Reviews (7)

All Dogs Go to heaven
Don Bluth's 1989 film, "All Dogs Go to Heaven" is a smart movie in it's own way. I agree with some out there that it does own a darkened tinge to it, but none the less, it's a good movie for most viewers. I, just especially love Don Bluth's traditional animation and movies including, "The Secret Of NIMH" and "The Land Before Time", which were made all around the 1980 decade. I personally think that was when Don Bluth's best and most memborable films were made. Though, back to the subject, this movie definetly stood out in my mind, with it's cute songs, but which could use more work and appear more in the movie, like "You Can't Keep A Good Dog Down". This song was the one with the main character, Charlie, a German Shephered and his loveable friend daschound, Itchy sing in the bar. With refrences to gambling, which in a dog's fantasy world, rat races, and subjects containing killing, can be gestured to adults though it has it's light-hearted, happy-go-luck kiddy moments with the graceful Whppet Annabelle and Charlie romping the the clouds of heaven and the little orphan who Itchy and Charlie take under, Ann Marie's loveable moments with charlie and Itchy. Carface and his sidekick, whose name is forgotten by me, are the nuisence of a villan, who plot to kill Charlie. Charlie who only takes care of and pretends to love Ann Marie, in hopes to pay back Carface with money owed so as he can live. After time and instinces, which the inseprible trio go through, helps Charlie to soon love the little girl. I myself, thought this movie was good if your looking for a movie with a few dark subjects and childish subjects, then this mobie is for you though I don's really recommened it to any child under 6.

Another Superb Feature from Don Bluth!
This is the tale of Charlie, a German shepherd that shares a business with an evil bulldog named Carface. Carface wants the business all to himself so makes Charlie drunk and kills him. Fortunently, Charlie makes it back to Earth and uses his dachshund sidekick, Itchy to capture a girl that can talk to animals. They use her to talk to animals that will be in upcoming races, bet on the winning one and make a fortune. But the girl finds out their scheme and runs away, only to be captured by Carface. Charlie goes to her rescue but dies in the process because his "life watch" stops. Even though he wasn't allowed back into Heaven because he escapes to Earth, the angels let him in anyway for being man's best friend for once in his life. With great songs and super animation, this movie belongs in every home!

great family film
I bought this film for my daughter when she was four and loved it. she's now sixteen and still loves the film.The film takes place in 1939 in New Orleans. A dog named charlie is killed by his partner caarface.when he goes to heaven he finds his watch of life, winds it up, goes back to earth. once he's there he befriends a little girl named anne marie and learns about true friendship and love. i recommend this film to all people young and old.

I own the DVD.
Cool movie.. A childhood favorite. Something good to see and not so sappy.

An animated treasure!!!!!!!!
What can I say...I laughed, I cried...and that is saying a lot given the fact that I almost never cry; especially not over a movie. I can remember seeing this in the movie theater when I was a little kid and my interest in the movie has not waned over the years. I love it even more now that I am older and can fully appreciate the jokes and themes. I loved the songs...used to sing them all the time (especially "Let me be surprised") and I watched it everyday when I was in the 4th grade afterschool after I watched the Disney Afternoon. And Oh, if you could only hear the songs...why, they would set a new standard by which you would judge all childrens songs! I cried so hard at the end you wouldn't believe...I do everytime. It teaches kids a lot of morals without being overly sappy or preachy...it teaches sharing, friendship, and loyalty. The animation is gorgeous! I love how they drew and painted the city and it is great to just sit back and ponder what a fabulous job they did on creating the expressions on the characters' faces. And the adventure! If there is one thing I love, that's adventure and this movie has plenty of it. Please don't deprive your children of this animated masterpiece...that would be a crime in itself. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Peter Yates's 1968 cop drama has its existentialist pretensions, but there is something seductive about its strained seriousness and Steve McQueen's intentionally stoic performance as a San Francisco police detective on the trail of a murderer. A couple of key action sequences boost the film's stature, the most memorable of which is a vertiginous car chase that Yates almost approaches as a dance. Jacqueline Bisset provides window dressing as Bullitt's girlfriend--worried about how much his job strips away his humanity--and Robert Vaughan is almost reptilian as an opportunistic politician. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Bullitt Hits The Mark
1968's Bullitt is best known for its classic car chase scene that is still considered by many to the best of all time. The movie is worth watching for that scene alone as Steve McQueen's fastback Mustang chases down a Dodge Charger for a tense ten minutes through the streets of San Francisco. Even without that memorable scene, Bullitt is a classic 60's film. Mr. McQueen's performance as steely police detective Frank Bullitt is one of his best and the forerunner of the anti-heroes that would dominate films of the 70's. The plot revolves around a seemingly routine job for Bullitt and his men to protect a mob informant (Pat Renella) who is set to testify before a Senate subcommittee. When two hitmen break into the safe house and fatally wound the informant and injury another detective, Bullitt begins to have questions and takes up investigating the case on his own with the help of fellow detective Delgetti (Don Gordon). Fighting them at every turn is ruthless and ambitious senator Chalmers played with unctuous smarm by Robert Vaughan. Jacqueline Bissett co-stars in one of her first roles as Bullitt's girlfriend and Robert Duvall has a bit part as a cabbie. Director Peter Yates crafts a gritty look to the film and editor Frank Keller won the Academy Award for his superb work.

Steve McQueen scorches the streets of San Francisco
Arguably the best crime film of 1968, and certainly one of the most influential films of the genre...."Bullitt" established new directions in the mood and style of crime thrillers, and firmly established McQueen as one of the key anti-hero stars of the 60's. Based on the gritty novel "Mute Witness" by Robert L. Pike, this was the first, and only, time McQueen portrayed a police officer (albeit a maverick one) in his movie career. In 1968 Steve was then riding high on the success of his previous crime film, "The Thomas Crown Affair", and "Bullitt" just propelled his star even higher into the heavens !

The plot is tight, economical and well crafted....taciturn, moody Detective Frank Bullitt (McQueen) is charged with the protection of a key witness vital to an upcoming trial involving Mafia connections. Whilst hidden away in a supposed secure location, the witness and his police guard are brutally gunned down by unknown assailants. The heat is turned up on Bullitt by his tough Captain (Simon Oakland) and the manipulative, opportunistic politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) to come up with the right answers fast ! Between the draining investigation, Bullitt struggles to maintain his relationship with his cultured, sensitive girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset)

Primarily coming from a TV series background, Englishman Peter Yates (directing his fourth movie) did a commendable job as director on "Bullitt"...producing a complex, intense crime thriller with a unique style that would ultimately influence many other films. Yates would later to go onto direct Robert Mitchum in the excellent "sleeper" crime film "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" !

And of course "Bullitt" is reknowned for it's now legendary car chase between Frank Bullitt's 390 GT Mustang and the two hitmen in their black, Dodge Charger 440 Magnum barrelling through the city streets and highways of San Francisco....just don't pay too much attention to how many times they pass that slow-moving, green VW Beetle !!

The DVD transfer is excellent in both sound and picture quality, and the Limited Edition Set with the extra goodies (Single sheet poster, shooting draft, lobby cards etc.) is a real bonus for keen film fans !!

One of my favourite cop thrillers....McQueen sizzles on screen !!

Put on a Sweater
This detective drama aimed to be the essence of cool, and succeeded, in fact it's a little too cool, can somebody turn up the thermostat? Barely anybody in the picture is allowed to show any genuine emotion, although one of the hoods looks a little upset before he's shotgunned. Director Peter Yates apparently planned to tell the whole story with action and came up with a near-classic. In fact his spectacular staging of McQueen's car pursuit of two Mob assassins is usually blamed for the countless imitation car chases that have blighted American movies ever since. It's certainly one of McQueen's signature roles, but why give him a hokey name like Bullitt?

McQUEEN COOL!
Ignore the paisley pajamas, Steve McQueen was an icon of cool and BULLITT is the proof. Peter Yates has a smart thinking man's cop drama, bolstered by (yes) the best chase scene on film. Great locations in San Francisco. Superior acting by McQueen, Robert Vaughn as a sinister U.S. Senator and Don Gordon, as McQueen's partner. Why didn't Don Gordon become a bigger star?

The good, the bad, and the pretty
"Bullitt" is highly regarded by many for either "the chase", or the drama.

The good and the bad: True, there is a high-speed car chase in part through the hilly streets of San Francisco. Is it "the best ever" chase? Depends on how you look at it. Plus - It was very high speed. Plus - It had a cool-looking Mustang fastback vs a big GTO. Negative - They pass the same VW 4 times, and another car 2 times (why? if not intentional, then very poor continuity) Negative - double-shifting or not, there are about 97 too many gear changes, and some of those are at top speed on the flat stretch near the end. Neg - the bad guys lose too many hubcaps. Still, it's fairly exciting. However, though not car vs car, I think the chase in "The French Connection" is as good if not better.

As for the drama, some of it seemed a bit drawn out. Lt. Frank Bullitt is supposed to protect the state's witness "Ross" against the Chicago "Organization". Ross and one cop are shot, and Ross is later killed in the hospital, where Bullitt is hanging out. Bullitt does not want the prosecutor who gave him the assignment (Robert Vaughan) to know Ross died, so he will have time to find the killers. Turns out Ross may not be who the cops think he is, and this leads to a good foot-chase across the airport runways and the airport itself.

Some of the police procedure as portrayed in the movie is rather shoddy - such as handling a lot of evidence, then asking for it to be fingerprinted, etc.

The pretty: Bullitt has a girlfriend played by Jaqueline Bisset, who gives him grief for his callous attitude. This sets up the final scene of the movie where Bullitt ambiguously questions his existence. Otherwise, her appearance in the movie is useless.

Good acting by McQueen and Vaughan. Look for Robert Duval, Georg Sanford Brown, Norman fell, Simon Oakland and a few other names.

The jazzy score by Lalo Schifrin sounds like a bad TV movie. Wide-screen movie has decent picture and sound quality. DVD extras include a short behind the scenes documentary, text-based cast/crew/location info, list of awards, and a trailer.

In short - Not the best cop movie, not the best McQueen movie, and not the best chase. Watchable but not a stand out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this sequel to The Shaggy Dog, Wilby Daniels (Dean Jones) hasgrown up and married Suzanne Pleshette, and has a young son. When the familycomes home to find the house cleaned out by "movers"--who Daniels knowsare protected by the corrupt District Attorney John Slade (Keenan Wynn)--hedecides to run against Slade in the next election. Meanwhile, hoodlumsconnected to the same crime syndicate get hold of the mystical ring thatturns poor Daniels (via mid-'70s special effects) into Elwood, the dog ownedby the local ice-cream vendor (Tim Conway). Lots of chase scenes, a littleroller derby action, and some cherry pie throwing complicate both Daniels's bidfor office and his quest to remain a human being. Kids will enjoy the lasthalf of this 91-minute movie the most as Daniels spends most of the time inhis dog persona and because his son becomes part of the plot to undo the badguys. This G-rated feature is safe for all ages, but kids probably won't sitthrough it until age 4 or 5. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (7)

When Disney Was Great - More Extras Please!
With Dean, Jones, Keenan Wynn, Michael McGreevey and Tim Conway you can't go wrong with these incredible character actors. This is when Disney was great! As far as i'm concerned Disney died after The Rescuers (1978,1979).

Wilby Daniels tries to recover the stolen Borgia ring that transforms him into a dog as he's running for District Atty. Don't miss Conways hilarious scene in the Warehouse with the Security Guard..."the sannifran in the rectafrazzins condensing"

One of my top four fav's from the once-great, no longer palatable Disney Company.

I fell asleep watching it, both as a kid and now...
This movie is the slowest and most boring Disney film I ever saw.
The story is stupid, the casting doesn't work, and it shows how bad Disney are at live action films.

A Little Corny but Really Cute!
I never saw the first movie The Shaggy Dog starring Fred MacMurray, Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello but being a child of the 70's I grew up watching the live-action Disney movies that came out in the theaters in the 70's and I fondly recall going to see this 1976 sequel with my friends when I was about 11 years old and enjoying it and about a year ago while changing the channels I came across this movie on TV and watched it again after all those years and while it can be said that it's a little corny and the special effects can be a little cheesy I think it's a really cute movie that both children and their parents can enjoy and the slapstick humor is fun to watch and Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette and the rest of the actors were very good and I'm glad it's coming out on DVD and I hope it will include a widescreen version and not just pan and scan! I also will have to try and see if I can rent the Tommy Kirk Shaggy Dog movie since I have never seen it.

The Shaggy Dog, The Shaggy D.A.
I agree that these entertaining movies for children are great. However, when one of these movies comes out everyone wants to own an Old English Sheepdog. This is a HIGH maintenence breed, stubborn and NEED a great deal of training. They can be head strong and because they are a herding breed are NOT good around very young children. They view the children as sheep that are to be herded and contained. Children do get knocked down and hurt. Before you entertain the thought of getting one of these dogs reseach the breed and make sure you know what you are getting into as many a cute puppy are given up to rescue groups because they nip and require a tremendous amount of work on the owners part. The little 10 week old puppy can grow to weigh well over 100 lbs. I work with an Old English Sheepdog Rescue and the last thing we need is more abandoned sheepdogs and puppy mill puppies. I hope that Disney will encourage adoption at the end of their remake of this movie coming out in 2005.

The Shaggy DA
The better sequel to the Shaggy dog, "The Shaggy DA"
with an all star Disney cast is one of Disney's great
comedies of the 70's. Released in 1976, and starring
Dean Jones, Suzzanne Pleshette, Tim Conway and Keenan
Wynn, this movie provides enjoyment of all ages. Wilby
Daniels (Dean Jones), decides to oppose District Attorney
John Slade (Keenan Wynn) for the next elections, aiming
to clean up the city and destroy organised crime. Knowing
that Slade has connections in organized crime, and the
fact that his house had been robbed twice, Daniels pursues
popularity in a strong election campaign, with his wife
(Suzanne Pleshette)giving him great support. The borja ring,
after being kept in the local musuem, had been stolen, and
the thieves with no knowledge of it's mystic powers, sell
it. After a round of hands possess the ring, it finally
ends up in Slades possession, and after a series of
embarrassements in which Daniels is transformed into a
shaggy dog, Slade realizes that he can use the ring to
blackmail Daniels out of the elections. Daniels pursues
slade with ice cream vendor (Tim Conway) (the real shaggy
dog owner) and Daniels son. The ring is finally returned
to its rightfull owners and Slade is removed from office,
making Wilby Daniels the District Attorney. This 91 min
movie, rated G is a great laugh and provides the whole
family with entertainment. Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette
have worked together in another Disney favourite,

"Blackbeard's Ghost" 1969, and Dean Jones has starred in many
Disney favourites, such as race car driver Jim Douglas in "Herbie -
The Love Bug" 1969, "Herbie goes to montie Carlo" 1977.
Other Disney films include Monkeys Go home, and Million dollar
duck, and again teamed up with Suzanne Pleshette. Dean Jones
seemed to work well with Suzanne Pleshette as well as Don Knotts
in many Disney all time favourite movies. Tim Conway worked
with Don Knotts in "The Apple Dumpling gang," and "The Apple
Dumpling gang rides again." Harry Morgan and Bill Bixby also
starred in the original apple dumpling gang, and Harry Morgan
(MASH) appeared in the sequel. Keenan Wynn appeared in many
Disney movies such as "Herbie rides again" in which he played
Alonzo Hawke. All other movies such as the ones above are highly
recommended for the whole family, and other Disney movies such as
"Hot lead and cold feet," and "Herbie goes bananas."
Hire or purchase "The Shaggy DA" to judge for yourself and for
a great time of Disney entertainment. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tracy and Jay Osborne's mother is shipping the unwilling children off to their grandfather's house for Easter vacation while she attends to business in Hong Kong. The children plot a trip to visit their mother and, with the help of Jay's pet skunk, evade their grandfather and airport security to escape in a taxicab with two safe-cracking vandals. The foursome proceeds to stage a kidnapping--although just who kidnapped whom is up for debate. Grandfather refuses to pay the ransom, the police get involved, and hilarity reigns as the desperate group attempts to collect the ransom money. The talents of Barbara Feldon, David Niven, Darren McGavin, and Don Knotts rejuvenate this fairly unremarkable plot. Slapstick comedy, perilous excursions, and fast-paced chase scenes abound in this wholesome 1976 Disney production. (Ages 3 and older) --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (8)

DVD = "Deposit" Very Defective
Buyers, beware! The recently released DVD of "No Deposit, No Return" is defective, at least here on the East coast. I exchanged three discs from two different stores of a major media retailer (initials BB) and all three copies had the same glitches in the same scenes. Obviously a manufacturing error. Hopefully an official recall from Disney is forthcoming. Also, I noticed that on some Deposit discs the voice-over varies for the so-called "trailer" (actually just a :30 promo for the film's broadcast airing on The Wonderful World of Disney). On my first disc, the voice was that of the original announcer from the 1970s (very nostalgic). On all subsequent discs, however, the voice was that of the contemporary announcer one hears on all current Disney video promos (not so nostalgic). At least the "Hot Lead and Cold Feet" theatrical trailer included on that disc is the real deal (includes even an accompanying Mr. Toad cartoon). But getting back to "No Deposit", be prepared for glitches when you purchase or rent your disc. I plan to hang on to my Ebay-purchased VHS until enough time has passed that another DVD printing has occurred. Seeing as how neither format is letterboxed or of any admirable picture quality, bailing on the DVD really is no sacrifice. Hey, if you can live with glitches, pay this review no mind. Everyone else: Hang on to that receipt!

Cute movie, bad transfer
This is a typical Disney live-action film of the 70's. The comedy is thin at times (you almost expect a laugh-track to kick in at any moment to say "This is supposed to be funny"), but it has its moments. Don Knotts does well in his role, but he a little underused. Still, it's a good way for a family to spend time together one rainy Saturday afternoon.

Now on to the DVD transfer. It's sad. They didn't try to clean it up digitally or anything. It looks like they just used a VHS tape and threw it on a DVD. The quality of this film makes me a little leery about buying the next set they throw out. While I love to see these classics finally come to DVD, I hate to see them wasted on a junky transfer. If you have this one on VHS, don't waste your money to upgrade. And yes, it's in fullscreen with no extras other than the "trailer" (a 30 second television spot).

No Deposit, No Return; No Widescreen=No Sale
I give up. Disney DVD releases several titles on DVD this week, some in widescreen format with crisp, beautiful new transfers, while dumping others on us in bowdlerized full-screen prints. Unfortunately, the one title I most wanted, 1976's "No Deposit, No Return," belongs to the latter category. As a result, Disney DVD lost a sale. No widescreen = no sale, no matter how much I want the film. Period.

For undiscriminating types who don't care if they're ripped-off or not, "No Deposit, No Return" is a typical '70's-era Disney trifle with a great cast of veterans (David Niven, Darren McGavin, Don Knotts, Barbara Feldon, Herschel Bernardi, Charles Martin Smith and Vic Tayback) pulling out all the stops to enliven a mediocre script that, incidentally, contains one of the biggest plot holes I've ever seen in a Disney movie (back to this later). Fortunately, director Norman Tokar (a Disney regular) and the screenwriters throw everything in but the kitchen sink to create a freewheeling comedy that has more than its fair share of laughs. So even though "No Deposit..." pales in comparison to great Disney laugh-fests like "The Love Bug" and "The World's Greatest Athlete," it is still entertaining and will hold the kids' interest for all of its 112 minutes.

How's this for a contrived plot? Jay and Tracy Osborne (Brad Savage and Kim Richards) are poor little rich kids who attend a typically Disneyesque boarding school while their magazine editor mother (Feldon) globe-trots on business. Excited that they will be spending Easter vacation with her, they are crushed when Mom cancels and whisks the pair off (along with their pet skunk (!) Duster) to Los Angeles to spend the week with their despised Grandfather Osborne (Niven), who likes them about as much as they like him (meaning, not at all). At the same time, Duke (McGavin) and Bert (Knotts), a couple of luckless but kindhearted safecrackers, are trying to crack the safe at L.A. International Airport, but botch the job and set off the alarm. Meanwhile, Duster gets loose and causes pandemonium in the airport. In the confusion, Jay, Tracy, Duster, Duke and Bert end up in the same taxi, tailed by Grandfather Osborne in his limo. When Jay and Tracy figure out that Duke and Bert are harmless crooks, they con them into thinking they're homeless and letting them spend the night. The kids then work up a bogus kidnapping scheme and mail a ransom note to Grandfather Osborne (who has his butler keeping an eye on them from across the street) and con Duke and Bert into going along with it, figuring they'll split the money, and Jay and Tracy will go to Hong Kong to join their mother while Duke and Bert pay off the menacing loan shark (Tayback) they're in debt to (which is why they tried cracking the safe in the first place). Whew!

What follows is "Ransom of Red Chief" territory, with Osborne refusing to pay the ransom and the quartet continually dropping the ransom amount. It isn't until someone tips off the local police (represented by Bernardi and his by-the-book rookie partner Smith) that Grandfather Osborne has to start playing the game and making an attempt to get the kids back. What follows is scene-after-scene of typical '70's era Disney slapstick, including the Disney equivalent of the classic "Bullitt" and "French Connection" chase scenes (played for laughs, of course), as the entire cast chases each other around half of L.A. and the entire harbor area in a freewheeling slapstick car chase. Of course, everything ends in predictably warmhearted fashion.

Actually, were it not for the cast, "No Deposit, No Return" would be D.O.A. But Knotts is typically hilarious, McGavin a perfect straight man for Knotts, Bernardi and Smith bicker amusingly and Richards and Savage (straight off their famous roles in "Escape to Witch Mountain" and "The Apple Dumpling Gang") are cute and professional, unlike some of the other cloying non-actor child stars of the era. As for Niven, he is an absolute delight and plays wonderfully off his sophisticated image to get some genuine laughs. Feldon shows up late and scores points as a mother who leaves a little bit to be desired.

As for the production, the opening cartoon-credits sequence and theme music are rather boring compared to the bouncy themes of "The North Avenue Irregulars" and the Kurt Russell college comedies. And, like all other Disney films of the era, it plays like a live-action cartoon in which the reality of the era plays no part whatsoever (Watergate? Vietnam? Jimmy who?) It's basically by-the-numbers stuff, though admittedly entertaining.

As for the plot hole? Okay, here goes: If Grandfather Osborne is a millionaire and doesn't want the kids around, and Jay and Tracy would rather go to Hong Kong than spend time with him, then why not just ask Grandfather Osborne for the money so they can go to Hong Kong and be with their mother? If he doesn't want to be bothered with them, then why would he say no? It's simple: then there would be no movie.

I just don't get it. Lousy titles like "Cat From Outer Space" and "Hot Lead and Cold Feet" get widescreen treatment, while great films like "Darby O'Gill" and "Follow Me Boys" languish in full-screen prints. Even "No Deposit, No Return" deserves better. So, the verdict: "No Deposit, No Return" gets **1/2 while the DVD treatment rates *. As I said before, I give up.

Cute movie!
No Deposit, No Return is not my favorite Kim Richards movie that would be Escape To Witch Mountain but it's a good movie that the whole family can enjoy and I think Disney should transfer it to DVD. All the actors are great, Kim Richards, Barbara Feldon, David Niven, etc. Being a fan of the classic TV show Get Smart I think it's cool that Barbara Feldon who played agent 99 was in this movie and since it's been a while since I have seen this movie I had completely forgotten she was in it. This movie is cute and definitely worth buying or renting.

Classic --Must See Disney!
Really great kids classic--a must see. My kids, ages 8 and 10, absolutely loved it! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Near-Complete Failure to Exploit Unbelievable Potential
This film, with its superlative cast and the terrific book upon which it is based, miserably failed to deliver the depth, richness and impact of that fine book. The actors were just perfect -- Roscoe Rules and Harold Bloomguard, in particular, were portrayed stupendously -- and some of the vignettes came across properly, but in total this movie ended up being a real shame. I read that Joseph Wambaugh wanted to have himself completely dis-associated from the film (which is one reason that the next movie made from a Wambaugh book, The Onion Field, more closely adheres to its source).

Read the book, watch this film once (mainly to see how well the actors just NAILED their roles!) and then hope for a remake or, perhaps, a re-edit.

The Choirboys is Great Fun
I first saw this movie as a kid, and as a grown up I'm now a cop. This movie looks at life as a cop with a sense of humor mingled with what really happens on the street. Some parts of the movie don't mix well but is still a lot of fun to watch and know some things never change. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton) directs this true story of Henri Charriere (better known as "Papillon" or "the butterfly"), a prisoner so determined to escape the notorious Devil's Island, he attempted it multiple times until he reached old age. Steve McQueen plays Charriere, and Dustin Hoffman is very good as the hero's anxious, defenseless friend. Based on Charriere's own memoir and uncompromisingly adapted by screenwriters Dalton Trumbo (Johnny Got His Gun) and Lorenzo Semple Jr. (Three Days of the Condor), the film is tough going (it is set, after all, on Devil's Island) but not gratuitously violent. There are sequences that stay with one for a long time, such as Papillon's brief stay at a leper colony and the long periods of starvation and solitary confinement he endures after each attempted flight. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (38)

One of McQueen's finest
Papillon is a great movie based on fact that contains many scenes that will stick with you for a long time. Henri Charierre is a safecracker framed for the murder of a pimp and sent to French Guiana, the prison system in South and Central America. Along the way, Papillon meets counterfeiter Louis Dega played to perfection by Dustin Hoffman. The two men struggle to survive amidst the horrible conditions in the prisons. However, the only thing that keeps Papillon alive is the thought of escape and freedom. This is a very bleak movie, at times you might not even recognize McQueen with all the makeup, but the ending does offer hope. The scenes of Papi's solitary confinement and the hallucinations he has while there are very effective and not easily forgotten. Also, the film decides to show prison life as it is. This is not a whitewashed version of it, but instead a fairly graphic depiction of the horrors of the French prison system. Nonetheless, this is still an excellent movie that will keep you interested throughout.

Papillon is up there with The Sand Pebbles as Steve McQueen's finest performances. His role as Henri "Papillon" Charierre is fully believable as he attempts over and over again to escape to freedom. Dustin Hoffman is just as good as Louis Dega, the prisoner who hires McQueen to protect him. The two become friends as they try to adjust to their new lives. The friendship between the two men is very good and some of the better parts of the movie involve their relationship. Don Gordon plays Julot, a veteran prisoner who tries to help them adjust. Robert Deman and Woodrow Parfrey are also very good as Maturette and Clusiot, two fellow prisoners who attempt escape with Papillon. I have to add about Jerry Goldsmith's very good score that perfectly fits the film. The DVD offers a widescreen presentation that looks great, a documentary made during filming that contains interviews with cast, crew, and even Henri Charierre, and also the theatrical trailer. This is a very dark movie, but it is still a great character study that never really slows down. McQueen fans will love this classic!

A Great Prison Escape Film
Franklin J. Schaffner felt that the obligation of motion pictures is to entertain, it's as basic as that, and that is exactly what Papillon does. It is also a movie that really triggers your emotions from start to finish. I feel this is one of Steve McQueen's best acting roles. It was probably the most physically demanding and emotionally challenging role of his career. Dustin Hoffman is simply magnificent as Louis Dega, a role that demonstrates how versatile the actor really can be. It eventually earned him a best supporting actor nomination. Unfortunately, McQueen was overlooked by the Academy that year. Another example of their stupidity!!

The film is emotionally draining, but I find myself watching this film time and time again because of its portrayal of one man's quest to gain his freedom no matter what it takes. Freedom always comes at a price. It is not something that is handed to us or exists freely. It must be earned and that is exactly what his character does by the time the credits role on this film. The viewer will not believe what the character of Papillon had to endure to gain his freedom. The trials he goes through are unforgettable and often left me wondering if I would persevere if I had to undergo the trials he faced.

For me, Steve McQueen is one of those actors who really has a great on screen presence. I will almost always watch a movie just because he appears in it, good or bad. Papillon is no exception. Although Papillon is a character driven film, the movie must be viewed for more than just the characters. It also has wonderful cinematography, direction and a memorable, and at times haunting, musical score by Jerry Goldsmith. It is right up there with the best of the prison escape films.

Henri Charrière, the real life Papillon and author of the novel, talked about society and his real life experiences in this way:

"Society does not want free men. They talk freedom, democracy, anything you want, but they do not want free men. Society wants conditioned men, men who march in step." It's up to the viewer to agree or disagree with that statement while viewing the film.

I highly recommend you watch this film today!

Compelling in every respect
Steve McQueen stars as "Papillion" a French safe-cracker whose butterfly tattoo earned him the title nickname. Framed up on a murder charge he is packed off to the infamous Devils Island prisoner colony. On the ship over he meets Dustin Hoffman, a notorious counterfitter with the means (money) to stay alive but not the muscle to back him up, that is where McQueen comes in. Papillion however has a single-minded outlook on life - freedom. He quickly devises escape plans by any means possible. The settings are exotic, the stories of friendship heart-rendering, the brutality of the prison shocking, the stories of escape, attempt, capture, escape, defiance and the soaring human spirit timeless. Simply a classic of cinema that will stand the test of time, could have been made yesterday and been a blockbuster smash.

One of the greats!!
I dont normally take the time to write these reviews... but this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The struggle these guys have to go through is monumental. This is a must see. I have watched this many times and it never gets old!

A great escape
A movie that made a big impression on me in my early teens, "Papillon" holds up surprisingly well on DVD. The picture and sound quality are more vivid than they ever were on VHS tape (although the vividness also has its drawbacks--a brief "storm at sea" scene during one of the escape sequences looks much more artificial than it did on the big screen 30 years ago), and the star turns of Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman are as vivid as they first seemed. The movie's depiction of life and death in France's South American prison camps looks as harrowing and grim as it did when the movie was in theatres.

Yet even as a teenager I had a couple of qualms about the movie--namely, that it didn't follow the book closely enough (and would have been better characterized if it did), and how did Hoffman's character magically regenerate a limb that developed gangrene and apparently had to be amputated? Over the years, despite my nostalgic soft spot for this flick, I've also come to wonder whether a younger actor would have been more appropriate for the role than the 40-ish McQueen (Henri Charriere, on whose memoirs the movie was based, described himself as a young-looking 25 when he was shipped off to the French prison camps), and whether a more gritty approach wouldn't have been more appropriate. The movie is pretty violent for a PG rating (it would probably be PG-13 today), but even with slashings, shootings, stabbings and an execution by guillotine (in close-up, no less), it's somewhat prettified by those grand, leisurely camera moves that were favored by director Franklin J. Schaffner.

On the other hand, I've also got something of a soft spot for those grand, leisurely camera moves, which now seem like relics of an age in which filmmakers didn't assume their audiences suffered from attention-deficit disorder.

In passing, a TV documentary from a few years ago about the French penal colonies (it may have aired on the Discovery Channel or the History Channel) questioned whether Charriere's description of his years as a prisoner was factual. Apparently, none of the former prisoners or guards interviewed could remember a guy named Papillon who managed to escape from Devil's Island. So maybe any questions about the movie's accuracy are moot. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good solid film
Jesse Owens is a Hero.he stood Hate in the Face&Looked it down and was a Champion not only of Sport but of Human Rights.Dorian Harewood a Good Actor who i have seen in countless films does a solid job here.

Great story... is it all true?
I am a major fan of Jesse Owens, and this film is definitely for fans. Dorian Harewood portrays Jesse very well, but almost in a god-like perfection. Of course, biographies are supposed to emphasize good qualities, but this film leaves you wondering if Jesse Owens had any bad ones. Still a very good film, and an excellent way to introduce people who don't know about him to a great role model, a great athlete and world class human. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

This "Eggroll" is Stuffed with Laughs!
"With Six You get Eggroll" bowed in the nation's theatres in August of 1968. It quickly became a popular success at the box-office thanks, in large part, to the enduring popularity of the film's star, Doris Day. Although some critics compared it, unfairly, to another comedy success, "Yours Mine, and Ours", "Eggroll" can more than stand on it's own merits.

The story about a widow with three children who falls in love with a widower with one daughter, is not new or original. However, thanks to a charming script, smooth direction by Howard Morris and the cast headed by Day and Brian Keith, who have a great onscreen chemistry, it's a delight. By the film's conclusion, audiences have shed a few tears and had more than a few laughs.

Doris Day plays the 40ish widow with charm, sex appeal, and a great deal of warmth. She is completely convincing and it's in her small touches that she especially proves her mettle as one of the most natural screen actresses ever. Keith is manly and real, and the supporting cast which includes Pat Carroll, Alice Ghostley, George Carlin, Barbara Hershey, Jamie Farr, and the popular rock group, The Grass Roots, lend credible support.

While the film, the first production of the CBS film wing, may betray it's television roots, seeming at times like a pilot for a sitcom, it is ultimately a fine working of a winning formula.

This was Day's cinema swan song, after two decades of enormous popularity, and it's a film that none of the participants need feel anything but pride in.

This "Eggroll" is stuffed with laughs!
Released in August of 1968, this fast and funny comedy turned out to be Doris Day's cinema swan song, after twenty years as a major star in the Hollywood firmament. Luckily, it'll be remembered for being a notable success at the box-office and on many other fronts including it's sterling cast headed by Day, Brian Keith, Barbara Hershey. George Carlin, Pat Carroll, Alice Ghostley, Vic Tayback, Jamie Farr and other capable character actors and actresses.

While on first glimpse, it might be unfairly compared to "Yours, Mine, and Ours", another 1968 success, or the later television series, "The Brady Bunch", "Eggroll" more than holds it's own by endearingly telling the story of a widow and widower who fall in love and in spite of the machinations of their children, manage to wed and live happily ever after. The film's strengths are in the individual scenes and set pieces that establish the characters and situations with plenty of heart and lots of belly laughs.

Doris Day, playing a role close to her own age at the time, shows why she remained a favorite with audiences for so many years. She is natural, real, wonderful! There isn't a false moment in her portrayal of a 40ish widow and pundits who talk about "The Constant Virgin" roles she allegedly played have obviously never seen one of her films or studied the effortless way in which she lends credibility to every role she plays. She is sexy, warm, womanly and she and Keith have great chemistry.

It's a delightful romp for all concerned, especially the audience, who'll come away happily smiling and asking, "Why don't they make comedies like that anymore". Luckily for us, it's still highly watchable!

EggRoll Six Please
I absolutely Loved this movie. I bought this movie last year off amazon.com. This movie has high morals but it also has some hunky guys and goregous girls.

Abby Mclure (Doris Day) Is a widow who runs a lumber yard. Well her sister is always trying to get her married. Well Then Jake Iverson(Brian Keith) come a long and they fall head of heals in love. But Their kids don't support the marriage one bit. The movie ends happily ever after. If you like to see a hunky Brian Keith this is the one to watch. He is very well toned. And very hairy. And Doris Day is drop dead gorgeous as ever.

Doris's great farewell film performance
"With Six You Get Eggroll" marks rather sadly the farewell performance of Doris Day before she ventured into television and while this film is not as well known as some of her classic films like "Pillow Talk" or "Lover Come Back" really she could not have chosen a better film vechicle for her last performance.

"Eggroll" is a delightful , fun film which is often unfairly labelled solely as a "Family Film" and not much else. Certainly it is that, but there is also alot for the adults to enjoy as well. It is one of my favourite Doris Day performances and she does a wonderful job as the widow raising 3 boys who meets, falls in love with, and then marries a widower with one teenage girl. The resulting chaos produces many highly amusing situations that all of us can identify with. The whole issue of "us" and "them", "home territory" and how to protect it from "outsiders" is beautifully handled.

Doris Day plays her role with the smooth ease that her years of experience has taught her. In "Eggroll" she is sexy, and handles her role in a most realistic manner. She is at times loving, caring and warm, at other times frustrated and angry and just plan fed up with the whole situation which adds a truthful air to the whole proceedings. She is aided very well by Brian Keith who rather unexpectedly displays a terrific chemistry on screen with Doris. Theirs is a very honest and realistic coupling and they make "Eggroll" a super viewing experience.

The film benefits from its terrific supporting cast from Pat Carroll as Doris's match making sister to the wacky Alice Ghostley as the maid who always has a comment on each situation. The film boasts appearances by Jamie Farr (pre M*A*S*H)and William Christopher also pre M*A*S*H. The film also marked the feature film debut of Barbara Hershey and most of the dramatic tension in the story revolves around her characters ajustment to the merging of the two families. She delivers a wonderful performance for someone of her age and it isn't hard to see why she had such a great future ahead of her in films.

"With Six You Get Eggroll" is a fitting finish to Doris Day's film career. With times changing in the late 60's her style of sophisticated movie making was sadly going out and it is nice that she has left such a wonderful legacy on film. I strongly recommend this film to you and like me I'm sure you will enjoy it time and time again and see that it forever remains fresh and is first class entertainment.

With Six you get egg roll
I thought this movie was very entertaining,and funny. I am very glad that amazon.com is here for me to find my favorite classic movies and new releases. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

LOVERBOY ON DVD!!!
This movie is an halirious comedy of the 80s. Its about a guy(Patrick Dempsey, who has a girlfriend and he gets a job as a pizza delivery guy, the only thing is that the deliveries he makes arent just a pizza its a little fun with the opposite sex. The movie is halirious, he ends up even making a delivery to his mom(ALMOST). Colombia/Tristar pictures needs to bring this back on DVD!!! We should beg Colombia/Tristar pictures to bring this back, private resort, and just one of the guys, all on DVD. They need to be put on DVD, for us 80's fans.

Stupid
What I don't get is how people liked this movie, despite its paper-thin jokes and some cameos by famous actresses (Kirstie Alley, Carrie Fisher).

The thing is, it's only very mildly amusing (and I do put emphasis on very mildly). You'll get bored and want something fresher and funnier. If you want to see a good Patrick Dempsey movie, try "With Honors." It's a lot better than the idiotic mess that "Loverboy" was made from. The only reason for the second star was that it ended and it had the latter mentioned actresses in it.

Rated PG-13 for language and sexual innueudos.

Great movie, terrible price
I love this movie, it's an 80's classic in my opinion. Patrick Dempsey is absolutely adorable as the teen who mistakenly falls into the line of being a male gigalo. Unfortunately, I cannot bring myself to pay this price for a DVD with absolutely no extras. What were they thinking?!?!? For now I'll just rent this movie and wait for the day that the price drops. Too bad....I was looking forward to buying it.

great 80's fun
love this movie. represents what was great about 80's comedies. great soundtrack, silly storyline, and loads of fun.
since when did everything get so serious? this movie doesn't pretend to solve any social problems, it simply makes you laugh.
THAT is what i liked about this flick and what i love about it and other movies of it's genre. don't see it if you take yourself to freakin seriously, but if you want a good time, it's well worth a look!

FINALLY REISSUED AND ON DVD AS WELL!!!!!!!
Im so happy, that Columbia/Tristar pictures finally!, reissued this film, and on DVD in WIDESCREEN! Its about TIME! This movie has never been reissued since it was released originally on home video back in 1989. Im so glad its coming out, and in WIDESCREEN! Itll be the first time ill see this film in its original theatrical aspect ratio! If u dont have this film, Go and get it, u wont be disappointed! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good solid film
Jesse Owens is a Hero.he stood Hate in the Face&Looked it down and was a Champion not only of Sport but of Human Rights.Dorian Harewood a Good Actor who i have seen in countless films does a solid job here.

Great story... is it all true?
I am a major fan of Jesse Owens, and this film is definitely for fans. Dorian Harewood portrays Jesse very well, but almost in a god-like perfection. Of course, biographies are supposed to emphasize good qualities, but this film leaves you wondering if Jesse Owens had any bad ones. Still a very good film, and an excellent way to introduce people who don't know about him to a great role model, a great athlete and world class human. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

nice family video
A nice family video for those who want

-good vs evil
-moral to the story
-dogs vs cats
-descent music
-alternate to Disney movies ... Read more

Description

Tony Curtis stars as Lepke, head of Murder Inc., the syndicate that spattered the headlines of the day with blood. From his rough-and-toumble East Side childhood to his rise in the drug trade to his 1944 execution at Sing Sing, Lepke depicts with brute force the criminal career of a man with more than 60 murders to his credit. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Overlooked Tony Curtis Movie!!
This is an overlooked Tony Curtis Movie that's really worth watching.It's a must see!! ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A Heavenly Movie
I think I first saw this film when I was about 7 or 8 years old. Just about a month ago I saw the sequel on television and then I suddenly remembered this animated masterpiece. Welp, a few clicks and the order was on its way... (I couldn't find this title from EU at all)As soon as the package arrived I ripped it open and put the disk into the player. Time passed and as I was watching the end credits I was feeling very impressed and good.

So waddaya know, waddaya say? This movie is a true classic if you ask me. The Characters and their voices in particular are very good. Both Dom DeLuise and Burt Reynolds have done a great job and therefore it's very enjoyable to watch Charlie's story go further. I think the songs fit in pretty nicely too -ie. "Soon You'll Come Home" is good so are the others. What deserves a true thumb-up, however, is the animation - it's very good looking and surely 'feeds the eyes'. Oh.. that means.. something.. *grin*

Summary: This one is a must for persons who like animal-centered movies, and for the rest I would also highly recommend it. And naturally for all ages - I, myself, am an 18-year old (perfectly normal) guy who likes this movie at least as much as Terminator II. So if you haven't seen "All Dogs Go To Heaven" yet now it's time fix that little problem.

By the way, Don Bluth, thank you!

5 stars for the movie - not the disc
Okay, I don't need to repeat what has already been said. It's not a movie for little kids, but it's a wonderful piece of animated art that is a refreshing new way of telling a story - I mean you can tell from beginning to end that this is not a Disney movie (not that Disney isn't good, I just think they shouldn't dominate the world of animated art alone). I was 8 when I first saw it and now I still love with all my heart.
So I was really happy to finally get it on dvd.
However, the format is 4:3 - no Widescreen (!) and there is no Dolby Digital 5.1 track on that disc. Am I too spoiled by watching Disney DVDs or does MGM just don't care about the movies they put on dvd? It's the same with The Secret of Nimh.
They should be ashamed to decrease the viewing pleasure of their customers like that! 0 stars for MGM

A good but scarilous film
A world of warning I recomend unless you are an adolescent 10-12 or older you do not want to watch the this movie. This movie has gambling in it and thugs and some old violence seen in the ganster movies. It talks about Charley.

Charley was a naugty dog that carried only about himself. The movie begins with Charlie and his pal Itch a wenner dog breaking Charly out of prison. I was real young when I saw this the first time about 9 maybe it scared the crap out of me.

Anni Marry who unfortunately was not put in the sequel and the Christmas movie.

Killer and itch wer a hoot. Carface, his thugs and King Gator not to mention the nightmare sequence when Charlie goes down into hell. The party at the end when the river catches on fire kills me.

I hated this movie at first because it made dogs look bad but now I love it. I would rent int but because it so old Blockbuster does not have it avilable to rent anymore.

The King Gator was potrayed accurately as being savage. He scared me he was so big he was huge this alligator must have been about the size of a killer whale. About Mabe 30 feet and weighed probably about 30 tons probably. Another reason the alligator scared me was he came really close to eatting Charley.

Since it was rate G which I 100 percent disagee with I think I should have been either PG or PG -13 because of the scene befor this when Charlie and Any Marry ar in the markeet air Carface is on top of this big gun. He start shoot at charlie with I belivie it was a ray gun.

I just found out something really interest the King Gator is not a which doctor I thought he was awhich doctor becase he had a bone coming out of his nose. Withc doctors are belived to have supnatural abilities like to be able to steal souls and stuff like that.

The only thing that saves Charlies from die a painfull death inside the alligator stomach is his howl. The people who wrote the script for some reason which I have never figured out made the King Gator a music fantic.

He thinks Charlie howl is beautiful he takes him out of his mouth. In the chage with had been partly crushed by his huge teeth. Lets him loose and he refuse to eat Charlie instead the become friends.

This I fought was cease and one percent a cat and a dog possible like int Oddis and milo. But an alligator the most vicious of all the reptiles next to the crocodile impossible.

I also fought some parts where I human. Like when carfcae ties Charlie up to a big Chain drops him into the water ro kill him was inhuman. I also thought carface death at the end of the movie was in Human. Come on you do not have a dog get devouured by and alligator in a movie that hte book claims is appropriate for all ages rate G.

While wher eon it whats with these rating system people they need to be more pick those sickos only made Scare Movie R It was alot nastery than that.

If you like this see all dogs go to heaven 2. I recomend that you don't see All dog Christmas Charlie which never should have been made. For it messed up the whole Story line. Carface is not supposed to be alive he is supposed to be and he is supposed to be in Hell.

FINE MOVIE! But Barney is stll fat enough to kill them
I saw this movie,I saw most of it though.This movie was nice,but mean,also the additinoal dogs looked funny...very funny! Not funn,funny-looking-I saw ADGTH 2 was muuuuch better!!

Not for the younger children
I remember loving this as a kid because it had dogs in it, but I didn't really know what was going on. When I watched it later, I was horrified that this was made as a children's animated movie because of the violence and bad lessons taught in it. There is drinking, smoking, machine gun violence, murder, betrayal, stealing, and other lessons that should not be taught to little children. Mind you, I did not understand this until I was older, so it might be harmless and not as bad as I perceived it as an adult. The ending is actually touching, because Charlie, the main character, is an angel because he changes his selfish ways and saves Marie's life. Also, this DVD does not have a widescreen format, which is disappointing, because full screen cuts out some of the movie. The movie is dark, so I recommend it for children seven and up. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Jeff Bridges actually corralled an Oscar nomination for his spirited, oddball performance in this genre crime story, directed by first-timer Michael Cimino who (a short two films later) would bring down a studio with Heaven's Gate. Clint Eastwood plays a bank robber par excellence with a flair for explosives who is being hunted by his former partners, who think he has their loot from their last job. Bridges is his eager apprentice and sidekick, who helps him escape; when Eastwood finally makes peace with his hunters, Bridges convinces them to try a daring robbery--but things inevitably go awry. The relationship between Eastwood and Bridges is both funny and touching in this, one of Eastwood's better post-Dirty Harry efforts. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (17)

CLINT Does it Again!
Clint Eastwood portrays a robber ( John Thunderbolt Doherty ) who takes on a side-kick played by Jeff Bridges (Lightfoot ). There is money to be found in an old church. Trouble is, the church has been moved. Also: Geoffrey Lewis ( Goody ) and Gary Busey (Curly) and Catherine Bach (Melody). There is action in this film. But, I wouldn't consider it an action film. It is more of road chase with subtle dramatic elements. Great film. ***Note, we had no problems playing this DVD on our JVC DVD player.

Clint Eastwood And Jeff Bridges Make One Heck Of A Pair!
Released in 1974, "Thunderbolt And Lightfoot" starring Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy and a host of other actors, is one of those movies that will have you glued to your seat (or couch) for the entire movie. Eastwood plays a bank robber named "Thunderbolt" and Bridges plays "Lightfoot" a young drifter. The beginning of the movie has Eastwood (who is giving a sermon in a small church) running from an old ex-con buddy and literally bumps into Lightfoot, driving a stolen white '73 Pontiac Trans-Am. The two of them are followed by yet another ex-con named Red Leary (played by George Kennedy) and his sidekick named Eddy Goody (played by Geoffery Lewis)who wants to get even with Thunderbolt for hiding some stolen cash from a heist that Leary and he had done years ago. Both Leary and Thunderbolt settle their differences and together the four end up planning on robbing the Montana Armory again the second time around. Who would ever suspect Leary And Thunderbolt? The movie is full of car chases and laughs (ex. Jeff Bridges is a riot dressed in drag in one scene) and the ending is quite a surprise. An all around excellent movie which has finally made it's way onto dvd. Recommended!

Eastwood's most underrated film!
In 1974, director Michael Cimino, who had helped write the script for MAGNUM FORCE, made his debut as director for THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT. The result is a surprised combination of action, suspense, and comedy. Clint Eastwood plays John Doherty, a bank robber who is hiding from other members of his gang who think he ran away with the loot,(it is actually hidden behind a blackboard in a schoolhouse). After nearly being gunned down in his own church, Doherty takes off across a wheatfield, and literally runs into drifter Jeff Bridges,(Lightfoot) , who has just stolen a Pontiac. After getting Doherty out of trouble, the two begin a friendship that involves hookers, stealing cars, and running from Doherty's enemies.

George Kennedy plays Red Leary, a member of Doherty's gang who eventually catches up with him. Geoffery Lewis plays Goody, Leary's sidekick. After cornering Doherty,(nicknamed Thunderbolt) and Lightfoot, Doherty convinces them that the money is gone, although he is unaware the schoolhouse had been moved. They all then decide to rub off the same bank because no one would suspect them of doing it again. The plans leading up to it are funny. I always liked the part where Kennedy tells off the snotty kid while they are planning their route in the ice cream truck. Bridges dresses in drag to fool the security guard. When the whole operation is done, the police still catch up with them, and all hell breaks loose.

Still, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot escape and find the money stashed behind the moved schoolhouse on the side of the road. They then buy an expensive convertible and light victory cigars. What happens next is very sad, although I won't give that away. The movie is highlighted by beautiful Montana scenery and long quiet periods with no music, creating a relaxing and peacful setting that will please any action buff. Cimino was obviously off to a good start, and he would win an Oscar for DEER HUNTER 4 years later. This is the most underrated movie of Eastwood's career, and it shows him on the other side of the law and doing a very good job of it.

A rousing action film that is also supremely funny
Before he destroyed his career with the excess of Heaven's Gate, Michael Cimino, the screenwriter of Eastwood's second Dirty Hary flick Magunum Force, created this wonderful caper flick, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, under the discipline of producer and star Clint Eastwood. The cast is excellent, with Jeff Bridges first rate in his Oscar nominated role as Lightfoot, and Oscar winner George Kennedy and Eastwood regular Geoffrey Lewis (father of Juliette) both very memorable as Red and Goody.

The scene of Red and Goodie in the ice cream cart confronted with an obnoxious lad is a classic in cinema.

The climax of this film is superb. A definite MUST SEE for all Eastwood fans!

Auspicious debut for Cimino...
Buddy films are always fun, and this is no different. The exotic American locales of Idaho are every bit as unique as the Bolivian settings in "Butch Cassidy". As in "Butch Cassidy", the script (by Cimino) is character-driven, and you'll find yourself cheering on the bad guys. Jeff Bridges Oscar nomination (Supporting) surprised a lot of people, but it was most deserved. His role was really equal to Eastwood as far as importance (and screen time). Eastwood was, well, Eastwood. That's not a bad thing. I always thought he was underrated. The DVD transfer is excellent, with a wide 2.35:1 letterbox that shows off some of our country's best scenery. There's action, humor and great chemistry between our buddy-heroes. George Kennedy is about as nasty as they come, though he somewhat copied his nasty performance in "Charade" (10 years earlier). The most interesting thing about this film is that it is the debut of "wunderkind" Cimino. The strength of his work on this film allowed him to create his masterpiece, "The Deer Hunter". No doubt the man has vision and talent. Too bad he over-indulged himself in the dismal "Heaven's Gate" and ruined a studio with his excesses. ("Heaven's Gate" really wasn't that bad, except for the first hour). I think of "Thunderbolt & Lightfoot" as an up-dated version of "Butch Cassidy". Though the music wasn't as frivolous and the script not as taut, there are definite comparisons. Not bad. Check it out. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Mean Deserts
Although a stop-gap movie for Martin Scorsese, 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore' proved to be the pinnacle of Ellen Burstyn's career. Her academy award winning performance in this film crosses back and forth between careful tenderness and passionate intensity with intelligent ease. In most of his best work Scorsese encourages the actors in his films to play around with the script and improvise extensively. In 'Alice' he allows Burstyn's instincts about her character to come to the fore in the scene in the kitchen with Kris Kristofferson where she talks of her early showbiz career with her brother. Practically all of the dialogue was improvised by Burstyn herself, so much so that Scorsese had to cut the scene down to 3 minutes from 15! In fact there seems to have been a lot of cutting going on in this film. Alice's husband comes across as a totally unsympathetic character until you realize that much of his more tender scenes with Alice were cut in order to make the film move faster.

And move faster it does, for with Scorsese's deep aversion to static shots and his use of a hand-held camera in the small claustrophobic environments in which Alice and her son are confined, all the characters in this film look deeply unsettled in personality as well as in geography.

Ironically, filming had to be stopped on this movie for a couple of days because Ellen Burstyn had to go to the Oscars as she was nominated for her role in 'The Exorcist' that year. She returned unawarded to the work that would eventually reward her.

They Don't Make Movies Like This Anymore!!
This movie is the ultimate single mom movie..she faces abuse, tragedy and a life alone raising her child and she doesn't know how she is going to do it. I thought the acting (especially by Jodie Foster) was awesome and true to life. This movie has everything, it's funny, sad and in depth in what life is all about. This movie is for everyone who is just trying to survive life.

One Of Scorsese's Very Best. Time Will Tell...
Do you notice how little one hears about "Raging Bull"
lately? Well, there's a reason--it's not so hot. There is a
lot of repetition, a lot of improvisation, a lot of falsity in
that movie. And in "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"?
There's a lot of truth and humor.

This was Scorsese's first studio picture; it was a hit,
and Ellen Burstyn got the Oscar for Best Actress. (In
England, the movie won Best Picture, Best Actress, Best
Supporting Actress, Best Newcomer, and Best Screenplay,
but--inexplicably--not Best Director). The movie was so
popular in America that CBS made a series out of it, and
the series ran for nine full years--the second longest
hit series ever made from a feature film (next to MASH).

I notice that some of the people who have visited this
site have downed the movie, but I also notice that the
one who downed it most didn't even know how to spell
the director's name correctly. (It's Scorsese).

Anyway, time will tell. This heartfelt, true little movie will
work its way very close to the top of Scorsese's ouevre.
It's hilariously funny and also touching and, at times,
harrowing. A well directed, well acted, well written
movie. What a rarity. Watch it and enjoy it.

She now lives on Nick At Nite.
Martin Scorcese's 2nd major feature, *Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore*, involves a thirty-something widow (Ellen Burstyn, brilliant per usual) and her 12-year-old kid as they find themselves suddenly thrust into the world without a safety net. From the cozy enclave of Monterey, CA, they wind up in Phoenix, AZ, where, after failing to make it as a lounge singer due primarily to her involvement with a maniac (Harvey Keitel), they're forced to push on to Tucson. There, she sensibly gives up her dream to be a singer and ends up as a waitress at a roughneck diner. At the diner, she meets a fading hippie / farmer / cowboy / musician (Kris Kristofferson -- who else?) who's currently divorced and seems to be a better bet than the [people who] surrounds her. Though he's breezy about his divorce ("She up and left, and I held the door open for her"), it's soon revealed why he's alone and hasn't seen his kids in some time: he's got a definite edge, a my-way-or-the-highway approach that extends to Burstyn's kid as well as herself. She must decide if he's worth the effort required to shape him up. Meanwhile, her son is giving her headaches by getting into trouble with his new girlfriend, a butch but cute Jodie Foster (her first film?). I don't know this kid's name, but what a performance: annoying as hell, but in a real-life way (as opposed to the *Home Alone* way). I've taken the trouble to describe all this exposition because it does seem odd, at first glance, that this is a Martin Scorcese film, with its Western setting, feminist subtext, so forth. Some have said that it's an anomaly in the Scorcese oeuvre . . . but the tendency for this movie's characters to go into theatrical screaming fits, often accompanied by near-murderous violence, and the overuse of the shaky, joggling, "cinema verite"-style camera-work, puts us in all-too familiar territory. *Alice* really shouldn't be this flashy. Scorcese's penchant for projecting to the peanut gallery harms the film. But the characterizatons, the abundant humor, and the sense of everything hanging by a fragile thread, somewhat alleviate the director's excesses. [Quick note for those too young to remember: not long after this slice-of-life dramedy's release in 1974, someone in Hollywood thought that this material would be a great idea for a TV sitcom. Hence *Alice*, starring Linda Lavin ("What a falling off was there!" to quote *Hamlet*) that was inexplicably popular throughout the entire decade. America thought "Kiss my grits!", a phrase often used by a brassy waitress on the show, was hilarious.]

Simply brilliant; beautifully acted, written, and realized
I saw this movie when I was very young (at least 16 years ago). To me it was just a comedy film that launched "Alice" (which was one of my favorite shows at the time). I now saw it after all these years and was amazed by all that I saw this time around.

This is one of the best-acted films I've ever seen. Nothing more needs to be said about Ellen Burstyn here other than she still remains in my mind as one of the luminary, top-drawer actresses in American cinema these past 30+ years. She is flawless here; even breathtaking! And the performance by Alfred Lutter as her son Tommy was one of the finest performances I've seen by a teen/pre-teen. And of course there's Diane Ladd as the infamous Flo, who revels (and excels) in a small meaty role that usually wins Best Supporting Actress Oscars (she unfortunately lost). And Jodie Foster (as butch as can be) is a riot. And Kris Kristofferson gets his part just right, as do Harvey Keitel and the late Vic Tayback as the overbearing but lovable Mel.

I don't know if the perfect acting in this film is a tribute to the actors or to Martin Scorsese (or both). But this film shows that Martin Scorsese is truly a monumental talent. High praise also goes to Robert Getchell for a screenplay that is as hilarious as it is moving. The purity and spirit of this film is obvious and very affecting.

I think this is one of the great films of the 1970s. Be sure to put it on your list if you're a student of cinema. I think it is a landmark film in the human comedy/drama genre. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Near-Complete Failure to Exploit Unbelievable Potential
This film, with its superlative cast and the terrific book upon which it is based, miserably failed to deliver the depth, richness and impact of that fine book. The actors were just perfect -- Roscoe Rules and Harold Bloomguard, in particular, were portrayed stupendously -- and some of the vignettes came across properly, but in total this movie ended up being a real shame. I read