Reviews (6)

Faerie Tale Theatre: The Three Little Pigs
Hilarious episode from the Faerie Tale Theatre series with an all-star cast. Billy Crystal as well as his on-screen brother actors are excellent as the three pigs, and Jeff Goldblum is show-stealing as the Big Bad Wolf. Valerie Perrine is a knock-out and makes a surprisingly sexy pig in this faerie tale. A great comedic hit for the entire family to enjoy!

I love this series!
My brother, sisters and I grew up watching the Faerie Tale Theatre collection, and loving them all. By the way, they're not just for kids! My mother loved them so much she went out of her way to find them for my little niece to enjoy. I highly recommend them to anyone with (or even without) children to view them!

cute and appealing
Billy Crystal, Valerie Perrine, Doris Roberts and Jeff Goldblum star in the new telling of the tale from FAERIE TALE THEATRE.

One of the more light-hearted entries in the series, its a delightfully comic piece, played out by master comedians Crystal and Roberts, with the beautiful Perrine cutting a mean figure as a porker indeed.

The series was a huge success, boasting a huge multi award-winning cast (Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, etc), and creator/producer Shelly Duvall has earned laurels for one of the finest family series in years.

Best of the Fairie Tale Theatres
I must have rented this video 40-50 times for my then pre-school age son and daughter. We all had the lines memorized. Billy Crystal is terrific as one of the pigs (Peter, Paul and Larry) and Jeff Goldblum is a howl as the wolf. The whole cast is great. This is truly a film that everyone in the family will love. The best.

As Unforgettable as Nat
This was a household staple rented over and over from our local video store, played over and over for all ages whenever our guests seemed willing. There was never ever anything but laughter and appreciation; I'm still trying to find the Samuel Barber music played just so. Please let me know if you know where I can get a copy... there are future grandchildren and grandnieces/nephews in my life whose lives will be incomplete without it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Classic Film in the Faerie Tale Theatre Series
Another one of my favorite films in the Faerie Tale Theatre series. Christopher Reeve plays the galliant prince who loves listening to a good story or two. Bernadette Peters plays the beautiful and graceful princess. Carol Kane plays a very whimsical good fairy. And watch out for Beverly DeAngelo as the wicked fairy Henbaine. She really used to scare me when I was little especially as the fire breathing dragon. A very interesting scene in the film. The special effects are intriguing. Although, I feel the plot is slowed down by a few unnecessary segments, I still love this movie and would recommend it to absolutely everyone!!! A+

Faerie Tale Theatre: Sleeping Beauty
Charming and obviously one of the funniest episodes from Faerie Tale Theatre, this is the classic tale of a beauty who was cast into a spell of a deep sleep and a prince must come to kiss her in order to wake her and the rest of the kingdom. Bernadette Peters and Christopher Reeve are absolutely amazing in their roles and have excellent chemistry. Beverly D'Angelo was equally impressive as the wicked Henbane. The script is filled with hilarious one-liners and situations. A great episode.

I loved this movie as a child and I still love it today!
Faerie tale theatre has lots of wonderful shows with great actors, but my favorite is this one. Christopher Reeves and Burnedette Peters are wanderful actors that bring the tale of Sleeping Beauty to life. If you never watched one of Shelly Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre collections, I highly recommend watching them all.

"Sleeping Beauty is Sleeping Classic"
When I say "Sleeping Classic" I mean that since the "Faerie Tale Theatre" series has gone out of print, and what a shame it did, all of the movies are now known as classics. "Sleeping Beauty" has always been my favorite of the series. The portrayal of all the characters is acted out with such passion, Bernadette Peters and Christopher Reeve have excellent chemistry on screen and Beverly D'Angelo is perfect for Henbane, the evil sorceress not to mention, the special effects were cutting edge considering this was 1982! It is also probably the only time you'll ever see Bernadette Peters on film, other than "Cinderella." It's just as good as the Disney version, if not better. I believe every single "Faerie Tale Theatre" movie is a screen gem, and if you decide to view "Sleeping Beauty" for the first time, don't hesitate, it's great for family viewing!

Faerie Tale Theatre: Sleeping Beauty
I was very disappointed with this movie. I've enjoyed many others from the Faerie Tale Theatre collection, so I was expecting to be more like the others. It was not very romantic or uplifting, as I expected Sleeping Beauty to be. It was comical, but were a couple parts that had sexual inuendos (sp?) and I would have been embarrassed if I had watched this for the first time with family or friends. I bought this movie thinking it would be a cute, romantic fairy tale that my family and I would enjoy. But I don't know if I even want my young children to watch it. Overall, it was okay, but did not at all meet my expectations. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

my personal fairy tale theatre movie
If your looking for a fairy tale for kids that can make even you laugh this is the one. Robin Williams will lighten the mood every time.

Bad for Children
This film contains language and sexual content. Robin Williams uses profanity and parental discretion is advised. It is a funny telling of the story for adults but not younger viewers... Parents should watch the movie first to decide if it is appropiate for their children, and trust me, it isn't!!!!

Undoubtably one of the best Faerie Tale Theatre videos.
This episode of The Tale of the Frog Prince, starring the hilarious Robin Williams and wonderful Teri Garr, is not only a very well told classic children's tale, but a comedy. It has plenty of bits an adult would find entertaining, none being underhand or crude, while still amusing to a younger audience. I grew up watching this series; I loved it then, and I still love it now ... A very good movie to see, and a deal if you can buy it anywhere!

Hilarious, but for adults
This is a hilariously funny version of a children`s fairy tale. Both Robin Williams and Teri Garr do a superb job in their portrayals of the frog-prince and the princess, but you will, most likely, be surprised at how well Rene Aberjonois (Clayton, fron the t.v. series Benson) does comedy. The only caveat is that because of the language and some the situations I would not recommend this video for pre-teens, but anyone else will definitely be amused! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Understand the concept of free love, an excellent movie!
Haunted Summer is a movie about the summer of 1816, when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. It is the story of a few months in the lives of Percy Shelley, George Gordon, Lord Byron, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Claire Clairemont, and Dr. John William Polidori. Byron gives all the members of the household a challenge. They must write a ghost story. Polidori wrote The Vampyre (not Bram Stoker) and Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. The movie shows us the relationship between all these people. Shelley believes in free love, as do the sisters with whom he has eloped, Mary and Claire. the poetry teacher that showed me this movie wanted to leave me with something, she certainly has. I have come to agree with this philosophy and embrace it as my own. Watch the movie.

Inspirational Summer
This is one of the best films I have ever seen, and one few films I would love to own a copy of. I was amazed by the depth of these characters and the actors skill in portraying them. Frankly I was inspired and wanted to learn more. The very next day I went to the library and began to research information about Byron, Percy and Mary. After learning more about these poeple I felt that the director did a excellent job in capturing their true essence. Exposure to their lives and work has helped to improve my own. In the years following my first exposure to this film I have found it increasingly difficult to locate. If I could only find this in DVD my life would be complete and I would live happily ever after.

Shimmering and debauched
You can just feel the creativity spark and sizzle in this movie. It's the summer of 1816, and authors Lord Byron, Mary Godwin (later to be Mary Shelley) and Percy Shelley escape repressive England for Lake Geneva. That part is historically accurate, although how much of the rest is true, who knows? They have many discussions about life and art, use drugs medicinally and non-medicinally, cavort in the bedrooms, get frightened by a storm, and play mind games on each other. All this adds up to an ecstasy for creation, with a realization of the dark side of man's urge to control the natural world. Alice Krige is excellent, passionate and thoughtful as Mary Godwin, who got her inspiration for Frankenstein that summer. Her parents were early feminists and she definitely doesn't simper or believe herself inferior to the men.

The scenery and costumes are all glorious and the other leads are good, including Eric Stoltz as Shelley, and Laura Dern as Byron's lover.

...P>I also loved how uninhibited these people were. They have many of the values that many in our society have today, but they lived almost 200 years ago. They loved to push the limits of man's ability to experience life, all in the service of their art. I wouldn't want to live the way they did, but I'm glad they did, so they could report back to us in their poetry and stories what the "other side" is like. Our culture wouldn't be what it is today without the Romantic visionaries of the 19th century.

MOURNINGS AFTER THE KNIGHTS BEFORE.......
DE SADE WOULD probably have called them 'cheap imitations' but they did infringe upon his terrotory - somewhat. Not a very pleasant group of 'intelligents', kicked-out by staid British society, but with access to cash, etc. they ended badly - except for our Lady who created the Frankenstein tale - Mary Godwin Shelley. [AND what were those whispers about Byron and his sister...?]

HOWEVER, this version of the 'tale' is much better than the excessively dated "GOTHIC" - Ken Russell's version of the quartet - or was it quintet - never quite sure....

ALICE KRIGE leaves us with a clear impression of Mary - a very 'bright' woman - caught between a 'child-lover' [Shelley] and a 'demon-lover' [our almost Mansonish-type Byron]. This version aptly avoids the spectacular and concentrates more in the individual personalities - a calmer focus if that's possible!

The poetry? Nothing really spectacular - amazing how fame [notoriety] clings to youthful death ..... then there is that rather odd tale about Shelley's death by drowning - the body recovered after a while - then burnt, and, of all things, the heart retrieved and preserved by Mary. Somewhat along the lines of "In the Realm of the Senses"? No wonder Poe was inspired by Byron!

The definitive version of this tale still waits......

A Lost Classic
"Haunted Summer" is one of those films that fell through the cracks & sadly was overlooked by most viewers. Being intrigued by the story's premise after seeing Ken Russell's similar film "Gothic" (which is also a wild ride to see in it's own right), I gave it a shot at the video store. Although I enjoyed it then, it only got better with repeated viewings. Each viewing invites thoughts of what the real life meeting between these characters of Lord Byron, Percy & Mary Shelley, Dr. Polidori & Claire Clairmont must have really been like. I think I most enjoyed it's quiet peaceful moments, most notably the serene boat ride the main characters take while Laura Dern's character Claire sings her lovely song. Also of note is the appropriately haunting & incredibly beautiful score by Christopher Young. This amazing soundtrack is also sadly out of print at the moment. Hopefully this hypnotic film will be released one day soon on DVD for all to experience & enjoy. Anyone interested in this subject matter can also check out the film "Rowing With The Wind" (with Hugh Grant & Elizabeth Hurley) which is yet another take on this storyline. All 3 films ("Haunted Summer", "Gothic" & "Rowing With The Wind") have points of interest for anyone exploring the subject matter, but sadly "Haunted Summer" which is the loveliest, is not yet available on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

BORN TO WIN is, indeed, born to win!
Today, it seems like every major studio in 1971 was distributing a film having to do with the drug "culture" (THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK for Twentieth Century Fox, CISCO PIKE for Columbia, BELIEVE IN ME for MGM, etc.) United Artists, however, jumped maybe too much on the band wagon in releasing JENNIFER ON MY MIND (also with De Niro in a bit part as a gypsy cab driver), but their other film drama involving drug abuse was BORN TO WIN. This film is a small hidden gem that has not yet received its well-deserved audience. It features what is, in my opinion, the best performance of George Segal throughout his whole career, as well as involving supporting performances from Karen Black, Jay Fletcher, Robert De Niro and others. It also featured the prime signal that this was an authoratative film on drug abuse: Marcie Jean Kurtz (who appeared in THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, BELIEVE IN ME and other films of this type).

The scenes that have remained striking and unforgettable include the one in which Segal, after having been dropped off in a neighborhood of junkies by his girlfriend, retires into a dark, musty alley of strung-out derelicts as he attempts to find his friend (Jay Fletcher); the scene on the beach with Karen Black conforting George Segal; Karen Black having to resort to lines like "Come back home to me"; the closing scene.

In analyzing this film, some film authorities may declare BORN TO WIN as an archetypal piece about drugs and how they allow characters to make the decline from temporary decadence into personal debauchery, alienating them from anyone who does not see them as an addict. Ivan Passer, who also in CUTTER'S WAY illustrated technique and theory in labeling cinema as the cultural vengeance for the socially impotent, demonstrates this element at an early juncture in his career. BORN TO WIN simply uses the component of drugs to use as an allegory for that crowd of socially impotent people, as well as various techniques at how they make pitiful attempts as silent revenge while they drive themselves to personal apocalypse in an urban jungle. This allows more privileged people to create "caste systems" for these types. This may sound terribly pretentious, but this is the only way to explain my viewpoint on this film to whoever reads this review. Also adding onto the film's sense of milieu is the graininess utilized in editing and camerawork. Without these two factors, BORN TO WIN would not have retained its gritty disctinction and probably would have drifted into "another typical picture about drug abuse".

In response to the minimal amount of negative reviews I have read about BORN TO WIN, you cannot expect a genuine message to come after a half hour of viewing time and you cannot regard it as just another drug picture before you think and ponder the film's ultimate meaning in the film's culminating moments. I admit to its sometimes deficient endeavors at portraying the comical value of the drug culture (the scene in which Segal dresses in pink robe and prances around in Time Square to avoid his pursuers and stopping in at a shop for mens' suits), but the dramatic moments of the film are pinnacle for trying to understand this "class" of people. BORN TO WIN is a remarkable film and nothing allows me to make hesitations about giving it a five star rating.

Gave it 45 minutes and turned it off!
This movie was so boring and stupid, I turned it off after about 45 minutes. Maybe I had a poor copy, but I could barely understand what Paula Prentiss was saying -- and it wasn't because she was "under the influence!" I ran it back a few times but still couldn't make it out. From the other reviewers, it sounds like it got better but, if something doesn't grab my attention after 30 minutes, I say forget it!

A Sadly Neglected Film
This little film from the early seventies stars major film star Robert De niro in a role I'm sure even he can't remember doing along with george segal who plays JJ a sucsessful hairdresser who's hooked on heroerin and runs afoul of the mob. So JJ is up to his neck in trouble when the cops use him to get the goods on a drug smuggler. Absorbing at times very well acted By segal in this somewhat twisted comedy/drama Best scene is when JJ & His friend are shooting up in a washroom in an abandon office floor JJ'S friend overdoses on what he thinks is heroin but instead it's battery acid laced inside the drug meant for JJ. A powerful scene displaying Segal at his efftictive moment in the film. A bittersweet film more regareded and appriciated today then it was first relased over twenty years ago.

dont buy this movie!
I bought it because of Robert deniro and the low price. It wasnt worth it. The picture quality is horrible, it looks like a bad tape... the color is constantly changing and the picture is very grainy. The sound is nothing to brag about. And besides all of that, the movie sucks. Robert Deniro has a total of about 2 minutes of screen time, and he says maybe less then 10 lines. And whats even worse than that- the dvd that I bought had a picture of Deniro that wasnt even from this movie! sat away from this one, spend a little more a better movie.

Powerful filmmaking
There have been a number of "dope" films that have followed "Born To Win". None have been as searing, honest, funny, and profound as this one. The acting is superb, the writing brilliant, the direction first-rate. This is cinema at its best, powerful filmmaking. George Segals performance is as good as it gets. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

BORN TO WIN is, indeed, born to win!
Today, it seems like every major studio in 1971 was distributing a film having to do with the drug "culture" (THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK for Twentieth Century Fox, CISCO PIKE for Columbia, BELIEVE IN ME for MGM, etc.) United Artists, however, jumped maybe too much on the band wagon in releasing JENNIFER ON MY MIND (also with De Niro in a bit part as a gypsy cab driver), but their other film drama involving drug abuse was BORN TO WIN. This film is a small hidden gem that has not yet received its well-deserved audience. It features what is, in my opinion, the best performance of George Segal throughout his whole career, as well as involving supporting performances from Karen Black, Jay Fletcher, Robert De Niro and others. It also featured the prime signal that this was an authoratative film on drug abuse: Marcie Jean Kurtz (who appeared in THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, BELIEVE IN ME and other films of this type).

The scenes that have remained striking and unforgettable include the one in which Segal, after having been dropped off in a neighborhood of junkies by his girlfriend, retires into a dark, musty alley of strung-out derelicts as he attempts to find his friend (Jay Fletcher); the scene on the beach with Karen Black conforting George Segal; Karen Black having to resort to lines like "Come back home to me"; the closing scene.

In analyzing this film, some film authorities may declare BORN TO WIN as an archetypal piece about drugs and how they allow characters to make the decline from temporary decadence into personal debauchery, alienating them from anyone who does not see them as an addict. Ivan Passer, who also in CUTTER'S WAY illustrated technique and theory in labeling cinema as the cultural vengeance for the socially impotent, demonstrates this element at an early juncture in his career. BORN TO WIN simply uses the component of drugs to use as an allegory for that crowd of socially impotent people, as well as various techniques at how they make pitiful attempts as silent revenge while they drive themselves to personal apocalypse in an urban jungle. This allows more privileged people to create "caste systems" for these types. This may sound terribly pretentious, but this is the only way to explain my viewpoint on this film to whoever reads this review. Also adding onto the film's sense of milieu is the graininess utilized in editing and camerawork. Without these two factors, BORN TO WIN would not have retained its gritty disctinction and probably would have drifted into "another typical picture about drug abuse".

In response to the minimal amount of negative reviews I have read about BORN TO WIN, you cannot expect a genuine message to come after a half hour of viewing time and you cannot regard it as just another drug picture before you think and ponder the film's ultimate meaning in the film's culminating moments. I admit to its sometimes deficient endeavors at portraying the comical value of the drug culture (the scene in which Segal dresses in pink robe and prances around in Time Square to avoid his pursuers and stopping in at a shop for mens' suits), but the dramatic moments of the film are pinnacle for trying to understand this "class" of people. BORN TO WIN is a remarkable film and nothing allows me to make hesitations about giving it a five star rating.

Gave it 45 minutes and turned it off!
This movie was so boring and stupid, I turned it off after about 45 minutes. Maybe I had a poor copy, but I could barely understand what Paula Prentiss was saying -- and it wasn't because she was "under the influence!" I ran it back a few times but still couldn't make it out. From the other reviewers, it sounds like it got better but, if something doesn't grab my attention after 30 minutes, I say forget it!

A Sadly Neglected Film
This little film from the early seventies stars major film star Robert De niro in a role I'm sure even he can't remember doing along with george segal who plays JJ a sucsessful hairdresser who's hooked on heroerin and runs afoul of the mob. So JJ is up to his neck in trouble when the cops use him to get the goods on a drug smuggler. Absorbing at times very well acted By segal in this somewhat twisted comedy/drama Best scene is when JJ & His friend are shooting up in a washroom in an abandon office floor JJ'S friend overdoses on what he thinks is heroin but instead it's battery acid laced inside the drug meant for JJ. A powerful scene displaying Segal at his efftictive moment in the film. A bittersweet film more regareded and appriciated today then it was first relased over twenty years ago.

dont buy this movie!
I bought it because of Robert deniro and the low price. It wasnt worth it. The picture quality is horrible, it looks like a bad tape... the color is constantly changing and the picture is very grainy. The sound is nothing to brag about. And besides all of that, the movie sucks. Robert Deniro has a total of about 2 minutes of screen time, and he says maybe less then 10 lines. And whats even worse than that- the dvd that I bought had a picture of Deniro that wasnt even from this movie! sat away from this one, spend a little more a better movie.

Powerful filmmaking
There have been a number of "dope" films that have followed "Born To Win". None have been as searing, honest, funny, and profound as this one. The acting is superb, the writing brilliant, the direction first-rate. This is cinema at its best, powerful filmmaking. George Segals performance is as good as it gets. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

BORN TO WIN is, indeed, born to win!
Today, it seems like every major studio in 1971 was distributing a film having to do with the drug "culture" (THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK for Twentieth Century Fox, CISCO PIKE for Columbia, BELIEVE IN ME for MGM, etc.) United Artists, however, jumped maybe too much on the band wagon in releasing JENNIFER ON MY MIND (also with De Niro in a bit part as a gypsy cab driver), but their other film drama involving drug abuse was BORN TO WIN. This film is a small hidden gem that has not yet received its well-deserved audience. It features what is, in my opinion, the best performance of George Segal throughout his whole career, as well as involving supporting performances from Karen Black, Jay Fletcher, Robert De Niro and others. It also featured the prime signal that this was an authoratative film on drug abuse: Marcie Jean Kurtz (who appeared in THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, BELIEVE IN ME and other films of this type).

The scenes that have remained striking and unforgettable include the one in which Segal, after having been dropped off in a neighborhood of junkies by his girlfriend, retires into a dark, musty alley of strung-out derelicts as he attempts to find his friend (Jay Fletcher); the scene on the beach with Karen Black conforting George Segal; Karen Black having to resort to lines like "Come back home to me"; the closing scene.

In analyzing this film, some film authorities may declare BORN TO WIN as an archetypal piece about drugs and how they allow characters to make the decline from temporary decadence into personal debauchery, alienating them from anyone who does not see them as an addict. Ivan Passer, who also in CUTTER'S WAY illustrated technique and theory in labeling cinema as the cultural vengeance for the socially impotent, demonstrates this element at an early juncture in his career. BORN TO WIN simply uses the component of drugs to use as an allegory for that crowd of socially impotent people, as well as various techniques at how they make pitiful attempts as silent revenge while they drive themselves to personal apocalypse in an urban jungle. This allows more privileged people to create "caste systems" for these types. This may sound terribly pretentious, but this is the only way to explain my viewpoint on this film to whoever reads this review. Also adding onto the film's sense of milieu is the graininess utilized in editing and camerawork. Without these two factors, BORN TO WIN would not have retained its gritty disctinction and probably would have drifted into "another typical picture about drug abuse".

In response to the minimal amount of negative reviews I have read about BORN TO WIN, you cannot expect a genuine message to come after a half hour of viewing time and you cannot regard it as just another drug picture before you think and ponder the film's ultimate meaning in the film's culminating moments. I admit to its sometimes deficient endeavors at portraying the comical value of the drug culture (the scene in which Segal dresses in pink robe and prances around in Time Square to avoid his pursuers and stopping in at a shop for mens' suits), but the dramatic moments of the film are pinnacle for trying to understand this "class" of people. BORN TO WIN is a remarkable film and nothing allows me to make hesitations about giving it a five star rating.

Gave it 45 minutes and turned it off!
This movie was so boring and stupid, I turned it off after about 45 minutes. Maybe I had a poor copy, but I could barely understand what Paula Prentiss was saying -- and it wasn't because she was "under the influence!" I ran it back a few times but still couldn't make it out. From the other reviewers, it sounds like it got better but, if something doesn't grab my attention after 30 minutes, I say forget it!

A Sadly Neglected Film
This little film from the early seventies stars major film star Robert De niro in a role I'm sure even he can't remember doing along with george segal who plays JJ a sucsessful hairdresser who's hooked on heroerin and runs afoul of the mob. So JJ is up to his neck in trouble when the cops use him to get the goods on a drug smuggler. Absorbing at times very well acted By segal in this somewhat twisted comedy/drama Best scene is when JJ & His friend are shooting up in a washroom in an abandon office floor JJ'S friend overdoses on what he thinks is heroin but instead it's battery acid laced inside the drug meant for JJ. A powerful scene displaying Segal at his efftictive moment in the film. A bittersweet film more regareded and appriciated today then it was first relased over twenty years ago.

dont buy this movie!
I bought it because of Robert deniro and the low price. It wasnt worth it. The picture quality is horrible, it looks like a bad tape... the color is constantly changing and the picture is very grainy. The sound is nothing to brag about. And besides all of that, the movie sucks. Robert Deniro has a total of about 2 minutes of screen time, and he says maybe less then 10 lines. And whats even worse than that- the dvd that I bought had a picture of Deniro that wasnt even from this movie! sat away from this one, spend a little more a better movie.

Powerful filmmaking
There have been a number of "dope" films that have followed "Born To Win". None have been as searing, honest, funny, and profound as this one. The acting is superb, the writing brilliant, the direction first-rate. This is cinema at its best, powerful filmmaking. George Segals performance is as good as it gets. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

BORN TO WIN is, indeed, born to win!
Today, it seems like every major studio in 1971 was distributing a film having to do with the drug "culture" (THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK for Twentieth Century Fox, CISCO PIKE for Columbia, BELIEVE IN ME for MGM, etc.) United Artists, however, jumped maybe too much on the band wagon in releasing JENNIFER ON MY MIND (also with De Niro in a bit part as a gypsy cab driver), but their other film drama involving drug abuse was BORN TO WIN. This film is a small hidden gem that has not yet received its well-deserved audience. It features what is, in my opinion, the best performance of George Segal throughout his whole career, as well as involving supporting performances from Karen Black, Jay Fletcher, Robert De Niro and others. It also featured the prime signal that this was an authoratative film on drug abuse: Marcie Jean Kurtz (who appeared in THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, BELIEVE IN ME and other films of this type).

The scenes that have remained striking and unforgettable include the one in which Segal, after having been dropped off in a neighborhood of junkies by his girlfriend, retires into a dark, musty alley of strung-out derelicts as he attempts to find his friend (Jay Fletcher); the scene on the beach with Karen Black conforting George Segal; Karen Black having to resort to lines like "Come back home to me"; the closing scene.

In analyzing this film, some film authorities may declare BORN TO WIN as an archetypal piece about drugs and how they allow characters to make the decline from temporary decadence into personal debauchery, alienating them from anyone who does not see them as an addict. Ivan Passer, who also in CUTTER'S WAY illustrated technique and theory in labeling cinema as the cultural vengeance for the socially impotent, demonstrates this element at an early juncture in his career. BORN TO WIN simply uses the component of drugs to use as an allegory for that crowd of socially impotent people, as well as various techniques at how they make pitiful attempts as silent revenge while they drive themselves to personal apocalypse in an urban jungle. This allows more privileged people to create "caste systems" for these types. This may sound terribly pretentious, but this is the only way to explain my viewpoint on this film to whoever reads this review. Also adding onto the film's sense of milieu is the graininess utilized in editing and camerawork. Without these two factors, BORN TO WIN would not have retained its gritty disctinction and probably would have drifted into "another typical picture about drug abuse".

In response to the minimal amount of negative reviews I have read about BORN TO WIN, you cannot expect a genuine message to come after a half hour of viewing time and you cannot regard it as just another drug picture before you think and ponder the film's ultimate meaning in the film's culminating moments. I admit to its sometimes deficient endeavors at portraying the comical value of the drug culture (the scene in which Segal dresses in pink robe and prances around in Time Square to avoid his pursuers and stopping in at a shop for mens' suits), but the dramatic moments of the film are pinnacle for trying to understand this "class" of people. BORN TO WIN is a remarkable film and nothing allows me to make hesitations about giving it a five star rating.

Gave it 45 minutes and turned it off!
This movie was so boring and stupid, I turned it off after about 45 minutes. Maybe I had a poor copy, but I could barely understand what Paula Prentiss was saying -- and it wasn't because she was "under the influence!" I ran it back a few times but still couldn't make it out. From the other reviewers, it sounds like it got better but, if something doesn't grab my attention after 30 minutes, I say forget it!

A Sadly Neglected Film
This little film from the early seventies stars major film star Robert De niro in a role I'm sure even he can't remember doing along with george segal who plays JJ a sucsessful hairdresser who's hooked on heroerin and runs afoul of the mob. So JJ is up to his neck in trouble when the cops use him to get the goods on a drug smuggler. Absorbing at times very well acted By segal in this somewhat twisted comedy/drama Best scene is when JJ & His friend are shooting up in a washroom in an abandon office floor JJ'S friend overdoses on what he thinks is heroin but instead it's battery acid laced inside the drug meant for JJ. A powerful scene displaying Segal at his efftictive moment in the film. A bittersweet film more regareded and appriciated today then it was first relased over twenty years ago.

dont buy this movie!
I bought it because of Robert deniro and the low price. It wasnt worth it. The picture quality is horrible, it looks like a bad tape... the color is constantly changing and the picture is very grainy. The sound is nothing to brag about. And besides all of that, the movie sucks. Robert Deniro has a total of about 2 minutes of screen time, and he says maybe less then 10 lines. And whats even worse than that- the dvd that I bought had a picture of Deniro that wasnt even from this movie! sat away from this one, spend a little more a better movie.

Powerful filmmaking
There have been a number of "dope" films that have followed "Born To Win". None have been as searing, honest, funny, and profound as this one. The acting is superb, the writing brilliant, the direction first-rate. This is cinema at its best, powerful filmmaking. George Segals performance is as good as it gets. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Get the "Big Picture" and Enjoy
A very captivating movie. Peter O'Toole is as charming as ever and the love story, in the end, will leave you crying for joy that all is right with the world. Though probably not suitable for kids, it is still a good, clean, funny movie. When the movies over, you feel like you finally get "the big picture". This movie is definitely for the hopeless romantic!

An all-time classic! Must watch!
A beautifully written and produced movie with something for everyone with a tender-heart. The music score gently swept me off my feet and into the movie. It carefully propelled me into the life of the characters. You will laugh with them, and you will cry with them. You will be forced to re-define the meaning of love. You will wonder: how far am I willing to go to bring back a loved one? You will be challenged to ask yourself: would I stand by someone I loved even if he/she was on the verge of death? This movie is worth watching. No kidding. On the side of the characters, I admire Boris (played beautifully and delicately by Vincent Spano) the most. His innocent boy-like nature will charm you. His desire to find true love and his passion to understand "the big picture" will challenge you to think in the same vein.

Eric, you are a genius!
I'm a world-class cynic, but this movie reminds me to keep my mind and heart open.

epalfreyman
This will be short. The movie is one of my favorites, ever. The romance is moving and both realistic and idealistic at the same time. Hemingway and O'Toole take a relationship that should be a joke and make it touching and believable. O'Toole is excellent as the eccentric professor. The theme of love is what holds the movie elements together and it deals with love in many manifestations. I'm not Catholic, but it was one of the few films that didn't turn Catholics into jerks, and I really enjoyed that here was a young couple trying to find love without having to disparage their faith to do it. The movie is charming, witty and touching. If you're a cynic, it won't be for you; but if you believe in love, believe in the big picture, and believe in redemption; this is a film for you.

Creative genius
I must first start out saying that this is one of the few movies that has actually brought me to tears.
Boris and Barbara's relationship struck me as the most sincere and heart wrenching love affair that I have ever witnessed. Peter O'Toole is captivating as the eccentric scientist and David Ogden-Stiers has perpetuated his typecasting with his role as the arrogant intellectual.
This is the first major movie role for Ms Hemmingway and she shows flashes of the talent that made her so famous on TV a few years later.
This is a love story with a cast of suporting characters that make it shine. It also asks some very serious questions about the medical establishment and how terminally ill patients are treated. Your hopes will be raised and your heart be broken by this movie. It is well worth the cost. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

BORN TO WIN is, indeed, born to win!
Today, it seems like every major studio in 1971 was distributing a film having to do with the drug "culture" (THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK for Twentieth Century Fox, CISCO PIKE for Columbia, BELIEVE IN ME for MGM, etc.) United Artists, however, jumped maybe too much on the band wagon in releasing JENNIFER ON MY MIND (also with De Niro in a bit part as a gypsy cab driver), but their other film drama involving drug abuse was BORN TO WIN. This film is a small hidden gem that has not yet received its well-deserved audience. It features what is, in my opinion, the best performance of George Segal throughout his whole career, as well as involving supporting performances from Karen Black, Jay Fletcher, Robert De Niro and others. It also featured the prime signal that this was an authoratative film on drug abuse: Marcie Jean Kurtz (who appeared in THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, BELIEVE IN ME and other films of this type).

The scenes that have remained striking and unforgettable include the one in which Segal, after having been dropped off in a neighborhood of junkies by his girlfriend, retires into a dark, musty alley of strung-out derelicts as he attempts to find his friend (Jay Fletcher); the scene on the beach with Karen Black conforting George Segal; Karen Black having to resort to lines like "Come back home to me"; the closing scene.

In analyzing this film, some film authorities may declare BORN TO WIN as an archetypal piece about drugs and how they allow characters to make the decline from temporary decadence into personal debauchery, alienating them from anyone who does not see them as an addict. Ivan Passer, who also in CUTTER'S WAY illustrated technique and theory in labeling cinema as the cultural vengeance for the socially impotent, demonstrates this element at an early juncture in his career. BORN TO WIN simply uses the component of drugs to use as an allegory for that crowd of socially impotent people, as well as various techniques at how they make pitiful attempts as silent revenge while they drive themselves to personal apocalypse in an urban jungle. This allows more privileged people to create "caste systems" for these types. This may sound terribly pretentious, but this is the only way to explain my viewpoint on this film to whoever reads this review. Also adding onto the film's sense of milieu is the graininess utilized in editing and camerawork. Without these two factors, BORN TO WIN would not have retained its gritty disctinction and probably would have drifted into "another typical picture about drug abuse".

In response to the minimal amount of negative reviews I have read about BORN TO WIN, you cannot expect a genuine message to come after a half hour of viewing time and you cannot regard it as just another drug picture before you think and ponder the film's ultimate meaning in the film's culminating moments. I admit to its sometimes deficient endeavors at portraying the comical value of the drug culture (the scene in which Segal dresses in pink robe and prances around in Time Square to avoid his pursuers and stopping in at a shop for mens' suits), but the dramatic moments of the film are pinnacle for trying to understand this "class" of people. BORN TO WIN is a remarkable film and nothing allows me to make hesitations about giving it a five star rating.

Gave it 45 minutes and turned it off!
This movie was so boring and stupid, I turned it off after about 45 minutes. Maybe I had a poor copy, but I could barely understand what Paula Prentiss was saying -- and it wasn't because she was "under the influence!" I ran it back a few times but still couldn't make it out. From the other reviewers, it sounds like it got better but, if something doesn't grab my attention after 30 minutes, I say forget it!

A Sadly Neglected Film
This little film from the early seventies stars major film star Robert De niro in a role I'm sure even he can't remember doing along with george segal who plays JJ a sucsessful hairdresser who's hooked on heroerin and runs afoul of the mob. So JJ is up to his neck in trouble when the cops use him to get the goods on a drug smuggler. Absorbing at times very well acted By segal in this somewhat twisted comedy/drama Best scene is when JJ & His friend are shooting up in a washroom in an abandon office floor JJ'S friend overdoses on what he thinks is heroin but instead it's battery acid laced inside the drug meant for JJ. A powerful scene displaying Segal at his efftictive moment in the film. A bittersweet film more regareded and appriciated today then it was first relased over twenty years ago.

dont buy this movie!
I bought it because of Robert deniro and the low price. It wasnt worth it. The picture quality is horrible, it looks like a bad tape... the color is constantly changing and the picture is very grainy. The sound is nothing to brag about. And besides all of that, the movie sucks. Robert Deniro has a total of about 2 minutes of screen time, and he says maybe less then 10 lines. And whats even worse than that- the dvd that I bought had a picture of Deniro that wasnt even from this movie! sat away from this one, spend a little more a better movie.

Powerful filmmaking
There have been a number of "dope" films that have followed "Born To Win". None have been as searing, honest, funny, and profound as this one. The acting is superb, the writing brilliant, the direction first-rate. This is cinema at its best, powerful filmmaking. George Segals performance is as good as it gets. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This movie is greatttttttttttttttttttttttttttt for kids and adults although i don't have this movie I still love it i saw it when i took it out from the cambridge library + i'm getting this movie and faerie tale theatre hansel and gretel on amazon.com. I abousloutley loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee this movie although i have seen it a million times I still think Kids and Adults will also love this movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome!
i think this movie is the best for kids and adults shelley duvall ever made althought i don't have this movie I'm gettng it with shelley duvalls hansel & gretel on amazon.com I saw this this movie like a million times cause I love it and in my opinion kids and adults should watch this movie too!

The best movie
This movie is excellent for the kids and for me as an adult. Although Im only twelve ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent film - but not exactly a comedy....
This film is based on Paul Erdman's novel "The Silver Bears." Like Mr. Erdman's books, this film is rivetting from start to finish. Not unlike James Bond movies of the 1970s in some respects (exotic locations - in this case Lugano, Switzerland and the Persian Gulf, high finance, sex, corruption etc. etc.). If you have an interest in finance, commodities, or simply a good honest to goodness story with interesting and colourul characters etc. then you will enjoy this film. I for one watch it again and again. Although there is some satire in the movie, and many of the characters are used for humorous purposes, I would not describe this as a comedy movie. First and foremost it is a thriller about corruption, greed and the interplays between a man who works for a criminal organisation and his attempts to break away into a 'legitimate' business of his own. On the way, he is made to question the nature of friendship, love, and more besides. Charles Gray gives an excellent performance (as always). There is a lot of humour and comedy-esque moments - but not more than in a typical James Bond movie of the period. So not a comedy in my opinion - a light hearted romp with comic moments and a thriller theme would perhaps be a better description.

But what ever you call it, one thing it certainly is: First class entertainment. Something for everyone! Buy it. You will watch it again and again! One of my personal favourite movies of all time, and I'm sure it will become one of yours too......

It has it all
This movie is like Catch 22 or Kelly's Hero's in that everyone in it became a star...Tope acting with a good story line leads to a movie that is very enjoyable and a pleasent way to spend a couple hours...if you think Michael Caine, Charles Grodin, and yes even a very young Jay Leno trying to buy a bank from an Italian Count so they can launder mafia money sounds like fun...this is it...a cornerstone of a comedy collection

Low budget screwball comedy well worth it
Plot twists and turns abound. This low budget comedy is delightful. It entertains from start to finish. Lots of throw-away humor. Amazing cast includes Jay Leno (in his first movie), Tom Smothers, Michael Caine, Cybil Shepard. A satirical look at banking, insurance, mob crime, commodities traders: All are shamelessly crooked. Really fine ending. Guaranteed to entertain. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Puss in Boots
This is a great movie. It's real light hearted and comical. The characters are all very love-able, except for the ogre of course! I also thought it was neat that all the main characters are African American. I highly recommend this film if you're looking for a good, clean, fun movie to enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This Ivan Passer movie--a marvel of dark, brooding cinema--almost didn't make it into theaters. The film was nearly dumped by its studio because its pessimistic story seemed too downbeat. Which, in fact, is part of the appeal: the way it gets to the heart of a group of people who have given up, but then find something that motivates them to go on. In this case, it's greed: Cutter (Jeff Bridges), a burnt-out gigolo, and his pal Bone (John Heard), a disfigured Vietnam veteran, get involved in a plot involving corruption and murder. Bone has proof that a powerful businessman is behind the killing and wants to be paid off to keep quiet; instead he buys them more trouble than he can imagine. Bridges, as always, is superb--and Heard is downright scary. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Cluttered and Weighty
Initially released as "Cutter and Bone", this movie was pulled from theatres and retitled after several critics panned it. Inexplicably, it became a film festival favorite and developed a minor cult following upon its re-release. My verdict? Those early critical drubbings were well-deserved. For despite a potentially dynamic plot setup and one successful performance, the movie is ultimately done in by a lackluster screenplay, some uneven acting, and substandard direction.

It all begins promisingly enough, with a fascinating title sequence followed by the introduction of Jeff Bridges as a two-bit gigolo who becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. So far, so good. Then John Heard enters as an obnoxious, bigoted, profane Vietnam vet-cum-amateur detective who uses his physical disabilities to excuse his ethical and moral shortcomings, and S-s-s-s! The plot quickly deflates into a slow, muddled study of his unpleasant character, losing its promising elements of suspense and mystery, and leaving the actors with the impossible burden of maintaining audience interest. Tellingly, Bridges, who can convey character nuances with a subtle flicker of his eyes or shift of his lips, is great in his role; but Heard, who relies mainly on a gruff laugh and a gravelly voice that wavers unsteadily between slurring and over-enunciation, is merely grating in his. As Heard's wife, the usually fascinating Lisa Eichhorn is thwarted in her underwritten and choppily edited role, and Ann Dusenberry -- whose odd character simply disappears without explanation near the end -- recites some of her lines as if they embarrass her (as well they should). None of the actors is assisted by Ivan Passer's lackadaisical direction, which lacks both energy and cohesion, and only the final abrupt cut that ends this mess shows any prowess on the part of the editor. Recommended for devotees of the consistently marvelous but underrated Jeff Bridges; other viewers beware!

Truly excellent Cinema
One of my all-time favourite films this is an example of first class cinema. Jeff Bridges and John Heard are unlikely friends, more friends of convienience though at the heart there is something solid. A lot of reviews of this film state that its too simple - a murder mystery in essence and a partial study of relationships. Though its more than that for me, its a study of the best and worse of people AND the weary way one can live ones life if we let life get on top of us. Bone (Jeff Bridges) is totally tired of life - seeking thrills if he can be bothered - only deciding on a life changing course of action in the final frame of this film. Cutter (John Heard) is a drunk Veteran - immoral to everyone but those truly close to him.

Im trying to not give too much away but I consider this to be a truly classic film. And what a score!

My apologies for a rambling review - watch this.

an engrossing murder mystery
When Cutter's Way was first released in theatres in 1981, it tanked at the box office thanks to bad press from The New York Times and a nervous studio still smarting from the bath it took on Heaven's Gate. A good film almost disappeared from sight. Fortunately, the advent of video, and now its debut on DVD, has given this unusual film a second chance that it so richly deserves.

Jeff Bridges proves once again that he is one of the best American actors working in film today. He portrays Bone as a man afraid of commitment, content to do little, but fall back on his pretty boy looks to bed any woman who crosses his path. As one character tells him, "Sooner or later you're going to have to make a decision about something." This could be the underlying thesis of the whole film: making decisions, taking a stand about something.

John Heard's Alex Cutter is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He desperately wants to get involved in something, anything to stop living life in a bottle of alcohol. And so, he latches on to the murder mystery with the ferocious tenacity of a pitbull. Heard plays Cutter like a character straight out of a Tom Waits song. His performance, complete with raspy voice and cynical outlook on life, recalls many of Waits' down-on-their-luck losers that populate his songs.

The actors vividly breathe life into their respective characters creating the impression that they exist beyond what we see on the screen, that in some way we already know them and that they'll continue to exist after the film ends.

Director Ivan Passer also deserves credit for creating this world. From the haunting opening shot of a parade, caught in dreamy slow motion (thanks to Jordan Cronenweth's superb cinematography), filmed at first in black and white and then as the credits fade in and out it gradually becomes colour, Passer draws the audience into his absorbing drama. Cutter's Way contains strong visuals to contrast the ambiguous story. Nothing is spelled out for the audience, even right up to its conclusion. Do we support Cutter's obsessive conspiracy theories or Bone's refusal to get involved?

Following in the grand tradition of short changing this movie, MGM has decided to include only the theatrical trailer on the DVD. What about a retrospective featurette? All the principals are still alive and I'm sure would love to talk about this movie. Or an audio commentary? Jeff Bridges contributed an excellent one on the Against All Odds DVD so he's hip to the format. A lot of missed opportunities here.

Sometimes funny, rather poignant psychological thriller
I was interested in this film because may years ago I had read the book, "Cutter and Bone" on which it was based. I remembered it took place in the post-Vietnam era and one of the characters was a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, crippled Vietnam vet. I had forgotten that the book had depressed me then. But viewing this video brought it all back to me. And I was depressed all over again.

The film is set in Santa Barbara and stars Jeff Bridges, as a drifter with an eye for women. John Heard plays his best friend, the Vietnam vet, and Lisa Eichhorn plays the vet's alcoholic wife. John Heard's makeup is great as it really looks like he has only one leg, one arm and one eye. He's a sorrowful sight but he's quite unlikable as he's an angry, scheming character with a sense of high drama. Some of his dialog is brilliant and opens a lot of cans of worms about what happened in Vietnam.

When Jeff Bridges stumbles upon a murder by an "upright citizen", John Heard convinces his friend to blackmail the murderer with the help of the victim's sister, played by Ann Dusenberry. What follows is a sometimes funny and rather poignant psychological thriller, with an underlying sense of tragedy. It's fast paced, well acted and deals with an interesting theme. I should have loved it. Right?

Wrong! I just didn't like it. It wasn't because the film wasn't good. I just didn't like the sense of anger and hopelessness throughout. And I didn't like any of the characters. The film ran a mere 105 minutes but I couldn't wait for it to end. I won't give it a poor recommendation though, because the film it did have its good points. I just couldn't get it to it.

The System Wins out Every Time
This film is a throwback to the dark noir of the 40's and 50's.One character seems to be living in a paranoid fantasy that eventually turns out to be the truth.Not many films examine the dark side of big business or the fear that it spreads from person to person.John Heard plays Cutter,a man who no longer adheres to a social code.Society gave him a war to die in so a select bueracratic group could grow fat and he no longer feels a need to justify their power over his soul.What this film shows is that when a civilization's foundation is corrupt at the very core,you will either spend your entire life living a lie or you will fall victim to other people's entrapment.Catch-22 either way,the lucky ones regain their dignity by dying young. ... Read more