Rating: 
Summary: Don't know about Jack... but O'Toole IS God!
Review: This wicked, hilarious and original piece of filmmaking could be the wildest British movie ever made as it boldly goes... in all directions, milking Barnes' brilliant idea for all its comedic worth : as long as poor (actually filthy rich) Jack believes he's God, his relatives want to commit him -- but when he turns into a killer, they start adoring him as he takes his place in high society.While I don't know about Jack, I firmly believe that Peter O'Toole IS God. If his audacious and mesmerizing performance wasn't reason enough to want to own that DVD, the Criterion edition is a MUST since it offers a delightful commentary by the 3 Peters which is both insightful and funny -- you even get to hear O'Toole's inimitable laughter. Hours and hours of bliss.
Rating:
Summary: I'm Jack! I'm Jack!
Review: Up there with Bunuel's work as an analysis of elitism and also up there with "Cannibal! The Musical!" as the strangest (and funniest) musical ever made, this is a treat.
Its length can seem intimidating, but it goes by quickly. The opening half has a lot of the feel and wit of Victorian drawing room comedies, only infinitely more scandalous and blasphemous. After the 13th Earl of Guerney buys the farm in rather spectacular fashion, it goes to his son, Jack. Only Jack would prefer Joshua; you see, he thinks he's Jesus Christ. This naturally scandalizes his uncle, who of course is out for the family money.
To blow what follows wouldn't be fair, because you won't see it coming. Suffice to say this goes from being light, witty comedy to something much more serious; the line I quoted above closes out the film and it's one of the more chilling things you'll hear.
This is highly recommended. Even if you don't like it, you'll never be able to hear "The hip-bone's connected to the thigh-bone..." without busting a gut again.
Rating:
Summary: more or less than black comedy on the english ruling cla...
Review: While the reviews are accurate, I think more can be said about the subtleties in this film. Some have said O'Toole's great and others thought shabby. I agree with both, and I think the film is stronger for it. Many have said the beginning is dry, but some would say the same for the beginnings of the four gospels, or Kazantzakis' "Last Temptation Of Christ" (but this is a narrative device). I'm not going to quote from the review I've written for this film. But I will discuss one aspect of my argument for those who are interested in buying the film and for those who've seen it and didn't like it. The O'Toole (character) doesn't simply believe he's christ, but I would argue, he's really his double. Shortly after his arrival on the scene, he reveals the "new dispensation" which--while not opposed to christ--is beside christ and his "old dispensation": "the old dispensation according to mark... redeemed the soul," but satan found something new to exploit ("the love of self"), "the new dispensation gives it [that redemption] to the body as well..." This new christ, I wouldn't deny the O'Toole character as being anything other than a new christ is going through those very transformations of the old christ (temptation, skepticism, trial, crucifixion, resurrection, and according to some, marriage, sex, and so on). The repetition is the same but with a difference, for instance, the redemption of the body... is this not a postmodern theme (Foucault wrote "the order of things" in 1966 published in english in 1970 Peter Barns published "the ruling class" in 69, to give you a sense of the milieu)? This is why J.C. (designating the O'Toole character) keeps on saying, "have sex," and so on. But isn't he a paranoid schizophrenic (the doctor Herder's (sic) analysis)? And isn't he a bourgeois (Tucker's analysis)? And isn't he a lord (his uncles analysis?)? And isn't he artistic (his aunt's analysis)? Perhaps he is all or one of these. This depends on how you read films and where you draw the lines on the credulity of interpretations. For sure he exhibits the symptoms of schizophrenia (but isn't this part of the postmodern condition?). For sure he exhibits the position of the (modern, avant-garde: e.g. Breton) upper class. There's a certain level where he is all of these and none of these. His character is precisely the play of these different selves and revealing precisely the plasticity of the self. In our epoch we don't only have the multiplication of christ figures (Freud, Marx, Nietzsche, etc.) we also have the power to be or identify ourselves-without the aid of any "grade-A Galilee miracles"-with christ (hegel would have loved it). Or perhaps it's our epoch that we will no longer allow the possibility of another christ, either we turn them into madmen, murderers, geniuses, and so on. Those of you who have the movie and those of you who'll buy it, watch it a few times, or research the harangues (or preaches, or poems, which so ever you please) he gives and you'll realize that either he is a christ, a madman, a murderer, or a genius, a poet, a pilot, or a lord. All and none of these... Precisely, a god. (I find I cannot resign myself to choosing one). (I love the scene where he's in the attic taking off the masks and re-defines his identity to the god of the old testament as well as jack the ripper). For instance, at his third crucifixion (for every time he puts his glasses on I designate a crucifixion) he says something like "don't forget that I'm not only the father, the sun, and the holy spirit, but also LLB, DFC, and ADC..." now these could be the ravings of a lunatic (and they are on one level), but he could be (in an American dictionary) a bachelor of law, member of the Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Defense Command or Aide-de-camp or Aid to Dependant Children, or again the rants of a lunatic, a murderer, a king, a poet, or a genius. I leave it up to you to decide or not.
Rating: 
Summary: the brother of Sherlock Holmes!, you illeterate oaf!
Review: wow, this is quite honestly the weirdest(not to be confused with strange, that is reserve for clockwork orange) movie i have ever seen, and ive seen some weird ones, but nevertheless, very very funny but make sure you dont have some apahty for dark british humor, imean honeslty its a fanstatic film and hsa some great songs(everybody do the varsity slag!) its very very pricey though, so keep in mind to have an open mind nad very liking to british humor, i am very proud it is in my collection though, deffinatly worth price
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