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Paul Newman gives one of the defining performances of his career, and cemented his place as a beautiful-rebel screen icon playing the stubbornly tough and independent title character in Cool Hand Luke. And before he became familiar as a sidekick in 1970s disaster movies (Earthquake and the Airport movies), George Kennedy won an Oscar for playing Dragline, the brutal chain-gang boss who tries to beat loner Luke's cool out of him. It's a classic rebel-against-the-repressive-institution story in the line of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest or The Shawshank Redemption. Certain moments have become classics--particularly the hardboiled egg-eating contest, and the immortal line (drooled by Strother Martin, as a sadistic redneck prison officer), "What we have here is a failure to communicate." And don't forget, Luke is also the source of the oft-quoted driving ditty, "I don't care if it rains or freezes, long as I have my plastic Jesus, right here on the dashboard of my car..." He is cool, all right. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (68)

My favorite movie of all time.
And I really mean it. They used to show this film often on the Superstation. When I was twelve, I watched it; the next time it came on, I taped it, and watched it probably more than 50 times over the next few years (I didn't know for a long time that the TV version has several scenes cut out for length, so getting it on video was a new revelation). What is it about "Cool Hand Luke" that is so moving? Well, it starts with Paul Newman's performance. Lucas Jackson is one of the most psychologically complex characters in the history of cinema, and Newman, criminally denied the Oscar for this film, makes him seem larger-than-life without saying much. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a revelation. The Christ allusions, which are fittingly done, heighten the sense of injustice that Luke is being slowly crucified by the lawmen, simply because he won't bend to their rules. On the surface, Luke seems self-destructive and ignorant, but in repeated watchings of the film, it becomes apparent that Luke is answering to a call that is bigger than the prison, bigger than the bosses, bigger than the law itself. I could go on and on about the myriad other ways in which this film is perfect, but why bother? I only get 1,000 words. Suffice it to say that this is the movie that makes George Kennedy, of all people, seem noble. YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM. The only flaw: I grew up in Georgia, and I can assure you that it is not filmed where it is set. Looks more like the Central Valley of California to me.

Just About Excellent
I cannot imagine why this film hasn't been more acclaimed. It is without a doubt one of the best of all time. I think the thing that appeals most of all to me is the unbelievable authenticity of all the characters. Except for Newman (because, hey, he's Paul Newman) nobody here appears to be acting. The guards are done just right--tough, good ol' boys who you don't wanna mess with. The prisoners meanwhile are a fairly diverse lot, some educated, some not, some with a whiff of femininity, but all have a refusal to be stripped of their dignity. Luke magnifies that element to the Nth degree.
The second best thing is the dialogue: Like "The Godfather", "Star Trek II", "Resoirovir Dogs", and "Jaws", Cool Hand Luke has several scenes which you'll easily memorize in their entirety.
Other elements: Boss Godfrey, The Man With No Eyes who doesn't say one word during the movie and who is one of the most chilling characters in a movie ever; Luke's mother, the car wash girl, the egg-eating contest, and Luke's excellent final monologue.
Luke's story has been compared to that of Jesus. When you look at it, you see that if Luke is a savior, he's a terribly flawed one, one who can't save himself. He's anti-authority, he's got nerve, and some major cojones, but he's got no aims, no goals, no beliefs. He's a Rebel Without A Clue. If he'd been born about 15-20 years later he could have made a good hippie. But this is still the early '50s and men who fail to conform end up exactly where he does. IMHO, this film accomplishes what One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest tried to do and does it much, much, better.

One final small note: The Lalo Schifrin score is great particularly during the "tarring the road" scene. Anyone who grew up in NYC in the 70s will instantly realize it as the theme to Channel 7 Eyewitness News!

An essential 60s movie - a touchstone for many
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy, gritty and violent with a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

This film does NOT fail to communicate
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy. It is gritty and violent and at the same time it has a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

Paul NewMan as Cool Hand Luke what a classic
newman (old blue eyes) stars as cool hand luke jackson, a war hero, who gets himself in trouble with the law, and is repeatedly beaten both mentally and physically savagely by the main boss of the prison he is in.

the main boss hates luke for several reasons: everyone likes luke. he is the typical rebel , yet he has a certain aura around that people love. even the people working in the prison like luke. the boss also hates luke, because he keeps escaping out of prison, which makes the prison's security and himself look bad. the movie from beginning to end, is one of the entertaining and powerful movies by newman. throughout the movie, we see luke's exploits including his status as "cool hand" which basically says that he can do anything. there is no better scene that shows this that luke's bet that can he eat 50 eggs in one hour. this scene is terrific and humorous to watch, time and time again. george kennedy plays greg dragline, luke's best friend and prison inmante. dragline's love of luke is evident through the whole movie. whenever, luke is mistreated dragline is there to try to pick up his spirits. whenever, luke is beaten severely for trying to escape the prison, dragline is one of the first friends that is there to pick him up and attend to him. then of course, this oscar worthy film has the memorable tunes and lines that all audiences all familiar with:

"what we got here is a familiar to communicate" is paul newman, legendary and household line that critics and audiences remember. this line has also been used in over a hundred, movies and tv shows including comedies, crime drama movies and much more. the line is a piece of cult phenomena and america which symobolizes a bad situation.

paul newman was nominated for best actor for this film, but didn't win. newman over his career has been nominated over 10 times for this aw ard: "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" , "Malice", "Nobody's Fool", are several of the great movies that NewMan has been nominated for. "Cool Hand Luke" stands as one of the American movies ever made. It represents the abusive and mistreatment that a couple of prisons have. It also represents an intelligent and popular fellow who all through his life had one bad situation after another, yet like Greg points "Ah Luke, always had that great smile." Luke's character in a way is a reflection on individuals like himself, whose life have been filled with pain and aggravation yet people like these never give up. Taken from a novel by Donn Pearce and directed by Stuart Rosenberg this film is a bonified classic. ... Read more

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The British superspy with a license to kill takes on his dark underworld double, a classy assassin who kills with golden bullets at $1 million a hit. Roger Moore, in his second outing as James Bond, meets Christopher Lee's Scaramanga, one of the most magnetic villains in the entire series, in this entertaining but rather wan entry in the 007 sweepstakes. Bond's globetrotting search takes him to Hong Kong, Bangkok, and finally China, where Scaramanga turns his island retreat into a twisted theme park for a deadly game of wits between the gunmen, moderated by Scaramanga's diminutive man Friday Nick Nack (Fantasy Island's Hervé Villechaize). Britt Ekland does her best as the most embarrassingly inept Bond girl in 007 history, a clumsy, dim agent named Mary Goodnight who looks fetching in a bikini, while Maud Adams is Scaramanga's tough but haunted lover and assistant (she returns to the series as the title character in Octopussy). Clifton James, the redneck sheriff from Live and Let Die, makes an embarrassing and ill-advised appearance as a racist tourist who briefly teams up with 007 in what is otherwise the film's highlight, a high-energy chase through the crowded streets of Bangkok that climaxes with a breathtaking midair corkscrew jump. Bond and company are let down by a lazy script, but Moore balances the overplayed humor with a steely performance and Lee's charm and enthusiasm makes Scaramanga a cool, deadly, and thoroughly enchanting adversary. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (123)

For Christopher Lee Fans And James Bond Enthusiasts Only
I was a fan of the James Bond films as a child and my interest in these films has recently returned to me. I don't believe "The Man With The Golden Gun" is the worst Bond film because this negative honor goes to either "Moonraker" or "A View To A Kill." I do feel, however, that it qualifies as the third worst one.

"The Man With The Golden Gun" has a lot of weaknesses. I don't know why Roger Moore was allowed to make seven Bond Films. Although Moore wasn't as weak as George Lazenby, he still comes across as being bland and mannequin-like. Timothy Dalton was a much more effective James Bond. If Dalton had been given better scripts and more time, he would have been nearly as effective as Sean Connery. Britt Ekland's Mary Goodnight rivals Tiffany ("Diamonds Are Forever") Case as the most ineffectual and irritating Bond woman. Maude Adams is more effective as Andrea Anders, the villain's long-suffering mistress, but this character is given too little screen time. A pre-"Fantasy Island" Herve Villechaize makes an awkward henchman. The return of Clifton James' J.W. Pepper character was also unnecessary.

The weaknesses of this movie also extend beyond the cast. An awesome car stunt is weakened by a poor sound effect. Tacky humor is woven throughout the entire film. The martial arts motif in part of the film also seemed out of place.

Christopher Lee is the saving grace of this film. If Lee weren't in this movie, I would have ranked it with "Moonraker" and "A View To A Kill." He is excellent as the egotistical and cruel Francisco Scaramanga. I am only sorry that the screenwriters didn't further develop this interesting character. Lee is one of the screen's greatest bad guys and can effectively play just about any villainous character. He is a much better actor and greater presence than Roger Moore. Lee's villain is more interesting than Moore's hero.

"The Man With The Golden Gun" is only for big Christopher Lee fans and those who feel that they need to see every James Bond film. A disappointment.

Good second Bond film for Moore
Roger Moore returns to the role of 007 in this excellent follow up to Live and Let Die. The film is certainly dependant on 007's evil counterpart, the hitman Francisco Scaramanga, played by Christopher Lee. He is the perfect match for Bond, which adds more excitement than any to the film. Bond finds himself racing to recover the Solex Agitator, which converts solar power to energy and has fallen into the hands of Scaramanga. There are very well done fight sequences and boat-car chases in hong kong and thailand. the redneck sherriff J.W. Pepper returns from Live and Let Die, but fails to provide the same humor as before. The film did try a little too hard to be funny like its preceding movie, thus it comes off a little cooky at some points. The Man with the Golden Gun Leads to an awesome climax in Scaramanga's island lair, where he and Bond face off in a "duel between titans", which also includes Scaramanga's servant Nick-Nack, a pint sized character who also tries to fool and beat Scaramanga in his deadly games of cat and mouse. With suspense, some humor, and exciting twists and turns, The Man with the Golden Gun is one Bond you won't want to miss!

Even Better Now in STEREO
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN is the "cult" Bond movie to end all "cult" Bond movies. I don't think many people realize that this DVD or even the VHS tape of this movie is in STEREO sound. John Barry's score sounds fantastic. As for the film, it is pure fantasy yet pure "Bond" and very misunderstood.

Last but not Least of Ian Fleming's Bonds...
This Bond, shot at a time when youthful science-fiction hadn't yet turned into narrow "science-faction" remains dreamy, elegant, distant, stylish, subjective, outlandish, an intelligent and romantic island of fantasy... The scenes are a pleasure for the eye, and the gadgets are still mind-tickling, as we haven't yet reached that depraved era of pseudo-scientific vulgar objectivity (as in the latter Bond series, for example)... nor do we have a cop-Bond, as with Timothy Dalton... neither a little tough-guy with piercing eyes, as in the Brosnan series... This Bond remains somehow between the Connery and Lazenby/Moore episodes, in that it has definitively a lot of style and class, yet includes some (controlled, soft-spun) action, a reasonable panoply of gadgetry, and a fair amount of cold-blooded British humour. In the end, the gently out-of-time atmosphere appears to be almost as much James West as it is James Bond.

In this almost Hamiltonian eerie, James appears pretty adventurous and humorous, yet moral, distinguished, self-detached, while he faces a spooky sophisticated darker-self in the person of three-nippled Scaramanga (Christopher Lee, alias Dracula), in a movie where even the villains appear to be somehow more gentleman-minded than the heroes of the latter Bond series (where ugly realism alas only too often ends up stealing the show). There's also a plenty of great exotic and scenic shots in Thailand and the Far-East, which somehow propel you in a world of dreams and fantasy. I especially liked the oblique sunken Queen Mary decorum, which seemed almost surrealistic, and the villain's den artifact-decorum somehow reminded me of the Wild Wild West TV-series, starring Robert Conrad.

It is a commonly acknowledged opinion that Gentlemen Prefer Bonds such as Goldfinger, Dr No and Thunderball, but Golden Gun could, with all reasonable fairness, also be included in some of those early and memorable old Bonds (vintage Connery or Lazenby). Note that this was actually the last Bond to feature the (by-now cherished) Harry Saltzman - Albert Broccoli collaboration, and this is today quite heavily felt, as the then following Bonds somehow all lacked the elegant, essential, gentlemanly, romantic and quirky sparks of those early Bonds (and matters seem to be getting only worse, if not clearly out of hand) (James Bond as another victim of the modern-age?).

The Man With A Golden Gun was also the last Bond movie to be based on a true and authentic Ian Fleming novel. Well, maybe those die-hard Bond-movie-makers will one day (tomorrow? another day?) realize that the Fleming reservoir has been tapped unto the last droplet, instead of just killing time with more and more flawed episodes... Goodnight boys and girls (Britt Ekland was, by the way, one of the most memorable and gently-subtle Bond-girl), that was it for Ian Fleming's Bond... which was to be followed by the Hun's invasion of Vin Diesel and consort, fast, furious and brutal (to say the least)...

An Intensely Groovy Theatre of The Bizzare
Folks, listen to me: This is the best Bond movie ever made, and Roger Moore is the best Bond. You can argue, but chew on this, Admiral Skeptic: Name one movie that Sean Connery made that had a midget, a flying car, a giant laser, and Bond threatening to blow a man's genitals off with a rifle. That's right; there aren't any. Checkmate, Connery.

This film is a brilliantly surreal entry into the Bond series. It's a clear departure from Connery's films, where he had to stop the KGB from destroying the world. Moore is called in to stop an overpaid hitman and his midget from selling solar power to the UN (or something similar.) Adapted as I am for describing awesomeness, I can't begin to describe this film's grovvy factor, but I can tell you it's somewhere between ChocoTacos and regular tacos. ... Read more

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Director Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) took over the franchise with this first sequel in the series, though the film doesn't look much like his usual stylish work. (Superman III is far more Lesteresque.) Still, there is a lot to like about this movie, which finds Superman grappling with the conflict between his responsibilities as Earth's savior and his own needs of the heart. Choosing the latter, he gives up his powers to be with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), but the timing is awful: three renegades from his home planet, Krypton, are smashing up the White House, aided by the mocking Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). The film isn't nearly as ambitious as its predecessor, but the accent on relationships over special effects (not that there aren't plenty of them) is very satisfying. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (132)

"Superman II: The Wrath of Zod!"
That would have made a better title when it came out into theaters in 1981(Giggle)! Anyway, the second Superman movie was definately a gem for anyone to watch! It is action packed as the Man of Steel (Christopher Reeve) takes on the 3 Kryptonian villains (wonderfully played by Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O'Halloran), and its romantic in terms of Superman becoming serious with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder)! Although it was sad that Richard Donner didn't get to direct the second movie, Richard Lester did a wonderful job filling his shoes! However, this was the first film which really began the down-fall of the series! It was clear that Richard Donner did set the tone for Superman which meant not to muck around with the legend! That being the case with the powers you see in this film! If you are a die-hard Superman fan, and know the character and his powers, you'll know what I mean when you watch it! Second, the romance of this film with Lois and Superman does reach it's peak, but then at the end of this film, the fans will be upset with the total outcome! The worst was yet to come with the next 2 films! Fortunately, this DVD is special to me because the magic is still there! Along with the "letterbox" widescreen version to the film which preserves this film and the other so well! Still, I know there were scenes cut-out of the original film that I wish could have been added onto this DVD! Maybe they will come out with the complete version someday soon! Still, a very good movie I recomend to anyone!

Superman II - Extended ONLY
This film gets 4 stars from me based on its extended version and not on the pathetic theatrical cut! A lot of footage was cut from this film but did make it onto various extended versions that were screened across the world. The theatrical cut of this film is a poor reflection on what director Richard Donner intended the world to see. After his sacking by the Salkinds, Richard Lester was dragged in to complete the film and refilm perfectly filmed scenes which Donner filmed in 1977. This decision cost everyone a great movie.

In 1984 fans finally got a well edited film when a lot of Donner's footage was re-inserted into TV broadcasts of the movie. The longest version having accumalated some 24 mins of additional footage. This version has only been screened in Europe and Australia and contains 7 mins more footage than the 1984 ABC telecast. Most notable extended scenes are of Lex and Eve exploring the exterior of the fortress. Miss T to Les, "...It is funny that there is no front door...". Also present is Superman's "Blast off!" line after Lex and the villains are taken away by the Arctic police. These crucial scenes were cut from the theatrical and ABC extended broadcasts.

In saying that still, the film will get 5 stars when I see all director Richard Donner's footage restored into the film.

Anyone thinking that the theatrical is a good film is much mistaken. Any of the extended TV broadcast are a MAJOR improvement over an average film!

A Richard Donner Cut is what I'm after
Not nearly as good as the first movie, this suffers from production problems as a result of Donner's sacking by the Salkinds.
It's plainly obvious which scenes were shot by Donner and which weren't. And sadly, they left out a hefty chunk of what Donner had filmed, giving Lester the top billing as director.
Another sad omission is John Williams rousing score, which has been poorly duplicated. Not nearly as uplifting and powerful as John William's efforts in one.
Although the primary focus is on Lois and Superman's relationship, it doesn't save this picture from stinking. Even Gene Hackman's wonderful performance(which was all directed by Donner, with the exception of scenes where Lester used a body double and an impersonator for Hackman's voice) can't salvage this.
So why do I give this three stars? Because it does have it's moments, though scattered, and I live in the hope that a Richard Donner cut, using primarily all his footage, which would bring back all the scenes with Marlon Brando, will eventually pop up and finally put to bed the question of what could have been.

We need a 21st Century Superman movie!
Very bad film.
They released Spiderman into the 21st century, why not Superman?
I've always found him to be the most appealing comic book character. He is sure for an amazing performance.
RELEASE HIM INTO OUR CENTURY!

BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!!!
All you people complaining about what is and should have been (Donner not being able to complete the project) the end result is a movie that many people view as better! Leave my Superman II alone! ... Read more

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Roger Moore was introduced as James Bond in this 1973 action movie featuring secret agent 007. More self-consciously suave and formal than predecessor Sean Connery, he immediately reestablished Bond as an uncomplicated and wooden fellow for the feel-good '70s. This film also marks a deviation from the more character-driven stories of the Connery years, a deliberate shift to plastic action (multiple chases, bravura stunts) that made the franchise more of a comic book or machine. If that's not depressing enough, there's even a good British director on board, Guy Hamilton (Force 10 from Navarone). The story finds Bond taking on an international drug dealer (Yaphet Kotto), and while that may be superficially relevant, it isn't exactly the same as fighting supervillains on the order of Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Moore's first gets off on the right foot
Roger Moore's first turn as James Bond is an interesting film that showcases James Bond trying to stop an island dictator from creating a massive drug problem in the world. The film features a large element of voodoo, a largely black cast, and the absence of Q, who was excused as part of a plan to make the series more current - these elements make this a unique Bond adventure. For some reason, this feels like a holdover from the more intimate, stylish Sean Connery era, probably due to veteran Guy Hamilton's direction (he directed Goldfinger and Diamonds are Forever), and the more down-to-earth sets, which lean toward the more realistic ones of movies like From Russia With Love.

The movie is a fun adventure, with a so-so villain, an interesting Bond girl (Jane Seymour, practically the only one who had a career afterwards), and a boat chase that goes on WAY too long. It also features Bond's first (and so far only) movie trip to New York City. The movie has a nice pace (aside from the chase), good changes of location, and it's just fun. Not a series highlight, but one that sits firmly in the middle of Bond's adventures.

THE BEST BOND FLICK EVER!!!!!!
Roger Moore's performance as 007 in this film really changed from Sean Connery's acting as 007 in the prevous film, Diamonds Are Forever. Moore is more with car chases and the women that Sean was, and that's what makes him awesome. In this movie, 007 is sent to find the man responsible for killing two British Agents, and he finds the man responsible, Kananga. Kananga is trying to get the whole USA hooked on heroine, and Bond is the only one who can stop him! He gets the help of card dealer Solitare, the hottest babe in any of the movies!!! Some of Kananga's henchman are: Teehee, a man who got his right arm bit off by a crocodile and now has a dangerous steel arm that can cut anything! Also is Baron Semidi, the voodoo weirdo. Some gadgets are Bond's magnetic wrist watch, and a gun that has gas pellets as bullets. A great movie, must watch!!!!!

Piece of junk....
The only good thing about this shlocky (sp?), horrific, racist piece of (...)is the theme song by a certain former Beatle... poor Paul. Why couldn't you have done a good one?

moore's twist
each of the first three major bonds had their own little twist as 007.
connery was suave with an edge.
moore was tongue in cheek suave.
dalton's was a lethal edge cop .
no, not counting lazenby because his one shot was simply too brief to grasp, and as far as brosnan goes; he is certainly a competant bond but as far as adding his twist; nope. he dissapointingly is a mere variation of those first 3.
but, despite the jabs that moore has so often got he actually did the best thing to do in light of the bond films becoming a
super sized franchise; he refused to take it too seriousely.
yes, his bond is plastic, but so is the film. this is not fleming's bond. but moore's bond is a bond that says 'hey this stuff is just pulp, let's treat it that way' and for a few years at least it was unique and fun

great entertainment
roger moore playing james bond,. well to a lot of folks he was a great james bind, but after getting blasted with him from atv series " the saint" i was kinda sick of seeing him.
how ever watch the racial overtones and how harlem was in
nyc during the 70's, seems a lotta 1973 chevy impala's
made it to the screen. also we see sheriff j.w. pepper
playing a red neck cop. good entertainment only to be taken for face value, not a serious movie. ... Read more

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Experiment in Terror, a stylized noir thriller, was director Blake Edwards's second film in 1962, the first being a devastating portrait of alcoholism,Days of Wine and Roses.Neither film would seem standard fare for a filmmaker best known for his sophisticated slapstick comedies. For Experiment in Terror, Edwards perfected the stylish black-and-white cinematography he used to great effect in the 1950's TV series Peter Gunn. Glenn Ford plays a stalwart G-man out to thwart psychopathic extortionist Ross Martin's plans to force bank clerk Lee Remick to rob the bank where she works. San Francisco locations have never looked better or more ominous. One particularly chilling scene unfolds in the loft of an artisan who makes mannequins for a living ... though not for long. Blake Edwards's experiment in suspense grabs hold of you from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the final showdown at Candlestick Park. The film also features a near-legendary score by Henry Mancini.--Kristian St. Clair ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Lee Remick, Ross Martin and Glen Ford were all fantastic.
The Movie kepted me on the edge of my seat the whole time. From the very second Ross Martin started to stalk Lee Remick under a shadowed light so you couldn't tell who he was. To the very end of the movie. The script was fantasic, and was fit just perfect to a real life situation that might just really happen.Ross Martin did a really good job playing a stalker. Lee Remick played a really good victim, and Glen Ford played an excellent detective. The film was directed great, the lighting was wonderful. Blake Edwards Did a great job. The title " Experiment in Terror" was even perfect. I am an actor and a cinamatographer, and to me this movie showed every thing a great film should. To me this is a film that'll never be forgotten.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
From the moment this movie starts, with Henry Mancini's simply outstanding main theme, EXPERIMENT IN TERROR is a marvelously crafted thriller. By now, we're so used to non-stop action, gunplay, screaming, fx, etc., we forget that the key to a good thriller is to thrill by suggesting rather than showing the violence. This one kicks in right away as lovely and talented Lee Remick is confronted by an asthmatic maniac (Ross Martin, best known for Wild Wild West) who wants her to rob the bank where she works, or he'll kill her and her lovely sister (Stefanie Powers in one of her first roles). Glenn Ford, one of our most overlooked actors, plays the FBI agent who struggles to help Lee catch this crook. Anita Loos as Martin's current snooze is also very good in showing the conflict she feels toward the benefactor of her ailing son.
Blake Edwards, who will receive an honorary Oscar this year, directs with a haunting malevolence, and then again, there's that Mancini theme...still gives me chills!

It's about time for this movie to get it's due.
I consider this to be one of my faith movies. I just buy it on faith that it's good, and it hasn't disappointed me. It's very effective in the black and white. The music scores are stellar too, and to choose the Twin Peaks section of San Francisco as the beginning of the movie is asking for thrills, and chills. Go potty before watching the movie, and gauruntees to make boy/girlfriends to cuddle close, or your money back. Stars a very foxy Lee Remick who is accosted by a psycho with asthma who threatens her with her life if she doesn't steal money from the bank she works at; and HE'S NOT FOLLOWING AROUND!!! Right after he leaves her she calls the FBI, and speaks with Glenn Ford, but the killer hasn't gone far, and he grabs the phone which is now the serious of the situation, and it's going to get more juicy as Lee now wants to cooperate with FBI, and her bank, and at the same time protect her sister played by 19 year old Stephanie Powers. She's harassed by many people who may be this killer, but Lee doesn't know, so she has no choice, but to play this psycho's game, and is drug all over San Francisco. This guy is just dedicated to getting his way, and he pulls all the stops to do the job even dressing as an old lady to kidnap Stephanie, and I can't help if this is where Nelly got the inspiration for the song "Hot In Herre" as he makes her take off her clothes. The climax comes at the end as Lee ends up making the meeting with the money at Candlestick Park. It's hard-fisted in your face till you smell the garlic on the breath action until the very end, and reeks of sinister thrills. Reminder: Go To Potty Before The Movie Starts. It may be dated, but it's still a heart pounding thriller, and one of my all time favorites. If Hollywood has any brains don't remake this. Nothing will ever hold a candle to this 1962 version.

Thrilling masterpiece
This is a masterpiece of suspence, you never know what's going to happen next. And the music, the music just enhance it all. What a movie. I haven't seen many movies like this.

I'm so pleased
I have always been very satisfied with the service from this company, and to date, I still am. I received my movie in a timely manner, and it was in perfect condition. :) ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Lone Star - conviction, love, unpretentious insight
First I would like to thank John Sayles for his unique style.

A somewhat sleepy Southwest Texas border town provides the backdrop for this most unusual film. There is nothing uncommon about the demographic mix here: Anglo, Hispanic, Mexican, Black, yet Sayles hand creates an unforgettable experience through the use of warts-and-all character development and beautiful insight.

I realize some may have issues with the regional nature of this film but make no mistake, having lived most of my life in the Southwest, I can name actual persons that closely match each character in this film.

Chris Cooper plays the part of Sam Deeds to perfection. Recently divorced, Chris returns to Rio County as its new Sheriff, following in his legendary fathers' footsteps. As Chris states in the film, 'I spent the first 15 years of my life trying to be just like my old man, and the next 15 trying to kill him'. For those who do not have larger-than-life fathers, Cooper's portrail is a direct hit. For those who do, I need not say anything.

Although the plot revolves around the discovery of the remains of long-dead Sheriff Charlie Wade, this film is about conviction and human frailty, not solving a murder. An example of the wisdom of Sayles is when Otis Payne, bar owner, explains to his black-and-white thinking Colonel son Chet Payne, poignantly played by Eddie Robinson that most blacks in Rio County patronize both his bar and the church. And Sayles holds true to these words. With the exception of Charlie Wade's character, each shares strengths and weaknesses, frailty and prejudice, practicality and remorse.

Sam Deeds and Elizabeth Pena as Pilar Cruz fit together wonderfully as high-school sweethearts who are reunited after Sam's divorce. Convictions play heavily into both characters: Sam's ambivalent feelings toward his fathers' graft and political gain, Pilar's fight against a canned school curriculum. Sayles wisely points out that people of conviction are not perfect but are special. And when two special meet and fall in love, it is for a lifetime. Circumstances are not on their side, which makes their love affair that much more poignant. The few moments they are able to share are full of deep emotion and affection, just as they should be.

To be honest, my life has so closely paralleled Chris Cooper that this film is extremely difficult for me to watch. But that does not diminish its beauty and insight. For those not from the Southwest, I'd recommend watching at least twice to become familiarized with the cultures. And for those preoccupied with happy endings, you may wish to skip this film entirely.

Simply the best indie film in years...
I saw this movie when it was first released, and then again this week-end on TNT. It's one of the best films I've seen and I plan to purchase it for my library.

It doesn't have a lot of action and the plots develop slowly, but, like In the Heat of the Night, there is not one throw-away scene.

I've never seen Kristofferson so evil...his work was real enough to be very, very scary. I liked Chris Cooper and Frances McDormand is a riot in her all-too-brief scene as Cooper's strung-out ex-wife.

I live in a small town in east Texas and I know people like the Sheriff, Big O, Buddy and the others.

The plot twist at the end might be a bit off-putting for some, but, to me, it just added to the quality of the writing, directing, acting and drama.

This is a movie to be savored. Do not expect action, car crashes or surrealistice special effects. It's a film about real people facing real issues and doing their best to right some very bad wrongs.

Enjoy!

Stereotypes
There's something so "Plastic, Benjamin" about a scripted debate on race relations. Somebody tell John Sayles that drama comes first. His political inclinations are so important they blot out the sun. Remember, "To Tell a Mockingbird?" It never felt preachy. Why? Because Greg Peck had a meaty role and his position was clear. "This will not stand," a Lincolnesque moment. Chris Cooper is one sad sheriff trying to live up to his legendary dad. The town is a boiling pot of Anglo, Mexican and Afro-American potations. They shout at each other, they cuss, sort-of, but then they all sit around and express their feelings. Subtle, this ain't. That's why the movie feels like it's taking three hours to tell a ten-minute story. Who killed the bad sheriff? Kris Kristofoson is one of those redneck bad guy-racists that come out of Hollywood without motivation. This script won an academy award back in 96. There are incestuous stories, stereotypes, town histories intertwined, but I still can't figure if the sheriff and the schoolteacher can overcome that last revelation.

A Quiet Masterpiece...
...and one of my favorite films because of it's intermeshings of mood, plot and character. I have always considered that the American 'norm' is one frought with brutal people made into heroes because the history books tell us that they were heroes; also, that maybe's man truest nature is of brutality and cruelity...and history, again, washes things as clean as laundry done for Sunday morning. Anyhoo, that's what this movie speaks to, how brutality affects the Rio County area so much that many secrets have somehow bonded the folks living in this ant farm of a community. Note how there's a sub-theme of competition and struggle, man versus whatever (rattle snake skins, longhorn skulls, soldiers preparing for battle, the after hours gambling) where a 'winner' must be declared.' You will dig this one because it will have you thinking about it for a long time aferwards..

An Examination of History
Lone Star is about history and how history can either be a prison or how it can set us free. The characters in the movie start out bound by their history. Their histories, familial and cultural, determine a course of action for the characters living in present day Rio County. By the end of the movie, these characters have come to grips with their own personal history. Their personal history no longer dictates their actions.
Sam Deeds is the current sheriff of Rio County and is plagued by his legendary father, who also was a sheriff. Sam is a reluctant sheriff and was elected by the townspeople who hoped he would be like his father. Sam's investigation into the murder of Charley Wade is driven by his history with Buddy: he's not interested in learning the "truth" but instead to shatter the legendary status of his father. The revelations through his investigation help to form a more complete history of Buddy Deeds for Sam; he no longer has the skewed and inaccurate picture formed from his own personal experiences with Buddy Deeds.
Col. Delmore Payne works his way up through the structured institution of the U.S. Army as a way to forget his estrangement with his father. He tries to instill this discipline in Chet's (his son) life. Col. Payne wants to be a strong influencing force in his son's life to compensate for his father's lack of involvement in his own life. Chet develops his own relationship with Col. Payne's father, Otis, and thus brings Otis back into his father's life. By the end of the movie Col. Payne is beginning to form a relationship. Once he lets go of the history between him and his father, he becomes a more of a father and less of a disciplinarian to Chet.
Mercedes Cruz, mother of Pilar, is an immigrant from Mexico trying to free herself of her dirty Mexican past and assimilate into American culture. She has become the most successful Mexican-American businesswoman in the town. She owns a Mexican restaurant and always scolds her workers when they speak Spanish instead of English. She lives near the Mexican border and has a good view of Mexicans trying to cross the border illegally. Anytime she sees this, she calls the Border Patrol to report them. This is in direct contrast to her own past, where she crossed into the U.S. as an illegal immigrant. Her moment of "freedom" comes when she helps the fiancée of an employee. She breaks her leg trying to cross the river into the U.S. and Mrs. Cruz calls in a favor to a local doctor.
The romance between Sam and Pilar is the most controversial example of history colliding with present. Sam and Pilar were high school sweethearts and were reunited after Sam came back to Rio County. Through the course of his investigation into the murder of Charley Wade, Sam stumbles across some explosive history that could change their relationship permanently. This is controversial and sure to spark extreme opinions, but I think their final decision follows in the theme of the movie. They break free of the chains of history to try and forge ahead in the present. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Buster&Billie-a wonderful story of love simple, pure & true!
This is a well written and touching love story set in rural Georgia in the 1940's. Starring Jan-Michael Vincent as "Buster Lane", the most popular boy in high school! Buster rules the school with his pack of friends and dates the prettiest girl in town, "Margie Hooks" (Pamela Sue Martin). Buster Lane is a typical country boy with maybe a little more scruples than the average southern country poke. Buster is engaged to be married to Margie in upcoming June and he's been playing touchy-feely with her, but she wants to wait until they're married to go all the way. Buster's best friend is "Whitey" (Robert Englund), they hangout, drink beers together and talk about guy things, especially what else, girls! Whitey's labeled a Geek and he's so pale (almost albino like) that's where he gets his nick-name of "Whitey" from. He was severely picked on when he first moved to town by the other kids until Buster befriended and protected him, giving you an ideal of Buster's good heart and kind nature. "Billie" (Joan Goodfellow) is an painfully shy country girl from a very poor family, she's often known to have sex with several of towns young men in a way of getting some attention and just trying to be accepted. The thing is, you feel nothing but compassion for Billie ... you never think of her as a "loose girl" (to put it politely). Her performance radiates innocence, loneliness, sadness and then absolute joy later in the movie ... you can feel all her feelings as the movie progresses, you are living through these moments with her!
When Buster convinces himself that he just can't hold out any longer for sex with Margie his attention turns to Billie and they're not honorable, not at first. He finds her to be very innocent and sees the beauty in her so pure, he's moved when a simple gesture like buyer her a grape crush soft drink brings her to tears, somebody finally thought of her feelings. He finds himself falling in love but is not sure of his feelings, are they reflecting his lack of experience to this new feeling called love?
Before Buster even realized what his feelings are he acts on his basic instinct. He breaks off his engagement with Margie and begins seeing Billie exclusively. Billie is taken to her first movie with Buster to see a Tarzan movie, and you can see her elated joy at this new experience. When Billie and Buster go swimming Buster looks over at her to see if she is taking off all her clothes before he strips, as if to not offend her. Its little moments like this throughout the movie that all add up, and are very touching. Then getting up in the middle of the night and waiting, cuddled together on a blanket, for the sun to show itself at the horizon. When it does they jump up and down, then hold each other in a very loving embrace, love is good and it's a new day, a new beginning! In time they both begin to realize just how deeply they do love one another, more than each realized they were capable of loving! Billie is taken to a dance by Buster and he walks proudly with her in his arm, you again feel her joy at another new and wonderful experience. Billie is lit up like a Christmas tree, you can actually feel their happiness, especially hers ...
I'd love to tell you more but I can't ruin it for you ...
Bottom line, this is one of my all time favorite movies! I give Joan's performance an 11 and the movie a 10, with 10 being perfect. This movie will always have a soft spot in my heart ... enjoy! :o)

Sabrina's Review
I first saw, and fell in love with this movie, as a teenager. I watched it over and over again, at least 20 times -- and cried each time. I have thought about it many times over the years and checked repeatedly at Block Buster for its availability...no luck! It is a great love story wrapped up in juvenile delinquency and small town minds. A backwoods Romeo and Juliet with a twist. A must see for the underdog and the misunderstood!

Buster and Billie
HELLO!!!!! Where's the DVD? A truly moving movie, with a good storyline acted very impressively by a cast of young and believable cast. Deserves to be on DVD!!!!

Buster&Billie-a wonderful story of love simple, pure & true!
This is a well written and touching love story set in rural Georgia in the 1940's. Starring Jan-Michael Vincent as "Buster Lane", the most popular boy in high school! Buster rules the school with his pack of friends and dates the prettiest girl in town, "Margie Hooks" (Pamela Sue Martin). Buster Lane is a typical country boy with maybe a little more scruples than the average southern country poke. Buster is engaged to be married to Margie in upcoming June and he's been playing touchy-feely with her, but she wants to wait until they're married to go all the way. Buster's best friend is "Whitey" (Robert Englund), they hangout, drink beers together and talk about guy things, especially what else, girls! Whitey's labeled a Geek and he's so pale (almost albino like) that's where he gets his nick-name of "Whitey" from. He was severely picked on when he first moved to town by the other kids until Buster befriended and protected him, giving you an ideal of Buster's good heart and kind nature. "Billie" (Joan Goodfellow) is an painfully shy country girl from a very poor family, she's often known to have sex with several of towns young men in a way of getting some attention and just trying to be accepted. The thing is, you feel nothing but compassion for Billie ... you never think of her as a "loose girl" (to put it politely). Her performance radiates innocence, loneliness, sadness and then absolute joy later in the movie ... you can feel all her feelings as the movie progresses, you are living through these moments with her!
When Buster convinces himself that he just can't hold out any longer for sex with Margie his attention turns to Billie and they're not honorable, not at first. He finds her to be very innocent and sees the beauty in her so pure, he's moved when a simple gesture like buyer her a grape crush soft drink brings her to tears, somebody finally thought of her feelings. He finds himself falling in love but is not sure of his feelings, are they reflecting his lack of experience to this new feeling called love?
Before Buster even realized what his feelings are he acts on his basic instinct. He breaks off his engagement with Margie and begins seeing Billie exclusively. Billie is taken to her first movie with Buster to see a Tarzan movie, and you can see her elated joy at this new experience. When Billie and Buster go swimming Buster looks over at her to see if she is taking off all her clothes before he strips, as if to not offend her. Its little moments like this throughout the movie that all add up, and are very touching. Then getting up in the middle of the night and waiting, cuddled together on a blanket, for the sun to show itself at the horizon. When it does they jump up and down, then hold each other in a very loving embrace, love is good and it's a new day, a new beginning! In time they both begin to realize just how deeply they do love one another, more than each realized they were capable of loving! Billie is taken to a dance by Buster and he walks proudly with her in his arm, you again feel her joy at another new and wonderful experience. Billie is lit up like a Christmas tree, you can actually feel their happiness, especially hers ...
I'd love to tell you more but I can't ruin it for you ...
Bottom line, this is one of my all time favorite movies! I give Joan's performance an 11 and the movie a 10, with 10 being perfect. This movie will always have a soft spot in my heart ... enjoy! :o)

A movie that deserves DVD treatment
I saw that movie on TV about 20 years ago and was quite impressed. Not particularly by the cinematography but by the story and the performance of the actors who give all they have.

This is a really nice little movie, one of the best from the mid-70s. It really deserves DVD treatment. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Best Cop Movie of all time
Words cant truly express how realistic this movie is. It faces the harsh realities of police work, most havent changed since this movie was made.

Possibly the best Police movie ever
This movie inspired me to a law enforcement career that lasted 28 years. George C. Scott (Officer Kilvinsky) delivers one of his best performances as a veteran patrolman of the L.A.P.D. He teaches a rookie cop "Stacy Keach" how to survive on the streets of L.A. Erik Estrada plays a former gang banger that turned cop, only to find himself working patrol in his old stomping grounds. The realism was great. No doubt they used police advisors when making the film. A sad movie that will make you realize that cops are human. Kilvinsky the cynical cop, shows compassion in dealing with illegal Mexican immigrants that are being taken advantage of by a money grubbing landlord. Stacy Keach suffers a failed marriage and gets involved in an interracial relationship. Truly a gut wrenching movie that shows the brutality of police work, both mentally and physically. I'd pay a hundred dollars if I could get the movie on DVD.

A must see for anyone interested in police work.
I saw "The New Centurions" on television back in the late 1970's. I thought it was a good movie about the police work. The movie is based on the book written by a former LAPD officer Joseph Wambaugh. Alot of the movie is a depressing because it deals with alcoholism, divorce, and suicide. Even though the movie was based on the LAPD back in the 1960's, alot of it still rings true today. You see several young officers in the academy going thru PT and other training. Then, they graduate the academy and are sent to a high crime division to beginning training with a TO (training officer). Immediately, Kilvinsky tells Stacy Keach character to forget about half of what he learn in the academy because it is useless. You see them going to various radio calls. The most interesting part of the movie is when George C. Scott charater starts telling Roy (Keach) how he deals with various crimes (Kilvinsky Law). The scene with the hookers in the back of the paddy wagon is funny. It is a good movie about some of what happens in police patrol cars and handling calls. It is kind of depressing but, it is still a good movie.

New Centurions
A Geart LawEnforcement Movie set in the LosAngeles 60's It Demostrates the Mental and Emotional Problems that working the Streets of LA as a Cop have to endure! This shows How Wambaugh as a X-LAPD Offficer and Writer, helped to get trama care to LawEnforcment Personal. This is also a Movie thats costars the Young James Woods and Erick Estrada in their early carrier. I grew Up in LosAngeles (The Valley) and this Movie gives a great View of LosAngeles During the Watts Riots in 63'

Great Cop Movie
I didn't realize that this movie was still in print, and I was pleasantly surprised.

I think it's one of the best movies I've seen with Stacy Keach (sp?). George C. Scott was great also. I guess the one thing I did not care for is the way it ended... with Keach getting killed. In fact, both of the main characters get nixed. Don't like endings like that. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Good, but not The Original
This movie was rushed to market to cash in on the unexpected success of "The Bad News Bears." It might have been a lot better had the original team of writer Bill Lancaster and director Michael Ritchie been involved.

Also missed are Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal; The Bears are the default stars here, and between lack of experience, weak script and poor directing, they don't really carry it off well. The movie really doesn't start to click until halfway through with the introduction of Mike Leak (William Devane).

There are some magical moments that are as powerful as any in the first movie, but I don't care for the "Kelly Leak Show" subplot; how could someone as repulsive as Jackie Earle Haley command more attention and higher billing than a powerhouse like Chris Barnes?

Overall, a good baseball movie and an adequate follow-up to it's predecessor.

We came for the Luper(Drew Barrymore)
When asked why they made the long journey, one lone ball player said, we came for the luper(drew barrymore), referring to there injured teamate who lies in a lonely bed unable to attend the game.Before we go out there, is there anything anybody wants to say? I've got something to say(garry hixon)we all know when we came out here to Houston with Mirror Vision, Drewli couldnt come with us, but when we go out there, and the breaks are beating the boys,(mirror vision) if we could just give it all we got, and win just one, for the luper(drew), she'll know about it, and shell be happy.-well what are we waiting for

One of the greatest movies EVER!
I need to buy this tape for several reasons. First of all, I want to show it to my 6 year old daughter. She already loves baseball and maybe if she sees it, I will have no chance whatsoever of becoming a soccer mom. This is one of the greatest baseball movies of all time. I loved it as a kid and still love it to this day and the main reason is because that bimbo Tatum O'Neal is NOT in the movie. Christopher Barnes was hilarious. I don't know why he decided to crawl under a rock and exist now in obscurity, but I still love him. Even though the kids all swore and disrespected their elders, they did have a loyalty and camaraderie for each other. Bad News Bears in Breaking Training is a film that captures the American Way.

This Movie Speaks to Me
I was seven when this movie came out. Also, I grew up in Houston, spending many nights at the Astrodome, watching the Astros blay ball. The footage of the old Dome's great extinct scoreboard is worth the price of the movie to me.

Classic.

Greatest Sports Film
I saw it in the theaters in '77 when I played little league and never really got over the idea of stealing a van. I liked it better than the original which was good but lacked the depth and incredible climax of the "let them play" scene. Plus, Bob Watson makes a guest appearance. Jackie Earl Haley never got the respect he deserved and probably should have been nominated for an Oscar for his role as Kelly Leak in this film. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I like this movie.
WARNING; THIS MOVIE MAY CAUSE A CHANGE OF HEART IN ITS VIEWERS. This is a great movie about a modern day prophet who is rejected byy his own people, but continues to spread the word. I give it a 4 1/2!

Best Civil Rights Film
This film really taps into the mind of the viewer, to learn more on this fascinating man. Beautifully portrayed by James Earl Jones. This is more than Oscar material, it's an influential medium for all .

a "must have" for anyone teaching the civil rights movement
Through the writing of Taylor Branch, I was first introduced to the brilliant Vernon Johns and his unacknowledged role in the civil rights movement. I subsequently read "Voices for the Dexter Pulpit" (ed. Michael Thurman) and the unpublished biography of Johns written by Henry W. Powell of The Vernon Johns Society. The brilliant performance by James Earl Jones is as close to written accounts as one would expect. This is a "must see" for anyone who teaches the civil rights movement. Provides for a great debate topic - Johns v. MLK - why did one succeed and the other not?

The Vernon Johns Story - The Road to Freedom and Awareness
If you want to see a movie that will wake you up, make you proud of your predecessors, and make you want to go out and do something constructive to improve the economic, spiritual and social status of black people, then this is the movie for you. James Earl Jones is superb as Vernon Johns, full of the essence of the word "love." Love is a verb, meaning to take action, not a feeling or some image of lust. Watch the movie with a friend, family member or someone who cares, and then go out and do something about it. Don't get excited about the movie and then do nothing about it. And don't think you are just one person and you will have no effect. Vernon Johns was one person and he paved the way for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights activists. Pave the way for a better community, county, state, nation and world. Thank you.

The story of a modern day prophet and Civil Rights hero.
A video based on the first chapter of Taylor Branch's Pulitzer Prize winning historical novel Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963. His first chapter is entitled "Forerunner: Vernon Johns." Dr. Johns was a brilliant black preacher and preceded Dr. King at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. A well told story of a modern day prophet, good actors, well done. If you want to learn more about the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement, see this movie and read Taylor Branch's book. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A personal cult fave
This movie is up there with Plan 9 from Outer Space; it's so bad, it's great. First the many bloopers: there are visible boom mikes. One can see a safety rope tied around Missy's ankle when they're on the widow's walk at the climax of the film. When Parrish "locks" Missy in the bedroom, she pounds on the door and cries ... yet she could easily unlock the door and escape just by turning the lock's knob that's right next to her face! Elements like this make the film an unintentionally hilarious pleasure.

My other favorite aspect of the film is the atmosphere. The day on the Cape is mostly overcast and rainy, and the soundtrack music somehow catches the feel of this atmosphere and compliments it perfectly. Kudos to the music director of this film.

But what makes this movie so exquisitely entertaining overall is Frederick Forrest's portrayal of Courtney Parrish. This movie singlehandedly made me a Forrest fan. He brings a campy, sardonic comic relief to the whole affair; he always has some wacky quip. A highlight is when he's trying to get the kids to sing along with him while he plays the piano. He sings Mary Had a Little Lamb to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy, and when the boy points out the fact Parrish is singing to the wrong tune, Parrish gets angry and leaves in a huff with the words, "And no more jelly beans!!!" Forrest's portrayal of Parrish is ironic - because instead of coming off as a disgusting child murderer, he succeeds in making the character funny and endearing.

God help me, I love this stupid little flick.

Even My VCR Couldn't Take It
I spent a great deal of time trying to find a copy of this movie (perhaps that alone should have warned me it wasn't worth watching) because I couldn't rent it anywhere. However, I didn't expect it to be any good. I just wanted to satisfy my curiousity, and I did. The only good thing about this movie is the cover. The villain in this movie was very annoying (the way he talked), and I thought I would throw up. The only thing is though that he was like a car wreck. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him because characters or people who irritate me sometimes also draw my attention.
Jill Clayburgh is not exactly my favorite actress. The only other movie I saw her in was The Face on the Milk Carton, and I didn't like that book adaptation either. I thought she was too old for the part in this movie. Her character was supposed to be in her early thirties at most but look like a teenager or a woman in her twenties. I'm sorry, but she didn't.
My VCR broke not long after I watched this movie. Was it trying to tell me something?

wet
This adaptation of the best selling novel by Mary Higgins Clark features more rain scenes than Se7en, since the story is located at Cape Cod during a thunderstorm. It's only a pity director Bruce Malmuth can't match the storm in narrative excitement. The source material has lurid pulp potential, with Jill Clayburgh as a former accused child murderer (the conviction was overturned because of an undisclosed "technicality") whose 2 new 9 year old children go missing. In flashback, Clayburgh in an awful wig has an amusing disdain for the TV camera, but when faced with this new predicament, so acts like she's doing Chekhov, with pauses and half-choked utterances. When she calls for the children, her repetition is like an actor's nuanced recital, though I did like the way she lets her body go as limp as a ragdoll in hysteria. Malmuth presents the family scenes with husband Max Gail as so blissfully idealised that it's like a TV commercial, and we tend not to wish the best for a woman who names her child "Missy". Clayburgh's past naturally makes everyone believe that she has done it again (though Sharon Stone's alibi in Basic Instinct of announcing the intention being stupid, comes to mind), and though the audience is way ahead of the police, poor Clayburgh has to endure the clumsiest psychoanalysis I've ever been witness to. Barnard Hughes is typecast as the psychiatrist (retired but he's still a big man in the community), and Gail as an onlooker gets to deliver the howler "Doc, will you get to the point?!" However since the result is a delicious flashback of an adult dressed as a child, it's worth it. Frederic Forrest steals the movie as a funny child-like bad guy with a huge belly, and Elizabeth Wilson is around to look worried and give us plot summaries - she gets an unintentional laugh when she bursts with information at one point. Sylvester Levay provides a bad horror movie score which is inappropriate for most of the time, and we expect the climax to take place on the widow's walk roof of a lookout when we hear that it is unsafe.

Edge of your seat suspense!
This is truly a great movie! So, why only four stars and not five? Well, I only give truly great classics such as "To Kill A Mockingbird" five stars. So, four stars in my book is about the best you can get. Many movies based on books lose something in the translation. Not so here! This movie is based on the best-selling novel and both Jill Clayburgh and Max Gail bring life to the characters brilliantly. It is a shame we have not been blessed with Max Gail's acting more often. He is a great, warm, funny and real actor. This movie deals with the tragic issues of child aduction in a way that will have you on the edge of your seat. Frederick Forrest plays the villian quite well also. You'll want to kick the crap out of him by the end of the movie. This movie has supense as well as heart. Many twists and turns in this one. A fine movie indeed! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Great Faulkner Classic
William Faulkner was one of America's greatest authors. His Pulitzer Prize winning works are renowned for his ability to capture, with affection and fascination, the culture and people of Mississippi...Southerners of all color, class, and gender. Many of Faulkner's stories evoke a somber tone of Southern Gothic tragedy based on his observations of racial intolerance, and the decline of traditional Southern values before the forces of greed and modernization. In contrast to his more serious works, "The Reivers" is light-hearted, comic, and thoroughly entertaining.

The movie captures, with rich authenticity, the colorful characters of Faulkner's Mississippi. The cinematography and music evoke the sites and sounds of a picturesque South in 1905. The cast, including narration by Burgess Meredith, is impeccable. The movie centers on the joyriding adventures of 11-year old Lucius McCaslin, his cousin Boon Hogganback (Steve McQueen) and their black relation (Rupert Crosse). The story involves a stolen car, a 4-day odyssey from northern Mississippi to the 'red light" district of Memphis, a horse race, and the life-changing experiences of young Lucius. Will Geer, as Lucius' grandfather "Boss," offers a memorable performance when he confronts the young boy with his misdeeds, proving again that the word is mightier than the hand. William Faulkner would be proud of this movie.

Don't Forget John Williams' Best Ever Score
Like the cinematography, the beauty and details are exquisite. While you're at it try the book too, Faulkner's sweetest.

Poignant, coming of age film to delight audiences all ages.
The Reivers is a purely entertaining film about a young boy who is introduced to an adult world at the turn of the century. Perfectly cast and well- written, this film is sure to delight all audiences. Steve McQueen is at his best, and Mitch Vogel will win your heart. Pure enjoyment!

Wonderful movie
Very well casted. Cinematography is great and so is sound track. Strong performances from all actors. I especially liked Will Geer as the grandfather. The story is always engaging and never drags. Great entertainment for all ages.

Tender, funny -- a wonderful story well told!
Probably the finest acting Steve McQueen ever did. Not his usaual roll, very different. He shows a wonderful flare for comedy and almost a shy sensitive side. The story romps thur one miss-deed to the next consequence. It's well told with humor and tenderness. You'll like this one; you'll watch it with the family and then tell a friend about it. It's honestly that good. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

My favorite movie of all time.
And I really mean it. They used to show this film often on the Superstation. When I was twelve, I watched it; the next time it came on, I taped it, and watched it probably more than 50 times over the next few years (I didn't know for a long time that the TV version has several scenes cut out for length, so getting it on video was a new revelation). What is it about "Cool Hand Luke" that is so moving? Well, it starts with Paul Newman's performance. Lucas Jackson is one of the most psychologically complex characters in the history of cinema, and Newman, criminally denied the Oscar for this film, makes him seem larger-than-life without saying much. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a revelation. The Christ allusions, which are fittingly done, heighten the sense of injustice that Luke is being slowly crucified by the lawmen, simply because he won't bend to their rules. On the surface, Luke seems self-destructive and ignorant, but in repeated watchings of the film, it becomes apparent that Luke is answering to a call that is bigger than the prison, bigger than the bosses, bigger than the law itself. I could go on and on about the myriad other ways in which this film is perfect, but why bother? I only get 1,000 words. Suffice it to say that this is the movie that makes George Kennedy, of all people, seem noble. YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM. The only flaw: I grew up in Georgia, and I can assure you that it is not filmed where it is set. Looks more like the Central Valley of California to me.

Just About Excellent
I cannot imagine why this film hasn't been more acclaimed. It is without a doubt one of the best of all time. I think the thing that appeals most of all to me is the unbelievable authenticity of all the characters. Except for Newman (because, hey, he's Paul Newman) nobody here appears to be acting. The guards are done just right--tough, good ol' boys who you don't wanna mess with. The prisoners meanwhile are a fairly diverse lot, some educated, some not, some with a whiff of femininity, but all have a refusal to be stripped of their dignity. Luke magnifies that element to the Nth degree.
The second best thing is the dialogue: Like "The Godfather", "Star Trek II", "Resoirovir Dogs", and "Jaws", Cool Hand Luke has several scenes which you'll easily memorize in their entirety.
Other elements: Boss Godfrey, The Man With No Eyes who doesn't say one word during the movie and who is one of the most chilling characters in a movie ever; Luke's mother, the car wash girl, the egg-eating contest, and Luke's excellent final monologue.
Luke's story has been compared to that of Jesus. When you look at it, you see that if Luke is a savior, he's a terribly flawed one, one who can't save himself. He's anti-authority, he's got nerve, and some major cojones, but he's got no aims, no goals, no beliefs. He's a Rebel Without A Clue. If he'd been born about 15-20 years later he could have made a good hippie. But this is still the early '50s and men who fail to conform end up exactly where he does. IMHO, this film accomplishes what One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest tried to do and does it much, much, better.

One final small note: The Lalo Schifrin score is great particularly during the "tarring the road" scene. Anyone who grew up in NYC in the 70s will instantly realize it as the theme to Channel 7 Eyewitness News!

An essential 60s movie - a touchstone for many
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy, gritty and violent with a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

This film does NOT fail to communicate
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy. It is gritty and violent and at the same time it has a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

Paul NewMan as Cool Hand Luke what a classic
newman (old blue eyes) stars as cool hand luke jackson, a war hero, who gets himself in trouble with the law, and is repeatedly beaten both mentally and physically savagely by the main boss of the prison he is in.

the main boss hates luke for several reasons: everyone likes luke. he is the typical rebel , yet he has a certain aura around that people love. even the people working in the prison like luke. the boss also hates luke, because he keeps escaping out of prison, which makes the prison's security and himself look bad. the movie from beginning to end, is one of the entertaining and powerful movies by newman. throughout the movie, we see luke's exploits including his status as "cool hand" which basically says that he can do anything. there is no better scene that shows this that luke's bet that can he eat 50 eggs in one hour. this scene is terrific and humorous to watch, time and time again. george kennedy plays greg dragline, luke's best friend and prison inmante. dr