Description

The early days of wildcat oil drilling provide the basis for this period drama.A washed-up old wildcatter talks a family from a dying farm town into financing an oil derrick on their land. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Good for the whole family
Having children now I truly value good and wholesome movies that don't rely on profanity and tasteless antics.
Robert Duvall truly shines as does Aidan Quinn in this wonderful story. It is definately an "owner" and something you will want to watch again.

Robert Duvall at his best!
This is one of our great American films. This could not be improved...it's a five star gem. Watch it, love it!

BEING A PART OF HENRIETTA
THE STARS THAT FELL ON HENRIETTA IS A GREAT PERIOD FILM SET IN 1935. ROBERT DUVALL AND AIDAN QUINN DID A GREAT JOB OF ACTING IN THE FILM.IT ALSO WAS GREAT BEING ABLE TO BE IN THE FILM AS A PICTURE CAR DRIVER IN WHICH I HAD THREE VINTAGE CARS IN. ALSO IF YOU LOOK REAL HARD JANE SEYMORE IS STANDING AT THE BAR IN A SALOON WHILE A BOXING MATCH IS GOING ON.

MY House
This was a good movie and I enjoyed it very much. Part of the movie was filmed in my backyard. We still have the building painted like it was in the movie.

Makes you want to. . . .
......meet and shake hands with and look into the eyes of the people involved with this entire production.

The actors, all, the photography, music, scenery, story, make for a lasting experience. Human nature is revealed by the writer and portrayed by Duvall, et al, showing the good and bad and sweet and mean and course and tender, often combined in a single person.

And then, whose name appears on screen? Clint Eastwood! What a talent he has proven to be, both in his acting ability and here for his good judgment in bringing this production together.

Thanks, Clint, and Robert, and all for this fine work of art.

And for those of you who want to witness human nature in action, SEE this movie. rexmounger@aol.com ... Read more

Amazon.com

This terrific Walter Hill Western follows the careers of the James and Younger brothers--and uses the nifty idea of casting actual clans of acting siblings in the roles. Thus, the James brothers are played by James and Stacy Keach; the Youngers by David, Keith, and Robert Carradine; the Millers by Randy and Dennis Quaid; and the Fords by Christopher and Nicholas Guest. Hill, working with an evocative Ry Cooder score, creates a film that is at once breathtakingly exciting and elegiac in its treatment of these post-Civil War outlaws. The Keaches in particular bring a surprising dignity to the roles of Frank and Jesse James, while David Carradine is a hoot as Cole Younger--and the Quaids mimic real life (as it was for them then) in their battles as the Miller brothers. Bloody, to be sure, but also bloody good. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (26)

An uneven guilty pleasure
I don't know why I am such a sucker for this film. It is too long, uneven, very slow in parts and certainly doesn't provide a happy ending. But it is one of the most honest yet entertaining westerns I have ever seen. The qimmick of using the Keach brothers as Frank and Jesse James and the Carradine brothers as the three members of the Younger family (plus throwing in the Quaid brothers for good measure)works wonderfully well. Always picturesque, frequently violent and bloody, this film evokes the unstable time just after the Civil War when the James and Younger gang were at their height. A terrific contrast is drawn between the James men, who are depicted as dedicated homebodies when not at "work", and the Youngers who are depicted as boisterous hell-raisers. Pamela Reed as Belle Starr is a standout in an already excellent cast. When Cole Younger and her husband square off for a knife fight she just smiles and declares "You boys sure do keep me entertained." The same could be said for this film. It is by far the best Jesse James film ever made, and with its sound track by Rye Cooder, a pleasant experience to revisit every year or so.

Walter Hill's best film -- an unsung classic
Just as the 80s were beginning and the Western was about to take a sad, decade long sleep, Walter Hill, fresh from his unexpected success with the gang film "The Warriors," turned out this unique and utterly remarkable Western about the James-Younger gang. Using real-life brothers to play the outlaw kin (two Keaches, three Carradines, two Quaids, two Guests), Hill crafts an intense character study that plays like a collaboration between Western great John Ford ("Stagecoach") and Japanese master Akira Kurosawa ("Yojimbo", a film Walter Hill later remade as "Last Man Standing").

"The Long Riders" is close to plotless, but it paints a fascinating picture of the gang and the family and community ties that keep them together (the Ford influence right there...community was his great theme) while delving into the nuances of each character (this is where the fraternal casting really helps out). And Hill acheives all this depth in only 100 minutes! The action sequences are the best in a Western since Sam Peckinpah; the Northfield robbery is particularly striking and brutal.

Aside from Hill and all the great actors, cinematography Ric Waite and composer Ry Cooder deserve special mention for the film's success. Waite creates an authentic "period" look with his deep, glowing photography; the DVD transfer captures this perfectly for the first time. Cooder's score is completely against the grain for the time: small, intimate, and filled with forgotten folk tunes that help paint a picture of a united, family-built community. It is almost a companion piece for David Mansfield's equally intimate score for "Heaven's Gate," released the same year as "The Long Riders."

The DVD has no extras except for a trailer, but the film is so wonderful and so rewards repeat viewings that you should grab a copy of it right away. Believe me, you'll be stunned by this piece of film art.

"I ain't aiming to do nothing...I'm doing it!"

Long Riders Is Long On Music, But Not On Plot
I saw this movie for the first time a couple of days ago. What hit me about the movie was the amount of music played in the movie. The movie is fair. Not a movie you would want to repeat several times in your lifetime. Maybe watch once and then move on. The cinematography is fine. It seemed to lack grit. I found it difficult to believe David Carradine as Cole Younger. Frank Keach was good as Jesse James, but brother Stacy Keach was passable as Frank James. I think a better rendition of the story of Jesse James and the Younger brothers was in the movie "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid" made in 1972 as a television film (I believe). Cliff Robertson as Cole Younger and Robert Duvall as Jesse James seemed to be better renditions. The Long Riders is well made, but it seems to be missing something. Just rent it.....and if you really like the movie.....definitely buy it. Investigate the 1972 version with Duvall. Passable to good acting in the Long Riders.

the james and youngers ride again
This is the Western that out Peckinpahs Pekinpah! A gritty and bloody look at the greatest band of outlaws in American history with perfect casting and Walter Hill makes it look authentic and legendary all at once. Long Riders is a wonderful movie that hits the target and then some. It's a real Western gem.

cooler than cool
Some will get it and some won't, but Long Riders is "it"!
Great cast, great direction, and a script that blends history and myth with style.
Great photography and a great soundtrack to boot!
Plus great action, and Western mystique galore.
They don't come much cooler than Long Riders.
A classic. ... Read more

Album Details

Soundtrack featuring Eric Clapton, Jb Hutto and the New Hawks, Peggy Scott, the Brakes, and Magic Sam. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent! Fits The Movie Perfectly!
Eric Clapton's music fit the film scenes for Homeboy perfectly! The film is dark and moody, yet ends with hope - just like Clapton's particular compositions for certain key scenes. Rent the film and you'll fall in love with this CD even more so!

A Thinking Man's Boxing Film
I would rank "Homeboy" along with "Body & Soul" (starring John Garfield),"Rocky" (the first one), "Raging Bull" and "Peniteniary" as one of the best boxing films ever made. A very moody, dark film that is well acted and directed. Mickey Rourke is at the top of his game in this one.

Excellent soundtrack from Clapton and Kamen.
This is a great CD! This collection of themes from the Mickey Rourke film "Homeboy" has no Clapton vocals, but some of his best film music work, in my opinion. The "Ruby" themes are beautiful acoustic guitar work and then Clapton and bassist Nathan East do an electric "Dixie" that is reminiscent of the famous Jimi Hendrix "Star Spangled Banner"... A definite "must have" for those who appreciate Clapton's work. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Great Irish Romantic Tragedy
In a lot of the time-split movies I've seen, the present story is never as interesting as the past one, which is the case with "This is My Father." The present story revolves around Kieran Johnson (played by James Caan), a middle-aged Chicago high school teacher, as he travels abroad to Ireland with his teenage nephew, Jack (Jacob Tierney), in search of his unknown paternal roots. Upon arriving, Kieran Jr. learns of his father, Kieran O'Day (Aidan Quinn), via the Irish fortuneteller they're boarding from.

The movie then switches periodically to the summer of 1939, when Kieran Jr.'s young mother, Fiona Flynn (played by Moya Farrelly), returns from Catholic school and resumes her friendship with Kieran Sr., only to have it blossom into a forbidden love affair. Why their relationship is taboo is never fully explained, though the Catholic church, Kieran Sr.'s being a "poorhouse bastard", and their age difference are vaguely touched upon. However, a lot of it's left up to the viewer to draw their own conclusions.

In addition to the lack of any major taboo, I thought the past story between Kieran Sr. and Fiona would have been better at the forefront of this movie. It was certainly more entertaining than watching Kieran Jr. brood or Jack flirt with two local girls (or, rather, they were flirting with him; he just looked lost). But despite the little things, "This is My Father" is a great movie. It has a somewhat predictable demise at the end, but it's still sad enough to interest fans of romantic tragedies.

Sleeper
Why don't we ever hear about great films like this one. It has a wonderful story with a tearful conclusion. It is worth seeing, if only for the glimpse of Irish culture in 1939 and surely accurate depiction of the Catholic Church of that time. One gets the notion that in the Irish countryside of today, the Church probably still operates as it does in this film.

Aidan Quinn, who went out of his way to make this film, is terrific in his part as Kieran O'Day. He gained weight for the film and it is far from a glitzy role. Actually, all the acting is top notch and the characters are all believeable. Having grown up in a Catholic Church that is very close to what is portrayed in the film, made it even more interesting for me.

It's not a flashy film, but one of the best of this century.

Same old Irish drivel
I am sick to death of this kind of Irish film where the same old actors are wheeled out in their tweed jackets and flat-caps to portray yet another load of down-trodden Irish characters with something to moan and whinge about. Films about modern Ireland never ever seem to be made and I get the feeling that the world must think that Ireland is stuck in the 1940s as thats all you ever see in these films.

The story is the usual rubbish about forbidden love and it's been done a thousand times before. I do however disagree with the comment by a reviewer which claims that this film is 'anti-catholic' - it is not - this is unfortunatly how Ireland was at that time - ruled by the iron fist of the church. But this need by Irish film directors to constantly hark back to this time period is beyond me. Have they no other ideas they can turn into a film?

Utter rubbish

A real tear-jecker
No matter how many times you see this, It will make you cry. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. If you wish to seen a movie that goes to the pit of you heart this, and Sophie"s choice are the two. Reminds you want in the end is most impotant.

Compelling, Moving, Beautiful, and Unforgettable!!!
This is an unforgettable film which deserves a huge audience. It moves back and forth through past and present, weaving both together through a family and its history, and a lonely, burned out teacher's exploration of his roots. Each view and each perspective in this family -- past and present -- is sensitively explored. The most compelling, however, is the grandmother's love story with Kieran (Aidan Quinn) in County Galway in Ireland. This film explores Irish life and the Irish perspective, and the blessings and curses of each. The cast is superb, and Aidan Quinn gives a wonderfully moving performance as Kieran, the Father.

There are other Fathers in this film. Exploring these and musing about their meanings and their meddlings, past and present, is something best done by each individual viewer. Beautifully photographed, superbly acted, and wonderfully conceived, this is a must-see film for everyone, but especially for anyone with an interest in Ireland. This wonderful country and its history, its people, its music, its curses, its blessings, and its magic are all captured in loving detail onscreen. Highly, Highly recommended!!! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Consistent excitement!
"Daredevils of the Red Circle" is exciting from start to finish. The action and general entertainment never flag. People often mention the cliffhanger at the end of chapter one, when Gene is desperately trying to outrace the surging water, but there are many other moments in the movie which are equally good: try, for instance, the ending where Gene is chasing some crook up a very tall ladder at the side of a factory building, and the crook, having reached the top, pushes the ladder away from the wall. The ladder, with Gene on it, swings out into space, and your heart (and stomach) go with it! But it's not just the action: one of the main reasons this serial is so entertaining is that the three "daredevils", Gene, Tiny and Burt (Charles Quigley, Herman Brix and David Sharpe) are so incredibly nice and likable. You really care what happens to them. I just can't understand why Republic didn't make a sequel to this (I wish they had done!). All in all, five-star entertainment!

MANHUNT IN THE AFRICAN JUNGLE aka S.S. IN DARK. AFRICA
I ENJOYED THIS SERIAL BECAUSE IT HAD ABOUT 15 OR 20 FIGHTS. IT WAS ACTION ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I LIKE ROD CAMERON. STUNTMEN LIKE TOM STEEL, DALE VAN SICKLE(ALL AMERICAN FOOTBALL/UN. FLA 1939) DUKE GREEN MADE MANY SERIALS FUN TO WATCH. I ALSO LIKED THE MASKED MARVEL/THE TIGER WOMAN/MANHUNT OF MYSTERY ISLAND. SPENCER BENNETT, DIR. WAS GREAT

David Sharpe's Stunt Work
Everyone here has been raving about David Sharpe's Stunt work in this Serial. Well I have some bad news for people. Most (if not all) of the stunts/fights for Burt Knowles (his movie role) were done by another Stunt Man (I forget who). The producers were worried that he might get hurt so they "doubled" him for those scenes. This is one of the biggest letdowns since he would have been even better than his double (who DID do a great job).

"Acrobatic Hi Jinks" Stuntman David Sharpe at his best!
Daredevils of the Red Circle is an early example of the greatness of directors William Witney and John English who co-directed 17 serials from "Zorro Rides Again" in 1937 to "Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc." in 1941. Three acrobats at a carnival barely escape a fire set by a gang of criminals led by an escaped convict who goes by the name of 39013, his prison uniform number. During the fire Sammy, young brother to Gene, one of the acrobats is killed. Gene and his partners Tiny and Burt decide to find the men who set the fire. They are hired by Dixon, a detective who works for Horace Granville, a millionaire philantropist. Unbeknown to all, Granville has been kidnapped and is held captive in the cellar of the mansion. 39013 has made a mask of Granville's face which he uses to impersonate Granville. Aiding the 3 acrobats is a mysterious stranger who leaves notes on cards emblazoned with a Red Circle. The highlight of the serial is the Chapter I ending. Gene is inspecting a newly built tunnel when the walls begin to leak caused by drilling by 39013's men. Gene is seen riding his motorcycle through the tunnel as water comes gushing behind him. A really great action serial. Just watching the acrobats of stuntman David Sharpe (Burt) is worth the price of the video.

A Rip-Roaring Classic!
This has to be one of the greatest of all serials. Made in l939, its energetic young dare devils--Charles Quigley, Herman Brix (who also played Tarzan) and the legendary stuntman, David Sharpe whose spectacular stunts can be seen in numerous Republic serials--can barely keep still before tackling their next death-defying adventures. The very first episode, where Charles Quigley races his motorbike from a terrifying ocean of racing water in a tunnel has become a classic. Carole Landis--later to be the poor man's Betty Grable at Twentieth Century Fox--is an attractive asset as is the rest of the cast: Miles Mander and his nemesis (can't remember his name) who masquerades as the millionaire scientist. If you've got this in your video collection--along with Spy Smasher, King of the Texas Rangers, Manhunt in the African Jungles--you can't go wrong. Another goodie is "G-Men Meet the Black Dragon" with a fantastic young Rod Cameron and a gorgoeus sidekick, feisty Constance Moore. Just watch this cool, voluptuous blonde handle that machine gun! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best movie ever for kids and adults
I have not seen this movie in almost ten years and I remember it like it was yesterday. I have been looking everywhere for this movie. It is one of the best fairy tales and learning tools for children of all ages. Adults will love the story line just as much as their children. Aileen Quinn gives a wonderful performance. Hellen Hunt also give a wonderful performance. I did not even realize she was one of the characters until I read some information on this movie. Everyone should have the pleasure of seeing this movie atleast once

A great video that teaches the importance of friendships
This is a wonderful video. It is a musical starring Aileen Quinn (Annie),Helen Hunt (Twister, What Women Want), and John Paragon (Pee Wee's Big Adventure).
The new princess is to be chosen. Little Zora (Aileen) is an awkward and backwards girl. Her sister (Helen) is more graceful and beautiful.
A frog (a prince in disguise) helps teach Zora how to be a true princess. The rest? Watch it and find out for yourself.

It is a great movie. The ending is kind of predictable, but it's teaches that you should keep your promises. It also teaches the value of true friendships.
Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brilliant 1980's "B" Horror Movie
Since the first time I saw this, I have been an avid fan of this over looked, would-be "Cult Classic". The story line is typical. A down trodden and geeky youth, sells his soul to the local voodoo priestess, and in turn gains incredible Electric Guitar skills, A fancy house with three other equally cursed women, who also sold their souls for various reasons, and a position in a rising Metal Band, "Spastic Colon". The name of the Band alone is awesome! The catch is, he must feed on the living to keep his powers and immortality. There is a minor dramatic love-conflict, in that he desires "the other Girl", in this case played by Traci Lords. It is a fun movie to watch with a beer in your hand, and to just get your mind off of things.
This movie is hilarious if you approach it with the attitude you do all "B" Horror films.

SEX,DRUGS,AND ROCK'N'ROLL!!!
If you like girls in leather,guitar solos,and gratuitous death scenes than this is the movie for you.It's straight out of the eighties and the thing that surpised me the most was that Traci Lords accualy kept her clothes on!Don't worry though it has lots of groupie scences were they just can't seem to keep their clothes on.The main charector has to eat people to stay alive so it's a cannibalistic gorefest threw most of the movie.I would recommened this film to anyone with a good sense of humor and everyone who has ever dreamed of what it would be like to be a rock star! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bizarre Betty at her best!
These cartoons have to be seen to be believed! Bimbo's Initiation, Is My Palm Red and Betty Boop M.D. are the weirdest things you'll see without breaking any laws.

What must have been in the air at the Fleischer Studios in the early Thirties is anyone's guess. Brilliant stuff that anyone from a casual fan to a student of animation has to see - not just amoung the classic cartoons but amoung the classic films of all time!

Also, the masters used for this series are beautiful, with the only downside being the lose of the Paramount logo on most of them. You will not find better quality B/W cartoons even from Disney.

Surrealism and the boopster
An amazing collection of some of the more imaginative animation of all time. The Fleischers were the greatest innovators of their day, and stretched the bounds of reality far more than any other studio. As Max put it, "if it can happen in real life, it isn't animation.". His brother Dave put this theory into practice.

The first three volumes of this series are the pre-code toons, the others are a bit too cutesy for my tastes. Volume 3 belongs in everyone's collection, it contains 8 classics of surrealism, including "Bimbo's Inititaion" ... Read more

Amazon.com

The second and last of Anthony Mann's historical epics is a smart, handsome spectacle of the decadence, corruption, and intrigue that tears apart the greatest empire the world has seen. The sprawling story spreads itself thin over a number of characters and stories. At the center are handsome but stiff Stephen Boyd as Livius, the loyal soldier and symbolic son of the aging emperor (Alec Guinness), and Christopher Plummer as Commodus, the corrupt heir to the throne--boyhood friends turned enemies when the latter accedes to the throne and sells out the values of his father for greed and hedonistic pleasures. The three-hour running time is filled out with the tales of Sophia Loren (as the beautiful Lucilla in love with Livius but coveted by greedy Commodus) and a gallery of heroes and villains that includes James Mason, Mel Ferrer, Anthony Quayle, John Ireland, Omar Sharif, and Eric Porter. The film is highlighted with spectacular scenes (a grandiose funeral fit for an emperor, brutal battles in the provinces as the barbarians threaten the empire, and a climactic duel to decide the destiny of Rome), which Mann weaves into the shadowy intrigue of the halls of power. Like his previous epic El Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire remains one of the best of the 1960s epics: well written (and largely historically accurate) with strong performances and a consistently elegant style, but it lacks a central core and the magnetic hero of its superior predecessor. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Superb Epic of Ancient Rome and its decline
"The Fall Of The Roman Empire" is one of the very best of the 1960's lavish epics detailing various historical periods. Filled with eye popping historically accurate costumes, spellbinding sets (The Roman Forum was the largest set built up till that time) heavy doses of corruption and intrigue and believable performances combined with intelligent writing, this film has it all and indeed is a winner all the way.

The film makes a real attempt not to stray too far from historical fact and focuses on the beginnings of the fall of Rome after 150 years of dominating the known world. The story opens with the last troubled period of the reign of Marcus Aurelius the benevolent philosopher Emperor who spent most of his reign reluctantly fighting on the frontiers of the empire against invading barbarians, through to the succession of his son the corrupt and insane Emperor Commodus. Woven into the fictional dialogue and personal situations is a great deal of historical detail which is authentic and illustrates the research and care that went into the preparation of this production.

Movie making during the early 1960's was a time rich in many historical epics and what distinguishes "The Fall Of The Roman Empire" is its wonderful performances set against this sprawling historical canvas of the decay of the mighty power of Rome. First and foremost the late Alec Guinness shines in a superb performance as Marcus Aurelius. Being a student of Roman History I was amazed at how closely he actually is made to look like the emperor and his performance is one of the towering achievements of the film. He is at times a strong leader, a trifle world weary and concerned about his place in history. It is one of Guinness's finest performances. The main focus of the story is the love affair between Lucilla (Sophia Loren, never more beautiful than here) and the upright Livius (Stephen Boyd) and their continued conflict with the new Emperor Commodus (Christopher Plummer). While Lucilla is the heroine of the piece here in actual history she was a seasoned intriger who was executed by her brother Commodus two years into his reign for plotting his death. This historical inaccuracy aside all three are excellent in their roles, in particular Plummer who really steals the scenes he is in as the corrupt, power mad Emperor and is far and way the best performer so far to play Commodus (the more recent "Gladiator" included). He is everything one has come to expect from a Roman ruler, mad, vicious, lavish in appearances and manner. It really is an attention grabbing performance and paved the way for his very different but equally famous role of the following year in "The Sound Of Music". Seasoned performers like James Mason, Anthony Quayle and Omar Sharif (pre "Dr. Zhivago") round out the excellent cast.

"Roman Empire" benefits from some of the very best visuals lavished on a film at this time. First and foremost the recreation of the Roman Forum would have to go down as one of the truly great sets in motion picture history. Long before computers did all the work this set was actually built to life size and is amazingly accurate in its layout and design. The battle scenes that take place on the empire's frontier near modern day Vienna are exciting and well staged and are some of the best of their kind ever undertaken. The film benefits from all the extensive location shooting that took place including the battle scenes supposedly taking place in Persia that were actually shot in Spain. Ably directed by Anthony Mann who had a similiar epic in the classic "El Cid" he keeps the action moving along at a good pace and allows the romantic subplot to weave into the story at appropiate times. Combined with Dimitri Tiomkin's sublime musical score it is a beautiful production to sit through and even its long running time (Almost 3hours) doesn't detract from it.

For lovers of Hollywood epic productions and students of Roman history "The Fall Of The Roman Empire" is an excellent piece of entertainment from back in the grand old days of film making when no expense was considered too much to achieve a truly great effect on screen. Certainly this film is one of the best of its kind and I highly recommend it as an exciting and colourful insight into the grandeur that was Rome.

Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
Fans of the blockbuster hit GLADIATOR will find this film somewhat familiar as it deals with the same factual characters and events. Sophia Loren and Stephen Boyd provide attractive window-dressing as the starcrossed lovers, but the real stars are Alec Guiness, James Mason and especially Christopher Plummer whose portrayal of the evil emperor Commodous rivals the Oscar caliber work of Joaquin Phoenix in the more recent epic. Lush 70mm photography on massive sets should make this an exceptional title to add to your classics library on DVD.

The Biggest Film Set in Film History-Ever (until recently).
Re Aleaton3's comments on this film not being historically accurate and the size of the sets used. The Roman Forum set built for this film at Las Matas in Spain (just outside Madrid) was THE BIGGEST OUTDOORS or EXTERIOR FILM SET (as opposed to an INDOORS or INTERIOR FILM SET) in FILM HISTORY up until 2003 when TROY apparently claimed the title (TROY having been filmed in 2003). Refer to every edition of the Guinness Book of Records from 1965 up to 2003 to verify this. It was unique in that it was 3 dimensional (i.e. the buildings WERE 4 SIDED and HAD ROOFS-THERE WERE NO FRONTAL FACADES WITH JUST SOME SCAFFOLDING AT THE BACK AS IN NORMAL SETS. I DON'T THINK THE BUILDINGS HAD ANY INTERIORS. THE SET WAS ALSO VERY ACCURATE ARCHITECTURALLY) and THIS SET WAS DEMOLISHED SOON AFTER FILMING. I know this for sure because I visited this exact location in 1977 and was advised of this (apparently producer SAMUEL BRONSTON didn't want the magnificence of his set being used for any lesser, cheaper productions although the few remaing parts of the set that had not already been demolished were used soon after in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"-see the absolute last title card at the end of that particular film). Incidentally this exact same site ONE YEAR EARLIER had been the location for THE CITY OF PEKING in the same producer's "55 DAYS AT PEKING". That particular set was also demolished soon after filming. As for the historical inaccuracies it is true that emporor MARCUS AURELIUS never OFFICIALLY nominated anyone other than his son COMMODUS as his heir and that COMMODUS DID NOT DIE IN A DUEL TO THE DEATH BUT WAS STRANGLED BY A WRESTLER AFTER BEING DRUGGED. Also THE AUCTIONING-OFF of THE ROMAN EMPIRE at the end of this film DID NOT TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMMODUS DIED BUT SEVERAL MONTHS LATER! However the scriptwriters used the "'INVENT AND DESTROY" method of storytelling so beloved to Hollywood. In this theory history cannot absolutely say that there was no character such as LIVIUS (STEPHEN BOYD) or MAXIMUS (RUSSELL CROWE), that emperor MARCUS AURELIUS (ALEC GUINNESS or RICHARD HARRIS) did not secretly annoint him as his heir or that he was not intimately involved with LUCILLA (SOPHIA LOREN or CONNIE NIELSEN)) the daughter of MARCUS AURELIUS (unbeknownst to the scholars and historians of that time). Having INVENTED A PLAUSIBLE THEORY IT MUST BE DESTROYED BY THE FILM''S END SO THAT HISTORY REMAINS REALTIVELY UNDISTURBED. So LIVIUS (this film) or MAXIMUS (GLADIATOR) never actually disturbs history by becoming caesar. Unfortunately either LIVIUS or MAXIMUS killing COMMODUS (CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER or JOAQUIN PHOENIX) in a duel to the death in the Roman Forum or the Colisseum DOES CONTRADICT HISTORY DIRECTLY and EXCEEDS THE LIMITS of the "INVENT AND DESTROY" THEORY. But THIS SEQUENCE IN EACH FILM DOES MAKE GREAT CINEMA and LOOKS VERY SPECTACULAR which is what these types of films are all about.. So for the sake of ENTERTAINING AND OVERWHELMING A MASS AUDIENCE (rather than an audience of historians only ) with VERY SPECTACULAR, ENTERTAINING and HIGHLY DRAMATIC STORIES I think the OCCASIONAL LAPSE in ABSOLUTE HISTORICAL ACCURACY and the OCCASIONAL INTERWEAVING of FICTIONAL CHARACTERS INTO HISTORY is ACCEPTABLE. Most people would not have any idea about ancient roman history had they not seen this film, GLADIATOR or indeed BEN HUR (history contains no refernce whatsoever to anyone called JUDAH BEN HUR either). An exactly historically accurate movie would probably be very boring and interesting only to history professors. The important thing here is that the spriit and atmosphere of the historical period is captured and conveyed to the audience and that the story itself is interesting enough to a mass audience in the first place so as to justify the enormous expenses involved (these productions being so costly). And on these criteria both The FALL of the ROMAN EMPIRE and GLADIATOR (and indeed BEN HUR) more than succeed. If the same extremely high quality of these productions (story-wise) can be maintained then more productions of this sort will be made (given the excellence of MOST computer-generated special effects nowadays the technical excellence of these previous productions should be equalled if not surpassed).

History vs Hollywood
The screenwriter of "Gladiator" claims not to have seen "The Fall of the Roman Empire" before writing the Ridley Scott film. That's odd since both films are bookended exactly the same way. Both open with Emperor Marcus Aurelius deciding that his son Commodus should not be emperor (a decision that leads to his murder). Both end with the fight between Commodus and the army commander within the shields of the Pretorian Guards. As a matter of fact, neither of these events are historically accurate.

Marcus Aurelius (according the Edward Gibbon and other historians) dealt the Empire a long-term blow when he broke with tradition by choosing his only surviving son, Commodus, to be his successor, rather than following the tradition of chosing the best man for the job and officially adopting him. To the consternation of his legions, Aurelius never chose a military commander over his own son. When you decide to abandon actual history at the very beginning of your story, the rest falls apart.

Secondly, Commodus was murdered by his concubine (who drugged his wine) and a wrestler (who strangled him) in his palace. In fact, it took a few days for everyone in Rome to come to finally believe that he was actually dead. HE WAS NOT KILLED in a single-handed combat with the commander of the army (either Stephen Boyd or Russell Crowe).

Third, there is no historical evidence that a group of barbarians were burned alive in the Roman forum, as this 1964 film depects. The screenwriter seems to have simply lost his grip on any sort of reality and went totally "Hollywood."

Samuel Bronson (the producer) spared no expence to actually build an exact replica of the Roman Forum (rather than do it digitally as in "Gladiator"), so the scenes shot on this set are truly spectacular. The set (built in Spain) was said to have stood intact for some years, even after Samuel Bronson Productions went bacnkrupt (over this very film). I have no idea if it's still standing.

Christopher Plummer is too old to play the actual Commodus, who was only a teenager when he ascended the throne. However, the script actually does justice to the spirit of the historical character of Commodus, and Plummer brings the man to vibrant life. Both Stephen Boyd (as the army commander) and Loren (as Commodus' sister) seem wooden and fail to establish any on- screen chemestry to their love-stared characters, although Loren's legendary beauty is well worth the price of admission.

Alec Guiness, James Mason, Anthony Quayle and Mel Ferrer all do an excellent job with their roles, although Omar Sharif has little to do since his scripted character is only one-dimensional.

Because of its over-all production values, and an appropriate and moving musical score, this becomes a satisfying, eye-popping, "they don't make them like this anymore" epic. It must be seen in the Widescreen format to do it justice.

Widescreen fans please note...
...you can obtain a fairly high quality widescreen DVD edition of this film from Amazon France's marketplace sellers. You can choose to watch in English, the only drawback being that the accompanying French subtitles can't be erased. However, when you see the price, even with postage, you won't want to complain! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

WITH OR WITHOUT BANGS
Dietrich played french ladies of dubious reputation so often, and to such great effect, its no wonder they loved her, and that she died in Paris. Remember her as Bijou Blanche in SEVEN SINNERS?

Here, in Renee Clair's confection, she has Ward Bond/Bruce Cabot to play against. Now, whether or not she ever had Bond/Cabot, as she had most of her other leading men, we'll never know. But, from the lack of sparkle in their duets together, probably not. On the other hand... Oh, well. It was wartime, and really sexy, really attractive leading men were scarce.

But, this is a mistaken identity antibellum movie, in which Dietrich plays (or almost plays) two different women. (Not to worry: Nothing psychological. Its all a misunderstanding.) We can tell one from another because one has bangs, and the other doesn't.

What's the difference? Its a parade of costumes. It could just as easily have been a vehicle for May West. Or some off-Broadway concoction for drag queans. It's a vol-au-vent; just a puffed confection made only to make you laugh. Some people enjoy watching pretty women change clothes. Does EVERYTHING have to be serious?

CONFUSED?
Bruce Cabot and Ward Bond were one and the same person. He (or they) had interchangeable careers, but notice, you never saw them together in the same movie, did you?

WITH OR WITHOUT BANGS
Dietrich played french ladies of dubious reputation so often, and to such great effect, its no wonder they loved her, and that she died in Paris. Remember her as Bijou Blanche in SEVEN SINNERS?

Here, in Renee Clair's confection, she has Ward Bond to play against. Now, whether or not she ever had Bond, as she had most of her other leading men, we'll never know. But, from the lack of sparkle in their duets together, probably not. On the other hand... Oh, well. It was wartime, and really sexy, really attractive leading men were scarce.

But, this is a mistaken identity antibellum movie, in which Dietrich plays (or almost plays) two different women. (Not to worry: Nothing psychological. Its all a misunderstanding.) We can tell one from another because one has bangs, and the other doesn't.

What's the difference? Its a parade of costumes. It could just as easily have been a vehicle for May West. Or some off-Broadway concoction for drag queans. It's a vol-au-vent; just a puffed confection made only to make you laugh. Some people enjoy watching pretty women change clothes. Does EVERYTHING have to be serious? ... Read more

Description

Drama about a woman struggling to leave the confines of her home town despite a budding romance with a local auto mechanic. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Awesome Movie that Tackles Serious Heartaches
This movie was one of the most moving stories I had seen during the 1980s. The seriousness it addressed concerning spousal abuse, suicide, cancer, and true romance was unforgettable. It was the sleeper movie of the 80s. The performances in this movie by David Keith, Kathleen Quinlan, and Diane Weist are exceptional.

Kathleen Quinlan is a tour de force in this film!
A young woman who dreams of leaving her small town to follow her dreams of becoming a photographer. Particailly held back by her love for local mechanic and a terminally ill relative;she fights to make her dreams a reality. Diane Weist gives a superb performance as the physically abused housewife. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Best Movie Ever Made!
The people (Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon) The Music (Time Warp) All were wonderful! It was like one big party and I loved it~ Every time you see it, it is like watching it for the first time. I recommend you buy it, because there is no other Movie like it!

Better than anything You've EVER seen before!!
I've loved this movie for years and every time I watch I get engrossed into it all over again. I love Tim Curry in it and this has got to be his best movie ever(second best being "CLUE"). My favorite character is Columbia(Little Nell) and her songs about Eddie are the best. I would recommend this movie to every person out there. If you haven't seen Tim Curry and Susan Saradon making out, or singing about biceps than you don't know what your missing. I love this film!!!

"It's just a jump to the left...,"
It was a cold and rainy night Brad and Janet, had a flat and needed to find shelter and a phone. There was a light. Unknown to them was the particular caste was a meeting place of a unique other worldly crowd. Soon they will have realized their mistake; but will it bee too late?

And where have all the actors gone?

Susan Sarandon from Janet Weiss to Jackie Harrison in "Stepmom (1998)" ASIN: 0767821769
She took her screen daughter to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Tim Curry (who likes to play doctor) from Doctor Frank-N-Furter to Dr. Thornton Poole in "Oscar (1991)"
Oscar is still available from amazon.co.uk

Barry Bostwick from Brad Majors to Det. Tucker Pendleton to himself in "Hollywood Squares" (1998) [TV-Series]

Meatloaf from Eddie to himself in Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (1999) ASIN: B00003XAMG

Richard Milhouse Nixon from Himself (archive audio: resignation speech) to "Speeches of Richard Nixon, The (1995) (V)" (archive footage) he will always be with us.

And where is Denton now?
Do your homework and be sure to get these movies first:

Day the Earth Stood Still, The (1951)
Flash Gordon (1936)
Invisible Man, The (1933)
King Kong (1933)
It Came From Outer Space (1953)
Doctor X (1932)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Tarantula (1955)
Day of the Triffids, The (1962)
Night of the Demon (1957)
When Worlds Collide (1951)
House in Nightmare Park, The (1973)
Reptile, The (1966)
Brides of Dracula, The (1960)
Man in Black, The (1949)
Night of the Demon (1957)
Forbidden Planet (1956)

First time or 100th time, have fun.

What a weird movie!
My friend asked me if this movie was good. I replied, "It's funny and the music is good". But I didn't say the actual FILM was good. The acting is so-so, even by a young Susan Sarandon! It really doesn't have much of a plot either. The music has a really good beat and this movie has it's funny moments. I think this movie's so popular because it mixes rock and roll, transvestites, and monsters. It's fun to watch, but really has no depth or meaning. It didn't win any awards, nor was it nominated. But it's just pure fun. Give it a chance!

Excellent Choice!
Let me ask this question- do you consider yourself to be normal? Conventional? Conformist? If so, unless you're on drugs, you probably won't like this. But if you aren't any of these things, you'll love this movie! It lets out the wild side of you, lets you open up your mind to a world that you might not have known exists. It's probably especially fun to see live- I still haven't had the chance- but if you're like me and you can't get to it live, the tape works just as well. Watch it to have a fun time, and if you're watching it with friends, you'll have a greater time! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

THE ANIMATED DIVA.
Betty Boop,"Boop oop a Doop!" This girl was one naughty diva. But I liked her. The creators created her with a lot of sex appeal, and spunk. She was definitely created for the adult audience. These unique cartoon shorts were quite erotic in view, and should take the rate of PG. For the adults, who enjoy viewing Betty Boop cartoons, this one is a must own.

Cartoons don't get any better than this!
I may have seen some of these cartoons when I was small, on TV in the late 50's. Or maybe they just have a familiar quality that connects to me personally. These cartoons are really animated; everything in them is alive and constantly interre lating and moving with the music to create a complex carnival parade of fantastic, vibrant, evocative imagery. The best of them are at once funny, tragic, sexy, and sweet. The most interesting thing to me is the different and seemingly contradictory ways that Betty is portrayed in different cartoons, and even within the same cartoon. Some of this is because she was drawn differently by different artists and her personality developed over time, but that is just like in life. So if she should slap a lecherous attacker in the face one minute and be coming on to him the next, she has her reasons, and the one thing we can count on is that she will be protected; because her experience is her innocence, her strength is her weakness, and so her character is consistent and simple after all. Also, she has her friends Bimbo and Koko, and all of the wild animals of the forest, to help her if necessary.
Because the best of these cartoons represent love, life, and happiness, they have been suppressed to some degree over the years. My favorites are the three with Cab Calloway, particularly Snow White, which is a real classic. There are a few that you would probably not care to watch more than once or twice, but most of the toons on this video are at least very good. One problem is that the film seems to have been cropped, so you sometimes can't see the whole picture, particularly the very top.

great historically and musically
The first few segments are outdated and interesting only from an historical perspective. Don't let this deter you. The rest of the segments are fabulous. The musical numbers really swing. With the animation you can "see" the music. The work here shows great development when compared to the earlier sequences. You will not see these on TV. Political correctness will prevent that. I do not believe any of what is shown is meant to be hurtful although some may interpret it that way.

Betty's Beautiful Classics!
With the state of animation today, and only a few mainstream successes that are actually any good (stand up and take a bow Simpsons) it is a pleasure to find a tape like this.

These truely unique cartoons, that stood out from the crowd even in the Thirties, are amoung the greatest and most unusual animation ever made. Each cartoon is such a bizarre stream of consciousness its sometimes breathtaking.

Worth the price just for the excellent Cab Calloway an Louis Armstrong performances and for Betty Boop's Bamboo Isle.

A major point about this series is the quality of the films. You really won't find any cartoons from the Thirties in better condition - these really sparkle!

Betty at her Naughtiest (and Best)!
These are the cartoons made before Betty had to raise her neckline and lower her hemline. While they've got nothing on "South Park", there is a terrific "anything goes" approach to them that's infectious. Not until Bugs Bunny would cartoons be so liberated.

The best of the bunch are the three featuring songs by Cab Calloway, especially "Snow White", which is a lead contender for best cartoon of all time.

Overall, the quality is excellent; many of the cartoons look brand new. Unfortunately, the picture seems to be cropped heavily on the top. Since these seem to be an old TV package, I don't know if a complete print can be found, but I sure hope so.

The sound is good too, except on some shorts featuring Rudy Vallee and Etherl Merman. But you won't care much, because those shorts are the most forgettable. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Ah, Barbra. Of all her onscreen personas, she sparkles in none as she does in her role as 1930s comedian Fanny Brice in the musical Funny Girl. Portraying the life of this star of stage and radio, Brice preens and prances and sings, captivating her audience both onscreen and off. Fanny Brice started life on the Lower East Side of New York, the daughter of a Jewish saloon owner. Not the prettiest girl around, Brice still managed to quickly rise to stardom as a performer in the Ziegfield Follies. A shrewd, obstinate woman, Brice dictated her own success story on stage; things were a different matter in romance.Falling hard for the stunning Nick Arnstein (suavely played by Omar Sharif), Brice must navigate a difficult marriage. While kids may love the tunes (which include the now-infamous "People," as in "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world"), the plot is definitely adult-oriented. Enjoy this one, but don't go too far out of your way for the sequel, Funny Lady. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Streisand's First, Streisand's Best
Wow. One usually becomes a Streisand fan after seeing this movie. I certainly did. Streisand's movie debut begs the question: "Is a nose with deviation such a crime against the nation?" (sung by Fanny Brice's mother in the film). Barbra is Fanny is Barbra. When Streisand as Fanny tells Omar Shariff as Nick that he made her feel "beautiful", who can not love this woman?

The new DVD includes a restored version of the film and an incredibly clear soundtrack. Unless you saw the limited theatrical release this summer, then you have probably never seen FUNNY GIRL in its widescreen presentation. For years I had watched a faded pan-and-scan VHS version. Barbra's hilarious business of straightening her dress in the "You Are Woman" scene is completely cut out in pan-and-scan! Director William Wyler shot the film with a lot of widescreen compositions that the pan-and-scan versions always butchered. Thank you, Columbia, for this restored, widescreen DVD!

I remember watching THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT and seeing highlight clips from famous musicals. They showed "Don't Rain On My Parade" from FUNNY GIRL ...Barbra on the tug boat holding that note ("Paa-aa-raaaaaad-de") as the camera revealed the Statue of Liberty. I was thrilled. The DVD contains a theatrical short that shows behind the scenes footage of how they shot the entire "Parade" number -- really incredible footage!

The movie's second act, a bit slow, gives Streisand the chance to show her acting chops!

"My Man" at the movie's end features a "live" Streisand vocal as she cries on stage then triumphantly finishes. That scene won Barbra the Oscar. It is truly incredible.

I am disappointed that the DVD did not include more of the scenes I've always heard about but never seen. The AFI tribute (on ABC earlier this year) remains the only place you can see scenes from the Swan Ballet number that were cut. Also, I wish there was a Streisand commentary. Can you imagine the reflections about making this film that she could share?

People who see FUNNY GIRL are the luckiest people in the world.

The Greatest Star Comes to DVD - Worth the Wait!
First off - the DVD: It's a letterbox transfer of pristine new print that has been digitally restored (sometimes frame by frame) back to its original condition. Funny Girl hasn't looked this good in thirty years - so if you've only seen it on VHS or TV, you're in for a visual treat. I saw the restored print on a huge screen this past fall, and believe me, this transfer does it justice. In addition they have included the pre-show and intermission music as well. The additional documentary material is nothing to write home about. But I think whoever did the DVD menu deserves kudos for styling it like the New Amsterdam theater marquee from the first shot of the movie, with highlights from the film playing in the background. Very appropriate and very clever.

Funny Girl is A.) the musical biography of comedienne-singer Fanny Brice, and B.) the Oscar-winning film debut of 26 year old Barbra Streisand. As theatrical history lesson it's pretty flawed - (Arnstein was Brice's *second* husband, for example). The Streisand - Brice connection is strong, however. Fanny, like Barbra, wore her Jewishness as a badge of honor - in contrast to most Jewish performers of the day, who tried to blend in as much as possible. As a matter of fact, the "You Are Woman, I Am Man" seduction scene plays like a Brice "Follies" sketch.

And as a star vehicle for Striesand, it's a winner. When she belts out "I'm the Greatest Star" at the beginning of the picture you will understand what it feels like to be in the presence of raw, pure talent. At the end of them film when she falters on the opening words of "My Man", you'll remember what it feels like to watch your beloved walk out of your life.

William Wyer seems to be aware that he's launching a new star. The way he introduces Barbra - that long walk with her back to the camera in the leopard coat - ending with the first teasing glimpse of her face in the mirror - "Hello, gorgeous." It was certainly a closeup that many film folk were sure would have audiences recoiling in horror. Certainly plain looking Barbra couldn't make it as a movie star. Well, it's not news anymore, but certainly a surprise at the time, Barbra photographs beautifully. Even Barbra-hater Rex Reed had to admit at the time, "It took the combined efforts of God knows how many people to do it, but I'll be damned if they haven't made her beautiful!"

Omar Sharif plays opposite Barbra, and he holds up his end of the film nicely, no small feat when you consider that the script gives him little to do and the entire property has been tailored to Streisand's strengths. No one else registers, with the possible exception of Kay Medford as Fanny's mother. (Poor Anne Francis sued Columbia after the film was released, claiming Streisand had her cut out of the finished film. Most of you are sitting there thinking, "Anne, who?")

All in all, one of the better Sixties Broadway musical adaptations. (Note: Funny Girl was nominated for Best Picture in 1968. It lost to another Columbia Pictures musical - Oliver! If you liked Funny Girl, check out Oliver! - it's a better movie, even though it has no star names over the title. More 1968 Oscar trivia - Barbra won for Best Actress in a tie with Kathrine Hepburn of "Lion in Winter". In Oscar balloting there can only be a tie when there are the exact same number of votes. Why do I mention this? Well, it just so happens that because of her "special stature" in the industry, Barbra Streisand was admitted as a voting member of the Academy that year - with the release of just her first film. I wonder who she voted for???? If she hadn't been given special treatment, maybe Kate Hepburn's name would had been the only one announced that night!)

Best Musical
I saw this movie as a teenager and loved it. Barbra Streisand is timeless. I can't wait to add Funny Girl to my collection.

"He's got polish on his nails."
The ultimate showcase for an actress, Barbra Streisand's highly publicized film debut in FUNNY GIRL met every single expectation and then some. The film was the highest-grossing film of 1968, and it's very easy to see why. The film has many great qualities: It's expertly directed by three-time Academy Award winner William Wyler (the finale of the "Don't Rain On My Parade" number is just as astonishing as the chariot race in Wyler's BEN HUR), the storyline is extremely compelling, Omar Sharif is an incredibly suave and charismatic leading man, the supporting players are perfectly cast (particularly Kay Medford, Lee Allen, and Walter Pidgeon), and the song score (primarily by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill) is first-rate.

However, virtually everything that FUNNY GIRL has working for it would be worthless without Barbra Streisand's absolutely phenomenal performance. I honestly cannot think of enough good descriptive adjectives to do justice to her amazing performance in this film. She handles drama, comedy, music numbers, and tearjerking sentiment with equal aplomb, and she does it all better than any actress before or since. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had no choice but to honor her with the Oscar for Best Actress (in an extremely rare tie with academy favorite Katherine Hepburn; only the second tie in Oscar history to date), it is a performance that is nothing less than perfect.

About the DVD: Columbia-Tristar has done an excellent job in bringing FUNNY GIRL to DVD. The restoration of the original source elements may have taken nearly three years to complete, but it was time well spent - the picture quality is gorgeous! Sure, there are a few nicks on the print, but the color, sharpness, and virtually everything else is nearly flawless. Quite possibly one of the best vintage transfers yet. The sound is also excellent, and while there are no new features included (only vintage featurettes - I expect we'll see a special edition re-issue in the future) the menu design is fantastic.

She "IS" The Greatest Star
My dad was a movie projectonist when I was growig up and he took me to see Funny Girl when I was in the 4th grade. I saw that movie 5 times that week and a total of 26 times in every movie theater in town. What an impression it made on me as a yougster, that if you believed in yourself there isn't anything that you can't do. Of course it is my favorite movie of all time and one that I watch over and over again as if I had never seen it before. I see something new every viewing. Do you want to see one of the greatest performances of all time, then watch her perform "I'm The Greatest Star" and then watch it again and again, there has never been a debut performance like this one and probably never will again.

I have been the BIGGEST Streisand fan since and have followed her through all her movies, saw her twice in concert and have everything she has recorded, albums, tapes, 45's, CD's, foreign releases and hard to find classics, every movie poster, every book written about her and every magazine cover she has been on. This collection started back in 4th grade and now I am 47 years old so you can imagine the collection. Of it all Funny Girl has to be the shining moment . If I could have just a few hours with Ms. Streisand I would thank her and ask hundreds of questions, we are only seperated by 2 degrees of seperation, maybe that day will come! Buy this movie, if you are not a fan, you will be--I PROMISE. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

of mice and men
Have used this video in my English 2 classes. It follows the story line fairly close, but is a great video to use if showing differences and similarities between book and video. Does not follow the book as closly as the 1992 version. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Michel de Nostradame, "ladies man"..........
Gee, it seems all reviews up to this date I write have COMPLETELY MISSED the "obvious", and that being~

Tcheky Karyo's "Michel" is not only a "hipster-saint" mystic of those dreadful Dark Ages( but are not we are currently in a NEW DARK AGES ,"imo"...), but the ladies just can not seem to get their hands OFF our bearded stalwart "Nosti", no he is ONE HOT ITEM !
(And WHAT a cast of ladies, Julie Armond, Assumpta Serna, Maja Morgenstern,gee , even Amanda Plummer as "the Queenie" is as interesting as the other 3 mentioned are lovely).They all "dig" our boy , they were the original "groupies".

My mind was continually distracted from a quite enjoyable "historical fiction" account of the life of this legendary and enigmatic "prognosticator"~~he was NOT a "procrastinator" when it came to a bit of "back to the castle bedroom for some bouncy-bouncy". Would this "Movie Nosti" turn down a trip to the sack??(is there an alligator that would refuse the corpse???) Grrrr,"have at it", Michel !!

Our beloved (and overly medicated)"Don Juan" de Nostradame even had second thoughts when he gets a proposal from one of his aging female patients *whilst*(isnt that how they said that word then, hehe!)his hand was checking in vicinity of her mammalian apparatus for swollen lymph nodes from PLAGUE!

Excellent performances by all, great "period-piece " costumes, "medieval" soundtrack and empassioned performances, even if a bit OVER THE TOP.

A thouroughly delightful movie not meant to reveal any "truths", but should spur interest to discover the "historical" Nostradamus and just sit back and enjoy this emminently watchable film....

Shows a very human man with great prophetic powers
This is one of the best movies I have seen on him. It was highly enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone wanting to add to their Nostradamus collection. This is one not to pass up.

Worth watching,slightly sensational.
Not a bad movie , especially for those who find the history channel too dry. It weaves the base truth of his life and loves into a palatable mix of history and dramatization.

Nostradamus: Honest Attempt at Interest Falls Flat
The prophecies of the 16th century seer Nostradamus have tantalized his supporters for centuries. Those who believe in him tout his accurate predictions. Those who doubt him point to the vagueness of those predictions that can be interpreted in more than one way. Director Roger Christian is unclear whether he wanted to present a documentary of the life of Nostradamus or a traditional film with plot, theme, and characterization. What the viewer gets in NOSTRADAMUS is some unsatisfactory hybrid that bounces from scene to scene with little to tie them together. Tcheky Karyo plays the lead as one who is only too well aware of the mystical nature of a prophet who sees visions of far flung events. Every five minutes or so, Nostradamus looks into a small pot of water that mysteriously bubbles and forms visions that look suspiciously like film clips of nuclear blasts, the Kennedy assassination, Nazis marching, and a wickedly smiling Saddam Hussein. Now I have no problem with the film's premise that one man could have preternatural powers of divination, but if I see a vision that I know is historical fact, then I expect the director to do more with that vision than merely use it to drum up charges by the Holy Inquisition about heresy. Unfortunately, with each passing vision, there is no accompanying reverberation and the film stops dead in its tracks. After three or four visions, I wanted to grab Nostradamus and shout: 'Do something with this vision!' F. Murray Abraham at least adds some emotional pop with his warnings to Nostradamus not to publicize his visions. The other supporting characters have little to do but react predictably to these visions. By the end, all I could take away was the limited knowledge that some guy in history saw weird things but did not use this weirdness in any meaningful way. A movie is supposed to do more than that.

Egregious
Who produced this movie, a Wiccan? The ugliest anti-Christian (particularly anti-Catholic) diatribe ever brought to the screen, "Nostradamus" succeeds in being equally offensive in every other aspect, as well. The physician Nostradamus is portrayed as a trendy earth-friendly herbalist; the mystic Nostradamus is depicted as a Timothy Leary of yesterday, whose visions are "enhanced" by the taking of the 16th century's equivalent of LSD. The completely gratuitous sex scenes are to laugh, as they are always accompanied by a golden glow and Gregorian chants, or some unreasonable facsimile thereof. And the pretentious, obscure ending -- one either sits there jaw agape or one bursts into loud guffaws.

Oh, avoid at all costs. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A movie I can watch over and over again...
Although David Suchet's Poirot is, I think, more faithful to Christie's vision of him, I have always enjoyed Ustinov as the famous Belgian sleuth. Evil under the Sun appeals to me because of the quality of the cast, as well as its small size, and the gorgeous location (a small island in the mediterranean). The movie is infused with light and some of the best Cole Porter music. Diana Rigg is an absolutely odious Arlena Marshall, and Maggie Smith's Daphne Castle is wonderful as her erstwhile rival. Roddy McDowell's fruity Rex Brewster is probably my favorite. Jane Birkin is the fragile nagging wife of Arlena's toy boy Patrick Redfern (Nicholas Clay), and is wonderful in the staircase scene at the end of the movie. These and a few other characters congregate on Daphne's Island, for a sunny holiday, that is very quickly interrupted by murder. In order to avoid dealing with the inept local police, Daphne calls on Poirot's 'colossal brain power' to solve the crime for her. Poirot takes on the case, and is soon faced by a seemingly insurmountable problem...(and you'll have to watch the movie to find out what it is).

"Everyone automatically comes up with a watertight alibi"
Evil Under the Sun is an unfortunately abysmal rendition of Agatha Christie's novel of the same name. The very English environment and upper-middle class social milieu that Christie was so adept at creating has been mangled beyond recognition. Instead of the English seaside, the action has been removed to an island in a laughably fictional kingdom somewhere in the Adriatic. However, this does provide one of the few saving graces of the film - some absolutely stunning coastal scenery.

Peter Ustinov is a very passable Poirot (even if some of the things the director and screenwriter have got him doing are highly unlikely). When an aging actress is murdered whilst on holiday, there are no shortage of suspects amongst the other guesthouse residents. But all would appear to have cast iron alibis, so Belgian sleuth supreme Hercule Poirot must call on his "little grey cells" to distinguish fact from fiction. The other characters are portrayed with a highly developed sense of camp, and indeed the film ends up feeling like a parody that doesn't quite manage to pull it off. Watch however, for some fabulous verbal sparring between Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg.

It is only at the last, when Poirot is expounding his theory on the identity of the murderers that the movie regains some credibility. Despite the awkwardly connected sub-plots concerning a missing jewel and a murder on the English moors, the loose ends are tied up, and the viewer shares the guests' indignation as it appears that the perpetrators of the crime are going to get away with it. In conclusion, watch it if you must, but don't let it put you off seeing other (largely far superior) screen adaptations of Christie's stories.

Peter Ustinov returns a second time as "Poirot".
This is the second film with Peter Ustinov as Belgian Detective, Hercule Poirot, since his first, DEATH ON THE NILE (1978). Once again, an all-star cast and a mystery who-done-it. I won't reveal any of the plot. But the delightful Maggie Smith (Murder By Death [1976], California Suite [1978], Death On The Nile [1978]) plays a resort hotel owner on an island of Spain where she banters with Diana Rigg with dislike. It makes the film much more enjoyable. The cast also includes: Jane Birkin, Colin Blakely, Nicholas Clay, James Mason, Roddy McDowall, Sylvia Miles, Denis Quilley and Emily Hone. Other films followed with Ustinov as "Poirot", Thirteen At Dinner (1985-tv), Dead Man's Folly (1986-tv), Murder in Three Acts (1986-tv), Appointment With Death (1988). This DVD also includes the Theatrical trailer, a 16-minutes featurette "The Making of...", and Talent Bios.
For a lighter comedy, may I suggest MURDER BY DEATH (1976).

Mystery galore...