Slaughterhouse-Five
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.81 You Save: $7.17 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $6.95 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Slaughterhouse-Five
Movie Review: Bleak, powerful, honest
Summary: 5 Stars
Given the recent spate of chest-thumping, rough-but-noble-soldier films, complete with overblown "stirring" scores & slo-mo "hero shots" about WWII, it's refreshing to return to a truly honest film about that war ... and about all wars. What we have here is the reality: tired, dirty, emotionally shocked men unprepared for the randomness & casual cruelties of war. Ironic that it takes an absurdist tale such as this one, complete with time travel & aliens, to present the indifference of the universe far more accurately than supposedly realistic films. But it's so: there's no divine, historic mission -- no larger-than-life heroes -- no ultimate glory & honor. There's just the destruction of civilization & the slaughter of the innocent, all in the name of the State, or the Flag, or Our God, or some other empty platitude.
Like many late 60s/early 70s war films, this one has a stark look to it, with all the gloss wiped away, revealing the senselessness of war & the hollowness of its justifications. It doesn't excuse the evils of something like fascism, or the necessity of stopping it -- it simply points out that "the good guys" tend to become what they're fighting, that it destroys their humanity, that it swallows human beings whole & sucks out their souls. War is simply an ugly, filthy business, and it shouldn't be decked in patriotic ribbons & noble-sounding phrases.
The cast is superb here, with Valerie Perrine's soft porn actress Montana Wildhack a standout, full of joy & life, the antithesis of war. Tellingly, Billy Pilgrim only seems truly happy & content during his time with her, rather than in his by-the-numbers marriage, where the only true affection in his life seems to be his dog. Ron Leibman's psychotic Paul Lazzaro ("That's two Zs, dammit!") is all too real, a wounded, self-loathing shell driven by his own consuming fear & hatred & insecurities, while Eugene Roche's kindly but fatally naive & trusting Edgar Derby is both comic & tragic at once.
The transitioning between time periods is cleanly & subtly accomplished, one memory leading to another, as well as suggesting the randomness of the universe itself. In short, an underrated gem from the golden age of American filmmaking, and a welcome antidote to films that pander to the most simplistic worldviews. All in all, most highly recommended!
Movie Review: Slaughterhouse Five: The Rare "Classic Based On Classic" (A Non-Spoiler Review)
Summary: 5 Stars
What a breath of fresh air this film was! Due, in large part, to there being no punch-pulling, over-the-top acting or self-censorship (as would certainly be its fate were the mainstream puddin' tarts of today to have it made). It is obvious that director George Roy Hill was passionate about the material upon which his film is based. Hill just went for it, balls to the wall, like he had Kurt Vonnegut whispering straight into his medulla oblongata. Trully uncanny in its achievement of the spirit of the book! Shocking that Criterion hasn't picked this one up yet.
As someone who read the book first (about 3 years ago, I think), I came into this viewing experience having a hard time envisioning that any cinematic portrayal could possibly live up to it, what with all of its irreverant wit, sarcasm and self-abasement. Surprise! How gratifying to have your suspicions proved unfounded for a change! Certainly there have been several faithful film adaptations of literary classics (David Lean's take on Dickens leaps instantly into mind), but few directors have had more challenging source material from which to build their film, and succeeded.
Other initial doubts, such as Michael Sacks's ability to convincingly portray Billy Pilgrim through virtually all phases of adulthood (from WWII-grunt youth to time-tripping geriatric), were also quickly put to sleep within the film's first few minutes. To indulge in an ever-increasingly-frayed cliche, Sacks is "a revelation" in the part. The supporting cast was superb throughout; Ron Leibman as the sinister, hate-filled Paul (two z's!!) Lazzaro, Eugene Roche as teacher-turned-soldier Edgar Derby, Holly Near as the whimsical, fretting wife, and Valerie Perrine sizzling as Montana Wildhack, Pilgrim's mate on Tralfamadore.
George Roy Hill (Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid) was the rare director willing to reach for the bar of fine craftsmanship set impossibly high by the late, beloved Kurt Vonnegut. It takes a keen eye to capture the subtle wit, and myriad intricasies informing a "typical" Vonnegut character, and, frankly, most other attempts to due so have fallen woefully short. So while you still owe it to yourself to read the book, this is trully a "must-see" film.
Movie Review: Important NOW more than ever, and Funnier than ever too!
Summary: 5 Stars
Kurt V's film was a one part of a trilogy (unofficial, MY words..)one of the greatest, most subtle Anti-War 'protestations" produced in the "mainstream" of filmmaking.
Hollywood is usually more enthusiastic t promote the "glories" of war, and really IMO, I quote Erasmus in that "those who have never experienced war are the most enthusiastic for it." (these words of Erasmus, the Dutch philosopher were written in the 15th century, by the way).
(For all interested, the other two films from the same period in time, J Heller's "Catch-22" and the legendary Kubrick farce "Dr Strangelove"!)
KV's rage is well founded, he was IN Dresden when the Allied planes bombed this non -strategic city back to the Stone Age in WWII.(This , along w Hiroshima a stain on the defeat of Fascism, and "haunts" us this very day.
Aside from the VERY low key presentation of his outrage at War in general, there are TOO many side splitting moments of laughter.
My favorite especially , is the well over the top performance from Ron Leibman as the revenge-minded crazylouco "Paul Lazzaro", and the odd look and demeanor of Michael Sacks as the hero, Billy Pilgrim is one performance so well done, hard to imagine anyone else could have been so appropriate for the role.
It does not hurt to see the lovely vision of Valerie Perrine in the classic "sexy kitten" role, a pleasure for the eyes.
The artist (KV) transcends the majority "sheep-like" knee jerk approval/ambivalence to the horrors of war, hopefully the message is not lost. In both the book and the film, paradox is that the message is delivered with such grand humor!
Over the moon, a million stars, a must see film , my cliché for the day!
Movie Review: Space / Time Drifter...
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, I've never read the book. That said, I must say that what I find most intriguing about the Billy Pilgrim character (Michael Sacks) in SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE is how much of a true pilgrim he is. He is unhitched from time, while simultaneously, due to his own pleasant personality and ever-calm demeanor, Billy is also a traveler through space. He drifts through life as a disengaged observer, like a cork floating down a stream. Billy is a warm, innocent human being who is utterly removed from his own existence! He watches / feels things unfold like a character in a play. He reminds me of Peter Sellars' Chauncy Gardener in BEING THERE. Adrift in a universe that simply takes him wherever it will. The main segments of Billy's life are presented from his own disengaged viewpoint. We get to go along with him on his bizarre journey. It's like following a leaf blowing in a hurricane! The very fabric of time / space / existence is unravelled, and tied into a knot of events all happening in no particular order. Billy is happy throughout! He has the perfect temperament to deal w/ the chaos of such shifting events. Personally, I'd go nuts! For Billy there is peace within the non-sensical trip to nowhere. He simply enjoys the ride. Even tragic events can't flatten him. Billy's nature is that of an ancient bhuddist monk, even when in a youthful body (during WWII). His attitude is infectious! The story is as mind-boggling as it is hysterically funny. The life of Billy Pilgrim is quite a trip! Special mention must be made of Ron Liebman's Lazzaro character, as well as Valerie Perrine's Montana Wildhack! The fact that Ms. Perrine spends much of her screen-time naked doesn't hurt! Highest recommendation...Movie Review: Time traveling innocent caught in the horror of war
Summary: 5 Stars
It has been many years since I had seen this excellent film and this film is one example of a classic film that improves with age. The story is that of an average fellow, Billy Pilgrim, who is thrown into circumstances beyond his control throughout his life. The unique aspect here is that he has become unstuck in time and thus shift from his experiences in World War II Germany, to his lack-luster middle-class life as an optometrist, to the planet of Thalfamadore where he is captured along with soft-porn actress Montana Wildhack. The film is based on Kurt Vonnegut's novel of the same name. It attests to the strength of the novel and the film that the most common negative comment about the film is that the novel is stronger. The cuts and edits as Billy jumps back and forth in time are well designed and we are able to follow all three story lines perfectly. There is an underlying existential theme to the entire film, that life is full of absurd events and they are meaningful because humans place meaning on them. This applies to the mundane as well as to the horrific. In fact, it is senseless war and death that confronts us with arbitrary absurdity. This is perfectly displayed in the execution of Edgar Derby by the Nazis in Dresden for a minor infraction. Michael Sacks plays all stages of Billy Pilgrim's life. Valerie Perrine plays Montana Wildhack. But two other actors deserve mention for their superb performances. Eugene Roche is warm, fatherly, and sane playing the role of Edgar Derby. Ron Leibman is extraordinarily good as the crazy GI Lazzaro, a bundle of rage and paranoia. Overall this is a superb film.