Boxing Helena by MGM (Video & DVD)

Received quickly and in good quality

By reading the other reviews, you'll gather this film is not for everyone. I owned this on VHS tape and decided to buy the DVD -- primarily because I think it will be unobtainable in the future. The underlying theme (as I see it) is the unsuccessful attempt of one man to capture and possess beauty -- in the form of a female form. Men perceive beauty in various manifestations -- a colorful sunset, a field of fresh flowers, reflections on a body of water, etc. Included in this catalog is the beauty of women. Non-rationalizing men will misinterpret this attraction to beauty as a sexual magnet. The protagonist of the film is not of this ilk. He is mild, sensitive, caring, attentive, but at the same time totally unconscious of his impossible desires to isolate beauty as if it were a statue. He does everything he can to discard the troublesome aspects to his imagination -- wherein one will read of all the horrific undertakings (as posted by many others). But, these horrors are merely symbolic. The thrust of the protagonist's motivations revolve around his unconscious desires to obtain and hold mastery over the essence of beauty (however truncated). He has no inkling that beauty is elusive, intangible, something that stirs the soul but cannot be subject to possession. (Spoiler) The entire events are revealed to be nothing but a dream, taking the movie out of the realm of mere horror and firmly placing it into a psychological mind-exercise. The film is bound to be misinterpreted/misrepresented because most viewers will not grasp the element of the male psyche as interpreting all obstacles to his longings as mere physical impediments (albeit in perhaps an overly graphic, realistic manner). The film triple-underscores this terrible shortcoming in the male unconscious -- something that must be brought to his full awareness for the sake of any/all viable male-female relationships. Because of the inherent complexity of the subtext, the movie will probably only be appreciated by symbolists and intellectuals.

I like Julian Sands and discovered this film while seeking out something he's done besides the Warlock movies. I'm not a big fan of love stories. But if I'm going to watch one I want to see something erotic, unusual, amusing and with some danger, thank you! That's why I chose to order Boxing Helena and I was definitely not disappointed. At first I thought that Julian Sands and Sherylin Fenn were one of the more amusing comedy teams I'd seen in a while. But gradually it gets more serious and spooky once he has her in his possession. Because he is certainly doing some evil to this unfortunate lady. Yet he is almost always impeccably polite to her no matter how verbally she castigated him. I could never do such a thing to anyone who I loved, anyone period. He takes her from a bold, beautiful, free spirited woman to a person who feels she nolonger has any worth at all. I won't tell the ending save to say I for one was glad of it turning out as it did. For me this was a great story about the terror and destruction of obsessive love. I know from experience that it truly never ends until the stalker dies. I like this screen play was written by a young lady, the daughter of David Lynch and that she directed it at age 25. I like to see young women making something of themselves, it's inspiring. I was saddened to hear she really got made fun of for this film. I heard she even won a golden tomato award for worst director. She didn't deserve it. Neither did Helena just for attracting the wrong man.

Transaction, shipping, and receiving of item went well. But the product was in PAL format which does not play in American DVD players. Returned the item and received a refund.

I rented this movie for two reasons: a) I got to the [video store] really late and the good stuff was gone and B) to see why Kim Basinger got sued over this movie.Okay, I watched it and initially thought it would [stink] but found myself watching to see just how much stranger it would get. Nick was trippin', cutting off the woman's arms and legs made me totally claustraphobic!!! The movie was unintentionally homorous, often due to the delivery of lines like "...but I love you, Helena!!!" The line isn't funny, it's just the pseudoconviction put into it's delivery.I will tell you though, the ending through a pretty neat spin on things!!! I will not tell you the ending though, you must watch for yourself!I still don't know why Kim Basinger pulled out of the film...

Okay first of all I did want to say that I got this movie as a Korean Import It's great I have no complaints at all. It is kinda funny though I noticed that the cover has Julian Sands name wrong (they forgot the s at the end of Sands) and the description has a bit of typo as well. Heck, we all make mistakes. Other than that I didn't laugh... It's a great movie, one that I watched in my mid-teens. Which has me thinking, what the heck was I watching at that age! But yes I thought it was great then and I think it's a great film now. That's why I decided to add it to my collection. Julian Sands character is so creepy if he wasn't so hot I would've purged. Sherilyn Fenn is an incredibly beautiful woman. Her character here was a real selfish bitch it made me feel sorry for her. This movie is so creepy, uncomfortable, sexy, and very provocative! I love it!

Won’t play on my blue ray player

I have been looking for Boxing Helena and Its a good movie. I just got it today

Yes a classic thriller been looking for this on dvd or blu ray for years then just come across it one day looking through Amazon pages did not know it was available so I was amazed .

Absolutely dreadful quality. I'm pretty sure this is a pirate copy, not an authorised copy and the seller needs to be investigated and Amazon need to stop them selling on the site.

Brilliant film

cult classic

Will not play,