Reviews (13)

A powerful film about a brother's love -- and high art
I'm more than someone who appreciates the art of Vincent van Gogh -- I'm a painter and writer. I was influenced by the work of van Gogh at a young age, and through my years of struggle for self revelation, the power of his work has only grown in my mind. I came across this film about van Gogh in the early 90's and it immediately struck me as the most powerful piece of cinema -- about art or otherwise -- that I had ever seen in my life. Everything ugly and everything that is beautiful about the pursuit of art is effectively portrayed in this film. Where "Lust for Life" sugar-coated elements of the artist's life, in this film we see the dark side of Vincent's life without apology. Well shot and very well acted in a straight forward, no nonsense manner. Written very true to life -- Tim Roth BECOMES Vincent to a frightening degree. I've seen virtually every movie about art and artists -- nothing comes remotely close to this movie for its harshness, truth, and beauty.

Beautiful and sad
Of all the movies I have seen none have captured more sad images than this one. There are scenes in this film that will break your heart. Van Gogh was one of the most misunderstood figures in art. When his name is mentioned we always think about the ear, or about paintings with thick harsh lines that almost resemble a child-like technique. But who really knew the man? His brother Theo. And through his eyes and letters we learn about the madness and the sorrow that permeated his life. Vincent wanted to love but he was so enshrouded by the creative process that he could not be a good father or husband. Sure he was gentle and had a sense of decently, but was incapable of carrying out such a "mundane" task. His heart and head had higher aspirations but during the time in which he lived, people did not understand or appreiciate his work. Vincent wanted friendship and communication but often he was belittled and mistrusted. Other than his brother, Gaugin tried to reach this tortured soul. But by the age of 37 Vincent had given up.

This story is so often repeated. Robert Altman's film helps us understand that creative people can sometimes be totally ignored--only to have a far-off generation appreciate them

But that's the tragedy ...

The Bimbo from Atlanta Georgia Should Re-Watch this Film !!!
This is a Very Moving Film and shot in a very Stark and Realistic manner...Guess She was Just Too Mentally Challeged to see that !!! Gabriel Yared score is meant to make the viewer Uncomfortable just like the unrest in Van Gogh's mind...Guess She is Too Dense to catch that too !!! Must be a Peroxide Bottle Blonde :) Lol...HA,HA,HA The Acting was GREAT TOO !!!

back to the drawing board
This film was a drastic disappointment. First of all, the soundtrack was horrendous - more like a piercing of the inner ear in its often violent screeching...if the composer was trying to relay van gogh's angst and madness, he suceeded more so in annoyance, when at times the music overshadowed and drowned out the dialogue. The story, although delivering passionate exchanges between the two brothers, flatlines in character development - it is mostly devoid of warmth, failing to draw the viewer in to the soul of the brothers van gogh...one is left feeling pity for the pathetic dysfunction, rather than empathy for van gogh's passionate longing, joy and despair.... i have said for years that no one has yet portrayed van gogh's life properly in film, and i will continue to have this opinion until some brilliant filmmaker (with brilliant composer in tow) does justice to this brilliant and misunderstood artist.

Intimate portrait of Vincent Van Gogh & his brother
"Vincent and Theo" is an atypical film for Robert Altman - no repartee, no overlapping dialog, almost no humor, little overt social commentary. But who better than this fiercely independent and creative director to paint a cinematic portrait of the intense, complex relationship between the wildly creative and eccentric 19th Century artist, Vincent Van Gogh, and his brother, Theo?

The movie covers only the last years of their short, extraordinary lives, but these are among the most important historically because Vincent produced so many masterpieces during them. I assume the screenplay is based on the many letters the brothers sent to each other. Considering the chaos that filled their lives, it is almost miraculous that Vincent's works survived, not to mention the letters. Vincent and Theo certainly didn't survive the chaos.

Tim Roth and Paul Rhys are brilliant as, respectively, Vincent and Theo. Ordinarily, it might be irritating to have two main characters with so many tics and odd physical mannerisms, but the idea works here because it cements the illusion that the two are brothers in every way. Vincent may have the artistic genius, but in every other way, they are cut from the same mold.

The photography is stunning, especially in the sections where we see the scenery colored much the way Vincent might have seen it. The locales are well chosen, and the sets and costumes look appropriately late 19th Century European.

One of the advantages of modern cinema's freedoms is that it can show historic figures with warts and all, and Altman takes full advantage of this. Vincent is scrawny and has rotten teeth, while Theo is obviously syphilitic. Not to disparage biographical movies of fifty years ago, such as the 1956 film about Van Gogh, "Lust for Life" with Kirk Douglas, but I find these modern visions much more truthful and accessible. Somehow, by humanizing such people, their genius seems somehow more amazing and profound.

This is one of Altman's more difficult movies, but it is also one of the most rewarding. If there is a social message to it, it must be this: As a society, we have forgotten or dismissed the idea that artistic geniuses are, more often than not, not blessed with certain important social skills. This is a primary reason why they must and should be supported, just as Theo selflessly provided emotionally and financially for his tormented, graceless brother who sold just one painting in his lifetime. Theo was reputedly the buyer. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Duel at sundown
This is a very good movie with James Garner and Clint Eastwood. It also has some comedy at the end. If you like Mavericks, you'll love this one. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lonely Bird
The depictions here are the only accurate substantial accounts of Jimmy Dean's life. There are no bios that can even scratch the surface about him. All of them (authors) put their ideologies above the truth of who Jimmy was. It's too bad that the only truth about this man can never be fully told even by "some" who "claim" they knew him. Christy White is the only one and maybe Bill Bast who appear to be faithfull to his past. The other closest is "maybe" the movie made by TNT in 2003.

Peace..
rj

Vintage Film
This film is a must-see for anyone wanting to know more about James Dean. It was released in 1957, over a year after Dean died, and we get to see and listen to family members who are no longer living. We hear from other citizens of Fairmount, Indiana, who knew "Jimmy." We also see and hear show business friends and acquaintances. It also includes alot of great still photographs.

Please remember this film was made in the late 50s, and its dated. It sort of depressed me watching it because it really brought home the fact that "Jimmy" has been dead almost 50 years. But I would think this film would be a necessary part of anyone's collection of James Dean films.

invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about James Dean
the information from this documentary is invaluable and the insight from his family and the people who saw him on a regular basis gives a glimpse of Jimmy that not many people saw. it is one more facet of a brilliant diamond that shone for too brief a time.one word of caution to anyone with asthma,high blood pressure,heart disese,or tramatic stress disorder,the reenactment of his fatal car crash combined with pictures from the actual crash site are a little too graphic for some.watch at your own risk.

For all of us who love Jimmy
Everything the other reviewers have written is true: this documentary of Dean's life is slow-paced, dry, old-fashioned and dated. If you're one of those people who prefer the colorized versions of classic Black and White films, then this film will probably not be to your liking. But I look at it another way: where else can you view interviews with people who actually knew Jim and knew him well? Most of these were filmed shortly in the aftermath of Dean's death, and therefore, their recolections were contemporary. Time hadn't faded their recollections of this amazing young man. You also get to see a many scenes of Dean's childhood in Indiana: his home, High School, roads he traveled, places he visited. If you're a fan of James Dean, you eat this sort of stuff up; I know I do!

A weakness is that the entire production is in black and white, so the clips they show of his color movies are not in color. It's a little disconcerting to see various scenes of "East of Eden" shown in black and white, but you'll grow accustomed to it. As for the second half of the movie, the short TV drama Jimmy made in 1954, "The Bells of Cockaigne," it is excellent and showcases yet again his amazing talent and his beautiful ability to rivet an audience. The quality of this movie is poor, and it does detract from the viewing experience. The quality of the documentary portion is excellent.

If you love James Dean, this is a must have DVD for your collection. Despite its flaws, it's still riveting because of the interviews with intimates who really knew him.

A must have for any James Dean fan!
This documentary was made right after the rebels death and success. Which is interesting because you get to hear what people who are not alive now had to say about him and see the way the world was at the time of Jimmys death and stardome. It catures the feel of the legacy he left behind. Not only that, it also includes interviews with his family and friends who are dead now along with a recording of James Dean talking with his family and a deleted scene from "East of Eden." Though the documentary was creepy and haunting, as its first image was, it was also heart felt. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Old politics still funny today
The SNL Presidential Bash is the funniest collection of skits based on a theme (e.g. Halloween, Christmas, specific cast members). Even though all of the Clinton skits are missing(the anthology was produced during the 1992 election), the video contains skits that are funny even if you have superficial knowlege of politics. The video spans from the early years to the golden years (Carvey, Hartman, Farlye, et al.). In the early years, Chevy Chase interprets the bungly President Ford and Dan Akroyd plays a President Carter who knows exact details of every insignificant thing.

Dana Carvey is omnipresent. He is in the 1988 presidential debates between George Bush and Michael Dukakis. Jon Lovitz played Dukakis, an emotionless and short candidate who had (in the skit) a mechanical lift to elevate him to the height of the podium. Carvey's Ross Perot charicature has chronic cameos as the host of the special. Perot also had a hillarious infomercial where he explained that his salary would be based upon the growth of the country ("1% growth, I don't see a dime; I'll be ok, I've got $3 billion back home...4% growth, I get $1 billion. That still leaves you up $119 billion.)

You can watch this video over and over again. This will always be the best compilation of Saturday Night Live. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lonely Bird
The depictions here are the only accurate substantial accounts of Jimmy Dean's life. There are no bios that can even scratch the surface about him. All of them (authors) put their ideologies above the truth of who Jimmy was. It's too bad that the only truth about this man can never be fully told even by "some" who "claim" they knew him. Christy White is the only one and maybe Bill Bast who appear to be faithfull to his past. The other closest is "maybe" the movie made by TNT in 2003.

Peace..
rj

Vintage Film
This film is a must-see for anyone wanting to know more about James Dean. It was released in 1957, over a year after Dean died, and we get to see and listen to family members who are no longer living. We hear from other citizens of Fairmount, Indiana, who knew "Jimmy." We also see and hear show business friends and acquaintances. It also includes alot of great still photographs.

Please remember this film was made in the late 50s, and its dated. It sort of depressed me watching it because it really brought home the fact that "Jimmy" has been dead almost 50 years. But I would think this film would be a necessary part of anyone's collection of James Dean films.

invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about James Dean
the information from this documentary is invaluable and the insight from his family and the people who saw him on a regular basis gives a glimpse of Jimmy that not many people saw. it is one more facet of a brilliant diamond that shone for too brief a time.one word of caution to anyone with asthma,high blood pressure,heart disese,or tramatic stress disorder,the reenactment of his fatal car crash combined with pictures from the actual crash site are a little too graphic for some.watch at your own risk.

For all of us who love Jimmy
Everything the other reviewers have written is true: this documentary of Dean's life is slow-paced, dry, old-fashioned and dated. If you're one of those people who prefer the colorized versions of classic Black and White films, then this film will probably not be to your liking. But I look at it another way: where else can you view interviews with people who actually knew Jim and knew him well? Most of these were filmed shortly in the aftermath of Dean's death, and therefore, their recolections were contemporary. Time hadn't faded their recollections of this amazing young man. You also get to see a many scenes of Dean's childhood in Indiana: his home, High School, roads he traveled, places he visited. If you're a fan of James Dean, you eat this sort of stuff up; I know I do!

A weakness is that the entire production is in black and white, so the clips they show of his color movies are not in color. It's a little disconcerting to see various scenes of "East of Eden" shown in black and white, but you'll grow accustomed to it. As for the second half of the movie, the short TV drama Jimmy made in 1954, "The Bells of Cockaigne," it is excellent and showcases yet again his amazing talent and his beautiful ability to rivet an audience. The quality of this movie is poor, and it does detract from the viewing experience. The quality of the documentary portion is excellent.

If you love James Dean, this is a must have DVD for your collection. Despite its flaws, it's still riveting because of the interviews with intimates who really knew him.

A must have for any James Dean fan!
This documentary was made right after the rebels death and success. Which is interesting because you get to hear what people who are not alive now had to say about him and see the way the world was at the time of Jimmys death and stardome. It catures the feel of the legacy he left behind. Not only that, it also includes interviews with his family and friends who are dead now along with a recording of James Dean talking with his family and a deleted scene from "East of Eden." Though the documentary was creepy and haunting, as its first image was, it was also heart felt. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

SNL Vol. 5
This has to be one of teh best SNL videos by far. It is just hilarious. YOu can watch it over and over adn still laugh like it was the first tiem you've seen it. I would defently recomend anyone who wants a good laugh to buy this video! ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Altman, Great Ensemble, and Catfish Enchiladas...
This review refers to the DVD edition of "Cookie's Fortune"....

Glenn Close literally gets caught with her hand in the cookie jar in one of Robert Altman's all star,delightful comedies. It also stars Julianne Moore,Liv Tyler, Chris O'Donnell, Charles S.Dutton, Ned Beatty,Courtney Vance, Lyle Lovett,Donald Moffat and screen legend Patricia Neal as "Cookie"....what an ensemble! These great stars work beautifully together, and their comic timing is brillant.

The story starts out at a leisurely pace that gives you the perfect feel of Holly Springs, Mississippi, a small, slow-paced,antebellum town where everyone knows everyone. Then BANG..the little town is shaken up by the death of it's matriach, Jewel May "Cookie" Orcutt, and everyone gets involved with the murder investagation....but wait...was this actually a murder? Someone is sure trying to make it look that way! And uh-oh... the wrong man has been arrested and the police chief is out to prove his innocence. How does he know he's innocent...well..he fishes with him, of course!

Altman's superb direction,the wonderful twists and turns, the great camera work, the music, the terrific story and of course the fabulous ensemble make for a very entertaining 2 hours. You'll want to watch it over and over.

The DVD is a beautiful transfer. You have the choice of widescreen or full screen. The picture is clear and bright with great color. The sound offers the choice of Dolby 5.1 or stereo surround and is excellent. There are closed captions(English) and subtitles in Spanish and French. It includes cast bios and filmographies, and the theatrical trailer. You have the option of listening to the director commentary during the film as well.

So spend some time behind bars in Holly Springs, with Charles Dutton and Liv Tyler. Don't worry it's fun behind these bars..they never lock the bars, and you get to play scrabble and have some great meals! We are serving our famous "catfish enchildas" today!

Have fun with this one.....Laurie

One of Altman's best!
If you like loud movies' with lots of special effect that merely mask the fact that they have no plot and the actors can't act, you'll want to take a pass on "Cookie's Fortune." If, however, you preference is for movies with great writing and acting, then you'll want to see "Cookie's Fortune" to be sure.

Yes, it is paced at a leisurely rate, but the plot and characters are so endearing and so quirky that once things do get going this is a decided plus. Glenn Close, Charles S. Dutton, Patricia Neal, Julianne Moore and Ned Beatty are all top notch (no surprise really) in their roles in this superb ensemble piece, and while Liv Tyler and Chris O'Donnell are perhaps miscast in their roles (and a subplot involving their affair is not necessary) these are only minor quibbles. Great bluesy score by Dave Stewart adds to the mix.

All and all one of the best films of 1999. Too bad it played in theaters to early in the year for the Oscars to remember it.

TOOKIT!
This just has to be said:
Robert Altman's Cookie's Fortune may very well one of the greatest films ever made. I kid you not! Well. At least one of the finest films of the past decade.
When you watch this film you are viewing the work of a director that is so sure of himself and his abilities and the story that he just sort of let's it happen. It's truly amazing when it hits you. This film plays effortlessly. Like a Mozart composition.
Unpretentious. Deliberate and confident. No single performance stands out or hogs the spotlight. And Altman's cast is top-notch from critic darlings like Glenn Close to fantastic character actors like THE ROCK!
You might not catch it the first time you see it. But. Watch it a few times. Then it'll hit ya!

Made for the Stage
I enjoyed this movie, but thought it'd make a better play. >you need to go rent and watch this movie (cookie's fortune).

the rest of this is spoilers .. dont read til you've seen it:

the first act ends right after they find the body and willis walks in. the second act (a little longer, without editing) starts with willis sitting on his bed holding the bag of groceries and the cop walks in. dr. cummings could play the one attorney in town. there are only nine or so parts (cookie, willis, emma, cora, cora's sister, jason, the attorney, the investigator, and the sheriff). there are several things that make it a great play, including the dialogue, play-within-a-play, and some key devices. (the shattering glass bowl is a great scene ender, esp if done off-stage). and the action takes place in only a few areas: the first act is mostly the bedroom/stairway/kitchen/yard, with a bit at the church and a bit at the bar. the second act is mostly in the jail, with a bit at the bar and a bit at the house. you could edit out several parts, and possibly several scenes.

it's funny, but a bit dark, and a bit of drama and a bit of sadness. ... yadda yadda... good stuff!

Great actors having a lot of fun.
One of Robert Altman's attractions is his ability to attract groups of fine actors to play in his films. In that regard, Cookie's Fortune is one of his best, with Glenn Close, Charles S. Dutton, Julianne Moore, Patricia Neal, Chris O'Donnell and Liv Tyler. It's one of those rare films where all of the actors perform well, with none upstaging the others.

The plot, ideal for a sleepy southern town, plays out smoothly with lots of low-key laughs along the way. After it's over, you'll want to watch it again. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

MY FAVORITE AYKROYD CHARACTER SKECTHES PERFORMED ON SNL!
Only characters that Dan Aykroyd played in which I remembered on Saturday Night Livetelevision history during the seventies and brief eighties. Was his skecthes of "The Coneheads" family with the father Belzar and Elwood one of the Blues Brothers character he did that's all to come through my mind for the moment!

SuperSNLFan's Best Of D. Aykroyd thoughts
The Best Of Dan Aykroyd was a terrific video. I mean, you can't see these classics anymore/ as NBC doesn't show SNL reruns from 1978, you know. Not everyday do you see The French Chef cut her finger and gush all over the place. And another thing-Irwin Mainway. It killed me! Fred Garvin went too far, and Crazy Ernie was dumb. Otherwise, I recommend this video to anyone who grew up on Danny, John, Chevy, Garrett, Gilda, and the rest of the Not Ready For Prime Time Players! If you love classic comedy, this is for you. If you loved this, there are about 100 other SNL videos to choose from. Hope you'll agree that this video earns 5 out of 5 stars. Goodbye, and one more thing-LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

BIG MISTAKE
I ordered: Best of Saturday Night Live (1975) and instead I got the Best of Saturday Night Live from 1992. The description says 1975, yet my order form came out 1992, and the video I received is from 1992. I didn't think to check the order form for 1975. There is obviously an error on the website, since they list something from 1992 as 1975. DO NOT ORDER THIS TAPE IF YOU WANT THE BEST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE FROM 1975.

Well, isn't this...Special? Excellent!
I loved this video! It showed many of my favorite skeches, cast members and hosts. A must buy. Great sketches like Church Lady, Coonches the Cat who could drive, and Wayne's World, I love it. ... Read more