Reviews (3)

Three Episodes, One Tape
This tape consists of three unrelated episodes, two of which are very good. The first is, "Going Batty," which reveals the amazing facts and myths about those wondrous creatures of the night. The second, "Spins a Web," shows us how different spiders hunt and catch their prey and is also very good. The third, "Inside a Haunted House," attempts to explain dynamics of sound on a preschool level. It's a complicated subject that was over simplified. The writers of this episode didn't seem to have a complete grasp of the subject themselves. It's an entertaining story but not as informative as the other videos.

Great "next level" for a love of learning
I got this for my kids because I think the Magic School Bus is great. Fortunately, the kids like them too! Good elementary explanations of everyday things that get kids asking questions, AND listening to the answers. Very enjoyable and easy to watch. These aren't really my favorite episodes, but they are good!

Three Episodes, One Tape
This tape consists of three unrelated episodes, two of which are very good. The first is, "Going Batty," which reveals the amazing facts and myths about those wondrous creatures of the night. The second, "Spins a Web," shows us how different spiders hunt and catch their prey and is also very good. The third, "Inside a Haunted House," attempts to explain dynamics of sound on a preschool level. It's a complicated subject that was over simplified. The writers of this episode didn't seem to have a complete grasp of the subject themselves. It's an entertaining story but not as informative as the other videos. ... Read more

Reviews (269)

One of the Governator's best...
It sits perched in the trees, invisible to the naked eye. It watches them trek through the rainforest. It stalks them slowly, lunging forward when given the chance but never revealing itself. It follows their patterns and mimics their voices. The leader turns, sporting a serious expression of fear. It is Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger). "If it bleeds, we can kill it," he says, glancing down at the green liquid.

Terror comes in many forms, but so does action, and "Predator" successfully combines both. We already know the fate of our hero, but that does not matter, simply because we enjoy the ride. This is a smart action/horror/thriller that doesn't fall back on cliches, but pushes forward, aware that it may be following such films as "Alien" (1979) but yet only improving upon the presented material. The Predator is a work of genius--originally fitted for Jean-Claude Van Damme and shaped like a giant bug, it was later reworked by creature effects artist Stan Winston (with the help of James Cameron) after Van Damme was fired due to complaining too much about how hot and stuffy his suit was. The villain helps make this movie, and if there were ever a terrifying creature it is the Predator, which is not only visually haunting but an emphasis of how advanced life forms could hunt us like we hunt animal prey.

Kevin Peter Hall hadn't gotten much work then; a few stage performances but nothing serious. He was picked up by John McTiernan because he was taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger and, when placed in the alien suit, he not only looked fierce but he also looked like he could be the one and only true opponent to Arnold, a man who looks like he eats babies for breakfasts. (And perhaps grown humans for lunch.)

Not only is he the perfect opponent, he helps make the movie. A lot of the film's positive elements come from the lush Cambodian jungles, the haunting direction by McTiernan, the ultimate macho combat role by Arnold, the paranoia and startlingly effective idea of the remote settings. Much of it also comes from the fact that the alien, when finally revealed, looks real. It looks real, all right, and also pretty darn horrifying. (Who can forget when it drops its face mask and reveals its true self?)

Major Dutch Schaefer and his elite team of US Commandos are sent deep into the swampy depths of a Columbian jungle, trying to locate a downed chopper carrying a Cabinet Member. "Do your Cabinet Members always fly on the wrong side of the border?" Dutch quips before he and his men are loaded into their means of transportation.

They arrive in the jungle and soon find that a camouflaged creature is ritualistically stalking and murdering them. But this isn't just random slasher style--it picks off its prey on a whimsy, and only attacks fair game (e.g. those with weapons). Soon Dutch and his team realize that getting out of the jungle isn't going to be as easy as they thought.

For me, "Predator" is one of the best action films of all time. It has everything. It isn't messy and over-paced; it takes its time getting where it's going, building up the tension for the audience, and then unleashes a bombardment of action set pieces and visual effects. Another great thing is that it is sort of Hitchcockian in a way; it doesn't show us the killer, at least not at first. It again takes its time, building up the tension, getting us primed. When it finally does show us the creature, we're shocked.

Arnold Schwarzenegger fits the role like a glove; criticize him all you want, Dutch was made for him. Can you imagine Sly or Willis playing Dutch? Not me, either. This is his time to shine. Shine he does.

The series is getting a jumpstarted revival next year with "Alien vs. Predator" (2004). There are doubts as to whether or not it will live up to long-growing expectations, especially with Paul W.S. "Resident Evil" Anderson at the helm, but I remain the optimist as far as I can. The idea of the two species joining together for a feature film was hinted at in "Predator 2" (1990), then hinted at even further with a line of comic books, fan fiction, and great videogames. I, personally, cannot wait.

Predator Preys On Your Sense of Adventure
"The Most Dangerous Game," to which Predator bears a remarkable resemblance is a literary classic and mandatory reading in most ninth grade English classes. So the question arises, why is that story held in such high esteem when this picture is cast aside as mindless tripe? I suppose having Arnold Schwarzenegger's name above the title and Joel Silver's in the producing credits doesn't help, but don't get me wrong I'm not suggesting this movie should have been showered with praise from critics, or awards from Academy members. But a pat on the back for one of the finest action directors working today (John McTiernan of Die Hard fame) might be nice, especially considering this film isn't nearly as dumb as people would have you to believe.

Schwarzenegger stars as the leader of an elite commando force sent into Central America to retrieve U.S. hostages being held in guerrilla hands. Little does he or anybody in his team know (with the exception of Carl Weather's character) that they're actually being manipulated into assassinating a group of Communist dissidents and thorns in the thorns in the side of the C.I.A. This is the only the first back-stabbing and leads to a quite harrowing and action packed combat sequence that wouldn't have looked out of place in Platoon or Saving Private Ryan.

While all this is going on, comsuming more than a half hour of briskly paced screen time, we still have yet to see the alien. McTiernan utilizes a clever tactic orginated (or at least to the best of my knowledge) by Steven Speilberg in Jaws by shooting from the predator's point of view. By doing this we only get glimpses of the monster, as he has the ability to turn himself invisable at will, which makes the final confrontation all the more terrifying. Also noteworthy is Kevin Peter Hall as the villainous creature who is a constant menace and manages to make a very impressive impression even though we never see his face.

For about the last hour of the movie he stalks Arnie and his rebel company, picking them off one by one as is customary in these kinds of films. To me the parrallels to "Dangerous Game" are quite obvious, simply substitute an alien in place of the hunter who preys on humans. The symbolism of the book and the movie is quite clear, or at least in my mind, and is that hunting for sport is inherently wrong. But even the predator has a code of conduct that human hunters have yet to adopt, he doesn't take advantage of another species inferiority or good nature. To me, being as I'm such an animal lover, I'd root for the alien a lot sooner than I would Ted Nugget or his band of ignorant rednecks.

Now I'm willing to concede that maybe I'm so intent on justifying my appreciateion for this film that I might be imposing onto it hidden meanings that aren't really there, but even if that is the case it does little to depreciate my enjoyment of one of the most exciting science fiction movies that I've ever seen. Sure the acting is merely adequate and the writing could use some sprucing up, especially in fleshing out the characters a little more, but the directing is superb and the finished product is about as good as anything you have the right to expect considering the genre.

And that's not to mention the special effects. Done by Stan Winston, who won recognition as being the best in his field after his work creating the digital dinosaurs in Speilberg's Jurassic Park, he does an equally impressive job here. The "creature features" never get too corny and at the same time aren't so good as to distract from the rest of the film. It's a fine line to walk and I can't think of anybody who does it any better.

This is the second four star review I've given a Schwarzenegger movie in as many months (the other being for True Lies) and I'm quietly coming back around to being a big fan of his early work for the first time since I was thirteen.

the best alien action film out there
when I first saw the first Predator film,I was happy to see the strong male role running for his life. Yet I do think why this editions for the Alien and Predator films are coming out so close to each other is for the summers next cross over. Alien vs Predator. But to the film, the first predator was by far the best. Sending in comandos into a rain forest and each one being killed off is truly a scary sight and yet the movie is full of action. Predator is by far one of my favorit films and I will go by this film when it comes out three days before the opeaning of AVP.

great Sci Fi film
This has got to be one of the coolest monster movies ever made! The cast is great and the creature is THE coolest (technologically advanced) alien ever! Don't listen to the 2 bad reviews. One of those guys can't even spell a simple word like "cigar", I doubt he has much taste in movies if he can't pass high school english. It's ironic that all of the low scores (besides the two drop-outs) are given not because of the movie, but because of the poor DVD treatment Fox has given it so far. I can only hope that the upcoming Alien Vs Predator will be as good as it looks. It's been a long time coming and they had better not screw it up. Anyway, get this movie. Just make sure you wait for the spec. edition coming out July 23rd! Go Yautja!

Arnold Schwarzenegger's best movie
Predator is the Arnold Schwarzeneggers greatest movie ever.A very good sample to sci-fiction in early 80's.South american terorists has captured a small group of americans and CIA is not going to send special forces to rescuing them only one man can do this job dutch and his team.Very famous actors played in this movie Arnold Schwarzenegger,Carl Weathers,Bill Duke,Jesse Ventura. if you love this movie than you must watch another great movies of schwarzenegger which is the commando,terminator ... Read more

Reviews (166)

More Tribute Than Biopic
Jennifer Lopez does a great job of portraying the lovely Selena, even though the only resemblance that Jennifer and Selena have is due to race, not feature. However, this movie isn't about Selena-the-human-being or even Selena-the-star. This the sanitized, Disney view of the life of a young, fast-rising star whose life was cut short in her prime. Now, I'm not saying that this is a rotten movie at all. It's actually a good movie. It's well written, well-acted, and you can't tell that Ms. Lopez is lip-synching. However, you're not going to get a clear picture of Selena-the-person from this movie. I love Selena as much as the next Selena fan, but I would have liked to see a movie named Selena that's actually about Selena, not just what her dad thinks is appropriate. Playing down her murder was not good, because how is someone going to get a clear picture of the mourning that went on all over the United States when they don't see all the things that came out after? How does one get a picture of Yolanda the Fruitcake if they don't see how fruity the woman is? We know what we lost. It would be nice if this movie at least showed us the why. Selena's memory would not have been damaged if this had been in the movie. Like I said, I like this movie as just a movie, but as a biography it falls short.

Lopez at her very best!!!!!!!
I actually didn't see this film until about 6 months ago when it was on tv late one Sunday night. After watching it i was very impressed and went out straightaway the nexy day and purchased a copy on dvd for myself. Jennifer does an outstanding job portraying Selena, so good in fact that whilst i'm watching it i actually forget it's JLO and think it's the real Selena! She perfected Selena's dance moves right down to a T. The Astrodome recreation is perfect and very close to the real thing. I like the film because every scene builds on from the previous one. Every stage of Selena'a life is documented including her most triumphunt moments such as when she won the Grammy, when "Como La Flor" went to number 1 etc. I highly recommend this film to any Selena fans out there- go out and buy yourself a copy right now, you won't be disappointed!!!

Selena
The movie really touched me. Today I'm 26 years old and I didn't know Selena until I watched the movie. Pray for us Selena from up high in Heaven. Selena I think you know what I mean.

Portrait of a superstar
Many know that Selena is my all-time favorite performer and this film is a beautiful (thought not thoroughly accurate) tribute of the slain Grammy-winning Tejano Queen. I don't usually enjoy Jennifer Lopez performances - acting OR vocal - but this being her first breakthrough role she does quite well; this 1997 film came out before her diva-esque image took over and she became a glitzy woman who won't tip bellhops after carrying up some 20-something bags.

the angel selena
this movie makes me sad! selana was a beautiful singer just becoming popular when i was in junior high then she was tragically killed and her star burned out as fast as it came the movie shows the hardwork of her life growing up traveling and singing with her family only to finally hit it big find love marriage and soon a baby but sadly she was killed by a lunatic obsessed fan jennifer lopezs best acting job by far is in this movie she becomes selena from her gorgeous smile to her funny infantile manner and beautiful voice this movie shows u who selena was an angel ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Look to your wife
This is a dark version of a dark play. Not just in feel and drama, but in setting. I believe only a scene or two is filmed in the daylight. The bulk of this film takes place in the dank cellars, the dark of night and the closed bedrooms where intrigue and guile rule the day.

This is an unusual Shakespeare adaptation, in that nothing funky is being done with it. There is no twist in the time setting, no song and dance, no Italian wonderment. It is about as straight of an adaptation as I have seen. Being this, it lacks any distinction or special genius, but it is quite an able piece of film.

Laurence Fishburn is a great Othello, delivering the lines and slipping under Iago's silver spell. He lacks a certain aura of strength generally associated with Othello, but is otherwise excellent. Kenneth Branagh is a superior Iago, and this may be one of the best performances he has given. He plays an excellent villain, and his performance is the one bright flare in the the film. The dialog is well done, staying with Branagh's conversational style. The rest of the cast are all capable players, easily recognizable from the Shakespeare on film stable.

All in all, I really enjoy this film. It is not a work of genius. It is not amazing. But it is an excellent, workman like filmed version of a difficult play and a worthy edition to any Shakespeare on film collection.

this laurence is no olivier
the only thing this version has on olivier's version is its natural setting. otherwise, all - and i do mean ALL - of the performances are decidedly inferior to the 1965 film. first of all, laurence fishburne is NO olivier. not even close. he was pathetic. most of the time he sounded like he was reading the script, not speaking heartfelt words of a real flesh and blood man. and branagh, i don't know what happened to him but he was not convincing as a villain. he just looks too much like a goody-goody. compare him to the fellow who played iago in olivier's film and you'll see the problem right way. just no comparison. after these two, what do you have? desdemona, maggie smith much more convincing as the virtuous lady. even emilia, iago's abused wife, is better played in olivier's film.

so 3 stars for a nice try. but the 1965 performance is still the standard to measure this play by. it will be along time before another actor comes along who can play othello as well as olivier. i'm not holding my breath.

ps the orson welles version of this play is the best movie version, and his portrayal of othello is almost as good olivier's. also worth a watch.

Required to watch......
For school I was required to watch this since we read the play Othello. I didn't think the movie was that good because some of the acting when it was supposed to be sad I was laughing my head off. Only unless you understand the Shakespeare language well this movie isn't worth it. The movie lacks good acting in my opinon and could of done better especially with Dedsdemona and some of the love scenes which were absolutely pathetic.

Great Acting
I've always been a fan of Kenneth Branagh and both his acting and directing abilities. However, in the film interpretation of "Othello," I was blown away by how well he fit the role of Iago. In the play, Iago has to be two-faced all the time. He shows one side of him to one person, and another side to another. In the film, Iago works very hard to keep up his appearance with all the different characters. No character sees more than one side of him, and his plots are kept to himself. Iago is an actor, and Branagh had to perform his part and I think he did it incredibly. While talking to Othello, his facial reactions would visibly change when Othello looked the other way; the audience saw glimpses of Iago's true motives, but they were always hidden from Othello. It was incredible how quickly the transition from a sinister expression to a loving and loyal expression was made. In one scene, Iago and Othello are hugging, and Iago's face reflects contempt as soon as his face is beside Othello's face.

Iago's changes aren't simply when Othello is around, but the changes are the same for when Iago deals with Roderigo. In the scenes with Roderigo, Iago has to perform doubly hard because he's being partially truthful with Iago. He's showing part of his true motives, but he still has to hide them to some extent to convince Roderigo to do his bidding. The scenes between Branagh and Michael Maloney probably impressed me the most. Roderigo may have been gullible or easily convinced, but Iago was still convincing and persuasive enough to move Roderigo from absolute hatred and distrust to absolute loyalty and thankfulness. In one scene, Roderigo is threatening to kill Iago and by the end of the scene, they're hugging and Iago can barely convince Roderigo to leave his side.

The biggest change that Iago undergoes is when he is caught. In the end of the play, when Emilia finally recognizes what has happened, Iago's facial expressions finally become flat and unwavering. He puts on a stoic face and remains that way into his death. He no longer has to convince anyone of anything because they all know the truth, so he doesn't give anyone any idea of what he's thinking and doesn't talk or change his appearance. This scene left a lasting impression on me, even when he was telling Emilia to be wise or when he was killing her, there is no change in his facial expression.

Overall, I was impressed with the movie. I enjoyed the acting from all the characters (not just Branagh), and I'm sure I'd enjoy watching it repeatedly.

Laurence Fishburne's talent is wasted
Poor Laurence Fishburne. I felt so sorry for him watching this movie because he gives a passionate and multi-dimensional performance as Othello and yet, no one else in the cast matches or even comes close to his level of talent.

As the cover photo suggests, this is a more sexualized version of Shakespeare's tragedy, which doesn't make it bad, but definitely steals the focus from the other emotions that fuel the story. All of Othello's feelings were intense, not just those he had for Desdemona, and this fact is overlooked by the emphasis on his sexuality. Kenneth Braunagh is such a bad Iago that I actually found myself laughing at him. As for Irene Jacob's performance, it is really not worth mentioning here. She is pretty and exotic but she gives no depth to the wounded character of Desdemona. I truly wish that this movie could be redone by a different director with a different supporting cast, because it is a fascinating idea that just falls flat. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun & catchy. Warning: it may take over your brain!
I'm not a big fan of the Animaniacs TV show, but these songs are lots of fun! If I'm bored, or having a bad day, this tape always cheers me right up. I often find myself humming bits from The Quake Song, The Big Wrap Party, and others. Recommended for anyone, of any age, who appreciates inspired wackiness, bad puns, and silly rhymes. :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Blake Edwards, fresh from the success of the first two Pink Panther movies, indulged his love of classic slapstick comedy with this long free-for-all, which throws in everything but Laurel and Hardy's kitchen sink. The film reunites Some Like It Hot stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, ably aided by a spunky Natalie Wood. The subject is a New-York-to-Paris auto race in the early years of the 20th century, pitting the Great Leslie (Curtis), a goody-goody dressed all in white--even his teeth sparkle--against the malevolent Professor Fate (Lemmon), whose coal-black heart is reflected in his handlebar mustache. He looks like a bill collector from a silent- movie melodrama. Lemmon does double duty, also playing the pampered, drunken king of a small European country, whose laugh sounds like the wail of a cat in heat. The film may be too long for its own good, and you really have to love Jack Lemmon to put up with his over-the-top performance, but it's side-splitting in spots. It's one of those movies, if seen in childhood, that stays in your mind for years afterward. Some of the bigger routines, such as a pie fight of epic proportions, don't work as well as the simple chemistry between the perpetually exasperated Professor Fate and his much-abused assistant, Max (a terrific Peter Falk). Push the button, Max. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (97)

Nostalgic Comfort Viewing Perfect for a Family Night
THE GREAT RACE may not be a masterpiece--but it is a perfect choice for a cold and rainy night: stylish, frothy, and often flatly hilarious, it makes for "comfort viewing" at its best.

One of the movie's several charms is that it draws heavily from Victorian cliches that still linger in the public mind, gives them a gentle comic spin, and then drops them into the tale of an early 1900s auto race from New York to Paris by way of Siberia. Add to this a heap of favorite character actors, a big budget, flamboyant period costumes, and the biggest pie fight ever filmed, and you have a movie where there is always something to enjoy on the screen.

The great thing about THE GREAT RACE are the performances, which are very broad but endowed with a sly humor. The comedy accolades here go to Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk as the notorious Dr. Fate and his bumbling sidekick Max--wonderful bits of acting that will have you hooting with laughter in every scene--and Dorothy Provine scores memorably in a cameo as Lily Olay, the bombshell singer who presides over the most rootin'-tootin' saloon this side of the Pecos.

But every one, from Tony Curtis and the lovely Natalie Wood down to such cameo performers as Vivian Vance, get in plenty of comic chops as the film drifts from one outrageous episode to another: suffergettes crowding a newspaper, the biggest western brawl imaginable, polar bears, explosions, daredevil antics, and a subplot lifted from THE PRISONER OF ZENDA agreeably crowd in upon each other. True, the film does seem over-long and may drag a bit in spots, but it never drags for very long, and it's all in good fun--and the production values and memorable score easily tide over the bare spots.

The DVD bonuses aren't anything to write home about, and the film has not been restored per se--the color seems a bit faded here and there--but the print is remarkably clean and the widescreen format is an essential. This would be an excellent selection for a family movie night--or for any evening when you're alone and feeling a bit blue. Break out the popcorn, curl up on you sofa, and... as Dr. Fate would say... "Push the button, Max!"

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Great Race DVD -It's about time!!!
I have been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD. I've even written to Blake Edwards asking, "What is the hold up?"
Get ready, citizens of Boracho! Finally it's coming out!
Every time I saw Jack Lemmon in interviews I was always curious and disappointed that 'The Great Race' was never mentioned among his favorite films. Of course he made many other wonderful classic movies and I enjoyed his performance in all of them...but 'The Great Race' has been my favorite comedy for a long time. I practically can recite it along with the characters. I enjoyed some of the other reviewer's (here) favorite lines from the movie. They are my favorites too.
If you haven't seen this movie or if you haven't seen it in a long time...do yourself a favor and grab it. The laughs never stop. The casting is perfect...Tony Curtis with Keenan Wynn as his sidekick...Jack Lemmon with Peter Falk as his...Natalie Wood...Ross Martin...Vivian Vance...Larry Storch ("Now will you give me some fightin' room?!")...and many others. It doesn't get any better or funnier than this.
Hurray for the DVD. Believe me, you'll enjoy it.

A Big Ole Moose Butt
A classically structured old time villian vs the good guy film, with the obligatory sidekicks and the beautiful love interest, who will eventually succumb to the charms of The hero. More about that later. OK, the stereotypes are there, but that's what the movie was about. Charging from the gate with the player piano, boos and hiss when the cast boards are shown, the movie brings the viewer up to speed very fast with humor and great slapstick. Following a PR auto race in the early days of the 20th century, the film follows the main characters through the landscape of the US and Europe. Sight gags abound and the scenery is often breathtaking. The plot is easy to floow and it's good fun. For the movie fan who doesn't want to disect a movies' every nuance, this is especially fun and worth seeing time and again. The characters will keep you laughing long after the soundtrack has ended,. I would comment more on the plot, but nearly 100 people already handled that - look, just take a chance on it. It's great fun.

A lot of fun, but not what it should have been.
Epics were in vogue in the Sixties, and even the early Seventies(although I can't really see a hippie watching any of them), and it was only natural that comedies would get the "big" bug. IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD and THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL make up two of the big three. The other is THE GREAT RACE, Blake Edward's 159 minute slapstick excursion, restored on DVD in complete roadshow fashion, with overture, intermission, entr'acte, and exit music. And yet, for a film of this type, it is less about the race than about the rivalry between Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) and the Great Leslie (Tony Curtis). There is precious little racing, and though the film is far from boring and has much going for it (the finale to Part One is brilliant) one can't help but wonder what it would have been like if the other entries in the race regrouped after being snuffed out and made their mad dashes for the forefront. That would make it THE GREAT RACE. Also, the lack of other challenge leaves a depressing side effect; the film seems mildly unfinished and undernourished, like 2 hours and 40 minutes of a 3 plus hour movie. And yet, the film has so much going for it that to ignore it is rather unfair. What there is (I should note that due to the previously noted flaws, the chapters on the disc make it a more pleasing experience) is very well made, and one can appreciate what they put into it.

If only they put more.

Jamie Teller

DVD version is fullscreen not widescreen
The movie is spectacular. This DVD version is a bomb. Shame on Warner Brothers for their greediness and lack of effort to bring widescreen versions to the masses including updated soundtracks and clean film reels! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Typical of Disney's 1970s output, this squeaky-clean comic adventure about a group of church volunteers and soccer moms who take on local gangsters is packed with slapstick humor, sight gags, and nonlethal car crashes. Curiously enough, it's based on the true story of Reverend Albert Fay Hill, who wrote a book about his efforts to stop mob-run gambling in his city. Edward Herrmann plays the fictionalized Presbyterian minister Mike Hill, a soft-spoken widower with two kids who ruffles the feathers of the dedicated church secretary (Susan Clark) when he organizes a group of women to help the Treasury Department catch the bookies in the act. The mobsters are more Damon Runyon than John Gotti: no one gets hurt and everything ends in a demolition derby free-for-all as the suburban-lady volunteers play bumper cars with the mobsters. There's a potentially fascinating story in there that Disney keeps a G-rated cap on (though seeing Karen Valentine swingin' her booty under the cover of pounds of makeup and a little halter top is a surprise in a family film), but it's a harmless little comedy enlivened by plucky performances by Barbara Harris and Cloris Leachman and a fun turn by Ruth Buzzie as a church elder with a CB-radio handle. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A true guilty pleasure!
I am not ashamed to say I love this film. It is good, clean fun, and absolutely hilarious. It is one of the few films that me and my mom both like. The cast is outstanding, especially Barbara Harris, Karen Valentine, Ruth Buzzi, and Cloris Leachman. I never tire of watching this movie. I call this a guilty pleasure because while most serious film lovers would never even consider this film for a Top Films List, I would. Few films make me laugh like this one.

Underrated Disney Comedy
To me, this is the best movie to come out of Disney's dry spell of the '70's (when it released such stinkers as "Million Dollar Duck" and "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo") . . terrific fun for the whole family. Edward Herrmann (who I normally find an unbearably annoying actor) is quite good as a pastor who finds himself fighting organized crime when one of his church members gambles away church money. (True, he should be angry at the church member, but our reverend believes in tackling the ROOT of the problem). After Herrmann speaks out against organized crime publicly, two FBI agents come to him and ask him for his help in going undercover to expose these gangsters. He asks for help from his congregation, and the only ones who will aid him are 6 indomitable females (Patsy Kelly, Virginia Capers, Barbara Harris, Cloris Leachman, Karen Valentine, and - later - Susan Clark). You'll relish every second that you see all of the ladies on the screen, especially the scatterbrained soccer mom Harris (her funniest scene takes place in a grocery store, as she spies on one of the pickup men); the constantly-primping Leachman; and tough-as-nails Capers. Features a cute cameo by Ruth Buzzi as part of a church committee out to remove Herrmann (she ends up joining the ladies to fight the criminals). Unfortunately, I find that the film suffers when nervous Fed Michael Constantine leaves the project in the Reverend's hands; his exasperated scenes with the ladies are among the most enjoyable in the film. Another small drawback is the cutesy way in which the movie treats organized crime . .you'll never believe for a second the gangsters are really out to hurt these ladies. The film's final moments, a "demolition derby" of sorts, will delight kids. I can remember absolutely loving this film as a kid . . I'm positive one day Disney will remake it (hopefully they do it justice).

North Avenue Irregulars
A Disney Classic at its best. Great that Disney releasing the old time films like this one about a man of the cloth and the church people trying to save their church from being torn down. The only problem is that Disney needs to release these older titles to a wider range of stores and many of use end up special ordering or ordering on line because they can't find them in their stores.

Local Grannies Cleans Up Neighborhood
This film is very entertaining and definitely for all audiences. A group of elderly ladies forms a "neighborhood watch", or better a "neighborhood clean-up crew". They join forces to rid their formerly "nice neighborhood" of the trash that gives it a bad name.

Fearless and determined, the "North Avenue Irregulars" (played by many familiar comediennes) show the bad guys who's boss and reclaim their "turf". Many laughs, and a timely message: Don't let the scum take over your neighborhood!****

Funny Comedy about Quirky Church-goers
I have never laughed so hard at such a funny comedy. The movie is about the North Avenue Presbyterian Church, when a church member bets the entire church sinking fund on a horse race and loses. This makes the rest of the church members go on a secret mission to tear up the underground gambling ring in their city. It is a very funny movie and worth the money to add to your collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

In the entire history of American movies, The Night of the Hunter stands out as the rarest and most exotic of specimens. It is, to say the least, a masterpiece--and not just because it was the only movie directed by flamboyant actor Charles Laughton or the only produced solo screenplay by the legendary critic James Agee (who also cowrote The African Queen). The truth is, nobody has ever made anything approaching its phantasmagoric, overheated style in which German expressionism, religious hysteria, fairy-tale fantasy (of the Grimm-est variety), and stalker movie are brought together in a furious boil. Like a nightmarish premonition of stalker movies to come, Night of the Hunter tells the suspenseful tale of a demented preacher (Robert Mitchum, in a performance that prefigures his memorable villain in Cape Fear), who torments a boy and his little sister--even marries their mixed-up mother (Shelley Winters)--because he's certain the kids know where their late bank-robber father hid a stash of stolen money. So dramatic, primal, and unforgettable are its images--the preacher's shadow looming over the children in their bedroom, the magical boat ride down a river whose banks teem with fantastic wildlife, those tattoos of LOVE and HATE on the unholy man's knuckles, the golden locks of a drowned woman waving in the current along with the indigenous plant life in her watery grave--that they're still haunting audiences (and filmmakers) today. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (125)

Three-Dimensional Menace
It is as difficult to describe this film as it is to forget it. The only film directed by Charles Laughton, with James Agee's screenplay based on Davis Grubb's novel of the same title, The Night of the Hunter explores the ageless conflict between pure goodness and pure evil. The former is represented by the two Harper children and especially by their resolute defender, Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish). Pure evil is represented by Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), a psychopath who claims to be a preacher. I can think of few other films in which script, direction, acting, cinematography (Stanley Cortez), and musical score (Walter Schumann) work so well together. Credit must obviously be shared. What saddens me is the fact that Laughton was so discouraged by initial reactions to the film that he never directed another. The plot is rather straight-forward and consists of three phases: Powell's arrival and subsequent marriage to widow Willa Harper (Shelley Winters); her death and the gradual revelation of Powell's true nature; and finally, his pursuit of Rachel Cooper and the two children after they flee from him. It would be a disservice to those who read this brief commentary for me to say any more about the plot.

Paradoxically, this is among the most beautiful and most frightening of films. Mitchum's portrayal is among his greatest performances. According to some who were associated with the production, he also agreed to direct Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Cooper because Laughton despised child actors. If true, Mitchum reveals an off-screen talent I wish he had developed further. For me, the only problematic performance is Gish's. Perhaps it is because it seems (to me) derivative of an acting style more appropriate to a previous era when she was featured in so many other films. Those who have not as yet seen this film are urged to do so. It is in so many ways an "original" which deserves the acclaim denied it when first released in 1955.

Deserves to be ranked with "Citizen Kane."
Charles Laughton, one of the greatest actors of Hollywood's Golden Age, made his directorial debut at age 56 with "Night of the Hunter." The film flopped so badly with critics and public that Laughton was never allowed to direct a movie again. It's hard to tell which is worse: the tragedy for the cinema, or the idiocy of the critics and the public. "Night of the Hunter" deserves to be ranked with "Citizen Kane" and the works of Pabst and Murnau among the great Expressionist film masterpieces. Its artiness probably meant it would never be a great popular success, but it deserves to be more than a cult favorite. Its combination of stark realism and extreme stylization, of magical beauty and Hitchcockian suspense, has never been replicated in any other movie. The performances are all superb and, in the cases of Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish, extraordinary. Mitchum pushes the envelope just enough as the evil preacher Harry Powell, giving a performance that might seem way over the top if a scene were taken out of context, but which masterfully evokes diabolical menace as a whole. As for Gish, she creates an unforgettable character in Rachel Cooper, whose prim, strict exterior barely conceals a combination of wisdom, backbone and moral splendor rarely found in the cinema. Shelley Winters is also very fine as a woman blinded by desire and guilt. Too little, I think, has been said of the supporting players in "Night of the Hunter." Billy Chapin is very touching as the little boy Powell menaces, but the standouts have to be Don Beddoe and Evelyn Varden as Walt and Icey Spoon, a sort of Richard and Hyacinth Bucket gone to seed. Icey is all idiot compliance with the loathsome Powell, taking his protestations of piety at face value while imagining herself the arbiter of morality and common sense. Walt, her henpecked husband, occasionally voices doubts but is quickly brought into line. So when Powell is revealed as the murderous monster he is, who leads the lynch mob? Why, Walt and Icey, of course! There are hundreds and hundreds of Walts and Iceys in small-town America. I know that firsthand.

Surreal Mitchum
I've always been a fan of Robert Mitchum's stoic style. But he's anything but stoic in this very unique film. The atmosphere created by Laughton's direction - and apparently his rewriting of the script - is as surreal as it gets. Once you realize you're watching an adult fairy tale about good and evil, you'll be mesmerized. This film is one artist's only offering, and worth the time to watch.

Sappy & crappy.
I adore Robert Mitchum and I do not disagree with much that has been written here, but the religion was laid on with a trowel. So hokey. So corny. The angelic voices, the hymns...Lillian Gish looking up to heaven...please! What I thought would be film noir turned out more like a rally for George Bush Jr.!

"I'm out of patience children. I'm coming to find you now."
Charles Laughton's "The Night of the Hunter" is one of the most notable atmospheric films ever made. One wonders what other works may have followed had Laughton decided to further pursue a career in directing. The dream-like visual imagery he employed in "The Night of the Hunter" is groundbreaking, beautiful, haunting, and breathtaking all at the same time.

Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) arrives in a small town one day with the letters H-A-T-E and L-O-V-E tattooed on his knuckles. Powell has learned of $10,000 in hidden money which was stolen by a man who used to live in the town. Seeking out the man's widow, Willa Harper (Shelley Winters), Powell hopes to find the hidden money and keep it for himself. The widow's two children, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce) know the location of the money but refuse to tell the mysterious preacher where it is. So begins a cat-and-mouse game between Powell and the children.

Laughton was ahead of his time in making such effective use of visual imagery. The shadows and lighting he employed added deeper layers of meaning to the proceedings. Especially noteworthy are the moments in the bedroom set and the shot depicting Willa Harper's final fate - both scenes still astonish to this day. When the children drift down the river while escaping from Powell, the wonder and darkness of nature is filmed in so graceful, mysterious, and absorbing a manner that one is reminded of the techniques of modern-day directors Terrence Malick and Tim Burton. Mitchum is amazing in what is easily the best performance of his carreer. Child actors Chapin and Bruce are also great as is Winters in a tragic role. The inclusion of screen legend Lillian Gish in the second half of the film is only icing on the cake for an already impressive production. ... Read more

Reviews (231)

I loved this movie.
No matter what religion you are or how you feel about witchcraft, if you enjoy good acting & a great storyline, you'll like this film. Both Bullock & Kidman are excellent & their characters are well-drawn, likable & familiar. Most women will relate to the loves & losses, trials & errors of these independent young women.

They are, of course, different in some ways. Born into a legacy of witches & dark history, the Owens females live under a curse that destroys any man who gets too close to them. (Then again, some of us may have felt 'cursed' more than once in our love lives...)

Bullock plays Sally, the levelheaded one who is determined to have a "normal" life. She falls in love early (w/a little crafty help from the aunts -Stockard Channing & Dianne Wiest), then marries & has two daughters who look exactly like she & 'Gillie' (Kidman). For a few years, Sally is blissfully happy until the day she hears the cricket chirp - a sign of impending death. After her husband is killed, Sally falls into a depression so deep that only her sister can pull her out.

They have an unbreakable bond - not only of blood & love, but of spirit. The strength of this bond actually saves Gillie's life, when she manages to hook-up with an evil madman who 'comes back' from death. The ending is quite well done.

This was a movie about belief, trust, family & a very old fight - good vs. evil. It was also about a love strong & pure enough to break a centuries-old curse, true enough to save a woman pulled in the depths of true evil. It is touching, satisfying & emotionally uplifting. Rent it! Then rent it again for the soundtrack alone!

Powerful Performance by Kidman
While many reviews are positive and a few of them negative in this section, I found it to be a fantastic tale about women and the Craft. Yes, Bullock could give a better performance, but I don't think it is about her or Kidman. Instead, I challenge all of the people who have written negative reviews to examine EVERY DAY LIFE and then watch the movie. I found this a heart-warming tale about the "magical" instances in our childhood. As a child, I was told of curses, boogey stories, voodoo, magic and it was left for me to decide what to believe. Depending on the viewer's BELIEFS, the story could or could not happen. The thing that I ultimately think made the movie was the special effects and the composition of the scenes. The director (Dunne) utilized them in a way that they did not stand out. Rather, the effects were blended seemlessly into the film. To those doubters, watch it first, then again, noting the effects. Only after the second time, decide wheather you like it or not. Overall, I found the movie (DVD) captivating. I will be buying this on DVD very soon.

To live and to die in strange circumstances.
This was a fun movie, a romp through a fantasy life of three generations of witches. The house was set somewhere in Maine but the action took place in some strange places. It almost makes one belief that witchcraft is alive and well in the modern age.

The two older witches were especially good. Sandra Bullock, on the other hand, was playing a continuation of her character in HOPE FLOATS, same funky outfits and the acting just the same.

These beautiful witches had the bad luck to always kill the men they love. No matter how many potions they tried to concoct, nothing ever came out right. The little ones had no special magic, and yet their peers called them witches just the same.

The living dead had eyes like Riddick. Now, I understand where he got his strength; he was already dead. What'd he have to lose?

I enjoyed this romp, but I have always been interested in how the women in Salem and along the Eastern coast were burned as witches. Even Guinevere in Richard Harris' version of CAMELOT was 'almost' killed as a witch. Thank God, she was rescued by her Sir Lancelot to waste away in a nunnery. What a price women have to pay when they love the wrong men!

Can love travel back in time and heal a broken heart? I like to think so.

Great! Two Thumbs to the sky!
It was great! According to real witchcraft, it was pretty accurate!

Fantastic!
The story line is fantastic--that of friendship, sisterhood, attaining dreams, and love. This movie shows witches in a more realistic light incomparison to the ole tale of green skin and bubbling eyes of newt. It, also, shows the politics that they face due to these deeply rooted tales and lends hope that the general populus will become more embracing/accepting of others' beliefs--particularly that of earth-based religions. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Consistent mid-80s sci-fi with a great score.
"Runaway"

This is the archetypal "average" movie. Whilst not expertly handled by director Crichton (yes, Michael Crichton), Runaway at least succeeds in being reasonably interesting and very watchable. It's one of those movies that succeeds in being very enjoyable without actually being that good; there is something very comfortable about the tone of the whole film. Whilst most of the set-pieces could have been more tightly edited and paced, there is an undeniable consistency in the visuals throughout. And note has to be made of Gene Simmons (yes, from Kiss), who makes a convincing bad guy, and the subtle but workable chemistry between Tom Selleck and the glammed-down Cynthia Rhodes.

The film boasts an impressive electronic score by the legendary Jerry Goldsmith, done in the same year as his beautiful work on Ridley Scott's Legend, at which time Goldsmith was in the process of moving over to synthesizers. The closing theme, which plays out as Selleck and Rhodes kiss under showers of sparks, is exhiliarating.

The DVD is unremarkable, with a fairly good transfer and sound if nothing in the way of extras (unless you're still counting trailers).

Underated Movie
Jack Ramsay (Tom Selleck) is a sergeant on the runaway squad - a police squad dedicated to robots. Ramsay and his new partner (Cynthia Rhodes) track down an electronics genious named Charles Luther (Gene Simmons) who has programed robots to kill. After the murders of two electronic engineers Ramsay discovers Luther has stolen a new weapon and plans to sell it to the highest bidder.

Its hard to believe this movie is sixteen years old. I like all the actors in this movie and have seen it several times and it still is not boring. The only problems i have with it is that the dvd does not have many options on it and there are two very cheesy scenes at the begining.

Gene Simmons plays a fantastic bad guy!
When I am watching a 1984 sci-fi movie, I am not expecting to see an oscar calibur portrail full of twists and turns. Some may call it predictible, but myself I feel that the story flowed and made sense. Too many times have I seen a movie wher its certainly unpredictable because the plot climax comes out of nowhere. Tom Sellek plays the part well and is very believeable as a hardened and some what cynical cop. Gene Simmons in one of his only noteworthy film performances takes his KISS type persona and plays the evil genius well. I for one enjoyed this movie alot, and unlike Blade Runner didn't find myself watching it 5 times to understand the very shallow story line. If you are looking for a believeable near future story, pick this up.

What's wrong with this picture? NOTHING!
Poor Tom Selleck. I swear everybody loves him but he never gets a hit movie. This happens to be a very good SciFi movie. I know since there are not many I don't own. Not to mention you have a good director and great music. Add in a cool evil Vectrocon doctor played by Gene "Kiss" Simmons with killer insect like robots and you have a winner.

Selleck plays Sgt. Jack Ramsey, a cop that polices runaway robots. Since most of them are fairly harmless house units it starts out a bit comical. But as the story develops with a Vectrocon secretary played by Kirstie Alley finding out about killer robots. Add in some incredible heat seeking signature bullets that can turn corners and the tension mounts.

The DVD includes some extras including Bios on the stars. The picture and sound quality are sharp. Well worth owning on DVD, especially for fans of Tom Selleck.

GOOD START TO GENE SIMMONS'S ACTING CAREER
THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A COMPUTER COP (SELLECK) WHO GETS INVOLVED IN A VILLAN'S (SIMMONS) PLANS WITH ALTERING ROBOTS CONTROLS TO KILL PEOPLE, AND THE VILLAN LUTHER (SIMMONS) TRIES TO KILL THE COP (SELLECK) SO HE DOESN'T GET CAUGHT. HERE IS GENE SIMMONS FIRST ACTING ROLE AND DOES A HELL OF A GOOD JOB DOING IT. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw
I really don't think Hillary got it right - The movie is all about Linda Carter and her chest - period!

Country Flavored Sexy Action/Romance.
I really don't think you other reviewers have gotten the point here. This movie is not based on a glance at Lynda Carters Wonderbreasts sans Wonderbra...it's gosh dern* (that's *darn with a country accent) country fun! We open as former Evangelist Marjoe Gortner... whom we will call Lyle from now on, steals a Mustang from a braggart salesman. Naturally he steals the suckers case of sales goods too, and he uses them to pretend HE is a salesman. After hightailing it to the local drive-in, he spies Lynda Carter whom we will now refer to as BobbyJo...waitressing on roller-skates by a car parked nearby. When her annoying 4 legged gal-pal Essie skates over to take the order instead...she is asked to fetch up BobbyJo right quick, and head herself back to jerking sodas. After a few meetings, casual dates, a boring serenade near some rocks by BobbyJo to Lyle, they get busy under the stars, and it's a sexy scene as far as I'm concerned. Not because we see BobbyJo's impressive endowments, but because it's sensually played. Despite that fact it is the same few seconds seemingly spliced together repeatedly. Why? Soon, Lyle convinces BobbyJo to take off with him, and she's game to get away from her flask-swigging nag of a mom who slaps her instead of the usual goodbye kiss as she departs. Unfortnately, BobbyJo won't leave without making it a "cozy little threesome" as Lyle calls it sarcastically when Essie, the aforementioned three legged gal-pal tags along. Too bad, she's really not needed for the plot. However, on the bright side, she's the first casualty when the Bonnie and Clyde action begins. After a few days, and a meeting with a fat old Indian hippie who shares a few magic 'shrooms with the toothsome trio while sitting in a drainage ditch together...(a cutting room floor scene that stayed in the film)...they meet Pearl, BobbyJo's sister, cheap stripper floozy. She's played by Merrie Lynn Ross, who also plays Perry Kings wife in "Class of 1984", another Mark Lester classic. Pearl has a man with no brain played by Jesse Vint, another Lester fave. As I recall he's named Jesse IN the movie too. Anyway, after they all hook up, the fun and shoot-outs begin as they pull bank robberies all over New Mexico until everyone is blown away by Deputy Dawg and his gang of Hillbilly Honcho PO-lice. Everyone except BobbyJo, she gets handcuffed and led away by Mr. Dawg, but not before she sheds some tears on the blanket covering the bodies in front of her, and spitting in the law mans face. I have read that Lynda Carter was ashamed to have made this movie, but I think it has it's good points. I love the country music score that really fits the beautiful New Mexico scenery. The stars have a sexy chemistry together as well. We all know Lynda Carter is gorgeous, and Marjoe, while not the conventionally handsome type...is very appealing none the less. Merrie Lynn Ross as "Pearl" is a perfect bimbo and Jesse Vint, is her perfect compliment, the Himbo. He even wears a black cowboy outfit replete with black hat, just like the villain ought to! Speaking of complimentary, we have Blonde Lyle, Brunette BobbyJo, then Brunette Jesse, Blonde Pearl! I'm convinced... I'm a brunette married to a blonde myself! All that said, this movie has a nice mood, flavor and feel that is not captured too often. Closest film I can think of with this mood is "Thelma and Louise." In that movie, there's no man/woman stuff happening that's positive. At least here, the men actually care about their women! This is an enjoyable adventure in a style that will never be revisited again, so DO give it a chance if you like this genre.

Don't Even Think of Buying This Bomb
I figure there are two reasons why anyone would want to view this film. One: to see a bloody shoot'em-up bank-robbing epic. Leading characters Marjoe Gortner and Lynda Carter, join forces with Lynda's sister and her boyfriend and go on a crime jaunt, a-la "Bonnie & Clyde." No match for "Bonnie & Clyde" however, this shoot'em up fails in all areas. Reason number two one would want to view this film: To catch a view of "Wonder Woman" in a state of undress. Well, you ain'tah going to see that. All you see is a couple quick glimpses of her deflated left breast as she is lying on her back. You have to be fast with the eyeballs to catch the ole nip, or quick on the pause button. Even then, the video quality is so poor that the whole thing is just plain silly. Have you ever paused a video recorded in EP mode? Its all snow. There goes reason number two.

The film is released on VHS tape by Goodtimes Home Video, who is notorious for releasing movies in extended play. This results in very poor video quality. The entire movie appears to have been recorded on three feet of tape. The characters appear with an intense sunburn then go to yellowish to grainy. So, even if the film would have been good, you don't get a clear view of places and characters, especially Lynda Carter. Give it a pass and use the eight bucks to get a pizza. I think I'll throw my copy in the trash. What can one expect for eight bucks.

wonder woman
Linda Carter is hot in this movie

Bad movie--good Lynda Carter
Any fan of Lynda(Wonder Woman)Carter should see this movie. Little action, little plot, but a whole lot of exposure for Carter. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Once upon a time, in the 1980s and early 1990s, American independent movies did not seek to merely ape Hollywood formulas. They were more than just feature-length resumes for shrewd, enterprising filmmakers who had nothing to say, but dreamed of saying it with a big-studio budget. Back then, independent films provided a different kind of movie experience; they challenged and provoked audiences--and none more so than 1991's The Rapture, written and directed by Michael Tolkin, the man who wrote the screenplay for The Player, Robert Altman's scathing anti-Hollywood comedy. Mimi Rogers plays Sharon, a lost soul who gives up her hedonistic life of sex and drugs when she finds God and becomes a fundamentalist Christian fanatic. Her pilgrim's progress, presented in a deadpan, nonjudgmental style, culminates quite literally in the title event--the Second Coming, the Apocalypse, the end of the world, or whatever you want to call it. Rogers's fearless performance becomes all the more provocative when you recall that the actress is a lifelong member of the Church of Scientology. The Rapture is a mind-boggling, wildly ambitious movie that's open to myriad interpretations. But no matter what you make of it, it's sure to leave you engaged and shaken. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (52)

A hybrid genre classic
This truly is Mimi Rogers' best performance, and a thankful stepping stone for David Duchovny, if he turned this one down he might have never got chance to get that X Files role that he was born to play.
The Rapture is basically an experimental hybrid genre classic, it focuses on a womans spiritual and sexual awakening, first she is promiscous then she discovers the bible.
Being a devoted David Duchovny fan this is a film that never leaves my memory because of its total sincerity to the charachter and its haunting soundtrack, critics who watched it once should be invited to watch it again second time around and catch the bits that they missed, its a little gem from To Kill A Mocking bird Dierctor 'Micheal Tolkin'.
Be pleased if you own it on tape as its one for your alternate collection.

"10" Commandments or "X" Files?
With the benefit of hindsight, this is one of the most compelling (albeit oddball)"millennium paranoia" films of the 1990's. Mimi Rogers' Mona Lisa demeanor is perfectly cast portraying a woman who lives by the "If it feels good, do it" philiosophy, yet agonizes over her spiritual emptiness. While that is not an original idea for a movie protaganist,("Looking For Mr. Goodbar", anyone?)what ensues following her "conversion" has little or no precedence in film history.It is nearly impossible to discuss this aspect without turning it into a "spoiler". Suffice it to say that, if you're famililar with the "controversial" ending to 1999's "Magnolia", the final scenes in "Rapture" appear to have the same polarizing effect on viewers. At turns disturbing, thought-provoking,ambitiously Kubrickian, even maddening,but never boring. Not recommended for "popcorn movie" fans!

Why is this movie not on DVD?
One of the most powerful movies I have ever seen and to think Mimi Rogers didn't become a Big Star after this. She didnt even get a nomination but that tells you a lot about the Academy. Her performance outweighs anything Julia Roberts or Gweneth Paltrow has ever done.
This movie is not just about religion but being lost in a world that's not always kind.
Check it out.

Not an angry review with many spelling errors
Good to see that this film is still the subject of so much bitter debate, a decade and more after it appeared. Let me engage in some contradictions to say that this is a totally entertaining and totally disturbing movie to watch. You can look at it from several angles, but the doctrinally pure "rapture-believin'" Christian angle is probably not one of them. At very least it addresses the enduring problem of spiritual emptiness and the lure of "easy answer" end-times beliefs. As our world becomes more unhinged and uncertain the visibility of these societal phenomena only increases. Best of all we get to see David Duchovny before he fell in with a bad UFO crowd.

There is a limit of five stars, so that is all.
This is a low budget movie, and still it is a phenomenal.
It is a great story, an important messagge, and an incredible and unexpectedly fast-paced movie.
I would rent it for sure, I bought it, and I wish they will do it in DVD, if they do I will buy it for sure. ... Read more

Amazon.com

David Lynch's 1990 Wild at Heart is an utterly random and ugly experience with pockets of startling imagery and inspired set pieces. Based on a Barry Gifford novel, the film stars Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern as lovers on the lam whose relationship is tested and who meet some truly dangerous wackos (including an almost-simian Willem Dafoe). Lynch's thoughts seem to be everywhere, and he expects the audience to keep up with a story that seems more a collection of avant-garde whims than a coherent vision with the intuitive brilliance of his Blue Velvet. Cage gives one of his more chaotic performances, but then he was just reading Lynch's signposts. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (68)

if you're truly wild at heart, then you must .....
i first saw this film in theatres back in 1990 and i couldn't get the film outta my head. at that time, i knew very little about david lynch or his unique style. needless to say, i fell heart and soul for this maniac film and knew i would probably want to watch it over and over. nicolas cage gives perhaps his best performance prior to the wonderful leaving las vegas and i still think this film was very overlooked by everyone with the exception of true lynch fans. while this is probably his easiest film to date that the mainstream cinema could DIGEST, wild at heart is still very much avantguard as it is excessive in the language, violence, and sex departments. what makes this film so digestible is the ironic humor which surrounds the plot like a second skin. while still not a film for everyone, there is much to like about this david lynch treat. i particularly love the scene where nicolas cage is visited by the good which played by then unknown sheryl lee who advises him that the wild at heart must follow their dreams. shouldn't we all follow our dreams no matter how crazy or chaotic things may be?

Dear Tom Keogh,
Wild at Heart is, indeed, a film with some startling images. Any David Lynch fan will tell you that you should expect no less from him. In this film, Lynch is showing a subtle form of humor, he is referencing the Wizard of Oz (I'll not dare say "remake," he is rewriting it in his own fashion), and he is creating film as art in his typical fashion. You see, you actually have to pay attention to Lynch's movies in order to fully understand them. You likely have to watch them more than once to get his points. That's all part of the fun. If you bother to pay attention to the details of the movie, then you will understand that his thoughts are not all over the place at all, but are telling you a story, in Lynchian fashion. He doesn't take you by the little hand and lead you through a smarmy Hollywood film about life and love then whisk you off to a nice, rosy conclusion with a sunset and cutesy music. Don't expect the point to Wild at Heart to come easily. If that is what you want, may I suggest "Dumb and Dumber." David Lynch combines film with art and Wild at Heart is no exception. If you want a movie to present a simple story line and to conclude with a pretty red bow, then skip this one. But if you want to watch an outstanding David Lynch movie, then Wild at Heart will not disappoint. This is a fantastic movie.

PLEASE RELEASE IT ON DVD!!
David Lynch's Wild At Heart is a masterpiece, it won Palme D'Or at Cannes Film Festival for Best Picture. It has an outstanding cast, featuring Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Isabela Rosselini, Sheryl Lee,
Diane Ladd, Harry Dean Stanton, Willem Dafoe and so many other great actors! Why wasn't yet released on DVD in North America? Everywhere else in the world was. David Lynch is one of the best American directors and "Wild At Heart" is one of his masterpieces.
My favorite line from this film is: CENSORED.

Film of the Future
Lynch uses cinema the way it should be used. It's a naturally surreal medium, something only Lynch has truly understood, ever since Salvador Dali made Un Chien Andalou, all those years ago. Wild at Heart is totally coherent, as many reviewers have realised, even if only partly and subconsciously. All I would like to know is this: is the American South really the raw and mindless hell on earth that it seems to be in almost every film I've seen located there?

David Lynch's violent adaptation of the Wizard of Oz
Wild at Heart is David Lynch's violent adaptation of the Wizard of Oz with mesmerizing cinematography, which offers an exceptionally artistic cinema experience. Many scenes are visually packed as they offer much to ponder since they are often surrealistic or full of symbolism. The symbolism and surreal environment enhance the fantastic adventure into love, passion, and righteousness that Lynch provides for his audience. The tale begins with Sailor (Nicolas Cage) who was sent to jail for manslaughter as he killed a man in self-defense that was sent by his girlfriends neurotic mother. Released on probation Sailor is free and loving as he can reunite with his girlfriend Lula (Laura Dern) despite Lula's mothers opposition to their relationship. Lula's defiance upsets her mother who hires another hitman to slay Sailor. However, Lula and Sailor decide to take off to California and break Sailor's probation by following the yellow line on the road to the promise land. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Mythological Theme
The movie's cover states that this movie is a psycholochical drama... This is a story that has a strong mythological theme -- a mythological theme found in the King Arthur myths. The love between Guinevere and King Arthur is a familial love, which is contrasted against the passionate love between Guinevere and Sir Lancelot. The myth is telling of a truth in human nature; we have familial love within the marriage after passion has abated, but we cannot have both at the same time.
Julia is an American Guinevere who lives in Italy and marries an Italian ship builder(Paolo). He supposedly dies in a car before the marriage can be consumated. But Julia experiences a parallel universe in which they live happily and have a son. Julia has a passionate affair with a photographer. She tries to end the affair, because she has existed six years without her beloved husband and is suddenly thrown into the novelty of a family life. Her passion for her husband still exists. Therefore, she doesn't need the affair to feel passion again.
Upon the conclusion of the movie, the audience learns that she cannot have both passionate love and familial love. Like Guinevere, she becomes a cloistered woman who will continue to exist without either.
It is a brilliant and intelligently written film with surreal ambiance -- one which I highly recommend to those who view movies as literature on film.

Caught between two worlds
If you like a nice little movie that doesn't ask for too much thinking and delivers an easy to follow plotline with a satisfying answer in the end, this movie is not for you.
If you like a movie that keeps you guessing and let's you find your own answer, you may like this.
Julia is trapped between two worlds and we never really know which one is real - so it's the trying to figure it out part that's interesting in this movie.
The movie is beautifuly photographed and offers images that stays in someone's mind for a while afterwards. There's a luminous quality to it like a painting from another time.
Kathleen Turner's acting is sometimes a bit over the edge, but it strangely goes with the rest to make you wonder if her character's right to be angry at times or if she's just plain crazy.
If you like Sting as a character actor, this may not satisfy you, for his, is mainly there as an escapism to Turner's other life.
If, on the other hand, you love Sting for his indeniable sexual attraction and appetites, then this movie is a must. [Sting has incredible charisma which he uses with abandon].
So if you want a nice little movie with a nice little ending, keep away.
If you want to watch Sting at his best - [being sexy]- rent this pronto - Sting will make you wild!

Hmmm...
I'm not sure whether this is a 3 star or a 2 star movie. Somewhere in between. The fact that it was shot on video tape gives an odd feeling to the whole thing, much like watching an Italian soap opera, as one reviewer noted.

It was clearly ahead of its time, given that movies about characters experiencing alternate versions of their lives have taken off only in the past few years. I like the genre, however, and this is an interesting addition.

It is well written. Julia "switches" at the most unexpected yet most effective moments. Just when she can be sure she is in one world, that she can count on and play by its rules, she is rudely awakened in the other one. Poor Julia.

If I had a problem it was that the videotape lowers the quality of the production, making it difficult to become engaged in the story. Kathleen Turner's acting suffers from the "smaller screen" quality, too: what might work on film looks too exaggerated here. Sting and Byrne, both quieter, brooding types, suffer less.

And what exactly is happening here? Are Julia's husband and son alive in an alternate reality? Is it all happening inside her head? Is she schizophrenic, as another reviewer suggested (an intriguing idea)? Or is she perhaps being haunted by Paolo's ghost?

The answer--well, the movie leaves you to decide for yourself, which is frustrating. Sometimes, I just want to know *what happened.* The schizophrenia theory is good, although of course it doesn't explain that picture at the end. Myself, I like the idea of alternate realities. It's one of those "whatever works for you" questions.

Bottom line: if you are a fan of any of the three stars, this is a good one to have. (It also features a Sting nude scene, so consider that!) It's good if you like the genre. Otherwise, rent first, then decide.

Julia and Julia - the saddest movie of all time?
This movie is truly the saddest story I have ever encountered in a movie! Julia (Kathleen Turner) is widowed on the day of her wedding to Paolo (Gabriel Byrne) and doesn't ever seem to recover. Several years later, in supernatural circumstances she finds herself flitting between two versions of her life. In one she is married to Paolo with a child, and having an affair with a mysterious photographer (Sting), in the other life she is the widow of many years who meets this same man(Sting again). She is emotionally torn and utterly confused, and events lead to the inevitable heart rending conclusion! This is a must see!

Beautiful logic
This is a great film.

If you take it scene by scene, the plot is mathematically correct down to the last, irritating detail. What is fantasy and what is reality is really important. The trick, however, is to know when it's one and when it's the other. To hell with The Cell.

The title makes perfect sence, since she is schizophrenic and has two personalities.

All good art is ambiguous. Here you are supposed to think she is cheating on her husband, which she of course only is doing in her own mind to a fatal end. ...