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Pillow Talk

Pillow Talk

List Price: $14.98
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: a viewer who likes funny movies.
Review: I would recomed this movie to any one who wants watch a movie that is somewhat serious then funny thought the movie. Very good acting by Rock Hudson, Doris Day, and Tony Randall! If you want a great movie, check it out!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Horribly Screwed-Up DVD Transfer Of A Great Film!
Review: Rating for this movie -- 5 Stars.
Rating for this DVD version of the film -- 1 Star.

"Pillow Talk" stars Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Tony Randall, and Thelma Ritter. It remains today what it was when released in October of 1959, and that is -- a highly-entertaining and well-acted romantic comedy.

The film was re-released on DVD-Video by Universal Studios on April 6th, 2004. This newer version has been enhanced for 16x9 widescreen TVs, and the anamorphic enhancement has helped in many places. However, the picture quality here does seem to be a bit of a "hit and miss" proposition. Several portions of the movie still look rather crummy (artifact-wise), exhibiting obvious dirt speckles and "noise". The opening titles sequence is peppered with dirt and artifacts galore, as are a few other parts of the film, particularly ALL of the "split screen" scenes. For some reason, it seems that these "split screen" shots could not be cleaned-up nearly as much as the other portions of the movie.

But by far the biggest atrocity is the fact that this 2004 DVD print has been mis-framed! In some places pretty badly, too. Head room is way too tight here, with the tops of many character's heads being cut off. This was NOT the case with the previous 1999 DVD print of this movie.

When you compare the '99 print with this 2004 one, the mis-framing is obvious in many places. It appears that this new print has been "zoomed in" quite a bit, creating the tight head room. Some of the most blatant examples of this "zooming in" occur in Chapter 10, where the piano player's head is severely cropped. Whereas, on the '99 DVD, her entire head is visible in the frame. Plus, a few seconds later in that "Roly Poly" scene, we see a shot of several people singing along to the music and clapping their hands. In this shot, TWO ENTIRE PEOPLE (one on the left and one on the right side of the frame) are totally cut out of the shot! Plus, part of another man is cut out of the frame on the left! These "missing" people are all visible on the 1999 disc.

And check out Chapter 14! This scene is simply horrifying from a framing standpoint! Literally half of Rock Hudson's head is missing here! When we KNOW it should be in the frame (based on the 1999 disc, which is perfectly framed for the 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the movie). Yikes!

This is ridiculous carelessness on the part of Universal's quality control department! Many scenes are totally botched with this zoomed-in mis-framing of the print!

Looks like yet another case of a Universal product being mishandled in the DVD transfer department. A pity! For "Pillow Talk" is one of the best romantic comedies you're likely to see this year, or any other year. And it deserves better treatment than this. It's just plain stupid to let an obviously-botched DVD video transfer like this one get into any consumer's hands! Doesn't ANYONE check these framing issues before finalizing the product? Mind-boggling indeed!

This newer DVD version of the film contains the exact same Menu design and Special Features as the previous non-anamorphic variant (minus a text info page about Universal "Web Links"). The bonus features aren't very plentiful, being limited to the original theatrical trailer and some very extensive and informative text notes on the film and its cast members. (FYI -- These text-based items are verbatim to the older "Pillow Talk" DVD release; but definitely worth a read. Until reading these Production Notes, I never knew a sequel to the film was being planned in 1980. But, unfortunately, the project never got beyond the initial planning stages, and the film was never made. Too bad. I'd have liked to have seen that sequel.)

I'm severely disappointed with this DVD. I looked forward very much to having this film in an enhanced anamorphic state. But in this butchered, mis-framed version, it's nearly impossible to fully enjoy the film. Because the FULL film is not here!

If you've already got the older non-anamorphic DVD of "Pillow Talk", you'd be better advised to just hang onto it, and skip this version entirely. Upon looking over both versions side-by-side, the older one really isn't very much worse (fuzziness-wise) than this new one. And when factoring in the mis-framing problem of the new one, the old DVD displays the WHOLE picture; while this new one definitely does not.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brings back memories of the drive in theatre
Review: I was a kid when my mom & dad put my sister and myself in the family car and headed out to the local drive-in theatre. This was my introduction to the years of Doris Day & Rock Hudson movies.I've seen this movie again about 10 years ago when i bought it on VHS and it was just as wonderful. Full of great music, a fun semi-dated comedy, a beautiful Doris Day and a breathtaking Rock Hudson. The story was simple, the costumes for Doris Day were the most beautiful i ever saw.Now i bought the DVD and have been terribly disappointed by the sound. It's very brassy i guess is the best word i can think of, the picture quality is pretty good. Funny, somehow it doesn't matter, watching these two fine actors makes it all worth it. Back in the early 80's i had the honor of working with late great Rock Hudson at Disney World. He was larger than life to me and the nicest gentleman I ever worked with. We miss him dearly. Doris Day will always have that pure charm that will always remind me of my mother.So bring back those memories that you have and get yourself a copy of "Pillow Talk". What were you doing in 1959?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pillow Talk
Review: Rock Hudson and Doris Day always been one of my favorite classic couples of the 1950s films. Pillow Talk is one of my top titles for their team up. When an uptight decorator share a party line with a carefree playboy who would know that when they meet it would end up love at almost first sight. The late Tony Randall always seem to play the man stuck in the middle of the two in so many of their films that he's a terrfic straight man comic addition.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful comedy of 3 Hollywood Stars with amazing chemistry
Review: I grew up knowing about Doris Day because my mother was/is a big fan of her comedies. When I first saw "Pillow Talk" I was a mere child (the film was made the same year I was born). Over the years I have watched it frequently, and now have it also on DVD. The film continues to entertain and delight me, even as my impressions have changed with time.

Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Tony Randall had a wonderfully delightful chemistry amongst them! From the opening where Doris is humming "Pillow Talk" after the intro is completed, to the far-fetched but humourous end when Brad Allen (Rock) is trying to tell his friend Jonathan that he is going to be a father, the film is simply splendidly performed throughout! Credit must also be given to the script writers Stanley Shapiro & Maurice Richlin, director Michael Gordon & Producer Ross Hunter.

Even though I was born the year "Pillow Talk" was made, I didn't even know party lines existed until I visited a great-aunt in Northern Minnesota. I remember picking up the phone and hearing people talk. WHAT A DISCOVERY! It put the film in a new context for me when I saw it later (I am not sure if I had seen it before). I suspect that the younger generation might not understand even the notion of party lines in our age of cellular phones and internet. In this regard, the film takes us back to a less techonologically advanced time, but a time where life seemed somehow more relaxed.

I delight in seeing New York City, Central Park, and the American automobiles in the 1959 frame of context. One question that pops into my mind: did people in NYC really have such big apartments with a single woman living alone, and still affording a maid to come in each day??? Was the maid really paid enough to make a living from it? Did NYC really have that sort of "everyone knows everyone" feel such as when Kelly the police officer congratulates Brad Allen as he carries Jan Morrow from her apartment to his? I doubt it, but the fantasy is lovely!

Rock Hudson did a really fun impression of a Texan rancher up in New York. Tony Randall was extremely funny as the self-deprecating multi-millionaire in love with Jan, and Doris simply glowed from beginning to end. The last few times I have watched it, which has been recently, I have been struck by the sexual frankness it explored. Brad the playboy, always luring in the beautiful women, Jan the wonderfully moral interior decorator, who shakes her tush in a very sexy manner at a nightclub when Brad first spots her, and the budding romance that develops between the two when he becomes "Rex Stetson", a cowboy from Texas. "Rex" playing the moral companion who would do nothing to offend the proper Miss Morrow, while inside he is sizing her up and biting at the bit to ... well bite at her bits? When the gig is almost up, "Rex" innocently suggests that Jan join him for a weekend in Connecticut. While there was no actual sex occuring, it is made clear that it was about to happen when Jan figures out the ruse Brad Allen has played on her. Hollywood, perhaps afraid of the extent of this sexual frankness, has Miss Morrow crying at the diner where she and Jonathan stop for coffee, saying "I thought we were going to get married." Good girl image preserved!

Later, when Brad Allen conspires with Jan's boss to have her redecorate his apartment, the scene of the music beginning to play and the double bed automatically folding out with sheets in place left no doubt what sort of life Brad led prior to falling in love with Jan. He was a playboy through and through and measured success by the quantity of women he successfully "entertained" at home. Growing up believing that promiscuous sexuality was a by-product of the late 60's counter culture movement and "summer of love", it struck me how direct and unambigious this scene was. However, in a very moral and virginal way, Jan's virtues are protected until she hears that Brad wants to marry her and in fact, loves her very deeply.

I am particularly fond of stories where romance changes a person for the good. Being an adult and a male, however, I wonder if such a womanizing playboy could and would remain ever faithful to the woman he loves for all eternity and never feel the need to stray again. It is fun, however, to believe that love was the true redemptor and that Brad and Jan lived happily ever after. Isn't this the great promise of romance AND fairy tales.
In both genres, Pillow Talk succeeds beyond measure and I love it more each time I see it.

P.S. The music is great too. Love "Roly Poly", "Possess Me" and of course, the theme song!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Comedy's Dream Team Delivers Smash Hit!
Review: There is a good reason why "Pillow Talk" was the biggest grossing film of 1960: It's a comedy masterpiece!

Jan Morrow (Doris Day) has a hard time with Brad Allen (Rock Hudson) whom she's never met, but she knows his constant chatting on their party-line telephone is outrageous! Brad meets Jan by chance, but conceals his identity, determined to have her fall in love with him.

Tony Randall contributes many laughs, and Thelma Ritter as Alma, the perpetually 'tipsy' maid is at her best. A wonderful cast of minor characters are the icing of the comedy cake. A busy side walk scene shows a mother with her small son who asks "Why is that man carrying that lady over his shoulder?". The perfect 1959 answer: "I'll explain it to you when you're old enough".

I'm sure anyone reading this review has already seen this film, but if not, treat yourself to this wide-screen DVD version! Highly recommended.*****

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sparkling Doris and Rock Comedy!!!!
Review: Pillow Talk is a sublime treat with one of cinema's greatest romantic duos -- Doris Day and Rock Hudson. Doris Day was really a spunky, sparkling comedic jewel and this is one of her deservedly best-known and loved romantic or "bedroom" comedies; it spawned several other pairings of Day, Hudson, and Tony Randall (who also stars) and is by far my favorite. The Day/Hudson chemistry is perfect, and the love and affection the two had as good friends in real life really shows and animates their scenes together.

Day plays Jan Morrow, a successful interior designer in 1950's Manhattan (certainly a rosier Manhattan than the one today, being more posh and seemingly friendly at the height of the "nightclub" era) who shares a party line with womanizer Brad Allen (the amazingly handsome Rock Hudson) and gets steamed in the priceless way only Doris can get steamed from listening to his nonstop steamy phonecalls to women. As it turns out, one of Day's clients, Jonathan Forbes (Tony Randall) is also a good friend of Brad Allen and has the hots for Doris, although she makes it clear to Jonathan she's not in love with him. When Allen gets a gander at the "other end" of his party line while escorting a date to the hot "Copa del Rio" nightclub -- Day beautiful in white, shaking her tush, he schemes to nab this cutie by pretending to be Rex Stetson, a Texas rancher with Southern hospitality and charm. So the fun begins -- split screen montages; carriage rides; and all!

Some of the many joys: the opening where luscious satin pillows in gorgeous colors (orange, pink, lime, etc.) are tossed from Day in one screen to Hudson in the next as Day sings the fun title song; Day's gorgeous Jean Louis clothes (so 50's chic!) replete with hats and gloves; Day's gorgeous apartment (love the colors!); Thelma Ritter as an inebriated housekeeper and confidant of Day's; Doris Day!; Rock Hudson!; Tony Randall; Day's wonderful songs, including "Possess Me" and the super duo with Perry Blackwell "Roly Poly" (Doris always appeared to be having such fun!). Another amusing thing is the subtext in Hudson's romantic films: a gay man impersonating a straight man impersonating a Texan impersonating a gay man!

A true classic!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: First and best of the Hudson-Day-Randall comedies
Review: Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall make an irresistible combination in this deftly handled romantic comedy. Thelma Ritter deservedly won an Oscar for her hilarious performance as Day's drunken maid.

Pillow Talk remains a classy and witty movie even today. It's by far the best-worn and most entertaining of the three pictures the trio made together.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best Doris Day Film Ever
Review: I have watched this movie many times over the years, but I really love this DVD as far as the crispness of color and the terrific sound. Of all of the Doris Day films, I believe this is her masterpiece. In addition to her beauty, acting talent, and lovely voice, she is a brilliant comic actress. I feel this film showcases her strengths best. Recommended for all ages and all sorts of people. This film is hilarious and classic, with a great ensemble cast.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: LOVE THIS MOVIE
Review: Pillow Talk is the best written, best directed, best performed comedy of all time. Not only is the script hilarious, but Doris is gorgeous in the top fashions of the day. The only other movie that has ever come close to being as funny as P.T. is Tootsie but I've watched Pillow Talk more times than I can count and when it shows up on TV, I watch it again and again, because it is such a fine piece of work. The only sad thing about Pillow Talk is that people still have never realized that Doris Day was a great comedic actress because, like Astaire, she made it look so easy. Carol Rollo


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