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Blake Edwards's delightful Victor/Victoria may be one of the last of the great, old-style movie musical comedies--it is so good, it was turned into a hit Broadway stage musical years later. And both versions starred Edwards's wife Julie Andrews (the former Mary Poppins) in the title role--as Victor and Victoria. She's a down-and-out singer who hooks up with a flamboyantly gay theatrical veteran (Robert Preston), and together they become the toast of 1934 Paris by dreaming up a provocative nightclub act in which Victoria assumes the identity of a man in drag. So, in other words, Andrews plays a woman playing a man playing a woman ... and that's only the beginning of the sexual identity confusions that provide the fuel for this splendidly classy slapstick musical farce. (Yes, it's all those things.) James Garner, as a Chicago club owner, finds himself strangely besotted with this stylish, androgynous creature--even though he thinks Victor/Victoria is a man. Legendary Hollywood composer Henry Mancini (a longtime collaborator with Edwards) won his last Oscar for the score; Andrews, Preston, and Lesley Ann Warren, as Garner's cheeky girlfriend, were also nominated. Musical highlights include Victor/Victoria's sizzling "Le Jazz Hot" (in which Andrews shows off her incredible vocal range); another showstopper for Victor/Victoria, "The Shady Dame from Seville"; Preston's witty ode to "Gay Paree"; Warren's hilarious burlesque number, "King's Can-Can"; and a charmingly casual yet elegant side-by-side number, "You and Me," done in a small club by Preston and Andrews in tuxedos. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Sheer delight
For my money this is Blake Edwards' most enjoyable movie. I've viewed it perhaps a dozen times, and its combination of a peerless cast, fine songs, supremely witty script and sure-footed direction make this a real gem that I will never tire of watching.

Robert Preston (in a role originally intended for Peter Sellers) practically steals the show as Toddy, a gay nightclub perfomer in 1930s Paris. Preston's vitality and charisma make the character of Toddy so warm, humorous and believable that he feels like an old friend by the end of the movie. What a shame Preston made so few films! (We do, however, have his memorable aoppearance in SOB - another Edwards triumph - to be grateful for.)

Julie Andrews is perfectly cast, with her distinctive voice and seemingly ageless face and figure all contributing to a convincing portrayal of a supposed female impersonator. The rapport between her and Preston is a joy to behold, and one can only applaud their classy professionalism.

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the film reunites Julie Andrews with James Garner 18 years after their first movie together, the 1964 Americanization of Emily. Garner shows a fine comic touch - as always - and Lesley Ann Warren is inimitable as his supremely irritating ex-girlfriend.

The film positively overflows with 1930s Parisian atmosphere and sophistication. In short, Victor/Victoria is a real treat that offers a little something for everybody.

Essential viewing.

Le Jazz Hot!
Although he has just recieved an honorary Oscar, Blake Edwards is often looked upon as a purvayer of low comedy. Although he is the genius behind such sparkling classics as The (original) Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffanys, many people frown upon him for his later films such as S.O.B., Blind Date and Switch (let's not mention the post-Sellars Panthers). Victor / Victoria falls, chronologically, between the two sets of films and, in my view, is Edwards at his peak.
Edwards directs his wife Julie Andrews (never better and that includes being a nanny and a nun), in a tale of a [woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman]. The central plot serves as an excellent backbone on which to hang a wonderfully farcical script, some hilarious set-pieces and the fantastic song-and-dance numbers (Bricuse and Mancini's score makes you wish they'd worked together more often).
Andrews, as I say, is flawless coming somewhere between the innocence of Poppins and the lewdness of S.O.B. and giving a fantastic performance. From under her very nose though, the film is stolen by the ever-watchable Robert Preston as Toddy. Preston brings great depth and love to a part that could quite easily have been, as he is refered to in the film, 'a pathetic old queen'. James Garner commendably plays the straight-man (in more ways than one!) with a twinkle in his eye and Lesley Ann Warren hilariously chews every bit of scenery she lays her hands on.
The script, which bears Edwards' name as a co-writer, is as witty and moving as anything written in Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the musical elements have as much vibrancy as MGM's in their hey-day. Musical highlights include Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville (not to mention the riotous reprise as performed by Preston for the films finale). One-liners don't come much better than "A lot of men can't get it ... up to now, you've been fine", "You look like a raccoon" (you need to see it) and the entire scene in the restaurant that leads to the line "It is a moron who takes advice from a horse's arse" (Edwards regular Graham Stark at his dead-pan best).
The extras on the DVD are limited to trailers and a commentary. The commentary by Edwards and Andrews is informative, if a little disappointing considering the wildness of the film and mainly consists of Edwards enjoying watching the film and Andrews making sure that all of the on and off-screen talent is name-checked.
A real unsung gem that deserves to be seen as often as possible. Tell your friends!

JULIE ANDREWS! A LEGEND!
I remember sitting through it in 1983 in the theatre with Mama and Grandmother. We all LOVED it. With Poppins, Maria and Gertrude; Julie`s Victor/Victoria is HER BEST effort on celluloid. Leslie Ann-Warren, James Garner, Robert Preston, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ALL excell in this comedy. It may be a trifle long and the Hercule Poirot-imitation unnecessary; but it really is the last of the GREAT MGM MUSICALS(although it was shot i England, released by MGM). The set-designs are a treasure 2 behold.

One Big Riot
There is one word that best describes this film, and it's RIOT. The film is one big and grand RIOT. The cockroach-instigated riot scene in the restaurant is memorable. Mr Edwards shot this from the outside so that we get to see a third-person view of what is going on inside through the windows. Also, look at that RIOTY performance by Leslie Ann Warren: the scene where she walks down the train aisle spurting out vehement %$&*$# should be made a classic!! Again, this was shot using a third-person view so that we see inside the train windows but never actually hear her. The film delights in its RIOTS, we get the feeling that it makes fun of its characters in this way, albeit a tender way.
But beneath all the film's RIOTS, is a warm heart (highlighted by Henry Mancini's score.) This warm-hearted attitude transcends even through all those nightclub brawls; and I believe that without this formula, the film might not have been able to handle the issue of homosexuality so well. Excellent performances by Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston (in a delicious drag queen finale,) Leslie Ann Warren (show stealer) and the whole cast. The musical numbers are also winners. Certainly not for the Lazy Afternoon viewing, but for the Friday/Saturday night film. To those who are offended by gay contents, be warned, the film insists. This is one GAY & RIOTY film.

Blake Edwards - Musical Gender Bending At It's Best!
This is most definitely musical gender-bending at it's best!

Not many musical/comedies are produced nowadays, let alone good ones like Rocky Horror Picture Show & Little Shop Of Horrors to name a few that come to my mind.

This 80's musical/comedy is set in 1934 GAY and I DO MEAN GAY Paree! This film is quite unparalled in the fact that Victor/Victoria was a movie BEFORE it made it to The Great White Way. Julie Andrews played Victor/Victoria in both movie and on stage.

Great songs in - Julie's "Le Jazz Hot" & Lesley Warren's bimboesque "Kings Can-Can". The sexual chemistry is A+++ between Andrews & a sexually confused James Garner who plays "King Marchand" a Chicago club owner, who is so TOTALLY out of his element in Paris, let alone being sexually frustrated and confused over his crush on the beautiful, stylish and gay, Victor.

Great cast, great songs and a greater storyline with lots of slapstick comedy make Victor/Victoria a classic of it's time!

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

In 1996, composer, producer, and guitar legend Ry Cooder entered Egrem Studios in Havana with the forgotten greats of Cuban music, many of them in their 60s and 70s, some of them long since retired. The resulting album, Buena Vista Social Club, became a Grammy-winning international bestseller. When Cooder returned to Havana in 1998 to record a solo album by 72-year-old vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer, filmmaker Wim Wenders was on hand to document the occasion. Wenders splits the film between portraits of the performers, who tell their stories directly to the camera as they wander the streets and neighborhoods of Havana, and a celebration of the music heard in performance scenes in the studio, in their first concert in Amsterdam, and in their second and final concert at Carnegie Hall. The songs are too often cut short in this fashion, but Buena Vista Social Club is not a concert film. Wenders weaves the artist biographies with a glimpse of modern Cuba remembering its past, capturing a lost culture in music that is suddenly, unexpectedly revived for audiences in Havana and around the world. Wenders makes his presence practically invisible, as if his directorial flourishes or off-screen narration might deflect attention from the artists, who do a fine job of telling their own stories through interviews and music. It's a loving portrait of a master class in Cuban music, with a vital cast of aging performers whose energy and passion belie their years.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (113)

So much talent. The spirit of music in the raw!
After all that's been said about the Grammy award winner album by Ry Cooder, I had to watch this superb documentary. They were right, this film deserves, also an award. Reknown musician and singer Ry Cooder sits back as Dream Team coach and lets this long forgotten talents of cuban music tell him naturally their stories, like Ibrahim Ferrer's recording debut at age 72 or Compay Segundo's 90 year old romance intentions. The heartwarming side of this film probably is the chance that this very talented singers and musicians have to fulfill every musician's dream concert: full house attendance at the legendary Carnegie Hall and Amsterdam. They also get to know the Big Apple and display child-like innocence and awe. One of the mayor acheivements of the film is how Wim Wenders blends the cuban studio and city shots with the actual concerts in N.Y. and Amsterdam. This is Not a concert though. All the songs are blended with interviews or Havanna scenaries.The video quality is very good, but don't expect IMAX or so. The sound quality is impecable and there are some extras (a couple of full songs). If you want an experience beyond ethnic music (which is great) but into ethnic discovery (which is grater) buy this gem.

LIVING LEGENDS
Directed by the german director Wim Wenders, THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB has received the 1999 best european documentary award. And please, take my word for granted, this movie deserves it. And more. Forget Martin Scorsese's THE LAST WALTZ and visit THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB !

In 1998, the well-known american guitarist Ry Cooder decides to go to Cuba and to record his new CD with cuban musicians. After a few days in the island, he discovers that a certain number of the musicians who made the Cuban sound of the 1930's and the 1940's are still alive. Hypnotized by these legends like Ibrahim Ferrer and Compay Segundo, he produces the record THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB with these old guys and organizes two concerts with them, one in Amsterdam and the other at the Carnegie Hall, in New-York.

These concerts, along with the studio sessions in La Havana, are the spine of the movie. Interviews with the members of this one-and-only record group in their homes, visits of the heart of La Havana are also going to capture your heart. I'm not a specialist of central america music but I was profoundly moved by these old timers who are certainly the fathers of a great part of what we are listening today.

One can also feel the respect of Wim Wenders before these men and women who have preferred to stay, poor and forgotten, in their beloved island, rather than to seek fortune in the U.S.A.

Oh yes ! I forgot. The music and the songs are wonderful. Extras are great, so is the quality of the images and the sound. Attention DVD Empire : it's a widescreen format (1:66). Overall, the DVD deserves the perfect 5.

A DVD for your library.

Quit grousing, it's fun and great music!! Share discographys
I was "introduced" to the Latin music by my Brazilian neighbor, but give Ry Cooder his due folks. Most of these marvelous Cuban musicians would still be only memories of your Grandparents had Cooder and Wender (sp)? not put the recordings and DVD together. Documentary or concert tape? who cares? I loved the music and since I've never been to Havana or Cuba, the video section of Ry and his son putting along on their motorcycle thru the city's streets to the recording studio were wonderful background for me.
Am I going to quit searching for Cuban / Latin music because I "found" Buena Vista Social Club? Hell no... I'm looking for more!! Does Ry Cooder's steel guitar work blend in with the Cuban sounds? Ahhh... Who cares? How much Gerry Garcia / Jimi Hendrix crap did we have to listen to... to get to the meat of their talent?
Give it a rest folks.. Or better yet- share some of the discographys of your favorite Latin players, young and old!!
THAT would be really fun!
But quit whining

The tapestry of life through their music
A previous writer's comment, "The movie needs a story, a thread going all the way through," illustrates a major difference between North American and Hispanic thinking. While those of northern European descent tend to think and talk in a more or less linear fashion, as if following just one thread, Hispanics tend to think and talk as if weaving a tapestry of many threads. This film captures perfectly the tapestry effect in that you are not aware that a story is being told until the final scene at Carnegie Hall, when the impact, and the import, of the entire picture becomes crystal clear. You have to be comfortable with not knowing exactly where you are to handle this kind of exposition. If this is not a story of excellence forgotten and rediscovered, I don't know what it is. These people give me hope; their lives tell so many important stories! If I can create half the beauty in my old age as they do and have done with their music, I'll consider myself successful and fulfilled, indeed.

Musically Solid
The film captures the live peformance of the wonderful musicians that were featured on the CD. From this perspective it is well worth owning. The ability to see Compay Segundo and Eliades ochoa perform Chan Chan live ,for example, is incredible.

The documentary style and the scenes of streetlife in Havana are also very colorful and entertaining,

However I must agree with some of the other reviewers that there is something off about Ry Cooder. I respect him for bringing this wonderful music and these artists the recognition they deserve but his attititude on film does seem strange and his guitar playing does not fit with some of the tunes. At one point he is performing with Rueben Gonzalez , the great Cuban pianist, and he sounds so out of place. In fact Gonzalez looks up from the keyboard with a look on his face that seemed to me to be saying."what are you doing?"

I guess Cooder might have made the choice to let the music of Cuba speak for itself and just be content to film it but he chose instead to feature himself too frequently for my taste.
That aside , this is still a fine documentary and a must for anyone who enjoys latin music. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

A-w-w-w-fully Cute!
My pug and I watched "Milo and Otis" with the same interest my sisters and I used to watch "Lassie" and "National Velvet". I used to sit as close to the TV as I could get making sure Lassie made it safely through his adventures. The natural environment of "Milo and Otis" is beautiful; the animal characters, delightful; the dialogue, clever; and the music, both beautiful and fun. It would be my hope that children of the new millenium feel the same sense of adventure while watching "Milo and Otis" as I felt while watching "Lassie". The themes of loyalty, friendship, heeding the advice of your parents, etc. are the same. The piece is not educational TV, fragmented into lessons repeated by muppets or purple barnies. Nor is it cartoony. It is, instead, one simple, attention-holding story of a young kitten and pup who get separated, then reunite at the end, each having their own new adventures and families to share. Animals teach people, old and young. This movie was filmed with great sensitivity. Pugs in the snow? Tabbies floating in the river? Not too real, but believable in this film. Hope they WERE closely supervised during the filming and not made to suffer. Thumbs up to the Japanese for going back to the farm, nature, and animals. Now I want a Tabbie.

A Great Story and Wonderful Animal Actors
I just watched this movie today and had seen it before. I had always loved this movie and still love it. This movie has a great plot- a dog and cat who are best friends that get seperated and try to find each other. The animals act great too. Any kid between the ages of two and twelve would find this movie amusing and it is great to watch on a rainy day while cuddling up with your cat or dog.

Many people think that making this movie was abusing the animals in it but these animals were trained. I know that they wouldn't just make a cat fall of a cliff into the ocean! They probobaly just used a fake cat stuffed animal or somthing.

I always have enjoyed this movie and you will too, even if you are and adult.

Disturbing Scenes Cast a Pall Over Otherwise Charming Film
Using different narrators to voice the film around the globe, THE ADVENTURES OF MILO AND OTIS was an immediate family favorite when it was first released--and even today it remains a charming film, beautifully filmed with an engaging story and characters. Even so, children and adults may well leave the film with very different responses.

The story is light and amusing. A mischievous orange cat, Milo, and a stalwart pug dog, Otis, are raised together on a farm and become best buddies. When Milo is swept downriver in a wooden box, Otis quickly follows in attempt to rescue him, and the two experience many adventures as they search for each other and for home. The English-language narration by Dudley Moore is a shade sticky at times, but the animal cast is charming and the visual story telling is remarkable. Children will likely adore it.

But MILO AND OTIS was created by Masanori Hata and filmed in Japan, and there can be significant differences between Asian and Western ideas about what constitutes animal abuse. The film is repeatedly marred by scenes in which the lead animal actors are clearly terrified by what is happening--and occasionally in obvious pain as well. While children are not likely to spot this, adults very likely will, and quite possibly to the point of absolute revulsion.

Contrary to folklore, cats do not always land on their feet, much less easily survive extremely long falls. It is also worth noting that Pugs are notoriously poor swimmers, and it is hard to imagine how any one could "train" a sea turtle short of harpooning one and pulling it along via block and tackle. Scenes such as these cast a dark pall over an otherwise charming film.

Animals are not actors in the sense that they make a career choice, and performing animals must rely on the integrity of their human handlers and trainers for care and safety. For all its great storytelling and memorable cinematography, I cannot recommend a film in which it seems very obvious that the animal performers have been abused in order to achieve cinematic effects.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

From the animal rights activist & pug fanatic.....
This movie has great cinematography but if you own a pug or know anything about them, you know that pugs are not good swimmers. The scene where Otis was in the river with the bear put me on the edge of my seat!! THE POOR THING WENT UNDER LIKE 3 TIMES!!!
I wanted to jump through the screen and save him! And when he was on a rock in the middle of the ocean, you could tell he was scared!!
I'm not saying there was any abuse per se but animals shouldn't be put in situations where they are scared!! And the poor things look scared in several scenes.
"Animals are reliable, most all full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to."
~Alfred A. Montapert

amazing nature photography
I didn't know what to think before seeing this movie. The opinions were so disparate. Now that I've seen it, I find I agree with both camps. It is a delightful AND troubling film.

This is a simple but timeless story of adventure and friendship. Milo the mischievous kitten and Otis the pug puppy are best friends. Otis even pursues his friend when he's carried down the river after jumping into a wooden box. Soon, both of them are lost as well as separated from each other. The adventures they have with other animals are amazing, numerous and varied. They interact with a bear cub, raccoon, fox, seagulls, a turtle, a fawn and many others. The interactions will amaze you -- I couldn't believe a pug was riding on a turtle's back!

The footage is incredible, and does make one worry about the animals. While the director has said that the animals were raised together and are friends, and this is believable, it cannot account for the cat being attacked by seagulls and later falling from a very high cliff into the ocean. This troubles me.

Dudley Moore's narration is flawless. He captures every voice perfectly. Background music is gentle orchestral pieces. You will be amazed (and maybe a little troubled). Your children will definitely enjoy it, and adults will, too. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins andBlind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterizations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of Robert Newton's much-imitated Long John, one of cinema's most boisterously crowd-pleasing villains ever. (Proving that you can't keep a good--er, bad man down, Newton would return with director Byron Haskins for the enjoyable sequel, Long John Silver.)Watching this classic is like having a flashback to some perfect Technicolor childhood. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Swab the deck, me matey!
The Disney studios first official full length, live-action feature, TREASURE ISLAND is good fun. Although it lacks the slick story-telling flair of recent family films, the story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, is precise and fluid. Robert Newton chews up the scenery as Long John Silver, paving the way for many lovable villains. Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South) plays the brave little Jim Hawkins (or "Jim Harkins" if you speak pirate) who gets involved in a treasure seeking adventure of good vs. evil. In the end, like the viewers of the video, the line between the two is not so well defined. That is a clever twist, especially for a Disney family film. The VHS format already shows some deterioration after a few viewings so I look forward to a DVD release but in the meantime. Yo ho yo ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

All Aboard With Long John Silver
Jim Hawkins is a tavern owner's son who acquires a map showing the location of buried treasure. He shows it to an adventurous squire who recognizes its value and outfits the good ship Hispaniola to set off in search of the prize. The squire hires Jim as a cabin boy and persuades his own physician to join the crew as ship's doctor. The gullible squire's first big mistake is to sign up a rascal named Long John Silver as ship's cook. His second mistake is to allow Silver a chance to recruit some of his old shipmates from his pirate days as members of the Hispaniola's crew.

TREASURE ISLAND is an excellent movie with plenty of realistic action and convincing settings. Robert Newton is brilliant as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll shines as young Jim Hawkins. A strong supporting cast includes Basil Sydney, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Walter Fitzgerald, Finlay Currie and Geoffrey Wilkinson.

Director Byron Haskins also directed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Old memories
Emotions ran high when I saw this movie again after more than 50 years. It was as exciting now as when I was a young child. Robert Newton's performance is a classic. After half a century, he is still the baddest (best) pirate ever.

"The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.

The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.

Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?

Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.

Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)

Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.

Arr, maties! Climb abord for a rip-roaring adventure!
The first time we watched this movie I watched it for about five minutes before walking away, because it wasn't interesting to me at the time. But when I caught the last twenty minutes of it, I decided that it was interesting after all and watched it from the beginning again.

I loved it! Bobby Driscoll was wonderful as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton gave the performance of his life as Long John Silver. The rest of the cast was also tremendous.

I had tried reading the book before, but it hadn't been interesting to me, and I ditched it before I was halfway done. Now, because of this movie, I think I'll dust it off and have a go at it. Who knows, I might even like it enough to review it! :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Sayles's third feature film was the exception that proved the rule about his need for total independence as a filmmaker. Sayles traded his final cut for studio funding, and the result was a movie that left him unhappy in its ultimate form. Nevertheless, Baby, It's You is full of dramatic elements and character nuances that are distinctively Saylesian (the director's screenplay is adapted from a novel by Amy Robinson), and the early-1960s New Jersey setting is clearly familiar territory for the Garden State's native son. Rosanna Arquette stars as Jill, a sweet, college-bound Jewish girl who develops an unlikely relationship with a macho Italian kid named "Sheik" Capodilupo (Vincent Spano). Sheik woos Jill, a girl from the good side of the tracks, with a certain determination, and while Sayles goes down this familiar path with a certain nostalgic glow, he has a larger story brewing beyond it--a story about relationships that never gel, about class assumptions, and about the painful, universal underpinnings of adolescence. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Undiscovered Gem
This is one of John Sayles's earliest works that slipped by
most people. It is set in the late 60's in New Jersey and
depicts a high school romance between an upper class brainy
beauty , Jill Rosen ( Roseanna Arquette ) and a lower class
greaser, the Sheik (Vincent Spano). It documents an unlikely
but plausible courtship and breakup. The performances are uniformly perceptive and it even has several Bruce
Springsteen tunes from before he became an American icon.
What struck me the most was the transition from the 1960's high school preppy scene to the college hippie scene. It
is the best depiction of the late 1960's college life I have
ever seen.
After their breakup, Jill attends an elite northeastern
private woman's college and the Shiek travels to Miami to follow his show business dream and also wash dishes in a nightclub. Their attempted reunion at Jill's college is
sweet but poignant ; there is no future for them together. I would really
like to see their characters 20 years later. I would suspect
Jill was an unhappy, divorced attorney and the Sheik was
an unhappy union official with a fat Italian wife and five
kids. Sayles really captured that moment in young adult
life where you are totally unsure about everything. To me , the
film is the closest thing to Splendor in the Grass. Grab
it now on VHS as it is not available on DVD.

One of the best love stories ever made
The great film director John Sayles delivers with this magnificent film. Its release date is 1983 while the setting is essentially 1960s Trenton, New Jersey. Arquette tosses in one of the best acting performances you'll ever see and Spano more than holds his own in what is probably the best love story of the last twenty years. What makes this one work is the incredibly real dialogue along with the progression of time and setting. Unlike other similar films this one is special because it charts the relatively typical high school romance into the post high school work and college world. The smallest lines in the script are truly brilliant and filled with realism. The scene where Arquette meets an old classmate in a working class bar is priceless ("We used to be in gym class together"). Later her portrayal of drunken and stoned college reminiscing is also sensational.

Sayles sprinkles some timely 60s Motown and rock n roll into the scenes and also adds in some 70s Springsteen fare that help to give the film an authentic texture. He absolutely nails the scene in which they take a weekday trip to the deserted boardwalk. Also the argument in the dorm stairwell is brilliant in its simplicity and reality.

Baby It's You has sort of an independent film feel to it, which of course isn't unusual given that Sayles made his bones with excellent stuff like the Return of the Secaucus Seven and Matewan. Do not miss this one, it's definitely one of the best love stories ever.

Romance, Angst, Fun, Nostalgia, 60's Soundtrack
I have watched this movie several times over the years. It is a sleeper hit in my opinion-- a story of ending high school and heading for college, at least for the female lead, whereas her boyfriend is not college material and tries to make it as a club singer. They try to have a romance, though they have differences, but because they are both scared of their new lives they keep trying to hold on to one another. I can not put my finger on it, but I really like this movie. The soundtrack is great too, with songs of the 60's. This is not a movie with high drama or special effects-- but the script is great in my opinion, for anyone who remembers the struggles and romance of high school, and the fears and struggles of starting out in college or elsewhere after graduation.

I still smile when I think of this film
I saw this film during its first, and probably last run. I thought it was wonderful at the time and would love to see it again. At first glance it has some of the attributes of a teen movie, such as Pretty in Pink, but don't be fooled. The characters are drawn with a harsher hand. The backdrop: coming of age in America, boy meets girl, class clash. If you get the chance, watch it.

A remarkably surpising move!
I flipped on the television and got sucked into this movie half way through. Had no idea what I was watching and thought it was a light hearted cheesy movie from the late 70's/early 80's. Boy was I wrong! This movie absolutely blew me away. I was not at all suprised to learn John Sayles (Passion Fish, The Secret of Roan Inish) had directed it. A fabulous depiction of teenage life and self discovery. I have never seen people of this age portrayed so accurately. I can not get Vincent Spano's performance out of my mind. He reminds me of so many of the dumb, yet loveable (but sometimes "dangerous") boys I dated as a young girl. It almost gives me the creeps - and yet, keeps me rivoted. I do not understand why it is that Vincent Spano has not become a bigger box office draw. He is an amazing actor with great range in everything I've seen him in and also very physically attractive. Boggles the mind why he hasn't been in more movies. And Rosanna Arquette gives an amazing performance as well as a young girl just realizing what she wants out of life but unable to break away completely from her youth. PHENOMENAL!!! I immediately went out and bought this movie on eBay - I have to watch it again and again. Not at all what I expected on a lazy Sunday afternoon. ... Read more

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This is the restored, 209-minute director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller, which was theatrically rereleased in 1997. Originally made as a five-hour miniseries, this version devotes more time to getting to know the crew before they and their stoic captain (Jürgen Prochnow) get aboard their U-boat and find themselves stranded at the bottom of the sea. Das Boot puts you inside that submerged vessel and explores the physical and emotional tensions of the situation with a vivid, terrifying realism that few movies can match. As Petersen tightens the screws and the submerged ship blows bolts, the pressure builds to such unbearable levels that you may be tempted to escape for a nice walk on solid land in the great outdoors--only you wouldn't dream of looking away from the screen. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (239)

Subperb Movie
I consider Wolfgang Petersen as one of the most talented visionary directors in the history of the cinema. 'Das Boot' is an instant classic and one of the greatest movies I have ever had the honor of viewing. The atmosphere, characters, situations, and attention to detail make this movie a must watch...especially since the DVD has English dubbing for you non German speakers. The story is simple...but OH So powerfull. A submarine sets off from port on its dangerous voyage of seek-and-destroy. At first, the mariners are eager and youthful...but as time passes and they sink their first ship, they become aware of the horrors of war and age into old men from within. Soon after, they receive a special order to penetrate the narrow Gibraltar Strait and thus set off for what has become one of the most memorable collection of events in movie history.

'Das Boot' captures the dissilusionment that grows like the mold within the submarine, the horror of the submarine moniker 'floating coffins', and the human spirit that prevails.

If this movie does not touch you, if this movie does not move you, if this movie does not inspire you, then you must be cold- dead.

REAL, POWERFUL DESPITE CRAMPED FEEL & CHEESY DUBBING
Be warned, regardless of the paeans you've heard sung to the movie, it is very 80s. It will begin VERY slowly, and won't let up until the end. A quasi-documentary format doesn't really do much to assuage the expectations you may have from a real Movie either.

We watch like bystanders as a German crew steers a U-Boat into the war. The movie is almost entirely indoors (inside a U-Boat, i.e.) which lends it an extremely cramped feel. Filmed in steadycam, the picture moves straight across the claustrophobic hall of the submarine. There is barely enough place for one man to stand and this feeling is expertly conveyed to film thanks to Jost Vacano's excellent cinematography.

As you may imagine with any movie of this general cadre, the theme actually couches a strong anti-war message. Our protagonist Capitain may have been under the reign of Hitler, but he didn't really look up to him. Barbs at almost everything related to the Fuerer abound. The strongest message is delivered in the film's denouement when the crew of our U-Boat faces the biggest dilemma: to save the drowning enemy men because they are human beings, or to let them shrivel and die because they are enemies. Poignant!

Caveats:

(1) A lot of the miniseries look blatantly filmed in a studio, nearly like like the opening sequence of Gilligan's Island. As much as I admire the realism, these cheesy effects do bring down the movie.

(2) If you don't mind subtitles, then watch the movie in its original Deutsche with English subtitles. The English dubbing is horrendous.

(3) Like all documentaries, there isn't much place for character development. Most of the characters are basically one-note and have little to no personality.

None of this undermines the sheer power of the movie's message, and the claustrophobia conveyed on film. I wonder if the flick is as legendary as it is toted to be, but it's a must-have gem in any true war-movies collection.

Best War Movie Ever!!!
This is most definetly the best war movie I have ever seen. I have never seen anyone that has not taken interest in war after watching this movie. I have seen this movie many times and each time I learn something new. It is interesting to see how the other side was during WWII. I recommend this movie for anyone that has time to watch it.

The ultimate submarine movie
Ok. Step one, turn out all lights and isolate any external sound. Step two, crank the subwoofer UP. Step three, set the language to "german." Step four, get a couple of buckets of seawater to pour over one's head at the proper scene (this is optional).

No other submarine movie comes remotely close to depicting the claustrophobia and violence of undersea warfare as Das Boot. Before the movie, I had little sense of the suicidal missions that thousands of German seaman were subjected to even in the early years of WW2 - and for that matter, the equally ruthless way that speeding Allied convoys left the crews of sinking ships behind to freeze and drown in the North Atlantic. It was a particular act of courage and skill for the director to confine most of the action into a literal steel tube barely tall enough to stand in.

Das Boot MUST be watched in the original German, much like Pat Buchannan's "Kulturkampf" speech as the 1996 Republican Convention. For weeks after the seeing the movie the first time, I kept hearing "Alla-a-a-r-m!" and the ka-BWANG of exploding depth charges. Jurgen Prochmow has been wasted in a number of movies (e.g. "Dune"), but he beats out Connery, Gable and the rest as the best Captain around, alternatively ruthless and caring for his men.

This movie is so head and shoulders above subseqeunt films like U-571, any comparison would diminish the accolades this movie deserves.

The best epic german film ever made
Wolfang Petersen may be proud for all the eternity by this achievement. This film (just ten millions dollars in 1981)is a superb film.
You know so well when you're in front a masterpiece. That sensation which remains in your mind and your soul , a must reference and above all, it becomes an unforgettable memory in your brain.
The film is full of tension; claustrophobic, dramatic and powerfully haunting. The sequences of action are very well made; the script is very related to the book.The cast is outstanding. The handle of camera is BREATHTAKING, the camera is a sliding eye, nervous, it retains the anguish, the hopeless and that deathly taste you feel when you share the destiny of these man under that huge water pressure.
That film broke the walls of the standard market and soon became from 1982 in a classic film.
The question about if this film is anti war film is out of discussion. I don't think even if this issue is important. You must feel the evil experience of these men sent to a almost safe death in a sea surrounded by enemies forces.
Watch this movie.
And you'll understand why U-571 even his special effects is just a worthy tribute to Das Boot, the masterpiece of Wolfang Petersen. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Emile Zola's novel of arural mine town and a perilous worker's strike becomes a big-budget film of grit and torment in Germinal. The first half of the movie captures a world just this side of prison where whole families work in the Voreux mines with a daily dose of coal dust covering their skins and clogging their minds. Escapes are rare: a drink at the company bar or a carnival. An outsider provokes talk of a strike, something the failing owners want as well. When the workers revolt, it becomes a monster. While true to Zola's passion for the worker and social change, the movie cannot recover from the operatic drama that turns the action into mere motion, failing to draw in the audience (although this is an impressive-looking film, with Voreux passing as the real thing). Viewers will be moved by the workers' plight, the daily grime that they must rinse away, and their efforts to instill a normal life in this industrial hell--and will surely learn to appreciate their ownjobs, whatever the inadequacies. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (6)

How poverty and hunger will drive people to extremes
This film is based on Emile Zola's classic (and perhaps best) novel. It's a bleak story about underpaid miners and their families living in poverty while their employer makes excuses for not being able to pay them better, all the while living in wealth with his own family. The film does a brilliant job of showing this contrast between the squalor of the miners' class and the lavish lifestyle of the upper-class which employs them. The miners' work is very dangerous down there and sooner or later there are accidents and people die. Finally the miners can take it no more and they revolt, they form a strike, they even "trash" the mining plant. But this only makes matters worse. A warning to the sensitive: there are a few extremely unpleasant scenes in this film, including a dead man having his genitals cut off and stuffed down his mouth; and a pretty young woman choked to death by a murderous old imbecile.

This is a disturbing, moving, enlightening, gripping film about social injustice and inequality, and when you see how these poor people lived in old Victorian times, you will shake your head with disbelief at some of the scenes, and you will learn to count your blessings. You will also feel empathy for the plight of the poor miners and their families.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

Lucie Aubrac and comrades outwit the Gestapo
Based on the diary of Lucie Aubrac, "Outwitting the Gestapo," published in the U.S. in 1992, the movie is respectful of the stirring and inspiring text, the characters and the context of the occupation and the French Resistance. The story is necessarily condensed for screentime but retains the spirt of the author, an incredibly courageous and intelligent woman. The movie should encourage viewers to read her inspiring and gripping story. Excellent, convincing portrals of the Aubracs by Carole Bouquet and Daniel Auteuil, and by the rest of the cast.
A quote from Lucie Aubrac at the end states that she agreed to her name for the movie based on Claude Berri's support of the Resistance Foundation.

Definitely worth looking at, thanks to Berri¿s directing
Although this is a long slow film, it is nevertheless worth a look for its competent portrayal of life in a mining community in northern France in the 1800s (and which has definite parallels with similar lives then being lived in other communities, on both sides of the Atlantic). Claude Berri is a superb director and it is to him we owe the continuity in what could otherwise have been a ponderous film, lost in its own blackness and despair. Certainly there is plenty of coal dust about and the grime is intended to remind us not only of the harshness of the lives being led only a bare 100 years ago, but also of our own ability to work today, without raising much of a sweat. Gérard Depardieu lends incredible strength to any film and this one benefits greatly by his presence; so much so in fact, that at the moment he leaves the scene, the film immediately falters.

If there was a technical fault with this production, then for me it was the move it made from the general to the particular. While setting out to be a social document about the fight of the workers for better living conditions (and hence an emulation of Émile Zola's novel), in the latter stages it became too concerned with an actual event: the imprisonment of miners after a tunnel collapse. This didn't work for me at all, since it made the film fragmentary and incoherent. Yet overall, the film achieves its purpose and the personal drama that I didn't particularly care for may well appeal to other viewers. Claude Berri has created a number of other very fine films, including the unforgettable "Jean de Florette" and "Manon des sources," and hopefully "Germinal" will encourage you to seek them out.

Illuminates todays injustices by examining those of the past
Like Claud Berri's other films, including "Jean de Fleurette" and "Manon des Sources", this superb movie combines masterful storytelling and direction with superb acting. Although set in the past, the story, rich in human detail, resonates today through it's examination of basic human nature and socio-economic injustice. By portraying the complexities of the plight of poor french coal miners, "Germinal" becomes a poignant reminder of the systems of exploitation under which much of the world still toils. Kathy Lee Gifford should have watched this movie before investing in her sweatshops! Berri sheds a telling light on the intricate webs of human relations and social institutions of the France of Emile Zola. He spares no one but, while allowing all sides to present their side of the story, ends up clearly siding with the poor miners who toil, suffer, and die in the mines for wages that barely allow them to eat. The main characters come to life through superb acting, and, despite their often violent and desparate acts, they earn our sympathy. Berri finds beauty everywhere despite the suffering, and uses Zola's novel to show us that we must never give up hope. The gorgeous cinematography contributes to the remarkable re-creation of an entire world, in rich detail. The film is often beautiful to look at, but also manages to realistically portray the ugly side of poverty and exploitation. As with all great works of art, this film reminds us that justice can only be achieved through courage, dedication, and eternal vigilance. At time when so many of the rights gained at the expense of human life are being threatened, "Germinal" can serve as an inspiration to further struggles.

Très bien fait!
Avec les personnages croyables, la vraie dépiction de la vie pauvre, et tout ça, Germinal est un film pour toutes sortes de personnes. Gérard Dépardieu et Miou-Miou sont, comme toujours, très bons acteurs, et le réalisateur a très bien fait avec tout. C'est un film à voir! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This film was a touchstone of the late 1960s, when it was seen as an antiwar allegory for a world in which madness seemed to reign. Of course, that would probably be true whenever this movie was shown, wouldn't it? Directed by Philippe de Broca and set during World War I, King of Hearts stars Alan Bates as a Scottish soldier separated from his unit in France. He wanders into a small French village that has been abandoned by its residents in the face of oncoming combat. Instead, the town is populated by the residents of a nearby insane asylum, whose keepers have fled--a fact that escapes the innocent soldier, who assumes these are the regular folks. A film that celebrates the innocence and wisdom of the insane, even as it questions who the real madmen are. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (30)

wonderful.
This is a movie everyone should see. I know that everyone always writes that, but I really mean it. I've never seen another movie like it in my whole life. there's something hauntingly, charmingly true about it. The story is set in 1918, in a small french town that has been evacuated because there's a bomb hidden. A scottish soldier is sent in to disable it, but he doesn't know where it's hidden or when it's going to go off. Accidentally freeing all the inmates of the insane asylum who've been left (by the fleeing townspeople) in the town, the soldier finds himself stuck among them, trying to convince them to leave, but having no luck. the inmates are irresistibly lovable, carefree, full of wisdom and completely free of all societal restraints. it's impossible not to fall in love with the world they create in the evacuated town. I think the movie is only made better by being in another language: reading the subtitles, you can imagine the characters saying the lines in any way that you want. French is such a beautiful language: that, combined with the unobtrusive music, makes for a film strangely silent and beautiful. It makes me cry. Please go watch it. It's definitely one of my favorites.

Enchanting fantasy; topical allegory; classic movie
A fairy tale set in a French town caught between the opposing armies of the First World War, "King of Hearts" has lost none of its beguiling charm in the 35 years since its original release, nor has its message grown stale. Alan Bates shines as Charles Plumpick, a simple private in a Scottish regiment and perhaps the only sane man in the abandoned town. But is his world of war and brutality really any saner than the make-believe world conjured up by the escaped inmates of the town lunatic asylum, the only residents Private Plumpick encounters during his reconaissance? It is a point of view that depends entirely on one's perspective. This whimsical, gentle tale challenges the watcher to reexamine what constitutes true madness, just as the asylum characters force Pvt. Plumpick, having been to his initial discomfort acclaimed as the King of Hearts, to choose which role he prefers: king of the fools or fool for King George V? Broca directs his own screenplay with a deft touch and using a stellar cast of mostly French actors. A very young Genevieve Bujold makes one of her earliest appearances in a major picture. The English subtitles aren't the best I've seen (and unlike the VHS version, are distractingly present even during English dialogue), but far better than the awful English-dubbed version of "King of Hearts" that is sometimes broadcast or sold. (The best subtitles I have ever seen were on a print that circulated around theatres during the 1970s and 1980s, but I've never seen this version used for home video.) The score by Georges Delerue is one of his best.

Quelle Surprise! This DVD version has, without fanfare, at least two entirely new scenes in the film that I have never seen before (and I first saw this in 1977). The first is a lengthier "homily" by Monseigneur Marguerite (aka Bishop Daisy) in the church before Charles' coronation. But the real grabber is an added scene at the very end of the movie that offers a parting glance at the primary players and a final bittersweet twist. Where on earth did this footage come from, and why has it been missing from this film for so long? Does this DVD version offer a "better" ending than the familiar one? It's debateable. But it's certainly intriguing.

Best Ending Ever!
This movie has the very best ending ever. I'd like to see someone try and find a more surprising, happier, funnier ending than this one. The loonies are in town and they've found their king and my heart. This movie takes the bag. It's my father's very favorite movie and one of mine. I definitely recommend this movie.

A buck-naked skip with birdcage!
This gem should hit many different emotions for the avid viewer. A true parade of carnival characters set in an antiwar theme -- this bit of royalty of the heart brings up aTHE enigma: Is the difference between psychosis and psychic just a paper-thin line of cultural subjectivism? Is the lunacy of blowing up yet another vacant city on the path to glory any different that skipping naked down a path with a birdcage in one's hand?

This film started the boomers reading subtitles and (hopefully) brought them out of their fears of foreign film. (Don't get the dubbed version, it lacks so much charm.) Its popularity had a great deal to do with the country's mass-consciousness about the Viet Nam war; but I hope it would have found the same audience without such a catalyst.

One feels like dancing in a fountain and blowing bubbles on the back of a bus after seeing this great flick. Keep a kazoo handy; you'll want to have something to toot after the film is over and you are left to your organized sanity!

Better yet, follow it up with the 1972 release of "The Ruling Class" and have yourself a truly insane evening of jocularity.

Is there something extra on this DVD?
King of Hearts was, in my younger and more vulnerable years, one of my favorite movies, but I had not seen it in many years. In fact, I'd rather forgotten about it. Then I came across the DVD and bought it and watched it again. Still a great movie, but I was puzzled. My recollection was the final scene of the movie is Plumpick (Alan Bates) appearing at the gate of the asylum naked. Then the credits began (rather abruptly as I recollect). In the DVD, however, there is a short scene after this where Bates has joined the inmates and there is a brief exchange of dialog. I don't recall ever seeing this before, but maybe my memory is foggy. No one else seems to have mentioned this either in ... of IMDB, nor does the DVD tout a restored scene. Can anyone tell me if they recall this scene? ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Fine Introduction to Glories of Brazil
As someone who worked in Brazil for two years during the sixties, I enjoyed this film and its scenes of that beautiful country enormously. The hilarious story only added to the pleasure.

C'est Magnifique!
The first foreign language film I ever saw was "That Man From Rio" and it was a great way to start. I went because it had been billed as being in the style of Hitchcock's "North By Northwest". There are superficial similarities, but the French film is more than capable of being judged on its own merits - of which there are many. It certainly has its tongue farther in its cheek than Hitch ever managed.

A great deal of the film's success is due to the charisma and sheer star quality of Jean-Paul Belmondo, then in his prime and thoroughly enjoying himself. He seems to be constantly on the move - running, jumping, climbing, fighting - pausing only to deliver a droll line of dialogue or two or to share a kiss with the delectable Francois Dorleac (sister of Catherine Deneuve and, in my opinion, far sexier).

The plot - some nonsense about lost treasure - begins in Paris, then takes a rollercoaster ride to Rio, the eerie cityscape of (then new) Brasilia, and on into the Amazon jungle. Cliche after cliche is employed and parodied - and done as well or better than in the subsequent Bond films. Through it all, Belmondo is the perfect comic book hero - dirty, confused, bloodied, but never out of breath and always triumphant.

After going for too many years without seeing this film, I was delighted to finally find it on video. And equally pleased to confirm that it has lost none of its fun or charm. In fact, in many ways, it seems considerably less dated than many American or British films from the same period. This may be because director Philippe de Broca, while very inventive, does not overdo all the sixties camera tricks and artsy techniques so fashionable in that decade. "That Man From Rio" is a joy to watch and still one of the best comedy/thrillers ever made. I cannot praise Belmondo or de Broca enough. And I can only lament that Francois Dorleac's career was cut so tragically short.

Excellent - but remember it's a spoof!
The advice is simple - don't take it seriously and you'll enjoy it immensely! The scenarios are quite improbable which enhances the spoof effect. Very erotic too, but not a sex scene or even a naked body in sight.

And let's be honest - the luscious Lola would turn any red-blooded male into a hood!

What a pleasant and breathless trip !!!
First,"The man of Rio" is a very well done comedy and a nice adventure story, although the archeological facts are fully invented. It's pleasant to see these wonderfull actors playing the french 60's way, which was , dynamic, young and with a good rythm. This film will make you do a wonderfull smilly travel in the world and in time. It take place in Paris in the 60's and go on in the Brasil of the the 60's, and especially in Rio de Janeiro, which was still magic at this time. You will even see that somme scenes had been made in the city of Brasilia when it was under construction...That makes the film a bit historical...for brazilian people...

Anyway, don't miss one of the monuments of the french 60's "nouvelle vague".

A low on Belmondo's carrer
It is a waste to have Belmondo on such a film. Even after the film is over we are still asking what was the point...It is not funny, has no meaning, trips from one cliche to another, and wastes our time. At least Belmondo got paid to do this film. We should be paid for to watch it! ... Read more

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New Zealand filmmaker Lee Tamahori (The Edge) directed this brutal but powerful story drawn from the culture of poverty and alienation enveloping contemporary Maori life. Rena Owen plays the beleaguered mother of two boys--one of whom is already in prison while the other contemplates membership in a gang--and a daughter whose potential is being smothered at home. Temuera Morrison gives an outstanding and sometimes shocking performance as the violent head of the household, more adept at keeping up his social stature within his community of friends than holding down a job. The film pulls no punches, literally and figuratively, but despite the rough going, Tamahori gives us a rare and important insight into a disenfranchised people digging down deep to find their pride. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (99)

The Clashing of Cultures Brings Ruin
ONCE WERE WARRIORS is a gem of a movie that received little play in the United States. And that is a shame since this film is one of the most brutal and unforgettable exposes of the disintegration of a native culture after debilitating contact with a colonially suffocating one. Director Lee Tomahori presents a poverty-stricken subculture of the Maori tribe in New Zealand, one in which the dissolution of the formerly strong tribal bonds and rituals becomes increasingly evident in each scene. Part of the appeal of this movie is that the theme of cultural sabotage is often repeated in many cultures--and not just in third world cultures that accept Burger King rather than their own gods as a worthy pantheon.

Temuera Morrison is Jake, a brute of a husband who finds that his place in society has been undercut by a Western civilization that seems bent on putting Guess jeans on all the natives. Jake finds it difficult to hold a job so he spends his days drinking in pubs with his mates. He brawls, he drinks, he abuses his long suffering wife Beth (Rena Owen) whenever his self-esteem dips below a critical level. Beth tries hard to maintain some semblance of normalcy, but with one son in prison, another seeking to join a gang, and a teenage daughter trying to face the issues of her own burgeoning sexuality in a male-dominant society, she finds this job impossible. She loves Jake, but she hates what he has become, and there is no easy solution.

Nearly all the major characters are blighted in some way by their inability to adjust to their newer and low-class status in a Western culture than relegates their own to disrepute. Much of the film is filled with the raw violence of bar room brawls, ugly scenes of domestic abuse, and rape. All of this violence serves to underscore the need of a disenfranchised people to look within themselves to find the pride and respect that once marked them as warriors. Most fail, but the few who do not suggest that the recovery of basic human decency transcends cultures and borders so that any who see this marvelous movie can take heart that brutes like Jake are dinosaurs, eventually to be replaced by adaptable survivors like Beth. The closing scene of Beth's son,now fully engaged in his gang's ritualistic dance of discipline, punctuates this most basic of human desires.

Superb acting and a point well made
It isn't hard to see why this movie garnered so many kudos after its release. The acting is superb. (Note: Temeura Morrison later stated that he was "scarred" for quite a while emotionally and mentally after playing Jake.) The unexcelled acting in AND the directing of this film, in this viewer's opinion, show the exact nature of family violence more clearly than other presentation in any media ever has. At first I was unwilling to see another film dealing with the subject, especially since I the results of domestic violence almost daily on my job. Now I say that if you watch only one film on the matter in your life, make it this one. For an American viewer, the fact that all the action takes place in Auckland, New Zealand helps give the distance needed for an honest perspective on the theme. Then the highly skilled actors (may we see more of all of them!)play the story out as it happens to thousands of families all over the world, totally stripping domestic violence of any excuse to be. By the heart-rending and horrific end of the movie there can be no doubt in anyone's mind that neither substance abuse, cultural conditioning, disenfranchised cultures, poverty nor a host of other things often invoked as "reasons" justify turning one's household into a war zone. Most family violence perpetrators are not hardcore psychopaths; they are "Jakes", and they have no excuse for what they do to their families. A beautiful film that makes its point without resulting to melodrama and sensationalism. It's a credit to all involved with the production that we look in on the lives of one family in crisis and realize, knowing that this scene is repeated thousands of time daily worldwide, the ultimate devastation brought about by "routine" family violence. A brilliant presentation. A "must see."

Film Of The Century!
Without discussing the content of this film, suffice it to say that the acting is absolutely phenomenal! The male and female leads are enormously talented!It's real ,it's raw, and I think that is the best example of acting that I have ever seen

Just sucks you in...
... and won't let you go. Really amazing story with people you really care for.

The best film of 1994
ONCE WERE WARRIORS is one of the most powerful films I have ever seen. Released at a time when NZ films weren't widely accepted, yet when audiences saw it ... they changed their minds. This was the most talked about film in Australia in 1994. It's one of those rare movies that made me cry.

Incredible performances from both male and female leads which contribute to the powerfulness of this film. The sequel from 1998 called "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" is worth seeing, but not a patch on ONCE WERE WARRIORS.

Buy it, rent it, or whatever ... just get yourself a copy. You must have this DVD in your collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Shot on location in numerous countries, this ambitious Wim Wendersfantasy takes Sam Neill, Solveig Dommartin, William Hurt, and a ragtag group in pursuit around the world and back again. Though set in 1999 under the shadow of impending disaster as a wobbly nuclear satellite threatens to Chernobyl the planet, the leisurely gait of their worldwide escapades has a distinctly '40s-era decadence. The ultimate object of their quest is a machine that records visual information from one person and reconstructs it in the brains of others--granting the miraculous power of sight to the blind for one thing, but even more mystically, enabling a person's dreams to be recorded. When the film seeks resolutions on the most intimate questions of the human soul which dovetail with the possibility of a destroyed world, the film is hampered by the VHS running time, which subtracts several hours from the laser disc version. But numerous joys, not least among them Jeanne Moreau and Max von Sydow as Hurt's parents, inhabit this thought-provoking film. --Alan E. Rapp ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Where is the DVD?
I have found this movie more difficult to describe than any other I have seen. This isn't because of plot complexity or character development. It's because with Until the End of the World, you are getting what essentially becomes three films. This movie's massive story arc (and mind you, I have only seen the VHS version which is something like two hours shorter than the laser disc) can be broken down into three seperate stories. They are not even acts when you dislocate them from the larger "end of the world" plot. I've never seen such a sprawling narrative work so well in a film. The characters are unpolished and even the good guys are shady. This film violates every modern Hollywood sceenplay rule and does it perfectly. One of the reasons I bought a DVD player was in the hopes that this movie would be released in that format at some point. I've only ever seen the VHS version of this film and have seen that more times than I can count. DVD! DVD! Where's my DVD?

music rights must be the problem...
That has to be the reason this wonderful wonderful film has not been released on DVD. The soundtrack is mesmerizing, haunting, and still one of my favorite albums of all time. But it must be almost impossible to get the rights to use all that music...U2, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Elvis Costello etc.

As for the film itself, I am in love with it. Sweeping, cinematic, epic, unconventional, dead romantic, chilling. It's a long long film, but I wish it were longer. Even Solveig's stiff acting style grew on me by the middle of the movie, and by the end of it I *was* Clare. This is the LAST VHS TAPE I am still holding onto, since all my other favorites have come out on DVD...and its starting to look a little worn :( PLEEEEASE RELEASE THIS TITLE ON DVD!!!!!!!

This Just In...
It now appears that there's a DVD version of Until the End of the World! Here's the scoop from a fellow named Brent Alverti, dated March 6, 2004:

"The cut features two sets of Italian subtitles (not sure currently what the difference is). There are no English subs (burned-in or not) for the few non-English scenes in the movie. The extras consist of:

* 10 minute monologue (in English) by Wim Wenders as he is driven around in Australia
* 40-minute interview (in English) on the making of the Director's Cut
* 30-minute montage of cut scenes and out-takes
* photo gallery

This is a PAL format DVD, so you will need a multi-format player to view it in non-Europe locales. It likely runs slightly shorter than the film version due to typical PAL transfer speed-up (motion picture film, shot at 24fps, is played back at 25fps to match PAL video standard). Also, no commentary track in included, although initial details suggested there would be one.

I have no definitive word on when the US version might be released. There is a rumor that Anchor Bay is transitioning ownership, and that may impact the US release date which was rumored for mid-2004."

The Travesty Is...
...Wim has yet to release a DVD version of this Wenderfully-sensitive sci-fi film. He's been threatening to press it to disk for years. Still, we are left with just the VHS version. It's a pity that the filmmaker is taking so long on his much-anticipated "director's cut." Wim, drown yourself in coffee and get on the stick, we're waiting!

finally available on dvd
Go to Wim Wenders' official website, there is a link there to an Italian site that sells the full movie as a 4 dvd set. I only mention this because I checked all of the Amazon stores [US/UK/CA/France/Germany/Japan] and I couldn't find it at any of them. Also, Wender's is apparently endorsing it by hyperlinking the Italian website that is selling it. I received mine in about ten days from ordering and it is the real deal; 1 of each of the three chapters to the 4 hr. 40 minute opus is on each of the first three disks and the fourth is all bonus features. I was able to watch it without Italian subtitles, although I have found no English subs for the few parts of the movie that are not in English. The picture is fantastic and it is all-around a deal at any price. Thank you Wim for finally releasing this! ... Read more

Reviews (436)

I love my kitty Cats!
I first saw Cats at my friends house, and I fell in love with it. I still do love it-- I watch it every single day, at least five times! It is the best musical in the entire world. The cast is absolutely SPECTACULAR!!!! Some of my favorites are Aeva May as Demeter, Rosemarie Ford as Bombalurina, Jo Gibb as Rumpleteazer, Leah Sue Morland as Electra, Jo Bingham as Etcetera, Veerle Castelyn as Jemima, Phyllida Crowley Smith as Victoria, Michael Gruber as Munkustrap, Jason Gardiner as Alonzo, Karl Morgan as Pouncival, Drew Varley as Mungojerrie, and, of course, John Partridge as Rum Tum Tugger!!! The twins rule too-- go Tommi and Kaye!!! Anyway....if anybody nice out there has any information about my beloved Cats, whether I listed them above or not, I would REALLY appreciate it if you sent it to me. By the way, did you guys notice that Elaine Paige wrote a little note on this review board?! That is so awesome! If any of you other cast members are out there reading this, I LOVE YOU!!! I would recommend this video to EVERYONE, but young children may require a little parental discretion, since there are a few, um, PG-13 moments. But otherwise, everything about this video is terrific. Gillian Lynne, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and T. S. Eliot are all geniuses beyond their time. This video is well worth the price, and it is a timeless treasure to be enjoyed over and over!!! I'm a jellicle cat--are you?

Excellent
"Mungojerrie and Rumpletezzer have a very strange way of working together and some of time you would say it was luck! and some of the time you would say it was weather"

"Macavity , Macavity theres not one like Macavity there never was a cat of such deceitfullness and suavity he always has an alabi or one or two to spare at what ever time the dead took place Macavity wasnt there"

These are only two of the great songs in the show! it is really really good; great songs, funny, good acting, good dancin!
all around excellent!

Perfect! Excellent! What else can I say...
I love ALW musicals of that includes JCS and many more. My favortie action/fantasy film is Lord Of The Rings, my favortie comedy would go to 13 Going On 30, my favortie romance is Alex & Emma, and my favortie horror-musical is Little Shop Of Horrors. But, my favortie musical would have to be "CATS." Here is the story of how I came to love it: We got this tape in '98 and for 4 yrs. I let it pass me by. It was sometime after my 13th birthday (oh...I'm 14 now!) and I found this sudden urge to watch it. I was a little scared of Macavity, I mean who isn't? But after watching it a few times, I became use to him and fell in love with the musical. Now today, me and my twin watch it all the time. My favortie characters are listed below and the reasons why.
FAVORTIE CHARACTERS
TOMS
_____
1. Rum Tum Tugger- Uh, hello? He's H-O-T, and I love his H-I-P_'-S.!
2. Mungojerrie- Hard to tell why I love this character, is it the way he jolts his tongue out? Or the way he smiles? Or maybe it's the fact that he is brave? Wait, it's all of that! I think it's sweet when he looks at Munkustrap after getting knocked down and then he turns to Macavity and hisses! Awww...He loves Munku. Speaking of which...
3. Munkustrap- He is another hot tom! I think him, Mungo & RTT are the hottest. Not to mention, I love the way he sings!
4. Pouncival- He is so cute! Adorable! And so precious!
5. Alonzo- He is Munkustrap's best friend, I think they might be brothers...Anyhoo, he probably has broken the flirting record, but who cares? I love this tom!
QUEENS
______
1. Demeter- She is everyone's favortie! Of that includes mine, she is so sexy!
2. Jemima- The prettiest kitten out of the tribe, and by- God the sweetest!
3. Rumpleteazer- Brother of Mungo, and so pretty. She has this cute little giggle..which is fun to hear in the video!
4. Electra- THE CUTEST KITTEN IN THE WHOLE TRIBE!!!!!
5. Victoria- She's the lucky one...Did you see who her mate was during TJB?
Well, this sums up my review! I love this musical! I LOVE the characters! And I ADORE the music in it! See this movie, you won't be sorry.
P.S I hate Cassandra!!!

Kids will love it!
I bought this DVD for my 7 year olds birthday, guessing that both she and her 8 year old sister would love it. I can tell you that I wasn't wrong. One week later they are still loving it, in fact they seem to get more out of it each time they watch it. The songs and dance routines are suberb, it's a lot better than I think I imagined it would be.

I'm no great Andrew Lloyd Webber fan, but that's not really the point. I don't think that you need to be to recognise when something is well done. And whilst it may help? to have seen the stage show before, it's clearly not essential to enjoy the DVD. Sometimes it can be the opposite, as people may feel a film version does not live up to their expectations/memories of the live show.

If you are considering buying this then please do, and for goodness sake, do not worry AT ALL about this being unsuitable for children. Some previous reviews commenting on it's unsuitablity for children are way off the mark. I can only imagine they live in households where table cloths are required to reach to the floor, lest young ladies in the house are offended by the sight of the table legs! Unreal...