Customer Reviews

Mannequin [VHS]

5 star:		(91)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Laugh if you must, but this film is one of my all time favorite films. I saw it in the theater, twice, when I was eleven year of age, then rented it about a million times (on BETA!) when it came out on video. Yes, I know it is cheesy and not a work of art, but it is a CUTE movie that I loved at eleven and continue to love at twenty-five.

Maybe I'm just a romantic at heart, but films where two people who find each other to spite all odds make me feel good. Movies like this make you believe in romance, and even a pescimist like myself needs to believe in some kind of hope and love.

Now with Kim Cattrall's fame being skyrocketted with Sex And The City I'm hoping more people will discover what a great movie this really is. Most of Kims are, I've seen a lot of them (even the early ones which are beyond scary...and then there's Porkys...)

Also, one must not forget that even with all the bad reviews this film recieved, it made a lot of money at the box office and on video and even spawned a sequal; (which was pretty bad, but still cool to see nonetheless)not to mention the fact that it was nominated for an Academy Award in 1988 (for Best Original Song but STILL :)

This is also a good movie to watch when you want to see some great actors early works, such as James Spader, and it also let you see what Estelle Getty looked like when she wasn't in a lot of makeup playing Sophia Patrillo on "The Golden Girls"; not to mention Mesach Taylor who doesn't seem to be doing that much acting now, but did appear in the sequal and Designing Women for the extent of it's run.

In the end, every movie has it's devoted fans and I'm one of them.

MANNEQUIN is a cute romantic comedy from the era that style forgot...the 80's. The film features a gorgeous pre-"Sex and the City" Kim Cattrall as the titular character.

Jonathan Switcher (Andrew McCarthy) is a frustrated artist, living from crummy job to crummy job, and coming to the end of a rocky relationship with the ... Roxie (Carole Davis). When kindly Claire Timkin (Estelle Getty - TV's "The Golden Girls") gives him a job at her floundering department store, he is re-united with his favorite project, a gorgeous blonde mannequin. When the mannequin comes alive and declares that she is Emmy, an Egyptian maiden from over 1,000 years before (played by Kim Cattrall), he is more than a little amazed. With Emmy's help, he re-invents the department store as a cutting-edge fashion centre and finds the love of his life.

The film also features Meshach Taylor (TV's "Designing Women") as Jonathan's flamboyant assistant Hollywood, and also stars James Spader, G.W. Bailey, Stephen Vinovich and Christopher Maher.

The DVD includes both fullscreen and widescreen versions of the film as well as the trailer and DVD trailers for "The Princess Bride: Special Edition" and "Fiddler on the Roof: Special Edition". (Double-sided, single-layer disc).

I give them 2 stars for finally releasing this gem on DVD but no extras??
This film is delightful and refreshing, Leonard Maltin obviously was having a bad day when he saw this film. I must have seen it 6 or more times when it was in the theaters.
Kim Catrall(Sex in the City) is delightfully coy and silly as well as charming in this comedy about an ancient princess with a too modern outlook and is "cursed" to live through thousands of years until she finds a love who can appreciate her for who she is and not try and control her.
Andrew McCarthy(Pretty in Pink) is wonderful as a failed sculptist who cannot keep a job until he gets a job working as a window dresser at a failing dept store in Philadelphia.
Great co-stars Estelle Getty(Golden Girls), Mesach(sp?) Taylor(Designing Women), James Spader(Stargate the movie) and others make this film a hysterical and romantic romp!

Those of you out there looking for a horribly deep movie won't bother with Mannequin, of course. My boyfriend laughs at me for stating it's one of my favorite movies of all time, but heck, what does he know?

It's campy, it's corny, it's oh-so-dated, but it's hilariously fun. 'Mannequin' is the story of an Egyptian princess (neat concept played fluffily well by Kim Cattrall) that is cursed to become a Mannequin unless she's in the presence of the person she chooses to reveal herself to. Andrew McCarthy is Jonathan, a down-on-his luck stockboy that's got a chance to make something of himself by helping decorate the storefront windows in a failing department store in NYC. That's where Cattrall's mannequin Emmy steps in, and the two fall in love (come on, you knew they would).

The fun thing about this movie is that it's chock full of 80's goodness. I'm not just talking the clothes or the music (though those are great too), I'm talking about the actors as well. Not only do you have 80's king Andrew McCarthy, but we have James Spader playing the slimy manager of a competing store, and GW Bailey (from the Police Academy movies) playing a slightly off-kilter security guard. Meschach Taylor almost steals the entire movie away with his portrayal of Hollywood Henderson, a flamboyant gay man with strange eyeglasses and a penchant to cry at the thought of True Love.

It's fun and fluffy overall, but it's entertaining. Those of you that saw it in the 80's will love the walk down memory lane. My only complaint (and why it didn't get 5 stars from me) is that the DVD is rather cheap. Cheap box, and zero extras. My advice is that if you just want it for a one time viewing, get the VHS. If you want it to add to your DVD collection, then get the DVD, because it's fairly reasonably priced.

I've loved "Mannequin" from the first moment I saw it back when it was released in 1987! It's actually been a couple of years since I viewed it last time on cable, but I've just received my own copy yesterday so I can once again relive the indelible magic, hilarity, and romance this wacky, wonderful, feel-good film delivers! Andrew McCarthy is terrific as Jonathan Switcher, a shy, genial, struggling dept. store mannequin artist who shares an unusual, brandishing romance with Emmy (Kim Cattral), a reincarnated Egyptian princess whose spirit inhabits one of Jonathan's wooden creations and comes magically to life whenever he's alone with her. Meshach Taylor (of "Designing Women" fame) brings cheery warmth to the story as Jonathan's festive window assistant friend, Hollywood. From start to finish, this underrated comedy will make you laugh, cry, and wonder if true love can ever be so magically fun and special, no matter if you're a guy or a girl! Jonathan definitely shines through for me in that nice guys don't always have to finish last. Plus, Starship's classic Oscar-nominated song is an absolutely perfect touch to the sweet canvas this film paints for its audience.

I'm surprised how cumbersome it was to find "Mannequin" in print in recent years, but thank goodness it has finally been re-released & Amazon has it! This is one film no hopeless romantic or 80's nostalgist should be without...

This is yet one of my favorite romantic comedy movies of the 80's. With such stars as Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall (Sex in the City), Estell Getty (Golden Girls), James Spader, G.W. Bailey (Police Academy), and Meshach Taylor (Designing Women).
It's about a man Jonathan Switcher who isn't having much luck job wise (Who is these days), until he creates his masterpiece Mannequin, and finds her while working at a new job at Prince in Company (A failing store). She comes to life and tells him that she was born many years and centuries ago in Egypt, together they build magnificent store windows that helps Prince in Company get more than back on their feet. However, another rival company is trying to get their business back and by what ever means possible. As well as stealing Emmy (the Mannequin) to get Jonathan to work for them.
I think this classic romantic comedy is still a hit today with great colorful characters such as Hollywood, the quirky cop, and the romantic story line between Emmy (Kim Cattrall) and the handsome Jonathan (Andrew McCarthy).
Let's not forget the hit song by Starship called "Nothing's Going to Stop Us." Everyone today will love this movie. Even though its corney as well as it's storyline Mannequin will be a classic 80's film throughout the years.
The DVD is pretty average it has a trailer and a few other related movie trailers. I was hopping it would have the music video for "Nothing's Going to Stop Us" but no such luck. A huge plus is that it has a Widescreen or Fullscreen choice. So it makes up for all of the stuff it doesn't have.

So I would give the movie A and the DVD a C! But it is still worth the buy for this movie and if your a DVD collector. :)

This movie was one I had seen sometime when I was a kid, and now that I'm older, it's pretty interesting! I'm a kid born in the 80's who wished it would never end, and this has the perfect chemistry. The fact of Johnathan making a Mannequin who assumes the form of Emmy, an Egyptian Princess when he's alone is awesome. The story takes something that I've loved and found in japanese animation and stories: an unlucky in love guy through some form of magic or surreal circumstances finds the girl of his dreams. Of course, we have our bad guys who try to break them up. In this one, Emmy is kidnapped and as if she were the damsel in distress, Jonathan comes to her rescue with the aid of Hollywood, probably the coolest homosexual actor on screen: the major comic relief. The soundtrack is awesome, and now I'm trying to find it. As well, Kim Cattrell is great, and her acting with Andrew McCArthy is believable, that you don't think of them as actors. The crew they must have found to make mannequins resembling Cattrell is great, and makes good use of low-tech effects. If you go to a store or need something to rent that is pretty good, here's your answer. P.S. Do not see Mannequin 2. As far as I'm concerned, that one doesn't exist.

"Mannequin" is one of those movies where critics completely raked it over hot coals because the premise of the film is too silly but was a box office hit. Although an artistic bomb, I loved "Mannequin". I saw it in the theatre back in 1987. Still love it to this very day.

Andrew McCarthy plays Jonathan Switcher, a starving artist who moves from one job to another aimlessly because he focuses too muchon creating artwork as opposed to simply doing his job. One of his jobs was putting together mannequins for department stores. Before being let go, Jonathan finally creates his masterpiece. A few jobs later he comes across the same mannequin at his latest job working for Claire Prince Timkins(Estelle Getty). The mannequin comes to life as Ema 'Emmy' Hesire (played by a young Kim Cattral). Sparks immediately flies between the two. The only catch is that Jonathan can only see her while everyone else can see her only as a mannequin. The premise is silly but harmless. James Spader played the same smarmy, oily character as he usually does in a lot of his films (which is a good thing) as Mr. Richards, the head of the employment dept. at the store. G.W Bailey as Capt. Felix Maxwell was hilarious with his dogs Rambo I and II but the showstealer here was Meschach Taylor as the flamboyant Hollywood Montrose with his over the top sunglasses. He was hysterical. My favorite moment in the film was when Jonathan took Emmy out on his motorcycle and they pass an elderly couple in a car, not to mention the car chase when Felix and Mr. Richards pursues the pair. "Mannequin" may not be high art but I love this film.

It's hard to believe little "Emmy" from this movie grew up to be "Samantha" on Sex & the City. Brat packer Andrew McCarthy ...whatever happened to him? A little bit of trivia for ya---NO SOUNDTRACK was ever released because the movie big shots didn't think the movie would do all that well at the box office. STARSHIP'S song NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US NOW was released as a single on 45 because it was so popular. Sadly, the other songs in the movie, BELINDA CARLISE'S IN MY WILDEST DREAMS was never released & ALISHA'S DO YOU DREAM ABOUT ME was only available on her 1987 solo album which is now out of print. In 2007 will be its 20th anniversary since the movie was released. You'd think they'd rerelease it on DVD or put out a soundtrack.

In an era where big hair, ripped jeans, and bad movies were the norm, Mannequin simply shines. While not especially noteworthy as a film, it becomes memorable for the fact that it's not as stupid as most films in the 80s were. The movie manages to remain charming and fun all the way through due to the eccentricty of its characters and good acting.
Cattrall and McCarthy are the strongest in this movie, and they manage to make you forget reality for a little while. Cattrall's enthusiasm and innocence is well-balanced by McCarthy's skepticism and good humor, and they pull the viewer into the simple and often silly plot of an ancient Egyptian princess reborn as a mannequin who happens to fall in love with her maker who now works as a department store window dresser and the two have a Calvin and Hobbes-like relationship (Cattrall only comes to life when alone with McCarthy). However, the most memorable character is Hollywood, the flamboyently gay and hysterical window dresser played by Meshach Taylor (Anthony from Designing Women).
Charming, simple, and fun, this is a great flick to put on the TV on a friday night while hanging out with friends or just that special someone.