Product Details

• Actors: Ryan O'Neal, Coolio, Chuck D., Eric Idle, Richard Jeni
• Directors: Alan Smithee, Arthur Hiller
• Writers: Joe Eszterhas
• Producers: Andrew G. Vajna, Ben Myron, Fred C. Caruso, Joe Eszterhas, Michael R. Sloan
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• VHS Release Date: February 2, 1999
• Run Time: 86 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305006563
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,897 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Subtitled An Alan Smithee Film (referring to a long-standing pseudonym for a director who disowns a film), this 1998 satire is notable chiefly for having the same thing happen in real life, as director Arthur Hiller (Love Story) took his name off the picture after clashing with screenwriter and producer Joe Eszterhas (Showgirls, Basic Instinct). The plot of Eszterhas's farce has to do with a filmmaker who really is named Alan Smithee, played by Eric Idle (Monty Python's The Meaning of Life). After signing on to direct a big-budget blockbuster at the behest of a sleazy producer (Ryan O'Neal), Smithee realizes he has lost control of the film and decides to remove his name and publicly destroy the project. Along the way he encounters a host of celebrities in cameos, including the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Sylvester Stallone, Jackie Chan, and rappers Chuck D and Coolio, all of whom become involved in Smithee's doomed film. Meant as an insider's take on the machinations of Hollywood from one of its most prominent screenwriters, Burn Hollywood Burn is a cheerfully over-the-top send-up of modern moviemaking and the equally outlandish characters involved. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Deeply Diabolical!, January 13, 2008

By 

D. Colley "daz78" (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (DVD)

Not much to say, considering that the majority of the reviews here have already warned people off this turkey.

The main culprit for the movies downfall is the terrible script, though the over the top performances from all really help sink it. You have to feel sorry for some of the stars who signed on, especially Whoopi Goldberg, who as an OSCAR winning actress, really deserves better. Eric Idle comes off unfunny, even irritating, which, as a Python star I'd never thought would be possible. Sly Stallone seems fed up, but maybe thankful for the work after his career was beginning to dry up (though his career seems to be revived at the moment).

It says a lot when the parody (this film) seems worse than the movie genre it is taking a shot at. Some movies are so bad that they have a 'secondary audience' who watch to laugh at it. This is just bad, and, very embarrassing. Avoid. Full stop.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Embarrassing Beyond Belief!, November 18, 2001

By 

"the-disco-kid" (Bay City, Babylon 7) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burn Hollywood Burn [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Badly written, badly cast, badly acted, badly directed - it's all here. And the embarrassing cameos don't help. At all. One would be hard pressed to pick out the worst of the bunch; Whoopi or Weinstein? Would've been way better if Billy Barty had Ryan O'Neal's role though.

However, there's this 'inspirational' line in there somewhere: "If we believe in film - and we do - then don't we have the responsibility to protect the world from bad ones?" Indeed.

Too bad the film makers didn't take it to heart.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars "Burn Negative Burn!", December 16, 2010

By 

Scott T. Rivers (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (DVD)

Plenty of talent gets ignited in this failed satire based on the "Alan Smithee" pseudonym. Justly recognized as one of the all-time disasters, "Burn Hollywood Burn" (1998) lies on the screen like cinematic roadkill. Writer Joe Eszterhas takes perverse pride in surpassing the awfulness of "Showgirls," but offers no camp value whatsoever. The "in-joke" is dubious and painfully unfunny.