Product Details

• Actors: Leland Crooke, Faye Dunaway, Denholm Elliott, Anthony Geary, James Earl Jones
• Directors: David Beaird
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Trinity Home Ent
• DVD Release Date: January 11, 2005
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0006J281Y
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,549 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

SCORCHERS - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb., June 6, 2005

By 

Tophe - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Scorchers (DVD)

I want to start with the opening monologue, a piece of writing so well written and executed that I --no matter how many times I watch it-- cannot avoid getting misty eyed. This is by far the biggest gem the film has to offer.

I'm very happy to say they added this back into the DVD, and though it doesn't pertain directly to the rest of the story it certainly has a purpose in that it tends to enamour the audience towards Jumper, making the rest of the film much more enjoyable.

The story takes part in different pieces, one part following the exploits of a whore and a married woman clashing over her husband and father -- the more cohesive and down-to-earth of the two larger stories, another that shows us the bedroom of a couple on their wedding night as the bride fears sex and death. The last bit of the story is my favorite, the shortest and most scattered of the story, strung out in bits exposing the truth of a deadbeat actor turned town alcoholic as he's pressed to explain the point of classical music to a bartender played by James Earl Jones.

As said below, it's not an action movie, and is instead very character based and shows the roots of its original writing. It's nice for a night alone, or with friends who know how to keep quiet and listen. Curl up in a blanket and take a trip down the bayou, you won't regret it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now this is a 5 star for a movie about cajun culture..., February 1, 2005

By 

Mrs. J. Johnstone "Jenster" (London, UK) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Scorchers (DVD)

in other words there aren't many other films competing in the category. It has always been a favourite of our family (ie - Southern California family with relatives in Southern Louisiana)but even my husband hates it so if you've got no interest or ties to the bayous it might not be for you but if you do....

Look at the people in this? It is amazing you got them all into one film and it bombed so badly that it was pulled even from video for years. That can sometimes say more than can box office success (who will care about Titanic in ten years but look at Harold & Maude which also did badly on release?). The problem is that this is not a huge budget film. There are no explosions. There are no special effects to speak of at all but there is some amazingly quiet, unflashy and very, very truthful acting. And while giving you a flavour of the cajun way of life it also goes beyond that and gets slightly philosophical about the nature of life in general.

It is basically a play though and if you aren't used to watching those you might not do so well here. Instead of a curtain between scenes there are scenes roaming over the bayou and then back to four walls again where the action resumes. But if you think of this as a filmed play then you'll be fine.

And look at the price. Come on. It's hardly worth grumbling about. It's so cheap (do you know how much it used to cost when it was difficult to find on video and you were buying a copy of a copy anyway?????) Just take a look. Dunaway acting against, James Earl Jones, Jennifer Tilly and Denholm Elliot. There is a scene late at night in a bar between those four that has the most amazing exchange of dialogue and even if you hate the film you must watch it to be able to say that you've watched that scene. In fact this probably bombed because the script was entirely too clever, clever for the perception of the subject matter.

I myself am now buying about four copies to send out to family and friends who will be so excited to find this finally out on DVD.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hilarious "sleeper" with a great cast, October 26, 2005

By 

DC (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scorchers (DVD)

You are going to laugh yourself silly while watching this one! It's not a movie for children at all,as it contains adult humor, but it isn't vulgar either. My husband & I saw this movie several years ago, I think it was on HBO, & have been trying to find it ever since! We mentioned it to several of our friends, but none of us could ever find it to rent nor could we find any mention of it when looking it up either by name or under the credits of any of the actors/actresses in it.
It's actually several stories taking place all at the same time in a very small southern town,centered around a wedding celebration, but they are all intertwined. One story involves Faye Dunaway as the town's "scorcher" (hooker), James Earl Jones as the local barkeep, & Denholm Elliot as the town drunk. They play off of each other superbly. At one point in their converstion JEJ ducks behind the bar because he is laughing so hard; I think it may have been an out-take that the director decided to keep in because it's just so funny! In fact, I would love to be able to see the out-takes because as funny as the movie is itself, they must have been great!