Bugsy Malone

Why did it take me so long to become aware of this movie? This is simply THE BEST MOVIE EVER MADE. I don't care who you are or what your cinematic preferences are, you will love this movie. Great for kids and adults alike. I don't want to spoil it by saying anything about it, except that even the ending was the best ending of any movie I've ever seen.

So, first of I was expecting the full Collector's Edition packaging as show in the photos, but its just a normal plastic Blu-Ray case with a cardboard slipcase. So be aware if you are expecting that packaging, I guess it was limited and sold out?As to the movie itself, I first saw this when I was a kid in the 80's, but I only caught the tail-end of it. Tried in vain for decades to find it until finally I found it on digital and bought it. It definitely is a fun movie for kids, and those who want to relive the nostalgia of being kids. :)

I bought this on sale for $4.99 and was really excited to see it again because it was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. It's funny how your tastes change as you get older lol....I still thought it was cute but that wasvabout it. I will say my friend's 8 year old seemed to love it as much as I did when I was a kid so apparently it still has that appeal to young kids. Totally recommend for ages 6-10 but that's about the appeal limit. It's a very well done movie with great music all done by Paul Williams but if you're not getting for kids you'll probably wanna pass on this one.

Funny, quirky, old movie

Even after almost 40 years, this is still the quirkiest of films, one which I still remember well from way back then and had longed to see again.There's an old saying that the amazing thing isn't that a singing dog sings well; the amazing thing is that he can sing at all. The amazing thing about this film isn't really that it is entertaining and clever with good songs and some good dubbed singing; the amazing thing is that this film -- a 1920s style organized crime theme in which all the parts are played by children and the machine guns shoot cream puffs -- was made at all. Can you imagine pitching this concept to a studio??But, for whatever reason, it works and it works well. I'm an old dad who watched the film with my two children, ages 11 and 13, and we all enjoyed it, probably each of us for different reasons and on different levels.Jodie Foster has one of her first film roles here -- this film was released in 1976, the same as was "Taxi Driver," which is what I've always understood to be her first. She is charming in "Bugsy Malone."I highly recommend this DVD, if you can find it. (Incidentally, this version, although, there's Chinese lettering across the DVD's container, is in English. I wasn't sure from the blurb of information with Amazon, but remembered the film so fondly that I took the chance.)

Whatever you want to say about filmmaker Alan Parker (MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, PINK FLOYD: THE WALL, MISSISSIPPI BURNING, ANGEL HEART) the dude has never made the same film twice. Here, he pays homage to the musical (now back in fashion thanks to CHICAGO, THE PRODUCERS and RENT) -- but Parker does it like nobody else. Set in the era of speakeasys and Chicago mob wars, BUGSY MALONE's phenomenally talented cast is entirely composed of children. Yep... gangsters, mob bosses, flappers, soda jerks, gumshoes... all kids. Some of them toting machine guns that fire -- cream pies. And you won't believe what a delight the whole thing turns out to be. Jodie Foster and John Cassisi steal the show every time they're on-screen, but it's Scott Baio's picture as down-on-his-luck grifter Bugsy, who gets more than he bargained for when he stumbles into the middle of a turf war between hoodlums Fat Sam and Dandy Dan -- and also finds himself torn between struggling singer Blousey Brown (Florrie Dugger, whatever happened to you?) and femme fatale Tallulah (a role that continues to show off young Jodie Foster's inimitable, if startingly sexual, chops). Yeah, all the singing is dubbed, but what the hell -- it adds to the complete goofiness of the premise, and the songs and story are so damned good you won't care. Try out BUGSY MALONE, or revisit this childhood gem anew. You won't be disappointed.

Bugsy Malone is a great kid gangster movie from 1976 and available for the 1st time in the US (the one Foster/Baio with red/gold/black cover). Don't buy the UK version as it probably won't play on your US players. The blu-ray is a tremendous upgrade from the old DVD and this is probably the best it will ever look with this new 2K scan. The kids are great and so is the music. If you've seen it before, then you know what I'm talking about. Not many extras on the disc, but Paul Williams gives a little insight on the music. If you read the negative reviews you will miss out (they are on the UK version that doesn't work for them). Buy the correct version (see above) and enjoy this classic. You won't regret it.

I'm 40 yrs old and have fond memories of this movie, and remember loving the music. I wanted to buy it for my kids to see now, and found it on amazon a year ago. Put off buying it, and at that time it was a Region 1 disc for $18. So when I looked it up again last week, I couldn't believe the region 1 was now $40! Started reading the reviews on the (cheaper) region 3 and was glad for the few that said it seemed to play fine. Took a chance, crossed my fingers and......received it today and it works perfect on my 6 month old Sony dvd/vcr combo player, as well as my 7+ year old Toshiba combo player! As someone said, there is no menu and it automatically starts playing in English. The back of the case says "English versions with on/off chinese/english subtitles". (Amazon should state this on the description.) Glad I didn't pay the extra $20 for a region 1!! Too bad they haven't digitally enhanced the picture, but it's rather nostalgic seeing it just as it was back in 1976. Can't wait to watch it with my 6, 8 and 11 yr olds this weekend!