Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola shines his spotlight on a Las Vegas couple (Teri Garr, Frederic Forrest) whose break-up on the 4th of July leads them both to a night on the strip in pursuit of their romantic fantasies (Raul Julia, Nastassia Kinski). But in this town of gamblers and dreamers, should they bet it all on dreams, or give true love another roll of the dice? Featuring breathtaking design, show-stopping set pieces, the stunning photography of Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, The Last Emperor) and accompanied by the wonderful Oscar nominated music of the one and only Tom Waits, this neon explosion of color, sound and innovation is a cinematic valentine for all movie lovers.

Who will like this movie? Well, although plot and music-wise it's nothing like Moulin Rouge, if you have the mindset to enjoy an off-kilter, gorgeously-filmed, nutty, romantic, bizarre, funny, sweet movie like that, you have what it takes to enjoy this. It takes an open mind, a willingness to give yourself over to the film from the very beginning, when the red curtains part (yes, Baz got that from OFTH), and an open heart, to ride along with these characters, forgive their faults and foibles, and be there for them at the end of the film. I've seen this film so many times that I understand the characters better than I did the first time I saw it. It not only holds up on subsequent viewings, it gets better and better. Besides getting to know the characters better, you notice so many more little details in the gorgeous production design.

There's so much to say about this film, I wish I were more articulate. It's one of the most BEAUTIFUL films you'll ever see. The soundtrack is wonderful too. Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle sound sublime together, and I've always considered them as playing characters too.

It's my most fervent wish that the upcoming theatrical re-release, and this DVD release, will garner this movie the audience it deserves. It was so roundly and unfairly trashed upon the original release that it never even had a chance to gain a cult audience. There are people out there who will love this film. I hope they discover it.


Definitely better than critics' convention wisdom   January 9, 2004
 16 out of 16 found this review helpful

I just saw this at the Castro Theater in San Francisco, where probably the worst dog of a movie would seem great, but this was very enjoyable. I loved this movie when it came out in 1982 or thereabouts and could never figure out why critics blasted it so unfairly. Coppola had worked himself into a persona non grata in Hollywood; the critics were mouthing that hatred--that's all I could figure.

Seeing it now, this would probably fall into the "art film" category, but it features some great dialogue and compelling performances by Forrest and Garr, with Raul Julia and Natassja Kinski playing more ethereal roles. Kinski is filmed beautifully. It's a beautiful film, period. The music and Vegas sets are wonderful. You miss it as soon as it's over.

Rich and visually exciting...perhaps not 5 stars, but then again this film just doesn't conform easily to any rating system.


I Believe in Francis C.   February 17, 2004
 12 out of 13 found this review helpful

"One from the Heart" is a typical story of two lovers breaking up, running around and ultimately coming back together, but the simplicity allows for experimentation. The stylized, studio-bound film's complexities are revealed by Tom Waits' light jazz score and Vittorio Storaro's very theatrical lighting. Both are well-served by a gorgeous, eye-popping re-mastered transfer and 5.1 mix (an isolated score is also available). Modern day stylized films like "Moulin Rouge" owe a lot to this movie.

Director Francis Ford Coppola's highly engaging commentary on disc 1 goes into detail of his aspirations for "live cinema" - a product that combines the beauty of film with aspects of live television and theatre. He stands by his film despite its failure; it's easy to see how this unconventional film flopped, but you can't help but get swept up in Coppola's vision. Casual viewers may find "One from the Heart" pretty boring, but it should be required viewing for budding filmmakers.

Disc 2 features a sheer wealth of documentaries, both old and new, on almost every aspect of "One from the Heart"'s creation, as well as a special one on the history of Zoetrope Studios, which was bankrupted by the project. You can find out more about Coppola's shooting technique of 'electronic cinema,' Tom Waits' score, the stop-motion effects, and even the massive rehearsals for the picture. A selection of deleted and alternate scenes, alternate takes of Waits' score, trailers and other ephemera round out this excellent DVD package.


Ignore Robert Horton's review. This is a great film.   February 8, 2004
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I'm only reviewing this in case somebody has read Robert Horton's review and has made a decision based on what was written. In fact if he hadn't said how great the soundtrack was I would have seriously wondered about his capabilities as a critic. I saw this film when it was released and as yet have not seen the dvd but I saw the film twice in one week and absolutely loved it. I disagree with pretty much everything Mr Horton says. The performances are great and the film carries so much warmth and beauty I find it strange as to what some people want from a 'love story'.
I'll tell you where I think the negative reviews come from. The film is ambitious in its' production and was very innovative and some just can't handle that. And people like to pidgeon-hole actors, directors, songwriters, bands etc and probably had a hard time figuring out what Mr Godfather was doing directing a love story. Well that is their problem.
If you like beautiful movies this is a must. If you don't your name is probably Robert Horton.


Still amazing after all these years   February 8, 2004
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

If a piece of art is measured by its influence, One From The Heart rates on top. This is pure american movie art, something that get's harder to see every year. It's the result of a man's dream.
Along with The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, One From The Heart beautifully illustrates the behaviors, relations and also how beautiful and pleasant a cinema session can be. Unfortunatelly it was way ahead of its time.
I won't comment the storyline as you can read about it on others reviews.
How's this DVD? Image - 9, Sound - 10.
If I were Mr. Coppola I'd have presented this piece of art lover's with a "Director's Version", including the deleted scenes, along with the original version. They add a lot to the story and since this is DVD, additional minutes wouldn't hurt anyone. This is the only reason why it's not receiving 5 stars. The soundtrack is not DTS but it's nice and clear. The extras add a lot to the understanding of Mr. Coppola's passion, fight for this movie and its commercial "failure".
A movie like this happens only once in a lifetime. It took me 20 years to see something somewhat similar - Moulin Rouge. And Baz Luhrman assumes he had great influence from it.
Those who love cinematography, art direction, touching soundtracks, and once in a while like to fall in love must reserve a place for this loving piece of art in their DVDs collection. Go for it and you'll understand from every scene why it is "One From The Heart" of Mr. Coppola.