Search - Crimewave on DVD

James B. (wandersoul73) from LINDALE, TX
Reviewed on 6/22/2009...

Insanely corny, insanely fun!

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Damian M. (ratchet)
Reviewed on 3/11/2009...

Why have I never heard of this? Bruce Campbell, Sam Rami and a certain 1973 Delta 88! While watching this thought, damn this is similar to "Hudsucker Proxy," and I'll be...the Coen Brothers (Fargo, Raising Arizona, Big Lebowski, etc) wrote the scripts for both! There is no reason that you shouldn't have seen this (except the fact that it has yet to see a proper DVD release stateside). The goofiness and wit of a Campbell/Rami combo that you would expect, plus the added strange view on reality that the Coen brothers are able to continuously achieve make this a winner.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Dark Comedy Tweeked by Hollywood.

tvtv3 | Sorento, IL United States | 11/04/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Sam Raimi is the man. SPIDER-MAN surpassed just about everyone's predictions and is the biggest hit of the year (2002) so far (HARRY POTTER and THE TWO TOWERS may knock Spidey off, though). However, Raimi always was the man. He, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell parlayed their little independent film (EVIL DEAD) into a great franchise and used it to start their careers.CRIMEWAVE was the first major feature for all involved after EVIL DEAD. The film was written by Raimi and two other quirky directors, the Coen Brothers. The movie was largely filmed in Detroit and the lead character was originally written specifically for Bruce Campbell (you can just picture how much better the movie would have been with Campbell in the lead role instead of the no name they cast instead). However, that was before Tinsletown took over. Campbell was scrapped as the lead, but Raimi kept him on in a supporting role. A new beginning and ending was filmed because "audiences just won't get it otherwise" and Raimi and company lost some editing control over the final product. The film was also plagued by all sorts of conflicts and from what I've gathered wasn't the most pleasant of shoots.The end result is CRIMEWAVE, a quirky little dark comedy that if left alone would have been much better. The movie itself is full of humor on a variety of levels. The direction is intriguing and the acting is campy. The film would probably be PG by todays standards and only contains a handful of "foul" language and largely "cartoon" violence.If you are a fan of Raimi, the Coens, or Campbell, this film is a must see. Also, if you like dark comedies full of slapstick humor you will probably enjoy it."

Crimewave Fun!!

SnapesImp | Midwest | 08/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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!"

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

Ayman Karkoutly | Lubbock, TX USA | 10/13/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"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."