Product Details

• Actors: Whoopi Goldberg, Severn Darden, Elliott Gould, John Heard, Ronald J. Stallings
• Directors: Rip Torn
• Writers: Harry Nilsson, Terry Southern
• Producers: Joel Glickman, Moctesuma Esparza, Robert Katz, Steve Besser
• Format: Color, EP, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
• VHS Release Date: October 6, 1997
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304877935
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,545 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Item Name: The Telephone; Studio: Top Ten New Media

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting!!!!!!!!!!!!, March 4, 2005

By 

Raider Jack "Jackie D Gray-Romeyn" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Telephone (DVD)

I vividly remember the very first time I saw this about 15 years ago. I was NOT well!

This is a chilling expose' on the potential pitfalls of excessive denial. It follows the exploits of a down-trodden actress who is obviously behind on just about everything but most importantly, her telephone bill. There are only about 4 people in the whole film, Whoopi, Elliott Gould, his blond companion, and the telephone man.

This would be an eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeexcellent Twilight Zone episode because the first time I watched it, I was completely taken aback by the ending.

This is a wooooooooooooooooonderful showcase for that sorely underappreciated talent that is Whoopi. It is intense, surprising, poignant, heartbreaking, and laugh-out-loud funny.

A tour-de-force!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fantastic film, November 20, 2005

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Telephone (DVD)

THE TELEPHONE features the one and only Whoopi Goldberg front and center, essentially delivering a one-woman show (with some assistance from an owl and a goldfish) and has a genuine twist ending that you will never see coming.

Vashti Blue (Goldberg) is an eccentric, out-of-work actress who depends on her phone for everything she needs. We follow her story for one crazy night of mixed personalities and hijinks, learning along the way that this woman is in fact teetering on the very edge of her sanity. Solid support is provided by Amy Wright, Elliott Gould, Severn Darden and John Heard.

Goldberg herself regards this film as the worst in her career (though I'd personally put MADE IN AMERICA in that spot). She sued the filmmakers and tried her darndest to have the film pulled but to no avail. It's not as bad as she'd have you believe. This film features her in fine form and I enjoy revisiting it often.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting dark comedy, August 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Telephone [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Although, no one may have like this film, I still enjoyed Whoopi's performance. It's a very dark comedy. I've heard that Whoopi didn't like the script for this film and tried to back out, but couldn't because she was under contract. That may be why Whoopi's performance wasn't as well received by the critics.