Customer Reviews

Hide & Seek [VHS]

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

 

 

If you don't think that a married couple, arguing loudly about which of them "gets" to pump their pregnant hostage's force-feeding device is funny, it's pretty safe to say that you should just avoid this film. But those who revel in sick, black comedy, deranged, eccentric characters and stories that get so, well, "icky" they make you laugh, will love this movie. I saw it on the USA Channel- after I rented it- and needless to say that all the good parts seemed to be cut out for TV. This is Jennifer Tilley's movie, and she is unstoppable. Gallo is a creep as her equally evil husband- and the scenes between them are among the best in the film. To be sure, this movie isn't for everybody; my mom, for example, would hate it- big surprise. It obviously wasn't made for her. This is a dark, cult film- no two ways about it. Scary and hilarious at the same time... I loved it.

What starts off as a typical crime drama quickly turns into a well written black comedy. The entire cast walks the fine line between acting and insanity with precision. The characters could have been two dimensional cut-outs but Hannah, Gallo and Tilly breathe a creepy life into their creations without taking away either their edge or their humanity. Jennifer Tilly proves once again why she is an actress of the highest order. If there was any justice in the world, she would have the box-office power of Julia Roberts. This is not for those who are easily offended by graphic images, but take a chance, you might just learn something about yourself (but for society's sake, I hope not).

I love Vincent Gallo, so I took a chance on this movie. It was a total surprise! I can't believe I hadn't heard of it. A fantastic thriller that rides the line between truly disturbing and hilarious. You can't imagine the twists this story takes. Think 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf' meets 'Misery'. The characters are totally inspired and insane, a nod to the writers. Jennifer Tilley is at her maniacal best. Gallo is creepy and real as her 'whipped' husband. The ending could have been a little more satisfying, but what comes before it is so scary/funny it's a small point. An underground classic.

AKA 'Code.' Not to be confused with another 'Hide and Seek' (2005) starring Robert DeNiro and Dakota Fanning.

This is a Canadian straight-to-video psycho-thriller, and stars Daryl Hannah, Jennifer Tilly, Vincent Gallo, and Bruce Greenwood. The director is Canadian B-film master Sidney J. Furie. I don't know how you feel hearing his name, but I believe he is more talented than some people would think, and with decent budget and script, he could have done better films, far better than, say, under-financed 'Superman IV.'

The film is about a pregnant woman played by Hannah suddenly kidnapped by thick-bearded Gallo. Gallo, it turns out later, does this for his 'baby' Tilly, and locks Hannah up in the dark basement room of his house, and chains her to the bed, nad fakes her death to cover his crime. Greenwood is Hannah's hubby who seeks for his missing wife.

So 'Hide and Seek'? A suspence, huh? Yeah, it sounds like 'Misery' or 'The Collector,' but probably before you feel any thrills, you will be either immensely entertained by or absolutely disgusted with Jennifer Tilly's over-the-top acting. I regret that my poor English cannot fully express the joy of watching campy acting from her, but let me only say that her constant yellings, ultra-heavy make-ups, silly dialogues are hilarious enough to outshine ten Sharons and Halles in the wretched 'Catwoman.' I'm not blaming her for giving poor acting. It's like watching the younger version of Kathy Bates (who was Oscar nominated for 'Misery' you know that), and the more I watch her, the more I admire her.

As to Gallo, no comment is the kindest comment I can make, and as to Daryl Hannah, probably she has already had this entry erased from her CV circulated among the studios. I can hear her say, Thank you Quentin Tarantino, you saved my life.

At times the film is very nasty (how can you call it entertainment when you have to see a kidnapped pregnant woman forced to eat through a tube strapped to her mouth?), and its story is never convincing (why kidnap a pregnant woman, not a baby?), and most of all, hey, Ms. Hannah played a replicant in 'Bladerunner' who nearly killed Harrison Ford! Can you kidnap her? No kidding!

So two stars are the best I can give to this film, both for Ms. Tilly for giving one of the most bizarre acting that I have ever seen. I really like her, but for once, please, someone give her something different.

Hide and Seek" is a movie that most people will never see and that's not only because it's now going to be confused with the Robert De Niro-Dakota Fanning film of the same name. The reason I saw this movie was because I'm a huge fan of Vincent Gallo and wanted to see more of his acting work (I've seen his two directorial efforts, Buffalo 66 & The Brown Bunny, and two other films he acted in called Palookaville and The Funeral). I'm not positive, but I think this movie was straight-to-video; I heard someone say that, but it doesn't have the "direct-to-video" feel to it. That's not to say it's not a bad movie, because it kind of is...But, whatever. The movie stars Daryl Hannah and Bruce Greenwood as a happily married couple named Anne and Jack who desparately vie to have a baby. It seems they've succeeded, but the clinic tells them that they're not pregnant. Jack goes on a business trip, leaving Anne alone and in the middle of the night she's kidnapped. When she wakes up, she's handcuffed to a bed in the basement of a house. At first, Anne is confused, not really noticing she's handcuffed and an odd woman named Helen (Jennifer Tilly) is trying to get her to eat. When she starts reacting, Helen's husband Frank (Gallo) comes downstairs and explains she's been kidnapped. Frank then calls Jack and asks for ransom. The latter is merely an excuse to make the movie longer, because Helen reveals that they're holding her to have her baby, so they can take it for themselves. Frank works at the clinic where Anne had a pregnancy test and he forged it and then faked her death so no one would be looking for her. When Jack returns to discover his wife missing/dead he doesn't believe it and goes looking for it, hence...Hide and seek. The plot of the film and Tilly's character owe a lot to the movie "Misery." In that movie, an insane woman takes an injured writer hostage in her house. In this movie, a man takes a pregnant woman hostage for his insane wife. Helen is very childlike and annoying and, we later find out, pretty sadistic. This movie tries for some chills and thrills, but the only thing remotely disturbing is Gallo's demise in the movie. If you are a Gallo fan (and most people aren't), you can feel OK passing this movie up. I am giving it four stars, because it wasn't dull. It did keep me entertained for the 100 minutes, but it was a pretty stupid movie. Why does it never occur to these characters to just adopt? Who does it seem that Helen runs Frank's life? Why does Vincent Gallo look like a hippie? There's a lot of unanswered questions left with us. If you're looking for a movie you're going to enjoy and recommend, I'd see something else. But if you, for some odd reason, have this movie in your house; It's not a complete waste of time.

GRADE: B-

DESERVES MORE LIKE A: C+

A film in the vein of misery. Jennifer Tilly is marvelously disturbed. Darrly Hannah's tormented performance is believable, and raw. Aspects of a film that would typically irritate me as a plot flaw, are barely noticeable. Mostly due to a talented portrayal by a brilliant cast. This film has all the nerve endings of a thumb with the nail ripped out. I give it two nail-less thumbnails up...

I saw this film Hide and Seek on Sky Movies here in the UK and i've got to say it is one of the most disturbing films i've ever seen.I can tell you now, i don't shock easily but this film is truely horrific.if you're in to sick and twisted plots buy it, just don't show the kids!...p.s don't watch it at 3am either! Rating 6/10 just for shock value

The generated anguish for having a baby, will make a couple break the rules of the ethic or sanity, to get by all their means, this goal. And their immediate objective will be to kidnap a woman at the eve of become a mother, in order to steal her expected creature.

A sensible and awful drama that will not let you disappoint you. Sidney Furie directing , Jennifer Tilly and George Gallo as the desperate couple and Daryl Hanah as the kidnapped pregnant work out in superlative grade.

This is a fun movie to watch with your sicko friends. Jennifer Tilly's performance was an absolute scream, and it looks like the actors had a really good time making it.

If you're the kind of person who gets the humor behind obsurd cult movies like Sam Raimi's Evil Dead 2 or Peter Jackson's Dead Alive, you'll probably get a kick out of this one. Don't listen to the humorless simpletons who took this one too seriously and berated it in their reviews for the wrong reasons ("bad acting", etc.) Just because they didn't get it, doesn't mean it's not a great movie!

BTW I can't believe how some people could be dumb enough to sit through this and not figure out that it was *supposed* to be over-the-top. Kinda makes me feel superior somehow! :-)

The acting performance by Jennifer Tilly was as bizarre and scary as it was funny (in a dark way). Her schizophrenic performance will stay in your mind long after the movie is over. It's not an "A" class movie but the acting is better than a "B" class movie. For the price of the DVD ($9.98 when I purchased it) I think it was worth it if only to see Jennifer Tilly in her most bizarre role yet.