Wholesale and Distribution Movie Reviews

This movie was possibly the biggest letdown of my life. I heard from a friend that this was a film I would truly enjoy. We were both big Bill and Ted fans and when he told me the plot of the movie I was nothing less than stunned. It sounded brilliant. Russians takeover the US and ninja guitar players duke it out to see who will be king of Lost Vegas (sic). I understand that some pseudo-intellectual film junkie would find this to be moronic, but for the majority of fun-loving filmgoers, this flick sounds brilliant.
So, instead of being intelligent and renting it, I buy it. Big mistake. I pop in the DVD and I'm extremely excited. The beginning is promising. Fight scenes, rocking music, until the kid shows up. Good lord, what moron over at the editorial staff of this movie allowed this kid to stay. He screams interminably throughout the whole goddamn movie! He made me want to jump through my television and wring his heinous little neck. But that's not my only gripe. How about the two lines of dialogue throughout the whole movie? I felt like I was watching the Power Rangers. "You will now bow down to heavy metal?" The movie would truly have been better with no talking at all. Lastly, how about the last few fight scenes. Buddy seems to have died at least three times at the end, and the little kid comes over and cries each time. Magically, he's back to life, until the end when he is finally truly killed and that talent less little kid picks up his guitar and suddenly grows five feet while walking to Lost Vegas.
One of the most painful films ever. AVOID. Brilliant idea, horribly executed.

hello. Six-String Samurai. Hmm... where to start. This movie is awesome, I'll give it that much. Buddy (Jeffrey Falcon) is awesome, the setting is beyond reproach, the premise is original, and the filming is second to none. The soundtrack is without equal. But despite everything it has going for it, this movie is dissatisfying, and the reason why can be summed up in a quote from one of Death's henchmen: "The boy makes him very uncool." If you substitute 'it' for 'him,' this quote is an apt summary of the movie. You see, there's this boy in the movie, and he's terrible. He's always crying, and being onscreen, and I want to shoot myself every time I think of him. That's the only reason I give this movie 4 stars instead of 5: the boy. If you like awesome movies and don't mind crying kids who need to be smacked or shot, you'll love Six-String Samurai. If you like awesome movies and hate the above-mentioned type of child, you'll find the film sweet, yet disctinctively sour.

This movie is great! Creative, funny, strange, makes you think, makes you giggle, makes you wanna hit the tv! Great for fans of rockabilly!

I rate the film a solid 5, but the average-quality restoration and high price bring the score down to 3 for the Criterion DVD. Yes, it is better than the previous VHS and bargain-basement DVD versions. However, when compared to other companies (e.g., Warners, Paramount, MGM, Fox, and Universal) that have recently produced many DVDs with superior restorations and better bonus features at roughly half Criterion's prices, Criterion no longer seems justified in charging so much money.

I admit I was a bit reluctant to spend the money for this version of the classic movie, being perfectly content (I thought) with the cheaper versions. But having once purchased it, I can assure you it is worth the extra dollars. The picture is crystal clear and the sound (always a problem on some of the other versions) is wonderfully restored. Powell and Lombard never looked or sounded better, even in 1936. The brief missing scene (mentioned in the other review) included here is a nice

addition, adding even more... tension between Godrey and Irene. Godrey is appalled that Irene would enter his private domain and Irene, as ever, is oblivious to all disapproval, having only eyes for Godrey. The radio play is an interesting extra, reuniting the two stars, plus Gail Russell is back as the conniving Cornelia. Also, a young David Niven is in the radio play, as Godfrey's friend Tommy Gray. The commentary is interesting, sometimes more for film students than fans, but still a good addition. Outtakes from any film made in the 1930's are rare, so these, although brief, are a bonus.
All in all, the digital transfer itself is worth the money, the rest of these extras are just gravy for the collector. I highly recommend this disc, for those who cherish the immortal screwball comedy films and the discerning fans of William Powell and Carole Lombard.

The plot is a classic love story with an interesting twist and is well worth watching if you can get past the fact that this is a restored Black & White masterpiece.

I am extremely impressed with the attention to detail that Criterion put into restoring this movie. The audio in particular is a vast improvement from the VHS version, which I also own.

Contrary to another reviewer who complained about the price, I thought the extra money was WELL WORTH IT.

My only complaint is that I can't buy more quality (Criterion) DVD classics from this era - especially the William Powell & Myrna Loy collaborations.

You get what you pay for, in this case a premium price gets you a premium restored product.

This is an intense workout that will really get your heat pumping and your spirit lifted. It has a way of targeting your abs. and legs. Billy uses intense movements which get your cardio up and then slows it back down with toning movements. This really burns the fat without comprimising your muscles. All in all these two advanced workouts on one dvd are well worth it!

I first purchased this set of Tae-Bo tapes during the middle of my junior year in college. While I have been an avid runner and cross training fan for many years, I have never been able to tone up as fast with any other exercise routine. Within 1 month of bringing Tae-Bo into my normal workout line-up (30 minutes of cardio warm-up prior to either the advanced or basic tapes 4 times a week), I dropped inches around my hips and gained noticable definition in my arms and stomach while still eating as I normally do. Now I use it year-round to help me prepare for the outdoor running season.

The trick to getting all you can out of each workout is to concentrate on doing the moves properly and at your own pace until you can work through all the reps of each routine. I promise it too will leave you huffing and puffing no matter what your fitness level.

Sure the music is a little cheesy and the count is slightly off, but it's been 4 years since I've started using the Tae-Bo system and I have not felt unchallenged yet. I can't wait to try Tae-Bo 2004!

I have been a Tae-Bo/Billy Blanks fan for about three years, and I have this workout on DVD. I like to alternate strength training and cardio, 3 to 4 days a week. Tae-Bo Advanced is one of the workouts that I like to use on my cardio days. I simply use the first 33 minutes of this 53-minute workout and do my own cooldown and stretching. This is a tough workout for me, an intermediate-level exerciser. Billy Blanks and even the music is so motivating, that just when you think you have no more "kick" left, you just want to push yourself to keep moving. The next day, my muscles feel a combination of sore and tighten. I used the Instructional tape in this series only once, but it is necessary to insure proper form for effectiveness and to prevent injury. The Basic workout is great for beginners. I've previewed the 8-minute tape, but I've never done this workout because I normally have more that 8 minutes to exercise. It is very important to work at your own pace, especially the "kicking" segments, which are sometimes done too fast. Otherwise, I highly recommend this on DVD.

As noted by other viewers, this movie is fantastic - a true classic that holds up incredibly well over time. I am not writing about the film but about this particular DVD version by d3kfilms-- it is unwatchable, BOOTLEG quality, in my opinion. I had the misfortune of trying to rent this movie on DVD at my local video store, and this is the version they had in stock. It hadn't occured to me that a reputable video store would be stocking poor quality, unofficial versions of films, so I didn't at all expect what I saw when I watched this DVD. The image quality is EXTREMELY bad-- out of focus even when I put the sharpness levels up to maximum on my TV, and there are MAJOR scratches and jarring skips in the film. It was as if someone went to a revival theatre showing an extremely worn-out print of "His Girl Friday" and recorded the movie as it was playing on screen with their video camera, then burned what they recorded onto a DVD! That is how terrible the quality is, and this classic film deserves so much better. In fact, any film deserves better-- so watch out for DVDs that have this company's name (d3kfilms) on them or that do not have the original, legit studio's name on them. I noticed that amazon.com sells 2 other versions of this movie on DVD-- try those before wasting your money on this one. I'd even recommend buying an official VHS version of the movie over this one. I was so shocked by what I saw that I got a refund of my money from the video store and then felt compelled to go online and warn people about it-- and I've never done either thing before.

Excellent pairing of Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. I bought this movie years ago and laugh every time I see it. The classic scene is when Hildy (Russell) chases after one of the characters during a jail break, flies through the air and wrestles him to the ground. Grant played the part of Walter Burns brilliantly. They don't make stars like these anymore ... sheer classic!

Rosalind Russell is great here. The only thing she did better was The Women, in which she simply gives the greatest supporting comedy performance of all time. However, here she is outshone by Cary Grant, who somehow is utterly perfect as the unscrupulous Walter Burns. Ralph Bellamy was never more hapless than he is here, which is really saying something (I mean that in a good way).

Disturbing is too kind of a word for this film, yet in its way Audition works as a shock-thriller meant to sear itself into your brain.

Suppose your wife dies, and you're getting old and lonely. Do you hit the bar scene to find an annoying, giggly, snobby girlfriend (watch the film...)? No! You get your movie producer friend to set up a fake movie so you can screen the young women auditioning for the lead role as prospective wives. Perhaps what later ensues is simply turnabout for fair play...

Everyone has a "bad feeling" about Aoyama's choice, and for good reason. Demure little Asami spends her free time at home, sitting hunched-over and drooling while waiting for the phone to ring... with a large, bulging sack in the background.

The film does explore very well the fears of men in Japan today while at the same time looking hard at and twisting the role of the "obedient" and proper traditional Japanese woman that Aoyama so desired. Looked at from a cross-cultural perspective, the film makes much more sense--which only heightens the horror and disturbing nature of its message.

I would wonder (or perhaps worry) about those who claim to truly love this film, but at the same time those who enjoy psycho thrillers or like to be disturbed will find this movie worth a watch. It's not what I'd call true horror, but you will definitely be horrified!

Recipe for a fun evening:

Find some friends, some really jaded horror veterans, who claim they've seen everything. You know, friends who say things like this: "Dead/Alive"? Ha, a cute little movie by Peter Jackson. "Dead Ringers"? Don't see it in mixed company, but it's no big deal. "Evil Dead 2"? Please---it's easy on the eyes, and it's good for a laugh, but not scary.

Invite these friends over for a little 'alternative' viewing: instead of horror, you're going to be watching an international romantic comedy from Japan---a kind of 'indie' romance. They'll love it, you say, if they give "Audition" (or "Oodishon", as Takeshi Miike's subversive little gem is known in its native land) half a chance. What's it about? It's about a widowed Japanese movie producer (Ryo Ishibashi)whose doting son urges him to get a new girlfriend---hey, it's been seven long years since Mom died, and Dad needs some fun---who decides, with the help of a director friend, to skip the dating rat-race and audition a few score women to find a lovely lady to go out with.

The catch: his friend lets the young ladies think they're auditioning for a part in an upcoming movie. Hey, let them think it, right? Where's the harm?

Now that you have your unwitting victims in place, drop the lights, and let the DVD roll. Keep a camcorder around to catch the expressions on your jaded friends' faces. Count how many of them make 'emergency' trips to the bathroom. Enjoy!

That fine little evening plan aside, I don't have much to say about Takeshi Miike's latest work of brilliance that really shouldn't be said. Honestly, if you haven't seen this fine little mixture of Arsenic, Black Widow spit, and Curare, then you're in for a rare, shivery treat, and I envy you deeply. You should approach the film without reading any reviews, and preferably without looking at the ghoulish little DVD box. Stop reading this review now, and watch the thing!

There; for the rest of you who have, presumably, survived your date with the demure, uber-feminine Asami (played right to the bone by Eihi Shiina), I think we can all agree that this is one of Miike's most understated works. I love it for the sheer fact that I haven't actually jumped out of my seat in years, and "Audition" did the trick. Miike is a masterful director, ratcheting up the pace and the parade of slippery horrors, and his creation plays with color like Argento and bizarre, haunting, diseased imagery like Cronenberg and Lynch. Ryo Ishibashi (who plays the bachelor Shigeharu) is thoroughly believable and by the time the credits run, you sympathize with him. Deeply.

But aside from recognizing Miike's prolific, creepy, haunting, phantasmagoric brilliance, the less said of "Audition", the better. Watch it, and you'll never look at dating the same way again.

I saw this at the theatre when it first came out. I arrived early only to find people leaving the show before it was over, telling me to get my money back. Of course... that only heightened my anticipation of this film, of which i previously knew nothing about.
The first hour of the film was slow, like "if it were on t.v. i'd change the channel" kind of slow, although the photography and overall sense of design was top-notch. Slowly the whole film started to twist itself into a bizarre depravity, creeping up on you like an altered state of conciousness, and i was hooked. I didn't find anything overly shocking or gratuitous about this film, in fact i found a deep sense of beauty and brilliance on the part of the director for being able to flawlessly morph both the story and the viewers emotional attachment, to the point where fifteen minutes before the resolution a dozen people got up and walked out of the theatre disgusted. I, on the other hand, felt privledged to have experienced a great work of art.
However, after the film I looked up some reviews, and was shocked on how everyone else COMPLETELY missed the point by turning the premise of the movie into "a statement on the objectification of women in Japan". I can assure you that this movie has no political agenda whatsoever. It's as if anytime a director makes something that doesn't fit our standards of political correctness, then he must be trying to expose us to the injustices that exist outside of our perfect p.c. world... gimme a break.
This film is a brilliantly realized work from one of the great directors of our time. It's the kind of film that demands a response, and will stay with you for long after the credits roll. Highly recommended.

I just bought this DVD over the weekend, and worked out to it last night. I absolutely loved the workout! The stretches were amazing and the workout itself was awesome. I have previous dance experience, and was familiar with the terms, so I think that was helpful. This is a great workout for anyone who has any prior ballet experience.

I used to take ballet and other danse classes recreationally in NYC before my 2 children were born ( the oldest is 2). If you have children you know how cut from the big world one may feel with the little ones.This was the most inspiring thing in a long time. It made me beleive that I can stay in shape and improve even though it will be a while before I am in a dance class again. I am most grateful to the crew for creating this piece. This is a very elegant serious and exceptionally beautiful piece of work. It seems that some people are looking for a ballet lesson in it or a workout for dummies experience. It is a BALLET WORKOUT. Even though it is a serious workout, the pace is slow, music beautiful, photography excellent and dancer just amazing to look at! Enjoy!

This workout is just like being in a ballet class. The workout is great it works your whole body and is very relaxing. I recommened it for people who have some dance experience.

You really have to give it him this guy is brilliantly un-talented. If you have ever watched one of his movies before you know what to expect. Now this movie is just like his others, the gates of hell have been opened (how? why? possibly not), the dead are walking the earth (are the dead supposed to look so stupid?), killing the living (for some reason???) all very low budget. But there's more crappy gore effects (special d-effects), dumb score (yellow submarine sound track) and unknown actors (non Oscar worthy talent on display here) did mention it's all dubbed that's right, lip movement badly synced and the dialogue stinks. This is the same guy who gave us that cheap cheesy and so boring Zombie Flesh Eaters aka Zombie 2, you know the one, the un-official sequel to Dawn of the Dead (which is the sequel to Night of the Living dead), not only is he crap director he is also dumb. So all in all don't bother watching this pile Crap, described as the Yugo of movie making. Some things you should know about Lucio Fulci:-
He is crap director
He has a talent for making crap movies
He thinks his George Romero
He's so un-talented
He smells
No-one is Hollywood has ever heard of him
None of his movie have been mentioned in the 100 must see movies
He has directed so much rubbish that's some have not been credited to his name (must be ashamed).

A beautiful young woman inherits a spooky hotel only to find out it's a portal to another dimension- namely HELL. Within only minutes (screen time that is) zombies, hungry tarantulas, possesed dogs, and acid ( yes, you heard right, ACID!!) all begin attacking the living - FULCI style. You know what that means folks, in the most gruesome ways imaginable.

I recently purchased THE BEYOND from AMAZON.CA to add to my ever growing HORROR DVD collection and I must state that I'm EXTREMELY glad I did. This is probably the only FULCI film that rightfully deserves praise. While the so called GODFATHER OF GORE has a devoted following, his films are indeed an acquired taste- even for horror film fans. And while many of his films (ZOMBIE, CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY) all have their loyal worshipper's, many mainstream critics have nothing positive to say about any of FULCI'S blood-soaked films. This movie is the exception.

THE BEYOND is beautifully filmed. The Louisianna setting is lovely; the 2 lead actors (David Warbeck & Catriona MacColl) are very attractive; the make-up effects are quite grotesque and effective. But of course, the star attraction is the GORE. I must say that the gore effects surprised me, especially when you take into consideration the films budget and the time period. There are throat rippings, facial mutilations, 2 very unpleasant scenes involving eyeball removal, all to great effect.

THE BEYOND has entered MY TOP 10 LIST of FAVOURITE HORROR movies. Unlike FULCI'S other films that only HARDCORE B-MOVIE GOREHOUNDS can actually love, THE BEYOND stands above all of them because it actually qualifies as a WELL MADE HORROR movie. From the disturbing sepia-toned prologue to the haunting finale, THE BEYOND is a horror masterpiece that is beautifully filmed and executed. Gripping from start to finish, the BEYOND will disturb you the way ALL GOOD horror movies should but most importantly, it will keep you entertained for the full duration of it's blood-drenched 90 minutes. ENJOY.

The Beyond is the bar by which most of Fulci's movies are measured. Close to this level you will find City of the Dead, Don't Torture a Duckling and Zombie--all of which have their merits, and as many of the one-star reviewers point out, their shortcomings. If you have never seen a Fulci movie, understand this: he's not trying to reach your brain (if you want a thinking man's horror film, go see the Exorcist or the Omen), he's looking to savage your nerves. Forget the story, consider the concept: a gateway to hell (one of the seven in existence)exists in an old, rundown New Orleans hotel; zombies are crawling out of hell and into our world, and they are doing nasty things to people. Yes, Fulci is very sadistic sometimes: in many of his movies, good people are killed for no logical reason and at a shocking moment of the film; the Beyond is no exception. Consider the man-eating spider scene, and Dicky the dog; there are even two scenes alone where a character gets acid thrown into their face, and Fulci's camera traces every moment of the acidic breakdown! As always, there is a parable of sorts to his films. In the Beyond, the hotel and the heroine are a good example of curiosity run amok; there is a great scene where one of the books that has information on the original building scheme of the hotel rewrites itself--almost as an attempt to ward the overly curious main characters away from the fate that awaits them. I didn't find the acting to be wooden. Maybe some of the character's actions can be described as implausible, but the actors give it a good go. Don't be put off because this is an Italian production, believe it, this is one of the greatest modern horror movies ever made from one of the greatest horror directors of his time. They don't call him the Maestro for nothing!

I enjoy japanese animation, and was particularly impressed with both Akira and Ghost in the Shell, despite their somewhat disjointed plots. I can't honestly understand the enthusiasm for this film however... when is wasn't slow and tepid, it was preachy, and in the worst cheesy psuedo-mystical japanese marketroid sort of way.

Stagnant plot, poor characterisation, but attractive stylistically.

"The Wings of Honneamise" is one of the greatest anime ever produced. It is superb science fiction storytelling at its absolute best. Rather than give us giant mecca or huge-chested women, we get a stirring story about a race that is constantly at war with each other. A flight into space provides hope for the planet which, it is revealed at the end, is not Earth. While there are religious characters in the story, the film never preaches, since its religion is entirely made up. Instead, it concentrates on the message that man can achieve great things if we all work together. This is one of my all-time favorite films not just because of its science fiction background or its animation, but for its interesting characters and incredible situations. It is a very adult, mature cartoon that blows anything by Disney out of the water. The sex in this movie is violent instead of sensual and the violence is hopeless instead of exciting. Another interesting part of this film is the music, which seems to create a genre all its own and accentuates a different surrounding making everything surreal. Yet while the story is very serious in nature, there is also humor in all of the sadness, a quality that should be noted. While the voice dubbing fails on some parts, the overall story and scope of the film is amazing and makes this one of the best of the Japanese cinema.

Wings of Honneamise is, to simply put, a fabulous film. It comes closest to realize the true potential of animated film as a powerful medium that can stand side-by-side with its live-action counterpart.

Well-crafted plot, deep and believable characters as well as intricate animation. All of these are enough to make this film one of the finest animated film ever made. It is really impressive to know that the whole sequence of this superb animation are hand-drawn, frame by frame, by almost 3000 dedicated animators.

On the DVD side, this is a wonderful package with loaded of extras. I DID NOT experience anything that could be describe as "poor quality" throughout this feature. It's really not as bad as those public outcries would have you believe. However, I viewed this DVD on the DVD drive of my computer, using software called "POWER DVD". The result was clear and crisp, bright and colorful. I noticed that this film wasn't as superbly remastered and transfer as AKIRA, but it could be that this film isn't as popular so they didn't take such an expensive remastering process like what they did with AKIRA. However, it's visual quality is far and away better than what you would get from VHS.

It might be true that the DVD responds differently with different DVD players. Unfortunately, I didn't try it with any other DVD players apart from my computer so I can't really confirm that. But I can recommend that if you don't have satisfying result when viewing with your DVD player, try it on the computer. Computers usually don't reject DVD the same way some DVD players do; that is the advantage of seeing DVD on a computer. I know that most people don't buy computer to watch movies, but if you have a computer with a DVD drive then give it a try. You might not utterly despise it.

There are a lot of people who consider the late 1960s and early 1970s to be a great era in movie making, with such ground-breaking films as Bonnie and Clyde, the Godfather and Easy Rider leading the way. Billy Jack is proof that even during this era there were still lousy movies being made.

Esssentially, a counter-culture modern day western, the movie deals with the title character, a stoic war veteran who is half-Indian and lives a solitary life on a reservation, occasionally appearing to help the people of the Freedom School, an alternative sort of campus run by a teacher who Billy secretly loves. The local townspeople, led by the corrupt man who owns most of the town, are generally intolerant and fearful of these strange students, occasionally resorting to violence, at which time Billy Jack intervenes.

Even taking into consideration that this film is extremely dated, it has little to recommend it. The acting and writing are poor, the villains are one-dimensional (the remaining characters are hardly less so) and the fight scenes are infrequent and not all that exciting. There are long, boring scenes glorifying either the hippie or Indian lifestyle, which are not only tedious, but smugly self-righteous.

There are a couple minor good features in the film. The sheriff is the only character who is not a pure stereotype, so he is mildly interesting. Also, Howard Hesseman, uncredited in an early role does a decent enough job; it is little surprise that he's the only person to emerge from this film with any sort of successful acting career. I have a lot of praise for the ending, too: while it is ludicrous that the climatic scene would turn out the way it does, I still liked the ending, merely because it meant that this awful movie was over and I could go on to better things in my life.

I remember seeing this film three times (in an 800-seat theater, the sort that barely exist anymore) when it was re-released around 1973. It fired my 14-year-old imagination, notwithstanding the fact that I was never of a particularly liberal bent, and thus I couldn't resist buying the DVD recently when I found it ... It's an especially clunky piece of filmmaking, even by early-70s exploitation-film standards. Much as Francis Ford Coppola did with his daughter in The Godfather Part III, Tom Laughlin used this film as an excuse to get his wife and daughter on the big screen, and the production suffers mightily for it. I also have to laugh at the quaint notion of having a "school" for troubled young people, in which nary an academic subject is broached, but all are encouraged to "create" something, as if that were going to fit them for doing something useful with their adult lives.

However, the film retains just enough of an edge to remind me of the naively idealistic teenager I once was. Billy Jack was as much a superhero to my generation as was Superman and Batman, wiping out hordes of evil rednecks with a single roundhouse kick. The movie hasn't aged gracefully, but the feelings it evoked in me have mellowed nicely in my memory.

My husband is 10 years older than I, and saw the movie in elementary school with his mom. I had never heard of Billy Jack or Tom Laughlin before. I appreciate all the comments here for breaking open and examining each piece of the film's method and message. The woman who wrote about the racist depiction of Native American activism and spirituality had a good point. The person who said, hey, people loved it for the action and not the message (hence the bombing of the second movie) also had a good point. Although I found Laughlin worth watching, my own fondness was more about the message of the school and its teacher. Sure, it was wrapped in some overly sappy lines and placed in a school of overwhelming (read "nauseating") peace and love. However, the core message of refusing to toss out "bad kids," creating opportunities for learning through tapping into one's previously undiscovered creative interests, standing up to those who abuse their power and authority, and reexamining and discarding the race-rules about who we are supposed to hang out with---well, those messages are still worth listening to today.

There are a lot of people who consider the late 1960s and early 1970s to be a great era in movie making, with such ground-breaking films as Bonnie and Clyde, the Godfather and Easy Rider leading the way. Billy Jack is proof that even during this era there were still lousy movies being made.

Esssentially, a counter-culture modern day western, the movie deals with the title character, a stoic war veteran who is half-Indian and lives a solitary life on a reservation, occasionally appearing to help the people of the Freedom School, an alternative sort of campus run by a teacher who Billy secretly loves. The local townspeople, led by the corrupt man who owns most of the town, are generally intolerant and fearful of these strange students, occasionally resorting to violence, at which time Billy Jack intervenes.

Even taking into consideration that this film is extremely dated, it has little to recommend it. The acting and writing are poor, the villains are one-dimensional (the remaining characters are hardly less so) and the fight scenes are infrequent and not all that exciting. There are long, boring scenes glorifying either the hippie or Indian lifestyle, which are not only tedious, but smugly self-righteous.

There are a couple minor good features in the film. The sheriff is the only character who is not a pure stereotype, so he is mildly interesting. Also, Howard Hesseman, uncredited in an early role does a decent enough job; it is little surprise that he's the only person to emerge from this film with any sort of successful acting career. I have a lot of praise for the ending, too: while it is ludicrous that the climatic scene would turn out the way it does, I still liked the ending, merely because it meant that this awful movie was over and I could go on to better things in my life.

I remember seeing this film three times (in an 800-seat theater, the sort that barely exist anymore) when it was re-released around 1973. It fired my 14-year-old imagination, notwithstanding the fact that I was never of a particularly liberal bent, and thus I couldn't resist buying the DVD recently when I found it ... It's an especially clunky piece of filmmaking, even by early-70s exploitation-film standards. Much as Francis Ford Coppola did with his daughter in The Godfather Part III, Tom Laughlin used this film as an excuse to get his wife and daughter on the big screen, and the production suffers mightily for it. I also have to laugh at the quaint notion of having a "school" for troubled young people, in which nary an academic subject is broached, but all are encouraged to "create" something, as if that were going to fit them for doing something useful with their adult lives.

However, the film retains just enough of an edge to remind me of the naively idealistic teenager I once was. Billy Jack was as much a superhero to my generation as was Superman and Batman, wiping out hordes of evil rednecks with a single roundhouse kick. The movie hasn't aged gracefully, but the feelings it evoked in me have mellowed nicely in my memory.

My husband is 10 years older than I, and saw the movie in elementary school with his mom. I had never heard of Billy Jack or Tom Laughlin before. I appreciate all the comments here for breaking open and examining each piece of the film's method and message. The woman who wrote about the racist depiction of Native American activism and spirituality had a good point. The person who said, hey, people loved it for the action and not the message (hence the bombing of the second movie) also had a good point. Although I found Laughlin worth watching, my own fondness was more about the message of the school and its teacher. Sure, it was wrapped in some overly sappy lines and placed in a school of overwhelming (read "nauseating") peace and love. However, the core message of refusing to toss out "bad kids," creating opportunities for learning through tapping into one's previously undiscovered creative interests, standing up to those who abuse their power and authority, and reexamining and discarding the race-rules about who we are supposed to hang out with---well, those messages are still worth listening to today.