... Much to my surprise there were a few good ones up there, so I picked 3 that I had seen/wanted to see, and 2 "fillers" that I hadn't actually heard of before, "The Negotiator" and "Buffalo '66". Little did I know what a good find this last one would be.
The Review
Buffalo '66 is a ... Read review
A prime example of 1990s independent film-making,Buffalo 66is a little-known gem of a film ... more
which, once found, will be cherished. Vincent Gallo--the New York Bohemian extraordinaire--co-wrote the semi-autobiographical script. He also directed and starre...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
After serving a five year sentence for a crime he didn't commit, a bitter, violence-prone ... more
Billy Brown (Vincent Galbo - Palookaville, Truth Or Consequences) is released from prison.Billy is hell-bent on convincing his dysfunctional parents that he is le...
A prime example of 1990s independent film-making,Buffalo 66is a little-known gem of a film ... more
which, once found, will be cherished. Vincent Gallo--the New York Bohemian extraordinaire--co-wrote the semi-autobiographical script. He also directed and starre...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
After serving a five year sentence for a crime he didn't commit a bitter violence-prone ... more
Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo who also directs) is released from prison. Billy is hell-bent on convincing his dysfunctional parents that he is leading a respectable ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
A prime example of 1990s independent film-making,Buffalo 66is a little-known gem of a film ... more
which, once found, will be cherished. Vincent Gallo--the New York Bohemian extraordinaire--co-wrote the semi-autobiographical script. He also directed and starre...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Billy Brown is released from prison where he has served a five-year sentence for a crime ... more
he didn't commit and tries to convince his parents that he has spent the last five years doing top-secret CIA work. To back up his story he kidnaps Layla and force...
Hailed by those in the know as a prime example of 1990s independent filmmaking,Buffalo ... more
66is a little-known gem of a film which, once found, will be cherished forever. Vincent Gallo--the New York Bohemian extraordinaire--cowrote the semi-autobiographical script. He also directed and starred in this dark comedy and, as if that wasn't enough, contributed to the mind-blowing soundtrack, which consists mainly of Gallo's work with a few Yes songs thrown in for good measure. He's accompanied by an all-star cast that includes Angelica Huston, Ben Gazzara, Cristina Ricci and Mickey Rourke to name but a few. By employing alternative filming techniques for what is in essence a traditional boy-meets-girl story, Gallo has created an indie movie with genuine mainstream appeal. A handheld camera and the flashback sequences use beautiful grainy cine film and 70s Polaroids, while as a whole the tone of the piece shifts between lavish theatrical images and reality TV. However, out of the many mesmerising scenes within the film, it is the isolated performances which offer the most heartfelt beauty, notably Ricci'ssolo light tap dance and Gazzara's mime to a song actually performed by Gallo's father in the distant past.Buffalo 66is an overlooked modern classic just waiting to be discovered. --Nikki Disney
Postage & Packaging:£2.69 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: Great acting, nice little storyline, interesting direction Disadvantages: May be a little slow and "uneventful" for some viewers
...The Review
Buffalo '66 is a film from 1998 which is directed by, acted in and score composed by, Vincent Gallo. It has received a nice 7.3/10 from www.imdb.com, one of the higher possible scores, and also stars Christina Ricci and Anjelica Huston, along with a small role for Mickey Rourke.
The film starts with Billy Brown being released from prison after serving a five-year sentence. Initially you may think he's just ... ...other films, and nothing about Buffalo '66 whatsoever.
The Other Things
Best Price? ~~~ £6.99 from Play.com, but it's possible to obtain it cheaper from eBay.
Running Time? ~~~ 1 hour 45 minutes, but it seems so much shorter.
Trailer? ~~~ See a trailer of Buffalo '66 here: http://videodetective.com/home.asp?PublishedID=7731 ... more
The Background
About a month back I spotted an amazing deal on sendit.com, 5 DVDs for £15. You can't beat that, I thought, and proceeded to view the available titles in this promotion. Much to my surprise there were a few good ones up there, so I picked 3 that I had seen/wanted to see, and 2 "fillers" that I hadn't actually heard of before, "The Negotiator" and "Buffalo '66". Little did I know what a good find this last one would be.
The Review
Buffalo '66 is a film from 1998 which is directed by, acted in and score composed by, Vincent Gallo. It has received a nice 7.3/10 from www.imdb.com, one of the higher possible scores, and also stars Christina Ricci and Anjelica Huston, along with a small role for Mickey Rourke.
The film starts with Billy Brown being released from prison after serving a five-year sentence. Initially you may think he's just another criminal and you would be mistaken for thinking this from his behaviour in the first half hour of the film but as it progresses we are shown neat little flashbacks about the actual story behind his jail term.
I'll try not to give too much vital information about the story away, but I will tell you that Billy has lied to his parents about where he's been for five years, and has concocted quite a story about being in the CIA and that he has gone and got himself married. Obviously he wants to go and see his parents but his mother insists on seeing his new bride, leading Billy to his first quandary. Poor Layla (Christina Ricci) therefore gets kidnapped by Billy. She is at first reluctant but once they get to Billy's parents' house she gets carried away with the role, making up all sorts of elaborate stories about their past together.
After visiting the parents, Billy and Layla become attached and the whole film centres around just one day and part of the night. The two gradually warm to each other in a very odd way - the ways they go about it are quite different to the conventional courting you might usually see in the movies.
Throughout the film you are treated to excellent acting from both Vincent Gallo, as the confused and slightly psychologically damaged Billy and from Christina Ricci, as the caring lost soul that is Layla. Christina Ricci looks very nice in this film, and if you are a fan you will not be disappointed by her appearance in the film. If you like Vincent Gallo this is a must-see, as he directed, acted and composed the score for the film (which is also very nice). The direction is too good not to be mentioned; flashbacks emerge from the middle of the screen as a small enlarging rectangle, views of the characters in Billy's parents' house are shot very nicely, and towards the end of the film there are some very nice special effects too.
The whole film, however, is quite slow and the screen seems somewhat "grainy", probably to add to the realism of the story. Anyone looking for a film from "outside the box" will revel in this oddly amusing love story, but if you're an action junkie, don't expect anything too exciting.
Overall, an surprisingly good film which is going to stay in my DVD collection and in my mind for a good while to come, and well worth the £3 I spent on it.
The Extras
Disappointingly, apart from the standard scene selection and subtitles, the only thing you get are some trailers for other films, and nothing about Buffalo '66 whatsoever.
The Other Things
Best Price? ~~~ £6.99 from Play.com, but it's possible to obtain it cheaper from eBay.
Running Time? ~~~ 1 hour 45 minutes, but it seems so much shorter.
Trailer? ~~~ See a trailer of Buffalo '66 here: http://videodetective.com/home.asp?PublishedID=7731
Advantages: It's beautiful Disadvantages: Possibly a little slow to start
This is a stunningly beautiful film from Vincent Gallo.
A guy comes out of prison and, having lied to his parents about the gap in his life, promises to go home and visit them. The problem is that he's told them he has a wife, so he kidnaps Christina Ricci and persuades her to help him. As Ricci throws herself into the role, we begin to see a little of Gallo's life in the form of flashbacks and we start to sympathise with this awkward but strangely ... ...With the visit over Gallo plans to let Ricci go, but the two become oddly involved and cannot separate. As Gallo plans his revenge on the man that put him in prison, Ricci gradually falls in love with him.
It's a slow placed film, but incredibly beautiful. Gallo's direction is visually stunning and the performances of all involved are wonderful. It's moving, funny and disturbing and after I watched it I wanted to rewind it and just start again.
...
Bolly 15.11.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Buffalo 66 (DVD)
Billy Brown is released from prison where he has served a five-year sentence for a crime he didn't commit and tries to convince his parents that he has spent the last five years doing top-secret CIA work. To back up his story he kidnaps Layla and forces her to pose as his girlfriend. She takes to the role with great enthusiasm and stays with Billy even when he takes revenge on those he blames for his prison term. Her understanding of Billy's life ultimately leads to love...
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
An electric directorial debut (seven years in the making) by New York artist/musician/model/actor Vincent Gallo. He portrays troubled Billy Brown, who has just been let out of jail on a cold and miserable day. Before returning home to visit his parents and kill the football star who missed the field goal that sent him there in the first place (in order to repay a debt that he didn't have the money to extinguish), he kidnaps a bored girl from her dancing class (Christina Ricci) and makes her pretend that she is his wife. Though she doesn't seem to object to the abduction, Billy is emotional and angry but sensitive. As the trip progresses--including an explosive visit to his childhood homein Buffalo, where his indifferent parents (Ben Gazzara and football obsessed Angelica Huston) still reside--the two continue to bicker like a real couple but begin to form a genuine bond. BUFFALO '66 combines the experimental techniques of the French New Wave and the realistic grit of seventies filmmakers such as John Cassavetes, resulting in an inventive, original and touching love story.
![Buffalo 66 [DVD] [1998]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78504872.jpg)
![Buffalo '66 [DVD] [1998] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/75129854.jpg)
![Buffalo 66 [VHS] [1998]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/83957660.jpg "Buffalo 66 [VHS] [1998]")
