5 comments about Flash.

1. I just watched it last night and now I can�t get enough of it! First let us talk about the motorcycle gang from HELL, the cops can�t stop them no one is aloud to leave their house after dark because they blow everything up that crosses their path. And to top that off with some chocolate syrup their leader is a psychopath scared for life the bad guy Pike! Now let us talk about Barry Allen, he is a scientist who lives a life of shame by his father, a job that�s taking him nowhere, a jealous brother, and a relationship that�s on the rocks. That was his life until he got electrocuted by lighting and had a bunch of chemicals spilled all over him, after that life was a little bit on the weird side! One day he was trying to catch a bus and in the next second he was at the other side of town! After a talk with a doctor from S.T.A.R LABS he finds out that he can run faster then anybody has ever ran before. (We�re talking hundreds of miles in seconds!) Who will win in the end Pike and his gang or The FLASH?



2. I liked this movie.It was well writtn.The fighting was good.
   The acting was good.And the music was good. The
   special efforts was good.



3. The Flash is one of my favorite heroes. The movie is a fantastic adaptation of the comics. John Wesley Shipp plays the Flash perfectly. The movie has a great story. And who can forget the amazing theme song by Danny Elfman? If you are a fan of the Flash, superheroes in general, or even just action, there is no reason why you shouldn't see this great movie.
   So what are you waiting for? BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!



4. This movie is the best super hero movie ever



5. I remember when this show first came out. I didnt think it would be any good, but i was wrong. The pilot kinda starts out a little slow but it builds up really well, and lets u get to know the caracters. The main thing is the costume...its a really good looking costume and not one of them cheap costumes that doesnt even look like the carachter. The theme music is really good as well, Danny Elfman does the theme and is really good. This show should have gone on longer than just one season.
   Thanks for listenin....

5 comments about Mystery Science Theater 3000 - The Hellcats.

1. Until I discovered MST3K I'd never even seen a "B" movie "biker" picture, but the writers and cast of MST3K always seem to be at their best when making fun of these low-budget stories about sociopaths and societal drop-outs. I was overjoyed when I found out that Hellcats would be offered on DVD as this and the other season 2 gem, "Wild Rebels" are to me among the very best MST3K episodes ever. The stupidity of the characters and dialogue is funny all on its own, but the cast of MST3K raise the humor level many notches and never let up on the poor direction, acting or plot for a second. They even manage to make the music in this film fun and you'll be humming "the bike song" after the closing credits.

   One cinematic footnote regards a misidentification I believe of the film's director, Bob Slatzer, who is actually the stockier fellow of the two main "gangsters" and not the thinner one pointed out by Joel and the 'Bots during the picture. I discovered this when I saw Bob Slatzer interviewed in a documentary about Marilyn Monroe. But, this minor error does nothing to diminish the quality and quantity of the humor in this episode, which is so dense with jokes that you'll catch something new each time you watch it. Buy this now!




2. I am THE biggest MST3K fan in the world, but I found this particular episode to be a real disappointment. It has some laughs but not nearly so many as most MST3K's, and the sound quality of the actual film is really, really poor. It's very hard to hear what's going on. (Mike and the 'bots sound fine, but what they're riffing on is pretty incomprehensible.) Apparently this is the (only?) episode without the usual writing talents; once again, a disappointment. I'd recommend it mostly for those who already have every other MST3K available. There are lots of great episodes for sale--get those first!



3. Much like Sidehackers, this is a season 2 episode starring Ross Hagan in a biker movie. Only there are much more drugs in this one and - believe it or not - much less plot. Actually, it has less plot than darn near any movie I've ever seen. Less plot than Incredibly Strange Creatures even.
   
   Hellcats really is one of the worst movies out there. Heck, it's even worse than Girl in Gold Boots.
   
   I still consider it to be an episode worth owning, like all the other MST3K DVD releases (except The Atomic Brain). As the old saying goes, even a mediocre episode of MST3K is way better than the best episodes of other shows. If you're on a limited budget though, and can only choose Hellcats or Sidehackers, go with Sidehackers.
   
   (On a side note, Ross Hagan's name in Sidehackers is Rommel, and I don't even know what his name is in this one. The movie never bothers to tell the audience I guess.)



4. Any review of Mystery Science Theater 3000 written by me is boilerplate. MST3K was one of the funniest and most intelligent TV series ever to inhabit the ether. I am proud to possess a copy of every episode (except the missing K0-K3 titles, and you Misties know of what I speak).



5. Oh Lord, where to start, with this epic?? Joel and the Bots, send this back to Hell, where it came!! This could have been used to show just how NOT to direct a film, without the always stimulating commentary. Slatzer the director, probably didn't know from day to day, whether the funding would run out, to finish this stinker. The acting was wonderfully inept, the sound poor, and the director could have been referred to, as " One-Shot Slatzer!!" All for the funnier, Folks.....All for the funnier!!!

5 comments about Merlin of the Crystal Cave.

1. Originally a series for young adults from the BBC, based on the novel 'The Crystal cave' by Mary Stewart. Young Merlin, or Emrys, is a cast-out due to his illegitimate birth. Growing up in solitude, he aqcuires great knowledge through the hermit Galapas. When he is kidnapped he accidentally lands with his real father, after which his role in the shaping of the kingdom of Arthur can start. A great movie, though I liked the series just that little bit better. Though the story itself is not a historical one, the makers of the series have gone to great lenghts to get very near to a Dark Ages setting. A pity the other three books werent's put to celluloid as well.



2. Along with Excalibur, Sword In The Stone, Sword Of The Valiant, and of course Monty Python and The Holy Grail, this a great addition to Arthurian film. The film is particulary memorable for setting the events in their proper setting: post Roman Briatin in the 5th century A.D. The film is a lot different than Excalibur: it's more gentle and the acting is more low key. Merlin's realtionship with Ralph, Golapus, and his father Ambrosius Aurelianus is quite touching. The film also nails the character of Uther quite well. There is a nice continuity with his character here and the way he's portrayed in Excalibur. The acting in this film is very solid. The actor who plays Ambrosius has a great dignified booming BBC voice.



3. This BBC film closely follows Mary Stewart's novel The Crystal Cave. It captures the feelings of the people that lived in this time period. It accurately shows the architecture and landscape of the 400's AD Wales. Merlin's childhood is illuminated and vividly described. The film illustrates Merlin's learning with his teacher Galapas, The film shows how he used his knowledge and unique power to rebuild the Giant's Dance as a monument to his father, a new interpretation of how Stonehenge was built. Merlin's relationship with his father is very believable. The characters of Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon are very strong and fit the time and situation. Historical figures such as King Vortigern are illustrated extremely well. The Roman, Christian, and Pagan beliefs are mixed into the story and offer some variety to the film's plot. One thing to watch for though is that the Roman and Christian religion's are well represented while the pagan is brought down. This might be a prejudice of the filmmakers. If there were ever any doubts in your mind that Merlin really existed then this film will help put them to rest.



4. This film is a sad disappointment in its banal rendition of the exquisitely sensitive and so very well researched novel by Mary Stewart. Read the book once - or twice - and judge for yourself.



5. I know that this should be a review specifically about the movie but I don't think that is completely possible when reviewing a movie based on a book. This is especially true when the book is one of my favorite books as is the case with the novel The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart.
   
   The novel is a very introspective affair that is very narrative in execution with a great deal of time spent on emotions and self examination by the main character (Merlin). I give the movie credit as it does attempt to capture the same feeling and emotion. The problem is, in my opinion, that the movie attempts to do this by narrating and exploring the story in the same manner as the book. In my view this does not work. What works for a book does not work for a movie. An intriguing and engrossing novel becomes a boring movie.
   
   The movie itself had decent acting and a low budget. I wasn't really bothered by the low budget but the pacing was a problem for me.
   
   If you are a fan of the book this is worth a try. Other reviewers obviously saw something that I did not so perhaps you will enjoy it more then I did.

5 comments about The Road Warrior - Special Edition.

1. Road gangs rule the wastelands in the post-apocalyptic aftermath of civilization's finale. The most valued commodities: oil, gasoline, cars and guns. Mel Gibson stars as the now iconic Mad Max--the quiet wandering scavenger, humankind's mysterious last hero. The plot is simple: The Road Warrior must decide between escape or to stay and defend the peaceful gasoline making tribe from the tyranny of a wasteland gang.
   
   As each action scene is skillfully 'wiped' to the next the tension builds and the dramatic quality of the theme is rooted. The question is: Can these people escape the wasteland and journey toward the rumored last haven of civilized humankind? Or will they be hunted down, raped and murdered like animals by the whim of gang rule.
   
   Despite the gruesome action and sometimes campy dialogue, the theme of the film is complex: the right to one's own life. This is portrayed in the conflict between the producer tribe and the thieving gang; the creators vs. the destroyers; and Max walks the the middle line as an individual standing against tyranny, the defender of that right to life (his own), and of that dream of a better place. Max can't escape his past as a policeman, as a arbiter of justice, but can he escape the gang's brutality and live to scavenge another day?
   
   Through Max we identify with the fight against tyranny in defense of a future for humanity, and as we do, a new hero mystique is born: that of the brooding and cunning last remnant of humankind's ideals. Also, a warning rises to the surface of this film; a warning about gang rule and human corruption and where that may lead us.



2. The movie itself really doesn't need much said about it, but I forgot high this title set the bar. I actually own the HD-DVD version, but this Blu-Ray version is basically identical. Considering the age of the movie, the transfer looks great. Far better production quality versus the DVD releases. There were details in the video that I had completely overlooked. Don't expect the big Lucasarts style soundtrack, but the audio quality is good enough to get the job done. A great movie with a powerful and relevant political message to share with today's generation - if for no better reason to admire what was achieved in this movie without CGI effects.



3. The Road Warrior is one of those rare beasts. A sequel that surpasses the original. There are many things that make this movie great. It's a post apocalyptic western. The hero barely speaks throughout the film. The excellent chase scene in the last half hour. The brilliant stunts. The dialogue. The tension of not knowing what will happen next. And a great set of bad guys. The list goes on and on. And thankfully it transfers on to blu-ray exceptionally well. I spotted all kinds of things I'd never noticed before and I've seen this film plenty.
   Really worth buying on blu-ray.



4. This is the best that Mad Max 2 has ever looked!!! This is a great Blu Ray title!!! Great soundtrack too!!! Extras are a bit skimpy but that's fine because it's in anamorphic widescreen and is a visual treat, with truly awesome stunts,no CGI effects here,just raw stuntwork at it's best!!! A true classic!!! A+



5. The title says it all here folks. I've been a long time fan of this series (and by series, I mean 'Mad Max' and 'The Road Warrior', not that abortion of a movie 'Max Max beyond Thunderdome'). Anyway, this is the Australian release titled 'Mad Max 2', not 'The Road Warrior', so it has a slightly different intro, and they do refer to Mel's character as Max, not as the 'man with no name' like they did in the U.S. version.
   
   Not a lot in the way of extras here. The picture is very grainy when viewed in hi-def. Not anything you can do about it; it was a limitation of the time since it wasn't filmed in hi-def. Still, the film looks good despite it's age and the sound is good. If you don't have it on DVD, you can certainly pick it up in that format cheaper than this was ($13).
   
   BTW, if you haven't seen Mad Max, I'd recommend it as it schools you as to why he's mad (angry, not crazy).

5 comments about Abominable Snowman.

1. I kick myself I didn't buy this while it was in stock for probably as cheap as ten dollars. Now the scalpers want way to much for me to pay. I will rent it in the mean time from Netflix and wait till it is re-released. The movie itself is great. Peter Cushing and Forrest Tucker play great roles as botanist and entrepreneur. Cushing gets to see the human side of the snowmen, Tucker gets to see it isn't wise to tick off the family. The last scene when you look on the face of the Abominable is unforgettable. One of the best low budget monster movies of the period.



2. $57.00 for a dvd? I would have to see this one(rental,TV) before buying this flick.The Blob didn't even cost this much!



3. Nigel Kneale was arguably the most influential figure in UK science fiction during the 1950's and 1960's mostly because he was quick to see the potential in the relatively new medium of TV .The Quatermass serials became must see TV and arguably the first series to provoks animated playground discussion among schoolkids of that era.
   This movie has its genesis in a TV series of the same name broadcast on the ITV network on a Saturday night and the movie companies as they did with Quatermass and another serial The Trollenberg Terror leaped on the bandwaggon by making it into a movie -and a decent job they made of it too.
   Its core is the conflict between two men who represent opposing points of view.Tom Friend-well played by Forrest Tucker -is an entrepreneurial American who ,on capturing a Yeti in the Himalayas ,sees it as a commercial opportunity ,His opposite numaber ,a botanist Dr Rollason -the always admirable Peter Cushing -wants to learn more about the creature ,and subject it to scientific study .As it turns out the creature has a suprise in store for them both ,revealing unexpected gifts that throws a curve into both their plans.
   
   The movie is studio bound with no attempt to utilise genuine locations and the movie thus looks artificial and the creature is glimpsed only sparingly .It is a talky piece of work and while the script is literate and intelligent this may limit the appeal of the movie to gorehounds out there
   It is a gripping and intelligent little movie that has more subtlety than usual in horror pictures of the era and I recommend it to those who like a little cerebral exercise with their creature movies



4. i'd honestly waited and read about this film for years . i know it's a very good picture , however , i'm so glad i rented this disc rather than spent the rediculus sums asked for it here and elsewhere . if you are deaf , if you have hearing loss (like myself) , if you're not british (like me) , if you must sometimes play the volume rather low in consideration of other people in your home , if you simply enjoy reading the screenplay as you watch a film (like me) , be WARNED . this film is not only not encoded with closed captions , nor does it have subtitles for the hearing impaired or deaf . know this when you buy this product , and you can make an informed decision . i tried to follow the first fifteen to twenty minutes of this beautifully shot and acted film . what on earth are they saying ? it actually matters !



5. An expedition searches for the Yeti of Tibet. These creatures, they learn, are far more superior to men. Using their powers of telepathy, the Yeti begin killing the members of the expedition in order to keep their existence a secret.
   
   "The Abominable Snowman" is a perfect blend of science fiction and horror and was created by those who brought us the highly successful Quatermass films. It stars Hammer horror icon Peter Cushing as a botanist and Forrest Tucker (Sergeant O'Rourke from the TV series "F Troop") as a trapper.
   
   Released in 1957, "The Abominable Snowman" was filmed in black and white. Pity it couldn't have been shot in color as were the Hammer horror classics, "Horror of Dracula, "The Mummy," and "The Curse of Frankenstein." However, since the beautiful, snow covered Himalayans serve as the backdrop for most all of the film, I doubt if color would have helped. Black and white gave it more of a gothic feel.
   
   Only one gruesome death occurred. A man falls from a steep cliff and strikes a large rock before being slung aside. A few more gruesome deaths would have been necessary to keep the attention span of a younger generation. However, the Yeti are not bent on mayhem and destruction. They merely wish to live in peace while keeping their existence a secret.
   
   "The Abominable Snowman" is a unique creature feature from Hammer Film Productions. Some of the scientific theories that are offered seem very plausible. Perhaps the Yeti are waiting for mankind to become extinct in order to reclaim their rightful place on the earth. We are the savages, not the Yeti. We are the ones who declare war on each other simply because our beliefs are different. The Yeti may not have to wait much longer.
   
   "The Abominable Snowman" is a must see for fans of classic science fiction horror. It is also highly recommended for fans of Hammer Film Productions and horror legend Peter Cushing.

5 comments about Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 78: All Our Yesterdays.

1. It's easy to look back at these nearly 40-year-old TV shows with a pompous attitude on how unsophisticated the special effects were or how cheesy some scenes were, but these shows were truly visionary and had fascinating sci-fi concepts. The Enterprise goes to an M-Class planet (like Earth) to evacuate the inhabitants as their sun is going to go super-nova very soon - 3 hours to be exact. How many people can the Enterprise hold (food, air and physical space)? Even 1,000 would be impressive - but with only 3 hours before the sun goes Super-nova, the Enterprise arrives to a planet that has no space travel and will try to convince the inhabitants that they are doomed, that the humans (and one Vulcan) are their friends, and even though there are billions of people on the planet and only 3 hours to go, they will manage to evacuate them all. Ok - lots of cheese and crazy thought here. First contact for one - in the Next Generation series and following, the Prime Directive would have just allowed these people to die rather than interfere. Not kind and gentle, but certainly more responsible.
   
   Spock, Bones and Kirk beam down to a building complex where they read one humanoid life form. No other life on the planet can be detected. What happened to them? Mass suicide? Plague? They know the people didn't evacuate by ship, so where did they go?
   
   They find themselves in an interesting archive of sorts. Character actor Ian Wolfe portrays Mr. Atoz, the Sarpeidon librarian in charge of the archive library. He is the last Sarpeidon, the one who runs the Avatachron that no one seems to quite understand.
   
   Confused, but willing to learn about the doomed culture, the landing party goes through the various discs in the library, looking through various images of Sarpeidon's past. Kirk looks at a scene from what looks a lot like the 1620s in New England - Puritan types with British accents, belief in witches, etc. He hears a scream coming from the other side of some pillars and begins to run to rescue a maiden in distress. Mr. Atoz yells at Kirk, "but I haven't prepared you yet!" and Kirk, being the macho-man that he is, ignores Atoz and runs into another time period in Sarpeidon's past.
   
   McCoy and Spock were viewing a slide of Sarpeidon's ice age 5,000 years earlier when Kirk vanishes and they run after him - but instead of going to where he is, they end up on an ice cliff, freezing their respective butts off. As they are close to death, They find a Sarpeidon in animal skins who leads them to a warm cave. When they settle in, the Sarpeidon takes off the animal skins to reveal a stunningly beautiful woman who just so happens to think Spock is da bomb. Mariette Hartley does a fantastic job of portraying the lonely, yet thoughtful Zarabeth. She did not choose this time, but was sent here by an evil ruler who wished to banish her. The Atavachron altered her cellular structure for this time period, so she may never return, or else she will die.
   
   Not being "prepared" as Zarabeth was, Spock and Bones aren't doing so well. Spock is reverting back to his Vulcan ancestry - savage, emotional and horny - and he finds Zarabeth to be beautiful. This is the episode where Spock utters his famous line, "I have eaten animal flesh and I have enjoyed it!"
   
   Meanwhile, Kirk is once again in trouble for his heroic antics and is accused of being a witch. Witnesses heard the voices of McCoy and Spock on the other side of the portal and assumed they were spirits. When Kirk called out to McCoy, using his pet name, "Bones," they were perceived to be spirits or familiars and soon Kirk's goose will be cooked.
   
   Kirk needs to find a way out of jail and back to the portal, and McCoy needs to figure a way to keep Spock out of Zarabeth's pants long enough to reach back into his logic. Poor Zarabeth. You can't help but feel sorry for someone condemned to an icy, barren loneliness forever, only having a brief moment of joy, for it only to be taken back again.
   
   Once again, the Enterprise and her crew has totally interfered in cultures and timelines and barely escapes with their hides before they tie everything up in a neat little bow. For TOS, this was a solid episode. By today's standards, totally laughable - but we wouldn't have today's standards in TV sci-fi had it not been for the genius of Gene Roddenberry.



2. THIS ONE KICKS A..! SPOCK GOES CRAZY AND MCCOY HAS BEEN ON MEDICATION. ONLY, THE LIBARIAN, NAMED MR. ATOZ CAN HELP YOU GET PREPARED OF TIME TRAVEL. OH, KIRK GETS ACCUSED OF WITCHCRAFT, AND HE FIGHTS WITH THE LIBARIAN, TO GET SPOCK AND MCCOY BACK BEFORE THE SUN EXPLODES. THIS ONE IS ABSOLUTLEY ONE OF MY FAVS.



3. I enjoyed the episode, even though it was unconvincing. There was no reason that Spock should have regressed to a barbaric state simply because he was in the past. His and McCoy's memories were intact. Since his memory was intact, all the training that he had gone through to suppress his emotions would also have been intact. It would have been more convincing if they had supposedly spent significant time in the past, and Spock, cut off from his civilization, gradually became more emotional. But the idea that he became more emotional because it was the past is absurd.
   
   A minor point: Spock mentions that he is from a planet millions of light years away. Though the original series seems to imply that the whole galaxy had already been exploreed (as compared to just a segment of it as in Voyager), the Milky Way is approximately 100,000 light years. Spock's statement is way off mark, and not what we'd expect from the Enterprise's science officer.
   
   That said, I enjoyed the episode anyway. Zarabeth is a really beauty, for one thing.



4. This time-traveling episode... one of only three time-travel shows from classic Trek... suffers in comparison to "City on the Edge of Forever," but is good if seen in its own light. This is a "planet" show, concerning a planet whose sun is a few hours away from going nova. Fortunately for the residents -- but unbeknownst to Kirk, Spock, and McCoy -- these people have a time machine that allows each of them to escape by traveling to this planet's past.
   
   The time machine exists alongside a library of what looks very much like DVDs. This is in the 1960s, a few decades before DVDs were a commercial reality. You slap a disc in the viewer to see a sample of a time period you'd like to travel to. The library and time portal are presided over by a Mr. Atoz (A-to-Z, get it???).
   
   Many trekkies consider this episode a routine time-travel melodrama... Kirk, Spock, and McCoy end up accidentally trapped in dangerous time periods and have to get back to the present before the sun goes nova. Kirk gets trapped in a place that looks like 18th century England and is accused of witchcraft. (But explain to me why all these people speak English when this isn't even Earth -- oh well, by the 3rd season they gave up completely on that problem.) Kirk gets back first and tries to help Spock and McCoy. Scotty calls down to the planet. "Capn! We gotta beam ya up! It's now or never, sir!" It's a nail-biter at the end.
   
   The best part of this episode is De Kelly's stellar acting in the last few scenes. Spock and McCoy accidentally travel back to an Ice Age where (as luck would have it) a beautiful woman is also trapped. Spock starts acting like a teenager on steroids, because at this time -- 5,000 years ago -- his Vulcan anscestors are savage. Okay, that's not logical, but go with it. McCoy, for once, gets the moral upper hand over Spock. "I'm going to try to get back," says McCoy, "Because I have a life back there. And I WANT that life!" Indeed it is a life worth living, worth any risk to preserve: a life aboard the Enterprise (which by now we've come to see as our traveling home) a life of healing, exploration, accomplishment, and service.
   
   And if that doesn't do it for you, consider: this is your chance to see the role Mariette Hartley was famous for before she did those commercials with James Garner.



5. Yes, I am a movie, music scholar, but I am ordering this because a dear person and actress in Encino California, by the name of Anna Karen who played one of the "Sarpeidon Morts". I haven't seen or heard from Anna since 1992! Anna if you are out there, give me a shout.
   
   I heard William Shatner on a radio interview recently- pushing his new autobiography and he stayed away from the Star Trek thing because he has to PR new material but he does let acute observations slip if you listen. A classic one was him musing (06/08) "...yes and did I really have that jawline when I was 25...?"
   
   These old VHS are great to own without commercials. They still look good in a world of digital smears of computer graphics. Back in 1966, when Special Effects meant Model making of spacecraft.
   
   Thanks, Amazon.

5 comments about V - The Final Battle.

1. *V: The Final Battle* wraps up the original mini-series. This time, Diana is ruthless as she takes control in the mission to dominate Earth and no one will stop her.
   
   Meanwhile, the humans are doing everything to save humanity, including Elizabth, the first human-alien hybrid. However, no one knows if this hybrid child is a blessing or a curse.
   
   Just when things seem to be a dead end for humanity, the underground resistance accidentally uncover a miracle. They discover red dust, which is actually a fatal bacteria which the aliens have no immune defense.
   
   Armed with this new biochemical, the resistance bravely battle Diana and her comrades.
   
   Lots of unknown people here before they became big: Marc Singer, Michael Ironside, Robert Englund and more.



2. it was in very good shape and shipping was very fast!!! i would buy from again!!!



3. And so we have the conclusion to the brilliant first part of the mini-series that enthralled me when I was a kid over 25 years ago and boy was it worth the wait! Who can forget Robin's childbirth of twins for example? Very few television series from my childhood age well but you can count "V" as one of them. The picture quality of this dvd is also very good although not perfect but still better than the first mini-series; the surprising thing though is that the first series dvd came with Dolby Digital Surround sound while this installment comes only in the Mono. Nevertheless, this dvd together with the first mini-series represent the best way to remember the great sci-fi drama and for me I can do without the other follow up episodes which in my opinion were very poor and do not do justice to the "V" franchise.
   
   TV Sci-Fi at its best and a dvd version that will not disappoint although it would be nice to have future restoration done on both the picture and sound quality with good surround sound options perhaps on the Blu-ray format.



4. V: THE FINAL BATTLE was the much anticipated follow-up to NBC's 1983 mega hit V THE MINISERIES, a science fiction alien invasion piece which doubled as a World War II/Holocaust allegory.
   
   Jane Badler returns as the evil Diana along with Marc Singer as the heroic cameraman turned resistance fighter, Mike Donavan, and Faye Grant as the medical student turned leader of the resistance Juliet Parrish. In Part One, we see the climactic takeover of the Visitors' historical televised address to the world by the resistance in which Juliet Parrish personally exposes John the supreme commander on international television. Part Two shows the tortuous conversion of Julie as well as the highly anticipated birth of Robin's...twins. Part Three shows the deliverance of the miraculous "Red Dust" into the hands of the resistance and the climactic final confrontation aboard Diana's mother ship.
   
   When one recalls the greatest television miniseries, ROOTS comes immediately to mind. So does THE WINDS OF WAR, WAR AND REMEMBRANCE, and SHOGUN. V stands apart from all of these. It was never intended to be serious drama, serious romance, or even serious science fiction for that matter. It was intended to be serious fun! And on that level it succeeded more than your average run-of-the-mill summer blockbuster.
   
   None of the actors in this show went on to bigger and better things, and yet V: THE FINAL BATTLE (or V in general) has earned its place not only among the science fiction greats of television history but also among the great miniseries events of television history as well.



5. Last time I watched this was back in the day when TV were of poor quality and it's kinda weird watching this as an Adult. I love 'V' and it was a great miniseries.

5 comments about Wind in the Willows (1987).

1. Rankin/Bass' adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's novel is close enough that after countless viewings of this movie as a child, reading the book in my adulthood I hear Roddy McDowell and company in my mind speaking to me without any effort needed to summon them. There are passages of the script taken straight from the original text. And yet, the exicution of the lines comes off without the viewers realizing they are being read classical language. It's not too advanced for children to follow, but it never once dares to dumb down to them. It is such a beautiful, simple myth illustrating the importance of Home. And of the importance of the feeling that there is some connecting force greater than ourselves that leads us through the Wild Woods of our own lives and along the roads of the Wide World, when we're far from the Rivers and Halls and Holes and Dens we long to go back to. A comment to devout viewers - The Piper, a Pan-like being, the representation of God in a world where animals are a representation of mankind, stays just beyond and above, and lets his wards feel his presence in the sounds of the wind in the reeds and willows and if ever he shows himself in a beam of light through the darkness, passes on again from memory like a dream, leaving a feeling of saftey and hope. He isn't meant to support or condone paganism, but instead reinforces the values many of us hold in common. The image of the Pan mearly corresponds with the metaphore of animal society. The title song of the film, sung movingly by Judy Collins, says it best, "Search for the answers, each as you will. Wind in the willows, when the wind is still."
   
   Its a fun, fantastic ride of a story for small kids, and, with closer attention, a lasting emotional expierience for older viewers. I would not be the same today without its being part of me. If you've ever felt the River call you to the sea, (and as Badger says, "Wanderlust's got everyone") you will undersatnd this movie. And I believe you will love it.



2. There's really not that much that needs to be said. The other most famous adaptation of this book, Disney's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, is poorly animated, makes tons of pointless changes, and just doesn't tell a very good story.
   
   Rankin-Bass's Wind in the Willows, on the other hand, has good songs, more visual appeal, and better voice acting, and it's much more faithful to the book. The characters really feel like themselves; they capture Mole's innocence, Badger's intransigence, Ratty's affability and Toad's mania beautifully, and all of the characters come across as people you'd like to spend time with.
   
   It's a real shame this film hasn't been restored and released on DVD, as it's one of my favorite book-to-film adaptations.



3. This has been one of my favorite shows since I was a child (let alone my favorite version of the tale). The animation, the music (sung by Judy Collins), the voice talents (Charles Nelson Reilly, Roddy McDowall, Jose Ferrer, Eddie Bracken) all lend to the feeling of magic, the chill down your spine when you hear the story of the Wind in the Willows. The story pulls you in, shaking your head at Toad's crackpot ideas and sighing as Rat explains his love for the river and boating. Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass have done an excellent job. This movie is one of a kind.



4. An absolutely wonderful version of the book! I watched this as a teenager on TV and spent many years hunting for the VHS in the 1980s-mid 1990s, and now the DVD. My VHS tape spoiled in the mid-1990s, but I can recall this cartoon and many of its scenes still!
   
   What I like about this version (there are so many, but I'll just list those that are more salient):
   
   1)The humour - this is interspersed througout the movie; it captures so well the dreamy,poetic nature of Ratty, the wiles and plottings of Toad, the guileless Mole, and the solid dependability of Badger.
   
   2) The songs - really funny ones, yet still so true to the book. Personal favourites are 'Wind in the Willows' sung by Judy Collins, 'I hate company' (Badger's song), and 'We'll convert him' (the courthouse scene)
   
   3) The voices/accents of the actors - so very perfect. Wonderful inflections, to convey anger, fear, worry, listlessness, elation, etc.
   
   4) The language/writing. Such creative use of language, yet not straying away from the intent of the original book. These are some scenes that I can remember, which made me laugh out loud - because of the expressions on the animated characters' faces, the dialogue, and the accents/inflections to the words spoken.
   
   * when Ratty, Mole and Toad set out in the cart, and it's time for the meal - before Ratty and Mole sing about what food they DON'T have, Toady says that he bought some pats of beurre - then gives this roguish look and says 'butter to you'.
   
   * the temptation to steal the motor car scene - it's just perfect, how the rationalisation process in Toady's head is depicted: It starts with 'there can be no harm in my just looking at it' - then he mimics the sound of the car engine 'broom, brroom' and climbs in and says 'oh no, no harm at all' and then with hand at ignition key 'I wonder if this kind of car starts easily' ...
   
   * in the courthouse - when Toad is accused of gross impertinence to the police, he retorts 'nonsense! Tumtwaddle (what he called the officer) is an old Toad word of endearment!'
   
   * when he's in prison and the jailer's daughter comes the Bubble and Squeak, Toady says 'it's about time they served some decent food in this place', and proceeds to say in an undertone 'I hope the cabbage isn't overcooked', and then after tasting it 'I knew it - the cabbage IS overcooked!'
   
   * when Toady is at the railway station trying to buy a ticket to Toad hall, and says 'One please, as close to Toad Hall as my money will take me' and then realises that he's in washerwoman's garb, he lifts his skirts and wails 'No pockets!' (and so no money!). When he is told 'Step aside please, madam', Toad is indignant (the look on his face is priceless) and says ' Madam?!? No indignities are spared me!'
   
   * when Toad has been 'rescued' by the owners of the motor car he stole earlier, and he's fainted in the road, the dialogue, accents and inflections are just PERFECT. Man A:'A washerwoman!Fainted in the road!' Man B: 'Overcome by the heat, poor creature!' Man A: 'We'll take her to the nearest village - she must have some friends there', and as Toad revives and tries to wangle his way into driving the car 'If I might sit in the front seat - I would have the fresh air full in my face (sic - I can't remember exact dialogue - last watched it >10years ago)' and Man B says: 'sensible woman!'. After a while he tries to cadge a chance to drive the car saying 'I would like to tell my friends I have driven... a motor car!', Man A laughs and says 'Bravo madam! I like your spirit. Of course you can have a try!'
   
   PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, can we have the DVD of this?



5. I adored this film as a child and as an adult I still love it and find myself humming the songs on occasion. I have seen numerous film versions of The Wind in the Willows and this one is something special. (I enjoy the Cosgrove Hall TV series as a TV series but still find this to be the best film adaptation of the original book.) The voices are perfect for the characters and the songs range from humorous to moving. My original copy of this film was taped from TV and even with commercials and severe weather warnings it was watched again and again. I now have the VHS and find I enjoy the humor in the film even more now that I am an adult and can appreciate the quality of this production.
   
   They just don't make animated films like this anymore. It has so much of the Edwardian spirit of the novel and the dignity... no wise-cracking sidekicks or modern slang.
   
   It is almost criminal that this has never been released on DVD. A new generation deserves to experience it!

5 comments about Disturbing Behavior.

1. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's really well done without the cheesiness of today's horror movies. There's actually some reality to Disturbing Behavior. Love the movie soundtrack too! This movie is in my top 5.



2. High School! Yay! If you're like me, you loathe the very mention of "High School". The principal in charge of my school ran the place like a prison. No pop machines. No soft drinks or candy allowed. Need to use the bathroom? Tough. Go when you're walking to your next class. I won't even get into the fact that when I turned eighteen at the beginning of my last year I could legally smoke cigarettes yet for some reason wasn't allowed to even OUTSIDE of the building without receiving some sort of punishment. Of course, after the warden moved on a few years later, the kids there had pop machines, candy machines, and could leave for lunch whenever they felt like it. I'm not bitter about it, really. It's so far in the past that I laugh about my experiences there whenever anyone mentions high school. Which, fortunately, isn't often. My encounters with high school these days largely come to me through movies. It looks like kids today have to go through the same crud I endured years ago. I feel for them. My advice to these poor souls: gut it out. Life gets much, much better in a few years.
   
   None of this nonsense has much to do about anything except to serve as a rather lame introduction to my review of David Nutter's 1998 film "Disturbing Behavior". The movie introduces us to Steve Clark (James Marsden), a young man moving into the small town of Cradle Bay and trying to navigate his way through the social hell that is high school. He quickly meets up with two important characters: Gavin Strick (Nick Stahl) and Rachel Wagner (Katie Holmes). These two kids definitely look the part of outsiders. Strick mumbles a lot and has that old soul look, and Wagner dresses in black and sulks all over the place. Still, the two provide our hero with plenty of information about the various goings on in Cradle Bay High School. In one scene early on in the movie, Strick sits with Clark in the cafeteria and provides a quick run down of the various social cliques. The stoners, car lovers, nerds...you get the idea, except he has different names for them. Gavin makes sure to point out one group in particular, a collection of neatly groomed youngsters he calls "Blue Ribbons". They're the upright, popular kids who also excel in school.
   
   But something is horribly, terribly wrong with the members of the Blue Ribbon gang. Let's call them a cult, actually. As Steve Clark soon learns, the town fell under the sway of one Dr. Edgar Endicott (Bruce Greenwood). He developed a plan, a behavior modification plan, that promises to transform troubled kids into straight arrows. Sounds great, doesn't it? Most of the parents in Cradle Bay think so. The Blue Ribbon cult keeps getting bigger and bigger as more kids fall into the orbit of Endicott's program. There's just one LITTLE problem with the new in crowd. The members have a tendency to erupt into cyclones of violence at the drop of the hat, usually when something excites those darn teenage hormones. Witness the carnage that takes place in a supermarket in one scene, and I think you'll agree that something isn't right here. Clark launches an investigation, spurred on by Gavin's sudden conversion into a Blue Ribboner, and what he finds isn't pretty. Endicott, with the help of Officer Cox (Steve Railsback), is performing bizarre experiments in the field of neurology. I think it's safe to say that brain surgery, behavior modification, and raging hormones lead to one heck of a conclusion.
   
   "Disturbing Behavior" is a lot of fun. The movie achieves heights of ridiculousness, especially during the grand finale, but that didn't stop me from grabbing on to this sucker's horns and riding it until the gruesome end. Let's run over the positives real quick. One, Katie Holmes. She's smoking hot in this film. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for her, but she attains heights of foxiness here I never imagined. Simply gorgeous. It's painful to think she's glued to Mr. Xenu in real life. Two, Nick Stahl is a really good actor. He can take something as goofy as "Disturbing Behavior" and sell it to the audience. Third, what's up with Hollywood and janitors? Between the guy in "The Breakfast Club" and the janitor here that lends a helping hand to Steve and his buddies, Dorien Newberry (William Sadler), it's obvious Tinseltown has a love affair with those pursuing a career in the custodial arts (a nod to Bender there). Four, and finally, it's nice to see Ethan Embry and Katharine Isabelle in small supporting roles. Now let's peruse the negatives. There aren't any, really, unless you count the film's short runtime. "Disturbing Behavior" clocks in at a paltry eighty-four minutes, including credits. Ouch!
   
   The "Disturbing Behavior" DVD contains mucho supplements. We get a music video from The Flys, a commentary track featuring director David Nutter, an alternate ending, and eleven deleted scenes. That's a lot of deleted scenes! They should've just plugged them back into the movie to up the runtime. Anyway, I enjoyed this movie immensely. I remember when it came out back in the late 1990s, and I remember it tanking fast, so I put off seeing it until now thinking that it must have really stunk. The returns were so low that David Nutter has done nothing but television work since the film came out. Well, the critics and theater audiences were wrong; it's a great, entertaining horror flick filled with violence and heavy-handed messages about social conformity. In other words, it's high school with Katie Holmes. By the way, did I mention Katie Holmes is smoking hot? Good. I give this movie five stars. I give Katie ten stars. Good flick.



3. If a "spooky" movie is supposed to give you the creeps, this film does the job. Lots of strange characters from police officers to students.
   James Marsden, who is excellent in everything he does, plays the hero Steve. Nick Stahl is great here but greater in Carnivale.
   Good acting all around. Steve Railsback and Bruce Greenwood are standouts, and the actor who played the janitor was a scene stealer!
   Great surprise ending too. A good fun movie with just enough suspense and fear to make you love it!



4. Disturbing Behavior is essentially an American adaptation of the classic A Clockwork Orange. Where juvenile delinquints were targeted before, now it's every kid who doesn't exude the perfect behavior.
   
   The movie begins with a teenage couple making out at an overlooking bluff. When the girl gets a little too frisky, the young man tells her that he "needs his fluids". When she doesn't follow his suggestion, his eyes glow slightly, and then he snaps her neck. To make matters worse, the local police happen upon the scene, and at least one of the cops is complicit. Unfortunately for them, this is all seen by a local kid named Gavin (Nick Stahl), who has an inexplicably verbose vocabulary for a high school student.
   
   Meanwhile, the perfect WASP family is moving into quiet Cradle Bay, a community where the most happening place is a Yogurt Shoppe, and the most exciting news is usually related to a bake sale somewhere. Steve (James Marsden) is the clean-cut, go-getter, and like the rest of his family, he is recently mourning the loss of his older brother. At his new school, however, he'll soon be mourning the fact that the social divide is far beyond most high schools; it's the "Greasers" versus the "Soc'ias", but to the Nth degree. In the new school, as explained by Gavin and an albino friend nicknamed UV, it's "Motorheads", "Microgeeks", "Skaters", and "Blue Ribbons", a group of school do-gooders, who are just a little too perfect, a little too 1950s.
   
   Steve soon sees Rachel (Katie Holmes), a beautiful outcast who ridiculously insists on using the word "razor" as a slang term. Katie Holmes may have never been better looking in a movie. Soon enough he's distracted, however, by one of the Blue Ribbon kids going berzerk and beating two other high school kids, even ripping out a nose-ring, because his attraction to Rachel was too much to handle. It seems that when Blue Ribbons have emotional or sexual attraction they're not quite up to Blue Ribbon standards.
   
   Within two days, Steve notices that one of the rougher students, who recently got in a fight with one of the Blue Ribbons, has suddenly become a straight-laced Blue Ribbon. It's just a bit too odd for Steve, or anyone else's tastes. He hears about Gavin's theory that the kids at school are being brainwashed and/or lobotomized by the school therapist Dr. Caldicott, and he meets Mr. Newberry, an insane janitor at the school.
   
   To prove his theories, Gavin sneaks into school with Steve one evening, and learns that Gavin's parents are planning on enrolling him into one of the weekend retreats that has helped, maybe even created, the rest of the Blue Ribbons. What happens next shocks everyone.
   
   As a result, Steve and Rachel realize they must fight the rest of the school, the growing school conspiracy, the Blue Ribbons, and what seems like the entire town in order to find out what has been happening. It's a race to not only save themselves, but also friends and family who may be affected. Disturbing Behavior is a well-made adaptation, with great acting, and a few interesting twists to keep the viewers guessing.



5. Loner Steve Clark (James Marsden) and his family have just moved from Chicago to an idyllic village in the northwest. As he starts school, Steve finds the usual cliques, the strangest being a group called "the Blue Ribbons;" they're the handsomest jocks and most beautiful co-eds and seem perfect but have a bad habit of beating people up - and getting away with it. Steve is befriended by a stoner (Nick Stahl) and a punk girl (Katie Holmes) who share his suspicions about the Blue Ribbons. Can they solve the mystery - in time?!
   
   First of all, James Marsden is way too good-looking, charming, and old to play the outsider teen. He's extremely likeable and sincere, however, and was the only reason I kept watching to the end, hoping this confusing mess would make sense. I guess it did have a plot, but it was so poorly written that it's pretty laughable. There was nothing in the story that seemed believeable. The teen and adult characters were all stereotypes, the Marsden and Holmes characters suddenly became brilliant detectives and figured out an evil plan to turn the student body into Stepford Teens, and zombies, it seems, are really dumb and apparently no one will notice if they all disappear.
   
   For a so-called "thriller," this movie was not suspenseful at all, just silly and amateurish. (But James Marsden looks good.)

5 comments about Terror of Mechagodzilla.

1. For those who are not aware, this film was originally released to U.S. theaters as "TERROR OF GODZILLA". This version of the film was heavily edited, removing bad language and any scenes of violence. This version of the film was so badly chopped-up that it is barely watchable. Later, UPA re-released the film to U.S. TV as "TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA". With the exception of a brief "nude" shot of the cyborg girl's artificial breasts, the film was uncut and included a brief "History of Godzilla" prologue before the opening credits. However, when the film was first released to VHS, it was the edited version that was used. Unfortunately, this version continued to be used on VHS, DVD, and TV, while the uncut U.S. version disappeared. FINALLY the U.S. version of the film has been restored in all its glory, including the "History of Godzilla" prologue! After so many years, Godzilla fans should rejoice over the chance to see this film as it was meant to be seen.



2. THE TRAILER IS ON THE DVD!!!!!!! look in the extras area on the japanese ver. learn how to operate your DVD player.



3. This version is the best I've seen i reactamend GODZILLA FANS to get the comeplete box series 6 movie comes in the box set they are all great.



4. I've been a godzilla fan when they used to come on fox 5 before kung fu theatre on saturdays. I was excited when toho put both the uncut japanese and the english versions on the same dvd. The dvd is put together very well. The picture quality is excellent, sound is excellent and the special features are excellent for a godzilla dvd.



5. This is a direct sequel to Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. Possibly the best of the 1970s Godzilla movies where he fights both Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus. The characters were much stronger in this movie than previous G movies from the 1960s, mainly due to Ishiro Honda returning to direct. This was the last of the first series for Godzilla. The SPFX in this were really good for the most part. Both Mecha G & Titanosaurus were cool designs. Godzilla looked pretty good, but nothing like the 1960s. This movie also had some classic G movie actors such as Ahkiko Hirata
   The DVD to view this movie is from Classic Media, which is 99% uncut - it is missing the "nude" scene with Katsura which the Japanese version of this DVD has. Now there is somewhere out there an English language version with that scene too, but its not on this DVD. However the DVD is letterboxed,basically just about uncut with all the scenes and language restored.
   The fight scenes were good, a great scene has Godzilla's first appearance in the shadows between tall buildings..
   Part of that awesome Classic Media Godzilla box set as well available separately. Just get the box set :)