A Powerful Showcase for Rourke and Dunaway
Added 10/14/2009
In "Barfly" (1987), the breakfast of champions is scotch and water. That's how life is for the poetic skid-row drunk from Los Angeles. Mickey Rourke delivers a beautifully realized performance as Henry Chinaski - the alter-ego of poet Charles Bukowski (who wrote the screenplay based on his own experiences). The unkempt actor has the time of his life as a philosophic survivor whose pain and misery are revealed in his poetry. "Barfly" is a world-weary mixture of humor and reality without self-pity. Directed with gritty authenticity by Barbet Schroeder, viewers can experience the empty glasses, burned-out cigarettes and dark booths that inhabit the seedy tavern atmosphere. Apart from being a powerful showcase for Rourke's talents, the film also represents Faye Dunaway's finest work in recent years as Wanda - a dedicated barfly who becomes Chinaski's soulmate. The chemistry between the leads is letter-perfect.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Great Movie--Don't Buy the Overpriced Copies Though!
Added 6/24/2009
Much like many of the other reviews featured on Amazon about this movie, I love the film Barfly and think it is a true masterpiece. Everyone should own this movie--however, the ridiculous folks selling used/new copies on this site for $100.00 and more should be ignored and not patronized with customers at all for trying to swindle folks for a movie. This is a $15.00 DVD. The movie will be re-released in 2010, so just hang in there. In the meantime, download it here as a digital copy--or from somewhere else (it'll cost you about $10.00), then burn it to a DVD on your computer. Problem solved, you have a fantastic movie, and you didn't spend the ridiculous prices listed here (one person has a copy for over $600.00!).
3 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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Do not buy this version! Wait for a better release!
Added 1/10/2009
I bought this DVD and it is an AWESOME movie, but the DVD I got was from Greece or something. The quality was VERY poor and did no justice to the movie. My old VHS copy is better! When is someone going to re-release this DVD as a special edition or director's cut??? It's a shame we can't get a better quality version of this movie!
0 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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Best Movie of Mickey Rourke
Added 12/11/2008
I actually knew and went to Miami Beach High School with Mickey Rourke. This is certainly the best of his movie and the least recognized or known. His acting in this film is absolutely Oscar material, yet the movie was never properly marketed. What else can we expect from Cappola's film and detail of perfection in cinematography.
Mickey's lunatic acting is so powerful and convincing that you feel as part of the film. The set captures a real decadence of losers who drink themselves into oblivion while facing their daily inner dragons. This film will be loved and enjoyed by all, its strong, sentimental, intellectual, and gives us a sense of what's being down and under its all about.
Mickey again delivers an outstanding performance with Faye Dunaway who shares the sentiments of Mickey's bizarre alcoholic behavior without having to excuse himself or justify his excessive drinking. The drama unfolds with true scenes of short conflicts, passion, comedy, and profound poetry that will mesmerize all audiences. This film would be admired by all Shakespeare fans...
The film is super entertaining, profound, melancholic and will certainly live you amazed in what classic films should be all about! This movie should be placed as the top ten in your list and transferred to DVD. Highly recommended!!
2 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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WHY IS THIS FILM OOP? DVD RELEASE NEEDED IN THE U.S.!
Added 10/12/2008
It's been a while since I last saw this film and I remember liking it a lot! The DVD has gone out of print(OOP) and it's a shame that so many people will miss seeing this interesting and gritty film. Rourke gives a memorable perfomance in this tale of booze and should-a", "would-a","could a's". I would have to see it again before I could give it an honest rating, but it is certainly worth a new DVD release. "I could have beaten him if I had eaten a sandwich!" Please re-release this film on DVD!
2 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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A Powerful Showcase for Rourke and Dunaway
Added 10/14/2009
In "Barfly" (1987), the breakfast of champions is scotch and water. That's how life is for the poetic skid-row drunk from Los Angeles. Mickey Rourke delivers a beautifully realized performance as Henry Chinaski - the alter-ego of poet Charles Bukowski (who wrote the screenplay based on his own experiences). The unkempt actor has the time of his life as a philosophic survivor whose pain and misery are revealed in his poetry. "Barfly" is a world-weary mixture of humor and reality without self-pity. Directed with gritty authenticity by Barbet Schroeder, viewers can experience the empty glasses, burned-out cigarettes and dark booths that inhabit the seedy tavern atmosphere. Apart from being a powerful showcase for Rourke's talents, the film also represents Faye Dunaway's finest work in recent years as Wanda - a dedicated barfly who becomes Chinaski's soulmate. The chemistry between the leads is letter-perfect.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
|
Great Movie--Don't Buy the Overpriced Copies Though!
Added 6/24/2009
Much like many of the other reviews featured on Amazon about this movie, I love the film Barfly and think it is a true masterpiece. Everyone should own this movie--however, the ridiculous folks selling used/new copies on this site for $100.00 and more should be ignored and not patronized with customers at all for trying to swindle folks for a movie. This is a $15.00 DVD. The movie will be re-released in 2010, so just hang in there. In the meantime, download it here as a digital copy--or from somewhere else (it'll cost you about $10.00), then burn it to a DVD on your computer. Problem solved, you have a fantastic movie, and you didn't spend the ridiculous prices listed here (one person has a copy for over $600.00!).
3 out of 3 people found this helpful.
|
Do not buy this version! Wait for a better release!
Added 1/10/2009
I bought this DVD and it is an AWESOME movie, but the DVD I got was from Greece or something. The quality was VERY poor and did no justice to the movie. My old VHS copy is better! When is someone going to re-release this DVD as a special edition or director's cut??? It's a shame we can't get a better quality version of this movie!
0 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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