| | |  | BLUES MUSIC | Home » » Honeydripper | | | | | | | Description: | | John Sayles' limited-release movie about 1950 rural Alabama stars Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton and Mary Steenburgen. Bonuses: behind-the-scenes footage, commentary, interviews. | | | Features: | |
• From Oscar® nominated director, John Sayles, comes an electrifying and vivid rock 'n' roll fable. When Tyrone, owner of the Honeydripper lounge, is faced with having to shut down his juke joint, his hopes rest on one man the famous Guitar Sam. It's a make or break weekend for the Honeydripper, this better be some Saturday night! With exquisite performances by Danny Glover, Char
| | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Danny Glover, LisaGay Hamilton, Yaya DaCosta, Charles S. Dutton, Vondie Curtis-Hall | | Director:
| John Sayles | | Format:
| AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC | | Language:
| English | | Subtitle:
| English, Spanish | | Number of Discs:
| 1 | | Studio:
| Screen Media | | Run Time:
| 124 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| June 24, 2008 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 20 reviews |
| | | | Used and New: | | | |
| All | |
| $2.42 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.42 | Used
- Good | | | $2.42 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.43 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.48 | Used
- Good | | | $2.49 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.90 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.95 | Used
- Mint | | | $3.00 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.10 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.17 | New | | | $3.79 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.91 | Used
- Mint | | | $3.95 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.99 | Used
- Mint | | | $4.18 | Used
- Mint | | | $4.31 | New | | | $4.32 | New | | | $4.32 | New | | | $4.34 | New | | | $4.34 | New | | | $4.65 | New | | | $4.96 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $4.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $4.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $4.99 | New | | | $5.00 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $5.00 | Used
- Good | | | $6.48 | Used
- Mint | | | $6.48 | New | | | $6.66 | New | | | $6.68 | Used
- Mint | | | $6.68 | Used
- Mint | | | $6.79 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $6.79 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $6.80 | New | | | $6.85 | New | | | $6.96 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $6.98 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $7.02 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $7.19 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $7.46 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $7.90 | New | | | $8.07 | New | | | $8.10 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $8.16 | New | | | $8.16 | Used
- Mint | | | $8.17 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $9.29 | New | | | $9.40 | New | | | $9.44 | New | | | $9.55 | New | | | $9.90 | New | | | $9.91 | New | | | $9.99 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | Used
- VeryGood | | | $10.00 | New | | | $10.39 | New | | | $10.44 | New | | | $10.50 | New | | | $10.57 | New | | | $10.79 | New | | | $11.08 | New | | | $11.10 | New | | | $11.24 | Used
- Mint | | | $12.57 | New | | | $12.99 | New | | | $13.61 | New | | | $13.84 | New | | | $15.36 | New | | | $20.00 | New | | | $24.16 | Used
- Good | | | $34.48 | New | | | $119.99 | New | |
| New | |
| $3.17 | New | | | $4.31 | New | | | $4.32 | New | | | $4.32 | New | | | $4.34 | New | | | $4.34 | New | | | $4.65 | New | | | $4.99 | New | | | $6.48 | New | | | $6.66 | New | | | $6.80 | New | | | $6.85 | New | | | $6.96 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $6.98 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $7.46 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $7.90 | New | | | $8.07 | New | | | $8.16 | New | | | $8.17 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $9.29 | New | | | $9.40 | New | | | $9.44 | New | | | $9.55 | New | | | $9.90 | New | | | $9.91 | New | | | $10.00 | New | | | $10.39 | New | | | $10.44 | New | | | $10.50 | New | | | $10.57 | New | | | $10.79 | New | | | $11.08 | New | | | $11.10 | New | | | $12.57 | New | | | $12.99 | New | | | $13.61 | New | | | $13.84 | New | | | $15.36 | New | | | $20.00 | New | | | $34.48 | New | | | $119.99 | New | |
| Used | |
| $2.42 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.42 | Used
- Good | | | $2.42 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.43 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.48 | Used
- Good | | | $2.49 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.90 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $2.95 | Used
- Mint | | | $3.00 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.10 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.79 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.91 | Used
- Mint | | | $3.95 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.99 | Used
- Mint | | | $4.18 | Used
- Mint | | | $4.96 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $4.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $4.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $5.00 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $5.00 | Used
- Good | | | $6.48 | Used
- Mint | | | $6.68 | Used
- Mint | | | $6.68 | Used
- Mint | | | $6.79 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $6.79 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $7.02 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $7.19 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $8.10 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $8.16 | Used
- Mint | | | $9.99 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | Used
- VeryGood | | | $11.24 | Used
- Mint | | | $24.16 | Used
- Good | |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 20 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
 No one makes movies like John Sayles !Jul 12, 2008
By B B McGuire
"Buster"
John Sayles is a true independant filmmaker who not only finances, directs, edits and writes his movies but often times acts in and writes music for them. For "Honeydripper" Sayles did it all, and he wrote a couple of songs. He has dealt with the African American experience in movies before like: "Brother From Another Planet", "Passion Fish" and "City of Hope", but since most of the characters in "Honeydripper" are black he delves even deeper into the issue and the film is written more like a play with echoes of the work of August Wilson.
It's 1950 in the deep South and Danny Glover's Tyrone is barely making it and his Honeydripper lounge featuring aging blues players can't compete with the popular Jukejoint next door. To make matters worse the Honeydripper is about to close down unless Tyrone can come up with some serious money.
Most of the story revolves around the conflicts and relationships Tyrone has with his wife ( a powerful performance by Lisa Gay Hamilton), his partner (an excellent Charles Dutton), his daughter (a nice debut by model Ya Ya DeCosta), a young musician stranger (effectively played by young bluesman Gary Clark Jr.) and the white sheriff (a tailor made role for Stacey Keach). My favorite character is played by veteran bluesman Keb' Mo', a sort of bluesy greek chorus muse who appears at pivotal times only to Glover and Clark.
Sayles always takes his time developing his characters and the world in which they live, and though it may seem slow at first this lets you begin to care about what will happen to them. A big plus is the terrific music, and except for Glover, it is all played by the actors themselves and surprisingly it was all done live while filming.
Yes the movie, like a play, takes it's time to develop, but the payoff was one of the most uplifting times I've had at the movies in a long while.
I read that Sayles has decided to stop making movies and just write. I'm sure it must be getting harder to get these kinds of movies made and harder still to get them released, unfortunately no one makes movies like John Sayles.
14 of 15 found the following review helpful:
John Sayles Does It AgainJul 02, 2008
By Michael Dennis
"reelblack.com"
John Sayles, perhaps more than any other American filmmaker, has his finger on the pulse of what make this country special. A gifted storyteller, not one of his films is alike, but hes's at his best when he takes a small moment in time and uses it to explore a major change. EIGHT MEN OUT uses the Black Sox scandal to reflect the loss of innocence of our nation. LONE STAR uses a murder mystery to unearth skeletons long hidden, etc. With HONEYDRIPPER, Sayles latest, he explores the moment Blues Became Electric, opening the door for Rock & Roll, the dominant music of the last half of the 20th Century. He does so in the style of the late August Wilson, using quiet rhythms and essentially one locale to tell the story. In the process, he gets allows his stellar cast to deliver some great performances, including Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Keb Mo, Vondie Curtis-Hall and newcomer YaYa Dacosta, as China Doll. Gary Clark, Jr. is a little stiff in his acting debut, but once he picks up the guitar, he puts a smile on your face. Parts of the story may move a little slow, but Honeydripper's built for comfort, not for speed. Once you know the plot, you'll begin to pick out minor details in the fabric of the film that absolutely glow. Mind you, this is a film that could never be made within the Hollywood studio system, so if you're looking for Rush Hour 3, then move along. But if you like a good story told well or just love the Blues, Honeydripper deserves a spot on your personal video shelf.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Authentic southern Blues storyAug 06, 2008
By Mrs. Clean
Having lived in the south for many years, "Honeydripper" was a nostalgic trip for us. Thought the acting excellent for the most part. Certainly the setting rang true. There is a long wait for the music, but the reward is worth it.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A very good surpriseJan 15, 2012
By Chaostrain
I was looking for a musical when I came across this and started to watch. Was surprised to find it a story about how music saved a man, his family, his business, and a drifter. It's a very good depiction about the times and the struggles the blacks had and that they could make it by sticking together. I gave it 5 stars only because that's as high as it goes. Oh, and by the way, I'm white.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A great look at the pre-Elvis music scene in the south!Oct 26, 2009
By Baberufus
I love movies that provide insight in how 20th-century American music developed in the transitional period between the heyday of blues and the coming of rock and roll! It's fascinating to see, looking back, how people were dumbfounded at the idea of an electric guitar ("How does it make a sound? There's no soundhole!") The 50's and 60's were definitely the most exciting decades for being a musician--new ideas, musical styles and technology were developing at rapid speeds all over the place. What this movie does is provide an insight in how these kind of changes impacted a smalltown community in the south in 1950. The famous Guitar Sam (a character very obviously inspired by real blues artist Guitar Slim) backs out on a gig at the Honeydripper. No problem, some local upstart kid with an electric guitar can fill in for him--as Guitar Sam! The people in the community are so technologically deprived that they don't even know what Guitar Sam looks like, even though they eagerly flock to the club to see him perform!
Danny Glover does a great job in portraying the down-on-his-luck club owner, who needs to free himself of debt and his own demons stemming from an incident in his past. Keb Mo also does a great job in playing the guitar-playing character who embodies these demons.
Great music from Keb Mo and the other artists who supply the music. The piano playing during the end credits is some of the best blues piano playing you will ever hear! Fantastic! Great movie! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
See all 20 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| | |
|
