1941 (Collector's Edition)
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Movie Reviews of 1941 (Collector's Edition)
Movie Review: A Great Slap Stick Movie
Summary: 4 Stars
1941 really is one of those movies you love or hate and you hate to love. It really is a movie with no plot and character development. It has a ton of crazy and wild characters that are very memorable. The story really isn't important because there really isn't one.1941 is a movie that takes place on Dec. 13, 1941 in L.A., Cal. The U.S. people are worried about another attack from the Japanese. Off the coast of L.A. is a Japanese U-Boat with the dumbest crew ever and one Nazi on it. They end up there off the coast because they are lost and their instruments won't work. Back on shore you have tank crew with characters played by Dan Akroyd, John Candy and Treat Williams in it who are out defending the city. You have John Belushi patroling the skies as Wild Bill and plenty of othe memorable characters living there daily lives in this war time.
Like I said it really is hard to try to tell you the plot because there are so many chatacters and so many things going on at one time. There are plenty of cameos and funny antics in the movie. I like watching spoof movies like this and it's funny to see it come from Steven Spielberg because he's made some of the best dramas of all-time. If you were to see Schindler's List, The Color Purple, and Saving Private Ryan and then you were to see 1941, there is no way you'd think Spielberg did it.
I was disapointed in the movie for the roles of John Belushi and Dan Akroyd. Because there are so many characters in the movie it's hard for anybody to get a ton of time on camera. At the time this movie was made these guys were both pretty popular from SNL and I think Spielberg really could have ran with them.
I was disappointed with the DVD quality of the picture. It doesn't look any better than any of the previous versions I've seen of 1941. The bonus features however are great and the price for the movie is well worth that alone.
1941 really is a fun movie. It's fun to see a guy like Spielberg do a spoof like this. Just him making fun of Jaws is great. It's not that bad of a movie and I really am glad I own it.
Movie Review: THE Famous Spielberg Flop..
Summary: 4 Stars
I must say that I had heard MANY things about "1941" over the years from various written publications and even fellow film nerds. I hadn't seen the film and just took their word that the film was not very good (Yes, I DO read reviews. Critics are smarter than about 90% of the film-going community!) Until one day, I was looking around in a video store when I saw the old VHS box standing in front of me. Since I had nothing to really do that night, I said "What the Hell?" and rented it. Upon viewing the film, I could see why the film was such a distear. The film is set up to where there is a joke,gag,etc. just about every minute. Some worked great while others simply didn't. I finally finished watching the film and thought over what I had just seen. On one of those rare oscasions, I found myself disagreeing with film critics. I enjoyed the film. It had it's flaws. But there were unfairly pointed out and nit-picked about during the original theatrical release because critics were gunning for Spielberg to fail. It's a fun film! From the opening "Jaws" spoof to the exploding credits, you can't help but crack a smile. The DVD itself is quite enjoyable and full of good bonus materials. That includes the great 101-minute documentary "The Making of 1941" featuring retrospective interviews from strictly the crew of the film (Director Steven Spielberg, Writers Robert Zmeckius & Bob Gale, Writer/Producer John Milius, and others), an extended cut of the film featuring some nice new gags and surprisingly good character development,deleted scenes,trailers,etc. As for the arguments about the DVD's transfer. It's a good transfer. It SHOULD have been anamorphic, but it is still a good print in non-anamorphic. Recommended Film AND DVD.Movie Review: A highly underrated comedy
Summary: 4 Stars
1941 was one of the most underrated comedies ever. Now I will be honest, this is not an award winner by any means. The plot goes nowhere and is scattered all over the place. However the actors in the film make some of the most memorable characters in movie history! The late, great John Belushi is perfectly cast as the highly unstable Capt. Wild Bill Kelso.(Although his lack of screen time is dissapointing.) Belushi gives one of his best performances in the role. Other highlights are all of the scenes involving the Japanese submarine crew and their captain( another brillant performance by the legendary Toshiro Mifune), Robert Stack as the general trying to hold everyone together in this time of panic. And of course the hilarious scenes involving Ned Beatty fireing from his front yard onto the Japanese submarine! I laugh everytime I watch that part. I felt that the DVD suffers from the addtional scenes that were added back in. While watching the movie I could see why they were cut. They are pretty much pointless to the rest of the film and are not the least bit funny. If you watch this movie just take the time to look at each individual storyline and you will see the humor in it and find it quite enjoyable. If you try to figure out how they are all going to tie in together and figure out the entire plot, then you are in for some real dissapointment. One of the special features I thought was entertaining was the reprints of the reviews that critics gave this film when it was released. Wow! Its a good thing Steven Speilberg had Jaws to help him out before this because he got no mercy from the critics on this one! Worth watching a few times before you judge it too harshly.Movie Review: Totally Outrageous
Summary: 4 Stars
After seeing the extended version and basically watching 1941 for the first time in over 10 years, I must admit, it's rather foolish, but I think that was the whole idea. It was a throwback to all those star-studden slapstick comedies that Spielberg and Zemekis grew up watching. It's not racist in anyway. It would have been if JUST the Japanese were portrayed as bumblers, but everyone in this movie is nuts. After the Anthrax scares following Sept. 11 (remember those), I think a movie like 1941 should be appreciated more. It takes a paranoids to a new level. yes, people were scared and the movie, which writer Bob Gale says lifted some truths, shows just how America was sixty years ago. Yes, it's a screaming movie. On the closing credits, every actor is screaming or yelling. After seeing how hard the filmmakers worked on the special features, you got to appreciate the movie. Also, some deleted scenes add more, such as the racial tension between John Candy and Frank McCrae that is just touched on in the original is extended so we know why they're fighting in the tank anyway. It's an anti-war movie that decides to have fun of the Greatest Generation. And it does have Mickey Rourke before he got corrupted. Also, the Jaws spoof at the beginning is terrific.Movie Review: A Not-So-Guilty Pleasure
Summary: 4 Stars
I didn't see 1941 when it came out in theaters, because I believed the generally negative reviews it received at the time. I've been kicking myself ever since for never having had the experience of seeing it on the big screen, because that's where all this beautifully-crafted insanity would really shine.1941's brilliant ensemble cast, daring director, and hard-working crew, including special-effects wizard Greg Jein, combined their talents to take viewers back to the opening days of World War II, to a comedic fantasy California in a '41 that never quite was. It has been criticized for being fragmented (it was cut to shreds against director Spielberg's wishes), and lambasted for not being funny. Personally, I laugh my arse off every time I watch it. I'd call it a guilty pleasure, but I'm not at all guilty about loving it. This film has so many brilliant qualities in its writing, design, photography, sound, music, direction, and acting, that I think anyone who appreciates screen comedy should own a copy. Now that the special edition DVD has restored Mr. Spielberg's original intention to this film, I hope it finds a new and appreciative audience in addition to those of us who have loved it for years.