Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987)

A VERY MAILER MOVIE (AS IN GREAT, EMBELLISHED WITH SPEEDBUMPS)

When classmates in the 60's were reading Salinger I started reading Mailer. And haven't stopped. Until he died last week. Happily I've read and collected all but a few of his titles. I enjoyed his film translation of TGDD because I'd read and enjoyed/learned from the book.Now I guess it's re-reading time.

This film is as Mailer as the book. With a strong, character-driven plot drawn with the brilliance and pomposity Mailer's famous for. Personally,
I like his departure from expected forms, taking risks which might prove embarrassing. Flowing or stumbling, the flow of TGDD is still audaciously Mailer-brilliant. Funny on purpose or an egotistic misstep, artistically insightful or hung-over-off, it's still is way up with acknowledged smartest, entertaining flicks.

TGDD is an learning experience as well as an entertainment, in terms of the human experience as well as film writing and directing. Somehow, the characters seem exactly as I saw them when reading.

For a double hit, try reading the book before or after viewing the movie - I've come to like reading after viewing, for the imagery. It will make an impression, and an impressive one. November 14, 2007

Great Movie

Norman Mailer's genius shines through with every scene. Very entertaining and plenty of black humour. September 3, 2007

Its kinda like a creeping death, a disease so powerful you must watch

On a scale of 1-10, i really give this movie a negative 7000. its possibly the worst movie ever made and tarnishes what is a distinguished career of a pulitzer prize winning novelist. The book, only slightly better, did lend itself to this type of bizarre movie. Here's the deal though...no matter how terrible it is, with plot holes abound and continuity errors, this movie is beyond quotable. I've found myself saying "oh man...OH GOD OH MAN!" and throwing my hands up spinning around in a circle more times than you could ever imagine not to mention the wonderful "i have deathguts" by the best southern sounding "swish" ever. Everyone should at least see this movie four or five times, and tell all your friends. Spread the cancer that won more independent film awards than should ever be given to such a wonderfully horrid movie. I know i'm buying a copy, just so i can show it to everyone I know and detract years from their lives. Join me in the darkness that is Norman Mailer's cult classic. August 24, 2005

Nobody Will Read This But I'm Writing This Anyhow

The mere fact that MGM deemed this film worthy of a DVD release has to be a cosmic joke. I remember seeing this film on it's initial run back in 1987 in it's opening(and closing) week and there were, including myself, three people in the audience. I loved every minute of it. This film has it all. Ham-handed direction by writer Norman Mailer, convoluted plotting, overwought writing. In other words, brilliant. Mailer is ably assisted by a game cast that includes Ryan O'Neal(Mr. Box-office Poison), Isabella Rossellini(fresh from "Blue Velvet"), Wings Hauser(brilliant in the film,"Vice Squad"), Lawrence Tierney(Joe Cabot from "Reservoir Dogs"), and Penn Jillette(Penn and Teller). In a perfect world the catch phrase "Deep-six the heads" should have entered into the common vernacular. Anyone who fancies themselves a film buff should see this film once. Just to believe it. April 18, 2005

Deep six the one-star reviews!

If "offbeat noir" is your clarion call, this is your movie. (Our one-star reviewers completely missed the bus to Irony on this one). Written and directed by iconoclastic writer Norman Mailer, "Tough Guys Don't Dance" is assured cult status,now that it is available on DVD. Ryan O'Neal gives a deadpan performance reminiscent of his work in "The Driver". O'Neal plays an inscrutable ex-con with a conniving "black widow" for a wife, who experiences five "really bad days" in a row, involving drugs,kinky sex,blackmail and murder. Due to some temporary amnesia,however,he's not sure of his own complicity (O'Neal begins each day by writing the date on his bathroom mirror with shaving cream-keep in mind, this film precedes "Memento" by 13 years!) Veteran film noir icon Lawrence Tierny (cast here 5 years BEFORE Tarantino thought of resurrecting him for "Reservoir Dogs") is priceless as O'Neal's estranged father, who is helping him sort out events (it's worth the price of admission alone to hear Tierny bark "I just deep-sixed two heads!"). Equally notable is a deliciously demented performance by B-movie trouper Wings Hauser as the hilariously named Captain Alvin Luther Regency. Norman Mailer's "lack" of direction has been roundly criticized, but his minimalist style actually works perfectly for the story, giving his movie a David Lynch feel (although that might be due to the fact that Isabella Rossilini is in the cast and the soundtrack is by Lynch stalwart Angelo Badalamenti!) Film fans who also happen to be LITERATE (i.e., those who actually READ) will eat this one up. January 8, 2004

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