Crimewave (1986)

2003 DVD (NTSC/All Regions) release for the slapstick spoof of hitmen & crime stories. Directed by Sam Raimi & written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen & Sam Raimi. Starring Louise Lasser & Paul Smith. Approx. 82 minutes. Panorama. Album Description

for completists only

If you have a lot of love for Sam Raimi or the Coen brothers, it's worth checking out. It's a very silly movie, a live action version of Bugs Bunny cartoon. Bruce Campbell has a part, and Frances McDormand makes an appearance. May 24, 2007

Not so great

After a long time trying to find the lost Sam Raimi/ Coen Brothers movie to rent I gave up and just bought the Region 2 DVD (cheao) from amazon.co.uk.
This is the film Sam Raimi did after Evil Dead 2 that he wrote with the Coen Brothers. The film was beautifully shot with some real great camera work but quite simply does not work at all. The tone is all wrong for the script or the script is all wrong for the tone. Its like Airplane meets the 3 stooges meets I dunno what? The major plus is that Bruce Campbell has a supporting role as the sleazy "Renaldo" and is AMAZING. But this films score, acting, dialogue and sound effects are just horrible. Glad I saw it and glad I got it cheap. Anyone else seen this?
September 13, 2005

Sam Raimi's Second Slapstick, Cult , Horror, Drama

Sam Raimi proved to us, with his first film "The Evil Dead", that his mixed Comedy/Horror combination made his original directing style stand out. Combining complex camera angles, camera movement and overbearing gore. Crimewave takes filmmaking to a new medium, combing the classic film noir detective theme, with comedic horror/drama heroes and villians. Collaborating the screenplay with his assistant editor from the evil dead, not to mention future vituroso director "Joel Coen" , and Joel's brother screenwriter "Ethan Coen", the screenplay stands out as an early inspiration to Coen Brother's films, such as "The Hudsucker Proxy" and "Miller's Crossing". Crimewave is clever and enjoyable from begining to end. The flaws sustain the intense overacting and slaptstick mentality, yet that adds an extra flavor to Raimi's love of the three stooges. Starring Paul L. Smith, as the unappealing and weak willed , hero, security worker,and Louise Laser as a temptress turned nun. Also, starring Edward Pressman and Brion James as the agressive villian duo of exterminators. Crimewave is a stylistic action thriller bleeding with horror and slapstick comedy. A wonderful second feature for horror's backbone, Sam Raimi. October 13, 2004

Crimewave Fun!!

I LOVE this movie! I have had it on vhs since it first came out.
Reed Birney is adoribly innocent & dorky playing Vic in the lead role. But Brion James & Paul Smith stole the show playing the pest patrol baddies...getting rid of pesty people too. The cast is sweet, but the comedy is a silly dark crazy adventure. This movie is a classic funny movie. If you haven't seen it, give it a try...it'll be a dorky zanie ride! Even my 78 year old dad loved it for laughs, and he's got every new movie released! August 23, 2004

A True Classic

If you like silly "sick" comedies, movies like "8 Heads In A Duffel Bag" or "Dumb & Dumber," this is the movie for you! I remembered this movie from several years ago, and just had to track it down online! FYI, this is one of the earlier movies by the director of last year's blockbuster, Spider-Man. March 7, 2003

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