Phone Booth

Amazon.com

By some lucky quirk of fate, Phone Booth landed on Hollywood's A-list, but this thriller should've been a straight-to-video potboiler directed by its screenwriter, veteran schlockmeister Larry Cohen, who's riffing on his own 1976 thriller God Told Me To. Instead it's a pointless reunion for fast-rising star Colin Farrell and his Tigerland director, Joel Schumacher, who employs a multiple-image technique similar to TV's 24 to energize Cohen's pulpy plot about an unseen sniper (maliciously voiced by 24's Kiefer Sutherland) who pins his chosen victim (a philandering celebrity publicist played by Farrell) in a Manhattan phone booth, threatening murder if Farrell doesn't confess his sins (including a potential mistress played by Katie Holmes in a thankless role). In a role originally slated for Jim Carrey, Farrell brings vulnerable intensity to his predicament, but Cohen's irresistible premise is too thin for even 81 brisk minutes, which is how long Schumacher takes to reach his morally repugnant conclusion. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A single phone call can change a man's life…or possibly end it. Colin Farrell delivers a captivating, off-the-hook performance as Stu Shepard, a self-centered New York City publicist who suddenly finds himself on the deadly end of a high-powered rifle scope. Now it's a real-time race against the clock as Stu must outwit a psychotic sniper in a frantic scramble from phone booth to freedom. Directed by Joel Schumacher, this groundbreaking "tightly-made thriller" (Sidekick Magazine) co-stars Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, and Kiefer Sutherland as the crazed gunman calling the shots, literally.

Customer Reviews:

Unusual Thriller.......2007-09-04

"Phone Booth" is a tense, psychological drama with excellent performances by Colin Farrell, Forest Whitaker, and Kiefer Sutherland. If you're a Kiefer Sutherland fan, you don't see him until the very end of the movie, but you hear him throughout. The man can do amazing things with his voice. The premise is rather unusual, but the actors carry it off very well, and it does keep you on the edge of your seat.

A moral tale.......2007-08-04

Unlike other reviewers I don't view this film as an overdone hollywood pile of crap (though admittedly the storeyline is pretty far fetched, other reviewers have outlined the story so I won't repeat them). This is actually a moral tale of being authentic or accepting the consequences of a dishonest life. Wouldn't it be great if the moron who gropes a girl at a night club or picks a fight with someone for no good reason could be shot dead for their stupidity and rudeness (come on we've all thought about it). If old jerko knew he might get shot for being an arsehole he might pull his head in. The thing I most like about this movie is the point it makes about the need for individuals within society to take responsability for our lives and our choices. The little gutter humour guy in me also loves the prostitutes lament about the lead character making her injure her " dick hand". Good movie if you think about what the take home message really is.

big whoop.......2007-08-01

This is just another one of those cockamamy real life on steroids type scenarios Hollywood keeps pumping out these days (Changing Lanes, Flightplan, Cellular, etc.). Not very imaginative.

Not bad at all...Phone Booth is exciting and meaningful.......2007-07-30

I do remember the previews of this film and I did not think it looked that great. I could not imagine that a movie that centered on a single location such as a guy trapped in a phone booth could create so many interesting plot points but I was wrong! This movie plays out kind of like the psychology of a revenge type guy who is snooping around people's dirty laundry. When he finds this one guy Stuart he really gets him to the wall. Stuart answers a random ringing phone at a phone booth one afternoon and suddenly he is blackmailed by a sniper! Really good acting but you cannot go wrong because a main police officer in this movie is played by Forest Whitaker. A good thriller that is worth of multiple viewings because of its simplicity and exciting scenes.

Nice Thriller to Watch.......2007-07-23

Great acting, plenty of action, enjoyed the movie very much. I had started to watch this movie on TV then changed the channel and ordered the movie online so I could watch all of it. I would give this movie 5 stars, but there was too much Hollywood in the bolt action sniper rifle (gun enthusiasts will know what I mean).

Interesting plot and it makes you think about how some people really are in this world and if you are one of those people in the 'Phone Booth'. If so, can you change your ways? Great story line and makes you think about your own morals and values.

The Alec Guinness Collection (Kind Hearts and Coronets / The Lavender Hill Mob / The Ladykillers / The Man in the White Suit / The Captain's Paradise)

Average customer rating:

Anyone who appreciates great comedy will treasure these.
Simply Superb.
bad news for Spanish viewers?
Great films, great value
A remarkable collection.

The Alec Guinness Collection (Kind Hearts and Coronets / The Lavender Hill Mob / The Ladykillers / The Man in the White Suit / The Captain's Paradise)
Starring: Alec Guinness , Joan Greenwood , Cecil Parker , Michael Gough , and Ernest Thesiger
Director: Alexander Mackendrick , and Charles Crichton
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00006FMAX
Release Date: 2002-09-10

Amazon.com

Five of the British film industry's best-loved comedies in one boxed set makes The Alec Guinness Collection absolutely essential for anyone who has any passion at all for movies. It contains Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Man in the White Suit (1951), The Captain's Paradise (1953) (only available in this set), and The Ladykillers (1955). The Ealing Studio's greatest comedies captured the essence of post-war Britain, both in their evocation of a land once blighted by war but now rising doggedly and optimistically again from the ashes, and in their mordant yet graceful humor. They portray a country with an antiquated class system whose crumbling conventions are being undermined by a new spirit of individual opportunism. In the delightfully wicked Kind Hearts and Coronets, a serial killer politely murders his way into the peerage; in The Lavender Hill Mob a put-upon bank clerk schemes to rob his employers; The Man in the White Suit is a harshly satirical depiction of idealism crushed by the status quo; in The Captain's Paradise, a ferryboat captain complements his proper British wife with a fiery Spanish wife; while The Ladykillers mocks both the criminals and the authorities with its unlikely octogenarian heroine Mrs. "lop-sided" Wilberforce. Many factors contribute to these films' success--including fine music scores from composers such as Benjamin Frankel (Man in the White Suit), Malcolm Arnold (Captain's Paradise), and Tristram Cary (The Ladykillers); positively symphonic sound effects (White Suit); marvelously evocative locations (the environs of King's Cross in Ladykillers, for example); and writing that always displays Ealing's unique perspective on British social mores ("All the exuberance of Chaucer without, happily, any of the concomitant crudities of his period")--yet arguably their greatest asset is Alec Guinness, whose multifaceted performances are the keystone upon which Ealing built its biting, often macabre, yet always elegant comedy. --Mark Walker

Product Description

He was, quite simply, one of the greatest actors of all time. And while Sir Alec Guinness may be best known for his legendary dramatic roles, his true genius lay in his incomparable comedy performances. THE ALEC GUINNESS COLLECTION presents four of this screen legend s magnificent Ealing Studios comedies as well as the classic THE CAPTAIN S PARADISE, available exclusively in this collection.

Features:
Kind Hearts And Coronets

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

The Ladykillers

Widescreen Presentation enhanced for 16x9 TVs

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

Languages: English; French

The Lavender Hill Mob

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

The Man In The White Suit

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

The Captain's Paradise

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

System Requirements:
Running Time: 451 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Anyone who appreciates great comedy will treasure these........2007-01-11

No vulgarity, no nudity, just some of the cleverest stories with fine performances from all concerned.

The remakes never work. Hard to improve on perfection.

Simply Superb........2006-07-13

The best British comedy and satire. No slapstick or foul language or artistic nudity. Just great acting and great stories. Comedy mysteries with twisty endings. Example: the very ending of "The Captain's Paradise"; you would never guess.

bad news for Spanish viewers?.......2005-04-15

I know all these films and agree they are wonderful. But, is it possible that this edition have an audio track in French and no Spanish subtitles?

Great films, great value.......2004-07-16

As other reviewers have noted, these superb comedies from the golden age of British cinema showcase Alec Guinness' considerable skills, proving him to be as great an actor in his own way as the late Marlon Brando. And as others have pointed out, the DVD transfers are incredibly good for British films of this vintage. I've never seen Man in the White Suit looking better. Please note that poor sound recording equipment was a particular problem for British filmmakers of this era, so the sound can occasionally seem muted. This is a problem with the source, not the transfer.

The extras are a little disappointing compared to other Anchor Bay releases. (Yes, their Guinness filmography is incomplete.) But the value of this collection can't be beat. It's one of the best buys out there, so do yourself a favor and pick up the whole collection before Anchor Bay lets it go out of print, as other British titles in their catalogue have done.

Random comments to address other reviews:

All the films are presented in their proper aspect ratios. The Ladykillers is the only widescreen film here. (All the others were filmed before 1952, hence before the days of widescreen.)

Captain's Paradise is NOT an Ealing Studios film; it was produced at London International (the same place that oversaw production of The Third Man, so its credentials are good).

In Britain, this collection was partnered with another collection of Ealing comedies (via another distributor). Since Anchor Bay has also released Ealing's horror anthology Dead of Night (also recommended), they may be persuaded to distribute those films too if this collection sells well. Those films (Whiskey Galore, Passport to Pimlico, etc.) are equally superb, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

A remarkable collection........2003-02-19

I am 24 years old so one would not expect me to be a huge fan of these "older" films. On the contrary I am not just a fan I love them. One of my bosses turned me on to them a few years ago and I was always a huge Peter Sellers fan (mostly for his Pink Panther series) but after picking up this collection I found it to be a wonderful addition to my film library. Yesterday during the blizzard I watched four of the five disks. I found Kind Hearts and Coronets to be not only an interesting story but also darkly satiical. Many scenes were so well crafted I could not help to laugh. Alec was remarkable in this film as he played 8 different characters. Quite a feat for that time and a role Mike Meyers would love. Ladykillers was the only film I had seen previous to buying this set and I must say that not only is it an outstanding caper film but the DVD transfer was superb. The image quality really has brightened up fromt he onld VHS I saw. This film also shows some of Sir Alec's truly great acting and was brutally histerical. Peter Sellers yelling at a parrot was funny to see considering he went on to many more scenes involving fowl later on in life. The Lavender Hill Mob was probably the most intriguing of the 4 I have seen. Another crime caper flick Sir Alec really starred and the story was very solid. Also there was a car chase scene in this film that was extremely well done considering the time. The last film I managed to watch was the Man in the White Suit. While this film shows Alec again at his best I found it to be a little weaker than the other three. It was funny at times and an interesting enough plot just not as good if watched in succesion with the others. The final film is the Captain's Paradise but I have yet to view that one and will not review it. All the films look great on DVD and if you are young (like me)and have never seen any of these films you are really missing out on some of the masterpieces of the film industry. The only collection I could possibly recomend more to anyone is the Peter Sellers set. Better yet, buy them both like I did.

Average customer rating:

damned if you do & damned if you dont
Not one of Alec's best films but enjoyable
Brilliant, delirious,engaging and genial comedy!
Not Quite Ealing But Enjoyable Nonetheless
One of Guinness's weaker films, but still some fun

The Captain's Paradise
Starring: Alec Guinness , Yvonne De Carlo , Celia Johnson , Charles Goldner , and Miles Malleson
Director: Anthony Kimmins
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay Entertain
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B00006G8GD

Customer Reviews:

damned if you do & damned if you dont.......2006-07-04

twixt 1949 ("kind hearts and coronets") and 1959 ("our man in havana"), alec guiness made a slew of great comedies. this one is more boulevard farce than the others, wherein he portrays a ferry captain with two lives -- & two wives -- in different ports. with celia johnson, he is the veddy propah englishman, while with yvonne de carlo, he is a gay blade. it works perfectly for a while, but of course, as all good things do, ...

Not one of Alec's best films but enjoyable.......2005-11-18

I think one reviewer referred to the film as sexist, and I would have to agree, which may have affected my enjoyment of the film. I think it did reflect views in the early fifties, but the overall problem was that the movie seemed quite dated (forgiveable, I suppose, after 50 years, but some movies much older don't seem dated in the same way).

The plot involves the captain of a ferry boat that goes back and forth between Gibraltar and North Africa. The captain's search for paradise appears to have been reached -- he has a wife on each side of the straits, and each wife specializes in some aspect of the perfect wife -- one is sexy, Spanish, and exotic, the other is domestic and very British. Neither, of course, knows about the other, but eventually his paradise starts to fall apart.

It's amusing, but somehow didn't hold my interest all that well. It's worth watching, but I wouldn't rewatch it.

Brilliant, delirious,engaging and genial comedy!.......2005-11-14

The ascending career of Alec Guiness experienced in this movie another magisterial leap He was the fortunate actor who participated in the golden ages of the British Comedy (The lady killers, Kind hearts and cornets, The lavender hill mob, The man in the white suit), consolidating an unusual artistic and promising sum of positive results and extraordinary scripts that would seem to be made thinking about him.

An admirable and clever script around the perfect path of total happiness, when a captain gets in one of his two women the perfect complement of the other one. The perfect housewife in Gibraltar and the sensual, erotic and alluring fire of Yvonne de Carlo in Kalik. He is the fortunate captain with two loves in each port. His engaging personality allows him to maintain this curious and ambivalent stage; a double moral happily masked beneath his undeniable charisma. But the feared day at last arrives for him to fade his delicate equilibrium, when the things seems to miscarry and even inversing. Each one of them decides to renounce the costume 's law.

Consider this picture as one of the most imaginative, funny and delicious British comedies ever made. A kinetic script and the presence of a towering cast and brilliant direction will captive you from start to finish.

Not Quite Ealing But Enjoyable Nonetheless.......2005-10-16

This screwball farce must have been quite provocative in it's day but would be considered tame by today's standards. There's still alot to enjoy here even though the film doesn't attain the classic heights of Alec Guiness' Ealing work. It's kind of a departure for Guiness to play such an amoral heel and he seems to relish it. And he does a mean flamenco as demonstrated in his scenes with Yvonne DeCarlo. Speaking of DeCarlo, she's a revelation here as the saucy Spanish vixen that Guiness' captain has holed up in Tangiers. She not only smolders onscreen but she has a deft comic touch. Celia Johnson is good as well as the proper English wife that Guiness assumes is content with the role he prescribes for her. On the whole a consistently funny film. Watch for a clever twist at the end that took me by surprise because there is no way it would have passed American censors at that time and took me aback that it passed British censors.

One of Guinness's weaker films, but still some fun.......2004-11-10

Alec Guinness is one of my favorite actors, and I'm especially fond of the films he made with Ealing, including such gems as THE LAVENDER HILL MOB, THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT, and KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS. However, among Guinness's Earling comedies, this is the least among his efforts. The basic problem with the film is twofold. On the one hand, the film embarks with an ill assorted group of elements and a weak script that never pulls those elements together. In fact, many of the conceits of the film are a bit too obvious and heavy handed to succeed as comedy. I'm thinking of the gifts that the captain gives to his two wives, or the way he rigidly forces each one to adhere to the role he has charted for them, or the constant way his first mate refers to the captain as a "genius," when nothing even especially clever is detectable in his actions.

The story is of a ship captain who runs a regular route between North Africa and Gibraltar who has not merely a girlfriend in each port but a wife. But each one is selected to cater to a particular set of needs. His wife in North Africa is a wild, unbridled, dancing, hard drinking party girl (played by Canadian Yvonne de Carlo), while his wife in Gibraltar is a solid, unpretentious, conservative (or so he thinks) homebody (played by the great Celia Johnson, in one of her rare film appearances). Predictably, each one wants to break out of the role he has prescribed for them: the hottie wants to cook and wear and apron, and the stay-at-home wants to go dancing and wear a bikini. The problem is that this is all only superficially funny, and while all the principles do the best that they can under the conditions, it all doesn't add up to very much.

The film is moderately enjoyable for two reasons: first, Guinness is a joy to watch even in a lesser role, second, the film contains some fascinating location shots. It was amazingly interesting to see the shots of early fifties Gibraltar and Africa, although none of the actors actually appeared in them (one shot of Guinness walking along a street in Gibraltar obviously was the result of film of him being superimposed on the location footage). As much as I like Celia Johnson, this simply wasn't a very good role for her. All in all, one at the end feels that so much more should have resulted from all of this. I can moderately recommend the film for Guinness and Ealing completists, but overall I don't think it is much of a film.

I should point out that Alec Guinness was a real life ship captain. During WW II, before his screen success, he captained landing ships. He liked in interviews to boast of having been in charge of the first ship to hit the shore in the invasion of Sicily. Unfortunately, that experience didn't seem to help this film very much.

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