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Fifteen years after John Carpenter squandered a great idea on a mediocre movie (Escape from New York), he does it again--this time on the Left Coast. Kurt Russell is back as the terminally cynical one-eyed action hero Snake Plissken who, this time, has been coerced into saving the world in Los Angeles. It's 2013 and L.A. is now an island maximum security prison off the coast of California. Snake has 10 hours to find a doomsday weapon that's fallen into the hands of revolutionaries before he dies of a virus with which he's been injected. But the action is clumsy and unimaginative: lots of shootouts and very little suspense. Even the bad guys aren't particularly inventive; only Pam Grier, as a transsexual gang leader, strikes any sparks. Russell growls his way through the role but can only blame himself: He cowrote the script with Carpenter. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A good B-movie ride while it lasts
15 years after crafting the low budget comic cult classic Escape From New York, director John Carpenter finally got the budget he needed in this sequel/reworking of the original film. Kurt Russell reprises his role as one eyed badass Snake Plisskin as he is dropped into the island of Los Angeles to seek out the president's daughter. Parts of the film seem more aimed to make a social satire of our dwindling freedom, but sometimes the action gets too incoherent and parts of the film seem uneven. Not to mention that there are times when the film feels rushed, like Carpenter just wanted to get the film over with. Either way though, Escape From L.A. is still a fun B-movie ride with a great comic flair, and the great supporting cast which includes Steve Buscemi, Pam Grier, Peter Fonda, Stacy Keach, Cliff Robertson, and B-movie icon Bruce "Evil Dead" Campbell make this one of Carpenter's more decent films of late.

Rebirth of a classic
Kurt Russell collaborates with John Carpenter to bring snake back in our homes, and I know far too many people that feel that it never should of happened, but I disagree. Accept this movie for what it is, the Escape from New York "Special Edition" with a totally reworked yet incredibly similar plot line. And not just incredibly similar. To this day, I still laugh at Snake sitting in the lawn chair out front of Eddie's place just like he did when he was next to the plane crash in New York. Every single subtle plot point of New York is somehow included into the L.A. storyline. But, if you let your mind enjoy it, and let yourself be captivated by the gritty, downright scary conception of our future and one man dealing with it, it's the same successful movie that New York was, but with 90's movie technology. Steve Buscemi shines in this as "Map to the stars" Eddie, and Bruce Campbell is extremely entertaining for all of the five minutes he's in the film.

As far as the DVD is concerned, this is just one more in my collection of DVD's that frustrates me everytime I look at it. No commentary, no making of featurette (which I saw on HBO, and was interesting), and the transfer is actually not the greatest.

The movie's worth it. Just a dissapointing DVD. Give it a shot and enjoy.

"Escape From L.A." is more of the same!
This sequel to Carpenter's 1980 cult classic "Escape From New York" is more or less a bigger budget retelling of the same story. Russell is back as Snake Plitsken, the one-eyed outlaw hero who once again will be offered a full pardon if he goes into a criminal-infested prison that used to be a major American city. This time, he has to confiscate a "doomsday device" from a sadistic terrorist who is using it to blackmail the United States. Despite the more than fifteen years that seperate the two films, this one really doesn't offer much on "New York" aside from a cool underwater sequence involving a certain Universal Studios attraction and a couple of cool special effects scenes. Russell is still great as the over-the-top anti-hero and the addition of some cool character actors keeps it from being a total waste of time but this script is seriously lacking. This one has "retread" written all over it. There is about as much of a difference in the stories as there is in the titles.

A Joke?
When I first saw this film in the theaters, I really didn't like it. In fact, I was pretty let down! I had grown up with Escape From New York, and to my horror, John Carpenter remade his own film! I'm not kidding, REMADE it. Right down to Snake getting shot in the leg and limping for the last half of the film. Years later I revaluated my opinion. You can't make a film as corny as this on accident, especially if you're a veteran director like John Carpenter; It had to be done on purpose. I've read numerous interviews over the years and have found out two things, and I think these two things are the reason this film ended up the way it did. First, John Carpenter hates sequels. He never wanted to make sequels to his films. He never wanted a sequel to Halloween(let alone six! That's why he produced Halloween 3 which people hated so much, coz he was trying to take this series in a different direction and not retread the whole Michael Myers thing). I also understand that both Carpenter and Kurt Russell were under alot of studio pressure to make this film. I don't know what kind of favor Carpenter owed the studio, but he made this film. And my theory is that he made this film intentionally bad to say to the studio, "There, I made the stinking sequel you wanted, don't ask me to do it again!" I mean really, if he had wanted to make a sequel to Escape From New York, don't you think he would have struck while the iron was hot and made it at the height of the first film's success instead of waiting 15 years? Think about it. When I consider this scenario, I can watch Escape From L.A and have a good laugh thinking that John Carpenter may have played a big joke on the Hollywood studios. Really, there's no way Carpenter included that surfing scene with the intention of it being taken seriously. The film is just way too overblown, way too cheesy and obviously a carbon copy of the original to be anything other than a joke. Kurt may be older now, but he's actually still able to play Snake Plissken like it's 1980. The performance is great, it's just the film surrounding Kurt that's silly. Try watching it again and see what you think.

escape from new york on acid
Escape from new york is a classic.It is a dark and moody action adventure with an 1980s feel,with a modest budget.Escape from l.a. is a big budget pumped up roller coaster ride that goes for broke and explodes with a wave of energy and the coolness of snake plissken.This follow up does tell the same story as the first,but guess what! thats what they had in mind.I hope they make a third. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

You could like this film if you haven't read Ellison's story
This 1975 film takes only the bare bones from Harlan Ellison's novella, forgoing its final proof of how much a boy can love his dog. What is left is Don Johnson as Vic, the young post-apocalyptic loner and his telepathic dog Blood (Yes, that is Benji, boys and girl), who eventually meets a girl from an underground community where Jason Robards and the folks are clinging really hard to the old ways. If you have not read Ellison's original story you can probably suffer through this film, provided you have plenty of stuff to eat and drink. It was certainly remind you of the old days, when low budget meant the film was probably made by a schlockmaster and not and independent auteur. But if you know what the answer was to Quilla June's question, "Do you know what love is," this disappointing film will ring hollow.

Tim McIntire, who did the voice of "Blood" also had the honors of singing the main title song, "A Boy And His Dog." This movie, also known as Psycho Boy and His Killer Dog, was directed by L. Q. Jones, who appears as an actor in the porno film Vic and Blood are watching. Except for some work on the television series "The Incredible Hulk," Jones never directed again after this one.

One of the more interesting SF movies around
A cult favorite for years, this faithful version of Harlan Ellison's classic novella enjoyed some mainstream popularity in the mid-'80s when its star, Don Johnson, hit the big time with "Miami Vice." In recent years the movie has settled back into cult status, which is for the best. Johnson (in an excellent performance) is Vic, a simple-minded survivalist who wanders what's left of post-apocalypse America with his dog Blood (played by Tiger of "The Brady Bunch," with voice by singer Tim McIntire), with whom he has a telepathic bond. Vic's main ambition in life is to, well, find female companionship; he demands that Blood sniff out girls for him. He meets a seemingly innocent young woman who leads him down to a strange subterranean civilization where all the men are sterile. Eventually, Vic is presented with a hard choice. The decision he makes has remained controversial; the one-liner that ends the film is even more so. (Ellison didn't write the line and has expressed discomfort with it. I think it's one of the great final lines in movie history.) If you haven't seen this film, chances are you've seen a dozen better-known SF movies it influenced (like the "Mad Max" series), and Kevin Costner's "The Postman" was a windbag '90s variation on the same theme. If you've only caught this on television, you haven't really seen it.

Nothing Is More Important to a Boy than His Dog
It's the year 2024, and most of the Earth's nations have been demolished by yet another world war (the latest being WWIV). In this postapocalyptic world, slow-witted survivor Vic (Don Johnson) forages through the ruins for food and women with the help of his faithful dog, Blood (voiced by Tim McIntire), with whom he is able to communicate telepathically. Blood, more intelligent and more cultured than his young "master," often gets impatient with Vic's immature behavior and lack of interest in his attempts to educate the boy, but he nonetheless loves Vic and sticks with him to help him survive. And after several minor adventures and one huge misadventure, Vic does learn one incontestable actuality: Nothing is more important to a boy than his dog.

Based on an award-winning novella by the curmudgeonly SF writer Harlan Ellison, A BOY AND HIS DOG was adapted and directed by character actor L.Q. Jones and co-produced by Jones and Alvy Moore (the latter probably best known for his portrayal of scatterbrained Hank Kimball on TV's GREEN ACRES). While Ellison has said many times publicly that the film is the most faithful adaptation of any of his works, he has nonetheless complained vehemently about some of Jones' "adjustments"--most notably the minor addition of some gross or vulgar dialogue--and tried unsuccessfully to get them changed. Whether or not Ellison's complaints have merit, A BOY AND HIS DOG has come to be regarded as a science-fiction classic, its popularity undoubtedly due to its likeable characters who, despite their constant bickering and individual quirks, are redeemed by their committed friendship and their sarcastically humorous approach to survival.

The performances in A BOY AND HIS DOG are top-notch. Johnson convincingly portrays Vic as a filthy scavenger who, in spite of his dire situation, still manages to remain a decent human being at the core. Tim McIntire's vocal characterization of Blood embodies Ellison's original concept of a mutant pooch with a caustic ego that is balanced with just the right amount of off-beat humanity, and this portrayal is enhanced further by the outstanding on-screen performance of Tiger, the canine thespian that portrayed the family pet on TV's THE BRADY BUNCH. In his supporting role as the governor of a subterranean dystopia, Jason Robards is delightfully smarmy. And when beautiful Susanne Benton bares her ample "talents" on the screen, that's a lot of fun watch, too.

With A BOY AND HIS DOG, Jones' intention is not to make deep socio-political innuendos or to meet the average action-fan's prosaic expectations, and sentimentality is obviously far from his mind. Instead of serving up a dull postapocalyptic survival-of-the-fittest thriller or a cliché love-among-the-ruins drama, Jones gives us a wry black comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously. His direction is tight, his staging often inventive, and the dialogue--while MOSTLY lifted directly from Ellison's story--is often sharply sardonic and frequently witty. With this AND the outstanding performances he elicits from his cast, Jones creates a realistic world of future desolation, but he peoples it with central characters that learn to deal with the nightmare while still maintaining their humanity...and a sense of humor.

Several DVD editions of A BOY AND HIS DOG have been available over the past few years, and all have delivered good letterbox widescreen digital transfers. The current offering from First Run Features is an anamorphic widescreen version, and it also contains an interesting feature commentary and theatrical trailers.

All in all, A BOY AND HIS DOG is a wonderful interpretation of a classic SF novella, and this DVD will make a great entry in the film collections of SF fans who love quirky non-mainstream films.

Post-Apocalyptic Classic
Though not precisely true to the Harlan Ellison story, the film A Boy and His Dog does capture the spirit of the science fiction classic. A very young Don Johnson plays the part of the Boy. Fans of Mad Max, The Postman, and A Canticle for Liebowitz will enjoy this cult classic.

Harlan likes it.
It may not be a perfect adaptation (actually, only the robotic "Michael," the strange pumping machine, and the last line of the film are major differences), but it fares much better than I thought it might when I first had a look. It is low-budget, but the interplay between man and beast, as well as some surprisingly good acting, make up for the lack of funds. It could have been very bad. I've noticed in my screenings of this film for friends, that women tend to dislike the film very much. This could have a lot to do with the ending, which despite what a previous reviewer has said, is quite unambiguous and easy to understand (my 61-year-old mother got it, and actually liked the film). The ending, which is a bit shocking at first, simply fails to fully evoke Ellison's original, more subtle approach.

Harlan Ellison, a man not easily pleased by adaptations (especially of this story, arguably his most personal--at least at the time), has said he really likes this film, but the last line bugs the heck out of him. For those of you who haven't read the story, you should know that Vic never took a bite at the end. He did what he had to do for Blood, but couldn't bring himself to eat. A boy loves his dog. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From a match made in heaven comes a movie spawned in hell! Young hotshot director Robert Rodriquez (El Mariachi, Desperado) teamed up with Pulp Fiction auteur Quentin Tarantino (offering his services as writer and co-star) to make this outrageous, no-holds-barred hybrid of high-octane crime and gruesome horror. QT plays Richard Gecko, a borderline psychopath who breaks his career-criminal brother, Seth (George Clooney), out of prison, after which they rob a bank and leave a trail of dead and wounded in their bloody wake. Then they hijack a mobile home driven by a former Baptist minister (Harvey Keitel) who quit the church after his wife's death and hit the road with his two children (played by Juliette Lewis and Ernest Liu). Heading to Mexico with their hostages, the infamous Gecko brothers arrive at the Titty Twister bar to rendezvous for a money drop, but they don't realize that they've just entered the nocturnal lair of a bloodthirsty gang of vampires! With not-so-subtle aplomb, Rodriguez and Tarantino shift into high gear with a nonstop parade of gore, gunfire, and pointy-fanged mayhem featuring Salma Hayek as a snake-charming dancer whose bite is much worse than her bark. If you're a fan of Tarantino's lyrical dialogue and pop-cultural wit, you'll have fun with the road-movie half of this supernatural horror-comedy, but if your taste runs more to exploding heads and eyeballs, sloppy entrails and morphing monsters, the second half provides a connoisseur's feast of gross-out excess. Bon appétit! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Pulp Fiction Meets Fright Night
I'm a big fan of Tarrentino's work, though he gets alot of bad rap I believe him to be one of the most talented writers alive, starting with Resevoir Dogs, he wrote Natural Born Killers, and Four Rooms, Desperado, and finally coming to From Dusk Till Dawn. This movie was a rocker, holding any clues or hints that there would be deradful horror in the last hour. Teaming up with horror man Robert Rodriguez, they put together this very well made horror movie about two criminal crazy boys [George Clooney, Quentin Tarrentino] who are on the run for Mexico, They kidnap a family on road [Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and the son]and they come to a bar called the T**ty Twisters, they find that the bar is infact an eledged trap for feeding time for the vampires that inhabit it, they have to become a team with their hostages to survive, not to mention a couple other cast members; Fred Williamson, and the Sex Machine. You actually grow to admire the Gecko brothers [Clooney, Tarrentino]and Tarrentino's fine writing, alot of sick and twisted but also real features you'll see, along with bloody vampires nawing on humans, and a sided 4 man battle over a bloody severed body part battle ground, that turns to chaos. The movie was very well put together, starting out with 2 Pulp Fiction guys that run into a bunch of Fright Night vampires, the idea was to act upon the impressionable idea that Stephen King does himself in his novels, that to draw the audience into the story so that they indeed care about the characters and them BAM! vampires come along, you put the characters in this altered world of life and death. This movie is especially good on DVD, the sound is ausome along with the bonus materials, and the wide screen.

Vampires Might Be Hear To Stay With Cult Classic
In the early months of 1995, talented Mexican director Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Desperado, The Faculty) and cunning cinematic guru Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown) merged artistic passions to compose an intricate genre hybrid that evokes both the artists unique sensibilities, emanates mind-bogglingly unthinkable comical insights, and reveals an abrasively hip yet sophisticated screen persona that supplies unforeseen drama within the forum of an exploitation film. Surging with distinctive Tarantino culture dialogue and references, Rodriguez's go-for-broke action sequences, marvelous performances from Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis, Salma Hayek, John Saxon, Tom Savini, and Cheech Marin (in three supporting roles!!!), an unyieldingly concentrated pace, spectacular comedic splicing with its horror elements, splendid gore and make-up effects, and a predominantly mischievous ambiance of unpredictability that leaves any first-time viewer totally in hands of Rodriguez and Tarantino, From Dusk Til Dawn persists in being a heavily entertaining dual genre piece that attains dramatic grandeur, profound performances, and even moving pathos within the framework of exploitation piece.

The film depicts the story of the infamous Gecko Brothers', Seth (George Clooney) and Ritchie (Quentin Tarantino), odyssey from their violent southern Texas exploits to their arrival at the unforgettable Titty Twister bar. Along the way, the Gecko brothers inadvertently blow up a liquor store, hallucinate flirtations and verbal taunts, "accidentally" rape and murder a seemingly docile hostage, and kidnap a disillusioned pastor's family and their motor home on their way to their bar rendezvous across the Mexican border. Though these characters may seem to be the most unsympathetic characters to be rooting for. Tarantino's knack for instilling humanity into his criminals is second to none, and along the way towards the bar and the film's personality switch, through absorbing dialogue, gritty performances, and realistic plot developments (in the Tarantino half), we are given unusually affable characters that allow the audience just enough audience identification with the characters before they are literally placed into hell incarnate. While watching From Dusk Til Dawn, it crucial to note the film's story arc is essentially one-half Tarantino crime tale/ one-half gory horror gore opus. This was done I believe to introduce the characters, personality dynamics, and innate personal tendencies of the people in their real environments before establishing the horror. What happens quite often in horror films of the last two decades is we, the audience, are immediately transported to the improbable before we even really know our characters. The characters of a movie are our conduits into the realm and the story of a movie. Doesn't it seem probable that if we have an enhanced understanding of the characters we might enjoy the film's narrative a lot more? From Dusk Til Dawn follows this mentality to its most logic summation as character and style overcome commercial convention.

Since it release, From Dusk Til Dawn consistently besieges it audiences with an intoxicatingly visceral affront of violence, mayhem, elaborate chaos, and inventive havoc that entertains and delights beyond anyone's expectations. Though definitely not Academy Award material so to speak, From Til Dawn remains a superlative horror extravaganza.

As for the film's new DVD Collector's Series edition, FDTD contains an informative Rodriguez/Tarantino commentary track, a feature length documentary entitled "Full Tilt Boogie", extensive outtakes, deleted scenes, two music videos, the theatrical trailer, and much much more. A Definite Must for any Horror Fan.

Tarantino and Rodriguez? Excellent!
I've watched a couple Quentin Tarantino movies, and I absolutely loved them. I also liked 'Once Upon A Time In Mexico' from Robert Rodriguez. So as you can imagine, when I heard about this movie, I was very excited. Tarantino is a masterful screenwriter, and Rodriguez definitely has decent skills behind the camera.
After watching the movie, I have to criticize one thing. The first half (about) of the movie was flawless, with QT and George Clooney as two Convicts, the Richie and Seth Gecko. When they embark from the first scene on, it seems as though the movie could go any direction and still be entertaining. However, when you throw in a night club that is flocking with vampires (fitfully so, the club is open dusk till dawn), you can't keep the same movie that you had. I give the story a lower score due to the fact that it doesn't fit well. If you couldn't guess from the title, and you hadn't seen the trailer, you would be oblivious to the fact that the second half of this movie is all vampires. I believe it would've worked better as a full movie of either type. Crime or Horror. But nevertheless, I couldn't resist the acting from QT and Clooney, along with Harvey Keitel and Juliette Lewis. Other than my single complaint, I really enjoyed this movie. As bloody and violent as it is, it's just so fun.

queten tarentino-another excellent director
3 people get abducted by an escaped con and his brother and go to mexico.they hang out in a bar full of vampires all night.george clooney is in it.he does an outstanding job as a escaped prisoner.then theres some freaky sex offender type-not necessary!and the 3 hostages.they are some old preacher dude,juliette lewis and some mexican kid.this is not for children.it is by far and away the best of the from dusk till dawn set.there is a post rape scene at the front that could turn a few heads.thier is a mexican stripper who.........well.....strips and of course the always awesome julieete lewis to look at.every role ive ever seen her play she did an excellent job.she is my favorite actress.the hype says this movie rocks and it does.there is a special apperance by cheech also.filthy and brief.juliette lewis and george clooney both do an excellent job but have better films out there.

sucked
this movie was good for the first 40 minutes....after that it just blew REALLY hard. vampires? come on! i felt like i was watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." it had the potential to be a very good movie, but instead pussied out. don't even bother renting this. or option number 2: rent it for the first forty minutes of it, and laugh at the rest. ... Read more

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Rock Hudson stars in this unsettling look at second chances. Banker Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) lives a comfortable, stifling life until he is contacted by a mysterious caller offering "what every middle-aged man wants: complete freedom." Hamilton, with the help of an enigmatic corporation, fakes his own death and starts over in his new swinging-bachelor persona (now played by Rock Hudson). A change of life, though, is not just a change of scenery, and Seconds, for all its thriller aspects, contains some sad and disturbing meditations on the way we make our own prisons. Director John Frankenheimer uses skewed angles, bizarre close-ups, and fisheye lenses to underscore the film's off-kilter tension, and Rock Hudson gives a performance that is light-years removed from Pillow Talk. Well worth watching twice. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Second-to-None
We've all had days where we wished we could escape our ourselves and our lives, to be someone else somewhere else. But even if it were possible, could we really start over? Seconds asks and answers that question - some might argue quite cynically - through some of the most searing and surreal images and dialogue on film, in a story both jarring and emotionally resonant because it tells truths about humanity.

Without giving up too much of the plot, it is difficult to convey just how profoundly disturbing and haunting this film is, even after multiple viewings. From the pipe-organ score by Jerry Goldsmith that breathes with an eerie, heretic fervor; to the distorted faces in the titles by Saul Bass; to the stunning wide-angle black-and-white photography by James Wong Howe; to the peerless direction by John Frankenheimer; and of course, to the career-topping performance of Rock Hudson as the protagonist striking the faustian bargain to trade in his humdrum, middle-age existence for a new beginning, this film is simply one of the most overlooked and underrated gems of '60s cinema.

That it was made nearly 40 years ago is evident because of the film's many on-location shots, but the movie transcends its era and its genre (science fiction?) because it deals with timeless themes and a premise that in today's world of cloning and biotechnology seems increasingly plausible (at least physically). Seconds also remains more chilling than Frankenheimer's more popular masterpiece, The Manchurian Candidate, because it speaks poignantly about something we can all identify with: identity.

The new DVD is very much worth the price of admission: the picture transfer is really superb, and the sound isn't bad relative to most films of its time period. The disc also contains a trailer and a commentary by Frankenheimer. While Frankenheimer's thoughts are informative, I was disappointed that he focused mostly on technical aspects of the movie (e.g., "here's James Wong using the wide-angle lens again . . . ). I wish he had provided more insights about plot and thematic elements; maybe he thought these were better off left to the viewer to figure out. You likely won't be able to rent this one at Blockbuster, because unfortunately it remains a cult classic only.

Seconds is director John Frankenheimer and lead actor Rock Hudson's finest hour, and I can't recommend it more highly. This is one movie that will make you think differently about yourself, your life, and your loved ones.

Second to None
We've all had days when we wished we could escape our ourselves and our lives, to be someone else somewhere else. But even if it were possible, could we really start over? Seconds asks and answers that question - some might argue quite cynically - through some of the most searing and surreal images and dialogue on film, in a story both jarring and emotionally resonant because it tells truths about humanity.

Without giving up too much of the plot, it is difficult to convey just how profoundly disturbing and haunting this film is, even after multiple viewings. From the pipe-organ score by Jerry Goldsmith that breathes with an eerie, heretic fervor; to the distorted faces in the titles by Saul Bass; to the stunning wide-angle black-and-white photography by James Wong Howe; to the peerless direction by John Frankenheimer; and of course, to the career-topping performance of Rock Hudson as the protagonist striking the faustian bargain to trade in his humdrum, middle-aged life for a new beginning, this film is simply one of the most overlooked and underrated gems of '60s cinema.

That it was made nearly 40 years ago is evident because of the film's many on-location shots, but the movie transcends its era and its genre (science fiction?) because it deals with timeless themes and a premise that in today's world of ..biotechnology seems increasingly plausible (at least physically). Seconds also remains more chilling than Frankenheimer's more popular masterpiece, The Manchurian Candidate, because it speaks poignantly about something we can all identify with: identity.

The new DVD is very much worth the price of admission: the picture transfer is really superb, and the sound isn't bad relative to most films of its time period. The disc also contains a trailer and a commentary by Frankenheimer. While Frankenheimer's thoughts are informative, I was disappointed that he focused mostly on technical aspects of the movie (e.g., "here's James Wong using the wide-angle lens again . . . ). I wish he had provided more insights about plot and thematic elements; maybe he thought these were better off left to the viewer to figure out. You likely won't be able to rent this one at Blockbuster, because unfortunately it remains a cult classic only.

Seconds is director John Frankenheimer and lead actor Rock Hudson's finest hour, and I can't recommend it more highly. This is one movie that will at least make you think - perhaps even differently - about yourself, your life, and your loved ones.

Seconds
Perhaps the most unknown and under appreciated American film of all time. John Frankenheimer at his edgiest and most paranoid. Rock Hudson is brilliantly cast as the young reincarnation of a middle-aged man who under goes surgery to regain his youth. A film truly ahead of its time and an inspiration to filmmakers everywhere. Story is told brilliantly with some of the most inventive camera work ever!

Frankenheimer's Trippy Twilight-Zonish Masterpiece
Seconds is probably the trippiest film you're likely to see. It stars Rock Hudson as Tony, a "reborn" of John Randolph (one of the actors blacklisted under McCarthy). It's ostensibly about this guy in a midlife crisis who is forced into this super secret organization that creates second lives for people by giving them new identities. This film hit so close to home for Rock he nearly broke down during filming.

At first glance the second chance at life looks great. A new identity, a house on the beach, and a beautiful new girlfriend in the seemingly hippyish Nora (Salome Jens). Then things go downhill and into a nightmarish realm. Really the whole film is a surreal nightmare, from the meat packing district to Randolph being drugged to out-of-proportion camera lenses and strange angles. And especially inside the reborn offices; what happens there is utterly otherworldly. Filmed in black and white this captures an experiment in surrealism that a major director wouldn't dare attempt today. And like all great '60s films this has a '60s feel and atmosphere to it. Especially when Nora and Tony go to a hippy festival, though Tony feels out of place there; after all he was formerly a square banker.

When Beach Boy Brian Wilson saw this film when it was released in 1966 he literally went insane. He believed Phil Spector was beaming him secret messages through the film to sabotage his career (the main character's last name was Wilson which may have added to his paranoia). But for a relatively healthy viewer it won't drive you insane...but it'll definitely have an effect on you.

If one had to pin down what this film is a metaphor for, it would have to be the old alienation of modern society theme, but here with an intense sci-fi-like twist. A must for all Frankenheimer fans, Rock Hudson fans, and/or '60s afficionados.

A Disturbing Mid-Life Crisis
Without question, "Seconds" is a disturbing and unique film. It's odd, unclassifiable, and not easily forgettable. It is also one of the few films that will upset you with each subsequent viewing. The passing of John Hamilton gives me pause to reflect on this underrated films - one of the best dramas of the mid-1960s, and one of the best psychological thrillers ever put to film.

John Randolph is Arthur Hamilton, a man haunted by the thought of life passing him by. Arthur is brought to a strange agency, and is given a unique opportunity: the agency will erase Arthur's old persona via a convenient faked death, perform plastic surgery, and give him a new life as a "second". Rock Hudson plays Tony Wilson, his post-surgery "second" persona. In his new "second" identity, Tony learns that a new body and new identity don't address his need for individuality. Tony never lets go of his supreme self-centeredness, which eventually leads to his downfall.

The film settles in the pit of your stomach with several strange and unsettling scenes. At the agency, he meets a friend who has something on his mind...he seems very intent that Arthur adopts a "second" identity. When Tony awakes from surgery he is bandaged, and is told not to talk because his teeth have been removed. As he recovers, he is given a strange personality and occupational aptitude battery (I have never trusted these after seeing this movie!) Eventually After having too much to drink, he realizes all of his friends are fellow "seconds". Tony visits his wife, who think's he's dead. The gravity of Arthur/Tony's choice is clear; he can never go back. Eventually Tony returns to the agency, and is asked to suggest fellow clients...he never realizes the danger of not ponying up a new candidate. And the final scene...I won't spoil it, but you'll feel cold afterwards.

Hudson is brilliantly and presciently cast, as it was made before his sexuality was common knowledge. It's little wonder that "Seconds" is recognized as Hudson's best work. John Randolph as the gray, depressed Arthur Hamilton is overshadowed by Hudson, but his understated performance is critical to the Hudson's portrayal as Hamilton's "second" chance. Never a great actor, Murray Hamilton is at his best as a frightened agency client - we know why he's nervous, but wonder why Arthur can't see it. Will Geer is eerie and unforgettable as the agency's patriarch, who waxes philosophical with his failed clients. Frankenheimer's work is brilliant. "Seconds" takes a toll on it's viewers, and I find that I have to steel myself to watch this great film again. Strongly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (279)

Amazing
I saw The Wall because I really like Pink Floyd's music and was curious how the movie would look. I'm sorry to anyone who disagrees, but I think that this movie is amazing and Roger Waters is a genius. Bob Geldof was awesome in this role and I really liked the little kid who played him as a child. The movie is basically an analysis of how we build a figurative wall around ourselves to block out the world which everyone, like it or not, can relate too. The movie is insane, it doesn't stay put or follow the conventional setup of how we think a movie should be done, very much like Pink who is basically going crazy. It was a very imaginative and creative venture. Pink Floyd's The Wall makes you pay attention to what's going on, you get wrapped up in trying to figure out what exactly is happening and I must admit it can be confusing at times but it's well worth the trouble. The music really adds another dimension to the movie that you don't normally get with dialog. And of course, Pink Floyd is super-cool and amazing, so the music is very beautiful and full of life and vivid emotions. The animation is just incredible it flows in an odd fluid sort of way, it seems very different from what you normally see. Some of the themes are (gasp) dark and to watch it you're going to need an open mind, sorry! This movie may not be for everyone but I think everyone should at least try it and see what they get out of it. It's very different, very confusing at times, but very worth it. Buy the soundtrack too!! This is an incredible movie, it's different, like everything about Pink Floyd and so incredibly original it blows my mind. Watch it!!

"Spectacular Failure???" What movie did THEY see?!
I don't get it...how can film critics continue to fail in their reviews of the conceptual film that so perfectly visualizes Roger Waters' utterly brilliant concept album "Pink Floyd The Wall"? Why can't they seem to appreciate a movie that all Pink Floyd fans I've ever known (including myself) find to be such a tremendous interpretation, albeit it at times an admittedly depressing one?

What we have is a character study of A Big Rock Star who could be anyone but is actually a combination of two former founding Pink Floyd bandmates, Syd Barrett and (project mastermind) Roger Waters. The rock star ("Pink Floyd", played by Sir Bob Geldof, pre-"Band-Aid" and knighthood) has had a rather interesting life which is shown in flashback (and the occasional animated hallucinatory) sequence to World War II (where his father, like Roger Waters' own dad, was killed in action in Italy). Awkward in childhood without a father (unusual in those days) and castigated by schoolmasters (at one time busted during class for writing "poetry" -actually the lyrics to the Floydian signature piece "Money"), Pink eventually hits it big, marries...and then begins to lose control of it all, eventually leading to the meltdown that is occurring in...what is supposed to be a hotel room in the Hollywood Hills during yet another tour.

It's a bit mainstream to be considered an "art flick", but it has settled comfortably into "cult flick" status, deservedly so. Roger Waters' original inspirations that led to the Wall" album -increasing distance between the artists and their fans, alienation from societal institutions such as school, the death of a father Roger Waters never knew, the eventual insanity of close friend Syd Barrett- are all well-covered and simply enough portrayed so that subtle symbolism is never needed. The movie stands as a perfect visual accompaniment to the album...and in fact is a bit broader, particularly considering the extra themes written for the flashback scenes involving Pink's father.

For me the best of the smorgasbord of extra features is the commentary track, if only to actually hear Roger Waters' input and insights (and his brilliant Irish accent when mimicking Bob Geldof). Waters has a deserved reputation for being a bit reclusive when dealing with the media, so getting a chance to hear him discussing one of Pink Floyd's defining moments is particularly enjoyable for me as a Pink Floyd fan. He DID make it a point to mention that he thought the film was a bit too dark and didn't reflect the humor that he felt was found throughout "The Wall" as an album. I listened to "The Wall" again after hearing that comment and have yet to understand what the hell he was talking about. If there's any humor in "The Wall" at all, I've never heard it. It always seemed as brilliant and as heavy and darkly depressing as the movie is...which is probably why I've always liked the movie. See it if you haven't. If you've ever wondered what Pink Floyd was about, see this movie. Like the band itself, you'll either love it passionately or you just won't get it at all.

Cynicism run amuck...
It seems to me that Roger Waters has us all fooled, that this was actually a parody of the highest order. If you watch the interview with him on the bonus materials on the DVD, you can almost see him smile when he discusses the inspiration for this film. It's a film that we read into it what we will. To a small degree, it is autobiographical (most everyone knows about the incident when he spit on a fan during the Animals tour).

Taking that as a leaping off point, he takes the conclusion of the absurdity of the rock star life to its logical end. And it is brilliant. Pink Floyd was simply not the same after the breakup.

It is visually and viscerally stunning. I used to watch this over and over again and it seemed to tap into what I was feeling at the time and it provided comfort, a sense that someone else could relate to the isolation and loneliness I felt, even in the midst of people. I had to replace my vinyl record several times because I listened to it so much. The movie provides eye candy for the songs.

The plot is quite simple: Pink ('by the way, which one's Pink?') is a rock star whose about had enough of the excess and snaps, journeying into his brain way too far. We see the meltdown unfold and follow the transition to something much more frightening, gaining a vision of just how far human vanity can take us. The songs and the visuals form a cohesive whole.

Sure it's pretentious and takes itself too seriously at times - but isn't that the point? It works.

It's one of the darker takes on this life but it nails it brilliantly. You'll find that many of the scenes are bigger than the context of the film. Many of them could be related to events in the political or social sphere of then and today.

It's a bit dated, perhaps, or I've merely gotten older. But the extras on the DVD make it worthwhile, including the video for 'Hey You' featuring footage that didn't make it into the film.

This movie screwed my life up
This movie screwed my head up.You probably have to be stoned to wach this.I will never look at anything the same again.

still looks and sounds fresh after 22 years
I have owned this film on VHS for many years, so I was not in a big rush to buy the DVD...but I'm sure glad I did ! This is one of the rare instances where a movie complements the music instead of diminishing it (unlike Quadrophenia, for example...)

This is one film that I can't stop watching - once it starts I'm hooked until the end. The 90 minutes really fly by. And to those who say the real life and animation do not comfortably coexist - I say "rubbish !" the transitions are smooth and seamless. My favorite part is when the school kids, with their faceless masks, are marched through the factory and into the grinder. Classic Pink Floyd. And I say Bob Geldof's portrayal of Pink is flawless. Buy this DVD - you won't regret it ! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Lost Lynch Shows on DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!
For anyone interested in this or David's other short lived show called ON THE AIR, you can find them on DVD at WWW.REVOK.COM. Enjoy! I hope I helped someone out!

david lynch on cable tv
for those lynch completists out there( and i must be one of them), this is a must have & is extremely difficult to find. i had actually caught hotel room on HBO many a moon ago but it took me awhile to find this on vhs. god willing, one day i will own the dvd of this. trust me, you should already know whether or not you like the work of david lynch & should need little persuasiopn on my end if you do. hotel room is actualyl three vignettes which really have nothing to do with one another other than the mere fact thye all take place in the same creepy hotel. as with most lynch films, there is a strange & surreal atmosphere which crawls underneath your skin. you might pinch yourself every once in awhile just to make sure you haven't actually slipped into the world of lynchian madness. there is betrayal, murder, & madness here as you would expect to find but all stories will keep you guessing & scratching your heads as we've come to expect through classics. think blue velvet, twin peaks, or his last great masterpiece mulholland drive. if you didn't appreciate or understand those films, i seriously doubt you will have much use for or enjoy hotel room. the performances here are nearly stellar & my favorite vignette was the last one with crispin glover & the underrated actress alicia witt. the first & the second vignette(both directed by david himself) are bound to give you the chills or make you feel atleast a lil' uneasy after viewing. it's really a shame that lynch's work is not all readily available on dvd but what's sadder is the high prices we would have to pay for import copies or cheap bootlegs for alll those completists out there. contrary to most people's belief, you cna actually get eraserhead on dvd but you have to purchase it through the david lynch.com website for right now or settle for those cheap bootlegs on ebay which really suck. if hotel room never sees the light of day on dvd, perhaps HBO would bve so kind as to let us all see hotel room again sometime for those who can't find the vhs copy of this little known masterpiece. long live david lynch !!

Lynch in Obscurity
Originally an HBO production with three unseemingly related stories that all take place in the same Hotel Room. I would not reccomend this film to just anyone, but to die-hard David Lynch fans, they might eat this up. As much as I love Lynch's work, this one was tough to swallow. Although the stories themselves were intriguing, I cant say they went beyond that, nor did I see any connection between them. This film remains a strange one without the mystery and suspense of classic Lynch film.

It is a mystery why this movie has not been re-released.
I'm not quite sure what the previous reviewer was referring to, exactly. The movie is in three scenes, the last one of which is equal in length to the first two combined. Though the first two scenes are relatively uneventful, the third scene is most certainly a masterpiece. It is a work of genius - the enormous levels of tension wrung out of so little dialogue. It's a shame that HBO does not frequently re-release their older videos.

Not a healthy relationship to be found, but illness to amuse
This is an arrangement of scenes between men and women that displays a complex mess of cynicism and childish vulnerability. John Irving might appreciate how it wrings a twisted amusement out of you. Laughing at insanity, knowing possibly it's seed is squirrelled away inside you, is an interesting sensation. Which is why some people laugh at 'South Park' and 'The Simpsons' too. A great date movie. ... Read more

Description

After World War II, writer-director Liliana Cavani interviewed a Nazi-concentration camp survivor who had been involved in a sadomasochistic relationship with a brutal guard.That interview was the inspiration for this perverse and explicit cult classic ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Not likely to pop up late night on TBS.
Despite the misleading cover photo, this is not another stab at exploitive and kitschy WW2 sick humor a la "Ilsa:She-Wolf of the SS", but a far more ambitious and artful work of cinema. Disturbing and repulsive, yet quite compelling, "The Night Porter" brilliantly uses a depiction of sado-masochism and pycho-sexual politics as an effective allusion to the horror of Hitler's Germany. Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling are both broodingly decadent as a former SS officer and concentration camp survivor, respectively, who end up in a twisted, doomed relationship years after the war. You would have to search high and low to find two braver performances than Bogarde and Rampling give in this complex story (Harvey Keitel and Holly Hunter in "The Piano" comes the closest). Like the film "Seven Beauties", the "sex" you think you're watching is really a subliminal lesson on the ugly politics of facism and oppression. Obviously, this is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but recommended for any cinema buff up for a challenge.

Mediocre at Best
I just received my copy of the Criterion Collection edition of Liliana Cavani's 1974 drama The Night Porter. Upon reflection, I cannot even imagine myself sitting through this film one more time. The premises are so interesting and the story has SO much potential. The synopses I read online for this movie made it seem so incredibly interesting.

At the beginning, when the story is beginning to be established, there are some extraordinary moments that, with amazing subtlety captivate one's imagination and disturb one at the same time. However, once these premises are established the film stagnates. It is extremely slow paced (something I have NO problem with), but once I understood the film, the last hour of it seemed excuciatingly boring. The underlying message is that people never change, or at least, a terrible event like the Holocaust keeps all those involved in it--both victim and victimizer--forever captive. Neither Max, his lover/victim, nor his ex-Nazi comrades can get away from the Holocaust. Cavani takes too long trying to visualize this.

Another detraction from the movie is that it is an English-language movie written by a non-English speaker. The acting by some of the secondary actors is just plain bad.

Though packed with potential for greatness and some superb moments, The Night Porter is ultimately disappointing.

Doesn't it sound exciting?
It's really not. Who'd a-thunk a film with subject matter as sensational as this could be so dull? And not even a respectable, important dull. This is BORING. You WILL be disappointed. Not that I expect you to move along and pick something else, but when you come back to this page to add your own "0 STARS" review, just remember I told you so.

a distubing film
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

13 years after the end or WWII, a concentration camp survivor, meets her former captor/lover working as a porter at a hotel in Vienna. They then resume their odd, sadomasochistic relationship.

The film had much less [adult content] in it than I would expect from a film with relationships described that way. It also has several flashback scenes. The film still has nudity and [adult content] but less than many R rated films that are around today. There are several former SS officers living in Vienna who are hiding from the international community trying to jail them for their crimes.

The DVD has no special features which is not common for Criterion Collection releases, but as always had the liner noted and the film is presented in it's original theactrical aspect ratio.

Ehhhhhh. It was Alright...Nothing great.
I keep reading all these reviews (the ones that made me buy the flick in the first place) talk about how great this movie is.....It's ok. I wouldn't tell anyone to go out and rent it, alone buy it. I love Criterion dvds and collect them, this one is definitely on my watch a couple times list. It's not that I'm offended or anything, it's just kind of average. I watched it twice and I don't hate it but I wouldn't buy it for over $15. Criterion has no extras and the transfer is grainy. There is a hair in the lens for awhile too. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Roger Vadim's directorial debut is more titillation than continental cool, but it broke box-office records and censorship taboos in its teasing display of sex and eroticism in the sunny vacation playground of the Saint-Tropez seashore. Vadim ushered in the era of continental attitudes toward sex and christened the voluptuous Brigitte Bardot (his wife) the world's original sex kitten: earthy, innocent, and all fleshy curves. Bardot is Juliette, a pouty child-woman orphan prone to nude sunbathing and playful flirting. Though pursued by a rich widower (Curt Jurgens) and attracted to the brawny fisherman Antoine (Christian Marquand), she marries Antoine's shy younger brother Michel (Jean-Louis Trintignant), an earnest, innocent kid hardly older than she but far less worldly. Despite her sincere efforts to "be good," Juliette gives in to Michel's advances, setting off a chain of events that ends in fraternal conflict.Vadim keeps the display of skin this side of an R rating, but only barely, teasing the male audience with skimpy outfits, barely concealing sheets, and often conveniently arranged scenery. Bohemian Bardot frolics through the film with nary a self-conscious moment, culminating in a passionate mambo, her pent-up frustration and sexual confusion exploding in a mad dance as bongos pound away on the soundtrack. Who needed Viagra in the '50s when Bardot was around? --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (16)

And God Created Brigitte
From a time when movies were more about character development and less about explosions and effects. I purchased this DVD out of curiosity and now I adore this movie_ especially Brigitte Bardot's character_ wow, what a babe! This is way cool retro cinema_it's funny, it's witty, it's shocking, it's roguish and it's definitely unpredictable. Reminds me of the movies by Radley Metzger, set in Europe. The restoration of the negatives are flawless, and the colors of the film have been revitalized, but nevermind that, if you've never seen this film before, or even Brigitte Bardot, prepare to fall inlove.

never a boring moment
I have seen this film many, many times and I never tire of it. While some people say Brigitte Bardot was not a talented actress, she had a very believable, charismatic presence and her character Juliette was at times innocent, vulnerable and brazen. She is an orphan living by her own rules in a stuffy small town (St Tropez) and is searching for the place she "belongs". This search leads her to stray from her husband, only to find that where she belongs all along is by his side. I think the movie was done very well both visually and though the script was simple, the actors made up for it.

a groundbreaking film
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This release was supervised by director Roger Vadim who died while the DVD was being produced.

This film highly controversal at the time of the release in the US (it was considered racy) but is tame by today's standards.
It got a PG rating for it's 1978 rerelease in the US

The film was also remade in 1988 by the same director and title and the remake got an R rating.

The original French title is "Et Dieu créa la femme"

The film is about a young woman whose hedonistic tendencies cause problems in the town she is living in. Her husband attempts to calm her but that also causes problems.

The Criterion DVD has a theatrical trailer in English and there is also a restoration demonstration.

sparks flying off your screen
In all her 48 movies, Brigitte Bardot never catches public imagination with more effect than she does here. Paradise on earth is just around the corner, she tells us, making the sparks fly off your screen. This edition is the new one, by the way, cleaned up in 2000. You will appreciate its fine use of colors.

That really is all there is to say about this movie. But it's enough. More than enough. It is exactly the reason why 'Et Dieu créa la femme' (= And God created woman) is immortal.

not so secret indulgence
ah Brigitte you were once my idol. Seeing you again after 40 some years, just as fresh, just as fabulous ( in both senses) as you ever were is a real high. They may have shot JFK and lifted Linda Tripp's face, if not her moral compass, but you are the magic. Je t'adore! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Not exactly Sandy Wilson's The Boy Friend, but...
...it's a wonderful (and hilarious) movie!!
Most of the play is in this movie (on stage), but everything funny in this movie is on stage but has to do with things off stage or off stage.
I love the show, The Boy Friend and I am not at all offended at what Ken Russell did with it: one of the mains things is the Busby Berkeley style numbers (hilarious).
Other things I like about this movie is much of the casting: Twiggy is absolutely wonderful as Polly; Glenda Jackson makes an unforgettable appearence as Rita; Moyra Fraser has a great stage presence, playing Mme Dubonnet; Antonia Ellis is hilarious and steals the movie as the jerky Maisie; Georgina Hale is both cold and sweet as Fay; Tommy Tune could not have been better as Tommy (originally Bobby); Barbara Windsor is priceless as Hortense; Sally Bryant is great as the thick-headed Nancy; Murray Melvin is sweet as Alphonse; Max Adrien is fun as The Show's Director and Catherine Willmer is delightful as the Director's uptight wife.
I didn't really care much for Vladek Sheybal (De Thrill). I thouht he could have done much better. Christopher Gable (Tony) is much better off as a dancer. And Bryan Pringle was pretty lifeless.
The dream sequences are beautifully put together and wonderful with Christopher Gable's choreogrophy. The sets were beautiful (and way too complicated for an actual performance of The Boy Friend) and the props were hilarious. The backstage charactor personalities (along with reat actors) contributed so much to making this film funny. And I couldn't get enough of Busby Berkeley styled numbers.
As for singing: Twiggy suprised me with her nice and gentle voice; Antonia Ellis sung with many diferent levels and she was great at it; Tommy Tune can sing, of course; Barbara Windsor's voice may not have been beautiful, but her voice is warm and charming and that absolutely fit the part she played; Georgina Hale's voice is thin and a little flat, but her seductive tone fit her (offstage charector) part; Moyra Fraser may be the only one who SANG all the way through "Fancy Forgetting," but I wasn't convinced that she could actually sing. When she spoke through songs, I felt that it was to cover up the fact that she has an exremely limited range, however "Fancy Foretting" was good; Max Adrian sung just right for his character (while carrying a tune), but outside of that, he probably wouldn't be on Broadway; Christopher Gable was good; Bryan Prinle was also good.
The movie also has many memorable moments:
Maisie (snobbish) [Offstage Charactor]: Don't cry Polly, you weren't that bad.
Tommy's Life Story
Rita's entire part
Everything Polly had to do to memorize lines
Maisie's ad-libs/Attempt to seduce De Thrill
Fay's attempt to seduce De Thrill
Nancy trying to learn French
Bad Props (on stage)
...and many, many more.
The reason that I give this movie 5 stars instead of 4 or 3 (which my review may sound like thats right) is that I can re-watch it and still find it Fabulous! This movie is definetly going on my 10 Funniest Movies list!

That certain thing called...MAGIC.
This year 2003 marked the 50th anniversary of Sandy's Wilson's THE BOY FRIEND. Not only the stage musical is a hit but Ken's Russell's film The Boy Friend should have given more credits.The film was cleverly put togther and the production is A class.At the right time this film should get a lot of oscar nominations for best director, best choreography and most of all best musical. If ever they produce the 50th anniversary cd of this UK muiscal you should buy it. Just to hear Lilian Montevecchi singing as Madame Dubonnet is worth getting the cd.

Twiggy's show
No this is not based on the original "Boy Friend", so all of you original fans will have to go elsewhere. I thought the original was outdated so was delighted with Ken Russell adding a backstage story and straight out going druggy.. I think 30 minutes should have been edited, (explains why it's only 4.)
The main surprise in this movie is Twiggy. People who dismissed her as a phase in modeling should watch this. She sang wonderfully back in the 70's. She had a sweet gentle voice. I think the soundtrack of this movie should be released. I just bought the record and am happy with it. Also this movie is flat out magical. I had many daydreams about it when I was 15.

I LOVED THIS BUT........
Say what you will - it's not the sweet stage version but it's pretty wild - and how great is TWIGGY?

Now, if I loved this movie then why only 3 stars instead of 4 or 5? Simple... the darn video was modified to "fit my screen". If a movie ever deserved widescreen letterbox, it's THIS one! In fact, some of the musical numbers are so large, the video pops into widescreen for them and then retuns to formatted when finished (wouldn't that be even harder to do?!).

Anyway, if you're listening MGM, it's time to release this one on DVD, letterbox - and don't forget to add lots of tasty tid-bits... how bout comentary by Tommy Tune, Twiggy, Glenda Jackson and Ken Russell???

By the way, the stage version is really wonderful and deserving of a Broadway revival - the movie is indeed VERY different and in some ways Ken Russell erases the innocence of the stage version - but for a film, this movie is GREAT... just eliminate your expectations of what the stage version is like because there's no comparison.

What tha......??????
I have had the good fortune to work on a production of the original Broadway musical script and score of "The Boy Friend" written by Sandy Wilson. This video of the same show (supposedly) is incredibly derivative and quite frankly, frightening. I wish I could give it 0 stars, but.... "The Boy Friend" VHS is a mix of "42nd Street," "Noises Off," and some horrible acid trip. Twiggy - as good as she is in other vehicles - is simpering and annoying in this one. The fun of the original has been removed - gone are the carefree spoofs of love, gone is the energetic silliness of the girls, gone is the utter fun of the typical "boy meets girl/boy loses girl over misunderstanding/boy and girl get it together for the end" theme of the late 20's and early 30's movie musicals. In my opinion, this was a misguided attempt at.... something. I haven't figured out exactly what yet. Please see and enjoy and have FUN at the original stage show being performed in your area and ignore this bit of druggy tripe... you'll feel better in the morning. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

ken russell is the antichrist!
The main problem of this film is that it fell into the hands of Ken Russell, England's bad boy of cinema. He had a chance to make The Who's amazing rock opera into a visual treat--and totally let his penchant for garish imagry and bad taste ruin it! Perhaps if the project fell into the hands of a better director (Alan Parker, Stanley Kubrick, Norman Jewison, anyone!) then this would be a better film.

For those unfamiliar with the story, "Tommy" is about a boy who becomes psychosomaticaly blind, mute, and deaf after watching his mother's new boyfriend (Oliver Reed) kill his father (it was the father killing the boyfriend in the original album). His parents take him to see a Marilyn Monroe worshipping cult led by a barefoot Eric Clapton (probably a satire of Catholicism, the very same religion Russell converted to) and the hooker/junkie the Acid Queen (played brilliantly by Tina Turner). He is abused by his Cousin Kevin and Uncle Ernie (Keith Moon), and defeats the Pinball Wizard (Elton John). After Tommy is cured, he becomes a false messiah.

Russell's verion does away with the spiritual vibes of Pete Townshead's original concept and makes the film more of an anti-organized religion message. Russell also includes images that absolutely make no sense (young Tommy with a box over his head on a beach, Tommy's father in a crucifix pose, and let's not forget the beans and chocolate coming out of the TV). Oliver Reed cannnot sing to save his life, and Ann Margaret's performance (although she was nominated for Best Actress) is pure ham. Plus, the original rock music that made the album so great is replaced by an overkill of synthesizers! You can't help but laugh at how absurd it is.

Bottom line: go get the original Who album and let your imagination do the rest!

not great in my eyes
holy shizzle. I really got bored with all of Daltrey's shirtless scenes and his running around, swimming and whiny babbling. not for my taste. Oliver Reed and Ann Margaret are smashed as Daltry's parents and Jack Nicholson only has a cameo part. like I said before it wasnt great in my eyes

Nicholson Croons, Ann Margret Swims in Beans & Chocolate..
...and, I heartily concur that The Acid Queen and EJ in those huge platforms nearly steal the show. Daltry is adequate as Tommy, since most of the lead vocals done in the original production are his, but he's like Ross in The Wiz. A touch older than what's required. 'Salright, I guess. For campiness and for whatever makes a cult film, this has it. I would dig seeing a remake with current stars. Lessee, Ashton Kusher as Tommy, Demi Moore as the Mom, Jack Black as Uncle Ernie, Beyonce as The Acid Queen, and Justin Timberlake as the Pinball Wizard's foil...I can see Timberlake in those platforms

See it for Eric, Elton, and Tina.
When this movie came out I was in high school and the consensus amongst the oh-so cool high school rock critics was that "Tina Turner's pelvis saved the movie!" Turns out, we may have been overly harsh; the Eric Clapton and Elton John scenes are also worth a peek. But in the end, without Clapton paying homage to Maryln Monroe, John's Pinball Wizard, and the amazing-beyond-belief Turner as the Acid Queen, this movie would only be laughable.

who's inconsistent?
After seeing the broadway version and listening to the movie soundtrack, I was anxious to see the video. Unfortunately the movie was a disappointment from the start, beginning with a shaky zoom on a waterfall and continuing through some drug inspired but shoddy special effects. The music is - as always - spectacular and it was nice to see a different take on the plot from the one in the Broadway version. The movie is worth renting just to see the masses pay homage to a huge porcelain Marilyn Monroe and the bizarre, syringe covered armour that appears during the "Acid Queen" number. Also memorable are Elton John's outfit (aren't they all memorable??) and the number where Mrs Walker shatters her TV screen allowing a flood of baked beans to spread across her bedroom.

Final advice: rent, don't buy. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Saturday Night Fever is one of those movies that comes along and seems to change the cultural temperature in a flash. After the movie's release in 1977, disco ruled the dance floors, and ablow-dried member of a TV-sitcom ensemble became the hottest star in the country. For all that, the story is conventional: a 19-year-old Italian-American from Brooklyn, Tony Manero (John Travolta), works in a humble paint store and lives with his family. After dark, he becomes the polyester-clad stallion of the local nightclub; Tony's brother, a priest, observes that when Tony hits the dance floor, the crowd parts like the Red Sea before Moses. Director John Badham captures the electric connection between music and dance, and also the desperation that lies beneath Tony's ambitions to break out of his limited world. The soundtrack, which spawned a massively successful album, is dominated by the disco classics of the Bee Gees, including "Staying Alive" (Travolta's theme during the strutting opening) and "Night Fever." The Oscar-nominated Travolta, plucked from the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter, for his first starring role, is incandescent and unbelievably confident, and his dancing is terrific. Oh, and the white suit rules. (Note: Saturday Night Fever was cut from its original R-rated version after its initial release in order to obtain a PG rating. The PG version is 11 minutes shorter and is missing parts of scenes and some street talk. Both versions are available on video.) --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (93)

The Disco Era Classic Film
In 1977 not everybody knew what the innovative disco music was, and to what extent night clubing was going on. This film depicts John Travolta as Brookyn's Tony Manero, hero to the dance floor. His dead end job at a paint store makes him live for The Saturday Night disco scene. Travolta meets Karen Gorney and enters a dance contest with her but she refuses his sexuall advances. Gorney sees herself going to Manhattan to move on with her life. Travolta sees her as a snob. One local girl played by Donna Pescow likes Travolta but is pushed away by him for Gorneys character since she's a better dancer and Pescow is considered boring. What underlies is Trvoltas often at odds relationship with his family. Racial gang wars and a friend you can't help but wonder about his sexuality. Not only did this movie imitate the era, it influenced the next seven years with it's record selling soundtrack and the great timing in which some of the best nightclubs in America remained open. The movies message is vague but lets you fill in the blanks as Travoltas (Manero) becomes fed up with his existing lifestyle. Moviegoers became so enthralled with it, it would continue into the mid 80's. A PG version was recut to feature the dancing and less social conciousness with virtually no explicit language. This movie had one of the biggest impacts of late 70's films!

More relevant after all these years
After reading all the reviews, the one by Gareth from Disco Mountain hits it right on the head. I loved it when it came out almost 25 years ago, I think it's a masterpiece now. There's no dead space in that movie. When you consider all the issues raised, it's astounding that more people don't see the authenticity and humanity within all the flaws of the characters. What Badham did was create a seamless integration of many contemporary themes, and they still hold today in some other neighborhood anywhere in the world. First, it has some of the most natural dialogue ever written. Gritty and powerful and sexy. When I first saw it, I reacted to it with passion. Today, I see the brilliant writing and directing, and those issues! feminism, racism, class consciousness, family dysfunction, religious uncertainty, teenage angst, the inevitable changes encroaching the neighborhood. And all these social commentaries to the beat of nonstop, exhilirating music. The apathy and despair in the family scenes alone go right to the gut. I know these people! Finally, blend that in with those great Brooklyn accents, the dancing, Travolta and company, and you've got one of the most authentic movies made in the last 25 years.

Admit it
You liked this movie when it came out. And John Travolta's dancing was possibly the coolest thing you'd ever seen. Then came the disco backlash and it suddenly was uncool. Which is unfair because this movie is a classic of time and place, despite it's technical flaws (the occasional visible boom mike, obvious reuse of 2nd unit dance footage, and conversations where lips aren't moving.) Not for nothing was this the late, great Gene Siskel's favorite movie instead of say, Roller Boogie or Can't Stop the Music.

I was going to write about some of the best scenes from this movie but who HASN'T seen it? Instead, let's just focus on this DVD. It does have some extras which are always nice but they are on the skimpy side. There are 3 deleted scenes that are largely throw-aways. I'm curious why they didn't include the extra footage they used for the PG version which includes more dance scenes. There is a decent VH1 Behind the Music episode about it. If you saw it when it was on, then there's no reason to see it again; although it does have some fabulous rehearsal footage of John that's definitely worth viewing. The best of the bunch is director John Badham's commentary which is very good and exactly what a director commentary should be-peppered with amusing trivia (e.g. the lady who played Travolta's grandmother kept presenting him with scenes she had written to beef up her part), technical details, and wry humor. And plus you have a true screen classic on DVD. Re-watch it after all these years and still discover something new to enjoy.

Any night fever
John Travolta makes his starring film debut in this film as Tony Manero,a paint store sales associate who during the day is at the store and is at the real non-existent 2001 Odyssey discotheque and nightclub at night. Karen Lynn Gorney is Stephanie Mangano,a girl Tony meets at a dance studio. They'd later go to 2001 Odyssey together. Tony still lives with his mom,dad and his little sister in Brooklyn and in the last scene,announces to Stephanie his plan to move to Manhattan where she lives. Tony's buddies went with him to the nightclub also. Tony loses his job at the paint store after he takes a day off against his boss's authority. Tony is later reinstated. John Travolta was the star of TV's "Welcome Back Kotter" when he made this film. It wouldn't be long after wrapping up this film that he'd do his next starring film "Grease" with singer Olivia Newton-John. The soundtrack album is the biggest-selling in pop music history thanks in part to 5 songs on the album by the Bee Gees. Their composition IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU,was recorded by Yvonne Elliman. The Bee Gees would later record the song themselves. However,there are 2 versions of MORE THAN A WOMAN on the album,recorded by the Bee Gees and Tavares. Get a load of,in one of the first scenes,Travolta strutting while simultaneously eating two slices of pizza! The Matrix in Bay Ridge,Brooklyn now stands where 2001 Odyssey did. In addition to the Bee Gees,we hear great songs by K.C. and the Sunshine Band,Kool & The Gang and even the Trampps' DISCO INFERNO(10 minutes and 52 seconds in length on the album). Director John Badham later directed Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn in BIRD ON A WIRE. There's also in the film,Donna Pescow as Annette,who was Tony's girlfriend before Stephanie and Martin Shakar as Tony's minister brother,who quit the priesthood and returned home. After its theatrical release 26 years ago,SNF remains one of the most popular all-time films.

YOU SHOULD BE DANCIN' YEAH!!!!!
I LOVE JOHN TRAVOLTA WHAT A WONDERFUL MOVIE AND THE BEE GEES, TAVARES, AND OTHERS HAD REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SOUNDTRACK I LOVE THIS MOVIE IT SHOWS EVERYTHING THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE, FAMILY LIFE, MEN, WOMEN, SEX, SUICIDE, SELF-ESTEEM , BUT MOST OF ALL DANCING AND HOW GOOD MUSIC IS AND HOW WELL WE ALL CAN DANCE THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE AND I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND ANYONE WHO LIKES THE BEE GEES, TAVARES, JOHN TRAVOLTA, DANCING, SINGING, AND DISCO, TO BUY THIS ALBUM AS WELL RIGHT ALONG WITH THE SOUNDTRACK I LOVE THIS MOVIE THIS MOVIE IS GREAT I LOVE ALL THE DANCING. I LIKE JOHN'S [appealing] STYLE AND HIS WALK AND THE WAY HE DANCES AND EVERYTHING IT IS A GOOD MOVIE. I SUGGEST ANY JOHN TRAVOLTA FAN TO BUY THIS MOVIE. ... Read more

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Before Kevin Smith became a Hollywood darling with Chasing Amy, a film he wrote and directed, he made this $27,000 comedy about real-life experiences working for chump change at a New Jersey convenience store. A rude, foul-mouthed collection of anecdotes about the responsibilities that go with being on the wrong side of the till, the film is also a relationship story that takes some hilarious turns once the lovers start revealing their sexual histories to one another. In the best tradition of first-time, ultra-low budget independent films, Smith uses Clerks as an audition piece, demonstrating that he not only can handle two-character comedy but also has an eye for action--as proven in a smoothly handled rooftop hockey scene. Smith himself appears as a silent figure who hangs out on the fringes of the store's property. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (359)

CLERKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Word of mouth & personal expierience made me want to see this movie.And when I did,it left an indelible mark.Grant,Clerks will have you rolling from beginning to end(such phrases as Chewlies Gum,37,____mopper,Berzerker,shoe polish,& salsa shark bring to mind this film),but it's a look at Gen X 20-somethings in the 90's.The bad job,the stagnation,& the indecisiveness of life at that age.Brian O'Halloran plays Dante Hicks,the convienience store jocky with all the whiny"I HATE MY LIFE BUT DON"T WANT TO CHANGE IT"attitude I hear among Gen-Xer's.But Jeff Anderson plays Randell Graves ,the video store clerk and the ultimate slacker.He hates his job,not his life.Disregard his responsibility to his job 'cos he knows it's a dead end and there is something better.After a day when Dante is conned and complaining about working on his day off(as well as other bizarre circumstances)Randell sets Dante straight telling him that he overdramatise things to make his life seem more interesting than what it is.Kevin Smith is a genius.Even though his movies fall on the wayside sometimes(Mallrats,Dogma),his skewed vision has brought him a following.Legend has it that he sold his comic book collection to finance Clerks.It shows he sacrificed something he loved for something his fans will embrace & love for many moons to come

Take That All You Stupid, Big Budget Excuses For Movies!
Clerks was made on a low budget and it shows, but it's still much more enjoyable, witty, smart, and hilarious than numerous movies on a big budget. The movie follows a day in the lives of two "clerks", one in a convience store (Dante) and one in the "crappy video store" (Randall). The story centers around Dante's troubled love life: he's has a girlfriend he loves (Veronica), but he longs for an ex-girlfriend (Caitlin) who cheated on him numerous times. Dante finds out his ex is engage