Reviews (1)

One Of My Favorite Comedies!
Gets better and better with each viewing. This is a highly enjoyable and entertaining remake of His Girl Friday and The Front Page. Ted Kotcheff (First Blood:Rambo, Whose Killing the Great Chefs of Europe-also one of the producers of Law and Order Special Victims Unit) directs with terrific pacing and a wonderfully likeable cast that includes Henry Gibson, Kathleen Turner(giving one of her absolute best performances-which is saying quite a lot), Christopher Reeve in a brilliant and over the top comedic turn, Burt Reynolds (charming as usual) and Ned Beatty who basically steals the show from everyone in every single scene he is in. I love this movie! It has been coming on cable for years and it is having seen this film literally over a hundred times that I realize just how good it really is...It is HIGHLY underappreciated. Very funny, well made and lots of fun. Great script. One of the better remakes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

While women shed more than a few tears over Love Story back in 1970, men had their equivalent with Brian's Song on TV. This biopic about the Chicago Bears' Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers is no mere sports film. It's one of those transcendent stories that struck a rare cultural nerve, a sensitive film about love, friendship, cancer, racial harmony, and football that came along at just the right time. James Caan is at his free-spirited best as Piccolo, and Billy Dee Williams is very charming as the quiet Sayers destined for superstardom. Roommates and rivals, these two rookies soon become best friends because of their competitive natures and complementary personalities. When Piccolo becomes stricken with cancer, his relentless will to live inspires the talented Sayers to reach his athletic potential. Jack Warden, as the masterful coach George Halas, superbly manipulates the ying and yang relationship for all it's worth. Michel Legrand's melancholy theme still lingers in the mind as one of the all-time greats. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (28)

I DARE YOU NOT TO CRY YOUR EYES OUT
Brian's Song is one of the saddest movies ever made, based on the too-true story of the black/white friendship between Gale Sayer and Brian Piccolo. James Caan does a credible, if self-absorbed job as Brian -- his sickly scenes definitely do not hold up as well as you might remember, and though this movie definitely looks and sounds dated, it still packs a powerful emotional punch, in the same way that Terms of Endearment does. Beware: you are headed for very rough waters. And that Michel Legrand theme song, a classic for the ages, turns the nozzle to full-tilt. That final still image remains firmly etched in my mind, and the special relationship engendered here carries a special weight as one of the first of its kind ever seen in a film.

EXTRAORDINARY...
I was fifteen years old when "Brian's Song" premiered as a "Movie of the Week" on ABC-TV. I had no interest in sports then (I still don't), and had no intentions of watching this movie, but my dad persuaded me. "Just watch the first few minutes," he said. He knew that this was NOT a sports movie. He had read Gale Sayers' book "I Am Third" (upon which this movie is partially based), and knew that this was a movie about PEOPLE, not about football. The fact that the two lead characters are football players is almost incidental. This is a movie about friendship, love and courage. Needless to say, I watched it from start to finish, and have watched it many times since. Although its roots as a TV movie are obvious (the production values are nothing more than ordinary), "Brian's Song" is one of the most extraordinary films ever made, a particularly remarkable achievement when you consider its length of only 74 minutes. James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, both virtual unknowns at the time, play Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers with a sense of realism, and with respect for their real-life counterparts. Jack Warden is excellent (as always) as coach George Halas, and Shelley Fabares and Judy Pace turn in fine performances as Joy Piccolo and Linda Sayers. David Huddleston and Bernie Casey make the most of their small parts, and even real-life Chicago Bears provide some fine moments, particularly the "hazing" sequence. The sincere performances, along with William Blinn's beautifully-written teleplay, keep the action from becoming mawkish or sappy, Buzz Kulik's direction brought out the best in his actors, and Michel Legrand's score comments on the emotions in the film with exactly the right tone. (Legrand's penchant for marking musical cues to sudden movement onscreen is notable, and the gorgeous theme is one of the most emotionally charged pieces of music ever written.) The film ends on a freeze-frame of James Caan's face over narration by Jack Warden of William Blinn's words, and when that musical theme pulls out all the stops after Warden's narration ends, well...even the Chicago Bears themselves would be dissolved in tears. It's one of my all-time favorite movies, and I would recommend it without reservation to anyone, sports fan or not. Thanks, Dad.

The DVD version includes an exclusive short featurette, "Gale Sayers: First and Goal" in which present-day Gale Sayers discusses the movie and his career. It's interesting, but nothing special. Also included in audio commentary by Williams and Caan. Caan is a cutup and does most of the talking, and little of any real substance is said, but it IS quite entertaining, and definitely worth another viewing.

But then, "Brian's Song" is ALWAYS worth another viewing...

One of the most emotional and best stories of all time
I'm a huge sports fan. I want to be a sports writer and it's stuff that Brian's Song that makes me want to do it even more.

Brian's Song is based on the true story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. Both were rookies when they joined the Chicago Bears. Brian Piccolo(Caan) was the funny loudmouth that everybody loved. He wans't the most gifted athlete in the world and his determination made him the player that he was. Gale Sayers(Williams) was the quiet one. He was the easily the most talented player on the team maybe in the league. The two are paired as roomates and the friendship starts.

The two are opposites and don't get along that well at first. Opposites attract and they especially do with these two. They quickly feed off each other though and become the best of friends. They fuel each other and are inspeperable. They become the first white and black roomates in the NFL. They ignore the whole idea of race and are like brothers.

When Sayers tears his ACL the next year Brain gets the chance to step up and show his talent. He however feels for his friend and is determined to get Gale back into his form as the best RB in the league. There bond becomes even stronger during this time as does the friendship of there families.

The tide changes though when Brian starts not to play well. It's a new season and the two are enjoying finally playing with each other as one of the best backfields in the league. Brians play starts to diminsh though and he's sent to the doctor. What the doctor finds is that Brian has cancer and is terminal. It's now up to Gale to help his friend through this most difficult time of his life.

This movie isn't about football. It's about the bond of love and friendship that these two men have for each other. James Caan and Billy Dee Williams play these roles to perfection. Both weren't known all that well at this time in 1971. Caan hadn't delivered his legendary performance as Sonny Corleone and Wiliams hadn't played Lando yet. The two give dramatic performances though that are sure to make anybody cry.

This is one of the greatest tear jerkers of all time. I've never wathced it were a member of the audience isn't sobbing at the end of it. I've cried numerous times while watching this movie.

You can tell it's a tv made movie. It doesn't take away from the quality though and this movie cleaned the Emmy's out in 1971 and in my opinion is the greatest made for TV movie EVER!

I love this movie. It's not about sports but is about life. You won't find a better tale of love and friendship anywhere. Everybody should see this movie at one time or another. It's a cinematic masterpiece. Buy this movie you won't regret that descion.

The Best Ever
I just need to say I am looking at this movie as I am writing this for about the 100th time, still with tears running down my face. I have loved this movie every since it came out when I was 10 years old. With the lost of my father the year before the movie really touched me and made my mother never want to look at it again. Then growing up with old timeer stopping me to tell me I looked so much like the real Gale Sayers made me love the movie even more. Now with what is running through my blood and not knowing what will happen to me all I can think of now is my best friend of 25 years and him standing by my side. As you can see this move has really been a part of my life almost all my life.

A Classic
A true classic and tear jerker. It includes one of the best title songs of all time. ... Read more

Reviews (204)

SLEEP...SLEEP...SLEEP
and so our protagonist Tom (Kevin Bacon) slips into a deep hypnotic state, and after he awakens, he starts to "receive" messages from the supernatural. This is the basis for a very scary story which takes place in a close-knit, blue-collarish town where everyone knows their neighbors...but not as well as they think! Bacon's acting is right on the money. I especially liked the supposed blue-collar speak: Aye, how youse doin'? He convincingly acts terrified, confused, & sad...a man on the brink of going looney. Rounding out the cast is the always quirky-yet-attractive Illeana Douglas, down-to-earth sexy Kathryn Erbe as Tom's wife, and playing Tom's son, Jake, Zachary David Cope does a fairly good imitation of the kid from "The Sixth Sense". ( The kid here, you see, has always "received" the same messages!) The director & writer, David Koepp uses a great visual style to move things along, as well as a few neat special FX shots as the supernatural forces come to light. The scene where Tom first goes under hypnosis is very very effective...I almost felt like I was being hypnotized as I wathced...you will too. Thoroughly enjoyable. Great extras. Well worth the price of ownership.

5 STARS FOR SCARING ME OUT OF MY WITS!
If you're super cynical, you might view Stir Of Echos as just a trumped up murder mystery with supernatural overtones and some oddly coincidental parallels to the Sixth Sense thrown in; (although I just recently found out who might have been copying whom)! However, if you're honest, you'll have to admit that Stir Of Echos is incredibly suspenseful (definitely Edge Of The Seat stuff!) totally riveting, and far, far CREEPIER than the Sixth Sense! In this movie, (starring Kevin Bacon) the lead character is hypontized on a drunken whim, at a party. Afterwards, he starts experiencing some very bizarre hallucinations as he realizes a "door" to another world has been opened up in his brain! As he desperately tries to get to the bottom of these terrifying images and visions he's seeing, he loses interest in his job, his family; everything! An intriguing plot, that does not disappoint! My opinion? Watch it and view for yourself! (But DON'T watch it alone)!

Stir of Ehs
This is not a bad movie. It is reasonably well made, although it has dubiously long sequences of Kevin Bacon searching for power tools and using said power tools w/o any serious tension, as we know exactly what he will find, as does he. Also, the background crime and its perpetrators were too easy to discern halfway through the film, and some variation of the confrontation was obvious 40 minutes into the film. The film has an effective mood, and a couple of jolts...

My problem w/ films like this, and I know there are those of you like me, is this: In horror, in Supernatural horror, the supernatural has to be malevolent and it has to be the threat. If an average human is a greater threat to the protagonist than the ghost--which seems to be the common norm of most modern horror/thrillers (Below, 6th Sense, What Lies Beneath, The Others, 28 Days Later, this)--then it does nothing for me. It's not scary. A ghost trying to warn you or avenge its death isn't scary. Sure, the film may manipulate some jumps out of you w/ quick shots of the practically harmless ghost, but after you've experience the thrills, what remains? Once you know the secret of "The Others", what could possibly be scary about the movie after a second viewing? The Exorcist is still scary, because that movie is about an evil presence out to harm you. The Ring gave me some uneasy nights, I admit, because the threat was evil. The Blair Witch Project, the same thing. There's nothing scary about the ghosts in this, in The Others, in the 6th Sense.

So, if you really enjoyed movies w/ ghosts who are only harmful in their pop-up-out-of-no-where powers, and human conspiracies about failed coverups scare you more, then you'd like this. If, however, it's the vile nature of the beast that keeps you up at night, then you'd feel you had wasted money on this picture.

Good Movie
Stir of Echoes is a good, supernatural thriller. It's above the other movies nowadays. Bacon is great.

Kevin Bacon? Never seen him so good.
This is a very clever film. I was a bit skeptical both because of it's lack of popularity and the fact that Kevin Bacon is in it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is this is a great story, it is well put together with many good actors/actresses.

There's not much to say, other than: If you want a good, rare movie pick this. I warn you however that I'm not promising your liking it. Although with the right mindset, anyone can enjoy this film. Just remember: "Don't be afraid." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Burt Kennedy wrote several of the finest Westerns ever for director BuddBoetticher in the late '50s--marvels of austere, subtle storytelling. Yet on hisown, writer-director Kennedy tended to very broad comedy-Westerns. TheRounders, based on a novel by Max Evans, falls somewhere between SupportYour Local Sheriff (high) and Dirty Dingus Magee (low). Glenn Fordand Henry Fonda play two bronc busters in the pickup-driving West who, by theirown admission, "ain't exactly the smartest cowboys that ever lived." Somehowthey always end up owing rancher Jim Ed Love (Chill Wills) one more year ofindentured servitude. The year we observe is dominated by a purely diabolicalroan and capped by a randy brush with two showgirls (Sue Ane Langdon and HopeHoliday) who play "Dumber" to Ford and Fonda's "Dumb."It's all very amiableand unassuming, but the toot-plunk-whistle-boom soundtrack--to signal "This isthe funny part"--is sheer torture. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Charming cowboy comedy
Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford co-star as a pair of almost-over-the-hill cowpunchers whose love of the free life, and plain lack of horse sense, have kept them pinned to the same lousy job year after years, and also from settling down with any of the gals that moon over them when they come down from the hills long enough to spend their dough. These guys are loveable foul-ups, roustabouts who haven't quite figured out how to get ahead, but sure like doing things the hard way. Plenty of light comedy (including some of the most charming early '60s sexist jokes you're ever likely to see) and a funny love-hate relationship between Ford and the one horse he simply cannot break. It's nice to see Ford and Fonda play characters who just ain't that bright, each in their own typical understated style. Cute film -- recommended!

They sure don't make 'em like they used to...do they?
The inspired, superb teaming of Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda help raise this laid back film from almost certain obscurity. Based on the novel by Max Evans 'The Rounders' emerged as a sleeper hit when released in '65 and after all this time continues to defy the odds and remain a real audience pleaser today. Told with all too rare simplicity and filmed on alternately stark locations and colorful vistas, screenwriter and director Burt Kennedy crafts another one of his long series of winning films. Ford and Fonda play the aging bronc-busters (or 'cowboys with their brains kicked out' as Ford says) Ben Jones and Howdy Lewis just trying to earn enough money for a boat so they can live on the ocean...or a desert isle...or...well anywhere "where there ain't no grass and there ain't no horses!" as Ben firmly explains it to Howdy. Two factors stand in the way of their dreams: working for a stingy rancher who tries to pinch the duo for what he can and their own penchant for wasting every dime they earn in a matter of days when they make the annual journey into Sedona.

As the movie opens it is early autumn; Ben and Howdy reluctantly accept work from Jim Ed Love, a rancher they both love to hate. Part of their duties includes attempting to tame a furious and ornery young mustang properly named "Ol' Fooler". The horse quickly becomes their arch nemesis as it continually defies their attempts at bronc-busting; wily old veterans they refuse to be done-in by the stubborn animal and will eventually talk Love into letting them keep it as part of their pay. Ben and Howdy brainstorm that they can make a mint and leave their hard-luck days behind at the annual rodeo in Sedona by betting that no one can ride their varmint of a horse for longer than eight seconds. The plan goes fairly well but they encounter an unexpected twist of events that threatens to ruin the guys' enterprise and sink their dreams fast.

It shouldn't amount to much - but it does. One of the very best supporting casts ever assembled helps out tremendously providing endless appeal and colorful characterizations. Chill Wills, Edgar Buchanan, and both Kathleen & Joan Freeman show up as the story progresses and have fairly expanded roles. Barton MacLane, Denver Pyle and Doodles Weaver appear in cameo roles that seem tailored perfectly to their talents. An uncredited Warren Oates plays a bumbling gun-crazy wrangler that runs afoul of Jones and Lewis. The best surprise of all though is Sue Ann Langdon and Hope Holiday as two attractive and voluptuous ladies that Ben and Howdy happen upon when they make the late spring journey into Sedona. This sequence of the film supplies us with it's funniest and most memorable moments.

Made at a time when films could be both sparse of activity and routinely but unabashedly sentimental 'The Rounders' is living proof that comedies don't have to be big, bold and brassy to be enjoyed. For a refreshing change of pace and an opportunity to see Ford and Fonda at their most likeable I heartily recommend you set aside some time for this flick.

A not much of a movie plot
THE ROUNDERS is a not much of a movie plot. It's just a good movie. Unlike those wonderful B Westerns from the 1930s, these cowboys--Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda--got to drink hard "hotch" and also kiss the girls as well as the horse. It is a film that defines great countryside, solid friendship, how dreams keep yuh going, how great a movie can be without much of a plot, and how yuh learn to love your enemy. In this case, the enemy is that cagey Roan roping, bucking horse that slo-witted Ford tried his dangdest to break and couldn't. He wants to run down the horse with a pickup, shoot it,send it to the glue factory [soap product in this case] or sell it to some sucker willing to buy it. In the end bronco-busters Ford and Fonda don't bust the cantankerous Roan, but they prove that you can make an endearing story into a movie without getting maudlin about it. Three CHEERS and a DOZEN YIPPEES for this film.

loved it
This is a great old favorite of mine, all the stars, good story. If you liked City Slickers, give this a shot.

Totally Southwest Cowboy
I have sat and watched this movie several times and I've enjoyed it more each time. Ford and Fonda are a great cowboy team. With the spectacular scenery of Sedona and surrounding Arizona territory, this makes for a superb afternoon at the movies. ... Read more

Reviews (107)

A Cry for Freedom
Even though the story of SPARTACUS takes place in ancient Rome, the film itself is a profoundly contemporary work of the time that it was made; the eve of the Civil Rights movement in the US, and at the end of the HUAC witch hunt in Hollywood.

The chief engineer of this project is producer Kirk Douglas who portrayed the salve hero, but the wisdom behind all that is screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, black-listed in Hollywood, worked under various pseudonyms during the fifties for films such as ROMAN HOLIDAY, here properly restored to his rightful position of one of the best screenwriter in the business, with his own name credited on screen. The original novel is also written by another black-listed writer, Howard Fast, who claims that the idea of writing a film about the slave revolt came into his mind during the time that he spent in prison.

So the message that its story carries is unviersal, and even contemporary: man's struggle for freedom, striving for human equality, the solidarity of all that are oppressed disregarding their creed, birth and color of skin--the gladiator whose death triggers Spartacus' revolt is portrayed by Woody Strode, afro-american actor and a regular of John Ford's movies. The film embraces humanity, freedom to chose the way he wants to live, the freedom to trust one's friend, even the freedom of sexuality --Spartucus and his lover Varinia are never legally married, but she gives birth to his son--, and the freedom and passion to sacrifice oneself for the sake of his pears and the great cause of human freedom.

One the other hand, the film strongly accusse the corruption of power, the decadence of those who have power, and the rise of fascism. Democratic politician Charles Laughton, with all the virtues and vices that a regular politician has, taken over and eventually eliminated by seemingly much "cleaner" military leader Laurence Olivier. Needless to say, the clashes performed by those two great actors is a great excitment to watch.

Kirk Douglas gives one of his most convincing performances as the revolutionary leader of slaves, Jean Simmons plays his innocent, healthy and strong partner with a healthy sensuality, and Tony Curtis gives credibility to Spartacus' surrogate son who represents culture and education; they are not barbaric slaves, they can be as cultured as their masters are, and even better because they are true, honest humans as opposed to the corrupted masters whose wealth and culture are based on oppression of other humans.

To simply put, SPARTACUS is a fine example of how a good entertaining movie can carry a powerful message; when it truly suceeds, it'a great joy to watch.

This fully packed DVD is a re-issue of Criterion's celebrated LaserDisc edition. Added to a interesting commentary track by the filmmakers including Douglas and Peter Ustinov who won an oscar for his performance, there is another track on which Dulton Trumbo's notes to the rough cut of the film is read--a great lesson to all those who wants to learn how to write a film. Othe supplements includes a hillarious interview with Peter Ustinov, a lot of scketches and stills, and more. It's a great DVD. Please enjoy it as many times as you want.

note: the superb package design is a reproduction of the original poser art created by Saul Bass. The poster is also among the suplements of this DVD.

Strong story, weak depth, but epic & entertaining
Based on the novel by Howard Fast, Spartacus recounts the life of a slave turned gladiator turned freedom fighter. The story of Spartacus begins with him as a free spirited Thracian slave in 70BC. Spartacus is trained in a gladiator school, where he meets and falls in love with the slave girl Varinia. He then leads the other gladiators in revolt, and assembles a huge army of thousands of slaves to challenge the might of Rome. The ending is tragic, but not without hope. Spartacus was in fact a historical figure and the movie's story of his squashed rebellion against Rome - including the crucifixion of 6000 survivors - is largely rooted in truth.

The movie can best be described as epic. On a grand scale, the Roman empire is brought to life, with its corrupt aristocracy and its simple lower class. The epic battle scene which forms the climax of the movie features 1000s of extras, and although it is sometimes hard to tell who is on which side, the effect is magnificent and grandiose. Despite the action scenes, the movie is surprisingly introspective at times. Unlike modern efforts such as Gladiator, Spartacus is not an action movie as such, and fans of contemporary action movies not surprisingly find it disappointing. Spartacus' struggles are just as much emotional as they are physical. But to me this is a strength and not a weakness: the shortcoming of most modern action movies is not present here because the characterization is superb.

Even though the movie is not gory (although it is bloody at times), the adult themes make it unsuitable for children. For instance, successful gladiators are given women to have their way with them. And on numerous occasions, although nudity is not shown it is strongly implied and barely concealed. The implication of bisexuality (in a scene not present in the original) and promiscuity is also strongly evident as part of the corruption in Rome. But it also touches Spartacus. In a rather daring move for the 1960s, Spartacus and his woman Varinia conceive a child out of wedlock, which is presented as natural and good. Spartacus' fight for freedom apparently includes sexual freedom. Its hardly surprising that these two fall in love in a rather sappy love-at-first-sight Hollywood romance, where they don't even know each other as yet. Ultimately it is not only Rome that chases gold, girls and glory without morals, but Spartacus himself is not really much different.

But it is not only the moral ambivalence of this movie that disturbs me, but also its underlying political themes. How is Rome presented? As totally corrupt, with no redeeming qualities. "If a criminal has what you want, you do business with him." How are the slaves presented? As noble and good. "We're brothers." The army of slaves proceeds in a carnival like atmosphere, and the producers present lots of images of joyful children and exuberant elderly as part of their number, to arouse sympathy for their cause. But isn't this rather a cliché? It is, but that's the whole point. Aristocratic Rome is presented as evil, and the oppressed lower class need to be liberated from her corrupt rule. The rich are all evil, the poor are all good. Sounds familiar? It's a defence of the brotherhood of communism. Ultimately the movie endorses peasant revolt as a legitimate option, and advocates rebelling against authority. Rather than rendering to Caesar what is Caesars, it encourages open rebellion, in order to usher in a new political system of brotherhood and freedom from repression. Sound too far-fetched? Here's the clincher: Howard Fast, author of the novel on which this movie was based, was a devout and committed member of the Communist Party of the USA, and for many years his works were black-listed. The story of Spartacus may be rooted in history, but Howard Fast has reinterpreted it as a defence of his own political communist ideals. Rome represents Western Capitalism, and the slaves represent the oppressed peasant proletariat. Spartacus' defence of liberty, equality and fraternity is in fact anachronistic.

So sure this is an epic movie. At the time of its production in 1960, Spartacus was the most expensive movie ever made. With a cast of star actors, especially the compelling performances of Kirk Douglas as Spartacus, Laurence Olivier as Crassus (the influential Roman senator), Peter Ustinov as Batiatius (the bumbling and greedy owner of a gladiator school), and Charles Laughton as Gracchus (the corrupt and scheming Roman senator), it's no wonder it won four academy awards. But the fact that Spartacus is an epic movie does not disguise the fact that it is not deep. Any deeper themes that the movie does have to offer are communist and hedonistic, and this ideology mars the story. This may be a movie that rivals the grandeur and scale of Ben Hur, but thematically, it doesn't come close.

Even so, it's still worth a look. Even if one cannot share the cause of Sparticus and political ambitions it embodies, one has to admire the spirit in which Spartacus fights for his cause: it is a losing battle, and yet with dignity and fervour he fights for what he believes is right - a quality to be coveted. And it's ironic that if you can overlook the weaknesses of its depth, the strength of this movie lies in its superficial story. It has comedy, tragedy, triumph, romance, action, intrigue, and an epic scale. As entertainment, it's an enduring epic that still can be enjoyed today.

3 Stars For 3 Outstanding Performances...
Kubrick replaced Tony Mann on directing duties for this brave, but lumbering costume epic which is ultimately propped up by three beautiful performances. Peter Ustinov(won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work here), Charles Laughton(should have been similarly nominated)& Laurence Olivier all do incredible work under the guidance of a very young Kubrick & all deliver what comes very close to their best work. Their presence is notable chiefly for the fact that without them, SPARTACUS would never have been the extraordinary spectacle it surely is. Kirk Douglas gives a brooding(& lifeless)performance in the title role, ultimately undermining any sequence not containing the three aforementioned thespians. Jean Simmons, as the love interest, is similarly uninteresting & while undeniably beautiful, fails to evoke for the viewer the love & devotion she receives from Douglas & ultimately Olivier. Pre CGI, it comes armed with some beautifully choreographed & violent battle sequences, but for those looking for an earlier version of Ridley Scott's GLADIATOR, this one may come off a little old-fashioned. It is worth noting(& you'll learn this from the wonderfully insightful 1992 Ustinov interview[his impersonation of Laughton is a riot]contained in the bonus material)that Ustinov rewrote all the scenes he plays with Laughton. It should come as no surprise to the discerning viewer, they are easily the best moments in the film.....

Divine Right of Kings
Sparticus represented more than a gladiator-slave uprising. Sparticus represented the Italian's people dissatisfaction with the Roman Senate and the general corruption and impotence within the Senate.

Citizens once had a voice with the Senate and the Senate listened keeping the republic free. Now, the Senate caved to the demands of the dictators and military commanders and installed for the first time an Emperor giving him six legends too suppress the slave uprising.

In the end the slave and citizen uprising could not resist the Roman legions. Many of the people joining Sparticus were discontent citizens of Rome and individuals from countries that did not like Rome. Originally, the republic which was composed of strong free men. The military started the slow strangulation of the republic by replacing it with an empire. Julius Caesar was introduced as the shadow of the wings of power. Crassus was depicted as the total dictator who put oppressive demands on Rome and the Senate as the body that had lost its power. The Senate historically would have debated the issues and objected to outrageous demands. Instead, the Senate allowed the Emperor to rule Rome and the Emperor established the laws and source of the law and executed the law. The Emperor had power too repeal old laws and establish new laws, in place of the old ones. The punishments for violation of the law could be death and probably a Roman death on the cross demonstrating the Emperors absolute power. The Citizen did what they were told and they did not act without permission. Secret police reported any activity that could bring punishment on the citizen. The laws were supposedly designed to bring security. As the Emperor distrusted and feared the people this only accelerated the downfall of Rome.

The notion of divine right of kings was established. Taxes imposed on the people support the huge military appetite generated as Rome conquered many European countries. The government would become an autocracy and the Emperor the supreme commander.

Sparticus hoped to flee Rome, negotiated with pirates too build ships using gold taken during conquests that would take them from the tip of Italy away to a promise land. Instead, the pirates betrayed Sparticus and did not build the ships allowing the Roman legends to trap Sparticus from the South pushing him towards Rome and forcing a confrontation in the fields close to Rome.

Sparticus was defeated, his men cruxified along the way to Rome, when captured his men coined the phrase "I am Sparticus" when asked who was Sparticus. Sparticus wife would become a member of Crassus Heirloom yet the Senator would arrange for her escape and continue with his own suicide and Sparticus son would remain free.

Good movie, bad transfer
It should be noted that the reviews on this page refer to two different versions of the Spartacus DVD. This review refers to the Universal single disc edition, not the Criterion two-disc release.

While both versions of the film are the same, this version is devastated by a bad transer: both sound and picture quality are seriously lacking - even as far as a blue edge to blacks, including the widescreen matting, and blue fades in parts of the film. The sound is poorly balanced - voices are too quiet, music too loud. I was contantly turning the volume up and down throughout. So much for "fully restored."

If you are interested in quality and really like this movie I would skip this version and go for the Criterion release, which many other people own and have approved. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

One of my favorites as a kid
I waited a long time for this to come out on dvd. Bugs me that the companies don't get it right the first time though. They release the dvd with no extras what so ever just so they can release a special edition a few months later. Disney did the same thing with Tron. I'm sure they have a lot of stuff they could've put on this dvd but they chose otherwise. I would've liked to see some trailers at least and it doesn't even look like it has any.

Anyway Flight of the Navigator is a great movie for the whole family. It's under-rated and a lot of people might not even have heard of it. It's about a boy who's accidently sent to the future by an alien space ship. When he finds his family they wonder why he hasn't aged a day. Scientists then run tests on him to find out where he was. He decides to escape and find a way back to the past and getting a ride on the space ship is the only way back. Once he gets on the ship is when the movie turns more goofy as the alien is voiced by Paul Reubens (Pee Herman) after all. The movie is still tons of fun and it does have some clever science fiction in it too for a kids movie. So eventhough the dvd has no extras what so ever the movie itself is worth checking out.

Reminiscent of the best of the Heinlein young adult novels..
Flight of the Navigator is a far better movie than we'd have a right to suspect.

Plot spoiler if you read further:

A few minutes into this film, 12-year-old David Freeman (Joey Cramer) is on an
errand to retrieve his 8-year-old brother, Jeff, when he falls into a gulley and is
knocked out. Regaining consciousness, David returns to his house, thinking only a
few minutes have passed, and instead of his parents and brother finds a locked
door and an elderly couple living there.

Taken to the police station, David is identified by computer records as a boy
reported missing eight years before. Despite the fact that he hasn't aged, he's taken
to the Freeman's at a different house nearby, and when he sees his parents
obviously older, he faints. He returns to consciousness again on a gurney on his
way to a hospital bed. A few minutes later, while his parents are called out of the
room by a somber-faced doctor, David is left alone with his brother Jeff -- who is
now 16.

This is ostensibly a Disney movie for kids -- and later on there is a lot of comedic
Disney hijinks -- but the first half hour of the movie, as David and his family deal
with the trauma of his time relocation, are some of the most heart-rending and
chilling sequences I've seen in any film.

Spoiler over.

This movie reminded me of some of the time-relativity sequences in Robert A.
Heinlein's novel, Time for the Stars. The characters are well written and the actors
do an excellent job, particularly in the scenes between Joey Cramer and Matt
Adler, as 16-year-old Jeff. The distraught parents, Cliff de Young and Veronica
Cartwright, are also excellent -- and Howard Hesseman and Sarah Jessica Parker
round out a great supporting cast.

Special kudos are due to Paul Reubens (best known for his character Pee Wee
Herman) who was originally credited under his own name for lending his voice to a
major character in this film, but had his name removed from the credits, replaced
by the pseudonym "Pall Mall," after Reubens was arrested for alleged indecent
exposure committed in a movie theater seat. (I've never understood how Reubens
was convinced to plead "no contest" to the charge, after theater security cameras
showed him in the lobby buying popcorn at the time of the alleged offense.)
Considering that Disney's Hollywood Pictures division released Powder, directed
by a convicted and confessed child molester, Disney should show some backbone
and restore Reubens real name to the credits.

If you can get ahold of this movie, see it -- and maybe Disney will see fit to release
it again -- on DVD, I hope.

One of the Greatest Family Movies of all time!
This is one of the greatest family movies I have ever seen. I saw it in the theatre in 1986 (twice). I purchased the video as soon as it was released and will now purchase the DVD. I'm so glad it is finally available. If you are looking for a wonderful movie to watch with your family...this is the one to buy!

wtf!!!
get this strictly for the boy's trippy,lsd addicted little buddy that rides on his shoulder!what a little tripper!!!

One of My Favorites as a Child, now on DVD!!!
Flight of the Navigator certainly brings back wonderful memories, of childhood in the summertime eating hotdogs and drinking soda on a sunday night. This Disney flick about a boy's journey mysterious journey through time was long overdue on DVD!! Ofcourse we cannot forget that Sarah Jessica Parker has a prominent role! And isn't Paul Reubens, (aka Pee Wee Herman) the voice of the alien navigator??

The Picture and Sound quality are excellent, as compared to that old VHS copy we all have! Presented in 1:85:1 Aspect Ratio Widescreen. The DVD is lacking any real special features, like "The Making of" or "Commentaries" but it is a wonderful addition to that nostalgic childhood collection. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Still Crazy For It After All These Years
I first saw this film at my high school back in 1978, when I was 14 years-old and in the 9th grade. My English class read the book some 2 months earlier, so I was ready for a different prospective on the story. Boy, did I get a treat!! Yes, there were some rather lame scenes, like the "Chamber Pot Baptism" and when the Bedwetters protested the killing of the buffalo on the grounds of the preserve, but I attribute that to "Bad Writing", not "Bad Acting". In fact, I think they couldn't have found a better cast for the six main characters. If someone was to ask me who Teft is, for example, the only logical answer would be none other than Bill Mumy, etc. My point is the movie would have worked better if Stanley Kramer stuck closer to the book than changing too many situations. I would have loved to seen Teft's airplane hyjinks or the Lally Brothers' letting all of the dogs out of the cruise ship's kennels. But despite this film's shortcomings (including some bad editing--chalk marks on the road in the "horse-breather" scene), this film did have a lasting impact on me and it is still one of my all time favorite movies. One of these days, I wouldn't mind talking to the surviving leading actors and see what their opinions are on acting in this particular film; I bet you that will be quite an inspirational exprience!!

Aweful, even when new.
This book was an unpleasant read, heavy handed with the symbolism, and now, because it's so dated even more ridiculous and plodding than it was when it was released. The movie makes the book look like a masterpiece. For the star, fresh from his acting tour de force in Lost in Space we have Billy Mummy, only a much cooler Billy Mummy because he had long hair. Along with him we have a group of misfit bedwetting kids who are picked on at camp for being different. As the villains we have middle America, or, anybody with an Accent that makes them sound like they aren't from California or the East Coast.
The boys, at camp, head out one day and see the slaughter of some penned buffalo, shocked at the scene they decide to sneak out of the camp at night and free them. During the final scene, just in case we haven't been able to figure out that the kids are good and the non-California speaking cowboys are bad, one of the kids is shot while chasing the buffalo away in a truck, thereby ensuring our sympathy...I thought a better end for the book would have been...The misfit kids all wind up getting jobs at the buffalo slaughter house a few years later, because its the only work available. Wracked with guilt and self hatred they slowly drink themselves to death. Right before the end, they learn that the slaughter of some buffalo actually insures the survival of the species by making it commercially viable. Then in a drunken rant one of the kids curses the one who died at camp because, in trying to free the buffalo, he was actually endangering them. And the people that shot him were PETA activists... Oh, cruel irony... I do not recommend this movie,unless it's a choice between watching this film and playing trivial pursuit with Anna Nicole Smith as your teamate. This movie has one saving grace and that is how the threat of translating it into Hebrew and Arabic scared both Israel and the PLO back to the negotiation table.

AN ORIGINAL AMERICAN HISTORY PARABLE
"Bless the Beasts and Children" is a deeply affecting original film that is a parable for American history; i.e., the disturbing hunt of the defenseless, be it the nearly exterminated buffalo, women, or the American Indian.

"Thelma and Louise", filmed twenty years later in 1991, copied many scenes, characters, props, elements, and themes from "Bless the Beasts and Children", the details of which can be viewed at the web site http://www.mosaicspinner.com/blessthem.html

The bottom line is, we must save the defenseless to protect the American Dream, else what is best of America will be lost.

Great 70's movie
I first saw this movie when I was 6 ,7 years old. It was my favorite movie as a child. I wouldn't be tough enough to watch it now. The movie is very hard, showing the pain and lonliness of being a misfit, and the graphic shooting of Buffalo standing still in a pen. I think this movie made me cry for the first time in my life, about something other than a skinned knee. It changed my life. I used to kill things when I was a young boy, and after this movie I said to myself "enough..killing for no reason is sick". And the Karen Carpenter song " Bless The Beasts and the children", Knowing her personal pain that she was going through at the time, Just makes me want to cry right now!!

I'll pass on Meatballs without Humor
This movie was interesting neither as a coming-of-age flick nor a social commentary.One understands perfectly well what the director is doing,and it does not work.I think the movie does a good job representing the "bedwetters":the outsiders who are picked on by the cool kids.The corporal punishment(ow! ow! ow!) scene was very brutal and true-to-life.I think that alienated young people may identify with some of the campers,so on that level,it may work for kids as a more serious MEATBALLS.A movie for adults? No,but it may be good for kids today to know that summer camps used to have other uses for "the paddle" than mere canoeing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1996, with his public image at a low ebb after a messy breakup with Mia Farrow, clarinetist and filmmaker Woody Allen set off on a tour of Europe with his New Orleans jazz band. Accompanying him were his sister, his soon-to-be wife Soon-Yi Previn, and Oscar-winning documentary maker Barbara Kopple. Like Allen says as the beginning of the tour, "Theoretically, this should be fun for us."

Woody Allen has always been more widely appreciated in Europe than in the U.S., so it's no surprise that the concerts quickly provoke the kind of fan hysteria usually reserved for rock stars.This star however is clearly not comfortable with his fame.Whether he's giving a tour of his lavish hotel suite or prodding at an unexpectedly dry omelet, the director seems profoundly ill at ease and sometimes--when trapped by a crowd or harassed by a particularly persistent photographer--he appears to be both frightened and angry at the way celebrity shapes his life. The pressure to be funny on cue is the bane of any comedian's life, of course, and for Allen the seemingly endless round of receptions and parties is something to be endured, not enjoyed.In the face of this, the mutual support and affection shared by Allen and the woman he introduces as "the notorious Soon-Yi Previn" comes across as both genuine and absolutely necessary. When they are together, he is at his funniest, and his least guarded.

What persuaded such a private artist to allow such a documentary to be made?Perhaps it was a desire to celebrate his love of music, something that appears to sustain him as much as his relationship with Soon-Yi. He may refuse to bob his head and tap his feet to please his audience, but when he launches into a soaring solo we finally see Allen at ease, transported by the thrill of playing jazz. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (16)

If you're looking for a Woody Allen film, this isn't it.
I really like Woody Allen and it's still kinda cool seeing one of my favorite filmmakers playing my favorite instrument (the clarinet) in my favorite musical style of 1940's-New Orleans-period Jazz. There's no doubt that Woody Allen has talent for filmmaking, but we've heard little about his musical talents until now. Unfortunately, "Wild Man Blues" doesn't satisfy as a documentary or a Woody Allen film, but a voyeuristic view of a pretty unglamorous 2-week tour.

"Wild Man Blues" shows Woody go through a European tour with his Jazz band, stopping in major cities like Paris, Milan, Madrid, Bologna & London. His performances are to large crowds of 1,000 or more people, and it turns into an event that is obviously uncomfortable for the notoriously recluse filmmaker. We get a pale "behind the scenes" view of Woody in real life, which personally reminded me of the MTV Real World method: Film everything and keep the most interesting parts, which are few & far between. As the movie progresses, Woody gets comfortable enough for the ever-present camera to start making some of his trademark quips about anomalies in general; broken light switches, forgotten breakfast items, etc. This wears off some of the effect, since it seems we are not watching a good documentary, but a film with inconsistent dialogue.

I personally would rather have a movie of an entire performance of the Jazz band, rather than a tour of fine hotel rooms, backstage areas and curious crowds, interspersed with a few minutes of performances. The film seemed to focus on Woody & Soon-Yi, while pretty much neglecting the rest of the band. Interesting comparisons were left un-addressed: Sure, Woody and Soon-Yi stay in 5 star hotels, but where does the band stay? How do they feel about their musical performances often being overshadowed by his celebrity? Woody gets a private plane, but no other musicians seem to fly with him? That would have been much more interesting that spending 5 minutes of film being spent on a broken shower.

The one surprise of the film is the revealing of the roles of Woody & Soon-Yi in their relationship. I was not expecting this, but I definitely came away thinking that they interact quite well as a couple. But once again, I love Woody Allen films, but am pretty uninterested in his personal life.

I've seen Woody Allen & his Jazz band live in NYC, and that was a huge treat unto itself. I hope one day a film focusing on the music-performance is released.

Un-Wild Man Blues
Barbara Kopple's "Wild Man Blues" is decidedly un-wild. That's its first fib. It is the un-intense and un-penetrating chronicle of Woody Allen's 1997 European tour with his New Orleans jazz band. Released in 1998, "Wild Man Blues" came hard on the heels of a period of public scandal for the notoriously private filmmaker, prompting critics to dub it a "public relations corrective". There is a whiff of mendacity about this film. Its motive is abstruse and its meaning convoluted. It carries an air of constructivism. It smells like propaganda. Lurking behind an obeisance to jazz music is a salve for moviegoers' indignation over Allen's romance with stepdaughter cum fiancé, Soon-Yi Previn.

Barbara Kopple has a reputation for truth seeking, winning an Oscar for her exploration of union violence in "Harlan County, USA", but "Wild Man Blues" lacks her early incisiveness. Despite her through-the-keyhole approach, Kopple's eye yields no unguarded moments. Instead she offers a prim and proper tableau--stagy and self-consciously sexless-- of the couple's daily life. Though they hold hands in public and snuggle in a gondola, only one scene suggests that Woody and Soon-Yi actually share a bed.

Conspicuously lacking in dialectic, this documentary is unable to facilitate any intelligent discourse on what is presumably the topic at hand: jazz. Woody Allen--filmmaker, intellectual and aesthete--has always drawn on the art of music with a sublime touch. The soundtracks for "Manhattan" and "Stardust Memories" are paragons. He is considered, and deservedly so, a jazz aficionado. What, then, accounts for the specious treatment of jazz in "Wild Man Blues"? Referring to Dixieland jazz only cursorily as "primitive", "un-cerebral", "crude", "like taking a bath in honey", Woody Allen denies us access to his comprehensive knowledge of music and Barbara Kopple does nothing to draw him out. Instead, she focuses on the ostentatious continental parade that was the 1997 tour. Private jets, ultra-lux accommodations and chauffeur-driven Mercedes purposefully serve to isolate the clarinetist from his band mates, a gulf that is not bridged when they finally cross paths in a Madrid green room. Allen takes the posture of puppeteer rather than participant and the resultant music is predictably stale and soulless. But then "Wild Man Blues" is hardly about the music.

This film has a separate agenda and its secret weapon is Soon-Yi. Convivial, energetic, the model of a modern young woman, Soon-Yi emerges as the film's bright spot, effectively its subject. Though a betrayal of Woody's beloved jazz, "Wild Man Blues" achieves its purpose: to overturn the public perception of Soon-Yi Previn as an exploited child. It establishes Woody and Soon-Yi in socially palatable roles-she as a confident, articulate, adult woman; he as having something to learn from her.

"Wild Man Blues" is an elegant and efficient little white lie that simultaneously exonerates and charges Woody Allen: exculpated as a corrupter of youth but indicted as a filmmaker who is not committed to the truth. Barbara Kopple is his cellmate.

The Private Woody on his terms
Woody Allen claims to be a private man. His films make their appearance without large press junkets with the filmmaker and even with the advent of DVD, he doesn't return to offer anything up on his experiences. So, it is rather ironic that he would have this movie made, one that exposes his personal life, even moreso since it takes place soon after his messy break-up with Mia farrow. But, since the film was being made, it was on his terms. It puts a heavy focus on Woody the musician (more a title of legend than reality.) Filmed on a Eurpoean Tour, the film is surprisingly revealing, allowing for the connection between his on and off screen personas to be compared. Featured prevelantly is his now wife, Soon-Yi Previn. With this document, she is shown to be a powerful force in his career(s). She also adds a touch of reality to his occasionally idealistic opinions. So, the result is a sometimes fun piece filled with some great Dixieland style music. A must for serious Woodyphiles but others may be a bit distraught by the pacing.

Woody can do no wrong
This is a fabulous documentary. Fun all the way, good music, good charm and witt. A new slant on his lovely wife plus his parents are too funny. Loved it.

paparaZZis'n'jaZZ
If you think Woody Allen is always playing himself in his films, you better watch »Wild Man Blues«. It shows a sensitive but also very calm, shy and yet self-confident soul. A human being who is not exclusively comfortable with being a celebrity. A New Orleans jazz enthusiast from New York who misses Europe when he's at home, and vice versa.

Meet the man, meet Woody Allen, watch »Wild Man Blues«! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not Quite As Good As Cocoon
TOUGH GUYS is a movie about two aging train robbers who are released from prison after serving long terms. They have trouble adjusting to life on the outside and decide to once again try to rob a train. Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas have the starring roles as Harry Doyle and Archie Long. The supporting cast includes Charles Durning, Alexis Smith, Dana Carvey, Eli Wallach and Darlanne Fluegel.

The plot is predictable and unimaginative. The acting, however, is strong in spite of the weak material and the film is very enjoyable in spots.

Watch it if it comes on TNT.
This movie is hilarious because it is now 2004. I watched it the other day and really enjoyed. However, I would never buy it. If it comes on TV in the next ten years, I'll be content. I will say that the scene in the ice cream store is incredibly funny. That kid has some great lines.

ONE OF A KIND MOVIE
This movie is very unique. It is the only movie that I can think of that sticks two of the greats from the golden age of film into a modern day comedy. Just to sit and watch these two act in this type of genre is terrific. What happened to this style of acting?
All and all a brilliant comedy.
Would love to see a DvD release.

A triumph for the "geriatric set"
A cast of old pros (Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Alexis Smith, Charles Durning, and a flat-out hilarious Eli Wallach) shine in a comic tale of nonconformity and criminal "readjustment".

As recently released cons trying to adjust to freedom, Lancaster and Douglas are in fine form. One really has compassion for all the amusing stumbling blocks that they, like many "elders", must endure. Smith, as the love interest of Lancaster, displays a beauty and elegance that can only be acquired by age. She possesses a stunning smile and gaze. Durning, as the police detective that captured the duo thirty years earlier, is relentless in his quest to prove that these "old dogs" haven't changed their spots.

Wallach, as the other reviewer has stated, is memorable as a bespeckled hit man with an agenda.

This may not rank along with other Lancaster-Douglas pairings like "Seven Days in May" or "The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, but it does offer a last opportunity to see "originals" display their craft.

Reason Enuff to Stay on The Straight and Narrow....
...the way these two old cons are treated by the rest of society when they get out is criminal. Folks barking orders at you like you can't understand, the nursing home becomes more prison like than prison itself. And the new styles and fashion? Way too much lame (La-may). It's no wonder a pair of ol' tommygun criminals don't mind risking it all to take the train that they heisted years back again. After the thrill of seeing this pair of classic con actors reunited then the story is maintained by their delightful chemistry, the supporting cast--Eli Wallach, Dana Carvey and Charles Durning--and the fact that you start rooting for these thugs because you think, 'Hey, I ain't exactly a teenager, anymore, and what they're saying and doing makes a lot of sense.' It is an enjoyable flick in the vein of Grumpy Old Men. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Two of the juiciest roles in the American theater fall at the feet of Spencer Tracy and Fredric March, and both men make a meal of it. Inherit the Wind, based on the play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, is a slightly fictionalized account of the Scopes Monkey Trial, that galvanizing legal drama of the 1920s. When a young Tennessee teacher is prosecuted for teaching the theory of evolution in a public school, he receives unwanted public attention as well as the legal advice of a giant. Tracy plays the role based on Clarence Darrow, the eloquent defense attorney, and March storms his way through a part based on Williams Jennings Bryan, the failed presidential candidate (and famed orator) who prosecuted the case. Gene Kelly plays a character based on the acid-penned H.L. Mencken, reporting on the trial and caustically commenting on the absurdity of the human animal. Stanley (Judgment at Nuremberg) Kramer's direction is not especially subtle, but the verbal fireworks unleashed during the trial sequences are still stirring. Even the different styles of the actors are intriguing: March is all mannerism and false padding around the belly, while Tracy does his patented naturalistic grumbling. It would be nice if this story were a quaint period piece, but its issues and arguments keep reemerging in the headlines with each new generation. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Don't monkey around with religion
This film is based on the play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee about the 1925, Scopes Monkey Trial. It is tricky to keep the differences between this play and the real trial apart in one's mind. Spencer Tracy (Henry Drummond) and Fredric March (Matthew Harrison Brady) spar over the legality of teaching of evolution in Tennessee. This combination is guaranteed to keep you glued to your seat. In this movie Scopes, while teaching evolution to a high-school biology class is arrested and placed in jail.

Some time the other characters get lost in the shuffle yet one other will show through. That is Gene Kelley who plays E. K. Hornbeck who reports the trial.

I will not give a blow by blow of the trail but to say it gets rather heated and is broken up with several adjournments with time to reflect on what was said and going to be said.

If you are interested in the real thing then read Scopes Autobiography "Center of the Storm."

Pr 11:29... "HE WHO TROUBLES HIS OWN HOUSE WILL INHERIT THE WIND."

"Sit down, Sampson, you're about to get a haircut"
Although Inherit the Wind was made in 1960 about a trial in 1920, it retains a surprising amount of bite.

In the film, based on the stage play of the same name, in turn based on the famous Scopes Monkey Trial, a biology teacher is jailed for teaching evolution. This sets up the film's centerpiece: a courtroom battle between famed attorneys, portrayed by acting heavyweights Spencer Tracy and Frederic March.

Gene Kelly is surprisingly good in a non-dancing role, and gets the best lines as the cynical journalist from Baltimore ("Sit down, Sampson, you're about to get a haircut," he says to the teacher when his girlfriend is called to testify).

Directed by the great Stanley Kramer, the film works well on a number of levels: comedy, courtroom drama, and commentary on religion's place in society.

A unforgettable tour de force and superb script!
This film is a triumph against the intolerance and the dark sides of the reason. The dreams of the reason produce monsters.
The generated legal battle between a Mathew Brady the hard fan religious and politician and Henry Drummond an opened mind lawyer about the Darwin ideas , keep full intensity all the film.
This historical process lets you thinking about the imaginary circunstance about what would the destiny of USA if Brady would have been President?
Spencer Tracy and Frederic March are like the alpha and the omega in this match . One timeless classic film in any age.
Don't even doubt it. This film is for you and for a wide target in the social spectre.
A must and a winner movie!

Incredibly Boring at Best
This movie is terrible. When people make a movie, you assume they would try to make it entertaining at the very Least. Don't waste your time viewing this film. It lasts way too long and you'll be happy when its over. Even if you do like the movie, it has a terrible ending. Hardly any of the conflicts are solved, and you're left with a feeling of disgust. That is only if you manage to make it through the entire movie. The songs in it as well are way too long and sound terrible. To sum it up, this movie is terrible.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
As previous reviewers have noted, _INHERIT THE WIND_ is a work of fiction that is based on what came to be known as "The Scopes Monkey Trial." Also previously noted is the fact that Spencer Tracy, as Henry Drummond, the character adapted from the real life Clarence Darrow, and Frederic March, playing the role of Matthew Harrison Brady, whose character is based on William Jennings Bryan, engage in a carefully choreographed and outstandingly acted "pas de deux" that, to this day, has rarely been matched in any movie.

It should be understood that this is a work of fiction, and is not meant to duplicate the facts of the Scopes trial. That's why the names have been changed -- to allow literary license for dramatic purposes.

With this as background, one needs to understand the political climate that prevailed when the play from which the movie was adapted was written. The play was written in 1950, in the middle of what has come to be known as the "McCarthy Era." The anti-Communist hysteria of the time was seen by many as a threat to intellectual freedom. It was politically dangerous, at that time, to directly take on those threats to freedom of ideas, so the playwrites (Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee) came up with the idea of using the Scopes Trial, which was safely in the past, as a vehicle to express the importance of the constitutional guarantees of such things as freedom of speech. That the play they wrote in 1950, and its 1960 movie version, were of such dramatic intensity was just icing on the cake.

I think that looking at _INHERIT THE WIND_ from the standpoint of historical perspective should do away with some reviewers beliefs that it is some sort of atheistic plot to challenge their belief systems. Also, repeating myself, I believe that it is important to realize that it is a work of fiction and need not accurately reflect the details of the real trial.

It's worth seeing from several perspectives. As a well acted movie; as one that creates an atmosphere that makes the viewer feel that he is in that hot, humid courtroom; and as one that expresses how important our freedoms really are. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

All around perfect film-making
This is such a complete movie...The soundtrack is great with some hip hop raggae french mix and the three kids act so natural that it seems like a documentary...I've seen the movie numerous times and pick up more each time...This film is so great that it really bothers me that I don't know french so I can pick up on the real cliches and phrases that they use even though the subtitles are done very well...I highly recomend this film to anyone, both teens and adults...Very enjoyable and dramatic and thought provoking...Just an all-around perfect film...

Strikes the audience in the forehead like a nail-pegged bat
Hate is a strong film about lost youth where the apparent message strikes the audience in the forehead like a nail-pegged baseball bat. The story is set the day after nightly riots in a Parisian ghetto after the young Arabian man, Abdel, was brutally assaulted by the police. Vinz, Said, and Hubert are three friends of Abdel that are set adrift in anger toward the police as they try to find reason and justice within their social environment. The impulsive Vinz, performed by Vincent Cassel, acts tough as he knows that he has a gun that he found after a police officer had accidentally lost it in the riots. Said is the follower who glorifies the violence and strives to be respected as he has a twisted view of what respect is. Hubert dreams of getting out of the ghetto as he does not glorify the violence within the ghetto while his two friends do. The audience follows these three characters throughout a full day as they are sitting around, getting into trouble, and learning through their errors. Kassovitz creates an authentic and explosive atmosphere which becomes the grounds for an exhaustive examination of the socioeconomic milieu of young adults in a poor Parisian ghetto. In the end, Kassovitz succeeds in developing an excellent persuasive and disturbing cinematic experience.

Meaningful
Three friends (Vinz, Hubert and Sayid) are from the ghettos of France, living in the projects and there is seemingly no way out of that life for them as the society and especially the police discriminate against blacks, arabs from the projects... At least that is the message the movie seems to project to me. I had a really hard time following the things the actors say because the movie is in black and white and the subtitles are in black and white AND they overlap the movie picture... needless to say, many words are unreadable most of the time and taking the time to guess what they said is perhaps most exasperating when in this sort of low budget movie, the conversation between the characters matters A LOT! However, the movie's plot was easy enough to follow... police beat up their friend Abdel during a riot, who dies in hospital, and Vinz who is not too intelligent or able to control his temper gets ahold of a police pistol during the riot. He vows to shoot a police if they piss him off (actually he will shoot anyone who dares piss him off). These 3 boys take the train to Paris where they look for a friend who owes Sayid a bit of money. I will not go into details here but basically their voyage into Paris was a disaster as these boys from the 'hood cannot resist doing something "naughty" every hour. They miss the last train and spend the entire night finding things to amuse themselves, including breaking into people's cars and starting a fight in a classy art exhibition and also later a scuffle with skinheads in the streets. It all end in tears eventually, with at least one of them dead and maybe one police officer dead too, I shan't say who. The movie was, on the whole, thought-provoking for someone like me who grew up in an urban environment but never lived in a ghetto and can only empathise with what the central characters (or anyone else living in that situation) feels. If that's what the director set out to do, he certainly succeeded, so I am giving the movie 3 stars for making some impact. It could have been a better viewing experience however, if only something was done to make the subtitles more readable. The movie is shot in semi-documentary style so it might not appeal to those who prefer something more like your usual run-of-the-mill drama movies.

Simply a masterpiece!
If 6 stars could be given for this film, then I would not hesitate to offer it just that. La Haine (aka HATE) is a superb film about 3 urban Parisian youths who have one common link : an unrelenting displeasure for the police and what they symbolise. This film is full of exciting scenes and explosive performances from all the 3 main actors (Vinz, Said and Hubert). It focuses on the gritty and harsh other side to the Paris that most people are not accustomed to. At first sight, it might seem hard to get into but after a few moments, you become so absorbed in the film, you forget that you are watching a film and feel part of what Said, Hubert and Vinz are experiencing.

In my view, this is ground-breaking cinema that should not be ignored by anyone.

So Far, So Good.... Is That A Cow?
La Haine is basically a day in the lives of three guys from ghettos on the outskirts of Paris. After an apparently race-motivated police beating/murder, the ghettos are rife with looters, rioters, and many bigoted and intrusive police(or pigs, as the characters fondly refer to them), suspicious of anyone not caucasian or under 30. In its most reductive form, it's about a flawed society whose seams are bursting under the pressures of ignorance, intolerance, and various -isms. In the movie itself, this tends to remain below the surface of the characters' existences, but for in a few moments (namely encounters with police and skinheads) and brought to the forefront with a bathroom scat anecdote and repeated reference to a (very bitter) joke involving society, man, and rabbit jumping off a building (the movie is frequently funny). Although it takes place in France, where these issues are perhaps less closeted (what with Le Pen getting 15 percent of the vote...), any close examination of pretty much every "modern, 1st world" nation will reveal just how ingrained these problems are in the present state of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Chips is a wonderful movie about a boy who gose to the army
chips is wonderful and hart warming it is about a boy who gose to the army that nobody likes and is scard of dogs he is put in the dogs for defence group but is scard of the dogs he then comes to no chip but could not do the program because he is scard of dogs so they make him the kennle atendentt chips is going to be thron out of the program but danny hides him and gives him a secret name and works with him at night then he gets cot and you will have to wacth the movie to find out the rest.

The movie is so good, you'd like to see it over and over!!
This is a loving story about a young army volunteer who, when he joins, he get also thrown into the K-9 dog program. Worse, he's scared of dogs AND he's been assigned to take care of a German Shepherd! They work together, and finally the training pays off when they are off to the REAL WAR!! Discover the growing friendship and bond between these two and see that if, with the right training, your dog can be a star!

This is a great feel good movie for anyone of any age.
I absolutly love this movie, and it is too bad that it is currently not avalible. I love the idea of how dog and boy, misfits apart, but together they are heroes. I always cry watching this movie. I really hope that they re-release it so I can enjoy it again and so can my family and friends.

Wonderful, a great family movie
I love Chips the war dog. Although I havent seen it in more than 2 years I still remember most of it. That proves its good, so good its stcks with you for years. Chips the war dogs is helpful, educational and fun story. Its one of my favorite movies!

Touching
This is a great movie about a boy who is scared of dogs and a chicken chassing german sheperd, and they both got sent to war and got hooked. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

In Old Chicago...
I thought this was a pretty accurate account of the Chicago Fire in 1871, not 1873, as someone else has said, but this person being from California, I can understand.
I am a Chicagoan, and try to find out as much as a possibly can about the fire. This is a historical fiction, but it does justice. The whole cow issue, is just a legend.

Great special effects!
Tyrone Power and Don Ameche co-star in this stagey, grandiose historical drama, in which the rivalry of two brothers culminates in the Great Chicago Fire of 1873. The plot leading up to the fire is kind of standard fare, but the special effects at the end are really dazzling and horrific. Power gets a bigger, juicier role than Ameche, but they're both pretty good here. A reasonably fun rental.

AN OSCAR FOR ALICE BRADY...
As the legendary Mrs. O'Leary, Brady has a few miraculous scenes (her cow kicks over a kerosene lamp and thusly starts the big blaze of 1871). The remainder of the movie, however, which features Ameche as her perfect son and Power as her shrewd, black sheep scamp - is on a different level entirely. It's a mediocre - though jolly - quasi-historical melodrama involving brawls, riots, capricious temperaments, police squads, cafe ladies, gaudy saloons (with Alice Faye smiling that great open smile of hers). When one hears Faye's mellow velvety voice caress her musical numbers, you can almost forgive lack of acting ability; Ameche is so fatuous here that he's almost likeable...Fox made this film in order to capitalise on the success of MGM's SAN FRANCISCO - it was not completely in vain. Based upon the novel WE THE O'LEARYS by Niven Busch. The supporting cast includes Tom Brown, Sidney Blackmer, Brian Donlevy and Andy Devine.

A Pre-"Backdraft" Masterpiece
20th Century-Fox took its cue from MGM's 1936 hit "San Francisco" (with its spectacular earthquake scenes) and made its own disaster hit. Tyrone Power and Alice Faye were Fox's answer to MGM's Clark Gable and Jeanette MacDonald. Along with Don Ameche and the incomparable Alice Brady, the two leads made their film just as fun and entertaining as MGM's hit.
Good Americana, with enough melodrama and music to satisfy any diehard movie fan. The highlight is the great Chicago fire, which is even more spectacular than the burning of Atlanta in another 30's classic, "GWTW". It is amazing they did all those great special effects without computers and animation. Just good old-fashioned sets on the back-lot. "In Old Chicago" is a golden chestnut from the early disaster movie genre of the 1930's.

"We O'Learys are a Strange Tribe"...
that's a line of dialogue that gets pretty tired towards the end of this spectacular, since it is much too overused. However, be that as it may, this film used to be on TV a lot when I was a kid, and I always used to watch it for the marvelous fire footage. It's the sort of scene that appears to be a history book come to life, with horse-drawn fire engines racing down the street, and massive buildings caving in while blazing away. And wouldn't you know it? The whole thing started in the barn of Mrs. O'Leary--the same Mrs. O'Leary who is the mother to mayor Don Ameche and crooked guy Tyrone Power. The two brothers are always at odds, eventually even clashing, though not romantically, over Ty's treatment of chanteuse Alice Faye. Yet, because they are A Strange Tribe, they always are there for each other when the chips are down--and with an inferno raging away, the chips don't get downer than this! ... Read more