Product Description

MELANIE GRIFFITH AND MATTHEW MODINE PLAY AN OVER-MORTGAGED SAN FRANCISCO COUPLE W HOE HOPE OF KEEPING THEIR RENOVATED VICTORIAN DREAM HOME DEPENDS ON LEASING THE DOWNSTAIRS. MICHAEL KEATON IS THE NEW TENANT FROM HELL, A SOCIOPATH SCAM ARTIST OUT TO CLAIM THE HOUSE FOR HIMSELF. SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6135 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2004-06-01
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Amazon.com
Ever a had neighbor from hell? You know, the one who never cleans, makes too much noise at night with his jigsaw, and breeds cockroaches and pumps them into your apartment? Never have? Well, pump up your paranoia with this outlandish if mildly enjoyable thriller starring Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine as San Francisco yuppies-cum-landlords who rent out an apartment in their Pacific Heights house to mild-mannered Michael Keaton in order to make the mortgage payment. What seems like a happy arrangement all around turns hellish when: (a) Keaton refuses to pay the rent; (b) firmly entrenches himself in the apartment thanks to some legal maneuvering; and (c) starts playing with the cockroaches. Ostensibly, Keaton wants to drive Griffith and Modine to bankruptcy and then pick up their fab Victorian house for cheap, but as is the way of all thrillers, he's got a sadistic and homicidal bent to back up his real-estate envy. Director John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy) manipulates the thrills somewhat effectively, if not gratuitously, especially with Griffith's damsel-in-distress character, turning on the tension in the don't-go-to-the-attic/garage/basement set pieces. Part of the problem of the film lies in its schizophrenic tone: one moment it's a what's-in-the-dark? thriller, at other times a nifty cat-and-mouse game of psychological wills between Keaton and his landlords. Both sides of the movie are effective in their own right, and Keaton is a great psycho, but Schlesinger doesn't quite bring it together, despite a considerably amped-up climax. Still, if the sight of a beautiful house being slowly destroyed is your idea of the ultimate horror, you'll be chilled to the bone. Look for Griffith's mother, Tippi Hedren of The Birds fame, in a small role. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews

Beware Of Tenants Bearing Trust Funds!....
This review refers to the DVD edition(Warner) of "Pacific Heights".....

A really good thriller for me, is one that not only grabs me and keeps me in suspense the first time around, but one that keeps me on the edge of my seat on repeated viewings as well. "Pacific Heights" is one of those thrillers, that makes buying the DVD worthwhile, as I know this one will not be collecting dust on the shelves.

The very cool and respectable looking Carter Hayes(Michael Keaton) is new to San Francisco. He's looking for an apartment and his done his homework well. He's found the perfect place and has even taken the time to check out his landlords.Drake and Patty(Matthew Modine/Melanie Griffith) are the eptiome of Yuppiedom. Unmarried, but a couple, they bury themselves in debt buying the Victorian fixer-er-upper, that they will renovate and make a huge profit on when it's complete. In the meantime they will simply rent out the two apartments downstairs to help pay the bills. They should have done their homework as well as Hayes.

The smooth talking Hayes worms his way into one of the apartments and promises payment when his expected funds arrive, which of course will be very soon. It doesn't take long for Patty and Drake, as well as the other tenants, to discover the Carter is the tenant from Hell.He has a few social and psychological problems. He imposes a frightening presence and knows all the legal manuevers, and scare tatics to take over the house for himself. It's a journey frought with fear and suspense as Patty and Drake try to reclaim their home and their sanity.

A nice clear picture with good color is presented in widescreen. The Dolby Dig 5.1 Surround was excellent. The haunting score by Hans Zimmer, all background and surrounding sound effects, and the dialouge all came through beautifully. No special features on this one. It may also be viewed in French (2.0), but there are no subtitles in any langauge for those who may need them. There is also a short theatrical trailer.

Modine and Griffith are very believable as the beleagured and frightened but determined landlords. Michael Keaton pulls off this repulsive villain amazingly well. His versitility is unending.Directed by John Schlesinger("Midnight Cowboy"), it also stars Laurie Metcalf,Mako and Dorian Harewood. Also look for Dan Hedaya and a real special treat and rare appearance by Tippi Hedren.

Get the popcorn ready and don't watch this one alone! Oh and remember to always check refrences!.....Laurie

An Engrossing Thriller...The Worst Tenant You Might Ever Have...
PACIFIC HEIGHTS is the ultimate story of the tenant gone completely crazy...and completely wrong! This is one of the best thrillers to grace movies besides FATAL ATTRACTION and DIABOLIQUE (the 1960s version).

Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith play Drake and Patty, a couple trying to invest in their dream of buying a house in the beautiful suburbs of San Francisco, and restoring it to rent to the idea tenants. Enter Michael Keaton as Carter Hayes, the conman sociopath who seems at first like the most idea individual to pick as a tenant, but Drake and Patty have no idea what they are getting themselves into when they find out he has welcomed himself into the new apartment. Carter gets them both into trouble in some sinister ways, and uses the law to his full benefit to make everything look like it's Patty, and especially Drake's, fault. Over the course of the movie, these series of events start to take a toll on the relationship between Patty and Drake, and even worse, Carter's breeding roaches in his own place...disgusting! Things get really hairy after Patty does some very clever private investigating and really messes with Carter to the point that the climax of the movie brings it all into play.
Michael Keaton plays the crooked tenant to absolute perfection in one of his best roles as a bad guy. Modine and Griffith have excellent chemistry as the couple trying to fight to knock Carter out of their lives. Even an appearance by Laurie Metcalf makes for some entertainment you're sure to appreciate.
PACIFIC HEIGHTS is one of the best thrillers, great for a Saturday night stay-in or for an introduction into where thrillers got really smart again since the days of PSYCHO and WAIT UNTIL DARK. And you can't go wrong with the wicked performance by Keaton, and some memorable perfomances from the cast all around. PACIFIC HEIGHTS is the ultimate nightmare...and the ultimate experience of tenants gone...well, very mad.

Cockroaches & Power Tools & Destruction, OH MY!!!
The seemingly charming, but sadistic, brutal, destructive & oh yeah... homicidal, Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) puts
yuppies-cum-landlords, Patty Palmer and Drake Goodman (Melanie Griffith & Matthew Modine) through their paces as they experience the WORST tenant in the history of landlord lore!

Carter Hayes, armed with power tools, garbage, his little cockroach friends, and the law on his side, are GUARANTEED to drive Patty and Drake out of their beautiful victorian fixer-upper that they have just purchased. It seems like Carter would like to pick up the house for himself and thus, tries his darndest to make Patty and Drake default on their huge mortgage.

Tippi Hedren, Laurie Metcalf and Dan Hedaya also star.

This is a great suspense filled movie with a "killer" ending. Michael Keaton is perfect in the role as Carter Hayes. He is one of the most flexible and versatile actors, playing good guys (Mr. Mom & The Dream Team), bad guys (Pacific Heights & Desparate Measures), cartoon characters (Batman & Beatlejuice), & a dying man (My Life).

This is a most excellent suspense film and highly recommended!

Happy Watching!