5 Corners

Starring:Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, Todd Graff, John Turturro, Michael R. Howard, Pierre Epstein, Jery Hewitt, Rodney Harvey, Daniel Jenkins, Elizabeth Berridge, Cathryn de Prume, Carl Capotorto, Jose Soto Jr., Kathleen Chalfant, John Seitz, Anthony Powers, Jack McGee, Gregory Rozakis, Rose Gregorio, Mike Starr
Director: Tony Bill
Studio: United American Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Intriguing Tony Bill-directed film, based on a quirky screenplay by playwright John Patrick Shanley. Set in the Bronx in the early 1960s, Five Corners deals with the effects of the release from prison of the neighborhood psycho (John Turturro), who is free to once again stalk the woman of his dreams (Jodie Foster). Her boyfriend (Todd Graff) is crippled and can't save her. The neighborhood tough guy who did rescue her last time (Tim Robbins) has decided to become a nonviolent pacifist working for civil rights and refuses to lift his hand in violence. A strange, fascinating mix, including several set pieces that come out of nowhere to energize an already edgy story. --Marshall Fine

Amazon.com

Five Corners is so filled with inspired, memorable moments that it's tough to completely fault it when it inanely begins spiraling out of control towards the conclusion. After all, the entire picture is so beautifully messy from the outset that any hope for rational tie-ups is equally absurd. This indie ensemble piece (back when John Turturro, Jodie Foster, and Tim Robbins were considered indie actors) follows a group of Bronx teenagers during a 48-hour period in 1964. At the center of the action is just-released, unreformed rapist Heinz (a sinister turn by Turturro), who returns to his old neighborhood looking for payback. His victim, Linda (Foster), calls on her protector--and the man who put Heinz in jail--Harry (Robbins), but unfortunately, her hero now listens to Dylan and preaches antiviolence. After Heinz bludgeons a penguin from the zoo (director Tony Bill's way of showing that Heiz is crazy!), he turns his attention to Linda. As he moves to a desperately unnecessary violent climax, Bill tries showing a cross-section of these tense times but never has a firm grasp of the era. It's definitely not your usual period piece. Screenwriter and former playwright John Patrick Shanely (Moonstruck) uses a number of surreal touches (people are shot with arrows, girls huff glue in the back of convertibles, mothers are tossed out of windows, and then there's that penguin) that keep you off guard. Oddly, this is a film that you admire more afterward than you enjoy it while watching it. Note: Cinematographer Fred Murphy's compositions are shamefully lost on this cut-rate DVD transfer. The picture quality is often hazy, and hardly better than a low-cost video. --Dave McCoy

Customer Reviews:

Very good film in lousy DVD transfer.......2006-11-04

This is a quirky drama that mixes light touches and the very serious in unexpected and unpredictable ways. Set in the Bronx in 1964, John Turturro plays a menacing newly ex-con who returns to his neighborhood with some pent up anger. Jodie Foster plays the timid victim of the the attempted rape that sent him to prison; Tim Robbins is the one who saved her by cracking Turtorro over the head with a pitcher. All the action happens over a couple days, as Turturro seeks to reestablish contact with Foster, Foster seeks Robbins' protection while trying to keep her boyfriend who was injured in the attempted rape from getting hurt again, and Robbins gets ready to become a freedom rider for civli rights. A subplot involves a couple out-of-control women and a couple mischief-making men who provide some comic relief and more.

Though very much its own thing, the mood actually reminded me of American Graffiti and Diner at times. There is a slightly surreal edge throughout. It includes a peculiar usage of the famous duet from Delibes' Lakme. The acting from Turturro is particularly impressive, and the rest are good too. The acting and rich dramatic texture drew me in so that I was willing to follow the odd turns without complaints. Unlike some, I didn't think the film fell apart at the end. It made as much sense as the rest of the film and had some strong dramatic content. Very much worth seeing.

The DVD I have is from Disc Plaza. The transfer is somewhat dark, soft, pixelly at times, not very good color, pan and scan. Sound is OK mono. Because of the poor quality I had to use the stop action function to see who did what at a crucial point at the end. There are other editions out on DVD, but apparently the tranfers aren't any better than this one. (This version comes with another movie on the same DVD, Who Shot Pat, which is very bad, and only available, I assume, because it has Sandra Bullock, with a very brief if not very revealing nude scene.)

Summer of '64 and all is not well........2006-05-08

This is an interesting time-capsule of the early 60's. Tony Bill does an excellent job of coloring the time with innocence and uncertain turmoil in this look at that era.It is marvelous to see the early Tim Robbins, John Torturro and Jodie Foster, when they responded to direction with exceptional results. A small neighborhood would have a tight group of kids with some delinquents thrown in. Foster gets pursued by Torturro's demented character and only grabs the attention of Robbins at the last instant. Robbins does such a wonderful job, you believe he is going to be in Mississippi when the lunatic strikes, and that he may not care enough.How much action can pigeons conjure up? At the end, I don't care much about the anticlimax. I just knew that I saw the finest actors of the next generation, for I know that I could have wandered onscreen with any of the three above and had a good time together. I forgive it for unravelling at the end, when it lost its spell.Most of the time it succeeds as a window to '64.

DVD transfer didn't go so well, but not terrible.......2005-04-03

Tim Robbins, Jody Foster and John Turtorro. These 3 names alone tell us how well this movie will be performed. All 3 of these fine actors will give 100% to any role they choose to accept. John Turturro plays a loser from Brooklyn straight out of prison for trying to rape Jody Foster. Tim Robbins, a wisened street kid turned civil rights peace activist, saved her from the first attack. Now, with Turturro on the loose, Foster returns to Tim Robbins for support. Good acting with a hint of comedy. 5 star movie, 3 star DVD transfer. It's still worth owning at this price.

Quirky Film about 1960s Bronx.......2005-02-24

Producer/Director Tony Bill's "Five Corners" is blessed with a decent - if often messy - screenplay from noted playwright John Patrick Shanley and splendid performances from John Turturro, Jode Foster, and especially, Tim Robbins. To his credit, Bill captures successfully the spirit of the Bronx in the early 1960s, inspite of Shanley's confusing screenplay. The film follows the fortunes and misfortunes of several teenagers for 48 hours. Turturro is especially effective as the sinister psychopath Heinz, newly released from prison, who is obsessed with neighborhood gal Linda (Jodie Foster), whose crippled boyfriend (Todd Graff) is unable to help her ward off Heinz's advances. In desperation she turns to Harry (Tim Robbins), the fellow who had put Heinz into prison, but he is now more concerned with the Civil Rights movement, Bob Dylan's music, and preaching nonviolence, than resuming his role as Linda's enforcer. Robbins' performance is nearly as memorable as Turturro's (I was pleasantly surprised to see Tim Robbins on the big screen, since my last memory of him was back in high school!); both of their performances nearly overshadow Foster's usual excellent work.

five corners.......2003-03-25

I AM RATING THE DIGITAL QUALITY OF THE DVD, NOT THE MOVIE!
The one star is far too much praise for the digital quality of this "Direct Source Special Products Inc." brand dvd I've recieved . Far better to get the vhs copy, as this was so obviously dubbed from one, except that they left out all the colour and is so dark it is almost impossible to see! Does anyone know where a quality version of this film can be found on dvd?
I do however like this movie, and was looking forward to seeing it again.It was the first time I had seen Tim Robbins, and John Turturro, and really enjoyed both of their performances. Particularly Johns portrayal of the sinister Heinz character. I remember it to be a little shakey in its ending but really enjoyed it otherwise. Check it out, but be careful of which copy you purchase!

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