Sex, Drugs & Democracy

Starring:Dorothy Short, Kenneth Craig, Lillian Miles, Dave O'Brien, Thelma White, Carleton Young, Warren McCollum, Patricia Royale, Joseph Forte, Harry Harvey Jr., Phil Dunham, Walter McGrail, Ted Wray, William Royle, Mary MacLaren, Edward LeSaint, Lester Dorr, Dan Wolheim, Frank O'Connor, Bobby Burns
Director: Jonathan Blank, Louis J. Gasnier
Studio: Rph Productions
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The Netherlands is a social paradise, according to documentarian Jonathan Banks. Prostitution is legal, homosexual marriages are recognized, universal health care and housing are provided by the government, and the personal use of marijuana, hashish, and heroine is tolerated with government control. Also, it has minimal problems with crime and drug addiction, and it has the lowest rates of teen pregnancy and abortion in the world. This blunt, shot-on-video tribute is more cheerleading than investigative journalism, and perhaps a little suspect. Banks relies on the statistics and claims provided by his subjects--government officials, businesspeople, and Dutch citizens--without bothering to corroborate them. Yet it's an eye-opening portrait in practical universal freedom as social policy that, despite claims by conservative doomsayers, seems to have been working for years. --Sean Axmaker

Waking Up Dead
Average customer rating:

Raw, Real and Remarkable

Amazing

Waking Up Dead
Director: Fabio Jafet
Manufacturer: Mvd Visual
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Beneath Still Waters (Widescreen)

ASIN: B000P29B1M
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Description

How do you help someone whose life is spiraling out of control? Make a movie, and make him come face to face with his own demons. For a solid four years, Emmy award winning journalist & filmmaker Fabio Jafet, documented the seedy underworld of the music business through the eyes of friend Phil Varone of Saigon Kick & Skid Row fame. Jafet reveals what really goes on behind the scenes in a way never captured before on camera. Waking Up Dead captures the addictions, betrayals and pitfalls on the relentless road to rock stardom.

Customer Reviews:

Raw, Real and Remarkable.......2007-06-26

This movie should be required viewing for all aspiring rock stars! (you know who you are) Although at times difficult to watch, it provides a glimpse into the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll life that we all fantasize about living. WUD squelches that fantasy by revealing the harsh, often unpleasant, consequences of life in the *very* fast lane. Whether you're just a curious voyeur, or a lover of great films, this is a MUST see!

Amazing.......2007-06-16

One of the grittiest and hardest hitting films I have ever seen about rock & roll. It is a reminder that fame and fortune doesn't come easy and often there is collateral damage to family and friends. The movie was riveting from start to finish. Warning: This film is extremely graphic and disturbing, no one under 17 should be able to see this. 5 stars!

Average customer rating:

An oldie but goodie!!
FRIZT THE CAT
So awful its funny!
Love it
Fritz the cat "holywood style"

Fritz the Cat
Starring: Skip Hinnant , Rosetta LeNoire , John McCurry , and Phil Seuling
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00003CWQI
Release Date: 2001-12-11

Amazon.com

Advertised as "X-rated and Animated," Fritz the Cat earned an impressive $25 million in 1972. Screenwriter-director Ralph Bakshi based the film on three of Robert Crumb's stories about a superficial college student who tried to seduce anything in a skirt. The gritty, often gross film shocked U.S. audiences accustomed to innocent flirtations and slapstick comedy in cartoons. Thirty years later, Fritz looks less shocking than puerile. The violence grafted onto Crumb's innocent stories feels gratuitous, and the racial imagery tasteless. As dated as a Nehru jacket, the film will interest students of animation history and American pop culture. Crumb detested the film: he drew Fritz as a decadent Hollywood star, who was exploited by caricatures of Bakshi and producer Steve Krantz--and murdered by a bitter ex-girlfriend. "Another casualty of the '60s..." --Charles Solomon

Description

Maverick writer-director Ralph Bakshi (Heavy Traffic) made his feature-length film debut with this "startling and audacious" (The Hollywood Reporter) foray into adult-content animation,creating the first X-rated cartoon and one of the most successful animated features of its time! Based on a legendary character created by underground comic book artist-writer R. Crumb, Fritz the Cat is a brilliant commentary on '60s life and a "snarling satire that stubbornly refusesto curl up in anyone's lap" (Playboy). It's the age of awakening and Fritz, one way-cool cat and NYU student, loves to embrace every experimental experience that crosses his path. Embarking on a fantastic journey of self-discovery, he indulges in everything from multiple bedroom follies to a wild joy ride through a dangerous Harlem. But when Fritz joins a group of radically aggressive hippies, he finds himself holding the dynamite that will detonate the ultimate '60s statement one that could cost him his life!

Customer Reviews:

An oldie but goodie!!.......2007-06-25

Takes me back to my student days in London, when you could actually smoke in the cinema!!! Can't remember how many times I saw it. It thoroughly deserves its place as a cult classic. The first ever x-rated animated movie full of social comment. Who can forget the death of the crow!!

FRIZT THE CAT.......2007-05-13

I SAW THIS MOVIE WHEN I WAS A TEEN AND I LIKE IT THEN AND I LIKE IT MORE NOW!

So awful its funny!.......2007-02-13

I loved this animation, even though the creator (the awesome R. Crumb) hated it so much he killed the character off! And, unlike "Wizards", I don't feel guilty liking it.

Ah, Fritz, so much a lot of young, single guys see in themselves when they see it. Fritz was mainly out to get laid, and 'went with the flow' to be smooth with the ladies. However, he also got actually into the real issues and concerns of the sixties, along with the dark underside.

Sexy, funny, dark, violent and ugly, it is truly a classic!

Love it.......2007-01-19

I was so excited to be able to find this lost icon. I gave it away as a Christmas gift to a friend on Christmas Eve. We all sent the kids out of the room and we all watched it. We were amazed at how the politics ring true almost 40 years later. We all had a blast! Fritz is still a cool cat!

Fritz the cat "holywood style".......2007-01-11

Too bad the end has been altered in a happy ending, the original I saw in 1972 had Fritz slain by a revengeful feminist, an ice pick was the weapon. Much stronger and relevant.

Average customer rating:

Camp Rules
Must-have DVD ... but there is a discrepancy
Beyond the Valley of the dolls
Get real
Wow.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Starring: Pam Grier
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)

ASIN: B000EXDSC0
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Amazon.com

One never tires of watching Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a distant relative of Jaqueline Susann's bestselling novel, Valley of the Dolls, and its filmic counterpart, Valley of the Dolls. Kelly McNamara (Dolly Read), Casey Anderson (Cynthia Myers), and Petronella Danforth (Marcia McBroome), star as the hot female trio who clumsily navigate Hollywood during the Swingin' Sixties to promote their band, The Carrie Nations. Written by Rogert Ebert, Ebert calls the film the "first rock-horror exploitation musical," because BVD, as it's called by fans, encompasses all that was sexy, funny, hip, schlocky, stylish, and horrific about America's most interesting cultural period. BVD can be viewed as a Sixties' artifact, packed with consummate party scenes (and a cameo appearance by Strawberry Alarm Clock), as the original skin flick, as a proto-cult classic, or as a benchmark in American cinema, since it is actually well- written, artfully shot, and finely edited. This special edition re-release includes a second disc comprised of five featurettes, whose topics include Meyers' biography, the Carrie Nations music as soundtrack, Casey and Roxanne's titillating lesbian love scene, and the political climate during the Sixties. Revisiting Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, especially after Russ Meyer's recent death, reminds viewers to treasure his visionary obsession with female beauty. --Trinie Dalton

Description

When three female rock'n'rollers travel to Hollywood to claim an inheritance, they meet up with a kinky music promoter who turns them on to a whole new scene. At first, all seems very exciting and the naïve trio becomes submerged in his dangerous tinseltown underworld-before they discover his true motives.

Customer Reviews:

Camp Rules.......2007-07-05

If you're like campy 70s drug culture, hippie culture movies, this is the best one!! Top notch!

Must-have DVD ... but there is a discrepancy.......2007-06-12

I just got a DVD set from an on-line auction that includes an extra disc (Ebert commentary, and just tons of extras) and miniature lobby cards.

But the Amazon listing above (same ISBN!) has none of these extras listed and is just ONE disc:

Another oddity is that the Amazon listing says it is rated X whereas my DVD has it rated NC-17. The running time of my DVD is the same 109 minutes however so if they cut some scenes to "soften" it for NC-17 they must have put new material in. My guess is that the MPAA now requires DVD releases to adapt the rating equivalent from the new system.

Beyond the Valley of the dolls.......2007-06-05

The movie it's self is okay. When I ordered this film, I was under the impression that this was the original "X" rated version. What I got was the NC-17 version. This is a milder version from what the original film is. When I ordered this film, it said it was the "X" rated one. I also read that they had changed the rating from the x rated to the nc-17 version, but did not mention that the content in the movie was aslo changed. I am somewhat disappointed.

Get real.......2007-03-21

Quite possibly, the stupidest movie ever made.

"well-written"--could have fooled me.
"artfully shot"--I guess it had its moments, especially if you like a lot of very black shadows covering most of what you want to see, but the rest of it is no better than the standards of crappy 60's TV.
"finely edited"--I guess there's an art to cutting a real turkey

Not a campfest, not a comedy, just plain bad. Get some busty dolls and some dopey guys, throw them in a stew, show some teasers of the breasts, add a cheesy, dashed-off script by a guy who suddenly exemplars "do as I say, not as I do" and plan on it becoming a "cult classic." This is not "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"! And you'd have so much more fun watching that one again instead.

Roger Ebert, do you really chuckle when you remember this one claim to movie making fame? I thought your profession was about helping people to not waste their time. You sure wasted mine.

Wow........2007-03-09

The Roger Ebert commentary is one of the most educational pieces available out there. (ps. the Newsradio commentary with Brad Grey, Paul Simms, Julie Bean and Warren Littlefield is a close second).

The Filth and the Fury - A Sex Pistols Film

Average customer rating:

The REAL Story
The Filth And The Fury
The Punk Is Dead
God Save The Queen, Here's the Sex Pistols
NO FUTURE FOR YOU!

The Filth and the Fury - A Sex Pistols Film
Starring: Paul Cook , Malcolm McLaren , Sid Vicious , John (Johnny Rotten) Lydon , and Glen Matlock
Director: Julien Temple
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00003CXHM
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Amazon.com essential video

"Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" sneers Johnny Rotten at the Sex Pistols' farewell performance. After seeing this picture you'll understand his disgust, but Julian Temple's sharp portrait of the ragged, raw band of working-class Brits won't leave you disappointed. The Sex Pistols left their legacy in a whirlwind 26-month reign, spitting out a caustic, confrontational brand of rock & roll that became the rallying cry for angry, disaffected youths in late 1970s England and defined the punk movement. Their story was first told two decades ago in the cynical The Great Rock and Roll Swindle, also directed by Temple but produced by the Sex Pistols' smarmy manager, Malcolm McLaren, who stage-managed the film into a self-promoting vanity project. For The Filth and the Fury, Temple turns to the four surviving band members to tell their own stories. His vibrant, vigorous direction captures the period of social unrest and alienated youth without turning into a history lesson, and shows the Pistols in all their insolent glory: spewing obscenities and gesturing lewdly to audiences and press alike, screaming out lyrics, overcoming musical limitations with pure passion and attitude. Rare, raw concert footage (including their final performance, which is appropriately enough the song "No Fun") and previously unseen interviews with the deceased Sid Vicious further energize the portrait. There's even footage of the smiling band cutting cake for kids at a fundraiser with nary a nasty gesture or sneering comment. Now there's a side of the Pistols you don't see everyday. --Sean Axmaker

Description

A shocking portrait of one of the most notorious rock groups of all time. A compelling and insightful look into the world of The Sex Pistols, this film charts their rise from the back streets of '70s London and ultimate implosion while on tour in Americ

Customer Reviews:

The REAL Story.......2007-03-14

Forget Julien Temple's "The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle," his previous Pistols film. That was almost purely fiction, created solely as an ego-stroke for Malcolm McLaren. This is the real story, told by the members themselves, using archival footage and new interviews. More than simply presenting the what's and where's, it also delves into the question of WHY punk rock became the phenomenom it did in mid-Seventies Britain. This is an absolute must-see film for anyone interested in the history of rock music. From the live footage of the Pistols wreaking havoc onstage, to the the genuine emotion displyed by John Lydon when discussing the heroin addiction and death of friend and bandmate Sid Vicious, this movie is simply incredible. I've watched it at home dozens of times and it never gets old. Very highly recommended.

The Filth And The Fury.......2007-03-09

This is a great story of strange time for a band that changed a lot of things in rock&roll. This is the story in their own words with some great footage before everyone had video cameras and the internet. If you liked the Pistols and want a raw story and the history of the band, this is THE one to have.

The Punk Is Dead.......2006-09-10

I rate this movie 8/10 or 4 stars. This movie is among the 1000 Best Movies on DVD by Peter Travers. It won 3 awards in 2000 as best documentary in Chicago, Sao Paolo, and the Online Film Critics Society Awards.
The movie depicts the history of one of the most controversial Rock bands ever: The Sex Pistols. This DVD is a widescreen version of the film and features an audio commentary by director Julien Temple. The story of the band is told chronologically, and we get to see some of the members of the band telling us their own point of view of their contribution to the band and what happened during the 26 months the band lasted. There is a lot of controversy about the figure of Sid Vicious, who was found dead (by overdose or suicide, or was it just the same?) after being charged for the murder of his partner Nancy. One of the things I like the most about the movie is the Extra Documentary "Un-Defining Punk: An In Depth Examination of the Punk Movement", a 35 minute long documentary that gives us a very good deep analysis of what punk was.
I recommend this movie to anybody who likes pop culture, the history of Rock, and more especifically, to punk fans and anybody who likes transgression in Art in any form. The movie is rated R, which is a pity because it can't be shown to teenagers who would benefit a lot from watching it.
P.S. If you like my review vote YES. You can read all my other reviews if you wish to. I modestly write them to help people form an opinion about movies, music and books, but if nobody reads them (if you don't vote I do not know if you did) there is no point in writing them

God Save The Queen, Here's the Sex Pistols.......2006-07-19

The Filth and The Fury is a must have for any true Rock'n' Roll fan! The film charts the meteoric rise and fall of the Sex Pistols. You get the story straight from the band who, tell the truth and pull no punches. The film includes many rare performance clips and interviews. Although the band only lasted a mere 26 months, the film proves that the Pistols' music is just as relevant today as it was in 1977 (maybe more so!). If you're a Pistols fan, buy this DVD! If you're not a fan, buy this DVD (you'll become one!!).

NO FUTURE FOR YOU!.......2006-06-24

Yes, I agree with all the others before me, a real documentary!! Finally something to watch other then the crap put out by McClaren.I loved this because it had the actually means of telling you what happened. With real interviews, even with Sid Vicious himself! Why should anyone have to buy anyother "documentary" when you have John Lydon himself telling you what happened? You have the actually televised interviews that made the pistols their "filthy"-selves. This tells the story from begining to end, with no bull. I see this as not only an important part of my Sex Pistols collection, but as a masterpiece. Because it tells the story from the mouth of the creators. Not the snakes. Great for all Pistols Fans and even those who want the truth.

Average customer rating:

A little dated but still has its moments
Take It For What It Is
Feed Your Head
How fun was the 70's?
Funny movie, terrible DVD transfer

The Groove Tube
Starring: Kirtus Allen , Richmond Baier , Bill Bailey (II) , Richard Belzer , and Peter William Blaxill
Manufacturer: Henstooth Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305832161
Release Date: 2000-05-30

Amazon.com

This collection of satirical sketches about television was released in 1974, the heyday of obvious pop-culture humor along the lines Cheech and Chong. With Saturday Night Live still a few years away, Chevy Chase made an appearance here, and one can see the acute sensibility that would redefine television comedy in its early form. Some of the gags work well but most are pretty dispensable; some are a bit crude. On the plus side, it's nice to see Richard Belzer (from TV's Homicide) in his sharp-tongued, formative stage. While not brilliant, the film did serve as one influence on the rise of ironic humor in the '70s. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A little dated but still has its moments.......2007-04-04

I first saw this movie when I was in college in the mid 1970s. It was pretty radical for its time as it predated the original Saturday Night Live. It is made up of a number of individual bits, most of which were topical at the time. There are references to 2001 A Space Odyssey, the Watergate hearings, Vietnam, counterculture drug dealers, etc. and features the first screen appearances of Chevy Chase and Richard Belzer.
If you are nostalgic for those times and willing to suffer some misses along with the real laughs, this movie is for you.

Take It For What It Is.......2007-03-12

The movie was made quickly and "spontaneously," so it is not as slick as you might have come to expect from a full-out "movie."

That being said, for those who can remember what TV was like in the 1960s, this movie is a classic. And you get to see really funny samples of comedic talents when they were really young, such as Richard Belzer and Chevy Chase.

Loved it.

Feed Your Head.......2007-02-25

I'll probably revise this later because it's been many years since I saw this. But back in the 70's this was a late night and drive in favorite. Like I said I haven't seen it for many years and I'm guessing that it's probably not as funny as it used to be afer a few tokes, but I think it'll still be worth a watch because this was the beginning of the kind of humor we found later in SNL. Much of the humor is subtle and can easily go over your head if you're not aware of what's going on, but if you are then there's a lot of fun here. In fact I still remember having to take a second look at the end VD talk to realize what that puppet actually was...It was the absurdity that made it so funny....

How fun was the 70's?.......2007-01-18

Fun movie, some of the bits run a little long, but overall entertaining.

Funny movie, terrible DVD transfer.......2006-05-12

A lot of the skits are dated but the non-dated stuff is hilarious. Unless you are a baby boomer you won't get the dated jokes, unless you know about Pop culture of the early 70's. The DVD video quality is awful though, they could have did a better transfer. The video is dull and grainy. Its also a Pan & Scan 4:3 ratio! What happened to the widescreen??

Average customer rating:

Joe D'Amato at his greatest!
Emanuelle's best!
I expect erotism and I get porn scenes
More than meets the naked eye
It has a few hardcore scenes.

Emanuelle In America
Starring: Laura Gemser , Gabriele Tinti , Roger Browne , Riccardo Salvino , and Lars Bloch
Director: Joe D'Amato
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Blue Underground | Cult Movies | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000096I9M
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Description

The stunning Laura Gemser stars as Emanuelle, the fearless fashion photographer and investigative photojournalist whose thirst for adventure is matched only by her insatiable erotic hunger. But when Emanuelle uncovers shocking evidence of an international snuff film conspiracy, she is plunged into an odyssey of forbidden passion, depraved desires and unspeakable human brutality. From the lust-filled streets of New York City to the corrupt corridors of Washington D.C. and beyond, one of the most controversial sex and gore epics in exploitation history has finally come home: This is EMANUELLE IN AMERICA!

Everything you've heard about this jaw-dropping cult classic is true: graphic sex, harrowing violence, a horse named Pedro and much, much more. Directed by the notorious Joe D'Amato (BEYOND THE DARKNESS), EMANUELLE IN AMERICA has been newly mastered from pristine vault materials and is now presented completely uncut for the first time ever!

Customer Reviews:

Joe D'Amato at his greatest!.......2007-06-03

Emanuelle In America (1976) Directed by Joe D'Amato (Aristide Massaccesi). The stunning Laura Gemser stars as Emanuelle, the fearless fashion photographer and investigative photojournalist whose thirst for adventure is matched only by her insatiable erotic hunger. But when Emanuelle uncovers shocking evidence of an international snuff film conspiracy, she is plunged into an odyssey of forbidden passion, depraved desires and unspeakable human brutality.

From the lust-filled streets of New York City to the corrupt corridors of Washington D.C. and beyond, one of the most controversial sex and gore epics in exploitation history has finally come home.

Joe D'Amato (Aristide Massaccesi) was born on December 15, 1936, in Rome and died in Rome, Italy because of a heart attack. The last film that D'Amato was working on befoe his death, was a movie called "PLANKTON" (1995). That was supposed to be about a group of young divers that become infected with a 'virus' which results in rape and bloody mayhem the way only Joe can do it.

EMANUELLE IN AMERICA! The jaw-dropping cult classic, that features graphic sex, harrowing violence, a horse named Pedro and much, much more. Directed by the notorious Joe D'Amato (BEYOND THE DARKNESS), EMANUELLE IN AMERICA has been newly mastered from pristine vault materials and is now presented completely uncut for the first time ever!

DVD Special Features on the DVD include:

Joe D'Amato and the Black Emanuelles - Interview with Director Joe D'Amato
Audio Interview with Star Laura Gemser
Poster & Still Gallery
The Unofficial Emmanuelle Phenomenon by David Flint
Talent Bios

Emanuelle's best!.......2007-05-02

I ordered this item some weeks ago and when I get it, I was very curius about it. I think that this is the best in the Black Emanuelle series, and of course one of D' Amato's best! Laura Gemser is superb. And the movie theme is very oke, nice erotic scenes, and of course the famous Horse en snuff scene :) If you are in to this kind of film, you really must see it. When you are also an Joe D' Amato fan I also recommend the very newly Black Emanuelle's box from severin pictures!

I expect erotism and I get porn scenes.......2007-01-12

This movie is a hoax.
I expect to see a good erotic drama with Laura Gemser,
and I get porn scenes...

More than meets the naked eye.......2006-11-29

I have watched the movie a couple of times. Once over a year ago, and once a couple of weeks ago. The first time I had no idea what to expect, so it really shocked the hell out of me. I was watching it on an old big screen, so the picture wasn't real clear (even though it was a dvd). It still took over a week to get over the imagery which combined with the soundtrack was almost the stuff nightmares are made of.

You may think I am exaggerating. A couple of weeks ago I decided to try it again. I mean I had just gotten a beatiful new tv to watch my classic horror films on. I figured I would watch them again to see what could stand the test of time.

Before I get to my point let me recommend Lucio Fulci's Conquest. I mean if you want a movie that is full of hidden truths and symbolism that will stay with you a long time, watch this late with a loud surround sound system.

Back to America. The first time I watched it I didn't really understand what the point of the movie was. This is because the point is not really revealed until the end.

I am kind of morbid. For instance when I watch shockumentaries, I tend to sit there and freeze the frames, going back and forth in slow motion, frame by frame. It gives me a really intimate experience of the psychology involved.

Once I was watching a documentary that showed a US military plane explode in mid air. I paused it and started moving frame by frame to watch it explode. Amazingly, at the last frame before combustion there suddenly appeared two mysterious sets of lights directly behind the poor [...] I mean, whatever blew him out of the sky was invisible to the naked eye, except for that one still frame!

What am I getting at? Well as I watched America again (I had been putting it off for a while, because I know what happened the last time I saw it) I began to see that there was only one point that the directors were making. Since I had a much clearer TV picture this time, I ended up spending over an hour more than the movie length, examining the footage, frame by frame.

WARNING!!! Do not do this unless you are prepared for the worst. You may not like what you find. And don't think I am joking either.

It has a few hardcore scenes........2006-04-13

This is basically one of those early eighties soft core flics with a bronze-skinned beauty (Laura Gemser) getting it on with pretty much everyone she meets. I was real surprised to see that they incorprated a few hardcore scenes here.

Average customer rating:

batcall
I wouldn't ever watch this movie again!
Intrigiuing look at what made Marilyn Monroe
A slow, Sunday-afternoon kinds of film
poor casting.

Norma Jean and Marilyn
Starring: Ashley Judd , Mira Sorvino , Josh Charles , Ron Rifkin , and David Dukes
Director: Tim Fywell
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002ERXB8
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Description

Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd star as two sides of the woman America loved, but who struggled to love herself: Marilyn Monroe. Sensuous, shocking, sensational, this is the secret life and loves of the girl called Norma Jean and the woman who became Marilyn.

Customer Reviews:

batcall.......2007-06-28

A great story of what could have been going through Marilyn Monroes' mind. Great acting by Ashley and Mira.

I wouldn't ever watch this movie again!.......2007-03-13

When I saw this movie, I knew that all of the truth wouldn't be in the film. I just didn't know they would bend the truth that much! It was poorly researched the facts wern't straight and they over exaggerated her sex life and made her out to be a codependent woman who would sell out to any man that was "someone". I mean come on, I know she was a sex symbol of her time and wanted attention, but they took it to far. Another thing that really bothered me, was how they made it seem like she was a crazy loon, a huge junkie and a stupid person! She was not any of those things. Anyone who has ever read a book or interviews with her, would know that. So I'm telling you now, if you want to "know" about Marilyn Monroe, your better off buying a bio about her. The only good thing about this movie, is that Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino are really good actresses.

Intrigiuing look at what made Marilyn Monroe.......2007-02-19

There are some insightful reviews here already. This movie is thoughtful and, interestingly, trys to show us the perspectives of Norma Jean and Marilyn in the same scenes at the same time.

It's not a terribly detailed account of her life but it gives us quite enough to realise what a terrible psychological struggle it must have been to become and sustain Marilyn Monroe. One reviewer here has spoken about the inner rage Marilyn must have carried with her. I think that's right and we see it in this movie.

I thought Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino were both excellent. Ashley gets to play it more or less straight; Mira has the harder more complex job and I think she pulls it off really well.

The movie doesn't show us that much of the charming Marilyn that the world fell in love with but that's difficult because Monroe was truly exceptional and no biopic so far has captured her astonishing presence. This movie trys to show us what was behind that presence. I appreciated this try at glimpsing her inner life. But I can also see why some would be offended at, what is at times, a one dimensional portrayal of Marilyn as stupid and then a seriously disturbed, alcoholic junkie (I was irritated too). The movie assumes the viewer already knows a lot and can fill in the gaps and find a balance for themselves. There's enough information out there after all. Overall I liked this movie.

A slow, Sunday-afternoon kinds of film.......2006-12-20

Perhaps Norma Jean and Marilyn was intended to be a showpiece, a
major calling card, attraction or publicity stunt by HBO, which was
impossible to access outside USA's cable companies, for a long
time.

Perhaps it was intended to be a statement, by the leading
actress, the obviously talented Ashley Judd, in terms of
achievement and sex appeal.

Or maybe it was a failed attempt, in recreating Marilyn Monroe's
life, with a small budget movie made for cable TV.

Whatever it was, the story is one of the most perplexing ones in
recent times, mainly by the juxtaposition of Mira Sorvino and
Judd, throughout the second half of the feature, while both
playing the same Monroe, perhaps suggesting an internal struggle
in the mind of the 50's legend, between her real, simple self,
and the "bombshell chick" exposed in the public eye, and mass
media, that she also needs to pretend to be, to maintain her
status.

In terms of the Judd, as with almost every one of her movies, she
bravely does either the nude or semi-nude 15 second shot that's
almost comically come to characterize almost each of her movies,
over the past 10 years vs. her original refusal in Kuffs, with
Christian Slater, to do so, paradoxically.

The action unfolds, unconvincingly, in terms of action, dialog,
story-telling or explaining why certain things are seen and said,
although the actors, and sets clearly demonstrate the 50's and
60's era, and the classy restaurants, venues, hotels that Monroe
learned to inhabit and expect in her lifestyle.

Unfortunately for Sorvino, I believe her efforts were too timid
to be effective, as she fails to express sufficient confidence in
her speech and how she carries herself for the viewer to believe
she was Monroe, while Ashley Judd, is the complete opposite,
handling all aspects extremely well, yet ...as said, this movie
suggests Monroe was perhaps a schizophrenic by having 2 actresses
playing the same Monroe in the same scenes, inexplicably.

All in all, a slow Sunday afternoon movie, from which the viewer
will chuckle a few times, but mostly, fast forward from extreme
boredom. But for Ashley fans, obviously, is a must see.

poor casting........2006-11-13

the actor portraying marilyn did not even resemble the role! (she couldn't act it either) ... even still, it was mildly entertaining.

Average customer rating:

Gay Sex in the 70's
interesting but limited
Loved it!
Examines a very small slice of the lifestyle it purports to document
Not for the faint of heart... A beautiful look back at what happened

Gay Sex in the 70s
Starring: Larry Kramer , Roger McFarlane , Scott Bromley , Alvin Baltrop , and Barton Benes
Director: Joseph Lovett
Manufacturer: Wolfe Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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That Man: Peter Berlin
Another Gay Movie
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
Adam & Steve (2005)
Dante's Cove

ASIN: B000F0UUMS
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Amazon.com

A fun romp through the explicitly sexual world of New York's Christopher St. during the gay rights era, director Joseph Lovett's documentary, Gay Sex in the '70s, consists of still photos of old haunts interspersed with interviews with the men who inhabited them, such as Roger McFarlane, Barton Benes, Tom Bianchi, Alvin Batrop, and Arnie Kantrowitz. Covering June 1969 to June 1981, Gay Sex in the '70s traces the history of pre-AIDS public sex through Stonewall, to the rise of gay culture as we know it today. Incorporating politics with debauched anecdotes of men cruising the piers, fornicating in the backs of trucks, and attending discos, bathhouses, and S&M clubs, the film is entertaining and educational. Some footage of legendary dance clubs, such as Les Mouches, Flamingo, Paradise Garage, and Studio 54, make this a good movie to watch even for straight disco aficionados. In fact, this film could have benefited from more historical live footage, as it relies too heavily on its interviewees. As a result, Gay Sex in the '70s at times suffers from sentimentality. But its friendly exploration into what one man called "the golden age of brotherhood and liberty" leaves a comforting feeling, as if listening to reminiscences from granddad. --Trinie Dalton

Description

The end of an era. The beginning of a movement. Hailed by critics and audiences alike, GAY SEX IN THE 70s director Joseph Lovett focuses his story on New York City between 1969 and 1981, using remarkable present-day interviews and stunning archival footage to take viewers back to days just after Stonewall. Lovett takes us back to the piers, the trucks, the Central Park rambles, the back rooms, and the baths. It was a time where repression and fear were replaced by a sexual explosion, where shame became joy. In recreating the gay story of the 70s, Lovett shows that AIDS was not the only legacy of this period.

Customer Reviews:

Gay Sex in the 70's.......2007-07-06

This film serves a valuable purpose by covering a topic that is mostly ignored by other chroniclers of Gay History in the 70's, However it has its own biasis and leaves one surprisingly gaping hole. The subjects interviewed are all knowlegeable and generous in sharing their personal recollections, and through their stories it's possible to get a glimpse of this otherwise blacked out area of gay culture. Unfortunatley the viewer might be led to believe that EVERYONE was using drugs back then. This is not so. While drugs were certainly prevelent at the trucks and the baths and the back-room-bars, and the abandoned piers, many people chose not to partake. In fact it was possible to frequent these places regularly, engage in sexual acts with mulitple partners, and still avoid partnering with people who were high or intoxicated. It was also possible, after spending hours sampling from a vast tapestry of different partners, to end the evening in the bed of a carefully selected mate, or to bring him home to your own apartment. I did these frequently, always sober, and (almost) always with sober partners. The other glaring omission of the film is the lack of any mention of Subway "Tea-Rooms". It is amazing that none of those interviewed talks about it. I am sure that they all must have had ample experiences in them. Younger people today find it hard to believe that subways stations even ever used to have bathrooms. But once upon a time every single subway station, in every borough, was required to have a bathroom that was working and accessible 24 hours. And what's more, Gay sex was going on all day long in every single one of them. Until the late 60's it cost a dime to enter them. Then, a law suit required the City to make them free. In the early 80's, in the face of the early AIDS hysteria, Mayor Koch closed them all down, together with the bath houses. And we all mourned. submitted by Steve Ashkinazy

interesting but limited.......2007-06-08

*Gay Sex in the 70s* was an interesting documentary of sex among the gays from the Stonewall Riot (1969) to the emergence of AIDS (1980), or rather what they had initially coined it as the gay cancer. However, this is gay sex in New York City. I was somewhat disappointed of its limited scope. I would've liked to see what gay life/sex was like in San Francisco, Key West and other places. However, NYC did have a lot to offer on the history of gay sex in the 70s: the meat district, Christopher St., the piers, Fire Island, the Pines, Studio 54, bars, baths and other places.

This was like the utopia/apex of gay sex. Men could have it anywhere and anytime, without a care who was looking at them. Despite the celebration of "free love", it wasn't all carefree. Gays still have to be careful where they ventured or else they could end up dead. Plus, there were STD's (then called V.D.) around.

This film would have been more delightful if more people were interviewed rather than just the notables, such as Larry Kramer and Tom Bianchi. I mean, it was great to include them but how about the regular guys?

Nonetheless, this is an important film for anyone queer or anyone studying queer history.

Loved it!.......2007-05-05

As a young gay man this documentary is a very important relic in the gay history archives. As GLBT people in the new millenium we have this generation to thank for our liberation from the proverbial closet. These guys celebrated who they were and never apologized to anyone. They were the first truly liberated generation of gay men. Without them issues such as gay marraige and equality for GLBT's wouldn't even be on most political referendums.

With that said "Gay Sex in the 70's" was an eye opener! These men took free love and pride to it's apex. I often wonder, as someone who has never known a world without HIV/AIDS, would I have reveled in the hedonism and decadence of the 1970's? I won't lie, I would have had it off with a few. However, many of these guys, had they lived now, would be diagnosed as sexual addicts. It seemed like sex was the penultimate reason for existence as a gay man back then. While the celebration of sexual freedom and each other was a beautiful thing the blatant disregard for one's own health and well being was dumbfounding. The subject of "The trucks" disturbed me. They were willing to go anywhere, with anyone, just to have a moment of pleasure.

While gay men involved themselves in every sexual excess you can fathom they were innocent babes in the woods, for the most part. That is what really struck me. Rampant drug use, orgies, and public sex were just the norm in the community, and no one gave it a second thought. The sexual freedom and self love was wonderful, but there was still a degree of self loathing that came with a high price that their's and subsequent generations are paying for. The pendulum definitely shifted and that generation paid dearly for it's excesses.

Overall, I was really impressed by the documentary. My only critiques are as follows...

1.)What were the gay scenes in: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Dallas, and various other metropolises like? We only got the view of New York City.

2.)What were gay men of color(black,non black latinoes, and Asians)up to?

To me this film showcased a small microcosm of gay life in those days. Gay Sex in the 70's, I feel, would have been better served had we been made privy to ALL facets of gay life not just the elite white gay activists in NYC. Perhaps this could have been done as a series. In my opinion it was a bit too comprehensive. I wanted to know more. And I particularly wanted to know more about the toll HIV/AIDS took on the community.

However, I am glad this film was made. Inspite of it's shortcomings it was insightful. I recommend it.

As for the person who suggested that AIDS not be cured in order to ensure no more sexual revolutions you are sick. The repulsive puritanical attitude that some people have towards sex and sexuality is mind boggling.

Examines a very small slice of the lifestyle it purports to document.......2007-04-20

The title of this documentary is misleading--it should be called Gay Sex in New York City in the 70's. If it were titled properly, I could give it a higher rating, given that the bulk of the material comes from a half dozen subjects who lived in NYC in the 1970's. The film purports to describes the gay male lifestyle during the pivotal period between the 1969 Stonewall riots and the first reported cases of AIDS in 1981. In truth, it is a self-celebratory trip down nostalgia lane for a group of gay men who were active during that glittery, liberated, and risky time. Their stories are interesting individually, but do not provide enough substance (or alternate viewpoints) for an entire documentary. There is much more to the history of gay males, and to the decade of the seventies, than the slice that this documentary focuses on. Anyone who doesn't have a personal frame of reference for the memories is likely to be bored by the sheer length of the film, despite the fact that there is great source material.

Not for the faint of heart... A beautiful look back at what happened.......2007-04-08

The 70's were an amazing convergence of socialogical factors. Joyful Gay men, for the first time, found they could practice their desires without undo police brutality. The Stonewall Riots had cemented the arrival of Out as a verb. It was literally a time of great happiness and fun.

This document, which includes much archival footage well as current rememberances by folks who were there, gives a guided tour of what could only be called Babylon.

Narrowing its focus to NYC, and The Pines, it gives an up-close and personal look at men who lusted for other men and what a wonderland a world of 'Yes' could create. The tone shifts, because even though the name of the documentary is Gay Sex in the 70's, it takes you through the '80's and the advent of the AIDS pandemic.

It helps explain the mindset of those men trapped in the opening wave of deaths. AIDS had literally infected (and in effect killed) a huge percentage of the gay men in NYC before the first syptom appeared.

It also discusses some of the hollowness of that age; the rampant drug abuse and mind-boggling disregard for personal safety that accompanied so much of 'the love that dare not speak its name' once it was shouting at the top of its lungs. I am actually old enough to have participated in this, and knew many men who did. They are all gone. I am not, primarily because I was hiding from who and what I was.

I literally hid until after AIDS hit, and by then, I was too careful to ever put myself in harms way. This movie tries to help the modern viewer see that these were intelligent, albiet driven, men. They thought, as many folks do today, that medical science would cure whatever ailed them. They were wrong, and those who see AIDS as nothing more than an inconvenience are just as wrong.

Required viewing for all men on 'the down low' or anyone young enough not to recall this time.

Average customer rating:

One of the best
AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SAM
Ok but Not Great
BREAKING THE RULES WITH SAM
THIS GUY WAS GOOD !

Sam Kinison - Breaking the Rules
Starring: Hugh M. Hefner , and Sam Kinison
Director: Walter C. Miller
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
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Sam Kinison - Family Entertainment Hour
Sam Kinison Boxed Set
One Night with Dice
Live From Hell
Andrew Dice Clay - Dice Rules!

ASIN: B000056KE2
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Description

Raw, powerful, uncensored, out-of-control, over-the-top, and totally wild; and this was Sam when he was fast asleep! This never-before-released concert produced for HBO, was the mega television event that launched Sam on his way to superstardom. Within forty-eight hours from the airing of "Breaking the Rules", Sam had a record deal with Warner Brothers, a feature film role in Rodney Dangerfield's "Back to School", was booked for The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and was on his way to the ultimate life of sex, drugs and rock n' roll. This digitally remastered Sam Kinison collectable concert is as timeless, funny, fresh, and in-your-face as any comedian.... Before, during or after. You'll laugh harder, longer and louder at Sam's absolutely hysterical observations on Sex, Love, Drugs, Gays, Famine, and more Sex. So, get ready to fasten your seat belts because it's going to be very bumpy Sam Kinison ride!

Customer Reviews:

One of the best.......2007-05-07

listen to one of the greatest comics ever. Too bad he died so young.

AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SAM.......2007-01-04

Sam Kinison, Preacher, Lunatic, Legend................
this book written by Sam's Brother is a in depth look to Sam, something the cameras didn't see. if you enjoyed his comedy or if you want to get into his comedy, this is a book for all! some cool photos too.
I LOVE YA SAM

Ok but Not Great.......2006-12-31

I saw him live in 1987 when he was hot and hoped this would be a great reminder of his hilarious sense of humor and delivery but it was far too short (only 45 minutes) and only had a couple of good routines. My hopes were higher than what this delivered! The bonus material was taken from Vegas when he was near the end and it really was not very funny. I would recommend looking at another DVD of his rather than purhcase this one.

BREAKING THE RULES WITH SAM.......2006-07-13

only Sam Kinison could imagine so much to rant about when it comes to everyday life...but in reality...he loved life!
May God Bless his soul!!!

THIS GUY WAS GOOD !.......2006-07-12

How i miss sam kinison ! what a great, great comedian. i am in the process of ordering this dvd . until then, i won't say much until i actually watch it. really, i just wanted to get at least sam kinisons picture onto my site , here . this guy got me laughing so many times, in the eighties. his take on things ; his persona ; his enthusiastic comedy - just fantastic . also, his candid views on things are as relevant today as they were then. how i wish that this genius was still with us !

Average customer rating:

A mad film that I loved!
Frankenstein's origin ~ Ken Russell style!
The Power of Imagination
I would have picked zero stars but it wasn't an option
Group Hysteria...

Gothic
Starring: Gabriel Byrne , Chris Chappel , Linda Coggin , Myriam Cyr , and Dexter Fletcher
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Lair of the White Worm
Rowing with the Wind
Women in Love
Crimes of Passion
Altered States

ASIN: B00005V1WO
Release Date: 2002-02-26

Amazon.com

Lurid, kitschy, over the top--what more does one expect from Ken Russell, director of The Devils, Tommy, and Altered States? Gothic purports to tell the story of a night that Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and the future Mary Shelley spent at a country estate and decided to write ghost stories--a night that ultimately resulted in Mary writing the novel Frankenstein. These three and a couple of friends romp around the mansion, freaking out at shadows and the sounds of a storm, getting increasingly hysterical and hallucinatory as the night progresses. Thrown into the mix are a mechanical belly dancer, nudity, walking suits of armor, an orgy, séances, grotesque masks, leeches, a pig's head, stigmata, snakes, and God-awful dialogue like "We are the gods now--we have dared to call ourselves creators!" Gabriel Byrne (Byron), Julian Sands (Shelley), and Natasha Richardson (Mary) are all terrible; it's a miracle any of their careers survived. But good or bad isn't really the point with Ken Russell, who aspires to a kind of visual delirium. Gothic isn't the masterpiece of excess that The Lair of the White Worm is, but towards the last half-hour it does achieve a creepy state of disorientation entirely suited to its subject matter. Russell isn't afraid to be trashy in the pursuit of unfettered cinematic symbolism. It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A mad film that I loved!.......2007-06-09

This is a really crazy film that may have some historical significance -- I'm not all that certain about the latter. The big thing for me is that it doesn't ever drag -- there's always something interesting going on and the filmscore keeps one a bit on edge too. It's just a crazy, mad film about the weekend that Mary Shelly was inspired to write Frankenstein. I loved it but it's not for everyone, especially the kids! I think that maybe if you liked "Slingblade" and/or "Corn Dog Man" that you'll enjoy this movie. Don't expect an epic here.

Frankenstein's origin ~ Ken Russell style!.......2007-01-11

So we've all read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein...we know the story...we've seen in sliced, diced, chopped, smothered and covered in many different adaptations over the years! This movie, GOTHIC, tells us how Mary was creatively inspired to write the story.

Other than the cinematography and brilliant sets/costumes, Gothic is by no means a brilliant peice of cinema. The script is very muddy and you can tell Ken Russell took A LOT of liberties with it for shock value! The eyes/breasts scene for example as well as the electronic harem stripper. But hey, wine mixed with opium could probably make you see these things. The difference is that most people would laugh out loud instead of being horrified.

The cast is first rate. Natasha Richardson, always the lady, makes this film her own. You empathise with her fears most of all because of Mary's tragic backstory. Sadly, Julian Sands and Gabriel Byrne although accomplished actors, are wasted here...especially Sands. He plays Percy Shelley like a little boy who has been told there's no such thing as Santa Clause. Byrne is great but his Lord Byron is shoved too far into the background for his performance to actually further the plot.

Overall the film is sufficient entertainment. Something to pop into the old DVD player on a boring weeknight when you need to take your mind off of the days worries. But if you really want to be scared, go to your local bookstore and pick up Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN. She knows what scares you!!!

The Power of Imagination.......2005-10-28

On a dark and stormy night, in a remote, but lavish country estate, in an equally distant Victorian mansion there resides the charismatic, but often eccentric, Englishman, Lord Byron. Staged for an exercise in humanistic logic, scientific philosophy and creative writing, he gathers an odd assembly of thrill seeking Bohemian characters. Among the notables, are poet Percy Shelly, his author wife Mary, his personal physician, and of course their host, Lord Byron. Beginning with a blasphemous premise that they are imbued with the power to create life itself, Byron suggests they abandon their earthly inhibitions of morality and civil conviction and drink a concentrated draft of Laudium laced wine. The terrifying after effects manifest themselves in the literal passages later found in the poetic works of Percy Shelley or his wife's most famous novel Frankenstine. With a storm raging high above them, the group evokes sacred beliefs, sacrilegious rites and amoral concepts which create a frightening spectral atmosphere that nearly consumes them. Anyone seeking the foundation of the most popular Gothic monster ever created, should view this film. ****

I would have picked zero stars but it wasn't an option.......2005-10-27

First of all, the only reason I started watching this movie was because my roommate got it and we're both lovers of the Romantics. The only reason I kept watching this movie after the first 5 minutes was because I could already tell it was going to be completely and totally awful and would make for a few good laughs between the two of us.
Beyond some very basic facts about the party of writers, this movie is not grounded anywhere in reality. The acting is way overdone and quickly becomes grating. There is no plot whatsoever to speak of and the movie lacks any sense of clear direction or purpose -- it is simply a collection of random, inexplicable, and nonsensical events filled with frenzied sexuality, animalism, and vaguely-defined hallucinations. While I'm sure the actual experience was not entirely tame and prudish, I find it hard to believe that this is anywhere close to being accurate. Even when it tries to delve into pseudo-philosophical discussion about the nature of love, fear, poetry etc., that you would expect to emerge among these great literary figures (which, strangely, does not happen often)it utterly fails to make any understandable conclusions or statements and their real views, beliefs, and visions become hysterical ravings rather than the passionate philosophies that they were.
The film does not deal fully at all with Mary's creation of the Frankenstein story, nor do any of the other characters write ghost stories as Byron challenges them and as really took place. The idea that the story was born out of Mary's personal fears is an interesting one but this too spirals out of control and has almost nothing to do with Frankenstein.
The premise behind this disaster of a movie is a good one and I think with the right script, actors, and director it could be an amazing exploration of authorship, literary exploration and exchange, and this fascinating group of writers. That is not, however, what this film is.
P.S. If you do get seduced by the other reviews, pay particular attention to the scenes in the billiard room...I didn't know they had light bulbs in 1816!

Group Hysteria..........2005-10-15

Lord Byron (Gabriel Byrne) throws a bash like no other! Gathering his friends, including future author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelly (Natasha Richardson), Byron sets out to have a night of haunts and fear. Of course, true to the period, everyone gets blasted on laudanum (opium mixed w/ alcohol) and spends the evening in deepening states of hallucination and terror. Russell's never been my favorite director. However, he does know how to present narcosis on screen! As in ALTERED STATES, we are treated to many nightmarish images and a heavy, forboding atmosphere. While not particularly frightening or disturbing, GOTHIC has memorable sequences throughout, like the randy suit of armour, the thing in the coach, and the infamous "look into my eyes!" scene. Not bad...

DVD:

DVD

One Night At McCool's [2001]

DVD: The Perfect Wife

Mohabbat