Hollywood Homicide

Starring:Harrison Ford, Josh Hartnett, Lena Olin, Bruce Greenwood, Isaiah Washington, Lolita Davidovich, Keith David, Master P, Gladys Knight, Lou Diamond Phillips, Meredith Scott Lynn, Tom Todoroff, James MacDonald, Kurupt, AndrÃ© Benjamin, Alan Dale, Clyde Kusatsu, Dwight Yoakam, Martin Landau, Eric Idle
Director: Ron Shelton
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

The dark underside of Boogie Nights is tracked in Wonderland, a sleaze-filled look at the notorious "Wonderland Murders" of 1981. The movie attempts to explain how the legendarily endowed porn actor John C. Holmes was involved in the killings, while deliberately suggesting the difficulty of knowing the truth of a murky case. The police procedural aspects turn out to be less intriguing than the weirdly hapless domestic life of Holmes (Val Kilmer at his most dazed), who despite his promiscuity continues to rely on his starchy, clean-cut wife (an unflattering role for Lisa Kudrow, but the most interesting character in the picture). Well-known actors--notably a near-unrecognizable Dylan McDermott--slouch through the story, which rather distracts from the aggressively realistic approach. In the end, the unclean aura makes one yearn for the stylized ingenuity of Boogie Nights, or at least a reason to be watching this story this way. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Not Kilmer's best work.......2007-05-15

The life and times of John Holmes defines public perception of the adult entertainment industry. You occasionally come across an article or two nowadays talking about how its merely a business and its practitioners are really just entrepreneurs, how only a select few engage in the types of behavior exhibited by Holmes back in the 1970s and 1980s. What was that behavior? You already know. Think about your perceptions of the adult film industry. It's loaded from top to bottom with strung out junkies, misogynists, and women abused as children now taking their internal pain out on themselves. Producers and distributors don't escape scorn, either. They're abusers of female flesh always looking for the next buck, always looking out for some fresh perversion to put up on the screen in order to lure in customers. Drugs, anti-feminists, abusers, predators--not a pretty picture. John Holmes fit the bill when it came to drugs and other assorted criminal enterprises. After his career in the business faded, he sank into a personal hell of cocaine and heroin addiction. His death from the AIDS virus in 1988 only confirmed what many already thought about this sordid and seamy lifestyle.

"Wonderland" touches on one of the sleazier parts in John Holmes's long slide into oblivion. As we soon learn from the film, a heinous crime occurred in a known drug den located in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles. On July 1, 1981, someone or several someones broke into the house and severely bludgeoned all five occupants with steel pipes. Four of them died. The fifth victim, a woman, survived with serious injuries. A police investigation into the crime discovered that nearly everyone associated with the house was deeply involved in drugs. Then an informant named David Lind contacted the authorities. He told a strange story about the former film star John Holmes. According to Lind, Holmes frequented the drug parlor on a regular basis and was actually in the house the night of the murders. Moreover, he helped the gang in the house plan a drug robbery involving a big time cocaine dealer named Eddie Nash. Holmes helped eyeball Eddie's pad and then gave the information to his friends. They robbed the drug dealer, but Nash found out who was responsible and retaliated by putting out a hit on the residents of the house. When the police finally caught up with John Holmes, he offered up a different version of events.

The movie "Wonderland" presents to its audience both accounts of what happened in the house that night. Before we get to the good stuff, the film sets up the story. Holmes (Val Kilmer) spends all of his time with his underage girlfriend Dawn (Kate Bosworth) trying to score dope. Oddly enough, he still maintains contact with his estranged ex-wife Sharon (Lisa Kudrow), which often leads to very strange scenes when Holmes shows up with his girlfriend. Sharon will eventually play a small, albeit important, role in what happens later. Then "Wonderland" treats us to endless scenes of drug dealing and drug using at the house. It's fairly clear in at least one of the film's narratives that Holmes isn't well respected by the gang living in the house. They think he's a mooch and a loser whose only worth to them is one of cruel entertainment. For example, he's forced to show a couple of girls his...equipment...much to the amusement of the others. It's hard to see this pathetic loser actively participating in a series of brutal murders. According to David Lind (Dylan McDermott), however, that's exactly what happened. Holmes was not only there; he actively participated in the killings.

I think that summary pretty much nails it, although I wouldn't bet any money on it. That's the main problem with "Wonderland". The narrative style of the film incorporates at least two versions of events, and these stories move around in odd circles that make it tough for a viewer to keep track of the proceedings. Did Eddie Nash force Holmes to roll over on his friends? Or did Holmes decide to rat them out for his own personal gain? That's the crux of the story. We don't receive a definitive answer in the movie largely because the legal system never solved the case. Don't worry about the confusing plot, though, because the film does a good job of looking at the sordid underside of life in Los Angeles. The set pieces look great, and the performances work wonders. I wasn't that impressed with Val Kilmer as the main character; he's done much better work in other films, and he doesn't seem to have much to do here. Lisa Kudrow spellbinds in her small role, and Eric Bogosian exudes menace as the dangerous Eddie Nash. Look for appearances from Christina Applegate, Carrie Fischer, and Janeane Garofalo in smaller parts.

We've got a big slab of DVD to dissect here, folks. "Wonderland" as a two-disc set boasts a ton of supplements that will keep you busy LONG after the credits roll. You want a commentary track? We get one with director James Cox and some dude named Captain Mauzner. We also get deleted scenes, lots of short interviews with the cast, a brief Court TV segment dealing with the case, and trailers. The best extras are a long documentary on the life of John Holmes and a grisly 24 minute long LAPD crime video showing the inside of the house after the murders. We see the bodies and the blood splatter in nauseating detail, and it's nasty stuff. Keep that in mind if you've got a weak stomach. Ultimately, I'm going to give "Wonderland" three stars. I thought the film was only so-so. It's definitely not Kilmer's finest hour. Also, I don't really care much about the deaths of a bunch of low-life scumbags. Sue me. Still, you could do worse than give "Wonderland" a watch.

Two movies for the price of one............2007-03-07

Based on the true story of the "Wonderland Murders", this set is two DVD's. Watch disk two first to get a background and overview of the life and times of John C. Holmes, then watch the movie, Wonderland. You'll have a much greater understanding of the movie.

What ever happened to John Holmes?.......2007-01-28

"Wonderland" is for all those out there that ever wondered what became of Johns Holmes after his iconic/illustrious career as America's "Reigning King of Porn" came to an end. "Wonderland" covers the events such as Holmes' drug addiction, affair with a minor, his estranged relationship with his wife who wouldn't divorce him, and his involvement in the gruesome quadruple homicides on Wonderland Drive in the Hollywood Hills during the 1980s.

Great acting on the part of all those involved in this movie. This is not a pretty film and it takes a serious look at the events surrounding the Wonderland Drive murders and Homes' role in the crimes themselves.

can't explain the fascination.......2007-01-05

I can't explain the fascination some of us have with '70's porn, John Holmes, and the Wonderland murders. John Holmes had some life. As we all know, he was not the most handsome man, but he did have that one "asset" that made him famous and made him stand out above many others.

I don't want to give another synopsis of the movie. I read a lot of the reviews by movie critics, and I thought that most were a bit too harsh on the movie. I personally liked it a lot. The story is interesting and the movie is entertaining. Val Kilmer is probably better looking that Holmes ever was, and he did an adequate job of portraying a strung out porn "star" that was past his glory days and on a downward spiral. People in the adult entertainment business often seem to be self-destructive and live very sad lives after all. Perhaps they have nothing to go to once they are past their "prime" in the business. The movie has an overall darkness to it. Holmes was obviously involved with some very bad people. I think I tend to believe his version of events.

The best thing about the DVD is the bonus material that is provided. There are some awesome things here, including a documentary about the life of John Holmes. There is also some police footage of the Wonderland crime scene. I also want to add that I loved the title sequence at the beginning of the movie. The Bad Company song "Shooting Star" couldn't have been more appropriate. Obviously Holmes was a "porn star" and not a rock star, but the song parallels his own life so much.

Brilliant, Entertaining, and Frightening.......2006-10-08

WONDERLAND is probably the BEST all-around drug movie ever depicting the LA sex & drug scene of the 1970's-1980's. Oddly enough, at least for me, the scariest scene of the entire movie is a deleted one where Eddie Nash turns on John Holmes to the base (crack) pipe for the first time. The actors, screenplay and direction are all top notch. A very entertaining, yet frightening movie based on a true story.

Average customer rating:

I LOVE THIS MOVIE
A fun cop comedy
Romper Room
Hollywood Homicide
Oh Solo, why have you forsaken us?

Hollywood Homicide
Starring: Harrison Ford , Josh Hartnett , Lena Olin , Bruce Greenwood , and Isaiah Washington
Director: Ron Shelton
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | 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 $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

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ASIN: B0000B00KB
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Amazon.com

Harrison Ford lends his solid, perpetually disgruntled presence to Hollywood Homicide, an action comedy in which he's paired with the squinty eyes and peaches-and-cream complexion of Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down, O). Radical French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard would appreciate this complete deconstruction of the buddy-cop flick genre; basic cinematic elements (mismatched partners, a hard-ass superior riding them, arguments about who's going to drive, arguments about intuition vs. diligent detective work, the bad cop who killed Hartnett's father, etc.) have been scrambled and slapped together with no concern for coherence, making clear their innately artificial nature. Sex scenes and car chases come out of nowhere and disappear without consequence, providing arbitrary visual stimulus. During shootouts, it's impossible to tell who got killed or why, underscoring a basic doubt about the purpose of making movies like Hollywood Homicide. It's rare for a mainstream movie to be so daringly (if perhaps accidentally) avant-garde. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

I LOVE THIS MOVIE.......2007-06-16

This is my favorite movie - as a matter of fact, if I were a homocide detective instead of a software salesperson, this could, in fact be my story. Anyone who has ever gotten a real estate license and worked another job understands this far more than the casual viewer. I particularly liked when Harrison Ford is doing a foot chase through LA after a murderer. On the street is a Buyer for a home on which he's negotiating. A counter offer is made by the Buyer and . . . well, you just gotta see it, it's fabulous. I bought this movie and I have loaned it to other realtors who have LOVED IT! This is a MUST SEE!

A fun cop comedy.......2007-04-27

Harrison Ford is very good at his role as a cop and Josh Hartnett is acceptable as his partner. They both have a second job but I still can't figure out how Hartnett is able to afford his Saleen Mustang. That is probably my biggest gripe though. I didn't mind the hip hop soundtrack and the movie is well directed. Isaah Washington plays a crazy record company owner on the run and Dwight Yokam plays his right hand man. Most of the movie is spent on the comedy and I thought that was a good choice. The chemistry with Ford and Hartnett is better than I expected. Ford is pretty good at acting intense, but comedy just seems to come natural to him. The action scenes are well done. There is enough fun in this film to recommend it to just about anybody.

3/5

The picture quality is 100% perfect. I have a weak 5.1 system, but this is the best I have ever heard it sound. There is also a director's commentary on the Columbia TriStar DVD.

Romper Room.......2007-01-07

All in all the story and plotline is very formula; there are good guys that are misunderstood and bad guys that are silly and scared. The good guys chase and chase and chase the bad guys. Will they catch the bad guys? Will the bad guys confess to unbelievable crimes? Or will just once the bad guys get away. Don't hold your breath.

There is an added wrinkle as both Detective Joe Gavilan (Harrison Ford) and his rookie partner Kasey Calden (Josh Hartnett) take care of outside interests while in pursuit.

Mean time it is fun watching this almost cartoon like execution, as they run past all the familiar landmarks out and about Los Angeles, California, USA:

Beverly Hills, Hollywood & Highland, Hollywood, Los Angeles Subway System, Mt. Olympus in Hollywood Hills, Pacific Palisades, Parker Center Police Headquarters -at 150 N. Los Angeles St., Parking Lot, L.A.P.D. Hollywood Station at 1358 Wilcox Ave., Santa Monica, Venice Canals, and Venice.

Hollywood Homicide.......2006-06-28

This is one of the stupidest movies I have ever suffered through. A colossal waste of time.

Oh Solo, why have you forsaken us?.......2006-05-20

Harrison Ford nails it here as a professionally clever, world-weary detective with a heart of gold and a new partner who can't stop squinting when he reads his lines. The razor sharp, whoops I mean razor thin, story and dialogue can be distracting, but never at the expense of making you not hate this movie.

I've added up Ebert's stars for Harrison's last 10 films and it comes out to 3.5. I don;t mean an average of 3.5. I mean 3.5 out of a possible 40 stars. Maybe Harrison should try and branch out a bit, yes?

Now, I'm a bit of a ladies man, so don;t get the wrong idea, but I do find Josh Hartnett to be a very attractive man. In fact, I often find myself having this recurring dream of him. We'll be all like having a light picnic lunch in the park, a nice Sauvignon Blanc to complement our bruschetta and olives, when he leans over to me very closely and says, "Did you know I think you're the most amazing man, I've ever met?" I usually wake up at that point. But Josh if you ever do read this, "Thanks for the compliment, but I'm not interested."

Charlie Rose with Janet Maslin, Arthur Levine & Nancy Gibbs; Harrison Ford (June 20, 2003)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Janet Maslin, Arthur Levine & Nancy Gibbs; Harrison Ford (June 20, 2003)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

A discussion about the phenomenon of the Harry Potter books with the vice president of Scholastic Inc., Arthur Levine, the journalist Nancy Gibbs of Time, and book critic for The New York Times, Janet Maslin, Also, actor Harrison Ford discusses his performance in the film Hollywood Homicide.

Hollywood Vice: Hollywood/ Vice/ Narcotics/ Homicide (Program #111)

Average customer rating:

Hollywood Vice: Hollywood/ Vice/ Narcotics/ Homicide (Program #111)

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000E373A8
Release Date: 1998-12-11

Description

L.A. Detectives. Program # 111. Sergeant Bob Harms, from the Special Problems Unit, conducts a sting operation to arrest transvestite prostitutes; Lieutenant Dan Reidder's 2-week surveillance of a suspected cocaine dealer leads to a bust; and, Detectives Cheryl Comstock and Rich Lopez follow leads to discover the identity and murderer of a young Jane Doe.

Average customer rating:

I LOVE THIS MOVIE
A fun cop comedy
Romper Room
Hollywood Homicide
Oh Solo, why have you forsaken us?

Hollywood Homicide [Region 2]
Starring: Harrison Ford , Josh Hartnett , Lena Olin , Bruce Greenwood , and Isaiah Washington
Director: Ron Shelton
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Random Hearts
Changing Lanes
K-19: The Widowmaker
The Devil's Own
Dark Blue

ASIN: B0000WSTME

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

I LOVE THIS MOVIE.......2007-06-16

A fun cop comedy.......2007-04-27

Romper Room.......2007-01-07

Hollywood Homicide.......2006-06-28

This is one of the stupidest movies I have ever suffered through. A colossal waste of time.

Oh Solo, why have you forsaken us?.......2006-05-20

L.A. Detectives - Homicide/ Vice/ Crime Impact #103

Average customer rating:

L.A. Detectives - Homicide/ Vice/ Crime Impact #103

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000FKP2AI
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Description

Program #103: HOMICIDE: Veteran homicide detective Bob Snapper and his partner are called to investigate the murder of an elderly man. The wife confesses that she stabbed her husband twice while he was sleeping because he had been drinking too much and threatening her. The detectives find the wife to be of questionable mental stability and believe that she may not have committed the crime. VICE: Vice Detective Melva Mitchell briefs female deputies posing as street prostitutes in a "john" sting. When the girls hit the streets, they lure passing male motorists to the curb, propositioning them for sex. Interested suspects are led to a hotel room where Sheriff's deputies, and a hidden surveillance camera are waiting for them. CRIME IMPACT: An avid surfer, Det. Ralph Miller of the Sheriff's Crime Impact Team is looking for a suspect who has reportedly been shooting an AK 47 in his neighborhood. Miller and team perform a probation search at the suspect's house.

DVD:

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