Customer Reviews

Death Becomes Her [VHS]

5 star:		(99)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Directed by the amazing Robert Zemeckis, "Death Becomes Her" features a clever script, an awesome cast, and mind-blowing special effects that most Hollywood films lack nowadays. The film centers on the eternal quest for beauty and youth by an aging Hollywood starlet, Madeline Ashton, (played by the brillant Meryl Streep). Her high school rival, Helen, (Goldie Hawn), brings her latest beau to meet Ashton after a campy performance in a musical based on "Sweet Bird of Youth" (get the theme already?).

When Madeline runs off with Helen's fiance (Bruce Willis) Helen falls into a demented state and becomes obese and determined to get even with Madeline. After discovering a secret potion sold by a Hollywood witch (Isabella Rosellini) both Helen, and later Madeline regain their youth, vitality, and beauty. However, all this comes with strings involving immortality.

The wonderful script pokes fun at many stereotypes, rumors, and realities Hollywood is well-known for. From plastic surgery to the fact that no one has never met a neighbor in Los Angeles, the script is intelligent scriptwriting at its' best. The special effects by Industrial Light and Magic which has Helen walking with a hole through her midsection, and Madeline walking with a twisted neck are incredible to watch. One thing I adored about this film was the wicked, dark, and diabolical score by Alan Silvestri that incorporates harps and vengeful theme throughout the film.

The film's ending featuring a legion of Hollywood's undead (including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and James Dean)is hysterical and even the names of the two main characters, Madeline ("Mad" as in crazy) and Helen ("Hell" as in hellish) is genius. Personally along with "She-Devil," "Heathers," and "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills," this film ranks as one of the best black comedies to come out in recent years. A must-see for everyone!

I absolutely love this movie. It is great in so many respects and is much more than just fantastic special effects. It is laugh out loud funny. I never get tired of watching it, and every time I see it I catch something I didn't see before. Sometimes I really wonder if certain actresses who never seem to age really have taken some magic potion.

As far as the dvd goes, I have really been craving a "deleted scenes" feature for this movie. I have long heard about the alternate ending that was shot and dropped at the last minute - I remember someone telling me it involved Streep and Hawn's characters on a mountain in Switzerland trying to come up with new things to do or places to go and finding immortality to be quite boring. There are also entire scenes with Tracy Ullman that were fully cut from this movie when her character was completely deleted. And, there is the msytery of the Greta Garbo actress on the end credits. Someone is listed as having portrayed Garbo in the movie, but I have never been able to find her in the film. James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Andy Warhol, Elvis, and Jim Morrison are clearly at Lisel's party...but I don't know where Garbo is supposed to be (yet, a scene with her was evidently shot, since an actress is credited as playing her). That scene must also have been cut.

I think this would be a terrific film to have some behind the scenese featurette for as well. In 1992, the effects used here were revolutionary...though Forrest Gump, made a few years later, gets most of the credit for being groundbreaking in this field. I remember being totally blown away with what was achieved in Death Becomes Her and would love to know exactly what went into making it. I think it would also be interesting to hear from Zemeckis himself exactly what motivated him to make this movie - I bet he would have some interesting stories to tell about his own experiences with "the walking dead of Beverly Hills".

I doubt they will be making a special edition dvd of this movie any time soon. There isn't any great public demand for it. But, I hope that when the milestone anniversaries of this film come around someone will reconsider this dvd oversight and include all the cut scenes and other standard featurettes that go into dvds these days.

The movie is too good to skimp on this stuff. And I truly would like to be able to see how Greta Garbo was featured in this film. I think that scene could have been really interesting.

Meryl Streep plays Madeline Ashton, an actress who is obsessed with keeping herself looking young and beautiful. Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn), is a plain looking author with a brilliant surgeon, Dr. Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis), for a fiance. Madeline and Helen have hated each other for years, but things become even worse when Madeline steals Ernest from Helen and they get married. Years later, Madeline is even more obsessed with keeping her youth, willing to do ANYTHING to keep from aging physically. On the other hand, Helen is obsessed to get revenge on Madeline for stealing her fiance. But it seems that there is one thing in common between the two rivals, in that both seem to know the same woman, Lisle Von Rhoman (Isabella Rossellini). Lisle, who has the power to give the two woman something the world has been searching for centuries... the secret of youth. But Madeline and Helen will learn that the 'secret of youth' has a high price, and that their 'lives' will never be the same again.

As the title of my review says, "Death Becomes Her" is a very dark yet hilariously funny movie. Directed by genius Robert Zemeckis (director of the Back to the Future trilogy, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", "Contact", and "Forrest Gump"), he gives the movie such an underlying sense of psychological suspense that it's really hard what category to put this movie under.

Is it a comedy?: Yes, "Death Becomes Her" could be called a comedy. But it has a very twisted sort of humor, you'll have to be someone who enjoys all forms of comedy to really enjoy and understand the humor. There is both laugh-out-loud slapstick humor, then there's the dry type of humor which takes a few seconds to really getting you chuckling. But more than anything, the satire and irony of the story is so well imbedded into the plot that there's really no specific part you can pinpoint as the funniest part of the movie. When the movie finished, my parents and I stopped the movie, there was a brief pause, THEN we started howling with laughter! It's the truth, really! No, it wasn't because it was so awful or stupid (some parts were) but because it's not until AFTER the movie that the satire of the film really hits you.

Is it horror?: Yes, there are some parts which you could describe the movie as being under the horror genre. There's the whole 'haunted, creepy, gothic mansion' scene, and one of the themes of the movie is about 'death'.

Is it a drama?: Strangely enough, there is a sense of drama in the story. The story touches upon the topics of death and the dream of wanting to 'live forever and retain your youth'. This is very well expressed through the main actresses and actor of the movie. I mean, what will your choice been when given a chance to be able to live forever? The suspense towards the end when one of the characters must decide is well executed.

But more than anything, it's not just the story of the movie that really gets you, it's the fact that the actors do such an outstanding job with their characters. Meryl Streep is simply fantastic and she handles the dark side of her character very well. Goldie Hawn is also fantastic, can you imagine her as a fat, depressed, and ugly woman? Well, watch this movie to see her handle the role with ease. And Bruce Willis, you would never imagine seeing him in this kind of movie, but he is just GREAT! He plays the character plagued by two very 'obsessed' woman very well, and he's 'kind of' the 'hero' of the film.

As others have also mentioned, the effects of the movie are brilliantly put to the screen. I can't give away much of the story, but check out how they accomplish getting Meryl Streep's character to 'get up and about' after being pushed a flight of stairs and having her neck broken. Weird...

Anyway, though a brilliant film, I strongly suggest that people would borrow before getting this movie to add to their collection. Some people might not be able to appreciate or understand the movie enough to enjoy it's twisted look at 'life after death'.

This movie is a real hoot, with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn embroiled in a Bette Davis/Joan Crawford-type feud... the plot was pure genius and the special effects were ahead of their time. With terrific performances by all the leads, this one is an "essential video" for your collection.

I have to admit that I goofed when I purchased this DVD. I NEVER buy panned and scanned movies and haven't for many years. If I had paid attention, I would have realized that this is not the full widescreen movie that I expected and I would never have purchased it.

Having said that, I also have to say that I LOVE this movie. It has a very funny story line with excellent makeup and special effects. Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis are excellent in their roles. I would love to have the actual (as opposed to the chopped off panned and scanned version) in my video library.

The picture quality of this DVD is terrible. You might as well have it on VHS tape or just watch the cable listings to catch it some time.

If you love this movie, as I do, DO NOT BUY THIS DVD.

Although the theatrical aspect ratio of this movie was 1.85:1, while the DVD aspect ratio is 4:3, this is not a "Pan&Scan" DVD. In other words, almost none of the original theatrical image has been removed for exhibition on a 4:3 television screen. The film negative aspect ratio was 1.37:1 (almost 4:3), and for theatrical exhibition, the image was "matted" (partially covered from the top down and bottom up) to produce a 1.85:1 image. For exhibition on a 4:3 television screen, the "mattes" have simply been removed. So the DVD exhibition actually shows 27.9 percent more image than the theatrical exhibition. The movie was likely filmed this way so that the theatrical image wouldn't be butchered on television by the "Pan&Scan" process, and because the filmmakers didn't foresee the current state of the home video market, where consumers prefer movies presented in their theatrical aspect ratio, rather than in a ratio in which the image will fill up their 4:3 television screen (if there is a difference). This DVD presents the movie in the aspect ratio in which the filmmakers wanted people to see it on a 4:3 television, but it does not present the movie in the aspect ratio in which the filmmakers wanted people to see it in a movie theater (for that, the DVD would have to present the movie in a "matted widescreen" format). If you're okay with that, enjoy!

The passage of time weighs upon us all: the loss of youth's energy, agility, beauty. But let us say there is a potion, an elixir, "a touch of magic in a world obsessed with science." Drink it and you will be forever young. Do not drink it and watch yourself rot away with old age. Just such a potion falls into the hands of two women who are not only consumed with vanity but fierce rivals, determined to best each other no matter the cost. Siempre Viva: Live Forever! Whether you like it or not!

With excellent performances, an invective-laced script, and remarkable special effects, DEATH BECOMES HER takes on several great philosophical and literary concepts--and subverts them into one of the most wickedly funny black comedies in recent memory, dishy, bitchy, mean spirited, and a tremendous amount of fun. Film buffs will particularly relish this film, which references everything from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW to THE WIZARD OF OZ and a host of classic horror films such as FRANKENSTEIN, THE MUMMY, and CAT PEOPLE--and also tacks in everything from Tennessee Williams plays to rock legend Jim Morrison for good measure.

Unfortunately, the DVD release is commonplace, offering the film in pan-and-scan only. To give the release its due, the shift from widescreen to pan-and-scan is expertly done and not in the least distracting--but still, a widescreen option for such a special effects heavy film would be preferred. And while this would seem to be an ideal film for a making-of documentary, the DVD offers only a handful of production notes as bonus. Even so, the film is so extremely well done that I wouldn't miss it on that account! Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Another great movie without all the extras fans deserve to have.
First off this version of this film has been out for a very long time now and needs it's own "Rejuvenation".
This DVD is the full screen format (Yuck) and the picture suffers from grain and the colors seem to be blah.
In the back of this DVD box as well as the VHS you can witness a still of a scene which isn't included in the film, but is in the trailer you can see another scene in motion thats not in the original film. This gives the notion that the film had some extra running time and had been cut right before it's theatrical release.
Ok Universal please re-master this very funny film and please include a new widescreen transfer with loads of extras Incuding those sceens that had been cut! A commentary also would be great with the director and cast!
Death Becomes this current DVD release.

... but it's a bit dark and twisted in a negative way. Two aging women, played by gorgeous but aging actresses, make fun of plastic surgery and black magic to the extreme to keep from aging and dying. The problem is, the body still takes all the damage, but it just won't die. Luis and Priscilla (other Amazon reviewers) have given you a great synopsis of the show itself, so I won't get into the plot line.

What I will say is that if you think about this from the Hollywood perspective of aging actresses who aren't aging gracefully vs. those who are, there is even MORE humor to be found in this movie with a bit of political commentary about the aging of gorgeous women in the public eye. I loved that aspect of it.

Meryl Streep does great straight-man comedy in this and Goldie Hawn is no stranger to comedy, and this role fits her well, especially if you keep up with anything in her real life outside of the movies.

Now, before you go and buy or rent this movie to watch, you should know that it's a 'stoopid' movie. That is, it's meant to be silly, outrageous and over the top, so don't be disappointed when that is exactly what happens. It is completely, totally over the top. You'll fail on suspension of disbelief over and over again, but that is exactly how it is supposed to be.

If you want something that is just silly, fun and easy to watch, this is a great show to spend watching on a rainy afternoon when you have nothing better to do. Enjoy it and laugh!

3 of 5 stars for the comedy movie Death Becomes Her. How can you not like a movie where Goldie Hawn walks around with a shotgun made hole thru her tummy--yep, you can see right through it. Oh, and when she sits down on a couch and the long wooden handle from a tool pokes right thru. This is a star packed movie (Willis, Hawn, Streep and Caine). The story line is that Hawn & Streep want to drink a "foutain-of-youth" potion (from Isabelle Rossellini). They both need Willis to do "make-up" and body repairs. Ultimately the girls decide the Willis needs to live forever also to continue taking care of them. Well, Willis has other ideas. This is a well written movie. Well acted and richly photographed. Funny and worth watching!