Product Description

Wes Anderson's dazzling sophomore effort is equal parts coming-of-age story, French New Wave homage, and screwball comedy. Tenth grader Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is Rushmore Academy's most extracurricular student-and its least scholarly. He faces expulsion, and enters into unlikely friendships with both a lovely first-grade teacher (Olivia Williams) and a melancholy self-made millionaire (Bill Murray, in an award-winning performance). Set to a soundtrack of classic British Invasion tunes, Rushmore defies categorization even as it captures the pain and exuberance of adolescence with wit, emotional depth, and cinematic panache. Criterion is proud to present one of 1998's most acclaimed films in a Director Approved special edition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9462 in DVD
• Brand: MURRAY,BILL
• Released on: 2000-01-18
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 93 minutes

Customer Reviews

Great Movie
I am a little surprised that so many other people failed to see the merits of this movie. First, this was not a typical predictable Hollywood movie with a predictable ending. Second, it was not a re-hash of some old story line with the same old actors. It is a very well written comedic coming of age movie. Few movies take the time or effort to develop complex, flawed and genuine characters, but director Wes Anderson apparently understands the value of doing so. The emotionally stagnating business tycoon Herman Blume is played brilliantly by Bill Murray - the disappointment he feels with his banal life and idiotic children is wrenchingly palpable. But Rushmore Academy student and quirky prodigy Max Fischer enters Herman Blume's dull life, renewing his enthusiam. The movie is both thought provoking and hilarious. Particularly enjoyable are Max's adaptations of "Serpico" and "Platoon" for the high-school drama club. Hands down this was the best comedy produced in the 90's. With the decade that produced MTV sex and bathroom joke frat boy movies, this film offers an intelligent script, cast of characters, and an excellent soundtrack.

WHIMSICAL COMING-OF-AGE ROMANTIC CAPER
What surprises me about Wes Andersen is that he is so in command of his silver screen he defies just about every convention of film making and still manages to come up with a riveting diversion of a movie. You know, that rare brand that makes you laugh but you're not exactly sure what you are laughing about. A movie with the mordant tone of Donnie Darko or The Royal Tennenbaums.

And Rushmore I'd contend is the most extraordinary feather in his illustrious cap to date. It is difficult to classify. Romance features as a pervasive undercurrent, full of mercurial dialogue and quirky moments, but it's not merely a romantic-comedy. It's not even your average angst-filled coming-of-age story. It's an oddity with a flowy screenplay that begs to be discovered individually, for oneself.

The acting all round is top notch. Schwatzman, our young protagonist, is very intriguing in his potrayal of an academically challenged overachiever. Murray delivers a rock solid sad-sack performance as usual, his long face speaking volumes.

The brand of subtle humour may not spring out to everyone but is hilarious when pondered over. For instance,

"Are you a neurosurgeon?"
"No, I'm a barber. But many people make that mistake."

It's anything but an ordinary movie, it does not follow the typical mindset of opening-body-conclusion and its funky vibe may not appeal to everyone. But if you have an appetite for the unusual, it's a very, very beautiful caper and all its weirdness makes perfect sense within its context.

Can't recommend it highly enough for the discerning eye.

"Rushmore" will restore your faith in movies
That's a bold statement, but it's true. I could complain about how Bill Murray and everyone involved was robbed by not receiving any Oscar nominations, but with a film like this, it doesn't matter. In a year with two Elizabethan dramas and two World War II pictures nomated for Best Picture, Rushmore stood out as a true original. I read glowing reviews for the movie when it played for one week in LA and missed it, but caught it the second time it came out. I was eager going into see it, having loved Wes Anderson's first movie "Bottle Rocket" (also, Owen Wilson co-wrote both scripts with Anderson). I was amazed at what I saw. This is definetly one of the funniest American movies in a long time, and Max Fischer is one of the great characters of all time. Wes Anderson has a sensibility in his films of dry humor paired with true emotions and feelings. The characters in "Bottle Rocket" and Max Fischer share naive dreams that are impossible, but they're so damn likable you're heartbroken when they come up short. For weeks, I couldn't stop talking or thinking about this movie. So many scenes still are fresh in my mind, like the introduction of Max in all of his clubs, and Bill Murray doing the cannonball into his backyard pool. The cinematography and editing are great, and the soundtrack rocks. In just two movies Anderson has set himself apart from the Tarantinos of the indie film world and has proved himself to be one of the best writers and directors working today.