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Prizzi's Honor

Prizzi's Honor

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Its Alright
Review: 'Prizzi's Honor' is a mediocre gangster/love story set, of coarse, in New York City. Jack Nicholson plays a hitman who falls in love with a seemingly innocent woman. Later he finds out the woman is part of a complicated hiest and has command of a large sum of money. Directed by the legendary John Houston, this film seems odd and off balance at times, but never is bad. Nicholson and Angelica Houston kept my interest even when the plot was confusing and not interesting. The ending was not sad nor very tense. To me it just kind of ended.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Its Alright
Review: 'Prizzi's Honor' is a mediocre gangster/love story set, of coarse, in New York City. Jack Nicholson plays a hitman who falls in love with a seemingly innocent woman. Later he finds out the woman is part of a complicated hiest and has command of a large sum of money. Directed by the legendary John Houston, this film seems odd and off balance at times, but never is bad. Nicholson and Angelica Houston kept my interest even when the plot was confusing and not interesting. The ending was not sad nor very tense. To me it just kind of ended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Married to the Mob...
Review: ...This is a John Huston satire of the mob, kinda; it has excellent perfomances from all the actors and Nicholson, here is in fine, fine form as hit man Charlie Partanna. Kat Turner as hitwoman Irene Walker helps solidify that goodgirl/badgirl thing she's been identified with--remember she gave voice to Jessica Rabbit? "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way"--as the lady of the house who has murderous intent outside the house. And another one of my favorite actresses, the divine Angelica Huston, gives an Oscar winning performance as the jilted and out for revenge Maerose. Like a reviewer below said, it very well not be evvybody's glass of red wine, but when people love it, they love it a whole lot...see why!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bada Bing!
Review: A young boy, in his cub scout uniform at Christmas, recieves his first pair of brass knuckles. Then as a young man we see him taking a blood oath and swearing loyalty to "The Family". "The Family" is the Prizzi's, and the boy has grown up to be their number one hit man. He is Charlie Partanna, godson to Don Corrado Prizzi, head of "The Family". Another sequel to the Godfather? NOT!
"Prizzi's Honor"(based on a novel by Richard Condon) is a comedy with it's own brand of humor, a take off of mob family style movies. Director John Huston spins us a web of loyalties, and deciets,and schemes so out there you just have to laugh.
When Charlie meets and falls for Irene, a woman outside the family,he discovers that she also is a "contractor". As a matter of fact she has done a job for the family, but has also ripped them off. Charlie doesn,t know whether to "ice her or marry her"
So he marries her.They do jobs together. All seems well. But it is not...MaeRose the grandaughter of The Don, who has loved Charlie all her life, has been dishonored in the eyes of the family due to a break up with Charlie five years earlier. She is determined to get back in with the family, and with Charlie, and she has her own way of icing the competition, no guns or knives needed. Her scheme sets into motion a chain of events that leaves the whole family not knowing who to trust,and loyalties,especially Charlie's are put to the test.
This comedy/drama has a terrific cast... Jack Nicholson and Kathleen Turner will blow you away with their performances as "contractors" in love, William Hickey brings his own special brand of charm as "The Don". Angelica Huston, who we first see in a black and red dress that makes you think of a black widow spider,is superb and won Best Supporting Actress for her role as the jilted Mafia Princess. Also look for Robert Loggia in his usual great style as a heavy.
The Anchor Bay DVD is great. The picture and colors are clear and bright. It looks like a new film. The sound is in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo and sounded very good. Everything was distinct. It is in widescreen,with full screen on the other side.
There are no special features with this one, but I can't take anything away from the film or DVD for that. Maybe someday they'll have a special edition in 5.1 with some added features and then we'll have to go to 6 stars. I enjoyed this DVD just the way it was. If you're a Nicholson fan,you will too!
Kick back and enjoy this one..........Laurie

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An ingeneous, intricate plot, gets better with each viewing
Review: Everyone should watch this movie not just once but at least twice. The plot is ingeneous, highly complex and the black humor is unsurpassed. The acting, directing, the small details are all superb. The first viewing you need to follow the plot, the second time relax and enjoy the black humor and the intricate details. The third, fourth and fifth get better and better.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Wedding Sound Track - a joke?
Review: Got the DVD ... a few days ago, and must say I'm amazed at the poor sound quality towards the end of the wedding scene. The Ave Maria solo is fine, quite moving in fact; but the organ music which follows and accompanies the end of the scene "wows" something horrible. Was this on the original sound track and I missed it? or is it some sort of joke by the transfer department. The well placed mafia could surely have afforded a decent church organ, or have I missed the point and this is yet another piece of black comedy? As a film I enjoyed it first time round, and the apart from the above the transfer is OK - a bit lacking in extras, but at least it's free from cheesy adverts.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Wedding Sound Track - a joke?
Review: Got the DVD ... a few days ago, and must say I'm amazed at the poor sound quality towards the end of the wedding scene. The Ave Maria solo is fine, quite moving in fact; but the organ music which follows and accompanies the end of the scene "wows" something horrible. Was this on the original sound track and I missed it? or is it some sort of joke by the transfer department. The well placed mafia could surely have afforded a decent church organ, or have I missed the point and this is yet another piece of black comedy? As a film I enjoyed it first time round, and the apart from the above the transfer is OK - a bit lacking in extras, but at least it's free from cheesy adverts.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Jack and Kathleen don't get any better
Review: Has something for every fan of black humor. I have watched this movie over and over. I will buy it and it is favorite in my video library.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Very little to offer, other than quick sedation
Review: I will utilize the Samuel Jackson criteria for movie reviews with this one: if it puts you to sleep, it's no good.

I was excited when I scored this film because I'm a huge Nicholson fan, and I hadn't seen this film before. The opening shot of the boy scout opening his xmas present (a pair of brass knuckles) and trying his present out hooked my attention at the start of the film.

My attention quickly wilted. I was stuck to suffer through actor after actor who weren't of Sicilian (or Italian) descent attempt to fake 'mafia' accents. The worst accenter was Nicholson, who couldn't even maintain his accent throughout the film, and who pursed his lips in an absurd manner throughout the film.

I've been told that this film is a comedy, but I only found two scenes funny. I laughed when Nicholson said, "Watch out for the cannolis there." And I was humored when the absurd Hickey asks, "Would you like to have a cookie, huh?"

I loved the neck shot at 2:03:20 (on the video) as much as it disturbed me. K. MacKennon or Andrea Dworkin would have a field-day with that shot.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: 5 Stars, NOT for the DVD!
Review: In a recent poll that Premire magazine conducted, it was picked unanimously by filmmakers worldwide, if they were allowed to revote many filmmakers would have voted Prizzi's Honor for best picture at the academy awards.Out of Africa ended up winning and no one even talks about it anymore, at IMDB.com Out of Africa rates the lowest out of the five nominies.

If you like this movie don't let it slip through your memory, let others know about so hopefully one day it will be as popular as The Graduate. The film is amazing, John Hustons direction....FANTASTIC. Jack Nicholson gives a great performance. The film is a great black comedy that you can watch over and over again. The dvd is a emmbarresment to the film, ugly transfer, no special features, and the aspect ratio is wrong. The film was shot with a 2:35:1 aspect ratio and the dvd is presented in a 1:85:1 aspect ratio.

Anchor Bay did the same thing with the Sleuth dvd,though it was only minor, the Sleuth dvd presented the film in a 1:66:1 aspect ratio. With a new release of Sleuth they're finally presenting it in its correct 1:85:1 aspect ratio.

To all of us who love Prizzi's Honor, please write to Anchor Bay and tell them to put special features and present the film in its right aspect ratio. The dvd wouldn't be so bad if it was presented in 2:35 and had a amazing transfer. Great film Not to be missed!


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