Reviews (166)

Out of this world!
"Plan 9 From Outer Space" has been dubbed the worst film ever made. I can't disagree with that. Here are just a few of the things that qualifies it for that title.

- When the police drives from the town to the cemetary time somehow switches from night to day back to night.

- The Swedish accent of wrestler Tor Johnson, playing a police officer / walking corpse.

- The six feet tall, blonde chiropractor that replaced deceased Bela Lugosi.

- The plates-glued-together UFO's with strings completely visible.

- The cardboard tombstones that wiggle.

- The cemetery ground, obviously a piece of fabric covered with leaves.

- The plot, or rather lack thereof.

- The dialogue, hilariosly funny only because it's meant to be serious.

- The actors. Nuff said.

Still, it's also one of the best films ever made. Ed Wood Jr. was a filmmaker with a passion. He wanted to make films, so he made films. You can't help but respect that. That's why this movie deserves five stars, and "Deathstalker III: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell" deserves none.

Future events such as these...
Uttery obscure until the Medved brothers' 'Golden Turkey Awards' highlighted it as the 'Worst Film Ever Made', this is not so much a 'bad' film as a hysterically incompetent one. Consistently failing to triumph over the lack of money, resources and technique available, it quite neatly shows how films should not be judged in terms of 'bad' or 'good', but in terms of 'entertaining' or 'not entertaining'. Whilst 'Plan Nine' is clearly the work of bungling, but enthusiastic incompetents, it's hugely entertaining in a way that the professionally-done 'Speed 2: Cruise Control' is not. Only 'Robot Monster' comes close the the tone of insane incoherence. Where else can you see such a diverse, iconic cast (featuring the recently-deceased Bela Lugosi, a late-night-television horror movie hostess, a wrestler, and a minor celebrity hypnotist) deliver dialogue such as 'Inspector Clay's dead, murdered, and somebody's responsible'?

Note that there are two DVD releases - this one has a lengthy (longer than the film, in fact) documentary, whilst the other has a plug for Tim Burton's equally-good 'Ed Wood'. This one is slightly more expensive, but worth getting, as the documentary is excellent. Commenting on picture and sound quality seems somehow inappropriate, really.

Well it ain't the worst
In fact besides I'd go as far as to say this is perhaps the most competent Ed Wood movie around. Sure there are glaring errors such as Bela running back and forth to the grave in broad daylight ( when it's supposed to be night-time ) and his replacement is obvious ( come on, he's at least 4 inches taller I reckon ). And indeed the last 20 minutes descended into a farce that unfortunately sunk the film. Yes, it shows a degree of ineptitude on Ed's part but for most of the film there was an almost professional air to how the actors acted.

Ed thought that he'll be remembered for this film. This was his big one and he's right, it's the one we remember him most for. However I don't think he would have liked the tag it's been given but if you want to be remembered he certainly went about the right way in doing it ( even if the results were all wrong )

But if we start at the start with Bela's last real scene where he mourns his lover's death - that was a really touching scene. The emotion in that looks too real that it can't be described as fake or cardboard cut out. If anything that was the most poignant scene Ed ever captured on film. He may have been an inept film-maker but that was a stroke of genius - no kidding!

I get the feeling Ed cast Vampira as Lugosi's wife mainly because if you've seen the Tim Burton movie you'll know that Lugosi thought she was " a honey " and it was certainly a nice gesture to Bela to do that. Vampira doesn't have to do much in this film. Just walk really slowly and look ominous whenever the camera is on her. Looks beautiful while doing so I have to admit. I'm almost certain that she inspired George Romero to make Night of The Living Dead by her walking alone.

Criswell makes his appearance in this film and you have to say, him, along with Vampira and Tor, got almost uncanny lookalikes in Tim Burton's biopic that it seems almost spooky.

Hats off to whoever had the idea of using saucer lids for um the use of flying saucers. Really neat and easily identified even if it was black and white. Still not too bad a job. Oh and who could forget Saturn as a ballbearing - Top Class!

The last 20 minutes are a farce as I've said before mainly because it's supposed to be a showdown between the humans and the aliens....or to be more precise 3 men with guns and a man and a woman in funny clothing that are supposed to be aliens. The acting here is horrifically poor and despite it all being passionately acted it just seems.....well a bit silly. And whatever niggling doubts you had about the film leading up to the last 20 minutes, will no doubt be exposed by the end. A shame because the film showed Ed at his most coherent. And that sadly was the pinnacle of Ed's career.

So all in all it's not the worst movie of all time and certainly not the worst you'll ever see ( unless you're a connoisseur of good taste and in that case what the hell are you reading this for ). Definitely his most enjoyable film. Now if someone could only just tell Criswell to shut up ( I wish Ed had tried, honestly try to do that ).

But for Ed, this would be his shot at greatness and while it backfired, it was about as good as he could make it. Perhaps if he were making these now and not 40 years ago he might have gotten away with it. And I'm sure Ben Affleck would have been great as the dumb pilot if it were made now. Think about it

Here's to Ed though - he may not have been the greatest but he sure knew how to entertain us

Bela Lugosi Lives! (Just not in this film)
How does one describe a movie such as this? Like "Robot Monster," it is a masterpiece, and like "Robot Monster," this is not because "Plan 9 From Outer Space" has even a shadow of an ounce of quality to it. Rather, this is an example of just how wrong everything in any creative project can go if it is in the hands of the right angora-wearing genius.

For nothing (and I mean NOTHING) came out right in this movie. Continuity? Hah! Realistic dialogue? Pish! Convincing acting? Gah! Remotely realistic special effects? Heaven forbid! No, what Ed Wood gave us with "Plan 9" is quite simply a cinematic failure that not even Orson Wells could have duplicated if he had tried. In what other movie is one of your stars dead even before the script is written or shooting begins?

No, "Plan 9" is unique, a thing that we mere mortals can only begin to try and understand. Instead we can only watch, transfixed and trembling in awe that Wood's vision was transmitted so perfectly to the silver screen. This is a movie that well deserves to be ranked among the immortal creations of motion picture history, despite or perhaps because of the fact that it completely lacks any of the features that would normally merit such an inclusion.

To think otherwise can only be the result of stupid minds. Stupid! Your stupid, stupid minds!

"You see. You see. Your stupid minds. Stupid. Stupid."
Also known as "Grave Robbers From Outer Space", Edward D. Wood's masterpiece of horrific filmmaking has been called the "worst movie ever made" by more than a few critics and movie fans. This hasn't kept this unintentially hilarious sci-fi dud from becoming a massive cult classic. And rightfully so. Ed Wood's art for making movies so bad that they're actually good has never been more apparent than it is here.

"Plan 9" revolves around a couple of space invaders in bad suits who fly around in spaceships on strings and resurrect the recently dead to haunt the inhabits of a small town where it seems to go back and forth from night to day a lot. The humans aren't having it though as a joint team of the local police, military, and an overacting airline pilot refuse to be terrorized by the undead creatures (who can't decide whether they're ghouls or vampires). But these visitors from a badly-drawn planet resembling Saturn have their own intentions. They're hear to warn us of a new solar-powered weapon that the Earth will eventually create and wipe out the universe. But our heroes aren't going down without a fight. They've got enough army movie stock footage to send them aliens back where they came from.

What makes "Plan 9" so entertainingly terrible? Where do I start? There's the overly-descriptive narration of Criswell who practically gives play-by-play for every action in the film. You've got Bela Lugosi who appears courtesy of silent footage recorded before his death and with the help of a stand-in who looks nothing like him. And who could forget those cooky cops who don't allow the discovery of their Captain's horrifying death to damper their moods any? Also there's Duke Moore's hards-as-nails detective who fearlessly uses his gun to fix his hat when necessary.From the bargain basement graveyard chalk full of cardboard headstones to the hungry young overactors spitting out silly dialouge, "Plan 9" is truly the "Citizen Kane of bad movies".

For those looking to pick this gem up on DVD, the Image edition is the only way to go. Not only is the picture the best that it's ever looked but it comes with a feature-length documentary, "Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion" and the trailer for the movie. Avoid the Passport version which has a company logo imprinted in the bottom corner similiar to the ones that TV networks use. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Good Corny Fun
Whether or not you will like this movie is depending. I, personally, love cheesy special effect and just decent enough to not make your brain expload on contact acting. I love cheesy horror movies. If you are not a fan of corny movies, you probably wont like it... but, as far as the movie ITSELF goes...

Final Sacrifice is the sequel to the original 1984 Children of the Corn movie (which is based on a short story by Stephan King in the book Night Shift). It begins some time after the events of CotC 1 (though you don't have to watch the first movie to understand the second); police men came into Gatlin and found all the bodies of the dead parents, now they are taking the children to Hemingford, a town 19 miles away. The film centers around a disfuntional father and son pair. John, the father, is a reporter who brough Danny, the son, with him to get the story of the corn children to save his failing career. Once in Hemmingford; they meet Micah (note for the girls: he's a serious hotty), the new (possessed) leader of the children, do their little investigation thang, find love, almost get killed, and save the day as they ALWAYS do in CotC films. This movie has gorey and VERY original death scenes, including my favorite ever where one person has a nosebleed to death (~.^) and many others that may make you giggle, if you're not over sensative about that kind of stuff.

So, I would recommend this movie to any fan of CotC or corny horror flicks. I would not recommend this movie to anyone in the academy. Let's leave it at that, a'ight?

Not one of the best horror films, but it still needs praise!
Who can ever forget the gloomy classic "Children of the corn" with its dark, beautiful, and gloomy melody and of course...it WILL make you laugh...because it promises more guffaws then terror. Micah, the new leader which is a shame for the Isaac fans, is showing his world from his eyes...but with a demonic demon possessing him and trying to regain followers which loses the almost flawless purpose of the film. It takes a turn here, as all Stephen King films usualy do and it is actually a "Disease" that Micah and the children are being possessed by, and He who Walks Behind The Rows does play a small role...note, small role. Same point to the original as the novel where Stephen King gave out his rough draft to the masses. A few reviewers here say-well a few who watched it and me-that COTC 2 was one of the few films in the history of COTC lore that was intelligent(ish), innovative, dark, and moody, with addictive dialogue, dark melodies, and so-so screenwriting, and from us, got the commercial success that it got. I consider this COTC classic as the best example of brilliant and Macabre movie getting the justice and recognition that it somehow deserves! I give it a two big thumbs up!

good as the 1st
This was an excellent sequeal to the 1st. It picks up right where the 1st one left off. It starts out in Gatlin where some police guys have found a cellar full of dead bodies from "COTC 1" and they ask the kids that are left in that town what happened and they all say "I saw the corn" and they load all the kids up and move them to next town where the ppl there take them in. Well, they all go and meet in the cornfields and pick up with Issac's preaching stuff by thier new leader Micha. Soon, the kids make thier attack on the town to sacrafice the adults for "He Who Walks Behind The Rows". They crush an old lady by trapping her under her house and making it fall on her, put the old womans; sister out in the middle of the road in her wheel chair where a big truck hits her and slams her into the Bingo building, stab the town doctor with hypedermick needles and stab him in the back with a knife, use a voo-doo doll on this guy at church and make him bleed to death, and then everyone thats left except 2 adults get locked in the church and the kids burn it down. Then thier leader gets chopped in half at the end and then it goes off.

I was in this movie
I'm only writing a review because I was actually in this movie. It was a bit part with only two lines -- and they were both cut from the final film -- but as least you can see me in some scenes. I played Deputy Palmer, who is seen talking to and holding back various extras during the 2nd scene in the movie, where the police and others have gathered outside a building after the discovery of bodies in the basement. This was supposed to be the beginning of my film 'career,' but when a different talent agency did the casting for Hellraiser 3 I couldn't find any more work. Plus, I became a single parent and had to spend all my time caring for my daughter. Oh well. Overall, the movie was lousy, but I had fun during my two days on the set.

Best movie of the series
Children of the corn 2 is excellent. Way better than the other 6 films. From start to finish this movie takes you on a ride. The bingo scene was great. And when the children chained the door in the church meeting. That was a unforgettable scene. Christie Clark was very hot in that movie as well. This was very close to being the best horror film of the 1990's. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's silly, it's superficial, it's so desperately earnest about its tale of time-spanning love that you almost wish for a cheap flatulence gag just to break the solemn mood. But there's something so unabashedly gushy and entertaining about Somewhere in Time that you can't begrudge its enduring popularity. The film has become a staple of romantic-movie lovers since its release in 1980, and endless showings on cable TV have turned it into a dubious classic of sorts--a three-hanky weeper that anyone can enjoy as a guilty pleasure or a beloved favorite, with no apologies necessary.

In his first film after the star-making success of Superman, Christopher Reeve stars as a contemporary playwright who visits a posh hotel and sees the portrait of an actress (Jane Seymour) who had performed there in 1912.He becomes obsessed with this beautiful woman and learns all he can about her, and then discovers a method of hypnotically transporting himself backward in time to meet her. "Is it ... you?" she says upon seeing the lovestruck playwright, and it's clearly a mutual attraction. But even the slightest reminder of the playwright's modern time can jar him from his seemingly real existence in the past, so his wonderful love affair is constantly just a step from being stolen away.

Based on Richard Matheson's novel Bid Time Return, this flaky film may strain one's tolerance for plot holes and corny romance, but it's hard to deny its lasting appeal--and let's face it, guys, it'll make wives and girlfriends swoon if they're in a tearjerker mood. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (188)

It's about time
It may not be one of the best films ever made, but I love it anyway. The scenery and costumes are beautiful...not to mention the beautiful Jane Seymour & Christopher Reeve. But what's fascinating about the movie is element of time travel. It's not that Richard (Christopher Reeves) falls in love with the woman in the picture (Jane Seymour); rather, the picture stirs a remembrance within him. Not realizing what it is at first, Richard seeks answers through research which eventually leads him to the belief that...he was there. Thus the obsession with time travel and the quest to return.

Watch for the details and the glimpses of things in the present and see the connection when he's in the past. For instance, watch his relationship with Arthur.

There are all kinds of details that I appreciate about the movie. Notice the view from Miss McKenna's room at the beginning of the movie and compare that with the view from Mr. Collier's room at the end. Notice the use of camera angle, lighting and furniture (namely the fabric) to transition Richard from the present to the past.

Probably the most disappointing thing about the movie is the ending. But as a hopeless romantic, it's none-the-less a favorite movie.

A Love throughout Time
Somewhere in Time is an excellent film that combines Time Travel with romance, using an interesting and unique idea involving hypnotizing your mind to believe you are actually in that moment in history. If you can avoid analyzing the rationality of time travel and suspend your disbelief, this film will be very enjoyable for you. The idea of travelling back through time to find your soulmate is something both men and women can believe in. It is to the credit of the performances of the leads, Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, that the viewer believes that such a thing is possible. Reeve and Seymour also look well together and have obvious chemistry, making their love affair entirely believable. Especially with their first kiss, there is a deep and passionate love that seems entirely real. The third element is the acting of Christopher Plummer, who is always excellent and quite effective here as the overprotective manager of Seymour's character. But, there are two more elements that contributes greatly to the atmposhere of the film - the moving music composed by John Barry, and the Grand Hotel where most of the movie is set. The handsome and expressive Reeve, the calm beauty of Seymour, the brooding and calculating Plummer, the romantic and moving music and the timeless presence of the Grand Hotel combine into a magical film for the hopeless romantic.

DVD Comments: Compared to reference DVDs the video and audio quality are average, with slight graininess at times. However, this can be forgiven because of the excellent quality of the film. Those who have only seen Pan Scan versions on Cable and VHS will enjoy the widescreen presentation. The extras include a Behind the Scenes Special, Trailer, Fan Club Information, Bios and Production Photos. All are excellent and welcome additons. Of note, I found the Behind the Scenes Special added to the film experience. You will learn interesting tidbits about the making of the movie, with comments by the director, Reeve, Seymour and other players. It becomes readily apparent that the actors and crew loved making this film and hold it in a special place in their hearts. To see Reeve, who suffered a horseback-riding accident that left him paralyzed years after making the film, lends to the heartbreaking experience of seeing the film again. His comments about the final scenes of the film are very interesting and insightful to his own tragic life experience. The production photos are excellent, especially the stills of Seymour with her incredibly beautiful face and long, flowing hair. It is easy to relate and believe that Reeve's character would fall so hopelessly in love with her picture alone. The events that occur in the film, the time travel and events that happen at the end of the film are believable because of Seymour's beauty and acting ability. All of the actors, the setting, and the music are important aspects of the film, but Seymour makes the movie. Therefore, if you are a hopeless romantic, or a fan of Reeve or Seymour, I highly recommend this DVD to you.

Get the Ben & Jerry's and settle in...
At times this movie does put the "suspension of disbelief" to the test... it is far-fetched, but enjoyable if you allow yourself to accept the story as it's presented. The acting is ok, the music beautiful and haunting.

This is a great movie for those times when you feel the need to have an emotional outlet. There are some scenes where you can almost think it's a comedy, and then the mood changes to something more serious. The end seemed a little awkward, and is a real tear-jerker if you've let yourself get sucked into the story. With a pint of Ben & Jerry's and a few tissues (and some friends, if you're into sharing tears with them), it's worth the time if you're in the mood.

In a Class by Itself
As other reviewers have said, this movie seems to transcend all of its faults and strike a a very personal chord in the romantics among us. Its intense romanticism prompts us to break the rules in judging what makes a good movie, much as Christopher Reeve's love for Jane Seymour allows him break the rules of time. And, the movie is even more poignant today, since it's about going back into the past, and it reminds us of the past physical vibrance of Christopher Reeve, not as Superman, but as the healthy young man he was.

In many ways, this is Reeve's movie. He almost ruins it with his occasional lapses into Clark-Kentish oafishness, but he also injects into the film its dreamy sweetness, with his hungering eyes and his boyish awe of Miss Seymour. Speaking of her, I think she is one of the most beautiful and competent screen actresses in films and I have no idea why she never really became a huge movie star.

Christopher Plummer adds the right notes of meanness, thinly-veiled jealousy, lurking menace, and his own inner hurt as the blunt end of a love triangle. He also embodies reality, reminding us, by his dissapproving presence, of the vulnerability of the fragile love affair between Reeves and Seymour.

The special segment on the making of the film (in the collector's edition DVD) is a good one. It convincingly shows that the director, crew, and cast loved making this film and had high hopes for it. It also provides some interesting insights into how the novel was adapted for the screen and the choices, sometimes painful, that had to be made in the process. It's gratifying that this segment, which is low-key and refreshingly sincere, features the three principal stars of the film, the director, the composer, the author, and other players and crew members. Only the composer, John Barry, seems a bit taken with himself.

Somewhere In Time was nominated for the American Film Institute's list of the 100 most romantic movies of all time, but it didn't make it. As far as I'm concerned, it should have topped the list.

Somewhere in Time
I really didn't care for this movie that much.I guess it's just not my genre.The film seemed very boring.The plot is extremely deep and intellect which is probably the only reason it got such a good grade.The dialogue is your usual love/romance dialogue.Everything is just so much like a fantasy that I felt stupid.If this was a book it was probably really well written and this would have been a good adaption, but this just isn't my type of film.I think I would have liked it better with a different cast.Christopher Reeve did a good job ;though.The setting is also nice.That and some of the plot is mainly the only reason it gets a 6.It lies on border line of fresh/rotten.Only check this one out if your a fan of the genre.

"Come back to me." These were the strange words uttered by aged actress Elise McKenna to playwright Richard Collier, and they have haunted him ever since. When he hears that Elise has died, an irresistible impulse leads him to travel to the historic hotel where she lived. There he discovers an old photograph of Elise and realizes, to his amazement, that in another life he was once her lover.
Richard wills himself into the past and meets Elise again, now young and beautiful and acclaimed. Their romance blossoms anew, but not even true love can defeat the power of time... ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Obvious Inaccuracies Bother Me
I found the movie enjoyable even though Jason Robards hardly resembles Al Capone. The movie has Al Capone slitting the throat of rival Joe Aiello on a train as he attempted to leave Chicago before the Massacre was even planned. However, Joe Aiello died from a hail of bullets on October 23, 1930, as he left an apartment building, more than a year after the Massacre took place. This would have been an easy fact to substantiate, yet the film contains this unnecessary error. The movie also has Albert Anselmi and John Scalise murdered by Capone with a baseball bat in "Capone's mansion" following a banquet honoring them. The killings actually took place in a Hammond, Indiana, road house. In addition, Joe Guinta was a third one clubbed to death at that time. Finally the movie includes Boris Chapman and Adolph Moeller as two who took part in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. That may or may not be, but no mention is made of Fred "Killer" Burke who it is widely believed to be one who definitely took part in the killings. The movie was very entertaining and worthwhile, but the inaccuracies that I have mentioned could certainly have been easily checked out.

Nice!
This is a classic. If you haven't yet seen it, I strongly advise that you should. It's a well known formula - bad guys fighting it out for control of a city. A few mistakes were made with the casting (whose idea was it to have Jason Robards playing Al Capone?) but nonetheless, it is a great film. That is, for a Roger Corman film.

one of the best gangster flicks ever
this movie with a few select scenes inaccurrate was not meant
to satisfy a few egg heads with true incidents as they happen.
we get the basic storey of 2 rival gangs trying to take over the rackets in chicago and the storey and back ground info to keep the viewer interested. one of the down points is that the real life gangsters, were in fact younger men between 25 and 35,
jason robards, may been pushing 50 when he was playing al capone in his 20's. john agar a noted ww2 vet who married
shirley temple plays dion obanion, who is portrayed as a mid 50's
business man instead of a manin his early 30's, the same with
earl hymie weiss, another guy in his mid 50's playing a man in his mid 30's, the gusenburg brother's and jack mcgurn were portrayed in the right age group, but they were older than al capone, as portrayed by jason robards.
well anyway i like the movie, plenty of background info
and a great storey.

A "Massacre" of the facts, but a fun one
"The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" is the kind of film that needs to be accepted on its own terms. To expect by-the-book authenticity, or post-1970 graphic violence, or extensive location shooting, is asking far too much. There's an early scene in which George Segal, as one of the murderous Guesenberg brothers, intimidates a speakeasy owner into buying beer supplied by Bugs Moran. His tactics are similar to those employed by James Cagney in "Public Enemy," and it is this little homage that should tell viewers that the film is going to make a mere pretense of accuracy - and that this is just fine. "Massacre" is a thoroughly entertaining film that never tries to be anything more or less than that.

Fred Steiner's jangling, dissonant score deserves a mention. It has a Charleston-like rhythm, dominated by a piano. It's an oddly effective thing, heard to best effect over the end title.

Among the cast, no one turns in what could be called a brilliant performance, but Ralph Meeker probably comes off best as Bugs Moran, particularly as he utters the crime boss' most famous quote, near the end. Jean Hale definitely got my attention as Segal's girlfriend, and Clint Richie is appropriately sly as Machine Gun Jack McGurn, who masterminded the title killings.

St Valentine's Day Massacre
This is one of the best gangster films ever, It is a gritty, in your face story of a true life event. True, there are some inaccuracies, what true life film doesn't have them, As far as I am concerned, they are insignificant and they don't take away from the film, the main context of the story is there, even with the inaccuracies it is still a top film. Shot documentary style, it is a film about the events leading up to the massacre. Jason Robards, though a fine actor, wouldn't have been my choice for portraying Al Capone, and is acting is a little hammie, George Segal did a fair job as Pete Gusenberg, after all, these were people who thought they could get away with anything, and most of the time, did. But this is not a film about any one person, it is a film about an event that still fasinates people today. I believe that the memory of the St. Valentines Day Massacre will live on forever. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

One of Roman Polanski's more overt comedies, this 1966 monster spectacle stars Jack MacGowran and Polanski as a clunky but heroic pair of vampire killers. Called upon to rescue the beautiful and buxom daughter (Sharon Tate) of an innkeeper from a Draculalike bloodsucker, the duo muddle through all sorts of scrapes, the most intense being a scene in which a room full of dancing vampires realize the human interlopers are the only ones in the room who are reflected in a mirror. Scary and funny, the film has some unforgettable set pieces, a terrific score, one of the few records of Tate's extraordinary beauty, and vibrant performances. Not exactly Polanski in a relaxed mode, but clear evidence of his estimable skills as a director of both brilliance and polish. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (60)

First Class Entertainment
I first watched this film on the television at Christmas in about 1982 (under the title "Dance Of The Vampires"), and even then, as a 12 year-old, was impressed by this superior vampire 'caper'. The film starts with a beautifully haunting score (by the late Christopher Komeda) and the arrival of a pair of intrepid vampire killers to a Transylvanian Inn. Throughout the film, the viewer is treated to a visual and musical feast, enhanced by brilliant acting from the likes of Ferdy Mayne, Jack MacGowran, Alfie Bass, and of course, Iain Quarrier as the token gay vampire! The enchanting qualities of Sharon Tate as the inn-keeper's young daughter, Sara, add to the overall enjoyment of the film; which, in my opinion, is easily the best vampire and/or Polanski movie to date.

A Comedic Rendition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula"
"The Fearless Vampire Killers" is producer/director/screenwriter/actor Roman Polanski's comedic rendition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" legend. The bumbling Professor and his timid assistant Alfred (played by Roman Polanski) travel to Transylvania to study vampires. The Professor and Alfred rest at an inn festooned with garlic. That evening, the innkeeper's daughter (played by the *stunningly beautiful* Sharon Tate) is kidnapped by the Count (played with a characterization combining elements of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing). The distraught innkeeper (played with a Zero Mostel characterization) runs out into the night to rescue his kidnapped daughter and never returns alive. The Professor and Alfred seek the Count's castle. The Count invites the Professor and Alfred to stay at his castle and to study in his library. The Professor and Alfred agree, they learn that the Count and his flock are planning a formal dress ball, and the real fun begins ...

This film's scenic vistas and its theatrical sets are impressive -- they are complex, ornate, and convey a somber atmosphere. And Sharon Tate's beauty is impressive -- previously an unknown actress, this film gave general public recognition to Sharon Tate. Roman Polanski was involved in *all* aspects of this film's production, and his quality touch is visible throughout the film.

It is ironic that this film's plot revolves around Sharon Tate's kidnapping by the Count and his flock. After this film was released, Sharon Tate and her real life friends were murdered in their home by members of the Charles Manson family.

Not his best
... when u compare it with Rosemary`s Baby, Repulsion and Frantic. But it DOES have its moments... What really saves this film is the music by Komeda, choreography by Norwegian Tutte Lemkow, the scenary, the make-up, the off-key characters, Sharon Tate and the costumes... Too often u find yourself wondering what-the-heck this is all about and why doesn`t Polanski move a bit faster into the action??? Still; it`s watchable and I`m glad that so many have found it to their hearts:-)

A Timeless Classic
This is one of my all-time favorite films. I first saw this movie as a young girl and never forgot it. I was thrilled when I found it on VHS years later and am now excited about owning the DVD. This film is a mixture of an early silent film and a Laurel & Hardy-type comedy. Our "fearless vampire killers" keep getting themselves into tight spots and then must work to get themselves out again. The sets are terrific, especially the castle. You can get wrapped up in this film, it won't bore you for a minute. It's a subtle spoof of a vampire movie keeping the thrills while adding comic relief. A must-see and a must-have.

A Vampire Classic
Late one night many years ago I had the pleasure of watching the great Roman Polanski vampire film. Now, many years later, I have added the complete and uncut edition to my collection.

This tongue-in-cheek begins with Professor Abronsius and his assistant (Polanski) arriving in Transylvania. The professor, who has one of the silliest mustaches of all time, is researching the legends of vampires. He is convinced that they really exist and that he can eliminate them. Shortly after their arrival it becomes apparent that there are indeed strange creatures about. All of the evidence convinces the professor that his suspicions are correct.

When the inn they are staying in is hit by a vampire the two journey to a bleak castle. There they encounter the local lord, who is a vampire. The lord and the professor hit it off quite well as both are men (ahem) of learning. During the day the professor and his assistant search for the vampires tomb. They find it but are unable to dispatch the creatures and wind up losing all of their tools in the process. Then night falls.

With the fall of night the two become targets and must avoid their vampiric hosts. then they make a startling discovery. There are more vampires in the castle than just the lord and his son. There is a graveyard filled with generations of bloodsuckers. As the vampires hold an annual ball at which they will feast on a number of locals, the professor and his protégée manage to make off with one of the victims and successfully flee into the night pursued by a hunchback sledding in a coffin.

The film then ends with a very dark note. The woman they have saved makes the complete transition to vampire while they are fleeing and she bites the young assistant. It is in this way that the bumbling Professor Abronsius enabled vampirism to spread out of Transylvania into the rest of the world.

This edition restores the twenty minutes that were cut out when the film was first released in America. This is an unusual film in that much is communicated through action. The dialogue is rather sparse throughout. But with the almost exaggerated actions of a silent film combined with a haunting score result in a richer movie than had it been full of dialogue. The special effects, what few there are, are quite effective and possibly more effective than current effects. In one scene the vampire killers and the woman they are trying to rescue are leading a dance at the ball. The procession advances towards a mirror and only the three are reflected although dozens are in direct line. Spectacular. The rest of the film uses small dashes of comedy to season an otherwise dark story. This is a true classic among vampire films. If you have not seen it you should. ... Read more

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Peter Greenaway (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, Drowning by Numbers) continues to delight and disturb us with his talent for combining storytelling with optic artistry. The Pillow Book is divided into 10 chapters (consistent with Greenaway's love of numbers and lists) and is shot to be viewed like a book, complete with tantalizing illustrations and footnotes (subtitles) and using television's "screen-in-screen" technology. As a child in Japan, Nagiko's father celebrates her birthday retelling the Japanese creation myth and writing on her flesh in beautiful calligraphy, while her aunt reads a list of "beautiful things" from a 10th-century pillow book. As she gets older, Nagiko (Vivian Wu) looks for a lover with calligraphy skills to continue the annual ritual. She is initially thrilled when she encounters Jerome (Ewan McGregor), a bisexual translator who can speak and write several languages, but soon realizes that although he is a magnificent lover, his penmanship is less than acceptable. When Nagiko dismisses the enamored Jerome, he suggests she use his flesh as the pages which to present her own pillow book. The film, complete with a musical score as international as the languages used in the narration, is visually hypnotic and truly an immense "work of art." --Michele Goodson ... Read more

Reviews (106)

The Word Made Flesh
The Pillow Book is a rare film that transcends limitations of film and text in a unique handling by auteur Peter Greenaway. Based loosely on the tenth century writings of Sei Shonagon, Greenaway brings to the screen a rich visual amalgam that relies on stunning settings, the physical beauty of actors Vivian Wu and Ewan McGregor, and the joy of ancient and modern systems of writing that is calligraphy. Greenaway's penchant for incorporating art, numbers, books, and architecture in a filmic medium ensure those who enjoy his style will not be disappointed. As a young child, Wu's character has celebrated her birthday's by having her father write the story of creation on her face in a family ritual celebration. However, with adulthood and marriage, her spouse is neither interested nor willing to continue her tradition. Frustrated at her inability to find a lover who is a good calligrapher, or a calligrapher who is a good lover, Wu finally meets a bi-sexual translator, Jerome (McGregor) who offers himself to Wu as a living surface for her erotic creativity. Inspired by the opportunity to obtain revenge on the publisher who blackmailed her father and is Jerome's lover, Wu's character, Nagiko creates the ultimate love poem illuminated in red, gold and black characters and delivered to the publisher on the naked body of Jerome. The Pillow Book is adult eroticism at it's most sensuous and visual best. It is a story that revels in binaries of profane and grotesque, yet delights the eye with Greenaway's ability to translate a vision of love and horror into a singular statement of lush physical beauty and sexuality.

A Finely Created Work of Art
I happen to be a great admirer of the controversial Mr Greenaway. I think his direction in film is bold and produces powerful results. The Pillow Book is a great example of this talent. It is an amazing combination of his narrative technique, experimental explorations and talent for finding compelling stories. The images are beautiful, especially the shot of Vivian Wu standing in the rain covered with writing on her flesh which slowly melts away. Her character is not that complex, but the action of the story is sufficient to carry her along throughout the tale as she fights for independence and a suitable form of artistic expression. Essentially the story is about the fetishisation of books and sex. These things are enough to make a great movie in my mind. Nagiko is a girl who goes through a ritual where her father writes on her back on her birthday as he tells her of a myth. After burning her way out of a suffocating marriage, she grows up to become a radical artist writing on bodies and searching for a man who can replace her father in the birthday tradition. She meets a talented man named Jerome who she falls in love with, but is eventually sacrificed to her father's old enemy. In the course of the narrative she writes her own Pillow Book on a series of men. It culminates in a gruesome act of jealousy and revenge (a notion not foreign to Greenaway's narratives).

The scene of Jerome's suicide is particularly powerful and works well with the screen-in-screen shots because it shows in one shot the sequence between thought and action, self-perception and actual action. This is a new style for Greenaway that works tremendously well in this movie because it fits so well with the egotism and self-obsession of the characters involved. The movie as a whole is a powerful evocation of a great Japanese classic. I highly recommend this movie who is in the mood to watch something eccentric, visually moving and stunningly beautiful.

A porn movie but 'Artistic'
Highly over-rated. It's like when an artist pisses and ejaculates over a picture and calls it 'nature', then people go 'ooooh aaaaaah!such genius!'. That pretty much summarises it.

Beauty and obsession
Two of the most beautiful things in the world are the written word and the human figure. Even the ones that are not special in themselves embody meaning and subtlety. When Greenaway uses the figure to carry words, he creates imagery that can not be forgotten.

There is so much in this movie that I hardly know where to begin. It starts with a child. Her father's birthday ritual is to tell her a story, always the same one, and to paint calligraphy on her face. Maybe it's a little silly, but it's sweet and loving.

Over time, the girl loses her innocence but gains the strength of adulthood. Her memory of that charming ritual develops, too. First, it loses its childhood innocence; it becomes a passion for her, and the standard by which she measures her lovers. In the end, the ritual gains even more strength and becomes the vehicle for a deadly obsession.

I must warn the potential viewer that the movie's second half goes places far beyond where sanity stops. It is not for people with tender sensibilities.

I'll come back to this movie for it sensual beauty. I won't come back too often, though. The raw rage at the end is just too hard.

Ridiculously overrated
A director tosses in some "artful" shots and full nudity for most of the movie and suddenly it's a "beautiful film"???
I kept expecting to see Marilyn Chambers pop up in scenes. I'm not against T&A flicks, but this is trying to be something it isn't, which is sad and pathetic. It's a cheap trashy film that gets a good reputation b/c of who directed it. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

shoot the prisoners
americans sponsor some guys who go into a central american country to bring 'universal sufferage' and to provide 'stability'. sound familiar? walker is a tale of megolmania and ahistorical vertigo with surrealist parallels to the modern era. it's an amusing black comedy, about equal parts sergio leone and luis bunuel. the dim and sarcastic view of american imperial behavior and myth making did not endear this film to most critics, especially the anti-intellectual, anti-art, pro 'entertainment' hacks (like a ceratain oft-quoted movie/video critic who shall remain nameless (wink, wink)). but for the rest of us, especially those with a skeptical view of offical history, walker is both funny and frightening, with great characterizations by ed harris, peter boyle, rene auberjunois, miguel sandoval and yes, marlee matlin.

complimented by an amizing Joe Strummer score
This movie is definitely a hidden gem. Ed Harris is brilliant as is the supporting cast of knock-offs who join his rag tag army on their quest for glory in central america. the blurring of the timeline reminds us that our meddling in C.A. is fundamentally not much different today than it was during the period this movie depicts. The entire flow of the movie is further augmented by a completely stunning score from x-Clash man Joe Strummer, one of the finest movie scores i have ever heard. A classic!

Alex Cox And The Spaghetti Western
Director Alex Cox finally got to make his hommage to the Sam Peckinpah/Sergio Leone myth...and what a film it turned out to be. A mix of politics, satire, bloody violence, humor, slavery, business, guns, and all around chance-taking cinema. Upon first viewing, I admit I did not care for the film. After repeated viewings, I discovered the rhythm and intentions of director Cox and his motley band of adventurers. It actually made me want to read more about this period and discover for myself how we, as a country, STILL have not learned from history! Great originality and brave acting/direction makes this a film that will stand the test of time. I recommend it to lovers of daring filmmaking/storytelling. Forget Hollywood mainstream, long live director Alex Cox!

WALKER awaits discovery by cult film buffs
WALKER (1987) is a cult movie in search of an audience. A critical and financial disaster upon its initial release, the film is hard to find on video and rarely televised--but to fans of Psychotronic Cinema, it is worth the effort to find! The film is a schizo, intentionally anachronistic bio of William Walker (1824-1860), the Nashville-born doctor/lawyer/journalist who led his own private army into Nicaragua, ultimately installing himself as president of that nation. Obvious similiarities between Walker's filibustering activities and the US's often ham-handed diplomatic policies towards Central America during the 1980s led the filmmakers to turn WALKER into a political satire, but it is by turns funny, tragic, exciting, informational, and thought provoking. Ed Harris plays Walker, and as something of an expert on the filibuster, I can assure you Harris' interpretation is perfect. Lotsa familiar faces--Rene Auberjonis, Richard Masur, Marlee Matlin, and the hilarious Peter Boyle among them--make this one a character actor watcher's dream film. This picture is only for those who can appreciate weird movies! This film deserves to find a cult audience, and I hope this review helps to establish one!

PORTRAIT OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY, THEN AND NOW.
JEEPERS WHAT A GOOD MOVIE. I'M NOT TOO ARTICULATE A GUY, NOT TOO BRIGHT, BUT I UNDERSTOOD WHERE HE TOOK THIS MOVIE. ALEX COX IS ALWAYS ABLE TO GIVE A MOVIE AN OPINION. AND WHAT ABOUT ED HARRIS, I USED TO HATE THAT GUY. BUT NOW, I CAN TOLERATE HIM, HE GAVE A GOOD PERFORMANCE. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Big acting by Marvin; Red Normandy beaches; One good ending
Sarge (Lee Marvin), first saw combat near the end of WWI. Now, years later, in North Africa in WWII he is a grizzled, war weary, seen it all veteran. Nevertheless, he's still resolute in his duty and a proud wearer of the Red #1 arm patch insignia of the US 1st Infantry Division. He is leader, father, mother, coach and whatever else he needs to be to get his rifle squad through the war. The four principal characters of interest are Griff (Mark Hamill), an expert riflemen but one who can't shoot the enemy if he sees his eyes; he calls it murder, Sarge says otherwise. There is Zab (Robert Carradine) who's main purpose is narrator, his musings provide background and setting; the other two are Johnson and Vinci. We follow this group throughout the movie and the war from North Africa, Sicily, Normandy, Belgium and finally to a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia for a series of emotionally powerful concluding scenes.

There is no glorification of war here; indeed the message is very clear - the only glory in war is surviving. The movie is very creative in introducing characters whose sole purpose, with their demise, is to underline this message. The short careers of both Lemchek and Kaiser are cases in point. The battle scenes are weak and unrealistic but that's not the emphasis. The action scenes that are memorable are the ones with a subtle message; the camera focusing in on the dead soldiers wristwatch in the surf of Normandy, the water turning red with the passing of time; the scene at the asylum in France and the concentration camp scene where Griff overcomes his compunction about shooting while seeing the whites of his enemies eyes.

It's a well crafted movie, with some strong acting from Lee Marvin and Mark Hamill and a movie which delivers it's message in a well thought out and strong ending.

Awe Inspiring Title, Segmented Movie
In World War Two the US 1st Infantry Division earned its colors in constant battle from North Africa, Sicily and Northern Europe. Because of its distictive shoulder patch the division became known as The Big Red One. Samuel Fuller's motion picture of the same name does not quite hit the mark with respect to conveying the battle scars endured by the division. Fuller focuses on a squad of soldiers, led by Lee Marvin (The Dirty Dozen), in a story told by one of the squad members, Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds). The picture has potential. Indeed there is information to suggest that there is a longer uncut version of the movie mouldering away someplace. The film currently available on VHS and DVD -- the same version that was projected in movie theaters -- seems more like a television movie than major motion picture. Granted, the special effects were good for their day, but you do not have to look too far to see the obvious shortcomings. For the most part the dialogue is contrived and somewhat phony. Lee Marvin, a magnificent actor, was too old to play the part of a junior noncommissioned officer. In two of the beach invasion landing scenes (North Africa and Normandy) and despite a downward camera angle there is a total absence of ships to be seen anywhere on the water except for one token landing craft lingering in the distance. The greatest shortcoming of the film is that it is composed of a series of disjointed vignettes sewn together into one story. The most powerful part of the movie are the last minutes of the film when the squad liberates a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. This scene alone could have been flushed out and served as the backdrop for a whole movie; or possibly been a vehicle for flashbacks of the what the squad had endured leading up to the end of the war. Filmed primarily in Israel THE BIG RED ONE reflects what appears to be a reflective personal journey designed to entertain the storyteller alone. With the exception of this film's stars, I found this movie very similar to A MIDNIGHT CLEAR. If you are a fan of war movies then this movie will probably find its way into your collection.

Worst war film ever?
This film is a disgrace, the combat is unrealistic and i'm sure the tanks in it are all the same for americans and germans alike. The narration is very annoying and quite pointless. I know the film is trying to put across an important message but it could have done it better; better actors for a start, Lee Marvin is not exactly my favourite. Overall leave this film alone, if you want to see a good war film watch Patton, A Bridge too Far or The Longest Day.

OVERALL SCORE: (B+)
This is one of the more stunning and profound cinematic portraits of the Second World War. It is an unflinching window into the surrealistic exploits of warriors in combat. This is by far a more worthwhile movie then many later attempts, that fail to emotionally grip you, instead relying on computer effects for drama.

OVERALL SCORE: (B+)

PLOT: (B), ACTING: (B-), DIALOGUE: (B-), SETTING: (C), ACTION/COMBAT: (B), ANTAGONISTS: (B), ROMANCE: (n/a), AGE LEVEL: (PG)

Other great war movies; The Longest Day (1962), We Were Soldiers (2002), Gallipoli (1981), Attack Force Z (1982), Cross of Iron (1976), A Bridge Too Far (1977), or The Dirty Dozen (1967).

The "Definitive" Bad Review
This is one of those movies that you either love or hate. I'm guessing the lovers like the interesting combat action and episodic nature of the movie, which keeps up a fast pace and allows for multiple locations and perspectives on the war.

Unfortunately, this movie is ruined by the Voice Narrator - none other than future star of "Revenge of the Nerds." Whether it's the actor chosen or bad direction, it is easily the most annoying voice over in "A-movie" history. Particularly since we have all seen this done much more effectively in war movies released since this picture was made in 1980. I have no doubt that these movies owe a debt to the Big Red One, with the directors saying, "Stop, you sound like the nerd in the Big Red One. Try it again."

My "favorite" scene: The squad delivers a baby during D-Day (you can't make this crap up folks-oh wait, I guess they did). Dialogue of soldier delivering baby: "Lady, I'm a hell of a lot more scared than you are...just take it easy." (uh, Hello, this film was robbed of an Oscar for screenwriting)

My "favorite" voice over narration line:
"We got a bunch of medals...not for delivering the kid, but for killing Krauts."

My all time "favorite" dialogue:
Soldier: "What's the French word for PUSH?"
Marvin Lee: "Pussay" (Which he repeats multiple times as we see the pregnant woman writhing in labor, her legs spread over Lee Marvin's shoulders...."pussay, pussay, pussay...he shouts" (now that's some serious double entendre, folks)

My "favorite" cowboy moment as the soldier's creep through enemy lines. Lee Marvin: "It's a bushwack." (not related to the labor scene folks)

My "favorite" movie message, from this actual dialogue at an insane assylum the GIs comes across in France:

Marvin: "Killing insane people is not good for public relations."
Soldier: "But killing sane people is?"
Marvin: "That's Right."

Wow, that's powerful stuff.

In summary, the acting is sophomoric (gotta love the off-screen screams when someone gets it - no, it's not your little brother playing in the other room--it's the movie), the writing and dialogue is stilted and corny and the tone/direction awkwardly switches from whimsical to melodramatic and back again.

Still, it's not bad Sunday afternoon viewing if you like war action and enjoy making fun of old movies - the best thing to do, though, is watch it with a remote control and hit mute every time the annoying/cloying narrator speaks. For added interest, print off a script of the movie and read the narration at the appropriate points, since on rare occassions the narrator does say something interesting. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

THE Movie That Set the Style of 70s
All of Pam Grier movies in the 70s, "Coffy" is the most famous. She deserves it; watch this movie, and you see what so-called blaxploitation films are all about.

The fast-paced "Coffy" starts with a dynamite opening, in which Pam's character Coffy lures her enemy into a nasty surprise, and she blows away poor fool's head with a shotgun literally. Then, her mission of eradicating drug racket goes on until a very bitter ending. There are actions, fighting, nudity, and battling girls at a party where Pam uses most unexpected weapon -- salad! Frankly they look rather bland by today's standard, but good soundtrack by Roy Ayres is still wonderful.

Probably the most interesting thing about "Coffy" is its gorgeous 70s fashion: music, clothes, and hairstyle. even if you find its story a little stale, you never get tired of watching dresses, glasses, hats, and everything -- they are so big! And surprising thing is that the film to certain extent reflects the political condition of those days (see how a black congressman address a speech about drug issues among Afro-Americans).

"Coffy" is one of the movies that set the style of the 70s. Those who are interested in that period should watch it (and the original "Shaft") once.

Vigilante action with Pam!
Pam Grier is Coffy, an inner-city nurse whose younger sister's life has been destroyed by illicit drugs, and who is now out to avenge her by killing the drug dealers. Her method is to lure the dope pushers by offering them her sexual favors, and then blasting them with a sawed-off shotgun!

And what man can resist such a statuesque beauty? Many a dope pusher meets his Maker after making it with Coffy. Pam Grier has some outstanding nude scenes in this movie, and that alone makes this DVD worth the price, but director Jack Hill's commentary is an interesting bonus. This DVD is a must-have for every Pam Grier fan!

One vengeful mama.
For a blaxploitation movie this one isn't too bad, thanks largely to Pam Grier. She is one tough lady in this interesting retooling of "The Bride that Wore Black," only in this case it is little sister who Coffy is seeking vengeance upon. There is plenty of violence and nudity to thrill, but the movie actually develops a story and posits the moral question whether vengeance is justified if criminals can't be brought to justice. Ultimately, Coffy enters the world of prostitution, posing as a sultry Jamaican bombshell, to get the top crime boss in the city. The movie is vintage 70's with luscious babes lounging around swimming pools, garish interiors and love-inducing fireplaces. Too bad Pam Grier had to wait such a long time to get the plum role of Jackie Brown, building her fame on Jack Hill movies.

Errors and omissions
From the information from other sites I am to believe that this is not an 'Anamorphic/16:9 enhanced' DVD. Foxy Brown is. All Region 2's in the MGM Blaxploitation-series are...

They call her Coffy and she'll cream you!
This was a pretty enjoyable movie, but I have to admit that I enjoyed Foxy Brown just a little more. This movie is basically about Pam Griers' character getting revenge on those who have hurt her and her family. She starts out with lower level pimps and pushers, and workers her way up the power structure to the head sleezebags. The one thing that didn't really sit well with me was the way she portrayed the moments of remorse her character felt about what she was doing. I am not saying that a person who becomes a vigilante wouldn't have these feelings, but I just didn't really buy it coming from her. I know, I know, maybe I am delving too deep into the character, but if they're going to go there...anyway, it didn't make me enjoy the movie any less. And it's always nice to see as much eye candy as there was in this movie. Pam Grier is really hot and made most of the other women in this movie look kinda dumpy. To sum it up, it's a fun movie, some minor slow points, but it kept me interested throughout. If funk with a dash of groovitude is your bag, then this movie is for you. ... Read more

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At one point in the filming of this flawed epic, actor Charlton Heston (in the title role) got so mad at director Sam Peckinpah that he charged him on horseback with a cavalry sword and Peckinpah had to escape into the air on the camera crane. Yet Heston offered to give up his salary to get the studio to let Peckinpah finish the film. As it turned out, this story--of a headstrong Army professional who goes slightly crazy chasing a band of Apaches while shepherding a group of Confederate prisoners--was taken away from Peckinpah in the editing room and recut, so that much of the character development was eliminated from the crucial central section of the film. Still, it offers solid outings by Heston and Richard Harris (as his prisoner) and gives a hint of things to come in Peckinpah's next film, The Wild Bunch. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A flawed western.
They say this movie was cut to ribbons by order of overanxious studio execs, and it certainly shows. The movie starts out great with Major Dundee (Heston), a Federal cavalry officer who has seen his career plummet from fighting in the battles of the Civil War to a POW camp warden, being forced to recruit Confederate POW's to help him track down an Apache raider. Unfortunatly, the movie eventually loses focus and just meanders along. It seems disjointed and, at times, just patched together. Part of the fault was the studio execs decision to cut it down and part of it was Peckinpah's who started filming without a complete script much to Heston's dismay. The result is a flawed film with some good performances, especially Richard Harris, and some great action sequences which were a Peckinpah specialty.

Mangled to pieces
Despite being ripped apart in the editing room, Major Dundee still manages to be a very entertaining western. Supposedly the movie was supposed to clock in at just under three hours, but the editing cut it down to just over two hours. It is a shame that it was mangled so badly since it has a lot of potential.

Major Dundee stars Charlton Heston as Amos Dundee, a Union officer banished to the west for a mistake he made in the heat of battle. Richard Harris co-stars, he steals many scenes, as Confederate officer Benjamin Tyreen, an old friend of Dundee who was betrayed by him at a court martial hearing. Dundee organizes a ragtag bunch of Confederate prisoners, black Union infantry, frontiersman, and Jim Hutton as the bumbling artillery officer, Lt. Graham, assigned to the cavalry, to pursue Sierra Cheriba, a renegade Apache. Dundee's troop runs into the Apache as well as French lancers in Mexico amidst many well-executed action sequences. The final battle in the river should not be missed.

The movie does leave a few parts with no conclusion, but overall the film is well worth the watch. Great supporting cast with James Coburn, Ben Johnson, Warren Oates, L.Q. Jones, Slim Pickens and Senta Berger. Great action with good storyline. Too bad the movie got mangled since it is very good even mangled as it is. To all you Peckinpah fans out there, go out and get this movie!

Wrong Turn
Sam Peckinpah's bungling of this film and his discharge from "The Cincinnati Kid" nearly terminated his directorial career, and "Dundee" gives a hint of the self-destructive inclincations that eventually put him out of business for good. The disciplined creator of "The Rifleman" and "The Westerner" TV series and director of the masterpiece "Ride the High Country" went completely haywire on "Dundee," much to the shock of the studio backing it, and although Peckinpah tried to shift the blame, it was his alone for mounting a disastrously disorganized production of a thoroughly idiotic script. His principal reason for pushing the project apparently was his desire to film in Mexico, a country for whose women he was devloping an all-consuming passion. That and his incipient alcoholism were having severe personality repercussions and giving an ugly cast to Peckinpah's works that he never shook completely.

This story of a Union POW camp officer using Confederate prisoners to cross into Mexico to hunt for Apaches has no basis in historical reality whatsoever and there isn't a single believable scene as a consequence.

BRAVO!!!
Definitely a great Western and one of my personal favorites, Major Dundee, brings to the screen such heavyweights as Charlton Heston and Richard Harris, whose performances are outstanding, making this movie one of the best of its kind. The acting, the battles and the costumes are all wonderful!
Major Dundee is a movie about honor, bravery, and heroes from a time long gone.
A great movie indeed!

Greatest western/civil war drama of all time.
This movie is a classic which inspired many that followed. The cast is incredible and they all give the performances of a lifetime. Charlton Heston is in his prime. Full of confidence and conflict. Cast includes Richard Harris, James Coburn, Warren Oates, Slim Pickens and many others. All give great performances. I have watched this movie many times and enjoy different aspects each time(there are many themes still relevant today). This is a must see film. ... Read more

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The curiosity of Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown is RobertForster's worldly wise bail bondsman Max Cherry, the most alive character in this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch. The AcademyAwards saw it the same way, giving Forster the film's only nomination. The film is more "rum" than "punch" and will certainly disappoint those who are looking for Tarantino's trademark style. This movie is a slow, decaffeinated story of six characters glued to a half million dollars brought illegally into the country. The money belongs to Ordell(Samuel L. Jackson), a gunrunner just bright enough to control his universe and do his own dirty work. His just-paroled friend--a loose term with Ordell--Louis (Robert De Niro) is just taking up space and could be interested in the money. However, his loyalties are in question between his old partner and Ordell's doped-up girl (Bridget Fonda). Certainly Fed Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) wants to arrest Ordell with the illegal money. The key is the title character, a late-40s-ish flight attendant (Pam Grier) who can pull her own weight and soon has both sides believing she's working for them. The end result is rarely in doubt, and what is left is two hours of Tarantino's expert dialogue as he moves his characters around town.

Tarantino changed the race of Jackie and Ordell, a move that means little except that it allows Tarantino to heap on black culture and language, something he has a gift and passion for. He said this film is for an older audience although the language and drug use may put them off. The film is not a salute to Grier's blaxploitation films beyond the musical score. Unexpectedly the most fascinating scenes are between Grier and Forster: two neo-stars glowing in the limelight of their first major Hollywood film after decades of work. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Dynamite Cast + Good Fun = Excellent Film
First off: "Jackie Brown" is not a disappointment. After the surprise success of Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" in 1994, everyone was looking for him to fail on his next attempt. Sorry, friends, but this just isn't the case. In many ways, "Jackie Brown" is a more enjoyable ride. After repeated viewings of "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs," one can easily pinpoint the weaknesses in Tarantino's style. He uses similar references to '70s action and blaxploitation films, he uses relic music hits from the same era, and he even uses similar character names (Marvin with no ear, meet Marvin with no head). The violence is always there, and the incessant use of profanity is always there. But "Jackie Brown" is different from these previous efforts. There's no appearances by either Harvey Keitel or Tim Roth; instead, the film is headlined by the queen of the '70s blaxploitation flicks, the eternally sexy Pam Grier. The supporting cast includes Robert Forster, a staple of cheesy B-movies, Samuel L. Jackson in a return to the world of Tarantino, and the very interesting threesome of Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and the ever-versatile De Niro to round out the cast. So what, besides the cast, makes the film such a knockout? While the profanity level has been toned down, Tarantino's script loses no edge and maintains a constant freshness and sense of humor. Grier has never been much of an actress, but she's always had a certain charm, and she uses this charm effectively in "Jackie Brown." Forster gives his most memorable performance here, playing the role of Max Cherry with complete control and positive cool. Fonda is great as Melanie, and Keaton has a blast playing ATF agent Ray Nicolet, but De Niro steals the show as Louis Gara. De Niro has one of his better supporting roles here, and he makes the most of it. Louis is something of a dimwit, but only De Niro could inject the character with as much humor as he has here. The film, at 154m, is probably too long and overindulgent, but Tarantino presents us with an interesting plot, and some equally interesting subplots to boot. The most effective of these is the relationship that builds between Grier and Forster; there is an attraction there, but the insecurities of each character prevents this from ever reaching a climax. The film is colorful, has solid (but not brilliant) direction, and, aside from some serious lapses in logic, the script flows seamlessly. And guess what? There's no guest appearance by the man himself, who must have realized after "From Dusk Till Dawn" that, while he may be a writer and a director, and actor he is not. "Jackie Brown" reveals the limitations of Quentin Tarantino, but the film is still a riot, and one of the most entertaining of 1997. That's more than I can say for James Cameron's "Titanic," which fails on all levels for me, despite what the critics say. "Jackie Brown" delivers a knockout punch. It's great to see that some Elmore Leonard novels are finally getting the big-screen treatments that they deserve.

Fond-a Weapons
Jackie Brown: rated R, 2 hours and 40 minutes

Jackie Brown is an incredibly well played movie about guns, drugs, and money. Half a million in cash is up for grabs, and the only way to obtain it is by figuring out who is playing whom.
When Jackie (a stunning Pam Grier) is caught at an airport carrying a veritably large sum of money and a bag of crack, the outline of the story is formed. Jackie is held in custody facing possible time in prison, when the deceptive Ordell, played by black talking Samuel L. Jackson steps into the picture. Ordell hires an honest bailbondsman, Max Cherry, to release Ms. Brown. While Ordell takes care of business, we see behind-the-scenes conversations between the spaced out Robert De Niro, as Lewis, and the dim-witted Bridget Fonda, as Melanie, two of Ordell's main connections. Jackie becomes caught between two sides, both with equal objectives. Ray (Michael Keaton), the cop that apprehended Jackie earlier is after small time arms dealer, Ordell, and Ordell is pulling Jackie into his scheme of acquiring the cash. Meanwhile, Lewis and Melanie have their own plans of taking the money. Jackie can't afford to get into any more legal trouble, and if she doesn't cooperate with the man she owes her freedom to, she will be killed, which sets the stage for the perfect swindle.
Quentin Tarantino, creator of Jackie Brown, is master of 'film noir', and adds an interesting perspective to one scene in particular. Jackie is forced by the feds to frame Ordell, and according to Ordell, she is supposed to double-cross them. Caught in the middle, Jackie must fake an exchange of marked bills, in order to seem loyal to both. The switch is shown through three different viewpoints, adding greatly to the effect. The first time, Jackie is shown leaving the bag of money in a dressing room. Next, Lewis and Melanie are shown actually making the exchange, with the real bag of money left behind in the dressing room, and a suspicious Max Cherry watching. Lastly, Max Cherry watches as Lewis and Melanie swap bags, and the actual bag of cash left for him to pick up. By doing this, the big picture is seen through bits and pieces. Tarantino deserves much credit for its ingenious execution, and Jackie Brown in its entirety is recognized as a success, with phenomenal acting by the whole cast, primarily Pam Grier.

Great! Awesome! Fantastic!
Nobody and I mean nobody makes movies like Quentin Tarantino. JACKIE BROWN is one of the greatest movies of all time. Personally, This is my favorite of Quentin Tarantino's films. So get your copy of JACKIE BROWN today!

Not bad, De Niro is fun
Jackie Brown is certainly not Tarantino's best but it is amusing. As in pretty much every movie Samuel L Jackson plays a pretty important part as a gunrunner. He lives in a LA house with the very hot Bridget Fonda. A friend who just came out of jail lives with him and helps him. This is absolutely the funniest character in the movie, played by De Niro. He is a little dumb, lazy and slow but funnily played.

Key to the movie is Pam Grier as Jackie Brown, the smartest person in the movie because she can play both sides, the feds and the criminals and ends up with a lot of dough.

Not a super movie and with 150 minutes definitely too long, but still fun.

Not quite PULP FICTION, but certainly worthy Tarantino
I love Quentin Tarantino. You watch him speak about his art in interviews, and while I realize what I'm responding to might simply be a cleverly-wrought public persona, his energy and enthusiasm for his craft is just so infectious that one cannot help but be energized too. That energy certainly carries over into his movies, and while he may not be the most thrillingly visual director, his undeniable gift for dialogue more than compensates in his films.

PULP FICTION, as of now, is my favorite movie; the dialogue sparkles with wit, and I could hear those lines over and over again without ever getting tired of them. JACKIE BROWN, his follow-up to PF, is just as good as PF, if not quite its superior. Many complained upon its release that this movie was too sluggish and slow-moving (the above Editorial Review calls it "decaffeinated"). Sure, the plot of this movie certainly could become a taut, exciting thriller under another director's hands. But clearly writer-director Tarantino isn't aiming merely for action-movie thrills. He is also focused on his characters, particularly with the two older characters, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) and Max Cherry (Robert Forster), two characters who have an unspoken attraction to each other that brings an intriguing undertone to a majority of the crime story. If Tarantino takes his time developing his characters and laying out the plot...well, the characters' dialogue is consistently full of life; the characters are interesting (and the performances terrific across the board, particuarly Forster's); and the convoluted plot, when it kicks into high gear, is a source of fascination as well. Watching it, I hardly ever felt that it was too slow for its own good: I was too fascinated by what I was seeing and hearing to notice any possible deficiencies in pacing. (Another Elmore Leonard adaptation, Steven Soderbergh's OUT OF SIGHT, took a similarly leisurely approach to its crime plot, and it worked just as well in that film, too.)

In short, JACKIE BROWN is an underrated Tarantino masterpiece. It may not be quite the film PULP FICTION is (since it had a more palpably energetic feel to it, despite both films' running 154 minutes), but it is certainly a worthy follow-up. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Johnny Legend is the master of weird cartoons!
Rich in colour,very weird,Johnny Legend presents "Bambi Meets Godzilla"& Other Weird Cartoons"is a phenominon of weird fun. I have a 10-year old brother named Ajamen.I have to take myself all the way from 2001 to 1987.When he was 4,we brought a video.Mom said it was okay for 'cutie pie Ajamen'to watch it with me.When he first saw it,he was jumpin'n laughin'at the funny scenes.And I'm glad you will enjoy it just as well as my bro Ajamen did.A must-have for the cartoon collector of your family.

The funniest two minute film of all time (and much more)
Who can forget the first time they saw "Bambi Meets Godzilla?" Two minutes of pure animated joy. Well, actually more like one minute and 45 seconds of title credits and then a tremendous belly laugh. This videotape offers more off beat animation classics including Betty Boop in "Crazy Town" and Max Fleisher's "Small Fry," so this is not an entire tape of crudely animated films. This is a tape of MOSTLY crudely animated films. Big difference. The point is that pretty much everybody who lived through the Sixties, or has at least heard about the Sixties, needs to see "Bambi Meets Godzilla" once in their life and then find somebody else who has not seen it so you can show it to them too. Bless you, Marv Newland, where ever you are today, for striking a blow against a corporation that would make them put pants on Howard the Duck.

0 stars, This one's a Doorstop
C'mon. This "movie" was terrible. Where must I start? How about the title feature: horribly overrated. The length of the movie? A pathetic 20 min. In fact, after viewing this film, I was compelled to take my own life. I am not even sure if "olde tyme cartoon" aficionados would appreciate this disaster. The animation is choppy and irritating, and the dialogue might as well have been non-existant. Tool fanatics might find the quaint claymation sequences partially amusing, but I think they were wrought for some darker agenda.(Something along the lines of Mind Control or Evil Robots) And, somewhere between "You Auto Lay an Egg" and "Cobweb Hotel" I realized that there was no god and we are all living for naught. Don't rent this garbage, and certainly DO NOT BUY IT! Go waste your money on a "good" movie, such as Kangaroo Jack. You know, he's stolen the money and he's not givin' it back. I just saw "Bambi Vs..." approximately 33 minutes ago, and it took me longer to log on(Dial-up)than it did to watch this flick. Please don't encourage the country's booming suicide rate.
DON'T
BUY
IT

Call it, Godzilla vs Disney cartoons.....
When I was