Private Benjamin
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I just finished watching the DVD of the film Private Benjamin and thought i'd write a review while it's still fresh in my mind.
It's been at least 15 years since i'd seen this film and i'd forgotten just how good it was. From the clothing and hairstyles as well as the cinematic style in use it is clearly dated as a late seventies, early eighties movie. It doesn't play as well today as it did when it was first released. Basically it is the coming of age of a spoiled Jewish princess. The film starts with Judy Benjamin getting married to her second husband who six hours later has a heart attack and dies while they are having sex. One night a despondent Judy calls a late night radio call in show as "Jessica" and asks for advice on what to do next, explaining that she'd always had a man to take care of her, that she'd never been alone before, and she doesn't know how to function on her own. The next day she meets a man who called in to the radio program outside a building. They walk into the building and she discovers that he's an army recruiter. He tells her of yachts and condos and sells her on the idea of joining the army. She joins. When she gets to basic training she discovers that the army is nothing like what her recruiter told her. At first she wants out but eventually she starts standing on her own two feet and the spoiled princess is transformed into an independent woman. One night she meets a man in a bar where the girls are out celebrating the completion of basic training. They end up making love and we hear the telling comment from Judy: "So that's what i've been faking all these years". Eventually Judy is assigned to France where this man lives and they become engaged and...
I will not reveal the rest for those who have not seen this film.
The transfer is approximatly like a good VHS and unfortunatly is strictly pan and scan. The sound is servicable, this is not a big effects movie after all. What this is, is a very good film that deserves a better transfer and a widescreen version.
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Bullseye
My Collection
It's been at least 15 years since i'd seen this film and i'd forgotten just how good it was. From the clothing and hairstyles as well as the cinematic style in use it is clearly dated as a late seventies, early eighties movie. It doesn't play as well today as it did when it was first released. Basically it is the coming of age of a spoiled Jewish princess. The film starts with Judy Benjamin getting married to her second husband who six hours later has a heart attack and dies while they are having sex. One night a despondent Judy calls a late night radio call in show as "Jessica" and asks for advice on what to do next, explaining that she'd always had a man to take care of her, that she'd never been alone before, and she doesn't know how to function on her own. The next day she meets a man who called in to the radio program outside a building. They walk into the building and she discovers that he's an army recruiter. He tells her of yachts and condos and sells her on the idea of joining the army. She joins. When she gets to basic training she discovers that the army is nothing like what her recruiter told her. At first she wants out but eventually she starts standing on her own two feet and the spoiled princess is transformed into an independent woman. One night she meets a man in a bar where the girls are out celebrating the completion of basic training. They end up making love and we hear the telling comment from Judy: "So that's what i've been faking all these years". Eventually Judy is assigned to France where this man lives and they become engaged and...
I will not reveal the rest for those who have not seen this film.
The transfer is approximatly like a good VHS and unfortunatly is strictly pan and scan. The sound is servicable, this is not a big effects movie after all. What this is, is a very good film that deserves a better transfer and a widescreen version.
------------------
Bullseye
My Collection




