Customer Reviews

The Road To Wellville (Cuerpos Perfectos) [NTSC/REGION 1 & 4 DVD. Import-Latin America]

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

This adult comedy centers around three sub plots: the buck-toothed Dr. Kellogg played by Anthony Hopkins, Will and Eleanor Lightbody played by Matthew Broderick and Bridget Fonda respectively, and John Cusack as a shady but naive entrepreneur. The plots all take place during the turn of the last century at Dr. Kellogg's health sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan.

My favorites in this movie were the good doctor who is a product of his time believing that only procreational sex is good, and any loss of bodily fluids by other means saps the body of strength. I was in lust at first sight with the character of Ms. Munse. She is one of the reasons this comedy is for adults only; The facial expressions of the young and grown-up character of George Kellogg Jr. and pigs refusing to eat the experimental cereal "Perfo" kept me laughing constantly. I also enjoyed the music score which ranged from classical to delightfully silly. (I keep replaying the "Laughing Song" in my head.)

Amazon's product review is less kind than mine, proving that you really have to decide for yourself. But for me, this movie is a keeper. It can be played throughout the year, or just savored during the holidays.

I thought the movie was perfo.

As a former resident of Battle Creek, MI, I can say this movie was particularly enjoyable as I envisioned the city as it was back then. Although not filmed on location (the Battle Creek Sanitarium now stands as a Federal building) the scenery is very similar, and all the location names mentioned in the film are 100% accurate. The cast of this movie is fantastic and started (or boosted) many careers. Anthony Hopkins gives a brilliant performance and I wish he was offered more roles of this sort. Dana Carvey is funny as well, but his role is supporting only. The real scene stealer is the under-sexed and modern Camryn Manheim, who gives a peek into her future career as a great dramatic actress. John Neville's classic one-liners in the bath scenes caused me to laugh like I haven't since "Married with Children." Matthew Broderick and Bridget Fonda excel, as do every actor -- the depth of comedic acting in this film is amazing! This film is fantastic for anyone who is sick of the health craze (any of them) and just wants a good laugh at how health-quacks worked and how many were taken by the fads. Some of Dr. J. H. Kellogg's inventions we have today -- corn flakes, electric blankets, but the bulk of his work was not based in science. This makes the movie so funny -- the crazy gadgets used on the residents is actually classic slapstick comedy, and the one liners are almost as good as Airplane! All in all, I recommend this film to make you laugh histerically, and it's a darned good history lesson, too. "More amperes please!"

I've never seen so many intellectual type reviews from people who were so obviously born without a sense of humour. For heavens sake, whether it follows the book, or not, this is a hillarious movie by most standards. Unfortunately, some people choose to take these things too seriously, and base their judgements upon things which don't concern the average person: who seeks entertainment and a laugh. This is a comedy - not a boring drama! - and once you accept the fact, it's a great film!

Once again Anthony Hopkins takes his character over the top and into a hilarious trip into Battle Creek Michigan as the infamous Dr. John Kellog. Who cares if the story doesn't stick to the novel's, its simply non-stop comical sequences, peppering the eyes. You'll either shriek in delight or be appalled or embarrassed by the goings on. It's the health spa we would've all saved up for and visited if we were around at the time, even if the trip were made to just watch instead of take part. Not for the immature.

"The Road" is highly entertaining from the opening scene to the all-too-sudden end.

The cast, script, editing, direction, and musical score all epitomize Alan Parker's unparalleled creative genious. Every element of this movie deserves close attention, which is what makes it worth watching over and over...

I show this movie to friends who have no idea what they are in store for (WHY didn't this movie get more acclaim???). It always gets fantastic reviews, and that is what you will experience, too.

You will love this one!

If you are a person like me, who grew up in a health conscious family that has the courage to laugh at themselves, this movie is great. It always gets OK reviews because either they don't understand what it is like to convict your life to eating healthy, or they are health nuts that don't have the guts to laugh at themselves.

This movie start off with one of the funniest openings in movie history (I will not tell you anything about it. It must be seen). It has an all-star cast, which is lead by a fantastic performance by Anthony Hopkins. It is one of those performances that didn't get the deserved recognition because he was so good at it that he convinces the audience that he actually talks and acts that way. I know it sound funny, but through the movie you'll start laughing because you'll realize that Hopkins is talking like a beaver/gym teacher, but he makes it work throughout the movie.

The lines and scenes that come out of this movie about eating right and being healthy are legendary. My favorite being: "Health! The open sesame to the suckers purse." Don't think I gave away the funniest line either, there are many more.

It must also be noted that stuff like where this movie was shot is breath taking. The costumes, the backgrounds, the buildings, and the scenery are superb.

This movie is well worth seeing especially if you: Eat healthy, work in a health food store, know people that are health crazy, or if you want to laugh at the people who make health a major part of their life.

Quite simply, this movie is hysterically funny. Well written, evenly paced and contains one of the most catchy soundtracks ever recorded. Chances are, if you're looking at this page for the DVD, you've seen the movie. If not, you can read the other reviews for the particulars because I'm going to focus on the technical aspects of the DVD. Besides, this is my second-favorite movie of all time, so any attempt to review the plot would be extremely biased and I know this movie isn't everyone's cup of tea.

First of all, the movie itself looks beautiful. They did a great job on the digital transfer... the compression isn't all that noticeable and everything is crisp and clear. Audio is par for the course. Nothing too special here, but nothing lacking.

However, one question begs to be asked: why, in these days of "Enhanced for 16:9 televisions," is a DVD being released containing ONLY a full screen version? The fact that they have "Full Screen Presentation" bulleted as a special feature shows just how far Columbia/Tristar missed the boat. The lack of widescreen is the only reason I've deducted a star from my rating. As for the other special features, don't be fooled by the "Bonus Trailers," which are all for other movies.

Should you get the DVD? Certainly! If you love this movie, you'll enjoy watching it with a clean digital picture (especially if you've had the tape for years and it's getting worn out.) But if you've been waiting all these years for a widescreen version, you're going to have to keep waiting. This DVD can only be described as a visual and audio upgrade from the videotape, but not a definitive version of the film.

Being a current resident of Battle Creek, this movie was a real treat. When it first came out, I immediately thought it was going to be a "family" movie. Boy, was I wrong! The film is full of crude humor as well as some nice gratuitous nudity, so the buyer should beware if these things offend him / her.

The film is set in 1903, the year the Battle Creek Health Sanitarium was burned to the ground. The building I work in now (nowadays the Battle Creek Federal Center) used to be the 2nd Health Sanitarium, and it was built on the very spot where the original burned down.

Much of the depiction of what went on is quite authentic, from Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of the highy eccentric Dr. J.H. Kellogg to the marvelous "health" contraptions that he concocted for his patients. A few of these machines are still on display in the history room of the Federal Center.

The turn of the century was a dynamic time in the cereal industry. There were nearly 100 cereal companies in Battle Creek (admittedly most were very small) and quite a few shady characters trying to turn a buck - such as the one in the film depicted by John Cusack.

If you're looking for a movie with some degree of historical accuracy + a raunchy good time, this just might be a film for you. If you're from Michigan, this film is an absolute MUST have. It's one of those times in your life where you must make the decision to hit the ROAD.

The film itself is hilariously funny, for those who have an open mind and heart on the subject of body functions. However -- beware! This DVD boasts as one of its "special features" the fact that it's a FULL SCREEN version, not a letterboxed version. I doubt there will ever be another DVD edition, so pick it up, anyway. The film wasn't shot in 'scope, so it's hard to tell how much you're missing -- either you're losing a small amount from the sides, or you're actually gaining a little on the top and bottom. Anyway, a five-star feature goes down to four because of the unwise choice of a "full screen" presentation.

It's off-beat, and full of tongue-in-cheek humor, and I'd consider it more 'adult-oriented'... but it's funny. I've seen the editied version on TV, and decided to buy the 'full' version... I'm glad I did.
Note: You'll like it if you have a slightly twisted sense of humor.