Slaughterhouse Five

Product Description

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. s classic novel comes to life in this haunting and darkly humorous film from acclaimed director George Roy Hill.Billy Pilgrim (Michael Sacks) is an ordinary World War II soldier with one major exception: he has mysteriously become unstuck in time. Billy goes on an uncontrollable trip back and forth from his birth in New York to life on a distant planet and back again to the horrors of the 1945 fire-bombing of Dresden. This dazzling and thought-provoking drama co-stars Ron Leibman and Valerie Perrine.

System Requirements:

Running Time 104 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Billy Pilgrim (Michael Sacks) has a problem with time: he keeps jumping about in his own life, principally between three key scenes. The "present" is a kind of glowing suburban bliss involving a dutiful wife, large house, and presidency of the local Lions; the "past" is being a prisoner of World War II and experiencing the firebombing of Dresden from the wrong side; the "future" takes place in a glass dome on the planet Tralfamadore, to which Billy has been mysteriously spirited along with the woman of his fantasies (Montana Wildhack, played by Valerie Perrine). It isn't meant to make too much sense, since the point is to represent a man (and a century) that has witnessed things too unbearable for a wholly sane person to make sense of. In fact author Kurt Vonnegut's anguished cry on the insanity of war is one of those completely unfilmable books, so director George Roy Hill gets points even for trying. The whole package is thought provoking in a wholly Vonnegutian way. All this, and Glenn Gould playing Bach as well. --Richard Farr

Customer Reviews:

Most Interesting, Captivating and Thought-Provoking Movie!.......2007-09-15

I just love the movie. More thought-provoking than 2001: A Space Oddessy. Makes one think of Time Travel without the use of Time Machines. Some humourous moments. Excellent Philosophy: Ignore the bad moments and remember the good moments in one's life.

However, one problem, poorly packed, jewel case smashed beyond repair, do not have replacement jewel case.

Okay, but the book is better.......2007-07-13

I usually try to read a book before seeing the movie version. In this case, I'm really glad I did. The movie is ok, but the book is much better. In all fairness, it seems as though it would be difficult to convert this from a novel to a movie.

Master of s.f........2007-07-08

I'm just a fan of the decaesed author kurt Vonnegut jr., and the movie dos him credit.

Adequate...Only Supplemental to the Book.......2007-05-31

Slaughterhouse 5 is not unflimable. Nothing is but just because you can doesn't mean you should. The film translation of Vonnegut's masterpiece is nothing special but certainly no embarrassment. Saying a movie is not awful is hardly an endorsement. Leaves alot of the book out, which is understandable. Changes alot of the book and makes basically the same points, which is not understandable. Why not just leave it as is? Competently acted and cleverly directed in an early 70's low budget minimalist sorta way. The book has a certain snap to it that the movie fails to duplicate.

Ordered paper back bu t dvd was sent to my daughter.......2007-05-23

paperback bool ordered, not dvd

Average customer rating:

Most Interesting, Captivating and Thought-Provoking Movie!
Okay, but the book is better
Master of s.f.
Adequate...Only Supplemental to the Book
Ordered paper back bu t dvd was sent to my daughter

Slaughterhouse Five
Starring: Michael Sacks , Ron Leibman , Eugene Roche , Sharon Gans , and Valerie Perrine
Director: George Roy Hill
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

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

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: 6305077592
Release Date: 1998-03-18

Amazon.com essential video

Description

No one will believe Billy Pilgrim (Michael Sacks) when he says he has come "unstuck in time," reliving in aimless order all the events in his life. Living in seclusion in llium, New York, the timid widower is typing out a letter to the local paper about his time treks when suddenly, he is trapped behind German lines in wintry World War II Belgium. Next he is in his wedding bed with his wealthy weighty bride Valencia (Sharon Gans). Interspersed with his leapfrog adventures in time, Billy also finds himself being transported to and from the distant planet Tralfamadore, whose invisible inhabitants enclose him in a glass dome furnished with Sears Roebuck furniture and a kittenish Hollywood starlet (Valerie Perrine), to whom Billy is expected to make love. This big-budget production of Kurt Vonnegut's best-selling, semi-autographical novel, was shot in Czechoslovakia, Minnesota, and the Universial Studios sound stages, under a shroud of secrecy, with no publicist and little information provided to the press. The devout "Vonnegut cult" of college students feared that the complex, highly-stylizwd 1969 novel would defy screen adaptation. Critics differed on the bizarre, dreamlike film, but none could argue with the movie's message that the world is a collection of moments, "and if we're going to survive, it's up to us to concentrate on the good moments and ignore the bad."

Customer Reviews:

Most Interesting, Captivating and Thought-Provoking Movie!.......2007-09-15

Okay, but the book is better.......2007-07-13

Master of s.f........2007-07-08

I'm just a fan of the decaesed author kurt Vonnegut jr., and the movie dos him credit.

Adequate...Only Supplemental to the Book.......2007-05-31

Ordered paper back bu t dvd was sent to my daughter.......2007-05-23

paperback bool ordered, not dvd

DVD:

DVD

DVD