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DVD 9
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
English
Product Description
Actors: Array
Director: John Irvin
Manufacturer: Momentum Pictures
Director: John Irvin
Manufacturer: Momentum Pictures
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Michael Caine and producer Geoffrey Reeve's frequent collaborations usually result in exponentially bad cable-movie-lite style movies (The Whistle-Blower, Half Moon Street), so it's a surprise how effective much of Shiner is, especially since it comes from the usually disappointing John Irvin and was part of the tidal wave of British gangster movies that flooded the market post-Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The first hour is often very good indeed as Caine's vicious illegal fight promoter finally gets his day in the sun with his first legit fight that could see his own son on the way to a title fight. The kind of guy who makes the National lottery show look tasteful and who'll have your arm broken if he thinks you've shortchanged him, he bulldozes his way through the preparations, not letting little things like a police investigation into a fighter's death or his son's nerves standing in his way, literally betting everything - including his children's houses - on his boy winning. Naturally he's heading for a big fall, with shades of King Lear en route with his two daughters squabbling over family loyalty vs. Shiner pissing away the kids' inheritance (not helped by Francis Barber's terrible performance as a grotesquely caricatured Regan and Goneril in one). The last 40 minutes when everything goes horribly wrong don't work nearly as well, though the revelation at the end is suitably banal - no real conspiracy, merely the consequence of Shiner's hubris - even if the final gunplay seems a little overblown, but Caine's powerhouse turn makes it well worth a look.
The DVD boasts a decent transfer, but unfortunately not in it's original 2.35:1 cinema ratio but a more TV-friendly 1.85:1.
The DVD boasts a decent transfer, but unfortunately not in it's original 2.35:1 cinema ratio but a more TV-friendly 1.85:1.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For anyone who likes Michael Caine, and particularly his performances in as tough, imposing gangsters, Shiner is a film for you. Caine is at his best in this superbly written thriller, about a boxing promoter who gambles everything on his son winning a title fight. But when his son is knocked out in th first round, and subsequently murdered, Billy "Shiner" Simpson (Caine) must unravel the truth as to who did it, and why his son only lasted one round.
Caines Performance is second only to the one he produced for Get Carter. Although much of Caine's stature may have gone, his dramatic vocal presence remains, with many of the best one liners he has produced for years.
Although it is said this film has an abrupbt ending, anyone who is a serious Caine fan will appreciate this well written and perfomed Vehicle.
Caines Performance is second only to the one he produced for Get Carter. Although much of Caine's stature may have gone, his dramatic vocal presence remains, with many of the best one liners he has produced for years.
Although it is said this film has an abrupbt ending, anyone who is a serious Caine fan will appreciate this well written and perfomed Vehicle.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Shiner is an excellent film,set and filmed in the East End. Michael Caine plays Billy 'shiner' Simpson in this gritty boxing drama.Up and coming movie actor Matthew Marsden shines through as he plays Eddie(Billy's son).Billy organises a fight between Eddie and the prize fighter of Spedding(Martin Landau).Billy has alot riding on this,Eddie needs to win,but things go badly wrong.Billy tries to find out some answers. There is an excellent supporting cast,including Andy Serkis as one of Billy's minders.This is a film with many subplots and some brutal fight scenes,but this is an excllent film.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A good cast but a poor film
A good cast but a poor film. Weak ending and lots of foul language. Surprised Michael Caine agreed to star in this mediocre film.
Published 6 months ago by John Atkin
Grim
I don't know. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I remember learning in high school English Lit several decades ago that there are three basic elements to a story: protagonist,... Read more
Published on 29 Dec 2005 by Joseph Haschka
Great film since Get Carter..
Shiner is one of the great films starring Michael Caine as a boxing promoter who puts his son up against the American champion.. When he loses and gets murdered in the process.. Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2004
My heart in my throat
I am a big fan of the picture, because it so subtly plays with your expectations, and fails to deliver in such a spectacular fashion that the ending becomes the whole glorious... Read more
Published on 3 May 2003 by Michael Bo
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