OK, first of all, most of this movie sucks. But about 15 minutes of it is the funniest thing I've ever seen. And I'm not just saying that. It is THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN

There's a lost reality show called "Dont get Caught" where they take 2 contestants and give them assignments to steal things from certain stores. If they get away with it, they get a point. If they get caught, they get nothing.

I don't want to give it away, but I'll give you a taste of the assignments: Go to a restaurant and steal everything on the table, steal 6 dvds and 2 dildos from a porn shop, steal a fine Italian suit, steal a car from a carwash.

I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. It's all real life stunts with hidden cameras.

Has anyone heard anything about this show? The movie says they sold the idea to some station in Europe. I would LOVE to see more episodes.


Excellent performance by Peter Falk as a man of good values reduced to making a living as a bookie. He is wealthy in the love he shares with Tyne Daly in a good performance as his loving wife. Tim Hutton plays a useless drunken loser and Ms. Holly gives a fine performance as his loyal wife. Freddie Prinze Jr. gives a posterboy performance for just say no to cocaine.


Peter Falk stars as nice-guy bookie and pub owner, Vin, who is slowly being squeezed out by Tony Cicero, an arrogant, ambitious coke-head, who's family connections force Vin to take him on as an assistant, although he is unaware of Tony's plans to "own the neighborhood." Mafia-movie regular, Frank Vincet, plays Tony's scheming uncle who is secretly working behind the scenes to make sure that Vin doesn't get in the way of his nephew's plans to satisfy the boss. Vin soon catches on however, and knows that as Tony keeps pushing his way up, he is destined for trouble and, like a lion in the jungle, will either has to exert his prowess. It's a dangerous game that Vin is willing to play.

I caught this one on TV and it did turn out to be a pretty good drama if you're not already exhausted with the millions of movies about the mob. Although, Freddie Prinz, Jr. was a miscast is barely convincing in the macho role of Tony Cicero, nor could he pull off the accent. His consistent pretty boy appearance and lightweight performance just wasn't enough to make a believable adversary of any of the so-called "good guys" in this movie (namely, Peter Falk as Vin, the owner of the pub). He always looked ready to laugh. Peter Falk, too, came off a bit wooden. (And, the fist fighting and face-slapping scenes were horribly choreographed). But the story may be just enough to interest anyway. Good supporting cast.


A wistful tale of a bookie past his prime and too nice to play the debt collector. Peter Falk gives an amazing performance as a small time Boston bookie who's far too reluctant to enforce the tough tactics of his mob boss. The movie starts slow but rewards with a touching tale aided by an inspiring cast. Lauren Holly is convincing as a self-sacrificing waitress wife of her gambler cum alcoholic husband and shows she's no barbie doll. Excellent acting also by Tim Hutton as Holly's irresponsible husband and Tyne Daly as Falk's wife. The dull spot is Freddie Prinze Jr's (who should remain in comedy) one-dimensional role. He was unable to portray well his role as an arrogant self-serving and cowardly young punk.

Vig (or Money Kings) is a story about how the simple way of life can never be the status quo. This is a story about commitment, responsibility, sacrifice and doing what is right. Great movie and a touching tale.


**SPOILERS** Things were going pretty good for Vinnie Glen, Peter Falk, in his management of his bookmaking racket out of his Boston gin mill- Vinnie's Bar-that he's run for some 30 years. It wasn't until Locasso, Tony Sirico, the neighborhood Mafia boss started to turn the screws on Vinnie's very liberal collections habits, in not leaning too hard on his deadbeat customers, that things started going downhill.

Having his not too dependable under-link Uncle Pete, Frank Vincent, break in his coke sniffing nephew Tony Cisero, Freddie Prince Jr, as both Vinnie's partner and muscle man, debt collector, Locasso made the biggest blunder since Hitler invaded the USSR back in June 1941. Tony thinking that he's Al Capone Jr quickly made a mess of Vinnie's bookie operation in not knowing the business of gently persuading-without having to break their arms legs or heads-his deadbeat customers to either pay up or be cut off from all the gambling action. A fate worse then death for anyone who's hooked on gambling.

It was in fact Tony who got Vinnie to see the light in what he's been doing over the years in living off his many sick and compulsive degenerate gambling customers. Taking advantage of this sick sorry a** of a human being the out of work and always drunk Frankie Paterson, Timothy Hutton, Tony took his $1,100.00 bet on the Dallas Cowboys, who were behind by almost 20 points at the time he took it, knowing that the poor slob was in no condition to make a bet in the first place!

Frankie had stolen his hard working wife's Marybeth, Lauren Holly, vacation money and after getting smashed, on cheap booze, staggered into Vinnie's office, with Vinnie away, and plunked Marybeth's money down on Dallas adding another $5,000.00, that he didn't have, on top of it with Frankie taking the bet! It's when Vinnie finds out what a mess Frankie made of not only himself but his family he tries to get Tony to smooth things over by having Marybeth pay off Frankie's debt by giving Tony, as well as himself, $200.00 a week that only include the vig or interest. That sound financial arrangement on Vinnie's part would take about seven months for Marybeth to pay her husband Frankie's debt, minus the vig, off.

A desperate Marybeth is only able to come up with $150.00 a week in order to save her strung out husband Frankie-who's so drunk that he doesn't know that he lost the bet-from sleeping with the fishes. This has, in knowing a good thing when he sees one, Tony demands for Marybeth to put out, or prostitute herself, for him to make up the $50.00 that she came up short with! Seeing just how things got out of hand after Tony became his partner in the bookie business Vinnie then decided to quit the racket but only after he not only cleaned out Tony's clock but his chicken livered,in his always buckling down to his Mafiso boss Locasso, Uncle Pete's as well!

Even though the ending of the movie was a bit too hard to take Peter Falk's performance as bookie Vinnie Glen was one of the best of of his long movie and TV career. Having a heart of gold in a business, taking illegal bets and loan sharking, where it's almost unheard off Vinnie got himself into a bind that he knew he'll never get out off. The both ruthless Tony and his Uncle Pete, as well as mob boss Locasso's, tactics started to turn off Vinnie to the point where he decided to sell his bar, as well as his bookie business, and move with his wife Ellen, Tyne Daly, down to sunny Florida.

***SPOILERS*** It was when Vinnie caught Tony forcing himself on a disgusted and repulsed Marybeth, in his office no less, that he just lost control of himself. It's not that Vinnie stopped Tony from having his way with Marybeth, she did that herself, he instead ended up freeing himself once in for all form this whole rotten business of taking book and shaking down and working over those sick unfortunate souls who can't or just won't pay up!


*****CONTAINS SPOILERS******* There's no way for me to discuss this movie without revealing plot points because the way the script squanders its cast and an interesting storyline is what disappoints me most.

I'd never heard of the film, but any film with Peter Falk, Tyne Daly, Timothy Hutton, etc. should be interesting, right? Well, the pity of the movie is that they DO start out with an interesting premise. They have actors who radiate intelligence and charm and, because of their past works, carry a lot of goodwill--especially with audiences who are old enough to want to watch this film because Peter Falk is in it and not because they want to see Freddie Prinze, Jr.'s early work.

Peter Falk and Tyne Daly make a charming, believable married couple.Tyne Daly's speech about some tough times early in their marriage is particularly moving. You feel for the Lauren Holly character. You wish the Timothy Hutton character would get a clue. There's a chance for a slice of life movie about a bookie who's as ethical as such a profession will allow him to be and what happens when the vultures want to muscle in--a particularly annoying plot point by the way, since Falk's character has said he's retiring in a year and we believe him.

As soon as the Freddie Prinze, Jr. character takes center stage, the movie goes wrong. It's not Prinze's fault. He's playing a cruel, stupid, violent, perverse gangster wannabe whose story arc sends the movie in a different, starker, more hopeless direction. It's as if I started out watching a movie directed by Gary Marshall and ended up with a movie directed by Quentin Tarrantino. "The Lemon Drop Kid" plus the most bleak episodes of "The Sopranos" = this movie. The cast and set-up deserved a less nihilistic ending. It's an ending calculated for maximum "bum-out." It made me sorry that I watched it until the end.

The actors are always worth watching. The script should have served them better.


I just finished watching season three on GSN. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I absolutely hated seeing Zach and Flo cross the finish line first. Every dime of that money should go to Zach for keeping his cool and not smothering Flo in her sleep. That girl has to be the whiniest, most annoying person that I've ever seen on TV. She threatened to quit nearly a dozen times! I was hoping that Zach would knock her upside the head with one of the paddles during the water challenge in the second to last episode. Maybe that would get her to shut the hell up.

Flo is a horrible person who I hope Zach seriously distanced himself from after the race. But knowing him, they're probably still best friends. That dude definitely has something in him that most people do not. In the dictionary, the new definition of the word patience should read "See Zach Behr."


'The Amazing Race 5' is the BEST of all six complete seasons to date. If you've never seen the show, I recommend this season over all others. Why? Season 5 had a combination of interesting and amiable teams as well as original locations, only 2 of which had already been visited in previous seasons. The 'Bowling Moms', Linda and Karen, added a lot of fun to the show - they were almost always lively and seeing them go so far on the race (to 4th place) was a highlight. Although I liked Colin and Christie, seeing Chip and Kim win was great - it was unexpected - and this is what added to this season's success. What I particularly liked about the locations visited was that producers for the most part avoided Europe (save for Russia, which was interesting) and visited other places, more interesting places, like South America and the Middle East. I'm just hoping that CBS releases the seasons on DVD - if they do, choose this one! 5 Star Entertainment - so much more refreshing than Seasons 6 and 7.


Though I find most of US reality TV-series quite boring I must admit that's the one I really love. Mainly because it's so global, mixture of different cultures and traditions. You can see difference between developing countries and developed countries and so on. It's fun to watch teams pushing themselves over the top with some rather weird quests and having an arguments over nothing. The tasks are usually tied with the country they're competing and that's very cool too.

The series budget is huge. They were racing in Estonia (Where I live :) in summer and my friend took part of it too and revealed how the show was being made. It's just amazing, local TV stations were paid for not to show or write anything about the series. Every smaller detail is checked and must complete the checklist of 5 pages of contract. The story also is usually confirmed on the very last minute after searching for optimal tasks and routes by the producers. And that is what makes the show special.

Only thing I don't like in the series is the fact that some conflicts are shown too prolixly. For example when one of those black sisters called Luke "bitch" in the last season.

But otherwise it's brilliant show and I think everybody find it exciting when one bothers to watch it.


The Amazing Race is one of if not the best Reality shows on TV. The premise is simple, 11 teams of 2 begin a race around the world for 1 million dollars the race is broken into legs in each episode and each team must compete various task through the leg before they can continue on to the pit stop, the team that finishes last in each leg is usually eliminated (although some legs are non-elimination.) When there are three teams left they race the final leg to win the cash prize. The show is fascinating to watch as the teams race from country to country and many run into obstacles during a leg such as a delay of a flight at the airports or a cab driver who gets lost. The tasks during the race varies if a team is unable to complete a task they will be assessed a penalty and can't check in until the time is up. The race is fun to watch as you learn about different cultures and sightseeing throughout the show. who will win? You have to tune in to find out. Have fun watching, the world is waiting for you.


I gotta say I hate reality TV. Sure "Survivor" had it's moments, but it got tiresome after awhile. The Amazing Race? Now HERE's a show with variety and personality to match the frantic, fast-paced action with such ingenious use of game set-pieces I couldn't help but dig this show. I watched this series for nine years and it still never fails to entertain me. That's something that can't be said for most reality TV programs; well at least for "American Idol". One of the most moving moments of the show was when they had one of the contestants was a female dwarf but despite her physical limits, she managed to get far near the end of the race. I can vividly recall the the emotions of the host who greeted them at the pit stop; however coming in last place eliminated them from the race. Sorry if that sounded a little poetic but I couldn't help but be touched by his reaction. Still, it's a great show, filled with a surprising amount of suspense. Yes, SUSPENSE. In a reality show; a rarity. Never in the history of TV has a series been this gripping, this entertaining, heartwarming and exciting, and above all, original as The Amazing Race.


This is the most brilliant idea for a reality show ever to come about. Basically, eleven or twelve teams of two people with a pre-existing relationship (married, dating, siblings, friends, etc.) participate in a race around the world for one million dollars. During each leg of the race, contestants must complete a certain number of tasks such as bungee jumping, sky diving, rock climbing, or hang-gliding. At the end of each leg of the race, teams have to check in to a pit stop, at which the last team to arrive is eliminated from the race.

I love this show because it creates a lot of drama when people can get eliminated and because it's cool to see all these different places they get to go to.


I think one of the reason we favor this show over shows like Survivor is that, for the most part, the contestants are in charge of their own fates. In a race around the world, if you avoid finishing last on each leg, you stay in the game ... no voting beyond the contestants' control exists to spoil their effort.

Outside of the drama of the contest, the show is an educational travel show in many ways. For example, the show often goes through India. After seeing what happens to contestants there, I'll never travel to India.

An entertaining and for the most part intelligent show, I highly recommend The Amazing Race to fans of TV reality contests.


I would rate this show a 9 if it wasn't for last season. The family edition three seasons ago and the one after that with the hippies were awesome. I loved every episode of those.

But last season I stopped watching after the 4th or 5th episode. I don't remember seeing a show in which I didn't like a single contestant. They either had no personality or were too bitchy. TAR's aim for diversity produced some of the most ridiculous array of contestants that I've seen. We had an equal helping of Muslims, handicapped, Indians, homos, and ho's. I hope they have better characters next season.


I believe that The Amazing Race is the greatest "reality" show. People get to race around the world and do things that they never thought they would do. Not only do the viewers get to see the beautiful and wonderful places that are visited, but we also get to learn about the cultures and customs of different countries. I feel as though I am actually visiting these places that I will probably never get to see in my life. Racers need to be both physically and mentally strong in order to complete the detours, road blocks, and other puzzles that need to be solved. Map skills are also an excellent thing to have on this show, as many of the teams get lost and need to stop and ask for directions. The racers never know where they are going to be next...there is no planning ahead of time and that's one of the things that makes this show absolutely exciting.


This show's format is the reason why I keep watching each season. Imagine travelling around the world and your final target is US$1 million, it's for those who dare to do it.

The recently concluded season is one great show. The ultimate winners were whom I wanted to win and it's a great ending to a show that has won the Emmys before.

Overall, if you are the one who has always wanted to see how the world really is and interested to see how the various teams outdo each other to the finish line, this show is for you. Also, prepare for culture-shock abound because as they say - 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'.

Phil really does a good job of being the host and it's almost impossible to not linking the guy who hosts The Amazing Race.

The show is just...amazing!


The Amazing Race is a show where teams of two race about Earth to win a million dollars at the end (the first to win, of course gets said million dollars). On the way they stop at various locations and must complete tasks. The teams are generally all a type of human or a minority and rarely are normal people used in the series. The tasks involve doing things that happen or are to do with local things, like making pottery or laying bricks or carrying a local creation about. For the most part vehicles, usually cars or 4WDs are provided to help them get about and they are given money for some legs. Since this is reality TV it is always different with no contiguous consistent plot or continuuity apart from reality itself, and so its enjoyability depens greatly on certain variables at the time. However the general gist of the show is quite amusing. It is amazing how weird and unintelligent Americans are, as is clearly shown with many of the teams. Also social observations can be made, as some teams gang to form 'alliances' against others and teams often become aggressive to one another or in the team itself.


Am not from America, I usually watch this show on AXN channel, I don't know why this respected channel air such sucking program in prime time slot. Creation of Hollywood's Money Bank Jerry Bruckheimer, this time he is spending a big load of cash in the small screen. In each episode a bunch of peoples having two team members travels from on country to another for a great sum of money; where the camera crews shoot their travels. I don't know who the hell gave this stupid idea for the show. It has nothing to watch for, in all episodes we see people ran like beggars, some times shouting, crying, beeping, jerky camera works..huh it's harmful to both eyes and ears. The most disgusting part in the race is the viewers finally knows each of the team members can't enjoy their race/traveling experience. Even though, to add up the ratings the producers came up with the ideas of including Gays in one shows, sucking American reality show.

It's nothing to watch for, better switch to another channels.

The Amazing Race = The Disgusting Show.


Fans of woody allens "Whats Up Tiger Lily" may enjoy this more crude variation of a similar idea. The film is horrible and the dubbing is very immature but if thats your cup of tea then its a fantastic film. Best Viewed in large groups.


Ferocious Female Freedom Fighters (1982) was a project that Charles Kaufman and the L.A. Connection worked on. Troma bought the rights to a real bad Indonesian action film (shot in Panavision) and re-dubbed it. They made a terrible movie watchable, but it's filled with very juvenile and dated material. But that doesn't mean it's not watchable.

The plot is (F.F.F.F) is about a female wrestler (Bambi)who's sick brother needs an emergency operation. To get the money fast, she signs up with a shady wrestling organization (even though she was courted by a rival promoter). During her training she meets Barney (a man who talks and fights like Elvis) and tries to woo her throughout the movie. Like I said, the movie's humor is very juvenile and adult but if you're into Troma films then you'll dig this one big time. What will happen to Bambi? Will her little brother get that operation? Can Barney sweep her off of her feet? You'll have to find out for yourself!

Highly recommended.


The demented and hilarious re-working of what appears to be originally a dreary Filipino wrestling movie/crime drama, the Troma team does what Woody Allen did in "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" but with less restraint. The humor ranges from mildly absurd to outright raunchy, but it made me and a roommate laugh until we had to stop the tape. Not for everyone, but those who enjoy "Mystery Science 3000" and similar entertainment should find this right up their alley.


Rent this one right now. I liked this movie, but because it was so bad on all accounts. It was a movie, filmed in english, then redubbed by the Troma Team. That should give you a hint of what it is like. It has a mother saying, "She can't s**t. I made her hot coffee because she can't s**t. Now she will have constipation and a headache." Something like tha. I was laughing so hard. Also, they redub the boy's need for surgery because whenever he is aroused the semen goes to his head, and it will explode. The sister says, "I want to give you a big french kiss, but i can't because it will arouse you and your head will explode." It is extremely funny. It is kind of shocking, extremely funny, and bizarre. Not for the totally normal. Of course, if you are reading this you know about the bizarre, and are not completely normal yourself. Personally i think it is better to watch this in two parts because it gets tiresome after a while, much like i thought MST3K did. I would get bored with both. But, the next day it is funny again. 8/10


And I'm thinking of MST3K and Joe-Bob Briggs. How they would love this movie! Yes, it's really, REALLY bad. I think even Joe-Bob would NOT put this movie on his top 10 list. But, somehow, it grabs you.

If you like a lot of moaning, groaning, grunting, screaming, squealing, shrieking women, then you'll love this movie. It appears to be a lame attempt at soft-core porn, without the flesh.

Like female wrestling? You'll love this movie.

Like proto-Bruce Lee martial arts? You'll love this movie.

Like trying to lip-read the actors' lines? You'll love this movie.

The only thing missing is Adrienne Barbeau (sp?)

I'd recommend being in a "certain state of mind" before watching this flick. But, if you do, I guarantee that you'll have a night to remember!

It's like Woody Allen's "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" without the cachet of Woody Allen!

I give it a 10 simply for its awfulness, and yet...sooooo hypnotic....


What we have here is an Indonesian wrestling women/crime drama film dubbed over by some goofy guys into an "R" rated "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" sort of film, and it mostly works. Seems that there's a young woman that must obtain money for her young brother's operation and she gets involved with seedy elements to do so. There's a big lug with an Elvis voice involved, as well as lots of strange people in masks and lots of women wrestling. The Troma DVD contains both the original Indonesian version (badly dubbed in English) & the goofy re-dubbed Troma version, both of which are pretty funny. I watched some of the "original" first then switched over to the Troma version & while the original was pretty funny (unintentionally) anyway, the Troma version was probably much more funny. Silly and juvenile stuff but still pretty entertaining for a slow afternoon. 7 out of 10.


This movie was possibly the worst thing I've ever seen. I showed it in my 10th grade English class because we were studying Antigone and this was the only film version the library had. I will never show this again! I am a big fan of "artsy" movies, but I couldn't take this crap. The "acting" was minimal, the actors just flailed around and touched each other sensually a lot. The soundtrack was hideous: a lot of pseudo-opera screeching. Oedipus and Creon were the played by the same person, which was confusing at the end when Creon took his shirt off for no reason. It really turned into a joke. They could have cut this movie in half and not had to lose any of the story.


I was forced to watch this movie in my English class after reading the play Antigone, and while the story itself is a classic, the movie is by far the most horrifying thing in the world. I'm a highly opinionated and talkative person, this movie left me absolutely speechless. I can't describe how horrible it is, just that it's enough to make anyone who dares watch it have nightmares for years to come. The effects are horrible, there was blood when there shouldn't have been, and there was no acting--just a bunch of monkeys moving around to a narration that held no emotion. The costuming is atrocious as well, because there was black leather and a Rolex on one character while the others wore colorful tunics and togas.

In short: don't waste your time with this abomination if you can help it.


This is the most inspiring and brilliantly made movie of all time. This ranks next to Jaws, Forest Gump, and Gone With the Wind. This first time director rivals the work of the legendary Stephen Spielberg. If you do not see this movie, a part of your soul is missing. The interpretive dance was a brilliant resource for artistic ability. The incestuous groping really authenticates the Greek lifestyle and times. The leaving of Anigone's blind father in the barren forest really pulls at your heartstrings. I absolutely loved the fight between the two Greek warriors. This scene shows the internal conflict and sexual confusion through the aggressive and passionate fight/dance motions. I loved this movie!!! The music was also absolutely astounding! Buy this soundtrack!!!!


I viewed this film with my freshman theatre arts class and after taking a vote they all rated it a 1 on a scale of 10. These students have been studying Antigone extensively for 8 weeks and had nothing positive to say about it. They found the choreography to be poor, the use of voice over confusing and the music disturbing. They had trouble following the story, even though they have been dissecting Sophocles' words for weeks. To quote my students, "It was a poor excuse for an adaptation of a great play." "The director is apparently on crack" For viewers that are trying to understand the story of Antigone, this film only served to confuse them rather than clarify.


We watched this film in English class as a joke. This is one of the worst "films" I have ever seen and is so bad that you can watch the entire thing in fast-forward mode and not miss a single detail. The dancers are writhing. The dancers are rolling around in the dirt. The dancers are groping each other histrionically. Repeat.


I could not stand more than 20 minutes of this travesty. The movie reminded me of a high school modern dance recital. After watching the movie for five minutes you realize that the dancers, yes dancers, go through the same movements over and over again. They aren't even good dancers. There are no actors, there is a voice-over telling what is going on as the `dancers' writhe. Sophocle's poetry is jettisoned for the voice over. Maybe the movie gets better, but I could not stand any more.


The "confusion" here is more a plethora, an embarrassment of riches and of choices. At the center of every scene is bisexual (or is he just gay?) lawyer Alain (Pascal Greggory). Everybody wants him, or thinks he wants them -- handsome imprisoned murderer Marc (Vincent Martinez), cute gay boy Christophe (Cyrille Thouvenin), attractive and accomplished law partner Laurence (Nathalie Richard, who's more Alain's age); the prisoner's (former) girlfriend Babette (Julie Gayet); Marc's prison-mate Étienne (noted singer Alain Bashung) even gets amusingly involved at the end. Alain and his law partner are talking about marrying, and it's all practical and boring, except that it's impulsive too. Through it all Pascal Greggory has that bored, annoyed look he always has; but he registers a lot of other looks too -- he's a skillful movie actor and for good reason one of the busiest in France. This is very French, a sort of comedy of ill humor, sex, and indecision. The hilariously grumpy and irritable "haute bourgeoisie" relatives of Laurence and Alain who come into play when wedding bells are in the offing include the great Bulle Ogier as Laurence's mother. The various nude scenes aren't just titillation; they're all skillfully and sometimes hilariously illustrative of characters and situations and of Alain's "embarras du choix."

"La Confusion des genres" is dry and amusing and well paced and has an excellent cast but it's very French and you wouldn't necessarily expect it to go over well with Americans, and it didn't. US critics pretty much hated it. On Metacritic it got a 39. Many American viewers think it's pretentious and unfunny. They miss the witty but blunt dialogue (which all the French critics complement), and they don't appreciate Greggory, who's perfect here, or the delicately observed range of French social and personality types. This is as good a treatment of the pains and pleasures of the bisexual life as seen from the French 21st-century standpoint as, at the time, was John Schlesinger's very English (1971) "Sunday Bloody Sunday"; but as a movie it doesn't carry quite as much weight and clearly like some wines it does not travel well.

Doing the voice-over commentary in English for the American DVD didn't turn out very well either. Director Duran Cohen studied at NYU Film School and and is fluent, but he's paired with Greggory and Thouvenin, who're pretty tongue-tied, and the conversation never gets going. Why didn't they do it in French with subtitles as Kassovitz, Cassel, and Reno did so entertainingly for the US "Crimson Rivers" DVD? Then maybe they would have been more relaxed and talkative, as the "Crimson Rivers" team was, and something more informative would have resulted.


In the DVD commentary, Pascal Greggory and the director state that this is not a comedy about bisexuality, it is a comedy about sexuality and choices. This is so true. Alain faces the choices we all face. Does he choose the person who is more like a partner than a romance? Does he choose the younger, eager lover who offers little more than sex? Does he choose to pursue the yet-to-be-obtained intriguing person he has recently met? A few other peripheral choices also hover nearby. But even more basic questions are asked: Does he have to choose? Can he choose more than one option? Will any choice make him completely happy if it cancels out all the others? This film made me reflect on these questions and choices in my own life, which is exactly what a good film should do. I think anyone who is over 30 and unmarried should be able to relate to Alain, at least on this level.

A few reviewers have asked why so many characters are attracted to the narcissistic, emotionally remote Alain, but in my experience, it is often just this type of person who has many people attracted to him. For some, he is a challenge. For others, he is safely unattainable. For yet others, he is someone who will hurt them (which they expect), or who won't be hurt too much if they leave him. Alain mirrors the other characters' loneliness back to them, and one wonders if any of them would be happy if they ended up being Alain's choice  and if he could ever stick with that choice.

If you're happily content in a stable, long-lasting relationship, then you will see this film as a comedy about things that happen to other people. But if your heart still has the capacity to lead you in directions you don't expect, this film will have greater meaning for you.


While it is definitely true that there are characters that do not experience a 180 degree change by the end of the film, the characters don't stay the same, either. And since that isn't the plot point that the movie hinges on, it doesn't feel like it matters in the end. The majority of the characters come across as very real people, three-dimensional, and not movie-clichés.

The actors are wonderful; there is no hesitation in any of the performances (even in the most revealing scenes). I bought the American DVD, which included a commentary with the director, and actors Pascal Greggory and Cyrille Thouvenin, and was especially delighted to find that they had done the commentary in English.


I love this movie, I have seen it over 20 times and I just noticed something.

After Christopher McDonald says "Yeah Right, and Grizzley Adams had a beard", after he walks away the screen goes to the green where all the people are and the car that hits Happy Gilmore later is already crashed even though the seen has not happened yet. I cannot believe I never noticed that before, that is hilarious.

Anyhow, just wanted to post that, how many others have noticed that?

Also, Julie Bowen is one Gorgeous Woman, I'm very envious of Adam Sandler getting to hook up with her!! Richard


For fans of Adam Sandler such as myself, this film epitomises his comic acting abilities. Having seen most of Sandler's titles, this is by far my favourite in terms of down-right hilarious moments and entertainment from start to finish.

With a cast of comedic characters providing the viewer with memorable quotes which will keep you laughing for hours afterwards, this film is without a doubt one of the funniest films I have seen to date.

An interest in Golf is not at all essential to the enjoyment of this film, as its humour and light-hearted storyline are at the essence. With witty one-liners and slapstick violence, this film will have you crying with laughter.

All in all, this film is great family entertainment with side-splitting humour and a subtle moral underline throughout.


This film is very funny. The character development is extremely shallow, but you can't argue with the guest stars in this movie. The cast is loaded with lots of famous folks doing cameos.

This turned out to be Richard Kiels last performance. He was always a busy character actor. Of course, legend Bob Barker does an amazing sequence.

Adam stars as a hockey player who decides to try golf. The premise is just enough to hang the humor on. Once he starts, he turns out to be more of an oddity than any golfer around. Once you scrap reality, it works. How this sequence with Barker worked out is so amazing.

People at Price is Right were asking Barker to repeat his line at the tapings even when he was getting ready to retire.

This is a movie to put your brain in neutral & enjoy the humor.


Adam Sandler plays a hilarious role in this fun comedy. Plot is a little weak, but its covered up by funny scenes every where you look and whenever Adam Sandler is in it, you know it's going to be fun. A must if you love comedy.

80%


Adam Sandler comedy is very much an acquired taste, however if you like films such as Road Trip, Deuce Bigalo (by Sandlers Production Company Happy Maddison) or Tom Green or Jackass humour I would highly recommend his films. Also if you have liked any of Sandler's other films then Happy Gilmore is a must see. Although not as mainstream as Big Daddy or The Wedding Singer, Happy Gilmore is the funniest of his films to date. There are so many good lines in this film that it continues to be amusing watch after watch and for the first few viewing had me almost in tears at some points. I have now seen this film too many times to even count and could probably recite the whole script along to the film, however it is still funny every time I see it. Truly the funniest film I have ever seen. 10 out of 10.

(N.B. if you liked this film then be sure to see Billy Maddison as well)


This was one hilarious film. Adam Sandler cracked me up!! So did Ben Stiller as the nasty intern at the nursing home: "Could I trouble you for a glass of warm milk?" "You could trouble me for a warm glass of SHUT THE HELL UP!" That was so funny. And the "Mista-mista" lady that Sandler runs into twice in the movie. This is my sister's favourite movie, but I think "Caddyshack" was better. That one was a classic.

But this movie is still good. The fight between Happy and Bob Barker (of "The Price is Right") was hysterical ("The price is wrong, b**ch") and Kevin Nealon was funny as that weird golfer ("Send the ball home, Happy")

There is also one really funny scene which is only on some TV versions. Happy tells Ben Stiller that he's been told about how bad he treats the old people at the nursing home. Stiller is then thrown out the window and beat up by the old people. That might be on a DVD version of this movie but I don't know.

***1/2 out of *****


This movie is the best. It will keep you laughing through the whole movie. Adam is really great. But to me the funniest guy was Ben Stiller, the guy in charge of the old folks home. When he is alone with Gramma you know he will keep the laughs coming throughout this film. If you don't think this is really a good movie see it again and notice a whole bunch of little things. They are really funny. Even Shooter Mc'Gavin is a hoot. But the funniest part of the whole movie is what happens between Happy and Bob Barker. I won't tell you what but trust me, you won't be disapointed with the result. 8/10


Adam Sandler is a very funny guy. Billy Madison is very funny. Yet Happy Gilmore is more funny and Adam Sandler is at his best. His other movies were let's say not as funny. I.E. Waterboy, Big Daddy and Wedding Singer. I haven't seen Little Nicky yet, so that may be his best. If anyone has comments, say something.


An extremely entertaining movie, with the typical Adam Sandler type of humor. I am a huge Sandler fan and this is by far my favorite of all his movies.

One of the funniest movies I have seen.


Adam Sandler's best, by far. This movie is funny from start to finish. I don't understand why people complain about Chubbs wooden hand, it's obviously fake, thats whats so funny. If you look in goofs, it says u can see his hand...u can see it the whole time, his frickin prosthetic is about 2 feet longer than it should be (exaggeration maybe). Adam is having a good time as usual, and he is really funny in this movie, where as in some other ones, just strange. The only part I didnt like is Bob Barker winning a fight. I guess that was his stipulation for doing the movie, but he fights like a sissy, not that Sandler looks like he can fight..although he does play a hockey player..sigh.. Great movie, don't take it seriously. have a good time like sandler 10/10


One of the funniest movies I ever seen. Sometimes it's good to see a movie that's just make you laugh. Unfortunately doesn't the movies with Adam Sandler that follows have the same "we have a lot of fun filming this movie"-feeling. However, Happy Gilmore is a great comedy that I recommend.


Adam Sandler isn't a popular one with the critics thanks to duds like Airheads and Mixed Nuts. And while I enjoy his recent crop of movies, many do not, which I think is a shame. This has a lot of jokes, and while most are funny, some don't come off with good effect. Happy Gilmore is an amateur hockey player renowned for his violent ways. When he is introduced to golf, he uncovers a talent he never knew he had. The supporting cast is good, with Carl Weathers (Predator) superb as Chubbs the one-handed golfing coach. Yet you feel Sandler has to do a bit more to raise a smile. This is funny but at times a bit too lame for it's own good. 7 out of 10.


I like "Happy Gilmore" and "the Wedding Singer" more than any other Sandler movies. Sure Sandler still plays a goof ball with a annoying voice but "Happy Gilmore" makes me laugh even though it doesn't force me to do so. The movies that made Sandler popular, "the Water Boy" and "Big Daddy" are some what similar to Jim Carrey's stupid disgusting comedies.


this has to be the funniest movie I've ever seen. I've seen it about 20 times and I laugh harder every time. Adam Sandler is brilliant and so is Ben Stiller and that guy from Rocky 10/10


I love this film... you can't not do if you like any of Adam Sandler's. This film has a great cast who all play off each other brilliantly, especially Chris McDonald & the guy from Rocky & I can't believe it didn't do better in the cinema in England... in fact it might have only been on selected releae here 'cause I can't remember it coming out. Sandler is great in it & all you people that say he mumbles his lines, it's his style & it's that which attracts the audience to him because he seems so non threatening to the audience. This is a beautiful film & it demonstrates the ability of all the actors brilliantly... Adam Sandlers temper, Chris McDonalds snyde nature, the loveable grandma's loveableness. It seems kinda the actors as charicatures, but instead it's just good casting. This film is awesome... I think i've seen it about 80 times & i still haven't got tired of it.


"Happy Gilmore" is one of those movies that you end up watching many times in your life. Someone will always own it, have rented it, or brought it along in some situation in your life. That's because this movie is just plain funny. Adam Sandler plays what he plays best, a guy whom seems like a jerk, but ends up being really sweet. Sandler plays Happy Gilmore, a low-luck hockey player with no skill, but an incredible slapshot. His parents are both dead and the person he goes to for advice or comfort is his grandma. She, however, hasn't paid her taxes in years, and gets her house repossessed by the bank. Happy stumbles on golfing, and finds that he has an extraordinary talent for driving the ball incredibly far. To get money, he joins the PGA tour. His lead rival, Shooter McGavin, buys Happy's grandma's home to make him quit, but they drive a bargain. If Happy can win the PGA tour, the house is his again. The results are hilarious. This movie is an Adam Sandler must-see, right up there with "Billy Madison".


This was probably the best VMA's since 1992. Fallon was a great host first of all. Why do i say that? Even though Fallon is not the standup that Chris Rock is, but Fallon actually seemed to be having fun...it wasn't a bunch of written one liners pieced together to move the show along...it was Jimmy Fallon having a great time being part of a great show.

Point two is the the show was well divided between the genres of music. You had a few pop acts, a few hiphop/rap acts, and a few rock acts. I'm not a huge pop or rap fan...but eminem and the others put on great performances...white America is a great song...the stage set up rocked.

Point three is obviously guns n roses...axl rose honestly puts everyone else on earth to shame as a performer. he is as real as it gets. he may not hit every note, but its always pushing it to the edge and when he does hit it right it is legendary...and people will remember the 2002 vmas just for that reason.


Shakira's performance was by far the major highlight of the night. Nobody moves like her. She performed her hit song 'Objection Tango' and totally rocked out with the remixed version that we were treated to. Jimmy Fallon did a good job hosting the show, but once Shakira came out, you forgot all about him and just concentrated on her. Even the stars agreed, after the show, people like P-Diddy, 3LW and Carson Daly commented on Shakira's performance and how great it was, and it was talked about for days. The year is 2006 now as I am writing this review, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. This is Shakira's domain, LIVE performing! She rocked just like she did at the Latin Grammy awards in 2000 when she performed her best showing of 'Ojos Asi' to date.


This historically marked the return of perhaps the greatest hard rock band of all time: Axl Rose and his new Guns N' Roses Band! Awesome, totally awesome! It may not be the same lineup, but who cares, Axl Rose is and always will be Guns N' Roses, if it weren't for him, there would have never been any Guns N' Roses!


Will the wonders never cease? First Denmark introduces a long line of Dogme films, many of them better than anything out of Hollywood, and now they have developed a talent for romantic comedies as well? If someone had told me 10 years ago that this would happen, I wouldn't have believed them.

This is a wonderfully warm and funny movie. It's great to see Niels Olsen in this type of role, not playing his usual wacky roles but instead a romantic lead - yet another surprise. And what can I say about Paprika Steen - she's fast becoming one of my favourite actresses, Danish or otherwise. What a comedic talent!

I recommend this movie to anyone who doesn't mind subtitles - comedy is a language in itself.


Maybe this film is not the greatest danish movie ever made, but it sure is funny. Around the cinema people was laughing at all times, when they once in a while got hit by something they recognised. And then once in a while there was a one liner, that made the whole cinema laugh. When you leave the cinema, you can't help it - you're happy and you believe in love, and it's capability to make everything right. Cliche? yes but isn't lovely once in a while to believe, that somethings in the world, can make all the wrongs to rights?

I haven't heard a danish film being discussed and laughed at among friends and work companions, as this movie. Not even the dogme-movies!


Prior to watching this film, I'd never heard of it, so I didn't know what to expect (I hadn't read reviews or anything). My initial thoughts were that it would be a bit like another Danish romantic comedy, "Italian for Beginners", which, while I thought was a great film, was a bit bleak for me. Hence, I wasn't really expecting much more from this one.

However, I must say this is probably one of the best films I've seen over the years - much, MUCH better than the similar Richard Curtis efforts such as Four Weddings or Love Actually. The chemistry between characters is electric and, while it is arguable that the film is a little contrived with an oh-so predictable ending, it's very much a "feel good" film. The supporting cast are great - especially Mgala (she only has one word throughout the film, and I won't repeat it!) and Mulle/Merete, who you just feel sorry for.

The only problem I had with this film was that the Italian character, Sonny, was a complete caricature - big bushy eyebrows, lots of hand waving, and, when he broke into Italian, used the most obvious Italian phrases ("Ti amo!", "Scusi!") - I guess it's because he was played by a Swede rather than a "real" Italian. The acting was fine, just a bit too contrived.

If you can find a copy on DVD, grab it. The version of the DVD I purchased was from Denmark itself (I speak a little of the language), and I was rather surprised and disappointed to find that there were no English subtitles (only those for the three Nordic nations) - I'm sure those outside of Scandinavia would find this a fantastic film, so I cannot understand why such an opportunity was missed. Incidentally, however, the film has been remade using English actors for the British market, as "The One and Only" but is, as far as I can tell from IMDb reviews, is a terrible effort.


I must say that it's the best danish picture I've ever seen, even if Festen also was a very good and interesting film. This is a romantic comedy which is as good as the best american and english once, for instance When Harry Met Sally... and Four Weddings And A Funeral. If you like that kind of movies and can accept the danish language =) you will like this movie, Den eneste Ene, too.


WOW!! I have heard so much good about this movie, and when I finally saw it I knew that it was true. This movie is one of my all time favourite. It's funny, romantic and have some excellent performances by the actors. If U haven't seen it, see it. If U have seen it, see it again (I know I will)


I was somewhat reluctant when my girlfriend wanted me to see this film with her, because danish comedies has not been that funny in the last last pair of decades!

BUT, I must admit that I was very glad to discover, that this comedy was very funny indeed!

The leading female actor Sidse Babett Knudsen is giving a great performance! (She was btw also great in the movie 'Let's get Lost')

All in All : Good Entertainment!


It seems like the only comments here are very negative. I found it rather entertaining, maybe it did not fully live up to the reviews but most of the history works. I think that both the lead characters are well played by Niels Olsen and Sidse Babett Knudsen and Lars Kaalund is great as the friend of Niller. Sofie Gråbøl made toes crumble but not because of bad play but because the character she played was so embarrassing clumbsy. But if people prefer movies like "Op på fars hat" and "kampen om den røde ko" then I come short of arguments.


The Party which you refer to is called "Dansk Folkeparti" and they "only" have 12,5% of the votes and is not racist, but they are very hard on immigration, I hate this party from the bottom of my heart, but I love the movie, I think it is the best danish movie ever. So it must be a question of very different types of black humor if Albanians have any (black humor that is), Danish humor often is more black and morbid than British humor, which I normally consider the unofficial world champions of black humor

Cheers Bo

I have nothing more to say, but there is a minimum of 10 lines, which I think is a lot, I mean not everybody has that much to say! I can appreciate the fact that they don't want short comments like the F-word and such, but 10 lines!!! come on! that's overdoing it, well I hope by now I have written enough, so that my comment will be posted


This is a fine movie - certainly the mst successful and wellknown og the new danish movies (that is within Denmark). I read that someone thought it to be racist... Hornestly that is just BS - and by the way DF only had about 15% of the votes at the last election and although many people want it to be racist it really isn't. It is just thinking more about the danish economy than humanlives (very typical for liberal and capitalistic parties). Racist has something to do with hate and in this movie there were no signs whatsoever of any kind of hate towards anyone.

So many people always say that the danish actors are so good, but I really don't see it. Maybe it is because I speak the language and can much easier detect when something sounds a little quirky - whereas I am not as good at English and therefore might have trouble detecting their flaws.


First of all I will like to say that I think this danish movie really captures the essence of a good and funny danish movie. In some years now, danish movies have been almost nothing but DOGME, violence, or interracial confrontations. This film is the return of the uplifting, joyfull danish films from the mid 80s without that much to worry about.

The story in itself isn't much, the plot is very easy to guess as the movie starts, but the simplicity is to me 'the touch' in this movie.

Actor Niels Olsen stars in quite a new type of role, he is almost not funny at all, but he does this very well, playing Niller, a kitchen assembly/repairman and the under dog in a marriage that never should have been. Niller and his very edgy and controlling wife are in the process of adopting a little african girl, when Niller meets the kitchen craving Sus (played with a lot of spirit by actress Sidse Babette Knudsen), a woman who is very hard to forget just like that---even though she has this hip italian boy friend. The facts that Niller is entrapped by his marriage and new fatherhood and that Sus is engaged to be married should not leave much of a story to tell. But this is changed by a very convenient car accident and some fooling around. Hmmm!


I don't understand why so many (anonymous!) has written that this is a bad movie. Not since "Olsenbanden ser rødt" have a Danish comedy been so funny. But this is a completely different type of humor. All the characters are funny in their own way. Niels Olsen (Niller) who is comparing everything with his kitchen installation. Paprika Steen (Stella) with her fixation on her married name. Sofie Gråbøl (Mulle) constantly reminding us that she has been studying seven years on psychology, and never finishing a sentence. Obviously she needs a shrink herself. But the most funny guy is Lars Kaalund (Knud). He has so many one liners, that are right in the bulls eye. Especially the one over the shrink question theme: "If you were a car, which one would it be." Finally I mustn't forget Sidse Babett Knudsen (Sus). She both plays and looks wonderful. She and Niller fits very nice together.

All the fun fits perfectly into this sweat little story, so don't bother to read all these negative comments. Go see it yourself and have a good laugh.


I think that "Den eneste ene", is a wonderful movie, with great actors. It is not possible to compare Niels Olsen with Mel Gibson, it is not fair.


best movie I have ever seen, great humor, great actors, the story it self is hilarious! the ending is quite predictable, but fun anyway. I can't say anything else than see it NOW! Its too fun, especially Lars Kaalunds performance


This is about reclaiming one's life. The Western was the dominant dramatic form on television at the time this came out, so people had a regular diet of them. In this one, a town drunk is given a chance to regain his dignity by doing something positive. He is given a bottle that will allow him to be a great gunfighter for a short time. Unfortunately, Mr. Fate has other plans and he find himself neutralized. All is not lost, however, because he and his adversary are left to live normal lives because their gunfighting days are over. This is a cold war tale and a morality play. Serling had to take it to the next level, by injecting irony. The story plays pretty well and is enjoyable and, if we have not seen it before, it plays pretty well. If you are looking for a parallel to this, see "The Chaser."


This episode ,from the fall of 1959, was televised at the same time as other regular Westerns were appearing in large numbers nightly. It begins as a story that could easily have been played on Gunsmoke, but takes a detour into the fantastic. The result is a powerfully realistic portrayal of a down and out drunk, reduced to being the town joke, who reclaims his dignity and self worth by the end.

It's a rare opportunity to see veteran character actor Dan Duryea play a nice guy, when most of his career was based on sleazy,cowardly, back stabbing villains. Martin Landau plays the type of character that Duryea was famous for, as the sadistic gunman who enjoys kicking Denton around. He makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise every time I see this episode, he is so creepy.

This episode isn't shown that often, but it's well worth seeing, as both a good TZ story, and a fine drama on its own.


With episode three of 'The Twilight Zone', Serling further confused those trying to get a handle on the series by presenting them with a fantasy Western. It was still a critical stage for the series and a quality episode was required after the disastrous 'One for the Angels'. Fortunately, Serling provided it. 'Mr Denton on Doomsday' is a play in two distinct acts; the first act finds the drunk and pathetic Denton suddenly regaining his unrivalled ability with a shooting iron and the second act sees him face the consequences of being a renowned gunman.

'Mr Denton on Doomsday' is the first 'Twilight Zone' episode to feature a truly surprising and satisfying twist. But there is far more to the episode than just its pay-off. Denton is explored thoroughly as a character and Serling's writing is deeply touching, particularly as Denton reveals the reason he started drinking excessively in the first place. The cast is also extremely good. The always reliable Martin Landau has a ball as Denton's worst tormentor and Doug McClure also surfaces in a small but key role as a young gunman. Jeanne Cooper does what she can with an underwritten part as the sympathetic eye candy and Malcolm Atterbury has the perfect, character-filled face for the part of Fate. But it is undoubtedly Dan Duryea's show. His performance as Denton is multi-layered and convincing. As the drunken Denton he provides moments of real butt-clenching embarrassment as he reluctantly serenades his bullies for drink. As Denton after his powers have been restored, Duryea is hangdog and resigned to the inevitable. And finally, following the showdown, he is revitalised and full of wisdom, a man given a second chance (second chances being another recurring theme in 'The Twilight Zone').

There are one or two little problems with the script; Denton overcomes his alcohol problem almost instantaneously and he is suddenly able to walk into a barber's shop and get a shave despite the fact he was so penniless that he had to sing for drink only moments before. Still, these are minor quibbles and the sort of thing that must be expected when you only have twenty minutes to tell your story. Serling packs plenty into those twenty minutes and tops it off with a very neat twist indeed.


This episode of 'The Twilight Zone' had an opener I hadn't seen before, or if I did, I don't remember it. It has a closeup of an eyeball that dissolves into what ostensibly would be another world or dimension in the Twilight Zone. The series would eventually make forays into every conceivable genre, and this time it was the Western. I was particularly impressed by Rod Serling's voice over narration at the beginning of the story, a hallmark that lent gravitas to the tale that was about to unfold.

I've seen many TV Western episodes on the subject of the 'fastest gun in the West', and the topic makes for a fascinating psychological look at gunslingers and what makes them tick. Among my favorites, I would recommend 'Yawkey' from the "Lawman" series, along with one of my favorite movie Westerns, 1950's "The Gunfighter" starring Gregory Peck. Each of those, including "Mr. Denton on Doomsday", explore the various ways that men of reputation seek to live with their notoriety in the face of constant challenge. For Denton (Al Duryea), it was refuge in a bottle over the senseless but obligatory slaying of a sixteen year old upstart who would claim the title of fastest gun. For his protagonist to regain a measure of self respect, Serling introduces a secondary player who holds out the promise of redemption, a peddler who traffics in, and goes by the name of Fate.

The twist for this TZ episode isn't so much in the outcome as it is in the execution. Both Denton and and Grant (Doug McClure) waver when they realize that neither of them can win, OR lose. It's the kind of classic TZ ending that forces the viewer to re-examine one's preconceived notions of clear cut outcomes where we're rooting for the sympathetic character. In this case, it wouldn't be Denton, even if we wanted him to emerge the hero of the story. Fate steps in to help one man out of a pit, and keep another man from falling into one. What one might consider a draw, Serling brilliantly recasts as a win for both challenger and the challenged.

*** Quick trivia note on a goof spotted - Right after Denton drinks from the broken liquor bottle at the beginning of the story, he's shown with a large scratch on the right side of his face. In the next scene with Liz, the scratch is gone.


Third episode of the legendary television series stars Dan Duryea as Al Denton. Al is a hopeless alcoholic in the Old West who was at one time a successful gunslinger. Now Al is ruthlessly made fun of by swaggering bully Dan Hotaling (Martin Landau). A mysterious peddler (Malcolm Atterbury) provides Al with two items - a gun and a potion - that just may affect his life for the better. And when Al's efficiency with a gun returns, a young hotshot named Pete Grant (Doug McClure) decides to challenge him.

This episode worked so well for me because Duryea was a very (sym)pathetic figure. The actor makes the most of his role. As his story progresses, he's conscious of history repeating itself and what his ultimate destiny might be. (It's no accident that the peddler is named Mr. Fate.) The truth is that his redemption and second shot at life might come at a price. It's an emotional story that climaxes in an interesting and unexpected way. The ending is filled with hope which makes it all the more appealing.

The actors on hand are quite entertaining. Jeanne Cooper of future 'The Young and the Restless' fame is the kindly Liz. Landau is a good deal of fun as the cruel Dan.

Overall, a wonderful episode.

8/10


Come on, giving a show a 1/10 shows you are giving an extremely biased review. Let's rate shows on their merit.

I am giving this show a 7 because it is extremely entertaining to watch. Anne may be the cock of the walk in this show, but she gets her fair share of insults from the contestants who have the gumption to dish it back out. It is interesting to see people's real personalities come out among strangers--sometimes people are sneaky, other times they are very noble and allow others to stay on and compete against them even though they pose a greater threat.

The voting off can be very unfair, which is something I hate about this show. In plenty of episodes people gang up to eliminate specific individuals based on their gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. These are the moments when Anne's personality makes the show, however. We have all seen an episode where Anne calls a contestant out on ganging up on one individual, when it is clear that one person is not being voted off for being the "weakest link," but for being the only woman left, etc.

The truth of the matter is that Anne has a very unique personality and one that is captivating for others to watch. She is a quick-witted person and makes a great moderator for a game show that pits contestants against each other. I'm in the US, and everyone I know who has seen this show thinks Anne is far more entertaining to watch than her American male replacement.

I've never heard Anne make a comment that could not be taken all in good fun, but she maintains her hard exterior because the show is supposed to have a no-nonsense approach. The cut-throat nature of it all makes the jabs and the personal interaction among contestants that much more interesting, and keeps the suspense high when time is counting down.

I love this show and cannot get enough. I always consider it a treat when I happen across it flipping through channels.


I remember when television was wallpapered with such wonderful game shows such as 'Big Break', 'Bullseye', 'The Generation Game', 'Family Fortunes' and 'Supermarket Sweep'. Everything seemed to be going along beautifully, then came 'The Weakest Link'.

'Link' is hosted by 'Watchdog' presenter Anne Robinson, a woman who makes T.V critic Nina Myskow seem polite. The contestants are no better though! I remember one occasion where a man who got all his questions answered correctly was declared the weakest link, purely for the fact that none of the other contestants liked him! I personally don't see the entertainment value in a show where members of the public are being tested on their general knowledge by a woman who is so sharp-tongued that its a wonder her mouth hasn't been cut to shreds. The main prize is practically sweeties.

IMDb user 'AdamFontaine' says he has a big chip on his shoulder when it comes to Anne. Well, let me tell you that when it comes to Anne, I have got a whole fish supper on my shoulder!


How has Anne Robinson got away with being so blatantly ignorant for so long, and what are the producers thinking of to allow it? In this age of yob culture, it is (albeit in a small way) showing the decent kids just how not to behave, and she is undermining all the efforts to curtail bad manners and behaviour. If she said similar things without studio protection, she'd have probably had her face slapped or her backside kicked long ago. I wonder if those viewers who think this is all great fun would tolerate similar remarks aimed at them, not in a studio, but in the street. I would hazard a guess at the negative. In short, they'd probably blow their top.

This could be quite a decent quiz show, if given the chance to stand on it's own feet without all the unnecessary snide remarks. I see she didn't last too long in the States, and I'm led to believe that the show overall wasn't very well received. I'm not surprised.

My wife actually watches this show on a regular basis but she puts the TV to mute when Miss Robinson starts her nonsensical vocabulary. Would it not be better to cut it from the show altogether, and get back to something resembling respectful conduct? And if that sounds stuffy so be it. There is nothing wrong with good manners.


You would think people would get wise on how stupid this Weakest Link game show is with it's Ginger grim-faced presenter that looks worse for wear after many years doing her show. When she appeared on Points of view she looked useless as a TV critic and now she looks even useless has a Game show presenter and was right, she's only good at putting people down when she feels threatened by them. I laugh when people call her the ginger scoucer with a face to drop dead with - it seems she gets up-set by these comments made about her, eh? from someone who likes dishing it out she obviously can't take peoples comments about her - is this telling you something?


If you like game shows, I don't know if you'd like this one, it's hardly the same as any normal one. There are ten contestants brought into a dark studio to answer many questions. The rules are when a question is asked if they answer correctly they rise a stage with money, if they answer incorrectly they start again. However if they say bank before a question the money is safe. The reason this show is not like a normal game show is that the contestants work as a team, but they can get rid of a member (The Weakest Link). But the main reason for the game show being different is the host. Normally the host is nice, but Anne Robinson purposely acts nasty and the contestant leaves with nothing but the words "You are the Weakest Link, Goodbye!" Anne Robinson was number 25 on The 100 Worst Britons (for being mean), and she was number 46 on TV's 50 Greatest Stars. Very good!


This has all the entertainment value of having teeth pulled without anaesthetic. When I first saw it, I thought I'd tuned into an old war film by mistake, with Anne Robinson playing a Nazi interrogator.

The lady was once a 'Daily Mirror' columnist and when Robert Maxwell fell off the 'Lady Ghislaine' in 1991 she penned a grovelling eulogy that ended with; "He enriched many lives. Mine was one of them.". Oh dear! Why do the contestants on the receiving end of her sharp tongue not remind her of this? Not to mention her obvious face lifts. If she has one more she'll float away. I fail to see why people waste their time watching this tripe. When you've seen one episode you've seen them all. The American people are with me on this. Where do they get the contestants from? A home for the terminally charmless? Many look and sound as though they've been doped. The main prize isn't worth the effort.

With this, we're one step closer to the kind of 'torture game show' as depicted in the Schwartzenegger movie 'The Running Man'. As you may have gathered from the above, I'm Welsh and proud of it and have a big chip on my shoulder when it comes to Anne!


Being a Swansea girl originally, I had no trouble in deciphering the accents...

Swansea is indeed an Ugly, Lovely City, and the stark and honest portrayal of life in the dull valleys of south Wales, where unemployment is high, was a piece of script writing and directing genius. The Lewis "twins" were played brilliantly by the Evans brothers, and their honest and forthright portrayal of two youngsters bored with the humdrum life was refreshing and gritty. The human touch in this film was evident from the start, and in many areas it seemed to have an almost Docu Drama type genre, which added to the realism. It is unfair to compare Twin town to Trainspotting, as there are no comparisons to be made, both should be viewed as independant films, and to link them together does the would be viewer no justice. Twin Town has all the elements of a great movie, Comedy, Drama, and in combining these,the viewer cannot help but become attached to the characters. This film made me laugh, gasp and cry.A stroke of Pure Genius.


What a film! It was hyped up during it's release, so when I saw it, I understood why! It's set in Swansea, (Only 8 miles from where I live!), so I could really connect with the surroundings and the larger than life characters. Mind you, the storyline was something I wouldn't have associated with the city...yeah right!

Rhys Ifans' and Dougray Scott's break out roles, this one oozes great performance's. Some people knock the acting 'cos it seems 'hammed up', but the Welsh are like that. We do tend to go OTT sometimes, we are larger than life people! And as the script shows, we are very nationalistic.

Great direction, and with nearly every recognisable Welsh actor in it, this is a dark, funny, and entertaining film. The script is fresh, and the plot is good. And as the caption on the sleeve states, the film DOES "raise an index finger to Hollywood".

Rating? nothing short of perfect 10! Go and see it NOW! I promise you, you will not be dissapointed!


The film has everything you'd want it to have. Especially if you're British. Probably more of a bloke's film, but still fun for everyone.

The story is brilliant, and so accurately welsh. Every minor detail adds to the whole experience. The film progresses like a serious drama and seems to come out with brilliant comedy without even trying. As well as the actual storyline being funny, little quirks about each character and even the attention to welsh detail makes you laugh.

Not only is it well written, it's also beautifully filmed, and makes great use of the camera. The film encompasses a huge range of interesting shots.

Enhancing the film further was it's great choice of cast. All the characters were perfectly conveyed, and film avoided any bad performances.

The music is also something to listen out for, as it stands out as a good piece of work on it's own.

I highly recommend Twin Town (especially if you're British), as it's an exciting film experience with a great story, interesting shots, decent actors, and appropriate use of excessive swearing and violence.


Wonderful movie. Just brilliant.

Fantastic script, odd , quirky , original and hilarious.

Great to see some movies in Wales for a change.

I am not Welsh but always find them hilarious weird and very unique.

Best Welsh film Zulu great acting too from Rhys Ifans, his brother and Keith Allen. Enjoye the Phil Bennett scenes, the bath scenes, the poodle scenes, the caravan scenes, the nightclub scenes, the coffin sea burial scenes, the singing scenes, the quiz questions, the car chases, the old lady buying drugs scenes, was she talking welsh or what?

Bryn Cartwright was great too.

Steaky steak line was great Great singing great lines great script great characters Great ending


Darkly amusing (dark comedy if you're English) about a dodgy cop using spoof scenes from great and famous movies. Such scenes with the poodle reflects the horse in the godfather and the another scene is the Karaoke Bar and the movie Carrie. This is all set in Swansea about twins and dealing with the death of a family member. Much Love, madness and set in Wales. Wonderful, I watched about 5 times in 7 days. Got funnier and funnier, the script (See Summary) is outstanding. John Noakes and the scene with the Ice Cream van is most amusing and again if you are English the scene in bath where the twins are quizzing each other about football is also exceptional.WATCH WATCH AND WATCH AGAIN.


Just wanted to say to the guy who thought this film had a bad ending, you clearly don't understand the essence of escalation. "Revenge is a dish best served cold" you will note is the opening lines of the Kill Bill Series, not a black comedy granted but a similar themed film. The whole point of revenge is to go one better than what was done to you, when someone blows up your entire family, albeit unintentionally then what better way to dish out the moment when said opponent in the battle of revenge meets his maker, than by carrying out your dead fathers wish. In my mind this is the ultimate black comedy, a biased decision I'm sure growing up on the welsh border and getting an extra tickle from the welsh eccentricities, but from a writing point of view, perfectly executed!


Some like to call Twin Town the "Welsh Trainspotting". I would disagree - while it has some similarities such as prolific drug use and a bleak portrayal of a city in the United Kingdom (in this case Swansea, with bits of Port Talbot), the two films are quite different.

Twin Town takes place in 90s Swansea, where brothers Julian (Llyr Ifans) and Jeremy Lewis (Rhys Ifans) live a carefree existence smoking weed and driving stolen cars at high speed through the residential areas of Swansea. Their father, Fatty (Huw Ceredig) does work for local businessman and small-time gangster Bryn Cartwright (William Thomas), and falls from a ladder and breaks his leg while working on a roof. Bryn refuses to give the family compensation for Fatty's injury, and the brothers take revenge by urinating on his daughter, Bonny (Jenny Evans) during a singing competition at the local (sadly, now-defunct) nightclub, Barons.

This starts off an escalating feud which involves the decapitation of a poodle, and the surprisingly massive explosion of a caravan, culminating in some rather brutal justice inflicted on Bryn and his partner in crime, corrupt cop Terry Walsh (Dougray Scott). I'm not going to go and spoil the entire thing, but what I will say is that things take a rather dark turn, with Julian and Jeremy showing a rather unexpected creative mind for murder, especially given that they appear to be just permanently wasted.

As a Swansea resident, I have to say that while the drug use in the film is exaggerated, it does capture the seedier side of Swansea quite well. The scenes of Swansea's nightlife are perhaps too accurate (anyone who has been to Wind Street at its worst will know what I mean), and the accent and rather, erm, colourful way that the characters speak is spot on. It also, however, captures some of the more beautiful aspects of the city, namely its heart (although the Lewis family are dysfunctional, they have a very warm family dynamic), and also the beautiful scenery in the area (visible in the panoramic shots of the city), and I think that any Welshman couldn't watch the funeral scene at the end as the choir sings "Myfanwy" without wiping away a tear.

I saw that the film got quite a few bad reviews on the net (and indeed on here). I think possibly some might not get the accents, or indeed the feel of the film - ultimately, to really enjoy the film, you have to have lived in Swansea to get the most out of it, as if you have, a particular location or character will tie in with certain memories you have of the place, whereas otherwise, it might not.

It's most definitely worth checking out, and add another star if you're from Swansea!


During my tenure as chief projectionist of the Commodore Cinema, Aberystwyth, the only film to have received a standing ovation on more than one night for a week's screening. It's a university town so we have a good mix of local punters, students and holiday people. I rest my case.

The nineties was, on the whole, a good decade for cinema I think. All we seem to have had since then is a load of cgi filled soulless film equivalent of a fast food outlet (Hancock?). Maybe it's just me getting older.

I checked out the "hated it" rating for Twin Town tonight, and was pleasantly surprised to see only two negative reviews receiving two stars or less.

Bloody hell. Some bugger's just nicked my car..............


What can i say. This was a Great film that i really enjoyed. Very funny.

When i first watched this film they said its a WELSH TRAINSPOTTING A Welsh Trainspotting - No. Its completely different from Trainspotting and in my opinion, better and funnier. Don't get me wrong though, Trainspotting is still a great film but i prefer this. I don't know why really, i guess its because i'm Welsh (and proud of it). And i'm happy to see they made a decent WELSH film. Trust me, if your into foreign films that speak English or if you like British comedy films, then watch this. 10/10.

Best line ever was:

'And this glue is for my submarines and not for sticking up your f****** noses. And don't think i don't notice because i do. Buy your own f****** glue!'


Right...first of all, and this is CRUCIAL, hmmmm?! Bin any bullshit you've heard about Twin Town being the Welsh Trainspotting as it is a thousand, zillion times a better film. It bothers with such niceties as a storyline and plot twists, for a start!!! Trainspotting was a good film - in it's day - but unlike Twin Town it's aged really badly.

From the start of the credits, which shows Swansea bay and then pans up the hill to uplands, showing all manner of local characters, I was howling with laughter...I used to live in Swansea and I think the whole thing depicts "The Pretty Shitty City" in a fairly accurate manner. In fact, I used to live round the corner from the opening scene was shot...'Fatty's Boys' practically bouncing down a hill in a stolen car...a regular sight off screen too! The boys' antics shows that the Chav was alive and well long before the GLC reared their sun-visored heads...from a sister who works at the local massage parlour (as a receptionist, mind!) and bath-time bongs to a pet dog called Cantona...all the signs are there! The film also boasts a crazily eclectic soundtrack - I defy any fellow Welshie to now set foot on the Kingsway without Downtown resounding in their head! Ending with SFA's "Bad Behaviour" was a stroke of genius - did you know, fact fans, Rhys Ifans (a man who could snap my knicker elastic at 40 paces!) was once a member of the 'Furries?? He was kicked out "else they'd all be dead!" Anyway...I digress...if wittering was an Olympic sport I would win gold for my country every time! WATCH THE DAMN FILM YOU WON'T REGRET IT!


Dougray Scott has appeared in over a dozen movies since Twin Town, including Deep Impact, Enigma and of course MI2.

It is often said that you have to be from Swansea to truly enjoy this film, and while this is probably the case, friends of mine from all parts of the UK seem to enjoy it for the fun film that it is.

The most memorable quote from the film for me:

"Here's twenty quid, now go and buy yourselves a nice big pot of sticky sticky and f*** off back to noddyland"


Twin Town has to be seen to be believed! It can make you laugh harder than you could ever imagine, mainly because the characters are like

people that you know and love. It is a story of life in Swansea, South Wales... a new and different culture for some of us. The scenery is gorgeous, the accents are char- ming, and the script is clever and incredibly funny!!! Rhys Ifans and Llyr Evans (brothers in reality) are Jeremy and Julian Lewis, two boys who are out for revenge after their dad is injured at work and his boss refuses to compensate him. What follows is some of the crudest, most off-the-wall humor in the history of film. (Look for Fergie the poodle and the wiener-wagon scene --- I laughed out loud!) Suprisingly, there are some serious moments as well, and you may find yourself wiping away a tear. This is when you find your identification with the Boys, and the movie becomes yet even more wonderful. All in all, this is my favorite movie because of the wonderfully warm and funny cast and the never-say-die attitude of the Lewis brothers. Don't miss it!


This is a rare film indeed. Not only is it set in Wales but it's also a film born of a passion for the art of film making rather than profit making. The acting was excellent and the black comedy story line was gripping. The dialogue was littered with expletives but I guess that's how they talk out in the Welsh backwaters. The characterisation was inventive, I especially liked the coke dealing bent coppers and the compulsory inclusion of a Welsh quire. I don't remember seeing any sheep though. However it was a big mistake to try and market this film on the back of 'Train spotting' as it could have been marketed more successfully on it's own merits. As a result , most people have had to wait for it's terrestrial UK broadcast to discover this film gem. I'm sure a great deal of interest and debate will now resurrect this film in the rentals and shops. It's also important to note that this is precisely the kind of radical, raw, original, thought provoking material that the American masses are restricted from viewing as they are fed the constant diet of bland, formulated, self-censored, over-glossed, garbage Hollywood usually churns out. I feel their loss.


Absolutely amasing, as I'm from Wales myself I could appreciate the humour, others outside outside of Wales may not. If you're up for a good laugh and have an open mind this film is there. This is the Welsh version of other classics such as Trainspotting and Lock Stock


This was a great script in the way that it all fell together, it was very natural and generally unpredictable. There were lots of great characters and plenty of strange scenes. You HAVE to understand the lazy "welsh" accent in order to get a lot of the jokes. If you don't know nee 14 means nearly 14 then you might be confused in some parts. The more you understand of this movie's dialogue the more you will appreciate what a cool movie this is. It starts off one way and then becomes a completely different experience, and it's a fun ride the whole way through. I recommend it fully, this movie is unpredictable and weird, a real charmer if you kick back and let it unfold.


It suddenly occurred to me while watching this film that, whether by accident or design, I've seen a whole lot of films that star Rhys Ifans. His brother Llyr appears with him here, the lesser-experienced brother that had previously only appeared in Ymadawiad Arthur and has made no further films to date. He does adequately, yet watching this - Rhys' second cinema film - it becomes clear he's the star.

Off-puttingly touted as the "Welsh Trainspotting" - because who wants imitations? - this is really nothing of the sort, and is far more impressive than you would expect. Already three years old, it has yet to be shown on British terrestrial television and nor do I expect it ever will be. It's content is morally vacuous, including police corruption, joyriding, drug taking, animal killings and murder. Peppering the script are a man who breaks his wife's nose, massage parlour brothels, female masturbation and almost continuous usage of the f-word.

If that hasn't already put you off, this is a tale that features two bath-sharing brothers, who, after being refused compensation for their father's broken leg, take revenge by urinating on their enemy's daughter. However, Twin Town, bizarrely, never really offends, as it is done in, despite the subject matter, a good-natured tone. And I did have to smile at the real-life names of the dogs that feature in this tale of cocaine dealers - Charlie and Snowy. I wonder if that was intentional?

What really grips about Twin Town is that, in the age of the depleted UK film industry, it lacks the desperate mugging and dead laugh areas that characterise the 1990s British "comedy". A desperate, "please love us America, please give us your box office, we're begging", which is normally prevalent in the genre, is almost wholly absent here. (For further information on such a desperate breed, see Rhys' first major film: "Notting Hill") Okay, there is the overstatement that sees a male voice choir singing Mungo Jerry's "In The Summertime", or the twins joyriding their own father's hearse, but generally this film, despite the extremities of it's plot, does keep an eye towards realism and naturalistic dialogue. And the overlong, feeble "comic pauses" that normally kill off the rotting carcasses of British Film are nowhere to be found, due to a constantly moving, frenetic pace.

The only down side to all this is that, apart from Rhys who has appeared in, to date, ten movies after this, the rest of the crew involved haven't achieved success. In fact, this was the first feature of the two writers involved and they haven't written another film since, presumably due to its lacklustre showing at the box office. A great shame, as Twin Town is well worth watching.


I enjoyed the film, but can easily see how others might not feel as I did. When I saw the preview, I was immediately interested in the movie -- despite the fact that the preview I saw revealed nothing about the film itself. The most I ever get to learn or hear about Wales is through reading Hollinshed's histories of the middle ages. It was interesting to see a film actually set in a modern Welsh town.

Besides, it was f'ing hilarious.


Its a masterpiece... It's sooo mean!! Definitely a movie I will watch again. I was laughing my butt off during the whole movie.

Looking forward to Kevin Allen's new film with great anticipation.


Contrary to some of the reviews on this page, Twin Town is a very good film. It is no Welsh Trainspotting, only marketing people will say that and consequently only the foolish will believe that. It is not even from the makers of Trainspotting as the US marketeers are currently trying to claim. It is a film that is to Wales what Trainspotting is to Scotland but that is really where the similarities end. Twin Town is much more of a comedy, and is much more difficult to understand, particularly if you're not familiar with welsh accents. The plot is nothing new, an ever escalating battle of revenge but it is the location and script which set it apart. Port Talbot is far more depressing a place to live than Glasgow could ever be. The chances of Port Talbot (or even Swansea for that matter) being called a European City of Culture are more remote than the Pope turning out to be Elvis. The Lewis Twins are synonymous with Wales in the 90s, poverty stricken, joyriding drug addicts. And yet there is something lovable about them, something heroic.

You can sit back and laugh at this film if you're not welsh, or you could be utterly confused for two hours because unlike Trainspotting, the accents are not toned down for American audiences. However, if you are Welsh, Twin Town will speak to you like no other film you can remember. The ending is a thing of beauty, I only wish Terry the bent copper could have been English.....


One of the few films where my years learning Welsh gives me the advantage over the majority of viewers.

F****** Excellent!

If you don't understand the dialogue just go with the flow it will all become clear in time.


This film, as a whole, is poor. Things begin well enough, though, with two brothers meandering through life. They like to steal cars, get high, and ask each other pointless questions, some of which are actually funny. Their world is in shambles. They have no friends, their hometown is a dump, and their family is a rather pathetic lot, even if they're presented in a positive light. All of this makes the brothers' oblivion to the world somehow attractive. The other characters in the film are equally ridiculous - corrupt cops, karaoke nuts, and vulgar nouveau riche types. It's fun to laugh when the brothers' pranks catch these folks off guard.

However, the film takes an ugly, brutal, and somewhat sadistic turn. Jokes develop into murder, and comedic situations into depictions of suffering. In principle, I don't have anything against murder or violence in films, but these elements spoiled this particular film. In addition, only a small percentage of the jokes are funny to begin with, and you must have a very discerning ear to sift through the strong Welsh accent. The box cover bragged of a tie to Trainspotting (I can't remember how). The film is nothing like Trainspotting.


Incoherent, stupid and derivative, this was positively the worst film I've ever seen. Badly acted, horribly pretentious and narratively inept, it felt like it ran for hours. Don't waste your time or money on this clueless, charmless and pointless waste of celluloid. No redeeming value whatsoever.


A cynical attempt by a studio to create a welsh 'trainspotting'. The two main characters are unlikable, the plot is awful and it isn't even funny.


I know this TV movie as A Deadly Vision I remember it airing on ABC and I just watched it recently on Lifetime. "Sex and the City" star Kristin Davis stars as a waitress who has psychic visions of murders before they happen and as serial killings are developing she is asked by the police to help assist in the investigation. In the final 15 minutes the drama is high as Kristin is held captive by the serial killer, Kristin is taped to a chair you name it tape all the way around her arms, hands, legs, and yes the mouth to keep her quite. Never worry like many TV movies with happy endings she breaks free and puts a bullet to end the terror of the serial killer. Good movie to catch sometime on Lifetime especially if you like Kristin Davis it really does showcase her well.


What are accomplished actors like Ellen Burstyn, Peter Boyle, James McDaniel and Deirdre O'Connell doing in this piece of dreck? This is one of the worst-written things I've ever seen - it barely even rises to the level of cookie-cutter formula in its laziness (in the credits, the serial killer character is just called "The Killer" - the writer couldn't even be bothered to give him a name, never mind any background). The plot developments are laughable and absurd, the police are made to look completely incompetent, the psychic-ability angle is gratuitous and poorly used, and there is virtually no suspense to speak of. Kristin Davis and Matthew Settle are very attractive-looking leads, but their characters are boring ciphers. Avoid at all costs, especially if you are a fan of any of these actors.


"Escape From New York" is a solid action noir by John Carpenter, although it lacks the punch of Carpenter's other three previous features ("The Fog", "Halloween", "Assault on Precinct 13"). Kurt Russell became famous for his Snake Plissken, and rightfully so, although the character seems to be only a more gritty version of Napoeleon Wilson in "Assault". What makes this film the cult classic it is is Carpenter's very apocalyptic and brash story. This is a very dark film, and it holds up especially well today when shown against the countless fluff films that Hollywood seems to be churning out.

Carpenter made the most out of his meeger budget and created a very convincing New York City. Not only is the set design fantastic, but so are the typically strong performances. Russell, Hayes, Barbeau, Pleasence, Stanton, Atkins, Cyphers and Borgnine are all cult legends, and seeing them all work together makes Robert Altman's casts look feeble in comparison.

What limits this film from greatness is surprisingly lax direction by Carpenter. The film is not as tight as it should have been, and really fails to generate any sort of suspense during the action. Deaths just happen out of nowhere, with little to no build up, which is a shame. This movie could have really been amazing. The ending is perfect though, and easily makes up for the film's faults. See it for Kurt Russell and the great ending and you will come away a happy viewer. Watch "Escape From LA" though to see what this movie should have been.


Although not as fast-paced or well-lit as its sequel, Escape from LA, this movie works on the level that it is futuristic, without being TOO futuristic, and the main character is likeable, while being tough at the same time. Whether you like Kurt Russell or not, it seems that he was made for the part of Snake Plissken. One of its highest points is its theme song. It really gets your adrenaline going, and that is one of the most important factors of movies. Available on DVD. Sequel, Escape from LA, filmed 15 years after the original also available on DVD.


Nearly 25 years and an endless amount of viewings later, John Carpenter's "Escape from NY" still ranks high among the chosen few, quintessential cult films of the 80's. This is, simply put, one of the coolest productions ever with legendary characters, ingenious plot and pitch-black humor. Kurt Russell, with eye patch and nihilistic 'you-don't-like-it-go-to-hell' attitude, plays the role of his life as anti-hero Snake Plissken, recruited by his authority-nemesis Bob Hauk to bring back the American president who crashed with his plane in New York. One problem though; ever since crime rose with 400% in 1987, New York has become one giant and demarcated prison where criminals determine their own "civilization". Offered no other choice, Snake infiltrates NY for his mission and for a personal race against the clock. Especially the first sixty minutes of this movie are terrific, since there constantly is the introduction of new and imaginative characters. Class-A actors play all these utterly cool characters, which makes it even more memorable! Apart from Kurt Russell, "Escape from New York" also stars icons like Lee Van Cleef ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"), Isaac Hayes ("Truck Turner"), Donald Pleasance ("Halloween") and Harry Dean Stanton ("Repo Man"). Even the smaller supportive roles are well distributed, with the underrated Tom Atkins as Van Cleef's sidekick and Adrienne Barbeau in a very sexy part. The downfall of America's number one city is atmospherically portrayed and Carpenter's own music score creates an excellent mood of despair. The action sequences are impressively photographed and John Capenter professionally camouflages that his film is, in fact, and independent production. My only slightly negative remark is that the story should have had a better, more explosive climax. Particularly because the first hour is so great, the ending seems quite tame. But, what the hell, this movie is a must for every film lover! In 1996, Carpenter also made "Escape from L.A." and even though it's good entertainment, it can't compete with "NY".


It's 1997 and Manhattan Island is a walled off prison, during the flight of Air Force One, the president's plane is taken over by a terrorist and the president ejects out in the safety pod. Sadly for him he lands right in the middle of Manhattan Island, when an armed unit lands inside the walls they are told that the president has been taken hostage and they must get out of their prison ASAP. At a loss what to do, the authorities decide to send one man in alone, ex war hero turned criminal, Snake Plissken, not only does he have to contend with surviving the incredibly hostile prison, he also has a time bomb implanted in his body that, should he not get the president out safely within 24 hours, will explode and mean no more Snake Plissken!.

Made in 1981 and set in 1997, it's safe to say John Carpenter is not the best predictor of the future around. However his vision of a future where America has thrown all it's criminals on one island, where they create their own society out of harms way, has to rank as an incredibly adroit piece of work. This place is grim and deadly, the flotsam and jetsam of society thrust together in this bleak and desolate place of class separation. What Carpenter has achieved with his usual minimal budget allowance is a smouldering sci-fi classic that may be as daft as they come, but it pulses with cool and cheekily slaps you round the face with its cheeky satirical edginess. I must give kudos at this point to the great production design from Joe Alves, who along with Carpenter has crafted this brilliantly dirty netherworld of crime.

Our anti-hero of the piece, Snake Plissken, is superbly played by Kurt Russell, the original choice interestingly was Tommy Lee Jones, but Russell fuels Plissken's mantra to make him one of the eighties coolest grumpy bastards!, and his work here is first class in terms of the films apocalyptic structure. Surroundning Russell is a wealth of quality performers each adding their personal bits to this tick-tock stew, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasance, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau and Isaac Hayes all earn their money and flesh out the story to the end.

Calling Escape From New York an action picture would be setting first time viewers up for a real let down, what action there is is minimal but highly effective, the machismo flourishes acting more as a point of reference to the pictures time bomb urgency. I like to think of the film as more a sci-fi adventure yarn laced with darkly comic humour, with of course machismo thrown in as a side salad to accentuate the bleakness of it all, wonderful. 9/10