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From Amazon.co.uk
Is it time, after the anonymous disaster of Mission to Mars, to give Brian De Palma's famously doomed film of Tom Wolfe's bulky novel Bonfire of the Vanities another chance? The uproarious ins and outs of the film's troubled production have become well-known via Julie Salamon's account of its making, The Devil's Candy, and fans of that might want to flick between page and screen to see just when Melanie Griffith caused untold continuity problems by having her breasts inflated. Techno buffs will surely appreciate the pointless but somehow wonderful trickery of an extended tracking shot at the outset that exists only to last a few seconds longer than the one in Orson Welles Touch of Evil (1958). Tom Hanks was rather better cast than was generally allowed, as "master of the universe" Sherman McCoy, who comes a cropper after a hit-and-run accident, since his nice-guy act shows intriguing cracks. And even Bruce Willis does his best on a hiding to nothing as the drunken writer. It is funny in parts, agonising in others, and misses Wolfe's tone--but somehow its failures might make it as symptomatic of the long-gone excesses of the early 90s as the novel was of the 80s. --Kim Newman
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By mehmet ozkan
Format:DVD
Bonfire of the vanities is clearly an underestimated movie. Tom Hanks and his mistress, Melanie Griffith, lose their way and accidentially kill a boy. Hanks gets the responsibility in order to hide his secret affair, but finds himself in the middle of a head hunt. Everybody wants this young, rich, succesful, guy's head for different reasons and the outcome is really satirical.
Great director Brian de Palma lets Hanks to mess things up, tells the story mostly from the eyes of a rotten journalist played by Bruce Willis and sums it up with a good final.
Tom Hanks in the middle of his filmographie, is not as powerful as in Philadelphia, Forrest Gump or Saving Private Ryan but this movie is certainly a step forward. In Bonfire of the Vanities you can see the coming performances after his immature acting stuff in movies like Big, The Man With One Red Shoe or Bachelor Party.
Melanie Griffith in one of her best performances, plays the selfish mistress who does anything to buy her way out. Bruce Willis is as usual. If you like him as David Addison in Moonlighting series, then you wont be disappointed with this one.
Solid performances from experienced actors like Morgan Freeman, Saul Rubinek and Donald Moffat is also welcomed. Dave Gruisin's musical score is good.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Clipper 314
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
well worth the watch.. even if you've read the book first !.. although the story line is a bit different from the book it actually offers an alternative final scenario which is either more.. or just as fitting. I thoroughly enjoyed both and found the characters portrayals great fun, witty, and believable. Good fun with a sting in the message .. well worth it
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By heyjude
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read the reviews before ordering this DVD. It appeared that those who had not read the book loved it and those who had read the book thought the film a disappointment. I read the book first. The book is far more complex, pertinent and witty than the film but I think the film stands on its own as a well acted comedy. Because I knew that Tom Hanks took the lead in the film, as I read the book I actually saw him throughout in the part of Sherman McCoy, Master of the Universe - perfect casting! The Bruce Willis role was certainly adapted and changed from the book - but, in my opinion, it works in the context of the film - after all the book does have more than 700 pages - that would make for a rather long film! A highly recommended piece of entertainment.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
An underrated masterpiece
I still can't understand, after all these years, why this film was and still is so underrated. To me is one of De Palma's masterpieces, where you can enjoy all his talents but... Read more
Published 9 days ago by Luca Piccirilli
3.0 out of 5 stars
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00004SPVI/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title
Wish I had watched this BEFORE I read the book! It's probably not a bad film and I suppose I can't blame the actors, they are only doing as directed. Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2011 by maryb
4.0 out of 5 stars
head titles
I was intrigued, reading somewhere this movie has the best head titles sequence ever.
Really it is good. Read more
Really it is good. Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2009 by Alessandro Conte
1.0 out of 5 stars
deception
This film is a deception. While the book is great one expects a lot of it but it does not deliver.
Published on 9 July 2009 by R. de Heij
1.0 out of 5 stars
buy the VIDEO NOT the DVD
Not only is the DVD cut, but its 4.3 = SQ video print has been cropped on 3 to 4 adjacent sides, thereby making the DVD image less than that on the Video version, & so more than... Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2008 by T. M. Small
4.0 out of 5 stars
De Palma doesn't do straight satire.,
Personally, I watched the movie without having read the book, which could be seen as both a good and a bad thing. Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2008 by Jenny J.J.I.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Most people expected this movie to be better because of the cast
There is a saying 'The Higher You Go,The Harder You Fall', Sherman Mccoy (Tom Hanks) is a materialistic Wall Street Investor who doesn't lack anything. Read more
Published on 16 April 2007 by Jay
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Bonfire Of The Vanities
I've read several times that the film of the Bonfire of the Vanities is nothing when compared to Tom Wolfe's original book, but even so for those, like me, who have never read the... Read more
Published on 10 April 2005 by Rich Milligan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and thoughtful
Having never read the original novel of "Bonfire of the Vanities", I cannot comment on how faithful or effective this is as an adaptation. Read more
Published on 7 April 2005 by "johnfrazer1"
3.0 out of 5 stars
slow to start funny to finish
when i first started watching this film i thought it was going to be very boring and long but i have to say that i found this film really funny and was laughing from half way... Read more
Published on 23 July 2004 by Ms. E. Blankson
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