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Product Description
Amazon.com Essential Video
Bette Midler plays a Janis Joplin-like singer overwhelmed by stardom and its excesses. Mark Rydell (On Golden Pond) directs what is a kind of hybrid showcase for Midler's concert talents and a standard pop biopic, with the usual rhythms of desire, success, betrayal, failure, and such. Alan Bates is the best thing about the movie as the Rose's ruthless manager, and Harry Dean Stanton and Frederic Forrest add some interesting seasoning. But as a whole, the film can't rise above its mixed purposes or clichés. --Tom Keogh
Description
In an Oscar-nominated performance, Bette Midler portays a rock star whose success is laced with so much booze, drugs and hard-living, it eventually causes her downfall. Trapped in a self-created hell Rose begs her manager (Alan Bates) for time off from her concert tour. When he refuses, she seeks compfort and love in the arms of a handsome driffter (Frederic Forrest), but even he cannot handle her life of excess. Electrifying musical numbers, including the hit song "The Rose" make the film a pop culture classic.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
After many years, still powerful...
Jan 5 2004
Format:DVD
This film brings back memories, and I'm glad the DVD finally came out, though there are no extras. Bette, in her film debut, was brilliant and deserved every award she got. Often compared to Janis Joplin, I think the screenplay of Bill Kerby & Bo Goldman gave Midler a bit more personality and personal angst. Midler handled it all like a seasoned pro. A truly excellent performance. Her concert scenes were good, too. Frederic Forrest was nominated for an Oscar, and he was quite fine (he was also in "Norma Rae" with Sally Field, who won the Oscar over Midler in '79). But it was Alan Bates as the oily, manipulative agent (baby-sitter?) who truly deserved recognition. The Oscars also recognized the film for its Sound and brilliant Editing. Sorely missing from the nominations were the Adapted Score and the wonderful title Song, written by Amanda McBroom. This is a powerful and entertaining film, with fine acting and great direction by Mark Rydell, loaded with humor, pathos and sadness, and all brought to life by the remarkable Bette Midler.It's worth watching again. Also, watch for David Keith (her personal bodyguard/masseur, later on), who later made such a strong impression in "An Officer and a Gentleman".
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Great movie...so-so DVD
Jan 2 2004
Format:DVD
First of all, this is a fantastic movie with a great searing performance by Bette Midler and electrifying musical numbers. However, I am disappointed with the lack of features. It didn't keep me from buying the DVD, as I did not own this movie previously. The only features are a theatrical trailer, some trailers for other movies and DVD issues, as well as a commentary by director Mark Rydell. A movie like this definitely deserves a Special Edition, single-disc or double-disc. However, I bought it in Best Buy for $9.99, so for $10, it's a good DVD, but in the future, I'd love to see a special edition.
Another pro to the DVD, besides a commentary and a low price, is the picture and sound quality. Much better than what I saw on television, although it could probably stand to be restored to even better quality. Maybe on the Special Edition DVD, if there ever is one, it will be fully restored.
All in all, if you don't own this movie, like I didn't before I bought this, then buy it, even though it's pretty bare bones. If you own the movie on VHS, I'd hold out for a Special Edition, unless you absolutely have to own it on DVD, then go for it!
Becomes the rose...
July 24 2003
Format:DVD
THE ROSE, for its bravura performance by Bette Midler in a Joplinesque tale of the excesses and pitfalls of fame, has difficulty finding its own legs some 25 years after its release. While the movie packs a wallop by the end in emotional intensity, the lead in is far too predictable to keep this from being entirely riveting. The other problem with this film, and perhaps its biggest flaw, is the overuse of concert scenes. While these are full of energy and excitement, they tend to drag the plot down considerably. Yes, we have some clue that Rose works her [tail] off, but the extent to which we see this tends to hurt the film's pacing. THE ROSE is not a classic movie but a classic PERFORMANCE by Midler. Her acting career has been a spotty one at best and THE ROSE is by far her greatest achievement. Midler's performance is full of paradox: touching yet abrasive, sensitive yet ribald, comic yet tragic. THE ROSE is BETTE MIDLER...the only reason this film hasn't passed into "forgotten Hollywood".
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