I saw this series when it first premiered in 2003, and I really liked it! It had characters like Des Kaye and Ray McCooney, who were actually quite funny. I liked the show a lot, and couldn't wait for it to return.

Then series 2 arrived. I was shocked by the drop in quality. No more clever, versatile characters like Ray McCooney. Repetitive, disgusting (and not in a funny way) characters like Bubbles De Vere and that puking woman (can't remember her name!) were the focus now. Even classic characters like Lou and Andy had become shadows of themselves.

I saw series 3, in hopes it would improve, but to my dismay it got even worse! I left the series with a bitter taste in my mouth, and went off to re-watch a true classic (Brass Eye).

I saw the rating of 8.0, and was amazed at how high it was. One great series, followed by two god-awful ones, does not deserve something higher than a 4.

My advice, buy series 1 if you're curious. Save your money on the rest (including Little Britain USA).

Rating 4/10


Says our dignified narrator and guide, "Britain...Britain...Britain...land of tradition...fish and fries...the changing of the garden...trooping the colours. Have you ever wondered about the people of Britain? Nor have I..."

And with that, Matt Lucas and David Walliams take us into a Britain far removed from Jane Austin. Lucas is short, fat and hairless, something like a pink, soft kewpie doll. Walliams is tall, hirsute (hair suit?) and, depending on the occasion, wolfish or just showing a lot of teeth. They are the creators, writers and performers of Little Britain, a sketch comedy series centered on the lives of a dozen or so worst examples of British human life. Want an obnoxious, trouble-making teen with a thick accent and an excuse for everything? Try out Vicky Pollard. How about the effeminate assistant to the Prime Minister, who invariably finds excuses to fall to his knees directly in front of the man. Or the fat, wheelchair-bound Andy Pipkin, who mumbles and lolls, and is just too lazy to walk. And there's plump Daffyd Thomas, young Welsh lad who dresses in tight, bright polyester and is the only gay in his village...and is determined to keep it that way. And more and more. We visit them often, usually in places like Kelsey Grammar School and St. God's Hospital. Since Lewis and Walliams play all of them (backed up by a small cast of straight-faced actors), the old tradition in Britain of men wearing dresses is alive and well.

There's nothing like it in the United States, and probably never will be. The FCC would have a fit, and so would most U.S. social service agencies. Little Britain is ferociously un-PC. If you think it is terrible taste to make fun of homosexuals, old ladies, the mentally disturbed, the fat, minorities, or any number of other groups (politicians and teenagers, of course, excepted), this is not the show for you. ("Are you fat because you're a lesbian or are you a lesbian because you're fat?") Matt Lucas and David Walliams have created a world (and a series) that is silly, bawdy, brutal, clever, satiric, surreal, lewd and funny. It's best watched in small doses. Little Britain was so popular in Britain that it just about became an empire...Christmas specials, performances for charity, a try at transplanting to America, interviews and awards. Of course, the pecksniffs and self-appointed moral guardians are always on the alert. Said one British critic, "Little Britain has been a vehicle for two rich kids to make themselves into multi-millionaires by mocking the weakest people in Britain. Their targets are almost invariably the easiest, cheapest groups to mock: the disabled, poor, elderly, gay or fat. In one fell swoop, they have demolished protections against mocking the weak that took decades to build up."

Perfectly true. Shame they're so funny.


I am a fan of this show, as the skits they do are often very, very funny and disturbing, although I must admit that I wish the repertoire of skits was greater. Each episode features almost the exact same small group of characters as done brilliantly by Matt Lucas and David Walliams. Most are of the characters are very funny, but even some of the funny ones lose their punch when you see the same characters episode after episode.

Some of the ones that are exceptional and don't seem to get old with repeated segments are the adventures of Daffyd, the only gay in Llandewi Brefi (a town I visited on my last trip to Wales because of this show), the nasty lady at the Fat Fighters club meeting, the two transvestites and the bizarre narration by Tom Baker (of Dr. Who fame). Some, though funny, just seem to lose steam after a while (such as the guy who breast feeds). And one or two are just so gross that I cannot watch the show with my wife, as she'll leave the room (in particular, the guy who is sexually attracted to old ladies--fortunately this gross skit isn't seen that often).

If you have a rather strong constitution and like your humor very twisted and gross, then give this a watch. Also, those who like THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN will probably love this show and vice-versa--they both really, really push the limits of taste but are quite funny for twisted folks like myself. However, do NOT let your kids watch it--the subject matter is often very adult, as is the language and there is some nudity.


Absolutely brilliant, occasionally queasy-making, gut-bustingly funny comedy. Matt Lucas and David Walliams have created a cast of curmudgeons and ne'er-do-wells that are astonishing in their range -- Lucas, in particular, melts into his various roles with an almost eerie changeability. The humour is actually relatively simple (a tiny man with giant props! the PM has a gay aide with a crush on him! a hypnotist manipulates his friends and neighbours!), but is executed with such subtlety and wickedness that it never gets old. Some of the characters, such as David, the only gay in the village, are destined to be cult classics, and deservedly so. Only complaint: some of the skits have the usual faint whiff of misogyny we've come to expect in British sketch comedy. But I have to admit that even as an inveterate feminist I tend to chalk these moments up to "cultural differences," and keep watching and laughing all the same. Please keep making "Little Britain" till the end of time!


Little Britain is the greatest show to come out of British television. The show follows the dysfunctional residents of Britain, in several different sketches over a current 22 episodes. A series 4 will not be out for at least 2 yeas though, as the guys have taken the show on the road, with Little Britain Live.

The Characters include Vicky Pollard - Who has 6 kids to seven different men and follows her adventures through the show.

Lou and Andy - Andy is in a wheelchair, but what Lou doesn't know, is that Andy is just lazy and has full use of his legs!

Sebastian Love & The Prime Minister - Sebastian (the PM's Assistant) has a crush on the Prime Minister and Expresses it, yet the PM doesn't get the picture.

Dafydd Thomas - The "Only Gay in The Village".

Mrs. Emery - Let's be blunt - She pees a lot! Emily & Florence - Two very unconvincing "Ladies".

Carol Beer - A Banker and A Travel Agent - The Computer always "Says NO"!

Bubbles De Vere (and Desiree) - Bubbles is an extremely large woman - who is naked in every one of her scenes. Desiree is her ex-husband's new wife (series 3 only).

Dudley & Ting Tong - Ting Tong is Dudley's new mail order "Bride".

Marjorie Dawes - She takes the Fat Fighters classes.

Mr. Mann, Roy and Margaret - Mr. Mann is quite picky in what he wants to buy from Roy, everything from a disappointed horse!

That is only some of the great characters of the amazing show!


Little Britain is just an great show,with brilliant sketches and good jokes.The humor is truly great,with a lot of characters which are again,great.Some people may not like it(Don't like it!) but they should not complain.It is a great show which hopefully will continue for years to come.

Matt Lucas and David Walliams are brilliant actors and Little Britain is just one of the greatest comedy-show ever! The new series -Series 3- maybe less great then Series 1 and 2,but its still great.I like the surviving characters the most.My favorite characters:Lou & Andy.These sketches are just a masterpiece. You should watch this.

My rating:10/10.


Probably the best sketch comedy series to come out of Britain since Monty Python. You'll love (or love to hate) the brilliant characters and situations created and performed by the freshest British talented right now: Matt Lucas & David Williams.

'Little Britain' is ported from a popular radio show. It's dry and crude British humour that everybody gets, except maybe the French.

All three series (1-2-3) are musts and will entice repeat viewing.

Just a few recurring characters: Lou selflessly dedicates his life to looking after wheelchair-bound Andy and Andy selfishly dedicates his life to making things as difficult as possible for Lou. What Lou doesn't know is that there's nothing wrong with Andy's legs, and whenever he turns his back, Andy's off out of his chair and gambolling about like a fat, balding, semi-naked spring lamb.

Stage hypnotist Kenny Craig has no worries about using his skills to get his own way.

Whether nicking stuff from the supermarket or swapping her baby for a Westlife CD, Vicky Pollard reacts to any accusation with indignant outrage, while filling you in on 'this thing wot you know nu-thin' about'.

Daffyd is the only gay in the village or is he? Marjorie Dawes is the terrifying leader of weight loss support group Fatfighters.

Emily Howard and Florence are two ladies going about their ladylike business, like any other normal ladies

Everything stops when high society Harvey wants bitty.

Not always laugh-out-loud but constantly in your face, will keep you amused for a long time, especially when they pop up in your thoughts in everyday situations and trust me they will. Ee-Ee-Ee!


Far better than American shows of the same type (Saturday Night Live)which spend more time showing political leanings than just being funny. L Britain is very funny--a bit more male kissing than I care to see--but the skits are very well done. As odd as it may seem, the funniest skit to me is the shortest, the politician holding the press conference in front of his home explaining the latest misunderstood sex scandal. The fat jealous women is funny although it can cross the sexual line a bit. The only gay in town skit is just plain funny along with the racist neighbor lady.(I'm trying to fill 10 lines) As good as it is--it ain't The Benny Hill Show though---sorry


Little Britain is one of those shows that just makes you laugh regardless of what you think is funny. I personally hate the vulgar humor sported by Madtv, but for some reason Little Britain doesn't seem to bother me, although it is more crude. The characters do repeat themselves and most of the skits are the same joke, but that's what makes it so funny! You know the joke is coming and still it makes you laugh. Take Lou and Andy for example. Andy is always changing his mind, and getting up and running around while Lou's back is turned, but the joke is always funny because it is always new in some small way. In the United States, we're so worried about being politically correct that we avoid what is truly funny, and we show horrible programming. Little Britain is a refreshing change for me, and it has killed my interest in American broadcasts.


Assault! Jack the Ripper, is a violent "pinku" film, made in the mid-70's, and pretty much wipes the floor with any American horror made around the same time. It was a bit ahead of its time, I'd say.

A surly waitress sort of befriends (or dominates) an introverted pastry chef at the restaurant where they work, and when she coerces him into giving her a ride home in a rain storm, they encounter a young girl in the rain who is apparently insane & uses the convenient icing knife in the back seat to slice herself open. They do manage to get her out of the car but accidentally kill her and hide the body. And I guess, that gets them hot, and an evening of sex ensues, after which there's some great desire to do all this again, with a different victim.

The pastry chef is VERY spooky because he's so expressionless, and the waitress is domineering and basically never shuts up. She says they're like husband & wife. OK, well, hubby is so taken with his new hobby he begins to set out on his own and select victims, even in broad daylight, and when SHE finds out, she's of course jealous & wants to join in the fun. Of course, eventually, the waitress finds out what happens to people who hook up with budding psychotics.

A very strange and nasty film, mainly because of the time in which it was made. Well done & worth seeing for fans of Asian horror, and predates the American slasher cycle by several years. 7 out of 10.


Everyone with an eye to see this film will no doubt have heard about how brutal, violent and shocking it is; and after seeing it, I've got to say that Assault! Jack the Ripper lives up to its reputation. I've no idea what the title is alluding to, but to surmise the film; it's an unflinching depiction of murder and rape that is all the more shocking because of the fact that most of the film is really quite realistic. The film is a part of the 'pinky' genre that was popular in Japan around the sixties and seventies, but unlike many of these films; this is not amusing or 'fun' - Assault! Jack the Ripper goes straight for the jugular! The plot focuses on two restaurant employees. While out together one night, they accidentally murder a hitch-hiker. The pair soon realise that murder is their mutual aphrodisiac, and from there the murders continue as the restaurateurs begin an unflinching rampage of rape and murder, with any random stranger unlucky enough to be in their way the victim! Naturally, this relationship doesn't last too long...

The only place the film is lacking is on the actual 'money shots' - we don't get to see the protagonist stab his victims in the crotch, and the reason for that is down to the Japanese penal code - which states that no full frontal nudity can be shown in films. This is a shame both for this film and just about every other Japanese exploitation film ever made. However, director Yasuharu Hasebe doesn't let that stop him delivering the shocks. The lack of full frontal nudity is more than made up for by the brutal violence and the film features plenty. It's not a particularly gory movie, but there's plenty of stabbing and butchery going on to please the gorehounds. The atmosphere is dirty and sleazy throughout and this compliments the brutal action nicely. The film is very short at just seventy two minutes, but this is not really a bad thing. The plot is very thin and while there's more than enough to keep the audience entertained for the time that it's on for, any longer and the film may have ended up grinding to a halt considering the thin plot line. Overall, I'm not raving about this film; but it lives up to its reputation and I wasn't disappointed by it.


"Assault! Jack the Ripper" is a notoriously popular pinku eiga film with a heaping dose of brutality and sex. Two restaurant employees - one an inadequate male and the other a vexed female - accidentally kill a flaky hitch-hiker after she, quite sexfully, smears cake on her naked breasts and self-mutilates in their backseat. Terribly scared of their misdeed, they develop a sexually romantic relationship, though it seems to only spark when they commit murder... They soon embark on a killing spree, kidnapping women, raping them and stabbing them with a pastry knife. The guy acquires a predilection for vaginal evisceration and his girlfriend seems to like it when he sixty-nine's chicks. There is plenty of what the 'pinky violence' fans are after: cruel death scenes and constant sleaze. "Assault!" never lets up throughout it's short run-time and isn't afraid to delve into all sorts of lurid activity. Very entertaining stuff! The production value is very good, might I add, and well shot and the acting is also believable. Highly recommended!


"Assault! Jack the Ripper" centres around a cranky waitress who has a chip on her shoulder and a nerdy, submissive cake decorator who both work at the same restaurant. One night, their worlds collide when they have a run-in with an insane hitchhiker (whose bizarre performance rivals that of Edwin Neal in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as far as insane hitchhikers go). Our protagonists soon discover that they can only become aroused by stabbing pretty young women in the vagina.

Their new found hobby becomes an obsession, that soon leads to an interesting role reversal. Primarily, the waitress being the driving force behind the murders, and her accomplice complying silently. Once the waitress realises her boyfriend has been having some "fun" without her, she becomes possessive and dependent on him. Events soon take a turn for the worst...

"Assault!" is incredibly stylish and well made. I really liked the Jazz/slightly noir soundtrack, which seemed an unusual choice at first but soon felt appropriate. The acting is top notch, and the violence comes thick and fast. Recommended to those new to Pinku and fans of exploit.


No matter where in the world, sex and violence in the cinema have always gone hand-in-hand.

Italian giallos; UK Hammer horror; the many films of Spain's Jess Franco; the trashy US gore flicks of H.G. Lewis: every country seems to have made its own contributions that combine the two elements.

Violent 'pinku' movies are the Far East's offering, and many fans of extreme cinema agree that they rule the roost as far as sexual nastiness is concerned, since almost nothing seems to be 'too taboo' to be portrayed. Assault! Jack The Ripper (a misleading title, if ever there was one, since 'Saucy Jack' is nowhere to be seen!), from director Yasuharu Hasebe, is a classic example of the genre and clearly illustrates why no-one does sleaze quite like the Japanese!

After a fatal mishap with a crazy hitch-hiker, a pathetic pastry chef and a chubby domineering waitress discover that, for them, killing is a mutual aphrodisiac. They set about abducting and carving up innocent women (more often than not, by stabbing them in the cooch!) in order to fuel their sex life, but, when the chef eventually decides to go solo on his murder sprees, their bizarre relationship begins to crumble.

With umpteen steamy sex scenes, a couple of repulsive rapes, and loads of grisly deaths, Assault! is not a film for your 'casual' viewer. The killers are completely callous and, although the numerous crotch stabbings are not explicitly shown, the sheer offensiveness of the acts (coupled with some suitably yucky sound effects) is enough to upset most 'normal' people. Rabid fans of politically incorrect exploitation, however, will have a field day watching the killers as they indulge in all manner of wickedness, including a marvellously depraved finalé, in which an entire room-full of nurses are rapidly dispatched.

And if all that excess wasn't enough, solid acting, good production values, and a great score all go to ensure that Assault! is an experience that you won't forget in a hurry.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.


I will confess that I do not understand how anyone can enjoy watching women being killed. There seems to be a connection for some people between violence against women and sexual potency. Certainly, the male lead in this film cannot get it up unless violence of the most horrible kind is involved. Are some viewers also sexually excited by this? A better title for this movie would be: "The Spatula Rape Rampage," since the butterknife he uses to rape his victims resembles a frosting spatula used in a bakery. How odd!

Some other oddities: his victims die in a big hurry, as if they were shot through the heart--certainly not in keeping with the types of wounds they are receiving. And come on girls, this guy is going to do unspeakable things to you, how about putting up more of a fight! Why don't any of these ladies from the land of ju-jitsu try kicking this pastry-chef twinkie in the nuts? I know it wouldn't be ladylike, but good god, he's going to spatulize your crotch! The female lead is perhaps the most rude and worthless waitress in the history of cinema, and I wonder if this might be the most horrifying aspect of this horror movie to a polite Japanese audience. I can't help but feel that her indifference to doing a really bad job would be one of the most shocking things in Japan. I think there might be a culture gap in understanding this movie. I know I'm perplexed!


It certainly isn't love at first sight when two restaurant employees meet each other on a rainy night. She's an arrogant waitress who yells at customers and he's a shy and introvert cook who's reluctant to drive her home after work. But when they accidentally kill a crazed hitch hiker and hide her corpse, they discover murder is a mutual aphrodisiac and fall head-over-heels in love. However, their sex-life only properly functions when the blood of innocent women is shed and thus they start a vagina-stabbing killing spree across the city. Things get even more out of control when the shy cook turns into a unstoppable psychopath who goes out vag-stabbing all by himself. "Assault! Jack The Ripper" definitely is a mean-spirited and tremendously sleazy pinku classic, but in all honestly, I expected a little more spectacle considering its rough reputation. Due to budgetary restrictions, we sadly don't see how the women get stabbed in the crotch with the razor-sharp buttering knife, but the uncanny thrusting noises as well as the women's agonizing facial expressions leave very few to the imagination. The multiple sequences in which defenseless ladies are pursued, beaten, raped and eventually stabbed quite rank among the most misogynistic and relentless images ever shown on motion picture. I can't wait to see more movies from director Yasuharu Hasebe, as he seemed to specialize in ultra-violent pinku film, such as "Rape! The 13th Hour" and "Black Tight Killers". The two leads give away splendid performances and provide the film with steaming hot sex sequences, demented dialogs and blackly comical undertones. The odd and rather inappropriate disco-soundtrack is awesome and the cinematography is steady. The outrageous finale, in which the guy completely goes berserk and literally butchers a room full of young nurses, will be loved by all us depraved fans of extreme cinema.


Rico Aversi(Christopher Mitchum)is the son of a murdered mafia chief,who is slowly engulfed by a world of forgery and drugs in order to avenge his father's slaying.His adversary,Don Vito(an excellent Arthur Kennedy,who never achieved the recognition he deserved),is cruel,vicious and has years of gangland experience on his side.Here is a battle of wits,blood and violence that ends in a powerful and dramatic climax."Mean Machine" is a memorable Italian crime thriller.It has wall-to-wall nudity(supplied by Malisa Longo and Barbara Bouchet),plenty of gunplay and some nasty bits of gore for example the castration scene.The film is pretty hard to find,but you should search for it.My rating:7 out of 10.


Christopher Mitchum is Ricco, a pretty boy with a blonde fringe fresh out of prison who sets out to avenge the death of his father, who was murdered 2 years ago in by his competitor in the Italian mafia underworld, Don Vito. As if that wasn't enough, slick Don Vito even stole his girl-friend. Well you'd think Ricco has plenty of reasons to be really angry. I'm talking Charles Bronson angry. Instead Ricco has this "I have nothing better to do this afternoon, so I might as well take on the mob" attitude that makes you wonder if anyone on the set told Mitchum exactly why he's supposed to be taking revenge.

Mitchum might not be able to emote for the life of him, but at least he has two modes: smirk and stare blank. He also kisses like a fish, rolls on the ground with his sister and her boyfriend because they're too happy to see him out of prison, feigns laughter when he nearly evades car accidents, blinks in close-up when he recognizes his mother and sister's dead bodies (that's emotion for you), heck he even karate chops people in a flashback to impress his father. His karate moves are a hoot and the movie is worth the price of admission for that scene alone.

Don Vito is a slick Italian mafia boss type with a mustache. He owns a soap factory, says stuff like "don't you know by now I hate soap... and men that sweat" and turns his own men into it when they fail him. If you sleep with his sultry girl-friend you get castrated in graphic detail, fed your own penis then you're thrown in a tank full of acid (that's how he turns people into soap). You don't wanna go around messing with this guy.

Now for the sleaze. It comes in the form of the drop dead gorgeous Euro babes Barbara Bouchet (regular in 70's gialli) and Malisa Longo. We get get close ups of Bouchet's ass and breasts while she walks, she has a striptease scene on the hood of a car, she's lucky enough to bed Ricco and is her all around cute self. Longo in the role of Don Vito's girlfriend spends most of the movie scantily clad and seduces Don Vito's underling in a very sexy scene. Refer to the previous paragraph for what happens when you have a sex scene with her.

The first half of the movie is so delightfully cheesy that I kept wondering where's Joe Bob Briggs when you need him. The second one is more gritty and sadistic with a graphic castration scene and lots of gunplay. The sleaze has a steady presence throughout and so does the silly dialogue. The score reminded me of The Godfather. That about sums it up I think.

Ricco is by no means a profound crime drama but it's entertaining and schlocky enough to warrant a viewing or two. Fans of 70's Italian crime b-movies will lap it up and ask for more.


Judging by the juicy title and exhilarating VHS-cover, "Cauldron of Death" appears to be a genuinely nasty horror film, but it is in fact a rough 'n tough revenge-thriller! It's still extremely gory and sadistic, but the storyline is more reminiscent to those typical Italian Godfather rip-offs of the early 70's, with relentless mob bosses violently eliminating their competitors in order to become the only reigning king of crime in a certain city. The titular cauldron refers to the favorite killing-method of the meanest bastard in town, who throws his enemies (and sometimes even his loved ones) into a giant bath of acid where they meet a slow and painful melting-death. During the outrageous opening sequences, which immediately set the right violent mood, we witness how the accomplices of Don Vito mercilessly execute the current crime-leader. Two years later, his son returns to town from prison and plots to single-handedly avenge his father as well as to recover his girlfriend Rosa who got claimed by Don Vito. From then on, "Cauldron of Blood" turns into a tremendously exciting macho-showdown between the charismatic young blond hero and the sleazy old bastard, with treasonous characters, lurid ladies and a whole lot of bloody gunfights. Whenever Rico humiliates Don Vito or steals some of his crime-monopoly, the other one responds by executing one of Rico's innocent family members, like his pregnant sister or his crippled mother. "Cauldron of Death" is incredibly fast-paced and, surprisingly enough, the script dissociates itself from all the feared clichés and taboos. There are certain deaths in this film that you can't possibly see coming and even the final battle at the end of the story is shockingly unpredictable. For this reason alone, I highly recommend "Cauldron of Death" to every fan of unusual Euro-Trash cinema! Other than the convoluted structure and the highly effective plot twists, this undiscovered gem of Italian smut-cinema also features some of the most outrageous gore you've ever seen. In one particular sequence, which clearly got edited back into the film after an initial censorship, we explicitly witness how a poor guy gets castrated for messing around with Don Vito's woman and subsequently gets thrown into the acid. His extendedly depicted agony is still horrifying, even though the make-up effects are cheap and very cheesy. There's also a lot of graphic nudity and sleaze (or what else did you expected), provided by two of Italy's most contemporary popular muses, Barbara Bouchet and Malisa Longo. I don't really understand why this film is still so obscure, especially with the recent revival of euro-crime cinema, which put several other highlights of the sub genre on DVD, like "Almost Human" and "Rabid Dogs". Maybe it's because director Tulio Demicheli never truly belonged to the prominent circle of Italian exploitation filmmakers? So far, this film is only available on VHS (or bootleg DVD-R) and quality of both picture and sound is horrendous. Here's to hoping it gets rewarded with a fancy DVD edition any time soon!


A young man named Ricco(Chris Mitchum)gets a year off his sentence after serving two years in prison, and quietly sets out to even a score against mafioso king Don Vito(Arthur Kennedy), the man responsible for murdering his mob boss father so that he could have control over the entire city. What erupts is a blood feud where many tragic casualties, innocents whose blood are shed, lie in the wake of Ricco and Vito's rivalry. Ricco finds an ally in an old friend of his father's niece, Scilla(Barbara Bouchet)..Scilla, at first, participates for kicks, but soon finds that she's in love with Ricco and realizes that his feud with Vito will only leave a lot of innocent people dead. Once Ricco gets mixed up with a crooked partner of Vito's, Cyrano(Eduardo Fajardo), once a pal of his father, there's no turning back. Diamonds, and collected dues of those benefactors for whom Vito "protects", soon play into matters as does Ricco's old squeeze, Rosa(Malisa Longo)now "property" of the Don. Vito cherishes Rosa, and anyone who dares even attempt to touch what is his will inherit a trip into his vat of acid. The climax is a shoot-out at Don Vito's factory with Ricco seeking revenge when those he loves are slain in horrific gang-land style fashion.

Ultra violent crime thriller with Christopher Mitchum walking tall, saying only what needs to be said..like his father Robert, Chris doesn't overexert himself. He's quite the cool customer, approaching even the most violent situations with a laid-back calm staring down possible death at every turn. Kennedy inhibits the sadistic Don Vito as if born to play him..having portrayed villains in westerns with ease, playing the heavy in "Ricco" is a piece of cake. The true star of this film, besides Barbara Bouchet who always knows how to make a scene, is Malisa Longo as Rosa, who takes you completely away from the film immediately casting your eyes towards her. She's quite a feast to salivate over..the kind of sex kitten who would have you turning cart-wheels and barking like a dog. She's "to die for" and one does, but I certainly understand why one would risk the chance to bed her. Whether walking around in lingerie or bathing top-less, she's a tasty dish..no a gourmet meal. Matter of fact, she's the best part of the meal..she's the desirable dessert. I found that Mitchum and Bouchet had good chemistry and that both knew the wattage they carried on screen. Mitchum carries that effortless cool and Bouchet is so damn sexy, and knows it, I never questioned why I liked watching them together on screen. Bouchet even performs a nice little strip-tease for the viewer..thanks dear for providing another memorable scene(..like Bouchet hasn't provided ample memories already!)I can carry away into my fantasies.

Getting away from the babes, I have to mention the castration scene. One fellow, Tony(Manuel Zarzo)can not resist Rosa's sexual advances(..given the situation, I can see why he succumbs to her wiles)and is caught by the Don. Tony fights three of the Don's goons before getting his privates sliced off with a knife..he then gets his penis and testicles shoved down his throat before being tossed in Vito's acid vat! If the opening scene where Ricco's father's face is shot in point-blank, then this gory sequence of events does. When it comes to subtlety, you'd better look elsewhere because the Italians always go for broke.


That sure was fun! Ricco (or The Mean Machine or whatever you want to call it) may not be the best, most dramatic, or grittiest Euro-crime film I've run across, but it is one of the most entertaining I've ever seen. Ricco (Christopher Mitchum) is a young man out for revenge. He's just finished serving a two year prison sentence for attacking the man he holds responsible for killing his father and assuming control of his criminal organization. And now that he's been released, Ricco discovers that Don Vito (Arthur Kennedy) has also taken his girl.

Let's get this out of the way up-front  Ricco has its fair share of obvious weaknesses and problems. Chief among them is Mitchum. He may look a lot like his father, but that's where the comparison ends. I'm guessing he was going for introspective and brooding, but unfortunately Mitchum comes off as vacant and robotic. His fight scenes are often hysterical. Watching him go through his kung-fu moves, I can just imagine the director off-screen giving him step-by-step instructions. I've never seen someone move so unnaturally.

But I've always said that I rate movies based on entertainment value and Ricco provides a good test of that statement. Looking past Mitchum's shortcomings, Ricco is wildly entertaining. It's a trashy good time. The movie has a feel to it that I found unique for this kind of movie. It never seems to be taking itself too seriously. I may be way off on this one, but to me it's as if the director, Tulio Demicheli, realized how absurd some of the situations were and just let everyone have fun with it. The plot is actually little more than the standard revenge theme, but it held my interest throughout. There's hardly ever a dull moment. Ricco has the violence I've come to expect from this kind of movie  including one particularly nasty scene that makes something like the cut-off ear in Django look like child's play. The supporting cast is top notch. Arthur Kennedy makes for a wonderfully slimy villain, complete with a ridiculous looking mustache. Ricco's old flame is played by the insanely gorgeous Malisa Longo. And genre favorite Barbara Bouchet's surreal stripper routine in the middle of the road is another of the film's highlights. What more could you ask for?


Originally, when "Ricco The Mean Machine" came out on VHS in America, it was an edited version, but the 2006 DVD release put all the footage back into it that makes it a violent, brutal movie. This contemporary Italian produced revenge thriller chronicles the last days of Ricco Aversi (Christopher Mitchum-the son of the legendary Robert Mitchum) after he gets out of prison where he served two years. He has been let out of jail a year ahead of time for good behavior. Ricco is coming home to see his married sister and invalid mother. Mom tries to thrust an automatic pistol into his palm because Mafiaso Don Vito (Arthur Kennedy) had his father, Gaspara Aversi (Luis Induni), murdered. Duty-bound Ricco assures his mom that he will handle things in his own way. Ricco infiltrates the gang with the help of an old friend (Eduardo Fajardo of "The Mercenary") who turns out to be pretty treacherous and his new girlfriend Scilla (Barbara Bouchet) who likes to hustle guys with her cleavage when she is trying to exchange funny money for genuine green.

Basically, this is a violent shoot'em up crime movie with some tough, gritty action. The uncut version shows a mafia soldier getting dumped naked into a tub of acid after the villains have cut off his genitals--yes, you see a super hairy cock & balls slashed off and then shoved in his mouth before they tumble him into the acid bath. Rosa (Malisa Longo) joins him a moment later; Rosa was the girlfriend of Don Vito and she was cheating on him with one of his crime lieutenant because she wanted to have sex with young meat.

This nimble European actioneer opens with the ambush of Gaspara Aversi. He is ambushed trying to get the night watchman to open a gate so that he can park his car. Three men open fire on him and wound him repeatedly but the mafia chieftain guns them down. Gaspara is not as lucky when the fourth gunman delivers a coup de grace to the him and blasts away his noggin. Amoral crime drama from start to finish with its own message that revenge begets killing and more killing until there is nobody left to kill, including the protagonist who dies in a duel with Don Vito. One interesting scene occurs about half-way through the movie when Ricco and Scilla rob two guys carrying protection collection money gathered by the Vito mob. Scilla walks in front of their car on a foggy bridge and strip-teases. When they get out of the car to approach her, Ricco surprises them from behind and sends them plunging into the river. The consequences for their ill-advised behavior is not good. An unhappy Don Vito has both of them thrown unceremoniously into an acid bath. The ironic thing about the Don Vito character is that he is a mobster who makes soap! If you crave exploitation European movie-making at its best, do not miss "Ricco The Mean Machine!" This movie was made when it was fashionable to zoom and pan with film cameras. Christopher Mitchum studied karate, too. The production lensed the action on location around Rome, Italy.


Robert Mitchums' son Christopher (who bears a definite resemblance to his legendary father) is the laid-back lead and title character in this Italian / Spanish co-production, a crime and revenge story that delivers impressive doses of female flesh and nasty violence.

Ricco has been in prison thanks to the machinations of Don Vito (a marvelously scuzzy Arthur Kennedy). Vito has also murdered Riccos' father, taken over his empire, and even taken Riccos' girl Rosa (Malisa Longo). Curiously, Ricco isn't *that* interested in getting his revenge (for one thing, he didn't care a lot for his father), but is drawn into an inevitable final showdown just the same, affecting everybody else in his life.

The absolutely stunning Barbara Bouchet, as the sexy con artist Scilla, and Longo are outstanding visual attractions (Bouchet has one fantastic scene in the middle of a road that needs to be seen to be appreciated). Director Tulio Demicheli never hesitates to utilize their impressive assets, dishing out all of the sleazy and trashy goods that this movie has to offer with great relish. The scenes of utter, shocking, sadistic violence are especially potent - heads getting battered, innocent folks (including Riccos' wheelchair-bound mother) shot to death, people getting acid baths, and the show-stopping punishment doled out to one horny and unlucky mob flunky.

Mitchum is a rather amiable, self-confident, yet low-key lead who's easy to watch, although his fight scenes are indeed hard to swallow. Kennedy is a fantastic villain here, doing a great job of chewing the scenery.

"Ricco" is an enjoyably dark mix of sex and brutality that is sure to titillate and entertain fans of exploitation.

8/10


The title suggests that Cauldron of Death is going to be another Giallo-styled thriller (Italian marketing campaigns...), but it turns out that this film is actually a part of seventies Italy's other big export; the Dirty Harry-influenced cop flick! Cauldron of Death is a little more nasty than a lot of the genre, however, as it features plenty of grisly murders, including some unlucky victims that find themselves being thrown into a vat of acid, a la our featured criminals' favourite method of dealing with people that annoy them. The story doesn't actually focus on the police like a lot of these seventies Italian crime movies, and the centre of the plot is Rico; a young man recently released from jail and thirsty for revenge on the man that killed his father (which we see at the opening of the film). The guilty party is a mobster named Don Vito, and he's certainly an adversary to be reckoned with as Rico, two years since he was sentenced to jail, is forced to match wits and out everything on the line to get revenge on the vicious Don Vito.

The film benefits from a good female duo. I'll watch anything that features the lovely Barbara Bouchet, and she doesn't disappoint here as we get treated to one of the best striptease scenes in Italian cinema! The film also features Malisa Longo, who adds to the eye candy. The men aren't bad either, as while Robert Mitchum's son Christopher is a little too naive looking for my liking; he still plays his part well. Arthur Kennedy rounds off a good central cast as the vicious Don Vito. Director Tulio Demicheli succeeds at generating a fetid atmosphere for the film to take place in, and the nasty death scenes certainly don't feel out of place considering the look and nature of the movie. The main problem with the film stems from the plotting. You'd be a fool to go into a cheapo seventies Italian thriller expecting a thoroughly well thought out plot; but this one veers off course a bit too often, and it can become distracting after a while. It's not a fatal problem; however, as Cauldron of Death is an entertaining and gritty little thriller that is well worth seeing if you can find it!


Well it was a cold, bitter cold, night and I was on my way to the local video store. This old Mom n' Pop place that I had only been to a few times, the owners were very nice and had an extremely nice collection of horror films. All kinds of em' lined the shelves, zombies, vampires, werewolves, mummies, you name it and it was probably there. Growing up I had long loved a film called "Curse of the Screaming Dead" and still think it's a pretty decent flick (okay it's crap but it's crap I like). So when I found out there was another movie called "Night of Horror" which was supposedly the original film that "Curse of the Screaming Dead" was based on I was a little giddy. At the time I had just found a copy of the original "Curse of the Screaming Dead" on it's original label Mogul so finding "Night of Horror" was a must for me. God I wished I had slapped myself...

So there I am in the video store searching the shelves for something to catch my eye and there it is, "Night of Horror". The movie I thought I'd probably never find was sitting right in front of me. I was a little surprised but I expected them to have a movie like this because they had been open since the dawn of video and the owner bought every movie he could get his hands on. So I bring "Night of Horror" up to the counter and I look up at the woman who has her usual smile and I asked if I could possibly buy the movie. I figured I should like it somewhat if I liked "Curse of the Screaming Dead". She looked at the box and then at her husband and he just looked at me. He looked up the film and nodded yes, come to find out the last time the tape had been rented Reagan was president so it was okay. I got the video for $2 (that should have been a huge sign if you're paying less than what it costs to rent) and I thought I made out like a bandit. Boy was I wrong.

I bring the movie home and do the usual, popcorn, soda, and other assorted snacks. I sat down and pushed play on my remote and once the film started I wanted nothing more than to go both deaf and blind. First off if you're going to make a movie, learn how to light the damn thing, when there was a light it looked like someone had gotten a giant spotlight and set it down in front of the camera. And the night shots...don't even get me started. Then there's the acting...wait that was there? I don't remember acting, oh those people who were walking around and babbling incoherently those were actors? Were they trying to act bad because they pulled it off brilliantly. As for the effects, what effects!? There was a freaking' fake skull and a fog machine with a raspy, and I mean raspy, voice attached to it. That's an effect!? Bah! After it was over and I slipped out of the coma I attempted to return the movie to the store simply saying it didn't work. I told them they could keep the money but the tape was broken. They wouldn't take it...they looked at me straight in the face and said no. The nice old couple soon became the devil and his bride incarnate. I wanted to scream, they knew what they were doing the whole time. They sold me the movie because they knew it was terrible. Argh! I threw the movie back into my room and it hasn't moved from the spot it's been in for over 2 years.

Until now, I reviewed it before writing this review and I have to say I hate IMDb.com, and I hate you all for making me re-watch this movie again for the purpose of this review. Oh what a tangled web you all weave...please for the love of all that's holy; avoid this movie like it were the plague, like it was a possessed horned up monkey with crabs that could very well be cooked and feed a family of 4.

STAY AWAY!


You just might think you have seen the worst film ever. "Manos" the Hands of fate, Plan 9 form Outer Space, Monster-A-Go-Go, or even House of the Dead....Trust me when I tell you that you do not know real pain until you have seen the thankfully almost unknown Night of Horror.

If would be different if something happened at all in the film...it does not. Just try to think of Curse of the Screaming Dead/Curse of the Cannibal Confederates WITHOUT ANY ZOMBIES. Yes, I am serious. That is just what this film is.

Honestly...this is the worst movie of all time, and I don't mean that in a good way at all. Let's put it this way I LIKE "Manos" the hands of fate, and even I can hardly take "Night of Horror". I have now seen it twice and will never ever watch it again for any reason.

I can tell you of only one slightly entertaining thing about this flick....a lens smudge It is by far the highpoint in the film and when it went away I was sad to see it go. At least while it was on screen it took my attention away from the movie.


Evil has many dimensions. It can make you angry, it can make you quiver with fear, it can make you doubt the existence of a kind and loving Supreme Being. For years I've sought Ultimate Evil, ever since I discovered that Plan 9 not only isn't the worst film ever made, it probably shouldn't make the Bottom 20.

And, while I'm always ready & eager to audition new candidates, "Night of Horror" may be -- IT. This film turns ALL the dials on the Evil Meter to 11. It will make you angry AND afraid AND plunge you into blackest despair.

Picture this. You take three or four of your lumpiest mullet-headed male buddies and dress them in Confederate uniforms. Put a bucket of dry ice in front of a Ford Gran Torino and turn on the headlights. Have your buddies stand in front of the lights and shift from one foot to the other. That's the sum of your horrifying FX.

Picture this. You see some goat-roper in line at Wal-Mart with 1978 REO Speedwagon hair and so skinny, his jeans fit exactly the same with the fly in the front or the back. That's your male lead. Oh - identify him as a "California rock singer" so everybody will know that he's supposed to be terminally hip.

Picture this. You want to establish your female lead as being hopelessly sensitive. So you have her read an Edgar Allen Poe poem to the male lead in the back of an RV. It works too well - his voice-over tells us he's now afraid of losing his cool.

This doesn't give you even a hint of how loathsome Night of Horror is. I've seen it cause even hardened veterans of the Bad Movie Wars to hit the Eject button screaming after the first twenty minutes. Manos at least had the studly cape. Zombie Lake had the naked girls' basketball team treading water. They Saved Hitler's Brain at least had Hitler's head mugging it up in the back seat. But Night of Horror has NOTHING. NOTHING. NOT ONE MOMENT of inspiration, humor, or gratuitous nay-nays. NOT ONE FRAME that doesn't look like it was shot in a koi pond and processed in bongwater.

And this turkey di tutti turkeys ACTUALLY FOUND A DISTRIBUTOR. Do you understand what that means? I have no doubt that all around the world people have worse films sitting in cans in ancient Kelvinators rattling away in mouldering tool sheds, that they just can't make themselves take to the dump. But Night of Horror actually caused money to change hands - somebody screened this excrescence, said, "Yeah, I think I can make a buck off that," and cut Malanowski a check.

We're there. This is it. We've touched bottom. Until Battlefield Earth 2 premieres, The Worst Movie Ever Made.


OK, so catatonia may be a made up word, but there is nothing more horrifying than trying to watch this "film" without the use of the fast forward button on your remote. "A Night of Horror" is quite possibly the worst film, video release, or hunk of plastic ever made. I would be ashamed to use this garbage for a paperweight. Everyone who "starred" in this "movie" should be flogged to a torturous death.

Here is a brief rundown of the entire film, which I had to stomach, as it was one of the worst 75 minutes of my life. "Spoilers" are included, I guess, though there's nothing to spoil. The movie starts off with some character walking into what looks like an abandoned building. He meets the main character of the movie downstairs, who is intoxicating himself out of depression. This figure is grotesquely 70-ish, with a soupstrainer mustache, bell bottoms etc. throughout the entire film. After about a half hour(or what seemed to be a half hour) of the two talkin about things you can't understand, because they're cleverly mumbling(I guess the director wanted to build a sense of mystery) we switch to a scene with the 70's guy, 2 chicks and another dude, who is the worst actor I've ever had the displeasure of viewing(though all the others are horrible), all step into an RV for a road trip. Disgustingly mirthful music plays now for about 10 minutes non-stop, the same music being played at least a dozen times throughout the remainder of the movie. The various sights of the road trip are displayed with never-before-scene glory, sights such as the side an back of the RV and the interstate. The never ending soundtrack continues, sounding like a poor MIDI file stuck on auto-replay. As for the film quality during the course of the movie, I wil not even delegate it to the ranks of old reel-to-reel films. Back to the "plot". Ok, the 70's dude keeps on hitting on the dog chick in the back of the RV. She is married to the fat and lazy driver, who gives the worst acting performance in the history of, well, acting. So anyway, the dog face that 70's boy keeps flirting with has some psychic visions, the fat dude drinks some beer after the RV stops, then they all go wandering in the woods for some reason unbeknownst to me. They all meet up and start a bonfire, then a bunch of "ghosts" gather around and start talking about some crap you can't make out. A scene is then played in which a bunch of guys in civil war suits shoot at each other from long distance in slow-mo, with the victorious battle music of-you guessed it, the RV MIDI file rockin' out in the background! Then the film ends abruptly. I really can't recall anything else that happened, for I have tried to wash this aberration to the movie world from my mind. All that can be said is that it looks worse than the home video of an actual RV trip, it's filled with the nonstop chords of MIDI piano music, the acting is sub-human standard, and there is absolutely no plot or reason in this entire film. The only suggestion I have is not to rent this movie if you see it in your local video outlet, it may make you become the biggest Plan 9 from Outer Space fan ever. 1/10


Steve "The Sandman" Sandkuhler lights up the screen in his Oscar nominated portrayal of Terry Luttrell, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, as Tony Malanowski unfolds his first masterpiece, "Night of Horror." From the well lit cinematography to the intelligent dialog, Sandkuhler shows that he's no lightweight in Hollywood. Perhaps that's because he's never stepped foot in the town.

This movie involves sixty minutes of losers from the 1970's riding around in a Winnebago while listening to some skank-hippie chick recite "The Raven" by Poe, then run into the ghosts of Confederate soldiers who lead them to the plastic Halloween candy skull of their captain. Also, there's a compelling scene where Sandkuhler's Luttrell recaps the movie to his bandmate and uses the story as an excuse for why he can't resume his status as a "big California rock star."

0 Stars


Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked!!!! Watch it for a night of sheer ... "HORROR" ... Untouchable in script and screenplay, this film makes a mockery out of so called classics such as star wars. FKMag states, and i quote "Wicked, Wicked, Wicked!!!"


Okay, before I start, I will be the first to admit that there are a couple of plot holes, an unforgivable contrivance, and that belief does have to be suspended here and there for Jessie the wonder-kid's feats. Okay. There. I've said it.

All in all, this film is a wonderfully entertaining darkling freak of a movie. This is not your typical slasher/serial killer fare. I found this attempt to be downright disturbing and unsettling. This remains one of my favorites for the socially responsible message, the beautiful relationship between Glenn's character and that of his son, and the wonderful element of suspense found here.

Great low budget thriller with a solid, fluid story and some decent performances by Scot Glenn and Jesse Cameron-Glickenhaus. Definitely worth a watch.

It rates a 6.8/10 from...

the Fiend :.


I like the way this movie was made, the only bad thing is... they had to use the director's son as a lead. Sure, he didn't do that bad of a job, but it would have been better if they could have used Elijah Wood, or someone else less annoying. Overall this was a decent film that I'd see again. It is creepy to think we have these type of people running around.


The story has... well... huge holes! But the relationship between father and son made this movie worth watching!!

The young actor, Jesse, has alot of natural talent and is surprisingly believable in his role as this self-assured young man.

So, set aside reality, get out a large dose of salt and enjoy.


This movie was a good one. I loved the plot line. The movie is about a father that works in law enforcement and his son is helping him track a serial killer of kids. The boy in this movie is portrayed as very intelligent. I found this movie to be very entertaining and thrilling. I give it a high rating. I remember when it was on cable years ago my young nephews loved the boy in this movie because he rode a dirt bike. The boy and his father were very close. This is a father and son action thriller. I would recommend this movie to everyone. There are some very thrilling moments. I rate this movie a 7 because it will have you using your mind to find out the killer. If you get the chance rent or buy this movie it was a very good one!


I am a huge fan of James Glickenhaus, and when I saw this film for sale I snagged it, and let me tell you, from the cover it looked like a second rate tele movie, but it is stylish and intelligent. Scott Glenn is superb, as is the director's son. This film is scary and chilling, and I think it has more class than most famous ritual killing films. Brilliant, Glickenhaus you should keep making films!


Slaughter of the Innocents stars Scott Glenn (The Keep) as FBI Agent Stephen Broderick. After witnessing the wrongful execution of a 'convict' believed to be responsible for the brutal killing of a young girl that occurred years ago. In Mohab, after the execution, a store clerk gets killed and a young child is kidnapped. Both crimes mirror the child homicide. The only person that believes Broderick is his computer-whiz of a son Jesse (Played by Jesse Cameron-Glickenhaus, the director's son.) Stephen and his son later head out to Mohab to locate the real killer, who happens to be a schizophrenic who believes himself to be a new Noah, having built himself an Ark and have collected two of every living thing. And Jesse may be the next victim. Who will survive? Overall, I think the movie is actually not that bad. It is ridiculous that Jesse is displayed as being smarter than any of the federal agents shown in this movie, but it's still funny, in an unintentional away. James Glickenhaus, who also helmed the awesome Peter Weller/Sam Elliott movie Shakedown, did a good job with the direction and I also liked the score by Joe Renzetti (Child's Play, Frankenhooker.) Recommended.

DVD EXTRAS: The DVD is bare-boned but with a pretty good full frame presentation. Also, the DVD is out of print, but I was very lucky to find it for only $3 at BigLots!, so if you find this film at your local BigLots!, I would suggest buying it.


At first I believed this was a SILENT OF THE LAMBS ripoff, and not a very bad one, and I even wondered why it wasn't more famous ,or at least somewhat famous. Then I saw why:--because it's too lousy;--because it's so ridiculous;--because it's extravagant in an overcamped manner. Because that kid is so annoying. These are several causes.

It's a HOWCATCHEM, so overthetop and bombastic as to be ridiculous.

It plumbs new depths of rubbish. The script is bad and stupid, the kid is annoying.

What's ultra disgusting is Scott Glenn's cult actor prestige.


there is not a single thing about this movie that is believable. More plot holes than you can count. Scott Glenn is somewhat miscast as an FBI agent. Plus, the do-good mentality of the movie is somewhat a put-off. Finally, the female character, Lamar, is very odd. She does not dress like any federal agent has ever dressed, except perhaps at Holloween. Some weird clown-tie and overcoat getup. Whose idea was that? Beyond stupid. This was filmed in 1994. computers of that day could barely turn on, much less do what this movie shows. It is interesting to compare this to Crimminal Minds. Still, it is a one of a kind movie, and so should be seen just for that.


My Dad found this film on video at a sale and raved to me that it was "the most amazing film" he had ever seen. I knew my Dad had bad taste, but ohmygod, this is bad. I could not really find a plot in this movie (even though I was forced to watch it twice). Any massive plot holes are polyfilla-ed by a talking computer. How does the boy find the murderer's location? The talking computer! How does the detective find out where his son is? The talking computer! ...There is only one reason to watch this movie - or rather, fast forward through it - and that is to see a large Noah's Arc roll off the side of a cliff and smash into loads of little pieces. That is THE best bit, and the only bit worth looking up for (if only for amusement). However, even this moment is ruined by a (highly comedic) cry of "Nooooooooooooo!" from the murderer aboard the boat.


A better-than-many serial killer movie. I liked it well enough to see it twice on cable and even to recommend it. I found it dark and brooding. The acting was more than acceptable and, although the genius of the child was, perhaps, not completely credulous, it also wasn't totally unbelievable. The build up to the finale was well planned and the last fifteen minutes kept me on the edge of my seat.


It's not the worst movie I've ever seen but it's awfully close. Started fairly good but went downhill FAST. Scott Glenn you should be ashamed and he probably is. Did he need a paycheck as bad as this ? I'm beginning to think that video stores have all the worst movies ever made .


This film is so bad that it has to be seen to be believed. Basically it involves an incredibly annoying child who somehow tracks down a crazy serial killer before the FBI's finest, including his father, have gotten anywhere with the case. As you can see, realism has no place in this film. There are so many ridiculous things in this film, I don't know where to start. Why must all lunatic serial killers in bad movies recite passages from the Bible to appear mad? The ending to this piece of trash is a classic piece of movie stupidity. At least by watching this rubbish I will see all other bad films (including "Cool as Ice") in a new light as none are even remotely as bad as this piece of crap. Now I don't want to waste my time on this movie ever again.


I notice that five of the six people who commented before me on "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" spoke of the lasting impression it made on them. In 1947, when it came out, I was 13; I didn't see it again until 1975 or '76, when it was shown on TV, and I watched it with a young woman in her early 20's. In 1975-'76 I was eager to see if it would give me the pleasure it had as a teenager. It did, and it has stuck with that young woman, too, who has been my wife for more than 25 years. Both of us regard it as second only to "Singin' In the Rain." The music IS wonderful, as others have said, and the stars are at least adequate, but I remember best the color and the nostalgic mood, a sweetly innocent and beautiful aura. I looked it up on IMDb hoping that it might still be available on video. I see that others before me had the same hope, only to be blighted. Pity. It should be reissued and treasured.


My favorite musical next to the Jolson Story. The songs send tingles to the spine- a yearning for the carefree life at the turn of the century. Mark Stevens and June Haver are outstanding as the leads. Reg Gardiner and Martha Stewart are also great in their supporting roles. The songs- I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now, Hello My Baby, Honeymoon, etc. are true classics.


The movie came out in 1947 and my girl friend Virginia Rose and I went to see it together. (Small town girls, we practically lived at the movies). I was eight years old and totally entranced by the title song. I can sing it to this day, but no one seems to want to listen. :) I was beginning to think I was the only person who remembered this movie and am pleased to know I am not alone. I have not seen the movie since, but do wish it would be re-issued so that we old fans could enjoy the music and characters again. June Haver was beautiful and was one of my favorite actresses. I remember being happy when she married Fred MacMurray who was another favorite of mine.


June Haver presents a beautiful life like representation of an idylic world where success occurs while life is the lie and 3rd grade words are not kept from promotion ie white lies go far. I was born in 1952, so this movie is way out of my time frame for appreciation as the year now is 2002 but it does not take much effort to recognize greatness, no matter what year faces the antiquities of its present and its vehicles of success.

The movie, has terrific set design. The technology was the 10 gigahertz computer of the day. The wardrobes have beautiful embroidery with terrific symbolism of a hot night life. Even the difficulties of Russia of that time are gently assuaged with positivisms that only the arts could present as opposed to political intrigues that were overwhelming at that time for almost any successful state of mind.

The movie did much for me feeling very happy about being a private in the front lines of money, being able to speak under orders that had an authority behind them and should of I had a few dollars, maybe could have a chance a kissing one of those girls.


I remember this as being one of my all time favorite movies as a child. Haven't seen it since the late 40's. I would really like to find a source to purchase this wonderful musical, but haven't been successful. The music, dancing, romance, it was from a great time in our country.


This is a claustrophobic little film, independently made with a small budget, yet it delivers the goods. Think "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" combined with "Vampirella". An average run-of-the-mill Midwestern serial killer meets up with a lovely vampire. She then runs off and leaves him to the tender mercies of another lovely vampire who teaches him how to feed his own hunger for blood. The serial killer then struggles with his conscience and his sanity--all leading to a somewhat twisted ending. Not a great film, but well worth watching.


Well, it's not very easy these days to come up with an original idea in a genre that's as tired and worn out as the vampire genre, but director Kevin J. Lindenmuth's ADDICTED TO MURDER is a quirky little opus that stylishly blends vampires and serial killers to create an interesting and entertaining flick.

Joel Winter (Mick McCleery) is a quiet and seemingly normal guy who has an uncontrollable desire for murder. His world gets turned upside down when two vampires, Rachel and Angie, get thrown into the mix. With Rachel (Laura McLauchlin), he finds a relationship that satisfies both his murderous desires and, in turn, helps to remind her of what it's like to be human. When Rachel leaves him, Joel vainly tries to recapture that "special" relationship that he found with her. He soon meets Angie (Sasha Graham), whose evil intentions lead him to question the nature of his life.

First of all, I was impressed with the above-average production values of the movie. Even though it was shot on video, a lot of effort was obviously put into this by everyone involved. It's intelligently written and directed, it boosts good lighting and editing, it features a great score from Steve Maruzzelli and Hector Milia, and has some well-executed gore and makeup effects from Derek Becker and Ron Chamberlain.

The movie also featured some good performances. Laura McLauchlin and Sasha Graham were definite standouts in the cast. The only real problem was the lead, Mick McCleery. His lack of screen presence really started to tax my nerves after awhile. He's not completely awful, but he sticks out when compared to the rest of the cast.

Despite a few other minor problems (the "interview" device used in the movie slowed the pace down a little and some of the dialogue was hard to understand), this has got to be one of the best shot-on-video movies out on the market today, next to SAVAGE HARVEST and SHATTER DEAD! Check it out!


It's been a while that I watched a movie were you are holding the fast forward button. People on forums were recommending this flick due the strange storyline and the fact that it is OOP and never released on DVD. the storyline itself is okay, a serial killer falls in love with a vampire, the vampire disappears and a succubus replaces her. Both telling him to kill and to change into a vampire. So far so good but it is really boring. There is a lot of blah blah and the killings are all off screen. On the VHS it's been written, gore drenched. Well, surely that guy has to learn what gore is. Again before someone attacks me, I would like to state that a movie DOESN'T have to contain gore to be good. I have reviewed a lot of flicks that doesn't contain the red stuff but still deliver the horror in some way. But it just doesn't work, and the best part should be the ending, watch it to believe it, the special effects are, to say the least, special. Not my cup of tea but still some people are hunting this one down so I should be lucky to have found it.


Great drama, bad horror. Although the film is lacking here and there, I still liked it. Addicted to Murder does feature some good acting by Sasha Graham, Laura McLauchlin, and Bernadette Pauley. At times I felt like I was watching a soap opera, which is one of the reasons I liked it. The film doesn't have much blood and guts, which might be a turnoff for alot of horror fans, but one thing that can't be ignored about Addicted to Murder is that it is unique.

Love it or hate it, YOU decide!!!!!!!!


I find it inconceivable that Ringo Lam failed to make it in Hollywood. He's just as powerful a director as John Woo, and in some ways, moreso. His worldview is a depressing and downbeat one and the pressure on him to provide his sole Hollywood film to date, Jean-Claude Van Damme's _Maximum Risk_ with a happy ending, may have deprived American audiences of a great talent.

The proof of this statement lies in the films which Lam has made since returning to Hong Kong: _Full Alert_, _The Suspect_, and this, _Victim_. Starring the intense Lau Ching Wan, an actor who may one day give Chow Yun-Fat a run for his money, this is an offbeat mixture of horror and crime film. That the combination works so well is testament to Lam's direction and screenplay. Wan's character is a former employee of the national mint, whose lost his job and is kidnapped one day by a group of criminals who leave him, hanging by his heels, in a deserted hotel, haunted by the ghosts of the former owners, victims of a murder-suicide. Wan uses this background as a sort of cover as he seemingly becomes possessed and acts strangely. His girlfriend and the cop on the case don't know what to make of his actions--sudden, irrational outbursts, digging in the garden late at night, leading the police on high-speed car chases. When the answer comes, it's as much a surprise to us as to the other characters and the final 30-45 minutes of the film are unrelentingly grim and downbeat, with a nihilistic finale, similar to that of _Full Alert_.

Lam is still a director to be reckoned with and he's still adding gems to a resume that already contains such classics as _City on Fire_ and _Full Contact_. Perhaps he'll get his second chance at a Hollywood career--lord knows, he deserves it!


Ringo Lam's 'Victim' is a movie that it's difficult to talk about without giving away too much, but I'll try. A thriller with supernatural undertones and a particularly intriguing plot, it certainly stands out from the main body of his work - there are action scenes, and they're well handled, but this is much more of a character-led mystery.

After a pointless killing in a car park, the police discover that their prime suspect is actually a victim, abducted by brutal kidnappers. But why would anyone kidnap an unemployed man with heavy debts? When he's returned without a ransom, dumped in a supposedly haunted hotel that was the site of a brutal murder, things get weirder still as he seems to have developed an entirely different personality. Is it post-traumatic stress or is he possessed by a murderer's ghost - or is it something completely different? Like most mysteries, once the cat is out of the bag it loses much of its grip, although the explanation is quite satisfying. But for the most part it's a beautifully crafted with several standout sequences and some surprisingly strong performances.


Ringo Lam"s first Hong Kong film after his try in Hollywood is an impressive one.The plot itself has so many unexpected twists that you can watch it easily twice and still discover things you didn't see the first time.The good camerawork gives the movies atmosphere of tension,fear and the supernatural an extra boost.The cast has proven itself already in several other Hong Kong films and also here they deliver an excellent performance.This movie is a good start if you're not into Hong Kong films but want to give it a try,for the real fans it's a must see!


Whether you're crazy about Jesus or not, this is an eye-opening film. It is so different to see an extremely warm, passionate, human, divine, and SMILING Jesus! The movie, which uses no other words than those found the Bible (New International Version), tells the story of the humble Jewish carpenter who changed the world forever. The director doesn't try dazzle the audience with "eye-popping" angles or camera tricks, but rather shows the life of Jesus in a simple way.

The are several little highlights that decorate the picture. One, for instance, is when Jesus and his buddies play under a waterfall like a bunch of kids. Another is when they all decide to have a little wrestling brawl just to be goofy. Throughout the picture, it shows Jesus teaching his disciples (the buddies) in a way that a father teaches his child the things of life. With all its color and fun,however, the film can get serious real fast. Constant death threats are made against this new Rabbi. Jesus bashes the Jewish religious leaders and publicly announces them as hypocrites. The line is drawn, and the road to Golgotha begins. The film shows the brutal reality of the crucifixion, and the incredible hope that came through the resurrection. The movie ends almost with a question from Jesus himself. "Ok," says Jesus. "You've seen the movie about me, but who do YOU think I am?"

Like I said, whether you're crazy about Jesus or not, it's an interesting movie to look at (if you don't mind the length!). It shows Jesus as he was from a Biblical perspective. Funny, kind, patient, a friend of the friendless. Check it out! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


Forget the Passion - THIS is the film to view if you really want to know more about who Jesus is, and His life here for 33 years on this planet. Unlike any other version I've watched, the producers, directors, most of the main actors and supporting staff of this film were ALL Christians themselves, who prayed regularly over every single scene AND again unlike any other edition, they held EXACTLY to what scripture said as the ultimate script - absolutely nothing was added in - some occasions required a voice over where to reenact the scene may have proved somewhat inappropriate (e.g. the Angels at the Tomb), but other than that, this is absolutely categorically the best one in my view. Sad that it's often neglected or overshadowed by more 'secular' versions. Bruce Marchiano who played Jesus in this one continues on to have an awesome ministry following his portrayal of a 'different' Jesus to the stereotype.


By far the best biblical movie I have ever seen. The strict adherence of the script word for word with the Bible was unique and wonderful. Bruce Marchiano's portrayal of Jesus was amazing and truly brought out the magnificence of the Lord.


As with most of those here commenting on this, I am blown away with the power and grace Bruce Marchiano brings to this masterpiece. The depth of power of his heart and eyes is so overwhelming as to be almost too great to bear; I think my heart will burst under the load save that He carries me with my light yoke (6:34 & 11:30). That it is utterly unknown but to Christians is of course the same story as with Jesus Himself, He Whom the pagans would co-opt to their own agendas and uses, a tactic that only backfires in the end as they prove from their folly that they know nothing of Him.

One point I must make against those who use the profound depth of this as a platform from which to condemn Mel Gibson's equally (though differently) anointed masterpiece, The Passion of the Christ, with priceless Jim Caviezel (though I'll always regret dear Mel didn't play the title role himself which would have been beyond awesome): they're quite wrongheaded on the score, for the testimony of Bruce and his company and Jim and his company are one in describing the divine (and therefore the counterattacking demonic) manifestations so present in the making of these jewels in our Lord's crown. What great grace the Lord has brought us in these precious brothers so to condescend to grace our lives with such inspiration according to His Perfect Word.


Thank you Bruce for allowing God such unhindered access to your life during the filming of this. I don't think you will ever fully know the impact for The Kingdom that your willingness to be used by Him has had on this generation. It is an amazing piece of work. The joy that is evident in your smile told me more about Jesus Christ than anything else I have ever read or seen. Thank you for being the first Jesus to smile, to laugh and to weep with such abandon. Everybody needs to see this! Even if you are not a Christian this movie is the best adaption of the gospel according to Matthew that has ever been made. What is so brilliant is that there has been no interference from any scriptwriter. It was taken straight from the Bible - word for word and that's what counts!


I just re-watched this not too long ago, and was reminded again of the beauty of this film. The film opens with narrative by the late Richard Kiley, who plays the role of the elderly Matthew the Apostle. Compelling performances by Mr. Kiley and Bruce Marciano, among others, make this a film you can watch over and over. Also, the area they were filming in (Morrocco, I believe) is absolutely stunning.


This is the Best Biblical Movie Ever made to Date!!! It was extremely accurate in script & context. The portrayal by Luke (Richard Kiley) was superb! Bruce Marchiano was Spectacular in his role as Jesus! The scenes where Jesus interacts with children are heart warming. The scene with the gentile woman asking to heal her daughter is heart rendering. No one has ever played Jesus so well before!!! I loved how Jesus portrays love to all even while he is rebuking them for their wrong attitudes and self-righteousness. While there was violence, it was not excessive nor gratuitous. The casting for Peter was unique but acceptable. The only real problem I saw was the special effects in a couple of scenes. However, the outstanding performances made up for my disappointment.


I've seen many of the movies made about the life of Jesus from the "Greatest Story Ever Told" to "Jesus Christ Superstar". I would have to say that Bruce Marchiano's portrayal makes Jesus as being very humane and compassionate about the suffering of the community. The Jesus he plays steers away from the stoic Shakespearean-type portrayals by Max Van Sydow and Robert Powell, making the character very accessible and someone you care about. In addition to Bruce Marchiano's pretty watchable performance, it was good to hear the late Richard Kiley's narrative of the Gospel, his rich unique voice (we'll miss it) enhancing the treatment of the story. Overall, I liked this film which is underrated and less-watched in comparison to the other more famous depictions of Jesus' life.

Having watched this film recently has encouraged me to want to watch Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" when it comes to Singapore next month. It would be interesting to make comparisons between the two films. I speculate that the films probably would complement each other, providing different perspectives to Jesus' character and life.


If ever there was a visual account of Jesus that should be used as an evangelical teaching tool, (second to the Bible) by any Christian believer - THIS IS IT! I would recommend and use it quite easily over Mel Gibson's The Passion. Thankfully, not too much time is given to Him suffering before and at Calvary. The Passion, I think, overdoes it and tells the viewing public that a good man died a too harsh a death.

This DVD/Video uses the N.I.V. Bible line for line, and is enacted out as though you were there in the presence of the Saviour Himself. It also shows Him to have emotion. Suddenly, the Gospels come alive! This visual account easily over-rides any account of Jesus Hollywood has ever tried to create.


I didn't like this movie at first. The production quality is that of a "B" movie and I let that get in the way of my objectivity. I was also not used to seeing Jesus portrayed as...well...human! This Jesus laughs and hugs and enjoys his friends. We are usually treated to a Jesus that is somewhat detached or "royal" in his bearing (think Jeffrey Hunter in "King of Kings"). This is not the case in this film. Once I got used to it (and IMHO this is a more accurate representation of Jesus) I really liked it!

I couldn't believe that this movie follows scripture line for line. The scripture verses are actually displayed (in the lower left corner as I recall) as they are being portrayed. I expected that approach would make the film disjointed or uninteresting. But it really works well.

This has become my favorite "religious movie", and I watch it with my family every Easter season.


I just finished watching The Visual Bible's "Matthew", and it will be a while until I feel "normal" again. For almost 4 hours I was back in time, among his followers, totally transported by this movie, as close to the real thing as I could never imagine was possible. I can't describe properly how very real it felt.

This movie, although very rich and lush visually, contains none of the marks of a Hollywood "production". For the first time, we get to hear all of Jesus' words and parables in everyday English, as Matthew wrote them in detail, which are delivered by Bruce Marchiano in the most lively, realistic way imaginable. His "Jesus" is as close to the real one as we can get-full of life, loving, affectionate, smiling, dynamic, persuasive, so human and so full of love, so approachable and realistic. His skin and that of the disciples is tanned from their days of walking and teaching in the sun, and if there is any make up, I can't even tell.

I have collected all the movies made about Jesus, including Pasolini's-none vibrates throughout as strongly with Jesus's realistic presence and words as this movie. I have really no words to describe it adequately.

I just feel like I'd like to thank all the people involved in this work, for they have created something wonderful for the world. Matthew's portrayal in his old age is absolutely masterful and enchanting. In a hugely artistic, entertaining way, Bruce Marchiano's unbelievable performance as Jesus makes every thought and word of Jesus in that Gospel readily understood-thank you for this incredible work! I saw at Marchiano's website that he is making "The Gospel According to John" -again word for word-entirely by his own ministry when they manage to get 250000 people to donate $100 each-how I wait for it!


I completely agreed with the last comment that this was the worst movie depiction of Jesus ever. Unlike others, I did not appreciate Jesus smiling throughout the movie,,and was unable to take him seriously. I don't consider myself an expert in acting, but the actor playing Jesus was one of the worst. Its amazing to me too how many commented how closely it followed the Gospel of Matthew,,,,,yet it left out quite a bit and actually mixed up, for one reason or another the sequence of events. I have just seen the Gospel of John,,,,,,and would highly recommend it as following the whole Gospel account and being much better acted. Also the older Jesus film released by Campus Crusade in 1979 and based on Luke was much better too.


Lord, have mercy.

I can appreciate the energy and time and sense of devotion that was invested in this movie. Having said that, this borders on blaspheming the divinity of Christ. It is true that Christ was fully human, but he was also fully divine. This movie loses all sense of his divinity. Perhaps even more troubling, its sense of his humanity has much more to do with a feel good Californian in the later 20th century (refer to Dogma's "Buddy Jesus") than it has anything to do with a first century Middle-Easterner.

I mean, did the director of this "film" consult any actual scholars when creating this debacle?! Clearly, they allowed their conception of what "love" and "compassion" mean to make Jesus in their own image. From Jesus screaming in hysteria at the Pharisees to sobbing like a baby over Jerusalem; from his "game-plan" style prophesying to his oh-so-unauthoritative "not-so" Great Commission; from his disciples looking like they are bored out of their minds to his "come on guys follow me" gestures---this movie renders ridiculous the incarnate Logos.

Someone once said that Ed Wood's "Plan 9 from Outer Space" was a hymn to all those who tried to create something memorable and failed miserably every step of the way. While not taking anything away from the infamy of Ed, all those involved in the production of this movie do likewise.

This movie is symptomatic of some very serious problems in the way American Christianity views the Christ. Understandably, people latch on to the fact that the Gospel writers refer to him as Jesus more often than with any other title. However, the disciples throughout the Gospels, as well as the writers of Acts and all of the epistles almost universally use such titles as Lord, Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus, and Master. John falls down before him in revelation as a dead man. No one could possibly do the same before Bruce Marchiano's portrayal.


I found this movie to be very entertaining and well done, with good performances across the board. I agree with previous reviewers that the late Chris Reeve's performances in other movies, and at times this one, could be seen as wooden. That being said, I think he played his role extremely well, because it was able to work with Morgan Freeman's outbursts and explosions. Because of the problems encountered by his fabricated story, Reeve's performance was handled well being outside of his environment as much as he was. He was unsure and understated, and being a reporter, being unemotional was in his well being. On the other end, Morgan Freeman was fantastic! Seeing him in a role like this makes you want to see him take on a role where he can be the loose cannon.

This movie can show what happens when you "create" a story and you do it TOO well. More people should see it and comment on it.


A lot of 80's movies glorified the American Dream of becoming a millionaire. It was the age of Reagan, and greed was good. The Secret of My Success is the ultimate cultural artifact of this era -- MJ Fox starts out in the mail room, cons his way into the upper ranks, and gets it all without any serious repercussions. Although it is all played for laughs, the movie asks you to root for this guy who is basically unprincipled and greedy.

Almost as a rebuke, in early 1987 Street Smart arrived. It is the flip side of Secret of My Success. Christopher Reeve plays a journalist who fabricates a story about a pimp, and he becomes the toast of the town. But there are very serious consequences to his actions. The dream of attaining success by any means necessary is really a nightmare.

I disagree with a lot of posters who say that the ending doesn't work. In fact, I think it is brilliant. Reeve's character has attained notoriety by exploiting Fast Black (and by extension, the whole subculture that keeps Fast Black in business). In the end, Reeve manipulates events so that Fast Black gets killed, and one of Fast Black's minions gets busted. Reeve uses all of this carnage as fodder for his "Street Smart" TV segments. Once again, he uses a lie to gain the upper hand -- he has gone from print journalism to tabloid TV.

Reeve originally entered the world of Fast Black out of desperation, to keep his job at a magazine. One lie begets another and another, until there is plenty of collateral damage -- the prostitute gets killed, Reeve's wife gets stabbed, Fast Black ends up dead. None of these events would have occurred if Reeve hadn't told that first lie.

There is also the parallel between journalism and prostitution. Reeve is just as bad as Fast Black, but he covers his tracks better, and he has a reputable facade. Reeve's journalistic exploits not only have ruined lives but ended them.

If you look at Reeve's character objectively, he is not really the good guy. He has broken the law and not only gotten away with it, but he's profited from it as well. Rather than a prison term, he gets promoted.

Reeve's image as a nice guy makes the character even creepier -- after all, he sleeps with a prostitute and exposes his wife to danger at a predominantly black bar. Reeve's character seems like a clean-cut yuppie, but deep down he is corrupt and devoid of morals.


The late Christopher Reeve stars as Jonathan Fisher, an investigative reporter who tries to tackle the story of a pimp's day-to-day life. Caving in to the pressure of an impending deadline, he comes up with a fictional story. The unfortunate side effect of this fabrication is that the assistant district attorney (Jay Patterson) is convinced that he's telling the story of a real-life pimp, "Fast Black" (Morgan Freeman, in his breakout, Academy Award-nominated performance), who's being prosecuted for murder.

The Cannon Group made its fair share of entertaining thrillers, and action, horror, and sci-fi movies during the 1980's, but this has to stand as one of their more interesting efforts. It's a pretty good story (written by David Freeman), consistently entertaining and easy to watch. Ultimately, it does a good job of portraying a seamy side of life, while contrasting that with the kind of high society that wouldn't ordinarily connect with it. And the fact that Fisher is not so different from "Fast Black" certainly comes across; the movie does have something to say about the way that certain types in the news business conduct themselves, and the potential repercussions of their actions.

I think that Reeve does a decent enough job in the lead, although it's definitely true that his co-stars fare much better. Kathy Baker is wonderfully appealing (and sexy) as Punchy, one of "Fast Black"'s girls; she shines in all of her scenes, especially when she's relating to Fisher the comedic account of her first ever trick. But Freeman emerges as the real star of the movie. In a role far removed from the calm, authoritative, and wise persona that has been his stock in trade in the years since, he shows his true range, portraying a cunning, ruthless and also intelligent criminal who can come off as genial and welcoming and then turn on a dime and reveal the ugly side lying underneath the smooth exterior.

Mimi Rogers, Andre Gregory, Anna Maria Horsford, and Erik King co-star, with each of them delivering good performances as well.

"Street Smart" is a solid movie with a good premise and presentation, enjoyable soundtrack, and some mighty fine moments, especially one involving Freeman, Baker, and a pair of scissors.

8/10


"Street Smart" is a movie not a lot of people appear to remember from the 1980's. What attracted me to the movie was the fact that Morgan Freeman received his first ever Academy Award nomination for his role as a pimp in this film. Freeman hasn't played a role like this before or since, and his best known roles to come after this (including Oscar nominated roles) have consisted of more positive characters with effective leadership skills. Although Freeman doesn't play the type of positive African-American role model here that he is now best known for playing,he gives the character of Leo Smalls, Jr., a.k.a. "Fast Black", a three-dimensional performance that few other actors, black or white, would have been able to pull off. He's not just an intimidating presence, or a guy who wears flashy clothes. In fact, the scenes where he goes back to his apartment, and a poster of Martin Luther King, Jr. can be seen in the background, says volumes about his character.

Without a doubt, Freeman's performance is the best thing about this movie. The rest of the movie is indeed intriguing, but has a few weaknesses which makes it feel a little half-baked. With a running time of 94 minutes, at least 20 minutes of footage could have been added to account for these skimmed-over plot details without throwing off the pace of the film.

The late Christopher Reeve is Jonathan Fisher, a Harvard educated print journalist who is under pressure to write a magazine article in a weekend. He submits an idea to his publisher, seemingly off the top of his head, about 24 hours in the life of a pimp. The story is supposed to be true, but Fisher, feeling intense encumbrance to get a story to his editor, fabricates one instead. To his surprise, the story makes the front page, Fisher becomes a celebrity overnight, and moves up to his own TV news segment.

The trouble comes in when some readers believe the article is about one particular real pimp (Freeman) who happens to be on trial for murder. Among those wary readers is the leading prosecutor for that case. Although the fictional article depicts no murder of any kind, Fisher is still ordered to give the court his notes in the trial, or be subject to a jail sentence.

With the trouble comes a story that keeps the viewers' interests high for what comes next, but plot holes that accompany the story remain unexplained throughout. For instance, we have some of an idea what Reeve's character wrote in the article, but no idea what in the article would be considered circumstantial evidence in a murder trial. Having a series of imaginary montages with Reeve's idea of a pimp as he's writing the story would have cleared that unexplained plot point up easily. Plus, although Reeve's character is Harvard educated, that's all we know about his character. How did he come up with the idea to write about a pimp in the first place? Since we never see him in the inner city until after he submitted the story proposal, that occurrence remains unexplained also. Reeve did a great job playing a guy who tries to maintain control of his life and career, only to have both be in jeopardy as his situation goes over his head. It would have been more helpful to establish some real roots for his character, though, not to mention a moral compass of some kind.

There were some other times where the story felt shaky, but the film had other great qualities. For instance, the inner city in the film looked far more real than other "gritty urban dramas" I've seen over the last few years where the movie sets looked like movie sets and the houses looked too polished. Overall though, the film is worth checking out for Freeman's performance, and probably should be remembered better in Reeve's career than "Superman IV: The Quest For Peace". If anything, this movie showed that Reeve can play a character who has everything under control (Superman) just as well as one who does not.


***SPOILERS*** Far better then you would expect crime drama involving a New York Cty magazine writer Johathan Fisher, Christopher Reeve, who's job is on the line if he doesn't come up with a major story for his magazine and come up with it fast.

In order to keep his job Fisher tells his boss magazine editor Ted Avery, Andre Gregory, that he plans to write a hard-hitting expose about prostitution in New York's seedy Times Square district. Fisher plans to do this by chronicling a local New York City Pimp's day on the job. Fisher finds that none of the hookers, by posing as their customer, that he interviews are willing to go beyond their work-habits and how much they want to be paid for them. When it comes to their boss, the pimp or procurer, they clam up and drop their conversation with Fisher altogether.

Having a deadline to meet Fisher just makes up this story about a pimp, whom he calls Tyrone, who he's been interviewing about how he does business on the streets. The story by Fisher is so convincing, to everyone at the magazine, that it becomes the mag's next front-page story! Making Fisher a cause Caleb in the world of undercover journalism both in NYC as well as all over the country. As it soon turned out the fictitious Tyrone that Fisher conjured up is an almost carbon-copy of a real street pimp Leo Smalls-known on the streets as Fast Black-played by Morgan Freeman. What's even more troubling for Fisher is that Fast Black in now standing trial for the murder of one of his hooker's customers. Fast Black had killed him when he complained, and threatened to report him to the cops, that the service that he was getting was far below what he was paying for!

The film has Fast Black-who knows that Fisher's story is total BS-use Fisher as an alibi for him in telling the local D.A Lenoard Pike, Jay Patterson, that he was nowhere near the murder scene, of his hooker's dead John, at the time that it happened. This places Fisher in the position,if he wants to stay out of jail, to expose himself as a liar on the stand by telling the world that his story that made him famous was nothing but a made up pipe dream on his part. This would bring his now skyrocketing career in TV news to a sudden and embarrassing end!

Despite being a vicious and murderous pimp which is the exact opposite part, as the perpetual good guy, he's been playing since then Morgan Freeman's film career took off and never looked back after his chilling performance, as Leo Small/Fast Black, in "Street Smarts". Christopher Reeve more then held his own against his co-star by even having Freeman as Fast Black work him, he Chris Reeve the Hollywood Superman of the 1970's and 80's, over and have him almost wet his pants by doing it.

***SPOILER ALERT*** It's when Fisher has nothing to lose, but his life and the lives of his loved ones, that he decides to take Fast Black on. Fisher uses Fast Black's "Main Man" and #1 gofer Reginald, Reggie, Liggens, Eric King, to do his dirty work for him by tricking him in thinking that he's cutting, by pimping on the side, in on his boss' territory. The ending of "Street Smart" was a bit contrived in how the "street Smart" Reggie fell for Fisher's obvious trick that he could have easily explained to Fast Black. Still that didn't really take that much away from the films hard hitting approach on prostitution and pimping in the big city. The only thing that didn't make any sense is why Fisher was still able to keep his job, after being exposed as a complete fraud, as a top news reporter on his top rated news show "Street Smart". A show that exposed people like himself who are dishonest with the very public that their supposed to serve!


If It wasn't by the performances of Morgan Freeman and Kathy Baker, I would have given 5 stars to "Street Smart", but such performances elevate the category of a modest movie.

I didn't like the plot of the movie, but at least this movie doesn't bore you and keep you entertained, this movie is similar to the police movies made for TV, and I liked the shots of different parts of NY.

The plot of the movie is about a journalist who invent a story about the life of a fictitious pimp called Tyron that is published in the magazine where he writes. The law confuses this factitious pimp Tyron with real life pimp "fast black" (Morgan Freeman) who is being accused for murder, so the law ask the journalist to deliver all his notes and tapes about his interview with the pimp to arrest Fast Black.

There are 2 great scenes in the movie, in one scene the journalist is seduced by Punchy, who is one of the girls of Fast Black", where Kathy Baker who plays Plunchy looks really sexy (10 stars for her in this scene). And the other scene which is the best in the movie from an acting point of view involves the characters of Morgan Freman and Kathy Baker, you will know what scene I mean when you see it.

In short you have to watch this B movie for the performances of Morgan Freman and Kathy Baker