Customer Reviews

Bob Hope at the Movies/Road to Bali [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The seven "Road" pictures, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, are among the funniest films I think this country ever produced, and ROAD TO BALI is one of the best in the series. The first four titles in this series (SINGAPORE, ZANZIBAR, MOROCCO and UTOPIA) have previously been avaulable from MCA/Universal and are of siperior quality. ROAD TO RIO was owned by Hope himself and that and several other Hope starrers were put out by RCA/Columbia about a decade ago.

Unfortuneately this title has been in the public domain for so long and there have been many cheap-o video releases of it through the years. I was really looking forward to the DVD release, especially when I learned the trrailers for 6 of the 7 films were included. The price is cheap - but then so is the quality. Some of the trailers are grossly incomplete, and the film itself on this DVD ends abruptly. This is also the only color entry in the sries, but the color on this DVD is so washed out, as to be almost nonexistant. I think the film is still funny, but I can't recommend this version either - and the many topical references and Hollywood in-jokes may prove elusive for today's youth market. We'll see, however, if 50 years down the road the comedy of current stars Adam Sandler and Pauly Shore holds up as well.

Don't get me wrong-I LOVE THIS MOVIE! I just think this particular Madacy Entertainment 2001 Edition is crummy and thats why I rate it a 3!! The extra features are great and the sound is OK, but the print is bad-mine is blurry and it is not my player. I question the other reviewers here, what with this particular road flick available in so many different offerings on Amazon, they may very well be referring to another one and not realize it. You get what you pay for on this cheaply priced one. I recommend one of the other editions. Check them (their reviews)out first before purchasing this one.

This review refers to the Platinum Disc Corp DVD edition of "Road to Bali".......

Hope and Crosby..., I could just leave this review at that, their names say it all! But okay, I will fill you in on this little treasure and the DVD quality.This is the 6th in the road series films made by our boys. This one made in 1953 is in technicolor and looks great!

Bob and Bing are traveling the high seas in this one. They're on the run from Australia, where a pair of irate fathers are after them with shotguns, oops make that boomerangs,to make them keep their promises of marriage to the daughters.The chase is on and they guys wind up taking a job as deep sea divers, hired by some royal islanders.Once there they only have to deal with a giant squid, poison darts, and an evil prince in their escapades. Naturally they both fall for the same girl, the beautiful princess LaLa played by the Dorothy Lamour, their cohort in the other road movies as well.

The one liners are never ending and will keep you chuckling even though it may seem a little silly at times. No matter though. They cleverly talk to the camera and there is the added pleasure of spying lots of famous faces (in cameos) throughout the film.And let's not forget all the wonderful song and dance routines we are always lucky to see with these guys!

I just had to check this DVD out, as the price was right and I love the old comedies. I'm glad I did. The film really looks good on this one. The technicolor is vivid and the picture is clear and sharp. The sound in Dolby Digital(mono) is good.Platinum has made a nice transfer..but..the case needs a little work..it fell apart(but still okay to keep the DVD in it). Don't look for any extras, just 90 minutes of fun with Bob, Bing and Dorothy!

After the view you'll still be smiling and saying.."thanks for the memories.."....Have fun...Laurie

more bob and bing road movies:Bob Hope Tribute Collection - The Road Show Series (The Road to Morocco / The Road to Singapore / The Road to Utopia / The Road to Zanzibar) - see my review of 10/13/03 for set details

This road picture is filled with a lot of laughs, and the boys are back in good form. The previous road picture, "The Road To Rio" was terrible (for some reason), but this one sees Bing and Bob having fun again.

The boys are older here (about 51) and it is more obvious with Bing. And, for the first time, Bob seems to have the upper hand (in that competition of theirs) as he throws some pretty good zingers at Bing.

The pace of this road picture is pretty good ... and things really get rolling once they (Bob, Bing, and Dottie) are on the boat, ready to send Bob down into the water. The funny lines come one after another (and the quality is pretty high), and it doesn't stop ... until they are captured by the natives ... and then it gets pretty dull, but that is near the end anyway.

My rating list of all seven road pictures goes like this:

1. Utopia

2. Zanzibar

3. Bali

4. Singapore

5. Morocco

6. Hong Kong

7. Rio

But there is a lot of fun to be had watching the first five. I'm glad we have them.

My previous review of this title was for a different edition of the same film (see below) I was in no way doubting the film itself - just that particular inadequate DVD release (this new, superior version does NOT include On The Road Tp Hollywood).
But this version, released through Brentwood Entertainment, is part of the "Bob Hope Collection" (although a disclaimer says Bob Hope himself has nothing to do with the release of these films). Unlike the previous version(s) this release has a good picture and beautiful color. It can be purchased separarely or in a collection with other Hope films (some better than others).
I still love the Road pictures and this is a particular favorite - so if you want the only color Road picture in your collection, the Brentwood release is the one to get.

It's a shame that we don't get to see much of Bob Hope's earlier movies on free TV or cable, because they're 99% of the reason the man is so venerated today! For some reason, after 1963, Hope couldn't make a genuinely funny movie to save his life. I guess he just wasn't hungry anymore. The first REAL dog was "I'll Take Sweden", a travesty he did with Frankie Avalon and Tuesday Weld. The wisecracking machine had wound down, and the jokes were lame, but here, in one of his legendary "Road" movies with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, he was in full fetter, tossing them off like M-80s along with Crosby, who still manages to surprise me with how adept HE is with one-liners in these movies.

The plot involves H & C playing two vaudevillians in Melbourne, Australia who have both proposed to the same girl, hence starting a chase that has them hopping a train to nowhere, where they find jobs as deep sea divers that take them to the south seas where they meet Lamour through her villainous cousin who hires them. The usual rivalry for her affections ensues and then a whole farce involving treasure, forced marriage and animals develops. There are guest appearances by Humphrey Bogart and Martin and Lewis in this little gem, along with Jane Russell and it's all done to a comic turn. Hope is in great form here and the production itself pretty much follows his lead. The in jokes, like they do in MOST of Hope's better movies, never stop!

During this period, (the late forties and early fifties,) Paramount and Columbia were THE houses for comedies and farces, and the series of Bob Hope movies were definitely among Paramount's best!

You can't go wrong getting this gem along with the other "Road" and pre-"Call Me Bwana" Bob Hope movies...

Now to find "Casanova's Big Night"! (g)

The ROAD TO BALI was technically the last of Hope and Crosby's Paramount Road movies. Though THE ROAD TO HONG KONG followed almost ten years later, ROAD TO BALI is the last film to capture the chemistry between Hope and Crosby.

In the early 1950s, Bob Hope was a very bankable Hollywood star. His successful color motion pictures, such as THE PALEFACE and SON OF PALEFACE, led to his reteaming with Bing Crosby for another Road picture. The Road movies reached their peak with ROAD TO MOROCCO, though ROAD TO UTOPIA was also a lot of fun. The boys reteamed for ROAD TO RIO, but the story became lost in what clearly could have been a movie scripted for Bob Hope alone.

In BALI we once again we find Hope and Crosby trying to make ends meet by remote vaudeville appearances. Both escape an Australian shotgun wedding and find themselves employed as part of a deep sea diving crew for a wealthy group of Indonesians. Along the way they meet Dorothy Lamour and escape from the bad guys in typical Hope and Crosby fashion.

ROAD TO BALI is unique in that it was the only Road picture to be photographed in color. By 1952, Bob Hope movies were chock full of special effects. This carried over into ROAD TO BALI complete with jungles, aquatic leviathans, magic acts, and volcanic eruptions. Crosby had a much stronger role in BALI than he did in RIO, but you can easily imagine Bob Hope and Jane Russell filling the lead roles in another PALEFACE sequel. In fact, the final scene of the movie -- complete with cameo appearance by Jane Russell -- is a direct reference to SON OF PALEFACE.

BALI's storyline is a little weak, but you don't watch a Hope and Crosby movie for Shakespeare. There are several cameo appearances in this film. Also look for Leon Askin, who 13 years later would play General Burkhalter in the television series HOGAN'S HEROES.

There are numerous outlets issuing legitimate copies of the ROAD TO BALI. That is why there are several different listings -- and different DVD covers -- for the DVD. The DVD copy is very affordable and the quality is good. In a previous VHS version of this movie, the sound was awful and sounded as if the soundtrack was played through an aluminum can. The DVD release is an improvement. Still, the picture could have been sharper. When compared to the crisp black and white re-release of ROAD TO MOROCCO, ROAD TO BALI is lacking digital restoration. The image is intact, but the picture could be sharper and color more vivid. Paramount or Universal (Universal re-released the earlier Road pictures) need to regain control of the rights to BALI and complete some digital remastering.

However, until the film is completely remastered, this DVD is a good substitute.

Two comedians entertain us. While traveling, one sleeps below the train (risky!). When playing on bagpipes and in Scottish suits, they kick each other. There are other humorous scenes throughout this flick.

They land on a tropical island somewhere in the southern Pacific Ocean. Each one assumes that he will be the one to marry Princess Lalah. And, similar to the characters in Gilligan's Island, they have to deal with such things as wild beasts (in this case, the affections of a gorilla), natives and their poison darts, an angry volcano, and the imminent prospect of being beheaded. So who actually gets to marry Princess Lalah? I will not spoil the ending by revealing it.

Bob Hope (1903-2003) and Bing Crosby (1903-1977) and Dorothy Lamour (1914-1996) team up their Sixht "Road" picture . Road to Bali , which was the only film in the series to be shot in color . Hope and Crosby stars as two out-of-work vauville performers who are on the lam . The two are hired by a South seas prince as deep-sea divers in order to recover a buried treasure .They meet beautiful Princess Lala (Lamour) and vie for hear affections . Of course,the boy run into the usual perils such as cannibals , a big squid and nomerous cameos from some of Hollywoods biggest stars . Director Hal Walker (1896-1972) was no stranger to the three actors , having directed the trio in ( Road to Etopia 1946) . The final "Road" picture (Road to Hong Kong 1962), would be released 10 years later with Lamour only making a brief Cameo appereance . This Movie are a gem and the only edition transfer in high Quality , there is several released version , this is the best ,Highly recommended

The technical aspects of this review refers to the PMB version.

Hope, Crosby and Lamour. Do I need to say more? Probably not. It's another of their "Road" pictures and the ONLY one to be filmed in color. It's lots of fun. It's got some good cameos by other stars of the day. It's got the corny jokes and sight gags. It's got songs by all three leads. It's got dances including a water dance by Dorothy Lamour that is um, well provocative for the day. It's not the best "Road" picture (Morrocco is still tops), but definitely a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes. If you're a fan of the stars or of this era of pictures, you can't go wrong. Especially with this edition of the film.

You can buy products of PMB at a national retail chain where everything is only a dollar, or you can purchase it here at good ol' Ammy. Why so inexpensive? This Paramount film has fallen into the public domain where anyone (even YOU!) can legally make copies and distribute this film. Print of this Technicolor film is actually quite good. Of course this is nothing from the vault, but it's glitch free. Splices and visual impurities are practically non-existent which is very good. An excellent buy for the money.