Reviews (24)

An all time classic !
This movie is simply one of my favorite movies of all time. I did'nt realize it could be bought anywhere on Earth. I have been looking for it for years since tv stations stopped running it years ago. I hav'nt seen it in over 10 years and am ordering my copy now. I would suggest that anyone else who loves railroad movies do the same before it disappears from production. Hands down the best rail movie ever.Excellent.

This movie takes place in the Salem-Eugene area of Oregon during the great depression. It involves the sadistic engineer of the #19 named Shack (played by Ernest Borgnine) and the hobo who tries to ride his train (Lee Marvin). I was in Salem Oregon recently and was glad to finally see for myself the beautiful countryside first brought to me by this movie. A must have movie.

Great movie!
This is one of those good movies that don't need a lot of words to describe why it's great. "Lee Marvin vs. Ernest Borgnine on a train" should be enough. This is also one of those movies that cries out for a major DVD release, what with the rugged scenery, vivid action and great dialogue. As "A.No. 1" tells Cigarette in one of my all-time favorite lines: "You could be a meat eater, kid, and I mean people, not their garbage!" But while you're waiting for the DVD release (which, incidentally, I hear is to be timed to coincide with the freezing over of hell) snag this VHS release while you can. This film has only been released once on video and it's famous for being one of the hardest to find films of all time.

even some of us women love this flick.......
a lot of great acting here. ernie as the cruel train bull/enforcer. Lee Marvin as the old seasoned depression era Hobo. Keith Carridine as the young punk newbie. Simon Oakland as the rail yard cop who strays into the hobo's camp and is lucky to come back out. and the poor engine driver and Borgnine's flunkey who has to keep his eyes out for any bo's trying to board Shack's train. I love this picture because of the trains, the scenery and the music. Marty Robbins' "a man and a Train" seems to have been written for this film. It is a realistic and very graphic film for the years in which it was made. you feel for all the parties involved in this tale. The near miss with the other freight train is a nail biter for sure. Not for the bleeding hearts, but if you like any of these actors, trains and american history I recommend this film for a little eye opener on what our parents or grandparents might have seen or gone through in the depression days of the us of a...... A++++

Get the facts straight....
Too bad Shack IS NOT a conductor. He is a Bull, law enforcement of the railroad. And that's what Bulls did in those days. Keep hobos off.

Great movie. I wish they had it in DVD form too.

good hobo movie
this is an entertaining enough 'bo movie,with a nice gritty sense of realism initially,then a fairly exciting action end to it.i wont bother with going over the plot in too much detail,basically a hobo wants to ride a train,which the train conductor says specifically NO HOBOS.he has a sign and everything....well,not really.but it is a great hobo movie,see "hobos christmas" for how NOT to make a hobo movie.3 out of 5,hardly a classic but good fun all the same. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the Better B Terror Films
I saw this when first released at the theater. It was a great terror movie. The tension runs throughout the movie as a group tries to escape a planet that prays upon their fears. One scene with a giant caterpillar and a scantilly clad lady was rather erotic. A good movie for fans of movies like Hellraiser and Phantasm. Erin Moran even does a decent job of acting.

Forbidden Planet meets Event Horizon
This is a strange little film. The poster art shows a scantily-clad woman being menaced by monsters. This is not really accurate. This is a psychological terror as opposed to a more overt monster film.

Things are ruled by The Master, a red-glowing figure. He hand picks a rescue team to journey to a distant planet. There they find little to rescue. For some reason they blow up the bodies they find. But soon they are targets of things that appear and disappear from all sensors.

For much of the movie the characters explore a huge alien pyramid where they each have to come face to face with their worst fears. I particularly liked the warrior who had a breakdown because his crystal throwing stars broke.

In the end we learn more about The Master, who he is, how he became The Master, and what he has been up to with this mission.

There are monsters. There is gore. There is even a little suspense. There is an impressive cast (Ray Walston, Erin Moran, Robert Englund, Zalman King). But somehow it just doesn't really come together as well as it should have. To many of the fears involved monsters even though Erin Moran's character was claustrophobic. Fans of bad movies will want to watch this one at least once.

Alien rip-off!
This movie is an obvious rip-off of ALIEN. However , unlike alien, it just does not measure up. The acting and dialogue are absolutely horrendous and The soundtrack has a cheesy 70s sci-fi style. The special effects are pretty good (considering...) and they resemble ALIEN very closely (the corridors, the planet's surface.....). Unfortunately this film just does not draw you in and it makes you lose interest in it fairly quickly. Overall: MEDIOCRE.

Galaxy of Terror might be cheesy but it's fun LOL
Well what can I say ? this was made in 1981 .... it features Erin Moran ( Joanie from Happy days ) and it also has Rober englund playing a small part . the ONLY reason to see this movie is ONE) to see Erin Moran get constricted until she pops ( and I mean POP! ) and for the massive amounts of Blood and gore ...... and the movie was also somewhat prophetic in that Robert Englund has to fight himself , and the evil self looks like none other than FREDDIE!!!!!! then there's the fact that MR. Titanic Terminator James Cameron is the executive Prod. for this flick ( if you doubt me get it and watch the Credits . SO .... if you're looking for a brainless but fun Horror flick ... this is it .... but if you're looking for an artsy space "Film" ..... keep going . ... Read more

Reviews (257)

Volume 2 Delivers The Goods (4 Stars)
Kill Bill Vol. 1 might have been action driven and fast paced, but Vol. 2 was not. The slower pace made room for better focus on dialogue though. There are still great fight scenes, but not as many as there were in the first movie. Tarantino hit his stride with this movie. Die hard fans should go out and see it. The movie is two and a half hours long, but it's totally worth sitting through. There are great new characters (most notably Pei Mei) and it does a great job of filling in the holes that were left in Vol. 1(like Uma's screen name). Memorable scenes would be Uma Thurman being buried alive and her fight with Elle Driver in the trailer home. Easily one of the best fight scenes ever. Then there's Bill, played by David Carradine. He was probably the most engaging character in the whole movie. While I was disappointed in the way he died, it totally made sense. Overall, Kill Bill Vol. 2 definitely meets all expectations with its great dialogue and awesome fight scenes. Be warned though, the fight scenes aren't as fast and furious as the first movie. Nor are there as many. But that's not bad because it plays to Tarantino's strength: dialogue. If you liked Vol. 1 or if you're into karate flicks, you'll love Vol. 2. But if you didn't like Vol. 1, you'll like Vol. 2 even less.

Better than Vol. 1
If cinema is ever in need of edgy freshness, then Charlie Kaufman is the man to turn to. But when that need arises and has to be fused with humorously offbeat style then Quentin Tarantino is the Kaufman of directors. Or is Kaufman really the Tarantino of aspiring writers? It doesn't matter. In any case, what truly matters is that Tarantino continues to inject that richly abnormal talent of his into his latest piece "Kill Bill: Volume 2."

Four years after being betrayed by her former boss Bill (David Carradine) and shot in the head at her wedding, The Bride (Uma Thurman) wakes up from her coma and thirsts for revenge. After dispatching Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) and O-Ren (Lucy Liu) in "Volume 1," this previously retired assassin is back in "Volume 2" to finish off the rest of Bill's Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and ultimately, kill Bill.

"Volume 2" is definitely the heart of the two movies. Saturated with intense fighting scenes "Volume 1" ended with a bitter sweetness as The Bride seemed completely undeveloped as a character. But "Volume 2" complements the first movie nicely as the action takes the passenger seat and Tarantino concentrates on storytelling, fleshing out The Bride's character. There's actually emotional depth involved now, revealing The Bride's relationship with Bill as well as her motives for leaving an assassin's life.

Thurman is wonderful as The Bride, playing along with Tarantino's take on Hollywood cheesiness to executing some intense dialogue scenes that transition between emotions within seconds. Tarantino is obviously extracting all the skills he can from Thurman, and the end result is worth every squeeze: she pulls off acrobatic feats and heavy dialogue in the same two hours with seamless changeovers.

Carradine also does such a marvelous job of portraying Bill to the point that it becomes frightening. Carradine's subtleties are what form this character and by the end of it all it becomes clear just how insane of a character Bill is: he philosophizes about death while making sandwiches and questions past relationships with a menacing sword in hand. The low and relaxed tone that he carries through the movie makes it feel like Carradine isn't even playing anyone, he's just slipping this character on like an old, comfortable shirt.

But it's not just the characters that make Kill Bill so special. The first installment is wonderful in paying tribute to Japanese anime, folksy spaghetti westerns and an overall homage to "old school" Asian kung fu flicks. Tarantino again draws various sources from 70's pop culture to showcase the quirks of "Volume 2." Whereas the first movie displays Tarantino's knowledge of Asian cinema with wire-wearing kung fu, with unrealistic squirting samurai-movie colored blood included, "Volume 2" solidifies that homage to the full extent.

Perhaps the single greatest movie moment of 2004 is in "The Cruel Tutelage of Pai Mei," the film's chapter in which the origin of The Bride's abilities is discovered. Tarantino brings out all the stops on this one. From the stereotyped supercilious personality to the superficial white facial hair, the character of kung fu master Pai Mei (Gordon Liu) is the absolute embodiment of a 70's Chinese kung fu flick. After this scene, it's obvious that Tarantino is on the edge of oddball insanity, right there with brilliance on the other side.

Like the chapter of Pai Mei, the rest of Tarantino's film combines everything campy and corny with his bizarre sense of direction. And everything rationally ridiculous here somehow ends up as abnormally gorgeous.

Superb second chapter
A radiant bride-to-be (and mother-to-be) who calls herself Arlene takes a few minutes out of her wedding rehearsal to talk to her former boss (and ex-lover) about the peaceful new life she's planned. She tells him she'll be working in a record store where she'll get to "listen to music all day, talk about music all day. It's really cool. It's going to be a great environment for my little girl to grow up in."

"As opposed to jetting around the world, killing human beings, collecting vast sums of money?" her one-time employer asks.

Yes, Arlene is actually The Bride (Uma Thurman), a.k.a. Black Mamba, one of the Deadly Vipers Assassination Squad (D.I.V.A.S., for short). And, yes, the man with whom she's sharing her future plans is Bill, the enigmatic, shadowy D.I.V.A.S. commander who never showed his face in "Kill Bill, Vol. 1."

Bill, played to diabolical perfection by David Carradine, is visible throughout "Kill Bill, Vol. 2," and that's only one of the many changes between the first and last installments of writer-director Quentin Tarantino's epic saga of revenge and retribution. "Vol. 1," which took place largely in Japan, was a magnificently gory, almost operatic homage to the Hong Kong and Japanese cinema of the 1960s and 1970s; "Vol. 2," set primarily in Texas and Mexico, is considerably more controlled -- although no less stylish -- and moodier, paying tribute to the unconventional Westerns of director Sergio Leone and, in its black-and-white flashback sequences, recalling such late-1940s/early-1950s thrillers as "Gun Crazy" and "The Big Heat."

No one ever accused Tarantino of being shy when it comes to laying out his catalog of influences.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson's all-seeing camera swoops, slithers and moves stealthily around each scene, just like our unstoppable heroine, then throws in some extreme close-ups that feel like a fist between the eyes. Editor Sally Menke and production designers David Wasco and Cao Jui Ping do wonderful work as they recreate everything from "In Cold Blood" to the washed-out-looking, jumpy Chinese chop-socky films of the 1970s.

But far from being merely imitative, "Vol. 2" features a few breakthroughs for its creator as well. A prolonged sequence involving a character who is pummeled, drugged and buried alive is one of the most gripping episodes of Tarantino's career, and The Bride's apprenticeship to merciless martial arts master Pai Mei (Gordon Liu), a deceptively wispy-looking type with a strong chauvinistic streak, is outrageously hilarious. "Your so-called kung fu is really quite pathetic," Pai Mei taunts as The Bride tries -- and fails -- to impress him with her moves. "Like all Yankee women, all you can do is order in restaurants and spend a man's money!"

The finale of "Vol. 1" was a blood-drenched, wickedly hilarious free-for-all, with The Bride dispatching scores of would-be hitmen in a showdown in a Tokyo nightclub, but the last half-hour of "Vol. 2" is a shocker of an entirely different kind, as Tarantino aims for the heart instead of the funnybone. He tried something somewhat similar in the bittersweet wrap-up of "Jackie Brown," with mixed results. He's much more successful this time out, partly because he's created a steadier build-up to the crucial emotional crescendo (set to a marvelously trippy remix of The Zombies' "She's Not There") and partly because the tension Carradine and Thurman generate in the pivotal scene, as bloodlust collides with memories of happier days, is utterly riveting.

Tarantino's cast fills out a classic rogues' gallery, dominated by Carradine's Bill, a psychotic who conceals his sadism beneath a calm, paternalistic exterior. Daryl Hannah's one-eyed Elle Driver and Michael Madsen's Budd, both of whom were briefly seen in "Vol. 1," get ample opportunity to prove their worth as antagonists of The Bride. The face-off with Elle, in particular, is so delightfully demented only Tarantino could have conjured it up.

Was the director wise in turning "Bill" into a double-bill? Absolutely. For one thing, he must have realized he had made an extravaganza that would have been too intense and certainly too emotionally exhausting for most audiences to process in a single four-hour sitting. Also, he obviously knew he had a second half that would be well worth the six-month wait.

"Gargantuan -- always liked that word; so rarely have a chance to use it in a sentence," the icy-hearted Elle murmurs at one point. Try this on for size: The frenzied, funny and unabashedly ultraviolent "Kill Bill" saga represents a gargantuan achievement in action cinema.

Can a movie possibly get any better than this?
First I'd like to say that Quentin Tarantino is the best film maker that ever lived period. I would say that KILL BILL VOL. 2 is the greatest film since Casablanca. This is by far my favorite of Quentin Tarantino's films. This is a must own Dvd. Buy this awesome mind-blowing classic movie today.

This movie should not be see by the stupid ones
YES YES MAN I THOUGT THAT THERE WAS NOT TOO MUCH STORY BEHIND THE 1ST VOL IT WAS GREAT BUT SOMETHING WAS MISSING IT WAS THE AWESOME STORY OF THE 2ND. IS LIKE WATCHING A SPAGHETI WESTERN BY SERGIO LEONE BUT BEING DRUNK.BUT STILL I DONT KNOW HOW SOME PEOPLE TALK SO MUCH CRAP ABOUT THE 2ND VOL.IS PROBABLY THAT THEY MISSED THE POINT THAT IS VERY SAD MAN.THAT'S WHY THIS MOVIE IS NOT SUITED FOR THE DUMBASSES.WHEN YOU SEE THIS VOL YOU WILL DEICIDE IF YOU ARE A TRUE TARANTINO FAN!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The curiosity of Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown is RobertForster's worldly wise bail bondsman Max Cherry, the most alive character in this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch. The AcademyAwards saw it the same way, giving Forster the film's only nomination. The film is more "rum" than "punch" and will certainly disappoint those who are looking for Tarantino's trademark style. This movie is a slow, decaffeinated story of six characters glued to a half million dollars brought illegally into the country. The money belongs to Ordell(Samuel L. Jackson), a gunrunner just bright enough to control his universe and do his own dirty work. His just-paroled friend--a loose term with Ordell--Louis (Robert De Niro) is just taking up space and could be interested in the money. However, his loyalties are in question between his old partner and Ordell's doped-up girl (Bridget Fonda). Certainly Fed Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) wants to arrest Ordell with the illegal money. The key is the title character, a late-40s-ish flight attendant (Pam Grier) who can pull her own weight and soon has both sides believing she's working for them. The end result is rarely in doubt, and what is left is two hours of Tarantino's expert dialogue as he moves his characters around town.

Tarantino changed the race of Jackie and Ordell, a move that means little except that it allows Tarantino to heap on black culture and language, something he has a gift and passion for. He said this film is for an older audience although the language and drug use may put them off. The film is not a salute to Grier's blaxploitation films beyond the musical score. Unexpectedly the most fascinating scenes are between Grier and Forster: two neo-stars glowing in the limelight of their first major Hollywood film after decades of work. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Dynamite Cast + Good Fun = Excellent Film
First off: "Jackie Brown" is not a disappointment. After the surprise success of Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" in 1994, everyone was looking for him to fail on his next attempt. Sorry, friends, but this just isn't the case. In many ways, "Jackie Brown" is a more enjoyable ride. After repeated viewings of "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs," one can easily pinpoint the weaknesses in Tarantino's style. He uses similar references to '70s action and blaxploitation films, he uses relic music hits from the same era, and he even uses similar character names (Marvin with no ear, meet Marvin with no head). The violence is always there, and the incessant use of profanity is always there. But "Jackie Brown" is different from these previous efforts. There's no appearances by either Harvey Keitel or Tim Roth; instead, the film is headlined by the queen of the '70s blaxploitation flicks, the eternally sexy Pam Grier. The supporting cast includes Robert Forster, a staple of cheesy B-movies, Samuel L. Jackson in a return to the world of Tarantino, and the very interesting threesome of Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and the ever-versatile De Niro to round out the cast. So what, besides the cast, makes the film such a knockout? While the profanity level has been toned down, Tarantino's script loses no edge and maintains a constant freshness and sense of humor. Grier has never been much of an actress, but she's always had a certain charm, and she uses this charm effectively in "Jackie Brown." Forster gives his most memorable performance here, playing the role of Max Cherry with complete control and positive cool. Fonda is great as Melanie, and Keaton has a blast playing ATF agent Ray Nicolet, but De Niro steals the show as Louis Gara. De Niro has one of his better supporting roles here, and he makes the most of it. Louis is something of a dimwit, but only De Niro could inject the character with as much humor as he has here. The film, at 154m, is probably too long and overindulgent, but Tarantino presents us with an interesting plot, and some equally interesting subplots to boot. The most effective of these is the relationship that builds between Grier and Forster; there is an attraction there, but the insecurities of each character prevents this from ever reaching a climax. The film is colorful, has solid (but not brilliant) direction, and, aside from some serious lapses in logic, the script flows seamlessly. And guess what? There's no guest appearance by the man himself, who must have realized after "From Dusk Till Dawn" that, while he may be a writer and a director, and actor he is not. "Jackie Brown" reveals the limitations of Quentin Tarantino, but the film is still a riot, and one of the most entertaining of 1997. That's more than I can say for James Cameron's "Titanic," which fails on all levels for me, despite what the critics say. "Jackie Brown" delivers a knockout punch. It's great to see that some Elmore Leonard novels are finally getting the big-screen treatments that they deserve.

Fond-a Weapons
Jackie Brown: rated R, 2 hours and 40 minutes

Jackie Brown is an incredibly well played movie about guns, drugs, and money. Half a million in cash is up for grabs, and the only way to obtain it is by figuring out who is playing whom.
When Jackie (a stunning Pam Grier) is caught at an airport carrying a veritably large sum of money and a bag of crack, the outline of the story is formed. Jackie is held in custody facing possible time in prison, when the deceptive Ordell, played by black talking Samuel L. Jackson steps into the picture. Ordell hires an honest bailbondsman, Max Cherry, to release Ms. Brown. While Ordell takes care of business, we see behind-the-scenes conversations between the spaced out Robert De Niro, as Lewis, and the dim-witted Bridget Fonda, as Melanie, two of Ordell's main connections. Jackie becomes caught between two sides, both with equal objectives. Ray (Michael Keaton), the cop that apprehended Jackie earlier is after small time arms dealer, Ordell, and Ordell is pulling Jackie into his scheme of acquiring the cash. Meanwhile, Lewis and Melanie have their own plans of taking the money. Jackie can't afford to get into any more legal trouble, and if she doesn't cooperate with the man she owes her freedom to, she will be killed, which sets the stage for the perfect swindle.
Quentin Tarantino, creator of Jackie Brown, is master of 'film noir', and adds an interesting perspective to one scene in particular. Jackie is forced by the feds to frame Ordell, and according to Ordell, she is supposed to double-cross them. Caught in the middle, Jackie must fake an exchange of marked bills, in order to seem loyal to both. The switch is shown through three different viewpoints, adding greatly to the effect. The first time, Jackie is shown leaving the bag of money in a dressing room. Next, Lewis and Melanie are shown actually making the exchange, with the real bag of money left behind in the dressing room, and a suspicious Max Cherry watching. Lastly, Max Cherry watches as Lewis and Melanie swap bags, and the actual bag of cash left for him to pick up. By doing this, the big picture is seen through bits and pieces. Tarantino deserves much credit for its ingenious execution, and Jackie Brown in its entirety is recognized as a success, with phenomenal acting by the whole cast, primarily Pam Grier.

Great! Awesome! Fantastic!
Nobody and I mean nobody makes movies like Quentin Tarantino. JACKIE BROWN is one of the greatest movies of all time. Personally, This is my favorite of Quentin Tarantino's films. So get your copy of JACKIE BROWN today!

Not bad, De Niro is fun
Jackie Brown is certainly not Tarantino's best but it is amusing. As in pretty much every movie Samuel L Jackson plays a pretty important part as a gunrunner. He lives in a LA house with the very hot Bridget Fonda. A friend who just came out of jail lives with him and helps him. This is absolutely the funniest character in the movie, played by De Niro. He is a little dumb, lazy and slow but funnily played.

Key to the movie is Pam Grier as Jackie Brown, the smartest person in the movie because she can play both sides, the feds and the criminals and ends up with a lot of dough.

Not a super movie and with 150 minutes definitely too long, but still fun.

Not quite PULP FICTION, but certainly worthy Tarantino
I love Quentin Tarantino. You watch him speak about his art in interviews, and while I realize what I'm responding to might simply be a cleverly-wrought public persona, his energy and enthusiasm for his craft is just so infectious that one cannot help but be energized too. That energy certainly carries over into his movies, and while he may not be the most thrillingly visual director, his undeniable gift for dialogue more than compensates in his films.

PULP FICTION, as of now, is my favorite movie; the dialogue sparkles with wit, and I could hear those lines over and over again without ever getting tired of them. JACKIE BROWN, his follow-up to PF, is just as good as PF, if not quite its superior. Many complained upon its release that this movie was too sluggish and slow-moving (the above Editorial Review calls it "decaffeinated"). Sure, the plot of this movie certainly could become a taut, exciting thriller under another director's hands. But clearly writer-director Tarantino isn't aiming merely for action-movie thrills. He is also focused on his characters, particularly with the two older characters, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) and Max Cherry (Robert Forster), two characters who have an unspoken attraction to each other that brings an intriguing undertone to a majority of the crime story. If Tarantino takes his time developing his characters and laying out the plot...well, the characters' dialogue is consistently full of life; the characters are interesting (and the performances terrific across the board, particuarly Forster's); and the convoluted plot, when it kicks into high gear, is a source of fascination as well. Watching it, I hardly ever felt that it was too slow for its own good: I was too fascinated by what I was seeing and hearing to notice any possible deficiencies in pacing. (Another Elmore Leonard adaptation, Steven Soderbergh's OUT OF SIGHT, took a similarly leisurely approach to its crime plot, and it worked just as well in that film, too.)

In short, JACKIE BROWN is an underrated Tarantino masterpiece. It may not be quite the film PULP FICTION is (since it had a more palpably energetic feel to it, despite both films' running 154 minutes), but it is certainly a worthy follow-up. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Best Ever!
What an awesome video! Light, funny and full of good fun. Pete Duel and Ben Murphy really shine as the "two pretty good bad men".

A must see for the whole family. The best western/comedy ever made. Too bad we can't get the whole series in box sets. I'd buy them all! Universal, are you listening?

Please release more!
What a treat! I can't say enough about this video. I remember the original airing of this series and the magic that Pete Duel and Ben Murphy created. It's still as fresh and engaging as it was the first time around. I'd love to see the entire series released in boxed sets and I know I'm not the only one.

Alias Smith and Jones
I have not seen this particular video but have another I purchased in an on-line auction and it was so wonderful to see a show I loved at age 16 again that I had not seen in 33 years!! I still remember when Peter Duel died - what a shock. I also did not remember that Ben Murphy was so handsome -I would put him up against any of today's TV and movie stars. I hear he had the edge in casting because of his resemblance to a young Paul Newman. I second the fellow from Britian who would like to see all 50 episodes released. This was a fun, quality show with humor and where noone was cut up or really even hurt. For those too young to know, it was loosely based on "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and very entertaining. Who do we contact about getting great shows like this and "The Young Rebels," from 1970, "The Second Hundred Years" and "Occasional Wife" from the same era released on video or DVD. Nostalgic baby boomers like me would eat them up!! Anybody listening??

Signed Nostalgic Baby Boomer, Seattle, WA

Fabulous Video - I loved it
While I've seen all the Alias Smith and Jonesd shows, I'd never seen the pilot episode and I am SO glad I got it. I paid $... Canadian - and it was worth every penny! It was fantastic - it set up the whole opening, explained the story right from the beginning, answered questions I'd wondered about - it was so much fun! I was grinning ear to ear and thoroughly engertained. It's something I could watch over and over and not get tired of. I love Pete Duel and he shines in this video. I love Ben Murphy and he was fabulous too. The chemistry between these 2 actors is apparent. I'd love to have the rest of the show on video too - Universal, come on!

Five Stars Aren't Enough!!
This movie is hilarious. I loved it!! An airy Weatern with likeable outlaw characters, it touches on almost every comic level. The two main characters take you through a plot of mishaps, misunderstandings and misjudgements that leave you laughing at the same parts as you watch it over and over again. Don't blink, you might mis something funny!! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

THE Movie That Set the Style of 70s
All of Pam Grier movies in the 70s, "Coffy" is the most famous. She deserves it; watch this movie, and you see what so-called blaxploitation films are all about.

The fast-paced "Coffy" starts with a dynamite opening, in which Pam's character Coffy lures her enemy into a nasty surprise, and she blows away poor fool's head with a shotgun literally. Then, her mission of eradicating drug racket goes on until a very bitter ending. There are actions, fighting, nudity, and battling girls at a party where Pam uses most unexpected weapon -- salad! Frankly they look rather bland by today's standard, but good soundtrack by Roy Ayres is still wonderful.

Probably the most interesting thing about "Coffy" is its gorgeous 70s fashion: music, clothes, and hairstyle. even if you find its story a little stale, you never get tired of watching dresses, glasses, hats, and everything -- they are so big! And surprising thing is that the film to certain extent reflects the political condition of those days (see how a black congressman address a speech about drug issues among Afro-Americans).

"Coffy" is one of the movies that set the style of the 70s. Those who are interested in that period should watch it (and the original "Shaft") once.

Vigilante action with Pam!
Pam Grier is Coffy, an inner-city nurse whose younger sister's life has been destroyed by illicit drugs, and who is now out to avenge her by killing the drug dealers. Her method is to lure the dope pushers by offering them her sexual favors, and then blasting them with a sawed-off shotgun!

And what man can resist such a statuesque beauty? Many a dope pusher meets his Maker after making it with Coffy. Pam Grier has some outstanding nude scenes in this movie, and that alone makes this DVD worth the price, but director Jack Hill's commentary is an interesting bonus. This DVD is a must-have for every Pam Grier fan!

One vengeful mama.
For a blaxploitation movie this one isn't too bad, thanks largely to Pam Grier. She is one tough lady in this interesting retooling of "The Bride that Wore Black," only in this case it is little sister who Coffy is seeking vengeance upon. There is plenty of violence and nudity to thrill, but the movie actually develops a story and posits the moral question whether vengeance is justified if criminals can't be brought to justice. Ultimately, Coffy enters the world of prostitution, posing as a sultry Jamaican bombshell, to get the top crime boss in the city. The movie is vintage 70's with luscious babes lounging around swimming pools, garish interiors and love-inducing fireplaces. Too bad Pam Grier had to wait such a long time to get the plum role of Jackie Brown, building her fame on Jack Hill movies.

Errors and omissions
From the information from other sites I am to believe that this is not an 'Anamorphic/16:9 enhanced' DVD. Foxy Brown is. All Region 2's in the MGM Blaxploitation-series are...

They call her Coffy and she'll cream you!
This was a pretty enjoyable movie, but I have to admit that I enjoyed Foxy Brown just a little more. This movie is basically about Pam Griers' character getting revenge on those who have hurt her and her family. She starts out with lower level pimps and pushers, and workers her way up the power structure to the head sleezebags. The one thing that didn't really sit well with me was the way she portrayed the moments of remorse her character felt about what she was doing. I am not saying that a person who becomes a vigilante wouldn't have these feelings, but I just didn't really buy it coming from her. I know, I know, maybe I am delving too deep into the character, but if they're going to go there...anyway, it didn't make me enjoy the movie any less. And it's always nice to see as much eye candy as there was in this movie. Pam Grier is really hot and made most of the other women in this movie look kinda dumpy. To sum it up, it's a fun movie, some minor slow points, but it kept me interested throughout. If funk with a dash of groovitude is your bag, then this movie is for you. ... Read more

Reviews (486)

Rob Zombie does it again
"House of 1,000 Corpses" is one of the more unique horror movies filmed. It combines 70's style horror movie, modern blurry effects, and porn movies. The set creaters creatively built the house and the gas station, giving the audience the extra pleasure. Though the style may be a little elaborate for the location for real life, but it's important for story expression. This movie teaches other B-movies how to allow one's mind to flow during production and writing. Hiring only unknown actors was clever. Well known actors would have ruined the effect. The heavy rock music and the old-time jazz creates a new twist rarely heard in horror movies. This combination allows the killers to look glamorous withour glamorizing murder.

Rob Zombie fought long and hard to convince movie companies to release this movie that he wrote and directed. Many felt that it's too gory to appeal audiences. After watching this, one will realize that it was worth the fight. Those sensative to graphic nature may not find pleasure in this. Otherwise, one will not be disappointed, but one will be surprised when completed. Fans are recommended to watch "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" afterward as they will discover one of Rob Zombie's movie influences.

Mixed Feelings
When I first heard about this movie I was so excited, so excited I wrote a paper about it's soon to be release as an essay for school. Now, Im a big fan of Rob Zombie, look at my name, but he let me down on this one, I still gave it 4 stars though. It was interesting but I expected more from the man with Zombie in his name. It wasnt gorry enough for my likings plane and simple. It's not a bad movie, I suggest you getting it, I did, because it has a very interesting plot/story line, plus its from the sick and twisted mind of Rob Zombie himself. I also heard that he's comin out with some more movies of his which I am just as excited to see.

Cult Classic
When a group of teenagers get locked up in an old house with a bunch of physcotic people, they start being murdered in grisly fashion and there is no escape.
What makes this movie so frightning is the imagiery and i thought that the last scene was so F*&#&! scary that i almost wet my pants.
Overall this was a great movie, totally gory but its definatly a movie to watch in the dark on a rainy day if you want the crap to be scared out of you

average!
just an average old b horror type movie! nothing really cool except for the special effects.
No story!
but should still watch it!

one hell of a fukin movie
i just finished watching this movie and i loved it, it was very orginal and also quite sick. I have read numerous reviews posted on this site saying this is unoriginal and a great dissapointment , these comments posted by people who probably havent even heard of rob zombie yet alone have no idea what the mans all about so shut your fukin mouths before you dare say your dissapointed just because your like the pussy critics who cant handle anything violent and/or original. anyways for those interested in this movie based on your fanship of the great Rob Zombie than this movie may well be for you, all i can really say about this movie is that its really differnt from anything you've ever seen, it has a good running time, great characters and a brilliant soundtrack that is alive and rippin through the whole film. reccomended. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

CC & Company
The movie itself was OK. The company that put it together looked like they recorded it off the TV. They even took out the bad words. The quality of the film was REAL BAD. They didn't even use the Master Film to make it. I recomend NO NOT BUY IT.

C'mon Ann, why did you do it?
Why, oh why, has this piece of rubbish been released onto DVD when there are so many good Ann-Margret films out there? The script is appauling, the direction and editing are laughable, and the acting is wooden. Ann-Margret looks superb and holds this piece of tripe together. I understand this film did fairly well at the box office at the time of its release - I suppose there's no accounting for taste.

I gave this waste of space two stars - one for the song A-M sings, and the other for her dancing in the night club. This is filmaking at it's utmost worst!

great for 70's
its not the most complex movie i ever saw, but its a fun movie late 60's, 70ish style. Ann Margret looks great in the movie and her and joe nameth spark together. They just don't make movies like this anymore, of course Iam a fan of tough guys on motorcycles! :)

Quite possibly the worst movie ever made
I'm a big fan of camp, I adore "Valley of the Dolls", John Waters, "The Stepford Wives", etc. but folks, this ain't camp. It's just bad, very bad. If you want to see a great, campy Ann-Margret flick watch "Kitten with a Whip". "C.C. and Company" is nothing more than a vehicle to showcase Ann-Margret's vast wardrobe. Amateur porn has high quality production by comparison and Joe Namath's acting ability evidently peaked with the pantyhose commercial.

A lost camp classic with non-stop laffs.
They don't make movies this un-serious anymore, and that's a damn shame. For those disappointed by the latest John Waters flick, pick this one up for fun ...and the best song Ann Margret ever sang, "Today"... ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the opening minutes of Coffy, Pam Grier's star-making role,she blasts the skull of a sleazy drug pusher into pulp like a watermelon andshoots his junkie assistant with an overdose of heroin. Jack Hill knows how toopen a movie, and he never lets up on the down-and-dirty action. Coffy is anemergency room nurse by day and vigilante by night, targeting the dealers whomade her sister a comatose junkie. She works her way up to the Italian mobstersmuscling into the ghetto drug trade while she's romanced by glib, smooth-talkingpolitician Booker Bradshaw and wooed by nice-guy cop William Elliot, whoserefusal to sell out to the corrupt force earns him a cripplingbeating.

There's plenty of sex, a catty girl-fight that leaves the loserstopless, and car chases and shootouts galore, but what makes Coffy ablaxploitation classic is Grier's Amazonian presence and fiery charisma, and thegritty, low-budget action scenes marked by visceral, wincing violence. Mobstrong-arm Sid Haig (Spider Baby) cackles while dragging his victim (astrutting peacock pimp played by Nashville's Robert DoQui) behind aspeeding car in a sadistic lynching, and Grier runs down one bad guy with aspeeding car and takes care of another with a shotgun to the groin. Hill hadpreviously directed Grier in The Big Doll House and The Big BirdCage. Their next and last picture together, Foxy Brown, wasoriginally written as the sequel to Coffy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (22)

THE Movie That Set the Style of 70s
All of Pam Grier movies in the 70s, "Coffy" is the most famous. She deserves it; watch this movie, and you see what so-called blaxploitation films are all about.

The fast-paced "Coffy" starts with a dynamite opening, in which Pam's character Coffy lures her enemy into a nasty surprise, and she blows away poor fool's head with a shotgun literally. Then, her mission of eradicating drug racket goes on until a very bitter ending. There are actions, fighting, nudity, and battling girls at a party where Pam uses most unexpected weapon -- salad! Frankly they look rather bland by today's standard, but good soundtrack by Roy Ayres is still wonderful.

Probably the most interesting thing about "Coffy" is its gorgeous 70s fashion: music, clothes, and hairstyle. even if you find its story a little stale, you never get tired of watching dresses, glasses, hats, and everything -- they are so big! And surprising thing is that the film to certain extent reflects the political condition of those days (see how a black congressman address a speech about drug issues among Afro-Americans).

"Coffy" is one of the movies that set the style of the 70s. Those who are interested in that period should watch it (and the original "Shaft") once.

Vigilante action with Pam!
Pam Grier is Coffy, an inner-city nurse whose younger sister's life has been destroyed by illicit drugs, and who is now out to avenge her by killing the drug dealers. Her method is to lure the dope pushers by offering them her sexual favors, and then blasting them with a sawed-off shotgun!

And what man can resist such a statuesque beauty? Many a dope pusher meets his Maker after making it with Coffy. Pam Grier has some outstanding nude scenes in this movie, and that alone makes this DVD worth the price, but director Jack Hill's commentary is an interesting bonus. This DVD is a must-have for every Pam Grier fan!

One vengeful mama.
For a blaxploitation movie this one isn't too bad, thanks largely to Pam Grier. She is one tough lady in this interesting retooling of "The Bride that Wore Black," only in this case it is little sister who Coffy is seeking vengeance upon. There is plenty of violence and nudity to thrill, but the movie actually develops a story and posits the moral question whether vengeance is justified if criminals can't be brought to justice. Ultimately, Coffy enters the world of prostitution, posing as a sultry Jamaican bombshell, to get the top crime boss in the city. The movie is vintage 70's with luscious babes lounging around swimming pools, garish interiors and love-inducing fireplaces. Too bad Pam Grier had to wait such a long time to get the plum role of Jackie Brown, building her fame on Jack Hill movies.

Errors and omissions
From the information from other sites I am to believe that this is not an 'Anamorphic/16:9 enhanced' DVD. Foxy Brown is. All Region 2's in the MGM Blaxploitation-series are...

They call her Coffy and she'll cream you!
This was a pretty enjoyable movie, but I have to admit that I enjoyed Foxy Brown just a little more. This movie is basically about Pam Griers' character getting revenge on those who have hurt her and her family. She starts out with lower level pimps and pushers, and workers her way up the power structure to the head sleezebags. The one thing that didn't really sit well with me was the way she portrayed the moments of remorse her character felt about what she was doing. I am not saying that a person who becomes a vigilante wouldn't have these feelings, but I just didn't really buy it coming from her. I know, I know, maybe I am delving too deep into the character, but if they're going to go there...anyway, it didn't make me enjoy the movie any less. And it's always nice to see as much eye candy as there was in this movie. Pam Grier is really hot and made most of the other women in this movie look kinda dumpy. To sum it up, it's a fun movie, some minor slow points, but it kept me interested throughout. If funk with a dash of groovitude is your bag, then this movie is for you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Practically a nonstop brawl between pirates and anybody who gets in their path, this lighthearted, high-energy 1976 movie set in 18th century Jamaica is short on an actual story but thick with stunts and swordplay. Robert Shaw stars as the bawdy, swaggering pirate Red Nel Lynch, whose lusty crew of thieves comes to the aid of Lynch's right-hand man and close pal (James Earl Jones), then helps a beleaguered noblewoman (Genevieve Bujold) whose father and property have been seized by a local tyrant (Peter Boyle). Plot details are pretty much relegated to filling in the spaces between rollicking scenes of flying fists and gleaming blades, and a sort-of love story between Shaw and Bujold never gets the chance to go anywhere for all the orchestrated scuffling. Boyle's performance as a Basil Rathbone-style villain has got to be the least persuasive role of his career, but there are compensations, particularly Bujold's feisty turn as the heroine and a kooky scene in which Shaw and Jones amuse each other by trading dirty limericks. Directed by James Goldstone (Winning). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Longtime Favorite
The first time I saw Swashbuckler was when it was released in the theaters. I was 12 years old and fascinated with the lives and exciting journeys of these pirates. Robert Shaw was exceedingly handsome as Captain Ned Lynch with his arrogant swagger and Irish brogue. The rest of the cast was every bit as wonderful and I went back to see the movie three times. I saw the movie again on TV about 10 years later but was never able to find it until last year on the Internet. This movie has it all - action, suspense and a lot of well-placed, dry witted comedy. I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for some fun and old-fashioned adventure! I'm also going to purchase the soundtrack to listen to while sailing on my own boat!

Excellent
This was a great movie for it's time. Romance but not going overly with it. The cast is remarkable. Everyone was famous or went on to later fame. James Earl Jones did a wonderful job as did Robert Shaw in one of his best works. I recommend it for anyone who wants to have fun while watching a movie. Believe me it is fun.

If you like "Pirates of the Carribean", you'll love this!
Caught this film on HBO in the late 70s and have loved it ever since. The tree of the plot is your typical pirate script, but it is leafed out by twists of humor and wit - subtle and otherwise, excellent acting and wonderful photography. There's even a bit of mysterious kinkiness, mostly focused on a small part very well done by a pre-Oscar Anjelica Huston.
Robert Shaw is handsome, sexy and funny as "Red" Ned Lynch. Genevieve Bujold is marvellous as a beautiful, gutsy, spirited woman who, though she needs Lynch's help, is every bit a match for him. Other memorable contributions are made by James Earl Jones (sexy and fit) and Geoffrey Holder (notable as the voodoo Baron in Live and Let Die and as long-time pitchman on the 7-Up ads). The booming baritone voices of these two could rattle windows. Beau Bridges, Peter Boyle, Kip Niven and the aforementioned Huston ably fill out a high-quality cast.
If you want a movie that will entertain, amuse and delight both men and women and isn't the 'same old same old', this is definitely a pirate's "treasure."

Grandest Pirate Movie Ever!
I saw this movie when it first came out way back in the day. I was 7. This one stuck with me. I remember by little brother and I re-enacting the scenes in the movie, especially when we got those plastic souveneir pirate swords from the Thanksgiving parade. I was thrilled to find this on DVD. I snapped it up right away and shared it with my family. My sons loved it as much as I did. It was great seeing it again, and being older, I understood the plot better. I am a big fan of pirate movies. This is hands down my favorite. Get this one!

Still one of the best times I've ever had at a movie!
I also first saw this movie back in 1976 when it was first released in the theatres. I bought the VHS tape as soon as it was available (paid $100 for it, too!) and now intend to add the DVD to my collection. Robert Shaw was one of the best and most versatile actors in the business, and here he added yet another memorable character to his repertoire - that of Captain "Red" Ned Lynch, a dashing, swashbuckling, lusty pirate, trying to free the people from the evil tyrant Lord Durant (played by the wonderful Peter Boyle). Together with his friend Nick Debrett (superbly played by James Earl Jones), they take us through an exciting and adventurous tale that has everything - action, romance, lots of very subtle humour (don't miss Beau Bridges as Major Folly, one of the best characters in the movie), and a magical score that will take you back in time. I've lost track of how many times I've watched this movie over the years, but it's one you can watch again and again. It's just as great today as it was 27 years ago. Don't look for any brilliant stories or hidden messages - this movie is pure escapist fun! Sit back and enjoy it! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Big Doll House equels Big Fun
Wow....I just finished watching this movie and it is a real jem. Ladies in prison flicks are cool but this one takes the cake as far as campy goes. Here are some of the things you will experience if you watch this flick.
1. Tons of 70's babes with tight skimpy outfits on.
2. More babes with skimpy outfits on.
3. Homosexual prison gaurds
4. Homosexual prison warden
5. A Philipino Revolution
6. More 70's babes with tight outfits on.
7. A woman hanging by her ponytail as punishment for trying to escape
8. Mud wrestling
9. Crazed women inmates imprisoned in an cage with other crazy wild women (they act like animals....funny!)
10. Inmates who want to be "raped" by men, because they haven't "had any sex in a very long time".
11. More sex starved female inmates in tight outfits.....especially one very "hot blond babe" who begs for sex!!
I must admit this is by far the funniest and sickest movie I have seen in a long time. The plot centers around this band of revolutionaries who want to take over thier country by force. They come up with the crazy idea of breaking into an all "womens prison" and freeing the women who will help them with the revolution.(This is the first time I have ever seen anyone break "into" a prison.) Not much of what goes on makes any sence but it sure makes for one hell of a laugh riot. Roger Corman impressed me again. I have only seen one other Roger Corman movie "Bucket of Blood" and I have to admit that this film is stranger and funnier than "Bucket". As I was watching this film I kept asking myself "Is Roger Corman for real?... is he trying to be serious or trying to be funny?"....the script is a zany hoot and the film kept my attention all the way through. I recieved the VHS version and there was 2 spots where the audio did not sync up to the film, this error actually added to the wierdness of the flick. The entire movie had that "made for T.V" feel to it. There is some nudity and bad launguage but the contentnt is so bizzare and offbeat that it deserved a "R" rating. I highly recommned this film for the cinema nut who thinks he has seen it all. You will not be dissapointed!.....the highlight of the film is when halfway thru the movie you find out the prison guards and warden prefer men sexually over women...gay prison guards!!!!.....this twist in the scipt is just TOO FUNNY!!........buy it today....you will thank me!!

Judith Brown & Pam Grier!
What a combo. 'Ladies in Prison' movies is the best idea next to breast implants, and we all know Pammy don't need those. Nudity, violence, one liners, sex, and the great cat-fights. Pam is the star, but Judith don't take no back seat! When farmer man wants to feel Pam's melons through the bars, he get's more than what he bargained for. Talk about plowing. All these characters pop up again and again in the 'Pam Prison' series. SOmetimes she the prisoner, sometimes the warden, and sometimes the revolutionist. Why does every 'woman in prison' film have to have a revolution anyway??? Well no matter, Pam and Judith like I said are a pair that can't be beat!

Scantily Clad...and Behind Bars..!
A CLASSIC. Pam Grier is sublime.

A Fast-paced Exploitation Classic
While not the first or last of the so-called "women in prison" movies, The Big Doll House is certainly one of the best.

A fast-paced exploitation classic from the Lord of the Schlockmeisters, i.e., Roger Corman, The Big Doll House stars Judy Brown, who is taken to a remote island prison and meets fellow jailbirds Pam Grier (!), Brooke Mills and Roberta Collins; Grier and Collins seem to run the entire prison themselves, while Mills plays Harrad, a psycho junkie who makes an art out of hallucinating. Sid Haig is the dominating warden who uses poisonous local snakes to torture the inmates.

All in all, a tongue-in-cheek blend of sex, comedy and violence from a more creative time in American cinema.

The Big Bird Cage was next.

Pam Grier stars in a "Women in Prison" action film.
While any movie starring Pam Grier is worth watching, the Big Doll House is a particularly entertaining entry in the "Women in Prison" film genre. Produced by the great Roger Corman and filmed in the Philippines, this movie features all the violence, mayhem, and nudity one expects in a 70's "Girls Behind Bars" flick. It also has the added bonus of a great scene where Pam Grier and another woman fight it out in the mud of the rice fields (where the women are forced to toil). Don't miss it! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Big Classic!!
Wow....I just finished watching this movie and it is a real jem. Ladies in prison flicks are cool but this one takes the cake as far as campy goes. Here are some of the things you will experience if you watch this flick.
1. Tons of 70's babes with tight skimpy outfits on.
2. More babes with skimpy outfits on.
3. Homosexual prison gaurds
4. Homosexual prison warden
5. A Philipino Revolution
6. More 70's babes with tight outfits on.
7. A woman hanging by her ponytail as punishment for trying to escape
8. Mud wrestling
9. Crazed women inmates imprisoned in an cage with other crazy wild women (they act like animals....funny!)
10. Inmates who want to be "raped" by men, because they haven't "had any sex in a very long time".
11. More sex starved female inmates in tight outfits.....especially one very "hot blond babe" who begs for sex!!
I must admit this is by far the funniest and sickest movie I have seen in a long time. The plot centers around this band of revolutionaries who want to take over thier country by force. They come up with the crazy idea of breaking into an all "womens prison" and freeing the women who will help them with the revolution.(This is the first time I have ever seen anyone break "into" a prison.) Not much of what goes on makes any sence but it sure makes for one hell of a laugh riot. Roger Corman impressed me again. I have only seen one other Roger Corman movie "Bucket of Blood" and I have to admit that this film is stranger and funnier than "Bucket". As I was watching this film I kept asking myself "Is Roger Corman for real?... is he trying to be serious or trying to be funny?"....the script is a zany hoot and the film kept my attention all the way through. I recieved the VHS version and there was 2 spots where the audio did not sync up to the film, this error actually added to the wierdness of the flick. The entire movie had that "made for T.V" feel to it. There is some nudity and bad launguage but the contentnt is so bizzare and offbeat that it deserved a "R" rating. I highly recommned this film for the cinema nut who thinks he has seen it all. You will not be dissapointed!.....the highlight of the film is when halfway thru the movie you find out the prison guards and warden prefer men sexually over women...gay prison guards!!!!.....this twist in the scipt is just TOO FUNNY!!........buy it today....you will thank me!!

Saving Stars for Quality Films
This movie was highly enjoyable; one of the highlights for me was the revolutionary humor; a goofball group of wanna-be revolutionaries decide they need chicks from prison to have their revolution. Their leader stays in power by making increasingly dubious promises that the revolution is coming "soon."
I watched this film because I'm a Pam Grier fan. I'm very interested in her progression from 'chicks in chains' films (such as this one) through her 'half badass, half exploited for skin' roles in the 1970s to her legendary performance as the classy, kickass Jackie Brown, possibly the climax of her career.
Indeed, it's hard to believe that this film contains the same Pam as Jackie Brown. I would recommend this film to people who are interested in Pam's career; if you want to watch it for other reasons, that's up to you.

B-movie Splendor
I would have to say this was a brilliant movie. I was highly entertained from this Mr.Corman and Hill flick. Beautiful women getting roughed up, from the somewhat feminine guards. Pam Grier gets your full attention.

Good Movie
There are tons of women in prison films out there. There are so many that often times they seem almost repetitive. However, this film was very unique because it provided a great mix of comedy and action. Pam Grier as a tough revolutionary provided all the action as she ploted to free the mistreated women from prison. The comedy mostly came from the sexually deprived women, who were full of one-liners and crazy notions. But of course the movie still contained all the things that make a good prison explotation film....lots of nudity...violence...bad laguage and did I mention lots of nudity. It's worth seeing! If you like it also check out THE BIG DOLL HOUSE. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Walker (Lee Marvin) strides through Los Angeles with the steel-eyed stare of a stone-cold killer, or perhaps a ghost. Betrayed by his wife and best friend, who gun him down point-blank and leave him for dead after a successful heist, Walker blasts his way up the criminal food chain in a quest for revenge. Did he survive the shooting or return from the grave, or is it all a dying dream? The question is left in the air in John Boorman's modern film noir, a brutal revenge thriller based on Richard Stark's novel The Hunter (remade by Brian Helgeland as Payback), set in the impersonal concrete and steel canyons of Los Angeles and eerily empty cells of Alcatraz. Walker kills without remorse, guided by shadowy "informant" Keenan Wynn, whose own agenda is carefully concealed, and assisted by Angie Dickinson, as he desperately searches for someone, anyone, who can just give him his money. But if Walker is an extreme incarnation of the revenge-driven noir antihero, the modern syndicate has been transformed into a world of paper jungles and corporate businessmen, an alienating concept to the two-fisted, gun-wielding gangster. Boorman creates a hard, austere look for the film and fragments the story with flashes of painful memory, grafting the New Wave onto old genres with confidence and style. Haunting and brutal, Point Blank remains one of the most distinctive crime thrillers ever made. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The acting is the key here, not the plot.
Lee Marvin is at his minimalist best in this film. Boorman obviously had a great deal of respect for Lee Marvin's inate talent. This is one of the few films that seems to be a real collaboration between director and actor.

In some of the scenes such as when Walker (character name) confronts his wife after she betrays him, Marvin never speaks. He doesn't need dialog to portray his emotional state. The violence is realistic. When Walker fires his .357 magnum, the recoil from this powerful weapon looks authentic. The fight scenes aren't clean and crisp. They are brief, messy and basic.

The pitch here is subtle and played under the top instead of over. Mel Gibson has done a remake of this movie called "Payback." The story line is easier to follow than "Pointblank" but you will see a huge contrast in acting styles. I like the original.

An undeniable CLASSIC
John Boorman's first "American" film, Point Blank still influences filmmakers, such as Martin Scorsese, to this day. Lee Marvin, in one of his best performances, stars as Walker, a man who seemingly comes back from the dead to seek revenge on the friend who betrayed him and recover the 93 grand that he was cheated out of. Walker is pure momentum, a relentless driving force that is virtually unstoppable. He acts almost like anti-matter, his mere presence on the scene causes the world around him, and the people in it, to fall apart. John Boorman based his concept of the character on Lee Marvin's screen persona and certain aspects of his real personality. Angie Dickinson is transcendentally HOT, John Vernon makes his screen debut, Keenan Wynn and Carol O'Connor do great work. Point Blank has a unique, modernistic style all its own - part Antonioni, part Kiss of Death, part science fiction ghost story. Current action films pale in comparrison. Stay away from the crappy remake starring Melvin Gibson and watch POINTY BLANK instead. "You're a very bad man, Walker!"

Payback time

Director: John Boorman
Format: Color
Studio: Warner Studios
Video Release Date: June 22, 1994

Cast:

Lee Marvin ... Walker
Angie Dickinson ... Chris
Keenan Wynn ... Yost
Carroll O'Connor ... Brewster
Lloyd Bochner ... Frederick Carter
Michael Strong ... Big John Stegman
John Vernon ... Mal Reese
Sharon Acker ... Lynne
James Sikking ... Hired Gun
Sandra Warner ... Waitress
Roberta Haynes ... Mrs. Carter
Kathleen Freeman ... First Citizen
Victor Creatore ... Carter's Man
Lawrence Hauben ... Car Salesman
Susan Holloway ... Girl Customer
Sid Haig ... 1st Penthouse Lobby Guard
Michael Bell ... 2nd Penthouse Lobby Guard
Priscilla Boyd ... Receptionist
John McMurtry ... Messenger
Ron Walters ... Young Man in Apartment
George Strattan ... Young Man in Apartment
Nicole Rogell ... Carter's Secretary
Rico Cattani ... Reese's Guard
Roland La Starza ... Reese's Guard
Bill Hickman ... Guard
Chuck Hicks ... Guard
John Kerr ... Stevie, Actor in televised movie
Joseph Mell ... Man
Andrew Orapeza ... Desk Clerk
Felix Silla ... Bellhop
Ted White ... Football Player
Louis Whitehill ... Policeman
Casey Brandon ... Dancer
Jerry Catron ... Man
Lauren Bacall ... Actress in televised movie
Karen Lee ... Waitress
Roseann Williams ... Dancer
Bonnie Dewberry ... Dancer
Carey Foster ... Dancer

Walker (Lee Marvin) took part in a heist which went sour. Double-crossed and shot by his partner Mal Reese (John Vernon), who also takes up with his wife, who thinks he is dead; Walker, however, survives and comes back for his ninety-three thousand dollar share, and vengeance. This film is reminiscent of the movie, "Payback," with Mel Gibson, which has a very similar plot. It, however, came later.

Filmed partly on the old federal prison at Alcatraz (Pelican) Island, in San Francisco Bay, as well as in several other old cell blocks, the set alone is interesting.

Angie Dickinson plays Chris, Walker's sister-in-law. In one scene she administers a physical beating to Lee Marvin that must have required him to wear padded clothing to withstand it, even though he is larger, and, one would expect, much stronger. She really cuts loose and is not pulling her punches, most of which land on his chest.

This is an entertaining film, and results in some very satisfying feelings of vengeance.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

The Best 'Parker' adaptation yet...
This classic crime film from John Boorman needs no more description when it comes to plot, style and quality: what fans of the 'Parker' series of crime novels by Richard Stark (aka Donald E. Westlake, who incidentally screenwrote 'The Grifters') will want to know is whether it matches up to the books.
'Point Blank' is based on 'The Hunter', the first Parker novel, since then retitled as 'Point Blank' in its book incarnation. In the film Parker is called Walker (for no apparent reason) bud it faithfully played by Marvin, who is the best screen Parker so far encountered. Although the script takes considerable liberties with the novel's plot at times, this is the film that gets closest to the cold, methodical genius of the parker we know and love from the novels. Robert Duvall's Parker in 'The Outfit' was hampered with a motivation the literary
Parker would never have needed (vengeance after his brother is killed) while Peter Coyote's Parker in 'Slayground' is hamstrung by a plot that veers millions of miles away from the book, which was utterly absurd as 'Slayground' is one of the most visuallly kinetic novels I've ever read (and I've read a couple of thousand) and still cries out for a faithful film adaptation. Mel Gibson in 'Payback'?...say no more. MG is a buffoon who lacks the gravitas to come anywhere near the effectiveness of one of the minor characters in any Parker novel, let alone the greatest antihero of them all himself. Finally, De Niro comes close to Parker in 'heat' (in which he plays a similar character) but his downfall comes through sentimentality, something the emotionless workmanlike Parker of the novels would never allow to cloud his judgement.
No, if you love the novels, then Lee Marvin is the closest we've had to an authentic depiction of Parker (especially in his physicality) and Boorman has done the best job thus far of bringing Stark's existential vision to the screen.
And if none of this means anything to you - if you like crime cinema and have not seen 'Point Blank', you don't like crime cinema. Now where is the DVD edition ?

Walker Doesn't Kill a Single Person In this Film
After a single viewing of "Point Blank", one might come away with the impression that the central character called Walker is a remorseless killer. The huge, wonderful joke is that in this very violent movie -- very, very violent for its day (1967) -- Walker (Lee Marvin) doesn't kill a single person! He does some serious damage to a couple of people in his quest for revenge, but a careful viewing of the movie reveals that he doesn't even kill his main betrayer, a character named Mal Reese, played by John Vernon. (Reese staggers off a penthouse balcony, so Walker doesn't even get THAT satisfaction.) I invite anyone who is skeptical to watch the film again -- I myself have seen it probably thirty times, or more. (Not very healthy, I know, but its an incredible film.) ... Read more

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Pam Grier, the voluptuous queen of blaxploitation movies (and the foxy title character of Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown) reigns supreme in this kick-ass action flick. Bodacious nurse Foxy takes the law into her own hands after her main squeeze is murdered in cold blood. The standard revenge plot of Foxy Brown moves along on fast-forward, and the violence ratio (some of it quite gruesome) is high. Director Jack Hill, a master of the low-budget drive-in movie (Switchblade Sisters), made Coffy with Pam Grier the year before. This one's not quite as much fun, but it is decidedly kinkier, and the parade of 1970s fashion crimes is mind expanding. At one crucial moment Foxy saves herself by pulling a concealed revolver out of her mighty Afro--absolutely one of the high points of blaxploitation cinema. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Queen of the Explotation Flicks?
FOXY BROWN is a great movie, but not a great explotation movie. Oddly enough this is the film that got Pam Gier the title "QUEEN OF THE EXPLOTATION FLICKS". When I first sat down to watch this film I was expecting to see tons of gratuitous nudity and violence. The nudity in this film was seldom and the violence was not very graphic. Don't get me wrong, I loved this film and it really is a classic 70's film, but don't go in expecting the normal 70's gratuity. The story is about a woman that becomes a vigilante in order to get revenge for the death of her boyfriend. The plot thickens when other elements are thrown into play like a drug addict younger brother, an underground militant army, and a mother forced into prostitution. If you like this film, but you also really like gratuitous nudity and violence; I would highly recommend watching COFFY. Pam Grier is the star of that movie also, but the storyline is a little more loose and there is nudity all over the place (including Grier).

Virtually Re-make of "Coffy" With More Violance
"Foxy Brown" is practically a retread of "Coffy." After the murder of her boyfriend, Foxy Brown (Pam) swears revenge against those who are responsible. Posing as a call girl (again), she carries on her own deadly mission with a help from the Black Panther-like group.

Several changes can be found in "Foxy Brown" to increase the degree of violence, and some of the scenes are very painful to watch (particularly when Brown is imprisoned in a shack), so I do not recommend this film to the beginners of the genre.

In spite of the faults, however, some things redeem them to some extent. Willie Hutch's soundtrack, especially the title song of the film, is still pretty good, and the amusing opening credit with some 007 touch is still unique and interesting. (See how Pam Grier dances to the sound.) And one of the most outrageous ways of concealing a handgun is revealed at the climax of the film. Pam Grier hides a gun in her Afro she is wearing! and in the fashion Bruce Willis did in "Die Hard"!! Has he also seen that?

Foxy Brown Rocks!
This is a great 70's movie! Pam Grier looks beautiful and plays this tough girl part perfect. I love the music and Intro to this film along with the cool clothes! This is a fun movie to watch lots of laughs. I loved it when Foxy pulled the gun out of her Afro, she is too cool! She is like Charlies Angels and Police Woman, Girl Power!

beyond horrendous
I only give this movie one star because I have to. How about no stars, or even minus 5 stars? That would be more accurate. Starts out with some good action and humor, then evolves into a festering pile of garbage that everyone involved should be ashamed of. Frankly, I can't recommend this movie.

Grier is outstanding in this crime thriller
"That's my sister, baby--and she's a whole lotta woman!" That's how one character sums up the title character in "Foxy Brown," a crime thriller written and directed by Jack Hill. Pam Grier plays the title character, whom the title song promises is "super bad."

Foxy is a hip, tough urban African-American woman who eventually takes on an evil white madam and her crime organization. There is a strong anti-drug mesage, with illegal drugs being depicted as a new form of enslavement in the black community. Although the film is occasionally campy, it nevertheless is very effective as a crime drama.

"Foxy" has a gritty, low budget feel. There is a lot of graphic violence, and some outrageous humor. The film is full of great quotable lines, like "You just take care of the justice, and I'll handle the revenge myself." Although the star gets solid support from the rest of the cast, "Foxy" is undeniably Grier's film. She wears Foxy's outrageous outfits and hairdos with flair. She's a powerful but sympathetic screen presence. And when she gets angry, watch out! ... Read more