Reviews (15)

utc
This version of Uncle Tom's Cabin was unique and articulate although it had its misrepresentations and differences from the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It overall was a good movie in my opinion including some famous actors and not straying to far from the novel made this version entertaining. One specific detail which vexes me was the fact that when Eliza was crossing the river there was no ice according to the novel there was ice and I feel it added plenty of suspenseful goodness. Uncle tom was and still is my favorite character how this film depicted his life and death was a sure tear jerker. I am also glad that they kept the last words with Mr. Shelby's son who loved tom. In closing I would like to say that I actually enjoyed this version and rate it higher than others.

disapointment
When you make a movie based on a novel, especially when the novel is good, the movie usually falls tragically short of capturing the book's emotion and suspense. Such is the case with the movie version of Uncle Tom's Cabin . The book itself by Harriet Beecher Stowe was very heartfelt and I, for one, loved it, but the movie could not capture the emotions that the book brings to light.
The movie opens in Kentucky, where The Shelby's live. Mr. Shelby has to sell two of his slaves, Tom and young Harry, to pay off a debt to a slave trader, Mr. Haley. Harry's mother, Eliza, decides to run away to save her child(Harry) and hopefully reunite with her husband who fled to Canada. Tom will not go with her for fear that the rest of his family will be sold. Eliza successfully escapes across the river and is taken in by some Quakers near the Canadian border. Tom on the other hand, is left to take his chances with Mr. Haley and the promises of his master to bring him back as soon as possible.
Through all this the movie does not establish the characters very well, and does not make you feel any sympathy for any of them. This is because many important scenes of the book were changed or left out. For example, one of the most famous scenes in the story is the scene where Eliza escapes across a river of ice, and in the movie, Eliza escapes across the river in a raft because it is warm. This escape does not capture the same drama as it did in the book, and was a big disappointment to me personally. Even tiny things have been changed which make no sense to me. For example, the Shelby's son is named Christopher in the movie, but in the book his name is George and this seems like a completely pointless change . I also did not agree with the casting choices in the movie. Augustine is an older man in the movie and if you look in the book, St. Clare was continually referred to as Tom's YOUNG master. In retrospect, there is not many good things I can say about this movie. The only characters I thought were fairly true to the writing of the book were Simon Legree, Marie, and maybe Tom. Other than that I think the movie was a complete failure in bringing this classic book to life, and I recommend that you read the book instead.

The silent movie was much better
The book by H.B.S. was not intended to be about heroism or love but about the inhumanity of slavery. The author breathed life into the characters primarily to evoke sympathy for them from the reader or hatred for them in the case of Simon Legree. I saw this black and white silent movie for the first time at the age of 13. Up until that time I had only occasional contact with black people and did not understand why they were so radical about the topic of slavery. My only understanding of slavery was the Shirley Temple version and I thought black people were being overly sensitive about it. Seeing Uncle Tom's Cabin was like an awakening that changed my understand of the whole relationship between black people and slavery. The silent movie was much better at bringing across the true purpose of the novel without the hollywood slant of modern versions.

WOW!
The movie entitled Uncle Tom's Cabin was an excellent film. I am really glad that I got a chance to view it. I could watch this over and over again. I praise Tom for his courage and for him standing up for what was right although he was beaten for it plenty of times. From this particular movie I saw that not all white people were bad, and I also saw how slaves were treated back in the times of slavery. They were just sold like they were a piece of dirt and just like they weren't even human beings. I think that this is a good film to watch for anyone is learning about slavery to see what it was all about.
The movie ,Uncle Tom's Cabin, was about a man named Tom who was a devote Christian. He was free but he wasn't free. I say this because although he wasn't free physically he was free mentally. He knew he that nobody could buy his soul. Through the whole movie he stood up for what was right and spoke his mind. Although aware of the consequences he still pressed on. People like him is what makes our history. People who stood up, and didn't accept less. People who knew that nobody was better then them and that they deserved to be treated equally. He helped those who were in the time of need. The great thing about everything that happened in the movie and everything that Tom accomplished is that it wasn't fiction it was fact. It really happened.
This movie was good! I liked how Tom stood up for himself and everyone else although he got beat for it. He always did the right thing no matter what.
In conclusion I would like to say that Uncle Tom's Cabin was a great film to watch. I would rate this a 10 on a scale from 1 to 10. I would definitely love to see this movie again.

Uncle Tom'S Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin contracts the many different attitudes that southerners as well as northerners shared towards slavery. It shows the evils of slavery and the cruelty and inhumanity of the peculiar institution, in particular how masters treat their slaves and how families are torn apart because of slavery. This movie is great it really shows what happen to African Americans back in the old days how a man like Uncle Tom had so much courage that he got killed because he didn't want the two slaves to get caught by their master when they ran away. This movie really made me think why, how this could have happen in America people where getting sold like they where cars from owner to owner it made me change because it makes me think that I have it good. That I can go out and eat and they cannot tell me white's only. This movie really change my life around. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Jim Jones: The Guyana Tragedy
This is an outstanding movie! Powers Booth does an exellent portrayel of Rev. Jim Jones. This movie,I would say is not for children.The only thing bad with this video is the quality of the picture is not very good at all,but it is worth the money just to own the movie.The facts are a little shaky,but all in all it's pretty close. Shane

Riveting portrait of good that becomes evil
The events of November 18, 1978, in which 917 people died in a jungle enclave in the South American jungle of Guyana have continued to rivet the world. How could all these people have been brainwashed into following a man like the Rev. Jim Jones to their eventual doom? What social and economic conditions could have driven both them and their leader to do what they did?

The riveting 2-part 1980 TV film GUYANA TRAGEDY: THE STORY OF JIM JONES gives us a pretty good idea. Neither director William A. Graham nor screenwriter Ernest Tidyman could have found anyone better to play Jim Jones than the then-unknown Powers Boothe. I agree strongly with a previous reviewer who said that Boothe literally BECAME Jones right before our eyes. It's not a surpise, then, that he should have won an Emmy for his magnetic performance.

The film also features a big-name cast, including Ned Beatty, Meg Foster, Randy Quaid, Brenda Vaccaro, Brad Dourif, Madge Sinclair, Colleen Dewhurst, and Diane Ladd. This is a must-see for anyone interested in incredible single events like the nightmare of the Jonestown massacre.

GUYANA TRAGEDY-THE STORY OF JIM JONES
I FEEL THAT POWERS BOOTHE PORTRAYED JIM JONES EXCELLENTLY IN THIS MOVIE,AND I RECOMMEND IT VERY HIGHLY FOR VIEWING.

A Spellbinding Film Though Not Entirely Accurate
This film is masterfully done and will grab the viewer's attention from the beginning. Boothe does an excellent job of portraying Jones. Though the film has great artistic merit and portrays an overall sense of the life of the People's Temple, it fails to convey the true roots of madness that became the driving force of the Jonestown cult. For a better overall survey of Jones' theological presuppositions and personal history, I would highly recommend a reading of David Chidester's book, Salvation and Suicide. Also recommended is the audio broadcast "The Last Days of Jonestown," available from National Public Radio.

Boothe's Emmy was well deserved!
Besides the riveting portrayal of Jones by star Boothe, the two-part telefilm sports excellent performances from Rosalind Cash, Veronica Cartwright, Brenda Vaccaro, Madge Sinclair, and Levar Burton, fresh from his star-making turn as the young "Kunta Kinte" in "Roots.

The film is engrossingly disturbing from start to finish. It chronicles the events leading to one of the most horrific days in history, only parrelled by the attack on Pearl Harbor and that day in September two years ago. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Just as Do the Right Thing was the capstone of Spike Lee's earlier career, Malcolm X marked the next milestone in the filmmaker's artistic maturity. It seemed everything Lee had done up to that point was to prepare him for this epic biography of America's fiery civil-rights leader, who is superbly played by Oscar-nominated Denzel Washington, from his early days as a zoot-suited hustler known as "Detroit Red" to his spiritual maturity after his pilgrimage to Mecca, as a Black Muslim by the name of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz. Do the Right Thing climaxed with the photographic images of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King engulfed by flames of rage; Malcolm X explores the genesis and evolution of that rage over Malcolm's lifetime, and how these two great figures--held up to the public as polar-opposites within the African American human rights movement (King for nonviolent civil disobedience, Malcolm for achieving equality "by any means necessary")--were each essential to the agenda of the other. Lee careens from the hedonistic ebullience of Malcolm's early days to the stark despair of prison, from his life-changing conversion to Islam to his emergence as a dynamic political leader--all with an epic sweep and vitality that illuminates personal details as well as political ideology. Angela Bassett is also terrific as Malcolm's wife, Betty Shabazz. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Awesome man, excellent tribute
Denzel Washington makes this little understood nearly mythical man breath. After studying the life of Malcolm X in a sociology of religion class, we watched this film to relax a bit. The script seems fairly accurate to history, and the imagery helps bring the conflict, drive and sincerity of Malcolm X to life.
In the movie, it becomes so obvious that Malcolm had just reached a kind of Buddhist nirvanna in his Islamic faith. Had he been allowed to live, his newly found spiritual insight gained from his pilgrimage to Mecca most likely would have helped to enlighten other Americans, Muslim or Christian, white or black. Malcolm appears on the verge of something even greater than he had previously been. Malcolm appears to be on the verge of becoming a national and perhaps even global spiritual and secular leader at the time of his death. Denzel makes more mourn the death of a man I never met. Inspiring, insightful. I'm grateful to Denzel and Spike for bringing me this "joint."

Excellent Biopic, One of the Best!
A sweeping biopic of an admirable man, who, while his ideas were wrong, had the will and the determination to defend his ideas and to say them publicly. A powerful film, with a sweeping force and excellent production values. While the film is extremely long (200+ min.), it is never boring ans always fascinating, it is divided in equally interesting stages; Malcolm's youth, prison time, his dedication to Elijah Muhammad, and the ultimate betrayal and death of Malcom X. A compelling study of a complicated, angry man, and whether you agree with his ideas or you don't, the movie remains a riveting biopic that is one of the best movies of the 90's. The reason the film works so well is mainly because of the performances and the assured direction by Lee. Not as incendeary or provocative as one would expect from a Spike Lee film, only the first and last few minutes are controversial. Denzel Washington delivers a powerful performance that ranks among his best. Also Angela Bassett is great in support. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!

Powerful...
...is the best way to describe Malcolm X, Denzel Washinton's greatest work in cinema so far. It tells the story of Malcolm X, the strong-willed black revolution leader whose ironic and powerful views differed very differently from Martin Luther Jr.
Denzel Washington gives an extraordinary performance, and with heart he shows the metamorphosis of Malcolm X, from hip young kid, to his life of crime days, to when he was a white-hating civil rights leader.
There are many other great performances in the film, and Spike Lee makes Malcolm X his best "joint" ever. You can feel that this is a Spike lee film, because it is a little strange and it swings from one mood to another. Spike lee also stars in the film, but as a minor character.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Malcolm X, and it ranks as one of the best film of the '90s. If you love Denzel Washington, you haven't seen him perform until you have seen him in Malcolm X.

BEST MOVIE EVER
Movies are never good as the book, but its good to see a visual. One thing I didn't like about the movie is the way they protrayed Elijah Mahammad.
This movie changed my life, for someone like me in High School that didn't like to read. lol It was becasue of this movie I joined the Nation Of Islam when I was 18. I figured I would go to the source, Malcom X just repeated what Elijah said, and look how great he became. Malocom X was so great, but always thought he would come back to the N.O.I....Give thanks to Malcom X our living Ancestor...

Definite classic
But... while this film marks Spike's high point as a director and one of Denzel's highest points as an actor (THIS is what he should've goitten the Oscar for, not Training Day, and it's criminal that Spike wasn't nominated.)
That being said, the film is overall excellent and historically accurate, even when it hurts, such as the corruption of the Nation of Islam. Two things, however, mar it: First, Freeman's Elijah sounded like he belonged in Kung Fu film; the real Elijah (there are tapes)didn't quite sound that Asian. Second, the ending just didn't fit. That was just Spike trying way too hard to say something that really didn't need to be said. The film could've ended at the assassination and been near perfect. The rest was attempted spin-doctoring.
DEFINITELY see this film. It's essential in understanding a lot of the early '60s political scene. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A Powerful American Epic
Separate But Equal is a riveting portrayal of the struggle for desegration of the public schools. While some liberties are taken to enhance the story for television, it is still of reasonable historical accuracy. Sidney Poitier and Burt Lancaster turn in solid performances as opposing counsel. However, the real star of this video is the far lesser known Richard Kiley who turns in an excellent portrayal of Chief Justice Earl Warren. As a result, the stronger half of the story turns out to be the second part which provides a fascinating look at Warren's struggle to guide the court through the bitterly divisive issue of whether segregation in the public schools was unconstitutional. The intellectual battles among such strong willed men as Justices Douglas, Frankfurter, and Reed and the difficulties of the latter two to come to a resolution of the issue is masterfully portrayed. All in all, this is clearly one of the best historically based presentations I have seen in recent years.

First rate docudrama on Brown v. Board of Education
"Separate But Equal" puts three names about the credits: Sidney Portier as Thurgood Marshall, Burt Lancaster as John W. Davis, and Richard Kiley as Earl Warren. This is significant because it helps to personify the three sides in the monumental Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education. Marshall headed the NAACP lawyers who challenged the legal doctrine that legitimized segregation in the South. Davis represented the interests of the states, not out of a sense of bigotry but out of legal principle; after all, it was the Supreme Court that had established the separate but equal doctrine. This becomes a key part of the dilemma that Chief Justice Warren faced because the law was obviously legal--it just also happened to be wrong.

This excellent 1991 docudrama was aired in two parts. The first part looks at the segregated school system in Claredon County, South Carolina, one of the four cases that comprised the ruling, and the harm of segregation is captured in a memorable sequence in which young black children always pick the white doll rather than the black doll to describe who is smarter, better, etc. The second part of the film deals with the lengthy process by which the high court deliberated the case, doing a better job of capturing the process than any drama I have ever seen.

Portier provides Marshall with all the dignity appropriate to the role, and it is a treat to see the actor play a lawyer arguing before the high court. Lancaster, in his final role, performs a key function: he is earnest and likeable, which means that in the context of this story our opposition has to be to his position and not to him personally. In other words, this is a legal matter that has to be determined on the point of law and not on our feelings about bigots and racism. However, writer/director George Stevens, Jr. has set us up, because for Kiley's Earl Warren it is a question of justice rather than the law, especially after the former Governor of California visits the battlefield at Gettysburg and discovers his driver had to sleep in the car because no local hotel would accept a black.

For me this is Kiley's film and the most fascinating part of "Separate But Equal" is watching him rally the Court to make its landmark ruling. This is a long, hard, effort for Kiley, who insists that a unanimous ruling is important to make it clear to the nation that there is no longer two sides to this issue. I appreciated that Stevens simply has Kiley read the actual ruling at the film's climax. Again, Stevens using a simple image to bring home the significance of the ruling as the preacher and father who were at the heart of the case we watched in the first part hear the news on the radio, pull over their car, get out and kneel by the side of the road to give thanks.

At 193 minutes this docudrama would consume a week of class, but it could be well worth the effort. Certainly screening it for students would produce some interesting questions and discussions. Final comment: Stevens uses irony throughout "Separate but Equal" (e.g., Marshall and the NAACP lawyers cannot get a cab to take them to the Supreme Court to hear the decision), but there is one delightful use of humor, when a young white lawyer who is helping with the appeal explains to the NAACP lawyers why he is there working with them.

They play in the streets together, they separate for school.

"John, if this case goes before the Supreme Court. . . I'm gonna need you"

It's the early 1950's, in America. The governor of South Carolina James Francis Byrnes, in his 70's at the time, pays a visit to his friend, the famous lawyer John W. Davis. Davis had argued 138 cases in front of the Supreme Court. Byrnes was turning to him for help.

Byrnes was determined to show that discrimination and segregation in public schools were not the same thing. He wanted black school children to have equal schools. He was ashamed of the terrible condition the black schools were in, in his state of South Carolina. He even levied a three percent sales tax to fund the improvement of black schools. He was prepared to spend 75 million dollars to improve the public schools for black children in his state.

But he knew, that the small case that a few courageous people (Harry Briggs, Reverand J.A. Delaine) had started in Clarendon county, SC, was too big of an issue for his efforts alone. The case was on it's way to the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (the NAACP), had become involved. Their head lawyer, Thurgood Marshall had combined this case and four other similar cases (from Delaware, Kansas, DC and Virginia) into one called 'Brown v. Board of Education', and made it his mission to strike down segregation in public schools in America.

The great thing about this movie is how it makes each side look respectable. The movie does not make this a 'bad evil white men against poor suffering black people' type of story. But rather, the film, portrays the white men as being highly respected, educated and willing to do the right thing. But at the same time, very concerned and perhaps even afraid of the consequences of their decisions.

I also loved the humor in this film. For example when Byrnes is conversing with Davis and says 'I admit to past sins, our colored schools are a disgrace'. Or when one of the lawyers at the NAACP legal defense fund says about the South Carolina case "If we win this one, we'll only have 11,172 school districts left."

The heart of this film is the uncommon courage of the people. Courage among so many involved. Of course, first from the blacks from those small towns, who risked their jobs and safety, and faced the hate of the Ku Klux Klan, by taking these complaints to their local lawyers. Then, to the NAACP, for climbing this long and expensive uphill battle. But also, to the judges on the Supreme Court, and in particular the Chief Judge Earl Warren.

Warren was quoted as saying 'Everything that I did in life that was worthwhile, I caught hell for.' What a difficult decision, but what a remarkable effort on his part to unite the nine members of the Supreme Court to conclude the case with a unanimous decision to end segregation in public schools in America.

It took a lot of brave people on both sides, to end separation of black and white school children in public schools. Perhaps Thurgood Marshall summed it up best, when he mocked the thinking of people in the south by saying 'you can have them attending the same State Universities and Graduate schools, but if they attend the same elementary and high schools together, the world would fall apart.'

A wonderful treasured movie. Must see for all.

Great Film - Typical Rotten Artisan DVD
This is one of the best films made for TV. It tells the story of the groundbreaking Supreme Court case that put Thurgood Marshall in the minds of most educated Americans.

However, this is a terrible DVD. The colors are dark. There is no sharpness to the film at all. In effect, it is worse than what you saw when it originally came out. As usual, Artisan does not take advantage of the DVD technology. I tried to contact them, but their website has no email address. This DVD is cheaply made, which is a shame. This a film classic, much more deserving than the shabby treatment Artisan has given it. This ranks right up there with the horrible DVD that Artisan made of "The Quiet Man." Please Artisan, either give us good copies of these great films, or quit ruining them.

FIVE STARS FOR THE FILM, 1 STAR FOR ARTISAN

Great historical/legal drama
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical dama about Briggs v. Elliott. It was a great drama, seemed very accurate, portrayed a little-known legal "Super Bowl" between my hero, John W Davis, and Thurgood Marshall. Everybody should watch it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hearts of Darkness is an engrossing, unwavering look back at Francis Coppola's chaotic, catastrophe-plagued Vietnam production, Apocalypse Now. Filled with juicy gossip and a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at the stressful world of moviemaking, the documentary mixes on-location home movies shot in the Philippines by Eleanor Coppola, the director's wife, with revealing interviews with the cast and crew, shot 10 years later. Similar to Burden of Dreams, Les Blank's absorbing portrait of Werner Herzog's struggle to make Fitzcarraldo, the film chronicles Coppola's eventual decent into obsessive psychosis as everything that could go wrong does go wrong. Storms destroy sets, money evaporates, the Philippine government continually harasses the director, Coppola has romantic affairs, and he can't write the story's ending. Everything is captured on film. In the most disturbing scene, we watch Martin Sheen have a drunken nervous breakdown while his director goads him on (he eventually suffered a heart-attack, but finished the film).

Other incredible footage is not visual, but aural as the film includes tapes Eleanor Coppola recorded without Francis's knowledge. In them, he truly sounds like a madman as he confesses his fears about making a bomb of a movie. But while Hearts of Darkness is an amazing, voyeuristic experience, its importance lies in the personal reflections offered by those involved. Sheen, Coppola, and Dennis Hopper speak frankly without embarrassment, offering us an essential piece of film history. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Wonderful Documentary Is Even Better than the Actual Movie
Shot by Francis Ford Coppolla's wife, Hearts of Darkness is an incredible, one hour fifty minute documentary that reveals the horrors of making the very popular Apocalypse Now. The film took forever to make, driving many of its participants to the brink of insanity, not just Coppolla, who was emotionally-unstable for much of the film. Viewers of this fascinating documentary will be amazed to learn that Harvey Keitel was originally cast as Willard, but was dropped after only two weeks of shooting. Though only 36 years-old, Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack during filming, an event that further postponed its debuts in theaters. There is some really great footage included here, especially the shooting of the opening sequence of the film which involves a very drunk Sheen lashing out as both his character and himself (at that point, Sheen was experiencing a lot of hostility towards Coppolla and had it out with him right then and there, an episode that would appear in the finished movie). Even if you didn't particularly care for Apocalypse Now, you will most likely find Hearts of Darkness interesting, nonetheless. It is a magnificent look at the troubles and triumphs of a film crew headed by a somewhat mad, but brilliant director. This shouldn't be missed.

A stirring portrait of the making of a masterpiece
Subtitled, "A Filmmaker's Apocalypse", this 1991 film is a documentary about the making of "Apocalypse Now", the 1979 film based on Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness". Set in Vietnam, it is the story of a captain, Martin Sheen, and his crew's mission to find and kill an insane colonel, Marlon Brando, who had created his own kingdom deep in the Jungle. On the way, everyone is touched with the evil around them. This summer I saw the re-edited version of the film and have been intrigued by it ever since. When I heard about this "Hearts of Darkness" I just HAD to see it.

The filming of Apocalypse Now was supposed to take just sixteen weeks at a budget of $13 million. It wound up costing more than $30 million, much of it put up by Francis Coppola himself, and took almost three years to get to the public. Coppola' wife Eleanor and their three children went along on location in the Philippines. She was interested in making a documentary and shot a lot of behind-the-scenes footage, even secretly recording private conversations she had with her husband about the film. The authenticity of the experience really comes through, as everyone involved with the production seemed to go a little bit insane.

Coppola had serious doubts throughout and we hear his words of despair as he thinks he's making a bad movie. We see the terrible typhoon that destroyed all the sets and realized that the helicopters that were being used for the shooting were actually property of the Philippine government who kept calling them away to fight a real disturbance that was going on just ten miles away. We see shots and scenes that never made it into the original film (although much of it eventually made it into the 2001 "Redux" version). We see and overweight Marlon Brando who insisted on being filmed in shadows. And we are right there to watch the filming of the scene in which Martin Sheehan has a mental breakdown. In order to do this he became bleary-eyed drunk, cut his thumb on a mirror and used the blood as part of the scene. The intensity is chilling and when, a short time afterward, he has a life-threatening heart attack at the age of 36, we're all there to see him as he is given first aid.

Now, years later, some of the actors are interviewed about their experiences. We learn that they did a lot of drugs during many of the scenes - acid, speed, marijuana, alcohol, which certainly added to the authenticity as well as the craziness of the whole production. Robert Duval talks about how his famous line "I love the smell of napalm in the morning was improvised. And the whole cast talks about how they improvised a massacre scene. Laurence Fishburne was only 14 when the film was made, a real coming-of-age experience for him. But this very stirring film portrait belongs to Francis Coppola. We get to meet him as a very imperfect human being doing his best to create an art form out of the script, changing it constantly as he went along, and eventually turning out a small masterpiece which went on to be nominated for eight academy awards.

I give this video my highest recommendation. It is a "must" for movie buffs. And an essential education for anyone involved in filmmaking itself. Don't miss it!

A Great documentary&RIP Marlon Brando
this Documentary truly hits behind the scenes&captures the strong acting&Overall Chemistry of the Film.Much Props to Marlon Brando who shows why He is One of the Mount Rushmore's of Actor's.you get a great Climpse at the workings&the overall concepts&Direction of this Film.truly a Must have.

"Hearts of Darkness" IS "Apocalypse Now"
The only known versions of this "essential" documentary are V-taped from the "Pay-Per-View" broadcast. ALL officially packaged VHS versions have long since disappeared from the video store shelves once it was discovered that this title was pulled "out" of release. Now my 1st reaction was that they were preparing to "bundle" "Hearts of Darkness" with a Special Edition release of "Apocalypse Now:Redux" and was thoroughly dumbfounded to find out otherwise.

That said I will take this oppurtunity to advocate that the ONLY other RIGHT way to release this "essential" documentary left would be as part of a 25th Anniversary ( "Apoc..Now" was 1979 release ) Special Edition Collector's Boxed Set of "Apocalypse Now".I say this because ALL afficianadoes of masterworks of filmcraft will agree that you just CAN NOT apprreciate "Apocalyspe Now" ( or Redux version for that matter ) WITHOUT the inclusion of "Hearts of Darkness" .

In essense, "Apocalypse Now" and "Hearts of Darkness" are ONE FILM and are to be experienced as such. I would also stress that suched a special Edition Boxed Set would be found slakcing "with extreme predjudice" if it didn't also include a "commentary" version from none other than AND inclusion of the ORIGINAL ending.
That amazingly surreal soundtrack intensifying the mysterious destruction of Kurtz's temple compound makes the full ending credits far more dramtically displayed by being displayed "in context" with the obliteration of the world of "Apocalypse Now"; an ending also portraying a rather telling , if subconcious, expression of Copolla's psyche at the time of "that" final cut.
The eerie set of events and the surreal convergences of professional lives on the line surrounding the making of "Apocalypse Now" is one of the great , even historic , filmmaking stories of the 20th century and I effortlessly rank it right up there with the story of the making of "Citizen Kane". Orson Wells' wunderkind stature in pulling off the "Citizen kane" masterwork humbles even Francis Ford Copolla ( which I'm quite sure HE would readily admit ). Copolla was cetainly in awe of that Wellsian masterpiece, as well as of Wells himself, when making his artistic masterpiece, but the parallels of BOTH of their artistic daring and "risking it all" to get their vision on film are striking and awesome nonetheless.
( Perhaps one day we'll see someone equally surreal, like some future Terry Gillaim, attempt making an even more Wagnerian-proportioned dramatization about the making of "Apocalypse Now" the way they made "RKO 281: The Battle Over Citizen Kane" ).
Anyway, the absolute importance that "Hearts of Darkness" serves toward understanding just what planet "Apocalypse Now' came from is inarguably cast in stone as "essential"!
I just wanted to bring in some salient points not yet presented here in making the case for DVD release of "Hearts of Darkness".
My job is done here.

Life As Art As Life As Art As Life As Art...
It's truly a shame that this amazing documentary is now out of print. Hunt down a used copy or find it at your local video rental place. It's well worth the effort.

The amazing thing about the Coppola's efforts is the circular karma that seemed to go into overdrive: Francis tries to make a film based on "Heart of Darkness", a story about a man and a country that gets lost in his mental interior while probing the interior of an alien land. He uses the story to try and tell the story of a different man and a different country getting lost in their mental interiors while probing the interior of another alien land. In the process Coppola, trying to deal with his lead actor getting lost in his mental interior while probing the interior of an alien land, loses himself in his mental interior while probing...well, you get the picture. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Star is a Must-See For the Obsessive Romantic
_Star_ is a beautiful movie that can be seen before or after reading the book. The characters are chosen perfectly and the acting is beautiful. However, the chemistry between characters is not what is should be. The actor that plays Spencer Hill has more chemistry with the woman he was tricked into marrying than he does with Crystal, his true love. This video tells the story of Crystal Wyatt, a shockingly stunning true country girl who loves her ranch and Spencer Hill, a handsome veteran of the Korean War who does not like to let anyone down, which the reason why this story ever happens in the first place. The singing in this movie is splendid, as well; it put tears into my eyes. This is my favorite movie and I recommend it full-heartedly.

i want to see this movie...please sell!!
I love Danielle Steel books more than anything, i find them so intriuging, and star is one of my favorite books, and so i really want to watch this movie, although i have seen the danielle steel movies, fine things, and once in a lifetime, i recommend these movies (and books) to any avid danielle steel reader. If you have any information on where i can find this book, please let me know.....

A Must for Jennie and Danielle Steele fans
"STAR" is my favorite book and I think that all the actors were cast perfectly and were wonderful but the movie and the book are sooo different! The movie was good enough that I read the book, but then realized the movie lacks so much of the detail that makes this story great-which I guess is expected for a TV movie. Knowing the full story makes it easier to like the movie-if you don't you'd think it was cheese. If you are a die-hard romantic, and/or a Jennie fan, this is definitley the movie you'd want to see.

One word - awful
I am a fan of Danielle Steele's movies and own most of them. This was the worst one I've seen. I found the acting to be very poor, as exemplified by the main character, portrayed by Jennie Garth. I feel she was badly miscast with her Betty Boop protrayal. The best performance was given by the beautiful, status-seeking wife. Personally, I wouldn't waste money on this, but would save it for Jewels, The Ring, to name a couple of wonderful interpretations of Danielle Steele's books.

This movie is sweet,touching, and romantic!!!
Jennie Garth is the perfect "Crystal Wyatt" because she is just like her character in the book. However, I was a little upset that they changed the story line from the book. The setting in the book takes place after World War Two, not after Vietnam!! Also, Crystal Wyatt was supposed to go to Hollywood to act, and singing was secondary. I'm an avid Danielle Steel reader and yes, the movie differs somewhat from the book, but the actors are great, and this movie will definately have you in tears if you are a romantic!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This layered film, a labor of love from director Jonathan Demme and star Oprah Winfrey, covers a lot of turf in its nearly three-hour running time. Part slavery fable, part mother-daughter tale, part ghost story, Beloved demands an audience's full attention from its dramatic, slightly bewildering opening, when a family dog comes down on the wrong side of some angry, unseen force. But Demme and his talented cast provide an unforgettable payoff for those who surrender.

The film traces the life of Sethe (played in her middle years by Winfrey), a former slave who has rebuilt what seems to be a peaceful, productive life in Ohio. Yet through chilling, sparing use of flashback, Demme slowly unveils, as does the Toni Morrison masterpiece on which the film is based, the horrors of Sethe's former life, and the terrible event that led to the haunting of Sethe's home.

While the horrors of slavery and the bloody event in Sethe's family leave undeniable impressions, the film's brilliance is also evidenced in smaller, equally satisfying ways. Rachel Portman's spiritual-influenced score is as uplifting as it is haunting, and the glimpses of the post-slavery African American world--as with a simple family outing to a local carnival, or a ladies' sewing-and-gospel circle--make this a treat for the intellect as well as the heart. The members of the cast, especially Kimberly Elise as Sethe's struggling daughter and Thandie Newton as the mysterious title character, are supremely affecting. --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Reviews (113)

Solid Acting
This movie is beautiful and painful to watch. It tries hard to live up to Toni Morrison's novel and succeeds in capturing many of the book's powerful images. The story's central characters are Sethe and Paul D., two ex-slaves from the "Sweet Home" plantation. Denver is Sethe's teenage daughter, the only of three (living) children who has not been driven away by the baby ghost in Sethe's house. Beloved is a strange young woman who comes to stay with the other three characters, stirring up memories of Sethe's horrible past. Acting awards go to Kimbery Elise as Denver and Thandie Newton as Beloved, who carry the movie with grace and strength. Denver is the movie's heart, and dares you not to look at her each time she crosses in front of the camera. Oprah Winfrey and Lisa Gay Hamilton do very well with the character of Sethe, portrayed at two different ages. Danny Glover is neither special nor offensive as Paul D. The story is easier to follow if you have already read the book, and might even then take more than one viewing to sufficiently grasp. The camera work is skillful, and the sets and costumes add very much to the film. Because of its style and three hour length, seeing this movie feels like watching a really good miniseries. It's an inspiring and artfully made film.

Loved Beloved
For those who did not understand or found it difficult to follow the story line of this hauntingly strange yet beautiful tale, I'm sorry for their loss. Had I closed my mind to this film after its first five minutes or because of the critics reviews, I too would have missed this powerful drama. Winfrey, Glover and the entire cast have my gratitude and respect for bringing Toni Morrison's story to film. Sethe, Paul Dee and Denver were wonderful strong characters. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. My eyes beheld Beloved and found it a beauiful well done work of art. Like many, I allowed the critics to discourage me from the theater and almost ignored it completely.

The shock of several scenes depicting the horrors and cruelity of slavery wained after my first several viewings, but I continued to find the story powerful, sad, joyous, strange and hauntingly beautiful. I can't seem to get enough and have returned again and again. My purchase of this movie will be a great addition to my most selective library of films.

This film has stayed with me. I though it should be given a chance and have asked several friends who also passed it up to view Beloved just for their opinion. It seems more people than not truly enjoy this film once they give themselves permission to view it with an opened mind and look pass the five second dog scene. It's a shame Winfrey, Glover and the entire cast were so overlooked for their contributions. This film should be given a second chance. What do you think?

Almost a masterpiece
It took me a long time to watch the movie Beloved due to the fact that it wasn't easily available in South Africa, I truelly enjoyed this movie and was really happy with the way it stayed true to the book which is one of my all time favourites, I've read the book so many times I even know most of the lines, I mostly was anxious to see the movie cos I wanted to see how they would manage to bring such a story to life, thankfully I wasn't dissapointed, the only problem I have with the movie was the casting of Danny Glover in the role of Paul Dee, I strongly feel that he spoiled the movie,they would have done better to cast another actor to the role, If you want to see poetry in motion(which I deeply believe the book is) then you have to watch this movie, Bravo to everyone(except Mr Glover but for whom I would have given this film 5 stars)who was involved in the making of this film. Well done for an outstanding protrayal of what I truely believe must have been the hardest novel ever to bring to life.

Didnt do the book justice
Oprah ruined the whole essence of the book with this movie. I was expected an oscar performance and got garbage. The book was poetic and explained the relationship between the family members, the relationship that blacks have with religion each other, slavery etc etc. The movie did not catch any of that. Most of the movie did not even make sense. I was sorely disappointed.

Love your heart!
I recommend you reading the book by Toni Morrison before watching this movie (which I did) because I can understand the flashbacks being confusing if you have not read the book by the Nobel winning author Toni Morrison. "Beloved" is about a woman named Sethe who was "married" to a man named Halle at the plantation "Sweet Home" during the times of slavery. Sethe escapes slavery and is beaten by some white men while she was pregnant with her daughter Denver, and the white men drank her milk from her breasts. The scar from the cowhide whipping still remains on her back after many years, and it looks like a cherryblossom tree. Her husband Halle saw the whole thing and went crazy because of the experience, and she never saw her husband again. She has her baby with the help of a white girl named Amy Denver who is going to Boston to get some velvet. Amy is the one who points out that her back looks like a tree, and Sethe names her baby "Denver" after the white girl. She goes back home to Halle's mom's house, Baby Suggs, where she has hidden her children. Baby Suggs is an inspirational Christ-like character who gives sermons on loving your hands, skin, and heart because no one else will love them. Her speech scenes are done beautifully. Paul D, a man from Sethe's "Sweet Home," comes into their lives. Sethe's baby "Beloved" is haunting the house.
Beloved comes back in the body she would have been in had she lived. Sethe finally finds out that it is her baby, and she reveals that long ago when the white men came to claim Sethe's babies as property, she killed all of her children except Denver so that they would not be brought into slavery.
It is a beautiful and touching movie, and if you have never seen Oprah act, you are missing something! Glover and Winfry are both beautiful actors in this movie. Don't miss it! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A Holiday Classic...
In 1984, another Christmas classic was released: "The Night They Saved Christmas." This movie of full love, giving and holiday fun. This movie has a great cast of chracters and is sure to get you into the holiday spirit and it will remind you how important Christmas really is.

As we start out, we meet Mr. Baldwin, a professional oil rigger who has been dynamiting ice fields near the north pole. This smells trouble for Santa and the elves. So Mr. Balwdin and his wife Claudia go home and there we meet his kids, David(oldest), Marianne (middle), and C.B. (youngest). David is basically a good kid that is sort of a suck-up to his parents. Marianne is an average yound girl with a heart of gold. Their youngest son C.B. is a trouble maker. He's always getting into fights with bullies who parade around saying, "There's NO Santa Claus." So C.B. is having trouble getting into the holiday spirit.

The next day Mr. Baldwin meets Santa's chief elf named Ed. He warns Mr. Balwdin that he has to stop the dynamiting because he will eventually blow up the North Pole. He breaks out in laughter and doesn't believe any of this. So Mr. Baldwin goes home and relays this whole story to his family and everyone laughs except C.B. because he's the only one that believes it.

The next day when Mr. Baldwin goes to work, Ed (Chief Elf) visits Claudia and her kids at their house and brings them to the north pole in a motorized Reindeer sleigh. There Claudia and the kids meet all the elves and SANTA! Then they go visit Santa's house where he has a talk with Claudia as to why they should stop the dynamiting. She is convinced that this tragedy will happen if they don't stop now. So she and the kids go home and she tries to get her husband to stop right away. Finally he stops the dynamiting.

This is movie is full of love, laughter and joy and is a Christmas classic. The movie has great visual effects and the setting of the North Pole is unbelievably stunning. This movie should be the next Christmas movie in your collection.

A real "Feel Good" movie!!
This movie is the best Christmas movie I have ever watched. I like it better than "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street". I bought it and watched it so much that I wore the tape out. It took a lot of searching to find this movie about 5 years ago and I finally found one place who could order it, so I ordered 2 just in case I wore the new one out, but ended up giving one away because I wanted to share this awesome movie with a friend! Buy it - You will not be disappointed! Makes me believe all over again!!

great film
Ever since I remember my family has watched this movie every christmas season. A long time ago my family taped it on tv and we've watched it ever since. everytime we watch it we have to fast forward through the commercials, so I am happy I've found it on vhs. I'm going to buy this movie and I recomend eveybody else does too. It's a great classic family film.

Absolutely Magical!!!
I saw this movie for the first time, when I was probably about 5 years old. Me and my family would watch it before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. Although it is make believe, it is not over the top or terribly far fetched. I recommend this to anyone with kids, looking for a great Christmas movie. To this day, I watch it every Christmas Eve, and the best way I can describe The Night They Saved Christmas.......Absolutely Magical!!!

The Night They Saved Christmas
I bought this movie not having ever seen it. It should be a Christmas movie everyone should have. I rate it up there side by side with Miracle On 34th St. The family that didn't believe, the Santa, played by Art Carney, and Mrs. Santa, played by June Lockhart, surely will give you a warm Christmas feeling. It is a must have for a truly magic, nostoligic Christmas. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

You will really feel the heat with this movie!
This version of the Long Hot Summer is an excellent adaption of the earlier movie with Paul Newman and JoAnne Woodward. Don Johnson is perfectly cast as Ben Quick and James Gammon is appropriately smarmy as his dad. Cybill Shepard, William Russ, Jason Robards, Judith Ivey, and Ava Gardner are also well cast in their roles. You start to sweat right along with the characters as their relationships heat up. Don Johnson just oozes sex appeal in every scene. It is easy to get lost in their portrayals, you will want to order a mint julep and sit on the veranda before the night is over!

Oh yes, it's good!
I happened to catch this movie on TV and fortunately for me, taped it. I loved the scenes between Judith Ivey & Don Johnson - in the store & by the river - best love scene I have EVER seen. The scenes between Jason Robbards & Don Johnson makes you feel like you are listening at the door on the veranda. The music is wonderful, different, haunting and adds so much - the direction and shots and the passion - they're all there. I watch this movie once a summer - when it is very hot out. Wish I could see it on the BIG screen.

Don Johnson Hot and Sexy!
I remember watching this movie on NBC. I was in fifth grade and drooling over this sex symbol. Don Johnson played a drifter Ben Quick, who was mysterious and trouble to some of the residents in the small town. Varner, played by the late Jason Robards, was a man who was respected in his community. He liked Quick. Varner had a daughter Noel, who was aloof and would later find herself in the arms of Ben Quick. Sybil Shepard was Eula Varner, the wife of Jody Varner. She cheated on Jody with another man. When she showed up beaten, Jody was quick to believe Ben did it. When the murder of her lover and a fire occurs, Ben is the first suspect.
Ben, being a drifter, attracted women because of his physique and cool attitude. Don Johnson has sex appeal and a collective attitude that made him good for this role.

Long Hot Summer-Remake
Over the years I have ocassionally seen Long Hot Summer with Don Johnson and have enjoyed it tremendously. He and Ivey did a tremendous job together and I felt the match was perfect. The tension between the two kept the movie very interesting. I liked it so much that I've recently bought both the original version and the remake. When I watched the original with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward I was a little disappointed in it. Although I like both Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward I felt their acting in this movie had a little to be desired. Maybe for that time it was good, but after having already seen the remake first I didn't think the original was as good. Definitely purchase the remake and you will enjoy it thoroughly.

even better
I have seen both verson's and as much as I love paul newman I liked the remake better. Don Johnson makes you feel his torment in a way that Paul Newman did not. Judith Ivey was good as the love interest because she was not beautiful. In the original the the brother and the boy friend were play by actors that I like, but their personalitys were too strong for the roles they were playing. The longer running time let the writer develope the chactors better and let the plot, relationships, and suspence build gradually. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

In the tradition of such obsessively driven directors as Erich von Stroheim and Werner Herzog, Francis Ford Coppola approached the production of Apocalypse Now as if it were his own epic mission into the heart of darkness. On location in the storm-ravaged Philippines, he quite literally went mad as the project threatened to devour him in a vortex of creative despair, but from this insanity came one of the greatest films ever made. It began as a John Milius screenplay, transposing Joseph Conrad's classic story "Heart of Darkness" into the horrors of the Vietnam War, following a battle-weary Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) on a secret upriver mission to find and execute the renegade Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has reverted to a state of murderous and mystical insanity. The journey is fraught with danger involving wartime action on epic and intimate scales. One measure of the film's awesome visceral impact is the number of sequences, images, and lines of dialogue that have literally burned themselves into our cinematic consciousness, from the Wagnerian strike of helicopter gunships on a Vietnamese village to the brutal murder of stowaways on a peasant sampan and the unflinching fearlessness of the surfing warrior Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore (Robert Duvall), who speaks lovingly of "the smell of napalm in the morning." Like Herzog'sAguirre: The Wrath of God, this film is the product of genius cast into a pit of hell and emerging, phoenix-like, in triumph. Coppola's obsession (effectively detailed in the riveting documentaryHearts of Darkness, directed by Coppola's wife, Eleanor) informs every scene and every frame, and the result is a film for the ages. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (285)

The Best War Movie Of All-Time!
Francis Ford Coppola risked his career, his money and his sanity in making this Vietnam adaptation of 'Hearts Of Darkness'. The result is a large-scale war movie that ranks among the best movies of all-time. Martin Sheen has the role of a lifetime as Captain Willard, and he does deliver a credible performance. Marlon Brando is equally credible as the mysterious and possibly mad Colonel Kurtz. Robert Duvall creates a brilliant character; Colonel 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning' Kilgore. Grandly majestic war sequences are awe-inspiring. Thought provoking and filled with eerie chaotic imagery. Simply masterful filmmaking from Coppola. Extras: Laurence Fishburne and Harrison Ford in small roles, also spot Francis Ford Coppola in a cameo. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 10!

Dark and somewhat slow-paced, but excellent epic film
I saw this film for the first time on video, and was somewat surprised by its somewhat deliberate pacing and lack of straightforward action. For someone who is not a huge Coppola fan, nor a reader of "Heart of Darkness", I found the movie somewhat difficult to follow.

That is not to say that this isn't an excellent film. Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) is an apparently unattached Airborne soldier who is "waiting - waiting for a mission" and is enlisted to find and "terminate the command" of the renegade Special Forces Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Along the way, we meet a motley crew of a Navy riverboat, including a very young Lawrence Fishburne as a 17-year-old machine-gunner. The plot takes an almost whimsical turn when we meet Lt. Col Kilgore (Robert Duvall) who is an Air Cavalry commander, and plays the immortal "Flight of the Valkyries" while systematically laying waste to a North Vietnamese village. While the fighting is still going on, he orders a couple of his soldiers to either "surf or fight", being that he is a huge fan of surfing. It is from Duvall's character that we get the immortal line, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like --- it smells like victory!"

After this scene, Sheen and his crew of Navymen proceed further upriver, until they reach the last American outpost on the river. The outpost is under apparent heavy attack, and there are no officers to be found. This scene, which makes no sense in the context of a typical war movie, makes perfect sense in this film. The leaderless American soldiers seem to move about in a haze, apparently oblivious to anything outside their immediate surroundings, particularly the grenadier, who is either at far beyond the point of psychological exhaustion, or heavily drugged. Copolla never makes either clear, but rather leaves that to the imagination of the viewer.

When Sheen and his crew get further upriver, the plot takes stranger and stranger turns - the crew is attacked by an unseen enemy, in which Clean (Fishburne) is killed, and shortly thereafter, the boat's chief is killed in an attack by natives hurling, of all things, spears at the Americans!

However, the strangest part of the movie is the last half-hour or so. Sheen reaches his objective, but Col. Kurtz is heavily guarded by native warriors toting modern weaponry. There are bodies everywhere - hanging from trees, floating in the river, laying sprawled about on the ground. It is truly horrific, and speaks to the level of insanity to which Col. Kurtz has descended, but it also begs the question - "How could all those people stand being around all those rotting corpses?" In the climax, Sheen sneaks past Kurtz' guards, and hacks the colonel to death. As he lay dying, Kurtz whispers, "The horror - the horror..."

All in all, an extremely powerful and moving film, although rather slow-paced.

A True Masterpiece!
I watched this movie in 1978 when it first came out and was totally in awe! Francis Ford Coppola spent almost 3 years making this film and it was well worth it. The all star cast in this film rocks! Everytime I watch this film, I wind up mimicing the characters. The lines are memorable! (I love the smell of Napalm in the morning.) It is the greatest movie ever made!

A great adaptation
To write that this movie is a comment on war or the politics of the period is a gross misconception in my view. this movie like the book Heart of Darkness, which I suggest everyone who sees this movie reads, is a powerfull commentary on human nature. The line 'the horror, the horror' does not refer to the horrors of war or acts of violence commited but is a general judgement and condemnation of the darkness that resides in human nature.

Anyway this is a brilliant adaptation and well worth the few bucks it costs.

The horror, the horror.
The horror of war and what it does to teh mind of men is exposed beautifully here in this grande epic. Great performances, plot and cinematography. It doesnt get much better than this. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Misguided
Debra Winger is a fine-looking woman in the best shape of her life in this film, so no objections there, but this movie lacks intelligence. Groups on the political fringe may have open recruitment, but when it comes to the inner circle they tend to be highly secretive. Do you think a criminal mastermind would take his new girlfriend to a Klannish manhunt on the second date? Later on they openly discuss a nation-wide plague of terror on this man's front porch--RIGHT! When it comes to drama I prefer some semblance of the truth, but like most Hollwyood films, this movie butchers reality like it's going out of style.

Gripping film from start to finish. Excellent characters!
Another 5 star vote for this film, and well deserved it is.

The artistry in this film is evident, the plot is gripping from beginning to end. I was pleased to see so many familiar faces in the cast: Betsy Blair, (a 1955 Oscar Nominee for "Marty"), "Frasier" dad John Mahoney, John Heard, and character actor Ted Levine ("Silence of the Lambs") all are here, and all do a wonderful job. (John Mahoney is especially excellent, in a chilling but affable way.)

The plot unfolds slowly at first, with only faint hints of what is to come. (Actually, the less you know about this film going in, the more you will be surprised by it.) The "wholesome" farm community which seems so "normal" holds so much more--something troubling and sinister. But yet, these people still retain that "wholesome" normalness to them, even after we see what is underneath. The "normalness" never completely goes away, and in some cases, we still are actually able to sympathize with these characters, as depraved as they are. As a previous reviewer said, the "insanity of normality". "Betrayed" depicts this well.

The whole cast is wonderful--Winger is compelling and convincing, as is the rest of the cast. The characterization (and acting) of Tom Berenger as the "insane/normal" Gary should be applauded particularly. All through the film his character is consistent--a man with a "normal" ability to love those close to him. Even when see how his motivations and world view are so completely warped, we see a Gary who feels deeply, loves, and wants many the "normal" things in life. These qualities do not disappear when the darker side of him is revealed, which makes his character all the more fascinating and even sympathetic at times. The "insanity of normality" is most evident in his character.

Great film score by Bill Conti--understated at times, but effective. All-in-all, a fantastic film. A must-see.

Fascinating
It is an absolute pleasure to see how highly rated this film is. When it was first released, "Betrayed" received strongly mixed reviews -- everyone praised the sterling performances but most critics found this story of white supremacists planning on starting a guerrila warfare against the U.S. government wildly implausible. Oh, how little they knew! Here we are, after Oklahoma City and Ruby Ridge, truly evaluating this film for its prophetic theme. Don't miss this one, folks. It's brilliant.

Not a dull moment in this movie !
I am so glad that Leonard Malton's poor review didn't keep me from purchasing this movie. I loved it. It will keep you on the edge of your seat at all times. Although the subject matter is a difficult one, it is something that exists and I thought the movie did a good job of telling the story of a female FBI agent (Debra Winger) who infiltrates a white supremacist group to investigate a murder. It's too bad this movie didn't get better reviews by the critics. I found it to be better than most ! Excellent acting and directing, well worth it !

love and betrayal
Tom berenger and Debra winger pulled this one off. Tom made me fall in love with him in the film and Debra made me feel I was right there with her. The film content was very shocking, but great. A real winner in my eyes. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Funniest movie I have seen
This movie is simply excellent. Damon Wayans achieves to transform a serious subject into a comedy which never offends the USMC. He plays so well that he deserves them.

The soundtrack is so good. Sounds are quite exagerated and thus become funny. For instance, during the Universal opening title when the (r) registred mark symbol appears, you hear a DING ! When Major Payne meets the Madison school headmaster, you can hear all these insects and butterflies (the headmaster loves entomology) flying and buzzing around and over the shaved head of Major Payne. This scene is purely hilarious, one of my favorite moment. I was laughing so much I thought I shall died. Maybe another victim of Major Payne (fortunately not the final one).

The music by Craig Safan is particularly successful and sustains any funny actions, the Aretha Franklin's musics too. It seems obvious Craig Safan enjoyed to create a real musical background that depicts a "cartoon" atmosphere. Sometimes very serious, and few seconds later so funny.

The story is not only comedy but extraordinary rich thanks to the work of Damon Wayans and the cast. One best moment is when Major Payne offers a bullet from his heart to his new "girlfriend" or when Major Payne understands that Cadet Alex Stone wants to push him outside Madison school (Do you want to see me gone?). Only Damon Wayans can play like that (heartily).

The texts are outstanding (even for a french viewer). The american vocabulary is so rich and the art of using it (and expanding it) is so irresistible. I laugh from the first to the last second of Major Payne.

The french translation is also a success even if the task was enormous because there is so much american idioms. Nevertheless, the french dub is really funny. I do prefer the original voice of Damon Wayans because he talks so perfectly as a USMC drill instructor. This man is not an actor, he is a human VTR! He can spend two weeks with Marines and then speaks like them. The french voice is very good but the dub actor was unfortunately unable to complete such performance.

The scene with the hidden man into the closet and how Major Payne definitely "kills" the Tiger's nightmare is a masterpiece.

Nick Castle did one of my favourite movie, forever and I just wanted to thank him and all the cast for giving us such good time.

Vive the USMC, Vive Major Payne, Vive Damon Wayans.

Hilarious and a good movie
I'm not that big of a Damon Wayans fan, but he does a great job in this movie. He starts a program at a local school for kids who want to be in JROTC. His ultimate goal is to prepare them to win the competition for best cadets in the county JROTC competition that will be held later on. He is real strict on all the kids, so they all want to get rid of him. He has to find a way to get along with the kids while also giving them some discipline.

"Major Payne" is a hilarious movie. While you watch the movie, you'll be laughing a lot, but you'll also see that it's a good movie. I recommend anybody to get "Major Payne."

"...and biz - ness - is - goooood!!!"
If there is any movie as funny as this one, I would like to know what it is. This is the funniest movie I know. Damon Wayans is so talented; he is hilarious in this movie. There is not one moment in this movie that is poorly done. It just gets better with repeated viewings. I really didn't Damon Wayans other than by name until I saw this movie.
The kids in this movie are terrific. Their acting is great! They are all grown up now. If you want to see a funny movie, you have got to get this one. A previous writer was right on the money when he said that Major Payne's character is like a cross between Gomer Pyle and Lou Gossett, Jr.'s character as a drill sergeant. This movie is full of fantastic instant-classic lines that I won't give away here. See it!!!

Major Payne is Major Funny
I loved this movie and I love Damon Waynes character and I love when he insults peaple expacially when he cracks peaples fingers when they say something is hurting them and he said want me to take your mind off of that.LOL pure funny, worth watching and buying

Major Funny
I liked it! I am surprised that no one seems to realize this movie is basically a remake of a Charlton Heston film, The Private War of Major Benson (which you really need to see also). This is an excellent updated version with a happy ending for soldiers as well as the Major! Laugh hard, laugh loud and watch for the cameo by the professional wrestler Bam Bam Bigelow in the "Billy Jack" fight sequence. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Prolific director Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X) offers the fictionalized account of the pilgrimages black men all across the country made to the Million Man March in Washington, D.C., and the process showcases a fine ensemble cast of eclectic actors. Shot in a fast-paced low-budget style, the film chronicles a bus trip beginning in Los Angeles and the passengers, all from vastly divergent ages, backgrounds, and beliefs, getting to know one another and discussing their respective reasons for making the trip. The group, including a gay couple, a father and his son, a cop, and an actor, each confront the hostilities and prejudices they have faced as well as the ones they hold within themselves. And along the road they encounter incidents that bring into sharp focus the need they feel to acknowledge their heritage and shared struggle. Frequently entertaining in its rapid pace and cutting dialogue, this small but ambitious effort is sure to provoke debate even as it entertains. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A good piece of work
Don't get it wrong this movie is not about the Million Man March. This is an excellent work portraying the diversity amongst African-American men. This movie not only showed these differencies but also the interaction between their different views on current affairs, and how this affects unity amongst African-American men and women. I like how Spike Lee used the camera on the bus to give the viewer the feeling of actually riding on the bus with the travellers. The documentary feeling of the film also served to bring your psyche into the work.

Lee Hits us again with the polemics
Once again, Spike Lee hits us again with the polemics. Overall, the story is not bad. The basic idea of a bus ride to the MMM is a good one. SOME of the characters are nicely drawn, such as Charles Roc Dutton's bus driver, Ossie Davis as the patriarch, and the caring father of the wayward son. But the film is weighed down by Spike Lee's usual soapbox dialogue and polemics. Sadly, few of the characters in this film actually talk, they make speeches (as is the case with "The Red Menace" and "Putney Swope)." Like I said, the story itself is good and the above-mentioned characters are nicely drawn. But the dialogue? Go to the soapbox on 125th St. in Harlem as the Black nationalist pontificators pound the podium and you get the idea.

Spike Lee at his best and worst...
His best: social journalism. Nobody brings perennially pressing issues to the screen as consistently and vitally as Spike Lee---love or hate his films as you may, there's no argument that he does a superb job of provoking debate and reflection. Here it's Lee's two favorite topics, racial history/injustice/relations and (less prominently but still significant) gender/sexual issues...treated with a vast amount of humor and often insight.

His worst: at times some of his films implode when Lee gets on his soapbox and goes too heavy-handed---the Message blots out the Movie. This happens towards the last one-third, with the last 10 minutes especially preachy and contrived. The film craft breaks down, characters and dialogue that before had been pretty much spot-on suddenly verge into labored allegory and caricature.

It's like Lee drew up a laundry list of Pressing Societal Problems (brings to mind Larwence Kasdan's "Grand Canyon") and tried to allot 5-10 minutes for each one. Sometimes he does so with grace and wit, but sometimes he stumbles into glibness and stereotyping.

I was a little disappointed that Lee didn't show more of the actual Million Man march, maybe explore the controversial Louis Farrakhan a little bit more deeply. I was however pleasantly surprisd that Lee does take a fairly mature, gutsy stand on homosexuality and homophobia absent in some of his earlier films.

Had Lee made this film more as a straight (or pointed) documentary rather than trying to turn it into a heavy-handed inspirational treatise, I'd gladly give it 5 plus stars. Even in its current form it's well worth watching.

One of my favz - Great actors makes it a wonderful film
This is according to me a very good film, it's actually one of my fav's.
What makes it so good is the feeling u get from watching the movie, U feel that u are a passenger on the bus observing the others.
There are some great performances in this movie unlike Spike Lee's HE GOT GAME that had a player in the NBA in the lead and pretty much everybody except for DENZEL & Hill Harper didn't know how to act.

Great performances from GABRIEL CASSEUS, HILL HARPER, OSSIE DAVIS and the rest of the cast.

A thoughtful film
Get on the Bus is one of Lee's best works. Poignant, funny and introspective, it tells the tale of various black men from various walks of life; a father and his estranged, angst-ridden son, a gay couple, an arrogant actor, an ex-Crip turned Muslim, a half white cop and Ossie Davis as the "spiritual grandfather/moderator" type. They travel from California to DC for the Million Man March, and along the way come to terms with prejudice and hatred they have felt without as well as within.

Some may criticize the "stereotypical" treatment of the white characters, but this may be a bit much. The Jewish Bus driver is an honorable character, and in a scene with him and Charles Dutton, director Lee let's him speak his side of the story "OK, I may have some problems with blacks....but no more worse than the problems you have with whites. I don't have anything to prove to these guys". Randy Quade's redneck cop may have been over the top, but suffice to say, there are people in parts of America who still treat people that way.

Overall, I think this film is definitely Lee's most underrated work. ... Read more

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