The Curse of the Jade Scorpion

Starring:Howard Alden, Dan Aykroyd, Elizabeth Berkley, Kevin Cahoon, Irwin Corey, John Doumanian, Peter Gerety, Vince Giordano, Helen Hunt, Philip Levy, Brian Markinson, John Schuck, Wallace Shawn, Ted Sommer, Maurice Sonnenberg, David Ogden Stiers, Charlize Theron, John Tormey, Kaili Vernoff
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
With The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Woody Allen pays another visit to his idealized past, and his retro blend of humor and nostalgia will surely satisfy the filmmaker's most loyal fans. Like The Purple Rose of Cairo, Radio Days, and Sweet and Lowdown, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is physically impeccable: its period-perfect costumes and sets capture 1940 New York with splendid authenticity and are further enhanced by the burnished glow of Zhao Fei's cinematography. And like those earlier films, Jade Scorpion mines comedic gold from its timeframe, molding it into a plot laced with expert zingers that could only spring from a keen awareness of comedic tradition. Add an appealing roster of costars (including Elizabeth Berkley and Charlize Theron) and you've got vintage Woody that perks right along.

Customer Reviews:

Woody Lite.......2007-07-04

I'm a big Woody Allen fan. Other than "What's New Pussycat" I had enjoyed everyone of his movies that I've seen. I'll now add one more to the mediocre list; "Anything Else". Unfortunately, "Anything Else" was the last of the four movies that I watched and it was spoiling my impression of the set. I took time out to reflect on the unique Woody Allen style that is strongly present in the other three movies and reassessed my rating of this set.

All four movies are what I would call light entertainment. These are movies that you can relax and enjoy. The humor is good but not overwhelming like is is in "Bananas" or "Love and Death". What appealled to me in the three good movies in this set was the way Woody Allen constructed such oddball plots and twists within those plots. These wacky roads end up leading us to a lot of amusing relationships. These are all romantic comedies the most of which have the leading man (Woody Allen) fall for the leading lady. In some, the relationship is a reunion, in another, it is making opposites attrack. In "Anything Else" it's, well, a sort of agonizing patience.

I missed these movies when the originally came out. Part of that is due to the fact that Woody Allen movies usually don't make it to our local theaters. That's too bad because Allen can do more with less than any director I know.

Not Apocalyptic but Adequate!.......2007-03-11

Let me preface this by saying my "collecting" habits revolve around movies, etc. filmed in NYC. I wasn't always a huge Woody Allen fan, but have grown to appreciate his humor over the years.
These are all decent Woody Allen movies.
Some of the acting in the lesser of this group, seems forced. Usually Woody's humor slips under the radar, and forces one to think for a second or two. In some of these, the jokes seem telegraphed between the parties. Especially in the first few minutes of each film. My personal test is if I ever use a Woody Allen one liner from one of his films, that film gets a passing grade in my book. The title of my review might be found in one these four.

I'm ranking these within the set from Best to Worst. (within this set)

Small Time Crooks
The best of the lot, with the best simpleton plot. Strong supporting cast in Tracey Ulman, and Hugh Grant.
If you are simply looking for quality over quantity, simply buy this title on its own, and call it a day. It's a rags to riches and back to rags again story. Some very funny moments packed into this one.

Anything Else
This is another good NYC movie. Some awesome scenes filmed in wide sweeping shots, and some great streets scenes. Christina Ricci is really something to look at it this film, too. She is believable in the "struggling / tortured actress" role. Woody plays a mentor role to the love sick male co-star (Jason Biggs), however, Mr. Biggs is not a good fit for this movie. The film gives a nice "sunny Sunday afternoon, in NYC feeling", along with a few laughs.

Curse of the Jade Scorpion
This is one of Woody's "flash back" to the 30's pictures. Good upbeat jazz soundtrack. Fun story line, but a little corny and forced. This movie almost lost me in the first 10 minutes of joke dialog, but stick with it. (If you're looking for something from the 30's era, skip this, and go to "Sweet & Lowdown")

Hollywood Ending
Good NYC scenery and some good cinematography, but WAY TOO LONG. My wife and I gave up on this before we could see the "Hollywood Ending", so that's all I'll say about it.

Overall, I give the set a B- rating, as a set. However, the price per film is excellent, if you are collector, or like to have an occasional Woody film to queue up, on a Sunday afternoon. You might have a hard time finding one or two of these movies at a standard circuit city or Best Buy store, so it's worth it to grab them at an average of $6 per movie. If you don't like Woody's style, you probably won't like most of these, and you might be better off reviewing them on a title by title basis.

Not all great films, but collectable.......2007-01-15

I admit I'll buy anything with Woody's name on it. Some of these are not great movies, as it seems he'd been trying to set a Guiness record for volume of work, but as a collector I had to have them, and this is a great deal.

Madagascar: the twist and turn word!.......2006-04-23

This is very funny film immersed in the great tradition of Woody Allen. A hypnotist (Voltan Polgar)will make a true mess of entangles I this fantastic comedy of mistakes that included the prestigious presence of this talented and beautiful actress. Helen Hunt. A delightful movie that finds an inspired script, a towering cast and obviously, the acid occurrences of this remarkable and irreverent filmmaker.

Everything new is old again..........2004-08-04

Woody Allen is one of the greatest comedic voices of our time. Be it as a stand-up, a writer or a director of countless films, Allen is not only unquestionably funny, but clever as well. The four films in this box - Anything Else; The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion; Hollywood Ending; and Small Time Crooks represent the most recent period of his film history, under the Dreamworks banner.

Many say Woody has lost his magic, and to some extent they may be right. I'm not sure whether audiences have seen this "talky" humour to death now (the modern sitcom was born out of pictures like 'Annie Hall', in my opinion), or there is a distaste towards Allen because of his private life or much-imitated performances, but these four movies are largely overlooked gems.

First up, two of these pictures are not Woody standards. 'Small Time Crooks' and 'Curse of the Jade Scorpion' are caper and detective stories respectively, and as full of Woody-isms as they are, it works beautifully. The last two movies are more Woody standards - lots of talking, lots of film references and a lot of humour. 'Anything Else' has been the subject of most of the criticism of Woody's recent work, but it is hard to see why. 'Anything Else' is like a cross between 'Annie Hall' and 'Stardust Memories', although not quite as good as either. For detractors of Woody, he is not in it nearly as much as his on-screen protégée (Jason Biggs). I really couldn't see that much wrong with it (although as one critic said, you know Allen has lost touch with the youth of New York when his characters go to a Diana Krall concert and enjoy it). The script is still sharp too. Christina Ricci's character at one point warns Biggs not to kill himself because it is "so middle class".

So don't let the critics fool you - these films are the work of a man who has certainly earned, and continues to earn, his place in the pantheon of great directors. And you can't pass up four Woody Allen films for under $25.

Average customer rating:

Good
"It's a match made in heaven... by a retarded angel."
Nostalgic, sweet, charming
Just a warning
Alright Already

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
Starring: Howard Alden , Dan Aykroyd , Elizabeth Berkley , Kevin Cahoon , and Irwin Corey
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Screwball Comedy | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Small Time Crooks
Hollywood Ending
Mighty Aphrodite
Anything Else
Celebrity

ASIN: B00003CY6A
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

With The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Woody Allen pays another visit to his idealized past, and his retro blend of humor and nostalgia will surely satisfy the filmmaker's most loyal fans. Like The Purple Rose of Cairo, Radio Days, and Sweet and Lowdown, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is physically impeccable: its period-perfect costumes and sets capture 1940 New York with splendid authenticity and are further enhanced by the burnished glow of Zhao Fei's cinematography. And like those earlier films, Jade Scorpion mines comedic gold from its timeframe, molding it into a plot laced with expert zingers that could only spring from a keen awareness of comedic tradition. Add an appealing roster of costars (including Elizabeth Berkley and Charlize Theron) and you've got vintage Woody that perks right along.

Customer Reviews:

Good.......2007-05-14

I rated "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" on a special Woody Allen scale; "What's New Pussycat", Good, Better, and Best in that order. "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" comes in as "Good" which, obviously, isn't Bad. It has an interesting plot twist with a fair amount of humor. However, things just don't seem to click on all cyllanders in this movie. Oddly, Woody seems to have put himself in a role that he either wasn't up to or lost interest in. The way the characters interact with one another seems a bit stiff. The movie seems to take a bit too much time to gets it's point across. There seems to be more potential for humor than actual realization thereof. In addition, there seems to be a lack of "energy" in this film. However, these are criticisms of a Woody Allen movie; any other writer/director/actor would rate a "4" for humor and originality. I'm glad I watched this movie but I couldn't get over my great expectations.

"It's a match made in heaven... by a retarded angel.".......2007-04-02

"The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" is a romantic comedy/crime/mystery set in New York City of the 1940s which involves a love-hate relationship between veteran insurance investigator CW Briggs (Woody Allen) and his new boss Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt). One night, while watching the Magician's show with the rest of the employees, they are both hypnotized by a sinister hypnotist with a jade scorpion who later uses them into unknowingly stealing jewels for him. Had this comedy been written and directed by someone else, it would've been a disaster but Allen with his magic touch, had produced a funny and charming delight. That's what my husband called it after we enjoyed it together and I can't agree more. I love Ellington's music, the whole 40-th setting, and Woody's one-liners. His face in the scene where he and Helen Hunt were both hypnotized was simply hilarious - the guy knows how to do a physical comedy to perfection. I don't care if this picture has been called "a lesser Allen's movie" - it is still much better than majority of the comedies that come out every year. Even "lesser Allen" is enjoyable and memorable.

Nostalgic, sweet, charming.......2007-03-02

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is not as overtly funny as Small Time Crooks, and the concept is a little dated.

Woody plays a claims investigator/detective for an insurance company. Dan Aykroyd is memorable as Woody's boss, and Helen Hunt is a driven efficiency expert aiming to tighten up the corporate ship, possibly by outsourcing the investigations and firing the in-house talent.

Curse is an homage to an earlier, gentler style of comedy, appearing to be set in the 1930s or 40s. The humor depends on suspension of disbelief regarding a hypnotist who programs Woody to behave totally out of character, and the old movie plotline of love developing between opposites who attract is resurrected. The story resolves when the investigator solves the mystery of his own behavior.

I found the characters loveable, the dialogue snappy. The whole film has a kind of warm human glow. Don't expect to fall on the floor holding your sides with laughter. But you ought to smile, and Woody is out of fashion enough to give us a happy ending.

Just a warning.......2006-09-10

A lot has been said in the earlier reviews about plot, acting and what went wrong with this movie, so I won't repeat that. I'll just add a warning: If you, like I, really enjoy the genius of Woody Allen - stay clear of this one. It's way below his usual quality, and there are so many others to choose from. Any of his recent films, not to mention the classics, are more enjoyable.

Alright Already.......2006-07-09

OK. So its unoriginal, repetitive and dumb. Points taken and no argument. It's also a funny send up of screwball comedies and crime capers. Its no Manhattan or Annie Hall or Zelig or Sleeper but it holds its own as a respectable second tier comedy.

Charlie Rose with Helen Hunt; James Wolcott; Bud Greenspan (August 17, 2001)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Helen Hunt; James Wolcott; Bud Greenspan (August 17, 2001)

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

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Charlie Rose talks with Oscar award winning actor Helen Hunt, about her role in the new Woody Allen film, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. Next, critic and Author, James Wolcott, discusses his first book, The Catsitters. Finally, filmmaker Bud Greenspan talks about his film report of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

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