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After the worldwide success of A Hard Day's Night, the Beatles and director Richard Lester reunited for a follow-up film, Eight Arms to Hold You. Well, that wasn't the final title; a pleading Lennon-McCartney tune provided the catchier handle: Help! A loose semispoof of the globe-trotting James Bond pictures, Help! has always been considered a somewhat disorganized comedown from its predecessor; but it presents "the famous Beatles" even more clearly as the English cousins of the Marx Brothers. The plot has an Eastern religious cult declaring that the new ring on Ringo's finger is the key element in a human sacrifice; they will stop at nothing to obtain it. Meanwhile, a mad scientist (crazed Victor Spinetti, who also appeared in A Hard Day's Night and Magical Mystery Tour) believes that if he has the ring, he could--dare we say it?--rule the world. The songs, including "Ticket to Ride" and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," are filmed with gleeful ingenuity, in locations such as the Bahamas, an Austrian ski resort, and the Salisbury Plain. The relentless nonsense becomes nearly the equivalent of a swinging-'60s Alice in Wonderland: for instance, Paul shrinks to the size of a gum wrapper, John fishes a season ticket out of his soup, George wears a top hat on the ski slopes, the lads sing the "Ode to Joy" to a lion. Oh, and the film is dedicated to Elias Howe, "who in 1846 invented the sewing machine." Brilliant. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (119)

4.5 stars - even better than their previous film
Help! (1965.) The second Beatles movie.

INTRODUCTION:
In 1964 the Beatles proved that they were more than just talented singer-songwriters - they were talented actors, too! Their first film, A Hard Day's Night, demonstrated that the band could act quite well. For the band's second film, Eight Arms To Hold You, they went for a very different sort of movie - it was in color, and the plot was NOTHING like that of their previous film. At the last minute, the film's name was changed to Help!. Read on for my review.

BASIC PLOT:
An evil cult has prepared a ritual to sacrifice a young woman, but quickly finds out that they can't do this without the ceremonial ring - which has somehow ended up on the finger of Ringo Starr. The cult chases the band across the world in an attempt to reclaim the ring.

FILM OPINIONS:
This is a very strange movie - but it's also a very good one. In my opinion, this film is far superior to its predecessor, A Hard Day's Night. Also, as with all of the other Beatles films, the band plays their songs at various points through the course of the movie - these little sessions are some of the best parts of the movie. All in all, a good movie.

DVD:
The DVD doesn't have a whole lot of extras the way the A Hard Day's Night disc did, but it does have a few extras nonetheless. If you're a Beatles fan, you're sure to get a kick out of these bonus features.

OVERALL:
Overall, it's a good movie. Sure, it's weird, but that doesn't mean it's not a good film! If you're a Beatles fan, do yourself a favor and check this movie out - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Goofy fun, great music-- SO WHERE IS THE DVD?
My three daughters (ages 11, 7, and 5) are suddenly in the full thrall of Beatlemania, something I thought I'd gotten over 20 years ago. Lo and behold, they totally re-infected me at age 44! We can't seem to get "1", "Revolver", "Abbey Road" and "Rubber Soul" out of rotation on our CD player. My kids and I also watch the DVDs of "Yellow Submarine" and "Magical Mystery Tour" (which shows how truly hard core we are) every few days.

Anyway, I went in search of DVDs of "Hard Day's Night" and "Help" and found out THEY ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. It seems they have been TAKEN OFF THE MARKET just as the Fabs were hitting Number 1 again across the land! Same goes for VHS tapes and DVDs of the "Beatles Anthology" and "Compleat Beatles" documentaries, all listed as "out of print and no longer available."

HELLO-- Who's reponsible for this FIASCO? Someone ought to be fired immediately for this, since there's no telling how much money is being lost minute-by-minute. The Beatles are once again the HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD, and their best movie work is suddenly UNAVAILABLE? The stupidity of this marketing move is almost inconceivable.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to find a tired, worn-out VHS tape of "Help" on the bottom shelf of the local video store and brought it home. The kids, of course, FLIPPED and I found myself once again amazed at what truly natural, charismatic performers the Fabs were.

Although rock critics have always liked "Hard Day's Night" more, I must admit "Help" has always been my favorite Beatles movie. Viewing it again after 20-odd years, I'm amazed at its innocent charm and how well some of the sight gags hold up. It's a sheer pleasure to watch all the proto-music videos in it, particularly the fabulous "Ticket To Ride" sequence (my youngest still screams "The SKI SONG! YIPPEEE!" whenever the opening chords come over the stereo). The Mad Scientist character reminded my girls of "The Brain." Some of the casually tossed-off lines have amazing staying power. "A feindish thingee!" "You've got a plan, haven't you inspector?" "Not a bit like Cagney!" "Ah, you see? British! If I had a Luger..." "So these are the famous Beatles / So this is the famous Scotland Yard" "Lovely boys! Just the same as they was before they was" etc.

The spirit of both "Help" and "Hard Day's Night" is definitely "cheeky," as opposed to the "snotty" and cynical attitude adopted by today's teen-oriented music stars (don't believe me? Compare the excruciating "Jose and the Pussycats" to any Beatles flick and tell me we haven't gone BACKWARDS in 30-odd years in terms of music, talent and attitude). That's the only bad part of watching or listening to the Beatles in this day and age: It reminds you that pop/rock music is long into its decadent phase, with the themes so daringly explored by the Beatles and others so long ago simply being hashed, rehashed, sampled, computerized, and spat out by today's soulless performers.

Anyway, I would happily buy a "Help" and "Hard Day's Night" DVD IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE! How long is this agony to last?

Beatles Rule
I am 27 and from India, i was in my 9th graded when my sister presented me RUBBER SOUL, and from that moment on I have been a beatles fan, Around 10 years back I saw Hard Days Night and I was in love , then i saw HELP and i was BLOWN, the movie is full of humor,energy and lots more, One of my favourite scenes is when they all are in the Loo and the baddy turns on the dryer, the best part of the scene is when Georges shirt gets sucked into the dryer, and RIngo says "Ther is More Here than meets the eyes". It's funny the way he says this.
There are some people whose review i have read says movie is okay, those people must be doped, not to appreciate this movie,
For Gods Sake its THE BEATLES, it dosent get any better than this,KUDOS to the Beatles and their Masterpiece

Help!
Beatles in colour + them smoking way too much dope + lots of weird crap + the coolest house ever = great movie. It's my favorite one of theirs. Personally I think the only bad thing about this movie was the acting of the male middle easterners but I'm no proffessional movie critic so eh. John Lennon's utter insanity shines through as always and something about watching the beatles beat up people seems very intriguing.

This movie has got the best collection of beatles song clips (videos) in the world. The tank scene is really great and the clip of "you're gonna lose that girl" has got to be one of the coolest beatles performances on tape. The camera looks like it's having a gushing orgasm of radiant blue colour.

Anyways, these Beatle movies shouldnt even be allowed to be rated. They could film themselves sitting drunk on lounge chairs for an hour and a half and people would call it a masterpiece. It's the Beatles for christsakes A+ I say.

Before the time of MTV, CD's, and Desk-top Computers...
One cannot deny that Help! is a significant cornerstone in the musical video industry. This is exceptional footage of the boys' primetime. Whether you believe other Beatles footage is better or movie content is better, the visual and musical content of this movie will stand out forever. ... Read more

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Director Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) took over the franchise with this first sequel in the series, though the film doesn't look much like his usual stylish work. (Superman III is far more Lesteresque.) Still, there is a lot to like about this movie, which finds Superman grappling with the conflict between his responsibilities as Earth's savior and his own needs of the heart. Choosing the latter, he gives up his powers to be with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), but the timing is awful: three renegades from his home planet, Krypton, are smashing up the White House, aided by the mocking Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). The film isn't nearly as ambitious as its predecessor, but the accent on relationships over special effects (not that there aren't plenty of them) is very satisfying. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (132)

"Superman II: The Wrath of Zod!"
That would have made a better title when it came out into theaters in 1981(Giggle)! Anyway, the second Superman movie was definately a gem for anyone to watch! It is action packed as the Man of Steel (Christopher Reeve) takes on the 3 Kryptonian villains (wonderfully played by Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O'Halloran), and its romantic in terms of Superman becoming serious with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder)! Although it was sad that Richard Donner didn't get to direct the second movie, Richard Lester did a wonderful job filling his shoes! However, this was the first film which really began the down-fall of the series! It was clear that Richard Donner did set the tone for Superman which meant not to muck around with the legend! That being the case with the powers you see in this film! If you are a die-hard Superman fan, and know the character and his powers, you'll know what I mean when you watch it! Second, the romance of this film with Lois and Superman does reach it's peak, but then at the end of this film, the fans will be upset with the total outcome! The worst was yet to come with the next 2 films! Fortunately, this DVD is special to me because the magic is still there! Along with the "letterbox" widescreen version to the film which preserves this film and the other so well! Still, I know there were scenes cut-out of the original film that I wish could have been added onto this DVD! Maybe they will come out with the complete version someday soon! Still, a very good movie I recomend to anyone!

Superman II - Extended ONLY
This film gets 4 stars from me based on its extended version and not on the pathetic theatrical cut! A lot of footage was cut from this film but did make it onto various extended versions that were screened across the world. The theatrical cut of this film is a poor reflection on what director Richard Donner intended the world to see. After his sacking by the Salkinds, Richard Lester was dragged in to complete the film and refilm perfectly filmed scenes which Donner filmed in 1977. This decision cost everyone a great movie.

In 1984 fans finally got a well edited film when a lot of Donner's footage was re-inserted into TV broadcasts of the movie. The longest version having accumalated some 24 mins of additional footage. This version has only been screened in Europe and Australia and contains 7 mins more footage than the 1984 ABC telecast. Most notable extended scenes are of Lex and Eve exploring the exterior of the fortress. Miss T to Les, "...It is funny that there is no front door...". Also present is Superman's "Blast off!" line after Lex and the villains are taken away by the Arctic police. These crucial scenes were cut from the theatrical and ABC extended broadcasts.

In saying that still, the film will get 5 stars when I see all director Richard Donner's footage restored into the film.

Anyone thinking that the theatrical is a good film is much mistaken. Any of the extended TV broadcast are a MAJOR improvement over an average film!

A Richard Donner Cut is what I'm after
Not nearly as good as the first movie, this suffers from production problems as a result of Donner's sacking by the Salkinds.
It's plainly obvious which scenes were shot by Donner and which weren't. And sadly, they left out a hefty chunk of what Donner had filmed, giving Lester the top billing as director.
Another sad omission is John Williams rousing score, which has been poorly duplicated. Not nearly as uplifting and powerful as John William's efforts in one.
Although the primary focus is on Lois and Superman's relationship, it doesn't save this picture from stinking. Even Gene Hackman's wonderful performance(which was all directed by Donner, with the exception of scenes where Lester used a body double and an impersonator for Hackman's voice) can't salvage this.
So why do I give this three stars? Because it does have it's moments, though scattered, and I live in the hope that a Richard Donner cut, using primarily all his footage, which would bring back all the scenes with Marlon Brando, will eventually pop up and finally put to bed the question of what could have been.

We need a 21st Century Superman movie!
Very bad film.
They released Spiderman into the 21st century, why not Superman?
I've always found him to be the most appealing comic book character. He is sure for an amazing performance.
RELEASE HIM INTO OUR CENTURY!

BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!!!
All you people complaining about what is and should have been (Donner not being able to complete the project) the end result is a movie that many people view as better! Leave my Superman II alone! ... Read more

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"Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone: a comedy tonight!" Those words from the opening song pretty much describe the menu in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, a frantic adaptation of the stage musical by Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove. The wild story, set in ancient Rome, follows a slave named Pseudolus (Zero Mostel, snorting and gibbering) as he tries to extricate himself from an increasingly farcical situation; Mostel and a bevy of inspired clowns, including Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford, and Buster Keaton, keep the slapstick and the patter perking. The cast also includes the young Michael Crawford as a love-struck innocent. This project landed in the lap of Richard Lester, then one of the hottest directors in the world after his success with the Beatles' films. Lester telescoped the material through his own joke-a-second sensibility, and also ripped out some of the songs from Stephen Sondheim's Broadway score. The result is a pixilated romp and very close to the vaudeville spirit suggested by the title--though anyone with a low tolerance for Zero Mostel's overbearing buffoonery may be in trouble. Oddly enough, amidst all the frenzy, Lester creates a grungy, earthy Rome that seems closer to the real thing than countless respectable historical films on the subject. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Many Songs are missing...but still great
Ok, when a movie stars Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford and Buster Keaton, you know it is going to be an outrageously funny movie. As is the case with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." "Forum" was adapted from the highly sucessful, extremely comical Broadway musical of the same name. The show, the first show featuring the music AND lyrics of now legendary composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, was a huge hit.

When it was made into this movie version, many of Sondheim's songs were dropped. In fact, at some points it doesn't even seem like a musical. However, the movie is still extremely hilarious. Mostel played the role of Pseudolous, which he originated on Broadway. When filming began, he was just done wih a little musical called "Fiddler on the Roof". Mostel is great in this , as is the great Phil Silvers.

This movie is highly comical, seeming almost like a Monty Python movie. If your a fan of wild antics and very funny songs including "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought To Have a Maid", than you'll love this movie. By the way, it also features a very young Michael Crawford, who many years later would win a Best Actor Tony as The Phantom of the Opera.

Classic Funny Men enliven this trip to the FORUM
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM is one of those shows that you just have to let go of all disbelief, in order to accept the broad and wacky humor. Using the 2 stars from the original cast (Zero Mostel & Jack Gilford), this film is a fun and silly romp for everyone to enjoy. Mostel leads the pack as the crafty slave plotting his way to freedom, while Gilford is perfect as his VERY nervous cohort. Buster Keaton is a gem as the befuddled, blind-as-a-bat, old man searching for his long-lost children, while Phil Silvers is oily perfection as Lycus, the buyer & seller of the flesh of beautiful women. Leon Greene is vanity personified as the roman soldier, Miles Gloriosus. Richard Lester directs using his trademark quick-cuts and cinema tricks, and while they don't always work, they keep the film from dragging too much. Fans of the stage show will be disappointed to see some of the musical numbers cut, as well as the liberties with the script. (The part of Lycus is expanded in the film to accomodate Silvers.) However, the chance to see these old pros of burlesque humor strut their stuff makes this trip well worth taking. Be aware, however, that this film is NOT for the PC inclined. This is a "Comedy, Tonight" worth recommending.

Overall not great, but has its good isolated moments
I do not claim to have a broad knowledge of Broadway musicals, and so this, Richard Lester's film version of Stephen Sondheim's A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, was my first experience with this musical.

Mr. Sondheim is certainly something, isn't he? In such classic musicals as GYPSY or WEST SIDE STORY, his lyrics always seem to sparkle with such exhilarating wit. It's the same here, at least in the few numbers the filmmakers retained from the Broadway show in the film, particularly with the catchy opening tune "Comedy Tonight" (a tune that's still stuck in my mind right now).

As for the stretches without music---well, for me it's a mixed bag. Having not seen Richard Lester's more famous previous films (like A HARD DAY'S NIGHT), I can't say whether the frantic editing style he employs here is a trademark of his or not. Mostly it works here, giving the material a welcome screwball farcical edge. Lester, though, pursues this chaotic style at the expense of clarifying the story, resulting in a movie that eventually becomes a mess in terms of plot (since so much seems to be going on at once). Perhaps the climactic chase scene towards the end is the prime example of this fault: Lester and his editor John Victor-Smith hardly bother to clarify at certain points who's chasing whom---it's simply chariots and horses flying by, in a visceral whizz of fast motion. That's basically the problem with the storytelling overall. In short, the style is mostly effective but self-conscious (although perhaps it is a forbear of the blitzkrieg comedy style of later movies like AIRPLANE!).

Still, the movie has its moments, although most of those moments come in the witty songs and Zero Mostel's likably over-the-top performance as Pseudolus (a precursor to his classic portrayal of Max Bialystock in THE PRODUCERS). It's not a great film, but for the most part, it's good entertainment.

Schizophrenic; and hardly a MUSICal
This movie is schizophrenic. It is not funny. It is just half-funny slapstick gags delivered as if by a schizophrenic on drugs. Example: the Chariot race... What the hell is going on during that scene? It looks like everyone is just chasing everyone else and has no idea where they themselves are going. It's frightening. Another example: choreography for "Everybody's Gotta Have a Maid"... what the hell is going on during that scene? Rapid cuts from totally different settings and really random choreography make this one of the most bewildering stagings I have ever seen.

I've seen this stage musical, and it is far funnier than the film. Firstly, because it retains the music. Sondheim's music is absolutely hilarious, in many ways funnier than the book. Songs like "That'll Show Him", "Dirty Old Man," "Pretty Little Picture", "Love I Hear", and of course, the fabulous "I'm Free" are all missing. Why? For the love of God, why? And secondly, because the director did not replicate the good pacing of the musical. The musical itself is fast-paced but funny. Apparently, while making the transition to film, the director figured "I can do even more with a film" and thus WAY overdid it. Seriously, this film could give you a heart attack.

Also, other than Zero Mostel (who arguably is not at his best) the performers are not very good, except for the "Lovely (Reprise)" which was the highlight of the film. And the Captain has a good voice too.

Horribly Dated
With apparently no faith in the pretty strong material, the filmmakers decided to do away with most of the aspects that made the musical charming in the first place (like, oh, most of the music!) and replace it with groovy 60's trickery that looks like something right out of Benny Hill (look, the action is sped up to make everyone look like they're running really, really fast...isn't that funny?)

Zero Mostel does what he can, but he can't salvage this. No one else even registers.

I saw this on stage, and that version blows the film version out of the water.

Grade: D ... Read more

Reviews (119)

4.5 stars - even better than their previous film
Help! (1965.) The second Beatles movie.

INTRODUCTION:
In 1964 the Beatles proved that they were more than just talented singer-songwriters - they were talented actors, too! Their first film, A Hard Day's Night, demonstrated that the band could act quite well. For the band's second film, Eight Arms To Hold You, they went for a very different sort of movie - it was in color, and the plot was NOTHING like that of their previous film. At the last minute, the film's name was changed to Help!. Read on for my review.

BASIC PLOT:
An evil cult has prepared a ritual to sacrifice a young woman, but quickly finds out that they can't do this without the ceremonial ring - which has somehow ended up on the finger of Ringo Starr. The cult chases the band across the world in an attempt to reclaim the ring.

FILM OPINIONS:
This is a very strange movie - but it's also a very good one. In my opinion, this film is far superior to its predecessor, A Hard Day's Night. Also, as with all of the other Beatles films, the band plays their songs at various points through the course of the movie - these little sessions are some of the best parts of the movie. All in all, a good movie.

DVD:
The DVD doesn't have a whole lot of extras the way the A Hard Day's Night disc did, but it does have a few extras nonetheless. If you're a Beatles fan, you're sure to get a kick out of these bonus features.

OVERALL:
Overall, it's a good movie. Sure, it's weird, but that doesn't mean it's not a good film! If you're a Beatles fan, do yourself a favor and check this movie out - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Goofy fun, great music-- SO WHERE IS THE DVD?
My three daughters (ages 11, 7, and 5) are suddenly in the full thrall of Beatlemania, something I thought I'd gotten over 20 years ago. Lo and behold, they totally re-infected me at age 44! We can't seem to get "1", "Revolver", "Abbey Road" and "Rubber Soul" out of rotation on our CD player. My kids and I also watch the DVDs of "Yellow Submarine" and "Magical Mystery Tour" (which shows how truly hard core we are) every few days.

Anyway, I went in search of DVDs of "Hard Day's Night" and "Help" and found out THEY ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. It seems they have been TAKEN OFF THE MARKET just as the Fabs were hitting Number 1 again across the land! Same goes for VHS tapes and DVDs of the "Beatles Anthology" and "Compleat Beatles" documentaries, all listed as "out of print and no longer available."

HELLO-- Who's reponsible for this FIASCO? Someone ought to be fired immediately for this, since there's no telling how much money is being lost minute-by-minute. The Beatles are once again the HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD, and their best movie work is suddenly UNAVAILABLE? The stupidity of this marketing move is almost inconceivable.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to find a tired, worn-out VHS tape of "Help" on the bottom shelf of the local video store and brought it home. The kids, of course, FLIPPED and I found myself once again amazed at what truly natural, charismatic performers the Fabs were.

Although rock critics have always liked "Hard Day's Night" more, I must admit "Help" has always been my favorite Beatles movie. Viewing it again after 20-odd years, I'm amazed at its innocent charm and how well some of the sight gags hold up. It's a sheer pleasure to watch all the proto-music videos in it, particularly the fabulous "Ticket To Ride" sequence (my youngest still screams "The SKI SONG! YIPPEEE!" whenever the opening chords come over the stereo). The Mad Scientist character reminded my girls of "The Brain." Some of the casually tossed-off lines have amazing staying power. "A feindish thingee!" "You've got a plan, haven't you inspector?" "Not a bit like Cagney!" "Ah, you see? British! If I had a Luger..." "So these are the famous Beatles / So this is the famous Scotland Yard" "Lovely boys! Just the same as they was before they was" etc.

The spirit of both "Help" and "Hard Day's Night" is definitely "cheeky," as opposed to the "snotty" and cynical attitude adopted by today's teen-oriented music stars (don't believe me? Compare the excruciating "Jose and the Pussycats" to any Beatles flick and tell me we haven't gone BACKWARDS in 30-odd years in terms of music, talent and attitude). That's the only bad part of watching or listening to the Beatles in this day and age: It reminds you that pop/rock music is long into its decadent phase, with the themes so daringly explored by the Beatles and others so long ago simply being hashed, rehashed, sampled, computerized, and spat out by today's soulless performers.

Anyway, I would happily buy a "Help" and "Hard Day's Night" DVD IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE! How long is this agony to last?

Beatles Rule
I am 27 and from India, i was in my 9th graded when my sister presented me RUBBER SOUL, and from that moment on I have been a beatles fan, Around 10 years back I saw Hard Days Night and I was in love , then i saw HELP and i was BLOWN, the movie is full of humor,energy and lots more, One of my favourite scenes is when they all are in the Loo and the baddy turns on the dryer, the best part of the scene is when Georges shirt gets sucked into the dryer, and RIngo says "Ther is More Here than meets the eyes". It's funny the way he says this.
There are some people whose review i have read says movie is okay, those people must be doped, not to appreciate this movie,
For Gods Sake its THE BEATLES, it dosent get any better than this,KUDOS to the Beatles and their Masterpiece

Help!
Beatles in colour + them smoking way too much dope + lots of weird crap + the coolest house ever = great movie. It's my favorite one of theirs. Personally I think the only bad thing about this movie was the acting of the male middle easterners but I'm no proffessional movie critic so eh. John Lennon's utter insanity shines through as always and something about watching the beatles beat up people seems very intriguing.

This movie has got the best collection of beatles song clips (videos) in the world. The tank scene is really great and the clip of "you're gonna lose that girl" has got to be one of the coolest beatles performances on tape. The camera looks like it's having a gushing orgasm of radiant blue colour.

Anyways, these Beatle movies shouldnt even be allowed to be rated. They could film themselves sitting drunk on lounge chairs for an hour and a half and people would call it a masterpiece. It's the Beatles for christsakes A+ I say.

Before the time of MTV, CD's, and Desk-top Computers...
One cannot deny that Help! is a significant cornerstone in the musical video industry. This is exceptional footage of the boys' primetime. Whether you believe other Beatles footage is better or movie content is better, the visual and musical content of this movie will stand out forever. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The Fab Four from Liverpool--John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr--in their first movie. Nobody expected A Hard Day's Night to be much more than a quick exploitation of a passing musical fad, but when the film opened it immediately seduced the world--even the stuffiest critics fell over themselves in praise (highbrow Dwight Macdonald called it "not only a gay, spontaneous, inventive comedy but it is also as good cinema as I have seen for a long time"). Wisely, screenwriter Alun Owen based his script on the Beatles' actual celebrity at the time, catching them in the delirious early rush of Beatlemania: eluding rampaging fans, killing time on trains and in hotels, appearing on a TV broadcast. American director Richard Lester, influenced by the freestyle French New Wave and British Goon Show humor, whips up a delightfully upbeat circus of perpetual motion. From the opening scene of the mop tops rushing through a train station mobbed by fans, the movie rarely stops for air. Some of the songs are straightforwardly presented, but others ("Can't Buy Me Love," set to the foursome gamboling around an empty field) soar with ingenuity. Above all, the Beatles express their irresistible personalities: droll, deadpan, infectiously cheeky. Better examples of pure cinematic joy are few and far between. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (264)

Wonderful Film with FABulous Extras
This is one of the great films from the 1960s and should be seen by everyone at least once during their lifetime.

The film has held up very well and the editing still looks innovative nearly 40 years later. One thing that is very noticeable with this set is that the music has been digitally remastered and the sonic quality of the songs is markedly different from the dialogue in the rest of the movie.

The extra disc provides a lot of insight into the making of the film and the whole Beatles scene. Everyone from Richard Lester to the tailor and hairdresser on the film talk about their memories. Klaus Voorman gives an interesting interview where he shows drawings that he made during the early years of Beatlemania. There is also a documentary on the first disc that repeats clips from some of the interviews on disc 2 but most of the insights are unique to this special.

Despite the fact that there is a lot of bonus content, even more would have been appreciated. While there is an interview with the man who designed the film's movie poster, an actual gallery of posters and lobby cards would have been appreciated. It would have also been appropriate to include theatrical trailers for the film. This set does include DVD-ROM content but I did not have access to it so perhaps these things are located there.

Other things that could've been added to disc 2 include deleted scenes shown in "You Can't Do That! The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'" and the "I'll Cry Instead" intro that was added to the film when it was re-released in the 1980s. Richard Lester's "Running Jumping Standing Still" film should have also been included since it's mentioned so much on the DVD.

For fans of 1960s cinema or the Beatles, this set is a keeper. Here's hoping "Help!" gets similar treatment someday.

Fab -- A very clean old movie
"A Hard Day's Night" makes most critics' best-ever lists. It's widely considered an electrifying mix of great music and hip comedy, both a time capsule of the swinging '60s and a timeless entertainment. Roger Ebert calls it "one of the great life-affirming landmarks of the movies."

Respect hasn't led to respectful treatment. Legal wrangling followed "A Hard Day's Night" throughout its home video life, resulting in oddities like the "tribute to John Lennon" musical prologue tacked on for VHS. The first DVD version, from MPI in 1997, disappeared after a few months of distribution.

Here, finally, is an up-to-date rendition worthy of the film.

"A Hard Day's Night" looks and sounds about as good as could be expected. The carefully lit black-and-white images should please most viewers -- even though they're on the flat side, with persistent minor speckling. The stereophonic songs swing as they must, smoking the tracks on Capitol's (shamefully outdated) soundtrack CD. (The MPI video had significantly worse sound but deeper contrasts.) Try this: Put on the Capitol version of "Tell Me Why" and then play the movie version. Perhaps Capitol can tell us why they continue to sell 15 year old Beatles CDs.

The film, shot in 35mm, is presented in widescreen, letterboxed with a ratio of about 1.66:1, enhanced for 16x9 televisions. The spiffed-up audio comes via Dolby Digital, with the musical numbers in stereo.

The first disc contains the movie as well as "Things They Said Today," a new promo film that gives the big picture. The second disc is all interviews, arranged by category (cast, crew, etc.).

Martin Lewis, a Beatles historian and pal to most of the filmmakers, conducted 30 video interviews for the package. They include key players -- Martin, director Richard Lester, United Artists exec David Picker, cinematographer Gilbert Taylor ("Star Wars") and Beatles publicist Tony Barrow -- as well as those who were just lucky to find themselves working on a film project "at the center of the universe."

The reminiscences get infusions of energy from upbeat clips, some amplifying the talkers' points and others making Beatle-esque visual jokes. The production was extensively filmed and photographed, with hours of that material first seen in this collection. The interviews are tightly edited, surprisingly focused and often a great deal of fun. It becomes clear that contributing to the film profoundly changed the lives of most of these people.

Seriously Lacks Originality
An overrated band starring in an overrated documentary. I was under the impression that the goal of a film such as this was to convey a sense of time and place, and realism, but apparently the cliched "flop tops" couldn't be bothered for that. In 90 minutes, these third-rate musicians skip a television rehearsal almost ruining the entire program, neglect responding to fan mail, harass their manager, harass young women, harass old women, harass the police, encourage school drop-out, endanger the elderly, and let's not forget play horrible generic pop music (which is obviously lip-synched, completely destroying any realism the director might have been going for). I'm surprised they weren't arrested, seeing as how all of their deeds were caught on film. If anyone had a Hard Day's Night from this film, it was me from the nightmares I had after seeing it. God bless Aaron Carter - now there's a candidate for a documentary!

An Original
This could have been a "B" movie exploitation film of a short lived pop group. Instead, it turned out to be the precursor to MTV and music videos, shows what made the Beatles so much fun and manages to play a few of their great tunes at the same time. The plot is minimal, consisting of the Beatles entourage getting the Beatles to a live television show on which the Beatles are to perform. Nearly from the beginning to the end, the Beatles are chased by pimple faced young teens, the police, their handlers, and everyone else. And throughout the film, Paul's grandfather, played by William Brambell (a very clean old man), keeps stirring up problems.

The nominal plot allows the Beatles natural likeability to shine. This film established the personas of the individual Beatles (as portrayed to the media) -- Paul -- straightforward and good natured, John -- incessantly sarcastic, George -- subtle with a dry sense of humor, and Ringo -- quiet, shy and introspective. The movie is irreverent, inventive, funny, droll, deadpan, filled with non-stop movement, and some great, if dated, rock-n-roll! A wonderful film showing the exuberance of youth, the innocence of an earlier time, and Beatlemania in all its glory!

The DVD's extras include interviews with about everyone still living who participated in the film except the surviving Beatles. While it is nice to have all of the insiders reminiscing about the film, it would have been nice to hear from some of the Fab Four.

Movie is great but extra features aren't that spectacular
A Hard Day's Night is a GREAT movie and the DVD does help with the quality of the film. However when i bought this i thought possibly some of the extra features would contain interviews with the Beatles and so on. THERE WERE NONE..But since the movie is great and so is the quality i would still recommend buying it. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Brilliant, dark satire on the darkest of subjects.
Richard Lester created in "How I Won the War" a film that simply cannot be categorized.

Symbolism abounds in the film, and in alternating instances, its overtness and its subtlety can prove confusing. For this reason, the film needs to be viewed more than once.

The blatant attack on the military mindset is brilliantly executed. In swift strokes he makes a mockery of military officers and warmongers; one scene in particular has two British officers exchanging bubble gum cards of war scenes, with one insisting in a haughty accent "I want school bombing ... I do."

Michael Crawford and John Lennon are joined by an excellent supporting cast, including Victor Spinetti the brilliant (but unfortunately "late") Leo McKern. Crawford plays the role with just the right amount of smarminess, egoism and overt stupidity that it calls for. Lennon and McKern's innocence causes the closing segment to be doubly powerful.

Overall ... a fine film worth seeing, especially for any fans of social commentary.

Not Chuffed, Mate
Richard Lester has directed great movies, and Three Musketeers (Michael York) is on my ten favorite action movie list. "How I Won the War" is not one of his best.

The problem with the movie is it is English humor with a capital "E." The movies consists of a melange of British Butlin's holiday camp farce and insider public school jokes shot in rapid fire. The lead character is an irritatingly eager chipmunk of an officer who is impossible to connect with. I didn't like him and quickly wished to see him capped by the equally incompetent Germans. The movie would have definitely fed George Patton's biased stereotype of British officers as fawning twits.

Oh, and John Lennon? He doesn't occupy much of this film, and when he speaks, it's rapid-fire one line blitzkreig Liverpudlian. Had trouble understanding "Magical Mystery Tour?" This will really be a stumper.

A historical artifact, only, if harmless.

Surrealistic Anti-War Movie
HOW I WON THE WAR was filmed in Spain in late 1966. The movie features John Lennon and Michael Crawford of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA fame. Richard Lester is the director. The movie is a surrealistic anti-war movie.

The surrealism will turn off many viewers. There is no standard plot structure. This movie can almost be seen as experimental and avante-garde. These qualities drew Lennon to the project. But they are bound to draw viewers away.

HOW I WON THE WAR is akin to REVOLUTION 9 on THE WHITE ALBUM or WHAT'S THE NEW MARY JANE from ANTHOLOGY 3. This movie is cutting edge and pushes the envelope. It is unconventional and approaches psychedelia. Not surprisingly, Lennon composed STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER while making this movie.

The movie suffers from not having songs or compositions by Lennon on the soundtrack. Both Lennon and Crawford are singers, but there are no songs in the movie. John Lennon's character Gripweed is a supporting character in the movie.

The movie, moreover, has an anti-war theme by showing the absurdity, banality, and hollowness of all war. There is no good war. The movie shows how "winning" a war really occurs. The movie, thus, lacks a feelgood perspective. It leaves the viewer disgusted with war by showing that war is not glorious and noble, but the opposite.

Viewers should realize that this movie is surrealistic and experimental. In other words, it is not a commercial movie. It is a satirical look at war. It is a unique movie unlike any other Beatles movie. It is closest to MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR in that it is not a traditional movie. It is a very different war movie. Obviously such a surrealistic movie will not appeal to many. Nevertheless, it is a unique movie experience, not the usual formula movie.

Don't expect to be laughing the whole movie
First off, don't expect a fun M*A*S*H or Hard Day's Night romp. this is a dark movie, and it's supposed to be. but you can't judge it because you want to see a lighthearted Lennon. it's dark and sad and very well filmed. as a war movie, this is one of the best (in my opinion). the last scene with lennon is almost otherworldly, guaranteed to depress. True, the cover is really rather irritating, lennon is only on for a bit. But the cast is top-notch, the writing crisp, and the overall feeling one of amazement. which is, after all, the point of a movie to begin with.

Beatles fans be forewarned
If you're seeking this movie out as a Beatles fan there are a few things you ought to know. First of all, despite John Lennon's handsome mug being prominately featured on the cover of this videotape, he only features in about 15 minutes of this film. (It is NOT how John Lennon's character Gripweed won the war - as the artwork on this tape might lead you to believe - but rather how Michael Crawford's character won the war). Secondly, John does not have much of an opportunity to act silly when he IS featured on camera so if you are expecting another performance like "A Hard Days Night" you will be disappointed. Thirdly, John's last scene in this movie is somewhat uncomfortable to watch given the tragic way in which he died (John's character is mortally wounded in combat and he addresses the camera one final time lying dazed and bleeding). Some of the British humor and the accents in particular are hard to interpret but not any more so than "A Hard Days Night" or "Help". Being that it's a Richard Lester film some of the same actors seen in "Help!" are featured here but this is by no means a vehicle for Lennon's acting career. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Richard Lester's 1975 sequel to his romping Three Musketeers--released the year before--reunites his swashbuckling cast for a decidedly less happy and more somber experience. This time, D'Artagnan (Michael York) and his Musketeer mentors (Richard Chamberlain, Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay) have a tougher fight against their old enemies, and the adventure is not without its casualties. But the film is highly entertaining, filled with that same loony air that makes most films by Lester (How I Won the War, A Hard Day's Night, Help!) so much fun. The actors are with him every step of the way: Reed, Chamberlain, Finlay, and York are a heroic version of the Marx brothers, Raquel Welch was never better, and Charlton Heston clearly enjoys playing the evil Cardinal Richelieu.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The Revenge Of Milady
Immediately following the events of the previous installment, Rochefort kidnaps D'artagnan's lover Constance. D'artagnan, unconscious after fighting the kidnappers, is taken in by the seductive Milady who is used by the control-hungry Cardinal Richelieu to distract him. With France at war with Protestants, The Duke Of Buckingham plans to send ships to aid the rebels. The Cardinal is going to have Milady assassinate The Duke by any means necessary. The Musketeers must prevent this for the sake of the Queen who is having an affair with the Duke. Not only this, but the Musketeers must also protect D'Artagnan and Constance from Milady (After Constance is rescued from the place where she is held), for she plans to wreck horrible revenge on both for humiliating her in the previous film.

This is not a sequel; it is merely different packaging since both film were supposed to be one. Aside from that fact, "The Four Musketeers" is an incredibly good continuation of the story. While it manages to blend slapstick and swashbuckling action well, the slapstick is less goofy and the action is more brutal (whether these are pros or cons I'll let you decide). Some may not enjoy the murders of many of the more significant characters, as they occur rather suddenly. The performances are very enjoyable, the humor is excellent, the final battles are intense towards the end, and the conclusion is extremely satisfying. See it!

Followed by: The Return Of The Musketeers.

Overall rating: 5 stars

Rated PG: contains brutal violence including a beheading, some language, adult themes, sexual encounters. However, I don't think many people will find this overly offensive.

A More Somber Conclusion...
Not nearly as much fun as the first film, The Three Musketeers, this conclusion to the story of D'Artagnon, Athos, Porthos & Aramis and their efforts to thwart the machinations of Cardinal Richelieu, de Rochefort, and Milady DeWinter, is much more plot-heavy and somber than the original, and includes some jarring assassinations and murders.

Benefiting greatly by having the same wonderful cast (both films were shot at one time), it continues where the first film left off, with clever and ironic period detail and wry observations, this time not only about the twit aristocracy, but about religious fanaticsm, persecution and wars (Protestant and Catholics)as well.

The wit and intelligence is still here, but some of the elan is missing. There is so much plot to be disposed of that the film seems more hurried and less relaxed than the first. There are some good fights, especially one clever and funny bit on an icy stream, and a brutal fight at the finale in a nunnery that climaxes with de Rochefort (the marvelously arch and disdainful Christopher Lee) and D'Artagnon (Michael York) dueling in the chapel. Again, the sword fighting is FIGHTING, using both hands and feet, and with the participants becoming exhausted by their efforts.

The cast, as mentioned, is superb, with Heston as the wily Cardinal, Jean Pierre Cassel as the dim King, Geraldine Chaplain the ninny of a Queen, a wonderful Raquel Welch as Constance, the aforementioned Chris Lee & Michael York, and the great Oliver Reed as the moody and explosive Athos, Richard Chambelain the aloof Aramis, and Frank Finlay the vain & pompous Porthos. I neglected to mention Roy Kinnear as the long-suffering servant, Planchet, in my review of the earlier film. He's wonderful, as he always was, and lost his life in making this film.

Full of wry bits of business and humorous asides, and ironic contrasts, the Four Musketeers has the great benefit of continuity of cast and style and tone, although the tone shifts much darker and more plot-driven here. Not as good as the first film, but well worth your while. Compared to the witless films that more often than not make up our present world, these gems seem better and better for their audacity and intelligence. 4-1/2 stars.

Great movie, Fox-Lorber has poor DVD version
This one was actually filmed back to back with the first movie, and was released in 1975. It features the same great cast and finishes up the story from the book "The Three Musketeers".

Same cast as before. Oliver Reed as Athos, Richard Chamberlain as Aramis, Frank Finlay as Porthos, Michael York as D'Artagnan. Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Geraldine Chaplin, Faye Dunaway. Again, just about every performance is amazing. And what's sort of sad is that the actors signed up for one "project" - so even though they put in enough material to do two complete films, they were only paid once. Ah well, we the viewers benefitted!

This tells the second half of the story from the book. The Queen was saved for ruin, and the musketeers are sent up to fight the Huguenots. The Cardinal is still after them, as is M'Lady. There are more battles, more attempts to kill the musketeers, more threats and plots. The mood turns darker in this one, as the fellowship runs into serious situations. The ending matches the book - not necessarily a "happy" ending but a satisfying one.

Again, the BIG WARNING. I wore out several copies of this video tape before getting this on the first DVD available. Fox Lorber put out the DVD version. I was thrilled to have it on DVD. I was less thrilled when I saw what they did to the movie!! They literally cut off ALL FOUR EDGES of the movie, losing quite a lot of the picture. The special features are completely missing. There is a new DVD version out which is a two-pack of "The Three Musketeers" and "The Four Musketeers" that has the special features and has the full version of both movies without missing content. AVOID THE FOX LORBER VERSION and get the other one.

NO Closed Captions or Subtitles !!!!
Since we have bought many DVDs and borrowed many DVDs and all of them have captions or subtitles, I was cheated with this DVD - it has no captions/subtitles and I cannot enjoy this movie. I am hearing-impaired. This is one of only 3 of many many DVDs that do not have captions.

The Sequel is as Good as the First-A Must See
This sequel is just as entertaining as "The Three Musketeers." The performances are again very strong. It has all the elements as the first movie, comdey, action, adventure, but wraps up the story from Dumas' novel.

The movie focues' on Milady and her revenge to have D'Artagan and his lover killed. This movie was film concurrently with the first, and it shows as the actors are in full form and do not miss a beat. The conculsion is great as it ends with D'Artagan fighting the Count of Rochefort (played by Christopher Lee) is a wonderfully cheographed sword fight (it is gritty and realistic looking) and then the pronouncment of death on Milady.

Another must see movie. These two movies would be followed up by the entertianing, (however, not nearly as good as these movies) "The Return of the Musketeers" where the four musketeers are re-united. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here was a case in which the progenitors of this successful comic-book adaptation figured they had to go in a new direction--and chose the wrong one. For starters, they recruited comedian Richard Pryor, who was the kiss of death for almost every movie he was in except his own concert films. He plays a computer specialist who is hired by a criminal mastermind (Robert Vaughan) to help him take on Superman by exposing him to a new form of Kryptonite: red Kryptonite, which always had unpredictable effects in the comic books. In this film, it splits Superman in two, dividing his good self from his dark side. The special effects had gone about as far as they could, and this movie strains to hold an audience's interest for its full running length. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Disappointing.
Aside from Christopher Reeve's fine performance once again as Clark Kent/Superman, "Superman III" was a major disappointment back in 1983. I remember sitting in the theater as a 10-year-old and thinking, "Is that all there is?" Superman vs. a Supercomputer just cannot compare with him rescuing California from a major tectonic disaster or duking it out above Metropolis with three Kryptonian villains.

I also could never understand why the producers cast Richard Pryor. It's like he bumbled onto the set accidently from a different movie. He's a very talented comedian, yes, but exactly what audience were the Salkinds aiming for? I know I wasn't old enough then to see his concert movies or his vehicles with Gene Wilder. Mind boggling to me.

I missed the magic and awe I felt during the original film. I missed Lex Luthor's scheming ways. But mostly, I missed the witty relationship between Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. Annette O'Toole is lovely, but her character simply wasn't as fun or interesting as the best girl reporter in Metropolis. With her husky voice and hilarious manic energy, Margot Kidder was absolutely perfect. Two small scenes were not enough.

I really don't like leaving negative reviews, but as a Superman purist, the only REAL Superman movie to see is the orginial. Richard Donner's vision for the film was flawless. The first sequel was fine, but it could have been sooo much better had Donner been allowed to finish (he was unjustly fired after the Salkinds worked him to the bone). Do yourself a favor... preorder SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE on DVD and enjoy!!

This Looks Like A Job For...Richard Pryor??
After getting off to a great start, the Superman film series, got muddled a bit by a director change while filming Superman II. Thanks to the fact that Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz's original story for the sequel stayed intact, despite all of the backstage hostility, Superman II still manages to work. Superman III, hovwever, is a whole nother matter entirely, with its own set of problems.

Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor) is a down on his luck computer genius, who is hired by Websco industries, to doa meanial data entry. Soon though Gus learns how to imbezzle large sums of money. When CEO Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn) finds this out, rather than send him to jail, Webster uses Gus and his computer skills to hold other competitors around the world at bay. Soon his plan becomes one of worldwide domination Superman (Christopher Reeve) tries to stop Webter and his cohorts in crime, but is halted by a synthetic chunck of Kryptonite, that turns the Man Of Steel against the planet he had sworn to protect.

Superman III took the series in a more comedic direction. From the farsical oppening credit sequence, to Pryor bumbling his way through one unfunny scene after another, It's sad to see a Superman film depart so drasticaly from what's come before and the comic book. Thanks to yet another dispute with producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind, the character of Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) is all but forgotten, save for a thankless, throwaway of a cameo. The action seems a bit silly, particularly at the end, as a super computer runs amok. For me, Reeve is the only thing about Superman III, that keeps it alive. Clearly director Richard Lester has it in for our hero, running him nearly into the ground. Superman III is more of a paraody, than a superhero flick.

The only extra on the DVD is the theatrical trailer.

I could have done with less comedy and moore of Reeve being...well...for lack of a better word super

You Will Believe Pryor Can Fly ...This Film Into the Ground!
When the movie poster first came out to promote SUPERMAN III with the illustration of Superman flying while carrying a distraught Richard Pryor, it was suspect. When the film was finally released, all suspicions were true. Director Richard Lester (A HARD DAY'S NIGHT)did such a great job on SUPERMAN II making it a straight action adventure film, but SUPERMAN III was just too campy. From the poster, we go to the opening credits. As they roll, a sequence of "Rube Goldberg", slapstick, domino-effect, accidents happen around a clueless Clark Kent walking through the streets of Metropolis. Somehow the audience knows that this is going to be a different Superman film. Richard Pryor (as Gus Gorman) is a computer whiz who is caught electronically embezzling from his conglomerate boss Robert Vaughn (Ross Webster). Instead of turning him in, Webster offers Gorman a job to help him rule the world by controlling a weather satellite (through Gorman's computer skills), and building a super computer. Superman gets in their way and they devise a plan to kill him with a bad batch of Kryptonite. Instead of killing him, the kryptonite turns Superman evil. He mostly flies around neglecting himself, the people of Metropolis (and of the world), and doing juvenile pranks (i.e. straightening out the Leaning Tower of Pisa). Richard Pryor is not bad in the film, but more of a distraction. The movie-going audience is not used to seeing him in this type of film. British comic actress Pamela Stephenson (whose talents were wasted during her one season on Saturday Night Live--was hardly used or seen in any sketches--but she was brilliantly hilarious on BBC's sketch comedy series NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS) is wasted and miscast in her role as Lorelei Ambrosia, Vaughn's/Webster's mistress. The special effects are decent for the pre-digital age. Some of the action sequences are excellent (i.e. when Superman has to fight the super computer). Also, the Smallville sequences with Clark Kent rekindling his frienship with Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole) are noteworthy. However, most of the film did not work due to the casting of Richard Pryor, other casting decisions, some cheesey sequences (some involving Pryor), and unnecessary humor! As John Lennon's appraisal of the Beatles' film HELP! (also directed by Lester) to paraphrase, "it was a movie about frogs with snakes in it!". That seems to be the case with SUPERMAN III.

Another Really Cheesy 1980s Movie!
Get "Superman III" and "Supergirl" by the Salkind folks and you'll have the cheesiest evening ever! In fact, Superman III nearly beats Supergirl in the "pure cheese" category. And if, like me, you're a fan of such movies, you'll absolutely love this DVD.

The story - Clark Kent/Superman goes back to Smallville for a school-reunion and meets up with a really lovely Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole). Unfortunately, there's this businessman and his bimbo girlfriend and his sister who hires Richard Pryor to mess up the world-weather (and Columbian coffee) with computers. Superman turns evil after touching some green crystal (Kryptonite mixed with tar) and gets drunk, then ends up sleeping with the aforementioned businessman's bimbo girlfriend and even pushes the Tower of Pisa straight. Finally, a supercomputer designed by Richard Pryor turns evil and transforms the aforementioned businessman's sister into an evil, mechanical sister. Superman fights them all with acid and then proceeds to make the Tower of Pisa a leaning tower again before soaring off triumphantly. Movie ends. Roll credit.

I hated this as a kid but watched it again last night and absolutely loved it. It's the nostalgia thing again. I knocked one star off my rating for it because there's this scene where Richard Pryor skies off a skyscraper, lands on the street and DID NOT die!

Superman can be better
Without Lex Luthor, this film rather suffers. But it was an attempt to create an original story instead of returning to the same old theme, which, let's be honest, can get exhausting.

This also got me interested in psychology as a child, because I thought the whole notion of two sides of the same man duking it out was fascinating, to say the least.

Besides, Richard Pryor is a scream here, though what he does on the computer intuitively instead seems to be very close to what a skilled hacker can do today.

This film has one other great idea: Clarke should forget about Lois and start dating Liana. Liana is much sweeter, and unlike the Superman-obseesed Lois, Liana only wants her old friend, Clarke? And, she's smart enough NOT to put herself into deathtraps. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

ALL FOR ONE AND ALL FOR FUN
Richard Lester's refreshingly breezy adaptation of the Dumas classic is one of the best interpretations of this venerable classic. He combines the elements of swashbuckling swordplay with the satirical buffooneries of the Pink Panther movies. Michael York, scrawny yet efficient, plays D'artagnan with a youthful exuberance. Raquel Welch is hilarious as the bumbling, accident prone Constance, and Spike Milligan is likewise a hoot as her aging and lustful husband. The Musketeers are played by Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay and Richard Chamberlain, and are dashingly heroic, if a little out of shape? Faye Dunaway is cold and calculating as the Lady DeWinter while Geraldine Chaplin is quite coquettish as the Queen. Rounding out the marvelous cast are Charlton Heston, Christopher Lee, Simon Ward and Jean Pierre Cassel. Lester filmed this and its sequel (The Four Musketeers) at the same time, but the studio opted to go with a sequel as the whole movie would have been too long. They are both fine films, although the follow up is a little darker in tone. Well worth viewing for a good time.

A Spectacular Action/Adventure-Comedy- A Must See
This movie has it all: action, adventure, comedy. The cast is outstanding and it brings out some of the best performances in some individuals careers like Michael York, Rachael Welch, and Richard Chamberland. The direction by Richard Lester is excellent.

Based on the Alexandre Dumas novel, this film is the best adaptation ever. It is so far superior than the "brat pack" version with Sutherland, Curry, and Sheen, that one wonders why another version was even attempted.

The story begins with D'Artagnan setting off to be a musketeer. He ends up being an embarrashment and has three duels, with the The Musketeers, played by Oliver Reed, Chamberland, and Frank Finely (Finely, in my opinion, gives the best performance in the movie). Because of the Cardinal's guards, the four unite and soon, they are friends going off to England to save the Queen's honor and stop the evil plot of Cardinal Richelieu (played by Charleton Heston).

This movie is a true blast and is followed up by "The Four Musketeers" where Milady (played by Fay Dunaway) tries to bring the ruin of D'Artagan.

The Three Musketeers
Set in 1500's France, a young Gaston named D'Artagnan (Michael York) leaves his family with hope of becoming the king's musketeer. After facing humiliation in his daily exploits, he inadvertently offends three musketeers at different times and each force him to duel to the death the next day (the musketeers: Athos is Oliver Reed, Porthos is Frank Finlay, and Aramis is Richard Chamberlain). However, they all form an alliance after being forced to fight off the Cardinal's authority. Soon after, D'Artagnan falls in love with his landlord's beautiful wife Constance (Raquel Welch) and finds that the Duke Of Buckingham (Simon Ward) is in love with subtly somber The Queen Of France (Geraldine Chaplin). When the Duke and the Queen meet, the Queen gives the Duke her diamond necklace so he can remember her. A spy is pertinent, sees their exchange and reports it to Cardinal Richelieu. Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston), a delicately ominous figure, wants nothing but to take control of France from the King, and the queens missing diamonds are a good opportunity for him to cause the king trouble. It's up to D'Artagnan and the musketeers to return the diamonds to the queen by traveling to England. The obstacles to reaching the destination is easily offended and violent men with varying political views, bandits, the skilled and deadly Rochefort whom D'Artagnan encountered several times (Christopher Lee) and the cardinal's covert agent Milady (Faye Dunaway).

This film version of Alexander Dumas's masterpiece story is filled with incredibly enjoyable elements. There is much slapstick humor that is never forced, pretentious or overly distracting; there is a good amount of swashbuckling action; the performances (especially by Roy Kinnear as the abused servant) are well done and amusing; and the sets are extremely memorable. See it!

Sequel: The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (which was originally going to be utilized as footage for this film)

Overall rating: 5 stars

Rated PG for violence, and some restrained sexual innuendo.

Great Fun & The Best Version so far.....
Richard Lester & his screewriter, George Macdonald Fraser (of Flashman fame), made the best & most complete version of the Dumas tale with great flair and wit, seasoning the old story with satiric touches, irony and outright slapstick. Working with a dream cast, Lester shot this and the sequel (The Four Musketeers) all at once (ala Lord of the Rings) allowing him to tell a bigger story without the distractions of aging or changed cast members. It is great fun.

Since everyone knows the story I want to point out some of the wonderful qualities of the flim. First,there are the terrific fight scenes staged by Wm. Hobbs, who has his swordfights as exhausting affairs, full of sweat and effort, with no rules, no balletic dueling, but rather FIGHTING, with both hands and feet and anything that can be of use. These are set amongst blowing sheets, in tub rooms, and one especially clever night fight with lanterns blinking on and off. Oliver Reed as Athos especially convinces you that he is FIGHTING, not waltzing about.

Next, the wonderful cast, including: Michael York as an enthusistic and eager D'Artagnon; Raquel Welsh as D'Artagnon's paramour, Constance Bonancieux, bountiful and endearingly clutzy; Spike Milligan as Msr. Bonancieux, Raquel's addled and horny husband; Charlton Heston as the shrewd and ruthless Cardinal Richelieu; Christopher Lee, an arch & dignified villain as Rochefort, Richelieu's "blade" (and possibly illegitimate son); Faye Dunaway as the beautiful and treacherous Milady De Winter; Geraldine Chaplin as the ninny of a Queen; Jean Pierre Cassel as the dim and indifferent King. And then, of course the 3 Musketeers: Oliver Reed as a moody & temperamental, but powerful Athos; Richard Chamberlain's refined and aloof Aramis; and Frank Finlay's vain & pompous Porthos. Terrific all!

A light and infectiously joyful swashbuckler, Lester also has great fun displaying the extravagance and vanity of the Royals, idling away their time in ridiculous pursuits, completely impervious and indifferent to their servants and the lives of the common people shown in rough and coarse contrast. The King & Queen are clueless, Buckingham (Simon Ward) is a headstrong dolt, Richelieu schemes, and everyone else tries to survive their foolishness.

A rare mixture of genres and tones that really works, this witty romp must be seen with its concluding Four Musketeers where the tone shifts yet again. A treat for movie lovers.

Avoid this DVD Version! Get the newer release
Filmed in 1973, the one that began it all. The book was actually split into two movies to fit all the plot! This is the first half of the book. An amazing, star-studded cast, great attention to detail and it's funny to boot!

Let's see. Oliver Reed as Athos, Richard Chamberlain as Aramis, Frank Finlay as Porthos, Michael York as D'Artagnan. Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Geraldine Chaplin, Faye Dunaway. Just about every performance is amazing.

This has the REAL plot - not the entirely made-up one Disney foisted on us. D'Artagnan is cheating on his landlord with his landlord's wife. The Queen of France is cheating on her husband, the King, with the Duke of Buckingham. The cardinal is trying to gain power of France. The Musketeers gladly steal food and cheat when necessary. It's a rough world out there!

The attention to detail in the film is simply amazing. From the stunning costumes, to the silver-and-white ball at the end, to the interiors of the buildings, to the food they eat, wine they drink, games they play - it's all fully authentic. You could watch this in a history class and learn quite a bit.

And the swordfighting!! None of this pretentious sword-waving and back-flipping. These guys were professional soldiers. They fought to win. This involved rough-and-tumble brawl tactics at times. I compare Athos' fighting style to Aragorn's in Lord of the Rings. His aim was to stay alive and to keep his comerades alive, not to look pretty when he fought.

Now for the BIG WARNING. I wore out several copies of the video tape before getting this on the first DVD available. Fox Lorber put out the DVD version. I was thrilled to have it on DVD. I was less thrilled when I saw what they did to the movie!! They literally cut off ALL FOUR EDGES of the movie, losing quite a lot of the picture. The special features are completely missing. There is a new DVD version out which is a two-pack of "The Three Musketeers" and "The Four Musketeers" that has the special features and has the full version of both movies without missing content. AVOID THE FOX LORBER VERSION and get the other one. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This underrated Richard Lester film is really a classic--and one of the most romantic movies ever made. Working from James Goldman's script, Lester casts Sean Connery as an aged Robin Hood, returned after years away at the Crusades with an increasingly mad King Richard (Richard Harris). Robin and Little John (a very funny Nicol Williamson) return to find that the sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) is up to his old nasty tricks--and that Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn) is now a nun. Lester brings the same touch to this period film that he did to The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, blending authenticity with a knowing wink at the conventions of period films. But the heart of this film is the very palpable emotion between Hepburn and Connery (and between Connery and Williamson). The ending is guaranteed three hankies, minimum. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Sean and Audrey camp out in the woods
Growing up as a young reader in WASP America, it was inevitable that I should be exposed to the Robin Hood legend. Indeed, it was that tale, along with my young (and imperfect) knowledge of Becket, Henry VIII and his wives, and King Arthur and the Round Table, which first got me to dreaming about visiting England. After my first journey across The Pond in '75 to that green and pleasant land, I was hooked. Thus, it was with great relish that I viewed ROBIN AND MARIAN.

How could one possibly find fault with the casting of this film: Man's Man Sean Connery as the aging, creaky Robin Hood, and the always beautiful Audrey Hepburn as the love of his life, Maid Marian. As a bonus for the viewer, Robert Shaw and Nicol Williamson play the Sheriff of Nottingham and Little John respectively. It doesn't get better than this.

As the movie opens, Robin and faithful pal Little John are off in France attendant to the death of King Richard the Lionhearted (Richard Harris), after having rummaged around with the monarch on the Third Crusade. Richard's funeral over, our two heroes return to Sherwood Forest. Robin soon learns that the new sovereign, wicked King John, has ordered the Sheriff of Nottingham to evict a group of nuns from a local abbey. As circumstance would have it, Maid Marian took the veil in Robin's long absence, and is now the abbey's prioress. Despite his aching bones and stiff joints, Robin sets off to rescue his damsel-in-distress from his old archenemy.

There are so many joys to this movie. One is watching Sean's Robin deal with advancing age. He's still young at heart, but sleeping in the damp, cold forest isn't what it used to be. Both he and Little John are too much "over the hill" for such nonsense, but only the latter, with increasing skepticism, seems to realize it. Then there's Audrey's Marian, who isn't at first sure that she needs the renewed attentions of her old beau. (Audrey is so exquisite! They don't make actresses like that anymore.) The intervening years have even had an effect on Shaw's Sheriff of Nottingham, making him much wiser in his dealings with his rascally nemesis.

Finally, the scriptwriters give their own interpretation to the traditional ending of the Robin Hood story. In their hands, it becomes at least a two-hankie event. Just remembering it now, I'm looking for the Kleenex box. Call me a sucker, but I just ate it up!

Brings Out My Sentimental Side
I liked this movie when it was first released, which answers my sons' challenge that I like Robin Hood as a middle-aged guy because I AM a middle-aged guy. It is everything that a good movie should be. It is well written, well cast and acted, and it holds up as a good story and a good film many years after its theatrical release.I have always thought that Sean Connery was a cocky kid and a not-so-good actor in the James Bond movies, but became profoundly good later in life in "The Rock" and "The Untouchables", and that same developed talent comes through here. He IS the middle aged Robin, a perfectly realized role, as is Audrey Hepburn as Marian. The plot follows Robin's return to England after the death of King Richard in the Crusades. King John (Boo!) is in power and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw)is up to his old larcenous tricks. But now they are "old guys" and their efforts to fuss with each other as in days of yore are sometimes funny and sometimes sad. But the movie is an excellent addition to any DVD library. Technically, the picture has been remastered to modern standards, and if the sound is not DTS, it is acceptable. Good job, but where is the outastanding "Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn?? It's long overdue in DVD format.

A wonderful, wonderful movie
This movie is an undiscovered gem. It is not only a beautiful love story, but it is also attempts to present a realistic picture of the age of the Crusades.

The acting is wonderful. The scenery is gorgeous. The audience is treated with respect. The writing is wonderful. You can stop reading now, as this should be enough to make you buy the movie.

Two additional points: the movie contains the best once sentence describtion of the middle age mind set: "he was my king" and watch this movie and you will get Eddie Izzard's joke in his HBO stand up routine.

A great sequel...but to what?
This movie isn't so much a sequel to The Adventures of Robin Hood as it is to The Lion in Winter. James Goldman wrote the scripts for both and he seems to have a fetish for the Plantagenets. This movie opens with Robin and Little John in the service of a very mad Richard the Lionhearted (wonderfully played by the late Richard Harris). They make their way back to Sherwood to find that Maid Marian has become a nun. (A little tip: if, in a British legend, your girlfriend becomes a nun, you just know it is going to end badly.) The only person who seems truly happy to see Robin again after twenty years is the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw). Watching him fight Sean Connery again, I felt as if this might also be a sequel to From Russia With Love!

The movie is a very good bittersweet romance between famous lovers in their later years. It is not on the same level as The Lion in Winter, but then, how few things are. Watching it, I was reminded how wonderful it is to see Connery act in a real role - instead of mouthing the inanities they give him now ("Welcome to the Rock!").

It is a very good period piece, made the way the used to make them. For any Sean Connery fan, it is a must.

A CHARACTER STUDY, NOT AN ACTION FILM
In this version of the Robin Hood myth, an aged Robin and Little John played wonderfully by Nicol Williamson return to Sherwood and Nottingham after the death of Richard Lion Heart whom they followed on the Crusades. Upon their arrival, they encounter Tuck and Scarlett, forcibly recruit Marion who's now the Abbotess of a nunnery, and in doing so, re-initiate hostilities with the Sheriff of Nottingham. I can't blame anyone for being disappointed in this film; you hear the name Robin Hood and you automatically expect feats of Zen archery and balletic sword duels between Robin and The Sherriff of N. But while not as dynamic as other Robin Hood films, Robin and Marion is not as facile as those films either. This film is about people; it's not supposed to serve as a visual roller coaster. If you prefer comic books to literature, by all means stick with the Errol Flynn version, because Robin and Marion, while it may not be a great work, is still a good piece of literature. It's about being human and being alive, to which, in this film, the fighting is secondary. And while the fight between Robert Shaw and Sean Connery did look arthritic and clumsy, it was also a lot closer to a real fight than Flynn's bladed flashdance with Basil Rathbone (sp?) ever was. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Terrence McNally adapted his Broadway farce for this wild, headlong comedy set in one of the gay bathhouses that were once a staple of New York culture. Jack Weston plays a guy who makes the mistake of crossing his gangster brother-in-law. Fearing for his life, he hides in the gay baths and the door-slamming chaos begins. Directed by Richard Lester, the comedy is adept and well handled, with Weston watching his back while trying to pass as a regular customer. It's hard to tell which is funnier: Treat Williams as an undercover cop with a falsetto voice or Rita Moreno as the baths' supremely untalented--and even more supremely self-confident--singer, Googie Gomez. Her performances alone make this movie worth watching. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Madcap comedy that gets funnier every time you watch it
Jack Weston in one of his best roles plays a garbageman married to Kaye Ballard who gets into trouble with his Mafia-connected brother-in-law. Treat Williams is young and gorgeous and shows his talent for off-beat comedy. Rita Moreno plays no-talent bathhouse entertainer Googie Gomez in one of her best performances. She's well over the top depicting a Puerto Rican singer who has intentions of making the big time... except that she can't sing! The movie is very fast paced with tons of great repeatable lines, and this is one of those movies that grows on you, becoming funnier over time. Every time I watch it, I discover some new line or nuance that delights me. Five stars, one of my all-time favorites. I've worn out my first copy and am working on my second one!

"I hate a queen with no sense of humor."
After doing so well on the stage, this little-known comedy was put to film. With the same 4 actors cast in their stage roles(Weston, Stiller, Abraham, and Moreno), insanity seems to run in this hotel! Plot put aside, this movie could seriously float on pure acting ability alone. Jack Weston gets a helluva lot of the laughs as the "innocent" thrown into a gay bathhouse. Rita Morena is reprising her Tony Award-winning role as the talentless Googie Gomez, a flawless performance.....and sideslitting one as well. Jerry Stiller manages to grab a few great lines as the insane brother-in-law after Weston. And, my personal favorite, F. Murray Abraham as the flamboyantly gay Chris. He's hysterical and has the lines that have you on the floor in stiches. This is his first real movie role and it's a great start!

One of the rare movies I play OVER and OVER!
This is one of those movies that I play over and over for friends and those who have never heard of it.... and they LOVE it. I can't say more than is already said by other reviewers.... you just HAVE to see it and you will know what we all mean. IT'S a real treasure!!

Funniest movie ever!
I bought a $1000 Betamax video machine back in the late 70's just to be able to watch a copy of this movie made from HBO. I wore the tape out and was delighted to find a copy on VHS. I only wish it was on DVD. Maybe soon.
A classic farce about being in the wrong place at the wrong time combined with mistaken identity thrown in, this movie is hilarious. Watch closly and you see a few future stars as well as old pros at their best.
I just love this move!

Lotsa Laughs!
A comic reflection of a time period sure not to return. Moreno is hysterical as are Ballard and Weston. Definitely worth watching and good for many laughs. There i