Nixon

Rating:
Summary: Anthony Hopkins as "President Richard Nixon".
Review: Only if you are a Richard Nixon fan will you enjoy this film. Here is Oliver Stone's vision of the political life of Richard Nixon to his destiny of becoming President of the United States and his ultimate resignation in 1974. Who would of thought of Anthony Hopkins playing Nixon. But it works and Anthony Hopkins did a spectactular performance in this all-star movie. This VHS version runs 3 hours, 10 minutes. Interesting cucumber scene between Bob Hoskins and Wilson Cruz. May I recommend a more truer, faster and understandable movie? The Final Days (TVM) starring Lane Smith. After the movie, Oliver Stone will show you never-before-scene footage not in the final cut of the film.

Rating:
Summary: Grand film with all the right stuff
Review: As you may well guess, not many fifteen year olds would enjoy such a film as NIXON. However, at 15, I thoroughly enjoyed and had a complete grasp of the events portrayed in this great film. Oliver Stone has a grand combination of things I love: Anthony Hopkins, politics, and history. This was my reason for loving this film. Many of you may not be as enthused by politics and history as I. Even so, you owe it to the memory of this highly misunderstood leader to see the truth of what actually happened during Watergate and during his tenure as president.

NIXON has an all star cast which makes it even better to make the three hours go by more interestingly. It includes Anthony Hopkins (of Hannibal Lecter fame), Joan Allen, E.G. Marshall, and Paul Sorvino as a surprisingly convincing Henry Kissinger. Stone also masterfully uses archive footage to make real people like JFK, LBJ, Truman, Spiro Agnew, and Gerry Ford appear in the film. The film jumps around a bit, but it chronicles Nixon's childhood, his bids for the presidency, the Watergate scandal, and his life after the presidency. This truly is a masterful film, and these things only make it better.

NIXON is not a film for everyone. It is a great film, but the subject matter may not be to everyone's liking. My suggestion is that one rent NIXON first, see if you enjoy it, then if you do: purchase it. Whatever your decision, see this great film called NIXON.

Rating:
Summary: Good film, will Stone will do the film on George W Bush?
Review: The film was a good portrait of Richard M Nixon. Nixon was paranoid and portrayed as a MacBeth like-figure, minus a prodding wife. Joan Allen does well as the reluctant, then content, then exhausted Pat Nixon. The supporting cast was good. Nixon does not villify the man, like some thought or feared. The film was made about the time Nixon died. There are political implications, and what-ifs, and the usual Oliver Stone conspiracy theories. Nixon dodging the JFK Assassination by minutes, along with CIA Director Richard Helms reminding Nixon on the numerous coups and intelligence operations that he signed off on. Did Richard Nixon really know what he signed onto? Maybe. Maybe not. Let's not forget Bob Hoskins' portrayal of FBI Founder and Director J Edgar Hoover. Conspiracy theories on how MLK and Bobby Kennedy could be drawn from Hoover and Clyde Tolson venting rage at a horse track. The film's start was OK, and obviously showed Watergate as a part in a series of dirty tricks and internal spying. The film was good. I wonder what a movie on George W Bush would be like? I doubt they'd get Michael Moore to direct it. Oliver Stone would be good, despite recent clunkers like U-Turn and Any Given Sunday. Stone did a decent follow-up to JFK, which I liked better.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, but contrived, biographical film
Review: The first five minutes of this film made me wonder, "Why Anthony Hopkins as Nixon?" Surprisingly, however, as the film progresses, Hopkins delivers a great performance and he comes through in the clutch. While some might think his performance goes every where, I don't think it's really Hopkins' portrayal of Nixon that is unbalanced but the way the film portrays the man himself.

I felt very confused as to just how I was supposed to think of Nixon while watching this. At one moment we see a fascinating, determined man brought up with a bad family condition (two brothers killed, a hard father and religious mother), a man who is faithful to his wife and tries to please her whenever he can. Then suddenly we find a man who manipulates power, turns on friends, and seems to have a drug addiction (at least, one scene seems to point to that).

The end of the movie acts like Nixon was a victim of his own times, celebrating the achievements Nixon accomplished during his lifetime...but just an hour earlier, Oliver Stone showed bombs landing in Cambodia and added audio tracks of children screaming over the scene. Just what kind of man does he want us to think Nixon is?

In some ways this is probably another attempt by Oliver Stone to present anti-establishment feelings in a film. As said by another reviewer, Nixon himself realizes that the system is "a beast." There are other scenes in the movie that either discredit Nixon's innocence or seem to suggest like he was almost a monster: in the scene where Nixon decides on resignation he asks what other option he has, to which an aide replies "The military." This is quickly forgotten and the discussion moves on, and you wonder: why add it in at all? Was Stone trying to feed into anti-military feelings or trying to give another "The government is hunting you down" story like he did in "J.F.K." ? Nixon's ties with the mafia and other questionable references are added in and quickly forgotten, and as I said earlier you have to wonder just what sort of Nixon does Oliver Stone want us to believe in?

A scene near the beginning of the film has Nixon's aides asking what kind of Nixon the American people want to see. Perhaps Oliver Stone should have thought of that as he made this film - it has a fascinating "Stone-style" to it, but the script itself is extremely unbalanced in its pursuit.

Rating:
Summary: Oliver Stone's Masterpiece!
Review: Nixon was initially available only in a DVD with minimal extras. In recent years, Oliver Stone has revisited his entire canon with special edition treatments. Nixon was the last hold-out and has finally received a proper two-disc Collector's Edition complete with audio commentaries and other excellent supplemental material.

On the first disc are two audio commentaries by Oliver Stone. The menu simply calls them Commentary A and B with no other distinction than that. The commentaries have their share of dead air but considering that this is a three and half hour film, I'm willing to forgive Stone for the occasional lull.

Commentary A covers the performances, style and script of the movie, while Commentary B delves into the politics and history of the period. Commentary A is the more entertaining of the two as Stone offers his personal observations on the film. Commentary B is good in its own right as Stone discusses a lot of information that the film assumes the audience already knows and identifies who is who and their function in the narrative.

The second disc features ten deleted or extended scenes, some of which, like the meeting between Nixon and Helms, have also been edited back into the movie. Stone provides an introduction for each scene that puts the footage into the proper context within the film.

From the original DVD is also included the five-minute electronic press kit fluff piece that feels more like an extended movie trailer and the theatrical trailer.

To balance out the superficial EPK is an excellent 55-minute interview Stone did with Charlie Rose.

Nixon is a powerful historical biopic - arguably the last great one to come out of Hollywood. This two-disc set is a fantastic improvement over the original DVD. Perhaps the inclusion of a documentary on the real-life Nixon would've been nice for a different perspective on the man but this is a minor quibble. Nixon is well worth picking up for fans of Stone's films and students of United States history.

Rating:
Summary: A Hallmark Film
Review: Oliver Stone said that he thought this film and his film, "JFK", are his "Godfather Part One and Two". I am in complete agreement with him. Together they are a one-two punch combination. This is a hallmark film.

Rating:
Summary: From the Lemon Farm To The White House...
Review: This review refers to the DVD edition of "Nixon"

This film opens with a notation, that it is a dramtic interpertation of the events based on public records, that some scenes may be condensed or hypothesized. With that said, you will find this film to be an enlighting, educational and entertaining look at this turbulent time in American History. Whatever you thought or think about Nixon, whether you admired him or hated him, you'll get a good look at the man who had such a great impact on the country and the world.

Oliver Stone keeps us fascinated with the story from start to finish. It includes Nixon's life as a young boy growing up in a Quaker family and the tragic loss of two brothers, that seems to have quite an influence on his life, his football years at Whittier College,trying to rise out from under the shadow of the beloved John Kennedy, his role in the Viet Nam War, the Presidency and of course the infamous Watergate break-in scandel, leading to his resignation from the Whitehouse. It's not just the events that keep us captivated in this well made film, but Stone delves into the depths of Nixon's soul and the people around him. His relationship with his mother, his wife, and the figures that he worked most closely with, are all very much part of this enthralling story.

The cast is simply amazing as they key players in the events. They all seem to become the very characters they are portraying. Joan Allen, Powers Boothe, Ed Harris, Bob Hoskins(who does a fabulous job as J. Edgar Hoover), E.G. Marshall, J.T. Walsh and James Woods are a few of the very talented actors involved. I want to make special mention of Paul Sorvino who took on the look and persona of Henry Kissinger so well, that it took me several minutes to realize it was Sorvino!

This is a film that may well be appreciated by the History buff and the Film buff alike. It's a great way to learn about or relive this eventful era in American History.

The DVD I have is not the special edition.There is closed captioning in English for those needing it but there are no other special features. It is a good way to go for those just looking for a quality film with a quality transfer.The DVD presents a beautiful widescreen picture with excellent surround sound in DD5.1. And although Amazon is out of stock on this edition, there are some really good deals from the outside sellers. If you don't mind spending a little more and would like to hear the commentary and interviews,you may want to consider the "Special Edition"

Whichever edition you decide on, this is one film that is well worth having in your collection.
Enjoy...Laurie

Rating:
Summary: You can't kick Dick Nixon around anymore!
Review: Lets face it. Watergate has become one of the biggest scandals ever in the history of the Presidentcy. I personally like Nixon, but this movie is still great. Almost in all of Oliver Stone's films, he has created a tariffic cast. This film has an arguably great cast. I think people will remember this film for a long time.

Rating:
Summary: Not Stone's best effort
Review: Any effort to explore the complex psychology of our esteemed thirty-seventh president, Richard Milhous Nixon, in a single motion picture is sure to run into some difficulties. Scholars, commentators, and all around miscreants have spent years and used up entire forests of paper in an effort to understand Richard Nixon. Born into a poor family from California, Nixon possessed the sorts of gifts that virtually assured he would make a mark on the world, but he also had character traits that seemed to contradict his talents. A brilliant man with a gift for reinventing himself, but an awkward soul when it came to dealing with people, Nixon graduated from law school at the top of his class. By the time he went into politics in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the post-World War II Red Scare was well underway. Nixon took full advantage of McCarthyite tactics, first by smearing a political opponent with charges of pro-communist sympathies and later involving himself in the HUAC committee's work on the Alger Hiss/Whittaker Chambers case. Chosen to serve as Dwight Eisenhower's vice-president, he lost the 1960 presidential election to John F. Kennedy. After another defeat in a bid for the governorship of California, Nixon promised to drop out of politics forever. And he did, for a time, before coming back strong to win the presidency in 1968. Everyone with a pulse knows what happened next.

Oliver Stone, that joyful purveyor of offbeat cinematic adaptations of such touchy subjects as the Vietnam War (Platoon), the Kennedy assassination (JFK), and media violence (Natural Born Killers) constructs a lengthy treatise on a man who has become synonymous with political corruption. Here is "Nixon," a Stone production replete with all of his usual cinematographic stunts, a long list of well-known celebrities in roles both major and minor, and his now familiar breezy style of reworking historical fact to suit his personal vision. One suspects Ollie doesn't care much for Nixon based on themes found in his other films and the slurs heaped upon the subject of this one. As a former Vietnam veteran Stone certainly didn't appreciate Nixon's escalation of the war into Cambodian territory although he does give the man some credit for opening up China (I think). The film is difficult to discuss conventionally due to Stone's insistence on using the same convoluted, non-linear style found in "Natural Born Killers." There's Nixon arguing with his wife Pat about running for office. Here's Nixon convincing Pat to support him for one more go. Look, a sweaty Nixon debates Kennedy and complains about having the election stolen from him! Leave it to Stone to insert a significant thread about the Kennedy assassination, which, if not implicating Richard Nixon directly, opens the man up to charges that he knew who orchestrated the events in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

"Nixon" lurches on and on for over three hours. Most of the film deals with the scandals that ultimately brought him down in August 1974. As the nightmare of Watergate increasingly assumes corporeal form, a besieged Nixon hunkers down in the White House with his diminishing number of confidants railing about Jews, the press, the East Coast elites, and anyone else real or imagined who has it in for the president. The denouement takes place upstairs in the private quarters as the president slouches over a desk as Kissinger and Haig implore him to resign. When asked what options he has to fight with, one of the men replies, "The army." Yeah, right. Still, the movie does have its charms despite Stone's hallucinatory cinematography and editing. A great scene takes place right at the end, with Nixon musing aloud in front of a portrait of John F. Kennedy, "When they look at you, they see what they want to be. When they look at me, they see who they really are." A highly dramatic scene that works well in the context of the film's depiction of Richard Nixon as a deeply insecure man afraid of the American public.

Although I found the movie wishy-washy in its motivations and execution, I cannot cast aspersions on the cast performances. Top notch stuff all around, from Bob Hoskins as J. Edgar Hoover, James Woods as H.R. Haldeman, J.T. Walsh as John Erlichman, Powers Boothe as Alexander Haig, Mary Steenburgen as Nixon's Mom, Joan Allen as Pat Nixon, David Hyde Pierce as John Dean, E.G. Marshall as John Mitchell, and Sam Waterston as CIA director Richard Helms (and according to Stone, some sort of soulless demon with pitch black eyes and a weird fetish for plants). There are dozens of well known actors in this film. The two greatest performances come from Paul Sorvino as Henry Kissinger and Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon. Sorvino completely disappears into his role; he has the accent and mannerisms of the former Secretary of State down cold. Hopkins eerily recreates the late president, or at least the public persona of the man. There's a great scene where a young blonde woman hits on Nixon before he becomes president, and the reactions from Hopkins's Nixon are simply hilarious. Is it true? Who knows? Probably no truer than Stone's constant harping on some sort of shadow force running the government, first seen in "JFK" and tediously elaborated upon in "Nixon."

The DVD edition of Oliver Stone's "Nixon" abounds with extras. There's a commentary from Stone, a trailer, deleted scenes, an interview with the director conducted by Charlie Rose, and a widescreen picture transfer. Give "Nixon" a shot if you like Oliver Stone films, but don't expect to come away with an accurate picture of the late president. Those viewers looking for a fast paced film full of action should probably look elsewhere, perhaps Oliver Stone's "Platoon" if nothing else.

Rating:
Summary: Oliver Stone for the Defense
Review: Oliver Stone's film NIXON is an interesting example of what Aristotle calls "forensic rhetoric"--it is structured to provide extenuating circumstances that will lead audiences to view this president as "meaning well" when he violated his oath of office and broke his country's laws. According to this film, Richard M. Nixon, the paranoid potty-mouth who obstructed justice, was motivated by a kind of "Lincoln complex" and was just trying to preserve the Union at a time when (supposedly) it was in terrible danger of being split apart by protests against the Vietnam War. Nixon, the reasoning goes, was willing to break the law in order to save the nation. Of course, most of us, including millions of Republicans who have both brains and a sense of honor, know that this "defense" is hogwash, and the recent release of additional White House tapes further implicates Nixon in the early planning of the Watergate break-in, not just the cover-up. As an actor, Anthony Hopkins, as usual, is excellent, but only rarely and briefly can we suspend disbelief and imagine we are seeing Nixon. Other members of the cast also shine, and the script concerning their parts in this sordid chapter of our history is generally much more plausible. (Incidentally, if you want to see director Oliver Stone doing better work, view the wonderful film DAVE: in a cameo role, Stone plays a comic version of himself as conspiracy nut who just happens to be right.)