Product Description

Meryl Streep is stunning (The New York Times) in this shocking true story about one woman's struggle against a huge corporation. Nominated* for five Academy AwardsÂ(r), including Best Actress (Streep) and Best Supporting Actress (Cher), this daring, provocative and critically acclaimed drama just 'shouldn't be missed (Newsweek)! Karen Silkwood (Streep) lives a free-spirited existence with two friends (Kurt Russell and Cher) who work with her at an Oklahoma nuclear facility. It's only when she discovers she's been exposed to radiation that Karen's conscience awakens, and soon she is digging for evidence of wrongdoing at her company. But her sudden zeal for safer working conditions may come at a high price as she alienates friends and possibly even puts herown life in peril.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8485 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-10-07
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 131 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Based on the harrowing account of whistle blower Karen Silkwood, this 1983 film directed by Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Postcards from the Edge) is as much a character study of a woman galvanized by injustice as a story of the dangers of nuclear power and the extremes of corporate greed. When Karen discovers unsafe conditions and reckless protocol at the plant where she works, her actions in uncovering the dangers that lie at the plant not only cause a rift between her and her lover (Kurt Russell) and her best friend (Cher), but they threaten her very life. Streep gives yet another bravura performance as a wild child in Oklahoma forced to confront the harsh realities of her life, and the supporting cast, from Cher to Russell to Diana Scarwid is first rate. This true story of the woman who disappeared under mysterious circumstances while trying to find the truth is a well-told, challenging, and emotionally complex tale. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews

"THE BEST LABORATORY SAFETY MOVIE EVER MADE"
If marketed to businesses to use as a training film, "Silkwood" could get all sorts of industrial safety film awards including the honor of being the first industrial training film in which:

A) Three famous actors team up to teach us radiation safety,
B) Cher plays a Dyke,
C) Meryl Streep pulls a "Janet Jackson" and we get to see her boob for a split second,
D) Kurt Russell's talent for dry humor is wasted; e.g. in the bedroom scene where he is consoling the radioactive Meryl Streep he does NOT say "Of course I still love you, you were hot the day I met you and you still are."

+1 star for acting; +1 star for lab safety; +1 star for telling the nasty turth; -1 star for the clothes, sets and overall look-and-feel (thank goodness the 1970s are over); -1 star for being boring and angst-ridden with an anorexic plot.

Radiant Movie about Radiation
"Silkwood" was Meryl Streep's breakthrough movie. It's no surprise why. Streep radiates class and determination as whistleblower Karen Silkwood. She brings conviction to her role, carrying the film. Though the movie's coda claims that Silkwood died under "unknown circumstances",one still wonders if there was a conspiracy afoot.

"Silkwood" is also a human story. Kurt Russell is excellent as Silkwood's on-again,off-again,and frequently shirtless lover Drew (this helps,since the plot slows down several times) Cher shines as Silkwood's lesbian friend Dolly. Craig T. Nelson is a convincing villain.

"Silkwood" tells an inspirational, chilling story. While it is slow at points, the acting and production is excellent. It's a timeless classic of courage and conviction.

Cher has also had success in Concert and Live Shows
Some Top Grossing Tours according to Ray Waddell and Billboard

$558,255,524 Rolling Stones "A Bigger Bang"
August 21, 2005 to August 26,2007 -144 Worldwide shows -4,680,000 sold

$389,047,816 U2 "Vertigo"
March 28,2005 to Dec 9,2006 - 131 shows - 4,619,021 tickets sold

$109.7 million (from Pollstar) U2 "Elevation" Tour
3-24,2001 to 12-2,2001 - 113 shows

$385,115,516 "Celine Dion:A New Day"
March 25,2003 to Dec 15,2007 - 714 reported shows, of 717 shows - 2,814,577 tickets sold

$340 Million estimated gross (Billboard 2-14-2008)
$212,227,302 The Police -from Billboard Boxscore Year End Chart 2006
May 28,2007 continuing into 2008 - 66 shows - 1,858,456 tickets sold

$320 million Rolling Stones "Voodoo Lounge"
August 1, 1994 to August 30, 1995 - 130 shows

$299,520,230 Rolling Stones "Licks" tour
September 3,2002 to Oct 2,2003 - 115 shows - 3,470,945
plus 2 shows in Hong Kong-11-7&9, 2003 not included in this earnings tally


$194,683,927 "Cher:The Farewell Tour"
June 15,2002 to April 30,2005 - 280 North American shows - 2,880,726 tickets sold
she did an additional 45 shows Worldwide which are not counted in this earnings tally "Cher played 325 dates,grossing well over $200 million and playing to more than 3 million people" 5-28-2005 Ray Waddell Billboard

$221.5 million Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band "Rising Tour"
August 7,2002 to Oct 4,2003 - 121 shows - over 3 million tickets sold


$194,754,447 Madonna "Confessions Tour"
May 21,2006 to Sept 21,2006 - 60 shows - 1,209,618 tickets sold
--9-20-2006 Billboard reports that Madonna has the Top Grossing tour by a female artists, besting Cher's Farewell tour gross of 192.5 million from 273 shows. (Cher's tour DID have 325 shows)
Wikipedia has Madonna's Confession Tour gross at $260,119,588.

$192.8 Million The Rolling Stones "Bridges To Babylon Tour"
Sept 4 1997 to Sept 19 1998

According to Nielsen Media Research:
"Celine Dion:A New Day" CBS 3-25-2003 9.1 rating and 13.8 million viewers
"Cher:The Farewell Tour" NBC 4-8-2003 11 rating and 16.6 million viewers
*Cher had Three Variety shows from 8-1-1971 to 8-31-1977, the shows ended when Sonny and Cher chose not to renew their TV contract (according to Robert Wussler CBS-TV President April 1977)
Bruce Springsteen CBS 2-28-03 3.7 rating and 5.4 million viewers
Madonna Confessions Tour" 11-22-2006 NBC 4.6 million viewers
"U2 Beautiful Day" CBS 11-29-02 2.2 rating and 3.6 million viewers