Reviews (20)

entertaining, but kind of silly
Joanne Woodward was splendid to watch in this amusingly dated film about multiple personalities.

I do realize it was made in the 1950's, but I'm sure hypnosis and the switching of personalites were a little more dramatic in the time of mashed potatoes and meatloaf.

I don't want to give away anything if you haven't seen the movie, but the little secret eve/jane was harboring all of those years, that made her personality split, was a letdown. I'm unfamiliar with the actual case, but I'd love to know if there was something more shocking going on there that was considered inaapropriate for moviegoers at the time. My other qualm was the accent... why didn't the real eve/jane have a southern accent? that made no sense to me.

Overall, the film was entertaining. It just wasn't very believable.

Breaks New Ground
The film is effective as an introduction into the realm of multiple personality disorder, but that's as far as it goes. Joanne Woodward is functional in the role, but I agree that it is in no way an Oscar performance. I have also witnessed multiple personality change under clinical conditions, and the person does not change in any dramatic fashion (like the lowering of the head). It's an imperceptible change at first. I read that Joanne Woodward studied film of Eve White's real life counterpart going through the change. She said there was no obvious physical punctuation whenever the other peronalities came out, and that she wanted to play it that way. According to the article, the studio wanted the lowering of the head, etc. so that the audience wouldn't become confused whenever a change occured. No faith in the public. David Wayne is superb in his role, and I feel he is underrated in the part. I've known people like his character, and he was right on the mark with his performance. His role is easy to get lost in the overall dramatic screenplay. It's a brave film that enters relative virgin territory. It held my interest.

Groundbreaking Hollywood handling of Schizophrenia
Joanne Woodward's stellar performance as a woman afflicted with multiple personality syndrome gives empathy and to victims of emotional disorders. Lee J. Cobb is equally brilliant as the man desperately seeking to help end Woodward's torment.

In nearly 50 years since production of this Classic, much advancement in Psychology and medicine in general has occured. The early days of Psychology, a field still barely explored in the 1950s, rendered countless "patients" as incurable and hopeless cases. More enlightened than the late 1800's "Nelly Blye" institutions, the mid 20th century methods still showed an element of cruelty that today could not be imagined.

"The Three Faces Of Eve", though fictional, relied in great part on evidence at hand regarding treatment methods of the mentally ill. Dated only due to the great strides made since then, this film remains a milestone in filmmaking, tackling a tabu subject in need of exposure. This is not a Saturday Night entertainer, but a serious and important film.*****

Joanne Woodward is incandescent in this complex role.
This compelling drama centers around superb performances by Joanne Woodward and Lee J. Cobb. The unusual nature of the story is introduced and explained by (a very young!) Alistair Cooke, and that setting prepares viewers for what is to come. Because this presentation is art, not news reporting, the film may not always be exactly true to the "real story." Fine art takes purposeful liberties with reality, and this film is certainly a fine example of cinema art. Engrossing, entertaining, and enlightening! Highly recommended.

Stunning performance by Joanne Woodward
If anyone else had played Eve/Eve/Jane, it would not have worked. Joanne Woodward proves herself worthy of the Oscar she won for this movie. She is an actress of the highest magnitude. I can't imagine anyone else coming close to pulling it off but Joanne. This movie is amazing. It will change your life and the way to see things. One of the greatest films ever made. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dismissed in 1968 as a plodding rip-off of The Dirty Dozen--without that 1967 film's sardonic, antiestablishment satire--The Devil's Brigade now plays like a nostalgic last gasp of the sentimental World War II action genre. Celebrating the 1st Special Service Force (a commando-like unit formed to fight in Norway but ultimately deployed in Italy), this typically broad Andrew V. McLaglen production recounts the teaming of some miscreant GIs with "the handpicked best of the best-trained army in the world"--the Canadians--under a U.S. officer (William Holden) who had never commanded men in combat. The first hour, heavy on machismo and low comedy, depicts the unit's training at an abandoned base in Montana, with nonstop international rivalry until Yanks and Canadians bond in a lusty saloon brawl. After that, the Germans are easy meat. Holden is solid, as usual, and so is the widescreen work of veteran cameraman William H. Clothier, impeccably rendered on the DVD. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (24)

One of the Elite units of WWII
This film is about one of the elite units of WWII, a unit that is part of the lineage of modern day Special Operations. The film does a very good job of depicting the main points of the birth of this unit and some of the trials and tribulations that it had to go through. The film is historically accurate in the depiction of the undesireable soldiers that the United States contributed to the unit and the better trained Canadians. This film does an excellent job of showing how Special Operations units are unappreciated by the main stream military brass. Having served in the United States Army Special Forces for 5 years, I know how hard it can be to depict special operations capabilities in such a short movie. Again, this film hits the high points and is entertaining. It is a must see for any war movie buff and especially any student of special operations history.

Not a Dirty Dozen ripoff!
The Devil's Brigade is a WWII story about the formation of a Special Forces unit meant to help the war effort in Europe. A ragtag bunch of Americans and a crack unit of Canadian troops are brought together to train to form this unit. Excellent cast with William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Dana Andrews, Carroll O'Connor, Richard Jaeckel, Claude Akins, Jeremy Slate, Andrew Prine, Luke Askew, and Richard Dawson in a pre-Family Fued role.

Critics said The Devil's Brigade is a ripoff of The Dirty Dozen, but it really isn't. While the storylines are similar, the overall idea of the movie is much different with the The Devil's Brigade dealing with a true story. This movie is a great guy film with excellent performances by much of the cast. There are some funny scenes as the Yanks and the Canucks get used to each other before the mandatory bonding scene during a barroom fight with a group of lumberjacks.

The DVD presentation is good with the widescreen presentation and the theatrical trailer. As another reviewer pointed out, the trailer contains Richard Jaeckel screaming as he falls from the cliff, something not in the movie. Excellent World War II adventure story with great cast and good action scenes. Don't miss it!

A Brigade of Character Actors
A movie noteworthy mostly because of the supporting cast of character actors. Most notable are Richard Jaeckel (THE DIRTY DOZEN), Claude Akins (RIO BRAVO, tv's SHERIFF LOBO), Luke Askew, Andrew Prine (tv's V-THE MINISERIES/THE FINAL BATTLE), and even Richard Dawson (tv's HOGAN'S HEROES, FAMILY FEUD). Otherwise this is a basic WWII action flick with some big name stars (William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Carrol O'Conner, Micheal Rennie, Vince Edwards). An Allied special forces commando unit is hastily created to enter the early days of WWII to keep the Germans occupied until the actual American forces can send troops. This commando unit consists of misfit American GI's and elite Canadian soldiers. Part of the movie is a cliched plot where the ragtag Americans must get along with the posh Canadians. At first the two groups hate each other until fisticuffs at a local bar againts lumberjacks unites the two groups. Then, when this happens they become a fine tuned fighting unit. Pretty predictable stuff, but entertaining nonetheless with some great war action sequences and cliched characters. Standout performances by Richard Jaeckel as Pvt. Omar Greco (supposedly an acrobatic circus performer), and Claude Akins as Rockman.

History vs Hollywood
The 1st Special Service Force really existed and accomplished far more than this film would indicate. Any critic who whines about "improbable events" is a gabbing ignoramus...

Having said that... Most veterans of the Force do not like the film. The idiots with checkbooks would only back the film if it was "rousing" (read Hollywood treatment) rather than lovingly accurate.

The chief technical advisor was Lt. General Frederic (ret) himself... so the producers and director certainly had the facts to hand. Many of those facts and much of the history never made it onto the screen.

What don't the Forcemen like? Well, the Americans certainly had more than their share of guardhouse sweepings and tough characters sent their way by other commands (though those who could not learn to accept discipline and bond with others were rapidly washed out...) and excellent Canadians... but the "border warfare" premise is essentially false.

U.S. uniforms for all but the Americans got higher pay... (different pay days for each group, so always borrowing from each other) When the drek was chased off both nationalities settled in quite well with each other.

Kiska was almost bloodless (Canadian and American troops did accidentally shoot each other when the Japanese proved to have pulled out... but not the Force... their fire discipline was superb...) One part of the Force was prepared to make a parachute drop into action... The Force had the "friction" of battle without the losses... This honed them to a fine edge... and the film ignored the whole episode.

Their jump training was almost ignored (except for jump boots and jump wings shown on the screen) along with their demolition and amphibious training. Their loving relationship with Helena and its people was reduced in the film to a night of whoring, boozing and brawling.

In short, many vets of the Force did not recognize themselves in the film. Relatively few people knew about the Force, and those seeing the film would either think it total fiction or else have a skewed view of what Winston Churchill called "The finest fighting force of its size ever fielded by North America..."

When viewed as a movie, rather than as history... Well the cast is pretty good. Many cameos (not "bit parts") by fading stars such as Grechen Wyler and Dana Andrews... give it a certain class.

William Holden would have been perfect in the part... a dozen years earlier when he was doing Bridge on the River Kwai... Frederic was almost a "boy general" by the time he left the Force... Holden was a bit long in the tooth and tired... On the positive side, he conveys authority and was quite happy to get his hands dirty making the film.

Cliff Robertson is fine as Major Crown and most of the rest of the cast is good. Claude Akins is fine in his role as Rocky... but for all of his size, strength and toughness... his character is a waste... he gets captured on the earlier raid and rather than do what all good soldiers must in an assault... keep moving... he bounces around a critically wounded soldier, kills his prisoner and is absent from where he is needed. His love of Peacock is believable, but is mawkishly displayed on the screen.

So having said all of the above, why would *I* give the film a (qualified) rating of 4 stars (an unqualified five would go to Lawrence of Arabia...)? In part because of the subject matter... However much the Hollywood treatment and however mucked up the history... the Force was one of the most remarkable units ever fielded.

The director (Andrew V.) had some fine films to his credit, but too many of the other kind... to the point where some would call him a "hack director..." But it is obvious in The Devil's Brigade that he had a fondness for the unit and the men who served in it. The cliches and overly broad humor can't hide this.

Most of the cast (and assigned soldiers) give the impression that when the cameras stop rolling that they really felt like part of a team doing something special (even if a few of them refused to follow Holden into the pyrotechnic strewn fields...)

While the film could have been better... to truly tell the story of the First Special Service Force... a multi-part effort such as Band of Brothers would be required to do the subject (and the surviving Forcemen) justice...

I have served with Canadians in two wars... While there are some very real differences, at the "sharp end" the teamwork is outstanding... Never more true than with the 1st Special Service Force...

Great war picture!!!!......Great DVD
The title says it all. The Devil's Brigade is a great war to watch. The movie is based on a true story in WWII, where a unit of American soldiers and a crack unit of Canadian troops formed the 1st Special Service Force a.k.a. the first special forces group. This movie has great acting, great cinematography, great battle scenes, and great actors, like William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Richard Jaeckel, Claude Atkins, Andrew Prine, Richard Dawson, Robert Watson, and in some bit parts, Dana Andrews, Carrol O'Conner, and Michael Rennie. If you want to see a great war movie, give Devil's Brigade a try. I recemend it to WWII movie fans. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

The penultimate crime caper film
Back in the days when Stanley Kubrick was still a relative unknown, he made this gem of a film which has since earned a reputation for being one of the best crime caper films ever made. The film is tightly structured and well-paced with an eye on increasing the tension until the very end. A wonderful movie, and those who have seen "Reservoir Dogs" will immediately recognize the influence "The Killing" had on the latter film. The plot-line is simple - a band of crooks, each with his own motivation, conceive of a plan to rob a racetrack. The plan works fine...until something goes wrong. Kubrick filmed this classic with a minimal budget, but his genius is evidently on-screen in how he arranges the furniture and lighting and actors to get the most out of his limited funds and to augment the clastrophobic sense of suspense. Truly a great film.

I purchased the DVD of this film, and it looks quite good. The picture quality is pristine (unlike in the DVD version of Kubrick's later films, alas). I had no problems with the sound, either, though it is monophonic. There aren't any real extras on this DVD except for a trailer, but the presentation is somewhat cool and adds to the tension of the film. So, I will recommend this DVD of "The Killing" to fans of Kubrick and good crime films.

Kubrick Does Noir
An ex-con engineers a race track heist in "The Killing," a taut and suspenseful film noir from director Stanley Kubrick. Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) is fresh out of Alcatraz after five years, and immediately goes to work on a job he figures to be worth upwards of two million dollars. He puts together a gang who are not real criminals, just "Some guys with problems and a little larceny in them." Marvin (Jay C. Flippen) is good for some front money Johnny needs; George (Elisha Cook Jr.) is a cashier at the track, and Mike (Joe Sawyer) is a bartender there; Randy (Ted de Corsia) is a cop with loan shark payment problems. Clay's got it all figured out, a precision plan that can't go wrong as long as everyone does his part and keeps quiet about it, before and after. But George has a wife, Sherry (Marie Windsor), who wants nice things, and he can't resist the temptation to let her know it's all going to get better real soon. Trouble is, Sherry has a boyfriend, Val (Vince Edwards), who has more than a little larceny in him, as well. As it is with all "perfect" plans, there are, after all, imperfections. The presentation of this film is not one of them, however; Kubrick keeps the tension high throughout, working with a tight narrative and an out of sequence chronology through which he dispenses bits of information, building the suspense, until it all fits together in the end like pieces of a giant puzzle (Much the same as Tarantino would do with "Pulp Fiction" many years later). The stoic delivery, coupled with the stark black and white photography of the film, creates an almost surreal, fatalistic ambience that works so well with this material; especially at the end, for it underscores the climax and heightens the drama of the final moment, all of which makes for a truly unforgettable scene. The supporting cast includes Coleen Gray (Fay), Kola Awariani (Maurice), Joe Turkel (Tiny), and Timothy Carey, who makes his detached and indifferent hit man, Nikki Arane, one of the most memorable characters in the film. It must be noted, however, that Elisha Cook Jr. gives what may have been his best performance ever, here. His scene, after it all goes bad for him and he stumbles into his apartment, bullet holes in his face and wide-eyed with acceptance, to confront Sherry, is so cool and underplayed that it becomes one of the lasting impressions of the movie. Kubrick wrote the screenplay (with some help from Jim Thompson with the dialogue), adapted from the novel "Clean Break" by Lionel White. "The Killing" is one of Kubrick's earliest and best films; and it's not just for Kubrick fans or for those who love the "noir" genre. This is an excellent piece of work that will definitely be appreciated by anyone who likes good movies.

Tightly plotted, hamstrung by dialogue.
The Killing (Stanley Kubrick, 1956)

For many years, I have been fond of saying that the only Kubrick film I could stomach was Lolita. While The Killing isn't up to those standards (and certainly doesn't rate a spot in IMDB's Top 250, where it sits as I write this), it's certainly a film with rewatchability potential.

Johnny Clay (The Godfather's Sterling Hayden) has just gotten out after a five-year stint in prison, and needs cash. He concocts a scheme to knock over a racetrack to the tune of $2 million, give or take a few rubles. Putting together a core team of five guys, and with two on the periphery, they plan and execute the crime. That, of course, is when things start getting interesting.

This is good, solid film noir, for the most part. Where it fails to make the cut are in the narration (and Kubrick's bouncing back and forth in time like a pinball, which necessitates it) and the dialogue, written by cult favorite Jim Thompson (The Grifters, The Killer Inside Me, etc). The dialogue has about as much meat to it as one finds in a typical Spillane novel; it's fun, but "timeless" is not a word I'd use to describe it by a longshot. That being the case, it's hard for the actors involved to really get their heads around most parts; they do the best they can with what they have, and in some cases, that's enough to make the characters come alive. Elisha Cook, Jr., is especially good, despite having some of the most ineffectual dialogue ever written for a straight mystery film.

The strongest part of the film, on the other hand, is the ending, a shaggy-dog-story style beauty that would later appear in a different form in Ocean's Eleven (the original, good version, not that overblown Soderbergh piece of trash). It is inevitable, and beautiful.

Worth watching, but don't expect greatness. ***

Kubrick's First Masterpiece
This is the third feature film directed by Kubrick and the one which probably established his eminence, subsequently enhanced by Paths of Glory (1957), Spartacus (1960), Dr. Strangelove (1964), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), and Full Metal Jacket (1987). The title refers to the one last lucrative theft which Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) carefully plans so that he can retire from his life of crime and live happily ever after with Fay (Colleen Gray). Although Kubrick carefully tracks the preparations by Clay and his associates, he seems more interested in what (for lack of a better term) can be viewed as a self-fulfilling negative prophecy. That is to say, there seems to be little (if any) chance that the robbery of a race track will turn out well. In fact, it doesn't. Clay is a world-weary, semi-paranoid leader of losers. Henpecked by wife Sherry (Marie Windsor), George Peatty (Elisha Cook, Jr.) is a reluctant accomplice, obviously motivated to satisfy his financially insatiable spouse. He as well as Nikki (Tim Carey) and Tiny (Joe Turkel) are Keystone Bandits. The quality of acting throughout the cast is first-rate. Kubrick obtains from Hayden in this film and in Dr. Strangelove his two strongest performances. The final scene on the airport tarmac is unforgettable, a fitting and (for me) an inevitable conclusion. If pressed to use one word to describe this film, I would suggest "tidy." Also "compelling." Those who share my high regard for this film are urged to check out The Public Enemy (1931), You Only Live Once (1937), High Sierra (1941), and They Live by Night (1949).

...and then there was one - Early Kubrick Classic
This Classic Kubrick Crime Drama is one of the top Hollywood Film Noire entries. The usual "toughs" planning the big heist, the one to retire on. Since Classic Hollywood never allowed the bad guys to win, everyone can predict that all will not be well once the end credits roll.

All of the elements are here: Little guys who never got an even break, a Delilah-like wife of a simpleton, who won't settle for small-time life, a happily married older guy with a wife in need of expensive medical care, a guy just released from prison, who doesn't ever want to go back, and the rest of the usual suspects. Several scenes are quite moving; several times character's are shown saying their goodbyes to loved ones, as though they don't expect to ever see them again, when they are only supposed to "go to work". Watch for another scene in the final third of the film involving a horse-shoe. It makes a powerful statement of conventions in 1950s America.

Very few films have a truly memorable "last line". This is one of them! Of course, I won't give it away, as it requires an elaborate set-up, but you'll agree that it's one of the best last lines ever! As for "The Killing" as a nostalgic Crime Drama and exemplary film noire, I confidently give it 5 stars!***** ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Motorama : B-Movie with allstar cast
Motorama is about 10 year old Gus who steals a car , and runs away from home collecting Motorama cards , if he collects them all he wins 500,000,000 $. Gus is played by Jordan Christopher Michael. the film also features special appearances by Jack Nance as a crazy hotel assistant, Meat Loaf (spectacular singer) as a biker who makes his living by armwrestling for money,Drew Barrymore as a Dream Girl , Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) as a busboy with a couple of loose screws ,Garrett Morris & Micheal J. Polliard as auto-Mechanics.also featuring music by Andy Summers and songs by Range Wars.Not suitable for children due to swearing , brief nudity , & Brief violence. Although the movie is kind of slow moving overall , it is pretty fun to watch out for cameos by some well known actors and singer/actors. it's pretty good

A surreal little gem of a road movie
This is an entertaining surreal road movie about a ten year old kid named Gus, who drives a red Ford Mustang across some fictional states with names like Tristana, Essex, South Lyndon... in search of eight elusive Motorama game cards from various gas stations. The film has a surreal feel to it because a lot of the things are unusual; like the money for instance, which is like blank paper with numbers on.

Most of the characters are nasty to Gus on his trip. They tattoo him, punch him, but this doesn't stop the kid on his relentless quest. Some oddball actors like David Lynch incumbent Jack Nance, Meat Loaf & Flea also make appearences. Jack Nance plays a motel owner, who when he first meets Gus tells him, "If you see any Squirrels, give them to me." An odd little gem of a movie.

What the Hell?
Okay, so the kid is getting the letter. No one notices he is 10, gets the R, blah blah blah. The reason this movie is abysmal is the ending. What in God's name were they thinking? He gets "motorama" and tries to claim his prise, but there is none; and after being thrown out of a sckyscraper what does our protaginst do? He hitchhikes back to the first gas station and takes the attendent job, fills up the car of a man who won 1 million dollars..the man is hit by a truck.. Credits roll after he has a meaningless 3(short)sentence conversation with the owner......and that's all. I feel the need to repeate, What in God's name were they thinking?

Zero stars wasn't an option.
Others have outlined the plot, so I'll get to the point.

The film is dull, listless, and offensive.

Here's a brief list of some "clever" moments:

* The protagonist (a ten year old boy) is beaten so that he loses an eye (in part because he's maliciously denied medical care)

* After dining in a biker bar, the protagonist is forcibly tatooed (which is depicted as excruciatingly painful).

* Some parents who are low on cash intentionally abandon their young children at a rest stop.

I *like* odd ball films (e.g., After Hours, Eraserhead, Dark Star, Moulin Rouge, Big Lebowski, Repo Man, etc. etc.) and am not easily put off by weirdness.

But this film is so mean spirited, tawdry, boring, and poorly performed that I couldn't find anything about it to like. I don't understand the favorable reviews it has received here and suggest you check out some more mainstream reviews (in reviews I read it was not just panned but reviled).

Ps. Despite the child protagonist, this is definitely not a children's movie.

Surreal Masterpiece
10-year old Gus (Jordan Christopher Michael) steals a car and travels across a bizarre Southwestern landscape, playing a road game called "Motorama." He encounters many eccentric characters, mostly nasty, and endures all sorts of abuse, growing gradually older until, at the end of his life.... Ignore the idiotic cover; oppressive heterosexism is refreshingly absent here. ... Read more

Description

Sexy stars Shannen Doherty (TV's CHARMED, BEVERLY HILLS 90210) and Antonio Sabato Jr. (TV's MELROSE PLACE) heat up this tantalizing and seductive story of an innocent girl and a reckless rebel whose passion takes a dangerous turn! Angel Norton (Doherty) is a popular high school cheerleader with a bright future ... until she falls for Tony (Sabato), a striking bad boy with a notorious reputation! Disregarding her friends' warnings, Angel's relationship with Tony intensifies, and soon their raging ride becomes a road to ruin! Also starring Adrien Body (SUMMER OF SAM) -- get set to take a wild ride with these star-crossed lovers! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

OK for Sabato fans
The region 1 DVD version has no additional extras to the VHS one described. Good to see an earlier effort of Antonio's though. The plot does drag on slightly and having the same family move house twice within six months seems a bit far fetched. The only reason I was saw this movie for a second time was that it was due for UK transmission by BBC on Monday 24 March, then was postponed to Friday 4 April due to Iraq news. This transmission has also been postponed giving no further air date. Save your money and look out for the show on BBC1 listings in UK. Around 23.30 to 01.00 has been the previous attempted start times.

Could be better
Antonio breaks out of jail and takes girlfriend Shannen on the run from the police and Shannen's family with him. The acting is flawless, and the film has some exciting moments, and I couldn't predict the ending. So why don't I give the film 5 stars? Well I feel the plot drags in parts so I don't think you can justify the price it's at now. Only buy if your a big fan of the actors or the price comes down. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Return to Horror High is a convoluted cheesefest that tries to be spoof and horror movie at the same time, feebly prefiguring Scream. A movie crew is filming a slasher picture at a high school where a series of murders actually occurred; the killings begin again--or are they simply staged for the production? The answer to this question is distinctly uninvolving, but it involves a lot of fake blood. Familiar faces include Vince Edwards and Brady Bunch star Maureen McCormick (a uniformed cop), plus--until he becomes the first victim--George Clooney. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Hey People! Satire here.
This movie has been getting such bad reviews, and I wrote this one to set the record straight, i guess (but excuse the corniness).
This movie was not meant to be a 'real' horror film, it is obviously a satire. Think of it as the first in the sub-genre that "Scream" sopposedly started, accept it's not as straight foward it it's mocking, accept in the leading woman's blatent complaints a couple times. Also the movie has a sorta predictable non-pedictable way about it. It's funny as hell, I mean the stuff that happens is SO absurd, and the police the department is stupid as anything. One of the best parts is that George Clooney is in it, and not even a lead role either.
Anyway this movie is a 'watch-if-you-want-to-laugh' type film, and keep in mind that it's a spoof.
*Note:the 5 stars are so people watch it, to boost the rating a bit

Its a just-kidding horror movie
If I had to give this movie a rating on horror value it would rate as the worst scary movie I've ever seen in my entire life. However, this film has much more value than that. It is so painfully, horridly, terribly bad, that its good. Like pop-tarts so cool thier hot . . .first of all George Clooney and Marsha Bradey in a wicked low budget film is enough to make anyone chuckle. This movie also has a terrible plot, and the worst special effects I've ever scene. Its a classic worth viewing again and again. Its better than Cats.

A Horror Comedy Has Never Been This...Dead
In spite of what the title implies, 1987's RETURN TO HORROR HIGH is not a sequel but is, instead, a tongue-in-cheek horror film that is intended as a spoof of the slasher sub-genre wildly popular during the 1980s. Interestingly, it predates Wes Craven's similarly themed (and excellent) SCREAM by almost 10 years. But RETURN TO HORROR HIGH doesn't even come close to Craven's magnum opus in terms of production quality, scares, or laughs.

The word RETURN in the title of this film is not just a deliberately misleading joke; it also is a reference to the film's plot. The story involves a group of filmmakers who have "returned" to Crippen High School to make a low-budget fictionalized horror movie about the "real" murders that occurred there 5 or so years earlier. Unfortunately for these movie-mogul wannabees, the killer was never caught, and when members of the cast and crew start getting offed one by one, it looks like history might be repeating itself....

Admittedly, RETURN TO HORROR HIGH is not an example of great horror filmmaking, not even as a spoof, especially when compared to later and better genre films that are both funny and scary--films like SCREAM (1986) and SCARY MOVIE (2000). Its primary failures? One, the flashback structure of the plot is not handled well, easily causing confusion for the average audience member. Two, a lot of the acting is, to put it succinctly, just plain rotten. Three, the special FX are sometimes cheesy. Four, it's nearly impossible to suspend disbelief during the disappointing Scooby-Doo-like revelation of the real killer. And five, there is very little of the copious T&A offered in many low-low-budget horror films as compensation for the low, low production values.

Okay, so it's not going to appear on an AFI top-100 film list. Still, RETURN TO HORROR HIGH does have its moments. For example, some of the killings are staged in ways that are both creepy and humorous, the most notable being a decapitation that is done in silhouette, with the head rolling up into the air in subtle slow motion; and a little scene in which a cold-hearted and sadistic biology teacher gets dissected in much the same manner that he forced his students to cut up formaldehyde-saturated frogs. Another cool segment is a dream-within-a-dream piece in which the audience is just as surprised as the dreamer each time one scenario segues into another. That one is carried off quite skillfully, and the scene's ending leaves viewers with both chuckles AND goosebumps.

Also notable is the appearance of a few familiar faces. Cinematic heartthrob George Clooney fills a minor role in one of his early career jobs, and in an interesting casting choice, Maureen McCormick--better known to couch potatoes as Marcia Brady on TV's THE BRADY BUNCH--appears as an oversexed police woman who seems to get turned on by all the blood. Gravelly voiced Alex Rocco, ubiquitous character actor of TV and the silver screen, generates a few chuckles playing a lecherous movie producer. And fans of vintage TV should recognize Vince Edwards, the actor who came to fame playing the title character on the show BEN CASEY in the 1960s. Although she is a lesser-known actor with a smaller resume than those listed above, some movie buffs may also recognize Lori Lethin, who here plays one of the main protagonists in the film's "flashback" sequences. Not only is Ms. Lethin quite attractive, she does a pretty good job of acting, too.

As is almost always the case with Anchor Bay releases, the DVD offers a nearly pristine transfer of the movie. The disc does present the film in anamorphic widescreen, but other than the trailer, there are no bonus features. Considering the low retail price, lack of extras is no problem for those who want to add the disc to their collections. However, this release of a so-bad-it's-good film would have greatly benefited from the inclusion of a feature commentary with members of the cast or crew.

To recap, RETURN TO HORROR HIGH is, overall, a pretty poor film. But it's one of those awful films that is, under the right circumstances, just good enough that it's actually fun to watch, though it's just bad enough that you won't admit you watch it. For some genre fans, then, this film might be one of their guilty pleasures. If so, the Anchor Bay DVD will definitely be something those fans will want to pick up.

A (very) poor man's "Scream"
Featuring George Clooney in an early role and Maureen McCormick (Marcia Marcia *Marcia* Brady) in a comeback role, of sorts. Also featuring a confusing metafictional plot, flat humor, and mostly bad acting. "Return" is yet another slasher-movie-about-slasher-movies. There were several of them made during the eighties, most of which now claim to have been the inspiration for "Scream." None of them were as good as that movie, however, and "Return" is no exception. Although the movie has its moments -- a scene of a cop creeping down a murky hallway whereabouts the killer may be lurking is tense -- there aren't enough of them to sustain the proceedings. If you watch just to see Clooney and McCormick, be forewarned that the former gets bumped off early (first, in fact), and despite a valiant effort McCormick's cop who gets turned on by all the carnage is a joke that just doesn't work.

Scream: The beginning
While this is not by any means a great film, it does attempt to combine humor and horror in a way that predates the more famous "Scream". The film allows the characters to understand that they may be involved in a "horror film" plot and thus they attempt to act accordingly. Many of the jokes fall flat and the film as a whole is essentially a set-up for the fairly amusing payoff ending. For an early eighties "gore" film there is not much blood and those seeking such should look elsewhere. It is rather humorous to see an actor of George Clooney's "stature" earning his wings in this low budget horror. Overall, if you are up for a minor piece of fluff on a boring Saturday night, this will fit the bill. The DVD picture is good, a trailer is included but there are no other extras. A rental at best. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Made For TV Action!
I was actually a fan of the television series loosely based on this 1973 TV movie. That doesn't mean I wasn't familiar with the movie...it aired endlessly on late night television for years. It's a very racist-themed movie, so much so my wife said that she'd forgotten how bad it was 30 years ago.

The exterior fire scenes appear largely to be actual fires the film crew just followed a fire department around and shot, which probably weren't hard to come by in 1970's Chicago. The tone of the film is gritty and dark with kind of a neat low-rent pulsating soundtrack, but again limited to a 1973 made for TV movie kind of way.

The print quality is about what you'd expect for the price. It's in its native 4:3 screen ratio, it has obvious commercial break inserts, it's soft with dull colors that fade into each other, and it's pretty dirty. It may have been a dub of a VHS transfer. On the other hand, I could say you've never seen it look better, and probably be right. Sadly, this is probably as good as gets.

The soundtrack automatically showed up in PLII on my receiver but was mixed off to the right, which may have been intended to make it sound wider

There are no extras of any kind. Click "Play Movie" and it starts cold to the point you appear to be jumping into the middle. (You're not...it just starts that way.)

I wouldn't mind seeing a DVD release of this movie cleaned up and including the 13 episodes of the loosely-based television series that followed with maybe a Richard Roundtree commentary for the movie but...oh, who am I kidding. That anybody bothered to release this on DVD at all is probably something of a miracle, and I'll take it.

great movie!
it is a great movie from the past. watched it as a kid in the 60's it went on to be a great tv show and i watched that as well.
glad to see it on dvd! hope to see the tv series on dvd too!

WHEN THE FIRE'S OUT... THE HEAT IS ON
Richard Roundtree gives an emotional performance as a dedicated black firefighter, who is a fish out of water, in a n all-white firehouse. Somehow throught sheer hard work and courage, he is able to overcome racial prejudice and hatred, and earn the respect and friendship of the other men. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Hey People! Satire here.
This movie has been getting such bad reviews, and I wrote this one to set the record straight, i guess (but excuse the corniness).
This movie was not meant to be a 'real' horror film, it is obviously a satire. Think of it as the first in the sub-genre that "Scream" sopposedly started, accept it's not as straight foward it it's mocking, accept in the leading woman's blatent complaints a couple times. Also the movie has a sorta predictable non-pedictable way about it. It's funny as hell, I mean the stuff that happens is SO absurd, and the police the department is stupid as anything. One of the best parts is that George Clooney is in it, and not even a lead role either.
Anyway this movie is a 'watch-if-you-want-to-laugh' type film, and keep in mind that it's a spoof.
*Note:the 5 stars are so people watch it, to boost the rating a bit

Its a just-kidding horror movie
If I had to give this movie a rating on horror value it would rate as the worst scary movie I've ever seen in my entire life. However, this film has much more value than that. It is so painfully, horridly, terribly bad, that its good. Like pop-tarts so cool thier hot . . .first of all George Clooney and Marsha Bradey in a wicked low budget film is enough to make anyone chuckle. This movie also has a terrible plot, and the worst special effects I've ever scene. Its a classic worth viewing again and again. Its better than Cats.

A Horror Comedy Has Never Been This...Dead
In spite of what the title implies, 1987's RETURN TO HORROR HIGH is not a sequel but is, instead, a tongue-in-cheek horror film that is intended as a spoof of the slasher sub-genre wildly popular during the 1980s. Interestingly, it predates Wes Craven's similarly themed (and excellent) SCREAM by almost 10 years. But RETURN TO HORROR HIGH doesn't even come close to Craven's magnum opus in terms of production quality, scares, or laughs.

The word RETURN in the title of this film is not just a deliberately misleading joke; it also is a reference to the film's plot. The story involves a group of filmmakers who have "returned" to Crippen High School to make a low-budget fictionalized horror movie about the "real" murders that occurred there 5 or so years earlier. Unfortunately for these movie-mogul wannabees, the killer was never caught, and when members of the cast and crew start getting offed one by one, it looks like history might be repeating itself....

Admittedly, RETURN TO HORROR HIGH is not an example of great horror filmmaking, not even as a spoof, especially when compared to later and better genre films that are both funny and scary--films like SCREAM (1986) and SCARY MOVIE (2000). Its primary failures? One, the flashback structure of the plot is not handled well, easily causing confusion for the average audience member. Two, a lot of the acting is, to put it succinctly, just plain rotten. Three, the special FX are sometimes cheesy. Four, it's nearly impossible to suspend disbelief during the disappointing Scooby-Doo-like revelation of the real killer. And five, there is very little of the copious T&A offered in many low-low-budget horror films as compensation for the low, low production values.

Okay, so it's not going to appear on an AFI top-100 film list. Still, RETURN TO HORROR HIGH does have its moments. For example, some of the killings are staged in ways that are both creepy and humorous, the most notable being a decapitation that is done in silhouette, with the head rolling up into the air in subtle slow motion; and a little scene in which a cold-hearted and sadistic biology teacher gets dissected in much the same manner that he forced his students to cut up formaldehyde-saturated frogs. Another cool segment is a dream-within-a-dream piece in which the audience is just as surprised as the dreamer each time one scenario segues into another. That one is carried off quite skillfully, and the scene's ending leaves viewers with both chuckles AND goosebumps.

Also notable is the appearance of a few familiar faces. Cinematic heartthrob George Clooney fills a minor role in one of his early career jobs, and in an interesting casting choice, Maureen McCormick--better known to couch potatoes as Marcia Brady on TV's THE BRADY BUNCH--appears as an oversexed police woman who seems to get turned on by all the blood. Gravelly voiced Alex Rocco, ubiquitous character actor of TV and the silver screen, generates a few chuckles playing a lecherous movie producer. And fans of vintage TV should recognize Vince Edwards, the actor who came to fame playing the title character on the show BEN CASEY in the 1960s. Although she is a lesser-known actor with a smaller resume than those listed above, some movie buffs may also recognize Lori Lethin, who here plays one of the main protagonists in the film's "flashback" sequences. Not only is Ms. Lethin quite attractive, she does a pretty good job of acting, too.

As is almost always the case with Anchor Bay releases, the DVD offers a nearly pristine transfer of the movie. The disc does present the film in anamorphic widescreen, but other than the trailer, there are no bonus features. Considering the low retail price, lack of extras is no problem for those who want to add the disc to their collections. However, this release of a so-bad-it's-good film would have greatly benefited from the inclusion of a feature commentary with members of the cast or crew.

To recap, RETURN TO HORROR HIGH is, overall, a pretty poor film. But it's one of those awful films that is, under the right circumstances, just good enough that it's actually fun to watch, though it's just bad enough that you won't admit you watch it. For some genre fans, then, this film might be one of their guilty pleasures. If so, the Anchor Bay DVD will definitely be something those fans will want to pick up.

A (very) poor man's "Scream"
Featuring George Clooney in an early role and Maureen McCormick (Marcia Marcia *Marcia* Brady) in a comeback role, of sorts. Also featuring a confusing metafictional plot, flat humor, and mostly bad acting. "Return" is yet another slasher-movie-about-slasher-movies. There were several of them made during the eighties, most of which now claim to have been the inspiration for "Scream." None of them were as good as that movie, however, and "Return" is no exception. Although the movie has its moments -- a scene of a cop creeping down a murky hallway whereabouts the killer may be lurking is tense -- there aren't enough of them to sustain the proceedings. If you watch just to see Clooney and McCormick, be forewarned that the former gets bumped off early (first, in fact), and despite a valiant effort McCormick's cop who gets turned on by all the carnage is a joke that just doesn't work.

Scream: The beginning
While this is not by any means a great film, it does attempt to combine humor and horror in a way that predates the more famous "Scream". The film allows the characters to understand that they may be involved in a "horror film" plot and thus they attempt to act accordingly. Many of the jokes fall flat and the film as a whole is essentially a set-up for the fairly amusing payoff ending. For an early eighties "gore" film there is not much blood and those seeking such should look elsewhere. It is rather humorous to see an actor of George Clooney's "stature" earning his wings in this low budget horror. Overall, if you are up for a minor piece of fluff on a boring Saturday night, this will fit the bill. The DVD picture is good, a trailer is included but there are no other extras. A rental at best. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Made For TV Action!
I was actually a fan of the television series loosely based on this 1973 TV movie. That doesn't mean I wasn't familiar with the movie...it aired endlessly on late night television for years. It's a very racist-themed movie, so much so my wife said that she'd forgotten how bad it was 30 years ago.

The exterior fire scenes appear largely to be actual fires the film crew just followed a fire department around and shot, which probably weren't hard to come by in 1970's Chicago. The tone of the film is gritty and dark with kind of a neat low-rent pulsating soundtrack, but again limited to a 1973 made for TV movie kind of way.

The print quality is about what you'd expect for the price. It's in its native 4:3 screen ratio, it has obvious commercial break inserts, it's soft with dull colors that fade into each other, and it's pretty dirty. It may have been a dub of a VHS transfer. On the other hand, I could say you've never seen it look better, and probably be right. Sadly, this is probably as good as gets.

The soundtrack automatically showed up in PLII on my receiver but was mixed off to the right, which may have been intended to make it sound wider

There are no extras of any kind. Click "Play Movie" and it starts cold to the point you appear to be jumping into the middle. (You're not...it just starts that way.)

I wouldn't mind seeing a DVD release of this movie cleaned up and including the 13 episodes of the loosely-based television series that followed with maybe a Richard Roundtree commentary for the movie but...oh, who am I kidding. That anybody bothered to release this on DVD at all is probably something of a miracle, and I'll take it.

great movie!
it is a great movie from the past. watched it as a kid in the 60's it went on to be a great tv show and i watched that as well.
glad to see it on dvd! hope to see the tv series on dvd too!

WHEN THE FIRE'S OUT... THE HEAT IS ON
Richard Roundtree gives an emotional performance as a dedicated black firefighter, who is a fish out of water, in a n all-white firehouse. Somehow throught sheer hard work and courage, he is able to overcome racial prejudice and hatred, and earn the respect and friendship of the other men. ... Read more

Description

An American smuggler looking to turn legit spots his missing wife on a boat leaving Hong Kong. After tracking her to Macao, he discovers that she is entangled in criminal activities involving narcotics and stolen government bonds. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a fun, low-budget Asian-set adventure
An exotic adventure starring a reformed smuggler who finds his missing wife in Hong Kong. She has fallen in with a bad crowd and is involved with narcotics and stolen government bonds, requiring Edwardsher husband to extricate her from her woes.

Don't turn on the lights, Stu
Stuart Allison is a two-bit smuggler based in Hong Kong who's ready to get out. One day while settling accounts with his partner he sees a beautiful blond woman board a ship and bolts out of the café. The ship sets sail while Allison is still duking it out with the boarding guards. Moments after it leaves huge cans of garbage are dumped overboard and a waiting group of peasant boats follow in the wake and commence scavenging the trash. Roll opening credits....
THE SCAVENGERS stars Vince Edwards as the disillusioned Stuart Allison and Carol Ohmart as Marion Allison, the wife who'd abandoned him six years earlier. Allison is sure it was Marion who boarded the ship. Gradually we in the audience learn that Allison has been searching for Marion for six year. A short while later Allison runs into a mysterious, white-suited Chinese gentleman who tells him that the woman is indeed his wife and, for a consideration, he will let him know where she can be found.
Incongruously enough the man's name is O'Hara, and as played my Philippine actor Vic Diaz he is a delightful cross between Peter Lorre and Odd Job. O'Hara too is chasing Mrs. Allison, who was a 'very special friend' of a General Wu. A few years back General Wu stole thousands of dollars worth of war bonds, and O'Hara represents a party that wants to get their hands on them. Not the only party in this chase, either.
O'Hara wants the bonds and Allison wants his wife back. A one point O'Hara offers Allison the eminently good advice to forget his wife and leave while he still can. "You are an idealist," O'Hara tells him, "and I am a scavenger. My country had survived four thousand years until it was strangled by idealists."
The discovery in THE SCAVENGERS is Carol Ohmart, who plays the difficult role of a woman who swings from dependency to despondency to defiance with consummate skill. One source says that Ohmart was signed by Paramount in 1955 as the next Marilyn Monroe, appeared in a couple of bombs and her career slowly slid into oblivion. Ohmart had sharper edges than Monroe, and I guess soft and vulnerable was in that decade. There's no other explanation. The brooding Vince Edwards is another story altogether. His career took off a few years later when he landed the television role of Ben Casey, M.D. In THE SCAVENGERS he is simply awful, an empty core in a role that would have been perfectly suited to a young John Garfield. Edwards could brood with the best of them, but he seems totally lost here. His face seems set in a grim, immobile mask. He might have been able to act, but he proves here totally incapable of re-acting, and isn't that 50% of an actors job?
The characters in THE SCAVENGERS are well conceived and the plot motors events forward briskly enough without too many dead stretches. Stuart and Allison have satisfactorily screwed up personal lives and the high contrast photography casts shadows deep enough to satisfy most film noir fans. The dialogue in THE SCAVENGERS is, for the most part, flat, uninspired and uninspiring. It lacks that testy edginess that distinguishes the great noir movies.
The three-star rating is for noir and thriller fans, or I suppose for those drawn to '50's era exotic location movies. THE SCAVENGERS is a pretty mixed bag even for the enthusiast. The movie also appears to have been copied from a number of prints. Most of the time the movie looks great, but there is a handful of times when the glittering, high contrast print is replaced by a bleached and washed out insertion. ... Read more