You Kill Me

Description

A street-smart mob comedy about a hitman (Kingsley) with a drinking problem that gets in the way of his killing. When mismatched people find a common calling the most unlikely relationships are formed and explored through dead-on performances by Kingsley

Customer Reviews:

A Killer DVD!.......2007-09-17

"You Kill Me" is a great "little" movie about a Polish hit-man from a snow plowing family in Buffalo, NY. Played by Ben Kingsley, the title character is a drunk that has to go to rehab or be kicked out of the family. (most likely,killed). He moves to San Fran and joins AA. Gets a job at a funeral home and meets the girl of his dreams. If you like quirky independent films that are more story than showy, this movie is for you. Great performance by Luke Wilson as well. Much funnier than the title suggests, and one to savor with the rest of your collection.

Good Movie With Some Buffalo References.......2007-09-16

There is no movie starring Ben Kingsley that is not worth watching. `You Kill Me' is the story of Frank (Kingsley), a Polish hit man in Buffalo, New York, whose drinking is interfering with his job. When he botches the important job of killing an Irish rival mob leader (played by Dennis Farina), Frank's family, Polish mobsters who are being squeezed out of the snowplowing racket,give him an ultimatum: Get sober or get out.

Frank is sent inexplicably to San Fransisco, to dry out and get back on track. While there, he joins Alcoholics Anonymous, works as a mortician's assistant, befriends a tollbooth worker (played by Luke Wilson), and falls in love with a woman (Tea Leoni) so used to dating men who eventually tell her that they are gay and leave her, that she is willing to put up with anything to make it work with Frank.

Frank yearns for sobriety so he can become the hit man he once was, before beer and vodka made him sloppy. He keeps meticulous records of the people he has wronged, not by killing them, but by killing them incorrectly. To make amends, he mails the victim's families' anonymous gift cards of apology. As Leoni puts it " So, getting stabbed in the eye [instead of the throat] gets your family fifty dollars off their next purchase of electronics?" And Frank nods. "It's a start."

`You Kill Me' is a dark romantic comedy with some terrific off-beat characters, including a real estate salesman played by Bill Pullman who gets Frank an apartment in San Francisco, and a jar of cashew butter as a welcoming gift. "Why not just use peanuts?' Frank asks. Which is exactly what a Buffalonian would ask.

`You Kill Me', directed by John Dahl seems conceptualized around the question: "What could happen if a hit man joined AA?' While it works mostly because of Kingsley's performance, writer David Chase of `The Sopranos' has already asked and answered this question. What followed was a long line of awful movies including`Analyze This', which even Robert DiNiro couldn't save. But how many completely original ideas actually exist?

Because I live in Buffalo I was preoccupied with the authenticity of `You Kill Me'. The best jab at the Queen City is the first time Frank Speaks at an AA meeting. "Hello, I'm Frank and I'm an alcoholic. It took me a long time to realize this because I am from Buffalo."
`You Kill Me' was not filmed in Buffalo except for some stock footage. It was filmed in Manitoba. But the interior sets were believable, as Frank lives in a big, old, `Buffalo' house, with a gas stove, and tile and wood kitchen, and thee-diamond front door leading to a concrete stoop with black iron railings. Frank does a great trick with a bottle of vodka to keep him motivated to shovel (I am definitely going to try it in a few months-maybe weeks). Frank wakes up to an announcement on his retro radio of an upcoming event at the Polish Civic Center. This would be even better if Buffalo had a Polish Civic Center. And Dennis Farina makes a whispered reference to the powerful labor unions at Bethlehem Steel. But the movie takes place in present time.

Frank tells a very original and thoughtful anecdote of Buffalo history, about the assassination of President McKinley. But if Dahl wanted to keep up us completely swept up in the image of Buffalo as a Polish-centric, snowplow-warring, beer-drinking, racially divided city, that made Frank what he is, he should have known that, sober or drunk, Frank would never roll a gutter ball at a bowling alley in San Francisco.

The Fearless Vampire Killers, or Pardon Me but Your Teeth Are in My Neck

Average customer rating:

Glad to have this movie in DVD!
One of Polanski's first mainstream films
Great spoof.
not spooky, not funny, not sexy
not funny, not scary, kinda boring

The Fearless Vampire Killers, or Pardon Me but Your Teeth Are in My Neck
Starring: Alfie Bass , Sydney Bromley , Otto Diamant , Terry Downes , and Ronald Lacey
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002KQNJU
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Amazon.com essential video

One of Roman Polanski's more overt comedies, this 1966 monster spectacle stars Jack MacGowran and Polanski as a clunky but heroic pair of vampire killers. Called upon to rescue the beautiful and buxom daughter (Sharon Tate) of an innkeeper from a Draculalike bloodsucker, the duo muddle through all sorts of scrapes, the most intense being a scene in which a room full of dancing vampires realize the human interlopers are the only ones in the room who are reflected in a mirror. Scary and funny, the film has some unforgettable set pieces, a terrific score, one of the few records of Tate's extraordinary beauty, and vibrant performances. Not exactly Polanski in a relaxed mode, but clear evidence of his estimable skills as a director of both brilliance and polish. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Glad to have this movie in DVD!.......2007-07-29

My husband and I have always loved this movie and I am glad to have it in DVD! The special effects are great!

One of Polanski's first mainstream films.......2007-06-20

Honestly, this movie isn't very good. For the time, it was an attempt at thinking outside the box -- which Polanski is known for. An interesting spin and an interesting plot. The acting definately left a lot to be desired. But the jewel in this crown... seeing Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate together on screen.

Great spoof........2007-06-13

This is a great spoof of vampire movies. It's quite funny, albeit slightly boring. I do love this movie though. I'd also like to recommend the musical based on this movie, "Tanz der Vampire."

not spooky, not funny, not sexy.......2007-04-12

There's a reason Polanski is not known as a comedy director. I dont know. Maybe this was funny by 60s standards? Laugh-in? This film certainly wasnt scarey. And the cut erotic scenes are G-rated by 2007 standards.

not funny, not scary, kinda boring.......2007-03-26

i was recommended to see this film after seeing the ever so brilliant and hilarious Young Frankenstein. i lost interest halfway through it sadly and had to skip around..which is a shame since i paid a good 15 bucks for it and the characters looked really promising in the beginning..the language and speaking is so slurred that i had to turn on subtitles. this movie to me seems like one of those old movies you would see on AMC and watch only when there is nothing else on tv... it is that boring....or maybe i just dont get it or something. anyways, rent it if you need to see it...do not expect a movie in the same league as young frankenstein

Average customer rating:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HORROR MAN.
Better than I expected
Sad. Just sad, sad, sad, sad, sad.
Columbia destroys a classic horror film!!
Creative Slasher that satisfies.

Happy Birthday to Me
Starring: Melissa Sue Anderson , Glenn Ford , Lawrence Dane , Sharon Acker , and Frances Hyland (II)
Director: J. Lee Thompson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002VYOVS
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Amazon.com

Happy Birthday to Me typifies the horror genre prior to the self-reflection and irony that saturated the genre in the late '80s and '90s. A solid cast, decent acting, a well-written script, and relatively high production values result in a solid movie that is engaging on its own in addition to offering a glimpse into the history of '80s horror. The plot follows the rules of the genre (later parodied in such films as the Scream and Scary Movie series). A number of teenagers (played by actors who appear visibly older than their characters) from an elite prep school get into mischievous sexual situations fueled by alcohol and pot smoking. As teens start to disappear, murdered in a variety of violent ways, the film suggests a number of suspects. Is the killer the troubled star played by Melissa Sue Anderson who lost her overbearing, social-climbing mother in a car accident that she survived? Or is it the stern school mistress, the wacky, cool social clown, the social misfit, or none of the above? The film keeps you guessing until the final scene. Happy Birthday is a must-see for serious fans of the horror genre and this release is a solid digital mastering of the movie. Hardcore fans should note that the DVD release was not able to secure the rights to the original soundtrack so this version features an alternate soundtrack of largely nondescript '80s electronic music. --Brian Saltzman

Customer Reviews:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HORROR MAN........2007-08-16

Today is my Amazon friends birthday,and like alot of my friends
here(you know who you are) I thought I would give a nod as I
will with the rest of you on your b-days(that's right...no
getting by the C.B.,of course you can delete your birth date)
So anyway to my friend HORRORMAN hope you and your family
are enjoying this special day....Now on to the review!

A sullen looking Anderson stars in this fairly lavish-looking slasher
about a gloved killer(No! Argento did not direct this)doing in the
snotty kids at Crawford Academy.Could the maniac be brain-damaged
Melissa or is someone else stabbing,crushing,and shishkabobbing
the cast? Overlong but well acted(a treat in horror films)
good effects and a ghoulish ending sporting no less than four
twist???

Better than I expected.......2007-08-06

The story centers around some private school students at Crawford Academy. They start disapearing one by one by an unknown killer whos on the loose while the main character 'Ginny' is trying to figure out whats going on and where her friends went. In the middle of all this shes having blackouts and flashbacks from her mothers death and some brain operation she had in the past and trying to piece together the mystery of where everyone went and trying to figure out who the killer is.

This movie did have some different inventive murders though the ending was a little disapointing, though there was something about this movie. It was a little different than the regular stuff. I liked this movie but I think it had too many plot twists and was kind of hard to follow at the end. There was so much going on and different details and suprises though the whole atmosphere and who dun it thing kept me interested. I would recommend it to horror film lovers. You might like it.

Sad. Just sad, sad, sad, sad, sad........2007-07-22

If I were King of the world, or at least at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - let me just say that heads would roll with regards to this product offering. I loved this movie as a kid, sick as it may seem, along with Grease and Little Darlings, I watched this movie over and over. But after seeing the new incarnation of this film - the only thought I was left with was "Why bother?" It is a completely different film because of the soundtrack changes and it isnt scarry and it isnt interesting. And if there is one thing that bothers me even more than changes to the actual film it is changes to the artwork and packaging. The promotional artwork for a film is where I find an emotional attachment to movies; at least I did as a kid. The artwork they replaced this new package with is unexceptional in every way, just like the new version of the film. Uggg.

Columbia destroys a classic horror film!!.......2007-04-06

Just finished the DVD of this 1980 slasher classic, and, as mentioned in previous posts, Columbia's lame-brained decision to alter the ENTIRE soundtrack completely compromises the tension, pace, and feel of this once-wonderful thriller. Only the closing credit song remains the same. From the putrid opening dance-ditty (played even throughout the first murder sequence!) to the mind-numbingly awful soundtrack changes during the dance sequence and ALL the murder scenes, this plays like an entirely different--and bad--movie. And let's not get started on that terribly inept DVD cover art...why not stick with the brilliant original shish-kebab art (here it is found as an insert)? Do yourself and your fellow horror fans a favor and skip buying this DVD: it'll be something audiences could never forgive, and a lesson Columbia should never be allowed to forget.

Creative Slasher that satisfies........2006-12-29

"Happy Birthday To Me" isn't going to win an Oscar or any other Hollywood awards BUT~!! It is a good slasher flick.
Creative for the genre ,a genre that I love.I hear people complain that theres not enough blood or gore in it ,blah blah blah..but I am a die hard slasher fan and it satisfied me.
The kills are creative and the plot has some good twists and a satisfying ending ,you have your jock ,nerd, popular girl, new girl, and all the usual suspects .Glen Ford lends his talent and name to make this movie more credible , and you also have Mellisa Sue Anderson of Little House On The Prairie fame as the heroine .and a young Tracey E Bregman of The Young & The Restless who gives an impressive performance.
Instead of the woods you have a collage campus as the setting.If your into 80's slashers this movie satisfies, it's a must for the collector.

Average customer rating:

That's OK I'd rather not see in graphic detail all of Mr. Bundy's sick "jollies"
GREAT FILM
I'd give it zero stars--way too graphic and misses a lot
Disturbingly graphic
TED BUNDY - FEATURE FILM - VERY UNDER-RATED

Ted Bundy
Starring: Tom Savini , Michael Reilly Burke , Tiffany Shepis , Alexa Jago , and Boti Ann Bliss
Director: Matthew Bright
Manufacturer: First Look Pictures
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ASIN: B000A2X4CO
Release Date: 2005-08-26

Description

In a killing spree that spanned five years, Ted Bundy kidnapped murdered and mutilated hundreds of women. Both handsome and charismatic, he was virtually undetectable and changed the mass murderer profile forever. His story will disturb you. It will frighten you. And it all happened right before our eyes. Step into the mind of a psychotic madman and ask yourself, if it were to happen again, would you see him coming?

Customer Reviews:

That's OK I'd rather not see in graphic detail all of Mr. Bundy's sick "jollies".......2007-08-01

I should have read before buying this piece of"awful". What a truly disgusting and "base" film this is. Worst than that it insults the memory of the girls that fell into this "Monster's" hands. I suspect had he not been executed for his crimes, this film would be palyed often in Bundy's cell.

GREAT FILM .......2007-07-05

TED BUNDY

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life, and I really mean that, independent or major studio film, this is by far a classic film. This film is about the real life serial killer Ted Bundy who terrorized many a young lady in his time and still became a celebrity. That of course was towards the end of his life on this earth, it is shocking how he raped and killed women yet so many of them loved him while he was in jail for the last time before his execution.

This film superbly written by Stephen Johnston and director Matthew Bright is what every based on true events movie should be, a straight forward in your face picture. This film is not preachy in any way, and doesn't take any side nor does it heroinize [not sure that is even a word] the film's killer Bundy. This film does not show any sympathy to the killer at all, for some reason some films like to make you feel bad for the killer by showing him/her as a person with problems, mental most of the time, some like to use a bad childhood as an excuse for a killer. Instead this film just shows you what happened, like it or not this man existed and really committed these crimes.

Bundy is played masterfully by Michael Reilly Burke, when viewing this film the first I had no doubt in my mind that I was really seeing Ted Bundy on my screen. He really plays the part perfectly, he is very creepy in one scene and wholesome and charming in the next. Matthew Bright did an excellent job as the director for this film, his direction is suburb and you can tell he really wanted to make the best movie possible. Of course you all know the story; Bundy brutally killed then raped [in that order] various women for years. He was even caught a couple of times and escaped from prison only to start doing it all again. The weird thing about it was that he actually had a girlfriend that would anything for him, that includes playing dead while they had sex [creepy]. The girlfriend was played masterfully by Boti Ann Bliss, her performance was outstanding and I can see why she was cast.

Now comes the real messed up part, when he was in jail the last time before his execution he received hundreds of fan letters from WOMEN every where. Speaking of his execution, Burke's performance is painfully good during the scenes were he is being prepped for the chair, and I mean painfully. It is the one scene that made me feel for the guy, I could really see the fear in his eyes, and his screams had me cringing. This was an excellent work of art.

I'd give it zero stars--way too graphic and misses a lot.......2007-05-30

Only a few minutes into this movie, I realized it was much more graphic than described. Bundy's sick sex fantasies are shown quite explicitly, as are his necrophilia and masturbation. None added to the film and were overused extensively. The acting was sub-par, especially by the lead actress. I much prefer the original movie about Ted Bundy starring Mark Harmon, called "The Deliberate Stranger" which was less graphic and yet showed how cold and cunning Bundy was. I have to wonder if the maker of the film was against capital punishment as he also included much graphic information about the preparing of the inmate for execution at the end that was unnecessary to the plot. Bad directing, bad acting, bad sound (did I mention how terribly inappropriate and bad the music is), jerky filming that will give you a headache, and more graphic sex and violence than are necessary for such a film. So much was left out that could have been included regarding Bundy's childhood, family, and why he grew to be such a disturbed individual. Also, his longtime girlfriend Lee was complicit in several of his crimes and this movie just makes her look like a paranoid fruitcake. Yes, she was fruity, but so was Ted, so why didn't she fry too? Overall, I think this film was just awful. Find a copy of "The Deliberate Stranger" or rent the Biography edition on Ted Bundy; skip this. The poor production will give you a headache and become frustrating, while the graphic sex and violence will make you both sick and mad at the director.

Disturbingly graphic.......2007-04-07

This movie shows just how deranged Bundy truly was. I made a friend of mine, who had never heard of Ted Bundy, watch it with me and she was horrified. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide throughout the entire movie.

TED BUNDY - FEATURE FILM - VERY UNDER-RATED.......2007-03-25

TED BUNDY starring Matthew Bright is a VERY UNDER-RATED FILM. While the disturbing content is for mature audiences only, this is a good film. Well acted, the film uses a chronological approach to Ted Bundy's promising yet bizarre and eventually disturbing life. While Ted Bundy's crimes were terrible, the film also infers that Bundy suffered mentally, and his acts were to some extent uncontrollable. Some actual footage from Bundy's trail including pictures and reporter film is used in this movie as well. This is a sick flick that is surprisingly well done.

Average customer rating:

Pick me up
Please enter a title for your review
Typical Horror Movie
A Perfect Example of How Serial Killers Don't Operate
Not a good horror story but ok

Masters of Horror: Pick Me Up
Director: Larry Cohen
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FA57W6
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Customer Reviews:

Pick me up.......2007-07-18

It was a pretty good movie. It being a masters of horror film, it was better than most that I've seen. I liked it.

Please enter a title for your review.......2007-05-04

This episode immediately sets itself apart as giving it's characters more distinct personalities than the others I've seen. The director even had the good sense to cast Fairuza Balk, so anytime she's speaking your attention will be held. After the first 15 minutes though it starts directing viewer focus out in too many directions and not holding it there with any of them so it's easy to just stop caring about what's going to happen. The second half of this episode proved to be duller than any of the previous six I've seen. The fued between the two killers has very little explanation or resolution.

Typical Horror Movie.......2007-03-10

This movie was alittle better then expected but not by much. The movie definently had a good choice for a cast. Each star of the cast did a good job, but the plot could have been alittle better. The end was something I was not expecting. I did make me wonder what would happen next. Although it was alittle confusing. But it was an okay movie, definently one to rent to see if you like it.

A Perfect Example of How Serial Killers Don't Operate.......2007-03-08

According to this flick 1 out of every 2 people are serial killers.
Serial Killers who are by no means methodical,
and kill simply when the chance presents itself.
Serial Killers who don't take their victims to a secluded area,
and are in no way sexually driven.

This is the tale of two spontaneous killers preying on the same group of unfortunate travelers, whose bus broke down in the middle of Murderville, USA. One is disguised as a trucker in shining armor, and the other as a hitch-hiker in desperate need of a ride. (Appropriatly named, "Wheeler" and "Rider"). Both killers eventually set their sights on the last of the passengers, Ms. Faruza Balk. What should have ensued was a wild game of cat(s) and mouse. What happened instead can only be described as ... well a tame game of mouse and mouse trap.

To say the least,
this installment of "Masters of Horror" is flawed at best.
At worst it seems kind of rushed.
Now I'm not going to point out all the mistakes,
'cause it would take a while,
and quite honestly, it's better to make a game out of it.
See how many flaws you can catch before the credits.
Trust me you'll find a bunch.

You should definitely rent before buying.
Soley based on the fact that this is a love/hate sort of movie.
And you won't know whether or not you love or hate it 'til you see it.
Regardless of all its mistakes, it was a fun ride, so I didn't mind purchasing the DVD.
But would I recommend it?
- Only for someone looking for a fun movie.
- But definitely not for someone whose a stickler for details.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Don't take rides and Don't give 'em.

Not a good horror story but ok.......2007-01-04

This indeed did not belong in a Masters of Horrors series as it was more of a pshycological thrillerr to me, and not a good one at that. I bought it to watch it and because the completist in me couldn't go on without having every title of the series. To me it was the weakest of them all.

Ann Rule Presents: The Stranger Beside Me - The Ted Bundy Story

Average customer rating:

'The Stranger Beside Me,' Based On Crime Writer Ann Rule's Symbiotic Relationship With Ted Bundy, Is An Excellent Movie!
A nice try, but it just kind of laid there
Read the Book and Stick with The Facts
A shallow story for a shallow person
Fairly Disappointing

Ann Rule Presents: The Stranger Beside Me - The Ted Bundy Story
Starring: Bill Campbell , Barbara Hershey , Kevin Dunn , Suki Kaiser , and Brenda James
Director: Paul Shapiro
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000B8TIKE
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Customer Reviews:

'The Stranger Beside Me,' Based On Crime Writer Ann Rule's Symbiotic Relationship With Ted Bundy, Is An Excellent Movie!.......2007-09-08

As a criminal justice consultant, as well as a dramatist, I found the movie version of crime writer Ann Rule's book, 'The Stranger Beside Me' to be an excellent film in every way. Having read and carefully digested Ann Rule's book, as well as virtually every other book and documentary made about the life of Ted Bundy, as well as books and documentaries about other 'serial killers,' it is my opinion that this film is indeed the most professional.

Ann Rule has provided an in depth analysis of the life and mind of Ted Bundy, based on her own highly unique symbiotic relationship with Ted, beginning when the two of them were assigned to work together on a suicide prevention hotline in Seattle. Ann was at the time a former police woman turned crime writer. Ted, a recent college grad, with a degree in psychology, soon after entered law school, while working his way up the ladder of success in Washington State Republican politics.

Billy Campbell, in my opinion, does a remarkably excellent job in portraying Ted, while Barbara Hershey does an equally outstanding job in portraying Ann Rule. It's a story that needed to be told, not in the interest of sensationalism, but in the interest of understanding the human mind and what internal and environmental forces or experiences propel an individual to commit such heinous atrocities.

If you can get a copy of Ann Rule's book, 'The Stranger Beside Me,' I would suggest you avail yourself of the conversation [Chapter 20] between Ann Rule and Ted Bundy, while they spent hours together, on two separate occasions, sipping Chablis at Seattle's Brasserie Pittsbourg (a cop's hangout) and at another tavern, following his release (on bail) from a Salt Lake City jail, pending his first trial on a charge of kidnapping Carol DaRonche.

Rule reveals that Ted Bundy invited her to smoke marijuana with him at another location, prior to leaving the tavern, although she declined the invitation. Ann Rule herself was at the time working with the Seattle police in an effort to nail Bundy. She also had a contract pending on a book of his life. Ann Rule had also, while they were working together, previously piqued his interest in True Detective murder stories she had written, by supplying him with copies of the magazines. It is all very interesting interplay. It is also disturbing to realize the dual role Ann Rule played in facilitating , if not encouraging, Bundy's anti-social behavior as his best friend, while also working as a police 'snitch.'

In a certain sense, Ann Rule not only encouraged, but profited from, Ted Bundy's anti-social behavior. There is no doubt that alcohol and marijuana were significant enabling factors in reducing Bundy's inhibitions and concerns about social propriety and there is no doubt that Ann Rule faciliated Ted's use of alcohol. She picked up the tab!

Another excellent film about the life and mind of Ted Bundy is 'The Deliberate Stranger,' based on Richard W. Larsen's book of the same title. Larsen was also closely associated with Ted prior to his conviction. Another excellent piece of tele-journalism is 'Ted Bundy: The Mind of a Killer,' produced by A & E Home Video as a part of the Biography series.

Once again, 'The Stranger Beside Me' is an excellent film. It IS professional and should be included in any criminal justice study program.

The film should, however, be supplemented with dialogue from Chapter 20 of Ann Rule's book of the same title, as the dialogue in the film does not accurately follow what Ann Rule reported in her book.

A nice try, but it just kind of laid there.......2007-07-31

While it didn't turn into a poor version of the Bundy tale, it never comes alive with any feeling. The Mark Harmon version of the story made in the 80's was far better and didn't feel the need to change so many of the facts around. The actors are good but there isn't the "spark" of compelling story telling here. Not bad ,but far from great.

Read the Book and Stick with The Facts.......2007-06-10

all of the Ted Bunies Movies have been so farfetched. i wanted to see the true STORY of Ted Bundy!! i didnt get that. i want them to show us what his life was like growing up as a child and slowly progress into 1974 so we get the whole picture...little things also annoyed me! if you havnt read the book, dont watch the movie!! everything in it is false. the color of his VW, the names of the victims..even great parts of the book were edited out. boring. boring. boring.

A shallow story for a shallow person.......2006-12-02

For the price ($5.50), I found it to be a good picture. Upon viewing it initially I was disappointed but after thinking about it for a while, I realized that this movie should be done in a shallow way. That's because thats what Ted Bundy really was, just like Scott Peterson and others who murder strangers and family alike. All his "good" talents were really morphed over time. Too bad he was born to be handsome later, but accompanied by different influences that turned out to be deadly probably starting in 1962.

Fairly Disappointing.......2006-08-20

I bought this DVD after reading Ann Rule's fascinating book of the same name. A longtime fan of both Billy Campbell and Barbara Hershey, I was anxious to see their portrayal of Rule's riveting (and true) story about her longtime friendship with Ted Bundy. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

Everyone knows that made-for-TV movies often lack the quality acting and scripting of feature films, and this one was no exception. Although I know Hershey and Campbell to be fine actors, I think the poor quality of the script dragged them down in this instance. The most riveting feature of Rule's book was her emotional dilemma in trying to reconcile the Ted Bundy she knew as a witty, giving friend with the gruesome serial killer he became. Rule's struggle about what she feels for Bundy -- if she should stand by him or turn her back on him -- just doesn't come across in this movie, nor does the lingering affection she feels for the man even AFTER she accepts what he's done. Perhaps it's because so much of the development of the Rule/Bundy friendship is either changed or left out entirely. In my opinion, the weak script just didn't provide enough opportunity for Campbell and Hershey to generate any kind of chemistry at all.

More often than not, Hershey portrays Rule as someone who is often annoyed with Ted and simply tolerates him even BEFORE she learns what he's done. I never really buy them as good friends at all. I did not get the same impression from Rule's book in which she seems to feel rushes of emotion for Ted, and often wants to protect him as a big sister might. Certainly Rule detested Ted's acts and felt betrayed by him, but right up until the end, she felt true emotion for the friend she once knew. I don't get any of that from Hershey's version. Campbell's performance as Bundy is ok -- even decent at certain times - but again, a weak script limits him.

Factually, this movie is riddled with glaring mistakes that will really annoy someone familiar with Bundy's murder sprees. The changing of victims' names is totally justified, but things like the circumstances of Bundy's final arrest, his two escapes from jail, the way he flees from the Chi Omega crime scene, and even the color of his VW are unecessarily rewritten -- and not even in a way that improves the drama. Bundy's famous kidnapping and murder of two girls from Lake Sammamish State Park in 1974 is left out altogether.

Perhaps this patched together TV movie was even more disappointing because the source material was so rich -- and so wasted. I don't know if Ann Rule wrote the teleplay, but if she did, that's even more of a crime. The emotion between important "characters" -- all based on real people -- just falls flat.

I have not seen the Mark Harmon TV-movie on Bundy (The Deliberate Stranger), but from what I can gather, you'd be better off obtaining and watching this one rather than the Campbell/Hershey version.

Average customer rating:

Good TV film but feeble on the psychological side

Mary Higgins Clark: You Belong to Me
Starring: Lesley-Anne Down , Barclay Hope , Kate Trotter , Marvin Ishmael , and Michelle Nolden
Director: Paolo Barzman
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009MEC7
Release Date: 2003-07-08

Customer Reviews:

Good TV film but feeble on the psychological side.......2007-07-16

Strange movie indeed. A radio show that turns deadly because it brings up a case of international serial killing that had escaped the attention of the police, of many polices. It is this sloppiness that is surprising. The film is based on this sloppiness as a normal syndrome with police forces. They jump to the easiest explanation, always, as if the profiling technique did not exist or was too hard to use for simple-minded crime collectors, or is it human trash collectors? But this film, the third of a series, seems to carry a pattern: the criminal is some kind of rather inactive and idle person, rich by heritage and thus able to do nothing, except to run after his neurotic paranoia about rich women who are not interested in him, though he is rich. But here Clark uses again the psychologist that is writing a book, this time on a particular type of women who disappear in cruises. But this time, and this is a change with the case in the second film of the series (Loves music, Loves to dance), he is not the criminal. But we seem to be turning around the same evil in society, as if idleness bred and nurtured crime. Decent entertainment but too simple to be fascinating or outstanding. Unluckily, because serial killers are a lot more complex than that. In fact they are not simply psychotic or neurotic, at least not in that paranoid plain way. They need a very complex and rich mental and virtual construction that turns their criminal acts into acts of justice. Is a song enough for that kind of crime? I don't believe it. It has to be deeper and more sophisticated because serial killers are super brains, or they would not even succeed in their first attempt at killing someone. And they are repetitively successful. So.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

Average customer rating:

Another Poverty Row film noir resurfaces!

They Made Me a Killer
Starring: Frank Albertson , Barbara Britton , James Bush , Elizabeth Risdon , and John Harmon
Director: William C. Thomas
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AJJN0O
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Customer Reviews:

Another Poverty Row film noir resurfaces!.......2005-11-19

Tom Durling (Robert Lowery) leaves Chicago after the tragic death of his brother, and heads to California to begin a new life. Hoping to sell his car, he meets with Betty Ford (Lola Lane) right outside a bank to make a deal. Before he knows it, Betty and her boyfriend Jack Conley (Edmund MacDonald) have guns drawn and force Tom to drive them to safety after they rob a bank. Steve Reynolds, an innocent bystander and friend of Tom's, is shot and mortally wounded by the police, who incorrectly believe him to be an accomplice of the bank robbers. Tom crashes the car after finally escaping from the police, and Betty, Jack, and Jack's brother Frank (James Bush) leave Tom unconscious in the car after planting a gun in his hand.

When the police find the getaway car with Tom in it, they arrest him of course and refuse to listen to his story of how he was forced to drive the bank robbers to safety. When he realizes there's no hope for him with the police, Tom makes a daring escape and turns to the only one who's willing to help him, June Reynolds (Barbara Britton), the sister of Steve. Steve died before he could clear himself and Tom, so June does everything she can to clear them before the police find Tom. Tom and June find Jack Conley and his gang and they convince Jack to let them stay at his hideout. Tom finally gets the proof that he needs to clear himself, but escaping Jack's gang will prove to be much harder than finding it was! It's up to June to get help from the police before the gang of bank robbers can kill Tom.

This movie wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. Much of the dialogue throughout the movie is badly dated, but you'll have fun laughing at the cheesy lines, as well as the awful fake driving scenes where Lowery constantly swings the steering wheel back and forth while the car continues to go straight (via rear projection screen, of course). Robert Lowery and Barbara Britton were wonderful together, and Edmund MacDonald played the ruthless villian to perfection as usual. MacDonald was a very underated actor who appeared in almost 50 movies before his death in 1951 from a cerebral hemorrhage. Film noir buffs should recognize his face from movies like "Detour," "Shoot to Kill," and "The Lady Confesses." Robert Lowery never really rose above B movies status and quietly faded into obscurity over time. Barbara Britton is best remembered today for her role as Pamela North on the entertaining "Mr. and Mrs. North" tv show during the early 1950's.

1946's "They Made Me a Killer" was directed by William C. Thomas for Paramount's B unit, Pine-Thomas, responsible for other low-budget films noirs like "Fear in the Night," "Manhandled," and "Hell's Island." Running at just 64 minutes long, it's a typical crime story so common in film noir, about an innocent man who's framed and then seeks revenge on the crooks who actually committed the crime. The Alpha dvd has a very dissapointing picture and sound quality. There's constant background "hiss" noise, tons of age related flaws with the image quality, and the picture shakes constantly throughout the film. Of course this is to be expected from most Alpha-released dvds, and we can only hope that a fully restored version will be available someday, perhaps from VCI Entertainment which at least tries to restore the films noirs they release on dvd. Overall, I recommend this dvd only for hardcore film noir fanatics like me who're very forgiving about poor picture/sound quality.

Average customer rating:

Watch Me When I Kill
Starring: Richard Stewart , Sylvia Kramer , Franco Citti , Fernando Cerulli , and Giuseppe Addobbati
Director: Antonio Bido
Manufacturer: VCI Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000TV1SWY
Release Date: 2007-09-18

Description

Antonio Bido (aka Anthony Bido) directed this well-crafted Italian giallo thriller, which borrows from the masters of the genre - Mario Bava and Dario Argento. The story concerns a young nightclub dancer (Sylvia Kramer/Paola Tedesco) who witnesses a murder and the efforts of her lover (Richard Stewart/Corrado Pani) to track down the killer before he can get to her. With this film, Bido created a work that was both stylish and well plotted. Replete with the haunting atmosphere and gruesome deaths one expects from the genre, plus an outstanding musical score. aka "Gatto dagli occhi di giada, Il" (1977, Italy) Bonus Features: Bonus Horror Trailers, Original :30 second and :60 second radio spots, Bios, Scene Selection Product Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital; 95 minutes; Color; 16x9 Widescreen; MPAA -R; Year - 1981; SRP - $14.99

Average customer rating:

Interesting, but could be refined
Where's the "blood red"?
Alright, little finger. Bleed for the big man.
Not nearly as good as the first two, but...
Color Me Blood Red (1966) d: Lewis, Herschell Gordon

Color Me Blood Red
Starring: Gordon Oas-Heim , Candi Conder , Elyn Warner , Pat Lee , and Jerome Eden
Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004KDET
Release Date: 2000-02-22

Amazon.com

In this 1965 Herschell Gordon Lewis opus (the final installment of the infamous "blood trilogy"), impulsive painter Adam Sorg (Don Joseph) seems to have it all: a pretty girlfriend, an exclusive gig at the local gallery, and enough sales to live comfortably in his remote, beachfront home. But Sorg wants more. Considered a trendy painter with a poor sense for color, he longs for critical acceptance. He sees his chance when his girlfriend cuts her finger and drips blood onto a canvas. That's it! Blood is exactly the color his paintings were screaming for. Cutting his girlfriend's finger, or even his own, won't provide enough blood for his new masterpieces, though, and his desperate need for more and more blood can only lead to one thing: murder.

Despite the self-referential aspects of an artist who can only achieve true fame by using blood, Color Me Blood Red is more exploitation than art, with lingering close-ups of bloody intestines and the like. But what do you expect from Lewis? Joseph is surprisingly good as the painter with the "artistic temperament" in a movie that works better as camp than horror. --Andy Spletzer

Description

The newest trend in art is type O negative! When his girlfriend, Gigi, cuts her finger on a frame, maniacal artist Adam Sorg (Don Joseph) discovers a new shade of crimson that will make his artwork so special--human blood! Squeezing all he can out of his sliced-up fingers, Adam then stabs Gigi in the head, smears her face on a canvas and--voila--a macabre masterpiece is created. After his bloody new painting causes a sensation on the local art scene, a crazed Adam continues creating sanguine specialties by extracting art supplies from victims outside his beach house. It all goes bad, however, when he zeros in on April (Candi Conder) whose scarlet pigment he plans to remove with an axe.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, but could be refined.......2005-05-01

This movie has a good story to it, but it could be improved. Besides the corny music(which is mostly just jazz and does not fit good into the scenes) and bad sound editing(too much echoing) this movie is pretty good. I watched this movie to see the gore, although I must admit, this movie did not had as much gore as I imagined. Given the few gore scenes(I recount about 5 gorey scenes), it was pretty devastating and heart-wrenching. However, this movie poses a lot of questions pertaining to the characters. The main character, Adam Sorg, seems to be provoked very easily, and as the box says that he kills people so he can use their blood as paint. Well there is one scene where one kill was completely unprovoked and, let's just say he made someone food for the fish, in which he wasted the blood he could've used, but it was a entertaining scene.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie, except that it was rather short and not enough action. There was too much useless and boring dialogue. Unless you are a H.G.L. fan or you just want to see some plain gore, this movie isn't really good for much else.

Where's the "blood red"?.......2004-05-26

In 1963 Herschell Gordon Lewis, an independent filmmaker best known for making limited release "cutie" pictures, changed forever the face of American cinema when he released "Blood Feast." This film, as low budget as you could possibly get, ushered in the era of the gore film. While it would be quite some time before Hollywood caught on to the fact that certain segments of the movie going public hungered for films containing nauseating scenes of explicit violence, H.G. Lewis took one look at the receipts for "Blood Feast" and decided he better quickly make another movie similar to this one. What followed was a series of gruesome zero budget shockers, films like "The Wizard of Gore," "A Taste of Blood," "2000 Maniacs," "Color Me Blood Red," and "The Gruesome Twosome." Lewis lensed the downright offensive "The Gore-Gore Girls" before retiring from the film business in 1972 in order to devote his time to join the advertising industry. It wasn't until 2002 that the director returned to form with "Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat," a movie which proved beyond a doubt that the Godfather of Gore still has what it takes to gross out an audience.

"Color Me Blood Red" is the story of a temperamental painter and his efforts to achieve success at any cost. And what a cost! When Adam Sorg (Gordon Oas-Heim) struggles to sell paintings at a local art gallery, he must decide how to change his methods. He stumbles on the perfect color when his girlfriend accidentally cuts her finger. Sorg smears the blood across the canvas and has an instant masterpiece-well, almost. It takes a few more pints drawn from his girlfriend as well as himself to complete the painting, but when it is finished it looks divine. The struggling artist rushes the canvas over to the gallery where the owner, a snooty art critic, and a wealthy patron all swoon and gush over this brilliant and daring objet d'art. Regrettably, by putting his body and soul into the work (literally, in one respect), Sorg cannot bring himself to sell the painting even though the figure offered for it is quite enormous. Even worse, he realizes he doesn't have enough blood to keep working, and in a H.G. Lewis film that can only mean one thing: bloody and graphic carnage must soon follow.

Did I mention Sorg killed his girlfriend to get that first painting finished? Sorry 'bout that. It's not enough, though, as the painter realizes he doesn't have enough sauce to complete future masterpieces. After burying his gal in the sand outside his lakeside property (it's not much more than a shack somewhere in Florida, but this is a cheap movie), Sorg homes in on a hapless couple that had the misfortune of lounging around outside the house. These scenes run excruciatingly long as the demented painter tools around the lake in a speedboat, harpooning the boyfriend and capturing the girl. Once inside the house, Sorg disembowels the young woman and collects her precious blood in what is probably the movie's most effective gore scene. The fun, however, does not stop there. The daughter of the wealthy patron who wanted to buy the first Sorg painting turns up at the house with a trio of friends. She stumbles over the painter standing outside his house, and he offers her a chance to pose for one of his creations. The girl is quite hesitant at first, but soon agrees to do it as her friends stay behind on the beach. While Sorg prepares to murder yet another victim, the friends discover the decaying remains of the artist's girlfriend and head to the house to investigate. A bloody showdown involving a shotgun effectively ends Adam Sorg's short career.

"Color Me Blood Red" is definitely a lesser Lewis horror film. While that might not be saying much-all of his films boast atrocious acting, horribly cheap production values, and pedestrian dialogue-the film fails to match the nauseating atrocities seen in "Blood Feast" and "2000 Maniacs." Moreover, it fails to stand up along side Lewis's later, more vicious films like "Wizard of Gore" and "The Gore-Gore Girls." "Color Me Blood Red" has little red in it, unfortunately, and in a Lewis movie that's a crime of epic proportions. After all, audiences aren't watching a film like this for the acting or the big name stars; they want to see stomach-churning gore. Except for the scene with the girl in the house, there isn't much worth mentioning here. You may get a few laughs out of the acting, especially Sorg's histrionic antics as the tormented artist, but overall this movie is a disappointment. If I had to pick one notable element of the film, it would have to be the two "beat" friends of the daughter of the wealthy patron. These two stumble around throwing out all sorts of hep cat lingo, act all "crazy," and generally make complete fools out of themselves. In fact, they're immensely annoying, so much so that they do stand out in a film largely populated by walking and talking mannequins.

The DVD contains a heap of extras, including a commentary track with Herschell Lewis and producer David Friedman, poster galleries, outtakes, trailers, and an introduction from Lewis regular Bill Kerwin warning you about the graphic nature of this film. The extras are better than the movie, sad to say, but Lewis completists will want to own this one along with all the rest. I felt a bit down in the dumps after watching "Color Me Blood Red" because it was my last Lewis gore film. I have now seen all of them, from "Blood Feast" to "Blood Feast 2." Hopefully, this director will make another film in the next year or two. If not, it's been a heck of a run.

Alright, little finger. Bleed for the big man........2004-01-02

1965's "Color Me Blood Red" is another slice of sickening cinema by H.G. Lewis, the Godfather of Gore. Released one year after "Two Thousand Maniacs," this film takes place on the sunny beaches of Sarasota, Florida. Actor Don Joseph stars as Adam Sorg, a blunt and frustrated artist who enjoys making rude comments toward any critic who analyzes his work. Although savvy collectors at Farsworth Galleries are anxious to purchase his abstract paintings, Adam indignantly refuses to sell them. Isolated in his studio, he has a great deal of trouble trying to concoct the best color scheme. Later, when his nagging girlfriend Gigi (Ellen Warner) cuts herself on a jutting canvas nail, Adam is instantly enamored at how blood emits the most brilliant shade of red. Immediately, he attempts to cover an entire canvas with his own hemoglobin; slicing open his hands with a razor blade, he feverishly smears his own bleeding digits onto a nude portrait, frantically squeezing the wounds before they clot. However, as he became dizzy and lightheaded, it doesn't take him long to realize that to finish his masterpiece, he would have to bleed himself dry. So, what does he do instead? As Gigi assails him with yet another tongue-lashing, Adam stabs her in the cranium with a palette knife! Then, in perhaps the most morbid example of artistic expression, he holds up Gigi's limp corpse and wipes her face on the picture, using her head as a giagantic brush! Eventually, his first ghastly painting is complete; we as an audience get to see it as a grisly representation of Adam's obsession with blood. When the critics at Farsworth Galleries see this work, they are instantly astounded and expect Adam to create more pieces with the same style. Buyers offer the upcoming artist up to $15,000. But, in an insane outburst, he downright refuses to sell the Red Painting. Over time, of course, the guilt relating to Gigi's death and the pressure to uphold his reputation drive him to the brink of madness.
In a fiendish manner, Adam continues his pattern of bleeding brushstrokes by killing any youth who vacations outside his beach house. At one point, he preys upon two unsuspecting swimmers; driving a motorboat, he stabs a young man in the chest with a harpoon, then grinds apart his flesh with the spinning propellers! The other victim was a woman; he has her tied against the wall with her intestines hanging out! Weeks later, a group of college students set up a picnic on Adam's cove. Like a crazed stalker, he lures a virginal girl named April (Candi Conder) into his studio, promising her the chance to be a model. I don't want to give the ending away, but let's just say that it includes sweet April in a pink bikini, a little bit of bondage, and a sharp axe!
While H.G. Lewis did have a disturbing concept behind "Color Me Blood Red," the film fell short overall. The outcome was predictable and the pacing was far too slow. The movie's grusome humor isn't as over-the-top when compared to "Two Thousand Maniacs" and "Wizard of Gore." Still, if you are a ravenous fan of Lewis's lurid legacy, this DVD is worth purchasing.

Not nearly as good as the first two, but..........2001-05-16

...you will want to pick this one up eventually. This is the least imaginitve of the Blood Trilogy, and it borrows shamelessly from Roger Corman's Bucket Of Blood, and has less gore than usual, but it is still an essential purchase for fans of this genre. The picture quality is very good overall, and the all important reds are very well rendered. The out takes offer nothing of interest,and the trailer is really lame, but the commentary is the best of the entire Blood Trilogy.

Color Me Blood Red (1966) d: Lewis, Herschell Gordon.......2001-04-20

The third installment of the collaborative effort of Herschell Gordon Lewis, and David F. Friedman's `blood trilogy' [The other two being Blood Feast (1963), and 2000 Maniacs (1964)]. The story is a partial rip-off from Roger Corman's Bucket of Blood (1959). Don Joseph stars as artist Adam Sorg, who begins to achieve critical and commercial success when he finds that blood supplies the perfect color to his impressionistic paintings. The gore isn't as heavy, and in-your-face as the other two films in the trilogy, though there are one or two scenes involving entrails and eye gouging. Fans of either director should be amazed to hear the commentary track, when Dave Friedman, and H.G. Lewis publicly make their peace, and Friedman apologizes to Lewis for his actions. An extra ten minutes of out-takes, mostly from the motorboat sequence have been added back into the film.

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