Dorothy Malone

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Collection - Vol. 2 (You're Never Too Young / Artists and Models / Living It up / Pardners / Hollywood or Bust)

Average customer rating:

Two Masterpieces on Here, Unbeatable price
great transfer quality! very good value/package!
Paramount did a great job with this set
Missing Batlady?
Where's "Money From Home" ??

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Collection - Vol. 2 (You're Never Too Young / Artists and Models / Living It up / Pardners / Hollywood or Bust)
Starring: Dean Martin , Jerry Lewis , Shirley Maclaine , Dorothy Malone , and Eva Gabor
Director: Norman Taurog
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Collection - Vol. 1 (The Caddy / Jumping Jacks / My Friend Irma / My Friend Irma Goes West / Sailor Beware / Scared Stiff / That's My Boy)
Can-Can
Pirates of the Golden Age Movie Collection (Against All Flags / Buccaneer's Girl / Yankee Buccaneer / Double Crossbones)
Tyrone Power: The Swashbuckler Box Set (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)
On the Riviera

ASIN: B000NOK0MQ
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Amazon.com

Surely even the French, with their legendary love of all things Jerry Lewis, will be sated by the Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Collection: Vol. 2, a three-disc package containing five comedy-musicals released on DVD for the first time. It would be a supreme stretch to call any of the five films in question (You're Never Too Young, Artists and Models, Living It Up, Pardners, and Hollywood or Bust) a classic, but then, anyone looking for challenging storylines and deep characterizations probably wouldn't be here in the first place. What the films offer instead are various breezy diversions, in the form of Martin, the suave, smooth talking cad and crooner; a parade of lovely young women (Dorothy Malone, Anita Ekberg, Janet Leigh, and Shirley MacLaine among them); some terrific musical numbers that are the highlights of their respective films; and, of course, the antics of Lewis, whose capacity for slapshtick and mugging is apparently inexhaustible. By this time (the mid-1950s), the two had already fit comfortably into their respective personae, with Lewis as the naïve, ingenuous rube and Martin right there to take advantage of him. In Artists and Models, Martin's aspiring painter cops ideas from the frenzied dreams of his comics-obsessed roommate (Lewis, natch) and creates a hit comic of his own, a simple story that's derailed by an absurd and unnecessary subplot involving the U.S. government and some enemy agents. Living It Up, adapted from an earlier musical called Nothing Sacred, finds Lewis cajoled by Martin, his doctor (talk about a stretch!), into pretending that he's suffering from radiation poisoning so they can both enjoy a lavish trip to New York courtesy of a newspaper trying to boost circulation by playing up the "dying" man's plight. Hollywood or Bust, a combination road picture and gentle spoof of the movie biz, casts Martin as a gambler and con man accompanying film fanatic Lewis on a trip to Tinseltown, while Pardners is a Wild West romp ("Jerry Lewis as a gunslinger" about sums it up) and You're Never Too Young puts Lewis totally in his element as he impersonates a 12-year-old boy in order to escape bad guy Raymond Burr. The plots are thin, at best, and the songs are hardly Oscar caliber. Still, the two stars have an undeniable chemistry, and the musical set pieces are highly entertaining, most notably a sort of pas de duh (sic) between Lewis and MacLaine in Artists and Models and an eye-popping, show-stopping dance number in Living It Up. In the end, it all basically comes down to one's capacity to endure Lewis' manic mannerisms (it's worth noting that by Hollywood or Bust, the pair's last collaboration, he's pretty thoroughly upstaged by a Great Dane). If even this cornucopia isn't sufficient, perhaps a move to France is in order. The set contains no bonus material. --Sam Graham

Product Description

LIVING IT UP: The 1954 Martin-and-Lewis romp Living It Up is an amusing remake of the 1937 comedy classic Nothing Sacred. More specifically, it is the film version of the Broadway musical Hazel Flagg, which was based on Nothing Sacred. The heroine of the original undergoes a sex change to become feckless Homer Flagg (Jerry Lewis), who is led to believe that he's dying of radiation poisoning. Manhattan newspaperwoman Wally Cook (Janet Leigh), hoping to improve circulation of her paper, convinces her boss, Oliver Stone (Fred Clark), to fete Homer as a hero with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Big Apple. Meanwhile, Homer learns from local doctor Steve (Dean Martin) that he isn't dying at all. But Steve talks Homer into taking advantage of the celebrity treatment bestowed on him by Wally, and a good time is had by all — until medical specialist Dr. Egelhofer (Sig Rumann) insists upon examining Homer. Highlights include a hilarious bit at Yankee Stadium, and an energetic jitterbug number featuring Jerry Lewis and Sheree North. The handful of songs retained from Hazel Flagg include "Every Street's a Boulevard in Old New York."
YOU'RE NEVER TOO YOUNG: You're Never Too Young is a slapstick-with-songs remake of the 1944 Ray Milland/Ginger Rogers vehicle The Major and the Minor. Dean Martin plays the Milland part, while Ginger's shoes are filled by...Jerry Lewis? Lewis plays an apprentice barber who inadvertently crosses a homicidal jewel thief (Raymond Burr), and equally inadvertently hightails it out of town with the crook's jewels in his possession. Desperate to escape the crook's clutches, and lacking the necessary funds for a train ticket, Lewis disguises himself as a 12-year-old boy so he can travel half fare. He latches onto Dean, a music teacher heading for an all-girls school. After innumerable routines sparked by Lewis's adolescent disguise, the jewel thief catches up with him, leading to a rollicking climactic speedboat chase. Dean Martin has plenty of opportunities to serenade leading lady Diana Lynn (who'd played a supporting role in The Major and the Minor), while Jerry Lewis is in peak form doing his usual "waah-waah-waah" schtick. The original Billy Wilder/Charles Brackett script for The Major and the Minor was reshaped into You're Never Too Young by future bestselling novelist Sidney Sheldon.
ARTISTS AND MODELS: Bearing very little relation to the 1937 Paramount musical of the same name, Artists and Models is a lavish, girl-filled vehicle for the popular team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Martin plays Rick Todd, a comic-book artist who is under fire from his publisher (Eddie Mayehoff), who complains that Rick's work isn't gory enough. Lewis plays Eugene Fullstack, Rick's roommate, who while asleep dreams up elaborate comic-book plots and garishly costumed superheroes. Eugene's nightmares help Rick become a success; meanwhile, our two heroes romance their luscious neighbors, artist Dorothy Malone and rambunctious model Shirley MacLaine (who during one song wrestles Eugene to the floor and sits on his chest!) Eugene's overworked imagination somehow attracts the attention of a group of Russian spies, who attempt to abduct Eugene during the annual Artists and Models Ball. Director Frank Tashlin uses Artists and Models as an excuse for some of the wildest sight-gags seen in a mid-1950s film. At one point, the director contrives to stuff a gag in Shirley MacLaine's mouth. Tashlin also exhibits his ongoing fascination with female breasts and legs by giving ample screen time to the natural attributes of co-stars Anita Ekberg and Zsa Zsa Gabor. One of the best of the Martin/Lewis efforts, Artists and Models suffers only from being about 20 minutes too long.
PARDNERS: This Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis romp is liberally based on the 1936 Bing Crosby film Rhythm on the Range. Set around 1910, the film stars Lewis as the pampered son of female tycoon Agnes Moorehead. Yearning to return to the Wild West where his father was a famed peacekeeper, Lewis purchases a prize bull, destined for the ranch inherited by rodeo star Dean Martin. It so happens that Martin and Lewis' late fathers were "pardners", so Martin takes it upon himself to protect Lewis from the various and sundry tough hombres in the region. Through a series of bizarre plot convolutions, Lewis gains a reputation as a rootin' tootin' gunslinger, and in his hubris he decides to round up a gang of outlaws headed by Jeff Morrow. As a result, he nearly gets himself blown to smitherines, but Martin shows up in the nick of time to rescue Lewis and help him capture the bad guys. Lori Nelson and Jackie Loughery supply the film's peripheral romantic angle. Pardners ends with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis turning to the camera and promising that they'll keep on making pictures for their faithful fans; ironically, the team was breaking up even while the cameras were turning.
HOLLYWOOD OR BUST: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis made their last joint film appearance in the girl-filled musical Hollywood or Bust. The thinnish plot finds inveterate film fan Jerry making a cross-country journey to Tinseltown for the purpose of meeting his favorite screen star, the buxom Anita Ekberg (the film's title, need it be added, has a double meaning). Dean goes along for the ride, hoping to expand his bankroll during a Las Vegas stopover. The boys are joined by a third traveller, an enormous Great Dane named Mr. Bascomb; along the way, the trio becomes a quartet when pretty Pat Crowley hitches a ride. The finale takes place in Hollywood, naturally, as Jerry wreaks havoc at a film studio which looks suspiciously like Paramount. All reports indicate that Hollywood and Bust was an unhappy shoot, with Jerry Lewis behaving so obstreperously that director Frank Tashlin ordered him off the set and told him to go home until he learned to behave himself; to this day, Lewis cannot bring himself to watch the film. Happily, the animosity between the two stars never comes across on screen, and as a result Hollywood or Bust is a most enjoyable diversion.

Customer Reviews:

Two Masterpieces on Here, Unbeatable price.......2007-06-18

HOLLYWOOD OR BUST and (especially) ARTISTS AND MODELS are two of the greatest films of the 1950s. The director of both, Frank Tashlin, was the Hitchcock of lowbrow social satire. Both are at times visually and compositionally amazing.

The other three films are reasonable (at least LIVING IT UP), but Norman Taurog was pretty much a director-for-hire.

The tension between the two stars, for me at least, only makes these films more interesting, as it embodies the dissolution of post-classical Hollywood myth-making.

great transfer quality! very good value/package!.......2007-06-09

Hi Folks
these films look fabulous!! Many of them are VISTAVISION which was the absolute highest grade quality/size negative format from the 50's era.
I'm not going to deduct stars for what Isn't in this set...that's lame...this is 5 very well presented movies with many many laughs..some great songs and loads of fun...for a bit over $20? Geeez , how can you resist?
I can't explain Martin & Lewis to you ...if you don't know their work..start with volume 1 then this one..and don't avoid the Legendary Jerry set as its wonderful as well. Kids out there? Think Adam Sandler invented that character of his? watch Jerry...
and Dean is still the big brother we all wished we had..cool as heck and very protective of his idiot friend.

Paramount did a great job with this set.......2007-06-07

Martin & Lewis shine in this beautifully put together set of these fun and glossy movies. It's a treat, especially considering that 4 out of the 5 movies are produced in the great widescreen format of VistaVision - so the visual clarity is especially acute, plus all 5 movies are in color which is made fine use of, particularly in the whimsical 'Artists and Models'. The design of the DVD box - which opens up like a triptych - is excellent and includes reproductions of the 5 original movie posters plus a fine montage of stills from the movies. So enjoy 5 entertaining movies with the cool and suave Dean Martin and the manic brilliance of Jerry Lewis.

Missing Batlady?.......2007-05-15

I shall definitely ordering this set (despite the missing movies!),
but - can anyone tell me if "Artists and Models" has had Shirley MacLaine's missing "BatLady" number fully restored???????

That would make this an even better set.

Where's "Money From Home" ??.......2007-05-09

I agree with the other postings - when will Money From Home be released on DVD? The best I've been able to do is buy a copy (pirated, probably) on VHS from eBay.

Average customer rating:

Overrated
BASIC INSTINCT A MUST HAVE ON BLU-RAY DISC

Basic Instinct [Blu-ray]
Starring: Peter Appel , Denis Arndt , Julie Bond , William Duff-Griffin , and George Dzundza
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Drama | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Horror | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl [Blu-ray]
Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest [Blu-ray]
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto [Blu-ray]
Casino Royale [Blu-ray]
Letters from Iwo Jima [Blu-ray]

ASIN: B000O5B4C4
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Description

Michael Douglas stars as Nick Curran, a tough but vulnerable detective. Sharon Stone costars as Catherine Tramell, a cold, calculating and beautiful novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite. Catherine becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered - a crime she described in her latest novel. Obsessed with cracking the case, Nick descends into San Francisco's forbidden underground where suspicions mount, bodies fall and he finds within himself an instinct more basic than survival.

Customer Reviews:

Overrated.......2007-06-12

Basic Instinct is a beautifully created film with a compelling story with enough twists and psychological bends to captivate you. Yet the sotry is bogged down with gratuitous sexual encounters that do not propel anywhere. The acting of Michael Douglas in this film was distractingly bad. He was pissed off throughout the film for no apparent reason, even in the love scenes. Sharon Stone player her character very well, a cold, manipulating and very attractive woman. Of course there isn't very many scenes without her exposing herself. The movie seems to rest on her nudity, not her acting. Overall, the movie seems to elevate the gratuitous sex over the actual plot. So while I was being drawn into the story, the movie also pulled me away from it leaving me desiring more form the story.

BASIC INSTINCT A MUST HAVE ON BLU-RAY DISC.......2007-06-01

Basic Instinct has been released several times on DVD, but this is the first incarnation on High Definition disc. This BLU-RAY disc will probably be the best presentation of this film on video. Director Paul Verhoeven's raw, sexy, gory thriller is his best American film. The beautiful Sharon Stone gives her finest performance, and Michael Douglas, Jean Tripplehorn, George Dzundza are excellent. Composer Jerry Goldsmith contributes a magnificent score.

Only available on BLU-RAY HD with great picture and sound this disc is a knockout!

Basic Instinct - Director's Cut (Ultimate Edition)

Average customer rating:

outrageous
Sharon Stone is so confident in her character as Catherine Trammel in this film...
"Ice pick" me, please!
A good thriller with a lot of sex scenes
It's not easy to take your eyes off Stone...

Basic Instinct - Director's Cut (Ultimate Edition)
Starring: Michael Douglas , Sharon Stone , George Dzundza , Jeanne Tripplehorn , and Denis Arndt
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Ultimate Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Basic Instinct 2 (Unrated, Extended Cut) [Region 99]
Sliver (Unrated Edition)
Fatal Attraction (Special Collector's Edition)
A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)
King Kong - Extended Cut (Three-Disc Deluxe Edition)

ASIN: B000E5N684
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Customer Reviews:

outrageous.......2007-04-05

It is a outrageous film. Sharon Stone is simply exotic. The argument is good. The photography excellent.

Sharon Stone is so confident in her character as Catherine Trammel in this film..........2007-03-20

Sharon Stone is so confident in her character as Catherine Trammel in this film, and portrays some of the best sex and orgasm I've seen in a blockbuster movie before. It is fun to see all the explicit scenes of sex, nudity and violence all rolled into one movie. The story unravels with perfect rhythm, keeping your senses titillated all along the way. It is timeless in its' plot, the murder mystery that even at the end never seems to be solved completely. The viewer is left seduced, allured, and looking back on the different scenes and characters trying to figure out exactly what just happened.

Michael Douglas does a terrific job in his role as detective Nick Curran. He's on top of his game one moment, and the next completely clueless, giving in to the pleasures of drinking and smoking after months of sobriety.

"Ice pick" me, please!.......2007-03-07

Sharon Stone in one of her better roles! Her underlying coldness as Catherine Trammel surfaces between scenes where she makes you empathetic, particularly when she wants you to think she's vulnerable.

But underneath that calm and calculating mind is a suspected pathological killer and writer, plus bisexual to boot!

I enjoyed the scenes of what was suggestive of San Francisco, but have a hard time figuring how Michael Douglas' character as Nick always seems to find a convenient parking spot in front of his building! If you've ever been to the foggy city, you know that's a rare. Adding to the confusion is the scene at the dance club, which is a replica of New York's Limelight Club set in a church...what the heck is that doing is SF?

I did find the sets of Trammel's homes to be quite accurate. The Divisadero mansion is something you'd expect to find in that area. The seaside home though was actually filmed on location in Carmel, even though it was suppose to suggest Marin. Aside from that, if you didn't realize that fact, you would have never thought otherwise (except some areas of Marin are not close to water).

The ending fades that happened several times was annoying, but it did keep you guessing...was she really the murderess or not?

The Ultimate Edition that is unrated shows a tad more nudity, particularly in Michael Douglas' case, but overall adds nothing too significant to the storyline.

Wouldn't it be better to see more of Stone and the infamous interview process? That in itself is the gem of the movie.

A good thriller with a lot of sex scenes.......2007-02-17

This film keeps you on your tows from the start. It does start with an interesting, very explicit bedroom scene, with an unexpected twist at the end. What follows is one of the best detective stories in recent years, with a loot of humour and plenty of sex, for which the film is really famous for. Sharon Stone makes quite an appearance, dressed or undressed, but either she, or the director of the film, or both, seem to have a fixation on smoking to an irritating degree. Now as to the director's cut, I am not so sure that it adds much over the previous ten-year anniversary two disc edition. It is certainly worth watching and at its present price, a real bargain. If you are thinking of buying the sequel, don't bother. It does not even come close to the original.

It's not easy to take your eyes off Stone..........2006-12-18

In Michael Caton-Jones' "Basic Instinct 2," Sharon Stone tries desperately to prove she is still sexy and dangerous... To each uncrossing of legs, she supplies every type of attraction... And yes, she does get naked, but not as naked as before... teasing us only with a glimpse of her nethers... In every step of the way, every line of dialog, every gesture, makes her look absolutely stunning, even better than she did in the original erotic thriller back in 1992...

Stone returns as novelist Catherine Tramell whose bestselling books match her deadly reality so perfectly making us wonder... This time the action moves from San Francisco to London, where she attracts the attention of the Scotland Yard... Soon a celebrated psychologist named Michael Glass is caught between her seductive powers... Glass knows all about homicidal impulse and identifies Catherine as having "risk addiction." But when the people surrounding him start falling in graphic ways, Glass starts jeopardizing his profession to keep at distance the siren's notorious advances...

With his soft brown eyes, bland haircut, and prominent chin, Morrissey's Dr. Glass is no match for a sultry, sexy and smart vixen like Sharon Stone... Stone completely embodies every aspect of Catherine's physical attribute, manipulating the hell out of the freshly divorced psychiatrist... Dr. Milena Gardosh (Charlotte Rampling) recognizes Glass is falling for Catherine and advises him to remove himself as her therapist...

Stone seems to be a strong figure only composed of "capital sins." She is daring and shameless in her teasing, temptations and commands... She never shows any remorse, and remains, one more time, one of the classic femme fatales...

"Basic Instinct 2" is hardly unwatchable, because Stone is very winding, puzzling and intensely fascinating in the way she puts out of side issues through dialog that seems foolishly open and penetrating...

Average customer rating:

It still sizzles after all these years
Bogart's best film -- pure excellence!
DESERVES A BETTER DVD!!
murky it may be, but you cant help wallowing in the murk
Wake up

The Big Sleep
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Lauren Bacall , John Ridgely , Martha Vickers , and Dorothy Malone
Director: Howard Hawks
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Film Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Maltese Falcon (Three-Disc Collector's Edition)
To Have and Have Not (Snap case)
Key Largo (Snap Case)
Dark Passage (Snap Case)
Casablanca

ASIN: B000FFJYA2
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Amazon.com essential video

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made screen history together more than once, but they were never more popular than in this 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel, directed by Howard Hawks (To Have and Have Not). Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated (so much so that even Chandler had trouble following the plot), the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction. William Faulkner wrote the screenplay. --Tom Keogh

Description

L.A. private eye Phillip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case...and a trail peopled with murderers, porographers, nightclub rogues, the spoiled rich and more. Humphrey Boart plays Raymond Chandlers' legendary gumshoe and director Howard Hawkes serves up snappy character encounters (particularly involving Lauren Bacall), brisk pace and atmosphere galore in the certified classic.

Customer Reviews:

It still sizzles after all these years.......2007-06-15

If someone ever asked me to name a better "non-sensical" film than The Big Sleep," I would be hard pressed to ever name one . This film moves so fast, and is loaded with some of the most snappiest and memorable dialog, it hardly matters that the film as a whole doesn't make much sense. It's like it was specifically created to toss away any conventional story, and simply provide fast and furious entertainment....and boy does it ever. Bogart and Bacall are in it for the ride, and are absolute dynamite. But, just as good are Martha Vickers and Dorothy Malone. In fact, the entire cast seemed to be completely aware of what kind of film this was to be, and decided to have a blast.
We, the audience, can only be thankful for such a unique and enjoyable film. 61 years later, this film still ssssssmokes and will leave you breathless. It's truly tremendous fun and is highly recommended entertainment.

Bogart's best film -- pure excellence!.......2007-06-12

Where can I possibly begin to comment ?!? There's so much to say. Well, first I'll mention that this DVD has TWO SIDES, yielding two slightly differing versions of the film, so THAT is certainly a big bonus. I don't detect that one is greater than the other but I can say that both are magnificent. This is one film that I watch over and over, never tiring of it -- clearly it's counted in my top 10-rated films. The original story was also Raymond Chandler's premiere mystery, in my personal opinion, so it becomes a double-double whammy. There are so many details in this film that it's almost mandatory to watch it six or eight times just to hone in on all of them. The casting, cinematography, story-line, and locations are all better than brilliant. If I have a complaint with this film, it's that it's not shot in letterbox format -- I think that The Big Sleep might pre-date that particular technology, though, so my gripe is anachronistic and really not a legitimate one. Still, all-around, it's an absolute killer. Collector or not, buy this spectacular old Black and White classic and you'll not regret it once you've watched it for the first time.

DESERVES A BETTER DVD!!.......2007-05-29

This is a fantastic film. I highly reccomend it to fans of noir, classic films, crime dramas and "The Big Lebowski". My only problem is with this DVD itself. Dirt and scratces on the original film are evident in almost every scene. "The Big Sleep" is a great old film that deserves the rejuvenation treatment that Citizen Kane, the 3rd Man, the 2-disc Cassablanca and others have recieved.

murky it may be, but you cant help wallowing in the murk.......2007-05-05

ok, can YOU explain just what happens in this movie? if you can, youre the first in 60+ years whos done so! bogey & bacall are worth watching, and the direction by howard hawks will leave you dizzy -- but whether or not you enjoy that is purely a matter of personal taste. as a whodunit its not a great one; as a piece of atmosphere it is. if somebody ranked this *****, i wouldnt argue with him; if somebody ranked this *, i wouldnt argue with him. me? im a middle-brow kinda guy, so ill just go straight down the middle.

Wake up.......2007-04-13

Humphrey Bogart's most famous roles are as Sam Spade and Rick Blaine, a pair of callous wise-guys. But he played a softer-hearted tough guy in "The Big Sleep," adapted from Raymond Chandler's novel by the legendary Howard Hawks -- a fast, witty, tough-fisted thriller, with excellent acting and sizzling chemistry.

Private "shamus" Philip Marlowe (Bogart) is hired by the decrepit General Sternwood to hunt down a man who's blackmailing his creepy, childlike daughter Carmen (Martha Vickers). It seems like a straightforward case -- but when he manages to track down the blackmailer, he finds him shot dead in a porn studio -- and a drugged Carmen sitting nearby.

Marlowe drags her home, and orders her fiery sister Vivian (Lauren Bacall) to say nothing of where she's been. Now the investigation is more serious, and Marlowe finds himself walking a tightrope of blackmail, pornography, gambling, mobs and other charming illegalities -- and at the heart of it is the location of one of Sternwood's employees.

"The Big Sleep" was a confusing book -- even Raymond Chandler couldn't follow all the threads, and wasn't able to pin one of the murders on anyone. So it's not surprising that the movie adaptation is similarly befuddling, even with some plot elements smoothed out to simplify the story. It still takes three or four viewings to even start figuring it out.

But it is really enjoyable. Hawks captures the taut, slightly humorous tone of Chandler's writing. That's especially hard, considering everybody except Marlowe and the General are double or triple-crossing somebody else, and the plotlines are murky enough that even at the end, you can't tell what's going on.

But Hawks fills it with classic lines ("What's wrong with you?" "Nothing you can't fix.") and tight action scenes, such as when Bogart sends a man out the door to be shot by his own men. There are moments of humor too, such as when Vivian and Marlowe play a prank call to a policeman ("I can do what? Where? Oh, I wouldn't like that, and neither would my daughter!").

Marlowe's a more likable character than Rick or Spade -- he may be rough and wise-cracking, but he also has soft spots and a likable sense of humor ("I don't like [my manners] myself. They are pretty bad. I grieve over them on long winter evenings"). And he has sparking chemistry with real-life wife Bacall, who plays a hardened rich girl who is desperate to protect her dad and sister, even to the point of framing herself.

"The Big Sleep" is a classic for good reasons -- it may be murky to the point of imcomprehensibility, but it's also wickedly funny, taut and tightly directed. Definitely a must-see.

Average customer rating:

Great Movie!
Best unknown Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn Western
GENDER-BENDER IN THE OLD WEST
A pretty exciting law and order Star Western...,
Spirited, Thoughtfully Entertaining Western

Warlock
Starring: Richard Widmark , Henry Fonda , Anthony Quinn , Dorothy Malone , and Dolores Michaels
Director: Edward Dmytryk
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Hour of the Gun
The Bravados
Broken Lance
Seven Men From Now (Special Collector's Edition)
The Last Wagon

ASIN: B0007PALQG
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Amazon.com

Warlock is a fascinating yet frustrating CinemaScope Western, almost unique in the genre for being based on a literarily respectable novel--Oakley Hall's 1958 recasting of the Wyatt-Earp-in-Tombstone legend. As adapted by TV dramatist Robert Alan Aurthur, the tale focuses on three men: the elegant gambler/gunfighter/lawman-for-hire Blaisdell (Henry Fonda in the Earp part); his lethal partner and creepily possessive best friend Morgan (Anthony Quinn as a variation on Doc Holliday); and Johnny Gannon (Richard Widmark), a ranch cowboy more burdened with scruples than his fellow rowdies, who have made the silver-mining town of Warlock their violent playground. To reclaim their community, the townsfolk strike a bargain with the devil they don't know--Blaisdell--in hopes of being delivered from the devil they do, the cowboys and their cold-blooded boss McQuown (former MGM juve Tom Drake in the Ike Clanton role).

Fonda's and Widmark's characters evolve intriguingly; Blaisdell affords Western aficionados early hints of Fonda's badman Frank in Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West, while Widmark's Gannon reforms, becomes town deputy, and has to go up against not only his old cronies but the hired marshal. Sad to say, despite its three strong leads and a script full of shootings, sadism, and no end of betrayals, the movie keeps bogging down from too much undigested backstory, too much talk, and Edward Dmytryk's flatfooted direction. Even the redoubtable cinematographer Joe MacDonald, who so stunningly shot John Ford's Earp-in-Tombstone classic My Darling Clementine 13 years earlier, disappoints with bland, featureless lighting better suited to a TV show. Speaking of which, future Star Trekker DeForest Kelley plays the only other McQuown rider with a conscience. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

In this Classic Western, Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn clean up a lawless town, only to discover there's even more unfinished business.

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie!.......2007-03-16

Well, this is a real great western movie with great stars and surprise ending. Only too much talk and dull lighting. Don't miss it!

Best unknown Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn Western .......2007-03-08

I have been waiting for years for this film to finally be released on DVD format so that I could add it to my library. This Western not only has all of the elements of a great western but of a wonderful story. Gun slinging shoot outs, back shooters, bad guy trying to go good and shade of gray good guys who are real bad customers make this a well spun story. If you have never seen Henry Fonda play a tuff, no nonsense, tortured, dark character you must see this film. Anthony Quinn is brilliant as ever and to combine him with Fonda was inspired casting. Richard Widmark, and Dorothy Marlone turn in very tight performances, thou slightly stylized for the time. And Deforest Kelley as a sort of gun slinging kick about is wonderful to see before the days of his type cast role as "Bones" in the first "Startrek" series. I think that this film was never recognized because of the fate of it's producer and director Edward Dmytryk - one of the infamous "Hollywood Ten." The HUAC actually threw Dmytryk in prison for refusing to cooperate, and after several months he decided to name names. Thus marking him for the rest of his life and probably why this film is so unknown. You can rent this film I'm sure, but why bother when you will want to buy it to add it to your library. Trust me.

GENDER-BENDER IN THE OLD WEST.......2007-01-16

If you've read the other reviews, you know the story, which borrows heavily from the Life and Legend of the Wyatt Earp/Doc Holliday friendship. Oakley Hall and TV dramatist Robert Alan Aurthur revamp and clean-up what could have been the best of the umpteenth fictional retellings of the Wyatt Earp/doc Holliday drama of a lost art, friendship and loyalty, were it not for the innuendo and the wonder at WHY? What is the glue that holds these two guys together, because it didn't seem to be brotherly love? Is it gambling and cover up? Is it the joy of superior skills amidst little competition at slinging lead? If not, then What?

The clues are there, even in the film. In the novel version the binding force of the friendship is a bit more transparent than in this movie, shampooed version.

If the underlying theme were exorcised, the structural elements in the hands of a John Ford, or George P. Cosmatos, or Martin Ritt, or Sam Peckenpaugh, we would have seen and understood more easily. In the hands of Peter Medak (Zorro, the Gay Blade), or Mel Brooks- (Robin Hood; Men in Tights) it would have been R-rated and Anthony Quinn's full-time job as gambler/Wyatt Earp gun slinging, team member would have been augmented by a part-time job as a hairdresser or Interior decorator.

The thinly disguised nature of The Blaisdale/Morgan relationship as homosexual, sort of cluttered ups the original idea. Whether the warp was because the writer was a homosexual sympathizer, or member, is unclear, but there are people who are unable to comprehend true brotherhood and loyalty and must muddy the water with another explanation of the bonding, or maybe they thought it would just be more novel a gossip the way it is-hard to tell.

Before the movie is too far along, one hopes that Widmark's Town sheriff can beat the Old Testament condemned Duo, not because of any prejudice against their gender-gap-unification, but because of the smarmy, scummy nature of their seeming fascistic characters otherwise. For kids or naive' adults missing the point, except for the poor lighting (too soap opera Clear and sunny) and the directorial cluelessness, it is an enjoyable six-gun, quick draw feast. For those who have eaten of the Tree of Knowledge knowing of the original premise of the tale, it's fresh-faced; old west lead slinging is a bit spoiled by that burden/baggage.
Forgetting the underlying covertness, the lighting and weak direction, not a bad adventure film. 3.5 Stars

A pretty exciting law and order Star Western..., .......2006-11-09

The Colt revolver was a tool and the more you study the men who used it at a high professional level the more it becomes obvious that they were also tools, sometimes unwittingly, sometimes (according to Western films) quite the opposite... Necessary tools, necessary men in a very compressed package of American history... They have their brief moment on the stage and then it's time to take their leave, preferably with their boots on, knowing, or not knowing that they've done the job that history actually required, but that history, in fact, won't thank them for it...

Fonda--a quiet dominant personality in Westerns--puts this over perfectly in Edward Dmytryk's 'Warlock,' unpretentious Western... Here Fonda is a professional hired gun brought in specially, and most temporarily, one always feels, to calm down a town plagued by cowboys, some of them with outlaw affiliations...

Every word he says ('I'm a simple man, handy with Colts'), every calculated ploy, shows that he's marvelously clear-eyed about his situation--that today he's wanted, that tomorrow he won't be--because he's an old professional and it's all happened before...

Spruce as spry as ever, Fonda is Clay Blaidsdell, a legendary gunfighter, the ideal professional gunman with great expectations... He is hired, temporarily, by the citizens of Warlock to clean up their town from the outlaws... The movie focuses on his rise when he succeeds in removing the bad guys in a spectacular confrontation, and his fall when he is forced to face his best friend in a showdown...

Fonda brings with him his hero-worshiping right hand and conscience, the ex-killer Tom Morgan (Quinn), who challenges his one-man rule, one vindictive old girlfriend and one loving new flame... When the pair defeats the San Pedro gang, one of its members, Johnny Gannon (Widmark), stays behind and volunteers to become Blaisdell's deputy...

As an uneasy peace settles onto Warlock, the relationship between Blaisdell and Morgan deteriorates when the marshal finds romance with a local girl, Jessie Marlow (Dolores Michaels). Gannon, meanwhile, becomes involved with Lily Dollar (Dorothy Malone), who at one time had been Morgan's mistress and now hates both Blaisdell and him for killing a man she had hoped to marry...

Blond for the only time in his career, Quinn - curious and different as the complex, clubfooted gambler-gunman whose relationship with Clay, leans rather strongly toward homosexuality - made Dmytryk's multi-plotted film somewhat daring for its time... Its complicated story line, working at various levels, and its shadowy psychological innuendos, turned off critics and audiences alike, and from several corners came concern that Dmytryk had carried the 'new convention' Western too far too fast... Nevertheless "Warlock" remains a typical law and order Star Western, well written, pretty exciting, and entirely in the classic mold...

Spirited, Thoughtfully Entertaining Western.......2006-10-12

Warlock is just a great all-around Western, boasting the talents of a great director (Edward Dmytryk), great cast (Henry Fonda, Richard Widmark, Anthony Quinn, Dorothy Malone), and great writing. It has a lot more emotional content than many Westerns, even though it has plenty of action and tension.

Warlock takes its name from the town where all the action takes place. It's a town where a gang of outlaws has taken over, riding in from a nearby town to run roughshod, if not kill the lawmen who are trying to keep the peace. Desperate to restore law and order, the town leaders bring in Fonda and Quinn, a famous pair of gunmen obviously modelled after Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Fonda is the cool, collected lead, and Quinn is the hard-drinking, hot-tempered, club-footed sidekick. Fonda and Quinn's characters make a living out of going into towns like Warlock and cleaning them up. This seems like just another stop in a long line of towns they come in and cleaned up.

But several complications arise. Fonda's character meets beautiful Delores Michaels, a town leader who begins by loathing Fonda, but then her loathing turns into admiration, then love, which Fonda reciprocates. An old flame of Quinn's shows up, one who has a grudge against both Fonda and Quinn because of the death of a boyfriend at Fonda's hands. And Widmark plays a member of the terrorizing gang who decides to reform and tries to convince his younger brother, played by Frank Gorshin, to do the same.

This movie always has a lot going on, but it's not hard to follow, and it is enjoyable to see how the plot develops. Everyone performs well, and the story has both satisfying and tragic turns. Warlock is well worth a Western-lover's time.

Average customer rating:

It still sizzles after all these years
Bogart's best film -- pure excellence!
DESERVES A BETTER DVD!!
murky it may be, but you cant help wallowing in the murk
Wake up

The Big Sleep (Snap case)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Lauren Bacall , John Ridgely , Martha Vickers , and Dorothy Malone
Director: Howard Hawks
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Film Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Maltese Falcon (Three-Disc Collector's Edition)
To Have and Have Not (Snap case)
Key Largo (Snap Case)
Dark Passage (Snap Case)
Casablanca

ASIN: B00002E227
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Amazon.com essential video

Description

L.A. private eye Philip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case...and a trail peopled with murderers, pornographers, nightclub rogues, the spoiled rich and more. Humphrey Bogart plays Raymond Chandlers' legendary gumshoe and director Howard Hawks serves up snappy character encounters (particularly involving Lauren Bacall), brisk pace and atmosphere galore in the certified classic.

Customer Reviews:

It still sizzles after all these years.......2007-06-15

Bogart's best film -- pure excellence!.......2007-06-12

DESERVES A BETTER DVD!!.......2007-05-29

murky it may be, but you cant help wallowing in the murk.......2007-05-05

Wake up.......2007-04-13

Average customer rating:

Day and Sinatra a Great Duo
GOOD MUSIC, GOOD ACTING, GOOD OLD FASHIONED MOVIE
Unfortunate lack of sub-titles
Imitation Of Lite
Definitely A True Classic

Young at Heart
Starring: Doris Day , Frank Sinatra , Gig Young , Ethel Barrymore , and Dorothy Malone
Director: Gordon Douglas
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( Y ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Teacher's Pet
It Happened to Jane [Region 99]
The Thrill of It All!
That Touch of Mink
Move Over Darling

ASIN: B00005U12P
Release Date: 2002-01-15

Amazon.com essential video

This 1954 musical remake of Four Daughters stars Doris Day as a well-bred New England woman who marries a chip-on-his-shoulder musician (Frank Sinatra). Lots of tears, yes, but this version of Fannie Hurst's novel is considerably cheered up from the 1938 tearjerker. Dorothy Malone and Elizabeth Fraser play Day's sisters (a fourth sister present in Four Daughters was written out), Robert Keith is the paterfamilias to a bunch of musical prodigies, and Gig Young is entertaining as the composer-boarder who tries deflecting the sisters' interest in him by bringing Sinatra home one day. Both Day and Sinatra really shine in this, and the songs include the Johnny Richards-Caroline Leigh title tune, which became part of Sinatra's standard repertoire. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Day and Sinatra a Great Duo.......2007-04-11

This light hearted film was enjoyable with superb songs and fine acting as well. Wonderful cast headed by Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Dorothy Malone, and Ethel Barrymore.

GOOD MUSIC, GOOD ACTING, GOOD OLD FASHIONED MOVIE.......2007-01-10

I WISH THERE WERE MORE MOVIES LIKE THIS. THEY JUST DON'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE, BUT THEN WE DON'T HAVE THE GREAT ACTORS AND ACTRESSES LIKE THAT ANYMORE EITHER. VERY ENJOYABLE.

Unfortunate lack of sub-titles.......2006-12-16

A friend loaned me her VHS copy of this movie, which I loved - - as much of it as I could understand. When actors speak too fast, or don't move their mouths with some of their lines, or lower their voices to a whisper, I don't understand the words. I need English sub-titles, which this movie doesn't offer on DVD. So I am not buying it. (Producers, take note!)

Producers of DVDs should understand that there are many types of folks out here who profit greatly by having sub-titles available. My DVD player can't handle "closed captioning" for the hard of hearing, and I'm sure there are others that can't as well. A friend half my age graciously clicked on the sub-titles when I visited her to view a film, & afterwards, she said, "My goodness! I caught things I hadn't heard before!" And she has perfect hearing!

There must be many people out there who refrain from buying a DVD because they can't see the dialog printed on-screen. There are several movies I would have loved to have, but have not purchased for this reason. Knowing what's going on makes for greater enjoyment.

Imitation Of Lite.......2006-11-11

Despite its light-hearted and misleading marketing campaign (with photos of a grinning Doris Day and Frank Sinatra--who spents much of the film scowling-- and that title, who wouldn't expect a typical Warner Bros. featherweight musical of the early Fifties?), this under-appreciated melodrama is any but.

Filled with anguish, repressed love and oceans of tears (all set against spectacularly phony Hollywood soundstage sets), this is Warner Bros. counterpart to Douglas Sirk's glossy over-the-top Universal tear-jerkers such as Magnificent Obsession and Imitation of Life that same decade. (Story--by Imitation of Life author Fannie Hurst--had earlier done duty as the Thirties tear-jerker Four Daughters with John Garfield.) This time, Sinatra's the downtrodden bounder who stirs up household of sisters, with Day and Dorothy Malone as two of the three sibs. (Fourth sister was evidently lost in translation, who presumably ankled for cheerier climes.)

Although the characters' bizarre motivations don't bear close scrutiny--why are all these thirty-something women still living at home. . .and dating and/or marrying men they don't love or even appear to even like very much . . .and why does rejected suitor Gig Young continue on as a boarder in their home after being left at the altar by one of the gals?--it's a riveting if superficial three-hankie epic for fans of the genre. Several good Day/Sinatra numbers are logically interpolated into hackneyed plot and strong supporting cast includes Ethel Barrymore as stereotypical all-knowing aunt.

Corny though it may be, it's surprising that this sat-studded weepie isn't more popular than it is.

Definitely A True Classic.......2006-03-28

For those of us who will never tire of the movies of the 50's, this should be on your list. Doris Day our All-American girl sings great songs. Sure the movies might be a little campy, but hey its a 50's movie. No matter how many times I see this one, I always have my hanky ready. Loved the other actors also, Frank Sinatra, Dorothy Malone just to name a few.

Average customer rating:

Basic Instinct
"Nice Girl"
A brilliant movie, tarnished with a reputation
Finding the identity of a killer is always fascinating, no matter what you're watching...
I need an icepick.

Basic Instinct
Starring: Michael Douglas , Sharon Stone , George Dzundza , Jeanne Tripplehorn , and Denis Arndt
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Fatal Attraction (Special Collector's Edition)
Basic Instinct 2 (Unrated, Extended Cut) [Region 99]
Indecent Proposal
Disclosure
A Perfect Murder

ASIN: B0000JCFPE
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Product Description

Michael Douglas stars as Nick Curran, a tough but vulnerable detective. Sharon Stone costars as Catherine Tramell, a cold, calculating, and beautiful novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite. Catherine becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered - a crime she had described in her latest novel. Obsessed with cracking the case, Nick descends into San Francisco's forbidden underground where suspicions mount, bodies fall, and he finds within himself an instinct more basic than survival.

Special Features*:

16.9 Newly remastered Widescreen

5.1 Newly remastered English Dolby Surround

2.0 English Dolby Digital Audio

"Blonde Poison" - Documentary on the making of the film

"Cleaning up Basic Instinct" - A montage comparing the TV version to the theatrical version

Commentary with feminist critic Camille Paglia

Photo Gallery

Digitally Mastered

Storyboard Comparisons

Theatrical Trailer

Interactive Menus

Scene Access

Production Notes

Cast and Crew Information

English, French and Spanish subtitles

System Requirements:
Starring: Micael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, and Jeanne Tripplehorn
Directed By: Paul Verhoeven
Running Length: 127 minutes, color
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The take-no-prisoners sex thriller from 1992 now stands as a milestone in the career of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, but in the hands of director Paul Verhoeven Basic Instinct is an undeniably stylish and provocative study of obsession. In the role that made her a star (and showed the audience a little more skin than she intended), Sharon Stone plays the cleverly manipulative novelist Catherine Tramell who snares San Francisco detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) with her insatiable sexual appetite during the investigation of her boyfriend's murder. Tramell is the prime suspect, but the plot twists and turns until Curran is trapped in a dangerous cycle of dead ends and unsolved murders, never sure if Tramell is committing the crimes or if it is some other, unknown suspect. With a plot that keeps viewers guessing, Basic Instinct is the work of a director who is clearly in his element. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Basic Instinct.......2007-05-19

At the time this came out, I was only 11 years old so I really couldn't see it until acouple years later after sneaking it on when I was 13 years old.

I was very stunned, mostly because I'd never seen a film that hot before (of course being 13 lol), even though I did (like this film) snuck on Total Recall a year eariler by the same director.

I never understood why people were so mixed by the film, none of the scenes shown in the film,like the murder at the beginning and the numerous graphic sex scenes which didn't bother me like they did alot of other people.

I believe like everyone else does that this was a part that Sharon Stone was born to play. She was perfectly cast in the role of Catherine Tramell (probably the screens best femme fatale ever) if they'd had got someone else for that role it wouldn't have been as effective as it was.

It was kinda werid seeing Michael Douglas in the kind of role after growing up watching him in Romancing The Stone and The Jewel Of The Nile,but it was great and interesting to see different range he as an actor.

Paul Verhoeven is a director who loves to take chances and is not afriad to show the audiences certain scenes or subject matter which might disturb or flat out piss the viewers off. And that's why he's one of my favourite directors.

Basic Instinct was (and still) is a great thiller to watch and a film which is still held by people (like me) as the sexiest film ever made.

"Nice Girl".......2007-04-26

An excellent film that has in effect become a classic, Basic Instinct, brings to the screen a murder mystery involving a police detective and a sensual multi-millionaire writer.
The setting is San Francisco and detective Curran is investigating the gruesome murder of a man found dead in his bed after what seems to have been a passionate and steamy night. The investigation reveals a purely sexual relationship between the deceased and a striking novelist whose life seems to be intertwined with various deadly accidents and mysterious deaths. Things become rather complicated when her latest novel's hero oddly resembles detective Curran...
Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone and Jeanne Tripplehorn (both of whom are GORGEOUS!), Mitch Pileggi (X-Files), George Dzundza, and the rest of this AMAZING cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows!
The film combines a great cast, a great mystery, and some very realistic and very erotic sex scenes (for a change).
The setting, the plot, the dialogues, and the music (!) are all wonderful!
In short, Basic Instinct is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection (if you haven't done so already)!

A brilliant movie, tarnished with a reputation.......2007-01-11

I'd got this as a present for Christmas, although my mum already had it, but she has a thing for Michael Douglas. *Bleurgh* I'd never had much of an incline to watch it with my mum, and after watching it, I've decided it's probably not a good idea to watch it with my mum!

Basic Instinct has two major horrible points for me. Any scenes featuring Michael - which was the majority of the film unfortunately - shaking his bare booty. I'd already been scarred for life by that image in Fatal Attraction, and you do see a lot more of it in this film. Not pleasant.

My other horrible point, but not so much a horrible point, more of a statement, is of course, the infamous leg crossing scene. I'd never really seen it in any clips or anything, but had heard enough about it. Surprisingly, it happens quite early on in the film. I thought it would have happened at least half way through. This scene was unbelievable. It probably spawned a generation of men who remember having some pleasure to that scene. But my quibble, as a woman, is there's not much there to see! It's more letting your imagination run wild. For me, there wasn't much interest, but I can imagine there are plenty of pre-teen/early teenage boys out there, who have watched that scene over and over. The first shot you see the crease of her legs in the middle (nothing more), and the second shot, you definitely don't see much more than the very top, and it doesn't look like she shaved! That's it though. All the hype about that one scene. There was also a huge hoo-ha that Sharon CLAIMS she had no idea Paul Verhoeven was filming that particular area in the interrogation scene, and when she saw the rushes, she slapped him, and ordered him to remove it. Without that scene, I don't think the film would have got so much publicity, and might have died a death. Paul Verhoeven denies the above ever happened. But I like the fact that at the start of the scene, the policemen are in charge, then she opens her legs, and they turn into drooling idiots. Talk about turning the tables.

I was instantly put off by how much I hated that scene, and was about to change my mind, but decided to keep watching. It did happen quite early on. I was quite shocked at how GRAPHIC the bedroom scenes were. I mean it's nothing on what goes on online these days, but for me, it looked so realistic. (So glad I didn't watch it with my mum, I would have been blushing!) They were extremely realistic, which added a different element to the film. Some bedroom scenes are so faked (or body doubles), or there's zero chemistry between the actors but this seemed very realistic, although I've seen better than Michael Douglas.

The actors were all very good. I liked Jeanne Tripplehorn's character, she was more superior to Sharon's and she should have had more screen time, she's always excellent in anything she does (although I do get muddled up between her & Parker Posey.) Sharon did a good job of her role, and made it so much more than the stereotyped vixen it could have been.

Although it was slightly long for my liking, it was still good, but it could have done with a very small amount of editing, just to make it run smoother. There were occasional moments when I was looking at my watch, or looking at the display to see how long it had left.

If Basic Instinct had been a book first - now THAT could have been interesting. A book about someone writing a book that then happens in real life ... Ooh, I'm confused.

It's an absolutely amazing story too. Much better than the murder-by-numbers I was expecting. There were so many twists and turns, and on a second viewing (yes there will be!), there will be quite a few clues to spot. I definitely think the director was playing games with the viewers in this, as it constantly jumps back and forth and keeps you second-guessing about who the killer really is. Even now, after watching the film, reading various posts on IMDB, and reading other reviews, I'm still undecided as to who the killer was. I think there are at least a couple of characters in the frame, but at one point during the film, you are led to believe there's a third who could possibly be the killer.

The score was excellent too. At points I didn't notice it - which is always the best score in my opinion, rather than one full of stingers. I have heard one part of the score before, the part over the first bedroom scene between Michael & Sharon, yes it was good, but it's so much better when you see the scenes that accompany it. It makes it that more powerful than just the music by itself.

I was very impressed with Basic Instinct, and will definitely be watching it again, just to satisfy my curiosity about the clues littered throughout the film, which I think there are plenty of. I also definitely want to watch it again, to try and figure out the killer definitely is. I'm not sure how to end my review, how to sum it up. I'm intrigued to see comparisons to "The Fourth Man", also by Paul Verhoeven, so that might need to go on my list of DVDs to get. But I definitely suggest if you haven't seen this movie, you snap it up. It's an excellent movie, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Finding the identity of a killer is always fascinating, no matter what you're watching..........2006-12-18

Everyone who has seen the film, discover that the story runs into an intense sexual chess game between a San Francisco detective ('But you said you liked men to use their hands.') and a vivid writer ('No. I said I liked Johnny to use his hands.')

Catherine (Sharon Stone) loves coke and Jack Daniel's... She is enigmatic ('How does it feel to kill someone?'), cool ('I like men who give me pleasure.'), frank ("What are you going to do? Charge me with smoking?") penetrating ("I've always had a fondness for white silk scarves"'), in complete command of herself... Her character holds men in her grip... To each uncrossing of legs, she masters every type of attraction...

Catherine is a bisexual heiress, who teases, tempts and commands... She refuses to let us know that she's a true threat... She creates one of the classic Femme Fatale by leading us up to twist after twist, weaving outcomes of situations to her advantage...

Nick (Michael Douglas) is the vice cop who drinks, and does a little cocaine... He accidentally shot two tourists in the line of duty... He is a troubled policeman who knows all about homicidal impulse... He is torn between two skilled women at psychology... One of the women is an evil manipulator... We can sense that Nick knows which one is the supposed killer... Nick insists he will be strong enough to take her down...

The third intriguing character of Verhoeven's "Basic Instinct" is Roxy (Leilani Sarell). She is Catherine's lesbian lover... Roxy is the menacing blonde of the black Ferrari, who seems not to get jealous, but to get excited... We see her wearing pants and a jacket, and dancing with another woman... Roxy let Nick sees Catherine with two men, one of them is a big, body-built black guy...

And there is another interesting character who deserves wide attention: the police psychologist who helps Catherine understand homicidal impulse... Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn) is a very good-looking, dark-haired woman, who has been involved in a love affair with a policeman...

Basic Instinct's photography borrows a range of angles from Hitchcock... The score, by Jerry Goldsmith, is wonderful... The film is wildly considered a controversial and popular erotic thriller...

I need an icepick........2006-07-26

Do you know why sex is always the downfall of men? Because even when their lives are in danger, they still have to pull out their wanker. That sums up Michael Douglas's character's stupidity here. I mean, for the entire film he suspects her of being a cold-blooded killer yet he allows himself to sleep with her and fall in love with her. He's so stupid. I don't know any "magna cum laude p***y" worth getting an icepick in the throat.

But seriously, it's a movie where the sex scenes are actually integral to the plot. That alone makes it at least 4 stars. Seriously. The sex scenes are like suspense scenes. Each time they make love you're waiting for the icepick.

This movie is also complex. To this day, people still debate as to whether the ending was really as simple as "she killed them all." Was Dr. Elisabeth Garner really as innocent as initially perceived? She seemed to have some issues and a few skeletons in her closet that could have been explored further.

Average customer rating:

...GANG WAY!!!!!!.......HERE COMES THE MARINES.......
Favorite WW2 Movie
It's a war movie about people...
Be a Marine to be a real man
forget about battle this is just "days of our lives " and not even as good

Battle Cry
Starring: Van Heflin , Aldo Ray , Mona Freeman , Nancy Olson , and James Whitmore
Director: Raoul Walsh
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Halls of Montezuma
Battleground
Wake Island
Guadalcanal Diary
Men in War

ASIN: B00008MTY7
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Amazon.com

The most interesting--and entertaining--aspect of this long, episodic World War II drama is that it marked the debut of one Justus E. McQueen, who subsequently took the name of the good ol' Arkansas boy he played in the movie: L.Q. Jones. He's only one of eight or nine Marine recruits who divide the screen time with commanding officer Van Heflin and James Whitmore as a lifer sergeant named Mac, "just Mac," who ramrods their squad and also delivers the movie's overbearing narration. Unfortunately, the narration is necessary to maintain continuity as the CinemaScope production galumphs its way from rounding up the melting-pot cast, to seeing them through basic training and sundry, mostly amatory misadventures in San Diego, to further training in New Zealand, and finally to baptism of fire on Guadalcanal.

Trouble is, among the recruits only McQueen/Jones (whose job is mostly comic relief) and Aldo Ray (as a brawling lumberjack who's never known family life) have any charisma or acting chops--and that's not forgetting Tab Hunter, whose matinee-idol status at the time does not speak well for the '50s. Battle Cry is also a cardinal example of Hollywood's penchant for buying big, lusty, profane bestsellers (by Leon Uris, in this case) and then euphemizing all the lustiness and profanity to appease the censors. Raoul Walsh, the poet laureate of lowdown gusto, does what he can in the circumstances, and as one of the first guys ever to direct a widescreen movie (1930's The Big Trail), he makes the battle scenes roar. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Van Heflin, Aldo Ray and Tab Hunter in Raoul Walsh's hard-hitting-action epic of Marine Corps heroism in the WWII Pacific, based on Leon Uris' gritty best-seller. Year: 1955 DVD Features:
Interactive Menus
Other:Raoul Walsh profile
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

...GANG WAY!!!!!!.......HERE COMES THE MARINES..............2007-04-19

Excellent movie [DVD] about WW2 and the USMC....from the spartan Marine Boot Camp scenes and the dangerous amphibious landing/assaults against Japanese Marines throughout the Pacific war...good casting and on location scenery...looking again at Mainside at Camp Pendleton, Calif brought back fond memories of the physically brutal combat preparation for service in the Fleet Marine Force...Van Heflin portrayed a Marine Major who over identifies with his Marines, a rare breed