when an old college roommate, who is presumably straight, arrives and throws the party into turmoil. Michael, who clearly has had a drinking problem, hits the bottle again as a result of the conflict. Kenneth Nelson gives a brilliant performance as Michael who is quickly unravelling with every drink and who begins to tear down his friends one by one. The party climaxes in a 'truth' game which proves oddly cathartic to everyone but Michael.

Many issues have arisen over the years with 'The Boys in the Band'. Were these men mostly stereotypes? Is this work still relevant to gay life? What does it say about where we are in light of where we've been?

Your answers to these questions may well depend on your age. For myself, when first viewing this as a 22 year old in 1987, I found it amusing but ultimately sad and upsetting. A dozen years later of being out in gay life, I have come to learn how masterful this work is and that while times have changed in many ways for the better, many of the issues that the 'boys' were dealing with back then are still being dealt with today. Issues of religious and societal intolerance and the attempt to forge a positive gay identity in an often hostile world are still very much with us today.

I believe the reason 'The Boys in the Band' is so humorous is that the camp humor of that time was largely a coping mechanism of sorts. This is black humor at its best, showing us the brutal honesty of a situation while exposing the many absurdities in it at the same time.

In the end Michael states 'I don't understand any of it, I never did.'... food for thought...

Also: Pick up a copy of '3 Plays by Mart Crowley'. The story of Michael Connelly pre and post "Boys in the Band" is powerfully explored in these two additional plays. (Read the forward 1st!)

A "Must" for all Gay Men
As a friend once put it, the first time you see it (usually in college or freshly minted out-of-the-closet) you're horrified because it is full of self-loathing queens. The second time, in your twenties or after a bit moving in the stream of gay life, you're into it because it's campy and fun. The third time, once you've been around a block more times than you can remember, you love it because it's TRUE! While certainly not to be included in any catalogue of PRIDE-ful moments (and as such was the source of great controversy in the 1970s), this is a film that touches on crucial aspects of gay identity that have remained fairly constant in the post-Stonewall period, a series of questions: sexual and emotional fidelity, pride, self-hatred, fraternal destruction, and gay friendship. Or, another way to put it and to borrow Adrienne Rich's phraseology, "lies, secrets, and silence." The telephone game is the dramatic high point of the film (don't try this at home kids, unless you're three sheets to the wind and have an old rotary phone in the garage!), underscoring the complicated histories gay men bring to their desires. For others, this is the low point of self-loathing, but I find the actors rescue the scene with tenderness and emotive power. For me, the saving grace of the film and its central message is the denouement of Harold's committment to his friendship with the hideous lush Michael, who, after suffering a night of Michael's Gin and Ton witticisms honed to a razor sharp edge while languidly flipping through "The Films of Joan Crawford" (a nice touch), and after reading him within an inch of his life, tells Michael, with real feeling, "Call you tomorrow." And who can't appreciate friendship like that? With this, the film brings to the fore the essence of gay survival, which is friendship, and for that is worthy of viewing and LOVE (and a DVD).

What I am Michael...
Exquisite movie--beautifully directed and smart acting by the cast. It's as if not more timely now than it was then.

Leading 20th Century Work
I think "Boys in the Band" is one of the best plays of the 20th century. It's far, far more than a bunch of self-hating queens camping it up. For one thing, look at how succinctly the playwright develops his characters with just one line: "Cheese it. Here comes the socialite nun!"

A better way to think about the play is as a tragedy concerning the emotional life of Michael, who exemplifies so many of killer competitor types of the 20th century.

When Harold says to Michael, "You're a sad and pathetic man. You're a homosexual and you don't want to be," he's making a larger point that what Michael is really afraid of is his own humanity, not just being seen as a big fairy.

An Important Film on Humanity - Gay or Not
Mart Crowley will always be remembered for this gem of a film (based on the stage play) because of its evocative and dead-on treatment of humanity, particularly that of gay men.

The movie, like the stage play, is set in a New York City apartment. Seven gay men (and one gay prostitute) are going to be attending a bithday party hosted by Michael. As the film opens, we are visually introduced to the main characters. We then see Michael's smart and proper apartment and know that he is preparing for the party. Michael's weekend boyfriend Donald arrives and they talk about everything from anxiety attacks to financial woes to the effects of alcohol.

Suddenly, everything is turned on its head as Michael gets a very odd and uncharacteristic phone call from his college roommate, Alan. Alan is in town and wants to meet up with Michael, but Michael isn't sure that Alan should arrive in the middle of a birthday party for gay men. Alan breaks down and begs to see Michael. They agree on a quick drink and Michael and Donald explore how they are going to handle a straight man at a gay party.

Thinking the doorbell is Alan, Michael opens it to find that Emory, Hank and Larry have arrived. He tells them what is going on and then Bernard, another guest, arrives. Michael demands that everyone play it cool and straight while Alan is there.

As the party gets underway with appetizers and music, Michael gets a phone call from Alan expressing regrets about his breakdown and suggests they get together for lunch the next day. Michael is relieved and the party starts to flow even better.

Michael, Bernard, Emory, and Larry begin a dance routine they learned on Fire Island and don't hear the doorbell. When Hank answers the door, it isn't Harold, but Alan, who has dropped by unannounced. He sees Michael and the other men dancing and there is a grand uncomfortable moment as the party comes to a screeching halt.

Alan and Michael talk and then as Alan gets ready to leave, a fight ensued between Alan and Emory with Emory ending up with a bloody face.

The rest of the movie is a very real, very poignant look at human nature. There is an attempt to expose someone in the closet, a look at fidelity within a gay relationship, the fear of growing old and a wonderfully crafted discussion on the nature of beauty.

Although all of the actors in the film are excellent, Cliff Gorman as the effiminate Emory steals the show. (Gorman, incidentially, would go on to portray Lenny Bruce in the stage play "Lenny" and would receive high acclaim for his work only to be replaced by Dustin Hoffman for the movie version.)

What makes the film work for all mature audiences is that the character portrayals are seemless. We can all see some of our own faults in at least one of the characters.

The only drawback is that this film is not yet out on DVD, although it should be!

If you get a chance to see this film, do so. It is a very fine piece of film that deserves all the acclaim it gets. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

One of the key movies of the 1970s, when exciting, groundbreaking, personal films were still being made in Hollywood, Milos Forman's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest emphasized the humanistic story at the heart of Ken Kesey's more hallucinogenic novel.Jack Nicholson was born to play the part of Randle Patrick McMurphy, the rebellious inmate of a psychiatric hospital who fights back against the authorities' cold attitudes of institutional superiority, as personified by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).It's the classic antiestablishment tale of one man asserting his individuality in the face of a repressive, conformist system--and it works on every level. Forman populates his film with memorably eccentric faces, and gets such freshly detailed and spontaneous work from his ensemble that the picture sometimes feels like a documentary.Unlike a lot of films pitched at the "youth culture" of the 1970s, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest really hasn't dated a bit, because the qualities of human nature that Forman captures--playfulness, courage, inspiration, pride, stubbornness--are universal and timeless.The film swept the Academy Awards for 1976, winning in all the major categories (picture, director, actor, actress, screenplay) for the first time since Frank Capra's It Happened One Night in 1931. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (207)

A Tremendous Film With The Great Nicholson
This is an unforgettable film. Jack Nicholson gives one hell of a classic and memorable performance in this film directed by the great Milos Forman. Nicholson plays Randall McMurphy, a rebel inmate of sorts at a psychiatric hospital who fights the system and refuses to give in the hospital's orders or behavior. It's a real groundbreaking film. Nicholson's main adversary is the cold Nurse Ratchett(great name!), played superbly by Louise Fletcher. A remarkable performance. There are also a number of familiar faces in the film. You will definitley recognize Christopher Lloyd, Danny DeVito, and Brad Douriff, as some of the inmates. Will Sampson also gives a memorable performance. There are scenes here that are truly shocking. Anyone who has seen this probably knows what I mean when I say that. All of our actors are dead on perfect as mentally unstable patients. A remarkable cast. The end scene of the film is shocking and definitley won't be forgotten. Go watch this classic film and see one of our biggest and best legends in an astonishing performance. This is deeply recommended!.

A disturbing movie about the disturbed.
In this multi-Academy award winning flick based on Ken Kesey's novel, actor Jack Nicholson as jail-bird Randle P. McMurphy seeks escape from the prison work farm by feigning madness. He is committed to a psychiatric ward for the mentally disturbed for evaluation while the staff try to determine whether his behaviour is genuine insanity or mere rebellion. But being with the mentally ill isn't as rosy as McMurphy imagined it to be, particularly under the repressive regime operated by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). In the battle of mind-games with Ratched, McMurphy discovers that even a simple thing as watching the World Series is impossible, because it might disturb the patients' routine.

Only three movies have ever taken out all five major Academy awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is one of that elite group. To say that the acting is superb is an understatement. It takes a lot of talent to convincingly portray someone mentally disturbed, but this cast accomplishes it with brilliance. The supporting roles as nearly as terrific as the leading roles: Sydney Lassick as the shaky inarticulate Charlie Cheswick, Brad Dourif as the stuttering virgin Billy Bibbit, Danny DeVito as the infantile Martini, Christopher Lloyd as the wide-eyed trouble-maker Tabor, William Redfield as the eloquent intellectual Dale Harding, and Will Sampson as the mute Indian giant.

But the mentally ill are depicted not merely as objects for examination and pity, but with genuine sympathy as victims under an oppressive regime. Admittedly they're also the source for warm humor; Highlights include McMurphy's commentary of an imaginary baseball game with all the "nuts" cheering, and McMurphy's creative introduction of all patients as "doctors" from the mental institution as they hijack a fishing boat. Those who work with the mentally disturbed in real life will be the first to tell you that you need a sense of humor in dealing with them. But humor doesn't exclude compassion, and this movie raises serious questions about the treatment of the mentally ill.

Everything is geared towards arousing sympathy for the mentally disturbed: minimalist music and silence, dreary colors, bright lighting, and male care-givers who are police-like unnamed uniforms. These factors combine to create an atmosphere that conveys a clinical and sterile environment devoid of compassion for those who need it. Nurse Ratched is depicted as a cold and distant woman without feelings for those in her charge, and her authoritarian role personifies an establishment that cares little for the mentally ill. Rather than show compassion for the weak, she uses therapy sessions to uncover whatever hope and spirit they have and destroy it. McMurphy's embodiment of this human spirit is somewhat exaggerated (the way he initiates interest in basketball games and escapes on a fishing expedition is not entirely plausible), but it makes the point. Interestingly, some have seen the movie as a social criticism on all oppression of the human spirit, with a broad application even to ideologies like communism. As others have said: tyranny has many faces, and the story of freedom from oppression goes beyond the walls of a mental asylum.

The criticism of the handling of the mentally ill is most evident in how the institution handles McMurphy. We identify with McMurphy because we know his insanity is faked, and yet the "treatment" he receives is thoroughly troubling, especially when those in charge resort to electric-shock therapy. Is there a parallel in the way that many social problems (eg depression, ADD) are today diagnosed as mental illnesses and treated with drugs? The tragic way in which McMurphy's "mental illness" is mishandled at the conclusion arouses righteous anger, and is a disturbing indictment on all mistreatment of the mentally ill. There is no crowd-pleasing feel-good ending as his attempt to topple the establishment fails. Yet the lack of a happy ending makes his criticisms of the establishment all the more piercing.

The movie was rated R for frequent profanity/blasphemy, crude sexual talk and one violent scene at the end (there are also scenes involving alcohol, suicide, an incident where sexual promiscuity is applauded, and an implied endorsement of mercy killing). The violence and language is deliberately distasteful and one can hardly feel sympathy for McMurphy as an immoral criminal (he is a convicted rapist, rebels against authority, sets up a gambling casino, and encourages Billy to lose his virginity). Yet one has to feel sympathy for him as he is abused by an inhumane establishment that is equally criminal in its own way by failing to show genuine compassion for those entrusted in its care. If McMurphy's character is distasteful and criminal, so is the character of care given to the mentally ill. Rather than become sidetracked by McMurphy's failings, we need to take a serious look at the failings of the establishment as embodied in Ratched. The tragic consequences (represented by Billy's death & McMurphy's lobotomy) of these failings are just as horrific as the consequences of an immoral life. Understood in this way, this movie is much more than a vindication of the free human spirit and an endorsement of rebellious anti-authoritarianism. More importantly it functions as a biting criticism against the abuse of authority to crush that spirit. This is not a pleasant movie to watch, but it packs a powerful philosophical punch and raises profound questions that are more enduring than mere entertainment.

The conclusion does offer a note of hope, as the silent Indian escapes the cuckoo's nest (perhaps a metaphor of true freedom being found in escaping the establishment and modern institutionalized civilization?). But we are still left with disturbing questions about those who do not escape: Would we really want our family members in a place like this? This is a disturbing movie that raises disturbing questions about the treatment of the disturbed - but questions that need to be asked ... and answered.

a special edition for a very special movie...
Before 1975 we had great violent epics like "The Godfather", "Mean Streets", and "Easy Rider". but later in 1975, director Milos Forman took a challenge on directing the famous novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". hiring top-notch actors, including the up and rising star Jack Nicolsin. With his amazing debut in Easy Rider, Milos Forman thought he would be the perfect person for this role. this incredible movie shocked the world. even better than the novel, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is easily one of the greatest films of all-time.

this movie has the stuff. memorable characters, amazing acting, hilarious jokes, shocking moments, and an ending to always be remembered till the day you die. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest easily has the most memorable ending to a film ever. enough talk of this incredible movie, as for the stuff on the special edition... its also great. with a whole extra disk of extras, deleted scenes, and a whole bunch more. I have tons of DVDs and this is easily one of the best purchases I've bought. No, not just because of the movie but the extra stuff on the DVD.

the Two-disk special edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a great update to a great movie. by all means, you must have this in your collection.

the best mental patient movie ever
this book was written by ken kesey who used the money to gallavant around the country in the 60s in a school bus and do drugs with a bunch of dirty ol hippies.the story is about a guy who plays crazy to get out of a work farm and into a asylum.jack nicholson is that guy.also included are that crazy dr in back to the future,danny devito,a stuttereererer named billy bibbit,a huge indian whose mute and deaf,some smart ass home boys who help the nurse,a nurse with big boobs etc.children will not be amused by this.it is a tragic story.this movie has adventure,romance,comedy,drama,tragedy and above all is well written.it is very emotional.the nurse is over the top obnoxious and people like her should be put to sleep.amazingly,it is alkmost identical to the book.people say its a classic and well,they are right for once.really its almost entirely funny until the end parts.jack nicholson did his finest work ever in this story.

Jack Nicholson's Crowning Achievement!
What a brilliant actor Jack is. He played four of the most memorable screen characters of all time. Randall McMurphy (this film), Melvin Udall (As Good As It Gets), Jack Torrence (The Shining), and The Joker (Batman). Just saw this film last night for the first time and was blown away. I will be buying this Special Edition real soon. The evil head nurse wasn't as mean as I thought she would be, but man is she well-acted. Everyone should see this film, it's that good! ... Read more

Amazon.com

You wouldn't know it by watching the Batman movies they collaborated on, but this smart adaptation of John Grisham's novel proves that director Joel Schumacher and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have some talent when the right project comes along. Schumacher had previously directed Grisham's The Client, and brought equal craft and intelligence to this story about a young Southern attorney (Matthew McConaughey, in his breakthrough role) who defends a black father (Samuel L. Jackson) after he kills two men who raped his young daughter. Sandra Bullock plays the passionate law student who serves as McConaughey's legal aide and voice of conscience in the racially charged drama. Added to the star power of the lead roles is a fine supporting cast, including Kevin Spacey, Ashley Judd, and Oliver Platt. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Racism, violence, white trash, murder ("Jerry! Jerry!")
"A Time to Kill" has good intentions. It stars:

Matthew McConaughey as lawyer Jake Brigance

Samuel L. Jackson as Carl Lee Hailey, a father who kills to avenge the rape of his little girl

Kevin Spacey as the snide, sinister District Attorney

Sandra Bullock as Brigance's law clerk, Ellen "Rork in Boston, but Row Ark in Mississippi"

Ashley Judd as Jake Brigance's wife

Oliver Platt is Jake's buddy Harry Rex

Keifer Sutherland as a vengeful redneck

and Donald Sutherland as eccentric, civil-rights-activist/disbarred lawyer/drunk/mentor Lucien Wilbanks

With an all star cast like that, you can't go wrong, and the film, at least plot-wise, doesn't. Carl Lee Hailey's 10-year-old daughter is raped and left for dead by two white trash redneck dopeheads. Enraged, Hailey takes justice into his own hands and fatally shoots the two rapists as they leave the courthouse. Everyone in the small Mississippi town hears the news within minutes and takes sides, and Hailey hires a young ham-and-egger, Brigance, to defend him. As Brigance tries to avoid a conviction from the all-white jury, the brother of one of the rapists (played by Keifer Sutherland) gets together a couple of good ole boys to form a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. Violence erupts, protesters march and chant, death threats and burning crosses abound, everyone is covered at all times with a sheen of oily sweat, and there's even an explosion.

"A Time to Kill" is like the "Jerry Springer Show," but intelligent.

The dialogue, however, could use work. It seems as if a good writer and a mediocre writer banged out the script, then cut it up and shuffled it together, intermingling the really well-written scenes with some really choppy dialogue.

The same goes for the acting. Jackson, Spacey, and McConaughey are excellent and convincing in their roles. Platt is charming as Jake's best friend and a sleazy divorce lawyer.

However, Judd is useless and even childish in her role as a trophy wife, and Bullock, as Jake's law clerk, sounds as if she's a shy girl in a high-school play who hasn't quite memorized her lines yet. (This really irked me because in the book version, her character was headstrong, outspoken, and very smart.)

I encourage anyone to rent the movie for themselves. It's definitely worth seeing, even if the writing and acting is a little off in places. The story redeems the bad acting.

I Love This Movie!
This movie is one of my favorites and I highly recommend that everyone see it because it is thought provoking and it forces you to put yourself in the character's shoes and think about what you would do. The movie begins with the brutal rape of a little black Mississippi girl by two white men. The girl's father Carl Lee, played by Samuel L. Jackson, then shoots and kills the guys- in the courthouse, mind you. Matthew McConaughey plays Carl Lee's attorney, Jake Brigance. The plot line continues with bouts including the KKK and the NAACP. Something notable that I really like is the exposing of the NAACP's arrogance and crookedness that happens all too often in real life. All of the actors do a great job in this film. Kevin Spacey is the prosecutor and Sandra Bullock plays Brigance's legal aid, whom he almost ends up having an affair when his wife (Ashley Judd) leaves town for her and their daughter's safety. If nothing else, you've got to see this movie for the fact that Matt McConaughey is the leading man. He is so hot! Even though I disagree with the verdict, A Time To Kill is a must see if you haven't viewed it yet. Bravo!

Grisham At His Best
A Time to Kill is my favorite Grisham book, and the movie follows suit. The book, which was the first one published but did not become popular until The Firm becase a success, seems to be the most "grounded" with a "real" feel to it unlike some of the other ones which tend to stretch credibility a bit more (but are fun to read anyway.)

Closing Arguments
A Time To Kill, is one of only two of John Grisham's legal thrillers that I have read, cover to cover. The other is The Chamber. I have to say, that while the book of ATTK is a bit better, then the film version, there's no denying the movie has a lot going for it...making for a very good film.

In a small southern town, black man Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) awaits trial for murdering the two rednecks who viciously raped his 10-year-old daughter. Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) is a young, idealistic white lawyer, who decides to take on the father's defense. The incendiary case becomes a firestorm of racism and controversy, ripping the town apart. This, as Jake goes up against the community's most successful D.A. (Kevin Spacey), while reluctanly accepting help with the case from a law student (Sandra Bullock).

It's amazing how good this film is, especially when one considers what director Joel Schumacher and its adapter
Akiva Goldsman, would team up to do on Batman And Robin. At it's center, McConaughey gives his best perfomance to date. He captures the the escence of his novel counterpart to a tee. Jackson is also quite convincing as a man on trial. The rest of the all star cast is very good here--although Bullock shares nice moments with McConaughey--she seems out of step and is suprisingly the film's weakest link. Some have said the movie is over crowded with too many subplots, while that is true to a certain extent I guess, Goldsman's script and Schumacher somehow balance it all. The film takes a few liberties, but, basically stays true to the source material.

Like most John Grisham books turned movies, the DVD lacks anything substantial, in the way of bonus material. Production notes and the film's theatrical trailer is all you get...Special Edition anyone?

A Time To Kill offers fine performances and rock solid drama. The film is a winner and one of the best Grisham adaptations out there

Intense Grisham Drama
Set in the deep south, where prejudice dies hard and bigotry still runs rampant, this intense crime drama finds the bright (although penniless) young lawyer Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) fighting to keep a black man from the gas chamber, and struggling to protect the lives of his friends and family. When Carl Lee Haley's (Samuel L. Jackson) nine-year-old daughter is brutally raped and beaten by some local good-old-boys, he fears the court will not serve justice and takes matters in his own hands, gunning down and killing the two boys on the courthouse steps. Carl Lee calls for Jake to take up his defense, although he has never handled a murder case.
The tension rises and intensity level of the plot increases as the local KKK is united, big wigs come in from the NAACP, Klu Klux Klan, and high dollar prosecutors. When the KKK sets a burning cross in their yard, Jake's wife and daughter flee town, only to have their beautifully restored Victorian home burned to the ground days later by the protestors. In the courtroom, Jake finds himself pitted against his worse legal-world enemy (Kevin Spacey) and the courtroom antics are nothing short of breathtaking. Donald Sutherland, Sandra Bullock and Oliver Platt make up Jake's patchwork defense team and provide fantastic character studies.
This film earns the top rating for the reasons: 1)by staying true to Grisham's first legal novel of the same name; and 2) because of the deep understanding these characters give us to the world of the prejudice south, the love of a father, and the desperate yearning for justice. Ultimately, Jake must put himself in the place of each of the jurors to fight for Carl Lee's freedom. He must learn that he is not black, will never be black, but the issues are not always colored. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Nothing's as dangerous as a Yellowbeard....
Why don't they make more pirate movies? Probably because the mold was broken after Yellowbeard. I mean, Cutthroat Island was funny, but I don't think they meant it to be. Graham Chapman stars as the scurvy dog himself, and his supporting cast is wonderful, including Pythons John Cleese and Eric Idle, Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong, Peter Boyle, Kenneth Mars, Susanna York, the late great James Mason, the late great Madeline Kahn, the late great Goon Spike Milligan, the late great Beyond The Fringe alum Peter Cook, the late Sir Michael Horndern, and finally, the late great Marty Feldman in his last role. Feldman died in Mayheeco before this was finished, hence the disjointed ending, but he was wonderful while he lasted. This sprang from the fertile & addled brain of Who drummer Keith Moon, who died before it was made. David Bowie was on vacation in Mexico in the same area while this was filmed, and makes an uncredited cameo. John Cleese is wonderful as Blind Pew (Cleese: "'oi 'ave acute 'earing." Idle- "I don't care about your jewelry"). James Mason is a hoot, playing it straight as a brutal English captain. Cheech & Chong are great, although I half expected to see them launch into their classic shtick of "Buggery On The High Seas". If your sense of humor is twisted, get this movie. If your SOH is just silly, get it too. If you miss Marty Feldman half as much as I do, then that means I miss him twice as much as you. There's also a "Making Of Yellowbeard" program out there. Keep your eyes peeled for it, too, it is worth it.

Wild and Crazy Pirate Movie!
I'm a Monty Python fan and I also happen to like pirate movies so when this movie was shown unedited and commercial free on cable I taped it and just watched it the other day and though it's not my all time favorite pirate movie as a spoof of pirate movies it does have it's funny moments and three of my favorite Monty Python members, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle and John Cleese. The movie has a huge cast that also stars, Peter Boyle, Peter Cook, Madeline Kahn, James Mason, Marty Feldman, Martin Hewitt, Cheech and Chong and also look out for Bernard Fox who played Dr. Bombay in the classic television sitcom Bewitched. I wonder why this movie isn't on DVD yet. The station I taped the movie from played it in fullscreen and I would think that a movie like this had to have been filmed in widescreen so maybe a widescreen DVD will be available someday.

Okay but Not Great!
I watched Yellowbeard recently and well it was basically a funny movie though there were some hits and misses with the humor and the rape jokes got tiresome after awhile!

The Unknown Sidesplitter
The great groups of 20th century comedy are all here: Spike Milligan from The Goon Show, Peter Cook from Beyond the Fringe, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, and John Cleese from Monty Python, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Kenneth Marz, and Medeline Kahn from the Mel Brooks Art Players, Cheech and Chong -- plus British stalwarts like Michael Hordern and Peter Bull (in drag) -- plus James Mason in his rarely seen dry-as-dust comic mode -- plus an uncredited cameo by David Bowie. As a teenager, my daughter tested potential friends by showing them this movie and, if they loved it, they passed. A MUST for DVD.

One of the greatest of all time...
For fans of the Python, this is one of the greatest movies of all time. You will be in tears the entire time. Let's just hope someday they remaster and re-release it on DVD ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Funniest Movie Ever Made
This cult classic has finally made it to video. Every western movie cliche is lampooned in this made for TV movie starring (among others) John Astin, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, and Dick Shawn-- with cameos by then unknown actors such as Ed Begley, Jr, Penny Marshall, Pat Morita, John Ritter, and Dom Deluise.

Evil Roy Slade falls for Miss Betsy Palmer who tries to reform Slade, unsuccessfully. Slade even tries to change his name. "Evil John Ferguson? Nah. Evil Lee Rich, yeah, that's good, that's good."

Dick Shawn plays the "Paladin" type character, Ding Bell, hired to put an end to Slade. Rumor has it his outfits were created by Liberace's personal wardrobe designer.

Bing Bell likes to sing and play his guitar as he rides along to "keep my mind off the smell of the horse".

The puns and one liners come so quick and often, that you will probably miss half of them the first time through. But that's OK because you will want to watch this film several times.

This film is great fun for the whole family.

The Search Has Ended!
I had been looking for a copy of this video for years. I had first viewed this movie while I was in high school and it was a movie made for TV. It is probably the funniest movie I have ever watched. When I watched it again, I was laughing so hard, I fell off the couch! My daughter enjoyed watching it, and so have all of the people who have watched it. I am now waiting for this to come out on DVD, so that I can buy another copy, in case my VHS doesn't get returned or simply wears out.

This movie was made in a time when family-viewing films were more common. I would place it into the same category of many of the Disney films of the era.

A gunfighter is attempting to reform himself for the love of his life. The Evil Roy Slade trys real, real hard to become a member of society. My favorite scenes are when he becomes a shoe salesman. People working with the buying public will understand his frustration with the customers.

Again, a wonderful, funny look at life for the entire family.

Decent Western Parody
Evil Roy Slade is a decent parody of Westerns. Evil Roy is literally a truly evil villain so much so that as a baby he was spurned by both Indians and wolves alike and wound up being raised by vultures.

Evil Roy Slade ranks 4 out of 5 stars because while the movie is funny, it is also overly goofy and quite implausible overall. It is also predictable.

Jeez I have finally got a copy
This film cannot be bought for love nor money over here in the U.K. So finally after something like 25 - 30 years of searching I have finally got a copy coming from the States(thankfully my VCR is NTSC compatable).
I only have ever seen this film once when I was about 10 or 11 back in 72/73....to say it has stayed in my memory ever since says a lot about it!!! I thought it was the funniest film I had EVER seen (and still do), and though I never ever saw it again I was always scouring the TV listings .... the closest I got to seeing it for a second time was whilst holidaying in Canada..I saw it listed but we could'nt get the T.V. station!!!
I have to agree with the other reviews at Amazon (I have read every one!!) and say this has to be the best comedy film ever made, and although I was only small when first watching it the film has stuck with me throughout my life. At last my friends who thought I was nuts will get to see it!!!
Can't wait!!!!

stubby finger, tapping out your code......
John Astin at his best. Mickey Rooney and Henry Gibson are a riot as well. even Milton Berle is memorable. Get it, grab a root beer, grab the kids and laugh together. ... Read more

Description

Westward frontiersmen Hunt (Chris Farley) and Edwards (Matthew Perry) are out-of-doors and out of their minds as they try to overtake Lewis and Clark and be the first to blaze a trail across the American continent.Year: 1998 Director: Christopher Guest Starring: Chris Farley, Matthew Perry ... Read more

Reviews (34)

NO Lewis and Clark!
It's all about Chris Farley and Matthew Perry, not Lewis and Clark. They slapped funny people, watched a woman bathe and Farley cooked eggs over easy. It was splendid! Watch Matthew Perry gag after taking some medicine. Walking over coals is the best! "Almost Heroes," is Chris Farley's last movie and he will always be remembered for making a genius laugh. This movie which was directed by Christopher Guest, needs to be released on DVD. Any Farley fan will appreciate it. Purity.

If you are a Farly Fan You will Love this movie
What a great concept for a flick. Attempting to beat Lewis and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean. Being this is the 200th anniversary of that expedition made it a little interesting.

There are some very funny scenes indeed but Farly is Farly, yelling, getting angry, fighting and fussing. If you like that you will love this. My favorite scene is where he faces the Eagle at her nest. "Why didn't you tell me you only wanted the shell?" What a great one liner.

Perry is a little stiff as a character and is more of a straight man to Farly's funny man. My only problem with the movie is that there are too many places where it gets slow. Part of it is because you are in the wild and it was a slower time.

There are so many great one liners that seem to have too much time between them. The inuendos are a bit much especially at the beginning. The older Indians are just great. And the scenery, especially of the Tetons and the Snake River are outstanding.

If you want to have a fun night with mostly the guys this is okay for that. My wife did not like it. Anyone who knows and liked Farly for his antics and his in character concept, you will just think this is a hoot.

Intentional Stupidity
This was Chris Farley's last film. He ended on a high note. The movie is intentionally stupid--a hilarious GOOF--and directed by Christopher Guest (known for having directed "This is Spinal Tap"). They surely weren't pushing for an Oscar with this one - merely encouraging laughter. This is the story of Bartholomew Hunt (Chris Farley) and Leslie Edwards (Matthew Perry) who, in 1804, follow explorers Lewis and Clark, in hope of being the first men to see the Pacific Ocean. Along their journey they're sure to bring laughter to true fans of Farley's ways, and perhaps to fans of Mel Brooks' as well, as some of the comedy is similar to Brooks' humour in "Robin Hood - Men in Tights".
It is a real shame that this movie isn't available on DVD (yet?), because the presentation of it on VHS is awful. I quote the fine print on the back of the tape's case: "This film has been modified as follows from its original version: It has been formatted to fit your screen". The picture is zoomed in WAY too far, and the result looks distorted. In many shots heads are cropped, we sometimes see only approximately 75% of the face of the person who speaks, and at one point, where a sign reads "Welcome to Snakes Bend", we only see "elcome to Snakes Ben". I was hugely disappointed by the film's presentation, but surprised by the quality of comedy since this is not a much talked about movie.
Zero points to he who decided to crop the movie, and full points to whoever releases is on DVD (with OPTIONAL formatting).

"WHOS IDEA WAS THE CORN???"
that line gets me every time! farley, matt perry and eugene levy all give great comedic performances. this movie took about 2 or 3 viewings for me to really appreciate the style of humor, but the best comedies are usually like that. once you start listening to how ridiculous some of the dialogue is, you start to laugh from wondering how the actors kept a straight face for the scenes. one of the funniest movies of all time! maybe not as funny as tommy boy, but pretty close. i laugh to myself just thinking about some of the scenes as i type this. its a shame the world lost chris farley, but he went out with a great final movie.

A Guiltless Pleasure
Is this movie dumb? You bet! But I love it. The dumber "the better" I always say. Well sometimes. Farley and Perry play off each other quite well with their own styles of comedic humor in this interpretation of the Lewis and Clark exploration. But then so does the whole cast of zany characters in this whimsical historical tale. Some of the situations and lines of dialog are absolutely stupid, but they are just so funny in their own way. After I recently viewed this film again I just thought it was absolutely gut wrenching funny and worth the 5 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

It's Very Good!
Anne of Avonlea, also called Anne of Green Gables the Sequel is a wonderful movie and just as good as the first movie! In this movie Anne leaves home to take a job teaching English to some snotty rich girls who give her a hard time but she soon wins them over and soon Morgan Harris the father of one of her students falls for Anne and courts her. The father played by Frank Converse is quite a bit older then Anne and my aunt kept rooting for him but having read the books and knowing who Anne's true love is I of course rooted for her beloved Gilbert. Megan Follows once again gave a wonderful performance as Anne and I highly recommend this movie and also the first movie. The only movie in this series that I was disappointed in was the third movie the Continuing story but the first two movies are very good! I could be wrong but I don't recall the character Morgan Harris being in the books and I think he may have been an added character to the movie. I do think that the actor playing him was quite handsome in a rugged sort of way but Jonathan Crombie who played Gilbert was cute too.

The movie was magnificent
Growing up as a child, I have watched this movie, with my grandmother, over and over again, along with Anne of Green Gables. Normally you can't find a sequel that lived up to the first movie, but this one broke that barrier. It lived up to every imagination that you came across in the first one. It made me laugh and cry time and time again. I recommend it to everyone. The acting was beautiful, along with the setting. The movies didn't follow the books to the tee but they were written perfectly all the same. I have watched these movies since i was little and now that I'm fifteen I'm finally going to buy them. I just got the books for Christmas last year. The third movie (Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story) just aired on PBS the last two weeks, and it was great too. It didn't follow the book at all, but i wouldn't have changed a thing. It's too bad that Colleen Dewhurst didn't live to be in the last one, she would have done a great performance. They were all great.

For anyone who loves to laugh, cry and be inspired these movies are definitely for you. (Young or Old)

An excellent sequel
If you like Anne of Green Gables you have to have the sequel. It is excellent.

Growing Up In Avonlea
I mainly have known this story to be Anne of Avonlea. I also might add I haven't the pleasure of reading L. M. Montgomery book series of Anne of Green Gables. But this has been one of the best sequels I have ever seen. The new additions to the cast is great. We still follow the life of Anne Shirley as she matures and intends on graduating college and becoming a teacher, and a writer. She also has to help with Green Gables now that Mathew is gone. Her friendship also blossom's with Gilbert B. however, she isn't ready to fall in love with him yet. As it becomes a hard decision she is comfortable with Marilla living with Rachel at Green Gables as she goes off to teach at a private girls school which is a new chapter and new adventures. She then becomes involved with a young girl Emmeline Harris and falls into a very close relationship with her father Morgan Harris. She makes the town fall in love with her despite them disliking new comer's to the town. However, she realizes that she is very much home sick and that she belongs back home in Green Gables and she also realizes that her and Gilbert belong together. Again it's always fantastic to see all of the actor's and characters return to this amazing sequel. There are a few characters very much missed, but remembered in this film. And all of the relationships between Anne and her friends grow stronger and stronger. The new additions are just as wonderful with the private school and the other characters of the new town. It really is a wonderful piece and a nice conclusion to this series. The DVD quality I guess some have complained about, but I don't see anything wrong with it. It has all of the same extra's, except in a new version with this sequel that the first DVD set had. Again I highly recommend this for any Anne fan.

DVD quality fine
I don't know whether Sullivan Entertainment remastered the DVD and re-released it as a two-sided disc (and thus I have a different version than the one reviewed below) or whether my eyes are different from those of that reviewer, but as I wrote in my review of the first "Anne of Green Gables," the encoding on my copy is just as good as the vast majority of DVD's out there, and better than many. I did notice some minor compression artifacts on this disc, but the negative reviewer below should watch "The Last Emperor" before s/he awards "worst DVD encoding ever" to this fine DVD of a wonderful film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Now and forever a favorite among kids, this 1990 comedy written by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club) and directed by Chris Columbus (Mrs. Doubtfire) ushered Macaulay Culkin onto the screen as a troubled 8-year-old who doesn't comfortably mesh with his large family. He's forced to grow a little after being accidentally left behind when his folks and siblings fly off to Paris. A good-looking boy, Culkin lights up the screen during several funny sequences, the most famous of which finds him screaming for joy when he realizes he's unsupervised in his own house. A bit wooden with dialogue, the then-little star's voice could grate on the nerves (especially in long, wise-child passages of pure bromide), but he unquestionably carries the film. Billie Bird and John Candy show up as two of the interesting strangers Culkin's character meets. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are entertainingly cartoonish as thieves, but the ensuing violence once the little hero decides to keep them out of his house is over-the-top. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (111)

A Holiday Classic...
In 1990, another Christmas movie classic was made. This movie, "Home Alone" is a holiday classic that you can't find anywhere else. The cast is great, the scenes are hilarious, and it's wonderful family movie. Macaulay Culkin starts his fame as the family icon for parents and thier children.

The movie starts out in Chicago, IL at the McCillister house. Here we meet Kevin's family that is running all over the house preparing for their Christmas trip to Paris. Also in the house scoping out the place is Harry (Joe Pesci), a crook posed a cop that is planning on robbing the house after they leave. Now here is where the problems start. When the whole family is eating pizza for dinner, Kevin (Culkin) is looking around for his plain cheese pizza because that's all he eats. So his older brother Buzz (Devin Ratray) eats it on purpose. Then Kevin attacks him and the place becomes a mess and soda is spilled and the passports are soaked, etc. Kevin's mother Kate (Caterine O'Hara) sends him to his room. In Kevin's state of anger he says to his mother that he doesn't want to see his family again. Now while in bed Kevin says, "I wish they would all dissapear." During the night the power goes out and the alarm clocks goes out. The next moring they are rushing left and right to get to the airport. Here's the problem: THEY FORGOT KEVIN!

Now kevin wakes up an sees nobody is home. He actually thinks that his wish came true. Now at first Kevin loves this. He jumps on the bed, shoots his brother Buzz's BB gun, takes his brother's life savings, and eats all the junk food in the world and watches "R" rated films. While the family is on the plane, Kevin's mother gets the feeling they forgot something. Kevin's father Peter (John Heard) asks her, "What could we have forgotten?" Then Kate screams: KEVIN! Now while Kevin still is having fun back at home, the family is in Paris trying to get a flight back home. and calling the police, etc.

One day, Kevin goes out shopping and spots a misterious van in the neighbor's driveway. It's the crooks. Marv (Daniel Stern) and Harry (Pesci), The Wet Bandits. Now after Kevin actually goes out shopping to get food and milk, he notices the guys in the van. Now he realizes they are after his house. Sorry Christmas Eve night he plans his battle against the crooks.

The gadgets and the tricks he pulls on the crooks are undoubtably hilarious. First, when the crooks starts talking to Kevin through the back door pretending to be Santa Claus and an Elf, Kevin takes his borther's BB gun and sticks it through the cathole and shoots Harry is the lower region. Then Marv sticks his heasd through the cathole and he gets shot in the head. Now there is ice on all the stairways, the front door knob is burning hot and when Hary touches the knob, the knob's inprinted "M" is impronted into Harry's hand. Lol! Then in the basement there is tar paper on the stairs and eventually there is a nail sticking up which Marv steps on with his bare foot. See what other tricks Kevin has got up his sleeve.

This movie, "Home Alone" is the perfect holiday movie that the entire family can enjoy. It's another Christmas classic. One thing this movie does for me is it gets me into the holiday spirit. In the beginning when Kevin said he didn't want to see his family again, throughout the movie, you realize how important family is, especially around the holidays. Buy this movie for you and your kids and you will love it as much as I do. Merry Christmas! Ho, Ho, Ho!

A Christmas Favorite
Home Alone has always been one of my favorite Christmas movies, It's funny and entertaining!

The movie is about a boy named Kevin McCallister[Macaulay Culkin] who accidently gets left behind in his home in Chicago when his family goes off on a trip to France. While Kevin is at home, two burglars are trying to break in. The burglars are played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. One of the burglars was at the house at the beginning, pretending to be a policeman, to check out the house. After Kevin finds out, he sets up a set of booby traps on the night they arrive. Meanwhile, Kevin's mom[Catherine O'Hara] wan'ts to get home as quickly as she can when she finds out that Kevin was left behind. So, instead of going on a plane she travels back to Chicago on a truck with a group of musicians and their polka king of the midwest[John Candy] when they offer to take her home. After the burglars get arrested with one of Kevin's plans, Kevin's mom arrives home with the rest of the family including his dad[John Heard] and they all feel so grateful to see him.

This is a movie your whole family will enjoy!!!

Home Alone
This is a great family film. You will laugh and laugh when you see keven (macaulay culkin) jumping for joy that his family is not at his house, but when robbers try to brake in the house he starts to see that he really wants his family. This will make the kids laugh seeing growns up laughing. This truely is a great movie!

Great Maculay Culkin
I own 1,2,and 3! I don't own 4. I don't like it!

My favorite holiday movie of all time (Or for any other day)
I am EXTREMELY happy that this movie finally made it to DVD because this is one of the most exciting and nicest holiday and family movies ever made. Everything from beginning to the end reminds me of the Back to the Future movies - when I watch that movie, I always notice something interesting, familiar, funny, or exciting when I see those movies and Home Alone. Many people may not like this DVD release because of inferior picture and sound quality and lack of bonus features - I THINK THIS DVD IS GREAT! Of course, the only bonus features on this DVD are the trailers to the Home Alone trilogy, and the sound is only stereo, but still, that's great because I LOVE THIS MOVIE! You know, because I love the funny parts - including the fake movie Kevin watches and uses to scare off the pizza guy and the villians (I always wanted to try that!) The fake movie, in case you didn't know, is translated into foreign languages as well! Speaking of which, this DVD comes in English, French