Five Easy Pieces [DVD]

-Restored High definition digital transfer, supervised by the director of Photography, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack-Audio commentary with the director and the interior designer-Soul searching in Five easy pieces (2009 piece)-BBStory 2009 documentary about the legendary film company BBS production, with cast and crew interviews- Documentary from 2009 about BBS, featuring critic David Thomson and historian Douglas Brinkley-Audio excerpts from a 1976 AFI interview with the director-Trailers and teasers-An essay by critic Kent Jones

Directed by Bob Rafelson, who also gave us Mountains of the Moon(1990) and the Monkees series from the late sixties. Only 2 household names in Nicholson and Black but plenty faces you'll know.One of these films that kinda got forgot abot alas and you rarely see it, but it was nominated i think for 2 Oscars.One of the best films Nicholson has done and this Criterion version is superb, with plenty of extras as well.

The late sixties through to the early eighties was a fascinating era for American cinema. I don't mean the bloated blockbusters by Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg et al (however good they may or may not be) but the independent, low-budget, or simply unclassifiable films being made by directors such as Arthur Penn, Hal Ashby, Robert Altman, Alan Rudolph, Nic Roeg ... and Bob Rafelson, whose second film this was, following the Jack Nicholson-scripted Monkees extravaganza Head.Seeing FEP again after many years, I am more convinced than ever that it is one of the most soulful, melancholic, truthful films of its period.Others (incl Amazon) have outlined the plot ~ such as it is ~ so this will be a personal response to what I believe to be a key film of the early seventies.Jack Nicholson is an actor who allows himself to take his time, managing to fill a screen with his mere presence, against the odds of (or because of?) his thinning hair, slitted-steely eyes and callow grin. I find his portrayal of the eternally restless son of a wealthy musical family from the Pacific NW one of his most affecting performances. He is never wholly likeable, never wholly unsympathetic either. In fact, he has many moments in which he seems to be the only sane person in sight.He is more than matched by a truly great performance by Karen Black (who was far better known in those days) who never sentimentalises her role as talkative, tactless, needy 'dumb blonde' Ray, and who gives Nicholson/Bobby as good as he gives her. The two spark off each other so well that one longs for the two of them to, as it were, ride off into the sunset together, their differences somehow reconciled. Of course, this is not to be.There are several other wonderful performances, not least Ralph Waite as Bobby's nerdy, well-meaning brother, Susan Anspach as his almost-loyal, plain-speaking wife, Helena Kallianotes as a terminally verbose moaner Bobby and Ray give a lift to, the remarkable Lois Smith as Bobby's nervy sister, and Billy 'Green' Bush as Bobby's co-worker and friend in the early scenes.FEP is a sadly beautiful film both to watch and to look at, artfully chosen shots of the northern American landscape accentuating the sense of lives wasting away, sleepwalking through the American Dream.I disagree profoundly with those who would have us believe this is in some way either a sexist film or one centred wholly on an ungrateful yet privileged man. The women in FEP are never patronised, and are indeed given a voice often unheard in more recent cinema, with its sweaty heroes and CGI gimmickry.The only scene ~ though it's a delicious one ~ which seems a little unearned by what has gone before is when, at the family mansion, an artily pretentious guest is proving what a tactless drone she is, and Bobby {to our delighted relief, I must admit} tells her in so uncertain terms where to get off. It`s just a little too 'set up'.But for the most part, Rafelson rarely puts a foot wrong. He went on to direct the marvellous The King Of Marvin Gardens, then his decline began, all too soon. Five Easy Pieces was and is not only a fine achievement by all concerned, but a key film from a creative moment in American cinema.Do see it!

This is a gift for my son. It arrived super quick and well before the required date. I am delighted with the service and will definitely use this seller again.

This a beautifully understated film that stands as one of the landmark films of the 70s' era when young directors like Scorsese, Coppola and Terrence Malick were making small but brilliant and intensely personal films about America. Jack Nicholson plays a gifted classical musician from a well-to-do family who has squandered a promising future and is working on an oil-field, living hand-to-mouth with his blue-collar girlfriend Karen Black. He's neither happy nor depressed by his situation, he's more indifferent to his life. Then he's asked to go home to visit his dying father and confront the family that he wanted nothing to do with. The film deals with issues of personal identity, social class and personal freedom that were very pertinent in the late '60s and haven't dated that much at all.Two things make this film great - Nicholson's performance is wonderful (he was Oscar nominated for it) and a real breath of fresh air for people who only know him for his OTT 'Crazy Jack' roles. Bob Rafelson's direction is distinctly low-key, unshowy and focuses on characterisation and dialogue - qualities that are so lacking in American cinema at the moment. It's a quiet film, not one that blows your head off with set-pieces or visuals. It also has a great ending that reminds me a lot of the ending of 'The Graduate' in its ambiguity.This DVD is pretty lousy for extras - filmographies of the stars and nothing more. A shame for such a classic and interesting film. Still, it's absolutely worth seeing.

This is an excellent movie with Nickolson playing his favourite character type. It is amazing how well he manages to convey internal troubles, anger, passion, mood changes, just through his face in a steady take. I found myself tense and waiting for an outburst of violence at any point in time during the movie.About half way, the movie turns into a sort of road movie, which is one of my favourites. Besides, it shows excellent pictures of 70's America, which are now classics.I believe it is in the 70's that America gave the best of its movie production. Forget "Mission impossible nn". To be noted this is the second Nickolson movie, following Easy rider.Finally, all other roles are extremely well played - including poor girlfriend Ray who will be left unfairly stranded.

This film has been a favourite since I first saw it, in the year of its release. My only disappointment was the quality of the sound track, which would lead a newcomer to miss some if the excellent dialogue.

For all Jack Nicholson fans....unfortunately the DVD was poorly packed and most of the plastic cover of the DVD was destroyed during the transport to Switzerland.... :-(