Product Details

• Actors: Philip Loch, Elis Imboden, Christian Durango, Sloan Cobb, Roberta Hanley
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
• VHS Release Date: June 30, 1998
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304982275
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,366 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Period Piece, April 19, 2000

By 

"flickjunkie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: This World, Then The Fireworks [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is not a film for everyone. It is dark, sultry, twisted and self indulgent, and that doesn't have mass appeal nowadays unless Quentin Tarantino is directing and people are shooting each other in the face. It is, however, a terrific piece of filmmaking and as a fifties period piece it is surpassed only by films actually made in the fifties.

It is the story of brother and sister twins who were traumatized as children and turn out quite screwed up as adults. There is the ever present hint of incest looming in their relationship and they are both prone to lascivious escapades. The story serves up a slice of their lustfully demented lives together.

You almost have to be over 50 to appreciate this movie or be someone who likes old black and white films from that era. Director Michael Oblowitz has recreated not just the look, but the feel of the period. Tom Priestly, who went on to be the cinematographer on "The Thomas Crown Affair" did a fantastic job with filters and lighting to give the film an authentic fifties feel. The sets, props, costumes and music were all meticulously accurate. The use of a first person narrative (the story was narrated by Marty [Billy Zane]) was a very popular device in 40's and 50's films (think Humphrey Bogart).

Unfortunately, the film was more form than substance since the story was a just meandering film noir libido ride. Still, for fifties nostalgia buffs, this is a treat.

Gina Gershon was fabulous as Carol. She was sexy, seductive, and lewd while simultaneously being vulnerable and fragile. I can't remember seeing her in a role better suited to her talents, nor can I remember her giving a better performance. Billy Zane was really wrong for this part. His acting was fine, but it failed to capture the character considering the context of the period. Men of this period were known for their strength and impassive response to almost everything. Naturally this would always lead to a great scene marked by a fit of anger somewhere in the film as the pressure became too great for him to bear. Zane was too mercurial in his portrayal of this character. He had the male sex thing down, but he came across as shrill and defensive in a lot of scenes, very un-fifties.

Sheryl Lee gave a terrific performance as Lois, the sex crazed lady cop who becomes obsessed with Marty. We may never hear from her again, but for one film she grabbed the spotlight and ran with it. She was so desperately needy and shameless in her appetite for Marty that it seemed she couldn't live unless she was breathing the air he just exhaled.

I gave this film a 7/10. It is a 10 as far as filmmaking and period authenticity and the story was about a 5. If you like film noir, unabashed lust and the fifties, this movie is a must see.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jim Thompson Fans Should Looooove This..., April 24, 2003

By 

yygsgsdrassil "yygsgsdrassil" (Crossroads America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This World, Then The Fireworks [VHS] (VHS Tape)

...or "Whoa, Momma! Is this some perverse fun."

I was compelled to stop to watch this primarily because it's got two of my favorite bad girl actresses Gina (Showgirls/Bound) Gershon and Sheryl Lee in it, but to my greatest surprise, it turns out to be a Jim Thompson Noir, with cynical guy voice overs and the "each scene is a painted cover of a pulp magazine" type of cinematography. Billy Zane plays a drifting journalist whose relationships with everyone seems a bit unhinged, to say the least, and in his mind's eye maybe he becomes the hardboiled type that is usually part of the "True Detective" Noirs. You wonder does he have enough hold on reality?--Or is it just how the wicked thinks. Does his sister, Carol, have any grips on
reality? Or is she out to settle some scores seeing after a brutal murder and a near gang rape when she was a kid? Like some of the reviewers below noted: this is not for everyone's taste, but if you love Thompson and ia a big fan of what one cable station is calling Neo Noirs, you will love this. I would have love seeing how Daivid Lynch would have handled this...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars AN IN-ZANE MOVIE !, June 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: This World, Then The Fireworks [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a kinky and twisted movie with a dash of black humor. Only Zane can pull off such a character with his "pushing the envelope" and zany ( zaney ? ) acting ability. As for Gershon (those lips) she plays her character as the wanton sister very well. I guess it's that underlying hint at incest between Zane's and Gershon's characters as well as the dysfunctional family atmosphere exuded by Rue McClannahan as their ailing mother that may disturb some viewers. Otherwise, this is a great art house flick if you like films out of the ordinary with bizarre characters and a peculiar story !