Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Kline, Ronstadt, Smith, Routledge, Delacorte Theater (Broadway Theatre Archive)

Amazon.com

This Pirates of Penzance is primarily a historical document, part of the Broadway Theater Archive television series. It presents, with some inevitable, tiny technical shortcomings, a live 1980 performance in Central Park, not the 1983 movie of the same name that also starred Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline. Those who remember that film, which had the benefit of retakes and editing, a lavish production budget, and the spaciousness of a Hollywood studio, may find this video less polished. On its own terms, it is nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable.

Advantages of this live performance include a sense of spontaneity, and the feeling of being part of a theatrical audience that is visibly and audibly having a very good time. The (reduced and partly electronic) orchestra is also visible; scenery is minimal; the onstage pirate boat, excellent for a live production, is no match for what a movie can offer. The voices are uneven, and some of them evoke Broadway more than London. But the performance is well styled, lively, and energetic. Gilbert and Sullivan's witty sparkle comes through clearly. --Joe McLellan

Description

Gilbert and Sullivan's raucous operatic tale is captured in all its fun and glory in this production, recorded live at Central Park's Delacorte Theater. Kevin Kline sparkles as the swashbuckling and libidinous Pirate King while Linda Ronstadt makes her theatrical debut as the lovely and virginal Mabel. When Mabel and Frederic, a young pirate bound to serve the Pirate King, fall in love, complications arise and high spirited antics ensue. The incomparable cast offers the best in this boisterous romp. END

Customer Reviews:

performances good, sound, so-so.......2007-09-07

Given that this was a live performance 20+ years ago, and outdoors to boot, I expected some sound issues.. but not the ones I've got. Sadly, over time, it appears that spots in the original sound track have decayed and there are occasional "hiccups" in the sound, kinda like the old cassette tapes that had been eaten once too often. Other then that, I think it's a great performance. I recently saw a local production of this at the local high school and they did quite well too (and so the differences between this and the '83 film version are not a surprise to me, as they seem to be to some..)
Gotta love Kevin Kline's performance :)

Not the Movie.......2007-08-09

This DVD is okay on it's own. Not the best production values and performances but lacks the fire of a live performance or the polish of a movie. I didn't read reviews carefully so I thought this would be the movie. I was sorely disappointed.

Warning - this is the Live Broadway version.......2007-08-06

I LOVE the Pirates of Penzance, but this DVD is not the film, it's the broadway show. Not nearly as entertaining. The filming quality is quite poor, and it's hard to understand what is happening.

Some great Pirates.......2007-07-28

This is probably my favorite Gilbert and Sullivan work and this production is as good as it can get. This was taped before an audience at the Central Park Delacorte Theatre. The outstanding cast includes Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, Rex Smuth, George Rose, Patricia Routledge and Tony Azito. If you love G&S, then you will love this DVD.

historical recording vs. film version.......2007-07-22

Unlike many of the reviewers here, I read the description of the DVD before I purchased it, so I knew this was a recording of a live performance. I already own the Angela Lansbury movie version on VHS and wanted it on DVD, but since this was not available, I thought I'd get the Delacorte Theater version.

Okay, so the video and audio quality appalled me at first. Then I got into the whole live performance experience and was able to appreciate the individual actors. George Rose--stunning. He was born to be on stage--a fact you really can't appreciate in the comparatively hokey film version. Kevin Kline is just as maniacally funny in the film version as the stage version, but in the stage version you get caught up in the energy he creates with the audience response. Patricia Routledge is excellent in the stage version, far superior in voice and acting to Angela Lansbury in the film version. Rex Smith is astounding--what a crime his career didn't take off from this. His voice and acting sent chills down my spine. He's good in the film version, too, but to see him live is something you should not miss. Linda Ronstadt is fine vocally in a very demanding role and takes chances I think no operatic singer would. The quality of her voice is better in the film version--no surprise there--but consider her singing that role night after night, outdoors, with the wind blowing and the moths flying around, and you'll realize her performance on stage is close to miraculous. Tony Azito is excellent in both versions, but again, the audience response to the bumbling policemen makes the stage version much more appealing.

How I wish a better recording of this show existed. That being said, I'm grateful it exists at all. I've seen Pirates many times--live performances by the University of Michigan Gilbert & Sullivan society and local theater groups, the Angela Lansbury film version, and the Stratford Festival live perfomance on DVD (buy this if you can get it). But for sheer charm, energy, and just plain fun, the live Delacorte Theater performance is the one to watch.

Average customer rating:

A Favorite Movie on Reincarnation
Exorcist and Soda
The Comeback Kid...
Audrey Rose
Really stupid. I wasted my time watching it.

Audrey Rose
Starring: Marsha Mason , Anthony Hopkins , John Beck (II) , Susan Swift , and Norman Lloyd
Director: Robert Wise
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005K3O0
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Description

Suppose a stranger told you that your daughter was actually his daughter in another life. Suppose you began to believe him. Suppose it was really true! Sir Anthony Hopkins (Academy AwardÂ(r) winner* for The Silence of the Lambs) stars with Marsha Mason (Nick of Time) and John Beck (Nightmare Honeymoon) in an unforgettably powerful and hair-raising occult thriller thatwill make your blood run cold! All Bill and Janet Templeton (Beck, Mason) wish for is a quiet, peaceful life with their 11-year-old daughter Ivy. But their dreams turn to nightmares as Ivy is besieged first by ghoulish "memories" of events that never occurred...and then by a mysterious stranger (Hopkins) who stalks her every move. And just when they think things couldn't possibly get worse, the Templetons come face to face with a horror beyond anything they could ever have imagined: a force from beyond the grave that threatens to destroy the only thing they've ever loved. *1991: Actor: The Silence of the Lambs

Customer Reviews:

A Favorite Movie on Reincarnation.......2007-07-08

This is one of my favorite movies on reincarnation (very sad though). Excellent acting by the cast: Anthony Hopkins, Marsha Mason, and Susan Swift.

Exorcist and Soda.......2007-06-09

Ugh. What a waste of a perfectly good evening. I was fairly excited about this as I love that whole vibe 70s supernatural thrillers have, I admire [some of] the work of Robert Wise, and this was also one of those movies I had seen once or twice at the age of 13, and it seemed pretty good then. It does NOT hold up.

I watched the trailer before watching the movie, which is essentially the cover of the novel this came from, with a lot of talk about how this is the adaptation of the blockbuster novel... and that's exactly what this movie seemed like: an assured hit, so just make it seem like somewhat of a `prestige' picture, but no need to put a great deal more effort into it. This is also a painfully obvious rip-off of The Exorcist, especially in the appearance of the child, the mother-daughter dynamic, the multitude of `distraught mother' scenes, and the whole tone of urban spookiness it tries [with extreme effort] to appropriate. Perhaps the main reason to watch this movie is to appreciate the effortlessness with which The Exorcist achieves all of these effects, in contrast to what we have here. This movie also really highlighted for my what a great performance Ellen Burstyn gave in that movie, and how genuinely innocent and charming the young Linda Blair could be. Because it ain't here, that's for sure.

Here's the deelio: Marsha and her hunky stud of a husband John Beck [more on him later] have a picture-perfect Manhattan life. But creepy Anthony Hopkins is always hanging around and staring at their daughter, Ivy. Marsha and husband get more and more creeped out, John even goes to the police, but no one ever thinks of just going up to the guy and just asking him what he wants. Anthony Hopkins doesn't exactly pose the greatest physical threat, and during this part we get the first glimmers of what turns out to be one of the major problems of this movie: it's just dragging itself out interminably just to... drag itself out. And I have to say that that pisses me off, and turns me against a movie. Anyway, so the whole first 30 minutes is spent finding excuses to drag out the low-level stalking.

Then the couple meets with Anthony [who shaved his beard to help lose that "I'm a crazed stalker" look he was apparently going for?], and he informs them [in an extremely rambling way] that he believes that their daughter Ivy is the reincarnation of his daughter Audrey Rose. We have to wait quite a while more before he gets around to telling them what he WANTS, which is essentially to have visiting rights. I will say that Anthony turns in a good performance typical of his early career. But, even though Marsha's hunky stud husband mildly voices that he thinks this guy is nuts, the film tries to pretend like Anthony is making a fairly reasonable assertion, even though really the ONLY reasonable thing to think is that THIS GUY IS F***ING NUTS. There's a lot of instances I could mention but honestly I don't care enough to go through them. You could have a VERY interesting movie if the film took the perspective that the guy IS nuts, and he intrudes on this family's life and causes a bunch of problems, but no, what we have is an entirely gullible film that is banking on a 70s audience's leaning toward a belief in reincarnation. That it doesn't adequately consider alternate theories is another alienator from the film.

So anyway, it seems that Ivy is having nightmares--proof positive that she's the reincarnation of another girl, don't you think? At least that's what Marsha is finding herself increasingly believing, which causes John to be frustrated with her, and the predictable and repetitive scenes of marital tension follow. Marsha Mason pulls out all the acting stops in her many Oscar-speech scenes, but she's trying so hard that you're really just sitting there watching a woman act, rather than getting into her character. This reaches its zenith in a scene where she prays to God for forgiveness! Especially when she switches into Latin at the last minute! It's all supposed to be SO HARD-HITTING and it's too lame to manage even that. Let it also be noted that, for me at least, Marsha Mason pretty much sums up a certain kind of 70s banality; that kind of ostentatious "acting" passing as quality. Marsha Mason, ladies and gentlemen, MARSHA MASON.

There follow several repetitive scenes in which Ivy has a nightmare, Anthony calms her down by calling her Audrey Rose, and John gets angry. Then enters a not-so-sub subtext in which Anthony and Marsha unite as the "real parents" of Ivy, and John is shuttled off to the side. This is announced quite unequivocally when Anthony says to Marsha "You and me made this child." This occurs on a night when John had to work late, and places this movie among the spate of movies of the 70s/80s in which the husband is vilified for working [though we hear numerous comments about how lovely the family's Central Park West apartment is], and not "being there" for the family. Marsha accusingly says to John "he was here and you weren't!" Yes, how DARE you work to keep us in this nice apartment, and so I can pursue my amateur photography hobby! You callow cad! Typically [though it isn't pursued in this movie] any comments of the "well, who do you think puts this roof over your head?" variety are met with a rejoinder of how the wife would be perfectly happy to live in a henhouse, we're poor but we've got love, etc. Anyway, the second half of the movie is all about Marsha shutting her husband out, and him fighting to reclaim his stake in his family.

Which brings us to the husband. He is played by John Beck, who sounded familiar, and I see that he was the 70s HUNK who played James Caan's sexy sexy sexy best friend in Rollerball. He, with his fluffy hair, mustache and blue eyes, is a classic 70s hunk in the Sam Elliott in Lifeguard mold. This movie also takes place during a time period when men always wore suits to work, and looked GREAT in the process. There was a LOT of fast-forwarding as I watched this movie, but I have to say there would have been a great deal more if I didn't have the alluring John to look at. Hey sweetie, if Marsha doesn't appreciate her nice digs, I'd be more than happy to take her place, and I can speculate with confidence that I give much better head.

Anyway, it all drags toward a dull climax in which they decide to "prove" whether or not Ivy is really the reincarnation of Audrey Rose by hypnotizing her. And the viewer asks "well, how is this going to prove ANYTHING?" but this, as per usual, is not addressed by the movie. Little Ivy has the maturity to lament "I'm not sure who I am anymore... and I want to know! I've GOT to know!" Then the hypnotist provides the least convincing example of an "objective" party by telling Ivy "You are not Ivy, you are someone else." Leading, anyone?

SPOILERS>>>
Ivy is hypnotized, we get non-convincing evidence that she IS the reincarnation, etc., and she dies. This leads Anthony to repeat "It's all right now." And I wanted John and/or Marsha to say "Uh, exactly how is this all right? Our daughter is dead, and she probably wouldn't have been if you had never come into our lives." This is another thing the movie just assumes its audience will swallow, the accumulation of which really makes the viewer turn against the movie. < <
So there you have it. Kind of a waste of time, but for the eye-candy of the alluring John. Again, I think you could have a very interesting movie, or even remake, if we just took the perspective that Anthony IS nuts, and infiltrates and ultimately ruins this family. But what we have here... there is a better use for good plastic. And your time.

The Comeback Kid..........2007-04-29

Basically, AUDREY ROSE is to reincarnation what THE EXORCIST is to demon possession. A little girl named Ivy (Susan Swift) is plagued by terrible nightmares, or are they really memories from a former life? Anthony Hopkins (Magic, Silence Of The Lambs) seems to be stalking Ivy for some unknown reason. The girl's parents (Marsha Mason and John Beck) are both afraid and angered by the stranger's relentless pursuit of their daughter. What does he want? What secret motive drives him? The story unfolds well and gives a good sense of the building dread / terror experienced by Ivy's parents. I enjoyed this movie and recommend it to all fans of supernatural thrillers...

Audrey Rose.......2006-03-19

Audrey Rose is a very good movie. It kept my interest. Very interesting subject.

Really stupid. I wasted my time watching it........2006-01-23

I wasted my time watching this one. It was pretty entertaining up until the end. The dad was very annoying and the little girl also started to get annoying. The ending was really dumb. I wasted two hours of my time watching this one. The only good part was Anthony Hopkins. I really like him and he is a good actor with a very pleasant accent.

Average customer rating:

Original footage !!
Nicely produced Bio Pic
Wow
Legendary sporting event
Roger Bannister Breaks the "Unbreakable" Record

Four Minutes
Starring: Darcy Dale Dunlop , Jamie Maclachlan , Tom Smart (II) , Philip Craig , and Darren Richardson
Director: Charles Beeson
Manufacturer: Genius Products
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FVR1UG
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Amazon.com

Sir Roger Bannister's historic running of the sub-four-minute mile is celebrated in Four Minutes, an inspiring and respectably authentic TV movie about breaking the most famous barrier in the history of sports. Although it was primarily filmed on locations near Toronto, Canada, this classy ESPN production effectively captures the melancholy mood of post-World War II England, which desperately needed a hero to lift the country out of its post-war depression. Stubbornly resistant to training, Bannister was a devoted Oxford medical student with only passing interest in athletics, but his surprising speed set the stage for his record-setting one-mile run (officially recorded as 3:59.4) at Oxford's modest Iffley Road track on the rainy and windy afternoon of May 6, 1954. As written by renowned sportswriter Frank Deford (based on his article "Hillary and Bannister") and directed by British TV veteran Charles Beeson, this handsome-looking film makes the most of its limited budget, and newcomer Jamie Maclachlan (a dead ringer for the real Bannister circa 1954) is perfectly cast, physically convincing as a world-class runner while effortlessly conveying Bannister's intelligent, congenial charm. Deford's teleplay is dryly conventional, with perfunctory parallels to Sir Edmund Hillary's 1953 conquest of Mount Everest (another inspirational British milestone), a fictional composite role for Christopher Plummer (doing fine work as Bannister's disabled coach) and a standard love interest (nicely played by Amy Rutherford, as the future Mrs. Bannister) for a touch of trackside romance. Comparisons to Chariots of Fire are unavoidable, but Four Minutes can stand on its own, ensuring that Bannister's remarkable achievement will never be forgotten.

On the DVD
Four Minutes is accompanied by a variety of bonus features that provide a comprehensive record of Roger Bannister's historic running of the sub-four-minute mile. In addition to the standard extras (deleted scenes, outtakes, and a behind-the-scenes featurette), there's also the original 1954 newsreel footage of Bannister's record-setting run; a documentary short titled "Barrier Breakers," about the runners who challenged the four-minute barrier prior to Bannister's breakthrough; original 2005 interviews with Bannister and fellow Oxford runner Chris Chataway; an enhanced on-screen trivia option full of informative information regarding Bannister's achievement and the film's historical context; and audio commentary by Four Minutes director Charles Beeson, producer Len Raynor, and executive producer Jerry Abrams. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Original footage !!.......2006-10-04

I first saw the movie "Four Minutes" on ESPN. I quickly realized that I MUST have this movie. I purchased the DVD, and discovered that in the bonus features was the original footage of Sir Roger Bannister breaking 4 minutes for the mile. WOW !! Being a runner of 24 years, seeing the original footage of this historic event was incredible. As far as the actual movie, I think I may have to buy another copy, since it appears I have worn it out !!!!! Real runners will want this in their collection right next to chariots of fire !! Thanks for your time !!

Nicely produced Bio Pic.......2006-03-13

Very nicely, thoughtfully produced movie bio of Sir Roger Bannister, the first person to break the elusive four-minute mile. The script is esoteric but it is the race sequences that captivate you and capture the significance of Bannister's place in the running world. (Excellent casting of the newcomer in the leading role...ably conveying Bannister's athletic prowess as well as his integrity. The larger supporting players, too, are first rate, especially love interest Amy Rutherford) Of course there are the requisite goose bumps and teary eyes at the finale.

The production design is also quite excellent (in spite of some lame CGI), especially impressive when you see the actual newsreel footage in the special features.

Those features are great additions to this wonderful telefilm, although I admit to being disappointed in the "filmmaker's audio track" because there were long pauses where they did NOT comment and the soundtrack to the film is removed so it is just complete silence. Low audio or subtitles would have been better for the long moments when the commentators seemed to drift off to watching their own movie in silent appreciation.

Wow.......2006-02-25

When I first saw this movie pop up on my recommended list, I wasn't so sure about it. I read the reviews and decided to get it for my husband who is big into running and inspirtational movies. I must say, I am very impressed. The acting is great and the story is wonderful. You don't have to be a runner to enjoy it. It is now on our top movie list.

Legendary sporting event.......2006-01-28

Roger Bannister was an Oxford medical student who also happened to be a runner. Without a coach or proper time to train, Bannister moved up the ranks of milers until he was one of three men who were thought to have a chance to break the 4-minute mile. Under trememdous pressure, he went to the 1952 Olympics, where he came in fourth, just missing a medal. From then on, he devoted himself to breaking the 4-minute barrier. This movie is beautifully made and reflects well the independent spirit and tremendous work ethic of the amateur British runner who astounded the sporting world with his accomplishments. His record-setting race is shown with artistic juxtaposition of the crowd, the runners, the stopwatch, and the beating of Bannister's heart. It is a real tribute to a unique individual in the sports world.

Roger Bannister Breaks the "Unbreakable" Record.......2005-12-30

As late as the 1950s, many believed that a person would die attempting to run a mile in less than four minutes. Many men tried, but the first one to succeed at shattering this mythical barrier was Roger Bannister, an Oxford University medical student. On May 6, 1954 at a wet and dreary Iffley Road track, Roger did what no man before him had done.

This terrific movie describes Roger's admission to Oxford in September, 1946 right through his world record run in 1954. As a young Freshman medical student, Roger decided to run the mile race at the Freshman games, and managed to run a sub-5:00 mile despite terrible conditions. Thus began Roger's assult on the mile and his quest to become one of the greatest milers of his generation. His times continued to fall for the next few years while he was still studying to become a doctor. But his time spent on the track was taking away from his studies.

Roger's next goal was the 1952 Summer Olympics, which were held in Helsinki, Finland. Shouldering the expectations of an entire country, Roger was entered in the 1500 meters, a distance just short of the mile. Considered the favorite to win the race, Roger struggled to a disappointing fourth place finish and no medal at all. After this humiliating defeat, Roger became obsessed with becoming the first person to break the four minute barrier.

Having never used a coach before, Roger enlisted the help of Archie Mason (Christopher Plummer). Mason was a champion half-miler before an injury ended his career. But he still had his track and field mentality, and he was regarded as one of the best in the business. Crafting a strategy involving two other runners, Chris Brasher (Drew Carnwath) and Chris Chataway (Grahame Wood), Mason perfected a formula which would allow the other two runners to pace Roger through the first three laps of the race, and Roger would rely on himself for the last lap.

This strategy was put to the test on a rainy and cold day in May, 1954. Brasher and Chataway wanted to run, but Roger wanted to cancel the race. After some coaching and inspiration from Mason, Roger changed his mind and went ahead with the race. Mason's plan worked flawlessly. The trio ran a 57 second first lap, and continued the pace for lap two. However, a slower lap three put the record in doubt, but Roger, relying on sheer strength and guts, ran a superb final lap to finish in 3:59.4; the first sub-four mile in history.

A few weeks later, Roger's record was broken by almost two seconds by a runner named Lundy, but Bannister and Lundy raced head-to-head a short time later, with Roger winning. Both runners ran sub fours. Roger retired from competition shortly after that race. Today, Roger Bannister lives not far from the very track where he ran his "miracle mile".

This is a tremendous movie. Jamie Maclachlan, Christopher Plummer, Drew Carnwath, and Grahame Wood are magnificent in their roles, and the story is very uplifting. Roger's run was called the last barrier that needed to be broken, since Hillary had conquered Mt. Everest that same year. Roger smashed his barrier as well. I give this movie my highest recommendation. Sports fans will love seeing Roger's assult on four minutes, while others will enjoy learning about a simple medical student with a gift of running. Watch this great uplifting film and see how one of the great barriers in track and field was shattered.

Average customer rating:

Original footage !!
Nicely produced Bio Pic
Wow
Legendary sporting event
Roger Bannister Breaks the "Unbreakable" Record

Four Minutes
Starring: Darcy Dale Dunlop , Jamie Maclachlan , Tom Smart (II) , Philip Craig , and Darren Richardson
Director: Charles Beeson
Manufacturer: ESPN Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BCKFSE
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Amazon.com

Description

Starring legendary actor Christopher Plummer (THE INSIDER, A BEAUTIFUL MIND) and Jamie Maclachlan as Sir Roger Bannister -- you and your family will cheer on this amazing account of a gifted runner's triumph! After Mount Everest was conquered in 1953, the last great individual challenge remained the four-minute mile. While many sought to break through the most famous barrier in sporting history, it was medical student and driven amateur Roger Bannister who did it -- astounding the world. Written by renowned sportswriter Frank Deford -- don't miss one second of this remarkable achievement, both on and off the track.~~ ~

Customer Reviews:

Original footage !!.......2006-10-04

Nicely produced Bio Pic.......2006-03-13

Wow.......2006-02-25

Legendary sporting event.......2006-01-28

Roger Bannister Breaks the "Unbreakable" Record.......2005-12-30

Average customer rating:

A Favorite Movie on Reincarnation
Exorcist and Soda
The Comeback Kid...
Audrey Rose
Really stupid. I wasted my time watching it.

Corley, Pat | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Fresco, David | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Hillerman, John | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Hopkins, Anthony | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Jackson, Mary | ( J ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Lawson, Richard | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Lloyd, Norman | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Sterling, Philip | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Swift, Susan | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Walden, Robert | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Wise, Robert | ( W ) | Directors | VHS | Video

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ASIN: 0792839218
Release Date: 1998-09-01

Customer Reviews:

A Favorite Movie on Reincarnation.......2007-07-08

This is one of my favorite movies on reincarnation (very sad though). Excellent acting by the cast: Anthony Hopkins, Marsha Mason, and Susan Swift.

Exorcist and Soda.......2007-06-09

The Comeback Kid..........2007-04-29

Audrey Rose.......2006-03-19

Audrey Rose is a very good movie. It kept my interest. Very interesting subject.

Really stupid. I wasted my time watching it........2006-01-23

Average customer rating:

Fear The Glover
Crispin Glover saves Fast Sofa from being unwatchable
Interesting, to say the least
not to bad
A Wonderfully Insane Movie!!!

Fast Sofa
Starring: Jake Busey , Crispin Glover , Natasha Lyonne , Adam Goldberg , and Eric Roberts
Director: Salomé Breziner
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005V9ID
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Customer Reviews:

Fear The Glover.......2007-09-02

This movie is so strange I , dont feel as if I could explain it at all. I guess you could say it's just one of those movies you have to see for yourself? I thought Jake Busey was really good in this and his acting was amazing, but the movie just had no plot. I honestly felt uncomfortable watching this. It has way to many porn scenes, and some very gross humor. Crispin Glover stole the show, he was awesome in this movie ,but I dont know if he could save it from being trash on film. There is also a very neat little cameo by the legendary punk band Fear which is really cool. All in all I gave Fast Sofa a 2 out of 5 stars and I think that was pretty nice of me............This is what you would call a pass.

PS: The way this movie ends is just plain out lame.It almost feels like they just ran out of money and stoped filming.

Crispin Glover saves Fast Sofa from being unwatchable.......2007-03-16

Fast Sofa starts out very unpromisingly. An agonizingly long sequence of Jake Busey and Natasha Lyonne sexing it up intercut with shots of Jennifer Tilly as a porn star moaning in one of her videos. All of it with some mediocre rock playing over it. Talk about bad beginnings.

The first 45 minutes of Fast Sofa are filled with poorly acted scenes and seem to lack any sense of meaning or purpose. Adam Goldberg's character is almost entirely unnecessary. What saves this move right at the "time to switch it off" breaking point is the entrance of Crispin Glover.

With short, red, '50's styled hair, a slightly sun-burned face, a lazy eye, and a wool suit, Crispin Glover enters the picture and the whole atmosphere changes. It literally feels like a different movie. The rest of the actors step up their own game just acting alongside him.

At this point the film becomes somewhat of a "so opposite they just click" buddy movie, in which Jake Busey is the neanderthalish tough guy whose thoughts revolve around the female sex, and mostly around one specific member of that sex, Jennifer Tilly. Crispin Glover is the soft-spoken, introverted, biological genius who has never had sex or gotten drunk. The two actually make a very engaging pair on screen.

If the director would have cut about 30 minutes of the first 45 out, and then left out some of the Jennifer Tilly plot-line this movie would have had a chance at cult status. The plot line with Busey and Glover is intriguing and fun to watch. The audience never really knows what's going to happen next.

[...]
The DVD doesn't have any extras, but honestly I don't know what kind of extras there could be. Maybe another cut of the film that's shorter and more fun to watch?

Interesting, to say the least.......2006-11-11

Jake Busey and Crispin Glover are among a cast that all take part in this wierd little movie. Rick and Jules go on a road trip to palm springs after Rick decides to pack up and leave his old life behind. Oh, by the way, they are complete strangers. What an adventure, with a lot of interesting characters along the way, which makes this film just plain entertaining. Great cinematography to boot. Worth renting or even buying used.

not to bad.......2005-05-26

I waited a long time for this book to become a movie and it stays somewhat true to the book,Jennifer Tilly is dead on as the porn star, and the ending's a classic in the vein of way of the gun or u-turn. Recommend it

A Wonderfully Insane Movie!!!.......2003-09-18

Loved the Story, Loved the characters! Crispin plays a shy, but lovable nerdy virgin who hooks up with..What's his name...the main character guy!..on his way to meet up with a porn star so he can get lucky! They get beat up a lot and..stuff happens! Hey, I'm bad at describing movies but...this is a great one! Buy your copy today!

Average customer rating:

A Favorite Movie on Reincarnation
Exorcist and Soda
The Comeback Kid...
Audrey Rose
Really stupid. I wasted my time watching it.

Corley, Pat | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Fresco, David | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Hillerman, John | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Hopkins, Anthony | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Jackson, Mary | ( J ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Lawson, Richard | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Lloyd, Norman | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Sterling, Philip | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Swift, Susan | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Walden, Robert | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Wise, Robert | ( W ) | Directors | VHS | Video

General | Horror | Genres | VHS | Video

Deals Under $8 | Today's Deals in Video | Features | VHS | Video

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ASIN: 6301966155
Release Date: 1998-09-01

Description

Suppose a stranger told you that your daughter was actually his daughter in another life. Suppose you began to believe him. Suppose it was really true! Sir Anthony Hopkins (Academy Award® winner* for The Silence of the Lambs) stars with Marsha Mason (Nick of Time) and John Beck (Nightmare Honeymoon) in an unforgettably powerful and hair-raising occult thriller thatwill make your blood run cold! All Bill and Janet Templeton (Beck, Mason) wish for is a quiet, peaceful life with their 11-year-old daughter Ivy. But their dreams turn to nightmares as Ivy is besieged first by ghoulish "memories" of events that never occurred...and then by a mysterious stranger (Hopkins) who stalks her every move. And just when they think things couldn't possibly get worse, the Templetons come face to face with a horror beyond anything they could ever have imagined: a force from beyond the grave that threatens to destroy the only thing they've ever loved. *1991: Actor: The Silence of the Lambs

Customer Reviews:

A Favorite Movie on Reincarnation.......2007-07-08

This is one of my favorite movies on reincarnation (very sad though). Excellent acting by the cast: Anthony Hopkins, Marsha Mason, and Susan Swift.

Exorcist and Soda.......2007-06-09

The Comeback Kid..........2007-04-29

Audrey Rose.......2006-03-19

Audrey Rose is a very good movie. It kept my interest. Very interesting subject.

Really stupid. I wasted my time watching it........2006-01-23

Charlie Rose with Terry George, Don Cheadle & Paul Rusesabagina; Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Audrey Tatou; Renata Adler, Mark Danner & Dennis Johnson. (November 26, 2004)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Terry George, Don Cheadle & Paul Rusesabagina; Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Audrey Tatou; Renata Adler, Mark Danner & Dennis Johnson. (November 26, 2004)

Manufacturer: "Charlie Rose, Inc."
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

Director Terry George, actor Don Cheadle, and former Rwandan hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina discuss the war in Rwanda and their new film Hotel Rwanda. Then, director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and actor Audrey Tatou discuss their new film, A Very Long Engagement. Charlie also discusses the 2000 election with writers Mark Danner, Dennis Johnson, and Renata Adler.

Charlie Rose with Mark Halperin & William Schneider; Luciano Pavarotti; Audrey Wells & Diane Lane (October 3, 2003)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Mark Halperin & William Schneider; Luciano Pavarotti; Audrey Wells & Diane Lane (October 3, 2003)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Charlie Rose with Simon Rattle; Renee Fleming; Luciano Pavarotti (December 31, 2003)

ASIN: B000HBL2EU
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Description

The political director of ABC News, Mark Halperin, and a senior political analyst for CNN, Bill Schneider, discuss the final weekend of campaigning in the California recall election and new allegations that may damage Arnold Schwarzenegger's run. Then, Luciano Pavarotti talks about his career and the release of his album, Ti Adoro. Finally, director Audrey Wells and actress Diane Lane comment on their film, Under the Tuscan Sun.

Average customer rating:

Fear The Glover
Crispin Glover saves Fast Sofa from being unwatchable
Interesting, to say the least
not to bad
A Wonderfully Insane Movie!!!

Fast Sofa [Region 2]
Starring: Jake Busey , Crispin Glover , Natasha Lyonne , Adam Goldberg , and Eric Roberts
Director: Salomé Breziner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000092WCI

Customer Reviews:

Fear The Glover.......2007-09-02

Crispin Glover saves Fast Sofa from being unwatchable.......2007-03-16

Interesting, to say the least.......2006-11-11

not to bad.......2005-05-26

A Wonderfully Insane Movie!!!.......2003-09-18

DVD:

DVD

DVD