Amazon.com

An underrated little picture, Real Genius offers a rare college comedy that doesn't rely on gross-out humor--and a look at Val Kilmer before he turned into a star. A high school whiz kid (Gabriel Jarret) arrives at a brainy college, where the crème de la crème of the science students are marshaled under an ambitious professor (expert villain William Atherton). Unbeknownst to them, the kids are working on a weapons system that the prof plans on selling to the government. The star student, and chief rabble-rouser, is played by Kilmer, in good early form as a cocky genius who hasn't lost touch with his goofy side. The director is Martha Coolidge, whose Valley Girl was one of the brightest (and most unexpected) of '80s comedies; she keeps the movie perking along and never worries about dumbing down a film that just happens to be about smart people. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (110)

Best College Comedy EVER
Maybe it's just that I was in college when this film came out, maybe it's that I'm a big Val Kilmer fan, but whatever the reason, Real Genius is one of the funniest films ever made. It contains what I consider to be the single funniest line ever put on film ("Was it a dream where you see yourself in sort of sun God robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you? Why am I the only person that has that dream?"). The mostly never heard from again cast (aside from Kilmer and Atherton) does a great job, and Martha Coolidge directs her best effort with a perfect contemporary soundtrack (though another reviewer is *definitely* right about the music being mixed far higher than the dialog). All of that said, it is an incredible crime against all people my age (mid to late 30s) that this DVD has **NO** features. An interview or commentary by Kilmer would be a must (not to mention director Coolidge). Kilmer told *great* stories at the time about his research for the role with the brainiacs at Pepperdine ... those should be ON THE DVD. What is it about these studio people that they don't get the whole point of the DVD medium. Putting just the film on DVD makes the studio look stupid, makes it clear they don't care about the film, and it's insulting to those of us who have been anxiously awaiting this release.

The greatest movie ever made...and then some.
"Real Genius" is the BEST movie I have ever seen. I saw it for the first time when I was about 3 (I'm 15 now). And heck, even at that age, I loved it! Of course, I didn't understand it, but I still thought it was cool. And now 12 years later, after upwards of 100 viewings, it is my favorite movie. Why? Because it's perfect! The quintessential 80's comedy movie.

A lot of people think the magic of this awesome flick is in Val Kilmer...and yes, I'll admit, he hits every line perfectly and is quite a hottie...but I think we should all give serious kudos to Gabriel Jarret - the awesome co-star. Okay, so maybe he's not a stud like Val (Gabriel is teddy-bear cute in this movie. You just wanna pinch his cheek!), but he's still great. He's got the whole mama's boy thing going on as Mitch, and he really makes his character come to life. He plays a shy, quiet, geeky 15 year-old perfectly (BTW, does anyone know how old he was when he did this movie?).

But anyway, one of the neatest things about "Real Genius" is its incredible, believable, totally quotable script. You'll find a new favorite quote every time you watch it (and trust me - watching it once isn't enough).

Okay, I've blabbered on enough. SEE THIS MOVIE ~ you will LOVE it!

~ Peace out ~

Lasing a stick of dynamite!
This is one of those movies that stays fun no matter how many times you see it year after year. Val Kilmer had made a couple of movies before this one, but this was his breakout role as the genius Chris Knight - a senior in college working on a project for his professor that he is largely indifferent to completing. Along comes the underage freshman, Mitch Taylor (wonderfully played by Gabriel Jarrett), who has been recruited to help finish the project.

The movie is really about Mitch finding his way in a high-pressure college situation. He endures Kent, the jerk that tortures him and who works in the same lab. Kent is not untalented, but not a genius like Chris or Mitch and resents the favoritism genius claims. Kent tries to get attention by sucking up to Prof. Hathaway (brilliantly played in all his corruption by William Atherton), but never gets what he is seeking.

As just one minor example of the riches in this movie is the scene when Mitch is going to a packed math class. Soon people start bringing small tape recorders to class and not attending. Mitch is one of the few actually listening to the prof. Finally, Mitch is the only one in the class, even the prof becomes a reel-to-reel tape player with a sign attached that says encourages the students to listen carefully. While changes in technology would make that scene impossible today, it is still wonderfully effective.

Mitch also meets Jordan, a girl who is so hyperactive she doesn't sleep, finds time to invent things as well as resurface the floor in her dorm room. Jordan is magnificently played by Michelle Myrink and is one of those characters you wish you knew in real life as a friend. Although, frankly, Jordan would be exhausting to know. But her intelligence, innocence and kindness would more than compensate for the energy you would have to expend keeping up with her.

The movie is populated with wonderful characters of all sorts. The plot is hung on a very 80s theme, but that's OK, the final scene draws it all together in spectacular and funny way.

A classic.

college should be like this
Real Genius is definitely a great film. I don't know that I would say it is Kilmer's best, but it does show off his considerable comic talent, and I consider it one of his best.

It is a delightful college romp with geeks aplenty, and the humor is a lot classier than Animal House, which is another good college flick. It is full of subtle and not so subtle satire on society, such as the botched saying ("like shooting ducks in a barrel") in the slick video boardroom presentation for the weapon concept, and the remark from one general after hearing about having a working weapon system by June - "Don't ask me, I haven't had a working weapon system since Korea."

I can't add anything about the Cal Tech trivia, but it did seem to me that the limo used for the weapon test looked an awful lot like JFK's ill-fated Dallas limo. Veiled commentary about the Military-Industrial Complex?

There is, of course, lots of geek/college humor, but nothing really gross. The sexual humor and references are pretty light, well handled, and fit in with the story. The humor covers the social commentary well, and the film makes its statements without preaching. It is a film I recommend to all students entering college. It is also one of those films that I watch regularly to boost my spirits and have a good time. It reminds one not to take onself too seriously. Highly recommended.

Movie Great, DVD blows
The movie itself is great. Cheesy, but a true 80s classic. Unfortunately, this DVD version is horrible. If you already own the VHS, don't bother with the DVD. There is nothing extra on the DVD at all. No commentary, no notes, no trivia, no cast info, no original trailers, nothing. Totally slapped together. I'm sick of McDVDs like this. Personally, I'm waiting for the Special Edition that you *just know* they will crank out once the market is saturated with this version. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

good film with one glaring fault
Bilitis is a coming of age film about an innocent girl staying with Melissa (a family friend) and her husband. She learned some painful lessons about love during her stay, such as witnessing the husband forcing himself on his wife every night, his infidelity, and Bilitis's own contentious romance with a local boy named Lucas. She decided to help Melissa by finding her a lover. However, Melissa and Lucas became romantic, and Bilitis returns to boarding school heartbroken but wiser in love.

Overall, the story and cinematography are good, and the actors (especially Patti D'Arbanville) are talented and attractive. However, I couldn't overcome the fact that Ms. D'Arbanville looked much older than her classmates. In fact, she was 26 years old at the time. This shatters the illusion of a teenager finding her first romance. Casting adults as teens is common, and if you can see past the 10 year spread between actor and character, this film deserves four stars. Additional note: most of the actresses appeared nude in the film, including several teens.

Some coming of age films of merit starring actual teens are Hamilton's other films "Laura" and "Tender Cousins", as well as "Beau Pere", "Pretty Baby", "Little Lips", and "36 Fillette".

Bilitis
Very Good Movie, very poor tape. It seems to have been taped off of TV. If you let it run, it even encludes part of some sort of English Science Fiction show that was taped over to make the original. This movie deserves to have been preserved better than this.

Bilitis
The plot is a little thin, the music is pretty awful, but the photography is excellent as we would expect from Mr Hamilton.

good story line -but child porn video
a movie that had a great story line of realistic ,world that we live in ,and what is happening to many a young persons,in which the world we live in ,but it goes way to far with the complete frontal nudity of CHILDREN and sexual contents

david hamitons best
this videos for many is of deep subject matter ,but is the best of the four videos,he has made ,very arttistick ,and is a very much story to it ,although many people will think he went a little to far with the nudity of adlosents ,but it dosent have porn content in which many belive ,worth the watch ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Milius charts a decade of social change as three surfing buddies use the sport as a personal touchstone for their lives while growing up in the turbulent 1960s. Irresponsible hot-dogging legend Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), serious and stable Jack (William Katt), and mad misfit Leroy, a.k.a. "Masochist" (Gary Busey), are teenage surf bums in 1963, living at the beach in a perpetual summer under the sway of surfboard-maker Bear (Sam Melville), guru, mentor, and keeper of the lore. But the times they are a changin' and boys grow up in the shadow of Vietnam while adulthood pushes them into hard decisions. John Milius mixes the nostalgia of American Graffiti with the reverence of a John Ford cavalry drama. Surfing becomes a kind of spiritual quest spoken of in awed mythic tones and photographed with the epic grandeur of a rite of passage. Milius's heavy-handed direction and reverent attitude slows the films and will turn off some viewers, but Milius fans will appreciate his macho stylings and philosophical musings, and surfing fans will love the spectacular surfing footage, including the dazzling stylings of world champion Gerry Lopez (who Milius later cast in Conan the Barbarian). Lee Purcell costars as Matt's supportive wife, with Patti D'Arbanville, Barbara Hale, and Robert Englund in supporting roles. Look for Ford stock player Hank Worden in a small role and Milius himself in a cameo selling marijuana in Tijuana. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (43)

SURF MOVIE OF THE CENTURY!
This movie is regarded as a surf classic and rightly so. Slickly produced, consisting of a series of vignettes over 13 years it gives a non-surfing person a revealing insight into the surf culture. The still-thorny issue of the Vietnam War is dealt with and the transition from the swinging sixties into the seventies is handled very well (a technique John Milius perfected in his 1983 classic Uncommon Valor which incidentally pre-dated the much hyped Rambo First Blood II by nearly two years). The climax of the film is the surf footage at the end depicting the legendary day of a lifetime, Big Wednesday. The only negative is the thought that the two stars, Jan Michael Vincent and Gary Busey threw away their lives after this movie due to drug addiction (Busey almost died from an overdose in 1994). Another negative is that some of the surfing terminology in the book didn't make it to the film. In the book, the car is referred to as "The Makeshift" - it isn't in the film. Still, if you cast these things out of your mind for 100 minutes you will experience something truly special. You won't be disappointed.

Early acting at its best...
This film is phenomenal in that it brings not only William Katt, Gary Busey and Jan Michael Vincent together but also introduces many new faces to 80's film and television such as Robert England (aka Freddie Krueger) and Steve Kanaly (aka Dallas). The film, although originally thought of as a surfing movie is far from that. It is a film totally encompassing the late 60's and early 70's around the vietnam era and the pressures of the strained relationships of three friends. A film worth seeing for anyone who grew up during that time.

Yes
If you're interested in surfing at all, you need this one.

Surfing Movie
This one is not just a documentary about surfing. It is actually a good life/friendship movie... And let's not forget about the waves! I enjoy watching this movie.

Cover misleading - needs better cover
BIG WEDNESDAY is, as many have stated, so much more than just a surfie movie. It explores the friendship of three friends over a 10 year period who just happen to all have a surfing passion. A film overlooked by many, yet has a great story to tell with excellent performances by Katt, Busey and Vicent. The surfing aspect is a small part of the overall storyline.

I think the marketing people should have released this DVD title with a different cover as it is misleading and cheapens the movie to a great degree. It is so much more deserving than that. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Wacky--Silly--Humorous
MODERN PROBLEMS is a wacky movie, silly at times, but overall is a humorous story. My wife and I loved it. It showed off the comedy range of Chevy Chase; the jealous suitor, the ... jilted lover, the telekinetic imp, the rogue on his way to a mental breakdown, and the viscious demon. His supporting cast furnished a laugh here and a chuckle there.But, Nell Carter, voodoo whiz kid, provided Chase with a character who brought the story all together for a climax. The ostensible story was one of romantic comedy-- romance on the rocks. Don't believe that theory for a minute. When Chase gets doused with liquid nuclear waste his antics with kinetic hanky panky become the show; a straight comedy show. What is comedy? It's what makes you laugh. This movie made us laugh. For a bonus, you will see the funniest flirting scene ever filmed. Wink! Wink!

Not as Funny as I Remembered but a Pretty Decent Movie!
When I first saw Modern Problems in a theater when was a teenager I loved it, thought it was so funny but a couple of years ago I saw it on Showtime or HBO and I was a little disappointed, though there are some funny moments I just didn't find this movie as funny as I did when I first saw it but it's not a horrible movie by any means and worth watching at least once especially if you are a fan of Chevy Chase.

Forgotten comedy, classic Chevy
This movie seems to be one of the forgotten great comedies. Modern problems has a cute story and it is hilarious! If you liked the old Chevy Chase, this is a must see. I wish they would release this on DVD!

One good reason to own a copy
- and one of these days, I will.

The reason I'm talking about is the scene in which Chevy's character tries heroically to convince Patti d'Arbanville's character that he can give her an orgasm from across the room. Without touching her. Riot!

Good to watch every now and then
The biggest problem is, the sound, and no closed captioning, so alot of gags are missed. After that it's a very funny movie, in a Big Trouble In Little China kind of way. The movie is far out, except it, sit back & laugh. Don't look for OSCAR material here.
Chevy's girlfriend leaves him, he gets doused in nuclear waste,
and wreaks havoc with hilarious results. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Not Good
John Belushi was a great comedian.

"Wired" is not a great movie. True, the material follows that which is transcribed in Bob Woodward's biography of Belushi. However, unlike the serious normality of the book, "Wired" is doomed from the start - I am spoiling nothing to say that the beginning of the movie has the ghost of Belushi trying to escape the autopsy room in just a hospital sheet for clothing.

I find that to be a rather grim idea and way to present this movie. Whilst Michael Chiklis does a passable impersonation of John Belushi, the supporting cast seem to be sleepwalking their way through this film.

Unlike the book that "Wired" comes after, the movie is erraticly paced - slow and plodding most of the time, interspersed with scenes of high energy that have little effect.

I don't mean to sound deliberately harsh about "Wired". It's just best to steer clear if you're a fan of Belushi - I know that I am and watching this movie, I learnt nothing I didn't already know. Stick to the book if you want to learn about John Belushi, and give this decidedly hit-and-miss movie a miss.

Don't waste your time or money
If you are a John Belushi fan or Michael Chiklis fan do yourself a favor... DON'T BUY THIS TAPE! This movie stinks! I am a huge Belushi fan and I like Chiklis in The Shield, but watching this movie just made me feel sorry for both of them. It has a rotten plot, premise and script. Please, for the love of humanity, stay away from this movie. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Pretty strange for a Biopic
Not much could be said about John Belushi's life. He lived it way too fast and that was what killed him. I've only recently heard from a friend that they actually made a movie about Belushi, much like they did to other SNL stars who have passed on, like Andy Kaufman and Gilda Radner. It was then did I hear the film was blasted by numerous critics and fans at the box office, calling it a piece of garbage that would make John spin in his grave. I figured it was worth seeing, becaue I was a big fan of his, so I managed to buy a copy (for only $0.98, when about a week later, it went up to about $70!) from Ebay. Not expecting much, I tuned in and became wired (no pun intended). Essentially, the whole film is like Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" with a nasty twist in the end.

Most importantly, the film is played out like A JOHN BELUSHI FILM, not a film about john belushi. No, that's not supposed to be Michael Chiklis playing John...that's actually John! Ah, forget it.

Well, how do we start? We open up on the evening of March 5, 1982, with the dead body of Belushi being reeled into a morgue. Hey awakens, suddenly, as if nothing had happened to him recently. Frightened and confused, John attempts to escape the morgue dressed only in a blanket. He's then picked up by a cab driver, named "Angel"...oh, geez, I guess you know where this is going. Angel is John's Puerto Rican Guardian Angel ("Well you sure f**cked up, pal!") and his job is to take John back into the past and show him basically where he screwed up. Meanwhile, after hearing about John's death, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward jumps on the topic, wondering about whether or not he should investigate. During this time, we are shown SNL skits that have never existed (Samurai baseball?!?), songs that the Blues Brothers never have sung (634-5789) and an ending that may prove John attempted to save his life from the speedball his took by playing a game of pinball with Angel!

It's very pathectic, yes, but then again, no one else would do a Belushi biopic. The cast is very weird. Chiklis however is very, very good with Belushi and gets his voice, look and style down good, while the others need some practice. Larry Grooms, who plays Dan Aykroyd, looks more like Kevin Nelon and sounds more like Jimmy Stuwart. Don't even get me started on the guy who played John Landis. Geez, he didn't even look like the guy! Much less, sound like him! J.T. Walsh is basically the only celebrity in the film and he was pretty good playing straight as an arrow Bob Woodward. Some scene were quite odd, like the confrontation between Woodward and Belushi (WTF?) in what the director was trying to say was "Purgatory". The ending kinda hints that Belushi went to Hell, which upsetted many fans (including me). The budget supposively was so shoe-string, that they couldn't get the rights to several of the SNL skits, (which is the reason for the random and lame skits that they show instead). I suggest that WIRED should be redone into a better movie! Period!

Even if this movie were better, it would still be awful
As others have mentioned, if this movie had been filmed in the book's style (worth reading, by the way), it could have been terrific. Instead, they messed up the movie with some really dumb fiction that ruins everything else. The movie starts out with John Belushi's body being wheeled into the morgue, and his ghost gets up off the table and does the whole "looking back on my life" bit. This is annoyingly unbearable! Even the most diehard Belushi fan will find this to be a frustrating waste of time. I was incredibly disappointed. Most definitely this is a "walk out" movie where most people would prefer to be doing anything but watching it! Save your money and get the Woodward book, "Wired." You'll enjoy the book far more.

Obscene
I was one of the unfortunate people who actually saw this movie in a theatre (me and three others: two walked out and the other would have but I was his ride).
I'd read the book a couple of times and was impressed with its lean reportage and strict adherence to facts.
Then I saw this movie....
It's bad enough to go through the harrowing final days of Belushi in the book, but the movie takes it one disturbing step further: John didn't just die, he went to hell.
Was this some producer's revenge for John denying the industry future profits for movies he wouldn't be around to make anymore? "Hey, Belushi's crowd is a wild-and-crazy audience, so let's make his tragic death a wild-and-crazy movie!"
I'm glad this movie tanked.

Chiklis does such a wonderful job of playing Belushi, but--for anyone who even remotely liked Belushi--this movie is infuriating and depressing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Comedic misfire from the mid-1970s in a futile attempt to bottle the same lightning that struck when Barbra Streisand teamed with Ryan O'Neal in What's Up, Doc? Here, Streisand plays a spoiled rich girl, the head of a bankrupt cosmetics company, who discovers she's lost everything--except her ownership of the contract of a washed-up boxer (O'Neal, known for his combative nature offscreen). So she tries to rally this dispirited pug into a comeback that will earn the kinds of purses that will put her back on her feet. Naturally, in the process romantic sparks are kindled. But despite a loud and energetic performance by Streisand, this Howard Zieff comedy doesn't add up to much.--Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"I've got the same two words for you!"
I would actually give this film three-and-a-half stars. This film was a major hit upon release in the summer of '79, but it has since been written off by many as one of Streisand's weakest film efforts. As for myself, I could go about reviewing the film in two ways. I could say that the THE MAIN EVENT is a perfect example of a worn out premise given the by-the-book treatment, with no attempt to disguise how derivative and predictable the whole thing is. However, I could also say that THE MAIN EVENT manages to be likable, funny, and entertaining.

Both of these statements have a lot of merit, but I think I'm going to go with my second opinion. Even though we've seen the same story a thousand times before, THE MAIN EVENT is quite enjoyable while it's playing. The scenes are set up well, the one-liners are mostly funny ("I said celebrate, not fornicate!"), and Streisand and O'Neal give off a strong sexual charge between them onscreen. It may not be meaningful, or even original, but THE MAIN EVENT is a pretty good timewaster.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, and the mono sound is fine as well. It's great to have the original trailer and the 19-minute television special, titled GETTING IN SHAPE FOR THE MAIN EVENT, preserved on disc, although Streisand's brief audio commentary is slightly disappointing.

"I've got the same two words for you!"
I would give this film three-and-a-half stars. This film was a major hit upon release in the summer of '79, but it has since been written off by many as one of Streisand's weakest film efforts. As for myself, I could go about reviewing the film in two ways. I could say that the THE MAIN EVENT is a perfect example of a worn out premise given the by-the-book treatment, with no attempt to disguise how derivative and predictable the whole thing is. However, I could also say that THE MAIN EVENT manages to be likable, funny, and entertaining.

Both of these statements have a lot of merit, but I think I'm going to go with my second opinion. Even though we've seen the same story a thousand times before, THE MAIN EVENT is quite enjoyable while it's playing. The scenes are set up well, the one-liners are mostly funny ("I said celebrate, not fornicate!"), and Streisand and O'Neal give off a strong sexual charge between them onscreen. It may not be meaningful, or even original, but THE MAIN EVENT is a pretty good timewaster.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, and the mono sound is fine as well. It's great to have the original trailer and the 19-minute television special, titled GETTING IN SHAPE FOR THE MAIN EVENT, preserved on disc, although Streisand's brief audio commentary is slightly disappointing.

She cant make a bad movie.
It has been quite a while since i have actually seen The Main Event but i have been trying to find it in the stores on video for quite a long time. I can remember loving the movie. There was a lot of screeming and yelling...but isnt that what boxers do. I thought the way they pick on each other is cute. I thought Barbra was precious. It is one of those movies that you come out feeling good which is hard to find these days.

Good movie, but a PG rating?????
I liked the movie, it's fun and funny but what really surprised and shocked me was: PG RATING? Come on! 1. They show two butts in the movie, there is a lot of adult talk, and a lot of hintings to sexuality? It is a good movie, but I mean one would think more about the point of view of watching it depending on the rating of the movie.
All in all, this is a quite good movie which I like
Recommended, it's a lot of fun

Funny, Entertaining but I've seen better
The Main Event was the first Streisand picture I ever saw. I loved it at the theaters. But since then I've seen many more of her movies on VHS. I have to say it's a good film but not her best. I liked "Yentl" or "Owl & Pussycat" or "A Star Is Born" much better. Her acting is superb, so is Ryan's. But the storyline is a little weak compared to other movies she is in. I reccommend it its just not her very best movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Billy Crystal plays the straight man to neurotic Robin Williams when these two very different individuals join forces to find a runaway teenager. Both, you see, have been told they are the boy's father by Nastassja Kinski, with whom each had once been involved. This Disney production is based on the more humorous French farce, Les Compères, by Francis Veber (who cowrote this adaptation). It has its moments as breezy entertainment, but the plot is sloppy enough to seem more like slapstick than sophisticated comedy. The gags are contrived, and it fails to unfold with believability, or grace. More interesting than the writing are the performances, as Crystal brings surprising depth to his cynical lawyer and Williams is exceptionally fine-tuned as a suicidal and dippy writer with a very kind heart. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Quite Funny
This movie really is pretty funny. Crystal is always funny and Williams, well, what can I say... the guy is funny even if he's not trying to be! Crystal plays a straight-laced lawyer while Williams plays a total psychotic, who really wants to believe he has a son so he'll have a reason to stay partially sane.

This movie's plot may be a bit thin, but who cares because the cast is great. The short version of the plot is that a worried mother recruits two men to find her runaway teenage son. How does she get them to agree to find him? She tells each of the men(obviously not thinking that they may run into each other while searching for the boy) that he is the father. This leads to a silly comic pairing.

There are all kinds of great things in this movie. Crystal and Williams are great together. Mel Gibson makes a cameo-- watch closely because you might not recognize him!! The band Sugar Ray is also in the movie. Cool things like that!

This may not satisfy a hunger for laugh out loud, slap on the knee kind of funny, but it's still funny, with a charming ending.

MUCH funnier than I expected
After looking at the rather....well, dumb cover, and reading the synopsis, I expected it to be a rather medicore movie. Boy was I wrong. I'll tell ya, the script ain't gold, but Billy Crystal and (especially) Robin Williams make this movie quite funny as heck. Everything from Williams' opening lines/scene about how depressing his life is, to his amusing vulnerability, to the way Billy Crystal wittily mocks everybody, makes this movie quite a delight. And notice how I used the actors' names instead of the characters' names. That is because, like I said, it is the talented and hilarious acting that saved this movie from potential mediocracy.

The script isn't anything particularly special, and there is only one somewhat major flaw with it: Williams and Crystal are deceptively sent by a former girlfriend of both of theirs on a search for a boy who she claims to be the son of both of them. But near the end, it is never explained why she does that, instead of....oh I dunno, hiring a detective, or looking for him herself? While this kind of takes away from the believability of the story, the story isn't where the movie is meant to shine so it doesn't end up meaning much.

Williams plays the perfect total loser, and Crystal the witty, successful lawyer, in this movie sprinkled with more than enough hilarious and memorable scenes. If it weren't for a tighter script, it would've gotten five stars. Definatley worth a rental, and most likely a purchase if you're either a Billy Crystal or especially (since he was the focus of the majority of the better jokes) Robin Williams fan.

Best actors but script doesn't do justice.
Overall, I have always enjoyed Robin William and Billy Crystal's performance in many other movies, but I must admit to my surprise that it wasn't making me laughing on the floor as I usually do. The script was boring and the plot was downright disppointing. Didn't like the ending. It was like a stupid wild goose chase for both of them and end up accepting that the mother of the son lied to them. Which is really a bad example for younger audience to see this and thinking it's normal for mothers to lie. I hope someday to see both Robin and Billy to act together in another movie in the near future and hopefully better script than this one.

Distinctly Average In All Departments
The premise of Fathers' Day sounds like one of those ideas that was hatched in a boardroom rather than a creative mind. A woman tells two former boyfriends that they are the father of her teenaged son, who has run away. Naturally, these guys become instantly paternal, reluctantly join forces, and set out to find the kid who may or may not be theirs.

The teaming of Robin Williams and Billy Crystal provides some good moments, although at times Crystal seems to be too much of a straight man. Williams has plenty of scope to be...well, himself - which means that some sickly sentimentality is eventually allowed to creep in. In fact, the film is quite promising until the pair of wannabe dads make contact with their supposed offspring. The kid turns out to be such a snivelling loser that any sane person would disown him rather than try to save him from the conveniently cartoonish drug dealers he owes lots of money to. Junior is also infatuated with a girl who couldn't care less. When she finally tells him that he is boring, you find yourself shouting "Yes!" at the screen.

Even so, Williams and Crystal provide plenty of pleasant and undemanding entertainment along the way. But the film is so built around them that it wastes the talents of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Natassia Kinski. Having said that, there is a nice uncredited cameo by Mel Gibson.

Not a bad film if you're looking for a nicely mindless comedy. But everyone involved has done much better work elsewhere.

Williams & Crystal make the best movies!
This movie is about a runaway 16-year-old named Scott. The mother goes to two men that she knew and tells them they are the father. First she tells Jack Lawrence (Crystal), a lawyer and he doesn't want to go look for him. Then she tells Dale Putley (Williams) who is a retarded, lonner, and empty life writer who decides to look for him. So the two end up traveling together to find Scott. See what goes wrong next after Dale passing out, crying constantly, getting HOT coffee poured on his nuts, and being a idiot. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

deaf and dumb, too
This TVM directed by Michael Toshiyuki Uno is notable for how Laura Linney steals the tube, as the daughter of Joanne Woodward as Washington congressman faced with the issue of drug addiction. The use of real life pictures of Woodward with her own daughter, and the fact that she co-produced, tells you that the subject has personal significance for Woodward. Unfortunately for her the teleplay by Nina Shergold, based on a story by Michael McTaggart and Ellen M Violett, presents Woodward as a harridan, evidence of the negative effects of a working mother. At one point Fritz Weaver as her husband says "Trying to reason with you is like standing in front of a bulldozer". If the idea of making the drug addict a torch singer who idolises Billie Holliday is perhaps rather overstated, the teleplay also raises a generational comparison between drug taking and alcoholism. The music score by Patrick Williams is used to lovely effect in one scene, when a baby is first held, but otherwise we get soaked in inspirational uplift. Watch for Patti D'Arbanville, and Allison Janney.

Strong Performances, Strong Message
Joanne Woodward gives a strong performance as a determined, sometimes domineering, yet well-meaning congresswoman coping with her daughter's drug addiction on the eve of announcing her run for the U.S. Senate. Woodward (who earned an Emmy nomination for this film, which she also co-produced) and Laura Linney, who portrays her substance addicted daughter, show the strong love/hate dynamics in their character's relationship. Linney, (later co-starring opposite Jim Carrey in "The Truman Show," and earning an Oscar nomination for "You Can Lean on Me") gives a heartfelt, unflinching portrait of a woman struggling to deal with her substance abuse/recovery as she asserts her independence from her mother, and Woodward superbly brings to life yet another strong, intelligent female character in her long line of smart, well-chosen, and expertly acted roles. The sensitive, intelligent script by Nina Shengold pulls no punches in illustrating the debilitating side of drug use, yet is never preachy.

This film handles difficult subject matter that may have seemed cliched or melodramatic in other hands in an honest, straightforward manner; much credit to all involved for first class work. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wow ... Tough Crowd!
Thanks to the anonymity of this forum, I can freely admit that I like this movie (in fact, I have a tape of it somewhere). It's the basic story of a guy (McCarthy) who has everything going for him, but longs to take a walk on the wild side. Enter Molly Ringwald's character, a white-trash vixen that completely captivates him and turns his life upside down. Fine cinematography with an absolutely heart-wrenching ending. This flick and Less Than Zero are my two favorite Andrew McCarthy movies. Go easy on me.

a true love movie
Andrew & Molly have always been one of my fovorite teen actors
and in this movie they again make good chemistry together.This movie is a love story with a sad but good ending that makes you think about
how complicated life can be falling in love with someone special.

Can I Please Give It NO STARS?!
Yes, it's true... "Fresh Horses" is the all-time worst movie ever made. By that, I mean of all the movies that had good production values this is the worst. It obviously had some good actors (they're in there somewhere, though hard to see) and a competent crew. A big studio was behind it (but I'm sure the guy who okayed this film is now working in retail).

"Fresh Horses" is just a mess of a movie. It's been about ten years since I walked out of the theater after an hour of torture, but I vividly remember the following: There is no story, nothing visually interesting, no complete sentences uttered by any of the actors, nobody ever smiles in it, Andrew McCarthy and Molly Ringwald have absolutely no chemistry, I don't think they were speaking English, and I'm pretty sure that McCarthy was replaced halfway through the production by the caterer's assistant.

What's really sad is that you can't even watch it to make fun of it. So it's not a good bad movie. It's just plain boring. Horrifyingly boring. Murderously boring.

But you have to give the film some credit... It pretty much killed the careers of Ringwald and McCarthy. So, for that alone, the one star is deserved!

I was part of the production on this film
Filmed in Cincinnati during My senior year in High School I had acted and Modeled some. I landed a spot as a Stand-In for Doug Hutchinson and Ben Stiller. It has to be one of the Worst Films ever. Molly couldn't even keep her southern twang consistent in the shots. I must say though it was a pleasure to work with Ben Stiller and Doug Hutchinson (Percy from Green Mile) I still have a Cast and Crew Jacket that Ben signed and I was even able to have Molly sign it at the final Cast party during one of her kindler moods. Heck I even have pictures
Great scenerary if you are from the area.

On a personal note Molly has her good moments although rare.
Andrew McCarthy was just.... well a jerk.
Ben was Great to me and so was most of the crew especially the Sound Master Hank Garfield and Sue Knutsen in Casting
From this I was able to work as a stand-in on Rainman and had several screen tests for other movies and TV shows.

An unabashedly favorable review!
I have been a fan of this movie for many years since its release. When I decided to purchase, I was surprised to see such negative reviews. Granted its not necessarily Oscar quality material. But, the cinematic backdrop is interesting and goes a long way to lend great atmosphere to the story. I think McCarthy and Ringwald do a good job with the acting. It's not hard to understand why Larkin (McCarthy) falls for Jewel (Ringwald ) right off the bat, Ringwald imbues her character with a palpable steamy sensuality in their first meeting. Mortensen (Green) is convincing as the low life "husband" of Jewel. It's also interesting to see an early role for Ben Stiller, especially if you are a fan. I can't agree that ... is wasted on this movie. In fact, I wish it were available in DVD format. The story ending has a heart-rending quality that has stayed with me through the years since I first viewed this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this clever speculative tale, story collaborators Karl Alexander and Steve Hayes and screenwriter-director Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II and VI) send two famous historical figures ahead in time. In late 19th century England, writer H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) unwittingly includes Jack the Ripper (David Warner) in his social circle. When one of Wells's dinner parties is crashed by the police looking for the Ripper, Jack uses the author's time machine to escape. But there's one catch--after it has been used, the machine returns to Wells's time. Thus the literary genius bravely sets out to find his evil friend before he can wreak havoc on another time period, and soon arrives in modern-day San Francisco. What follows is a fascinating merger of a suspense thriller--as the charming and polite Wells tries to hunt down the shrewd, brutish Ripper and take him back to the past--and a love story, as Wells befriends and falls in love with a bank administrator (Mary Steenburgen) who acts as his guide through the future. Through its brilliant combination of creepy suspense and tender romance, Time After Time manages to become a classic in two genres at once--a rare cinematic achievement. --Bryan Reesman ... Read more

Reviews (49)

When Times Collide
Noted visionary author H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) plays host to a group of friend's at his home in London 1893. The reason for the get together is for Wells to show off the time machine that he built. One of his guests is a "wolf in sheep's clothing". Dr. John Stephenson (David Warner), is really none other than Jack The Ripper, one of the world's most notorious serial killers. When the London constables begin to close in on the elusive murderer, Stephenson uses the time machine to escape to the 20th century, to continue his crimes. Wells takes action and decides to follow him and bring him back to face justice. Once Wells arrives in "our time" he meets Amy (Mary Steenburgen), the two fall in love (on screen and off), while they close in on the Ripper.

This adventure from writer/director Nicholas Meyer (best known for Star Trek II) mixes these 2 men of history with a tale whimsy that works better than you might imagine. Meyer fills the movie wth plenty of fun, romance, excitement, and social commentary about our cuture. Meyer keeps things moving along in his freshmam effort as director,. All three of the main actors give good performance and really sell the idea of the film. Watching the film again, after about a decade since my last viewing, it didn't seem as "dated" as I recall. TIME AFTER TIME is a good little film that deserves a look.

The DVD boasts an all new digital transfer that looks great. The commentary track from Meyer and McDowell, seems as though each of them were recorded separately, then edited together later, to make it sound like they were in the same room. I can't be sure though. The disc also has an iteractive essay called "It's About Time" Finally, there are 3 theatrical trailers: One for this film, one for the film version of THE TIME MACHINE from 1960, and the remake from 2002.

The DVD is recommended and worth your time (pun intended)

"We Haven't Gone Forward, Herbert. We've Gone BACK."
For some reason, when I mention this 1979 film to friends, they inevitably confuse it with 1980's Somewhere in Time. Despite the similarity in titles, and the time travel concept, these two movies couldn't be more different.

Writer/Director Nicholas Meyer's inspiration for Time After Time boils down to a simple "what if?". Namely, what if Time Machine author H. G. Wells had really built a time machine and traveled to the future? Meyer, a die-hard Anglophile, also had the inspiration to include Jack the Ripper in the story. Those who've seen Meyer's other films (Star Trek II and VI, and TV's The Day After) know he has a keen sense of directorial balance. The result is a bracing blend of action, romance, humor, and sly social commentary, alongside the usual time travel paradoxes.

There is wonderful chemistry between Malcolm McDowell's Wells and romantic interest Mary Steenburgen as 20th Century bank-teller Amy Robbins. (It was apparently based on genuine attraction, as they married shortly after this film was made.) David Warner's performance as the villain avoids the usual bad-guy cliches and is entirely believable. One could easily imagine Warner's "Jack" slipping undetected into any American city, much as Hannibal Lecter does in later film ventures. The performances are enhanced by Miklos Rosza's superb score.

This film does not aspire to the high-minded social ideals of H. G. Wells' novel. The deepest message is the fictional Wells' contention that "every age is the same, it's only love that makes any of them bearable," which is pretty hard to refute. However, in many ways this movie is more successful and compelling as purely cinematic entertainment than either of the "straight" movie adaptations. Disbelief is suspended, and the audience is swept along for the ride.

On the movie itself.
Forgive me. I've not yet gotten this DVD, but the movie is a long, long time favorite of mine. Consider my two cents limited to the movie itself.

Something I hear very little of in the other reviews is the introspection, the emotional turmoil of the Wells character himself. The character Wells' point of view on the world and of human nature, circa 1893, does seem to be a artistic snapshot of the real wells. His views of Socialism and government and human nature, while presenting rather unheadily, were transported out of the 19th century past into the 20th century present (circa 1979). The love story with the modern Amy Robbins and the science fiction of the time machine, are for me secondary to the real point of the movie.

Obviously there are lots of cute, artistic ties between what Wells sees during his visit future and what he later is known to have gone on to write about. There are plays on the "War of the Worlds" title versus "world war II". But that's the cutesie fluff. More importantly, this Socialist is compelled to fix his unwitting mistake (the Ripper using his machine) and protect Utopia, but finds that not only is there no Social Utopia, but rather that the world seems to have degenerated into a cold, inhuman Anarchy where even religion fails. Note that the entire experience arose from the discovery that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, his best friend of many years was, in fact, one of the most evil people in the world. The time machine was meant as a tool in Wells' personal study of humanity. In stead its first use was at the hands of evil, as is unfortunately so often the case.

Wells love interest Robbins, is another good plot device in making the business of fighting even even more personal for Wells. Ultimately JOhn (Jack The...) threatens Robbins, absolutely forcing Wells to give in and take up arms - Wells' ultimate anathema.

People have mentioned technical flaws like solar power at night and the time machine changing its location. OK, clearly there was room in the production for someone of Trekkie ilk who could toss in suggestions along the lines of "how about Heisenberg Compensators for the transporter??" With a really vivid imagination and an obsession with sci-fi time travel it's not terribly difficult to fill in some gaps. However, if you watch closely, nowhere ever is there either the suggestion of silly things like a paradox, neither in the dialog nor in the story flow. Indeed, the time travel as a story tool works very nicely. At one point Well and Robbins find something out about the future and try to catch the Ripper in the act. Try as they might, however, they are unable to change the future. Later, another aspect of the future they believed would happen, did happen accurately, but not they way they expected. One could actually take this as a very deep philosophical point. Perhaps paradoxes can't exist; Perhaps there's something more to this one single universe keeping everything running smoothly, including time travellers. Personally, I find the infinite parallel universes idea interesting philosophically, but a total and embarassing cop-out in science fiction. This movie was not attempting to be a Star Trek style sci-fi flick by any means. For this I'm thankful, since it doesn't bog down tis other messages with technical hooey.

To this day, with the obvious likely exception of A Clockwork Orange, I've never seen a Performance by McDowell come anywhere close to this one. For absolute historical accuracy I couldn't speak, but the character he ends up portraying, with the body langauge, facial expressions, and tone of voice, is exceptionally well done.

Let me acho a similar sentiment for Steenbergen and Warner. For her role in this movie, I've had a crush on Mary Steenbergen for all too many years now. (is 25 years too long to hold a crush on someone?) I saw another review here that said there wasn't enough character development on Jack the Ripper. I agree somewhat. I think this was one of Warner's best performances, too. I do wish he'd had even more chance to bring us the pathology of the killer. I know it would have been great. However, in real life Jack the Ripper remains a mysterious figure to this day, not to mention that it wasn't really all that applicable to the rest of the story. Were it a more recent production, I'd expect to see multiple scenes with Warner either put back into the DVD release or at least included elsewhere on the DVD. Fans would like to see it, but it wasn't really necessary to have it in there (think the cut ending scene in The Terminator).

No, it's not a technical masterpiece. It's no The Shining or The Joy Luck Club or Aliens. Hardcore 21st century movie fanatics will likely go "Huh? Why are we watching this?? Where are the CGI transdimentional space aliens and all the Matrix-like gunplay??" To be fair to them I witthold one star.

Personally, I LOVE this movie!

Incredible movie
I won't go on about this great movie's virtues, as that has been done very well by other reviewers. The one point I want to make is to give credit to the most compelling single line I have ever heard in a movie. Herbert speaking:

"The first person to resort to violence is the first person who has run out of ideas".

Think about that........

Time After Time is a Gripping Story.
That H.G. Wells (played by Malcolm McDowell) actually invents the time machine in this story offers nice possibilities to begin with (he more or less has invented the thing before the film begins). And when none else but Jack the Ripper (formidably played by David Warner) uses this piece of machinery to flee Victorian London to surface in 'contemporary' San Francisco (from London to San Francisco?), well, have we then an interesting, if somewhat 'cheesy' (by lack of a better word) premise?

I thought it all amusing. Now you might think that Time after Time is a chase-and-run film, but this isn't quite all what it's about. McDowell hits the nail as the innocent gentleman from another era, and his staring non-comprehensive or naive at the 'wonders of the modern world' is funny. His meeting Steenburgen may seem a sub-plot at first (romantic), but gradually develops into something that stands on its own (and without this TAT would be hollow).

So we have formidable acting, likable characters, suspense, and humor. It has to be said, people who have no trouble with sf elements will the more enjoy TAT (my opinion). Really, it's just a story that could not do with the sf parts. Surprise, surprise, even the ending I did not foresee, even though I should have anticipated it.

One note: as with some other reviewers, I also thought the special effects a bit dated (but I don't care about such things). However some were well-done, but the fairy glitter was too cute.

Also, the DVD has some nice additions. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Not Good
John Belushi was a great comedian.

"Wired" is not a great movie. True, the material follows that which is transcribed in Bob Woodward's biography of Belushi. However, unlike the serious normality of the book, "Wired" is doomed from the start - I am spoiling nothing to say that the beginning of the movie has the ghost of Belushi trying to escape the autopsy room in just a hospital sheet for clothing.

I find that to be a rather grim idea and way to present this movie. Whilst Michael Chiklis does a passable impersonation of John Belushi, the supporting cast seem to be sleepwalking their way through this film.

Unlike the book that "Wired" comes after, the movie is erraticly paced - slow and plodding most of the time, interspersed with scenes of high energy that have little effect.

I don't mean to sound deliberately harsh about "Wired". It's just best to steer clear if you're a fan of Belushi - I know that I am and watching this movie, I learnt nothing I didn't already know. Stick to the book if you want to learn about John Belushi, and give this decidedly hit-and-miss movie a miss.

Don't waste your time or money
If you are a John Belushi fan or Michael Chiklis fan do yourself a favor... DON'T BUY THIS TAPE! This movie stinks! I am a huge Belushi fan and I like Chiklis in The Shield, but watching this movie just made me feel sorry for both of them. It has a rotten plot, premise and script. Please, for the love of humanity, stay away from this movie. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Pretty strange for a Biopic
Not much could be said about John Belushi's life. He lived it way too fast and that was what killed him. I've only recently heard from a friend that they actually made a movie about Belushi, much like they did to other SNL stars who have passed on, like Andy Kaufman and Gilda Radner. It was then did I hear the film was blasted by numerous critics and fans at the box office, calling it a piece of garbage that would make John spin in his grave. I figured it was worth seeing, becaue I was a big fan of his, so I managed to buy a copy (for only $0.98, when about a week later, it went up to about $70!) from Ebay. Not expecting much, I tuned in and became wired (no pun intended). Essentially, the whole film is like Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" with a nasty twist in the end.

Most importantly, the film is played out like A JOHN BELUSHI FILM, not a film about john belushi. No, that's not supposed to be Michael Chiklis playing John...that's actually John! Ah, forget it.

Well, how do we start? We open up on the evening of March 5, 1982, with the dead body of Belushi being reeled into a morgue. Hey awakens, suddenly, as if nothing had happened to him recently. Frightened and confused, John attempts to escape the morgue dressed only in a blanket. He's then picked up by a cab driver, named "Angel"...oh, geez, I guess you know where this is going. Angel is John's Puerto Rican Guardian Angel ("Well you sure f**cked up, pal!") and his job is to take John back into the past and show him basically where he screwed up. Meanwhile, after hearing about John's death, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward jumps on the topic, wondering about whether or not he should investigate. During this time, we are shown SNL skits that have never existed (Samurai baseball?!?), songs that the Blues Brothers never have sung (634-5789) and an ending that may prove John attempted to save his life from the speedball his took by playing a game of pinball with Angel!

It's very pathectic, yes, but then again, no one else would do a Belushi biopic. The cast is very weird. Chiklis however is very, very good with Belushi and gets his voice, look and style down good, while the others need some practice. Larry Grooms, who plays Dan Aykroyd, looks more like Kevin Nelon and sounds more like Jimmy Stuwart. Don't even get me started on the guy who played John Landis. Geez, he didn't even look like the guy! Much less, sound like him! J.T. Walsh is basically the only celebrity in the film and he was pretty good playing straight as an arrow Bob Woodward. Some scene were quite odd, like the confrontation between Woodward and Belushi (WTF?) in what the director was trying to say was "Purgatory". The ending kinda hints that Belushi went to Hell, which upsetted many fans (including me). The budget supposively was so shoe-string, that they couldn't get the rights to several of the SNL skits, (which is the reason for the random and lame skits that they show instead). I suggest that WIRED should be redone into a better movie! Period!

Even if this movie were better, it would still be awful
As others have mentioned, if this movie had been filmed in the book's style (worth reading, by the way), it could have been terrific. Instead, they messed up the movie with some really dumb fiction that ruins everything else. The movie starts out with John Belushi's body being wheeled into the morgue, and his ghost gets up off the table and does the whole "looking back on my life" bit. This is annoyingly unbearable! Even the most diehard Belushi fan will find this to be a frustrating waste of time. I was incredibly disappointed. Most definitely this is a "walk out" movie where most people would prefer to be doing anything but watching it! Save your money and get the Woodward book, "Wired." You'll enjoy the book far more.

Obscene
I was one of the unfortunate people who actually saw this movie in a theatre (me and three others: two walked out and the other would have but I was his ride).
I'd read the book a couple of times and was impressed with its lean reportage and strict adherence to facts.
Then I saw this movie....
It's bad enough to go through the harrowing final days of Belushi in the book, but the movie takes it one disturbing step further: John didn't just die, he went to hell.
Was this some producer's revenge for John denying the industry future profits for movies he wouldn't be around to make anymore? "Hey, Belushi's crowd is a wild-and-crazy audience, so let's make his tragic death a wild-and-crazy movie!"
I'm glad this movie tanked.

Chiklis does such a wonderful job of playing Belushi, but--for anyone who even remotely liked Belushi--this movie is infuriating and depressing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1968 production from Andy Warhol's Factory found director Paul Morrissey still defining his style and particularly open to Warhol's own process of shooting extended takes with minimal editing. Factory star Joe Dallesandro plays a hustler working to earn money for his wife's girlfriend's abortion. The long trail of transvestites, drugs, and debauchery doesn't just drag a viewer down but rather adds up to a kind of transcendent curiosity about itself. Intelligent, well-constructed, and at times lyrical, this is one of the best of the Morrissey-Warhol collaborations. The cast includes a couple of actors in Warhol's orbit who later broke into mainstream movies and television, including Patti D'Arbanville. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL
The movie as well as the hunk are beautiful! I fell in love with Joe as soon as I saw his body that no other guy can compete with.
The story is very good. Sensitive, fragile and desperate. We do not loose any minute with this film as Joe keep us under his spell all the way.

Joe Dallesandro Has A Magnificent Physique
........This is not a great film. It's interesting, however, and I'm not sorry I ordered this DVD. As a New Yorker, it is always interesting to see the Big Apple back in the '70s or '60s. Seeing Joe walk up streets that I know so well makes this picture mean more to me. I've seen the hustlers of 42nd Street and hookers jumping in and out of cars, I've seen the sleaze of the City. That life-style was never fascinating to me. The sexual part was, but the lurid, impersonal part was not. After reading John Reichy's "City of Night," I was prepared to move from the midwest to Gotham with a wealth of knowlege. Believe me, as a young, attractive novice, I encountered much of what was in that book!

Joe Dallesandro, with some acting lessons with Stella Adler or Uta Hagen might have made an exceptional actor. Many of the people who reviewed him, I think, were dazzled by his beauty and his incredible, natural body (he sports an incredible bush of pubic hair). How refreshing that is considering all the shaving of private parts these days! Any woman or man who looks at Joe cannot help but look at him without having the SAME admiration for him as they do for the au natural statue for Michelangelo's David. I remember when my body was similar to that!

I don't recommend this picture for the "art" of it, but if you want to appreciate a modern depiction of the perfection of the male human form...Dallesandro is your model.

Body Pride
We are at the end of the hippy revolution. Andy Warhol explores the body-pride of the young males. This new feeling finds its roots in the cult of the body, of physical strength and muscular building. We are before body-building but after Woodstock where the body was religiously considered as the mark of God on us. This body-pride is taken to the extreme of believing that a man has to live for his body but also by his body. His body is the only riches he naturally has and he must live from it. So he exploits his body and by doing so exploits the fantasms of other men and women, the fantasm that a beautiful body has to be worshipped and the body-pride can be without any guilt transmuted into sex. The main character exploits this vein and makes a comfortable living out of it. But Warhol goes one step further and transforms the nudity of the male body into something banal and in no way provocative. It is a beauty to be looked at and not to be ashamed of. He even gives a rare scene where the nude father plays with and feeds his little baby. That was a real revolution in those days. The father was more than a man. He was a father and as such could take care of the baby he had born to life, just as much as the mother. The film hence gives some very precious scenes on this cult of the male body as a source of beauty and pleasure. It is the total lack of shame and modesty that makes this nudity, complete or in the process of revealing itself by undressing, something normal, unshocking and revealing in us some kind of purity by the capability to look at it without being in anyway roused to some kind of carnal desire. « We are not queers » as one character says, just proud of our well trained and sculpted bodies.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

best of his one liners
this is good - the white flashes are supposed to be there (previous review), it's a powerful movie - anyway this surprised me, it's not what you might expect. you'll like it!

For Joe Dallesandro fans only
If you are looking for a good story and character development, this movie dissapoints. The story is rather thin and slow with more focus on Joe's good looks. A irritatating aspect of the DVD was white flashes occuring at innapropriate moments during the movie. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"I've got the same two words for you!"
I would actually give this film three-and-a-half stars. This film was a major hit upon release in the summer of '79, but it has since been written off by many as one of Streisand's weakest film efforts. As for myself, I could go about reviewing the film in two ways. I could say that the THE MAIN EVENT is a perfect example of a worn out premise given the by-the-book treatment, with no attempt to disguise how derivative and predictable the whole thing is. However, I could also say that THE MAIN EVENT manages to be likable, funny, and entertaining.

Both of these statements have a lot of merit, but I think I'm going to go with my second opinion. Even though we've seen the same story a thousand times before, THE MAIN EVENT is quite enjoyable while it's playing. The scenes are set up well, the one-liners are mostly funny ("I said celebrate, not fornicate!"), and Streisand and O'Neal give off a strong sexual charge between them onscreen. It may not be meaningful, or even original, but THE MAIN EVENT is a pretty good timewaster.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, and the mono sound is fine as well. It's great to have the original trailer and the 19-minute television special, titled GETTING IN SHAPE FOR THE MAIN EVENT, preserved on disc, although Streisand's brief audio commentary is slightly disappointing.

"I've got the same two words for you!"
I would give this film three-and-a-half stars. This film was a major hit upon release in the summer of '79, but it has since been written off by many as one of Streisand's weakest film efforts. As for myself, I could go about reviewing the film in two ways. I could say that the THE MAIN EVENT is a perfect example of a worn out premise given the by-the-book treatment, with no attempt to disguise how derivative and predictable the whole thing is. However, I could also say that THE MAIN EVENT manages to be likable, funny, and entertaining.

Both of these statements have a lot of merit, but I think I'm going to go with my second opinion. Even though we've seen the same story a thousand times before, THE MAIN EVENT is quite enjoyable while it's playing. The scenes are set up well, the one-liners are mostly funny ("I said celebrate, not fornicate!"), and Streisand and O'Neal give off a strong sexual charge between them onscreen. It may not be meaningful, or even original, but THE MAIN EVENT is a pretty good timewaster.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, and the mono sound is fine as well. It's great to have the original trailer and the 19-minute television special, titled GETTING IN SHAPE FOR THE MAIN EVENT, preserved on disc, although Streisand's brief audio commentary is slightly disappointing.

She cant make a bad movie.
It has been quite a while since i have actually seen The Main Event but i have been trying to find it in the stores on video for quite a long time. I can remember loving the movie. There was a lot of screeming and yelling...but isnt that what boxers do. I thought the way they pick on each other is cute. I thought Barbra was precious. It is one of those movies that you come out feeling good which is hard to find these days.

Good movie, but a PG rating?????
I liked the movie, it's fun and funny but what really surprised and shocked me was: PG RATING? Come on! 1. They show two butts in the movie, there is a lot of adult talk, and a lot of hintings to sexuality? It is a good movie, but I mean one would think more about the point of view of watching it depending on the rating of the movie.
All in all, this is a quite good movie which I like
Recommended, it's a lot of fun

Funny, Entertaining but I've seen better
The Main Event was the first Streisand picture I ever saw. I loved it at the theaters. But since then I've seen many more of her movies on VHS. I have to say it's a good film but not her best. I liked "Yentl" or "Owl & Pussycat" or "A Star Is Born" much better. Her acting is superb, so is Ryan's. But the storyline is a little weak compared to other movies she is in. I reccommend it its just not her very best movie. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

true american cult classic
I was 13 when I first laid my eyes on the best film ever made, Boys Next Door. Max Caufield is one of the most underated actors of all time. The role he plays in this movie should have won an oscar. He truely captured the part of a real sociopath, and take it from me, being one, it is not easy to understand the mind of a true sociopath. Being one of Charlie Sheen's less no movies also helps make it great. This movie would have never been accepted in the main steam for it's true to life violence and social misbehavior. Most people will not understand this movie, but those who do, will never forget it! It is the second most watched movie in my life, only to Beastmaster. But hopefully after recently aquiring the DVD it will be first. Don't be suprised if you laugh a few times or even worse relate to Bo and Roy! Please enjoy this film for what it is, an american tail of two every day guys out for a good time who make it happen.

Great 80s suspense film!
This is one of those movies that for some reason is often overlooked by many viewers. True, it is a low-budget film starring two actors( Charlie Sheen, and Maxwell Caulfield) who haven't done anything remarkable in a about a decade, but it kept me on the edge of my seat all the way to the thrilling conclusion. Its cool to see the intense and belligerent performance by given by Maxwell Caulfield. I read a review on Amazon where someone compared this film to the movie Falling Down, I couldn;t agree more. The whole movie moves through a of a series of scenes consisting of everyday situations and shows how a psychotic and over the edge teen reacts to them, its not good. Charlie Sheen plays his timid sidekick more deteremined to winning his psychotic friend's affection rather than speaking up for himself and saying what they are doing is wrong. All and all a great movie and highley entertaining.

VERY ENTERTAINING THRILLER
TWO TEENAGERS [CHARLIE SHEEN AND MAXWELL CAULFIELD] DECIDE TO GO TO LA. ONCE THEY GET THERE, THEY COMMIT A SERIES OF RANDOM KILLINGS. THIS MOVIE IS REALLY UNDERRATED BY THE CRITICS. THIS IS A HIGHLY ENTERTAINING MOVIE. THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS MOVIE IS THAT IT KEEPS YOU WATCHING. THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER CHARLIE SHEEN MOVIES. BUY THIS AS SOON AS YOU CAN! IT'S REALLY WORTH THE MONEY!

Little Mistake
My dad was an extra in this movie. He was one of the mall security guards. If you look close, you can see him looking at a map on the wall, then walking around the mall at the same time. I know its nothing, just one of those things we noticed when first watching it.

Festival of justice, cleansing dance
Bo and Roy keenly sense the bigotry and worthlessness of the common man and his passive acceptance of this material society. Their experience from school revealed to them the hypocrocy of an education to prepare them for slavery, the nausious realization that most people worship malls and Chinese manufactured trinkets. Bo and Roy bided their time in high school. They rejected all forms of worthless mainstream social activities and adorned themselves in the mantle of plain t-shirts and worn blue jeans. But their moment finally came. They graduated from high school and they took their message to the general populace. A message of judgement, violence, and retribution. A cleansing of the trash people and a celebration of their new faith and power. The raghead at the service station, beaten by his own pump handle was a collage of brutality and purity that resonated with all believers. The babbling, impotent, old lady callously and casually missiled with a beer bottle to the head merged violence and humor in a tapestry of genuine lust for life. As in all dramatic tragedies, our heroes find their last stand in between the worthless, plastic walls of a shopping mall. The cold, bleak walls of a contrived world where mindless fools pilgrim to worship at the alter of the Gap and eat the manna of Mrs. Fields. Bo became the sacrifice at our plastic alter. He never wavered and his passion resonates long after the closing credits. Your life is incomplete and impoverished without the experience of this grand film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A quirky and sneakily funny delight from the mid-'70s, this oddball comedy stars Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston as a pair of modern cattle rustlers who have targeted a local rancher--and then steal his herd one cow at a time. The rancher (Clifton James)