Holy Smoke!
Starring:Kate Winslet, Harvey Keitel
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Aussie director Jane Campion's one of a kind. Forget money and fame; she's inspired by the pleasure of sharing her cinematic dreams with friends and film audiences. Her globetrotting heroines (Angel at My Table, The Piano, Portrait of a Lady) may be willful, crazed, self-absorbed, wrong--but who can resist joining these passionate women on their voyages of self-discovery, whether they lead to safe harbor or dead end?
Holy Smoke opens deliriously in a magical India, saturated with light, color, sensuality. Celebrated by Neil Diamond's anthem, "Holly Holy," Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet, delivering a breathtakingly luminous performance) explores a world that encourages spiritual epiphany--and falls hard for the cartoonish guru who opens her "third eye." Back home in Australia, her hilariously dysfunctional, distinctly down-to-earth family hires hotshot deprogrammer PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel, his dyed hair and cowboy boots telegraphing desperate machismo) to cure Ruth. In an isolated Outback shack, Campion's duo wrestle each other for control of their souls--and bodies, too. This duel's in deadly earnest: Ruth assaults Waters's petrified masculinity; PJ aims to strip this radiant girl of her unexamined faith.
Their wild ride--funny, brutal, erotic--toward brand-new selfhood is punctuated by indelible images: Ruth dancing in a white sari beside an emu corral; naked in the night, Ruth offering her lush body to her tormentor; lost in the desert, cross-dressed in red gown, PJ "saved" by a golden vision of Ruth as a magnificent Indian goddess. For those who love the way movies can sometimes project truth and beauty, Holy Smoke is a feast for the eyes--and for the mind. --Kathleen Murphy
Average customer rating:
- Outback Love
- "The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation
- Excellent Film
- Good premise, poor execution
- Holy Smoke This ending sucked!
|
Holy Smoke!
Starring: Paul Goddard , Pam Grier , Harvey Keitel , Genevieve Lemon , and Tim Robertson
Director: Jane Campion
Manufacturer: Miramax
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Similar Items:
- Iris (2001)
- Heavenly Creatures
- Hideous Kinky
- Quills
- Jude
ASIN: B00003CWRC
Release Date: 2000-08-08 |
Amazon.com
Aussie director Jane Campion's one of a kind. Forget money and fame; she's inspired by the pleasure of sharing her cinematic dreams with friends and film audiences. Her globetrotting heroines (Angel at My Table, The Piano, Portrait of a Lady) may be willful, crazed, self-absorbed, wrong--but who can resist joining these passionate women on their voyages of self-discovery, whether they lead to safe harbor or dead end?
Holy Smoke opens deliriously in a magical India, saturated with light, color, sensuality. Celebrated by Neil Diamond's anthem, "Holly Holy," Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet, delivering a breathtakingly luminous performance) explores a world that encourages spiritual epiphany--and falls hard for the cartoonish guru who opens her "third eye." Back home in Australia, her hilariously dysfunctional, distinctly down-to-earth family hires hotshot deprogrammer PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel, his dyed hair and cowboy boots telegraphing desperate machismo) to cure Ruth. In an isolated Outback shack, Campion's duo wrestle each other for control of their souls--and bodies, too. This duel's in deadly earnest: Ruth assaults Waters's petrified masculinity; PJ aims to strip this radiant girl of her unexamined faith.
Their wild ride--funny, brutal, erotic--toward brand-new selfhood is punctuated by indelible images: Ruth dancing in a white sari beside an emu corral; naked in the night, Ruth offering her lush body to her tormentor; lost in the desert, cross-dressed in red gown, PJ "saved" by a golden vision of Ruth as a magnificent Indian goddess. For those who love the way movies can sometimes project truth and beauty, Holy Smoke is a feast for the eyes--and for the mind. --Kathleen Murphy
Description
Kate Winslet (TITANIC, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY) and Harvey Keitel (U-571, PULP FICTION) add scintillating performances to a seductive, darkly hilarious motion picture that's met with overwhelming critical acclaim! While on a journey of discovery in exotic India, beautiful young Ruth Barroin (Winslet) falls under the influence of a charismatic religious guru. Her desperate parents then hire PJ Waters (Keitel), a macho cult deprogrammer, who confronts Ruth in a remote desert hideaway. But PJ quickly learns that he's met his match in the sexy, intelligent, and iron-willed Ruth! Another memorable motion picture directed by Academy Award(R)-winner Jane Campion -- you'll feel an undeniable comic charge from the sparks that fly as PJ and Ruth face off in an electric battle of the sexes.
Customer Reviews:
Outback Love.......2007-05-13
Australian film is a great source of fresh innovation. Harvey Keitel and
Kate Winslet with a fine supporting cast tell a story; simple on the surface but jaw dropping as it unfolds.
"The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation.......2007-05-10
Synopsis: While on vacation in India with a girlfriend Aussie Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet) experiences a profound spiritual awakening and decides to stay with her new guru and his community of believers. Tricked by her Mother under the false pretense that her Father is dying, she returns home only to find a professional deprogrammer, PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel) has been hired to bring her back to her "senses." Whisked away against her will to a secluded farmhouse in the Outback, a three day confrontation ensues between the two. By the end of the allotted time you're left to wonder who's deprogramming who.
I had no expectations concerning the film `Holy Smoke' yet it still took me totally by surprise. Kate Winslet not only demonstrates once and for all how talented an actress she is but displays a sensual side that left me speechless (well nearly anyway). Harvey Keitel also delivers an excellent performance perfectly capturing the subtly of a man slowly moving beyond his clever facade and revealing who he really is.
`Holy Smoke' is definitely a movie in a genre of its own making. What begins as a journey to spiritual self-realization slowly evolves into a psychological tale of sensuality, eroticism and obsession. Add to the mix several intermittent epiphanies reminiscent of a `60's psychedelic voyage through inner space and you have before you a unique one-of-a-kind film. Expect the unexpected when watching for just when everything has fallen apart and lays in shambles the story returns its audience back to the spiritual path and reconciles the combatants for an unexpected conclusion. This film is surely a shamanic tale in a twentieth century setting encompassing the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Truly an amazing accomplishment, thank you Jane Campion (director) for this absolutely brilliant film, I love it!
Excellent Film.......2007-02-07
Kate Winslet's incredible talent shines in this film. Sexy, thought provoking, and comical. I would recommend to anyone.
Good premise, poor execution.......2006-12-28
I always enjoy watching Kate Winslet because she accepts daring roles and gives her all in very uninhibited performances. She is one of those young, very talented and oh so beautiful actresses, who isn't afraid to risk being taken seriously by appearing nude. Keira Knightley is another terrific young lady in this category. In this film, Kate plays a wayward young woman, Ruth, who has fallen under the spell of a religious cult guru in India. Her family tricks her into returning to Australia and then hires an expert cult "exiter" to deprogram her. In a role very unlike his role in Campion's "The Piano," Harvey Keitel looks very much in shape and turns in a decent performance as PJ, the deprogrammer. PJ is very impressive as he demonstrates to Ruth that he is very knowledgeable about her idol and his teachings. Unfortunately, the time spent on this display of his religious prowess is entirely too brief. Rather than focusing on Ruth's deprogramming and taking the time to make her transformation believable, the film begins to concentrate primarily on their relationships. To me, it would have made for a more interesting film to delve into the reasons why Ruth and PJ believe what they do. Was PJ in a cult earlier in his life? If so, what brought him out of it and drove him to become a deprogrammer? Why was Ruth initially so drawn to this guru that she packed her bags and moved to India? Is she philosophical, or is she as gullible and shallow as the film makes her appear? Instead of exploring these, the film takes the easy way out, and both Ruth and PJ change very abruptly after only a little conversation. Both are allegedly strong-willed; yet, both too easily forego their convictions. Ruth watches a video about cults while catching glimpses of PJ being fondled by her sister-in-law. Suddenly she breaks down. Are we supposed to believe it had never occurred to her she might have been drawn into a cult? She seems entirely too clever for that. Or, perhaps she has lost faith in her deprogrammer and begins to see him either as a common man or even the object of her jealousy? Neither seems likely, and I'm not certain the Campions knew either as they wrote the script. In fact, the entire movie seems as though it cannot decide what it wants to be: a comedy, drama, romance or something else. Ruth never really seems to love PJ until after he professes his love for her, and even then it is not convincing. Perhaps they are two of a kind, motivated by a search for love (or fulfillment of some sort). Who knows? The film starts out well, but becomes fairly unpersuasive by its finale. Ultimately, it is a good premise that goes astray, though you might want to watch it for good performances from Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel.
Holy Smoke This ending sucked!.......2006-10-06
I liked this movie thru out the entire time... up until the end. I won't give it away or add any spoilers but Harvey Keitel was perfect in the part of the 'deprogrammer' and Kate Winslet was very good as the 'brainwashed' cultist. I also liked the Neil Diamond music and how it was used in the movie.
Its not a bad flick and it has a good message but boy they blew it in the end.
Average customer rating:
- Outback Love
- "The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation
- Excellent Film
- Good premise, poor execution
- Holy Smoke This ending sucked!
|
Holy Smoke!
Starring: Kate Winslet , Harvey Keitel , Julie Hamilton , Sophie Lee , and Daniel Wyllie
Director: Jane Campion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Comedy
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Grier, Pam
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Keitel, Harvey
| ( K )
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Winslet, Kate
| ( W )
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Similar Items:
- Iris (2001)
- Heavenly Creatures
- Hideous Kinky
- Quills
- Jude
ASIN: B000065K67 |
Amazon.com
Aussie director Jane Campion's one of a kind. Forget money and fame; she's inspired by the pleasure of sharing her cinematic dreams with friends and film audiences. Her globetrotting heroines (Angel at My Table, The Piano, Portrait of a Lady) may be willful, crazed, self-absorbed, wrong--but who can resist joining these passionate women on their voyages of self-discovery, whether they lead to safe harbor or dead end?
Holy Smoke opens deliriously in a magical India, saturated with light, color, sensuality. Celebrated by Neil Diamond's anthem, "Holly Holy," Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet, delivering a breathtakingly luminous performance) explores a world that encourages spiritual epiphany--and falls hard for the cartoonish guru who opens her "third eye." Back home in Australia, her hilariously dysfunctional, distinctly down-to-earth family hires hotshot deprogrammer PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel, his dyed hair and cowboy boots telegraphing desperate machismo) to cure Ruth. In an isolated Outback shack, Campion's duo wrestle each other for control of their souls--and bodies, too. This duel's in deadly earnest: Ruth assaults Waters's petrified masculinity; PJ aims to strip this radiant girl of her unexamined faith.
Their wild ride--funny, brutal, erotic--toward brand-new selfhood is punctuated by indelible images: Ruth dancing in a white sari beside an emu corral; naked in the night, Ruth offering her lush body to her tormentor; lost in the desert, cross-dressed in red gown, PJ "saved" by a golden vision of Ruth as a magnificent Indian goddess. For those who love the way movies can sometimes project truth and beauty, Holy Smoke is a feast for the eyes--and for the mind. --Kathleen Murphy
Customer Reviews:
Outback Love.......2007-05-13
Australian film is a great source of fresh innovation. Harvey Keitel and
Kate Winslet with a fine supporting cast tell a story; simple on the surface but jaw dropping as it unfolds.
"The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation.......2007-05-10
Synopsis: While on vacation in India with a girlfriend Aussie Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet) experiences a profound spiritual awakening and decides to stay with her new guru and his community of believers. Tricked by her Mother under the false pretense that her Father is dying, she returns home only to find a professional deprogrammer, PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel) has been hired to bring her back to her "senses." Whisked away against her will to a secluded farmhouse in the Outback, a three day confrontation ensues between the two. By the end of the allotted time you're left to wonder who's deprogramming who.
I had no expectations concerning the film `Holy Smoke' yet it still took me totally by surprise. Kate Winslet not only demonstrates once and for all how talented an actress she is but displays a sensual side that left me speechless (well nearly anyway). Harvey Keitel also delivers an excellent performance perfectly capturing the subtly of a man slowly moving beyond his clever facade and revealing who he really is.
`Holy Smoke' is definitely a movie in a genre of its own making. What begins as a journey to spiritual self-realization slowly evolves into a psychological tale of sensuality, eroticism and obsession. Add to the mix several intermittent epiphanies reminiscent of a `60's psychedelic voyage through inner space and you have before you a unique one-of-a-kind film. Expect the unexpected when watching for just when everything has fallen apart and lays in shambles the story returns its audience back to the spiritual path and reconciles the combatants for an unexpected conclusion. This film is surely a shamanic tale in a twentieth century setting encompassing the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Truly an amazing accomplishment, thank you Jane Campion (director) for this absolutely brilliant film, I love it!
Excellent Film.......2007-02-07
Kate Winslet's incredible talent shines in this film. Sexy, thought provoking, and comical. I would recommend to anyone.
Good premise, poor execution.......2006-12-28
I always enjoy watching Kate Winslet because she accepts daring roles and gives her all in very uninhibited performances. She is one of those young, very talented and oh so beautiful actresses, who isn't afraid to risk being taken seriously by appearing nude. Keira Knightley is another terrific young lady in this category. In this film, Kate plays a wayward young woman, Ruth, who has fallen under the spell of a religious cult guru in India. Her family tricks her into returning to Australia and then hires an expert cult "exiter" to deprogram her. In a role very unlike his role in Campion's "The Piano," Harvey Keitel looks very much in shape and turns in a decent performance as PJ, the deprogrammer. PJ is very impressive as he demonstrates to Ruth that he is very knowledgeable about her idol and his teachings. Unfortunately, the time spent on this display of his religious prowess is entirely too brief. Rather than focusing on Ruth's deprogramming and taking the time to make her transformation believable, the film begins to concentrate primarily on their relationships. To me, it would have made for a more interesting film to delve into the reasons why Ruth and PJ believe what they do. Was PJ in a cult earlier in his life? If so, what brought him out of it and drove him to become a deprogrammer? Why was Ruth initially so drawn to this guru that she packed her bags and moved to India? Is she philosophical, or is she as gullible and shallow as the film makes her appear? Instead of exploring these, the film takes the easy way out, and both Ruth and PJ change very abruptly after only a little conversation. Both are allegedly strong-willed; yet, both too easily forego their convictions. Ruth watches a video about cults while catching glimpses of PJ being fondled by her sister-in-law. Suddenly she breaks down. Are we supposed to believe it had never occurred to her she might have been drawn into a cult? She seems entirely too clever for that. Or, perhaps she has lost faith in her deprogrammer and begins to see him either as a common man or even the object of her jealousy? Neither seems likely, and I'm not certain the Campions knew either as they wrote the script. In fact, the entire movie seems as though it cannot decide what it wants to be: a comedy, drama, romance or something else. Ruth never really seems to love PJ until after he professes his love for her, and even then it is not convincing. Perhaps they are two of a kind, motivated by a search for love (or fulfillment of some sort). Who knows? The film starts out well, but becomes fairly unpersuasive by its finale. Ultimately, it is a good premise that goes astray, though you might want to watch it for good performances from Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel.
Holy Smoke This ending sucked!.......2006-10-06
I liked this movie thru out the entire time... up until the end. I won't give it away or add any spoilers but Harvey Keitel was perfect in the part of the 'deprogrammer' and Kate Winslet was very good as the 'brainwashed' cultist. I also liked the Neil Diamond music and how it was used in the movie.
Its not a bad flick and it has a good message but boy they blew it in the end.
![Holy Smoke! [Region 2]](http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/217S5D602EL.jpg)
Average customer rating:
- Outback Love
- "The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation
- Excellent Film
- Good premise, poor execution
- Holy Smoke This ending sucked!
|
Holy Smoke! [Region 2]
Starring: Kate Winslet , Harvey Keitel , Julie Hamilton , Sophie Lee , and Daniel Wyllie
Director: Jane Campion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Comedy
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Grier, Pam
| ( G )
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| DVD
| Video
Keitel, Harvey
| ( K )
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Winslet, Kate
| ( W )
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Jane Campion
| By Director
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| Stores
| DVD
| Video
( H )
| Titles
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| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- Iris (2001)
- Heavenly Creatures
- Hideous Kinky
- Quills
- Jude
ASIN: B00004XO9S |
Amazon.com
Aussie director Jane Campion's one of a kind. Forget money and fame; she's inspired by the pleasure of sharing her cinematic dreams with friends and film audiences. Her globetrotting heroines (Angel at My Table, The Piano, Portrait of a Lady) may be willful, crazed, self-absorbed, wrong--but who can resist joining these passionate women on their voyages of self-discovery, whether they lead to safe harbor or dead end?
Holy Smoke opens deliriously in a magical India, saturated with light, color, sensuality. Celebrated by Neil Diamond's anthem, "Holly Holy," Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet, delivering a breathtakingly luminous performance) explores a world that encourages spiritual epiphany--and falls hard for the cartoonish guru who opens her "third eye." Back home in Australia, her hilariously dysfunctional, distinctly down-to-earth family hires hotshot deprogrammer PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel, his dyed hair and cowboy boots telegraphing desperate machismo) to cure Ruth. In an isolated Outback shack, Campion's duo wrestle each other for control of their souls--and bodies, too. This duel's in deadly earnest: Ruth assaults Waters's petrified masculinity; PJ aims to strip this radiant girl of her unexamined faith.
Their wild ride--funny, brutal, erotic--toward brand-new selfhood is punctuated by indelible images: Ruth dancing in a white sari beside an emu corral; naked in the night, Ruth offering her lush body to her tormentor; lost in the desert, cross-dressed in red gown, PJ "saved" by a golden vision of Ruth as a magnificent Indian goddess. For those who love the way movies can sometimes project truth and beauty, Holy Smoke is a feast for the eyes--and for the mind. --Kathleen Murphy
Customer Reviews:
Outback Love.......2007-05-13
Australian film is a great source of fresh innovation. Harvey Keitel and
Kate Winslet with a fine supporting cast tell a story; simple on the surface but jaw dropping as it unfolds.
"The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation.......2007-05-10
Synopsis: While on vacation in India with a girlfriend Aussie Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet) experiences a profound spiritual awakening and decides to stay with her new guru and his community of believers. Tricked by her Mother under the false pretense that her Father is dying, she returns home only to find a professional deprogrammer, PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel) has been hired to bring her back to her "senses." Whisked away against her will to a secluded farmhouse in the Outback, a three day confrontation ensues between the two. By the end of the allotted time you're left to wonder who's deprogramming who.
I had no expectations concerning the film `Holy Smoke' yet it still took me totally by surprise. Kate Winslet not only demonstrates once and for all how talented an actress she is but displays a sensual side that left me speechless (well nearly anyway). Harvey Keitel also delivers an excellent performance perfectly capturing the subtly of a man slowly moving beyond his clever facade and revealing who he really is.
`Holy Smoke' is definitely a movie in a genre of its own making. What begins as a journey to spiritual self-realization slowly evolves into a psychological tale of sensuality, eroticism and obsession. Add to the mix several intermittent epiphanies reminiscent of a `60's psychedelic voyage through inner space and you have before you a unique one-of-a-kind film. Expect the unexpected when watching for just when everything has fallen apart and lays in shambles the story returns its audience back to the spiritual path and reconciles the combatants for an unexpected conclusion. This film is surely a shamanic tale in a twentieth century setting encompassing the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Truly an amazing accomplishment, thank you Jane Campion (director) for this absolutely brilliant film, I love it!
Excellent Film.......2007-02-07
Kate Winslet's incredible talent shines in this film. Sexy, thought provoking, and comical. I would recommend to anyone.
Good premise, poor execution.......2006-12-28
I always enjoy watching Kate Winslet because she accepts daring roles and gives her all in very uninhibited performances. She is one of those young, very talented and oh so beautiful actresses, who isn't afraid to risk being taken seriously by appearing nude. Keira Knightley is another terrific young lady in this category. In this film, Kate plays a wayward young woman, Ruth, who has fallen under the spell of a religious cult guru in India. Her family tricks her into returning to Australia and then hires an expert cult "exiter" to deprogram her. In a role very unlike his role in Campion's "The Piano," Harvey Keitel looks very much in shape and turns in a decent performance as PJ, the deprogrammer. PJ is very impressive as he demonstrates to Ruth that he is very knowledgeable about her idol and his teachings. Unfortunately, the time spent on this display of his religious prowess is entirely too brief. Rather than focusing on Ruth's deprogramming and taking the time to make her transformation believable, the film begins to concentrate primarily on their relationships. To me, it would have made for a more interesting film to delve into the reasons why Ruth and PJ believe what they do. Was PJ in a cult earlier in his life? If so, what brought him out of it and drove him to become a deprogrammer? Why was Ruth initially so drawn to this guru that she packed her bags and moved to India? Is she philosophical, or is she as gullible and shallow as the film makes her appear? Instead of exploring these, the film takes the easy way out, and both Ruth and PJ change very abruptly after only a little conversation. Both are allegedly strong-willed; yet, both too easily forego their convictions. Ruth watches a video about cults while catching glimpses of PJ being fondled by her sister-in-law. Suddenly she breaks down. Are we supposed to believe it had never occurred to her she might have been drawn into a cult? She seems entirely too clever for that. Or, perhaps she has lost faith in her deprogrammer and begins to see him either as a common man or even the object of her jealousy? Neither seems likely, and I'm not certain the Campions knew either as they wrote the script. In fact, the entire movie seems as though it cannot decide what it wants to be: a comedy, drama, romance or something else. Ruth never really seems to love PJ until after he professes his love for her, and even then it is not convincing. Perhaps they are two of a kind, motivated by a search for love (or fulfillment of some sort). Who knows? The film starts out well, but becomes fairly unpersuasive by its finale. Ultimately, it is a good premise that goes astray, though you might want to watch it for good performances from Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel.
Holy Smoke This ending sucked!.......2006-10-06
I liked this movie thru out the entire time... up until the end. I won't give it away or add any spoilers but Harvey Keitel was perfect in the part of the 'deprogrammer' and Kate Winslet was very good as the 'brainwashed' cultist. I also liked the Neil Diamond music and how it was used in the movie.
Its not a bad flick and it has a good message but boy they blew it in the end.
Average customer rating:
|
Holy Smoke! [Region 2]
Starring: Kate Winslet , Harvey Keitel , Julie Hamilton , Sophie Lee , and Daniel Wyllie
Director: Jane Campion , and Gillies MacKinnon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Grier, Pam
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Keitel, Harvey
| ( K )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Winslet, Kate
| ( W )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Campion, Jane
| ( C )
| Directors
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Mackinnon, Gillies
| ( M )
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Used DVDs
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Jane Campion
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ASIN: B000083EFH |
Average customer rating:
- Outback Love
- "The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation
- Excellent Film
- Good premise, poor execution
- Holy Smoke This ending sucked!
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Holy Smoke! [Region 2]
Starring: Kate Winslet , Harvey Keitel , Julie Hamilton , Sophie Lee , and Daniel Wyllie
Director: Jane Campion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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Keitel, Harvey
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Winslet, Kate
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ASIN: B00004WZW4 |
Amazon.com
Aussie director Jane Campion's one of a kind. Forget money and fame; she's inspired by the pleasure of sharing her cinematic dreams with friends and film audiences. Her globetrotting heroines (Angel at My Table, The Piano, Portrait of a Lady) may be willful, crazed, self-absorbed, wrong--but who can resist joining these passionate women on their voyages of self-discovery, whether they lead to safe harbor or dead end?
Holy Smoke opens deliriously in a magical India, saturated with light, color, sensuality. Celebrated by Neil Diamond's anthem, "Holly Holy," Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet, delivering a breathtakingly luminous performance) explores a world that encourages spiritual epiphany--and falls hard for the cartoonish guru who opens her "third eye." Back home in Australia, her hilariously dysfunctional, distinctly down-to-earth family hires hotshot deprogrammer PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel, his dyed hair and cowboy boots telegraphing desperate machismo) to cure Ruth. In an isolated Outback shack, Campion's duo wrestle each other for control of their souls--and bodies, too. This duel's in deadly earnest: Ruth assaults Waters's petrified masculinity; PJ aims to strip this radiant girl of her unexamined faith.
Their wild ride--funny, brutal, erotic--toward brand-new selfhood is punctuated by indelible images: Ruth dancing in a white sari beside an emu corral; naked in the night, Ruth offering her lush body to her tormentor; lost in the desert, cross-dressed in red gown, PJ "saved" by a golden vision of Ruth as a magnificent Indian goddess. For those who love the way movies can sometimes project truth and beauty, Holy Smoke is a feast for the eyes--and for the mind. --Kathleen Murphy
Customer Reviews:
Outback Love.......2007-05-13
Australian film is a great source of fresh innovation. Harvey Keitel and
Kate Winslet with a fine supporting cast tell a story; simple on the surface but jaw dropping as it unfolds.
"The Meaning Of The Word, Choice" ~ A Modern Tale Of Shamanic Transformation.......2007-05-10
Synopsis: While on vacation in India with a girlfriend Aussie Ruth Baron (Kate Winslet) experiences a profound spiritual awakening and decides to stay with her new guru and his community of believers. Tricked by her Mother under the false pretense that her Father is dying, she returns home only to find a professional deprogrammer, PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel) has been hired to bring her back to her "senses." Whisked away against her will to a secluded farmhouse in the Outback, a three day confrontation ensues between the two. By the end of the allotted time you're left to wonder who's deprogramming who.
I had no expectations concerning the film `Holy Smoke' yet it still took me totally by surprise. Kate Winslet not only demonstrates once and for all how talented an actress she is but displays a sensual side that left me speechless (well nearly anyway). Harvey Keitel also delivers an excellent performance perfectly capturing the subtly of a man slowly moving beyond his clever facade and revealing who he really is.
`Holy Smoke' is definitely a movie in a genre of its own making. What begins as a journey to spiritual self-realization slowly evolves into a psychological tale of sensuality, eroticism and obsession. Add to the mix several intermittent epiphanies reminiscent of a `60's psychedelic voyage through inner space and you have before you a unique one-of-a-kind film. Expect the unexpected when watching for just when everything has fallen apart and lays in shambles the story returns its audience back to the spiritual path and reconciles the combatants for an unexpected conclusion. This film is surely a shamanic tale in a twentieth century setting encompassing the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Truly an amazing accomplishment, thank you Jane Campion (director) for this absolutely brilliant film, I love it!
Excellent Film.......2007-02-07
Kate Winslet's incredible talent shines in this film. Sexy, thought provoking, and comical. I would recommend to anyone.
Good premise, poor execution.......2006-12-28
I always enjoy watching Kate Winslet because she accepts daring roles and gives her all in very uninhibited performances. She is one of those young, very talented and oh so beautiful actresses, who isn't afraid to risk being taken seriously by appearing nude. Keira Knightley is another terrific young lady in this category. In this film, Kate plays a wayward young woman, Ruth, who has fallen under the spell of a religious cult guru in India. Her family tricks her into returning to Australia and then hires an expert cult "exiter" to deprogram her. In a role very unlike his role in Campion's "The Piano," Harvey Keitel looks very much in shape and turns in a decent performance as PJ, the deprogrammer. PJ is very impressive as he demonstrates to Ruth that he is very knowledgeable about her idol and his teachings. Unfortunately, the time spent on this display of his religious prowess is entirely too brief. Rather than focusing on Ruth's deprogramming and taking the time to make her transformation believable, the film begins to concentrate primarily on their relationships. To me, it would have made for a more interesting film to delve into the reasons why Ruth and PJ believe what they do. Was PJ in a cult earlier in his life? If so, what brought him out of it and drove him to become a deprogrammer? Why was Ruth initially so drawn to this guru that she packed her bags and moved to India? Is she philosophical, or is she as gullible and shallow as the film makes her appear? Instead of exploring these, the film takes the easy way out, and both Ruth and PJ change very abruptly after only a little conversation. Both are allegedly strong-willed; yet, both too easily forego their convictions. Ruth watches a video about cults while catching glimpses of PJ being fondled by her sister-in-law. Suddenly she breaks down. Are we supposed to believe it had never occurred to her she might have been drawn into a cult? She seems entirely too clever for that. Or, perhaps she has lost faith in her deprogrammer and begins to see him either as a common man or even the object of her jealousy? Neither seems likely, and I'm not certain the Campions knew either as they wrote the script. In fact, the entire movie seems as though it cannot decide what it wants to be: a comedy, drama, romance or something else. Ruth never really seems to love PJ until after he professes his love for her, and even then it is not convincing. Perhaps they are two of a kind, motivated by a search for love (or fulfillment of some sort). Who knows? The film starts out well, but becomes fairly unpersuasive by its finale. Ultimately, it is a good premise that goes astray, though you might want to watch it for good performances from Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel.
Holy Smoke This ending sucked!.......2006-10-06
I liked this movie thru out the entire time... up until the end. I won't give it away or add any spoilers but Harvey Keitel was perfect in the part of the 'deprogrammer' and Kate Winslet was very good as the 'brainwashed' cultist. I also liked the Neil Diamond music and how it was used in the movie.
Its not a bad flick and it has a good message but boy they blew it in the end.
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