Reviews (105)

The Pivitol Battle of the Pacific War
In June, 1942, the United States uncovered Japanese plans to invade the island of Midway, located only 1100 miles from the Hawaiian islands. This fine film brings this great battle to life.

An all-star cast, including Charlton Heston (Capt. Matt Garth), Henry Fonda (Admiral Chester Nimitz), Glenn Ford (Admiral Raymond Spruance), Hal Holbrook (Commander Joseph Rochefort) and Robert Webber (Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher) turn in fine performances as the men who would ultimately win the battle and turn the tide against the Japanese. The Japanese actors do a fine job as well portraying such officers as Admiral Yamamoto and Admiral Nagumo.

The battle scenes, especially the American dive and torpedo attacks against the Japanese fleet, are excellent. Real battle footage is also included, and if you watch close enough, you may even see some scenes from "Tora Tora Tora" in the footage.

One part of the film that I didn't care very much for was the love relationship between Matt Garth's son Tom and a Japanese/American girl. I felt that this was unnecessary and didn't really contribute anything to the movie. Overall, however, I thought this was an excellent film. The battle scenes are top notch, and the attention paid to historical fact is evident throughout the film, right down to Joe Rochefort's smoking jacket and bedroom slippers.

I've seen this movie several times on VHS, but this was the first time I saw it on DVD. The widescreen format made me feel like I was in the theater. I highly recommend this fine war film. Watch this film and experience the turning of the tide in the Pacific.

Poor sound, over-edited
Midway as originally filmed is one of the great movies of all time. This DVD is not.

Problem #1: I have one of the best sound systems you can buy. The sound goes up and down and up and down on this DVD. You have to hold on to the remote just to be able to stay in the room with it because some combat footage is too loud, and other dramatic discussions are too low in volume.

Problem #2: My wife grew to hate this move somewhere around 1990 because on the veteran related holidays, a good 4+ hours were lost to watching this movie. Others claim that the original was over 5 hours. I'm very disappointed with the 2+ hour version. I want to see it all.

The manufacturer needs to do something to get us the complete movie. They won't, though, becuase they have to redo the sound for the DVD, and that's expensive.

One of the better historical WWII movies

A good friend of mine (and a contemporary) rode in the backseat of a dive bomber at the battle of midway. He's dead now, like three quarters of the men who fought in World War Two. Can you imagine riding backwards in a dive while the people below are doing their best to kill you? Unless you've been there, probably not.

This is, historically, one of the most accurate portrayals of the war. One critic complained that "the writing was weak. There was no suspense at all in the film." Perhaps there'd have been enough suspense if he'd been there, like Bill. But Bill survived the battle and died of old age, so I can't ask him about whether he felt any suspense, although we talked a lot about the battle of Midway.

In the film, they used top notch actors. For "Bull" Halsey they used Mitchum. Not a look alike, but of course Bull's dead, too, and Mitchum did a good job. Heston, of course, represented a fictional character (Matt Garth), but virtually all of the names of people in the film were real men who fought a real battle, and it was the turning point of the war. After Midway, we took a lot of lumps, but they were on the run from that point on.

Of course Hollywood took some liberties, and since they used a lot of actual combat shots, some of the aircraft used were out of place (F6F "Hellcats" for F4F "Wildcats" several times, and the ditching scene where Ensign George Gay went in showed a "Hellcat" instead of the TBD Douglas torpedo bomber that he actually flew. And the shot of the "Hellcat" being torn apart on the carrier's island was well-known footage from the technicolor documentary, The Fighting Lady, which was shot on the old Enterprise during battle, with narration by Lt. Robert Montgomery (qv). Garth's (Heston's) fictional son was supposed to be flying it in the film, but it was an actual crash on board the "Big E", in an actual battle. "Hellcats" (F6F) were Grumman fighter planes (the big brother of the "Wildcat" (F4F) which was obsolescent when the war started, but in use at the Battle of Midway--as was the old Brewster "Buffalo") and the F6F never saw combat until late 1943 (on my birthday, as a matter of fact.) The battle of Midway was in June of 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor.

It helps when you know a little history. For instance, Ensign George Gay actually did ride out the battle in the water, after he ditched, and was debriefed personally by the commander-in-chief, pacific fleet (CINCPAC), Admiral Chester Nimitz. He was the only survivor of his torpedo squadron, VT-8 (torpedo squadron 8).

Altogether, when you see this picture, you are watching history (as near as Hollywood will ever get to it), and many of the people who died to entertain today's movie audiences are named in the movie.

So, try to overlook the lack of a plot, at least in the battle sequences. History wrote them, not Hollywood script writers.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret)

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

All-Star Cast. Ultimate invasion of Midway Island.
This story is set in June 1942, six months after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. Includes the all-star cast of: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, Toshiro Mifune, Robert Mitchum, Cliff Robertson, Robert Wagner, Ed Nelson, Monte Markham, David Macklin, Christopher George, Robert Webber, Kevin Dobson, Edward Albert, Pat Morita, Dabney Coleman, Erik Estrada, Tom Selleck, Robert Ito, Steve Kanaly, Kip Niven, Clint Ritchie (ABC serial "One Life To Live"), Frank Parker (NBC serial "Days Of Our Lives"). The main cast can be seen acting with stock footage from THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO and some old Japanese war films. However, some actual wartime footage of the real combat is incorporated into this film. The actual war footage was filmed in color by navy photographers and by the cameras mounted on fighter planes in 1942.
Filmed in the same manner as EARTHQUAKE (1974) and ROLLERCOASTER (1977) and in "Sensurround". "Sensurround" was a new sound system set up for specific films only that would make the sounds in the film seem realistic to you. The sound was balanced and came at you all around. You would hear the sound of an earthquake, riding a rollercoaster or being in the middle of a battle. Very few films were made in "Sensurround" and was only a gimmick in the 1970's. Small theaters benefited the most. Nowadays, we have sound systems in our own modern homes that come at us from behind and the sides. Disneyland rides use a sound system similar to "Sensurround".
A special television version runs four hours with commercials. It includes new scenes NOT shown on video or in the theatres. It includes new scenes with an additional cast NOT seen in the original version, Susan Sullivan, Richard Sanders, Noel Conlon, Don Dolan, Richard Sarradet, Alec Smight, Miiko Taka and William Wellman Jr. The extended tv version includes a Charlton Heston-Susan Sullivan romance and the scenes of the Coral Sea battle is played out. At the end of the television extended version, Susan Sullivan and Christine Kukobo are both shown waiting at dockside.
I think this film was meant to be a tribute to those Americans who served.

Just slightly over-edited
Our USMC squad went to the 'World Premier' at Luneta Theatre, Manila, Philippines. Midway WAS a Full-length FEATURE movie-then. It was near 5 hours long. Our sixes burned from seating.
>These days the once good, and quite long Midway has been edited-down from it's feature film status, a 5, to the new 2+ hour typical 'Hollyweird' shortened edition, a true waste of unreplaceable WWII Pacific footage, though actually faked. According to The NAVY, there were NO USN photojournalists with color motion-picture cameras at or near Midway, and actual Naval Aviators names were changed, and most colorized motion picture photography was filmed at The Battle For Leyte Gulf.
>Some carrier shots depict the ESSEX-class carriers designed POST Midway, and produced in 1943. "Universal" left-out several hours of video footage. Midway should be near 4-5 hours. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

...not all butterflies are free...
Not a bad love story if one doesnt take it too seriously.We tend to forget that Goldie Hawn used to act in some very good movies at one time.She manages to shine in this charming but unoriginal romance between a flower child and a handsome young blind man played by Edward Albert,seeking independence from his over protective mother.The story is set in the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco during the early seventies prior to Watergate and gay rights and the onslaught of AIDS.

Eileen Heckart gives a memorable and touching performance as the mother and well deserved her best-supporting-actress oscar that year.There is a wonderful scene where Goldie first meets Donnys mother in his apartment in the most inappropriate of circumstances.In her underwear!Enough said. Not exactly Shakespeare but it will keep your interest,and besides theres a happy ending...

Heart warming and funny
This is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and I saw it for the first time yesterday on HBO. Goldie Hawn is hillarious in this movie, and the story is beautiful. If you like Goldie Hawn, and if you like a good, real love story, you will LOVE this movie.

Very pleasant though a bit too stagey
There are two things that made me really enjoy seeing this film again for the first time in years. One is Goldie Hawn. She was both terminally cute and utterly adorable in this. The past few years I had mainly seen her in films from the past decade or so, and while she has remained extremely attractive, I didn't remember her in her twenties well enough to realize just how much she and her daughter Kate Hudson resemble one another at the same age (or nearly, since Goldie was 27 when she made this, and Kate is not yet that old). Kate Hudson is a chip off the old block if ever there was one. Goldie Hawn has had a fine career, but I always thought it should have been better than it was. She was a truly gifted comedienne, and one of the cutest women to ever walk the earth. Perhaps her sixties connection with LAUGH IN kept people from taking her seriously for many years, but she definitely should have been in more major projects. Even if everything in this film were bad, just being able to gaze at her extraordinary smile and riveting blue eyes would be enough.

A second thing that makes this film click is the remarkable Eileen Heckart. One of the premiere stage actors of her generation, the husky voiced, long-faced Heckart simply never found her place in the movies. While she managed a great stage career, many of us didn't have the privilege of living in New York so as to see her perform. One advantage of the movies is the ability for talented performers to display their talents in every godforsaken corner of the glove. Heckart is stellar as Don's overprotective mother, and it is an utter joy to hear her squeeze out a put down or insult. She won a well-deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in this one.

I am not overly fond of the rest of the film. The problem is that this isn't really a movie: it is a play captured on celluloid. Some film versions of plays manage to transcend the source to make an exciting film. A classic example is TWELVE ANGRY MEN, which takes twelve jurors and locks them in a single room for nearly two hours. But it makes a great film because the camera is so magnificently active, moving agilely from close up to group shot to isolating a couple of figures. The camera in BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE is, however, static and passive. It merely stands in front of each scene and lazily absorbs the action. It doesn't get close and explore what it happening. In other words, the camera isn't an important part of the telling of the story. As a result, it never becomes more than what it was onstage. I also am not fond of Edward Albert Jr., but that is a strictly personal reaction, and not an objective criticism of the film. My final problem with the film is that sometimes, because it is merely a filmed play, it sometimes gets a tad dull in the dialogue. Some of the talk is [not good]. For instance, the scene that takes place the morning after Jill and Don sleep together, before Don's mother shows up, is quite dull. I almost wondered if the reason Goldie Hawn spent the entire scene in her underwear wasn't to make up for the dullness of what the two of them were saying.

So, not a masterpiece, but definitely worth seeing for catching the young Goldie Hawn and for the magnificent Eileen Heckart.

An understated, but beautiful score.
This movie had very little music score, which worked well with the Broadway Play adaptation. Yet the few music moments were charming as well as beautifully written. It might be noted that the opening song was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. That, along with the 'Picnic On the Floor' music and several others, were delightful, overlooked segments, which happens more than often to the Hollywood film music people.

"Might I Have Seen You in Something Besides Your Underwear?"
The movie "Butterflies are Free" is a comedy/drama which is an old favorite of mine that I have seen in various forms on TV and video for a number of years.I am very happy now that it has finally been put out on DVD.This is basically a filmed play (with a couple of added scenes to "open it up")which explores the meaning of concepts like freedom and independence within the framework of a love story.The story takes place in a San Fransisco loft during those heady, 'groovy' days of flower power.Don Baker (Played by Edward Albert) is young man, blind from birth, who is trying for the first time to break away from his overbearing mother's apron strings by living on his own.One day he meets his new neighbor, Jill, a young, commitment free hippie and wanna-be actress.At first she is freaked out by Don's blindness, but soon they are "getting it on" and she spends the night.The next morning their little private, three room Eden is invaded, when Don's mother barges in unannounced, with the intention of taking her son home.It is within this scenerio that the three characters shout, argue and pontificate about such concepts as 'freedom', 'independence', 'commitment','love' and finally 'letting go'.They all learn a little bit about themselves and the changes they must make to get on with their lives.This is really a wonderful, funny movie that has a lot of heart. The three lead actors do a simply amazing job with their roles.Goldie Hawn is in all her giggly, post "Laugh-In" splendor.Underneath the bubbly persona she shows us a character, who is emotionally crippled and must learn not to be frightened of being loved.Edward Albert does a fine job as the blind, young man who is fighting for his independence.But the real scene stealer is Eileen Heckart (who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this role)who is brilliantly funny as an overbearing, cynical, mother,who obviously loves her son, but must find a way to let go. The script by Lenord Gershe is very fast and funny featuring hilarious exchanges between Albert, Hawn and Heckart's characters. It is filled with lots of one liners that remind me a bit of the comic style of playright, Neil Simon and his comedies such as "The Odd Couple" and "The Sunshine Boys".Some of the hippie, flower power references and language in the movie are a bit dated, but I think it adds a touch of charm and quaintness to the script.Milton Katselas's direction of this film is a little stagey, but it does not detract as the story progresses.The DVD presentation is very clear and the sound quality is not bad for a film from 1972.My only real complaint is that the DVD features bonus trailers, but not for this movie (at least two out of three of them are for old Goldie Hawn films).For an evening of funny, yet thought provoking entertainment I highly recommend this film. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Unexpected gem...
When "Guarding Tess" was released eight years ago, I ended up watching it in the theater because I was bored and because it looked a little more promising than the rest of the pack. That thought proved to be an understatement. To date, I have seen this movie at least eight times, and I tend to enjoy it more with each viewing. Nicholas Cage is perfect as the disgruntled Secret Service agent who feels he has been banished to his current duty -- namely, doting on a cantankerous former First Lady, played to the hilt by Shirley MacLaine. "Guarding Tess" is alternately funny and moving, and even includes a bit of a mystery for Cage to solve. Far more than a one-dimensional film, "Guarding Tess" is satisfying for so many reasons -- the witty script, the fine performances, the deft direction, and the mostly even pacing, to name a few. While you can catch this on a regular basis on TBS (which has made the movie one of its most reliable staples), "Guarding Tess" is definitely worth owning for more frequent viewing.

A delightful folie-a-deux between a guard and his First Lady
"Guarding Tess" opens with a dapper and cheery Doug Chesnick (Nicholas Cage) fleeing a three-year stint as Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, during which he was responsible for guarding a recently-widowed former First Lady (Shirley MacLaine) in her mansion in rural Ohio.

It's not only ditching the rusticity that puts a spring in Chesnick's step, but the opportunity to flee his employer, the authoritarian, aristocratic former First Lady, who has zeroed in on Chesnick while largely ignoring the rest of her staff. Her specialty, one quickly learns, is what the armed forces call the "psy-op" or, more simply, psychological warfare.

It is part of Tess Carlisle's modus operandi to let Chesnick believe that he is finally free, and waste to his time reporting to Washington for a new assignment. Chesnick yearns to join the elite who guard the President. Instead, in D.C., Chesnick is told that Carlisle already has called the President to request that Chesnick be reassigned to another three-year "tour", a tour of a truly martial sort.

The current President was the late President Carlisle's Veep, which permits Tess to continue to brusquely address him as the underling he always was to her. Tess's wish is the new President's command, not least because it was her private say that got him the winning Carlisle ticket.

In a fury, Chesnick is forced to return to Ohio. A kind of dance of death begins as Tess tries to break the spirit of the Special Agent in Charge, a title she cannot resist deconstructing, while Chesnick's fury mounts and he becomes all the more fanatical about adhering to the strictest (and most deadening) regulations of the Secret Service.

It is quickly apparent that Tess Carlisle is vastly too clever and even (almost secretly) high-minded to have summoned Chesnick as a dimwitted mouse to bat around, yet she sincerely loathes his fastidiousness about seatments in cars and the tedium of being followed and observed 24-7. There is no denying the emotional S&M the Tess and Chesnick mete out, but it is curiously bilateral. For reasons unexplained for much of the film, Tess cannot quite afford to have Chesnick quit (or actually quit, more precisely).

The power struggles that break out over her attempted use of agents as golf caddies and her recurring jailbreaks with a fearful chauffeur are as uproarious as they are petty.

When the humiliated Chesnick is forced "by regulation" to alert the local sheriff, for example, that Tess Carlisle and her driver have lost their detail yet again, the sheriff puts the brokenly dignified agent on speakerphone. The deputies snigger en masse when the Sheriff intones mockingly: "That Mrs. Carlisle sure is slippery...for a senior citizen and all." Formal as always, Chesnick does not permit himself so much as a note of sarcasm in his response. He communicates in rare tics and elaborate, furious pronunciations of basic instructions, but at no time does he debase his office.

Sure enough, Chesnick quits over his inability, courtesy of the eccentric, tantrum-throwing Tess, to do his job "properly" (read: perfectly). And, sure enough, Mrs. Carlisle has the new President on her speed dial.

The calls put through from the President, a snarling and barking Texan, are episodes of comic sublimity. Each time, Chesnick, like virtually anyone other than the formidable Mrs. Carlisle, freezes with terror when told via a sudden phone call to "hold for the President".

The disembodied voice, emanating variously from the Oval Office and from Air Force One, is an uncanny, flawless mimicry of LBJ. Johnson's private threats, manipulations and vaunted coarseness are preserved in an inimitable Texan patois which melds obscenity, patriotism, blackmail and phoney good-ole-boy charm.

The President is required, for example, to investigate Mrs. Carlisle's story that her agent "ripped up some flowers". Chesnick speaks carefully about the distinction between fact and fiction: it was only a single flower, and he merely snapped off the bud. Though the President is whipped by the retired Mrs. Carlisle, he is fully alert to the lunacy of how his time is being wasted. The solution? Fix it, Agent Chesnick, "or next time, you'll be guarding my dog, do you hear me son?"

When we learn at last of the origin of Tess Carlisle's fixation on Agent Chesnick, it is suitably poignant and ennobling. Rather than trying to break him, as it first appears, she is "merely" trying to get him to break the rules. We see Tess at her bullying worst and then her impossibly gracious best, in two very rare encounters with "her" public.

No less a figure than Barbara Bush is said to have told MacLaine that the film was a perfectly accurate rendition of the relationship between agent and protectee. It is very revealing that such a remark should have come from the Grand Dame, Mrs. Bush, who is usually described as being as vicious and petty in private as she is marvellously patrician in public.

The gun Chesnick is required to place on a table outside Mrs. Chesnick's room must go off, by the fifth act, according to the rules of drama. It does, and Chesnick's attention to detail is finally rewarded. Rather than "some sick [sexual] thing" going on, as the President earlier, hilariously, suggests, there is a courtly love which unfolds between Tess and her devoted agent which gives a final unity to this first comic, then poignant story.

TBS Superstation.
I just watched the second half of Guarding Tess on TBS. It's now 11:30PM, and I am writing this review when I should be in bed 1 and half hour ago. Nicolas Cade and The old woman in the movie both turned in great performances. The story was lightly funny at first, but didn't really go anywhere. The relationship between The FBI agent and ex-first lady was strange, and though the movie tried to give their intimacy an explanation, it was still weird. The climax came at the end, and was very entertaining, for it broke a long line of fairly boring plot. There is much meaning in the movie; it tried successfully to bring the emotions of a smart first lady widow who dearly wants attention to life. I was touched by the movie. Thank you. I should go to bed now.

Better Than Guarding The President's Dog
Nicholas Cage stars as a Secret Service agent assigned to protect former first lady Shirley MacLaine. MacLaine has a difficult personality, and being guarded by Cage, a by-the-books man, causes a lot of friction between the two. She won't let him be reassigned, yet she seems bent on messing with him every chance she can get. It turns into one of those love-hate relationships that have fueled many a film, but this one works better than most. Cage and MacLaine are both excellent choices for their roles, giving the kind of quality performances you'd expect, with an unexpectedly good chemistry between them. I wish Cage would appear in more films like this, since I often find his choice of pictures puzzling. The rest of the cast takes a backseat to the star performances. The writing is good, allowing the relationship to develop naturally between the characters. I do wish there had been a few more laughs and that the ending had not come so quickly. I don't know if relationships develop between Secret Service agents and the people they are assigned to protect, so I don't know how realistic this was, but I really liked the characters, found the story amusing, and enjoyed the film a lot.

Wonderful character story
This is the film that made me like Nicolas Cage. He and Maclaine are terrific as the protector and retired First Lady who must maintain a working relationship despite their opposing views. Lots of amusing character revelations, and an increasingly absorbing pace. I watched the ending again and again because I liked it so much. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The original Mimic aspired to evoke a mood and tension akin to classic horror films like the original versions of The Mummy or Frankenstein--to create the kind of dream imagery that lingers in the brain for months after. This may seem like a high ambition for a movie about giant predatory bugs that learned to roughly imitate the appearance of human beings, but Mimic was more successful than you'd expect. And so is Mimic 2, a movie with much simpler goals--Mimic 2 just wants to be a lean, effective horror flick that capitalizes on the inherent creepiness of insects. A schoolteacher named Remi (Alix Koromzay, previously seen in Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return and the remake of The Haunting) has trouble with men, but not half as much trouble as they end up having with her; every guy she's recently dated has been killed and had his face sheared off. Before too long, her school has a serious infestation of giant mutant cockroaches. By the end, the story is full of holes--but Mimic 2 does a smart job of delaying any explanation for a long time while building some compelling eeriness and successful jolts. The special effects are sparingly used and surprisingly good when they do appear; Koromzay and costar Bruno Campos are engaging presences. All in all, worth checking out. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Alix Koromzay is the real surprise in "Mimic 2"
Never mind the low expectations; face it, it's a sequel to a not particularly brilliant bug-monster movie, we're not expecting genius here. But what we do get is a very well made action-horror film, some highly effective and inventive camera work, and a neatly done finale. Right there is about twice what I would have expected of a straight-to-video movie with a less than stellar cast.

One member of the cast ought to go stellar here: Mimic 2's real surprise is Alix Koromzay, reprising a role nobody noticed in the first picture. Here, she's solidly in the lead and we're right there with her. Koromzay manages the trick of portraying a character we care about, and root for, without for a minute descending to the typical woman-in-peril hokum of countless other thrillers. She is tough when she has to be, terrified when you'd expect her to be, and pulls this picture out of its B-movie niche. I have not seen Koromzay in a lead role before but she pulls this off with quiet polish and spunk.

Bottom line? Solid little thriller that contains an unexpected but welcome twist: A good performance.

Fun low-budget sequel
I found this movie was much better than expected. But you've got to take it for what it is, a genre b-movie.
Ok, so maybe the police detective character is a tired cliché played by an uninspired actor, and maybe the heroine is a bit too weird (the emotional photo-collage thing), and the movie could have benefited of a bigger budget. But still, the plot's main gimmick is inventive and works, overall entertaining, with some slightly scary moments, and the visual effects are good.
I don't know, I had fun watching it and didn't feel insulted. To give you some reference, I think 'Species 2' is a laughably bad sequel, and I find the original 'Species' very overrated. So I guess I don't fall for every sci-fi movie out there.
The dvd is anamorphic widescreen.

Return of the Judas Breed
A school teacher is having trouble with men and giant cockroaches. There are a few scenes designed to make us believe she is the entomologist from the first movie (her book and she says "we created them"). The bugs have targeted her. Maybe because she beat them before or maybe just because she smells good.

Any man who comes near her becomes the target of a lone soldier that is trying to fulfil its life purpose of protecting its queen. This causes a run in with the police as well as allows the military to get wind of the situation.

Military, police and school teacher converge to end the final threat from the Judas Breed. The ending is creepy and needs to be seen (I won't spoil it).

Much different in style and feel than the original. No infestation, just a lone bug doing its best. Check it out.

BUGGED
This sequel to MIMIC is a tense, eerie thriller, with some excellent suspense scenes and an engaging cast. Seems like the bugs from the first movie or at least one of them is back and wants the babies stolen by a treacherous Japanese man. Said man is killed in the first scene and the bug babies are hidden away. Enter Remy (Alix Kolomanzy) from the first movie, who is now a schoolteacher, an entomologist freak who seems to relate better to bugs than men. The poor girl takes polaroids of herself after each subsequent date falls through, and pastes them on a closet door. Meanwhile, seems like her dejected boyfriends are getting offed by this deadly bug, who can now take on more human appearances.
Edward Albert is wasted in a stereotypical governmental agent role; Bruno Campos is fun as the dashing cop, and Will Estes does a nice turn as one of Remy's former students who has the hots for her.
A worthy sequel and the special effects are pretty impressive.

What the ???
I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of MIMIC 2. After all, it was the direct-to-video sequel for a science fiction film that didn't do very well at the box office to begin with. However, even with my low expectations I was disappointed. The film started off well enough, having a minor character from the first film become the lead in this one. However, nothing exciting was done with the concept. Instead, the premise of the original was stretched as far as it would go beyond belief. The last remaining Judas bug knows its time is running out. So, it has to mate so the species will continue to survive. However, this bug evolved to the point where it adapted to mimic humans. Therefore, the only creature worthy of it mating with is a human. Get it? Pretty twisted, huh? Good. Now, don't waste your time watching this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Really Fun Ensemble Cast
This is a really cute movie. One I enjoyed watching with my daughter. I am a Lindsay Wagner fan from way back and I also love Edward Albert. This would be the second time Mr. Albert and Christopher Khayman Lee have worked togther, well, sort of. Chris was Andros the Red Ranger on Power Rangers in Space and Mr. Albert portrayed Mr. Collins, father to Wes, the Red Time Force Ranger.
This movie was better than I had expected it to be. Sometimes when you put many actors and actresses together who haven't done anything in a while you usually get junk. Watching Ms. Wagner, always a pleasure, play the understanding and loving teacher was heart warming. Then seeing Chris play the spirit of the forest, an elf (many fans that I know have always wanted to see him with pointy ears), was both mildly comical, after watching him beat the baddies using martial arts in Power Rangers in Space and then to have him taking flight in this movie almost brought me to tears at the sheer campyness of the fairy folk scenes. the scenes in the "real world" were much better and so was the acting. Mr. Albert as King Otto was very over the top, but much better as Mr. Ridgewell.
All in all very enjoyable, especially if yoy have small children.

Family
I think is film has a heart worming story about Christmas and Magic.

It is truly for the whole family.

A Light in the Forest
I found this movie to be a very delightful, wonderful family christmas film. It touches on some real life feelings and emotions with a young girl. This movie shows the true spirit of christmas and is a must see, even if you don't have kids! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A B-Budget version of "Backdraft" & "City On Fire."
"Ablaze" was actually a pretty decent film! I mean, sure it had its plot holes, its mistakes, and its obviously stolen stock footage, but, for a disaster and/or hospital chaos (a la "E.R."), this film will (for the most part) keep you on the edge of your seet (somewhat). As with most, if not all of Jay Andrew's (AKA Jim Wynorski) B-films, the description on the back of the case has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the film at hand, and i do mean nothing! It seems to describe Ron Howard's "Backdraft" in the description, even though i actually liked this film nore than Howard's much nore famous catalyst, if you will, for this type of movie (also having its plot ripped off for the Hong King film, "Lifeline" which is available here at Amazon).

The film itself begins with a really pointless car chase of a mad bomber(?) who ends up being shot by one of the main characters (the captain of a fire department) who is on a stakeout with Jay Andrew's good B-Movie friend, Ice-T, whom, for some odd reason always seems to pop up in one of Andrew's films, why? I havn't a clue. Anyway, the bad guy catches fire (he does not spontaneously combust like some believe, the poeple that catch fire actually do have reasons why) and he burns to death in a park.

Then we go into learning about the characters, like Tom Arnold, who plays the greedy oil/gas refinery owner who is illegaly dumping(?) gasoline into the sewer system of what appears to be Los Angeles (though we actually never do know the city's true name, but the opening shot is one of downtown LA). Arnold's character has also built a hospital at the end of a cultasac and it is understaffed, under budgeted, and run by a truely evil woman, but one doctor is determined to do what's to help a low-income woman have her baby, and later on save the lives of everyone in the hospital. The fire captain has a brother whom he dislikes (for a certain reason) and the brother is an undercover agent seeking to find out the truth behind Wendel Mays' (Arnold's character) bribery and corruption.

Mays' refinery then dumps a large load of gasoline into the sewer system of the city and then the refinery catches fire from a welder's torch and catches everything on fire. The Mays Hospital is the only one near to take burn victims but gets cut off by a firestorm that theatens to blow up the whole city block (which looks like a street in New York City). The same traffic shots w/ fire in the far off distance is used over and over to show that the city is, well...ablaze! As well as a cheap special fx shot of a skyscraper exploding due to the whole sewer system catching fire. So now the city is in "flames" and the hospital must evactuate everyone down a burning street, where many meet their ends.

This film is pretty merciless in killing off its characters (just like in the great 1970's Irwin Allen films), even the nice Cathy Lee Crosby who is a kind and sweet television actress (combining the "Bewitched" and "I Dream of Genie" stars together, for this film) and she tries to make a run for it (whether to be the guinea pig to test it out, or because she just wants to save herself) and she catches fire and burns to death. Then falling debris kills some people and some stupid nurse opens a closet that has fire on the other side and the backdraft that unsues torches the poor girl, tisk, tisk, tisk, didn't she watch "The Towering Inferno" or "Backdraft"?

The movie was made with obvious stock footage from the 1970's, which I actually enjoy! Especially since "City On Fire" is an extremely hard to find film. "City On Fire" is a Leslie Neilson and Ava Gardner 1979 disaster film where a disgruntled oil refinery (or chemical plant) employee purposely catches the city on fire and a threatened hospital must evacuate its occupants, hey that sounds kinda familiar... Anyway, this film was pretty decent and much better than Andrew's previous fiascos like "Final Voyage" and... uh...you know that one with Ice-T in it.

FIRED UP
I have to admit, I must be a kind of sucker for these disaster type films. I have long admired firefighters for the great risks and macho savvy they always show in real life. This isn't real life, but hey this is a movie, and I don't care if it's not the way the real firefighters work. Director Jay Andrews brings nothing new to the venue, but I had fun watching all the pyrotechnics and seeing how our brave men respond, and the subsequent human interests. I think model turned actor John Bradley acquitted himself nicely, as did Amanda Pays and Larry Poindexter. Even Pat Harrington, Edward Albert and Tom Arnold did okay. William Zabka continues to reign as direct to video villain. Cathy Lee Crosby's character was totally off the wall, I never really understood why she was even in it?? Anyway, I enjoyed it, and that's what movies are to me. Enjoyment in a fantasy world.

awesome movie
Cathy Lee Crosby and Tom Arnold star in this fast-paced (albeit low-budget) thriller from cineschlocker Jim Wynorski. No, the movie is not realistic, and the synopsis on the back of the box has nothing to do with the real movie, but it doesn't matter. This is pure B-movie fun. The DVD is in widescreen (1.85:1) with 5.1 surround sound that rocks your sound system. The picture is crystal clear and the colors pop off the screen. If you are into high camp (or just want to see a lot of people spontaneously combust), go ahead and buy or rent this one. You may not think it the best movie in the world, but if you give it a chance, it's pretty entertaining.

A Real Firefighter's Nightmare
This has got to be the absolutely worst movie ever made. We hardly need the general public thinking that this is what firefighting is about or that this is how it what we really do. Anyone who knows anything about firefighting will be sorely disappointed. It would make a great addition to any instructor's library when covering the DO NOT's of PPE and SCBA. Added to a horrible storyline, acting, and effects, during most of the movie, you see firefighters running around without SCBA or proper PPE--maybe the production company was just too cheap to buy them. Only later in the movie when the National Guard shows up do we see SCBA, but even they do not have the facepieces. The front cover is very decieving--we see a trio of firefighters standing in front of a huge flame. The amount of firefighting actually seen in the move is minimal, at best. What is seen represents only the worst of firefighting technique. I highly recommend that NO ONE buy this movie for anyone who knows even the slightest bit about what firefighting really involves.

Best Movie Ever
This is easily the greatest movie I have ever seen! Never before have I laughed so hard or spent so much time saying, "What in the...." The story line is so well conceived, and I think the one described on the back of the box would make a great movie as well (since it has nothing to do with what actually happens in this movie). I remember watching "Outbreak" and then it's comedy counterpart, "Virus." Well this movie movie is easily the "Virus" to "Backdraft." Seriously, rent this movie if you are a fan of "Ace Ventura" or "American Pie" because you will laugh harder than you ever have before. Now I gotta go spontaneously combust like half the people in this movie!!! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Look for previous unedited VHS version
This is actually a great, sexy movie. But these verions are rated R and delete about 5 minutes of hot scenes. Somewhere out there there is an older video version that is GREAT. This one is only okay!

Diana Barton Is Gorgeous
I'm one of Diana Barton 's biggest fan so I had to own this movie. It's been a good surprise. "Sexual Malice" is so sensual. Diana is both a great actress and a magnificent lady. Some scenes are just hot, especially the beach one. The cinematogrphy is amazing and Diana' s performance is really impressive.

DVD version of Sexual Malice
The DVD version is "R" and most of the totaly hot scenes are much edited. I emailed and called the company with no response. Stick to the unedited video version. You'll be much happier. Its totally hot.

Loose but with direction at least.
Intrigue and double dealing in the corporate world of advertising is the backdrop for this so so would be erotic flick. As for the erotic content, there's some but could have been more. The lead bad guy is John Loughlin (remember him, the DIY sleuth from the 1985 Ken Russell flick 'Crimes of Passion'? with Kathleen Turner). Not a bad actor at all but never really recognised. Kathy Shower, Playboy's Playmate of the year 1986 is here to co-starring as his long suffering...wife.

You could do worse than watch this film but all in all it's an assemble yourself by the numbers story which you hve to work with to enjoy. Loughlin woos female assistant then dumps her. She commits suicide but her long lost sister investigates Loughlin for purpose of revenge.

I've seen worse. highlight is Kathy Shower's love scene with Loughlin.

One of the best erotic thrillers I've seen
I saw this movie years ago and was instantly impressed for many reasons. First of all, the cinematography is excellent - really showcasing the beauty of actress Diana Barton. The plot is full of twists and the movie is very fast-paced, packed full of original and interesting sex scenes. This is a great video to watch by the fire with a bottle of wine and a lover. Buy it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dan Anderson blows, good supporting cast. Not enough Gruner
John Kennedy Brascoe (Dan Anderson), former Navy Seal, is betrayed by his partner, Cody (Olivier Gruner), who fingers him as a traitor and thief. Brascoe is given a honorable discharge. His young son however, is struggling from cancer which will cost be very expensive. Brascoe teaming up with an old friend, Sparks (Michael Madsen), attempt to steal money from a billionaire to pay for his sons medical treatment.

I was a bit skeptical, being an Olivier Gruner fan after seeing his last movie, Crackerjack 3, that the movie would once again be a major disappointment. However, the story in this movie is very solid. Dan Anderson, in his first feature-film, gives a honorable attempt but falls short. Luckily, he is backed by Michael Madsen in his part. Olivier Gruner has a small part but still gets to show off what he has, martial arts and army skills. There really aren't very special effects in the movie besides small arms fire and small explosions, so don't be watching for those when you watch the movie.

Overall, the movie is worth seeing. It is by far the best performance of Olivier Gruner as a villain. The story is original and after watching the movie, you don't feel mad about what you just sat through. If you pick-up the DVD version, don't expect anything but the Trailer as an extra. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Just Mindless Fun
A rich elderly woman is being conned by a fraudulent psychic. The psychic uses a unknown ritual to try to fool a true psychic that was hired to see if the fraud was for real. Of course, as you can guess, the fraud successfully conjures up a demon, and of course, a few of the guests die one by one.

I enjoyed the characters in this movie and the demon is a bit corny, but it's still a fun flick. The dialogue and acting is good. I've seen a lot of poorly made B movies, and this isn't one of them. The lighting, dialogue and character development make this an enjoyable movie.

I wish I knew whether the upcoming DVD was widescreen or not? This flick, if the transfer to DVD is good, would be a nice addition to my collection.

IN EACH OF US THERE IS EVIL, HOPE HE DOESN'T FIND IT.
IN EACH OF US THERE IS EVIL, HOPE HE DOESN'T FIND IT.

More like, in each movie there is some evil, but hope you don't find this one.
Todays movie, boys and ghoulies, is called DEMON KEEPER. And DO NOT watch this one alone, you might die of bordem!!!

Now I can just see in my mind as I watched this flick, Cheryl Latimer, Joe Tornatore, and Maurice Smith the film makers sitting around having a pre-production talk. One says, "well we have a pretty typical lack-luster script, and such and such for a budget. What should we do to make it a sellable commodity?
"Well", said another. "Let's get a star. Dirk Benidict, was pretty cool in Battle Star Galactica, and he's outa work since the A-Team folded. Let's spend half the budget and get him."
"Sounds good", says the third, "and lets spend three quaters of what's left on a really wicked looking Demon Costume."
"But the demon is incorporal according to the script, it doesn't have a form.",someone interjects.

"So what?!? We'll put some hot looking girls in it and get them semi nude and besides it would make a good cover. But what do we do with the rest of the budget."
"Well, we can hired the rest of the actors and use it for production and sets and stuff like that

And so they made a movie......

I bought this flick years ago from a video store going out of business for about [money]. I'm sure it must have been the cool looking cover.
I watched it once and it sat on my video shelf for years, I never had the urge to watch it again, until one day the girl friend was picking through my movies looking for something to watch. She says, "What's this DEMON KEEPER thing?"
And so the forces of really bad demonic movies was released once again....

The movie is pretty forgetable, although Dirk Benedict fans will love his performance as an arrogant expert on the supernatural. The Demon Costume looks cool on the cover but comes off pretty laughable when animated ... Read more

Amazon.com

Six months after the Japanese destroyed the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Americans discovered the Japanese were planning to seize the Naval base at Midway Island--a perfect staging point for invading Hawaii or the mainland.Outnumbered four to one, the Americans won a surprise victory and shattered the backbone of the Japanese Imperial Navy.This 1976 film feels more like a history lesson than a drama, but World War II buffs will appreciate the attention to historical fact (especially the way in which fate and a few bad decisions turned the tide), as well as the generous use of actual battle footage.The all-star cast includes Robert Mitchum, James Coburn, and Cliff Robertson in cameos and a whole slew of familiar TV faces in supporting roles.Hal Holbrook is fun as an oddball intelligence officer. --Geof Miller ... Read more

Reviews (105)

The Pivitol Battle of the Pacific War
In June, 1942, the United States uncovered Japanese plans to invade the island of Midway, located only 1100 miles from the Hawaiian islands. This fine film brings this great battle to life.

An all-star cast, including Charlton Heston (Capt. Matt Garth), Henry Fonda (Admiral Chester Nimitz), Glenn Ford (Admiral Raymond Spruance), Hal Holbrook (Commander Joseph Rochefort) and Robert Webber (Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher) turn in fine performances as the men who would ultimately win the battle and turn the tide against the Japanese. The Japanese actors do a fine job as well portraying such officers as Admiral Yamamoto and Admiral Nagumo.

The battle scenes, especially the American dive and torpedo attacks against the Japanese fleet, are excellent. Real battle footage is also included, and if you watch close enough, you may even see some scenes from "Tora Tora Tora" in the footage.

One part of the film that I didn't care very much for was the love relationship between Matt Garth's son Tom and a Japanese/American girl. I felt that this was unnecessary and didn't really contribute anything to the movie. Overall, however, I thought this was an excellent film. The battle scenes are top notch, and the attention paid to historical fact is evident throughout the film, right down to Joe Rochefort's smoking jacket and bedroom slippers.

I've seen this movie several times on VHS, but this was the first time I saw it on DVD. The widescreen format made me feel like I was in the theater. I highly recommend this fine war film. Watch this film and experience the turning of the tide in the Pacific.

Poor sound, over-edited
Midway as originally filmed is one of the great movies of all time. This DVD is not.

Problem #1: I have one of the best sound systems you can buy. The sound goes up and down and up and down on this DVD. You have to hold on to the remote just to be able to stay in the room with it because some combat footage is too loud, and other dramatic discussions are too low in volume.

Problem #2: My wife grew to hate this move somewhere around 1990 because on the veteran related holidays, a good 4+ hours were lost to watching this movie. Others claim that the original was over 5 hours. I'm very disappointed with the 2+ hour version. I want to see it all.

The manufacturer needs to do something to get us the complete movie. They won't, though, becuase they have to redo the sound for the DVD, and that's expensive.

One of the better historical WWII movies

A good friend of mine (and a contemporary) rode in the backseat of a dive bomber at the battle of midway. He's dead now, like three quarters of the men who fought in World War Two. Can you imagine riding backwards in a dive while the people below are doing their best to kill you? Unless you've been there, probably not.

This is, historically, one of the most accurate portrayals of the war. One critic complained that "the writing was weak. There was no suspense at all in the film." Perhaps there'd have been enough suspense if he'd been there, like Bill. But Bill survived the battle and died of old age, so I can't ask him about whether he felt any suspense, although we talked a lot about the battle of Midway.

In the film, they used top notch actors. For "Bull" Halsey they used Mitchum. Not a look alike, but of course Bull's dead, too, and Mitchum did a good job. Heston, of course, represented a fictional character (Matt Garth), but virtually all of the names of people in the film were real men who fought a real battle, and it was the turning point of the war. After Midway, we took a lot of lumps, but they were on the run from that point on.

Of course Hollywood took some liberties, and since they used a lot of actual combat shots, some of the aircraft used were out of place (F6F "Hellcats" for F4F "Wildcats" several times, and the ditching scene where Ensign George Gay went in showed a "Hellcat" instead of the TBD Douglas torpedo bomber that he actually flew. And the shot of the "Hellcat" being torn apart on the carrier's island was well-known footage from the technicolor documentary, The Fighting Lady, which was shot on the old Enterprise during battle, with narration by Lt. Robert Montgomery (qv). Garth's (Heston's) fictional son was supposed to be flying it in the film, but it was an actual crash on board the "Big E", in an actual battle. "Hellcats" (F6F) were Grumman fighter planes (the big brother of the "Wildcat" (F4F) which was obsolescent when the war started, but in use at the Battle of Midway--as was the old Brewster "Buffalo") and the F6F never saw combat until late 1943 (on my birthday, as a matter of fact.) The battle of Midway was in June of 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor.

It helps when you know a little history. For instance, Ensign George Gay actually did ride out the battle in the water, after he ditched, and was debriefed personally by the commander-in-chief, pacific fleet (CINCPAC), Admiral Chester Nimitz. He was the only survivor of his torpedo squadron, VT-8 (torpedo squadron 8).

Altogether, when you see this picture, you are watching history (as near as Hollywood will ever get to it), and many of the people who died to entertain today's movie audiences are named in the movie.

So, try to overlook the lack of a plot, at least in the battle sequences. History wrote them, not Hollywood script writers.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret)

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

All-Star Cast. Ultimate invasion of Midway Island.
This story is set in June 1942, six months after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. Includes the all-star cast of: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, Toshiro Mifune, Robert Mitchum, Cliff Robertson, Robert Wagner, Ed Nelson, Monte Markham, David Macklin, Christopher George, Robert Webber, Kevin Dobson, Edward Albert, Pat Morita, Dabney Coleman, Erik Estrada, Tom Selleck, Robert Ito, Steve Kanaly, Kip Niven, Clint Ritchie (ABC serial "One Life To Live"), Frank Parker (NBC serial "Days Of Our Lives"). The main cast can be seen acting with stock footage from THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO and some old Japanese war films. However, some actual wartime footage of the real combat is incorporated into this film. The actual war footage was filmed in color by navy photographers and by the cameras mounted on fighter planes in 1942.
Filmed in the same manner as EARTHQUAKE (1974) and ROLLERCOASTER (1977) and in "Sensurround". "Sensurround" was a new sound system set up for specific films only that would make the sounds in the film seem realistic to you. The sound was balanced and came at you all around. You would hear the sound of an earthquake, riding a rollercoaster or being in the middle of a battle. Very few films were made in "Sensurround" and was only a gimmick in the 1970's. Small theaters benefited the most. Nowadays, we have sound systems in our own modern homes that come at us from behind and the sides. Disneyland rides use a sound system similar to "Sensurround".
A special television version runs four hours with commercials. It includes new scenes NOT shown on video or in the theatres. It includes new scenes with an additional cast NOT seen in the original version, Susan Sullivan, Richard Sanders, Noel Conlon, Don Dolan, Richard Sarradet, Alec Smight, Miiko Taka and William Wellman Jr. The extended tv version includes a Charlton Heston-Susan Sullivan romance and the scenes of the Coral Sea battle is played out. At the end of the television extended version, Susan Sullivan and Christine Kukobo are both shown waiting at dockside.
I think this film was meant to be a tribute to those Americans who served.

Just slightly over-edited
Our USMC squad went to the 'World Premier' at Luneta Theatre, Manila, Philippines. Midway WAS a Full-length FEATURE movie-then. It was near 5 hours long. Our sixes burned from seating.
>These days the once good, and quite long Midway has been edited-down from it's feature film status, a 5, to the new 2+ hour typical 'Hollyweird' shortened edition, a true waste of unreplaceable WWII Pacific footage, though actually faked. According to The NAVY, there were NO USN photojournalists with color motion-picture cameras at or near Midway, and actual Naval Aviators names were changed, and most colorized motion picture photography was filmed at The Battle For Leyte Gulf.
>Some carrier shots depict the ESSEX-class carriers designed POST Midway, and produced in 1943. "Universal" left-out several hours of video footage. Midway should be near 4-5 hours. ... Read more

Description

Sex and a computer can only lead to one thing--murder. Will and Delilah have never met, yet share their secret desires through a high-tech interactive computer network. Their bizarre fantasies escalate until they become obsessed with making these dreams reality. No one knows who is truly controlling these obsessions until it is too late. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

its a sexy movie a thriller of suspense
the movie had sex appeal...alota reality based situations and was very spontaneously perfect ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Look for previous unedited VHS version
This is actually a great, sexy movie. But these verions are rated R and delete about 5 minutes of hot scenes. Somewhere out there there is an older video version that is GREAT. This one is only okay!

Diana Barton Is Gorgeous
I'm one of Diana Barton 's biggest fan so I had to own this movie. It's been a good surprise. "Sexual Malice" is so sensual. Diana is both a great actress and a magnificent lady. Some scenes are just hot, especially the beach one. The cinematogrphy is amazing and Diana' s performance is really impressive.

DVD version of Sexual Malice
The DVD version is "R" and most of the totaly hot scenes are much edited. I emailed and called the company with no response. Stick to the unedited video version. You'll be much happier. Its totally hot.

Loose but with direction at least.
Intrigue and double dealing in the corporate world of advertising is the backdrop for this so so would be erotic flick. As for the erotic content, there's some but could have been more. The lead bad guy is John Loughlin (remember him, the DIY sleuth from the 1985 Ken Russell flick 'Crimes of Passion'? with Kathleen Turner). Not a bad actor at all but never really recognised. Kathy Shower, Playboy's Playmate of the year 1986 is here to co-starring as his long suffering...wife.

You could do worse than watch this film but all in all it's an assemble yourself by the numbers story which you hve to work with to enjoy. Loughlin woos female assistant then dumps her. She commits suicide but her long lost sister investigates Loughlin for purpose of revenge.

I've seen worse. highlight is Kathy Shower's love scene with Loughlin.

One of the best erotic thrillers I've seen
I saw this movie years ago and was instantly impressed for many reasons. First of all, the cinematography is excellent - really showcasing the beauty of actress Diana Barton. The plot is full of twists and the movie is very fast-paced, packed full of original and interesting sex scenes. This is a great video to watch by the fire with a bottle of wine and a lover. Buy it! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A majorly weird experience!
Yowza! It's been, what, 20 years since Dana Barron played the very first Audrey in the original National Lampoon's Vacation flick? I can't believe she still looks sooooooo hot! And I normally DO NOT go for women who are older than me. Sadly, the gorgeous, and apparently unaging Dana is nearly the only thing this movie has going for it. Well, it's really not all THAT terrible. Actually, it's kinda fun to watch, but part of the fun comes from seeing all the things wrong with this film.
The first shock you'll get from watching Stage Ghost, is realizing it has nothing to do with the video box. Stage Ghost really has nothing at all to do with the gruesome skeleton creature on the cover, and I'm not sure I recall any real ghosts in the film at all. The basic story goes like this: In the old west, a marshal enters an eating establishment in the middle of nowhere, dragging a handcuffed prisoner along with him. Within the restaurant they meet various travelers, including a pretty, young teacher (Dana Barron), who takes a fancy to the young man in handcuffs. Not long after, a mysterious stagecoach arrives outside with absolutely no one on it, not even a driver. The coach is stained with blood, and attacks on the customers and proprietors of the little restaurant quickly follow. The survivors of these attacks begin to form a close bond as they try to figure out what to do. Their attackers come in the form of Indians firing arrows, AND men in green-glowing costumes firing bullets. The only clue the victims have to what might be going on is the recurring message they find on notes tied to arrows, reading, "Give it back!" As their numbers begin to dwindle, they decide it's time to make a run for it, and they all load up on the stagecoach that first kicked off the grim situation. The problem with their plan is that their mysterious attackers are following them all the way.
As a previous reviewer mentioned, Stage Ghost does have the fun feeling of watching one of those old-time Saturday Matinees. But it's got a lot of the same problems too. The film suffers from a VERY low budget, flimsy script, bad editing, and bad acting. Luckily, there's some really good acting too, and this is part of what saves the film from being horrible, and allows it to just be a fun, LOW budget flick. Sure, horses disappear and reappear from the stagecoach team, the music is entirely laughable, and the characters are western cutouts, just like the story, but it's all good fun if you have nothing better to watch on a Saturday night. And hey, you could also just watch it to take in the beauty of Dana Barron. It's as good a reason as any.

not bad
I saw this picture in DVD and I enjoyed it. It harkened back to the Saturday Matinee days. It was an interesting plot and I thought the acting was pretty good, especieally Christopher Atkins and Dana Barron. Edward Albert was good as the square jawed Sheriff. It is an old fashioned western, the kind they don't make anymore, a bit slow but well worth the effort.

GOD AWFUL!
and this was made in 2002? arn't movies suppose to get better as time goes on? ya i know the skeleton on the cover of the box looks cool but there's no killer skeletons in the movie or anything like that. just all around terrible acting and a really bad story line make this a terrible movie. even to rent. you've been warned! stayyyy awayyyy, far away ... Read more

Description

Stationed in the Soviet Union, U.S. spy Jeff West (Edward Albert) is betrayed by the C.I.A. and, after a fixed trial, sentenced to certain death at a dreaded gulag for political prisoners. He assumes the name of a dead petty thief to reroute himself to a minimum security camp, where he plans his escape over the icy tundra. The suspicious camp commander, Kolya, sends for the dead thief's beautiful wife, who has the power to expose West but instead begins a deep love affair. Locked in a final confrontation, West and Kolya face off over thirty-nine miles of ice as the brutal game climaxes in a final run to freedom. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Ice Runner Cometh
Caught red-handed in a US dollars for Russian arms transaction in 1990-ish Moscow, said arms to be funneled to Afghan rebels, the CIA betrays their fluent-Russian-speaking agent (Jeffrey West, as portrayed by Edward Albert) to avoid an embarrassing international scandal. Put on a prison train and headed for a remote Siberian gulag, a fiery train accident allows West to switch numbered clothing with that of a lesser prisoner who's corpse is later incinerated in the resulting fire, along with pertinent on-board documents. As Ivan Popovski, West is processed into a low security "honor" prison camp situated in a small Russian village surrounded by hundreds of miles of arctic wilderness. The prisoners, isolated and with escape all but impossible, must put in hard days' labor, but have decent clothing, living accommodations, and perks like games, tobacco, alcohol, days off, and village facilities for trading (perhaps with roving bands of gypsies) or to get drunk in; with a spectacular Russian Orthodox cathedral looming over everything.

In a series of incidents with the potential of betraying his true identity to the ever-watchful, paranoid, and Stalinist-indoctrinated camp commander (the sinister and dangerous Kolya, portrayed by Eugene Lazarev), West considers how he might escape through the arctic wasteland, and makes preparations to that end.

This production was filmed entirely in Moscow and Siberia by the independent American studio Gold Leaf International, Ltd. (Barry Samson's first feature film), apparently the first such American post-glasnost film, with an authentic Russian-speaking cast. Filming was interrupted by the Gorbachev coup attempt and the Soviet Union's crumbling. The American cast and crew members had to be evacuated at one point, returning ten days later for script adjustments to reflect the new political realities and completion of filming. Producer Sneller risked staying behind to guard the sets from destruction, knowing that production might never otherwise be resumed.

There is thus an authenticity totally beyond the ken of run-of-the-mill Hollywood productions. While the first-rate cinematography of the snow and ice-bound Russian village, the surrounding snowscape, and the local wildlife (some encountered serendipitously during filming) is spectacular, the focus is not so much on the scenery, and certainly not on any film wizardry pyrotechnics, but rather on the characters' personalities and dilemmas. In this, both the direction and acting are first-rate.

Edward Albert (the then forty-something son of Eddie Albert and Margo) gives a stunningly low-key and very moving performance; and coupled with his being comparatively unknown for such a potentially major work, the result is something far beyond the intrigue of false identity and escape, becoming instead an intensely authentic and personal drama.

Image is to be profusely thanked for providing this greatly under-appreciated and under-publicized film. Were that they had re-mastered the visuals. But that cost might have entirely precluded making this relatively unknown film available. While the visuals are far more than adequate for enjoying this film, purists will notice some of the usual symptoms. But there really is no choice between having this great film as presented; and having re-mastering costs precluding it altogether! A film buff's dream would be a fully re-mastered version, with at least an hour-long making-of documentary. Criterion, are you listening?

Ice Runner review
I just found this gem of a movie recently, having never heard of it. I like action adventures set in the frozen north. This movie has something for everybody - action, romance and an experience of the pristine Siberian land.

I was amazed to see that the entire movie was shot on location in Moscow and Siberia - truly an accomplishment all in itself. This is so unusual. At the beggining, there is a chase scene in Moscow square and in the famous subways with all the chandeliers haning from the ceiling.

I have seen Siberiade and this movie is visually stunning likewise. I am fascinated by the landscapes - they are hauntingly beautiful.

This was a very tender love story too, very multilayered and honest.

Ice Runner: "The Cold, Hard Facts" and "Golden-Eye Candy"
You've seen _Shawshank Redemption_. You've seen _Papillon_. Maybe you've even seen _Captives_. What if you could find all the wrongful-imprisonment...road-to-freedom-ness of these great movies in something refreshingly different, something to equal the thrills of _Mission Impossible_ and the romance of _Scarlet Letter_?

_Ice Runner_ offers all such pleasures. More like watching a well-cast British piece than viewing the oft-predictablility of so many big-run films, you'll find yourself swept away by the Siberian-earthiness and mesmerizing depth of these characters.

You'll find the pace and composition of _Ice Runner_ to be enjoyably different, yet never inferior.

But more likely than not, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat; it's a masterfully suspenseful "what's-next" with original and unexpected love scenes that you (and your Saturday night date) will not soon forget. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Ice Runner Cometh
Caught red-handed in a US dollars for Russian arms transaction in 1990-ish Moscow, said arms to be funneled to Afghan rebels, the CIA betrays their fluent-Russian-speaking agent (Jeffrey West, as portrayed by Edward Albert) to avoid an embarrassing international scandal. Put on a prison train and headed for a remote Siberian gulag, a fiery train accident allows West to switch numbered clothing with that of a lesser prisoner who's corpse is later incinerated in the resulting fire, along with pertinent on-board documents. As Ivan Popovski, West is processed into a low security "honor" prison camp situated in a small Russian village surrounded by hundreds of miles of arctic wilderness. The prisoners, isolated and with escape all but impossible, must put in hard days' labor, but have decent clothing, living accommodations, and perks like games, tobacco, alcohol, days off, and village facilities for trading (perhaps with roving bands of gypsies) or to get drunk in; with a spectacular Russian Orthodox cathedral looming over everything.

In a series of incidents with the potential of betraying his true identity to the ever-watchful, paranoid, and Stalinist-indoctrinated camp commander (the sinister and dangerous Kolya, portrayed by Eugene Lazarev), West considers how he might escape through the arctic wasteland, and makes preparations to that end.

This production was filmed entirely in Moscow and Siberia by the independent American studio Gold Leaf International, Ltd. (Barry Samson's first feature film), apparently the first such American post-glasnost film, with an authentic Russian-speaking cast. Filming was interrupted by the Gorbachev coup attempt and the Soviet Union's crumbling. The American cast and crew members had to be evacuated at one point, returning ten days later for script adjustments to reflect the new political realities and completion of filming. Producer Sneller risked staying behind to guard the sets from destruction, knowing that production might never otherwise be resumed.

There is thus an authenticity totally beyond the ken of run-of-the-mill Hollywood productions. While the first-rate cinematography of the snow and ice-bound Russian village, the surrounding snowscape, and the local wildlife (some encountered serendipitously during filming) is spectacular, the focus is not so much on the scenery, and certainly not on any film wizardry pyrotechnics, but rather on the characters' personalities and dilemmas. In this, both the direction and acting are first-rate.

Edward Albert (the then forty-something son of Eddie Albert and Margo) gives a stunningly low-key and very moving performance; and coupled with his being comparatively unknown for such a potentially major work, the result is something far beyond the intrigue of false identity and escape, becoming instead an intensely authentic and personal drama.

Image is to be profusely thanked for providing this greatly under-appreciated and under-publicized film. Were that they had re-mastered the visuals. But that cost might have entirely precluded making this relatively unknown film available. While the visuals are far more than adequate for enjoying this film, purists will notice some of the usual symptoms. But there really is no choice between having this great film as presented; and having re-mastering costs precluding it altogether! A film buff's dream would be a fully re-mastered version, with at least an hour-long making-of documentary. Criterion, are you listening?

Ice Runner review
I just found this gem of a movie recently, having never heard of it. I like action adventures set in the frozen north. This movie has something for everybody - action, romance and an experience of the pristine Siberian land.

I was amazed to see that the entire movie was shot on location in Moscow and Siberia - truly an accomplishment all in itself. This is so unusual. At the beggining, there is a chase scene in Moscow square and in the famous subways with all the chandeliers haning from the ceiling.

I have seen Siberiade and this movie is visually stunning likewise. I am fascinated by the landscapes - they are hauntingly beautiful.

This was a very tender love story too, very multilayered and honest.

Ice Runner: "The Cold, Hard Facts" and "Golden-Eye Candy"
You've seen _Shawshank Redemption_. You've seen _Papillon_. Maybe you've even seen _Captives_. What if you could find all the wrongful-imprisonment...road-to-freedom-ness of these great movies in something refreshingly different, something to equal the thrills of _Mission Impossible_ and the romance of _Scarlet Letter_?

_Ice Runner_ offers all such pleasures. More like watching a well-cast British piece than viewing the oft-predictablility of so many big-run films, you'll find yourself swept away by the Siberian-earthiness and mesmerizing