Customer Reviews

Bloodhounds of Broadway [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a huge fan of Damon Runyon and this is so much in his style it's a delight to watch. The star studded cast play Runyons characters marvelously. If you like this move you will love Runyons books and vice versa.

This 1989 film is a truly great movie starring everyone from Rutger Haur to Madonna, and everyone (everyone!) is amazing! This film is not to be missed, despite its low-key theme and less flashy style. Excellent!

This film is certainly entertaining, and is, as many professional reviewers have said, the best film adaptation of works by Damon Runyon. The only reason I would not give it five stars is that in many scenes, the dialog cannot be heard. I find myself pumping up the volume to "jet engine blast" levels while people are talking, only to have to grab the remote and quickly turn it down again when a sudden burst of music threatens to break the glass in the windows. The compromise has been to use the subtitles, which at least let me find out what is being talked about. You would think that the sound engineer, particularly in a film which relies heavily on slang terms and offhand remarks, would have been extremely careful about making sure the dialog was audible. But if you don't mind reading your way through the film, or you have the sensitive hearing of the average canine (and a strong familiarity with 1920's slang expressions) then you'll find the rest of the film top notch.

Okay, first a disclaimer - I happen to have met some of the actors in this work... the two bloodhounds. (Hey, the only other actor I've ever met was Jake Busey on the set of "Enemy of the State", but the bloodhounds were smarter, better looking, and far better actors!)

This movie, although it would probably bore kids, is like "A Christmas Story" for New Year's Eve.

One reviewer commented that it was filmed "like a tv movie". I believe that it was - in fact I recall that I first saw it as an American Playhouse piece (for PBS), and then Columbia later picked up the rights.

So it's a "small" movie, No car chases or seriously over-the-top sets, but the cast, which mixed many top "Hollywood" thespians with "Broadway" ones, is nothing less than amazing. You will see a great many familiar faces doing fine work.

The plot is tongue-in-cheek, and combines several Daymon Runyon tales into a fairly tight storyline. Even the lesser characters are well drawn, and some of the romantic couples, like Madonna & Randy Quaid, are unexpected. There is a LOT of chemistry and detail in this piece (yes, I've seen it many times, now, and almost always on NYE).

The performances are first rate (maybe Jennifer Grey could have worked on her singing a little more, but she was doing a duet with Madonna, who after all, can probably outsing most of Hollywood AND Broadway.) This is NOT a Madonna Movie, though. in fact no character could be said to dominate the screen for long.

Best seen with a sweetheart - and possibly a Bloodhound!

Oh yes, and if you might want to have a string on those little weinies on hand...

this was much better than i expected. It's filmed like a t.v. movie of the week but has a slew of a-list film actors, most of whom continue to enjoy successful careers today. Madonna does a great job as she is cast perfectly.

The movie is not that great, but is always fun to see Madonna in character. Not even the music is great. God choise for a sunday morning with nothing to do :)

This film popped up in my U-Verse onscreen program guide and I watched it based on the description. It was apparently a 1989 remake of an earlier film with the same title. While I had never heard of it before, the movie was a nice surprise - a period piece that didn't take itself too seriously. While other reviewers have adequately covered the plot, I'd like to call attention to the music. If you enjoy music from the late 1920s, this is a picture for you. Being a collector of vintage jazz, I enjoyed the music and dancing throughout the film. There are vintage recordings aubible here and there in the background. For example, at one point, one can hear what sounds like a selection by Cliff Jackson's Krazy Cats - originally recorded for an "off-label" and probably included because it doesn't violate the U.S.'s antediluvian copyright laws. Moreover, as with many period films, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks were behind the "live" music being played throughout the story. It is evident that people familiar with the music of the time were consulted, as there didn't seem to be any of the usual musical anachronisms (i.e., something composed at a date later than the time of the story (1928-1929)).

Probably meant to be humorous, this attempt to re-capture Damon Runyon fails on all counts. Loud and abrasive, perhaps suitable for revelers on New Year's Eve who won't mind that the story doesn't make sense, the dialogue is inaudible, and the acting is inept. Certainly NOT recommended.

I was once a huge Madonna fan (still love her) and that's how I got turned on to this movie. Madonna's role in "Bloodhounds of Broadway" sorta reminds me of her Breathless Mahoney character in her next movie. The film includes an all-start cast (Randy Quaid, Matt Dillon and Rutger Hauer), as well as a duet with Madonna and Jennifer Grey. The movie first premiered to a limited engagement in 1989 and when Madonna didn't attend the premiere MTV reported that it was because she wanted to save herself the embarssment of yet another movie. Considering all of the other Thanksgiving turkeys she has made, this one is certainly not as bad as the rest. It's just very silly and somewhat over-the-top and funny in many parts. Overall it's a pretty good movie. No special features are included on the DVD.