Reviews (77)

I missed McCourt's narrative
Oh, well. Maybe next time. Being one of the legions of fans of the book, I also came to the film with high expectations, and most were statisfied, at least as far as cinematography and acting go. Emily Watson was very good, and the three boys playing the various stages of Frank were wonderful. I question the film's attempt to positively portray some of the characters, for example the grandmother who, by McCourt's account, was a mean-spirited old woman who treated the children quite badly. However, in a tale so oppressive, I guess there must be some redeeming traits, at least in Hollywood.

What I missed most of all was McCourt's rambling, Joycean narrative and light tone which makes the book such a joy. His accepting, wistful, voice permeates every aspect of the written story and, more than any of his personal triumphs, it is this calm, all-forgiving voice, looking back from many years later, which is the shining ray of hope in the end. I sorely missed this, and found myself overcome by the appropriately squalid scenery.

Another problem I have with the film is the uninspired score by John Williams. Is this man even going to try anymore? Some of Hollywood's younger composers surely could have provided a more interesting and evocative accompaniment. Williams' dull ideas, repeated ad nauseam, had no more place in this film than his quasi-klezmer tunes had in Schindler's List.

Overall, Angela's Ashes was a fine effort in film, made anemic by the absence of McCourt's narration. It was inevitable that a book so popular be snatched up by Hollywood, but I will not go out of my way to see it again. I'd rather let the written word carry me away...

WHAT ASHES? SHOULD PERHAPS HAVE BEEN LEFT AS A BOOK
I have not read the eponymous book, and after watching this despondent drivel I probably won't. One can just hope that the book did a more honest job of potraying Angela's memoirs.

The film is set in Limerick, which, from the looks of it, is in the middle of an incredibly wet rainforest. Two brothers grow up with a mother who struggles and begs to keep her family alive and together. The predictably antisocial father squanders every bit of money he ever earns on truckloads of alcohol.

We are shown slices of life in the coming-of-age up process, and how Frank finally gets the money to leave Ireland and come to America. The boys were no cherubs, but they survived without getting into too much trouble, and became literary lions in America. That's pretty much it.

The acting is good, especially by the boy who plays the teenage version of Frank McCourt. The cinematography stretches and scampers to be oh-so-noir, and is thus overwrought with dark pigmented colors almost all of the time. Background music is run of the mill, one that you would typically expect from movies of this nature.

What boggles me though is the touchy-feely title of the book/movie: Angela (the mother) does not die. Or did I miss something? Where are the ashes?

Does justice enough for me!
Overall, I think the film does justice to the book as justice as a film can do. Obviously, the film cannot convey the powerful emotion though to the viewer as well as the book does. The actors did a brilliant job, especially Emily Watson and teenage Frank McCourt, played by the attractive Michael leg. The film won my commpassion just as the book did. The sogginess of the settings perhaps slightly puts you off a visit to Ireland. Though it is also enriched with history, and the acrhitectual structures are simply amazing. The ending leaves you hanging, as when the film came to a conclusion I felt deeply unsatisfied. Someone tell Mr.Parker to get of his behind and make something of the sequel 'Tis!

Mediocre movie of a classic book! READ THE BOOK!
Emily Watson is one of my favorite screen actresses and here she does not disappoint. She gives a wonderfully undertated performance. Robert Carlyle is also very good as he usually is. The boys also give really nice performances.

The filmmakers do bring the wet locations to life - very much as they are imagined in the book.

The major thing missing is the "tone" of the book. The book is hilarious - you laugh at the innocence of the boys point of view. Share his triumphs and sad at the set backs. That is what does not work about this movie.

Also they left out a characted in the book (the little girl in the hospital) which was one of my favorite parts.

Skip the film - read the book.

Wonderful Book, Awful movie
I loved this book so much. I was so in depth to every page. I read the book for my junior class book chat. I am so happy that I picked that book to read. The movie on the other hand, left out so many details. I recommend not watching the movie after reading the book. It will dissappoint you. Go ahead and watch the movie if you never read the book it might be very good to you. I am not much of a book reader, but I love to watch movies but this movie was really not good. Sorry to Mr. Frank McCourt who wrote such a wonderful book that his movie had to be so bad. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are reunited in this popular 1993 comedy, in which the Odd Couple veterans play John and Max (respectively), a pair of elderly bachelors whose lifelong friendship is based on mutual aggravation and constant bickering. Their competitive natures kick into overdrive when the beautiful Ariel (Ann-Margret) moves into their otherwise snowbound Minnesota neighborhood. She takes a liking to John, but after a lover's spat she also gives Max a chance at romance, and the long-time buddies reach a peak of grumpy rivalry. It's a stretch to think that Ann-Margret's dating choices would be limited to a pair of grouchy codgers, but sarcastic attitude and snappy dialogue made this a surprise hit (followed by a 1995 sequel), and Burgess Meredith adds plenty of spice as Lemmon's amorous old father. Don't forget to watch the hilarious outtakes during the closing credits! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Lemmon and Matthau's Greatest Movie...
In 1993 Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau played their best roles in this movie together. This movie, "Grumpy Old Men" is a MASTERPIECE! It's funny, joyfull, and heartwarming. These two were the perfect match for an EXCELLENT movie like this. The plot of the movie is great. The setting of cold and snowy Wabasha, MN was a the perfect setting.

The movie starts out on a snowy morning with two rivaling neighbors John Gustufson (Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Matthau). These two have been at each other's throats since they were kids. They always insult each other like calling each other a putz, a moron, or even a schmuck and other rude names. Whatever the two do they compete against each other to be better. One of those things they compete against is they both ice fish everyday and Max always ends up with more fish than John. So one day after they finish fishing, Max has half a dozen fish and John only has two. So Max of course picks on him and John throws one of his dead fishes into Max's car which causes a terrible stench.

That night John is watching the lottery and Max has the same T.V. remote so while John's watching the numbers Max over in the next window switches the channel. Then John switches it back then Max does it again and again. Finally John finds out it's Max and Max's son Jake (Pollak) opens the window to make him apologize and when Max goes to the window, John sprays his garden hose at him. Will these two ever stop fighting?

Then the rivalry takes another step up when a beautiful new neighbor Ariel (Ann-Margret) moves in and catches the attention of Max and John. Ariel is a lovely, warm-hearted, spirited woman who Max and John start fighting over. Max takes her ice fishing where she catches a 3-foot fish that she actually THROWS BACK before Max can take a picture of it. Then John and Ariel have dinner together and then go snowmobiling together and eventually sleep together. MAX IS FURIOUS!!!

Now Max and John are out fishing and Max is thinking of how to seek revenge. So John is in his shanty when it starts moving. He looks out the window and Max is moving it with his car heading straight for THIN ICE. John jumps out and his shanty is sunk. Of course Max is in his car chanting, "Yeah!" The two finally have a brawl and John is convinced that Max deserves Ariel more than he does because John can't support her because his house is about to be taken away from the IRS.

Will John get her or will Max? This movie is a great comedy everyone can enjoy. It's very touching and loving and is full of laughs. Your comedy collection is not complete without "Grumpy Old Men." This is a 5-Star MASTERPIECE!

I rate it five stars because of the cast

Maybe not a great movie, but certainly a funny one. I thought it was great. It is about two codgers who fling insults and dirty tricks at each other, until they reconcile--partly because of Ann Margret's influence on them, and partly because a heart attack makes them realize that they are really dependent on each other's friendship.

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are great together as a comedy team, and Anne Margret is as good in this one as she was in The Villain, with Kirk Douglas. They should be so lucky as to have such a dish fall for them, at their age. No wonder Lemmon had the heart attack!

Anyway, you'll love this film! Get it.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

This film really shouldn't have worked this well
Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon were outstanding, veteran comic actors by the time this film was made. Their presence guaranteed some level of quality and success. Add Burgess Meredith and the still-lovely Ann-Margret, and you have plenty of ingredients to end up with a 3.5 to 4 star film. The story is pretty basic, really. Two old friends, moving into their senior years, both fall in love with the lovely woman who moves into the neighborhood. Nothing complex, new, innovative, or fascinating in that plot, as it stands by itself.

Every once in a while, though, all the ingredients in a stew -- or a film -- come together just right, and there is a touch of magic. That occurred here. Will this film make you roar with laughter? Is it comic genius? Probably not. Will you smile and chuckle a lot? On that, I'd bet good money.

Matthau and Lemmon are better than Martin and Lewis
Two old geezers, known each other since they were in school, live is same neighborhood, are alot older, but still haven't grown up! I am a Lemmon and Mathau fan from way back, together or alone they are great, but in this case when they get together, they get GRUMPY! If there were more stars to give, I would. The movie is funny, serious, heart warming, a bit of an old guy testosterone fight. New lady moves to town, and the testosterone definitely jumps up... they fight like school boys with a first crush. This is not your wifes "Chick Flick", but men and women alike will enjoy this movie.

-5 for the DVD. +5 for the movie.
The film= two classic funny guys doing what they do best. Making us laugh. Great film. The DVD= it's a barebones edition with a horrible full-framing problem. They've cut off so much of the film that I felt like I was listening more than watching. It's HORRIBLE. I'd skip this DVD and get something else. Wait til a decent DVD comes out. ... Read more

Album Description

Exclusive 2 DVD Canadian version features, Q & A with Roman Polanski, Production Diary, The Warsaw Ghetto - Historical Background, Wladyslaw Szpilman Biography, Filmographies, Bonus Audio Tracks from the Sony Classical CD Soundtrack, Soundtrack spot, 'Story of Survival' Featurette, Theatrical Trailers, Television Spots including Adrien Brody Interview Segments, Poster Gallery, Photo Gallery & Director's Note. Widescreen Version. Aspect Ratio 1.85 1. Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1. Region 1/NTSC. ... Read more

Reviews (281)

Intense Life Story During the Holocaust
"The Pianist" is one of the top 10 best films of 2002. It was rightfully nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, going on to win three: Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Its true story of world-famous pianist, Wladyslaw Szpilman, who struggles for his life during the Holocaust is very powerful, yet brilliant. The hardcore drama begins the moment his passionate music career becomes threatened by Hitler. Its material is close to as graphic as the actual conditions, which is how it should be displayed. Such intensity, which is never lost for a second, guarantees an emotional reaction. All the emotions in the scenery and through the characters are heartpounding through Szpilman's entire unfortunate journey. The immense research of these events is present. The writer's own heart and soul was written in every word. This project was wonderfully led by Roman Polanski's brilliant vision. His directing talents answer why he deserves his legendary status.

The set scenery is as accurate to the actual buildings and living conditions of Europe in 1939-1945. The hard work through the construction paid off, adding extra living intensity. The clothing worn in the movie adds the necessary emotional value that keeps audiences watching. All other physical details in this film are also flawless, namely the make-up and the dirty scenery (dirt, burns, blood, etc.). The musical score was composed beautifully, blending perfectly with every scenes' particular mood.

The performances from all the actors are beyond words. Adrien Brody beautifully portrays Szpilman in his career-launching role. His every drop of heart and soul are obviously presented through his character. This is one of the best Holocaust movie roles in cinema history. His talents prove that he'll be around for many more years. A few other actors could have received Oscar nominations for their supporting roles without critic complaints.

"The Pianist" is a great movie for entertainment and education. This future classic is sure to please many audiences. Those looking for more perspectives on the Holocaust should also watch "Schindler's List", which offers a more graphic look.

One of the best films ever about the Holocaust.
In an earlier review, I proclaimed "Chicago" the best film of 2002. Now I realize my judgment was hasty: "The Pianist" is really the year's best film. Roman Polanski has fashioned a horrifying, deeply moving film based on the life of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Jewish pianist who manages through the kindness of friends and strangers and the sheerest strokes of luck to survive in Warsaw during the six years of World War II. Polanski's understated style makes the horrors he records all the more powerful, as Nazis matter-of-factly murder Jews in the street for no other reason than that they can. Polanski actually lived through these atrocities, and makes them absolutely real on the screen. Polanski also had the enormous luck to find the perfect actor to play Szpilman, the young American actor Adrien Brody. With his soulful eyes and aquiline, otherworldly face, Brody was born to play Szpilman; in a performance that is nearly wordless through long stretches of the film, he moves us to tears. Brody brings Szpilman to breathtaking life, a decent, reasonable, exceptionally talented man in a world where decency, reason and talent count for less than nothing. In the early portions of the film, Brody bears more than a passing resemblance to portraits of Chopin; toward the end, long-haired and scraggly-bearded after years of hiding in bombed-out buildings, he looks like Jesus on the road to Calvary. There is one scene in which, ordered by a German officer to play, Szpiilman plays a Chopin ballade--the first time he has touched a piano in years. The performance, technically choppy but impassioned, reaches heights of emotion the cinema rarely achieves. This moment, and many others in the film, are magnificent testaments to the artistry of Polanski and Brody. At the end, it's not that you shouldn't leave before the credits are finished rolling, as Szpilman returns to his old life at the end of the war, playing Chopin's Grande Polonaise with the Warsaw Philharmonic, the beauty of the performance and the human triumph it represents leave you transfixed in your seat. No other non-documentary film about the Holocaust--not even "Schindler's List"--has moved me as deeply as "The Pianist."

For shame
Even though barely deserving a rebuttal, some of the reviews here are so beyond asinine that I cannot restrain myself, particularly with regard to those reviewers who had the gall to call Mr. Szpilman a coward. Mr. Szpilman risked immediate death every time he helped to smuggle a weapon or ammunition into the ghetto. The ghetto uprising itself was essentially a suicide mission, and everyone involved probably knew that. So Mr. Szpilman was a coward because he wanted to live, then? How dare you. While I don't believe that any work of art should be above criticism no matter what its subject matter, I have not read a single negative review here that has any remotely intelligent criticism of this film whatsoever. They pretty much describe it as "boring" or "another Holocaust movie." Schmucks. One reviewer couldn't even remember the protagonist's name, yet had no shortage of would-be scathing things to say about the movie. Almost as absurd are the unfavorable comparisons to "Schindler's List." Yes, Oskar Schindler was a great man, but the very straightforward good vs. evil nature of the subject matter must have appealed to Steven Spielberg's very American sensibilities. "The Pianist," on the other hand, boldly treads a ground that is decidedly messier, morally less clear-cut, and I think that only a man like Roman Polanski, who understands the particular time and place where these events transpired, could have made this film. And Adrien Brody fully deserved the Academy Award for this performance. And, yes, he does spend a good deal of time searching like a "rat" for food. What do these buffoons think it means to survive in such an environment? Idiots. Anyhow, this film is a masterpiece, an artistic triumph of the highest rank. The naysayers have not been able to level a single legitimate criticism against it.

Some lied when they vowed "Never Again"
For the record, let me comment on Dennis Littrell on his same review of this film. I find his opening statement repulsive, as he used the persecution of Jews during WW II as an excuse to justify Zionist persecution against the Palestinians here. Littrell is solely wrong if he thinks The Pianist is a film of Jewish supremacy overcoming all odds. Adrian Brody commented that in Szpilman's book (which this film is based), he narrates his experiences in an objective view. There were not just evil Nazis running around persecuting Poles and Jews, but there good Poles and bad Poles, good Jews and bad Jews and even good Germans among Nazi ranks. Even Polanski allows this in his film, where poor and suffering Jews complain of rich and influential Jews doing nothing to allevate their suffering. You can see the extreme contrast of rich and poor gap where you see the Jews in the restaurant where Szpilman plays the piano and the streets where you can see corpses lying on street, victims of starvation.

In the beginning of the film, the Germans have invaded Poland and the Szpilman family are adjusting their lives to the new ruling of the Nazi Germans. They find their living conditions deteriorate as they are hustled away from their comfortable home to Ghetto and finally to the "melting pot". We see two brothers conflicting with each other as Hendrik, Szpilman's brother did not like the way he supposedly grovel to the authorities and using his privilage as a famous pianist which many Jews may envy. Even Hendrik was ungrateful when his brother freed him from prison. "Are you mad?" Szpilman asked. Hendrik's reply was "That is also my business."

Szpilman's influence was so great that he was spared when his family was sent off to the gas chambers. He lost every one of his family and when he goes back to the Ghetto where virtually all Jews were wiped out, here is a man completely devastated. We see the second half of the movie being akin to The Fugitive where he wriggles away from the claws of ever-suspecting Nazis.

When caught by Captain Wilm Hosenfeld and asked to play the piano, he plays the piano for the first time in a few years he had to be in silence for fear of alerting those around him (in apartment where he lives, he cannot play the piano as to alert everybody around him that there is a hiding Jew). This is one of the most redemptive scenes in the history of film, Szpilman plays the Chopin's Ballade reflecting the ordeal he went through. It is akin to Furtwangler conducting the great Beethoven Ninth in 1942 with battlefield sounds heard from distant.

At this age, where we cannot foretell the conclusion to the Middle East conflict and Americans squandering up their operation in Iraq, the pathetic music of MTV is contrary to music in Szpilman's time. Great music can only be created with great suffering. Gustav Mahler said that if his life flows like a calm meadow, he would not have the ability to compose anything. The classical music age has lost it's Szpilmans, Furtwanglers, Menuhins and the like. When another horrific World War comes, will there be another artist like Szpilman? Time can only tell.

A Stunning Achievement
The depiction of the brutality of the Nazis toward the Jewish population of Poland is heartbreaking and unforgettable. This film captures the range of emotions that a family experience as they subjected to the gradual increase in persecution that ultimately leads to Treblinka.
Adrien Brody is a marvelous actor and is perfectly cast as Spilmann the famous pianist who is the only member of his family to survive. Spilmann's Survival depends on the kindnes of others who take great risks to protect him. Thes heroic acts are contrasted with the forementioned brutality of Germans to great effect in the film. A final act of redemptive kindness by a german officer near the end of the war brings the absurdity of the circumstances we have just witnessed into full relief.

Based on Spillman's memoirs , the film is very accurate relative to the book. The cinematography is astounding, particularly the transformation of Warsaw to a spectoral ruin where Spillman struggles to survive. The movie is well acted, well written and shocking in it's realism.

IT will leave you numb if you haven't seen it yet. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Noteworthy Entry for the Mission: Impossible Collector
THE CONTROLLERS is the first entry in Mission: Impossible's fourth season and features a semi-plausible plot and a somewhat larger cast than the previous seasons. In the two-part episode, the IMF must prevent a scientist from unleashing a mind-controlling drug. THE CONTROLLERS is a good edition to the post-Bain/Landau Mission: Impossible T.V. series, but there is a chemistry that seems to be missing. From a technical standpoint, the series stands out as the first appearance of Dina Merrill as Meredyth and a post-Star Trek Leonard Nimoy as Paris. An enjoyable edition to the series. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Forever Amber--DVD-time?
Forever Amber is one of my favorite trashy great movies. I remember vividly seeing it in original release as a small child in Cleveland Ohio. Even then, the lavishly filmed story, with its memorable theme music, almost accurate costumes and exciting period detail, burned itself into my memory. Darnell was surprisingly good as the "forever under" (a second title when the book came out, among wags) Amber, who's tail was for sale, as the book put it. It is still fun to watch, the theater performance scenes at Drury Lane, among the most fun, as are the Restoration Court balls and of course, who can ever forget George Sanders' regal bearing as Charles II, and his adorable little "children"--the--what else--King Charles spaniels that follow him everywhere. The script is witty, Preminger's direction very daring for this time. By all means watch it if you like a good old fashioned period drama, as only Hollywood could produce them in the days when details were real and not computer generated images. I just wish they would issue a good digitally remastered DVD version with all that murkiness lightened up so it can be seen as it was released! The Great Fire of London sequences, especially when Amber's evil old husband is thrown into the fire by that wonderful Italian giant of a manservant, and the Plague sequences, are also excellently filmed! Watch it soon!

FROM THE LUSTY NOVEL.
The naughty (and controversial) first novel by the much-publicized and photogenic Kathleen Winsor came out in 1944: it was an instant best-seller competing with the likes of Maugham's THE RAZOR'S EDGE & A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith. It became THE top selling book of 1945 and eventually sold a total of over 3 million copies in both hardback and paperback versions. Linda Darnell plays Amber St. Clair, a poor English lass who sees promiscuity as the only way to wealth and happiness. Amber bed-hops her way through lovers Wilde, Russell and Langan and eventually winds up as the favourite concubine of Sanders, who plays King Charles II. But promiscuity has its price...The lavish 7 million dollar budget (which included lush Technicolor) was a sort of consolation prize: the film suffers from its inability to detail the eroticism of the source material - which gave the novel its distinction. Originally the English actress Peggy Cummins was cast (and partially filmed) as Ms. St. Clair, but it was decided that she wasn't quite right for the role. Regretfully, the beautiful Darnell was somewhat miscast as well: her performance is rather lacklustre and her naturally lovely looks were altered for the part by bleaching her raven-black hair an unsuitable blonde (they would do the same thing to Elizabeth Taylor - in 1949 - when she portrayed Amy in LITTLE WOMEN: neither actress looked particularly convincing as a blonde, somehow).

A historic journey through time
This movie was *such* a disappointment, but then most movies are if you read the book first. One of my favorite books, Forever Amber captures the heart and soul of Amber, a 17th century village maid who scrambles her way to survival, power and fame while facing the challenge of a heart consistently broken by the one man she would die for: Bruce Carlton(even as she becomes mistress to the King himself!) The most powerful passages in the book (dealing with the plague; and her trip to America) are left out of this movie that I suppose just couldn't encompass the entire scope of the book, unfortunately. The most distasteful aspect for me, though, is the ending, which makes a judgment about Amber without the ending the book carries, which is Amber's triumph in spite of the judgments of others. It is a triumph of the spirit, and one that makes the book a classic read, though a forbidden one to those the age I fell in love with it: 15. I would love to see this movie remade in the true spirit in which the book was written. I would even like to take a crack at the screenplay!

Long, lavish look at a "scandalous" lady
One of the most infamous "trash" novels of the 1940s was Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber, the story of a beautiful but poor young woman (though of noble birth) who sleeps her way up the social ladder until she becomes mistress of King Charles II of England. Her heart, however, belongs only to the roguish Bruce Carleton, who continues to elude her at every turn.

When 20th Century-Fox announced they were going to film the book, howls of protest emerged from the Catholic Church and other organizations devoted to film censorship. Undeterred, Fox went ahead with the film--and what emerged was, surprisingly, a lavish, witty, and bittersweet look at a daring young woman tripped up by her romantic heart.

Originally, the lead role was to have been played by the young British actress Peggy Cummins. (And actresses as diverse as Maureen O'Hara and Angela Lansbury have admitted they had hoped to win the role.) After filming began, however, Cummins was replaced by Linda Darnell, playing her first lead role in a big-budget, prestigious picture. Darnell--a native of Texas and nearly a ten-year veteran of the screen in 1947, although she was only in her mid-20s--makes a memorable impression in the role. Her bearing is regal, her accent (though not truly British) is cultured--and she is spectacularly gorgeous in the many stunning gowns and hair-dos designed for her.

The technical aspects of the film are also memorable. Director Otto Preminger (he and Darnell never did get along well) makes effective use of a sort of sooty, shadowy Technicolor; certain scenes resemble the paintings of the 17th century. And David Raksin's majestic score is among the finest ever written for a film, period.

I heartily recommend Forever Amber!

Forever Amber
I have seen this movie only once....probably 25 years ago. This was one of the best movies I had ever seen (right up there with Gone With The Wind). It was on TBS and that was all I ever heard or saw of that movie. I do remember that Linda Darnell was absolutely great and that the story line was one that captured you immediately. There was a lot of intrigue. The costumes were wonderful, the acting superb. I look forward to seeing this again. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Light-Weight Fun With Dame Margaret
Dame Margaret Rutherford makes an unlikely but extremely entertaining "Jane Marple" in this film version of Agatha Christie's novel "Mrs. Maginty's Dead." In spite of considerable tampering with the character, the film is fairly faithful to the plot of one of Christie's more widely praised novels, concerning a young man wrongly suspected of murdering his landlady.

Of the four Miss Marple films starring Dame Margaret, this one shows the actress' celebrated eccentricities to their best advantage, and Rutherford fans will be delighted by her broad and extremely charming performance. Christie purists and those looking for weightier fare will be disappointed, but for some truly lightweight entertainment with a 1960s British tone, Dame Margaret and company are hard to beat. ... Read more

Description

Screen autobiography of Mary Crow Dog, a woman who survived childhood abuse, endured intra-tribal politics and became an eyewitness to the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Consciousness raised
When I saw this movie, I was not aware of the American Indian Movement at all. I did not have a clue about the struggles of American Indian peoples at all (and I live in Oklahoma which considering the American Indian population here, that is pretty sad). This movie woke me out of all that. I went on to read the book Lakota Woman and realized the parts that were left out or creatively licensed in the film to enhance the drama, but it was still a good movie. I thought that Irene Bedard did a great job as did many others of the cast and crew. This movie raised my consciousness and led me to become involved in a Native American club for five years. Even though I am not with them anymore, this movie will always remain close to my heart as one that caused me to become more aware. I definitely recommend both the movie and the book.

One of the best films I saw
A friend of mine gave me this movie as a gift 2 years ago and I watched it at least 20 times now. With a Native American cast, I was completely pulled into the film as I saw what happened from the eyes of the Native people. I also have a better understanding of what the GOONs are and what horrors they inflicted (still inflict) upon such a sovereign nation of people. The injustice done to the Lakota people angered me and it was from watching this film, a good Lakota friend of mine encouraged me to do whatever small part I, a white woman can do. I strongly urge anyone who has no or little knowledge of what happened at the seige of Wounded Knee and the birth of AIM (American Indian Movement) to purchase and watch this film. One time viewing is not enough.

The Truth About The BIA
One of the best movies on Human Rights I have ever seen! It clearly showed injustices suffered at the hands of a few. GOONS doing drive by shootings on the Reservations! Stuff they don't tell you about in history books. Prior to this, I read Russell Means's autobiography, which also gives significant insite into the cruelness of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Both vividly depict the importance and need for AIM to protect the people. I feel this movie accurately portrays a history (and perhaps, present day) that we all should be aware of.

Moving Story from a Woman's Perspective
This is a good story that bears re-telling, as all stories of injustice do. The pacing is good and it doesn't get preachy...well not too preachy. The sad story of what misguided but probably well-intentioned Catholic missionary schools did to Native Americans is touched on. That could be a movie in itself. The hopelessness of life on the reservation is effectively shown, too.
Of course, the main story is the stand-off at Wounded Knee, and Mary's "hovering on the edge" presence is an interesting way to tell the story. Some male chauvinist attitudes are apparent among the leaders of AIM, but the more traditional Native American respect for the words of women asserts itself through Mary's and the other women's strong stand.
Irene Bedard gives an unself-conscious protrayal of Mary Crow Dog which effectively captures the viewer's empathy rather than sympathy. All the other actors give warm dignified protrayals that let the story speak for itself. An interesting unbilled appearance by Peter Weller as a straight-talking Army man provides some slightly comic relief. His short scene shows the smallness and mean spiritedness of the supposed upholders of the law. A good film to show in a class as material to spark a discussion of human rights.

Wintunsundancer
This movie is one of the greatest I have ever watched. It really reflects the changing times we as Native American people have endured and still endure. This movie has awaken so many of the Non-Indians as to what really happen at little Big Horn, and how our struggle for soverignity is so vital to us as a people. Yah Wey! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Good 80's Movie!!!
Im from a smalltown outside of sandusky ohio so im a little biased! This is a good but typical 80's movie with passable singing and extraordinary dancing sequences. I wish the characters could of been more indept but I know with eight main characters it is hard to!! I wish it was a bit longer but with most 80's movies they tend to get right to the plot I would recommend this movie at a slumber party or if you are home alone on fridays!!!! Im waiting for a sequel

Cheesy is back!!!
I first saw this masterpiece while on vacation with friends. Its undeniably enjoyable cheesiness captivated all 6 of us. When we got home, all of us went home and bought the movie! I watch this movie every time it comes on TV! I highly recommend this movie, especially if you are a product of the 80s. Enjoy!!

Fast Foward - Fun Movie
This is a great movie. Some make fun of the cheesy story line but by the end of the movie you will be singing all of the songs! The dancing and choreography is so fun, you can't resist trying it yourself!

excellent musical with great soundtrack, dance moves
I first watched this many years ago (early 90s) and had enjoyed its dance moves and its music in the movie. This is basically a 80s musical (a pity less and less musical movies these days). The music (OST) is great. Retro-hip yet the music composition is not of the conventional UK beats. It gives great mass dancing moves.

Overall the plot is encouraging and motivating and best of all, music and the dance moves me.

Enjoy!

great movie....with catchy tunes
After watching this movie, i have to admit that it has become one of my sleepover classics. I make all of my friends watch it. They go home singing and dancing just as i did the first time i saw it. late night television is great for all those B movies youd never thought youd enjoy. this movie ranks as high as moulin rouge and center stage in my book. gotta love the 80's. and the dance off between the street dancers and the sandusky kids is great. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Delicate and Delightful
This movie is just as the character Tammy herself, charming, kind, and good natured. It isn't driven by heavy, complicated themes, but does everything have to be? There is something of great value in simplicity and honesty. I much prefer them to arrogance and cruelty. When I think of a young girl in love, I will always see Debbie Reynolds at her windowsill, bathed in moonlight, singing Tammy. Tammy and Bachelor is a delightful, delicate movie, well worth watching.

A Sweet Movie in Need of a DVD Release!
I saw Tammy and the Bachelor on American Movie Classics and I think it is a very nice movie. Tammy was such a nice sweet girl and Debbie Reynolds did a fantastic job playing her. The rest of the cast is wonderful too but especially Leslie Nielsen as Pete and Mildred Natwick as his eccentric aunt. I'm surprised that this movie hasn't been transferred to DVD yet and I think that a sweet movie like this should definitely be on DVD! I would love to see it get a nice widescreen edition and hopefully commentary and interviews with Debbie Reynolds and Leslie Nielsen.

Values.........with Ike and Mamie then [and Now?]
A period of great innocence, beautifully reflected in this really sweet little tale about a Country Girl [Debbie at her most charming] mixing with those City Folk and finding true love [bit of a journey, but she gets there]. AND it somewhat all plays for real and pulls you in! THERE IS ALSO Debbie's hit song. Leslie Nielsen is perfect as the love interest, great casting.

NOW, if only Miss Carrie Fisher could pen a sequel ... I'm sure that Debbie and Leslie would instantly accept. Along the lines of "Tammy, was it True?"; "Tammy 2002?", you get my drift......

GREAT MOVIE CLASSIC!
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE WITH MY MOM A FEW YEARS AGO.. AND I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE AN OLDER MOVIE.. BUT THIS ONE IS SO GOOD THAT I WILL WATCH IT ANY NIGHT OF THE WEEK! DON'T BE AFRAID TO BUY THE VIDEO.. YOU WON'T BE RETURNING IT UNLESS YOU JUST DON'T LIKE ROMANTIC MOVIES. I RECOMMEND IT! AND DON'T FORGET TO GRAB THE BOWL OF MUNCHIES TOO!

Great Fifties Fun with Debbie Reynolds!
This is perhaps the only romantic comedy that Leslie Nielsen ever made, and he does a great job of it. He was a real hunk in his younger years! I'm also a big fan of Debbie Reynolds' movies from the Fifties and Sixties, and this is one of her better ones. It was a big box-office hit in 1957 and continues to wear well as a romantic comedy, though, of course, the attitudes toward women and African Americans will seem very paternalistic to many people today (though very accurate to the times).

Tammy Tyree is an uneducated orphan living on a riverboat on the Mississippi with her moonshiner grandpa (Walter Brennan) when a private plane crashes near them. While nursing its pilot, Pete (Leslie Nielsen), back to health, Tammy falls in madly in love with him. But Pete sees Tammy as a child (she is 17 and he is about 30). He does promise her grandfather that if anything ever happens to Grandpa, Pete will take in Tammy.

Soon after Pete leaves, Tammy has to take him up on his promise, because Grandpa is caught red-handed operating his still and hauled off to jail. After a long, tiring walk, tugging her goat behind her, Tammy is amazed to encounter the, to her, opulent lifestyle of Pete and his parents and aunt, who live on a rundown Southern plantation. She is terribly disappointed to discover Pete is engaged, but the relationship is rocky, because Pete wants to grow prize-winning tomatoes and save the plantation, while his fiancée wants him to move to the big city and work at her rich daddy's corporation. Meanwhile, Pete's best friend has been in love with Pete's fiancée for years, and begins to make moves on both her and Tammy while Pete is preoccupied with his tomatoes.

The song, "Tammy's In Love," sung very pleasingly by Debbie Reynolds in the film, was a big hit the year the film came out. Debbie was probably in her early twenties at the time and very pretty and perky. I found it fascinating to see Fay Wray of King Kong fame playing Pete's fifty-something mother. She looks beautiful. Mildred Natwick, a delightful comic actress, plays Pete's aunt and adds a lot to the story. I love Walter Brennan, a hugely talented comic actor. His portrayal of Grandpa was both warm and funny. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Julia Ormond faced one of the great challenges of her career when she tried to re-create Audrey Hepburn's title role in the 1995 remake of 1954'sSabrina. Happily, Ormond performed admirably, and while she may not have the same gamine charm of Hepburn, she makes the role her own. In fact, her transformation from mousy girl to sophisticated young woman is actually more dramatic in this updated version. The basic plot is the same--chauffeur's daughter falls in love with the son of the rich household, only to be wooed away by the older brother for business purposes--but it has been entertainingly modernized: The head of the Larrabee household is the strong matriarch (Nancy Marchand); Sabrina goes to Paris to work with a photographer instead of going to cooking school (although that means the wonderful "new egg" scene of the original had to be ditched); David's (Greg Kinnear) character has been toned down and made more sympathetic; and Humphrey Bogart's revolutionary plastic has become the flattest TV screen ever made. Lauren Holly does a fine job playing Elizabeth Tyson, David's fiancée. If you watch this for its own worth--instead of comparing it to the original--this will prove to be a terrific lighthearted romantic comedy.--Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Julia Ormond shines in role played by Hepburn!
Being a huge Audrey Hepburn fan, I NEVER thought I would find the remake as entertaining as the original. But was I ever wrong!

Julia Ormond's transformation to the luminously beautiful "woman of the world" Sabrina, is every bit as believable as Hepburn's earlier transformation. Ormond's chemistry with Harrison Ford is far more believable and charming, as Linus tries to distract Sabrina from her obsessive fascination with his younger brother, David, now engaged to the daughter of a business associate.

Harrison Ford gives his portrayal of Linus the needed humanity that Bogart's portrayal lacked. Linus, in Ford's capable hands, revealed the weight of being the older, more responsible brother, in whom the family fortune rested. Yet, Linus yearned to fall in love, and until Sabrina's return from Paris, and their mock courtship, he didn't believe it could ever happen. I really believed he was falling in love with Ormond's Sabrina.

Ford's Linus seemed genuinely heartbroken when he admitted the truth about the Paris trip to Sabrina. He watched with dismay, as her heart broke, to realize he'd been playing her for a fool during their romance. That's why their reunion in Paris, at the end, was so satisfying!

Greg Kinear's David was also more humane and less calculating, than William Holden's in the original version. I felt David's anger at his brother's deceptive romance of Sabrina. And so his punching Linus was a more realistic response.

I highly recommend this movie to all romantics! It also makes a great date film. A great update of an earlier classic, this film may well become a classic in its own right.

Enjoyable, more meaningful/romantic version than original
If you look through the reviews for this version and those for the old B&W, you'll see that there is a little debate going on about which is better. Really, both films have their merits. The original was cute and unpretentious, presenting a fragile Audrey Hepburn in some fashionable clothing (including that absurd gown she dragged through the tennis court scene). But this recent version has the benefit of having a much more appealing hero. Harrison Ford, though he is awkward in romantic roles, is still a far better choice than the clumsy and unattractive Humphrey Bogart. Ford plays the lead, Linus Larrabee, the oldest of two brothers and the responsible (even greedy) one. Greg Kinnear gives a brilliant performance as the younger brother, David, a playboy with only women on his mind. Caught between the two is Sabrina, even more brilliantly played by Julia Ormond. Unlike Hepburn, who presented a shy and awkward Sabrina, Ormond plays the role with not just shyness or insecurity, but an underlying gentleness that fleshes out the character, making her very real and very appealing. Each scene, she delivers just the right amount of insecurity combined with the right amount of emotion, and each line is delivered perfectly. Yet you are never aware that she is acting. The interactions between Kinnear and Ormond have tremendous "chemistry", more so than those she has with Ford. But between Julia and Greg, or rather their characters, there is so much honesty and quite frankly such superb acting that what you are witnessing is not some celebrity actors playing themselves playing a role, but two true actors who make it all look natural. (I know, something Hollywood typically doesn't appreciate.) Their scenes bring a passion and a reality to the film that is rather inspiring -- I'd like to see these two paired again, this time as the lovers and not those who end up "just friends". The storyline is played gently, more for comedy than drama. This film owes a lot to its predecessor, but I have to vote that this is the better, more charming, more emotional and more natural version. The cast of supporting characters is marvelous and expert, including Nancy Marchand as the Larrabee matriarch, John Wood as Sabrina's sensible father, Angie Dickinson and Richard Crenna as the Tysons of Tyson Electronics and a billion dollar merger if David marries their daughter, a physician played by Lauren Holly. Dana Ivey is Mack, Linus' secretary, who has all the funny lines ("We were up to our arms in your underwear drawer. It was like touching the Shroud of Turin.")All the supporting cast do a wonderful job of, well, supporting the stars. The pace never lags, the fun and the drama don't stop. The DVD version has excellent sound and color picture. This is a good investment if you want to see a film that is adult, gently dramatic, clever, and pure pleasure.

My Favorite Movie, Bar None
This movie is wonderful. It takes an already-good plot and updates it -- an Ever After for our classic Cinderella story. The new Sabrina is more self-sufficient, worldly, and her relationship with Linus is much more mature than the variety of relationships portrayed in any movies from Hollywood's Golden Era. It's not that the first Sabrina isn't a wonderful classic, but while that one was classic for its fairy-tale quality, and cute scenes that could never be truly be duplicated, this one meets the demands of an audience who today, wants proof that these are actually two people in love. With Ormond's character, we, the audience, understand and participate in her transition from teenage infatuation to mature love. There are no petty emotional mind-games here, as are so common in Bogart-era romantic comedies.

In addition, the actors themselves add considerably to the movie's success. Kinnear's David matures as well, from playboy to partner, and it is easy to see that his relationship with his brother has played no small part in the formation of his playboy image. Additionally, many of his lines are priceless. Ormond delivers a few ringers as well, including my favorite, when she refers to Linus as "the only living heart donor."

And all this is without speaking of the music. The soundtrack is excellent. The score is classy for its infusion of jazz, yet made passionate by John Williams' unmistakable orchestration. Sting also contributes a haunting ballad. It all fits beautifully into the movie.

Everytime I watch the new Sabrina, it makes me cry. And I'm not the crying type. I highly recommend it -- not as a remake, but on its own merit.

Enjoy it without comparing it to the original
In addition to this movie I've also seen the older one starring Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, and I found that both can be enjoyed almost as two different kinds of films. Though not without its moments of drama, the Bogart/Hepburn film was lighter, more sparkling and witty, but also a little more shallow. In that movie, I couldn't understand the attraction between Bogart and Hepburn; they never seem to connect across their age gap.

In this remake of Sabrina, Julia Ormond gives a performance that's more mature and has more depth. Once she goes to Paris and grows up, she truly grows up (unlike Hepburn, who is loveable but too childlike). The love that develops between her character and Harrison Ford's is more believable; the movie takes more time and trouble to develop a plausible relationship between the grown up chaffeur's daughter and the billionaire without a social life. In addition to that, it also has witty dialogue and funny moments, just like the original.

Genuinely terrible remake of movie classic
This is a simply awful remake of the 1950s original with Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden. Their roles are reprised by Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear.

Of the three leads, Greg Kinnear (David Larrabee) does the best job. I think he is a very underrated actor, especially after his excellent work in "As Good As It Gets". He even slightly resembles a young William Holden.

Harrison Ford does an adequate but uninspired job as Linus. Actually both Ford and Bogart were both too at least 20 years old to play Linus, who is supposed to be the older brother, not the father. This detracts a little from the romance, which is supposed to be May-September, not May-Decenber in character, but in the original film, Bogarts sheer charisma carried the day. Harrison Ford has many talents, but romance isn't one of them. He's a good performer in action flicks like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" but he just has no chemistry here.

The worst of the pack is Julia Ormond, an otherwise fine British actress ("Smilla's Sense of Snow"). She is everything wrong for Sabrina -- I can only think they picked her for her smooth voice and accent, which do superficially resemble Ms. Hepburn's. But Julia Ormond is too old to play Sabrina (she was in her thirties when it was filmed and Sabrina is supposed to be about 20!) and doesn't come across as an ingenue. She is just plain painful in the early scenes, where the costume/makeup people went into overtime making her a frump with mounds of frizzy hair. Later, she is "transformed" with a short haircut but unlike Audrey Hepburn -- one woman who was utterly enchanting and beautiful with very very short hair, a hard look to carry off -- Julia looks just awful. It's an unflattering cut and served only to make her look even more mature, rather than sophisticated and charming.

Much of the delightful, sparkling dialogue has been chopped out, towards what end I can't imagine. Also, instead of going to Paris and training as a chef (a very acceptable modern profession for a woman!), they have decided to make Sabrina a Vogue fashion photographer (despite no previous interest or background in photography OR fashion). Frankly, I think the writers were getting "Sabrina" mixed up with Audrey Hepburn's other great classic "Funny Face", where she plays a frump-become-fashion-model. There is no other believable explanation! This also ruins her Paris experience, which was handled so delightfully in the original. If that isn't bad enough, they have innocent little Sabrina having a love affair, a point which terribly muddles the whole idea that she is a naive virgin pining for David. OK, frankly, not many girls stay virgins that long these days, but Sabrina had a reason for doing so and the additional lover (who is quite attractive) really skews the storyline off course.

As a fashion buff, one of the great charms of the original film is the utterly exquisite, iconic fashions wore by Audrey Hepburn, who was not only one of the most beautiful actresses of her day but one of the most stylish women ever, period. (Both Edith Head and Herbert Givenchy designed her costumes.) Every outfit she wore in the original film is an absolute style classic. Some, like the dress she wears to the Larrabee's party after returning from Paris -- a white, strapless gown with black embroidery and a long swishy train -- are so absolutely breathtaking that the hairs on the back of your neck go up when you see her.

In contrast, the remake "Sabrina" has some of the lamest, plainest costumes I have ever seen. In the identical scene (the party), Sabrina wears a drab, dark green evening dress. Not that Julia Ormond isn't attractive, but there is nothing dramatic or stunning about her appearance that would make every head turn when she enters...it's even more lame when other characters, like Mrs. Larrabee (the late Nancy Marchand, in her last role) make comments about how ravishing she is.

Actually, while the filmmakers were "updating" Sabrina to be politically correct, I wonder why they didn't consider making Sabrina and her chaffeur father African American or Hispanic? Certainly that would reflect the reality in the 90s of what ethnic background servants to the very rich are likely to come from. (How often do you see a British chaffeur, really? Almost never! and why would Sabrina, who was raised in the US have a British accent anyways?) I think an interraccial romance would emphasize the cultural/economic differences between the Larrabees and the Fairchilds in a way that modern audiences could truly understand. BTW: I think Hallie Berry or Jennifer Lopez might have done very well in that kind of remake, and they each have a "star" quality that Ms.Ormond utterly lacks. Well, just my two cents.

At any rate, this is a lifeless, tired and completely unnecessary remake. Do yourself a BIG favor and rent the original with Hepburn and Bogart and try to forget that this bloated remake was ever made. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A great western/adventure movie
I don't watch westerns that often, but I'm glad I got to see "The Night of the Grizzly." Jim Cole (Clint Walker) buys a ranch in Wyoming and discovers that his family has an unexpected visitor. A grizzly bear starts killing livestock on the farm and when he finds out that a reward has been put up for anyone who gets rid of the bear, he sets out to hunt the grizzly. But the grizzly won't be his only enemy. An old nemesis is also trying to get the reward, and Jim's wife (Martha Hyer) gets tired of worrying all the time.

I recommend anybody who likes westerns to get "The Night of the Grizzly." It's an interesting movie and the scenery of the San Bernadino National Forest is great.

An Excellent Famly Western Movie
This is one of Clint Walker's best films. Walker portrays Big Jim Cole, a retired Sheriff who brings his family to a new life on a new ranch. But, a local killer Grizzly Bear has other plans when he continues to kill off Jim's livestock. The hunt for the bear is exciting and there are a few good laughs in it as well. Also good supporting performances by Jack Elam, Ellen Corby(Grandma on the Waltons), Ron Ely(T.V.'s Tarzan) and Keenan Wynn. The location where the movie was filmed, the San Bernardino National Forest, is beautiful. A great family film.

A family tames the West
This atypical "family Western" tells a story that was probably more common on the frontier than every cinematic shootout ever filmed. Former lawman Big Jim Cole (Clint Walker, best known as TV's "Cheyenne") inherits his grandfather's small ranch and brings his family to settle on it. His first 24 hours in town aren't promising: he learns that the ranch was originally won from a powerful neighbor, Jed Curry (Keenan Wynn), who still covets it for his sons, Tad and Cal (Ron Ely, Sammy Jackson); he has to use almost all his savings to pay off a loan against it; 12-year-old son Charlie (Kevin Brodie) gets into a brawl with some local boys; five-year-old daughter Gypsy (Victoria Paige Meyerink) gets "skunked"; longtime deputy and friend Sam Potts (Don Haggerty) gets cheated out of $10 by the young Currys and their buddy Duke Squires (Med Flory); and the ranch turns out to be a near-ruin. But Jim is determined: this is good land, he says; with their purebred bull Duncan, he and his wife Angie (Martha Hyer) will raise "some good cattle and maybe ten or twelve more kids." Then comes full spring and the awakening of the neighborhood nemesis, a huge grizzly bear known as Old Satan ("If that beast ain't Lucifer himself he's sure his first cousin," says banker Cotton Benson (Regis Toomey), an early friend of the Coles). Satan's first visit to the Cole ranch results in a dead bull, the panicked flight of Sam's beloved mule Becky, and the injury of the family dog Solomon. Jim and Sam go hunting and manage to hurt and intimidate the animal, but as fall arrives he returns and wreaks even more havoc, not only against them but at other places in the valley. Now the cattlemen put a bounty on the bear, which draws hunter Cass Dowdy (Leo Gordon), formerly a deputy of Jim's, who bears him an old grudge and yearns to see him "busted, flat broke, and beat."

Much of the charm of the movie is in the picture of a close-knit family making a home for itself in a new land, and in the well-drawn, well-acted characters, including Hank (Jack Elam), the town loafer, Wilhelmina "Bill" Peterson (Nancy Kulp of "The Beverly Hillbillies"), who keeps the general store, and Hazel Squires (Ellen Corby), Duke's tiny, feisty mother. It's true that the "bear" in several of the close-ups is obviously a man in a bear suit, but there are also some impressive shots of a genuine grizzly, as well as some gorgeous trans-Divide Wyoming scenery and a generous helping of humor. While there's little man-vs.-man shooting (I won't say none), three fistfights provide some action, and the steadily rising tension between Jim and Angie as the stress tests their marriage, the threat of losing the ranch, and the looming menace of Dowdy keep the suspense going. This would be an excellent movie for "family night" viewing; it's been one of my favorites for over three decades.

One of the Best Family Movies Ever
Like another reviewer, Clint Walker is a close friend and this is his best work. An outstanding western and entertainment for the whole family. I wish Clint could do more movies like this one. If ever there was a movie with great moral values, this is it. What a great supporting cast to boot. Jack Elam and Leo Gordon what more could we want. Enjoy the ride!

The Best Family Western Ever
Clint Walker is a good friend of mine and this is our favorite Western movie that he filmed. He actually had a hand in the development of the story. Leo Gordon who plays Cass in the movie has always stated this was his favorite Western also. Great family fun. Highly recommended to all who enjoy the Western genre and to all Clint Walker fans. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beautifully put together drama for Colbert and Welles
I find with each viewing of the classic "Tomorrow Is Forever" I find I like the production more and more. It is such a totally rich film in so many ways, whether it be the sterling central performance from Claudette Colbert in what I'm convinced is one of her finest performances, Orson Welles's charmed under playing of a role that could have been simply sentimental, or the haunting anti-war message it puts forward in its telling of life through two world wars.

"Tomorrow Is Forever" has so much to offer to the viewer in so many different ways. Claudette Colbert always a favourite actress of mine proves once and for all what a superb dramatic actress she can be. Long regarded as one of the premier comedy actresses of the 1930's and 40's here she excels in the role of a young bride who believes she has lost her husband in WW1 action only to find that years later after she has re married that a stranger who comes into her families life gives her a eerie sense that that might not be the case. In this film she is at times touchingly lovely, stubborn, full of anger and full of hope, in short she has a wonderful well rounded character to work with and she makes the most of it.

Claudette is blessed with two excellent leading men in this production in Orson Welles and George Brent. Welles, so often prone to bellicose overplaying of roles that require a bit of restraint, here delivers a beautiful modulated performance as Claudette's first husband who seemingly has come back from the grave. His scenes after he has returned to Colbert's home are wonderful and full of tension as to whether he will reveal his real identity. The conclusion of the film is a tour de force for Welles as he decides to sacrifice his own potential happiness and to remain a mystery to the family and tells Colbert that "Tomorrow is forever and not to look back to a romantised past". George Brent, so often stiff on screen here delivers one of his best performances as the man who has loved Claudette through two world wars and provides her with the home and family she craves so much. He is entirely believable and warm in his playing and he and Colbert reveal a wonderful chemistry in their playing together. Natalie Wood also makes a rare childhood appearance in this film as an Austrian orphan, the daughter of the doctor who saved Welles's life but was killed by the Nazi's, who Welles adapts and brings to America. She is a delight in her scenes and you can see the tremendous acting talent that she possessed even at this early age. Richard Long playes Welles's and Colbert's son who doesn't know the identity of his real father and brings great depth to his playing of the treasured son who comes into conflict with Colbert over his decision to join the fighting early in WW2 thus causing history to repeat itself.

"Tomorrow Is Forever" can be regarded as a real tear drenced drama for the matinee crowd however its worth goes way beyond that. It covers many issues just as relevant today such as those about the human cost of war, the issue of whether we should involve ourselves in others problems and whether we should allow our past experiences to rule how we behave. It is a beautifully put together drama full of rich performances that really stay in your mind. I'm quite surprised that this wonderful film is not better remembered today. I sense that it has been forgotten because of the more famous roles that all the main performers have undertaken. Claudette Colbert in particular is totally awe inspiring in her dramatic delivery of the tortured young bride who has been robbed of her life and spends a lifetime trying to recapture it. She will have you alternately crying, laughing and saying "bravo" up to the wonderous finale.

I cannot recommend "Tomorrow Is Forever" highly enough. For all those who enjoy well acted dramas with fine writing, a non preaching message and performers delivering often unexpectedly restrained acting work, none come finer than the anti-war "Tomorrow Is Forever".

A masterpiece in casting ,directing .and acting!
Irving Pichel was a genious in casting and directing this film.Fresh from his "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons"film masterpieces,Orson Welles takes on the role of the ultimate anti-war hero who sacrifices his adult life and any shreds of happiness for the wife he will always love but surrenders to a far better and less painful world ,the son who is never told who is true father is,and a child war refugee ,played by Natalie Wood.,whom he rescues from war-ravaged Europe. If possible,see this film alone without any distractions. The script,film score,acting/body language are sublime and as the story unfolds before you,not one nerve ending in your entire body will be left untouched.This film is more than the traditional 40's tearjerker;it is ,I feel, a parable on the power of the human heart and spirit to give complete,unconditional love .It will,I guarantee you,reaffirm your faith in humankind.Go ahead and have a good cry and enjoy.Films like this are "Gone Forever".

A touching, beautiful story.
This movie is both a heart wrenching story about 2 people in love who are torn apart by war and a story about several kinds of love. A man who so loves his wife that he can not bring her any pain; a woman who deeply loves a man she thought was lost in the war and who also loves the kind man to whom she is now married; a mother's love for her son; a little orphan's love for the kind man who took her from war-torn Europe. I defy anyone who sees this movie to not be moved to tears (or at least secret tears for the "macho" men). Brilliant performaces by Claudette Colbert and Orson Welles. I loved little Natalie Wood in this early film. I have watched it many times and it remains my all time favorite movie. They just DO NOT make them like this any more.

Heart wrenching, excellent performance as always for Wells.
Living in those times of WWII, I remember how we all wanted to say goodbye to our loved ones and believe they would come back again, without a scratch on them. This is a true love story of how he loved his wife so much he did not want her to have to live with the "man" that returned. He did not realize that her love for him was so strong and alive, she could and would have loved him forever no matter what. Natalie Wood was wonderful as the little girl. Great supporting work from Greorge Brent. I'll always love Claudette's smile and manner. Her best role was in "Since You Went Away."

I saw this movie when I was a very young child
I will never forget this movie. It was one of the best movies I have ever seen. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A very cool universe...
I remember sneaking in to the movies to see this back in '81 - and it's remained a nostalgic favorite ever since. Heavy Metal is an ambitious series of six metaphorical vignettes loosely strung together by a Darth Vadar-ish emerald orb, Loc-Nar, the self-proclaimed "sum of all evils." Introduced by way of a space truckin' archeologist piloting a Corvette throughout the Heavens (a classic opening sequence), the glowing jewel is brought home and given to his daughter. The orb melts dad into slime and confronts the daughter who, by some cosmic dint, holds the key to the green ball's destruction. And this is just the first three minutes.

The film was created by an army of 1,000 artists, animation experts and technicians from seventeen countries. Given the current state of technology, the movie today would probably only take a half-dozen animators and a few lap-tops. Regardless of its dated stylishness and rough edges, Heavy Metal was a pioneering film in 1981 and remains an infuential body of art today. A visual mixed bag of matte, blue screen, live action, stop motion, and Star Wars-influenced drawing/animation styles, the dazzling sci-fi epic scored a bullseye with its comic hipness, imagination, and drug kaleidoscope presentation. The final installment, Tarna, is the most mind-bending in terms of fluid animation, spectacular color schemes, imagination, and graphics, which appears 3-D. The green ball crashes into a mountain and the lava it produces turns the civilization around it into a merciless warring faction. They prey upon neighboring villages who then summon The Defender, a naked chick with a giant bird. The sequence in which Tarna, The Defender, slowly and enticingly dons her bondage-like battle gear and hip boots remains one of the hottest scenes ever in a movie, animated or not. All clothes aside, this tale is the centerpiece of the movie's artistic accomplishments.

The best part of this Collector's Series disc is the plethora of extras included. The disc includes a voiceover by Carl Macek reading his book "Heavy Metal: The Movie". It also includes a documentary titled "Imagining Heavy Metal" which runs approximately 35 minutes. The disc also includes deleted scenes, including a rough cut of a entire additional segment which was cut form the movie titled Neverwhere Land, and an alternate framing sequence which can be heard with or without commentary by Carl Macek. There is a segment called "Artwork of Heavy Metal" which includes 26 pencil drawings, 59 conceptual art stills (2 of which are animated), 29 single cell stills, and 191 layered cell stills which expose some of the layering techniques used during the animation process. There are also 18 production photos of behind the scenes work which was done on the film and a segment which contains all the Heavy Metal Magazine covers from 1977 through 1999. But the best extra on this disc is the entire full-length rough cut of the pencil drawings used to get the look and feel of the production prior to the final production stage. This rough cut can also be viewed either with or without a full commentary by Carl Macek.

Classic animation, with a hard rockin soundtrack
I can't believe the number of negative reviews this movie has gotten! I bet these people don't like James Bond movies, either.

To fully appreciate Heavy Metal, one has to understand the era it came out in. At the time, most animation, at least what was seen in the US, was frequently of the "family entertainment" variety seen in Saturday morning cartoons and TV commercials. Apart from Ralph Bakshi, most animators were basically shackled by the need to present something that was "rated G". Heavy Metal took the exact opposite route. It was a liberating experience for the animators working on the film to be allowed to draw things they usually weren't allowed. And they got paid to do it, too!

After the opening Soft Landing sequence, we're introduced to the Loc-Nar, a glowing green orb responsible for all the evil that has plagued the universe (or at least, that which has plagued the human race). The various stories contained in the film are told by the Loc-Nar to a young girl, as examples of it's awesome power.

The stories include the film noir homage Harry Canyon, the male "wish fulfillment fantasy" of Den (which demonstrates the versatility of the late John Candy, who voices both Dan, the science nerd who gets transported into an alternate dimension by the Loc-Nar, as well as Den, the Conan/He-Man-esque beefcake that he is magically transformed into), the highly amusing Captain Sternn (trivia: the voice of the prosecutor is done by John Vernon, the actor who portrayed Dean Wormer in Animal House), the EC-esque B-17 (aka Gremlins, which went through so many script revisions, it's a miracle it got finished at all), the bizarrely hilarious So Beautiful And So Dangerous (ok, maybe there's some truth to the juvenilia charges during this segment, but only a corpse could keep from laughing at this piece), and revenge scenario of Taarna (imagine a tougher, sexier version of Xena, only about a decade and a half earlier).

While there IS some element of juvenilia here, it's no worse than any other movie that's been released by any major studio during the last 25 years. In fact, I bet it's a little more cerebral than most of those other movies. Harry Canyon is a rather crafted film noir homage, while some elements of Taarna are clearly patterned on Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns. And while there are a couple sex scenes and a certain amount of excessive violince in Heavy Metal, again, it's nothing compared to some of the garbage that's shown on cable TV these days. I'd certainly rather watch this than Basic Instinct or No Way Out.

This movie is a classic piece of animation. Yeah, some of it's rough around the edges, but that has a lot to do with Columbia's decision to move up the deadline so they could have the original movie out in time for the summer 81 season. One has to consider the scope of the undertaking, and the relatively short time that was at hand to create it.

Look at the "travelling sequence" during Taarna, where she's shown riding her mount (a sort of large bird creature) over a rolling landscape, and consider that it was done WITHOUT the use of any kind of computer generated work. It's explained in the audio commentary on the rough cut of the film, as well as during the documentary how it was done, and why it didn't quite turn out as planned). No one had ever done anything like that, and it had to all be done by hand.

Really, you can't take this movie too seriously. It's a movie that exists soley to entertain. There's no big message or point to the movie. Just put the DVD in the player, turn out the lights, turn up the volume LOUD, and just enjoy the trip.

It should be noted, that this disc also contains some of the best bonus features I've seen on any DVD. Besides the regular movie, you get a full length "rough cut" of the film, consisting of storyboards, pencil tests, and some completed animation. The only audio for this rough cut (besides the optional audio commentary, by Carl Macek, who also does a completely different commentary for the finished movie) is the dialog. There's long stretches of silence, but it's worth watching, as there's lots of bits of dialog that were cut from the final movie (we learn, for instance, that Katharine, like Den, was also transformed when she was transported to this mysterious alternate universe). It's also interesting to note that the stories weren't always in the order that they were in the final movie.

There's also a half hour documentary with interviews from many of the filmmakers involved in making the film. We finally find out why we see a model of a house blowing up at the end (because they didn't have time to finish the animation for that one bit), and also why Cornelius Cole's Neverwhere Land was cut from the movie (either for reasons of length/continuity, or because Cole didn't finish it in time, depending on exactly which version of the story you wish to believe.

You also get a few minutes of deleted scenes, most notably the above mentioned Neverwhere Land, which was originally supposed to link Captain Sternn and B-17. There's also a few minutes that surround an early version of the framing story (in whence the Loc-Nar was actually the power source of a magical merry-go-round, and the various objects on the merry-go-round related in one way to the stories...ie, there's a taxicab, Taarna's mount, etc...each time the girl takes a ride in a different vehicle on the merry-go-round, she experiences a different story).

And finally, you get all Heavy Metal covers up through 1999, plus various bits of production drawings, cels, etc.

In short, this is a classic film that should be viewed by all fans of animation and/or heavy flicks. Prudes and conservatives who get cranky at the very thought of a movie being ruined by a little too much flesh or blood (and really, there isn't THAT much of either in this film) or a little warped humor (ok, there's PLENTY of that here) are advised to keep away. I just wish they had restored Neverwhere Land to it's original place between Captain Sternn and B-17.

Cult Classic HEAVY METAL Not a Clunker
Some critics and film historians have labeled 1981's HEAVY METAL as the last film to genuinely reflect the mishmash sensibilities of the post-hippy 1970s counter-culture, and stylistically and thematically this appears to be true. Based on the adult counter-culture cult comic of the same name, HEAVY METAL definitely is a sort of spacey concatenation of disparate visual aesthetics and heterogeneous science-fiction/fantasy narratives. But despite being a hodgepodge as a whole, the film still manages to offer a very entertaining way to kill 90 minutes.

As with the magazine, the film is basically aimed at horny male adolescents, offering plenty of nude, amply bosomed women running around in the midst of stylized violence and gore; lots of rock music (though these ditties from popular metal bands of the late '70s may not appeal to the current generation of horny male adolescents); and references to the drug-oriented sub-culture (definitely not a cartoon for the pre-teen crowd). Each individual segment of HEAVY METAL was scripted and directed independently of the others, which likely accounts for the varying aesthetic and narrative styles. But many of these contributors were (and are now) some of the most talented people in the film industry, including writers Dan O'Bannon, Len Blum, and Daniel Goldberg, and directors John Bruno, John Halas, and Jimmy T. Murikami. (Gerald Potterton, listed in the credits as th