One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest [VHS]

I'm not normally moved enough by a film to post my comments on Amazon, but last night this one just blew me away. I can't believe I hadn't seen it before now. All I can say is that everything everybody before me has said is right. It's a moving, shocking, scary, often laugh-out-loud funny emotional rollercoaster with some the greatest performances I've ever seen. I was completely bowled over and it took me about 10 minutes to recover from what I'd just seen.

What an unbelievably brilliant piece of work.

I have always been an avid fan of this movie classic. Jack Nicholson's character portrayal of Randall P MacMurphy is fantasically steeped in character and humour. The blu-ray image is detailed and absorbing, and the cinematic lustre of the original film has been updated. A sane "Jack the lad" driven insane by the misdeeds of those in authority in a US mental institution. Number 1 movie, first class transfer.

It has taken me nearly 30 years to get round to watching this film, and I genuinely think I appreciate it more for being that much older. It has had accolades for everything -- plot, direction, filming, casting, acting. It deserves them all. It is nothing short of compulsive. The bad guy who has not lost his soul (much less his spirit) is pitted against the embodiment of sanctimonious righteousness who never had a soul to lose.
I wonder whether Nicholson has even yet had full recognition for the truly great actor he is (how many people have even seen The King of Marvin Gardens, for instance?) His screen presence is enormous, magnetic and menacing. He combines outsize testosteronic individuality with the ability to get inside a character, and an electric sense of threat with a real power to tug at the heart-strings. Bad he may be, but unsympathetic never. He is a very big little guy, but he is still the little guy against the system. It must be impossible, surely, to upstage that?

Incredibly, no. The ultimate star in a film that has no shortage of up-and-coming luminaries as well as Nicholson (D de Vito for one) is Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched. I am never going to forget that mask-like expressionless face and that ever-rational, implacable, ever-modulated voice mouthing those soulless, uncomprehending, the-system-is-right banalities. Above all, I am never going to forget that hair. Among the many touches of genius in this production, that hairstyle is the ultimate. I simply could not take my eyes off it. The name is effective too, and I shall continue to believe until someone proves me wrong that it was an inspired borrowing from Jane Eyre -- the dreadful and sadistic Miss Skatcherd brought up to date and given a 20th-century twist....

This film is never going to become dated as long as these polarities continue to repel each other. I saw it at all only because my son showed it to me. It is relevant to my generation, it is relevant to his, and I can't foresee when it is not going to be relevant. Read more ›

A movie for everyone. This movie isnt only entertainment value, it goes much deeper than this. It gives us a wonderful insight into society. Rejected as a play in the 1960's as being to provacative, the 1970's embraced it. Wonderful performances from all the cast, excellent music, costume lighting etc. This movie like most from the 1970's should be viewed by todays generation as I believe it to be the golden age of cinema.

This 1975 adaptation of Ken Kasey's groundbreaking novel is a true masterpiece of film history. It incorporates, witty comedy, bone breaking tension and heart warming drama that means it stuns anybody who has the pleasure of seeing it.
The stage is set in a mental hospital of which Randall P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson, in his finest role) is admitted to, as a volunteer. Yet his rambunctious ways and rather short temper mean that from the second he walks into the place he is on a collision cause with the cold-hearted authoritarian Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) who insists on keeping order. Something that Randall is not at liberty to adhere with.
With Randall using his over the top views to influence the other loonies he establishes a lot of trust between the inmates and himself, and even forms an unlikely friendship between himself and a huge, supposedly mute indian chief. But eventually the it all ends in dilemma as Randall ends up the victim of the cold, prison like institution's system, of which Nurse Ratched is happy to see.
This film is slow, often cheerful but overall the tender moments between the chief and Randall, and the classic scenes in which Randall relates with his fellow nutters are priceless.
With an unbeatable cast of Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Christopher Lloyd and even Danny DeVito. The director Milos Forman (who seems to add subtleness to a film that would look a whole lot different, and may have been ruined if someone else had made it) uses the actors to great effect and has earned a bag full of oscars and the respect he so rightly deserves - Everybody seems to agree that five stars is justifiable. Yet I think it deserves more than that, as it is one of the best films of the 70's.

I bought this DVD from Amazon a few weeks ago as a Christmas present to myself. I had heard rumours about it and seen the book on various shop shelves. I knew that I had to see this film as everyone kept saying to me "I can't believe you've not seen it, it's a classic". Well I finally sat down to watch it on Christmas night and was left absolutely speechless at how very, very good it is. I honestly can't sing this films praises enough. All the cast deliver outstanding performances in particular, Fletcher, Nicholson, Dourif, DeVito and Lloyd. I am not going to give anything away about the plot all I will say is I can't believe you've not seen it, it's a classic. Buy this film now!