AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

oOoBarracuda One of my favorite Gene Wilder films was 1974's Rhinoceros. The film, directed by Tom O'Horgan, was based on the play by Eugène Ionesco of the same name. Gene Wilder was reunited with Zero Mostel to illustrate the dangers of herd mentality among the populous. When there is one man left in a city that is quickly seeing all of its inhabitants turn into rhinoceroses, he remains steadfast in the notion that he must maintain his individuality.Stanley (Gene Wilder) is a man that is exhausted from the mundane existence that has become his life. Stanley hates his job and does not feel that he is exercising his full potential. Stanley's best friend John (Zero Mostel) is trying to make a decent man out of Stanley, encouraging him to take an interest in the arts and be mindful of the way he dresses. After several talks in which John berates Stanley for his drinking and lifestyle, Stanley promises to give up drinking and be more of the man John is suggesting he should be. The impetus for Stanley attempting to be a better man is a woman he works with that he has fallen for. Daisy (Karen Black) works in the male-dominated paper business with Stanley and is often seen with another man that they work with who is more like John. Just as Stanley is on the brink of changing who he is to fit in better at work and have a chance with Daisy, the entire town is turning into rhinoceroses. As the four-legged creatures are seen storming the city, more and more people are turning into them and defending their lifestyle. Stanley sees the transformation as preposterous and becomes convinced that it is no way to live to become a rhinoceros. Stanley makes a vow to himself that even if he is the last human being left in the world, he will not succumb to the ways of the rhinoceros.Rhinoceros is a wonderful celebration of individuality. The film doesn't try to hide or thinly veil its message, it comes across as an overt warning of what happens to people that forgo their uniqueness in order to fit in. The magic of the film comes from its message, but also the chemistry of the reunited principles. Mostel and Wilder had lost nothing in the 7 years that passed between The Producers and Rhinoceros in terms of chemistry. The two played well against each other as tough love friends looking out for each other in their own way. There was a hilarious opener in which the audience is reassured that the following story could never happen in real life as the world is flat. This opening was an exceptional way to set the premise of the film before it ever started, and a touch I had missed on my preceding viewings of the film. Wilder stole the show in this film, but Zero Mostel had a wonderful scene in which he transformed into a rhinoceros. His transformation scene was long and intense and incredibly well-acted by the veteran actor. As noted, Wilder's performance stole the show. This was the film that I first noticed how beautiful his voice is to listen to. Like melted butter to the ears, Wilder encouraged me to buy as many of his audio books as I can. What really shines in this film is Gene's attention to detail. The nonverbal acting he performed in this movie shows what an actor should be, and endears you to his character despite his many flaws. With or without a subtle message, Rhinoceros is a joy of a film to sink your horns into, and one I would recommend highly.

MartinHafer The French/Romanian writer Eugène Ionesco wrote this VERY strange story for The Theatre of the Absurd. Now if you are the sort of person who likes their stories very literal (or semi-comprehensible), you will most likely have no interest in this film. In fact, MOST people would probably have no interest in this movie!! Despite this, it was a reasonable hit on Broadway--running for 240 performances (very good back in the 60s) and earning Zero Mostel the Tony.There are other films that are absurdist and most often they are French (such as "Buffet Froid"). The trademark of these stories are bizarre situations but even more bizarre are the reactions or lack of serious reactions by the actors. Here in "Rhinoceros", people inexplicably start turning into rhinos!! It's totally weird. But weirder still is that folks aren't all that upset about it and although they react, it's completely out of proportion. While there SHOULD be panic and terror, folks take it very much in stride. Other really odd bits are the dream sequence 2/3 of the way through film where Karen Black in orange crepe dances about with Mostel (who at this point has already turned into a rhino but he's not a rhino in the dream)--while Gene Wilder looks on from inside a cage marked 'Human'. You may be tempted to keep watching--just so something is eventually revealed that makes it all make sense. But this is NOT something you very important in truly absurdist films--as they WANT to provoke the audience and confuse them. Some have interpreted all this craziness as a reaction against Fascism, Communism, conformity, modern life or WWII or whatever. I doubt if this was the intention...who knows.The bottom line is that even if you are a huge fan of the Mostel/Wilder combination (they were BRILLIANT in "The Producers"), this still probably will be a very tough movie to like. I am not saying it isn't without merit (a bit of the comedy is funny--such as when Mostel tells his friend to take in some culture--such as seeing a Eugène Ionesco play--and he's the guy who wrote "Rhinoceros"!). For me, it was very hard going even if it was, in an odd way, well written and acted.

J. Spurlin A hungover Stanley (Gene Wilder) meets his pompous and condescending best friend, John (Zero Mostel), at a restaurant. John's inevitable criticisms about Stanley's drinking and dishevelment are interrupted by a rhinoceros charging through the street outside. This provides the staff and the patrons some amusement until the creature charges through the restaurant and destroys everything. At the office, Stanley arrives late as the boss and the other workers are having an argument about the absurd news reports regarding these animals. The attractive but not overly bright Daisy (Karen Black) insists she saw the rhinoceros with her own eyes. Stanley says the same thing, but it's not until a coworker on the street below changes into a rhinoceros before their eyes that they grasp the importance, and absurdity, of what is happening. Soon, everyone is becoming a rhinoceros, and Stanley is feeling the pressure to conform."What you are about to see," reads the introductory title card, "could never take place. Several eminent scientists have assured us of this fact, for, as they are quick to point out... the world is flat."Are they? That dismal attempt at irony is an omen for the rest of the movie. Whatever value Eugène Ionesco's absurdist play may have had on stage, this film adaptation is a leaden allegory, filled with room-wrecking slapstick, that is exhausting, exasperating and tedious. Zero Mostel, who won a Tony for playing the same role on Broadway in 1961, has a transformation scene that is fascinating for its sweaty excess, but his antics can be better appreciated in "The Producers" (1968) in which he and Gene Wilder are actually funny. In this film, the two play off each other just as well, but it doesn't come to much.No rhinoceroses appear, which might sound like admirable restraint (if not an impoverished budget), but the movie already opened up the play considerably and added a dream sequence and a lot of Keystone Comedy antics. Not showing us rhinoceroses just seems irritatingly coy.

tavm When I went to my local library to check out DVDs, this one caught my eye because of the two stars pictured on it with their names prominently displayed: Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. Anyone who's watched Mel Brooks' The Producers knows who they are and what a great team they made. So I included it among four others and brought it home with me. I must say while the movie itself is a little uneven (that scene in Wilder's accounting office with his coworkers was a little too frantic for my tastes), whenever Gene and Zero are on screen together they're nothing short of hilarious especially when Mostel does his transformation. Karen Black is also on hand as Wilder's love interest providing a sweet and sexy presence to the proceedings. In adapting Eugene Ionesco's play to the big screen, director Tom O'Horgan does a nice transition from farce to serious drama in the last 30 minutes that made me think about how conformity can be enjoyable if stifling after a while vs. how individuality can be liberating if lonesome because of not-as-many takers. Of course, anyone expecting a conventional slapstick comedy would probably be disappointed with the whole thing but despite some unevenness, I highly enjoyed and recommend Rhinoceros.