Killing Obsession

Starring:Maurice Shrog, Eddie Barth, Hank Cheyne, Joanna Sanchez, Antonio Saxon, Mitch Hara, J.D. Lewis, Sandi Schultz, John Saxon, Angie Rae McKinney, Kim Chase, Jennifer Rhodes, Elizabeth Zimmie, John Savage, Beverley Mitchell, Hyapatia Lee, George Klein, Jennifer Youngs, Bernard White, Nigel Gibbs
Director: Paul Leder
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Clint Eastwood (making his very assured directorial debut) is a poetry-spouting stud-muffin DJ stalked by a maniacally amorous fan after a misguided one-night stand in this enjoyably schlocky, undeniably effective film about good intentions gone murderously wacky. Although many of the very '70s trappings presented here may ultimately be too dated to be taken seriously (including a very self-indulgent jazz number and a hilariously gooey seduction number between Eastwood and Donna Mills), the core premise of infatuation taken out of bounds remains uncomfortably plausible--and was influential enough to be appropriated by one of the biggest hits of the '80s. (Here's a hint--it starred Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and a very unfortunate bunny rabbit). A well-staged and occasionally very frightening thriller worth watching for Jessica Walter's peerlessly unhinged performance alone. Frequent Eastwood collaborator Don Siegel (director of Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, and The Beguiled, to name but a few) has a nice cameo as Murphy, the mustachioed, chess-playing bartender. --Andrew Wright

Average customer rating:

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Starring: George Asprey , Alfred Bell , Helena Bonham Carter , Richard Briers , and John Cleese
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Art House & International | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Horror | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Bram Stoker's Dracula
Frankenstein
Frankenstein (75th Anniversary Edition) (Universal Legacy Series)
Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection (Frankenstein / Bride of / Son of / Ghost of / House of)
Hamlet

ASIN: 0767811097
Release Date: 1998-07-29

Amazon.com

Let's be honest: this should be titled Wretched Excess' Frankenstein. Swooping, wild, bloody, and energetic, this is bad moviemaking from the best, which makes it all the more lovable. Kenneth Branagh plays Victor Frankenstein, a man so obsessed with conquering death that he decides to create life. What he gets, after a protoplasmic mud wrestle, is a Mean Streets monster (Robert De Niro) that isn't particularly happy to be back from the dead or thrilled about all the stitches. Helena Bonham Carter may, at several points in this film, actually be channeling Ramtha. The supporting cast couldn't be peopled with better performers (Tom Hulce, John Cleese, Ian Holm) but they all look like they're ringside at some Ultimate Fighting competition. A must for any midnight movie collector for the shock factor alone. A hoot. --Keith Simanton

Amazon.com

Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Aidan Quinn, Ian Holm and John Cleese star in Branagh's acclaimed adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. True to the original, here is the story of a young doctor whose obsession with death leads him to create a life. But his "creature" crafted from the bodies of convicts and the brain of a brilliant scientist, is a hideous mockery of humanity. And when the creature realizes he will never be accepted by men, he seeks revenge on Dr. Frankenstein and his family. An inspired adaptation that's emotionally complex and truly terrifying.

Average customer rating:

Orca - The Killer Whale
Starring: Richard Harris , Charlotte Rampling , Will Sampson , Bo Derek , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Michael Anderson
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sea Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Jaws - The Revenge
Grizzly
Jaws 3
Jaws 2
Jaws (30th Anniversary Edition)

ASIN: B0002I832M
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Description

ORCA: THE KILLER WHALE stars Richard Harris and Bo Derek in her screen debut in an epic struggle between a strong and determined fisherman and an equally determined whale. When the whale's pregnant mate is killed, it goes on a rampage, seeking revenge on the man by smashing boats, collapsing buildings and causing extreme destruction by fire.

Average customer rating:

A dour Western with a downbeat ending...
"Peck...Collins...Boyd...Salmi...King ~ The Bravados (1958)"
Western that Explores a Moral Issue
One of the best Westerns in the old style
the bravados

The Bravados
Starring: Gregory Peck , Joan Collins , Stephen Boyd , Albert Salmi , and Henry Silva
Director: Henry King
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Warlock
Broken Lance
Yellow Sky
The Scalphunters
Hour of the Gun

ASIN: B0007PALJS
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Amazon.com

During his Twentieth Century Fox contract years, Gregory Peck looked to veteran director Henry King as something of a father figure and gave two of his best performances--in Twelve O'Clock High (1949) and The Gunfighter (1950)--for him. The Bravados (1958) isn't in that league, but it's a surprisingly tough film from the flabby CinemaScope years when the studio, director, and star all seemed to be floundering.

Peck plays Jim Douglass, a dark, haunted man who rides into a Southwest border town on the eve of a hanging. The bad men set for the drop (Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Lee Van Cleef, Henry Silva) are the same ones he's been pursuing for the rape and murder of his wife. Douglass isn't happy about leaving it to the law to carry out his vengeance--and so there's a certain bleak satisfaction when the quartet busts out of jail, and he becomes the best hope for hunting them down.

Perversity wasn't King's long suit, so Philip Yordan's screenplay about a hero turning more sinister than the outlaws he's chasing never acquires the demonic power or ironic flair that an Anthony Mann, Fritz Lang, or Robert Aldrich might have lent it. Yet the very foursquareness of King's style and approach--and Peck's earnest efforts to fight through his accustomed stolidity to hit the necessary notes of desperation and finally shame--make for a fascination all their own. Joan Collins hovers handsomely on the periphery as an old friend ready to redeem Douglass, and Joe (Curly Joe-to-be) De Rita makes an uncredited appearance as the hangman. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Jim Douglas (Gregory Peck) rides into town the night before the hanging of four outlaws. He's been on their trail, believing they raped and killed his wife. But hours before the execution, the four escape, taking a beautiful young woman hostage. Now it

Customer Reviews:

A dour Western with a downbeat ending..........2006-11-10

"The Bravados" exposed a tragic violation of justice, and a confession of an error from a severe threatening widower (Gregory Peck) entirely blind in chasing four killers who, he believes, raped and murdered his wife... Peck is seen at one time the ruthless judge, jury and executioner...

The entertaining thing about the film is probably the manhunt of the accused men who escape from jail taking with them a female hostage Kathleen Gallant...

Gregory Peck's character as the blind seeker of justice is fit to be despised... With a downbeat climax this sour revenge Western remembered me the persistent Captain Ahab with his determination to finish with the killer whale, performed also by Peck...

Peck has continued to refine the identity of the avenging hero keeping his character alive through the good intervention of his heroic persona...

The four outlaws create a false impression in pretending indifference to misfortune...

"The Bravados" is a dour Western with a downbeat ending... The production is good, but the entertainment uneasy...

"Peck...Collins...Boyd...Salmi...King ~ The Bravados (1958)".......2006-08-16

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment present "THE BRAVADOS" (1958) (98 mins Color), under director Henry King , producer Herbert B. Swope, Jr., novel by Frank O'Rourke., screenwriter Philip Yordan, musical direction by Bernhard Kaun, music score by Lionel Newman . . . . .cast includes Gregory Peck (Jim Douglas), Joan Collins (Josefa Velarde), Stephen Boyd (Bill Zachary), Albert Salmi (Ed Taylor), Henry Silva (Lujan), Kathleen Gallant (Emma), Barry Coe (Tom), George Voskovec (Gus Steinmetz), Herbert Rudley (Sheriff Elroy Sanchez ), Lee Van Cleef (Alfonso Parral ), Andrew Duggan (Padre), Ken Scott (Primo), Gene Evans (Butler), Curly Joe DeRita (Mr. Simms), Robert Adler (Tony Mirabel). . . . . . . our story has a great script with a top notch veteran cast under the baton direction of Henry King, has Gregory Peck hot on the trail of four men who are outlaws Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Henry Silva and Lee Van Cleef...Peck believes these men raped and murdered his wife...the scene changes inside a jail where the men are going to the gallows in the morning...the tables are turned when the outlaws escape and Peck is hot on their trail again with the towns blessing...a shocker and a real twist in the final scene not inclusive of your usual suspects. . . . .much of the success of this film is due to the direction of Henry King (born: 24th January 1886 in Christiansburg, Virginia - died: 29th June 1982 in Toluca Lake, California) was an American film director...before coming to film, King worked as an actor in various repertoire theaters, and first started to take small film roles in 1912...King directed for the first time in 1915, and grew to become one of the most commercially successful Hollywood directors of the 1920s and 1930s...King was nominated for the best director Oscar twice, but did not win on either occasion...his films include "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1938), "Jesse James" (1939), "The Black Swan" 1942), In 1944, he was awarded the first ever Golden Globe Award award for best director for his film "The Song of Bernadette", based on the novel of the same name by Franz Werfel..."Captain from Castile" (1947), "Prince of Foxes" (1949), "12 O'Clock High" (1949), "The Gunfighter" (1950), "David and Bathsheba" (1951), "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (1952), "King of the Khyber Rifles" (1953), "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" (1955), "Carousel" (1956), "The Sun Also Rises" (1957), "Tender is the Night" (1962)...Henry King was one of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars every year, King directed over 100 films in his career.

Specal footnote, actor Gregory Peck was not only a wonderful actor but a great human being, of his own movies, "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962) is Peck's favourite, his character from "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962), Atticus Finch, was voted the greatest screen hero of all time by the American Film Institute in May 2003, only two weeks before his death (beating out Indiana Jones, who was placed second, and James Bond who came third)...Brock Peters delivered his eulogy on the day of his funeral and burial, June 16, 2003. In To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Peters played Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a white girl that Atticus Finch (Peck's character) defended in court....on his 1962 Oscar-winning role in "To Kill A Mockingbird", "I put everything I had into it, all my feelings and everything I'd learned in 46 years of living, about family life and fathers and children, and my feelings about racial justice and inequality and opportunity."

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Gregory Peck (aka: Eldred Gregory Peck)
Date of birth: 4/05/1916 - La Jolla, California, USA
Date of death: 6/12/2003 - Los Angeles, California
2. Joan Collins (aka: Joan Henrietta Collins)
Date of birth: 23 May 1933 - London, England, UK
Date of Death: Still Living
3. Stephen Boyd (aka: William Millar)
Date of birth: 4 July 1931 - Glengormley, Northern Ireland, UK
Date of death: 2 June 1977 - Northridge, California
4. Henry King (Director)
Date of birth: 24 January 1886 - Christiansburg, Virginia
Date of death: 29 June 1982 - Toluca Lake, California

Want to thank 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for releasing "Bravados" (1958), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '40s & '50s...order your copy now from Amazon or 20th Century Fox Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available, stay tuned once again for top notch wonderful character actors of the cinema brought back so many wonderful memories of the times when film makers cared about you who purchased a ticket and came back for more...just the way we like 'em.

Total Time: 98 mins on DVD ~ 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment #2227268 ~ (5/24/2005)

Western that Explores a Moral Issue.......2006-07-28

A good story with a surprise twist at the end. A must for any Gregory Peck fan; some of the other acting is a little uneven. The moral issue of playing both judge and jury as not really satisfactorily resolved, but a decent attempt is made. Overall a good story.

One of the best Westerns in the old style.......2005-12-05

Although production values have definitely gotten better, this 1958 western revenge story is still very tightly directed by any standards. I think it is one of Gregory Peck's best roles. It casts (a new) Lee Van Cleef and Stephen Boyd as villains; Boyd is chillingly psychopathic. Albert Salmi and Henry Silva (I remember him best as the dope fiend in Sharky's Machine) are "good" bad guys as well. The ending is terrific and packs as much of a whallop as I remembered.

the bravados.......2005-08-16

excellent purchase i am more than happy with the dvd.
A+1 thanx

Average customer rating:

Trashy, entertaining, if somewhat illogical erotic thriller real sexy fun!
Flashy And Trashy But With No Substance!
One of the nastiest movies I ever saw...
THis aiN'T No HiTChCoCK HOMage.....
Double Trouble!

Body Double
Starring: Craig Wasson , Melanie Griffith , Gregg Henry , Deborah Shelton , and Guy Boyd
Director: Brian De Palma
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Murder & Mayhem | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Dressed to Kill
Body Heat (Deluxe Edition)
Blow Out
Femme Fatale
Something Wild

ASIN: 0767818040
Release Date: 1998-12-15

Amazon.com

Even Brian De Palma's staunchest defenders had to swallow hard with this gaudily gory bauble of a thriller that is built around a gruesome (yet surprisingly wittily staged) stalking and murder involving a female victim and a killer with a giant power drill. This is De Palma at his most sensational, in a story about a B-movie actor with career problems (Craig Wasson) and a habit as a voyeur. He witnesses the aforementioned murder, then teams up with a porn actress (Melanie Griffith) to try and find the killer. De Palma has a blast going inside the porn film industry, and even films a pseudo rock video with one-hit wonders Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Wasson is an unlikely leading man, bland and pasty, but he's perfect in the role of a decidedly imperfect hero. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Trashy, entertaining, if somewhat illogical erotic thriller real sexy fun!.......2006-12-09

Trashy, entertaining, if somewhat illogical erotic thriller real sexy fun!, December 8, 2006

As cinemaphiles know, Brian De Palma has a predilection for paying homage to Hitchcock in his films, and here tries to bring Hitchcock's affinity for sexual dysfunction, shocking plot twists and character "sudden death" that make the masters films extremely watchable until this day. But De Palma has a taste for the "low-life" that Hitchcock could not truly explore back, and really exercises the id here with this wild allegory on Hollywood, psycho-babble and the world of porno. Body Double is one of the seminal (no pun intended) 80's erotic thrillers (right up there with Fatal Attraction, Sea of Love and De Palma's Dressed to Kill, and a fun, trashy view.

The plot revolves around a failing actor (who could use some serious couch time, if you know what I mean), who becomes obsessed with a sexy neighbor whose `jones' for late-night dancing in the all together and abhorrence for window blinds makes house-sitting worth the lousy pay. And as we've seen in dozens erotic thrillers, someone dies, and our hero must get the bad guy and save the girl. Nice twists along the way keep this one very intriguing (though some "haters" will surely say they figured this one out long before the credits roll). What makes this film unique and a great view are:

A spectacularly hot, 28 year old Melanie Griffith, who about steals the movie and registers a "'10' on the peter meter" whenever she's on-screen.

The beautiful mystery brunette (Deborah Shelton) with unbelievable bedroom eyes.

Tons of sexy skin, stripping and erotic situations that'll get your blood going.

Great inside-the-movie-biz references, including a plunge into LA's adult film world.

Fine performances by the actors, with a story that reels you in and sound direction by De Palma.

An appearance by 80s group Frankie Goes to Hollywood, performing "Relax" (that song never gets old to me, at least).

Sure, there are elements of real, American "cheese"; leaps in logic (the plot tenuously hinges on a couple "fortunate" things happening at just the right time) and an overall "over-the-top" feel will turn some viewers off and have them scrambling for the remote. But Body Double is truly one of those late night cable classics that many have duplicated, but few have surpassed. It has just enough art and just enough brains to keep your attention - and did I mention Melanie Griffith?

Flashy And Trashy But With No Substance!.......2006-09-20

This is one of the worst films Brian De Palma has ever made. First you have a homeless actor, then he gets place to stay , then he watches his neighbor doing an erotic slow dance through a telescope then she gets killed and the he hooks up with a porn star!And that just covers the first 30 minutes! Then he is on the hunt for the murderer with his new "actress" friend and the twists and turns just continue as Mr. De Palma continues to put his cameras into a circular orbit.Sadly by the end of this movie you won't care "whodunnit" or why.This movie is overloaded with every Hitchcock trick in the book and it still didn't hold my interest. Ms. Griffith does however make a very accurate observation of her new friend's sexual skills.I give this film 5 stars because Ms. Griffith does appear to be convincing as a porn star (which means her character is no Rocket Scientist)

One of the nastiest movies I ever saw..........2006-08-23

...with my parents.

I'll never forget seeing this movie in the theaters with my parents. We happen to see the quite young daughter of a really good couple friend of my parents, right before we went into the theater to watch this. My parents had no idea how bad this one was. My mother, just out of the blue, invited the young lady to join us. Brian DePalma has always been one of my favorite directors, and I only had a slight hint of how bad/good this would be. Well, I don't need to tell you the rest of the story, if you've seen this movie. My parents apologized profusely to her parents, later after we watched it. AND I WAS LOVING IT!!!

I bought this on laser disc right when it came out, and recently, about 1 year ago, bought the DVD. I really like the movie, one of my favorite Brian DePalma flicks. I'll tell you some of my favorite parts.

1) The music playing, when Scully, the Craig Wasson character, gets excused from his movie scene, and is driving home to spend some unexpected quality time with his live in girlfriend. That is probably the greatest sound track music I've ever heard, by Pino Donaggio.

2) The edit cuts, between the viewing of the murder, through the eyeglass, that Scully is looking through, and the real life view, in the living room of the murder victim. I still remember the sound effects and cries of pain by the actress.

3) The twirling effect of the cameras, when Scully and the female are kissing no the beach (no, it didn't make me dizzy, like other reviewers.)

4) The "B" Acting of Melanie Griffith. You' d think she really was a porn star, the way she's acting.

5) The police detective that interviews Scully. That guy was so creepy. Reminds me of the actor Fred Gwynne. Very entertaining.

Rent or buy this movie, and you shall not be disappointed.

Little known fact about this movie: Brian DePalma interviewed a real porn star (can't think of her name off hand, but she was extremely popular at the time this movie was being made) and rejected her based on her poor acting skills. Too bad they don't include her trial tapes in the DVD extras That would be bangin'!!! There is a book I own, called Double DePalma, which gives in great details the behind the scenes of this movie. I just checked, and it is also available for as little as $2.11. I highly recommend that item too.

Dubyac99 aka MC White said: Ch-ch-ch-check it out!!! EDIT: I'm the 69th reviewer of this version? Coincidence? I think not!

THis aiN'T No HiTChCoCK HOMage............2006-08-15

Let me put it like this, this movie is not a big deal, a head scratcher, please, HELL NO.! I just like it cause it FUN, I mean Melaine Griffith as a Porn Star is so funny ...more Camp than Thrills for me and Frankie goes to Hollywood indeed " Relax...Don't do it" and Mr. De Palma's last shot while the credits are rolling is CLASSIC. Dont think, just watch !;)

Double Trouble!.......2006-08-03

True confession: I'm not an "all in" Brian De Palma film buff..Mr. De Palma has tossed too many "stink" bombs into theatres, vis a vis "Bonfire of the Vanities" for an unqualified endorsement!..However, I salute De Palma's ambition, and grandiose, gothic style of film-making -- the subliminal David Lynch inspired creep humor -- the technical Hitchcock influences: see "Vertigo", "North by Northwest", and "Rear Window", for references.."Body Double" released in 1984, is a deliciously wicked, voyeuristic trip, bordering on soft-porn, yet exceptionally well cast..The plot is both a tease, and sentimental..I've seen the film dozens of times and enjoy the film still, despite multiple viewings, and the passage of time..The film's soundtrack is central to the the film's "gentleman's" guilty pleasures, especially the one hit wonder, Frankie Goes To Hollywood's, "Relax", the high-camp moment in the film, as Jake Scully, (Craig Wason), the film's red herring, adorned in argyle sweater, horn rimmed glasses, and penny loafers loiters in a 70's butch bar, purveying the androgynous action through his inner peephole, like a bi-curious preppy on a school outing, sampling for the first time the seamy underbelly of LA leather basement bar culture, and becoming self-consciously aroused..I won't give the plot away, but see the film..It remains Brian De Palma's most entertaining work..And, a far superior film to the "Untouchables"..No doubt, De Palma reigns supreme over this blue-tinted genre!..Melanie Griffin acts and looks terrific as Holly Body, the unsuspecting, well toned, dirty dancer, that sets Jake up for the drill-kill..And launches the film's parallel stalker plots.

Average customer rating:

Rates "Classic" status
Gotham
Wonderful 80's-Noir...Madsen & Jones in a hot preview for Keillor's "Praire Home"...
Wonderful gem
off-beat film that has so many layers

Gotham
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones , Virginia Madsen , Colin Bruce , Denise Stephenson , and Kevin Jarre
Director: Lloyd Fonvielle
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Neo-Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Black Moon Rising
The Hot Spot
Uncovered
Creator
The Cool Surface

ASIN: B0002CR03G
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Description

Betrayal, lust and greed are the main ingredients of this "stylish" (Films and Filming) and "fascinating" (Monthly Film Bulletin) supernatural thriller starring OscarÂ(r) winner* Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive), Virginia Madsen (Ghosts of Mississippi) and Colin Bruce (Chariots of Fire). Down-on-his-luck P.I. Eddie Mallard (Jones) eagerly accepts money from millionaire Charlie Rand (Bruce) to make Rand's socialite wife Rachel (Madsen) leave him alone. There's just one small problem'the woman has been dead for ten years. When Eddie encounters Rachel's glamorous ghost, he is immediately seduced by her otherworldly charms and becomes embroiled in a dangerous love affair with only one logical way out! *1993: Supporting Actor, The Fugitive

Customer Reviews:

Rates "Classic" status.......2007-01-16

To anyone who is a fan of ghost stories, I have to say this one is particularly well done. It certainly ranks as one of my all time favorite filmic treatments of the genre. It is done with rare humor, but at the same time gives one a feeling of 1940's style film noir. It could have been filmed in black and white and still been very effective in promoting that dark, mysterious atmosphere.
Tommy Lee Jones portrayal of seedy private eye Eddie Mallard is one of his best performances in my opinion. He is at first understandably condescending to the rich client who wants him to follow his dead wife. After all, he is desperately in need of what he views as "easy money". It becomes and engrossing portrait of a man gradually coming to realize he has fallen hopelessly in love with a phantom. Virginia Madsen, in another marvelously suited role for her, is at once sexy and mysterious, while, at the same time showing us a vulnerable side. She also depicts the venal side of the spirit in a most remarkable fashion. Great characterization is a hallmark of this film, both in the writing and acting, and the rendition of "Danny Boy", sung by a street musician, is the most hauntingly beautiful version of that old song I have ever heard. It actually brought tears to my eyes! In fact, all of the music in this film is near perfect in its suitability to the story. I wish there were a soundtrack available on CD. It is that good.
Do yourself a favor and buy or rent this little known film. I do not think you will regret it.

Gotham.......2006-09-30

Gotham is not the original title of this movie. I feel the original title caputured the essence of the movie and it was a mistake to change the title. There is a lot to like about this movie and I only wish it had recieved the credit it deserved when it was first released. Gotham is a tightly woeven story full of suspense and intrigue that keeps the viewer guessing till the end. The actors have done a supurb job, I especially like the character played by Tommy Lee Jones. It is one of the rare opportunities that you get to see him playing the romantic leading man. I especially enjoyed watching his character unravel as he becomes captavated by the 'ghost' he is meant to be investigating. I only wish that the ending was as good as the rest of the movie, as I feel it lets the movie down slightly.

Wonderful 80's-Noir...Madsen & Jones in a hot preview for Keillor's "Praire Home"..........2006-07-16

I'm not sure how I missed 'Gotham' [1988] when it came out in the late 80's, except for, well, it was still the 80's after all...I found this by accident and enjoyed watching it late one night. I can't agree more with the other comments/reviews already listed praising this film.

I have two suggestions though...one you can do nothing about and one you can.

The format is full-screen, and there are many instances during the film when it's painfully obvious that a wide-screen format would add immensely to the atmosphere and mood. There's not much you can do about that though until a widescreen format is released, if ever. What you can do, is turn your TV's 'Color' off, or desaturate the color, and add a little 'Contrast', to enjoy this film in B/W.

Fonvielle's 'The Mummy' [1999] DVD is also a fun-filled thrill not to be missed and 'Cherry 2000' [1987] DVD has Melanie Griffith in her finest form [maybe ever!]. I've seen all of his other writing credits as well, and while each is worthy of mention, both 'The Bride' [1985] DVD and 'The Lords of Discipline' [1983] DVD do not seem to have been given the production or directorial justice that Fonvielle's work deeply deserved.

Most recently Fonvielle produced and lent his voice to the independent 'Hopscotch' [2004; not to be confused with the 1980 Walter Matthau comedy-spy vehicle, or the 2006 Eric Lewis contemporary jazz concert, of the same US titles], an adapation of the 1963 novel, la 'Rayuela', by the acclaimed Latin-American [born in Brussels, Belgium to Argentinean parents and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina and later settling in Paris, France] writer Julio Cortazar [1914-1984], or aka 'Grandísimo Cronopio'.

Wonderful gem.......2005-01-02

This is a wonderful little movie that, I think, was made originally for cable. I saw it when it came out and it has always been a favorite. What I love most about the film is the haunting tone, which is reflected in the noir storyline, visuals, and music. I especially liked the music -- the noted version of Danny Boy is the best rendition I've ever heard, and the torch music is great and fits the cosmopolitan "feel" of the movie. Since it was a little seen film, you won't get a lot of reviews. Don't let the fact that it was not widely seen scare you off -- it is a keeper. Tommy Lee Jones gives a great performance and Virginia Madsen has never been more beautiful.

off-beat film that has so many layers.......2004-10-07

Chances are you have missed this devilish delightful gem and that is a shame. With Tommy Lee Jones being one of the best actors around, I was sorry this film is totally ignored. I think the few that saw it was not entirely sure what to make of it. For those who have found it, they generally adore this quirky, sexy thriller, a who dun it, who stole the jewels, and if half the cast are alive or not!

Tommy Lee Jones gives a great performance (when does he not) as Eddie Mallard. Eddie is a down-on-his-lucky, so-so gumshoe in the Sam Spade tradition. When a friend wants to be a client with the tale he wants Eddie to persuade his ex-wife Rachel Carlyle (sexy Virginia Madsen) to leave him alone, Eddie says yes. All in a days business. Well, problems soon become apparent that is "ex" wife was not an "ex" because his friend divorced her, but rather he killed her and then stole all her jewelry. When this fact comes to light, Eddie's client insists he still wants Eddie to convince Rachel to go away. Befuddled by his friends insistence he wants the dead woman to leave him alone, Eddie thinks, what the heck, easy money, eh? However, Rachel soon turns up and she hardly looks like a ghost. She is a very sexy bombshell. Soon Eddie is drawn into Rachel's web and into an affair.

It's done with a ton of symbolism that requires the viewer to watch this one a dozen times to catch all the little nuances. The moody atmospheric lensing adds to the teasing, tantalizing feel, with two strong performances by two very amazing actors. I have always adored Virginia Madsen. She is the epitome blonde bombshell, yet intelligence radiated, snapping from her eyes challenging you to dare call her a dumb blonde.

In one very poignant scene, Madsen and Jones stop before a street singer and asks him to sing a song. And he says there is only one song. He signs the most beautiful version of Danny Boy. I defy anyone not have a tear in their eye after the haunting melody. The singer ends the song in tears himself, wipes them and says "Mercy." saying it just does not get any better than this.

That sums up this whole beautiful, quirky film. Mercy!

Average customer rating:

Never Talk to Strangers
Starring: Rebecca De Mornay , Antonio Banderas , Dennis Miller , Len Cariou , and Harry Dean Stanton
Director: Peter Hall
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

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

Guilty as Sin
And God Created Woman
Of Love & Shadows
The Body
Blind Side

ASIN: B00000J11D
Release Date: 1999-07-27

Average customer rating:

Far From Home
Starring: Matt Frewer , Drew Barrymore , Richard Masur , Karen Austin , and Susan Tyrrell
Director: Meiert Avis
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Doppelganger
Poison Ivy
Skipped Parts
The Amy Fisher Story
Motorama

ASIN: B00005IAQ7
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Description

On the other side of innocence lies fear. Drew Barrymore (Charlie's Angels, The Wedding Singer, Never Been Kissed), Anthony Rapp, (Adventures in Babysitting), Richard Masur (License to Drive) and Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom") star in this twisted suspense thriller as an innocent girl's budding sexuality lures her into a frenzied whirlwind of seduction and murder. Stranded in the desert with an empty gas tank, Charlie Cross (Frewer) and his beautiful young daughter Joleen (Barrymore) go to a nearby trailer park to escape the blistering noonday heat. It's there Joleen meets Jimmy, a strange and mysterious boy whose brazen and enticing sexuality captures her curiosity. But as a shy competitor vies for her attention, Joleen becomes embroiled in a deadly adult world where the price of sophistication is terror.

Average customer rating:

Curdled
Starring: Angela Jones , William Baldwin , Bruce Ramsay , Lois Chiles , and Barry Corbin
Director: Reb Braddock
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Detroit 9000
Switchblade Sisters
Mighty Peking Man
Four Rooms
True Romance - Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B0000DZTIZ
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Amazon.com

Definitely not for everyone, this film by Reb Braddock (executive produced by Quentin Tarantino) has become a cult favorite--but only for the cult that enjoys its humor dark, twisted, and deeply bloodstained. Angela Jones is a young woman in Miami who is so obsessed with the crimes of a local serial killer (William Baldwin) that she takes a job working for a company that cleans up murder scenes, just to get closer to him. She digs the work, learning the tricks of a trade that is focused on removing unsightly bloodstains that come in multi-pint-size pools. Braddock and cowriter John Maass craft a nerve-racking finale in which the killer romances the cleaner, with surprising results. Not for the squeamish. --Marshall Fine

Description

This cutting-edge thriller stars William Baldwin (FAIR GAME, SLIVER) as a seductive mass murderer who meets his match when he encounters a sexy young woman named Gabriela (Angela Jones -- PULP FICTION, MAN ON THE MOON), assigned to clean up one of his crime scenes. But when she literally uncovers crucial evidence linking him to the crime, the killer pursues Gabriela only to discover that she shares his disturbing fascination with murder! Uniquely original, CURDLED is a hot-blooded thriller with unpredictable twists and a shockingly memorable climax!

Average customer rating:

Obsession
Starring: Ronald Adam , Stanley Baker , Michael Balfour , Phil Brown , and Betty Cooper
Director: Edward Dmytryk
Manufacturer: Telavista
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Forgotten Noir Collector's Set 2 (Man From Cairo / Mask of the Dragon / FBI Girl / Tough Assignment / I'll Get You / Fingerprints Don't Lie)
If... (Criterion Collection)
Army of Shadows - Criterion Collection
Thieves Like Us
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 (Act of Violence / Mystery Street / Crime Wave / Decoy / Illegal / The Big Steal / They Live By Night / Side Street / Where Danger Lives / Tension)

ASIN: B000LPS2UE
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Description

Robert Newton stars as Clive Riordan, a London doctor who can not and will not tolerate the humiliation of his faithless wife, Storm (Sally Gray). When he catches her with her American lover, Bill Kronin, Dr. Riordan plans his perfect revenge. He leads his wife's lover away at gunpoint and from that moment Bill Kronin seems to have vanished. There is, however, more to Dr. Riordan's sinister plan than just being rid of Kronin -- in his private laboratory he is preparing a means to an awful end. Scotland Yard become involved with no clue other than a missing dog...Clive Riordan embodies Obsession in this classic, disturbing psychological thriller.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

The Bourne Identity / Spy Game

The Suburbans

Amazing Transplant (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Madeline Manners

Can't Hardly Wait