Rating: Summary: The original is still the best! Review: This 2-disc collection features 2 1/2 hours of extra documentaries, with recent interviews from cast members Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Tom Skerritt, Sally Kellerman, Gary Burghoff, Rene Auberjenois, Fred Williamson, Bud Cort, Michael Murphy and John Schuck. Wish they woulda got ahold of JoAnn Pflug (Lt. Dish)....man, she looks great in the film; woulda loved to see what she looks like these days! But the film has been painstakingly restored and looks better than ever with all the surgery scenes intact. If you have friends or family who are only familiar with the TV series, you must show them this classic comedy and let 'em see where it all started. It still holds up today and looks like it always will! Great, great movie!
Rating: Summary: MASH is a Smash Review: This antiwar movie is timeless and classic, but Robert Altman's commentary mostly complaining about the hit series that spun off is irritating. I think he's just 'ticked' off and jealous that the TV series of MASH actually overshadowed the movie to the point of the movie almost being forgotten. Both the show and the movie are great in their own unique way, and neither takes anything away from the other. The original movie's strength is the intertwined dialogue between the cast members along with some outrages moments, and great characters. The odd thing between the movie and the television version is that in the movie, the theme song is called "Suicide is Painless" and the televsion series calls it "The Theme from MASH"...
Rating: Summary: Best War Black Comedy. An AFI top 100 film now on DVD! Review: 1970 was the year Hollywood went to war with War Movies!! Patton (WWII Europe), Tora Tora Tora (WWII Japan & Pearl Harbor) and M.A.S.H. (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital - Korean War). The first 2 were high budget, Star Studded and on location. Mash was low budget, unknown cast and filmed on the Universal Ranch.MASH became the sleeper hit of 1970 receiving 5 Oscar nominations and winning 1 (Best Screenplay). This 2 DVD disk digitally remastered Widescreen (Letterbox)set has an extensive history and background information about the Korean War, Mash Units and the people who served during these difficult times. Actually MASH was an Anti-War film against the Vietnam War, but was done very effectively to be a very Dark Comedy in a war time environment. With the Humane Medical Teams showing the carnage of War through surgery and the horror of war and death. The movie conveys the story, cast and war time setting very effectively so we can enjoy the black humor, sex and horror. We get the message wihout the anti-protesters in our face. We see how war destroys us one way or another. Summary: The 4077th M.A.S.H. Unit is stationed 3 miles form the Korean front lines. The Cast of characters are drafted Medical Personell that find a way of serving and existing in this environment through humor, defying authority, sex and friendships. This movie is fast paced, a highly intense drama/comedy which allows us to enter the combat front through the humanity of medicine and the miracle of life. The cast is outstanding! You must see this movie. It is a historical statement of 1970 and it remains a timeless classic! After all, in 1972 a TV series evolved and remained in our lives for 11 seasons and now in reruns. Enjoy.
Rating: Summary: The Pros From Dover are back! Review: When I first saw M*A*S*H the movie on TV after being a fan of the series, I didn't like it much. Upon repeated viewings it began to grow on me and over the years has become one of my favorite films. In fact, I bought a laserdisc player in 1995 just to be able to own a widescreen copy of it. Seeing it in widscreen was like seeing it for the first time. Seeing it this past week on the DVD brought the same experience. Both picture and sound restoration are simply marvelous and bring a fresh appreciation to a film I have seen at least 50 times. There are plenty of extra features. I too was a little disappointed in Altman's commentary but it does not spoil the overall package. A five star film, a five star DVD set. This film ain't for everyone. It has no conventional story line and the overlapping dialogue may require reapeating viewings to pick up everything--although I still get something new everytime I see it. It's gory, sometimes mean, sometimes crude and sometimes slapstick. Drop your paradigms on movies, forget what you know and expect about film, forget the TV series, and just enjoy the experience. Give it a chance. You may hate it at first but if you are somehow drawn to it as I was, give it another chance. It just may grow on you. And one day you too may realize that Altman created one of the most brilliantly made films ever. There is nothing else like it. Now if only I could see it at the theater on the big screen.
Rating: Summary: Best Care Anywhere Review: I grew up watching the reruns of MASH on TV and I loved the tv show...so I went out and rented the movie.. Since 20TH Century Fox has put the movie and the first season out on DVD I went out and got them both..Im glad I picked these DVDs up
Rating: Summary: Great Movie/Director's Commentary Is Quite One Sided Review: I'm so glad 20th Century Fox has finally released MASH on DVD! The Movie itself is excellent, the restoration makes the film clearer than I ever remeber seeing it and the sound is top notch! (It really enhances Robert Altman's use of overlapping dialouge.) But the reason I gave it four stars instead five is the director's commentary; Boy what a hypocrite!! sure he directed this hugely successful movie, and the commentary has alot of interesting facts. But what bothered me the most was his bashing of the TV Series. (I'm a fan of both) in the commentary he never mentions the series by it's name or as the TV series, only as "That Show" and you can tell he hates it. later on he tells you why, He feels the show was extremely racist. I scratched my head wondering how he could say that when the film has many slurs itself. anyway thats my only compliant with the DVD set. If you want to watch a great film, and see what the TV series was based on definitly grab a martini and buy this DVD!!
Rating: Summary: M*oviemaker A*ltman's S*atire's H*ysterical Review: To begin with, I am an occasional Robert Altman fan. Many of his films I have found intriguing and well executed. But often, he doesn't so much tell a story but rather relate an experience. M*A*S*H* is a perfect example of this. So, if you as a viewer need to follow a story this film will come through as hollow and cynical. M*A*S*H* is very episodic and includes no character growth. There are funny elements, some which have nothing to do with the story, just the larger theme. This DVD set is a treat, offering all sorts of little goodies, enough to get off of the black market. The use of sound and zoom lenses is terrific and well transferred on this DVD release.. Like other Altman films, M*A*S*H boasts an all-star cast (or people who would become all star) including SALLY KELLERMAN, DONALD SUTHERLAND, ROBERT DUVALL and ELLIOT GOULD. This film inspired the brilliant Larry Gelbart to create a less ambitious, straightforward television series of the same name. The series episodes are a lot shorter but have a more standard storyline and a laugh track to tell you what is intended to be funny.
Rating: Summary: A top 25 movie Review: Quite frankly, this is one of the best movies about the absurdity of war ever made. Forget about the TV show which bvecame Alan Alda's soapbox. This is the reel deal. From gruesome operating room scenes to a wacky football game this movie is pure greatness.
Rating: Summary: Genius Review: One of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Imagine the TV show pushing the envelope of humor with rampant dirty jokes and sex. I despised the TV show. The movie rocks, so smart it makes today's comedy look like uninspired folly.
Rating: Summary: Still a lot of fun 30+ years later Review: I enjoyed M.A.S.H. when I first saw it years ago, it is very funny in an offbeat way and Donald Sutherland and Eliott Gould are both really charismatic. Watching it again recently I winced at the cavalier way women get treated, it seemed a bit ironic given the whole antiwar, anti-establishment tone of the movie. Does this reflect Robert Altman's own view of women? Anyway, it's still a lot of fun! Sally Kellerman was very funny as tightly wound, long-suffering 'Hot Lips' Houlihan.
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