The Last Detail | | Cast : | Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid | | Director : | Hal Ashby | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | December 12, 1973 | | DVD Released Date : | December 14, 1999 | | Language : | English (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), Portuguese (Subtitled), Thai (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Chinese (Subtitled), Korean (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 17, 2005 | | Summary | One of Nicholson's best | Content
 | In this 1973 film, Jack Nicholson and Otis Young play two Navy lifers assigned to escort a prisoner (Randy Quaid in his first film) from Norfolk to the brig in Portsmouth. Jack is at his swaggering best as Budusky, and Otis Young brings an understated strength to his role. (The scenes between them are some sof the best parts of the movie.) Quaid has beeen caught stealing eight dollars from the Captain's wife's charity, and he's sentenced to twenty years in the brig. The two guards decide to give this naive 18 year old the time of his life before he goes in the klink, and the movie chronicles their escapades. But this isn't a simple buddy movie. It's about a couple of guys who in the course of their journey come to realize that they really haven't done a hell of a lot with their own lives. During the 1970's, driectors were able to produce authentic human stories without the studios breathing down on them to "dumb it up" for mass consumption. This film may well be one of the finest of the decade, and it is certainly one of Nicholson's best ever. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 13, 2005 | | Summary | A Really Interesting and Thought Provoking Film | Content
| Being a military spouse, I found myself very interested in "The Last Detail" when I happened to see it a short while ago. The film is about two Navy men (Nicholson, Young) who have to transport a young Randy Quaid to the brig. This was the 70's and times were different that they are not. Quaid is not handcuffed as they transport him. He is allowed to walk freely as they escort him via various methods of public transportation to Portsmouth where have faces 8 years in the brig. Along the way they befriend the young 18 year old man and even have doubts about turning him in. The African-American character, played by Otis Young is very strong in his beliefs about not putting his career on the line. The trio have a lot of fun. They try to cram as much excitement and life experience into a short few days as possible before they have to turn in Quaid. It's a very interesting film. As the viewer, you really have conflicting thoughts about what they should do. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 09, 2005 | | Summary | One of Jack's best | Content
| this film captures Navy Life on point. everything going down here is the real deal from start to finish.the film never lets up&brings everything to point.Jack Nicolson&Randy Quaid have Great Performances here. once you see this film you will be clued. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 05, 2004 | | Summary | Maybe our orders will come in | Content
| I can't really say how much I love this movie. It's obvious strength is a powerful and moving performance by Jack Nicholson. Randy Quaid is also excellent. But the script - the lines reveal so much about the characters. The writing is strong enough to be a novel, the breadth is that expansive. I have a few favorite scenes, such as the bar scene and the restroom scene, but there is one that sticks in my throat every time I see this film. At various points in the picture, a cheery march is played on the soundtrack, obviously a sarcastic counterpoint to the inglorious life of an enlisted man stuck in a unforgiving system. Once the three main characters go through their "lost weekend" with the young prisoner, they are in snowy Portsmouth, with only a few precious hours before their charge must be turned over to the brig. By this time, Nicholson's character has developed such a fatherly attachment to the naive prisoner that he will grant him any last wish: even attempting to burn frozen wood on a campground so the three can have wieners. After they eat the hot dogs, there is a slow panning shot of a pristine snow covered park, not a soul in sight. A slow, mournful dirge plays on the soundtrack. It's the end of the line, fellas. The party's over and it's time to face harsh realities. Young charge is gonna be locked up for eight years and you two "mean [...]" are going right back into the love it or hate it lifestyle where your freedoms are few and far between. It's that slow pan, which ends on a shot of Jack Nicholson sniffling in the bitter cold and lamenting to his hard-nosed partner, that the young man whose spirits he tried to lift, will get pummeled and abused for a long chunk of time. It's the fear any parent has about their sensitive child entering the harshness of the world. If you have patience, if you can tell good acting from bad I recommend this film to you. |
| Rating | | | Date | November 05, 2004 | | Summary | "I am a bad@ss, ain't I?!?" | Content
| I grew up hearing my grandfather's stories of life in the navy, & this classic is very realistic. Just as Buddusky (Jack Nicholson) & Mulhall (Otis Young) come to hate their shore patrol duty, my grandfather also hated it. After all, nobody likes to fight drunk people! The characters in this movie seem very real & they draw the viewer into their bleak world of "lifers" in the navy. The language is very bad but after all, who cusses like a sailor?!? While this great film ranks alongside "Chinatown" & "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" as one of Jack Nicholson's greatest performances, the dvd is a dissapointment. It looks like no effort was made to restore the picture quality & there are virtually no special features. My advice is to stick with the video until a special edition dvd is released. |
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