Product Details

• Actors: Jeff Bridges, Rosanna Arquette, Alexandra Paul, Randy Brooks, Andy Garcia
• Directors: Hal Ashby
• Writers: David Lee Henry, Lawrence Block, Oliver Stone, Robert Towne
• Producers: Charles Mulvehill, Mark Damon, Stephen J. Roth
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English, Spanish
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300250113
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,704 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Jeff Bridges stars as Matthew Scudder, the flawed hero of Lawrence Block's novel. He's an ex-cop, now a private eye, who constantly battles his own alcoholism. His struggle isn't helped when he becomes involved with a hooker and, in trying to aid her, winds up at the center of a struggle involving pimps and drug dealers. Bridges, who played a similar role in The Morning After, seems to have a bone-deep understanding of this self-loathing substance abuser. But as good as Bridges is, he can't rescue the sluggish Oliver Stone script or Hal Ashby's slack direction. The only energy comes from then-newcomer Andy Garcia, who injects a manic vitality into the role of a high-strung drug dealer. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worthy of a DVD release, November 2, 2005

By 

Olivier "O.S." (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 8 Million Ways to Die [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie (which I think was Hal Ashby's last) is under-rated and under-viewed. It has excellent performances by Jeff Bridges and Andy Garcia, a director with a good handle on the material and how best to approach it for the screen, and a good screenplay by Oliver Stone. This movie is as "hard-boiled" as it gets. THIS FILM SHOULD BE RELEASED ON DVD.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gritty not glossy, January 3, 2000

By 

Jeff Cordell - See all my reviews

This review is from: 8 Million Ways to Die [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I've always found this movie to be very believable. Yes the development of the characters is sparse, but I believe that's the idea. Jeff Bridges plays a private detective who finds himself thrust into a situation in which he dosen't have the answers. As he meets the primary players involved so do you. The dialouge is untidy and sometimes the conversations don't go anywhere - much like real life. Those who inhabit the seamier side of our society do no have B.A's. Events move at what seems to be a sluggish pace, but when events come to the climax they come at you with the pace of a rocket. One needs to watch this movie and let things happen as they will. This is not a Bruce Willis slam bang action fest.And I do agree with one of the reviewers. The climax makes the whole movie worth watching. In my opinion this movie is a modern version of the old 1940's film - noir classics. It's pacing and characters are very faithful. Watch it.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well told tale of decadent lifestyles in the 80s. One of my faves from that decade., July 27, 2006

By 

Benito Vasquez "Benji" (Naperville, Il) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 8 Million Ways to Die [VHS] (VHS Tape)

In spite of poor reviews of "character development" and things of that nature, I think this is a well told story that uses typecasting in building its characters. And while maybe that's not done as effectively as, say "The Godfather", it is done well. Rosanna Arquette plays a snobbish high priced call girl is in her most fetching role, one up from "Desperately Seeking Susan". Andy Garcia makes a name for himself as an arrogant, smug coke dealer, and Jeff Bridges plays an alcoholic cop quite well. The story culminates in the only way it could given the nature of the lead characters, who define the decadence of the 80s. I never understood the panning of this movie, though many of the critics I respect the most have done just that. This is one of my favorites, certainly from the 80s, which was full of sleepers that garnered more followings after being released on cable. The surrounding character actors accentuate the flavor of the 80s this story takes place in- the rolled up sleeves on the sport coats, the early generation car phones, the fashions, the jargon. Garcia, Arquette and Bridges are all fabulous and alone are reasons worth watching this movie, despite any poor reviews. Maybe i don't know any better, but I loved this movie. Correct me if I'm wrong, even movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" were received poorly upon initial release, not to put the 2 flicks in the same league. I say leave it to yourself to find out.