Amazon.com essential video: Based on the mid-'70s novel by Judith Rossner (which itself was based on a true story), this film was supposed to be the one that established Diane Keaton's credibility as a "serious" actress--and yet she won the Oscar for the other film she did the same year, Annie Hall. Still, Looking for Mr. Goodbar is a solid and intriguing film, which offered the first substantial film roles to Richard Gere and Tom Berenger. Keaton is a repressed Catholic school teacher who works with deaf children. In the midst of the sexual revolution, she discovers her own appetite for carnal pleasure--but tries to keep it physical, avoiding emotional entanglement, until she meets Mr. Really Wrong. Keaton is solid but director Richard Brooks can't keep this from dragging. --Marshall Fine
Please release on DVD or BluRay soon!!! I have a handful of films I am still waiting to come out on digital format. This is high on the list!
'70's Flashback I am a tail-end boomer who first saw this movie in the early '90's and thought it captured a particular place and time perfectly. The dark creepy undertow of the '70's singles bar came back to me - and believe me, I was not nearly as "adventureous" as the Diane Keaton character..
Besides the terrifying ending, another scene stayed with me for days- the one in which Keaton's nice guy boyfriend pulls out the condom and she cruelly makes fun of him. Yeah, condoms really were funny in the late '70's, weren't they? As uncool and dorky in '78 as Brylcream and Rudy Valee. They sure made a big comeback through.
Unique and Complex I have to admit that immediately after watching this film, I was a little unsettled. I was not quite sure what I had just seen.
After some thought on the film, I have decided that I do in fact like it, although there are some scenes that will always be difficult to watch.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar is a film based on a book, which was based on true events of a teacher in NY. Thrust into a strange world of drugs and sex by her sister, Diane Keaton's character, Theresa, becomes the ultimate party girl. Richard Geer enters and exits throughout the film as junky/male bimbo. The movie is definitely interesting and incredibly complex. Do not judge too quickly, as you might not give it enough of a chance. I am glad I thought over the movie before I ultimately concluded how I felt.
I recommend seeing it (although that is difficult since it is only available in VHS). Keep an open mind and see it a second time if you must. This film is not for everybody though.
Why isn't this on dvd?? It's been ages since i saw this film as an adult. Last time i did- i lived alone, was fairly "active" in the bar scene and it was during the time that the Dahmer stuff was going on. Needless to say- this movie gave me more of a hesistant pause before brinnging just ANYone home, that's for sure.
I mentioned it to my partner of 12 years and he said he had never seen it (much to my surprise). So i kept hunting and checking back at Amazon to see if it may be coming to dvd any time soon. No such luck. I've since written to Paramount asking them to please consider a nice, digital transfer dvd release of the film. Who knows for what good that was worth.
So- i go to my video store which has a huge, vault of a selection of just about anything. Grab the very ancient looking vhs copy to bring home to watch. Besides the fact that it didnt look great- this movie is STILL as powerful, provacative and shocking as it was all those years ago when i first saw it. Even when you know how it's going to end- it is still jaw-dropping and brutally harsh and yes- even quite sad, frankly. This movie will stick with you after you've seen it for a while. Sort of haunts you.
Keaton is SO fantastic in her performance. Just AH-mazing. The dialog and writing and direction are top notch and still not dated even with the advances that cinema has made since.
This movie needs and deserves a good dvd release. I will be first in line to grab a copy if and when it does. I am thinking perhaps since there is a HUGE amount of music in it- that maybe that could be part of why no dvd release so far. Sometimes too much ASCAP red tape to get a movie released the way it was originally shown. Not sure how that works, honestly.
Anyway- too long now.. apologies. Do rent the vhs if you come across it. You will never forget it. Or please write to Paramount and ask them (nicely) to please consider giving it a good dvd release. I'm still stunned that it isn't on dvd to begin with. Classic and powerful still to this day.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
looking for mister goodbar I simply saw this movie many yaers ago and liked it , the sadness , loneliness of this young woman I was greatly moved , however what I want is to know when we can expect to see movie on either DVD or BLU RAY????
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