Rating: 
Summary: 1941 is not Anamorphic.
Review: I am impressed with the extras on this 1941 DVD.
It has good interviews in a long making of documentary,it has outtakes and is the directors cut with extra scenes. But why would they go to all this effort and not make it anamorphic? That would have improved the picture quality which is very disappointing.
Rating: 
Summary: Underrated beyond underratedness...
Review: Movie: Ok, I must addmit, this is the famous Speilburg flop, but hey it's Steven Speilburg! It can't be all bad! That's what I though when I rented it, and guess what, I loved it. It doesn't compare to his other masterpeices, but is a great classic. Although the jokes don't always work, there so many of them it doesn't matter. The plot, along with it's allstar cast is really extremely enjoyable. It's a week after the attacks of Pearl Harbor, histeria has hit the west coast, for fear of another attack. Things get so out of control, that most of the caos come from misunderstandings, our own planes and war nerves create total panic and ruin in some parts of L.A. It was decent with out the extra half-hour of footage, it great with it! Just sit back and enjoy one of speilburg's strangest films.
Movie: 4 stars out of 5 stars
DVD: This DVD is a great addition to the dirctor's cut. There's are dosens of stills, cut sceans, and an excellent one hour and fourty minuet documentary. Unfourchantly, the picture and sound quality aren't great but, usually is not noticable, the movie totaly distracts you from it. A DVD worth the movie.
DVD: 3 out of 5 (It's 3 due to the poor picture and sound quality)
Rating:
Summary: The Most Explosive Comedy Spectacular of All Times!
Review: I have to admit; I love 1941. There's some insane part of me that gets a cheap thrill from watching Hollywood Boulevard being destroyed by a bunch of total morons. 1941 may not be a great movie, but then again, no one was expecting it to be GONE WITH THE WIND. It's just an insane comedy that I happen to love.The film has several different plots, all of which come crashing together during the last hour and a half of the movie. The Japanese, parked off the coast of California in a large Japanese submarine, make plans to blow up Hollywood. They are led by Japanese commander Commander Mitamura (played by Toshiro Mifune) and Nazi Captain Vonkleinschmidt (played by Christopher Lee). Back on land, Wally (Bobby DiCicco), aided by best friend Dennis (Perry Lang), hopes to win the jitterbug contest with Betty Douglas (Diane Kay), who is chased around by serviceman Chuck "Stretch" Sitarski (Treat Williams). Betty's friend Maxine (Wendy Jo Sperber) lusts after Sitarski, and Betty's father Ward (Ned Beatty) recieves an anti-aircraft gun that bears a striking resemblance to an army tank. Meanwhile, General's aide Loumis Birkhead (Tim Matheson) lusts after Donna Stratton (Nancy Allen), who is turned on by planes. And bursting through all of this is loud and crude nutcase pilot Wild Bill Kelso (John Belushi) who makes it his business to blow everything up. The first hour or so is far more calm than the last hour and a half. During this, writers Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale (who went on to do BACK TO THE FUTURE) set up all the characters and plot lines, not all of which I have mentioned yet. The gags are slowly milked out to their fullest extent, and Slim Pickens has a funny role as a drunk captured by the Japanese The last hour and a half, however, is a blast in the face of music, sound and imagry. There's lots to see here; a ferris wheel rolling off a peir, with two guys (Murray Hamilton, Eddie Deezen and Deezen's wooden dummy) on top of it; Beatty's wife Lorraine Gary watching in horror as he drives a tank through their home; and, of course, Kelso and all the others blowing up half of Hollywood Boulevard while General Stillwell (Robert Stack) watches DUMBO in the local theatre. The music by John Williams is unforgettable, hummable and, as usual, absolutely perfect. The visual effects are amazing for their time, and even more amazing when you consider the fact that they're better than most of today's computer effects. All the technichal elements in the film are superb. Will you like this movie? I don't know. I did, but then again, my sense of humor isn't exactly sophisticated. I thought 1941 was crazy fun, but don't see it if you have weak ears, and if you have the volume on high, brace yourself. The last hour and a half is basically people screaming and stuff blowing up, and it's LOUD. But I still found 1941 to be, in a goofy way, loud and insane fun. The DVD is great. There's an excellent 110 minute documentary on the making of the film, and no wonder it's excellent; it was directed by documentary maker extraordinaire Laurent Bozereau. By the way, the cut on the disc is an extended cut that has about 26 minutes of extra footage. I don't remember the original version well enough to comment on the difference however. Also included are excellent production notes, great photo galleries, three fun trailers (the first of which has specially prepared footage), original reviews (which are, for the most part, really, really nasty), and some interesting deleted scenes. Also, Universal has graciously cut the movie up into 60 (!) different chapters. Talk about packaging! It may not be a classic, and it may not really be about anything besides stuff getting destroyed, but 1941 is still VERY, VERY FUNNY. I recommend it both for the movie and this EXCELLENT DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Watching it again is disappointing...
Review: I haven't even seen this DC, but I know the old film used to be funny when I was eleven to thirteen. I cannot see why I enjoyed this film then. Spielberg has done better, thank God, but this "comedy" wasn't as good the second time. Rated PG for nonstop action violence, quite harsh language, and nudity.
Rating:
Summary: well,Spielberg's not Landis but...
Review: 1941 by Spielberg is the one i liked the most
after the other key movies by the same director,such as
Jaws,Raiders of the Lost Ark and Duel.it does contain
several elements of dynamic screwball comedy that had been
shown again in other Spielberg's films.watch it because it
has an incredibly fast moving actor as Belushi was and this is just enough not to miss it.
Rating:
Summary: THE Famous Spielberg Flop..
Review: I must say that I had heard MANY things about "1941" over the years from various written publications and even fellow film nerds. I hadn't seen the film and just took their word that the film was not very good (Yes, I DO read reviews. Critics are smarter than about 90% of the film-going community!) Until one day, I was looking around in a video store when I saw the old VHS box standing in front of me. Since I had nothing to really do that night, I said "What the Hell?" and rented it. Upon viewing the film, I could see why the film was such a distear. The film is set up to where there is a joke,gag,etc. just about every minute. Some worked great while others simply didn't. I finally finished watching the film and thought over what I had just seen. On one of those rare oscasions, I found myself disagreeing with film critics. I enjoyed the film. It had it's flaws. But there were unfairly pointed out and nit-picked about during the original theatrical release because critics were gunning for Spielberg to fail. It's a fun film! From the opening "Jaws" spoof to the exploding credits, you can't help but crack a smile. The DVD itself is quite enjoyable and full of good bonus materials. That includes the great 101-minute documentary "The Making of 1941" featuring retrospective interviews from strictly the crew of the film (Director Steven Spielberg, Writers Robert Zmeckius & Bob Gale, Writer/Producer John Milius, and others), an extended cut of the film featuring some nice new gags and surprisingly good character development,deleted scenes,trailers,etc. As for the arguments about the DVD's transfer. It's a good transfer. It SHOULD have been anamorphic, but it is still a good print in non-anamorphic. Recommended Film AND DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Spielberg's Underrated flick.
Review: Days after, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. America went in a State of Panic. The Japaneses (Lead by Toshiro Mifune) and a Nazi (Christopher Lee) are planning to Attack on Los Angeles, California in Hollywood from thier Subnarine. The Citizens of L.A. are in a State of Pandemonium. Creating much more fear to themselves, which they are making more Havoc and Crazed than the Enemies. Directed by Steven Spielberg (Indiana Jones Trilogy, The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun) made a Spectacular, Outragerous comedy that is extremely Wild and it's a surprisngly well done Epic for this kind of film. This film turned out to be a Box Office Disappointment and it was a Critical Failure to the Critics. This has become an Cult Classic and then got Rediscover later on Video, Laserdisc and the Extended Television Version. Spielberg did expanded his cut to added 26 mintues of footage. Director's Cut is a better cut that his Original Release Version. Lavish Special Effects, Some Excellent Vignettes and Excellent Cinematography by William A. Fraker highlight this flawed but interesting flick. The Cast included:Dan Aykroyd, Ned Beatty, John Belushi, Treat Williams, Nancy Allen, Robert Stack, Tim Matheson, Warren Oates, Bobby DiCicco, Dianne Kay, Murray Hamilton, Lorraine Gary, Slim Pickens, Eddie Deezen, John Candy and more. DVD has an good non-anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an strong Digitally Remastered-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD extras are good, including:102 Minutes Documentary, interview with the filmmakers:Spielberg, Bob Gale, John Milius, Robert Zemeckis, A.D. Flowers, Fraker, Gregory Jein, Micheal Fahn and John Williams. Avoid the Pan & Scan version, which ruined Fraker's Cinematography. Watch for Penny Marshall, James Caan, Micheal Mc Kean, David L. Lander and Mickey Rourke in Cameos. This is a Unique film that has some Excellent Vignettes, even thought it`s a Gargantuan Comedy, it`s worth a look. Written by Zemeckis & Gale, from a Story by Zemeckis, Gale and Milius. Panavision. Grade:A-.
Rating: 
Summary: Learn to Laugh
Review: OK, OK, I admit this movie is a bit sophmoric, but if that worked in 'Animal House', why can't it work here? I loved this movie, and those who are overly critical of it need to realize that simple humor does work. Notice I said 'simple' and not 'stupid', which in light of recent box office releases such as 'Jackass' seem to be somewhat popular. What makes this movie more poignant is September 11th. Now, I know it isn't good form to make fun of the recent terrorist attacks, but the reaction by the US mirrors the events following the attack on Pearl Harbor, which this film makes fun of. Trust me, I am in the US military, and people we racking their brains in trying to guess what, where and how the next attack would occur. I read reports of people in small towns in west central Texas thinking they would be the next target. It was the same paranoia that occurred after December 7th. I don't advocate taking terrorism any less serious, nor do I want to downplay the heroic actions of those in NYC, the Pentagon, or on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania; but we spun ourselves through the roof (and still do) with a "ready, fire, aim" mentality. Panic does not help, and the best thing to do is cool down and think clearly. I think this films shows us how ridiculous "war nerves" can make us all! Well worth the money!
Rating:
Summary: The night , the rising sun fell on Hollywood!
Review: Spectacular is certainly the word for this utterly wild comedy epic directed by Steven Spielberg and nominated for 3 Academy Awards. Lavish effects sequences highlight this hilarious, all-star extravaganza set in Los Angeles just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor,when fear of a japanese invasion threw the city into a state of Pandemonium. Screwball characters run wild on Hollywood Boulevard as manic servicemen, zealous store owners, teary-eyed girls and bickering nazis are thrown together in this fast-rising comic soufflé that even features a sendup of Spielberg`s own "Jaws" opening. 1941 - starring Ned Beatty, Toshiro Mifune, Warren Oates, Christopher Lee, John Candy, Treat Williams, Robert Stack as Gen. Stillwell, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as Capt. Wild Bill Kelsoe.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty watchable for a bad movie
Review: "1941" is a complete mess with a whole lot of unfunny forced jokes and an awful screenplay (by Robert Zemeckis and John Milus). It's clear that Spielberg is a talented filmmaker who doesn't quite have the knack for choosing good scripts. While nearly everything he did before this was gold (including "Duel" and "The Sugarland Express")... he was obviously at a loss for how to handle a slapstick comedy. That said, his talent does shine through in a lot of scenes. There's a pretty fun dance number, the special effects for the plane chase through Hollywood haven't dated a bit, and how can anyone resist a movie that pairs up Toshiro Mifune and Christopher Lee? Maybe the casting of Mifune wasn't such a good choice, because I couldn't root against him, even while he was plotting to blow up Hollywood. I just couldn't!
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