Reviews (2)

The Perfect Bride
Sammi Davis stars as a psycho bride who wants to prove to herself that her new husband is not like most men - piggish and self-occupied - and when she is eventually deceived, she plots his murder and the murder of friends and family of his who get in the way. Even the chase scene towards the end and the performances of Kelly Present and Davis can't make up for the otherwise bore and amateurish feeling of this film. The script is written as though it were a SCT skit, and the stunts are terrible. It's often entertaining in some ways, but the majority of the time, you're left sitting there looking at the screen and thinking: "Did I once have that sort of haircut?"

Very Good Suspense Movie
I really enjoyed it when it first came on the USA network 1990 i watched 3 different times. Sammi Davis is awesome as the Bride who kills people who gets in the way of her finace. If saw another one I recommend is Called Hush Little Baby it is the same type pf movie. There are some very talented people in The Perfect Bride like Kelly Preston (John Travolta's wife) Liden Ashby (from The defunct Melrose Place) Tamara Clatterbuck (Alice Johnson from The Young and The Restless. So i really hope u liked it like I did. It keeps u on the end of your seat. ... Read more

Reviews (94)

A Classic Cult Film!!!
Repo Man is THE classic cult movie. It's a real original! A wacky and complex masterpiece that defies description. Emilio Estevez, in his one and only good role, is the title character, a teenage punk who lives with his hippie parents in L.A. The always brilliant Harry Dean Stanton is the veteran repo man who takes Estevez under his wing and shows him the ropes of the trade. To reveal more would be wrong, one of the many pleasures of this movie is the wild surprises and twists that the film springs on us. Let's just say the film mixes a punk attitude with bizarro science fiction, hysterical comedy, satire, a GREAT soundtrack and much more. With this film and the brilliant Sid & Nancy (another film you should see if you have'nt)Alex Cox announced himself as a great director. Unfortunately, he seemed to want to self destruct a promising career with the release of two deeply flawed but nonetheless interesting films Walker and Straight to Hell. This is a man who needs to direct again? Where is he now??

Cult classic
Of all the low-budget films to come out of the Eighties, Repo Man, Alex Cox's dark cult comedy about Eighties urban sprawl and alien paranoia, is one of the better ones. Emilio Estevez stars in one of his earliest roles as Otto Parts, your modern apocalyptic teen up to his armpits in drugs, sex, and parental neglect. He soon finds a way out through Bud (Stanton), an ace repo man, who gives him a job and teaches him the ways of the car repossessing trade. The two wander through the guts of L.A. in search of a '64 Chevy Malibu, priced at 50 thousand dollars, and run into a cast of bizarre street characters: feds, girls in distress, a lobotomized nuclear physicist, and really, really dumb criminals. Estevez gives one of the best performances of his career, honing his acting skills as a punk white boy just in time for his role in Coppola's The Outsiders, released later that year. Cox, who wrote and directed the film, creates a strange but hilarious view of our culture, a brilliant satire on modern society.

What the f*ck do I know?
One thing I do know is this film is a modern day masterpiece.Unlike anything made before it.A true work of art and absolutely essential to any great DVD collection.Better than Gone With The Wind.It will make you wanna go to L.A. but stay home and watch Repo Man instead.I really wish they'd release the made for TV version of it as well.Along with the high art of Richard Elfman's brilliant Forbidden Zone, Repo Man is in a class all by itself.SUPERB!

not what i had expected
I was thouroughly pleased upon seeing repo man. Though i Admit it was defintitletely not what I had expected. A friend recomended the movie to me saying it was apunk rock thing, and it was actually an acurate portrayal of the punk rock lifestyle of the 80's. WHOA no way, thats the last time i trust that guy. What I did discover was a magical glowing, flying spacecar, which everyone and their mother wanted. It's brilliant, just half way through the movie it takes a twist for the strange. I'd recomend this movie to anyone. This is probably Emelio's only good performance ever so that makes the movie that much more special.

"The more you drive, the less intelligent you are."--Miller
Wow, ummm....interesting. Finally something different. No, I mean this is REALLY different. About time to, cuz lately I've seen a string of bvad movies, so it's nice to see something cool and original every now and then. Otto (Emilio Estevez) is a Los Angeles punk, a loser with no direction and no role models. But he discovers a code of honor and higher purpose when he joins a select group of latter-day knights: the repo men. As a fledging apprentice, Otto slowly learns the ways of these high-caliber, overmedicated auto repossessors. And when a $20,000 bounty is placed on a mysterious missing car, Otto eludes the police, feds, religious cultists, and other repo men in a frantic search for this holy grail. Could one man's destiny lie in the back of a 1964 Chevy Malibu? For some, actually for many, this film will come of as stupid and random, but for those of us who "get" it, this is a breathe of fresh air. Using clever, if somewhat odd, story telling, this film should keep you entertained and amused throughout the entire duration of the film. I say rent first, then but. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Makin' Whoopee
31 years of playing piano together has taught Frank and Jack Baker a few things. But, there are some things that they could only learn from their new singer, Susie Diamond.

Jeff and Beau Bridges are exceptionally cast as the brothers and Michelle Pfeiffer makes the screen sizzle. Add a terrific musical score by jazz great, Dave Grusin and you've got a terrific movie for the grown-ups in the house.

This truly is Jack's story... a moody musician with an aversion to commitment anywhere in his life. And he runs behind a tough-guy skin when he finds himself falling for Susie. We are left with an ambiguous ending as writer/director Steve Kloves weaves clever dialogue with a stark, realistic lifeline.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Bridges really burn up the screen with a New Years rendition of MAKIN' WHOOPEE. Their sexual energy envelopes the song. Pfeiffer does an excellent job singing (the last time she sang onscreen was in the horrid GREASE 2).

A brilliant character study, THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS really fill the seats.

The DVD has a shaky video transfer, but the audio sounds pretty good.

That's What You Get, Folks, for Makin' Whoopee
4 1/2 stars

As the piano-playing "Baker Boys" of the title, Beau and Jeff Bridges play like they're brothers -- which they are. The Baker Boys, who have seemingly forever been playing muzak-style piano, accompanying each other, and making the smallest of small talk in a two piano-act, are out of gas. So, they decide to hire a "girl singer," to win back Seattle audiences ... and bookings.

The sequence in which the brothers audition would-be singers is the funniest of its kind ever filmed. But while this movie has some wonderful laughs, it is not, ultimately, a comedy.

Screenwriter-director Steve Kloves' debut is dominated by an actress named Michelle Pfeiffer, and by a sultry, smoky, saloon singer named ... Micheller Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer does all her own singing, and she's joy! (Warning: Although the wonderful soundtrack mixes Dave Grusin's cool jazz score with works from the Great American Songbook, don't buy the cd, as much of the best music is left off of it.)

Like Sinatra singing a Harold Arlen torch song, this one doesn't miss a beat.

A simple yet wonderful love story!!!
A terrific cast and a simple sweet story are some of the highlights of this unique, rarely talked about gem from the late-80's. It has every reason to be as seen as Pretty Woman--which came later, and seems to have ripped off not only the look of this film, but the poster of another lost classic, Rich Girl.

The Bridges brothers are fantastic in an extremely inspired casting gimmick, but the real reason to see this film is Michelle Pfeiffer in a Golden Globe winning and Oscar nominated role. She is superb as a sexy siren who tears apart two brothers, one a sex addict and the other a happily married man. Yes, you've heard it before but I will say it again, her rendition of "Making Whopee" has to be one of the most memorable scenes in all of film.

The main themes of sibling rivalry and unfulfilled talent are generally engrossing, and help to paper over the thinness of the story. Jeff Bridges is very believable as a man working in the lower ranks of his trade when he could've reached the top. Beau is also in fine form as a performer who does what he does simply because he has a family to support. It's a hard film to describe, because it's not really about very much, but if you can adjust to the relaxed pace and just enjoy the leisurely development of the three main characters then you will come away from the film feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Meg Tilly is also worth mentioning. She is fantastic in a small role that I wish was more fully developed. She is a truly wonderful and underrated actress and I was pleasantly surprised to see her. She has one of the other more memorable scenes in the film, auditioning for the brothers near the beginning of the film.

See it for the Bridges, see it for Pfeiffer, see it for Tilly or see it for the music. Just see it!

Enough about Michelle, what about Jeff???
Yes, Michelle P. seems to be every man's fantasy, but for me, a female, check out the way Jeff seduces her by the piano! I met Jeff B. and he must be 6'4"...and sexy. The music tops it all off...Grusin, good job.

ONE TWO THREE TWO ONE
The FABULOUS BAKER BOYS is the kind of movie that you must see with a light heart. If not, its sad atmosphere will certainly give you the blues. Hope is not the main theme of this film starring Michelle Pfeiffer and the Bridges (blues-) brothers.

The movie focuses on the three main characters and their relationship. So you'll have a lot of talk and songs but no action at all. It's pretty rare nowadays to have on screen heroes thinking, feeling and becoming better without a single gunshot. Enjoy !

It is to be noticed that Michelle Pfeiffer sings in the FABULOUS BAKER BOYS and she's not bad at all. Furthermore, she is sexier than the average cocktail bar singer. Jeff and Beau are very good too.

Very agreeable bonus features with a commentary of the director of photography Michaël Ballhaus who used to work with german director Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

An above-average DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A volatile, toxic potion of satire and nihilism, road movie and science fiction, violence and comedy, the unclassifiable sensibility of Alex Cox's Repo Man is the model and inspiration for a potent strain of post-punk American comedy that includes not only Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), but also early Coen brothers (Raising Arizona, in particular), Men in Black, and even (in a weird way) The X-Files. Otto, a baby-face punk played by Emilio Estevez, becomes an apprentice to Bud (Harry Dean Stanton), a coke-snorting, veteran repo-man-of-honor prowling the streets of a Los Angeles wasteland populated by hoods, wackos, burnouts, conspiracy theorists, and aliens of every stripe. It may seem chaotic at first glance, but there's a "latticework of coincidence" (as Tracey Walter puts it) underlying everything. Repo Man is a key American movie of the 1980s--just as Taxi Driver, Nashville, and Chinatown are key American movies of the '70s. With a scorching soundtrack that features Iggy Pop, Fear, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Suicidal Tendencies. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (94)

A Classic Cult Film!!!
Repo Man is THE classic cult movie. It's a real original! A wacky and complex masterpiece that defies description. Emilio Estevez, in his one and only good role, is the title character, a teenage punk who lives with his hippie parents in L.A. The always brilliant Harry Dean Stanton is the veteran repo man who takes Estevez under his wing and shows him the ropes of the trade. To reveal more would be wrong, one of the many pleasures of this movie is the wild surprises and twists that the film springs on us. Let's just say the film mixes a punk attitude with bizarro science fiction, hysterical comedy, satire, a GREAT soundtrack and much more. With this film and the brilliant Sid & Nancy (another film you should see if you have'nt)Alex Cox announced himself as a great director. Unfortunately, he seemed to want to self destruct a promising career with the release of two deeply flawed but nonetheless interesting films Walker and Straight to Hell. This is a man who needs to direct again? Where is he now??

Cult classic
Of all the low-budget films to come out of the Eighties, Repo Man, Alex Cox's dark cult comedy about Eighties urban sprawl and alien paranoia, is one of the better ones. Emilio Estevez stars in one of his earliest roles as Otto Parts, your modern apocalyptic teen up to his armpits in drugs, sex, and parental neglect. He soon finds a way out through Bud (Stanton), an ace repo man, who gives him a job and teaches him the ways of the car repossessing trade. The two wander through the guts of L.A. in search of a '64 Chevy Malibu, priced at 50 thousand dollars, and run into a cast of bizarre street characters: feds, girls in distress, a lobotomized nuclear physicist, and really, really dumb criminals. Estevez gives one of the best performances of his career, honing his acting skills as a punk white boy just in time for his role in Coppola's The Outsiders, released later that year. Cox, who wrote and directed the film, creates a strange but hilarious view of our culture, a brilliant satire on modern society.

What the f*ck do I know?
One thing I do know is this film is a modern day masterpiece.Unlike anything made before it.A true work of art and absolutely essential to any great DVD collection.Better than Gone With The Wind.It will make you wanna go to L.A. but stay home and watch Repo Man instead.I really wish they'd release the made for TV version of it as well.Along with the high art of Richard Elfman's brilliant Forbidden Zone, Repo Man is in a class all by itself.SUPERB!

not what i had expected
I was thouroughly pleased upon seeing repo man. Though i Admit it was defintitletely not what I had expected. A friend recomended the movie to me saying it was apunk rock thing, and it was actually an acurate portrayal of the punk rock lifestyle of the 80's. WHOA no way, thats the last time i trust that guy. What I did discover was a magical glowing, flying spacecar, which everyone and their mother wanted. It's brilliant, just half way through the movie it takes a twist for the strange. I'd recomend this movie to anyone. This is probably Emelio's only good performance ever so that makes the movie that much more special.

"The more you drive, the less intelligent you are."--Miller
Wow, ummm....interesting. Finally something different. No, I mean this is REALLY different. About time to, cuz lately I've seen a string of bvad movies, so it's nice to see something cool and original every now and then. Otto (Emilio Estevez) is a Los Angeles punk, a loser with no direction and no role models. But he discovers a code of honor and higher purpose when he joins a select group of latter-day knights: the repo men. As a fledging apprentice, Otto slowly learns the ways of these high-caliber, overmedicated auto repossessors. And when a $20,000 bounty is placed on a mysterious missing car, Otto eludes the police, feds, religious cultists, and other repo men in a frantic search for this holy grail. Could one man's destiny lie in the back of a 1964 Chevy Malibu? For some, actually for many, this film will come of as stupid and random, but for those of us who "get" it, this is a breathe of fresh air. Using clever, if somewhat odd, story telling, this film should keep you entertained and amused throughout the entire duration of the film. I say rent first, then but. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Makin' Whoopee
31 years of playing piano together has taught Frank and Jack Baker a few things. But, there are some things that they could only learn from their new singer, Susie Diamond.

Jeff and Beau Bridges are exceptionally cast as the brothers and Michelle Pfeiffer makes the screen sizzle. Add a terrific musical score by jazz great, Dave Grusin and you've got a terrific movie for the grown-ups in the house.

This truly is Jack's story... a moody musician with an aversion to commitment anywhere in his life. And he runs behind a tough-guy skin when he finds himself falling for Susie. We are left with an ambiguous ending as writer/director Steve Kloves weaves clever dialogue with a stark, realistic lifeline.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Bridges really burn up the screen with a New Years rendition of MAKIN' WHOOPEE. Their sexual energy envelopes the song. Pfeiffer does an excellent job singing (the last time she sang onscreen was in the horrid GREASE 2).

A brilliant character study, THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS really fill the seats.

The DVD has a shaky video transfer, but the audio sounds pretty good.

That's What You Get, Folks, for Makin' Whoopee
4 1/2 stars

As the piano-playing "Baker Boys" of the title, Beau and Jeff Bridges play like they're brothers -- which they are. The Baker Boys, who have seemingly forever been playing muzak-style piano, accompanying each other, and making the smallest of small talk in a two piano-act, are out of gas. So, they decide to hire a "girl singer," to win back Seattle audiences ... and bookings.

The sequence in which the brothers audition would-be singers is the funniest of its kind ever filmed. But while this movie has some wonderful laughs, it is not, ultimately, a comedy.

Screenwriter-director Steve Kloves' debut is dominated by an actress named Michelle Pfeiffer, and by a sultry, smoky, saloon singer named ... Micheller Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer does all her own singing, and she's joy! (Warning: Although the wonderful soundtrack mixes Dave Grusin's cool jazz score with works from the Great American Songbook, don't buy the cd, as much of the best music is left off of it.)

Like Sinatra singing a Harold Arlen torch song, this one doesn't miss a beat.

A simple yet wonderful love story!!!
A terrific cast and a simple sweet story are some of the highlights of this unique, rarely talked about gem from the late-80's. It has every reason to be as seen as Pretty Woman--which came later, and seems to have ripped off not only the look of this film, but the poster of another lost classic, Rich Girl.

The Bridges brothers are fantastic in an extremely inspired casting gimmick, but the real reason to see this film is Michelle Pfeiffer in a Golden Globe winning and Oscar nominated role. She is superb as a sexy siren who tears apart two brothers, one a sex addict and the other a happily married man. Yes, you've heard it before but I will say it again, her rendition of "Making Whopee" has to be one of the most memorable scenes in all of film.

The main themes of sibling rivalry and unfulfilled talent are generally engrossing, and help to paper over the thinness of the story. Jeff Bridges is very believable as a man working in the lower ranks of his trade when he could've reached the top. Beau is also in fine form as a performer who does what he does simply because he has a family to support. It's a hard film to describe, because it's not really about very much, but if you can adjust to the relaxed pace and just enjoy the leisurely development of the three main characters then you will come away from the film feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Meg Tilly is also worth mentioning. She is fantastic in a small role that I wish was more fully developed. She is a truly wonderful and underrated actress and I was pleasantly surprised to see her. She has one of the other more memorable scenes in the film, auditioning for the brothers near the beginning of the film.

See it for the Bridges, see it for Pfeiffer, see it for Tilly or see it for the music. Just see it!

Enough about Michelle, what about Jeff???
Yes, Michelle P. seems to be every man's fantasy, but for me, a female, check out the way Jeff seduces her by the piano! I met Jeff B. and he must be 6'4"...and sexy. The music tops it all off...Grusin, good job.

ONE TWO THREE TWO ONE
The FABULOUS BAKER BOYS is the kind of movie that you must see with a light heart. If not, its sad atmosphere will certainly give you the blues. Hope is not the main theme of this film starring Michelle Pfeiffer and the Bridges (blues-) brothers.

The movie focuses on the three main characters and their relationship. So you'll have a lot of talk and songs but no action at all. It's pretty rare nowadays to have on screen heroes thinking, feeling and becoming better without a single gunshot. Enjoy !

It is to be noticed that Michelle Pfeiffer sings in the FABULOUS BAKER BOYS and she's not bad at all. Furthermore, she is sexier than the average cocktail bar singer. Jeff and Beau are very good too.

Very agreeable bonus features with a commentary of the director of photography Michaël Ballhaus who used to work with german director Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

An above-average DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (191)

The Strong Arm of the Law
The future of law enforcement is now available in the thrilling Sci-Fi actioner "Robocop". In the near future, police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is brutally gunned down by ruthless criminals but a powerful corporation rebuilds him as an indestructible high-tech cyborg with the mission to bring justice in violent streets of Detroit. Tormented by nightmarish images of his former life, Robocop seeks revenge on the criminals that took his life. "Robocop" is still director Paul Verhoeven's (Total Recall) best work to date. This film is a fiercely entertaining action-packed joyride. It contains a sharp storyline, high-voltage actions and some surprising bits of wicked satire. The cast also includes Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith and Miguel Ferrer. The 1987 hit actioner is presented in its theatrical 1.85:1 widescreen format. The DVD contains a good video transfer and well-balanced 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Its only supplement is its original theatrical trailer. Though fans are more interested in the Criterion Edition, this simple edition is a worthy bargain purchase and gets a "B-".

Not a bad movie, but one scene makes me sick
Dutch director Paul Varhoven takes us on a ride filled with the demise and downfall of our own society in his first American action adventure film, ROBOCOP. It is worth while to mention that ROBOCOP was shot in a time period where Detroit was known as the murder capital of the world. Since than, Detroit has cleaned up its act, and New York has lifted that title from the motor city's back. But in Varhoven's vision, Detroit is a spiraling downward paradox, filled with drugs, violence, and prostitution. The picture is dark and monochromatic, with a grim look upon our future. Its actually a bit depressing to tell you the truth. ROBOCOP is a satire, cracking jokes at modern day aspects of life such as the automotive industry, television commercials, and corporate development (the OCP portion of the film.) The movie has a solid script and a convincing cast, probably most entertaining are the OCP corporate hot shots, but no one steals the show like ED-209. Peter Weller does well with the material he is given to work with, even if he is a little on the monotone side. Kurtwood Smith is all too believable as the dark and sinister villain, Clarence Bodiker. The villains in this film are the most convincing, although its not that hard to make someone seem evil. Basil Poledoris's music score is commanding, even if a little overemphasized with synthesizer, but I guess that's how the 80's were. It really adds a whole other dimension to the film, and multi-academy award winner Phil Tippit's stop motion effects are amazing. I have mixed feelings about this film. Like I may have mentioned above, ROBOCOP is very convincing when it comes to its antagonists, almost too convincing. Along with the Robocop package comes one of the most brutal scenes in Hollywood History. Not since the ambush sequence in BONNY AND CLYDE has there been a more shocking murder in a motion picture. I'm speaking of the scene in which Murphy is, to say the least, shot to death. I felt this over-emphasis was anything but crucial to the plot, as there was no need for it, since we had already been given a display of the cruelty of the characters (can you fly Bobby...CAN YOU FLY! ) We didn't have to see Murphy take a shot between the legs, fall to his knees in agony, and lie there helplessly as his limbs are blown off one at a time. This isn't art, its savage. VARHOVEN, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! Now I'm aware of the criterion edition, which features even more of this nonsense, in crucifixion style! I mean come on! That's just sick if you ask me. One thing off-setting about this scene is that it takes place in a very confined setting, creating a claustrophobic illusion. We can sympathize for Murphy, especially us males when it comes to the first shot he takes. Some things just shouldn't pass through the lens of a camera, period. As for the rest of the film, three cheers, but this scene was totally unnecessary. The blade thru Kurtwood Smith's neck ain't pretty either, but at least he deserved it. The viewing of this scene leaves one feeling sick to there stomach, thanks Dad, for fast forwarding when I was a little kid.

A classic action movie that makes Kill Bill a comedy
The 1987 classic Robocop is one of my all time favorite movies next to Scarface(1983), First Blood(1982), Goodfellas(1990), Braveheart(1995), The Exorcist(1973), Animal House(1978) and The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie(1979). When I first saw this movie in 1988 when I was 12, I was in for a time of my life. As for the first Robocop(forget the sequels), Old Detroit has become a violent wonderland of criminal activity. New officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) and Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) are partners in a police force under siege from OCP, a company that wants to turn Old Detroit into a Metropolis kind of place. Whilst pursuing particularly bloodthirsty and disgusting badguys, led by the reprehensible Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith), whom had some of the funniest lines ever uttered by a villain in film, Murphy is captured, tortured, shot full of holes and killed. This scene is rather disturbing to watch for those who don't like violence. After his death, Murphy becomes ROBOCOP. Murphy now has a mechanical body and becomes a walking weapon of mass destruction! He in initially goes out to clean up the streets and uphold the law. However, the scientists forgot that he was human and Robocop subsequently has a flashback to the night that his human form was killed and is later haunted by memories of his wife and son. The nightmare sequence sets up one of the best revenge films I've ever seen next to the first First Blood. ROBOCOP then finds out the sinister secrets of OCP's #2 man (Ronny Cox) after assaulting Clarence and must do battle with the ED-209, an earlier robotic crimefighter design with heavy-duty guns and missiles. The rest of the film is great too. I can't give more away, you have to watch. Highly recommended!

Rent the first movie now!!
Absolutely incredible! I liked peter weller as Robocop,mainly because his voice was a little quiet,wich I admire. I just love watching Robocop cream all the gang members and I never get bored of it,and the toxic waste guy.a perfect idea for the movie! I was home alone just flipping around the channels and I found the word robocop on the screen.I went ahead and checked it out,I had heard people say how violent it was and im only 13(so I was prepared..) I dropped in when the cops are first chaseing after the gang,and when they got to the gangs hide out where murphys hand like explodes from a little pistol,AS IF.Although it was still wheerdly entertaining,still I was suprised at how good it the movie was.one of the best of the 80's,rent the movie you will like it,I sware.

A good but violent film.
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD release of the film.

The plot is original for the time also.

After being killed, a police officer is brought back to life as a robot with superhuman strength.

This film is an interesting look at human memory and emotions as well as the idea on law enforcement of the future. The film is the unrated director's cut and includes violent scenes which were cut to avoid an MPAA X-rating. Though compared to the violence in today's films, it is not that graphic.

It is also an interesting look at large corporations and their potential to become corrupt, a bit ahead of its time but now apparent with the many reports in the news nowadays.

The death of officer Murphy and his 'rebirth' as a robot have been compared to the crucifixion and ressurrection of Jesus, by director Paul Verhoeven. He stated that he wanted the death scene to be as graphic as possible so the audience would have sympathy for him and not just think of him as a robot after his 'rebirth'
The scene where he discovers his old home, abandned by his widow and children is also touching and really is well written.

The DVD has excellent audio commentary by the director other crew. It also has storyboard/film comparisons. it has the teaser and theatcical trailers and an interactive essay that was origianlly in a film magazine.

This DVd remains out of print and is worth the $50 dollars it currently sells at for those who are fan of the movie. ... Read more

Reviews (191)

The Strong Arm of the Law
The future of law enforcement is now available in the thrilling Sci-Fi actioner "Robocop". In the near future, police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is brutally gunned down by ruthless criminals but a powerful corporation rebuilds him as an indestructible high-tech cyborg with the mission to bring justice in violent streets of Detroit. Tormented by nightmarish images of his former life, Robocop seeks revenge on the criminals that took his life. "Robocop" is still director Paul Verhoeven's (Total Recall) best work to date. This film is a fiercely entertaining action-packed joyride. It contains a sharp storyline, high-voltage actions and some surprising bits of wicked satire. The cast also includes Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith and Miguel Ferrer. The 1987 hit actioner is presented in its theatrical 1.85:1 widescreen format. The DVD contains a good video transfer and well-balanced 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Its only supplement is its original theatrical trailer. Though fans are more interested in the Criterion Edition, this simple edition is a worthy bargain purchase and gets a "B-".

Not a bad movie, but one scene makes me sick
Dutch director Paul Varhoven takes us on a ride filled with the demise and downfall of our own society in his first American action adventure film, ROBOCOP. It is worth while to mention that ROBOCOP was shot in a time period where Detroit was known as the murder capital of the world. Since than, Detroit has cleaned up its act, and New York has lifted that title from the motor city's back. But in Varhoven's vision, Detroit is a spiraling downward paradox, filled with drugs, violence, and prostitution. The picture is dark and monochromatic, with a grim look upon our future. Its actually a bit depressing to tell you the truth. ROBOCOP is a satire, cracking jokes at modern day aspects of life such as the automotive industry, television commercials, and corporate development (the OCP portion of the film.) The movie has a solid script and a convincing cast, probably most entertaining are the OCP corporate hot shots, but no one steals the show like ED-209. Peter Weller does well with the material he is given to work with, even if he is a little on the monotone side. Kurtwood Smith is all too believable as the dark and sinister villain, Clarence Bodiker. The villains in this film are the most convincing, although its not that hard to make someone seem evil. Basil Poledoris's music score is commanding, even if a little overemphasized with synthesizer, but I guess that's how the 80's were. It really adds a whole other dimension to the film, and multi-academy award winner Phil Tippit's stop motion effects are amazing. I have mixed feelings about this film. Like I may have mentioned above, ROBOCOP is very convincing when it comes to its antagonists, almost too convincing. Along with the Robocop package comes one of the most brutal scenes in Hollywood History. Not since the ambush sequence in BONNY AND CLYDE has there been a more shocking murder in a motion picture. I'm speaking of the scene in which Murphy is, to say the least, shot to death. I felt this over-emphasis was anything but crucial to the plot, as there was no need for it, since we had already been given a display of the cruelty of the characters (can you fly Bobby...CAN YOU FLY! ) We didn't have to see Murphy take a shot between the legs, fall to his knees in agony, and lie there helplessly as his limbs are blown off one at a time. This isn't art, its savage. VARHOVEN, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! Now I'm aware of the criterion edition, which features even more of this nonsense, in crucifixion style! I mean come on! That's just sick if you ask me. One thing off-setting about this scene is that it takes place in a very confined setting, creating a claustrophobic illusion. We can sympathize for Murphy, especially us males when it comes to the first shot he takes. Some things just shouldn't pass through the lens of a camera, period. As for the rest of the film, three cheers, but this scene was totally unnecessary. The blade thru Kurtwood Smith's neck ain't pretty either, but at least he deserved it. The viewing of this scene leaves one feeling sick to there stomach, thanks Dad, for fast forwarding when I was a little kid.

A classic action movie that makes Kill Bill a comedy
The 1987 classic Robocop is one of my all time favorite movies next to Scarface(1983), First Blood(1982), Goodfellas(1990), Braveheart(1995), The Exorcist(1973), Animal House(1978) and The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie(1979). When I first saw this movie in 1988 when I was 12, I was in for a time of my life. As for the first Robocop(forget the sequels), Old Detroit has become a violent wonderland of criminal activity. New officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) and Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) are partners in a police force under siege from OCP, a company that wants to turn Old Detroit into a Metropolis kind of place. Whilst pursuing particularly bloodthirsty and disgusting badguys, led by the reprehensible Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith), whom had some of the funniest lines ever uttered by a villain in film, Murphy is captured, tortured, shot full of holes and killed. This scene is rather disturbing to watch for those who don't like violence. After his death, Murphy becomes ROBOCOP. Murphy now has a mechanical body and becomes a walking weapon of mass destruction! He in initially goes out to clean up the streets and uphold the law. However, the scientists forgot that he was human and Robocop subsequently has a flashback to the night that his human form was killed and is later haunted by memories of his wife and son. The nightmare sequence sets up one of the best revenge films I've ever seen next to the first First Blood. ROBOCOP then finds out the sinister secrets of OCP's #2 man (Ronny Cox) after assaulting Clarence and must do battle with the ED-209, an earlier robotic crimefighter design with heavy-duty guns and missiles. The rest of the film is great too. I can't give more away, you have to watch. Highly recommended!

Rent the first movie now!!
Absolutely incredible! I liked peter weller as Robocop,mainly because his voice was a little quiet,wich I admire. I just love watching Robocop cream all the gang members and I never get bored of it,and the toxic waste guy.a perfect idea for the movie! I was home alone just flipping around the channels and I found the word robocop on the screen.I went ahead and checked it out,I had heard people say how violent it was and im only 13(so I was prepared..) I dropped in when the cops are first chaseing after the gang,and when they got to the gangs hide out where murphys hand like explodes from a little pistol,AS IF.Although it was still wheerdly entertaining,still I was suprised at how good it the movie was.one of the best of the 80's,rent the movie you will like it,I sware.

A good but violent film.
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD release of the film.

The plot is original for the time also.

After being killed, a police officer is brought back to life as a robot with superhuman strength.

This film is an interesting look at human memory and emotions as well as the idea on law enforcement of the future. The film is the unrated director's cut and includes violent scenes which were cut to avoid an MPAA X-rating. Though compared to the violence in today's films, it is not that graphic.

It is also an interesting look at large corporations and their potential to become corrupt, a bit ahead of its time but now apparent with the many reports in the news nowadays.

The death of officer Murphy and his 'rebirth' as a robot have been compared to the crucifixion and ressurrection of Jesus, by director Paul Verhoeven. He stated that he wanted the death scene to be as graphic as possible so the audience would have sympathy for him and not just think of him as a robot after his 'rebirth'
The scene where he discovers his old home, abandned by his widow and children is also touching and really is well written.

The DVD has excellent audio commentary by the director other crew. It also has storyboard/film comparisons. it has the teaser and theatcical trailers and an interactive essay that was origianlly in a film magazine.

This DVd remains out of print and is worth the $50 dollars it currently sells at for those who are fan of the movie. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Town and Country: A Tour de Force and a Breath of Fresh Air
Having seen Town and Country twice, I am very surprised by the negative reviews. Here is a film that offered a tour de force in ensemble acting, scenes that were deliciously subtle and laugh-out-loud hilarious, a plot that poked goodnatured fun at both human foibles and society's icons and still managed to address serious issues without somehow trivializing them.

For once you have mature characters (however flawed) played by mature actors, Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Gary Shandling whose chemistry and respect for each other fuel the story with an unstoppable energy and generous spirit. The supporting cast with Natassia Kinski, Andie Macdowell, Genna Elfman and Charlton Heston play their roles to perfection.

Town and Country is partly a contemporary and very literate comedy of manners and partly a cautionary tale about taking the gifts we have for granted. Despite his fall from grace, as in any classic comedy, Warren Beatty's character has a chance at redemption and a chance to reclaim conjugal bliss. Regardless of the poor reviews, I predict that Town and Country will prove to be a sleeper classic.

All-star shambles wastes talent in all departments
If taken at face value, you'd expect TOWN AND COUNTRY to be an excellent movie: The script is written by Buck Henry, (co-creator with Mel Brooks of the classic TV comedy GET SMART), directed by Peter Chelsom who made the vastly underappreciated THE MIGHTY and featuring an all-star cast including Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Jenna Elfman, Nastassja Kinski, Andie MacDowell and Charlton Heston. You'd think TOWN AND COUNTRY would be pretty special, right? Wrong.
As soon as you read studio press hailing this as FIRST WIVES CLUB (which starred Keaton and Hawn) meets ANNIE HALL (which also starred Keaton), you just know you're not getting anything new.
Anyway the plot: Porter Stoddard (Beatty) has been happily married to Ellie (Keaton) for a quarter century. But when his best friend Griffin (Garry Shandling) tells him about an affair he had and how great it was; Porter decides to give it a go- by cheating on no less than four women at the same time. These include Mona (Goldie Hawn- still attractive, but obviously uses a double for her sex scene) sexy cellist Alex (Kinski) who plays music in the nude, as well as a ski-er (Andie MacDowell) and a shop owner (Jenna Elfman). Yep, so in a sledgehammer-subtle dig at his wild past, Clyde Barrow himself; toupe clad and wrinkly, every elderly spinster's fantasy man; plays a womaniser! Didn't see that one coming. Another surprise is Charlton Heston's role as MacDowell's dad who just happens to be ... a gun nut. No subtle nuances present in this movie.
TOWN AND COUNTRY veers uneasily between light romantic comedy and screwball farce and doesn't really suceed as either. When will film makers realize an all-star cast is usually a recipe for critical and box office disaster? It all starts with the STORY, people
In summation TOWN AND COUNTRY isn't a total failure, but its more a lumbering actors' showcase than the light entertainment you'd expect. Given the talent involved this is a huge disappointment. I was expecting better from Beatty after his brilliant satire BULWORTH. Watch that instead. And Chelsom should stop trying to be Robert Altman- 90% of the time HIS all-star efforts are garbage- and get back to what he's good at.

Not Worth It
Do not waste your time. In spite of the cast, this movie is a whopping dud. Meandering and unfulfiling. A shame. I'd give it zero stars, but the system won't let me.

One of the worst. movies we've ever tried to watch
This was one of the worst movies my husband and I ever tried to watch. We finally gave up and I threw our DVD away. We were looking forward to watching it because of the cast, but that just proves that you need more than very good actores to make a good movie. Nothing seemed funny to us; I find it strange that it got better reviews than "My Fellow Americans" and "Her Alibi." We enjoyed the first one and thought the second one was cute, but they got trounced. Which might also prove that you have to be an outspoken liberal to get a good review in Hollywood?

Bright and Funny
This film is a hoot. I can only describe it as a less intellectual, brighter form of a Woody Allen film. It's got beautiful shots of New York, it's got the neurotic "uptown" socialites, it's got the midlife crises situations (a re-curring theme in Allen's films), and it's got careless laugh out loud sight gags. A must see...a perfect "sunday afternoon movie." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

fun gender rversal TV movie
Lesley-Anne Down stars as the owner of 'Ladykillers', a hot nightspot where hundreds of women cram in to watch the endless stream of male strippers. The final routine each night consists of a top hat and tails number which drives the girls wild. Until one night, when the dancer is brutally killed. From then on, every dancer who attempts the closing routine is slain in full view of the audience. Marilu Henner leads an all-male homicide team who are assigned the task of finding the killer.
This is a fun gender role reversal movie if somewhat cheesy, instead of the usual movie with a psycho guy runs around killing female strippers, here the killer is female the person in charge of the crime investigations is female (and in charge of a group of men), and the owner of the strip joint in charge of the strippers is a woman.
All of the dominant characters in positions of power are women, whilst the the usual submissive eyecandy roles here are provided by men. Here the men are parading round half-naked as sex objects and serving to please women. It does make a pleasant change to see the heroin rescue her toy boy from the woman who's been slicing and dicing the sexy hunks.
This movie is definitely worth watching for women, combined with its feminist slant and numerous strip scenes of gorgeous men with awesome bodies taking thier clothes off (not fully mind, this is a TV movie) there is alot of fun entertainment to be had here, if only there were a unrated version! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Effective neo-noir
Alex Cox, the director, has one of the great 80s cult films to his credit--Repo Man--and while The Winner does not have the same resonance, it is still a solid piece of work.

The strong cast--Rebecca deMornay, Michael Madsen, Billy Bob Thornton, Frank Whaley, Vincent D'Onofrio, Delroy Lindo, and Richard Edson--does an excellent job of playing out their standard neo-noir roles. Yes, there is some measure of formula-typing here, but it is, after all, neo-noir. DeMornay's femme fatale is not a demon (like Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction), but more a nasty vixen who undergoes a change of heart, but, unfortunately, too late. Frank Whaley is terrific as a small-time con man whose motor mouth oozes false schmaltz. Billy Bob Thornton in an uncharacteristic role, sporting a goofy toupee and serving as a henchman for Delroy Lindo's suave Kingman, is a bit on the stiff side, but given his hinted-at affliction, maybe that's understandable. Michael Madsen has one of his many roles as a brute and does the role justice.

And Vincent D'Onofrio is effective as well in the title role. One of the flaws of the film is that it shuttles back and forth between characters so frequently that aside from DeMornay's and Whaley's roles, no one character is developed enough to establish a strong identity.

But the plot is strong and occasionally sparkles with some of the director's characteristic flashes of archetypal-metaphoric wit. A great example is the winking out of all the lights at the end of the film. Cox himself appears briefly as a wacky French choreographer named Gaston, responsible for the dancers's routines at a chintzy Vegas place called, appropriately, the Par-A-Dise.

It's at this place that the title character finds himself most of the time. He's a gambler who never loses--so everybody's after his money. The femme fatale wants him for it. His ex-con brother (Madsen), carrying a mysterious filled-in sleeping bag, needs the winner's money to keep getting by, the way he has been after finally leaving the slammer. The trio of lowlife crooks (Whaley, Edson in one of his well-done 'dopey' roles, and another guy) want the money he creates out of nothing, and Kingman wants to exploit him for it. But the winner is a guy who just does what he does, after almost committing suicide. The winner's mix of innocence and impulsiveness is, for all the brief flashes of this mix that do come through, handled well by D'Onofrio, but as mentioned above, the character is not developed enough for the viewer to feel for him.

It's the plotting, a lot of the snappy dialogue (thanks to writer Wendy Riss) and the director's witty style that make this work as well as it does. Not a great film, but enjoyable and fun.

Creative and entertaining
This movie is very good, but not a masterpiece - which is why I can not give it 5 stars.

The basic plot is very simple. The story is about a gambler that can't lose. He placed his first bet on a Sunday and therefore he always hits the casinos on Sundays - and still can't lose. Around this basic plot other stories start to develop. So the movie is not really about a gambler that can't lose, but rather about human nature, greed and relationships. Do you think your life would change if you simply could not lose in a casino? Of course it would, and so does this guy's life; surrounded by new "friends" and enemies.

The movie has a good basic structure, a good concept, a few unexpected twists, good dark humor and a good ending. Above all it does not fall into a ready-made mold of modern Hollywood movies and for the simple fact that it is creative and different (and good) it is worth your time. And if you happen to be a collector you should not regret adding this one to your collection.

A Different Tale Of Life In Vegas
I liked the different storyline of life in Las Vegas.It shows the people side of Sin City.Phillip, fate and good fortune find him when he's ready to give up on life-then can't lose at the gambling tables.Louise,a singer who gets stuck in town from debt sees her ticket out in Phillip,Louise is a vixen and con woman and Phillip can't resist her(It'd be hard for me not to give into lust for Louise myself).Greed takes over as word of Phillips luck gets around and several unexpected twists and turns come and go--Phillip really loves Louise and gets to her little by little.If you've been to Las Vegas as I have--well I always thought about the people who make up Vegas not just visit but live and work there and that's why I liked this movie.I thought the whole cast made this a great movie to watch!!

my opinion
I really liked the movie alot. I especially liked Ms. DeMornay's singing, she can show me the lights of Las Vegas anytime. I've been to Vegas 1 time and looked around alot and think this movie is the closest to real Vegas that I've seen! I thought everybody acted good especially Ms. DeMornay. It had everything,action,humor,mystery,romance,drama etc. I liked it so much I bought it. I only noticed 1 flaw, a scene where Ms. DeMornay is driving a car and her hands turn but the steering wheel didn't-hey it's in the script. I have yet to see a movie I didn't like with Ms.DeMornay, just another example of her range and depth and guts to portray different roles. I think she's the best and the rest are legends in their own minds! Jim.

A very well thought-out and well acted dark comedy and adven
The viewer content of this film contains sex scenes, acts of maltious violence, and adult language. I enjoyed this film very much, the plot was good, and the acting was good, especially that of Micheal Madsen who played Wolf, The brother of Philip whom can't loose at the casino and who everyone in the story wishes to take advantage of. From a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 9. ... Read more

Description

This story centers around a high-tech biotechnology lab.From its confines comes "Max," a genetically engineered killing machine in the guise of a household pet dog. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Great Sci-Fi
I first saw this movie when it premeired on TBS-Atlanta.

I am a sucker for all kinds of working dogs. And the docter was right when he referred to "Max" as a "stand-alone unit". TM's DO NOT TAKE ORDERS. They were bred to react to threats with their own minds and don't take counsel from their owners.

The best I can describe it is as a Sci-Fi modern day "Old Yeller". A great dog who, through no fault of his own must be killed. And yet he lives on, in the litter of pups he sired by Heidi.

But the movie does point out A LOT of irresponsible ownership too.
-Stealing the dog in the first place.
-Leaving a dog unsuprvised outside.
-Allowing children to take a LARGE (180 lb) dog out when you know next to nothing about him or his personality. (Afterall, he came out of a lab and obviously did not get socialized with children).
-Not consulting your live-in significant other when acquiring a dog.

It's good entertainment. And that is all it is. Entertainment. Anyone looking beyond that is going to be disappointed.

Best "Dog v.s. Man" movie made to date.
I absolutley LOVED this movie. The first time I seen previews for the film, I knew it was one I'd enjoy seeing over & over again. Albeit, the beautiful Tibetan mastiffs did outshine the actor's character's(which is why I rated it 4 out of 5 stars), it still did not detract from the plot of the movie. Perhaps what I found most interested with this film is that it could become a reality. Well, maybe not having the canine murder people, yet, the aspect of genetically engineering a super-breed of dog. I contemplate it would be pretty fantastic to have your own best friend & bodyguard with heigthened senses. Well, anyway, please see this video; especially those who love movies where the animals triumphs over the humans. I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

P.S. I would like to hear from anyone whom enjoyed this movie as much as I did or whom may have information, like behind-the-scenes or video clips, from the movie. I'd appreciate it alot.

Maybe I shouldn't be this jaded...
Sometimes I think my own cynicism is bad for me. I tend to judge a movie solely on it's promotional material. Sure, that's what it's there for, but still, sometimes I wonder if maybe I'm keeping myself from some really enjoyable movies because off my gut instinct.

But all I have to do to assuage those pangs of doubt is to close my eyes and think back to when I was taken, against my will, to go see Man's Best Friend. "No," I said, "That movie will be horrible." And I was right. Oh boy was I right. Lucky me!

So jaded I shall remain. Gut instinct prevails.

tisk tisk tisk
I am truly shocked that there are people out there that thought this movie good, and for saying it could be a reality? I mean the plot of this movie is sooooooooo pathetic it was almost enjoyable to watch. But the dog jumping the police cars, and climbing trees, swallowing a cat whole, and turning colors so well that it became invisible, were pathetic. this movie would be enjoyable to those who like really bad horror/sci-fi films. I would only recommend it to watch so you could see how stupid it is.

Misrepresentation of a breed
I saw this movie years ago when stationed in Germany, although I was impressed by it then, and still believe it to be an acceptable movie it does a great injustice to the Tibetan Mastiff.As a Tibetan Mastiff owner I can assure you that the breed does not behave as portrayed in this movie.Tibetian Mastiffs are a loyal gentle breed as a norm and good with children, mine is a former therapy dog.THIS BREED IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. If you saw this movie and think you want to run right out and get your self a really cool trophy dog you are going to be in for a very big shock. TM's have a mind of they're own and are very stubborn when they want to be. They DO NOT COME WHEN CALLED and CANNOT BE ALLOWED OFF LEASH, EVER. When they are young they can be very destructive if not properly supervised and will eat anything they can get hold of including furniture, dry wall, and chain link fences, they will also provide you with tunnels to Tibet in your yard. As this is an extremly rare breed they are hard to find and are not available in pet shops. Most breeders are extremely picky as to who can adopt they're dogs and require a screening process, I had to fill out an application and had many on-line and e-mail conversations with the breeder before I was accepted. If you think you are interested in this breed and would like to adopt a TM, do your reasearch a good place to start is the Tibetan Mastiff club of America. ... Read more

Reviews (94)

A Classic Cult Film!!!
Repo Man is THE classic cult movie. It's a real original! A wacky and complex masterpiece that defies description. Emilio Estevez, in his one and only good role, is the title character, a teenage punk who lives with his hippie parents in L.A. The always brilliant Harry Dean Stanton is the veteran repo man who takes Estevez under his wing and shows him the ropes of the trade. To reveal more would be wrong, one of the many pleasures of this movie is the wild surprises and twists that the film springs on us. Let's just say the film mixes a punk attitude with bizarro science fiction, hysterical comedy, satire, a GREAT soundtrack and much more. With this film and the brilliant Sid & Nancy (another film you should see if you have'nt)Alex Cox announced himself as a great director. Unfortunately, he seemed to want to self destruct a promising career with the release of two deeply flawed but nonetheless interesting films Walker and Straight to Hell. This is a man who needs to direct again? Where is he now??

Cult classic
Of all the low-budget films to come out of the Eighties, Repo Man, Alex Cox's dark cult comedy about Eighties urban sprawl and alien paranoia, is one of the better ones. Emilio Estevez stars in one of his earliest roles as Otto Parts, your modern apocalyptic teen up to his armpits in drugs, sex, and parental neglect. He soon finds a way out through Bud (Stanton), an ace repo man, who gives him a job and teaches him the ways of the car repossessing trade. The two wander through the guts of L.A. in search of a '64 Chevy Malibu, priced at 50 thousand dollars, and run into a cast of bizarre street characters: feds, girls in distress, a lobotomized nuclear physicist, and really, really dumb criminals. Estevez gives one of the best performances of his career, honing his acting skills as a punk white boy just in time for his role in Coppola's The Outsiders, released later that year. Cox, who wrote and directed the film, creates a strange but hilarious view of our culture, a brilliant satire on modern society.

What the f*ck do I know?
One thing I do know is this film is a modern day masterpiece.Unlike anything made before it.A true work of art and absolutely essential to any great DVD collection.Better than Gone With The Wind.It will make you wanna go to L.A. but stay home and watch Repo Man instead.I really wish they'd release the made for TV version of it as well.Along with the high art of Richard Elfman's brilliant Forbidden Zone, Repo Man is in a class all by itself.SUPERB!

not what i had expected
I was thouroughly pleased upon seeing repo man. Though i Admit it was defintitletely not what I had expected. A friend recomended the movie to me saying it was apunk rock thing, and it was actually an acurate portrayal of the punk rock lifestyle of the 80's. WHOA no way, thats the last time i trust that guy. What I did discover was a magical glowing, flying spacecar, which everyone and their mother wanted. It's brilliant, just half way through the movie it takes a twist for the strange. I'd recomend this movie to anyone. This is probably Emelio's only good performance ever so that makes the movie that much more special.

"The more you drive, the less intelligent you are."--Miller
Wow, ummm....interesting. Finally something different. No, I mean this is REALLY different. About time to, cuz lately I've seen a string of bvad movies, so it's nice to see something cool and original every now and then. Otto (Emilio Estevez) is a Los Angeles punk, a loser with no direction and no role models. But he discovers a code of honor and higher purpose when he joins a select group of latter-day knights: the repo men. As a fledging apprentice, Otto slowly learns the ways of these high-caliber, overmedicated auto repossessors. And when a $20,000 bounty is placed on a mysterious missing car, Otto eludes the police, feds, religious cultists, and other repo men in a frantic search for this holy grail. Could one man's destiny lie in the back of a 1964 Chevy Malibu? For some, actually for many, this film will come of as stupid and random, but for those of us who "get" it, this is a breathe of fresh air. Using clever, if somewhat odd, story telling, this film should keep you entertained and amused throughout the entire duration of the film. I say rent first, then but. ... Read more

Reviews (191)

The Strong Arm of the Law
The future of law enforcement is now available in the thrilling Sci-Fi actioner "Robocop". In the near future, police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is brutally gunned down by ruthless criminals but a powerful corporation rebuilds him as an indestructible high-tech cyborg with the mission to bring justice in violent streets of Detroit. Tormented by nightmarish images of his former life, Robocop seeks revenge on the criminals that took his life. "Robocop" is still director Paul Verhoeven's (Total Recall) best work to date. This film is a fiercely entertaining action-packed joyride. It contains a sharp storyline, high-voltage actions and some surprising bits of wicked satire. The cast also includes Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith and Miguel Ferrer. The 1987 hit actioner is presented in its theatrical 1.85:1 widescreen format. The DVD contains a good video transfer and well-balanced 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Its only supplement is its original theatrical trailer. Though fans are more interested in the Criterion Edition, this simple edition is a worthy bargain purchase and gets a "B-".

Not a bad movie, but one scene makes me sick
Dutch director Paul Varhoven takes us on a ride filled with the demise and downfall of our own society in his first American action adventure film, ROBOCOP. It is worth while to mention that ROBOCOP was shot in a time period where Detroit was known as the murder capital of the world. Since than, Detroit has cleaned up its act, and New York has lifted that title from the motor city's back. But in Varhoven's vision, Detroit is a spiraling downward paradox, filled with drugs, violence, and prostitution. The picture is dark and monochromatic, with a grim look upon our future. Its actually a bit depressing to tell you the truth. ROBOCOP is a satire, cracking jokes at modern day aspects of life such as the automotive industry, television commercials, and corporate development (the OCP portion of the film.) The movie has a solid script and a convincing cast, probably most entertaining are the OCP corporate hot shots, but no one steals the show like ED-209. Peter Weller does well with the material he is given to work with, even if he is a little on the monotone side. Kurtwood Smith is all too believable as the dark and sinister villain, Clarence Bodiker. The villains in this film are the most convincing, although its not that hard to make someone seem evil. Basil Poledoris's music score is commanding, even if a little overemphasized with synthesizer, but I guess that's how the 80's were. It really adds a whole other dimension to the film, and multi-academy award winner Phil Tippit's stop motion effects are amazing. I have mixed feelings about this film. Like I may have mentioned above, ROBOCOP is very convincing when it comes to its antagonists, almost too convincing. Along with the Robocop package comes one of the most brutal scenes in Hollywood History. Not since the ambush sequence in BONNY AND CLYDE has there been a more shocking murder in a motion picture. I'm speaking of the scene in which Murphy is, to say the least, shot to death. I felt this over-emphasis was anything but crucial to the plot, as there was no need for it, since we had already been given a display of the cruelty of the characters (can you fly Bobby...CAN YOU FLY! ) We didn't have to see Murphy take a shot between the legs, fall to his knees in agony, and lie there helplessly as his limbs are blown off one at a time. This isn't art, its savage. VARHOVEN, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! Now I'm aware of the criterion edition, which features even more of this nonsense, in crucifixion style! I mean come on! That's just sick if you ask me. One thing off-setting about this scene is that it takes place in a very confined setting, creating a claustrophobic illusion. We can sympathize for Murphy, especially us males when it comes to the first shot he takes. Some things just shouldn't pass through the lens of a camera, period. As for the rest of the film, three cheers, but this scene was totally unnecessary. The blade thru Kurtwood Smith's neck ain't pretty either, but at least he deserved it. The viewing of this scene leaves one feeling sick to there stomach, thanks Dad, for fast forwarding when I was a little kid.

A classic action movie that makes Kill Bill a comedy
The 1987 classic Robocop is one of my all time favorite movies next to Scarface(1983), First Blood(1982), Goodfellas(1990), Braveheart(1995), The Exorcist(1973), Animal House(1978) and The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie(1979). When I first saw this movie in 1988 when I was 12, I was in for a time of my life. As for the first Robocop(forget the sequels), Old Detroit has become a violent wonderland of criminal activity. New officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) and Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) are partners in a police force under siege from OCP, a company that wants to turn Old Detroit into a Metropolis kind of place. Whilst pursuing particularly bloodthirsty and disgusting badguys, led by the reprehensible Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith), whom had some of the funniest lines ever uttered by a villain in film, Murphy is captured, tortured, shot full of holes and killed. This scene is rather disturbing to watch for those who don't like violence. After his death, Murphy becomes ROBOCOP. Murphy now has a mechanical body and becomes a walking weapon of mass destruction! He in initially goes out to clean up the streets and uphold the law. However, the scientists forgot that he was human and Robocop subsequently has a flashback to the night that his human form was killed and is later haunted by memories of his wife and son. The nightmare sequence sets up one of the best revenge films I've ever seen next to the first First Blood. ROBOCOP then finds out the sinister secrets of OCP's #2 man (Ronny Cox) after assaulting Clarence and must do battle with the ED-209, an earlier robotic crimefighter design with heavy-duty guns and missiles. The rest of the film is great too. I can't give more away, you have to watch. Highly recommended!

Rent the first movie now!!
Absolutely incredible! I liked peter weller as Robocop,mainly because his voice was a little quiet,wich I admire. I just love watching Robocop cream all the gang members and I never get bored of it,and the toxic waste guy.a perfect idea for the movie! I was home alone just flipping around the channels and I found the word robocop on the screen.I went ahead and checked it out,I had heard people say how violent it was and im only 13(so I was prepared..) I dropped in when the cops are first chaseing after the gang,and when they got to the gangs hide out where murphys hand like explodes from a little pistol,AS IF.Although it was still wheerdly entertaining,still I was suprised at how good it the movie was.one of the best of the 80's,rent the movie you will like it,I sware.

A good but violent film.
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD release of the film.

The plot is original for the time also.

After being killed, a police officer is brought back to life as a robot with superhuman strength.

This film is an interesting look at human memory and emotions as well as the idea on law enforcement of the future. The film is the unrated director's cut and includes violent scenes which were cut to avoid an MPAA X-rating. Though compared to the violence in today's films, it is not that graphic.

It is also an interesting look at large corporations and their potential to become corrupt, a bit ahead of its time but now apparent with the many reports in the news nowadays.

The death of officer Murphy and his 'rebirth' as a robot have been compared to the crucifixion and ressurrection of Jesus, by director Paul Verhoeven. He stated that he wanted the death scene to be as graphic as possible so the audience would have sympathy for him and not just think of him as a robot after his 'rebirth'
The scene where he discovers his old home, abandned by his widow and children is also touching and really is well written.

The DVD has excellent audio commentary by the director other crew. It also has storyboard/film comparisons. it has the teaser and theatcical trailers and an interactive essay that was origianlly in a film magazine.

This DVd remains out of print and is worth the $50 dollars it currently sells at for those who are fan of the movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

An inspired casting gimmick, a wonderful mood, a grown-up lovestory--all this in The Fabulous Baker Boys, but the only thinganybody ever talks about is Michelle Pfeiffer on top of a piano.Granted, it's a showstopper: clad in a slinky dress, Pfeiffer rollsaround on the Steinway while she purrs out a languid version of"Makin' Whoopee." Adding to the seductive vibe is the fact thatshe's not singing to the audience, but to the sullen piano player(Jeff Bridges) whose fancy she has captured. Bridges and his real-lifebrother, Beau, play two lounge entertainers whose act has grown stale;they're not above doing "Feelings" for the tourist crowd. They'vehired songbird Pfeiffer (who does her own sexy singing) to spice upthe routine, a strategy that pays off in spades. The three actorsare terrific, with the fabulous Bridges boys playing neatly offtheir own sibling rhythms. Writer-director Steve Kloves captures thefeel of second-rate Seattle clubs, and Dave Grusin's jazzy scorekeeps propelling the film forward. The story itself might have comefrom a 1940s romance, yet Kloves and his actors keep it unusuallymodern and thoughtful. And then there's Michelle Pfeiffer rollingaround on top of a piano.... --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Makin' Whoopee
31 years of playing piano together has taught Frank and Jack Baker a few things. But, there are some things that they could only learn from their new singer, Susie Diamond.

Jeff and Beau Bridges are exceptionally cast as the brothers and Michelle Pfeiffer makes the screen sizzle. Add a terrific musical score by jazz great, Dave Grusin and you've got a terrific movie for the grown-ups in the house.

This truly is Jack's story... a moody musician with an aversion to commitment anywhere in his life. And he runs behind a tough-guy skin when he finds himself falling for Susie. We are left with an ambiguous ending as writer/director Steve Kloves weaves clever dialogue with a stark, realistic lifeline.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Bridges really burn up the screen with a New Years rendition of MAKIN' WHOOPEE. Their sexual energy envelopes the song. Pfeiffer does an excellent job singing (the last time she sang onscreen was in the horrid GREASE 2).

A brilliant character study, THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS really fill the seats.

The DVD has a shaky video transfer, but the audio sounds pretty good.

That's What You Get, Folks, for Makin' Whoopee
4 1/2 stars

As the piano-playing "Baker Boys" of the title, Beau and Jeff Bridges play like they're brothers -- which they are. The Baker Boys, who have seemingly forever been playing muzak-style piano, accompanying each other, and making the smallest of small talk in a two piano-act, are out of gas. So, they decide to hire a "girl singer," to win back Seattle audiences ... and bookings.

The sequence in which the brothers audition would-be singers is the funniest of its kind ever filmed. But while this movie has some wonderful laughs, it is not, ultimately, a comedy.

Screenwriter-director Steve Kloves' debut is dominated by an actress named Michelle Pfeiffer, and by a sultry, smoky, saloon singer named ... Micheller Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer does all her own singing, and she's joy! (Warning: Although the wonderful soundtrack mixes Dave Grusin's cool jazz score with works from the Great American Songbook, don't buy the cd, as much of the best music is left off of it.)

Like Sinatra singing a Harold Arlen torch song, this one doesn't miss a beat.

A simple yet wonderful love story!!!
A terrific cast and a simple sweet story are some of the highlights of this unique, rarely talked about gem from the late-80's. It has every reason to be as seen as Pretty Woman--which came later, and seems to have ripped off not only the look of this film, but the poster of another lost classic, Rich Girl.

The Bridges brothers are fantastic in an extremely inspired casting gimmick, but the real reason to see this film is Michelle Pfeiffer in a Golden Globe winning and Oscar nominated role. She is superb as a sexy siren who tears apart two brothers, one a sex addict and the other a happily married man. Yes, you've heard it before but I will say it again, her rendition of "Making Whopee" has to be one of the most memorable scenes in all of film.

The main themes of sibling rivalry and unfulfilled talent are generally engrossing, and help to paper over the thinness of the story. Jeff Bridges is very believable as a man working in the lower ranks of his trade when he could've reached the top. Beau is also in fine form as a performer who does what he does simply because he has a family to support. It's a hard film to describe, because it's not really about very much, but if you can adjust to the relaxed pace and just enjoy the leisurely development of the three main characters then you will come away from the film feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Meg Tilly is also worth mentioning. She is fantastic in a small role that I wish was more fully developed. She is a truly wonderful and underrated actress and I was pleasantly surprised to see her. She has one of the other more memorable scenes in the film, auditioning for the brothers near the beginning of the film.

See it for the Bridges, see it for Pfeiffer, see it for Tilly or see it for the music. Just see it!

Enough about Michelle, what about Jeff???
Yes, Michelle P. seems to be every man's fantasy, but for me, a female, check out the way Jeff seduces her by the piano! I met Jeff B. and he must be 6'4"...and sexy. The music tops i