Customer Reviews

Scenes From Class Struggle in Beverly Hills [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the most quirky, laugh-out-loud movies
that I have ever seen!
Back in 1990, when this movie came out on VHS,
a freind turned me on to it and told me
that I would love it's outrageous plot lines,
fiendishly clever humor and the expert acting of its
ensemble cast, and boy was he right!
I gufawed through the whole thing and almost
choked on my dinner at one point!---
It's just that damn good!
I don't know what studio created and distributed
this classic but please hurry up and re-release
it to DVD here in the states as soon as
possible because I have been waiting to add
it to my collection for the longest!
Again, this movie is TOOOOOOO FUNNY! (-:

From the clever mind of writer/director/actor Paul Bartel comes this hysterical, yet screwed-up view of one weekend in the lives of two Beverly Hills households. Revolving around a fading British soap opera star, Clare (Jacqueline Bisett), her recently-divorced neighbor Lisabeth (Mary Woronov) and their butlers (Ray Sharkey and Robert Beltran), the story involves every major and minor character in subplots that intervene with one another.

Featuring an all star cast with such stars as Ed Begley, Jr., Wallace Shawn, Paul Mazursky, and Arnetia Walker, the film goes through many hysterical, yet wickedly delicious turns. The most memorable one is the twisted, diabolical film opening that involves murder (it turns out to be a dream). Arnetia Walker is wonderful as the trashy, yet funny Aunt Tobel who happens to be the mistress who ruined Lisabeth's marriage to her gynecologist husband (Shawn).

The film features one of the most beautiful piano scores I have ever heard. Along with Arnetia Walker's powerful, stirring renditions of two classic songs ("Natural Woman" and "Let's Misbehave"), the film's soundtrack is memorable. It is a great shame that it was never released.

With themes involving homosexuality, bisexuality, pornography, sado-masochism, this film will not be appealing to conservatives who can't enjoy a wonderful farce of life among the rich, snobbish community known as Beverly Hills. Paul Bartel who directed, wrote, and starred in the film did an superb job of poking fun at one of America's most recognizable communities. Like many present-day comedy directors such as the Farrelly Brothers and Keenan Ivory Wayans, Bartel pushed the limits of good taste and morality with this film. The results will have most rolling on the floor laughing.

On a sad note, two of the film's stars died shortly after the film's release. Rebecca Schaeffer who played Clare's daughter, Xandra, was murdered by an obsessed fan. Ray Sharkey, passed away from complications of AIDS. Their performances will live on on what I consider one of the best farce's of the 20th Century.

Directed by and starring Paul Bartel of "Eating Raul" fame, SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS is an outrageously funny comedy that will easily have you screaming with laughter if you have any sense of humor.

Set in a Beverly Hills mansion, this is an upstairs/downstairs story of a rich divorcee (Jacqueline Bisset) who temporarily moves in with a widowed friend (Mary Woronov) while her house is fumigated and two of their employees who have a wager on who will bed the other's employer first.

Co-starring Ray Starkey, Ed Begley, Jr., Wallace Shawn and the late Rebecca Schaeffer, the film boasts a colorful collection of eccentrics. One of my favorites is Dr. Van Kamp (Paul Bartel) who plays a Beverly Hills diet doctor who heads up a scam charity called the "Hunger Project" and casually utters one of the film's most famous lines: "When you get a bunch of rich fat people who are determined to get thin at any cost, some of them are going to die. It's a rule of thumb."

Another favorite is Aunt To-Bel, an African-American gold digger played brilliantly by Arenthia Walker, who meets Peter (Ed Begley, Jr.) in Las Vegas and takes an entire weekend "to really get to know each other" before visiting Peter's sister in Beverly Hills.

If this film weren't so absurdly hilarious, some could take offense at what at times is a pretty raunchy film, but because SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS is so playfully funny, there is nearly no chance that it will offend anyone with a sense of humor. For this reason, I highly recommend this DVD.

-- Regina McMenamin

I agree with the other reviewer: This's a comedic treasure!
If you stumble onto this Amazon page, please add your plea
to re-issue this; nowadays America needs a laugh.

And get ready for the sniffing dog scene... Along
with many, many other incredibly funny moments.

After seeing ( and loving) "Eating Raoul" with these 2 geniuses, this movie just added to my devotion. The bonus in both movies is Robert Beltran- who was drop-dead gorgeous... what ever became of him?
The ...price tag for an old, used movie nearly scared me off, I guess it was worth it. It really is a terrific, hilarious movie.

I was amazed to see Robert Beltran has great comic flare. For once he didn't die, got the girl and acted like he was really enjoying the role which made me enjoy the movie more. Even a certain scene was tastefully done because of his relaxed acting style. Beautiful smile, glad to see it so often in this surprising well done little movie. Beltran handle himself well and I got to see glimpses of the Chakotay character that he at times brought to life so well on Voyager. If you like Beltran or more adult comedy this would be for you. Beltran and a few of his fellow actors from Eating Raoul seem very comfortable with each other and it shows. Not quite as dark as Eating Raoul but gives Beltran a chance to shine again. I think he succeeds without over acting or making the character of Juan look stupid.

Paul Bartel's funniest film after EATING RAOUL, SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS is possibly his most clever as well. Featuring an all star cast the film starts with a bang and never lets up. Mildly schocking, extremely irreverant, not quite as dark as most of his other works, it still holds up well after several screenings. The direction is crisp, the music is first rate (especially two pieces for piano by Debussey) and the acting is all first rate. Especially terrific is Wallace Shawn. Often laugh out loud funny, this is one of Bartel's better movies and possibly one of the best comedies of recent years. Sort of a kinder and gentler John Waters, Bartel's delightfully wicked sense of humor certainly does have some bite. Very clever and more deserving of a reputation than it has. Worth a look for sure!

From the clever mind of writer/director/actor Paul Bartel comes this hysterical, yet screwed-up view of one weekend in the lives of two Beverly Hills households. Revolving around a fading British soap opera star, Clare (Jacqueline Bisett), her recently-divorced neighbor Lisabeth (Mary Woronov) and their butlers (Ray Sharkey and Robert Beltran), the story involves every major and minor character in subplots that intervene with one another.

Featuring an all star cast with such stars as Ed Begley, Jr., Wallace Shawn, Paul Mazursky, and Arnetia Walker, the film goes through many hysterical, yet wickedly delicious turns. The most memorable one is the twisted, diabolical film opening that involves murder (it turns out to be a dream). Arnetia Walker is wonderful as the trashy, yet funny Aunt Tobel who happens to be the mistress who ruined Lisabeth's marriage to her gynecologist husband (Shawn).

The film features one of the most beautiful piano scores I have ever heard. Along with Arnetia Walker's powerful, stirring renditions of two classic songs ("Natural Woman" and "Let's Misbehave"), the film's soundtrack is memorable. It is a great shame that it was never released.

With themes involving homosexuality, bisexuality, pornography, sado-masochism, this film will not be appealing to conservatives who can't enjoy a wonderful farce of life among the rich, snobbish community known as Beverly Hills. Paul Bartel who directed, wrote, and starred in the film did an superb job of poking fun at one of America's most recognizable communities. Like many present-day comedy directors such as the Farrelly Brothers and Keenan Ivory Wayans, Bartel pushed the limits of good taste and morality with this film. The results will have most rolling on the floor laughing.

On a sad note, two of the film's stars died shortly after the film's release. Rebecca Schaeffer who played Clare's daughter, Xandra, was murdered by an obsessed fan. Ray Sharkey, passed away from complications of AIDS. Their performances will live on on what I consider one of the best farce's of the 20th Century.

This is one of the funniest movies ever. You have to have an open mind and not be too sensitive about some of the scenes. I think it needs to be released in dvd Region l. If you loved Eating Raoul, and love dark comedy then this is a must for your collection. Take it as it's meant to be taken as a funny comedy without any negitivity directed toward anyone. PLEASE release it on dvd Region 1. I have wore out the 2 vhs copy's I have. Thanks

From the clever mind of writer/director/actor Paul Bartel comes this hysterical, yet screwed-up view of one weekend in the lives of two Beverly Hills households. Revolving around a fading British soap opera star, Clare (Jacqueline Bisett), her recently-divorced neighbor Lisabeth (Mary Woronov) and their butlers (Ray Sharkey and Robert Beltran), the story involves every major and minor character in subplots that intervene with one another.

Featuring an all star cast with such stars as Ed Begley, Jr., Wallace Shawn, Paul Mazursky, and Arnetia Walker, the film goes through many hysterical, yet wickedly delicious turns. The most memorable one is the twisted, diabolical film opening that involves murder (it turns out to be a dream). Arnetia Walker is wonderful as the trashy, yet funny Aunt Tobel who happens to be the mistress who ruined Lisabeth's marriage to her gynecologist husband (Shawn).

The film features one of the most beautiful piano scores I have ever heard. Along with Arnetia Walker's powerful, stirring renditions of two classic songs ("Natural Woman" and "Let's Misbehave"), the film's soundtrack is memorable. It is a great shame that it was never released.

With themes involving homosexuality, bisexuality, pornography, sado-masochism, this film will not be appealing to conservatives who can't enjoy a wonderful farce of life among the rich, snobbish community known as Beverly Hills. Paul Bartel who directed, wrote, and starred in the film did an superb job of poking fun at one of America's most recognizable communities. Like many present-day comedy directors such as the Farrelly Brothers and Keenan Ivory Wayans, Bartel pushed the limits of good taste and morality with this film. The results will have most rolling on the floor laughing.

On a sad note, two of the film's stars died shortly after the film's release. Rebecca Schaeffer who played Clare's daughter, Xandra, was murdered by an obsessed fan. Ray Sharkey, passed away from complications of AIDS. Their performances will live on on what I consider one of the best farce's of the 20th Century.