well i think there is no comment on that movie... perfect that's the only word can describe it... i should talk more so in other words... the story was unusual but can be accepted easily and you feel the interaction with characters so fast... group of young boys and girls who try to find the balance and safety life in community...also how law enforcement and judge system can be understanding for such unique case... such drama can be useful for teens kids and also adults to learn how much important kids should live in safe and peace the meaning of real family and real love connection between group of people that lead to give a good push up forward into the success in work school or any other activity in life...thanks everybody


Gracie had some tough choices to make in this movie, playing mom to 3 brothers and a sister are choices that any teenager should not have to make, once in a while you'd care for siblings under the supervision of your parents, you'd simply carry out the instructions.

Gracie had to make decisions for everyone, basically she put her life on hold, And as mentioned earlier, her boyfriend came across as stupid, one moment he's in love and admiring her strength and the next he's urging her to chuck it in and throw her lot with him and "his nouveau riche" family. It seemed stupid and trite and somewhere out, there's one stupid man who's lost the woman of his life.

Anne Heche's drugged out mom was over-stretched but drugs do things to people, I was glad that Gracie's influence held the kids together.

The scene where the boys had to decide who they'd live was heart-wrenching and actually brought tears to my eyes. Watching the youngest one, talk about his love for horses but wanting to sleep in his bed and wake up at home with Gracie totally melted me.

This is a story that touches the heart, my hat's off to the real Gracie.

You rock Sista, you really do.

Kristen Bell actually made the character believable, she was and is still Gracie for me.

SOUND SOLID MOVIE


Many people say they love someone. That they love their family, their children, anything. But true love for a family can be seen in the sacrifices that Gracie, a teenage girl, shows for her family. With an unreliable mother, and ailing grandmother, the burden of her family is left squarely on her shoulders, and we see the lengths and sacrifices she has to give up to keep her family together. Kristen Bell's performance is heart breaking and one that will keep you hooked, especially in scenes featuring Anne Heche, another fantastic performer. The little boys in this movie will break your heart as you can see the struggles in their eyes when they are torn between being loyal to the mother that gave birth to them, and the mother they have always known. One to watch, without a doubt.


have it on now this snowy fri in dec ny-nj area. mother let a man and drugs take over her life over such beautiful pure unconditional love from her kids.what a waste she is,but LOVE the actress Anne Heche around my age mid to late thirties i think,love her the type of ostensible parent like her who drink alcohol getting wasted all the time or drunk drugs etc should be in JAIL.to then let a man some loser guy druggie,etc. bother her child,drinking around the kids getting' DRUNK using drugs etc.i wish MORE will, hope watch this. (except violent scene)et.not good for kids under 16 IMO etc. but they should watch when old/mature enough to. but this movie is so TRUE to life as i see for many. i'm actually watching this now on a cold snowy NY NJ morning,afternoon actually now.adiós.from: GOOD Moms Fight DYFS www.MYSPACE.COM/BRINGCEEJAZZHOME as our advocate group filming movie documentary for HBO review as well as Lifetime.This movie is best and i love it each part even the horrible sad parts as it hits home for me as well as few of my other team of advocates.People like Gracie should be rewarded fully 24-7 love her and her will to SUCCEED continuously.love her.


I had to confess that i love this movie. i have lost count of the number of times i have seen this movie in a week. Wow.... Kristen Bell as Gracie plays a superb role in this movie trying to look after her 1 half sister and 3 half brothers. Eventually she adopts them and becomes their mother. A lesson out there for the parents who are ill treating their children. A must see movie for everyone. I also like the soundtrack of the movie called : I Belong" by Cherie.... when Gracie was outside racing with the other girls and met his black friend.

10 out 10 vote for this movie. Thank you Lifetime for this inspirational movie.


"Gracie's Choice" is an excellent made for TV movie about the uphill battle of one child to preserve her family, despite social workers, an ex-convict for a mother (well played by Anne Heche) and a system that offered her little help.

At first, one may think this to be the usual run-of-the mill feel good movie; against foster parents, depicting the dysfunctional family in America. Not so; it is a hopeful story which Kristen Bell, (as Gracie) must care for her half- brothers and sisters (they are all illegitimate) before she even graduates high school.

The story is initially sad, showing Heche as an irresponsible, possibly disturbed woman. She has many children, does not know who their fathers are, and manipulates her elderly mother (Diane Ladd) into supporting all of them- she basically collects welfare support for each child and squanders it.

As Gracie matures, she sees her mother for what she truly is, and decides she must adopt the younger children. Her sister becomes pregnant at 16 to escape the situation, and goes off to live with a different boyfriend. Gracie emerges stronger, with the help of social services and her counselor she finds an apartment, a job, and attends school and graduates as well.

Overall, this is a good film, because it accurately depicts a true story, the reasons kids have children prematurely, and the ultimate responsibility it is of the parent (in this case, negligent Anne Heche), for the kids turning to out the way they do.


I just finished watching The Restless and I must say that I'm stunned by its beauty. If you really want to enjoy this movie please leave all of your expectations somewhere and watch it with a clear mind. You'll see that there is a lot to like in this Korean fantasy flick.

To make the picture more clear I have to make some comparisons. First of all this movie is not better than Shadowless Sword in action or swordplay department. There are some nice CGI filled fight scenes but as I said before there is not as much as action as in Shadowless Sword.

This movie is mostly a romantic fantasy movie with some swordplay thrown in. The sets are awesome and all the effects, costumes everything looks beautiful except two things: 1-The main hero's hair. I really wanted to enter the screen and give him a more charismatic hairstyle 2-Main actress expression. I wonder why she looked so scared like there is a monster or a ghost looking at her. That really ruined most of the film for me.

To sum everything up I have to say few thins: 1-There is less fights and action than Shadowless Sword 2-There is more romance and sadness than Bichunmoo 3-Effect are the best I have ever seen in such Korean movie ever 4-I would recommend you to watch this movie if you liked Shadowless Sword,Bichunmoo and The Legend of the Evil Lake 5-Koreans must make this type of fantasy swordplay movies more often. I really like their ones over Chinese fantasy swordplay films


Korean martial arts fantasy about a vagabond demon killer, who is actually a wanted royal demon killer, who is drugged by a village and flees before he can get caught and turned over to soldiers for the reward. Falling asleep in what appears to be a temple he crosses over to Mid-Heaven where he arrives just in time to help a higher soul on a special mission who is under attack. The higher soul looks exactly like his lost love, but she doesn't remember anything. The villains are his old friends in the royal demon slayers, now dead and seeking to cross back over into the world of humans.

Trust me its way better then that.

Grand romantic martial arts film is a visual treat. Better yet its really romantic as the notion of "I will remember you forever" is put to the test. And it raises the question of are we our memories, or are they simply the source of all our pain...and joy? There are times when this film just soars with emotion and ideas. Will you love some one forever for real? The film looks great. The world of Mid-Heaven is lush and magically alive. The action sequences, which do rely on CGI and wire work are impressive no matter how you slice them. I particularly liked the battle on the ropes holding up the lanterns which shouldn't work for any number of reasons but manages to actually be something special. Only the final battle to the bad guy a bit too CGI with the vast armies clearly make believe.

I really liked this film a great deal. I don't know if its one of the best (some of the plotting is unclear or takes an odd turn) but for the most part its a solid two hours enjoyment and entertainment.

8 out of 10.


I have to say that I steer clear of most Korean movie. Thay are 97% of the time drawn out, dull and very boring. That being said, they have a few simply great movies. OldBoy, Musa and Tae Guk Gi. The Restless is advertised as a horror movie and this I do not know why? Hoewever as an action/fantasy/romantic movie it really works. The story is unique, the surprises are many and there are good characters.The character development is not of a Johhny To film and it could use another 20-30 minutes of backstory and character development, it works. Korean movies are a long way from being able to touch HK films, that being said, this is a very nice watch and if you catch it as I did without knowing anything going in, very good. Yes the leading actress is dull, yes the CGI could be better in places but it works and gets a 7-7.7 If you like this also try -Shinobi -Azumi -The Promise -Storm Riders -Zu Warriors

Overall a good watch and worth a tub or popcorn!


The brilliance of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore as a double act has never fully been apreciated. Most of the famous sketches are from Not only But Also, but the funniest ones come from the Derek and Clive tapes. Derek and Clive Get the Horn is the Jewel in the comical crown for both Cook and Moore as comedians. It is also something of a last hurrah. Although both men would appear together again over the years, this was the last original performance they gave together, and it rarely came, excuse the pun, funnier than this. Dud is at his giggling funniest best and Pete cracks Dud up with his waspish dry wit throughout. Overall not a movie to show grandma on Boxing day, or any other day come to that. Come to think of it its best you watch it on your own. With the curtains drawn, at Two 0 clock in the morning. And it was directed by Russel Mulcahey! Good GOD

Favourite sketches : Mother, Horse Racing, Songs and Schoolboy. Just so you know i have seen it and iam not making it up!

A classic


Let me begin this review by saying that Universal's DVD release of this film is beneath contempt. It's exactly the same as the Polygram VHS release from 1993. There are absolutely no extras - none. Not even scene selection or subtitles. The whole film plays in one chunk, and that's it. The picture and sound quality are terrible - one can but wonder how different things might have been if Anchor Bay or Network had got their hands on it. Because this film deserves it. Derek and Clive, the notoriously filthy alter-egos of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, are outrageous enough to give the PC militia nightmares and keep the rest of us rolling on the floor in hysterics for weeks. To give you some idea of what the characters are like, Peter Cook described them as "strongly Tory, probably mechanics. They like a drink, are embarrassed by women and think the world's gone mad. Life ended for them when the Big Bopper died. They hate having to pay taxes when the country's going down the pan." In short, they're a dead-on, mercilessly funny spoof of every drunken pub bigot you've ever met - the boozy know-all who'll talk absolute rubbish on any given subject for at least ten minutes at the slightest provocation. We've all been there. This film, shot on a shoestring (which might explain the poor quality - they should have shot it on film instead) in documentary style by Russell Mulcahy and Nic Knowland (who went on to helm the far less amusing HIGHLANDER and CATS respectively) at the Townhouse Studios in London, captures Cook and Moore in the process of recording the final Derek and Clive album. The language is appalling, the attitudes indefensible, the subject matter spectacularly inappropriate, and the pair of them seem to be having a whale of a time, even when they're at each other's throats (which happens a lot). Cook is on record as saying he found it "therapeutic" to play such a scabrous, belligerent character, whilst Moore responded to the exercise in the spirit of a naughty schoolboy, revelling in the excitement of dirty words and crude humour. It's definitely not for all tastes, but it perfectly captures the spirit of freewheeling anarchy that defines Derek and Clive at their best - one wishes the recording sessions for 'Come Again' (their 1977 album) had been filmed as well, if only to see Moore drunk and hysterical during the infamous 'My Mum Song'.

All in all, a slice of pitch-black comedy history that needs a digital overhaul to drag it into the 21st century. Are you listening, Universal?


Someone once described this recording, the filmic version of Ad Nauseum, as "Pete and Dud on acid." This is hilarious. It's crude and shocking and clever and insightful. In years to come, this'll be a profoundly interesting social document. If any "film" ought to be blasted off into space for aliens from the planet Z to find and watch, then this is it. I'll bet they'd laugh their socks off at it as well.


The last stand of Cook and Moore.This seminal work from aussie director and music video legend Mulcahy is a fitting epitaph to the disintegrating comedy partnership of Pete and Dud during the recording sessions for what would later become the ad naeseum album.The film is by and large a torrent of swearing, drunken verbal abuse,and generally obnoxious behaviour documented for public consumption.If you are a christian,a woman or a person of high moral value look away now. In an age of political correctness this film is a huge tonic if you don`t take it seriously. (10/10)


O.K. so this DVD isn't loaded with features and doesn't really have anything but a simple menu, the quality is pretty ropey as well.

That's the negatives out of the way.

This film is a masterpiece of filth, it's so funny, if you hate the political correctness that we live in today then rush out and buy this. Nothing on this DVD is the slightest bit correct, it's offensive, sexist, disgusting and I'm afraid racist too but it's so outrageous refreshing to hear Peter Cook's vicious wit and Dudley Moores fits of hysterics.

Remember to watch out for the Wigins sketch, this is so uncorrect it's unreal but it'll have you rolling.

Cooke and Moore produced the best recorded comedy ever, period!


This film is extremely offensive to just about everybody, but therein lies it's beauty.

If you are easily offended especially by the C word you will hate this film.

If however you are a teenager or twenty something looking for some hilarity then call round your mates, get them to bring round pizza and beer and you have the recipe for an unforgettable evening.

Cook and Moore are absolutely fantastic really work well sparking off each other.

This would never be released these days - you are unlikely to find anything like this ever again.


whilst as a comedy this film is very patchy and sometimes excruciatingly vulgar, what makes it watchable is the Moore/Cook relationship. Cook is by far the funnier, more dedicated and original.his quick-witted thought processes are brilliant though i did sometimes wonder if he was simply trying to be as shocking as possible simply for the sake of it. Moore often seems past caring,often simply following cook's lead but perhaps it is the strain of Cook's obvious resentment that knobbles him. certainly he seems to be struggling to keep up with Cook's genius, but then i've always felt Cook was the more talented. the material is often of a sexual nature, sometimes (mock?) misogynistic and swearing is prolific. watching this it's clear to see how comedy today is often very derivative. The horse racing sketch, for example, blows the juvenile "dicks and pussies" speech from team America out of the water. if only every drunk and stoner could be as spontaneously funny.


Many people have losses that are very hard to deal with, and they must "Let-Go" on their own time and in their own way after processing. I think this movie was well done. I believe that many of us who have lost either a spouse, parent, sibling, etc ... have kept in contact in some way in our heart, soul and mind. Here is to Dave and Gillian, and a very good screenplay!


This was one of my favorite movies ever. I watched it once and was curiously confused by the twists and uncertainties in the plot. Then I watched it again and I cried more than I have ever cried in my life. I quietly bawled, tears flowing, through the entire movie. I have recommended it to many people as a great movie, but I don't know of anyone who has seen it. I think I will go look online and see if I can buy it. It is deep, deep, deep, especially for people with mental illness in their family, or let's say emotional illness in our society. Powerful lessons are taught about love and caring for our children. People need lessons on how to love, value, and treat each other selflessly. Most of us spend so much energy, research and resources on technological and financial advancement and so little on human concerns and relationship development. Commentators are complaining that the husband is fantasizing about an idealized wife, but we actually don't have to settle for poor quality relationships. We can learn to value, nurture, support each other and be real.


When I discovered that David E. Kelley wrote the script for Gillian, it's flaws seem to have made a bit more sense for while I've rarely been privy to such notable TV shows like The Practice, Boston Legal, and Chicago Hope, it became clear that writing dramas that don't pertain to law or medicine isn't his forte and the result is a film in which no elements really work.

Of the seven primary characters in Gillian, only three really matter: David (Peter Gallagher), a man who, after two years, still isn't over the death of his wife Gillian (Michelle Pfieffer); Rachel (Clare Danes), his daughter, whose relationship with her father isn't too estranged; and Esther (Kathy Baker), David's sister-in-law, who's determined to remove Rachel from David's care for fear it is unhealthy for the girl. The remaining characters bring little substance to the film. Paul (Bruce Altman), Esther's husband, is aware of his wife's intentions and quietly tolerates his them despite objections while simultaneously voicing his sexual frustrations in the presence of young beautiful women such as Cindy (Laurie Fortier), Rachel's friend, who's equally frustrated and so bored that she uses her sex appeal to taunt men for fun. Kevin (Wendy Crewson), is an acquaintance of Esther and Paul's who was brought by them (unbeknownst to her and David) to the family's gathering for no other reason than to take David's mind off Gillian. Upon this realization, Kevin learns that her presence is unneeded despite being amiably tolerated (at best) by everyone else, especially Esther, who spends much of the first half of the film using Kevin as her pawn to convince David to get over Gillian. Fortunately, Kevin's knowledge that she's unneeded dissuades her from doing anything more than just being present throughout the film. Finally, there's Gillian who appears as an apparition just to remind us of how un-over her David really is and that "Rachel comes first,".

The basic conflict of the story lies in Esther's belief that David's perpetual grief has made him an unsuitable parent for Rachel, which she bases solely on a slip in Rachel's grades. Rachel doesn't think so, which is why she defends her father. But the conflict for viewers revolves around Esther, who cannot sympathize at all with David's grief which pertains entirely to the death of her sister! What is wrong with this woman that she's adamant about about speeding up his grief process by threatening to take his daughter away from him despite proclaiming to care for him and not sparing a moment of heartache for the loss of her sister? We never find out and after a night during which Rachel goes to bed drunk and has a nightmare featuring Gillian, the conflict is resolved when Rachel decides to go live with Esther and Paul and "let her mother be dead,". Further (and most predictable) resolution occurs during the final 10 minutes when David decides to get over Gillian, move in the Paul and Esther, and start putting Rachel first. It's far too little too late.

Since Gillian does contain a good cast with a notable performance from Danes, I gave it four out of ten stars but the talents of these people are ultimately lost in this poorly written melodrama that might elicit some tears and sighs from the audience, but is mostly a film about a rivalry between in-laws that is devoid of the compassion usually felt after the death of a loved one.

P.S. By the way, David E. Kelley, stick to televised legal and medical dramas. Your talents and know-how as a writer and producer are most obvious and bankable in those fields.


This is one of the movies I'd buy to keep in my collection. Not only does it have a strong cast that meshes well together, but the story lingers on the emotional moments long enough for you to savor them and to enjoy the effect of transporting you into their world.

It's not a sappy movie that's cliched, but rather one that deals with the emotions of letting go of the past and those left behind.

Claire does play this movie well, and if it were another actress in her shoes, it would have a much different flavor and feel. I'd say it's one of her better movies she's starred in after My So Called Life, and worth buying just for her alone. (I'd rate it above Claire's others like Polish Wedding, I Love You, I Love You Not, and Brokedown Palace.)

Overall, it's a well-balanced movie that delivers a surprise that's not expected by the bland title alone, and while not an awesome movie of the highest caliber, it is certainly a movie that deserves a viewing.


OK, I know that this movie is based on a play, but still, does the main idea expressed by Peter Gallagher need to directly reflect a line said by John Cage on Ally McBeal 3 years later? Gallagher's character says that while he experiences this "fantasy", he is happy, happier than he is in the real world. John Cage tells Ally that you can't find happiness in the real world, and that is why she is only happy in her imaginary world. Hmmmmmmmm.... This seems a little redundant to me, but as long as we don't see the ghost of Happy Boyle on Ally McBeal, I can forgive DEK.

As for the overall movie, I give this movie an 8 out of 10 stars.


Don't get me wrong, I love Michelle Pfeiffer very much, but this is just a bad movie. The story is about this man, played (badly) by Peter Gallegher, and his teenage daughter, played by Claire Danes, and the mother of the girl who's dead. Michelle Pfeiffer is the dead mother. Peter Gallegher can't let her go, so he fantasise that she's still there, and goes to the beach to talk with her all the time.Then family comes to visit, and they find out that Peter Gallegher is a mental case. But it all ends with a happy, crappy, ending. This movie is a total waist of time. We've seen it all before.


The Peoples Court is definitely the best of the TV court shows. Just to clarify a point, the Peoples Court started in 1981 with Judge Joseph Wapner, not with Ed Koch. The reason why this show is the best, is because this show is mostly about the law, not the theatrics of the Judge. In most of the other TV courtroom shows, the judge humiliates the litigants and the decisions are not based on law but based on the entertainment value of the decision. Not only is Marilyn Milian fair, but she treats the litigants with respect. She also explains in full detail why the judgement is made and also explains what type of paperwork and actions should have taken place and accompanied them. She will at times show her wit with the litigants, but without humiliating them.


She's cute, she's funny, she's sassy, and she's getting better every day! She has 1000 expressions and they're all cute. Scripted TV cannot beat her natural talent. I love it when she gets mad. Just let it all out and be yourself, Marilyn!

I will agree that sometimes she doesn't hear the arguments and sometimes she seems to make judgments based on her own prejudices. But ... it's small claims court, so what can you do? She's not perfect, but she's great.

I learned a lot about basic law from watching Joseph Wapner back in the 80's. Get it in writing. Preponderance of evidence. Making you whole. Who's the liar? Get three bids. Dogs must be leashed. Etc. etc. etc.

Marilyn is just as informative as Joe and a LOT hotter!

I would love to see a "Best of People's Court". It would rock! I'm compiling a few myself. If you ever saw the case with Alana Sheridan trying to date the wanna-be wise guy -- it was a scream!!! Or the guy who wanted his garage demo'd, so he hired the job to a guy who sold it to get rid of it. Or the woman who set her apartment on fire, then sued her landlord. Fantastic!

I wish the show would come back to southern California. New York people are interesting but I want to see MY PEEPS in court again!


I enjoy People's Court, although I prefer Judge Judy's no-nonsense approach to the foolishness of so many of the litigants.

So glad to see others commenting on Curt's behavior. I haven't really noticed the touching, but his ridiculous smart-alecky comments, akin to the old no-win question "So, have you stopped beating your wife?," are just childish and way beyond irritating. He's practically making faces and saying "I know you are but what am I?" like an eight-year old on the playground. Harvey's comments, while silly at times, at least have some measure of thought and truth behind them.

It's absolutely jarring to go from Judge Milian's classy, professional courtroom session to the buffoonish antics out in the hallway. It cheapens the whole show, and he adds nothing at all to it. The show should follow the example of Judge Judy and Divorce Court - let the people make their own comments afterward. As we see every day, they make better fools out of themselves just by opening their mouths than Curt's curt comments ever could. The only one he makes look bad is himself.


Has anyone else noticed how the reporter, Curt Chaplin, is always putting his hands on people to align them with the camera? Why don't they put something on the floor to guide people to? And he says some things that are clearly geared to embarrassing to litigants, too. I hope people get paid enough for it to be worth it, and mean-spirited as you may think I am, I'd really like someone to slap Curt for "glomming" onto them with his hand. I think it is very inappropriate. I also think that Judge Milian has come to be a little bit too much like Judge Judy, haranguing people isn't what I want to see. Still, it's a great court TV show. Curt, if you ever read this, keep your hands off of strangers!


Hey, Quikstraw ... done u thin u better find ol Snagglepuss before u go kabonggin all over dee place?

The best Hanna Barbera cartoon ever. Period. Paragraph. End of story.

Thank God for the Cartoon Network Super Chunks so I can tape hours upon hours of Quick Draw.

El Kabong got me through graduate school.


Hanna Barbera - the Kings of Animation for over 4 decades created this wonderful cartoon memory - a western-type horse named 'Quick Draw' ("I'll do the thinnin' around here!") and his (mule? pony? donkey?)assistant Babba-Louie ("Quicks draw!"). Loved that accent for Bubba-Louie. To be honest, I didn't know this cartoon was THAT old. Amazing, I must have seen it in repeats - but I thought I saw it in first run. But it was fun. And my favorite was 'El-Kabbong'. When my parents bought me a guitar at 6 years old, I tried to copy that goofy sound for years! Going off the beaten track ...let me also take the forum to write about two things regarding Quick Draw McGraw: One, this cartoon did not promote violence and again, I was totally ticked off at the 80's parental group that ruined it for the next generation of children behind me to be able to see this....and two - in the 90's when the Arsenio Hall Show was on, I remember he came out and performed a monologue about "El-Kabbong". Many in the audience didn't seem to know who that was or what cartoon was referring to...and Arsenio explained how this cartoon was one of the best cartoons of his childhood. It was one of the funniest monologues he ever did.

I'm loving the Turner Corporation for creating the "Boomerang" Channel where Quick Draw, Babba-Louie and the Zoro-ish alter ego of Quick Draw, "El-Kabbong" now has a home. My children, my little relatives can see what I saw and have a great time too. Hanna Barabara had many hits (and some misses) in their pursuit to entertain children and adults. This is definitely one of the hits.


And they had released such gems as Yogi bear, Top Cat, Magilla Gorilla and this effort, Quick Draw Mcgraw. Quick Draw was a horse from the wild west,whose sidekick was the Mexican donkey, Baba Louie. Quick Draw was dopey at times but he was a good character and had a dog called Snuffles who'd only react once he got his dog biscuit! Sometimes, he'd dress up as his alter ego, El Kabong- the Zorro-like marksman and instead of wielding a sword, he smashes the bad guys heads with his acoustic guitar-thus it makes a 'KA-BONG' sound, which was frankly, hilarious.

Quick Draw McGraw like many of Hanna Barbera's classic gems was a great cartoon and one that would be remembered as one of the best produced. Fun, enjoyable and a good laugh too also.

Recommended


This film is noteworthy for two reasons. #1. Maggie Q is topless and looks smoking hot. #2. The film was shot by Cinematographer Derek Wan (Fist of Legend) in High Definition using the Sony 1080p High definition cameras. Numerous films are shot this way now, including the last two Star Wars films, Once Upon A Time In Mexico and Sin City.

The script for this film is problematic and there are gaping plot holes and scenes that will cause you to roll your eyes, but it is still watchable because of the photography, the genre and of course, Maggie Q, who will be seen soon in Mission Impossible 3. She is super hot and is turning into quite the actress.


I was looking through a couple of huge tables of VCDs at a store in Chinatown when I came across this film for about 2 bucks. The plot was about a hit-man in New York City hitting the wrong target and then deciding to protect the right target as a means of penance. I figured it would be great to see city through the eyes of a foreign film crew-I assumed it was a straight Hong Kong film. What the film is is a rather tepid film made in English with Richard Grieco as the hit-man and Maggie Q as the target. Frankly I don't care that Maggie Q is topless. Nor does it really matter that this was the first film shot with the HD cameras that would be used in films like Sin City. What I care about is a good story and this film doesn't really have one. Its nothing we haven't seen before and its told rather blandly. Even a TV movie would make the proceedings this dull and confusing. The Two leads are fine, or as fine as they can be with what little they are given to do. Grieco is basically required to be brooding, and he does it well. All kidding aside he's a good actor but after a few crappy parts like this its understandable that his name often elicits a "who?' when its mentioned. The film apparently isn't available here in the US and having seen the movie I can understand why, its a turkey.


The only reason I decided to check this movie out is the presence of Maggie Q, in one of her earliest roles. She looks very pretty here and plays two roles (twin sisters), but neither gives her much to do. Unless you are a completist who needs to see EVERY one of her films, this one can be safely skipped. Thank God she did "Naked Weapon" right after this and turned into an international action star. My main problem with "Manhattan Midnight" is that it tries too much (especially with that overbearing music score) to play like some sort of poetic tragedy, when its main character is a smug, unredeemable professional killer who doesn't mind killing innocent people (the "second" Maggie twin being an exception), and whom by the end you'll probably want to see dead as well. And he would be dead, if only the cops and the other killers who are shooting at him, in the increasingly silly action set pieces, were not such completely lousy shots. Perhaps the only people who are praiseworthy in this flick are those of the makeup department - they really did a great job. *1/2 out of 4.


People don't realize this is the first all digital shot Hi def film ever.My overtly mysterious and sexually taut appearance as the lead hit man is paid off with a stunt I did myself for this one, my violent death sequence from street to café. Develpoed quite a cult following and thanks for the support of me (at the time just a new AF model) then and in my career that has followed. It really was a pleasure to work on. Top notch Hong Kong crew. Grieco although aging was really fantastic and we all know how well a certain topless actress in this film, Maggie Q, has done since. She was definitely my crush on set. If you like action and innovation this is your film. Brandon Marcel Gertz, myspace.com/bmarcel


Where does one start? Well, i'll go with the «smooth» voice throughout the whole film by Grieco, who whether in bed with Susan or shooting people maintains the same «coolness». Kinda reminds me of Jack Scalia or Lorenzo Lamas, but worse!!! The plot is, let's say ridiculous, the main character is just «looking for trouble» from the start, with no need for it. I watched the movie because it looked so bad from the start,i had to go on till the end. Oh and thanks, one needs to laugh at these, sometimes. I'll be watching out for other films starring Grieco, i'm sure i'll laugh some more! What else? Check it out for yourself, if you want a load of misguided film-making.


Young Brandon Marcel, (not listed anywhere in the credits) steals the show and "dies" well in this wonderful, uh yes, wonderful action thriller. (put down the knife, ill type) yes wonderful. I give it two dumbs up. While this Genre is alluring and enticing, this film really takes the cats pajamas and rams them head first into a brick wall (along with anyone who actually has the nerve or Sherlock Homes ability to find it!) Action packed and a thrill ride all the way. Grieco is at his New York Finest!

A classic for the ages-----THE DARK AGES that is.

Run out and buy while it lasts.

GRIECOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


Long out of circulation because of disputes over music rights, Two-Lane Blacktop, now available on DVD, is one of the most original and compelling American movies of the twentieth century. It is a road movie, a film about cars, and a search for meaning in American life that could easily be called "Zen and the Art of Drag Racing". Shot from the inside of a car, it is an authentic vision of what it is like to be driving across America at a specific historical moment. Promoted by Universal Studios in 1971 as an answer to Columbia's Easy Rider, the film was originally released to less than enthusiastic audiences but has since taken on the status of cult classic and it is richly deserved. Unlike Easy Rider, it is a film that simply observes and what it sees is pure Americana: its people, gas stations, diners, and drag strips. We feel the claustrophobia, the spaces, the speed, and the loneliness.

The film stars singers James Taylor (Fire and Rain) and Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys as taciturn drag races who drive their souped-up 1955 Chevy across the country challenging locals to a drag race. The main characters are drifters. They come from nowhere and are headed east, toward a destination that is murky at best. They are people whose reality begins and ends with their machines. Everyone talks about how good life can be -- somewhere else -- in New York, Chicago, the beaches of Florida, and the coast of Mexico, somewhere up the road apiece. Warren Oates, a Monte Hellman regular, turns in a truly outstanding performance as the driver of a Pontiac GTO who challenges Taylor and Wilson to a cross-country race, the prize being the ownership of the cars. GTO is a talkative fellow who concocts tall tales about his background to impress every hitchhiker he picks up (one is a gay cowboy played by Harry Dean Stanton). He is a sad and perhaps self-destructive individual but he is human and you can reach out to him and feel his pathos.

First time actors Taylor and Wilson express little emotion and there is scant dialogue but they also seem right for their roles. Their total focus is on their car. Though the Chevy looks old and ugly, it is as powerful as any car on the road and the driver and the mechanic treat it like their own flesh and blood, constantly fine tuning to maintain its impeccable performance. They go from town to town, just trying to survive by racing. In the words of author John Banville, they "have no past, no foreseeable future, only the steady pulse of a changeless present". Along the way they pick up a cherubic young roadie (Laurie Bird) who is willing to go wherever the ride takes her. After each of the boys has sex with her in motel rooms and in the car, she becomes moody and resentful and fears that she is being used but has nowhere else to go. Though the main thrust of the plot is the race to Washington, DC, the focus seems to get lost along the way, and the film becomes more of a character study of the lack of human connection than about racing.

The film looks for the soul of America in the early 1970s and comes up empty. It was released in 1971 at a time when the hopes and dreams of the '60s counter culture had given way to the disillusion of Kent State and Altamonte, the bombing of Cambodia, and the media's cynical preemption of the Hippie movement.

The movie is about everything and nothing. Everyone is biding their time waiting for life to turn out rather than creating the possibility. Though they live for the moment there is no joy, only the gnawing reality of something missing. They are like many of us, skimming along on the surface of life, reminiscing about a goal that once seemed real but is now just out of reach. They look ahead to a blank future, while ignoring the life around them, what is in the present moment. Two-Lane Blacktop is an exceptionally beautiful film, a poetic description of a world without possibilities. It may also be the definitive statement of the anguish of the materialist paradigm that has begun to crumble and fall apart.


In my view this is the best road movie ever made. Carping about the slow pace or minimal dialogue is like complaining Scorsese's movies are too violent or the Marx Brothers too zany.

Like the car the two friends drive, this is an exercise in stripping things down to their essentials in search of authenticity. Like a Ramones song or an Edward Hopper painting there is absolutely nothing here that doesn't need to be.

Warren Oates' character on the other hand is a study in inauthenticity. After visiting the US in the 80's and 90's with its malls and fast food chains (and indeed looking at the kind of product Hollywood churns out these days) it's clear that his kind won the race in the end.

I've seen this on TV and in art cinemas a couple of times and I'm glad to hear I can now get the DVD. A true American classic.


Problems with music rights have kept this film from being seen much since its release, which is a real shame. Recently, the Roan Group released a laserdisc version (not sure if there is a VHS or DVD version), which I rented on a total whim. It turned out to be one of those rare treasures that not only lives up to its hype--it exceeds it. Anyone who wants to know why so many of today's films are sub-par would do themselves a favor by exploring this title. The problem with movies today is that everything is so formulaic, characters (if any are present) are forced to react in completely illogical ways just so the plot can hit prefabricated beats. "Two Lane Blacktop" follows the characters and lets the plot flow from the dynamics between them. Add to that some really unique characters and what you end up with is a movie that's always coming at you from the most unexpected angles, and not one second of it feels false or forced. The writing, directing and acting are dead-on, with Warren Oates a stand-out (his performance should be studied by anyone who wants to act), and James Taylor surprisingly intense and charismatic. It should be noted that this is not an action movie, so don't go into it looking for suspense or great racing scenes. Rather, you should sit back and let this movie work its almost invisible magic on you. And don't be surprised if you're still thinking about it days later.


This is either the best film I've ever seen, or just an interesting exercise in film-making that is ultimately of little value. The problem is that I can't decide which! No film has ever given me as much trouble in terms of my deciding where to place it in my personal Top 250 list. I mean, I know it's difficult to compare the relative merits of movies from different genres (e.g. "Schindler's List" vs "Monty Python And The Holy Grail"), but this movie is so unlike almost any others that I still don't know what to make of it.

I tried listening to the DVD commentary for some help, but Monte Hellman and Gary Kurtz had obviously pre-decided that they wouldn't talk about any aspect of the "meaning" or intent of the movie, preferring to concentrate on technical aspects such as pre-production, casting, locations, logistics, acting, lighting, sound, camera-work etc. I kind of respect them for this - leaving Joe Public to use his/her own brain in order to decide what the movie is all about.

One of the people in a featurette on the DVD said that "people haven't begun to realise how good Two-Lane Blacktop is" and I think that's right - the more I think about it, the better this film becomes in my estimation.

My take on the movie is that it's basically a contrast of the two extremes of human behaviour, as characterised by the brash, noisy "GTO" played by Warren Oates and the quiet, understated-to-the-point-of-lifelessness "Driver" and "Mechanic" - their personalities perfectly mirrored in their choice of cars. Most people's personalities lie somewhere in between, but by juxtaposing the extremes it forces one to think about one's place in that spectrum. "The Girl" is mainly a plot device to create a little bit of dramatic tension, as blokes left to themselves tend to go with the status quo. But we only want a little bit of drama, because that's not really the point, and too much drama would distract from the underlying theme.

I really love the "space" in this movie: the long takes, the long silences, the wide-open scenery, the fact that nobody SAYS anything (Warren Oates talks a lot, but never SAYS much). In modern life in general, I think people talk too much - try sitting still and shutting up for 103 minutes while watching this movie.

Not that I suppose anyone is interested, but I eventually rated this at about #70 in my Top 250, but next time I watch it I may move it up to #1 or drop it out of the 250 entirely...


Two Lane Blacktop is one of those movies that doesn't offer a lot of narrative and its characters don't have names, but it seduces us with its images of freedom and a seemingly constant nomadic cruise through beautiful landscapes. The four prominent characters consist of three car-enthusiasts and a hitchhiker. The brilliant Warren Oates is the star of the show as 'G.T.O', the driver of a bright yellow 1970 Pontiac G.T.O, who passes a 1955 Chevy driven by 'The Driver', musician James Taylor, who is accompanied by 'The Mechanic', former Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, and a hitchhiker they pick up 'The Girl', Laurie Bird. Later at a gas station they agree to a cross country race to Washington D.C. and we follow them on their way. G.T.O picks up some weird hitchhikers, or creeps as he calls them, including a homosexual who tries it on, played by Harry Dean Stanton. He tells these creeps some very exaggerated tall tales of his life and that is one of the resounding features of the film, with the ultimate statement being the one he tells to two soldiers he picks up near the end, which turns the film around from its outlook at the beginning. Also the other theme seems to be who can win the affection of 'The Girl'?, the old guy or the two young ones? But the film is memorable because of its rarity (it has never been released on video and is still unavailable, but has just been released on DVD) and its bizarre and infamous conclusion. But it is a film that you will want to watch again and again.


First off Monte Hellman is a genius. Secondly Two Lane Blacktop is one of the greatest "road" films of all time. In the film, like most road movies, the land becomes a character within itself, and Hellman creates that here. Like that of Rio Bravo with Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson, Hellman chooses two individuals out of there element in selecting Dennis Wilson and James Taylor. One might say that the two men don't say much, but when they do it is to the point, and in fact it is what they don't say that matters. Not to leave out Warren Oates, quite possibly the real lead in the film. Oates gives a top notch performance in all the films he graces, but here as GTO he really out does himself. Those who love films such as Easy Rider, and later Vanishing Point, will chalk this up, not only as one of the greatest "road" movies of all time, but as one of the lasts attempts at true"American" freedom.


In "Easy Rider" two bikers are in search of American as they travel from coast to coast. The lead biker even calls himself Captain America. In "Two-Lane Blacktop" two car freaks, one a mechanic the other a driver, speed across the nation in search of what? Cars to race? Their trip turns into a cross-country race between their 55 Chevy and a GTO. How the driver of the GTO (played by Warren Oates) got the car depends on which of his stories the viewer believes. The revelation at the end of the film may possibly be the truth.

This film by existentialist director Monte Hellman who later helped produce Quentin Tarantino's seminal "Reservoir Dogs" is an important one. The dialog and acting are minimal, only one of the leads is a professional actor, Warren Oates. The others are two recording artists, James Taylor of "Fire and Rain" fame, and Dennis Wilson from The Beach Boys and a flower child Laurie Bird who tragically committed suicide in Art Garfunkel's apartment a few years later (ironically Garfunkel had helped Paul Simon sing the hit "I've gone to look for America"). The only other professional actor in the movie that this viewer recognized was Harry Dean Stanton who played the homosexual Oklahoma hitchhiker. This gives the film a more realistic feel and adds to the minimalism of the script and direction. The abrupt ending is a bit disconcerting but after a few viewings it makes more sense.

In "Easy Rider" the rock music was an integral part of the story. The soundtrack is one of the best ever. The music in "Two-Lane Blacktop" serves as mere background, kept so low that at times it's difficult to hear. There's a wild version of "Hit the Road Jack" by Jerry Lee Lewis who pumps the keyboard so fast that at times it sounds as if the keys are leaving the piano. The first rock song about racing, Chuck Berry's "Maybelline," is also heard at one point. It's hard for the listener to discern if Berry wrote the song about a woman or about a car. Otherwise the music corresponds with the simplicity of the rest of the flick.

The existential humor is easy to miss on the first viewing. GTO confesses to Mechanic and Driver that he is tired of picking up fantasies. Another part of the film has Driver asking Mechanic a question. Mechanic tells Driver to pull over and stop because it will take him a while to explain. When Driver stops it takes Mechanic only one sentence to give him his answer.

The viewer needs to watch "Two-Lane Blacktop" several times to get its full impact. The time is not wasted for the true believer.


Warren Oates plays a GTO driver who, on his road East, challenges two car nuts for "pink slips". The first to get to Washington D.C. wins the other's car. The two young guys have also picked up a girl on their way, or more accurately, she just got in their car, no questions asked; who she is, where she's going, nada. She's just tagging along for the ride. All four major characters are drifters, men (and woman) with no names, and their credit titles reflect that: G.T.O., The Driver, The Mechanic, The Girl. They're parts of a long tradition of genre anti-heroes, drifters and outcasts, that includes the likes of Sanjuro (Yojimbo) and The Man with No Name.

However they face the same paradox every cinematic anti-hero faces: by separating themselves from society, by refusing to sit still and conform, they're free; it's just them, the engine revving and the road. The problem is that even though they are free, they don't seem to realize it. They keep trying to define themselves through society values. As Warren Oates muses about settling down: "If I'm not grounded pretty soon, I'm gonna go into orbit". The only thing that still permits these people identity and a place in society is through their cars. If the end is a symbolic representation of this moral double-bind that pushes them into two opposite directions, only Monte Hellman knows.

The reason I'm musing about characters in a car movie however is simple. Two-Lane Blacktop is not just about the race between a 1955 Chevy and a 1970 Pontiac. And that's probably why the movie meanders seemingly aimlessly in places, as if in a trance. It's not a racing movie. It doesn't try to be a tight, gripping thriller. In that light, the sometimes slow pacing becomes part of what defines the movie. It feels more like some sort of existential journey through 70's America. But the beauty (and Hellman's talent) is that he refuses the easy way out of obvious allegories (the kind of which Jarmusch used in Dead Man). Things are pretty much open and left for interpretation. But as the two cars cross country on their way to Washington D.C., Hellman captures the zeitgeist of the times in a unique way. I don't know how this slice of Americana looks in the eyes of Americans, but for a European like me, it paints the country in the same mythic colours Sergio Leone's movies did. The difference being this is not a reconstruction of a time and era seen through the eyes of a fascinated European director, but real locations and people.

In any way, Two-Lane Blacktop is closer to Vanishing Point than Gone in 60 Seconds. A superb road movie on all counts and more than a road movie.


I am now convinced Monte Hellman is one of America's most unjustly overlooked filmmakers. "Cockfighter" was good (easially the best hicksploitation film ever made), "The Shooting" was great, and "Two Lane Blacktop" is simply put a masterpiece. Even though "Easy Rider" came earlier and was much more successful, "Two Lane Blacktop" is a far superior film. The films minimalist style is engrossing throughout, and despite the slow pacing your interest never waivers. Its also the greatest road movie ever made because its thematically interesting unlike many other car films. To call this a car film is akin to calling "2001" a sci-fi film or "The Seven Samurai" an action film.

What makes it work so well? For one, the stark minimalism of it all. Hellman proves you don't need flashy effects or a big budget to make a great motion picture (something which Hollywood's school of music video directors hasn't caught on to). Everything is very low key, especially the performances of James Taylor, Laurie Bird, and Dennis Wilson. It perfectly captures the lack of meaning to their lives. Unlike many other counter culture heroes, they seem to be rebelling against nothing except life itself. Secondly, Warren Oates makes the film. Oates is one of the most tragically underrated actors of all time, and this is next to only "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia" as his best film. In both, he manages to take a desperate and pathetic man and make him all too human. Its a shame that this is so hard to find as its one of the best films of the decade. (10/10)


Nostalgic of late 60s and early 70s American culture, this film is hard to come to grips with. At face value it's nothing more than a poorly plotted road trip across the U.S. Southwest, as two guys and a girl, in a 1950's hotrod, race a guy named G.T.O (Warren Oates) in his yellow muscle car.

The film's concept is a little like that of the early 1960's TV series "Route 66". But the approach here is totally different. Director Monte Hellman designed "Two-Lane Blacktop" as if it were a docudrama. Dialogue is minimal and not canned, camera work is unobtrusive with very long camera "takes", none of the actors wear makeup, non-actors play bit parts, there are minimal plot contrivances, and so far as I could determine there are no indoor movie sets. As such, the film reminds me of "Woodstock" (1970).

That's both good and bad. Lack of acting experience renders James Taylor and Dennis Wilson more natural than what could be expected with trained actors. It's bad because neither Dennis Wilson nor James Taylor could act, and their entertainment quotient is zilch. In performances, the film thus bears a striking resemblance to "Zabriskie Point" (1970).

For the above reasons, a lot of viewers will not like this film. The plot, such as it is, is super slow and the performances are drab. And there are no special effects to function as distractions. So ...

What you have in "Two-Lane Blacktop" is a 1970's art-house film. What it lacks in entertainment value the film makes up for with its heavy-duty philosophical and existential themes. An economy of language wherein nothing in the film is "explained", the tacit praise of the prosaic, and the almost stifling trust in the present moment, all speak to the human heart, as the voice of nihilistic romanticism. There is no freedom here, no escape, no change, nor redemption. The landscape horizon never gets closer. It's the myth of freedom and the embrace of alienation. No matter how far you travel, you never actually arrive. It's the journey that matters, on the devil's highway. But that's life.


A good friend of mine is an insanely obsessed car-freak. One day he turned on his TV and popped a DVD into the player, and we watched Two Lane Blacktop. I'm not into cars at all, but I was transfixed by this movie. When it was all over, I didn't find it overly existential or pretentious or confusing or boring in the slightest. I saw it as a very simple yet compelling story; Two men live for only one thing: racing their car, which has been stripped down to its barest essentials in order to give it maximum speed. Things like heaters and rear seats have been removed... steel has been replaced with fiberglass. And as they have done with their car, they have stripped away all "extraneous" elements from their lives, and from their very selves. They have no need for conversation or music, or for love or anger or any other emotion for that matter. They're cold and dehumanized. As they make their way across the landscape, they meet an older man who has lost his life and identity, and is desperately searching for new ones. Most important, they are joined by a girl who wants only one thing: human contact. As I saw it, the central point of the story is how she affects the men, one of them more than the others. I believe this explains the notoriously "ambiguous" ending. It isn't a perfect film by any means. Laurie Bird's neophyte status is painfully obvious in some of her scenes. At times this film may be too subtle and understated for its own good. It seems that some of the most important and basic plot elements are left to the viewer to infer. Then again, this may again be part of the "stripped down" theme that is so prevalent throughout. Whatever the case, it's an incredibly unique and very haunting film. I can certainly understand that it isn't for everyone. Two Lane Blacktop is actually much like 2001: A Space Odyssey in that respect; some will inevitably regard it as boring and pointless. Others will, for lack of a less elitist and arrogant term, "get it." I heartily recommend that everyone sees it for themselves at least once, and find out which group you belong to.


"Two-Lane Blacktop" [1971] is a cult road film starring James Taylor in his only film appearance, Dennis Wilson of Beach Boys fame, Warren Oates fresh from his career making appearance in Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch," Harry Dean Stanton in a memorable cameo as a homosexual hitchhiker, and Laurie Bird, whose short life and career would be capped tragically by suicide in her boyfriend Art Garfunkel's apartment.

In many respects "Two-Lane Blacktop" holds up better than the much more celebrated "Easy Rider" released a year or two earlier. Whereas "Easy Rider" is seriously dated by drug glorification, psychedelic imagery, hair styles, clothing fashions, and heavy-handed anti-establishment politics, "Two Lane" ties more deeply and less topically into the American Romantic tradition begun by Walt Whitman and re-invented in the 1950s by Jack Kerouac and the Beats. As in Kerouac's "On the Road," the journey across America that structures "Two Lane" is both a quest to grasp the huge American landscape and a thrust at freedom from the restraints of modern civilization as expressed through the car culture and youthful rebellion born in the 1950s and burgeoning in the 1960s. As director Monte Hellman suggests on the Criterion DVD release, "Two Lane Blacktop," despite its official release date, is the last movie of the 1960s.

The souped up 1955 Chevy driven by Taylor and tended to by his mechanic sidekick Wilson is the film's central symbol for the Romantic notion of burning with a white hot flame. ("You can never go fast enough.") Similarly, travel on mythic Route 66 back from West to East is a reversal/renewal of the path followed in the founding of the country. Yet none of the principal characters actually make it back to Washington D. C., New York, or Florida - the three east coast locations variously mentioned as geographical goals. Their journey and ours leads into the rural, back-roads heart of the country, leaving us there and making the next step in the journey open and unknown.

In spirit and vision "Two Lane" has much in common with "Breathless," the defining work of the French New Wave. Like Godard's Bogie-inspired Michel, "Two Lane"'s main characters adopt arbitrary identities - in their case, racing hustlers and wandering free spirits. Like Michel too, they impose an arbitrary meaning on their world. While his takes the form of petty thievery and sexual adventure, theirs is a cross country race for pink slips. Yet the race is abandoned and even forgotten by film's end. Only life in the moment has any meaning; once an "end" is glimpsed, the quest is abandoned in favor of some new impulse.

The film shares much else with the French New Wave as well, especially its rejection of big budget studio formulas for structuring stories. The film was shot on location in sequence as the actors were actually making the cross country journey that the film was fictionalizing. There was a deliberate use of spontaneous and accidental event (e.g. a rainstorm that wasn't scripted). To keep the actors in the "present," only the most experienced one of them, Warren Oates, was allowed to see the script. No use was made of make-up, set design, special effects or other accoutrements of the Hollywood system. The actors were youthful and inexperienced (other than Oates) and the plot, such as it is, is riddled with deliberate aimlessness and disproportion, ending anti-climactically and with little or nothing resolved.

In most ways "Two Lane Blacktop" is really an anti-road movie and those who watch it thinking they will be rewarded by exciting car races and sexual adventure are in for a big disappointment. Ultimately the film isn't about car racing at all, but about defining one's self in an existential void. It's about living absolutely in the present, in the here and now - with the past irrelevant and the future unknown. More than anything, this extreme and unapologetic romantic bent is what makes "Two Lane Blacktop" such a pure and unforgettable expression of the 1960s.


Two-Lane Blacktop is an overlooked film and if there are any fans of Easy Rider out there who have not seen this film, go check it out. James Taylor and Dennis Wilson portray two car fanatics on the roads of America racing their custom '55 Chevy. Warren Oates plays GTO, the object of their passion for a race from the west to Washington D.C. The film is full of style and wit, basically a comment on the culture of the time when men judged each other very much the way they judged their cars. I had heard of Monte Hellman from a friend and I'm glad I decided to rent this film. Hellman shoots for style while keeping his screen compositions simple. The film is very subversive and sneaks around like a prowling cat. I fell for the characters, especially GTO, but I never really understood the drifter played by Laurie Bird. She comes into the film unexpected and tries every way to get away and just when you think she's gone from the picture, she reappears. I felt she was in the way. There is also a small performance from Harry Dean Stanton that is endearing. This is a treasure for independant film makers as the film was made for very low cost. If you can rent the DVD of Two-Lane Blacktop do so, the transfer is very nice and the film really is a standout on disc.


You know you're in the land of Deep Meaning when the characters are defined instead of named in the credit crawl. I recall the hype surrounding the movie's release. Audiences were yearning for a follow-up to the provocatively themed Easy Rider, something equally thoughtful about America's cultural malaise. But whereas the Fonda film manages to both entertain and reveal, Hellman's manages only a strained seriousness that overworks to the point of tedium. The Road has long been a metaphor for exploring life in America. But here we get a series of clichés about emptiness and alienation surrounding and including the ciphers that are the three main characters, and little else.

Now, the film apparently wants to use these existential poses and narrow focus to say something Deep about America or, if not America, at least about something. There are, of course, allusive films that do invite a deeper probing. The trouble here is that Hellman's style is simply too minimalist to reach beyond it's own cramped narrative to a broader social or cultural context that would provide the kind of meaning the movie's apparently reaching for. As a result, the film ends ironically as a kind of character study of three empty characters, and as a Rohrschach test for those intrigued by style over substance. Two Lane may be a cult film to many, especially to the Warren Oates fan club and to those who confuse seriousness with results. But there's a reason Easy Rider still defines the time period, while Two Lane has become grist for a "What Does It Mean" study group. It's best to keep in mind that sometimes less really does add up to not enough.


Few directors have succeeded in creating a truly personal cinematic poetry of their own. Most simply do not strive towards artistic endeavors of this type. Gus Van Sant was one of few of his generation with the ability, talent and desire. Having realised this vision early on in his career with "My Own Private Idaho" he abandoned this quest, opting for mainstream acceptance, not to mention commercial success.

"Two Lane Blacktop", Monte Hellmans' elegiac ode to existential despair is set in the milieu of drag car racing. The mood and images transmit the inner essence of the characters rather than what they willingly reveal of themselves. The potency lies in what is not spoken and what is not shown. Hitchcock commented on how true horror is created not by showing the audience fearful images, but rather by us induced to forming such images in our own minds. Hellman chooses not to depict despair a la Bergmann with endless articulate monologues plumbing emotional depths. The Driver (Taylor) and The Mechanic (Wilson) barely speak, and when they do you can be sure it's about car engines. G.T.O. (Oates) has much to say, but he's articulating the delusions which keep his despair at bay. The one time he begins to reveal the truth of life story, Taylor cuts him short. Soul searching has no place in "Two Lane Blacktop", it would be breaking the silent agreement that what counts are cars and racing. Taylor's brief proposal to Laurie Bird of finding peace in Florida is touchingly poignant. For all her hippiness, she has an acute sense of her own survival, effortlessly transferring her affections to the most promising man of the moment, ultimately leaving with a biker on the basis of a mere glance in a diner.

The fact that both James Taylor and Dennis Wilson in the leads are not actors somehow has no detrimental effect at all. They are not called on to act as such and their dialogue is sparse. Taylor in particular has an effective blend of tenderness with a touch of crazed obsession about him. Warren Oates, the only real actor and a Hellman favorite turns in a powerful performance.

"Two Lane Blacktop" makes for a companion piece with Frank Perry's "Play It As It Lays", made around the same time. Both essay existential despair and both are cinematic rarities that should not be missed.


The insentient world of machines and the people who cohabit it. I love the sight and sound of machines, so Two Lane Blacktop is a natural for me. In this case the machines are cars with their drivetrains at full tilt. A wonderful flavor is the whine of the special cut gears of the '55 Chevy's M22 transmission handling the power of the big 454 motor.

The austerity and robot blankness of the characters and plot mate perfectly with the barren mechanical environment. The cross country scenery and coffee shop settings highlight the theme as well. Nothing pulls away from the dominating emphasis of machines. A very singular movie.


I've been hearing about this movie for a long time. Since the birth of the counter-culture. Like Brian Wilson's lost masterpiece, this movie has garnered mythic status over the years. Withdrawn from circulation because it uses the Door's "Moonlight Drive"--and you know how picky the Lizard King could be about commercial rights. Just ask his former band mates. His estate has taken Jim's last wishes to the letter. Only recently have they consented to allow the releasing of the film on DVD.

They would have been doing us all a great favor if they had declined consent. Although I was hoping for the best, I had a feeling this would turn out to be a turkey. But I never expected it to be quite such a Butterball.

I think if I were teaching a class on how to make a pretentious movie I would no doubt point to this film. There's something pathetic in its attempt at the mythic, including the names of its characters such as "The Driver," "The Mechanic," and "The Girl." At one point, "The Driver" refers to "The Girl" by her name, "Higgins," and one can't help but wonder how he learned her name, and why, if she had a name, it wasn't used throughout the script. It was another case of being jarred loose from the film, but by that time I had been jarred so many times I was beginning to feel like last season's apricots.

This is not a good example of a road movie. See "Easy Rider," "Vanishing Point," Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Anything but this.

One star for location shooting in Santa Fe, which hasn't changed much since the early seventies. Another star for using "Moonlight Drive," a personal favorite of mine. And a third and final star for some nice cinematography of the open road.

Beware the myth.


Let me start by saying that I'm a huge Beach Boys fan, so I simply had to see Dennis Wilson in his only dramatic role. That, and this film's cult status were enough to get me pretty excited about seeing it for myself. Unfortunately, there's little or no substance to this film, and its mostly a waste of time.

I suppose it could be compared to Easy Rider, but its only a superficial comparison. Both are road movies that reek of 60s excess, but for a number of reasons, Easy Rider succeeds where Two Lane Blacktop fails.

Firstly, this movie is roughly 90 minutes long. However, there's only about 15 minutes of dialog at most. That means that for most of the film absolutely nothing is happening. Sure, people sit in diners, stand around, fix or drive cars, but that's about it. And unfortunately, the novice acting skills of James Taylor and Dennis Wilson aren't enough to make up for this lack of anything occurring. I can't recall when I've seen a movie more badly in need of a plot.

On the positive side however, there are some lovely visuals in this movie. In fact, if it were simply an American travelogue I'd probably enjoy it a lot more. But as it stands, this movie is pretty much a non-event.

The ending is particularly weak. The first time I saw this movie was at an "art house" kind of theater, and I literally thought the projector had broken, so abrupt was the ending. It wasn't until I saw the credits rolling that I realized, "oh, that's it?".

To sum up, I wanted to like this movie. I tried, but failed.


You might wonder, what kind of movie is Two-Lane Blacktop for? The cover might suggest a road movie, or the premise that it's about drag racers going across the country, one in a grey Chevy and the other in a GTO, would make it an action or chase movie. Or having the random pairing of music stars Dennis Wilson (Beach Boys) and James Taylor (the latter in his only film), accompanied by Warren Oates, would make it an oddity of movie casting. It is a road movie, but in the same sense that Camus' The Stranger is a movie about murder. One has to hearken back to Ebert's saying of a movie's interest not being in what it's about but how it's about it. This is a film where we keep getting sidetracked from the conventions and get into a framework that's contemplative, quiet a lot of times.

Indeed the big word for Two-Lane Blacktop is alienation. The way it was made itself was alienating (in a possible tip-of-the-hat to Godard with Breathless, the cast didn't get the script, despite being written by a brilliant novelist named Rudy Wurlitzer), its characters alienating to each other even as they never get too aggressive or over-active. In fact, it's a truly fascinating study of inertness; these characters only have to suggest, or barely even that, how they're outcasts. Little physical gestures like the way that Taylor's Driver stops to hear love-making in a motel room, stands by the door a moment partially frozen, and then sits with knees folded to the chest for what would appear to be quite a while. Or just those interactions the Driver, Mechanic, GTO and Girl have when they stop to get a bite to eat or get gas or a new part.

It's a chase movie, therefore, without the chase. This will frustrate most viewers not ready for it, that much should be clear. There is no real 'story', and whenever things look like they're about to pick up in terms of "things happening", like the scene where the GTO is pulled over by the cop and Driver to stops to give an unnecessary lie or when Girl makes the decision to ride with GTO, other things take its place to suddenly move it into just being about something else entirely. Maybe that is, in a sense, why it's a pure road movie. We're on it with them, it's sincerely realistic (if maybe leaning toward the super-stoic), and it's gorgeous to look at almost all of the time. Not just the obvious of the cars on route 66, but little things like the compositions at night of the riders in the car, the steadiness that adds to the minimalism.

From its performances by professional (Oates and Stanton's walk-on) and non (everybody else), to the sturdy visual obsession with the physical prowess of 60s/70s cars, it's ultimately a great movie to just watch by yourself, in your home late at night, and sit and really think about what you saw. Again, not for everyone. But as an acquired taste, you could do a lot worse.


In the wake of every race there lies a place and a person that will be missed. Hellman's existential fable about a driver, a mechanic, a girl and a square becomes the amalgamation of the American Dream and its boundaries. Ultimately it's about the places you never saw and the people you've never met.

"Two-Lane Blacktop" is a benchmark film in every possible way. Beautifully shot and edited it hurtles towards an incredible anti-climax. Singer James Taylor, Beach Boys-Drummer Dennis Wilson and the wonderful Warren Oates (who was Tommy Lee Jones before Tommy Lee Jones) race and pine through the American vastness in search of, well, that's anybody's guess.

I doubt a single Hollywood Studio would finance a movie like this today. Which is all the same, since Hellman has already made it, and with the Criterion release the road-dreamers of this and the last century can cherish it, before they get into their 55 Chevy to head out again.

See you out there...with the shut down strangers and hot rod angels.


Anyone interested in drag racing must see this. it is a true gem and a true American road movie. It is timeless in a human sense and I love it. The first time I did see it was back in the 80s and it still holds that special ingredient to make me come back for more. As far as I know it was supposed to be a car version competitor of the bike film of that time! I believe it did not need to prove itself to anyone! A true cult film. The main actors who we all know are perfect for the parts they play. I lost my video copy of this film so I am looking to replace it with a DVD soon. Anyone who dislikes this film cannot really like road movies and my only criticism of the directors of such films is that they do not make more of these 'old style' drag racing come road movies. I am sure any new films made like 'Two lane black top' will sell as true drag fans young and old are hungry for them. Ask anyone that likes drag racing and i am sure they will agree. No fancy stunts etc just good clean road racing with handfuls of drag racing will do thank you.


Having seen Vanishing Point and enjoyed it, I was pointed in the direction of Two-Lane Blacktop (which is very difficult to get hold of in the UK!).

What I enjoy most about this film is the story. There is no real introduction as such; the film begins with a drag race and ends, abruptly with a drag race. It is a chapter in a longer story. Where did the cars come from? Why are they on the road? Where does their journey end? This gives me the impression that I am looking in on a week or so of several lives as they meet and then go their separate ways. In that respect the story is about the brief relationship of four individuals, rather than the individuals themselves

There are several incidents during the journey and we can see from these that some of the individuals learn and others do not. The car accident they come across following the short race against the Charger and Warren Oates' character picking up a gay hitch-hiker are notable moments.

The low quality of the film compared with more modern films show it up as a relic of its time and give it a documentary quality, making it seem more realistic, particularly in tandem with either poor acting (rehearse your lines!) or superb improvisation.

I enjoyed this one as much as Vanishing Point, but for slighty different reasons.

IJ 10/01/06

P.S. I'm not sure if I'd prefer a Pontiac GTO or a Dodge Challenger but they both look amazing on screen!


I enjoy this movie - it's funny but while the acting is really stiff - very little really comes across as other than line-reading- in everything else the movie rings pretty true. If the actors didn't open their mouths you could get the idea that you were watching film of a few real people. Warren Oates plays his role low-key but he does come across better in the acting department. Frankly I can't quite get why anyone in the movie would have been attracted to that hitchhiker babe; even Oates was having fantasies about settling down with her and building them a house. Why on earth? She seemed like a total downer.

I'll let everyone else provide the balance of the reviews and I'll just add my favorite quote: GTO (Warren Oates) is talking up the two guys with the 55 and their car, with a guy in a small-town diner. There's a bit of antagonism going on. When GTO leaves, the other guy in the diner says, "Sure did talk to ya." GTO says "Sure did see ya." About the coolest two way slam possible....


this movie has an unexpected ending, and for some if your not interested in cars it can be quite a bore. there are up and coming actors in this flick. two guys embark on a journey across the u.s. and find themselves in races all over the u.s. it is a loose love story, it shows how delicate and impermanent life is. this is a movie that has the REAL feel of drag racing and not this rinky dinky 2fast 2silly racing movie, there are classic muscle cars, that go fast. you'll just have to watch two lane black top, it is a must see, if at anything just for the sake of watching cars drag. i think that writing a few lines not ten is good enough to get an idea if you'd want to watch something.


This is a great film, if you are willing to be educated more so than entertained. There aren't any explosions, or bloody scenes, or steamy sex, or anything of that nature. There is just a story about four people.

I liked this film because it was minimalist, and you had to get everything through suggestion. Nobody comes out and says anything, it is up to the viewer to get it. The cinematography is great, with one of the best examples of the use of night and darkness to portray the film's theme. Though I am not from that generation, being born ten years after the film was made, I was able to get a picture of the underlying political and social atmosphere of that time in American History.

What a great film.


In a recent issue devoted to the millenium, Esquire basically said that their 1971 call of this film as movie of the year was one of their biggest flops. How wrong could they have been this year? Instead, Esquire was right in 1971 and the studio and American public were wrong. By publishing the script to this film, Esquire showed that it was still an important player in bringing new world class art to the American male mainstream. Their recent retraction only illustrates how far this once influential monthly has fallen, though I'll admit I'm a subscriber.

Two young men (Taylor - the driver - and Wilson) are driving someplace in their heavily customized 55 Chevy. In their travels, they stumble across brash Warren Oates in his brand new 70 GTO, who is likewise a cipher. The result is ostensibly a cross country race for pink slips from someplace in the west to DC. But this film ends up being much, much more.

This is a a true American film. Today we have action films, historical dramas, romance, SF, etc that are commonly viewed as mass produced American cinema, yet they seem to represent little more than cliched genre pieces. This film on the other hand represents America and themes of Americana in the early 70's. The open road, fast cars, competition, and a certain rough camraderie between strangers in our disconnected society. Highly recommended for non-natives.

Two-Lane Blacktop features more questions than answers. Obviously, the truth about GTO is unknown, as he invents one outlandish story after another, but likewise nothing is known about anyone else. What are they seeking? Where did they come from? Where are they going? Ultimately we find out little but what happens within the self-contained little world of the film. But that is in the end appropriate.

Oates acting as GTO is spectacular, though the actors gave solid performances all around. Wilson and his obsession with the carbeurator jets is also impressive. The 'Scope cinematography does a good job of capturing the feeling of driving a two lane highway across mid-America. The recent DVD is solid if unspectacular. It features an anamorphic transfer that looks good but still has that "video" feel about it somewhat. The limited edition is probably not worth picking up as it mostly just features a metal case that won't fit on your DVD rack.

In summary, highly recommended.


Race across the country for pink slips. Very quoteable "just a second a minute" or "we don't want the goat anyway". This is a real treat to finally get the REAL THING. I have a copy that I taped off Speedvision long ago but it will be like dying and going to heaven to get the genuine VHS. I'm stoked, buffed out, there are no words to describe it.


A !970 GTO Judge. The humble growling of the 455 engine. Mr. GTO (Warren Oats), claims at one point that he got bored flying jet fighter planes, so he bought the Judge to get back the excitment. This movie is a cult/classic for car buffs.James Taylor (the driver) and Dennis Wilson,(the Mechanic) are incredible. You really get the true feeling and passion for their love of cars and street racing. This movie will be enjoyed by all car freaks, and is of special delight to GTO lovers. Once you see it, you will want to see it time and time again. Too bad it's not available on video.


I watched Two-Lane Blacktop last night for the first time and all I can say is "Wow". While I may not be one of those who proclaims it to be the greatest movie ever filmed, it is certainly a fine piece of American cinema. I'm not sure I've ever seen a film quite like it. That's because there aren't many directors out there like Monte Hellman with the guts or patience to make something like Two-Lane Blacktop. For starters, the cast includes non-actors in three of the four main roles. I think all do a wonderful job and their lack of experience (James Taylor being the best example) actually worked in the movie's favor. The fourth actor, Warren Oates, gives another amazing performance.

Next, Hellman made a 102 minute movie that has about 15 minutes of dialogue. But you know what, it doesn't need any more. Taylor as The Driver and Dennis Wilson as The Mechanic don't need to talk. Their car does all the talking for them. And when they do talk (except for a rare, poignant moment near the end of the film when The Driver shows a hint of humanity), their conversations revolve around carburetors and such. Anyway, Oates' character, GTO, does enough talking for everyone.

Hellman also made a movie with so little action (other than a few race scenes) that some people look at it and see nothing. I don't know how many comments I've read that call Two-Lane Blacktop "boring" or "dull". I see a lot going on in the movie but I think it's either too subtle for some people or they don't have the patience to just go along with it. The movie can most likely be interpreted a number of ways, but to me Two-Lane Blacktop is the story of four people on a journey. For The Driver and The Mechanic, they may have found what they're looking for in their car. The thrill of the next race and the challenge of the next tune-up are all that matters to them. As for GTO, he's looking for his life. He spins wild tales hoping one will stick. And The Girl is looking for someone to take care of her. The Driver, The Mechanic, and GTO are nice enough, but all are so into their own reality that they are incapable of giving The Girl what she needs.

Finally, I've read all the charges that Two-Lane Blacktop has no ending. I'll argue that it ends the only way it could. Just because the movie's over, it doesn't mean that any of the four characters have finished their quests. They started the movie looking for something and they end it the same way.

I'll stop there. I just hope my ramblings aren't quite as incoherent as they seem. In the end, I can easily see why this movie's not for everyone, but for me, Two-Lane Blacktop works  and works well. It's an amazing experience that I'm glad I finally had . For what it's worth, I'll give it a 8/10. That rating will most likely go up after a repeat viewing now that I know what to expect.


This really is the best road movie I have ever seen. I can almost see the folks in the drive-in waiting for the explosions and wondering what they sat through. This film is so much more than just a fun car movie. It is better than Easy Rider because it is not encumbered by all the hippie platitudes that really didn't age well and because Easy Rider is constantly telling you what it is about while Two Lane Blacktop shows you rather than telling you. It is, on the one hand, a meditation on freedom and its drawbacks. The Driver and The Mechanic are free but they are not happy. That is the price of their freedom. They trade comfort and human connection for freedom. On the other hand is the value of truth. The Driver and Mechanic know nothing but truth. They find a sort of comfort in the fact that their lives are simple and true. GTO, however, lies to everyone. His whole persona and his car are all a lie. The only time he seems to be telling the truth is when he is with the driver and in the '55 and that is the one time someone tells him to shut up. He goes on with his lies even incorporating the realest truth he ever came in contact with into his lies in the end. I guess I love this movie because it tells me a story in a way that only film can. It shows me things rather than telling me and that can truly be said of so few films.


Simone Simon doesn't take the title role in Mademoiselle Fifi  that dubious honour goes to Kurt Krueger  but it's still her best role outside of the Cat People films. A rare non-horror credit for Val Lewton, it's a well-mounted and surprisingly effective combination of two of Guy De Maupassant's stories about passive resistance in the Franco-Prussian war that works as an effective WW2 propaganda piece. Simon's character may have been changed from a plump prostitute to a petite laundress (this was the 1940s, after all), but the first half, based on the story that inspired Stagecoach, is still a remarkably effective adaptation that segues comfortably into the second story, linking them both by a battle of wills with the titular bored Prussian officer who wants the population to submit to his whims purely as a mark of obsequiousness. Nicely directed by Robert Wise, it deserves to be much better known and it's a shame that Warners couldn't find a place for it on their Val Lewton boxed set, though Editions Montparnasse's French DVD is an acceptable transfer.


This is a very interesting film directed by a very famous Hollywood Director, Robert Wise,"The Sound of Music","West Side Story" and many other famous films. This is a gem of a 1944 film starring Simone Simon, (Elizabeth Bousset),"The Curse of the Cat People" who plays the role of a young French Laundress who shares a coach ride during the Franco-Prussian War with some very important social superiors. These so called social superiors thought themselves better than Elizabeth, however, when they forgot to bring any food supplies on their journey, she furnished them with chicken she had prepared for herself and things changed. Kurt Kreuger, (Lt. Von Eyrick) is a Prussian soldier who tries to hit on Elizabeth and stops all the travelers from going on their journey until poor Elizabeth complies with his wishes. Jason Roboards,Sr., (Wholesaler in Wines) gave a great supporting role along with John Emery, (Jean Cornudet) who comes to the aid of Elizabeth along with a Priest who will not ring the church bells of his Parish in defiance of the Prussian Generals. Great Classic Film.


I Mademoiselle Fifi to be something new. I think 30 minutes of the film take place in a stagecoach with a group of people who try to be as mean and nasty to each other as possible. A lunch provided by a peasant woman brings them all together. If this were a play this would be Part 1.

The rest of the film is about kicking Prussians (stoic Germans) out of France. It is a resistance film, appropriate for the year 1944 when it was made. If you liked "The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel" well... this is a more interesting film than that was.

Most old movies are interesting to me because I feel I can learn something by observing the indirect attitudes of the media/generation of the time. I find many subjects now are taboo and we are not allowed to discuss them anymore via the media. I don't fault how things are now or were then. This is just how the media works- it is human nature to reflect biases of the time. This is definitely the case with this film.

I liked it. It is worth watching once.


"The performances are mainly so-so but Simon, the beauty she is, can't do much. Her performance here is pretty bad and at times laughable due to her voice, which sounded really bad here. I've never been a big fan of hers but this is certainly the worst thing I've seen her do. " As i have quoted here from another IMDb user, and to shed some light. Simone Simon NEVER liked this movie. She did NOT like how her character was portrayed (due to censors) and she NEVER had anything to say good about this movie. This would at least explain why her character in this film falls flat for some viewers. She was under contract with RKO and she was friends with and cared a lot for Val Lewton, which explains why she took the role. I enjoy the movie for what it is, and do not read anything deeply dramatic about it. I am a Simone Simon fan so i enjoy the movie at least on that level.

Thanks.


I was a huge fan of this show, saw every episode, and then all of a sudden it went off the air! What the #$@#@ happened?!!! Talk about a rude awakening!! I had to get drunk just to deal with the shock of this!! I think I need a meeting now, just writing about it! And when Tim Curry came aboard, fuggedaboudit it! He and Lynn Redgrave were PRICELESS together, I mean absolutely PRICEless, dahling! Truly the best 'sitcom' I have ever seen. Bring it back, bring it back now!


Before this show aired in Finland, the channel aired these commercials, like, "Billie Frank drinks.. and has casual sex!" The voice of the presenter suggested that this was portrayed as something admirable. I thought I wouldn't watch such crap. But I happened to see one episode and was instantly hooked. The show just seemed real to me - the characters were rude, imperfect and at times completely selfish; there was no laugh track and the dialogue was more natural than on other shows; the humour was somehow very original, it stemmed from the characters' personalities in a natural way. Sexuality was dealt with in a daring way. Sherilyn Fenn was great as the imperfect Billie, Dave and Jackie were also brilliant characters, and of course Trudy who was really the second star of the show.

The topic and the way it was handled seemed realistic to me. I don't have much knowledge about the AA or alcoholism, but it just rang true to me how Billie's lifelong addiction and relapse was portrayed as an ongoing problem she needs to work against her whole life. On so many shows, you have this token alcoholic character (soap operas in particular) who goes on a drinking binge in one episode and recovers in the next. This show dared to show a more accurate portrayal: the long-term effects, the desperation for a fix and the ugliness of it all wasn't glossed over. It's a daring topic especially for a comedy, but they pulled it off. I felt like I could see life through the eyes of an alcoholic - and be entertained at the same time. Kudos.

When the show stopped being about the AA and decided to "move on" into Dave's bar, it got blah for me. Some of the edge was lost when it was no longer about addiction. It turned into a relationship comedy instead, and that is the end of many fine shows. Haley was cute, but essentially just a babbling, bumbling character who didn't add much to the mix. Tim Curry as Trudy's new boyfriend was good, but not good enough to keep the show funny. And what was all that crap about Marcus and his marriage crisis? Hey, let's add a new character who looks good without a shirt. Oh look, his wife's a bitch! Don't you wish we made an episode all about him? The last season was full of "emotional" moments that just seemed sappy to me. The whole marriage plot was the worst. The irony is that when the show dealt with genuine difficult things and touching themes, it was never sappy. When it started to deal with "touching" imaginary situations and love triangles, it lost its edge and became a sappy regular comedy. The only interesting theme in the last season was that Trudy was facing the truth about her addiction - but would she be funny anymore if she quit drinking? I doubt it. Characters like her don't need a "serious" side; they're tragic in themselves, that's why they're funny.

But the last season can't wipe away what this show did in the first ones. One of the most daring and genuine comedies I've ever seen. Highly recommended.


At first sight, "Lost Things" appears to be just another Hollywood-wannabe horror film with Australian accents, but there is more here than first meets the eye. This film is more "supernatural horror" than "teenage slasher". Although I pretty much guessed the general direction the plot was going halfway through, the ride to get there was still edge-of-your-seat stuff. Out of the four central characters, the two girls are unconventionally pretty and wonderfully full-figured, and the two boys are fairly likable (although, as someone else already mentioned, casting two young blond actors who look so much alike was perhaps a mistake). The guy who plays Zippo (no, not Zeppo Marx) is well-cast. On the whole, "Lost Things" is a film that makes you interested in seeing more work in this genre by the same people. (***)


Other comments here allude to fake reviews by marketing or crew persons hyping the film out of proportion. This sometimes is used to attract international sales. My review is not one of those. If you want to amuse yourself by reading deliberately hoaxed reviews have a look at LIQUID BRIDGE, THE PACT, SUMMER CITY and all the films produced or directed by Phil Avalon. You will find they are all rave reviews for hilariously awful amateurish failures. Just cross connect any film with his name on them and get set for a night of uproarious laughter. Also, the new release WOLF CREEK will be the next title to get cast and crew rave reviews all out of proportion to its lame sad reality. Anyway.......LOST THINGS seems like a first feature by a new Australian film maker who just might go on to better things. And I do not mean SWIMFAN 2. One SWIMFAN was bad enough. LOST THINGS however, is a daylight horror film - a very difficult genre of film to get right. This one does, first go. Viewers might be readily assisted by first seeing classics like THE INNOCENTS and DEAD OF NIGHT to get a sense of the eerie outdoor chills this neat low budget thriller has to offer. In the 70s there was a horror cycle of pix in Australia and two well made examples LOST THINGS subconsciously owes a lot of imagery and style to are THE LONG WEEKEND with John Hargreaves, also set on a scary beach, and SUMMERFIELD which was a sunny setting for deadly menace. I would also pointer the truly chilling British film THE WICKER MAN to add a clear sense of what LOST THINGS has to offer. This new Australian pic seems made for almost nothing and looks to be shot on bleached 16mm, enlarged for a welcome cinema release. There are some mistakes in the production, some clunky editing, some wobbly acting moments, and it overcomes all of them. Older teens would love this film and it offers some real scares and major mind games. Well done! Whoever you are. An un necessary gruesome remake almost seems inevitable once Hollywood sees this and decides to make it more explicit and simple.


A bunch of teens go out to an isolated beach for the weekend and find a bit more than the "good times!" they had planned. I was expecting this film, which was marketed as an Aussie teen slasher, to be bottom-of-the-barrel junk. Well, it wasn't a slasher and it was one of the better creepy films of the past few years. Taking its cue from 70s Aussie gems "Long Weekend" and "Picnic at Hanging Rock," (as well as several other low-budget American hits that will go unnamed here), this is a fresh and frightening little movie. It is well-acted (better than US teen horrors, anyway) and the middle half-hour of the film is actually quite frightening and doesn't skimp on the scares and eerie imagery. Unfortunately, the movie is a bit too ambitious for it's own good and leaves you thinking "huh?" in certain parts, but overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes psychological horror.


Lost Things is an interesting movie! It's quite disturbing because it has a strong psychological basis. There are no gore scenes, there's almost no blood, but there's a tense atmosphere since the beginning (and the soundtrack helps it a lot, with some classical and disturbing string sounds!).

When the first clues were given I thought: "well, I've seen this before it's another "scary movie" with a predictable end" And in a certain way it is, because the main topic of the plot it's very predictable and the viewer who pays a little attention to some details soon will understand that something strange happened in the past with these guys But when the plot is being reveled, it doesn't give you all the complete answers There are some little details that remain unclear even after the movie ends, and I appreciate this I must say! I like movies which have a complex plot and make me think, and this one did!

There are some scenes really amazing because you have a parallel viewing over the story. It's like your screen were divided into two parts and you can see what's happening now and what happened before

The scenario of the film is pretty nice too. The beach is beautiful and I think it was a very nice idea (and quite original too!) to transform such amazing beach into a Limbo!