Reviews

I rented this on the strength of the crew's previous works: this by far is the weakest. A character uncomfortable in his/her own skin is only funny if the lines are funny. They aren't. I was severely disappointed. I understand Guest's formula: get talented actors together with a concept and minimally scripted lines, put them together and roll the film. It has worked before (Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show) but not here. What the viewer gets is talented actors begging for material. They don't get it and neither does the audience. Other reviewers have loved this film and I think I know why. They remember the actors' brilliance in other films and are trying to re-live that experience. They have loved the film before they saw it. For me; this is a very boring film made by people who should and do know better.

This was ground-breaking TV. I only realized this later living in North America and seeing a "new wave" of crime shows post Starsky & Hutch and Miami Vice. Shows like Law and Order, CSI and The Wire are great programs but Z Cars was created thirty years before them and got people wanting a more gritty cop show. Growing up outside of Belfast, I was also drawn to it as it had an Ulster actor in the cast. At a time when Irish actors were only allowed to play drunken thugs and terrorists, it was great to see one play a good guy. Sadly it was unique in that respect and Irish characters/actors were still largely banned to those roles for the next twenty years.

OK so it's shot like a bad, early 80's movie video but it has David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve as vampire lovers. Add in Peter Murphy as a caged, goth go-go dancer, homo-eroticism, music by Delibes and Iggy Pop and lighting inspired by Herb Ritts and you've got one good guilty pleasure. Works best for gay men, aging goth girls, lipstick lesbians and guys wanting to see Deneuve and Sarandon getting to know each other better. Cetainly no masterpiece that has survived the ages but I still pop it in the VCR once and a while. Director Tony Scott still hasn't lived up to the promise of brother Ridley Scott but if you like the "shot-through-big-girl's-panties" look of Blade Runner, you might just like it. Don't listen to the snob critics: this one's alright. Just don't tell my friends I said that. Forgot this bit: Watch for a young Willem Dafoe trying it on with Sarandon in a phone booth. "Hey. How about it lady?" Blink and you'll miss it. I believe it's his first movie line.