Reviews (7)

Finally got a copy! What a movie!
Sue Kaufman's black-comic novel has been a favorite of mine since long before I was a semi-mad housewife myself, but I never could find the video. Thanks to a fab Amazon dealer, I now have a copy, and it certainly was worth the wait.

I don't know either why Carrie Snodgress never became as widely seen as an actress as she deserved. (She's battling a deadly liver condition right now, poor gal!) Frank Langella is her hypnotically awful lover, the kind of self-absorbed writer who chews women up and spits them out. Richard Benjamin who plays her husband, Jonathan Balser, as a humorless prat who spends a fortune trying unsuccessfully to social-climb in Manhattan. Langella and Benjamin have had long careers--this film was a magnificent showcase for their talent, even as they abused poor Tina Balser. "Did you know that, girls?" says Mr. Balser to his daughters. "Your mother was Phi Beta Kappa at Smith, but she can't make a decent four-minute egg."

Snodgress' green-eyed silences, her little half-smiles, say more than any jabbery actress possibly could. Her Academy Award nomination for Best Actress was well-deserved.

I dug up Rex Reed's adoring review of "Diary," published in his collection, "Big Screen, Little Screen," that gives high praise to the cast, to the picture-perfect Manhattan setting, and to Frank Perry's sensitive direction. His review concludes, "Unless you've been to as many of those parties as I have, you can't imagine what those dreadful omelettes can do to wreck a New York marriage." Amen.

Carrie Snodgrass would have been bigger than Meryl Streep
I saw this movie when it first came out in a theatre in Boston. I thought at the time Carrie Snodgrass was going to be a huge star. Instead she chose Neil Young and motherhood. Well, our loss. I think she does a little TV now and then, minor roles mostly. I wonder if she ever thinks about the opportunity she let slip through her fingers? This was one of the first "woman finds her voice" stories of the 70's. At the time the movie theatres were full of this type of movie. An Unmarried Woman is another similar movie. But, I thought Diary was well done and Carrie Snodgress (I just loved her name) did a very good job portraying the put opon, under appreciated wife, for her first major movie role.

OMG! this was my life - EEEKKKKK!
I was married to the first one, left him for the second one. At least this movie has a better ending! The hubby, and also the lover, are mentally abusive, full of put-downs, especially the hubby - oh, like when he was sick - gads - how true - men are such babies! Just wanted to tell her to Leave! And, how he taught the kids to treat her with no respect - they were little clones of him. Why didn't she stand up for herself? I loved the ending, in group therapy - LOL. Loved the party. loved all of it. Just kept saying all the way through - "OH Crap- that's my ex". For example - Sex - treat her like crap all day then - "oh, baby - how 'bout a little roll in the hay?" gag me!! If my ex is reading this - you know who you are!!!

Perfection
Perfect acting by all 3 principles. Carrie Snodgress--awesome, Richard Benjamin--an excellent whinerbag spouse,and Frank Langella--fabulous portrait of a woman-hater. I don't know why Ms. Snodgress never became a superstar. Having read Sue Kaufman's book, I can state w/confidence that Snodgress got the role of Tina Balser down perfectly. She manages to put up w/truly hideous people--husband, lover, even her kids--w/o coming across as a victim. An interesting point, as pointed out in another review, is "mad" meant as "angry" or "crazy"? Probably both. The fact is, Tina is the only sane one in the movie. I wanted to pull her out of the screen and away from all of the other characters. SEE THIS MOVIE. IT'S WORTH TRACKING DOWN!!!!!

Poignant, Funny, Fabulous
You can't find this gem at Blockbuster. Practically my favorite movie of all time. Richard Benjamin is PERFECT as the whiney, fussy careerist. The omlette scene is priceless. Why don't we make movies like this anymore? ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the all-time great bad movies, a pricelessly funny piece of cheese about a priest who not only breaks his vows of celibacy but gets chummy with the Mafia. Christopher Reeve stars as this upwardly mobile clergyman who climbs to the top, thanks to his assignment handling the Vatican's business affairs. Of course, he's only human--which is why he succumbs to the temptation provided by nun Geneviève Bujold (only to deny her later). An outstandingly awful film, one marked by Reeve's callow performance and a supporting cast (Fernando Rey, Robert Prosky) that should know better. A guaranteed hoot for anyone who ever survived parochial school. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Despite bad reviews, a great movie!
I generally only like movies which movie critics think are exceptional movies, but this movie is an exception. The critics and many people really trashed this movie, many because it is so anti-catholic. Don't be put off by the bad reviews. I think Chris Reeves has a great performance in this movie.

Don't miss....Worth seeing...........................
Christopher Reeve's best work, with an exception of Superman 1-2 and Somewhere in time...

Another misunderstood movie, worth to be re-evaluated
The plot of this movie is excellent and meaningful. It takes us behind the golden façades of the Vatican's walls and makes us take a plunge into its controversial policies and hipocritical acts. The only thing that ruins the plot is a love story of the main character à la "Torn Birds", which is meant as a "reminder" to us, that even priests have a heart (well, we know already). For the rest, the movie is flawless, and follows a very sinister path that at times crosses into true facts, which unfortunately, did happen. Christopher Reeve plays convincingly. Absolutely not recommended for those who "believe" in the Church. For all the others, it is a worthy insight into the machineries of power and corruption, even among the Holy Walls. To you, the final judgment...

Avoid at all costs
Horrible. Do not waste your time or money

Laughable, Ridiculous, and Horribly long.
This is a horrible horrible movie. I saw it at the theatre, and I spent the entire long horrible process laughing at it. In fact, the entire theatre (except for the woman sitting next to me) was laughing and hurling out comments (It was like being on Mystery Science Theatre!).

This movie was supposed to be controversial, but it was laughable, horribly written and horribly acted. When Reeve deadpanned "I only have an hour" as he an his nun girlfriend prepared to get cosy (Right across from the Vatican), the entire theatre (save one) burst into laughter, and a man at the back of the theatre yelled out "He's faster than a speeding bullet."

I enjoyed the experience of seeing this in a theatre because we all had such fun laughing at this movie (Similarly to Starship Troopers), but I would NEVER want to own this movie. What a waste of money. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The movie that made "No wire hangers!" a household phrase, Mommie Dearest is the very model of a modern "camp classic," so crazily outlandish that it's fascinating. Based on the scathing and scandalous tell-all bestseller by Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of histrionic Hollywood movie queen Joan Crawford, Mommie Dearest was billed in advance as a serious dramatic motion-picture biography. But it turned out to be something much, much weirder--a genuine Hollywood oddity that serves up a bizarre mixture of melodramatic trash and outrageous tragi-comedy. Joan Crawford won an Oscar for playing the role of the self-sacrificing mother, the woman who would do anything for her daughter, in Mildred Pierce. As depicted by Faye Dunaway (playing the hell out of the role as if she's determined to win another Oscar of her own, damn it!), her role as offscreen parent puts her in a league with big-time scary screen mommies such as Mrs. Bates in Psycho, and Angela Lansbury's über-mom in The Manchurian Candidate. Dunaway's Crawford torments and terrorizes her adopted children in myriad ways--making them give away their own birthday gifts and rousting them from their beds for frantic after-midnight bathroom-scrubbing attacks. And when, after the death of her Pepsico chairman husband, Crawford tells the board of directors, "Don't f--- with me, fellas!" one is very much inclined to heed her warning. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (144)

In defense of Diana Scarwid's performance...
I feel I must add to the previous reviews: I really do feel Ms. Scarwid is an exceptional actress (She's outrageously funny as Cher's beautician lover in Silkwood! ), and that she does justice to Christina Crawford's life--or, at least, the cinematic version of it. I don't see how else the performance could be played. It has to be that low-key, because Faye Dunaway is taking up so much space, with her virtuouso turn as Joan Crawford. Also, as Pauline Kael noted in her excellent review of the film, "Scarwid has good low tones in her voice which suggest the ordeals Tina has been through, and she brings the role a twinkle, a gleam of rude humor, that seems to sustain Tina through her mother's most fiendish persecutions." At the end of the film, her character's unresolved anger and sorrow is especially pungent to me. And all of you who feel that doesn't ring true aren't being entirely honest about your relationships with your own parents! Maybe viewers who appreciate the film only as a "camp classic", don't really want to acknowledge the tragic realism of the material? It IS funny, but then it's horrifyingly funny, and worse that that. This film may be one of only a handful to suffer from a feminist double standard: I wonder how many members in the audience would kick up their heels and laugh about it if a father was doing the same things to his kids onscreen?

A big disappointment full of painfully BAD acting!
This is an example of a book with great movie potential going horribly awry! Christina Crawford's autobiograhical bestseller about her Hollywood upbringing at the hands of her alcoholic, moviestar 'Mommie' Joan Crawford, was powerful, enfuriating, and heartbreaking. The movie, unfortunately, is just a mish-mash of overblown acting and there is little continuity between the scenes. I nearly walked out on this movie when I first saw it, and it's not much better on the small screen! The period sets, costumes, and Faye Dunaway's makeup are right, but the tone of the film is way off! Both the Christinas were horribly cast, and I had no sympathy for either one. Diana Scarwid's acting is downright embarrassing (since when did Christina have a Southern accent?)! It's really sad that the original message about child-abuse is lost in this ridiculous, campy trash.

"Tina!... Bring me the Axe!"
This movie scared me to death when I was a kid. I had absolutely no idea who Joan Crawford was, so I just naturally took the whole thing as a tale of a goofball mother who abused her kids a lot. I had nightmares of Faye Dunaway wearing a facemask beating me with wire hangers while screaming, "Don't f--- with me, fella!"

Seriously, I never had the nightmares, but as a child, Faye Dunaway played one vicious bitch who I was glad wasn't my mother. I'm 22 now and know who Joan Crawford is. The physical resemblance between Mrs. Dunaway and Mrs. Crawford is striking at times. As far as Faye's acting goes, well... I'm suprised she didn't gain a little weight during the production from all that scenery she chewed. This is THE definitive "ham" performance. It's just so over the top and hysterically wacko. There's so many instances where the character does something off the wall that it'd be impossible to list them all. In short, it's one of the most memorable performances of the 80's. I would say "bravo," but I'm not sure if this is what Dunaway was going for.

It's also the only interesting performance in the entire movie. At least Dunaway knows how to deliver her lines in a SLIGHTLY realistic manner; the rest of the cast is basically just pathetic. The girl who played Christina (name escapes me) is god-awful in this film. Behold:

"I'm... not... one of yourrrr [FANS]!"

It must be seen to be believed. The entire film revels in the realm of all things bizarre and awful. And that's exactly why it's so darn entertaining. Some of the quotes are so nutty that they've earned a permanent rank into the lexicon of pop culture, the most famous being, of course, "No wire hangers... EVER(....)!"

If you're into this goofy stuff, I'd highly recommend buying it. No interesting extras to speak of, but the price is good. Place it on your shelf right next to your MST3K collection.

NO WIRE HANGERS!
Possibly my fav. movie I've ever watched!

I want the director's cut
Movies are all being re-made these days. How about this one? As much as I love this movie, I must admit it is sloppily edited, and as Christina herself says, it leaves only the highlights and turns the whole story around from a child trying to live through abuse to a woman of Hollywood who just wasn't obeyed.

At the beginning of the movie we see Joan's morning routine of getting ready for work. The movie begins just before she adopts Christina so we don't see anything about her childhood or her early days as an actress. But that is excusable because the movie is based on the book, which is really Christina's autobiography.

I am disappointed Faye Dunaway regrets making this movie because it is one of her finest. Whenever I hear her name I think of this movie. Can anyone else name 3 other movies she was in? I can't.

I don't know what really happened between those two, but I would have LOVED to be a fly on THAT wall. Also, in closing, Christina has said she has not recieved any residuals from this movie which is outrageous. Many will say that hearing her gripe about money discredits her story, but I think if anyone was in her shoes and shared their story that had a huge impact, they deserve a little kick-back. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Worth adding to your collection!
As a mother of two young children my husband and I often rely on our DVD collection for a night "at" the movies. Hello Again is just a cute film that the whole family can pile up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy.This movie may seem silly to some but hey sometimes a good movie is just that...silly. I love this film and have seen it many times over without growing tired of it. I am anxiously awaiting its release on DVD.

I love Hello Again!
This is one of my all-time favorites! Yeah it's cheesy, but it's so funny... you really can't take it seriously. I can practically recite the dialogue with the movie, I've seen it so many times... it's great! Shelley Long is hilarious in this role.

VERY cute and funny
I thought this movie was VERY funny. Shelley's death scene is quite a laugh. And of course the story premise is very fun. Not a bad film at all. What can I say! It's just very cute and funny. Very good for a Saturday/Sunday afternoon movie.

If I could give it less, I think I would
This has to be just about the worst movie I've ever sat through. I watched it because I couldn't take my eyes off Gabriel Byrne, who has beautiful eyes and a beautiful accent, but otherwise it was just terrible. It wasn't even bad in a funny way; I just felt embarassed.
The story was completely ridiculous. I'm generally willing to suspend disbelief, but the whole back-from-the-dead thing seemed singularly pointless. Implausibilities mounted like cars in a pile-up. The dialogue was so banal it was almost unbelievable. The problems facing our pair of lovers were so manufactured I expcted the seams of the film to tear every moment. You don't fire a good doctor because reporters are crowding the operating room. You ban the reporters from the hospital. And why did they have to tie up all loose ends by hooking up the protagonists sister with that millionaire?
Among the many bad performances, the sister had to be the most annoying of the lot, but Shelley Long was pretty awful too. Even Byrne wasn't great (how could he be, with those god-awful lines to say) but at least he wasn't embarrassing like the rest.

Hello Again
One of the funniest movies ever produced. Good for families as well as adult viewing. Did not get enough notice in the theatre when first released. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Cute
Minor film of no consequence that manages to deftly balance between light comedy and intense drama, led quite ably by the experienced Susan Sarandon, supported by the underrated Edward Herrmann and the late Raul Julia. The story is a murder mystery that draws former journalist Sarandon into the investigation, as it was her periodontist who was murdered. It turns out this dentist was drilling quite a few of the ladies in this upscale Long Island community, and not just their teeth.

Plenty of suspects, plenty of motives, plenty of holes in the script, but don't let that bother you in this bit of cute lightweight fluff that manages to make us laugh a few times and also gets across the tension of a marriage between a very busy attorney (Herrmann) and his stay-at-home wife (Sarandon) who has gotten the jones to get back to a paying job. She's been raising the kids and getting taken for granted, and is tempted by her attraction to the detective (Julia), but ultimately hubby sees where he's gone wrong. Cliche? Sure, but it's not badly done. The luminous Sarandon actually manages to be frumpy, which is no small feat. Worth seeing once.

Superb Performances are Compromised to a Weak Script
Susan Sarandon is one of our finest actors, and though her taste in scripts is questionable, she milks this role for everything it's got - gettig more from it than I believe the screenwriter had ever intended. She plays a happily married housewife who upon learning of her dentist's murder begins to investigate, and winds up fall for the lead detective on the case (Raul Julia). After awhile, the shine seems to fade from what seemed like a perfect marriage and she begins to question her life's direction. And in the film's most potent scene, she sits at her daughters recital, starring into space - wishing she were free from the burdon of having children, which inevitably drives her to stay with her unintentive husband. It's quite a scene, in the vein of the "smugglers" of 40's and 50's, and watching Raul Julia only serves as a sad reminder of what a great talent we lost with his passing.

Pure Style
Rare insight into the place of women at the close of the 20th century marks this stylish thriller about suburbanites in over their heads. Every female character has a unique, intelligent way of dressing, decorating her house and investing her time. The portrayal of an argument between husband and wife over mutual respect (or lack thereof) is breathtaking. I watch this movie when I need a lift.

A So-So Comic Mystery
Considering its subject matter, this film should be much funnier and much wilder than it is. Brilliant actor Joe Mantegna makes an appearance as Dr. Bruce Fleckstein, a lecherous dentist with a mostly-female clientele. Fleckstein sleeps with many of his patients and takes nude photographs of them in a series of 'positions', until an angry sexual partner stabs him with a dental instrument. Problem is, every woman on Long Island is a suspect. The idea itself is rife with comic possibilities, and during his appearance, Mantegna -- hilarious, with an enormous, Liberace-style pinky ring, huge gold chains, and shirt open to the chest -- makes the film; he gives it a necessary dose of comic energy. But that dose isn't quite large enough, for Fleckstein's onscreen time is limited to about forty seconds, followed by a credit-sequence montage, and then the murder. We spend the rest of the film watching housewife (and former patient) Susan Sarandon investigate the homicide and learn of Fleckstein's exploits. Too bad; it isn't nearly as fun as it would've been, had the filmmakers given the audience the chance to watch the dentist philander his way around Long Island and get away with murder (no pun intended), *prior* to his death & Sarandon's crime solving. But the film isn't a total dud; the mystery is mildly engaging, and Sarandon and the always-excellent Raul Julia (as a homicide detective), have terrific chemistry together. This is one film that (save a few explicit descriptions of sexual activity) could easily be mistaken for a made-for-television movie. Yes, that's how innocuous it is.

Swift Comedy, Sharp Mystery, Super Movie
When her Dentist is murdered shortly after her first visit, a housewife (Susan Saradon) decides to reprise her role as a reporter--to help a friend out of a jam, an extra-marital thingy. But he/she who knows WhoDunIt doesn't appreciate the proximity of a successful snoop.

Raul Julia plays an excellent Suffolk Co Detective from Long Island. The entire cast is fantastic. Wish I was better on remembering their names. Today, I came here to replace a worn copy. IMHO, this is the best comedy mystery available on VHS.

If you liked Bogart and Bacall, this movie will give you a modern equal. The dialogue between the characters is sharp and moving. The story is witty and high-calibered. This is a comedy-mystery with a tad of dramatic moments. Susan Saradon plays a strong housewife, non-superwoman, easy to adore. Seek, get, and enjoy this fine film. ... Read more

Description

A poignant and moving story about two emotionally disturbed teenagers who fall in love in an institution. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Really Beautiful!
David (Keir Dullea) and Lisa (Janet Margolin) are beautiful, sweet, and sad in this strange mental drama. David's brooding truly broke my heart. And Lisa's innocence filled it up again. Together they seemed like one whole (slightly 'off') person.
This story is about love. About loving yourself when the world doesn't see your insides.

Really beautiful.
And David's Dreams were spectacular!

=^..^=

Very dated and dry. Only for the true indie film fan.
I bought this movie on a whim with the knowledge that it was an early, and successful independent film. I took it home to watch it and I was very dissapointed to say the least.

I am big into indie films and this is NOT a timeless movie. The acting (perhaps good at the time) was not very good. The characters were stiff, and one dimensional. The music did not line up with the actions that were taking place (i.e. during the final scene where the plot supposedly gets resolved the music sounds as though a death scene is about to take place. During a scene of slow moving action, chase music is played).

The movie sets us up for the main plot (the love between David and Lisa), and then a few different sub-plots (the struggle between David & his mother, the conflict between David's mother and father). Those sub-plots NEVER get resolved.

This is a product of lazy, sloppy film-making and I recommend this to those who are only curious.

I was not impressed with this film that is supposedly an amazing work of art. It didn't seem 'real' enough. Perhaps this movie was good at the time but it's better off that it be left there, back where it belongs.

Mutant Love Story
This Movie, made in 1962 is a great drama about the healing power of love. The love all of us, disturbed or normal, long for. I am not a [strange person] or anything, but I still really liked watching the story of two deranged people making the best out of their horrid genetic defects. The movie is in black and white, hopefully they will colorize it soon.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
This film is absolutely beautiful in every sense. It is the story of two teenagers, David and Lisa, who are both in a home for mentally ill teens. David is obsessed with clocks and has a fear of being physically touched while Lisa can only speak in rhyme. The film covers the powerful bond that develops between David and Lisa. I think this film is wonderful. Both Keir Dullea (David) and the late Janet Margolin (Lisa) are brilliant! There is also a fine supporting cast. Overall I would say this is one of the finest films I have ever viewed.

Maybe the first successful indie film
As to the content and quality of this film, the other reviews here cover it really well. The thing I like about this film is that it was done well on an incredibly low budget. What I heard at the time is that the film was made for $50,000. An absurdly low figure, even in 1962. The crew had only one old Mitchell 35mm camera, so for every change of view, they literally had to pick up the camera and move it. This accounts also for the fade out to black at the end of each scene. The film is so artfully assembled that when you watch it, you are totally unaware of the limitations the crew had to deal with. I believe David and Lisa should be mandatory study for all the wannabe indie directors hitting the scene today. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Swim Into the Twilight Zone...
It really is amazing how unknown this movie still is. If you are unfamiliar with it, you are in for a real experience. It is based on a classic short story by John Cheever, and it works like an extended, lost episode of the old "Twilight Zone" television series. A middle-aged suburban man (Burt Lancaster) decides to swim across his wealthy Connecticut county, through all the swimming pools of his neighbors back to his own home. As he makes his journey you gradually become aware that he is not all that he seems. Dark secrets keep getting revealed and it soon becomes apparent that we are witnessing a telescoping of the man's entire adult life into a few afternoon hours of an early autumn day. The film becomes a powerful allegory about disillusionment and tragedy, without being the least heavy-handed about it. Like Cheever's other great short story "The Enormous Radio", "The Swimmer" can be interpreted as a religious parable about the self-deception of fallen humanity. The comeuppance Lancaster receives is almost too intense to watch. This is a genuinely shattering movie that will stay with you.

The minority opinion, based on incomplete data
After scanning the editorial and customer reviews here, I prepare to duck from the rotten tomatoes about to be thrown at me.

I've seen this film twice or, rather, tried to watch it twice. At age 20-25, I tried watching it, and found it to be a tedious exhibition of meaningless repetition. I fell asleep before I could get to the allegedly startling ending that gives it all meaning.

A few months back, after hearing about the film-redeeming ending, I tried again. Thirty minutes in, I was dozing off again. This is the only movie that ever did this to me. I decided to give it some chance, and skipped to the ending, to see what all the fuss is about. The ending seemed to be a non-sequitir, and shed no meaning, for me, on the beginning of the movie.

Of course, this means that I've never watched the entire film. But, I am a Burt Lancaster fan, and a very patient movie-viewer. For a film to twice fail to capture my interest, that's bad enough, for me, to write a review such as this. I give it three stars only because I know it is well-made and widely admired, but it will not grab everyone's interest.

Unforgettable after...25 years
I first watched this film..in another language when I was a kid. How best to illustrate the impact it had on me? After 25 years I still remembered the story of it. Of a man swimming home and of the last scene where he coming home to find an empty, isolated house.

Flash back to the present. I found this movie by accident in the library. Wondering if it's the same one stuck in my mind for so long so I checked it out. The impact of watching it this time was still there (just a bit less since I already know the ending).

All in all it's really worth seeing. It left an unforgettably emotional impact on me..as a 10-year-old child. That's how best I could put it to say how good the movie is.

challenging aesthetics
an unforgettable film.
it defies all explanation and remains a hidden classic art film.
comparisons to the twilight zone seem to do it little justice, not that i am knocking the twilight zone at all.
but perry's film is far more complex and multi latered than that.
and lancaster;
the older he got the more risks he took and this is a brauva performance.
we see his world slowly decaying. we know whats coming, yet you will probabaly still walk away mumbling incoherently to yourself for a few hours afterwords.
but,if you're looking for a fast paced film, look elsewhere. this film challenges you and from what ive seen of some of the reivews it was a bit too challenging for some (right-o new jersey?), but if you are prepared to reconsider your views on what film is and isnt, then be prepared to be walloped.

Frank Perry's masterpiece
This film is unique in all the american filmography. You may exhibit several examples about the question of the loneliness , like Sunset boulevard, Midnight cowboy, the naked kiss or even Butterfield 8. These films are worthy. But no film before and even thirty six years (with the exceptions of Paris Texas and American beauty) had approached the question in just so brutally dramatic, showing the naked soul of a mature man in a suden decadence.
Perry had the Midas touch when the story goes through all the swimming pool of Kentucky.
An intimate portrayal,a collage that describes like a few, the roughness, the cruelty the indifference of the human condition around a man who lost his center, his eaning for living, and surviving just by feeding his memories.
His ancient friends, his old love affairs , show us with no mercy the unboreble loneliness of this man who was once and now he's just a post card human, a colection piece , a lost specimen
from an old tale.
Lancaster gives us an unforgettable performing. I{m absolutely sure that the character of Lancaster in Atlantic city, was so easy to Burt, due he applied the emotive memory, apart his notable skills.
The swimmer is a cult movie. It's a acid view about a society who doesn't accept the failure, which runs from a lonely man who doesn't have to say excepts his memories.
Do you remember the sequence when he tries to get into the swimming pool in which he must to clean his feet before to get in? . The metaphor is so absorbing and fascinating that you can not forget easily. And the ending is very close to a horror film.
Please, don't forget this ending and try to tie with the end of 21 grams.
Momma dearest was made several years after. But in my particular opinion. Frank Perry will be remembered by this unvaluable gem of the best artistic expression american cinema. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A quirky and sneakily funny delight from the mid-'70s, this oddball comedy stars Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston as a pair of modern cattle rustlers who have targeted a local rancher--and then steal his herd one cow at a time. The rancher (Clifton James) can't figure out who's stealing his cows, so he hires an elderly detective (Slim Pickens) to solve the mystery. Directed by Frank Perry from a deliciously dry script by Thomas McGuane, the film offers a startlingly varied cast that includes Elizabeth Ashley, Harry Dean Stanton, and Richard Bright, with an engaging soundtrack by Jimmy Buffett (who also shows up in the film). Watch it just to find out who Bob Dog is. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Very Likeable 70's Movie
Two of the most likeable and enduring actors of the 1970's, Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston, teamed up for this 1975 gem. They play a pair of modern day, small-time cattle rustlers. The film is mostly a comedy and mostly a character study, although the plot is quite funny also. The rancher from whom they rustle cattle is quite befuddled and hires Slim Pickens to solve the case. This is the kind of overlooked 1970's movie that has become a bit of a cult classic but deserves greater recognition.

Bridges and Waterston also had roles in the disaster "Heaven's Gate," but fans of the actors would be much better off checking out "Rancho Deluxe." Fans of Jimmy Buffet should appreciate his music in the film; he also appears as a singer in a bar scene. This film is also the last good one from director Frank Perry. Before this movie, he directed "David and Lisa," "The Swimmer," and "Last Summer." He later bombed with duds such as "Hello Again" and "Mommie Dearest." A very good, enjoyable movie that 70's film buffs should check out.

Amazing, but you need a very dry sense of humor.
How can I describe this movie in a nut shell? Odd and dated but with a very good heart- and dry dry dry!

It is a pseudo-western, featuring actors who would now be too "good" for a small cultish movie like this one. Can you picture a Law & Order T.V. star in this?? This could be viewed as a great piece of 70's era B movie making with slumming A list actors. Or how about one of Jimmy Buffet's first appearances in popular culture- a must see for parrot heads!

Listen for the one liners from Cecil (Sam Waterson), they could definately enter into your movie quote lexicon. Also, if you know any cowboys, watch it with them and check out their reaction to Cecil's Father's monolouge about the disease of "pickup truck debt" for which there is still "no cure in sight".

Not likley to please everyone, this movie is for people with a twisted sense of humor but if you like stuff like Space Ghost you will love.

Ramblin' Around Big Sky
A quirky look at stereotypical (although not too far fetched) characters around Livingston, Bozeman and Paradise Valley before the onset of present day contemporary "Californication". Looking for a way to "keep awake", Jeff McKee (Jeff Bridges), a bored rich kid from the east who has run away from a looney girlfriend, and Cecil Colson (Sam Waterston), a local Indian drifter, take up together as chainsaw rustlers looking to make a few bucks to put down on their own spread, Rancho Deluxe. In the process, they prey upon a local cattle baron (Clifton James) and his flurtatious wife (Elizabeth Ashley), recent transplants with lots of loose cash and plans to be the next cattle king of Montana. After some steer tossing and bull-napping for beef and front money, the rustlers plan the big one with some inside help only to get knabbed in the end by the hired regulator (Slim Pickens) and his mischevious niece (Charlene Dallas).
Jimmy Buffett's lively score and the scenery (natural and man made) contributes to the mistique and rough edge of the wild good old times.
Rancho Deluxe struck a nerve of interest when it was initially released and the film reached cult status in Montana. The phenomena might be partially attributed to the perception many young Montanans had at the time of being rather disconnected from the rest of the country (not that that was necessarily a bad thing). The film helped open up Montana to Hollywood movie makers who soon followed to make Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974) and The Missouri Breaks (1977). Big Sky Country would never be the same, what a shame.

A Bad 70's "Western"
Encouraged by many positive reviews, I purchased this DVD for viewing at a "movie nite" with a group of friends. Unfortunately, the film was a great disappointment - one of the least entertaining films I have seen, and often painful to watch. Even Slim Pickins couldnt save this artifact of the 70's. None of us found this film funny, and it is perhaps the only film in recent memory that was so awful and dated that I found myself hoping it would just hurry up and end starting painfully early-on in the film. Viewed on a 10' home theater screen, the video quality was only fair at best. Audio quality is similary only fair, and despite my like of Jimmy Buffet, his music did not make this film more tolerable.

RENT IT
It is interesting for the first 45 minutes but after that the plot dies. I did enjoy watching it so I gave it a honest 3 stars but I don't want to watch it again. The ending ruined the movie for me. People totally overrated this movie so I bought it. I waisted my money but it was not a total loss. I made note of their names and I will never trust their judgement again because I know they are insipid. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Story - Terrible video quality
In a similar vein as the previous reviewer's comments, I'd buy any copy of this I could get my hands on. I must say however that the video quality is VERY POOR, even for VHS. Should you know someone who taped this from TV, a second quality dup may be of higher quality. Be forewarned.

MURPHY'S LAW...regarding Truman Capote's Trilogy
IF you have been looking for years to find "A Christmas
Memory" on video, AND you FINALLY have the good fortune
to find it, order it, wait for it with anticpation, get
it, watch it, only to discover many little things have
been cut out, you will be disappointed as I am. On the
other hand, ANY copy of "A Christmas Memory," with the
late great Geraldine Page, is far better than NO copy!
The one part where Buddy and his dear friend discuss the
fact that he is tall enough to take the star from the
tree is gone, as well as other things that were IN the
PBS video of the same...one would THINK that THIS video
would surely contain it ALL, but alas!
The other two stories on this, are "Miriam, starring
Mildred Natwick, and "Among The Paths To Eden," starring
Martin Balsam and Maureen Stapleton---both of which are
good...however, since I have never seen these before,
these may have had alot cut out of them too!
Aside from this sad disappointment, I still encourage
any fan of either Capote or Ms. Page to purchase this
video...it is STILL well worth the having.

MURPHY'S LAW...
IF you have been looking for years to find "A Christmas
Memory" on video, AND you FINALLY have the good fortune
to find it, order it, wait for it with anticpation, get
it, watch it, only to discover many little things have
been cut out, you will be disappointed as I am. On the
other hand, ANY copy of "A Christmas Memory," with the
late great Geraldine Page, is far better than NO copy!
The one part where Buddy and his dear friend discuss the
fact that he is tall enough to take the star from the
tree is gone, as well as other things that were IN the
PBS video of the same...one would THINK that THIS video
would surely contain it ALL, but alas!
The other two stories on this, are "Miriam, starring
Mildred Natwick, and "Among The Paths To Eden," starring
Martin Balsam and Maureen Stapleton---both of which are
good...however, since I have never seen these before,
these may have had alot cut out of them too!
Aside from this sad disappointment, I still encourage
any fan of either Capote or Ms. Page to purchase this
video...it is STILL well worth the having. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Underrated-and wonderful
Whatever critisism this movie is met with,I remain untouched by it.This is simply a great western with some actual thought and feeling behind it,not just empty violence.The story of Doc Holliday and the OK Corrall has been told many,many times before,but this film actually adds some amusing twists to the well-known tale and poses a few interesting questions as well.
First of all,the difference between Wyatt and Doc is stressed,not just in Wyatt`s dubious business adventures(which Doc is shown to take no interest in whatsoever),but also in the way Wyatt struggles-and fails-to grasp the idea that Doc`s a better,finer man than himself.It`s very nice to see Kate Elder`s story told,too.Faye Dunaway gives Kate dignity and beauty.The scene where Doc asks Kate to dance with him in a saloon filled with drunks and troublemakers,will bring tears to your eyes.Another very touching scene is where Doc teaches young Billy Clanton to shoot to actually teach him the trade.We get to know of all Doc`s travels,and Billy asks whether his mentor ever goes home."Every night",is the answer.
A scene which is bound to make you laugh is the one where Doc aquires a little house for himself and Kate,and he is to carry her across the doorstep.No way! Kate takes on the job.("Someone can see us! Someone can see us!...Someone could have seen us.")
Watch this film and get a better feel of a great man of the West.Stacey Keach is formidable,but then again,when is he not?

This is pretty sad!
For the talent involved I gave it two stars but if it were not for that I wouldn't have given any. I saw this movie when it first came out and thought it was pretty bad then: as history and as a movie. I watched it again recently to give it a 2nd chance. So much the worse for me. It was popular in the late 60's and early 70's to make revisionist style Westerns to show that "them thar days weren't as good as you thought" and adding a sort of artsy-fartsy flair It might have worked here except for the material. Almost the whole damn movie is a lie. It's true that the preceeding earp fair (THE GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE,ETC.) were sadly lacking in the history department but this movie was so "rivisionist" that anything even remotly positive even if it was true was either left out or flatly denied. There was a long review in a magazine that I read shortly after the movie was released called "THE DEBUNKING OF A DEBUNKING" who's title I thought said it best.(I wish I could remember the magazine) Needless to say they felt much the same that I do. Even though the previous movies showed Earp and Holliday to be far better people than they were, some one went to a great deal of time and expence to show that they were far, far worse than they really were and then they wrapped the story in a pretty awful movie. If your interested in the subject matter then do your best to borrow a copy of this movie because I can be pretty sure that you'll only watch it once and then only if you can stop laughing long enough to hear it.

A Revisionist at Tombstone
This 1971 re-telling of the Earp-Holliday relationship clearly paints the darkest picture of the Earp family yet on film, and even suggests that Wyatt may have homosexual interests in Doc Holliday. Whatever the nature of the relationship, Doc appears to want little more of it and feels trapped into his part in the famous shoot-out. At best the relationship serves the Earp family business interests with little or no reciprocal value for Holliday. Harris Yulin and Stacy Keach play Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, respectively and well - both men being actors of considerable ability. Faye Dunaway plays Doc's common-law "wife" (Big-Nose Kate) in more of a cameo than a fully developed part. Frank Perry directed the film as a darkly psychological study of the relationship between these two gunmen. The dark rust-red of the Arizona desert provides the dominant color for the film. Film grain and texture reflects the men and the times: rough, gritty, and dark. While certainly a well performed and directed film, this is a film for NEITHER the John Wayne-shoot'em-in-the-street-at-high-noon-and-never-lose-your-hat crowd NOR the Hugh O'Brian devotee. "Doc" will please only the fans of the off-centered, slightly twisted quasi-film noire crowd. Indeed, one could easily describe this as a film noire western. "Doc" takes the "darker" side of Earp a good deal farther than the Sturges 1967 film "The Hour of the Gun" with James Garner and Jason Robards as Earp and Holliday. In "Hour of the Gun" Sturges greatly humanizes Earp from the earlier "Mr. Pure-Goodguy" in his film "The Gunfight at OK Corral." Still, Perry's "DOC" goes far beyond "Hour of the Gun" in his depiction of Wyatt as a sociopath with a badge, a gun, and a grudge. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Very Likeable 70's Movie
Two of the most likeable and enduring actors of the 1970's, Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston, teamed up for this 1975 gem. They play a pair of modern day, small-time cattle rustlers. The film is mostly a comedy and mostly a character study, although the plot is quite funny also. The rancher from whom they rustle cattle is quite befuddled and hires Slim Pickens to solve the case. This is the kind of overlooked 1970's movie that has become a bit of a cult classic but deserves greater recognition.

Bridges and Waterston also had roles in the disaster "Heaven's Gate," but fans of the actors would be much better off checking out "Rancho Deluxe." Fans of Jimmy Buffet should appreciate his music in the film; he also appears as a singer in a bar scene. This film is also the last good one from director Frank Perry. Before this movie, he directed "David and Lisa," "The Swimmer," and "Last Summer." He later bombed with duds such as "Hello Again" and "Mommie Dearest." A very good, enjoyable movie that 70's film buffs should check out.

Amazing, but you need a very dry sense of humor.
How can I describe this movie in a nut shell? Odd and dated but with a very good heart- and dry dry dry!

It is a pseudo-western, featuring actors who would now be too "good" for a small cultish movie like this one. Can you picture a Law & Order T.V. star in this?? This could be viewed as a great piece of 70's era B movie making with slumming A list actors. Or how about one of Jimmy Buffet's first appearances in popular culture- a must see for parrot heads!

Listen for the one liners from Cecil (Sam Waterson), they could definately enter into your movie quote lexicon. Also, if you know any cowboys, watch it with them and check out their reaction to Cecil's Father's monolouge about the disease of "pickup truck debt" for which there is still "no cure in sight".

Not likley to please everyone, this movie is for people with a twisted sense of humor but if you like stuff like Space Ghost you will love.

Ramblin' Around Big Sky
A quirky look at stereotypical (although not too far fetched) characters around Livingston, Bozeman and Paradise Valley before the onset of present day contemporary "Californication". Looking for a way to "keep awake", Jeff McKee (Jeff Bridges), a bored rich kid from the east who has run away from a looney girlfriend, and Cecil Colson (Sam Waterston), a local Indian drifter, take up together as chainsaw rustlers looking to make a few bucks to put down on their own spread, Rancho Deluxe. In the process, they prey upon a local cattle baron (Clifton James) and his flurtatious wife (Elizabeth Ashley), recent transplants with lots of loose cash and plans to be the next cattle king of Montana. After some steer tossing and bull-napping for beef and front money, the rustlers plan the big one with some inside help only to get knabbed in the end by the hired regulator (Slim Pickens) and his mischevious niece (Charlene Dallas).
Jimmy Buffett's lively score and the scenery (natural and man made) contributes to the mistique and rough edge of the wild good old times.
Rancho Deluxe struck a nerve of interest when it was initially released and the film reached cult status in Montana. The phenomena might be partially attributed to the perception many young Montanans had at the time of being rather disconnected from the rest of the country (not that that was necessarily a bad thing). The film helped open up Montana to Hollywood movie makers who soon followed to make Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974) and The Missouri Breaks (1977). Big Sky Country would never be the same, what a shame.

A Bad 70's "Western"
Encouraged by many positive reviews, I purchased this DVD for viewing at a "movie nite" with a group of friends. Unfortunately, the film was a great disappointment - one of the least entertaining films I have seen, and often painful to watch. Even Slim Pickins couldnt save this artifact of the 70's. None of us found this film funny, and it is perhaps the only film in recent memory that was so awful and dated that I found myself hoping it would just hurry up and end starting painfully early-on in the film. Viewed on a 10' home theater screen, the video quality was only fair at best. Audio quality is similary only fair, and despite my like of Jimmy Buffet, his music did not make this film more tolerable.

RENT IT
It is interesting for the first 45 minutes but after that the plot dies. I did enjoy watching it so I gave it a honest 3 stars but I don't want to watch it again. The ending ruined the movie for me. People totally overrated this movie so I bought it. I waisted my money but it was not a total loss. I made note of their names and I will never trust their judgement again because I know they are insipid. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Worth adding to your collection!
As a mother of two young children my husband and I often rely on our DVD collection for a night "at" the movies. Hello Again is just a cute film that the whole family can pile up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy.This movie may seem silly to some but hey sometimes a good movie is just that...silly. I love this film and have seen it many times over without growing tired of it. I am anxiously awaiting its release on DVD.

I love Hello Again!
This is one of my all-time favorites! Yeah it's cheesy, but it's so funny... you really can't take it seriously. I can practically recite the dialogue with the movie, I've seen it so many times... it's great! Shelley Long is hilarious in this role.

VERY cute and funny
I thought this movie was VERY funny. Shelley's death scene is quite a laugh. And of course the story premise is very fun. Not a bad film at all. What can I say! It's just very cute and funny. Very good for a Saturday/Sunday afternoon movie.

If I could give it less, I think I would
This has to be just about the worst movie I've ever sat through. I watched it because I couldn't take my eyes off Gabriel Byrne, who has beautiful eyes and a beautiful accent, but otherwise it was just terrible. It wasn't even bad in a funny way; I just felt embarassed.
The story was completely ridiculous. I'm generally willing to suspend disbelief, but the whole back-from-the-dead thing seemed singularly pointless. Implausibilities mounted like cars in a pile-up. The dialogue was so banal it was almost unbelievable. The problems facing our pair of lovers were so manufactured I expcted the seams of the film to tear every moment. You don't fire a good doctor because reporters are crowding the operating room. You ban the reporters from the hospital. And why did they have to tie up all loose ends by hooking up the protagonists sister with that millionaire?
Among the many bad performances, the sister had to be the most annoying of the lot, but Shelley Long was pretty awful too. Even Byrne wasn't great (how could he be, with those god-awful lines to say) but at least he wasn't embarrassing like the rest.

Hello Again
One of the funniest movies ever produced. Good for families as well as adult viewing. Did not get enough notice in the theatre when first released. ... Read more