Nasty Habits (1977)

A election for convent abbess in Philadelphia turns ugly when a bungled attempt at theft turns into blackmail, slander and uncovers a severe case of wiretapping.

This movie was a comedy built out of the affects of the Watergate Scandal. Most of the events reflect that. While this parody is good, I can't help but feel this movie hasn't aged well. I mean the comedy is great and all, but some of the tricks of camera and editing seem to date it. Not that it's a bad thing and all. The cast is wonderful with help from Eli Wallach, Jerry Stiller, Ann Meara (she'll always be our Gerald Ford now.) and Rip Torn even if some of them were on screen for at least a minute..

With that being said, I would not recommend this movie to someone who is a casual fan or who's just starting out to be part of the hardcore movie fanbase. While even though I'm young, I think I know where the comedy is coming from and going, but for someone who hasn't grown up around it, it can be quite baffling. Also, no one knows who all these characters portray these days. No one can point out who was Ford or who was Nixon or even G. Gordon Liddy for that matter. While the editing and the camera techniques do age it, I think that the story ages it as well. This was one of those movie that was made because it was "A good idea at the time." The problem being "...at the time". it was made on the fly to not reflect but to capture a moment. I don't fault the director or production company though. It was a hip thing at the time.

Nothing to report about the DVD. It's bare bones. The video and audio both seem to be ripped of a VHS tape. Rent this if you want to.

Two and a half stars.