It's difficult, what with Mulholland Drive being so visually and thematically similar and yet so clearly superior, to call this essential viewing. It's still pretty good, though, and worth watching just to see Donald Sutherland play a character named Homer Simpson. And of course for that truly insane ending.

70.750

The last scene is just unforgettable !!!

One of a kind. The cast alone is worth the price of admission, with Black, bizarre as always, Atherton, a quietely menacing whisp of a person and Sutherland stealing every scene he's in almost without uttering a word. Add to that Meredith and Page in (over the) top form, Haley as an androgynous, obnoxious child and William motherfucking Castle himself. All this couched in a deeply nihilistic anti-Tinsel Town fable foreshadowing Mulholland Dr. among others. Weird, but a must see.

Wow. Essential viewing for admirers of Barton Fink, Mulholland Dr, or anyone interested in a depraved, intoxicating look at early Hollywood. Fantastic actors, direction, & a whirlwind of an ending included.

everything until the last fifteen minutes is completely unwatchable, the last fifteen minutes is alright. none of the characters are likable, the plot is mostly boring, actually everything in here is downright despicable.

At times, John Schlesinger does for Hollywood what Fellini's SATYRICON did for Rome: transforms it into a surreal, immoral madhouse. This is most evident in the brilliant final scene, where a premiere turns into a riot which resembles the hero's (William Atherton) apocalyptic paintings. But Waldo Salt's script badly lacks focus, and the film is frustratingly incosistent as a result. Still, there's enough here to hold the attention: fine acting, lavish production, and Schlesinger's inventiveness.

*Possible spoilers* Starts off well as a scathing satire of Hollywood wannabees, but loses momentum. For two hours it wanders aimlessly through the desert of the dull, finding too few oases of the laudably weird, until finally agreeing with itself that it wants to be Ken Russell directs 'Night of the Living Dead'. For those two hours of tedious plot suspension it should be loathed, but essentially it is as they say: All is well that ends like this one does.

Extremely distressing, unpleasant, hard-as-nails, sometimes impossible to watch; nonetheless exactingly faithful to the novel, rich in atmosphere and memorable performances (esp. Sutherland and Meredith).

Beautifully directed adaptation, with a satisfying cast (some of the supporting is meh, Atherton is good and Sutherland - as Homer Simpson, no less! - is riveting as usual). There is so much to like about the oddball plot, but sadly it's a bit too elaborate for its own good, while lacking narrative integrity. Just when you think you've wrapped your head around it, comes the nicely horrific but totally disorienting climax. It's almost a fable decrying Hollywood decadence, but there's more in it.

Dunno if this counts as horror, but it sure is dark enough. Not recommended, but that ending has to be seen to be believed