It would have been easy for John Carpenter to stay in George Romero's shadow or remain a cult figure with more "Dark Star"-type entertainment. Instead, JC catapulted his name and franchise into history with the release of EFNY. It contains all the classic elements: a no-compromise anti-hero (Russell), a cast of misfit cohorts who work both for and against his goals (Borgnine, Barbeau, Stanton), an enemy with real dimensions (Hayes), a fantastic and depressingly realistic setting (Manhattan turned into a prison), and an authority we can both respect (van Cleef) and despise (Pleasance). And all of it works extremely well with a no-nonsense plot and storyline. No part of this is so far-fetched that we can't relate to the situation (and who hasn't pictured NYC in this condition one day?) or sympathize with Russell's character Snake Plissken. The worse thing you could say about this cult favorite is the low-key climax. No, you don't get a major battle or explosions as the finale. What you do get is absolutely true-to-form with the rest of the film: Snake walks away after successfully completing his mission (and saving his own skin) and yet can still screw the authority and the society that put him in the situation to begin with...and you find yourself grinning in approval.


Normally I'm not too much a fan of action movies and John Carpenter has never been on my list of favorite directors. In my opinion he only made one good movie, except for this one of course, and that's "Halloween". But as I already said before, even though I'm normally not a fan of this kind of movies or of the man's work, I must say that I'm glad to make an exception when it comes to this movie. "Escape from New York" may well be seen as one of the better action movies of all times and even after 25 years it still gives me a good time when watching it.

Due to huge crime rates in 1997, the US government has changed New York into a maximum security prison where the toughest criminals are put away for life. All the bridges have been mined, a huge wall has been built around the city and a large police force army is stationed near the statue of liberty. Inside this prison it's the survival of the fittest. There are no rules or regulations, except for those made up by the prisoners themselves, making this one of the most dangerous places to be in. When Air Force One, with the President on board, is taken over by a terrorist and crashed into a building, the President is able to escape by ejecting in a pod. But he has landed in the middle of New York and someone needs to get him out of there soon. That's where Snake Plissken comes in. He's an ex-soldier and a new prisoner who is asked to save the President and to find a tape with some important information. In return his sentence will be canceled and Plissken will be a free man again. He agrees, but to make sure that he will return on time, they inject him with a small but powerful explosive that will only be destroyed if his mission is successful. So now he does not only have to take care of the President and try to stay alive in between all those criminals, he also has a lot of time pressure...

I must say that this movie reminded me a lot of the Australian "Mad Max"-movies, especially the second one. In case you are wondering if that is a good or a bad thing: I liked those movies and yes I like this one as well. Despite the fact that it was made in 1981, this movie still feels quite futuristic. OK, we know that 1997 wasn't like this, but that doesn't really matter this time. If they had set the date to 2097, this would still have been the same movie and then we wouldn't have know that this was impossible. And the fact that some details show the real age of the movie isn't a bad thing either. Take for instance the computers. They used a lot of flashing lights and stuff like that, but those are only some small details which shouldn't spoil your fun. The acting in this movie is OK as well. This may well have been one of Kurt Russell's best performances and I really loved Ernest Borgnine as Cabbie. I even appreciated Lee Van Cleef in this movie, despite the fact that I'm normally not a fan of the man. I guess I must say that all actors did a good job.

As a conclusion I would like to say that a good and still futuristic looking story, some good acting, several interesting action scenes,... make this movie more than just worth a watch. I really like it and that's why I give it a 7/10.


Many fans of Kurt Russell were extremely surprised he emerged from his years as a child actor to evolve into a believable, hard hitting, action hero. True, he was traditionally recognized to many for his whimsical, good-looks and high school persona. Thus when movie-goers saw him in this film, many stood aghast at his mature tenor. This futuristic story begins with the President's plane being high-jacked by rebel extremists and flown into the island city of New York which has been transformed into a maximum prison. The plane with the president (Donald Pleasence) on board crashes into the prison and it falls to the warden/Police Commissioner, one, Bob Hauk, (Lee Van Cleef) to rescue the chief executive. His plan? To send in a new convict, an experienced ex-soldier and special ops veteran, named, Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) with the promise of a presidential pardon if he can return him alive. To insure the clever criminal does not take the opportunity to escape, he is given a lethal injection which can only be removed by the commissioner's medical staff. Thus, begins a timely drama which means life or death for the hero, the president and ultimately the world. The success of this film owes much to the film's other characters like the talkative Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine, terrific acting), Harold ' Brain' Helman (Harry Dean Stanton), his 'squeeze' Maggie (Adrienne Barbeau) and Isaac Hayes, who plays the heavy, The Duke of New York. This a groundbreaking film for Russell and as expected, he carries it to it's rave conclusion with action to spare. ****


Is 1997 and New York is now a prison, when the president's plane crashes into the island Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef) the police commissioner, must get the president out of the island in 24 hours so the president can be in an important meeting for the peace of the world. Hauk left the mission in "Snake" Plissken (Kurt Russell), an ex war-hero, with the promise that he would left Snake without any accusation. To make sure that "Snake" rescue the president, Hauk implant in him two capsules that will explode within 22 hours.

That is the main plot of this sci-fi cult classic of John Carpenter, and for me is one of my favourite stories in sci-films ever. The idea of New York as a prison is nothing but original and really good, and the visual part of this film is really cool; lots of films in this days will die for an environment like the one that Carpenter creates.

The cast is great, Kurt Russell makes one of his best performances ever for one of the best characters in sci-fi films: "Snake". And with the participation of Lee Van Cleef (The Good, the bad and the ugly), Isaac Hayes as "The Duke" and the great Harry Dean Stanton (Paris Texas) as "Brain" makes this as a amazing cast that is the perfect complement for the great story of Carpenter.

So this is nothing but an exciting film, now a true cult classic and Carpenter teach us that you don't need the biggest budget to make one of the best sci-fi/action films ever because this film budget is $7,000,000 so is nothing if we compare to Hollywood latest films.

Conclusion: i highly recommend this cult classic and you must know that "Snake" is not dead, prove to that is that 26 years later he is still one of the best characters ever. In the end of the film (which i love) we can see a resume of the personality of "Snake" and why he is not the classic hero.

DVD: i have a single edition that doesn't contain bonus material so i wish that soon an special edition came in the Region 4.

PS: i hear that is coming a remake of this film, i hope this respect the essence of the original and at least Carpenter will be the producer. I like to imagine a director like Robert Rodriguez making this remake.


John Carpenter did amazing things with little money and a lot of imagination. "Escape From New York" crosses almost as many genres as "Dawn of The Dead". It's an odyssey, a comic book, a western (in the East), a black comedy, an operatic nightmare, a sci-fi cautionary tale, an "audience movie"... It's a showcase for underutilized talent. Utterly creepy, funny, bleak and suspenseful with rich characters, memorable dialog and stimulating visuals. Oh, and that wonderful cast! That wonderful score! This gem will never truly get the praise that it deserves. Also, are there any doubts as to where James Cameron got the inspiration for his "tech-noir" look for "The Terminator"? Sure, we all know Jim worked on this movie, as we know from whence Carpenter drew many of HIS inspirations. But there's nothing wrong with giving credit where it's due. Notable standouts: Harry Dean Stanton's delivery of the greeting, "Gentlemen. Mr. President.", as he walks into a room of the Duke's filthy, thrift-store attired goons and the camera pans over to the president adorned with a blonde wig. Frank Doubleday as Romero. (What a classic entrance/introduction!) He looks like the Heat Miser from that Christmas TV special but solidly establishes the inmates as horrific androgynous, diseased cannibals. Ernest Borgnine, successfully topping his portrayal of Mr. Rogo from "The Poseidon Adventure" with his performance as Cabbie; simultaneously hilarious and tragic.


'Escape From New York'is a movie that never loses it's charm no matter how many times you see.The movie is another great result of Carpenter and Russell collaboration and even twenty five years after it's release many people(including me)consider this movie as a milestone both in action and science fiction genres and it definitely deserves it's reputation as a cult classic.The movie has a dynamic direction,a unique atmosphere,a very well written screenplay with great dialogues and characters,a fascinating score and a great cast led by Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken.Russell is outstanding as ex special forces officer turned criminal S.D.Plissken and with the help of some of the best written one liners,he makes the character unforgettable for the audience like nobody can.What a magnificent actor he is!Besides Russell,Carpenter built a top notch supporting cast including Lee Van Cleef,Ernest Borgnine,Isaac Hayes,Harry Dean Stanton,Adrienne Barbeau,Donald Pleasence with some Carpenter regulars like underrated Tom Atkins and Charles Cyphers.

'Escape From New York'is a terrific movie from a master filmmaker.

Once you see it,you'll never be the same!


John Carpenter has to be one of the best sci-fi horror helmers who's made so many great cult favourites. This one is one of them. "Escape From New York" may be quite dated but it still packs a punch! Kurt Russell's potrail as Snake Plissken, the war-hero turned criminal is great. John Crapenter's score is so good (got the remastered CD) and the apocalyptic tone & style of a ruined New York is one of the great things about this film. It doesn't even feel low-budget this film and watching this film in widescreen feels so good (one of the reasons why it doesn't feel low-budget). Rating 10/10, a classic sci-fi film directed by John Carpenter which can't be missed out on and can't be updated or remade. John Carpenter's films don't need to be updated or remade.


John Carpneter's cult classic Escape From New York, is set in a dystopia 1997! New York city has been transformed into a virtual

maximum security prison where some of the most degenerate and deadly criminals have been left to languish. But when a gang of freedom fighters hijack air force one and subsequently crash land there, it's an eerie precursor of events of 911, the president played convincingly by Donald Pleasance is taken hostage by some of the criminals who rule the roost. So the authorities who are led by iconic spaghetti western actor Lee Van Cleef send in Snake Plisskin (Kurt Russell) a once highly decorated soldier who s now imprisoned after a string of thefts, is coerced in to rescue him, but they trick him into thinking they've given him a vaccine, which results in a very clever plot twist which it's a device which will kill him if he doesn't complete his mission in 24 hours. Escape From New York is a surprisingly made action classic it makes great use of Steadicam shots which in-itself is a classic carpenter trademark. the film is best seen in it's 2:35:1 aspect ratio the usual TV showing in pan and scan butcher the composition.


He's the best anti-hero in the history of cinema and ALWAYS has the last laugh. He just doesn't care. All Americans wish they could feel this way but Snake...he's just conscience free. The only person he looks out for or cares about is himself. And he's an ex-soldier too. The action scenes in this film are few and far between but it has a strange feel to it. It's gritty film-making. Much better than the cheesy(but still good) sequel. Check this out whenever you can.


Those were the days! The days of great action movies, and cold as ice heroes. John Carpenter had yet to turn sour, and Kurt Russell was in his prime.

This is one of my favorites. The characters and story go together perfectly. The cast that was assembled for this movie is one of a kind. Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton and Adrienne Barbeau are all great. There's even Isaac Hayes in there for a little nod to the 70's.

Above all, this is one of those rare action features that has a great story to drive it. I won't bother to recount the plot here because I'm assuming most people have already seen this one. For those of you who haven't seen this one before.... Shame on you! Go see it now.

8 out of 10


This is a great movie, great action, great characters, I love it. It certainly resembles "Big Trouble In Little China" in several ways. Kurt Russell is awesome as Snake Plisken(in one of his best roles), who is the prisoner who is chosen to rescue the President when Air Force crashes in New York City in exchange for a full parole. The music is also very cool, it will stay with you a long time after you see the film. Overall "Escape From New York" is a very fun action movie. *** out of ****.


This is the greatest "so bad it's good" movie ever made. I took it seriously when I was in my early teen years and first saw it, and loved it. I had a friend with the movie poster in his room and I desperately envied him. This movie seemed so dark and gritty and hard-hitting when I was 14.

When I grew up and saw it again, I found that unlike 99% of the stuff I'd thought was good when I was 14 years old, I actually still liked this movie almost as much as I originally did, but for completely different reasons. A huge, scary, pimpy-looking black man driving a Cadillac with chandeliers on the hood? Who makes the President of the United States say, "You're the Duke of New York, You're A-Number-One"?

What could possibly surpass this in the annals of film history? I think that all previous cinematic efforts all the way back to Thomas Edison were just a build-up for this triumphant moment, a seething maelstrom of cheese that vaporizes the very soul of the viewer, leaving nothing but a listless, nihilistic shell waiting for death, as any subjective experience past this point has no meaning; it is completely annihilated by the revelation of film greatness that is Escape From New York.


I thought the idea behind this film and story line were absolutely fantastic, I love the idea of a huge prison existing where the prisoners are on their own to survive and must live amongst themselves. Great idea!

The only real complaints I have about this film is the cheesy lines throughout the film, Kurt Russell's stupid whisper voice, and the music. For most of the film Kurt Russell did an excellent job, but there were a few scenes where I couldn't stand the way he talked. As for the music, I'm unsure whether the blame lies with the fact that this film was made in the early 1980's or if it resides with John Carpenter's choice of music (I don't like the music in just about any of his films).

All of that aside, I thought the film was very good and definitely one of John Carpenter's best. John needs to stick to movies like this, I think it's safe to say that it's movies like this that fans appreciate. Anyhow, if you are a fan of John Carpenter, then you MUST see this film. If you're a fan of futuristic action/adventure films, then you also MUST check this out. I hope you enjoy the film, thanks for reading,

-Chris


Escape from New York is probably the first modern action movie, and still stands up pretty well. Not quite up to todays CGI effects, but the main character Snake Pliskin played by Kurt Russell is probably the coolest action hero (or anti-hero) ever. Up until this role Russell was probably best known for his Disney movies and it was a great casting job that totally changed Russells image. I can't say enough good about this film. If you like your action gritty and your hero's to be dripping with attitude you'll love Snake.


Oh Man i watched this yesterday on tv after seeing it 20years before in the cinema! This Movie is absolutely underrated. Snake is one of the first damn cool Actionheros in Moviehistory. Kurt Russel is perfect, carpenter did a great Score as ever. This movie will never suck, absolutely great!!

-walk on- Holzi


You should not take this movie serious. The time has run away from this movie indeed but forget that when you see this. All I can say is that this is John Carpenter's best movie. And Kurt Russel coolest role. I think that Kurt has done only two cool guys in all of his movies. As Snake Plissken in Escape from New York and as MacReady in The Thing. And the music keeps haunting me forever. It's so great! I love it! I can't express myself how good the music is. Overall: If you haven't seen this so what are you waiting for? Go see it! And buy the soundtrack too!


Couple the idea of New York as a maximum security prison with Kurt Russell's hard-bitten performance as one-eyed outlaw Snake Plissken and you've got another one of John Carpenter's contemporary classics. Nobody gets out of New York alive, it would seem; even the President of the United States... unless Plissken can haul his fat out of the fire. En route to the Chief Executive ("President of what?" Plissken asks at one point), there are downed planes and starving crazies who live in the sewers and old acquaintances hiding out in libraries and The Duke of New York (Isaac Hayes), whose army of ne'er do wells must be contended with. All within the allotted time: Plissken is literally a ticking time bomb, thanks to duplicitous Lee Van Cleef as the commander of the United States Police Force. For all its dark doings, however, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is also infused with an often subtle black humor that helps keep it from devolving into the kind of lackluster action film that features stars who can't act; Russell as Plissken is also- surprise- vulnerable, and thence more real, than most action leads. One can't help but sympathize with his character. (And one can't help but think back to ELVIS, the amazing boob-tube biography directed by Carpenter with Russell in the lead: like ELVIS, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK delivers on an emotional level. One can't ask for more than that.)


"Set in the dark future of 1997 . . ."

Okay, so John Carpenter's post-apocalyptic vision of the future didn't exactly come true, but "Escape From New York" still holds up as a darn fine low-budget sci-fi/action flick. Snake Plissken (as played by Kurt Russell) is still one of the coolest anti-heroes ever to grace the silver screen, and the story still contains some great scenes and dialogue . . . so who cares if parts of it look like low-budget cheese? As long as you can appreciate great low-budget cheese, you'll be fine.

"Escape From New York" is set in the supposedly dark future of 1997, where the island of Manhattan, completely overrun with criminals and terrorists, has been walled off and turned into a Federal prison colony by the United States government. The most vicious and ruthless criminals in America aren't sent to regular prisons anymore . . . they're simply dropped into the walled confines of Manhattan, where they face the choice of being killed by the other criminals living on the island or being killed by government sharpshooters if they try to climb the walls and escape the prison colony. So, New York has been transformed into a lawless hellhole where murderers rule the streets, and from which escape is impossible . . . and exactly where Air Force One has just crash-landed, with the President of the United States (Donald Pleasance) aboard. To rescue the President -- and the President's unknown but valuable cargo -- military man Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef) decides to send the best man for the job into the heart of this lawless hellhole. That man is Snake Plissken (Russell), an ex-soldier and former war hero who no longer takes orders from any man -- but who faces execution unless he can bring the President back from New York alive . . ..

"Escape From New York" features a terrific plot as its foundation and a great cast for support. It's the details, though, where the film starts to slip. Some of the details -- both in terms of story and production -- are quite good, others . . . well, they'll make you wince. Director (and script co-writer) John Carpenter is smart enough to keep things simple and to keep everything moving along at a rapid pace; whenever things start moving into the realms of the laughably stupid, something new and cool happens onscreen to wipe that stupidity away. It's a story painted with very broad and vivid strokes; everything seems very cool and makes sense as long as you don't dwell on the details. Carpenter also takes what advantages he can from his low budget and low production values -- almost everything is filmed in the dark, and a lot is filmed indoors; also, everything (props, costumes, etc.) are deliberately given a cheap and dirty look, rather than attempting to make things look good with no money. Not only do these moves let "Escape From New York" look as good as it possibly can, but it also fits the feel of the "gritty, dark future" that already permeates the film.

The characters in "Escape From New York", though, are what really make the film shine. Donald Pleasance is perfectly cast -- and perfectly scummy -- as the President, who is little more than a weasel in a three-piece suit. It's great to watch Pleasance strut around pompously in the beginning of the film -- hey, after all, he's the President of the United States -- and then eventually be reduced to a pathetic, animal-like, gun-wielding thug, no better than any other criminal trapped within the walls of Manhattan. Ernest Borgnine serves up some welcome comic relief as the cheerful Cabbie, who's possibly the only happy person still living in New York. Isaac Hayes, of all people, turns out to be very good as the "A-Number One Duke of New York"; he's not exactly what you'd expect from a movie villain, but he definitely makes the part distinctly his own. Lee Van Cleef is great as the no-nonsense Bob Hauk; he plays Hauk in a low-key but menacing manner that stands out nicely against the over-the-top performances put in by nearly every other actor. But "Escape From New York" is really Snake Plissken's movie, and Kurt Russell is THE reason that Snake Plissken is one of the best movie anti-heroes of all time. Partly borrowing from Clint Eastwood's "Man With No Name" character, Snake Plissken is a man who's going to do whatever he feels is right or necessary, and orders be damned. He doesn't say much -- he usually lets his guns or his fists speak for him -- but when he does speak, he doesn't mince words. It's interesting to note that nearly every other character in "Escape From New York" is a liar of some sort with selfish hidden agendas . . . not Snake. He always speaks his mind, he nearly always speaks the truth, and ironically, he's the most dangerous character in the movie. Kudos to Kurt Russell for making Snake Plissken one of the best sci-fi/action characters of all time. For Snake Plissken alone, it's a genuine pleasure to watch "Escape From New York".

Director John Carpenter will probably never be appreciated for what he is -- the master of the modern B-movie. Along with "Halloween" and "They Live", the film "Escape From New York" stands as one of the greatest modern B-movies ever made. Carpenter's films often look like they have the budget of a high school musical production, but they usually at least manage to be original and entertaining . . . which is something more than a lot of recent $100 million dollar so-called "blockbusters" can claim. (Forget the production values; I'll watch "Escape From New York" over the soulless, spectacularly unoriginal "Tomb Raider" any day of the week.) "Escape From New York" might not be one of the slickest or best-produced action films ever made -- but it is one of the coolest action films, and certainly one of the most memorable ones. It might seem cheesy in places, or a little raw and crude in others . . . but it's got heart, and it's got guts, and in the end, that's what really matters. A great action flick, and one of the best "B" movies ever made. Grade: A-.


This film shows John Carpenter's film direction at it's best. Carpenter wrote this script after his house was robbed, and it shows. This dark view of a future world was meant to show where things were heading at the time with the crime rate rising as we were heading into the 1980's. Carpenter as always wrote a solid script, this time with help from his old film school buddy Nick Castle, who also was the original horror icon Michael Myers in John Carpenter's Halloween.

This film stars a great all-star John Carpenter cast of Kurt Russell, Donald Pleasence, Lee Van Cleef, Harry Dean Stanton, Charles Cyphers and Carpenter's Ex-Wife Adrienne Barbeau.

Great plot with great character makes this one of John Carpenter's best films, it is a shame they had to cut out the start of the movie when it was put in theaters in 1981, where Snake Plissken and his partner do the robbery and later, Snake's partner gets killed, and Snake gets caught by the United States Police Force.

Also a great score by Carpenter and Alan Howarth, this film is not to be missed by any fan of John Carpenter, sci-fi, horror or film in general.


Best known for directing the classic independent horror film "Halloween", director John Carpenter works wonders in another movie that I absolutely enjoyed - "Escape From New York".

 "Escape From New York" is an exciting tale of Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a former war hero who is now a criminal with a Eastwood-like accent and is ordered by Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef), the calm, but stubborn U.S. Police Commissioner to go into New York City, now the country's only maximum security prison and rescue the President (Donald Pleasence) in twenty-four hours. Some of the scenes in this movie are terrific such as Snake eluding the Crazies, Snake finds Brain (Harry Dean Stanton), an old friend of his who betrayed him in a robbery, and the car chase across the 69th Street bridge that is mined.

 Kurt Russell gives a near perfect performance as Snake and the film gets solid supporting performances from Cleef, Stanton, Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine as the last cab driver in the Big Apple, Adrianne Barbeau, Issac Hayes as the vicious Duke, and Frank Doubleday as Romero, who manages to steal some scenes in the movie with his freaky appearence and Jack Nicholson-like laugh. The story that was written by Carpenter and Nick Castle is smart and very well detailed. Also, Carpenter makes a terrific musical score that pays off in some of the key scenes. Dean Cundey's cinematography of the prison is beautifully shot including the scene where Plissken flies into New York.

 "Escape From New York" is one of my two favorite John Carpenter films ("Halloween" being the other". It's smart from beginning to end.


One of John Carpenter's earliest films, Escape from New York was a daring undertaking when it was created and isn't often fully appreciated today. His dark view of the future of humanity, and his humiliating criticism of the U.S. president and authority in general, were not readily accepted when this film was released.

Kurt Russell is the out-for-self anti-hero, who's heroics come from self interest rather than a love for his fellow man. Carpenter, who always tries to incorporate western themes into his movies, modeled Snake's character after Clint Eastwood's nameless gunslinger from Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, and its interesting to watch Kurt Russell translate the role to a futuristic setting. Ironically, Lee Van Cleef, who played Angel Eyes in the Good the Bad and the Ugly, plays a role that is equally antagonistic towards Snake in Escape from NY. Its probably no coincedence either, as Carpenter has been known to pay homages to the film makers who influenced him.

The setting is New York, an island prison of the future. Snake is basically a gunslinger, and due to some unfortunate business, has to do certain deeds against his will. The odds are stacked against him like nobodys business.

So maybe some of the action sequences aren't totally plausible, scenes that might make you say "Hey, theres no way he coulda lived through that!" This sort of criticism wasn't meant for ACTION movies. So if you feel like putting your brain cells to rest for a while, and enjoy bleak futuristic pictures, urban violence, and indestructable tough guy anti-heroes, heres a movie you don't wanna sleep on. I gave it a 9.


The first of the two Snake Plissken movies (The second is "Escape From L.A.") this is an interesting, but strange view of the future in 1997, which is now, ironically, the past. Manhattan has become a massive prison filled with inmates but no guards and the prisoners run their own lives inside. This is completely unrealistic, but an interesting scenario. The president crashes his plane accidentally into the prison island and is held hostage by "The Duke of New York". Ex-fighter pilot Snake Plissken is sent in to retrieve the President and his important tape, which will be broadcast to Russia and China about politics, which he was carrying. Snake is led on a bizarre trip through Manhattan where he is attacked, battled by gladiators, and bombarded by bricks. The movie is fascinating but downright weird and is definitely a must-see for Sci-Fi fans.


Carpenter does it again in this futuristic movie about New York being a maximum security prison. A great supporting cast is present, as is Kurt Russell in the movie that made him a star. For its time the F/X are good, but seem dated now. The story is great and moves at a good pace. The best thing about the movie is its bleak ending. See the movie, you'll have fun...

RATING = 8 of 10


Watching EFNY again, I cannot believe how cool it is compared to later JC films (especially the God-awful EFLA). The energy and originality is equal to his earlier efforts (Assault on Precinct 13 and Dark Star). Granted, there are some eye-brow rasing moments where the film gets a little too silly, but all in all, the film moves, and Snake is cool!

Also, check out the Director's Version, just to see the cut footage from the beginning of the film (How Snake Got Busted) and some comments from James Cameron on his SFX work for the film.


Though produced on a fairly low budget, Escape manages to provide action, suspense and characters you actually care about. Kurt Russell's Eastwood-like character, Snake Plissken is brilliantly done, as is spaghetti-western star Lee Van Cleef's Bob Hauk. I read in interviews that the filmmakers looked upon this movie as more of a joke; if that's the case they didn't really succeed. Had this film a slightly bigger budget and a more serious attitude (like Walter Hill's fantastic, "The Warriors"), this could have been considered one of the best of the pessimistic, mankind-is-doomed-in-the-future movies, rather than just a very good b-movie.


One of the things I like about Escape From New York is the fact that the lead character is named Snake. It was a snake who tricked mankind out of paradise and in John Carpenter's world a snake is what saves the free world's leader.

Of course the free world ain't all that free any more. In Escape From New York crime has risen to astronomic proportions, so much so that the entire island of Manhattan is now one big prison surrounded by the National Police Force. We now have one of those, I assume this is what the Federal Bureau of Investigation has morphed into.

And the USA is at war, with who they don't say. But the enemies of the new American way of life have seized Air Force One and crash it in a suicide move worthy of what we see from the Middle East. But President Donald Pleasance, who looks a whole lot like Peter Sellers's president from Dr. Strangelove. He escapes in a pod that crashes on the prison island of Manhattan.

What to do, but rescue Pleasance. And the guy that police chief Lee Van Cleef has in mind is Snake Plissken, former war hero, now career criminal with a Rooster Cogburn patch and played by Kurt Russell.

To make sure that Russell doesn't double-cross him, Van Cleef implants a couple of mini bombs in his veins, just enough for him to bleed out when detonated in seconds. And they will detonate 22 hours from the point implantation.

The rest of the film is Russell's rescue of President Pleasance who is being held by the head of the criminal society that has grown up in Manhattan headed by Isaac Hayes. Russell gets some help and some betrayal from folks like Adrienne Barbeau, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton and Season Hubley. To see who does what, watch the film.

Escape From New York is a fun science fiction film that's attained a cult status of sorts. Certainly the world has not quite developed as John Carpenter envisioned it for 1997.

Or has it?


Hysterical madcap fun. There may be no funnier moment in the history of film than Edward G. Robinson irritably gift wrapping a piece of luggage (all reasonably priced at $9.75) for a bothersome customer. The pacing of this movie is breathless (it's like a Bugs Bunny cartoon) and it's one of the few comedies that can legitimately claim to have a laugh virtually every minute. It's a movie that understands how funny a single door constantly opening and closing can be, provided there is a parade of zany enough characters passing through it, all of whom possess impeccable comic timing. It's also got a young, menacing Anthony Quinn to give it some edge, and an early Jackie Gleason to steal a couple scenes. Nearly as delightful as the king of screwball comedies "Bringing Up Baby".


A friend of mine had told me that this was funnier than Woody Allen's Small Time Crooks I admit I was skeptical, as too many so-called comedies from the black and white era don't get much more than a smile from me. My skepticism was rewarded with a very funny, fast-paced comedy with the kind of "crackling" dialogue they don't write anymore. Edward G. Robinson is a scream in the lead, and his supporting cast equals him. Don't miss this one. There's never a dull moment!


S. J. Perelman, on whose play this is based, would sometimes use the nom de plume Sidney Namelrep, a silly, devil-may-care joke that is perfectly in tune with his sense of humor. He wrote some of the most outrageously funny pieces ever to appear in the New Yorker. His comedy is filled with whimsy, non sequiturs, twisted cliches, notions that seem to emerge recklessly from nowhere, scarcely masked libidinous allusions, ridiculously transparent self justifications -- the kind of humor associated with the Marx Brothers. And in fact he wrote some of their best lines in (if I remember correctly) "Monkey Business" -- "Hurry, my dear, my regiment leaves at dawn." His wit still can be seen through the screen of the more strict narrative line seen in this movie but because the characters need to seem reasonably sane, their range is a bit restricted. ("Mmm. Did you concoct these little tidbits?") The story itself, fortunately, is so absurd that it rolls right along, in the same league as Warners' "All Through The Night." It's a pretty ancient tale. Thieves getting into a store next to a bank in order to break through the wall into the vault. The first time I remember coming across it was in a Sherlock Holmes tale, "The Red Headed League," and I doubt it was original with Conan-Doyle. This is the earliest movie about such a caper that I'm aware of. But later there was "Big Deal on Madonna Street" and most recently Woody Allan's "Small Time Crooks," which duplicated some of the incidents as well as the general idea. (The thieves break open a water pipe while digging the tunnel; the original plan fizzles out when the phony business upstairs becomes an economic bonanza.) It's a well-done and highly entertaining comedy with the usual roster of Warners' stalwarts at their best. The kind of movie about which you can truly say, "They don't make 'em like that anymore." I don't know how long it took to shoot. Not long, I imagine. New York City is nothing more than a street on the back lot and a handful of interiors. Loyd Bacon, whom no one ever proclaimed a genius, knows how to shoot a film efficienctly, the way a good car mechanic knows his business, moving the bodies around with careless ease. There isn't a wasted motion. Every step, every opening of a door, every snarl and stutter, serves a purpose. Robinson breezes through the whole business. Jane Wyman looks cute. Broderick Crawford is dumb beyond belief. And every item of luggage in the store is "Nine seventy-five." It's all pretty amusing.


The Warner bros, was my favorite studio from the Hollywood system between 1930-45. They make social films, gangster movies, romantic melodramas, musical comedies, and sometimes robust comedies like this one. Here, the great E.G. Robinson makes funs of his bad guys role, like he will do a few years later in Brother Orchid. Dialogues are very funny and the situations, very simples, are hilarious. Good laughs!


Edward G. Robinson in a slapstick comedy??!!! Yep, and a damn funny one. E.G. parodies his bad guy image perfectly in this flick as he wants to pull of one last heist before going straight, so he buys a luggage store next to a bank to break in, but he soon learns that he can make more money in a legit business... but that's only the beginning! I can't figure out why nobody knows about this film, it's very entertaining. It is perfectly cast, with Broderick Crawford, as Robinson's flunkie is hilarious, Jackie Gleason has a cameo doing a variant of his 'born loser' routine. Even Anthony Quinn is funny! If you can find it in the video store on on TV watch it, it's worth your while.


"Larceny, Inc." is a 1942 film starring Edward G. Robinson, Broderick Crawford, Jane Wyman, Anthony Quinn, Jack Carson, Ed Brophy, Jackie Gleason and Henry Davenport. The idea behind this film consciously or subconsciously may have inspired Woody Allen's "Small Time Crooks." Gangsters buy a luggage shop situated next to a bank in order to break through the wall into the bank vault; instead, they find themselves dragged kicking and screaming into legitimacy.

Edward G. Robinson is "Pressure," an ex-con who at first tries to keep customers out of the store ("if a customer comes in, blow him off") - but when he tells the young woman like a daughter to him (Wyman) that he's sincere, she starts working with a luggage salesman (Carson) on big promotions. Soon the store is jumping with customers. The merchants on the street ask for Pressure's support - the street is being torn up, and it's right before Christmas; he becomes their hero. However, when an ex con comes into the store to borrow money, he realizes the store is a front for a bank robbery and goes back and tells a scary prisoner, Leo (Quinn) who escapes and decides to do the job himself.

The funniest scene is the aggravated Robinson wrapping a suitcase when a customer asks for gift-wrapping. Robinson is hilarious - he could be doing Little Ceasar, he takes it so seriously, and he's all the funnier for it. Broderick Crawford did some comedy before "All the King's Men" - he's excellent as a dumb associate of Pressure's who's digging the hole to the bank. Jackie Gleason plays a soda jerk - and makes the most of it. Wyman and Carson don't have much to do, alas. The rest of the cast is uniformly delightful.

This is a real gem - "Small Time Crooks" takes the basic plot and goes in another direction with it - both are wonderful films. Try and catch this one on TCM.


A goofy, giddy adult satire that plays like a kiddie comedy (replete with broad jokes, slapstick, and a lovable oaf played by Broderick Crawford). Three crooks (including Edward G. Robinson, with mind-racing gusto) give up plans to rob a bank when they realize the sweetest racket of all: capitalism. An entertaining little film.


90/100. This is one of Edward G. Robinson's best films and one of the best comedies of the 1940's. The supporting cast is amazing, Edward Brophy, Anthony Quinn, Jack Carson and Harry Davenport are excellent, but it's Broderick Crawford that steals every scene he is in. Look for a very young Jackie Gleason as the soda jerk. The adapted screenplay by Everett Freeman and Edwin Gilbert from S.J. and Laura Perelman's play (The Night Before Christmas) is outstanding. It moves along briskly and there is never a dull moment. Funny situations, great dialog and it is unique and different. I am very surprised this film is not better known, it's a fine classic.


This film's yet another example of wayyyyy under appreciated Warner's in house director, Lloyd Bacon. Why do people ignore this guy??? He was really good! Look at how he handled Cagney and O'Brien if you need convincing. As usual Eddie G steals the show.....How did he do it? I have yet to see him in a bad performance. This is a great little film that just builds and builds... Everything seems to be going well until Anthony Quinn shows up and throws a monkey wrench into the whole works and the "gang" have to go (reluctantly) legit. Jack Carson, as usual, plays a bumbling but earnest character, a-la his cop "playwright" done the same year in "Arsenic and Old Lace"( released oddly in '44.) Another film made the same year (again, on the eve of Pearl Harbor) was Bogie's "All Through the Night" that also included Gleason and a young Phil Silvers.....All in the same vein! Jeezus, why can't they make 'em like this anymore??


Three criminals buy a luggage store next to a bank so they can tunnel their way to riches, but the luggage business takes off. It takes a while to hit its stride, but it is an enjoyable comedy. The only problem is that it has a tendency to sink to the level of The Three Stooges, with Robinson playing the Moe role. Crawford is amusing as a lovable lug, and Brophy fits in well as the third member of this motley crew. It is not clear if Wyman is Robinson's girlfriend or his "stepdaughter," as he puts it. Anyway, it is Carson and Wyman who provide the romantic subplot. Gleason is hilarious in a bit role as a nosy soda jerk.


This film is real hard , not just to get, but hardly ever's shown on t.v. The last time I saw it was about 15 years ago, man,I miss it,It's a shame, because this film will have you rolling in laughter for at least 3/4 of it. The Late Robinson and Crawford took their tough guys characters and turned them into the funniest you've ever seen ! This movie was made when entertainment WAS entertainment. There are no nude scenes, no foul or vulgar language. There is some shooting action, but the main story line here, is the chemistry between Robinson & Crawford. Around the 6th minute after the movie starts, when Robinson's telling Crawford that the warden's neck tie was the hardest to get from him , is hysterical , not to mention when their playing baseball in the prison's yard, or when they're digging a hole in the basement of the luggage store. This is pure clean comedy !


Now personally I don't see what Anthony Quinn was squawking about in Larceny, Inc. Edward G. Robinson and sidekicks Edward Brophy and Broderick Crawford take over a caper that Quinn has planned. Robinson serves his time in prison and Quinn gets denied parole. It's not like Quinn took a copyright out on the idea and you can't count on him busting out of stir.

Nevertheless that's what Quinn does and he does see things differently which is the whole basis for the plot of Larceny, Inc.

Edward G. Robinson, as he did in a number of films, gets a chance to satirize his own gangster image and he does it quite well. This was one of his last films under his Warner Brothers contract and he went out in style. Robinson would be back at Warner Brothers in the latter half of the Forties with Key Largo which was definitely not a comedy.

Robinson is the brains and he gets stalwart support from Edward Brophy and Broderick Crawford, two guys who at that time usually played simple minded lovable lugs. Brophy went with the flow, but Crawford was quoted as saying that he was not the world's greatest wit, but he always resented playing half a one. He got his big chance at the end of the Forties with All the King's Men and an Oscar.

Robinson's adopted daughter is Jane Wyman and her beau is salesman Jack Carson. Wyman was also a few years from an Oscar for Johnny Belinda and Carson did break the mold of playing lovable blowhards.

It's a pretty funny film, best scene is when Crawford strikes a pipeline in the basement and for a minute they think they've struck oil in New York City.

And already refined too.


This might be my favorite Edward G. Robinson picture. It concerns 3 rather dimwitted criminals who come up with a plan to rob a bank by tunneling in through the basement of the luggage shop next door. Robinson is the boss and he is supported by even more dimwitted Eddie Brophy and Broderick Crawford.

Once they buy the luggage store, one of them must man the store while the others work on the tunnel. The funny thing is since they could care less IF they sell any luggage, the customers start frequenting the store in droves. After a while, they realize that despite their larcenous plan, they would become much richer if they just continued running the business. At about that time, the smarter and more nasty Anthony Quinn happens upon them and discovers their original plan--where upon he forces them to break into the bank against their wills! The film is cute and slickly paced throughout--an overlooked gem.


A rare, perfect, and hilarious movie that uses every comic device; two of the funniest moments are when a young Broderick Crawford and later Edward G. get hit by a car. Besides the starring roles of Robinson, Wyman, Brophy, and Crawford, you'll find Jack Carson and Anthony Quinn (very scary as a really mean felon!) in supporting roles. Even the character parts are played by the most recognizable character actors in Hollywood: Harry Davenport, one of the Founders of Actors Equity, John Qualen (Casablanca, The Searchers, and a thousand more films) Grant Mitchell, Andrew Tombes, George Meeker, William Hopper (Paul Drake of Perry Mason fame), and a very young Jackie Gleason. Even the Uncredited roles were played by actors like Lucien Littlefield, Pat O'Malley, and Ziegfeld Girl Kitty Kelly.

Woody Allen used this plot as the basis for his "Curse of the Jade Scorpion," also a very funny movie, but too long, too loose, and not as perfectly perfect as "Larceny, Inc."


I'll tell you what, Sun Ra was a gift we didn't love enough. He gave us fifty years of his time to "get it," but no one bothered. He's sitting on his home planet right now, entertaining his minions on Saturn. Sun Ra made one movie, that's all he needed to preach his philosophy. It is a brilliant statement on race relations in the early 1970's. An interesting story, engaging characters, and some out there music. One fault: this was not his best period in music. His records from the 50's and 60's were astounding, good enough to make this film even more of a classic. Space Is The Place is essential viewing for those who care about jazz or Africana cinema.


A true underground classic. Witness: not-of-this-earth music, the funky righteousness of Ra, cinematic excellence and be prepared to alter your destiny. I'd heard good (and bad) things about this film, so my curiosity was peaked. Usually when very strong reactions are evoked of such diametric opposition, it can only mean one thing: Great Art. This movie is truly mind blowing. I can think of nowhere else, where one can obtain: Sci-Fi, Blaxplotation, Philosophy, Space Jazz, and dynamite costumes in one easy-to-swallow capsule. I highly recommend this to Sun Ra fans and those with an interest in fine Avant Garde films. Sun Ra is truly an enigma, and in excellent form in this movie. See him battle the devil across many dimensions and get ready for transmolecularization and isotope teleportation...


I can't help but think that Vxf111 is either joking, or (unfortunately) did not know who Sun Ra was before viewing the film. Yes, the film was certainly produced with a low budget, and it might not be of much interest to those who aren't fans of, or at least interested in, Sun Ra.

Sun Ra maintained that he was from Saturn, although historical documents note that he was born Herman Blount (or Poole) in Birmingham, AL. Sun Ra was a first-rate pianist, arranger, and composer, and worked with Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. He formed his own big band, the Arkestra, during the 1950s in Chicago. This ensemble was completely unlike any other big band, as it incorporated elements of Egyptian mythology, science fiction, and other exotica and esoterica (those familiar with Earth, Wind, and Fire and Parliament-Funkadelic should take note). Sun Ra was also an early proponent of electronic instruments in jazz.

The film "Space Is The Place" is part science fiction and part musical documentary. A comparison could also be made to the "blaxploitation" films of the 1970s. The story centers around Sun Ra's return to Earth after an extended absence, and focuses on his concern for the fate of humanity and African-Americans in particular. All of this is infused with his mythological outlook. This certainly makes Sun Ra an "interesting character" but he was very serious about what he did and what he said. If any of this makes you the least bit curious about Sun Ra then I would recommend the film, which is available on videocassette.


Yes! It was a low budget film and it was my very first. Although I did not know who "Sun Ra" was at the time - I did enjoy working with him. I will always remember his very words to me during the filming of the nightclub scene (in which I had a small speaking role). We were taking a lunch break and I had decided to sit at the piano and hit some piano keys, just for fun. Ra came walking by and glancing over to me he said, "Don't play what you know - Play what you don't know"! I am not a professional musician, but always remember these words when playing an instrument. I was very happy to see that this film made it to DVD a few years ago.


Space is the place is a hard to find movie to be sure I searched for years to find it and finally saw it tonight at a local college in a show that included a concert of avant-gard jazz. Those familiar with Sun Ra's oeuvre will not be shocked by its content. The plot centers around Sun Ra arriving on earth with his Arkestra to spread his philosophy of the music of the universe and to take back as many black folks as he can to repopulate his home planet and fill it with "human vibrations". The plot is not as disjointed or hard to swallow as one might think, there are good characterizations, especially by the overseer/devil character. There are some comic moments as well, like whenever the overseer kicks out the news caster every time he gets the two chicks in the room alone and he thinks he is going to finally score. The music is of courser superb as well. I will agree with a previous poster that this period of sun Ra's music was far from his best, but still makes for a great soundtrack. The Sun Ra devotee will love it and it serves as a good introduction to The world of Sun Ra for those unfamiliar with his work as well. watch it with an open mind.


Being able to see the Arkestra/Orchestra during this period is really wonderful. Certainly there are strange happening and moments, and the black nationalism may now be out of place. Worth it indeed for Sun RA and some Jazz fans.


This movie was certainly made on a low budget, but I don't hold that against it-- many low budget flicks have turned out to both entertaining and successful. The main problem with this movie is that it stretches what amounts to a 20 minute plot into a "full lenth?!" picture. Also, the musical interludes are painful at best. The message is here, and the God Sun Ra (Who I might add is played by a fellow who actually thinks he is Sun Ra) makes for an interesting character. Lack of plot and depth of writing are what do this movie in. But hey, at least it's short!


***WARNING SOME SPOILERS*** The Giant Behemoth was one of the last giant monster-on-the-loose films of the 1950's, a decade that saw all manner of creatures born of the two biggest scientific issues of the decade- space exploration and nuclear weapons. Behemoth fell into the second category, a genre started with the excellent Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, and elaborated upon with Godzilla and Them! However, by the time Behemoth rolled before the cameras, the concept of atomically created monsters had already worn thin. Nevertheless, this is one of the better films of its type; a real gem made on a budget so tiny that it wouldn't even cover the cost of a current feature's end credit listings!

Credit for the film's cult reputation must go to the men behind the Behemoth. Although Jack Rabin, Irving Block and Louis DeWitt are first billed in the effects credits, it was King Kong's Willis O'Brien and his assistant Pete Peterson, that brought the Behemoth to life. Their Paleosaurus- though in some ways reminiscent of the Beast From 20,000 Fathoms-is nonetheless a unique creation, with its long neck and legs giving it a stature that makes it tower over most of its surroundings. The skin of the model is finely detailed, with hundreds of minute scales, while the back has a single row of serrated plates, a very realistic model in spite of the movie's low-budget pedigree. The animation, mostly created by Peterson while in a wheelchair due to his advanced multiple sclerosis, is superb; Peterson had learned well from master craftsman O'Brien, and ensured the dinosaur's movements would seem natural, even giving it something of a personality.

Despite Peterson and O'Brien's expertise, the film does have some technical flaws (the stiff, live-action prop head that rams the ferryboat is regrettable) but effective stop-motion scenes counterbalance these missteps. In an atmospheric night scene reminiscent of Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, the Behemoth, in silhouette, wanders into some power lines, reacting first with shock, then anger as it attacks the high-tension towers. In the first stop-motion scene of the monster rising from the Thames, the Behemoth strides towards the camera, attacks some dockside cranes, and continues forward, eventually passing over the camera- a trademark of O'Brien's visual style. Sadly, this was also the last film that highlighted his stop-motion work. This makes the movie significant for historians, and a must for buffs.

Another aspect of Behemoth that makes it compare favorably to most of its contemporaries at the time was the direction by Eugene Lourie, and the elegant, understated performances. Lourie (who had previously directed Beast From 20,000 Fathoms) attempted to repeat that success with Behemoth, this time not only directing, but screenwriting as well. However, budgetary restrictions forced Lourie to keep the monster off-screen for a longer time. Instead of shots of the monster actually attacking ships and structures (as Ray Harryhausen had done in Beast) Lourie substituted after-the-fact sequences (such as a beached steamship). Not until the creature has actually entered London is the viewer allowed a good look at it. However, it's to Lourie's credit that he eschewed the non-essential romantic subplot typical of most 50's B-movies. As the film was an Anglo-American production, he made the story into an English mystery of sorts, similar to the Dr. Quartermass films. We know from the start that something radioactive is killing fish and men off the coast of England, but it's up to the lead characters to solve the riddle of the source of the radioactivity.

In the opening of the film, an American biologist, Steven Karnes (played by Gene Evans) is lecturing a group of scientists about the dangers of not only nuclear weapons testing, but the disposal of radioactive wastes- a warning still timely 45 years later! Evans plays his role straight and understated- he's the hero, yet doesn't let his character exceed what would be expected of a scientist investigating an unusual phenomenon. Likewise, his British counterpart, Prof. Bickford (Andre Morrell) also plays low-key. Evans even allows Karnes to undergo a subtle change in his behavior. In the beginning of the movie, Karnes's blunt, direct (American) attitude puts off the reserved Bickford and other English authorities. Eventually, Karnes begins to adopt a more diplomatic manner, ultimately suggesting rather than demanding that a torpedo be the ideal means of destroying the Behemoth. By treating the film as a detective thriller, Lourie managed to keep it moving, involving the cast in various bits of business that hold the audience even when the animal does not appear. Once the Behemoth surfaces, however, the film exchanges mystery for spectacle, even if on a smaller scale than Beast or Gorgo, Lourie's 3rd (and most spectacular) monster on the loose epic.

The only real letdown (other than the prop head) is the demise of the creature. Unlike Beast, with its spectacular finale- as the monster reared up before a burning roller coaster and finally expired- (a nice Harryhausen touch) the Behemoth is simply struck and blown up by the torpedo. Instead of a stop-motion shot of the monster dead or mortally wounded, the unrealistic prop head briefly rises for a final time before plunging into the depths of an obvious studio tank. O'Brien and Peterson probably didn't have time to film the creature's destruction in a more dramatic fashion, although they were certainly capable of wringing pathos out of their creations. The musical score, by Edwin Ashley, while not as bold as David Buttloph's for Beast, still provides both low key tension during non-monster sequences and dramatic enhancement during the monster's rampage. Ashley's work here was likely influenced by passages from Stravinsky's Rite of Spring; it has a primitive, visceral power. Those who like their dinosaur thrills high tech (CGI) may find Behemoth dated, but for those who admire old-fashioned craftsmanship, and for fans of this unique genre, I recommend taking a look at this minor classic.


Let me quickly begin by putting to rest once and for all a terrible error that is popping up everywhere concerning this film: THE GIANT BEHEMOTH was not, repeat NOT, "co-directed" by Mr Douglas Hickox. He was not an "uncredited" contributor to the film. Period. End of discussion. It was solely directed from start to finish by Eugene Lourie, a director (and production designer) of taste and imagination. How this rumor about Mr Hickox ever got started is beyond me.

If I accomplish nothing else but put this falsehood to rest I will be quite happy.

Now, on to the film. I recommend it highly. It is well-written, well-acted, nicely photographed and edited, and well-scored by Edwin Astley. It is a good example of what can be done on an extremely low budget. The producers were merciless in their budget-cutting which was very hard on master animators Willis O'Brien and Pete Peterson but it is a testament to their skill and integrity that they managed as well as they did. Their animation of the giant creature is of a very high order and is, of course, vastly superior to the work of a second special effects crew which was brought in to do the ferry boat sequence. The less said about that work the better, though the scene played well due to the fine editing and music scoring.

I greatly admire what was accomplished here by these talented people having almost no money to work with. That should be an inspiration to many an aspiring movie-maker.


There were many "giant-monster" films from the 50's . Some were terrible. Most were good, including this one. Yeah, if one were picky they could say the stop-motion effects (from King Kong effects man Willis O'Brien) are not as well done as Ray Harryhausen's or the pacing is a bit slow at times. For the most part, the actors do a credible job although Gene Evans (Dr. Karnes) overplays his part a bit. There is enough action to sustain interest and the story is pretty good (if not original). This monster just isn't in a talking mood! It's not only radioactive but has an electric charge that sends out the radiation. There is some decent stock footage as well. If you're a fan of 1950's sci-fi films, give this one a try.


I first saw this movie when I was 9 years old and it was the scariest movie I'd ever seen. I vividly recall the scenes of terrified people running from the monster and being melted by the radiation waves emitted by the beast!

I watched the movie again last year and still found it compelling, albeit in a low budget way. I remember the sub-head, or perhaps the trailer to be "It came from the sea." Or, perhaps I was hiding under the sheets and didn't hear it correctly.


Of all the "lizard" movies this was the only one that scared the cheese out of me, having first viewed it when I was eight years old in 1963! The close up shots of the Behemoth were quite effective & scary. Looking back, my fave scene was the two car thieves being tossed into the Thames in their stolen car by Behemoth! Just desserts!! I'd love to see a remake of this movie using the same type dinosaur with today's modern fx!! Finally, with today's concern about radioactive waste & it's effect on the enviorment, this film was fifty years ahead of it's time!! The beginning showed the detonation of several atomic bombs in the Pacific.


BEHEMOTH THE SEA MONSTER is a stunning masterpiece of old-school shock cinema which needs to be seen in its full uncut, grimy glory in order to be appreciated. I first saw this late-night camp classic when it was released in the late Fifties and clearly recall leaving the cinema with a fetid taste in my mouth. BEHEMOTH is certainly one of the greatest depictions of monstrous evil yet realised for the cinema. The effects are simply stunning. By the way, it's a crime that this perfect gem hasn't yet been let loose into the world on DVD so that the digital generation can marvel at its horror. Oh yes, Behemoth *will* live again!


The Giant Behemoth is an awesome 50's Sci-Fi Film with the best stop-motion effects u can get for this type of film from Willis O'Brien & his assistant Pete Peterson. I saw this film when I was in like 8th grade on AMC I loved it. Sadly to say still no DVD. I do have 2 nice DVDR's though one has The 79 min. U.S. Widescreen Version extras include Trailer, Posters & Lobby Cards. The other is the 70 min. U.K. Fullscreen Version with the same extras I got them both on a website that sells rare never released Classic Sci-Fi & Horror Movies on DVDR's they were both $16.55 together. That includes shipping. Well at the time in 8th grade when I saw this film on AMC I thought it was good but didn't think much of it. The film itself is actually a British version or British spin-off of the Warner Bros. 50's Sci-Fi Blockbuster The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms with Ray Harryhausen doing the Stop-Motion with his first major film with no help like he was first animator in Mighty Joe Young (1949)With Pete Peterson doing about 15% of the animation towards the end of that picture. Anyway this is one of the best Dinosaur Flicks it is about atomic waste in the Atlantic Ocean in England that makes a 200 Foot Paleosaurus Radioactive it eventually goes on a rampage in the streets of London. Letting out lethal radiation horribly burning whatever humans get it it's way on it's rampage. I don't wanna say much more any fans of 50's Sci-Fi & Stop-Motion should really check this one out. The Giant Behemoth is known as Behemoth, The Sea Monster in England. I hope to see a DVD soon out there with some nice extras & more then one version of the film an Audio Commentary by Ray Harryhausen & Ken Ralston would be nice because they did one on King Kong another Willis O'Brien Stop-Motion Classic! The Giant Behemoth (1959) is finally out on DVD from Warner Home Video came out on June 26, 2007 in Widescren 1.85:1 like The Laserdisc was. Willis O'Brien & Peterson did a great job on that film. It is one of my favorite Dinosaur Films. Sadly It is sold in a 3 DVD Box Set called Camp Cult Classics Volume 1 Sci-Fi / Thrillers u can also get it separately. Sold in the set with Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman (1958) & Queen Of Outer Space (1958) it doesn't belong with those Sci-Fi Films it is 100 times better then both of those films. It is a Sci-Fi Cult Classic but not Campy. Those films are crap compared to Behemoth it's a shame I like both those other films but Behemoth is one of my favorites & is 100 times better like I said. The movie isn't campy I don't like that name it deserves better. At least it is out on DVD finally it took long enough. Sucks I heard The Audio Commentary with Dennis Muren & Phil Tippet really sucks seems fans know more about the movie from reading Famous Monsters Of Filmland Magazine. Whole 79 mins. intact although the back of the case has some errors says 90 mins. And also has 1958 for the release year when it actually was released until 1959. It is actually 79 mins. & 40 some seconds almost 80 mins. Also heard the print is clean & looks great sharper then the Laserdisc I actually didn't get mine yet so I can say by me. Not sure if the trailer is all shitty looking or what that at least better look clean cause The Commentary sucks. A lot of those guys on The Message Board for this film amaze me though stuff I didn't even know about this film I don't read books or magazine. I never read Famous Monsters Of Filmland that Forrest J. Ackerman did. All I know is what Interviews & Commentaries I see on DVD or something on TCM or I read online about I actually had trouble finding info about this film & some other O'Brien films. I am gonna have to update my Willis O'Brien My Space Page u guys need to check that out also made one of Stop-Motion Greats David Allen & Jim Danforth need to finish Allen's though I will before his B-Day on Oct. Anyway 8 out of 10 for this.


Of course it was cheesy. They all are; but it was very entertaining. I loved the beginning when the old man got fried. I thought the movie was well done, except they did the behemoth in a little too easy. I guess they were running into time constrictions. The submarine was a little sub-par for chasing a sea monster. They were lucky they didn't take a nose dive just going out in the water with it. It's too bad they didn't have the behemoth escape and come back in a sequel to commit more carnage on the human species! I dream of the day when someone with a brain remakes this with modern techniques without ruining the movie as they did with Godzilla. Besides that, I love the name: THE GIANT BEHEMOTH!!!


This film was made before the days of cgi and therefore must seem painfully dated to younger viewers but to us who grew up in the atomic monster age it is both scary and charming. We do not look with judgment on the film but rather on the times in which it was produced. Fond memories of drive-in theaters and Saturday night scarfests with friends. Carefree times of youth and adolescence. That said "Behemoth" is ultimately more entertaining with it's challenging fx than many of our modern day films which completely lack any charm. Simply filling a film with eye catching Cgi does not a movie make. Willis O'Brian's painstaking stop-motion effects and Eugene Lourie's talent with a minuscule budget unite to make a scary premise very entertaining and certainly fondly remembered.


'The Story of the Kelly Gang' is undoubtedly one of the cinema's most significant achievements, and certainly the most revolutionary title ever to have come out of the Australian film industry. However, it startles me to discover just how obscure the film has now become; indeed, much of our country's cinematic output has long vanished from public knowledge, an unfortunate consequence of our ever-growing reliance on Hollywood. In my efforts to rediscover many of Australia's forgotten classics, I'd decided that I might as well start from the beginning: released on 26 December 1906, 'The Story of the Kelly Gang' told the thrilling story of Victorian bushranger Ned Kelly and his comrades, and is more than likely the first feature-length film ever produced. Though only fragments of the film now remain, the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) have done a remarkable job of compiling and digitally restoring the surviving scenes, with the DVD released earlier this year. Also included is a fantastic 200-page booklet  "The Story of the Kelly Gang: 'The Picture That Will Live Forever'"  written by Ina Bertrand and William D. Routt, which includes in-depth analysis, historical information, original advertisements and reviews. It would be foolish to allow such a brilliant resource to go to waste, so much of the information in this review has been derived from the booklet.

There are very few Australians who haven't heard the story of Ned Kelly (1855-1880). Kelly and his gang bushrangers were at one point the most wanted men in the country, becoming national legends in the process. At dawn on Monday 27 June 1880, after a courageous stand-off at the Glenrowan Inn, Kelly emerged wearing his home-made plate metal armour and helmet, still firing at police, before being shot down and arrested. He was executed for his crimes 11 November 1880, his final words reportedly: "such is life." Throughout the silent era, the subject of bushrangers became of staple of Australia cinema; it presented many of the same components as the American western, which had first come to light in 1903 with Edwin S. Porter's 'The Great Train Robbery.' Not only was 'The Story of the Kelly Gang' one of the first bushranger pictures, but it was also the world's first feature film. There has been some debate, of course, over the definition of a "feature," and, though some recorded boxing matches ran for longer, they did not possess a standard narrative. With much of the film lost in time, the original running length of the film is now uncertain, with some suggesting forty minutes and others more than an hour. Several commentators have claimed that the filmmakers deliberately stretched the truth in their advertisements to entice larger audiences (indeed, the film travelled the world for more than twenty years and achieved phenomenal commercial success).

Until recently, it was believed that only ten minutes of the story had survived. However, in 2006, an additional seven minutes was discovered in the British National Film and Television Archive, and  thanks to the efforts of the NFSA and the Haghefilm preservation laboratories in Amsterdam  everything has been meticulously restored for our viewing pleasure. On the newly-released DVD, there are two versions of the film: the first is the seventeen-minute "restored version," which basically presents the story as it now survives, with a pleasant piano accompaniment by Mauro Colombis (and an experimental soundtrack by Endorphin that I wasn't game enough to try). The second is a "study version," which combines the remaining footage, new and original intertitles, advertising materials, posters and the original programme booklet in an attempt to reconstruct the complete narrative of the 1906 film. This one, running for about half an hour, certainly lends the film a more complete structure, allowing you to appreciate the gravity of the filmmakers' achievement.

'The Story of the Kelly Gang' was written and directed by Charles Tait, with many members of his family playing key roles in the story. Though various sources have suggested different names, film historians have generally agreed that the following casting decisions are likely: Ned Kelly (Frank Mills), Dan Kelly (Sam Crew, John Forde, Mr. Marshall), Steve Hart (Jack Ennis, Mr. McKenzie, Norman Campbell) and Joe Byrne (Will Coyne). It is also probable that, at least in some scenes, the role of Kate Kelly is being played by a man in drag. The film, due to the perceived glorification of criminals, caused much controversy upon release, and it was banned in Benalla and Wangaratta in 1907 and again in Victoria in 1912. The film-making technique is a product of its times, completely devoid of close-ups, and the camera, despite a few primitive panning movements, almost always remains static. However, the convincing use of props and costumes, and the somewhat laid-back demeanour of the actors, lends the film a certain authenticity. Despite the excellent restoration work, many of the remaining scenes have unfortunately decayed beyond repair, and, particularly during Ned Kelly's climactic stand-off, the image has a tendency to strangely distort. Nevertheless, the historical importance of 'The Story of the Kelly Gang' is enough to overlook these technical imperfections, and I relished the opportunity to enjoy a true landmark of Australian cinema.


The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) symbolizes both the birth of the Australian film industry and the emergence of an Australian identity. Even more significantly it heralds the emergence of the feature film format.

The world's first feature-length movie was directed by Charles Tait and filmed at the Tait family's Chartersville Estate in the Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg. Originally there were no inter-titles; narration was performed by an on-stage lecturer who also provided sound effects including gunfire and hoofbeats. It cost £1000 to make, but that money and more was recovered within its first week of screening. It premiered in Melbourne on Boxing Day 1906, and was later shown across Australia, in New Zealand and in Britain.

Only fragments of the original production of more than one hour are known to exist and are preserved at the National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra. While some of the footage is almost pristine, other segments are severely distorted. The sensitive nitrate stock on which the film was shot deteriorated quickly in storage, so as we watch Ned make his final stand against the police at Glenrowan in his legendary suit of armor, he bends and morphs in much the same manner as a modern-day digital effect.


I loved this show!

Every Saturday morning, my sisters, my brother and I would be waiting outside the Odeon Cinema for the doors to open. It only cost 30p for a good 2-3 hours entertainment. There were cartoons, Children's Film Foundation films and, of course, Chico the Rainmaker. Every time I saw that little head, I would smile. When Jill played the pan pipes and Chris played the drums, you knew Chico was about to do something magical. The story lines were straight out of the Enid Blyton school of writing, the acting was at some times funny, at others dreadful, but this show never failed to amuse and delight us.

It's almost 30 years since I last watched Chico, but I still remember the theme song after all this time. Chico will stay with me as a very happy memory of my childhood.


Chico the rainmaker was a great show. I was six years old when it aired & my Dad would watch it with me on Sunday mornings.The show was a great way to learn to help others and to be a good friend and be their for each other no matter what got in the way. Everyone I ask says they never heard of it. I guess that makes us the chosen ones. I live in a small town in Eastern Canada where we don't have a lot of choices where to shop. I hope to find it someday to buy. It would be great to show my kids. If they're not too busy rolling around laughing at it! Thanks for bringing back a really cool memory of me and my Dad spending some "us" time together in the big lazy boy chair. Maybe PBS will dig it out and show it again for old times sake.


Omigod. I haven't seen a film that moved me as much as this for a long time. It tells the tale of two 30-something brothers who own a dilapidated second-hand bookshop in Glasgow, and their search for different things.

The writing is effortless, but so natural and brilliant, the characters are beautifully crafted and it makes a refreshing change to see a film that is not about the location or the effects - but about the story and characters.

As for the acting - not a bad word can be said about any of the actors. The three principals (henderson, sives and rawlings) are so utterly convincing and there is so much chemistry between them all. They are backed up by two brilliant turns from Julia Davis as Moira and Mads Mikkelsen as Horst.

It may sound depressing from the title, and you may well shed a tear before the end of the movie, but I can guarantee that you will leave the cinema a wiser and more enriched person for having seen Wilbur...


[WARNING: Some spoilers ahead]

Suicide is a serious subject and any attempt at showing it in a humorous light runs the risk of trivializing what amounts to a major public health problem. "Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself," set in gloomy Glasgow, a city with a collective depression syndrome to begin with, polarizes audiences into "It's great" and "It's awful" groupings. Director Lone Scherfig handles both the city and the characters with a light hand. Moods are created by settings that reflect the unfolding drama.

Wilbur (Jamie Sives) and brother Harbour (Adrian Rawlins) inherited a small, dusty bookshop - shelves groaning with misplaced volumes - from their just deceased father. Wilbur has a record of self-destructive acts, some silly and others very dangerous. He's in a therapy group run by a German psychologist, Horst (Mads Mikkelseen), and a ditzy nurse who thinks husband hunting amongst the suicidal is a good option. Horst seems more enervated and down than his patients with whom he has a decidedly detached relationship.

A nurse's aide, Alice (Shirley Anderson), supplements her inadequate income by bringing books she "finds" at the hospital to the brothers' book store for a few quid. A single mom, she and her pre-teen daughter, Mary (Lisa McKinlay) share a warm relationship. Chronic lateness brings the Scots equivalent of a pink slip and Alice ends up working at the bookstore after she quickly falls in love with Harbour. Their wedding takes places in a Chinese restaurant featuring an owner whose Highland brogue is thicker than congee.

Alice agrees, indeeds almost insists, that Wilbur live with them in the cramped flat behind the store. His self-absorbed attempts at suicide continue until he seems to rebound by falling in love with his sister-in-law who returns the affection.

Oh boy, a not atypical film menage a trois with the good guy husband unaware that he's in a roiling threesome. But there's a twist. A sudden collapse in a supermarket leads to a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer for Harbour spelling out a quick and deadly fate that he attempts to keep secret.

Harbour's concealment of his illness is futile and wrong but his deepening relationship with Horst becomes the foundation for the psychologist's belated but imperative need to reconnect with the reasons that brought him into clinical therapy. And we also learn that grand Kentucky bourbon is available to Glaswegians.

What follows is the relationship between four people with Mary, the child, taking on an increasingly important albeit quiet role. The store facing financial ruin, she offers her own money (apparently a trust fund from somewhere) to float the emporium.

This is a serious film about complex relationships, told non-judgmentally (which may be what has bothered some who reviewed the movie on IMDb). An excellent cast turns in credible and moving performances. Alice isn't very pretty-she certainly isn't glamorous. But she has a sensuous love of life and a deep caring for her child., Harbour loves his brother and his new wife and his almost instant bonding with Mary is believable, the realization of a long, missing need. Mary is bright, curious and vulnerable. She's dependent on the adults and is shielded from their various dilemmas and delinquencies. And Wilbur really doesn't want to die-anyone intent on suicide succeeds. He wants a life with a rewarding love. Who doesn't?

Set in Scotland, there are quite a few Scandanavians associated with the film. An alert reader of end titles will note that director Lars von Trier ("Breaking the Waves," "Dancer in the Dark" and, now, "Dogville") was a "script consultant," whatever that means.

One problem: it's time that makers of films set in working class Scots cities bite the bullet and provide subtitles. :)

9/10


Wilbur wants to kill himself is about a twenty something scotsman, whose main objective in life is to end it. Ironically, being extremely appealing to the opposite sex doesnt help much either.

I went to see this film in my local cinema where it described the film as the 'blackest of black comedies'. It is understandable that that there are a few comical incidents regarding suicide, but to call it the 'blackest of black comedies' is an overstatement. I really enjoyed the film; the music was very fitting to the flow of it and the characters were very well developed. The setting also made it very enjoyable (the bookshop), possibly because one of my favourite characters (the kipling fanatic) only appeared in this location. The plot however i thought turned very sharply from one direction to another (wilburs suicidal tendencies to his relationship with his brothers wife, and then the end scene).

Overall I thought the film had a very original idea and was very enjoyable, and i would definitely see it again. Just remember that if you decide to see it to keep an open mind.

7 out of 10


If you can get hold of this film it is well worth a look. Set in Scotland and telling the tale of a suicidal man whose life changes when he falls in love with single mother Shirley Henderson, it is both witty and sad in just the right measure. The love interest between the two leading characters is not straight forward and it is upon this dilemma that the film's plot revolves. Carefully directed, it never crosses the line into outright sentimentality although it does come dangerously close. Shirley Henderson is wonderful, as usual, but there are also strong performances from Jamie Sives and Adrian Rawlins. It is a low-key movie but a touching one that proves movies don't have to be violent, fast moving or steamy to entertain. Particularly suitable for lovers of kitchen sink romance.


i think sense of humor is just SUCH an individual thing. perhaps the more subtle the comedic approach, the more difficult to identify and align with. I myself found this film totally engaging, amusing and lovely. i did not know, at the time of viewing, that the director had made 3 or 4 other of my favorite films, On Our Own and Italian for Beginners being the most recent. The story itself is small but it's the screenplay and that quirky funny pervading sense of humor, that IS the film. two handsome, intelligent,gentle, interesting brothers have a deep love for each other. one is the older and responsible one, who runs the inherited family used book shop. the younger one makes a career out of trying to kill himself. a sweet sad woman- with- daughter comes into their lives and the shag rug becomes a tapestry. all the acting is spot-on. the TERRIFIC screenwriters (the director being one of the two)had me caring about all of the characters. the silences, as much as the dialogue, are perfectly carried off and i really didn't feel there was a false out-of-place moment in the entire film. i saw the film last night (thank heavens for good public-library film-buyers)and the characters are in my mind today.i've a delighted smile on my face. a big 10 for me.


Wilbur, who is seemingly unreasonably yet persistently suicidal, cannot live with himself. Harbour, his caring and gentle brother, can't live without Wilbur. The deaths of their parents has affected both brothers differently, making one unable to live normally, and the other unable to live without the abnormality of having someone to care for. Into this dysfunction comes Alice, a struggling single parent who has a sad sweetness that Harbour cannot resist. They woo, and marry, and as their happiness begins to infuse the lives of all four, a family begins to take shape, despite the resistance that each feels. It is from the quadrangle they form that Wilbur finally finds what is missing in his own life, and wants what his brother has so easily grasped: that love, in the forms and shapes around us, is all that will eventually make life worth living. So enlightened, he unwittingly grabs hold of his brother's love, and takes some for his own; Alice, though guilty, is not unwilling. She has fallen in love with both brothers, equally, but differently. Her daughter, somewhat underplayed, becomes a pivot around which the three focus their energies, trying desperately not to hurt each other anymore than will be absolutely necessary. A bit of deus ex machina takes over (or perhaps it is simply fate stepping in?) and Harbour must bow out due to incurable cancer of the pancreas. It's hard to watch both the despair, as well as hope, rising in both Wilbur's and Alice's eyes as they find out what the ultimate conclusion will be; and they struggle with both their guilt and their excitement. But Alice does not waiver in her love for Harbour, and even though they /can/ hurt him, neither she nor Wilbur is willing to go that far. What will become of Wilbur and Alice and the child? It is not obvious. It hurts to watch the transitions each makes in their thought processes at times, but would any of us have done any differently? Still, there is satisfaction in the ending and one is left with the aftertaste of something larger than oneself probably knowing more and better than we do. Though the story can be a bit contrived, it is worth watching. We aren't brought to tears by the poignancy, nor are we appalled by the actions of the characters; we are simply aware that they are human,and fallible. That's enough sometimes.


Synopsis:

Wilbur (Jamie Sives) wants to die, kind of. So every now and then he tries to commit suicide. You know: Pills, wrist slitting, hanging that sort of thing.

He has nothing that ties him to life, but a brother named Harbour.

The brother (Adrian Rawlins) owns a book store, which was left to him by his father. He's a friendly, charming and responsible man, who's flirting with one of two regular costumers, a girl name Alice.

Alice (Shirley Henderson) is a lonely woman, who works as cleaning personal in a hospital, in order to support her daughter Mary (Lisa McKinlay).

Well. Girl meets book store owner, and they fall in love or whatever. So they get married. Meanwhile Wilbur continues his obsession with trying to end himself. The thing about Wilbur is, that he has sex-appeal which is quite... well... appealing. And don't think that Alice hasn't noticed.

Which creates the dilemma, doesn't it? Do we want the older, responsible, nice, kind, calm brother, or his sexual beast of an opposite, Wilbur?

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My review

Set in beautiful, but depressing Scotland, Lone Scherfig (The director of Dogma 8: Italiensk for begyndere) has made a small film about love. The story itself is pretty average, but the way this film treats suicide, and the absurdity of wanting to finish life, makes it worth watching. The film is made with subtle humor, tenderness and love.

Well acted this one is. I liked the characters. It is well filmed, also. Almost every scene takes place in the bed, in the bathroom, in the book store, or the hospital. All places, that cry out desperate decadence. You can actually sence death in the scenery, which is no coincidence. A major theme of this film is death and - as a direct consequence - life.

What is not so good about this film is, that it is about virtually nothing. There is almost no development, and unlike films of who are kindred in pace (Virgin Suicides, The Ice Storm) the story is way too structured, and too narrow to just watch and experience. There is a point this film is trying to make, which is a shame. A bit less narrative could have done a film, which is about so little, very good.

Still it is a good film. Very good. I am beginning to use 5 as average. 10 as perfect and 1 as complete rubbish. And giving that, I will give "Wilbur wants to die/Wilbur begår selvmord" 8. A lot of thought and care has gone into this little film, and it does show. From good cinematografy and a good script, to a well polished, melancholic score, this film is worth viewing. It won't kill you, even if you will.

8 of 10.


This film played in a small art-house theater in Los Angeles for several weeks with little or no promotion. I'd never heard of it and wondered why it continued playing for so long. I did not go to see it then but remembered the odd title. I subsequently came across the DVD and purchased it out of curiosity. I was amply rewarded for my adventure. The film, a Danish-Scottish co-production, is a small treasure. It is funny and poignant. The acting is uniformly fine and the characters are well defined and developed. The score is excellent and is performed by the Philharmonic of London. I share the DVD with friends and family and recommend the film highly. It's a wonderful little film.


"Wilbur wants to kill himself" is a (so)moving parable about how easy is to let yourself die when everything seems meaningless and how hard is to live when a disease is mining you.

Wilbur looks like a nice guy, the kind of man women like, he's good-looking, he has a brother who loves him... it doesn't seem like his existence is that miserable. Nevertheless he wants to leave this world, that's one of men's last rights so he'll try to kill himself in any possible way. On the contrary, his brother Harbour is full of life, he's an enthusiastic person, he's in love and he's just get married... how ironic, he has an incurable cancer, but that won't stop him from clinging to life till the last consequences.

Scherfig has moved away from the stupid DOGMA corset, and creates a perfect balance between the smile and the crying, tenderness and misanthropy, between life and death. She reduces the roughness of the hardest moments with a sarcastic turn or relying on the darkest sense of humor (that's always the best antidote against tragedy). Step by step she shows Wilbur the right way (and to all of us). No moral judgments, no dogmatism... there's no need to. Wilbur is a celebration of life, but is also a show of respect for those who don't wanna live anymore. Eventually it is a celebration of the best cinema: the one that makes you feel better.

*My rate: 8.5/10


**WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD** Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself is postmodern nihilism at its worst. Nothing funny in this film. The characters are grotesque, self-centered, disloyal and dysfunctional. Harbour is the only likeable person; a man who gives selflessly of himself to his suicidal younger brother and everyone else in his life, only to be betrayed and scorned (even by his own parents). No one can give a reason for living to Wilbur because life is just "here" with no ultimate reason or reference to God. Harbour nevertheless tries to help Wilbur best he can. Wilbur procedes to "repay" his brother by having an affair with his wife, who claims to "love" Harbour. The affair continues even after Harbour is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When asked what a near death experience was like for Wilbur (white light?)he responds "nothing. Just blackness and silence." Lovely. Harbour, rather than try to go on fighting a almost certain death sentence from cancer, commits suicide in the hopes his brother will honor his promise to look after his wife and stepdaughter, giving Wilbur a reason to live. His grave not even cold yet, Wilbur visits hand in hand with his brother's widow and stepdaughter talking of marriage (we all know how sacred those vows are to them. Why even bother?)The movie ends at a graveyard, replete with bleak scenery that leaves you disturbed, angry for what happened to Harbour, and perhaps even wishing everyone else BUT Harbour had killed themselves. Sartre would have liked this movie, but not even one as twisted as he would dare to have labeled this trash as "comedy."


It's really hard to describe this movie, there is something about it that cannot be explained with the script, acting, or directing. It must be just magic. Few movies got it, this one has it. Not everyone get's it, but if you do, you will love it. The characters, the story, everything.

After a while I entirely forgot I was watching a film and just got totally absorbed by the screenplay while developing a deep sympathy for each and everyone of the characters. It must be ages ago when I watched a movie that touched me so deeply like this one and I was surprised when I saw the low rating on IMDb. It's a shame, this masterpiece has really deserved more.

For viewer who look for something that is nicely polished, Catwalk Actors and Popcorn Feeling, don't bother. This isn't it.

But if you like films with a strong emotional/melancholic atmosphere that are touching your heart without any of the ingredients that are used for "Hollywood Mass Production Romantics" then the chances are good that "Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself" will give you a wonderful experience beyond words and you might loose so many tears that you become almost dehydrated in the last part of it. So incredibly touching and powerful I probably haven't seen it before...I was blown away.

Before you watch this be prepared to go into the deep deep river. A beautiful one. Thank you for making this masterpiece.


"Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself" may be the single worst movie I've ever watched from beginning to end, and I've seen "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." "Wilbur" is the product of some fringe studio that goes out of its way to hire cinematographers whose use of light and space make actors look like lumps of ordure on screen, scriptwriters who are one grade above monkeys trained to bang on keyboards, directors who suffer from cognitive retardation and can't grasp three dimensional space or movement, and actors who are desperate to appear in any piece of drek, no matter how dreadful. How movies like this get made when brilliantly talented people can't sell their work is a mystery more confounding than any presented by Area 51 or the Bermuda Triangle.

Wilbur is a twenty-something, suicidal Scott. He lives with his brother, the ostentatiously named Harbour, and always makes sure that his suicide attempts will wreck maximum damage on Harbour's sensitive soul. The audience is supposed to love Wilbur; he's supposed to be the funny, poignant, sexy, romantic lead. Not.

Harbour is a bit of a masochist, and does nothing to protect himself from Wilbur's venom. That's because this movie is as divorced from any reality of any human heart or mind as possible. Harbour, in a scene lasting maybe two seconds, falls in love with Alice, a depressive cleaning woman so out of touch with consensus reality that she can't clean properly, and gets fired. Later, she wears a stained blouse, a flowered skirt, and loud tartan tights to a birthday party, where children mock her attire, as well they should. Later Harbour vomits in a Muslim girl's expensive, golden dress. Ha, ha, ha. Oh, and the Muslim girl is named Fatimah, as is her mother. This is meant to cause big laughs.

Harbour and Alice marry, and Wilbur, in between suicide attempts, cheats with Alice on Harbour, who goes through a lingering and painful-looking death by pancreatic cancer. Wilbur and Alice don't even bother to purchase a headstone for Harbour, their masochistic savior. The End. I kept watching this movie mostly to see how bad it could get. In its descent from merely unpleasant and incompetent to unforgettably repulsive, it did not disappoint.


Although WILBUR WANTS TO KILL HIMSELF is an honest and unflinching look at death and suicide, it manages to evoke overwhelming feelings of compassion and tenderness. Lone Scherfig, the director, has crafted a moving characterization of how individuals respond to the loss of love. Wilbur, played by Jamie Sives, is despondent over the the death of his parents, and he has made numerous attempts at suicide to end his pain. He and his older brother manage the family business, a ramshackle used bookstore. And, when his brother becomes romantically involved with a woman, it seems Wilbur has inadvertently stumbled upon a reason to live. At first, it seems that he is animated by his brother's good fortune, but soon he finds himself romantically drawn to, Alice, his brother's lover and wife to be. Shirley Henderson is resplendent as Alice. She authentically expresses an irresistible yet forbidden attraction to Wilbur, while simultaneously displaying deep affection for Harbour, Wilbur's brother. As the narrative becomes even more tangled, yet never contrived, we are drawn to the true heart of the film-Lone Scherfig's deft and loving examination of the characters' interactions. And throughout all of the gloom and melancholy, the film always manages a light and almost playful tone. Do not let the downbeat subject of this film put you off, WILBUR WANTS TO KILL HIMSELF is truly a heartwarming experience.