Customer Reviews

Stand by Me (Widescreen)

5 star:		(161)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

When I was 12 ( I'm 21), I fell in love for a movie called Now and then, starring Christina Ricci, Rosie O'Donnell, Demi Moore and more...It was a coming-of-age movie. So, on the box of the VHS, it was written : The best coming-of-age since Stand by me. It made me curious about this flick, but I didn't any chances to watch it, until last May. I was working (in a Video Store), when I saw the vhs box of the movie...And when I watched it, I immediately felt in love with this beautiful movie. I really think it's the better coming-of-age movie that I've seen in my life. I just bought the DVD and woaw, again, it's a great movie. The performances of the 4 boys are remarquabe, especially Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix. I will watch this movie again and again and again. You can't be tired of Stand by me. And I don't know what to say about the end of this movie.It makes me cry each times that I see it. The story is wonderful. When I'm listening this movie, I forget all my problems. It's a film you can't miss.It's a masterpiece !

Many times in my life I've felt on the verge of an adventure. Many times I haven't followed through, but when I have the world has opened up to a new understanding. That's what I think about when I think of this movie. A coming of age tale of stretching the view of the world and the lessons that are part of a growing understanding. Any person that has tried to stretch their wings and move out into an unknown opportunity or future can identify with the feelings such a choice encompasses. The moving story combined with a beautiful song are a hard combination to top.

I'm not going to write a synopsis of the plot here or tell you how great the movie is. You already know that. If you are going to buy this movie on DVD and have never seen it, plan to watch the bonus documentary included on the new DVD release first, "Walking the Tracks," a behind-the-scenes look at the making of film as told by Rob Reiner, Stephen King, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell. You'll hear Wil explain why Gordie doesn't get his brother's Yankee cap returned, what Jerry O'Connell really thought of Kiefer Sutherland, and how Rob Reiner made two of the cast members weep during the train trestle scene! The docu footage appears to have been shot on the late 1990s or even early 2000, and it's wonderful to see these people together again (River Phoenix, who died in 1993, is not part of the documentary, but is referred to by just about everyone being interviewed). The DVD format has the advantage of letterbox format (don't worry--you won't get a shrunk and stretched-looking movie . . . the widescreen format for this movie is superb, and it will make you toss your old VHS copy in the trash five minutes into the movie). The sound is good as it gets, and you'll also have subtitle options (watch dialogue to the flick in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Tai, or Korean). Overdubbed voice options include French, Spanish, Portuguese, and of course, the original dialogue in English. The best part for me was watching the movie with English subtitles, which made me realize for the first time what some of the dialogue was (including some put downs my ears could never quite figure out--"wet end" and "whoremaster," among others). But far and away, the reason you must buy this DVD is to listen to Rob Reiner's personable director's commentary as the film plays. It's an option, so you can still watch and listen to the complete movie in its original format, but if you've already memorized the scenes because you've seen this movie countless times, listen to Rob's (apparently one-take and continuous) comments about each scene. He's also very funny, and his anecdote about the scene in which Ray Brower is found by the tracks is hilarious, despite the somber tone of this section of the movie. Other perks: the long-lost video of "Stand by Me," featuring singer Ben E. King, River Phoenix and Wil Wheaton (the song was originally a #4 hit in 1960 and was re-released in the fall of 1986, peaking at #9--Rob Reiner makes a comment about the song going to #1 both times, but he's not correct). Some other treats round out the DVD, like bios of each star and scene selection. Don't wait another minute. Buy/rent a DVD player if you don't already have one.

Personally, Stand By Me is in my top 10 movies and stories. When I compare movies that were written based off of novels, This movie would be in my best list. The script, very correctly portrays the characters that were written in Stephen Kings novella. The cast couldn't be more perfect for the characters they were supposed to play. Will Wheaton for Gordie, acted the sensitive kid to a tee. The movie made me reminice for a childhood I will never know in my generation, and be glad for the opportunity these children (I know they're fictional) had to discover who they were, and where they wanted to go in life.
Seriously a great!!!!! movie. (Even tho I like the novella better)

Wonderful coming of age story. Movie is about the Friendship of four boys. Very funny, sweet and I can't watch this countless times and still be interested.

Rob Reiner's "Stand By Me" is a celebration of those youthful adventures that eventually transform into cherished memories as the years go by. It is also a touching tale centered around the strong ties of friendship and the eventual loss of innocence one experiences when one comes of age. Definitely unusual themes when you consider the original source material for the film was a work by horror-master Stephen King.

Gordie LaChance (Will Wheaton), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix), Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman), and Vern Tessio (Jerry O'Connell) set out one day to find the body of a missing child. They stumble into a series of adventures along their journey when they encounter a vicious dog, an oncoming train, leeches, and a group of older boys who also are searching for the body. By the time the four boys end their trek, they realize that their childhood ended during their quest and that they have taken the first steps into adulthood.

Not many films succeed in developing their characters to the point where they truly feel like flesh-and-blood individuals. However, Reiner amazingly manages to vividly define and develop the film's four young leads to the point where they start to stir up distant memories and lead you to recall certain friends you had while you were growing up. By the time "Stand By Me" ends, Gordie, Chris, Teddy, and Vern have transcend their fictional existence and have started to merge with the memories you possess of the pals you had in your youth. The coming of age aspect of the film also is emotionally powerful as it forces you to remember the exact point in your life when you ceased to be a child and moved into a new phase in life. A tip of the hat to Reiner and his young performers for creating such an engaging and nostalgic cinematic work.

First off, let me say that the fact that this DVD is rated "R" should not discourage anyone from buying it. The contents within contain nothing more violent then Jaws 2 or Jurassic Park. The only reason that this motion picture is rated "R" is for the far from polite language within referring to rather grotesque topics. (However this same language can be easily heard in most schools and seen on public restrooms.) Besides that there is really nothing in this video that would separate it from a video like October Sky.

This video's plot line is harding a real interesting topic. It is about four boys who go on a journey to find the body of a dead kid named Ray Brower. They are doing this because they know that if they can find this kid's body (while the police cannot) that they will be kind of famous in the eyes of the fellow townspeople. (getting their names in newspapers and getting on television)

If I were rating on the plot line alone I would give it only 1 star. However, the reason that I gave the DVD four stars is because of two others great reasons. Number one, the acting was magnificient. Number two, because I felt that there was a secondary plot line that was far more interesting than the original.

I personally felt that this video/DVD was not as much about four boys finding a kid's body that was run over by a train, but a relationship between two of the boys (Chris and Gordie). Gordie had resently lost his brother in a Jeep accident or wreck. That was hard on Gordie, and it did not help that his dad (who reminded me of Adolf Hitler's father) made it quite clear that it should have been him and not his brother that died. So, to summerize it, Gordie was distraught that his brother had died, angry that his dad despised the fact that he wanted to become a writer, and angry that HE had to live in his brother's heavy masculine-athletic footsteps, while HIS were more feminine-authotorial like. (Gordie had no interest in sports.) Chris was angry that HE had to live in the footsteps of HIS older brother ("Eyeball" Chambers) who language rivals that of Fred Phelps. Chris felt that the people in the town had already made up there minds that he was no good because his brother turned out to be no good. Throughout the entire film there are examples on which Chris helps Gordie and Gordie helps Chris. However, Amazon limits reviews to 1,000 words so I can not continue with examples. As a closing thought however. If you think that the video is just a carbon copy of the book by Stephen King, think again.

When I first heard about this movie,I just knew from the start that it was going to be good,but I never thought it was going to be such a masterpiece from beginning to end.This is undoubtedly one of the greatest coming-of-age stories of all time,which really was meant to be a horror movie based on Stephen King's book "The Body".Here's a breakdown of the movie:
1.Acting(5/5):The acting by these 4 kids is astonishing,and definitely the best part of the movie.River Phoenix,who died tragically a few years after making this movie,is the absolute best out of the 4,playing a troubled kid with a bad family and a bastard for a brother.Wil Wheaton is also one to mention,playing his dramatic scenes as if he was a veteran already!And Corey Feldman is in his only good role as pretty much a crazy kid with,as one guardkeeper said,"a loony for a ather."And,last but not least,Jerry O'Connell is completely hilarious as the fat kid(Verno).
Story(5/5):The story isn't really challenging or confusing,but that's the beauty of it.It's just 4 kids looking for a dead kid and disovering themselves along the way.Sure,it sounds stupid on paper,but you come to love it once you see the movie.And all the characters' background information is simply so realisitic and such an accurate portrayal of life,from a kid coming from a horrible family and being known as a criminal even when he is not one(Chris Chambers played by River Phoenix),to a kid who is completely ignored by his family because of his football star brother who dies(Gordo played by Wil Wheaton),even to a crazy kid with a psychopathic and abusive father(Teddy DuChamp played by Corey Feldman).
Production(4/5):The production doesn't really stand out or anything,but the producers did a very good job making the movie look like it was set in a small town.
Screenplay(5.5/5):Who can forget such unforgettable quotes such as:"TRAIN!","LEECHES!",and "So I'll see you sometime(Gordy)";"Not If I See You First(River Phoenix)"?And the one to point out is the story about Lardass(created by Gordy),also Verno is one to point,delivering each line hilariously,especially his trademark "Sincerely!"

The Verdict:This is truly a worthy coming-Of-Age classic and deserves to be part of any video or DVD collection(in this case,it's DVD!)

Recommended:Yes!

this movie is so great, and i would totally recomend it to anyone. its funny, and it has a great cast (wil wheaton, river phoenix, corey feldman, jerry o'conell, kiefer sutherland) these actors are so talented and so convincing. they give a fabulous performance. you must see this movie.

This movie is great. (...), well if you read the novella it was actually in, you'll find out that the movie follows the story very well, even the words they speak. In the story it has even more bad language, so stop argueing about the damn language.
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