John Landis' Burke and Hare has finally come to America, and it looks to be getting the same kind of mixed reviews it's gotten elsewhere in the world. Neil Genzlinger of the
New York Times liked it, calling it a "ghoulish comedy, a droll take on one of the most notorious mass-murder cases of the 19th century." (
Read more here). Jason Guerrasio posted a sympathetic
interview with Landis, saying that " Burke & Hare proves he hasn’t lost any of the crass humor or gift for creating engaging characters that made him an in-demand director in the ’70s and ’80s."
But Jordan Riefe at
TheWrap called it "a lousy basis for a good comedy," (
read more) and
HollywoodChicago.com gave their opinion in their title: "Unfunny ‘Burke and Hare’ Wastes Top-Notch Cast" (
read more).
Lucky viewers in NYC and LA can judge for themselves on the big screen, but the movie was available On Demand in many locations, and I think we can expect a pretty speedy release of a US-friendly DVD.
Thank you Google, for making the following review roundup easier than ever.
'Burke and Hare' review: 'Landis returns after long absence with dark comedyThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com -
Stephen Whitty -
Sep 9, 2011By Stephen Whitty/The Star-Ledger Burke and Hare Films LimitedSimon Pegg, left, and Andy Serkis as grave robbers who become murderers in "Burke and Hare." In the late '70s and early '80s, the director was one of Hollywood's busiest,
...Easy Money From Body PartsNew York Times -
Neil Genzlinger -
Sep 8, 2011When an American director uses a bunch of well-known English actors to tell a Scottish tale centered on two Irish immigrants, you might expect some inconsistencies of tone and accent, and you get them in “Burke & Hare,” so nitpickers
...
'Burke and Hare': Grave Matters, With A Comic Slant
NPR -
Ian Buckwalter -
Sep 8, 2011
All for love: William Burke (Simon Pegg) and Ginny Hawkins (Isla Fisher) live the high life — on proceeds from his low life — in Burke and Hare. It's a match made in cult-cinema heaven — on paper. The co-writer and star of the
...
Review: John Landis' Gravedigger Comedy 'Burke and Hare' Arrives DOA
Reuters -
Jordan Riefe -
Sep 8, 2011
Edinburgh's most notorious serial killers, William Burke and William Hare were a pair of Irish immigrants who terrorized the Scottish capitol in the 1820's. Together they murdered 17 and sold the corpses to medical lecturer
...
Film Review: Burke & Hare
Film Journal -
Rex Roberts -
Sep 9, 2011
John Landis returns with a macabre spoof of Enlightenment Scotland, starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis as entrepreneurial serial killers furthering the cause of science…and the arts. The title sounds like the name of a vaudeville act,
...
Unfunny 'Burke and Hare' Wastes Top-Notch Cast
HollywoodChicago.com -
Sep 9, 2011
CHICAGO – There are few sights more depressing than a game cast all dressed up with nowhere to go and no good jokes to share. “Burke and Hare” is the sort of comedy Mel Brooks was making in the '90s. All the ingredients are on hand for a promising
...
Burke and Hare
New York Post -
Kyle Smith -
Sep 8, 2011
BURKE AND HARE. Running time: 91 minutes. Not rated (blood, gore, violence, profanity). At the IFC Center, Sixth Avenue and Third Street. 'Sweeney Todd" meets Ealing Studios in the so- so black comedy "Burke and Hare.
...
Interview: John Landis Talks 'Burke And Hare', 'Three Amigos' On Blu-ray
Ology -
Benny Gammerman -
Sep 8, 2011
John Landis is a legend. There's no way around it. His voice and films -- Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London, Trading Places and Coming to America among them -- have essentially crafted the state of modern comedy.
...
Burke and Hare review
Paste Magazine -
Maryann Koopman Kelly -
Sep 9, 2011
Coaxing a successful comedy out of a dark historical drama is tricky even for the most seasoned filmmaker. Unfortunately, John Landis' comedy/thriller Burke and Hare is one of those that misses the mark. Set it the scientific boom of 1820s Edinburgh,
...
