Reviews (58)

Glass half full
"Shattered Glass" is a clever film about the rise and fall of an attention-craving, fawning huckster. It's rare these days to watch a suspense movie that literally has no action, but "Shattered Glass" succeeds marvelously. I had a blast watching the film's self-fixated protagonist squirming as the screws were tightened and he was snared in a web of his own deceit. Stephen Glass wanted the big byline, the articles that would catapult him to fame and grant him the status he desired. In order to achieve this, he fabricated stories with such enthusiasm one couldn't help but be swept up in the excitement. Hayden Christensen plays him to the hilt, with nuanced mannerisms, golden boy charm, and a sincerity that gradually grows stale. His insecurity is evident when he ends his conversations with apologies, false compliments, and self-deprecation designed to elicit sympathy or praise. His theats at suicide are at once chilling and pathetic.
The story is deceptively simple, but the details are complex, adding layers of psychological instability. I also enjoyed Peter Sarsgaard's performance as a poised editor who will do the right thing even if it means alienating himself from the office staff, who fall prey to Glass's manipulations. The film is brilliantly bookended with fantasy scenes that show Glass's true motivations--lying to gain public attention and acclaim, not unlike a serial killer who turns himself in to become a figure of notoriety.
Amazingly, the story seems to continue as Glass published a novel, "The Fabulist", which also tries to twist the truth to shift responsiblity to other parties. Online reviews of this novel smack of author participation, as if the writer sought to balance the negative reviews with his own glowing summations. Why else would the reviews be so incredibly polarized, with most giving the novel one star, while others give it five stars? Decide for yourself.

"Glass" is see-through but still compels
March was a big month for ethically challenged journalists.

First, infamous ex-New York Times reporter Jayson Blair published his book, "Burning Down My Masters' House," a tome that generated reviews uniformly more interesting than the actual contents of its pages.

Then "Shattered Glass" was released on video. The film looks at Stephen Glass, a young writer and associate editor for The New Republic who, in the mid- to late '90s, rose to notoriety with his vivid, colorful articles - many of which were later found to be, in whole or in part, simply products of his imagination.

The movie focuses on the period in 1998 when Glass' jig was just about up. In order to cover his tracks, he's forced to fake his notes, manipulate office politics, create phantom voicemail accounts and manufacture Web sites and business cards. As depicted by "Shattered," passing off fiction as journalism isn't just a despicable practice, it also appears to involve about four times more sweat than doing actual, honest work.

It's a fascinating story that, on the whole, is deftly handled. Unfortunately, Hayden Christensen, who plays Glass, doesn't seem as skilled a con artist as the guy he's portraying had to have been. With his passive-aggressive apologies and transparent flattery, he's more of an Eddie Haskell than a convincing fraud. I'm a reporter at a newspaper that's a long way away from the infinitely more sophisticated, more competitive New Republic, yet Glass' manipulation, as rendered by Christensen, wouldn't fly in my newsroom for five seconds.

As a result, the movie suffers somewhat and, while that may also be a fault of the writing, the script doesn't fail actors Peter Sarsgaard and Hank Azaria who, as Glass' editors Charles Lane and Michael Kelly, give smart, flawless performances and are the best reasons to see the movie (yes, Sarsgaard is every bit as good as the hype claims).

Also solid is Steve Zahn as Forbes reporter Adam Penenberg, and the scenes in which he disproves one of Glass' articles fact-by-fact play like lighter reversals on "All the President's Men."

On the DVD: The lone extra feature is a brisk "60 Minutes" segment on the real Glass, in which we see what a low-key, blank-eyed cipher he actually is. There's also a somewhat self-serving though no-less-interesting commentary track by Lane and writer-director Billy Ray that, ironically, points out the many inventions and dramatic licenses that were taken in order to make the story more cinematic. It's too bad they didn't give the actual subject of the movie an opportunity to comment on the movie that's been made from an unfortunate, pathetic chapter of his life; that would've been something to hear.

EXCELLENT
After missing this one in the movie theatres, I made a point to rent this one when it came out on DVD. I now want to purchase my own copy--and I will be revising my Favorite Movie List.

Shattered Glass revolves around Stephen Glass, former reporter for The New Republic Magazine during the 1990's. Glass achieved outstanding status as a reporter. Turning out great story after great story, everyone thought Glass an outstanding journalistic talent.

Too bad he did not write fiction at the time. It turned out 17 of his features for TNR turned out to be either partially or totally fabricated.

His tapestry of lies unraveled in May of 1998 as a writer for Forbes Online, Charles Penenberg (Steven Zahn) tried to do a follow-up story on Glass' latest piece called "Hacker Heaven." Unable to find a website for a fictitious software company, nor credible phone numbers for any of the sources, Penenberg contacted TNR editor Charles Lane.

At this point, Lane starts to have his own doubts and does his own investigation. As he uncovers the truth, Lane discovers that Glass not only fabricated the whole Hacker story, but may have done the same with other stories. Of course, the fiction ends as Glass is fired.

The independent movie has so many strengths going for it. First and foremost is the cast. Hayden Christensen plays Glass who uses his childlike charm and innocence to dupe superiors. Christiansen, who played young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars is able to spin his yarns and congratulate himself for it. As Glass, Christensen tenaciously sticks to his lies even when proof flies in his face. A quick wit even tries to modify lies to suit his own needs. The charm works more as Christensen uses his innocent and sincere voice to issue hollow apologies.

Another outstanding performance is Peter Sarsgaard who plays new TNR editor Charles Lane. Sarsgaard provides the most subdued, yet powerful performance. Often, experts tell us 85 per cent of all communication is non-verbal. This is where Sarsgaard has a true strength. He displays diappointment, concern, skepticism, and downright anger without flamboyant gestures or pitch and tone in voice.

Another noted performance is Hank Araria, who usually does many voices for "The Simpsons." In real life, Azaria shows some real acting credibility playing the wise and insightful Michael Kelly, Lane's predecessor at TNR. Kelly went on to serve as editor for the Atlantic Monthly and was killed in April 2003 while coveirng the war in Iraq. In fact, Shattered Glass was dedicated to Kelly's memory.

Probably the ultimate muscle for Shattered Glass is the accuracy for what really happened. Although I liked the 1999 release of The Insider, writer director Michael Mann sacrificed the truth in order to "add drama" to the story. That does not happen, though, in Shattered Glass. In this case, writer/director Billy Ray tells it like it happened--as if knowing journalism's main goal is to search for the truth.

The conjectural end (which I will not reveal) probably has the greatest dramatic affect on the whole movie. While some in the audience might feel sympathy for Glass and his duplicitous methods, others will feel betrayed, angry, and skeptical. Still, it struck me that Glass' habitual lying actually took him to another realm where he believed his own lies. Within the mind of Glass, he DID do a story on Young Republicans acting like reprobates. Glass believes he DID do a story on a hacker kid who was cut a deal by a software company.

Who knows the real intention of the movie. Was it to chastise Glass--or other fabricators like Jayson Blair? Or maybe to rebuke the journalist profession? Or did the movie intend to slap the motion picture industry for leaving truth at the studio gate? In any case, Shattered Glass works--and it works well.

Contemporary Masterpiece
You can't trust anybody, and now, because of Stephen Glass, you definitely cannot trust the press. Mr. Glass snatched everybody's confidences and destroyed them with fabricated, fantastic stories. After his downfall, many newspapers and magazines found one or two inconsistencies with their writers, including the New York Times, the Boston Globe and USA Today.

This film proves that Hayden Christensen isn't just that whiny brat from the Star Wars movie. He's a whiny brat in this movie, too ... but he plays Glass with such sincerity and charm you cannot help but feel the tiniest bit sorry for his mistakes. But it's Peter Sarsgaard who really steals the show as Glass's editor at The New Republic, who, after taking over the magazine from the late, great, and heavily favored Michael Kelley, discovers his writer isn't as good as everybody thought. Sarsgaard melts down into a puddle of anger and anxiety. He tears into Christensen with unholy vengeance. He makes you squirm in your seat as Christensen tries to weasel underneath his thumb.

The largest flaw with this movie is totally up to audience interpretation. Some people believe this film glorifies what Glass did. In a way, that's true. It sets an example of "if you screw up, don't worry, you'll get a young Darth Vader to play you in the film, and Tom Cruise will produce." At the same time, Christensen plays Glass like a greasy sewer rat, and even when you're feeling a touch sympathetic, you can see Glass for the sniveling bastard he truly is. So while it at once condemns and approves, the film makes Sarsgaard's character the true hero, and therefore steals any and all of Glass's thunder.

The DVD features an interview with Mr. Glass, exposing him for the whiny, self-serving jerk he truly is.

Excellent
Well acted and a good thriller. It's like a thriller without the murder. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

One of the best in the series
This video has it all. Two inspiring Dragon Tunes, and 3 episodes of "Never-say-die" action. Never mind that "A Feat on her Feet" has Cassie singing a parody of Jingle Bells...The other two stories on the tape are nursery-rhyme-parody free (with only a short stint of the original lyrics of "Ring-a-round-the-rosie" in "Zak takes a dive", and only the first 5 words to the song "Rain, rain, go away" in "A liking to biking" (the song was promply interrupted by Max exclaiming "And don't come back!"). And you also get a good laugh out of "A Liking for biking", which is a must watch if you want to understand one part of "A Feat on her Feet", when Max makes a comment that links to "A Liking for Biking". If you must get a Dragon Tales video, get this one! You won't be disappointed!

Singing and Dancing and Learning New Skills
Playful. Delightful collection of stories, songs, kind characters. Shows friends being supportive and positive as younger characters learn new skills. Presented in segments with breaks in between that allow the kids to dance and sing. Ages 2-5.

Great Fun
My 2 1/2 year old grand-daughter and I love to watch Dragon Tales together when I go to visit. She can't get enough of the songs and the cute dragons. I love watching her sing along and play along with the dragons as they teach her good manners and ethics. I can't wait to find a new tape in the stores so I can take her a "suurprize" when I go visit. She likes Cassie the best but they are all cute to watch. I hope more of this "good entertainment" is made so we can share more hours of fun together.

A great positive role-model for the "I can'ts"
Fun, upbeat and educational. Another Dragon Tales winner! In our house, we try to avoid the "I can'ts". These three Dragon Tales episodes have given our 3-year old something to relate to when she doesn't succeed at something new. Each of the three stories shows the intrinsic rewards of sticking-with something until you master it. It also provides a great upbeat song "Yes you can" to sing along with your kids when they are about to say "I can't do it!". Another plus is that the video is long-enough to entertain and teach within a toddler/pre-school attention-span, but not too-long (you don't have to turn it off mid-stream and endure the screams!). And, did I mention that the songs are fantastic! Finally, a pre-school video that parents can enjoy watching with their children!

Educational and fun
My brother loves this show and watches it everyday. I've seen this episode with my brother a couple of times and I think it is really educational. The concept of using dragons who are usually asociated with fire and warfare to teach kids good lessons is fantastic. it works too! My brother has learned many things from Dragon Tales. Dragon tales is also good for kids who want something besides Barney. This video would make a great gift. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great first 3 minutes - the rest is poor
After a highly erotic opening scene that rivals any level of provocation in the softcore genre, this movie quickly deteriorates into a typical B-Movie with no suspense or steamy thrill. Rent before you buy. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"AM I DEAD OR ALIVE? MAN OR BEAST?!"
Mad doctor of B horror flicks George Zucco stars as insane mad scientist Dr. Morriz turning one of his young college students into an obedient zombie. While at night these two fiends dig up graves to cut the hearts out of the dead. While these two mad men are digging up graves Scoop McClure is on the case of this mad ghoul. But while on this deadly case of life and death, right in the middle of this film the the two of them cut his throat. A suspenseful film leading up to a climax worth watching. George Zucco and David Bruce star. With a supporting cast of Evelyn Ankers, Turhan Bey and Robert Armstrong.

Moody, Atmospheric Little Horror Tale
Having only seen this little chiller for the first time recently I was pleasantly surprised by its creepy atmosphere and rather original main idea. With performers like the gifted George Zucco, Turhan Bey and the always excellent Evelyn Ankers the production in my book has alot going for it from the start. Universal Studios in the 1940's had a definite way with these horror tales and they have a polished look about them despite their relatively small budgets.

"The Mad Ghoul", despite its sensational title is an enjoyable little horror tale that casts horror veteran George Zucco as Dr. Alfred Morris a briliant scientist who rediscovers an ancient Egyptian Gas which has many strange qualities to it. He graduates from experiments into the gas's powers on animals to using humans in his experiments when he takes on a young college student (David Bruce), as his assistant over the summer. He deliberately exposes Ted (Bruce) to the effects of the gas which transforms him into a parchment-like walking Zombie who obeys everything word uttered by Dr. Morris. In his research into the effects of the gas Dr. Morris discovers an antidote to its effects which can only be obtained by using a fresh human heart from a recent burial in the mixture. Soon at Dr. Morris's bidding Ted is robbing any freshly dug graves to provide the cure. The mad doctor also develops an attraction to Ted's fiance Isabel (Evelyn Ankers), and sets his man made "Ghoul" after the man who Evelyn plans to leave Ted for, Eric Iverson (Turhan Bey in an unfortunately small role). All is resolved in a rapid conclusion that sees Ted dead and Dr. Morris himself exposed to the lethal gas which results in a frantic chase to the graveyard by the doctor to retrieve a fresh heart from a recent burial but to no avail.

Considered a minor Universal effort I enjoy this production for its great atmosphere and its fast moving storyline which only runs 70 minutes or so. George Zucco, a horror great through most of the 1930's and 40's has a field day in a larger part than he usually has and he brings just the right sinister quality to the evil doctor who in the end is consumed by his own discoveries. Evelyn Ankers, long known as the "Scream Queen of Universal" is nicely restrained here as the herione of the piece and the always underrated Turhan Bey does the best he can with his small role of Isabel's real love, Eric Iverson. The makeup for David Bruce's ghoul scenes is very effective and gives the picture of a gaunt, mummy like dried skinned creature that gives his scenes an arresting eerie feel. The graveyard sets filmed at night are top class and among the best from the Universal series of horror films from around this time.

While "The Mad Ghoul", would never be at the top of anyone's horror movie list it does deal with an intriguing topic, the idea of zombie like walking dead being controlled to do others bidding. Despite its small budget the film has a handsome appearance about it and the whole concept of stealing human hearts from freshly dug graves is a theme not for the faint hearted. There maybe scarier films around out there but if like me you enjoy the type of films Universal Studios specialised in for almost two decades then you will find "The Mad Ghoul", a very enjoyable horror viewing experience.

THE LIVING DEAD
George Zucoo stars as a mad scientist that wants to create a living zombie.David Bruce stars as the victaim of this insane scientist.Evelyn Ankers plays a great part,She even sings in this movie.Its always a real treat to see her scream.If youre a fan of her scream,trust me this film is for you.Not to mention the eerie graveyard scenes make this film a classic. GET IT.ITS WORTH EVERY DOLLAR.

A Good Trifle of A Movie
Don't expect to see a great horror flick when you watch 'The Ghoul'. It is not one of Universal's best efforts, but it does have a certain atmosphere to it, and George Zucco is always worth watching.

A tasty little bon-bon of a movie. Not great by any means, but far from a 'worthless piece of tripe', to paraphrase another reviewer. Entertaining and worth a watch.

"I'm sending this evil back into the darkness!"
Fast-moving B thrillers from Universal's fright factory was typical of the mid-1940s. This time, the machinery grinds out a quasi-zombie story. Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco) is wide-eyed with insanity as he experiments with an ancient poisonous gas. He diabolically expands his experiments on monkeys to include humans. After Morris' hapless research assistant Ted (David Bruce) suffers exposure to the gas, he becomes a parch-skinned member of the walking dead. Dr. Morris knows of a temporary antidote to this dreadful development, but it requires a fresh human heart to concoct. At Morris' direction, the fiend that walks as a man goes around defiling fresh graves and cutting out human hearts. Newspaper headlines scream, "Ghoul!" In the midst of this mayhem, Robert Armstrong (of "King Kong" fame) provides comic relief as a snappy-talking reporter named "Scoop" McClure. He poses as a fresh corpse to lure the monster, but his imposture soon turns deadly. As if the plot isn't busy enough, Dr. Morris yearns for the beautiful Isabel (Evelyn Ankers). To Morris' chagrin, she is attracted instead to Eric (Turhan Bey). Things get dicey when Dr. Morris sends his personal grim ghoul out to kill Eric. The brief 65 minute running time is a virtue that helps the story move along. There isn't time for padding. The movie doesn't pretend to be more than it is. Entertaining classic horror fluff for collectors, filmed in glorious B & W. Good second feature stuff. ;-) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

GREAT MOVIE!!
They seriously need to put this on DVD!
The Ultimate Warrior is a blast! YUL ROCKS!

Yul Brynner as a super-samurai post-apocalpytic hero
"The Ultimate Warrior" is a post-Holocaust action film that came out in 1975 after "The Omega Man," but just before the genre became popular with "Mad Max" and "Escape From New York." The film is set in 2012 in a New York City that was decimated by a biological plague a couple of decades earlier that has created a world in which nothing grows. Now in the decaying city Baron (Max Von Sydow), leads a group that has barricaded a street against a rival gang of thugs, run by Carrot (William Smith). Wanting his pregnant daughter, Melinda (Joanna Miles), to have a better future, Baron hires Carson (Yul Brynner), a super-Samurai, who has been standing outside the public library waiting for somebody to make an offer for his services. Baron has heard of a mythical island off of the coast of North Carolina and wants to relocate his band there. Of course, this means fighting their way out of what is left of the Big Apple. Melinda's husband, Cal (Richard Kelton) is a scientist who knows the secret of growing plants from seeds, so humanity might have a chance after all.

Director/writer Robert Clouse is therefore offering up the first combination Science Fiction/Kung Fu film, which is not surprising since he directed Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon." From that perspective the film offers up the tradition two warring sides with champions that face off to settle the issue. The script is actually halfway decent, although surprisingly the action sequences are the weakest part of the film until the climatic battle between Carson and Carrot. However, the opening scene does a nice job of establishing the world in which this film takes place. The film hinges on Brynner's performance, which is actually fairly complex because we are not completely sure that Carson is a cynical anti-hero; in fact, we suspect he might be the only truly human character in the film. "The Ultimate Warrior" is no where near being the ultimate example of the post-apocalyptic action film, but it is a solid, unpretentious little B-movie. Plus, it has Yul Brynner.

Baldly the Last of it's Kind......
The Ultimate Warrior baldly set precident for other films of similar genres. I had read about this film a while back and had been waiting for a chance to view it. The Ultimate Warrior is far from perfect but brings forth a lot fun that todays watered down made for video flops can't seem to do. This movie seems like a combo of Logans Run, Man Max, and Kung Fu. Wow, where to begin? I personally like Yul Brynner's character, it makes me remember when movies with masculine heros existed. Bynner doesn't play a pretty boy, he is a bald tough guy who has a job to do. I like the independance of the hero character, he doesn't rely on a affirmitive action based sidekick or allow himself to be overtaken by feelings towards [beautiful] woman.... A thinking man of the sorts who smokes cigars and does what is right even if it means chopping his own hand off. I'm not going to ruin the plot of this gem for you, just add it to your collection and pray they don't try making a remake of this post appocalptic rarety.

Brynner is good but no at his best.
To appreciate this film I believe you have to consider the time it was released. During the mid 1970's the cold war was looming over the U.S. and somehow a film like this seemed almost possible. Viewing it now in the year 2000 viewers will realize they are living in what this film indicates will be a post nuclear war environment. Obviously the events in this movie never materialized, thank heavens. Cadillac's are still being produced. Although unlike the mid 70' when people purchased then they are now leased.

This film is good because for those of us who lived with the fear of nuclear war it reminds of us of how we as a nation worried about some things other than how long this bull run in the stock market will last.

Yul Brynner was a little old to be running around with his shirt off. This film was made about 20 years after THE TEN COMMANDMENTS but for some reason the producers must still think Brynner's body will get the women viewers attention. Not so.

Post-apocalyptic movie isn¿t bad.
It's been quite a while since I've seen this film, but surprisingly I remember it pretty well. I'm a fan of this genre, so this film, along Costner's work and one of Gibson's "Mad Max" stories, I do enjoy (at certain times). Even Patrick Swayze's "Steel Dawn" has many things that I liked.

While none of these films are 5-star material, they do well to fill in the blank/bland spots in ones' day or evening. Surprisingly, "The Ultimate Warrior" ended up being pretty darn good (related to others of the genre).

If you're hunting and pecking to find a film that you haven't seen (and like this genre), try it out. I certainly won't guarantee that you'll like it, but heck, two bucks for a rental won't kill ya. Between 1 and 10, I give "The Ultimate Warrior" a solid 6 (a rating within the genre--I'd be hard pressed giving anything more than a marginal 5 otherwise). ... Read more

Reviews (130)

Takes classic film noir detective story to new heights
This 1974 film takes the classic film noir detective movie to new heights. Yes, there is murder, scandal and lots of lies. But yet Jack Nicholson, cast as a private eye, is a sympathetic character. There's one scene in which the director, Roman Polanski, playing a bit part as a thug, rips open Nicholson's nose with a knife. This is the kind of wound that makes the audience grimace every time someone refers to it in the film. Faye Dunaway is cast as the femme fatale. She's beautiful, of course, and it's hard to take our eyes off of her. She's a woman of mystery, but little by little we glimpse her humanity. And by the time her secret is revealed, she's won everyone's heart.

Based on a real life scandal in Los Angeles in 1908, another underlying theme is about water and power in this desert city. The action takes place in the 1930s, and the details of that period of time are well portrayed, right down to Faye Dunaway's shaved and penciled eyebrows. The screenplay won an Academy Award and I can understand why. It was tightly written and revealed details that moved the plot forward at just the right pace. I sat there fascinated, not wanting to take my eyes off the screen, trying to figure out what would happen next and constantly surprised by the next twist and turn. John Huston is cast in the role of a wealthy landowner with a huge secret of his own. He's a fine actor and his presence on the screen added depth to the whole production.

The DVD has a special interview with the writer, Robert Towne, as well as Roman Polanski. This added to my enjoyment of the film and provided further insight about its production. Definitely recommended.

Transcendent Film Noir
I've seen very few "greatest film" lists that don't have Chinatown among the top 10, or even top 5. It's deserving. It's done in the style of a '50's film noir, but transcends the genre.

There are great performances here by Jack Nicholson and John Huston. Nicholson plays a jaded but heroically decent private investigator in the mold of Humphrey Bogart. He's much less the tough guy than Bogart, though, and you get the impression that he'd rather being doing something less seedy for a living. It's a very subtle portrayal. Huston, on the other hand, plays a tycoon whose mere presence on the screen can make your skin crawl.

The film stands out in just about every respect. The sets are wonderful and the cinematography beautiful to look at. Even the score is exceptional.

The DVD is a little short of extras, but they really aren't missed. The transfer is very high quality in all respects.

To the brainiac above who doesn't understand why the water is being dumped in the ocean: they're trying to create a drought to drive the farmers out of business. That's pretty much the key point of the plot. And, yes, a .38 snubnose is perfectly capable of hitting someone at 50 yards. Guns & Ammo tests them to that distance all the time. Get a clue!

A Master Screenplay, A Perfect Film
Many writers consider Robert Towne's screenplay for 'Chinatown' as the perfect screenplay. It is, and is also in fact the example of how important good writing is in the art of cinema. It is perfection and in the hands of Roman Polanski it became a film masterpiece. But it all goes back to the writing. Robert Towne has taken the true story of how Los Angeles stole water to grow and wound around it the fictional story of Jake Gittes, Evelyn Mulwray, and Noah Cross and made them major participants in an ugly little tale of lust and greed. Towne's screenplay is layered like a decaying Dahlia with twisting mysteries and taught suspense. There is not a loose end in sight and a few well placed red herrings are added to the mix to delight any fan of this type of story.
The attention to detail from vintage cars, sets, real L.A. streets and alleys to the excellent score by Jerry Goldsmith and the golden cinematography of John A. Alonzo contribute to all the aspects of this classic of the post 60's film noir.
Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Mulwray is at the top of her game creating a neurotic exotic hothouse flower that carries death within the heart of her dark and dirty secret. Lacquered and veiled in the most perfect black widow getup of the genre she is superbly brittle and vulnerable at the same time. She is fascinating to watch as she slowly unravels along with the mystery until she is naked in the horror of what her past and present prison is. This is a great performance by a great artist.
As Evelyn's father Noah Cross, John Huston is the debauched cancerous center of evil and greed captured within the crumbling casing of a seemingly charming old man. He too gives the performance of a lifetime and his soliloquy on what a man is capable of is chilling.
The center of this masterwork is Jack Nicholson who became a star with this, the best of his early work. His J. J. Gittes is hardboiled and ruthless in getting to the bottom of why he is being used to take the fall for a murder. He embodies the soul of Bogart and the heart of a romantic fighting to stay tuff in a rotten world. He is drawn with such skill that he seems not to be acting but simply existing the real world of L.A. in the late 1930's.
"Chinatown" is seminal in its place in film history. It bridged and old and forgotten genre with a new Hollywood in its post studio infancy and laid the groundwork for later films of equal ambition such as "Mullholland Falls" and "L.A. Confidential".
This is one of the best film ever made and a must have for any serious film collector.

I cut my nose shaving
Not since Otto Preminger's LAURA had filmgoers the pleasure of watching a classic film noir, until Polanski's CHINATOWN. The plot and characters are complex but chillingly believeable. I can't find anything wrong with this film. It is well-paced for a fairly long movie. The lighting, cinematography, setting, costumes... everything is as should be. The performances by John Huston and Faye Dunaway are eerie and tragic, respectively. Then of course there's Nicholson. Mad Jack was already firmly established on the Hollywood map having already won acclaim for EASY RIDER, THE LAST DETAIL, and FIVE EASY PIECES. This film however fixed him permanently in the constellation of Hollywood stars. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST would soon follow. In any event, his portrayal of an aloof, world-weary gumshoe who stumbles in over his head into an intrigue involving crooked politicians and the money-slobbering wealthy still holds up 30 years later. This is an incredible film.

THIS IS WHAT FILM IS SUPPOSED TO BE
The mid-1970s saw a spate of "government conspiracy" films, all with liberal themes that emanated from Watergate. None of them were about Kennedy stealing the 1960 election. Hmm.
"Chinatown" (1974) may be the best screenplay ever written. A historical look at 1930s Los Angeles, it actually condensed events from the 1900s with events that, uh, never happened but made for good drama. Written by L.A. native Robert Towne, directed by Roman Polanski, produced by Evans and starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunnaway and famed director John Huston, it told the story of how Los Angeles became a metropolis. In Towne's version, Huston "owns" the L.A. Department of Water & Power with a character based on actual L.A. City engineer William Mulholland. Mulholland had orchestrated the political deal which built the aqueduct that brought water from the Owens Valley into the L.A. Basin, allowing millions of Southern Californians to keep their lawns green to this day.
The Mulholland character is "sacrificed" at the altar of greed, embodied by Huston, who secretly buys the San Fernando Valley, knowing that once the water deal is set, it will be incorporated into the city, making him a gazillionaire. It is rather cynical, although nobody suggests the L.A. "city fathers" were boy scouts. The same old theme is that capitalism and American political power are corrupt. To make sure the audience is convinced the corruption is beyond redemption, Huston is in the end found out be an insatiable, incestual monster. He plays the role so well it brings up minds-eye imagery of his real daughter, Angelica. The film is utterly beyond any criticism, regardless of political colorization. For decades, film students and screenwriters have studied it. It spawned an artistic quest to lace the screen with symbols, metaphors, backstory, and twists.
"Chinatown" seems to be the apex of the American film period, the mid-1970s. The period from 1960 to 1979 is unparalleled, but the backstory of the people who created these classics is a telling tale of why the genre leans to the Left. In the 1960s, film schools became popular. Four schools emerged, and have held their place as the place to learn the craft. In Los Angeles there was the USC School of Cinema-Television. Their first big alumnus was "Star Wars" director George Lucas. UCLA combined their film school with their drama program, so as to bring actors, writers, directors and producers together. Coppola went to UCLA along with a future rock star named Jim Morrison, who would form The Doors with another UCLA film alumnus, keyboardist Ray Manzarek.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM ... Read more

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Bachelor Party may not be the first trashy sex comedy, but it is perhaps the definitive trashy sex comedy. The movie makes its first breast joke before the opening credits have even finished. A cheerful school bus driver (Tom Hanks) has somehow gotten engaged to a lovely young heiress, much to the chagrin of her family and vengeful ex-boyfriend. The bus driver's roustabout friends decide to throw him a bachelor party--and you can pretty much guess the rest: scantily clad hookers, rampant drug use, bad 1980s new-wave music, really bad 1980s fashions, full frontal nudity (curiously, due to a scene in a Chippendales strip club, there's almost as much male flesh on display as female), bestiality, racial stereotypes, blackmail, attempted suicide, all played for unrepentant cheap laughs. Throughout, Tom Hanks floats along with a carefree (if slightly sheepish) grin, projecting such an air of impish innocence that it's hard to be offended by any of it. And it all ends in a wedding, just like a Shakespearean comedy. Also featuring the blinding white teeth and big hair of Tawny Kitaen (playing the good girl Hanks marries), buxom scream queen Monique Gabrielle, and Adrian Zmed, whose career has not fared as well as Hanks's. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (29)

...a bachelor party! With chicks, and guns, and firetrucks
"Let's have a bachelor party! With chicks, and guns,
and fire trucks, and hookers, and drugs, and boose!" This is one of the myriad of unforgettable quotes from, in my opinion, the best comedy ever made. To be fair, I should say it's tied for Number 1 with Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I was 14 when this movie came on the Movie Channel. Many people don't know that Tom Hanks really got his start in comedy and the tv show Bosom Buddies. The characters in this movie will live forever. Even a young Tawny Kittaen, from Whitesnake videos, is in this movie.

You'll never forget the one liners-I still use some today. "Where's the grooom?" "He's in the bedroooom." And, "Is that a foot-long?" "And then some." Buy this NOW!

Chicks and Guns and Firetrucks and Hookers !!
Man they sure don't make comedies like this anymore. This was when Tom Hanks was at the top of his game and not some bigshot Hollywood sellout actor. This flick has all you need in a movie, strippers, hookers, a donkey, a school bus crashing into a movie theatre, fist fights, drunkeness, a guy shooting a crossbow, a naked dude falling out of a hotel window, drug usage, attempted suicide, car theft, a pimp from India, a Lesbian scene, Tawny Katean (pre implants), a woman that pees standing up and not to mention one hell'uva a big Bachelor party. Buy this movie or "Milt will come for you !"

Lame rip-off comes up for air
This also-ran 80's sex comedy is getting trotted out again simply because Tom Hanks is in it.

Don't waste your time -- the National Lampoon's franchise did it earlier and better. Hanks at best can affect a half-baked Bill Murray imitation.

Yes, there are plenty of T&A shots and potty jokes, but many other movies before or since have done it much better. Try the American Pie series if you want to see authentic teenagers in adolescent hijinks. Try Animal House if you want a far funnier party movie.

Avoid this at all costs...

Tom Hanks' best work
I'm not big on hyperbole, but Bachelor Party is Tom Hank's best movie. It's all been downhill for him since 1984. Sure, Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, and Apollo 13 are good, but none of them merit watching a few hundred times like Bachelor Party (most viewings took place during the wee hours of the morning while I was in college).

Unless you're an imbecile, HIV-positive lawyer, or astronaut, there's not much you can learn from Hank's more acclaimed movies. The same can not be said for Bachelor Party, however. At some point, most guys will have a bachelor party and this movie serves as a great guide to planning one:

"Let's have a bachelor party with chicks and guns and firetrucks and hookers and drugs and booze!"
"Yeah! Yeah yeah! All the things that make life worth living for!"

There's a lot more you can learn from this movie too. For example, guys, if your in-laws are pressuring you to have kids, just respond as Hank's Rick does:

"Well, there's this 17-year-old Oriental girl I have my eye on. But don't worry, you'll have some American grand kids in no time - I know this pup's fertile."

Buy this movie (and if you do and can figure out exactly what Rick's going to do with that egg beater, please e-mail me).

The best bad comedy
"Bachelor Party" is not a great movie, but when you compare it to some lackluster attempts at sex comedies made today it's definately a stand-alone classic.

You probably have to be in the right mood to watch this, but don't take it as an excuse to throw naked bodies around (in fact, there's only one real scene of nudity). I was surprised at how funny this film was, and I was laughing more times than I was offended. A lot of the sex jokes are funny too ("So are you named Rob or...Mister Dick.") while some may be a little too vulgar to be thought funny by rational minds (yeah...donkies...).

Overall, it's a good movie. Give it a shot. Or not...whatever you want. ... Read more

Reviews (324)

This HAUNTING is a flop
Being a fan of horror movies and having never seen the original 1963 film, I found myself eager to catch this remake, which looked interesting from the theatrical trailer. However, I could have never been more mistaken. THE HAUNTING, with its expensive special effects and large budget, looks more like a 'tamed' episode from TV's Goosebumps than an actual feature film. What's worse is that this incredibly dull chiller lacks what many of these types of films require to work...chills! Infact, the only scary thing about this flick is how DreamWorks managed to green-light this expensive dud into production. The paper-thin plot finds a psychological researcher tricking a group of people to staying a night at a haunted mansion in hopes of studying them and their reactions. While the cast seems promising, they are surprisingly wasted...Neeson especially, with Catherine Zeta Jones offering a pretty face to look at, but nothing more. And surprisingly, I never thought that director Jan DeBont could top the horrendous Speed 2: Cruise Control, but once again I was wrong. All in all, THE HAUNTING was one of 1999's biggest Hollywood disappointments and, in my opinion, I would seriously consider that you walk passed this one at the video store. DROUGH!

Not frightening, not anything
There are 2 good things in this movie-

(1) Bruce Dern, who plays the groundskeeper and who, in about 3 lines and 20 seconds, out-acts everyone else in the film, even though they get hours. Bruce Dern should have been the star of this film. He's got more talent in his left nostril than the rest of the cast have in their whole bodies. He's of the old school like Donald Sutherland, and he is squandered in this film. The director is like a prospector who puts the mud in his pocket and leaves the gold behind.

(2) The mansion itself, which is extraordinarily beautiful, but probably only a bunch of sets. Still, it's lovely.

Nothing else in this movie is remotely interesting or frightening. The screenplay reads as if it were written by a junior high student.

Artistic Masterpiece
Whether this movie was true enough to the book or not, I don't know. What I do know is that it's awesome and very well-made. The actors did a great job, the special effects were wonderful, and the creepy-yet gothicly beautiful house-simply couldn't have been better. I'm not sorry I watched it. It's worth every minute and every penny.

IF IT AIN'T BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT
"The Haunting" with Julie Harris was so good--even better for its black and white medium, which enhances the sense of the macabre and general off-kilterness of the set. Why don't they remake "The Wizard Of Oz?" Now, there's a picture that could be made MUCH pertier with modern cinematography. The cheap set and old theatre-style acting throw a damper on what's still is a great universal story.

Beware of Evil Capitalists (and ghost movies about them)
Some day Lili Taylor will land that role in a film which will show the world what a high-calibre actress she really is. THE HAUNTING is not that film. What a thankless part for Ms. Lili. What a thankless film. The scariest thing about this movie must have been the bill for the c.g.i. effects that the studio received. I mean, the movie had a moment or two of tension, but on the whole, I was bored.

There was nothing new here: the fury of an evil, dead capitalist and the pain inflicted on his mostly children workers--and his family--just can't seem to get out of the house. So! The evil men do does live on! How original! I'm reaching for sarcasm which is never pretty, so I will end here. This movie was the pits. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

definately a chick movie,but has a lot of laughs
This is definately a chick movie,but has alot of laughs with an ensemble cast of very talented ladies.This movie has alot of talk between women about sex,personal fantasy and turn ons. Its not the kind of thing that men would hear women talk about(very enlightening,it seems women talk about sex even more than men do). I still suggest this video for men because there is alot of eye candy:Kim Cattrail in a g-string teddy and Olivia d'abo in a lesbian fantasy scene along with Dana DeLany in a fantasy spanking scene and Cynthia Stevenson running around in her underwear. This movie is aimed at women but is really ok for guys too.

Aside from the chatting and talking...this is damn sexy!!!
It is not often us men are allowed to peer into the conversations of the human female. What do women talk about all day? Better yet what do really HOT women talk about all day? If this movie truly portrays such a thing, then women talk about sex just as much as men do. They don't necessarily THINK about it, but I guess if you're talking about it that necessitates that they think about it too. Anyways, yes the movie is entitled LIVE NUDE GIRLS, and yes all the leading ladies in this movie ARE in fact nude in this movie. Men, especially myself find this movie very compelling to watch as it has the unbelieveably HOT Dana Delany in it, as sexy as ever. It also includes the equally hot Kim Catrall. They sit around in their house, talk about problems, sexual fantasies, and even have a sweet discussion with their gay pool cleaner. This film should not be considered a talkie as it has sexual content and more sexual content. Not that I mind, I always wanted to see Dana Delany get a spanking while wearing garters and stockings. The bottom line is even though the movie is practically nothing BUT sex, it's good for both the Male and Female perspective so maybe we can understand each others minds a little better... What the hell am I saying??? You're only going to see it for the sex anyway!!!

format warning
A nice film at a nice price, but, for those who care, the box is labelled: formatted from its original version to fit your screen (an amazingly presumptious statement in an era of widescreen video systems). The DVD is 4:3. If this really is a pan & scan reformatting, then shame on Lion's Gate (which has a good reputation) for acceding to it. And if it was originally 4:3, why include the reformatting statement? I wish Amazon would be a little more assiduous in providing this kind of info (aspect ratio, case, cast) for pre-ordering; it used to be.

strange title of a movie
this one has a strange title and I thought at first it was a porno or something but then I saw Glenn Quinn in the mix and I was like, cool, Glenn Quinn sparked some spazazz in this one. and its a comedy. the leading ladies are excellent as always.

Saucy and Feel-Good
The real razzle-dazzle is in the dialogue. Subtle, sassy, wonderful chemistry between the women. Pay attention to catch all those inside-jokes and jibes. This isn't a tear-jerker or a white-knuckler, but the sparkling dialogue and endearing characters make this a film to collect. That is, if you like a good chick-flick considering a panoply of sexual topics! Thumbs up to all the fantasy scenes, especially the one between zane and d'abo. Effervescent and sexy. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Former Olympic gymnast is just wonderful as Peter Pan!
Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan? Who would have thought! As it turns out, this former Olympic gymnast is just wonderful! According to her bio, after her gymnastic career was over she studied acting, singing and dancing. Well it paid off! Overall, I think she is the best actress to play Peter so far! It's no wonder she was nominated for a Tony award for "best actress in a musical" in this role. Although her singing voice isn't as good as Mary Martin's, her voice is trained and very pleasant to listen to. Her acting is superb. I get the sense she created her rendition of Peter from the James Barrie book not from watching the Mary Martin video. She plays him very boyish. And, true to the book, sometimes cocky and rude but still lovable. At 47 years old her athletic abilities are still prominent and the flying sequences have taken on new heights as Cathy even flies with vertical flips! Paul Schoeffler, who plays the father and Captain Hook, is a very good actor and singer and his portrayal of Captain Hook is strong and powerful. The actor who plays Smee is funny and they are hilarious together. The Darling children are very well cast with the actress playing Wendy doing a wonderful job being smitten with Peter. The choreographer has done a great job! The dancing the lost boys, pirates and Indians do is exciting and fun to watch. My only complaints are technical ones. Why wasn't this shot in a wide screen version? (After all, it's a stage show and there's a lot to see.) Why are there some close ups when there should be wider shots? Why aren't the voices prominent in the center speaker on the DVD Dolby 5.1 Digital version? Even with those things, I highly recommend this version of Peter Pan. I understand why this production was nominated for a Tony award for "Best Revival of a Musical". Enjoy!

Best Peter Pan Yet
As a 15 year old, my first thought when mom brought this movie home was "oh great another kid movie". As it turns out, this "kid movie" has become one of my favorites. I enjoyed Cathy Rigby's Peter Pan so much more than Mary Martin, simple because of the more humourous approach taken. Rigby portrays Pan as very boyish and cocky (pushing the other "lost boys" around), just like the book. More lines from the book were taken too. Also, she performs flips during her flying sequences which add a lot of thrill to the movie, even at home, and there is no sign of the wires. The dancing scenes and the choreography is excellent (as seen through an amatuer dancer's eyes), especially the Stomp-like drumstick use in Ugg-a-Wugg. The cast selections were great, especially Paul Schoeffner(?) as Captain Hook. Elisa Sagardia clearly shows you that Wendy is very attracted to Peter. However, the lack of wider shots can sometimes be frustrating, as you don't get the full effect. Also, Drake English, who plays Michael, can sometimes make his lines indistinguishable and you can only guess at what he's saying. However, I recommend this version to anyone out there. And remember, I'm 15.

P/s. A note to the veiwer who complained about Peter kicking John out of bed: Read the book, it's in there.

skip the Disney version!
My 3 year old daughter has seen the Disney version of Peter Pan and reacted like she does to most cartoons- with that blank comatose stare. This video has her up dancing with Tiger Lily, singing with Wendy and pretending to fly. She acts out scenes from this movie all day, every day, with various family members and teddy bears taking on roles. This video has sparked so much imaginative play in our house and I don't cringe when she asks for it- what more could you ask? Highly recommended.

PETER PAN
Peter Pan is the classic tale about a boy who wouldn't grow up. One quiet night, as the Darling children lay fast asleep in their beds, Peter Pan comes to their nursery window in search of his shadow. As he tries to get it to stick on, he awakens the eldest of the Darling children, Wendy. Peter beckons Wendy and her younger bothers, John and Michael to come away with him to the magical island of Neverland, where you can never grow old. From fairies to Indians to pirates and their evil Captain Hook, Peter Pan takes you away on a magical journey that you will never forget. This is the best version of the best fairytale ever. It is definitely recommended for people of all ages. Share the magic with your family as you fly away into the wondrous world of Peter Pan.

A mixed production
This well-known musical version of "Peter Pan" is, for the most part, thoroughly enjoyable. The Mary Martin version seems to be the one all others are compared to, no matter what. Granted, that version had a few cheesy moments, and it is true that this musical should be done with tongue planted firmly in cheek--but, as with all things, there is a limit. This new version stretches that limit to capacity. To be fair, there are some qualities to be commended. The set design, costumes, choreography, and, of course, the flying are all first-rate. The rest is slim pickings. Former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby, in the title role, is much more beliveable as an eternally youthful boy than Mary Martin ever was. Her strong, clear singing voice suits the role well. Unfortunately, she chooses to use a grating Cockney accent--as do many of the Lost Boys--in delivering her dialogue. At times it sounds as though the parts were filled with cast-offs from a touring production of "Oliver!". In addition, the three Darling children, Wendy, Michael, and John, are not too endearing. Wendy, in particular, is woefully miscast. She looks too old and too odd. And last, but not least, the actor in the role of Captain Hook. Though he possesses a wonderfully operatic baritone, he also seems to think that he should literally SCREAM every other line to make sure everyone knows he's the villain. It is worthwhile to watch if you like the story or the musical in general. If only they'd done it a little bit better. ... Read more

Description

An archaeologist on a dig in the Egyptian pyramids releases a curse that causes the spirit of a murderous princess to enter the body of the man's daughter. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Egyptian Identity Crisis
Egyptologist Charlton Heston has had a string of bad luck, ever since unearthing evil old Egyptian sorceress queen Tara. His wife died in childbirth, and numerous colleagues associated with the find suffered dreadful accidents. Still, the find made him famous.

Eighteen years later, his daughter Stephanie Zimbalist (in her first film role) is coming into her own, and wanting to travel with dad to Egypt and get to know him better - she's often been away, while Heston was making time with his new wife and former assistant, Susannah York, and conducting his lecture tours. Stephanie's a sweet kid, even if she is suddenly developing problems. Seems she doesn't always know where she's been at night - or what she was doing. In fact, she isn't even sure who she is, anymore, half the time.

Heston is equally afraid he is losing his own appreciable mind. He's coming to recognize that he is the fulfillment of Queen Tara's prophecy for her own resurrection in a later age. As before, those near and dear to him are dying, paving his way to become Tara's new prophet, and Heston is beginning to think the ancient Egyptian magic has more going for it than any of his own modern science. The problem is, it appears his daughter may have to die to fulfill the prophecy...

This movie was one whole star better, before the releasing studio completely reshot its ending. What was a clever conclusion became instead more heavy-handed and far less satisfying, and even somewhat comical. It also occasionally suffers from a bit of heavy-handedness in direction, inadvertently turning some melodramatic moments into humorous ones.

However, the production itself is superior. Maurice Binder did the stylish opening credit sequence. Robert H. Solo produced, almost contemporaneously with his excellent version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The excellent Claude Bolling score is eerie and romantic, and sometimes reminiscent of The Omen, as is the manner in which the numerous ugly accidental deaths occur. The performances are generally quite good, especially Zimbalist, who is fresh and charming. The cinematography and location shooting are breathtakingly beautiful.

This second filming of Bram Stoker's The Jewel of the Seven Stars is overall more commendable than not, especially for fans of horror films - The Omen especially, which the movie in many ways resembles - or of Egyptian settings and trappings.

Awesom Mummy Movie.
The Awakening is A awesom movie with pleanty of chills and thrills and it holds your intreast from start to finish. Charlton Heston does a wonderful job playing Egyptologist Matthew Corbeck And Stephanie Zimbalist is great as his Daughter. Stephanie is a great actress her great acting skills go great with her Gorgeous good looks. If you want a good Mummy movie or if your just looking for a good horror movie this is the movie for you buy it you won't regret it the ending of this movie is awesom.

Classic Drive-in Movie Thriller!
The Awakening is a fantastic movie! A real gem of a horror movie. It is definately one of Charlton Heston's best films! It is far better than "The Mummy" or "The Mummy Returns" that were in theaters recently. Go buy or rent this one...you won't regret it!

I bet Heston wishes he never stared in this movie.
Recylced story of an ancient Curse wrecked on by those who open up one tomb too many in Egypt. You want a better movie, try THE MUMMY (1998).

Awake and Watching
The spirit of a dead, evil Egyptian queen reincarnates as the daughter of an archeologist. "The Awakening" is a tantilizing thrill ride complete with incest, betrayal, and murder. A young Stephanie Zimbalist gives an eerie performance as the young innocent daughter who tries to combat the demon within her. ... Read more

Description

From the guys who brought you GROSSE POINTE BLANK comes the absolutely hilarious HIGH FIDELITY. John Cusack (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH) stars as Rob Gordon, the owner of a semi-failing record store located on one of the back streets of Chicago. He sells music the old-fashioned way -- on vinyl, with two wacky clerks, the hysterically funny rock snob Barry (Jack Black) and the more quietly opinionated underachiever Dick (Todd Luiso). But Rob's business isn't the only thing in his life that's floundering -- his needle skips the love groove when his longtime girlfriend Laura (newcomer Iben Hjejle) walks out on him. And this forces him to examine his past failed attempts at romance the only way he knows how! For a rocking fun time, give HIGH FIDELITY a spin. It's sure to make your all-time top five list for comedies -- with a bullet. ... Read more

Reviews (240)

A tribute to man's failings!
I approached this movie with a certain trepedation. As a great fan of the Nick Hornby novel, I was somewhat concerned about the Americanisation of the novel.

How could I ever have doubted John Cusack and co!! The point is made well by Stephen Frears in his interview; moving the movie to Chicargo highlights the fact that its themes are universal.

We are taken inside the mind of Rob(John Cusack), a thirtysomething record store owner, undergoing a mini mid-life crisis. His girlfriend has left him for the new-age hippie neighbour (Tim Robbins). In an effort to understand why this has happened he takes the advice of "The Boss" and contacts his "all-time top five break-ups" to try to determine why they broke up with him.

Rob is not the perfect hero and his flaws are clearly shown to us. It is this which allows the viewer to identify with Rob in a way which certainly I have done with very few movie characters. He's a good guy who does stupid things, hurts the people he loves, acts selfishly but is ultimately likeable.

Rob's journey of self discovery is always anchored by his obsession with music and this music gives us a further insight into the mind of the main character.

Special mention must be made of the deleted scenes on the DVD version. A couple of these are particularly fine and would have added to the narrative. I can only think that there was a particularly vicious editing process to cut ten minutes off the running time.

The cast is truely outstanding, a real ensemble piece with particularly fine performances from Jack Black and Todd Luiso as Rob's stereotypical record shop snob employees ("I can't fire them. I hired them three days a week but they starting coming every day. That was three years ago!) Some of the scenes in the music shop are painfully funny.

But ultimatly it's Cusacks movie. He truly is one of the most talented actors in mainstream cinema today.

Besides any movie that can namecheck Belle & Sebastian and The Beta Band and features a cameo from Bruce Springsteen deserves an extra star!

Watch it twice. At least.
It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen High Fidelity, or even someone who's just seen it once, how incredibly good it is. Take first the phenomenal John Cusack, who seems to make any film he appears in twice as watchable. Is there a more underrated leading man in this decade? I doubt it.

Then take into account the amazing support, knowns and unknowns - Cusack's sister Joan, Tim Robbins, Jack Black, etc. - even Zeta-Jones isn't half bad. Consider too the script, which is surprisingly faithful to Nick Hornby's (very good) book, and gives equal measure to comic and tragic relief.

Fianlly, the soundtrack. Can there be any greater song to sum up Rob Thomas (John Cusack's) final revelation after the film ends than Stevie Wonder's I Believe? No. High Fidelity is the complete package - funny, touching, well-acted, scripted, directed, scored for, and unbelievably true to life.

And for all those sad Englishmen writing in to complain that the movie should have been set in Britian - get real. I thank you.

Possessions and obsessions
This is a movie about men, their possessions and how they order them. For Rob, it's all about pop music and women. Nothing else, besides the odd film, matters to him. And it's pretty much the same for his two male colleagues at the record shop, who exist at opposite ends of the forcefulness spectrum. They form a self-selected elite who look down on the musical taste of nearly everyone they meet.

But actually their hyper-critical views are pretty close to the mark. It's great to hear someone else noticing and lamenting the 1980s decline of Stevie Wonder, for example. One might criticise author Hornby for selecting Rob's dream job as record producer in the punk era (1976-79) when he could have chosen, say, late 1960s Beach Boys / Beatles psychedelia. But you can never find someone with the identical taste as your own. Strangely, the music is not particularly central to this movie, in the sense that it probably generated fewer album sales for featured artists like Marvin Gaye than say 'The Big Chill'.

The structure of the movie takes a little getting used to. The first time you see it can be a disappointment -- there's no upbeat climactic ending, unless you count the improbable, rather obviously tacked-on, disco/concert by Sonic Death Metal, or whatever they happened to be called at the time. John Cusack's frequent chats to camera seem altogether natural (except when he's sauntering backwards and forwards on some wooden bridge-cum-platform in downtown Chicago).

What I like about this film is that, from a male viewpoint, it rings true so often. Men do behave treacherously, and the behaviour often looks worse at first sight. I like the fact that the actress who played Laura wasn't stunningly attractive. Even Lisa Bonet didn't seem particularly beautiful in the movie. (But yes, that really is Catherine Zeta-Jones discreetly stripping off in a role just before she became famous enough to warrant a major Hollywood film credit.)

This is not the perfect movie, but it contains a message about the male psyche that I hadn't extracted from any other movie, and that revelation in itself is sufficiently uplifting to distract from the artificial attempt by the film to uplift via the back-together-again concert/disco scenario.

Maudlin Navel Gazing to a Great Soundtrack
Ah yes. Another quirky offbeat romantic comedy from quirky offbeat romantic cynic John Cusack. Life sucks but he wouldn't miss it for the world. Give John Cusack credit. He was 34 when he made this. His character is a guy in his late 20's who has the emotional maturity of a teenager and Cusack pulls it off effortlessly. Cusack's character, Rob, isn't a jerk. He's a manchild. He doesn't mean to be a selfish obsessive boob; he just lacks the normal range of human adult emotions. Imagine the teenager Cusack played in Better Off Dead. Now imagine that teenager ten years later and working as the owner of a independent music store. He's a music snob and puts in long hours at the store but he still has time to ruin promising relationships with childish antics, talk to the screen and stalk former girlfriends while chasing after the next soon to be ex girlfriend. High Fidelty is the unofficial sequel to Better Off Dead. Instead of weird parents and goofy fantasy sequences, we get weird coworkers and morbid sexually and violently charged fantasy sequences involving Tim Robbins. I won't compliment the soundtrack except to say any movie about music had better have a damn good soundtrack and High Fidelity does its job.

There's a little Rob Gordon in all of us
After working on my college radio station as a DJ, entertainment news anchor, and Human Resource director, I was told by my friends that I should check this film out as I reminded them a lot of John Cusack's character in it. They were right. I too have had my share of bad relationships and can easily tell you the stories of how it went from "Hello" to "Goodbye" in less than 5 minutes. I have worked in music retail for 2 and a half years and I am also incredibly anal about my own collection of music and every song I can recognize played on the radio I can tell people what it is, who the artists is, what album it appeared on, and whether it is a radio edit, extended version, or remix.

That being said, when I first saw this movie I didn't quite understand many of the points. So I watched it again and realized "My god, I AM Rob Gordon!" Within a month, I purchased the DVD of High Fidelity and the book by Nick Hornby which was incredible. I highly recommend this film to all guys who have had their share of hard-not-to-forget relationships, radio DJs, music retail workers, and lovers of music of all types because the soundtrack, to quote Jack Black "kicks fu**ing a**".

The DVD is great to own. It presents the film in clear colorful matted Widescreen (1.85:1), offers 9 Deleted scenes that appeared in the original screenplay as well as the original novel, short mini conversations with actor John Cusack & director Stephen Frears, and the original theatrical trailer for the film.

Without a doubt, this is a MUST-HAVE for people who love music, have been in tough relationships, and enjoy writing Top 5 Lists.

"Good luck...goodbye...thanks, boss."-Rob Gordon (John Cusack) ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A fun musical
I can honestly say that I watched this film, not expecting much, but it turned out to be amazing. Gene Kelly and Judy Garland have really good chemistry and both actors are incredibly talented. I consider it a bit of a lost treasure.

Gene Kelly and Judy Garland in their prime
This delightful musical (in color!) follows the story of a young woman (Garland) who is in love with the pirate she has only read and dreamt about. On the eve of her marriage to another man, an actor (Kelly) becomes smitten with her and acts the part of the pirate she's always wanted. But where is the real buccaneer...? This movie must be seen by anyone who likes the classic musical.

Brilliant!
The funniest line I remember is "Don't call me Pure Sole! It irritates me!" This is a wonderfully acted movie. The songs and dances in this movie are PERFECT! I don't think I like Gene Kelly with a moustache very much!

A SATIRICAL MUSICAL
This is NOT the average musical u might expect from this era. It is a swashbuckling spoof of Douglas Fairbanks Sr, Errol Flynn and their pirate adventures.

BUT it is more. It shows us Manuela(Garland) who enters womanhood and lust for sex and roughesss. YES - strong stuff in 1948. Indeed the musical sequence Vodoo was deleted from the film(Mayer ordered it burned and screamed out "We`ll be raided by the police" when he saw the rushes and reprimanded Kelly severely). Apparently is was a dance-sequence that builded up sexual heat hehehe.

Judy, Gene, Slezak and Cooper are ALL in excellent stage farce form. Gene`s dance displays are on a sensual high - and many has commented 2 me that they identify themselves with Manuela on the brink of sexual discovery...

The score is by Cole Porter(OK) but the scenic design and direction by the color master VINCENTE MINNELLI. It was his last with Judy before they divorced in 1951.

Brilliant
This is so funny and brilliant, I love 'mack the black' song, one of te best gene kelly musicals, definitely worth watching ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Based on a true story.
Hello all! I hope my review helps. This is a true story, which happened in my hometown of Humboldt, TN. The character "Emma" is actually still alive. It's interesting to see how the whole town (if I may be so liberal to call it such)..still "shuns" her. I could hardly believe something like this happened in my home. My mom shared the story with me when I was 17, but I didn't get to see the movie until some years later. Oddly enough...things of this nature are still occuring in big cities and small towns. ... Read more

Reviews (14)