Amazon.com essential video

Sissy Spacek won a much-deserved Oscar for her lead in this entertaining biography of country-music legend Loretta Lynn. British director Michael Apted (Gorillas in the Mist) brings fine texture to the Kentucky backwoods section of the film, where the teenage Loretta meets her future husband (Tommy Lee Jones), who ultimately pushes her into show business. Lynn's adult life is well covered, from her spouse's philandering to her own on-stage crackups; but between the chapter-and-verse recollections, the script by Thomas Rickman is layered with life and moments of great humor. No wooden portrait, this is a vibrant film made outstanding by the colorful performances of the two leads, as well as Beverly D'Angelo and the Band's Levon Helm. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Best Country Bio Picture Ever Made .Loretta is the QUEEN !
I never grow tired of this movie. I have seen it over 100 times since it was released in 1980.I own it on laser disc,VHS and hope to find it on DVD. Sissy Spacek did a outstanding job playing the "Queen Of Country Music," Loretta Lynn. She more than earned the Oscar & golden globe awards show won. The soundtrack album is also a winner ! Everyone cast in this film was perfect. This film received 7 Academy Award nominations includeing BEST PICTURE. Loretta Lynn is still going strong 20 years after this movie was released. I seen her in concert recently and she still rules as the "QUEEN." I look foward to a sequal to this all time favorite film.

Diamonds From Coal.
I LOVE this movie. This heartwarming, true rag-to-riches film about the life of Loretta Lynn took even the most sophisticated audiences by surprise when it was first released. Sissy Spacek is wonderfully accurate in her portrayal of the legendary but still humble and approachable country music star. This film made people who HATED country music take a second look. The story of the backwards, backwoods, painfully shy little girl whose simple, self-penned, biographical songs made her a huge star with almost unequaled # 1 country hits, is just as touching and great as when it was released. Tommy Lee Jones is perfect as "Doo", the man who stood by his woman, and Beverly D'Angelo gives a memorable performance as the legendary Patsy Cline. The fact that Spacek and D'Angelo so effectively do all their own singing, considering the shoes they had to fill, just makes this film all that much of a wonder. Levon Helm, of The Band, is also very good as "Lorettys" daddy. Just an all- around terrific film, with many touching moments from a by-gone time, when a little girl with a record could tap on the radio station window one day, and be a star a week later. Sissy Spacek's Oscar winning performance makes for a total class production about a total class lady. Loretta Lynn became one of this city boys favorites since seeing this film, and she remains so... a true, greatly admired, humanitarian *star*, who could teach most other celebrities a thing or two about "stardom". A perfect film for the whole family, the ultimate "feel good" movie. Thanks Loretty !! (And Sissy, too.) Just GREAT!!

Mostly Sexual Slurs
I can't fault Sissy Specak's outstanding performance or her superb rendition of Lorettta Lynn's songs but this movie has more sexual overtones then a peep show.
To suggest rural women are totally worthless aside from making babies {Lynn's fictional husband says "We finally found something you can do", when she gets pregnant.}and singing insults the audience's intelligence. This is not a "take your kids to movie".
A very minor point but worth a mention is that the movie left out Lynn's half sister Chrystal Gayle but included Patsy Kline.

FINALLY! Loretta on DVD
I remember being 10 years old and seeing this movie in the theater. Every time it came on TV I watched it. When we got a VCR, I retaped it every time it played just to have a fresh copy. I owned the VHS and now FINALLY after all these years, I have it on DVD.

This is one of the best movies ever made. The acting was so real it was amazing. I never thought of the characters as Sissy and Tommy Lee, I always thought of them as Loretta and Doo. It's one of the string of "Biography" movies to come out, like La Bamba, Sweet Dreams and The Buddy Holly Story.

The music. 'nuff said! The performances are just incredible. The old Grand Ole Opry gang was still alive and they were in the picture such as Ernest Tubb, Minnie Pearl, & Roy Acuff. Of course, Loretta... I mean Sissy's performances were stellar. In the DVD bonus interview with Loretta, she said that she taught Sissy how to play and sing her songs. And boy did she do a good job! All the way from the nervous but cute Loretta in the honky tonk singing "There He Goes" to the lovely queen of country music singing "Coal Miner's Daughter", the sound of her voice and the music perfectly imitates Loretta.

Someone said that they wanted a 5.1 soundtrack to the movie. Well... the movie was recorded in stereo. The country songs in the movie for the most part were in glorious 1950s one-speaker mono to give that authentic 1950s country sound. It plays mostly through the center channel and that's good enough.

The bonus materials also show Loretta's Coal Miner's Daughter museum. It houses alot of pieces from her past as well as alot of stuff from the movie. It will be interesting to go actually see this and be able to see it in person.

If you love CMD, get this DVD! If you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for? DO IT!

Enjoyable whether you like country music or not
Whether or not you have an appreciation for Country Music or Loretta Lynn herself, you'll surely be entertained by this rags-to-riches biopic in the same vein as, 'La Bamba,' and, 'Sweet Dreams.' Great performances are in no short supply here with Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones in what would turn out to be career-making performances for the both of them. As good as Spacek and Jones are the supporting role that 'steals' the film in my book is Beverly D'Angelo's spirited performance as Patsy Cline.

While the video transfer quality of this 2003 released DVD is excellent, what baffles is the lack of a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. Surely a movie dripping from start to finish in vibrant Country music deserves more then the Dolby 2.0 Mono audiomix on the disc. Very puzzling indeed. ... Read more

Description

Times change, Monte Walsh doesn't. For him, being a cowboy isn't a job, it's a life. And that's something the fenced-in, corporate-bean-counting ways of the onrushing 20th century must never alter. Tom Selleck plays Monte, struggling to continue the life he knows while seeing the new era nudge the cowboy way toward history's dustbin. Lonesome Dove Emmy winner Simon Wincer directs this Western featuring a superb supporting cast and based on a novel by the author of Shane. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Remake is good but fell short of original, especially music
This remake of the all time great "future shock" western is very good but the original with Lee Marvin and Jack Palance was better. The original movie had Momma Cass Eliot on the soundtrack with the haunting melody "The good times are coming" which played well in the story line. Why doesn't someone put the original out on DVD remastered for quality? Still, especially if you haven't seen the original, Selleck plays the lead role well albeit the ending, which deviates radically from the original, is a bit corny.

Monte faces a new world.
Monte Walsh is a dramatic western released in 2003 starring Tom Selleck. Along with Selleck is a star cast, with Isabella Rossellini, James Gammon, Marshall Teague, William Devane, and Keith Carradine giving fine performances. The director, Simon Wincer, is also known for making westerns such as Shane and Lonesome Dove. Monte Walsh features a recurrent theme of man vs. technology, but it can be very forceful in presentation.

Monte Walsh is introduced in Antelope Junction, Wyoming territory in 1892. It is a comfortable, familiar surrounding, which suits Monte well, with no hint of modernization. Monte is leaving to winter on the range and while he is gone, an eastern corporation, Consolidated Cattle, is changing the cowboy lifestyle in the Wyoming territory. Consolidated has been buying all the land surrounding Antelope Junction, and fencing it in. This is unknown in the territory, putting a stop to free-ranging cattle. Consolidated has also allowed a railroad to build on the land with a railhead to help load horses, which the cowboys are not happy with. It is a new replacement that stops the cowboys from doing the job they love, moving stock from one place to another. Monte and his best friend Chet get a job with Consolidated, who now is the only employer of cowboys in the area.

The theme continues as Monte and his fellow cowboys battle a train, the dreaded new development in their environment, whose engineers have done them wrong. The cowboys win the battle, but everyone fears they have lost the war against impending technology. Meanwhile Monte has fallen in love with Martine, the whore with a heart of gold, but cannot force himself to leave his life as a cowboy to enter a world that he does not know as a family man. Chet decides to do just that and marries a widow who owns a hardware store. He begins to run the store and becomes involved with town life, leaving his old ways behind.

After having the theme of the movie forced upon the viewer, the style changes and symbolism is used to represent the battle against the new way of life. Consolidated is used as a symbol of impending technology, as they lay off cowboys to help increase the corporation's return on their investment. One cowboy turns to crime since he did not know how else to make a living in the new world. The rogue cowboy kills Chet in a holdup and Monte hunts him down to avenge Chet's death, symbolizing how the past must take care of what technology has caused. Monte is wounded by the outlaw, but continues on to kill the cowboy gone wrong. The wounding symbolizes what has been done to Monte and the other cowboys by the changing times, but the cowboy way continues on to fix what has gone wrong.

Monte does not return to Antelope Junction for seven years. He has decided to ride to Canada, down to Texas and back, living the cowboy life as the world leaves him behind. He arrives to find a horseless carriage driven by the former accountant and new ranch manager of Consolidated. The old meets the new as they both meet in the road and neither refuse to yield their ground. Finally Monte moves aside for the new invention to go through. After discovering that while he was gone, things have changed in Antelope Junction, he decides to leave again. It is not shown what he plans to do, or where he plans to go, but it is hopeful he finds a new place where the old cowboy lifestyle has not diminished, but appreciated.

I would give this movie three stars out of five. The theme can sometimes be overbearing, sometimes with the subtleties of a sledgehammer. However, the viewer can feel sympathy for Monte and make parallels into modern times. It serves as a documentary about those who embrace new technology and those who choose to stay behind.

George Eads is a hottie
This was worth watching for George Eads alone!!! I'm not usually into westerns, but he is so yum, I was actually glad in the end I saw it. Not too bad. Probably very underated.

The story of a great generation, when men were men

Director: Simon Wincer
Format: Color
Studio: Warner Home Video
Video Release Date: February 3, 2004

Cast:

Tom Selleck .... Monte Walsh
Isabella Rossellini .... Martine
Keith Carradine .... Chester 'Chet' Rollins
George Eads .... Frank 'Shorty' Austin
Robert Carradine .... Sunfish Perkins
Barry Corbin .... Storekeeper
James Gammon .... Fighting Joe Hooker/Albert Miller
Rex Linn .... Hat Henderson
John Michael Higgins .... Robert Slocum
William Sanderson .... Skimpy Eagens
Wallace Shawn .... Colonel Wilson
Marshall R. Teague .... Wallace 'Dally' Johnson
Rick Ravanello .... Henry Louis 'Sugar' Wyman
Joanna Miles .... Sairy Brennan
Lori Hallier .... Mrs. Mary Wilder
Matt Cooke .... Rufus Brady
Ken Pogue .... Old Doctor
Zack Ward .... Powder Kent
William Devane .... Cal Brennan
Shane Pollitt .... Jumpin' Joe Joslin (as Shane Pollit)
Tom Edwards .... Plump Lawyer
Tom Glass .... Marshal
Tim Koetting .... Henry, Stocky Barman
Bruce McFee .... Burly Man
Marty Antonini .... Farmer
Eric Keenleyside .... Engineer
Terry King .... Trainman
Peter Skagen .... Fireman
Michael Tod .... Boy
Gillian Carfra .... Young Woman

This is the story of Monte Walsh, last of the cowboys. "If I was starvin' I wouldn't rustle," says Monte. But, "This is the twentieth century" it was explained to him, and cowboyin' for a livin' is on its way out. Monte is in love with a little French girl, a "Lady of the Evening" who has tuberculosis, often fatal in those days. Offered a job in a Wild West Show, under a pseudonym, he refuses. "I ain't spittin' on my whole life," says Monte.

This is a wonderful movie, with a deep sense of realism. It's about the age-old story of men outliving their vocation, which happens just about every generation to some group.

One of the best films I've ever seen.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

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

1970 VERSUS 2003 (YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST LOVE)
Three of my five favorite Westerns concern the extinction of Western Ideals and self-reliant principles in the face of "progress." I commend TOM SELLECK for his desire to explore this theme, unfortunately, however, this story had already been committed to film and more successfully. True, this version illustrates a larger slice of the book upon which it was based, but that does not necessarily translate to better cinema, and it may be responsible for the slightly forced pacing of this newer rendition. -------- MONTE WALSH (2003) does contain inspired photography and an adequately bracing (although derivative) Western score, and Fightin' Joe Hooker's demise is much better handled this time around. Otherwise, 2003 is clearly overmatched by its 1970 predecessor. -------- A major drawback lies in the fact that SELLECK and KEITH CARRADINE lack the likeability that LEE MARVIN and JACK PALANCE brought to the principal roles. The sense of camaraderie between these two old saddle pals just does not come across. The dialogue misses the nuance and leisurely pace of the original. Where have all the "pregnant pauses" gone? Placed beside the earlier version, this one seems almost like a high school production where inexperienced actors rush through their lines, failing to experience the moment. Even all of the minor players of the 1970 MONTE bested the 2003 actors when it came to endowing their characterizations with distinct personality and unique qualities. Only the little dog here managed to go toe to toe to toe to toe with his 1970 counterpart. -------- But the biggest problem of all can be found in the love story subtext. ISABELLA ROSSELLINI who played Monte's "Countess" this time around is no JEANNE MOREAU in the acting department. She was fine, but the 1970 MONTE WALSH gave us one of the silver screen's most beautifully rendered, understated, and underrated movie romances ever! It was filled with subtle grace and magic. The easy-going rapport and playful attraction expressed in the original, by comparison, nearly reduces to an almost cold sniping the scenes between SELLECK and ROSSELLINI. It came as no surprise when JEANNE MOREAU revealed in an interview many years after the fact that she felt LEE MARVIN was "the most masculine" actor she had ever worked with. Her scenes with him in which they showed us a tender, wistful, and doomed love affair made for absolutely dynamite viewing. Trust me, BOGART and BERGMAN had nothing on MARVIN and MOREAU! -------- My lesser complaints have to do with being bludgeoned by the Cowboy Code. Don't tell it; show it! The Code came across loud and clear in 1970 without words. Less was indeed more. The bronc-busting scene was a mere child's ride on King Arthur's Carrousel compared with the 1970 wild "E Ticket" equine roller-coaster! And finally, although it's such a minor issue: I just couldn't accept Shorty Austin as a Hollywood Hunk with a Colgate Smile. Cowboys spent time in saloons; not salons. Cowboys spent time at the faro table; not the dentist's office. -------- Yes, the 1970 MONTE WALSH remains a relatively unknown Western masterpiece. But, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that the 2003 MONTE WALSH was bad; just perfectly superfluous. And not necessary either. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A wonderfully dark film!
Blade Runner tells of human-like robots which are in danger of gaining emotions and becomming too human to exhist by human laws. I loved this movie when I first saw it and I find it wonderful to notice in the background the company logos (which at the time were powerful up and coming companies) of which most are out of business (though Atari has made a comeback). The soundtrack sets the tone and the weather (which it always is raining in the film except for the very ending) also keep things looking bleak. I do enjoy the directors cut cause I am a big fan of Widescreen... but that is the only reason I like it. I wish they had kept the narration (or at least had a two sided disk so a person could chose to have the original unedited narration or the directors cut version). I know some people think the narration is the studios way of saying that the audiance cannot understand the film without dumbing-it-down with narration. This is definitily not the case. The narration reminds me of those old TV Cop dramas where the cops thoughts are always stated as the action is happening. I do feel that it adds to the film. I highly recommend the movie regardless of which version you see. Rutger Hauer is my favorite.

A Dirty Future run by Businessmen and Politicians
It is never enough for the powerful: in this film they manufacture people and then "recall" them like Chevy did the Vega... but we find that people aren't machines even when they are manufactured. The man who is called to track down the last of the androids falls in tough love with the last best of her breed!

Dark Sci Fi at its best
A truly fabulous cinematic work, I only wish it was still available for purchase. Philip Dick would be proud of the adaption of his novel. Vangelis renders a beautiful score. No one does it better than Rutger Hauer.

A depressingly dark moody film that makes you think.
I have both versions, the original release with Ford's voice over, and the "Director's" cut (which is surprisingly, shorter than the original). Of the two, I tend to prefer the original.

Purists tend to find the voice over of the original distracting and un-necessary, but I find it adds to the mood.

I love the cinematography.

It also sports early or first appearances of many now well known actors.

I would consider this movie to be within my top favorite movies.

The very best science-fiction/action/romance ever made.
Okay, the voice-over detective's dialog is hokey, but I love it; it's Sam Spade with smog. Years after the original release, the movie isn't dated or tired. It may always be my favourite flick. ... Read more

Description

A sweeping epic charting the early years of the Civil War and how campaigns unfolded from Manassas to the Battle of Fredericksburg, this prequel to the film Gettysburg explores the motivations of the combatants and examines the lives of those who waited at home. ... Read more

Reviews (586)

Severely Underrated
Apparently, all it takes to be a film critic these days is a combination of the right political views on the right issues and a fourth grade education. This would explain why "Gods and Generals" -- an excellent film -- was a box office flop. The critics killed it before it had a chance. Smug remarks by less-than-intelligent reviewers like "this is a film that would make Trent Lott proud" gave potential viewers a bad opinion of the movie before they'd even seen it. And what was it that the critics didn't like? One reviewer said it was too much like a history lesson!! Pardon me, but how could one make a movie about the Civil War and NOT include historical data? This just goes to show how averse a large portion of the American people are to thinking. But enough of this. Onto the film itself. Mr. Maxwell does an admirable job of cramming the first two years of the Civil War into a three hour movie. The film's star, Stephen Lang gives a performance worthy of an Academy Award as Stonewall Jackson. Since the Confederate forces were dominant in the first half of the war, the film focuses on them more than their blundering Union counterparts. This was percieved as Neo-Confederate propaganda by the critics, which of course is not true. And, due to the fact that most of the people in the 1860's were Christians, the movie delves into the religious side of the conflict which nearly sent the snide reviewers into an epileptic fit. The battle scenes were nearly flawless (the only thing missing was the gore and blood) and very exciting to watch. The only scene I could have done without is the infamous "Hail Caesar" scene that semmed to last a half hour. Overall this is a great film about great men who stood against tyranny and died to preserve freedom. If only this generation could understand that. I eagerly await "The Last Full Measure".

War interrupts Stonewall Jackson's prayers
A couple of years back, a spectacular war epic had the Japanese launching a sneak attack on a love triangle and PEARL HARBOR just happened to get caught in the collateral damage. In GODS AND GENERALS, several Civil War battles serve to interrupt the idyllic home life and prayers of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

There's a core of usefulness to this film, which is its reputedly and apparently accurate rendering - such as they are - of the battles of First Bull Run (1861), Fredericksburg (1862) and Chancellorsville (1863). For the historical knowledge to be gained, I would rather that today's young generation watch this than the steady diet of silly, albeit spectacular, fairy tales served up on the Silver Screen. Unfortunately, the combat footage is interspersed with too much overwritten and pretentious dialogue played to the tune of an overly melodramatic soundtrack. And since they're almost carnage-free compared to such recent war epics as SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and BAND OF BROTHERS, the battle sequences have been criticized as glossing over the horrors of war. But how else does the studio get the film a PG-13 rating that will allow younger audiences in to see it? To be sure, its 3 hour and 40 minute run time could have been slashed by an hour, at least. GODS AND GENERALS makes GETTYSBURG (1993) seem like a great film in comparison.

Stephen Lang (General Pickett in GETTYSBURG) does a creditable job as the screenwriter's vision of Jackson, though I'm not convinced that this and the "real" Stonewall resemble each other. Unfortunately, much of the General's career and reputation was established by his brilliant Shenandoah Valley campaign of early 1862, events outside the scope of this epic. From reading, my impression of Jackson is that he was an austere, aloof, brilliant and eccentric commander who drove his men to the breaking point, and won their devotion in the process. The Jackson played by Lang comes across as almost warm and fuzzy. I don't know which version is more accurate, but this relatively pallid cinematic one isn't what I expected.

Robert Duvall plays General Robert E. Lee in GODS AND GENERALS, and his rendition is much more robust and believable than Martin Sheen's in GETTYSBURG. Jeff Daniels, a little chunkier and nearly a decade older, pretty much reprises the Joshua Chamberlain character of the 20th Maine Regiment, although he occasionally falls victim to windy monologs about the sanctity of the Union and the evils of slavery. In GODS AND GENERALS, unfortunately, there's no Little Round Top to valiantly defend to the last minie ball. The best Chamberlain can do is get pinned down by Confederate fire below Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg

Civil war buffs such as myself will certainly enjoy this film while fidgeting between battles. First Bull Run comes across rather stiff and awkward, but the troops are fully into it by Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. It also helps if the viewer has some pre-knowledge of the battlefields and the locations of the opposing lines because there's too little elucidation provided by the on-screen tacticians. Those who've seen GETTYSBURG will recognize many of the actors who reprise their roles from the earlier sequel.

See GODS AND GENERALS and appreciate it for what it's worth. But don't expect a profoundly moving or satisfying experience.

I keep wanting to like this movie, but....
Glory was a great civil war film, it had characters with character, it had a story with a story, it had a believable premise. But, this movie I don't know what this movie was all about. The acting was like a cross between stage acting and politicians trying to act emotional about their causes on a debate stage. And to have it centered in the 19th Century south in this format is like having the cast of the Andy Griffith Show deliver their lines with Shakespearean drama, it just doesn't work. I really don't think General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson would be proud to be remember for his endless droning philosophy on lemonade.

This movie has been playing endlessly on cable for the last few months, and I admit I keep getting drawn into watching it, and if you turn the sound down it's not so bad as a silent movie, but the dialog is, well it's what it is. I could care less about the message personally. The facts about the motivation of the Confederacy are so muddled due to southern pride and political correctness I really don't expect a movie to portray them accurately.

Glory did at least make an effort not to sugar coat the reality of the time to a degree. You can't be politically correct about a time that just plain wasn't politically correct, and unfortunately in the times we live in this means that our history is being rewritten all around to either exaggerate the "bad" guys or glorify the "good" guys in whatever perspective the author seems to think those "guys" are. The simple fact is that 19th century America was a terribly racially divided place and it went much further than skin color and the South.

I guess I keep watching it trying to figure out how someone could bankroll so much effort in costuming and location shoots and battle scenes and all and wonder if they actually watched it before they released it. Does the director of this movie actually have conversations like this? I think the real problem with this movie is that it tries to hard to be politically correct, and that the Author, the Director, the Producer, the Editor, or someone feels that you can't portray the glorious careers of men who don't fit into the political correctness mold of the modern day. This is a serious disservice to historical fact.

So much preaching you can skip church for a year!
Save your $ and just watch the excellent "Gettysburg" again. This one is simply terrible, almost painful to watch. If this was an accurate portrayal of Gen. Jackson, then I'm amazed that his troops waited until after Chancellorsville to shoot him. Returning actors are ten years older than in "Gettysburg" while playing in action that happened months+ before. The only positive was Robert Duvall as an excellent Gen. Lee.

candy for the history buff
I like to study history, and the civil war is one of my favorite points in American History. Mainly because it was so controversial, the reasons, the bad guys, the death toll, etc..... It was one of the bloodiest battles in our history, not because both sides were american, but because of the percentage of dead per battle, sometimes reaching 30%.

I do believe that the South got a raw deal for a long time. They weren't blameless, but they also weren't the evil group of racists that were potrayed. Plus this delves into the fact that the war wasn't about slavery until the later stages, something the North didn't even want. But that is all up for debate in another forum.

This movie is well filmed, the characters feel more three dimensional and close to their real life counterparts, and the recreation of some of the battles are done in an almost loving fashion done by those who spend their pasttime recreating major events. It shows two major early battles where the confederacy won stunning victories causing heavy losses for the Union. The battle of Fredericksburg cost over 17,000 troops on the side of the Union.

The main complaint from people who like this movie was that it left a lot out, there were a lot of smaller battles that where, but it would have added another 2 hours easily to the already 4 hour movie. Maybe we can hope for a special edition some day.

This movie is very pro southern, so if your views tend to favor the union, this is probably not for you. If you don't love history or recreations of battles, especially ones using Napoleonic Tactics and weapons, it probably also is not for you. It is like marzipan, not a lot of people like it, but those that do, love it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones star as Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call, aging cowboys and former Texas rangers and who organize a 2,500 mile cattle drive for one last great adventure in this excellent 1989 miniseries adaptation of Larry McMurtry's novel. The best friends, who steal the herd from a gang of Mexican cattle rustlers, drive their herd from Texas to Montana, battling horse thieves, angry Indian tribes, and a renegade half-breed killer named Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest) on a mission of revenge. The excellent cast also includes Robert Urich as cardsharp and former Ranger Jake Spoon, Anjelica Huston as McCrae's old flame Clara Allen, Danny Glover, Ricky Schroder, Diane Lane, Chris Cooper, D.B. Sweeney, Steve Buscemi, and even a small role for author Larry McMurtry. Australian director Simon Wincer shows a tremendous capacity for balancing sweeping drama and intimacy against the gorgeous landscape of the American Southwest, giving a grandly epic feel to the film despite its small-screen target and limited budget, and for forging memorable characters of even the smallest supporting parts. The heart of the drama belongs to McCrae and Call, memorably etched by Duvall and Jones as the last of the range romantics. In the age of revisionist Westerns, this excellent cattle-drive drama nicely maintains an old-fashioned feeling while still showing the dark side of the American West. Winner of seven Emmy Awards and responsible for two miniseries sequels (Return to Lonesome Dove and Dead Man's Walk) and a TV series. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Probably the Greatest Western Ever!
A few years ago I had the opportunity to speak personally with Robert Urich about his role as ill-fated Jake Spoon in the epic western Lonesome Dove. Simply put, he said that it was "the most fun I have ever had making a movie. Think of it. Riding and shooting every day with two of the greatest western stars ever: Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones! I won't have that much fun ever again!" I am sure that he could have gone on for hours but, unfortunately, time would not permit. The look on his face and the light in his eyes said it all. Tragically Urich passed away a year or two thereafter.

The legend and the story live on in the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Larry McMurty and in this faithful video depiction of the classic story.

A star-studded cast, headed by Duvall, Jones and Urich, along with one of the most beautiful western soundtracks ever composed make Lonesome Dove a viewing experience that you will enjoy time and again.

One of the best things ever done for television.
Although the phrase "made for television" conjures up the images of the tabloid story of the week and women-in-peril films; Larry McMurtry's epic novel "Lonesome Dove" would not have been given justice in any other format. Television allowed that magnificent work to be brought to life in some form resembling the novel. The six hour running time enabled character and storyline development that would not have been possible if the novel had been adapted for theaters.

Although it does have the jarring breaks that marked where a commericial interuption had once been and it's share of television stars (Urich, Shroeder, Corbin); "Lonesome Dove" is movie big. Big stars. Wonderful cinematography. Great locations. An authentic look. A terrific score. The producers, cast, crew, and director went the full measure to ensure that this movie did not look or feel like a "movie of the week" production.

Personally, I believe it, along with "Roots," to be the finest work ever done in the medium of television. It really does make you feel for its characters. The viewer will cheer and hope for them, and when tragedy occurs, as it does throughout the film, it will shake the viewer. Nobody is safe: comic relief characters, children, and, even, experienced Rangers. McMurtry drives home the message that death in the Old West could occur to anyone at anytime with shocking suddenness. In the end, Captain Call looks back and remembers his friends and comrades who did not return with him. As he does, tears come to the eyes of this taciturn character; and rest assured he is joined by many in the viewing audience.

The Return of the Western
It's ironic that the western, a staple of TV until sci-fi eclipsed its presence, would find its home again on the small screen during a time when big budget westerns seemed to be biting the dust to space opera blockbusters. And that it would take an Australian to realize it. Director Simon Wincer's big-vista understanding of the genre is apparent throughout "Lonesome Dove," which also features some great performances by screen familiars Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, even if the latter too often looks like a scowling Kenny Rogers here. This tale of an arduous cattle drive by two retired lawmen has the sweep and grist of such classics as "True Grit," "Red River," and "Once Upon a Time in the West," with which it shares many elements (the conversational style, the brutal drive, and the buddy relationship, respectively, the most obvious). And while "Lonesome Dove" doesn't really say anything new about the old west, it is entertaining and fares better compared to many westerns past in terms of presenting the ethnic diversity that history records. Look for many bravura--and few corny--moments like Captain Call's (Jones) reaction to a cavalry scout's whipping of Call's alleged son (a likable but sometimes too aw-shucks Rick Shroeder), MacCrae's (Duvall) gutsy stand against a pack of outlaws, and the touching and remarkably in-character last goodbye between the leads. Basil Poledouris, an underrated composer, provides a solid score. Of the episodes, only one stands out as pedestrian, making this a pretty good choice for viewers who want to savor their entertainment choice.

Yes, it is 360 minutes, not 240.
240 minutes refers to the much shorter Return to Lonesome Dove mini-series. There is nowhere on the the Amazon website that the original series of Lonesome Dove DVD set is only 240 minutes, it is 360 minutes.

By the way, my daughter and I loved this series when it was on TV and I purchased the multi-tape set VHS way back when. But the last tape was bad and Cabin Fever, the manufacturers/publishers, would not replace my bad tape (they never even answered my mail except to tell me how to order the set), so, now that I have the DVD version, I finally have a complete set of watchable scenes.

Sorry SD, you're wrong. It's not complete. Check IMDb.
I'm sorry to have to point out to those of you who think this is the complete version, but if you go to IMDb and look up Lonesome Dove, you will find that it has a 384 minute running time. Amazon's version is listed at only 240 minutes. That's over two hours difference from the original film, and no, we're not talking about commercials.
So unless Amazon has their listed time wrong and it is actually a full 6.4 hours, you've been duped. I wouldn't pay for less than the original length film.

So, the question stands for those of you who actually bought this DVD, was it 6.4 hours long, or only 4 hours long? ... Read more

Reviews (746)

THE FUTURE IS DISMAL - SO IS THE TRANSFER!
Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" is an apocalyptic postmodernist vision of the future. The story involves a bounty hunter, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) who is assigned to kill three replicants - android style robots that look identical to humans, but who have come to earth to seek revenge on their creator - Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel). Sean Young costars as Rachel, the latest model of replicant who is so incredibly life like that not even she knows that she's not human. Also in the cast are Rutgar Hauer as Roy Batty - the ultimate killing machine, Edward Olmos as a drugged out police detective, Gaff, and Darryl Hannah, as the psychotic replicant, Pris. Flawed in its narrative, but visually stunning, "Blade Runner" has developed a cult following - and it is easy to see why. The production is layered with multi-references to the steady moral and social demise of our own society that stir the mind into rethinking this movie as much more than a sci-fi adventure. This version of the film is the re-edited director's cut that audiences were never shown in 1982. The subtle tweaking of story and plot elements really doesn't enhance one's viewing experience so much as it just alters the story in a different direction.
But what a shame about the transfer! Though the general color balancing and attention to fine details, even in the darkest scenes, is adequate, there is simply NO EXCUSE for leaving the chips, scratches and in some cases, tears in this DVD transfer. Pixelization crops up now and them, but the most disturbing part of the transfer is that it fails to pay attention to the dirt and (in some cases) hair, stuck to the film negative. The result is a dirty looking picture that, while perhaps in keeping with Ridley Scott's vision of a dank, hard universe of the future, is most definitely not what the director had in mind. Saving grace: the transfer is anamorphically enhanced for widescreen televisions. The sonic characteristic of the 5.1 audio is rich, though dated. Strong bass and reasonably well balanced dialogue and effects, though there are a few perceived occasions where dubbing in of dialogue sounds possible. And one final insult from Warner Brothers, this disc has NO extras - not even a theatrical trailer!

Stunning - The Best Sci-Fi Film Ever Made
Directed by Ridley Scott, possibly the best director in Hollywood, Blade Runner: The Director's cut is an outstanding medley of action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense. Robots have been taken to a new level - Nexus 6 Generation Robots called "replicants", which outmatch humans in strength and ability and equal in intelligence, but lack one human quality - emotions. They were used for "slave labor" to work in places too hazardous for humans. However, replicants after a few years begin to develop their own emotions, which causes them to rebel against their masters. Special cops, called blade runners, were assigned to exterminate criminal replicants. Eventually replicants were declared illegal on earth, and were banished to a shuttle in space. LA, 2017. Rick Deckard, (Harrison Ford) a retired blade runner, is forced to "retire" five replicants that have escaped from the shuttle, but winds up falling for one, Rachael. (Sean Young) Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) leads the other three replicants to find their creator, Eldon Tyrell, to expand their short four-year life span. Incredible action scenes, dark, brooding noir, creeping suspense, and excellent sci-fi, Blade Runner: The Director's Cut will please fans of any of these genres. The Director's Cut offers production notes, subtitles, added character developement, the original ending, a unicorn dream sequence, and the deletion of unnecessary scenes and the annoying voice-overs. Plus, it is digitally restored to excellent picture and sound quality. Some "sensitive" viewers might find the plot and noir atmosphere cold, but action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense fans will enjoy it very much. With stunning special effects, incredible cinematography, compelling plot, and rich, incredible characterizations (esp. Rutger Hauer), I strongly recommend Blade Runner: The Director's Cut to action/sci-fi fans.

Not quite the Blade Runner I remember
After purchasing and viewing the DVD director's cut release, all I can think is "where can I find the original theater release version". I sat my family down to watch it two nights ago and they lost interest very quickly. While it is still visually stunning to watch, it is not enough overcome the seeming lack of narrative/plot. In fact, one of the key things removed from the director's cut version is the voiceover narrative by Harrison Ford's character Deckard. For those that know the original version, it can even be a challenge to remember the significance of each scene. For new viewers of BR, they're left wondering, scene after scene, "OK what just happened and what relevance does it have to anything?". Bring back the voiceover!

The Director's Cut is AWFUL.
Compared to the original version the Director's Cut is awful. Background narration has been removed; the ending has been changed. Don't waste your money.

this is still a good DVD
but not as good as the original release. I preferred the narration and for that reason, I probably don't watch this movie as much as i did when I had it on VHS. I really don't understand why they don't make both versions available. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on the book byMarshall Frady, this epic bio by John Frankenheimer stars Gary Sinise as one of the century's best candidates for true Aristotelian tragic status. The Aristotelian tragic protagonist is not an entirely bad man, but he has a fatal flaw. Wallace's flaw was not (originally) racism. It was lust for power and status, a lust so all-consuming that it turned Wallace into a fellow traveler with racists, and made of him one of the most destructive and most hated American politicians of his time. Sinise, who seems doomed to be underrated for his acting talents, captures memorably both the corruption and the belated search for redemption. Frankenheimer shows off all his skill with a story line, working through a series of flashbacks from the 1972 assassination attempt and weaving together real and constructedblack-and-white footage. The pace does stumble; in the end, the movie is half anhour too long. But you get sucked in by the period feel, the accents as thick as grits, and the many excellent supporting performances. Especially notable are Mare Winningham as Wallace's long-suffering first wife, Clarence Williams as his servant Archie (a somewhat questionable fictionalization by Frankenheimer), and Joe Don Baker as his mentor and predecessor in the governor's mansion, Big Jim Folsom. Frankenheimer, Sinise, and Winningham all won Emmys for their work, and the film won the Golden Globe for Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great film, great acting.
Exellent film, inspired and eye opening to those who have never seen how far the lack of understanding will take you or how much of a life can be spent doing harm to those you do not even know.
I'm sure you will enjoy this film and the message it delivers. Well done.

Sinise's Third Best Only To Truman and Forrest Gump!!!
Gary Sinise steals the show in George Wallace, the TNT documentary made about the three-time governor of Alabama and four-time presidential candidate. I honestly think Angelina Jolie, not Mare Winningham, should of gotten the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the movie. Winningham is a fine actress and portrayed her character well, but I thought she was rather drab. When Jolie takes over as the second Mrs. Wallace, she delivers her role with much more conviction and flare. Of course though, Sinise is the best actor in the cast and is most deserving of the award he got for Best Actor. Sinise's best role in my opinion, as you can likely guess from my review title, is his role in Truman, followed in a close second by his Lieutenant Dan portrayal in Forrest Gump, but this movie was a just as close third. I read one review of this movie which said the reviewer would have liked to see more about Wallace's 1968 campaign for President. I personally would have liked to see more about his '64 and '76 presidential bids because they have more historical signficance, being that his '64 run took place during the most controversial time in his career, the Civil Rights Movement, and it was his first presidential campaign. And I would have liked to see more of his 1976 run because he did best as a candidate. And, as history itself and the movie both dictate, people seem to forget that when Wallace became a segregationist, he was very much reluctantly drawn into it by the Ku Klux Klan, rather than he was always one as most everyone who knows of him thinks. I think this point to his character should have been better addressed. Besides these small flaws, the movie was great overall. I also found something in common between this movie and Forrest Gump. In both, Sinise plays characters who are marred by physical trauma, and both characters have some very negative things to say about their conditions. As I said earlier, this movie is great overall and well worth watching especially if you are a history/political buff. Get it!!!

George Wallace: from liberal to racist to redemption
The fighting little judge from Alabama was known as the most liberal judge in Alabama and probably in the South. But one gubernational defeat makes him turn to racism in order to capture the governorship.

Gary Sinise turns in an incredible performance as the governor, he has become one of my favorite actors ever since his equally brilliant performance in "Truman".

I like the way that this movie doesn't judge Wallace as good or bad, it leaves that to the viewer. In one scene you can see Wallace commenting on the beating of Civil Rights activists at the Edmund Pettus Bridge saying "This is a victory for US! We turned them back" and you actually think that Sinise as Wallace believes what he's saying.

The movie presents some historical footage here and there, you can see president Lyndon Johnson and Martin Luther King's famous "how long?" speech.

It does have a number of flaws though, I'd have liked to see more about election 1968, the way Nixon tried to prevent Wallace from becoming governor in 1970 by sponsoring Wallace's opponent, the infamous General Curtis Lemay pressconference. And the fictional character Archie isn't quite pulled off by the director, it strikes me as an anomaly in the movie.

Also it shows Wallace meeting Cornelia, his future second wife at governor Folsom's inaugural in 1955, this would have made Cornelia about 23 years old in 1972 when in fact she was 31. The reason for that is that George and Lurleen met Cornelia at Folsom's FIRST inaugural in 1947 and not 1955

The most moving scene is where Wallace is wheeled into the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church (Dr. King's former church) where he, in front of a stunned black congegation apologizes for his role in black suffering. The authenticity of this scene I found questionable until I read about it in Stephan Lesher's book "George Wallace American populist".

But in the end George Wallace the movie is a masterpiece capturing the sentiments of the 50's, 60's and 70's. The late governor's children are said to have been content with the portrayal.

George Wallace
EXCELLENT! SPLENDID PERFORMANCE BY MARK VALLEY AS BOBBY KENNEDY.

solid fare for political junkies
It's hardly surprising that Ted Turner, a political animal if there ever was one, would turn his TNT productions into a vehicle for politically themed movies. This film, along with "Kingfish" and "Nixon and Kissinger" is the kind of product Turner no doubt loves to sponsor. Those of us who are closet political junkies ourselves, but who may not have the time or inclination to read lengthy biographies of well-known politicos, can at least begin to satisfy our social consciousness jones with these usually worthy efforts.

_George Wallace_ is certainly that--a worthy effort. It does not answer every question I've ever had about the man, but it does provide us with a portrait of a very complex, power-hungry individual, one who sacrificed principal for power and who became a symbol of a kind of racism that he did not really fully embrace. At least as seen by scriptwriter Marshall Frady (on whose book this film is based), Wallace had no particular ax to grind with the black community and was primarily a populist who initially sought the support of all the "folks". One gubernatorial defeat, however, was all it took to convince him that despite his reservations about extremists like the Klan, he would have to play the race card in order to win the governorship of Alabama.

And thereby hangs the tale--or would have if he had not been shot at a political rally in 1972. The film's take on Wallace is that this event and the intense personal suffering that ensued brought about his eventual personal and, to some extent, political redemption. This may well be so, but writer Frady and director John Frankenheimer do slip significantly in presenting this turn-about. Wallace's conversion in the film rings too many false notes. I don't know if Wallace ever spontaneously dropped in on a black Baptist church, for instance, but if he did, it is all the more incumbent on the filmmakers not to portray the event too hamfistedly. Only Gary Sinise's nuanced performance keeps that scene from becoming an embarrassment. All too often Frankenheimer and Frady seem to be going for the kind of cinematic shorthand found in politically themed films. Conversations become near tracts or simply clunky ways of advancing the political story.

Still there's no denying Frankenheimer's ability to get a tough story across. And the actors are generally first-rate.(Only Joe Don Baker as Wallace's populist mentor winds up going over the top). On the distaff side, Mare Winningham(a subdued and graceful steel magnolia--the kind of role Lee Remick once specialized in) and a fresh on the scene Angelina Jolie give remarkable performances. Clarence Williams III is solid as the (fictional) stoic black trusty who serves the Wallace household for decades. And, of course, a good ol' boy milieu as presented here always presents juicy roles for character actors. _Wallace_ is full of familiar faces, actors you've seen dozens of times before but whose names you'll struggle to place. They seem to be having a grand old time putting on the accents and affecting the mannerisms of the South.

Still it's ultimately Gary Sinise's movie. His '97 Emmy was richly deserved. He is simply fascinating to watch here. It's one of those cinematic performances where you're first reaction is "why did they ever cast him...there's no resemblance whatsoever..." And in within minutes you forget all that and become so caught up in the performance that you can't imagine anyone else playing the part. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

THE CLIENT
A sterling cast headed by Oscar - nominated Susan Sarandon makes this slick thriller the adaptation of a John Grisham bestseller. Mark Sway (Brad Renfro) witnesses the suicide of a Mafia lawyer, who confesses that the mob was behind the murder of a U.S. senator. Mark's brother is traumatized into a coma by the incident; gangster Barry Muldano (Anthony LaPaglia) is soon on Mark's trail, and in desperation, he arrives at the office of recovering alcoholic lawyer Reggie Love (Sarandon). With the mob after them, and a ruthless federal attorney Roy Foltrig (Tommy Lee Jones) trying to force Mark to reveal what he knows, Love battles to guarantee the safety of her client and his family. The relationship between Reggie Love and Mark Sway is the center of the film, adding considerable character development to plot's routine elements. Director Joel Schumacher helmed another Grisham adaptation, A Time To Kill, in 1996.

Excellent Movie From a Terrible Book
"The Client" is a movie that profiled the American Justice system drenched with beaurocracy, and the particular story of a young child and his family caught up in it. An 11 year old backwoods punk kid named Mark Sway (Newly introduced Brad Renfro), is a witness to the suicide of a lawyer involved in a high profile Mafia case. Being the only witness, he is now pressured by the US Attorney's office to talk...and by the Mob not to. US Attorney Roy Fortrigg is played flawlessly as always by award winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, who battles Mark's dedicated lawyer (Susan Sarandon) to make the boy tell all and vault himself to Governor of Louisianna. If I was making this movie, I would think that it would fall apart on the child's role...but it didnt. Brad Renfro was as good as they come, playing a stubborn punk kid who refused to be intimidated by Fortrigg, and tried not to let the Mob get to him either. Another stellar performance was played by Kim Coates, one of the big Mob boss's henchmen. After seeing "The Client" I checked out a few other of his roles...needless to say they were mostly the "bad guy" parts. The movie was gripping in every sense with suspense, action and hardball legal dialogue that trully capture the reality of a high-profile criminal justice case. From start to finish I enjoyed the movie very much and cant turn it off to this day if I flip by it on television. I think "The Client" is a great purchase idea...and again I dont recommend the book.

Reggie to the Rescue.
You gotta hand it to John Grisham: Nobody has the various lawyer cliches down pat as well as him - in fact, it almost seems as if he invented or at least, reinvented many of them. As in most of his thrillers, we get a whole handful in "The Client": the slimy mafia lawyer, the power-hungry politician-to-be, the self-aggrandizing ambulance-chaser, the grandfatherly judge and, of course, the motherly family law practitioner who turned to legal practice after overcoming a few troubles of her own. I think that leaves only the greedy corporate attorney, his cousin the corrupt judge and their perpetual antagonists, the starving public interest lawyer and the inquisitive student prodigy unrepresented here; but still, not a bad collection for a single thriller, even by Grisham. (And that doesn't even include the count of dumb and/or malicious cops, slick tabloid journalists and ruthless mobsters running around in this story.) But never mind: "The Client" is one of John Grisham's best-ever novels, and this movie surpasses many another big-screen adaptation of his books by several leagues. For Grisham at the top of his game is also an excellent storyteller, and in the hands of director Joel Schumacher his tale of beleaguered eleven-year-old Mark Sway who gets in trouble by becoming the reluctant last confidant of suicidal defense attorney Jerome "Romey" Clifford comes to life in spot-on and truly gripping fashion.

Although not even a teenager yet, Mark (Brad Renfro) is as tough as they come - a Memphis trailer park kid who gets most of his education on life's really important aspects from TV, has already helped his mom (Mary-Louise Parker) get rid of the wife-beating guy he now calls his "ex-father," and since then has been the man in the house, taking care of his eight-year-old brother Ricky whenever their mother is at work (i.e., most of the time). So Mark doesn't scare easily; and even if he really is afraid, he'd rather drop dead than admit it. But with both the mob *and* the feds on his trail - the former out to kill him before he can share the dirty little secret they suspect Romey has spilled before blowing out his brains, the latter hell-bent on making him share that very secret - even Mark has to face the fact that he is in way over his head ... and yes, he's scared, too; and not just a little. Worse, his brother is out cold, in hospital being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder because watching Romey's suicide was more than his delicate eight-year-old soul could take, and their mother is in hospital with Ricky on the doctor's orders because Ricky might need her when he wakes up. (Consequently she's also out of a job, because her sweat-shop employer doesn't take kindly to this sort of family emergency). Reluctantly, Mark therefore concludes that he needs an attorney. And in short order, he lands on the doorstep of Regina "Reggie" Love (Susan Sarandon), middle-aged but only a few years out of law school, through which she put herself after her husband left her for a younger woman, not without depriving her of their children's custody and branding her an unfit mother. But what starts as a hesitant relationship at best on Mark's side soon turns out his one stroke of luck, because Reggie is probably the only lawyer in town not afraid to take on even powerful U.S. Attorney "Reverend" Roy Foltrigg (Tommy Lee Jones) and the FBI, and ultimately willing to put her own job at risk for her client.

While condensing some of its elements, the movie's screenplay follows Grisham's novel fairly closely, taking part of its dialogue straight from the book. Yet, "The Client" lives not only from John Grisham's gripping story but also - and primarily - from its characters and outstanding cast, including the ever-reliable J.T. Walsh (FBI Agent McThune), William H. Macy (Ricky's doctor), Anthony Edwards (Reggie's assistant Clint), Ossie Davis (Judge Roosevelt) and Walter Olkewicz ("Romey" Clifford). Unquestioningly most memorable, however, is the quintet at the movie's center. Brad Renfro was selected by Schumacher for his first-ever screen appearance as Mark because he had a somewhat similar background as the story's hero and thus, an intuitive understanding that, along with his innate toughness, ultimately proved more convincing than the acting skills of more experienced child actors; and indeed, he so compellingly carries his part that he deservedly garnered a 1995 Young Artists Award. Susan Sarandon earned another Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Reggie, who actually listens to her clients and makes sure even those of their desires that may seem trivial to others are taken care of; such as Dianne Sway's wish for a walk-in closet. (Sarandon's Academy-Award nomination was her fourth after "Atlantic City," "Thelma & Louise" and "Lorenzo's Oil;" but although she had to wait yet another year to finally score an Oscar with "Dead Man Walking," "The Client" at least won her a BAFTA Award). Tommy Lee Jones plays the bible-quoting Foltrigg with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek and thus, although occasionally terrifying, makes him a more complete and almost even likeable character; much more so than he is in Grisham's novel. Mary-Louise Parker's Dianne Sway truly brings to life the young besieged trailer park mom desperately trying to get a grip on her life, and Anthony LaPaglia finally is simultaneously frightening and unintentionally funny as the slick but not overly bright mob killer Barry "The Blade" Muldanno, the source of Clifford's (and consequently everybody else's) problems.

So, watch this for the outstanding performances of the five central characters as well as the fine ensemble cast, for one of John Grisham's most gripping yarns, and for Joel Schumacher's excellent editing and sense of place. This may not be a major milestone in movie history (except regarding Brad Renfro's career of course), but it's without question one of the best thrillers of the past 15 years and easily recommended on that basis alone.

TENSE ADAPTATION OF GRISHAM'S NOVEL
In his first film, Brad Renfro (Apt Pupil) walks away with THE CLIENT. His performance carries the entire movie, and he is a jewel. From his southern accent to his bullheaded obstination, Renfro creates a portrait of a child looking for love and leadership. He and his little brother witness the suicide of a gangland lawyer, who before dying tells Renfro where the body of a murdered senator is hidden. Tommy Lee Jones as a slick Federal attorney decides that Renfro knows the location and wants the boy to talk. Bright Renfro decides he needs a lawyer and ends up with Susan Sarandon, in her fourth Oscar nominated performance. Of course, since the little boy has become a media darling, the bad guys want him too. The expected chase begins, but not before some touching and exciting sequences occur.
Director Joel Schumacher keeps things moving nicely and elicits strong performances from a rather starstudded cast: Mary Louise Parker as Renfro's mom; Ossie Davis as a no nonsense judge; Micole Mercurio as Sarandon's nice mama; Anthony LaPaglia as the slimy murderer; Anthony Edwards as Sarandon's assistant, and Bradley Whitford as the yuppie lawyer. Ultimately though, it's the power of Renfro and Sarandon's performances that catapult this movie into its stratosphere. Sarandon and Renfros scenes together sparkle and their final scene is a real tearjerker.
Grisham liked this adaptation and he should: it's a very good movie.

I plead the 5th
I have always been a John Grisham fan, so even the movies will get my top vote. This movie depicts what you should and should not do when you witness and/or are told about a crime, and the pain you could endure if the wrong people find out you know about this crime. This is a wonderful plot with great acting from Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones, etc. I recommend that if you haven't watched this movie yet, then give it a try. You'll like it. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Where the heck was Sam Peckinpah?!
The 1981 film "Death Hunt" is a motion picture screaming for an audience. It has all the earmarks of a memorable action/adventure. But the final result falls short due to the lack of an accomplished director (who is Peter Hunt?) and cluttered second half.

"Death Hunt" is a great action flick, make no doubt. It's oddly enjoyable seeing old veterans such as Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin - both in the twilight of their unique careers - chewing up the lush Canadian scenery while involved in a battle of wills during a early 20th century man hunt. But it's the build up to the eventual chase, based on a true story, most viewers will remember from this sadly neglected film.

Mr. Bronson plays a man weary of society and war who returns to the mountains to get away from the bustle. Along the way, he rudely breaks up a man-made dogfight, saving a wounded shepherd from certain death. Such a rude interruption creates resentment, and several of the dog's former owners hike up to Charles' cabin to take the hound back. Bullets soon fly and a combatant ends up dead. Lee Marvin, as the local Canadian Mountie, is then drawn into the conflict.

A surprise is in store for the angry posse as they discover that trying to corner Mr. Bronson is akin to trapping a wild beast. By the conclusion of "Death Hunt," many in the cast of supporting veterans (Andrew Stevens, Carl Weathers, Ed Lauter, Angie Dickinson) will end up stiffer than a frozen tree.

I will not give away the build up, suffice to say that the action is crisp, fiery and pumped. And the villains of this film, a sad bunch barely a notch above the fighting dogs they force into battle, are reminiscent of many of the colorful miscreants of early Sam Peckinpah films ("Ride the High Country," "The Wild Bunch"). In fact, Peckinpah would have been the perfect director for this opus, though if memory serves he was working on the European "Cross of Iron" at the time. With Mr. Peckinpah at the helm, "Death Hunt" could have achieved lofty heights.

Instead, we are treated to a choppy second half of poor editing, confusing continuity, fabricated character motivation (Marvin constantly smiling through his binoculars at a retreating Bronson) and scenes of an attacking airplane which go on forever.

What viewers will remember most about "Death Hunt," besides the already-mentioned opening half, is the near-brilliant performance of Lee Marvin as a burned-out Mountie. His presence is the gritty highlight of this energetic film, and one realizes his persona was one of the most admirably cyncial in motion picture history.

"Death Hunt" is a great discovery for those not yet acquainted with its rustic appeal. It is truthfully one of the last quality films of both Marvin's and Bronson's careers, thus it's the end of two commendable eras. That must be worth the price of someone's hard-earned ticket.

Don't mess with Bronson's dog!
Bronson's back! This time his role is similar to the one he had in Chato's Land; A guy pursued by an angry mob wanting him dead, dead, Dead! Naturally, because he's Bronson, they don't have the easiest time trying to get him. These guys should have never shot his newfound dog friend, coz after that, all hell breaks loose. The plot is nothing new, it's been done many times before(usually with more style), but this one is exceptional because of the cast. Aside from Chuck, you have tough guy Lee Marvin, Apollo Creed(Carl Weathers who's always a joy), would-be Luke Skywalker-Andrew Davis, the "dude" talking cop from Death Wish 3, and the scary "Buffalo Woman." And to answer some of your questions, Peter Hunt(the director) was the editor of practically every James Bond film, and the director of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. He passed away recently.

A good matinee flick...
Seeing Marvin and Bronson together is great.

What makes this film, and all of Bronson's post Death Wish films, is if you convince yourself this is actually Paul Kersey time travelling back to find peace of mind and he STILL won't get cut a break!! It makes sense when he comes back in Death Wish 3 & 5 and begins shooting everything that moves...the world is this man's enemy.

Too real to be slick or polished
Another reviewer has averred that this is the best of Bronson & Marvin's careers; I'm not sure I agree, but it's certainly on the short list. I'd begin by noting the factual basis - and the working-class focus. Many of the characters in the movie are obviously machismo-deluded jerks who have fled civilization to find an environment that won't expose their incompetence - this remark does NOT include the characters played by Bronson and Marvin. That said, I'll admit the direction is rough - but the story is rough, and the way it is told is not implausible. The continuity favors a distance of view that makes the story's factual basis more apparent. More than one reviewer has made plain the fact that he or she missed the respect and sympathy that Marvin's character feels for the man he is pursuing. See the movie - see if you don't agree with him.

Classic? Not!
This is a Marvin/Bronson flick that finds the two pitted against each other in the Canadian mountains. Sort of a lame plot, but it shot okay. The screenwriter should have been shot rather than some of the characters that "bought it" in the movie. Any good? It's just...okay. ... Read more

Description

A restless wanderer makes a promise to a dying friend to help the man's widow and daughter hold onto their ranch in the lush but lawless Wyoming Territory. But when oil is discovered on the land, the unsuspecting hero must contend not only with the two women who are suspicious of his motives, but also with ruthless men plotting to seize the ranch. Based on the novel by Louis L'Amour. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

CROSSFIRE TRAIL HITS ITS MARK
COMBINE A LOUIS LAMOUR NOVEL AND VETERAN WESTERN ACTOR TOM SELLECK AND YOU GET A WINNER. THESE TWO GO TOGETHER LIKE BISCUITS
AND GRAVY.
SELLECK PLAYS RAFE COVINGTON A CODE COWBOY PLAYING TRUE TO HIS PROMISE TO A DYING FRIEND. HIS LOYALTY IS TESTED BUT HE CARRIES ON.
COVINGTON TRAVELS TO HIGH COUNTRY WITH A COUPLE OF FRIENDS. HE MAKES A FEW MORE FRIENDS BUT MANY MORE ENEMIES. AS HE ATTEMPTS TO RENOVATE HIS DEAD FRIENDS RANCH AND KEEP THE MAN'S WIDOW SAFE HE ENCOUNTERS TROUBLE FROM VARIOUS FOLKS INCLUDING THE RESENTFUL WIDOW.
MARK HARMON SHINES AS VILLIANS AND HE PLAYS THE BAD GUY IN THIS ONE WELL. HARMON IS A WHEELER DEALER OUT TO CLAIM THE WIDOW AND HER RANCH BY WHATEVER MEANS REQUIRED.
THE ONLY PERSON IN HIS WAY IS THE RUGGED COVINGTON WHO WORKS THE RANCH AND EVENTUALLY MAKES WAYS WITH THE WIDOW.
SELLECK IS WELL SUPPORTED BY VARIOUS ACTORS INCLUDING WILFORD BRIMLEY WHO PROVIDES THE HUMOR IN THIS PLAY.
THIS IS AS CLOSE TO A CLASSIC WESTERN AS ANYBODY HAS MADE IN AWHILE. SIMON WINCER WHO HAS GIVEN US 'LONESOME DOVE' AND 'QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER' DIRECTS AND DOES IT WELL.
THE DIALOGUE IS WITTY AND EFFECTIVELY DELIVERED.
MY FAVORITE SCENE IS WHEN SELLECK IS CALLED OUT BY A TOUGH WHO HAS A SCORE TO SETTLE. THE MISCREANT TELLS SELLECK'S COVINGTON THAT "IM GONNA BLOW YOU OUT OF THOSE FANCY BOOTS." BUT WHEN LEAD FLIES AND COVINGTON IS FORCED TO FIGHT A WELL PLACED ROUND FROM COVINGTON'S .45-60 ENDS THE DISPUTE. AND FITTINGLY SO THE BAD GUY LOOSES ONE OF HIS OWN BOOTS AS HE DIES IN THE DIRT.

LATER WHEN ONE OF SELLECKS COHORTS CONCLUDES "THAT WHAT SOME SHOOTIN." COVINGTON COUNTERS SOLEMNLY "THAT WASNT SHOOTIN..............THAT WAS KILLIN."

UNLESS I AM MISTAKEN, THIS FILM STANDS AS THE HIGHEST RATED SINGLE EVENT IN CABLE T.V. HISTORY. IT IS WORTH A WATCH. AND THEN ANOTHER. IT WILL BE AN ESTEEMED ASSET TO ANY VIDEO COLLECTION AND A STAND OUT TO FANS OF THE WESTERN.

CAN'T MISS WITH CROSSFIRE TRAIL
Based on a great story by Louis L'Amour, Crossfire Trail pits Tom Selleck's Rafe Covington, a cowboy who has promised a dying friend to protect his land and his wife, Ann Rodney, portrayed by Virginia Madsen, against a gang of Wyoming ruffians portrayed very capably by Mark Harmon as crooked businessman Bruce Barkow, Marshall Teague as general bad guy Snake Corvill and Brad Johnson as gun-for-hire Bo Dorn.

Wilford Brimley as Joe Gill, David O'Hara as Irish immigrant Brendan "Rock" Mullaney and Christian Kane as John Thomas Langston support Selleck in his classic good against evil quest. Add to the cast and setting the unparalleled direction of Simon Wincer (Lonesome Dove) and you just can't miss with Crossfire Trail.

Crossfire Trail is the classic western tale: The evil land grabber, the hapless heroine and the avenging hero who, taking on all comers, overcomes evil, restores justice and gets the girl.

Tom Selleck has emerged as the leading actor in the modern western genre. With stellar performances in Quigley Down Under, The Shadow Riders, Monte Walsh and Crossfire Trail, he is well on the way to achieving the same western star status and appeal as Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Duvall and Clint Eastwood. Crossfire Trail is a fitting showcase.

Douglas McAllister

an ok cowboy tale
this is an ok cowboy tale. I dont want to summarize it because im tired and I cant. saw this on cable tv on channel 42 over the weekend. wasnt that bad though Tom Selleck(An Innocent Man, In and Out) and Virginia Madsen(The Candyman, The Florentine) share a bunch of screentime and they have a nice relationship on screen. the only reason I watched it was because Christian Kane(Tv's Angel, Life Or Something Like It, Just Married) starred in it as one of Selleck's cowboy buddies. wasnt the greatest but it is a time waster

Almost as good as Monte Walsh
It was hard to follow in the beginning but once you caught
on it was GREAT!!! I love Selleck, he makes a good kick-ass
cowboy. I recomend this movie to anyone who loves a good
kick-ass western!!

crossfire trail
Based on reveiws I thought it would have been a better movie.It was ok. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Read the book too!
Great film, thoroughly enjoyable. However, even more enjoyment can be had by understanding the entire story to be found in Americo Paredes' book "With a Pistol in His Hands." Here you will find out that fact can be more amazing than legend.

6 star rating.
I have seen The Gregorio Cortez Movie probably about 20 times. I was good friends with Dr. Americo Paredes, the writer of the book and live very close to the area that Senor Cortez lived and worked. This movie should be made a standard in every school in America. It was very dramatic, sensitive, and a eye opener.

Bravo to MGM/UA for re-releasing this hard-to-find classic!
Probably the most authentic Western ever made, this gripping adventure film recounts the true story of the largest manhunt in Texas history. In June 1901, six hundred Texas Rangers chased Gregorio Cortez, a Mexican-American ranch hand, for ll days across 450 miles of terrain. Was Cortez a cold-blooded killer or an innocent man fleeing injustice? You decide. Starring Edward James Olmos ("Miami Vice", "Stand and Deliver"). Based on the book by folklorist Américo Paredes, "With A Pistol in His Hand" (1958, Austin: University of Texas Press). Olmos, who met this author in February 2000, told her in person he has two favorite films from the many he has made--this one and "Caught" (1996). ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Dosent even deserve 1 star
Without a doubt one of the most pathetic films ever made. Extreamly bad acting, Stupid camera angles, Most of the time you cant tell what is happening. The transforming from animals to humans vice vera is the worst effect ever, Basicly you see a bird flying and in the next shot (About a second after) the hairy chuck norris is standing there. Punches look so fake its amazing, Incredibly bad directing makes it look like a 9 year old could of done better if he went into the woods with a cam-corder and some pals. The budget is obvisly tighter than an italien waiters trousers and the only reason chuck norris is in the movie is beocouse the film was made by his brother aron nossis! I really really, really really recomend not buying this film.

Fantastic
This is one of Chuck's best movies. I have seen it on television several times and enjoyed each and every time I just saw it again today and hoped I could find it to buy.

Chuck Norris-Taking charge as protector of the forest
The "Walker, Texas Ranger" star turns in another spectacular performance. How he continues to be passed up for major awards is a mystery to me, especially after this complex role. In this he plays a mytical warrior who can assume the shapes of many animals. He battles evil loggers with his incredibly slow martial arts moves. It appears that as Norris nears his 78th birthday he may have lost a step or two. Aiding Norris in his quest to battle the loggers were a group of kids known as "the green weenies" by the evil loggers. The rebel tactics they employed were remarkably similar to the Wolverines in "Red Dawn" (read my review for that incredible film). In one incredible scene, one of the younger members flooded the walkie talkies of the evil loggers with an 80's rock tune. This caused the loggers to become distracted from their duty as they begin using their deadly chainsaws as guitars. In my opinion this was a briiliant strategy on the part of the greenie weenies. Back to Norris and his convincing role. He plays the role of a convincing leader when he orders a girl to "sleep." Alas, i was not able to finish the movie because one of the people i was watching the movie with had terrible hygiene and i could not stand the stench. I was disheartened by this fact but even not seeing the no doubt orgasmic ending cannot dissuade me from proclaiming that this is the best movie ever...well besides Dracula 2000 (read my friend Quito's review).

Great For Families
I learned about Chuck Norris from my 7-year old grandson back in August 98. Mr. Norris's betrayal of the "Spirit of The Mountain" is in keeping with his own Native American heritage. The violence is low-key compared to many of his other movies. It has raised an awareness in my grandchildren of environmental control, protection of wild animals, and a very keen interest in learning more of their own Native American background. I would definitely recommend it to any family. My 4-year old granddaughter also gets the story and idea behind the movie.

Excellent, suspenceful, a most memorable film.
After seing this movie once, I had to watch it again, and again. I love it, and it is now one of my favriot movies. It demonstrates true friendship, and shows grate sceneary views of the forrest. The child actors were very good, and real beleivable. I will never forget this movie. It's great for familys. Chuck Norris was really good, and that's the first movie i've seen him in, even though I heard about him. I definately recomend this movie. ... Read more