Customer Reviews

Nasty Habits

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Glenda Jackson, Sandy Dennis and Geraldine Page are all excellent in this little seen film from the 70's. The script and the acting are very good. The main problem is that this DVD transfer is terrible. Poor picture and sound. If you've never seen the film, I recommend it. If you have seen it, skip this DVD and hope they come out with a better quality DVD in the future.

Imagine a convent as Watergate and Glenda Jackson as Richard Nixon. Nasty Habits is a parody of Watergate that Lampoons everyone from Sandy Dennis as the John Dean character to Melina Mecouri as Henry Kissenger. It has however been called a "one line movie" (You won't have Alexandra to kick around anymore). But I think you have to appreciate it for what it is, a thinly disguised political lampoon of a time that wasn't that funny. I highly recommend it if you're a democrat....

I agree that the quality is terrible: transferred from an old videotape, no doubt. Regardless, this film is HILARIOUS!!! After a while, I didn't notice the poor quality, and just roared with laughter at the antics of these connivers. Sandy Dennis's "John Dean" steals the show, and Melina Mercouri's take as "Henry Kissinger" is nothing short of brilliant - and what a treat to see the husbands (Rip Torn, Eli Wallach, Jerry Stiller) also in the film with their wives (Geraldine Page, Anne Jackson and Anne Meara, respectively). Hopefully, the studio will process a new DVD that is worthy of this film, which is really funny.

This Hoot about Watergate set in a nunnery is long due for a DVD release, complete with outtakes, etc. Perhaps too-too risque for today - give or take the curent flaps going on, but such a treat back them.

Glorious GLENDA JACKSON is positively carnivorous as the Sister who will do almost anything to get where she wants to be - in this case - Abbess, and will stoop at nothing to reach her goal - including bugging the statue of the Virgin Mary - just in case of an errant - err accidental confession. [Ms. Jackson's dialogue during this sequence is utterly devine!]

Her opposition is the very liberated Sister Felicity - whose vows are odd - considering her, err 'liason' with a neighboring Jesuit Priest......

Very dirty and darkly funny work - also starring Melina Mercouri and Geraldine Page!

More fun? "Nuns on the Run" - perhaps "The Devils" too!

This review is based on the quality of the DVD, not the content. While I was anxious to see this hard to find film, I wish I knew it was such poor quality. You can tell it was transferred from an older VHS, as lines run across the screen from poor video quality. The sound is equally bad. It says "enhanced audio". I'd hate to hear the original, if it really was enhanced. It also claims to be "digitally remastered", I doubt it. If you leave the film while playing & go the "Main Menu", there are only two options ..Play Movie & Scene Index. It does not retain your stopping point. Try to go back to where you were & it returns to the beginning. One good pint is it's Region Free! The copyright is by Wham!USA. I don't recommend this product.

Although there is reference to the President Nixon,"Watergate" political situations ,the only true similarity is that the ambitious nuns are "bugging" the convent in order to prove that their convent is still "elite"( made up mostly of young women from "upper middle class families" in which large dowries must be given in order to enter"). Their greatest challenge comes via the nun Alexandra(when it is time to elect a new abbess) is getting rid of the scandalous 'the nun Felicity' and keeping away their greatest competition 'the nun Gertrude' who they had to insist should continue in missionary work around the globe. The video does not match the video jacket*(*which has no class or style).."It's really not that provocative... ,The nun, Felicity's actions are outside the convent walls ,which she doesn't know are also monitored and bugged; it shows precise skyline view of Philadelphia (from its airport to its seacoast)and sites within the city itself .Although the convent's location "is on its Main Line" outside the city it is patrolled by "Philadelphia police" and has Philadelphia Parish(St Ignatius) and the also the Vatican as its advisors on any issues. It has so many well-recognized and qualified actresses and actors,references to 1st page editions in magazines and newpaper(e.g. the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News) and actual true life TV reporters (e.g. Mike Douglas,Howard K Smith,Jessica Savage) doing news coverage about the convent and its bugging scandal,and within the movie itself.The movie does not show "a Pope" but it does show a scene from "within the Vatican" where the newpaper scandal has reached the ears of Rome clergy hierarchy.The movie is based on a book " The Abyss of Crewe" by Muriel Sparks. 7/19/10 abj