One from the Heart (DVD, 2004, 2-Disc Set)

Francis Ford Coppola has long been known as an innovative filmmaker. For "One From The Heart", Coppola recreated the streets of Las vegas in a sound stage, and succeeded in producing a visually extraordinary film. The story revolves around two pwople; Frannie (Teri Garr) and Hank (Frederic Forrest), whose romance has soured. When the inevitable split occurs, Frannie finds her "dream man" Ray (Raul Julia), in a downtown store window; and Hank takes up with Leila (Nastassia Kinski), a seductive exotic dancer. But, Frannie and Hank soon discover that being apart can be as difficult as being together used to be. Their whimsical escapades are brilliantly punctuated with musical commentary by Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle. Hank and Frannie don't seem to be able to live together anymore. Hank is a "stick-in-the-mud" and Frannie is a "flake." After a five-year relationship, lustful and dreamy Frannie leaves down-to-earth Hank on the anniversary of their relationship; the 4th of July. Each one of them meets their dream mate: a suave singer-waiter for Frannie, and a lovely circus performer for Hank. There is also comical support from legendary screen performers Lanie Kazan and Harry Dean Stanton. Tom Waits received an Academy Award nomination for Best Musical Score. Dean Tavoularis, whose art department was next door to the musical rehearsal space, used Tom Waits' music as tonal inspiration which was incorporated into the film's highly-stylized 'look'. Mickey Hart, drummer for The Grateful Dead, and musician Bobby Vega were also credited for their contributions to the production. This 1982 film is still a delight to see and hear.

I bought this DVD as a gift for my husband, because he has been looking for it for years. He had tried to order it from a major video store, and they had told him they were unable to attain it for him.

I had never seen One From the Heart before, but have listened to my husband's soundtrack many times.

When I was able to finally see the movie, I knew why he liked it. It defies labeling and genre classification. I would describe One From the Heart as an art film. It is a musical without all the annoying entrapments that musicals embody (such as characters breaking into song every few minutes).

Part of what makes this film artful is the use of sets from Zoetrope studios, complete with Vegas-styled neon lights that were made to scale. The sets and the ethereal soundtrack by Crystal Gayle and Tom Waits, create an environment that is just eccentric enough to be intriguing.

The opulent sets might be a little alienating if not for the human frailties of the characters within them. While many of us might not have lived in Zoetrope land, we have all felt bored and lonely, and confused when we got what we thought we wanted and found it lacking.

Terri Garr as Franny, and Fredric Forrest as Hank, are clearly fish out of water, looking for something they lost when they got together. He wants mystery and excitement. She wants to be romanced. Watching them stumble through their new fantasy relationships might give insight to the saying; "what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas." In the case of these characters, their experiments are better left behind "...like spit on a griddle...".

Nastassia Kinski as Leila provides eye candy. Her acrobatics and mystery amplify the confusion that Hank is feeling. She is enigmatic and unapproachable, and seems to be playing with Hank to suit some unidentifiable curiosity of her own.

One From the Heart is like watching art live and flow, not unlike the languid living paintings in "What Dreams May Come" (1998-a much bigger-budget film directed by Vincent Ward, starring Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Annabella Sciorra. The scenery is a character in itself, changing and responsive.

One From the Heart is entertaining and offers unusual insight to the story of finding out that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

Although this is a musical, it is not your typical musical. The story flows along like a typical movie with musical scenes dispersed throughout. Even if you do not like musicals ~~~ you will like this one.
It is all filmed on a set which adds to the diversity.
For many years this was only available on laserdisc and not generally accessable. I highly reccommend this dvd

Really really beautiful movie, a classic, the art direction is impressive and it was sadly a failure!