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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 65528
Released: June 30, 2009 |
| Our Price: $10.90 |
| Used Price: $9.82 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 05/26/2009
Description of Lookin' to Get Out (Extended Version):
The Oscar-winning film-editor-turned-director Hal Ashby had an undeniable hot streak in the 1970s: from Harold and Maude to The Last Detail, from Shampoo to Coming Home, Ashby's ragged style and politically-aware attitude were all over movie theaters. Thanks to some combination of bad luck and personal demons, Ashby hit the wall as the '80s began--which is when he embarked on Lookin' to Get Out, a barely-released Vegas comedy. Based on a script co-written by Ashby's Coming Home star, Jon Voight, the film follows two hustling buddies (Voight and Burt Young) as they scramble to raise funds to pay off a gambling debt. They get comped a fancy suite when Young gets mistaken for an old pal of the hotel owner, but will their good luck hold when they stake a gifted blackjack player (Bert Remsen in rare form) to a run in the casino? Adding spice is Ann-Margret, as a former Voight flame who just happens to be the current girlfriend of the hotel magnate. (Footnote to film history: her daughter is played by a very young Angelina Jolie, Voight's real-life daughter, in her film debut.) The set-up is unremarkable, but the film is distinguished by a couple of factors. One is that in the early sequences, Ashby and cinematographer Haskell Wexler capture a splendidly gritty urban feel that links this movie to the American cinema of the 1970s. The other is the sheer unlikability of Voight's character and performance. It's one thing to offer a self-destructive exploiter who serves as a kind of anti-hero, and quite another to give him a vague, incoherent reading that dribbles away into Cassavetes-like floundering right before your eyes. Bizarre. The film's DVD release is a significantly altered version from the movie that flopped in 1982; Ashby had re-cut the picture and donated it to UCLA before he died in 1988, and that previously-unseen (even by Voight) cut is immortalized here. It's an interesting, oddball movie, the kind of thing that could only have been brought off, and indulged, by Hal Ashby. --Robert Horton
Lookin' to Get Out (Extended Version) Reviews:
Flick Worth Re-Evaluation 
2009-08-23 - One of my stated goals in life is to resucitate films that were considered dogs in their day. "Heaven's Gate" in it's untruncated version is a pretty good flick. "Howard the Duck" is okay and not worthy of the brickbats it received from the critics. The recently re-issued "Revolution" where director Hugh Hudson cut scenes is alright but really not worthy of a reappraisal. As for this misunderstood gem it's good, not great, but an enjoyable viewing experience for what it is. The only real flaw I found was in the script, co-written by star Jon Voight, which suffers from fleeting incoherence and meandering. That said, the film is blessed with expert direction by the late Hal Ashby who keeps the proceedings interesting. Voight and co-star Burt Young make likable two characters that are essentially pathetic sad sacks. Ann-Margret's presence, even in forgettable dreck like the "Grumpy Old Men" flicks, always elevates the projects she appears in. Now bring on spanking new director's cuts of "The Choirboys" and "Ishtar".
Holy Cow!!!! You're All So Very Very Lucky!!! You All Hit The Jackpot!!! 
2009-08-08 - Wow. I cannot believe this came out on DVD. For years it has been in my Top 5 movies. I have bought, collected, and coveted many copies of the CBS/Fox VHS version so I would never be without it. I assumed, because of the weak (and completely wrong) reviews and box office performance of the film that it would never be released on DVD. I'm so glad it has been, and I cannot wait to see Hal Ashby's cut.
With all due respect to the Editor at Amazon, Jon Voight's character is anything but "unlikeable, vague, and incoherent". Alex Kovac is intense. He lives hard, he loves hard, he plays hard, he is incapable of modulation. He loves his friend, Jerry Feldman more than himself. There's a great tiny little action that takes place in the apartment in NYC before they go to Vegas. I've never forgotten it, and I'm sure it was not written into the script. Alex has been up all night playing poker and has explained to Jerry how he went through tens of thousands of dollars between the track and the race track. The scene is a riot for anyone who has ever gambled on a fairly big level. It is beautifully done, but what makes it absolutely perfect for me, is when his friend has just gone through the ups and downs and finally the big downer from hearing the result of the loss and debt of a lot of money they need to come up with, Voight's character tells Jerry that he's exhausted, that he's been up all night, and "Let's go get some breakfast." And then he gives the little unwritten touch of cinematic magic... he gently pats his friend on the back. The gesture is huge. It says, "I know I've done us a great disservice by losing all this money. I'm sorry. I love you. I'll not let you down. Please don't be disappointed in me because I'll be devastated." I'm sure I'm the only one who has paid such close attention to the gesture, but to me as a hopeful screenwriter, it's beautiful.
This film was originally marketed terribly. The movie poster is so misleading it's tragic. This isn't a film about gambling. It's a movie about friendship, and the depths real friends will go to in order to stay friends. There are some great pieces of dialog in this movie. Burt Young confides to Ann Margaret about Voight's character, "If you're in a jam, he's a great guy to have around. The problem is he's probably the reason you're in a jam in the first place." Brilliant. And the scene in the casino, where Jerry Feldman tells Richard Bradford, who should have been nominated for a supporting role as "Bernie Gold", the very intimidating owner of the casino, "I understand you, Mr. Gold. He doesn't, but he's my friend and you take the good with the bad." Hearing those words brings Voight out of his greed induced stupor, and he looks at the big boss and quietly asks him, "Did you hear that?" And then they leave. So amazingly great. Also great is Voight's reaction at the end as Ann Margaret looks at him as he and Jerry are leaving. Voight can't even say anything he's so moved. He simply holds up his hand. His emotions are so strong he chooses to just not say anything. That is perfect in keeping with his character. I doubt that was written into the script either.
I want to mention Richard Bradford (Bernie Gold) and Bert Remsen (Smitty Carpenter). As you can all see, I've been using the Bernie Gold character as my User ID for as long as I've been using a computer. How The Academy missed these two performances is beyond me. Bradford plays Gold so complex in this film. He's strong, intimidating, sure of himself, and but extremely weak where Ann Margaret is concerned. I absolutely love the Bernie Gold character. And Remsen as the has-been blackjack player, his performance I believe was the best of his long illustrious career.
Here's my long and short review... This is the best movie about friendship I have ever seen, and I am a real movie buff with an insatiable appetite for movies. I am so thrilled that all of you are going to be able to see this now, and it will clearly flow better with the additional footage, as the great director wanted people to see it. Ignore all previous reviews. You've all hit the jackpot.
OK, I guess 
2009-08-06 - I never saw the original release cut of this film so I can't compare the two. This film is decent but it didn't do much for me. Jon Voigt is an talanted actor but unfortunately doesn't have the massive body or work from his leading man years that one would hope which is why I picked up this movie. It is a quirky film certainly but doesn't really succeed either as a comedy or a drama. A movie worth watching but one that you probably won't watch again.
Hal's Revenge
2009-07-13 - I love this movie. I have never seen Jon Voight like this and Burt Young is just great. I love the ending. Hers's a toast to Hal Ashby non-conformist who never made a bad fim (Haorld and Maude, Shampoo, Coming Hime, Being There and now his version of Lookin to Get Out.) Hal told Ann-Margret to unplay her role nd reveala her deep wounds by her eyes and face against these two other crazy characters. At 42, she is an ablsolute knockout-- just a gorgoeous woman who proves again that she can hold her own against the best. Here's you Hal, RIP.
Looking to Get Out
2009-07-12 - As of right now, I have every movie released by Angelina Jolie. Nice to see her as a 7 year old in this movie. But the whole movie was terrific. But Angelina made it great.
