Reviews (47)

GREAT LITTLE CHILLER!
People have been dumping on this movie ever since its first release. I think these folks are comparing the film to the book of the same name and not judging the movie on it's own merits. We had the same problem with "The Shining." Well, I haven't read the book and I've always thought that this was a neat little chiller from the first time I saw it on tape years ago. The DVD, in widescreen, looks even better. It moves along quite briskly and the cast do a good job. The plot? Five old men get together from time to time and tell ghost stories....but don't mention that many years ago, when they were young men, they accidentally killed a beautiful woman friend after a drinking binge. Now the girl has come back to get them one by one. I love it! Not big on special fx but what there is is adequate...and the atmosphere is great! So if you like Kubrick's "The Shining", I think you'll like this creepy little gem from Universal Studios.

Novel: Excellent, Film: Not!
First, let me say that Straub's novel is one of the finest ghost stories ever written. It's terrifying, too, as good ghost stories should be. Hence, I had high expectations of this film. The fact is the film is dreadful! It's almost nothing like the novel, and the only reason I give it two stars is due to some atmosphere. The cinematography looks good. That's about it. Spend your money, sure, but spend it on the novel and you'll spend many dark evenings in your reading chamber casting furtive glances at those darkened corners.

SENIOR SCARES
When I first saw GHOST STORY on its initial release, I found it to be an entertaining, if not faithful, adaptation of Peter Straub's frightening novel. Now, some 20 years later, I found the movie less entertaining. The main problem I think is the enigmatic nature of the ghost, Eva Galli or Alma Mosely. Was she evil or supernatural prior to her death? And why doesn't she kill Donald as she did his brother? Was she really alive when she went down in the car? And what in the world do the Bates have to do with anything? And the classic "I am You" line is powerless without an explanation.
John Irvin's direction is also lackluster and sober. Of all the classic actors involved, none of them showed the power they have possessed in other roles. Although a talented actor, Craig Wasson was woefully miscast. Only Alice Krige as the ghostly Alma and Jacqueline Brookes as Astaire's wife bring any luster or poignancy to the film.
It's not a bad film by any means, and it does have some frightening moments with a wonderful score by Phillipe Sarde. I wish someone would remake it, however, and bring out more of the wonderful scariness of the novel.

Guaranteed To Keep You Awake Late Into The Night ... ...
Universal plans to re-release Ghost Story on September 7, 2004
just in time for Halloween. Most likely this re-release won't have any extras, although we can always hope. I have always enjoyed this film and although the story line does'nt quite gel with the book's, who cares. This movie is genuinely creepy.
Anyway, all of us fans of this film can start the countdown. Til' then, enjoy.

No - No - No - No - No
This is the way you film a very poor adaptation of a well writen and very scary novel.
Here's the problem: Only a very small piece of the storyline from the book made it to the movie. Ordinarily I would have no issue with this. Except in this case hints of the rest of the plot from the book are included without explanation. Why does Alma say to Don "I am You"? What does that mean in the context of the story on film? It's not explained and doesn't make any sense at all. It is fully explained in the novel, and very well.
Why are Gregory and Fenny Bate even in the movie? They don't need to be to further the story. Especially because of the great side story told by Sears about them in the book.
This film has too many holes, too many unanswered questions and Lawrence Cohen's adaptation of Peter Straub's novel is nowhere near the great job he did with Stephen King's "Carrie".
Do yourself a favor - read the book. You will be much more satisfied. ... Read more

Description

A poetic trek across a pain-filled landscape, this powerful antiwar film is a classic example of Ichikawa's (Fires on the Plain) visual intensity and unyielding pacifism.Set at the close of World War II, The Burmese Harp focuses on the obsessions that drive one Japanese soldier to stay in Burma while his company tries to escape into neutral land.A stunning evocation of the private's spiritual conversion shows him surrounded by corpses, facing the insurmountable task of burying Japan's war dead. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

One Scene Stands Out
I won't restate what was said by those earlier reviewers who found this to be an amazing film. I agree and it has always been on my "Top Ten" list. I would add only one thing. The climactic scene in which the converted monk sits at night talking to his former fellow soliders who are behind a tall chainlink fence (they are now in a POW camp waiting to be shipped home to Japan) is one of the most moving moments I've ever experienced. This once scene captures exactly what it means for the individual to follow his (or her) own destiny.

The Difficulty Of Being A Good Buddhist
Many people, when they think of Buddhism, think of blissful meditation and serene contemplation. This movie graphically depicts the other side of Buddhism;i.e., hard work in the real world, in the real transformation of oneself and in one's efforts to help other beings, no matter how difficult or horrific the circumstances.
The film concerns a Japanese soldier separated from his unit in Burma, at the very end of WW II and its immediate aftermath. As he journeys to find his unit in a POW camp, he is confronted, at every turn in this wasteland of war, with dead and unburied fellow Japanese soldiers. At first, he disguises himself as a Buddhist monk (knowing that the Burmese respect and feed their monks). When he comes across British hospital staff burying an unknown Japanese soldier, with a formal Christian burial service and great respect, he is transformed. He recalls the hundreds of dead and unburied Japanese soldiers he had seen in his journey, he becomes a true Buddhist monk, and makes a singular and difficult vow; he will not return to Japan until he has buried all of the corpses he had seen. So he goes back, and begins his work.
Hardly blissful meditation, this. But he personifies what the Buddha taught; the purpose of Life is to be happy, but true happiness can only come from serving others. This soldier/monk, in devoting his life to active, difficult and gruesome work, is more a true fulfillment of the Buddha's teachings than is one who meditates on the weekend and wears prayer beads because it is "cool."
Sorry to sermonize, but this movie is not only a wonderful work of cinema, it is a Buddhist teaching in itself. Compassion MUST be coupled with the very difficult work of serving others.

The Harp of Burma
I first saw this film in the early '70's, on a PBS Japanese Film Festival, and never forgot it. I have been trying to buy this movie for years, and was finally able to find a copy here. It is very beautiful and serene. I usually describe a movie orally and in detail, so to write about it is difficult for me. The harp-playing hero wanders through a war-torn land trying to return to his comrades who are in a British POW camp. On this odyssey, he encounters the dead bodies of many unburied soldiers. A conversion begins to take place within him, and he is strongly affected by these powerful images. He begins to travel through Burma burying the dead, and becomes integrated into a Buddhist sect. By the time he sees his old comrades, he has become too changed to rejoin them. They, on the other hand, try several methods to convince him to come home with them. This is a thoughtful film, and I recommend it highly to all ages.

A wonderful, quiet film.
I saw this movie many years ago, an antiwar movie made by a Japanese director in the 1950's. Recently, it had began to come to mind over and over. An image here, an idea there. I wanted to see it again and, since I could not rent it anywhere, I bought it. After so many years, I found it to be even better than I had remembered. Grainy black and white film. Flickering subtitles. Perhaps overly sentimental and melodramatic in parts. But beautiful and uplifting. They don't make movies like this anymore. The technology now is too good, the ideas in the film are too simple and straightforward. It is a wonderful, quiet film.

Angels should play like this.
I watched this movie recently; ny only other viewing was 10 years ago. It's even better than I remember it - passionately sincere and honest, the sort of thing that pacifists like myself can only strive towards from a great distance. After thinking about The Burmese Harp, I went out and made a public Japanese Garden in the village centre, bearing the Japanese symbol for peace. And this was before Sept. 11!! We need the quiet wisdom of Kon Ichikawa more than ever now. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
with a title name like CHUD2: BUD THE CHUD, this is a classic, horrible sequel that makes the first one seem like a classic horrible orignal. for fans who think both of the movies are super and cool. why would anyone think that anyway and I agree with Leonard Maltin

Hey y'all- listen up!
Okay. Bare in mind this movie has nothing to do with the first chud. No characters, genre (This is comedy) and no tone. Still, for a callback to the late eighties, this rocks. Fans of the video game 'zombies' will notice similarties. This movie is like "encino man" crossed with ""Return of the living dead 3" Also, if this is the same as the tv version, look out for robert englund, with freddy makeup, as a soldier! Muchos laffterr. sincerely the goremeister...

They should shoot the original reel to the moon!
I saw C.H.U.D. many years ago, and I liked it a lot as a horror film. It was scary and had neat effects. Then I saw C.H.U.D. II at a video store, I quickly picked it up and rented it. I could barely finish watching it. It's horrible, and not even a sequel to the first one. It's more of a stupid sequel to Return Of The Living Dead 3! The second C.H.U.D. is a dud and should not be viewed by people who have seen the first film. As a matter of fact, it shouldn't be viewed by people who haven't seen the first film because it will turn them away from the scary first C.H.U.D. Man is this bad!

Bad movie, but in a good way!
I saw this movie on USA Up All Night, and thought it was great. The original was a horror movie, but this one is more like a parody of zombie moives. Three of my favorite actors are in it: Robert Vaughn, Jack Riley, and Gerrit Graham as Bud The CHUD. Not as bad as Leonard Maltin says, with an ending you don't really expect. Full name: C.H.U.D. II: Bud The CHUD.

funny in a sick way
It has a good plot which is kinda unusual for a comedy horror film. This movie is funny for those with a sick humor but in a silly way. It is about a C.H.U.D. falling in love, it just chills the heart. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A GREAT PLAY TURNED INTO A MEAN MOVIE
Based on Charles Fuller's Off Broadway play, ZOOMAN & THE SIGN, the film tells the story of what happens to a family and community when a young sociopath accidently shoots and kills a little girl. A family comes together, but a neighborhood falls apart. The acting is excellent, but so intense and emotional, it is sometimes difficult to watch. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, the ending was changed. In the play, you learn that Zooman like the little girl was a victim of the callousness and apathy of society. In the film, he just receives street justice. A mean and cold ending to an eomotional wrought film. ... Read more

Description

Enjoy the fun of this sexy comedy winner! At a luxurious lakeside resort, an attractive red-headed guest (Vanessa Redgrave -- THE PLEDGE; GIRL, INTERRUPTED) has her eye on a handsome, well-to-do bachelor. But when he's more interested in a beautiful young flirt (Uma Thurman -- KILL BILL, VATEL), the mischievous redhead goes to outrageous lengths -- including a fling with a passionate younger man -- to reel in her wealthy catch! Filled with laughs and riotous comic confusion -- everyone's sure to love this delightfully sexy comedy! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

British Romantic Comedy in Italy
Set in gorgeous surrounding at Lake Come pre-WWII, it is tale about a British lady and major, with the triangle formed by an American girl who is a nanny to some Italians. Mix in a young Italian who falls in love with the older British lady and someone named "candlestick" and walla, a interesting film.

At times the plot droans and moans, but overall it is worth the watch. Redgraves is her exceptional fine actress, here has to carry much, with her grace and dignity and timing.

This is of another time and generation, so takes some patience and hanging in there.

Lake Como
A wonderul romantic comedy set in summer prior to WWII. Starring Vanessa Redgrave & Uma Thurman. The scenery and cinematography are simply beautiful, an Older Girlie Flick.

Nice Scenery
The acting and screen-play are poor (i could be wrong), but the scenery, and cinematography that captures it, are beautiful.

I would suggest Enchanted April.

Perfect Entertainment
Vanessa Redgrave is brilliant and absolutely gorgeous in this
fine film about spending a month in Italy. Uma Thurman comes
into the picture as a nanny for a couple of kids and she and
Vanessa vie for the attention of Edward Fox. I am basing this
review on the laserdisc which enchanced the movie considerably
and I imagine the dvd will be even better. One of those movies
that gets more enjoyable every time you watch it. And of course
I want to go back to Italy every time I see it. A perfect
companion piece to ENCHANTED APRIL (when will that be on DVD?)

VANESSA REDGRAVE TRUMPS UMA THURMAN...
This is a charming film about an older, free spirited English woman, an expatriate who in 1937 Italy is interested in an older, stuffy Englishman who is on vacation at the same lakeside resort. A young American nanny, who is at the resort with the family for whom she works, catches the same Englishman's eye. Their love triangle provides many interesting moments for the viewer.

Vanessa Redgrave, who only gets better with age, is charming as the older woman, Miss Bentley, who finds herself competing for the attentions of Major Wilshaw, curmudgeonly played by Edward Fox. Miss Beaumont, played with a certain repellent insousciance by Uma Thurman, capriciously tosses in her hat into the romance stakes. Miss Bentley finds herself playing second fiddle to Miss Beaumont. A young, attractive Italian, however, sees the charms that Major Wilshaw initially fails to appreciate, and Miss Bentley uses his interest in her to great advantage. When Major Wilshaw finally gets his wakeup call, all is well that ends well.

Miss Bentley's wardrobe and style is simplicity itself. Clearly, she is not a woman to follow fashion trends. Yet, she is clearly a woman who will follow where her heart will lead. The young and nubile Miss Beaumont is much more of a fashion maven, yet she lacks the depths of beauty that Miss Bentley naturally has, a beauty that grows from within rather than from without. This is a lovely movie that will make the viewer dream of a time long past. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

SNL Review
A great special for a great show...BUT DON'T BUY THIS VHS! I bought it for 14.95 and i spent 9.95 too much. It is recorded in EP mode, so it doen't come in very well. If you want an SNL special worth every penny, get the 25th Annaversary Special. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Best of Toonces & Friends
Toonces & friends was so funny! It's a must own!!! Needs to be re-released and in DVD format. I would certainly buy it for myself and for friends. It would make a great stocking stuffer.

Absolutely classic...
Remember when Saturday Night Live was funny? Well, if you don't remember Toonces, then you missed out on some pretty hilarious skits. This particular video is entitled "Toonces and Friends," which kind of urks me because I wanted more of Toonces and less of his friends. However, most of the skits are funny, such as Coach Dobbs, Scruffy the Rat and Abe Lincoln and His Time Machine. The only one I didn't find funny at all was that bizarre Fugitive Couple skit. It was dumb.

As Steve Martin says, Toonces can drive... just not very well. In every Toonces skit, he winds up driving himself and his passengers over a cliff. Aside from these moments, a comedic gem is when we see Toonces stuck on the hubcap of a moving car.

This is a pretty hard to find tape, so if you can find it, get it. Just know it's of low quality as it was recorded in EP mode (see how much better DVD is?)

Wanted more Toonces!
Funny, funny stuff, but i wanted more Toonces and less of eveything else.

Toonces was so bad it was Hillarious!!
Toonces the cat who could drive a car... or could he? this is one of the funniest reccuring SNL skits ever if you have never seen it track down a copy of this rare and hillarious video!

Very funny
I love this type of comedy. The type of goofy ideas and cheap shots that were used in the Toonces skits. We lost our copy, and it's worth buying a new one to replace it. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"American heroes"?!?
A very "heroic" moment in American, or for that matter, world, history--dropping an atomic bomb on a city of 350,000 men, women and children (then, again, 3 days later over a church in Nagsaki)! All of this talk of "heroes" is ridiculous. There are no heroes in war. There is just death. Anyone who has been in war or seen it firsthand will tell you that. Watch this film, read the book (which is quite different from Imamura's breathtaking film), and contemplate what the US has unleashed in the world: the possibility of nuclear destruction of not one city or country, but the entire planet. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are America's guilty conscience. It is well past time for its citizens to take a look at the costs of warfare and imperialism in the Nuclear Age; not to look away, cowardly, or spout some nonsense about "heroes". This film, and the book upon which it is based, is NOT a re-writing of "history". It IS history. A history that Americans are NOT taught. A history that we are too brainwashed to even give a fair hearing. Lopez, Mariposa, etc., you make me ashamed to be an American.

A moving tragedy about a young girl's life affected by war.
This film is the first one that I know of that deals with other lesser known aspects of the atomic explosion of Hiroshima. The storey is about a young Japanese girl who was on the outskirts of the city when it was destroyed by an atomic bomb.She witnesses the horror and devastation as she and her family try to reach there Father's factory that is on the other side of town.She takes a boat ride across the bay when it starts raining black ash.That is just the begining of the film and the rest chronicles her life as she struggles to find a husband while under the suspicion that she was contaminated by the blast. When I think of the tragedy of Hiroshima I've always thought of its victims as being instantly vaporized at the moment of explosion.What this film tries to show is that for some victims there pain and suffering would last an entire lifetime. This film is a sublime masterpiece.

Mariposa, et al, is a MORON!
Mariposa, you are a moron, plain and simple. You are not a "patriot", but a fascist pig. The US dropped atomic bombs on two civilian targets, during rush hour in Hiroshima's case, no where near a military target (but in the center of the city) and hundreds of thousands (contemplate this for a moment, if you can) of lives were lost--murder of genocidal proportions. Hundreds of thousands (again, can you imagine a number that high, you fascist?) of innocent lives were ruined forever... left to die painful deaths from radiation sickness. The Imperial Japanese Army, etc., committed countless atrocities and that is not to be deined--however, to take the easy way out, as Mariposa and her ilk have since 1945, and avoid thinking about the REALITY of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or to conflate the crimes of one military machine with another ("they started the war" so "we" were "justified" in "ending it" by nuclear genocide) is simply unacceptable. Mariposa and other Floridian inbreds, why don't you work on fixing your electoral system so we don't have another right wing coup d'etat this November, instead of writing idiotic "reviews" of literature or film? You and your kind are such wonderful "patriots", as you put it--why don't you volunteer and head to Iraq to fight Bush's OIL WAR? You moron! Wake up, America, and take a look at the human cost of EMPIRE! (before it is too late...)

I agree with Margo
All of us real patriots know who the villians in World War II were. The Japanese started the second world war on December 7th, and we ended it. Any patriot will attest to the fact that our victory was one of our finest moments and still is.

Black Rain
Any attack on civillians during war is intolerable. This movie teaches that we should have empathy for those civillians - empathy being Anti-American apparently. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bachelor Party may not be the first trashy sex comedy, but it is perhaps the definitive trashy sex comedy. The movie makes its first breast joke before the opening credits have even finished. A cheerful school bus driver (Tom Hanks) has somehow gotten engaged to a lovely young heiress, much to the chagrin of her family and vengeful ex-boyfriend. The bus driver's roustabout friends decide to throw him a bachelor party--and you can pretty much guess the rest: scantily clad hookers, rampant drug use, bad 1980s new-wave music, really bad 1980s fashions, full frontal nudity (curiously, due to a scene in a Chippendales strip club, there's almost as much male flesh on display as female), bestiality, racial stereotypes, blackmail, attempted suicide, all played for unrepentant cheap laughs. Throughout, Tom Hanks floats along with a carefree (if slightly sheepish) grin, projecting such an air of impish innocence that it's hard to be offended by any of it. And it all ends in a wedding, just like a Shakespearean comedy. Also featuring the blinding white teeth and big hair of Tawny Kitaen (playing the good girl Hanks marries), buxom scream queen Monique Gabrielle, and Adrian Zmed, whose career has not fared as well as Hanks's. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (29)

...a bachelor party! With chicks, and guns, and firetrucks
"Let's have a bachelor party! With chicks, and guns,
and fire trucks, and hookers, and drugs, and boose!" This is one of the myriad of unforgettable quotes from, in my opinion, the best comedy ever made. To be fair, I should say it's tied for Number 1 with Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I was 14 when this movie came on the Movie Channel. Many people don't know that Tom Hanks really got his start in comedy and the tv show Bosom Buddies. The characters in this movie will live forever. Even a young Tawny Kittaen, from Whitesnake videos, is in this movie.

You'll never forget the one liners-I still use some today. "Where's the grooom?" "He's in the bedroooom." And, "Is that a foot-long?" "And then some." Buy this NOW!

Chicks and Guns and Firetrucks and Hookers !!
Man they sure don't make comedies like this anymore. This was when Tom Hanks was at the top of his game and not some bigshot Hollywood sellout actor. This flick has all you need in a movie, strippers, hookers, a donkey, a school bus crashing into a movie theatre, fist fights, drunkeness, a guy shooting a crossbow, a naked dude falling out of a hotel window, drug usage, attempted suicide, car theft, a pimp from India, a Lesbian scene, Tawny Katean (pre implants), a woman that pees standing up and not to mention one hell'uva a big Bachelor party. Buy this movie or "Milt will come for you !"

Lame rip-off comes up for air
This also-ran 80's sex comedy is getting trotted out again simply because Tom Hanks is in it.

Don't waste your time -- the National Lampoon's franchise did it earlier and better. Hanks at best can affect a half-baked Bill Murray imitation.

Yes, there are plenty of T&A shots and potty jokes, but many other movies before or since have done it much better. Try the American Pie series if you want to see authentic teenagers in adolescent hijinks. Try Animal House if you want a far funnier party movie.

Avoid this at all costs...

Tom Hanks' best work
I'm not big on hyperbole, but Bachelor Party is Tom Hank's best movie. It's all been downhill for him since 1984. Sure, Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, and Apollo 13 are good, but none of them merit watching a few hundred times like Bachelor Party (most viewings took place during the wee hours of the morning while I was in college).

Unless you're an imbecile, HIV-positive lawyer, or astronaut, there's not much you can learn from Hank's more acclaimed movies. The same can not be said for Bachelor Party, however. At some point, most guys will have a bachelor party and this movie serves as a great guide to planning one:

"Let's have a bachelor party with chicks and guns and firetrucks and hookers and drugs and booze!"
"Yeah! Yeah yeah! All the things that make life worth living for!"

There's a lot more you can learn from this movie too. For example, guys, if your in-laws are pressuring you to have kids, just respond as Hank's Rick does:

"Well, there's this 17-year-old Oriental girl I have my eye on. But don't worry, you'll have some American grand kids in no time - I know this pup's fertile."

Buy this movie (and if you do and can figure out exactly what Rick's going to do with that egg beater, please e-mail me).

The best bad comedy
"Bachelor Party" is not a great movie, but when you compare it to some lackluster attempts at sex comedies made today it's definately a stand-alone classic.

You probably have to be in the right mood to watch this, but don't take it as an excuse to throw naked bodies around (in fact, there's only one real scene of nudity). I was surprised at how funny this film was, and I was laughing more times than I was offended. A lot of the sex jokes are funny too ("So are you named Rob or...Mister Dick.") while some may be a little too vulgar to be thought funny by rational minds (yeah...donkies...).

Overall, it's a good movie. Give it a shot. Or not...whatever you want. ... Read more

Description

A century ago in a remote mountain village, it was the custom that when people reached 70 years of age, they were taken to Mount Narayama to die.The Ballad of Narayama is the story of one elderly woman's preparation for her final journey.From the powerful use of imagery to the final thrilling climax, Shohei Imamura (Black Rain) delivers a triumphant and beautiful film as universal as the seasonal changes which bookend the story itself. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An eternal winner
This film is powerful and stunning.It deals with the question about how to deal with the human being when he is arrived to the golden age.
The movie shows no mercy about that. The rules are very clear.when you are seventy ,you must go to Narayama.
We live in a world that avoids talking about this point.
James Hillman in an interview talks about the fact that in our process of growing up we do not want understand that to get it,we must lose things to reach it, and this is unboreable for many of us because we are accostumed to win always.
Watch a film called the sudden loneliness of Konrad Steiner from the swiss filmmaker Kurt Gloor, 1976 and then return to Narayama. Two different gazes, but basically facing the same question.
Since I was seventeen I read a thought from an italian writer-Giovanni Papini- who said:
Will I have to remember that the time is like an army of no shoes army who spies behind the door of every day of our life ,making us less strongs and much weaker?
Imamura is among that selected elite integrated by Mizoguchi, Kusorawa, Kinugasa, Ichikawa,Ozu.
He is the most prolific,original and best gifted director of the Japanese cinema.We expect much more about him,Watch also the eel, Black rain and Eijanaika and you will understand why he is so beloved in Cannes, Berlin and another important festivals all around the world.

The Ballad of Narayama is now one of my favorite films.
The Ballad of Narayama is about the harsh realities of life in an impoverished Japanese village in the late eighteen hundreds. Sound boring? It's anything but. Sound depressing? Much of it is, but the overwhelming power of the film left my heart full rather than heavy. If you're looking for an incredibly well made film - brilliantly written, acted, filmed and directed - start here. You'll be glad you did.

Interesting character study of a poor community
The story of a small mountain village whose inhabitants must struggle to eke out their meager living. Theft is not tolerated, and the old are left on a mountaintop to die from exposure. This is a fascinating portrayal of how people are sometimes forced by their circumstances to be as merciless as nature itself. It is easy to condemn many of the practices seen in this film, but we are forced to wonder how we might behave if we were similarly deprived. To what extent is our ethics a product of our relatively luxurious lifestyle? It is also interesting to see how various characters face their conditions--some retain their dignity and humanity, while others display what is most ugly and base in human nature.

Imamura's Humanism
Shohei Imamura did something astonishing with his film 'The Ballad of Narayama.' Not only did he attempt to update a popular Japanese legend, he was creating an alternate version of the established classic, made by Keisuke Kinoshita [see Twenty Four Eyes] at the height of his powers. Reverence for the aged is a hallmark of Japanese society, so the ancient tradition of mountain people of exposing their no-longer productive relations on a mountaintop to die is very shocking to the Japanese. Kinoshita addressed the legend in a very stylized way, distancing the viewer from the action and thereby making the actions of these poor people somehow less terrible. Imamura, in stark contrast, emphasized the savagery of the traditional mountain society by parallelling it with the savagery of the natural world in which it, too, must survive. Imamura thereby makes the tradition seem somewhat inevitable and all the more moving because of its inexorability. These people aren't inhuman savages. They are survivors in a harsh environment. Imamura examines character so honestly that the people he depicts are revealed in their true humanity, and their actions are shown to be all the more tragic. A triumph for Imamura.

a graphic portrayal of death and life
Being an American I am not used to seeing stinky young men having sex with dogs/old women on the movie screen and never before have I seen an elderly woman knock her teeth out voluntarily. One could say that this movie is serious in light of the fact that it's focus is on how people deal with death, but beyond that I found this film absolutely hilarious, I highly recommend it. Once you've seen it and if you can't say you laughed at it, you're not understanding it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Like seeds of a dandelion blowing in the wind, the plot of Tampopo wanders in several directions, following the lives of a quirky collection of characters. At the heart of this film is a young widow named Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto), who is struggling to make ends meet by running a noodle restaurant. Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki), a truck driver, saves Tampopo's young son from being beaten by a group of school girls and is rewarded with a bowl of very bad ramen (noodles). Goro tells Tampopo the awful truth about her cooking and she asks for his help. Together they search for the perfect ramen recipe.

Intersecting this part of the plot are several smaller and less well-realized stories. Koji Yakusho, who stars in Shall We Dance, appears as a sensuous gangster who would rather play with his food than eat it. Then there's the mysterious Noodle Master who lives with a group of street vagabonds and a young executive who knows how to order food from a French menu, but not how to preserve the dignity of his superiors.

While the film as a whole feels somewhat disjointed, writer-director Juzo Itami manages to infuse Tampopo (which means "dandelion") with a sense of Japanese joie de vivre that is worth experiencing. Take notes during the "soup scenes" and see what you can cook up for yourself.--Luanne Brown ... Read more

Reviews (54)

A nearly flawless experience
This is a masterful movie by director Juzo Itami. It is a story of the truck-drivin' cowboy Goro who strolls into town, sets things right and rides off into the sunset. Rather than kill the bad guys however, he helps a widow become sucessful running her late husbands ramen shop. Itami lends a mosiaic quality to the movie with many character sketches about food's pervasive influence on human behaviour. Tsutomu Yamazaki who plays Goro, and Nobuko Miyamoto who plays Tampopo, both from Itami's "A Taxing Woman", give wonderful performaces. The DVD contains a complete filmography that is a great window into Itami's other works. The DVD is letterbox and looks good. The sound is 3-channel, Japanese only with English subtitles selectable. The timing on the subtitles is at times sloppy, which is too bad since it is a subtitle-only release. I would have liked very much to see directors commentary but language may have restricted this. The DVD gets 4 stars for minor subtitle issues, and lack of more deluxe treatment, but I give the story, and my review, 5 stars. This is really a must have, in a decent package for a foreign film.

Dandelions, Cowboys and the perfect Ramen
"Tampopo" is one of those rare films that just...works. Every piece of it is perfect, combining to form a more flavorful whole, like a well-made dish of ramen noodles. Itami was inspired for this film, and it is easily one of the best Japanese films ever made.

Japanese culture is filled with a love of food. Japanese travel brochures are filled, not with pretty sights and adventures, but with photos of local delicacies and dishes. Food questing is a popular hobby, with each person knowing a local favorite shop, or a master chef. Restaurants also tend to specialize, often serving only one dish such as ramen or udon noodles. "Tampopo" perfectly captured this national obsession, creating a story that is undeniable Japanese. Goro and Tampopo's search for the perfect broth, the most delicious way to cut meat and such is an honest and charming portrayal.

There is plenty going on in this film, with the sexual subplot of the gangster and his lover exchanging food and sex, or the young executive fluent in French cuisine. Each vignette forwards the tone. Along with this is the marriage of the samurai and the cowboy in the character of Goro, and the delicate strength of Tampopo herself.

You really can't go wrong with this film.

You will be hungry for real ramen!
It can be very difficult to describe this movie and what the premise or plot is. Oh, there is the central plot, make no mistake, but the entirity of the film is a flurry of sub-stories and vignettes that act like ingredients to the ever-present ramen (Japanese noodle soup) otherwise known as this brilliant gem out of Japan. The bottom line, the final product is a fancifal tale based around food and how our lives are encompassed by it, how we struggle with it, and most importantly how integral it is to human beings on the whole.

Tampopo also is an homage film to a few genres depending on the scene. For example, Goro (an obvious samurai reference) drives into town on a truck... with cow horns on the top! He wears the cowboy hat constantly and those themes are as thick as the noodles he's seeking out. There is also a tribute to Chaplin/Keaton and the silent comedies with one of the vagabonds in his efforts to make a rice omelette. There are a few mob movie shots as well, including the semi-narrator or guide of the man in the white suit. Beyond celebrating these genres, though, as well as film itself, this really is a story about food.

Tampopo is a widowed soup cook who can't really make soup. Ramen, one of the staple Japanese foods, is as varied and unique in stores throughout the town as there are chicken soup recipes in the US. She can't seem to make a good bowl, though, and Goro feeling bad for her, decides to stay on and help her out with the help of his sidekick Gun. Along the way, they pick up a colorful band of characters each with his own addition to the recipe and technique that helps Tampopo understand the importance of finding that perfect bowl of Ramen.

Light-hearted, more than a bit hilarious, and full of twists and turns, Tampopo is definitely one of the best movies to come out of Japan. Aside from comedy or possibly drama, one would be hard-pressed to try to define this movie as the movie more defines itself and others like it. A life story for sure, definitely a good laugh, and a little eye-opening at times, too. Not for children, though, as there is some nudity and minor violence. Film buffs should already own this movie and anyone else who has a love of film or a desire for one of the most fun movies ever made, pick this one up. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

Warning
This DVD is in my garbage. I bought it for a young person who is learning Japanese. There is some good stuff, humor, cooking, but the cruelty is such that I could not give it to her. The worst is the live, struggling small turtle being sliced straight down, all along the body, just behind the head in front of the shell. There are also some unpleasant sex scenes, including a man stimulating a young woman by placing a container of live fish to wiggle against her bare abdomen. What a disappointment!

Still Tastes Great
I watched this one with a group of friends last night... it's been about 15 years since my first viewing and 8 since the last one. It's still brilliant, quirky and as enjoyable as ever.

A very John Wayne like truck driver plays noodle guru to a single mom struggling to be a master noodle chef. A whole host of characters are brought in to assist and some very unlikely types prove to have esoteric food knowledge. This is a quest for enlightenment in guise of perfect ramen.

The main story is broken by 2 and 3 minute glimpses into amusing (and at times bizarre) but totally unrelated stories revolving around food (with the food-sex connection illustrated vividly).

One of my favourite films. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Surprizing Good
Although the stars in this film are not top-line movie names. The film is well acted and it has a fresh approach, rather than most other action type flicks, and the twist are refreshingly different. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes action and suspense movies.

Twists and turns galore.
Jeff Fahey plays a magazine owner, who sends his photographer fiance to Africa to shoot photos of some rare birds for the next issue. In the small resort, she discovers Eric Roberts, a mysterious adventure junkie, and becomes instantly fascinated. The beginning of the movie has some beautiful scenery and it sucessfully combines romance and intrigue. There is a steamy love scene with Roberts and the unknown lead actress (which Eric Roberts fans will love), mixed with some intense action sequences, making this movie enjoyable to men and women alike. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Subtle and Lovely
This is not a fast-paced, action-packed, Hollywood kind of movie. It's more akin to reading a book than watching a film. That is not to say that this is at all dull or boring.

Remains of the day is a lovely, and even tragic at times, movie about love and the more sweeping themes of life and death, among the reserved and proper English class of housemaids, butlers,and the multitudes of servants employed by large country houses in the early half of the 20th Century.

The story revolves around Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson as the heads of their respective sexes in the household and the deep affection they have for one another, but that Hopkins cannot exhibit. Thomspon's character is outgoing and a bit too modern for Hopkin's somber and traditional disposition.

The story tells of their meeting, and then follows an older Hopkins as he remembers his younger days and Thompson, as he travels to see her one last time.

A Masterpiece from Merchant Ivory Productions!
From the very beginning of the opening titles, set against the backdrop of the English countryside and exquisitely complimented by the music of Richard Robbins, you get the reassuring feeling that you are in for a cinematic treat. Well, 134 minutes later, your reassurances are confirmed, and within this time frame this movie manages to span the full range of emotions with such grace and dignity that you are certain you have seen one of the great motion pictures. Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson reunite (first paired in Howard's End) with the acclaimed Merchant Ivory film making team for this extraordinary and moving story of blind devotion-to-duty and forsaken love. Hopkins stars as Mister Stevens, the perfect English butler, an ideal carried by him to perfectionist lengths, as he serves his English master, Lord Darlington (impeccably played by masterful James Fox). Lord Darlington, like many other members of the British establishment in the 1930s, is duped by the Nazis into trying to establish a rapport between themselves and the British government. Thompson stars as Darlington hall's housekeeper, a high-spirited, strong-minded young woman who watches the goings-on upstairs with quiet disbelief. Marvelously well acted by a supporting cast that includes, among many others, Christopher Reeve as American Congressman Jack Lewis and then newcomer Hugh Grant as Lord Darlington's Godson, Mr. Cardinal, this movie captures on film a bygone lifestyle few are acquainted with, in as flawless a fashion as any you will ever see. Masterpiece!

James Ivory's masterpiece!
This is a slow paced movie, but so well acted and directed that you miss the rhytm. You feel caught from the first images with the voice in off . The photography is splendid. The art is direction is spectacular .
The script is a long tale from the memories of Anthony Hopkins and a failed relationship with Emma Thompson as the mistress in service of James Fox a hard enemy of the German forces in WW2.
The film travels from the passionate speechs about the destiny of the mankind , the human condition and also the intimate portrayal of this loyal servant , keeping the formalities with absolute gentleness.
Never before Ivory had been so inspired and convincing like this one .
The last sequence of the film is an extraordinary metaphor.
Thompson brilliant and Hopkins superb in this work.
This is a heavyweight champion movie , great and marvelous . Don't miss this one!

Dignity in Remains of the day
"Dignity in Remains of the day " by Shahzada Gofran

An American mother lost four out of five of her sons at war in Vietnam during 1954. Yet her head is as high as Mount Everest with patriotic dignity. But it's not the same dignity that we see in Stevens's life depicted on both in Kazuo Ishiguro's novel and James Ivory's film Remains of the day. It is Stevens' dignity that provokes questions to the readers and the viewers mind. It poses them to ponder what dignity actually means in life when they read or watch the film. Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) is the protagonist whose dormant feelings and self-indulgence have been suppressed by the concept of "dignity" that he cherished with profound delicacy throughout his service life at Darlington hall. But unfortunately, that "dignity" has brought little meaning and many unhappy moments in his life. His dignity has existed like a mist in a winter morning that goes away in the glare of a dazzling sun. Nearly at the end of the novel and also in the film, the viewers get to see how dignity plays a treacherous role in Stevens's life. Nevertheless, the film did an excellent job in changing some scenes to emphasize and show dignity that is so ingrained in Stevens' life. Although the book has a greater detail of events than it is in the film, the director kept the central themes congruent.

In the realm of modernism and capitalism, the English aristocracy and the formality of a butler's profession remain as an interesting story, but not as a pervasive manner of lifestyle for today's' generation. The modernism, individuality, and freedom of expression took over the habitual human thinking that was existed during the Darlington's era. Generally ordinary citizens have little right to express their opinions on issues of politics. The English colonialism and their mannerism have also had an impact on the people during that time. According to Bert Cardullo" the elegiac representation of the British imperialism and celebrates its heyday by depicting a return to the practice of social hierarchy"(The servant,1). We also have seen in the movie that the international delegates are so secluded from the touch of the ordinary people. However, one may argue though that the impact of Modernism we have seen in Remains of the day would shape and mold the English civilization gradually rather than occurring as a revolution. There were people during the Darlington era who also have similar mannerism and modern thinking as today. For example Miss Kenton who believed on her opinions and has the dignity of choosing for her own as oppose to Stevens. She opposed the idea of firing those Jews servants and she chooses to marry and quite the job for her own happiness that was impossible for Stevens. For her it is the confidence in what she values has the high dignity and self esteem just as we would in today generation.

The dignity is a quintessential idea in the novel. In the film it is undeniably repeated many times in order to simply establish the importance of it to the readers and the viewers of Remains of the day. The idea of dignity here has revolved around from the perspective of professional success and achievements. But both Stevens and his father have been a merciless victim of "dignity". Stevens father also suppressed his feeling for dignity. He served indifferently to the general even though his son died in war because of his absurd decision ( the remains of the day). But the dignity is nothing but merely a product of social and traditional legacy passed on to the so-called English gentleman's society, which was an impediment to the growth of individuality.

Nonetheless, dignity is not a valuable security that Stevens had thought about throughout his youth while providing service to Lord Darlington. It is unfolded at the end quite dramatically in his life. Because of the dignity he had lost an opportunity of having an affair with Miss Kenton who is Emma Thompson in the movie. Miss Kenton has implied her interests and feelings to him couple of times and tried to convey her love. Once she was invited to go out for a dinner with Mr. Benn and later proposed to marry him. And when she got back to Darlington, she asked Stevens about his opinion on it. But Stevens remained cold and formal as usual and expressed only congratulation that was inadequate and ignited subtly Miss Kenton's emotional feelings( film- remains of the day). It is his dignity once again that has not only left his life sad and gloomy, but lonely as well. Stevens' dignity was all about Lord Darlington. His satisfaction comes from providing a better service without making silly mistakes. But the honor and dignity put Stevens in an awkward position. According to one of the critiques of the Remains of the day, Jennifer Bussey " what a terrible mistake he realized that he made about both his failed romance with her and his support of Lord Darlington's Nazi sympathies. This may be no more than denial and evasion in Anthony Hopkins' performance, but there is more at work in the novel"(critique on Remains).

Eventually, Steven's remuneration of service to lord Darlington has become a nostalgic memory only. Because of his dignity, he remained with the international congregation and did not go to see his dead father. He even had to keep his identity secrete from the outside world because disclosing his identity and his former employer Darlington would demean his value to the people of England. Essentially, his dignity made him a man who has no room for learning his feelings until the end. The director of the movie James Ivory says "he portrays a kind of butler who does not talk or share opinions, but observes and sees ways to serve the master" (ljlkjljlkj). Thus, his "dignity" and professionalism demolished his life that he could have had throughout his youth.

Bibliography

Ishiguro, Kazuo: The Remains of The Day.1989; London.

Cardullo, Bert: The servant, Eden-Webster Library. Info Trac One file Plus.

Jennifer, Bussey article: critical essay on "The Remains of the Day"

Ivory, Jmames: Remains of The Day. Colombia Pictures Ltd.

The Price of Being Perfect
THE REMAINS OF THE DAY is one of my all time favorite books, but when I heard about the film, way back in 1993, I was sure the book wouldn't translate well. It was far too interior and quiet. When I saw the film for the first time, I was really surprised. Merchant/Ivory, along with the extraordinary talented screenwriter, Ruth Prawer Jhabuala, seemed to have done the impossible and I knew I'd buy the DVD the day it was released.

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY takes place in 1958 as James Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), a man of late middle age and the head butler at the sumptuous Darlington Hall, begins a motor journey across southern England to the West Country. The purpose of his trip, we learn, is to persuade Ms. Sally Kenton (Emma Thompson), once head housekeeper at Darlington Hall, to resume her old position and, perhaps, a bit more.

Most of the story is told in a series of flashbacks and we gradually come to know Stevens, Ms. Kenton and Lord Darlington (James Fox). Although THE REMAINS OF THE DAY centers on the relationship between Stevens and Ms. Kenton, there are subtle, but definite, political undertones in this film, for Lord Darlington is, of all things, a Nazi sympathizer who wants to prevent war. I've heard criticisms of the film because this subplot wasn't explored in greater detail, but I think Ishiguro (and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala) wrote just enough. To have expanded this subplot might have been interesting, but it would have definitely detracted from the more interesting main plot line, the relationship between Stevens and Ms. Kenton.

Almost from the beginning of the film, it's clear that Stevens and Ms. Kenton love each other. While Ms. Kenton does her best, however, she simply can't crack the wall Stevens has built around himself, the one he's been taught to build around himself, for, as long as Stevens can remember, his family has been "in service."

Stevens is the perfect butler, but at what cost? One of the film's most telling moments comes when Stevens' father, who is himself a retired head butler, dies in the servants' quarters of Darlington Hall. Although summoned by Ms. Kenton, Stevens, because of his strict adherence to perfection in work, and his dedication to "doing one's duty," does not abandon his post at a gala dinner party to be with his dying father.

Political disaster for Lord Darlington and personal disaster for Stevens dovetail in the film, but Stevens might just be given the second chance that most of us never get.

The end of THE REMAINS OF THE DAY is heartbreaking, but inevitable. This is a quiet, sad and extremely introspective film, yet it contains extraordinary emotion.

Anthony Hopkins as Stevens is perfection. Although Hopkins must show us a palette of emotions, he must show them with small gestures, mannerisms and facial expressions. Stevens is a highly complex man but he is, above all else, a man who represses his emotions.

Emma Thompson is Ms. Kenton is also perfect, but don't expect to see a lot of her in this film. This is Stevens' story and, as such, it's Hopkins who takes center stage.

Christopher Reeve is very good as Congressman Lewis, both as a guest of Lord Darlington and as the "new" owner of Darlington Hall. His part is small, though essential, and seeing him active and healthy only adds to this film's profound sense of sadness and loss.

The extras in this DVD include interviews with Merchant and Ivory as well as with Emma Thompson and they are so good, they make it worth owning the DVD rather than just renting it. THE REMAINS OF THE DAY is, at any rate, a DVD I think any film lover would want to own. It's absolute perfection and one I know I'll never tire of no matter how many times I watch it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Masters in depicting the superficial machinations of England's repressed upper classes, director James Ivory and his partners, screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and producer Ismail Merchant, take on the American middle class in Mr. and Mrs. Bridge. Paul Newman and wife Joanne Woodward play the eponymous main characters: a patriarch and wife of a well-to-do family, whose members are struggling to define themselves under their father's undefiable command and the changing times.

With one daughter who wants to become an actress in New York, another who chooses the "wrong" kind of man to marry, and a son who quits school to join the Air Force during World War II, Mr. Bridge finds that hiscontrol over his family is slipping. Spanning the 1930s and '40s, the film presents nuances in how both the dramatic and the smaller moments are woven together. Weddings and arguments are no more important to capturing the essence of the Bridge family then are their moments of daily reverie.

A quiet film that succeeds in establishing its characters' intimacy, with themselves and each other, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge owes much of that successto Woodward. While Newman doesn't always seem comfortable as the stern ruler of the Bridge household, Woodward steals the film as the long-suffering woman whose identity is precariously built on her ascribed roles as mother and wife, taken for granted and often overlooked by the family she truly loves. --Natasha Senjanovic ... Read more

Reviews (6)

TWO GREAT ACTORS CAN MAKE INTERESTING A CONVENTIONAL MOVIE.
"Mr. And Mrs. Bridge" stars Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, playing a 1940 marriage. This is a conventional drama with excellent performances, the characters are nothing out of this world, they are a bunch of characters very similar to real life people, the story is not very original, it's just a bunch of rich people living a conventional life, but these two great actors carried on their shoulders the weight of an otherwise uninteresting movie, making "Mr. And Mrs. Bridge" an enjoyable movie.

Basically this is the story of the struggle between two generations, the iron hand discipline of a stiff father and the "rebellion" of his daughter and son who want to escape from the monotony of the life of their parents. And trapped in the middle is Mrs. Bridge, who even though she mostly obeys her husband, once in a while she likes to try new things to inject happiness to her life.

"Mr. And Mrs. Bridge" is an entertaining movie thanks to the performances of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Oh my God it's my Aunt Marjorie!
Anyone who is originally from the Midwest has a Mrs. Bridge in the family, maybe not as affluent, but just as dippy and helpless. Mrs. Bridge knows enough to resent vaguely her helplessness and the fact that Mr. Bridge makes all of her decisions for her. The viewer is sympathetic with her plight and starts to feel that Mr. Bridge is indeed being mean & unfair to her...but then Mrs. Bridge goes and does something that underscores her inability to cope for herself.

There were more scenes than I can count that just made me cringe, because I recognized my dippy Aunt Marjorie, again & again, in Mrs. Bridge. The spirit of Mrs. Bridge remains alive and well, even today.

This was a great character study of the two Bridges. The other members of the family, and some of the friends of the Bridges, are a bit fuzzier in their definition, but that is not all that important. This is a very engrossing movie in many respects.

2 thumbs up
If you are looking for violence, lots of sex and fast cars, wrong movie! But if you are looking for a thought provoking, tender, poignant and often funny story, you've hit the jackpot. I am running out of adjectives for my two favorite actors (Newman and Woodward ought to be declared America's royalty) They shine here. Much deserved Oscar nomination for Woodward and should have been one for Newman, who never ceases to amaze. Blythe Danner is a plus as well. I thouroughly enjoyed it.

A movie with memorable moments
This is one of those films with a lot of those "Memorable Moments" that you will remember years after viewing it. The scene where Mr. Bridge refuses to let a dangerous storm spoil his dinner. The hotel bedroom scene where Mr. and Mrs. Bridge find themselves sleeping akwardly in front of a mirror. The scene where Mr. Bridge takes Mrs. Bridge to a cabaret in France filled with scantily clad women doing the Can-Can and the priceless look that Mrs. Bridge has on her face.

It's about two traditional people thrust into a new world filled with free thinkers and sexual awakenings and the honest, but humerous reactions as they try to deal with it all. Everytime I watch this film I'm suprised at what I didn't catch before, and even the scenes I remember always seem to catch me off guard.

The humor comes from the humanity within the two main characters, and it's often more funny than the best comedies you will ever watch.

Highly recommended!

Newman and Woodward Equally Wonderful
I don't know why so many people always give short shrift to Paul Newman when he appears with his wife, Joanne Woodward, in a film. They are both stunning actors at the peak of their acting powers in this movie. There really is no need to compare and contrast perfection itself. Merchant-Ivory is wonderful at handling the upper classes, whether they be British or American, in London, or, in this case, Kansas City, in the 1930s and 1940s. What stands out most vividly to me is that Mr. Bridges' heart condition is really not treatable back then. We are so used to heart surgery now, that life lived with a heart condition back in the 1930s and 1940s is forgotten as being an entirely different situation. The movie is about this couple and their extended family and the crises they weather. This, however, is basically what every Merchant-Ivory film is about and this one covers every nuance within the Bridges' family's structure and behavior. I really love the beautiful body of film work by Merchant-Ivory and I'm really glad that some of it is American, set in our heartland, with the cream of our acting crop. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Legends do tend to be hidden at times.
Fantastic film of the Cuban diaspora in its initial stages. Yes, it was situations that the movie portrays, that were the nightmare of many Cubans. I think the films ending is about the dream that many Cubans had and have achieved.

The film does project a lifestyle that was commonly seen in other non Cuban latins. In reality, Cubans did not make their abode in Upper Manhattan for too long, and most achieved the American dream in a matter of years.

Hidalgo-Gato, we will miss you dearly.

GREAT MOVIE!
A MOVIE UNLIKE ANY I HAD EVER SEEN, CLEARLY MADE BY THE LENS OF SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING AN ALIEN IN A NEW COUNTRY. WITTY, FUNNY AND PROFOUND AT THE SAME TIME. HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE.

cuban immigrant issues-great acting and directing
If you are Cuban or have been around them, you will go ape with this one, more so if you have lived part of their "nightmare". A classic, although geared toward a selected audience.

POIGNANT! A MASTERPIECE!
tHIS IS A WONDERFUL MOVIE ABOUT A HUMBLE CUBAN FAMILY IN EXILE. THE ACTING IS SUPERB. THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE DIRECTION FLAWLESS --AND IT HITS THE HEART OF ALL THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO RUN AWAY FROM YOUR COUNTRY AND START ANEW! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED,

This is a Wonderful Film!
I have seen this movie three, times, and I love it more and more every time. This view into a Cuban family's life in New York, is a gem. The characters are great, and very realistic. This is a great film, I highly reccomend it! ... Read more

Description

Barjo is a slightly psychotic story of love and life in the modern world and beyond. Fanfan lives with her husband Charles and their two daughters in a stark, modern house in suburbia.Her nerdy twin brother Barjo lives nearby, busily waiting for the UFOs to come that will signal the end of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Classic movie undone by dvd remastering
I have two copies of this movie-one on VHS and this one on DVD. I received the DVD as a present. Itami is one of the greatest modern directors in Japan who unfortunately committed suicide. This movie was enormously popular in Japan and deservedly so with its many touches of black humor, story, writing, acting and direction. The VHS is quite watchable. However, when I put the DVD on I immediately had to adjust my picture settings to even see the picture. It's unclear and fuzzy throughout the movie. In all of the film the English subtitling is difficult and sometimes impossible to read. I would say it is a prime candidate for a recall by the company. Since I can't give separate ratings for the movie vs. the DVD treatment I'm forced to give it 2 stars.

Middle of the road
R-Rated for a small amount of sex and nudity, this is pretty much a movie like most others, a human interest story involving a diligent tax collector (female) and a tax dodger. I found it interesting for casual entertainment (I rented it), for a look at a slightly different society, and a look at Japan that isn't kimono's and Geisha girls - this is modern Japan as such and a breath of fresh air from the "Yes'm massa" eyes-bowed-down type of Japanese movie. The lead female is freckled, not a sex-pot, but a nice looking gal and the main male is a hard nosed, limping fellow. In general, this is for a mature, general audience who isn't cranked over into some offbeat genre (if you need violence, military, porn, true romance, kiddie cartoons, space ships, whatever you'll find it dull - but an ordinary person in a good mood looking for a casual view might like it). ...thought I'd give a more honest opinion.

I myself am looking for more non-European/American movies featuring real people in real settings, but alas that is rare. I'd like seeing Japanese and Asiatic and African movies, even dubbed, which are something besides "Morphen Power Ranger" ... or "Kill 'Em All" garbage, but rather feature human beings getting along in life. But, they don't seem to exist here in the USA. Too much artsy or glitzy Holloywood hype gets in the way, it seems.

Great Movie, poor DVD
This movie is quite good. Not exactly like Tanpopo but it's a fascinating movie with memorable characters. Unfortunately, the DVD version is absolutely terrible. The DVD version of Tanpopo is a hundred times better. It's very clear that this was a sloppy job. It's nothing but a very poor VHS transfer of the movie to DVD. Bad thing is that the DVD highlights the imperfections of the original VHS so that even people like me can see it. The quality of picture is fuzzy and the subtitles are the ones from the VHS (not DVD subtitles). This results in words that are impossible to see in some scenes and hard to read in all the others since the picture quality is quite fuzzy. Unless you are a die-hard fan of this movie, you're better off spending your money getting the DVD of Tanpopo. The DVD of Tanpopo is not perfect but the quality is still reasonable good and sharp and much better than this ... job.

Utterly Delightful ...
As Tampopo is truly delicious, this film is an unadulterated joy. Fans of Juzo Itami and his wife, Nobuko Miyamoto will recognize old friends from other adventures in this offering. Like a much beloved repertory company, familiar faces are to be found new and surprising roles.

Taking an unlikely subject for heroic portrayal, Itami's (as usual) delightfully feministic touch on that dreaded villain the tax auditor is effective and engaging. Unlike MINBO, which for some inexplicable reason bores me beyond redemption, this film is easily accessible and eminently watchable. Aside from some quite graphic nudity at the very beginning, (view by parents first), the film is an excellent overall story accessible to an audience over about 15. (Depending on your feelings about sex and taxes).

In reference to the subtitling, I must say that ALL subtitling for Itami's films leaves a great deal to be desired, and I frankly don't see that much difference between the DVD and VHS versions ... but I must admit I am not a connoisseur on the matter, either. The ease of use and storage outweigh all other concerns for me.

By the VHS version instead
This outstanding (five star) movie has illegible captions in the DVD version. If you want to be able to read the captions, buy the VHS version instead. Only get the DVD if your Japanese is good enough to understand the movie without captions. ... Read more