Yes. I, rooprect, am offering a money-back guarantee with this film. That's how confident I am that you'll think it's funny.

When I saw this for $4 in the Blockbuster used pile, the DVD cover wasn't very convincing nor were the reviews on the back which made it sound like an ABC afterschool special. I figured it would be a dud. But since I'd never seen an Australian film & I like Australian accents, I figured it would be a decent way to kill an hour & a half.

2 minutes into it, I LOL'd. A few minutes later I LMAO'd. And when they said that line about Brandon Lee, I actually ROFL'd. The gags kept coming, and at one point I thought to myself there's no way they could keep up the pace without becoming absurd. But somehow they managed to deliver laughs throughout AND also develop some very interesting characters and an engaging story with some super cool dance moves & super cute girls (not to mention 1 boy who's such an amazing dancer it'll make you want to try a backflip or two).

It's hard not to compare this film to "Spinal Tap", "Mighty Wind" and the other great mockumentaries by Christopher Guest because the format is very similar. But Razzle Dazzle is refreshing enough that you'll never think of it as a Guest ripoff, even though it fits right in. What makes it so refreshing? The extras.

Yes, the real stars of this film are the young, 11-13 year-old girls who play the dancers in this misfit dance troupe. They don't say a lot of lines, but whenever they're on camera their expressions & reactions are so hilarious you'll find yourself rewinding to watch them again in the background. In the "Making Of" featurette on the DVD, the director said he achieved this by not telling the girls the script beforehand, so their reactions are 100% genuine. There was also quite a bit of ad-libbing. The result is pure comedic perfection.

The adult actors were great themselves. Each person plays a caricature of reality but they do it so convincingly that you never stop to think you're being had. There's a loser, a spaz, a bitch, a clueless mom, and a weird goth chick in one of the funniest non-speaking roles I've seen. Really, everyone did a fantastic job. I think this is one of the greatest examples of deadpan humour I've seen in a long time.

I can't believe only 340 IMDb people have voted on this film to date. "Razzle Dazzle" definitely gets my vote for the best undiscovered gem in the last 10 years.


Few is the correct adjective which describes my viewing and experience with mockumentaries. Next in line is the fact that you don't get too many highly acclaimed Australian movies which literally dazzle all us couch-spectators. Such were the facts, experiences up my sleeve with this section of flicks, which propelled my mindset into the "must-see" mode. And there I was, curiously seated in front of the big screen.

In a matter of a few minutes, it was apparent that the movie was so cleverly pre-wired to drag us into the sea of illusion that we were dealing with actual facts and figures that go behind the scenes in the Australian dance hype. It was only because of my high alert mode, that I kept on reminding myself that this was not real....only FICTION! For starters, this flick smacks of the determination, both mutual and individual, which the key characters subject themselves to, in order to play a role in the everyday competition saga which, it goes without saying, regularly repeats itself. Three categories of key-players in this game: the teachers, the students, and the parents, warrant themselves a lot of merit. For instance, not only do the children get on board, but their parents, pro-actively, push them towards the dance floor. It's an amazing game of desperation, commitment,effort by all parties involved.

An eye-catching performance which steals the majority of the show is Mr. Jonathan. Crude? Clandestine? Do or die? Or determination verging on hysteria? Amazing how he tries to mold the mindset of his students in the bud, by asking them to imagine all sorts of shocking/horrific scenes, and making them fill in the action/reaction gaps through their dance steps.

Good job Darren Ashton. We need more from you coming. And thanks for spicing up the scenes with such great tracks!


I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. It was funny and heartwarming and the little kids costumes at some points were adorable. It is the story of a dance school called Mr. Jonathons dance studio that is trying to win the most prestigious of Australian dance group awards. The story winds together a tough dance teacher who has won the award every year called Ms. Elizabeth, a competitive mum who can't stand to watch her child lose (played superbly by Kerry Armstrong) and the children who are just trying to have fun. Its a touching Australian dance movie that reminds us of Strictly Ballroom. All in all I was very impressed and happy with the film and would recommend it to any family who is thinking about entering a dance competition.


I was eager to see this new Australian film, as I am for all Aussie films, as I love just about everything that the industry comes up with. I have to say though, I was disappointed with the movie on the whole and found it very tedious and at times wanted to leave the cinema.

I found myself shifting around in my seat, spacing in and out every now and then and pretty much wanting to leave.

Now, that's not to say I didn't find parts of the movie bearable - witty and funny bits were splashed about everywhere. When it came to piecing the whole movie together, however, it just fell flat.

Kerry Armstrong is the exception. I found myself sitting up in my seat and smiling every time she came on screen because each scene she was in was hilarious and bright. Jane Hall also gave a very good performance. The five-second appearance by one of my favourite actresses Rachel Gordon was a little more than a blink-and-you'd-miss-it scene which was disappointing because she deserves so much more than what she is given.

All in all, Razzle Dazzle gave it a fair go but with the majority of the adult audience it didn't match the hype it received before the movie came out. Young kids would enjoy it for the singing and dancing routines, and I'm sure many adults could find something they liked about it as well.

I couldn't help but picture Chris Lilley (King of the Australian Mockumentary) playing Mr Jonathon and wondering if he might have been just the thing to spruce it up a bit.


Razzle Dazzle I'm not sure why this film is called a mocumentary. It should really be called a Spoof, as it seems to steal from that many other films that it starts to become unfunny. Waiting for Guffman, Strictly Ballroom, Mad Hot Ballroom, even a little feel of Bring It On and the main offence is just swapping teens for kids check out Drop Dead Gorgeous. There are some funny moments in this film. It just that we have seen it done before and done better. This film could be fun for twelve to fifth teen year old's who would not have seen the above films.

The two redeeming factors in this film is the brilliant acting of Kerry Armstrong. Her one-liners are fantastic. Also the kids all seem to not of over act and do a pretty dam good job.

2 stars for Kerry Armstrong 2 stars for the Kids


Razzle dazzle is a very poor excuse for a trip to the cinema. in fact so lame even as a dance pic it tanked completely and struggled to find even a morning session in week three. The problem? well there is no movie; it is yet another 'mockumentary' a sort of hybrid Waiting For Guffman or A Mighty Wind and too late in the cycle of so-called funny fake documentaries. Also it insults the very audience it seeks to draw... kids in the suburban dance schools and their fanatical parents... this is the sort of misfire typical of many Australian so-called comedies: no market research, obvious characters and a compete waste of resources and expertise. The whole misguided Mr Jonathan's school of dance disasters is simply not funny and basically smacks of being created without any thought to how asinine it actually is. The ads and posters for RD clearly suggest a teenage Strictly Ballroom but there is no movie, just this wobblecam 'making-of' nonsense. With a strong cast completely wasted mocking stereotypes they hope will actually buy expensive $16.50 tickets each to see this in a Sydney cinema, Razzle dazzle misfires on every count. Only two things are of genuine interest: Kerry Armstrong's great body and the fantastic interior of the Crest Ballroom. The boring rest? NO.


This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. No, actually this is one of the worst movies ever.

Don't watch it. It is terrible. Well, I even don't want to comment it but I think I must warn you. It is the worst martial arts movie ever. The story is terrible. The acting is terrible. Well, I guess you don't need story and acting in that kind of movie. But "Dark Warrior" fails even in the action. The fights... Well, the fights are not exactly the most terrible fights ever but they are not good. The final fight is the worst I have seen.

If you want to see some good good story, don't watch this movie. If you want to see good acting, don't watch this movie. If you want some good fights... You know what to do. Don't watch this movie


I'm a fan of action films with lots of martial arts, so I know how to enjoy a brainless movie from time to time. But this one is so bad it's incomparable.

The characters in this movie are typical and dull, always falling into the same pattern over and over again. The "story" can't entertain a viewer for more than 30 minutes because of the boring acting by most of the cast. If they can't even keep a straight face or tone of voice while making this, then why should I when I watch it, even though it's not meant to be comedy.

Even if you manage to look past all that and try to enjoy it for the fights, it still disappoints: no original moves, lousy stunt work and 'enemies suddenly distracting each other so the main character can get away, even though all exits are locked' are some of the things that come into mind.

Maybe in the end my expectations were too high, but then again, how low do I have to set my standards to be able to enjoy a movie? I will never see a movie written or directed by Jason Yee again.


Jason Yee stars in this miserable dreck. He also wrote, directed, and produced it, so all the blame falls squarely on his shoulders. Honestly, I couldn't sit through it from beginning to end. I found it so boring I fell asleep about 4 times during the film and missed about half of it (mercifully). Obviously Jason Yee is a talented martial artist and he wanted to showcase his talents in a film. Unfortunately he has no talent as a filmmaker, and he should have stayed in the ring and out of the studio. He has some good moves, but the choreography for the fight scenes is awful. Timing and position are waaaaay off. Sound quality is horrendous and every time there is dialogue it is drowned out by an unwarranted and overloud score. The acting is wooden, stiff, and heartless. The plot is ill-defined and ambiguous. One has no sense of where this story is heading, where it originates, or why it is even being told. Watching this movie is a complete waste of time, unless you happen to be suffering from insomnia.


I rented this movie because I was curious who is this, Jason Yee guy on the DVD cover. I wasn't impressed with the movie making until I saw how it was made in the DVD bonus features. An action movie made for $80 Grand!!! That's like the cost for one day of catering on a Hollywood movie. Not bad for first-time film maker, my hats off. Jason Yee did an incredible job considering he produced, wrote, directed & starred!! Who the hell does that?! Maybe Clint Eastwood but, he's a seasoned veteran with millions of dollars. I would love to see Jason Yee in a big budget action movie with a famous director. I hope Hollwood producers are paying attention because he is the next action star, just look at him!


Finally i was able to see this film. I have been trying to rent it from Blockbuster for the past few weeks and it has always been out. The manager at the local Blockbuster told me its hardly ever on the shelf, he has wanted it for himself. The martial arts in this film is better than that in huge budget productions. No flying wires or special effects, just real deal martial arts. I found it much easier to get into the story because of the credibility that Jason Yee's martial arts portfolio adds to the mix. What these guys did with their limited resources is incredible, and it works! This film is like a metaphor for what many people go through in their everyday life - just trying to get by when it seems like the whole world is against you- you can sympathize with the Derek Wu character. Jason Yee's homage to Bruce Lee shows that he is serious about his work and has respect for a legend. Jason Yee has what it takes to be a legend himself. I can't wait to see his next film. I really enjoyed this one.


I just rented this film after looking at the cover for weeks at Blockbuster. I was curious because I remember seeing Jason Yee fight on cable back in the 90's. The story is decent, about a guy just out of prison that becomes a suspect in the murders of his old gang members. It's good to see Asian-Americans like Jason Yee being proactive by producing his own movie; it's amazing what he did on a low-budget. It was refreshing to see decent hard-hitting action with no-strings or CGI but, I wish there was more. Definitely a good film to watch for aspiring filmmakers, the behind the scenes on the DVD are cool because you get an idea of how hard film-making is. I think Jason is a good actor, especially for having to direct the film at the same time and do his own action stunts. He was able to deliver decent production values with a decent story, I enjoyed it.


I rented this movie last night expecting a typical kung-fu film. I was happy to find it was much more of a character drama. The kung-fu action I was expecting was short but, straight to point, it left you wanting more, you could tell Jason Yee knew what he was doing as I found out later in the DVD extras he is a real kung-fu champion. The film has this cool 70's style vibe which made me feel like I was watching an old school classic. In one fight scene there is an excellent homage to the legendary Bruce Lee. Jason Yee really captured the dragon's fire in that scene. In the DVD extras is the making of 'Dark Assassin' which was cool to find out this film was made for $80,000. Wow! It made me respect the film much more as I expect all action films to cost millions of dollars. Jason Yee could be the next action star he really has what it takes. I can't wait to see his next film.


I just watched a screener of this film after a friend who worked on post-production insisted I watch it. I usually don't care for action films but, I heard this was made on a shoe-string budget so, I'm always interested to see what filmmakers can pull off.

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised that there was a story!! A redemption story at that! I was told this was a kung-fu action film but, it seem to be more of a crime/ thriller, with some kung-fu action. Although, it's obviously a low-budget film and has some weak actors, this film holds together and has heart. I actually cared about the main character, and was sad at the end, which is more than I can say for most big-budget action films!! Kudos to Jason Yee, hope he keeps going because he is a star!! Where is he, what's he doing next? Viva, Your Independent Spirit, Jason!! I was looking on IMDb for more info on this film and I was compelled to write this after reading heartless comments left by immature users.


I thought this movie was a good lesson to all of the viewers that when you mess with Jason Yee, you get "yee" butt kicked. As a lean and muscular man with jet black "Beatles" hair, Jason Yee is truly reminiscent of a young, agile Bruce Lee with far superior acting skills. With a plot line that ultimately lands "Derek Wu" mixing with the wrong crowd after returning from a stint in the slammer, Yee manages to steal the show. You can't help being at the edge of your seat, waiting and wanting more from this savage hero. This movie features more than a handful of well-choreographed fight scenes that leave you asking, "How'd they do that?" He is a man with many talents.

In Dark Assassin, Yee takes on a less familiar roles as Director/Producer. Yet Yee, always surprising, succeeds in all of his roles like a well-oiled veteran.


I myself am a eclectic martial art stylist who blends Wing Chung Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Professional Wrestling, and Krav Maga into a single loosely structured flexible system I call "Combat Wrestling", and of course, I like a good martial art film now and then. Prior to Bruce Lee's days, the Kung Fu and Karate Films made in the Orient cared little for realism and moved more towards fantasy. Bruce Lee brought some realism back, and other martial art actors like Chuck Norris, and Steven Seagal (sp?) also tried to keep the fight scenes realistic, often doing the fight choreography as well. However, I have been dismayed at the ridiculous scenes being filmed currently both in the East and West involving the use of cables so a fight scene includes some ridiculous sequence of guys jumping from trees to trees or backwards to a rooftop, or leaping forward and kicking like 20 time alternately with both feet. It is quite fitting that the Scary Movie series and the Austin Powers have both spoofed these absurd fight scenes.

There have been many actors in the past who have tried to step into the shoes of Bruce Lee, with 10,000 cheap imitations, only a handful possessing any talent or skill to a remarkable degree and none like the Master Bruce Lee.

However, the Kung-Fu Magazine hall-of-famer, Jason Yee, is a fellow worth watching, and may be an exception to the rule. I hope so. I'm getting tired of directors trying to foster the illusion of an actor or actress who couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag being some Master martial artist (with a little help of wires, stunt doubles, and camera angles). Of course, movie fights have to be faked or serious injury or death could result. Often the stunt men are more highly trained than the actors, and I deplore this giving a 30 day crash course in Kung Fu or Karate Weapons or hand to hand to some actor who doesn't have the real skills. It is dangerous for all concerned. I'd like to see the return of the actor/martial artist combo like Lee, Norris, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal. Jason Yee shows real promise as a martial arts actor.

But then, many people wouldn't watch a "Karate" movie if they were paid to see it. "All that senseless violence...what shame!" I wonder sometimes what planet these guys were born on, as if John Wayne shooting up the bar in a Western is any less "senseless", and notice how the worship and adoration of firearms---the great equalizer---has turned our streets into shooting galleries. Now everybody is a potential killer, not just a highly trained fighting elite.

But the fault is not in the possession of firearms, but the tendency to go straight for the gun or other weapon and use deadly force for the slightest of problems. But then, our own government does this and sets a good example for thugs to emulate. Uncle Sam will attack with the slightest provocation with such goodies as bunker busters, and cluster bombs? Why can't I, Joe Average Citizen do the same?

Actually, some martial arts training would help REDUCE violence in the streets. Sound martial art philosophy, the Golden Mean---standing between the "Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out" school, and the extreme and absurd nonviolence taught in some other schools, where the student is taught a skill which is forbidden to ever be used.

Frankly, I wouldn't want a man living as my neighbor who would just stand still and meditate as two thugs butchered his wife and children. Such a man is worse scum than the thugs who attack.

There is a middle path that lies between, the path of truth. Use no force greater than necessary in the given circumstances. This then is the famous Oath of Peace made famous not by Boddhidharma, but Steven R. Donaldson the fantasy writer.

It runs in part "Do not harm when words are enough...do not maim when injury is enough, do not kill when maiming is enough...".

Good cops, good soldiers, and good martial artists always follow this creed. But alas, we live in a society where the Natural right to defend oneself from aggressive human predators has been almost totally obliterated by modern governments. Do not fight back, just call the cops, and let the professionals handle it. This kind of stupidity is ominous. Often by the time the government which desires to control every facet of our lives gets to the scene, you or your loved ones are dead. Small comfort that the thugs who put you or your loved ones in their graves are apprehended and punished AFTER THE FACT.

But what is the answer? A gun on every belt? A box of Hand Grenades in every car? How about reducing this craving fear of everything and everybody! Martial arts can help here better than a million dollars worth of psycho-therapy.

How about a real martial arts training in the schools. A real martial art, not a lukewarm watered down nice and sweet claptrap with a smattering of Zen or Taoism as cream on top. The Warrior Path, paradoxically does not lead to wanton violence, but rather effectively eliminates it. But finding a real martial art, instead of a saccharine watered down version that is a total waste of time and money, is not easy! Good luck! Enjoy this film, but remember...it is only fantasy!


Watching Dark Assassin I was enthralled therefore, desiring more information I've watched the DVD extras, "Bonus Features/Making of" and read all that I could find on-line, related to the movie and Jason Yee. Dark Assassin is a very cool, low-budget indie action film. The $80,000 it's a minuscule sum for making a film, especially being shot on film. Comparatively, Hollywood spends millions to make a movie. The story is reality sad but compelling, peppered with surprising humor at times, intelligent twists, the driving element of love and a surprising ending that lets you wanting more. It features the sweet and wise Tony Todd (gotta love him), as the friendly, guiding ghost to Derek Wu in his nightmares. As a bonus, Dark Assassin uses topnotch, real martial arts fighters and champions such as Cung Le, Rudi Ott, Marvin Perry, and Yao Li with real combat skills devoid of wires and silly acrobatics. Camera skills and the post-production tie up the elements to deliver a product that could be a signal for new times in American martial arts movie making and style. Jason Yee who wrote, acted, directed and produced Dark Assassin, pays homage with this film to the 70's and to Bruce Lee, The Master and leading champion, who believed that anybody can be kung fu fighting. We miss you Master! Unlike a Hollywood movie, Dark Assassin is a labor of love for Jason Yee and those who believed in him. It is worth seeing and appreciated for what it has to offer in the present and for the future, while taking in consideration its meager means. By supporting Dark Assassin we might finally see some variation in the world of martial arts movie making, which are a bit stale and repetitive right now. Hurrah!


I recently had the opportunity to view this movie via DVD screener from one of my friends whom is in the Industry. In consideration of the film's budget, i thought it was a well put together movie. Keep in mind, Jason Yee went from Professional Fighter to Entertainer. Jason being relatively new to the industry, i felt his efforts to achieve such goals need be commended. Thinking from a Martial Arts perspective, I very much enjoyed how he kept the fight scenes in check with reality. both Jason & Kung are True Fighting Warriors that always keep it Real! Now, if your some Hollywood peon judging movies by how much special effects can do it justice? Go watch a Hollywood Jet Li movie or WWF Raw. i enjoyed the movie for what it was & look forward to any upcoming films from Jason. I noticed other comments left by very shallow and closed minded people. if you think on those terms, you need to get together and go Bowling with Simon from American Idol. 85 minutes worth! Always keep it Real! L.A.M.F.F.S.U.T.D.


Yeah, yeah...who could not find fault with this implausible menagerie of models & Marxists? Here, even the most inept of film-schoolers could find a surplus of shortfalls, for which to offer their trite insight. What's blatantly apparent with this film is...the script seems never to have transcended the first-draft stage...the characters all seem either to be on psychotropic drugs, or to be in need of psychotherapeutic ones...and the director seems to have had his mind on other things  perhaps how to act in his small but completely forgettable part.

However, for some of us, the challenge is to discover the good points of 'critical failures', such as "Exposed", and as everyone seems to be somewhat more then vaguely aware, what's most redeeming about this film is, in a word, "NASTASSJAKINSKI"! When she is before the camera, all the problems behind it seem insignificant.

Cheers, J.B. - Prospect Point Productions, Inc.


There are moments in this film that are so amazing to me. It is hard to describe in words what occurs in this film that I find so striking.

Kinski is sheer brilliance. It is not that she delivers a phenomenal performance but that she seduces the camera without any ego. I have never seen this done before by another actress in the same sense. It is though we were watching a documentary.

The film is an awful mess but at the same time I found it fascinating. The dance Kinski does in her unfurnished apartment has a strong sense of an individual void of the conformity of life. She dances to the beat of her own drum.

There is another scene where Kinski gets out of a cab and falls in the street. She gets up and runs away with a limp in her step. Why I found that intriguing I cannot say. It seemed awkward in an awkward film.

I like it for its foolishness and its attempt of making the world of fashion and terrorism seem romantic.

Kinski breaks the barrier between audience and screen as the magazine Variety stated. It was such a perfect description of her performance. Roger Ebert offers an excellent review on this film and I highly agree with it.

Check it out sometime and see a star at work.


Taken as an historical perspective of Nastassja Kinski, this is a relatively young Nastassja who totally dominates the screen. As the movie proceeds, it becomes more and more apparent that Nastassja has something called screen presence, meaning that whenever she is on screen there is the promise of something electric occurring that is extraordinary. Today, this movie may appear to be wooden and dated, especially with the performance or lack of performance of Rudolph Nureyev who is absolutely obliterated by Nastassja. The movie on its own cannot be taken seriously, but it maybe viewed as a celebration of Nastassja Kinski.


The old saying "One swallow does not make a summer" is particularly apt when discussing this film. There is a soaring performance by Natassja Kinski but other cast members, including Rudolph Nureyev, never get off the ground and remain wallowing in mud. Worst of all the director James Toback is so deep in the mire that he could not even produce a story which the average moviegoer could easily follow. Natassja plays the part of a fashion model who appears to have received so much publicity that she has attracted the attention of undesirable characters, which is perhaps a good basis for a drama. But from this point things go rapidly downhill as it becomes increasingly difficult to get any idea of what is supposed to be going on.

For a users rating, one outstanding performance certainly deserves one point; but it is hard to think of any justification for giving this film an additional one, so I will rate it at 1 out of 10 - sorry Natassja, you deserved better.


This is a a very underrated film with many qualities. Somehow the parts don´t really add up but it´s still worth watching.

The camera can´t get enough of Nastassja Kinski which is understandable since she is gorgeous. The films captures some of her feminine mystique and one can let oneself be seduced. The main weakness of the film is that it´s fragmented with parts that barely have anything holding them together except ms. Kinski.

First she´s a midwestern farmgirl, then she goes to the BIG CITY and works as a waitress until -VOILA!- she´s discovered as a model! (which really is not at all unlikely as she is GORGEOUS). Then, she meets a mysterious man (European natch), follows him to France and gets involved with a terrorist group plotting to kill several people.

But all this is very entertaining in a loose way with fine low-key performances from everyone. Nastassja is very good as the curious, open and vulnerable girl.

So it´s the directors folly, but it´s very interesting to see the 80´s again, people like Nureyev, Harvey Kietel and Bibi Andersson, a terrorist groups´ way of thinking from the inside, and the looseness of the film is rather appealing if one can give reality a rest. I liked it.


Exposed showcases Nastassja Kinski's enigmatic beauty. She is beauty without ego. A rare trait in this day and age of vanity ridden films. Her presence is most rewarding in a rather awkward film. James Toback directed the film to showcase Kinski and expected her to become a superstar after it's release. This did not happen.

Kinski is a phenomenon on screen and is a perfect example of star presence. She did it in Polanksi's handsome Tess, Wender's, Paris Texas, and Coppola's One From The Heart. However, it is Toback's Exposed that captures her primitive nature at its core. Her exotic beauty combined with an esoteric knowledge hidden behind those dark eyes is intimidating and hypnotic. It was if Director Toback said to Kinski: " Just be yourself." It is unique to witness how this actress can be captured so unattractive then in the right light become the most radiant unusual striking figure of defined beauty. This is what the famous directors who seduced her saw in her.

There is something very sexy about the film as Kinski gets transformed from farm girl to high fashion model. Beauty and the beast unfold as idealism and terrorism seduce young sexy women to act out their rebel idealistic cause in a Capitalistic world. It is understandable why two Romantic Men would pursue such a cover girl as Kinski. She is exquisite at times and striking to the senses. She plays a free spirit very well, a Goddess to the nymph.

The film has some cool 60's rock interwoven in the story, :"Locomotion" and "La Bamba" play as Kinski discovers her new world. The Shoop Shoop Song by Betty Everett has Kinski dancing alone to the spirits of desire.

Rudolph Nureyev has a perverse sexiness that somehow balances Kinski's exotic nature. He plays her like a violin to foul a terrorist who killed his father. There is a scene where they look like vampires as pretense surrounds Published photos in a gallery showcasing Kinski. Shame on Toback for not drawing us nearer or shame on the photographer for allowing pettiness not to allow the camera to explore the photos. It was a pivotal moment in the film to prove to the audience why this actress was the "one."

Toback keeps the viewer away at times from the action. It was as if he could only do one take.

Exposed is alluring like it's star. Don't even pay attention to the world that surrounds Kinski. Just watch her. She has been Exposed.


Every once in a while, you see a movie so dull and so stupid, you have to wonder if drugs were somehow involved in making the film. 'Exposed' is one of those films.

The plot of this film doesn't unravel, it oozes like molasses in January. Nastassja Kinski plays a Wisconsin farm girl named Elizabeth who leaves home and runs away to New York. After being discovered by a fashion photographer (McShane) she is whisked away into the glamorous world of fashion. Soon she's in Europe, and is recruited by a mysterious violin player (the awful corpse-like Rudolf Nureyev) to infiltrate a terrorist organization and kill it's leader. The leader is played by Harvey Keitel, who is given next to nothing to do.

The only good scene is at the very beginning when two terrorist babes blow up a Parisian restaurant. But it all goes downhill from there. In more capable hands and with a better cast, this film could have been good. But everything is a mess. The script is convoluted and boring, the acting is atrocious, the direction is flat, there is no suspense, and no characters that seem even human.

Oddly, so many people seem to praise Nastassja Kinski as a great actress. I've just never seen it. In every film I've seen her in she just seems vacant and bored, but this is Kinski at her worst, no doubt.


Probably the only movie ever made about a terrorist hunting super-model, James Toback's thriller is not particularly good. It's a snail-paced film featuring Nastassia Kinski as a model recruited by Rudolf Nureyev to kill Harvey Keitel. Kinski is pretty good and looks striking and Nureyev is suitably mysterious. Unfortunately Toback's script suffers from a real case of inertia, the plot doesn't so much unfold as it oozes. Kinski's character is fuzzy and Keitel, who shows up near the end of the film, is really given nothing to do. There is some terrific, very moody photography by Henri Decaë and the film does work as a travelogue of sort of the more seedy parts of Paris. Toback makes an un-billed appearance as Kinski's brusque college professor. Pierre Clémenti plays one of his typically creepy roles as one of Keitel's less trustworthy confidants.


Looking back on this movie, I really think this was the most realistic of all the political movies Kinski has made. Paris is the home of internation terrorism. And I think another look at Kinskis' choice in making this will give her fans a better understanding of her artistic makeup.


This is a colossal waste of the talent of actors like Keitel, Nastassja Kinski, Carl Lee and Russo. The "revolutionaries" are portrayed as birdbrained automatons. The dialogue is embarrassing. Nureyev is positively wooden. Kinski does a ridiculous dance, made choppy by pathetic editing. If memory serves, the direction was so bad that during a silly car chase the pursued and pursuers are actually passed by a Parisian taxi in a traffic circle. That has to be a metaphor for the entire travesty. The movie would be gauged as sophomoric compared to the worst efforts of high school film classes.


When you focus on the aspect "direction", this movie seems to be one of the worst you can watch. The script, the direction, it's a whole mess. A silly story, scenes which are too long... The only positive aspect about this movie is Natassia Kinski.

Mr. Toback (adequate name) probably has some influent friends, or is somebody's cousin or something.

In this film, I always had the impression, that Mr Toback thinks that terrorism is the worst threat that exists for humanity. More important aspects, like corruption, hunger, inequality, aren't even mentioned. Forget this trash! I had to watch several good movies to start forgetting this crap.


This is one of the best WWII PS2 games I have ever played.I specifically recommend it to fans of first-person shooters. Actual game play is fun (like physical hand-to-hand combat against German's with one rifle) and it has fantastic graphics with lots of detail. The soundtrack is also amazing and a must-buy. However, like in every game, there are some flaws. The game has only 14 levels. For this reason I managed to complete it in 3 days. I had been a bit disappointed with how short the game was. Nevertheless the missions are great. They do not get boring so quickly and you can replay them. In this game, you can unlock great stuff, e.g., cinematic, art books etc. It is well worth buying. However, it might still be worth waiting till it gets cheaper than it's starting price.


This game is pretty good, but I liked both Call of Duty 2's better. But this was still a good game. The only thing that I think is bad about it is that there only 13 levels. In Call of Duty, there were 27, and in Call of Duty: Big Red One, there were 14. I would have given this a ten, but I took one star off for that. I also took one star off because at first, the levels seem like they are long, but after you play them for a while, you start to get bored and you realize that the levels aren't that long. I took another star off for that. But the rest of the game is pretty good. It has a really good story that follows the campaign that followed D-Day, and the battles through France between the Americans, British, Scottish, French, Polish, and Canadians against the Germans. It's a pretty good game that, I thought, was kind of a sad ending. Another good thing about it is that instead of fighting and finishing one campaign at a time, you switch off between missions between factions. This was a pretty good game. 8/10.


This is the best FPS game I have ever played. It has great graphics and excellent gameplay. The cutscenes are top notch but the accents were a bit too much. The bad thing is that the levels were too short. I think it was a level where you were playing as the British, that level took me 10 mins to complete. And the whole game only took me 6 hours too complete, I don't know about you, but that is really quick as top quality games like Prince of Persia or MEdal Of Honour usually takes me around 10 or 20 hours too complete. The controls for the level where you had to row the boat could've been made easier as it was virtually impossible to do. And they took out the air missions which were a bit disappointing, but all in all, it is a great game.


This is the most immersing game I've ever played. The graphics are awesome, the action appears realistic and you do have to fight to the death. I like the fact that this game takes place during the Allied push to rid the world of those dreaded Nazis. The only reason I can't give it 10 out of 10 is that the missions are, in my opinion, too short. It seems that you start a level and quickly finish it even at the hardest setting. Well, I guess I'm better than I think. Mind you, I also play on-line with friends every Monday night. All in all, extraordinary game with punch ! Also, it was great to actually see a King Tiger tank in the game giving it a more realistic feel to it as in reality, the German forces did possess some units of that dreaded armor in the field. Contrary to some other comments I've read about the game in general, I didn't find the various accents throughout it to be annoying or anything. Well, that's just me, I Guess !


First of all, don't you be fooled by my summary:I really am a WWII FPS shooter nerd, as I've played them all. Knowing this, it's easy for me to compare this title with other games like MOH, Hour of Victory and the rest of the COD titles. COD 3 does finally what no other game does: not include D-Day, which has been done over and over again. Instead it focuses on the events occurring in end June/begin July 1944. The graphics and shading are excellent: the mud on the boots, the smoke on a destroyed panzer, nice movies. Everybody, like here on IMDb, shares the same opinion: the accents are too much ( Scottish accents are a Sean Connery overdose) and the levels are way too short. It took me less than 6 hours to finish the game on 'normal' difficulty. COD 3 tries to give the player an 'open field' game where you decide which path to take. But here again, it fails and you, as usual, just go from point A to B. Weapons and locations are good: although the sounds of the weapons is historically incorrect it gives the player a rush: yes, the M1 Garand still is a great rifle. In comparison with other games, it lacks behind titles like COD2 (which truly is an excellent game). It leaves the gamer wondering if this title was rushed out the developers office and it is a too pretentious game. With others words, it is too much stuff in a too short game.


Oscar-winning documentary on the 3 day long concert back in 1969. Despite more people showing up than was expected and running out of food, water and medical supplies and dealing with a torrential downpour everything went fine. There was no rioting, no violence...just people helping each other out. The film beautifully captures all this. It contains interviews with the kids attending the concert (their views are absolutely incredible), people in the surrounding town, the police, media...all viewpoints are presented. Everything that comes through is tolerance, peace and love.

The musical acts are varied--you'll love some and hate others. For me the definite highlights were Joan Baez; the Who; Sha-Na-Na; Joe Cocker; Crosby Stills & Nash; John Sebastian; Country Joe McDonald; Sly and the Family Stone and Jimi Hendrix. Also the sound is great and there is superb editing during the sequences with excellent use of multiple screens.

I saw the directors cut with adds 40 minutes of music (bringing the running time up to 3 hours and 40 minutes). They add Canned Heat, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and another number by Hendrix. Except for the Joplin footage none of it is really good or needed. The original 3 hour cut is fine.

Warning--there's lots of swearing, nudity, sex and drug taking. It didn't bother me, but it might bother others--originally this got an X rating because of it!

A great one of a kind movie. Don't miss it!


As I have seen this many times since it first came out on in the theater and then on VHS, I now just fast-forward chapters on the DVD to the music, enjoying my favorite performances in this epic documentary of the most famous rock concert of all time.

There is a lot to enjoy, including the stuff between the music if you have never seen this before. It certainly captures the wildness of the late 1960s, the good and the bad. It really brings you back to a unique time in American history. For someone who was part of that time, things that were "cool" back then now look and sound a little stupid and naive, but it's still fun to watch. Not only do you get a ton of music, but you see a half million people weathering storms, the mess, drugs, port-o-johns, drugs, dancing, skinny-dipping, drugs, eating. You get the idea.

Music-wise, everyone has their favorites so I'll put a plug or two in for the artists I've always enjoying watching-seeing the most in this movie: Ten Years After; Sly And The Family Stone; Canned Heat, The Who, Richie Havens, Santana, Sha Na Na, Country Joe And The Fish, The Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

At almost four hours, you can choose from a variety of music acts, enough to give you at least an enjoyable couple of hours of that alone, if you wish. This is a must- have for music fans of that era.


I was 8 years old the time this event took place and having older siblings into the times, styles, and cultures of the era I certainly got a feel and liking for the bands in this documentary. I have seen bits and pieces of this event throughout the years, but never took the time to sit down and watch the whole event from start to finish; that is until last weekend. This definitely is what music documentaries have used as the measuring stick to define themselves ever since. The Director's Cut, which is what I viewed, is 224 min in length. It's amazing how one can get "sucked into the experience" and not notice the time elapsing! The Remastered version is incredible especially regarding the visual and audio equipment used in that time period. The 2 channel effect with the split screen is interesting and keeps the viewer entertained by the different sounds and noises in the interview segments. Best musical and visual picks are Jimi Hendrix, CSN, Country Joe (cute use of the "bouncing ball" - can we say Karaoke?), Jefferson Airplane, and my favorite Janis Joplin. If you're a period person, grew up in the late 60's, or appreciate classic rock music, then I urge you to go and watch this classic piece of work.

9 out of 10 ***


Woodstock is a great documentary. It is edited very well and has great spirit and music in the mix. For the generation of the time it was what symbolized them, and I think this is the perfect film for them. Edited very finely (by the director, Oscar Winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker and the man himself, Martin Scorsese) with many parts of the movie in separate sides in great splendor. I think this film is the best movie in which a sound track was made, and one of the best documentaries ever made (definitely the best of the 70's).


What a great documentary this is with an event like Woodstock captured so magnificently on film. I saw this in the theater during it's initial release more than once and have seen it at least a dozen times since. This film won the Academy Award for 1970 as Best Documentary for Michael Wadliegh as he uses split screen imagery for many scenes capturing different events at the same time and different angles of same events. Wadleigh had done cinematography on a couple of notable but forgotten films from 1967, the feature drama Who's That Knocking On My Door, an early Martin Scorsesse film, (Scorsesse would help with the editing of Woodstock) and film maker Jim McBride's David Holzman's Diary. This had to be a monumental task to chronicle the three day event and reduce it to a single theatrical film. 30 acts provided about 50 hours of music to the crowd of half a million in upstate New York in the summer of 1969 and the film makers of Woodstock had to eliminate over half of the performers from their film but what they chronicled here is captures the thrilling performances and the crowd, the rain and the events that unfolded during that three day festival in an fast paced, energetic and thoughtful documentation. It was nominated for and should have won the Academy Award for it's principal film editor Thelma Schoonmaker who would go on to successful career editing such films as The Color of Money, Good fellas, Cape Fear, The Kings of Comedy, Gangs of New york, The Last Temptation of Christ and The Aviator. This film also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound and should have won that too. It's brown acid alerts, rain storm precautions, latrine maintenance, three days of peace and music and breakfast in bed for 400,000 with Merry Prankster Wavy Gravy as your stage host starring Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, CSN&Y, The Who, Santana, Sly & the Family Stone, Country Joe & the fish, 10 Years After, Sha Na Na, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie and John Sebstian. I would give this a 10 and highly recommend it.


Surely this was filmed 100 years ago? It was certainly another world. The innocence and kindheartedness of nearly all the people in the film is what strikes this cynic the most.

The promoters who accepted they were going to "take a big bath" when they realised they had to take down the fences and make it a free concert for safety reasons.

The landowner who can't believe the amount of people who have come to his farm

The locals cheerfully giving food and water to the kids and commenting about how respectful they are

The kids going to a music festival but for some reason expecting and getting so much more - and then queuing to phone home and tell the parents they're okay!

The performers who knew something special was happening and did their bit to make history.

At more than 3 hours the film could have seemed too long but it doesn't as the performances and interviews with concert-goers mix perfectly. There are few interviews with the performers as the director recognises it was really all about the kids.

It would be interesting to see present day interviews with people in the film to see their current day view on what happened at Woodstock but in the meantime we can only enjoy this living piece of history.


When "Woodstock" occurred, I was a 15 y.o French teenager. Watching the film again, yesterday, I've been stunned by its quality, its objectivity and its strength. It's much more than a "concert movie" (especially compared to the current ones, with their feverish cranes and cameramen moves). Michael Wadleigh and his crew really captured the spirit of the event, as it became obvious it was creating itself. They seem to be everywhere and give the spectator an incredible range of focuses and points of view. I've never been truly excited by the musical performances during the festival, but there are some great acts and the multi-screen editing set them perfectly off (funny to watch the contrast between the blues-country-rock white bands and the glitter-dance-sexy background singer bound "Sly and the family Stone"!). Glad that Janis Joplin's wonderful and sincere performance has been added in the director's cut... As someone else wrote here, one of the main revelation in this movie is how the attendees are young. It's really about American young people at a peculiar period in western history, when the "baby boom" brought a new, numerous generation "on stage". When western countries were really young, with lot of innocence. One (swimming) girl in the film stresses that. She says "we are gathering in many cities in the world" "we come over". And that's true : 3 days long, young people made Woodstock a unique event. They overcome global media hostility, long walk, crowded and muddy field, food shortage, etc (well, that's what youth is for!). Thanks to Wadleigh to have capture it (and thanks to the perfect re-mastering). PS : I'm sure that no full-of-money-movie-maker filming a musical festival these present days would make an interview of the-man-who-is-in-charge-of-the chemical-toilets (who has a son here and another one piloting a chopper in Vietnam)! A true mark of the 60's-70's era...

Thierry Follain


The trouble I have watching this movie today is - "Where did the last thirty six years go?" I was on my way to the original "Peace and Arts Festival" before the crush of traffic on Sullivan County's portion of Route 17 and my own youthful practicality decided against it. For a brief hour or so I abandoned my car on the side of the road to make the trek to a then unknown location, but it seemed odd to me that as many people were coming from the direction of Yasgur's Farm as going toward it. With estimates of how much further ranged from a couple of miles to as much as twenty, I reversed course, and by the time I got halfway home, the skies opened up in buckets of rain.

In another odd bit of serendipity, when the film came out I was going to college in Buffalo, New York, and wound up heading to Toronto with a buddy for a day trip. While there, we couldn't pass up the theater marquis promoting "Woodstock", and saw it on 'foreign' soil so to speak. Like it was yesterday. The film's odd legacy would continue, shortly after I saw Wavy Gravy in person at a university drug symposium - "What we have in mind is breakfast in bed for four hundred thousand!"

I'm sure everyone has their favorite acts from the Woodstock bill. The 25th Anniversary DVD managed to tack on a memorable Janis Joplin performance, along with the electrifying 'Voodoo Child' number from Jimi Hendrix. The spirit of the entire three day adventure seemed to be epitomized by Joe Cocker's stirring 'With a Little Help From My Friends', that along with the unlikely appearance of a trio of nuns walking through the pasture, one of them flashing a peace sign.

It was a bit surreal back then, and even now to realize that a city of almost half a million people came together for a weekend, enjoyed three days of peace and music, and then disbanded quietly while a nation watched in wonder. Nothing quite like it has ever been attempted since, and it may be the moon and stars may never line up quite the same way again.

For those who live nearby the original Woodstock site in Bethel, there are subtle present day reminders of past glory, like the colorful 'Yasgur Farms' dairy trucks making local deliveries. A more auspicious presence is the newly opened 'Bethel Woods Center For The Arts' that had it's grand opening in 2005. One of the debut performances during the inaugural season featured a return visit of Woodstock alumni, Crosby, Stills and Nash, this time with fellow musician Neil Young. You can learn more about the center at http://www.bethelwoods.us/

Reminiscing about the heady days of 1969 and Woodstock, a lot of nostalgic thoughts come to mind. Janis, Jimi, Jerry Garcia and Max Yasgur have passed on, while bands like The Who and CSNY are still capturing the magic for legions of (aging) fans. Seeing the movie after all these years inspires me to alter slightly that old adage about lemons; in the playful spirit of the hippie generation, 'If life hands you mud, make mudslides'!


when the movie was first released, I saw Woodstock in a theater with my great uncle. I was in 8th grade. He took me to see it because we both played guitar and shared a love of music. It was quite an experience - especially some of the "free love" scenes, but we loved it and he was especially awed by Jimi Hendrix.

I had a chance to see the director's cut in a theater this year. It was such a gift to go back in time and recapture the feeling of that time. While four hours is a long time, the extra footage of Jimi Hendrix and the dreamy scenes of Janis Joplin near the end are worth it.

Yes, Woodstock is ESSENTIAL viewing for any rock fan and for anyone who wants to capture the real sense of what it was like to feel part of a generational "love' movement. It seems so unreal in retrospect, but those of us who lived it - remember it. See Woodstock and enjoy.


Michael Wadleigh's stunning documentary couldn't have had better timing, being, as it was, in the right place and the right time (a defining, culture-changing moment in the Sixties). That's it's an expertly executed piece of filmmaking further indicates the stars must have somehow been aligned. Wadleigh shows a deep empathy for the men and women in charge of the festival (although you can still take him to task for his dishonorable treatment of some of the foot soldiers, most notably the Port-O-San man) as well as the townsfolk of Woodstock, New York; and he shows just as much passion for the music. The camera seems to be everywhere important and Wadleigh's use of split-screen photography has perhaps never been equaled; the editing (some of which is done by Martin Scorsese and his future editor and wife, Thelma Schoonmaker) is tight with nothing wasteful making it to the screen. Some of it's a little dated (can you remember Joan Baez' husband's last name?) and some of the music is exposed for the sham it really is (i.e. Jefferson Airplane) but if it were released in its current form originally Canned Heat would be today regarded as cultural icons and not merely a pop memory. Oh and Ten Years After stands alone. The nearly four hour film just flies by.


Best feel good movie ever - please bring back the spirit of Woodstock - come back to heaven.You never get tired of it. We may age - the spirit of Woodstock will not. It was /is the best rights of passage movie/event ever. Everything came together - it was meant to be. Magic was in the air. People were more Spiritual. Call us naive - but at least we could smile at you - and you understood. Can you do that today? This is what life is/was without our current mood of doubt and cynicism. People were open to spirituality. They knew the good Guru's - the one's you could trust. Where is our guidance today? I could swim nude with your girlfriend and it would be happy,fun,natural and non threatening. Woodstock showed us for a brief moment what life really always already is - before the decline of Altamont. This movement set in motion something that will return - when we are truly pure enough to live co - operatively.In peace and tolerance. Co-operation + tolerance = peace. That's what Woodstock was showing us....


Michael Wadleigh's Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace And Music to me, is more then just an ordinary run of the mill music documentary, it was a record of the hippie culture of 1969, the youth of America trying to make a difference, a spectacular experience of one of America's greatest rock festivals before the days of the original MTV (Music Television) & VH1 before they became sleezy reality TV networks. It was more about the kids, It marked the turning point careers of the future Academy Award Winning team of Director Martin Scorsese (Raging Bull, The Departed) & Editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It was definitely a challenge filming into a feature length film, real provocative documenting from beginning to end, with outstanding performances from Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, The Who, Joe Cocker & The Grease Band, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Sly And The Family Stone, Ten Years After, Sha Na Na, Canned Heat, Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Country Joe McDonald & The Fish, John Sebastian, Arlo Guthrie, Jefferson Airplane, Santana and many others as well as interviews with Producer & Woodstock Founder Michael Lang, many of the locals in & out of the festival. The only music documentary of it's kind to win the 1971 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. There will never be a Woodstock like this again, Woodstock 1999 destroyed that tradition & to finally see this film on the 40th Anniversary Director's Cut DVD in all it's widescreen glory is a special treat. If you are into Classic Music or Music Documentaries, this is one of them, along with No Direction Home: Bob Dylan & Gimme Shelter.

Woodstock: 3 Days Of Peace And Music is Rated R for Drug Content, Nudity & Language.


Richie havens, Joan Baez,country Joe and the fish, and ten years after Alvin lee were great, all the footage made great documentary of the first and only real rock concert. repeats can never be made, the footage of the original event can never replaced, including waiting on line for phones to call home. never happen today, with the cellphones, and could never be repeated. Crosby stills and Nash were also great, along with canned heat. with the rain chant and the arlo Guthrie stating the thruway was closed. todays youth want to repeat this event but the Vietnam conflict enraged this nation, and this was an event involved with and about the Viet Nam war. with 56,000 us soldiers and other killed in Vietnam this is an historical piece what ever your opinion about the war, it is still a tragedy to lose 56,000 to the war.and to this day makes you wonder why?


I knew of this documentary because it is in the book of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and I had heard of the concert itself, and I can see why it won an Oscar. To be honest, I was really "watching" it, mainly just listening to it while working, because of the good music shows, but also because I did not realise the original cut was only 3 hours and four minutes, this director's cut version I saw was an extra 48 minutes of footage. This film from director Michael Wadleigh, with the assistance of Thelma Shoonmaker (editor of such films as Goodfellas, Gangs of New York and The Departed, see the connection) and Martin Scorcese, this basically had footage from all sides (on and off stage) at the fields of upstate New York in 1969 of the biggest gathering (at the time, Live Aid probably beat it) in history for a big music festival. With music from The Who, Sha-Na-Na, Joe Cocker, Country Joe and the Fish, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Ten Years After, Santana, Sly & the Family Stone and Jimi Hendrix. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary, Features, and it was nominated for Best Film Editing and Best Sound. It was number 36 on The 50 Greatest Documentaries. Very good!


This Movie is a piece of musical and youth history, it shows the age of musical and personal discovery that the youth of the time embraced as they threw off the yoke of their parents morals and duty to country.

As they found they had a voice that mattered. much of it is voiced in the music of that era as it too was new and so very fresh.

no one played a guitar the way Hendrix or Alvin Lee did with Ten Years After. Just wait till you see Alvin Lee's stage presence, it's magical. The movie shows a time that opened the door for all the 'Pop,Rock Blues' music we all know. The movie is an example of a formative time we almost lost.


This Woodstock movie is labeled as a docuemtary and I love it. I love it when they interview the people in this movie since it's a trip listening to them. Plus they show live performances of some the best musicians on earth. After watching this movie you will get a good feel for what it was like being there yourself.


"Woodstock is not only a documentary, it's a real piece of history that teels us what happened during that three days of pure heaven on earth (as a matter of fact Jimi Hendrix's performance was deferred two days later, so the days are practically 4). In fact, "Woodstock" won the Oscar as "best documentary". I hope that this film won't be forgiven by anyone!


Woodstock was and is the greatest music festival ever (Woodstock 99 sucked big time and is a disgrace for the name).

I've got the Director's cut which is much longer than the 1970 version. The appearances on Woodstock are simply the best: Richie Havens, Ten Years After, Crosby-Stills-Nash & Young, The Who(my favorite band), Jimi Hendrix etc.

The message of the festival and the movie (anti-war) is very clear and the people are as you would expect (very high!). Also some habitants and policemen of nearby villages are being interviewed, this is quite hilarious. They don't understand the ideas and visions of the visitors.

I am a big fan of the sounds that all these musicians gave to the liberal Americans and the liberal world and I hope that it will remain in our minds that war is never the correct answer.


Woodstock is one of the best, if not the best, concert documentaries ever made. I have just seen the DVD version with over 40 minutes of film not shown with the original theatrical release. The musical acts are generally fine but no one is going to enjoy all of them. Standout performances include Santana and Joe Cocker. I particularly like the use of split-screen imagery and the filmmaker's wonderful job of conveying the mood of that time and place. This movie is highly recommended for anyone who wants to revisit life in the sixties and those sadly forgotten messages of love and peace.


Although I've never actually gone to the Woodstock Festival(I'm 22) it seems while watching this documentary you are really there.

Michael Wadleigh gives us a great view of the highlights of the Woodstock music festival which was held on the ground of Farmer-hero Max Yasgur(may he rest in peace).The documentary switches from music to great scenes of the festival(as well on the festival ground as in the village and outskirts of the festival).Most of the time the view is split in 2 or 3 segments so you can watch the movie 3 times and actually see 3 different movies.This makes Woodstock an absolute must-have for every music fan.

The greatest rock artists like "the Who","Ten Years After","Crosby,Stills,Nash & Young","Jefferson Airplane","Country Joe & the Fish,"Jimi,the Great One,Hendrix" etcetera.Of course,some great artists and groups are missing like "the Doors" and "Pink Floyd".But still,it makes for an unforgettable 3,5 hours(I've got the Directors cut,which is critically acclaimed) of non-stop beautiful music and scenes from the festival visitors.

The outstanding songs are now given an extra dimension by the band members who really get it on.Just watch Pete Townshend of the Who playing his guitar on "Summertime Blues",same thing for Alvin Lee of Ten Years After playing the brilliant "I'm Going Home",a rock ode to some legendary Rock 'n Roll songs of the 50's and early 60's. Santana on his big debut using almost every possible instrument on "Soul Sacrifice"(watch the drums-solo!). Richie Havens who had to play overtime because the other artists didn't arrive yet(watch his shirt). Country Joe McDonald,who gets the 400.000 people on their feet during his anti-war classic "I-feel-like-i'm-fixin'-to-die-rag. But of course,the most remembered piece of work during the festival:Jimi Hendrix version of "Star Spangled Banner",the USA national anthem.Although a lot of people already left because his show was postponed till monday,everybody seems to know this "song". There is also an extra movie about the Jimi Hendrix performance which I haven't seen yet,but surely will in the future.

Although the music is the best part of the movie,the scenes between the songs and sometimes during the songs(brilliantly done)are also of very high and entertaining quality.The "port-o-san-man" scene is quite hilarious and the "rain" scenes show the interaction between the visitors.Not to mention the shots of the village people,the people who live in the village close to the festival.Some are delighted by the festival and some are really p***ed off,watch the sceneof the old "conservative" man working on his car and the debate between the villagers on whether the festival is good or not good for America,this also shows you the big split of views of the american people in those days which now also reflects on the present debate of a war. Also some legendary quotes came from this festival:"It's a free concert from now on","What we have in mind is breakfast in bed for 400.000" and of course "the Brown Acid warning" which was used as a joke in Wayne's World 2,the parody of the Woodstock Festival.

Not every artist or legendary event is shown in this documentary,artists like Joni Mitchell and the Band are not included which I personaly would have enjoyed.And the forgotten "Abbie Hoffman incident" is also not included.I have this incident on CD,the Who box set,but I would have liked it when I had on DVD also.But then,You can't have everything!Also some songs and artists are kind of misplaced.Best example for me is the performance of Sha-Na-Na doing "At the Hop".This Rock 'n Roll song doesn't quite belong on this festival,but still it is a funny sort of intermezzo.

The end-titles gave me a pleasant surprise,because the editor and assistant-director of Woodstock is the greatest director in my view: Martin Scorsese.This gives the directory an extra plus if it ever needed any. Woodstock is to me the best music/documentary and maybe even best movie ever made.It not only shows great music of great artists but it also shows a generation of Americans who did not want to go with the flow of the American government,especially in their war in Vietnam.Sadly enough,Woodstock 1969 was also the beginning of the end for the hippy-culture which is also beautifully put on film in the other 1969 classic:"Easy Rider".

Still,the memory lives on and will never be forgotten.Especially in these days where a new unjust war led by the American government is approaching.

Woodstock will remain the best thing ever that happened in rock music and I will watch it over and over again.

R.I.P. it up,tear it up,have a ball. 10/10


Good documentary about the most famous concert of the decade. Many of the better bands, and some of the worst, were at this shindig where any and everything goes. Personally, I wouldn't have gone within 3 states of the place, but obviously not everyone is as crowd phobic as I. My main objection to the film was the camera zooming in on one band or musician to the exclusion of others. For instance, there was to much Richie Havens and not enough Country Joe. Way too much Jimi, and very little Carlos. It was well worth seeing, though.


Maybe I'm not even the right person to be reviewing this documentary, seeing as to how I was born long after the '60s were over. But still, "Woodstock" transports you back to the era, and everything associated with it. Too bad that they didn't show Janis Joplin's performance, though. I understand that she was so messed up that she could barely perform, but she was still part of the gig. Of course, Jimi Hendrix playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" is beyond electrifying. Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, The Who, Country Joe & the Fish, and the other performers all combine to create something that can never be equalled. Perfect.


(to some who have only seen the original doc, this review might contain spoilers) until just recently i did not know that the the version of Woodstock that i saw was a directors cut. anyhow i remember watching this with a friend in high school right before Woodstock 2 came out that summer. the music was pretty good, no really bad performances, but the movie was really hilarious, we were pretty much laughing all four hours of this movie.

a brief list of highlights include: a hilarious performance by canned heat, which seemed to feature a singer who resembled a 500 pound gerbil on speed.

another canned heat member who looked like the grown up version of that freaky little "dueling banjo" kid in deliverance.

the unforgettably hilarious performance of Joe cocker, he seemed to be singing "with a little help from my friends" while impersonating a retarded kid trying to walk on a recently waxed floor with nothing but socks.

and lest we forget the cringe worthy scenes of icky looking hippies running off into the bushes to have sex.

as much as i loathe hippies and hippie cultere/beliefs, this movies is yet another reason why, if i was given the chance to travel back in time i would go back to the sixties. i mean, since the sixties our society has bandaged itself up and learned some lessons about radical politics, and our country is still full of idiots. but in the sixties the percentage of idiots was at a more extreme level(due to the counter culture) and i just think that to observe, and in fact be a part of such historical stupidity would just be the time of my life.


The musical performances-especially Jimi Hendrix-make this a keeper. But the other material is of decidedly variable value. Wavy Gravy works for a while, then becomes tedious as hell and most of the concert-goers aren't terribly interesting. I do hope the one young lady who lost her sister in the crowd was successful in finding her, though. The thought that runs through my mind watching this during crowd scenes and interviews is,"How many of these people are grandparents, CEOs of corporations,drive BMWs and the like?" After all, it has been 31 years since Woodstock. They have become the generation they were warned not to trust. Oh, well. Better luck next time.


The documentary side to this is not particularly good. Just questioning random hippies who are too damn wasted to give a decent answer or tie their shoes. And these aren't funny stoners, just boring stoners. I don't think the majority even cares about peace and love they just want to follow their pig-like instincts and roll around in mud. It's like, yeah I'm in for peace, now lets have free sex. For peace, of course. Woodstock had a lot of rocking acts though, and if they were lucky, they even got to play within six hours of the announced time. Grateful Dead always jammed till whenever people were sick of it, then went on for another hour. You all know who came, you all know who rocked and who didn't, I'm just going to tell my favourite was the incredibly Van Driessen-like John Sebastian. That guy is awesome,too bad he stopped making music ages ago. Or maybe he didn't, what do I know. The Who gives an awesome show, so does Jimi. Richie Havens does a great improvisation, Ten Years After is just delightfully hard and nasty. It's not about making a statement,it's about rock and roll to me. And no war or whatever.


An incredibly insightful and daring film that works on so many levels that my friends and I are still talking about it and going "Whoa!" The dialog is impeccable, the acting and directing are brilliant and the premise is a very funny testimony to our current paradigm shift in consciousness.

It begins as a movie about a man who believes his life itself is a movie, and that he has a responsibility to live it very deliberately, offering all the drama and nuances that we, his audience, deserves to see....without boring or offending. While the people around him are convinced that he is crazy, we are not so sure, because after all, we are watching his movie, aren't we??

The writer/director who discussed his movie after the screening at the Ashland Film Festival, said he made this movie based on his own experiences making movies...and while it pays a hilarious tribute to the process of film making I think it goes even deeper. The very nature of performing for an "imaginary" audience invokes the same questions posed by such movies as "Matrix" and even the "Holodeck" on Star Trek, where we realize that we are the direct creators of our own realities. We are the writer, director and producer of our own life movies, which helps us out of the victim role and into the creator mindset. And yet, for all our omnipotence and freewill, life created in a vacuum, without feedback or accountability, is meaningless. Doing or being just for it's own sake feels empty, so we must have a more tangible reason for doing the things we do....hence our audience (or higher power, or inner critic or what have you) that helps us be more aware of and deliberate in our life choices. Makes us want to become the hero instead of the villain or the loser who gets dumped in the end.

So here we are, watching a movie about a guy wanting to create a meaningful movie (ie: Life) for us, his audience, who is watching a movie created by a guy (the director) who wanted to create a meaningful movie for us, his audience, who will hopefully leave the theater wanting to create a meaningful movie of our own lives....so as not disappoint our inner audience.

Whoa.


I absolutely ADORED this film! It's one of the most brilliant Indy films I have ever seen. An added bonus...The Movie Hero is also a unique lesson in film-making. Anyone who dreams to be a filmmaker needs to see this movie. If you are a not filmmaker, but love the art, you'll especially love this one. I've always thought of life cinematically, so this film absolutely worked for me!

For the first few minutes, I thought, "This is going to be a bit lame. How are they going to pull this off?" Jeremy Sisto is the reason this films works and the reason I hung in. I'm so glad I did! His performance of Blake, a man who believes his life is being filmed and his "audience" relies on him, was utterly delightful. I've never seen Sisto in anything, but now he's on my "must watch" list. If he blesses all of his films the joy and sincerity he gave to The Movie Hero, I can't wait to see more of him.

I also loved Brian White as "The Side Kick." I've never seen White before, but he was fun to watch and seemed very into his character. He and Sisto made a great team. (BTW, White resembles Keanu Reeves to me, and makes me wonder if they are related in any way.) Also in this film is Peter Stormare, who is a good actor but always creeps me out-even in his Volkswagon commercial! I actually enjoyed him in this, even tho he was supposed to creep you out-I found him creepy in a pleasant way.

Anyone who tells you this film is a waste of time has no sense of whimsy, no heart, and has lost contact with their inner child. The Movie Hero is a rather interesting metaphor for life. I plan on buying this DVD. I especially can't wait to view it with the commentary...which, when you think about it, could be a bit redundant! LOL!

I don't feel the need to tell you too much about it. Just pop some corn, relax and ENJOY this clever, uplifting, thought provoking film! I found it so sweet and lovely, it really made my day.


It's sad how long we have to wait for certain movies to be available in some way, especially when most of these movies prove to be completely delightful in every possible way.

THE MOVIE HERO is that sort of film. Just delightful. Imaginative, original, intimate. It's a first. Anyway, I've never seen a film that includes THE VIEWER/THE AUDIENCE as an involved part of the story.

Blake, THE MAIN CHARACTER/HERO shimmers with an aura of innocence and sweetness, yet also comes across as extremely intelligent, eloquent, clever. Some mentally disturbed people are extremely intelligent, eloquent and clever. Blake's behavior is hard to decipher. At least it's hard for the police, his therapist, and even his side-kick, to figure out whether or not Blake is delusional and hallucinating. For his audience, though, it's never a mystery. Blake isn't crazy, he's playacting, having fun, and we're on his side. We love him. We're always with him. He's charismatic, sexy, and bubbly, a sensitive soul, a lover of life.

If you look deeper, you'll see Blake's ongoing playacting is a way to hold at bay anything that might bother him if he didn't use his imagination to create a fantastic movie. He's broke, unemployed, and his girlfriend has just dumped him because she doesn't share his enthusiasm for film and is annoyed by his interaction with us. If he didn't act out his "movie", he would probably be very depressed or at least unhappy. Even his parents, who love him very much, while supportive of his decision to live a life of fantasy, don't quite get him.

But because he loves his audience and wants to please us, Blake refuses to be sad and prefers to be glad, and spends his days and nights walking around his Hollywood neighborhood, checking out the Walk Of Fame, taking advantage of bargain cinema, and putting together a cast for his new "movie", which includes a side-kick, a love-interest, and a suspicious character/villain. Who cares if he's a "loser" to anyone else??? He's our hero and he's taking us on a fun ride. His "hardships" give us all the more reason to love, sympathize and route for him.

Blake discovers the Bad Guy's plot, and rescues us from the fiend a couple of times. He meets the beautiful Love Interest and uses his box of charms to slowly win her heart. He interacts wonderfully with the Side-Kick and there are plenty of action scenes, stunts, and buddy-cop comedy sketches to keep any "movie nut" satisfied. The best parts, though, are all about the revelation of Blake's depth and what motivates him day to day.

Jeremy Sisto continues to impress with his vibrant, dedicated performance as Blake. His happy-go-lucky exterior is there, but he reveals his soul to show us the underlying loneliness. Dina Meyer as Elizabeth has good chemistry with Sisto and her gradual surrender to Blake is very believable. Peter Stormare is very funny but also menacing, so he makes a perfect Suspicious Character. Brian White as Antoine the Side-Kick is enthusiastic and full of fun. Carlos Jacott as the Doomed Fiancé/Jonathan was great in that his character was so smug and mean-spirited and superior to everyone. He even treats Elizabeth like her profession and desire to help people are stupid. His thinly veiled jealousy and inferiority are true to life. If you watch the early scenes with Doomed Fiancé and Love Interest, you'll see that even though they're engaged and try to believe they're happy together, they're not. Very well done sequences. Frances Bay has a lovely cameo, Alexis Arquette has a hilarious one.

It's a film that I can't say ANYTHING bad about. It won multiple festival awards, including Best Actor for Jeremy Sisto.


The fourth wall is broken in this funny, romantic and well-acted and -directed film for all -- especially people who love movies.

At the start, movie lover Blake shares with us -- his own personal, omnipresent audience -- his plan to do what all movie heroes do: battle a "suspicious character" and save the day. But first, he must find the requisite funny "sidekick" (he chooses young, black Antoine, whom Blake likes immediately despite his fear of the cliche their relationship creates). Blake also discovers the lovely, perfectly imperfect woman who must surely be his "love interest" -- and who is, naturally, already attached. Though everyone in his life questions his sanity, Blake believes his ability to see "his" audience is a gift. What's so great is the clever way the movie makes us, the audience, question his sanity at times, too.

Jeremy Sisto easily, breezily carries the film. He plays Blake as warm and likable, with just enough innocence to make us believe in him despite the underlying sadness and desperation in some of Blake's actions. I've been a fan of the actor for ages now, and here he has a role to showcase his full range of talent. He also has chemistry galore with Dina Meyer, who's pretty and smart and whom we want to be happy, just like our hero.

The rest of the cast is also terrific. The always-interesting Peter Stormare is creepy, yes, but it's also apparent he's having a great time, so he's never really threatening. Alexis Arquette has a funny cameo, Frances Bay a heartbreaking one, and Marcia Strassman and Eric Pierpoint (as Blake's mom and dad) are the kind of supportive, funny parents you'd hope to have if the world didn't understand you. Brian White nicely fleshes out Antoine.

Director Brad Gottfred shows a real maturity and confidence in both the script and direction. It wasn't until about halfway through that I realized just how complicated the camera work must have been. He's confronted with a similar challenge as M. Night Shyamalan probably had in presenting certain key scenes in the Sixth Sense. And yet he, DP Samuel Ameen and editor Ryan Rothmaier pull it off flawlessly.

During a Q&A after the screening in Cleveland, Gottfred said as of yet there is no distribution deal. I hope it gets one. Until then, if you have the chance to see this at a film festival, be sure to. I'm already looking forward to seeing it again in the theater, on cable, or DVD.


This is a concept film that explores the role of movies as metaphors for our lives.

I personally thought it was brilliant. While never said explicitly (that would have ruined the metaphor), I liked the implied parallel of Blake's "audience" as "God" or whatever spiritual force connects people to each other.

Do movies have a role in our lives other than being our "chocolate-covered treats," something we give ourselves only when we feel we deserve a reward for all our work and hardships? Can movies in fact be nourishing? Can they inspire us to live more fulfilling, more productive lives? "The Movie Hero" addresses these questions beautifully. I completely loved it.


I saw The Movie Hero at the Dahlonega International Film Festival and it was

fantastic! Great acting, great directing, great script, great everything! The movie is about the pain and difficulty of making art, even if your "art" is just living your own life. I wish this film was playing "in theaters everywhere" as they say. But it's probably not going to. It looks like it's going to play at a lot of festivals though, so I urge you to find it. You won't be disappointed.


I caught this last night at the Phoenix Film Festival. There was a lot of good buzz going around about it. The recommendations were definitely justified. Fresh writing, good pacing, family friendly and an excellent cast. Peter Stormare is a great Suspicious Character, and who wouldn't want Dina Meyer as a love interest. This entertaining movie contains all the typical elements of your basic movie plot, but the interaction of the hero with his audience (us) what could have been cliche comes off as fresh. In some ways the audience is like a conscience which may cause us to reflect on our day to day actions, or may cause some to become paranoid (what if someone is watching me all the time).

Overall I really enjoyed it and recommend it if it plays at a festival near you.


I was so pleasantly surprised to see such creativity in a first-time movie. I was entertained throughout the entire 88 minutes of this film. The acting was excellent, the dialogue intelligent and witty, the location fitting for the story. When the movie was over I had a smile on my face and I am still thinking about the provocative theme of the story days later. This movie deserves to be seen by a wide audience.


I just saw "The Movie Hero" today at the Cleveland International Film Festival. I was pleased.

"The Movie Hero" is hilarious, for one, and also really makes you think about your laughter. The main character keeps talking to his "audience" (us, in a way), but everyone thinks he's crazy for that. He then goes and gets a side-kick, love interest, all the stuff for his movie. The premise is unique and the way it plays with its ideas are just fun. The acting is great and makes it a wonderful, light-hearted film about finding your inner "audience".

We got to talk to the director of this movie after it was shown and he pointed out that he wrote in a week. As a writer, I was amazed. Stupid movies, yeah, maybe, but something like this should take way longer. Kudos to him on that.

"The Movie Hero" is so smart about movies, too, that I even thought about the wonderful film "Adaptation" during the movie. That should tell you enough.


I saw this film at the Cleveland Film Festival, it was one of the few US films showing, so I wanted to see it, but after reading the review in the festival magazine, my expectations were low. The only reason I call this film "kind of original" is because the concept was original, yet the humor that was employed, has kind of already been done.

It is about an aspiring actor in Los Angles, who is considered a failure by most around him. Because of his failure, he creates an imaginary "audience" (that's you), that watches him as he goes through daily life. He goes to great extents to impress his audience by doing things like attacking random suspicious-looking characters on the street. After a few violations, a judge has him see a psychiatrist, and from there, things start getting a little bit more interesting.

It was a pretty upbeat movie, and a few parts had me laughing, but it mostly consisted of making-fun of common film clichés and stereotypes, and despite this, the film still employed a few of these on its own. The main character often talks directly to the audience, which gets sort of irritating and there's also this villain that runs around, who also becomes annoying. The acting was nothing special, but I will give the writer a bit of credit, sometimes you are left wondering where he will go next, but for the most part the film manages to remain entertaining. Pretty average: 5/10.


The Short and the Short of It:

-this film tries so hard to tell a story unconventionally, which it kinda does, but the story itself is extremely conventional.

-half of the dialogue is spoken directly to the camera, or "the audience". It is meant to be charming and sweet and witty but in actuality becomes annoying, overused, and ineffective.

-any time something comes along that can be considered a cliché, the "hero" specifically acknowledges this cliché and says something to the effect of "we're going to avoid this plot development, as it is a cliché". Well, "hero", you've actually magnified the problem, because if the "audience" didn't happen to catch it the first time, you went ahead and spelled it out for them immediately afterwards.

BOTTOM LINE......don't waste you time.


This film has been a favorite of mine for over 20 years. I have been to the area this film was made in many times and fossicked for sapphire's, getting a few nice gems. I have tried relentlessly to get a copy of this on DVD or VHS. The national archives for Australian Film in Canberra have told me that the original owner of the rights to this film had not originally released it for sale on these formats. This person has since passed on , and now his family who retain the rights have declined to allow reproduction of this truly Aussie Icon Film. I believe that their doing this is a complete insult to us all, by denying us the opportunity to see this film again. Something should be done about this, as it is a must see film, not to mention the good it could have done for our tourism industry.


Boisterous and funny, Buddies is (yet another) widescreen spectacular of larrikin behaviour set in outback Australia. Looking like MAD MAX or Sunday TOO FAR AWAY and in mining territory, this is a blokey comedy with excellent leading pals (Colin Friels and Harold Hopkins). However, like most films released in 1983, it died the death of a brown dog at the box office. Nobody went to the cinemas in Australia in this period as the video boom took away all but the very biggest of releases. So many good films crashed and burned in 83/84. I have never seen it on video, or TVand a DVD release would be good looking for all the intended original reasons. On a big cinema screen it works well and looks great. It is dusty outback buffoonery and well made. If you have seen SIAM SUNSET or PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT you might get an idea of how well BUDDIES looks in cinemascope. Same territory and equally as enjoyable.


I too have seen this movie a couple of time and yes I agree with you all that it SHOULD be released or at least re-shown on TV. Then at least the ones of us who have been trying to find this movie (I have been trying to find it since I saw it on TV) on VHS or DVD. Could at least own our own copy of it. And not be bound by the narrow mindedness of the copyright owners and we could watch it till we wore out our VCR's or DVD players. Yes I agree that it could do a lot for our tourism industry if it was re-released. Just look at what Crocodile Dundee 1 and 2. Mad Max 1, 2 and 3, did for the tourism industry when they were released. Now those movies are classics and sort after by everyone who sees them on TV. Surely if we put enough pressure on the Australian Archives / Australian Film Industry we could get this movie back on TV. Letter writing to the cast, producers, and shows like Media Watch (channel 2 Australia), At the movies (SBS Australia) we can sway their thoughts.

Bring this movie out on DVD or at least re show it on TV. Tim


Buddies is a great movie set in Emerald, Queensland, Australia.

Mike and Johnny are two mates who are mining sapphires in Emerald. Another bloke is trying to move in on their claim and things get ugly, but not before there are a few laughs and punch-ups.

A good piece of Australian film making that should have done better than it did. Similar sort of movie to "Last Of The Knucklemen", another Australian movie that is worth seeing.

It is a shame that "Buddies" never made it to video or DVD.

If you can get hold of a copy of this movie, sit down to watch an enjoyable film.


Set in the sapphire fields of outback Australia, A great story of mate-ship, with a David & Goliath battle, "Trading Places" style, & heavy machinery.

I Love this film. I remember going to see the premier in Sydney as a child, 3 or 4 of the actors were in attendance, was a great night. Nobody new what to expect, but at the end of the film, I don't think there was a member of the audience that didn't love it!

It did screen on Australian TV once in the mid to L8 '80s, & I was lucky enough to have taped it to VHS. :)

I've enjoyed watching it many times in the years since, & it remains one of my many coveted irreplaceable VHS tapes. Hopefully someone like Force entertainment may someday release this Australian Gem to DVD.


I too have seen the movie many years ago and my husband has actually said that it was a great inspiration to him and has created the man he is today. I have been searching for a copy for many years as well and have been severely disappointed that the archives won't copy the one that they have and sell copies of it. Wouldn't you think that if you were part of a movie and people were specifically asking for that movie to re-released then something could be done.There were other movies of equal Australian bloke etiquette value like The Odd Angry Shot and The Last of The Knucklemen and it's a shame that one of the mighty lot is missing.

If anyone does get a copy I'd like one too so please contact me.


I loved this film immensely, and even recorded it from TV way back in the 1980's ... but sadly lost the film on a trip back to Africa. I could kick myself many times over.

For me, the attraction of the film was two-fold; primarily for the adventure, fun and humour, but also for the factual elements surrounding the sometimes profitable art of fossicking.

I doubt very much that it would every be released again, but I live in hope that the BBC or one of the Movie Channels will show it again (though usually of course, this happens at some obscure hour of the morning!)


This film is an excellent Aussie comedy, loosely hung on the frame of an outback romance. I hadn't seen it for years, but it was (finally) released on DVD in June of 2009 so I raced out and got a copy. I'm pleased to say that viewing it again it is as good as I remember it. If you have a friend with a big screen, watch it on that, the scenery is to die for .

I am so glad that this film is finally available on DVD: http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/products/show/3/1188 Harold Hopkins and Colin Freils are great in this, a real showcase of Australia, anyone is bound to enjoy it. There are 3 clips available in the national archives here: http://aso.gov.au/titles/features/buddies/


I am surprised and very disappointed to find out from the remarks of previous IMDb reviewers, particularly my fellow Australians, that they cannot obtain a commercially published copy of this movie.

Well I have one and for good reason, because I played a minor role in the making of this film and was given a copy by my late Uncle, Jack McCafferty, whose bus company which I worked for at the time, was featured in several cameo shots. My Uncle was overseas at the time and, left in charge as a Company Executive, was approached by the Producer on a tightly fixed budget,for a deal where we would provide free transport of equipment and personnel to the filming sites at Emerald and Rubyvale where we ran regular bus services. In exchange we would get a small featured role in the film as set off advertising. My Uncle who I contacted approved the deal and we went ahead. Anyway, apart from all this, and the business association involved, it is really a great film of two "Buddies", played superbly by Colin Friels (Mike) and Harold Hopkins (Johnny), (ex my home town Toowoomba), just trying to make a living and seeking to strike it rich, fossicking for gemstones in their humble outback habitats of central Queensland.

Despite the intervention of their nemesis Andy a menacing identity, who tries to dominate the local scene and cook the market on the real worth of sapphires he is outwitted by the two buddies in the end.

Joined by a host of other great supporting cast members like Kris Mc Quade, Bruce Spence as co-fossickers, and city slicker tourist caravan folk from down South, - George, Merle, Jennifer and Pete they combine to make this a great adventurous movie.

Simon Chilvers as the personable dapper chappy aircraft salesman, and great aerobatic stunts by Barry Hempel, who I knew personally, and died only recently in a light plane crash off the Queensland Coast, gives extra blood pumping spirit to this great Aussie classic.

The final clashing scene between Mike and Andy on their respective big mechanical earthmoving machines brings this film to a great conclusion.

See it for yourself and decide - if you can get a copy.

P.S. I was invited to attend the premiere of this film, which screened in Rockhampton in 1983, and met all the cast, including late local Mayor Rex Pilbeam who played the part of the chap riding his horse into the bar of the hotel in the latter part of the movie. The film did make viewing on Channel 10 several years ago courtesy of movie host Bill Collins, and I was fortunate to dub a second copy.I have not seen it since.


This movie was one of the best Aussie movies that I have ever seen and I have been looking for a copy of it ever since I was in a teenager but with no success, now I know why. Buddies is a true classic, up there with 'All The Rivers Run' and 'The Man From Snowy River'. I think that it is very sad that we will probably never see it again. This movie was a rip snorter and it is a real shame. My wife has mean looking for it for over 2 years now. She tries again every couple of months (when I mention it). I hope to one day watch it again with my wife and kids as they have not seen it yet, but want to as I have raved about it for years. Buddies is a true classic movie and yes I think it would boost the tourism trade greatly. I think a few more Aussie movies on TV would be welcomed by many.


Hi I too have seen the movie Buddies, I am looking for a copy of the movie for my mum and dad.

They had a copy but is got misplaced in travel years ago.

My parents went to the World Premiere on Wednesday, July 20th 1983, for Buddies.

This was a great day for them as they loved it very much.

In 1982 they also had an investment in the movie Buddies.

My parents also have paper write ups about the movie.I wish that it could be played on TV again because it was such a great film. So if any one out there could help me get a copy of it again i would be very grateful please contact me please Janelle


I too saw this movie in the 80s, even though I was a child I could see that this was a special movie.

My family taped it when it came on TV (on beta video) we watched it lots and lots of times, until my parents went out and bought a VHS video and out went all the beta videos.

I have contacted foxtel and all the free to air TV channels to screen it again but they all say they don't have the broadcasting rights. I thing channel 7 screened it in the first place.

I would really love a copy of it, I have been searching for a copy since my parents threw out the beta. Its a brilliant movie.