From the weird characters to their estranged roles, this movie gives a new meaning to "Real Weird" I was expecting the movie to be somewhat of a scary thriller but my toughts afterwards are contrary. MTV made such a big deal about the lost season through commercials, I'm disappointed that the commercial's intensions wasn't even relevant to the story line. I mean, the reason why this movie is such an upset to some viewers is probably because MTV wasted all there money on it's crummy commercials. Yes, it all starts out as a usual MTV Real World episode, where everyone is arriving and introducing themselves then they are invited to a real world challenge, get kidnapped by some lunatic and get "real" tortured in somekind of a jailhouse. By the way, if you were paying attention, the people that arrived together in groups of two like Cash and Melinda, Liz and Keith, Omara and Adam all had somekind of love connection... and then you have your categorized, spiritual, on-the-side person- Boomer. The only thing good about this movie is the suspenseful plot, storyline and the acting. Now they were going to far when they totally copied the Blair Witch Project with the Running through the woods scene with the creepy old house, and not to forget the cheesy disclaimers that it was deemed "lost footage" and such nonsense. If you possibly have nothing else better to do,it's late at night and there is nothing to watch then by all means watch this. I recommend it only if you have the time.


I turned on the TV expecting to see a silly little MTV comedy, kind of like an extended SNL sketch...I didn't plan on watching the whole thing, and I didn't expect it to be more than mildly entertaining. I was shocked to find that the producers had actually made a really taut, interesting, claustrophobic thriller...much more interesting than most of what you see in the theatres. The initial 20 minutes introduce us to the seven members of "the Vancouver cast"...It's a dead-on imitation of the real show. Very believable, could have been funnier. After this initial set-up, the kids are soon kidnapped and held hostage by a rich, crazed lunatic (rejected for the show each and every year) who wants to have a Real World of his own. Cheezy premise, yes!! But what they did with it was really clever! He begins by killing the most boring housemate "There's only supposed to be SEVEN strangers...And you have no personality!!" and forcing the others to go through the usual Real World paces (confessionals, hot tubs, Truth or Dare. I was riveting to the screen, (except in the boring segments in between which feature former Real World alumni in a silly, annoying subplot). Add in a healthy dose of sex, nudity (blurred out for TV), homoeroticism and violence and you have a cool escapist thriller...Again, not at all what you would expect from a REAL WORLD movie... The Blair-Witch-esque chase at the end is cool, the camerawork excellent, and the acting and the writing is not HALF as bad as what other commenters are saying it is....They did a decent job. Very surprised to see the negative reviews. American viewers do not often seem to like genre-bending movies. I've heard complaints that the movie couldn't figure out whether or not it was a comedy, or a horror movie or a thriller or soap opera....Well, it was all of them! (although primarily a thriller). Ending is a TINY BIT of a copout, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Very good work, MTV. Very impressed.


When I first started seeing the comercials for the "lost season" of the Real World. I was excited. That is until I saw the show. Could it be any obvious that it was a fake "lost season". I mean c'mon explosions and kidnapping? I watched the 90 or so minutes of this made for tv tripe and just chalked it up to my love for the Real World. I also knew it was a phony lost season due to the fact that each of the characters played into what some see as the typical cast mold. You have your diva b****, the shy guy, the homosexual, the skater dude, the frat guy, the militant black woman, and the naive small town girl. What made the movie a little more tolerable is the fact that it brought together some Real World Alumni including Amaya (Hawaii), Anissa (Chicago), Mellissa (New Orleans), David (Los Angeles)(remember they kicked him off), and Mike (Back to New York). I guess overall if you're looking for a crazy spin on the Real World then by all means watch this. But if you are really hoping for a lost season that is authentic, then you better keep waiting. ** 1/2 out of ****


Before anyone else can comment on this movie, or bash it like they did on the message boards at MTV.com, I want to say that this was a GOOD MOVIE. Very funny, but also very dramatic. It was extremely well done, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.


I am a fan of the Real World and thought the idea of a Lost Season movie sounded pretty cool. Knowing that it was all an acted out production unlike the Real World was ok with me. The idea seemed original and interesting with a season gone very wrong and the tapes and footage being covered up. My first disappointment came with the marketing strategy used in the promotion. They seemed to try to go with the Blair Witch approach by saying there was a lost season of film not used due to a disaster of some sort. That was sort of cool and gave it an almost scary and suspenseful feel. Then the later advertising became annoying by using goofy reporters and very unreal Real World executives. These terrible ads made me not want to tune in to this 2-hour commercial free presentation. Still I gave it a chance having been pleased by previous M TV productions in the past. To my disappointment the movie was just as bad as the commercials. The appearance of some of the original Real World casts was a plus, and then the actors came in to play and ruined it all. The story was poorly written with no imagination and only cashing in on the cheap thrills that M TV uses so often such as sex, sexuality, and sex. M TV also tried to rip off on The Blair Witch Project once more with its jerky camera work. The acting was terrible which is weird since the magic of the Real World is the fact there is no acting. This idea had so much promise but just fell in the wrong hands to carry it out. I recommend not watching the re-airing of this movie and knowing M TV there will be plenty of re-airings in the future. After seeing this movie I think maybe M TV should hang up the filming hat and go back to the basics, namely music and leave films to some one else. In the end this Real World movie was a Real Loser.


OH MY GOD. Listen, God, Dear God, How are Ya? Do me a favor? Do the world a favor? Please, don't ever let another movie like this be made. Please. I BEG of You! I just finished watching this and truly it has to be one of the world's WORST pieces of drivel ever produced. I've seen a lot of movie, 2, 300... a year and only once have I stopped watching a movie because of how bad it was, something about killer kondoms in new york city, i dunno, don't care. Anyway, this movie I should have turned off. Complete garbage. F. Scale of 1 to 10 this I give: Negative 4. That's right: -4. MTV = Most Terrible Viewing. The worst was the one guy turning gay and kissing another guy. I had to shield my eyes. That, oy, that was just the worst. Painful. So wrong. That was REALLY un-freakin'-necessary. No need for that, MTV. I will mention two things that were nice: Liz & the Hummer. Those two things alone brought this from -8 to -4. Had there been nothing gay in this maybe it could've actually been better than zero and achieved a 1. Nope. One question: why did it almost always seem like this was taking place in outer space? Whenever they were in the kidnapper's Real World studio warehouse set there was this background noise like they were in in a spaceship like in some horrible Made-for-SciFi Channel movie. What was up with that? Who cares. What we have here is just crap. Hey, remember when MTV was music videos? P.S. find everyone who gave this a 10 and line them up to be shot. They obviously have no brain and are not capable of functioning properly. P.P.S. Anyone who watched this should feel like i do now - ashamed and embarrassed. MTV should pay for our psychotherapy sessions so we never watch their garbage again.


Sentimental B-movie about a small town girl named Alice (played by Anne Shirley), daughter of a grocer and devoted daddy's girl, whose father gives her a big surprise - he is sending her to college, her dream of dreams. Moving into a boarding house near campus, she is soon immersed in the most important thing in the world to all the females at her college - rush week for the campus sororities. Alice has two roommates - one, a plain, bookish sophomore, ignored in last's year's freshman rush - the other a girl who longs to be pledged by the all-important "Gamma" sorority. Well even though some of these sorority girls *are* big snobs, more concerned with how much money a girl's family has than her character - our Alice still HOPES she will be invited to join one of these sororities. When she meets and romances, almost the very first day, hunky Bill, "Big Shot On Campus" - he just may be able to give the push she needs to make her dream come true.

Okay, this film is fluff, with a very silly plot - and yes, the women at this college look more like starlets strolling around a studio backlot than college students. But - Anne Shirley is such a very lovely young actress with an endearing quality about her and is *such* an expert at playing this sweet girl/perfect daughter type, she just manages to add enough charm to this to make it work. There is a nice relationship shown between Anne Shirley's character and her all-wise father, played by J.M. Kerrigan. The ending is predictable, yet satisfying. A decent film, much better than I was expecting - worth seeing.


"Revenge of the Nerds" would copy the basic storyline from 1939's "Sorority House"; which has more angst and less humor. Anne Shirley plays Alice Fisher-the daughter of a small grocer who at the last minute gets to go to little Talbot College. On the train she learns that joining a sorority is an essential thing at the school. Unfortunately her late admission means that none of the sororities know about Alice and initially she is not even rushed.

Arriving at the train station she asks about sororities but is told by a snooty girl that they are by invitation only. There is an immediate credibility problem here-if you have seen any Anne Shirley movies you know that any sorority in the world would be clamoring to have her join. But the situation regains its lost credibility when Alice's plain Jane roommate Dotty (Barbara Read) calls her a date getter and tells her that the sororities will want her once they see her because she will attract men. You need looks and money to get into these organizations at Talbot and sometimes even that is not enough. Those who don't make it are called "dreeps".

Almost all the coeds are Hollywood starlets so a date getter seems irrelevant. Even Dotty has the starlet look, as do three nerd girls in the next room. They try to detune these girls by putting them in glasses and braiding their hair. Marge Champion and Veronica Lake have small parts as average coeds, which should make you wish that you had been the BMOC at Talbot. The actual BMOC is Bill Loomis (James Ellison), he wears a letter sweater and is actually a very nice guy. The Alice-Bill romance is the best part of the film and has a lot of Norman Rockwell charm.

Doris Jordan plays Neva Simpson, the nasty queen bee of Gamma-the best sorority. She blackballs poor Merle (Pamela Blake) who is Alice's other roommate. Merle is devastated and suicidal.

Shirley was a wonderful actress, not just extremely beautiful but able to project an effortless likability. The film's best scene is her realization that in trying to impress the sorority girls she has hurt her father (J.M. Kerrigan). Beautiful nonverbal acting, which looks even better showcased in "Sorority House", where the other actresses are just not on her talent level.

"Sorority House" is a little sappy and takes most of its shots at the low hanging fruit of the 1930's sorority system, but Shirley, Ellison, and Kerrigan turn it into a very enjoyable production.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.


Why doesn't this get as much recognition as "The Muppet Movie"? I think it's just as good! This and "The Frog Prince" are the two most underrated Muppet features ever. If you can, see it! It's awesome!

Basically it plays out like an episode of "The Muppet Show". With special guest stars Dudley Moore and Lily Tomlin, the Muppets do their own versions of such movies as "The Wizard of Oz", "Casablanca", and "The Three Musketeers". It's very funny!

Both Dudley Moore and Lily Tomlin have their moments. Dudley's best is when he plays Ceasar. Lily's best is when she plays four or five people in a parody of a war movie (I don't know which).

Like I said before, if you can see it, do so. If you like the Muppets, see it. You won't be disappointed.


This was a great special. It is similar to The Muppet Show, since it took place at the same theater, but all of the segments had to do with movies, there were two guest stars instead of one (only a small number of Muppet Show episodes had multiple guests, and those were either married celebrity couples or special groups of entertainers), and there didn't seem to be any backstage plot.

This was made in 1981, around the time that The Muppet Show was ending, and it seems to be a promotion for The great Muppet Caper disguised as a regular special, as it features three clips from The Great Muppet Caper as well as a new version of the song Hey, a Movie! However, it is really good.

Dudley Moore and Lily Tomlin are the guest stars, and some of the segments include a medley of Wizard of Oz songs (Long before The Muppets Wizard of Oz) with Miss Piggy as Dorthy, Scooter as the Scarecrow, Gonzo as The Tin Man, Fozzie as The Cowardly Lion, and Foo Foo as Toto. There is also a Casablanca parody with Kermit and Miss Piggy, a Tarzan parody with Gonzo and Lily Tomplin, a Muppet version of The Three Muskateers (with Gonzo, Scooter, and Link Hogthrob), and a foreign film translated by Sam The Eagle and starring The Swedish Chef and Beaker.

All in all, a great special, and I sure hope that it becomes available on DVD some day.


Those loveable Muppets, including Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy and all the other favourites, come together to produce send-up's and parodies of some of the greatest movies of yesteryear.

'The Muppets Go to the Movies' plays out as an episode from 'The Muppet Show' but the typical zany sketches are replaced with equally zany movie parodies, including riotous send-up's of 'The Wizard of Oz', 'Casablanca', 'Frankenstein' and 'Wild Strawberries'. Fans of the movies that are parodied may occasionally find the Muppets take on the films as somewhat insulting to the source material; however, the whole show is all in good fun and is targeted at children and light-hearted adults. There is no real way that one could seriously condemn the way that these classic films are portrayed as the whole show is all in good fun. 'The Muppets Go to the Movies' even features short, amusing and enjoyable appearances from Dudley Moore and Lily Tomlin.

There is not much that one can say about this little piece of Muppet history. If you are a fan of the Muppets and appreciate their humour then this is worth watching should you ever come across it. Similarly, I believe that children may love this and it may even work as a possible introduction to the classic films that are parodied throughout the show. 'The Muppets Go to the Movies' is not up to the standard of the majority of Muppet films, but is nonetheless an enjoyable and entertaining watch. My rating for 'The Muppets Go to the Movies' - 7/10.


Partly a promotion for the Muppets' MANHATTAN movie and partly an extended onstage-backstage Muppet Show, this TV production features a fair number of reasonably clever, unpredictable gag lines along with the usual stuff. Once or twice the program lags when a musical number has little special to offer aside from the merits of the music itself and the novelty of being performed by Muppets, for example "Act Naturally" by Floyd and Janis. I guess this is reasonable, as on the regular Muppet Show, because the songs may not be very familiar yet to the young audience. On the other hand, quite a bit of the GO TO THE MOVIES humor is pitched to an audience old enough to recognize references to Ingmar and Ingrid Bergman.


Something about the muppets always got my confused like why are the muppets ironically related to the puppets. and there name is so similar! Why i ask you! Why! but besides that the movie can be described as a ghost of the muppets before the whole Gonzo incident with the T.V. that was something i wasn't expecting! exclamation mark! exclamation mark! And with all that out aside this movie shows a lot of power and the ability to rule over all the muppets in Muppet land, or wherever it is that they come from. And they should have put in Samuel L. Jackson in the snakes on the movie! It would have got so much more ratings and more viewers! But possibly the best part of the movie was when he got his cookie back from the evil critiques! So all in all this is a well rounded movie but since its muppets it gets a extra point. So remember kids there is such a thing as the Bigfoot Nessy man! (Bigfoot+ loch Nessy monster+ Bogey man)


People who surf this particular website, generally-speaking, should love this documentary as it deals with the movies, and how they are photographed and how the cameramen and we, the viewer, see them. That may sound a bit dry, but this documentary is anything but that. They never stay more than a few minutes on any topic, personality or movie.

I appreciated this DVD more and more as I became more familiar with films. The more of a fan you are of both movies and cinematography, the higher you will rate this documentary. From silent movies to modern-day, the producers on this did a fine job showing examples of films from every decade up to 1990. (It would be fun to see an updated edition of this to include films from the past 15 years.)

This video gave me a new appreciation for black-and-white films. Some of the photography was magnificent and many cinematographers think that is the medium in which they could really show off their talents.

Regarding color, this documentary is where I first heard about the fabulously- filmed movie, "Days Of Heaven" (1978), which has become one of my all-time favorites. In all, there are about 125 films mentioned, so you may discover some gems you weren't aware of, as I did.

Whether you know most of these films or just a few, you should find a number of things in here interesting.


Yes, it ignores most of Europe and the rest of the worlds contributions, but for what it is, it's just lovely.

It's an introduction to the art of cinematography in American movies, with clips and comments from the greats about American film from birth till 1990 or so, when it was made. Some of the cinematographers are humble and self-effacing, some clearly have large egos, but they all obviously love and care deeply about film and film making.

This is a terrific film to show your children, a behind the scenes that is informative rather than salacious or snarky.

Highly recommended.


Visions Of Light will cause everyone who sees it to look at films a little differently in the future. The film covers the art of cinematography since the conception of cinema at the turn of the 20th century. Many filmmakers and cinematographers present their views and discuss why the art of cinematography is important within the craft of film-making.

Visions Of Light is a lyrical hymn to the art of cinematography, too often overlooked by casual filmgoers, but given its rightful pride of place here. A must for anyone remotely interested in the effect and beauty of film, and the capacity of visual images to move hearts and minds. Many of the truly unforgettable moments in American film history are here in all their brilliance and glory.


Simply, this is one of the best documentaries I've seen on the art and science of making movies. This one is from the cinematographer's point of view and uses many excellent interviews along with miles of illustrative movie clips. I recommend this to anyone who has an interest in the creative process of filmmaking.


Taking a stand for cinema's populist underdog, Visions of light reinstates the basic elements of importance in film in an age where the artistic merit is credited the director and the actors. Or maybe it merely tells an audience what every filmmaker knows so well; that the art of film would be nothing without light and the craft of capturing and animating it. Since the origin of film-making, cinematography has maintained its reputation of being a craft, long after the role of the director was given creative control. And with such a responsibility in management of physical and optical parameters, the creative expression of the director of photography is purely based on experiment through immense control. From Charles Lang being instructed to "put his shadows wherever he wanted, but not on the actors face" to David Lynch and Frederick Elmes discussing "how dark is dark", the art of cinematography is just as much about being an illusionist as just a mediator between production and aspection. In commentary to his "sketching of things in the dark" to the point of monochromism, John Alton summed up the spirit of cinematography in reminding us that it is not as much about the lights you turn on as the one's you don't.


This documentary is a history of cinematography, illustrating major advances and highlighting the work of major cinematographic innovators. Although there are snippets of on-screen interviews, the bulk of the film consists of (glorious) film clips illustrating many of the high points in the history of cinematography.


This show had low budget written all over it. Way too much overacting (especially with DynaGirl), along with the cheap sets, lame effects (even for the mid 1970s), and lame villains. I also couldn't stand the overuse of "Electra". I know catch phrases are important to a series like this, but come on! The ones I remember most are the spider woman and whoever made DynaGirl evil. These plots have been used in many superhero series. Come on Kroffts, can't you at least be semi-original? No wonder why this lasted only eight episodes. The theme song was kinda catchy, but the rest stunk. At least Deidre Hall had a career after this...


A great little show that shows children a great deal about the world around them. The stories have a similar setup, Bing and Bong (the hero's) sit on their sofa and a giant catapult throws them to a different tiny planet where they have an adventure before returning back home and going to bed.

Within this basic frame work many different areas are explored. Science, nature, music, even conflict resolutions are shown among many others. These stories are never condescending but easy to follow and great for kids.

The program is cgi based with vivid backdrops and some inventive camera work. Rather than staying with the traditional side on camera angle, common to animation, the show sometimes puts in tracking or doll shots to place the kids in the middle of the action.

Go in with an open mind, sit down with your children and enjoy.


I honestly cannot stand this show. It showcases animals doing crazy stunts and exhibiting strange behaviors, backed up by corny puns by that cheesy host. Some clips are amusing, such as that monkey yearning a little girl to continue scratching him or that donkey who spit at an innocent family inside a car through an open window, but the majority involve a dog spinning around in circles or a cat falling off of a washing machine. Pretty much any animal doing something mundane and just plain dorky is slapped with the label "humorous". I recall a show from way back called "Animal Kidding" on Animal Planet that was hosted by Mario Lopez and was genuinely entertaining. Although the theme tune of Planet's Funniest Animals was sort of cute, it was probably the only thing that was actually heard by those editors and producers.


I actually find myself watching this show and unable to turn it off, sort of like how you can't help looking at a car wreck. The videos are often cute, but the writing is so bad it is downright strange. The jokes don't make sense. Its like nothing I've ever seen...the jokes are so bad that they are weird. I don't think they are intentionally bad, like the jokes on AFHV. It's almost like a sixth grader wrote the jokes. A humorless, stupid sixth grader. I wish I could sit in on this show being made. what does the producer say when he reads the script? Do they just not care? Do the demographics for this show indicate that the audience is 6 yo? But the humor seems inappropriate for children of that age. Is the audience really stupid? Really, it's so bad that I want an explanation.


Papillon is one of my all-time favorites films. Steve McQueen is fantastic in the lead role. Dustin Hoffman is at his finest as Louie Dega. Very memorable, unforgettable performances, shocking action scenes and psychological thrills and twists. I cannot write enough good things about this film. After years of looking, I recently found this film on DVD and added it to my collection. This is the kind of movie that you can watch again and again and continue to see things you've never noticed before. This film never gets old and you never grow tired of watching Papillon. Some of the cast includes Vic Tayback also known as Mel from the hit TV series "Alice." He is convincing as a mean, surly prison guard. Also, Billy Tumy known for his role in "Lost in Space" as Will Robinson, plays a young, doomed inmate. There are other character actors included in the cast that you will more than likely recognize throughout the film. I give this film the strongest and highest of recommendations.


I felt so moved after watching this film. Steve McQueen did a terrific job acting as Henry. Although at times, he just acted as McQueen, he did a wonderful job expressing suffering in the solitary confinement scene, and great towards the end of the movie. Hoffman is always an exceptional actor and in this movie he is no different. Unfortunately it neither won for, nor got nominated for an Oscar, and it deserved to win 3 (supporting actor, actor, picture). As much as I loved the Sting, this movie was better for that year.Some critics gave it a bad review, even a 1973 Roger Ebert article criticized this film. I guess you cant blame them too much, movies were better those days. Note that 1973 was sandwiched between 2 Godfather years.Maybe some people figured that McQueen was just redoing his Great Escape role. Either way, nowadays films are so bad I am just thirsting for a movie this deep. But if the best Hollywood can do nowadays is a glittzy trashpiece like Chicago, we cant expect too much from our times.


Terrifying film dealing with life in prison. Not just any prison, but one way off to itself with few fellow human beings around. I think this was McQueen's finest film ever, and perhaps Hoffman's also. I know it has had a lasting effect on me through the years; I have never forgotten the awesome loneliness the prisoners went through. Great picture, thumbs up.


'Papillon' is the forceful portrait of a defiant man, who survives harrowing years of his life in small solitary cells, suffering the worst type of brutality and despair... It is the amazing true life story of a man of character called Henri Charriere, a Frenchman sentenced to life at Devil's island for a murder he did not commit... Henri gains his nick name 'Papillon' for the large butterfly (symbolic of freedom) tattooed on his chest...

The film recounts Papillon's tenacity and indomitable spirit, planning and executing a series of failed attempts of escape over many years... We watch his multiple adventures through hundreds of miles of swamp, reaching an encounter with a kind leper colony, a friendly tribe of Indians, and a traitorous nun... Papillon is seen pursued by Indian trustees, and harassed by brutal guards... The power of the movie lies on Papillon's triumph over oppression, his continual perseverance, humanity, honesty, his quiet dignity, and sheer spirit...

Guided this time by one of the most creative directors who offered handsomely 'Planet of the Apes' and 'Patton,' Steve McQueenas Papillon exhibits a raw vitality, a complete spectrum of emotions, and a sure command of his technical acting-resources that are breathtaking in their impact..

Dustin Hoffmanin perfect rapport with his role, perceptively invading its every nuance and implication portrays a quality of character exhibited in the face of impossible adversity... His last scene with McQueen attempting to convince his friend not to leave the island, represents one of the film's most moving, and effective sequence...

Schaffner gives a stirring picture of forsaken men, and takes up the challenge and proceeding to 'beat the system' against incalculable odds... He certainly gives rise to some of the great epics of human courage and fortitude...


Brutal treatment in a penal colony has been explored on the screen before in such earlier films as I WAS A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG, but never has there been a more graphic expose of the sort of conditions prisoners faced under the worst sort of environment.

At times the film is extremely harrowing to watch, and at other times the story tends to drag a little. But there can be no doubt that STEVE McQUEEN and DUSTIN Hoffman create believable and sympathetic (yet quirky) characterizations and do some of the finest acting of their careers. Their roles are physically demanding and always played with total conviction.

Not for the squeamish, but extremely well acted by the entire cast, great location photography and a nice background score by Jerry Goldsmith. The first half of the story is much more compelling than what happens in the final years and the last half-hour of the film is a bit sluggish in pacing. But overall, a memorable escape film that ranks with the best of other escape stories.

My first viewing of the film years ago made an indelible impression on me, but I must confess that later viewings convinced me that it is not exactly flawless in that the pacing is sometimes much too slow and the ending is somewhat unsatisfying.


This is the second greatest "run after freedom" movie i've ever seen. Two great actors Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen are able to present you disappointment, happiness, loyalty, patience, hope, insanity, friendship and depression perfectly. Every single scene in the picture has a lot of things to say to you. You might get emotionally confused when watching this movie, you might even sense a little bit of friendship or love between the prison guardians and the prisoners and at the same time you might be able to sense the unreasonable hate. When you are not free, then you have nothing else to lose thus you have to run after your freedom, however do not believe in freedom until you get what you used to have before losing it.


Usually, after reading a long book filled with many interesting adventures, watching a two-hour film later winds up being a big disappointment. There is no way a film can give you anywhere near the info you glean from a book, especially one over 500 pages as is the case with "Papillion." Yet, despite most of Henri Charriere's incredible feats of survival, ("Papillion" was Charriere's nickname) this movie is above average and basically does the book justice. The movie runs about two-and-a-half hours and gives enough of a flavor to have the viewer appreciate - at least to some degree - the brutal trials and tribulations Papillion went through in real life.

If you enjoyed this film, the book is a "must-read" for you and very highly-recommend You won't believe all the things Charriere experienced: good and bad. In real life, the man escaped something like eight times and each time went through hell.

Steve McQueen, playing "Papillion," was excellent. He was particularly good at showing the physical effects of years of solitary confinement. By the way, in real life, Charriere was much younger went sent to jail than McQueen was at the time this movie was shot. Papillion should have been played by a younger actor, but who's going to complain when you get an actor of McQueen's caliber?

Dustin Hoffman also was great as Papillion's friend, "Louis Dega," who had a bigger role in the movie than he did in the book. For the most part, Papillion had a number of friends, all helping him over the years. Hoffman also provided some good comic relief to the movie and, heaven knows, it needed it. Take it from someone who has read the book: this is a grim story, worse than what you saw on screen here.

Nevertheless, thanks to the two leading actors and the wonderful work by Director Franklin Schaffner and Cinematograher Fred Koenekamp, this long film entertained. No, it wasn't the caliber of the book, but it's didn't insult it, either, and is definitely worth a look.


I have enjoyed watching this film several times over the three decades since it was released.

Yes, it certainly is a tragic and gruesome story of how brutal mankind can be, but more importantly, it is an inspiring story of resilience and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity. I often think of the closing scene where Papillon floats away from the prison island on his raft of coconuts. This was truly my favorite of all of Steve McQueen's films. Dustin Hoffman's performance foretold the depth and richness of his acting abilities.

I highly recommend this film. It is a timeless classic.


"Papillon" (pronounced "pap-e-yawn") is one of the most underrated films of the 1970s. Most critics attacked it on it's released, accusing it of being extremely overlong. That is unfortunate, because that is it's only major fault. Despite the rather silly casting of Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman as French criminals, they work surprisingly well together. Franklin J. Schaffner's direction is inspiring, as is most of the work he did while at the top of his game. He creates one of my favorite shots in film history (the short blow-dart sequence), and captures the isolation of McQueen perfectly.

As for length issues, the native villager sequence runs too long (though the nudity will no doubt entertain some), and trimming of some earlier scenes may have helped. Still, "Papillon" remains one of the most gruelling and well-made prison dramas of all time.

7.7 out of 10


Henri 'Papillon' Charriere, was a lifetime inmate under the French government's harsh penal system in French Guiana. In his declining years he wrote his memoirs describing his years of incarceration, his cruel mistreatment and daring, multiple escapes. Wheather or not he was the actual character of his own book, is disputed to this day. But the fact that he was an inmate is true enough and fits in with the actual site which came to be known as 'Devil's Island.' Court records indicate that Henri Charriere (Steve McQueen) later called " Papillon " which is french for Butterfly, was indeed a minor burglar and safe cracker. His claim he was innocent of murder, may be true enough, due to an unreliable source accusing him in court, yet producing little supporting evidence. Nevertheless, the infamous thief was given a twenty year sentence, which was extended due to his numerous escapes. During his imprisonment, he becomes lifelong friends with an equally famous treasury forger named Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). Don Gordon (a real life friend of McQueen) plays Julot, an experienced prisoner with his own intentions of escape. Anthony Zerbe is hideously interesting as Toussaint, a ravaged leper, who aids escaping prisoners. The entire film is one remarkable story and becomes an incredible journey, one which transcends the screen and offers audiences, the raw reality of life under the most severe and brutal penal systems in the world. The infamous 'Devil's Island ' today has become synonymous with a hellish place of unspeakable conditions. A fantastic movie for those in search of true-life Classic. ****


I've seen this movie more than one time, which is something I seldom do. It was just good, full of memorable moments and speeches. Being made in the late 70's, commercial porpoises got out of the issue. No, it's not only about escaping from prison, it's not only about freedom, it's about the hole meaning of life, manliness, morality and true friendship. The story is really amazing: the battle for freedom of one man which most people would consider hopeless. If you ever feel aggrieved, or week to face your everyday problems, think of what this guy(Papillon) has been through. The main character may be very well considered a model to follow in life. For some reason, when I recommended this movie to my friends, the boys seemed to like it more. Anyway, it's good to watch when you're in mood for a movie.


This film is supposedly based on the true account of a prisoner who escaped from Devil's Island in French Guiana. However, the book by Henri Charriere about his experiences apparently has a LOT of inconsistencies and outright fabrications (a polite way of saying he was a liar). So, provided you understand that this isn't quite a true story, this is still an exceptional film. Much of this is due to incredible acting, direction, scripting and makeup.

Henri Charriere, played by Steve McQueen, is going to Devil's Island for killing a pimp--supposedly in self-defense. On the boat, he meets a swindler played by Dustin Hoffman and they become friends.

Most of the film documents how harsh and awful life is in the prison came--either in the work camps or when living in solitary confinement. All take their toll and kill off many of the prisoners, by Charriere is resilient. Despite all these privations, he never loses his resolve to escape, though Hoffman eventually does and accepts his life on the island after one failed escape attempt. In the end, Charriere does escape, though in real-life, this apparently did NOT occur.

While there is a lot more to the movie and what I have mentioned (after all it's a very long and involved film), the full impact of the story is not what you read but seeing the awfulness of the prison. So, be prepared for a movie that at times is very difficult to watch but is constructed it's an amazing film.


One can never forget the desperate attempts at surviving the solitary confinement portrayed by the vastly talented Steve McQueen. Equally brilliant was the indomitable Dustin Hoffman as Luis Dega, the counterfeiter. The settings and location truly match the descriptions as described in the book written by the father-of-all-survivors Henri Charriere. The DVD version contains a short film of Henri revisiting the prison where he was living for most of his life seeking to escape, just to prove a point to his captors. Altogether, a film that is a must-watch for all lovers of classic cinema. Best watched at 2:00pm in the afternoon after a light lunch on a Sunday afternoon with your favorite brand of beer.


Kweer klucks koneheads on display. Having come from a liberal family from Mississippi, this film hits home. No, not everyone from Mississippi was an ignorant racial bigot, but Mississippi WAS the ground zero for these ignominious peons. Of all the films about southern racial prejudice (In the Heat of the Night, Ghosts of Mississippi etc.) this one best presents the magnitude of ignorant hatred that existed within the South and the corruption of the white authorities. I find it interesting that I remember the names of Cheney, Schwerner and Goodman, but I don't remember the names of the SOBs that killed them. This film was slighted at the Academy Awards. Frances McDormand's performance was superior to any of the actresses nominated for Best Supporting Actress. I think Mississippi Burning was better than the Best Picture winner Rain Man.


This movie was based on the murders of the three civil rights workers in 1964. Attack On Teror really gave a better view in story line, than Mississippi Burning. These three workers were jailed by the Deputy Sheriff on a speeding ticket. After they were released, they were on their way South out of town. Later they were followed by the Deputy Sheriff along with Ku Klux Klan members. On a country road they were pulled over shot and killed. The blue station wagon was burn't. The three were found buried in a Dam yard. This was world attention, in the news. It was all about hate not just against blacks, but also a Jew. Personally I hate the Confederate Flag. It's a symbol of hate, white supremacy and of course the KU Klux Klan. I like only the American Flag and the Christain Flag. There was no excuse for the murder of these three men. They came to investigate a church fire. No matter whether it's a white church or a black church, burning down the Lord's house is wrong. I likewise didn't like Gene Hackman's brutal tactics in this movie. Where he took the razor, from the Barber gave the Deputy Sheriff a shave, cutting his face, then dunking his head in a sink full of water. That's not how law enforcement officers should act. I would encourage you all to get the real facts and watch Attack On Terror. You will get a better story, than this low budget movie.


Interesting film about a real tragedy, which took place in Mississippi in 1964. Three young guys, including a black man, were killed by KKK. Two FBI came to the village, where this happened and investigated the case It was just an example of what was going on there. The best of the film is the acting of the whole group of actors and actresses led by Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe, the latter as a generous FBI detective instead of being a villain as usual. The film left no doubt that KKK is (or was) a terrorist organization with a complete lack of human feelings, only with the obsession to kill black people, to reduce its population and denigrate it any way. I heard someone in Italian TV saying that Alan Parker directs wrong films, but this one is not the case.


Am I the only one who thought that Gailard Sartain's performance in this movie was outstanding? I'm not particularly a fan of his; in fact, I'm hard-pressed to remember any other role he's played. Sure, Gene Hackman was great, but you pretty much expect that from him, and Frances McDormand deserved her Oscar Nomination; but Sartain really stood out as the sheriff. He managed to be compelling and charismatic and scary as hell all at the same time. Actually, so did Gene Hackman, which I think was intentional--the filmmakers wanted us to notice the very thin line between Hackman's ex-sheriff character and Sartain's Sheriff Stuckey.

I thought the movie was a little heavy-handed, and its obvious attempts to be powerful and moving made me wince at times. But maybe that was necessary to portray just how dangerous and vicious racism can be when it ingrains itself into a culture. Overall, I would highly recommend this film.


Set in mississippi during the tumultous civil rights era, 1964, Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe play FBI agents sent to uncover the whereabouts of some missing civil rights movement supporters. Of course they are not welcomed with open arms. Great acting by Hackman and Dafoe. Although the pairing of an older, wiser, vet and a newbie has been done so many times.. 7 of 10


Have just seen the last episode, No 32, (though the site says only 30 episodes were made) and I must comment on the fact that this series was really very good and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime/cop stories. Supposedly all 32 were based on fact with information at the end of each episode of the court sentences imposed on the perpetrators of the crimes, this has at times been a gritty, well acted, believable and dare I say, entertaining series. The fact that the powers in Denmark decided to disband the unit was almost unbelievable as they did their work so well and in the series at least, never failed to "get their man"! It's a definite 10/10 for me.


We've just watched the last of the series shown on the SBS network and will miss our weekly dose of Danish Delight. My wife and I picked up the show after the Swedish show "The Eagle" finished and it seemed by comparison to be a very poor substitute for our then favourite show on TV. Week by week, however, the show grew on me, and whilst not as glossy as the Swedish show and definitely grittier in terms of their investigations of everyday crimes, it certainly provided a very satisfying weekly viewing meal indeed.

Prior to these 2 shows I had not really been a fan of the cop genre and can't say I am now but the 2 Scandinavian shows really provided us with an insight into life in those northern Euopean countries through the eyes of their special policing units.


First off, I'm an American -- I haven't seen any comments on IMDb about this series yet from a U.S. viewer. Secondly, I work in the television business in development. So I wallow in much of the sludge that comes out of American broadcast programming. "Unit One" is an example of television that's a throwback to what I would attribute as '70s-style scripting, feature-wise. Namely, those films made by young autueurs who had free rein to make the dramas feel more realistic and to allow for organic character development. It tacks more along the lines of stellar British dramas like "Cracker" and "Prime Suspect" as well as Australia's brilliant "Underbelly." "Unit One" features stand-alone cases that are committed, then solved, each week. The mysteries aren't extraordinary or particularly byzantine. They usually center around one single twist, clocking in generally at the 40 minute mark, and resolution is neatly wrapped up in the 15 minutes thereafter. What makes this series a breath of fresh air is that it features main characters that you are hooked on and find relatable by episode 2. These are real, breathing, alive characters that have personal baggage, yet it's not a talky, batty type of baggage that American flotsam such as "Grey's Anatomy" or "Desperate Housewives" spoons out. These are realistic individuals whose backstories unfold leisurely over the course of the series, as if you work with them on a daily basis. After the mindless decade of "CSI's," "NCIS's," and "Criminal Minds," along with their subsequent spawns, it's refreshing to actually sit down to watch friends you want to spend time with, as is the case with "Unit One." The quippy banter, the unemotional wooden dialogue, and the over-the-top jeopardy that those American series I mentioned bludgeon us with each week are absurd compared to the nuance and the quiet resonance you get with this remarkable Danish series. I'm on episode 7 of the first season, but I've already bought all four seasons and am in for the long haul. If you need explosions and farcically-hopped up testosterone, along with music by The Who and fast-cutting, neon-lit, jittery palsy-cam action with cipher-like main characters as your main diet of television drama viewing, I suggest you stay away from this series. If you are an adult with a hunger for subtle, poignant, thoughtful and, yes, sometimes straight-forward procedural crime dramas, I urge you to check this show out.


This is one of the best Non-English series I have seen. It weaves interesting single and double episodes of crime-solving together with a personal aspect that you just don't get in CSI. The individual characters all have personal lives that combine well with their day job and occasionally interfere. Additionally the characters all manage to naturally evolve throughout the episodes.

The casting is superb and it was taped all over Denmark, giving a good example of the highlights that majestic country has to offer. Unfortunately only 32 episodes were made, however they are top-notch television. Here's hoping they consider making some more episodes of the same caliber.


This production, build on real danish crime stories, is a experience through excellent directing, acting on all levels and has a nerve not often seen in crime series. Every episode is a thrill because it's seems like the hole team believe that "this is my life right now - this murder or murders are MY responsibility to solve" and the output is brilliant.

As a viewer, you just have this wonderfully filling of being entertained cause it feels like their focus, on purpose or not, lie on that they WONT you to have a good time...:o) Don't miss this one, it's just right under 'Band of brothers' quality and is a "must have seen" experience - What a wonderful crime time !


'Rejseholdet' is one of the best new danish tv-series that i have watched.

The series is about the danish police force's Unit 1 - a kinda FBI-style team that help solve murder cases all over the country, and the cases they work on, plus the influence that their jobs have on their personal lives, and the price they sometimes has to pay to be a part of a top police team.

I didn't expect much when I started watching this series - I was pleasantly surprised, the series is exciting, sometimes fun, it's got both drama and suspense, I love it.


It is beyond me why two million Danish people each week sit down to watch this terrible show. The dialogue is terrible and not realistic. The characters are hollow and simplistic. There's a tough man, a tough woman and a sensitive man. The writers actually say that they have modeled the characters after Greek mythology! Give me a break! All the characters are of course brilliant policemen. When I have watched this show I have longed for "District Hill Street" and "NYPD Blue". These are brilliant shows, and "Rejseholdet" is a lousy copy. This program is a symptom of the disease Danish television is currently suffering from.


I expected a Jaws clone and got a movie about threesomes. After I got over the initial shock I actually found Tintorera to be a sweet, almost classy, little male fantasy. Tintorera is actually a sex/beach-flick, and thus perfectly captures the feel of the seventies take on sexual revolution; an era of hedonistic disco parties, sexual experimentation and short, loveless sexual encounters. Rene Cardona Jr. regular Hugo Stiglitz looks great as a wealthy boy on vacation, Esteban, who "finds himself" in a three part relationship with the cute Gabrielle and his former sexual competitor Miguel, the Shark hunter. Meanwhile the feared Tintorera, a big-ass tiger shark, is having a feast on the sexed-out beach community. The "f***-and-die" concept, usually seen in slasher films, is clearly visible and you could say that Tintorera's attack on the swimmers are really an attack on the sexual revolution. If you want cheese you'll have no trouble finding it (the Darth Vader-like breathing of Tintorera or the underwater conversations between Esteban and Miguel directly springs to mind...), but don't look to hard since the larger parts of the movie is actually pretty well-made and totally undeserving of its bad reputation (which I think is more due to the whole idea of a shark/sex movie, than the movie itself). Chances are you might actually enjoy it, as I did.

Also, if you are a gay man interested in exploitation cinema you are bound to like it: the homosexual overtones between Esteban and Miguel are painfully obvious and there are numerous shots of Hugo Stiglitz cute little ass.

7/10 on a regular scale


Rene Cardona Jr's TINTORERA (1977) is one ridiculous JAWS ripoff made by this Mexican film maker who is also known (among many other films) as the director of jungle exploitation film TREASURE OF THE AMAZON (1985), a much better film.

TINTORERA stars Susan George and the film involves a bunch of people having a vacation on some paradise island in which there seems to be nothing but happiness and beautiness and not a trace of the outside world. Soon, however, after some 30 minutes of the film, finally the nasty shark starts to eat and kill people and also return the vacationers back on earth from their dream world. What really amazes me in this film is how long it takes for the shark to finally arrive because as far as I know, this was supposed to be another "shark film" that would appeal to the same audience than Spielberg's JAWS (1975) did.

The film has absolutely incredibly slow pace and it will be too much for most to watch without falling asleep. There is plenty of scenes depicting sharks being killed by people or each other and also the "sharks attacking human being" scenes are pretty dull and thus funny. There's plenty of naked skin and bodies and also some blood so the exploitation elements are there as they were in TREASURE, too. And exploitation TINTORERA is almost as much as it is trash. Very much, that is!

Still the Mexican locations and beaches are truly wonderful and very beautiful and by watching them it is much easier to sit the film through. Rarely has nature's beauty been captured this stunningly on trash film like this, so the film isn't completely without its merits. Otherwise I'd recommend this for fans of ultra low budget grade Z cinema only and of course for fans of the Cardonas. 3/10


Most of the action takes place on land, and nothing of substance happens there. The film is lowbrow to the extreme (every single female character is an airhead that's ready to go to bed with a stranger THE MINUTE she meets him - the ultimate male fantasy, perhaps?), but at least you get to look at some beautiful landscapes, and of course there is also a lot of nudity to keep you going between the all-too-infrequent shark attacks. (*1/2)


Rene Cradona Jr - the man whose dad brought us the exploitation movie Survive! - turns his attention to the '70s craze for shark movies with Tintorera. To call this movie a Jaws rip-off is rather misleading in some ways. The fact that a shark is running amok is almost completely ignored by the director, who spends more time concentrating on the nudity and the background scenery. Perhaps the budget was so low they couldn't afford to include many shark attack sequences. So, in an effort to pull in audiences, Cardona simply hired as many good-looking actors as he could and bribed them to remove their clothing at every given opportunity.

American tourist Steven (Hugo Stiglitz) arrives at a paradise-like Mexican resort aboard his luxury yacht, where he soon falls in love with British tourist Patricia (Fiona Lewis). After a fall-out with Steven, Patricia beds down with local playboy and part-time shark hunter Miguel (Andres Garcia). However, while out swimming in the sea one morning, Patricia is devoured by a tintorera (tiger shark). Steven and Miguel begrudgingly become friends and spend much of the summer hunting for sharks by day and hunting for women by night. They reel in British holiday-maker Gabriella (Susan George), a free-spirited fun-seeker who readily surrenders herself to a three-way sexual relationship with the two charmers. Tragedy soon strikes as the tintorera once more returns to feed in the waters and, after a night-time massacre during which a group of party-goers are killed by the deadly shark, Steven finally decides that the time has come to exterminate the killer fish.

Virtually everyone on the cast list spends half their screen time naked. It's hard to imagine what convinced "real" and "serious" actors like George, Lewis, Stiglitz, Jennifer Ashley and Priscilla Barnes to appear in this film. Their characters certainly present no interesting or challenging acting opportunities, and it seems unlikely that any of them could have seen much chance here to further their careers in a meaningful way. The story progresses almost randomly, with practically no sense of suspense, urgency or purpose. The love angle is not slightly credible (Steven and Miguel are just sleazy, promiscuous woman-users, and it's totally unbelievable that every time they speak to a female she becomes putty in their hands). And the shark angle, as mentioned, is neglected for such long spells that it becomes virtually incidental to the plot. I've seen some damned bad movies in my time, but Tintorera is definitely one of the worst of the lot. I'll grant that it has unintentional hilarity if you're prepared to look for it, but on a serious film-making level - heck, even on an exploitation level - it is a truly, truly, truly awful film.

Apparently there is a 126 minute version of Tintorera. I have no desire to see it. The 90 minute edition I forced myself to sit through was quite terrible enough, without prolonging my suffering for an additional half an hour.


How idiotic was this film? How is this film even a Jaws rip-off? Jaws had a story, hell, Barracuda had a story - this film has real footage of a meandering Tiger Shark and it's NOT scary.

The best part of this film was Susan George and Fiona Lewis, both looked stunning when they wear nothing.

As for the 'plot' - 2 guys hang out, pick up women, have 3-somes, and hunt sharks - why? Does it matter? And the way these guys act when they pick up women - WOW - you know you're in a movie as this stuff would never work in real life.

If you like beaches, boats, real shark footage, and Susan George pouting, watch it....but if you are expecting a good 'fish' film...steer clear...very clear...


First of all, I don't understand why any movie made in Mexico gets this "bad, cheesy, laughable" comments. I have watched this movie several times and it's better than the killer shark movies produced now-a-days by the Sci-Fi channel.

The plot is simple yet effective, the acting is what you would expect from a 70's movie. The shark attacks (specially the one at night next to the boat with a REAL shark) are really believable, it achieves it's goal of scaring the crowd in my personal point of view.

The only thing I didn't like was the excessive nudity, although it keeps it groovy to say the least. A good Saturday night pop corn flick if you have no plans to go out or if you just want to have a good time while cuddling in the couch.


I recall watching this as a kid on a now defunct Sicilian TV channel; however, given the ample nudity on display and, for a film of its type, the excessive length of the thing itself, it's very probable that it had been cut to some extent.

Anyway, this is a JAWS (1975) rip-off with a difference  in that it's a ragbag of exploitation items as opposed to a real 'shark' film; for long passages, as a matter of fact, the creature is completely forgotten with the plot (if so it can be called) concentrating on the sexual escapades of the two rival/buddy protagonists! It's only in the last half-hour (of this 126-minute picture) that the chase is well and truly on  after the shark attacks and kills one of the two men; still, this doesn't take the other's mind off sex  resulting in perhaps the film's highlight as a group of revelers is attacked at night, with the girl (one of two American sisters vacationing in Mexico) accompanying the hero ending up killed. Apparently, the creature is really after the latter  and eventually he gets to work on executing his personal vendetta

Being a Spanish-British co-production, the film features two English actresses among the bevy of willing beauties  Susan George (whose contribution is the most important, even if it comes exactly half-way through the film and extends to little over 30 minutes of screen-time) and Fiona Lewis (who appears early on and is actually the shark's first victim). The repetitious ménage-a'-trois situation results in some serious padding and a generally tedious film; that said, the shark scenes aren't very creatively handled either (apart from the gore)  so that it can't hope to offer any real competition to the Spielberg classic it's imitating! For the record, I recently watched the even more popular (if still essentially dismal) horror/wrestling hybrid NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES (1969) from this director's father and for which they both contributed to the screenplay.

Naturally, the look and sound of TINTORERA! (the title being how the Spanish refer to the Tiger Shark species) screams 1970s  including an agreeable recurring song but especially the disco-driven, drug-fuelled boat parties; frustratingly, though, the full-length print I viewed kept not only alternating between English and Spanish dialogue but had English subtitles popping up for the latter and vice-versa!


Despite the fact that most of them are complete crap, I do actually consider myself a fan of the Jaws rip-offs. I've had a copy of this film for a long while but I've continually put off watching it, and the reason for that is simply down to the running time; 127 minutes is far, far too long for a silly and trashy Jaws rip off. That being said, this film is more like a trashy and exploitative soap opera than a Jaws rip-off, but even so; the runtime is still far too long. It almost feels like the scenes of the shark have been thrown in as an afterthought, and that possibly could be the case; as aside from a few minor events, the shark hardly figures in the movie at all. The plot is actually quite complicated, but to cut a long story short; what we basically have is two men who meet on holiday and soon fall out over a girl. Soon after that they become friends again and decide to go womanising together, several times. They're so busy with their womanising that they don't realise that some of their girlfriends are being picked off by a hungry tiger shark!

It's a shame that the film is more like a soap opera than a horror movie really because the horror parts of the film are actually not bad, it's just the dull and tedious 'drama' side of it that lets it down. The film really does drag far too often, and that's really not what you want from a film that is supposed to be fun. The version of the film that I saw looks like it had been pieced together from two different sources as half of it was in English (dubbed) and the other half was in Spanish. This actually gives the film a rather surreal feel as the language is constantly chopped and changed. When the shark actually does feature, we do at least get some good gore with it and several of these sequences are actually really well worked. The film is somewhat notorious for its animal killing scenes and that's hardly surprising because plenty of fish get butchered and it's not nice viewing - worse than Cannibal Holocaust, that is for sure! The underwater scenes are really good, however - but a lot of them are probably just documentary footage spliced into the film. It all boils down to a decent enough conclusion, but I cant bring myself to really like this film because it's just too much of a mess. Cool title though.


well well well. i've got the brand new DVD release of this flick last Christmas, i've where thrilled to see that there was a giant white shark on the cover but in the movie it is a small tiger shark...duh. when i started to watch it looked kinda interesting but later on...uh, this is the most boring shark flick ever!. it contains 2 hour of 2 guys hitting of girls, and maybe 3-4 shots of the shark attacks. it was a huge disappointment - this is a warning: if you love shark movies don't watch this one it is more like a soft porn flick more than a horror flick - take on better films like Jaws or even the cult classic The Last Shark. i don't recommend this one. stay away !! 1/10


I consider myself a genuine fan of bad cinema as much as the next guy but this film was truly awful, in an often hilariously inept kind of way. I understand that this was an exercise in exploitation but it just seemed to lack any real sense of cohesion whatsoever. Whatever sense of suspense and/or horror the movie strives for is invariably trumped by a total sense of ineptitude and absurdity. To add insult to injury, the relentless use of actual real-life footage depicting the merciless slaughter of marine life of every kind only made an already tough movie going experience almost unbearable.

Sitting through this movie is like rubbernecking one's way past a bad pile-up on the freeway involving a caravan of clowns or circus performers.


If you want to see an array of beautiful sea creatures that no longer exist, by and large because they're butchered for no reason in this awful movie, then this film becomes a treasure of historical documentation. Otherwise, it's a plot less story about three and four way sexploits with the final few minutes dedicated to the premise of a shark horror flick. Unfortunately for me I had to sit through the whole thing as I had started it and it was too hot and windy to go outside. You do get ideas about how you'd like to have that much money so that you could live on a yacht without responsibility and the promise of toast after toast with your latest shag, but the continual slaughter of sharks, sea turtles and stingrays for a movie such as this leaves one filled with guilt.


Okay okay...so this movie wasn't the most technically sound movie ever. When it comes to low-budget horror, they seldom are. However, get past the bad dubbing and stupid plot, and this one's actually fairly entertaining. The plot seems to have been stolen from a 70's Jaws based porn movie. two shark hunters find loose women and invite them over to have sex with them. Nude swimming and threesomes abound...until a "giant killer shark...the biggest ever sighted" shows up to ruin their sex games. The effects in this one are pretty shoddy(the "man" hanging out of the shark's mouth has to be seen to be believed), and most of the underwater scenes of the shark are laughable...you know that shark isn't that big. But get past these fallacies, and the movie is enjoyable. If you enjoyed Jaws and like the "naughty" things in life, then you'll probably enjoy "tintorera" and all its gratuitous gore and nudity(the only bad part is the naked men...blah!)


Mediterranean playboys woo the affections of sexy tourists, and treat them to fun and frivolity aboard their yacht, while a ferocious tiger shark cleans up after them.

Sordid, heavy-handed approach to the conventional shark tale, with perennial Cardona leading man Hugo Stiglitz, tag-teamed with Andres Garcia (no, not Andy Garcia) acting like a pair of macho morons in pursuit of the next booze-fuelled orgy. Somewhere amid all the frolicking, their care-free capers are interrupted by the occasional graphically depicted shark attack.

The 130-odd minute cut of this yawn fest is an endurance test; the audience hanging on, in the forlorn hope of actually seeing a shark attack. Trimmed down versions don't fare much better, unless you like the idea of a threesome pact being broken by a fourth contender, who's about 15 feet long and lives underwater.

A diverse cast can't recover any dignity to the proceedings, with Susan George as the main love interest (there are so many, it's hard to keep track), and Fiona Lewis and Priscilla Barnes popping in for a good time, not a long time, just to add some comforting familiarity for non-Spanish speaking audiences.

Overall, while the all-too-few shark attack scenes look convincing, and the multitude of semi-nude babes are distracting, it's a labour that will leave you feeling betrayed: this isn't a shark movie. It's soft porn and a deep throat.


Silly me! Here I was under the impression of owning a Tiger Shark horror movie, but instead there's just a copy of the X-rated Love Boat Chronicles in my DVD-collection! What the hell was this? I absolutely love low budget Jaws rip-off's  the trashier they are, the more I love them  but this has got to be one of the most incoherent and insufferably tedious exploitation movies ever made! "Tintorera" could be described as sex, tequila and sunny beaches. Oh, and a little bit of shark-action too, maybe. Now this may sound like crazy fun but NOT when you have to endure lousy acting performances and lamentable dialogs for 127 damn long minutes. Who the hell is interested in an extra long version of a crap film anyway, especially when the additional footage only serves more crap? This movie has no redeeming elements whatsoever, since even the sleazy scenes are uninspired and boring as hell. Hugo Stiglitz, who oddly resembles Daniel Stern from "Home Alone", plays a millionaire who parked his yacht in front of a tourist beach resort and stares at the girls in their colorful bikinis. He falls in love with a brunette, loses her again because their summer-love relationship is getting too serious and catches her cheating on him with playboy Miguel. The two guys become best friends and the girl gets devoured by a tiger shark without anybody realizing she's gone. Good riddance, I guess. Together, Steven and Miguel seduce a handful of other girls before the both fall for English beauty Gabriella. They then start the most implausible and retarded tree-way relationship ever filmed. Since Gabriella cannot or does not want to choose between her two lovers, "Tintorera" suddenly turns  for nearly 45 minutes!  into a romantic melodrama with few nudity (only male nudity, actually) and really pointless images of three uninteresting people talking. You honestly pray for the shark to pop up again and bring closure to this painfully soporific relationship. He/she does eventually, when the macho boys try to impress Gabrielle with their nasty shark-hunting games, and after killing Miguel this chapter ends suddenly, like it was just a tiny little sub plot. Steven returns to partying on the beach and taking random beauty-queens back to his boat for sex. When that annoying tiger shark kills yet another one of his girlfriends, Steven gets really upset goes after his nemesis. "Tintorera" stands for total boredom and irritation. The underwater footage of the titular animal scouting the bottom of the sea is nifty and professional, but I suspect most of these scenes were 'borrowed' from documentaries or something. It's rather infuriating how this movie contains truckloads of sequences in which fish and harmless smaller shark species are tortured and killed for no reason other than 'sport' and 'amusement'. I'm pretty sure it's real, as I don't see how you can fake impaling innocent little sea creatures. Perhaps it all was archive footage as well, but I don't think so judging by the diving suits the hunters wore, and even if it's all fake it still remains poor padding. I'm normally a great admirer of the gorgeous starlets Susan George, Fiona Lewis and Priscilla Barnes but honestly no one was capable of saving this disastrous production. My advise is to skip it, but if for some reason you do feel the urge of tracking it down, make sure it isn't the long version.


Expect a good mystery. The film explores the full spectrum of Bombay culture and scenic background. The locations and sets are delightful. The characters are well developed. The author of the book gets screen writing credit. Those who are introduced to Inspector Ghote by viewing this film, will probably become interested in checking out the full series of books. There is almost a laugh or chuckle a minute, i.e. chase sequences, pratfalls and sight gags. Cameo appearances by "animals" are a plus. This film belongs in the same category as the "Pink Panther" movies. There is a short run TV series starring Sammy Davis Jr. as "Inspector Ghote". Please email me if you have more info on that to share.


Well the film is a murder mystery and actually looks like an Indian film though it's a Hollywood film

It has Indian actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Amjad Khan, Dalip Tahil, Ratna Patak Shah

The film is a thriller and how a cop goes an investigates it

It touches on lots of topics on the problems cops face in India while solving cases albeit in a light manner

The film is serious and lighthearted at the right places and there is a nice balance

Direction is good Naseer essays his part with brilliance like always, One of India's finest actors Ratna Patak suits her role as his wife(in real life too she is his wife) Amjad Khan looks overweight and he is okay Dalip too is okay


I purchased this DVD as it was a Merchant and Ivory Collection piece and hoping for a good Sunday evening bed time view. I wasn't disappointed and the movie generates some beautiful sceneries and life a far with strange paradoxes in a complex Bombay society. The story is quite similar in fashion and form to Red Heat (1988), and the Rush Hour series of movies. The plot is ridiculous and the screenplay rather dull and nothing ever fits together to solve the riddle as you would like to in this movie. But the laughs are a plenty akin to more to the bumbling Inspector Clouseau genre. Acting is better than the screenplay and the chemistry between the two detectives could be better. The DVD is very sparse and why Criterion ever got involved I am not sure. The transfer is disappointing and somewhat grainy.


The last person that commented on this movie needs to LIGHTEN UP! The comments made about "women" are to be taken lightly and jokingly. First of all, they are all men playing the roles of women. There are no women in the cast...that's the joke behind the movie! Plus, the characters are making fun of themselves. It's a comedy, it's not reality...in fact, far from it.

Jack Plotnick's character of Evie steals the show by far!! Her b*tchy, catty dialog had me rolling through the entire film. Maybe we can get the director to consider a Girls will be Girls 2???!!!!

I found the movie HILARIOUS, not just because I'm gay, but because I know how to take a joke, and enjoy a good, funny movie!


Like the love child of "Absolutely Fabulous" and every novel Jacqueline Susann's ever written, "Girls Will Be Girls" is an 80-minute festival of campy trash, hilarious one-liners, and bitchy, catty women. The only catch this time is that the women are all played by men.

Evie (Jack Plotnick) is a washed-up B-movie actress who is decidedly not aging gracefully. She lives with Coco (Clinton Leupp), her more grounded friend who functions mainly as Evie's maid and abuse magnet. Into their lives walks their new roommate Varla (Jeffery Roberson), an aspiring starlet whose late mother Marla (also Roberson in flashbacks) was also Evie's most hated acting rival. All of them have dreams, of course. Evie's dreams involve drinking as many martinis as she can and then having plenty of sex with anyone available. Coco still pines for the hunky abortion doctor that operated on her many years ago. Varla hopes to become the actress that her mother couldn't while dealing with the advances of Evie's gorgeous but microscopically-endowed son Stevie (Ron Mathews). Of course, there are hidden motives galore, and more than one mean-spirited one-liner.

The gimmick of this film, that all the women are played by men, is never as overstated as you may think. After all, the characters are all female, and they are treated in the story as if they are female. It's only slightly different than young boys performing the female roles in Shakespeare's plays. The camp value of the movie focuses not on the drag spectacle, but on the unrelenting melodrama and silliness of the plot, taking the elements of ridiculous films like "Valley Of The Dolls" and upping them to a level so ludicrous, they can only be considered comedy. That the framework of the film makes all of these developments seem perfectly natural and realistic is a credit to director and writer Richard Day.

The actors are all quite game and in on the absurdity of their surroundings. Plotnick is quite humorous, dropping the most mean-spirited one-liners you'll ever laugh at, and the clips of Evie performing in the 60's stinker "Asteroid" resemble nothing less than Morgan Fairchild on quaaludes. Leupp reprises the role of Coco from his scene-stealing moments in the movie "Trick", and he imbues the character both with a humorous sense of bad luck and an immediately sympathetic personality. Roberson is not quite as spectacular as his co-stars, but he gives the naive, trusting Varla a great heart and a hilarious scene involving opera and cheese in a can. Even Mathews is great, all melodramatic soap hunk and hair product.

While the movie receives high marks for style, including efficient and effective set design and a very nice score, it's a very loud movie in the sense that every scene is turned up to 11. While this works most of the time, even at the film's short running time, it tends to strain. The ending veers sharply away from comedy into deep melodramatic territory, and even though it is diffused quite handily, the film almost drowns in TV-movie-of-the-week sap before the mood lightens again. Also, some may find the hostile attitudes of some of the characters, mainly Evie and to a degree Coco, to be too off-putting for comfort. Evie, especially, is one of the most unsympathetic characters you'll meet in a film this year.

Regardless, the film is hilarious and immensely entertaining. A high recommendation for anyone who likes divas, camp, or catty fun. And don't forget to bring the cheese. 8 out of 10.


One of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time!!!! Low budget b flick that was better that most million dollar films. These three actors were dead on most of the time forgot I was watching three men.Evie...funniest drunk I have ever seen very Debbie Renyolds like Great one liners!!!!!! Miss Coco who I had fallen in love with since her small part in "TRICK" her blood curdling scream make me pee every time!! And then there is Varla,aspiring actress who moves in with the two "has beens" Varla has come to the other girls looking for acting tips and revenge! The one liners hysterical,politically incorrect..the best part!! And I agree the opening features on the DVD are as funny as the movie!!!


I have not had the opportunity to laugh out loud like this in a very long time! Three men play three women with lust in there hearts and stars in there eyes in an homage to sketch comedy, B-movies, bad wigs, tasteless humor, and everything else that was not nailed down.

Intentionally silly plot twists and over-the-top acting make what could have been a very bland "Hollywood production" into a laugh-fest that will keep you smiling everytime you see a can of Cheez Wiz. There were several shameful laughs at everything from incontinence to abortions to rape to suicide. This movie is a wake-up call for anyone that actually thought that "To Wong Foo..." was funny and not patronizing to men in drag.

So put some sass in a glass, loosen your corsette, and see this flick with somebody that doesn't think your laugh is stupid!


This was just so crisp and the dialogue so sharp that I actually finally registered at IMDB just so I could publiclly praise this film. The looks, the leers, the wigs! What's not to love? Rented the DVD & after hearing the directors comments I must say I'm so glad that his DP told him he couldn't have white walls. The sheer b*lls out saturation of those colors totally made the movie for me. If they ever really do decide to re-make Valley Of The Dolls the only logical helmer choice is Richard Day. I can't believe there are only those two quotes from the movie. But perhaps the barbs are best savoured in their proper context. In any event, lovers of drag queens, bits of absurdism, and satire should snap this movie up.


This is a very good Indy film, and I give it a 7 out of 10 stars. I had seen it previewed on the Independent Film Channel a couple of years ago and found the video recently. However, there is something a bit 'off' with it: It seems to take place in the 1970's and there is some hint about the "Bicentenniel Room"....which makes you think its circa 1976......but instead, it's modern day L.A.. It just happens to be about a has-been 60's/'70's actress, who refuses to see that she's over the hill! (Poss. Spoilers?) The 'odd' thing about this film is: The actors are males in drag as females, and each one are hilarious in the roles they play. This is no 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert', with Patrick Swayze & Wesley Snipes acting all swishy, these are men who honestly look & sound like real women - and they are playing "straight women", as in, you have to go into this believeing they are real women and forget they're really men underneath the wigs & dresses, okay? Once you get past that (if it doesn't distract you too much), you will laugh your head off, seriously! Very funny, with great "drama Queen" moments, temper tantrums and bitch-slaps! All the emotions are covered: anger, jealousy, vanity, you name it! Really, it's a fantastic situational comedy, well worth seeing by anyone, if they go into it with an open mind! I never would have known about it if it weren't for the IFC. I showed it to some friends and I swear they did not realize they weren't females, until about 5-minutes into it! They just wondered what was up! "Hey, that's a guy!"

It is a bit 'odd', but it's also a great, raunchy, adult Indy film! (IFC produced it, I believe.) If you can find it used, buy it!

That alone is enough to show it to everyone you know!! I give this one 7 *'s out of 10! *******


Very funny. Completely captivating. The visual style was all 70's pastel kitsch: house, clothes, hair. Cheesy low-tech special effects don't seem to follow any particular style but simply add fun comedy touches. Strong language is often fresh and honest. The aging actress character always says exactly what's on her mind. Think of it as "Hairspray" meets "Valley of the Dolls".


This is a lot of fun. This is simple gag after gag moving along quick. Humor reminds me of John Waters, Malcolm in the Middle. I am not taking this movie one bit serious and I am not looking for art. We are just laughing every minute. The color and clothes are really great. And these TVs are some of the best (I have been with). The 10 line minimum is hard to live with. My comments are complete and I can not say more without repeating myself. The movie is still funny and still like I said in my comments. Quality over quantity is always a great policy. You have to be kidding. Um. The color clothes I like are many colors. Why are you forcing me to say more than I have to say?


I had discovered clips of this movie on YouTube and decided that I just had to see it. The very day that the delivery arrived, we popped the DVD in and laughed from start to finish.

The guys do great work as the "gals" and part of the charm is that they're in on the joke and never take themselves too seriously. This is, after all, a COMEDY! And one that is very well done.

Some of the littlest bits bring the biggest laughs. Coco's flatulence, the out-of-camera lines ("that is NOT her color!"), and of course the catty one-liners from Evie. Even the DVD menus are a blast.

All in all, one of the most over-looked, best laugh-out-loud movies ever.


O.K, so it's not Shakespeare, it's not meant to be! You just have to take it for what it's worth, go with it and have many laughs along the way! I think you actually forget that they are men, well, maybe not, but it's an enjoyable film, to say the least! Most of the scenes are funny and I think all of the actors do a great job in their roles! I do have to say that I bought the movie because Ron Mathews is a personal trainer at my gym and my friend and I are hot for him! Even though he's straight, I think he has a wandering eye for my beautiful friend, who is also a trainer! It's nice to know that, even if Ron is in reality all straight, that he is comfortable with himself doing a movie like this and kissing men! And, that one scene will give me enough to fantasize about in the gym, especially since he's always fully clothed! Anyway, you won't be disappointed here! In the sense of "Too Wong Foo" and "Priscilla", you'll enjoy this one!


"You've had an abortion?" "Evie, I've had more kids pulled outa me than a burning orphanage."

That dialogue was a test of your tolerance for this screamingly politically incorrect in your face laugh til ya vomit outrageous comedy. I'm a big fan of MAD Magazine, Strangers with Candy, and some John Waters films. I also think Valley of the Dolls, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and Mommie Dearest are three of the campiest films ever made. If you feel the same, then you will love this movie.

Sure it's silly and falls apart by the end but enjoy the ride til the train wrecks! Three leads are dead on and play their parts to the hilt. The production value (costumes, art direction) alone is a good third of the laughs. On DVD, the pop colors are so bright you need sunglasses. And the opening titles are worth the price of the DVD alone. The Menu selections are very clever as well as the characters talk to you (disparagingly) about their section. Highly recommended.


What a treat. I'm so glad I knew nothing about this film. I heard no buzz, had no opinions. Don't even know why we watched it. But the night we did, I don't think I've laughed that hard since I was on a teen field trip to see Romeo and Juliet (1968 version) with my class. After the movie, they screened Life of Brian, and for some odd reason, our teachers allowed us to stay. The Bigus Dickus scene had me gasping for air.... and I can assure you, my reaction was more than a snicker.

Back to this film. In the proud tradition of camp, drag, too much makeup, and false eyes, John Waters I'm sure had a proud grin whenever he saw this one. I'm intentionally saying very little about the film, because, its really not worth getting into. This film is more of an experience. See it with friends, straight or gay (mix is best). I'm sure we'll be popping this one in the DVD player, probably as a warm up or cool down for future Rocky Horror night.

One last note: Idea for an extra on a future DVD release of the film... Have each of the ladies read, the bad reviews from the IMDB. I enjoyed those almost as much as the film.

Now pardon me, I'm going to pop my last remaining copy of Asteroid into the VCR...

Later darlings.


This movie is very, very funny. It may not be for everyone, but I loved it. The great thing is the premise: it stars three drag queens whose male identity is never acknowledged, so in effect they are women in the movie. The main character, Evie, is an over-the-hill has-been, who starred in really bad "B" movies, like "Asteroid," and marginal TV show appearances; then there's her roommate who Evie treats as her maid, who longs for a baby but has a sordid past; and finally, there's the ingenue of the bunch, an overweight mid-western wanna-be actress who dreams of being discovered in Schwabb's Drugstore "just like Tina Turner."

There are just so many funny lines; there are a few times the movie almost goes too far, but it's just so over the top that you don't really get offended. It's kind of like a John Waters movie, but the toilet humor isn't as gross!


Varla Jean has been to Detroit for several venues. I am one of her most biggest fans!!! She was back in Detroit, March '03, for a venue that I attended. I remember her "mentioning" filming a movie. Last evening I was looking for something really special to veiw, thats when I stumbled on to her latest film, "Girls Will be Girls". I grabbed the DVD AND a can of "Spray Cheese" and off I went to watch this girl in action. She IS astounding!!! I hope you get the chance to see it and enjoy it as much as I did! BRAVO VARLA!!!! a perfect 10!!!! She also has a few CD's out and are quite entertaining. I was hoping that she would be in town again this year, but I haven't heard. Varla, if you are reading this - it's "Lumpy" the mechanic - Do you remember me? Lot's of Love -Lumpy


A hilarious comedy that pulls no punches and is miles away from being politically correct. Not for the easily offended - the girls talk about everything from abortion to suicide - but packed with laughs from beginning to end. You'll be giggling the entire film.

The 'girls' are all great, but Jack Plotnick's portrayal of Evie in the 1970-ish B-movie "Asteroid" is priceless. I still can't keep a straight face when imagining him trying to say "as-tro-phy-si-cist."


This movie was ingenious. A little camp, a little music and so much comedy. The actors really must have had fun working on this one. Clinton Leupp's character Coco was the best part of the film. Do I hear sequel? How about a television show. What fun!!!


Oh, God on a stick -- this is the funniest bloody movie. I mean, it demonstrates -- TO A T. -- word-for-word, attitude for attitude EXACTLY HOW MEN THINK ABOUT WOMEN. And why they would SO like to be us. And all the male attributes just boil through the costumes -- the bitchiness, the gossiping, the aggressive competition, the addiction to anything that comes along, the total lack of self control, the sensitivity to insult, the desperation for a mate, the desperation to be the only one on stage -- all of it so absolutely, totally male -- and the wish they could do like women do and DRESS ANY WAY THEY WANT (And you KNOW males would overdo the makeup just like that -- have you ever seen the hairpieces?). If you've ever wondered what makes your testicle friends, relatives or colleagues act the way they do -- you MUST see this movie! (Oh -- I should warn you -- this comment is NOT PC).


If there are any remaining doubts about the depravity of Hollywood and the total lack of taste in American "culture" this ghastly film is the definitive proof.(And no, I am neither Christian nor conservative.) Oh, it has the occasional chuckle. But it gives the word "gross" new depth and meaning. The sex scenes, done in the style of the drawings one finds around urinals, are enough to turn you off that pastime. I watched it, wondering why I was doing so when I had an excellent book on the go that I could have picked up and why people make movies like this. The final insult came when I discovered here on IMDb that all the women characters are drag queens! Mon dieu!!! The logic escaped me other than that it likely was an immense bitchy put on and did precisely what it was supposed to do: infuriate straights and insult women. Maybe it was big with the gay crowd. After all, they loved "Le Cage Aux Folles." It was very small with me.


There were a few funny scenes in this movie but the rest was sexist garbage mainly about women settling for men who were rapists, pimps, etc. because they couldn't get anyone any better or because they were too stupid to know better.

It also made fun of women who are older than 40 saying the 0 in 40 stood for "old, too old to get married".

I didn't really find it funny to make fun of women who are old or fat or ugly. There were also some really gross sex scenes and the plot was stupid, and campy.

I think the people who will most enjoy this movie are gay men because that's the only audience I think that won't be very offended by all the jokes about how these women try so desperately to get men.


I never saw an Audie Murphy film I didn't like & this one is no exception. It is a real action packed shoot-em-up, but it also has a better than average plot to hold your attention between the action sequences that were Audie's trademarks. I knew Audie quite well, we used to shoot together at the various "fast draw" contests in CA that were popular back in the '60's. I can tell you this, anything you saw Audie do on film, he could do for real. He was one of the fastest guns in the movies, & he could do it with real bullets, not just blanks or wax bullets! He became a fine horseman, even riding some of his own horses in his films. Watch for Flying John, his horse that he rode in "Night Passage". Audie was a much better actor than he was ever given credit for, or allowed to be in Universal's films.


The best Audie Murphy films are the ones he plays outlaws. That gave an unusual touch to the films, you never knew how it was going to come out at the end. In "The Kansas Raiders", and also on his last film, he was Jesse James. Here, he rides with the Daltons, their chief is Bob Dalton (Noah Beery Jr.) and they plan three bank robberies at the same time. This film is pure fun from beginning to end, with great action scenes, after all it was directed by Budd Boetticher, whose westerns are like wine: they get better as they get older. The two women, Beverly Tyler and Yvette Duguay are quite strong characters, also unusual in this type of westerns. There are spectacular moments like when they are surrounded in a town and try to escape, with Yvette Duguay helping by turning a track on a circular platform. Also when they hold up the two banks in Coffeyville at the same time. If you enjoy a good western, this one is a must.


"The Cimarron Kid" was another of Universal's great little 80 minute westerns based on legendary outlaws of the old west. This one benefits from crisp direction from soon to be legendary Diector Budd Boetticher, a great supporting cast and good story. It stars Audie Murphy in one his early and best roles.

Bill Doolin aka "The Cimarron Kid" (Murphy) is paroled from prison and intends to go straight. Unfortunately, the train on which he is riding is held up by the notorious Dalton Gang (I always thought that there were four Daltons but this story has six). One of the gang, Red Buck (Hugh O'Brian complete with red hair and beard) recognizes the Kid. The passengers think that the Kid is a part of the gang and try to restrain him. The Kid escapes and goes to the Dalton's camp.

The Daltons led by Bob Dalton (Noah Beery Jr.) welcome him into the gang. The overly ambitious Red Buck doesn't trust the Kid and a conflict develops. The gang has a two bank heist planned for Coffeyville, Kansas. Seasonedw western fans will know what happens there. With the gang decimated, the Kid takes over as leader and they flee to the ranch of Pat Roberts (Roy Roberts) to hide out with Marshal John Sutton (Leif Ericson) and Railroad detective Tilden (Eugene Baxter) hot on their trail. Naturally Roberts has a comely young daughter, Carrie (Beverly Tyler) who is attracted to the Kid and likewise.

The gang in spite of several setbacks, continues to operate. Dynamite Dick Dalton (John Hudson), who was believed to be lost, returns to the hideout with a proposal. With the help of his brother-in-law Geaorge Webster (John Hubbard), he proposes the robbery of a train carrying gold bullion and replacing it with lead. As the plan unfolds, the Kid discovers a double cross and.........................................

As with most of Universal's westerns, the supporting cast consists of several of their up and coming contract players, sprinkled with a few recognizable veterans. In addition to those mentioned above we have James Best, Gregg Palmer (aka Palmer Lee), Rand Brooks and William Reynolds as the other Daltons, as well as, Yvette Duguay as Best's girlfriend Rose, John Bromfield, Richard Garland and Frank Silvera as Dalton Gang members and Tristram Coffin as a womanizer/gambler.

The boyish looking Murphy was developing into a competent actor by this time and would enjoy a long career at Universal making these excellent little westerns.


Terrible English language title but what do you do if you have the delectable Edwige Fenech featuring in a fairly ordinary gangster movie, in which she strips several times - to great effect? The film actually begins well and it is a surprise just how violent is her mobster lover towards her. Beginning with real passion and some swirling and effective film-making it is rather a shame that the last section has to rely upon the dubious interest of her and her child and her doctor lover. Nevertheless the shootings at the very end are impressive and surprising and there can be little mistake that this is 70's film drama Italian style with all the mixed emotions that was bound to stir up.


Anna (Edwige Fenech) is a small town girl working as a cashier in a local coffee shop. When gangster Guido (Corrado Pani) blows into town and into her coffee shop, she is immediately smitten. Even though she knows little about him, Anna follows him to Milan. She is slowly introduced to a world that completely foreign. And before she knows what's happening, she does what Guido demands and joins his criminal organization as a call girl. But the birth of her son and a chance meeting with a nice doctor changes everything. Anna desperately wants to escape her former life and Guido, but at what price to her, her son, and the new man she loves?

Regardless of the silly American title and the way Secrets of a Call Girl was marketed, it's not really either an exploitation movie or a gangster movie. Sure, there are elements of both, but deep down this is a tragic love story. This is not the kind of movie that I usually go for, but something about Secrets of a Call Girl worked for me. Maybe it was just the charismatic presence of Fenech or the brutal character played by Pani, but I couldn't take my eyes off the television. In the end, Secrets of a Call Girl is an incredibly sad, moving film. If the ending doesn't affect you and all but bring a tear to your eye, you might need to seek help.

The new DVD represents another bang-up job from NoShame Films. Although their catalog is still quite small, NoShame easily gets my vote for the best DVD production company of 2005.


Although director Giuliano Carnimeo and European sex symbol Edwige Fenech had teamed up to make one of the pulpiest Italian thrillers of all time, "The Case of the Bloody Iris," in 1972, their next collaboration, 1973's "Secrets of a Call Girl," is hardly a giallo at all. Rather, I would categorize it more as a romantic crime melodrama, in which Edwige gets to show that she's more than just a pretty face (oops...I guess I'm damning with faint praise; make that "incredibly beautiful face"). Her role here as Anna, an innocent coffee shop cashier who falls for the brutish charms of a Mafia thug, really gives her a chance to show the world what all the giallo fans knew before: that she is also an intelligent, subtle and highly skilled actress, as well. Her Anna is soon forced by the Mob to run drugs and turn tricks, but amazingly, she retains her stunning looks even after repeated beatings from her man Guido. Anyway, this film is extremely fast moving (almost too much so for its own good), covering a lot of ground in just 95 minutes, and ultimately gets a tad soapy in its final 1/3, when Anna gets involved with the surgeon who saves her son's life. Carnimeo's direction is surprisingly flashier here than in his previous giallo effort, and composer Luciano Michelini's lovely title tune should have become a standard on the order of "Doctor Zhivago"'s "Lara's Theme." Another treat for me in this film is the presence of one of my favorite actors, Richard Conte, here playing another Don Barzini-type role as the Mafia headman. Whotta class act! My heartiest thanks again to the fine folks at No Shame for another great DVD of a lost Italian classic, with nice subtitling and interesting extras. Keep 'em coming, guys!