Cobb

Starring:Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Wuhl, Lolita Davidovich, Ned Bellamy, Scott Burkholder, Allan Malamud, Bill Caplan, Jeff Fellenzer, Doug Krikorian, Gavin Smith, Lou Myers, William Utay, J. Kenneth Campbell, Rhoda Griffis, Tyler Logan Cobb, Reverend Gary Morris, Harry Herthum, Jay Chevalier, Roger Clemens, George Rafferty
Director: Ron Shelton
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Sidney Lumet's directorial debut remains a tense, atmospheric (though slightly manipulative and stagy) courtroom thriller, in which the viewer never sees a trial and the only action is verbal. As he does in his later corruption commentaries such as Serpico or Q & A, Lumet focuses on the lonely one-man battles of a protagonist whose ethics alienate him from the rest of jaded society. As the film opens, the seemingly open-and-shut trial of a young Puerto Rican accused of murdering his father with a knife has just concluded and the 12-man jury retires to their microscopic, sweltering quarters to decide the verdict. When the votes are counted, 11 men rule guilty, while one--played by Henry Fonda, again typecast as another liberal, truth-seeking hero--doubts the obvious. Stressing the idea of "reasonable doubt," Fonda slowly chips away at the jury, who represent a microcosm of white, male society--exposing the prejudices and preconceptions that directly influence the other jurors' snap judgments. The tight script by Reginald Rose (based on his own teleplay) presents each juror vividly using detailed soliloquies, all which are expertly performed by the film's flawless cast. Still, it's Lumet's claustrophobic direction--all sweaty close-ups and cramped compositions within a one-room setting--that really transforms this contrived story into an explosive and compelling nail-biter. --Dave McCoy

Description

Eleven jurors are convinced that the defendant is guilty of murder. The twelfth has no doubt of his innocence. How can this one man steer the others toward the same conclusion? It's a case of seemingly overwhelming evidence against a teenager accused of killing his father in "one of the best pictures ever made" (The Hollywood Reporter).

Customer Reviews:

Justice in a Small Room.......2007-06-22

1957's "Twelve Angry Men" is the story of a jury confined to a small room on a hot, humid summer night to decide the fate of a young man accused of knifing his father to death. The jury's initial poll has eleven jurors for guilty, one for innocent. The ensuing drama revolves around the struggle by the dissenting juror, an architect played with characteristic understated determination by Henry Fonda, to convince the other jurors of the presence of reasonable doubt.

The outstanding cast, a collection of experienced 1950's movie and tv actors who may not be familiar to today's audiences, each bring their particular insights and prejudices to the debate. An elderly man, played by Joseph Sweeney, sides with the Henry Fonda character because he admires the younger man's grit. Lee J. Cobb has an outstanding role as an angry father who sees his estranged son in the actions attributed to the young man on trial. E.G. Marshall plays a confident businessman who gets a lesson in the limits of memory from the Henry Fonda character.

The confining atmosphere of the jury room adds to the tension. Sidney Lumet's brisk but deliberate direction allows each man a turn in the spotlight to examine his conscience as well as the case in front of the other jurors. The end result is a tense, insightful drama about the nature of man and justice.

This movie is highly recommended to viewers looking for an outstanding example of the movie art and a different slant on today's crime dramas.

Minus 1 star for script/believability - the other four for acting alone.......2007-06-13

All the stars I gave was for the acting alone- superb all around though that old man was pretty annoying at times esp with the close ups on him. But the story itself wouldnt last 10 minutes in real life. It begins with Fonda pleading the boy is only 18 (dont we send 18 years olds off to war? 18 years olds can kill?) But the surreal part is when Fonda pulls out that concealed switchblade in the jury room (gov property), sticks it in the table, and tells everyone how he went into the boys neighborhood and found a store and bought it there (AKA doing your own research); all of this HIGHLY illegal; in real life, someone would have told all of this to the bailif, got Fonda arrested and hauled off, and an alternate or a mistrail would have taken place. End of movie right there. One other thing, Fonda kept mentioning "Is it possible"; Possible is not probable, and a million possibles does not equate to one possible, much less a "Reasonable" doubt.

A Classic !!.......2007-05-27

What a great movie!! I haven't watched it in years, but for some reason i watched it tonite. Wow, as good now as ever!!

A good film.......2007-05-18

Though I did think it to be ever so slightly predictable, I found this movie to be a great murder mystery without all the blood, guts, gore, and horror.
The movie begins with a the jury trying to decide whether or not a eighteen year old boy is guilty of brutaly killing his father. they put it to a vote, and find that all but one of them feels that the boy is guilty without giving it so much as a second thought. The one that refused to say the boy is guilty doesn't necessarily think that he is innocent, he just thinks there aught to be more thought put into it. As the story progresess, you see how everyone's personal intersts, background and prejudices get intangled as they try to decipher between right and wrong.
This movie is well worth watching, and deserves to be in anyone's collection.
And I really have to add that I think Henry Fonda's preformance in this movie is great!

Excellent.......2007-05-09

12 Angry Men is an awesome example of how groups work. It is very useful in demonstrating all the points of group interaction that I teach in my Sociology class. The students liked the movie and were able to quickly tie the movie to concepts taught in class. Excellent plot and follow through in developing the story line.

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)

Average customer rating:

Double Indemnity
Classic film noir from the great Billy Wilder
It doesn't get any better than this blistering jewel
a great example of the early days of film noir.......
Lust and Greed Lead to Murder

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)
Starring: Fred MacMurray , Barbara Stanwyck , Edward G. Robinson , Porter Hall , and Jean Heather
Director: Billy Wilder , and Jack Smight
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Film Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Laura (Fox Film Noir)

ASIN: B00005JNG5
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Amazon.com essential video

Director Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard) and writer Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep) adapted James M. Cain's hard-boiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck): kill Dietrichson's husband and make off with the insurance money. But, of course, in these plots things never quite go as planned, and Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) is the wily insurance investigator who must sort things out. From the opening scene you know Neff is doomed, as the story is told in flashback; yet, to the film's credit, this doesn't diminish any of the tension of the movie. This early film noir flick is wonderfully campy by today's standards, and the dialogue is snappy ("I thought you were smarter than the rest, Walter. But I was wrong. You're not smarter, just a little taller"), filled with lots of "dame"s and "baby"s. Stanwyck is the ultimate femme fatale, and MacMurray, despite a career largely defined by roles as a softy (notably in the TV series My Three Sons and the movie The Shaggy Dog), is convincingly cast against type as the hapless, love-struck sap. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

Double Indemnity.......2007-06-21

One of the quintessential noir films, Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity" is a masterpiece of stark atmosphere and carefully stylized suspense. The talented Barbara Stanwyck, a familiar face in the 1940s noir universe, assumes her role with feline deviousness, while "My Three Sons" TV dad Fred MacMurray--narrating the film via flashback--brilliantly plays against type. Raymond Chandler's screenplay sizzles with hard-boiled repartee and the great Edward G. Robinson is aces as always as the dogged investigator hot on the lovers' trail. Sinister, tense, and cynical, Wilder's "Indemnity" is riveting film suspense.

Classic film noir from the great Billy Wilder.......2007-06-10

"Double Indemnity" is one of the first films of the genre that would come to be known as "Film Noir".

The plot is classic film noir - a smug, womanising insurance salesman Walter Neff (played by Fred MacMurray) gets in over his head with a conniving femme fatale Phyllis Diedrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) who wants rid of her boorish husband. Neff must also be wary of a suspicious claims manager at his insurance company Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson).

Naturally the story has some dated elements (it was made in 1943) but it still holds up pretty well as entertainment for a modern audience.

MacMurray is excellent in his role as a heel making a change from his usual nice guy roles. He helps make the character sympathetic whereas Stanwycks role has few redeeming features - she really is "rotten". Her turnabout at the end is also somewhat unconvincing. The great Edward G. Robinson steals every scene he's in as the tenacious investigator who has a soft spot for Neff.

The DVD includes a good commentary by Lem Dobbs and Nick Redman with useful insights on the film but it also continually laments the decline of Hollywood, which I think is a trifle unfair.

Like most Billy Wilder films "Double Indemnity" doesn't really have a message - it just provides great entertainment aimed at adults. It also marks a growing shift in the 1940s towards more maturity in Hollywood film-making.

It doesn't get any better than this blistering jewel.......2007-05-30

What else remains to be said about one of the true classics of noir? Fred Macmurry is just right as the sap who thinks he's a lot smarter & sharper than he really is; Edward G. Robinson shines as a dedicated & inexorable seeker of the truth, even as his concern & disappointment for his fallen friend shows clearly; and Barbara Stanwyck scalds the screen as the trashy, blatantly sexy femme fatale with the morals of an alley cat & an icy ruthlessness that stops at nothing -- just look at that cover art! Wrap these characters in moody, bleakly beautiful black & white cinematography, give them a witty, scathing script by Raymond Chandler, and you've got a sordid masterpiece about small-timers whose greedy, self-centered dreams are much larger than their shriveled souls. I can't recommend this film highly enough!

a great example of the early days of film noir..............2007-05-20

DOUBLE INDEMNITY, a 1944 film by Billy Wilder, is one of the most definitive and beautiful examples of early film noir (literally, "black film") at its best. For those of you unfamiliar with the genre of film noir, this was a type of film made popular in the 1940s and 1950s, features very dark cinematography (plenty of shadows intermixed with light), as well as equally dark subject matter. Common themes are murders, affairs and grizzly illegal activity. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a great example of this style at its best.

Fred MacMurray plays wily insurance man Walter Neff, who finds himself drawn to a beautiful, married woman, Phyllis Dietrichsen, played by the lovely Barbara Stanwyck. Together, they cook a plot to murder her husband, so Walter can make off with the policy money. Of course, things don't go quite according to plan. Enter Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), an investigator who gets wind that "something is rotting in Denmark." Keyes knows that there is something decidedly un-kosher about the whole arrangement between Neff and Dietrichsen, and he is determined to find out where that feeling is coming from.

This film is beautifully acted, directed with great zest, and very, very engaging. Even though some of the dialogue is (delightfully) dated, you are still going to have a great time watching DOUBLE INDEMNITY. There is no question that this is an example of filmmaking, at its best.

Lust and Greed Lead to Murder.......2007-05-15

Late at night a man enters an office building. Mr. Walter Neff is working overtime. Dozens of desks for the clerical workers are void of life. In his office he begins to speak into his Dictaphone about the Diedrickson claim. It all started when Neff went to see about an auto insurance renewal. Mr. Diedrickson wasn't home, but his wife Phyllis was. [The dialogue between them shows Raymond Chandler's skills.] Claims manager Mr. Barton Keyes is skilled in sniffing out false claims. Neff returns to Diedrickson for the auto insurance renewal. Phyllis asks about an accident policy for her husband. Could she get one without her husband's knowledge? Neff explains why she could never get away with it. But Phyllis visits Neff to better explain her wants, and there is a meeting of their minds. [Use your imagination.] Phyllis doesn't like her stepdaughter Lola, and Lola doesn't like her stepmother (there is a reason for this).

Neff explains how insurance companies know all the tricks used to make a murder look like an accident. But Neff impulsively decides to help Phyllis remove an inconvenient husband. [Is this plausible? Like the rain in Los Angeles.] Mr. Diedrickson is concerned about Lola's activities. Neff explains to Phyllis why Mr. Diedrickson must travel by train. Lola also has problems with her boyfriend. Neff plans their surreptitious meeting where they can plot the crime. The film show how they could then check if a doorbell of telephone rang. The murder is cold-blooded and horrible, but off scene. [Did they leave fingerprints on those crutches?]

The actuarial tables are cited to show the encyclopedic knowledge of insurance companies. But Keyes has noticed a discrepancy in this case, and begins to question the apparent facts. Then there is another glitch, something that wasn't foreseen. Daughter Lola meets Neff and tells him some old facts, and some new ones! Keyes surmises how this accident was concocted. There is now great danger for Phyllis and Neff. More surprising complications arise in this story until the shocking ending. [Could a person who murders another be implicitly suicidal?]

One important part of this story is the background of life in 1944 Los Angeles. How much was changed in just twenty years! [There was no mention of war-time rationing or shortages in that grocery supermarket.]

Average customer rating:

Early Brando reveals full-blown genius
Redemption and rage.
Life on the Docks
Pretty dated now, but still fine performances...
A Great Film...

On the Waterfront (Special Edition)
Starring: Martin Balsam , Don Blackman , Rudy Bond , Marlon Brando , and Lee J. Cobb
Director: Elia Kazan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXBU
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Amazon.com essential video

Marlon Brando's famous "I coulda been a contenda" speech is such a warhorse by now that a lot of people probably feel they've seen this picture already, even if they haven't. And many of those who have seen it may have forgotten how flat-out thrilling it is. For all its great dramatic and cinematic qualities, and its fiery social criticism, Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront is also one of the most gripping melodramas of political corruption and individual heroism ever made in the United States, a five-star gut-grabber. Shot on location around the docks of Hoboken, New Jersey, in the mid-1950s, it tells the fact-based story of a longshoreman (Brando's Terry Malloy) who is blackballed and savagely beaten for informing against the mobsters who have taken over his union and sold it out to the bosses. (Karl Malden has a more conventional stalwart-hero role, as an idealistic priest who nurtures Terry's pangs of conscience.) Lee J. Cobb, who created the role of Willy Loman in Death of Salesman under Kazan's direction on Broadway, makes a formidable foe as a greedy union leader. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

Early Brando reveals full-blown genius.......2007-06-27

Superb performances by Marlon Brando and Karl Malden and Eva Marie Saint in this raw, gritty classic of union corruption on the NYC waterfront, offers a study of Brando's profound ability to become the tormented "Terry" with every subtle change of expression a reflection of the inner man. The film is as fresh and gripping today as it was 50 years ago and bears watching again and again for anyone who claims to be a student of acting, cinemantography or just plain great films that don't need to rely on special effects for their impact. - A. Madsen, Baltimore

Redemption and rage........2007-05-27

On the Waterfront (Elia Kazan, 1954)

"I coulda been a contender!" That's the line everyone knows from On the Waterfront. It's funny, because to me, Marlon Brando's truly great scene in this movie comes about five minutes later, amid the fallout of the contender conversation. He's desperately trying to keep from breaking down, barking orders to his girlfriend while getting ready to start a one-man war against the city's crime bosses. It's great stuff. And here I was, having seen the contender excerpt at least a thousand times, thinking it was a movie about a washed-up boxer. Well, it is, but that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Terry Malloy (Brando) is a longshoreman, an ex-boxer who's been taken under the wing of union leader Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). As the movie opens, Terry is seen having a brief conversation with his acquaintance Jimmy, who is soon pushed to his death from the roof of a tenement building. Terry, disturbed by this, goes back to the bar out of which the union operates, protesting that he just thought "they were gonna lean on him a little." This begins Terry's long and painful journey from a longshoreman who follows the "deaf and dumb" code of the union to a man proud enough to stand up for himself and his fellow workers against the corruption at the higher levels of the union.

Man, this must have been a tough film to get through McCarthy's goons...

Amusing political peccadilloes aside, On the Waterfront really is a great movie. Kazan was at the height of his directorial power, and Brando was never better as an actor. Karl Malden, as a meddling priest willing to stand up for the little guy, does a fantastic job as well, and most of the rest of the cast range from good to great. (There are a few minor characters who seem to be there just for amusement's sake, but they don't get enough face time to really do much damage to the quality of the overall film.) If you haven't seen it, well, it's not just a movie about a washed-up boxer, that I can tell you. ****

Life on the Docks.......2007-05-13

This was the first AFI movie we saw en masse as a family and we loved it! Many generations of eyeballs were glued to the black and white images on the screen, following Brando as he went from a lowly mob thug to someone who stood up for what was right. The acting is phenomenal, and the environment is very down-to-earth and gritty. You really do feel that these people struggle to survive on the docks, to do what is right in a world full of greed and backstabbing.

While famous for Marlon Brando's famous line of "I coulda been a contender!" there are actually many lines of dialogue in here that stand out. The cinematography, the scenery, the faces of the men and women as they go about their lives, it really draws you in to the tough life they led. This definitely deserves to be in the top 10 of all films and is a great film to watch with friends and discuss afterwards.

As an aside, we were all intrigued by the metal tokens that the dock workers held in their hands as they waited on the docks, and it was amazing that in a room of 10 people of all ages, we didn't have any "real" knowledge of what was going on. We could of course make some educated guesses! But here is what I found.

As far back as the 1800s, dock workers were given metal tokens saying they were "signed up properly" to be able to work on the dock. This was to keep riff-raff and untrustworthy thieves off the docks, as well as making some money for the local guild or union. The workers would sign up beforehand and be given these metal circles, that were stamped with the local sign and in essence said "this man is a valid worker to choose".

Then each day as the ships came in, a certain number of gangs would be needed to haul the boxes. This could be only 10 men on a quiet day, or 200 men on a busy day. So each morning, all of the men who wanted to work would show up on the docks. The bosses would call out or list on a board what the day's requirements were. Then they would look out over the group and choose whoever seemed best suited. Each man would have to show his metal token as he went in to work, to prove he was in fact currently paid up and eligible.

In On the Waterfront, certain men were also giving coded winks and nods. These would be those men closest with the mob - the ones who had friends and who should be chosen first.

Pretty dated now, but still fine performances..........2007-03-31

Brando and Steiger and Malden and Cobb and Eva Marie Saint. Directed by Elia Kazan, who was on the right-wing side of the blacklist. A tale of corrupt unions and mobsters when American goods were imported and exported by ships which made New York a regular port of call. The story just wouldn't work the same if set in Houston or New Orleans or Los Angeles. You can tell this is 50 years old, but there are still acting lessons by the cargo-hold-ful visible on the screen. Everyone who claims to like movies needs to see it at least once.

A Great Film..........2007-03-15

Everyone knows about "On the Waterfront" and many people who have never seen a frame of the film can quote some of its dialogue. It's on many people's top 10 list of the best movies of all time, it's in the top 10 of the American Film Institute's Top 100 (#8). It's a legendary film, featuring one of the best screen performances of all time by Marlon Brando. The film is directed by Elia Kazan (reunited with his "A Streetcar Named Desire" stars Brando and Karl Malden) and is, apparently, as much his story as it is a work of fiction. Brando plays Terry Malloy, an ex-prizefighter that works on the mob run waterfront. After playing a small role in the death of a local kid whom ratted on Terry's boss Johnny Friendly, Terry begins dating the dead boy's sister Edie (Eva Marie Saint). When another man dies for ratting, Terry's conscience kicks in and he begins to consider ratting himself. Problem is, Terry's brother Charley (Rod Steiger) is one of Johnny's right-hand men. When Charley is killed, Terry decides to step up and avenge his brother's death...But he may get himself killed in the process. This all leads to a brilliant climax, where else, on the waterfront. Ask anyone about "On the Waterfront" and they'll associate it with "I coulda been a contender." For years, I was under the impression this was a boxing movie because of that line. Since I don't like boxing movies, I just never bothered to watch this film. Seeing it now, I realize what I've missed out on for so long. This is a brilliant piece of filmmaking, no matter what the motives for making it were. Oddly enough, the 'contender' line isn't even in the best line in the movie (my nomination would be "Conscience. That stuff can drive you nuts."). While watching the film I began to wonder...Would this film have been as good without Brando? For a man who gave so many incredible performances over the years, it's hard to say which one is the best. But you really got to take a look at "On the Waterfront" and the way Brando recites many of the lines. Would the line "I coulda been a contender" have as much poignancy and be as familiar to Americans had it not been Brando who recited it? What if Frank Sinatra had been cast in the role, as he was originally planned to be? "On the Waterfront" has a great script and great direction, it would've made a damn fine movie without Brando but I highly doubt anyone besides the biggest cinephiles would remember it today. "On the Waterfront" is a rare "great" film, in the sense that it's more likely to be enjoyed by the masses than another great film like "Pandora's Box." This is a movie you can show to the average teenage kid and they'll enjoy it. "On the Waterfront" is, in two words, a masterpiece.

GRADE: A

The Complete Gidget Collection (Gidget / Gidget Goes Hawaiian / Gidget Goes to Rome)

Average customer rating:

Great dvd set that was hard to find anywhere else
Gidget Movies are Fun
Gidget Collection
Great Collection!
Love Gidget, But This DVD Set Fractures Me . . . . . .

The Complete Gidget Collection (Gidget / Gidget Goes Hawaiian / Gidget Goes to Rome)
Starring: Sandra Dee , James Darren , Cliff Robertson , Arthur O'Connell , and Mary LaRoche
Director: Paul Wendkos
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000286S2E
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Product Description

Presenting the big screen adventures of Gidget, the original queen of the Southern California beach scene. A winning combination of comedy, romance and song, THE COMPLETE GIDGET COLLECTION follows the summer vacations of America's favorite teenage surfer girl as she travels the world in search of fun, love and excitement. Bask in the California sun (GIDGET) and then catch a wave that spans from Waikiki (GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN) to Rome (GIDGET GOES TO ROME). This DVD collection features Gidget and steady beau, Moondoggie, and their fun-in-the-sun adventures.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 95 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

"Just remember, she might be pint-sized, but she's quite a woman." The original surfer girl gets her own three-film DVD collection, dippy fun from a more innocent time. 1959's Gidget made real surfers nauseated, but it's a kicky movie with some great lounge-era lingo. Sandra Dee, perkiness personified, plays the curious teen who breaks the gender line in surfing. She's also got the attention of surf-happy Moondoggie (James Darren) and the big Kahuna (Cliff Robertson), the latter the prototype of the surf bum who roams the globe in search of the endless summer. The film actually kicked off the great boom in surfing popularity (the Beach Boys and the Beach Party movies followed), much to the chagrin of purists. It was based on a novel by Frederick Kohner, who was inspired by his daughter's experiences.

Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) puts Deborah Walley in the title role. She's no Sandra Dee, but at least there are shots of Walley doing her own surfing stunts. The action's in Waikiki, and Gidge is pursued by a confused Moondoggie and a famous dancer. They are played by James Darren and Michael Callan, and having the two 1960s male ingenues in the same movie suggests a weird collision of matter and anti-matter. The spark goes flat in Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), with yet another new actress (Cindy Carol) paired with a loyal James Darren. It's closer to Three Coins in the Fountain than the sandy beaches of Malibu.

DVD caveat: none of the films is in widescreen. The sequels don't suffer much, but the original Gidget was shot in CinemaScope, and the pan-and-scan approach hurts the summery look of the picture--even if it's just Sandra Dee balancing in front of blue-screen waves. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Great dvd set that was hard to find anywhere else.......2007-06-08

My daughter is 22 and loves Gidget movies and old musicals. She told me she had looked around all over for it, and I instantly got on Amazon and found what she had been looking for. She was so shocked and surprised to get it that Christmas. Now she has all Gidget movies that were made in her collection of DVD's.

Gidget Movies are Fun.......2007-03-19

Three Gidget movies all with different Gidgets. Of course the first movie with Sandra Dee is the best however the other two have their moments and are quite funny and easy to watch. Teenage fun in the surf, in Hawaii and in Rome and for some of us brings back memories of our school holidays.

Gidget Collection.......2007-03-16

It was here in record time. It was a fantastic collection of movies. I love old 60 movies and these are tops. Bobby Darrien is fabulous.

Great Collection!.......2007-03-04

I love my Gidget collection and am glad to find all three films at such a great price.

Of the three, "Gidget Goes to Rome" is the best. Cindy Carol has great comic ability and is actually much prettier than the anorexic Sandra Dee.

It is refreshing to see real curvy women in the original "Gidget" instead of use of lighting and body makeup to hide "flaws"

I enjoyed "Gidget goes Hawaiian" as well. Deborah Walley is an excellent dancer and just too cute.

I know most adore Sandra Dee as Gidget, but I find her to be a rather pathetic anorexic waif (she stuggled with anorexia all her life).

But I think all the films are great and it is nice to see such innocence in these days of overt sexual films.

Love Gidget, But This DVD Set Fractures Me . . . . . . .......2007-02-05

. . . . . and not in a good way either! While I'm glad I found these great movies in a DVD collection, the formats are no different than the pan and scan VHS tapes that have been in circulation for so long. The original film, in particular, suffers. At least TCM airs it in widescreen, and then the color looks crisp, clear and glorious. Columbia has done the same injustice to countless vintage gems, such as "The Trouble With Angels" and its sequel, "Where Angels Go Trouble Follows". Viewers had to clamor for "Tess" to be released in widescreen format, a special edition, but much of the film's condition had not been cleaned up - lines across the screen, hissy sound. Columbia also has an annoying habit for not including extras, except for some theatrical trailers; a few classic films (Gilda, The Lady From Shanghai, etc) are lucky to have a featurette or a commentary.

These movies and their stars deserve a much better reissuing and presentation on DVD than they have been given - film restoration is important in preserving film history. I am holding out hope that Sony will rerelease the Gidget films and some of the aforementioned in better quality conditions someday, but my hair might be grey by then. Here's a prayer that Sandra Dee's other great teen movie classic from 1959, "A Summer Place" (through Warner Brothers) due for a DVD release in a few days as of this writing, will be restored to widescreen, recapturing its theatrical glory that enchanted and captivated moviegoers way back when.

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)

Average customer rating:

The Naughty Nineties
FUNNEY SHOWS
abbott and costello
The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2
Nostalgic Fun

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)
Starring: Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Marjorie Main , Audrey Young , and George Cleveland
Director: Charles Barton , Daniel Helfgott , and Erle C. Kenton
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 1 (Buck Privates / Hold That Ghost / In the Navy / Keep 'Em Flying / One Night in the Tropics / Pardon My Sarong / Ride 'Em Cowboy / Who Done It?)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 3 (Abbott & Costello Go to Mars / Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion / Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein / Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man / Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer / Comin' Round the Mountain / Lost in Alaska / Mexican Hayride)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 4 (Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde / Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops / Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy / Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld / Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters / The World of Abbott & Costello)
The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle - Volume 1
The Marx Brothers Collection (A Night at The Opera/A Day at The Races/A Night in Casablanca/Room Service/At the Circus/Go West/The Big Store)

ASIN: B0001FGBZM
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Description

By popular demand, the legendary Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are back in eight brand-new-to-DVD comedy classics! Still one of the greatest comedy teams in the history of show business, their films continue to generate new legions of fans around the world.

Now some of their greatest gags and most stellar skits, including the complete version of their signature routine "Who's on First?", are available in this side-splitting collection. It's the boys at their very best and illustrates why Bud and Lou rightly deserve their place among the brightest stars of the silver screen!

Hit the Ice (1943)
Bud and Lou hit the slopes at the Sun Valley Resort after getting mixed up with gangsters.

In Society (1944)
The boys find themselves in hot water after a plumbing job goes wrong at a high society bash.

Here Come the Co-Eds (1945)
Bud and Lou head to campus and attempt to save Bixby College from closing down.

The Naughty Nineties (1945)
Set aboard the River Queen showboat, Bud and Lou perform their legendary "Who's on First?" routine.

Little Giant (1946)
Lou plays a little man with big dreams...and ends up selling vacuum cleaners!

The Time of Their Lives (1946)
Mistaken as a traitor, Lou's ghost is trapped in Danbury Mansion until his innocence is proven.

Buck Privates Come Home (1947)
Bud and Lou return to civilian life and get involved in midget car racing in the sequel to Buck Privates!

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947)
Accused of murder, Lou is forced to take care of a widow and her children on a farm.

Customer Reviews:

The Naughty Nineties .......2007-07-04

The greatist part of this movie is the whos on First. Don't get me wrong, the whole movie was great but as a avid baseball fan I loved the whos on first seen. I think it's the greatist comedy duet done in history. Plus I grew up watching Abbott & Costello movies on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. I will always love there movies but this one the best.

FUNNEY SHOWS.......2007-06-06

WORTH THE MONEY
I LOVE THIS DVD, BRINGS BACK LAUGHTER AND MEMORYS AND YOU NEVER GET BORED WITH IT,

abbott and costello.......2007-04-11

I received the items in a timely fashion, actually quicker than I expected. The dvd's played fine. I really enjoy ordering from Amazon. I belong to columbia house, and I couldn't tell you the last time I ordered from them since ordering from Amazon. Also the great part was I didn't have to pay for shipping. Very well pleased.

The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2.......2007-04-02

Abbott and Costello's humor is outstanding and timeless. This collection of some of their movies will keep you laughing uproariously, and you will find yourself watching these movies over and over again and still keep laughing, even after you've watched them so much you know what's going to happen next.

Nostalgic Fun.......2007-03-31

I couldn't resist purchasing an Abbott and Costello DVD. Having grown up with this super-famous wacky duo, I couldn't wait to watch all their movies, the same movies that had made me giggle and guffaw as a mere youngster. I was not disappointed. It was a trip down memory lane that returned me to more innocent times, ice-cream sodas, nickle phone calls, The Andrew Sisters, and comic routines that kept a smile on my face for days. On the technical side, the restoration of these films is flawless. One might think that they were put in the can just yesterday. This DVD offers entertainment that is pure and simple, and a fun-filled glimpse of the past. Young people may find the DVD too silly, but you really had to be there to get the humor.

Average customer rating:

Funniest Movie of All Time
The desert flower of films
Cult classic
I and my wife love this movie.
This is a classically funny movie!

Raising Arizona
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Holly Hunter , Trey Wilson , John Goodman , and William Forsythe
Director: Joel Coen , and Ethan Coen
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Fargo (Special Edition)
The Big Lebowski (Widescreen Collector's Edition)
Barton Fink
Miller's Crossing
The Hudsucker Proxy

ASIN: 6305499128
Release Date: 1999-08-03

Amazon.com essential video

Blood Simple made it clear that the cinematically precocious Coen brothers (writer-director Joel and writer-producer Ethan) were gifted filmmakers to watch out for. But it was the outrageously farcical Raising Arizona that announced the Coens' darkly comedic audacity to the world. It wasn't widely seen when released in 1987, but its modest audience was vocally supportive, and this hyperactive comedy has since developed a large and loyal following. It's the story of "Ed" (for Edwina, played by Holly Hunter), a policewoman who falls in love with "Hi" (for H.I. McDonnough, played by Nicolas Cage) while she's taking his mug shots. She's infertile and he's a habitual robber of convenience stores, and their folksy marital bliss depends on settling down with a rug rat. Unable to conceive, they kidnap one of the newsworthy quintuplets born to an unpainted-furniture huckster named Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson), who quickly hires a Harley-riding mercenary (Randall "Tex" Cobb) to track the baby's whereabouts. What follows is a full-throttle comedy that defies description, fueled by the Coens' lyrical redneck dialogue, the manic camerawork of future director Barry Sonnenfeld, and some of the most inventively comedic chase scenes ever filmed. Some will dismiss the comedy for being recklessly over-the-top; others will love it for its clever mix of slapstick action, surreal fantasy, and homespun family values. One thing's for sure--this is a Coen movie from start to finish, and that makes it undeniably unique. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Vowing to go straight, a convenience store banditt (Nicolas Cage) proposes marriage to the police departments photographer (Holly Hunter). All is wedded bliss until they discover she's unable to get pregnant and are turned down by every adoption agency in town. It does not take long before they realize the only solution is to kidnap one of the town's celebrated quintuplets and hit the road!

Customer Reviews:

Funniest Movie of All Time.......2007-06-25

Seriously...even better than the classics...Caddyshack, etc.

This is one smart, funny movie that will stand the test of time.

The desert flower of films.......2007-04-04

Take it from me, I have seen ALOT of movies in my time and this has got to be my secret all time favorite. Its just so well made, from the score, the cast, the story, the cinematography, the pace, the mood... I honestly don't know if I have seen a better film. If you like this flick or any Coen film really, check out Magnolia by P.T. Anderson also. :)

A flawless accomplishment.

Cult classic.......2007-04-02

how can you not love this movie, makes me laugh everytime. Even though I've seen it a few times.

I and my wife love this movie........2007-03-25

Great movie and I believe one of Cage's classic proformances. I'm not into watching a movie over and over but this one I can take lots of.

This is a classically funny movie!.......2007-03-25

This movie will never go out of date!!! It is so good! A must see! I bought this movie for my 23 year old daughter, by request, for christmas.

Average customer rating:

DEFENDING ALBERT BROOKS
A Pleasant Comedy
Heavenly
Thought provoking afterlife
got it from Netflik and then bought it here before it was even over!

Defending Your Life
Starring: Wil Albert , Sage Allen , Gary Beach , Roger Behr , and Beth Black
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Mother
Death Becomes Her
Heaven Can Wait
Real Life
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (WS)

ASIN: B000056WRG
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Amazon.com

Albert Brooks proves there's laughs after death with this almost heavenly comedy--almost heaven as in Judgment City, where recently perished Daniel Miller (Brooks) learns whether he is worthy of advancing to a higher plane of existence or will be sent back to earth for another incarnation.

His fate will be determined in a very special trial, during which scenes from his life are replayed on a giant screen. "Isn't it realistic?" a judge asks. "It makes some people nauseous." While the steely prosecutor (Lee Grant) will try to prove that Daniel failed in life to face his fears and insecurities, his glad-handing, reassuring defender (Rip Torn) will argue on behalf of this hapless "little brain" (a Judgment City term for residents of earth).

As Woody Allen did for the future in Sleeper, so does Brooks create an original vision of the afterlife. In Judgment City, white-robed residents can eat as much as they want without guilt or fear of gaining weight. They can also visit the Past Lives Pavilion, where they are greeted by a hologram of--who else--Shirley MacLaine.

Daniel finds himself touched by an angel. Meryl Streep gives an enchanting performance as Julia, whose exemplary life is in stark contrast to his. During her trial, the court watches in rapture as she saves not only children, but a cat from a burning building.

Daniel and Julia are a match made in Judgment City, but first Daniel must summon up the courage to express his true feelings for her, or she will surely advance without him.

Defending Your Life is Brooks's most ambitious film and, with Mother, his most accessible. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Immediately following his death by bus, Daniel finds himself in the afterlife facing his past. If you can't make a case for having lived a full and fearles

superb music score won an Academy Award.s life, you must go back to Earth and try again. But Daniel doesn't want to go back after he meets Julia in this heavenly fable written and directed by Albert Brooks.

Customer Reviews:

DEFENDING ALBERT BROOKS.......2007-07-01

This is Mr. Brooks at his side-splittingest and most sardonic as he prepares to enter the afterlife and must defend the decisions he made in life. This film is clever on all levels. Casting Meryl Streep as someone who has nothing to defend was a stroke of genius. Watch for Shirley MacLaine in a howlingly funny cameo. I have watched this again and again to make up for all the people who didn't see it in the theaters. I have given it as a gift many, many times to people who have never heard of it. I hate to use the term "feel-good" as it is overworked with regard to film, but when this one ends, I'm happy that I watched it.

A Pleasant Comedy.......2007-06-27

I agree with most of what good things everyone says about this movie - I saw it in the theatre when it came out and bought it on DVD, although I'm a tad disappointed there aren't any extras on the DVD. Albert Brooks has always made me laugh but it's nice to see Meryl Streep possibly enjoying a film role for once - it seems like a good pairing of two cerebral actors - you may laff when you hear Brooks' name and the word cerebral in the same sentence but his movies have always made me think he has a good insight into the human psyche. The middle of the film where Lee Grant shows his various mistakes is hilarious and make you think that Brooks' character is just outside of being passed on to Heaven, until the last part of the movie - Rip Torn is his usual funny self, and his ambiguity and vagueness comes off as funny.

Heavenly.......2007-06-10

A good look at The Other Side a.k.a. Heaven. Eating whatever you want, past life regression, moving on. A movie I believe gives people some real good insight into the afterlife. A positive outlook for paradise.

Thought provoking afterlife .......2007-05-12

Family friendly (no bad words), thought provoking movie about the afterlife and what might happen to get all the way into the pearly gates....reviewing your life....not just the bad and good you did, but how you handled yourself (self doubt, self confidence, etc.). I enjoyed it and have watched it at least 3 times.

got it from Netflik and then bought it here before it was even over!.......2007-05-04

Awesome for helping you see that fear can hold us back in our lives! and funny

Average customer rating:

The Song of Bernadette
Review on DVD Song of Bernadette
THE SONG OF BERNADETTE
About as good as could be expected
The Song of Bernadette

The Song of Bernadette
Starring: William Eythe , Charles Bickford , Vincent Price , Lee J. Cobb , and Gladys Cooper
Director: Henry King
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima
Francis of Assisi
Films of Faith Collection (The Nun's Story / The Shoes of the Fisherman / The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima)
Therese
Miracle of Marcelino

ASIN: B00008LDO7
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Amazon.com

Jennifer Jones plays the legendary French peasant who claimed to have dialogues with the Virgin Mary at a Lourdes grotto in 1858. The script handles the visitations as an article of truth (Linda Darnell plays the Virgin), which helps move the drama forward, though much of the story concerns the conflicts that arise in the community after Jones is told the grotto contains healing waters. Made by Henry King (The Snows of Kilimanjaro), the film is gorgeous to look at and sensitively directed; and Jones (who won an Oscar for Best Actress) is radiant in the lead. Whatever one's religious persuasion, this is a strikingly handsome Hollywood production to be enjoyed. The film also earned Academy Awards for cinematography and score. --Tom Keogh

Description

The story of a peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous, a poverty-stricken, pure hearted adolescent, who saw a vision, of a "Beautiful Lady" near her home town of Lourdes in 1858. The wondrous news spreads rapidly throughout France, leaving in its wake a variety of consequences: adoration, suspicion and greed among the people of Lourdes skepticism from the town doctor (Lee J. Cobb) charges of insanity from the town prosecutor (Vincent Price) threats of physical punishment, then support and guidance from the Dean of Lourdes (Charles Bickford), who finally becomes convinced that the miracle has, indeed, taken place. Winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Actress and Best Score, this true story is both first-rate filmmaking and an inspiring tribute to faith, courage and the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

The Song of Bernadette.......2007-06-25

It is hard to overstate just how respectfully and reverentially director King handles the details of the Lourdes legend, in which the Virgin (played here by an uncredited Linda Darnell) is said to have appeared to a sickly peasant girl, through whom she conveyed her message of love. That's because he treats the story as fact, depicting Bernadette's divine encounters as wholly natural rather than fantastic. Jones is radiant as the scapegoated Bernadette, and won an Oscar for her effort. Price is wonderful, too, as the withering voice of reason. If you're in need of heavenly grace, lay hands on the ecstatic "Song."

Review on DVD Song of Bernadette.......2007-06-01

Package was fine, I was happy to receive the movie because it's one my husband wanted.

THE SONG OF BERNADETTE.......2007-05-15

IT IS A GRAT MOVIE BECOUSE YOU CAN UNDESTAND A LOT OF THE FAITH

About as good as could be expected.......2007-05-12

As a movie, The Song of Bernadette, is certainly a classic. As a story, it will appeal to some and not to others, but the film seems to be a faithful (I use the word advisedly) telling of the story. As an attempt to capture the film and make it accessible, the DVD is very good. Some reviewers have complained about the aspect ratio and the mono sound - well in 1943 that's what we had. My one quibble, hence only 4 stars, is that approximately a minute or less of the original film seems to be missing. In the DVD version, the Dean of Lourdes (played by Charles Bickford) demands that the lady of the vision produce a rose out of season, but no rose is produced (I looked for it several times over), but in the TCM version the rose does appear.

The Song of Bernadette.......2007-04-10

I have enjoyed this film many times since my purchase. As an old movie and always a favorite I wanted to have such a good film to watch whenever I feel like a movie due to the lack of quality programs and movies on television. Thank you for your service and promptness in getting films so quickly to me.

Average customer rating:

A solid Jim Carey comedy
Love this man and this movie
Jim Careys Best Movie
So birthday wishes really do coame true.
Hey Pinocchio, your nose is growing!

Liar Liar (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Jim Carrey , Maura Tierney , Justin Cooper , Cary Elwes , and Anne Haney
Director: Tom Shadyac
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Domestic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Bruce Almighty (Widescreen Edition)
The Mask (New Line Platinum Series)
Dumb and Dumber
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
The Truman Show (Special Collector's Edition)

ASIN: 0783235070
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Amazon.com

Recovering from the box-office disappointment of The Cable Guy, Jim Carrey gave his fans what they wanted in this good-natured and frequently hilarious 1997 comedy. In a vehicle tailor-made for his verbal and physical antics, Carrey plays a lawyer whose penchant for prevarication is tested when his son makes a birthday wish that his father would tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth for 24 hours, so help him God! Without his daily defense of white lies, selfish fibs, and outright deception, the helpless lawyer finds himself blurting uncensored truths with total, and totally outrageous, candor. The script is clever enough to milk the premise for all it's worth, but it's Carrey's energy--particularly in a hilarious bathroom scene where he literally mugs himself to delay a trial--that keeps the movie going to its sappy happy ending. The supporting cast includes Jennifer Tilly, Cary Elwes, and Amanda Donohoe. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A solid Jim Carey comedy.......2007-04-22

I highly enjoyed this movie. My favorite of Jim Carey's comedic performances. The scene with the pen alone is well worth picking up this movie for. The only Jim Carey movies I like more are his more serious ones like The Truman Show or Man on the Moon.

Love this man and this movie.......2007-04-01

This man is " my kind of funny " and this movie of his
makes me absolutely hysterical with loud and frequent
laughter. I get so happy after seeing this movie.
I would recommend this movie to anyone that is in
need of serious mood lifting because I believe that
this Jim Carrey movie can and will raise your heart
to new levels of hope and happiness. Watch it and
feel the results yourself.

Jim Careys Best Movie.......2006-12-27

I loved liar liar! I never get tired of watching it! I dont believe his performance was over the top as some might. I think that this is his best movie if not one of the best. It has a GREAT feel good story line and if you couple it with the fantastic actors and hilariouse content youve got a classic entertaining movie you will love for years!

So birthday wishes really do coame true........2006-11-25

This movie "Liar liar" was the funniest Jim Carry movie ever!!!!!!!!

Hey Pinocchio, your nose is growing!.......2006-10-25

One of the best performances Jim Carrey has given. A very good concept for a film. Funny, refreshing, original and very well done. I felt it could have been a lot better with a little less comedy and a little more drama to get the point across better but still a must see for any Jim Carrey fan. Great acting, casting, screenplay and filming. I recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Almost as Good as Fletch
Great transaction. Thanks!
Fletch Lives.... Fletch Laughs
Fletch Lives on
In his next film, please wear more disguises!

Fletch Lives
Starring: Chevy Chase , Hal Holbrook , Julianne Phillips , R. Lee Ermey , and Richard Libertini
Director: Michael Ritchie
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Fletch (The "Jane Doe" Edition)
Spies Like Us
Modern Problems
Funny Farm
Seems Like Old Times

ASIN: B00009W5F3
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Product Description

Director Michael Ritchie and Chevy Chase team up once again for FLETCH LIVES, with Chase reprising the role of Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, newspaper journalist and master of disguise. When his recently deceased aunt bequeaths her decrepit manor to him, Fletch travels down south to rural Louisiana. Initially, things go well, especially when he hooks up with a flirtatious southern belle. But when he wakes up the morning after, he's shocked to find that she has been murdered. In order to catch the killers and clear himself, the intrepid, chameleon-like Fletch must infiltrate the congregation of Jimmy Lee Farnsworth (R. Lee Ermey), a greedy local preacher who wants to gain control of Fletch's land in order to build a Bible-themed amusement park. Written by Leon Capetanos, FLETCH LIVES crackles with the same blend of rapid-fire dialogue and visual jokes as the original.

System Requirements:

Starring Chevy Chase, Hal Holbrook, Julianne Phillips

Directed by Michael Ritchie

Running time: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

Amazon.com

Before his movie career completely tanked, Chevy Chase made one of the few films that gave him a chance to display his comic versatility: 1985's Fletch, the Michael Ritchie-directed comedy about an investigative reporter who specializes in going undercover on big stories. Lightning, however, didn't strike twice when Ritchie and Chase went back to Gregory MacDonald's novels for a second helping. This sequel features Chase once again as Fletch, super-reporter, who heads from L.A. to the South, where he supposedly has inherited an estate. Before long, he's become involved in a murder plot and is trying to stay out of the killer's sights himself. The material is considerably weaker, revealing Chase's shortcomings as an ad lib comic. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Almost as Good as Fletch.......2007-04-11

Though the sequel isn't as laugh-packed as "Fletch", it still has many great moments and always at the very least will be funnier than Hudson Hawk or for that matter Chevy's own "Funny Farm".

Great transaction. Thanks!.......2007-01-30

Fast delivery. Good packaging. Good deal. Need I say more.

Fletch Lives.... Fletch Laughs.......2007-01-09

I've enjoyed this movie every time I've watched it. I love Chevy Chases quick wit, subtle humor & facial expressions that keep you wanting more. Comedies these days are laden with extreme cursing & bad taste... Fletch is none of that! Good old fashioned FUNNY!

Fletch Lives on.......2007-01-04

The Fletch movies are some Chevy Chase's best work. The role is perfect for him and he brings the movie alive. I only wish there had been more then two movies.

In his next film, please wear more disguises!.......2006-09-30

I don't think I'd ever heard of Fletch before meeting my boyfriend, never mind Chevy Chase. Since then, I've had the opportunity to see some of the Chevy Chase films that he's best known for, but I still prefer the National Lampoon series. They're slightly more memorable. I consequently bought my boyfriend all the Fletch books by Gregory McDonald last Christmas or something. I finally relented and watched Fletch Lives, cos I was getting sick of the puppydog eyes.

Fletch Lives has Chevy Chase in a number of disguises, and all but one I recognised as being him. He's certainly one of those actors who can put on a totally different accent without any effort, and I applaud him for that, cos it's something I cannot do. It makes the characters more realistic, unlike certain actors who cannot put on a different accent no matter how much you pay them. But it still doesn't make me like Keanu Reeves any less.

Fletch discovers he's inherited a rather run down mansion down south, gives up his job, and moves down. Along the way he has daydreams along the lines of the Song Of The South movie (which I saw many, many years ago) and gets into a song & dance routine, probably spoofing Song Of The South? There's another mystery to be solved, when a woman he sleeps with, is dead by morning. Poor Fletch. Wonder what the real cause of it was?! :) He sets about solving the mystery.

I bought my boyfriend quite a few of the books, so it's a shame there's only been two films. There might even be more Gregory McDonald Fletch books out there, that I missed. There could have been a real film franchise there.

Fletch Lives is good, but is less memorable than the National Lampoon Vacation series, but still worth a watch.

DVD:

DVD