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America's pastime gets a Faustian twist in this 1958 studio musical, which recounts the ballpark bargain struck by an aging Washington Senators fan obsessed with helping his team trump the Yanks. With echoes of the real-life 1919 Shoeless Joe Jackson scandal, and tart observations on the tradeoffs between youth and experience, Damn Yankees fuses a classic dramatic dilemma with musical comedy to often charming effect.

In transferring George Abbott's Broadway hit to the screen, codirectors Abbott and Stanley Donen are smart enough to retain Richard Adler and Jerry Ross's clever songs, Bob Fosse's sizzling choreography (with Fosse himself on camera for the sultry mambo number), and stars Ray Walston and Gwen Verdon, reprising their devilish turns as the Horned One himself, Mr. Applegate, and his temptress, Lola. Where the team strikes out, unfortunately, is in their concession to marquee politics, handing the pivotal role of Joe Hardy to handsome, vapid, celluloid heartthrob Tab Hunter, whose thin voice and unsteady screen presence argue that he should have stayed in the dugout.

Walston is reliably spry and acerbic as the canny archangel, and Verdon, in one of her rare starring screen turns, confirms the comedic timing and sexy, muscular grace that made her a deserved draw in subsequent stage hits including another Fosse triumph, Sweet Charity. With her combination of feline grace and alternately steely, flirtatious femininity, Verdon makes you believe her when she sings, "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets." --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Whatever Lola wants she gets!
The film version of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse's first success together. With Ray Walston as the devil and Verdon as his muse, Lola, this film can not fail to please. An excellent example of Fosse's early choreography. Unfortunately, its producers thought that they could cut "The Game", a wonderful song sung by the Senators. A must for any musical video collection

Hollywood's Hall of Famer: a Grand Slam!
Forget about carping reviews. If you like: musical comedies; baseball;Gwen Verdon; selling your soul to the Devil; great dancing; happy endings; ironic gambits reaffirming olde time(pre-PM) morality, DAMN YANKEES is grand slam hit.This film adaptation of Broadway's World championship rendering of "The Year The Yankees Lost the Pennant" is classic Americana(It's more like"The Devil & Daniel Webster" than Goethe's Enlightenment epic,"Faust"). Tab Hunter does a fine job as guileless, baseball-loving, middle-aged dreamer who sells his soul to Mr.Applegate (My Favorite Devil/Martian; "Paint Your Wagon" schemer,Ray Walston).

Star of the show is Gwen Verdon. She's the devil's 007-ette,LOLA with"license to get-down".Down and sassy-classy she bedazzlingly is,as she funks; punks;Bob Fosse's-n-weaves/"sleezes" her way on Applegate's satanic service to seduce Superstar Joe Hardy into "eternal contract".WHATEVER LOLA WANTS (ultimately)she doesn't get. Because...like the show's theme banners...YOU GOTTA HAVE HEART! In The Ninth,Verdon's not-so-wicked witch of the West(like this superbly entertaining; funny; full-of-good-will fun flick) has Valentine Heart to the max.If you're a Yankee fan (as lovers of baseball begrudingly become)catching a glance of baseball legend Mickey Mantle in the film is a nice touch recalling innocence in values that've been lost to the Real Applegate and cohorts.Being from Houston, I look forward to some Yankee greats pitching for us next year. Until then, DAMN ASTROS(er)YANKEES is a Hollywood Hall-of-Famer well worth checking-out and cheering on.

SONG LEFT OUT!!!
This movie has been one of my top 20 favorites for a long time. I first saw it on television in the mid sixties. The very first song that begins the movie during the opening credits is "Think About The Game". When the home video was released, this song, sung by the Senator's while Joe Hardy was busy with the Shifty McCoy trial, was, without explanation or reason, was stupidly left out of the video version. I feel cheated and wanted my money back. Can anyone tell me why?

Thank-you.

Good soul-searching musical.
This is another film which would probably be better rated if it wasn't so slavishly compared to its stage original. It does its job just fine, thank you, but you must remember that stage and film are two different media. In the conservative postwar 50's there was very little controversy shown (or allowed to be shown) in the film and TV media; a Faustian book made into a film musical probably scared the Hays moral office to death! That said, the Abbott-Donen collaboration does a more than competent job of telling the story, and scores an extra base hit retaining most of the Broadway cast of the show in the first place. I've read that the studio tried to lure Marilyn Monroe into playing the Lola role (and assuring box-office returns), but the producers were smart enough to know that the role needed a real dancer-actress combination. In short, it needed Gwen Verdon. It needed her special brand of eccentricity, sexiness, and heartbreak. And it got her. If you're still not convinced, take another look at the exquisite cafe' dance of "Two Lost Souls."

How Lola can he go?
Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo is the mysterious "Joe Hardy" who makes a pact with the Devil to be young again and the greatest baseball wonder the Washington Senators have ever seen. His agreement comes with an "out" clause but hired temptress, "Lola" uses all of her most beguiling tricks in order to put the vamp on innocent Joe and keep him from short-changing the Devil of another hard-earned soul.

Gorgeous boy Tab Hunter plays the part of quiet, innocent and unpretentious Joe, an easy soul target for the Devil and his indebted temptress, played by Gwen Verdon. Although the singing was slightly less than what it could have been, the dance parts were terrific.

Unfortunately, this famous Broadway show was placed before a movie camera and little was done to take it from the ranks of the contrived enthusiasm of a play to the artful poise of a feature film. The scripts made for stiff dialogue and the sets were composed as they would have been on a fixed stage. What could have made for a very entertaining musical became a stage play adapted by convenience with no consideration for creative filming. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

from the golden age of Technicolor
Though this film has only a few scraps to offer in the way of scriptural accuracy, it is a visual delight, and one of the very best examples of the lush Technicolor of the mid 20th century, with its deep cobalt blues and incredibly rich reds. The cinematography by Leon Shamroy, along with the massive sets and luxurious costumes (all three were Oscar nominated but lost out to "An American in Paris") make this a fabulous "sword and sandals" epic; it also boasts a dramatic score by Alfred Newman, and one of my favorite dance sequences on film, by the brilliant Jack Cole. One had to be very strong and athletic to do his choreography, and the dancer in this number is the great Gwen Verdon.

Gregory Peck is handsome beyond words as King David, and it's always a pleasure to listen to his resonant voice; his recitation of the 23rd psalm, and his prayer at the Ark of the Covenant, are memorable scenes. In this film David is a pale reflection of the Bible character, this story being more about a big Hollywood romance, and the trouble it gets him in along with his partner in sin Bathsheba, played by the stunning Susan Hayward, who maintains her tiny waistline even though she is supposed to be "with child".
Directed by Henry King, the script and score were also Oscar nominated but lost to "A Place in the Sun".
For a film that is faithful to scripture, see the excellent TV production starring Nathaniel Parker, but for simply lavish entertainment, vibrant color and a gorgeous cast, this film is a classic well worth viewing. Total running time is 1 hour and 55 minutes.

SIN AND REDEMPTION...
This is the story of the love between David (Gregory Peck), King of Israel, and Bathsheba (Susan Hayward). It is a love that is doomed from the start, because she is the wife of one of David's army captains, Uriah (Kieron Moore).

David, uncharacteristically, wants Bathsheba at any cost. His is a passion that will not be denied. When she capitulates, it is to have great ramifications for all the parties involved. When their transgression and the lengths to which David went to secure Bathsheba for himself become known, it is Bathseheba who may pay the ultimate price in order to expiate their sin.

Gregory Peck seems ill at ease in this role and a bit stiff, though he revives at the end in order to quell God's wrath. Susan Hayward is beautiful, but she and Peck seem to lack chemistry. Jayne Meadows plays David's first wife, and she is very effective in the role of the woman scorned. Raymond Massey is excellent in the role of the prophet, Nathan, who calls David to judgment for his sin. It is Kieron Moore, however, who plays the role of the David's faithful captain, Bathsheba's cuckolded first husband, who steals the show.

This 1951 film, which received three Academy Award nominations, is a biblical epic that, despite some of its shortcomings, still manages to entertain the viewer.

Regal!
I do not understand (nor comprehend) why so many people think that this movie, i.e., David and Bathsheba VHS ~ Gregory Peck does not deserve more then two or three stars at best. In my opinion Mr. Peck plays with a sense of dedication, fortitude and resolve that (is rarely seen) and is only displayed by the true actors of our time, e.g., Kirk Douglas, Humphrey Bogart, Charlton Heston, Clint Eastwood et al. The story line is very well developed with a story that has intricate stops and turns; and one cannot predict or foresee how this movie will end. The most powerful scene in the movie is at the end when Gregory Pecks character is near the Arc of The Covenant and this is a very intense scene when one anticipates the wrath of God for David's sins. As for the costumes and the music; well, the former is better then the latter and the costumes can be said to have been done with a meticulous, careful and precise hand in order for the movie to be as authentic, real and genuine as possible. All in all, I would have to say that I think and consider this movie to be one of those great movies and that it will be viewed by many generations to come.

It's pretty good and watchable
If you want to see a movie with great acting in it, this is it, as Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward try to find redemption and hope in dark times.They really don;t make movies like this anymore and that;s a shame.

It Was Pretty Good Despite What Others Say...
I recently caught this when it was on cable at 3am. Unable to sleep at that time, I put the tv on just as the opening credits came on. As soon as I saw Gregory Peck & Susan Hayward's names I knew I had to watch it. It was a good story with great acting & I was glued to the set. Sadly, if this story were made today it wouldn't be anywhere near as good & would be panned by critics. If only there were actors of the caliber of Gregory Peck & Susan Hayward today. This is a movie I would gladly watch again. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

DEEPLY MOVING ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS
Instead of the usual over-the-top heavy-sentiment scenes in a dysfunctional family, Marvin's Room finds a clever, non-contrived way to end by leaving its characters at a magical moment of mutual understanding. It is one of the most powerful endings I've ever seen in a film.

Greatly acted by almost everyone (including a very young Leonardo Di Caprio), great score, excellent screenplay, a tinge of wry humor through it all, and gutwrenching emotion.

I picked up the DVD for Streep, and found her character a little one-dimensional. But when I really think of it, the most remarkable thing about the film is how it reveals how similar the two sisters are, despite their non-trivial character differences. Both abandon one part of their family to sacrifice for another part -- they each merely take different parts, and that's why Lee's character is not as bad, selfish or one-dimensional as she first seems. Lee's problem was understanding love. Despite all her lovers, Lee (Streep) had to learn the real meaning of love from her spinster sister Bessie (Keaton).

Worth buying, as anyone with a heartbeat will watch this gem more than once. Highly recommended.

An Emotional Rollercoaster
"Marvin's Room" is not only a wonderful movie that has both comedy and drama, but it has an excellent cast. I was very surprised that it wasn't nominated for Best Picture at the Oscar's. Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep shine as two sisters who have not seen each other in twenty years. Their bond is very easy to relate to. And then you have Leonardo DiCaprio (beofre "Titanic"). He is wonderful as Hank, the older son of Lee (Streep). You can tell that he wants attention, mainly from his mother who has her sights set on other things. Bessie (Keaton), in a very moving and loving way shows Hank that he is loved, by his mother and by herself. I thought that the car-ride by the water was wonderful. It showed the two of them bonding, which is what they do more and more as the film progresses.

Gwen Verdon is wonderful as the absent-minded Aunt Ruth who really brings a lot of comedy into the movie. Hume Cronin was simply wonderful, even though he didn't have any actual speaking lines, his actions throughout the movie seem to bring the disfunctional family together. Robert DiNero plays the very kind Dr. Wally who also brings a sweetness into the film. But the person who, in my opnion, really shines in this film is Diane Keaton. She has a rare talent and it definitely shows in this movie. The ending was so wonderful as well. I am glad that they ended on a positive note instead of a sad one. My advice: Rent this movie!!!!!

Witty, Funny and Heartwarming
Taken from a play by Scott McPherson, "Marvin's Room" at first seems like it might be a dreary tear jerker of a drama. But wait, there is a dream cast involved and somewhat maudlin scenarios turn out to be sheer delights. Imagine a film with Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Robert DeNiro, Leonard DiCaprio and Hugh Cronyn and you cannot go wrong. Keaton is taking care of her long failing father (Cronyn) when she discovers she has leukemia. She contacts her long estranged 'beauty school graduate' sister (Streep) and pyromaniac nephew (DiCaprio) as possible donors. When the families unite in Florida, it's a flurry of funny, hard-nosed and real life dialogue. All cast members are at their best and Streep and Keaton juxtaposed as sisters is amazing. DeNiro plays Keaton's scatter-brained doctor and he is priceless. There's strong warmth and reality in this film and despite the occasional tear, the ultimate feeling is happiness. This movie is a keeper.

Marvin's Room
Beautiful, touching and funny film that shines on every level. Two long-estranged sisters, Bessie (Diane Keaton) and Lee (Meryl Streep), come together when Bessie discovers she has lukemia and needs Lee and her two sons, one of whom is a patient in an Ohio mental hospital (Leonardo DiCaprio) to be tested in order to save Bessie's life. With a beautiful music score, simple but inspiring direction, compelling performances (especially from Keaton, DiCaprio and Streep), and a simple but moving story, this is one of the true classic films of all time. "Marvin's Room" is a must for all to see.

DEEPLY MOVING ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS.
Close to a perfect movie as you can get. Instead of the usual over-the-top heavy-sentiment scenes in a dysfunctional family, Marvin's Room finds a clever, non-contrived way to end by leaving its characters at a magical moment of mutual understanding. It is one of the most powerful endings I've ever seen in a film.

Greatly acted by almost everyone (including a very young Leonardo Di Caprio), great score, excellent screenplay, a tinge of wry humor through it all, and gutwrenching emotion.

I picked up the DVD for Streep, and found her character a little one-dimensional. But when I really think of it, the most remarkable thing about the film is how it reveals how similar the two sisters are, despite their non-trivial character differences. Both abandon one part of their family to sacrifice for another part -- they each merely take different parts, and that's why Lee's character is not as bad, selfish or one-dimensional as she first seems. Lee's problem was understanding love. Despite all her lovers, Lee (Streep) had to learn the real meaning of love from her spinster sister Bessie (Keaton).

Worth buying, as anyone with a heartbeat will watch this gem more than once. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

An offbeat and charming comedy with elements of science fiction thrown in, director Ron Howard's (Ransom, Apollo 13) unlikely fantasy ponders the price of immortality and the power of everlasting love. A group of aliens travel to a Florida retirement community to rescue some long-stranded colleagues cocooned and buried beneath the sea. But as the aliens take on human form and stash their counterparts in a swimming pool, a group of elderly retirees discover the pool and after swimming in the water find themselves rejuvenated, with boundless energy and insatiable appetites. Soon the retirees are forced to choose between living out their lives on earth with their families, or leaving with the aliens and attaining immortality. More character driven than dependent on the incredible plot, the film's charm comes from its characters and the wonderful cast, including Don Ameche, who won an Academy Award for his role as one of the randy retirees. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (21)

"Men should be explorers, no matter how old they are."
In 1985, the well-known actor/director Ron Howard directed the charming and endearing sci-fi film "Cocoon". Set along the Florida coast, a group of aliens that have taken human form return to Earth to retrieve shipmates that they were forced to leave behind in suspended animation thousands of years ago. They hire a boat owned by Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg), who believes that his employers are nothing more than a group of divers and is very attracted to one of them who is named Kitty (Tahnee Welch). The alien in charge goes by the name of Walter (Brian Dennehy). After retrieving some very large objects from the ocean depths, the aliens take the objects to an indoor swimming pool within a large beach house that they have rented. Next door to the beach house is a retirement home. The aliens' activities as well as the desire to swim within the pool tempts several of the retirement home's eldery residents to sneak into the private beach house. These residents, which include Arthur Selwyn (Don Ameche, 1908-1993), Benjamin Luckett (Wilford Brimley) and Joseph Finley (Hume Cronyn, 1911-2003), start to feel invigorated after taking a swim in the pool; so they invite their wives to join them: Marilyn Luckett (Maureen Stapleton), Alma Finley (Jessica Tandy, 1909-1994) and Bess McCarthy (Gwen Verdon, 1925-2000). As their health and strength continue to improve, the six try to keep their illicit swimming pool activies a secret, but are not entirely successful. Further, not everyone offered restored youth approves.

With its brilliant story, acting and directing, "Cocoon" won Don Ameche an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and the film itself won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Other memorable characters in the film include Bernard Lefkowitz (Jack Gilford, 1908-1990), his wife Rosie Lefkowitz (Herta Ware), Benjamin & Marilyn's grandson David (Barret Oliver) and Susan (Linda Harrison, who played the character Nova in the 1968 "Planet of the Apes"). Memorable scenes include the swimming pool scenes, Jack and Kitty, the six residents doing various activities that they otherwise couldn't do, no longer a secret, and the closing scenes. Overall, I rate "Cocoon" with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.

A moving, funny, and original sci-fi/fantasy/drama.
This is one of the few movies I've seen that has really made me cry. Director Ron Howard scores it big with this wonderful movie, and the plot is verrrrry original; three old men who live at a retirement center sneak over to a close-by deserted house every day to take a swim in the swimming pool. But a group of aliens disguised as humans come down to earth to save some of their comrades that they left there thousands of years ago, who are now sealed in large rock-like cocoons beneath the ocean, and take them home. And when they put the cocoons in the swimming pool to keep them alive and the old men go for a swim, they come out feeling like a million bucks! This would be a perfect family film if it wasn't so sexual and vulgar at times (hence the PG-13 rating). But for nine years and up, this is a sure treat. Don Ameche does a wonderful job as one of the old men, and Steve Guttenberg is downright funny as the guy who owns the boat the aliens use, and has a love affair with one of the aliens, as well. It has good lessons on friendship and love, and is a tear-jerker at times. A VERY GOOD movie!

Forever Young
For most of Ron Howard's career as a director, a majority of his work lands in the "feel good" cinema category. It is only recently, that Howard has been tackling darker subjects. One of the best films, from his early in his filmograghy, is 1985's Cocoon. This lighthearted fantasy proved that getting older can be a good thing.

When a group of aliens comes to Earth, on a secret mission, their strange behavior as humans, causes a group of senior citizens to become curious. As it turns out, the alens have special powers that cause the retirees to feel rejuvinated and stops the aging process.

The cast is what makes the story work. Don Ameche, who won an Oscar for his role here as Arthur Selwyn, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, his real life wife, Jessica Tandy, Brian Dennehy as the alien leader Walter, Gwen Verdon, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton, and Herta Ware, all make the sci-fi elements, that much more compelling. Heck, even Steve Guttenberg playing boat skipper Jack Bonner, who helps the aliens with their mission, gives a solid performance here. The film uses special effects sparingly to enhance the story. Sure, things can get a bit schmaltzy at times, but thanks to Howard's recipe it never goes overboard. Cocoon has something for all age groups to enjoy.

The extras on the DVD are pretty good. The audio commentary with Howard offers some nice gems about what it was like to work with a cast brimming with some true stars of Hollywood's golden age. The behind-the-scenes featurette and the underwater training footage was originally part of the publicity for the film's release. We also get a look at how the special effects were created, profiles of Ron Howard and the cast, the theatrical trailer, TV spots, and a still gallery. Viewers can watch the movie, in either the full screen, or widescreen anamorphic format.

Cocoon is timeless. And given the youth obsessed culture in which we live, it's a nice change of pace, that's worth a peek on DVD.

Great Movie, Great Soundtrack
I can't add anything to the other reviews, except to say this movie has an EXCELLENT soundtrack by James Horner. The fantastic music definately adds to the movie's excitement and emotion. In fact, it's so good I'd also recommend buying the soundtrack CD.

Who wants to live forever?
This is a charming comedy based in the science fiction the addresses the issue of immortality, everlasting love, and the price paid for either. It was a movie the could potentially move the easy criers to tears, and will make anyone watching it laugh. The cast is great and Ron Howard has outdone himself. Truly enjoyable. ... Read more

Description

Joel Grey, Carol Channing, John Raitt, Patti LuPone, Yul Brynner, Zero Mostel--these greats are among the original-cast performers featured in this unique filmed compendium of Broadway showstoppers. Seen only once in their original Tony Award® telecasts (1967–1986), these 22 knock-out performances come with new introductions by some of the featured performers, including Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach, and Chita Rivera. BONUS: Both DVD and VHS formats feature five extra performances not seen on PBS!

Program includes: BROADWAY DIVAS
Vivian Blaine, "Adelaide's Lament," Guys and Dolls
Patti LuPone, "A New Argentina," Evita
Angela Lansbury, "Worst Pies in London," Sweeney Todd
Carol Channing, "Before the Parade Passes By," Hello, Dolly!
Julie Andrews, "Send in the Clowns," A Little Night Music

LEADING MEN
Zero Mostel, "If I Were a Rich Man," Fiddler on the Roof
Yul Brynner, "Shall We Dance," The King and I
John Raitt, "Hey There," The Pajama Game
Robert Preston, "Trouble," The Music Man
Paul Lynde, "Kids," Bye Bye Birdie

DANCIN'
Joel Grey, "Willkommen," Cabaret
Tommy Tune, Twiggy, "Chasin' the Clouds Away," My One and Only
Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera, "All That Jazz," "Nowadays," Chicago
Jerry Orbach, "Lullaby of Broadway," 42nd Street

RECORD BREAKERS
Andrea McArdle, cast, "Tomorrow," Annie
Cast, "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile," Annie
Betty Buckley and cast, "Jellicle Songs," "Memory," Cats

BONUS PERFORMANCES! Both DVD and VHS formats include five additional performances not seen on the PBS pledge-special broadcasts.
Ann Miller, Mickey Rooney, "McHugh Medley," Sugar Babies
Patti LuPone, "Buenos Aires," Evita
Barbara Harris, "Movie Star Gorgeous," The Apple Tree
Bonnie Franklin, "Applause," Applause
Dorothy Loudon and cast, "Easy Street," "Tomorrow" (reprise), Annie
... Read more

Reviews (20)

Wonderful Collection of Stellar Performances
We saw this on PBS and almost made an outrageous donation to obtain a DVD, then held out for its public release. (The price was far more reasonable buying it through Amazon!) Our family enjoys American muscial theater and this DVD serves up plenty of great performances. The production is well-done, with four segments: Broadway Divas, Leading Men, Dancin', and Record Breakers. Angela Lansbury introduces the show, then each part is hosted by Joel Grey, Tommy Tune, Jerry Orbach and Chita Rivera, each of whom has at least one terrific performance during the show. Many of the scenes were clearly taken from a special that aired on TV in the late seventies. The singers and dancers---some of them getting a bit up there in years---deliver wonderful performances. There isn't a single bad one in the roster. It's difficult to choose a favorite, but our family really loved Betty Buckley's awesome version of "Memory" from Cats, Andrea McArdle belting out "Tomorrow" from Annie and the great hoofing and singing by Jerry Orbach and company in "42nd Street" from the musical of the same name. We also found Angela Lansbury creepily funny in Sweeney Todd and Joel Grey just plain creepy in Cabaret, as his character was intended to be. Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon also prove the old gals still have it in their song-and-dance number "All That Jazz" from Chicago. Yul Brynner also is light on his feet in "Shall We Dance?" from his signature musical The King And I. Paul Lynde vents wonderfully as a frustrated parent in his part from Bye, Bye Birdie; both Robert Preston as The Music Man and Zero Mostel as the poor man from Fiddler On The Roof display remarkable energy and zest for their longtime roles. As for the ladies, Carol Channing croaks and squeaks delightfully in Hello, Dolly!, Julie Andrew is elegant and wistful singing "Send In The Clowns", and Patti Lupone is great as Evita. The DVD is nicely done, and includes five bonus acts not shown on the PBS version. We highly recommend this for fans of American musical theater or those curious about this almost-lost art form.

A must for any show music fan -- but less than perfect
We should be thankful for what we get on this DVD, so by all means, get it. By doing so, hopefully you'll encourage similar Broadway DVDs to be released in the future. (By the way, also consider getting "The Best of Broadway Musicals: Original Cast Performances from the Ed Sullivan Show," which captures some great 1950s-1960s performances.)

However, I have to agree with those who say this set is lopsided, even considering that the producers didn't have the rights to release other footage from the Tonys.

The saddest thing about some of the footage is that, while it claims to capture "sung" performances, in fact a few of the numbers are lip-synched. These include two of the numbers that I was most looking forward to seeing: Angela Lansbury in Sweeney Todd and Robert Preston in The Music Man. While it's great to see these performers in action, the lip-synching makes it an artificial experience.

But enough caveats. These aside, there's still plenty to enjoy.

The great John Raitt sings a definitive "Hey There" from The Pajama Game a couple of decades after its original run. He sounds just as exciting as ever. The song is shortened, but again, let's be thankful for what we have. And there's also a scene from 42nd Street with pre-"Law and Order" Jerry Orbach singing his heart out.

Some of the most enjoyable segments are in the DVD's "bonus extras" section. For example, in what seems the oldest segment on the DVD, the utterly charming Barbara Harris performs a number from The Apple Tree, a 1960s musical that is now essentially forgotten by all but fervent show fans. And to watch those ever-young old troopers Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller singing and dancing in Sugar Babies is a joy.

So, tap your way to Amazon's checkout and get this DVD in your hands ASAP!

Too Greedy!
To everyone who gave this a bad review because of the lip-syncing, please answer this question....Where else could you see this many performers???? You people should feel lucky that you are seeing the actual Broadway performers.
I really hope they release all of the performances from the 25th aniversary of the Tony's. I remember 1776 and many other performers.
Bring on a second volume PLEASE!!!!

An Imperfect Look at Great Performances
This a very good DVD. There are some low points though. One of them is "The Worst Pies in London". If you try to sing this song to yourself you will see why they had it Lip-synched in front of a live audience. The rest of the Dvd for the most part is excellent. The appluase number in the extra is great. Buy this DVD , But with some caution.

This Treasure Chest is a Pleasure to Open Time and Again
What a joy and what an opportunity. For newer generations of Broadway fans who never got to see the legendary performances that are still classics today, here is the key. This beautiful 80-minute retrospective is a wonderful treat, featuring 20 classic performances from some of the most beloved shows ever featured on Broadway.

There is something for everyone here. The performances are sensational, and they bring the music of the shows to life more vividly than the newer generations could have imagined them. There is the fiery Patti LuPone, as the eternal opportunist Patti LuPone, blazing through "A New Argentina" from her star-making vehicle, "Evita," amply supported by Mandy Patinkin's Che Guevara and Bob Gunton's Juan Peron. Angela Lansbury, the most honored actress of the Broadway musical, in her Tony-winning performance as Nellie Lovett from "Sweeney Todd" with the delicious number, "The Worst Pies in London." And there is a glorious Carol Channing, radiating charm and buoyancy as the unforgettable Dolly Levi, singing "Before the Parade Passes By." Glamorous Julie Andrews, not in the original cast of "A Little Night Music," but who is nothing short of spellbinding singing "Send in the Clowns" to a piano accompaniment. Zero Mostel, rollicking his merry way through the classic "If I Were a Rich Man" from "Fiddler on the Roof." Yul Brynner, in one of his final performances as the King of Siam, waltzing with Patricia Morrison to "Shall We Dance?" Joel Grey as the unforgettable Master of Ceremonies of "Cabaret," leading the spirited company of the Kit Kat Club in "Wilkommen." Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera high-kicking their way through a "Chicago" medley. Jerry Orbach singing and hoofing through the unperishable "Lullaby of Broadway" from "42nd Street."

There are the beloved MGM veterans Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney hoofing through a number from "Sugar Babies" in their sixties with twice the verve of most performers in their twenties. Bonnie Franklin and company singing, dancing, acting, juggling, flying, and whirling through the sensational title number of "Applause." And there is a final classic to wrap up this joyride: Andrea McArdle, Dorothy Loudon, and company in a medley from the children's favorite "Annie."

A great viewing experience for the whola family, "Broadway's Lost Treasures" is a delightful festival of music and dance that will exhilarate both young and old alike. For a night of fun in the theater at home, "Broadway's Lost Treasures" is your best ticket. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great for a history class
The film shows the social and political scene from the Civil War to the 1950s in a personal account that is wonderful to watch. While it may not be a story that happened to only one person, the events in the film are real, they happened to thousands of American women. Diane Lane is great and Sutherland plays the part of Captain Marsden to perfection. I don't know why this movie is not on school library shelves everywhere. Buy it if you can find it!

Very Powerful and Moving Performance by Diane Lane
Diane Lane performs at her best in the movie with stunning supporting actors such as Donald Sutherland. It is a must see for any Diane Lane fan, or anyone interested in a woman's viewpoint of the civil war.

From a young girl in her teens marrying a solider to her later years, Diane Lane makes you become involved in the story, letting you feel as you are watching real life. Her happiness, pain, and just trying to get through life reflects what all of us struggle with every day. It is amazing and a nice break from our everyday problems. A MUST-SEE movie!!

Great Video!!!
This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. I didn't care for Donald Sutherland until I saw this movie. Now I am a fan! Diane Lane was wonderful also. I recommend that anyone who has seen Gone with the Wind, see this movie. It was the best!

From the Old South into the New
Lucy Marsden (Diane Lane/Anne Bancroft) was the child-bride of an aging former boy-soldier of the Confederacy ("Captain" Marsden - Donald Sutherland.) Because of the relative youth of these two at their defining moment, the confluence results in Lucy, through sheer attrition, becoming the Oldest Living Confederate Widow.

Allan Gurganus's epic book is one of my all-time favorites. I only recently discovered that a movie had been made of it. By the transitional scene cuts, I'm guessing that this was a "made-for TV" mini-series? As is usually the case, the book is much better than the movie. Even at epic length, (180 minutes) the movie cuts out major panoramic threads of the book: Castalia (Cicely Tyson) and her family, the workers at Lucy's Nursing Home, the adult lives of Captain & Lucy's children. It does not have the lush, vivid technicolours of Gone With the Wind. Still and yet it is a good movie - spanning as it does two centuries of US History: racial, gender, and ageist prejudice are exposed in a sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous fashion. Well worth purchasing for repeat viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great for a history class
The film shows the social and political scene from the Civil War to the 1950s in a personal account that is wonderful to watch. While it may not be a story that happened to only one person, the events in the film are real, they happened to thousands of American women. Diane Lane is great and Sutherland plays the part of Captain Marsden to perfection. I don't know why this movie is not on school library shelves everywhere. Buy it if you can find it!

Very Powerful and Moving Performance by Diane Lane
Diane Lane performs at her best in the movie with stunning supporting actors such as Donald Sutherland. It is a must see for any Diane Lane fan, or anyone interested in a woman's viewpoint of the civil war.

From a young girl in her teens marrying a solider to her later years, Diane Lane makes you become involved in the story, letting you feel as you are watching real life. Her happiness, pain, and just trying to get through life reflects what all of us struggle with every day. It is amazing and a nice break from our everyday problems. A MUST-SEE movie!!

Great Video!!!
This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. I didn't care for Donald Sutherland until I saw this movie. Now I am a fan! Diane Lane was wonderful also. I recommend that anyone who has seen Gone with the Wind, see this movie. It was the best!

From the Old South into the New
Lucy Marsden (Diane Lane/Anne Bancroft) was the child-bride of an aging former boy-soldier of the Confederacy ("Captain" Marsden - Donald Sutherland.) Because of the relative youth of these two at their defining moment, the confluence results in Lucy, through sheer attrition, becoming the Oldest Living Confederate Widow.

Allan Gurganus's epic book is one of my all-time favorites. I only recently discovered that a movie had been made of it. By the transitional scene cuts, I'm guessing that this was a "made-for TV" mini-series? As is usually the case, the book is much better than the movie. Even at epic length, (180 minutes) the movie cuts out major panoramic threads of the book: Castalia (Cicely Tyson) and her family, the workers at Lucy's Nursing Home, the adult lives of Captain & Lucy's children. It does not have the lush, vivid technicolours of Gone With the Wind. Still and yet it is a good movie - spanning as it does two centuries of US History: racial, gender, and ageist prejudice are exposed in a sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous fashion. Well worth purchasing for repeat viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

OK, so it's not The Godfather
There have been many criticisms of this movie: that it favors style over substance, that it has too many conflicting storylines, that it slides all over the place without any real character development. I don't disagree. But, that being said, I still like this movie an awful lot. It is packed with talent from end to end, not just the proclaimed stars of the picture, but other little surprises that turn up from time to time. Look for Tom Waits in a bit part that takes place within the Cotton Club, Laurence Fishburne (credited as Larry) as a stylish and dangerous member of black organized crime, and Jennifer Grey as Nicholas Cage's perpetually dim and semi-clad young wife. Diane Lane is as lovely as can be, and really seems to convey the singleminded amorality of her teenaged character, determined to get some security for herself, and the conflict created when she is forced to confront the growing madness of her keeper, mobster Dutch Schultz, and her love for Gere's character of Dixie Dwyer. The music and dance numbers are as good as you've heard, and the sets and costumes beautiful and believable. I think that one problem with this movie may have been the era in which it was released, when a 2-hour movie was still considered extraordinarily long. It does have the jerky, confusing feel of a movie that's been too heavily cut. Perhaps if it had been made today, audiences would be willing to sit through three hours of the intricate plot development that so complex a story really needs. Let's hope a director's cut is released someday.

All in all, this is worth a look, or several, despite its rather considerable flaws.

Satisfying Fun
There was enough tap and dance to keep my creative spirit satisfied and smiling wide. The poetic drama was wonderful and the singing was quite entertaining as well. I was surprised to see Nicolas Cage in his supporting role, although he has played other gangsters in his time. The sex and violence were not too graphic, however, not tame enough for the younger set. You can't beat it for the price, especially if you like tap and drama. Nice late 20s music and costumes... Hines fans should be pleased!

Skip the movie, get the soundtrack!
Like many of Coppola's movies, Cotton Club is great to look at and listen to, but the storytelling falls flat and lacks coherency.
If you're going to watch it, watch it for the musical numbers and don't set your expectations too high for anything more, or skip the DVD and just get the STUNNING soundtrack.

One of my personal favourites.
This movie is brilliant and fascinating from beginning to end. It's so romantic, stylish and beautiful. I always loved everything about it, and was really surprised to know it wasn't a huge hit when it first came out. To me, it's a cult movie.
Diane Lane's character, the tough adolescent who looks like a grown woman and whose face is her fortune, is a personal favourite of mine. I love her wardrobe and hair style, as well as how she starts out as a brunet in the movie and turns blond by the end. People talk a lot about Richard Gere's trumpet playing and not enough about what a nice singing voice she has. I always thought she was a very underestimated actress.
The musical scenes are unforgettable. I loved the late great Gregory Hines, both as a dancer and as an actor, and he really excelled in this picture.
It's a master piece and no one should miss it.

Moments of Greatness Only
I think the biggest problem is the casting. Richard Gere and Diane Lane did a wonderful job together in the recent film Unfaithful but in Cotton Club they seem more like big brother and precocious little sister. Gere plays a Hollywood actor and he is just too smooth with his little moustache and greased back hair--one moment he is smooching with Diane Lane, the next moment he is onstage playing trumpet, the next hes talking tough to a ruthless killer. Its like hes supposed to be some kind of Harlem Renaissance Man. I think at this phase in his career Gere was not so popular because people perceived him as being kind of conceited and this role just seems crafted for a guy who adores himself. Nowadays he comes across as a much more appealing type of fellow but then the self love was just annoying. Diane Lane was a wonderful child actress but in this role she is not a child anymore and not quite a woman yet either. The awkwardness of the Gere-Lane relationship hurts the film considerably. Plus when your lead just isn't Al Pacino or Robert DeNiro and its a mob picture you feel disappointed. Gere is not a mob guy, he's too sophisticated to play mob roles, and he knows it.

Additionally what happens on-stage at the Cotton Club really takes us out of the drama that is happening off-stage. By the time each musical number ends you almost forget what the film is about. There are so many characters(Bob Hoskins, Fred Gwen, Nic Cage, Joe Dallesandro) saying so many things and yet no one character ever grabs our attention and so its hard to care what each character is plotting to do. Its possible to watch this film and not really know who the main character or what the main plot line is. The writing is that obscure. Even if you figure out its a film about Gere and Lane it doesn't help much because they just don't seem right for each other anyway. As a result we have no one and no thing to root for. Beneath the flash of the costumes the film just has no heart and soul. Its like a glossy magazine with pretty faces but no substance.

That said the film is a wonder of cinematography and choreography. One wonderful scene toward the end of the film has Coppola cutting between Gregory Hines tapping and a particularly lurid murder scene. This is the kind of thing Coppola did so well in Godfather--mixing life and death in an operatic way--but here the great camera work seems kind of empty because the characters have failed to really make their mark on our imaginations.

Perhaps in the future Coppola will release an extended version of this film which will make the story clearer. Until then I would recommend this film only if you want a strictly visual entertainment. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Canal girl Grable falls for earthy farmer Dale Robertson
Colorful remake of the 1935 Fonda-Gaynor drama, this 1953 Technicolor musical comes across as fresh, vibrant and as American as apple pie.The story is based on fact - when the Rome Canal, NY, is under threat from the advance of the railroads. When farmer Dale Robertson is hired to work on the canal, Betty Grable falls for him, but their romance is in conflict with his interest in the land, and her loyalty to the canals. Betty Grable - in her first film after a year-long suspension - is excellent as the feisty canal boat cook and showed she had lost none of her glamour during her long absence. A tuneful show, with lots of homespun comedy numbers, the Grable leg show suffers due to the 1850s costumes, but she does manage a number or two with Broadway dancer Gwen Verdon as they dance to choreographer Jack Cole's tune. Great support from love rival John Carroll, and some excellent comedy from scene-stealers Thelma Ritter and Eddie Foy junior. Spectacular outdoor settings, for which the studio built a complete working canal, including locks, on their backlot. Glorious piece of Americana! Well worth having if only to watch Grable singing the opening number "Today I Love Everybody" - a breath of fresh air.

A classic Betty Grable slice-of-life on the Erie Canal.
This is a classic Betty Grable movie. Betty plays a lovable and cheerful young cook on an Erie Canal boat. As usual, her love life is giving her troubles. This movie is a slice-of-life about living on the Erie Canal, just as Oklahoma was for homesteading in the west. It is a treat to watch with just enough tongue-in-cheek to keep it from taking itself too seriously. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Everything Old Is Not New
The original Cocoon, directed by Ron Howard, was a charming sci-fi/fantasy that proved age and getting older is just a state of mind. While it was great to see the legendary cast from the first film reunite, director Daniel Petrie's sequel Cocoon: The Ruturn, can't quite recapture the magic of its predesessor.

The retirees who chose to leave earth to find eternal life come back to Earth for a short visit with their loved ones while their alien escorts attempt to rescue a cocoon dislodged by Sara (Courteney Cox), an oceanographer. Art Selwyn (Don Ameche), along with his friends Ben Luckett (Wilford Brimley) and Joe Finley (Hume Cronyn) and their wives, Bess (Gwen Verdon), Mary (Maureen Stapleton), and Alma (Jessica Tandy) find little has changed. soon they rediscover the value of human emotion and the fragility of their own lives as they visit with their old friends and remember what it's like to live on earth. As the group of friends reconsider what life would be like if they stayed on earth permanently, they shop, party, and make some miraculous discoveries about the future of their relationships. Meanwhile, their alien escorts, led by Kitty (Tahnee Welch) lead the rescue attempt of the an alien cocoon from the hands of the government, with the help of her old friend Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg).

The cast proves that they can rise above any of the film's shortcomings. The major problem of the film in general, is that, by its very exsistence, it diminishes the first film. Some of the philisophical issues raised in the first movie are examined again, this time with not as much urgency or surprise as the first go around. Petrie does what he can but can't really escape the "carbon copy" feel of the film.

The extras on DVD aren't as exstensive, for the sequel, as they were for the original. All you get are some theatrical trailers and a few TV spots and that's it. I would have liked to see some behind the scenes stuff at least--considering a good portion of the cast has now passed on. Viewers can watch the film in either the full-screen, or, widescreen formats.

Not quite the gem that was the original, Cocoon The Return, is a serviceable retread. It's cast of Hollwood veterans are a reason to watch the movie.

Growing Old Is Not For Sissies
In this sequel most of the main members of the cast from COCOON return on a visit to their old retirement community in St. Petersburg, Florida after an absence of five years. Their extraterrestrial hosts provide the transportation as they have to return to earth to rescue another one of their comrades left behind on an earlier trip. This means that not only are Don Ameche, Wilfred Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy and Gwen Verdon back but also Brian Dennehy , Tawnee Welch and Tyrone Power, Jr. from the original spaceship crew as well as the skipper of the glass bottom boat (Steve Guttenberg) and crusty old Jack Gifford. The big question on this trip is mostly about who will elect to stay on earth and who will decide to go back to eternal bliss. That is not an easy decision to make and we all probably have some experience wrestling with the same question.

For those who are curious about whatever happened to the initial voyagers this movie will be satisfying even though it gets a little heavy at times. There are some memorable scenes especially a few involving Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Jack Guttenberg and Tawnee Welch. Daniel Petrie is the new director in place of Ron Howard.

Worthy effort.
The orininal is by far better, and this new one at times allows (dare I say!) mediocrity to set in. But for a sequal, this is pretty good. This time, the familiar alien group returns to earth to save a fellow extraterrestrial , who has been captured by the St. Petersburg Oceanograpic Institute (or somethin' like that). Which also gives time for the good old group of retirees to visit their old friends. The all the elements are back: science fiction, fantasy, drama, and a lot more laughs! It still manages to drag a few tears out of you. Still a good science fiction movie saga.

Never return to old places
Never, ever, come back to the place where you have aged. For one reason : you will never want to go away again, because you will find all kinds of things you will have missed. For a second reason, because you will discover all those you have loved and you have known either have gone or have changed. For a third reason, because all you have missed, and all you left behind is still so strong that you will never want to go away again. This sequel is good because of that, because it shows that returning is the worst thing you can ever dream of after having left any place you have lived long in enough to love it. Apart from that, one interesting element is in the fact that an Extraterrestrial is nothing, certainly not a « human » being, able to think and feel emotions, but only a guinea pig to be analyzed and autopsied with a scalpel, even if it is a computerized one. The armed forces, the national security of our countries, and pretty soon of our globalised planet will look after that. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Paris Universities II and IX.

As good as the original and that's high praise
See my review of the original "Cocoon." Much the same can be said for this sequel. As another reviewer commented, the hospital scene between Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy is very touching. There is good belly laugh material too, for example when the oldsters take on some arrogant young basketball hotshots. I want to say a word for the soundtrack, too, the music. Lovely themes, well done and well integrated. This film and the original are good jobs all around and leave one (at least me) with a warm glow. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Mia Culpa
In Wonderland? This is the story of a mid-life crisis Mia Farrow, who, as Alice, the wife of a rich designer, played by William Hurt, has given up her own career and spiritual impulses a long time ago.

She now devotes herself to the frenetic passivity of her glamorous but rather humdrum Park Avenue existence - a wonderland of health fads, plastic surgery, extramarital affairs, gossip, with over-expenditure on everything from cuddly toys to personal masseuses and physical fitness trainers.

Alice soon meets the mysterious Dr Yan, and is therby introduced to a yet another wonderland of magic drugs that enable her, by turns, to don the cloak of invisibility, summon up ghosts from the past, make anyone fall in love with her, and generally see through the lies and hypocrisy of her life.

Despite these rich ingredients, the central theme of the movie owes more to the dourness of Ibsen's "A Doll's House" than to the unrestrained fantasy of Lewis Carroll's work. Allen's Alice is in fact Nora, a faithful wife and, with the help of maids, and, with the help of babysitters, a devoted mother. Beneath the surface, however, she feels stifled and deeply unhappy.

Having examined her life with the help of Dr Yan, the catalyst to changing it is Joe, a sleazy, divorced sax player, who enflames her passions, triggers off her catholic guilt feelings, and has her frantically trying to find out what her life meant, means, and will mean. She rushes around seeking answers, discovering her husband with another woman, and finding out, after a short affair, that Joe still loves his ex-wife.

All this is very entertaining, but what follows is a disappointment.

Alice decides to leave her husband, go off to Calcutta, meet Mother Teresa, and basically turn over a whole new leaf, wiping the slate clean, and living the complete antithesis to her former life by devoting herself to the poor and turning her back on all her old comforts.

This is no doubt supposed to be a warm-hearted ending with Alice "finding herself as a woman and an individual" and acting out a few other cosy, well-worn cliches that have crawled off the couches of New York analysts.

But just as her former life was perhaps too shallow, material, and hypocritical, her new life is too profound, spiritual, and sincere. There is a coldness in the emotional amnesia with which she excludes her husband from her new life, and a fleshlessness in the spirituality with which she turns her back on all men...

The character of Joe shows a more welcome attitude to life, an attitude that embraces life with all its contradictions, obligations, nostalgias, and emotion.

If there is any emotional centre to this film, it is not to be found in the main character.

Woody Allen Does "Magic Realism"
This movie was made in the 1989-1990 period. Woody Allen was already an experienced film director and actor. Stas Mia Farrow in the title role of Alice, and Joe Montegna as the lover. Woody Allen does not appear in this film as he is only a director but there is a load of cameos from stars such as Cybil Shepherd and Bernadette Peters in the comedic role of the Muse. Woody Allen's intellectual/philosophical, life affirming comedies have always been effective and successful- Annie Hall, Zellig, A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, Hannah and Her Sisters, etc. Alice is a modern day and more adult version of "Alice In Wonderland" where it gets its name. Alice is a seemingly happy, married woman living in Manhattan, New York City. The illusion of happiness soon wears off as she discovers her husband, a stockbrocker, played by William Hurt, is cheating on her. Soon enough, she is cheating on him with Joe Montegna's character, a saxophone jazz musician.

The reality of this film, which lies in the complicated adult affairs, including marital infidelity, and the urban scenes of New York City, are contrasted but mingled effectively with the "magic" that is dominant in the film. Alice is consulting a spiritual Oriental doctor who gives her all sorts of herbs and potions, including one which renders her invisable. The scene in which she and Joe Montegna are invisible in the women's clothes store is hilarious. Joe Montegna sneaks into a fitting room to spy on a model dressing. "There's a lot of heavy breathing coming from in here" says the model. Meanwhile Alice overhears her friends talking about her behind her back. Ultimately, Alice must make a choice. She has the cure for her problem. A love potion. But will she select her husband or her lover ? Her decision is unexpected and maybe even a bit off-putting to some viewers who would have preferred she remain in the realm of humans and romantic affairs and materialism. The movie had been going this way until the decision which is to reject worldliness and Mia Farrow is inspired by the humanitarian and noble work of Mother Teresa. I feel that it's at least true to Mia Farrow's real life nature. She is notorious for adopting many foreign children from war-torn and poverty stricken countries. This movie is still very good and I really enjoyed it. The witty script by Woody Allen and his position as director and Mia Farrow's husband is also very effectiive. It's a great film by a master of comedy that makes you think. If only this movie was available on DVD here.

Penguin House
Alice is a compendium of missed opportunities. Woody conjures up all sorts of angles worth exploring then drops them.

The movie is worth seeing for the stunningly crisp cinematography, odd use of color (especially in Farrow and Hurt's bizarre apartment) and unerringly apt musical choices. Woody's deep feeling for jazz is the unbilled star here, and when a lush string orchestra with muted trumpet strikes up a silvery and sensitive chorus of "I Remember You" just before Alice awakes to a visitation from her long-dead lover (Baldwin) you get a palpable sense of the heroine's pent-up longings.

Joe Mantegna is terrific. He uses those sleepy, heavy-lidded eyes of his to superb effect; those eyes tell us more than Woody's sketchy script ever will.

The film's most electrifying sequence brings the great, underutilized actress Gwen Verdon out of the shadows to play Alice's boozy mom. We've seen this boozy mom archetype in Allen films before: Maureen O'Sullivan in Hannah, Elaine Stritch in September. But none of them brought the FIRE that seethes from Verdon. Verdon conveys such waste and degradation that I felt as if I were witness to something horribly private. And there lies the movie's greatest sin: we just get this one scene and no more. What happened? Was the loaded gun triangle of Farrow, Verdon and "the accomplished sister" Blythe Danner to hot for Woody to handle???

I didn't mind the whimsy of Alice. But there was a meatier, darker story here waiting to be told, and Allen backs away from telling it. Still, given how bad, coarse, loud, vulgar and passionless nearly all of Allen's post-Mia films have been, Alice looks more and more like a gift as time goes by.

Dreamlike
Alice starts harmlessly enough as we meet her, a dissatisfied NY housewife married to a wealthy banker. The fun starts when she goes to a Chinese doctor (played by a brilliant actor, whose name I cannot remember) and he gives her various remedies to her problems. This kind of plot could easily fall into caricature and cliche but miraculously doesn't. The cast play their parts subtly and honestly, and support the movie's delicate frame. Mia is enchanting as Alice (and I don't usually feel this way about her). This quiet film is one that stays with me. Each time I see it, I enjoy it more.

A must see
A great rainy day movie. It is a rare gem of a movie.Great story. Enough said,get it watch it and tell your friends. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I liked this version better
I liked this version better than the 1960s version. I thought it followed the book more closely. I teach Criminal Justice at Dodge City Community College, which is not far from Holcolm. I make my students read the book. Most complain that compared to recent crimes, this one seems somewhat tame. i have to remind them this happened in the late 1950s and was very shocking to the small town. I liked the cast really well. i don't think any movie will ever be better than the book, however, I did really like this movie, and plan to buy it.

Bad "Blood"? No, just mediocre!
I recall hearing that this television remake of "In Cold Blood" was actually truer to the source than the '67 film had been. That would be the one advantage a miniseries could possibly have over the stark theatrical original. As with the television version of "The Shining," faithfulness to the original text is one possible advantage of a 3-plus hour version, perhaps THE one possible advantage.

But having just re-read the book and viewing this version almost immediately thereafter, I can tell you that it does take considerable libterties with the text. It compresses two secondary characters into one (Myrt and Bess), which detracts from one of the book's considerable virtues--its astute portrait of small town life. Its psychological portrait of the killers is a little clumsy as well. The book's fascinating revelation of Perry Smith's recurring fantasy of being rescued by an enormous parrot-like bird is hinted at, briefly, during the course of a awkwardly portrayed seizure he experiences in a restaurant. It's heavy handed at best and, since the matter is dropped afterwards, is no doubt meaningless to anyone who hadn't already read the book.

On the other hand, the cast is good. Anthony Edwards certainly must have relished playing a bad guy for a change, and Eric Roberts and Sam Neill are always worth watching (although, as others have noted, Roberts is not really physically right for his role as the diminutive Smith). But they and the rest of the capable cast are dealing with a pretty mediocre screenplay. Cinematographically, however, the film is quite well done, and director Jonathan Kaplan, who assisted Jodie Foster in getting her first Oscar, does well by his cast here.

It's been a long time since I've seen the original screen version of the film, but I recall that that film was extremely powerful. It's hard to imagine any remake doing it justice. That this one comes off OK speaks well for the director, cinematographer and cast. But it also seems to have blown its opportunity to make a more expansive statement than its predecessor. That's a shame.

Everything else aside
This movie was very powerful, especialy the emotions shared by the family as they were killed and their friends as they moarned for them. Margot Finley who plays Nancy stood out the most to me. I found the charicter very real, kind, generus, and ultimitly ill-fated. The relationships in this movie are also very profound. Mr. and Mrs. Clutter, Dick and Perry. Sam Neill as Dewey. Kenyon, Nancy and her father. And also Ryan Reynolds and Margot Finley who play Bobby and Nancy. I thought this movie was very good and I highly recomande it.

I liked this version better.
I saw this movie on T.V. and bought the video. I am sure that some of the movie is not on the tape. One part left out was when the man working for the Clutter family cleans out and burns some of the bloody mattresses, a teddy bear, etc. I do like the fact that the teenagers in this movie look the ages of who they are portraying. The earlier version has Nancy(16) and Kenyon Clutter(14) looking like they are at least twenty. This new version shows us the family a lot more. It is good to know that these men were hanged for this horrible crime. I don't think either of the two versions portray the killers as they actually were. What kind of person shoots a fourteen year old boy in the face? A good guy who didn't want to kill anybody until his friend pushed him into it? I feel that killers are mean and hide this dark side of themselves.The Clutter family probably saw a side of the killers Truman Capote could never 'find' and Eric Roberts couldn't imagine. The acting is good in this movie, though.

doesn't compare
See the original theatrical version, rather than this made-for-TV version. The original was as close to an accurate adaptation of a great novel to a movie as I've seen. The actors were so like the characters in the book, it's amazing. In this version, while I think Eric Roberts is a great actor (and the fact that his sister Julia became the bigger star is mind-boggling), he is miscast in this. The real Perry Smith, whom Roberts is playing, was very short...and that was part of what made him such a pathetic character. Roberts is almost a white Michael Jordan! It's a weak movie compared to the novel and the first movie. If you've neither seen nor read the other versions, maybe you'll like this. But even so, why see this, when you can choose the others? ... Read more

Reviews (21)

"Men should be explorers, no matter how old they are."
In 1985, the well-known actor/director Ron Howard directed the charming and endearing sci-fi film "Cocoon". Set along the Florida coast, a group of aliens that have taken human form return to Earth to retrieve shipmates that they were forced to leave behind in suspended animation thousands of years ago. They hire a boat owned by Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg), who believes that his employers are nothing more than a group of divers and is very attracted to one of them who is named Kitty (Tahnee Welch). The alien in charge goes by the name of Walter (Brian Dennehy). After retrieving some very large objects from the ocean depths, the aliens take the objects to an indoor swimming pool within a large beach house that they have rented. Next door to the beach house is a retirement home. The aliens' activities as well as the desire to swim within the pool tempts several of the retirement home's eldery residents to sneak into the private beach house. These residents, which include Arthur Selwyn (Don Ameche, 1908-1993), Benjamin Luckett (Wilford Brimley) and Joseph Finley (Hume Cronyn, 1911-2003), start to feel invigorated after taking a swim in the pool; so they invite their wives to join them: Marilyn Luckett (Maureen Stapleton), Alma Finley (Jessica Tandy, 1909-1994) and Bess McCarthy (Gwen Verdon, 1925-2000). As their health and strength continue to improve, the six try to keep their illicit swimming pool activies a secret, but are not entirely successful. Further, not everyone offered restored youth approves.

With its brilliant story, acting and directing, "Cocoon" won Don Ameche an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and the film itself won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Other memorable characters in the film include Bernard Lefkowitz (Jack Gilford, 1908-1990), his wife Rosie Lefkowitz (Herta Ware), Benjamin & Marilyn's grandson David (Barret Oliver) and Susan (Linda Harrison, who played the character Nova in the 1968 "Planet of the Apes"). Memorable scenes include the swimming pool scenes, Jack and Kitty, the six residents doing various activities that they otherwise couldn't do, no longer a secret, and the closing scenes. Overall, I rate "Cocoon" with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.

A moving, funny, and original sci-fi/fantasy/drama.
This is one of the few movies I've seen that has really made me cry. Director Ron Howard scores it big with this wonderful movie, and the plot is verrrrry original; three old men who live at a retirement center sneak over to a close-by deserted house every day to take a swim in the swimming pool. But a group of aliens disguised as humans come down to earth to save some of their comrades that they left there thousands of years ago, who are now sealed in large rock-like cocoons beneath the ocean, and take them home. And when they put the cocoons in the swimming pool to keep them alive and the old men go for a swim, they come out feeling like a million bucks! This would be a perfect family film if it wasn't so sexual and vulgar at times (hence the PG-13 rating). But for nine years and up, this is a sure treat. Don Ameche does a wonderful job as one of the old men, and Steve Guttenberg is downright funny as the guy who owns the boat the aliens use, and has a love affair with one of the aliens, as well. It has good lessons on friendship and love, and is a tear-jerker at times. A VERY GOOD movie!

Forever Young
For most of Ron Howard's career as a director, a majority of his work lands in the "feel good" cinema category. It is only recently, that Howard has been tackling darker subjects. One of the best films, from his early in his filmograghy, is 1985's Cocoon. This lighthearted fantasy proved that getting older can be a good thing.

When a group of aliens comes to Earth, on a secret mission, their strange behavior as humans, causes a group of senior citizens to become curious. As it turns out, the alens have special powers that cause the retirees to feel rejuvinated and stops the aging process.

The cast is what makes the story work. Don Ameche, who won an Oscar for his role here as Arthur Selwyn, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, his real life wife, Jessica Tandy, Brian Dennehy as the alien leader Walter, Gwen Verdon, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton, and Herta Ware, all make the sci-fi elements, that much more compelling. Heck, even Steve Guttenberg playing boat skipper Jack Bonner, who helps the aliens with their mission, gives a solid performance here. The film uses special effects sparingly to enhance the story. Sure, things can get a bit schmaltzy at times, but thanks to Howard's recipe it never goes overboard. Cocoon has something for all age groups to enjoy.

The extras on the DVD are pretty good. The audio commentary with Howard offers some nice gems about what it was like to work with a cast brimming with some true stars of Hollywood's golden age. The behind-the-scenes featurette and the underwater training footage was originally part of the publicity for the film's release. We also get a look at how the special effects were created, profiles of Ron Howard and the cast, the theatrical trailer, TV spots, and a still gallery. Viewers can watch the movie, in either the full screen, or widescreen anamorphic format.

Cocoon is timeless. And given the youth obsessed culture in which we live, it's a nice change of pace, that's worth a peek on DVD.

Great Movie, Great Soundtrack
I can't add anything to the other reviews, except to say this movie has an EXCELLENT soundtrack by James Horner. The fantastic music definately adds to the movie's excitement and emotion. In fact, it's so good I'd also recommend buying the soundtrack CD.

Who wants to live forever?
This is a charming comedy based in the science fiction the addresses the issue of immortality, everlasting love, and the price paid for either. It was a movie the could potentially move the easy criers to tears, and will make anyone watching it laugh. The cast is great and Ron Howard has outdone himself. Truly enjoyable. ... Read more