Unlike most Hollywood movies that must be pigeonholed into categories--comedy, drama, romance--this movie dared to be all of these. And it dared to be low-key, without large, manufactured tragedies or plot hooks. Rather, it had the elegiac mood and idiosyncratic details of a fine short story, with its characters neither good nor bad but human, their lives honestly and touchingly observed by a sensitive screenwriter and director.


Recap: The Second World War is raging around the globe. In a little town in California the war is nowhere to be seen but always present. Two young boys, Henry and Nicky, is about to turn 18 and is eager to be off to the war. Now, only a few weeks remain, and the boys have a lot to do before they enlist. Henry meets the beautiful Caddie, a girl he thinks is a little out of his league, in any case considering social status. Both Henry and Nicky are from lower working class, and considers the rich spoiled and like people from some other kind of world. Time ticks, and now they have to tie up all lose ends, which is not as easy as two teenager want them to be.

Comments: The story, or rather there are not much of a story or a plot as there is life. This is a few weeks out of the two boys life, a time of much growing up to do, and a time of friendship without limits. So to speak the story is not very good, one might think. But due mostly to the casts ability to make it so real, so authentic, and so alive and feel so current even though the movie is filmed twenty years ago and set over sixty years ago. And then it hits you that the story is not bad either, because its never meant to be that kind of story that tell some events, its a story about life that everyone (more or less) can relate to. And viewed in in that light, the story is very good.

But as already mentioned, its the actors and actresses, and their acting that really makes this movie worth watching. The friendship between Henry and Nicky, the growing relationship between Henry and Caddie feel very real. You can feel, more than see, the bonds between them. You can feel them evolve together, or just having a good time, or both.

A young Sean Penn is magnificent in the lead as Henry. Its very impressive that an actor in the beginning of his career is able to make such an performance and carry such a heavy burden of the movie. He has good help though. A equally young Nicolas Cage plays Nicky, Henry's friend that has a knack for getting into trouble, and does it really well. He is the wilder one, compared to Henry, but would never fail his friend. And then, Elizabeth McGovern as Caddie. At the beginning of her career too, but already with a Oscar nomination behind her, she has the ability to pull off a very difficult part. The character of Caddie is a little in the shadows behind Henry and Nicky, but when called upon Caddie, i.e. McGovern really shines and interacts well with Henry, and gives him the reason to grow.

It is very impressive that the director Benjamin and the producers dared to give all the leads to such young actors. Their trust paid off well though.

Personally I also liked Henry's father, who had his own way of giving fatherly advice to his soon, but clearly also understood what he went through. A very sympathetic character. And also keep an eye out for a young Michael Madsen.

So, mostly because of the acting (and in some part also the fun to see well-known actors in the beginning of their careers)

8/10


Coming-of-age piece set in small town America during WWII. Sean Penn has seldom been so youthfully exuberant and amiable playing a young working-class man about to go off to war, finding love for the first time with a sweet lass he presumes is wealthy ("a Gatsby girl"). Richard Benjamin's direction is sensitive and breezy, and Elizabeth McGovern is a good romantic match for Penn (though sometimes she talks down to him, like a big sister might). Nicolas Cage is also fine as Sean's goof-off buddy, yet the slim screenplay hasn't enough meat on its bones and the middle portion of the film goes around in circles. The period flavor has been captured with non-showy flair, and Penn's exceptional performance is winning, making the film a nearly-satisfying nostalgic drama. *** from ****


I think this movie was one of the best romance movies I have ever seen!!! to me, this was way better than Titanic,etc. I think this movie would even be better if it had a sequel to it. Like it starting off showing them in the war and what they experience. Then they should show them coming home and what happens with Hop and his girlfriend, like if they get married or not. I love this movie, Sean Penn and Nicholas Cage were awesome in this movie, you couldn't have asked for 2 better actors. Also, if there's not a novel already published, I think they should have one. I think one of the very low points of this movie was that it had so much cursing, it could have made a good family movie if it didn't have that in it. Also the nudity was just not necessary. Basically that movie was totally ruined because of those two things.


This is an early Cage and Penn movie- they both do remarkably well portraying boys of the 1940's- and the subplot- mixing up a girl who works for the rich people- thinking she is rich- adds to the story. There are also some cameos by Carvey and Glover A light film.


This one looked like it was filmed during the 40's right down to the overly waved up hair on some of the women. Fine acting by the 3 main characters go along with the props [especially the bowling pin machines] to give the viewer a sense of the war years. Not a real deep story, but well done and well worth seeing.


Not a great film, but worth seeing for the budding romance between Penn and McGovern. They make a very credible couple. I expected more chemistry between Penn and Cage, they are both, after all, Fast Times alums! But the script doesn't give them a lot together. Mainly watchable for a pleasant afternoon watching Penn do a nice guy role for one of the few times in his career.


My roommate and I were bored, and it was on. That is the sum total of why we watched. And okay, Scott Bairstow played a factor. But we really didn't expect much. And we were absolutely floored.

The story is of Susan, a woman in her late thirties/early forties suffering from cancer who moves with her daughter from Chicago to California because she wants to be close to home and her parents when she dies. She doesn't want her parents, loving but controlling people, raising her 11-year-old, Carson, but has no one else. In California, she meets Michael, a 26-year-old busboy with no goals who she takes to be a fluffy airhead. Much to her surprise, he turns out to be intelligent and, as she puts it, "has depth." After learning of her condition, Michael tries to run from the mother and daughter, but moves on to become an integral part of their lives, providing both with true love as Susan prepares to die.

These were honest-to-goodness three-dimensional characters, who grew and learned over the course of the movie. The emphasis was on people surviving difficult situations and growing beyond themselves. The one plot point that could have spiraled into maudlin triteness was the obligatory custody battle, but instead was turned into a chance for all concerned to grow as characters, and was handled more tastefully than any such situation handled on film in years.

I will say it again--I was floored by the honesty and truth in this made-for-TV movie.

Nancy Travis, Scott Bairstow and the girl that played the daughter give stunning performances. All are complex and multi-faceted and will truly surprise you.

Watch this movie. What could have been a sappy movie-of-the-week instead stands as a true work of film.


This is a beautiful life and love story of a single mother in her 30's, played by Nancy Travis (Three Men And A Baby, Vanishing), who is diagnosed with cancer. When Doctors tell her of her fate, she is faced with making a lifetime worth of memories with her only child, in just a few short months. She takes her daughter to live in a small town so she can spend time bonding with and loving her. When a free spirited, handsome, younger man, beautifully played by Scott Bairstow (Lonesome Dove, Party Of Five), comes into her life, she gets more than she bargained for. Falling in love is not in the rules... fortunately, sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

"My Last Love" is a life story about true love and a love story about true life. This movie, to me, showed that if you truly love someone nothing can take it from you. You can find your best friend and soulmate in anyone. Love knows no age. Love knows no illness. If you are fortunate enough to find it, grab onto it and hang on with everything you've got. Don't give it up for anyone. Five minutes of being really loved is worth whatever risks you have to take. True love lasts beyond a lifetime.

Superbly written, directed and acted, this tender story is a must-see for anyone who believes in love.


This is a great TV movie about a single mother who is dying of cancer. Scott Bairstow is especially convincing as Michael, and he gives the impression of an older brother. Jaime Renee Smith shows herself to be a very mature actress. She lightens up the film, and really makes you get to know her character. If this movie is playing again, I would encourage you to see it!


Some movies are overwhelming with a power to evoke passion in a viewer, which wraps them up in the director's illusion throughout the runtime. A few motion pictures become truly life altering experiences, and Bloodbath in Psycho Town manages to fit in that category. The morning after I watched this barrel scraped 'slasher'; I woke up to a hefty £200 pound fine for unpaid parking tickets that I was unaware that I had ever received. I got up and went to play for my local soccer team and we were knocked out of the London lower league cup by a crunching 3-0 defeat at home. Much later I received a phone call from my girlfriend telling me that she wanted to discuss a rumour that she heard about a 'gentleman's only' weekend in Amsterdam, which I thought I'd got away with a few months earlier. Then to add more pain to this bizarrely unfortunate day, my beloved Arsenal were beaten 4-2 by their biggest rivals Manchester United in one of the most important games of the season. To make matters worse, all these drastically unlucky occurrences began with ninety wasted minutes of my life that I spent in front of this totally forgotten Z grade Troma trash. It's almost as ifwell, the ESP plot line had escaped the feature and invaded my life. Hideo Nakata's The Ring was a famous story about a video that could jinx its viewer to the worst kind of bad luck. Well now I'm sure I've uncovered an earlier example of this bizarre phenomenon. To be honest, I was somewhat relieved when seven days had passed and I was still alive!

Eric and his girlfriend Donna head to the remote town of Casa Della with three days left to finish their video project for graduation. Eric has decided to make a documentary about the village because it has a long history of bizarre occurrences. They bed down at a dilapidated mansion, which is owned by Eric's father and was the scene of a recent unsolved murder. Donna feels that the abode may well be haunted, but her boyfriend disagrees. The following day, the couple head out to interview the locals and ask them for their opinions on the tragedy that happened only a week earlier. All that they find is a group of psychic palm reading hippies, who seem afraid of Donna's subtle telepathic abilities. Before long the inevitable hooded nut job turns up and begins stalking the dumb-as-you-like students. Despite being given hundreds of blatant warnings from residents and even voices from beyond the grave, they decide to get to the bottom of the mystery. Just who or what could be behind the recent disappearances?

There's not too much to put into words about this one, mainly because not a great deal happens. But I will tell you that 'Drip of Blood in a Timber Yard' is a much more suitable title. Troma has an awful track record with the slasher genre. Movies like Angel Negro, Girl's School Screamers and the abysmal The Creeper have made Blood Hook and Graduation Day  the 'best' of their output - look like Apocalypse Now in comparison. Alessandro DeGaetano's offering continues the barrel scraping tradition by being so mind numbingly boring that you'll believe you've been locked in a concrete tomb for the entire runtime. With a title like Bloodbath in Psycho Town, I must admit that I expected a few gruesome murders. Unfortunately I only got one dry chance to see the killer use his blade, which is hardly a Bloodbath and just isn't good enough over ninety minutes. This was in fact so damn tedious that the director was forced to include as many as five pathetic sex scenes featuring the same 'great-oak' couple. These were not only hilariously unconvincing, but they were obviously added only to pad an otherwise miniscule plot line.

The hero and heroine of the feature are eminently watchable for the simple fact that they represent mankind's mysterious personality-link with wood. Yes, if you thought that you had previously viewed timber-like performances, these two will leave you convinced that they studied drama in the Amazon forest under the tuition of an ageing group of trees. Eric was particularly amusing, as he effortlessly proved that not only the T100s in the Terminator movies are devoid of human emotions. His girlfriend managed to dictate the tedium with her constant nagging, which was as unrelenting as the dire script. Not only were they a pair of human gateposts, but they also lacked conviction, talent and any kind of visual appeal.

On the plus side, Psycho Town does manage to build a smidgen of atmosphere in places. I liked the Blair Witch-alike interview scenes, which of course pre-date that movie by a good ten years. But it's too little too late as a huge majority of the runtime was mind numbingly insipid. This only just manages to slot into the slasher category, which is due to the brief appearance of a mystery killer in a bright yellow rain coat. But one victim just isn't enough and the whereabouts of the touted 'bloodbath' is one of cinema's biggest mysteries. I've heard that this has recently been re-released on DVD under a new title. I wouldn't be surprised if it was something like, 'Tonnes of naked chicks, gore and Academy Award winning actors in a huge Massacre'? But the net result is the same inconsistent mess of a movie that isn't worth your hard earned money. Don't forget that if you buy it  you could suffer as much bad luck as I did


Hello, my name is Brett Kolarik, and I had the distinct displeasure of working on this train-wreck, er, I mean, "film". My apologies for anyone who had to sit through this debacle. Believe me, it was a month in hell for me.

Forget the totally asinine script. I couldn't stop slapping my knee while I read it the first time. The second time, I couldn't stop crying. I tried not to read it too much after that. And speaking of the love scenes, did you notice how there was more of THE GUY being filmed, than the girl? That should tell you where Alessandro was coming from...

Number One: DeGaetano is a complete moron. COMPLETE. No, let me put that another way - a thieving conceited mean-spirited moron! A liar, also. OK, can you tell I don't like him? But he is a THIEF, that's for sure! Let me say this real quick: NOBODY on the crew liked the jerk. He was consistently rude, obnoxious, and over-bearing (did I mention extremely conceited?), and when you combine that with a VERY VERY low I.Q., this is what you get. The original working title was "Small Towns are Murder" (before the Gene Wilder film was made, I think), BTW.

For instance, Matt Gilmore and I (my co-worker in this mess) were promised, at first, in pre-production meetings (the early ones), that our FX budget would be quite decent. It dwindled from say a few thousand dollars down to about $200, by the time we actually started shooting - I'm not kidding. We had grand plans - prosthetics, animatronics, really elaborate FX planned out. We figured, "OK, the script sucks, maybe we can do something, at least visually". HA HA HA! I guess it was all of those elaborate lunches Alessandro ate with his little pals at the local Spanish restaurant (which is a horrible rip-off, and serves horrible food like fried squid and crap) that kinda' ate into our FX budget, no pun intended. So we were left with basically no cash to work with.

I could go on and on, but I will finish here, because I'm getting tired already. I must admit, I had fun doing it, and it was a great learning experience for me. But in the end, it turned very sour. How, you ask? Well, DeGaetano ended up splitting town, and failed to pay everyone thousands of dollars in back-pay, owed to many of the crew. I don't know about the cast. (The tramp he imported from L.A., by the way, was a complete snob - and I had to put up w/ her B.S. for an entire month, which sucked. The two stiffs were boring as hell, and thought they were God's gift, or something). BUT HE RIPPED OFF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. A few of us planned on a lawsuit, but it never materialized.

So, again, my apologies to anyone who had to sit through this revolting quagmire. God Bless and have a nice day! Sincerely, B. Kolarik


I got this movie in a Troma gift box and it was titled "Video Demons Do Psychotown". Now, judging by the cover and description on the back, about 45 minutes into the movie I thought I may have gotten the wrong disc packaged in my case. So I paused it and looked at the box again. The cover featured a man in a Mohawk popping out of a TV screen and the movie description promised things like "video demons control your every move" and a "gruesome journey into a world of subliminal psychic nightmares". Sure enough there were 3 stills from the flick on the back.

In actuality this movie is a boring murder mystery flick about two college students finishing up a documentary for a film school final project. Both leads are wooden and this movie features some lame ass love scenes. There is a lot of talking and repetition none of which builds up to any kind of climax in the end. There are a total of 3 murders and about 4 or 5 love scenes over the course of 90 minutes. That breakdown right there should clue you into what a total snooze-fest this picture is.

And Troma, be a little more honest with your packaging. No one likes to be baited and switched like that and it's no wonder why this dud was slipped into the "Toxie's Top Ten" gift box.


I think this episode is one of the best I've ever seen, really. It ranks up there with SG-1's Heroes. Yes, there are similarities, and anyone who remembers watching Heroes when it first aired will notice them. But it's also vastly different. I don't want to put any major spoilers in here, but I think fans of both series will know what parallels I'm drawing with the mention of Heroes.

I'll say this: It was a fitting episode, and one not likely to be forgotten. Not everyone is going to like it, some are going to hate it outright, and a few will probably stop watching altogether. But Atlantis is going strong, taking a darker turn, and maturing as a series. She's finally stepping out of her big brother's shadow.


SPOILERS FOR Sunday AND SEASON 4 I loved the idea of seeing how our friends spend their down time, but the killing of Dr. Beckett was a very stupid move on the part of the writers. He was a well liked secondary character, killed off in one of the most ridiculous fashions I've ever seen in a show (I mean, really, an exploding _tumor_?!). Then a few episodes later, they kill off Dr. Weir. You'd think they'd have learned after the uproar following Dr. Beckett's death not to go around killing off major characters.

I really think Sunday was the beginning of the end of Stargate Atlantis, at least for me. There were good episodes in Season 4 and 5, plus some good moments even in the bad episodes, but overall the show just wasn't the same. The new doctor was very annoying, as was the move to turn Season 5 into the McKay and Keller show, or as I liked to call it, Sex & The Stargate.

It was clear that Dr. Beckett was killed off to make room for the new actress, the writers' new pet character. A Mary Sue, who had few flaws, and was never even called out on them. Keller could do no wrong, and if she did, it was overlooked by the characters. All because the writers were angry at the fans' reactions, angry that they didn't love Keller the way they did. Then Dr. Weir was killed off to bring in Col. Carter, in a blatant attempt to pull SG-1 fans to SGA.

Two major characters killed off in the space of only a few episodes. The writers didn't care about what the fans thought, only themselves and ratings. If they were only writing for themselves, they shouldn't have put SGA out into the public arena. But because they did put it out there for other people to see, they should have taken into account their feelings as well.


"Poker at Eight" exhibits the situation comedy at the height of its form! The camerawork, set design, and, particulary, the acting of Charley Chase and Constance Bergen sparkles with wit, truth, and immense charm. The songs in "Poker at Eight" are witty and well-integrated into the plot. Charley Chase at the height of his art as a writer, singer, composer, and director of comedy. A definite precursor to screwball comedy!


This Charley Chase short has a rather silly plot but because the film was written so well and Chase did a great job pulling it off, the whole things works very well indeed.

The film begins with Charley being asked by his friends to come over to play poker, but Charley is a bit henpecked and refuses--though he really did want to play. The next day, he and a friend are golfing and Charley tells a big fib to explain his great golf shot--he says he hypnotized the ball! The friend doesn't believe it a bit and demands Charley hypnotize him as well. While Charley is doing his spiel, a stray ball hits the friend in the head--knocking him unconscious. As a result, he and Charley both think Charley has the power to hypnotize! Later, Charley decides to try out his new-found powers by hypnotizing his wife. Unbeknownst to him, his wife was the one who hit the golf ball and knew that Charley was no hypnotist, but decides to pretend to be under his power to teach him a lesson. Charley tells her under "hypnosis" that she is "good time girl who would let him go play poker". Once "awakened", she does tell Charley to go out and play poker AND she proceeds to act like the life of the party! Ultimately, this culminates with her going to a nightclub and Charley thinks she is still hypnotized--however, try as he might, he cannot awaken her! This is a cute little comedy short and one of the better Chase films. See it and have a laugh.


"Poker at Eight" is real vintage Charley Chase. In this short from his series at Hal Roch studios the comedian manages to make a witty, complicated farce of sorts fit comfortably into two reels. One of his specialties was taking an outlandish premise and elaborating his day-to-day consequences to make hilarious social comedy. Here he's a husband who's normally under his wife's thumb but who thinks he's developed the ability to hypnotize people. It turns out his wife only pretends to be hypnotized into being a "good fellow" and makes him jealous, seeming to head out for a night on the town while he makes the titular poker game.

The gag construction and plot twists are very funny here -- my favorite moment involving Charley having to carry a zither around with him for no good reason. Constance Bergen does a very good job as Charley's wife; she seems to have appeared in little more than a couple of other Chase shorts and a few smaller roles in Westerns, but here she's very funny making the transition between stern housewife and stern housewife-pretending-to-be-good-time-girl.

This a good example of the kind of sophisticated comedy Charley Chase could produce while still engaging in the kind of visual humor that has him hiding from police officers in a bright raincoat on a clear night. It's also a very funny watch.


Charley Chase wants to play poker with the boys, but his straight-laced wife won't let him. This leads to a great song, 'I'm in the Dog House Tonight,' that Charley sings to his pals over the telephone, explaining why he can't make it. The next day, while playing golf, he shoots a miraculous putt and claims he 'hypnotized the ball' into the hole. His best friend challenges Charley to prove it by hypnotizing him and while Charley works his hocus pocus, an errant golf ball beans his pal, stunning him into a zombie-like state. Both men believe the trance was the result of Charley's powers. The next time Charley want to go out for poker night, he tries mesmerizing his spouse. She is wise to him though, having seen what really happened on the golf course.

SPOILERS: The Missus pretends to be under his spell by not only agreeing to her husband going out with the boys, but deciding to get dolled up and go out on the town herself! She whispers instructions to the maid to leave the back door open as she isn't really going out, but will pretend to, then have the taxi driver drop her off in the alley. Charlie, not liking it a bit the goose is gandering, follows his wife. They keep bumping into each other back at the homestead, making up creative excuses as to why they returned. Finally, they end up in a night club creating havoc until a real hypnotist is brought in to save the day. The problem is, the wife now hypnotizes the specialist and gives Charley the chase! Not one of the best Chase comedies, but it has several funny moments.


I have just finished watching the Complete Series DVD collection of "Freaks and Geeks," one of the best high school television series on televisions that, thanks to idiotic network executives who continue to make the decisions that make network television more and more unbearable to watch, have truly missed out on a gem. And, thanks to a healthy fan network, I was able to enjoy every bit of the series (as short as it was) on DVD.

Freaks and Geeks was one of the most honest portrayals of high school life, pleasantly departing from the overrated attention given to other television series and films who consistently focus on the "untouchable" classes of the dreaded high school social caste system that we are all likely too familiar with. The assorted teen dramas, and the difficulty of just subsisting in the often passively rigid classes within the high school social scene. This television series presented things from two perspectives: a group of freshman friends marked as "The Geeks" and a group of older friends, underachievers known as "The Freaks." The Geeks often provided the comical element to the show, while the Freaks often explore more dramatic story lines such as problems with parents (a constant subplot), self-esteem, drugs, and more. Although the Geeks confronted their own share of problems, their youth and easygoing attitude often made the situation more light-hearted.

Other commentators have often posited the question (on the "Freaks and Geeks" board along with other short-lived television series) why shows like these never last long on television. While "Saved by the Bell" might have been the only show to be quite successful with it (though only after significant retooling of the original series, "Good Morning Mrs. Bliss would NBC even agree to pick up the show), my guess is that this show may have initially had a difficult time finding a loyal audience in the crucial early days of the show. There were issues of drug use and teenage sex which some might not have found ideal for the younger viewers of this show (people in their very early teens as this show tended to sometimes celebrate drug use...even though there was one episode that was clearly anti-drug). Five years ago was a different time, however. And shows like "The O.C." (on Fox) seems to get away with stories surrounding its "young" characters and attitudes towards casual sex. Sadly, however, the network, too, is to blame, as it shifted the show into unrecognizable time slots, airing a show that was ideal for young audiences at a time when they would least likely be watching television--Friday and Sunday evenings. I cannot say that this would be why other television series surrounding high school would also be canceled.

It might also be that the show was never given a fair chance. Some might have quickly judged it as a rip-off of "The Wonder Years" (John Daly and the Geek Gang--especially Neil and Harris--did look like characters you might find on that show, not to mention the high school looking just like that in The Wonder Years).

My other guess for the reason that shows like these are often short-lived is that they are too expensive to produce. "Freaks and Geeks," like "My So-Called Life" filled a lengthy time slot of fifty minutes or so. Filmed partially on location and partially on a set (like "Sqaure Pegs" and "My So-Called Life"), a show like this becomes very expensive to produce and, may unfortunately force some hasty decisions about how long a network would ride out slack ratings.

I still think NBC passed up a good thing, and possibly other networks if it was pitched to them once being canceled. It was a great show that tried to produce a very dynamic set of characters and stories and did well.

I would also like to say while I adored nearly every character on the show (except for Nick who's obsession with Lindsay transformed him into not only a bizarre, but a boring character), I thought Martin Starr was the best as the witty Bill Haverchuck (I love his Bionic Woman bit when he is getting his costume ready in the Halloween episode). Though I thought him to be needlessly bizarre in the beginning (particularly due to his gawky appearance), he turned out to be one of the best characters. He always tried his best to be a good friend to everyone and, he always had some of the funniest lines in th show (Joe Flaherty, as Sam's dad, also had a bunch of good one-liners). And, while he was not in the show but sporadically, I also loved 'Harris,' the Geek mentor who always seemed so confident about everything.

Long live Freaks and Geeks! May the television show's creators reconsider trying this one again (even if you have to start over with a new cast, since everyone has aged six years--as of this writing).


The show's creative team seems to have an eye for the high school experience and their vision transcends the setting. Freaks and Geeks is set at a Michigan high school in 1980 and the opening shot of the series sets us up for who the show will be about. We track across a football practice and up to the bleachers where a player and cheerleader are discussing how they love each other so much, it's scary. We linger briefly on this generic moment before moving underneath the bleachers to real life and a conversation about Molly Hatchet and Led Zeppelin. These are the Freaks. Then come the Geeks. They are three boys quoting Caddyshack, are bullied for it, and then saved by a girl. It's through these freaks and these geeks that we will relive the high school experience. Sure the names of the groups change, their lingo and the bands they listen to, but everyone can relate to the horrors and beauties of high school and the relationships that reside there.

So many characterizations about this period of life are presented through the eyes of characters that virtually no one was. The characters are either too smart, quoting Kierkegaard at fourteen and making their own label-worthy clothing, or they are perfect, as if everyone's capable of making the game-winning shot. Our story here is presented through the lives of Lindsey and Sam Weir. Lindsey is the oldest. She's a former "mathlete" and "that girl in English who got an "A."" However, dissatisfaction with her life and an attraction to the easygoing ways of Daniel Desario, the head freak, leads her to a new group of friends and a shift in direction. Her successes as a student and the perception of her as a perfect daughter have left her feeling empty. So she trades her plaid dress for her dad's old army jacket and forsakes the library for the smoking patio. But Lindsey's is not simply a story of "teenage rebellion." Her's is a journey into the genuine as she finds a home in the murky adventures of friendships and a real life lived.

Sam and his friends, Bill and Neal, are freshman, learning from the outset that "high school sucks." But their stories are not simply the ninth grade torture chamber they could have been. No, Sam, Bill, and Neal are redeemed by their acynical, wide-eyed approach to life and their affection for one another. This care they have for one another is refreshing and truthful. In one episode (The Garage Door), Sam suspects that Neal's dad is being unfaithful in his marriage. Bill reminds Sam that he has to tell Neal what he saw. There are no secrets. "Remember that time in science class when I tried to sneak out a fart and it came out apoop? Do you think I wanted to tell you that?" Their innocence isn't simply an extension of their naivete, (well, Bill is a little naïve) but flows more from their trust in one another and willingness to be faithful. In "Smooching and Mooching," Neal and Bill discuss strategy for spin-the-bottle at an upcoming make-out party. Bill asks, "What if they don't wanna kiss us?" Neal replies, "That's the genius part of the game. They have to." "I don't know. I just don't want to see the expression on their face when they see that the bottle lands on me," says Bill, gently. The geeks are not understated, and yet never over the top. They get their friendship just right.

Freaks and Geeks also gives us two of the great television characterizations that I've ever seen, Bill, played by Martin Starr, and Nick, played by Jason Seigel. Bill is the anti-Eddie Haskel. He's brimming with authenticity and his laid back ways provide some of the shows greatest comedic moments. In "Girlfriends and Boyfriends," Bill gets to be study partners with Cindy Sanders, one of the cutest girls in school and Sam's big crush. At a study session, her getting up from a chair is accompanied by a noise that either came from her or from the vinyl seat covering. When she leaves the room he immediately switches chairs and scootches around on it to see if indeed the sound came from Cindy or the vinyl. (It wasn't the vinyl) Nick isn't quite so self-assured. If he is wide-eyed, its because he's staring into headlights. In fact, there are times when he comes off as manipulative and creepy and yet there is a sadness in his character that I haven't quite seen before. He is afraid. In "I'm With the Band" Lindsey encourages him to try out for a local band and fulfill his dream of being a rock-n-roll drummer only to find that his skills don't quite match his passion for the music. In "Discos and Dragons" he finally finds something he's good at, disco, and yet it's revealed to the viewer that the disco will close within a weeks time. He's the friend that has to be taken care of. (Ken smashes Nick's guitar so that he won't sing an embarrassing love ode to Lindsey.) Yet he wants to be the spirit of the group. ("Laser Floyd is playing at the laser dome!") But Nick isn't simply sad because bad things happen to him. He wants to be a deep thinker, but can't scratch the surface of things and conventional modes of "finding your way" seem only to backfire. He has glimpsed his place in the world, and he can't bear it.


This was a marvelously written and acted TV show. And, since TV is often a medium full of vacuous mind-numbing crap (reality TV, Jerry Springer, etc.), it's no wonder that this show bombed--it was just too good. It's really a shame, as I think the show would have appealed to people of all ages--kids as well as their parents.

The show centers on two siblings, their family and their friends. The oldest daughter is practically a genius and a nice girl, but she longs for so much more out of life than just good grades. So, she leaves her old friends and creates a new identity with the "freaks". Her younger brother is one of the most geeky kids you could imagine--except for his friends which are even worse. Nice kids, yes, but total geeks.

Each episode tended to focus on one or both of the teens and despite their differences, they both were basically decent kids. The parents, though pretty dorky (especially Joe Flaherty as DAD), were nice folks as well and you couldn't help but care about them all. AND, in spite of all I have mentioned, the show kept a nice sense of humor and was never saccharine! What a pity.


I'll make it short because most comments here will already tell you how great this show is in detail much better than I could and in adding a lenghty review I would only repeat much of the other reviews. Freaks and Geeks is a wonderful show with real characters the viewers can identify with and it tells school life as it was with all the humiliations, pain, angst, joy, discoveries, secrets...it's a very honest and low key show with a slow narrative but the stories and characters really grab you by the heart. The casting was incredible and the chemistry between the actors is something else. Especially the geek trio is awesome. Sams unanswered crush he has on cheerleader Cindy is something all Geeks of the world can relate to, as we all know nice guys finish last :-) I was fed up with all the models and pretty boys who follow these stupid, superficial, oversexed and manipulative dating&love story lines a long time ago already and only recently saw these episodes of Freaks and Geeks. And it was like a fresh breath of air! I didn't watch it from the beginning unfortunately and zapped in to "We've got spirit". Then came the scene when Todd thanked the team and the high school and then he thanked God, and I knew I was in for something special. Only I didn't know right then and there just how great of a show freaks and Geeks truly is! The fact that NBC stopped this series after one season only is a true testament to the sad state of television these days.


This show is easily one of the most true to life series to ever hit the air. It has an honesty and a truthfulness about it that I haven't seen in anything else.

The freaks are judged and criticized, but they are not the two-dimensional extras of other shows. The geeks are mathletes trying to fit in.. not with the cheerleaders or the jocks. Not with the so-called popular people. But with the freaks. The interesting, unpopular, strange freaks.

The freaks and the geeks are the main portion of the high school population. The kids who get picked last. Who get made fun of for putting up their hand to answer a question. The kids who get made fun of for flunking every test. Kids who have too much sex, and kids who don't have sex at all.

This show is timeless. Almost 10 years later I am dealing with the same things in high school and it is conveyed in the most upfront way.

The fact that it was never given a real shot is a true shame.


NBC creates one of the best series to burn cathode particles into a screen...only to abandon it like one of those professionally choreographed orphans in Annie. Except this time Daddy Warbucks adopts all the children only to light their singing bus afire. Maybe NBC should join up with FOX.

The best way to explain the scope of what this show could have been would be made in a simile--like The Wonder Years. Except that this show has a soundtrack on par that doesn't have too many legal tie-ups to be put on DVD. Simply the best show to portray what high school is ::italics:: ACTUALLY LIKE! Even though portrayed in the 70s, somehow it comes off as timeless. With so many one-dimensional shows about Abercrombie models being over-dramatic when not waxing and/or getting breast implants in their collective chests--depending on gender...or maybe not--there are few series that are willing to show a fair side to the rest of the hall populace.

The writing and production are top notch. Enough so to make the series feel like it was scanned from the mind of Cameron Crowe. Seriously. Once the casting was secured, the only thing that could've sunk this show was a bad time slot and a lack of commitment. Firefly? Firefly, anyone? If only the fans could come together and pull another Serenity. Alas, the cast is now the better part of a decade older, and have moved on with their careers. In the meantime, I strongly suggest viewing of anything Paul Feig has written for. And buy the damn box set.


Not structured like your normal comedy, the laughs are not the main focus for this one. Instead it's full of those awkward adolescent moments that we're all familiar with, with nostalgic humor sprinkled in.

The show basically follows Sam and Lindsay Weir through their travails in high school. Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) is an upperclassman rebelling against her goody-two-shoes mathlete past. She starts hanging out with a group of burnouts and "losers" (the Freaks: James Franco, Jason Segel, Seth Rogen and Busy Philipps). Meanwhile, her brother Sam (John Daley from "Waiting...") is entering high school with his own group of social outcast friends (the Geeks: Samm Levine and Martin Starr).

"Freaks and Geeks" presents a realistic view of high school life, unlike the glamorized, soap opera high schools of shows like "The OC". And this show has heart. It has all of the emotions you'd expect from a show about teenagers. There isn't always a happy ending, just like in life. But the show also manages to pack in some humor without being a laugh-track fest like "That '70s Show".

And with the diverse cast of characters (from students to teachers to parents, etc.), there is bound to be at least SOMEONE who is alarmingly similar to someone from the viewer's own past.

I loved the pilot episode, but didn't think too much of the next handful of episodes. The show really grew on me about halfway through, however, prompting me to bump up my rating by a couple of stars. I wasn't even born in 1980 (when the show is set), but the portrayal of the American high school experience is universal. James Franco, by the way, is really cool in this show. (I'd only known him from the Spider-Man movies.) With equal parts heart and humor, "Freaks and Geeks" truly was a wonderful (if short-lived) show.


I went to high school in Michigan in the 1980s and hated it. But I thought this show had so many touching and funny moments that I could relate to that it's really a shame it only lasted one season. This was the high school I remember - not populated by beautiful people with so-called problems. NBC gave shows with initially low ratings like Seinfeld and Friends a chance, why couldn't they have given Freaks and Geeks a chance before cancelling it. It's a real loss.

I loved the Geeks because I identify with them the most. They - especially Sam - actually look like the kids they're supposed to be, and I thought some of the most touching moments were when they were trying to straddle that line between childhood and adulthood. Like when Sam throws away his toy trucks but still decides to go trick-or-treating on Halloween.

The moment in the pilot when Sam leads Cindy on the dance floor and then the music changes from slow to fast is initially funny, but the pained look on Sam's face like he's about to cry before he awkwardly starts to dance and cheers up brought tears to my eyes. (There's a priceless deleted scene on the DVD called "our creepiest moment" where Sam and Cindy slow dance while singing the slow part of "Come Sail Away".).

The episode when they watch a porn movie and are freaked out until the gym teacher sets Sam straight is priceless. I loved how when Sam finally got the pretty cheerleader he'd been chasing it turned out she was boring and they had nothing in common. Not the usual plot lines you see on shows about teenagers. And the music was always appropriate - because it was a period piece they could avoid network executives telling them to promote the latest band like most teen shows.

Geeks deal with bullies, being picked last to be on school teams, and don't want to shower in public. Real high school problems. So many other touching moments: Bill coming home to an empty house and making himself a grilled cheese sandwich and having a great time watching TV, Neil realizing his father is having an affair, Bill resentful that his mother has a boyfriend.

That said, everything I liked about the show mostly related to the Geeks. I didn't understand the Freaks or why Lindsay wanted to hang out with them, especially at the beginning when they just wanted her for parties or cheating on tests. The implication was that she'd decided there were no rewards for being a good person after witnessing her grandmother dying, but clearly she was not comfortable being a Freak, at least not until later episodes when the Freaks seemed to develop some genuine affection for her.

The suggestion is that they were high all the time, but apart from one episode (when Lindsay smokes marijuana) they never seemed to be smoking. Lindsay's parents forbid her from hanging out with them after she crashed their car but at the end of the episode she goes back to them and nothing changes. Of the Freaks I liked Nick the best - sweet but clueless, the episode when Lindsay's father takes him under his wing is great - him singing "Lady" to Lindsay and writing "Lady L" were hilarious.

I thought the last episodes were going off in some strange directions which may have made more sense had the show continued: Lindsay following the Grateful Dead instead of going to the Academic Summit, Daniel joining the audiovisual team and playing Dungeons and Dragons, Nick discovering disco, and Ken going out with a tuba player.


Freaks and Geeks, though unfortunately short lived, is, perhaps, the greatest show in the history of television. Like other fantastic series, this one does not fall into any distinct categories, administering equal doses of humor and pathos and tears. Each episode, really, defies all expectations. There're the uproarious episodes (like the Halloween one or the Nick Disco one) and then there's Kim Kelly is My Friend (not shown on network TV due to its subject matter) and the story arc following Neal and his dad's disintegrating relationship. Yet, even in the darkest episodes there're at least a couple belly laughs and in the funniest a couple dark moments. Feig and his writers' ability to so seamlessly blend comedy and drama into a single show reveals tremendous talent - a talent, perhaps, more suited to the big screen. That's why Freaks often seems like the greatest TV show ever; it's completely unlike TV, but it's very much like film.

The show also rises above most of its competition due the talent of its cast. Each young actor is so convincing that I can't quite imagine them being anyone but their character. It doesn't seem like any of them are actually acting. I would expect Sam and Neal and Bill to behave like the were I to meet them tomorrow in a mall.

The same goes with the Freaks. Watching the out-takes, though, you notice that, in fact, that is not even remotely the case. Who knew that Martin Starr (Bill) is not the hugest dork on the planet? Who knew that Busy Phillips is not a raging bitch? On every level, this show is superior to most others. The writing, the acting - even the photography (which looks like it was location shooting rather than set-shooting) - are all fantastic. It's truly a shame that this show never made it into a second season. Sure, it's better to burn out than to fade away, but the writers and actors had a few more years of this show in them. Regardless, Freaks and Geeks is an absolute masterpiece that, like Twin Peaks, the Simpsons, the Office, and most of Happy Days, shows what TV can be.


What a steaming pile this is. It's not anywhere near accurate of what early 80's high school was like. Everything from the wardrobe to the hairstyles are completely inaccurate; which would be okay if only there were *any* other redeeming qualities about this absolutely terrible television show. But there isn't. The staging is quite literally laughable; I think a moderately competent 12 year old could shoot a better show. The acting (and I'm being waaaay too generous there) is very, very bad and the writing stinks like fresh dog pie on a dewy spring morn. Seriously - this show is popular because the demographic it's meant to be consumed by have money and want to romanticize a past that never happened. This is junk.


For my first review of a TV show, why not pick one of the finest programs of the 90s? Most shows about high school are overtly dramatic, unrealistic, dumb, and most of all dull. Shows such as "Dawson's Creek" and "Boy Meets World" turn my stomach into knots. Thats why I was so surprised (not to mention refreshed by) "Freaks and Geeks". This is more representative of my high school experience than any other show (I was a freak). Its a shame that some idiot executive took this off the air. It goes to prove that the head honchos don't know quality when they see it and instead allow a number of abyssal reality shows or sitcoms to run for multiple seasons. Still, what we have is near perfect.

Admittedly this show suffers from some of the same problems a lot of other youth shows do. The acting ranges from very good to pretty poor (particularly from guest roles). Also, it can be awkward at times. Fortunately, the writing is so superb that it completely compensates for any shortcomings. "Freaks and Geeks" takes realistic and believable situations and makes them entertaining. The thing about the show that works the best for me though are the characters. Every character was multi-dimensional and lovable. There isn't a single false note or a moment when you don't sympathize with the protagonists. These are the kind of people you'd like to hang out with in real life. "Freaks and Geeks" is one of the finest shows ever on network television, and its a shame it didn't reach a wider audience. (8/10)


Not since The Wonder Years have I seen a show that has managed to capture the angst of growing up with such honesty, originality and humour. This show brought the characters to life and actually made you care what happened to them. The actors were great, the scripts were great, it got rave reviews from critics, the only reason this show isn't still on is because NBC never gave it a chance. The people who run the networks should be ashamed to have let such a quality program fall through the cracks. This was an extremely good show that deserved better. If NBC was complaining because no one watched it, they should've tried advertising it more and keeping it in the SAME timeslot instead of shuffling it around and weakening the small fanbase. Had they done those things I have no doubt in my mind that this show would still be on today or at least would have had more than just 16 episodes. I strongly urge the fans of this show or people who are curious about it to go to Amazon.com to vote to have it released on DVD. You will NOT be disappointed.


I'm a recent convert to IMDb and have been writing and posting these comments since late November and they've mostly been about films. No television show has really motivated and impressed me enough to compose a love letter in it's honour so far. Until I decided this little (only in ratings) wonder deserved the distinction of becoming the first program I'd praise to the skies.

I checked the chronological filter in reverse to find out just who was the very first soul to write here about "Freaks and Geeks". I wanted to give them a tip of the hat by name. And guess what? The comment from 19 July 1999 (love the way those numbers flow together) was listed as "anonymous"! Oh, well. Thanks anyway, whoever you are.

I assumed by now there would be over 1000 people on this subject and was shocked there are less than 200 so far! Where are all you "freaks" and "geeks"? Write something and tell the world out there that this show is easily one of the greatest of the medium's history.

Paul Feig still is active in comedy and has been overshadowed somewhat unfairly because of the juggernaut that is Judd Apatow's career. Let's not forget Mr. Feig was a huge part of this experience and if he's not involved with some film and/or television, the world is a less friendly place. His pain and refusal to gloss over the real, heartbreaking trials of adolescence are what makes this show have a great big heart that ticks. God bless you, Paul Feig!

I'll maintain no matter how good some of Judd Apatow's films are, his best work always has and will be on the box. If you're going to create another show, Judd, please put it somewhere like HBO this time and get some newer faces who grew up with "Freaks".

And have Linda Cardellini appear in some role worthy of her talents. Honestly, is there another young, popular actress this well liked? I've never seen a negative mention of her in the tabloids. And I hope it stays that way. Her ability to take almost any kind of material and not just make it work, but thrive is on full display in "Freaks". The role she returned to NBC for, Samantha Taggart on "ER", was only worth watching because she made often silly plots truly believable with her brave and intelligent acting style.

There are so many wonderful actors on this roster, I'd like to tell each of them how much this whole 18 episode arc means to me and millions of other young adults. At 36, maybe I'm not a "young adult" in the technical sense, but I have watched an awful lot of television in my life and can say this program is as good as TV has ever been.

NBC used to have the best stuff around and now...I don't make a point of setting an hour aside anymore because one thing in the lineup is that worth the time. No more "Homicide", no more "Seinfeld" and no more "Freaks and Geeks". It makes you feel like you are at a wake and remembering how great we once had it.


Like Arrested Development and Futurama, Freaks and Geeks is one of those shows that has more power as a martyr than it did in life. Cancelled after 12 episodes in 1999-2000, some years later James Poniewozik of Time magazine named it as one of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time.

Is it as good as people say? After watching the first six episodes, I found it was pretty good, but the humour doesn't quite work for me. Despite some sharp jokes (a Jewish student notes that he was elected treasurer without even running), it just didn't click with me. Except for when one girl is instructed by her parents to compliment her brother's body, and she takes it a step too far ("I'm With the Band").

But Freaks and Geeks isn't just a comedy, it's a dramedy. And as a drama, it works. That's not surprising considering the quality. The writing is smooth- indeed, this show got nominated for two Emmys for writing. The acting is competent; they manage to sound real even when the script has them freaking out, to an incredible degree ("Kim Kelly Is My Friend"). The characters and story lines are appealing. Set in 1980 in Michigan (although there's not a lot of difference between the show and the real life high school experience now), the show follows the "freaks"- ie. the slackers- and the geeks. They're relatable (personally, I was a geek) and most are sympathetic. The main character is Lindsay who transitions from geek to freak, a smart move since the makers of the show balanced the freaks and geeks by focusing on the character who was a bit of both. Linda Cardellini plays her well. It also allows for some drama as Lindsay's parents are concerned about the direction their daughter's life is taking. Other characters are incredibly cruel (including Kim Kelly and her friend who wrote on a geek's locker), but then, high school was like that. The show has impact- at a scene where a geek is paid to eat a disgusting drink concocted by his friends, I cringed, and seeing a boy having to run through the school naked was intense. When the characters were awkward, I felt their pain. The show is realistic and unique at the same time. I couldn't deny that.


Freaks and Geeks is quite possibly one of the best television shows of the last 20 years. Maybe even better. It's raw, real, full of laughs and pulls every heart string. I believe, wholeheartedly, that if this show was aired now, it was have a massive viewing audience. I think ten years ago, the public wasn't ready for it. Now that Judd Apatow has had some serious box office hits (Knocked Up, etc.) the public might be more receptive to F&G.

My proposal: Judd Apatow, write a Freaks and Geeks movie with all of the same characters. Yes, John Francis Daly will be much taller and I'm sure some of the other freshman (i.e. Martin Starr) may look a little older. I don't care what plot twists might have to be added to make it work, but I think it would be incredible.

I just watched the final episode, again, and was choked up. It never gets old. "Ripple in still water...."


This television series, from 1999, was produced by none other than the currently popular Judd Apatow and I have to say that this is perhaps the finest work I've ever witnessed from the man. While it was canceled by NBC after its first run, it also happens to be, in my opinion, one of the finest shows that they have ever committed to the small screen.

Set in the early 80's, "Freaks and Geeks" follows the trials and tribulations of the so-called freaks/burnouts and geeks. Our primary protagonists are the Weir children, Lindsay, a good girl who befriends the freaks after a troubling event and, Sam, her younger brother, who is firmly cast into the geek category.

One thing I love about this series is that it has this remarkably warm and very real tone to everything and much of the humor is grounded in the kind of ironies that you probably can think back to with some sort of wincing, provided that you understand how these two social groups function in high school. Furthermore, while being a comedy series, it doesn't hesitate to explore the drama present in the characters' lives and draws very real characters, who may seem like archetypes at first, but end up being a lot more than you might think.

I love the attention to detail when it comes to the time period, how each main character and even a few side characters are treated with depth and complexity, and how real all the characters and their relationships seemed.

The only thing that I have an issue with in Freaks and Geeks is that the series occasionally suffers from a little bit of the over-linger present in many Apatow works, where it feels like a scene goes on too long and could've been edited down to keep up the pace or not lose focus on the narrative of the episode. But, really, that's such a little thing compared to the overall high enjoyability of this series. Honestly, some of the finest television that I've ever seen. It's too bad it got canceled. Highly recommended. 9/10.


OK... this show is as perfect as TV gets. As a 1979 HS grad, I can totally relate to both Lindsay and Sam. I was a music nerd back then, but was able to relate with all cliques (one of my best friends was a jock). This series caught my attention when it aired way back when, but upon recent reappraisal, lives up to the highest standard of scrutiny. All the characters are insanely believable yet entertaining. I literally had tears in my eyes at a disturbing number of junctures whilst re-watching this stuff. Not only do I firmly believe that Linda Cardellini was/is maybe the best actress of the current era, but the recurrent themes of fitting in with groups outside one's comfort zone really rang a bell with me. Kim Kelly? Holy crap! I knew her as Donna Hole! And Bill? I pretended at times not to know him, but he proved to be a lifelong friend. The writing and set design on this show are so far beyond the norm as to defy description. I'll always love you Lindsay Weir. Too bad ER sux...


I can NOT believe it!!! I just "discovered" Freaks and Geeks and I gotta admit that at first it took me some time to get into it because I was kind of expecting a more broad, punchline based comedy but the more episodes I watched, the more I started to really dig this show AND to love the characters and I really mean LOVE! Except for Undeclared, there is not ONE TV show which develops such really and truly lovable characters. You start to feel for them in every step they take throughout the episodes. Freaks and geeks made me cry. It made me freak out. It made me jump around in my room.

That it got canceled just proves once more that no one realizes anymore what a good show is supposed to achieve. To create characters whose progression in their lives is worth watching. Just as Undeclared, which also got canceled after one season, this show is a stroke of genius which every fan of a good TV-show and yet every fan of something good at all, should watch.

And now I'm sitting here, disappointed that I will NEVER get to know how Freaks and Geeks could have continued. It's just good to know that the makers of this are still out there doing the best comedies around.


Rated TV-14 for Language and Sex and Drug Content.

Before Judd Apatow was famous for directing great films such as "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up" and before producing "superbad" and other comedy films, he made the TV series "Freaks and Geeks".I used to watch this show back when it was on during 1999 and 2000 but I was young so I didn't understand all the references and jokes.Watching it now I understand all the jokes and find the show to be an interesting and accurate portrayal of high school life.The show has all the high school cliques such as Geeks,Jocks etc.There is also a good mix of comedy and drama.The show also jump started the careers for many of the cast members such as James Franco(spiderman) and Seth Rogen(knocked up).If you can find this show anywhere like in syndication or something, watch it!.


I've watched just about everything there is to watch for the last 25 years and this is my favorite out of all of it. That's saying something.

Out of all of the televisions shows that were canceled well before their time, the cancellation of this show makes me the angriest (firefly is high on that list as well).

I have never had a stronger sense of connection with a work of art. It speaks to me. It speaks to my soul.

Bear in mind that I was in high school about the same time that this story takes place, I am about the same age (and gender) as the show's creators, and I also grew up in the same area, at least the same area as Judd Apatow, the executive producer. I am also a freak and a geek watching a show that is basically a love letter to freaks and geeks. In many senses, I am the target demographic. Not only that, because I am smack in the middle of Generation X, I am very very rarely the target demographic, making times when I am the target demographic extremely special. This is one of those times.

I know, everyone and their brother is head over heels in love with this show and my glowing praise is just a single drop in a sea of glowing praise. It doesn't make a difference. I love this show and will always love this show. I will scream it from the mountain tops.

I love this show.


I cannot believe that they took this show off of the air and I can't believe I'm just now discovering it! It is literally one of the best series that I have ever seen and I really hope the Paul Feig and the other creators will decide to come up with a similar comedy series! All of the characters are very believable, as are the story lines. I really felt that I came to know the characters and I'm tremendously disappointed that I will not be able to find out what happens to them! I know it's a little late to say this (well, about seven years too late!), but I wish some network would realize how much this show is loved and demanded by fans and bring it back in some form (most likely with different people)! I just love this series and hope to see something like it soon!


Maybe just the best TV series ever........although it was so short lived. I've read the articles and this show had so much competition including a few times it was canceled because of Superbowls and other such stupid reasons (I'd rather watch this show than the superbowl any day)

IT's sad too because the show had character depth and was good... really good...well thought out , great plot great writing. great everything.

God, it seems only the trash ends up making it long term on tv and all the good quality shows die young.

Sad :(

BB


Once in a while, a television series will come along that is smart, funny, and honest. And then a money-hungry network will cancel it, just when it starts getting the fan support it needs to get ratings. That's just what NBC did last year when it canceled "Freaks and Geeks". What can I say? The show's great, too great to put into words. The late Brandon Tardicoff (I think that's how you spell it) President of NBC, saved Seinfeld when it was in the same situation as F&G: he kept it on the air, even though it was getting low ratings. Then, as praise for the show started to come in, the ratings stared to soar. The rest is history. Too bad he wasn't around when Freaks and Geeks got picked up. At least the show will live on for a while on Fox Family. Kudos to Fox Family for knowing what they had on their hands. ATTENTION STUDIOS: Somebody release this on DVD!! The writers + directors have been saying it will come, but no news yet... Long live Freaks and Geeks!! Where was Tardicoff when we needed him...?


I didn't start watching this gem until late, and I kept forgetting it was on. But, this is one of my favorite shows of all time, and I cried when they showed the last episode. It was just perfect. It had humor, drama, awesome characters, good music, and It was just perfect. I will miss this show deeply, and hope they will show re-runs on USA or some other network.

100000 out of 10


I'm not really the kind of person that goes on about television shows, but the second I saw this show I was hooked! It's amazing how it captures high school so perfectly, even down to the actors, who, unlike Dawson's Creek and clones, look like they really go to high school. I love it, and absolutely recommend it to anyone. For those of us who didn't fit in in high school it's a humorous, realistic look back, and for those of you still suffering, it lets you know you're not alone.


I just have to put my two cents in. This show is without a doubt my favorite, and I normally hate television.

But this is worth seeing. Some of it is absolutely hysterically funny, some of its is brutally real and part truly touching. The characters are uncompromisingly written and acted, and the storyline doesn't ring false once.

I read a review that said that F&G didn't feel so much like a show about the 80's as a product of the 80's. And they were right. There's still " 70's stuff" everywhere and traces of the 60's, if you pay attention. I love this. Its not like the ball dropped on January first in 1980 and everyone across the world immediately stripped down and had a nudist party to burn all there 70's cloths and and any other belonging they may have acquired over the past 10 years.

The writing is perfect. The script has its fair share of one liners but the humor never feels forced and the writer possesses the useful talent of setting up situations where we are not entirely sure whether to laugh, cringe or cry.

And the acting is very good too. The casting directors must have been up for a year to find a cast so talented and completely unknown across the board. They also did well to cast teenagers who actually look like teenagers, almost unheard of in the world of " One Tree Hill" " Gossip Girl" etcetera. I'm fully aware there will be a fresh set of 25 year old playing high school students along shortly. I can barely keep up.

But the kids in Freaks and Geeks look like they just wandered out of 6th period, and didn't get much sleep last night.

Linda Cardenelli is luminous and doesn't worry about always being likable, only about always being relatable, and does exquisitely.

A young Seth Rogen provides some dry humor for most of the earlier episodes, and shows some genuine dramatic talent during the latter ones.

John Francis Daley spends a lot of his time on screen gazing around him with wide eyes. But unlike a lot of young actors who do this, he gives the impression of absorbing everything around him, being exposed to new things every second. So much so that you kind of wish you could protect him from some of it. In scene where he and his friends get hold of a porn movie he is almost devastating.

Martin Starr and Samm Levine are, there is no other word I can use, perfect. Martin Starr is worth watching the show for on his own, perfectly sweet and socially awkward. Samm Levine however, gradually gets under your skin as a kid with to much self confidence to be entirely believable.

Jason Segal is good, too. Sweet at the beginning and slightly scary as the series goes on. But I guess thats to his credit.

James Franco brings alittle extra to the traditional bad-boy role. Intill this year I would have said that this and his role as James Dean were the high points of his acting career. He's probably the only kid in the cast who's alittle to beautiful, but he makes up for it by showing us a character who's a bit to broken to try as hard as he can at anything. He also interestingly alternates with Linda Cardenelli in the role of the straight man. And does so to perfection when he's called on to. He and Busy Phillips are devastating in their portrayal of two kids who don't stay together some much because they like each other, but because they need each other desperately. Who cling together for support, love, sex and everything else good in their lives.

Altogether, its perfection as far a TV series' go. Almost anyone can probably relate to at least one of these characters, and get something out of this show. highly recommended.


This show , "Freaks & Geeks" , is so good and it's just like real life. This show is realistic in some ways and it always has a funny side to it. I think "Freaks & Geeks" is funny and that's the reason why I watch this. I wish it was never cancelled and I wish there were more episodes. They should keep making more episodes because it is very kool. I think everyone should be watching this great TV programme. This is one of the best programmes I've ever seen.


Freaks and Geeks is a great TV Show Freaks and Geeks is one of my favorite TV Shows of All Time along with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, South Park, 7th heaven, One Tree Hill, Malcolm in the middle, Dark Angel, Friends and Doug Funny . The Show is really funny. My favorite character is Daniel because he is really cool. But I also like Lindsay, Sam, Bill, Neal, Nick and Ken and the other Geeks. I think the Show was canceled to early, only 18 episodes. But the Least Episode: Discos and Dragons was very great.

Please vote on my Freaks and Geeks poll on www.misterpoll.com/polls/340570

Thank you


I really like Cue Ball Cat. The violence admittedly is excessive, that I am used to, but there are one or two parts that are rather unbelievable. Yes I am talking about Jerry getting an 8 ball rammed into his bottom(ouch!). Still it is hugely enjoyable, thanks to the fast delivery of the gags, the beautiful animation and the fun music, three elements that I expect to make a Tom and Jerry cartoon work.

Tom is funny, there have been cartoons where he is a little stupid but I love him for it, and Jerry is sweet, dastardly yes but sweet. The cartoon is delivered at a breakneck pace, that can be a problem sometimes but I didn't mind it that much here.

Overall, violent but as I have said, very well done. 9/10 Bethany Cox


Tom is playing a round of pool, and cheating if I might add, not knowing that Jerry is sleeping in one of the pockets, when Tom sinks a ball into said pocket crushing Jerry, a game of hilarious cat and mouse antics begin once again. This animated short has a great setup, funny gags, and a superb ending. What more could one really ask for from the comedic duo? Highly recommended for fans of Tom and Jerry both old and new. You are sure to be delighted by the wacky hijinks. I guarantee it. This cartoon can be found on disc two of the Spotlight collection DVD of "Tom & Jerry"

My Grade: A


In what may be the most remarkable live action film to come out of the Disney studios during the 80's or even the 70's for that matter, I find the treatment it has received from it's own studio appalling. The best thing I can compare it to is having a ruby but discarding it because you only prefer diamonds. Considering all the costume jewelry Disney released in the aforementioned decades, you would think they would have more respect for this gem.

I'm sure parents who took their children to see Natty Gann when it was released were surprised and shocked to discover that it was not a film for younger children. It is a very dark realistic film which takes place during the Great Depression. This is not only the story of a young girl traveling across country to find her father, it is the story of people searching for hope and trying to survive in an age when just having food on the table was a constant struggle.

 When Natty's father Sol(Ray Wise) is offered a job in a logging camp in Washington, he is only given a few hours to come to a decision, either take the job and leave Natty behind, or stay in Chicago with Natty and hopefully find work elsewhere. At first, rejecting the job offer, he steps out into the Chicago streets. In a truly remarkable scene, we see as Sol does, the faces of all those who have lost hope and been beaten down in despair. It is after this brief but telling moment that he realizes, as we do, there is no decision to be made and Sol accepts the work in Seattle. Sol is forced to leave Natty in the care of a boarding house owner Connie(Lainie Kazan). After Natty overhears Connie reporting her as an abandoned child, she decides not to wait for her father to send for her, and begins an arduous journey across country to find him.

If ever there was a film that is a picture of contrasts it's this one. Early in the film we are given the harsh reality of depression era Chicago. Director Jeremy Kagan does not spare us from the details. We watch as men stand hopelessly and helplessly praying and hoping for work. There is a scene where a destitute family are evicted from their home. Later, as Sol is heading to Washington in the bus, we see another family on the road with their meager belongings strapped to their car as they head west, their car no longer operable. As Natty walks through the market place vendors sell what meager belongings they have just to get buy. When Natty runs away we see her fishing for food out of a trash can for a morsel to consume. Later, as Natty travels westward, there is beautifully photographed scenery of forests and mountains, but Director Kagan astutely reminds us of the bleakness of the depression with many scenes of the struggle in rural America, ranging from a scene of a farmer and his much pregnant wife plowing a field, to scenes of orphaned and abandoned children left to be wards of the state. This is not your Daddy's Disney, kids. Dick Bush's cinematography of the wilderness is breathtaking, yet in the scenes set in Chicago and in the farm towns of America, he mutes his colors to enhance the contrast between beauty and desperation.

When Natty jumps her first train, she is help and befriended by Harry(John Cusack), who is also riding the rails. Cusack in his first major dramatic role after being extremely good in The Sure Thing, shows for the first time that he is not just a comedic actor, but has dramatic prowess as well. Harry may be young, but Cusack gives him the edge of a man aged beyond his years. It is an uncanny performance.

Salenger, as Natty, is more than just a teenage actress. Her characterization draws us into the story from the first moments of this film to the last. It is the key that holds this film together and if it had been put into less capable hands the film would surely not have succeeded as well. Although her film career since Natty Gann has not been noteworthy, you will always remember her for her unflinching portrayal of Natty Gann. This is a journey for the ages, and one you will not soon forget. Unfortunately.......

I don't make it a habit to comment on the DVD release of films, but in this case I'll make an exception. The transfer of this wonderful film is appalling. It's bad enough when a film that shouts "wide screen" is only released in a very horrid poorly done pan and scan, but the full screen transfer is one of the worst if not the worst I have ever seen. It gives new meaning to the word grainy. At times the picture jitters so that you may begin reaching for your VCR remote to adjust the tracking until you remember this is a DVD. There are signs of the film's age running rampant throughout and no visible effort to clean it up digitally or otherwise. I'm not one to believe every film should come with a boatload of extras, and have no problem if a studio wants to give us just the film, but there is absolutely no excuse for the poor picture quality of this DVD. This movie is a gem, and for the Disney studios to tarnish it and treat it in this unconscionable manner, saddens me terribly. What is more frustrating is the fact that Disney can do quality video releases, so just a decent film to DVD wide screen transfer would not have been a lot to ask for. They should be ashamed of what they have done to this fine fine film.

My Grade: Journey of Natty Gann-A

DVD transfer - F


If you haven't seen this yet, go rent it. A heartwarming account of a young girl making her way across the country to get back to her father during the depression. One of the earlier reviews was talking about how all of the bad things that happen to Natty are inappropriate for a disney movie, but I think that those are the things that make this film so great. It is a gritty, realistic, non sugar coated story. The things that are shown to happen to Natty happen every day and have been for many many years. They bring drama and "heart" to the film, and make it what it is. Combine the latter with unbelievable cinematography of America, very good performances, and you are left with a very memorable, timeless film. I only wish that Disney would release it on DVD in widescreen. With such great widescreen nature cinematography, having to repeatedly watch the "chopped up" pan and scan version on vhs is killing me!! If you release it we will buy it!!!


THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN

This was in the back of my video cabinet and I haven't watched it since I was a child. NATTY GANN is a rather unknown Disney release from 1985 that takes places in the '30's. Natty Gann is a young girl living with just her father in a bleak time. She is rough around the edges and has clearly built up a crocodile skin due to the life she has led. However, at her core, she truly loves her father.

So when he is forced to leave her at a moment's notice to travel to Washington (the only place he can find work) Natty is left in the care of a bitter Landlord. It doesn't take long for Natty, played by Meredith Salenger, to runaway in an attempt to travel the 2,000 miles to be with her father again.

On her journey, Natty meets all kinds of people who are suffering due to the nation's economic situation. One thing she witnesses is a dogfight where one of the dog's is a rather wild wolf. Natty reaches out for the wolf though and eventually manages to establish a bond with the wild animal. Together, they continue to travel towards her Washington State in pursuit of Natty's father.

As the plot description above makes clear, the framework of this film is not horribly unique or important. However, what does give the film some extra quality is the approach in which the material is taken on.

This film is very much in the same vein as another under-appreciatted Disney classic, RETURN TO OZ. This is a very dark family film that lacks all of the standard, corny Disney clichés (aside from the animal friend, but here he doesn't talk... and he isn't particularly nice at first).

THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN portrays the depression-era and it's effects on the poor very honestly. We see Natty eating out of garbage pales and sleeping in filth. We see the type of work her father is forced to take on. And we see the bitterness and resentment Natty feels towards her situation.

She is not your typical "hopelessly-optimistic" Disney heroine. She gets angry, she defends herself, and she doesn't make excuses. She starts fight, even smokes what appears to be weed in the opening scene (this was something I certainly didn't notice as a child). However, the role of Natty is always grounded by an appealing and fully realized performance from the young Meredith Salenger. She hasn't found much success in film following this movie, but it is definitely one of the best child performances of the 80's.

Now aside from the good qualities of the film, THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN moves a little too slow for me to really love it. Despite the many Disney clichés it avoids, it's still always obvious Natty will find her father and all will be happy. So the fact that it takes 105 minutes to do so is a bit much. And there is a supporting role / love interest played by John Cusack who is essentially useless to the plot.

But Disney deserves some credit for boldly taking family films to a darker, more artistically developed place in 1985 (both RETURN TO OZ and NATTY GANN were released in that year). There haven't been children's films that really embrace the darker side of things like these 2 films do since '85... and these under-viewed films deserve a little more credit and public acknowledgment for looking outside of the lines in a genre that is too often trapped within the lines.

... B- ...


'The Journey of Natty Gann' was a film that I watched several times when I was a child. I enjoyed it because there are few movies in which there is a female lead character who is a tomboy, and I could easily relate to this character, being a tomboy and seeking adventure myself.

This film is about Natty, a girl during the Great Depression, who is separated from her father. She runs away from her guardian to try to find her father and finds compassion in an captive wolf in a similar situation. During her travels, she meets many new people, including a love interest, and puts herself into danger. She's always on the run in her attempt to get to her father.

This film is a good family historical film, and it is packed full of adventure and danger. It has some good messages behind it, and it is easy to see the similarities in the two lead outcasts: wolf and girl. It's a great film because it has a female lead character who is a tomboy.


I was waiting a long time to see this movie. Part of the reason why was that Disney made a poor decision by releasing this movie in pan and scan on DVD. After several failed attempts to convince Disney to release a widescreen version, I gave up and purchased a region-free DVD player and then purchased the region 2 version which was in widescreen.

All I can say was, it was worth it. Journey of Natty Gann is a wonderful movie and is perhaps one of Disney's best. The cast features Meredith Salenger, John Cusack, Ray Wise and Scatman Crothers who all put in terrific performances (special mention also goes out to Jed the dog who plays Natty's wolf companion). This movies also boasts some incredible outdoor photography and a memorable music score by James Horner.

The story is about a twelve year old girl named Natty (Meredith Salenger) who travels across 1930's America in search of her father. Along the way she has several adventures and meets up with another runaway named Harry (John Cusack).

I definitely recommend seeing this one.


This movie was really great, it had an exciting and plausible plot, reasonable acting -- and it wasn't just cheesy crap compared to most of the other drivel that was being played for us kids at that time. This clearly stood out shining in my mind, up there with "The Neverending Story" and "Flight Of The Navigator". This movie didn't talk down to me as a child, which I quite liked. And it wasn't just another cartoon, which for the most part I found painfully dull in their lack of realism. The Natty character, and all those she meets on her adventures (including the wolf that she befriends), are unique, interesting, thought provoking ... and you actually care what happens to them all by the end.

And how many other movies aimed at youth have a kid getting chased away from eating out of a garbage dumpster ? Heh.

Great film !

I want to watch it again to see if I still like it as much, but I know I probably will ... I know the plot quite well, I did watch the movie at least 8 or 10 times as kid.


I barely feel qualified to write a comment on this forgotten Disney live-action film from the mid-1980s, since I've only seen it once, and that was back when it first came out. But I do remember liking it, and it's probably worth a re-watch for those who saw it back in the day, and a first watch for those who've never seen it.

It's notable for featuring a very young John Cusack, before anyone knew who he was. It seems to me that Disney had a pretty good track record of live action films during that decade ("Never Cry Wolf" is another forgotten one) but that few of them have had any staying power.

Grade: B+


With so many movies around, "The Journey of Natty Gann" is worth its while. The 1930's is a tough time in some places. The Great Depression is happening, work is out in the Western part of the U.S. And being stuck at home with a hot-headed guardian is the pits. For Natty Gann(Meredith Salenger) she makes a quest to go find him. She goes to all different places, have no troubles finding food, rides along different trains, and gets herself a non-human companion: a full-blooded wolf that's been used in dogfights. Atfer she freed him they would meet again following a storm. When the weather lets up, she was sleeping on a friend; The Wolf. He would return the favor by giving her a rabbit, for food. Then there's the mis-adventures when she failed to getaway from the law, put in reform school. But that didn't stop her. She would later meet Harry(John Cusack), who tags along with her. There's listening to the rails, Harry's soon departure, and finally meeting her father, burned and happy to see her. Very heart-warming, and very endearing, I enjoyed this movie well! 5 stars!


What a wonderful film. Although I first saw this film when I was probably six years old, it has stuck with me as an inspiration, and set a standard that very few movies live up to. The love story between Natty and Harry is so romantic, and the independent spirit of a young girl was rare in movies back then and is still rare now. This is an overlooked film that has always filled me with that feeling of secret magic, that there can be movies and stories like this, and that a young girl can make it on her own. It's interesting to see that it was nominated for an Oscar. Also this was probably the first time I saw John Cusak in anything (although still my favorite film of his is "Better Off Dead"). Meredith Salenger was excellent as Natty.


I got this movie out for the family, and yes there are unsettling bits in it, vis - the dog fight, the abuse, the orphanage, the tree scene, when you think about it probably the whole film. And why is that? Probably due to the verisimilitude of the film to the times, the grainy nature just added to the realism, the times were tough so lets not sugar coat the experiences of those who went through them. Disney probably made this film by mistake but i'm glad they did. And I just love a story where a wolf gets equal billing in the sensibility stakes, even if it's a dog actor. Good film, good acting, great trains and the U.S. countryside never looked more beautiful. Oh and the DVD did jitter but settled down after clean ?, and it was letterbox for the widescreen so I didn't have to suffer amputation. 10 - 10


I watched this movie when I was young (around 6) and rented it numerous times when going to the video store. Now, about 14 years later I still love it and am looking forward to it coming out on DVD so I can own it. Not sure whether it was the tomboy aspect, or the fact that she had a wolf for a best friend, but it was a definite childhood favorite.


I loved this movie , i enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the wonderful story of a girls journey to find her father ,,lots of suspense and fun. I wonder what ever happened to meredith salenger who played the title role . lanie kazan was evil as the landlady and i enjoyed her performance . i loved the dog who played a wolf too . favorite parts are the train ride and the journey in the woods .

spoilers -- only parts i disliked even though they were realistically portrayed were the orphanage even though im sure thats the way it was back then for orphans.treated meanly but they at least could have listened to her when she said she wasnt an orphan.and also for the father to just leave his kid behind with the landlady who obviously is a rather loose woman .he didnt have time to watch the kid when he was around as she was always playing hooky or sneaking into movie theatres ,,although during the depression , you did what you did to survive but still he should have considered her welfare more than just to leave her like that, he didnt even say goodbye to her at the beginning of the movie when he left. course the writers must have worked this to make you feel sorry for her even more and sympathetic.


I watched this movie on the Disney channel as a kid and fell in complete love with it then! I watched it every chance I got! I own the movie now as an adult and still adore it! :) I'm a big wolf person so I of course really liked the wolf in the movie! I don't know anyone that wouldn't like this movie! :D


Caught this movie on the Encore channel for the first time, and was very moved. Wonderful plot, wonderful visuals, and a cool dog! Great performances by Cusack and a young Salenger. I'd recommend this movie to anyone.


A truly wonderful, moving film... The Journey of Natty Gunn fits that description like a glove. Set during the depression, this is like Homeward Bound but with people. The result is a beautiful, harrowing, poignant and lovely film that is criminally underrated, for it is by far one of the better Disney live action films. The attention to detail is staggering, I mean the sets were superb and the costumes were lovely. The music is haunting and pleasant and the script is well above average. There is also enough action to satisfy kids and adults, and the film is effective especially in conveying the harsh realities of children living in the depression. The performances were also astounding. Meredith Salenger was absolutely fantastic in the title role, completely believable and even heart-rending, I am lost for words at how she hasn't gone on to be a major star, for her performance showed that she really could act, which could more than be said for some of the actresses working today. John Cusack is also impressive as the drifter who tries to convince Natty that the open road is no place for a young girl. The wolf featured here is very cute too, and Ray Wise is great. In conclusion, this is a pretty darn good film. 10/10 Bethany Cox


The Journey of Natty Gann follows teenage Natalie Sue Gann (Meredith Salenger) as she travels from Chicago to Seattle in search of her father.

After Natty's father Sol Gann (Ray Wise) was offered a job in Washington state he had to take it, leaving Natty in the less than tender care of Connie, their landlady (Lainie Kazan). However, after hearing Connie call the police for an 'abandoned girl' Natty runs away, unable to wait until Sol sends for her.

Over the course of her journey, Natty meets up with a knowledgeable young man by name of Harry (John Cusak), a group of rag-tag misfits with a rather mafia-esque 'you take care of us, we take care of you' motto, and a loyal 'Wolf' (which may or may not be a Husky, since everyone but Natty refers to it as a dog, and it is played by the dog of 'White Fang' fame) that seems to have a sixth-sense when it comes to danger.

Despite being made by Disney, Natty Gann is a cute movie without suffering the candy-coated sweetness of most recent Disney films. Overall, the good acting, great scenery and decent script make for an enjoyable film that everyone in the family can enjoy.

Hey, the star even swears four times!


This is my favorite film in existence! I love it heart and soul! The wilderness shots are inspiring, the story is exciting and full of adventure and freedom and the music is exquisite! I'm am unbelievably furious the soundtrack is unavailable!!!! Meredith Salenger is captivating as Natty, an undaunted tomboy who runs away (from an unbearable landlady) cross-country to find her dad, who is logging in the wilderness of Washington State! Set during the Great Depression, she rides the rails and scrounges for food. Along the way she becomes comrades with a beautiful wolf, who protects & aids her, and meets up with a young, savvy hobo, played by John Cusack. She finds plenty of adventure, as her father, who was forced to leave her under the landlady's care until he had the money for her passage, is devastated that she has run away and possibly been crushed by a train. I love this movie with all my heart, so I hope you will watch it and then write the record companies DEMANDING a SOUNDTRACK be released!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Not a blockbuster, not a tour de force, just a very entertaining film. Good Disney plot, fairly good acting, beautiful visuals, and a wonderful score by James Horner (one of his best, I think). My daughters loved it when they were young.


Lynch's first film is a bizarre, revolting and terrifying account of a bedridden young girl apparently being tortured by the alphabet. The letters appear as weird, threatening shapes which (as in his follow-up The Grandmother) seem to take on plant form. The girl herself eventually vomits blood.

The film's meaning isn't clear, and is really of less important than the visuals, which are themselves like moving paintings. The innocence of the child's 'ABC' rhyming song is warped to give a frighteningly naive background to the horrific events.

Lynch's trademark is the expression of fear, and this short foregrounds that motif in the most disturbing way imaginable. Fans of this director should try and catch his debut, as it casts its shadow over much of his later work.


Based on an actual event, Lynch's niece had a nightmare where she recited the alphabet in her sleep, this film is basically the same thing, with a young woman reciting the alphabet in her sleep while we see nightmarish imagery.

Its an interesting piece with truly frightening images. Unfortunately the animation isn't all that spectacular, consisting of animated drawings. Its a good piece that mostly works and shows the seeds of the later Eraserhead.

If you come across one of the short film videos of Lynch's early work this film, and one or two others, makes it worth renting.


This was the first time David Lynch shot live-action footage. It isn't really a narrative film, like The Grandmother, but its more than a filmed moving painting like Six Men Getting Sick. It is mainly animation, truth be told, but it combines live action with it. This is what a child's nightmare looks like inside David Lynch's head - and let me tell you, its quite disturbing, on a par with Grandmother and Eraserhead.

Some of its images, like the girl bleeding from the mouth and reciting the alphabet - i can't get out of my head. I don't know if that's a good thing... Lynch is a very strange man, indeed. And what we get in his films isn't half the story, as members of his website will tell you. There are images there that you wouldn't even know to be wary of, to not think about - images you don't even know to protect yourself from. But as Elephant Man showed us, he is also a master director, who can control himself and a major production to perfection. As Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Dr showed us, Lynch's world can also be lots of fun. He's one of my favourite filmmakers because he gives me both fun AND haunting in the same frame - a feat not many can do.


VERY weird short by David Lynch. It's in black and white and shows a girl who looks like she's going completely mad while the letters of the alphabet go flying around her. She also sings that alphabet song.

I should have expected something weird from Lynch but this is even stranger than I thought it could be. In 4 short minutes he gives you a morbid and disturbing little story about the alphabet and terror. It doesn't make a bit of sense but the imagery is so strange and the sound so odd that you're pulled right in. Basically a short little horror film. You can see where "Eraserhead" came from. Worth seeing but only for those who don't scare easily. An 8.


"The Alphabet" is a really bizarre experimental film short from David Lynch. It contains images that nightmares are made of. Many strange and abstract objects give birth to the letters of the alphabet. There is many creepy sound effects that give this little short film's imagery a strange hallucinatory and hypnotic feel. I could definitely see a Salvadore Dali influence during the film's animated scenes. David Lynch's former wife Peggy than sings the alphabet song against a black background. Wow, the alphabet song has never sounded more horrifying! It's like a preschooler's worst fears caught on film. If you can find a copy of David Lynch's short films, you won't be disappointed. There's no doubt about it, David Lynch is an artist who comes up with some of the most amazing nightmarish imagery.


This avant garde piece miraculously comes off without being cliché or dismissible (as is so common with artsy avant garde film). Peggy Lynch (I'm assuming is his daughter) goes through a sequence of harrowing events that had some connection with the alphabet. I particularly liked the bed-wetting and the dirt. The person I watched this with said the dirt looked very "inviting." I strangely agreed. Only Lynch could make dirt inviting. Very interesting work. 8/10


David Lynch's earliest work... a short film that somehow involves a girl (Peggy Lynch) and the alphabet, and what seems to be the most screwed-up nightmare anyone could ever possibly imagine. What inspires this sort of thing? I have no idea.

The film has been called "avant garde", and I really can't think of a better classification. I'd say something a bit more vulgar, but I won't. One reviewer said this film is what should have been on the tape in "The Ring", and I think that's a fine suggestion. This could scare the pants off of many people.

If you've seen Lynch's films, and I recommend pretty much all of them, you know he's capable of some messed-up imagery. I mean, the ear in "Blue Velvet"? Or all of "Lost Highway"? Crazy weird. But after you see this early work, you'll understand that Lynch has been weird for over forty years...