Amazon.com

Hearts of Darkness is an engrossing, unwavering look back at Francis Coppola's chaotic, catastrophe-plagued Vietnam production, Apocalypse Now. Filled with juicy gossip and a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at the stressful world of moviemaking, the documentary mixes on-location home movies shot in the Philippines by Eleanor Coppola, the director's wife, with revealing interviews with the cast and crew, shot 10 years later. Similar to Burden of Dreams, Les Blank's absorbing portrait of Werner Herzog's struggle to make Fitzcarraldo, the film chronicles Coppola's eventual decent into obsessive psychosis as everything that could go wrong does go wrong. Storms destroy sets, money evaporates, the Philippine government continually harasses the director, Coppola has romantic affairs, and he can't write the story's ending. Everything is captured on film. In the most disturbing scene, we watch Martin Sheen have a drunken nervous breakdown while his director goads him on (he eventually suffered a heart-attack, but finished the film).

Other incredible footage is not visual, but aural as the film includes tapes Eleanor Coppola recorded without Francis's knowledge. In them, he truly sounds like a madman as he confesses his fears about making a bomb of a movie. But while Hearts of Darkness is an amazing, voyeuristic experience, its importance lies in the personal reflections offered by those involved. Sheen, Coppola, and Dennis Hopper speak frankly without embarrassment, offering us an essential piece of film history. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Wonderful Documentary Is Even Better than the Actual Movie
Shot by Francis Ford Coppolla's wife, Hearts of Darkness is an incredible, one hour fifty minute documentary that reveals the horrors of making the very popular Apocalypse Now. The film took forever to make, driving many of its participants to the brink of insanity, not just Coppolla, who was emotionally-unstable for much of the film. Viewers of this fascinating documentary will be amazed to learn that Harvey Keitel was originally cast as Willard, but was dropped after only two weeks of shooting. Though only 36 years-old, Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack during filming, an event that further postponed its debuts in theaters. There is some really great footage included here, especially the shooting of the opening sequence of the film which involves a very drunk Sheen lashing out as both his character and himself (at that point, Sheen was experiencing a lot of hostility towards Coppolla and had it out with him right then and there, an episode that would appear in the finished movie). Even if you didn't particularly care for Apocalypse Now, you will most likely find Hearts of Darkness interesting, nonetheless. It is a magnificent look at the troubles and triumphs of a film crew headed by a somewhat mad, but brilliant director. This shouldn't be missed.

A stirring portrait of the making of a masterpiece
Subtitled, "A Filmmaker's Apocalypse", this 1991 film is a documentary about the making of "Apocalypse Now", the 1979 film based on Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness". Set in Vietnam, it is the story of a captain, Martin Sheen, and his crew's mission to find and kill an insane colonel, Marlon Brando, who had created his own kingdom deep in the Jungle. On the way, everyone is touched with the evil around them. This summer I saw the re-edited version of the film and have been intrigued by it ever since. When I heard about this "Hearts of Darkness" I just HAD to see it.

The filming of Apocalypse Now was supposed to take just sixteen weeks at a budget of $13 million. It wound up costing more than $30 million, much of it put up by Francis Coppola himself, and took almost three years to get to the public. Coppola' wife Eleanor and their three children went along on location in the Philippines. She was interested in making a documentary and shot a lot of behind-the-scenes footage, even secretly recording private conversations she had with her husband about the film. The authenticity of the experience really comes through, as everyone involved with the production seemed to go a little bit insane.

Coppola had serious doubts throughout and we hear his words of despair as he thinks he's making a bad movie. We see the terrible typhoon that destroyed all the sets and realized that the helicopters that were being used for the shooting were actually property of the Philippine government who kept calling them away to fight a real disturbance that was going on just ten miles away. We see shots and scenes that never made it into the original film (although much of it eventually made it into the 2001 "Redux" version). We see and overweight Marlon Brando who insisted on being filmed in shadows. And we are right there to watch the filming of the scene in which Martin Sheehan has a mental breakdown. In order to do this he became bleary-eyed drunk, cut his thumb on a mirror and used the blood as part of the scene. The intensity is chilling and when, a short time afterward, he has a life-threatening heart attack at the age of 36, we're all there to see him as he is given first aid.

Now, years later, some of the actors are interviewed about their experiences. We learn that they did a lot of drugs during many of the scenes - acid, speed, marijuana, alcohol, which certainly added to the authenticity as well as the craziness of the whole production. Robert Duval talks about how his famous line "I love the smell of napalm in the morning was improvised. And the whole cast talks about how they improvised a massacre scene. Laurence Fishburne was only 14 when the film was made, a real coming-of-age experience for him. But this very stirring film portrait belongs to Francis Coppola. We get to meet him as a very imperfect human being doing his best to create an art form out of the script, changing it constantly as he went along, and eventually turning out a small masterpiece which went on to be nominated for eight academy awards.

I give this video my highest recommendation. It is a "must" for movie buffs. And an essential education for anyone involved in filmmaking itself. Don't miss it!

A Great documentary&RIP Marlon Brando
this Documentary truly hits behind the scenes&captures the strong acting&Overall Chemistry of the Film.Much Props to Marlon Brando who shows why He is One of the Mount Rushmore's of Actor's.you get a great Climpse at the workings&the overall concepts&Direction of this Film.truly a Must have.

"Hearts of Darkness" IS "Apocalypse Now"
The only known versions of this "essential" documentary are V-taped from the "Pay-Per-View" broadcast. ALL officially packaged VHS versions have long since disappeared from the video store shelves once it was discovered that this title was pulled "out" of release. Now my 1st reaction was that they were preparing to "bundle" "Hearts of Darkness" with a Special Edition release of "Apocalypse Now:Redux" and was thoroughly dumbfounded to find out otherwise.

That said I will take this oppurtunity to advocate that the ONLY other RIGHT way to release this "essential" documentary left would be as part of a 25th Anniversary ( "Apoc..Now" was 1979 release ) Special Edition Collector's Boxed Set of "Apocalypse Now".I say this because ALL afficianadoes of masterworks of filmcraft will agree that you just CAN NOT apprreciate "Apocalyspe Now" ( or Redux version for that matter ) WITHOUT the inclusion of "Hearts of Darkness" .

In essense, "Apocalypse Now" and "Hearts of Darkness" are ONE FILM and are to be experienced as such. I would also stress that suched a special Edition Boxed Set would be found slakcing "with extreme predjudice" if it didn't also include a "commentary" version from none other than AND inclusion of the ORIGINAL ending.
That amazingly surreal soundtrack intensifying the mysterious destruction of Kurtz's temple compound makes the full ending credits far more dramtically displayed by being displayed "in context" with the obliteration of the world of "Apocalypse Now"; an ending also portraying a rather telling , if subconcious, expression of Copolla's psyche at the time of "that" final cut.
The eerie set of events and the surreal convergences of professional lives on the line surrounding the making of "Apocalypse Now" is one of the great , even historic , filmmaking stories of the 20th century and I effortlessly rank it right up there with the story of the making of "Citizen Kane". Orson Wells' wunderkind stature in pulling off the "Citizen kane" masterwork humbles even Francis Ford Copolla ( which I'm quite sure HE would readily admit ). Copolla was cetainly in awe of that Wellsian masterpiece, as well as of Wells himself, when making his artistic masterpiece, but the parallels of BOTH of their artistic daring and "risking it all" to get their vision on film are striking and awesome nonetheless.
( Perhaps one day we'll see someone equally surreal, like some future Terry Gillaim, attempt making an even more Wagnerian-proportioned dramatization about the making of "Apocalypse Now" the way they made "RKO 281: The Battle Over Citizen Kane" ).
Anyway, the absolute importance that "Hearts of Darkness" serves toward understanding just what planet "Apocalypse Now' came from is inarguably cast in stone as "essential"!
I just wanted to bring in some salient points not yet presented here in making the case for DVD release of "Hearts of Darkness".
My job is done here.

Life As Art As Life As Art As Life As Art...
It's truly a shame that this amazing documentary is now out of print. Hunt down a used copy or find it at your local video rental place. It's well worth the effort.

The amazing thing about the Coppola's efforts is the circular karma that seemed to go into overdrive: Francis tries to make a film based on "Heart of Darkness", a story about a man and a country that gets lost in his mental interior while probing the interior of an alien land. He uses the story to try and tell the story of a different man and a different country getting lost in their mental interiors while probing the interior of another alien land. In the process Coppola, trying to deal with his lead actor getting lost in his mental interior while probing the interior of an alien land, loses himself in his mental interior while probing...well, you get the picture. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Originally titled The Killing Box, George Hickenlooper's surreal Civil War movie recounts a gruesome (and fictitious) episode in American history in which a phantom army of Confederate and Union soldiers attacked and crucified armies on both sides.Adrian Pasdar plays Captain John Harling, a Union soldier assigned to investigate the Alabama 51st, a Confederate regiment his superiors believe survived a deadly battle and have made strange bedfellows with a group of Union soldiers.Harling enlists the help of former mentor and current POW Colonel Nehemiah Strayn (Corbin Bernsen), the only member of the 51st to have actually survived the attack, in helping him find and deal with his former soldiers.Assisted as well by an African clairvoyant (Cynda Williams) who escaped one of the massacres, Harling and his men search for the ghost brigade, and when they find them, they learn their terrible secret. Lushly photographed and well acted, Hickenlooper's film sustains a spooky atmosphere even though it never provides any truly scary moments. But what makes the film engaging is the mystery behind the murdered soldiers, the underlying issue of racism, and scenes of injured soldiers suffering in a time before anesthetics.While Pasdar's somber narration has more than a passing resemblance to Apocalypse Now (ironically Martin Sheen makes a brief appearance), Brigade has its own merits and is worthwhile entertainment.Fun trivia game:try and spot soon-to-be-famous Billy Bob Thornton, David Arquette, and Matt LeBlanc. --Bryan Reesman ... Read more

Reviews (6)

GHOST BRIGADE GOOD SCAREY CIVIL WAR MOVIE
This is a good civil war horror film soldier's that are taken and then changed to the evil side and then they can't die and later on in the film a confederate vetern helps a union colonel and a union regiment to help stop the evil vampier ghostly soldiers and also Martin Sheen and Billy Bob Thorton are good actors in this movie and good music to.

WHERE IS MATT LEBLANC?
I bought the movie for the brilliant Matt LeBlanc and I saw the movie 2 times but,where is Matt?Someone can say to me in what part of the movie appears.
Thanks and I am sorry for my bad english

A little bit of everything..
I was surprised at how much I liked this movie. A mix of ghostlike zombie vampire (that's the best I can do as far as description) soldiers tossed in with a battle. I liked the cast very much. Martin Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Adrian Pasdar, Cynda Williams, Billy Bob Thorton, and to my delight Dean Cameron, with a somewhat silent but violent role. The acting is amazing, set, costumes, dialogue, everything was fantastic.The thing I liked most about this film is the attention to detail. Each time you watch it you'll notice something you didn't notice before.

Gettysburg Meets Apocalypse Now Meets Dawn of the Dead
Take the movie "Gettysburg". Add in a Martin Sheen narration a la "Apocalypse Now". Sprinkle in a few zombies from "Dawn of the Dead" and you get "Ghost Brigade". This movie is so dang cheesy it's great. It's certainly become a cult favorite among Civil War reenactors--right up there with both "Glory" and "Gettysburg". Interestingly, Martin Sheen reprises his "General Lee" accent in a brief cameo as a Union General. It almost makes you wonder if this movie was part of his contract when he did "Gettysburg". If you like the lighter side of the Civil War, this movie is a keeper.

A Touch Of Bram Stoker and Joseph Conrad
A surreal journey into the heart of darkness of the American Civil war. Blood and vampires haunt the proverbial Kurtz compound at the end of the road in this story directed by the guy who brought us that amazing documentary on the making of "Apocalypse Now." Its influence is definitely there. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Writer's Blockhead
Well, let's see. When his first novel (entitled "Hitler's Child") fails to generate sales and his publisher refuses to print his second book, what is a starving writer to do?

Work for a male escort service, of course!

As goofy as this premise is, THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS actually delivers a compelling story that is both fun and painful to watch. Unable to get his old job back and desperately strapped for cash, hard luck novelist Byron Tiller (Andy Garcia) is lured by the seductive enticement of "easy money" as an escort for Elysian Fields, a playground for rich, neglected housewives. Problem is, there's nothing "easy" about Byron's new career, and this character learns lesson after lesson--about himself, about the importance of his marriage--via a very unforgiving school of hard knocks.

The tragic irony of this film manifests itself over and over. By trying to provide for and protect his family, Byron's poor decision to join Elysian only serves to destroy it. And naturally--irony of ironies--Byron's best client is the exotic, beautiful Andrea Alcott (Olivia Williams), who just happens to be married to Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Tobias Alcott (played wonderfully by James Coburn). The ailing Tobias seeks Byron's aid to rewrite his last novel; the young writer eagerly agrees; the stage is set for dismal, heartbreaking disappointment (should have insisted on a written contract, dude).

Garcia is so soft-spoken and restrained in this role, even after getting knocked down again and again, that I--unlike some of the reviewers here--actually was relieved when he finally unleashed some anger and frustration by trashing the wardrobe room at Elysian Fields. I'll bet the character felt better; I know I did.

Mick Jagger as the articulate, whiskey-sipping proprietor of Elysian Fields was an unexpected and delightful surprise. The ending was a bit uneven and sappy, but entirely predictable. For all you struggling writers out there, I would recommend you forego becoming an escort and pick something safer. Sword swallowing comes to mind.
--D. Mikels

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
In the film, "The Man from Elysian Fields," Andy Garcia plays the morose married writer, Byron Tiller. Tiller's one book "Hitler's Child, " isn't exactly a best-seller, and now he's almost finished book number two. Tiller's publisher won't even publish this second book. Tiller's wife, Dena (Julianna Margulies) is so unshakeable in her belief that both the book and her husband will be whoopingly successful, that Byron can't break the news that there will be no second book--no advance--no great writing career.

Desperation leads Byron to Elysian Fields--an elite male escort agency that just happens to be conveniently located next to his drab little office. The owner of the agency, the fascinating Luther Fox (Mick Jagger) offers to provide Byron with work, and so Byron accepts. His first assignment, as luck and Hollywood would have it, is to accompany porcelain beauty, Andrea Alcott, for a night on the town. Now Andrea is married to Byron's idol--popular author Tobias Alcott. Byron finds the situation intriguing and delectable enough to leave moral scruples behind as he fills in for Tobias in the bedroom too, but things are not quite as they seem, and Byron has a nasty illogical lesson waiting for him.

The film possessed many allegorical elements--Elysian Fields is, of course, in mythology, the place where souls go after death. Luther Fox is certainly a believable satiny evil Satan--by offering Byron an evening with the wife of a literary giant, he tempts him into selling his soul. Supernatural elements are weaved into the story and the set designs, but the film doesn't seem to know quite what to do with the layers of meaning created in the plot. So instead, the film disintergrates nonsensically into codswallop--sarcastic, world-weary, elegant Luther Fox turns into a pathetic love-lorn reject, and Byron's hell is laced with the promise of Hollywood happy endings. A sad disappointment indeed--why bother to lace the story with allegory and then suddenly switch gears half way through? Splendid performance from Mick Jagger--he redeemed this film for me--displacedhuman--Amazon Reviewer.

Very Poorly Written
It is ironic that this movie should pertain to the subject of writing, as it is very poorly written.
A MICROCOSM of this can be seen at the end, where the author reads his supposedly "breakthrough" novel: anybody over an amateur level readily recognizes what he is reading as extremely poor, extremely amateurish writing. It is also interesting that John Grisham is referred to once in the movie as a paragon of good writing--as though "fast food" writing ever qualified as very good intellectual reading meat.
The stupidity of the protagonist in not procuring a contract for his services strains credulity.
The likelihood that a well-known author would acquiesce to co-author his last book strains credulity.
The very stilted dialogue of this movie strains credulity.
Mick Jagger did a great job acting, but it's not enough to save this stinker.
The guy who wrote this movie neither understands good writing nor was capable of it.

The Man From Elysian Fields
My husband and I enjoyed this movie very much. Even though the story line was a bit of a downer at times, it was still very entertaining and kept our interest throughout the entire movie. Andy Garcia and Mick Jagger did an excellent job in conveying the desperation they each felt during critical moments in their lives. James Corburn and the actress who played his wife were good in their roles, as well.

a 10 star movie-must see!!!
Husband and I loved everything about this movie. Don't need to elaborate-read the previous reviews. Please rent, won't be disappointed ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Mr. Astin at his BEST!
I knew that Andrew wouldn't make it. I knew it from his first on screen smile. It was ten minutes into the movie, and everything was in shadow, gritty and sandy and sad, until Andrew smiled. That lit a little candle that guttered and sputtered in the corner of the screen, even when he wasn't gracing it. Gracing - grace- yes, that's the perfect word, for in the dim world of this film, Sean Astin's Andrew is grace. Not the physical grace that sways and flows like water in the eye. It is the grace of redemption, the one tiny light in a world that knows only shadows.

Why hasn't someone given this man an Oscar? What could they all be thinking?

under rated..and not in the PG to R to NC 17 way...
wow. i'm really dissappointed that this movie isn't available on DVD or VHS. I was hoping to snag it on DVD...it's a real letdown in that this movie slipped through the cracks in its not being credited as a great indie film, which it is... this film is a classic example of small fish trying to get by in a big nasty pond...the characters interaction with one another is poignant and very "real". who hasn't known a person in their life whose "niceness" is a bit too much? but you regret the way you've blown them off...

when (i hope) it becomes available on DVD or VHS, i recommend any indie film buff to snatch it up...this movie was swingers before swingers minus the glitz and a hefty dash of artist driven frustration wrapped up in sublime emotion.

LOW LIFE CAPTURES THE ANGST OF TWENTY-SOMETHINGS
Like a young man's version of DAY OF THE LOCUST, Hickenlooper's THE LOW LIFE beautifully captures the loneliness of jaded youths trying to make their way in the Darwinian world of Los Angeles. A beautiful award winning performance by Sean Astin makes this film emotionally powerful on the MIDNIGHT COWBOY level... A true classic movie! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Early Naomi Watts Film, Well Worth Watching
This is an obscure low budget film noir. Frankly I'm surprised it's so little known because (a) it has some fairly big-name actors, Joe Mantegna, Kelly Lynch, J.T. Walsh, all doing good work, but mostly (b) because it also stars a 27-year old Naomi Watts, well before her recent stardom. And Naomi OWNS this movie.

Jim Holland (Mantegna) is an ex-cop who lost his badge because he was on the pad, his marriage because he's an alcoholic, and is about to lose his security systems installation business for lack of work. One day a beautiful woman, Amanda Chenowith (Lynch) cons her way into his home and steals the plans for a security system. Jim tracks Amanda to find she and her wheelchair bound sister Molly (Watts) casing a drug house for a robbery.

Jim tracks the robbery crew after the job and, seeing where they've hidden the money, steals it in turn. Later realizing he's pretty much condemned the two women to death when the bad guys catch up with them, he has a change of heart and tries to save them instead. Rather, he does it because of Molly, with whom he's begun to fall in love. Or maybe it's more physical attraction and a sense of spiritual kinship with this broken woman. Whatever, it's compelling, and under its spell Jim risks his life to offer aid and shelter to two women who have some very bad people after them.

It's really Naomi Watts' portrayal of Molly that makes the film. Molly is a decent woman (not so decent, of course, she couldn't mastermind the robbery) who's had a hard life. Raised by a drug addicted, mentally disturbed mother, Molly is dedicated to caring for a prostitute sister who's a chip off the ol' maternal block, drug dependency/mental equilibrium-wise. Then into a wheelchair just to make things really fun.

In this beautiful, crippled woman, Jim sees perhaps his salvation. Molly's honest with him. As much as she needs his help, she doesn't try to prey on his attraction. She tells him, "I can't give you what you're looking for. I mean it. Because I'm barely hanging on myself." The expression on Namoi Watts' face at that moment - and Molly's just about telling the truth, life has taken a LOT out of her - the anguish, emotional honesty, the tears trailing down her cheeks, her whispery, choked voice, all spell "star quality." Molly's smile when Jim performs her some simple little kindness, her thin shell of toughness, the fragile cynicism she's adopted as a defense against life, all have you rooting for Molly - and Jim, despite the huge odds against them surviving the movie, much less achieving real, lasting happiness together.

I do not put forth Persons Unknown as great entertainment. Its four star rating is for the performances of Watts, Mantegna, Walsh and Lynch - in that order, in my opinion. The script is, eh, okay if a bit lacking in logic. The direction is competent, mostly. But there are way too many moments that make no sense, that have you shaking your head in disbelief at the screenwriter and director's sloppiness. Example: a group of bad guys in a van, searching for the fugitives, pass Jim heading the other way and don't even notice it - despite the fact he's in his very distinctive security business panel truck, complete with ad verbiage and business logo plastered on the sides. Stuff like that will drive you nuts. So, okay, not a great movie. But for a portrait of two life-scarred walking wounded souls, each with a kernel of decency deep inside them, finding and caring for each under as best they can, it's hard to beat. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Should have subtitles for waterheaded folk....
I did some growing up in Missouri and I feel I don't ever have to go back to visit again. All I have to do is put this little slice of hokum in my DVD player (or try to force it into the VCR ) and golly, I'm back in a good ole show me state of mind. Where, according to this movie, most of the population has a hard time spelling "DVD". Did the filmmakers cut up the funny papers and use Lil' Abner for storyboards? Who backed this film? Skoal? The whole cast should have been ab-duckted and given an anal probing because this group is exactly the type aliens love to visit. Maybe these same little green fellers can reverse time and get me my two hours back.

Whats below 1 star?
I can't conceive of a movie worse than this, unless it didn't have Marcia Brady in it. She was hot. It was supposed to take place in Missouri but was obviously shot in a socal backlot. Why would someone think people would not recognize that? They should have a prompt that says "this movies takes place in Missouri, or Iowa, or London, or New York. Any similarities to southern Califonia should be ignored." The characters were just plain stupid. You can find those kind of fetal-alcohol adults anywhere. Pure drivel. MST3K material.

Whats below 1 star?
I can't conceive of a worse movie than this, and I truly have low expectations. I only watched it because Marcia Brady was in in and was she hot. That is the highlight. There is no town in Missouri that even comes close to the one depicted in this movie. This is MST3K material.

Don't Waste Your Time
Another reviewer stated this is "a midwesterner's view of the midwest...". That's crap.... As someone from Missouri and who's been to Cuba this movie is about as real (and insulting) if they had done Boyz in the Hood with middle aged white guys in blackface.

I don't know if this is "Hollywood's View of the midwest," or if the director and writer just happen to have head injuries.

George Hickenlooper is FROM MISSOURI....
The movie is not spectacular, but not bad either...
but THE DIRECTOR IS FROM MISSOURI. This is not "Hollywood's View of the midwest," rather a midwesterner's view of the midwest...

By the way, Hickenlooper has apologized numerous times for not filming this in Missouri. He, as many do many viewers, feels that it hurt the film to be shot in California. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Orson Welles wrote The Big Brass Ring in the early 1980s--his last attempt to create a commercial Hollywood film--but the dynamic, rich screenplay was never produced. Nearly two decades later, independent filmmaker and documentarian George Hickenlooper (Hearts of Darkness) purchased and rewrote Welles' script, updating the tale of an independent presidential candidate in the cynical post-Watergate years to a more modest gubernatorial race in the media-saturated 1990s. The generally reserved William Hurt is excellent as the firebrand candidate whose secret, repressed past is dredged up when estranged father figure and political rebel Nigel Hawthorne (in a wry, flamboyant performance) reappears on the eve of the election. While the world's attention is focused on a political contest between two independents, Hurt searches his soul to come to peace with the compromises and sacrifices of his youth.

Where Welles' script is suffused with the melancholy sense of loss of an old man looking back on past mistakes, the film is brightened with the hope and possibilities of a younger man looking ahead to unlimited possibility. Hurt gives his best performance in decades as a man whose confidence is cracked by guilt. Less convincing is French beauty Irène Jacob as an international reporter while Miranda Richardson, though excellent, gets lost as the story sidesteps her sad alcoholic character. We'll never know what Welles could have done with his story, but Hickenlooper delivers a handsome, compelling drama. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Mediocre or a flawed masterpiece?
This may be a flawed masterpiece or perhaps a mediocre movie with a lot to recommend it. I enjoyed it and would like to see it again, partly to make sure the plot worked and partly to catch some nuances that I missed. And also because, as my esteemed colleague, flickjunkie, notes below, the audio is atrocious and my ears are not as sharp as they once were. But life is short and the entire opus of film is long...but maybe I can edit with the fast forward!

Okay, let's look at the evidence. Script by Orson Welles: somewhat amazing since he died in 1985. His last work. That alone may make this worth watching. William Hurt plays a southern pol, Blake Pellarin, running for governor of Missouri. Miranda Richardson plays his rich, alcoholic wife, and she is very good. Nigel Hawthorne is Kim Mennaker, Blake's one time mentor, a shadowy, behind the scenes political figure, a cynical character who is writing a 27,000-page memoir, which no doubt includes much about his love for the Pellarin boys. Irene Jacob plays Cela Brandini, a TV reporter fascinated with Blake. The one-time protege of French-Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski is not shown to advantage here. I'm not sure why, but there is little subtlety in the way she plays the part. To really appreciate what she can do, see her in La Double vie de Veronique (1991) or Trois Couleurs: Rouge (1994), both directed by Kieslowski. She is beautiful and very winning.

William Hurt, contrary to some opinion, was excellent. His characteristic laid-back, almost languid style works strangely well for a southern pol. He is certainly different, but believable, although I don't think his style would have worked had his character been running for president, as in Welles's original script. (Incidentally, they really wanted Louisiana, not Missouri, for the locale.) Hurt's performance reminds me in some ways of his work in the outstanding but now somewhat neglected, Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), for which he won an academy award.

The Big Brass Ring never had a theatrical release, and it is not hard to see why. The print is too dark and the story too murky and hard to follow. It appears that the brothers changed identities when young and never bothered to change back. Apparently Blake's brother and not Blake was the subject of the homosexual photo, but I'm not sure. To make this movie work for a mass audience, the true status of the boys then, and during the time of the action, must be made clear.

Good plot poorly presented
This is a murky story of politics, scandal, sex and deception. Sounds like it should have been a great film, but it wasn't. The basic plot was sound as we might expect from Orson Welles. But the way it was presented was too disjointed and abstruse. Without reading the original script, it is hard to tell if the responsibility for this lies with Welles, Oja Kodar (who did the adaptation) or George Hickenlooper, the director. I suspect it is the latter two.

The biggest problem I had was character development. By the end of the film one should reasonably expect the pieces to fit together. Good character development should give us insight into the characters' motivation. I found this lacking. The flashbacks didn't really help us to understand the motivations of the characters as much as they should have. It seems that the brothers voluntarily switched identities, since Billy was wearing a name tag that said "Romero" on his uniform when he left to go to war. So, Blake really didn't steal his brother's identity as it appeared. This wasn't made very clear.

There were lots of loose ends here. What motivated the limo driver to do what he did? Was it a need to be close to power, or some personal vendetta? Who knows?

From a directorial and cinematography point of view, the film was far too dark, that is, underexposed. I'm certain they were trying for that look, but it made the photography look as if it were shot on 30 year old film of poor quality. Also, the audio was very bad. It was very difficult understanding a lot of the dialogue.

William Hurt was miscast in this role. For certain films, his puling, self tortured style of delivery are appropriate to the character (Big Chill, Broadcast News, Children of a Lesser God). However, in this film his character required a more dynamic and confident portrayal, which he was unable to deliver.

Nigel Hawthorne gave the best performance as Kim Mennaker, the Senator who brought the boys up. His ability to portray the old political warhorse, seduced by the trappings of power was excellent.

Irene Jacob gave a good performance as Cela, the reporter with an obsession for the candidate and the truth behind him.

Overall, the whole was less than the sum of the parts. The presentation was ponderous and uneven and the direction mediocre at best. Worth a 5/10. If you are looking for political campaign stories, there are better choices (Primary Colors, The Candidate, with Robert Redford).

remarkable !
It's an up-to-date topic, more then ever - political scandals, lies and deceit. but this plays the essential part: in the end Pellarin ( W. Hurt ) decided for his brother and the truth! There were good actors, first of all William Hurt, he plays every part expressive, believable and convincing. Who 's interested in high-quality movies should go and see this film.

Fantastic Film About Sex and Scandal!
In the Clintonian era of mixed morals, the Big Brass Ring offers a compelling, multi-layered and extraordinarily moving portrait of American politics at the end of the 20th century. And of course, it all originates from an original screenplay by Orson Welles. Director George Hickenlooper has made a unique film of his own, and at the same time, has addes several Wellesian touches to create one of the most unique and underrated films of 1999. William Hurt, Nigel Hawthorne and Miranda Richardson give some of the finest performances of their careers. Richardson, by the way, was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her role as the estranged wife of gubernatorial candidate Blake Pellarin. This is a must see for any true cinema buff... If you love films like The Big Sleep, you'll be blown away by The Big Brass Ring.

I'd watch it again!
I rented this movie the second it hit shelves, in fact I'd been pestering my local Blockbuster for a month about it before it even came out. Here is my 2 cents about the film. It's not normally a movie I'd be interested in (political stuff, 'y know?) but since Miranda Richardson has never let me down in her roles I'd been getting quite pepped up about it. (BTW... Mandy played Dinah Pellarin, Blake's wife)

The story starts out with an interesting flashback of two little boys playing in a convertible. Then it flashes to the present where Blake Pellarin is giving a speach so he'll be elected governer. Anyway it goes into a huge political scandel when some pornography pictures are found. The man in them looks just like Blake. Of course it's then used to bribe him etc...

There are some great scenes in it, I'll probally understand it better if I watch it again. I recommend it to almost anyone. I really enjoyed it, there was great casting! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade is the short film on which Billy Bob Thornton based Sling Blade (and the reason Thornton was awarded the best adapted--not best original--screenplay). The film is essentially the opening scenes of Sling Blade, in which Thornton's character, Karl Childers, is shown about to leave the mental hospital, intoning his account of his youthful crime to a naive reporter writing about his release. While the screenplay here is virtually the same as the corresponding part of the longer film, this film leaves a lingering chilling feeling. Unlike Sling Blade, which allows the audience to see Karl's innate goodness, this version ends at the end of the interview, when the reporter (here played by Molly Ringwald) is left stunned at the horrors she's just heard, and she (and the audience) have no real idea if Karl is someone who should be turned loose or not. Fans of Sling Blade owe it to themselves to see this version, too--focusing on its far darker sensibility adds to the appreciation of the work it would later become. (Historic footnote: unlike Sling Blade, Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade was directed by George Hickenlooper, codirector of the acclaimed documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, who was none too happy when the media attention over Sling Blade virtually ignored his contributions to the original film.) --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Should have been an added bonus to the movie DVD
Should have been an added bonus to the movie DVD, not a seperate DVD. Not really worth buying as it is almost the identical dialogue from the movie, except in black and white. This original short is interesting, maybe worth renting, but I think it should have been put on the movie's DVD as a bonus feature...

Some Folks Call it an Acting Reel
Director George Hickenlooper shows us his all, including a short film entitled Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade.

The film is a dark black & white depiction of Billy Bob Thorton's "Karl" whom Thorton developed while looking at his reflection with time on his hands, then later brought to life on stage with one-man shows.

In collaboration with Billy, Hickenlooper hoped to use this film as a springboard to making a feature film (which of course happened - Sling Blade). But that's where the off-stage drama begins.

Besides being a great short film and a "hoot," if you will, being the first incarnation of our beloved "Karl" (those whom have seen Sling Blade know what I mean, those whom haven't, order both films), This DVD contains an extensive director-ography of Hickenlooper, and the reason he ultimately declined to work on the feature film Sling Blade.

It shows a different side of Thorton - albeit hearsay, but interesting at any rate. I still love the man because he has a band.

But one thing struck me as quite ironic - while filming Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade, Hickenlooper didn't like the idea of doing Thorton doing his monologue as a close-up, and felt Thorton wanted it that way so he could use the film as an 'acting reel' to get more film parts.

But amidst the DVD segment where he says this - "The Evolution of Sling Blade," Hickenlooper showcases his own material, citing every film he's directed (involving Billy Bob or not), with very extensive clips.

Who's acting reel?

But ironic or not, this is a great short film that stands on its own. I just wish I saw it before I saw Sling Blade. Not so much the same impact, I reckon.

Short but Expensive
This independent short is essentially a b&w of the opening sequence of Sling Blade. The late JT Walsh is here, and Molly Ringwold will be recognized as the reporter interviewing Billy Bob Thorton's Karl in this version. Very good except for the price. Director George Hickenlooper takes potshots at Thorton in the Bonus Features. Recommended for people who really like Sling Blade, but again, they are selling it at full price.

a real thinker with a great twist at the end
i love this movie if you like any of billy bobs work this is one you have got to see. billy goes beyond acting in this role. youll be surprised by at how many celebs make an apperance in this film. all of them in roles you will not believe! its a strange and almost comical drama. i think you will enjoy this movie over and over again.

Exquisitely dark...
This original version is far superior to the full length release. Thornton is exceptional in both...but the real suprise in this release is the exceptional performance by Molly Ringwald...someone I had written off as just so much fluff. A dark room...and Karl Childers...will scare the hell out of you. You just know he is out there... ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Should have been an added bonus to the movie DVD
Should have been an added bonus to the movie DVD, not a seperate DVD. Not really worth buying as it is almost the identical dialogue from the movie, except in black and white. This original short is interesting, maybe worth renting, but I think it should have been put on the movie's DVD as a bonus feature...

Some Folks Call it an Acting Reel
Director George Hickenlooper shows us his all, including a short film entitled Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade.

The film is a dark black & white depiction of Billy Bob Thorton's "Karl" whom Thorton developed while looking at his reflection with time on his hands, then later brought to life on stage with one-man shows.

In collaboration with Billy, Hickenlooper hoped to use this film as a springboard to making a feature film (which of course happened - Sling Blade). But that's where the off-stage drama begins.

Besides being a great short film and a "hoot," if you will, being the first incarnation of our beloved "Karl" (those whom have seen Sling Blade know what I mean, those whom haven't, order both films), This DVD contains an extensive director-ography of Hickenlooper, and the reason he ultimately declined to work on the feature film Sling Blade.

It shows a different side of Thorton - albeit hearsay, but interesting at any rate. I still love the man because he has a band.

But one thing struck me as quite ironic - while filming Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade, Hickenlooper didn't like the idea of doing Thorton doing his monologue as a close-up, and felt Thorton wanted it that way so he could use the film as an 'acting reel' to get more film parts.

But amidst the DVD segment where he says this - "The Evolution of Sling Blade," Hickenlooper showcases his own material, citing every film he's directed (involving Billy Bob or not), with very extensive clips.

Who's acting reel?

But ironic or not, this is a great short film that stands on its own. I just wish I saw it before I saw Sling Blade. Not so much the same impact, I reckon.

Short but Expensive
This independent short is essentially a b&w of the opening sequence of Sling Blade. The late JT Walsh is here, and Molly Ringwold will be recognized as the reporter interviewing Billy Bob Thorton's Karl in this version. Very good except for the price. Director George Hickenlooper takes potshots at Thorton in the Bonus Features. Recommended for people who really like Sling Blade, but again, they are selling it at full price.

a real thinker with a great twist at the end
i love this movie if you like any of billy bobs work this is one you have got to see. billy goes beyond acting in this role. youll be surprised by at how many celebs make an apperance in this film. all of them in roles you will not believe! its a strange and almost comical drama. i think you will enjoy this movie over and over again.

Exquisitely dark...
This original version is far superior to the full length release. Thornton is exceptional in both...but the real suprise in this release is the exceptional performance by Molly Ringwald...someone I had written off as just so much fluff. A dark room...and Karl Childers...will scare the hell out of you. You just know he is out there... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hickenlooper delivers another nice movie documentary
Picture this is a generally interesting documentary about the making of THE LAST PICTURE SHOW. The movie footage from the PICTURE SHOW and asks the townspeople about the experience of having a movie made in their small town, which is also the hometown of LAST PICTURE SHOW writer Larry McMurtury. It then interviews the cast and director, Peter Bogdanovich, about their experiences. It all happens during the making of the sequel, TEXASVILLE.

The movie only lasts about an hour, but there are some interesting moments. It was interesting that Timothy Bottoms admitted that he was in love with Cybil Shepherd during the first movie, and hasn't seen her since. It's also interesting to hear Bogdanovich and Set Designer Polly Platt talk about their marriage crumbling during the making of the first film. Bogdanovich got involved with Cybil, but Peter and Polly still had to work with one another to finish the film. Another interesting thing was the story of how Larry McMurtury was a loner and geek in high school and used his experiences to get back at his hometown in his novel.

It's not as good Hickenlooper's HEARTS OF DARKNESS, but no documentary on a movie is. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Roxy roller
By turns outrageously funny and reflectively sad, this fascinating look at the life of L.A. music scene fixture Rodney Bingenheimer is a must-see for anyone claiming to be a serious rock fan. The diminutive, skittish and soft-spoken Bingenheimer comes off as Andy Warhol's West coast twin, or perhaps the Forrest Gump of rock and roll-somehow he has been in the hurricane's eye of every major music "scene" since the mid 60's, from Monkeemania (working as Davey Jones' double!) to becoming the first DJ to champion current superstars Coldplay. Although ostensibly "about" Rodney, the film is at its core a whirlwind timetrip through Rock's evolution, filtered through a coked-out L.A. haze. The ongoing photograph montages of Rodney posing with an A-Z roster of every major seminal rock figure in the genre's history began to remind me of Woody Allen's Alfred Zelig, a nondescript milquetoast who could morph his appearance to match whomever he was with at the time. Rodney himself remains a cypher; in one scene he fidgets nervously and begs the director to turn off the camera when the questions get too "close". There is also a sad irony; despite his ability to attract the company of the rich and famous (and they all appear to adore the man), the fruits of fame and success evade Rodney himself. He drives a "beater" to his DJ job at L.A.'s legendary KROQ; he lives alone in a cluttered little hovel, where treasured memorabilia like Elvis Presely's first driver's license(!) collects dust next to the empty pizza boxes. Priceless commentary from the likes of music producer Kim Fowley (whose own wacked-out rock 'n' roll career contains enough fodder for a whole other documentary), Pamela Des Barres (legendary groupie; aka "Miss Pamela" of Frank Zappa proteges The G.T.O.'s)and her husband, musician Michael Des Barres. One of the best "rockumentaries" to date. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Writer's Blockhead
Well, let's see. When his first novel (entitled "Hitler's Child") fails to generate sales and his publisher refuses to print his second book, what is a starving writer to do?

Work for a male escort service, of course!

As goofy as this premise is, THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS actually delivers a compelling story that is both fun and painful to watch. Unable to get his old job back and desperately strapped for cash, hard luck novelist Byron Tiller (Andy Garcia) is lured by the seductive enticement of "easy money" as an escort for Elysian Fields, a playground for rich, neglected housewives. Problem is, there's nothing "easy" about Byron's new career, and this character learns lesson after lesson--about himself, about the importance of his marriage--via a very unforgiving school of hard knocks.

The tragic irony of this film manifests itself over and over. By trying to provide for and protect his family, Byron's poor decision to join Elysian only serves to destroy it. And naturally--irony of ironies--Byron's best client is the exotic, beautiful Andrea Alcott (Olivia Williams), who just happens to be married to Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Tobias Alcott (played wonderfully by James Coburn). The ailing Tobias seeks Byron's aid to rewrite his last novel; the young writer eagerly agrees; the stage is set for dismal, heartbreaking disappointment (should have insisted on a written contract, dude).

Garcia is so soft-spoken and restrained in this role, even after getting knocked down again and again, that I--unlike some of the reviewers here--actually was relieved when he finally unleashed some anger and frustration by trashing the wardrobe room at Elysian Fields. I'll bet the character felt better; I know I did.

Mick Jagger as the articulate, whiskey-sipping proprietor of Elysian Fields was an unexpected and delightful surprise. The ending was a bit uneven and sappy, but entirely predictable. For all you struggling writers out there, I would recommend you forego becoming an escort and pick something safer. Sword swallowing comes to mind.
--D. Mikels

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
In the film, "The Man from Elysian Fields," Andy Garcia plays the morose married writer, Byron Tiller. Tiller's one book "Hitler's Child, " isn't exactly a best-seller, and now he's almost finished book number two. Tiller's publisher won't even publish this second book. Tiller's wife, Dena (Julianna Margulies) is so unshakeable in her belief that both the book and her husband will be whoopingly successful, that Byron can't break the news that there will be no second book--no advance--no great writing career.

Desperation leads Byron to Elysian Fields--an elite male escort agency that just happens to be conveniently located next to his drab little office. The owner of the agency, the fascinating Luther Fox (Mick Jagger) offers to provide Byron with work, and so Byron accepts. His first assignment, as luck and Hollywood would have it, is to accompany porcelain beauty, Andrea Alcott, for a night on the town. Now Andrea is married to Byron's idol--popular author Tobias Alcott. Byron finds the situation intriguing and delectable enough to leave moral scruples behind as he fills in for Tobias in the bedroom too, but things are not quite as they seem, and Byron has a nasty illogical lesson waiting for him.

The film possessed many allegorical elements--Elysian Fields is, of course, in mythology, the place where souls go after death. Luther Fox is certainly a believable satiny evil Satan--by offering Byron an evening with the wife of a literary giant, he tempts him into selling his soul. Supernatural elements are weaved into the story and the set designs, but the film doesn't seem to know quite what to do with the layers of meaning created in the plot. So instead, the film disintergrates nonsensically into codswallop--sarcastic, world-weary, elegant Luther Fox turns into a pathetic love-lorn reject, and Byron's hell is laced with the promise of Hollywood happy endings. A sad disappointment indeed--why bother to lace the story with allegory and then suddenly switch gears half way through? Splendid performance from Mick Jagger--he redeemed this film for me--displacedhuman--Amazon Reviewer.

Very Poorly Written
It is ironic that this movie should pertain to the subject of writing, as it is very poorly written.
A MICROCOSM of this can be seen at the end, where the author reads his supposedly "breakthrough" novel: anybody over an amateur level readily recognizes what he is reading as extremely poor, extremely amateurish writing. It is also interesting that John Grisham is referred to once in the movie as a paragon of good writing--as though "fast food" writing ever qualified as very good intellectual reading meat.
The stupidity of the protagonist in not procuring a contract for his services strains credulity.
The likelihood that a well-known author would acquiesce to co-author his last book strains credulity.
The very stilted dialogue of this movie strains credulity.
Mick Jagger did a great job acting, but it's not enough to save this stinker.
The guy who wrote this movie neither understands good writing nor was capable of it.

The Man From Elysian Fields
My husband and I enjoyed this movie very much. Even though the story line was a bit of a downer at times, it was still very entertaining and kept our interest throughout the entire movie. Andy Garcia and Mick Jagger did an excellent job in conveying the desperation they each felt during critical moments in their lives. James Corburn and the actress who played his wife were good in their roles, as well.

a 10 star movie-must see!!!
Husband and I loved everything about this movie. Don't need to elaborate-read the previous reviews. Please rent, won't be disappointed ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Roxy roller
By turns outrageously funny and reflectively sad, this fascinating look at the life of L.A. music scene fixture Rodney Bingenheimer is a must-see for anyone claiming to be a serious rock fan. The diminutive, skittish and soft-spoken Bingenheimer comes off as Andy Warhol's West coast twin, or perhaps the Forrest Gump of rock and roll-somehow he has been in the hurricane's eye of every major music "scene" since the mid 60's, from Monkeemania (working as Davey Jones' double!) to becoming the first DJ to champion current superstars Coldplay. Although ostensibly "about" Rodney, the film is at its core a whirlwind timetrip through Rock's evolution, filtered through a coked-out L.A. haze. The ongoing photograph montages of Rodney posing with an A-Z roster of every major seminal rock figure in the genre's history began to remind me of Woody Allen's Alfred Zelig, a nondescript milquetoast who could morph his appearance to match whomever he was with at the time. Rodney himself remains a cypher; in one scene he fidgets nervously and begs the director to turn off the camera when the questions get too "close". There is also a sad irony; despite his ability to attract the company of the rich and famous (and they all appear to adore the man), the fruits of fame and success evade Rodney himself. He drives a "beater" to his DJ job at L.A.'s legendary KROQ; he lives alone in a cluttered little hovel, where treasured memorabilia like Elvis Presely's first driver's license(!) collects dust next to the empty pizza boxes. Priceless commentary from the likes of music producer Kim Fowley (whose own wacked-out rock 'n' roll career contains enough fodder for a whole other documentary), Pamela Des Barres (legendary groupie; aka "Miss Pamela" of Frank Zappa proteges The G.T.O.'s)and her husband, musician Michael Des Barres. One of the best "rockumentaries" to date. ... Read more