Customer Reviews

Heroes

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is the best Winkler has ever done. It's a compelling story about a Vietnam vet who goes on a road trip to join his friend in a worm farm venture. He slowly goes nuts as he finds out the world is too screwed up to bear, his friend is dead and he didn't know it, he gets robbed, humiliated, and rejected. Sally Fields is also fantastic as his girlfriend who supports him all the way. BEWARE -- Those of you who've seen this in theaters and are expecting the powerful ending to be the same, it's not. The video release of this movie replaced the intense ending song "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas, with some other song by a no-name group, which is insipid and uninspired, leaving you flat. The Kansas song was what made the ending so powerful. Aside from that, it's a great movie.

While it may seem odd that a change to the music played in last four minutes of this film could sour the experience, it certainly is true. This film is not for everyone, but it does contain strong performances by both Sally Field and Henry Winkler. Harrison Ford is along for the ride in a small role, but this is essentially a two-person show, and Winkler and Field have good chemistry as the Vietnam vet who can't seem to fit in and the good-hearted woman who is having second thoughts about her pending marriage. They wind up on a journey together and while the destination is unclear, it all comes together in the revelatory end. However, the original theatrical release included a powerful closing accompanied by Kansas' "Carry on Wayward Son," but the video version inexcusably has removed the song and replaced it with a much-less-powerful "ditty," if you will. So, with a film that all comes to a point at the end, it's a shame the end doesn't come to as sharp a point.

At the time of its release, "Heroes" had a cast trying to break out of stereotypical roles: Henry Winkler was typecast as the Fonz, Sally Field as The Flying Nun, and Harrison Ford as Han Solo. Winkler's days as a director, Field's as an Oscar favorite, and Ford as a major box office draw were years ahead. Winkler managed to overcome the nay-sayers with this sensitive portrayal of a traumatized Vietnam vet. Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreakingly sad, "Heroes" is still an excellent movie nearly thirty years after its release. The ending, [...] still moves me to tears. A terribly underrated movie that deserves more respect. Highly recommend

After escaping from a VA Hospital, Jack (incredibably played by Henry Winkler), starts a post-war journey to recruit former 'Nam buddies to found a WORM FARM for proft. On the bus he falls for equally embracing Sally Fields who quickly joins his quest. As he visits Vet to Vet, only to be dis-illusioned by thier suicides, disappearences, etc, people tell him to GIVE IT UP. She tells him not to. Kansas score perfect, if tear-grabbing, "CARRY ON MY WAY-WARD SON".

The first time I saw this movie was when I was 12 years old. The only reason I was it was because I had a crush on Fonzie and Han Solo. Needless to say, I didn't get much out of it back in those days. But seeing it again, 30 years later, I loved it. Henry Winkler's performance was so moving and powerful. His acting style reminded me of Al Pacino...he could be quiet and calm one moment then explosive, dangerous, and unprectable the next. It's too bad he hasn't played more crazy character's. He received a Golden Globe Nomination for this one.
Sally Field's was good as the runaway bride who decides to tag along with Jack (Henry's character) and then falls in love with him. Their on screen chemstry was very good.
The story was sad (with some funny moments). And I was left wanting the story to continue on even though I can't imagine these two ultimately having a happy ending. Unfortunately, love does NOT conquer all. Yes, I agree "Carry on my Wayward Son" was the better choice for the closing song.
I highly recommend this movie!

This is *NOT* the 1977 movie 'Heroes'. It is a pathetic, butchered imitation thereof. Buying it will only encourage Big Media to think they can get away with selling cheap ripoffs instead of the real thing. Yes, this is entirely because of the removal of the song 'Carry On Wayward Son' from the ending; it really does make that much difference. What was a powerful climax has become a fizzle.

I have great memories of watching this film on cable tv during my childhood. I was about to either rent the movie or even purchase it, just because of those memories. Now I see all these comments about the Kansas song "Carry On Wayward Son" not being used. This is a travesty. This is the strongest memory of have of this film, it left a very powerful impression on me. The fact that most of these reviews refer to this musical moment, must make a very strong statement to the Powers That Be involved in the DVD release. Put this film out, in its original form! I don't know if it's a licencing issue; if that is the case, I would hope that this situation could be rectified.

Don't get me wrong...I will certainly still have interest in seeing this film, but to me...without the Kansas song, it will never be the same. It's almost pointless.

I haven't seen this movie in about 20 years. I know that I really liked the movie but what always stands out in my mind was the Kansas song at the end and how fitting it was. Everytime I hear that song, Heroes comes to mind. I just bought the video and I'm going to just have to play the CD over the ending and mute the TV hahaha....

Many have already noticed that the re-release of "Heroes" is missing its original soundtrack, and that Kansas' powerhouse recording, "Carry On Wayward Son" has been replaced with a generic, poorly-recorded piece of s*** ballad that sounds like it was written by John Ashcroft and produced by a hearing-impaired fifth grader.

But what you may not notice is that the ending itself has been changed, with the addition of footage shortly after the famous flashback scene, which is more melodramatic than the original footage, and which completely ruins the counter-climax that occurred in the original ending.

It would appear that when MCA/Universal made the decision to cut the Kansas number, they attempted to compensate by adding a bit of tacked-on melodrama. The result is, to say the least, disappointing.

Still, if you can get over your disappointment with the ending, the rest of the movie is as good as it ever was. Winkler delivers a surprisingly good performance as Jack Dunne, a war-scarred Vietnam veteran with dreams of owning his own worm farm, and fans of Sally Field and Harrison Ford will no doubt be interested to see their early pre-fame film performances. (At the time, Harrison Ford was virtually an unknown, and Sally Field was famous in 1977, but only for roles like "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun" -- this was a breakaway performance for the young Field, who was in serious danger of being typecast into these sorts of fluff roles, and thus might never have otherwise had an opportunity to show us the Oscar-quality dramatic actress with which we're all so familiar.)

This is a movie that I would recommend renting, but not buying. It's worth seeing, but not really worth paying for, considering the way that MCA/Universal has utterly ruined an ending which was once this film's strongest point.

For those who would like to see the original ending, [...] (Original is posted on YouTube, but the link has apparently been removed by Amazon.)

You'd think it would be easy to convert a movie to DVD; but this movie didn't do it. I remember this movie ending with the music from Kansas' song, "Carry On Wayward Son", yet, Kansas (while appearing in the end-credits) is no where to be HEARD on this DVD. NO WHERE. This must be a cheap edited version of a strong movie. Save your money. I think Kansas (if they're still around) has rights to sue--credit given for a song that doesn't appear on the disk!