Comedy Noir? Sure, why not? Satirically speaking, that is. You know; a satire is a literary work that holds up human vices and follies to ridicule. Human vices like: loan sharking, racketeering, drug smuggling and movie producing! Sure, why not?

      Thus thought the great writer, Elmore Leonard, when he wrote the dark joke about Hollywood, "Get Shorty" in which the lines between criminal activity and legitimate (?) Hollywood movie producing are blurred to indistinction. This is the way the script flows, as written by Scott Frank (Golden Globe nominee) and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, in this 1995 film that won John Travolta a Golden Globe Award, as best actor for his portrayal of Chili Palmer, a small time hood who, when he goes to Hollywood to collect on a loan from sleazy film maker, Harry Zimm, (Gene Hackman) realizes that movie-making suits him to a T!

      There are some great characters in this comedy that takes itself seriously, which is the key to how it works. Leonard, known as the "Dickens of Detroit" said, in an interview with the L.A. Times, that: "It was the first contemporary story of mine that I really liked on the screen..." The cast is what you call "stellar" with the afore mentioned Travolta and Hackman, one finds Rene Russo, as the "B" movie queen, Karen Flores. Danny DeVito, as Martin Weir a.k.a. "Shorty". Ex Chicago cop, Dennis Farina, as mobster, Ray "Bones" Barboni. Popular casting heavy, Delroy Lindo, as Bo Catlett, popular heavy and everyone's favorite Soprano, James Gandolfini, as Bear, ex-stuntman turned body guard.

      Roger Ebert wrote: (I love this!) "One of the pleasures of Get Shorty is watching the way the plot moves effortlessly from crime to the movies - not a long distance, since both industries are based on fear, greed, creativity and intimidation." Rolling Stone said: "One of the best movies of the year and by far the most entertaining."

      The DVD has widescreen formatting (the only way to watch movies!) original trailer and includes an 8-page booklet with lots of interesting notes.

      It's rated R due to language and some violence, but how 'ya gonna make a movie about mobsters without some violence?! There are some great laughs in this one, and just writing about it makes me want to see it again! Enjoy!