Customer Reviews

Hearts of Fire [VHS]

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

 

 

This movie is, quite frankly, absolutely appalling. It is also, however, possibly one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Like most of the other reviewers, I watched it simply because I'm a Dylan fan, and it's only because of the fact that I enjoyed it as much as I did. Dylan's ludicrous performance is so breathtakingly bad that it achieves a rare kind of...genius? perfection? I'm not sure how to describe it. But no matter how bad Dylan is, he is nevertheless by far the best part of this stupefyingly bad film (apart from Rupert Everett's terrifying mullet, that is). Skinny-dipping with Fiona, taunting an audience in England, punching out 'handsome' Rupert (in what is the best/worst ever punch in cinematic history - I must have rewound it 20 times) and languidly trashing a hotel room, Dylan is all over the shop, seemingly so bored he doesn't know where to look. Then, right at the end, after the blind girl pulls a gun on Rupert (don't ask) and Fiona 'rocks' her hometown (joined onstage, of course, by Dylan, who throws a cigarette at her), Bob performs a fragment of an incredibly obscure little gem, something I've never heard or heard of before and which alone justified sitting through the rest of this turgid movie. All in all, 'Hearts of Fire' is worthwhile if you're a Dylan fan, if only to see your idol brought down so low. And to have a good laugh.

I've wanted to see this movie just because Dylan was in it. Why else should anyone see it?

Holding up the bus driver with a harmonica and having a fridge of eggs were the gems.

I love Bob Dylan, so I had to see this film. It is amazing ... bad. Really bad, but great, too. You cannot believe the guy that we know as Dylan made this movie. I cannot imagine him reading the script and going to the studio and filming these scenes. It is a total cotton candy Harlequin Romance story - and there he is... laughing, smiling (I didn't know he could do anything but smirk!), kissing and making passes at a teenager. It's horrible and wonderful all at the same time. The music is so 80s, but suprisingly good. They all look good. Rupert too. See this. It is worth the experience!! Buy it if you have to. Just to see these moments. Loved Dylan's songs - I wish they had a soundtrack just for his few song moments.

While not as bad as most reviewers claim, it is a wasted effort. Dylan fans will find a few gems mixed in the mess. All and all a big disappointment despite Dylan's performance and appearances by Ritchie Havens and Ron Wood. Embarrassing at times.

Ok, to start with, yes, this movie was so funny I choked. Like the other reviewers, I only bought it for my precious Bob. To answer some questions you may have, no, the main character and Bob do not get it on in the hay, because she's not that smart. No, the main character does not die a fiery death, because the producers aren't that kind.
Bob Dylan goes through the entire movie with an "I hope you all die" expression on his face, which is perfectly suitable considering the lines he's being forced to say.
Rupert Everett is all broody and sensitive and painfully boring in this movie and he made me want to hang myself. The only problem is, you can only hang yourself once.
Any music in this film that doesn't come from the mouth of Bob is painfully bad, so have that remote control handy.
Would I buy it again, you ask? Sure, if only to see Bob screw with his image yet again.

A, five stars, five stars... One for Dylan singing to the chickens and hens... And four for the way he hits Rupert Everett. I still can't believe it! A rewind and rewind frame by frame classic!

If you're a Dylan fan, you should see this just to watch Dylan humbled. Dylan plays an retired rock legend (Billy Parker), who gets friendly (no, nothing happens) with a young female musician...takes her to England with him to play a gig, where they meet a rock star/Parker fan (Rupert Everet). She falls for Everet, blah, blah, blah. The film is cheesy. If you can imagine a circle, with good on one point and bad at the opposite end, picture this film at the bad end...but it is so far into the bad side of the sphere it ends up on the good side. Yeah! It's really that bad. The female singer - Molly (played by Fiona) starts out with some musical integrity (she at least plays guitar) but by the end looks and sounds like Tiffany (who I vaguely remember...but I could be wrong what with being a small child in the late 80s). The Everet character (Colt) plays the classic cliche of what a male musician is - sensitive, moody, drinks to excess (I can't belive they didn't address his alcoholism), and likes to wear more make up than your average model. Oh, and the Dylan character is slightly pedophilic. Molly says she's 18 (which I don't think Fiona was) and Dylan is quite a bit older - he wants her but tries to stay away...tries to protect her but in the end I think he decides he'd like to hook up with her anyway (despite what he says to her in begining of the film). Oh, and before I forget, check out Molly's drummer...the hulking blonde...esp the scene where they get to America and he kisses the floor and shoves a groupie. I chalk this film up to Dylan messing with his image and screwing with the public...at least this funny...the victoria's secret thing just makes me sad.

Very interesting to see the different moods of Bob that you rarely see. He is such a private person that it is amazing to see him go through different moods (laughing, being a little sexy, devilish, and a little naughty) all wrapped up in one movie. I did not care for the other people in the movie, but just seeing DYLAN is all there is to see!!! You get to see the moods in him you rarely see!!! Staring at his sexy blue eyes, during the movie is breathtaking. I was surprised that he is in the film, a lot longer than I thought he would be. So if you are STRICTLY a Dylan fan, this movie is for YOU!!!!

The Late Victor Mature once said he'd been barred from a certain club on the grounds he was an actor. Vic asked the club if they'd ever seen him act! Sadly, Bob can't (act that is) though he remains the enigmatic (musical) genius he's always been. Only highlight is a non-Dylan song-John Hiatt's "The Usual" which sounds like it was written for Bob!
Apart from that, the thing tanks bigtime!

In between the release of the inconsequential albums "Knocked Out Loaded" and "Down in the Groove," Bob Dylan lent his talents, or rather his name and image, to this even more inconsequential and exceptionally silly film. It's about as bad as the worst rock and roll movie (such as almost anything made by Elvis from 1965-67), but worth a look if only to hear Dylan answer a hotel employee's question, "Would you like flowers in your room?" with these words: "Yes, I'd like some pansies."