Why is this film/novel so unavailable, I wonder?
Added 6/16/2009
Here is a film that won Academy Award nominations and has received a tremendous amount of positive reviews on this site and elsewhere ever since it came out in 1980 - obviously a film and a story that has moved many people. Why, then, is it not even out on DVD? Why can't you find the original novel by Lewis J. Carlino under books? Why doesn't Netflix even list the film as one of Ellen Burstyn's? All very mysterious and frustrating. Get this film on DVD, Amazon, and get the book back out too!!
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Born Again
Added 5/13/2009
I was very pleased with the videocassette version of the movie Resurrection received. The quality seemed very good even though the cassette was a previously used version. I would be confident purchasing another videocassette movie through Amazon.com.
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Much more effecting than I would have imagined...
Added 12/29/2008
A film that could have easily been ridiculous, `Resurrection' balances out its themes rather well in order to create something that is not only memorable, but at times even magical. `Resurrection' has a lot on its plate, but it manages to (for the most part) create something solid and fathomable despite its preposterous foundation. It's quite a feat when you think about it.
Ellen Burstyn stars as Edna McCauley, a middle-aged woman at odds with her family. In the opening scenes she is in a horrible accident that leaves her widowed and paralyzed. Reliant on those who disowned her, Edna now moves back home. She is welcomed by her grandmother, but there are obvious tensions between her and her father. Edna soon realizes that her unfortunate circumstances have led way to some extraordinary gifts as she begins to heal others. This causes uproar through her small town, contrasting bible preachers against new believers as Edna holds healing ceremonies. As she forms relationships with other, especially with beau Cal Carpenter, her views on her own powers become a stumbling block to some and a roadblock to herself.
Thanks to some smart scripting and some even smarter performances `Resurrection' is able to break away from the ridiculousness it could have fallen into and delivers a tightly constructed character study of faith and responsibility.
Ellen Burstyn is marvelous as Edna Mae McCauley, mastering this woman's own demons in order to create someone true and pure. There is one scene in particular, when Edna is sitting in bed trying to move her toes, which in my opinion is a true testament to the flawless acting involved here. The scene could have easily rode the fence of silly but instead it comes across very real and touching; and this is all due to Burstyn's reaction to the situation. Sam Shepard and Roberts Blossom have heavy roles as the two men in her life, her boyfriend and her father; both of which influence her drastically, and they both handle the roles very well. It's Eva Le Gallienne though that deserves the heaping of praise as far as supporting performances go. Her portrayal of Grandma Pearl is effecting to an extreme, especially her scene on the porch after Edna uses her powers for the first time.
Chills.
This is a small film that packs quite a punch so be prepared. It is not a film that everyone will love, but it is a film that you won't forget. It's hard to come by so many may not get the chance to see it; but if you do please take the time to give it a watch through. It's smart and cohesive and very much deserving of some time and attention.
I want to leave you with a small note in regards to the subject matter of this film. If you are a very religious person who has a hard time separating your own faith from entertainment then you may want to avoid this film. `Resurrection' is a study of what constitutes faith and what separates the religious from the spiritual. I personally am a very religious person, but I also know how to separate the two, and so I can find enjoyment and even enlightenment from a film like this that challenges ones beliefs. I just want you to be aware that the film has its own views that may or may not conflict with your own, so if you are offended or put off by films of that nature then stay away.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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A movie that sets your heart and mind on Fire!
Added 12/2/2008
It is sad that this movie can't be released on DVD? When movies that are absolute waste of time and money are being released daily. I love this movie, it had me threw the whole picture.
To bad it will be seen by so few. Waiting for someone in Hollywood to wake up!
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Excellent Movie
Added 8/6/2008
(*SPOILER WARNING*) Resurrection is loosely based on the experiences of Rosalyn Bruyere, a woman with expansive experience in energy based healing (She was also a technical advisor for the movie). Ellen Burstyn is absolutely realistic in her role as Edna, a woman who awakens from an accident in which she lost her fiance to find she has been endowed with a confusing blessing in the form of the ability to heal. As an agnostic, she finds this gift difficult to resolve, and her journey through her own healing and with others' expectations is interesting to watch. I would encourage anyone who is in the field of energy based healing to try to get their hands on a copy of this VHS, or at the very least catch it on cable, as it is shown periodically. It holds up well over time and I am still hoping the 'powers that be' will see fit to release it in DVD, as there is a strong call for it and I know I'll be right there at the top of the list for pre-ordering it. There's just nothing else like it in film (the newer version doesn't have the same impact, and has a different ending).
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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