Reviews (48)

Delightful story with puppies that will steal your heart
It was a stroke of genius for the legendary Disney Studio to decide to remake their classic 1961 animated feature "101 Dalmatians", as a live action feature. Never a great fan of remakes, I feel this story is a natural for a live action version and on first viewing it totally won me over. It has so much to offer viewers of all ages, whether it be its 99 gorgeous Dalmatian puppies that would melt the heart of any dog lover, a top class production with terrific sets, locations and stunts or a wonderfully wicked villianess in the incomparable Cruella De Vil played to perfection by gifted actress Glenn Close.

The film follows closely the original story and tells the tale of London couple Roger and Anita who meet through a Dalmatian dog mixup in a London Park and fall in love, marry and find themselves the happy "parents" of 15 beautiful Dalmatian puppies when their Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita begin a family of their own. Their happiness is short lived however when Anita's boss the dastardly Cruella De Vil spots the puppies and immediately makes plans to have the puppies kidnapped so that she can turn their pelts into the extravagant spotted fur coat she has always dreamed of having. What ensures is a comical tale full of laughs, great stunts and hilarious situations of the "boo the villian, cheer the dogs" variety. The Dalmatian parents, with the aid of many assorted members of the animal kingdom from woodpeckers, squirrels, and assorted sheep pigs, and dogs not only succeed in tracking down the missing puppies in their hideout but also outwit Cruella and her incompetent accomplices at every turn. The animals revenge on Cruella and her accomplices makes for most of the humour as they find themselves being dumped through falling roofs, landing in tubs of gooey molasses and being smelled out by skunks!

No expense was spared on this production and indeed all the live action characters bare an amazing resemblance to their cartoon counterparts. Gleen Close towers over the whole production in her performance as Disney Studios most famous villianess the totally over the top Cruella De Vil. Her makeup, hair styles and clothing is everything you would imagine Cruella to be. It is to the credit of Glenn Close that she succeeds totally in bringing to life such a well known and "loved" cartoon villianess. A supremely talented actress as seen in such diverse roles as those in "Fatal Attraction", "Dangerous Liaisons", "Meeting Venus", and "Paradise Road" among others, she is a total riot as the bizzare fashion designer with an extreme fur fetish. It is she who makes "101 Dalmatians" such memorable viewing and her encounters with the animals in the second half of the film will have you laughing for ages. The sight of Cruella rising out of the tub of molasses where she has been unceremoniously dumped by the animal brigade will bring fits of laughter to the viewer. The film also boasts the great talents of Jeff Daniels and the lovely Joely Richardson as Roger and Anita the loving couple drawn to each other by their fondness for Dalmatians, and the gifted Joan Plowright as Anita's former Nanny who finds herself performing the role again but this time for the 15 puppies in the house. Much of the comedy stems from the great playing by Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams as the wacky Jasper and Horace employed by Cruella who's job it is to steal the puppies for Cruella. They receive the main brunt of the animals "revenge" to great comic effect as does John Shrapnel in the role of the sinister scarred Skinner who is employed to turn the puppies coats into Cruella's new coat. The animal stunts performed in this film will have you gasping as the animals seem top take on human personalities of their own to brilliant effect. The location photography around London and in the snow scenes at Cruella's hideaway also create a very pleasing look to the film.

I never fail to watch "101 Dalmatians" without finding a smile appearing on my face. It is a totally delightful film that is just as much for adults as it is children which is a real credit to the Disney Studios. Glenn Close really makes the film a viewing experience with her over the top playing here but if you are in anyway a dog lover you can't help but be totally captivated by these delightful 101 spotted creatures charming the audience in "101 Dalmatians". Enjoy!

"101 Dalmatians"
Having watched both the live-action and the animated versions of "101 Dalmatians," I find the live-action version to be vastly superior. This updated classic has a fresh, fun storyline. The actors who play the characters seem perfectly suited for their roles. Glenn Close is particularly good as Cruella De Vil. The movie was filmed in England and each scene is beautifully crafted. The director has done a remarkable job of giving the dogs respected status as emotion-feeling, three dimensional characters without resorting to the silly and mundane method of giving them human voices. Being a dog trainer myself, the thing I most enjoy about the movie is the absolutely phenomenal job done by the dog handlers. Not only are the trained behaviors remarkable, but the handlers have elicited responses from the dogs that readily convey understandable "emotions" to the audience. The ONE glaring fault of this movie is the final scene where all of the dogs have been allowed to breed ad infinitum. I find that totally irresponsible and the reason this movie gets 4 stars instead of 5.

CORNY!
One of the WORST films by Disney is this "101 Dalmations", which is a live-action version of the original cartoon movie & is nowhere near as good. All it was is just a retelling of the story obviously, but very little excitement and fun, bad acting and cheesy, cheesy, cheesy special effects. (not to mention the jokes sucked!) It is also TOO short! They could've added in more and it would've been better but it all ended too soon. Disney is really going downhill with these sequels and remakes and I suggest that they STOP now!! How anybody could like this film is beyond me! This is the stupidest, crappiest movie remake ever! Save your money and buy the original cartoon version instead cause it's 100% better than this smelly pile of dog crap! Your kids will also like it more.

A dog's life
Don't expect this type of overacting Disney movie that can be a sweet movie. It was pretty funny. It will be better than the second movie 102 Dalmatians.

Calling all dogs, we must find the puppies!
We purchased the cartoon version at our first opportunity, and this has been a heavily watched movie by our kids, especially when they were pre-kindergarten. This is still my 6 year old daughters favorite movie and the family voted it #8 of 41. Not quite up to the production standards of other Disney movies, this one was popular with all 5 children and is very watchable with repeat viewings. It narrowly beat out Fox and the hound for the 8th spot.

Cruella De Vil sees the 15 puppies of Pongo and Perdita and decides that she needs to make a polka dot Dalmatian coat with their fur. Her henchmen kidnap 86 puppies from around London and with these 15 she has 101. Pongo and Perdita call upon their doggie friend to search for the lost pups in hopes of engineering a rescue.
We had a lot of fun by gathering the family together to rank the 41 Disney movies we have that include some cartoon work. All the kids, ages 6 to 27, participated along with mother and dad. Peter Pan is no Codfish, we rank it #2. Lion King was selected number 1 of the 41 as the family favorite, but narrowly. Peter Pan was 2. Pete's Dragon 3, Beauty & the beast 4, Sleeping Beauty 5, Snow White 6 and Robin hood 7. These 7 movies all received a 5 star rating from us and complete our magnificent 7. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As Grover prepares to bestow the Frog of the Year award upon everyone'sfavorite amphibian Muppet, viewers are treated to some of the highlights ofKermit's Sesame Street appearances. From his on-the-street reports ofnursery rhymes gone awry to his classic warbling ("It's Not Easy Being Green,""Caribbean Amphibian"), Kermit's sweet, befuddled nature shines in this seriesof clips. Meanwhile, mischievous pigs and a hungry wolf are causing troublebehind the scenes of the award show. Will Kermit get his prize or will his prizeget him? Viewers ages 2 and older will undoubtedly stay tuned through thedelightful 33 minutes to find out. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Great Sesame Memories!
I think this is a great video. Classic songs and skits are set against the backdrop of an awards ceremony, hosted by Grover, where Kermit has been awarded "Frog Of The Year". The songs include "Bein` Green", a really sweet lament from Kermit, "Carribean Amphibian" and "I Love My Elbows", plus a few more!. The only thing that stops me awarding this video 5 stars is there are not many clips with Kermit as reporter. Apart from that, classic clips that take me back to a bygone age. It brought back great memories.

Too much pigs - not enough Kermit
Because I'm such a huge fan of Kermit on Sesame Street, I'd buy this video again if I had to. That being said, it's somewhat disappointing. I was hoping to share Muppet News Flashes with my little boy, but the brief montage is just confusing for someone who's never seen them.

I do like the bits where Grover and Kermit talk to the children - nobody does this as well as they do. The little girl saying the alphabet with Kermit is priceless ("A,B,C,D, Cookie Monster!)

The back story for this video isn't bad, either - Grover is selected to honor Kermit as Frog of the Year. Frank Oz is never dull, especially as Grover. The script is pretty threadbare, but, then, it's just an excuse to show the clips.

Many of the full clips are terrific - "I Love My Elbows" is a great spoof of Irving Berlin tunes (and helped my son find his elbows, no less;) "The African Alphabet Song," a stirring new version of the alphabet with Ladysmith Black Mambazzo, a clip with Kermit and Grover the weather salesman, "Tadpole," a terrific song about growing up, "Bein Green," and the finale, "This Frog," a campy Sinatra-style song about self-esteem

If you love Kermit, go ahead and buy this one - but be prepared, It's not everything it could be.

Great Kermit, But not enough!
Argh! I Love Kermit, and I loved this movie when I picked it up out of the Library, but then it ENDED! There's no where NEAR enough Kermit stuff here. And all of his great Sesame Street News shorts are cut down into quick flash-by's that last about 2-3 seconds each and a total of only about a minute or two! The whole video is only about a half-hour long. Great for kids, but not for the older among us. A lot of other sketches were cut short, too. Great songs, sketches, but dissapointingly short

this is so great!
This is so much fun! My 9-month-old daughter only shows limited interest in the video, but I love it! The songs are awesome -- Caribbean Amphibean absolutely rocks! I can't help smiling every time I hear it. 'I love my elbows' is just too cute. And the skit about selling weather is hysterical. Treat yourself to this!

Fun for kids of all ages
This was a wonderful look back at my favorite Sesame Street character - Kermit the Frog. It shows some of the funnier clips I remember and some I didn't. My 2-1/2 year old also enjoys watching it over & over again! I definitely recommend it for SS lovers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Entertaining Package Feature
Before the review, I wish to note that, contrary to the other reviewers, this tape is not the Mini Classic, but the whole,
72-minute film.

The movie is essentially a tour of the old Burbank studio, with Robert Benchley and cartoon short-subjects thrown in for good measure. IMHO, the best part was the sound effects stage,where employees were recording for a cartoon featuring Dumbo's Casey Jr. the steam locomotive, my all-time favorite Disney character.

Cartoons shown were the afore-mentioned Casey Junior, Baby Weems in storyboard form, the first in Goofy's "How to...." series, the Reluctant Dragon, and quick cameos by Bambi and Donald Duck. Almost funnier than Bob was the bumbling, number-freak of a tour guide, as well as the music/voice recording session with the original voices of Donald Duck and that chicken whose name I can't recall?????? All in all, pure Disney fun!

The dragon who prefers fun than fighting
This Waly Disney Mini Classic is about a dragon who detests fighting and prefers to play,until a young boy and a dragon fighter try to teach the docile creature about the fine art of being bad.
I think this story is the best Walt Disney Mini Classics.My favourite scenes were:
1.The boy meeting the dragon in his lair,where the dragon recites poems
2.The knight meeting the dragon while the dragon is having a picnic
3.The battle,ending with the dragon pretending to die when he jumps out of smoke,pretending to have a spear through him

The Reluctant Dragon
The 1941 feature film was based around the writer, Robert Benchley, touring the Disney studios. This is why I was interested in purchasing this film. Unfortunately, the Disney "Mini Classic" release has been edited down to just the cartoon. Benchley is not to be seen or heard. For this reason I am disappointed in the release. If you have no interest in Robert Benchley, you will no doubt love this classic Disney "mini" feature (21 minutes long) and the accompnying short cartoon about a small moose. The transfer is well done and the sound is very good for the period.

the Reluctant Dragon
Having seen this feature in the movies when I was a child, I always remembered the delightful dragon and his fear of violence, and the fierce loyalty of the boy. Not only is the story theme a bit novel, and also a bit silly, about the dragon being forced to fight when he did not want to, it is resolved so delightfully that children will remember it well as I. I wish it would be available as children are always so curious about Dragons and this film has no real violence in it, except the "pretend" fight between the knight and the dragon. We need this happy film.

Classic Disney short movie.
I used to enjoy watching this when I was a kid (and before the days of videotape). I've been waiting for Disney to re-issue the tape version so I can get it for my kids. In a nutshell, it's about a dragon who does not particularly enjoy terrorizing peasants, a knight who does not particularly enjoy fighting dragons, and -- of course -- the charming little boy who tries to keep them from hurting each other. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When two Italian-American boys from New York are falsely accused of murder in a small Alabama town, they call for a lawyer--but the only lawyer they know is their cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci), who made six attempts before he passed his bar exam. My Cousin Vinny is a classic fish-out-of-water comedy; the flimsy plot about clearing the two boys and solving the murder is just a hook to support a lot of culture-clash humor. Thanks to the strong cast of character actors like Fred Gwynne, Austin Pendleton, and Lane Smith, it's pretty funny--even old-hat jokes about Brooklyn versus Southern accents come to life. Pesci has played a few too many schticky characters, but this time it works. There's just enough humanity in his caricature to make Vinny likable and entertaining. When the movie was released, there was controversy about whether Marisa Tomei, playing Vinny's big-haired and black-leather-wearing fiancée, deserved to win the best supporting actress Oscar (she beat out Judy Davis, Joan Plowright, Miranda Richardson, and Vanessa Redgrave); but seeing her performance on its own, it's a comic marvel and worthy of honor. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (92)

You Can Still Call Me Gambini...
My Cousin Vinny is one of the funniest flicks ever. Take Joe Pesci, the hilarious little Italian fella and put him with the beautiful Marisa Tomei, and you got a great combo and a laugh-riot movie. Pesci, is Vinny, Brooklyn-born lawyer, who ain't the perfect lawyer--but has a lot of heart. His wife-to-be, Mona Lisa Vito, helps out Vin when he's down... and they are both down--wayyyy down south in Alabama, defending his wrongfully accused murder suspect cousin (played by Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio in a great role), and his buddy. Italians and non-Italians will love this Pesci flick--it ranks right up there with GoodFellas & Casino anyday. Tomei won an Oscar, and why not, she's dead-on balls accurate as a New Yawker--and damn cute too! Great video. Buy it today, I guarentee you a thousand laughs.

South Brooklyn meets The South
Subtly employing the city mouse/country mouse theme, MY COUSIN VINNY is a light-hearted courtroom comedy. While it occasionally stoops to some stereotyping, the movie doesn't do so mean-spiritedly. In any event, both sides get equal skewering.

Vinny Gambini, brilliantly portrayed by Joe Pesci, is a Brooklyn boy who has finally passed the Bar (after repeated failures) and now finds himself defending his nephew and his nephew's friend against murder charges in the Bible Belt. Along with his too beautiful fiancee, played by Academy Award Winner Marissa Tomei, Pesci investigates the southern style of life, as he fathoms southern courtroom procedures and tries to get some sleep. The resulting clash of cultures is sometimes predictable, but honestly, is very inventive for the most part.

The comedy of the court room scenes is heightened by the late Fred Gwynne who plays the presiding judge. His by-the-book habits and short-fused temper are a perfect foil to Vinny's laconic style. It is their interaction that feeds most of the cultural clashing. But there is also a clash of the sexes that underlies the film, as Vinny stubbornly refuses the help of his fiancee. This confrontation is also highlighted in the courtroom when the DA refuses to believe that she could possibly be considered an expert in automechanics, even though her brothers, her father, her uncles, and just about everyone else in her family are expert mechanics. (The DA becomes convinced in a wonderful cross-interview scene.)

MY COUSIN VINNY was both critically well-received and a huge box-office success. There's a reason for that: it is a well-written, well-directed and perfectly acted comedy that stands up well even after repeated viewings. See it for yourself and you'll understand why, too.

My Cousin Vinny (1992)
In 1992, My Cousin Vinny was the one movie that made everybody laugh until their sides split. I've been watching the film ever since it was released and all I did was laugh my rear-end off. Twelve years have gone by since the film was released and I'm still laughing today. Any actor or actress can get a rise out of you if they knew the right way to do it, but nobody can get a rise of you the way Joe Pesci does in this film; nobody can do it they way Marisa Tomei does in this film.

When two college buddies by the names of Bill (played by Ralph Macchio) and Stan (Mitchell Whitford) are driving down the roads of Beecham County, Alabama, they are suddenly arrested for the murder of a grocery store clerk, but what the police of Alabama don't know is that Bill and Stan are completely innocent. Unable to afford a public attorney, Bill turns to his cousin, Vincent Gambini (played by Joe Pesci), an ex-auto-mechanic turned lawyer from Brooklyn, New York, who just past his bar exam after failing it the first five times and knows absolutely nothing about law. By his side is his beautiful fiancee, Lisa Vito (played by Marisa Tomei, in her Oscar-winning role), who is an out-of-work hairdresser that knows every damn thing there is to know about cars. The court is led by Judge Chamberlain Haller (played by the late Fred Gwyne), who has absolutely no patience for any kind of misbehavior in his courtroom. Seems as though Vinny has now finally realized his no longer in New York and is now in a state where no one gets away with any kind of behavior or crime and has finally met his match. Can Vinny pull his cousin out of this mess without screwing up the case? Watch My Cousin Vinny as he desperately tries to save his little cousin while he gives you non-stop laughter along the way.

Northern Lawyer meets Southern Justice - unexpected results!
Joe Pesci and Marisa Tormei are both an absolute scream in this movie. The sparks fly between Pesci and girlfriend Tormei, as well as between Pesci and Fred Gwynne's Chamberlain Holler, an Alabama Judge. I had dreaded seeing it - the television ads almost made me cringe as I anticipated a film which would bash southern rednecks. What I had NOT anticipated was that a story could be told about a couple of New Yorkers falsely charged and locked up in an Alabama jail that could be resolved in a way that justice could be served and the southerners would be portrayed in a way that was not at all stereotypical. I can think of no other plot that has as one of its essential elements a comparison of the amount of time required to properly cook grits. "No self-respecting southerner would make instant grits" a character proclaims from the witness stand during the trial that is the centerpiece of this witty screenplay, and the other southerners in the film's jury nod their heads in understanding. Fred Gwynne is light-years away from Herman Munster as the wise southern judge who is out for justice, but not to be trifled with. Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield have little to do other than look worried that Ralph's Cousin Vinny isn't going to come through and save the day. At less than 10 bucks, I'd buy this DVD if only to watch Tormei's hilarious response when Pesci tells her that he has been invited to go deer hunting with the Lane Smith's District Attorney.

Mike Hint
i think that this movie was one of the best movies i have ever seen. Joe Pesci was the right person for this movie he played a great and convincing roll. I like the way that the writer of the movie made Joe Pesci not know what he is doing so he had to learn so his cousin didnt go to jail. I loved the twists and turns that made you think. All in all this was a great movie and i would reccomend you to see this. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A VERY REAL & TOUCHING HUMAN FILM ABOUT THE "GOOD FIGHT"
"Land & Freedom" is the first commericial film I've seen that doesn't offer the standard one-dimensional portrayal of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) as simply the prelude to World War II. Nor does it flinch from taking a hard look at the way that the Stalinist Communist Party undermined, betrayed and brutually suppressed their leftist political rivals in the Anti-Facist movement to secure absolute power. Here we get a glimpse of the bitter social struggle that sparked the war. Here we see, in beautifully understated dramatic realism, the humanity, selfless idealism and touching naivete of the thousands of young people from around the world that rushed to Spain to fight facism.

While the film's story is well-researched, written and presented, I think it loses viewers who are not familiar with the complex historical background of the Spanish Civil War nor the intricate ideological maze of the diverse political movements and points of view represented. "Land & Freedom" (which, by the way, was one of the slogans of the Spanish anarchist movement, the CNT-FAI, and not the Trotskyite POUM which the film's hero joins) tries to offer a comprehensive overview of the aforementioned. Unfortunately, it often comes across as a jumble of arcane acronyms and arguments.

One key point: the formation of the democratic peasant and workers collectives portrayed in the film actually took place under the auspices of the anarchist CNT-FAI (which, at the time, was the largest and most influential labor movement in Spain)and not the POUM. The Marxist POUM, while allied to the CNT-FAI, actually opposed this effort as detrimental to the creation a united anti-facist front.

This aside, "Land & Freedom" is great film. I highly recommended it.

Ken Loach is very accurate historically and politically.
Having talked extensively with survivors from the International Brigades and with Spanish Republican refugees, I find this film a very accurate rendering of the events which surrounded the suppression of the Anarchists in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. This film is also very close to George Orwell's vision of Stalin's betrayal of revolution, which set the grounds for Animal Farm and 1984. I recommend Orwell's book Homage to Catalonia to whomever found Land and Freedom of interest.

Land and Freedom
The acting in the film is exceptional, especially the female protagonist. The problem with the film is that it doesn't adequately develop its two principal concerns: the Stalinist/Marxist betrayal of the Spanish Civil War and the developing romantic relationship between the protagonists. Lesser concerns are left undeveloped as well, such as David Hart's life after his return from the revolution. All we know is that his granddaughter reads Hart's old letters and newspaper clippings after his death. The lifetime effect of the revolution on Hart is anyone's guess. The film's virtue is its historical accuracy.

The significance of the Spanish Civil War can hardly be explored in 109 minutes. The film needed to be much longer.

Similitude with homage to Catalunya
I rate this movie as one of the best regarding the Spanish Civil war. I really think it is very documented and shows a corner of that tragedy that needs more exposure.

The only small critizism to the writer of Land and Freedom is that it follows too close the steps of George Orwell in its masterfull Homage to Catalunya and the adventures of the hero of Land and Freedom are too similar to the autobiographic adventures of Orwell, also it oversimplifies the idealism of the social reforms that the anarkists and trotzkists were performing in the valleys of Aragon and the Ebro, disregarding the violence that sometimes fell upon their opositionists or presumed landlords. It was a revolution and as such it had its share of idealists , martirs and also criminals and violentists.
But anyhow the movie is a masterpiece.

a beautiful tragedy
The film is, as the war ,a beautiful tradegy. Ken Loach's genius shines through, as it did equally in 'Carla's Song'.

It is often levelled that the film is somewhat factually inaccurate. Don't let this put you off. The film is instructive in the mood and landscape of Spain; and the innocence and bravery of the Spanish anarchists and the international brigade. The story line infact mirrors amazingly closely George Orwell's semi- auto biographical account 'Homage to Catalunia'!!! This (as far as I'm aware) never gets said! Read and compare.... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Undoubtedly the first movie in history to have played in theaters with three different endings (depending on which theater you attended), Clue is a silly whodunit based on the familiar board game featuring Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, and all the other usual suspects. A broadly comic cast play the sundry suspects gathered in a mansion to solve a murder, knowing that one of their numbers is the culprit. Michael McKean, Eileen Brennan, and Tim Curry are the best of the bunch, and the film is as lightweight an experience as a round of the game itself. Directed by Jonathan Lynn (My Cousin Vinny). The video release contains all three endings. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (227)

Get a Clue -- Get this DVD!
"Clue" (the movie), features just about every great comedy actor of the day. From Leslie Ann Warren to Michael McKean to Eileen Brennan to Howard Hessman to the priceless Tim Curry, they're all here! -- If you are familiar with the board game, just picture a film version of the search for "whodunit". This laugh-a-minute fun fest is loaded with outragous, silly slapstick, superbly acted out by the great cast. -- You'll be amazed at how many of the lines and gags get stuck in your head. I'll never be able to forget the flusterd looks of Mrs. Peacock, the wit and charm of Wadsworth or the subtle facial expressions of Mrs. White. The picture in this WIDE SCREEN VERSION is the best yet of this film since it's initial release. -- The soundtrack is kept in it's original mono, still I'd greatly enjoy hearing a stero or, even better, a surround sound version in the future.--Without a doubt the best feature of this DVD is the one with the multiple endings. After you select "play" you will be asked if you would lilke the player to randomly choose one of the three endings for you, or see all three of them at the end. Whoever thought of this feature deserves a raise as it greatly enhances the longevity of the disc and brings the film closer to it's board game roots. Now you have the option of really not knowing who did it until the final scenes play bringing suprise into the untold repeat viewings that are sure to occur. -- Get a clue--get this DVD! You won't be disappointed! *****

"It's All Too Shocking"
Clue is a clever whodonit mystery based on the popular board game. As mentioned in prior reviews, it has an all-star cast of actors (Tim Curry, Madeline Khan, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, Leslie Ann Warren), many who play the notable characters from the board game.One of the wonderful things about the DVD is that it features a "random" ending option, in which you see one of the three endings of the film. You can also see all three endings of the movie in succession.

Movies have tried to be funny for the sake of being funny and not come through, but this movie seems to do the exact opposite. This movie is so effective as a comedy-mystery because it doesn't take itself so seriously and doesn't really try to be impressive. Dry, witty humor seeem to be the main menu for many of the characters. Also, the script is loaded with tons of "double" meanings (For instance, a police officer looks around the place and returns to tell Wadsworth that everything is okay and that "America is a free country". Wadworth replies "I didn't know it was THAT free.")

There are many dark comedy jokes in the movie. ("Two corpses. Everything's ok".) As the body count rises, the suspicions mount. The assortment of character personalities and motives are revealed as the plot progresses. Each character has a part of their past that make them a target for blackmail. The suspects continue to change, and individuals become wary of each other as possibly being capable of murder. The air of distrust, the mystery of each crime, and the smart one-liners keep the light-hearted suspense intact.

In my opinion Tim Curry, in the role of Wadsworth, absolutely steals the show. He is the prototypical butler, with his snooty way of speaking and his clever remarks to others. He has a way of setting the mood of the movie and giving it a fast-paced and witty tone. His deductions are clever and humorous ("Don't you remember your fatal mistake? ....and monkey's brains, though popular in Cantonese cuisine, are not often to be found in Washington, D.C") , and he pretty much takes over the last part of the film.

Clue is also a relatively tame comedy and mystery. It has a few suggestive scenes, but really can be viewed by younger teens and up. I suggest that if you haven't seen this movie to give it a shot....err...try.

Fun and Original
The different endings on this dvd make the dvd pretty original and fun! Its a great addition to those collecting eighties films. It features a GREAT cast and a fun story, nothing breakthrough but something that just is fun and good entertainment!

Great!
Its funny, silly and pretty original! The different endings was a GREAT idea for this film. Depending on which theatre you saw it in decided on which ending you saw in the theatre. That is pretty cool, or annoying, to some. On this dvd you can set it to play a random ending or play all of them. Pretty nifty actually! A fun and entertaining film from the 80s. Gotta love the 80s.

If you like the Game you¿ll LOVE the Movie!
Definitely a great movie and one of my personal favorites, Clue-The Movie, brings to the screen a mystery set in 1954 in a mansion in New England involving an unlikely group of people that has been invited to dinner; one that they will not easily forget. Together they must try and solve a whole list of questions that linger all around. The actors' performances are outstanding, especially Tim Curry's character who as the butler, steals the show. The plot, the costumes, and the 3 different endings, are all wonderful, making this film one of the best of its kind.
Moreover, Clue is a movie with strong elements of comedy, tying in McCarthyism and the culture of the early 50's to create a very entertaining film indeed and therefore, a "must see" for those with a passion for mystery and comedy alike! In short, I would definitely line up to watch a sequel, and it would be about time too considering that the movie was made back in 1985! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Spike Lee's incendiary look at race relations in America, circa 1989, is so colorful and exuberant for its first three-quarters that you can almost forget the terrible confrontation that the movie inexorably builds toward. Do the Right Thing is a joyful, tumultuous masterpiece--maybe the best film ever made about race in America, revealing racial prejudices and stereotypes in all their guises and demonstrating how a deadly riot can erupt out of a series of small misunderstandings. Set on one block in Bedford-Stuyvesant on the hottest day of the summer, the movie shows the whole spectrum of life in this neighborhood and then leaves it up to us to decide if, in the end, anybody actually does the "right thing." Featuring Danny Aiello as Sal, the pizza parlor owner; Lee himself as Mookie, the lazy pizza-delivery guy; John Turturro and Richard Edson as Sal's sons; Lee's sister Joie as Mookie's sister Jade; Rosie Perez as Mookie's girlfriend Tina; Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee as the block elders, Da Mayor and Mother Sister; Giancarlo Esposito as Mookie's hot-headed friend Buggin' Out; Bill Nunn as the boom-box toting Radio Raheem; and Samuel L. Jackson as deejay Mister Señor Love Daddy. A rich and nuanced film to watch, treasure, and learn from--over and over again. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (94)

A brilliant, scorching movie
Spike Lee takes us to a single block in Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year in his awesomely brilliant movie "Do The Right Thing". The movie opens on a sultry early morning; by the time it ends, on a sweltering midnight of the same day, the heat, and the movie, have built up unbearable tensions that explode in in a confrontation that engulfs the street and everyone in it. At the heart of the block and the movie is Sal's Famous Pizzeria, run by Sal and his two sons from Bensonhurst (also in Brooklyn but it might as well be on the other side of the planet), with its "Wall of Fame" covered with photographs of famous Italian-Americans, glaringly out of place and insultingly insensitive on this African-American street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The movie presents us with an unforgettable set of characters, including Danny Aiello in a great performance as Sal, Spike Lee as Mookie, his delivery man, Rosie Perez as Mookie's long-suffering and neglected girlfriend, Giancarlo Esposito as Mookie's radical friend Buggin' Out, Bill Nunn as Radio Raheem with his suitcase-size boom box that eats up 20 D batteries at a clip, the nearly legendary husband-wife acting team of Ossie Davis and Ruby Lee as Da Mayor, the street bum, and Mother Sister, the neighborhood snoop (every neighborhood has to have one), Samuel L. Jackson as Senor Love Daddy, and Joie Lee, Spike Lee's real-life sister, who plays Mookie's sister Jade in the film. Among a host of minor characters, the best are the three men parked on the sidewalk, ML, played by Paul Benjamin, Coconut Sid, played by Frankie Faison, and Sweet Dick Willie, played by the late Robin Harris, who act as a kind of Greek chorus to the unfolding events. Much of the speaking parts of these three was ad-libbed on camera, and the actors seem to have had a ball with their characterizations (Buggin' Out: "You wanna boycott Sal's Famous Pizzeria?" Sweet Dick Willie, observing Buggin' Out's every-which-way haircut: "You oughta boycott that barber who f---ed up your head.") Always present, and intrusive, are a squad car with two white cops, who view the neighborhood inhabitants, and are viewed by them, with undisguised contempt. The street, and the environs, are so convincingly portrayed that the heat is palpable; we can almost feel their discomfort as we sympathize at their attempts to alleviate it. One of the most priceless scenes in the film is the loudmouthed "alien" who drives through the block in an open Cadillac convertible and dares the kids to get it wet (when he finally manages to pull over and open the door, Niagara Falls spills out). A demand by Buggin' Out that Sal put some photographs of blacks on the Wall of Fame, which Sal dismisses out of hand, sets the stage for the confrontation that will blow sky-high. Buggin' Out returns to the pizzeria just before closing time with Radio Raheem, boom box blasting away at full volume, and Sal, his last nerve shot, silences the noise with a baseball bat. The resulting free-for-all spills out into the street just as the police arrive; Radio Raheem is pulled off Sal, who he is choking silly, and killed by the police with an illegal choke-hold. The police speed off (one could say they fled the scene of their crime), leaving Sal and his sons alone to face the neighborhood's rage. The pizzeria is torched, the neighborhood riots, and the firetruck arrives with firehoses turned on the rioters instead of the pizzeria, in a scene reminiscent of Sheriff Bull Connor in 1960's Alabama. "Do The Right Thing" is one of the most searing commentaries on American race relations that has ever been put on film. It's provocative, it's insightful, it's profound, it's a masterpiece, and it's definitely Spike Lee's best movie.

Do the Right Thing Review
It's the hottest day of the summer and racial tensions run deep in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn, New York. This is the backdrop for Spike Lee's controversial 1989 film, "Do The Right Thing". Many critics and movie-goers were quick to blast this film for being what they perceived to be a "racist" movie. Most people who say this have probably only seen the movie once and were so quick to complain about its tension-filled ending.

"Right Thing" stars writer-director Lee as Mookie, a somewhat lazy pizza delivery boy who works at the local pizzeria run by Sal and his Italian-American sons. Through Mookie's many trips through the neighborhood, we get acquainted with some of the other "characters" such as the block's "wise man" (or "town drunk", depending on how you perceive him), "Da Mayor" (Ossie Davis). We also get introduced to the trouble-making Buggin' It Out who is intent on boycotting Sal's Famous until they "put some brothas on the wall". Then, there's Radio Raheem, whose boombox blasts Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" loudly through out the movie. He doesn't speak much as the music seems to be his outlet of expression. It also happens to get him in a lot of trouble as the movie progresses.

Lee's treatmant of certain characters in "Right Thing" is questionable at times. He seems to feel strongly that many of the white characters in this New York neighborhood would root for Boston sports teams because their top players are also white. At times, Danny Aiello's Sal seems sympathetic and kind while in the end, he is more or less portrayed as a "closet racist". This might be why some of us are so fast to make observations about the film's racial biases but I've never felt that "Do The Right Thing" has ever been about who is right and who is wrong. In the end, everyone loses out because rather than go about handling certain small problems by compromising, people choose to argue over who is "doing the right thing" and who isn't. In the end, people are hurt and killed, property is destroyed, and all that seems to remain is animosity.

While I may argue with the way that Spike wrote certain characters, this is "his" movie. Would the ending situation have been any different if he had re-wrote them? Probably not. So many of its critics fail to see the big picture with "Do The Right Thing". It isn't about whether Sal was right or whether Mookie was right or Buggin' It Out. The original problem was so small, so minor, and each of the characters allowed it to balloon into a big one. Even the less important characters contributed to the problem by instigating it further. The only character who seemed to understand what was going on was Samuel L. Jackson's almost narrator-like radio DJ, Senor Love Daddy. He understands it, he sees the tension esculating, and he is telling everyone to relax but it's too late. "And that's the triple truth, Ruth".

"The left hand is hate. The right hand is love."
This movie is largely an angry, outrageous film. But it is also a beautiful and enlightening one. DO THE RIGHT THING garnered Spike Lee, writer, director, and star of the film, both praise and criticism. But what you must remember, those who either praise it or look down upon it, is that DO THE RIGHT THING couldn't be further from the truth.

DO THE RIGHT THING was an introduction to Lee's brazen and bold style of filmmaking. He had a part in every aspect: direction, cast, production, writing the screenplay, etc. That's why, if someone is interested in seeing a "Spike Lee joint", I will definitely recommend DO THE RIGHT THING first and foremost.

It's a look at race relations in America circa 1989, a drastic glimpse in which the outsiders, meaning the audience, can feel as if they are right there in Harlem with Mookie (Spike Lee).

Mookie is an unmarried father, a boyfriend to Tina (Rosie Perez), loud and outspoken with her buxom figure. She pushes Mookie to spend more time with her and their son, complaining about him being a deadbeat dad. His excuse? Work.

True, much of Mookie's time is spent working at Sal's, a pizzeria in Harlem, run by white Italians in a neighborhood where the population appears to be around 99.5 percent black.

Other characters include Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), Mother Sister (Ruby Dee), Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Jade, Mookie's sister (Joie Lee). Radio Raheem's dialogue throughout the film it limited - he more or less expresses his freedom through his incessantly blaring radio. In fact, throughout the entire movie, Public Enemy's "FIGHT THE POWER" blasts throughout the neighborhood. Buggin' Out is irked with a situation at Sal's that he feels must immediately be taken care of. He just wants Sal to "put some brothas" up on his restaurant's walls, right beside pics of Frank Sinatra and Clark Gable. Sal (Danny Aiello) refuses to comply with Buggin' Out's request.

In the end, Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out fuel an argument that quickly evolves into a neighborhoodwide conflagration. Alas, Mookie fuels the fire by hurling a trashcan through the glass window of the pizzeria - his boss' pizzeria - and the brawl proceeds, with Sal and his sons standing on the sidelines.

DO THE RIGHT THING is an odd title for a film like this, some people may think. Is the right thing done? Does Lee believe that the characters in his film did the right thing? I'm not sure. The title can be interpreted in a number of ways, I suppose. First, I suspected it was irony. No, Mookie didn't do the right thing! He fueled the fire and instigated the riot to mammoth proportions! Property was destroyed and damaged! My second conclusion was merely that "doing the right thing" serves as an argument for the people, for people unwilling to make compromises or verbally come to an agreement through reasonable, mature conversation. In reality, the film isn't about who is right and who is wrong and why. You had people like Mookie, who seemed to act on impulse, and then you had Da Mayor, trying to calm the livid people down, trying to talk sense into their heads. People evidently followed Mookie's lead and in the process, they hurt and killed others, seriously damaged and neighborhood properties. Not only that, but mere misunderstanding and hate seems to exist between them, even after the riot ends. That's a sad thing, yet it's also a very true thing.

Lee's picture clarifies the fact that yes, misunderstanding between peoples does fuel hate, which, in turn, fuels even bigger and uglier physical problems. DO THE RIGHT THING was taboo for how it portrayed peoples of different races, yet for film's time, the state of Harlem and its residents was portrayed with frank and genuine realness that simply can't be denied. Certain characters, settings, and events rung clear and true. DO THE RIGHT THING is arguably one of the finest examples of race relations illustrated in film. You can watch and rewatch - and learn - from this tumultuous and dramatic "Spike Lee joint".

An EYE OPENER
The eye opener of the year...I loved it. Excellent story line and a must see movie by mature audiences only. Very compelling!

That¿s the double-truth¿ Ruth
In all likelihood Spike Lee's most important achievement - as director, writer and actor (though to my taste Mo' Better Blues is just as good a picture) and one of the strongest films you'll see about race relations, 'Do The Right Thing' looks dated at times, but it lost none of its impact and relevance. The movie takes place in a particularly hot day in a primarily African-American neighborhood in Brooklyn, and follows the various personalities who live there throughout the day; the center of the story is Sal's Famous Pizzeria - its owners, some of the few white people living in the neighborhood: Sal (Oscar nominated performance for Danny Aiello) and his two sons (John Torturro and Richard Edson), and Mookie (Spike Lee himself), the black delivery boy. What starts out as a light, entertaining movie with some amusing characters and light humor, gradually builds up tension to the point of being unbearable, up to the dramatic and tragic climax. Spike doesn't put as much emphasis on the characters themselves as he does on the relationships and the tension between them; and in this image of a very specific and small frame in time and place, makes a strong and important message about racism and race relations in general.

The film is populated with many different characters, all of them very memorable and each one a representative of a certain belief, mode of behavior or state of mind - on both sides of the conflict. From the uninhibited anger of Buggin Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) on one side and Pino (John Torturro) on the other side, to Jade (Joie Lee, Spike's sister in the film and in real life) and Vito (Richard Edson), who are trying to connect and live at peace with the other side, to Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), in his isolated but peaceful state of mind, living in complete peace with the world around him, and Smiley (Roger Smith), living in his own isolated existence. Then there's Mookie, who is stuck in the middle, torn between his commitment and responsibilities to both sides. Finally we have Mister Senor Love Daddy - played gorgeously by the one and only Samuel L. Jackson, in one of his finest performances - half active character and half all-knowing narrator - who represents the voice of reason in the conflict, the reason which is bound, ultimately, to collapse. Each and every character plays an important part in the climatic and dramatic conflict to which the movie builds up, and though it's the radical ones - Buggin Out and Radio Raheem - who trigger the events that cause the tragedy, they are not necessarily the ones who finish it. It is Mookie and Sal, in fact, who ultimately play the main part.

Do The Right Thing is not an easy watch; it's a mesmerizing, tense, difficult film that breaks many taboos and slaughters many holy cows. But in the end of it - hopefully - you'll be wiser than you were in the beginning, and that's what Lee have always tried to achieve in all his films. Watch it to get a real view on racism that doesn't duck the difficult issues and isn't afraid to tackle the real problem, and to see a master director at work. It's one of the best films of its time. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

amazon bias
erik reitz review is incredibly bigoted and hostile toward catholics - however i wrote a review pointing this out and incredibly you don't post my review but retain his - another thing i've noticed that amazon allows bigoted views against western civ, christianity, catholicism, anglos, men, heterosexuals etc to be posted & while some people will reply exposing this bigotry amazon runs the double standard of allowing unrestrained bigotry on one side while censoring the other side - you claim to moderate fairly yet what you do is allow left wing bigotry unchecked and the rest censored - amazon has presented a hostile evironment to the above mentioned censored majority of which i am a part - i cringe everytime i shop amazon's reviews that my sensibilities will not only be ignored but trampled and violated

The Scarlet & The Black
Great Job ... Acting, Location & Story. Its nice to see one more positive telling of the Church during the war. Not too many people know that the Chief Rabi of Rome during and immediately after the war, Israel Zolii, was so impressed by the Christians in Rome who tried to protect Jews from nazi persecution, that he was baptised as Catholic shortly after the end of the war. He took for his Christian name Eugene ... the same first name as Pope Pius XII, whom he especially admired as a friend and protector of Jews. He died as a devout Catholic.

One of the best!
This movie never gets enough credit! This is one of the best war time movies ever and with Mr. Peck's passing this is a must see for Peck fans who have not seen this movie. Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer in one of his best roles play a cat and mouse game during WW2. The acting is fantastic and there is a lot of suspense! A must see! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The mood and intent of the novel comes through
An Academy Award winner for Best Art and Set Direction and Best Cinematography in a black and white film, this 1947 version of the classic Dickens novel was adapted for the screen by British director David Lean. I can understand why it won those awards. Without the availability of modern technical effects, he was able to create a perfect atmosphere and sense of foreboding, keeping the mood and dark macabre feeling of the novel throughout. He also kept some key scenes intact, the young Pip's meeting with the convict, the mad Miss Havisham, and the ghoulish atmosphere in the law offices of Mr. Jaggers, whose walls are decorated with the death masks of clients he had lost to the gallows.

In most respects, this film stayed true to the novel. But it is impossible to condense Dickens into a spare two-hour film. Perhaps it was because I had just finished the novel the day before, but I couldn't help but notice how some characters were missing, many scenes were eliminated, the ending was changed and the plot seemed an oversimplification of the one I had just lived with in the book for the past month.

Without exception, all of the actors were excellent, but I wondered a bit at the casting. John Mills played the young pip who was supposed to be 20. In reality, he was 38 years old at the time and, in those days before plastic surgery, even had some crows feet around his eyes. Alex Guinness, who was cast as Herbert Pocket who befriends the adult Pip, was actually 32 and both of these gentlemen just didn't have the freshness of youth that was so apparent in the Dickens novel.

Age didn't seem to matter though in the casting of the convict. Finlay Currie, with his craggy face and threatening bearing was 68, but he played the role as if it was created just for him. Jean Simmons played the young Estella, her performance overshadowing that of Valerie Hopson who was cast as the older Estella. Marita Hunt played Miss Havisham, exactly as I had pictured her in my mind's eye. And Francis L. Sullivan's gave a perfect portrayal of the lawyer Jaggers.

Perhaps if I had let several decades pass between my reading of the book and my viewing of the film, the edges would have softened on my memory and I would have not been as critical. The film was really good and a great way to experience Dickens through this director's interpretation of his work. It certainly is a wonderful story and I've noticed from a bit of research on the Net that there are nine movie versions, three TV programs and four TV series. I plan to keep on the lookout for other videos which might exist of these offerings as I am now fascinated by the story and by the variety of interpretations. I do recommend this 1947 version, especially if you haven't read the book. It is totally in keeping with the intentions of the original.

Haunting accuracy
This black-and-white version from the Forties is still to me the definitive cinematic interpretation of Dickens. David Lean and co. weave a visual and emotional phantasm that is true to the novel, yet compact and, well, lean. The images of the film shimmer in one's memory and allow the page upon rereading to fill even fuller. The love and respect for the writer is everywhere, unlike the recent remake that goes so idiotically out of control. I also recommend Lean's "Oliver Twist", and the more recent "Little Dorrit", which is interminably long, but worth it.

A timeless gem!
A peniless orphan is carried under the education shelter of Herbert Pocket . You'll watch step by step the gradual becoming of Guiness .
The underlying lines testify the contrast between the upper class frivolity of London the rustic singleness of Pip'childhood.
It's hard to consider another adaptation of any other Dickens novel so succesful like this one . This film is the screen debut of Sir Alec Guiness that legend actor , and the great jump of David Lean as director .
If you just only think about these two powerful issues : the debut of Guiness and the direction of the greatest english film maker of the last century . What are you risking ? The possibilities of fail are less than zero. One of the most unforgettable movies ever made.

A very good film.
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This film had been said to be a very accurate adaptation of Charles Dickens' Novel. Having not read it, I cannot give an opinion on this.

The acting is very good and the movie is very well photographed. Alec Guinnes (best known for Obi Wan in Star Wars) is also in this film. This film is well written and the scenery for Mrs. Havisham's house is also very nice.

There is only a theactrical trailer for a special feature but it still is a good release.

great movie-lousy dvd quality
i was so disappointed!!!one of the best movies of all time, but the transfer to dvd sucks!!!you can't even turn off the subtitles for the hearing impaired!!like i said : WONDERFUL MOVIE, BUT THE DVD OPTIONS ARE AWFUL, NOT WORTH TO BE PLACED IN THE CRITERION COLLECTION!!!I WOULD NEVER BUY IT FOR THAT OUTRAGEOUS PRICE AGAIN!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

YOU KNOW YOU NEED THIS
This is the greatest film ever made.

It may not be as enlightening as MA AND PA KETTLE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN INDUCTION AND DEDUCTION, but it remains highly entertaining, a real blast, and with a morality-punchline that will guide you through life very quickly.

I've seen this film 22 or 23 times. Do you need ANY more encouragement? Come on...

A new twist on the city slicker/country cousin paradigm
Ma and Pa Kettle were first introduced in The Egg and I, as incidental characters to the story. A humorous interpretation of "country folk" at a time when our nation was surging ahead technologically, these films provide a poignant glimpse of this transition period. Pa Kettle displays penchant for winning sweepstakes (a true underdog and underacheiver, this is the only financial contribution he seems to provide for his family of 17). Having already won a modern home in The Further Adventures of Ma and Pa Kettle, Pa now wins a trip for two to New York City paid for by the Bubble-Ola Soda Company. The usual series of screwball mishaps color this movie with a refreshing (by modern standards) bolt of humor. First Pa finds a babysitter for the children back in Cape Flattery, Washington...who turns out to be a notorious gangster from New York passing himself off as a poet. When Pa goes to deliver a package to the gangsters for his new found friend he finds himself entangled with the police, the gangsters, and a corporate climber mistaking him for Kettle the underwear magnate. The simplicity of the Kettles working within the context of the modern urbanized environment allow us to laugh at both sides. This film in particular is among the Kettle best, and among the essentials within the 10 titles. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is one of those movies that works for all the wrong reasons--disgusting, lowbrow, base humor that we are all far too sophisticated to find amusing. So, just don't tell anyone you still think it's a riot to watch John Belushi as the brutish Bluto slurp Jell-O or terrorize his less-aggressive fellow students. This crude parody of college life in the '60s spawned many imitations, but none could match the fresh-faced talent or bad taste of this huge box office success. (Remember all those toga parties in the '80s?) The first of the National Lampoon movies, this was originally released as National Lampoon's Animal House. Keep an eye out for a very young Kevin Bacon in his first credited screen appearance. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (253)

This movie is a funfest!
Title of film: National Lampoon's Animal House
Year Released: 1978
Running time: 109 minutes
Director/studio: John Landis/Universal Studios
Actors/Actresses: John Belushi......"Bluto"
Tim Matheson......"Otter"
John Vernon......."Dean Wormer"
Verna Bloom......."Marion Wormer"
Tom Hulce........."Pinto"
Cesare Danova....."The Mayor"
Peter Riegert....."Boon"
Mary Louise Weller...."Mandy Pepperidge
Stephen Furst........."Flounder" Dorfman
James Daughton........"Greg Marmalard"
Bruce McGill.........."D-Day"
Mark Metcalf.........."Douglas Neidermeyer"
Karen Allen..........."Katy Fuller"
James Widdoes........."Robert Hoover"
Martha Smith.........."Babs"
Lisa Baur............."Shelly Dubinsky"
Sarah Holcomb........."Clorette De Pasto"
Kevin Bacon..........."Chip Diller"
Donald Sutherland....."Professor Jennings"
Douglas Kenney........"Stork"
Chris Miller.........."Hardbar"
Bruce Bonnheim........"B.B."
Joshua Daniel........."Mothball"
Sunny Johnson........."Otters Co-ed"
Stacy Grooman........."Sissy"
Stephen Bishop........"Guy with guitar"
Eliza Roberts........."Brunella"
Aseneth Jurgenson....."Beth"
Katherine Denning....."Noreen"
Raymone Robinson......"Mean Dude"
Robert Elliott........"Meaner Dude"
Reginald Farmer......."Meanest Dude"
Jebidiah R. Dumas....."Gigantic Dude"
Priscilla Lauris......"Wormer's Secretary"
Rick Eby.............."Omega"
Nominations/Awards:
1979 Won People's Choice Award for Favorite Non-Musical Motion Picture
1979 Nominated WGS Screen Award Category/Recipients--Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen
Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller (III), Harold Ramis

Faber College during fall fraternity pledge season is the place all young men want to be regardless of societal ranking. The disparity between two of the fraternities is quickly evident when we see the wealthy white young men recruiting look-a-likes to join their fraternity and snubbing wannabe's who don't quite measure up. The wealthy frat house has the approval of the school's Dean Wormer and he despises with a passion the characters who choose Delta House fraternity. Dean Wormer wants Delta House off of his campus and he asks Omega House (the rich boys) to help him accomplish this task. This is where the fun begins.

It doesn't take long for the viewer to realize that fun-loving, sloppy, middle-class guys inhabit Delta house and they live for pulling pranks on the Omega House fraternity and Dean Wormer.

This movie truly portrays college life on campuses during the 1970's. The underdog Delta House is only looking for acceptance and they won't stop at anything to achieve it! The pledge class consists of all the rejects from Omega House not only from this year but year's past. Together this group works together to undo Dean Wormer's wish to rid their house from his campus.

Flounder's experience with the horse is hysterical. The lunchroom scene with Bluto is classic. Otter's "happy-go-lucky" love interests including Dean Wormer's life are characteristic of a young man's college sexual escapades of the 70's. The closing of the Delta House and the road trip are comical. And finally the parade of all parades allows Delta House to get their revenge.

Scenes from this movie stay with you forever! Keep smiling as you relive quotes and replay scenes in your mind years after viewing this very funny film!

Life, Liberty, And Fraternity
Animal House is a rowdy and riotous look at college life in 1962. Faber College is home to the infamous Delta Fraternity. Known for its wild parties, peeping toms, food fights, and practical jokes at Dean Wormer's (John Vernon) expense.

Director John Landis assembled a great cast for this film. Aside from the late John Belushi as "Bluto", there's inspired lunacy from Tim Matheson, Tom Hulce, a very young Kevin Bacon, Stephen Furst as "Flounder", Mark Metcalf, Peter Riegert and Karen Allen, all have a memorable moment or two. The script, written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kennedy, and Chris Miller, gives us plenty of laughs. Anyone who watches this will identify with at least one character in the film. Many people that have seen Animal House has their favorite bit in the movie. As for me, it has to be the horse in the Dean's offce, I laugh every time--Belushi was born to play "Bluto"

To celebrate the film's 25th Anniversary, the Double Secret Probation DVD, boasts some solid extas. A somewhat funny "mock-u-mentary", catches up with the cast as their characters. Some of the jokes work better than others. But everyone gives it the "old college try" and has fun. Instead of an audio commentary, there's an animated anecdotes trivia mode that's fun. The cast and crew gather again for a retrospective documentary about the film. This 45 minute feature is filled with great stories about the production-ala the Caddyshack DVD. The song "Shout", sung by Otis And The Knights in the film, gets a video from MxPx. The theatrical trailer, additional production/cast+crew notes and DVD-ROM material tops off the disc.

Because Animal House is set in the past, it is timeless, and holds up quite well. It was the first of its kind and remains a comedy classic. If you have never seen this, do yourself a favor...if you already have seen the movie before...this is one reunion use should not miss.

Classic College Movie
This is one hilarous movie! My dad always used to tell me how good it was and how he watched it when he was in college, but I never believed him. When I got a DVD player as a gift from my boyfriend my freshman year of college, it was one of the first movies that I purchased. It is so funny and it's a great movie to watch with your friends while you're relaxing and having a few beers! I think that everyone who has ever experienced college parties should be buying this movie because you probably never experienced a party like the guys on Animal House throw! Enjoy!!

no more advertising!
enough!!!! i do not want to be forced to watch advertising on DVD's I buy. this DVD forces you to watch previews, even if you do not want to see them.

Bluto Lives!
ANIMAL HOUSE is one of the funniest, most subversive comedies ever made! It takes the college system apart, turning it into a playground for the outcasts on campus. Dean Wormer (John Vernon) has had just about enough of these delinquents. Delta Tau Chi is the worst frat in Faber College history, infamous for it's debauchery and total lack of respect for the traditions of the fraternity system. Delta house is more funhouse than fraternity house. It's members are a band of sex-obsessed alcoholics (hmmm, actually sounds pretty normal to me) with a knack for causing mayhem. Peter Riegert is "Boon" and Karen Allen is his girlfriend, Katy, who is just about fed up with the whole immature mess. Tim Matheson is "Otter", the Don Juan-type, set only on finding and fulfilling every woman's fantasy.... well, something like that. John Belushi is brilliant as "Bluto" Blutarski, a drunken lunatic with a heart of gold. His near silent performance steals every scene in a Chaplin / Keaton-esque way. This movie is the best thing the NATIONAL LAMPOON (the most irreverent, politically incorrect, spot-on hilarious humor magazine ever conceived) ever did. Written by Chris Miller, ANIMAL HOUSE is VERY loosely based on his own experiences at Dartmouth. He even has a small part as "HARDBAR". Doug Kenney (A national lampoon founding father) is "STORK", the guy who leads the Faber marching band astray in the legendary parade scene. If you like toga parties (aka: orgies), road trips, food fights, and anything else it takes to get through an otherwise dull existence, then ANIMAL HOUSE is for you! This movie was the first of it's kind, unfortunately giving birth to a stream of immitators and lesser phlegms.. er, films, like Porky's, Revenge Of The Nerds, etc. None have come remotely close to this masterpiece of hijinx gone terribly wrong! Highly recommended... ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A delightful romantic thriller which is sorely missed
After reading Sidney Sheldon's novel which this movie was based upon, I eagerly anticipated watching this mini-series on television. Of course, sometimes after reading the book, the movie doesn't live up to expectations. After watching this mini-series, I wasn't disappointed! The movie was very entertaining, well written and directed. Madolyn Smith did a wonderful job in the lead and Tom Berenger was equally charming. The chemistry between them was wonderful!

This movie is very rarely re-shown on TV and since I haven't seen the full version since the original broadcast aired in 1987, I was very disappointed to see it is no longer being produced.

Hopefully there will be enough fans out there to convince the studio to re-release it. I hope my e-mail to the studio to re-release it will help. Hopefully more reviewers will also request a re-release from the studio and they will re-release it on video and/or DVD! Until then, I will keep searching the auctions and crossing my fingers!

If Tomorrow Comes - my favorite movie
If Tomorrow Comes (directed by Jerry London) is the kind of movie one can watch many times, over and over again. It has all the wonderful ingredients of a great movie: beautiful and charming heroine, great cast, interesting and intriguing plot, international scene and romance.I love to watch Tracy Whitney travel from New Orleans to New York and then to London, Verona, Paris and Amsterdam. The settings are exquisite and her gowns are beautiful too. Great choice of music scores. The dialogue is charming and witty. Great cast includes Madolyn Smith, Tom Berenger and Liam Neeson. It's a great pleasure to watch a woman who is beatiful, intelligent, charming and kind - an amazing heroine.
It's a great movie and I'm surprised that it's not available through video rentals and stores. First time I saw this movie was in the 80s in Europe and when I came to North America, I was trying to find this film andI finally found it in Amazon's zShops. It's was great to know that I can find great films through zShops that are not available through Blockbusters of the world.
This movie is based on Sidney Sheldon's book If Tomorrow Comes and he's my favorite writer. This movie is as good as his books.
I would recommend this movie to everybody to watch and enjoy like I do.

Please!
Please, Please...
I want this movie in dvd !!! and with Spanish Subtitles..
PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!
I LOVE IT ! ! ! !

dariosa36@hotmail.com

Sidney Sheldon does it again!!!!
The only missing part of this highly entertaining miniseries version of Sidney Sheldon's bestselling book is the "Queen of th Miniseries, Jaclyn Smith." Though same last name star,Madolyn Smith is not too bad in the title role. Actually, she's good at it.

Enjoyable all through out. No dull moments and the very young Tom Berenger's never been sexier.

Cant wait to see the dvd version!

Very fun, sweet, glitzy '80s fare!
I found a used copy of this 1986 miniseries, and enjoyed it very much. True, it is dated now (the fashions and the technology) but that doesn't matter. It's great fun. Some of the plot devices rely on a lack of technology -- computers were not at all mainstream, and the Internet was an obscure thing back in the mid-'80s. But the cleverness of some of the antics these characters pull is still entertaining. It's even a little *more* entertaining when you realize that thanks to our current technology, they'd never get away with that today.

It's also amazing to see the star power in this film. True, Madolyn Smith isn't seen too much these days, but she's truly remarkable. Beautiful and yet with a sparkle that transcends beauty. And she does well in different disguises and using accents! Very good.

The same year Tom Berenger did this fun miniseries, he also did his Oscar-nominated performance playing a twisted soldier in "Platoon". The characters in these two films could not be any more different. In this film, Berenger plays a good-natured playboy and con man who is easy-going yet strong and resourceful.

Other stars include David Keith, who's done all sorts of parts through the years (he played Richard Gere's friend in "An Officer and a Gentleman"). In this he plays a tormented and unbalanced investigator who is on the trail of our hero and heroine. Even though he doesn't have a huge part, Liam Neeson is also featured in this miniseries (he plays a police detective). Other strong performances come from Richard Kiley, CCH Pounder and Charles Rocket, and a few more.

The story I won't go into too much; suffice it to say it follows the lives of two people -- Smith, who starts out being framed for a crime she didn't commit, and Berenger, who is a con-man who *tries* to go straight. They meet up with each other at various times through the story, in different exotic locales. Their romance is very sweet, and the exciting adventures they experience make this a fun miniseries to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The first army thought of comic relief.
When my adopted son went off to boot camp and later Korea, these movies were a must to beef-up moral: ABBOTT and COSTELLO in BUCK PRIVATES, BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME; and BILL MURRAY in STRIPES. All display a humorous perspective on army life and an after-army attitude that can survive drill sargeants. Laughs R Lou and Bub Personally, I also love the song and dance routines of THE ANDREW SISTERS, too. Many try but none can compare to their jazzy- swing combination of harmonized tunes.

Buck Up
In order to avoid arrest, A&C enlist in the army and get tangled in a romantic subplot involving a millionaire, his former valet, and a camp hostess. Silly fun takes place on the eve of World War II, with Abbott and Costello scoring laughs and the Andrews Sisters singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Apple Blossom Time." Funny, despite the silly romance.

Running and Pushing??
It is my own reflections that you cannot judge the A and C Films in a singular way. If you watch just one of their best it looses its impact,rather, I suggest that you catch three at a time in this way you can fall into their brand of absurd comedy.

I was hooked as a kid and guess what , their films have more legs than most of the comedy giants of the past..for sure..

Jane Frazee is here ,along with the likes of Lee Bowman and even Shemp Howard..> The Andrews Sisters provie a bit of pace without slowing it all down too much..and these DVD transfers are fine..all proving once again that there has never been a better "straight " man than the peerless Bud Abbott..
CP

Not so funny
This guys maybe were funny in 1950 but today... Tons of cliches of old times comedy and nothing original. Better buy Stan and Laurel!

One of the beat
You will love this movie.There is plenty of funny scenes with costello and the sergent.Buy this.Its their first full film