The Getaway (Deluxe Edition)

Starring:Steve McQueen, Ali MacGraw, Ben Johnson, Sally Struthers, Al Lettieri, Slim Pickens, Richard Bright, Jack Dodson, Dub Taylor, Bo Hopkins, Roy Jenson, John Bryson, Bill Hart, Tom Runyon, Whitney Jones, Raymond King, Ivan Thomas (II), C.W. White, Brenda W. King, W. Dee Kutach
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
It's better than the 1994 remake starring Kim Basinger and husband Alec Baldwin, but this 1972 thriller relies too heavily on the low-key star power of Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw, and the stylish violence of director Sam Peckinpah, reduced here to a mechanical echo of his former glory. McQueen plays a bank robber whose wife (MacGraw) makes a deal with a Texas politician to have her husband released from prison in return for a percentage from their next big heist. But when the plan goes sour, the couple must flee to Mexico as fast as they can, with a variety of gun-wielding thugs on their trail. MacGraw was duly skewered at the time for her dubious acting ability, but the film still has a raw, unglamorous quality that lends a timeless spin to the familiar crooks-on-the-lam scenario. As always, Peckinpah rises to the occasion with some audacious scenes of action and suspense, including a memorable chase on a train that still grabs the viewer's attention. Not a great film, but a must for McQueen and Peckinpah fans. --Jeff Shannon
Description
Master thief Doc McCoy knows his wife has been in bed with the local political boss in order to spring him from jail. What he can't know is the sinister succession of double-crosses that will sour the deal once he's on the outside - and executing the ultimate robbery. Fasten your seat belts and join Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw in a supreme action thriller based on Jim Thompson's novel. Sam Peckinpah directed, filming on locations across Texas and in sequence - from the opening inside Hunstville State Prison to the explosive El Paso border climax. Once The Getaway starts, there's no escaping its breathless intensity.

DVD Features:Audio Commentary:Commentary by Peckinpah Biographers/Documentarians Nick Redman, Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David WeddleFeaturette:Jerry Fielding, Sam Peckinpah and The GetawayTheatrical Trailer:

Average customer rating:

When Warren and Faye were a lot younger.....
Bonnie and Clyde
Great Classic Gangster Flick
Intense and captivating
A picture that dares to be excessive!,

Bonnie and Clyde
Starring: Warren Beatty , Faye Dunaway , Michael J. Pollard , Gene Hackman , and Estelle Parsons
Director: Arthur Penn
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000ING1
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Amazon.com essential video

One of the landmark films of the 1960s, Bonnie and Clyde changed the course of American cinema. Setting a milestone for screen violence that paved the way for Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch, this exercise in mythologized biography should not be labeled as a bloodbath; as critic Pauline Kael wrote in her rave review, "it's the absence of sadism that throws the audience off balance." The film is more of a poetic ode to the Great Depression, starring the dream team of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the titular antiheroes, who barrel across the South and Midwest robbing banks with Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman), Buck's frantic wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons), and their faithful accomplice C.W. Moss (the inimitable Michael J. Pollard). Bonnie and Clyde is an unforgettable classic that has lost none of its power since the 1967 release. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

When Warren and Faye were a lot younger............2007-03-02

Warren either produced/and or directed this movie. This is entertaining and well acted, I'm not sure how historically accurate it is, I've seen black and white grainey pictures of the real Bonnie and Clyde and I would describe them as "hillbilly white trash" looking. Of course this movie started a barrage of similar anti-hero movies of the 60's and 70's. Some were good, some were lousey, but I'll bet none of them were historically accurate. But, I suppose if the truth were told nobody would pay to see it. Enjoy!

Bonnie and Clyde.......2007-02-11

I've been looking everywhere for this movie and finally thought of Amazon and there it was at a reasonable price. Very quick on the delivery and would use Amazon again anytime. Wonderful service. Thanks

Great Classic Gangster Flick.......2007-01-10

One of the greatest all time classic gangster flicks,with brilliant performances by the entire cast.

Intense and captivating.......2006-12-31

The Bonnie and Clyde legend is given some needed realism in this intense and captivating drama. Rather than the "fame" they have oft been given, their more brutal criminal side is made apparent to temper the legend. It is relatively accurate historically and truthfull in the portrayal including the scene of their deaths in a lopsided gunbattle with law enforcement. An honest yet entertaining look at a life of crime that, in the end, leaves nothing to glorrify.

A picture that dares to be excessive!, .......2006-12-19

This hugely influential rural gangster thriller combined black comedy, graphic violence, and a sense of spiritual boredom and moral confusion induced by the cultural and economic poverty of the '30s Depression, to evoke the anti-establishment rebellion of the late '60s... Crucially, Penn's sympathetic view of the Barrow gang was not clouded by sentimentality, and the film's initially funny tone steadily darkens to end in chaotic, bloody carnage...

'Bonnie and Clyde' is not a film about two real people famous for so many bank robberies and murders across the big country... It shows a new kind of violence in which people could be hurt by guns, when Bonnie is shot to death in the end, it really looks as though heavy duty bullets are ripping into her...

'Bonnie and Clyde', however, manages to convey the impression that these two youngsters enjoyed themselves robbing banks and stores... It also implies that it was very easy for them to fool the law - as certainly happened in real life... Though retribution caught up with them, audiences laughed at their exploits and wanted them to escape...

Since then, the screen has enlarged upon this violent mood... Censorship, too, has relaxed in United States of America and Europe... Today it is possible for the bad guys to evade their punishments - something which could never have happened even in the times of 'Scarface,' and 'Public Enemy.'

In 'Bonnie and Clyde,' Penn created a mood, an evocation of the 1930s filtered through his 1960s sensibility...

The sense of period in 'Bonnie and Clyde' reflects Penn's vision of how the 1930s Depression-era seemed, and for all the zany style and banjo score, this vision is highly personal...

What is also personal about 'Bonnie and Clyde' and constitutes its unique flavor, is its unusual mixture of comedy and horror, its poetry of crime as something that is fun, and that also leads to violent bloody deaths...

'Bonnie and Clyde' is both real and abstract... It is a gangster movie and a comedy-romance... It is a comedy that turns dark, a romance that ends with death...

An alternation between fun and darkness is important to the structure of the film... In their second bank robbery, a daring and cheerful action goes sour when Clyde is forced to shoot the bank manager, and real blood gushes from his face...

Bonnie and Clyde take adolescent pleasure posing for photographs with their captive, but when cornered by police in a motel, they turn into vicious outlaws fighting for their lives... C. W. Moss, particularly, evokes Baby Face Nelson, when he kills policemen with a blazing machine gun...

One of the poignant moments in the film occurs when Clyde chases Bonnie through a golden corn field, while a cloud crosses the sun and slowly shadows the landscape... Here the flavor of the Texas countryside and the dim mood of the story are both expressed... The famous reunion scene is taken from a certain distance but urned into an emotional, beautiful piece...

This kind of mythic, abstract, nostalgic flavor of the depression is evoked again when C.W drives the gang members into an Okie camp and the homeless farmers come around the car to look with fear and respect at the legendary outlaws...

The final "ballet of blood" has an extraordinary effect upon audiences too... Penn courts condemnation and risks disaster by putting so personal and unorthodox a conception upon the screen...

Penn's masterpiece was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture... It only won two, One for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and another for Best Cinematography)...

Average customer rating:

This Fish, I'll call: "hilarious!"
Wanda is Wonderful
Yes, yes, yes
Very Funny
View of 'A Fish Called Wanda'

A Fish Called Wanda
Starring: Maria Aitken , Al Ashton , Roger Brierley , Ken Campbell , and Cynthia Cleese
Director: John Cleese
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: 6305161879
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Amazon.com essential video

Kevin Kline took home an Oscar for his performance as a self-absorbed lothario who prepares for lovemaking by drinking in his own "manly" musk, but it would be hard to single him out as the best thing about the film. The fact is, the entire cast of this hilarious comedy is perfect: John Cleese as the conservative barrister defending a member of sexy Jamie Lee Curtis's gang, Ms. Curtis as the conniving crook out to grab the haul for herself, and Michael Palin as the stuttering, animal-loving hit man whose attempts to murder a little old lady only decrease the size of her poodle pack. Cleese cowrote the zingy script with British comedy veteran Charles Crichton (The Lavender Hill Mob), whose smooth direction balances Monty Python farce, hysterically tasteless gags, and an unexpectedly romantic subplot with style and confidence. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Tour-de-force performances from an unparalleled comic cast highlight this much-loved hit that Roger Ebert calls "the funniest movie I have seen in a long time!" Monty Pythoners John Cleese and Michael Palin (Search For The Holy Grail, The Meaning Of Life) join OscarÂ(r) winner* Kevin Kline (In & Out) and Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies) in an entertainment so impeccably timed and executed that Time Magazine hailed it as: "Geniu[a film that] Redefines a great comic tradition!" Four conniving jewel thieves...three Yorkshire terriers...two heaving bosoms and one proper British barrister. It all adds up to "a non-stop barrage of...outrageous plot twists and over-the top performances" (L.A. Weekly) when a girl called Wanda (Curtis) tries to deceive her Nietzche-quoting boyfriend (Kline), an animal-loving hitman (Palin) and an embarrassment-prone counselor (Cleese) out of a fortune in jewels in this hilariously funny farce! *1988: Best Supporting Actor, A Fish Called Wanda

Customer Reviews:

This Fish, I'll call: "hilarious!".......2007-03-01

For the fan of classic Cleese, you will not be disappointed. This movie is blessed with a spectacular cast and a superb script. The comic timing and sheer talent of the cast, make this one of the most enjoyable movies I've ever watched. There are so many memorable scenes in this movie, it is difficult to describe without resorting to spoilers. One thing I will say, however, is that this film has made an indellible impact on my family. Hardly a family gathering will go by, without someone saying, "Oh do shut up, Porche!" Some of the most hilarious scenes, in my opinion, are between Otto (Kevin Kline) and Ken (Micheal Palin). Strangely, even though the character's are supposed to be a band of thieves, you can't help but almost root for this gang of underdogs. Speaking of Dogs, some of the scenes may not appeal to animal lovers. However, these scenes are handled in a fairly cartoonish and very "Monty Python" fashion, so I don't think they will insult the sensibilities of most viewers. This movie was given an R rating, mostly for dialog and a brief view of Cleese's buttocks, but I doubt that it would even receive a PG-13 rating now. While it is not a movie I'd recommend for young children, as the humor is likely to be over their heads, I recommend this as one of the funniest movies I've seen in the last 15 years!

Wanda is Wonderful.......2007-01-23

A great movie with a fabulous cast. Super-funny and never lets up with the humor. I enjoy watching again and again.

Yes, yes, yes.......2006-07-25

All I can say is this is a must see - a hilarious film you can truly watch over and over again. :)

Very Funny.......2006-07-14

This movie is a wonderful comedy for those who, like me, enjoy off-beat humor. Kevin Kline is always watchable, and he excells in this movie, and Jamie Lee Curtis is a perfect match for him.

View of 'A Fish Called Wanda'.......2006-07-07

True to form, the cast of characters in this film deliver a hilarious performance. A great 'pick-me-up' when you need to be entertained.

John, Jamie, and Kevin play very well off of each other. I would love to see them do something together again.

The Essential Steve McQueen Collection (Bullitt Two-Disc Special Edition / The Getaway Deluxe Edition / The Cincinnati Kid / Papillon / Tom Horn / Never So Few)

Average customer rating:

Steve McQueen Collection
buy this set instead of the individual titles!
Incomplete collection
Overall a nice assortment of McQueen's movies at a reasonable price.
Top notch collection of McQueen classics

The Essential Steve McQueen Collection (Bullitt Two-Disc Special Edition / The Getaway Deluxe Edition / The Cincinnati Kid / Papillon / Tom Horn / Never So Few)
Starring: Steve McQueen , Robert Vaughn , Jacqueline Bisset , Don Gordon , and Robert Duvall
Director: Peter Yates , Sam Peckinpah , and Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0008ENHV2
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Description

6 Steve McQueen classic movies are now available in one giftset -- THE ESSENTIAL STEVE McQUEEN COLLECTION! BULLITT TWO DISC-SPECIAL EDITION: Buckle up for gritty police procedure and a wild, trend-setting chase over Frisco's hills with THE GETAWAY DELUXE EDITION A heist gone wrong is dead-right in the hands of McQueen and director Sam Peckinpah. THE CINCINNATI KID McQueen and Edward G. Robinson ante up. Norman Jewison guides the big-time poker flick. NEVER SO FEW Commando action in World War II Burma! McQueen's first big-budget film. Frank Sinatra stars. PAPILLON Can McQueen and Dustin Hoffman escape Devil's Island? From the director of Patton. TOM HORN True to the cowboy way! McQueen rides tall in a star-packed elegy to a changing West. Titles also available separately.

Customer Reviews:

Steve McQueen Collection.......2007-01-15

Husband very pleased with Steve McQueen collection--very happy with his Christmas present

buy this set instead of the individual titles!.......2006-08-04

i bought it mainly for bullit and the getaway special editions (great extras) and papillon... i still haven't checked the other three movies... the bullit edition has a superb documentary on movie editing

Incomplete collection.......2005-12-21

Bullitt is a masterpiece, the greatest movie of its genre and McQueen's performance in it and in Papillon are among his greatest and that's saying a lot. But I would have thought that the folks who took the trouble to produce this collection would have included two others in which he proves he was more than a great charismatic star, he was also a great actor: The Sand Pebbles, in which he gives his greatest performance (and the only one nominated for an Oscar) and Love With the Proper Stranger, a glorious comedy in which he proved how truly brilliant he was by giving a comic performance which surprises and delights me every time I see it. Arthur Knight in the Saturday Review said at the time that McQueen's performance in this movie should be required viewing for acting students. He is as subtle as always -- you have to concentrate to discover all the wonders, as in all his work -- and the result is perfection. Can you imagine anyone else in any of his roles? Thanks, Steve. We'll love you forever.

Overall a nice assortment of McQueen's movies at a reasonable price........2005-08-26

Overall this is a highly recommended set of six different Steve McQueen movies. It's a "must-have" package for McQueen fans or someone who enjoys 1960's era action or adventure films. If you have even the slightest interest in buying any two or three of the six movies offered, then it well worth buying the box set and not the individual DVDs. Here are my reviews of the six DVDs included in this package:

BULLIT

The synopsis of this film revolves around a mobster named Johnny Ross who flees Chicago after embezzling $2 million from a crime syndicate and goes to San Francisco to testify for a power-driven politician named Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn). Police Lt. Frank Bullit (Steve McQueen) is assigned to protect Ross for several days prior to testifying. Two hitmen manage to shoot Ross and this sets up the remainder of the movie where Bullit has to not only find these killers but has to appease Chalmers and Bullit's bosses in the police department since he was accountable for Ross's protection.

The signature of this film is of course the wild and fast chase between Bullit's '68 Mustang and the killers' Dodge Charger through the hilly streets of San Francisco. By today's Hollywood standards it's a very ordinary chase, but in its day, it was clearly a revolutionary segment. There were obviously car chases in movies prior to this film, but this chase brought filmmaking to a much higher energy level. But the film has more to offer than just a memorable high-speed chase. First, the character of Bullit played by McQueen is arguably the first of many to follow of young, stylish, and radical cops that a young generation could identify with. It's the coolness of McQueen under fire, his style of fast cars, a sexy girlfriend and fashionable clothes that elevate him above the typical suit-and-tie, family man, and vocally brash movie cops of the past. The other strength of the movie is that it does have a clever twist in the plot about two-thirds through the film. Another enjoyable aspect of the movie is the setting of urban San Francisco in the late `60's. We don't see hippies per se, but we do see professional people in "mod" clothes. Probably the best example of this historic era of fashion disaster is in a scene where Bullit meets an informant name Eddy who has a custom trimmed beard, trendy glasses, and a loud suit.

As for the DVD, the color picture is sharp and pristine and the audio is excellent. There are plenty of bonuses including a short feature of the filming of Bullet, the history of editing and the best feature by far, a comprehensive film biography of McQueen entitled, "The Essence of Cool". There is also real-time commentary by director Peter Yates.

Movie: B+

DVD Quality: A

THE GETAWAY

The movie opens in a Texas prison where Doc McCoy (Steve McQueen) is doing time for armed robbery. He is denied parole and has to come to terms that the only way to get out early is to bribe a prison board member, Jack Beynon (Ben Johnson) by indulging him with sexual favors with McCoy's wife Carol (Ali McGraw). The dirty deed is done and McCoy is then paroled, but Beynon coerces Doc into doing one major bank job with a collection of other crooks that Beynon has assembled. This sets up a big heist with several twists and turns along the way for an action packed film.

I've seen just about all of McQueen's movies and this is my favorite. First, I like the opening scenes in a real Texas prison. The guards and other prisoners aren't actors - they are the real deal. This rest of the movie is shot in Texas also. I don't recall seeing a single scene that appeared to be made in a Hollywood backlot. The plot of this movie is original. It's more than just a bank robbery and car chases. There are a series of interesting confrontations and slick double-crosses that add a lot of pizzazz to the film. The street-smart character of Doc McCoy played by McQueen is what sets this apart from most action films. His uncanny knack of figuring out what's going on and eluding his advisories is what makes it an extra special movie. Ali McGraw is beautiful, but her acting is suspect at times. Sally Struthers gives a wonderful performance as a ditzy, yet too sympathetic hostage. Slim Pickens also does a stellar job as an older, but very spirited cowboy.

As for the DVD, the widescreen color presentation is near pristine. The stereo audio quality is excellent. There are plenty of commentary features on this DVD.

Movie: A-

DVD Quality: A-

PAPILLON

The movie Papillon opens in France in the early 20th century. The main character is a safecracking Frenchman named Henri 'Papillon' Charriere who was convicted of killing a pimp - a crime Papillon insists he was wrongfully accused of. He is sentenced for life in prison in French Guiana. During his voyage from France to South America, Papillon befriends another prisoner named Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman) who smuggled a small fortune of money with him. Upon arriving in French Guiana, they find the conditions and the climate of prison camp extremely arduous and learn that many inmates die within the first year of imprisonment. Together, Papillon and Dega combine their skills and resources for an escape from this prison colony.

The film is visually moving with many scenes showing the convicts in extremely hostile conditions. The remote locations used were impressive - especially in this widescreen color format. Steve McQueen gives the best performance of this career playing a prisoner who is subjected to near-death treatment is several parts of the film. While his verbal communication is decent in this film, it's his physical presence that is absolutely remarkable. Dustin Hoffman's performance is good, but nothing extra special. But overall, it's an extremely good adventure movie that should be about 130 minutes long instead of 2-1/2 hours. All in all, it's an intriguing film, but I wasn't blown away by it.

As for the DVD, although the widescreen color and clarity are impressive, the film transfer did pickup some tiny blemishes throughout the movie. For a 1973 film, it would have been nice to see a fully restored presentation of this picture. The stereo audio quality is excellent. There are only a few short bonus features.

Movie: B+

DVD Quality: B+

TOM HORN

The movie is based on a true story. Western cowboy Tom Horn (Steve McQueen) has a well-known reputation as fearless fighter for just causes. The setting is circa 1901 in Wyoming and Horn rides into a small town. After displaying his toughness in several confrontations, a local rancher named John Coble (Richard Farnsworth) hires Horn to stop a cattle-rustling problem that has been plaguing his ranch for sometime. Horn agrees to work for him and carries out justice in his own way. He does a great job for Coble - almost too good and then Horn is faced with a different set of problems.

The first hour of the movie is terrific with plenty of action and excitement. It's a stunning visual presentation of Steve McQueen in a beautiful Western setting, playing a character who enforces the law his way with excitement and skill. But then the last 35 minutes of the film is sedated and ambiguous when the story goes in a completely different direction. Furthermore in this last segment, the character Tom Horn appears punchless and apathetic. Since it is based on a true story, he may have really behaved this way, and that's fine, but that part of the story should have been condensed down to 3 or 5 minutes and stayed with the prior theme for a longer duration. The film has plenty of merits, but the screen writing for the last part was poorly done and cripples the mood of the entire movie.

As for the DVD, it's a sharp and pristine widescreen color presentation. The audio is excellent. Only two bonuses: the trailer and a `Wanted Dead or Alive' promotion.

Movie: B-

DVD Quality: A

THE CINCINNATI KID

The setting is during the Depression in New Orleans, mostly in the French Quarter. Eric Stoner also known as "The Cincinnati Kid" (Steve McQueen) is a very formidable stud poker player. He has a girlfriend named Christian (Tuesday Weld) and a longtime buddy named Shooter (Karl Malden). Shooter has a very attractive girlfriend named Melba Nile (Ann-Margaret). The movie is setup for a big showdown with poker legend Lancy Howard (Edward G. Robinson), who comes to New Orleans to play the "The Kid". Stoner's relationships with Christian, Shooter and Melba add a dynamic to the film that makes it more than just a "pure" poker movie.

There's a lot to like about this film. The color cinematography is superb and the props and setting for the French Quarter are a feast for the eyes (one major gaff however was a shot of a diesel train engine). In a fantastic opening scene, we see a Dixieland band playing a funeral march and then quickly changing the music to an upbeat jazz song with plenty of street dancing. The movie itself was masterfully crafted and the characters were unique and original. There are quite a few strong performances including great acting by Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden and Rip Torn. I think the thing the made this movie work is that it was not about winning or losing for the sake of money. The central issues were winning for prestige and notoriety and making someone lose to destroy their ego. The ending is gutsy and I'll just leave it at that. My only critical comment of the film is that the onscreen relationship between McQueen and Weld lacked chemistry. But overall it's an extremely entertaining movie.

As for the DVD, it's a beautiful and flawless widescreen color presentation. The audio is excellent. There are a few worthwhile bonuses including commentary by director Norman Jewison and scene-specific analysis by poker commentators Phil Gordon and Dave Foley.

Movie: A-

DVD Quality: A

NEVER SO FEW

Frank Sinatra stars as Tom Reynolds, an American Army Captain who leads a group of allied forces combined with the native tribesmen in Burma to fight the Japanese in WWII. The movie is mix of war situations in the Burmese jungles coupled with a romance involving a foreign woman (Gina Lollobrigida) he meets while on leave in India. There are some good things about this movie and some bad things. By far the best thing is some nice color footage of remote areas in Southeast Asia. There are only a few battle scenes but they work effectively in this story. There are also some notable (and young) actors in this film including Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Dean Jones and Peter Lawford.

Unfortunately, the film is marred by a number of problems. First, the Sinatra character, Tom Reynolds, is a renegade leader and does things like shoot his own wounded soldier to put him out of his misery and later does a multitude things worthy for court marshal. In addition, Reynolds consistently shows blatant disrespect with every superior officer he comes in contact with. But in a very heavy-handed way near the end of the movie, Reynold's actions along with his arrogant and condescending attitude are dealt with in a way that wasn't at all believable and at the same time very disturbing. If you are someone like me who respects the military and appreciates and understands the reason for rules and protocol, and know that rebellious people have no place in the armed forces, then you will certainly be bothered with the outcome of the movie. The other problem is this romance between Sinatra and Gina Lollobrigida. Without a doubt it, there was clearly too much time devoted to this relationship which was positively boring. The final problem was the dialogue among the soldiers. Most of it seemed to be just poor attempts at witty conversations. Overall, if you are a WWII film buff, you may find some redeeming qualities in this movie, but other than that, there just isn't that much there.

As for the DVD, the widescreen color presentation is very good but there are some tiny spots of film deterioration throughout the film. The audio is very good. The only DVD bonus is a trailer.

Movie: C-

DVD Quality: B

Top notch collection of McQueen classics.......2005-06-05

You could call him the quiet one. McQueen had a talent for portraying quite a lot with minimal dialog and that's the way he liked it. He has maybe 75 lines off dialog in "The Magnificent Seven" yet his presence is equal to that of star Yul Brynner. You'd be forgiven for being confused about which Steve McQueen boxed set to purchase. MGM has recently released "The Steve McQueen Collection" which features four McQueen classics that have previously been available on DVD; "The Thomas Crown Affair", "The Magnificent Seven", "Junior Bonner" and "The Great Escape".

"The Essential Steve McQueen Collection" is a different beast entirely; it does feature 1 title that is no different than the previously issued version -"Papillon". All the rest have either never been issued or, in the case of "Bullitt", are now in two disc deluxe editions that make this set a worthwhile addition to any collection.

The crown jewel of this set is the new deluxe edition of "Bullitt". McQueen plays San Francisco detective Frank Bullitt. He's been assigned to protect a witness for a major trial. The witness, though, is murdered. Before the post-mortem has begun, Bullitt hunts for the killers and plans on nailing them. Featuring an amazing high speed chase through the streets of San Francisco and shot entirely on location, "Bullitt" was Peter Yates' first major US film and it crackles with energy.

"Papillon" tells the story of a thief nick-named Papillon for the large butterfly tattooed on his chest. (McQueen) framed for murder in France and sent to Devil's Island for life. From the moment he steps on the boat headed to the prison he's planning his escape. He agrees to protect a financial thief Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). Schaffner's film portrays Papillon's attempt to survive on Devil's Island until he can figure out an escape plan. Although this isn't Schaffner's best film, it has a number of powerful moments that equal his classic films "Patton", "Planet of the Apes" and "The War Lord". McQueen more than holds his own with method actor Hoffman.

"The Cincinnati Kid" features McQueen as Eric Stoner a poke playing ace who challenges the best gambler around "the Man" Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson). A terrific performance by Edward G. Robinson allows Robinson to almost steal the picture under McQueen's nose. With a terrific supporting cast, "The Cincinnati Kid" would be one of the most memorable films about gambling until "Rounders" three decades later.

"Never So Few" features McQueen in the third billed role of Bill Ringa a member of the O.S.S. fighting the Japanese during World War II in Burma. Ringa and his Captain Tom Reynolds (Frank Sinatra) are in Burma to train the Kachin natives in how to fight the Japanese. Reynolds fights dirty when Chinese rebels cross over to Burma to kill and loot the American soldiers stationed there. Although it's not one of director John Sturges ("The Magnificent Seven". "Ice Station Zebra") best films, "Never So Few" provides McQueen with a role that continued his breakthrough as a actor. It also inspired Sturges to cast McQueen in "The Magnificent Seven".

"The Getaway" almost got away without being made. Originally Peter Bogdanovich was to direct with his girlfriend actress Cybil Shepherd in the lead. When she dropped out so did Bogdanovich. Luckily director Sam Peckinpah stepped in and the rewritten script by Walter Hill was tooled for McQueen. Scandal broke out on the set when McQueen became involved with his co-star Ali McGraw (who was then married to Paramount head Robert Evans). McQueen plays thief Doc McCoy who has been paroled. The only problem is that Sheriff Beynon (Ben Johnson) expects him to do a big robbery for him. He plans on killing McCoy afterward but things don't quite work out the way that Beynon intended.

"Tom Horn" (McQueen) a tracker and "enforcer" who dispensed justice in the old west takes a job to stop cattle thieves. When things get messy and Horn has to kill some of the rustlers, the ranchers who hired him want Horn stopped. He's put on trial for the murder of a 15 year old boy. The next to last film McQueen made before he died in 1980, is a surprisingly powerful and great western. The screenplay by novelist/screenwriter Thomas McGuane ("The Missouri Breaks", "92 in the Shade", "Rancho Deluxe") and Bub Shrake ("Nightwing", "J.W. Coop", "Songwriter") portrays a character out of time; Horn's style of dispensing justice faces the gray world of corruption and politics. McQueen gives one of his best nuanced performances in a film that didn't do all that well at the box office. It's a pity as it's a great movie that deserves a wider audience. Luckily, for those who buy the boxed set they'll finally get a chance to see this classic western.

The previous DVD edition of "Bullitt" looked quite good but can't compare to the newly digitally remastered transfer here. Image clarity, color and detail for "Bullitt" is superb. The sound is surprisingly spry with a nice 5.1 remix that doesn't quite use the format to its best advantage but that's not a surprise given that the film is nearly 40 years old. "Papillon" comes with the same transfer as it received in 2000. Image quality is good but the negative could use restoration and/or digital filtering to clean up the print/improve it. It does feature a recent 5.1 remix (which wasn't advertised on the box of the previous release and I don't recall if it had it or not on the 1999 release but I suspect not).The colors aren't bright and vibrant but they fit the general atmosphere of the film and are fairly true to the original theatrical exhibition if a bit faded. "The Getaway" looks terrific again considering the age of the movie. The blacks are rock solid and the colors as vivid and bright as they've ever been. There's the occasionally soft image but, on the whole, "The Getaway" looks marvelous. "Never So Few" also looks quite good particularly when you consider the age of the negative. It receives a solid transfer with bright colors and nice image clarity. "The Cincinnati Kid" also looks exceptionally good with nice color reproduction and image quality. It's clear that some digital restoration was done to the most recent releases here and "Kid" does benefit from it. "Tom Horn" looks extremely good with sharp images, bright and vivid colors. Although a tad grainy (like most of the films here) that has more to do with the stock used to shoot the films and the condition of the negative than the transfer. In most cases, the graininess adds to the character of the films. All six films feature 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround soundtracks (in addition to the 5.1 remasters for "Papillon"). All sound crisp with nice clarity to the dialog and music.

"Bullitt" gets the most attention here. Featuring two fine documentaries on the film and McQueen, we also get the original vintage featurette on the film. "The Cutting Edge" examines the the art of movie editing with a glimpse into other films during the editing process as well. "Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool" is a terrific biography on McQueen that provides a lot of information previously unknown about the actor. There's also the original theatrical trailer included as well. "The Getaway" features the original theatrical trailer only. "Papillon" has the original promotional featurette produced for the film as part of the extras as well as the trailer. "The Cincinnati Kid", "Never So Few" and "Tom Horn" all have only the original theatrical trailer for the respective films. It's a pity that Warner chose not to do a documentary or at the very least a featurette on "Tom Horn". Since it's about a real historical figure and making the film was a passion for McQueen, it would have been appropriate and provided much needed information on the historical figure and the production of this fine overlooked film.

"Bullitt" comes with an excellent commentary by director Peter Yates. "The Getaway" features a "virtual" commentary culled from interviews of McQueen, Peckinpah and McGraw as well as a commentary by Peckinpah biographers/documentarians Nick Redman, Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David Weddle. "The Cincinnati Kid" has a marvelous trivia filled commentary track by director Norman Jewison.

Between this release and "The Steve McQueen Collection", McQueen fans will have most of his essential films. Although there are a few gems missing from these collections (due to contractual issues no doubt), most of the films here are among the best McQueen made. "The Getaway" and "Bullitt" receive most of the attention here with terrific commentary tracks and extras. "Papillon" probably could have used a face lift with a new digital transfer and a commentary track by a film historian (or Dustin Hoffman) but it looks like we'll have to wait for this minor classic to get its due another time. The other missed opportunity in this superb set is the lack of extras for "Tom Horn" One of McQueen's finest later films and a terrific western that presaged films like "The Unforgiven", "Open Range" and "Wyatt Earp", it's a perfect period piece about the transition of the old west into civilization and those who were lost along the way.

Average customer rating:

COOL
Getting away with it
MCQUEEN'S TRIBUTE TO BOGART AND CAGNEY
Not Peckinpah's best
Who Sam really wanted to play the Carol Ainsley McCoy role.

The Getaway (Deluxe Edition)
Starring: Steve McQueen , Ali MacGraw , Ben Johnson , Sally Struthers , and Al Lettieri
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Getaway

ASIN: B0008ENHTY
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Amazon.com essential video

It's better than the 1994 remake starring Kim Basinger and husband Alec Baldwin, but this 1972 thriller relies too heavily on the low-key star power of Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw, and the stylish violence of director Sam Peckinpah, reduced here to a mechanical echo of his former glory. McQueen plays a bank robber whose wife (MacGraw) makes a deal with a Texas politician to have her husband released from prison in return for a percentage from their next big heist. But when the plan goes sour, the couple must flee to Mexico as fast as they can, with a variety of gun-wielding thugs on their trail. MacGraw was duly skewered at the time for her dubious acting ability, but the film still has a raw, unglamorous quality that lends a timeless spin to the familiar crooks-on-the-lam scenario. As always, Peckinpah rises to the occasion with some audacious scenes of action and suspense, including a memorable chase on a train that still grabs the viewer's attention. Not a great film, but a must for McQueen and Peckinpah fans. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Master thief Doc McCoy knows his wife has been in bed with the local political boss in order to spring him from jail. What he can't know is the sinister succession of double-crosses that will sour the deal once he's on the outside - and executing the ultimate robbery. Fasten your seat belts and join Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw in a supreme action thriller based on Jim Thompson's novel. Sam Peckinpah directed, filming on locations across Texas and in sequence - from the opening inside Hunstville State Prison to the explosive El Paso border climax. Once The Getaway starts, there's no escaping its breathless intensity.

DVD Features: Audio Commentary:Commentary by Peckinpah Biographers/Documentarians Nick Redman, Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David Weddle Featurette:Jerry Fielding, Sam Peckinpah and The Getaway Theatrical Trailer:

Customer Reviews:

COOL.......2007-06-14

Steve McQueen is the epitomy of cool and this movie proves it.

Getting away with it.......2007-05-06

One of the many things that gives 1972's The Getaway the edge over its now almost-forgotten remake is that, unlike Alec Baldwin, Steve McQueen doesn't act like a movie star - he is a movie star. From the days when cool was what you were, not what you wore or owned, the plot itself is nothing special: Steve McQueen's bank robber is sprung from jail to pull a job with wife Ali MacGraw and has to hightail it to Mexico with both the relentless double-crossing Al Lettieri and numerous Texas mobsters in hot pursuit. Like most chase thrillers, you've seen it before: it's what Peckinpah does with it that counts, and Peckinpah does plenty. Most of Peckinpah's usual trademarks can be found in the margins, from children's fascination with violence to the Hellfire and brimstone preacher whose radio sermon goes unheard, and the action scenes are superbly staged - especially the hotel shootout and the lovingly filmed shooting up of a police car - but just as importantly he keeps a clear focus on his characters. The film's emotional terrain is as harsh as the barren landscape the ensuing chase is set against, with the odds on McQueen and MacGraw's marriage making it just as touch-and-go as whether they will make it across the border in one piece, their road to possible marital redemption through ordeal mirrored with the fast-track to Hell that hostage couple Sally Struthers and Jack Dodson take chauffeuring Lettieri's perverse wounded animal on their trail.

It's probably Sam Peckinpah's last truly successful film before self-indulgence, laziness and too much booze and drugs took their toll on his work. True, it's a purely commercial piece that has none of the personal passion that drove The Wild Bunch or The Ballad of Cable Hogue, but it's put together with a level of genuine artistry that's way above the norm for the genre: the editing of the first twenty minutes alone, with its freeze-frames and non-linear structure, is remarkably adventurous and successful. Both perfectly representing the state of mind and frustration and disorientation of McQueen's character in a way that is both complex and yet entirely accessible and transforming what could have been bog-standard exposition into something much more memorable, it's strikingly effective. Far more entertaning than it has any right to be.

(On an incidental note, although Walter Hill claimed that little of his screenplay made it to the screen (the bleak ending of Jim Thompson's novel is replaced by a much sweeter and more optimistic one), it's interesting to note how much of the film he would rework in his own The Driver, from the destruction of a car in a key setpiece to the train sequence with a very (un)lucky bagman.)

Warners' 2.35:1 widescreen DVD is a good transfer, with a brief 'virtual commentary' by Peckinpah and the two stars drawn from radio interviews, a full-length commentary byPeckinpah biographers and the film's strikingly awful original theatrical trailer.

MCQUEEN'S TRIBUTE TO BOGART AND CAGNEY.......2007-04-30

This is one of my favorite Steve McQueen films because it has action, romance, violence and comedy. I enjoy watching this film because every scene is in there for a reason and you find out more and more as the movie goes on. Unlike most of today's stars, you can count on a Mcqueen movie to be great, he delivers. I enjoy films by Bogart and Cagney and this film is similar to some of their films.

Not Peckinpah's best.......2006-09-12

Doc McCoy (Steve McQueen) has been granted parole by a man named Beynon under the condition that he robs a bank! Thats story idea behind this Peckinpah film. It moves along fairly slowly, until about halfway through when there is a chase scene inside a train. That was far and away the best part of the movie. Then the pace slows down again and continues that way pretty much until the end of the picture.

Ali MacGraw is gorgeous but her acting is not. She doesn't show a moment of emotion in the whole film, and her line delivery is just plain bad. You would think that since she was actually in a real life relationship with McQueen at the time they would have some sort of on screen chemistry, but alas that is not the case.

Steve McQueens acting, as you might expect is a little better but I think he was held back by the dialog. There isn't a lot of dialog, but when there is it isn't all that impressive or important.

I found the sub-plot to be one of the most interesting parts of the movie. It involves a mans wife falling in love(?) with Rudy, the other criminal who is hunting down McQueen. Rudy forces a doctor and his wife to bandage up his shoulder and then forces them both to drive him to Texas. At first the wife seems to like Rudy but you think "She is just trying to lull him into a false sense of security" but then as the film goes on you see that is not the case. The fact that a woman falls in love with a bad bad man is nothing new, but to do so enthusiastically and almost defiantly in front of the man who loves you is just a horrible thing to do to someone and I found it to be the most poignant part of the entire film. I can't say as I blame the husband for his reaction.

This isn't Peckinpahs best film. Apparently McQueen, who was a big star at the time, had a lot of sway over how the film was written, edited, and even scored; so maybe it isn't really Peckinpahs fault. Apparently he disowned the film after he saw the final cut. That may have been wise.

My rating: 3 out of 5

Who Sam really wanted to play the Carol Ainsley McCoy role........2006-08-10

Well, it wasn't Ali MacGraw for sure. Sam wanted and promissed the role to Stella Stevens. Stella was stunning in Sam's "The Balad Of Cable Hogue" and should have been nominated for an Oscar for it. Sam was also impressed, as it turned out to be her role of a lifetime. Sam couldn't sell it to the head of Paramount, Robert Evans though, and being married to Ali as Robert was at the time, Ali got the McCoy role for "The Getaway" instead of Stella. The movie is much poorer for it.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyed It!
Only the Lonely
Great Movie
Curing!
3 1/2 Stars - Alot better than the run-of-the-mile chick flick

Bread and Tulips
Starring: Licia Maglietta , Bruno Ganz , Giuseppe Battiston , Antonio Catania , and Marina Massironi
Director: Silvio Soldini
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005Y6XU
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com

Italy's magical fantasy of midlife crisis and rebirth in Venice, the city of lovers, swept the Italian film awards and charmed all of Europe. Director Silvio Soldini turns the tourist mecca of piazzas, canals, and stone bridges into a quaint little village out of time and fills the film with the charm of the city and the gentle quirks of his delightful cast. Licia Maglietta is winning as Rosalba, the frustrated and ignored middle-aged mom who impulsively takes a vacation from her family. She hitchhikes to Venice and falls for lonely, suicidal Icelandic waiter-poet Bruno Ganz (whose soulful, sad eyes recall his fallen angel from Wings of Desire), blossoming as she rediscovers her smile and joy for life. Sweetly sexy and beautifully shot, this story of second chances may not be original or surprising (think Shirley Valentine), but it's no less lovely or enchanting for it. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyed It!.......2007-06-29

An easy movie to love, the story of an Italian "haus frau" who after being left by her family on a bus tour decides to take her own vacation to Venice. Definitely a feel-good, romantic comedy.

Only the Lonely.......2007-06-03

Our heroine Rosalba, an Italian housewife, is left behind in a bus stop ladies room, when the vacation tour bus with the rest of her family, including her lout of a husband, takes off. She decides to hitch hike as far as Venice. Rosalba hestitates and then decides to stay in Venice, taking a job in a little florist shop.And so begins the slow metamorphosis of a lonely woman.

She finds herself in a small apartment house along with other characters, each one forsaken in a their own way.Instead of a gray pall hanging over our story, beams of joy, quirky humor, and hope poke through.

One comes away sweetly startled over the meaning of family. We see that a group of strangers thrown and huddled together, can supercede the stale role playing, and overcome the meaness of life.

Great Movie.......2007-02-27

This is a great movie, and unfortantly being a foreign language film its not easy to find. I searched high and low to find this film to buy it for my mothers birthday. This is the only place I found.

Curing!.......2007-02-23

I came accross this movie in an interesting way and I watched it in complete Italian although the only word of Italian I know is "Si". I had an unusal headache to take care of and a fun film could help with that. With that purpose, I took two DVDs from the library to stick to the most fun one. One DVD did not work. I opened the box of the other one and realized that the DVD inside is different from the DVD I intended to take. Not only that but the film turned out to be in Italian! Well, what do you do in that situation? Just take what life presents at the moment and enjoy it! I did that and I am happy for having come across it. Licia Maglietta seemed a bit artificial in her acting at the beginning but then after the point she had been left behind the bus, she took her role charmingly. I liked the way Rosalda took the things that came to her pleasantly as time passed and I liked the slow but yet the sweet building of Rosalda and Fernando's relationship. No doubt Venice's scenes were beautiful and I had no more of a headache after the film. Not to be unfair, Grazia and Constantina have been as sweet.

3 1/2 Stars - Alot better than the run-of-the-mile chick flick.......2007-02-08

Summary of the movie is in other reviews, so I won't state it here.

The plot is a standard complaint of all wives for all ages throughout the world - 'I'm under-appreciated!' And in this case, REALLY, REALLY, under-appreciated.

The plot starts off slow and methodical, much like our heroine. It picks up and becomes more diverse as our heroine becomes more involved and connected with life and confident in herself.

The characters are a smidgen on the stereo-typical side, but I'd expected this in this slightly zany style film, such as was the style of some 1930s films (ex: 'Bringing Up Baby,' or 'Arsenic and Old Lace.')

I found the characters enjoyable, the acting just fine, and thought the movie better than what Hollywood offers up for women to see: ridiculously stupid or someone has to die ('Runaway Bride;' and Terms of Enderment' or 'Steel Magnolias.')

Funny, light hearted, a little long, and a little chick-flickish with its predictable ending. 3 1/2 stars.

Average customer rating:

A VERY Good movie!
The Getaway - A great action flick!
Getaway 1972 vs. Getaway 1994!!
The Getaway, The Remake
wHY IS IT BAGGED BY CRITICS??

The Getaway
Starring: Alec Baldwin , Kim Basinger , Michael Madsen , James Woods , and David Morse
Director: Roger Donaldson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0783226993
Release Date: 1998-05-27

Amazon.com

"This is going to be the last big score, I promise." Famous last words--uttered by crack thief Doc McCoy to his wife--that set forth a whirlpool of deception and violence in Roger Donaldson's 1994 remake of The Getaway. Bailed out of a Mexican jail by shady businessman Jack Benyon (James Woods) in order to hit an Arizona dog track for him, Doc (Alec Baldwin) and Carol (Kim Basinger) flee for south of the border when the robbery goes wrong, with the million-dollar loot in tow. Following close behind are Benyon's men and Doc's double-crossing partner Rudy (Michael Madsen).

The updated version shares not only the original film's plot, but also the added twist of having husband and wife Baldwin and Basinger step into the roles of the first real-life couple to make the film, Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. This time, however, the woman's role has been given a tougher '90s edge, with Basinger pulling almost as many punches and firing as many shots as Baldwin, compared to McGraw, who followed McQueen around in wide-eyed, silent terror.

The Getaway maintains the same deliberate, neo-noir pace that made the first film taut, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere in the wide-open, desolate Southwestern landscapes. The scorching sun and heat only add to the strain, making it virtually impossible for anyone to find a dark corner or alleyway to hide in. The car chases and shoot-out finale are charged, though a secondary plot line, between Rudy and the woman he kidnaps and seduces (Jennifer Tilly), comes across as unnecessarily and incongruously brutal. --Natasha Senjanovic

Customer Reviews:

A VERY Good movie!.......2007-05-08

I have never seen the original, but from what I have read it does not compare to this one. Kim and Jennifer are HOT!!! in this movie...especially Kim. This is when Kim was very good looking and the scene of her with her clothes off was worth the price of the DVD. I own this movie and must have watched it about 5 times or more and I never get tired of it. I gave it 4 stars cause I think they should have shown more shots of Jennifer naked. In my opinion this is the one that should be on HD...not the original one.

The Getaway - A great action flick!.......2007-05-03

While "The Getaway" has been widely perceived as a flop of a remake, I've always considered this movie to be one of the better and more intriguing actions flicks of the 90's. The action in this movie is pretty much non stop and only slows down for some intriguing, if not gratuitous, love scenes between the film's two main stars, Alec Baldwin and the ever beautiful Kim Basinger. The film is further enhanced with well played out performances by Michael Madsen, Jennifer Tilly, James Woods and several other bit players.

Although this film was a remake and "generally" followed along the same lines as the original movie, one can definitely say that director Roger Donaldson made this movie his own. Given other film credits such as "No Way Out" and "The Bounty," I'd definitely put this film amongst his best list. The score for the film plays into the film rather seamlessly.

The Premise:

Master criminal Doc McCoy (Alec Baldwin) and his wife, Carol (Kim Basinger) find themselves in the position of having to do "one" last job after Carol negotiates Doc's way out of a Mexican prison. What follows is no less than an exceptional action flick with all the usual tricks; gun battles, betrayal, car chases and a memorable performance by Jennifer Tilly playing a sexy twit.

Overall, this film delivers both drama and action quite well and it effortlessly pushes from scene to scene leading up to an excellent finale. I would highly recommend this film to any and all. {ssintrepid}

Special Features:
None

Getaway 1972 vs. Getaway 1994!!.......2007-04-16

Both Getaway movies have the same screenplay writen by Walter Hill, both have the slow-mo action and basically they are the same, BUT here are the differences:

Getaway 1972:

* Steve McQueen is WAY COOLER than Alec Bladwin.
* Rudy and his girl are more evil here.
* The car chase scene is at midnight.
* There is no STUPID dog race scene, only a bank robbery scene.
* The characters here are more quiet.
* The first getaway scene is COOLER and EXPLOSIVE!
* The train scene here is a CLASSIC.
* The slap scene is more intense here.
* The jail scenes here are longer.

Getaway 1994:
* There are more emotional scenes in this one.
* Kim Basinger's character is tougher and hotter!
* There are MORE celebrities here than in the original.
* The car chase scene was longer.
* There are sex scenes in this one.
* There is more blood and foul language here than in the original.
* They added one made-up action scene in the begining.
* There is a one to one fight between Rudy and Doc.

In my opinion the Getaway 1972 is better because SteveMcQueen is SOO COOL! you can watch the 1994 remake if you want to but that one is more like a normal action movie than a CLASSIC action movie.

Adios.

The Getaway, The Remake.......2007-04-04

I thought the movie was as good as Steve McQueen's movie,which was also
excellent.

wHY IS IT BAGGED BY CRITICS??.......2006-09-20

Ive seen this remake 2 or three times, same number of times as original, the original is no dispute a great McQueen crime action adventure, but yes, this remake I feel with the noir fence-wash rinse is a great night in, why do professional critics like Maltin seem to have it up with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes??

the action is great,start to finish, all three main characters make a fair fist of stepping into McQueen, McGraw and Al Lettieri's shoes, Bassingers character as the Amazon ed points out is a lot more hands on than McGraw, shes much more of a true Bonnie and Clyde gangsters moll instead of mcGraws passive passenger "I'll just maybe dosome of the driving , you'll have to shoot everybody yourself " approach.
Which is kinduv cool, frankly.

She knows better than to have a go when Doc slaps her around in one scene, which may be more about she feels actual guilt for what she has done ( for him, mind you) rather than she hasnt got the stones to try to defend herself.
Certainly she has no problem later first blowing David Morse's kneecap out with a .45, and then blowing the rest of him away after it. YaY girlpower, huh?
She is in the thick of the gunbattle.

the final rootin-tootin confrontation at the hotel is a screamer, as was the original, Baldwins face when he thinks Madsen has won and will kill him is about right underplayed.
Some criticise the scenes with Meg Tilly and her unfortunate veterinarian husband and his fate, ok, the show is of course one for after the kids are in bed. I dont personally find it gratuitous, is an eye-opener and more Noir, sure.

My sole disappointment was the writing out of the confrontation between McQueen and two Texas rangers outside a hamburger shop in the original , where McQueen hastily goes next door and arms himself by robbing a gunstore , then bails these cops up, disarms them without having to harm them, and shoots up their patrol car, before blowing town.
The Baldwin movie has no mention of this memorable scene.

Original was a tough act to follow, sure, but this stands alone well, is a good night in is totally above average popcorn entertainment, I like it, recommended if you can take a kind of commercial/Noir split which I think works.

Average customer rating:

Keitel
Excellent movie!
Fun noir.
Potent noir film!
Get this-

City of Industry
Starring: Harvey Keitel , Stephen Dorff , Timothy Hutton , Famke Janssen , and Wade Dominguez
Director: John Irvin
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000542CB
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Amazon.com

This John Irvin film is a small, hard-edged little gem, full of crisp action and tough-minded codes of honor. Harvey Keitel stars as a retired professional criminal whose younger brother (Timothy Hutton) lures him to Los Angeles for a can't-miss heist in Palm Springs. But Hutton hasn't picked his other partners very well, particularly wheelman Stephen Dorff: when it's time to divvy up the spoils, Dorff kills Hutton and a fourth partner and tries to rub out Keitel. Keitel escapes, however, and trails Dorff back to L.A., where he also figures out which Chinese mob he's tied in with. It's strictly revenge time from there on out, with Keitel as the one-man wrecking crew cutting a bloody swath through the L.A. underworld. Keitel is grittily good, a man of few words and many bullets, while Dorff is an enjoyably sleazy psychopath. A violently propulsive little noir. --Marshall Fine

Description

In the twisted maze of a city teeming with corruption, a seasoned "professional" is going to teach a traitorous rookie a simple lesson: There's nothing more lethal than a man with nothing left to lose. Academy AwardÂ(r) nominee* Harvey Keitel and co-stars Stephen Dorff and OscarÂ(r)winner** Timothy Hutton turn up the heat in this "four-star, edge-of-your-seat crime and revenge story" (Toronto Sun) that strips the mask off L.A.'s shrouded underworld and turns it inside out. In the "business" of armed robbery, Roy Egan (Keitel) is a master who's ready to retire.However, when his brother Lee (Hutton) proposes one last joba slam-dunk, three-million-dollar diamond heist with his two friends (Dorff and Wade Dominguez)Roy can't resist coming out of retirement to cash in on a sure thing. But when one of the "friends" gets greedy and pulls a deadly double-cross, the stage is set for a pulse-pounding game of cat and mouse as Roy relentlessly tracks him down, hell-bent on revenge. *1991: Supporting Actor, Bugsy **1980: SupportingActor, Ordinary People

Customer Reviews:

Keitel.......2007-02-01

This was better than I thought it would be, particularly due to Keitel and Janssen's performances. A little more Timothy Hutton would have been terrific too, as their relationship, as brothers was a success.
After all, this genre (betrayal & underworld/a brothers revenge)isn't original. But the environmental use of Los Angeles' working class and industrial areas adds it to a list that includes To Live and Die in L.A., The Limey, Heat, and Training Day...A good list indeed.
But I return to Keitel who stabalizes this film, even with the histriotics of Stephen Dorff and the so-so script.

Excellent movie!.......2006-12-22

This is a very exciting movie that draws you into the storyline early on, and holds the viewers attention all the way through to the climactic moment! Highly recommended!

Fun noir........2006-08-15

City of Industry (John Irvin, 1997)

Okay, so pretty much everyone who knows this movie exists knows it because Lucy Liu is topless for roughly forty-five seconds of this film. Which is too bad, because it's a fun little slice of noir that's sure to please.

Roy Egan (Harvey Keitel) is a professional thief who's getting ready to retire. His brother Lee (Timothy Hutton, fresh off the success of Playing God) convinces him to put off retirement to do one more job, robbing the Russian Mob of three million dollars' worth of contraband diamonds. Also in on the job are Jorge Montana (the late Wade Dominguez, of Dangerous Minds fame) and Skip Kovich (Blade's Stephen Dorff), the getaway driver. Things go horribly wrong in the worst possible way: Skip kills Lee and Jorge, and narrowly misses Roy, who (of course) vows revenge. The bulk of the film is Roy tracking Skip, while being hidden by Jorge's wife Rachel (Famke Janssen). Meanwhile, the Russians aren't too happy with being hit, either.

Good, solid action, a fast pace, and some decent acting make this one worth watching. Oh, yeah, and there's a Lucy Liu semi-nude scene, in case you hadn't heard. *** ½

Potent noir film!.......2005-07-27

The film runs with astonishing intensity, with verycredible characters, very well written and solid script that will catch your attention.
Obviously there are certain codes that maintain the whole interest in the film. There are certain thieves who still believe in the word: loyaly and honesty, and this is not a cynical expression.
So in this state of things you can look behind through the time, essential and related films: here I go: Point blank, Reservoir dogs( the best film noir of the nineties in USA),Le cercle rouge and Rififi. Four astonishing and crucial films that defy any possible match.
But the fabulous presence of Harvey Keitel, Stephen Dorff and Timothy Hutton make of this thriller a true tour de force; the increasing tension will struggle you from start to finish.
A remarkable and neglected picture of this year.

Get this-.......2003-12-12

Lucy Liu is topless in it. I'd say that's just about the only reason you need to buy this.

Average customer rating:

STEVE MCQUEEN's GREAT GETAWAY!!!
McQueen back in action
Pulp Fiction at its most authentic

The Getaway (1972) [HD DVD]
Starring: Richard Bright , John Bryson , A.L. Camp , Dick Crockett , and Jack Dodson
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Bullitt [HD DVD]
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ASIN: B000MV90JE
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Description

Customer Reviews:

STEVE MCQUEEN's GREAT GETAWAY!!!.......2007-04-11

THE HD DVD transfer for the 1972 version of The Getaway is excellent. Very sharp and color saturated. The soundtrack could have been improved beyond the 2 channel by adding some surround effects which are few to none. Some friends have reported some sound synchronization issues in chapter 13 when played in the second generation TOSHIBA HD players. Hopefully this will be corrected with the firmware update already available from TOSHIBA.
By the way, the aspect ratio for this film is 2.35:1 and NOT 1.85:1 as advertised.
Overall, a very good enjoyable addition to the HD collection.

McQueen back in action.......2007-03-10

Just checked out Warner's upcoming duo of Steve McQueen classics on HD-DVD -- "Bullitt" and "The Getaway." This is big news in guysville: Hand us a Steve McQueen action flick in a trick new video format and life is very, very good.

It's hard to watch the old DVDs after seeing the high-def, but as with most older films processed for HD, there are a few issues.

These movies come from a dicey period for film stock, especially "The Getaway," so they don't have the punch, pop and clarity of, say, older Technicolor titles like "Mutiny on the Bounty." Skin tones tend to be ruddy, contrasts are jacked up and some detail is lost to the darker bias. On "The Getaway," the audio sounds over processed, like when the amp goes to 11 -- I almost prefer the DVD version's sonics. The HD "Bullitt" audio nails it, though -- warm, realistic voices, great environmental detail, big bangs.

These are quibbles because an A-B comparison is no contest at all. The old DVDs look flat and lifeless compared with the HD-DVDs. And they were decent DVDs, special editions from just a year ago. (Both of these high-def discs port over the extras from the latest DVDs. "Bullitt" has an additional extra about editing for 1080p HD. "Getaway" add several more bonus features about the movie.)

Now that the studios have run through a lot of the easy-sell titles, we can expect more and more cool HD titles like these.

Pulp Fiction at its most authentic.......2007-03-09

I'm not so familiar with Sam Peckinpah's career as I have only seen this and The Osterman Weekend (which I hated) but you can tell from his style that he has certainly influenced a lot of modern day directors. The perfect widescreen photography, quick editing (but not a blur, I should add) and dramatic use of slow-motion give the action in The Getaway an authentic edge. And all done on a low-budget too.

Adapted from a Jim Thompson novel by Walter Hill (his macho characteristics are all in there), the story has newly-freed jailbird Carter McCoy forced into a bank robbery by crime boss Jack Benyon. He's also forced to work with rank amateur Frank and psychotic renegade Rudy. You can tell that this dost not bode well.

Rudy goes haywire, killing everyone in sight but is soon put out of action by McCoy, who then legs it across country with his cheating wife (the lovely Ali McGraw) and a bag full of simoleons. Down, but not out, Rudy follows him, as well as several associates of the recently deceased Jack Benyon, not to mention loads of cops.

The film is basically one action scene after the other but it doesn't pretend to be anything other than tough-guy entertainment. I find it bizarre that this film is rated PG in America and the exact same version is rated 18 in the UK. But the blood effects in the film are pretty damn fake so it does take it out of reality a little bit. Plus there are no (audible) F-words and the nudity is minimum and quick.

I saw the 1994 remake first and while it's passable it's not really as rustic and straight-forward as this. It was quite a pointless film and virtually identical, shot-for-shot. Everything that The Getaway has to offer is done best in this one. Unpretenious fun indeed.

The HD DVD sports a brilliant 2.4:1 1080p transfer with Dolby Digital Plus Mono sound and loads of cool extras including an alternate music track featuring Jerry Fielding's rejected score.

Average customer rating:

Looks much better than the original... still

The Getaway (1972) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Richard Bright , John Bryson , A.L. Camp , Dick Crockett , and Jack Dodson
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000MV90J4
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Description

Customer Reviews:

Looks much better than the original... still.......2007-06-21

This version looks much better than the original DVD. However, it shows it is an old movie and this has much more to do with the original equipment and filming techniques than with digital format. If you are a Steve McQueen fan as I am, do not hesitate. Buy it. If you're not, stick with the old standard or special edition versions.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Value
The Great Tarin Robbery
The first American Movie
Superb quality and great value

Great Train Robbery - 100th Anniversay
Starring: Morgan Jones , Tom London , Gilbert M. Anderson , A.C. Abadie , and George Barnes
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Outlaws | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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The Birth of a Nation
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ASIN: B0000WN1JA
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Description

This Special Edition DVD contains two versions of the historically significant western, "The Great Train Robbery" (1903) and more classic silent westerns: "The Heart of Texas Ryan" (1916), "Tumbleweeds" (1925) and "The Battle of Elderbush Gulch" (1913) - all enhanced with music and effects tracks. Bonus Features: Video Prologues narrated by Will Hutchins (WB TV star "Sugarfoot")| Bonus Cowboy Poem by Will Hutchins| Movie Selection Menu| Western Previews| Bios| DVD Rom Content: Extended Bios| Weblinks to more information and biographical material. Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital Mono; 184 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 2003 SRP - $19.99.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Value.......2007-03-09

Of course, everyone (?) knows the reputation of the Great Train Robbery. But the rest of the package contains some gems. Surprising DW Griffith Western, in "Battle...," in the sense that the cavalry does NOT arrive in the nick of time for most of the townspeople, though the stars are saved. The Tom Mix feature is really funny, showing a character who is quite anti-heroic, by Classic Western standards. But the real gem is William S. Hart's Tumbleweeds, which stages an incredible Oklahoma land run, and a stunning ride by 55-year-old Hart.

The Great Tarin Robbery.......2007-03-08

A classic of the start of motion pictures by Thomas Edison that has stould the test of time.

The first American Movie.......2005-01-24

Its hard to believe but this film was made more than 100 hundred years ago,it has to be considered to be a technical step forward for its time. The plot is basicilly a train robbery. It is also the first western. This was a stepping stone for what movies could be, D.W Griffth pushed even farther with the first epic with a Birth Of A Nation.

Superb quality and great value.......2004-02-01

Wasn't to sure what to expect quality wise but on viewing was a