Reviews (2)

An Unsung Gem of a TV Movie
Featuring the young Alec Baldwin at his most compelling, Dress Grey (screenplay by Gore Vidal), is a political murder mystery with a Southern Gothic touch. Fans of "Advise and Consent," "The Best Man," etc. will enjoy the slightly over-the-top military-school machinations of a bunch of fine character actors like Hal Holbrook, Alexis Smith, Lloyd Bridges, Eddie Albert et al, and mystery fans won't be disappointed by the plot, which has plenty of twists and turns and even a couple of truly tense and suspenseful moments. Frank discussion of homosexuality in military school setting my be a turn-off for some (and a turn-on for others, for whom Baldwin and fellow students provide plenty of eye-candy.) Long enough for more than one bowl of popcorn, consistenly interesting, a must-see. Not sure what the diffence is between the slightly different prices and number of tapes listed here, I have viewed the double tape version, buy others at your own risk.

A suspensful miltary thriller set in the 1960's!
This video deals with a miltary school in the 1960's. A cadethas died.The miltary are looking into the matter. Everyone issuspect. Alec Baldwin plays a cadet who gets set up during the trial of his fellow cadet. The movie is fast as the miltary is trying to avoid a media frenzy on the base. This movie also deals with gays and the miltary. There is a slight hint that maybe the cadet was killed by a gay lover. Of course the miltary back then would not like this stuff out to the media. The movie is a very suspenseful thriller in the 1960's! This video features an an all star cast Alec Baldwin(The Hunt For Red Ocober,Mecury Rising),Lane Smith(Superman TV series)Lloyd Bridges(the hot shot movies) and others! look for some up and coming stars in this video as well! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The best film satires are not necessarily to be found in the theaters, where only independent filmmakers have the courage to risk alienating the ticket-buying audience. Cable TV has proven to be fertile ground for many a sharp-tongued script and Legalese is as smart and acerbic as they come. James Garner is deliciously conniving as a high-profile criminal lawyer who secretly presides over a high-profile murder trial like he's the Wizard of Oz, whispering directions into the ear of his fresh-faced assistant (Edward Kerr) while monitoring the surrounding media circus from his multimedia eye-in-the-sky office. Gina Gershon is the Hollywood starlet and Apple industry poster girl whose scandalous murder charge sends the tabloid media (led by the predatory talk-show titan Kathleen Turner) into a headline frenzy ("Rotten to the Core" proclaims one muckraking TV show). Mary-Louise Parker is at her best as Garner's ambitious assistant, a savvy, sexy, self-assured junior partner developing her feral instincts when Kerr awakens her slumbering idealism. The sharp, cutting screenplay skewers their relationship with tawdry media sensationalism and camera-hogging legal tactics, but loses the conviction of its cynicism in a satisfying if too cozy happy ending. Until then, it's a nasty little poisoned pastry of a film, served up thick and juicy and oh-so tart. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What more can I say?
This is a deliciously wicked satire of legal eagles and their media counterparts. The cast is flawless, not limited to Gina Gershon who skewers her sex-pot image by being both victim and preying mantis (watch the opening sequence -- it's schtick to die for). James Garner just keeps getting better with age. The script is sharp as a tack, the performances and direction right on target. I'll be adding this to my collection! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Leaves something to be desired
Dated, by todays standards, but still compelling. First half is interesting, and you are glued to the screen trying to absord the information given by Coyote's character, yet hoping he turns out to be the good guy. Little by little we're given bits and pieces of what happened, but only through Coyote's character, who turns out to be a manipulating deceiver, cold and scary with his Manson like powers over less experienced people.The second half is confusing, and Coyote and Loggia are off screen for nearly forty minutes. In the ending court-room drama, we don't see a flashback or re-inactment of what "supposedly" happened to this female school teacher and her two children. I guess both Coyote's character, Bill Bradfield, and Loggia as Dr. Smith did commit the crime. But, we as viewers don't feel or see any concrete evidence, and this leaves something to be desired. Based on a true story that took place in 1979 in Pennsylvania, and a case that lasted seven years. Just too many questions left unanswered. Yet, Loggia is awesome, and scary (wait until you see those "eyes".) And it's always a pleasure to see Peter Coyote, a very under-rated actor. I don't know...maybe I should've read the book instead.

From a UM Perspective
I currently attend Upper Merion Area High School. While the movie was certainly entertaining (well, the first half anyway), the portrayal of some of the teachers who still work at UM seemed over-dramatized, and not very true-to-life. Still, it was interesting to see actors portraying people I know, as they were twenty some years ago.

A brilliant, clever, and hypnotic piece of work...
Coyote and Loggia are utterly compelling in their roles. One watches a nauseating conspiracy emerge tortuously and impossibly between these two apparently (largely)unconnected weirdos. The horror, when it appears, is all the more convincing for having been rendered implausible before. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wonderful - will stay with you for years
This is one of the best. When elderly widower Sam Peak befriends a stray white dog that no one else can see the family is sure he is becoming senile. Everyone that is but the maid who asserts that it must be a ghost dog and that no good can come of it. She's seen it before. The dog will surely lead Sam to his death. When a strong willed Sam decides to take the dog with him on an out of town trip to his high school reunion (without the knowledge of his two overprotective daughters), it sure looks like she might be right. But appearances can be deceiving.

This is a heart warming and perfectly portrayed movie of the strength and endurance of love beyond all bounds. Guaranteed to make you cry and smile at the same time.

One of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen
Shortly after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, Sam Peek loses his beloved wife Cora to a heart attack.

Told from the perspective of his son James, this heart touching story tells of Sam and his family. One day shortly after Cora's death, a snow white dog shows up on Sam's porch. Sam grudgingly feeds and eventually takes the dog in. The problem is, when he tells his children about the white dog, they think he is losing his mind because only Sam can see it. The dog stays with Sam and becomes his constant companion. Eventually, he realizes that the dog is really Cora, back to take care of him through his last days.

A heartwarming and sometimes humorous story of everlasting love. It never fails to bring a tear to my eys.

Positively Beautiful.
This movie is deeply touching. The dog is gorgeous. The acting is high-quality. This is an embarrassingly short review, but there really is nothing more to say, except, "See this great film!"

Touching Story; Little-Known Predecessor to "Fluke"
I just happened to be perusing the "Drama" shelf at my local Blockbuster when I saw this movie that obviously looked as though this old man's beloved wife died and returned to him as a beautiful white dog. Naturally I thought of my other favorite reincarnated dog-person movie, "Fluke," which was made 2 years after this film. So I rented the Hallmark video and watched it. The story was original, touching, and moved quickly enough. It was sweet and mysterious but simple enough to understand. It wasn't at all a bore. I loved it. The old man was endearing, the dog was gorgeous, the children were annoyingly caring, it had romance and suspense and sadness. This movie was truly worth it. What a lovely film.

To Dance with the White Dog
This movie is wonderful heartwarming the true meaning of love a really great movie makes the heart feel better... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

underrated treasure!
In 1973 Dan(Dark Shadows)Curtis produced this made-for tv 2-part adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN for ABC's late night programming.Unfortunately,because the similar FRANKENSTEIN:THE TRUE STORY appeared on TV the same year in prime time with a stronger cast,the Dan Curtis version retreated to the shadows.So FRANKENSTEIN:TTS is the one everybody remembers.Thanks to video,we can see what we missed and it's very good!Robert Foxworth is a good Victor Frankenstein and Bo Svenson is a credible creature.This is not Mary Shelley's story,nor is it a mere copy of previous adaptations.Obviously low budget,but highly enjoyable. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Soundtrack Problem
All the complaints about the soundtrack on DVD are quite true. However, if you use a 5.1 surround sound system, the sound is quite all right. BUT the sound comes out from the rear speakers only!

They need to try again
I saw this movie when it came out in the 70's and it's a great movie, but the sound is so low on the DVD that even at full volume, it is inaudible. I had it replaced and the second one was the same way. Until they get this fixed, don't waste your time and money.

Inaudible soundtrack dooms this Dorian Gray
As much as I would've liked this film, my enjoyment was ruined by a bad DVD transfer that had a horribly inaudible soundtrack. When this occurred on my replacement DVD, I had to come to the conclusion that this was a flaw of MPI, who distributed this disc. While they present a great product in the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes films, they do nobody any favors with this slipshod transfer. It only gets the one star for the solid visuals, but unless you want to crank your TV volume at full blast to even hear a bit of the soundtrack, this is a product that I recommend avoiding.

"Could It Be Oscar Wilde's Tortured Soul?"
I am so glad that Oscar Wilde's genius prose was made into movie form. The cast is excellent. I have always loved John Karlen. I started watching him when the daytime horror-soap "Dark Shadows" was popular. He, along with Shane and Nigel, give a too true- to- life portrayal of Wilde's mixed characters battling their own curses and demons that life seemingly has bestowed upon them. However, it is not exactly circumstances which mold us into who we are, but our choices and how we handle conflict. I had one of my English classes watch this movie so that they could see that everything we do and say eventually makes us who we are, and we can never undo or repair the damages of ill deeds, greed or lust. It's a frightening thought. Sometimes it's more difficult to take the hard right than it is to take the easy wrong, as Al Gore so brilliantly suggested in his 2000 Democratic Convention speech. The fact that man would literally sell his soul for youth teaches us that our priorities are still out of order. The conflict of man versus himself is the power point of this book/movie. Sometimes we truly are our own worst enemies. While the character Dorian continues to do as he pleases despite hurting others, his portrait changes, grows old and reveals all of his past sins. This effect is pure genius, and it really makes one stop and think about his/her own life and choices. Everyone should watch this movie at least once a month....it's that powerful and meaningful. I also believe that Oscar Wilde saw himself in many of his characters. He had a difficult life along with the world judging him harshly, but he too made choices that cost him everything. In conclusion, sometimes the hardest thing in the world is self-reflection. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I knew the Lady
I knew the lady, and she was anything dry and humorless,the movie was well written but did not cover the whole story of her, she was responsiable for saving many lives including mine. back then she was all we had for medical help in case of sickness or accident, the closest Doctor was 180 miles away, Just for the record she was a Retired Army Nurse who got her experiance during the Korea in a MASH Unit. Working in a mine makes a mananything but over sensitive, Like I said earlier, the story is good, but so much was left out, so before you judge the person you ought to know her,

just because it's a true story ...
I have admired director Glenn Jordan, particularly his work with actors in Mass Appeal, Only When I Laugh, Echoes in the Darkness, and the Jessica Lange A Streetcar Named Desire, but this title is Jordan at his lowest. There is an air of Disney-fication about this story of Jessica Maloney, a "practical" nurse in Meredith, California who is sued for practicing medicine without a licence. Since Meredith is a desert community in Death Valley, the inhabitants have a folksy twang and use expressions like "I don't know what horse you're ridin', but you better put a break on, real quick". The lack of depth to this scenario can be partly attributed to the writer James Lee Barrett, he continually repeats the charge in moral outrage, though the trial scene does pick up things a bit. But what can you say when Jesse's questioning is interrupted by someone screaming from the audience "Leave her alone!"? Since the whole town packs up to join Jesse for the trial and children need to have the situation explained to them, we can guess the outcome. Another guilty contributor is composer David Shire whose enobling score is ghastly. But Jordan is mostly to blame. He lingers over the traffic on route to the trial so it reads as fake spirit of the people, and represents the State officials who are prosecuting Jesse as cartoon "bad guys". There is an awful house on fire scene where a baby dies whilst a crowd stands and does nothing, which seems to exist so Jesse can dispense homely wisdom, and the trial soon degenerates into Jesse on the stand being pious and her lawyer (Kevin Conway) yelling at the jury. We aren't told what differentiates Jesse as a practical nurse from a registered nurse, though it is clear that she is less qualified, and the idea that her arrest comes as a result of entrapment is dubious. The year of this event is said to be 1965, which may explain Jesse's son calling his father "sir", but what about Jesse's husband's Norman Maine-ish lack of identity complaint? I guess working in a mine makes a man overly sensitive. As Jesse, Lee Remick is dry and humourless. Perhaps this is how she does practical nurse heroic. Remick's small emotional range may suit this no nonsense woman, but I'm not sure I'd want her by my side if I was sick. Jordan has previously enabled some of his actresses to fly. Think of how wonderful Marsha Mason is in Only When I Laugh, but he fails Remick here. Or is it that Remick fails him? Either way, this is an experience not to be repeated. ... Read more

Description

Written by Emmy Award®-winning playwright Loring Mandel, Particular Men recalls what might be considered the most significant event of man’s entire history—the introduction of nuclear weaponry. Although fictitious, Mandel’s story may bring to mind some of the events that took place at Los Alamos, New Mexico (where the Manhattan Project was carried out from 1943 to 1945) and during subsequent Atomic Energy Commission proceedings concerning questions of "national security." Starring Golden Globe Award-winner Stacy Keach (American History X), this play centers around the development of the atomic bomb, examining the moral responsibilities of scientists and the relationship between them and the governments that support their work. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Point is vague...
An experimental effort at getting into the minds of Oppenheimer and other Manhattan Project participants, "Particular Men" fails almost from the start. First, and most obvious to the viewer, the choppy time-shifting back and forth from event to event wears thin very quickly. This can be a clever effect, but not when it is done in so monotonous a fashion. Second, all of the principal historical figures have been poorly disguised behind made-up names (even Einstein!), further removing us from caring one way or the other. Additionally, there is a bizarre sterility in the play that negates emotion, and before long, the play just becomes tedious.

Are we watching a play about how the characters felt about the Bomb, or about the Red Scare? Neither seems too clear by the end, and the point of the play is... what? The Bomb was bad? Using it was bad? The Red Scare was bad? Oppenheimer was bad? All of these? None of these? Unfortunately, the whole point of the play is rather vague. Through the disjointed narrative structure, the emotional impact is hampered, and the denouement (such as it is), is far too talky and experimental to support itself.

The tragedy is that the cast is excellent. The sets and make-up are extraordinary for the time (1972). The performances are mostly first-class, and even the dialogue sparkles. All of this is wasted through the unfortunate choice to jump around the story's different time periods. The disjointed structure does nothing for the characters or their story, which are both pretty good. Halfway through, you'll start wondering how much longer the play is, and when it will end.

The transfer is fair, but the video elements are clearly dated (the cover image is very blurry, but that is not necessarily indicative of the DVD quality). Keach keeps the play moving, so Stacy Keach fans should check this out. But those interested in the history surrounding the Manhattan Project, the dawn of the Atomic Age, and the Red Scare will be disappointed that the play was done here as "art" instead of in a more straight-forward fashion. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A short film deserving of more attention
I must disagree with the previous reviewer. This version of the O'Connor story is beautifully produced as well as acted. It has a stateliness and sadness that approximate the themes of the story, that man cannot be saved by his reason and logic alone but in a world of inexplicable evil must submit to Christian salvation. Like it or not, politically correct or not, that's how O'Connor felt.

Irene Worth is magnificent as Mrs. McIntyre, too consumed with "practical" matters to recognize the lost state of her own soul. And she's matched by the likes of Shirley Stoler, Lane Smith (hiliarious), John Houseman, and a very young Samuel L. Jackson.

Lastly, plaudits go to the gentle, elegiac photography and Bill Conti's ravishingly beautiful music score.

Decent acting, terrible production
When I viewed this picture I enjoyed its interpretation of O'Connor's work quite thoroughly. However, I am saddened by the fact that the manner in which it was produced was so poor. It did not do justice to the profound themes of the story. On the other hand, I did admire the acting abilities of most involved in the film and wish that they could have had a better opportunity to display their skills. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Leaves something to be desired
Dated, by todays standards, but still compelling. First half is interesting, and you are glued to the screen trying to absord the information given by Coyote's character, yet hoping he turns out to be the good guy. Little by little we're given bits and pieces of what happened, but only through Coyote's character, who turns out to be a manipulating deceiver, cold and scary with his Manson like powers over less experienced people.The second half is confusing, and Coyote and Loggia are off screen for nearly forty minutes. In the ending court-room drama, we don't see a flashback or re-inactment of what "supposedly" happened to this female school teacher and her two children. I guess both Coyote's character, Bill Bradfield, and Loggia as Dr. Smith did commit the crime. But, we as viewers don't feel or see any concrete evidence, and this leaves something to be desired. Based on a true story that took place in 1979 in Pennsylvania, and a case that lasted seven years. Just too many questions left unanswered. Yet, Loggia is awesome, and scary (wait until you see those "eyes".) And it's always a pleasure to see Peter Coyote, a very under-rated actor. I don't know...maybe I should've read the book instead.

From a UM Perspective
I currently attend Upper Merion Area High School. While the movie was certainly entertaining (well, the first half anyway), the portrayal of some of the teachers who still work at UM seemed over-dramatized, and not very true-to-life. Still, it was interesting to see actors portraying people I know, as they were twenty some years ago.

A brilliant, clever, and hypnotic piece of work...
Coyote and Loggia are utterly compelling in their roles. One watches a nauseating conspiracy emerge tortuously and impossibly between these two apparently (largely)unconnected weirdos. The horror, when it appears, is all the more convincing for having been rendered implausible before. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This HBO original comedy, adapted by Larry Gelbart (Tootsie) from the book by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar, concerns one of the most compelling tales of corporate buyout madness in the go-go 1980s. James Garner plays F. Ross Johnson, CEO of RJR Nabisco. Following failed and expensive efforts to sell a smokeless cigarette to the public, Johnson decides that he's had enough of navigating around the wrath of the company's stockholders. Drawing up plans to buy RJR Nabisco outright, he soon finds himself outmatched (though still determined) in a race for the prize with takeover king Henry Kravis (Jonathan Pryce). The ensuing battle is both bitterly funny and full of acid-tinged insights into the '80s greed that changed corporate America forever. Besides Gelbart's great script and Glenn Jordan's competent direction, the star of this exciting film is Garner, who is absolutely wonderful as the gracious Johnson. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Great entertainment if you like Wall Street, etc.
People who complained that this movie doesn't compare to the book should relax a little. Any movie that's based on books cannot do the book justice in less than 2 hours. If you have 3 hours a la Lord of the Rings or 4 hours like the A&E production of Pride & Prejudice, then maybe and I would have adjusted my rating accordingly.

But this movie is under 2 hours and managed to take a very complicated topic in Leveraged Buy-Outs (LBO's) in one of the biggest LBO's of our time in RJR-Nabisco and manages to make the story very entertaining. It flows quickly and I had no trouble following what's going on.

The acting is superb; Jonathan Pryce played Henry Kravis as a cold, calculated and ruthless corporate raider (whether Kravis is like that in real life I don't know) and James Garner did a nice job as F. Ross Johnson. Overall, if you like wall street type movies like Wall Street with Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen, I would highly recommend this movie. In fact, I like this better than Wall Street.

Infamous LBO and Characters Interestingly Depicted
In the wild and wooly 1980s, leveraged buyouts (LBOs) -- financed predominantly through the issuance of junk bonds -- reigned supreme. James Garner gives a nice performance as CEO of RJR Nabisco, F. Ross Johnson. After reluctantly meeting with KKR's LBO guru Henry Kravis (portrayed masterfully by Jonathan Pryce), Johnson figures it would be best to go his own route to accomplish the buyout; after all, Johnson wants to retain his autonomy and Pryce would unlikely allow this to happen.

An all-out power war ensues, with Johnson working with Shearson Lehman Brothers pitted against Kravis and the powerhouse Drexel Burnham Lambert (mysteriously downplayed).

The performances are great and the storyline moves fast and holds your interest. Not to be missed if the dynamic world of finance is your thing. A very different movie than Wall Street both cinematically and contextually.

Stars James Garner, Jonathan Pryce (really, really good), and Peter Riegert.

I could see this movie over and over
This is a great movie, particularly for someone interested in true stories of corporate behavior. Several of my finance professors when I was pursing my MBA recommended this movie. I was not disappointed.

Due to a high volume of profanity, this movie is not appropriate for young children.

Not as great as the book, but a DELIGHTFUL farce
The book this movie is made from is a masterpiece of business literature. It is impossible to make that wonderful book into anything less than an extended documentary or a several part mini-series. That being admitted and set aside, this is a very good and very funny movie. Amazingly, it tells a lot of the actual story as you can cram into a standard movie format.

It is bitingly funny and like all satire that truly bites, it is funny because it is based on truth. This movie condenses the RJR - KKR competition into something like a farce (as it seemed in the papers at the time). Some may object to making such a huge deal into something of a joke, but c'mon, this whole deal had a large dose of the absurd about it. How else could they have played this story in two hours?

And it is has the additional benefit of being educational for business students. You will see how managers misuse shareholder money by treating it as if it were their own (agency costs). You will see planeloads of money poured into bad projects (NPV). You will see naked greed, inept investment advice, and broken trust (corporate ethics). You know, late 20th century American business! It is funny, dramatic, and a bit touching, for example, as they fly the sick pooch home on his own private corporate jet. (Which some deny every happening, but it has entered the realm of legend - so whether it happened or not it has become something like a kind of truth.)

James Garner is terrific (he almost always is) as is the whole cast. It really is a delightful movie and that is almost miraculous given how deadly boring this topic could have become.

But don't forget to read the book!

If you read the book, it's a disappointment.
If not, it can be funny even to laymen. Obviously, it's practically impossible to transfer everything from the book to movie. So don't expect too much, Wall Street guys. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Unsung Gem of a TV Movie
Featuring the young Alec Baldwin at his most compelling, Dress Grey (screenplay by Gore Vidal), is a political murder mystery with a Southern Gothic touch. Fans of "Advise and Consent," "The Best Man," etc. will enjoy the slightly over-the-top military-school machinations of a bunch of fine character actors like Hal Holbrook, Alexis Smith, Lloyd Bridges, Eddie Albert et al, and mystery fans won't be disappointed by the plot, which has plenty of twists and turns and even a couple of truly tense and suspenseful moments. Frank discussion of homosexuality in military school setting my be a turn-off for some (and a turn-on for others, for whom Baldwin and fellow students provide plenty of eye-candy.) Long enough for more than one bowl of popcorn, consistenly interesting, a must-see. Not sure what the diffence is between the slightly different prices and number of tapes listed here, I have viewed the double tape version, buy others at your own risk.

A suspensful miltary thriller set in the 1960's!
This video deals with a miltary school in the 1960's. A cadethas died.The miltary are looking into the matter. Everyone issuspect. Alec Baldwin plays a cadet who gets set up during the trial of his fellow cadet. The movie is fast as the miltary is trying to avoid a media frenzy on the base. This movie also deals with gays and the miltary. There is a slight hint that maybe the cadet was killed by a gay lover. Of course the miltary back then would not like this stuff out to the media. The movie is a very suspenseful thriller in the 1960's! This video features an an all star cast Alec Baldwin(The Hunt For Red Ocober,Mecury Rising),Lane Smith(Superman TV series)Lloyd Bridges(the hot shot movies) and others! look for some up and coming stars in this video as well! ... Read more