Scanners (1981)
71%RT Audience Score: 64%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Scanners, the 1981 science fiction thriller directed by David Cronenberg, explores the idea of people who can control others with their thoughts. While some critics found the film lacking in payoff, others praised its unnerving and challenging nihilistic themes. The special effects were a highlight for many, but others found them curiously abstract. Despite its flaws, Scanners remains an entertaining and often exciting horror-thriller that has earned its place as a genre classic. Cronenberg’s exploration of the effects of signals on an organism is a recurring theme in his work, and Scanners is no exception. While it may not be his best film, it is certainly worth a watch for fans of the genre.
Scanners is a wild ride of exploding heads and mind control, but does it live up to the hype? Critics seem to be divided, with some praising the film’s special effects and others criticizing its lack of character development. Personally, I found it to be a fun and entertaining horror-thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Sure, it may not be a classic, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for some sci-fi gore. Just don’t expect it to be a deep exploration of the human condition.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 42m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 14, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 28, 2001
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
Sci-fi, telepathy, telekinesis, renegade, race, world domination, R, David Cronenberg, Claude Héroux, written by David Cronenberg, Stephen Lack, Cameron Vale, Jennifer O’Neill, Kim Obrist, Patrick McGoohan, Doctor Paul Ruth, Lawrence Dane, Braedon Keller, Adam Ludwig, Arno Crostic, Michael Ironside, Darryl Revok, AVCO Embassy Pictures, Filmplan, stereo, mono, flat, box office, budget, reviewed by Bruce McCabe, Keith Phipps, Nathan Lee, Dave Kehr, Derek Adams, Roger Ebert, Rob Gonsalves, Eddie Harrison, John Brosnan, Kenneth Turan, Joe Baltake, audience score, streaming, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, iTunes, rent, buy, subscription, MPAA rating, special effects, exploding head, conspiracy thriller, political tract, corporate executives, human conception, special gifts, safe, judicious manner
Worldwide gross: $14,225,876
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $14,225,876
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $12,522,459
Production budget ranking: 1,580
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $6,743,344
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jennifer O’Neill – Kim Obrist
Patrick McGoohan – Doctor Paul Ruth
Lawrence Dane – Braedon Keller
Adam Ludwig – Arno Crostic
Michael Ironside – Darryl Revok
Director – David Cronenberg
Producer – Claude Héroux
Writer – David Cronenberg
Director(s)
David Cronenberg
Writer(s)
David Cronenberg
Producer(s)
Claude Héroux
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (13)
Scanners, according to David Cronenberg’s new film, are people who can control others with their thoughts…The idea has a certain cachet. But Scanners doesn’t pay off on it.
April 28, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
The generous selection of bonus features includes vintage elements, like a trailer made up almost entirely of the exploding-head scene, a handful of radio spots, and a 1981 talk-show appearance in which Cronenberg discusses his work up to that point.
July 14, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Keith Phipps
The Dissolve
TOP CRITIC
Scanners consolidates the ruling problematic of the Cronenberg project from the sex slugs of Shivers to the financial abstractions of Cosmopolis: what are the effects of signals on an organism?
July 7, 2014
Nathan Lee
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Like Tod Browning, Cronenberg doesn’t have the stylistic resources to match the forcefulness of his ideas, but his movies remain in the mind for the pull of their private obsessions.
June 5, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Part conspiracy thriller, part political tract, it is Cronenberg’s most coherent movie to date, drawing a dark (but bland) world in which corporate executives engineer human conception to produce ever more powerful mental samurai.
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Scanners is so lockstep that we are basically reduced to watching the special effects, which are good but curiously abstract, because we don’t much care about the people they’re happening around.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Cronenberg does deliver the goods; it’s an efficient, intelligent sf thriller with the usual surplus of paranoid ideas.
December 1, 2022 | Rating: B+
Rob Gonsalves
Rob’s Movie Vault
…an unnerving and challenging work of nihilistic prescience…
September 17, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Not destined to be a classic, nor even the best Cronenberg so far, Scanners is nonetheless an entertaining and often exciting horror-thriller.
July 26, 2022
John Brosnan
Starburst
The picture is a genre classic, a masterpiece in its own spooky way, but saying that evokes visions of elitist projects that delicately scrutinize the human condition. Scanners is not like that all. It is a hard-edge, no-nonsense science fiction thriller.
June 17, 2022
Kenneth Turan
New West/California
Cronenberg continues to work on our nerves with his special effects, but in the manner of a sadistic dentist drilling away at our teeth. What he does is effectively excruciating, but not the least enjoyable. It’s a banal expedition into stupid slaughter.
June 16, 2022
Joe Baltake
Philadelphia Daily News
For young moviegoers… Scanners offers the preferred mixture of fright, mystery and silly science. One can only wonder, though, when audiences will stop patronizing gory movies simply because they “take them someplace they have never been before.”
June 16, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Robert Alan Ross
Tampa Bay Times…
Plot
Scanners is a sci-fi film about a group of people with telepathic and telekinetic powers, some of whom plan to create a race that will rule the world.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have anything goofy or funny to say about the film Scanners, but they do mention the impressive special effects that will make your head explode.
David-Cronenberg.jpg
Escape from New York
Escape from New York (1981)
84%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 4 nominations
Featuring an atmospherically grimy futuristic metropolis, Escape from New York is a strange, entertaining jumble of thrilling action and oddball weirdness
Escape from New York is a classic film that takes place in a dystopian future where New York City has become a maximum-security prison. The film follows the story of Snake Plissken, a former soldier turned criminal, who is sent on a mission to rescue the President of the United States. With its iconic anti-hero and thrilling set pieces, Escape from New York is a must-see for any fan of action and sci-fi films. Plus, who doesn’t love a good countdown-clock suspense sequence?
Production Company(ies)
DENTSU Music And Entertainment, Nibariki Nippon Television, Network
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Embassy Pictures, AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Fox Theater – 527 N. Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 40m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 2, 2004
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Kurt Russell, Ernest Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, directed by John Carpenter, written by John Carpenter and Nick Castle, action, dystopian, maximum security prison, Air Force One, hostage, criminal, Snake Plissken, Special Forces, freedom, president, Larry J Franco, Debra Hill, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Embassy Pictures, AVCO Embassy Pictures, R-rated, 1981, 1h 40m, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Anton Bitel, Phil Hoad, Arthur Knight, Joshua Rothkopf, Jaime N Christley, Nick Schager, Scott Sublett, MPAA rating, producer Larry J Franco, Debra Hill
Worldwide gross: $25,274,965
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $85,158,646
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,092
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 9,286,657
US/Canada gross: $25,244,626
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $20,215,730
Production budget ranking: 1,360
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $10,886,171
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $54,056,745
ROI to date (est.): 174%
ROI ranking: 701
Ernest Borgnine – Cabbie
Adrienne Barbeau – Maggie
Lee Van Cleef – Bob Hauk
Donald Pleasence – President of the United States
Isaac Hayes – The Duke of New York
Director(s)
John Carpenter
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Larry J. Franco, Debra Hill
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (10)
1997 is the year in which the film’s events are set, but far from being a bright, progressive future, it is a hyperbolic deterioration of 1981’s here and now
November 19, 2018
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
The film plays its social satire broad but strings it along a rail of self-awareness.
October 25, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Phil Hoad
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
It has got an intriguing premise, an effective cast, and it has been expertly mounted.
July 10, 2017
Arthur Knight
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
The movie proudly wears its affection for crusty Sergio Leone archetypes and countdown-clock suspense sequences; Carpenter was Tarantino long before Tarantino was.
July 23, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Most of the images are elaborate confections of urban blight, etched against a nearly unlit soundstage, and the sound mix, until the finale, is rarely louder than Snake’s elbow busting out an old windowpane.
July 17, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jaime N. Christley
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Has a surprisingly measured pace, its set pieces choreographed with a deliberateness at odds with the frantic nature of Snake’s quest.
April 14, 2011 | Rating: B+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
New York as surreal, existential hell was done much better by Walter Hill in The Warriors; Carpenter’s imagery fails to shock today’s jaded audiences.
May 23, 2022
Scott Sublett
Washington Blade
One of John Carpenter’s most popular films remains this futuristic yarn featuring an irresistible hook and an iconic anti-hero.
April 10, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Regardless of how much John Carpenter pays homage to Howard Hawks, or how much Kurt Russell’s performance is rooted in Clint Eastwood’s various onscreen characters, Escape from New York stands on its own merits and achieves something unique.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
What works is the tone, the character, and the deeply cynical attitude towards authority of all stripes.
October 24, 2021
Travis Johnson
Blunt Magazine
[O]ne of the standouts of director/co-writer John Carpenter’s damn-near-unmatched 1976-1988 run of stupendous filmmaking.
July 11, 2021
Justin Harrison
The Spool
A substandard-by-design, low-budget, accidental sci-fi epic that is too good to pass up.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
In the future, crime is out of control and New York City’s Manhattan is a maximum security prison. Grabbing a bargaining chip right out of the air, convicts bring down the President’s plane in bad old Gotham. Gruff Snake Plissken, a one-eyed lone warrior new to prison life, is coerced into bringing the President, and his cargo, out of this land of undesirables.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Kurt Russell as the lead character, Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal.
John-Carpenter.jpg
Altered States
Altered States (1980)
81%RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
1 win & 7 nominations total
Extraordinarily daring for a Hollywood film, Altered States attacks the viewer with its inventive, aggressive mix of muddled sound effects and visual pyrotechnics
Altered States is a wild ride that will leave you questioning your own reality. With Ken Russell’s signature style and a plot that’s equal parts bonkers and brilliant, this sci-fi flick is a must-watch for anyone who wants to see what happens when a scientist goes too far. Sure, it may not be the most modest horror movie out there, but who needs modesty when you’ve got mind-bending special effects and a storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat? So buckle up and get ready for a trip you won’t soon forget.
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Bronx Zoo – 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1980
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 43m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 1980 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2000
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
Altered States, William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban, Charlie Haid, Thaao Penghlis, Miguel Godreau, Ken Russell, Howard Gottfried, Paddy Chayefsky, Sci-fi, R, Warner Bros Pictures, Surround, Dolby, 1980, 1h 43m, $19 million, $19.8 million, reviewed by Richard Corliss, Ian Nathan, Nick Schager, Variety Staff, Dave Kehr, Jennifer Selway, Jim Laczkowski, Peter Sobczynski, Larry Vitacco, Diego Galán, Brian Gibson, audience score 71%, Tomatometer 85%, sensory deprivation tanks, hallucinogenic drugs, altered mental states, physical states, consciousness, reality, genetic fantasy, precognitive dream, delirium, delight, eccentricity, bonkers-ness, silliness, subversive direction, dash, style, good looks, curtain line, lucid moment, horror, grotesque, LSD trip, Cronenberg, special effects, audio sequences, colleagues, lost loves, family, visual spectacle, mesmerizing, psychedelic hallucination scenes, intense special effects sequences
Worldwide gross: $19,853,892
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $74,617,659
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,162
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,137,149
US/Canada gross: $19,853,892
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $74,617,659
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 891
US/Canada opening weekend: $174,650
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $656,394
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,339
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Blair Brown – Emily Jessup
Bob Balaban – Arthur Rosenberg
Charlie Haid – Mason Parrish
Thaao Penghlis – Prof. Eduardo Eccheverria
Miguel Godreau – Primal Man
Director(s)
Ken Russell
Writer(s)
Paddy Chayefsky
Producer(s)
Howard Gottfried
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
1 win & 7 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (7)
It opens at fever pitch and then starts soaring — into genetic fantasy, into a precognitive dream of delirium and delight.
August 16, 2014
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s got Russell’s trademark eccentricity (read: slight bonkers-ness) all over it, which you may take as a warning or a recommendation.
August 16, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
As the proceedings briskly fly, the silliness of the entire endeavor becomes more readily apparent.
July 23, 2010 | Rating: C+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
Direction by Ken Russell has energy to spare, with appropriate match-up of his baroque visual style to special effects intensive material.
June 6, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
There isn’t a lucid moment in it (and much of the dialogue is rendered unintelligible by Russell’s subversive direction), but it has dash, style, and good looks, as well as the funniest curtain line since Some Like It Hot.
June 6, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
[Director] Russell’s noisily grandiose swipe at psychedelia embellishes what is no more than the cosily familiar story of the obsessive Scientist Who Goes Too Far and Unwittingly Unleashes, etc.
June 24, 2006
Jennifer Selway
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Altered States ignites some kind of fire that keeps the collective unconscious warm and the capacity for personal human inquiry ablaze. It’s one of the best films that questions why we’re here.
November 4, 2021
Jim Laczkowski
Voices & Visions
Even 40 years after its release, it boggles the mind that something like Altered States could have ever been produced in the first place, much less as an expensive A-level project for a major studio.
December 29, 2020
Peter Sobczynski
The Spool
Exciting, powerful and frightening, this sci-fi action flick is a near-masterpeice.
May 27, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Larry Vitacco
Philadelphia Gay News
Ken Russell’s movie can be quickly forgotten. Many other horror movies arrive to our screens with more imagination and more modesty. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 22, 2019
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)
A sensationalist head-trip, swirling us up in one man’s desire to resurrect his “more primitive self,” Altered States remains luridly intense.
January 19, 2018
Brian Gibson
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)
Russell’s razzle-dazzle hallucinogenic style certainly hits bullseye.
August 16, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
Alan Jones
Radio Times…
Plot
In the late 1960s, just for a lark, graduate student Eddie Jessup, known for being unconventional, brilliant and slightly mad, conducts experiments with an isolation chamber, using himself as the subject. His experiences in the chamber cause him to hallucinate, much of the imagery being religious-based although he’s not religious. Seven years later, he is a respected full professor in the Harvard Medical School. Believing he has lost his edge and fallen into an unwanted state of respectability, Eddie decides to resume his work with sensory deprivation, this time using hallucinogens, specifically untested ones used in mystical Mexican rituals, to enhance the isolation-take experience. After initial tests, he claims he entered an alternate physical and mental state. Although unbelieving of Eddie’s claims, his colleagues Arthur Rosenberg and Mason Parrish, as well as Eddie’s wife Emily, herself a respected academic, are concerned for Eddie’s well being. However, if Eddie’s claims are indeed true, he could do irreparable harm to himself and others around him, especially if his altered states are uncontrollable.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Altered States on Fresh Kernels.
Ken-Russell.jpg
Clash of the Titans
Clash of the Titans (1981)
75%RT Audience Score: 70%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 6 nominations
A goofy, old-school sword-and-sandal epic, Clash of the Titans mines Greek mythology for its story and fleshes it out with Ray Harryhausen’s charmingly archaic stop-motion animation techniques
Clash of the Titans may not be the most critically acclaimed movie out there, but it’s definitely a fun ride. Sure, the script is pretty bad and the colors are dingy, but who cares when you get to see slimy creeps and the best movie version of Medusa ever filmed? Plus, the stop-motion special effects are wobblesome in the best way possible. And let’s not forget the who’s-who of pop culture gods that draw from classical theater, art cinema, and Love Boat guest-star casting calls. So, grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the banal, insecure, and stiff actors fighting monsters. It’s a blast!
Production Company(ies)
John Ford Productions,
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Warner Home Vídeo
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Azur Window, Gozo Island, Malta
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 58m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 12, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2002
Genre(s)
Fantasy/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier, Judi Bowker, Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith, Ursula Andress, Neil McCarthy, directed by Desmond Davis, written by Beverley Cross, fantasy, adventure, action, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Derek Malcolm, Dave Kehr, James Berardinelli, Roger Ebert, Vincent Canby, Philip French, PG, Perseus, Zeus, Princess Andromeda, Hera, Thetis, Aphrodite, Calibos, Medusa, Kraken, stop-motion animation, Greek mythology, Ray Harryhausen, Charles H Schneer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Warner Home Vídeo
Worldwide gross: $41,092,328
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $138,451,903
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 873
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 15,098,354
US/Canada gross: $41,092,328
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $50,539,326
Production budget ranking: 790
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $27,215,427
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $60,697,150
ROI to date (est.): 78%
ROI ranking: 1,019
Laurence Olivier – Zeus
Judi Bowker – Princess Andromeda
Claire Bloom – Hera
Maggie Smith – Thetis
Ursula Andress – Aphrodite
Director(s)
Desmond Davis
Writer(s)
Beverley Cross
Producer(s)
Ray Harryhausen, Charles H. Schneer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (31) | Rotten (17)
Children of all ages will come out happy enough, I would imagine. Dingy colour, a pretty rotten script and the two-hour length were my main complaints. But it was fun while three-quarters of it lasted.
December 29, 2021
Derek Malcolm
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Apart from some fine slimy creeps in the Medusa episode, it’s bland and toothy, with a narrative that gets bogged down in short-term action.
August 17, 2020
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Mostly the problem is Beverley Cross’ screenplay, which is unacceptably, irredeemably bad.
April 30, 2009 | Rating: 2/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Clash of the Titans is an unbearable bore that will probably put to sleep the few adults stuck taking the kids to it.
June 27, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
What can you say about a movie in which Flora Robson plays one of three blind witches under so much rubber masking that the role might as well have been played by Joe Namath?
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Earthbound, remote, banal, insecure, its actors as stiff as the monsters the special effects man, Ray Harryhausen, has created for them to fight.
December 30, 2021
Philip French
Observer (UK)
…Clash of the Titans’ pantheon of gods is a who’s-who of pop culture that draws from classical theater, art cinema and Love Boat guest-star casting calls.
September 10, 2021
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
Clash of the Titans promises much more than it is prepared to deliver.
June 22, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Larry Vitacco
Philadelphia Gay News
Brimming with stunning fantasy visuals, including the skeleton-like ferryman, the two-headed dog Dioskilos, and the best movie version of the snake-haired Medusa ever filmed.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion special effects are as wonderfully wobblesome as ever and he comes up with some memorable monsters, notably the petrifying Gorgon Medusa.
August 17, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Adrian Turner
Radio Times
There are multiple instances of enjoyment and craftsmanship…
August 17, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Jared Mobarak
Jaredmobarak.com…
Plot
Perseus (Harry Hamlin) is the favored son of the god Zeus (Sir Laurence Olivier), but he has unwittingly ticked off the sea goddess Thetis (Dame Maggie Smith). Just to make things worse, Perseus falls in love with the lovely Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker), who used to be engaged to Thetis’ son, Calibos (Neil McCarthy). Soon Perseus is off on one quest after another, with Zeus helping, Thetis hindering, and lots of innocent bystanders getting stabbed, drowned, and squished.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were made about the film in the Fresh Kernels database.
Desmond-Davis.jpg
Mommie Dearest
Mommie Dearest (1981)
71%RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 11 nominations
Mommie Dearest certainly doesn’t lack for conviction, and neither does Faye Dunaway’s legendary performance as a wire-wielding monster; unfortunately, the movie is too campy and undisciplined to transcend guilty pleasure
Mommie Dearest is a film that’s so bad, it’s good. Faye Dunaway’s performance is so over-the-top that it’s impossible not to be entertained. Sure, the story lacks depth and the direction is lackluster, but who cares when you have Dunaway screaming “No wire hangers!” at the top of her lungs? It’s a cult classic for a reason, and if you haven’t seen it yet, grab some popcorn and get ready for a wild ride.
Production Company(ies)
Production company
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
355 S. Mapleton Drive, Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 9m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2006
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Howard Da Silva, Mara Hobel, Rutanya Alda, Harry Goz, directed by Frank Perry, written by Christina Crawford, Robert Getchell, Tracy Hotchner, Frank Perry, Frank Yablans, biography, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Richard Schickel, Bruce McCabe, Gary Arnold, Jason Bailey, Yardena Arar, Dave Kehr, Sean Burns, Gena Radcliffe, Douglas Davidson, Allison Rose, Matt Brunson, PG rating, produced by Frank Yablans, Joan Crawford, Christina Crawford, Louis B Mayer, Alfred Steele, Carol Ann, Marnie, The Indian Runner, To Walk With Lions, Deathtrap, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, Dangerous Liaisons, Warriors on the Field, Fair Play, Paramount Pictures, stereo, flat aspect ratio
Worldwide gross: $19,032,261
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $64,125,176
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,225
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,992,931
US/Canada gross: $19,032,261
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $5,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $16,846,442
Production budget ranking: 1,459
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,071,809
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $38,206,925
ROI to date (est.): 147%
ROI ranking: 775
Diana Scarwid – Christina Crawford (adult)
Howard Da Silva – Louis B. Mayer
Mara Hobel – Christina Crawford (child)
Rutanya Alda – Carol Ann
Harry Goz – Alfred Steele
Director(s)
Frank Perry
Writer(s)
Christina Crawford, Robert Getchell, Tracy Hotchner, Frank Perry, Frank Yablans
Producer(s)
Frank Yablans
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 11 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (24)
Lacking psychological intelligence or, for that matter, awareness of Hollywood sociology, Mommie Dearest is just a collection of screechy scenes further distanced by convictionless direction.
December 11, 2018
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The flaws aren’t the story with this unusual film. The story is in the powerful, vivid and emotionally draining scenes of torment and conflict between a mother and daughter.
April 27, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
“Mommie Dearest,” the film version of Christina Crawford’s poison-pen memoir of her adoptive mother, Joan Crawford, looms as wretched excess.
October 4, 2017
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
The character is rendered such a grotesque, its moments don’t accumulate to an arc or even a readable profile. They just pile up, like cars in a traffic accident, and all we can do is gawk.
October 15, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
By all accounts, Miss Crawford had serious failings as a mother, but the film pounds so unrelentingly on her raging cruelty to her children — and her equally offensive public sweetness — that she emerges as a laughable caricature.
July 6, 2010
Yardena Arar
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
It’s rich, stimulating thought in spite of itself.
October 30, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
I think Dunaway’s actually pretty great in this, going for broke with a baroquely stylized turn a galaxy away from the low-key naturalism so fashionable in boring biopics intending to bring icons down to earth.
May 7, 2022
Sean Burns
The ARTery
[Faye Dunaway’s] balls to the wall performance…gave color, flair and a heck of a lot of juice to what’s normally a safe to the point of boring film genre.
September 20, 2021
Gena Radcliffe
The Spool
… Mommie Dearest is not a film I’m likely ever to revisit; however, I can recognize and acknowledge how it resonates with so many who can dissociate the reality from the characters.
September 14, 2021
Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness
Over the years, Mommie Dearest has created a cult like following the likes of which would make Joan Crawford proud.
August 16, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
The problem with Dunaway’s over-the-top performance is that it becomes increasingly tiresome, less the fault of the actress than of the director (the usually dependable Frank Perry) and team of scripters.
August 7, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
The movie is confusing and boring… Faye Dunaway does a decent job, but is incapable of overcoming the weakness of the book and the script. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 26, 2019
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)…
Plot
The relationship between Christina Crawford and her adoptive mother Joan Crawford is presented from Christina’s view. Unable to bear children, Joan, in 1940, was denied children through regular adoption agencies due to her twice divorced status and being a single working person. Her lover at the time, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lawyer Greg Savitt, was able to go through a brokerage to adopt a baby girl, who would be Christina, the first of Joan’s four adoptive children. Joan believes that her own difficult upbringing has made her a stronger person, and decides that, while providing the comforts that a successful Hollywood actress can afford, she will not coddle Christina or her other children, she treating Christina more as a competitor than a daughter. Joan’s treatment of Christina is often passive-aggressive, fueled both by the highs and lows of her career, the narcissism that goes along with being an actress, and alcohol abuse especially during the low times. However, Joan sees much of her actions toward Christina as Christina purposefully provoking her. Despite the physical and emotional abuse Joan hurls at Christina over the course of their relationship, Christina, who often wonders why Joan adopted her seeing as to the abuse, seemingly still wants her mother’s love right until the very bitter end.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Faye Dunaway’s performance as Joan Crawford is described as “legendary” and “balls to the wall.”
Frank-Perry.jpg
Gossip
Gossip
87%RT Audience Score:
Good Thing Going, HBO Max
Year of Release
2021
Technical Specs
Color: Color
Sound mix: Dolby Digital, Dolby
Aspect ratio: 2.00 : 1
Language(s): English
Country of origin: United States
Original premiere: 08/22/2021
Newest season premiere: 08/22/2021
2021-2022 Summer Primetime
Genre(s)
Documentary, Epic, Music, Survival
Keyword(s)
Documentary, HBO Documentary Films Shows, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks Shows, TV Shows from United States, English Language, Black Director, Black Producer
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Ron Howard
Howard
Executive Producer
Brian Grazer Grazer
Michael Rosenberg Rosenberg
Sara Bernstein Bernstein
Justin Wilkes Wilkes
Troy Searer
Producer
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Executive(s)
NA
Awards & Nominations
NA
Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)
HBO, Showtime
Stream Now
(Click to Watch)
Coming soon…
Heavens Gate
Heaven’s Gate (1980)
65%RT Audience Score: 54%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
2 wins & 9 nominations total
Heaven’s Gate contains too many ideas and striking spectacle to be a disaster, but this western buckles under the weight of its own sprawl
Heaven’s Gate is like that one friend who always talks too much and takes forever to get to the point. Sure, there are some cool moments and the visuals are pretty, but did we really need all that political commentary and padding? It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack, except the needle is a good movie and the haystack is this bloated Western. At least there’s some nudity and sexual violence to keep things interesting, right? Overall, it’s a bold and engrossing saga, but maybe next time, let’s try to keep it a little more concise.
Production Company(ies)
The Samuel Goldwyn Company,
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, United Artists
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Kalispell, Montana, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:3h 38m
-
Language(s):English, Serbo-Croatian, Russian, French, Polish, German, Ukrainian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 23, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 29, 2000
Genre(s)
Western
Keyword(s)
starring Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, John Hurt, Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston, Brad Dourif, Mickey Rourke, directed by Michael Cimino, written by Michael Cimino, produced by Joann Carelli, Western, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Wendy Ide, Peter Bradshaw, Nigel Andrews, Glenn Heath Jr., Robbie Collin, Dana Stevens, Stefan Pape, Matthew Pejkovic, Alberto Abuín, Diego Galán, Peter Ackroyd, R rating, Jackson County, Wyoming, cattle farmers, immigrants, politically connected ranch owners, mercenary, local madam, struggle, decisions, Dolby, Surround, Scope (2.35:1), Harvard graduate, sheriff, poverty-stricken, wealthy, sound mix, cast and crew, critic reviews, audience score, Tomatometer, original language, release date, runtime, distributor
Worldwide gross: $3,484,523
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $11,740,363
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,917
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,280,301
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $44,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $148,248,688
Production budget ranking: 223
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $79,831,919
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$216,340,244
ROI to date (est.): -95%
ROI ranking: 1,994
Christopher Walken – Nathan D. Champion
Isabelle Huppert – Ella Watson
John Hurt – Billy Irvine
Jeff Bridges – John L. Bridges
Sam Waterston – Frank Canton
Director(s)
Michael Cimino
Writer(s)
Michael Cimino
Producer(s)
Joann Carelli
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
2 wins & 9 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (19)
It is a bloated Western that contains some extraordinary moments, a lot of heavy-handed political commentary and a hell of a lot of padding.
March 27, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
Wendy Ide
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It is a demanding film, without a doubt – but a passionate one.
August 1, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Cimino endows the visuals with a Zola-esque texture and realism. But the characterisation and dramatic reach go beyond even that.
August 1, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Emotionally stings like few other westerns.
August 1, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Glenn Heath Jr.
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Its status as a true wonder-work of American cinema is now surely beyond doubt.
August 1, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Robbie Collin
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
On a purely sensory level, Heaven’s Gate is overpowering.
April 1, 2013
Dana Stevens
Slate
TOP CRITIC
Epic but brutal Western has nudity, sexual violence.
January 16, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Stefan Pape
Common Sense Media
A bold and engrossing saga let down by controversy and scandal, yet buoyed by Cimino’s uncompromising and far reaching vision.
April 25, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Matthew Pejkovic
Matt’s Movie Reviews
A masterpiece that in every new dancing party presents new dancing steps. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 28, 2019
Alberto Abuín
Espinof
A chaotic concert where disparate notes have been mixed. It’s as if director Michael Cimino wanted to make various different films. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 20, 2019
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)
Neither Kris Kristofferson nor Christopher Walken, both of them fine actors, can prevail against the relentless scale and movement of the production.
June 8, 2015
Peter Ackroyd
The Spectator
Enormous, but also gorgeous in its enormity.
September 29, 2014 | Rating: 9/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy…
Plot
In 1890 Wyoming, James Averill is the Sherriff of Johnson County, which is largely inhabited by foreign immigrants. The wealthy cattle owners view the immigrant farmers as a nuisance and hindrance to them enlarging their own land. The cattlemen’s association, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, effectively declares war on the immigrant farmers and gets the state government’s blessing. They assemble an army of guns-for-hire and, backed by the U.S. Cavalry, set out to rid the state of the immigrants. James Averill’s heart is with the immigrants, but he doesn’t think they have a chance of winning the inevitable war.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Heaven’s Gate includes Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, John Hurt, Jeff Bridges, and Sam Waterston.
Michael-Cimino.jpg
The Howling
The Howling (1981)
71%RT Audience Score: 58%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 3 nominations
The Howling packs enough laughs into its lycanthropic carnage to distinguish it from other werewolf entries, with impressive visual effects adding some bite
The Howling is a howling good time! This werewolf flick is a perfect mix of horror and humor, with transformation effects that will leave you spellbound. The story deals with cults and media coverage, making it a clever and satirical contribution to the genre. It may be over 40 years old, but it still holds up as a fantastic off-beat horror movie that’s just plain fun to watch. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and get ready to howl at the moon!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Image Entertainment Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Mendocino Woodlands Camp – 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1 (original & negative ratio / European theatrical ratio)
-
Runtime:1h 31m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 3, 1981 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2003
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda Balaski, Kevin McCarthy, directed by Joe Dante, written by Gary Brandner, John Sayles, Terence H Winkless, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nick Schager, Roger Ebert, Eddie Harrison, Leonard Klady, James Kendrick, Mike Massie, Larry Vitacco, Mattie Lucas, Michael J Casey, Jennie Kermode, producer Daniel H Blatt, Jack Conrad, Michael Finnell, Steven A Lane, MPAA rating R, werewolf, San Francisco, serial killer, psychiatric retreat, supernatural, werewolf transformation, practical effects, satire, self-help gurus, female werewolf, newsroom, tongue-in-cheek, Harryhausen stop-motion animation, baying wolves
Worldwide gross: $17,985,893
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $60,599,660
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,250
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,608,469
US/Canada gross: $17,985,893
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $3,369,288
Production budget ranking: 1,966
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,814,362
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $55,416,010
ROI to date (est.): 1,069%
ROI ranking: 113
Patrick Macnee – Dr. George Waggner
Dennis Dugan – Chris
Christopher Stone – R. William (Bill) Neill
Belinda Balaski – Terry Fisher
Kevin McCarthy – Fred Francis
Gary Brandner – Writer
John Sayles – Writer
Terence H. Winkless – Writer
Joe Dante – Director
Daniel H. Blatt – Producer
Jack Conrad – Producer
Michael Finnell – Producer
Steven A. Lane – Producer
Director(s)
Joe Dante
Writer(s)
Gary Brandner, John Sayles, Terence H. Winkless
Producer(s)
Daniel H. Blatt, Jack Conrad, Michael Finnell, Steven A. Lane
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (11)
A perverse, satirical contribution to the oft-maligned werewolf genre.
November 6, 2005 | Rating: B
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
Ridiculous — yes. Comical at times — yes.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
…still shocks and amuses in equal parts…
October 27, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
A clever story that deals with cults and media coverage.
October 15, 2021
Robin Holabird
Robin Holabird
[Dante] has demonstrated a deft touch at mixing genuinely horrifying effects and sly humour in The Howling.
August 18, 2021
Leonard Klady
Winnipeg Free Press
humorous and self-aware as it often is, The Howling fundamentally works as a scary-gory werewolf thriller, with Bottin’s transformation effects casting a nearly hypnotic spell
June 17, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
The Howling is a fantastic off-beat horror flick with a dash of comedy that still holds up great 40 years later. The effects are fantastic, the script, acting and directing are superb and it’s just an all-around fun movie.
March 6, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Stefan Birgir Stefans
sbs.is
The atmosphere is too bright and insincere, with a focus on creating dread through untrustworthy accomplices rather than terrifying bloodshed.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 3/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The monster movie is back!
May 27, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Larry Vitacco
Philadelphia Gay News
Dante manages to overcome his limitations to some degree, but the film itself never quite leaves the middle of the road.
August 7, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
The Howling may be 35 years old, but age is just a number. Insight is eternal.
August 5, 2019
Michael J. Casey
Boulder Weekly
Essential viewing for anyone with a serious interest in the history of the genre.
October 12, 2017 | Rating: 2.5/5
Jennie Kermode
Eye for Film…
Plot
In a red light district, newswoman Karen White is bugged by the police, investigating serial killer Eddie Quist, who has been molesting her through phone calls. After police officers find them in a peep-show cabin and shoot Eddie, Karen becomes emotionally disturbed and loses her memory. Hoping to conquer her inner demons, she heads for the Colony, a secluded retreat where the creepy residents are rather too eager to make her feel at home. There also seems to be a bizarre connection between Eddie Quist and this supposedly safe haven. And when, after nights of being tormented by unearthly cries, Karen ventures into the forest and makes a terrifying discovery.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The makeup and visual effects are awesome, especially in a major shape-shifting transformation scene close to the end.
Joe-Dante.jpg
Trans in Trumpland
Trans in Trumpland
95%RT Audience Score:
Prime Video, Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Year of Release
2021
Technical Specs
Color: NA
Sound mix: NA
Aspect ratio: NA
Language(s):
Country of origin: United States
Original premiere:
Newest season premiere:
Genre(s)
Animation, Animation Feature, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Music, Remake, Vampire, War
Keyword(s)
2D Animation Feature Movie, Comedy Animation Feature Movie, Family Animation Feature Movie, Fantasy Animation Feature Movie, Sequel/Prequel/Remake Animation Feature Movie, Vampire, Movies Directed by Derek Drymon, Movies Directed by Jennifer Kluska, Movies Written by Nunzio Randazzo, Movies Written by Genndy Tartakovsky, Movies Written by Amos Vernon, Movies Starring Andy Samberg, Movies Starring Selena Gomez, Movies Starring Kathryn Hahn, Movies Starring Keegan-Michael Key, Movies Starring Steve Buscemi, Movies Starring David Spade, Movies Starring Brian Hull, Movies Starring Asher Blinkoff, Movies Starring Brad Abrell, Movies Starring Fran Drescher, Movies Starring Jim Gaffigan, Movies Starring Molly Shannon, Sony Pictures Animation Movie, MRC Movie, Movies from 2022, Movies from the 2020s, Medium Budget Movie, Movies from United States, English Language, Sequel/Prequel/Remake, Movies from 2021, Movies Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, Movies Starring Adam Sandler, Franchise: Hotel Transylvania, Impacted by COVID-19, Female Producer, Latin/Hispanic Producer, Female Director, Latin/Hispanic Producer, 2+ Ethnicity Producer
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
NA
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Executive(s)
NA
Awards & Nominations
NA
Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)
Stream Now
(Click to Watch)
Coming soon…
9 to 5
9 to 5 (1980)
82%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
4 wins & 8 nominations total
It might not be much of a way to make a living, but 9 to 5 is a wonderfully cast comedy that makes some sharp points about gender roles in the workplace
If you’re looking for a movie that will make you laugh, 9 to 5 is the perfect choice. With a cast that includes Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton, you know you’re in for a good time. Sure, the plot may be a bit predictable, but who cares when you’re having this much fun? And let’s be real, who hasn’t wanted to chain up their boss at some point? So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride. You won’t regret it.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
10431 Bellagio Road, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1980
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 50m
-
Language(s):English, French
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 1980 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 17, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman, Sterling Hayden, Elizabeth Wilson, directed by Colin Higgins, written by Colin Higgins, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Ansen, Kevin Thomas, Tara Brady, Peter Bradshaw, Bruce McCabe, Patricia Resnick, MPAA rating PG, gender roles, workplace, revenge, drug-induced fantasies, sexism, promotion, slave-driving chauvinist, poison, 20th Century Fox, office satire, feminist, women’s rights, social commentary, empowerment, equality, Lily Tomlin’s Violet, Jane Fonda’s Judy Bernly, Dolly Parton’s Doralee Rhodes, Colin Higgins’ movie, Patricia Resnick, David Nusair, Jesús Fernández Santos, Ellen Slavitz, Tuesday Blue, Mattie Lucas, The Other Woman, socially relevant, outdated, Netflix watch, hospital sequence, effective office, fabulously cheesy, awesome 80’s movie, likable, horror movies, MCU movies, TV shows, streaming, renewed, cancelled, worst horror movies, best Netflix series
Worldwide gross: $103,300,686
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $388,239,008
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 394
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 42,337,951
US/Canada gross: $103,290,500
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $388,200,725
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 124
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,966,832
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,908,700
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 794
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $37,583,391
Production budget ranking: 1,000
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $20,238,656
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $330,416,961
ROI to date (est.): 571%
ROI ranking: 223
Lily Tomlin – Violet Newstead
Dolly Parton – Doralee Rhodes
Dabney Coleman – Franklin M. Hart Jr.
Sterling Hayden – Russell Tinsworthy
Elizabeth Wilson – Roz Keith
Director(s)
Colin Higgins
Writer(s)
Colin Higgins
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
4 wins & 8 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (8)
Colin Higgins’ movie is a disappointment. Not a fiasco, a disaster or a scandal. But not as funny as it should have been, and not the trenchant office satire one was led to expect.
June 17, 2022
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
In short, its stars are more satisfying than their material, as good as it so often is.
March 7, 2021
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
9 to 5 retains a barbed relevance beneath its capering and unflattering hairstyles, not to mention one of cinema’s most badass trios.
March 7, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
9 to 5 is tremendous fun.
November 15, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
This is one of the most delightful films of the year. It’s an entertaining movie with a social and political point to make about office politics.
April 27, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Although it can probably be argued that Patricia Resnick and director Colin Higgins’ script [from a story by Resnick] at times borders on the inane, the bottom line is that this picture is a lot of fun.
June 24, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
9 to 5’s strong cast … and appealing concept (who hasn’t wanted to chain up the boss at one point or another?), make it almost as relevant today as it was when it hit theaters in 1980.
January 15, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Betsy Bozdech
DVDJournal.com
…a fairly one-note premise that’s employed to far better and more complex effect than one might’ve initially anticipated…
February 15, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
This is a conventional comedy in the style of the films shot in the 1940s, with the same plot and identical characters, but, unfortunately, lesser actors. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 16, 2019
Jesús Fernández Santos
El Pais (Spain)
The three women shine together as co-stars, although I was partial to Lily Tomlin’s Violet.
August 15, 2019
Ellen Slavitz
Sojourner
9 to 5 has laughs from beginning to end, a catchy theme song, clever editing techniques, and inspirational characters who prove that we’re better united than divided. If you haven’t already seen 9 to 5 you’re missing out.
July 3, 2019
Tuesday Blue
Film Inquiry
Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton make a fantastic team.
June 4, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row…
Plot
Meet Franklin Hart (Dabney Coleman). The biggest “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” boss on the planet. He thrills in taking advantage of his head female office staff; humiliating, downplaying, and condescending against them whenever conveniently possible, particularly his top assistant Violet (Lily Tomlin). Long-exhausted over his gruesome bullishness, Violet, alongside co-workers Doralee (Dolly Parton) and Judy (Jane Fonda) comprise comical methods of “doing him in”, when a freak incident occurs. They then manage to kidnap Hart and trap him in his own house, while assuming control of his department, and productivity leaps. But just how long can they keep him tied up?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Dolly Parton’s performance in 9 to 5 is surprisingly good for her first major acting role.
Colin-Higgins.jpg