Der Senkrechtstarter

i never thought this was a bad movie. my mom used to watch it all the time,and loved it. i don't love it,but i still think it's all right. stallone is funny in this movie. not real funny,but funny. the plot is full of holes,but amusing,and entertaining scenes help me forget about the holes in the plot. all in all it's not as bad as people say. i give rhinestone **1/2 out of ****

I remember RHINESTONE's extremely short tenure in theaters when I was a teenager but never saw the film until it turned up unexpectedly on Country Music Television (CMT) earlier this week. I sat down expecting to laugh AT the movie, not WITH it, because on paper, the idea of Sylvester Stallone learning to become a country singer so that Dolly Parton can win a bet with her sleazy manager sounds like a train wreck of Biblical proportions. But y'know what? In spite of myself I found myself chuckling at the screwball humor in RHINESTONE. Stallone is not exactly known for his comedic stylings, but I have to give him credit, he gave it the old college try in his role as a mumble-mouthed NYC cabbie who tries hard to discover his inner redneck. Dolly Parton, well, she's Dolly Parton. She made quite a few movies in the late 70s and early 80s and though she may not be considered a great actress, she's light, funny, and easy on the eyes as well. Some of the priceless moments include Sly's fringed, sparkly stage wear (which wouldn't have looked out of place in the Blue Oyster Bar of "Police Academy" fame), Dolly punching out Tim Thomerson (Jack Deth would be horrified at how easily she took him out!), and Sly's race through the mean streets of 1984 Times Square on horseback to rescue Dolly from her manager's clutches. On the musical side, well, let's just say I doubt that the soundtrack album to RHINESTONE burned up the charts back in '84. Dolly can sing anything and make it sound good, so Sly should be grateful that she joins him on stage in the big finale to salvage his "performance" (and I use that term loosely). I doubt Sly Stallone looks back on this movie with much fondness, but considering that I was expecting a total cheese fest I was pleasantly surprised by this fluffy '80s comedy. They really don't make'em like this anymore.

This is one of the funniest Stallone comedies there is, if nothing else for the fact that Stallone is so bad at it! Imagine an NYC cab driver turned country & western singer? What could be better than that? Dolly provides a solid comedy performance as well. If nothing else check this out just for the laughs!

This film is definitely a goof ball but that is what it set out to be. It's totally farcical & wonderful. Favourite scenes include Steven Apostle Peck who plays Sly's dad. The first is when we meet Peck's character in the organ room & the second is the hilarious scene around the dinner table. I bust a gut watching that scene. So funny.

One important thing I've learned in studying film is that there is a difference between a film you love & a great film. They can be one in the same, as is the case with a film such as The Godfather Part II. This is an masterfully made film that I enjoyed. Or they can be separate. For instance, I recognize that Slumdog Millionaire is a well made film, I just didn't like it. I didn't connect with it. I didn't care what happened. And on the converse, I recognize that Rhinestone isn't really that great a film but I really enjoyed it. I connected with the characters, it made me laugh & I generally found pleasure in it. So I rate it 10/10 for enjoyment.

Love to Steven Peck

This is a genuinely funny movie in parts and that may really be what it was all about and perhaps I should just accept it as such and leave it be. But this movie is so fun to trash! Dolly plays, well... Dolly, as she usually does in every movie she has ever been in. She is poured into impossibly tight outfits and she is indeed formidable. One wonders how she is able to breath in these tight outfits, much less talk and sing. Richard Farnsworth plays old codgers pretty well. Sylvester, steals the show playing a character so unlike anything he had played before (or since in fact). Well, the basic New York/East Coast type of guy seems to be a constant thing, but to take him out of Tennessee and attempt to make him into a country singer? Unfortunately, we see why his singing career never took off, despite his attempts to "sing funny" he sounds like a drunk in a karaoke bar at 2am and moves like he trying to do half-remembered Mick Jagger stage routines.

Funny movie though, his yelling and screaming while playing the organ made me laugh even before the scene's real punchline was revealed.

Recommended if you enjoy getting good looks at Dolly Parton's early 1980s figure and like seeing Stallone make fun of himself. Show this one movie with a selection of his early porn work and make the debacle complete.