Description

A mysterious traveling circus unleashes a torrent of magic and mysticism in a dusty Arizona town."In what may be the finest performance in a fantasy film" (Guide for the Film Fanatic), Tony Randall charms and spellbinds as ringmaster Dr. Lao and his multitude of faces, a virtuoso turn that earned a special Oscar for Outstanding Makeup Achievement.Step inside the tent...and marvel. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

A well told morality tale
7 Faces of Dr. Lao can be looked at in two different ways. The movie, released in 1964, can be seen as a morality lesson. It is the story of the small Arizona town of Abalone full of citizens who suffer from greed, vanity, loneliness, and pettiness. When Dr. Lao brings his mystical circus to town, the townsfolk get a good look at themselves and don't always like what they see. For today's audience the movie is a bit slow and ponderous. The film is highly predictable and you know by the end of the film that everyone gets exactly what they deserve and once the errors in their ways are pointed out to them then they will miraculously change for the better and everyone will live happily ever after.
The second, and more enjoyable, is to focus on the performance of Tony Randall. Randall is amazing as the Chinese impresario Dr. Lao. Tony Randall portrays all seven inhabitants of Dr. Lao's circus: Dr. Lao, Merlin the Magician, Medusa, The Abominable Snowman, Pan, the serpent, and Apollonius of Tyana, he also makes a brief appearance as Tony Randall. As you are watching the film you forget that it is the same man playing all those parts, and it is widely considered one of Randall's most impressive performances. William Tuttle, who won an honorary Academy Award for his astounding make-up work, flawlessly transforms Randall from one character to the next. The film also comes from Director George Pal, who is also known for directing such classics as Time Machine and War of the Worlds, brings his distinctive blending of reality and fantasy to this film. Randall's performance, along with the incredible make-up work of William Tuttle and fine direction by George Pal make this a must see film...

Strange, wonderful, uplifting
I saw this film over 25 years ago. It made a permanent imprint on me. I had never seen anything like it (and haven't, since). It's a western, and a fantasy (but not science fiction). It's also mythological and even a bit religious. It's also a wonderful, life-affirming film. I've never been a fan of Tony Randall, who I always remember as the prissy little neurotic in "The Odd Couple," but I have to give him the greatest credit in this movie (he plays six parts!) The special effects are Ray Harryhausen stop-motion (and obviously fake) but that is part of the enormous charm of this movie--as exemplified by the amusing-looking snake in the cage with a man's face on it, and the goldfish-bowl-dwelling monster than attempts to snack on Dr. Lao. In some ways this movie reminds me of Ray Bradbury's _Something Wicked This Way Comes,_ but this is a far superior film. In fact, I'd have to call it a classic.

Tony Randall Is Pure Magic (& is also a mystical Asian man!)
"Mike, the whole world is a circus if you look at it the right way. Every time you pick up a handful of dust, and see not the dust, but a mystery, a marvel, there in your hand - every time you stop and think, 'I'm alive, and being alive is fantastic!' - every time such a thing happens, Mike, you are part of the Circus of Dr. Lao." I am so glad another fine reviewer quoted this immortal passage, and I will begin with the same, for it has informed much of my life!)

My friend Carlo mentioned to me that this fine film was playing at my local library recently and I had to pause and hold back my shock - I have not yet gotten over Tony's passing, and now I was confronted by so much lost time. Was it really forty years ago that Tony Randall stepped out of the shadow of his lightly comic performances on Broadway (of course you all remember "Oh Captain!" at the Alvin?) and shattered the world (yes, the world!) with his tour de force in "Dr. Lao?"

Now - regarding critial analysis of this film over the years, far too much emphasis has been placed on George Pal's "effects" and the like for my taste. Let's turn the spotlight back on Tony and the fine job he did playing eight different personae in this tale. Eight!

I will say this without hesitation: Certainly the finest hour (or hour and thirty one minutes) of his young career. Buy this movie for that reason alone (and children will most likely enjoy it too, I suppose. But if you do not have children, then buy it for that reason alone).

Serendipity Cinema #1
This won an Oscar for Make up, but it is not the kind of film that one would think right off as an award winner. Hey, it has the feel of Roger Corman and George Pal, with a hint of Ray Harryhausen thrown in (Although I am told it was Jim Danforth and crew who did the actual fx)I remember interviewing Tony Randall years ago, when he was touring in "The Music Man." He said his main memory was having his head and eyebrows shaved. He was distressed because it gave him ``this horrible unborn look.'' All that aside, the film is a joy. It is simple, and while seeming simplistic it is far from that. It humbly powerful. There are a thousand reasons to belittle and put down this film. If if you go in with that mindset, you will find them all. But, if you give it a willing suspention of disbelief and let the magic that hints around every corner over take you, this will be a little gem that you treasure and share with others.

I'd give Seven Stars for Dr. Lao if I could
One of the most charming and wonderful fantasy films of all time. This is the story of Abelone, a dying town in the desert at the turn of the 20th century. In arrives Dr. Lao, played with great effect by Tony Randall in what is probably his best performance ever.

With him, he brings his unusual circus and its performers. Including an Abomidable Snowman (who is barely used in the film and has no scene to himself), Merlin the Magician (very good), Pan the God of Joy, The Great Serpent, Apollonius the blind fortune teller who sees the future with absolute clarity, and the Medusa.

Basically, the townspeople must decide whether to sell their town to the misguided Clint Stark (played wonderfully by Arther O' Connell) or to stay and risk going thirsty with the town's only water source coming through a crumbling and very expensive to fix pipe.

With a little help from Dr. Lao and his circus, the townspeople eventually make the right decision.

There are just too many great scenes for me to describe, nor would I want to give away too much. I would encourage you to see this movie as it's one of the best fantasy films ever made.

Unfortunatly, Tony Randall passed away recently and he never liked giving interviews about this film. Which is a real shame since the DVD extras are pretty barren. My understanding is that Mr. Randall did not like how the script left out so much of the original book and that too much attention was paid to "romance" between Barbara Eden (who is just gorgeous) and John Ericson (in a great supporting turn).

I found it rather interesting that Dr. Lao pronounces his name "Dr. Low", yet everyone else, including a very attentive boy, calls him "Dr. La-ow". As an aside, the episode of MST3K when Joel Robinson leaves the Satelite of Love for good ("Mitchell"), he recites the "Circus of Dr. Lao" poem. But he calls him "Dr. Loo". I guess no one is ever suppose to get the pronounciation right.

Look for an eight character played by Tony Randall. He appears briefly without makeup just after Dr. Lao introduces his pet fish after the "parade of performers" scene. While the crowd around him claps with delight, Tony just slowly shakes head in disbelief. A wonderful little scene. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A courageous effort by John Huston
It took a lot of guts to adapt "Moby Dick" to film and instead of maligning John Huston's effort, critics should have hailed his courage. This is a fine, intelligent film with a lean screenplay by Huston and Ray Bradbury. While I would have loved to have seen Laurence Olivier play Ahab, I think Gregory Peck turns in an adequate performance. Much of the action is shot at various outdoor locations and the special effects were impressive for the time. The great Orson Welles appears in the small but important role of Father Marple. The themes of friendship, revenge, and the role of conscience are all examined in "Moby Dick". Great literature often tanks when translated to the big screen. While "Moby Dick" is not among the greatest films of all time, it is a solid, admirable adaptation of Melville's masterpiece. I highly recommend it.

Epic film of American Masterpiece....a wicked great film
The collaboration of Director Houston, script writer Ray Bradbury and Gregory Peck heading a superb cast, make this production of Melville's masterpiece marvelous. It's said that John Houston "drove"...with flattery, fear and abject insult... now justly reputed master of American fantasy/allegory, Ray Bradbury like Ahab himself to create the script that makes MOBY DICK exciting adventure...without diluting its dark, Apocalyptic symbolism and portents. MOBY DICK is regarded by many as THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL. No one will disagree its demands and reward are comparable to...for example...Dostoyevsky or Conrad's work. AHAB is one of the great figures of world literature; perhaps,the most powerful ANTI-HERO yet written. Gregory Peck is...in my estimate...uniquely succesful in his cinamatic incarnation of this "godly, ungodly man." The symbolic depths that Moby Dick essays are manifest. Bradbury's pierces "cardboard masks" of the human conditon, ultimately tested, with sure insight and genius comparable to Melville. John Houston's control of his material is equally deft. Pacing is swift. From the moment Royal Dano delivers his "warning"...as Prophet Elijah...the Pequod's foreshadowed doom is pursued with recklessness that hypnotically enthralls the viewer as Ahab intended to beguile his crew. Against Peck's Ahab is Leo Genn's Mr. Starbuck. Genn plays this stalwart Quaker as tragic antagonist but ironic disciple whose fatal conversion to Ahab's defiance/obsession("I'd strke the sun if it insulted me!") seals the fate of his comrades. Richard Basehart plays guileless Ishamel without hint of the cynicism he brings to his most famour role as Ivan in THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV. Comparison with the recent HALLMARK Patrick Stewart hinges on what you surmise MOBY DICK to be about, therefore, expect from a film. Patrick Stewart is magnificent as Ahab. But, in my mind's eye, GREGORY PECK IS AHAB. Moby Dick is about...like Apocalypse Now!...courage confronting radical evil tragically becoming that which it beholds. This is Ray Bradbury's craft above all else. His script focuses on the mankind's combat with Evil. Houston has filmed Melville's ultimate metaphor for such an impossibly malign force of Nature: THE GREAT WHITE WHALE. Ray Bradbury has written many parables about such battles (Fahrenheit 451; Tales "Quicker than the Eye"; Something Wicked This Way Comes) and Herman Melville seems soul-mate blood brother. John Houston's MOBY DICK, and Gregory Peck's Ahab epitomize the grandeur of what Melville called his "wicked book." In my estimate, this is the definitive rendering, the epic film of the American masterpiece. It is a wicked, great film......

Boring!!!!!!!!
This movie is very boring and is not very good. While watching this shameless movie, I fell asleep. It is about Ahab and his obsession with a white whale (Moby Dick). If you are looking for action this is not for you. It gets somewhat suspenseful in the last half-hour. However, I do not recommend it to anyone!!

Very exciting classic!
Moby Dick is a very exciting classical tale, retold in a movie starring Gregory Peck and Richard Basehart. The director also seems very experienced, and his talent really shows in the fight scenes between Moby Dick and the crew in boats. The story tells of a young sailor shipping aboard the Pequod, a whaling ship captained by Ahab. Captain Ahab is obsessed with killing the white whale that took off his leg in a previous encounter. He offers any crew member a spanish doubloon, if they spot the whale first. The entire story is suspenseful, ending in a mind blowing climax. The digital transfer used for this is surprisingly good for a 1958 movie. TCM (Turner Classic Movies) has also broadcast a very pristine version, which I taped off of, and it well rivals the quality of the Moby Dick DVD. The best purchase would be the DVD or the television Turner rendition of this riveting classic.

Movie=5 Stars / DVD= 4 Stars
John Huston's film of MOBY DICK is perhaps a rare exception. It's a great film in its own right, apart from the great novel upon which it is based. The case can easily be made that this film does not 'do justice' to the book, if only for the reason that it does not cover every aspect of Melville's original. But this film proves that a slavish literary imitation is not necessary for a great film.

The director fought with the studio over the color process used in MOBY DICK: it's intentional. He and the cinematographer were trying to capture a visual style that would be evocative of a certain style of painting and that would contribute to the mood of the story. Huston also fought with Ray Bradbury over the screenplay. The great science fiction author was literally reduced to tears by the gruff director, and he wrote a book about the experience. There was also some conflict over the casting of Gregory Peck as Ahab. Some say Orson Welles or Leo Genn (Starbuck) would have been a better choice. This may well be, but it should be admitted that Peck rises to the occasion when it's called for. The great scene with the Spanish doubloon and the great scene with Starbuck on the bridge, where Ahab explains his obsession. Few other actors are likely to have surpassed these moments.

MOBY DICK (1956) was not filmed in widescreen. This DVD presents the film in the original aspect ratio. It looks very good and and nothing appears to have been done to tamper with the look of the film in terms of color. This is how is should look.

Anyone interested in background on this film should read THE HUSTONS by Lawrence Grobel. The harrowing production is detailed, with plenty of attention given to the above-mentioned conflicts and also to the shooting of the INCREDIBLE final sequence.

Some extras would have been welcome, but this DVD is more than worth owning by any fan of Melville, Huston or American film. ... Read more

Description

The life of Jesus Christ is powerfully chronicled in this intelligent, gripping epic starring JEFFREY HUNTER, ROBERT RYAN, RIP TORN and a cast of thousands. From the producer of the epic spectaculars El Cid and The Fall of the Roman Empire and the director of Rebel Without a Cause and 55 Days at Peking comes a vivid retelling of the world's greatest story. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

An intelligent, inspiring life of Christ.
"King of Kings" was my favorite religious motion picture when growing up, and I believe it still is. When MGM first released it in 1961, movie critics irreverently dubbed it "I Was a Teenage Jesus", since the role of Christ was given to teen idol Jeffrey Hunter. In hindsight, it was an unfair appraisal. Unlike other actors who have played Jesus in the more sublime, "stained-glass" manner that appears to be the norm, Hunter's portrayal showed a very human, energetic Messiah whose divinity still could not be denied. Interestingly enough, "King of Kings" was directed by Nicholas Ray, who six years earlier had directed James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause". This time around, our "Rebel" has a well-defined Cause which places Him at odds with the religious and civil authorities of His day. The film's international supporting cast consists mainly of lesser-known character actors whose performances are mostly able. The great actor/filmmaker Orson Welles gives an uncredited performance as the film's narrator; curiously, the narration was written by science fiction author Ray Bradbury, who is also uncredited. The film's stirring music was composed by Miklos Rozsa, who was no stranger to religious epics (the soundtracks to "Quo Vadis?" and "Ben-Hur" stand out among his other works). Beautifully filmed in Spain, "King of Kings" is an intelligent and reverent profile of He who has been the Way, the Truth, and the Life to hundreds of millions for almost 2000 years. END

Hunter as Jesus Shines!
'King of Kings' features Jeffrey Hunter's finest performance, as a young, dynamic Jesus of Nazareth, and his intrerpretation, open and earnest, is the best part of a movie both uneven and flawed.

Produced by many of the people responsible for 'Ben Hur', the film utilizes some of the same sets, actors (Frank Thring appears in major roles in both films), and composer (Miklos Rozsa, whose score for 'King of Kings' was one of his finest). The cast was fleshed out by respected actors (Robert Ryan is too old but charismatic as John the Baptist, Siobhan McKenna is a glowing Mary, Brigid Bazlen, a deliciously wicked and oversexed Salome, Harry Guardino, an 'over-the-top' Barabbas, a VERY young Rip Torn scores as Judas). While the cast didn't have the 'star power' of 'Ben Hur', or many other Christian epics, the actors, by and large, perform credibly in their roles, particularly Hurd Hatfield and Viveca Lindfors, as Pilate and his wife, Claudia, and Ron Randell as Tribune Lucius.

The film was a MUCH less expensive project than 'Ben Hur'; the budget restraints show most glaringly in recreating Jesus' ministry (most of Christ's miracles are only referred to, not shown), and extras casting (Spanish townspeople, overdubbed with some truly RIPE dialogue!).

The film works best when focusing on Jesus; unfortunately, it veers off into distracting subplots about Barabbas and the zealots, and the decadence of Herod's court. These stories consume a LOT of screen time, and damage the overall impact of the film.

Yet rising above all this is Jeffrey Hunter's interpretation of the Savior. Easily the most audience-friendly of all the actors who have assailed the role, Hunter took a lot of flack for his 'matinee idol' good looks, and piercing blue eyes, but his kindness, his sincerity, and the complete believability with which he delivers Christ's words overcome any qualms about his appearance! The Sermon on the Mount is a film high point, and magnificent; the Crucifixion and Resurrection have the kind of power that can bring a lump to your throat, even after repeated viewings!

While 'King of Kings' lacks the big names and budget of 'The Greatest Story Ever Told', or the emotional core of 'Jesus of Nazareth' or 'The Last Temptation of Christ', in Jeffrey Hunter, the film presents possibly the most compassionate of all screen Messiahs, and makes this film a MUST for the holidays, and your collection!

Jesus Christ Never Existed.
'King of Kings' made in 1961 is a famous film some people have seen or at least heard about. Most people fail to realize all of that doesn't matter because Jesus Christ never existed!! Jesus Christ is a mythological figure the church has exploited for hundreds of years and now the film industry has for almost a hundred years. There is absolutely no archeological or historical evidence that Jesus Christ existed. Even if he did exist, it would be highly unlikely he would have received that kind of punishment.
It is a shame that con artists like these filmmakers are using this mythological figure to make millions of dollars. People have to start swaying away from the manipulations of the church and the filmmaking industry and start looking at the hard facts. Jesus Christ and his crucifixion never happened.

The best one in its genre.
I'm positive that a lot of people have turned back their gazes to former versions of Jesus's life and death in view of the huge acceptance of Mel Gibson's recent film. Revisiting some of the classic titles is a good exercise in hindsight. How things have changed? To the worse, to be sure.

"King of Kings" is an excellent film, one of the best epics ever -alongside the also painfully underrated "The Fall of the Roman Empire"-. The film tells the story straightforwardly, mixing in it a little of historic and political speculation. It has a good rhythm, high visual artistry, admirable sets, genuine multitudes... Of course, Jesus is the wisest and most benevolent of men, and it is but right that he be also the most handsome of all: Jeffrey Hunter at his physical best and with bizarre -but culturally right- characterization.

Miklos Rosza's score is precisely one of its major assets. I think that he hit the target when it came to produce grandiloquent but available music, apt to bring up a sense of the religious or the military, not forgetting some passages of a sweet beauty, like that one with the Wise men in Bethelem.

The film treats Jesus as an all-out hero, on the terms set by his followers: he is a superman, compassionate, able of working miracles, godlike as God's son should be. He delivers his teachings unashamedly and boldly. We are spared ridiculous moments that could issue from clinging too close to the letter of the Gospels. Nicholas Ray is clever enough to offer tactfully the blind man's recovery of sight, the lame walking again, etc

Most of the cast is ideally suited, although I find Hurd Hartfield too strained and joyless as Pilate.

The battle scenes are amazing, and so are the initial images with Pompey breaking into the Sanctum of the Temple.

Whatever your actual feelings about Christianity and Jesus be, you can go back happily to a world of certainties and security ("suspension of disbelief") with a fine work of arte like "King of Kings", very enjoyable. After all, and in the worst of cases, you'll get back your childhood's hero in style.

And praise Samuel Bronston, the producer and the man behind half a dozen of the last and best epics from the sixties. He got the money and contributed much more than that. Gen. Franco, by the way, contributed the masses, since the film was shot in Spain and the Spanish Army was put at the team's disposal.

YOU FUNDAMENTALISTS MAKE ME SICK
I just got done watching my newly acquired dvd of KING OF KINGS.So I decided to go online to write a review.And like always I read other reviews as not to repeat what others have already said.To my shock and disgust I'm hit with one berating after another.READ THE NEXT SECTION LIKE A WHINEY FIRST GRADER: ("That didn't happen in the bible" "This didn't happen in the bible"I'm gonna tell!) That's what you fundamentally retarded people sound like.I can care less about SO CALLED SCRIPTURAL ACCURACIES.If that's so important to you watch your lame copy of JESUS W/Brian Deacon.Wow! badly portraying word for word what's in the bible. You're absolutely right! That is the way to go. Conveying a message and emotional connection are far more important to me.All 4 gospels total approximately 200 pages (give or take the size of the print).Hardly a dent in the life of a 33 year old man.I sure am glad you stopped the movie as not ruin your childrens' thinking. They'll make great document lawyers.I'm done with likes of you. NOW I WRITE TO THE TRUE CHRISTIANS,The ones that believe with their hearts, not a KING JAMES six gun.I bought this disc about a week ago.While (Jesus of Nazareth) is my favorite and (The Greatest Story Ever Told) is a close second,this movie has an untouchable magic of it's own.Sure they spent a little too much time on Barabbas,and Robert Ryan's portrayal of John the baptist is no better than a cold reading, as if he's seen the script for the first time.Or any thing else you want to nitpik about.But the score is wonderful and so many moments will force tears from your eyes,if you only relax yourself into movie.If you contemplate getting this DVD I strongly suggest that you do.The picture is remastered nicely and the sound is very fulfilling,bonus features;not much, total less than 10 minues.Even if you have a personal recording from TCM like I do. Get the disc.It offers you an even more panoramic view not shown on Turner Classic Movies. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Something 'Worthwhile' has this way come
Excellent film adaptation to Mr. Bradbury's whimsical book by the same title.

The film is cast in the autumn (the autumn of life?) and a small town around turn of the century America (our dream of what America should be?). Two boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade are excited to hear of a carnival coming to town (remember our youth when autumn always brought some sort of carnival to your town?). However, this carnival is no ordinary one. It's proprieter, Mr. Dark, offers people what they desire most -- at a fearsome price.

Jim and Will discover the underlying nature of Mr. Dark, his menions and the carnival and end up as quarry for the mysterious, sinister man. Will's father, Charles Halloway - the town librarian - is an unlikely hero who faces his own fears and temptations to protect the two youths from Mr. Dark.

Not really bloody or scary, I'd say the theme of this movie (that of facing the realities of life) creates uneasiness because of the familiar setting and its dealing with normal everyday people and their dreams/wishes.

The movie is well done and entertaining. Certainly worth a look. You might consider before allowing younger children to view it - it would probably give them dreams.

~P~

Love Bradbury! ...not so much love for film adaptation -
Director, Jack Clayton, The Innocents, [an excellent film...] Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) -- Staring Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce. This screenplay adaptation (1983), by the author, of his own novel Something Wicked This Way Comes, is good only during scenes with Robards and Pryce (these scenes are VERY good) yet, the plot is motivated by the actions of the characters of the two boys, Will Holloway and Jim Nightshade who, were inadequately cast (it's hard to find good child actors). Along with not being shot very well (Director of Photography, Stephen H. Burrum [the writer of this review simply can't tolerate the day-for-night scenes.]), it also seems that, 10 to 18 pages of the original script are missing from the final cut (the whole Tom Fury, B-Story), and much of the special effects scenes are cut in such a way as to reveal they didn't work and had to be cut out &/or around; how sad. The story simply falls apart! Somehow, a BEAUTIFUL script ended up as a film that, "had to be saved." Such, is the way of Hollywood.

Something Wicked This Way Comes, is available in paperback, ISBN: 0380729407 based on the screenplay, Dark Carnival by Ray Bradbury, based on the short story, The Black Ferris (1948), by Ray Bradbury available in ISBN 0-394-51335-5

Genuine Horror from Disney via Anchor Bay Comes
Based on the best-selling 1962 novel by venerable SF and horror writer Ray Bradbury--who also penned this cinematic adaptation--1983's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES is the unabashedly nostalgic story of two young boys, Will Halloway (Vidal Peterson) and Jim Nightshade (Shawn Carson), who engage in a battle of wills with Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce), the nefarious proprietor of a preternatural carnival that that literally blows into the boys' hometown one brisk October night (circa 1940). When Will and Jim discover that Dark and his troupe of midway miscreants are hiding some evil secret that might endanger the town, the boys take it upon themselves to uncover the truth and protect their friends and neighbors.

Some viewers are surprised to learn that this somber film is a product of the Walt Disney Company. Though there are the lovable small-town characters that one expects from Disney, it is admittedly rare to find a Disney flick with an incorrigibly evil character such as Mr. Dark (obviously the Devil in all but name). It is also unusual for a Disney film to have such a grim atmosphere, at least one that is not regularly punctured with puerile comedic relief, but SOMETHING THIS WAY COMES has a consistently spooky ambiance and an earnestly frightening plot, both of which elevate it to the level of a genuine horror film DESPITE its Disney label.

The performances in SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES are top-notch. Jonathan Pryce is deliciously wicked as the enigmatic Mr. Dark--genre fans might recognize Pryce as the actor playing Governor Swann in the 2003 blockbuster PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL--and Jason Robards does a fine turn as the wise librarian father of young Will. Vidal Peterson and Shawn Carson, the two young actors portraying Will and Jim, are relative newcomers whose lack of substantial experience is an asset rather than a liability, as it actually adds to the realism of their characters' youthful innocence. Some of the seasoned actors that fill supporting and background parts also contribute greatly to the quality of the film. The gorgeous Pam Grier, star of several popular "blaxploitation" flicks in the 1970s, plays the carnival's witch-like fortune-teller; Diane Ladd plays Jim Nightshade's mother, a woman who is raising her son alone after both were abandoned by the boy's father; and Ellen Geer, daughter of the late Will Geer of TV's THE WALTONS, portrays the mother of Will Halloway. Horror fans might recognize the late Royal Dano in the role of Tom Fury, the lightning-rod salesman. During his lengthy career, the ubiquitous Dano appeared in such genre favorites as Hitchcock's THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (1955), 7 FACES OF DR. LAO (1964), and KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE (1988); and also in episodes of genre TV shows like LOST IN SPACE, NIGHT GALLERY, AMAZING STORIES, and TWIN PEAKS.

Although the script does not have the same scope and attention to detail found in the novel, Bradbury has still done an exceptional job of translating to screenplay the novel's eerie essence and moral subtext. And director Jack Clayton does almost as well in visually interpreting Bradbury's script. He generates the perfect atmosphere for some genuinely creepy moments, and he is also quite adept at evoking Bradbury's primary theme of innocence lost.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES generates most of its chills and scares the old-fashioned way--through atmosphere, suggestion, good plotting, and great characterization. Unfortunately, the flick was originally released during the peak of the first big wave of slasher films in the early 1980s, and it was therefore unfairly ignored by moviegoers and panned by critics. But thanks to the cool folks at Anchor Bay, this little beauty has a new lease on life via DVD.

Anchor Bay's disc is short on extras, offering only the theatrical trailer and the option of viewing in either pan-and-scan or 1.66:1 Letterbox formats. But the digital transfer looks nearly pristine--even when viewed on a widescreen HDTV-- with only a few minor defects from the source print noticeable. In keeping with the subject matter, the film was shot with dark tones and subtle hues, and these come through wonderfully on the DVD. Serious collectors of horror films on DVD won't want to let this genre gem slip away.

More Than it Appears - Worthy of The Twilight Zone
I've read through several reviews and find myself in agreement with fans of this film. It is truly one of the most underrated films in Disney's library. Whether Disney has disowned it is questionable and I suspect there is a connection behind the scenes with Anchor Bay, just as there is (or was?) with Miramax Films.

The key to this film is that Bradbury captured the tone and flavor of his book perfectly. While nowhere near as complete as the book and the story told therein, it is, nonetheless, complete in and of itself. There's nothing missing for those who haven't read the book. But, if you liked the movie, go find a copy of his book and read it one dark and stormy night.

If you've seen some of the weird science before in other films, most likely it was because Bradbury wrote about it first. He is and was the Stephen King of his generation with such strange tales as The Illustrated Man and The Martian Chronicles (both are actually linked anthologies of his short stories).

If you haven't read the description of the film, it is a story about Middle America early in the first half of the Twentieth Century and two boys sharing their childhood. One comes from a respected, if unexciting family and the other from a less than honorable setting. Yet they live beyond their differences and hold on to their own special fantasies and memories in a Norman Rockwell sort of way. Life was simpler then than it is now, and yet it has its dark side, as the boys soon find out. Mr. Dark's Carnival has come to town in as mysterious way as it did in another time, many decades before, affecting all who became involved.

The film is deliciously handled with a flare that defies description, probably because Bradbury graced it with his retelling through the screenplay. Coupled with the compelling music that adds flavor and color to the outstanding cinematography, the film draws us into a Twilight Zone of the familiar and macabre.

The film is treated as one for children. It decidedly is not one for little ones who are half-awake, and yet the story is more disturbing to those who will think upon the hidden messages that are as old as time itself and what every parent dreads... What is to become of us? What is to become of our children? This is the very heart of the fear that is so omnipresent once the carnival arrives that dreadful night.

Don't just watch this story once. See it twice, but not on the same night. Give it some time to develop in your subconscious, and then, one autumn night, when the leaves are turning color, give it another look, ignoring the cliches it has spawned in other, later and lesser stories.

Disney does horror... really!
No need to repeat the plot you can read about that plenty below. This review is for parents.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is very scary. Not only have the censors totally misjudged this film but it is still classed as a children's movie! What rubbish! This is horror through and through, although albeit it can still be watched by kids but most adults will think twice about what they have just shown to them.

PARENTS SHOULD WATCH THIS BEFORE SHOWING IT TO THEIR KIDS.

This is not your average "darker" childern's flick like the Dark Crystal or the Black Caldron. It is much darker than that. I also remember a very graphic hand crushing scene. ... Read more

Description

Sam is no ordinary dog. He is the son of Yeller, the four-legged hero who won your heart in Walt Disney's classic adventure, OLD YELLER. With his two young masters Travis and Arliss Coates (Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran), gentle Sam faces even greater dangers than Yeller did. From the ferocious attacks of wolves and wildcats to the hostile actions of renegade Indians, Savage Sam presents a heartwarming story of love, devotion, and trust set in the sprawling pioneering days of the untamed West. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Little Secret Found!!!!
I first caught this movie on the television and had no idea there was a sequel to Old Yeller. Although I haven't yet figured out how he turned out to be a blue tick coonhound, it is a wonderful movie. Seeing the boys from Old Yeller back at it and into things is wonderful. I couldn't wait to add it to my collection and was tickled that it was already on DVD when I looked for it. We need more movies like this! It is full of adventure and if you own coonhounds, it does them justice. I hate to say much about the movie because you need to watch it and I hate to know the ending or too much about one when I get one, but the saying boys will be boys is true for Arlis. There is nothing like the love of a child and his dog!!

Interesting Kirk/Corcoran vehicle
Disney cast Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran as brothers 3 times, the younger Kevin tough, spunky, and "masculine," the older Tommy shy, sensitive, "feminine"...Here they are teenagers living alone in the Old West, visited from time to time by next-ranch neighbor Marta Kristen, who can't seem to remember that she's in a Disney movie, and stares at Tommy as if she's a moment away from ripping his clothes off.

All three are abducted by Indians, who intend to make Tommy a slave, Kevin a brave, and Marta a squaw (they leave Tommy and Marta pretty much alone, but their voracious manhandling of little Kevin would certainly be censored today) When Tommy is accidentally left behind, he teams up with the dog, Savage Sam, to rescue the others (although the fragile little thing loses consciousness at the drop of a hat). Eventually a posse of white men joins them, and they shoot the Indians and go home.

Aside from the anti-Indian prejudice, "Savage Sam" is superior...in plotting, characterization, and suspense. I loved Uncle Bill. . .um, I mean Uncle Beck (Brian Keith) strutting around in his flamboyant pink shirt as if daring us to draw conclusions about his character...

Fine, no frills presentation
Disney's "Savage Sam" is an entertaining and authentically staged presentation of the Fred Gipson story. It's presented in square-screen format, but since Disney films of this type were produced with eventual TV airings in mind, the cropping of the image is minimal and no action is lost. The quality of the image is good. It's not a "Vault Disney" piece like the other Gipson story, "Old Yeller," but it's worth having even without bells and whistles.

One thing that didn't age as well as the rest of the film is the title song. Really hokey. But after that's over, the story is told in a no-nonsense style. It dramatizes something Texas settlers contended with for four decades: the abduction of children in an Indian raid.

As befits a family film, "Savage Sam" soft-pedals the realities of such raids. Tommy Kirk's character, a teenage boy, would have been treated more harshly. Torture on the trail and a horrendous death upon arrival at the tribe's base camp would have been his fate. The teenage girl would have been raped right off. But Kevin Corcoran's character, a young child, would have been taken for adoption, just as the film shows, and the Indians' good-humored toleration of his combativeness is right in line with that.

All in all, a serious depiction of a slice of history that few Americans learn about in school anymore.

Glad to hear this movie is on dvd
I was excited when I heard that this movie would be released on DVD. It is another great dog movie by Disney and stars Tommy Kirk and Brian Keith with Sam(who looks like a bluetick coonhound). I would like to know about the picture quality of this dvd before I buy it. If anyone has seen this dvd, please let me know if it is worth buying.

Great Old Movie
One of the best old movies out there. I cant wait for it to come out on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

NOT "modified to fit your screen." DVD is OAR
The movie is a solid 50s western--decent entertainment but not high art like, say, High Noon. It's true star is Mt. Hood, Oregon, shown sparkling in every other shot.

Despite the disclaimer at the beginning of the DVD, this film was NOT "modified to fit your screen." It was shot in 1952, when most films were "full frame," and well before widescreen became standard. In fact the Technicolor process used here never made the transition to widescreen, and that's why the full-frame presentation is correct. (The same is true for Shane, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and the Wizard of Oz.) You'd think the studios would not insert the bogus disclaimer, since it's a dumb mistake that can cost them sales, but this error is actually pretty common on DVD packaging.

The DVD transfer is from a clean source that looks and sounds great. Unlike many later color films, the color is vivid and unfaded. Some scenes do show registration problems, but that's hard to avoid with Technicolor materials (fixing it is $$$$$).

Summary: a potboiler western with pretty pictures at a budget price.

Pioneers struggle to survive in the great Northwest
This western is a film of great visual beauty that has a great cast headed by James Stewart whose task is to guide a wagon train of pioneers through the Northwest Territory to their new settlement in Oregon. Stewart's Glyn McLyntock has a troubled past but also a conscience and a sense of fair play and justice that saves a gunslinger from a hanging. The ungrateful Emerson Cole repays McLyntock with treachery and gun-play and gets involved in swindling the settlers out of their needed winter supplies that have been seized by an unscrupulous owner of a steamboat and saloon. The rugged terrain of the Oregon countryside and dangerous river rapids lend realism to this story, and there is an interesting sub-plot that has McLyntock and Cole fighting Shoshone warriors at night. Julia Adams is pleasing to the eye as a pioneer girl and old hand Jay C. Flippen is a straight shooter who knows a bad apple when he sees one. The rough and tumble action has shoot-outs between the settlers and gold-crazed miners and hired double-crossers who aim to steal the supplies and sell them at a profit. Rock Hudson is a gambler who's handy with a six-gun.

No complaints from me!

It seems that many are complaining about the DVD version. I saw the VHF, and concentrated on the story rather than screen flaws, and so like other Stewart films, I was delighted and entertained.

This is a 1950s movie, when Stewart was in his hay day, and the story (screenwriter Borden Chase wrote the screenplay from his own novel) was a superlative story of the Oregon country, including scenery around Mt. Hood and the Columbia River.

This is one of the series of eight films directed by Anthony Mann and starring the late Brig. General James Stewart, USAF, in his youth.

Rock Hudson played a youthful gambler from California, and Arthur Kennedy a former Kansas border raider and the leading bad guy, after acting as a Stewart supporter. Stewart was also a former border raider from Missouri who was trying to forget his past. Supporting players included a youthful Harry Morgan and some other rowdies I didn't immediately recognize.

This is one of the old-time "straight" Westerns that I grew up loving, with plenty of gun play, with good and bad guys easily recognized (but not necessarily by their hat color).

If you are a fan of those old-time Westerns, you'll probably love this one, which was filmed in Technicolor.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

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

One Of The Best Westerns
Jimmy Stewart is a great actor.This is a great western with plenty of action.i like westerns of the 1950,s and 1960.s

This is a decent western but it's not great.
I would say it's good or about average. There is some good scenery and it isn't slow. It just doesn't have a lot of punch as far as I'm concerned. ... Read more

Reviews (165)

Thank you, Chiodo Bros....at long last!
Attention, all beloved Killer Klown cult fans! Our all-time favorite homicidal, bloodthirsty, and cotton candy-weaving bozos from beyond will finally be receiving their long-overdue video re-release this fall! I especially want to thank Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo for listening ardently to their legion of loyal fans and being able to bring their hideous big-top wonders back since their hitting of the silver screen 12 years earlier! Only one question: how come no DVD or VHS widescreen versions? The art direction in this classic black comedy really warrants a 1.85:1 canvas, not to mention a Dolby Digital remastering to accentuate the Klowns' chilling chuckles and John Mussari's sinister musical score!

Okay, for those of you who have been living in a secluded cave since 1988, KKFOS is a must-have film for any seasoned B-horror movie buff. It is the uncanny tale of a coastal California town that becomes beseiged by a pernicious race of alien klowns that cruises through the galaxies in a circus-tent starship and has an insatiable appetite for human blood. These wily, vile bozos arrive with an arsenal of mutagenic popcorn, lethal cotton candy phasors, acidic cream pies, and many other deadly circus tricks they deploy in order to capture and harvest the town's dullard citizens as cotton-candy-cocooned snack munchies. Only a clique of college kids and a rookie cop are aware of the klowns' nefarious plan, and they must do all they can in order to save the village from a fate that's no laughing matter! Sure, the plot to KKFOS sounds like a 1950's sci-fi derivative, but it is accompanied with impressive costume design, whimsical art direction, and captivating make-up and puppetry effects from Fantasy II F/X ("The Terminator", "The Abyss") that really exploit the low budgetary constraints that were imposed on this indie masterpiece. The real fear in KKFOS comes from taking the benevolent attributes of clowns and the circus and inverting them into elements of a child's warped nightmare. However, it does have its fair share of baffoonish comedy (most notable are the goofy Terrenzi Bros) to balance out the freaky death scenes. John Vernon definitely gives a hammy, but hysterical performance as Officer Mooney, the embittered police chief who scoffs the idea of murderous klowns in his town...until they finally make a "dummy" out of him, literally! All of this comes in a PG-13 package with no nudity and only mild "ketchup gore" for the audience.

One thing's for sure about KKFOS re-release, I'll be well-insured when my original Media Home Entertainment VHS copy becomes irreparably worn-out, which is almost certain to happen soon! Also, I just cannot wait until the sequel finally comes out (hopefully by next year)!

A Fatally Funny & Scary Ride Through The Big Top...
It's hard to believe that an innocuous PG-13 B-movie such as the Chiodo Bros. underrated masterpiece "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" could instill a sense of mysterious dread and thrills to an inveterate horror fan like myself. The Klowns definitely break down the redundant slasher film villian barriers that ran rampant during the 80's and give a frighteningly original, yet humorous flair to their evil work that parallels the old alien invasion films of the 50's (right down to the backwoods farmer and his dog and to the overly-skeptical village police). These extraterrestial jokesters are by no means makers of fun merriment, but rather ravenous predators who hoodwink their victims with circus magic and sinister smiles.

The first time I viewed this acclaimed cult classic, John Mussari's ominous circus synth soundtrack, grizzled Officer Mooney (John Vernon) turned into a klown merrionette, and the corrosive cream pie death of the security guard each made a frightful impact on me! Not only that, I developed a short-lived repulsion to cotton candy after seeing the homicidal Klowns in action! Now, that I'm older, wiser, and even more desensitized, I've begun to see "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" as 70% comedy/30% horror since this film does boast some of the most baffoonish dialogue and action I've seen in a B-movie. Mike (Grant Cramer), Officer Mooney, and the hilariously inept Terrenzi Bros. (Peter Licassi & Mike Siegel) give just the right amount of comedic chemistry needed against the story's spooky premise. The Klowns themselves do offer a couple of cheesy chuckles via the duplicitous "child's play" antics they use to capture and expunge the town populace for their own vampiric food supply. And one just cannot get over the elaborately designed circus tent sets, props, and klown costumes! The theme song video feature by The Dickies is also pretty darn cool. All in all, this indelible pic proves that 1988 was a gem year for the horror genre.

I have been fortunate enough to obtain a previously-viewed copy of KKFOS this year after a near-exhaustive search on the Web! I found it through Amazon's zShop site, which may still have some English-version copies left (knowing that this film has become a rare find both in retail and rental). I wish Media Home Entertainment/HVG Video would get off their languid behinds and re-release the Klowns on VHS widescreen or DVD seeing that the Killer Klowns cult is bigger than they probably realize.

Believe it or not, a Klown sequel is in the planning stages according to the Chiodo Bros' official website (as well as a coveted email I received last year from Stephen himself)...so keep on watching the skies for more intergalatic Big Top mayhem and laughs!

So Bad It's Good!
If you like your movies with extra cheese then this is just the movie for you. It's probably one of the worst and corniest I've ever seen but that's what makes it so entertaining. Perfect for a rainy Saturday afternoon or if you are in the mood for a light movie with goofy humor. Definiately not Oscar material but then again it was never meant to be.

A deserved cult classic
Here's a film that really delivers on the title. They say Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and boy do they deliver the killer clowns. Satanic clown cars, deadly shadow puppets, killer balloon animals ... these filmmakers put some real thought into what it means to be a killer clown from outer space.

This is one of those movies I can watch over and over again.

Balloon dogs are vicious!!!!
Awww, man, the only thing that sucks about this movie is that is failed to attract my attention back in the late 80's! I wish I had seen it back then, because by now it would not only be a great fun movie, but also have that additional nostalgic factor to it. But regardless, there's still enough 80's atmosphere and cheese to daze my brain. That and the movie is actually pretty good. I'm a huge fan of movies that take place in one day/night. This movie takes place all in one night, is all shot during the night hours, so there's none of that pesky mood-killing daylight to worry about. I may have missed this back in the 80's, but at least they have it on DVD now, and it looks great. I just finished watching it the second time. Also, the commentary by the Chiodo brothers is entertaining and funny. What a miracle it was that the executives okay'ed this movie! Too bad movie producers don't seem to have the guts these days to take shots on such wild ideas. I keep hearing the brothers are going to make a sequel (that would rock!), but the rumor has been spinning for years now. C'mon, we want more Killer Klowns! Come back, Klowns, come back - earth needs you! :) ... Read more

Reviews (68)

One of the best westerns ever made.....
I have seen this western many times on tape and my copy of the movie had started to lose its luster. When I heard it was coming on DVD, I knew I would see the film as Clint Eastwood intended it.

As far as a film is concerned, it is a very good tale of revenge and devotion to friends. Eastwood is great as the title character and the film has some very good supporting performances. The exteriors where the film was shot are beautiful and are just as good on DVD as in reality.

The DVD is a great, inexpensive version of a great Western. The 16:9 widescreen version of the film highlights the colors and tones that were filmed by Eastwood. The color is good as well as the Dolby 5.1 Surround Soundtrack. There is also a French soundtrack (which is very humorous when Eastwood utters the best line of the film, "You going to pull them pistols or whistle Dixie"). The disc also contains trailers to many other Westerns as well as the trailer for Outlaw Josey Wales.

You should not miss this great DVD. The price is right and the movie is one of Eastwood's best. This is one of the better looking westerns that I have in my DVD collection. If you love great westerns and movies about the American Civil War, you will love this DVD!

Deserves 10 stars!
What can you say about Clint Eastwood's westerns except, great! His movies (acting and directing)changed the whole look and feel of this genre. This is definitely my favorite western, heck it's probably my favorite movie...period. Josey Wales is based on the novel by Forrest Carter, "Gone to Texas". After reading the book Clint knew he had to make the movie and he did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the novel. The DVD transfer is very good. It was like watching it for the first time when I saw the DVD after the VHS version. This is what westerns are supposed to be so... "are you gonna get this video or whistle Dixie"? BUY IT!

Eastwood has the union army surrounded

Director: Clint Eastwood
Format: ColorRated:
Studio: Warner Studios
Video Release Date: September 2, 2003

Cast:

Clint Eastwood ... Josey Wales
Chief Dan George ... Lone Watie
Sondra Locke ... Laura Lee
Bill McKinney ... Terrill
John Vernon ... Fletcher
Paula Trueman ... Grandma Sarah
Sam Bottoms ... Jamie
Geraldine Keams ... Little Moonlight
Woodrow Parfrey ... Carpetbagger
Joyce Jameson ... Rose
Sheb Wooley ... Travis Cobb
Royal Dano ... Ten Spot
Matt Clark ... Kelly
John Verros ... Chato
Will Sampson ... Ten Bears
William O'Connell ... Sim Carstairs
John Quade ... Comanchero Leader
Frank Schofield ... Senator Lane
Buck Kartalian ... Shopkeeper
Len Lesser ... Abe
Doug McGrath ... Lige
John Russell ... Bloody Bill Anderson
Charles Tyner ... Zukie Limmer
Bruce M. Fischer ... Yoke
John Mitchum ... Al
John Davis Chandler ... First Bounty Hunter
Tom Roy Lowe ... Second Bounty Hunter
Clay Tanner ... First Texas Ranger
Robert F. Hoy ... Second Texas Ranger
Madeline T. Holmes ... Grannie Hawkins
Erik Holland ... Union Army Sergeant
Cissy Wellman ... Josey's Wife
Faye Hamblin ... Grandpa Samuel
Danny Green ... Lemuel
Kyle Eastwood ... Josey's Son
Richard Farnsworth ... Comanchero

Josie Wales' family was murdered and his home burned by union redlegs, so he joins Bill Fletcher's border raiders on the confederate side of the war and does his share of getting even. When Fletcher turns in his men for money (except Wales) and they are all killed, Wales becomes an outlaw on the run from union authorities. They hunt him clear into Mexico, where things come to a head. Josie Wales single handedly surrounds the entire union army and the Indian nations.

This is a good story, well acted by all concerned, and very well directed by Eastwood, as are all of his films.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

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

Josey Wales - Fastest gunslinger in the West!
Clint Eastwood's movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales, is a classic in the Western genre. This movie is one of the best Western movies that I have ever seen.

The story of the movie goes like this. Josey Wales(Clint Eastwood) is a peaceful farmer in Missouri with a family in the middle of the Civil War. One day some Union Soldiers burn down his house (with his son in it) and kidnap his wife. Angry and Furious, Josey Wales joins some confederate guerillas and fights hard. When Confederacy surrenders, Josey Wales refuses and heads west. He travels to Texas and along the way picks up odd group: couple of Native Americans, an Old Grandmother, a beautiful woman and two servants. At the same time they are chased by Union soldiers.

I will not reveal the story further. However, what makes this movie a classic is the depth and dimension to the characters and superb action.

The character of Josey Wales is really complex. He turns from a peaceful farmer to a tobacco chewing, hell raising, gunslinger. However his humane side is seen through his hard attitude at times. He saves a native american girl from couple of scoundrels. He also saves travelers from another group of bandits. At the same time, he is a tobacco spitting hard man. Josey Wales spits on everything, from a scorpio to a union officer. The other characters are not as intensely developed, which is understandable since Josey Wales is the primary focus of the movie.

The action in the movie is just amazing. I will summarize three great scenes which will make you, the reader, want to just watch the movie. In first scene Josey Wales is carrying food and confronted by four soldiers... In another one Josey Wales(and his six-shooter) all by himself is up against 10-15 bandits...In the last one, Josey Wales and his Six-shooter, go toe-to-toe against tens of horse-riding soldiers...

I will leave the action for you to watch.

Also this movie is directed by Eastwood himself. He is as good as a director as he is as an actor.

FYI: This movie is based on the book "Gone to Texas".

Classic Clint!
If you could only watch two of Clint Eastwood's westerns, "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and "Unforgiven" would by my choices!

Chief Dan George and Clint have a chemistry that adds humor and depth to the main story line of revenge, retribution, and a journey for justice. Sandra Locke, with her doe-eyed innocence, adds a little gentle feminity to the picture.

The movie is exciting, suspenseful and rewarding. No one is better as a wronged-man-evening-the-score than Clint Eastwood and this is one of his most memorable roles. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Goofy Seventies Cop Film
The freedom afforded young American directors in the seventies heralded some of the most adventurous and terrific films in the history of cinema.It also produced alot of self-indulgent claptrap.Unfortunately, "Electra Glide in Blue" falls more in the latter category than the former.Director James William Guercio would like to invoke comparisons to John Ford(hence, the Monument Valley locales) and "Easy Rider".Instead his film seems like a wacky episode of "CHiPs".I have nothing against a filmmaker who tries to pace his film deliberately.Guercio's direction, however, feels hamhanded and labored.Not that he's helped by a script that contains any number of preposterous scenes.One that comes to my mind is the long one involving a barmaid (Jeannine Riley) who dresses down a detective(Mitchell Ryan) for his inadequacies.The film is redeemed by some terrific acting by Robert Blake as the highway patrolman who has big dreams that are undermined by his integrity, Billy "Green" Bush as a fellow patrolman who isn't working with a full deck, Elisha Cook as a mentally challenged man, and Royal Dano as the Coroner.It goes without saying that Conrad Hall offers up terrific camerawork.Look close for a young Nick Nolte as an extra in the commune scene.

Pretentious beyond compare.
From the obvious cinematography, to the self-important dialogue, to the slathered on "message", Electra Glide in Blue is very much a product of its time -- Vietnam-era hyperbole so caught up in itself that it ultimately fails on many levels. The characters, although we spend a lot of scenes with them, never really engaged me, and Blake's journey into Detectiveland is a big fizzle where nothing much happens. Special mention has to be given to the unbelievably pretentious ending, probably the worst in the history of film. But, some good writing and fine acting (mostly by Blake) make it in the end an enjoyable enough piece.

Concerning the DVD....
I have to agree with all the other reviews about this film. It was and remains to this day to be my favorite film of all time. I saw it the first time in 1973 during it's first run in the theater when I was 10 years old and now I'm happily employed in law enforcement because of it (kinda the way TOP GUN inspired many to join the military). I've been waiting since that time for a chalk full of commentary DVD to get released.

For some reason, they ignored this movie until Robert Blake (a damn good actor, I might add) got into all this stuff with B. Blakeley. When I finally heard it would be released on DVD, I wasn't surprised. Why wouldn't a distributor capitolize on the whole murder mess. What did I care? I was finally going to get my DVD. When I first saw the DVD cover on amazon, the blatant capitolization on the murder trial was hard to ignore. The tagline read "He's taking justice into his own hands". What the hell was this? As a fan of this film and all it's memorabilia, this tagline never existed. In fact, it had more to do with Roberts court dealings than with the movie. THAT WAS WRONG!! But...moving on.

I went out the day of it's release and purchased it. The first thing I viewed was one of it's original previews, part of the special features. That was cool. Another very cool item was the intro to the movie (option) by James Guercio, the director. That was also nice and set the precedent for what was coming. Or.....did it? James fell into the rut that most directors do when they record their commentary. He's gets lost watching his own film and either stays silent for long periods of time or, when he finally snaps to, he states the obvious, basically explaining the scene that you're viewing. What's the point? You're viewing the scene!! The scene shows a bar with pictures and posters all around of Jeannine Riley. You don't need the director saying "In this scene, there are posters all around of Jeannine Riley" 5 times.

I don't mean to be hard on Mr. Guercio. It's just that I've waited 32 years for certain shots and scenes to be elaborated on, but wasn't satisfied with his commentary.He did reveal some things, but fell way short of a commentary that stands up to, let's say Gary Marshall on the Pretty Woman DVD or Cameron Crowe. They should require directors to take DVD commentary 101 before allowing them to mess up the commentary track for all time.I mean, they're spending time doing it so why not try and do it right.We deserve that much.With that said, I'm still glad to have it and thankful for the insights he did bring to this classic film.

P.S. - He also never explained why the movie came back to the theater the following year under the title "Big John and Zipper". I would have loved to know the back story on that.

GREAT FILM....GREAT SOUNDTRACK
This movie is very good...Yes there are members of the group CHICAGO in the film..Especially roles played by Peter Cetera and the late Terry Kath. I still have the LP Soundtrack which featured members of Chicago on it. When it first came out I would play the eight track in my car and people would say...Hey is that Chicagos new album? Its still a good movie

Best from Robert Blake!
I haven't see this DVD release yet, but with MGM releasing this DVD it should be good. Don't expect much, if any, Specials though. I have seen this movie and I believe it is the best thing that Robert Blake ever did. Good preformances all around. Too Violent for small kids. Leonard Maltin gives it a 3 out of 4 Stars. Take a look! ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Disappointing Experiment
Hitchcock wanted to do something different this time around, but THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY is uneven and tedious at times. Shirley MacLaine is terrific in her screen debut, Edmund Gwenn is great, as usual, and even Jerry Mathers (no, NOT as the Beaver) gives a good performance. But, at 100 minutes, it's overlong and the endless unearthing and burying of poor Harry grates after a while. However, it's a beautiful film, with superb color and a great score by the always wonderful Bernard Herrmann.

A Pesky Corpse
The trouble with Harry is, among other things, that he won't stay buried. It's a bizarre concept, and I imagine that a lot of people will find this movie to be strange. The humour is dark and a little dry, and it's not what an unsuspecting viewer might expect from Alfred Hitchcock. Personally, I like the film, because the humour appeals to me, as do the performances. John Forsthye, Shirley MacLaine, Edmund Gwenn, and Mildred Natwick make a great foursome trying to dispose of the corpse that just won't go away. A very young Jerry Mathers shows up, too, as MacLaine's son, and it's amusing to see him in this film. If you like your humour a little dark and dry, and you can deal with a Hitchcock film that is not typical Hitchcock, than this film is for you. However, if you can't go for that, than this film is probably one that you should skip.

Hitchcock's very "off center" black comedy
In the classic "Twilight Zone" episode "Five Characters in Search of an Exit," viewers are introduced to just that: a ballerina, an Army officer, a clown, a tramp, and a bagpipe player seeking to escape from a cylindrical prison. At the end of the show, it is revealed that they are actually dolls that want "out"" from their round "home".

While the four major characters in "The Trouble with Harry" are not dolls, they are definitely trying to "escape" from a prison of sorts, a prison of guilt over Harry's death of which they feel responsible. In a series of coincidences/mishaps stars Edmund Gwenn (a former ship captain), John Forsythe (a painter), Shirley MacLaine (single parent), and Mildred Natwick (a spinster) either "kill", "bury", or "resurrect" the dearly departed. But, Harry proves to be an illusive corpse.

None of the eccentric characters shows much remorse because Harry wasn't a very likeable person; in fact, there is a lot of witty repartee between them as they discuss that to do with him.

While this is far from one of "The Master's" best, it benefits from delightfully droll performances, a light-hearted Bernard Herrmann score, and post card-like images of New England, the film's setting.

Rounding out the cast are a pre-"Beaver" Jerry Mathers as MacLaine's son, Mildred Dunnock as a local shopkeeper, and Royal Dano as the shopkeeper's police deputy son.

Dano had a long career as a character actor and can be heard as the voice of Abraham Lincoln at the Disney theme parks' "Hall of Presidents".

Good.
'The Trouble With Harry' is yet another fantasic mystery from Alfred Hitchcock. Although I don't remember the storyline too much, I remember liking it enough to give it a four-star review.

Harry just lies there
Gerry Mathers is playing in a field and some shots are fired. Soon he comes up on a body. We are now prepared for suspense and mystery. Turns out pretty formula; everybody and nobody could have done it. At first it seems slow and weird as no one acts normal even for a movie character. They are all slow, nonchalant, and distracted. Harry gets dragged around and buried in controversy. Soon you can really get warped up in the story and anticipate the end. The movie never picks up you just have more loose ends to keep up with. No one cares who bumped Harry off as along is it does effect him or her.
The draw to the movie now days and maybe then is the cast of characters and the introduction of Shirley MacLaine. Edmund Gwenn looks pretty old here and is remembered also for his performance in "Outward Bound" (1930) 25 years earlier. There is still a Hitchcock feel. So sit back and enjoy it for what it is. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Huston's The Red Badge of Courage, like Orson Welles's The Magnificent Ambersons, is a heartbreakingly beautiful film mutilated by its studio after a disastrous preview process.You can--and should--read the fascinating production history in Lillian Ross's Picture.Picture is a classic--and so's the movie, even in a 69-minute reduction featuring a climactic Civil War battle that has Stephen Crane's young hero wearing his red badge of courage, then not wearing it, then wearing it again (MGM editor-in-chief Margaret Booth recut two different battles into one).Most-decorated-soldier-of-WWII Audie Murphy was chosen to star ("a gentle little killer," Huston mused); the shadow of WWII is also felt in the casting of war-front chronicler Bill Mauldin as Murphy's pal, and in Huston's own experience making his great battlefield documentary San Pietro.The panoramas evoke Mathew Brady, and Huston's closeup framing brings a psychoanalytic intensity to the terrified young soldier's inner turmoil.--Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Awful
It's a toss up as to which version of Crane's Civil War story is the worst adaptation, this one or the one with Richard "John Boy" Thomas. Both have all the appeal of moldy hardtack and rocks in your brogans.The basic story is intact, but it tumbled down hill from there. Sticking Audie Murphy in films just because he was a war hero didn't always work. He was only a fair to middling actor and trundling Bill Mauldin out was a major mistake. Mauldin should have stayed at the drawing board. Historical accuracy doesn't exist in either version. Uniforms, weapons, etc are all typical Hollywood, and while this doesn't entirely detract from the story, it does dampen the effect.Maybe a director will re-make this one. It certainly seems like re-makes are all the rage, but when you run out of ideas, fall back on what works.

Did they get it?
Is this a post-WWII patriotic vehicle or is it a true adaptation of Crane's powerful and ground-breaking story?

The story is NOT about heroism. Frankly, I was surprised to see this film was made so soon after WWII and right at the beginning of the Korean War. Crane's novel is one of the great anti-war pieces ever written, ranking with "All Quiet on the Western Front." So is this film to be likened to "Apocalypse Now" or more like "The Green Berets"? Sadly, I fear the latter, if the spin on the trailer is accurate. Comparing it to "Birth of a Nation" would suggest that it is thought of as a patriotic vehicle rather than a message film. I thought maybe John Huston himself had the courage to film this story the way Crane intended it, but of course it is up to the viewer to "get it" or not.

Crane's work is a naturalistic rendering of the inhumanity of war. It is not about becoming a hero -- it is about a soldier who begins as an isolated and fear-filled boy but through the horrors of war becomes part of the "war machine." It is not about the glory of war; it is about the loss of humanity that war demands of its participants. In the end, even after acts of "bravery" the soldier wants to go home and flee warfare altogether.

It is ironic that Audie Murphy, one of the highest decorated soliders of WWII, is playing the young soldier. I wonder how many WWII veterans watching this film related to the fear and the sense of inhumanity presented at the core of the story.

But of course, the Civl War is held in a different context than WWII, perhaps rightly so. The enemy here is quite different than Nazi troops, or is it? Read or watch "All Quiet on the Western Front" if you want to explore that question further.

The film itself is well-made. Huston's direction is quite good, with some interesting camera angles and great cinematography. The censored language is quaint now, but the overall feel is still one of comeraderie and some realism. Newcomers Murphy and Mauldin both hold their own quite well. It is great to see Andy Devine and even William Schallert in supporting roles. As for the DVD, I would like to have seen more extras and more notes on the production itself -- were the actors just that or were they early re-enactors?

Overall it works as a war movie, I just wonder which side of war this movie really is supporting.

Great movie that could have been even better
John Houston's story of a young Union soldier who overcomes his fear of battle is wonderful. Audie Murphy's portrayal is stirring and quite lifelike, the movie doesn't portray any super human motives, but a simple soldier who is quite naturally scared going into battle and overcomes his fear. However, Houston doesn't allow Murphy's character to get into excessive machoism either, as he finds out that many of his comrades did the same thing he did, turn and run. Had the movie execs not chopped this movie up, it could have been even better. As it is, it's a bit too short and lacking in details such as the battles portrayed in the movie patterned after a real battle. The unit portrayed isn't even mentioned until the end of the movie. It would have been fun to follow Murphy's character's unit through the war.

A real soldier's film
The purely psychological aspect of this film -- not only about fear on the combat field, but of being afraid of being afraid -- is great. The young men really personify a young man's innate fear of failure, fear of death, fear of combat and fear of being a coward. "He was a real Jim Dandy," an unknown soldier says of the "Tall soldier," who, for the purposes of the movie personifies what a REAL soldier should be -- brave, willing to give his life, going on until there is no energy left in him. But the main character personifies every human -- outwardly trying to act the part expected of him, and inwardly doubting himself. This movied really touched me. Stephen Crane's portrayal is brought to light in such a vivid way.

Fine film about war and courage and human nature
John Huston directed this film adaptation of the famous Steven Crane
novel. As soon as it was finished, he left to work on The African
Queen, leaving the editing in the hands of the studio. But it was
1951, the height of the McCarthy era. There was a movement in this
country against anti-war films. And so the film was cut to a mere 69
minutes, which put it into the category of a "B" movie to be
shown only as a second feature. That was a full fifty years ago, and
in spite of the supposed butchering job on the cutting room floor, the
film definitely has stood the test of time. Of course I will never
know what the original was supposed to be. And I haven't even read the
novel. But I sure am glad I saw this video.

I understand that Steven
Crane wrote the book in 1894, which was a full thirty years after the
Civil War. He was 22 years old at the time and had never actually been
in a battle himself. He was trying to say something about war and
courage and human nature rather than about the specific war. And so
his work is unique among the vast body of writings about that awful
period of history that tore at the heart and soul of our
country.

Audie Murphy stars as The Youth and, with the exception of
Andy Devine who has a small role lasting no more than a minute, the
rest of the cast are unknowns. They all portray Union soldiers and we
first see them bored and anxious to fight a battle. They brag about
their courage and how they all intend to stand firm in the heat of
battle. The Youth has his doubts and the tension mounts as the
inevitable battle tests them all. Frightened, The Youth flees. Later
though, he returns and proves his manhood. The story is as simple as
that.

There is also a narrator in the story, reading excerpts from the
pen of Steven Crane. The language is beautiful and adds depth to the
simple conversations of the soldiers. The black and white photography
is grainy and much of it is shot in shadow, adding to the intimacy and
the authenticity of the film. There was a literary rhythm to it all
and it added intensity.

The role called for excellent acting and Audie
Murphy was perfect. I understand that in real life he won national
fame as the most decorated GI in WW2, winning 45 medals. He led a
turbulent life, plagued by what is now known as post traumatic stress
syndrome. A compulsive gambler, he won and lost fortunes, was addicted
to prescription sleeping pills and was once acquitted of attempted
murder charges stemming from a fistfight. But all that came later. In
1951, he was perfect for the role of The Youth. Recommended
... Read more

Amazon.com

John Wayne, that pillar of machismo, was well aware that costar Rock Hudson was gay, yet he prized him as a boon companion, a fellow professional, and one hell of a bridge player.Each plays a Civil War commander who, after the ceasefire, leads a community of home folks into Mexico to make a fresh start. Hudson is a Southern gentleman; Wayne commanded the Yankee cavalry at Shiloh, where Hudson's brother died.Nevertheless, Rock, with his extended family, and Duke, with his troop of cowboys and 3,000 horses to sell to Emperor Maximilian, soon join forces to outgun banditos and beam paternally over the budding romance between their respective daughter and son (an adopted Indian played by footballer Roman Gabriel with Crystal Gayle hair).Lingering North-South animosities are celebrated in an obligatory communal fistfight in the Andrew V. McLaglen manner, and the showdown with both Maximilian's lancers and the rebel Juaristas is disconcertingly perfunctory.--Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Excellent post Civil War western
The Undefeated is an excellent western that teams John Wayne and Rock Hudson together for the first time. Set in the months after the Civil War, the story follows two groups as they venture into Mexico. One group led by Wayne's Colonel John Henry Thomas is driving 3,000 horses south to deliver to the forces of the French emperor, Maximillian. The other group is a wagon train of Confederate soldiers and their families who are moving to Mexico City under Maximillian's rule. Along the way, the two groups meet up and battle bandits, Juaristas, and even themselves. The action scenes are very well put together, especially the 4th of July fistfight and the bandit attack on the wagon train.

John Wayne and Rock Hudson are great as two rival leaders, one Union and one Confederate, who must work together if they are to survive in Mexico. Their relationship has several funny moments as they discuss their involvement during the war. The Duke's crew includes Ben Johnson as Short Grub, Dub Taylor as Mr. McCartney, Roman Gabriel as Blue Boy, and several other Duke regulars. The rest of the impressive cast includes Tony Aguilar, Bruce Cabot, Merlin Olsen, Edward Faulkner, Harry Carey JR, Marian McCargo, Lee Meriwether, Melissa Newman, and Big John Hamilton. It was great to see this on DVD which offe