Customer Reviews

Last Summer in the Hamptons [VHS]

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

 

 

In this film about a family of histrionic folk, a successful but rather dim Hollywood star comes in search of work. She encounters people who believe in the theatre as art while meeting those who have felt manipulated into acting when they would rather be doing otherwise. "Hamptons" is a worthwhile character study. It reminds me of international films which commit more to character development than plot. I thought often of Woody Allen's work (Hannah and Her Sisters) and while this film insists on dialogue to flesh out its cast, I never found this technique distracting. Jaglom also works in typical 90's characters such as the playwright who happens to be gay. He appears to be the male protagonist of the film and the various ambitious actors around him eagerly await his new work, largely for their own selfish purposes. I struggle to recommend this film to all. Instead, I would say, if one finds intelligent, insightful talk interesting, if one finds complex characters worthwhile, if one likes eccentric humor, then this film might possess the merit for a rental.

I rarely take the time to sit and write movie or book reviews, but having seen all these negative reviews for "Last Summer in the Hamptons" I feel compelled to speak my piece.

What is so powerful here is not the dysfunctionality of the family portrayed within, but what is at the core of this dysfunctionality: it is the inability of its members to walk away from its greatness, its fame within the highest circles of the artistic world. This movie is, in a way, a modern "Buddenbrooks", but it delves much more deeply into the reasons for the family's implosion. From the teenager who is pathologically rebellious because, as she explains to her cousins, it is the only way she can find to establish her independence from this great theatrical institution which is her family; to the brilliant director who, in order to create, has renounced, monk-like fashion, all sexual contact; to the most deeply studied pair of characters: the brother and sister pair who are so caught up in the web of their family, that their own sexual passions are trapped within the family, self-directed in an incestuous relationship.

This is the saga of a family which is admired, coveted, and idolized from outside, yet whose members are suffocating under the weight and tremendous magnet of its fame. It is a family which is the embodiment of Blake's sick rose.

This is a great movie, or a great play; it is a very powerful piece which will stay with you for a long time.

In the same way that Waiting for Guffman is truly appreciated by theatre people by the simple fact that we've known and worked with people in our lives like the characters in the movie.

This film also exemplifies how the love that is spurned from creating art with people is strong enough to withstand life's trials. A truly inspiring film. This film is also very similar to "Peter's Friends" starring a cast of amazing British acotrs including Kenneth Branaugh (sp?) and Emma Thompson.

I am finally purchasing the DVD after having paid many rental fees for this movie.This was the first of several excellent Henry Jaglom films that I have seen and remains my favorite. This is an inside look at Theater and Movie people and their idiosyncrasies as well as the machinations and back-biting of Actors wanting the lead in an upcoming Play. It is also a turning point in a family's history,since the matriarch of the family has decided to sell the summer home in the Hamptons. I find the acting,writing and direction to be superb. One of the best moments in the film is with Vivica Lindfors and Victoria Foyt discussing what it's like to be acting in front of a camera and they are viewing a movie Viveca appeared in with Errol Flynn. It has such a feeling of truth to it. Also, all the family members characters project the history and shared experience between them beautifully. If you like great ensemble acting,quirky characters,humor and poignant moments, then this is a film for you!

I understand that most people wouldn't understand or like this movie becuase you have to be a true theatre person to be able to relate to this dysfuntional family dynamic. The love that is spurned from creating art together is something that can cause a lot of the dysfuntion explored in this film, but that love is also strong enough to withstand the hardships. I think theatre people relate to this movie the same way they relate and understand Waiting for Guffman.

product as described, no problem with running the dvd, promptly shipped. Would order again from this seller.

I am satisfied

If you like Henry Jaglom films, which usually consist of Woody Allen-esque talking heads, you will enjoy this attempt to explore character in the guise of a large theatrical family. They spend a weekend in the Hamptons emoting for the camera, as they are all gradually exposed as egotists looking for ways to use other people. I wasn't blown away, and needed several pauses to get through this. It seems to have been created to impress other actors and film critics, but average viewers may be underwhelmed.

I just love the East Hampton setting of this movie and the gray shingled house. I thought a lot of the movie was 'tongue in cheek' with a bit of 'mockumentray' thrown in. There are some great serious scenes and I agree with another poster here that Viveca Lindfors was wonderful (as she always is). So I'm not sure what this film is "suppose" to be - but I do find it enjoyable.

Films about the people involved in theatre tend to be love'em or hate'em.There seems to never be a middle ground with reviewers.People that act tend to be a little zany and outside the "norm";thank God they are or we would never have a great cinema piece or a touching play on stage!!!This film is very much for the "artist-type".The film is chock full of very interesting and well developed characters, an excellent screenplay and deft direction from Henry Jaglom.YOU WILL KNOW THESE PEOLPLE WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED VIEWING THE FILM!!!It is slow-paced,but not at all plodding, allowing for great character expression and plot building.The acting is outstanding.There is a great deal of bittersweetness in this film.Settle in with a nice glass of wine and get absorbed in a real family drama with touches of wry humour;you won't regret it.
Companion films would be ILLUMINATA,A LIFE IN THE THEATRE,AN AWFULLY BIG ADVENTURE,STAGE BEAUTY and SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE.To a lesser degree,films like THE CELEBRATION (france),SON OF THE BRIDE (argentina),THE SEA (iceland),PIECES OF APRIL (usa) and A LOVING FATHER (france) are great for a good like into dysfunctional families confronting sectrets.

I like to read movie reviews in the newspaper, in magazines, and on the internet to find out about movies that I otherwise might never find out about. Over the years, this has led to many wonderful films that I otherwise never would have known about. So, when this movie was releaed, I read several reviews from critics, and I noticed that this movie had gotten quite a few very positive reviews. So I went to the theater and I saw it. Boy was I ever disappointed! This movie is nothing more than a bunch of people siting around talking. Now, if the characters and their conversations are interesting, then that can make for a fine movie. For example, I loved the movie "Smoke" with Harvey Keitel. That movie had lots of interesting characters with plenty of interesting things to say. But "Last Summer in the Hamptons" lacks those good things. The characters in this movie are boring, their conversations are boring, and their lives are boring. And what makes it even worse is that the characters are not aware of the fact that they are boring. Instead, they all think that they are just oh so important. Simply put, this movie is the very definiton of the phrase "artsy fartsy." I think that there must be some kind of a clause in movie critics' employment contracts that requires them to give this movie a positive review and a high rating. Or, perhaps the critics are just trying to pretend that they can see something that the ordinary "common man" cannot see. Well, whatever the reason, the critics are wrong about this one. This movie is boring and dull and the characters are pretentious and boring and dull. And the movie is bad and I didn't like it.