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Jack Nicholson is justifiably famous for his larger-than-life performances in films like "The Shining" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest", but his best performances have tended to be the quieter, character-based work that he has turned in over the years in such overlooked gems as "Ironweed", "Blood and Wine" and "The Pledge". One of his finest performances, in fact, was in one of the least-seen movies of his entire career-Tony Richardson’s gripping 1982 drama "The Border". Working in a surprisingly low-key tone (even his infamous eyebrows are disguised throughout by a pair of decidedly unhip sunglasses), Nicholson plays a guard working on the U.S.-Mexico border who is encouraged by his co-workers (including Warren Oates and Harvey Keitel) and his wildly materialistic trailer-trash wife (Valerie Perrine) to turn a blind eye to the massive corruption going on around him. Trapped under the financial burden brought on by his wife, he goes along with it until he spies a poor Mexican woman (Elpidia Carrillo) and her child trying to make it to America and decides to put his entire career on the line in order to do the right thing for once. This is a great performance in an uncommonly thoughtful and moving film (at times, it feels like the best film John Sayles never made) and it also contains one of the best, most overlooked songs written for a film in the 1980s’-the Ry Cooder/John Hiatt collaboration "Across the Borderline", which would live on to be performed by artists like Bruce Springsteen and Willie Nelson. For those who still think that Nicholson only "plays himself" when he appears in a movie, this should be a sobering reminder that he is not only the greatest modern movie star but one of the best actors to boot.

Written by Deric Washington, Walon Green and David Freeman. Directed by Tony Richardson. Starring Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel, Valerie Perrine, Warren Oates and Elpidia Carrillo. 1982. 107 minutes. Rated R. A Universal Home Video release. $14.98

THE FOG OF WAR (Columbia/Tri-Star Home Video. $26.96): If you didn’t catch Errol Morris’s fascinating 2003 documentary about Robert McNamara looking back over his career and the decisions and policies that helped contribute to America’s doomed participation in the conflict in Vietnam, now is your chance to see a film that may look like a history lesson but which is as timely and relevant as anything else you are likely to see. Featuring over 25 additional scenes of interview footage that weren’t included in the theatrical version as a bonus for those who want to know more.

NIGHTHAWKS (Universal Home Video. $14.98): Largely ignored when it was released in 1981, this has gone on to become one of the best and most effective films that Sylvester Stallone ever made. In this gripping thrillers, he plays a New York cop who, with partner Billy Dee Williams, finds himself on the trail of a silky European terrorist (Rutger Hauer in his first American film) looking to continue his murderous ways in the Big Apple. Unlike a lot of cop films from the time, this one hardly seems to have aged at all and it plays just as well now as it did back then. More importantly, it serves as a reminder that before a combination of greed, ego and astonishingly bad choices all but destroyed his career, Stallone could, given the right material, be a strong and impressive screen presence. Perhaps some filmmaker will pick up this DVD, watch Stallone at his best and do for him what Quentin Tarantino did for John Travolta after seeing "Blow Out".

ROBIN HOOD (Fox Home Entertainment. $14.98): Back in 1991, there were two films based on the Robin Hood legend that were being produced at the same time. Because of the sheer size and scope of the Kevin Costner version, it wound up being the first out of the gate and became a worldwide hit while the other, directed by John Irvin and starring Patrick Bergin in the title role, was largely overlooked. (In America, it never even got a theatrical release and wound up premiering a while later as a TV movie.) A shame since of the two, this lesser-known version is the better (though neither, to be honest, is a patch on the Errol Flynn classic); it is less bombastic, seems more interested in the actual Robin Hood story and even has a star who can maintain a British accent throughout. Even better, it features Uma Thurman as an entertainingly feisty Maid Marian, a sight that is worth a rental all by itself.

SCARY MOVIE 3 (Miramax Home Entertainment. $26.98): One of those films that I suspect will play even better on home video than in the theater-the sheer silliness of the material feels more suited to the small screen and the remote control allows the ability to fast-forward through the dumber bits to the funny stuff (such as the appearance of Leslie Nielsen as the President). A bunch of deleted scenes are included-the most significant being a 15-minute alternate ending that wildly diverges from the original finale (this one mocks M. Night Shyamalan’s increasingly predictable twist endings, further elaborates on the "Matrix Reloaded" japes and even features an appearance by The Hulk).

SHAKEDOWN (Universal Home Video. $14.98): Another bad-ass cop thriller from the 1980’s that was largely overlooked-this one stars Peter Weller and Sam Elliott as, respectively, a burned-out lawyer and a burned-out cop who investigate the killing of a cop by a drug dealer and uncover a massive corruption plot. This is merely an excuse for a stunning series of action set-pieces that are still exciting enough to thrill the most jaded fan; a fistfight atop an out-of-control Coney Island roller-coaster and a wild car-motorcycle chase through the beautifully sleazy streets of the pre-Disney Times Square are the best of the bunch.

Copyright © 2004 Peter Sobczynski
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While the views expressed by Peter Sobczynski do not necessarily reflect the views of Criticdoctor.com, the Critic Doctor will occasionally examine Mr. Sobczynski's film reviews to bring forth an honest examination of those views expressed.