moonspinner55 Allen Garfield (billed as Allen Goorwitz) plays the owner of a concert hall in Los Angeles, preparing for a New Year's Eve rock and blues blowout, who is threatened with a takeover attempt by slimy concert promoter Ed Begley Jr. Director Allan Arkush knows how to make a cult film, and this one comes complete with hip casting, some great music, wild gags and in-jokes, but what is accomplished with cheerful rebellion is soon mitigated by shapeless scenes and static slapstick, one out-of-control, overeager sequence after another. Despite the work of three credited screenwriters, the dialogue is pothead-smug and has no snap, and Arkush frequently resorts to tastelessness to get a cheap laugh (such as a naked babe sharing space in a bathtub with a guy in scuba gear). The overall tone is jovial and chummy, as if we were co-conspirators in the picture's euphoric craziness, but Garfield is too intense an actor for his role--he pretends to have a good time, much like the rest of the cast, and it doesn't wash. There isn't, in fact, one character in this group as lovable as Riff Randell from Arkush's 1979 midnight-movie entry, "Rock 'n' Roll High School". ** from ****

wsandberg-1 I have this on tape and have made it a tradition, to be watched each New Years Eve for the past 20 years .... just can't think of not doing it. After Dick Clark and Times Square go off, on goes the movie. A movie about New Years Eve on New Years Eve ... what could be better. Sneaking up on 67, it's nice to know that my kids remember me doing this and still ask about to this day. It's a fun movie ... ENJOY !!! (don't pick it apart just enjoy it) Well seems I need to have more on here. So I would also like to point out that the music is good and I look forward to hearing each year, so again I'll say give it a look see, especially on New Years Eve.

parbuck I can't say enough good about this one. If you've ever tried to perform live, under pressure, with everything going wrong around you - I don't care if it's a high school play or Madison Square opening for the Megaband of the Minute - you'll identify with this. Lou Reed gets to play himself, basically; the hippy bands of the 60s that just won't leave are portrayed as they are (and this was 1983, for Pete's sake, never mind 2006!), the ego-glamrockers get their due with Malcom MacDowel, The punkers have their turn, and the blues godfather kind of watches it all from the wings.My favorite scene is at the beginning at a bluesman's funeral - King Blues does the graveside eulogy, in which he says, among other things, ..."You were the greatest...musician, drinker of whiskey, and lover of women (minister starting to wince at this point)... 'God, this is my man, and if you don't take care of him, I'm gonna wax your a_s!" - thunder rumbles, minister backs away from the grave, and the blind a capella blues singers who've been crooning away all through the scene start bumping into each other, saying "'scuse me, scuse me" - one of them falls in the grave and yells "I'M NOT DEAD!!!!" - OK, it loses in telling - just get the film and enjoy!

Robin Silver I just finished watching it for the 18th time...I only watch it on New Year's Eve. I first found this movie in 1985 and have watched it EVERY New Years Eve since, except for New Year's 1990 while I was in Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield/Storm.The name of this movie fits perfectly, it IS "CRAZY"! Every time I watch it, I notice something different, especially different characters in the crowd at the concert and other things in the background. Malcolm McDowell is one of my all time favorite actors and he puts on a great show, although he should stick to acting and NOT singing. Lou Reed plays a pretty decent song during the credits, so don't turn off the tape as soon as the credits start to roll! The other music consists of the same song in different forms, blues, metal, and whatever you want to call the version that Malcolm McDowell sings. It's well worth a viewing, preferably on with friends and on New Years Eve!!