Customer Reviews

Dino [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I first saw Sal in Rebel, I figuired he couldn't get any better. Evidently, he can! He does an amazing job of showing the mind set of a juvnelle dilequent. Myself, being a teen, he relates on a tremendous different levels. He has always inspired me and this movie really hit my heart. His performance carries the entire film, carrying his veiwers to tears. Sal just has to be the best!

Sal Mineo, thee most talented actor ever to bless the silver screen in the 20th Century, show's the world what true acting is all about. Sal plays the role of Dino, a young boy who got mixed up in the wrong crowd, and was sent to a detention centre for 3 years for his involvement in a murder.

Dino emerges 3 years later, a tough, but very afraid kid, who resents that his family never visited him while he was away, and that more importantly to him, he was never kissed. Sal Mineo, portrays Dino so well, and even his real life brother Michael plays the role of his on screen brother Tony.

This movie is SO good, and is one you must see. It makes me sad though, that Sal Mineo is no longer with us, as if you buy this, you'll see how brightly Sal Mineo the movie star truly shines.

Think Good Will Hunting of the 1950s with a prettier cast and without the struggles over genuis that the charactert of Will faces. Dino Minetta (played wonderfully by Sal Mineo who won an Emmy nomination for this role) has just been released from a reformatory after killing a man. His parole officer makes him see a "head doctor" at a local settlement house. Seridan (Brian Keith), the "head shrinker" as Dino calls him, takes Dino on and becomes his case worker. Through the course of the movie he makes Dino face the truth about his homelife, his life in prison, and the dark ghosts haunting him. Dino resents Sheridan at first, but after he faces his father's cruel beating for the last time, he admits all he ever wanted was his father's love, tearfully wailing, "He never even gave me bear hugs. He would only hit me. But he never made me cry. Never made me cry." Sheridan tells him that it isn't his fault the way he has been treated and t! hat he is just a kid who is 16 years old-- that he still has a life to live. Dino meets a kind girl Shirley (the fabulous but under-rated Susan Kohner) and she exerts a positive force in his life. Dino backs out of a planned robbery with his brother, and decides to continue therapy. A milder Dino asks if his brother can join him at Sheridan's office because he refuses to allow his little brother who idolizes him to turn out like he has. He begins the work to change his life away from the rebellion and crime he has always favored.

The film has stellar preformances by Mineo, Keith and Kohner. Masked as a typical "j.d" flick, the film has greater underlying themes which were frankly scandalous for a 1957 TV movie, including child abuse, prison brutality and the shame about seeing professional help. Sal Mineo, a taut beautiful 17 year old best known for his work in Rebel Without a Cause at this time, also has one of the best crying scenes ever captured on cellul! oid. Matt Damon had to watch this for inspiration.

--Kim! berley Hartman END

Originally a hit teleplay , Sal Mineo reprised his role of Dino Minetta for this 1957black & white theatrical version.  Dino is almost 17 years old,  and just got out of a reform school, for participating in a murder at age 13.  When he arrives at his family's modest apartment, he finds his mother left a note, explaining she and his father had to go to work, and couldn'twelcome him home.  All the neighbourhood kids know of his crime, and make wise cracks.  Dino, is on the verge of "exploding", and his parole officer knows it, so he convinces a social worker, named, Sheridan (played by Brian Keith, of tv's "Family affair"), to try and help Dino, and keep him from going back to prison.  But, Dino's not open for discussion! He wantsnothing to do with Sheridan, or his parole officer's help.  At home, things are not getting better, as Dino's father is very abusive, and his mother doesn't try to understand. Only, his younger brother, Tony,  looks at him with the respect Dino seeks. Only, Tony admires Dino's criminal ways, and talks him into helping a neighbourhood gang plan an armed-robbery.  Sal's performance here is very convincing.  Creating a character who is hard as nails on the surface, slowly revealing the scared, lost boy who lurks under all the loneliness.  In a key scene, where Dino breaks down inSheridan's office,  Sal emotes so much gut wrenching emotion, in thisscene, revealing he never got affection from his parents. And when he saysthe line, "How come nobody ever kissed me?", and breaks down in tears, you feel his pain. Riveting.  This film also pairs Mineo with actress, SusanKohner. (This beautiful, talented,  young actress would later again starwith Sal, in the classic hit, "The Gene Krupa story").  As Dino's loveinterest, Shirley, she also provides Sal with his first onscreen kiss.  Asthe film approaches it's exciting climax, Dino has learned, he can beloved, and you can see how his character finally feels hope.  But after saying goodnight to Shirly, Dino goes to meet the gang for the planned robbery.  WIll Dino have the guts to stand up to the gang? Or will he decide to gothrough with the robbery, and go back to jail? One of Sal Mineo's bestperformances, and a top notch cast, and production, make this movie atimeless classic.

This movie truly happens to be one of the best teen 50s movies of all time. Sal Mineo gives us an outstanding performance as a troubled teen trying to fit into society after doing timein a reformatory for participating in a robbery,which killed an elderly man. Mineo is teamed with the likes of Susan Kohner as the teenage girl who likes him and Brian Keith as his case worker who trys to help him deal with his past,his parents,and to help him build a better future without rebellion and crime. This is a must for every Mineo fan .After seeing his performance in this film,one wonders why this talented actor never really made it big in his profession.

Sal Mineo was such a natural, brilliant & original
talent who was never truly appreciated during
his short lifetime, and who only got a few roles
that really gave a glimpse into what an awesomely
emotional & provocative actor he was!

I have been a fan of his since about 24 yrs ago,
when I first saw "Rebel Without A Cause" and
really paid attention to it!
Ever since then, I have compiled his
performances from "Giant", "Exodus",
"The Gene Krupa Story",
"Somebody Up There Likes Me",and long
for the day when his other groundbreaking performance
in "Who Killed Teddy Bear" will be released to DVD!

A freind told me about this movie "Dino" that he did
back in his hey-dey of the mid to late 50's and early 60's.
It was originally done as a TV movie, but was so well
recieved because of Sal's fiery and unpredictable
performance that it was released in theatres at that time.
The other actors like the late Brian Keith,
who plays his parole officer / counselor was
about 10 yrs from his career-defining role as
"Uncle Bill" on the late 60's TV hit
"Family Affair", gave a believable rendering.
Also the young lady who played Dino's love interest
was good too! The brother, the father, etc...all good.

I watched it last week for the first time
and instantly loved it!
Sal Mineo was an artist who was way ahead of his time
in so many ways, but though he garned two Oscar nominations
in his lifetime, ("Rebel" & "Exodus"), he never
was allowed a role that really let him stretch out
to show his range and versatility.

It's so sad to think that a person with all his promise
and natural ability was first abandoned by the
Hollywood brass after they deemed him a "has-been"
at 22, (short-sighted SOB's!!)
who then went on and laid down some truly
groundbreaking performances in movies and on stage
dealing with themes that nobody at that time wanted to
or had the guts to touch or even address!
(40 yrs before "Brokeback Mountain"!!)
Only to be callously murdered after he was on
the brink of rallying back from obscurity
to really turn Hollywood on it's hypocritical ear, I believe!!
I wish there had been a video of his play
"Fortune In Men's Eyes", which also starred a
very young Don Johnson of "Miami Vice" & "Nash"
fame in a radically different perspective than
the what we think of him today!

Oh well, of course hindsight is always 20/20...
but at least we have a few of his great performances
to own, watch and ponder what could have been
had not ill-fate interceded!
Much like his good freind James Dean...
Sal Mineo's story would make a great movie in
itself, and hopefully he will get the recognition
that he so richly deserves one day!

Sal mineo gives one of his best performances here! Forget rebel without a cause! Sal shows us here that he was on Deans level of excellence as a true method actor. My ex-girlfriend preferred Mineos acting to Deans,I personally hold the 2 as equals! THis is a cool fifties juvenile delinquent film with a conscience. Checkout susan Khoners cool glasses ,groovy daddio!Sals rolled up levies look pretty spiffy too!

I think this is Sal Mineo's best role ever! He plays Dino Minette a boy who gets sent to reform shcool for helping murder someone. Dino gets out 3 years later a tough kid who is mad at the world. We soon find out that Dino is really just afraid and in need of love. Dino's parole officer (Frank Faylen) knows he is about to "explode" and sends him to a "head doctor" named Larry Sheridan (Brian Keith). Dino hates this at first but soon shows Sheridan that he is in need of his families love. In a key scene Dino breaks down on Sheridans couch. Screaming and crying he says that all his father did was hit him but never gave him any love. Sheridan tells him that this is not his fault and he has to carry on with his live. In one of the last scenes of the movie Dino attends his first dance. There he meets a very kind girl named Shirley who helps him change his outlook on life. Dino also has a younger brother named Tony (played by Sals own brother Mike). Tony admires Dino for his "bad boy" ways. Dino likes this at first but in the end must find a way to keep his brother from following in his foot steps. This a wonderfully movie with an excellent cast. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good tear jeaker!

sal mineo is first rate as a troubled youth released from reform school being guided by therapist brian keith. Dino has difficulty adjusting to life after reform school with the pressures on him from his family and the threat of his younger brother joining a gang and going the same wrong path as he did. film is much more interesting than good will hunting.

Dino showcases the diverse acting talents of,Sal Mineo. Playing a young,troubled teenager,just out of jail,Sal emotes toughness,sorrow,and ultimatly,self realization...An excellent old film,with one of the best actors of modern time