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Director Francis Coppola's adaptation of the popular S.E. Hinton novel about the price of rebellious youth is notable chiefly for the stunning cast of young actors who went on to rich and varied careers. In supporting roles, the film features the likes of Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Diane Lane, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, and Tom Waits, among others. The story centers on two rival gangs in the early 1960s Midwest, and the violent turf wars that escalate and tragically claim young lives. C. Thomas Howell plays the central character who yearns to prove himself and be accepted by his older brothers' gang, while at the same time finding his first love and dreaming of a life beyond his dead end existence. Geared toward the teenage crowd, the film nonetheless features some fine direction from Coppola in a story that evokes memories of the classic coming-of-age films of the 1950s. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (190)

The Outsiders
When I was in high school, I had the pleasure of reading a fantastic novel named, "The Outsiders." The author, Susan Eloise Hinton, only 15 years old, wrote her rendition of the conflicts between high society and the lower class citizen. Her novel was so well written that you couldn't stop reading it. Recently, I discovered the movie version of the novel and just had to view it. Francis Ford Coppola, who's known for directing the films, "Apocalypse Now" and the first two "Godfather's" directed the film version of, "The Outsiders." Although no awards were won for the movie, the cast was full of the top stars that we see today, which includes, C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estves, Tom Cruise and Diane Lane. With a cast this good how could you go wrong?
The story takes place in the early 1960's in Tulsa, Oklahoma where we see the classic rivalry between the rich, whom are call, "socs" (short for socials) and lower class citizen who were called "greasers" building tension toward each other until the final climax of the big rumble. The main themes of the story, are the struggles between two conflicting groups trying to bridge the gap between rich and poorer, honor among the lawless and treacherousness of male-female interaction through the narration of the main character "Ponyboy".
Although I felt the movie was incredible I believe the music soundtrack needed a little help. This action pact drama is rated PG for violence but, I believe that any age group, accompanied by an adult, would love to see and understand how society sometime manipulates individual outcomes. When you get right down to it, the movie, with its great story line and cast, causes you to laugh, cry and get wrapped up in all the conflicting moments. Any movie that can take you from the couch and place you and the middle of the drama deserves a high rating. That's why I recommend this movie to anyone and give it *****5 stars.

The Outsiders
The Outsiders is about some rival gangs, the greasers, and the Socs(short for social). Ponyboy wants to fit in, in his brothers gang. Ponyboy lives with his brothers after his parents are killed in a car wreck. The greasers never had much trouble fighting the Socs, until one night a Soc takes thing to far. Ponyboys friend is forced to killed him in self-defense. Their friend Dallas helps them hide out in the country in an old abandonded church. They are hiding from the town that doesn't want them around, until they are caught by the police. The actors who are in the movie are GREAT! most of them got their start in The Outsiders, like Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, and Tom Cruise. The movie teaches young people to not judge others before getting to know them. If you enjoy the movie, you will love the book by S.E. Hinton.

The Outsiders is the #1 Movie
Hey I watched the movie and read the book this year in gr.8 and I have seen the movie like 5 times and read the book like 4 times it's the best movie ever!! all the cast are so0o0 great and talented and I will watch this movie over and over again
From The BIGGEST Outsider Fan
GEL

Just as GREAT as the Book!!!
One of the best adaptations of a book I have ever seen. This movie brings everyone to life from the book. For me, this movie is a classic!!! This movie takes place in Tulsa,OK in 1966. All of the characters fit the description in the book for me. They all look like the typical greasers. I bought this movie without even seeing it and I was tremendously blown away. This is a great movie for the whole family to enjoy.

Outstanding
I had to read the book for a project in school this year as an 8th grader. It was outstanding. It was the last week of school and my class had finished our finals and we wanted to watch the movie, so my teacher went to our school library and got it for us. The movie follows the book pretty well but some parts were left out.

This book shows how lucky some people are compaired to others and makes a great point. It is like a less dramatic version of the movie "Elephant" which shows what people are going through. I am going to head down to my towns public library to borrow it and watch it again becuase it is one of the movies that you can just watch over and over again and still love it becuase it makes a great point and was directed really well.

I would recomend this movie to anyone who has not read it. I would read the book first becuase there are some parts that are left out in the movie that were pretty good.

~Doug Mellon
Kennebunk, Maine USA ... Read more

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The second of Francis Ford Coppola's films based on the popular juvenile novels of S.E. Hinton (the first being The Outsiders), Rumble Fish split critics into opposite camps: those who admired the film for its heavily stylized indulgence, and those who hated it for the very same reason. Whatever the response, it's clearly the work of a maverick director who isn't afraid to push the limits of his innovative talent. Filmed almost entirely in black and white with an occasional dash of color for symbolic effect, this tale of alienated youth centers on gang leader Rusty James (Matt Dillon) and his band of punk pals. Rusty's got a girlfriend (Diane Lane), an older brother named Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), and a drunken father (Dennis Hopper) who've all given up trying to straighten him out. He's best at making trouble, and he pursues that skill with an enthusiastic flair that eventually catches up with him. But it's not the whacked-out story here that matters--it's the uninhibited verve of Coppola's visual approach, which includes everything from time-lapse clouds to the kind of smoky streets and alleyways that could only exist in the movies. The supporting cast includes a host of fresh faces who went on to thriving careers, including Nicolas Cage, Christopher Penn, Vincent Spano, Laurence Fishburne, and musician Tom Waits. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Chemistry and Vision
What makes a five star film? How about a cast starring Matt Dillon, Mikey Rourke, Dennis Hopper (and a cameo appearance by Tom Waits!), a soundtrack by Stewart Copeland (with a bit of Stan Rigeway!), a story by S.E. Hinton, and directed by Fracis Ford Coppola. This film is magic. It is modern impressionism shot in a timeless realm- a blackboard sky. Its more than rouge street kid getting into rumbles, its a story of fish that need to be set free, so they can swim to the ocean where there are no dividing lines. When this movie first came out in the early eighties, it got negative reviews and a cold public welcoming. As you can see here -an almost five star consensus- it was very ahead of its time. This movie probably hit the establishment like a bomb, which at the time was very conservative. All that aside, this is an extraordinary film- a true art piece of the silver screen- livid, bullish, and moving.

Ready To Rumble
Following his acclaimed adaptation of S.E Hinton's book, The Ousiders, director Francis Ford Coppola decided to make another of the author's books into a film. Rumble Fish is another comming of age story. Coppola wanted to stretch his creative juices, and wanted to distinguish it from The Outsiders, so he made a rather bold move by shooting most of it in black and white. This was a risky move, considering that its target audience is the teenager, and typically they avoid colorless films.

Rumble Fish tells the story of Rusty James (Matt Dillon), a gang member, who's being pulled in many directions by the people in his life. His brother, "Motorcycle Boy" (Mickey Roarke), his alcoholic Dad (Dennis Hopper), and his girlfriend Patty (Diane Lane), all want Rusty to straighten out his life. He soon finds himself with some difficult choices to make.

The cast is quite solid. Of particular interest to watch is the interplay between Dillon and Roarke and Dillon and Lane. Roarke plays the older brother with authority and range that the actor isn't exactly known for of late. Lane maintains the give and take with Dillon that began in The Outsiders. Dillon, plays a man who struggles with influences all around him, while trying to make the right choice. The use of minimal color works and serves to highlight the cinematograpy and contrasts the action well.

I can't explain why the movie isn't as remembered as it should be. But... As good as I believe the film is, the minimal extras on the DVD, are disappointing Production notes and the theatrical trailer is all you get. I wish there were more of a perspective on the film. Rumble Fish is stiil recommended just the same.

One of Francis Ford Coppola's finest!
Despite the less than admirable response this movie received when it was introduced to the American public, it is my opinion that this movie is highly underrated. The black-and-white film, time-lapse motion photography, and the recurring motif of clouds and smoke all contribute to the visual beauty of this movie. Based on the book by S.E. Hinton, the movie draws the viewer into a trance-like surrealism. Mickey Rourke's portrayal as the mystical, aloof Motorcycle Boy was excellent. This is the ultimate "coming-of-age" movie. Highly recommended!

"He's like royalty in exile..."
Francis Ford Coppola's Rumble Fish was booed by its audience when it debuted at the New York Film Festival and in turn was viciously crucified by North American critics upon general release. They resisted the allure of such a dreamy, atmospheric film that works on so many levels. It is also Coppola's most personal and experimental project--on par with the likes of Apocalypse Now. Rumble Fish curiously remains one of Coppola's often overlooked films. This may be due to the fact that it refuses to conform to mainstream tastes and stubbornly challenges the Hollywood system with its moody black and white cinematography and non-narrative approach.

Rumble Fish curiously remains one of Coppola's often overlooked films. It refuses to conform to mainstream tastes and stubbornly challenges the Hollywood system with its moody black and white cinematography and non-narrative approach.

It was a movie clearly ahead of its time: a stylish masterpiece that is obsessed with the notion of time, loyalty, and family. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Coppola's film is that it presents a world that refers to the past, present, and future while remaining timeless in nature.

Right from the first image, Rumble Fish is a film that exudes style and ambience. It opens on a beautiful shot of wispy clouds rushing overhead, captured via time lapse photography to the experimental, percussive soundtrack that envelopes the whole film. This creates the feeling of not only time running out, but also a sense of timelessness.

As always, Coppola assembled an impressive ensemble cast for his film. From The Outsiders, he kept Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Glenn Withrow, William Smith and Tom Waits, while casting actors like Mickey Rourke and Vincent Spano, who were overlooked for roles in the film for one reason or another. They all fill out their roles admirably, but Mickey Rourke in particular is mesmerizing as the Motorcycle Boy. He portrays the character as a calm, low key figure that seems to be constantly distracted as if he is in another world or reality.

Every scene is filled with dreamy imagery that never gets too abstract but, instead, draws the viewer into this strange world. Coppola uses colour to emphasize certain images, like the Siamese fighting fish in the pet store--some of the only colour in the film--to create additional layers in this complex, detailed world.

Overblown, top-heavy pomposity-- but interesting.
Coppola obviously is setting out to make the mythical American teen picture, set in the midwest, a modern gothic Rebel Without a Cause replete with Dennis Hopper as the drunken paterfamilias. The story in this film is very very weak. Essentially, it is a slave to the visual poetry of Coppola, which is at times breathtaking, but at others, painfully "innovative" Same thing can be said about Stewart Copeland's score, at times it's a bizarre reflection of the angst of youth, but mostly it's just from left field and an unsuccessful experiment. Matt Dillon's acting is atrocious. Very little to no character development with the supporting characters. A thoroughly disappointing film, but given its unique qualities, has to be appreciated. Just like Coppola himself! ... Read more

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Missionaries travel to the Brazilian rain forest and make a mess of everything. What else is new? Actually, plenty in this dark but beautifully realized adaptation of Peter Matthiessen's well-regarded novel, directed by Hector Babenco. Aidan Quinn, Daryl Hannah, Kathy Bates, and John Lithgow play the Americans who travel to the Brazilian interior in an effort to do some good. But their definitions of good vary wildly; Bates and Lithgow are old-fashioned puritans who want to convert the heathens to Christianity and remove all traces of their own culture. Quinn and Hannah are more spiritually minded, hoping to make a connection and a cultural exchange with the Indians they encounter. In the end, they're all delusional, trapped in their own preconceptions. Downbeat but magical in its way, with sterling performances all around and amazing scenery, to say the least. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Finally!! A Movie For Adults!!
I have probably watched this movie 10 times and each time I see something I missed before. In this age of comic-book character drek movies,here's a story with characters and plot that makes you think. A movie for ADULTS!

The story concerns a group of missionaries en route to the jungle to ram their religion down the throats of the poor indians (Lithgow, Hanna, Quinn and Bates). Tom Berenger is an American half Indian who is hired to bomb the people he discovers is of his own race. He decides instead to parachute himself into the tribe, thereby being considered their God.

From here everything goes downhill. Bates and Quinn's son dies of a fever, Bates goes mad; Berenger's character has a sexual fling with Hanna who is unknown to everyone, carrying a virus
which would not kill anyone in a first world, but is catastrophic to the Indians when Berenger returns to infect everyone.

The aerial photography at the beginning was some of the most beautiful you'll ever see in any movie. The South American topography looks like the Grand Canyon, only covered in green, green, GREEN!! The characters are very fleshed out and deep. This is a movie that leaves you wondering what happened to them after the movie ends. Too bad garbage like "X-men", "Spiderman, "Incredible Hulk", ad nauseum get all the big box office. I'm sorry this one did not do well either. But, then, considering the mentality of humanity these days, I'm not surprised.

Berenger and Quinn make this film worth viewing
Ofcourse, Tom Berenger and Aidan Quinn have the only two fully developed characters in this script and they both did a tremendous job. Darryl Hannah's performance was also good, but would have been better had her character been explored more deeply. I was not impressed with the performances of Bates and Lithgow, however, despite being a fan of their other work. There were moments when I laughed because the acting was so over the top.
What is so sad about this film overall is that it really could have been great. It's a great story that needs to be told, but even the best actors can only do so much with a poor script.
I've read comments from others about the nudity being an issue in the film. That's just ridiculous and I had to comment on it because when I finally viewed the film, I didn't even notice the nudity. Naked body? We've all got one under our clothes. Get over it.
Two of the three stars are for Berenger and Quinn for doing such a great job. Without those two performances, this is a one star film.

Good.
'At Play in the Fields of the Lord' is a excellent movie about a failed attempt to "civilize" a group of native americans living in the Amazon. Check it out.

Fantastic missionary movie
At Play in the Fields of the Lord is a movie to have in your personal collection. It has stayed in my memory since my first viewing many years ago, and remains to date one of the best missionary movies ever made. Based on the book by the same name by Peter Mathiessen, author of In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, the film masterfully weaves the clash between Native peoples and the well meaning Christians who aim to convert them. Featuring stunning scenery, filmed entirely on location in Amazonia, and with an all-star cast, I can't recommend it highly enough. I also recommend Black Robe if you enjoy this movie.

Culture clash...
Here's a big book reduced to a three-hour film. I don't have a problem with that. The parts left out could make a whole 'nother film. The resulting film is quite profound and fascinating; Babenco got a big budget after his success with "Kiss of the Spider Woman", and made an epic which is unusually intimate. I appreciated the acting, all of it. Kathy Bates in particular was solid in her relatively small role, and one of these days Daryl Hannah will be taken seriously. Berenger and Quinn have the moxy to carry this film well. The photography is exquisite, especially some of the aerial shots, but also crystal clear close-ups that show every bead of sweat, etc. Stunning! I've read most of the other reviews before making my comments. This film had me from the beginning, and I'm sorry for those who didn't "get it". Films about trying to change the beliefs of natives are interesting (and upsettingly frustrating) for me. Another riveting film (for me) was 1966's "Hawaii", based on Michener, which told a similar story. "Windwalker"? "Roots"? The religious thing, to me, is merely a matter of interpretation. Who's to say that these natives aren't praying to the same God? Idols? Well, the Christian churches have plenty of their own, patron saints to various things; St. Christopher medals, cricifixes... Those movies about Columbus, or the Pilgrims, also told of similar situations. Imagine the confusion of those innocent people, who only died of age until the "Christians" came along. Nudity? Who cares. It's what they did. How dare I criticize another's culture, when my own is so screwed up. Babenco used authentic Amazonians, and I applaud him for it. This film pretty much put the kabosh on Babenco's legitimacy in Hollywood; alas, the film was a failure. I eagerly await the emergence of a DVD version of this film, as well as "Hawaii". A wide letterbox could show off some breath-taking panoramas and brilliant photography. Sorry if you don't like my opinions. I'm still an American and believe in the First Amendment; I'm also a Christian who is never ashamed, often embarrassed. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

This could be the most depressing movie ever made!
This could be the most depressing movie ever made! Don't watch it with a loaded gun in your hand.

Hard to sit through
Jack Nicholson normally plays roles of blistering intensity, but in 'Ironweed', he plays an aging, burned out bum. Nothing wrong with that, but Nicholson didn't seem right for it. Maybe DeNiro would have been more convincing. Nonetheless, the story is about a bum who keeps having flashbacks of his younger days when he was fighting working man. Apparently he accidently killed three people in his lifetime. All the killings were show in chronological order as 'Ironweed' progressed. I wasn't able to see the last killing because I couldn't finish the film. Only for die-hard Nicholson and Streep fans.

Breathtakingly sad & beautiful
Where do you start with a movie like this? The cinematography & art direction are stunning. Every single shot, every frame, is a Hopperesque masterpiece: colors, lighting, composition. It grabs you way way deep inside. The writing is of a rare pureness: concentrated & intense & head-spining. The excellent writer William Kennedy wrote the screenplay from his Pulitzer prize-winning masterpiece of a novel. You can't get better than that. And then the acting. What acting! Where to start? Tom Waits who sings even when he acts. Jack Nicholson always reaching - out & deep inside - tremendous! Never better. And the exquisitely divine (sorry, can't help it) Meryl Streep: beautiful, heartwrenching, pathetic, laughable, lovable & real. The part of a lifetime, no not just a lifetime, the part of an entire movie-making era. Lastly the direction by the masterful Hector Babenco. Thank you Snr. Babenco. You belong in the pantheon with Von Stroheim, Renoir, Fellini. Thank you. So why has this film fallen into the void of video oblivion? I guess because it's an honest no melodramatics or histrionics depiction of bums - real people who represent the alternative lives that all of us could be leading but would really prefer never be reminded of.

To Comfort The Dead
In highschool I came across a poem called The Projectionist's Nightmare, I don't recall the name of the poet but the poem's message is still very much with me. It described a wayward bird inside a movie theatre, where an audience was watching two poeple "being nice to each other". The bird crashes into the screen, its blood slithering onto the image, the spell is broken, the fantasy dispelled and the audience screams. Hector Babenco had already made this poem in substance in 1985s Kiss Of A Spider Woman where his lead character, a prisoner, escaped his miserable surroundings through memories and fantasies of a propaganda film. Two years later Bebanco would make Ironweed, and his lead character Frances Phelan (Jack Nicholson) is well past the dreaming stage, the only fantasies he has are of ghosts from his past.

Ironweed is a film many people would find slow. Nothing much happens and the characters don't change. The stark grim atmosphere and the dead end conditions unrelenting. There is no hope in the story of Frances Phelan. He has abandoned his family 22 years ago after dropping his 13 year old baby to its death. The film starts with him visiting his dead baby's grave for the first time, and then follows him around as he joins his companion Helen Archer (Meryl Streep) and his friend of sorts Rudy (Tom Waits). All three of them are alcoholics, and we watch as they wade through the alleys of Albany 1938 looking for a place to sleep . They get robbed, they see a homeless prostitute from Alaska die of cold and they get into fights. But there is no emotional release in their anger or in their better moments. You'd expect there to be emancipated joy when Streep sings in a bar in front of a full house, or rage when a bunch of kids rob them of all their money. But Streep is quickly back to her depression, and Nicholson shrugs off the robbery. All the characters in Ironweed are infact dead, they live off their memories, do what they have to do to stay alive as they await their physical death. Meanwhile there are quietly affecting scenes of closure as Nicholson visits his abandoned family and Streep remember her "musical days". Nicholson's and Streep's Oscar nominated performance are among their best.

Babenco holds his camera on his characters for a long time, as if waiting for them to crack. They never do because Ironweed is not angry, it doesn't have an agenda, it is just mournful. As I watched it for the first time tonight I became aware that the episodic cyclic nature of the film develops in the end to a complete whole. When the end credits roll you feel like you were standing too close to a painting, and now for the first time you are far enough to see it for the sad beautiful image it is. The famed author John Fowles said that we are all poets but few of us can write it. From the rhetorical dialogue of these hobos, the ugly poverty they endure, the dark allyways they inhabit and the ghosts that haunt them, Ironweed emerges as a sad and deeply affecting poem.

By far, this is Jack Nicholson's best performace
This film never received the attention it deserved. Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep both have fine performances, but Nicholson's stands out as he demonstrates a range of emotion and pathos not seen in his other work. The cinemaphotography and lighting as he drifts from the dreary reality of life on the streets to his inner world of neurotic fears, joys, and memories is fantastic. You will not forget this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Coffee, cigarettes and verbal sparring
Coffee and Cigarettes is not a movie that everyone will like, but fans of Jim Jarmusch may appreciate it as much as I did. This is not a conventional movie, but a series of short conversations between well known people over coffee, mostly in improbably seedy places. The dialogue reminded me a lot of Jarmusch's first film, Stranger Than Paradise; there is an existentialist absurdity to many of the encounters. There is also a fair amount of tension. Most of the conversations are between two people who don't like each other very much, or who are at least are engaged in some kind of power struggle or game of one-upmanship.

Among those that stood out to me --Two English actors, Steve Coogan and Alfred Molina conduct a clever spoof on celebrity egotism. Molina tells Coogan that they may be cousins; Coogan is arrogant and indifferent until he finds out that Molina has Hollywood connections, and then the tables are turned. Tom Waits and Iggy Pop barely conceal their competitive feelings as they verbally spar over trivial topics like quitting cigarettes (both smoke, but claim to have quit). Steve Buscemi, a ubiquitous presence in independent films, is a waiter in a Tennessee diner who imposes himself on a pair of twins ( Joie and Cinqué Lee) and espouses his theory that Elvis was impersonated by an unknown twin brother. Cate Blanchett has a dual role as a celebrity and her resentful cousin. This one really highlights what I liked about the whole movie. You could easily read it either way --seeing Blanchett (the glamorous star) trying her best to be supportive while dealing with an envious relative, OR as a suave celebrity who has mastered the art of polite condescension. The line between the two interpretations is paper thin.

I appreciated the atmosphere of these scenes as much as the dialogue. Shot in black and white, they evoke a kind of noirish simplicity from older films, although the dialogue itself is very postmodern. I found all of the scenes entertaining; the lack of a plot beyond the talk, if anything, added to the charm. It is refreshing to see a film that stands on the actors' performances. Since dialogue is so central here, every word, gesture and nuance becomes filled with meaning. There are no special effects, car chases, shoot-outs or sex scenes to distract us. I can imagine someone criticizing this as being almost an exercise for the actors rather than an actual film, but I found it totally captivating. In fact, contemporary directors and screenwriters would do well to study this as a class in subtle and intelligent dialogue, something many of them could use. I highly recommend this to fans of Jarmusch or anyone who has an ear for offbeat conversation.

Check, please!
I read about this film in the lobby of my neigborhood indy movie house, and thought, "Well! That sounds like it could be very interesting!" A series of vignettes all centering on people meeting over coffee and cigarettes. Names you must know, like Cate Blanchett, Alfred Molina, Bill Murray, et al. Concept, yes. Execution, no.

Despite there being so many different actors, almost every vignette was basically the same--one person is trying awfully hard to please or make a good impression on the other, who isn't having it. And, the object of desire is never worth it, either.

The exceptions: Two old Italian guys in a diner somewhere, cursing up a storm at each other. This was very New York and very real; there must be about 1000 longshoremen here just like that. Taylor Meade and another old guy wind up the film as two friends on a coffee break hearing a tune in Taylor's mind. Clever and artful.

But all the rest--even the much lauded Cate as two cousins--were just TOO irritating, I suppose because my own Personal Motto is "Don't cast your pearls before swine." The idea of trying so hard to get a hostile person to like you is anathema to me, sorry, and this whole movie turns on that. The odd thing is that it seems the filmmaker is on the side of the "hip" unpleasant people, so I guess I won't be meeting him for coffee and a biscotti (I don't smoke) any time soon. Misanthropic without a filter.

Would you like coffee with your cigarettes?
I just saw the latest Jim Jarmusch film "Coffee and Cigarettes" today. I was intrigued bythe film when I first saw the trailer for it when I saw "Dogville" a couple of months ago. I thought it looked very interesting. The film centers around the notion of smoking cigarettes while drinking a cup of coffee. In the film there are a slew of celebrities including Steve Buscemi, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Wu Tang Clan's Rza and Gza, and Alfred Molina. The film is shot in entirety in black and white so it has this grainy feel to the film which really worked out for the best. I couldn't imagine seeing this film in color. There are approximately a dozen vignettes (or close to a dozen) with two or three different celebrities discussing the finer points of smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee or just having a pointless conversation. Steve Buscemi was quite funny as this annoying waiter in a Memphis diner. The only vignette that didn't have more than one celebrity was in "Cousins" with Cate Blanchett who played both herself and her cousin Shelly. That was one of my favorite vignettes. I had a good laugh at the "Cousins?" vignette starring Alfred Molina and Steve Coorgan. It wasn't all comedy until the final vignette where the moviegoer catches some glimpse of bleak and despair where two elderly men are on a coffee break. The dialogue in most of the vignettes were hilarious. I loved the two old Italian men who got into each other's faces over their bad habits, one drank too much coffee and the other smoked too much cigarettes. There were moments in the film that did get on my nerves like the "No Problem" vignette but overall I enjoyed this movie. There may not have been much of a plot but it was refreshing to see a group of actors and musicians be themselves rather than try to pretend to be someone other than themselves.

A couple of the vignettes may make it worth your time
Coffee and Cigarettes is not for everyone. It most certainly is not an action film. Did you perhaps see the fabulous 1981 production, My Dinner with Andre? If so, you should get the general idea. Some parts of this film are very boring. The interaction between Roberto Benigni and Steven Wright, for instance, didn't work for me. Is Director Jim Jarmusch trying for the existential angst crowd? Are we all supposedly insane in a world which doesn't have any meaning? Oh well, Cate Blanchett is at least superb playing both sisters, Cate and Shelby. Blanchett once again proves that she is one of our most brilliant actresses. It wasn't until I read the credits after the movie ended when I even realized that she was performing both roles! One sister is a success in the eyes of the world and the other is deemed a loser. They have little in common but their bloodline. It is hauntingly beautiful. The vignette staring Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan is also provocative dealing with the theme of snobbery and the desire to belong to the elite class.

There's enough here to warrant buying the the eventually released dvd. You will then be able to decide which vignettes grab your attention while skipping over the others. As a matter of fact, many viewers may prefer avoiding the theater experience altogether. Your living room TV screen may be deemed more than sufficient for your viewing pleasure. Coffee and Cigarettes earns four stars.

must have coffee?
saw it and loved it!; 10 or so vignettes pieced together so that the venue of where the actors are consuming coffee improves, while the acceptance of both caffeine and tobacco wanes -- until the end --when it is rejected in toto. Each vignette is subtlely linked to at least one other. Our renowned director is trying to tell us to listen to one another -- the interaction is essential for the human being, even if the parties do not particularly like one another. Coffee and cigarettes are the life blood or conversation, or, are they? As the film moves forward we see that good social intercourse can take place without actually drinking coffee or inhaling cigarettes -- but that is because we once did. The final vignette summarizes the world and takes a drab, depressing locale and elevates it, existentially, to the highest peak ... Read more

Reviews (118)

An Amazing DVD!
We saw part of this dvd at a party at friends house last week and bought it from Amazon. We just watched it all at home tonight. Fantastic! I was never 'into' Orbison in my youth when he was first popular, but after watching this cd I have to recognize him as one of the greatest. What an amazing, unusual, voice. You feel as if it is going to 'crack' at any moment from those long, high notes, but never does--it's always perfectly controlled. As if Orbison doing Orbison's great repertoire wasn't enough, the "Friends" doing backup for Orbison doing all his great songs are, among others: a young Bruce Springsteen [looking star struck the whole night b/c he was playing with Orbison], Jackson Brown, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, with Bonnie Raitt, k.d. Laing, and Jennifer Warnes doing the female backup vocals. The Orbison/Springseen duo on "Sweet Dreams" alone would be worth the price of the album but all the songs are great. Play it in SurroundSound if you have it--can't beat it.

I didn't realize how great Roy was...
I didn't realize exactly how great Roy Orbison was until I saw his "Black & White Night" on PBS several months ago. That session brought all of my memories together into one massive event. I contributed to the PBS station just to get the VHS and CD versions of that concert, recognizing just how special it was. I just now spent nearly five hours listening to that CD while I read most of the 115 reviews on Amazon (avg = 5 stars out of 5) of the DVD, and the advantages (editing, video enhancements, extra tracts) of the DVD over the VHS and CD version I have. I just ordered two copies of the DVD (one to watch/listen to, and one for backup).

If you have read this far, you realize the contribution of Roy, his talent, and the incredible array of stars that attended him at the "Black & White Night" event. For no other reason than your personal satisfaction, buy this DVD!

simply stupendous
I first saw this DVD on public TV as an enticement to donate. What a great investment. Roy's voice and songs are unique and hopefully will live on indefinitely through this CD and DVD. When I'm home alone and can crank up the sound on the DVD and watch and listen to Roy and friends it is almost spellbinding. I can't get enough of the "girls" as backup. Bruce is great (he seems like a baby almost)....totally in awe of Roy and James Burton...who seems to be the White of "Black and White"...what a plucker he is. When in the car, the CD carries me through until I can watch the DVD again.I own many CDs and DVDs but watch/listen to these two the most...over and over!!!

Five stars NOT ENOUGH
I have been to hundreds of concerts, from Jazz, Pop, Big Band, Country, Classic and whatever I've left out. I wasn't aware of this one until I saw it on PBS. With the Boss, k.d.lang, and a group of the best musicians all playing free and singing along with Orbison's unique and beautiful range, this wasn't a concert, it was a celebration. It was in the top 5 I've seen in a lifetime (with my range of interests there have been others, such as a Mahlar's Symphony of a Thousand, The Highwaymen, Jazz at the Philharmonic, etc. that reached a peak of their own form). But the excitement and pure enjoyment of the performers and listeners made it an emotional experience. Like a great Willie Nelson or Louis Armstrong performance it can be seen over and over.

Stunning! Not just for "fans"...
Last year, an electronics store here in Tokyo wisely chose this DVD to try to sell more 'home theater' systems. I was in a huge rush, but was instantly captivated by the phenomenal guitar sounds I was hearing. Milliseconds later, I recognized the song, the major artist and the fact that there was probably a whole, live concert of Roy Orbison being played. I stopped my mad rush to an appointment to listen to "Pretty Woman" in its entirety. [This is the finale...] Then, as the crowd in front of me dissipated, I caught sight of some of the performers on a gigantic, but low, plasma display and was a little surprised to see that the whole concert had obviously been recorded in monochrome.

I have to admit that I've never been a huge Roy Orbison fan--I didn't buy his albums when I was young, but no-one could really DISlike his voice or his compositions. I probably knew every one of his numbers that was regularly played on the radio and I consider myself to have "grown up" singing along to Roy Orbison's mellow sounds. So, although my tastes run the gamut from world and ethnic music, thru blues, jazz and 'fusion' all the way to classics and a (very) little opera, I don't classify myself as a great 'rock-a-billy' fan, or even as an expert on music. That day, however, I became obsessed with getting hold of this particular concert for enjoyment at home.

I got hold of it easily enough from Amazon and have to say that it knocked my socks off. For me, the real highlights are the guitarwork of James Burton and Bruce Springsteen, but the whole 'feel' of this concert is one of a tribute to that inimitable, great voice. Many of the supporting artists are legends in their own neck of the woods, but there are no 'show-ponies' here--it's all just a well-rehearsed, supportive, even modest performance--yet there are many moments when one gets a feeling of watching and hearing musical genius in action.

Younger friends and relatives who had only a passing knowledge of Roy Orbison were stunned by the brilliance of the performances on this DVD. I've bought several copies as gifts, which were very highly appreciated. I think the playing of those at Christmas and New Year gatherings may have stimulated a buying spree among the many other people who were captivated, as I was, by the whole sound and feel of this delectable DVD.

I don't avidly collect music videos, yet I've seen many from all of the 'greats'. However, I've never seen a better concert on video. I don't think anyone who really loved music could watch this and be unaffected. I've read all of the reviews, so far, and I agree with almost every single one...I have one or two very minor gripes, but it's probably not worth your time to read those. If you love great music, just shell out the money and buy it. You will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Big Time for Tom Waits
Having seen the great performance of Waits in Florence, I started to see if some videos were available. In my town Macerata I was very lucky to find Big Time, in a record shop, and only because the shop director didn't remember to send away the only copies he had. What can I say? Seeing Waits live is an incredible experience and an important event, but I think that also this video can explain, with less emotion, the artistic view of one of the most important musician of the last 25 years

Re-release this video or else
I am an enormous Tom Waits fan who hasn't seen this movie yet. I also, by the way have a few screws loose and if this movie is not re-released by December 31, 1999 by 11:59pm so help me god this planet will never know what hit it. Hell hath no fury like a man without Waits. If you don't release this movie on video I will blow this planet to bits. For the love of god don't let this happen, don't be responsible for the apocalypse. Behold the wrath of stains!

so sought after....
I am tired of the blank looks I receive when asking about this video. I think we all are. How can we get together and petition the dvd/video release of this wonderful performance? Who is in charge here? I count myself lucky to have viewed it once. It seems rather hateful to withold from new Tom Waits fans, much less those of us who can't get enough.

Clap Hands, everybody...
Long time Tom Waits fan am I, grieving because this masterwork of his melodic chaos and onstage genius isn't on DVD. THIS IS A VOID that must be filled. The soundtrack CD doesn't have all the songs from the movie, and is but a fishnet tease.

Great Video...Get it if you can.
I searched for this video for more than 5 years and finally found it in, of all places, a truck stop. I perusaded the clerk to sell me the used video for $5.

It is a great concert film. One of my favorite songs from the movie is Srange Weather. The look of the film is straight 80's. Lots of neon and bright colors.

Not only was Tom great at singing, but his sense of humor shined through as he told funny stories between songs. The musicians were in great form as well. His music is sort of like New Orleans jazz performed by pirates.

I know this is hard to find and seeminly expensive, but if you're a fan, you need to see this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

With dizzying cinematic tricks and astonishing performances, Francis Coppola's 1992 version of the oft-filmed Dracula story is one of the most exuberant, extravagant films of the 1990s. Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder, as the Count and Mina Murray, are quite a pair of star-crossed lovers. She's betrothed to another man; he can't kick the habit of feeding off the living. Anthony Hopkins plays Van Helsing, the vampire slayer, with tongue firmly in cheek. Tom Waits is great fun as Renfield, the hapless slave of Dracula who craves the blood of insects and cats. Sadie Frost is a sexy Lucy Westenra. And poor Keanu Reeves, as Jonathan Harker, has the misfortune to be seduced by Dracula's three half-naked wives. There's a little bit of everything in this version of Dracula: gore, high-speed horseback chases, passion, and longing. ... Read more

Reviews (345)

The Best Dracula Movie I've Ever Seen!
Francis Ford Coppola does an excellent job retelling the Dracula tale using actual history blended with legend. Gary Oldman is excellent as the Count. Oldman's portrayal of the Count as a tortured man longing for the lost love of his life acutally had me feel sorry for the man. When he observes the portrait of Mina(Winona Ryder) and remembers his lost bride it is truly an awesome scene. Oldman's Count can also be bloodthirsty as well! Sir Anthony Hopkins as Professor Van Helsing is very fun to watch. To say that Van Helsing is a little nuts is an understatement! The music is also classic and it really sets the mood during the entire film. Winona Ryder as Mina playing a woman torn between the Count and her intended husband(Kneau Reeves) is well done. The most awesome scene is when the Count receives Mina's letter saying that she'll never see him again. You can feel the heartache and pain in the Count and also feel his anger. Awesome! A must see for the true Dracula fan!

16:9 HDTV/480p DVD/5.1 sound = SUPERBIT DRACULA !!!
This review is about "SUPERBIT COLLECTION" an outstanding Home Theatre version of Bram Stokers Dracula, a Francis Ford Coppola film.

Columbia Pictures has raised the bar on DVD video and sound quality with the new "SUPERBIT" series movies. This feature improves the picture by doubling the bit rate digital transfer. Simply, twice the picture quality of existing DVD transfers. Also the sound has been enhanced equally in performance.

NOTE: GOODS NEWS - All this can be enjoyed on existing DVD players with noticeable improvements. BAD NEWS - Its not really bad news its really the "BOTTOM LINE NEWS" - the "SUPERBIT COLLECTION IS FOR YOU IF" you have; a Home Theatre, HDTV WideScreen (Enhanced 16:9)w/Component Video, Progressive Scan DVD (480p) w/Component Video & DTS or 5.1 Sound environment. IF you have this then the "SUPERBIT COLLECTION" Dracula explodes of the screen!!!!!!

Summary: SUPERBIT Dracula directed by Francis Ford Copplola is a very beautiful photographed eerie love story. With a story line more to the tragedy of Dracula (brillantly played by Gary Oldman)than the viciousness of vampires. The detailed scenes & colors explode off the screen with this "SUPERBIT" version film. The 5.1 sound is crystal clear and adds immensely to the eeriness of this dark gothic horror film. This SUPERBIT detailed film makes for an unbelievable visual experience. Coppola does a grand job providing us with an unsusual twist in the story of Dracula.

This is the best "SUPERBIT" transfer so far in the Columbia Pictures Collection. Just remember, "SUPERBIT" was developed to give the Home Theatre owner a new improved DVD experience and they have done this with "Bram Stokers, Dracula". Enjoy.

Bram's Stoker's best
You can't go wrong with Drakula, and this is the best translation to film of Bram Stoker's Masterpiece to date.

A classic telling of a classic tale
Francis Ford Coppola breathed new life in to the classic vampire story by Bram Stoker, keeping faith with much of the original novel while adding his own touches that made it an artistic wonder.

The best parts of the movie are those that remain true to the book: Jonathan Harker's travel to the castle and fateful meeting with the Count; Harker's confrontation with Dracula's three vampire lovers; the newly arisen Lucy Westenra confrontation as a vampire with her loved ones in the cemetery; and the exciting race with the sun and the gypsies taking the coffin-bound Dracula to his castle.

The script follows Dracula's strengths and vulnerabilities faithfully. The Dracula of this movie walks in the daylight -- just as in the novel.

Even when the movie departs from the original and the plot lags with the romance of Dracula and Mina, Coppola creates breathtaking images with their own potent spell that held me enchanted.

Overall the performances are well done with one or two notable exceptions. Sadie Frost, however, steals the movie in the role of Lucy Westenra.

The movie, in my opinion, would have been better with more emphasis on horror. Dracula should be more scary than sympathetic.

Still, this is one of my favorite vampire movies ever and well worth repeated viewings.

The best vampire movie ever!
Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse now) delivers the best vampire movie ever. "Dracula" has great performances from Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and Monica Bellucci (!). The only bad performance comes from Keanu Reeves -- everytime time he's on screen he looks like a pale moron. Anthony Hopkins role is even shorter, yet, he's great, as always. "Dracula" is very well written and directed, it has great sound & visual effects, a haunting soundtrack and it is very scary and erotic(!), see Monica Bellucci (Irreversible, The Passion Of The Christ) as one of Dracula's sexy undead brides.

This version of "Dracula" is fascinating because it's so different from the Bram Stocker famous novel. In the novel there was no mentioning of a love story between Dracula and Mina. In this film exists a sad love story.
There is a scene where Dracula and Mina drink Absinthe. That scene is hypnotic. It proves the film's tagline to be right: love never dies. See it for yourself if you don't believe me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After creating one of the breakthrough movies of the American independent cinema, Stranger than Paradise, Jim Jarmusch stayed right in the same minimalist, oddball, black-and-white groove. Down by Law takes place in Louisiana, where two losers (musicians Tom Waits and John Lurie) find themselves stuck in a jail cell together. One day they are joined by a boisterous Italian (Roberto Benigni), and the chemistry changes--suddenly an escape attempt is on the horizon. Conventional drama is not Jarmusch's intention; one of the emotional high points of this movie is the three guys marching around their prison cell shouting, "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Yet the deadpan style creates its own humorous mood, underscored by melancholy (also underscored by the music of Lurie and the gravel-voiced songs of Waits). This was the first American film for Roberto Benigni, the Italian comedian (Life Is Beautiful), and he lights it up with his effervescent clowning. Jarmusch has said that Down by Law forms a loose trilogy with Stranger than Paradise and the subsequent Mystery Train, a triptych of disaffected, drifting life in the United States. Few filmmakers have ever surveyed ennui so entertainingly. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (32)

It's a sad and beautiful world . . .
I can't say enough good things about the "Down By Law" Criterion DVD! The high-definition digital film transfer is wonderful and it really shows off Robby Muller's breathtaking b/w camera work. The DVD has 2 discs and the packaging is well done. The first disc contains the film itself and the second disc is packed full of goodies such as the insightful "Thoughts & Reflections" from director Jim Jarmusch, a "2002 Video Interview" with director of photography Robby Muller, "1986 Cannes Film Festival Press Conference" with Jarmusch and cast members John Lurie, Roberto Benigni & Nicoletta Braschi that is fun to watch, a great "1986 Interview" with John Lurie + his hilarious commentary on the interview, a bunch of film "Outtakes" which feature some great never before seen bits (especially with Lurie!) a terrific Tom Waits music video for "It's All Right With Me" also directed by Jarmusch and 3 wonderful recorded phone conversations from 2002 that Jarmusch had with Waits, Benigni and Lurie about making "Down By Law", etc.

The extras on the DVD give an intimate view of this very personal film and are amazing to watch and listen to. It's so complete that I can't imagine what else could be added to the Criterion release to make it more perfect. Many years from now when Jarmusch and the cast have left this sad and beautiful world, this gem will no doubt be a priceless look at one of the best American films ever made by one of America's best directors. Fantastic! One of the best films Criterion has released.

Somewhat interesting, saved by Roberto
Down by Law, Jim Jarmusch's 1986 film has a premise that has been used by countless filmmakers: Guys who should never be friends end up in prison together, try to make a break for it, and end up as better people. The atmosphere is this film works; one can feel the foggy Louisiana bayou creeping up around them as these characters slog their way around. The problem is the acting; better, that Tom Waits and John Lurie, while doing an admirable job, are not natural actors, but musicians. It is Roberto Benigni, who many now recognize as a tremendous talent, who saves this film. In this, his first English-language performance, his character (aptly named Roberto) is charming, witty, and valiantly puts comradeship and friendship above all else. Benigni and the great Louisiana locations are the best reason to see this film.

Not only moody, but moody New Orleans
Great movie, inspired casting, subtle direction.

"Down By Law" also perfectly crystalizes the lower echelon life experience in New Orleans, which is pleasantly surprising given that it's so elusive, and, that none of the principals are natives. Although Tom Waits did spend a lot of time here - I saw him and Rickie Lee Jones perform together while they were living here in the 9th Ward, so maybe that counts for something in terms of him getting into character.

BTW, just as an aside, I saw this film again with Italian friends in Italy in a cinema last year and the Italians LOVE this movie. Not just because of Benigni (like any big star in his home country, there are mixed feelings about him) but because the film is so wonderful.

Pure Magic!
Three Stooges meet "Waiting for Godot." Lurie, Waits and Benigni turn in great performances. They've been locked up in a Lousiana penitentiary for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jarmusch gives you each of their sordid lives in turn before throwing them together in a jail cell. Benigni plays wonderfully off Lurie and Waits, culminating in a hilarious version of "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice scream." Eventually, they find the light at the end of a tunnel, only to have to escape through a swamp. Jarmusch gives his characters plenty of room, making for many amusing interchanges. Jarmusch provides deft camera work and his usual wonderful eye for detail to make this his most memorable film.

Great movie, great transfer
This movie is a classic. The criterion collection DVD's are, in general and in this case, worth the little extra money. While DVD's may not be forever, they are certainly longer-lived than VHS tapes and Criterion's treatment of the films is worthy of such a lifespan.
Bonus: If you are a fan of any of the three main actors, this film is a gem. ... Read more

Reviews (192)

Stupid--But Hilarious
Ok, perhaps I'm just a little bit more enthusiatic about this movie then the average person. But it really is a humerous movie. Basically, the plot quite simple. The city's favorite superhero, Captain Amazing, is kidnapped by the bad guy, Casanova Frankenstein (as a result of his own publicity stunt). Someone has to save him. It becomes a job for the Mystery Men. The original three, Mr. Furious, the Shovler, and the Blue Raja, recruit Invisible Boy, the Spleen, and the Bowler, and along with the help of a mysterious, legendary hero and a mad scientist, save the city from Casanova. Now Captain Amazing fate...well, I'll let you see it for yourself. It's humerous, though. Sure, it's filled with bad puns (Blue Raja, master of silverware, frequently says things like "i shall fork-give you" or "see you spoon"). But if you aren't expecting some intellegent, award-winning masterpiece, you'll be happy with the movie. One think I don't understand is the PG-13 rating. Perhaps it's for violence, although it's not really that violent. The language is actually relatively tame, considering most movies today. So it really makes a nice movie for pre-teens as well as the older crowd.

It ain't Shakespeare --
-- so, just sit back and enjoy it! Original, very funny andentertaining movie about a group of superhero-wannabes who bandtogether to save their city's real, yet commercially-sponsored,superhero (Greg Kinnear) from the clutches of the evil Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush) and his Bee Gees-loving henchmen. Led by The Shoveler (William H. Macy)and Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller), the "Mystery Men" -- a misnomer since the group's person with any real powers is a woman (Janeane Garofalo at her sarcastic best)-- team up with a non-lethal weapons expert (Tom Waits) to save their city. Some really funny moments and memorable lines, especially from the Blue Raja (Hank Azaria), the "British" superhero who doesn't have a shred of blue in his outfit, and the "terribly mysterious" Sphnix ("Dances with Wolves'" Wes Studi). I would have loved to seen more development of Invisible Boy's (Kel Martin) character -- no pun intended -- but less of scenes like Spleen's (Paul Reubens) encounter with the skunk. The movie's message is obvious -- we identify with these heroes because they represent who we are. Bottom line -- rent it first, because you'll either love it or hate it. If ya love it, I'm sure Amazon can hook you up. If not, then take comfort that there are worse movies you could've rented. Peace!... END

Hysterical and very Art Deco!
This film is really special. It's not some low budget comedy movie but it's a mix between Batman, Seinfeld and Austin Powers, an overall bizarre combination!

I really like the part when Stiller jumps on the badguys' car and tries to scratch the label off! LOL!

If you really want to give yourself a break and indulge in some innocent childish fun you should watch this movie.

An Interesting Cast Makes the Film Better
With all honesty we know this film would have been like gum underneath a shoe if it hadn't been for the cast. The story is nonexistent, the dialogue a joke and the plot...well you get the picture. The best part of Mystery Men is how the cast is so colorful they come together to rescue what would otherwise be a disastrous movie. This is not a film you can easily recommend to anyone. It's not a film that's so black and white you can classify it so it's truly up to people's tastes whether they should see it or not. I bought it in 1999 and have watched it about ten times since then. It's a good film to watch if you're bored but I can't say it's so wonderful you should run out and buy it. Just wait to see it on television. You'll enjoy it better when you save your money. It's entertaining even if the story centers around a bunch of funny, yet weird morons.

ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF 1999
This is one of the best movies ever I could not believe how good
It was It was much better than A Beautiful Mined and Pearl Harbor it is a must buy.

#28 ... Read more

Amazon.com

This relatively obscure Brothers Grimm tale has been updated andAmericanized in this 19-minute story of a deal with the devil gone right, foronce. A Civil War veteran without family or prospects is propositioned by a man with a plan and a cloven hoof. The soldier agrees to stop bathing andgrooming for seven years while wandering the country in a bear hide inexchange for lifelong wealth. Just when the situation seems intolerable,"Bearskin" is able to help a man who, in return, promises him one of histhree daughters as a bride. From this point the story is similar to thetraditional version of Beauty and the Beast. The selfish daughters balk,leaving the kind daughter to come to the aid of their father--and findreward in the end. The performances, costumes, and camera work in this "From the Brothers Grimm" series are professional and charming without beingcloying. The content and pace will engage students 8 andolder, and their parents. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The splendor of a bath
Even forgetting the themes of this tale and fine bit of film making, this film will remind you to be grateful for your next bath or shower.

Bearskin, a Civil War veteran, makes a deal with the devil and comes out victor, although he pays dearly for his deal for seven years. He agrees to wear the devil's green coat and a bearskin for seven years without bathing or washing his clothes. He also cannot groom his nails. Although he has plenty of money, he learns that he cannot buy friends or physical comforts very easily when he is unwashed and grotesque. There is a very humbling and disgusting moment when we see Bearskin picking at lice and and vermin on his body.

Bearskin is never the monster in spirit that he appears in body, however. He gives money to a man about to lose his home and family. The man then offers one of his daughters to Bearskin in marriage, although Bearskin does not ask for this. The two elder daughters are eager to marry a rich man until they see him in all of his filthy rags. The youngest daughter, eager to keep her father's word, agrees to marry him after his seven years are up.

Eventually, the devil returns and admits that Bearskin has won the bargain. Bearskin insists on being made clean again and the grooming scenes are just as refreshing for the viewer as they are for Bearskin. The message that appearances can be deceptive is another subtext of the film.

All ends well, except for the two greedy sisters, who the devil claims have made his bargain a good one--he got two souls for the price of one.

This film will work better for older school audiences, perhaps 8 and up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jazzman, sometimes actor, and hipster city-boy John Lurie knows nothing about fishing, which makes him the most unlikely host for a fishing show. But that hasn't stopped him from traveling around the world with his buddies to seek out a slice of paradise with pole in hand and camera crew in tow. In volume 2 of this strange and surreal series, Matt Dillon risks his life in a rickety flight to Costa Rica with John for a trip up the Rio Colorado, but not before a ritualistic dance under the supervision of their guide, Tacho. "No white man has ever been this far before," intones narrator Roy Webb with mock sincerity. "I think this is John's best show," he helpfully adds. Willem Dafoe takes charge for ice fishing in Maine, where the two construct their own plywood shelter against the winter ice and John wanders around bewildered on the snowy plain. As the days stretch on without a catch and the crackers and cheese run out, their survival is put on the line, or so insists narrator Webb. Lurie, who writes and produces the series, strikes a balance between the abstract and the absurd--you'll never learn a single tip about fishing, but in this company, that seems beside the point. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Laughing with the fish
These strange cable-TV show episodes showcase edgy actors, elusive fish, quirky dialogue, exotic locales, and John Lurie's unusual sense of humor and musical stylings. There is so much to admire and laugh at: the deadpan alpha male bonding stream of hyperconscious bantering, the faux pompous narration, the uber cool slacker sensibility, and the clever, unorthodox scripting and filming. Two humor highlights: the soaring vocals and helpfully subtitled inane lyrics accompanying a ritual "fish dance" in episode 3 and the ending of episode 4, in which the narrator gravely intones that the host and his guest have died of starvation.

This is the kookiest of the series
These two episodes are the funniest one of the whole bunch. They really smooth out some of the tedium and have the most repeatable jokes. If you only buy one of these videos, this one is at the height of it's powers. Enjoy it and have a nice day. ... Read more

Description

A series of interlocking stories about blue-collar life in Southern California, involving twenty-two characters. ... 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 (1)

Quirky Road Trip In Search of the Great Rock Guitar
"Candy Mountain" is a fine film by the great Robert Frank
that combines a minor coming of age theme with a road trip in search
of the elusive and great hermit builder of the world's best electric
guitars. This mythic figure, one Elmore Silk, has moved to rural Cape
Breton and disappeared with his fame and guitars, leaving nothing
behind him. Kevin O'Connor plays the innocent and affectless loser
who takes to the road from NYC, moving steadily north pursuing Elmore
Silk and hoping to return to NYC with one of the lengendary guitars.
At each stop along the way he seems to lose more and more of his
material possessions but keeps moving with a determination that is
fueled by the vague hope of somehow bringing back the Holy Grail. And
cashing in.

Populated with "characters", beautiful
scenery, and a kind of Zen-like rhythm, "Candy Mountain" has
the meandering feel of the journey in which the miles pass, scenes
shift, and not a whole lot happens, but some kind of insight arrives.
Here, the wisdom that seems to emerge is that the road is winding, the
end is not always in sight, the goal may or may not be obtained, but
the trip is worth it. This movie is a small gem that captures the
beckoning and lonely feel of the road that rolls off into the distance
and over the horizon. This also is a movie about and for people who
believe that music is a powerful and important force that touches the
heart and mind in seductive ways. Great Canadian country singer Rita
McNeil makes a brief cameo appearance. The acting is low key, as are
the movie's ultimate aspirations. No deep or sweeping message here,
just a sense of yearning as the miles pass and finally the coast
arrives, and there is nowhere else to go. See this: its offbeat and
likeable and oddly moving.
ÿ ... Read more