"When Adam Sandler throws a long hilarious, no-brainer comedy of a pass into the end zone, you know we are going to be there to catch it." Kit Bowen HOLLYWOOD.COM "The Longest Yard scores big laughs." Diana Saenger REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS "Softer, louder and cleaner than the 1974 version, the new film sentimentalizes the prisoners and the game, filing down their sharpest edges so that winning becomes a matter of triumph rather than resistance." Manohla Dargis NEW YORK TIMES "A genial crowd-pleaser." Eleanor Ringel Gillespie ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION "More Mirth Machine than Mean Machine, this agreeable remake still manages to go the distance." Michael Rechtshaffen HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"Finally, Adam Sandler returns to the edgy sort of comedy we all love. No more lovey dovey romantic comedies. No more kiddie antics and no more stupid voices." Fred Topel ABOUT.COM "a great guys movie full of silly jokes and bonecrushing football action" Willie Waffle WAFFLEMOVIES.COM "A definite crowd-pleaser and a perfectly fun night at the movies." M E Russell OREGONIAN "Whilst it is a much sillier film than the Burt Reynolds starring original, what the original and the remake (I really should be saying 'second remake' shouldn't I?) have in common is that grand "cheer 'em on" game that occupies most of the third reel. Whilst Reynolds' film played it a little 'rougher', it's no less exciting here, it just plays to a more comedic tune." Clint Morris MOVIEHOLE "'...when Reynolds appears on screen wearing his familiar #22 jersey you just know everything is right with the world." Michael A Smith NOLAN'S POP CULTURE REVIEW

The Inside Story

"A mean, lean laugh machine." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE

Those born pre-1956 will most probably remember well the 1974 film "The Longest Yard" which starred former Florida State Football hero Burt Reynolds as Paul Crewe, Jim Hampton as Caretaker, Bernadette Peters as the Warden's secretary, Ed Lauter as the tough Captain Knauer and a much loved Hollywood and television icon [who passed away just as the film opened in the USA] Eddie Albert as Warden Hazen. Don't worry if "The Longest Yard" doesn't quite tweak the memory cells because the film was re-titled "The Mean Machine" for those audiences outside the USA. Nearly 30 years later it crossed the Atlantic where it was given a facelift. The game changed from Gridiron to English Football; Vinnie Jones starred as fallen soccer star Danny; David Kelly was 'Doc"; the mean spirited warden [or Govenor as he's known in the English Jail system] was played by another much loved now deceased actor, the Britsh film icon David Hemmings and the film became the "Mean Machine". Now thirty one years after Burt Reynolds starred in "The Longest Yard", he's back in a new version starring Adam Sandler as Paul Crewe, Chris Rock as Caretaker, Cloris Leachman as the Wardens Secretary, William Fitchner as Captain Knauer and the imposing James Cromwell as Warden Hazen. The critics in the USA gave it a real pasting but that didn't stop audience taking it in. It produced a healthy take of $US60 million. What makes that so outstanding is that Star Wars: "Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" took $US70.8 million [raising its total to a healthy $US271 million ] and a second film "Madagascar" which was in its opening week took $US61 million. Part of the attraction aside from its main stars is obviously the support cast which includes three-time Super Bowl-winner Michael Irvin [Dallas Cowboys], four-time Super Bowl-winner Bill Romanowski [Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers], Brian Bosworth [Seattle Seahawks], Terry Crews [San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, and St Louis Rams]; World Champion Wrestlers Bill Goldberg, Steve Austin [who wrestled as "Stone Cold Steve Austin"], and Kevin Nash; and K-1 Kick-boxing champion Bob Sap. While that will go unnoticed by International audiences who have their own local 'Football' heroes, it does add to that real feel in the latter part of the film which features a bone crunching, exciting and very serious match between the crims and the guards. The project to remake the 1974 film got underway when Producer Jack Giarraputo got in touch with Burt Reynolds. "I saw the original movie with my dad, and now, guys my age are dads themselves who can take their own sons to see this movie," says Giarraputo. "This was a great opportunity to bring these great characters to a new generation. We called Burt Reynolds to get his blessing, which he gave." And it seems Burt was keen to be involved but only if their was a role for him to play. "I didn’t want to do a cameo," says Reynolds. "I told them, If you guys are going to the moon, I’d like to be on the ship." Reynolds got his wish with a major part in the film appearing as Coach Nate Scarborough. "I’m honored that a movie we made 30 years ago is still around," he said. But were audiences ready for a remake? "Now seemed like a great time to do it again, and I can tell you that everything people loved about the first film gets even better this time around," Reynolds notes. So how do you approach remaking a 'classic'? "It’s like finding a ’66 Corvette in a barn, it’s an American classic" says directorPeter Segal. "You have to be careful in restoring it: you don’t touch the body, but you start by adding some new wheels, redo the interior, and take it out for a spin. People can still enjoy what they loved about the first film." Like the original, this is a cast audiences will love. Joining the cast is a toned down Chris Rock who plays the role of Caretaker. "Our 'Longest Yard' is a fun movie with a big cast," he says, "just the kind of movie I wanted to be in. I don’t know the last time I saw a movie like this, a movie where everybody gets to be funny and everybody is at the top of their game." On 'his game' is Adam Sanler who plays Paul 'Wrecking' Crewe. It seems Sandler had a long time ambition to work with Chris Rock since the days of "Saturday Night Live". Giarraputo recalls when Sandler "saw how the role of Caretaker was shaping up, he thought Chris would be perfect. He comes to the set ready, with so many good ideas. He’s a great guy to work with." The film marks a first for Rock and Sandler. "I’ve been friends with Adam Sandler for 18, 19 years," Rock notes. "We even shared an office for three years when we were on "Saturday Night Live". But this is the first time we’ve ever really worked together." And they do work well. Rock was pleased to be part of the film and even more pleased it seems that he wasn't cast as one of the football playing inmates. "No football for me," Rock says. "Romanowski, Bosworth, those guys’ necks are thicker than my leg. I want no part of them. I don’t need to get smacked in the head by Romanowski. Dalip is the biggest guy out there. I bet that my hand feels to him like my daughter’s hand feels to me." Sandler on the other hand needed to train for his role as Paul Crewe. He did this under the guidance of trainer Mark Ellis and former Pro-quarterback Sean Salisbury. "When I first saw Adam play pick-up basketball, I knew he had game," says Salisbury. "It made my job easy." Mark Ellis, the film’s sports coordinator, notes that "it helped that the actor both wanted the action to be as real as possible and had the athletic chops to pull it off. Sandler is such a competitor. He works hard and the audience is really gonna believe this guy. This is the real deal." That was came out when filming started. "It was definitely a weird feeling to see Adam wearing the jersey with the name Crewe on the back", says Reynolds. "The first day of filming, Chris called, ‘Crewe!’ and I turned around and ruined the take. But it was a cool feeling to know that we were doing this because the first one is so loved." Another cast member many in the audience will recognize is award winning rapster Nelly who makes his motion picture debut as the running back Megget. "Nelly’s a future movie star," says Giarraputo. "He’s got the acting chops, without a doubt; the audience really gets behind his character. He’s a great guy to work with. Definitely the nicest rapper I know." Nelly laughs at that. "My momma would say I’ve been acting my whole life," he said. "She says she doesn’t know what character is waking up in the morning. Seriously, it’s a challenge to get comfortable, playing a different character in a different situation, but that’s what acting’s all about." The truth is Nelly is being modest about his abilities. "He really is a great athlete,” says Director Pete Segal, "and he also did everything he could to make his first film role a memorable one. He was really committed to doing everything he could. He was so enthusiastic – we often had to sit his stunt double on the bench so that Nelly could get in there and make the play." Segal wasn't the only one to notice Nelly's talents and commitment. "Even the pros were impressed with his talent," says Giarraputo. Overall the film is impressive indeed. The cast are terrific fun to watch and the film is faithful to the spirit of the 1974 original. Casting About "THE LONGEST YARD" stars .......
Adam Sandler ["Coneheads", "The Wedding Singer", "Punch-Drunk Love" and "50 First Dates"]; Chris Rock ["Lethal Weapon 4", "Bad Company", "Nurse Betty" and "Head of State"]; James Cromwell ["The Green Mile", "The General’s Daughter", "Space Cowboys" and "Babe"]; William Fitchner ["Contact", "A Perfect Storm", "Drowning Mona", "Black Hawk Down" and "Crash"]; Walter Williamson ["The Muse", "The Omega Code" and "Mr. Deeds"]; Edward Bunker ["The Running Man", "Tango & Cash", "Reservoir Dogs" and "Animal Factory"]; Lobo Sebastian ["High School High", "Black & White", "Next Friday" and "Brother"]; Bob Sapp ["Izo" and "Elektra"]; Cloris Leachman ["The Giant of Thunder Mountain", "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Bad Santa" and "Spanglish"]; David Patrick Kelly ["Malcolm X", "The Crow", "Last Man Standing" and "K-PAX"]; Terry Crews ["The 6th Day", "Friday After Next", "Starsky & Hutch" and "White Chicks"]; Nicholas Turturro ["Jungle Fever", "Malcolm X", "The Search for One-eye Jimmy" and "The Hollow"] and Golden Globe and EMMY Award winner Burt Reynolds ["Driven", "Deliverance", "Sharky’s Machine" and "Without A Paddle"] as Coach Nate Scarborough. Crew Bytes "THE LONGEST YARD" was .......
directed by Eight times EMMY Award winner and recipient of the Cable ACE award for Best Director and two times National Association of Broadcasters’ Service to Children award winner Peter Segal ["Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult", "Nutty Professor II", "Anger Management" and "50 First Dates"]; screenplay by Sheldon Turner ["Up in the Air", "Pursuit", "Scrawl" and "Chainsaw Massacre"]; story by Two times Academy Award ® winner and Two times Golden Globe Award winner Albert S Ruddy ["The Godfather", "The Longest Yard", "" and "Million Dollar Baby"]; original 1974 screenplay by Tracy Keenan Wynn ["The Longest Yard", "The Drowning Pool", "The Deep" and "Robinson Crusoe"]; costume design by Ellen Lutter ["The Night We Never Met", "Cop Land", "28 Days", "Anger Management" and "50 First Dates"]; production design by Perry Andelin Blake ["Happy Gilmore", "Mr Deeds", "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Without a Paddle"]; set decoration by Gary Fettis ["Last Man Standing", "End Of Days", "We Were Soldiers" and "Welcome to the Jungle"]; edited by Jeff Gourson ["Somewhere in Time", "Flight of the Navigator", "Beverly Hills Ninja" and "50 First Dates"]; director of photography Academy Award ® winner Dean Semler A.C.S & A.S.C ["Dances with Wolves", "The Bone Collector", "We Were Soldiers" and "Bruce Almighty"]; original music by Teddy Castellucci ["The Wedding Singer", "The Animal", "Anger Management" and "White Chicks"] produced by Jack Giarraputo ["The Wedding Singer", "The Waterboy", "Big Daddy" and "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo"]. What It's All About

"The preview audience laughed a lot (more than I did) and the film's all too obvious elements went down a treat." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE

Life is about to change for the inmates at Allenville Penitentiary. Former AFL star Quarterback Paul 'Wrecking' Crewe has fallen foul of the law and is about to join them for the next three years. Accused of shaving points in a match but aquitted of the charge, Crewes popularity is at an all time low and nowhere is it lower than at Allenville where the guards make life extremely miserable for anyone who dares step out of line. Warden Hazen has plans for Crewe. He's organized a match for his team of guards and needs Crewe to help coach them. But Crewe doesn't want to help. He just wants to serve his time and anyway, Captain Knauer has already convinced him to turn the warden down. Eventually though, life becomes so miserable Crewe relents. Then he suggest a better option. Why not have the guards play a team of crims. Things start to escalate when the Wardens publicity machine turns the match into a media spectacle and ESPN picks up the television rights. With revenge on the guards as motivation Crewe, Caretaker and Coach Nate Scarborough set about finding crims to make up the team. A team which will become the "Mean Machine". All goes well until a tragedy strikes the team. Can the crims come through? The Verdict "The evolution of Adam Sandler continues with "The Longest Yard" the remake of the 1974 film which starred former Florida State Football star Burt Reynolds. Opening week saw it do very good business in the USA giving many of those mean-spirited critics a good slap in the face. The humour is witty, cutting and sometimes silly. The Football match between the Cons and Guards is worth the admission price on its own. No doubt a lot of cinemagoers are going to love this while Sandler is sure to win a legion of new fans as Paul 'Wrecking' Crewe. Recommended because it is bonecrunchingly funny. Go see it!" The Cast

Adam Sandler Chris Rock Burt Reynolds James Cromwell Walter Williamson Michael Irvin Nelly Edward Bunker Lobo Sebastian Bob Sapp Dalip Singh David Patrick Kelly Terry Crews Nicholas Turturro Joey Coco Diaz Bill Goldberg Steve Reevis Cloris Leachman William Fichtner Bill Romanowski Kevin Nash Steve Austin Brian Bosworth Michael Papajohn Brandon Molale Todd Holland Conrad Goode Tracy Morgan

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Paul 'Wrecking' Crewe Caretaker Coach Nate Scarborough Warden Hazen Errol Dandridge Deacon Moss Earl Megget Skitchy Rivers Torres Switowski Turley Unger Cheeseburger Eddy Brucie Big Tony Joey Battle Baby Face Bob Lynette Reynolds Captain Knauer Guard Lambert Guard Engleheart Guard Dunham Guard Garner Guard Papajohn Guard Molloy Guard Holland Guard Webster Ms Tucker

The Crew Directed by Peter Segal Story by Albert S Ruddy Screenplay by Sheldon Turner 1974 screenplay by Tracy Keenan Wynn Produced by Jack Giarraputo Original Music by Teddy Castellucci Cinematography by Dean Semler Film Editing by Jeff Gourson Casting by Darlene Hansen & John Papsidera Production Design by Perry Andelin Blake Set Decoration by Gary Fettis Costume Design by Ellen Lutter Production Manager Daryl Kass Run Time 113 minutes Rated M15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2005 - Sony Entertainment - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2005 - Impact Internet Services & The Movie Pages- All Rights Reserved