Reviews (19)

SENSATIONAL--MINUS 20
I've been hearing for years about "Twin Peaks", whether by word of mouth or on the internet. It's popular to mention the numerous pop-culture moments this show created and the fact that so many shows try to imitate, and fail, this landmark show. So after reading recaps of the pilot and first couple episodes, I decided to buy the whole thing.

I took a risk and I'd do it again because this show is one of the greatest achievements of all TV time. The pilot is a perfect intro to the show, establishing the characters and plots, the main one and various subplots, that it's addictive. WHO KILLED LAURA PALMER!? The mix of light and dark, quirky humor, heavy drama, fantastic production values, and so much more! If you haven't seen any of the show, stay clear of the last 15-20 minutes. I heard about the special ending and found out that the original pilot ends at Sarah Palmer's scream after her dream. End it there, watch the rest of the series, then go back and watch the ending.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and ENJOY! And believe me, YOU WILL!

The Best 2 Hours of Film Anywhere!
Twin Peaks is the premier for the greatest TV series ever created. Brought in to investigate the murder of Twin Peaks Homecoming Queen Laura Palmer, Agent Dale Cooper "Kyle MacLachlan" becomes wrapped up in a town full of mystery, murder, damn good coffee and killer cherry pie.

Start here.
This is pretty much what any fan of the show or David Lynch needs to start with. It's the original movie/pilot, and is a great piece of work. The story, the characters, and the whole northwest environment really make for an interesting and sometimes creepy watch. Many cool actors showed up in "Twin Peaks", among them Kyle McLachlan, Lara Flynn-Boyle, Sheryl Lee, Jack Nance, and the sexy Sherilyn Fenn. If you enjoy this, seek out the VHS collectors series, episodes 1-7. Or the DVD first season, which is also episodes 1-7, minus this pilot.

sdrawkcab dneb smra ym
So I'm sitting on this chair, in this house, on mars when this movie comes on. TWIN PEAKS. The first thing I saw was this grotesque factory-mill type place. And then there was this close-up shot of some rusty machine, and it moved...it moved with the music. Sparks were shooting out everywhere, and it was all moving to this other-worldly melody. Then waterfalls, ponds, ducks...in less than one minute, Lynch had sucked me in, shattered me, put me back together (the way he saw fit), and then he dropped me off into TWIN PEAKS.
The whole thing was beatiful. Lynch and Frost had created this soft cloud of a world that was filled shards of glass and rusty nails. It was all like a dream -a dream that you don't want to wake up from. Bobby, Donna, Shelly, Big Ed. I was lost.
"I too have been touched by the devilish one. Ahh, but when I saw the face of God..." This sleek-Norman Rockwell-wrong way on a one way street-imitation silk-nightmare is a mountain top work of art that leads you dead on into the midst of the footstool of the heavens.
-be sure to watch it in the full blossom of the evening, and you just might experience the beatific vision...FIRE WALK WITH ME.

One of TV's best pilots!
If only it were on DVD! This tape contains the classic 2 hour pilot for David Lynch's extraordinary and quirky TV cult favorite, "Twin Peaks". This 2 hour intro is NOT part of the six tape "complete" series collection that has the actual 29 episodes. There is a neat, confusing, untelevised 15 minute ending that was used to "wrap up" the whole murder when this same tape was released in Europe as a made-for-TV movie. Still, it is simply Twin Peaks at its best. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Like moths to a flame, great actors gravitate to the singular genius of playwright-screenwriter David Mamet, who updated his Pulitzer Prize-winning play for this all-star screen adaptation. The material is not inherently cinematic, so the movie's greatest asset is Mamet's peerless dialogue and the assembly of a once-in-a-lifetime cast led by Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Alec Baldwin (the last in a role Mamet created especially for the film). Often regarded as a critique of the Reagan administration's impact on the American economy, the play and film focus on a competitive group of real estate salesmen who've gone from feast to famine in a market gone cold. When an executive "motivator" (Alec Baldwin) demands a sales contest among the agents in the cramped office, the stakes are critically high: any agent who fails to meet his quota of sales "leads" (i.e., potential buyers) will lose his job. This intense ultimatum is a boon for the office superstar (Pacino), but a once-successful salesman (Lemmon) now finds himself clinging nervously to faded glory. Political and personal rivalries erupt under pressure when the other agents (Alan Arkin, Ed Harris) suspect the office manager (Kevin Spacey) of foul play. This cauldron of anxiety, tension, and sheer desperation provides fertile soil for Mamet's scathingly rich dialogue, which is like rocket fuel for some of the greatest actors of our time. Pacino won an Oscar nomination for his volatile performance, but it's Lemmon who's the standout, doing some of the best work of his distinguished career. Director James Foley shapes Mamet's play into a stylish, intensely focused film that will stand for decades as a testament to its brilliant writer and cast. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (191)

Docked two stars for shoddy DVD treatment
First of all, let me go on the record as saying that Glengarry Glen Ross is one of my all-time favorite films. The acting is nothing short of astounding. Each actor (particularly Jack Lemmon) is at the top of their form. This is an actor's movie. There's no special effects, chase scenes, superfluous love story subplot, or pat ending. It should be obvious to anyone watching this film that it is based on a play -- specifically, David Mamet's Pulitzer-prize winning play of the same name. Mamet also wrote the screenplay, which is full of the fiery brilliance he always brings to the table. This is not a film for the timid. The language is raw and crude. The film takes no prisoners and I love it.

The film takes place in a real estate office, where cutthroat salesman do "cold calling," basically selling land by telemarketing. It's a brutal business (we've all been on the other end of that phone call and usually end up hanging up on the salesman), and the people these guys work for are brutal as well.

Case in point: during an early, crucial scene, Blake (played brilliantly by Alec Baldwin) tells the gathered crew that the top prize for highest sales is a Cadillac. The second prize is a set of steak knives and the third prize -- "you're fired." The speech is a sadistic, humiliating version of a pep talk, all macho brags and venomous insults. He dangles the new contacts, or "leads," in the faces of the salesmen. "They're for closers," he tells them. These guys would kill for the good leads, and Blake knows it. The scene was written especially fo the film and Baldwin eats it up. It's easily the best thing I've seen him do.

Jack Lemmon plays Sheldon Levene, the office's oldest employee. He used to be the best one around (they call him "The Machine"), but he's been on a bad streak lately and desperately needs his luck to change. His daughter's in the hospital and is unable to pay her medical bills. Al Pacino plays Ricky Roma, the current hotshot. His way of befriending a potential client in a bar and gaining his trust is odd, but effective (his opening monologue is totally insane, but thoroughly entertaining). Kevin Spacey is the office manager who will not bend the rules for anyone, much to the rage of the office. Ed Harris and Alan Arkin round out the rest of the salesmen. Harris plays Dave Moss, who has the world's biggest chip on his shoulder. Arkin is George Aaronow, who desperately needs to land a good sale. Most of his role consists of reacting to Harris and Pacino, but he's very good.

The day after Baldwin's talk, the salesman come to work to find the office robbed. The new leads are missing. Probably an inside job. It could have been anyone. Everyone is questioned by the police and everyone is insulted that they are considered suspects. Ricky is mad because the robbery may have screwed up his latest sale, putting his ownership of the Cadillac in jeopardy. Also, last night's client comes looking for him -- he has second thoughts. The way Ricky tries desperately to blow off his client while still playing the salesman is creepy and brilliant. Lemmon is amazing as Levene -- I've never seen desperation played so well.

Having said all that, I, along with the rest of the GGR fans, have been waiting years for this film to arrive on DVD. Especially since it's been promised as a "two-disc special edition." What a disappointing package it turned out to be.

Well, let's be fair. First of all, the film. It looks great. It sounds great. They did a great job with the film itself. But don't promise a loaded special edition and then give us something as lame as this. The only commentary track on the widescreen version is director James Foley. He only speaks during three scenes. The other commentary tracks are only available on the full-frame version (on disc two) and are not scene-specific.

The extras include "Magic Time," a tribute to the late Jack Lemmon, which is well-meaning but could have been a lot better. It does, however, end with a clip from Lemmon's appearance on "Inside the Actor's Studio," which is sweet. There is also "Always be Closing," another slapdash mini-documentary that features directors, playwrights, actors (including GGR's Alan Arkin and Alec Baldwin) discussing the role of the salesman in plays and films, as well as actual salespeople themselves. Sound interesting? It's not. It lacks any kind of cohesive thread. It appears to have been produced by a first-year film student. There's no structure to it. It looks unfinished.

There's also a clip from Kevin Spacey's appearance on "Inside the Actor's Studio" where an audience member acts out a scene from GGR with Spacey. I'll admit, I enjoyed that bit.

Why in the world didn't Criterion release this? They would have done a much better job and besides, they released the laserdisc version (with commentary tracks from Jack Lemmon, among others, I'm told). What we end up with here is an amazing film with an amazing transfer...and a bunch of lame extras thrown in.

If you're a fan of this film, by all means, buy the DVD...but don't expect much in the area of extras.

Best Sales Movie Ever
Exaggeration & Repetition: Performance keys to live by

There are two keys to being a good performer, whether you are writing or telling a story, whether you are selling something or selling yourself: Always exaggerate things by one thousand percent, and use repetition at least 500 percent.

Those who understate a story or product that may not be very strong in the first place, will fall victims to making that story or product look weak. The way to avoid making yourself or whoever/whatever you are representing look weak is to follow the aforementioned keys. The way to do that when the product or story is weak is to learn how to "B.S." That is where being a good performer comes in...

You are an actor, and being outgoing and to the extreme will always give the impression that whatever you are talking about is "the best." A good actor can do this perfectly and not come off as overly co.cky or obnoxious. Always say what the other person wants to hear. The customer is always right. Do whatever you can to "nail the gig."

There is something else to keep in mind when doing this particular form of "B.S.-ing," and that is the "K.I.S.S." method of "keep-it-simple-stupid." That may sound like a contradiction to the keys, but it is not. Keeping it simple, is not disclosing the real specifics, but still making your case sound like it's above and beyond every other possible option. This comes in handy particularly when someone asks you a question that you may not know the full answer to. That is where "filling" comes in---something that students do when writing an English essay on a test. If you have a general idea of what you want to say but don't have a specific reply to a portion of the question, you "fill" that essay with long winded run-on sentences. However, the whole thing must be coherent, and if your essay is well-written and has a good amount of clever puns and humor, you cannot lose. If you are a slick actor or writer, you can fool even the best of English teachers into at least giving you an "E" for effort.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you will never lose if you can "meet in the middle." What that means is this: Suppose a shirt looks like it is worth $15 to a customer but you build it up so much and make it sound like it's worth $50... By the end of the conversation, if you are doing your job, you are going to get them to meet you in the middle and the final conclusion will be that the price of the shirt is around $25. The real worth may be no more than $15 (and maybe even less), and certainly nowhere near $50, but you still get the "E" for effort and earn $25. You aren't really getting into details on why the shirt is worth so much more than the customer thinks, but you are pounding it into their head that it's worth $50. You are exaggerating and repeating. You are using adjectives that may or may not apply to that shirt but you are making it sound great and far above what it's worth. So finally, they will concede a price of $25. You were stretching the truth about the shirt being worth $50 and they may have been undervaluing it at $15. Essentially, you are both lying and both playing a game with one another, but finally, a minimum of $25 is agreed upon. No one may ever find out the true value, but it's irrelevant anyway. This works in any situation.

Exaggeration and repetition. But remember to K.I.S.S.

These keys could have been discussed in one paragraph, but it took an entire page, yet you as the reader were compelled to hang onto each word from start to finish. So I succeeded as a writer in that this essay was read from start to finish and my point was proven.

The "Whale"

A whale is a customer that you pull in, hook, line and sinker and mount on the wall. He is a golden nugget, a superstar, a monster. This type of customer that you get lucky enough to snag will be your customer for life. That means, you will either be set up for life from one deal you strike up or you will have him as a repeat customer that you can call back as a strong possible prospect forever.

Sometimes it is tough to spot a whale, he may not always be overly outgoing or obvious about being a "buyer." So anyone can be a whale. The way to learn if someone is a whale or not is to simply get into their home and learn about their life and about them. So anything you can do to get your foot in the door will work.

Start off small and discuss something that may appeal to their interest and work your way into their world. Don't pre-judge them until you learn about them. This will take time and patience, but all you need is a small "in" and then you can build on that and if you win the whale's trust, all it takes is one big deal to set you up for life.

So practice the "A.B.C." method of "always be closing" with everyone, because anyone can be a prospect. While the impression may be given that you genuinely care about them, the main objective is getting them to sign on the dotted line.

Of course the obvious "Gordon Gecko" type whales who go around showboating their spending habits and their skills are the true whales that if you are lucky enough to somehow snag, you are set.

A play trapped inside a movie.
'Glengarry Glen Ross' has good dialogue and good acting by the fine actors, but this is actually a play trapped inside a movie. They should not have made it into a movie.

Put that coffee down!
If you're looking for car crashes, gun fights and naked people you won't find them here. But if great dialogue and raw emotion hold your interest, it doesn't get any better than this. Every one of these guys should have won an award for their roles in this movie. Not sure if this particular DVD contains the interview with Jack Lemmon that was included after one of the cable TV broadcasts of the film. If not, it should!

Always Be Closing!
Most people think of explosions, car chases and action/adventure films as guy movies. Well, maybe, but those are for boys. There's no car chase in this movie, no deaths and no guns. But it manages to hold your attention while telling its story of real estate salesmen. This is the quintessential guy movie. This screen adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer-winning play is incredibly stagebound, which was a stroke of genius: thus, the fast-paced dialogue and the desperate, macho facades of the characters become, and stay, the focus. This allows the amazing talents of the cast to flourish. Pacino and Lemmon are untouchable. Ed Harris is outstanding. Having just the four main characters makes the whole thing seem oddly forced at times. Baldwin's slick delivery of his ball-busting speech to the three underachieving salesmen, is a scene to remember. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

One of the most Underrated films of the 1980s!
RECKLESS is an overlooked classic, and quality wise, it is far superior to most of the better known teen angst classics of the eighties.

Aidan Quinn gives a fantastic early performance as Johnny Rourke, who he plays as a pensive combination of James Dean and Steve McQueen. Daryl Hannah gives her second-most-memorable performances (after Pris in Blade Runner) as the popular but unsatisfied girl who is attracted to Johnny's rebelliousness. There are several other young actors who would go on to fame (including Adam Baldwin and Jennifer Grey).

But the film's biggest draw is it's amazing soundtrack (ironically enough, there never was an "official" release of it)...

When I first saw the film, I was a big fan of INXS' current (at that time) release, Shabooh Shoobah, and I was thrilled by its extensive use in the soundtrack to this film. "The One Thing" and "Soul Mistake" play during opening scenes, and later in the film, director James Foley transcends the usual bubbleheaded attempts to copy MTV editing in films (most notable in megahits like FLASHDANCE and FOOTLOOSE) with a truly BRILLIANT use of the song "To Look at You" that actually manages to further the plot stricly through visual + aural means.

Also brilliant is the prom sequence, when Quinn turns off the wimpy music and cranks up some Romeo Void in its place, then pulls Hannah into an uninhibited dance while the camera circles them at an increasing speed.. it's a truly exhilarating moment that ranks (in terms of cinematic choreography) with the famous "Do You Love Me" scene in DIRTY DANCING, and the classic moments of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.

I love this film, and I still watch it often. It's like an old friend that I like to revisit now and then. It gets my highest recommendation!

An intense and sexy film!
This is a very early Aidan Quinn film. And I have to say, he is very good in it. The film is not that original, plot-wise: poor boy from the 'wrong side' who rides a motorcycle falls for rich girl who has a lot of friends and is very popular. In this film, however, the love story is one of the most intense and explosive to ever be placed on screen. As Johnny, Quinn delivers a smart and sexy performance. He is full of equal parts pain and love, which is fueled when he secretly hooks up with Daryl Hannah's character. Hannah is a cheerleader who can't stand living on the "right side of the tracks," and Quinn offers a perfect escape for her inner rebellion. However, when she falls for him, she is painfully stuck between the world she's always known and the world that Johnny offers her. Which one will she choose in the end? This question is answered in a very climactic scene in their high school, when both factions come together in a tense moment. It is a great film, one that I have watched over again and have loved every time.

This film is extremely underrated.
Reckless has been underrated by the film industry due to it has not yet been released on DVD as of 7/5/04. Of all the coming of age films ever made this one is my favorite. This film is more dangerous than any of the other films of this genre and it captures what many people have felt growing up, but most have never acted upon(which the actors in this film do act upon). It really is a very modern and updated version of 'Rebel Without a Cause'. Hopefully this film will get the recognition it deserves and be released on DVD. I never hear any film critic's talk about this particular film and it may remain sort of a cult/under ground film which might not ever be released on DVD. Too bad because this film is a gem.

Picture of a generation
That movie shows a generation that still lives and in the new future some scenes on it can explain a lot of atitudes of the future parents, and after then, older grandparents....

This is one of the best movie i ever saw and, as explained before about the music, they stil bring me enjoyable moments to hear then.

Great Ones
Yes, Quinn and Hannah were both early in there careers when this was shot...and yes, it is the princess/roughboy donetodeath premise, but...the brilliant, raw sensuality of that one dance scene (RomeoVoid)...all of a sudden, that black carnation fits her, and acts as an allegory for Tracy's acceptance of Johnny Rourke.
The supporting cast of McMillan (Dune), DeYoung (Flashback), Havilland Morris (16 Candles), Lois Smith (Twister), a VERY young Jennifer Gray (Red Dawn), Hedaya, Baldwin, and Springsteen(whatever happened to her?) turn in somewhat superficial performances...except Ken McMillan, who was brilliant in everything he did.
Disregarding the glaring fact that this film is better suited to the midnite show at the drive-in, this one attracts me back every couple of months or so, which is why I've gone thru 3 copies in 20 years. Hannah and Quinn create fire on the screen, and show exactly what the director intended...the mutual exploration of that first true passion for a lover. As Stephen King wrote, "...it's the one thrill ride they let you take only once." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Two years before he let it all hang out in Boogie Nights, former rapper and Calvin Klein underwear model Mark Wahlberg played the psychotic boyfriend in this derivative but surprisingly effective thriller, aptly described by producer Brian Grazer as "Fatal Attraction for teens." Reese Witherspoon plays Nicole Walker, the unwitting teenager who gets the hots for David McCall (Wahlberg). David only seems like a nice guy until he gets upset by the girl's overly protective father. That's when hell breaks loose and the love-struck Romeo turns into a deadly threat who just won't go away. You'd think this kind of material would be beneath the talents of a fine director like James Foley (whose credits include At Close Range and Glengarry Glen Ross), but Foley gives the film just the right blend of style and tension to match Wahlberg's breakthrough role as an all-too-believable teenage maniac. You might feel silly afterwards, but don't be surprised if you find yourself getting caught up in the expertly manipulative suspense. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (90)

Fear Rocks!!
This movie is the most terrifying movie that I have ever seen.(And I am a horror-movie buff) This movie is so creepy, so electrifying that it is scary(please excuse that punn) This movie has a hot young cast of some extremely talented actors, including the beautiful Alyssa Milano and Reese Witherspoon, and a young fellow of the name Mark Wahlberg. I can pretty much tell what is going to happen with movies. I couldn't tell a thing in this movie. This is not just your run of the mill teen hororr/suspence/thiller/Mystery type of movie. This movie is a great movie to enjoy and a great life-lesson (or moral, if you will) wihout actually living it. I won't tell what the lesson is, but Reese Witherspoon is generally in movies that teach something at the end, so be sure to look for it at the end and during this film. This movie is so great in every way possible. By far the best[for me] hororr film of them all! Great movie!!! Very similar to "Fatal Attraction" But, geared towards a teen auidence. Both films are great, but also both have cerin material that DIDN'T have to be in there. VERY realsitic, in the sense that there are teens who choose to...ummm...well spend "quality" time with each other, and do live to regret that "quality" time spent. Alot of the time, that person that you spent the time with, ISN'T the person you thought they were. Very creepy. "Fatal Attraction" and "Fear" are similar, and different at the same time. "Fear" is pratically a re-make of "Fatal Attraction" which it sortta is...

FEAR ITSELF
Maybe it's derivative, but FEAR packs a punch due to the expert direction of James Foley and the dead-on performances of Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon and William Petersen. Nice girl Reese (beautiful and a marvelously talented actress) goes along with pal Alyssa Milano to a club where she catches the eye of hunky David McCall (Wahlberg, in a chilling and good performance). Of course, once she finds herself falling for him, she sees a violent and darker side as he attacks her best friend and pushes her in the face. David, being the charming psychopath he is, manages to patch things up, and then things really start firing up. Petersen's father is a devoted, family man, who truly loves his daughter. When he realizes Wahlberg is not the Prince Charming he appears to be, he warns him to stay away from his daughter. But Wahlberg won't take no for an answer, so he rallies up his drug-dealing friends and attacks the home of Reese and her family. A tense, nerve wracking ending with powerful performances.
A guilty, but enjoyable, pleasure, showing that Wahlberg has more than a buff body to credit his success.

Amazing
This is a classic. Reese Witherspoon is so cute, and as if we didn't all know so is Mark Walberg. Put them together and you've got a hit. This is my favorite movie ever and I am a video freak. I couldn't even imagine what was going to happen next. It was scary yet romantic. I love it, however I wouldn't recommened this movie for anyone under the age of 16

Does anyone knows????
Hi there! I loved the movie, it's really great. Now I'm looking for the soundtrack... does anyone knows where can I get it???? PLEASE!!! if you can tell me I'll be so grateful!!! My email is: gpalomo@telecontacto.com.mx
THX
G.

It could really happen
When 16 year old Nicole meets David McCall for the first time, he is a sensitive and caring man. Over time they build a deep relationship. All the problems start after their first intimate encounter. David goes wacko with jealousy, beating up one of Nicole's best friends, who happens to be a guy. Nicole is torn between wanting to stay with him and never wanting to see him again. After a riff with her father, Nicole runs off temporarily with David. Later that night she catches him with her best friend. She dumps David and turns her back on her best friend Margo (Alyssa Milano), not letting her explain what really happened. David ends up stalking Nicole and essentially holding her family hostage.

Creepy in a way because it's a situation that can, and I'm sure has, happened. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For a couple of hours in 1990, David Lynch took over the network airwaves and subtly, subversively transformed American television forever. Amazingly, the TV series that followed this rich and strange feature-length pilot became an international phenomenon as people all over the world became obsessed by one question: Who killed Laura Palmer? Twin Peaks is the apotheosis of all things Lynch, and arguably his single greatest achievement. Set in the dark, damp, woodsy atmosphere of a small mountain town in the Pacific Northwest, Twin Peaks is a murder mystery, detective saga, soap opera, sitcom--the essence of television distilled into one mind-blowing serial. Lynch subverts TV conventions right and left, not the least by concentrating on the grief of Laura's friends and family, and orchestrating their tears into a symphony of mourning. Twin Peaks is about the endlessly seductive idea of "mystery," of the ways human beings find to deal with the unknown. It was never about solutions; after all, answers (which are invariably anticlimactic) only kill the Mystery! So, although it took another year or so before Lynch and his partner Mark Frost were eventually forced (by the network and public opinion) to reveal the identity of Laura Palmer's murderer, the tantalizing clues are the real heart of the enterprise, and they're all right here in the debut. And so are some excerpts from Agent Cooper's surrealistic dream sequence (which appeared in the third episode of the series), featuring the dancing, backward-talking little "Man from Another Place," as part of a special European-release finale (you wouldn't want to use the word "conclusion") for this video version. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (19)

SENSATIONAL--MINUS 20
I've been hearing for years about "Twin Peaks", whether by word of mouth or on the internet. It's popular to mention the numerous pop-culture moments this show created and the fact that so many shows try to imitate, and fail, this landmark show. So after reading recaps of the pilot and first couple episodes, I decided to buy the whole thing.

I took a risk and I'd do it again because this show is one of the greatest achievements of all TV time. The pilot is a perfect intro to the show, establishing the characters and plots, the main one and various subplots, that it's addictive. WHO KILLED LAURA PALMER!? The mix of light and dark, quirky humor, heavy drama, fantastic production values, and so much more! If you haven't seen any of the show, stay clear of the last 15-20 minutes. I heard about the special ending and found out that the original pilot ends at Sarah Palmer's scream after her dream. End it there, watch the rest of the series, then go back and watch the ending.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and ENJOY! And believe me, YOU WILL!

The Best 2 Hours of Film Anywhere!
Twin Peaks is the premier for the greatest TV series ever created. Brought in to investigate the murder of Twin Peaks Homecoming Queen Laura Palmer, Agent Dale Cooper "Kyle MacLachlan" becomes wrapped up in a town full of mystery, murder, damn good coffee and killer cherry pie.

Start here.
This is pretty much what any fan of the show or David Lynch needs to start with. It's the original movie/pilot, and is a great piece of work. The story, the characters, and the whole northwest environment really make for an interesting and sometimes creepy watch. Many cool actors showed up in "Twin Peaks", among them Kyle McLachlan, Lara Flynn-Boyle, Sheryl Lee, Jack Nance, and the sexy Sherilyn Fenn. If you enjoy this, seek out the VHS collectors series, episodes 1-7. Or the DVD first season, which is also episodes 1-7, minus this pilot.

sdrawkcab dneb smra ym
So I'm sitting on this chair, in this house, on mars when this movie comes on. TWIN PEAKS. The first thing I saw was this grotesque factory-mill type place. And then there was this close-up shot of some rusty machine, and it moved...it moved with the music. Sparks were shooting out everywhere, and it was all moving to this other-worldly melody. Then waterfalls, ponds, ducks...in less than one minute, Lynch had sucked me in, shattered me, put me back together (the way he saw fit), and then he dropped me off into TWIN PEAKS.
The whole thing was beatiful. Lynch and Frost had created this soft cloud of a world that was filled shards of glass and rusty nails. It was all like a dream -a dream that you don't want to wake up from. Bobby, Donna, Shelly, Big Ed. I was lost.
"I too have been touched by the devilish one. Ahh, but when I saw the face of God..." This sleek-Norman Rockwell-wrong way on a one way street-imitation silk-nightmare is a mountain top work of art that leads you dead on into the midst of the footstool of the heavens.
-be sure to watch it in the full blossom of the evening, and you just might experience the beatific vision...FIRE WALK WITH ME.

One of TV's best pilots!
If only it were on DVD! This tape contains the classic 2 hour pilot for David Lynch's extraordinary and quirky TV cult favorite, "Twin Peaks". This 2 hour intro is NOT part of the six tape "complete" series collection that has the actual 29 episodes. There is a neat, confusing, untelevised 15 minute ending that was used to "wrap up" the whole murder when this same tape was released in Europe as a made-for-TV movie. Still, it is simply Twin Peaks at its best. ... Read more

Description

A brash woman, who has just been paroled from prison for a crime thatshe didn't commit, and an uptight attorney unwittingly become partners in a pursuit of the villain while babysitting a highly-evasive cougar. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Who's That Girl
Please, do we even have to ask? This film is a fun, charming, and hysterically funny screwball comedy.Some complained of the accent Madonna uses in the film. Yes, at first it was annoying, but you get used to it. Others complained that the movie was too dumb, and had no charm. Let me set the record straight, this film is supposed to be FUN! Featuring some of Madonna's most memorable songs including Causing A Commotion, The Look Of Love, and of course Who's That Girl. Why weren't these songs The Immaculate Collection?! I think the main reason this film did so bad at the USA box offices is that it got lost in the shuffle of Madonna's Who's That Girl tour. But, you should embrace this great film. Not as good as Desperately Seeking Susan, this film is still an enjoyable romp.

Ex comvict Nikki Finn (Madonna) who served time for a crime she didn't commit is just set free. An attroney named Louden (Griffin Dunne) is asked by his fiance's father to transport Nikki to the bus station. But, of course, there are hundreds of complications along the way, including a 160 couger named "Murray". Later, Nikki wants to get into a safe deposit to clear her name. As all of the hilarious mishaps happen, Louden finds himself falling in love with Nikki.

Overall Grade: A (10++)

An above average movie soundtrack from Madonna
Madonna's film career has never really taken off, despite being launched way back in 1985 with Desperately Seeking Susan. In 1987, she starred in the flop film Who's That Girl. The film showed strong promised, but basically flopped worldwide. The soundtrack to the film, however, was the bigger hit of the two and went on to sell 8 million copies worldwide, and includes some pretty big hits. Granted, the soundtrack isn't Madonna's best - I'm Breathless is - but this is a worthy album for any Madonna fan's collection. If you're a Madonna fan and were thinking of purchasing this record without hesitation, beware! The album has only nine songs on it - and only four of those are by Madonna herself. The others are by lesser-known acts such as Duncan Faure, Club Nouveau, Michael Davidson, Scritti Politti and Coati Mundi! Because of this - and because the record says "Madonna" at the top - I will only be reviewing the songs by Madonna...

Who's That Girl starts with the massive UK No.1 single of the same name, Who's That Girl (10/10). It topped the UK chart in July 1987 and was also a US No.1. The song has some fun lyrics and the bassline and beats are very traditional of Madonna's musical style at the time - very upbeat, poppy and fun. Causing A Commotion (10/10) is the next song. Released in September of 1987, the song peaked at No.4 in the UK and was a big hit with audiences at Madonna's "Who's That Girl?" World Tour in 1987. The song has the usual big beats and catchy, funky and melodic beats to groove around to. The Look Of Love (9/10) is another excellent mid-tempo ballad from Madonna, which peaked at No.9 in the UK in December 1987. The lyrics, "No where to run/No where to hide/From the look of love/From the eyes of mine," are not only catchy, but instantly recognisable. The bassline is heavy and the beat has a great "bouncy" feel to it. The final song from Madonna on Who That Girl - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is Can't Stop (9/10). This song is yet another superb pop dance hit from Madonna. It was never released as a single, like the other three songs I have just written about, but it definitely deserved to be. At almost five minutes, it's the longest song on this soundtrack which gives you more time to get into it. The song sounds almost identical to Where's The Party or Love Makes The World Go Round from Madonna's 1986 release, True Blue. The beat is bouncy, Madonna's voice is on top-form and the vocal arrangement is genius. OK, the lyrics aren't exactly the best in the world - but that doesn't matter! Live a little! Get up and get your groove on to Madge!

OVERALL GRADE: 9/10

The full title of this CD is Madonna "Who's That Girl - Original Movie Soundtrack." I didn't refer to it as this all the way through the review because, well, it'd take up al the space! The songs by Madonna on this CD are all excellent, and the songs by those other artists are rather good too. The cover of the CD has to be the worst CD cover I have ever seen! Madonna's hair is all scratty and scruffy, her lips are too red, the mole is obviously fake - and those eyebrows are hideous! Who on Earth has eyebrows that bushy?! Anyway, you're not buying the CD to look at the cover! You're buying it to listen to the superb music of Madonna! ...

NICE MOVIE!!!!
I liked this movie I remember when it had came on cable television. This movie co-stars Griffin Dunne and Madonna. I think that this is a pretty good movie and Madonna has a Cougar for a pet how awkward. But I enjoyed it. Therefore, I would recommend anyone who likes Madonna or enjoys her movie to buy this one!!!!

Forget 'Who's That Girl'
Try 'What's That Girl Doing'

By 1987, pop-star Madonna was coming off a 3rd top-selling album and a failed film with husband Sean Penn. She soon returned with this, a romantic comedy costarring Griffin Dunne, with the obligatory soundtrack album.

The film failed at whatever Madonna was trying to prove. In it, she portrays a dippy ex-con who turns the Big Apple upside down to clear her name in murder. Along for the ride is a Yuppie lawyer who was assigned to escort her out of town. We get lots of squeaky-voiced Madonna whining in a fake Brooklyn accent. Did Madonna even try to act in this film?

The saving graces go to the animated musical intro, the big cat, and the title song, which Madonna sang.

Otherwise, stay away from this movie. Go listen to the 'Who's That Girl' soundtrack or go watch her "Ciao Italia" VHS/DVD, which was a concert on her 'Who's That Girl' tour.

Well, at least one scene was nice.
Monday, February 16, 2004 / 3 of 5 / Once upon a time, I actually liked Madonna's 'Marilyn' era. Pappa Don't Preach and Open Your Heart showed her dancing around as a pale platinum goddess. This film came out around that time as evidenced by her transformation in the inner city wildlife sanctuary. I'm not sure if this film has crossed over into camp/cult status but it is often referred to as one of the worst films around. Foppish Lauden Trott is set to marry ex-16 Candles bombshell when he runs afoul of Madonna playing a framed convict with a whiney slash freaked out way about her. Hilarity apparently was supposed to ensue. It's a harmless movie that doesn't aspire to be anything more than it is. The cougars were beautiful though. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Who's That Girl
Please, do we even have to ask? This film is a fun, charming, and hysterically funny screwball comedy.Some complained of the accent Madonna uses in the film. Yes, at first it was annoying, but you get used to it. Others complained that the movie was too dumb, and had no charm. Let me set the record straight, this film is supposed to be FUN! Featuring some of Madonna's most memorable songs including Causing A Commotion, The Look Of Love, and of course Who's That Girl. Why weren't these songs The Immaculate Collection?! I think the main reason this film did so bad at the USA box offices is that it got lost in the shuffle of Madonna's Who's That Girl tour. But, you should embrace this great film. Not as good as Desperately Seeking Susan, this film is still an enjoyable romp.

Ex comvict Nikki Finn (Madonna) who served time for a crime she didn't commit is just set free. An attroney named Louden (Griffin Dunne) is asked by his fiance's father to transport Nikki to the bus station. But, of course, there are hundreds of complications along the way, including a 160 couger named "Murray". Later, Nikki wants to get into a safe deposit to clear her name. As all of the hilarious mishaps happen, Louden finds himself falling in love with Nikki.

Overall Grade: A (10++)

An above average movie soundtrack from Madonna
Madonna's film career has never really taken off, despite being launched way back in 1985 with Desperately Seeking Susan. In 1987, she starred in the flop film Who's That Girl. The film showed strong promised, but basically flopped worldwide. The soundtrack to the film, however, was the bigger hit of the two and went on to sell 8 million copies worldwide, and includes some pretty big hits. Granted, the soundtrack isn't Madonna's best - I'm Breathless is - but this is a worthy album for any Madonna fan's collection. If you're a Madonna fan and were thinking of purchasing this record without hesitation, beware! The album has only nine songs on it - and only four of those are by Madonna herself. The others are by lesser-known acts such as Duncan Faure, Club Nouveau, Michael Davidson, Scritti Politti and Coati Mundi! Because of this - and because the record says "Madonna" at the top - I will only be reviewing the songs by Madonna...

Who's That Girl starts with the massive UK No.1 single of the same name, Who's That Girl (10/10). It topped the UK chart in July 1987 and was also a US No.1. The song has some fun lyrics and the bassline and beats are very traditional of Madonna's musical style at the time - very upbeat, poppy and fun. Causing A Commotion (10/10) is the next song. Released in September of 1987, the song peaked at No.4 in the UK and was a big hit with audiences at Madonna's "Who's That Girl?" World Tour in 1987. The song has the usual big beats and catchy, funky and melodic beats to groove around to. The Look Of Love (9/10) is another excellent mid-tempo ballad from Madonna, which peaked at No.9 in the UK in December 1987. The lyrics, "No where to run/No where to hide/From the look of love/From the eyes of mine," are not only catchy, but instantly recognisable. The bassline is heavy and the beat has a great "bouncy" feel to it. The final song from Madonna on Who That Girl - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is Can't Stop (9/10). This song is yet another superb pop dance hit from Madonna. It was never released as a single, like the other three songs I have just written about, but it definitely deserved to be. At almost five minutes, it's the longest song on this soundtrack which gives you more time to get into it. The song sounds almost identical to Where's The Party or Love Makes The World Go Round from Madonna's 1986 release, True Blue. The beat is bouncy, Madonna's voice is on top-form and the vocal arrangement is genius. OK, the lyrics aren't exactly the best in the world - but that doesn't matter! Live a little! Get up and get your groove on to Madge!

OVERALL GRADE: 9/10

The full title of this CD is Madonna "Who's That Girl - Original Movie Soundtrack." I didn't refer to it as this all the way through the review because, well, it'd take up al the space! The songs by Madonna on this CD are all excellent, and the songs by those other artists are rather good too. The cover of the CD has to be the worst CD cover I have ever seen! Madonna's hair is all scratty and scruffy, her lips are too red, the mole is obviously fake - and those eyebrows are hideous! Who on Earth has eyebrows that bushy?! Anyway, you're not buying the CD to look at the cover! You're buying it to listen to the superb music of Madonna! ...

NICE MOVIE!!!!
I liked this movie I remember when it had came on cable television. This movie co-stars Griffin Dunne and Madonna. I think that this is a pretty good movie and Madonna has a Cougar for a pet how awkward. But I enjoyed it. Therefore, I would recommend anyone who likes Madonna or enjoys her movie to buy this one!!!!

Forget 'Who's That Girl'
Try 'What's That Girl Doing'

By 1987, pop-star Madonna was coming off a 3rd top-selling album and a failed film with husband Sean Penn. She soon returned with this, a romantic comedy costarring Griffin Dunne, with the obligatory soundtrack album.

The film failed at whatever Madonna was trying to prove. In it, she portrays a dippy ex-con who turns the Big Apple upside down to clear her name in murder. Along for the ride is a Yuppie lawyer who was assigned to escort her out of town. We get lots of squeaky-voiced Madonna whining in a fake Brooklyn accent. Did Madonna even try to act in this film?

The saving graces go to the animated musical intro, the big cat, and the title song, which Madonna sang.

Otherwise, stay away from this movie. Go listen to the 'Who's That Girl' soundtrack or go watch her "Ciao Italia" VHS/DVD, which was a concert on her 'Who's That Girl' tour.

Well, at least one scene was nice.
Monday, February 16, 2004 / 3 of 5 / Once upon a time, I actually liked Madonna's 'Marilyn' era. Pappa Don't Preach and Open Your Heart showed her dancing around as a pale platinum goddess. This film came out around that time as evidenced by her transformation in the inner city wildlife sanctuary. I'm not sure if this film has crossed over into camp/cult status but it is often referred to as one of the worst films around. Foppish Lauden Trott is set to marry ex-16 Candles bombshell when he runs afoul of Madonna playing a framed convict with a whiney slash freaked out way about her. Hilarity apparently was supposed to ensue. It's a harmless movie that doesn't aspire to be anything more than it is. The cougars were beautiful though. ... Read more

Reviews (191)

Docked two stars for shoddy DVD treatment
First of all, let me go on the record as saying that Glengarry Glen Ross is one of my all-time favorite films. The acting is nothing short of astounding. Each actor (particularly Jack Lemmon) is at the top of their form. This is an actor's movie. There's no special effects, chase scenes, superfluous love story subplot, or pat ending. It should be obvious to anyone watching this film that it is based on a play -- specifically, David Mamet's Pulitzer-prize winning play of the same name. Mamet also wrote the screenplay, which is full of the fiery brilliance he always brings to the table. This is not a film for the timid. The language is raw and crude. The film takes no prisoners and I love it.

The film takes place in a real estate office, where cutthroat salesman do "cold calling," basically selling land by telemarketing. It's a brutal business (we've all been on the other end of that phone call and usually end up hanging up on the salesman), and the people these guys work for are brutal as well.

Case in point: during an early, crucial scene, Blake (played brilliantly by Alec Baldwin) tells the gathered crew that the top prize for highest sales is a Cadillac. The second prize is a set of steak knives and the third prize -- "you're fired." The speech is a sadistic, humiliating version of a pep talk, all macho brags and venomous insults. He dangles the new contacts, or "leads," in the faces of the salesmen. "They're for closers," he tells them. These guys would kill for the good leads, and Blake knows it. The scene was written especially fo the film and Baldwin eats it up. It's easily the best thing I've seen him do.

Jack Lemmon plays Sheldon Levene, the office's oldest employee. He used to be the best one around (they call him "The Machine"), but he's been on a bad streak lately and desperately needs his luck to change. His daughter's in the hospital and is unable to pay her medical bills. Al Pacino plays Ricky Roma, the current hotshot. His way of befriending a potential client in a bar and gaining his trust is odd, but effective (his opening monologue is totally insane, but thoroughly entertaining). Kevin Spacey is the office manager who will not bend the rules for anyone, much to the rage of the office. Ed Harris and Alan Arkin round out the rest of the salesmen. Harris plays Dave Moss, who has the world's biggest chip on his shoulder. Arkin is George Aaronow, who desperately needs to land a good sale. Most of his role consists of reacting to Harris and Pacino, but he's very good.

The day after Baldwin's talk, the salesman come to work to find the office robbed. The new leads are missing. Probably an inside job. It could have been anyone. Everyone is questioned by the police and everyone is insulted that they are considered suspects. Ricky is mad because the robbery may have screwed up his latest sale, putting his ownership of the Cadillac in jeopardy. Also, last night's client comes looking for him -- he has second thoughts. The way Ricky tries desperately to blow off his client while still playing the salesman is creepy and brilliant. Lemmon is amazing as Levene -- I've never seen desperation played so well.

Having said all that, I, along with the rest of the GGR fans, have been waiting years for this film to arrive on DVD. Especially since it's been promised as a "two-disc special edition." What a disappointing package it turned out to be.

Well, let's be fair. First of all, the film. It looks great. It sounds great. They did a great job with the film itself. But don't promise a loaded special edition and then give us something as lame as this. The only commentary track on the widescreen version is director James Foley. He only speaks during three scenes. The other commentary tracks are only available on the full-frame version (on disc two) and are not scene-specific.

The extras include "Magic Time," a tribute to the late Jack Lemmon, which is well-meaning but could have been a lot better. It does, however, end with a clip from Lemmon's appearance on "Inside the Actor's Studio," which is sweet. There is also "Always be Closing," another slapdash mini-documentary that features directors, playwrights, actors (including GGR's Alan Arkin and Alec Baldwin) discussing the role of the salesman in plays and films, as well as actual salespeople themselves. Sound interesting? It's not. It lacks any kind of cohesive thread. It appears to have been produced by a first-year film student. There's no structure to it. It looks unfinished.

There's also a clip from Kevin Spacey's appearance on "Inside the Actor's Studio" where an audience member acts out a scene from GGR with Spacey. I'll admit, I enjoyed that bit.

Why in the world didn't Criterion release this? They would have done a much better job and besides, they released the laserdisc version (with commentary tracks from Jack Lemmon, among others, I'm told). What we end up with here is an amazing film with an amazing transfer...and a bunch of lame extras thrown in.

If you're a fan of this film, by all means, buy the DVD...but don't expect much in the area of extras.

Best Sales Movie Ever
Exaggeration & Repetition: Performance keys to live by

There are two keys to being a good performer, whether you are writing or telling a story, whether you are selling something or selling yourself: Always exaggerate things by one thousand percent, and use repetition at least 500 percent.

Those who understate a story or product that may not be very strong in the first place, will fall victims to making that story or product look weak. The way to avoid making yourself or whoever/whatever you are representing look weak is to follow the aforementioned keys. The way to do that when the product or story is weak is to learn how to "B.S." That is where being a good performer comes in...

You are an actor, and being outgoing and to the extreme will always give the impression that whatever you are talking about is "the best." A good actor can do this perfectly and not come off as overly co.cky or obnoxious. Always say what the other person wants to hear. The customer is always right. Do whatever you can to "nail the gig."

There is something else to keep in mind when doing this particular form of "B.S.-ing," and that is the "K.I.S.S." method of "keep-it-simple-stupid." That may sound like a contradiction to the keys, but it is not. Keeping it simple, is not disclosing the real specifics, but still making your case sound like it's above and beyond every other possible option. This comes in handy particularly when someone asks you a question that you may not know the full answer to. That is where "filling" comes in---something that students do when writing an English essay on a test. If you have a general idea of what you want to say but don't have a specific reply to a portion of the question, you "fill" that essay with long winded run-on sentences. However, the whole thing must be coherent, and if your essay is well-written and has a good amount of clever puns and humor, you cannot lose. If you are a slick actor or writer, you can fool even the best of English teachers into at least giving you an "E" for effort.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you will never lose if you can "meet in the middle." What that means is this: Suppose a shirt looks like it is worth $15 to a customer but you build it up so much and make it sound like it's worth $50... By the end of the conversation, if you are doing your job, you are going to get them to meet you in the middle and the final conclusion will be that the price of the shirt is around $25. The real worth may be no more than $15 (and maybe even less), and certainly nowhere near $50, but you still get the "E" for effort and earn $25. You aren't really getting into details on why the shirt is worth so much more than the customer thinks, but you are pounding it into their head that it's worth $50. You are exaggerating and repeating. You are using adjectives that may or may not apply to that shirt but you are making it sound great and far above what it's worth. So finally, they will concede a price of $25. You were stretching the truth about the shirt being worth $50 and they may have been undervaluing it at $15. Essentially, you are both lying and both playing a game with one another, but finally, a minimum of $25 is agreed upon. No one may ever find out the true value, but it's irrelevant anyway. This works in any situation.

Exaggeration and repetition. But remember to K.I.S.S.

These keys could have been discussed in one paragraph, but it took an entire page, yet you as the reader were compelled to hang onto each word from start to finish. So I succeeded as a writer in that this essay was read from start to finish and my point was proven.

The "Whale"

A whale is a customer that you pull in, hook, line and sinker and mount on the wall. He is a golden nugget, a superstar, a monster. This type of customer that you get lucky enough to snag will be your customer for life. That means, you will either be set up for life from one deal you strike up or you will have him as a repeat customer that you can call back as a strong possible prospect forever.

Sometimes it is tough to spot a whale, he may not always be overly outgoing or obvious about being a "buyer." So anyone can be a whale. The way to learn if someone is a whale or not is to simply get into their home and learn about their life and about them. So anything you can do to get your foot in the door will work.

Start off small and discuss something that may appeal to their interest and work your way into their world. Don't pre-judge them until you learn about them. This will take time and patience, but all you need is a small "in" and then you can build on that and if you win the whale's trust, all it takes is one big deal to set you up for life.

So practice the "A.B.C." method of "always be closing" with everyone, because anyone can be a prospect. While the impression may be given that you genuinely care about them, the main objective is getting them to sign on the dotted line.

Of course the obvious "Gordon Gecko" type whales who go around showboating their spending habits and their skills are the true whales that if you are lucky enough to somehow snag, you are set.

A play trapped inside a movie.
'Glengarry Glen Ross' has good dialogue and good acting by the fine actors, but this is actually a play trapped inside a movie. They should not have made it into a movie.

Put that coffee down!
If you're looking for car crashes, gun fights and naked people you won't find them here. But if great dialogue and raw emotion hold your interest, it doesn't get any better than this. Every one of these guys should have won an award for their roles in this movie. Not sure if this particular DVD contains the interview with Jack Lemmon that was included after one of the cable TV broadcasts of the film. If not, it should!

Always Be Closing!
Most people think of explosions, car chases and action/adventure films as guy movies. Well, maybe, but those are for boys. There's no car chase in this movie, no deaths and no guns. But it manages to hold your attention while telling its story of real estate salesmen. This is the quintessential guy movie. This screen adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer-winning play is incredibly stagebound, which was a stroke of genius: thus, the fast-paced dialogue and the desperate, macho facades of the characters become, and stay, the focus. This allows the amazing talents of the cast to flourish. Pacino and Lemmon are untouchable. Ed Harris is outstanding. Having just the four main characters makes the whole thing seem oddly forced at times. Baldwin's slick delivery of his ball-busting speech to the three underachieving salesmen, is a scene to remember. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE?
This image of the Red Room, this world of Twin peaks is horrifying!! I must admit I cried for hours after the ending of this show. I was extremely depressed, I still get depressed about and the first time I watched it was in January 2000. I really love this tape. I love TWIN PEAKS. It needs more to it. I want Lynch to direct another TWIN PEAKS movie!! I want MORE!!! PEAKS IN MY MIND HASN'T DIED. FRANKLY, I see Peaks still around, in a spooky world!!!!

Not finished...
These final episodes are perfectly showcase all that made Twin Peaks an excellent show. They have every bit of the symbolism, surrealism, and humor that gave it it's fan base.

Unfortunatly it's very obvious that the last episode was intended to be a cliff-hanger and that they expected to make more. Be warned that while it is very interesting, many questions are left un-ansered(and never will be), many new questions are asked, and the audience never knows what the fate of several of the characters is.

Of course, if you are reading this I assume you have seen the other episodes already and you're probably going to see these regardless of what I say. Enjoy...

A Strong Finish to the Series
These are the final five episodes of the "Twin Peaks" series; they are somewhat of a redemption after some weak episodes immediately preceeding these. The plots are much stronger, especially those focusing on Agent Cooper. His attraction to Annie Blackburn is nicely played (with a strong romantic piece by Angelo Badalamenti). The Windom Earle plot becomes intriguing as it becomes bigger than Earle (who is overplayed by Kenneth Welsh) and delves into the supernatural (and, as mentioned in another review, becomes an inspiration for the X-Files).

The other plotlines are also strong. Especially intriguing is the Andrew Packard character, as he (along with Catherine and Pete) deals with the mysterious black box. Dan O'Herlihy has a great stage presence as Packard; I wish he could have been featured more in the series.

The build up to Episode 29 is nicely done -- Lynch's direction of the final episode has that first season feel to it (though a little darker). It would have been a great season-ending cliffhanger (I would have been interested to see if Major Briggs went to the rescue at the Black Lodge), but remains an odd end to the series.

For these espisodes, the only major complaint is that they deserve to be on DVD. For the future, I would love to see some sort of continuation of the story nearly ten years later. It would be fun to have a Lynch/Frost/Chris Carter collaboration on a movie combining "Twin Peaks" with the "X-Files." It probably won't happen, but this series deserves more.

AH, THE SUBTLE WONDERS OF THE RED ROOM....
WOULDN'T IT BE WEIRD IF THIS WAS REALLY THE WAY IT ALL ENDED? WITH NO SENSE OF CLOSURE, OR POSSIBILITY OF REDEMPTION. JUST CONFUSING, TWISTED, DISHEARTENING, AND ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! COMMENTS WELCOME AT nick82e@hotmail.com

Great, if you like the X-files, watch these last episodes
When they first aired Twin Peaks I; like many other people, didn't really understand and was very confused by the last section of episodes, but since then we've been treated to shows like the X-files and Dark Skies, and it's now alot easier to understand references to "Project Bluebook" and other UFO and paranormal-related stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Best series on television ever!
This is definitely the series that started it all...American Gothic, X Files. They have nothing on David Lynch. These last few episodes are amazing, but you must see them all. Talk about bizarre. They had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next episode. I watched them all in a week!

Love Twin Peaks, but video quality is ATROCIOUS
I'm a big twin peaks fan, but the quality of these videos is absolutely horrible....episode 24 was totally unwatchable, it was mostly static, and the other tapes are also of similar quality. Unfortunately it seems that these poor quality videos are the only release of TP currently available, which is really too bad.

A Big Dip in Quality
I hadn't seen "Twin Peaks" since the episodes first aired. While I enjoyed the earlier second season episodes much more the second time around, these particular episodes (especially 21-23) are still as bad as the first time I saw them.

One subplot, with James Hurley helping a hot blond woman fix her car, plays like a overwrought fifth season "Twilight Zone." Another embarrasing plot deals with Ben Horne and the Civil War. And Kenneth Welsh goes over the top playing Cooper's former partner, Windom Earle.

There are good parts even in these five episodes, including a wonderful performance by David Duchovny in episode 20 and continued strong acting from Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean and many others.

Episode 24 is vastly improved over the previous three and the plots become stronger as the season (and series) wound down, but I suspect the poor quality turned many viewers off. The writers didn't seem to be ready to fill the gap once Laura Palmer's murder was solved, and that probably doomed the series.

DOWN....DOWN.....DOWN....
ENTER THE DEEP DARK WORLD OF DAVID LYNCH! DO NOT WATCH THE EPISODES BY THEMSELVES OR OUT OF SEQUENCE AS THIS CAN LEAD TO SEVERE CONFUSION AND HAND-WRINGING. WATCH THE PILOT FIRST (PREFERABLY THE NON-EUROPEAN ONE WITHOUT EXTRA CONFUSING SCENES), THEN EPS. 1-29, THEN THE FILM TWIN PEAKS:FIRE WALK WITH ME. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. COMMENTS WELCOME AT nick82e@hotmail.com

pure curiosity kept this series alive
Twin Peaks was already losing steam long before the 20thepisode [but]I couldn't help but watch to see where Lynch would go with it. Lynch's murder mystery started off with a terrific bang that created so much interest you couldn't help but continue watching. The last episodes tend to be a bit over the top, but it is worth watching atleast once. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The videos are not what they seem
Remember those homemade tapes you had of the series when it aired originally? Unless your cable went on the fritz or you forgot to hit the record button after the commercial break, the copies were good enough to satisfy your cravings for cherry pie, a cup of joe and the whole wacky Twin Peaks gang. Hopefully you never lost them but if you did...Hurray! Because someone found your copies and dubbed them and over dubbed them and packaged them into this really poor quality set from some company called "Worldvision" A company who likes to re-sell garbage from your curb back to you. If you're desperate like me, don't have a DVD player, and are wary of e-bay, this unfortunately is your only alternative.

Warning - Garbage Alert - Peakers Beware
Geez, $$$ for 5 episodes sounds like a bargain huh? Don't fall for it. I love Twin Peaks, but I was shocked to see how [bad] the quality is. I was dumb enough to buy the entire series in this 6 hour format, so it took a little while before I got to watch enough to see how horrible the quality is. I am surprised to see that they are still selling this. I am hopeful that the series will be available on DVD in the future and if it is I hope they do a decent job of digital remastering.

THE FASCINATING WORLD OF DAVID LYNCH....
THE SERIES LOSES A LITTLE BIT AS IT TRIES TO FIND A NEW DIRECTION POST-LAURA PALMER. BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF GREAT MOMENTS AND DAVID DUCHOVNY (EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT AN X-FILES FAN) STEALS PRETTY MUCH EVERY SCENE HE IS IN. ALSO, THE SERIES TAKES ON AN INTERESTING QUALITY RIGHT ABOUT HERE -- MORE HUMOR AND LIGHT-HEARTED MOMENTS. BUT I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE FLIRTATION WITH SPACEMEN. COMMENTS WELCOME AT nick82e@hotmail.com

More owls
Ep. 15-19 are as good as it gets - just like the episodes befour and after.

Buy this item, and enter the universe of David Lynch.

Welcome to Twin Peaks - welcome to the 90's! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Adapted from John Grisham's novel, this does not live up to its potential; although it does come close. A fresh-faced Chris O'Donnell is the naive but insistent young attorney determined to appeal the case of Gene Hackman. The latter plays a unapologetic death-row inmate accused of killing two Jewish boys 30 years earlier. O'Donnell, we quickly learn, is the grandson of the murderous old cuss and has his own agenda for trying to save him. Meant more as a character study than a courtroom thriller, this never quite gels, as it leaves a few too many questions unanswered. However, it is well worth seeing for the performances, especially Hackman as the grizzled and nasty elderly convict. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Echo Chamber
The Chamber represents one of only two John Grisham novels that I've read over the years. For the most part, I have enjoyed the film adaptations of his books, regardless of whether or not I looked at the source material or not. While the film boasts another great performance from Gene Hackman, it's still lacking, especially when I compare it to the book.

Adam Hall (Chris O'Donnell)is an idealistic young lawyer, who travels to Mississippi to plea for the life of an inmate, scheduled to die in the gas chamber in four weeks. The condemned man is an unyielding bigot, who happens to be the attorney's estranged grandfather, Sam Cayhall (Hackman). It is learned through a series of flashbacks, that the Cayhall family history is complicated, through Adam's visits with Lee (Faye Dunaway).

Director James Foley tries his best...unfortunately nothing can help the film. It's clear almost from frame one that O'Donnell is miscast. His performance reminds me of a male teenager going through puberty. He just didn't have the necessary range to go toe to toe with Hackman. For his part, he does a fine job, but could have used support. Dunaway could have phoned it in--with better results. The film ruins any of the book's suspense. There's none of the guess work about what's gonna happen--I can only only say the book version is better...but not as good as the novel A Time To Kill.

I think the folks at Universal knew what they had here. The DVD only has a few production notes and the theatrical trailer in the way of any extras. Given the film...that's a good thing. Save for Hackman you may want to just stick with the book.

not the best
This movie is about a young lawer trying to get his gramd father out of prison. The grandfather is on death row. In the end ol' grandfather gets gassed. Groos this movie was mot to great but the acting and bachgrounds were great. The plot was the worst ever.

Don't bother
About halfway through the book,"The Chamber", I discovered that the movie would be airing on television. It's pretty difficult to review a film that can barely hold your attention, steadily, for no more than half an hour. It lacks the gripping drama and suspense of the book and of other Grisham novel adaptations like "The Firm" and most especially "A Time to Kill".

With the exception of Gene Hackman as death row inmate Sam Cayhall, the casting is what most hurts this movie. Chris O'Donnell may have been the big "it" guy as far as young actors at the time this movie was made, but he just can't hack it in the role of a lawyer. Especially one who is defending his grandfather on death row. You'd expect a lot more emotion and charisma. O'Donnell's portrayal lacks this natural emotion and frankly, the confidence needed in general to be a convincing attorney. Lela Rochon is rarely good as anything but eye candy and since that is not her role here, she doesn't fit. In the most odd and questionable casting move, football player Bo Jackson as the death row warden? They shouldn't have adapted this great novel into a film, at least not at a time when the field of young actors was so scarce and undesirable.

The storyline is great but in the film it is so cut down that you're best off to just stick with the book version.

LONG BORING NOVEL = SHORT MOVIE THAT BOMBED
Chris O'Donnell, Gene Hackman, Faye Dunaway star in this terrible boring movie based on John Grisham's novel.

O'Donnell stars as idealistic young attorney Adam Hall who takes on the death row clemency case of his onetime klansman grandfather, Sam Cayhall (Hackman). With just 28 days before the execution, Adam sets out to retrace the events leading to the crime for which Sam was convicted. As the impending death sentence looms closer, Adam works quickly to uncover the family's history for any - hidden clues.

There is a serious problem with the book and movie, the book is long and so boring and it's sad to say a bestseller. The movie is short and a obvious bomb. Usually John Grisham books are great, thrilling suspensful fun. While John Grisham's movies are long and good, there at least 150 minutes this one was 1 hour and 53 minutes. What happend here? I'll tell you a lousy novel equals a lousy movie.

Very good plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, if nothing else, to the movie. Al Pacino is great, and when Adam Cayhall shoots down all the monsters from mars, let me tell ya, you could watch it over and over again. I don't want to give away any secrets, but the highspeed eighteen wheeler chases across a busy highway in on coming traffic.... that takes you buy the throat and swings ya around, squeezing harder and harder and never letting go until it snaps, and your head falls down onto your chest, (because theres nothing holding it of course!) and snaps your collarbone with it... it splinters into many peices within your body. Anyway... I just would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, and In my opinion, this was the best war movie yet. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Will Grow In Stature Over Time
It was easy not to notice this in theaters a decade ago, but time has been exceedingly kind to AFTER DARK & likely will continue to be. Already it stands as one of the 90s best films.
Though its Southwestern locations (Indio, California was used) are both a bit too sparse and modern, in every other way this captures the ineffable aura of Jim Thompson's prose (and anyone who's actually READ "The Getaway" knows how utterly impossible a task translating his best effects to film really is). Director Foley has done a splendid job in setting a tone of dreamlike, sunburned melancholy and maintaining it throughout, aided immeasurably by fine performances by Rachel Ward & Bruce Dern and an absolutely riveting one by Jason Patric. I had faint hopes for this film before seeing it, due mostly to Patric in the lead; I was floored watching it, and all DUE to Patric's performance. Though a little young for the part, he captures perfectly the likable ambivalence and roiling inner pathology of the Jim Thompson Hero: you never stop feeling for the guy even as you know he will inevitably be compelled by his inner torments to do monstrous things before the story ends. Patric's complete immersion into "Kid Collins" steals a little thunder from one of Bruce Dern's most chillingly indelible portrayals of slime personified, "Uncle Bud". (Fans of Dennis Hopper's "Frank Booth" from BLUE VELVET would take to Uncle Bud immediately, I think.)
More than any other film adaptation of Thompson, AFTER DARK -even more than THE GRIFTERS - embodies that peculiar cowtown existentialism of his that tells us we're each of us alone in a world where things start bad and only get worse, pretending we're sane the way kids pretend there's a Santa Claus. A film without an audience in 1990, but little by little, year by year, a growing and appreciative audience is building. See this movie.

Great Movie, Nice DVD
Great neo-noir set in rural California. I saw this movie in the theater with about 5 other people. Most of you missed it then, don't miss it now. After Dark, My Sweet is great on all counts. The acting, plot, script -- all are superb.

Jason Patric terrific in modern film noir
it seems like you don't see too much of Jason Patric in movies, which is a shame because he is one fine actor. [Another little- seem indie film he's wonderful in is 'Incognoto']. He takes 'After Dark, my Sweet' from just another movie about down and dirty people doing down and dirty things to something more meaningful and artistically satisfying.

This is a dark, dark tale about a once promising boxer [Patric] who has become an aimless drifter. He's one of those lost souls that no one on earth cares about. In the California desert,he drifts into the life of a sad, boozy widow [Rachel Ward]. He begins to feel that someone might actually need him, but it turns out that she and a friend named Uncle Bud [Bruce Dern] are up to no good. It starts to look like the boxer is just someone they can use in a criminal plan they have cooked up. Maybe. Maybe not. No one here is what they appear to be.

I thought the film was very well constructed, with all the elements gradually building up to the ominous [and inevitable] conclusion. Others, however, will find it to be too slow. This is an old-school thriller with more e