Pam Grier

Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Jackie, I love you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Cast, Grier is Outstanding, Quentin Tarantino's Best
I wish Tarantino made more films like this
Film pimp Tarantino b****slaps the nonbelievers
The strength and survival of Jackie Brown

Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Tangie Ambrose , Michael Bowen , Robert De Niro , Bridget Fonda , and Robert Forster
Manufacturer: Miramax Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DTS | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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

Pulp Fiction (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Reservoir Dogs (15th Anniversary 2-Disc Special Edition)
True Romance - Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Kill Bill, Volume 1
Kill Bill, Volume 2

ASIN: B000068DBD
Release Date: 2002-08-20

Amazon.com essential video

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

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

Description

Quentin Tarantino presents the premiere of the JACKIE BROWN COLLECTOR'S SERIES DVD, complete with your favorite award-winning movie, all-star cast, and never-before-seen footage. What do a sexy stewardess (Pam Grier), a street-tough gun runner (Samuel L. Jackson), a lonely bail bondsman (Academy Award®-nominee Robert Forster), a shifty ex-con (Robert DeNiro), an earnest federal agent (Michael Keaton), and a stoned-out beach bunny (Bridget Fonda) have in common? They're six players on the trail of a half million dollars in cash! The only questions are ... who's getting played ... and who's gonna make the big score! Combining an explosive mix of intense action and edgy humor, Tarantino scores again with the entertaining JACKIE BROWN!

Customer Reviews:

Jackie, I love you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-06-14

I feel in love with Pam Grier the moment I saw this DVD.

Great Cast, Grier is Outstanding, Quentin Tarantino's Best .......2007-05-26

This is an exciting movie with an all time great cast. The cast is so good that DeNiro has a relatively minor role. Pam Grier is excellent as a mature woman desperately trying to make some kind of a career last, no matter how limited, while running money for a gun dealer, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson is terrific, as a manic yet terrifying killer whose ambition is to make lots of money no matter what the price for any associates. Literally under the gun from both sides with the police (played by Keaton and Michael Brown) with Jackson puttimg pressure from the other side, Grier plays a smart, wiley and sympathetic woman who plans to not only survive but take a desperate attempt at financial freedom. Robert Forster, plays her empathetic bondsman and potential love interst, if not friend, who knows the criminal justice system and virtually acts as her mentor and consultant. The interplay between Forster and Grier play off extremley well against the fearsome street smart Jackson. Tarentno's style of moving abruptly to scene to scene livens the drama as you see the key part of the film from different dramatic clips. The final builds up in dramatic tension and suddenly grows calm as the ending virtually crashes in a burst. Very well done and Pam Grier looks terrific and sexy even in her movie charcter's mid life crisis. An ultimate classic.

I wish Tarantino made more films like this.......2007-05-15

I love Tarantino's style, which is powered as much by mood as by story line. I have viewed this film at least a dozen times now, and it has made me laugh and feel anxious with every single viewing. In this film, rather than violence for its own sake or a strangely parallel universe of plausible if impossible crime, you get really good characters in an unusual situation.

There is Jackie, the seemingly normal woman at the center of the film who turns out to be as cool as a cumcumber and a superb manipulator. She is wonderfully subtle in her desperation, as much financial as middle aged and not wanting to start over again. Then there is Max, a burntout bail bondsman who chooses to help her because he loves her in a very mature and low-key way. With Ordell, you get a great foul-mouthed bad guy, with hilarious dialogue, dim wits, and style. He moves things along with his menacing presence, greed, and alcoholic rage. His hangers-on are also splendidly eccentric and dumb. Finally, there are the young cops who are enjoying "playing the cop", as Cherry puts it. This mix offers a uniquely balanced chemistry of characters that are not in the slightest sterotypical, but quirky and entirely believable.

The greatest thing that Tarantino did was to cast Grier and Forster, two has-beens who give remarkable performances even though they are not young anymore. They are so good that they eclipse the wonderful work of the others, which is also first rate. Again, they capture the mood of the time, and their age anxieties, extremely well. The drama is mature, not the usual bust-em-up adolescent fare. This is so rare.

FInally, there is the wonderfully intricate plot. Here, the details really matter, and you can view the film many times to piece Jackie's entire plan together in its wonderful and very dangerous orchestration. While some reviewers say it feels too static, I found the tension subtle and far more convincing than anything else that Tarantno has done - never outlandish, but taut. In this, he tells a story that could really happen, right down to the ambiguous ending.

This is by far my favorite Tarantino film and one of the best I have ever seen, a genuine master[iece. It is unlike any other film noir you will ever find, because of the fine work of Grier and Forester. You will not get a formula here, but a solid drama that is very scary and very funny. Just when you think Hollywood cannot produce talent, someone like Tarrantino comes along.

Warmly recommended.

Film pimp Tarantino b****slaps the nonbelievers.......2007-05-14

Quentin goes a different route with this fun film, a mystery that builds constantly before the crime is even committed. It's based on the book "Rum Punch" by Elmore Leonard.
Basically, the movie revolves around Jackie(Pam Grier), an airline stewardess, trying to smuggle in a half million in cash. Lots of people are interested in this delivery, both feds, hustlers, and a bail bondsman. There are scams stacked on top of scams, it's so exciting to see how it all unfolds.
Samuel Jackson has got cool down pat. Here he plays a street-smart gun runner, Ordell Robbie. He's a dangerous man to try to double cross. This character dominates every scene he is in, just like he did as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction. I hope Samuel and Quentin team up again in the near future, they are awesome together!
This plot has a very linear structure, which is rare for a Tarantino film. It still has his brilliant dialogue, superb but toned down action scenes, edgy humor, and great soundtrack. It's his most underrated work, a must own!

The strength and survival of Jackie Brown.......2007-05-08

I really give this movie alot of credit and kudos as to how this was presented. Jackie Brown a poor African American woman trying to survive with what she had and make a little money on the side. When the feds to bust her, she is strong and brilliant in her presentation to the feds and the one that she is "carrying" for. Along the way, she falls in love with the bail bondsmen. The story does take alot of twists and turns as to who is going to make it out "on top". I recommend this movie to all QT fans and also those that like twists and turns in movies.

Average customer rating:

A refreshing film!!
Hooray for Tom Jones!
Very funny classic retro movie!
THIS MOVIE IS TOPPS
All star cast keeps the laughs going

Mars Attacks!
Starring: Jack Nicholson , Glenn Close , Annette Bening , Pierce Brosnan , and Danny DeVito
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Alien Invasion | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Aliens | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

BEETLEJUICE (DVD)
Galaxy Quest
Edward Scissorhands (Widescreen Anniversary Edition)
Sleepy Hollow
Ed Wood (Special Edition)

ASIN: 0790731452
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

It's enlightening to view Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! as his twisted satire of the blockbuster film Independence Day, which was released earlier the same year, although the movies were in production simultaneously. Burton's eye-popping, schlock tribute to 1950s UFO movies actually plays better on video than it did in theaters. The idea of invading aliens ray gunning the big-name movie stars in the cast is a cleverly subversive one, and the bulb-headed, funny-sounding animated Martians are pretty nifty, but it all seemed to be spread thin on the big screen. On video, however, the movie's kooky humor seems a bit more concentrated. The Earth actors (most of whom get zapped or kidnapped for alien science experiments) include Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rod Steiger, Michael J. Fox, Lukas Haas, Jim Brown, Tom Jones, and Pam Grier. The digital video disc features an isolated track for Danny Elfman's score, as well as a few other clever and nasty little Martian surprises. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

A refreshing film!!.......2007-06-15

A refreshing and quite funny film. I saw this film years ago on TV (or on the cinema)and have since tried to obtain a DVD of this classic film. Fortunately amazon has it. It's quite "different" (quirky), but quite entertaining. You won't be dissappointed.

Hooray for Tom Jones!.......2007-05-08

This movie has an all star cast and great visuals. There are a lot of sight gags, and the humor is timeless.

Very funny classic retro movie!.......2007-03-28

I've always loved this movie, the special effects are incredible and the cast surprised me (I didn't know Jack Black was in this movie until recently). I always liked the way they made the movie very retro looking, since it was based on trading cards from 1960's. If you're into wacky sci-fi comedies, I HIGHLY recommend Mars Attacks! It's a shame there are no extras on this DVD, but the movie is worth getting, especially at under $10.

THIS MOVIE IS TOPPS.......2007-02-02

Yes, I bought the TOPPS "MARS ATTACKS" trading cards when they first came out...and I still have them! So when this movie came out I ran to the theater to see it, expecting to be disappointed. Not so. I found Tim Burton's film to be both funny & scary, true to the spirit of the original cards & a great send off of 1950's sci-fi flicks. I consider MARS ATTACKS a classic of the genre. This is a great treat for sci-fi fans!...and I'm partial to Tim Burton's "ED WOOD" as well. Enjoy.

All star cast keeps the laughs going.......2007-01-13

Mars is a classic comedy that I hadn't see in a long time that doesn't have the best script, but it's witty and funny in spots. The special effects are typical of that time and a little cheesy, but it's still an enjoyable movie.

Average customer rating:

great adaptation of Ray Bradbury's book
family movie
A fine tribute to one of the master's of 20th century fiction
Almost a perfect film. . .
Very Good And Entertaining Horror Film!

Something Wicked This Way Comes
Starring: Jason Robards , Jonathan Pryce , Diane Ladd , Royal Dano , and Vidal Peterson
Director: Jack Clayton
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Watcher in the Woods
The Lady in White
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Seven Faces of Dr. Lao
The Black Hole

ASIN: B0001I55U6
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Amazon.com

Ray Bradbury adapted his own novel for Something Wicked This Way Comes, Jack Clayton's beautiful rendering of the turn-of-the-century fantasy of a mysterious carnival that literally blows into a small town to taunt and tempt the inhabitants. Jonathan Pryce (Brazil), the handsome but demonic proprietor of Dark's Pandemonium Carnival, preys upon the vanities, the delusions, and the regrets of the townspeople by granting their wishes at the expense of their souls. Jason Robards, as the meek librarian Charles Halloway, becomes his unlikely nemesis when his son Will, with his best friend Jim Nightshade (a deliciously dark name in its own right), discovers the secret of Dark's nightmarish carnival. When they become hunted by Dark's minions (including Pam Grier as the beautiful and mysterious Dust Witch), Halloway must confront his own fears and regrets to save the boys. Clayton captures the idyll of childhood in the fall with rich autumnal colors, his camera gliding along with the energetic boys as they tear through field and forests. The climax, however, gets lost in a cacophony of competing special effects, imaginatively visualized but never very terrifying, as if producer Disney resisted the uneasy undercurrent of the story. It's more dark fantasy than horror, a nightmarish adventure filtered through the memory of a man remembering his childhood in mythic terms. --Sean Axmaker

Description

One of Ray Bradbury's most popular and intriguing novels of good and evil comes to life in this spine-tingling motion picture. On a grim and gusty October day, two young boys encounter a distressed man who foretells of danger blowing their way. Soon after, the town is visited by a seductive stanger named Mr. Dark and his Pandemonium Carnival. Terrifying things begin to happen when the adventurous boys stumble onto the carnival's deadly and destructive secret! Beware: SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES ... and frightening surprises follow!

Customer Reviews:

great adaptation of Ray Bradbury's book.......2007-05-16

this is a great sci-fi movie of good and evil.it is also disney and only rated a pg.

family movie.......2007-05-15

I have loved this movie ever since I was a kid, and was excited to see that it was in DVD. I got it and showed it to my own kids, and they love it as well. It's a good, somewhat scary, family Disney movie. I highly recommend it.

A fine tribute to one of the master's of 20th century fiction.......2007-02-14

When this movie came out in '83 I thought it was one of the most magical films I'd ever seen. I still do.

Almost a perfect film. . ........2006-12-06

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES has finally been remastered and reissued by Disney proper, and this is the only way you can see the film in its original 1:85 aspect ratio. Both Widescreen and Pan and Scan versions are provided on the disc. The picture and sound are outstanding, the beautiful October colors of Greentown and its valley well realized. Also included is the original trailer (which hit theatres before James Horner's wonderful score was ready, so other music was used. Pity.)

As for the film itself, it received an unfair drubbing on its original release. No film can truly capture Ray Bradbury's masterpiece of innocence and corruption, triumph and loss, joy and regret, light and dark. Bradbury's poetic prose is intended for the reader, not the speaker. And yet, his own screenplay (he is an accomplished screenwriter, too) comes close. The tone of the film is well balanced, hued in boyhood remembrance. The characters speak not in modern, colloquial English, but in the rich verbiage of the early twentieth century. Their Greentown is as much a creation of the heart as of the hand, where decent people live decent, caring lives.

Into this idyllic autumnal setting comes Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show (shortened for the film to Dark's Pandemonium Carnival). It arrives in a dead, black railroad train and sets up in a sudden flash of lightning. The carnival is here to grant your deepest, most special wish, but take care: there is a terrible price to be paid.

Jack Clayton (who was talked out of retirement and signed on as director due to his work on the classic film THE INNOCENTS) brings his sure hand to SOMETHING WICKED, performing a delicate balancing act. Kirk Douglas had been trying to make the film for years through his Bryna Company, and his son Peter brought the project to Disney, which in the early Eighties was trying to break away from its dull Seventies image.

They signed a magnificent cast: Jason Robards, Diane Ladd, Pam Grier, Ellen Geer, Royal Dano, Jack Dodson, James Stacy, Angelo Rossitto, Bruce Fischer and as the demonic Mr. Dark, Jonathan Pryce. As the boys Will and Jim are Vidal Peterson and Shawn Carson. All handle Bradbury's wordsmithing with aplomb, especially old pros Robards and Pryce.

And the music: this film is blessed with one of James Horner's most inspired scores (which, I believe, had never been issued on LP or CD).

Not a horror film as such, but a dark fantasy.

Now, some may argue that the film changes things in the novel, mostly to make it more cinematic. No novel comes to the screen untouched. Ray Bradbury knows that better than most, so when he adapted his own work, he kept the movie medium in mind. Granted, it was a troubled production, and there was much post-production re-editing, but SOMETHING WICKED, I feel, still stands as a rough gem, coming as close to the spirit of the novel as possible.

I like it. I recommend it. 'nuff said.

Very Good And Entertaining Horror Film!.......2006-10-14

This is one of those great horror films which children [not too young] can watch. There is a lot of suspense and thrills which will delight adults and keep children on the edge of their seats. When I first saw the film, I was a little disappointed. However, fast forward a dozen or so years, and I find myself liking this film. The main antagonist in the film is portrayed by Jonathan Pryce. Pryce does an excellent portrayal of Mr. Dark; the evil behind the carnival that has come to a small midwestern town: With promises and wishes that come with a price.

With Halloween around the corner; this is a very good choice for young ones to view a film without the gore so prevalent in so many other horror flicks. The film revolves around two young boys who discover Mr. Dark's secret about his carnival. [children will relate to the kid's]. As they try to thwart the evil, with the help of Jason Robards: one of the boys' father; the film takes off on an eerie and delightlful tale which adults and children will enjoy. Recommended!

Average customer rating:

THE REDUX
Remake, not a sequel.
The Snake Man Cometh.....
wrong.
Time waister

Escape From L.A.
Starring: Kurt Russell , A.J. Langer , Steve Buscemi , Georges Corraface , and Stacy Keach
Director: John Carpenter
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Espionage | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Futuristic | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sci-Fi Action | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Prison | Cult Movies | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Horror | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Escape from New York (Special Edition)
Soldier
Big Trouble in Little China (Single Disc Edition)
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max (Special Edition)

ASIN: 6305222886
Release Date: 1998-12-15

Amazon.com essential video

Kurt Russell reprises his role as Snake Plissken, of the near-future thriller Escape from New York, in this reworking of that film's basic premise. Instead of New York being a maximum-security prison, this time it's L.A., which through the agency of earthquakes has become an island of the damned. This penal colony is where the film's future rulers, something very like the Moral Majority, send those deemed guilty of "moral crimes." But something has gone wrong in this new moral order, because the President's daughter has absconded to L.A. with a detonation device, and Snake is commandeered to retrieve it. The film's dark dystopia, with its satrical elements taking aim at our dwindling freedoms, and the eclipsing of democracy by narrow interests, are more the subject this time. As a result the action suffers, and the plot devices are sometimes weak and predictable. But just below the surface there is a coiled Snake ready to strike. Steve Buscemi's performance as a weasely hawker of L.A. tour maps is a standout, and the presence of Peter Fonda and Pam Grier adds to the fun. In fact, just the sight of Fonda surfing down the flooded corridor of Sunset Boulevard is reason enough to check this movie out. --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

THE REDUX.......2007-06-19

A REGRETTABLE FILM,WE NEED TO FORGET IT !AND PRETEND THIS ONE WAS A BAD DREAM.

Remake, not a sequel........2007-05-18

Although it was very entertaining seeing Russell reprise his Plissken character, the movie itself was a letdown. Same scenario: Snake captured, injected w/ life-threatening drug, forced to perform for the president, infiltrating former US metropolis that now houses the country's undesirables, escapes just in time, mission accomplished, gets last word, the end. The only thing that was different from its predecessor was the addition of cheesy special effects and campy scenes (Snake on a surfboard, anyone ? Gimme a break!) If this was meant to be some kind of parody of the first film (which is, obviously, farrrrr superior), then Carpenter and Russell succeeded. What were they thinking ??

The Snake Man Cometh............2007-01-08

Okay, the rating above is not going to be liked but I have to be truthful.

The only good thing going for this movie was the return of "Snake Plissken".

This film's plot was essentially a rehash of the original "Escape From New York"...A bit more special effects (which in fact, did not make this a better movie)...

When I go to a sequel I expect to get what I paid for a totally new adventure with the same character / characters.

Kurt Russell's character is older and even more in the know of what the rewards are before he is offered them.

Obviously the movie doesn't really know where it's going as it takes two scenes (15 minutes of the film) (1st scene - President, Commandant, and Lackey give Snake the mission) (2nd scene - Commandant and Lackey brief Snake before he leaves for the mission) to explan to the audience what's the basic conflict.

I guess either Carpenter or Russell are just getting too old to take a GREAT leap and recount either an earlier Snake Plissken adventure or an adventure well worth telling..

I also wish to comment that this disc has no special features besides a movie trailer...
"Carpenter....Russell! " Please don't tell me "money" caused you to revisit a "cult figure"!

Some redeeming qualities are the acting performances of Cliff Robertson, Stacy Keach, Steve Buscemi, and Pam Grier. Robertson, Keach, and Grier may be old but they can sure make you believe in their characters!

Sorry, Snake...."I don't love L.A."

The-Big-Green-Pointy-Eared-One!

wrong. .......2007-01-06

Peter Fonda and Kurt Russell surfing a wave down a Los Angeles reservoir is not cool, does not make this movie worth a look, good God, that scene stinks. P-U. Campy. This movie is a mess. A horribly made sequel. So bad it actually tarnishes the reputation of the original.

Time waister.......2006-07-28

Sufficient movie to waist a couple hours downtime here in Afghanistan. That's it though!

Average customer rating:

Must-have DVD ... but there is a discrepancy
Beyond the Valley of the dolls
Get real
Wow.
So bad its actually good!

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Starring: Pam Grier
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Petulia
The Loved One
Jayne Mansfield Collection (The Girl Can't Help It / The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw / Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?)
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 3 (Border Incident / His Kind of Woman / Lady in the Lake / On Dangerous Ground / The Racket)
Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)

ASIN: B000EXDSC0
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Amazon.com

One never tires of watching Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a distant relative of Jaqueline Susann's bestselling novel, Valley of the Dolls, and its filmic counterpart, Valley of the Dolls. Kelly McNamara (Dolly Read), Casey Anderson (Cynthia Myers), and Petronella Danforth (Marcia McBroome), star as the hot female trio who clumsily navigate Hollywood during the Swingin' Sixties to promote their band, The Carrie Nations. Written by Rogert Ebert, Ebert calls the film the "first rock-horror exploitation musical," because BVD, as it's called by fans, encompasses all that was sexy, funny, hip, schlocky, stylish, and horrific about America's most interesting cultural period. BVD can be viewed as a Sixties' artifact, packed with consummate party scenes (and a cameo appearance by Strawberry Alarm Clock), as the original skin flick, as a proto-cult classic, or as a benchmark in American cinema, since it is actually well- written, artfully shot, and finely edited. This special edition re-release includes a second disc comprised of five featurettes, whose topics include Meyers' biography, the Carrie Nations music as soundtrack, Casey and Roxanne's titillating lesbian love scene, and the political climate during the Sixties. Revisiting Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, especially after Russ Meyer's recent death, reminds viewers to treasure his visionary obsession with female beauty. --Trinie Dalton

Description

When three female rock'n'rollers travel to Hollywood to claim an inheritance, they meet up with a kinky music promoter who turns them on to a whole new scene. At first, all seems very exciting and the naïve trio becomes submerged in his dangerous tinseltown underworld-before they discover his true motives.

Customer Reviews:

Must-have DVD ... but there is a discrepancy.......2007-06-12

I just got a DVD set from an on-line auction that includes an extra disc (Ebert commentary, and just tons of extras) and miniature lobby cards.

But the Amazon listing above (same ISBN!) has none of these extras listed and is just ONE disc:

Another oddity is that the Amazon listing says it is rated X whereas my DVD has it rated NC-17. The running time of my DVD is the same 109 minutes however so if they cut some scenes to "soften" it for NC-17 they must have put new material in. My guess is that the MPAA now requires DVD releases to adapt the rating equivalent from the new system.

Beyond the Valley of the dolls.......2007-06-05

The movie it's self is okay. When I ordered this film, I was under the impression that this was the original "X" rated version. What I got was the NC-17 version. This is a milder version from what the original film is. When I ordered this film, it said it was the "X" rated one. I also read that they had changed the rating from the x rated to the nc-17 version, but did not mention that the content in the movie was aslo changed. I am somewhat disappointed.

Get real.......2007-03-21

Quite possibly, the stupidest movie ever made.

"well-written"--could have fooled me.
"artfully shot"--I guess it had its moments, especially if you like a lot of very black shadows covering most of what you want to see, but the rest of it is no better than the standards of crappy 60's TV.
"finely edited"--I guess there's an art to cutting a real turkey

Not a campfest, not a comedy, just plain bad. Get some busty dolls and some dopey guys, throw them in a stew, show some teasers of the breasts, add a cheesy, dashed-off script by a guy who suddenly exemplars "do as I say, not as I do" and plan on it becoming a "cult classic." This is not "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"! And you'd have so much more fun watching that one again instead.

Roger Ebert, do you really chuckle when you remember this one claim to movie making fame? I thought your profession was about helping people to not waste their time. You sure wasted mine.

Wow........2007-03-09

The Roger Ebert commentary is one of the most educational pieces available out there. (ps. the Newsradio commentary with Brad Grey, Paul Simms, Julie Bean and Warren Littlefield is a close second).

So bad its actually good!.......2007-03-06

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is certainly the strangest film to ever have come out of Hollywood and that is saying something!

Made in the 1960s by Russ Meyer, the result is a cacophony of melodrama at its worst, sex for sex sake, comedy albeit unintentional and horror also possibly unintentional!

It is also a musical of sorts, in fact it has some of the best psychedelic rock in it from that era and this was for me what made the movie and stopped from failing completely as a movie.

The plot is simple enough, a rock chick band head for Hollywood, desperate to realise their dreams of fame and stardom, but they fall under the spell of rock Svengali Z-Man Barzell and find themselves drawn into the seedy world of casual sex, drugs and of course rock and roll.

This is ham and cheese at its best and worth watching with your friends, make sure you have a HUGE box of popcorn, lots of soda and sit back and enjoy a film that is so bad it is actually good!

Average customer rating:

jawbreaker
Delightfully Bad Flick, and That's a Good Thing!
This is Such a Good Movie
Smart, Sassy, and Wicked!
Evil Candy

Jawbreaker
Starring: Rose McGowan , Rebecca Gayheart , Julie Benz , Judy Greer , and Ethan Erickson
Director: Darren Stein
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Teen | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

School Days | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Black Comedy | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Sugar & Spice
Drop Dead Gorgeous
The In Crowd
Devil in the Flesh
The Craft (Special Edition)

ASIN: 0767832302
Release Date: 1999-06-22

Amazon.com

Rose McGowan vamps it up mercilessly as the "Satan in heels," a teenage-bitch queen whose birthday prank gone terminally wrong leaves her best friend dead, choked to death on a jawbreaker the size of a fist. Rebecca Gayheart, with her sparkling eyes and a smile that could melt an iceberg, is the good girl at heart who becomes a social pariah when she drops out of the group, trading her plunging necklines for librarian-lite sweaters and long skirts. Jawbreaker wants nothing less than to be the Heathers of its generation, but only intermittently hits the mark, such as when McGowan turns a mousy nobody into the next big thing, a slutty tease whose craving for attention soon challenges McGowan's supremacy. "She's evil," someone finally realizes, "and she's only in high school!" That's unfortunately the best Darren Stein's film gets. For all its catty talk and surface glamour, it's a flat, broadly directed satire that never lives up to its evocative title. Features an appearance by teen rock punks the Donnas as the prom band. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

jawbreaker.......2007-03-29

Jawbreakeri thought that this was one of the worst movies i have ever seen i actually purchased this movie without ever seeing it once i viewed it i threw it in the garbage

Delightfully Bad Flick, and That's a Good Thing!.......2007-02-06

Most might look at this film and see it as a total bomb, but I see it as sinfully delightful in it's badness! It has a style and attitude all it's own within the overbearing genre aimed at teenage/20-somethings.

Quick Synopsis: The coolest girls in school, ruled by Courtney (the Queen Bee) decide to play a harmless prank on one of their girlfriends, Liz, for her birthday. Sadly, the prank turned tragic when it resulted in Liz's death -- an occurence that was accidentally witnessed by the nerdiest girl in school, Fern Mayo. Now Courtney and company must strike a deal with Fern (they give her a makeover and help her become beautiful and popular...like them) in order to keep her quiet.

This film has a dark comedy quality to it, much like the movie Heathers (THX Version) did. The characters have an odd and quirky manner of speaking, and it makes the dialogue somewhat broken and fascinating at the same time. Rose McGowan shines as the 'Satan-in-heels' Courtney Shayne. The wardrobe and filming sequences are captivating (as usual with teen flicks, there are plenty of slow motion hot chicks strutting down the school hallways). The music fits perfectly with each scene, and compliments the edgy attitude of the movie.

Still...one can't help but notice that this movie is certainly not Oscar material. It's appeal is to a very general, young (I'd say about 15-25 age range) female audience. Men might be entertained briefly by it's gorgeous leading ladies in revealing clothing (honesly though, what high schoolers actually dress that way?), but their interest might quickly fade as the thin plot and bizarre story starts to unfold.

I have to say that I love this movie. It's fun and twisted at the same time, and even though it's never going to rank high on many "must see" movie lists, it will always have a place on mine.

Bottom line, watch it and enjoy it for the somewhat unique film it is...even if you end up thinking it was kind of bad.

This is Such a Good Movie.......2006-12-16

I watched this at my friend's house and it was hilarious. Not only were the girls extremely hot, but the story was hilarious.

Courtney in particular was cool. My brother says I'd be her if I was a girl. But, since I'm not, I'll settle with marrying her. I feel bad for Julie though. Her life took a bad turn, but so does Courtney's at the end. I like the ending of the movie, it was good.

Even Marcy turns away from Courtney in the end. Too bad for Courtney. When she's talking to Vylette at one point on the phone, she says "Courtney Shane is priority number 1". That was hilarious.

No clue who that band is at the prom, but their music is cool.

All in all, good movie. Don't watch if you're offended by sex, cussing, smoking, drinking, or teenage infatuation, though. For everyone else, GET IT!

Smart, Sassy, and Wicked!.......2006-05-27

Smart AND sassy, this movie is a classic! The plot is wicked, and the actresses definitely "bring it". I'm 32 and I LOVE this movie. I originally caught the last half on a New Year's Eve on T.V. many years ago and several years later I was STILL curious about the rest of the story. So I finally bought it on Amazon and watched it last night with my husband. This movie DELIVERS! It is NOT a typical main-stream movie and even has a bit of an Indie-feel to it. The story and the characters will draw you in. I love "The Donnas" live performance at the end. I definitely recommend picking up this film. ~Nicole

Evil Candy.......2006-05-15

Jawbreaker is the movie to watch if you want to see popular girls and their evil ways. It is hard candy's transition from sweet to killer. A good movie to watch if you feel like hating someone.

John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars [Region 99]

Average customer rating:

Good cheesy fun
john carpenter's ghost of mars
Bloody ,Gorey, Violent, and Alot of Fun (3.5 STARS)
Wow... Carpenter has made another "zombie movie" without zombies!!!
Not the best of John Carpenter

John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars [Region 99]
Starring: Robert Carradine , Joanna Cassidy , Duane Davis , Rosemary Forsyth , and Pam Grier
Director: John Carpenter
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sci-Fi Action | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Vampires
Red Planet
The One (Special Edition) [Region 99]
Mission To Mars
Escape From L.A.

ASIN: B00003CY6P
Release Date: 2001-12-04

Amazon.com

Ghosts of Mars may not be one of John Carpenter's finer efforts, but you can't knock the veteran director for staying true to his roots--it's clearly a Carpenter film, reveling in its B-movie blood lust, and fueled by the director's rock & roll rebellion as well as the sex appeal of star Natasha Henstridge. This rickety sci-fi/horror hybrid recalls Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13, with various connections from throughout the director's career--for better and worse. It's the year 2176, and human colonists on Mars are controlled by a political "matronage," with women (for reasons unexplained) holding court in the capitol city of Chryse. Mars Police Force Lt. Ballard (Henstridge) has been sent to retrieve James "Desolation" Williams (Ice Cube), the planet's most notorious criminal, from a remote mining-colony prison. With her ill-fated crew, Ballard discovers that the colonists have nearly all been possessed by ancient Martian spirits bent on reclaiming the planet, turning them into an army of self-mutilating freaks suggesting an unholy union of Marilyn Manson and the sadomasochistic Cenobites from the Hellraiser films. None of this makes much sense, and the shaky alliance between cops and criminals is a predictable excuse for rampant battle scenes between surviving humans and the ghost-possessed maniacs. Exotic weaponry abounds (along with cheap special effects and some laughable dialogue), resulting in the gruesome dispatch of expendable costars Pam Grier, Joanna Cassidy, Robert Carradine, and Clea Duvall. Driven by Carpenter's synth-metal score, this violent free-for-all has a few brief highlights, but it's suspenseless and ultimately absurd. It's not much, but for loyal fans it's probably enough. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Good cheesy fun.......2006-12-09

Remember when movies were fun and didnt take themselves too seriously? This movie invites you into its world with a smile and a wink. Thats not to say its not a well crafted film I believe it is. However, Carpenter obviously had fun making it because I had fun watching it. Its up to the viewer if they're willing to shut their thoughts off and enter Carpenters world. You can nit pick if you want, but whats the point really, this film isnt about realism its about fantasy.
For me Carpenters strength is his ability to create a sense of time and place, an alternate reality if you will. This isnt a real world or even a realistic world but Carpenter invites you into it and it has a sense of place and time.
Thats where the fun comes from, the escapism, the strange setting, the slightly off key plot and dialogue.
I enjoyed it all and consider it great fun!

john carpenter's ghost of mars.......2006-08-28

This a classic John Carpender film but defentaly one that needs a sequel by him. The skill with which action mixed with heavy metal music is excellent. As far as I'm concerned everyone in this si-fi horror thriller did their job right. I could feel it ,be it , live it. It could be real. Each character brought something essential to this film. I'm not the only one that likened the martian leader to a cross between Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. There are very powerful fight survival scenes with just enough blood and gore to freak you out and keep you on edge. Who will get possessed next? A must see. More than once to notice all of the effects, and believe me they are powerfull.
Watch it and see who lives and who dies and how.
Great work Mr. Carpender!

Bloody ,Gorey, Violent, and Alot of Fun (3.5 STARS).......2006-07-11

O.K. yes this movie is violent, bloody, gorey and a bit shallow
but not so much as to make it a bad movie (the shallow part that is). If you like the doom video games you will probaly like this. No it is not about hell invading mars but it is just as good. It is about aliens that have been released from an acient prison that can go from human to human via air currents and they start to destroy the facilities on mars and killing every thing that is breathing. in order to regain their acient home. there are a coulple of corny lines but this movie is still in the same class as Quentin Tarintino's remake of dawn of the dead. So if you want a good bloody, gorey, and violent killfest check this movie out. However I reccomend this movie for mature audiences ONLY. Because believe me this movie has earned its R rating

Wow... Carpenter has made another "zombie movie" without zombies!!! .......2006-05-08

Well... I dunno if you're a fan of Carpenter's films or not, but every fan of his work can tell you that his movies age like fine wine. If you like slam-bang action mixed with sci-fi and horror, I can recommend this movie. I'm not saying it is the best movie ever committed to film, but I will say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. It takes a while to really get moving, and I don't mean action-wise... that happens pretty quick... what I mean is conceptually, the story didn't really gel for me until about half-way through, but the time before that was spent in character development, so I can't completely shame it there.

The plot's fairly simple... in the year 2176 Earth has teraformed Mars for colonization and ore processing. They haven't worked out all the kinks and are really just kinda stumbling around in the harsh, alien environment. When a mining crew stumbles upon and ancient Martian artifact, they release the disembodied essences of the former Martians who can possess the bodies of anyone they come in contact with. The humans who are possessed by the Martians become savage, sado-masochistic beasts who mutilate their flesh and kill anyone they come in contact with.

Enter into this madness a crew of Mars police officers who are unknowingly arriving in an infected mining town to escort a prisoner from the jail to the penal facility. Poop hits fan, and the police have to forge an uneasy alliance with the criminals in the jail against the Martians.

There's some pretty good stuff about the movie: it's pretty darn violent... if you like frequent beheadings and belimbings (I made that word up!!!), you'd prolly dig this one. The makeup effects were incredible... when I say these people mutilate themselves I really mean it... we're talking screws in the face, barbed wire cutting into flesh, gashed open mouths, filed teeth... these things are scary lookin! There's one really cool scene that shows the Martians' memory of their former selves and the Mars of ages past. I really wanted to see more of that... here's hoping the buzz about Slither and its alien flashback scene lives up to the hype. And then there's the concept in and of itself: an enemy that can't be killed. You kill one of them they hop to your body and continue the fight. It's kinda staggering. Also, this movie felt like it was made in the 80's... I dunno what about it seemed that way, as the special effects were up to par for the time it was made, but it just had that flavor. It's kinda like another Carpenter film, Assault on Precinct 13. Wow... Carpenter has made another "zombie movie" without zombies!!!

What didn't work: two words: ICE CUBE. Who in their right mind ever thought that this jackass is a good actor? Oh ok... he was funny in Friday... but that's IT! Just stop now... make him go back and be a rapper... yesterday. Ugh. In my opinion he stunk up the movie royally. I could deal with everyone else in the movie, but he just... just... eeeugh. Jeez. If they wanted a tough rapper guy I'd have been happier with Coolio... at least he has fun hair! Another thing that kinda stunk was the wish in my mind that it had been a bit more violent and gory. I mean... it was ok... and by ok, I mean really good... but I dunno... I expected a LOTTA violence and gore. I think my unrated horror movie collection has me spoiled.

Not the best of John Carpenter.......2006-03-26

This film is really sad. Sad because if you look at it closely you can find a lot of good ideas ultimately ruined by poor delivery. And knowing this is written and directed by John Carpenter, I have to wonder why it isn't any better.

In a Mars of the future, a team of police are going to a mining village to get a prisoner and escort him back to civilization for trial. Upon arriving they find the village mysteriously empty. Investigating further they find corpses hanging from the cielings, weird objects. As they try to do their mission they realize that some strange force has overtaken the miners, who have begun killing people, wearing their flesh, and having savage, native-like tendencies. The force controlling them? Weird ghosts released from an ancient tomb, ghosts that go into the human body to control them. Killing the person will only release them to go into another.

Wait wait wait...a weird alien force that possesses people and turns them against the heroes and when the person is killed it goes into someone else? That's "The Thing!" And wait...a drugged up force of psychos attacking people in a building? That's "Assault on Precint 13!" John Carpenter - you're ripping off yourself!

One problem I had was some serious miscasting. Pam Grier was wrong for this role - it's not that I don't think she can act, I just think she's unbelievable as the leader of a combat squad. Natasha Henstridge was another bad choice, because I really could not believe her as a strong heroine. Hollywood needs to realize really skinny women with model-bodies generally cannot do much in a fist fight. In "Species" it was OK because her attractive exterior was just that - and exterior - but here we're supposed to believe as she (quite often very laughably) beats up all these people five times stronger than her. If you still disagree with me, try to imagine Calista Flockhart beating up the Rock.

I also have to say that John Carpenter's filmmaking, usually fitting to the subject matter, is in this incredibly annoying. For one, whenever characters are walking down a hallway or approaching something they will dissolve between different points of the scene - what was the point? Also, consider that this story is essentially one big flashback, told by Natasha; some parts are still taken from other character's perspective as told to Natasha's character - some parts still are taken from accounts from accounts told to Natasha's character! That's right - some parts of this movie are flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks. Also, the "ghost p.o.v" was just ridiculous: imagine taking normal film and giving it a weird, wavy red tint.

Besides all this, there were some little moments of "ingenuity," and I've composed a list detailing them.
* Mars has a weaker gravity than Earth, being smaller than our own planet.
* Women are supposedly the dominant gender now. Then why do all the male characters still act egotistical? Shouldn't men be subservient and the women forceful now?
* While looking at a vehicle with a struggling man inside, Pam Grier hears a noise, yells "Who goes there?" and walks off. Natasha Henstridge doesn't notice her leaving and doesn't see where she goes...even though she's like FIVE FEET AWAY FROM HER!
* We find out Ice Cube has taken the shotgun from one of the rookies, who claims he was "too fast." Ice Cube was like ten feet away from him - did he move with super sonic speed?
* During the Jericho flashback, when he goes to find Pam Grier, he takes a few steps from the vehicle and sees a crazed native carrying Pam Grier's head. This means within the minute and a half that happened between Pam walking off and Jericho looking for her, a native ambushed her, cut off her head, and all RIGHT BY THE SCENE!
* In a stand-off between miners and the police, the miners say, "Drop your guns!" and the police, despite outnumbering them and having superior firepower, do so. This is the classic "Drop 'em!" rule of movies: whoever says "Drop your weapons!" first, the other group HAS to do it.
* I find it amazing in movies that no matter how far in the future you get, radios are still crappy, never go far in distance, and are always easily clouded by a dust storm or any other large form of nature.
* Here's great military strategery: you're outnumbered by a larger enemy and your route of departure is late, so instead of defending your only way out you charge into your larger enemy allowing yourself to get surrounded and your route cut off.
* A guy crawling on the ground grabs a stick of dynamite, and when it blows up it propels him forward headfirst in the air...wait what?
* If the ghosts take over the bodies of whoever attacked its host, then how come when Ice Cube and Natasha Henstridge are taking out like thirty of the possessed humans there aren't thirty ghosts coming after them?
* Ghosts can't go through doors and walls, by the way.
* The film gives a cliche plot turn: "Let's go home." / "No. We have to go back and kill them all." Uh...wouldn't it be simpler to go back to your superiors, tell them what happened, and have them bomb the place instead of doing it yourself? Oh wait, then the film would be over.
* Is it just me or do a lot of characters get hit by spears and sharp objects and the weapons don't actually STICK into them?
* Why is it everytime a grenade goes off near someone, the resulting blast makes them hop? Yes, HOP.

I'm having trouble believing this was done by the same guy who did "Big Trouble In Little China," "Escape from New York," and "Halloween." I hate to say it, but "Ghosts of Mars" has the look and feel of a Sci-Fi Channel original film. At the same time I want to like this because I've always been a John Carpenter fan, because I like how a lot of these sets seemed traditional instead of poorly done CG, and as previously stated I liked a lot of the ideas. Its sad to see the movie come out like this, but it just goes to show you that everything that looks good on paper can be undone by a bad script.

Average customer rating:

Outback Love
"The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation
Excellent Film
Good premise, poor execution
Holy Smoke This ending sucked!

Holy Smoke!
Starring: Paul Goddard , Pam Grier , Harvey Keitel , Genevieve Lemon , and Tim Robertson
Director: Jane Campion
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Religion | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Iris (2001)
Heavenly Creatures
Hideous Kinky
Quills
Jude

ASIN: B00003CWRC
Release Date: 2000-08-08

Amazon.com

Aussie director Jane Campion's one of a kind. Forget money and fame; she's inspired by the pleasure of sharing her cinematic dreams with friends and film audiences. Her globetrotting heroines (Angel at My Table, The Piano, Portrait of a Lady) may be willful, crazed, self-absorbed, wrong--but who can resist joining these passionate women on their voyages of self-discovery, whether they lead to safe harbor or dead end?

Holy Smoke opens deliriously in a magical India, saturated with light, color, sensuality. Celebrated by Neil Diamond's anthem, "Holly Holy," Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet, delivering a breathtakingly luminous performance) explores a world that encourages spiritual epiphany--and falls hard for the cartoonish guru who opens her "third eye." Back home in Australia, her hilariously dysfunctional, distinctly down-to-earth family hires hotshot deprogrammer PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel, his dyed hair and cowboy boots telegraphing desperate machismo) to cure Ruth. In an isolated Outback shack, Campion's duo wrestle each other for control of their souls--and bodies, too. This duel's in deadly earnest: Ruth assaults Waters's petrified masculinity; PJ aims to strip this radiant girl of her unexamined faith.

Their wild ride--funny, brutal, erotic--toward brand-new selfhood is punctuated by indelible images: Ruth dancing in a white sari beside an emu corral; naked in the night, Ruth offering her lush body to her tormentor; lost in the desert, cross-dressed in red gown, PJ "saved" by a golden vision of Ruth as a magnificent Indian goddess. For those who love the way movies can sometimes project truth and beauty, Holy Smoke is a feast for the eyes--and for the mind. --Kathleen Murphy

Description

Kate Winslet (TITANIC, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY) and Harvey Keitel (U-571, PULP FICTION) add scintillating performances to a seductive, darkly hilarious motion picture that's met with overwhelming critical acclaim! While on a journey of discovery in exotic India, beautiful young Ruth Barroin (Winslet) falls under the influence of a charismatic religious guru. Her desperate parents then hire PJ Waters (Keitel), a macho cult deprogrammer, who confronts Ruth in a remote desert hideaway. But PJ quickly learns that he's met his match in the sexy, intelligent, and iron-willed Ruth! Another memorable motion picture directed by Academy Award(R)-winner Jane Campion -- you'll feel an undeniable comic charge from the sparks that fly as PJ and Ruth face off in an electric battle of the sexes.

Customer Reviews:

Outback Love.......2007-05-13

Australian film is a great source of fresh innovation. Harvey Keitel and
Kate Winslet with a fine supporting cast tell a story; simple on the surface but jaw dropping as it unfolds.

"The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation.......2007-05-10

Synopsis: While on vacation in India with a girlfriend Aussie Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet) experiences a profound spiritual awakening and decides to stay with her new guru and his community of believers. Tricked by her Mother under the false pretense that her Father is dying, she returns home only to find a professional deprogrammer, PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel) has been hired to bring her back to her "senses." Whisked away against her will to a secluded farmhouse in the Outback, a three day confrontation ensues between the two. By the end of the allotted time you're left to wonder who's deprogramming who.

I had no expectations concerning the film `Holy Smoke' yet it still took me totally by surprise. Kate Winslet not only demonstrates once and for all how talented an actress she is but displays a sensual side that left me speechless (well nearly anyway). Harvey Keitel also delivers an excellent performance perfectly capturing the subtly of a man slowly moving beyond his clever facade and revealing who he really is.

`Holy Smoke' is definitely a movie in a genre of its own making. What begins as a journey to spiritual self-realization slowly evolves into a psychological tale of sensuality, eroticism and obsession. Add to the mix several intermittent epiphanies reminiscent of a `60's psychedelic voyage through inner space and you have before you a unique one-of-a-kind film. Expect the unexpected when watching for just when everything has fallen apart and lays in shambles the story returns its audience back to the spiritual path and reconciles the combatants for an unexpected conclusion. This film is surely a shamanic tale in a twentieth century setting encompassing the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Truly an amazing accomplishment, thank you Jane Campion (director) for this absolutely brilliant film, I love it!

Excellent Film.......2007-02-07

Kate Winslet's incredible talent shines in this film. Sexy, thought provoking, and comical. I would recommend to anyone.

Good premise, poor execution.......2006-12-28

I always enjoy watching Kate Winslet because she accepts daring roles and gives her all in very uninhibited performances. She is one of those young, very talented and oh so beautiful actresses, who isn't afraid to risk being taken seriously by appearing nude. Keira Knightley is another terrific young lady in this category. In this film, Kate plays a wayward young woman, Ruth, who has fallen under the spell of a religious cult guru in India. Her family tricks her into returning to Australia and then hires an expert cult "exiter" to deprogram her. In a role very unlike his role in Campion's "The Piano," Harvey Keitel looks very much in shape and turns in a decent performance as PJ, the deprogrammer. PJ is very impressive as he demonstrates to Ruth that he is very knowledgeable about her idol and his teachings. Unfortunately, the time spent on this display of his religious prowess is entirely too brief. Rather than focusing on Ruth's deprogramming and taking the time to make her transformation believable, the film begins to concentrate primarily on their relationships. To me, it would have made for a more interesting film to delve into the reasons why Ruth and PJ believe what they do. Was PJ in a cult earlier in his life? If so, what brought him out of it and drove him to become a deprogrammer? Why was Ruth initially so drawn to this guru that she packed her bags and moved to India? Is she philosophical, or is she as gullible and shallow as the film makes her appear? Instead of exploring these, the film takes the easy way out, and both Ruth and PJ change very abruptly after only a little conversation. Both are allegedly strong-willed; yet, both too easily forego their convictions. Ruth watches a video about cults while catching glimpses of PJ being fondled by her sister-in-law. Suddenly she breaks down. Are we supposed to believe it had never occurred to her she might have been drawn into a cult? She seems entirely too clever for that. Or, perhaps she has lost faith in her deprogrammer and begins to see him either as a common man or even the object of her jealousy? Neither seems likely, and I'm not certain the Campions knew either as they wrote the script. In fact, the entire movie seems as though it cannot decide what it wants to be: a comedy, drama, romance or something else. Ruth never really seems to love PJ until after he professes his love for her, and even then it is not convincing. Perhaps they are two of a kind, motivated by a search for love (or fulfillment of some sort). Who knows? The film starts out well, but becomes fairly unpersuasive by its finale. Ultimately, it is a good premise that goes astray, though you might want to watch it for good performances from Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel.

Holy Smoke This ending sucked!.......2006-10-06

I liked this movie thru out the entire time... up until the end. I won't give it away or add any spoilers but Harvey Keitel was perfect in the part of the 'deprogrammer' and Kate Winslet was very good as the 'brainwashed' cultist. I also liked the Neil Diamond music and how it was used in the movie.

Its not a bad flick and it has a good message but boy they blew it in the end.

Average customer rating:

Seagal is a martial arts hero in serious trouble...
no one is above seagal's law in this,his first movie
Back when Seagal was really making movies
Seagal at his best
Political Intrigue, CIA Ties, and Aikido Master on the Hunt

Above the Law
Starring: Steven Seagal , Pam Grier , Henry Silva , Ron Dean , and Daniel Faraldo
Director: Andrew Davis
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | 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

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Out for Justice
Hard to Kill
Marked for Death
Under Siege
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory

ASIN: 6304779089
Release Date: 1998-01-28

Amazon.com

Steven Seagal plays a Chicago cop who takes on CIA types in this action thriller from Andrew Davis (The Fugitive). Davis brings muscle to the project, including some strong set pieces that make Seagal (who also co-wrote and co-produced the film) look awfully good. Costars Pam Grier and Sharon Stone give a big assist in that department, too, yet nothing can really mitigate such ridiculous moments as Seagal's getting profound with a villain in his raspy monotone: "You think you're above the law. But you're not." The DVD release includes full-screen and widescreen presentations, production notes, trailers, optional Spanish soundtrack and optional French and Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Seagal is a martial arts hero in serious trouble..........2006-12-17

Born in Palermo, Sicily and raised in Chicago, Nico Toscani (Steven Seagal) is a martial arts hero in serious trouble...

When his eyes are about to be opened, he is recruited into the CIA by a crazy drunk guy named Nelson Fox...

Toscani holds the record for having more relatives under federal indictment than any other cop in the city... He hates the cocaine lawyers and the bad weather, but he is a loving husband and a caring father with no sins to confess...

Nico is a narcotics cop who can't swallow his pride... He smashes crack dealers' faces into their cocaine mirrors, and wiretaps bad guys' phones without asking for permission... He assaults his opponents in bars and starts putting them in orbit... Nico wants to be number one on the most wanted list...

Toscani makes a big drug bust, and discovers some plans to kill a senator who can't be bought out... He stands against a psychopathic leader who have used his 'little beauties' many times to extract information...

'Above the Law' is the first Steven Seagal movie which reveals the chilling truth about a powerful institution always political, largely ineffective and frequently corrupt...

no one is above seagal's law in this,his first movie.......2006-06-27

andrew davis(the fugitive,under siege) directs steven seagal's first movie with great gusto and keeps everything moving so fast that any plot holes are just steamrolled over and leaves us with seagal's best movie after under siege which was also made by davis.
seagal is an ex-c.i.a. agent now a chicago cop who stumbles onto a group of ex-c.i.a. men running drugs and killing anyone who gets in their way.
seagal isn't a great actor but he co-wrote the screenplay so it doesn't give him anything he can't handle,and the action is very well done. so if you lake action this is a good one to watch!! check it out!!!!!!!

Back when Seagal was really making movies.......2006-01-19

A chicago cop [Steven Seagal, In his film debut] fights to shut down a drug ring. This, Which is Steven Seagal's first film, Remains one of his very best efforts to date. The film has plenty of good action, A good plot, And it never gets boring and you never get tired of watching. Seagal is backed up by a good supporting cast which includes Pam Grier, Sharon Stone, and Henry Silva. Rent this movie and just kick back and enjoy the action... Have a blessed day, Peace.

Seagal at his best.......2005-12-26

Steven Seagal could very well be the messiah of brutality and pain. If you like watching Seagal absolutely destroy random guys, and you enjoy his classy one-liners, Above the Law is an excellent choice. There is nothing wrong with this movie. Seagal is so ridiculously amazing - this debut may be his finest.

Political Intrigue, CIA Ties, and Aikido Master on the Hunt.......2005-09-15

Steven Seagal's first movie, and many may still argue his best. I don't know why, but I got on a Seagal review kick tonight, and well, this movie started it all. I'm not much into sophist conspiracy theories (preachy plot), but the action is great and although light on Aikido action, it was the first time in a major motion picture that these skills were brilliantly portrayed. Andrew Davis handles silly dialogue well and keeps the pace going.

Strong performances abound from Pam Greir and Henry Silva. But Seagal is the star in his debut and for the next four years, riding on the coattails of this movie, he becomes a bankable star, only to blow it by gaining a lot of weight and making substandard movies (his directing disaster is "On Deadly Ground", a stupid movie that would later prove he shouldn't direct movies or write scripts).

Average customer rating:

Coffy
Exploitation at its best
Foxy Brown
Thank you Pam for a Blaxploitation classic!
My Favorite Movie...

Coffy
Starring: Pam Grier , Booker Bradshaw , Robert DoQui , William Elliott (II) , and Allan Arbus
Director: Jack Hill
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Drugs | By Theme | Acti