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Hooper [1978] (REGION 1) (NTSC)


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CLASSIC BUT SEEN IT ALL BEFORE
Review date: 2008-07-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

I bought this on Region 2 via Germany as its hard to find over here, it has German packaging but English audio track and subtitles plus its un-cut.
If you're not familiar with the movie here's the plot in a nutshell: Hooper (Burt Reynolds) is the most renowned stuntman in Hollywood with the credits to prove it. While performing in his current film he becomes acquainted with a young up-and-comer (Jan Michael-Vincent) who threatens to challenge his prowess as a stuntman. Ski, the new kid, ingratiates himself to Hooper and gets hired to do some stunt work in the same film Hooper is working on. The pompous director of the film also is impressed with Ski and substitutes him for another stuntman in a dangerous stunt overriding Hooper's decision. Hooper is initially upset but determines that Ski did perform the stunt better than the person he originally selected. The director then changes the end of the film to include a death-defying stunt to be done by Hooper and Ski; Ski however suggests redesigning the stunt to be even more thrilling and dangerous. The design is too dangerous though and Hooper balks at taking the chance. Eventually Ski and Hooper's longtime friend and film producer talk him into it.

Well that's the bare threads of the plot anyway. There are subplots built into the story as well including Sally Field as Reynolds's live-in girlfriend Gwen who isn't crazy about his risk-taking and wants him to retire; Brian Keith as Field's father who suffers a debilitating stroke after a life-long career as a stuntman; James Best is Hooper's best friend and confidant who keeps the percocet and Coors coming; Robert Klein plays the egomaniacal director who finally gets his comeuppance; Adam West appears as himself being cast as the star of the film within a film here "The Spy Who Loved Danger"; finally there's Terry Bradshaw who picks a fight with Reynolds and his buddies in the movie's fight scene. And of course there are the stuntmen, to whom this movie is made to glorify, who are portrayed by various unrecognizable faces shown performing every stunt imaginable. It's all quite laid back and easy to take with a minor emphasis on the film's serious tones and the comedy in the forefront throughout. The final stunt is well worth seeing and there are other exemplary stunts as well such as Ski rappelling down a high-rise and shooting his way through a gauntlet of 'bad guys' while filming a sequence and Hooper free-falling from a helicopter from 224 yards - that's because the record is 223 he discovers. The most memorable scene is when Reynolds drives his pickup in reverse down the highway, getting pulled over by the state patrol - leading to yet one more shenanigan by the brash and impulsively practical joking stuntmen entourage ever present with him.

Fans of Burt Reynolds will no doubt rate this higher than I did and that's understandable. Compared to the rest of his films though this rates as above average only and mainly because of the excellent supporting cast and the stunts within the film. And as far as comparisons go this is probably the "jewel in the crown" for director Hal Needham whose directorial credits include the other Reynolds' films 'Stroker Ace' and 'The Cannonball Run' and 'Smokey & The Bandit' films. There are no extras on the DVD but the picture is as sharp as it could possibly be. 'Hooper' might not be deemed worthy of adding to your collection but it's definitely worth a rental for all Reynolds fans.

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hooper
Review date: 2006-05-12 Rating: 8 out of 10

If you like Burt Reynolds this is the ultimate movie for you. Cocky, slick, laid back humour that Burt stands for. Sit back and enjoy one of the best opening scenes in the business. Burt is a hard edged stunt man who lives for fun and wont let anything as trivial as a hollywood studio stop him from doing what he does best - keep an eye out for the bar room brawl between the stunt men and a SWOT team with its reference to the magnificant seven, and the final scenes of Burt and the 'new kid on the block' pull off the ultimate car stunt. Rip roaring fun with a brilliant sound track that will stay with you for ever !

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
John Marley
Jan-Michael Vincent
Sally Field
Burt Reynolds
Brian Keith

Creators:
Burt Reynolds (Primary Contributor)
Burt Reynolds (Producer)
Jan-Michael Vincent (Primary Contributor)
Hank Moonjean (Producer)
Lawrence Gordon (Producer)
Bill Kerby (Writer)
Thomas Rickman (Writer)
Walt Green (Writer)
Walter S. Herndon (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 9786305162001
Binding: DVD
ISBN: 630516200X
Number of items: 1
Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC,
Release date: 1998-11-10
Universal product code (UPC): 085391688129
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
DVD layers: 1
DVD sides: 1
Picture format: Pan & Scan
Region code: 1
Running time: 99 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1978-07-28
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)

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