Hudson Hawk [DVD]

Blown away by the fast service, ordered it and received it the next day. Came in perfect shape, no flaws or scratches. So happy to be able to replace my VHS with a Blu Ray of a great movie.

I think the biggest problem with this movie is that people think theyre supposed to take it seriously. Ummmm, no. Its satirical comedy, not straight comedy. All the indignant people who pan this movie by saying its stupid are taking it way too seriously. Of course its stupid, its satire. (warning, some minor spoilers, but they dont matter much) I mean, the love interest is a nun, he mails himself to the Vatican, he spends the whole movie trying to get a cup of capuccino and his parole officer tries to get him to commit a crime. Think The Da Vinci Code meets Laurel and Hardy.

One of those classic chessy movies that I always watched on cable in the 90s. Saw it again today and its still a fun film. Blu ray wise, its very bare bones. No commentary, special features, digital code or regular dvd. Plus amazon is very arrogant about the fact that dvds are collectables, so expect the slipcover to be damaged. Transfer is likely from the dvd source just upscaled. No restoring. Still lots of grain and dirt but a definite improvement over a standard dvd. Something I dont mind because it matches the look of the period without looking overly cleaned up and digital. The sound is crystal clear though. Despite how bare bones it is its nice to finally own an hd version of a classic flick.

Forget Southland Tales, this movie is a real doozy. If theres a term that defines beyond over-the-top, it would be Hudson Hawk. Theres no way to explain just how bat-scat crazy this movie really is, other than saying its outrageous balderdash. I didnt know what to expect from this, other than the fact that it got panned by critics. I can understand why: its not that it was sold to be one thing but its really something else, this movie was sold to be one thing but it turned out to be too much of everything. That thought can put anyone in a weird position. The bizarreness began when the movie started in a book form, telling about Leonard da Vinci making a conversion device that can turn lead into gold. Jump to the present day (circa 1990), it has the titular character (Willis) bailing out of prison and being escorted by his pal Tommy (Danny Aiello), only to be later greeted by a mob and forced him to steal a statue from a museum. After the heist (while he and Tommy sing, no less), the movie started becoming hazy once an English butler killed a mob boss and broke the statue to find a princess artifact. Later, the same statue was returned to the museum without Hawks knowledge, so when he got there to check it out, there was a sudden sabotage by rich moguls, then he got chased by the mob in an ambulance before hes confronted by another rich mogul and his thugs named after brand-name chocolate bars. Hawk got sent to Rome to work for one faction, then on another faction, only to support a completely different faction with Andie MacDowells character, and from what I can gather, there was an evil plan to use Vincis conversion device and things blow up. In many ways, the plot of the unwilling protagonist getting involved in multiple groups without any real understanding reminds me of the Coens bowling strike, The Big Lebowski. While this is an earlier film compared to the film about a shomer shabbos guy beating up a guys car, The Big Lebowski did keep the clustered plot and its humor subdued. This movie doesnt know how to be subtle, it just goes on the loony path without taking a break. Its completely random at how scenes were set up so Hudson Hawk can be where he has to go and make witty retorts along the way. Nothing about this movie is realistic, almost every slapstick moment includes a Looney Tunes sound effect and multiple cartoon-based gags. Its rather unorthodox that such a zany movie can be so violent and vulgar; characters were cursing and getting sliced, the mood of this movie was all over the place. Does this movie had any idea what to do with a lot of elements it had? It tried to do so much and so fast that the insanity got a bit unnerving. For being such an outrageous movie, Hudson Hawk does maintain this kind of eccentricity for the entire runtime. At least it has the right cast to go with the zaniness, and the zaniness is consistent; just about the entire cast are simply out of their mind, even the one-dimensional love-interest like MacDowell (eventually) becomes as loony as the rest. Its a total mess, but it is a unique mess. There has never been another action-adventure, romantic-comedy, historical, musical, gangster, surreal, product placement movie quite like this. Its an achievement to say the least.

Great movie. I loved it when it first came out. Thus I thought it might be good for a family movie. My son laughed the entire time.

This is one of those movies. You either love it or hate it. I heard bad things about it and wasnt expecting much when I first saw it years ago. I bought the DVD years ago and just bought the Amazon stream for my iPad. I love this movie, not for everyone but it fits my sense of humor so 5 stars from me.

A hidden gem in his fantastic career.

Hudson Hawk is movie about Eddie Hawkins, famed cat-burglar the Hudson Hawk, who after serving 10 years in prison, finds himself blackmailed into stealing the works of Leonardo Da Vinci to recreate his gold transmuting machine. Sounds like a generic action movie, until you find that Eddie and his old and fattening partner Tommy are as unconventional as thieves can be. Singing songs to time their actions, using flair and creativity and mocking the use of gadgets, like a watch. Then we find that the blackmailers include inept mobsters, sardonic and insane CIA agents, and two Billionaires that are such over-the-top lunatics that the action and dialog begin to seem like a comic book. Despite, or because, all this the story holds together and still evokes a laugh. The last action sequence does come off as somewhat silly, and a second of censor editing left in for unknown reasons that chops a wity one-liner in half(half liner?) disrupts the movie slightly. But overall the movie is fun and enjoyable. And the last line of the movie made me go back and watch it again, to see the truth for myself. The REAL plot of the movie: Eddie is trying to get a cup of coffee.

I finally bought this when streaming it for the third time. Dont listen to the critics, judge it for yourself. Yeah, its stupid, because its supposed to be. Its also funny and charming, and just a pleasant way to spend an hour and forty minutes. Oh, and I never realized what a good singing voice Danny Aiello had until I saw this movie.

As a child of the 90s, I have fond memories of browsing the shelves of my local video rental store, searching for the latest action-packed blockbuster to watch on my trusty VHS player. So when I stumbled upon the Hudson Hawk - Retro VHS Style release on Amazon, I couldnt resist the opportunity to relive those nostalgic memories. From the moment the movie started playing, I was transported back in time to a simpler era where Bruce Willis was the king of the silver screen and action movies were all about having fun. Hudson Hawk doesnt take itself too seriously, and thats part of its charm. Its a silly, over-the-top adventure thats more concerned with delivering laughs and thrills than telling a coherent story. But what really makes this release stand out is the retro VHS packaging. The artwork on the cover and the tape itself is an homage to the classic video releases of the 80s and 90s. Its a perfect addition to any collection of vintage movies, or just a great way to display your love for all things retro. Of course, the picture and sound quality of the actual movie are not on par with modern releases, but thats to be expected. The grainy, slightly distorted picture and the occasional audio dropout only add to the overall charm of the experience. Its like watching a movie on an old, well-loved VHS tape thats been played a hundred times before. In conclusion, if youre a fan of Bruce Willis, action movies, or just want to relive the glory days of the VHS era, Hudson Hawk - Retro VHS Style is a must-have addition to your collection. Its a fun, entertaining movie that will transport you back in time and put a smile on your face. Highly recommended!