Customer Reviews

In the Heat of the Night [VHS]

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

You know, that old saying, "Opinions, is like...(You know), everyone has one? I suppose, that can also apply to movie reviews, too. I read the review, that someone sent in, on the 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition of, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. It was very enlightening, but there was something about it, that just didn't make sense. That person indicated in their review, that there wasn't anything different in the 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition DVD, of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, which was released a few weeks ago, from the original DVD version, which was released, in 2005. When I read that person's review, I said to myself, "Well, there's no sense buying it again, just for the movie alone". Then, it occurred to me. Why would the studios release a great movie, like this one, on DVD...call it, "The 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition"...and not have any special features, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film? According to the review, of that person, and unfortunately, according the lack of special features info, on the Amazon page, I believed that person, and Amazon...Until the other night, when I saw the "The 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition" DVD of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, in the store. I flipped the cover around only to find out that there're not 1...not 2, but 3 featurettes:
1) TURNING UP THE HEAT: MOVIE-MAKING IN THE 1960'S
2) THE SLAP HEARD AROUND THE WORLD
3) QUNICY JONES: BREAKING NEW SOUND...(Which is worth buying the DVD for)
So, I bought it. I suppose, the point of all of this is. Actually, there're two points:
Don't go by only one's opinion or one's review, and the most important point: Amazon, you have a great web page, and we all know that you're trying to cut costs, but remember: You're trying to save, but in long run, you'll be losing...losing money and customers.

Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger almost set the screen afire in this film that deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1967. Superbly directed by Norman Jewison, the movie brings us into deepest Mississippi one summer midnight, when a northern industrialist with plans to build a new factory is found murdered in the middle of Sparta's main street. At the same time, Virgil Tibbs, a black detective from Los Angeles, is waiting at the station for the train that will take him back home from visiting his mother.

This being Mississippi, and a black man out after dark, it must have been the black man who committed the murder, right? Tibbs is hauled into the sheriff's office and brought face to face with Bill Gillespie, the epitome of every redneck law officer south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Gillespie's reaction to Tibbs is first contempt (this is a black man after all), suspicion at his full wallet ("Boy, that's more in a week than I make in a month, now where did you earn that?"), and finally shock, when Tibbs hurls the response into his face, "I'm a police officer."

Gillespie is further stunned to realize that Tibbs' contempt for him is at least as great as his for Tibbs, when he hears Tibbs telling his superiors over the phone "They got a murder on their hands, they don't know what to do with it." Tibbs' boss volunteers Tibbs's services as a homicide expert to Gillespie, who doesn't particularly want to accept, but he doesn't have much of a choice; the industrialist's widow says if her husband's murder isn't solved and fast, there won't be any factory anywhere. The resulting reluctant partnership between the two men is a pairing unlike any seen on screen; they resent each other but they can't solve the crime without each other; Gillespie needs Tibbs' expertise, and Tibbs needs Gillespie's protection from the local rednecks who want him dead.

The movie wonderfully evokes the atmosphere of a small town in the deep south, the abject poverty in which most of the blacks in the area lived, and the attitudes of the whites in town that made it dangerous for any black man to stand tall as a man. At the movie's end, Gillespie hasn't changed his views about blacks, but he has come to respect Tibbs as a lawman and as a human being; and Tibbs comes to realize that inside of Gillespie's hardshell racist attitudes is a decent man struggling to get out. The acting, the directing, and above all, Quincy Jones's magnificent score, made this one of the best movies of the 1960's and for years beyond.

Judy Lind

I live in Sparta Illinois where the movie was filmed in the fall of 1966. It took several viewings back in 1967 before I could get past the "I know whose house that is," and " Why did Stieger drive all the way around the block to get to the Mayor's place?"
Anyway, I wanted to add that the sound quality on this release is excellent. You can hear the rocks popping off of the police car's tires as Warren Oates slowly drives away from the diner. I also found the extras to be most interesting. The one on Quincy Jones and the soundtrack was very informative.
To fans of the film and its companions in the 1967 Oscar race I would also recomend "Pictures at A Revolution: Five movies and the Birth of the new Hollywood" by Mark Harris.

"In the Heat of the Night" excels not only because of the story but also because of a composite cast that works so well. The acting is sometimes over the top (as the director admits during the DVD commentary), but such shenanigans fit in this type of film. Multiple viewings help in the understanding of how detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) unravels the mystery of who killed the rich Northerner in a Southern town. Though somewhat dated because of the racist subject, it still holds together as a who-done-it and deserved better recognition from the American Film Institute when that group named its 100 best films of the century. Among that Top 100 was another 1967 Poitier film, "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner," which does not hold up well today. And for the record, Poitier was likely overlooked by the Academy Awards here because he starred in three box office bonanzas in '67, the third being "To Sir With Love." Instead, the Oscar went to 'Heat of the Night' co-star Rod Steiger. As for the DVD, there are some visible scratches in the film, and there is only a commentary track with no other extras. A "making of" documentary would have been nice, but the four-person commentary (director Norman Jewison, cinematographer Haskell Wexler and actors Lee Grant and Steiger) serves well. This one is worth owning for the low price attached, although the video transfer and packaging could have been handled with more repect. It deserves it.

I lost track of how many times I've watched this movie over the years and yet, I still find it stimulating to my system. Taking place in the redneck driven byways in the Mississippi of the 1960's, not only does it make a sweeping social statement on racial bias and ignorance, but it's also one entertaining vision of cinema. Sidney Poitier is masterful as Virgil Tibbs, a "colored" homicide detective from Philadelphia, in the wrong place at the right time as a sleepy little river town comes to grips with the death of a big business man who was to be the holy grail of local commerce until his untimely death. It is Rod Steiger, however who burns brightest as a midlife police chief with no family and a metric ton of issues which he vents through misplaced anger and cools at night in a bottle of bourbon as he attempts to bring the murder case to resolution as quickly as possible, regardless of the truth."No pity. No thank YOU!" One of my all time favorites.

If you were to make a list of what you consider to be the greatest pairings of Hollywood legends in a film what individuals would you include? Maybe some of your favorites are O'Toole and Sharif from `Lawrence of Arabia', or possibly Abrahams and Hulce from `Amadeus'?

There are certainly many outstanding dual performances to choose from and unquestionably one of the best can be found in the '67 film `In the Heat of the Night'. If you've seen this movie you know exactly who I'm talking about, Sidney Poitier as New York police officer and forensic specialist Virgil Tibbs and his antagonist Rod Steiger as Bill Gillespie, good ole boy and local sheriff in Sparta, Mississippi.

`In the Heat of the Night' is a superior murder mystery in its own right, but it's the visual posturing and verbal banter between Tibbs and Gillespie that elevates this film to the level of classic. Watching their relationship slowly evolve from hated adversaries to a place of mutual respect and admiration is a cinematic event capturing two of the best performances you'll ever see.

This one most definitely belongs in your personal DVD collection.

This review refers to the MGM DVD Contemporary Classics edition of "In the Heat of the Night"....

"In the Heat of the Night" is a classic and esstential film, that should be a part of every film library. The gripping performances by the likes of such class actors as Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates and Lee Grant, the expert direction by Norman Jewison, the camera angles and the music(Quincy Jones) will hold you hostage every second of this compelling story.

It is the mid 1960's and a murder has occured in the small town of Sparta, Mississippi.Virgil Tibbs, a black homicide investigator(Poitier),from the North, who happens to be passing through town, gets caught up in the town's rush to judgement in finding the killer. First he is automatically assumed to be the first and only suspect by the bigoted towns people, then is coerced into staying and helping out on the case when Chief of Police Gillespie(Steiger), realizes who he is.

Each with their own form of prejudices, Tibbs and Gillespie have very differnt ideas about solving the case. They find it is important to put those feelings aside and work together though. Together they fight off the town bigots, and put the pieces of the puzzle together, meeeting adversity every step of the way. The twists and turns of the story will draw you in and keep you.

It is an excellent mystery as well as character studies, and most definatley deserved all the accolades and awards it was honored with. Among the awards it took home at Oscar time were Best Picture(1967), Best Actor(Rod Steiger) and Best Screenplay among others.

I was prepared to go 5 stars on this film, and the film on it's own deserves that at least. The picture has been beautifully transfered to DVD.It is presented in the original theatrical released widescreen (1.85:1). The colors looked fresh and the picture was clear in all scenes, including the darker night time scenes. The sound is my only little complaint and reason for going with 4 stars. Although the tech info here(as of today) say this DVD is in Dolby 2.0 surround, it is not. The sound is in MONO and this esstential film, that is an American classic, scored by Quincy Jones really deserves better treatment on this aspect of it.

The DVD has commentary by Norman Jewison, Lee Grant,Rod Steiger and Haskell Wexler(the fabulous cinematographer of the film). It also includes a booklet with some great information on the making of the film. It may be viewed in French and Spanish and has subtitiles in those languages as well.

I love this film and for the most part the DVD. Maybe MGM has a special edition in the works with a remastered soundtrack?..In the meantime I will still enjoy this one with any kind of sound!

get the popcorn ready and enjoy....Laurie

also recommended:The Chase

This edition of the 1967 classic is so far the definitive edition. The featurettes are very informative and entertaining. Seeing the Bergmans (lyricists) on screen to talk about their creations on the soundtrack, and the entire segment about Quincy Jones made the purchase well worth it. It was neat to learn that it is Glen Campbell singing "Knock Kneed Paul", but I would have loved to have learned more about the song "Foul Owl", the funky theme for Ralph.

One complaint that I would have liked to seen rectified was that the transfer was not a remaster. It was the same transfer from the previous DVD release, with no picture quality improvements. There some washouts and some points where color correction is needed, even though the film has held up rather well over the years.

If you are searching for a very memorable film about one of the core points of humanity, with a satisfying climax and a plot that will leave you thinking, then watch "In the Heat of the Night". If you are looking for good featurettes and interesting commentary, then this version is the one you need.

This DVD is a great celebration of one of my favorite movies. What a classic.

There are many reasons to love this movie; Poitier, the story, the acting, Poitier, the casting, and Steiger.

I believe the best performance in the movie was made by Rod Steiger, whose light is outshone by a screen icon.

This movie is well worth your time.

One of the best movies ever made. It's just as great today as it was 40 years ago. Steiger ad Poitier are brilliant. The many scenes with just the two of them are terrific. Hasn't lost a step. If you haven't seen it, go rent or buy it now.