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Mel Brooks scored his first commercial hit with this raucous Western spoof starring the late Cleavon Little as the newly hired (and conspicuously black) sheriff of Rock Ridge. Sheriff Bart teams up with deputy Jim (Gene Wilder) to foil the railroad-building scheme of the nefarious Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman). The simple plot is just an excuse for a steady stream of gags, many of them unabashedly tasteless, that Brooks and his wacky cast pull off with side-splitting success. The humor is so juvenile and crude that you just have to surrender to it; highlights abound, from the lunkheaded Alex Karras as the ox-riding Mongo to Madeline Kahn's uproarious send-up of Marlene Dietrich as saloon songstress Lili Von Shtupp. Adding to the comedic excess is the infamous campfire scene involving a bunch of hungry cowboys, heaping servings of baked beans and, well, you get the idea. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (207)

The Quintessential Comedy Movie
I love this movie! From the opening scene, where Cleavon Little sings the negro work song, "I Get a Kick Outta You", ala Nat King Cole, and he is corrected by the white men shoing him how to sing "Camptown Ladies", to the absurd surrealist ending (when was the last time you've seen a movie burst out of the movie, this is beautiful comedy.

Sight gags flying by at the speed of light, you will have to watch it hundreds of times to get them all, one liners that would make the Marx Brothers proud ("Bart, I heard you was hung." "You heard right!) This is absurdist comedy at is best (A toll booth on the William J LaPetomaine Freeway). The Mel Brooks choreography is wonderful when Lili Von Schtup sings "I'm Tired." When was the last time you saw German Soldiers tango with their rifles. This movie is filled frame to frame with humor, and no one gets away not insulted (Okay, we'll take the Irish too!)

The cast was perfection, either just over the top, or way over the top Harvey Korman is hilarious as the nefarious Hedley Lamarr. Cleavon Little is fantastic as he makes fun of his own stereotypes, it is absolutely one of the funniest movies ever made by humans on the planet earth.

Until a Special Edition comes along ...
... this will have to do. But that ain't all bad.

Politically incorrect and loving it, "Blazing Saddles" holds up as a comedy nearly 30 years after its release, and maybe even has gotten funnier as Americans get more uptight. Heaven help us if we lose our ability to laugh at the outrageous.

And while the bathroom humor (and the campfire scene) gets all the notice, there are some very subtle jokes in the film, such as the "laurel and hardy handshake" and "Thank you, Van."

As for extras ... there's not much. A trailer, both widescreen and cropped versions, and an monologue by Mel Brooks that plays over the first half of the movie. It's not scene-specific, but it's worth listening to. For instance, Gene Wilder wasn't even supposed to be in the movie. To find out who was, and why Wilder got the part ... listen to the interview.

This film cries out for a special edition. A scene-specific commentary by Brooks and co-writers Andrew Bergman and Richard Pryor. A making-of documentary. The scenes that were edited into the TV version of the movie (like the diving scene and the governor's visit to the fake Rock Ridge)...

Tasteless But Funny
Plays like an ennactment of one of those tasteless joke books set to a Western theme. Not for everyone. Even fans of this sort of thing have to be in a certain mood.

The funniest western ever made
Cleavon Little plays a black railroad worker condemend to death for assaulting his white foreman. At the last minute he is reprieved by the governor who has the devious idea of making him sheriff of Rock Ridge, a town the governor wants destroyed so they can run the railroad through the area, he thinks a black sheriff will finish the town off. When Little arrives in Rock Ridge he is nearly lynched by the outratged inhabitants but manages to outwit them. Safe in the sheriff's office, he finds the town drunk (Gene Wilder) just waking up in the cells, and they strike up a friendship. Together they set about the task of winning over the folk of Rock Ridge ("simple, wholesome, country folk - you know, morons" as Wilder says), and trying to save the town from destruction. This blissfuly funny film is packed with hilarious episodes. There's the wonderful scene where Little, asked to sing a negro song, obliges with 'I get a kick out of you', the scene where he arrives in Rock Ridge, there's Madelein Khan's hilarious Marlene Dietrich impersonation, the wonderful scene where Little and Wilder infiltrate the baddies' gang disguised as Klu Klux Klan members, and my favourite scene of all, the bit where the townsfolk, asked to give some land to the minority groups who are to help them build the fake town, reply "All right, we'll give some land to the niggers and the chinks, but we DON'T want the irish!" The film is utterly delightful, with hilarious performances from all concerned. There's just one thing that I wonder about. Cleavon Little is such a wonderful comic actor, not to mention being drop-dead gorgeous as well, why has so little been seen of him since this film was made? Never mind, if you're only going to be famous for one film, this is a great one to be remembered for.

Even the "Making-of" was recycled!
Five stars for the movie itself as well as the presentation. The movie looks and sounds great.

BUT--- as noted by many, the "30th Anniversary Edition" supplements are basically a hack job. This is easily one of the most influential comedies of all-time, it deserved to really be given the Special Edition treatment.

The "Commentary" is not a traditional commentary at all; not only is it simply the audio from a 55 minute interview with Brooks, it was issued on the previous dvd. This has been mentioned by many reviewers.

What hasn't been as well-reported is that even the half-hour retrospective doc has been recycled. The "Back in the Saddle" program, which is admittedly a decent if unspectacular show, was previously issued on the 2001 VHS edition! Basically, this featurette was issued on the 27th Anniversary video cassette release. Yes, this is the first time it has appeared on dvd, but still a rather lazy choice.

The "Additional Scenes" are, somewhat annoyingly, not accessible scene-by scene. They play as one approx. 10-minute piece. These scenes were added to the TV broadcast version. It's nice to have them, though most of them are shown in the "Back in the Saddle" featurette.

The only other significant supplement is the "Black Bart" pilot episode. This 24-minute show is a real curiousity, a great archival piece even though the show itself is excruciatingly BAD. Still, its interesting viewing, and very easy on the eyes. This show, quite simply, looks amazing! Very well preserved.

There are a couple other bits, like the trailer and an excerpt from a Madeline Kahn documentary (only about 4 minutes or so).

Really, all things considered, Warner really dropped the ball on the supplementals for this edition. The movie itself looks fantastic and the new 5.1 mix isn't anything special but it sounds better than the old disc. The movie is what really counts, and in that area the presentation can hardly be faulted. But in the end, they didn't actually produce any NEW supplemental material for this set. ... Read more

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Blake Edwards's delightful Victor/Victoria may be one of the last of the great, old-style movie musical comedies--it is so good, it was turned into a hit Broadway stage musical years later. And both versions starred Edwards's wife Julie Andrews (the former Mary Poppins) in the title role--as Victor and Victoria. She's a down-and-out singer who hooks up with a flamboyantly gay theatrical veteran (Robert Preston), and together they become the toast of 1934 Paris by dreaming up a provocative nightclub act in which Victoria assumes the identity of a man in drag. So, in other words, Andrews plays a woman playing a man playing a woman ... and that's only the beginning of the sexual identity confusions that provide the fuel for this splendidly classy slapstick musical farce. (Yes, it's all those things.) James Garner, as a Chicago club owner, finds himself strangely besotted with this stylish, androgynous creature--even though he thinks Victor/Victoria is a man. Legendary Hollywood composer Henry Mancini (a longtime collaborator with Edwards) won his last Oscar for the score; Andrews, Preston, and Lesley Ann Warren, as Garner's cheeky girlfriend, were also nominated. Musical highlights include Victor/Victoria's sizzling "Le Jazz Hot" (in which Andrews shows off her incredible vocal range); another showstopper for Victor/Victoria, "The Shady Dame from Seville"; Preston's witty ode to "Gay Paree"; Warren's hilarious burlesque number, "King's Can-Can"; and a charmingly casual yet elegant side-by-side number, "You and Me," done in a small club by Preston and Andrews in tuxedos. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Sheer delight
For my money this is Blake Edwards' most enjoyable movie. I've viewed it perhaps a dozen times, and its combination of a peerless cast, fine songs, supremely witty script and sure-footed direction make this a real gem that I will never tire of watching.

Robert Preston (in a role originally intended for Peter Sellers) practically steals the show as Toddy, a gay nightclub perfomer in 1930s Paris. Preston's vitality and charisma make the character of Toddy so warm, humorous and believable that he feels like an old friend by the end of the movie. What a shame Preston made so few films! (We do, however, have his memorable aoppearance in SOB - another Edwards triumph - to be grateful for.)

Julie Andrews is perfectly cast, with her distinctive voice and seemingly ageless face and figure all contributing to a convincing portrayal of a supposed female impersonator. The rapport between her and Preston is a joy to behold, and one can only applaud their classy professionalism.

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the film reunites Julie Andrews with James Garner 18 years after their first movie together, the 1964 Americanization of Emily. Garner shows a fine comic touch - as always - and Lesley Ann Warren is inimitable as his supremely irritating ex-girlfriend.

The film positively overflows with 1930s Parisian atmosphere and sophistication. In short, Victor/Victoria is a real treat that offers a little something for everybody.

Essential viewing.

Le Jazz Hot!
Although he has just recieved an honorary Oscar, Blake Edwards is often looked upon as a purvayer of low comedy. Although he is the genius behind such sparkling classics as The (original) Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffanys, many people frown upon him for his later films such as S.O.B., Blind Date and Switch (let's not mention the post-Sellars Panthers). Victor / Victoria falls, chronologically, between the two sets of films and, in my view, is Edwards at his peak.
Edwards directs his wife Julie Andrews (never better and that includes being a nanny and a nun), in a tale of a [woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman]. The central plot serves as an excellent backbone on which to hang a wonderfully farcical script, some hilarious set-pieces and the fantastic song-and-dance numbers (Bricuse and Mancini's score makes you wish they'd worked together more often).
Andrews, as I say, is flawless coming somewhere between the innocence of Poppins and the lewdness of S.O.B. and giving a fantastic performance. From under her very nose though, the film is stolen by the ever-watchable Robert Preston as Toddy. Preston brings great depth and love to a part that could quite easily have been, as he is refered to in the film, 'a pathetic old queen'. James Garner commendably plays the straight-man (in more ways than one!) with a twinkle in his eye and Lesley Ann Warren hilariously chews every bit of scenery she lays her hands on.
The script, which bears Edwards' name as a co-writer, is as witty and moving as anything written in Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the musical elements have as much vibrancy as MGM's in their hey-day. Musical highlights include Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville (not to mention the riotous reprise as performed by Preston for the films finale). One-liners don't come much better than "A lot of men can't get it ... up to now, you've been fine", "You look like a raccoon" (you need to see it) and the entire scene in the restaurant that leads to the line "It is a moron who takes advice from a horse's arse" (Edwards regular Graham Stark at his dead-pan best).
The extras on the DVD are limited to trailers and a commentary. The commentary by Edwards and Andrews is informative, if a little disappointing considering the wildness of the film and mainly consists of Edwards enjoying watching the film and Andrews making sure that all of the on and off-screen talent is name-checked.
A real unsung gem that deserves to be seen as often as possible. Tell your friends!

JULIE ANDREWS! A LEGEND!
I remember sitting through it in 1983 in the theatre with Mama and Grandmother. We all LOVED it. With Poppins, Maria and Gertrude; Julie`s Victor/Victoria is HER BEST effort on celluloid. Leslie Ann-Warren, James Garner, Robert Preston, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ALL excell in this comedy. It may be a trifle long and the Hercule Poirot-imitation unnecessary; but it really is the last of the GREAT MGM MUSICALS(although it was shot i England, released by MGM). The set-designs are a treasure 2 behold.

One Big Riot
There is one word that best describes this film, and it's RIOT. The film is one big and grand RIOT. The cockroach-instigated riot scene in the restaurant is memorable. Mr Edwards shot this from the outside so that we get to see a third-person view of what is going on inside through the windows. Also, look at that RIOTY performance by Leslie Ann Warren: the scene where she walks down the train aisle spurting out vehement %$&*$# should be made a classic!! Again, this was shot using a third-person view so that we see inside the train windows but never actually hear her. The film delights in its RIOTS, we get the feeling that it makes fun of its characters in this way, albeit a tender way.
But beneath all the film's RIOTS, is a warm heart (highlighted by Henry Mancini's score.) This warm-hearted attitude transcends even through all those nightclub brawls; and I believe that without this formula, the film might not have been able to handle the issue of homosexuality so well. Excellent performances by Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston (in a delicious drag queen finale,) Leslie Ann Warren (show stealer) and the whole cast. The musical numbers are also winners. Certainly not for the Lazy Afternoon viewing, but for the Friday/Saturday night film. To those who are offended by gay contents, be warned, the film insists. This is one GAY & RIOTY film.

Blake Edwards - Musical Gender Bending At It's Best!
This is most definitely musical gender-bending at it's best!

Not many musical/comedies are produced nowadays, let alone good ones like Rocky Horror Picture Show & Little Shop Of Horrors to name a few that come to my mind.

This 80's musical/comedy is set in 1934 GAY and I DO MEAN GAY Paree! This film is quite unparalled in the fact that Victor/Victoria was a movie BEFORE it made it to The Great White Way. Julie Andrews played Victor/Victoria in both movie and on stage.

Great songs in - Julie's "Le Jazz Hot" & Lesley Warren's bimboesque "Kings Can-Can". The sexual chemistry is A+++ between Andrews & a sexually confused James Garner who plays "King Marchand" a Chicago club owner, who is so TOTALLY out of his element in Paris, let alone being sexually frustrated and confused over his crush on the beautiful, stylish and gay, Victor.

Great cast, great songs and a greater storyline with lots of slapstick comedy make Victor/Victoria a classic of it's time!

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Sheer delight
For my money this is Blake Edwards' most enjoyable movie. I've viewed it perhaps a dozen times, and its combination of a peerless cast, fine songs, supremely witty script and sure-footed direction make this a real gem that I will never tire of watching.

Robert Preston (in a role originally intended for Peter Sellers) practically steals the show as Toddy, a gay nightclub perfomer in 1930s Paris. Preston's vitality and charisma make the character of Toddy so warm, humorous and believable that he feels like an old friend by the end of the movie. What a shame Preston made so few films! (We do, however, have his memorable aoppearance in SOB - another Edwards triumph - to be grateful for.)

Julie Andrews is perfectly cast, with her distinctive voice and seemingly ageless face and figure all contributing to a convincing portrayal of a supposed female impersonator. The rapport between her and Preston is a joy to behold, and one can only applaud their classy professionalism.

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the film reunites Julie Andrews with James Garner 18 years after their first movie together, the 1964 Americanization of Emily. Garner shows a fine comic touch - as always - and Lesley Ann Warren is inimitable as his supremely irritating ex-girlfriend.

The film positively overflows with 1930s Parisian atmosphere and sophistication. In short, Victor/Victoria is a real treat that offers a little something for everybody.

Essential viewing.

Le Jazz Hot!
Although he has just recieved an honorary Oscar, Blake Edwards is often looked upon as a purvayer of low comedy. Although he is the genius behind such sparkling classics as The (original) Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffanys, many people frown upon him for his later films such as S.O.B., Blind Date and Switch (let's not mention the post-Sellars Panthers). Victor / Victoria falls, chronologically, between the two sets of films and, in my view, is Edwards at his peak.
Edwards directs his wife Julie Andrews (never better and that includes being a nanny and a nun), in a tale of a [woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman]. The central plot serves as an excellent backbone on which to hang a wonderfully farcical script, some hilarious set-pieces and the fantastic song-and-dance numbers (Bricuse and Mancini's score makes you wish they'd worked together more often).
Andrews, as I say, is flawless coming somewhere between the innocence of Poppins and the lewdness of S.O.B. and giving a fantastic performance. From under her very nose though, the film is stolen by the ever-watchable Robert Preston as Toddy. Preston brings great depth and love to a part that could quite easily have been, as he is refered to in the film, 'a pathetic old queen'. James Garner commendably plays the straight-man (in more ways than one!) with a twinkle in his eye and Lesley Ann Warren hilariously chews every bit of scenery she lays her hands on.
The script, which bears Edwards' name as a co-writer, is as witty and moving as anything written in Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the musical elements have as much vibrancy as MGM's in their hey-day. Musical highlights include Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville (not to mention the riotous reprise as performed by Preston for the films finale). One-liners don't come much better than "A lot of men can't get it ... up to now, you've been fine", "You look like a raccoon" (you need to see it) and the entire scene in the restaurant that leads to the line "It is a moron who takes advice from a horse's arse" (Edwards regular Graham Stark at his dead-pan best).
The extras on the DVD are limited to trailers and a commentary. The commentary by Edwards and Andrews is informative, if a little disappointing considering the wildness of the film and mainly consists of Edwards enjoying watching the film and Andrews making sure that all of the on and off-screen talent is name-checked.
A real unsung gem that deserves to be seen as often as possible. Tell your friends!

JULIE ANDREWS! A LEGEND!
I remember sitting through it in 1983 in the theatre with Mama and Grandmother. We all LOVED it. With Poppins, Maria and Gertrude; Julie`s Victor/Victoria is HER BEST effort on celluloid. Leslie Ann-Warren, James Garner, Robert Preston, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ALL excell in this comedy. It may be a trifle long and the Hercule Poirot-imitation unnecessary; but it really is the last of the GREAT MGM MUSICALS(although it was shot i England, released by MGM). The set-designs are a treasure 2 behold.

One Big Riot
There is one word that best describes this film, and it's RIOT. The film is one big and grand RIOT. The cockroach-instigated riot scene in the restaurant is memorable. Mr Edwards shot this from the outside so that we get to see a third-person view of what is going on inside through the windows. Also, look at that RIOTY performance by Leslie Ann Warren: the scene where she walks down the train aisle spurting out vehement %$&*$# should be made a classic!! Again, this was shot using a third-person view so that we see inside the train windows but never actually hear her. The film delights in its RIOTS, we get the feeling that it makes fun of its characters in this way, albeit a tender way.
But beneath all the film's RIOTS, is a warm heart (highlighted by Henry Mancini's score.) This warm-hearted attitude transcends even through all those nightclub brawls; and I believe that without this formula, the film might not have been able to handle the issue of homosexuality so well. Excellent performances by Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston (in a delicious drag queen finale,) Leslie Ann Warren (show stealer) and the whole cast. The musical numbers are also winners. Certainly not for the Lazy Afternoon viewing, but for the Friday/Saturday night film. To those who are offended by gay contents, be warned, the film insists. This is one GAY & RIOTY film.

Blake Edwards - Musical Gender Bending At It's Best!
This is most definitely musical gender-bending at it's best!

Not many musical/comedies are produced nowadays, let alone good ones like Rocky Horror Picture Show & Little Shop Of Horrors to name a few that come to my mind.

This 80's musical/comedy is set in 1934 GAY and I DO MEAN GAY Paree! This film is quite unparalled in the fact that Victor/Victoria was a movie BEFORE it made it to The Great White Way. Julie Andrews played Victor/Victoria in both movie and on stage.

Great songs in - Julie's "Le Jazz Hot" & Lesley Warren's bimboesque "Kings Can-Can". The sexual chemistry is A+++ between Andrews & a sexually confused James Garner who plays "King Marchand" a Chicago club owner, who is so TOTALLY out of his element in Paris, let alone being sexually frustrated and confused over his crush on the beautiful, stylish and gay, Victor.

Great cast, great songs and a greater storyline with lots of slapstick comedy make Victor/Victoria a classic of it's time!

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

WHAT?? This movie ROCKS!
Fudge-A-Mania is by far one if the best childrens movies ever produced to date. I did not think the director (Michael Sherman) from such horror movies as "The Yell Trilogy" "Thing" and "The Trailer Park Tragedies" could be able to direct and act in a kids movie. I mean what a transition. Not alot of people can do something that big, but boy did Sherman pull it off. I can't wait to see what other movies he plans on doing in the near future. Im such a big fan, cuz hes so talented and all.

Fudge-A-Mania is pathetic
This movie was not at all entertaining. The kid that plays the main character cannot act at all. Overall, the representation of the great book is terrible. That can only be attributed to one thing, poor direction. Michael Sherman is just not cut out for directing even the cheapest and easiest children's movies. Utterly pathetic. It is amazing that this guy even got the job.

Fudge-A-Mania: One of Sherman's first and best.
A GREAT MOVIE. Filmed by rookie director Michael Sherman in 1995, one of the great Judy Blume books are transformed to film in a great way. A unheard of cast with Sherman as the lead role of Fudge, pulls off one of the best preformances of his career. No one knows why we was not recognized with a Golden Globe nod for his preformance. This movie clearly establishes Sherman a cinematic genius.

Fudge-A-Mania
A Great Movie. Directed by rookie director Michael Sherman in 1995, he pulled off one of the best book to film adaptations in cinema history. A real unheard cast with the director (Sherman) as the lead role as Fudge, pulls off one a the best preformances of his career. No one knows why he was not nominated for any Oscars, or at least a Golden Globe (for Best Director and Actor).
Looking at this movie, it can be seen that this director is going places.

Fudge-A-Mania
This movie is great. It is a GREAT comedy that the whole family can enjoy! So 3...2...1...action! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Terribly dated
This film is so dated, it's almost difficult to watch. The great crisis here is they may sell advertising on this station to the U. S. Army! Okay, in the post-Vietnam Era, that may have seemed like a terrible moral crime. But in the post Reagan era, it just comes across as politically correct to the extreme. Still a good look at music/radio of the late 70s. If you work in broadcasting you'll enjoy looking at the older boards, cart machines, and so on. It is very funny, however, to hear this station refer to itself as playing "the non-commercial sound" of the 70s, and then hear one very commercial song after another being played, including "Baby Come Back" which is about a commerical a song as you can get. If you do enjoy the music of the 70s, there is a lot here to like. It's just that the big crisis in plot really doesn't generate sympathy. Also, the drug culture it promotes is out of place out of the 1970s.

Great Radio Biz Comedy!
"FM" is a fun, light-weight, movie comedy for anyone who has an interest in radio or late '70s rock n'roll in general. The film has arguably been regarded by it's fans as the template or inspiration for the classic CBS TV sitcom, "WKRP in Cincinnati".This episodic movie takes place in late 1970's L.A. at the offices and studios of Q-Sky, the #1 radio station in the area. It's hilariously, presided over by manager, Jeff Dugan (a likable Michael Brandon),who's main job seems to be keeping in line, the crazy DJs and other personnel, who make up the station's looney, staff.These folks are constantly getting themselves into trouble both on and off the air. They include Mother (Eileen Brennan) a burned out hippie, who wants to chuck it all, Eric Swann (Martin Mull)a pompas idiot, who will do anything to further his career, The Prince (Cleavon Little), the hip black dude of the bunch and finally Doc (Alex Karras), a suicidal cowboy. The main plot centers on how Jeff and the gang fight to keep the evil account executive and the station owner from oversaturating the station's airwaves with wall to wall ads for the U.S. Army.Yes, the plotline is sort of silly and dated.But put on your average FM station today and you'll find that the movie's premise has pretty much come true.The air waves are mostly ads with a little bit of music squeezed in. Highlights of this film include excellent,live '70s era, in-concert appearances by music artists, Linda Ronstadt ("Tumbling Dice" "Poor Pitiful Me") and Jimmy Buffett ("Livingston Saturday Night"). If you are a fan of either of these performers then you will relish this concert footage. Also look for a brief cameo from rocker, Tom Petty.Finally listen for the film's great classic rock soundtrack which includes '70s staples such as Steely Dan, Bob Seger, Boston, Billy Joel, the Doobie Brothers and much more.For an evening of light-hearted comedy I highly recommend "FM".

"No Static At All" with this ultra cool DVD!!!
Another quality DVD release from Anchor Bay!!! You get both full and widescreen versions on one dual layered DVD!!! plus a theatrical trailer!!! And the quality is superb!!! This DVD is far superior than the VHS!!! And the songs sound awesome in 5.1 sound!!! A true seventies classic!!! Five Stars!!! A+

A movie about a era of radio now long gone
This movie is not a masterpiece by a long shot, but it is a movie that encapsulates a golden era of music and radio that is long gone.

The overall story is about a fictitious radio station in Los Angeles facing a battle with the station owners over what advertising will be broadcast on the radio, namely the new advertising spots by the US Army that would help the station owners to increase profits.

Watching this film, it is interesting to see how insignificant the conflict with the corporate machine is in this movie than if the same movie were made in the modern day. The owners of the FM radio station in Los Angeles we are told, own 10 radio stations across the country. Today, it would not be uncommon for a communications corporate giant to own 10 radio stations in each city, thereby creating a monopoly and eliminating any dissent whatsoever. Disc jockeys running late to spin the records, and disc jockeys who couldn't get the tape machine to play their sponsors' advertisements without technical difficulties could easily be eliminated today with computer software automation. What little automation a radio station did not have could easily be eliminated if those who spun the records chose to go on strike, as did those at the end of this movie. The station's broadcasting location could easily be switched to another location by a simple click of a computer mouse, until the conflict was removed.

Corporate commentary aside, this movie is a great period piece to watch -- Disc Jockey's with larger than life egos, a radio station that likes to give the listeners what they want to hear, including free live concert broadcasts featuring Linda Ronstadt, and live broadcasts of disc jockeys from the local record store.

The DVD has the movie preview for this film, and at the end of it, is shown the FM soundtrack double album. I have heard this album, and it is one of the best soundtrack albums ever made for a movie -- where the film is average in quality, the music album is far superior to the film. This movie is not big on telling a story, but it is big on the music.

A niche little late 70s curio
Not technically slick by today's standards, this movie is buoyed by a superb soundtrack. The nostalgia value alone is worth two stars. It's fun to watch Martin Mull in his first role and who wouldn't love listening to Eileen Brennan as "Mother" spinning the best on wax through the speakers of your dad's Chevy Monza? Good movie also for those who had a disdain for the disco fad - and still do. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Reviled by critics and embraced by the public during its initial run (1981), Porky's is interesting to watch after all these years. What holds up about this horny coming-of-age tale is remarkable. Writer/director Bob Clark has little more than sex and practical joking on his mind, and his high school seniors from Angel Beach, Florida, rapidly move from one to the other. Clark displays a sense of timing and, perhaps rarer still, a sense of male friendship--its brutalities and its bonds--that feels right, not artificial. Surprisingly, the showcase practical jokes are still funny: the Everglades encounter with Cherry Forever, the hole in the girls' shower, and Beulah Balbricker, the humongous gym teacher. The comedic set-ups and payoffs surprisingly still work. Clark's insistence on a subplot about anti-Semitism, however, still sticks out as A MESSAGE. Kim Cattrall really got her start here (although almost no one else did) as Ms. Honeywell, a.k.a. "Lassie." Clark later distanced himself from the irritating Porky's sequels and went on to make the wonderful Christmas Story, the tale of a little boy who wants a BB gun for Christmas. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (41)

American Graphitti wasn't this crass....or funny
Reviewers who liken this modest film and it's ribald humor to "American Graphitti" are just lazy...and they're under the mistaken impression that "Graphitti" is something other than the overwritten, over-long vanity project it is. "Porky's" takes an engaging story of high school adventure, adds a good number of memorable characters, slips in a condemnation of anti-semetism, then douses the whole affair liberally with outrageous pranks and sex-obsessed imagery. Granted, it's not a film for Bible Belters or other people who are easily offended, but it should appeal to just about everyone else.

Bob Clark wrote and directed this unassuming but endearing little film some 19 years ago, and the dialogue and visuals still retain their comic clarity. The "serious" moments in this film don't drag like most movie messages, but rather give some depth to the otherwise loony/sex-crazed teenagers of Angel Beach High. Like any substantive comedy, "Porky's" has at least two perfect characterizations: Beulah Ballbricker, the waddly and nosey girl's gym teacher, and PeeWee Morris, the All-American pervert who measures his "tallywhacker" every day and charts his findings. The supporting cast is largely comprised of 'unknowns,' and in this simple film the lack of star power means no distractions.

"Porky's" was a huge hit for obvious reasons, and the "secrets" of it's success are mirrored in "American Pie," yet another subversive teen sex flick. Of the two sequels to this film, the first ("Porky's 2") is definitely worth seeing, and the second (you guessed it..."Porky's 3") is an entirely un-essential viewing experience. I would have given this DVD 5 stars, but the lack of special features (not to mention the un-exceptional sound) forced me to dock this release a star. However, the DVD is a better buy than the VHS edition, especially if (like me) you are likely to wear out your copy from repeat viewings.

-Mic

A comedic classic, but is it art?
"Porky's" was well-known for years after its release; I must have been about six years old, but by the time I hit grade four, guys were still talking about it. By then, I had another classic raunchfest to represent my generation ("Revenge Of The Nerds"), but "Porky's" need take no truck from later pretenders to the throne.

Director Bob Clark went on to direct other films, including two progressively worse sequels, but this one will forever stand the test of time. Kim Cattrall is immortalized as 'Miss "Lassie" Honeywell' in the 2nd funniest section of the movie, and Dan Monahan may never live down being typecast as "Pee Wee", but over twenty years later, the jokes still work.

The T&A doesn't tittilate as much now as it did then, but you can still imagine teen boys laughing hysterically the first time they watch it. I will confess to having a bit of sentimental feelings for this film, hence the 3 star rating. A lousy movie, yes. But endlessly watchable.

Live with the hypocrisy.

The nadir of western culture
I can't think of a worse movie. It, in itself, was dull, pre-adolescent, and unoriginal. What's worse is that it spawned not only sequels, but copy-cat dirty-underwear movies for years. AMERICAN PIE can be blamed on this boring waste of celluloid.

Howard Stern wants to remake THIS?
Howard Stern has inked a deal to remake this movie.
Maybe this time it will be funny.
I've never liked this movie. After ANIMAL HOUSE and CADDYSHACK, I thought this was a big step down in rowdy comedies.

I didn't like any of the characters and would've enjoyed seeing them further victimized by the corrupt hillbillies at Porky's bar. There was just something smug and smarmy about their attempts to have sex. And I never thought what they did was as funny as they did. They crack themselves up the whole movie.
It made me realize that what really works in comedy is when the characters DON'T find their predicaments so hilarious.
(Although the old principal cackling at the gym teacher's description of the shower scene was funny).

When the movie tries to find something to say (about anti-Semitism), it comes off as clunky and definitely unfunny.
On the prurient side, one of my buddies was disgusted by the abundance of male nudity. "Come on, who wants to see all these naked guys running around!"

I know humor is highly subjective, but I never liked PORKY's. And the sequels? Forget about it.
But I did like THE HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS.
Go figure.

It's not one of those cheesy 80's comedys-this one is funny!
During the 1980's it seemed like the screens where beeing flocked with useless teenage films where woman showed there breasts and the kids partyd in a moive with no plot!

This movie is not one of those cheesy 80's flicks! altho it does go along the same lines this movie always has me in side splitting laughter every time! Its hilarious gags and jokes of a bunch of kids in highschool have one crazy time trying to get into a strip club and beeing rejected and humiliated by the owner! So they plan there revenge to get back at him!

No bonus features is not a problem with this movie! If your into a dirty type of comedy then this is the must have! I cant say either of its seaqulls are any good, so my recomendation is just get the first one here! Its not a fammily comedy, its not a movie you will want to show to your grandmother, its got planty of crude and rudeness. But if your like me, youll love! I even stole my user name here from a joke from the movie!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Terribly dated
This film is so dated, it's almost difficult to watch. The great crisis here is they may sell advertising on this station to the U. S. Army! Okay, in the post-Vietnam Era, that may have seemed like a terrible moral crime. But in the post Reagan era, it just comes across as politically correct to the extreme. Still a good look at music/radio of the late 70s. If you work in broadcasting you'll enjoy looking at the older boards, cart machines, and so on. It is very funny, however, to hear this station refer to itself as playing "the non-commercial sound" of the 70s, and then hear one very commercial song after another being played, including "Baby Come Back" which is about a commerical a song as you can get. If you do enjoy the music of the 70s, there is a lot here to like. It's just that the big crisis in plot really doesn't generate sympathy. Also, the drug culture it promotes is out of place out of the 1970s.

Great Radio Biz Comedy!
"FM" is a fun, light-weight, movie comedy for anyone who has an interest in radio or late '70s rock n'roll in general. The film has arguably been regarded by it's fans as the template or inspiration for the classic CBS TV sitcom, "WKRP in Cincinnati".This episodic movie takes place in late 1970's L.A. at the offices and studios of Q-Sky, the #1 radio station in the area. It's hilariously, presided over by manager, Jeff Dugan (a likable Michael Brandon),who's main job seems to be keeping in line, the crazy DJs and other personnel, who make up the station's looney, staff.These folks are constantly getting themselves into trouble both on and off the air. They include Mother (Eileen Brennan) a burned out hippie, who wants to chuck it all, Eric Swann (Martin Mull)a pompas idiot, who will do anything to further his career, The Prince (Cleavon Little), the hip black dude of the bunch and finally Doc (Alex Karras), a suicidal cowboy. The main plot centers on how Jeff and the gang fight to keep the evil account executive and the station owner from oversaturating the station's airwaves with wall to wall ads for the U.S. Army.Yes, the plotline is sort of silly and dated.But put on your average FM station today and you'll find that the movie's premise has pretty much come true.The air waves are mostly ads with a little bit of music squeezed in. Highlights of this film include excellent,live '70s era, in-concert appearances by music artists, Linda Ronstadt ("Tumbling Dice" "Poor Pitiful Me") and Jimmy Buffett ("Livingston Saturday Night"). If you are a fan of either of these performers then you will relish this concert footage. Also look for a brief cameo from rocker, Tom Petty.Finally listen for the film's great classic rock soundtrack which includes '70s staples such as Steely Dan, Bob Seger, Boston, Billy Joel, the Doobie Brothers and much more.For an evening of light-hearted comedy I highly recommend "FM".

"No Static At All" with this ultra cool DVD!!!
Another quality DVD release from Anchor Bay!!! You get both full and widescreen versions on one dual layered DVD!!! plus a theatrical trailer!!! And the quality is superb!!! This DVD is far superior than the VHS!!! And the songs sound awesome in 5.1 sound!!! A true seventies classic!!! Five Stars!!! A+

A movie about a era of radio now long gone
This movie is not a masterpiece by a long shot, but it is a movie that encapsulates a golden era of music and radio that is long gone.

The overall story is about a fictitious radio station in Los Angeles facing a battle with the station owners over what advertising will be broadcast on the radio, namely the new advertising spots by the US Army that would help the station owners to increase profits.

Watching this film, it is interesting to see how insignificant the conflict with the corporate machine is in this movie than if the same movie were made in the modern day. The owners of the FM radio station in Los Angeles we are told, own 10 radio stations across the country. Today, it would not be uncommon for a communications corporate giant to own 10 radio stations in each city, thereby creating a monopoly and eliminating any dissent whatsoever. Disc jockeys running late to spin the records, and disc jockeys who couldn't get the tape machine to play their sponsors' advertisements without technical difficulties could easily be eliminated today with computer software automation. What little automation a radio station did not have could easily be eliminated if those who spun the records chose to go on strike, as did those at the end of this movie. The station's broadcasting location could easily be switched to another location by a simple click of a computer mouse, until the conflict was removed.

Corporate commentary aside, this movie is a great period piece to watch -- Disc Jockey's with larger than life egos, a radio station that likes to give the listeners what they want to hear, including free live concert broadcasts featuring Linda Ronstadt, and live broadcasts of disc jockeys from the local record store.

The DVD has the movie preview for this film, and at the end of it, is shown the FM soundtrack double album. I have heard this album, and it is one of the best soundtrack albums ever made for a movie -- where the film is average in quality, the music album is far superior to the film. This movie is not big on telling a story, but it is big on the music.

A niche little late 70s curio
Not technically slick by today's standards, this movie is buoyed by a superb soundtrack. The nostalgia value alone is worth two stars. It's fun to watch Martin Mull in his first role and who wouldn't love listening to Eileen Brennan as "Mother" spinning the best on wax through the speakers of your dad's Chevy Monza? Good movie also for those who had a disdain for the disco fad - and still do. ... Read more

Description

When a volcano erupts on an island resort, an oilman (Newman) leads a small group of people to safety. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Time runs out for the Master of Disaster.
The ironic prophecy of the title is just too good (or blatant) to pass up, sorry.

For his final cinematic debacle, Irwin Allen reteamed with several cast members from his glory days (i.e. Borgnine and Buttons from The Poseidon Adventure and Newman and Holden from The Towering Inferno). Thankfully he handed the directing reins over to seasoned veteran James Goldstone (Rollercoaster, etc.), so the results are for more presentable than Allen's cheesy directing attempts.

When a volcanic eruption threatens a resort, Paul Newman leads a group to safety (not all make it, of course) while the stubborn stay behind to meet a far harsher fate. Although the video edition has been expanded to two and a half hours, the movie flows nicely. In fact it feels like a well produced television mini-series rather than a big budget spectacle. On the downside, just as the action seems to begin the movie ends! Strictly for disaster and/or bad movie buffs.

Very Good...but what does Bob think about it?
Hmmm...Some think this film was a disaster (no pun intended)...but, personally, I think this was another one of Irwin Allen's great films. I found that this is somewhat similar to THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972), and THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974), also with Paul Newman. Newman is a supervisor for an oil well operation, along with his partner Bob (James Franciscus), a real jerk who just cares about his money and that's it. When the Pacific Island volcano erupts, the lava is heading slowly but surely to the doomed residents of the main resort (!!!). Cast also includes - Jacqueline Bisset, William Holden, Red Buttons, Ernest Borgnine, and Burgess Meredith. Very Good movie...

All-Star Cast escapes Hawaiian Volcano.
Also known as EARTH'S FINAL FURY.
Another all-star cast disaster movie, but this one includes many television and motion picture actors you like, Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, William Holden, Edward Albert, Red Buttons, Barbara Carrera, Valentina Cortesa, Veronica Hamel, Alex Karras, Bergess Meredith, Ernest Borgnine, James Franciscus, Pat Morita, Sheila Allen and John Considine.
It takes an hour of soap opera telling before they finally get to the main event, the volcano exploding. After this, the story starts to pick up speed. The special effects are primitive, but some are quite effective. If you liked The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Beyond The Poseidon Adventure (1979), Earthquake (1974) and The Towering Inferno (1974), you will probably like this one too. They are easy to follow.
With new films like TWISTER (1996) and THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (2004) and the remake of THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (2005), disaster films may be making a comeback.
This version is 2 hours and 23 min. long. It has 20 more minutes of footage that was not shown in the theatrically released version.

I Enjoyed Watching It!
I have always liked disaster movies ever since I was a little girl and saw Earthquake and The Towering Inferno and When Time Ran Out. When Time Ran Out maybe wasn't as good as Earthquake and The Towering Inferno but I still enjoyed the movie and I liked Paul Newman and Jacqueline Bissett and I wouldn't mind seeing the movie again, especially on a widescreen DVD. Yeah maybe the plot and dialogue is kind of bad but they usually are in these kinds of movies and it's the special effects that are the real star and though some people will say the special effects are lousy and not up to snuff with Irwin Allen's other disaster movies I actually thought they were pretty decent and allowed myself to enjoy the movie.

Time runs out on the disaster genre
Hollywood's decade-long obsession with the disaster epic was clearly in its death throes come 1980. "When Time Ran Out" is just another in a long line of predictable, formulaic disaster films. Of course, this one is different from the rest because the menace this time is an island volcano and it has Paul Newman(!). Even though the disaster film was getting tiresome and frequent parts of this movie of tedious to watch, it still warrants a barely-positive review because the scenes involving the pre-eruption of the volcano, its eruption, and escape on a rickety, old bridge across a river of lava are quite gripping and well done. Beyond that, however, the movie is a turkey. It comes with all the stock characters: the scientists who predict the volcanoes eruption, the macho man who tries to warn and save everyone (Newman's character), the arrogant business man who refuses to evacuate his hotel even when the volcano erupts, and the obligatory scorned wife and younger 'other' woman. Still, "When Time Ran Out" amuses and it can be occasionally seen as a UPN Saturday movie. So, if you have nothing terribly important to do, there are worse ways to kill two hours than watching this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Terribly dated
This film is so dated, it's almost difficult to watch. The great crisis here is they may sell advertising on this station to the U. S. Army! Okay, in the post-Vietnam Era, that may have seemed like a terrible moral crime. But in the post Reagan era, it just comes across as politically correct to the extreme. Still a good look at music/radio of the late 70s. If you work in broadcasting you'll enjoy looking at the older boards, cart machines, and so on. It is very funny, however, to hear this station refer to itself as playing "the non-commercial sound" of the 70s, and then hear one very commercial song after another being played, including "Baby Come Back" which is about a commerical a song as you can get. If you do enjoy the music of the 70s, there is a lot here to like. It's just that the big crisis in plot really doesn't generate sympathy. Also, the drug culture it promotes is out of place out of the 1970s.

Great Radio Biz Comedy!
"FM" is a fun, light-weight, movie comedy for anyone who has an interest in radio or late '70s rock n'roll in general. The film has arguably been regarded by it's fans as the template or inspiration for the classic CBS TV sitcom, "WKRP in Cincinnati".This episodic movie takes place in late 1970's L.A. at the offices and studios of Q-Sky, the #1 radio station in the area. It's hilariously, presided over by manager, Jeff Dugan (a likable Michael Brandon),who's main job seems to be keeping in line, the crazy DJs and other personnel, who make up the station's looney, staff.These folks are constantly getting themselves into trouble both on and off the air. They include Mother (Eileen Brennan) a burned out hippie, who wants to chuck it all, Eric Swann (Martin Mull)a pompas idiot, who will do anything to further his career, The Prince (Cleavon Little), the hip black dude of the bunch and finally Doc (Alex Karras), a suicidal cowboy. The main plot centers on how Jeff and the gang fight to keep the evil account executive and the station owner from oversaturating the station's airwaves with wall to wall ads for the U.S. Army.Yes, the plotline is sort of silly and dated.But put on your average FM station today and you'll find that the movie's premise has pretty much come true.The air waves are mostly ads with a little bit of music squeezed in. Highlights of this film include excellent,live '70s era, in-concert appearances by music artists, Linda Ronstadt ("Tumbling Dice" "Poor Pitiful Me") and Jimmy Buffett ("Livingston Saturday Night"). If you are a fan of either of these performers then you will relish this concert footage. Also look for a brief cameo from rocker, Tom Petty.Finally listen for the film's great classic rock soundtrack which includes '70s staples such as Steely Dan, Bob Seger, Boston, Billy Joel, the Doobie Brothers and much more.For an evening of light-hearted comedy I highly recommend "FM".

"No Static At All" with this ultra cool DVD!!!
Another quality DVD release from Anchor Bay!!! You get both full and widescreen versions on one dual layered DVD!!! plus a theatrical trailer!!! And the quality is superb!!! This DVD is far superior than the VHS!!! And the songs sound awesome in 5.1 sound!!! A true seventies classic!!! Five Stars!!! A+

A movie about a era of radio now long gone
This movie is not a masterpiece by a long shot, but it is a movie that encapsulates a golden era of music and radio that is long gone.

The overall story is about a fictitious radio station in Los Angeles facing a battle with the station owners over what advertising will be broadcast on the radio, namely the new advertising spots by the US Army that would help the station owners to increase profits.

Watching this film, it is interesting to see how insignificant the conflict with the corporate machine is in this movie than if the same movie were made in the modern day. The owners of the FM radio station in Los Angeles we are told, own 10 radio stations across the country. Today, it would not be uncommon for a communications corporate giant to own 10 radio stations in each city, thereby creating a monopoly and eliminating any dissent whatsoever. Disc jockeys running late to spin the records, and disc jockeys who couldn't get the tape machine to play their sponsors' advertisements without technical difficulties could easily be eliminated today with computer software automation. What little automation a radio station did not have could easily be eliminated if those who spun the records chose to go on strike, as did those at the end of this movie. The station's broadcasting location could easily be switched to another location by a simple click of a computer mouse, until the conflict was removed.

Corporate commentary aside, this movie is a great period piece to watch -- Disc Jockey's with larger than life egos, a radio station that likes to give the listeners what they want to hear, including free live concert broadcasts featuring Linda Ronstadt, and live broadcasts of disc jockeys from the local record store.

The DVD has the movie preview for this film, and at the end of it, is shown the FM soundtrack double album. I have heard this album, and it is one of the best soundtrack albums ever made for a movie -- where the film is average in quality, the music album is far superior to the film. This movie is not big on telling a story, but it is big on the music.

A niche little late 70s curio
Not technically slick by today's standards, this movie is buoyed by a superb soundtrack. The nostalgia value alone is worth two stars. It's fun to watch Martin Mull in his first role and who wouldn't love listening to Eileen Brennan as "Mother" spinning the best on wax through the speakers of your dad's Chevy Monza? Good movie also for those who had a disdain for the disco fad - and still do. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Writer-director-composer Vincent Gallo and Christina Ricci star in this quirky and deliberately grimy little movie. Gallo plays Billy Brown, recently released from prison and unable to find so much as a decent bathroom in his cold hometown. Billy's parents are unaware that he's been locked up; in a pathetic attempt to impress them with how successful he's become, he hits on the novel plan of kidnapping young dance student Layla (Ricci) and forcing her to play the role of his wife. Billy's distant--to say the least--parents are played to the hilt by Anjelica Huston and Ben Gazzara, Huston in particular bringing a demented glee to her role as Billy's football-obsessed mother. As the movie unfolds, we learn more about Billy's tormented childhood and unfortunate tendency to bet on the Bills in the Super Bowl. Gallo boldly throws himself into the task of playing a complete sleazebag, and Ricci does lovely standout work as the one ray of hope in the grinding darkness of Billy's life. This odd little love story is just the thing to make you feel better about your own relationship--especially if you're not in one. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (102)

Best film of 1998!
"Let's span time". With these three seemingly innocuous words, Vincent Gallo gets to the heart of this film -- a lonely man's search for a meaningful relationship. To say this film resonated with me is an understatement. I have seen it three times and I definitely think it was the best film of 1998 for several reasons.

First, the direction is quite fascinating. Gallo uses montage scenes quite effectively and there are moments when you are viewing what is supposed to be the characters' thoughts. I thought that was kind of novel. The slow motion climax, while a bit violent, is nevertheless quite riveting.

Second, the writing is great. There are so many great lines it's hard to remember them all."Goon Goon Goon Goon Goon". "I'll choke you to death!" And so on. Hillarious.

Finally, the acting is superb. Not a bum perfomance in the whole movie. Gallo, Cristina Ricci, Ben Gazzara, Angelica Huston, Kevin Corrigan and, yes, Mickey Rourke are all on the top of their game.

This is an offbeat film and it is often very sad, although it is definitely a comedy. It's not for everyone, but for those that like quirky, independent film's, this one is a winner.

Haunting and Beautiful
Vincent Gallo's directorial debut is a powerhouse of fine acting, writing, and direction, not to mention a showcase for some truly jaw-dropping cinematography. Buffalo 66 is one of the finest independent films that I have ever seen, and perhaps the most fascinating character study I have yet to see on film.

Christina Ricci provides one of the year's best performances as Layla, the odd but tenderhearted tap dancer who provides Gallo's Billy Brown with the only true love he has ever received. Ricci's performance is brilliantly understated, and she relays just as much heartfelt meaning in one glance of her beautiful, dark eyes as Gallo does in his barrage of rapid-fire monologues.

There are also fine supporting performances from Ben Gazzara and Angjelica Huston, as Billy's utterly dysfunctional parents, Mickey Rourke, as a sleezy bookie, Jan-Michael Vincent, as Billy's touchingly loyal friend and owner of a bowling alley, and Kevin Corrigan, as Billy's slow but well-meaning best friend.

Buffalo 66 is an incredibly moving and beautiful film. It provides some of the starkest movie images of blue-collar society to come along since the '70s. The on-location Buffalo, New York sites are haunting in their bleakness, and the filtered photography emphasizes this all the more.

On top of all of this, Gallo provides a mesmerizing performance as Billy Brown-a man who has spent so much of his life pining for love and tenderness that he doesn't know how to deal with it once it is staring him in the face.

Simply put, Buffalo 66 is a staggering achievement. Vincent Gallo is a fiercely talented filmmaker and a force to be reckoned with in the future.

wow
what else can i say about this film thas hasnt been said already, the praise is well deserved and it being vincent gallos debut film only makes a person wonder how great of an artist he truly is, not only as a genius musician who also did the score for the film and the music works so well with the film, but also as a writer and director, one of my favorite films of all time , and definately in my top ten, cristina ricci also deserves praise for her role, and i couldnt picture anybody else playing it. buffalo '66 is quite an accomplishment

Just a Grate Work of Art
Buffalo 66' is a gratest movie I have ever seen. It's main mattar is love, but the love story is not ordinal film's one. Although two central caracters are cool and cute, they are not portrayed as dramatic, special parsons. They are presented as usual even more like pitiful in all of the film. There are few dramatic scenes, and uneventful time is streaming. A world of the film is very small, and it's time flows slowly. That is why maybe someone would think it as boring. But I felt that the story is very natural and the love illustrated in the film is quite real. They gradually grow tender of each other as they know of each other. Although there is little description of the reason of their love, a persuasion is exist.It may be good that needless things are cut out. Because of the simple story, film's musics and images are also effectively memorable. Buffalo 66' is just a great work of art.

loved it
what a debut for Vincent Gallo, Buffalo '66 really makes u part of the movie with a thought provoking plot and excellent acting. The plot and characters work so well u cant help feel bad for the poor Billy Brown but at the same time its very humorous. I rented it then purchased it and i absolutley love it, so i highly reccomend u go watch this movie ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Sheer delight
For my money this is Blake Edwards' most enjoyable movie. I've viewed it perhaps a dozen times, and its combination of a peerless cast, fine songs, supremely witty script and sure-footed direction make this a real gem that I will never tire of watching.

Robert Preston (in a role originally intended for Peter Sellers) practically steals the show as Toddy, a gay nightclub perfomer in 1930s Paris. Preston's vitality and charisma make the character of Toddy so warm, humorous and believable that he feels like an old friend by the end of the movie. What a shame Preston made so few films! (We do, however, have his memorable aoppearance in SOB - another Edwards triumph - to be grateful for.)

Julie Andrews is perfectly cast, with her distinctive voice and seemingly ageless face and figure all contributing to a convincing portrayal of a supposed female impersonator. The rapport between her and Preston is a joy to behold, and one can only applaud their classy professionalism.

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the film reunites Julie Andrews with James Garner 18 years after their first movie together, the 1964 Americanization of Emily. Garner shows a fine comic touch - as always - and Lesley Ann Warren is inimitable as his supremely irritating ex-girlfriend.

The film positively overflows with 1930s Parisian atmosphere and sophistication. In short, Victor/Victoria is a real treat that offers a little something for everybody.

Essential viewing.

Le Jazz Hot!
Although he has just recieved an honorary Oscar, Blake Edwards is often looked upon as a purvayer of low comedy. Although he is the genius behind such sparkling classics as The (original) Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffanys, many people frown upon him for his later films such as S.O.B., Blind Date and Switch (let's not mention the post-Sellars Panthers). Victor / Victoria falls, chronologically, between the two sets of films and, in my view, is Edwards at his peak.
Edwards directs his wife Julie Andrews (never better and that includes being a nanny and a nun), in a tale of a [woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman]. The central plot serves as an excellent backbone on which to hang a wonderfully farcical script, some hilarious set-pieces and the fantastic song-and-dance numbers (Bricuse and Mancini's score makes you wish they'd worked together more often).
Andrews, as I say, is flawless coming somewhere between the innocence of Poppins and the lewdness of S.O.B. and giving a fantastic performance. From under her very nose though, the film is stolen by the ever-watchable Robert Preston as Toddy. Preston brings great depth and love to a part that could quite easily have been, as he is refered to in the film, 'a pathetic old queen'. James Garner commendably plays the straight-man (in more ways than one!) with a twinkle in his eye and Lesley Ann Warren hilariously chews every bit of scenery she lays her hands on.
The script, which bears Edwards' name as a co-writer, is as witty and moving as anything written in Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the musical elements have as much vibrancy as MGM's in their hey-day. Musical highlights include Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville (not to mention the riotous reprise as performed by Preston for the films finale). One-liners don't come much better than "A lot of men can't get it ... up to now, you've been fine", "You look like a raccoon" (you need to see it) and the entire scene in the restaurant that leads to the line "It is a moron who takes advice from a horse's arse" (Edwards regular Graham Stark at his dead-pan best).
The extras on the DVD are limited to trailers and a commentary. The commentary by Edwards and Andrews is informative, if a little disappointing considering the wildness of the film and mainly consists of Edwards enjoying watching the film and Andrews making sure that all of the on and off-screen talent is name-checked.
A real unsung gem that deserves to be seen as often as possible. Tell your friends!

JULIE ANDREWS! A LEGEND!
I remember sitting through it in 1983 in the theatre with Mama and Grandmother. We all LOVED it. With Poppins, Maria and Gertrude; Julie`s Victor/Victoria is HER BEST effort on celluloid. Leslie Ann-Warren, James Garner, Robert Preston, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ALL excell in this comedy. It may be a trifle long and the Hercule Poirot-imitation unnecessary; but it really is the last of the GREAT MGM MUSICALS(although it was shot i England, released by MGM). The set-designs are a treasure 2 behold.

One Big Riot
There is one word that best describes this film, and it's RIOT. The film is one big and grand RIOT. The cockroach-instigated riot scene in the restaurant is memorable. Mr Edwards shot this from the outside so that we get to see a third-person view of what is going on inside through the windows. Also, look at that RIOTY performance by Leslie Ann Warren: the scene where she walks down the train aisle spurting out vehement %$&*$# should be made a classic!! Again, this was shot using a third-person view so that we see inside the train windows but never actually hear her. The film delights in its RIOTS, we get the feeling that it makes fun of its characters in this way, albeit a tender way.
But beneath all the film's RIOTS, is a warm heart (highlighted by Henry Mancini's score.) This warm-hearted attitude transcends even through all those nightclub brawls; and I believe that without this formula, the film might not have been able to handle the issue of homosexuality so well. Excellent performances by Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston (in a delicious drag queen finale,) Leslie Ann Warren (show stealer) and the whole cast. The musical numbers are also winners. Certainly not for the Lazy Afternoon viewing, but for the Friday/Saturday night film. To those who are offended by gay contents, be warned, the film insists. This is one GAY & RIOTY film.

Blake Edwards - Musical Gender Bending At It's Best!
This is most definitely musical gender-bending at it's best!

Not many musical/comedies are produced nowadays, let alone good ones like Rocky Horror Picture Show & Little Shop Of Horrors to name a few that come to my mind.

This 80's musical/comedy is set in 1934 GAY and I DO MEAN GAY Paree! This film is quite unparalled in the fact that Victor/Victoria was a movie BEFORE it made it to The Great White Way. Julie Andrews played Victor/Victoria in both movie and on stage.

Great songs in - Julie's "Le Jazz Hot" & Lesley Warren's bimboesque "Kings Can-Can". The sexual chemistry is A+++ between Andrews & a sexually confused James Garner who plays "King Marchand" a Chicago club owner, who is so TOTALLY out of his element in Paris, let alone being sexually frustrated and confused over his crush on the beautiful, stylish and gay, Victor.

Great cast, great songs and a greater storyline with lots of slapstick comedy make Victor/Victoria a classic of it's time!

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Reviews (207)

The Quintessential Comedy Movie
I love this movie! From the opening scene, where Cleavon Little sings the negro work song, "I Get a Kick Outta You", ala Nat King Cole, and he is corrected by the white men shoing him how to sing "Camptown Ladies", to the absurd surrealist ending (when was the last time you've seen a movie burst out of the movie, this is beautiful comedy.

Sight gags flying by at the speed of light, you will have to watch it hundreds of times to get them all, one liners that would make the Marx Brothers proud ("Bart, I heard you was hung." "You heard right!) This is absurdist comedy at is best (A toll booth on the William J LaPetomaine Freeway). The Mel Brooks choreography is wonderful when Lili Von Schtup sings "I'm Tired." When was the last time you saw German Soldiers tango with their rifles. This movie is filled frame to frame with humor, and no one gets away not insulted (Okay, we'll take the Irish too!)

The cast was perfection, either just over the top, or way over the top Harvey Korman is hilarious as the nefarious Hedley Lamarr. Cleavon Little is fantastic as he makes fun of his own stereotypes, it is absolutely one of the funniest movies ever made by humans on the planet earth.

Until a Special Edition comes along ...
... this will have to do. But that ain't all bad.

Politically incorrect and loving it, "Blazing Saddles" holds up as a comedy nearly 30 years after its release, and maybe even has gotten funnier as Americans get more uptight. Heaven help us if we lose our ability to laugh at the outrageous.

And while the bathroom humor (and the campfire scene) gets all the notice, there are some very subtle jokes in the film, such as the "laurel and hardy handshake" and "Thank you, Van."

As for extras ... there's not much. A trailer, both widescreen and cropped versions, and an monologue by Mel Brooks that plays over the first half of the movie. It's not scene-specific, but it's worth listening to. For instance, Gene Wilder wasn't even supposed to be in the movie. To find out who was, and why Wilder got the part ... listen to the interview.

This film cries out for a special edition. A scene-specific commentary by Brooks and co-writers Andrew Bergman and Richard Pryor. A making-of documentary. The scenes that were edited into the TV version of the movie (like the diving scene and the governor's visit to the fake Rock Ridge)...

Tasteless But Funny
Plays like an ennactment of one of those tasteless joke books set to a Western theme. Not for everyone. Even fans of this sort of thing have to be in a certain mood.

The funniest western ever made
Cleavon Little plays a black railroad worker condemend to death for assaulting his white foreman. At the last minute he is reprieved by the governor who has the devious idea of making him sheriff of Rock Ridge, a town the governor wants destroyed so they can run the railroad through the area, he thinks a black sheriff will finish the town off. When Little arrives in Rock Ridge he is nearly lynched by the outratged inhabitants but manages to outwit them. Safe in the sheriff's office, he finds the town drunk (Gene Wilder) just waking up in the cells, and they strike up a friendship. Together they set about the task of winning over the folk of Rock Ridge ("simple, wholesome, country folk - you know, morons" as Wilder says), and trying to save the town from destruction. This blissfuly funny film is packed with hilarious episodes. There's the wonderful scene where Little, asked to sing a negro song, obliges with 'I get a kick out of you', the scene where he arrives in Rock Ridge, there's Madelein Khan's hilarious Marlene Dietrich impersonation, the wonderful scene where Little and Wilder infiltrate the baddies' gang disguised as Klu Klux Klan members, and my favourite scene of all, the bit where the townsfolk, asked to give some land to the minority groups who are to help them build the fake town, reply "All right, we'll give some land to the niggers and the chinks, but we DON'T want the irish!" The film is utterly delightful, with hilarious performances from all concerned. There's just one thing that I wonder about. Cleavon Little is such a wonderful comic actor, not to mention being drop-dead gorgeous as well, why has so little been seen of him since this film was made? Never mind, if you're only going to be famous for one film, this is a great one to be remembered for.

Even the "Making-of" was recycled!
Five stars for the movie itself as well as the presentation. The movie looks and sounds great.

BUT--- as noted by many, the "30th Anniversary Edition" supplements are basically a hack job. This is easily one of the most influential comedies of all-time, it deserved to really be given the Special Edition treatment.

The "Commentary" is not a traditional commentary at all; not only is it simply the audio from a 55 minute interview with Brooks, it was issued on the previous dvd. This has been mentioned by many reviewers.

What hasn't been as well-reported is that even the half-hour retrospective doc has been recycled. The "Back in the Saddle" program, which is admittedly a decent if unspectacular show, was previously issued on the 2001 VHS edition! Basically, this featurette was issued on the 27th Anniversary video cassette release. Yes, this is the first time it has appeared on dvd, but still a rather lazy choice.

The "Additional Scenes" are, somewhat annoyingly, not accessible scene-by scene. They play as one approx. 10-minute piece. These scenes were added to the TV broadcast version. It's nice to have them, though most of them are shown in the "Back in the Saddle" featurette.

The only other significant supplement is the "Black Bart" pilot episode. This 24-minute show is a real curiousity, a great archival piece even though the show itself is excruciatingly BAD. Still, its interesting viewing, and very easy on the eyes. This show, quite simply, looks amazing! Very well preserved.

There are a couple other bits, like the trailer and an excerpt from a Madeline Kahn documentary (only about 4 minutes or so).

Really, all things considered, Warner really dropped the ball on the supplementals for this edition. The movie itself looks fantastic and the new 5.1 mix isn't anything special but it sounds better than the old disc. The movie is what really counts, and in that area the presentation can hardly be faulted. But in the end, they didn't actually produce any NEW supplemental material for this set. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The saga of George Plimpton, NFL Quarterback
Ah, I have fond memories of this 1968 movie, which speaks to the unspoken dream of every armchair quarterback who would like to take a few snaps as a NFL QB and make the big play just once in their life. The film is based on the book by the late George Plimpton, who made his reputation as writing stories for "Sports Illustrated" about his first-hand endeavors in the world of sports. Plimpton fought bulls in Spain with Ernest Hemingway, played goalie for the Bruins, played basketball with the Boston Celtics, played tennis with Pancho Gonzales, joined the high wire trapeze act of the flying Apollos, played golf with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, played bridge with Oswald Jacoby, played in Leonard Bernstein's percussion section in the New York Philharmonic, entered an amateur night contest at the Harlem Apollo Theatre, survived a few rounds with champion boxer Archie Moore, and played football with the Detroit Lions.

In 1968 a film version of "Paper Lion" with a young Alan Alda in his first starring role as Plimpton. What made director Alex March's film interesting is that beyond Alda's girlfriend Kate, played by Lauren Hutton and a few minor players, the rest of the cast consisted of the real Detroit Lions. Of course when Plimpton actually played with the Lion Joe Schmidt was the middle linebacker, but in the film he is now the coach. However, Alex Karras was still around, showing he was a natural performer. Other prominent Lions were John Gordy, the 300 pound Roger Brown (who gets traded to the Rams during the film), and the man with the scariest eyebrows this side of Eugene Levy, Mike Lucci.

Among the things I remember fondly about this film are Vince Lombardi suggesting Plimpton try to go to training camp with an AFL team, how beautiful Lauren Hutton looked (and how sexy the gap between her two front teeth was and is), how skinny Alan Alda was back then, and how good the football players do as actors (granted, they were playing themselves, but you trying doing that on camera). The film has its comic moments (when George gets his big moment at the end of a preseason game he lines up behind the guard) and you get a sense of what it is like at a NFL training camp in the old days (making the rookies sing their college fight songs and pulling pranks on each other), but there is also some serious side: when the players find out George is a reporter they confront him about making what they do a joke.

Football fans should check "Paper Lion" out at least once in their life. Between the Marx Brothers' "Horse Feathers" and Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H," this was the funniest football game you could find in a movie. Sever