Reviews (12)

"Teachers" is for teachers
This movie is for and about teachers. "Teachers" lampoons a typical overcrowded urban high school and the group of burned-out, misfit teachers who work there. The school is being sued for graduating a student who can't read, and school administrators are more concerned about preserving the supposed-credibility of their school than with correcting the problem which led to the lawsuit.

Nick Nolte plays Alex, a former idealist who has grown bitter and cynical over the years. As the movie begins, he is a drunken womanizer who may or may not show up to class. He has been allowed to continue his dysfunctional ways because his behavior fits in with that of the other teachers. All this begins to change when his deposition for the lawsuit is taken by an attorney and former student whose life he had touched. She is appalled at his loss of ideals and challenges him to again make a difference in students' lives. When his interest in teaching reawakens, his attitude becomes a problem for the administration in their quest to squelch the lawsuit. They turn on him and try to make him a scapegoat for the school's numerous problems.

Many of the characters in "Teachers" are recognizable as people we have all known:

School Board Member - An overbearing bureaucrat whose main emphases are compliance and minimization of bad publicity.

Principal - A complete airhead whose most common response to any question is "I don't know". He hides in his office most of the time and defers all decisions to the assistant principal.

Assistant principal - A capable educator and former idealist who has become bitter and cynical over the years. His current emphasis is to survive each day with the fewest number of casualties. In the end, he conspires to make his friend Alex a scapegoat in the lawsuit in order to preserve the school's dismal status quo.

School secretary - A capable and unflappable matron who (along with the assistant principal) keeps the school running.

School psychologist - She's the craziest person on staff. In the opening scene, she goes nuts and attacks another teacher in the office in full view of students and faculty.

Gym teacher - Has a long history of having sex with students and getting them pregnant. He is passed from school to school by the school district to conceal his crime.

"Ditto" - A burned-out teacher who mimeographs worksheets for his students so that they can quietly work while he sits at the back of the room reading the newspaper. His proudest accomplishment is getting the award for "Most Orderly Classroom" several years in a row. He ends up dying behind his newspaper during class and no one even notices.

The school's best teacher - Richard Mulligan plays an escaped lunatic who masquerades as a teacher until he is caught. No one ever asks to see his credentials. In a short period he becomes the school's most beloved and most effective teacher. The unspoken message here might be that you'd have to be crazy to become a teacher.

Teacher union rep - A whining weasel who passes himself off as the teachers' best friend, but shamelessly sells Alex out in exchange for a meaningless concession from the school board.

This film is not an indictment against teachers per-se. Rather, it is an indictment against a community that would allow such an educational system to exist. Parent and community apathy seem to be the culprits here.

Consider how parents are portrayed in the film: First we learn of the parents who filed the lawsuit around which the film revolves. It is apparent they were less concerned about their son's education than about the money and/or notoriety to be gained from the lawsuit. (Surely they must have known their son couldn't read prior to graduation). Later we meet a set of divorcing parents who are more concerned about antagonizing each other than about meeting their son's needs. When Alex tries to help their talented-but-misguided son, they converge on the school to thwart his efforts. These are not the actions of parents concerned about education.

Community apathy has allowed the school system to become more concerned about its image than with education, which leaves teachers caught hopelessly in the middle. Without the support of parents, the school board, or the teachers union, they languish. It could happen anywhere, despite our obligation as a society to prevent it.

"Teachers" has a B-movie feel and the writing could be better. But it conveys a powerful message and is particularly interesting to teachers who can see some reality in it.

Duality and Star Power
< Teachers > is criticized in these reviews for the very duality that makes it so much like reality. There are true tragedies, and truly comedic moments, that occur in back-to-back moments in an everyday high school. There are also a batch of famous people in the film.

The movie is more like reality than most movies of its era, and is tedious for people not in the education industry or paying close enough attention to understand what is going on. It is funny, then poignant, then exasperating and finally hopeful. Christopher Plummer, the crazy-but-outstanding teacher, is truly inspiring, while whatzisname, the Vice Principal, is the self-serving authority figure we all love to hate. Other teachers are lampooned just like the characters one would expect to find in a more gothic version of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

But real high school IS duality-- the juxtaposition of the giddy, the outlandish, the hypothetical and the grim, played out all day long.

Nolte and Williams play the dual sides of the stereotypical teachers who are in the middle, trapped somewhere between hope and desperation as they try to do their best with what they have. They give good performances, but it's only the teachers in the audience that can fully identify with how the characters must truly feel. In my opinion, it's a film that's more or less an inside joke-- written by teachers and school board members, for themselves.

Ralph Maccio plays his Outsiders character, more or less, which was no stretch for him despite the fact that he was about 24 years old when the film was shot.

I haven't seen the film since Columbine. It would be interesting to go back and view it from a more modern perspective.

mediocre at best
This movie had promise but something was just OFF thoughout it. Something just wasn't quite where it should have been. not a bad film, but certainly one you can skip.

great extras
The "stars" in this film are the extras, especially the tall guy of the two who come to take away the "crazy" substitute. Does anyone know his name? Has he appeared in anything else?

Just misses the mark.
This film has the ability and the drive to be a serious wake-up call for parents, teachers, and students. Unfortunatly, it jumps from drama to comedy so much that you feel that the producers-writers-directors have long gave up on the film or at least can't make up their minds. Don't get me wrong, there is a messege to be heard here, but the writers can't seem to hit it on the head, just what they want to say. A quick example would be when the school is raided by the police, and they conduct a search of all the lockers. A clearly mentally disturbed student (played wonderfully by Crispen Glover) is shot for trying to remove a gun from his locker. Instead of going with this impact for a while and trying to get into the other character's head, the film quickly jumps to comedy by the next scene. And that's the end of that. The school is being sued by an ex-student who graduated without learning to read. It is an honest and hard look at our education sysytem, and again, the politics that get in the way. Nolte is outstanding as always, as is Judd Hirsh in a strong post Taxi role. The problem is: How can viewers take "Teachers" seriously when we feel that the filmmakers themselves don't? ... Read more

Description

An aging folk singer who has passed the peak of his popularity takes one last stab at regaining his superstardom. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Not too bad
This really isn't bad for someone who has never written a screenplay before, but if you don't like the style of music in the movie (which is pretty much "Paul Simon after 1970" style) there isn't much in this movie for you. A lot of his songs really do lack a hook, as one of the characters in the movies said, and this movie is categorized as a musical, which means the songs Jonah plays with his band fill up the majority of the time. I do have to credit Paul for the acting. He doesn't deserve an Academy Award but he wasn't bad at all. Overall this is a mediocre movie but if you're a Paul Simon fan and have 100 minutes to spare I'd say this is definitely worth one viewing.

Paul's not a "One Trick Pony"
Paul Simon's venture into movie-making with "One Trick Pony" is very good. I'll qualify this review by admitting I am a very big Paul Simon fan, and I believe that it shades my rating here. If I weren't a Paul Simon fan, I might be less inclined to give it such a high rating.

The movie is based on the fictional musician Jonah Levin, a folk music singer-songwriter from the 60s, still trying to make a career of music in the early 80s. Jonah's biggest hit, the war protest "Soft Parachutes," is his one trick, and everywhere he goes, it's the only song his audience knows or wants to hear, despite his insistence in not playing it. Jonah struggles with who he is, his relationship with his wife and won, being in a band, and the music industry in general.

A lot of fans have theorized that this is Paul's "what if," what might have been had Simon and Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence" been there one hit. Certainly, there are a lot of parallels between Paul and Jonah, and it's an interesting perspective on the movie.

Plenty of good music is in this movie, too. Not only does Paul put out a great album with a great band (playing themselves in the movie), with songs like "Late in the Evening," "Jonah," and "Ace in the Hole," but there are some notable appearances by other bands in the movie (Lovin' Spoonful, B-52's, etc.) In fact, you would be remiss to get the movie and not the album.

It's a very good movie, especially if you like Paul Simon. It has some interesting thoughts on people coming of age and struggling with their careers and relationships, as well as a scathing look at the music industry, as they continually try to shape Jonah and his music into what they want. If you're a fan of Paul, this is a must-have.

All time favorite
A fogotten classic. I saw this movie as a 16 year old, and loved it immediately. My copy of the soundtrack was worn out during my college years. It really gave me a good view of the life of the replaced artist, someone not at the top of their game anymore, but stil knowing they can contribute. Some great lines, including the dead rock stars game, Jonah with the groupie, and others. Don't forget this is also the last filmed performance of the Lovin' Spoonful. Also, Douglas Adams put the soundtrack as a "thank you" in one of the Hitchhiker books, saying it played constantly in his house while writing his books.

See how they shine on stage
Sure, I can see why this movie flopped commercially. Paul failed to demonstrate as an appealing actor, which nobody ever hoped he would be. I felt high with music scenes and low with non-music scenes. But I still thoroughly enjoyed seeing Paul performing with Big Apple's top jazz musicians. Most of the songs he contributed for the movie were also fitting to the respective scene. This video, nonetheless, is recommended only to devoted fans of Paul Simon and STUFF, which I was.

Great Movie
I absolutely loved(!!) One Trick Pony. It contained all elements of a great movie; a good cast, wonderful writing, and a believable plot. This movie is definitely something to add to your movie collection...especially if you're a Paul Simon fan like me!! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Good movie, but not quite as good as the book. . .
As with the first Black Stallion movie, I probably would have liked this one better if I hadn't read the book first. There are lots of things that are changed -- for example, the setting for the Black's home is changed to North Africa instead of Saudi Arabia, and Alec ends up going off on the journey by himself, instead of with Henry and Mr. Volence, the owner of one of the horses who ran against Alec in the match race. But these are changes I can handle. The one thing that really irks me is the way Abu Ishak was portrayed. In the book, Abu Ishak was a pretty nice guy. He offered Alec a reward when he came to claim the Black -- legally and tactfully -- and understood how much Alec loved the Black. When Alec and his travelling companions find Abu Ishak's home, Abu Ishak warmly welcomes them. In the film, however the same character is a total jerk. He ruthlessly snatches the Black away after setting the Ramsay's barn on fire to create a diversion, and even ties Alec up at the pier to stop him from following them. And when Alec treks all the way across the desert to find him, Abu Ishak only allows Alec to stay after Alec coerces him into it by appealing to his conscience. Only at the end at the film does he show something resembling kindness. The ending in the film was OK, but I like the book's ending better, when Ishak promises Alec the Black's first colt. I suppose the directors wanted to make sure there wouldn't be another sequel. Cass-Ole's presence was about the only thing that made this film very appealing. I give it two stars.

The Black returns to his homeland.
I watched this movie in the theater when it first came out. It was a great movie. I cried when Abu ben Ishak claimed the stallion from Alec, while Alec was trying to encourage the stallion to gallop away, who refused to move. The book is much different from the movie but both book and movie are great to read and to watch. I would have liked to see Abu go to Alec's home and explain about Shetan(the Black's true Arabian name) being his and that the stallion was stolen from him. (somewhat similar to what the book did.) Instead they had them kidnap the stallion, wrong thing to do, if Alec was smart he would have turned back to the cops that must have been at the house while the barn was burning down and told them that someone was stealing his horse. But he didn't. What he did was run after the thieves and get into the trailer with the Black. But they must have stopped once or twice on the way to the waterfront werehouse. Alex could have easily have escaped with the Black before they reached the werehouse. The whole movie was great, a few things were not by the book but I guess that's how Hollywood wanted the movie to be. I still love both movie and book.

Not up to the original, but not bad for younger viewers
Certainly this is a far cry from the magnificent, magical dream-poem that is the original Black Stallion movie. More of a standard animal/adventure film for younger viewers and if you think about it that way, it's not too bad. Most of the original cast (except Mr. Rooney) return and it was made in a timely enough way that Kelly Reno is still relatively young and charming -- a really non-actorish child actor and part of the whole appeal. I read both books as a little tyke, but didn't remember the second book too well. It seems to me that many of the details were changed but the general idea of the Black being kidnapped back to his original home in an Arabic country is retained.

Alec's adventures chasing his horse are appealing and interesting, and so is the climactic race at the end. But the story just peters out, and we never see Alec return home or what he does without his beloved horse now. (You do have to wonder in a kid's film why there is no resolution with his poor mom (Terri Garr), who had to be frantic when her young son mysteriously disappears for about three months.)

I applied the "11 year old girl who is horse crazy" test to this film, and decided it would definitely pass. That is who it is really made for, despite the male protagonist (and there is a girl rider in the plot, although she gets the heave-ho in favor of the hero). And that girl (me, about a million years ago) would have enjoyed this, although not as much as the original. It would have held my attention and I would have wanted to view it several times.

If your children loved the first film, this much more prosaic sequel would probably be of interest. Just don't expect great art.

The Stallion Returns!!!
Four years after the first film, l983 would usher in this sequel to the The Black Stallion, and Kelly Reno would once again be the one who rescues the Arabian stallion from other thrilling captivities. There are more horses, exotic locations, and thrilling plots here than meets the eye, and the story gets so much better. But of course, it is "Cass-ole" who steals the show - the beautiful black Arabian stallion.

A might fine sequel to a great original film. Highly recommended!!!

one of my favorite all time movies!!!
the black stallion is one of the most magnificent creatures i have ever seen and the desert scenery is quite spectacular in this film... does anyone know how i can get a hold of the music, even just sheet music to this film? it's so beautiful... ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Not in this lifetime........PERFECT!
Those were the words that Jay Trotter(Dreyfus)read aloud from the Daily Racing Form about the winning chances of a horse named Charity. This is a been-there-and-you'll-laugh-yourself-silly movie if there ever was one. Go to the racetrack for a day, and you'll see every one of the characters portrayed in this movie, from Cheeseburger, the Hawaiian shirted gambler who knows nothing about handicapping and bets inside tips, to the bookie Lufkin, there collecting money from deadbeats and doctors alike. Based on the book "Good Vibes", this is a non-stop, always entertaining comedy that gives every track goer the incentive to try it one more time. Dreyfus portrays Jay Trotter, a down on his luck cab driver that has given up gambling in order to keep his perilous relationship with his wife (Terri Garr) together. His buddy Looney, also a cab driver played by David Johanssen, is prominent in this film as a born loser who records a conversation taking place in the back seat of his cab stating "The only way Charity can lose is if she's struck by lightning in the starting gate." Jennifer Tilly shows up in all her splendor and beauty as ditzy arm candy for a gambling, middle-aged, business owner who raises the price on the envelopes he sells according to the success he's had at the track that particular week. Tilly's character describes him best, "Herbie is rich." Add to the cast Michelle Phillips as a man-chasing soon to be widow, and run of luck that Trotter can't explain and you have the ingredients of a comedy that you won't soon forget. Get the video, already!

When a Loser can't stop Winning
I'd heard there were problems with the making of this comedy and it slipped in and out of theatres without much notice. I remember seeing the trailer and thinking that the movie looked terrible.
Then I saw it was based on a Jay Cronley novel.

If you've never read a Jay Cronley novel, find one: he has a hilarious writing style that can't be transferred to a movie screen. He wrote FUNNY FARM (made into the Chevy Chase movie) and QUICK CHANGE (with Bill Murray). The perfect John Candy role can be found in WALKING PAPERS but, sadly, John's gone. And then there's GOOD VIBES, which became LET IT RIDE.

This is a funny, funny movie. It takes the seedy setting of a horse track and fills it with hilarious characters all trying to make that winning bet. Richard Dreyfus gives an energetic performance as Jay Trotter, a loser who, for one day, just can't stop winning.

Give this underrated gem a shot. If you connect with it, then it's a winning bet.

We love the longshots
Is it possible that no one rated this film less than five stars? If you watch this movie, you'll see why. LET IT RIDE is one of those quiet sleepers that, at first, attracted a very narrow audience. When it premiered, and when it was released on video, no one I had asked had known of the film's existence. Now, more and more people are asking me if I have. I smugly say, "You bet!" (Bad pun intended.) This is one of those tightly-scripted, perfectly-acted, beautifully paced comedies that make you wish more like this were made. Put your money on the right pony and pick this one up. Sorry, Smarty Jones.

Let It Ride
If you like a punt- this is a must see. It has been surpassed by no other punting video ever made.

Wonderful !!
An amusing, funny film about a guy who is "having a very good day" ! You will not regret picking this DVD up, it's a great Sunday afternoon, laying on the couch film. It will put a few smiles on your face...:+) ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The "lost" sleeper hit of 1980 has since become one of the most revered cult movies of all time, largely due to its bawdy, irreverent story about the art and artifice of filmmaking and an outrageously clever performance by Peter O'Toole. As megalomaniacal film director Eli Cross, O'Toole plays a larger-than-life figure whose ability to manipulate reality is like a power-trip narcotic. The focus of his latest mind game is a fugitive (Steve Railsback) recruited to replace a stuntman killed during a recent on-set accident. In return for protective sanctuary, the fugitive takes a crash course in stunt work but soon discovers that he's the paranoid player in a game he can't control, with the dictatorial director making up the rules. Or is he? The Stunt Man is a game of its own, played through the fantasy of filmmaking, and half the fun of watching the movie comes from sharing the stuntman's paranoid confusion. Barbara Hershey has a smart, sexy supporting role as a lead actress who won't submit to her director's seemingly devious behavior; but it's clearly O'Toole who steals the show. Director Richard Rush adds to the movie's maverick appeal--in a career plagued by struggles against the mainstream studio system, Rush hasn't made a better movie before or since. The Stunt Man clearly represents the potential of his neglected talent. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (46)

If God could do the things we do ...
... he'd be a happy man!
I just finished watching the DVD of "The Stunt Man." It's still a smart, amazing, funny, scary, exhilirating experience. This is what great movie making (and great acting) is all about. Richard Rush's direction, the acting from Peter O'Toole and the rest, the terrific screenplay, the great music ... it's just ... perfect. As fresh now as the day it rolled out of the camera.
It's a shame Rush hasn't been able to make more films, but with this classic to his credit he can rest assured that his place in cinema history is complete. Thanks, Mr. Rush!
And Peter O'Toole ... nothing will top his work in "Lawrence of Arabia," but this comes darned close. Eli Cross is the classic "film director as god." O'Toole makes him more than just a petty movie-set tyrant. Cross is sly, witty, mysterious and all-knowing. He's frightening but fascinating. You wouldn't want to introduce him to your mother but you would want to take him out to dinner just to listen to him spin his stories. When he descends from above in his camera crane you'll begin to think he's god incarnate ... just as the stunt man does.
And the plot? That's what made "The Stunt Man" such a hard sell to the movie studios and what makes it a classic. What is reality and what isn't? Are we in control of our lives or aren't we? How do we know what's really going on and what it all means? Is Eli trying to kill the stunt man or just trying to finish his movie on time?
Anchor Bay's DVD transfer is superb. The "Limited Edition" includes Rush's documentary on the making the film. Don't miss it!
If you've never seen this film, get it FAST and enjoy! If you haven't seen it in a while, rediscover why it's so great.
Amen!

Lost Classic!
Most films that rely heavily on stunts don't provide much of interest in between the airbag falls and vehicle pile-ups - Hooper, Cannonball Run, The Blues Brothers and their ilk being prime examples, and even the revered likes of Bullitt tend to sag a bit when the protagonists get out of the car. Fortunately this overlooked gem manages to mix stops-out stunt sequences with a borderline-pretentious paranoia plot to cover all bases with ease. Jobbing greenhorn Steve Railsback gets a job in the stunt team of Peter O'Toole's director's World War One action romance, falls for the leading lady, has his every waking moment interrupted by O'Toole on an ace crane-mounted director's chair, and finally takes on the escape from a sinking car stunt that killed his predecessor. There's plenty of elementary-grade symbolism thrown at it (O'Toole's messianic character is called Eli Cross, in true ramming-the-point-home style), and the whole "What is reality after all? Eh? Think about it" ethos of the film won't impress everyone, but it's all done with a light touch, and you really won't see anything like this anywhere else, and the set-pieces, particularly the rooftop gun battle and aerial dogfight, are brilliantly staged.

One of the top cult movies from the eighties!
Through this clever , ingenious script , the brilliant film maker Richard Rush (nominated as best director in 1980) made a emblematic and glorious film for those people who wante to taste something different . Built as a smart chines puzzle , a man suddenly in a location film and the delicate boundaries between the reality and the fiction are broken . Under this perspective the viewer is challenged moment by moment and obilgated to establish who is who and what is what . Think that you are in a mirror hall (Lady of Shangai's ending sequence) and try to find the object and not confuse with its image .
Link this premise with another two film made in the sixties (Blow up of Antonioni)and Belle de jour (Luis Buñuel) and more recently Parole des enfants (1995) Open you eyes (Alejandro Amenábar 1997) or The rules of engagement (William Friedkin 2000) and you'll be rewarded by that intelligent plot , loaded with thrills, chills, suspense , riddles and surprises , plus an outstanding cast: Peter O'Toole (nominated as best actor in 1980 for this performance) and Hershey .
I'm absolutely convinced since the moment you watch this film , it will become one of your timeless and favorites films.
The doubt for acquire this film never must prevail in your mind even for a second.

o'toole should have gotten the oscar
this is a marvellous cult classic and has three fabulous performances in the vastly underrated barbara hershey and steve railsback.
of course the main thing here is o'toole. this and my favorite year were made close together and amounted to nothing less than a 'comeback' for the actor.
unfortunatley hollwood hasnt made such excellent use of o'toole since then but its a proud spot on this wonderful actors resume

DIDN'T FLIP MY MINNOW
Don't get me wrong. This is not a bad movie. It just doesn't compare to Citizen Kane in innovation. Really, some LA Times reporter wrote that! I guess I'm supposed to watch this numerous times, but it just wasn't that interesting to me. Where's the innovation? The crane?(Golly gee Cletus, I never seen a crane that big before) The reflected faces? The cliched lines of the Vietnam Vet? Then there is that quote that's always bandied about, "You're an actor playing a stuntman playing an actor..." I understand what he is saying, it's just not very pithy.

I kept waiting for the big suprise, the part of the movie that floored me. It never came. I wasn't drawn into an anti-reality, didn't see a dual reality and did not see any allegory. To some reviewers this is the greatest film ever. There's a guy at DVD Verdict who wrote that this film changed the way he looked at movies. I didn't see that. I watched a movie, that while good, was not thought provoking. I suppose I should watch it again, but it just didn't flip my minnow. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Babs and Segal charm in dated romantic comedy.
Way back in 1970, Barbra Streisand paired with George Segal in this sleazier than Neil Simon,opposites attract, romantic comedy, written by Buck Henry based on a play by Bill Manhoff.. While Owl and the Pussycat is far better than your average romantic comedy (just try the 'Touch of Class' movies today for instance), the film is little more than an unrealistic, though entertaining sit-com.

Barbra Streisand risked a lot by playing Doris, a slutty, gutter talking (more rude than crude) part-time prostitute who is 'an actress with three, well two commercials' to her name. This was a far cry from the beloved Funny Girl or Broadway Diva who starred on T.V. specials the audiences accepted. George Segal is Felix, the overly nervous intellectual struggling writer. They live in the same apartment building. [...] About halfway through the film, the film gets a bit more serious and we learn a little more about the characters. This is not a utter fantasy type film like say Pretty Woman, but the characters are clearly not particularly realistic either.

The film is a relic of its era and perhaps a bit more interesting now because of that. Streisand appearing as a prostitute in skimpy outfits (you'll perhaps remember the lingerie with the strategically placed pink hand silhouettes when you see it from the old poster for this film). Streisand proved with her thicker than usual Bronx accent, and her portrayal of a risqué character that she had talent as an actress/comedian and there was more to her than Funny Girl. George Segal is at his best. His reactions, comic timing and slow burn frustrations are amusing and very entertaining to watch.

Robert Klein pops up as Barney, a friend of Segal's Felix (and his girlfriend is none other than former Ivory Soap star turn porn star Marilyn Chambers), and there's Allan Garfield as a manager of a dress shop and Jacques Sandulescu as the cranky apartment manager/super, but this is almost entirely a two character film and the charisma and talent of Segal and Streisand carry the picture easily. Don't expect Streisand to break out singing--she doesn't warble a note in character here in this movie.

PC WARNING: When Doris first meets Felix she insists he's gay and continually taunts him for being a weak gay man. The sensitive among you may find the dated, insensitive and not politically correct references more insulting than funny.

NOTE: This is the re-released PG rated film which is two minutes shorter then the original R rated film that was released in 1970. Barbra says the F word in the original, but does not do so here and there was also a few other cuts for language (and one peek-a-boo revealing shot of
Bab's anatomy now excised). A bit of a cheat to release the re-release of the film without a note or explanation about it.

In the end of course the film doesn't stray very far from the formula of your typical Doris Day/ Rock Hudson film. Eventually the characters reveal their softer sides to each other but the film doesn't let itself get too soppy.

If you like the stars at all you'll want to see the film, but even if you aren't a fan of Streisand, she's playing an interesting bigger than life character here worth taking a look at , particularly if you like plays and films like Barefoot in the Park or The Odd Couple.

DVD STUFF

The film is presented in 1:85:1 Anamorphic widescreen of you can watch a pan and scan version as well (don't). The film has been digitally remastered from an excellent print that has only occasional specks of grain and a few scratches. The colors look good, the black levels are strong and very little edge enhancement is visible.

The Audio is Dolby Digital Mono, (in both English and French.). The over-lapping dialogue is easy to hear and the dialogue, sparse sound effects and background music is sharp and free from distortion or signs of age.

EXTRAS:

The only extra feature on the DVD are three theatrical trailers for The Mirror has Two Faces (a bad Streisand film), For Pete's Sake (a forced dated Streisand comedy) and Roxanne (the Steve Martin romantic comedy). No trailer for Owl and the Pussycat however.

There are the not quite complete filmographies of the director and stars, and lots of different subtitle choices.

This is a no frills DVD.

bottom line:

Here's a slightly risqué and racy romantic comedy sit-com feature film relic from 1970. It's dated but if you have any affection for either one of the stars or have forgotten that Diva Barbra is actually a pretty impressive actress when she wants to be, there's a lot to encourage you to give this film a try. The film boasts many funny one-liners and director Herb Ross never lets things get too soppy. The DVD looks and sounds very good but there are no extras..

Christopher Jarmick, is the author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder a critically acclaimed, steamy suspense thriller.

I'm with the critics -- DON'T CUT IT!!
Enough reviewers have groused that the verdict is in -- The Owl and the Pussycat WAS a classic that rocked, until the idiot Babs and the Columbia scissor boys got hold of it. If I were Buck Henry, I'd be angry. The majority of people who would be interested in this film ALREADY SAW IT in our relative youth. That means we saw Babs nude and we heard the "F" word that had everyone talking, as she tells off a bunch of moochers. More than a few of us need to give Columbia a piece of our minds. This is unconscionable. The nude scene was NOT destroyed, it was BLOCKED from the collar bone down (she was laying in Barney's bed, asking "Whatdaya think?" just before Felix joined her. It still exists in the vault. I own a copy with the "F" word intact, and in context, it only makes it funny. COLUMBIA, NOW HEAR THIS: GIVE US THIS FILM IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM, OR GIVE US NOTHING!!

OWL & THE PUSSYCAT DVD CENSORED???
Finally, one of the funniest STREISAND films Comes to DVD, unfortunately in a PG-EDITED version! Why can't Columbia picture heads let us decide what we can and cannot see? I own the almost unedited R rated VHS copy, and waited for years for it's widescreen DVD debut. Much to my dismay, it finally comes out EDITED!!!! WHY??? Because i wanted the widescreen version i plopped down my $25.00 for it anyway. Transfer is great and i highly recommend this DVD if you don't mind Corporate Censorship! Shame on Columbia Pictures DVD, do they honestly think someone underage will shell out for a movie they probably never heard of?

"The sun does not spit!"
One of the most hilarious films ever made, THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT has more laughs than ten of today's so-called "comedies" combined. Even though a few set changes and a couple of new supporting characters are added to "open up" the storyline, director Herbert Ross and writer Buck Henry manage to keep the same spirit of the original one-act, two-character play intact. There's a lot of verbal warfare in Henry's screenplay, and he seems to have a gift for penning wickedly funny dialogue. Some viewers could argue that THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT is little more than two characters insulting each other for 95 minutes, but - when those insults are so rigorously funny - who cares?

In the female lead, Barbra Streisand gives a refreshingly unsentimental performance as Doris, the semi-literate hooker who (for once) does not have a heart of gold. George Segal was primarily known as a dramatic actor befre he was cast as Felix, the snotty book clerk/writter-wannabe. His performance is so convincing that he has been known as an expert comic ever since. The chemistry between Streisand and Segal ignites from the beginning, and it stays aflame throughout their relationship's many ups and downs. Robert Klien has a funny supporting role - and plays it expertly - but THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT remains a showcase for the chemistry between Streisand and Segal. I think well-respected film critic Pauline Kael said it best when she wrote, "Were Tracy and Hepburn ever this good. . . maybe, but they were never better." High praise indeed!

About the DVD: This relatively featureless DVD has excellent picture quality (I wish all films from the seventies looked this good), but I am very disappointed that Columbia chose to use the PG edit of the film for this release. Though only one scene was edited, that particular scene no longer makes any apparent sense with Streisand's foul-mouthed phrase deleted. Hopefully the original theatrical cut will someday make it's way to DVD

The Owl and The Pussy Cat w/Barbara Streisand
This movie is a classic. Very funny worth buying especially at Amason' prices a must see for all Barbara Streisand fans. It will have u rolling on the floor with laughter ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Ignore any bad reviews for "Irreconcilable Differences"
Although slow at times Irreconcilable Differences is an involving film. It's very funny at times and also very touching too. To me it's an epic divorce movie with a knock out performance from Shelley Long. The scene when Long tells Ryan O'neal, "You look like a rat!" (while throwing a book at him).. is priceless. There are a number of scenes that are just as funny. The story is about a young girl (Drew Barrymore a few years after E. T.) that wants to divorce her very self-centered, career busy parents (Long & O'Neal). After I finished watching the movie I had the desire to see a few other Shelley Long classic's.. "Hello Again", "Troop Beverly Hills", & "The Money Pit" all came to mind. Who would have thought I'd be having a Shelley Long-athon this week? The film also stars Sharon Stone in her film debut.4 stars.

Good!
I saw this movie on cable when my parents still had HBO and though I thought it was a cute movie to watch once I'm glad I didn't go to see it when it was in the movie theaters and pay movie theater prices for it but it was enjoyable for a one time viewing and it had a great cast including Drew Barrymore when she was still a child actor and Ryan O'Neil and Shelley Long who I have always thought were both very underrated actors. The movie was for the most part enjoyable but was kind of dull in spots.

Sign of the times
Looking back on the era, this movie found a niche among those of us whose parents divorced in the late 70's and early 1980's. While the situation of the two parents(Long & O'Neal) and their subsequent divorce was definitely "Hollywood" the underlying root causes for the break-up were what many of us children in the 80's were facing as are children still to this day.

As divorce has sadly become more "mainstream" I think this movie still touches on the fact that many parents are continuously wrapped up in their own feelings and needs than those of their children. Perhaps watching "Irreconcilable Differences" should be part of a prerequisite for couples considering having or adopting children.

should be a must-see for all divorcing couples
"Irreconcilable Differences" is a small, simple film with a message. Don't pull your children into your troubles! Drew Barrymore plays Casey, a precocious nine year old who decides to divorce her self-absorbed parents after years of being used as a pawn in their bitter feuding. Casey sits on the sidelines watching her parents' love and lives deteriorate and the story is told through flashbacks during testimony in court. There are some funny moments in the film (such as a cocky young starlet's talentless singing about the Civil War), but the whole general effect is very sobering. One particularly poignant note is the parallels that can be made between the film and Drew Barrymore's own childhood. The scene where she sneakily downs a glass of champagne while sitting ignored at her father's New Year's Eve party takes on particular meaning when viewed against her own much publicized battles with youthful addiction. In the end, the film should be made required viewing at divorce cases where children are involved.

Boring!
I have always been a fan of Drew Barrymore and I have liked all of her movies that I have seen but I didn't like Irreconcilable Differences, the movie definitely had potential but I found it instead to be boring and it wasted the talents of Drew Barrymore, Shelley Long, Ryan O'Neal and Sharon Stone, and the sight of Sharon Stone's character with her hairy armpits is enough to make you want to hurl! This is definitely a movie I don't want to see again or have in my video or DVD collection! ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Robert Altman's great masterpiece of the American Experience
I recently rewatched this film for the first time in a long, long time, and was amazed at how much better it was than I remembered. Moreover, I remembered it as being very, very good. In this film, director Robert Altman tracks the interweavings of over twenty major characters over the course of a few days in Nashville. Some of the characters are major Country-Western performers, and others are mere wannabes. All is set against the background of a mysterious third party presidential candidate for the Replacement Party, whose cars and vans drive around the city, broadcasting his commonsensical yet superficial political messages.

Altman has always excelled more than anyother director with ensemble casts, and this is the greatest example of that in his career. No one cast member predominates. Ronee Blakley probably should have won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but was hurt by Lily Tomlin's also being nominated. Lily Tomlin and Henry Gibson's performances were both completely unexpected at the time, since both were considered television comedians and had been regulars on Rowan and Martin's Laugh In. But truly, none of the cast members were weak, and most were exceptional. Keenan Wynn was superb as Mr. Green, whose wife is dying of cancer in the film. But the true star of the film is Altman, who is utterly masterful in the way he brings his characters into contact with one another, like a dance director choreographing an immense ballet. One becomes accustomed to seeing all the same faces in one scene or event after another, and for some odd recent it doesn't strike one as at all coincidental. I especially enjoyed seeing Jeff Goldblum's nonspeaking character The Tricycle Man popping up in scene after scene on his triwheel chopper that seems more a parody of EASY RIDER than an imitator.

The movie is laced with songs, and what makes them special is the fact that everyone did their own singing and most wrote the songs that they sang. Keith Carradine especially distinguished himself with two great songs, "I'm Easy, " which actually netted the Academy Award that year for best song, and the rousing closing number, "It Don't Bother Me." To be honest, while most of the singers are at least competent (except for the intentionally awful Sueleen Gay, heartbreakingly portrayed by the excellent Gwen Welles), few are truly first rate. The two great exceptions are Ronee Blakley, who manages an utterly stunning Loretta Lynn impersonation, and the improbably spectacular (in the context of the movie) Barbara Harris, whose unexpected rendition of "It Don't Worry Me" provides one of the movie's more amazing moments. Some real Nashville musicians turn up as well. In particular, Vassar Clements, considered by many to be the greatest country fiddler, turns up in a Nashville music club as himself.

The movie has many subtle things to say about celebrity and politics, and the ongoing confusion of the two (brought out powerfully by the ending, in which an entertainer rather than a political figure is assasinated, and by the fact that one person is mentioned as a gubernatorial candidate, when his only qualification would seem to be that he was a singer). But the movie has broader appeal than just of the Country Music Capital of America. The film intends to be about America itself. It truly does succeed in being an epic about the American experience. A great, great masterpiece.

One of the 70's greatest films and that's saying a lot!
I am waiting for a better DVD version with more extras and 1:85 ratio 2:35 is too small for me. I do own the video and I have no idea how many times I have watched this movie. It's almost worn out. If you are looking for a movie about country music this isn't it. It's about the way we were living and what was going on in the world and our country in the 70's. Yes I am old enough to remember! It is a film that most people seem to really love or really hate. I love it! Great cast! I am a huge Lily Tomlin fan and she is is wonderful in this film, but so is the rest of the cast. The 70's had some of the greatest films ever made this is one of the best!

The real Nashville?
Does this movie portray the real Nashville? I don't know; I don't work in the music industry. However, something tells me that this movie really does portray the real Nashville. It portrays people of mediocre talent; people who think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. Some of the lyrics are so corn-ball they make you squirm with embarrassment, for example, "My mommy and daddy, my Idaho home".

American Life as a microcosm
An astonishing film, rich in satire and brilliantly executed. Altman manages to weave so many subplots and characters seamlessly. One of his crowning achievements. I still don't understand the negative reviews.

What we should mean by patriotism
Robert Altman's 1975 picture remains as enigmatic as ever. The film has a huge cast of 24 actors, most of who appear in only brief scenes with few other characters. Add to this the fact that many of the lines are delivered in a flat or even seemingly improvised fashion, with a tendency for characters to interrupt and speak over each other, and it's easy to feel that the disparate characters are not connected to each other at all. This is Altman's intention though, because this film is about the hopes and ambitions of the individual within the larger society of bicentennial America.

And the plot does come together to some extent as we build to the final song, one of the most moving endings in film history in my opinion. The lyrics, sung by an unknown, interspersed with scenes of America's young in a melting pot American city, suggest a stoicism, perseverance (as one idol falls, another rises to replace her) and vitality. Even after Vietnam, Watergate, assassinations, and deep recession, crossroads America itself maintains hope and optimism. 'Nashville' suggests we are not such a young and homogenous country after all.

Among the individual islands the film explores, standouts are Ronee Blakey as the beautiful and intense but fragile diva, Hnry Gibson as the king of country, with political aspirations, and Lily Tomlin as a loving mother and gospel singer facing a marital crisis. The incredible fact that much of the music was written and performed, with little rehearsal, by many of the actors (Keith Carradine and Karen Black's musical performances are also noteworthy) lends a kind of democratic (for lack of a better word) authenticity to the film as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 1988 sequel to one of the most successful movies of all time finds Eddie Murphy reprising his role as Detroit police detective Axel Foley, and once again playing a fish out of water as he tries to solve a series of heists in Beverly Hills that may be connected to the attempted murder of his friend, a Beverly Hills police captain (Ronny Cox). Constructed in a much flashier and faster-paced visual style than the first film, the song still remains the same as Foley tries to keep his job in Detroit while solving crimes for the Beverly Hills cops. Murphy again makes the most of culture shock for comic effect, and the easy rapport between Murphy and Billy (Judge Reinhold), now a cheerfully over the top Rambo-esque figure, is still the centerpiece of this series. While not the least bit original, director Tony Scott (Crimson Tide, Top Gun) puts his own stamp on this installment and keeps the action and the laughs coming. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (26)

One Great Sequel
EDDIE MURPHY SHINES AGAIN IN THE 2ND INSTALLMENT OF THE BEVERLY HILLS COP TRILLOGY THE FILMS THAT MADE HIM A SUPERSTAR OF THE
80'S. AXEL FOLEY THE SMARTMOUTH FAST TALKING DETROIT COP IS
AGAIN IN BEVERLY HILLS INVESTIGATING A STRING OF PROFESSINAL
ROBBERIES THAT IS SOMEWHAT INVOLVED THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF
FOLEY'S FRIEND POLICE CHIEF BOGOMILL. THIS FILM IS MORE FAST
PACE AND HAS A LOT OF ACTION TO PLEASE ANY ACTION FAN. DIRECTOR
TONY SCOTT KEEPS THE ACTION & LAUGHS COMING AT A RAPID RATE.
BUT SOMEHOW THE ORIGINAL BEVERLY HILLS COP HAD MORE GENNUINE STYLE.

Murphy and Company Keep It In Check!
After the gargantuan success of "Beverly Hills Cop" it was inevitable that the executives at Paramount demand a sequel. So here you have it: "Beverly Hills Cop II," an unquestionably inferior sequel that still manages to be fun by rehashing some of the original's formula. The main problem with "Beverly Hills Cop II" is the fact that Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is now friendly with at least half of the Beverly Hills police force. Not so the case the first time around, since it was the very fact that he was unwelcome to begin with that made his tearing up of the culture the crucial crux of the comedy. Another weakness is the fact that this film's script places more focus on the action than it does on the laughs. This was a mistake for sure, since the comedy element is the original's greatest strength, as well as that of the cast. All is not lost however. This movie still manages to pull off some very funny gags thanks to the energy and timing of Murphy (still in his heyday) and of co-stars John Ashton and Judge Reinhold as the loveable Taggart and Rosewood. It is clear that the actors are enjoying these characters and it shows in their scenes together. There is a priceless moment at the Playboy Mansion featuring a cameo from Hefner himself. Interestingly enough, according to an included interview with Hef, this was the first time that he allowed a major motion picture to be shot on the infamous property. Most of the cast and crew are also interviewed as they look back on the making of what ended up being another major hit for Paramount in 1987.

Worthy of it's stars
Not as good as the first, but Good.

"Beverly Hills Cop" is back in business for sequel
Detriot cop Axel Foley returns to Beverly Hills to once again show "square" cops Rosewood and Taggert how real police work is done. This time, they're after a group of bank robbers known as "The Alphabet Bandits" who are responsible for shooting their boss. While this one is more dedicated to action than comedy (thanks to Top Gun director Tony Scott), Murphy is still in rare comedic form and manages to keep this sequel from being a waste of time. Too bad the same can't be said for the third entry in the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise. Number two is a bit of a rehash but seeing all the characters from the fist go-around (with the exception of Bronson Pinchot and Lisa Eilbacher) back in action makes it excuseable.

A Mess
Murphy should have held out. Not for more money but for a better script. BH2 is just dumb. Asinine plot and everything that was fresh and cool about the original is trotted out all over again. Lame. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A powerful and provocative film from the young De Palma
I saw both "Greetings" and "Hi, Mom!" back in the early 1970s at a college art theater, which was well before director Brian De Palma and actor Robert De Niro became big names. "Greetings" was De Palma's 1968 anti-war movie and "Hi, Mom!" was sort of intended as a sequel of sorts. In this 1970 film De Niro plays John Rubin, a Vietnam vet who returns from the war to settle in Greenwich Village. His big idea is to film the people in the apartment across the street and to sell Pepping Tom type films (where you even have to look through a the little windows in a little brick front to get the correct experience). Eventually John's obsession with making films gets him involved with a radical "Black Power" group. This results in two unforgettable sequences, the first involving what we would not call a Yuppie audience being subjected to urban guerrilla theater in the play "Be Black, Baby," and the second an act of urban terrorism that gives Jon a chance to say the film's title while smiling into a camera.

De Palma is clearly exploring the idea of breaking the barrier between actors and audience in the act of performance. I can appreciate this idea because every time I see theater in the round I keep watching the audience watching the play instead of just watching the play. Pay attention to De Palma's use of the split screen to explore the dual perspectives and get the audience watching the movie involved more involved in the equation as well. Repeatedly, it all comes down to point of view, meaning the point of view of the camera. This idea is reinforced by Jon, for whom life is not real unless it is on camera, a point most notably made in his sexual encounter with Judy (Jennifer Salt).

However, the most powerful part of this film is the "Be Black, Baby" sequences, and this is where you either find this film totally brilliant or grossly offensive. Throughout "Hi, Mom!" De Palma and De Niro have made the viewers party to Jon's voyeurism, albeit in more subtle ways than splatter flicks that let the audience see through the killer's eyes. Having persuaded (coerced?) us into this perspective, De Palma makes us pay for it in a most brutal manner. If you cannot appreciate the payoff of this sequence, and that could well be most of the people who bother to watch this film, then you are not going to be able to appreciate this film. But at the very least you should be able to understand not only what De Palma is doing, but why.

After that point the film section of the film seems quite anticlimactic. De Palma is trying to take his argument to the next level, but having been blown away by "Be Black, Baby," there is no way for the director and actor to top that moment. "Hi, Mom!" is a provocative film that provided me with one of the most memorable experiences in a movie theater that I have ever had. Watching this film again, this time knowing where De Palma and De Niro were taking me, really made me appreciate the purpose behind that powerful moment. Of course from the vantage point of today it is rather startling to compare this rather raw film with the slick Hollywood productions for which De Palma is best known, but this film is so powerful it is hard not to consider it his best work.

a trip out film
I was just gonna watch the film because I think RObert De Niro is one of the Greatest Actors Ever, but then the film takes on a behind the scenes of Being Black&that truly adds another factor to this film.it's a trip out film.

Hi, Bomb!
The most overlooked movie of the 1970's. Probably one of DePalma's best efforts. Also, a great example of DeNiro's early acting range. Funny, terrifying, brilliant. A great dissection of race issues, voyeurism, war, random violence, the family, and gender relations as well as a terrific homage to Hitchcock's Rear Window...

Strange Movie
Robert De Niro has played many odd ball characters in his day and perhaps none more so than Jon Rubin, in Brian De Palma's Hi,Mom! The movie begins with De Niro renting a run down apartment in the city where he can begin his new career. This career, he has decided, will be in the adult film industy. He tries to convinces a smut producer to give him a budget to film his neighbors in the buiding across from him. Eventually, he agrees so using a telephotolens De Niro begins recording their every move. Unfortunatly his targets(who have no idea they are being watched) are not very interesting. So De Niro begins to date a girl in the building he has noticed is lonely in an attempt to spice up his video. However, this does not pan out and De Niro's porn career is over. He turns his camera in for a television. This leads him to take a role in a play called Be Black Baby playing a police officer. It is being put on by some black radicals to illustrate to white people what it would be like to be black in contemperary America. The play is shocking and probably the most interesting part of the film. After the play is over De Niro returns to the girl from the building across from him and the movie ends in a melodramatic and bizarre fasion. This movie is definatly worth watching. This film put Brian De Palma on the map, and De Niro shows flashes of the brilliance that in years to come would create so many classic characters.

AWESOME
I loved it! This film is not only funny but also describes a serious issue like racism in a realistic way. And of course De Niro's performance! Incredibly powerful, especially when he played the police officer. This is definitely worth watching. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're looking for a movie that shocked the filmgoing public with its outspoken take on race relations in corporate America circa 1969, look no further than this Robert Downey debut effort. Made on a shoestring in black and white, this film begins with a wonderful moment of racial discomfort. The board of directors at a Madison Avenue ad agency must elect a new chairman, and, in the maneuvering to make sure that enemies don't get votes, all the board members accidentally cast their ballot for the board's token black man, Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson). Swope immediately cleans house and transforms the agency into New York's hippest shop with a Black Power mentality and a willingness to tell previously unspoken truths in advertising. Though it looks dated today, it is a fascinating time capsule of the period and still contains its share of outrageous laughs. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Remember when film was interesting?
Robert Downey's greatest success. This film was originally described as a 'metaphor for everything' when it first came out. It is an irreverent, unpredictable, relentlessly hilarious, almost dadaist black and white opus dei that was inspired by the directors work in an advertising firm.

It focuses on a 'token' black man on the board of directors for a upscale advertising agency, whom ends up running the entire organiztion when his constituents vote for him thinking no one else would while electing a new leader.

The actors were all part of a very peculiar clique and appear en masse in a wide spectrum of subculture films from the era.

Anyone with an even passing interest in non-conventional cinema should watch this movie religiously. Its been a huge influence on my own tastes, and this sentiment if shared by virtually everyone Ive ever met who has seen it.

An old friend....
That NEVER shows on television!! Not even cable!

This has got to be the most outrageous comedy about blacks to come down the pike ever, until Keenan Ivory Wayan's "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" came out. The movie centers around a token black guy who sits on the board of an ad agency, and, due to the death of the chairman of the board during a meeting he is present at, gets voted chairman simply because all the voters thought nobody ELSE would vote for him!

You might think that Putney, being the token black guy on an all-white ad agency board of directors, would be a dyed-in-the-wool Uncle Tom...far from it! His redo of the agency, renamed "Truth & Soul, Inc.", turns it into the media equivalent of the Symbionese Liberation Army, with militants, "Shaft"-like bodyguards, Antontio Vargas dressed as a black muslim, complete with burnoose, and a staff FULL of major attitude. The insane, slapdash themes and staging of commercials the agency does are viewed as inconoclastic by the effete clients they take on, and their ads actually increase sales for some companies!

This is the kind of film which ITSELF is made so crudely and sincerely, that it works on that level with a heavy dose of cheeky cleverness. It's mostly in black and white, photographed WAY too dark in some spots, with some color spots for featured commercials...and you'll be surprised to see a young Shelly Plimpton singing a jingle with a VERY negroid young man named Ronny Dyson who had once been a habitué of the 60s Merv Griffin Show.

You'll also recognize "Dr. Sidney Greenbaum" from "M*A*S*H" and Laura Greene, one of those nameless character/commercial actresses that were all over TV and movies in the 70s...

The treatment of the white characters in the film is, to be polite, gruesome...they're ridiculed, pushed around, mistreated and disdained. Blacks are lampooned mercilessly too, as when a white delivery boy finally snaps after being constantly told to use the freight elevator. He breaks into the board room during a meeting, brandishing a gun, and a black bodyguard, who previously had made a point of whipping out HIS gun whenever someone wouldn't cooperate, keeps searching his pockets and waistband for the gun when it's NEEDED Stepin Fetchit-style; not to mention the "Birth of a Nation" way the black run agency is portrayed...this movie barbeques EVERYBODY....

Anarchic, smart-assed, angry, funny, crude...words to describe this late-60s specimen. It's worth every penny and if you're a boomer, funnier than (hades)!

swope
Most older movies seem tame. Not this one! "Putney Swope" doesn't pull any punches and is STILL ahead of the times as far as portraying race relations in an honest and funny way.

A word of caution: This movie is extremely low budget and extremely irreverent. Much of it seems made-up from moment to moment. But there are some hilarious, brilliant moments in this.

Insanity in every frame...
The true beauty of this film lies in the fact that Downey is able to pack so much insanity in so tight a space. Every frame of this picture is spilling over with madness worthy of the Marx Brothers at their anarchistic best. Just dig the names, man! We have Mark Focus, Mr. Victrola Cola, Mr. Ethereal Cereal...my God, it's the 1960s at its dark, psycho-delic best. Sure, it's a bit dated, but come on - it's an artifact, as telling of the times as "Magical Mystery Tour" or "Gimmie Shelter."

Incidentally, unlike most "racial comedies" of the 1960s, Downey allows his pointed satire to skewer both black and white (think Hal Ashby's "The Landlord"). All in all a perfectly insane picture; maybe not a cinematic classic, but certainly the damn funniest products of "alternate" cinema to date.

Hillarious Satire of Madison Avenue
This movie had me in stitches the first time I viewed it. Though it seems very dated, the movie still holds up. Note the dubbed voice of Arnold Johnson. That was actually Robert Downey, Sr. Also notice "Huggy Bear" from Starsky & Hutch. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Movie is not that bad, but has nothing to do with Satanism.
I remember seeing this movie on Showtime back in 1997. I have mixed opinions about this movie. First off, the film itself is not that bad. The actors are good except for Derek Rydall and his girlfriend. This is the kind of movie that you watch when you really haven't got anything better to do.
My biggest complaint about this film is in its portrayal of Satanism. As anyone who has knowledge of the subject knows this is NOT what Satanists do. With that said, Allen Garfield's ritual chamber is nice (love the goat head bell) and I also noticed that his text during the ritual ("I invoke thee from thy resting place...") is taken from the fabled "Necronomicon" book.
As a Satanist, I found this movie laughable. Watch it, but don't take it seriously. If you want to waste time, see this movie. If you want some good, entertaining movies that deal with Satanism, see "Rosemary's Baby" or even "The Ninth Gate".

This film will take you by total surpise.
"Night Visitor" is one of those strange little underrated CULT films that incorporates a tremendous amount of sickness with a limited amount of blood. This movie is packed with familiar character actors (Elliott Gould, Richard Roundtree, Shannon Tweed, Allen Garfield, Michael J. Pollard and Henry Gibson, just to name a few) and relies on strong storyline and performances instead of gore. Allen Garfield's portrayal of a Satanic Serial Killer is worthy of an Oscar. The sight of Michael J. Pollard attacking Elliott Gould with a chainsaw has to be seen to be believed. I highly recommend this film for anyone with a warped sense of humor.

Matt Kocik,from Parker ford, "Night Visitor'
This was really a well done film that holds your intrest.Watch out your teacher may be a killer to, well acted movie with good acters, and should be recommended to every viewer on the street even your worst enemy. ... Read more

Reviews (156)

A Very Simplistic Understanding of the Hollywood Red Menace
The people responsible for this almost certain box office failure prefer to think of themselves as brave defenders of the Constitution. They realize the high likelihood of "The Majestic" being ignored by the general public, but are consoled by the respect and adulation their efforts will receive from the Hollywood political Left. Such films may even have a better chance of garnering Academy Award nominations. After all, I will readily concede that Jim Carrey is brilliant as the screen writer Peter Appleton wrongly suspected of Communist sympathies. Martin Landau also deserves a supporting actor nomination for his portrayal as the theater owner Harry Thimble who believes Appleton to be his long lost World War II veteran son. Unfortunately, though, the overall movie is diminished by the long scenes allowing Landau to display his formidable acting talent. They sometimes seemed out of place and considerably slowed down the pace of the movie.

Some people might recall Frank Capra while viewing "The Majestic," but I'm also reminded of Oliver Stone's questionable handling of American history. The story line revolves around the House Un-American Activities Committee legitimate attempt to eradicate the nefarious influences of the Communists in Hollywood. Legal strong arm tactics were employed, and sometimes the innocent suffered along with the guilty. Mistakes did indeed occur. Peter Appleton gets drunk one day, and has an automobile accident. This results in amnesia and Appleton ends up in a town that still mourns its young men lost in the war. Appleton is mistaken for their beloved Luke. The interactions between the town's citizens and the supposed Luke are both touching and awkward. We know the truth will be ultimately revealed, and can only hope that everyone finds the experience somehow redeeming.

Kenneth Lloyd Billingsley's historical work "Hollywood Party: How Communism Seduced The American Film Industry In The 1930s and 1940s" is highly recommended. This superb book will far more accurately explain the threat of the the Hollywood Communist members during that era. These Communists didn't have the slightest interest in advancing anybody's American First Amendment rights, and destroyed the careers of many who refused to obey the party line. Nevertheless, "The Majestic' has just enough going for it to justify a three star recommendation. If nothing else, the film captures the feel of the early 1950s and is visually beautiful.

The feel-good movie of the year.
Jim Carrey plays a 1950's Hollywood screenwriter, who, upon being named as a potential communist, has a few too many drinks and gets into a horrific car accident. He smashes his head, and wakes up in an idyllic little town with that old Hollywood classic....(say it with me...) AMNESIA. He's mistaken for the son of the local theater-owner (The Majestic, of course...), believed to have died in World War II. The townspeople all welcome him back, he loves his new life, and all is well.....but The House Committee is looking for him (by now they think him a commie mastermind), and what'll happen when/if he remembers his old life?

The Majestic reminded me of the type of films that Preston Sturges and Frank Capra used to make, It's a gentle fable about love, tolerance, human rights, and a reminder that sometimes we all need to stop and smell the roses.

Jim Carrey is great as the Jimmy Stewart-esque lead, and Laurie Holden is luminous as his (supposed) ex-girlfriend. She is just beautiful! I couldn't take my eyes off her, and her quiet, dignified performance lends a lot to the movie. The film is a little too long, but I left with a smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart, so I suggest you give The Majestic a try.

Plus, it has a cameo by Bruce (Evil Dead)Campbell!! What more could you want??

Nice thought, but no originality
Didn't anyone notice how derivative this movie is? The whole plot screams of Marin Guerre. And the scene in front of the HUAC was lifted straight from The Front (Woody Allen was a little more colorful). They even had the guy who went to a communist party meeting strictly to score with a girl. (It was Zero Mostel in the original movie.)

As for the ending... c'mon everybody sing! "Now the whole damn bus is cheering, and I can't believe I see... a hundred yellow ribbons round the old... oak... tree!"

Original plot
I liked this movie because it was such a unique idea (at least to me). Who would've thought of making a movie about a film writer in the 1950s who was accused of being a communist and who drives off one night and accidentally goes off a bridge, hits his head and wakes up on a beach with amnesia in a town where he happens to look exactly like a guy who's been missing in action for 9 and 1/2 years and who everyone is so happy to see, huh? The conflict being - will he ever remember who he is, and if so, will the government find him, and what will the whole town that he's fallen in love with think? It's such an interesting story. Kind of slow paced - but REALLY good if you like those sorts of movies that have a feel good ending with a hero who "finds himself" and leaves a special mark in the lives of some really kind people and ends up being the winner he never knew he truly was. I only gave it four stars because I wish the DVD had more special features like how they made the movie, but I loved the movie itself. Watch it! The acting is SUPERB.

Good settings, bad script
Funny that a movie about a scriptwriter has a very sweet but unimaginable scenario. From the moment on you have a pretty good idea about what is going to happen. Making the 2,5 hours a long sit.

Guy is wanted for communist sympathies - gets amnesia - ends up in a town where they think he is someone else - they find out - he goes back but understands that life is better there than in 1950s LA.

The end is even a little too moralizing: The Constitution is open for every belief, even communism!!

The acting is however fine, Jim Carrey shows again he is a lot more than the Mask and he almost reaches the standard he set for himself in the superb 'Truman Show', Martin Landau is sweet as his 'father'.

The settings of the movie are great, the feeling of the 1950 is perfectly shown. The warm cosiness of a small town glows from the screen and the setting of the movietheater is great.

Too bad it's so incredibly predictable. ... Read more

Amazon.com

James Woods seems to find his most adventurous roles in television movies, particularly this made-for-HBO biography of the late lawyer and powerbroker Roy Cohn. A hallucinatory, impressionistic look at his career and life, the film is comprised of flashbacks by Cohn, who is seen dying of AIDS in 1988 in his New York hospital bed. Woods sinks his teeth deeply into the role of the shark-like Cohn, capturing his arrogance and his insecurity, both at his own Jewishness and his deeply closeted homosexuality, even as he rides Sen. Joe McCarthy's anti-Communism campaign for all it's worth. Woods even manages to make the deeply detestable Cohn vulnerable, if not sympathetic.A strong supporting cast includes Joe Don Baker as an amused and calculating McCarthy, but the film lives and breathes in Woods's flamboyantly nuanced embodiment of the whiny, manipulative Cohn. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A review....and a correction to Amazon's listing
The subject of this movie seems very timely considering the modern McCarthyism currently being experienced.

James Woods plays the role of Roy Cohn to a "T", and the rest of the casting is equally wonderful. The movie begins with a brief view of Roy as a child, switches to 1984, when Cohn is dying of aids, and then presents a wonderful historic perspective of Cohn and McCarthy's "witch hunt" of the '50's. During these dramatizations, the movie shines. Unfortunately, it is slowed from time to time by the intrusion of scenes of Cohn on his deathbed, seeing visions of the people whose lives he decimated. This "fantasy" portion of the movie really drags down the historic portion of the film, and makes what could have been a great movie into a mediocre one.

As for the DVD...contrary to Amazon's posting, the movie is ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN. The picture is average, with grain rearing its ugly head on a regular basis.

Also, given that tops of heads disappear on occasion throughout the movie, one has to wonder if the widescreen was created by hard-matting of a full frame picture.

Despite the downfalls, I still would recommend the movie, if for no other reason than to inspire the viewer to delve more deeply into research on the subject of McCarthyism, Cohn, and McCarthy himself.