Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

Product Description

Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, a multidimensional study of one of the biggest business scandals in American history. The chronicle takes a look at one of the greatest corporate disasters in history, in which top executives from the 7th largest company in this country walked away with over one billion dollars, leaving investors and employees with nothing. The film features insider accounts and rare corporate audio and video tapes that reveal colossal personal excesses of the Enron hierarchy and the utter moral vacuum that posed as corporate philosophy. The human drama that unfolds within Enron's walls resembles a Greek tragedy and produces a domino effect that could shape the face of our economy and ethical code for years to come.

DVD Features:

Available Audio Tracks: English (Unknown Format)
Commentary by: writer-director Alex Gibney (Unknown Format)
Deleted scenes
"The Making of Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" featuring research footage and exclusive interviews with writer-director Alex Gibney and investigative journalist Bethany McLean
Enron company skits
Enron commercial
Where are they now?: updates on the executives, traders, and whistleblowers
A gallery of Enron cartoons
The original Fortune magazine articles

System Requirements:

Running Time 110 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

One of the greatest scandals in American corporate history is chronicled in the riveting documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. Based on the bestselling book by Fortune magazine reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkin, and directed by Alex Gibney (who also produced The Trials of Henry Kissinger), the film is an epic morality tale, drawing upon a wealth of insider interviews and archival material to show how Enron, once the nation's seventh largest corporate entity, essentially faked its bookkeeping to report profits that never existed. The corrupt and closely-guarded mismanagement by Enron executives (including Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, later placed on criminal trial) is revealed through such heinous concepts as "Hypothetical Future Value" (a way of reaping fortunes based on false profit projections) and the use of offshore "shell" companies to hide the massive losses that eventually toppled the company (along with the venerable Arthur Anderson accounting firm) and left 20,000 employees jobless. As a maddening portrait of hubris and white-collar crime, Enron transcends political and corporate boundaries by showing how smart and powerful men grew blinded by greed and brought ruin upon themselves, along with thousands of otherwise innocent victims. For better and worse, it's a perfect double-feature with eye-opening 2004 documentary The Corporation. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Amazingly Engrossing.......2007-09-09

From the time this documentary starts you are captured. I have never been so engrossed in a story about Corporate America before. The arrogance of business and the manipulation for self gain was astounding. Awesome how the unravelling began with one simple question. I have watched this now several times and I never cease to be amazed. A "must" to watch.

Sickening!.......2007-08-30

I had always wondered how this fiasco could be allowed to happen in the U.S. After watching this movie, I now understand! It is sad that a country such as ours could allow this type of theft, larceny, and destruction to happen to thousands of innocent people!

The hyper-capitalistic puppet masters of the invisible build Frankenstein's monster.......2007-08-21

Imagine starting a company that comes up with the idea of selling potential without actually realizing that potential first. Imagine then without the realization of that potential that loads of people invest in the idea because the CEO's know how to put on a show. Then imagine the idea becoming so big that a whole country invests in the idea. Then imagine that the company selling the idea gets so big that it ends up owning a massive share of that nation's power grid. Then imagine that the company starts telling the power company operators to perform lots of blackouts and downtime so that it can hold the nation to ransom before it turns it back on again by demanding government funds (tax money). Then imagine on top of this that the CEO's just sign themselves big fat paychecks into the tens of millions and decide to head off home when everything is falling apart because someone asked the question... "How does Enron make money?"

While the above schematic might not be the exact way things where actually done, it still is but in a more complex way that this documentary surprising makes simple for everyone to understand. We are dealing with a company that dealt in selling the imagination and then played the evil demigod when it eventually had its way. It is a documentary also about the CEO's and personalities which got too big for a nation to manage. This is when greed becomes hyper-greed and when making millions out of public disasters was considered a normal 9 to 5. Imagine Enron employees just saying `Burn baby burn' while wildfires rage under power lines. Imagine Enron employees finding loopholes in government contracts they designed and calling those ambiguous areas `fat boy' and `death star' to make millions from the gaps. Then stop calling this just imagination. This is the real thing!

Enron is essentially about the abuse of trust. It is about a nation built on freedoms and liberties actually becoming hostage to those freedoms and liberties when extremist capitalists will cash in on anything. This isn't just about cooking the books. This is about cooking independence into slavery so that a few guys could make loads of money.

In a strange sort of way it is hard to actually imagine that these guys did anything wrong in terms of how they developed a very imaginative system of corporation into a business. The tendency for them to exploit a weakness in a deal was bad character, but nothing that is that unusual in today's world. All this is considered somewhat expected in big business except for one thing. They did all this by gambling with the savings of over 20,000 US Citizens (most of them Joe Soap families with kids) while they also played with the national power grid (how many people indirectly died and suffered remains uncertain but real) to either make more money or to get their own backsides off the hook. In a way people everywhere look up to models like this but in the end Disneyland just isn't real and that is what is important to learn (and some former CEOs are learning it hard, like Jeffrey Skillings) who is serving 24 years and 4 months in prison.

A Disappointment.......2007-08-14

Could have been a seminal work on some of the most egregious robber-barons of the 1990's, but succumbed to a ridiculous partisanship characterized by heavy-handed Bush-bashing -- how tiresome (this even tho Kenny-Boy was head of Ann Richards's finance committee when Bush challenged her). Meanwhile, one of the documentary's great moralizers was investigations-target Bill Lerach, and one of the chief complainers was the since-recalled Gray Davis, who was so incompetent he couldn't sell beer on a troopship.

Entertaining, not thorough & informative.......2007-07-23

It was too dramatized, I thought. Also I didn't like the stripper scene because it was too long and too much nudity for my taste... gross. You lose concentration from what they're talking about. They could have just narrated the story about the strippers, why show so much nudity in a corporate scandal documentary???
Better off reading the book called "Conspiracy of Fools"... very good reading material and informative, not too dramatic like this "documentary"

Average customer rating:

An eerie, sometimes JOLTING winner.
Evil Room

1408 (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: John Cusack , Samuel L. Jackson , Tony Shalhoub , Mary McCormack , and Kate Walsh
Director: Mikael Håfström
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000TJ6PBK
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Description

(Thriller) Based on a short story by Stephen King, a man who specializes in debunking the paranormal checks into the infamous room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel, only to discover… the terror is real.

Customer Reviews:

An eerie, sometimes JOLTING winner........2007-07-22

Stephen King's literary horror fests (often well-written;almost always in need of editing)are very uneven in their cinematic adaptations. CARRIE;DEAD ZONE and SILVER BULLET are my favorites and nominations for solid screen horror thrillers. I regard Stanley Kubrick/Jack Nicholson effort at"epic"horror,THE SHINING, as great disappointment bordering on abject(pretentious) failure.
Not so 1 4 0 8. This,in my estimate,is nifty,minimalist effort(much of it comprising SHINING-like riffs)that eminently succeeds.The movie(not striving for iconic SK "film"-osity)has superb ambiance and atmospherics
(though once or twice it skirts an unnecessary "Apocalyptic" lurch).The plot is good-to-gripping.ACTING is great.John Cusack's protagonist almost-hero-writer,Mike,is appealing,convincing and complex.(When he gets the s..t scarred-out of his cynical self,so do viewers.)Samuel L.Jackson's role as Hotel Manager/anti-Keeper of the Flame is good as usual.[He's cinematic equivalent of occult mythology's Watcher-on-the Threshold~he "referees"Mike's descent into Hell,keeping score.]
Room 1408 is a nasty,PURGATORY portal.Heaven or Hell will be the outcome in a movie which is occult Quest(comprised of classic SUMMONS;ORDEAL;..
TEMPTATIONS to the max;and RETURN).The initially eerie...eventually terrifying,monster-from-the-Id villain...is ROOM 1408 itself. Signature CARPENTER'S ditty,"We've Only Just Begun" sets a schizo-wacko tempo of the film from annoying to menacing to starkly horrific:HOTEL HELL-CALIFORNIA to the max!

As usual, King's comprise of classic horror elements and "existential" reality--& skepticism--is employed. In 1 4 0 8 it works. By not overdoing the brew(SHINING-it up too mucho),the viewer is treated to good horror with enough authentic jolt to make him not wish for more,and glad that he's not a guest in 1408.

Evil Room.......2007-07-17

Stephen King. What does one think when one hears the name Stephen King? The Master of Horror, a writer of complete schlock that puts the rain forests in danger of extinction, or a mediocre writer who somehow became the world's bestselling writer? As for me, and millions of others, King was my introduction to "adult" fiction when I read The Eyes of the Dragon almost two decades ago. Like many teenagers I went through a major Stephen King period devouring his brick thick books like so many ears of corn. As I grew older and began to read "literary" fiction for the most part I moved away from King's books, but that didn't stop me from reading one or two a year and along with King's books, I have always enjoyed the films, mini-series, and made-for-television films that have been released over the last three decades. Some have been good, some have been bad, and some have been god awful, but they have always had a great entertainment value and sometimes, like his books, they can be truly creepy.

When a friend of mine asked me if I would like to go watch 1408 with him, I knew nothing about the film besides that the room 1408 was located within the Dolphin Hotel which is supposedly homage to the writings of Haruki Murakami. If that is true or not it left me hoping that the film would be more of a psychological horror film than a gore fest. My hopes were answered quite well. 1408 stars John Cusack as Mike Enslin a failed writer of literary fiction who has turned to writing such books as Top Ten Haunted Lighthouses and the like to little acclaim. A bordering alcoholic, Mike does not believe in the supernatural and is more determined to debunk claims of the super natural than anything else. One day after a very unsuccessful book signing, Mike receives an unaddressed post card with the name Dolphin Hotel on it along with the room number 1408. Mike calls the hotel to reserve the room, but is repeatedly turned down. However, supposedly there is a loophole in the law that states that he cannot be turned down to stay in the room, so he is able to make his reservation. There the receptionist directs him to the manager: Gerald Olin portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson. Mr. Olin informs Mike of the numerous deaths that have occurred in the room from suicides and natural causes. Pestered for the reason why he does not want Mike to enter the room Mr. Olin answers that he does not want to deal with the cleanup and asked what the deal with the room is, Mr. Olin answers, "it's an evil f#cking room!" Mike makes his way up to the room and quickly tries to debunk the room because of its mundane features, but things begin to become odd: mints appear on the pillow, the clock radio begins by itself, windows shut violently on their own, and the heat continues to rise. All is relatively fine until the alarm clock begins ticking down from sixty minutes because no one has ever survived more than sixty minutes in the room.

Earlier in this review I mentioned that the luxury hotel was called the Dolphin Hotel in a supposed homage to Murakami Haruki's novels. Within his novel Dance Dance Dance, the dolphin hotel, the original one at least, houses the narrator's memories. Room 1408 is similar to Murakami's Dolphin Hotel, but instead of only housing Mike's memories it also uses them to attack him. 1408 is a very claustrophobic film. Little of the action takes place outside of Room 1408 and the sense of being entrapped is increased by the muted lighting and creative camera angles. The film works on tension. My body felt as if was made of stone at some points because of the tension created while waiting for something to happen and when something did happen it almost made me jump out of my skin. Many have complained that the film's second half is not as good as the first and that it derails a bit. I thought so also, but after reflecting on the film for the last couple of days, room 1408 might be even more sinister that Mr. Olin's line "it's an evil f#cking room" gives it credit for.

Average customer rating:

SWEET DREAMS DVD
Sweet Dreams
Wonderful life story of a rising star.
Not as Sweet as Daughter
This is special

Sweet Dreams
Starring: Jessica Lange , Ed Harris , Ann Wedgeworth , David Clennon , and James Staley
Director: Karel Reisz
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Television | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: 0783114907
Release Date: 1999-06-22

Amazon.com essential video

She wasn't a beauty queen, but country-music star Patsy Cline's voice was a thing of wonder: full-bodied, aching and dreamy at the same time. She came by the torchy emotions in her songs honestly, as shown in this biopic directed by Karel Reisz, rising from poor surroundings, literally forcing her talent on the Nashville establishment, all the while trying to survive an abusive marriage to a drinker. Though the script by Robert Getchell is standard Hollywood biography, the movie is more than watchable, thanks to a bone-deep performance by the always astonishing Jessica Lange and the counterpoint by Ed Harris as her loving but unreliable husband. The soundtrack features a basketful of Cline's hits, which Lange convincingly lip-synchs. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

SWEET DREAMS DVD.......2007-07-09

I am a huge fan of Patsy Cline. This is a great movie which I wanted for my collection.

Sweet Dreams.......2007-06-27

I think that Sweet Dreams is a wonderful movie I have been watching it since it first came out. Jessica Lange and Ed Harris do a wonderful job of acting. It is a well down portrait of the late Pasty Cline.

Wonderful life story of a rising star........2007-03-24

I just can't say enough about how wonderful this movie is.
Even if you are not a big Patsy Cline fan, you will still be mesmerized by this story of her rise to fame.

Back in her day, you actually had to put more footwork into selling youself to the music industry, It wasn't like it is today. You didn't just get famous with a few phone calls and favors down the line. You actually had to have raw talent, the thing so many singers are lacking today, and boy did she have it !!!

Of course, through this movie, it is Patsy's true voice with Jessica Lange lip synching to it.I just love her crystal clear voice. Especially in "Sweet Dreams", "Crazy" and " I fall to Pieces". We also get to hear "Walkin after Midnight" as well as many other favorites.

Her story is pretty intriguing, too. Of her rise to fame, her marriage, her children, and then her sad plane crash.
I really think you will love this as much as I did. And it is a movie you will watch over and over because it is that good.

If you saw, and liked "Coal Miner's Daughter" - You will absolutely LOVE Sweet Dreams !!!!

Not as Sweet as Daughter.......2007-03-12

"Sweet Dreams" was good, but not as good as "Coal Miner's Daughter." Lange did a decent enough job lip-synching, but Sissy Spacek's performance in "Coal Miner's" was outstanding. Beverly D'Angelo as Patsy in "Coal Miner's" was actually more believable, both in terms of looks and actual singing. "Sweet Dreams" is still a should-see movie for any Patsy Cline fan.

This is special.......2007-01-10

Patsy Cline, Jessica Lange, what more do we need. Let me tell you this is a definitive example of Country Music at its best. I fell in love with Patsy in 1960 and the affair has lasted 46 years. Her music is timeless. This movie has a great cast, is well acted and is not the usual stumbling memorial to a star long gone. For CM enthusiasts or for those who haven't learned the truth yet but need converting, this is a classic movie with the BEST music and sound track.

The War That Made America: The Story of the French and Indian War

Average customer rating:

one of my favorite history docs
A great documentary on an overlooked war.
Enjoyable to watch
Understanding The French and Indian War
Amazing

The War That Made America: The Story of the French and Indian War
Starring: Larry Nehring , Shane Callahan , John D. Bert , Douglass Bowen Flynn , and Alex Coleman
Director: Eric Stange , and Ben Loeterman
Manufacturer: PBS (Direct)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All | PBS | Specialty Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000E1MXZ0
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Description

What if the French had won? Almost 250 years ago, French and English armies clashed in the primeval forest of western Pennsylvania as they struggled to control the most important piece of real estate in 18th century North America. The army that controlled the forks of the Ohio, a confluence of mighty rivers that would one day become Pittsburgh, held the gateway to the entire continent. Native Americans boldly tried to manipulate the balance of military power between the English and the French. It was the French and Indian War, and an inexperienced Virginian soldier named George Washington, serving under the British flag, learned battle-scarred lessons that would indelibly shape his life.

Customer Reviews:

one of my favorite history docs.......2007-07-26

I knew basically nothing about the F&I War before watching this... about 6 times so far. It's a really well done production, highly informative, and gives you a good feel for the eastern US as a wilderness in contention. Hard to imagine that where the Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh now stands was once a coveted spot in an ocean of trees.

Footnote: It didn't matter who won what war, as the settlers were coming one way or another. But it still is a fascinating point in time.

A great documentary on an overlooked war........2007-07-03

They hit all of the high points in the struggle between France and Britain for the new world. They do an excellent job of summarizing the conflict through dramatizations. Very interesting and easy to follow as well. They do leave out numerous details and skirmishes, however they do a wonderful job covering the war in a reasonable amount of time.

Enjoyable to watch.......2007-05-21

For a non-native American like me, this is my first touch about this history. On the whole, it's pretty smooth, well-organized and detailed. The actors/actresses in this film perform well and get the job done.

Although the French are outnumbered by the British in that period, they allied with the Indians and defeated the British many times. The British first got the support from the colonists by treating them with respect. Then, they realized they need to respect these Indians as well and thus turned the tide of this war. Finally, the British won the war and the French were dispelled out of the North America. The British, however, didn't manage this territory well after winning the war. Their policy favored the Indians but didn't fit the interest of the colonists, which ultimately brought on the Revolution War.

I think the chapters of the French and Indian War are well set in this film. I enjoy the whole watching very much. The impact to the Revolution War, however, seems not thorough enough for me. It's kind of rush, in my opinion. It would be good to have more discussions or deeper analysis for the linkage.

This film is definitely a must-have for anyone having interest in the American history. In addition, the perspectives of Indians are well described. They are not that bad as barbarians, but have their own ways of living and believing.

Understanding The French and Indian War.......2007-05-01

"The War That Made America - The Story of the French and Indian War" is a fascinating documentary on the French and Indian War (also known in Europe as the Seven Years War), mostly focusing on George Washington's role in the war. It is more like a movie than a documentary, using extensive reenactments of events with many actors playing some of the important figures of the war, most important being Larry Nehring as George Washington. The actors will sometimes break the fourth wall; look directly into the camera and address you, the viewer. Instead of this being a distraction, I actually felt that it quickly engrossed you, made you more than a viewer of the movie, but a participant in the events. Academy Award-nominated actor Graham Greene (who's ancestors are the Ohsweken Indians) narrates the film though out. The film starts out with the Washington witnessing the cold blooded execution of a French soldier by Tanaghrisson, the Ohio Seneca known as the Half King. This triggers events that quickly spiral out of control to start a long campaign of forested skirmishes (not a lot of full scale battles like the European wars at the time) as the French and British fight for control over North America (mostly from modern day northeastern Canada to western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio). In the film Washington learns a lot of the craft of war that he will use later in the American Revolution. But it is more than that, the basic message is that the French and Indian War was not just a prelude to the War for Independence, it was it's own distinctive war with it's own causes. The film also discusses a major factor in the war, the Indians. The Indians were playing both countries for years, mostly as information brokers. They were thought of as evil Godless savages, but in truth they were only doing what they had to do to keep their people alive, and their women slaves were actually treated pretty well. But they were victims of racist attitudes of the whites, and the British sending the Indians blankets with small pocks germs on them was especially mean, an incident that most would like to forget. This is a great movie, I whole heartedly recommend it.

In a side note there is the book "The War that Made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War" by Fred Anderson. It's a great book that expands on the movie. It's also recommended.

Amazing.......2007-02-22

This pbs film series is very well done and I learned much by watching it. I am a Social Studies teacher and I wish I had the time to show this entire film to my classes.

A must see for all historians, teachers, and history buffs of this time period.

Scary Movie 4 (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

My Bowels Have Stopped...Why!!!
Great Parody.
A comedy that pokes fun at scary movies.
Cornball Sophmoric Parody
Hit and Miss Comedy, Just Average

Scary Movie 4 (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Craig Bierko , Chris Elliott , Kevin Hart , James Earl Jones , and Cloris Leachman
Director: David Zucker
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000FOQ1KY
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Amazon.com

Some comedy is like a scalpel; the Scary Movie series is a hand grenade, spewing bodily fluids and big-breasted women in all directions as they lampoon the latest horror. In Scary Movie 4's case, the main targets are War of the Worlds, The Village, The Grudge, Saw, and Tom Cruise jumping all over Oprah's couch (the scariest of the lot). Along the way, potshots get taken at non-horror fare like Brokeback Mountain and Million Dollar Baby, as well as obvious targets like Michael Jackson and George W. Bush, among others. Anna Faris (Lost in Translation) and Regina Hall (The Honeymooners) return as the central characters wandering through a crazy quilt of horror scenarios, joined by Craig Bierko (Cinderella Man) doing a dead-on parody of Cruise at his most manic. Cameos include everyone from Charlie Sheen to Shaquille O'Neal to Carmen Electra. Some of it's funny, some of it's not, but there's a generally buoyant zaniness that comes from director David Zucker, one of the creators of Airplane!, which started the whole firehose-of-jokes aesthetic. --Bret Fetzer

Description

The Scary Movie gang is back for their funniest, most fearless installment yet. -Starring Anna Faris & Regina Hall (previous Scary Movie films), Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun, Airplane), Carmen Electra (Cheaper by the Dozen 2)

Customer Reviews:

My Bowels Have Stopped...Why!!!.......2007-08-25

The Scary Movie series always does a great job at joking around with the horror movies of the year, and it still hasn't failed to make me laugh. If you liked the first three, then you will also like this movie as well. You know it's a cool movie is Mike Tyson is on the movie spoofing his infamous biting the ear scene. This is the best series since Hot Shots and really hope that this series contiues, just non stop laughs the entire time

Great Parody........2007-07-03

After seeing a preview for Scary Movie 4, I knew that I had to have it. It was simply hilarious. I thought that they would run out of material after the third movie, but this was surely just as funny.

I definitely chuckled more than a few time at the amusements that this video ensued. I especially loved the Tom Cruise/Oprah ending, and the Brokeback Mountain sequence.

Ok, So this movie may not be the best movie I have ever seen, but it did make me laugh for a couple of hours.

Scary Movie 4 is a great parody!

A comedy that pokes fun at scary movies........2007-06-13

If you've seen any of the 4 Scary Movies, you know what they're about. They're comedies that poke fun at scary movies. They don't have any real story line. They're just there to make us laugh.

So what's to like about this movie? There are quite a few jokes that had me laughing out loud. Some of the funny parts remind me of my own weird sense of humor and it's good to see a movie that contains not-so-typical/predictable jokes. Also, it's good to see the same old characters again in this movie (if you've seen Scary Movie 2, you'll appreciate the fact that the "Take my little land!" guy is in this one as well).

What's not to like about this movie? There's a couple of things. First, if you're not a horror movie fan (or if you haven't been to the movie theatre in a while), you may not understand some of the jokes and/or part of the plot. The majority of this movie is based on the movie "The Grudge" and "War of the Worlds". If you haven't seen both of these movies (or at least know in general what they are about), it's easy to get confused. Also, as I said above, if you're expecting a really good story line, don't even bother. All of the movies in the Scary Movie line are basically just random scenes thrown together to gain some laughs that will come together to create an ending (and not even a good one at that).

My rating: 3.5/5 stars. If you've seen any of the other Scary Movies, you'll know what to expect. If you haven't seen them or you aren't a horror movie fan, you may be disappointed.

Cornball Sophmoric Parody.......2007-06-05

I actually founds some parts of this film amusing. I'm a big "war of the world's" fan, so when I saw this film was going to spoof it, I checked it out. Yeah, I'm not a fan of the potty humor (the scene with the old woman getting the sponge bath), or homophobic jokes (Brokeback Mountain parody), some of this film had some amusing bits. Tom on the Winfrey show. The Michael Jackson 'cameo' when the Tripods are attacking, the scene where "Tom" is trying to take the minivan.

Other scenes were just lame. (The beginning Saw scene), The scene in the Village.

I really can't see rating this film any more than 2 stars. It was Trash TV. But some of the scenes were well done, and I thought the actors: particularly the Tom character and his daughter (dead ringer for the kid in the actual movie), did an excellent job.

Recommend this film for adults only. Too much sex and potty humor for the kiddies.

Hit and Miss Comedy, Just Average.......2007-05-28

"Scary Movie" franchise still goes on, with lots of parodies about the recent hit movies such as "War of the Worlds" "SAW" "The Village" and "The Grudge." David Zucker who also helmed the second sequel "Scary Movie 3" throws in lots of gags with his trademark zany humor. He just cannot sit still behind the camera. He is always trying to find something to joke about and the results are hit-and-miss.

Each gag or parody should be seen for yourself. Some are very funny, some unfunny and misguided, and all in all, well, just good. One sad thing for me is that the glorious days of comedies in the 1980s like "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" are gone. Funny as they are, the gags of "Scary Movie 4" still look repetitious and predictable for the fans like me who have seen these classics 20 years ago.

Maybe the filmmakers should have chosen some other materials for parody. The combined story of sci-fi big budget "War of the Worlds" and Japanese horror remake "The Grudge" is not likely to work, so are the occasional flashbacks that are inserted for the sole purpose of introducing another parody of "Million Dollar Baby" and others. Or maybe some jokes are not just funny when a little girl (spoof of Dakota Fanning's screaming girl in "WOTW") is forced to suffer numerous painful experiences repeatedly. Or just maybe, Charlie Sheen (who appears as cameo here) should be in the lead instead of Craig Bierko, who is, I think, miscast as "Tom Ryan."

The film makes fun of at least three internationally famous people - Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, and President of the United States of America (the last one done by Leslie Nielsen). I don't say it's not funny - yes, I laughed, I admit - but the targets are too familiar and the jokes are too obvious. The many cameos (including James Earl Jones, Doctor Phil McGraw and many others) are surely interesting to see, but some originality in the plot or humor would not hurt.

I really like comedies of David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, and lovely Anna Faris who has returned to the film as "Cindy." She shows her comedic talent again, and the film is benefited from its surprisingly good (and costly) production designs and special effects for this genre. What it needs is the laughs up to the standard of the past masterpieces.

Average customer rating:

I liked it-good acting by Cusack.....
1408....early DVD Review
Good
Defying gravity

1408 (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: John Cusack , Samuel L. Jackson , Tony Shalhoub , Mary McCormack , and Kate Walsh
Director: Mikael Håfström
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000TJ6PBU
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Description

(Thriller) Based on a short story by Stephen King, a man who specializes in debunking the paranormal checks into the infamous room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel, only to discover… the terror is real.

Customer Reviews:

I liked it-good acting by Cusack............2007-09-02

This movie was made from a short story by Stephen King, 1408 is like a minibar version of Stanley Kubrick's take on The Shining: everything that made that film great has been reduced here into something smaller in scale that's easier to consume but significantly less satisfying. Another film about a writer being driven insane by an evil hotel, it offers a refreshing stop-over for horror fans seeking a rest from the torture porn excesses of Saw and Hostel, yet boasts none of the complexity, the intellectual nourishment or the intense creepiness of Kubrick's thematically similar horror masterpiece.
What it does have in its favour is John Cusack.
He plays Mike Enslin, a failed novelist who has managed to make a living debunking the presence of ghosts, ghouls and poltergeists in a series of bestselling guidebooks to America's most haunted hotels. His usual trick is to travel to some roadside motel where he'll be eagerly greeted by proprietors ready to regale him with tales of grizzly suicides and malign spirits haunting the rooms. He then tries to settle in for a good night's sleep, after making some effort towards, if not quite professionalism, then at least taking the job half-seriously.
This all changes when he receives an anonymous postcard imploring him not to enter room 1408 in Manhattan's upscale Dolphin hotel. His interest suitably piqued, he calls up to reserve the room, only to be told it's unavailable - at all times. With the aid of his publisher's legal team, however, he manages to secure a reservation and flies from his home in California to check in, only to be greeted by the hotel's creepily officious manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel L Jackson), who pleads with him to take an alternative suite.
His reasoning is simple---Four people have died horrible deaths under his watch and, in its 95-year existence, a litany of people have lost their lives by torturous means. Nevertheless, Mike is determined to check in and, sensing he's fighting a losing battle, Olin allows him to do so, ominously leaving him at the room's door to face a whole host of personal demons and malevolent spirits.
Once he's shut off and isolated in the room, Cusack is also the kind of actor you don't mind spending the majority of a movie with, and he's great when Mike's cynicism gives way to disbelief and outright terror. The film has a few neat touches, too--I won`t give then away....
It's too bad the film eventually goes overboard with CGI effects, but heck it kept me interested for a couple of hours.

1408....early DVD Review.......2007-08-23

I know what your saying, "This DVD isn't out yet" Well, your right. Living in NY and having access to the right sources, I stumbled upon this Stephen King based movie. *Quick Shout to the source who gave me this sweet copy* With a movies such as Pet Semetary I and II, Children of The Corn II-IV, Dreamcatcher, and Firestarter 2, lets just say Stephen King doesn't have a great track record when it comes to movies (Green Mile and The Shining are a few exceptions). 1408, however could join those exceptions....

Plot: When Mike Enslin's (John Cusack) daugher died, Enslin became obsessed with the paranormal and "other side." After years of being a paranormal investagtor and writer, he hasn't made contact with any one or any thing. Until one day, he hears about the Dolphin Hotel and room 1408. He decides to stay in the room, even against the wishes of Hotel Manager Mr. Olin (Sam L. Jackson). Mr. Enslin wants to see if 1408 is as haunted as Mr. Olin is leading on...

Synopsis: 1408 is a well written and acted movie. Rather force feed the audience gore and blood like Saw or Hostel, they get under your skin from a psychological approach. 1408 never gets explained, it is a room where your personal demons come to the forefront and you have to confront them. Instead of dealing with a Jason or Michael Myers, Enslin has to deal with his mind and images that try to confuse him. All while trying to keep his sanity.

John Cusack shines in this movie, his character is a believable guy. For him to hold your focus while in a room for an hour, he has to be doing something right. On the other hand, Samuel L. Jackson is a waste of character. Anyone could have played that role and told Enslin to stay out the room.

Final Analysis: While not a bad movie, 1408 isn't that good. I would have to place it in between his great (The Shining) and terrible(Rosy Red) movies, some where next to Thinner. Granted it is only an hour and a half, but some type of background for the room or even getting to know Mr. Olin more, would have help the story. There are certain movies, that a director wants the audience to come up with their own ending, and this is one of those movies. If I wasn't in the pleasure of my house, I would have thrown my pretzels at the TV screen. Thanks to a weak ending and too many loop holes, I have to give this movie....
6.5 out of 10!

Good.......2007-08-21

1408 is a great story but dont expect to much horror. Its John Cusack's performance is amazing and its a great look at how people can go mad. Samuel L Jackson has a great part but its a bit part. The movie starts basically with a few little giggles but dont expect to much horror. Its about a man dealing with the lose of his child. I thought the ending was cheap but alas, it wasnt the ending. Id highly recommend this movie. The real ending brought chills up my spine and that is something that never happens.

Defying gravity.......2007-08-18

Surely the best horror movie that I have seen for a long time. A magnificent one-man-show by Cusack. Yes, Jackson is also there, in a good small part. Everybody else is secondary. Of course apart from the hotel room.
Cusack is a possibly talented (how would we know?) young writer who wastes his talent with trashy non-fiction about haunted places. You see where this leads, but it is so far above expectations. Of course he also has his private tragedy in his bio, which of course plays an important part in the story.
A question for literary research: is there a relation between King's story and Murakami's novel about the Wild Sheep Chase? Who is quoting whom with the odd Hotel Dolphin? Of course King's hotel goes quite a few steps further than Murakami's. On the other hand, the time warp with the surf board is straight out of a Murakami novel. Not to forget it is also a quote from Ambrose Bierce.
Marvellous stuff for unserious people who hate bad workmanship. There is none here.

Average customer rating:

A beautiful retelling of a favorite classic!
Wonderful version of an age old classic!
An Undiscovered Classic
A Christmas Carol: The Musical
great movie

A Christmas Carol: The Musical
Starring: Jason Alexander , Brian Bedford , Geraldine Chaplin , Kelsey Grammer , and Jane Krakowski
Director: Arthur A. Seidelman
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000ARTMWK
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Product Description

The Holiday Heart-Warmer Like You've Never Seen - Or Heard - Before!

Kelsey Grammer brings Ebenezer Scrooge to life in this musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale.

System Requirements:

Running Time 97 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

A musical setting for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a natural, and this holiday TV-movie (based on the Broadway version) generously crams music into its quick spin through the venerable story. Kelsey Grammer uses his musical pipes (and some of his "master thespian" style of acting) as Ebenezer Scrooge, the man whose miserliness needs no introduction here. There's some experienced musical-comedy talent in the cast, from small roles to large, with expert stuff from Jesse L. Martin (who was in Rent, the Broadway musical, before he joined the Law & Order team) as the ghost of Christmas Present and Jane Krakowski as the ghost of Christmas Past. Jason Alexander, another TV person with a background in stage musicals, does deftly as the chain-rattling Jacob Marley's ghost (and his number is one of the most tuneful of the mixed bag of songs). Alan Menken, the veteran tunesmith of Beauty and the Beast fame, contributes the music, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime); the bigger numbers are spirited but a little rote. (The Styne-Merrill songs from a wackier version of the story, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, are a more memorable bunch.) This version moves so quickly across the main points of the story that Scrooge's redemption feels a tad rushed, but maybe the songs are supposed to be the point. Still, the razzle-berry dressing is missed. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful retelling of a favorite classic!.......2007-01-30

Out of all of the movies made to tell the age old story of Charles Dickens', "A Christmas Carol" this is my favorite hands down. The music makes this movie a stunning and sheer delight. Kelsey Grammer & Jennifer Love Hewitt both star and give a wonderful performace. You and your family won't be disappointed.

Wonderful version of an age old classic!.......2007-01-15

I have been a Christmas Carol fan since my childhood - anytime of year& any version - I love the story. I stumbled onto this version one night on TV and fell in love with it. If you enjoy musicals you will enjoy this one. The lyrics are great and the cast is fun - you will recognize everyone from your favorite TV shows. The performances are excellent.

An Undiscovered Classic.......2007-01-12

This is an outstanding movie presentation of the Broadway play. It is a must have for every family who believes their next year can be better!! It is also a must have for everyone who has little access and great passion for Broadway musicals!!

A Christmas Carol: The Musical.......2007-01-11

It was the classic story, with some really great singers. Jesse Martin was great. I loved it and so did my kids.

great movie.......2007-01-09

My husband and I saw this movie when it aired on the TV a couple of years ago. We were so excited when we found it. It's great. My six year old daughter even loved it. The music is wonderful. Over all a great movie very well done.

Average customer rating:

Hollywood Show Business
Ava
started out great, then went bad
Ava Gardner acted with the distracted air of a woman searching for something she cannot quite define...
The Barefoot Contessa

The Barefoot Contessa
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Ava Gardner , Edmond O'Brien , Marius Goring , and Valentina Cortese
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B00005AUK7
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Customer Reviews:

Hollywood Show Business.......2007-08-20

It is a rainy day at the cemetery where Maria D'Amata is being interred. There is a statue marking her grave. Harry reminisces about her beginnings as a dancer in Spain. A rich heir was visiting Spain to look for a new face. Kirk Edwards is proud and arrogant. We learn a little about show business. [There is some unconscious humor here.] Harry must persuade Maria to do a screen test for Kirk. Maria tells Harry about herself and her life. Maria's screen test was successful, and she went to Hollywood. Maria's successful film was followed by a scandal in her family. She testified at the murder trial.

There is more humor in the talk from a rich South American playboy. Oscar explains public relations. Maria is unhappy in her life, in spite of three hit movies. There is a discussion on personal philosophy. Then an argument between the two rich men. Unexpected results follow. The film shows the International set at Cannes. Does money buy happiness? [If you know where to shop.] Maria meets a count, her future husband. [The film seems to be padded to extend the story.] Cinderella meets her Prince at an opportune time. The Torlata-Fabrini family goes back centuries, to the era of Cesare Borgia. Will the line die out? [More talk pads out this film.] They are married in church. But Maria gets a surprise on her honeymoon [Can a woman who dances in a gypsy camp be so naive?]. "Will life louse up the script?" This subject is handled with subtlety. There are always unforeseen reactions when dealing with human nature and its emotions. Will Maria's happiness depart as quickly as it arrived? [Will you be happy when this film finally ends?]

What does this film say about Hollywood and its fantasies? Did they have to go abroad to tell about the business of filmed entertainment? This is a love story about a poor girl who gets involved with a rich man. Don't expect them to live happily ever after.
Ava Gardner does not dance in this film.

Ava.......2007-04-11

There will be other Monroes, Madonnas, Hepburns, etc. There will only ever be 1 Ava Gardner. She was "everywoman" with amazing sex appeal and kindness. She never forgot she was a small town girl who got lucky.

started out great, then went bad.......2007-02-07

I watched this movie with great anticipation. It is very well acted and starts out great. It's the story of a young Spanish woman who comes to America to star in movies. She has had an extremely hard life and wants to get away from it all. She becomes an overnight star and has everything, except love. She meets and falls in love with a Count and that's where the story goes horribly wrong. Basically, she finds out, on their wedding night, he can't fufill her in marriage, so she has an affair. She gets pregnant, which she is excited about, and then her husband finds out about the affair, but not the pregnancy, and kills her and the man she has the affair with.
It was a horrible ending to an, otherwise, great movie.

Ava Gardner acted with the distracted air of a woman searching for something she cannot quite define..........2006-12-18

Ava Gardner replaced Rita Hayworth, in the late forties and early fifties, as Hollywood's leading love goddess... She was less sparkly than Rita, and her reign, coming just before Marilyn Monroe's, was a short one, but she had certain symbolic virtues that were not to be denied... There is indeed an animal quality about her sensuality... She is a proud, restless tigress, sure of her powers, yet confused about their proper uses...

"The Barefoot Contessa," opens at the rain-drenched gravesite of actress Maria Vargas (Ava Gardner) where the people who were involved with her recount how she arrived at this stern destination... They include Bogart as a film director and Edmond O'Brien, who won an Academy Award for his performance as a loud-mouthed press agent...

Bogart relates how he was hired to write a screenplay featuring a new glamor girl... He and a rude millionaire interested in movie-making (Warren Stevens) discover Maria dancing in a Madrid cabaret and choose her as their leading lady... She becomes an overnight sensation and helps Bogart regain his lost stature... The remainder of this overlong film then turns to pretentious soap-opera, building to a climax in which Maria and a boyfriend are in face of an impotent husband...

The film was populated by harsh, self-indulgent, and unsavory men who all came off second-best to Bogart, a cynical but comparatively likable character...

The plot had strong cinematic possibilities, but the script by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who also directed, had ambiguous passages, overly ornate, and ultimately tiresome...

The Barefoot Contessa.......2006-11-10

Nothing much to write of. Excellent casting, the story holds up well, not dated. An all time favorite of mine.

Average customer rating:

If you like Johnny Cash, you'll like this
The Gospel Road
The Gospel Road
Excellent film
Surreal Johnny Cash Art Flick Twist to the Jesus Story...

The Gospel Road
Starring: June Carter Cash , Johnny Cash , Kris Kristofferson , Larry Lee , and Paul L. Smith
Director: Robert Elfstrom
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000E8N8SE
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Description

Johnny Cash, the legendary Man in Black, telling the story of Jesus Christ as only he can tell it ? from the heart with no compromises!! Cash stars in, sings, and narrates this timeless tale of faith, courage, and one man's selfless acts of kindness and charity. Featuring original songs by Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, and Kris Kristofferson, and written and produced by Cash, The Gospel Road is his most passionate labor of love. Join country music's greatest star on this inspirational journey.

Customer Reviews:

If you like Johnny Cash, you'll like this.......2007-08-23

This DVD was what I expected it to be, Johnny Cash telling the Gospel story. It was a little long for me but other than that I think Johnny and June did a great job.

The Gospel Road.......2007-03-10

Our church showed this movie in the mid '70's. Several years ago I was able to 'win' a copy (VHS) on e-bay. When the DVD came out I HAD to have one. Wonder when or if they will re-release the "soundtrack" on CD? I have it on vinyl. (NO record player now)

The Gospel Road.......2007-02-18

Johnny Cash takes the truth of Christ's life and death and makes a very sensitive and touching movie that is bound to draw people to the person, Jesus Christ,the only thing that makes sense in this sad and lonely world.

Excellent film.......2007-01-09

The film is very moving and can be given an excellent for the story. As it was filmed in the 1970's the pictures are a little wierd compared to what we used to seeing in today's cinema but the film is still a good one.

Surreal Johnny Cash Art Flick Twist to the Jesus Story..........2006-11-25

This is one strange dramatization of the story of Jesus as narrated by Johnny Cash in his down home, ever cool style, walking along the Galilee or perched atop a high cliff, Bible in hand. Two prominent themes of this Cash version are (1) that Jesus died for all people of all time (especially brought home in the startling crucifixion scene), and (2) that Jesus' journey was very solitary--even when he was amidst crowds. There are very few actors in the film, and even crowd scenes, such as Jesus entering Jerusalem on the donkey, sometimes have no people at all, though they may have a mob of voices heard but not seen.

Those who are sticklers to Biblical chronology and precision, probably would not like this movie, since it employs quite a bit of artistic license and some doubtful interpretations or statements. Also, the movie is weak as an evangelistic film, as it emphasizes the nice, inoffensive pitiable side of Jesus, his healing ministry, love for children, and so on, and largely (but not entirely) skips over sin, need of repentance, repeated confrontation with the Jewish religious leaders, and so on.

Except for brief words from John the Baptist, only Mary Magdalene, played by June Cash, southern accent and all, has a speaking part. The bright blond hair and blue eyes of Jesus are striking, but as the movie obviously doesn't attempt to give a realistic interpretation, those physical qualities only made Jesus stand out in an even more other worldly way apart from his dark-haired disciples, again heightening his separateness, uniqueness. The movie's pace is very laid back, with many scenes of the Sea of Galilee, naked Judean hills (again the aloneness motif), Jordan River, or Galilean hills. The country music adds a nice touch as does Cash's friendly voice.

Because of its uniquenes and artistic liberties, I'm hesitant to recommend it for everyone, but I liked it, if only for the poignant crucifixion scene.

Average customer rating:

A Great Western Love Story
Films don't age well
An unusual take on a Western love story - grossly overrated by other reviews
for me this is the most accessible of peckinpahs movies
Butterfly Mornings... and Wild Flower Afternoons

The Ballad of Cable Hogue
Starring: Jason Robards , Stella Stevens , David Warner , Strother Martin , and Slim Pickens
Director: Sam Peckinpah , and Nick Redman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs as Low as $7.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000BT96DM
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Amazon.com essential video

What does it tell us that Sam Peckinpah's most joyous and life-affirming movie is also his most underappreciated? The Ballad of Cable Hogue was made in that singular moment when, having just completed The Wild Bunch, Peckinpah knew he was back in the game as a feature-film director; and before anyone (including Peckinpah himself?) had an inkling of how completely he was about to redefine the Western genre, contemporary American filmmaking, and his own personal legend.

Cable Hogue is a splendiferous entertainment: a grufty Western tall tale, a lusty comedy, and also (in critic Kathleen Murphy's phrase) "a musical about the economic and emotional complexities of capitalism." Its title character--Jason Robards in a great, exuberant gift of a performance--is an ornery varmint left by two scurrilous partners (L.Q. Jones and Strother Martin) to die in the desert. Through pure cussedness and what may be dumb luck, may be divine intervention, he "finds water where it wasn't" and survives. Nothing to do now but settle back, let his waterhole--the only one on the stage line between Deaddog and Gila--make him a rich man, and await the day those two old partners drop by his waystation.

Besides such Peckinpah regulars as Slim Pickens, R.G. Armstrong, and Gene Evans, the movie features Stella Stevens in her career-best role as Hildy, Hogue's best reason for getting into town now and again, and David Warner, an itinerant preacher and full-time lech who becomes his soulmate. Lucien Ballard photographed, and there's a charming song score (by Richard Gillis) whose neglect is as mystifying as that of the film. Above all, there is Sam Peckinpah exulting in the lyrical, heart-filling possibilities of making a motion picture, trying just about anything, and finding it beautiful. This film was his personal favorite. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Sam Peckinpah's light-hearted, rambunctious ode to the dying Wild West, with Jason Robards as a rascally prospector who transforms a desert water-hole into big business. Year: 1970 Director: Sam Peckinpah Starring: Jason Robards, Stella Stevens, David Warner

Customer Reviews:

A Great Western Love Story.......2007-09-11

I bought this movie for my husband who loves westerns and he has watched it several times and enjoys it, the more he watches it. He especially loves the music.

Films don't age well.......2007-09-08

There are films that are not just movies to me--"The Sound of Music," "The Last Tycoon," "Chariots of Fire," "The Purple Rose of Cairo". . . Yet, I won't watch them again; I'm certain, for some reason, they would be disappointing on review.
Had I seen "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" in 1970 I would have loved it. There is great stuff here: a smiling $5.00 bill, a beautiful heroine with pretty underwear, a eulogy for, what?--individualism, a frontier way of life, and. . .
But the corn shows, too. The film has, perhaps as all films must, not aged well.

An unusual take on a Western love story - grossly overrated by other reviews.......2007-08-20

This light-hearted Western romance displays little of the violence for which Peckinpah is famous. Judging from the tagline, you'ld think that this was a simple film about revenge, but it is, in fact, an unusual love story and a tale of a man looking to define his life. Cable Hogue (played by Jason Robards) is abandoned by his comrades in the desert and left to die. He stumbles upon an unknown spring and survives. It turns out that the spring is also on an important stagecoach route, so he ultimately makes a fortune by making this watering hole a regular stop of the stage. All the while he is waiting for his former comrades to drop by. In the meantime, he falls in with a lascivious priest and in love with a prostitute. An entertaining, and at times, hilarious film, but certainly not the all-time classic that some of the other reviewers would lead you to believe. This film definitely has the post-Easy Rider, 70s type angst overlaying the entire story. The characters are searching for something in their life, but they aren't sure what it is. Some type of meaning perhaps? Would they even recognize it if they found it? Perhaps only on their deathbed. Does Cable ultimately find fulfillment with great wealth, love, and revenge? The word Ballad in the title is appropriate, as this is really a ballad about Cable Hogue's life. A different Western from those made by Clint Eastwood or a fading John Wayne in the same era, but not uniquely memorable.

for me this is the most accessible of peckinpahs movies.......2007-04-22

jason robards made a magnificent western ("once upon a time in the west") the year before, and he excels here as a drifter who comes upon the only watering hole on a stage route, and turns it into a thriving business. all the while falling in love with hooker stella stevens; forging an odd friendship with gantryesque preacher david warner; and plotting revenge against the ex-partners who had left him for dead. the movie is possibly sam peckinpahs best, and sits in an odd spot as the huge flop right between "wild bunch" and "straw dogs": his two biggest hits. absolutely worth your time, and be sure to listen to the dvd commentary by a panel of peckinpah mavens: one of the rare times those tracks offers valuable insight to the movie.

Butterfly Mornings... and Wild Flower Afternoons .......2007-02-25

That song will never leave your head after seeing this film; what a beautiful song! This is the last of Peckinpah's films I have seen, and I must say, it is the best, followed by "Straw Dogs", "Pat Garret" and "Ride the High Country." Cable Hogue found water where it wasn't - and thus begins "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" (1970). Jason Robards delivers one of his best performances, similar to the character he played in "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1969), in a film that is perhaps Sam Peckinpah's best! Left to die in the desert by his so called friends (L.Q. Jones and Stother Martin), Cable wanders about asking God for a helping hand. Near death by thirst, Cable finally stumbles upon water, and begins an enterprise called "Cable Springs"; a reststop for weary travelers along the stagecoach trail. Once in town he falls in love with Hildy, "the ladiest damn'd lady" - a whore nonetheless, while befriending a wandering preacher who expounds in theories of life and love. Peckinpah's lyrical poetry is extraordinary as it is both charming and fascinating; brought to life with the wonderful photography by Lucien Ballard, and the heartwarming score by Richard Gillis. This is a film you will thoroughly enjoy, covering themes often familiar to Peckinpah's films, as the old west dies out, while the heart and spirit remain intact.

DVD:

DVD

DVD