Reviews (31)

Think I'm Crazy for giving this movie 5 stars? Read on...
That is what I think most people who look at this would say. What lunatic would give "Roller Boogie" 5 stars???? Well, let me be the first to say that this is certainly a B flick. The reason I give it 5 stars is that it is the Definition of a B flick. It lacks in character depth, plot, script, and production. But it does all those things so well. The movie pulses to the beat of Disco, and this could easily be the "Saturday Night Fever" on roller skates. In fact, that is Exactly what it is. Interesting high points are cool shots of Venice "Muscle" Beach and songs by Cher and Earth, Wind and Fire. And while this film takes a back seat to Linda Blair's previous work in "The Exorcist", it was an attempt to show a lighter side to her talent. Unfortunately, she was forever type-cast as the anti-scream queen horror heroine, and her career took a plunge. For my summation I will say this film is at times humorous, with an interesting look at a time when things were a little more simple. And who can resist the upbeat soundtrack?

I just love roller boogie
i'm a spanish viewer, but i wan to say, three times in my live i see a picture like that, GREASE, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER and ROLLER BOOGIE, i got all of them in video and soundtracks except roller boogie, so please, can you guys try to tell somebody to bring to us the soundtrack of this beautiful movie once again, i speak spanish, i'm from Bolivia, y para que se den cuenta como gusto esta pelicula, por favor, encuentren el soundtrack.por siempre..... jad

Fantastic
This is a fantastic movie and more movie should be made like this FAMILY MOVIE not what is out there.
and you should get this back out on Rental so people can see it.

Blair boogie-oogie-oogies til she just can't boogie no more
Hey, the fact that I'm actually reviewing Roller Boogie surprises me as much as it does you. I sort of have this thing for Linda Blair, you see, and she was twenty years old when this film was released in 1979 - instead of turning her own head around (The Exorcist), she was now old enough to starting turning guys' heads instead. Unfortunately, all of the guys in this film are full-fledged, knee-high-tube-sock-wearing products of that awful decade called the 1970s, but Linda was looking fine from start to finish, and that's really all that matters.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually liked this movie. It doesn't look good on paper, though. You basically have the world's most ubiquitous cookie-cutter plot, a good deal of bad acting, tons of terrible disco music, awful 70s attire, and about ten times more skating than you find in the film Xanadu. You could give yourself a lobotomy and still predict everything that is going to happen in this movie, yet for reasons I can't explain, Roller Boogie isn't that bad. Linda Blair plays Terry Barkley, a poor little rich girl whose parents ignore her and thus drive her to rebel; she doesn't enjoy being a musical prodigy, and she certainly doesn't want to go to Juilliard. What does she do? She goes roller skating and, after meeting up with local roller boogie whiz kid Bobby James (Jim Bray), she announces her new ambition in life is to win the roller boogie dance contest down at Jammer's skating rink. You see where this is going? It's your classic poor boy-rich girl love story. Something is still missing, though. Oh, I know, let's throw in a sleazy businessman and his two goons, and - yes, I've got it! - let's have them threaten to burn down Jammer's skating rink as part of their evil plan to put up a shopping mall. Obviously, those crazy kids are going to have to come up with a plan to save their beloved skating rink. We cannot possibly let this movie end without that big roller boogie dance contest we were all so looking forward to.

As you can see, apart from Linda Blair's starring role, there is no discernible reason for me to have enjoyed Roller Boogie, but I did. That doesn't mean I want to watch it again any time soon, though. For my fellow Linda Blair fans, I say go ahead and bite the bullet and watch this movie; you'll be glad you did - maybe.

A definite time capsule
Acting - Fair
Plot -Fair
Production - Good
Music - Definitely fun

Why would I like this film? For one thing, the outdoor shots of Venice, California are well-done, and bring back memories of an fun time in a long ago place. And the music? Well, OK, it's disco, break dancing music, but it's fun to watch, listen to, and remember. The cast is attractive, Linda Blair does a competent job, and the cinematography is pretty good.

The plot is the oldest storyline in the book: boy meets girl, boy hangs out in roller rink, boy loses girl, boy loses roller rink, boy gets girl, boy saves roller rink.

Mark Lester directed the film. Lester also directed one of the classic drive-in films of all time, "Truck Stop Women" in 1974. (Tag line from that flick - 'No Rig Was Too Big for the Truck Stop Women'. Classic? You bet!). Roller Boogie is of the same genre. Not meant to do anything but to put rear ends in the theater (or the drive-in), entertain you, and leave you happy you went.

On that score, Roller Boogie meets the goal. Extra star if you like the music.

Recommended if you like late 70's LA, roller skating, and disco. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A faceless figure marches down an endless hallway as dark, driving music underscores his doom. It's stocky, stalwart Edmond O'Brien, who plows through the police detective's office like he's got nothing to lose. "I want to report a murder," he demands, grim and sleepy-eyed. Who was killed? "I was." It's a brilliant opening to a memorable film noir classic. O'Brien is a CPA who flees his dull job and small California town for a wild weekend in San Francisco, only to be poisoned and doomed to certain death. With only days to live, his incredulity morphs into a searing drive to find his killers and stinging regrets for what might have been. O'Brien is a familiar noir face, but he usually plays figures of authority: a cop in White Heat; an investigator in The Killers. He's a little stiff here, but his blunt, unglamorous persona is perfect for the Everyman who is randomly visited by death. Rudolph Maté, acinematographer turned director, moves from sun-bright day scenes to busy nighttime locations with few visual flourishes, but when he takes the camera into the streets of Los Angeles and San Francisco the film is energized with a gritty, restless vigor. It's one of the most relentlessly dark films noir ever made--taut, edgy, and low budget. Watch for the Bradbury building in the film's climax, made famous by its memorable use decades later in the sci-fi noir classic Blade Runner.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A great exhibit for the Film Noir Museum
It's a clever idea, really -- a man who sets out to solve his own murder before he dies. A businessman in San Francisco for a good time is given a poison for which there is no treatment. He has only a day or two to live. Driven by the need to know who did this and why, he uncovers a convoluted plot involving stolen iridium, false identities, and a cast of colorful characters whose motives I had trouble following. The protaganist's character is a bit fuzzy (the exaggerated portrayal of his compulsive girlwatching is just silly), and the dialog between him and his secretary/girlfriend is sometimes downright weird. What's really interesting about this movie is seeing how much certain styles -- at least as portrayed on screen -- have changed in just a generation. All the men wear suits and ties all the time, even while enjoying that crazy "jive" music in a wild jazz club. Edmond O'Brien is an out-of-shape, middle-aged chain smoker with a puffy face and a Ricky Ricardo hairdo, but several attractive women find him irresistable. The women, then as now, are thin and pretty, but hampered by elaborate hair, stiff clothes, and very strange hats. By today's standards, everybody looks old. And the police are polite to everyone!

An unusually cynnical film noir
The concept of a murder victim who functions as his own detective, gives to D.O.A. a unique point of view and also gives it a major status.
The inspiration for D.O.A. comes from a 1931 german film entitled Der mann, der seinen morder sucht, directed by Robert Siodmak (The dark mirror).
People manipulated by forces they are unable to control and comprenhend; that's a another important component of the film noir's profile.
This film, altogether with Kiss me deadly (Robert Aldrich, 1955) are the best exponents in remarking this point, because also establish a crossroad about the unknown consequences derivated from the technology.
Don't miss this weird story; an unvaluable gem and also well done film of Rudolf Mate.
Edmond O' Brien is top-notch.

based in false facts but superb
This movie is a clear demonstration of how it's possible to make excellent cinema based on premises frontally opposite to the movies of today. We will see the protagonist to react as a madman when he finds out that someone has poisoned him with an terrible, fluorescent, imaginary toxin. Also I doubt very much that can be real the attitude of the physicians dealing with such a case in saying crudely to the patient that he has only a few hours of life, and I don't dare to enter in ethical considerations. This movie doesn't admit microscopic vision.
And nevertheless and against all these, the spectator follows this unreal plot and remains magnetized by the movie. How is this possible? The response only can be one: an enormous amount of talent. Let's rest in peace the unfortunate DOA, he has deserved it after 90 minutes of a nightmare that we do not understand but fascinates us. Today, with all the special effects and computers of the world the same results aren't reached.

Forces Beyond Our Control.
A man named Frank Bigelow (Edmund O'Brian) shows up at Los Angeles police station to report a murder: his own. Frank is dying of luminous toxin poisoning. He recounts to police the incredible story that brought him to be at the brink of death in this police station in a strange city. Just a few days ago, he was a small business owner in a little town called Banning. He had an adoring girlfriend, Paula Gibson (Pamela Britton), who was also his personal secretary. But Frank had cold feet about marrying Paula and decided to take a little vacation to San Francisco to give himself some air. Paula called to tell him that a man named Phillips was desperately trying to reach him, but the name didn't ring a bell. The next day, Frank found out that he had been fatally and irreversibly poisoned. Frank's increasingly frantic search for the identity and motivation of his murderer takes him to two cities, into the criminal underworld, and onto the wrong end of several pistols before all is done.

Rudolph Mate's "D.O.A." is a film noir classic. And it takes the cynical view typical of the genre. Frank is a man whose fate is entirely beyond his control. As the audience roots for Frank to solve the mystery and find his murderer, fate unabashedly mocks his efforts. Frank is a dying man; what earthly difference will it make if he finds his killer? Whatever Frank does, the result will be the same. And it's all because he notarized a bill of sale...one out of hundreds of bills of sales. Who knew what being a notary could lead to? But for a movie with such a cynical story to tell, "D.O.A." has always been immensely popular. I think that's because Frank Bigelow is an "everyman" who rises to the occasion when difficult circumstances require it. He's not too smart and not too dumb. He has a nice girlfriend...to whom he isn't entirely faithful. He's basically a good guy, works hard, but imperfect. And when fate deals him a bad deal, he finds within him a strength and determination that even he may not have known he had. He's going to solve the mystery if it's the last thing he does. Even though it will be the last thing he does. Edmund O'Brian does an admirable job of conveying Frank's imperfection, his initial incredulity at his predicament, and then his determination when he stares reality in the face and decides to take matters into his own hands, to the extent that he can. The opening scene in which Frank enters the police station to report his own murder is a stroke of genius. What a way to hook an audience! The only fault that I find with the film are the ridiculous noises that we hear every time Frank spies an attractive woman. Their tone is completely inappropriate to the film, and they are a real blot on Dimitri Tiomkin's otherwise excellent score.

The DVD (This refers to the Roan Group DVD only): This film looks too contrasty and lacking in subtle tonality to me. Not having seen the film on the silver screen, I don't know if it was originally like that, if there was a problem with the print, or if it's a bad transfer. But the film stocks available in 1950 were technologically much better than this DVD would lead you to believe. The main menu on the disc doesn't show up before the movie. The disc starts to play as soon as it is inserted into the player, so you have to either hit the menu button on your remote or get yourself onto your couch quickly. There are two bonus features: An interview with actress Beverly Campbell (now Beverly Garland) in which she describes her experience being blacklisted by the Hollywood studios for several years following her appearance in "D.O.A." And there are a few pages of text that you can read about film noir in general and "D.O.A." in particular. Beverly Garland's story is interesting, but the DVD seems to be put together in a slipshod manner.

A film noire classic in every sense of the word
1950's D.O.A. is classic film noire, one of the true classics of the genre. The characters are intense, everyone is up to something, and the clock is ticking for one Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien), who must attempt to find his own murderer before his last grain of sand trickles to the bottom of the hourglass. Bigelow is an accountant who up and takes a week off to visit San Francisco, ostensibly to get away from his secretary and incredibly needy, codependent, marathon-talking girlfriend Paula (Pamela Britton). Once he arrives at the hotel, he's like an elephant in a peanut factory, trying to go every direction at once in order to have a good time with every woman he sees. While the neurotic Paula broods, Bigelow goes out to paint the town red with a gang of his hotel neighbors, only to wake up the next morning feeling less than healthy. A trip to the doctor's office instantly changes his entire perspective on life, for he finds out that he has been poisoned with a luminous toxin, for which there is no cure whatsoever. With anywhere from a day to two weeks to live, he starts off on a relentless quest to discover his murderer. The plot takes a number of twists and turns, and it can get a little confusing at times because of all the characters and all the shenanigans each of them are pulling. Bigelow has nothing to lose, though, and he refuses to give up as long as he has a breath in his body.

D.O.A. starts off a little slow, and the fact that a silly musical wolf call greeted the appearance of any woman early on had me doubting the merits of this film, but when things really get going, they really get going. The action and suspense build inexorably with each passing minute of the film, and the background music only reinforces the gripping effect upon the viewer. The camera work is also quite effective, strongly conveying the increasing alienation Bigelow is faced with as the Grim Reaper makes plans to pay him an imminent visit. It is easy to become mesmerized by all of the story's twists and turns, as on top of the great atmosphere, you have to think about each new clue and surprise that Bigelow encounters on his mission. You have to admire Bigelow's relentless determination and quick-thinking mind, and he quickly transforms himself from a character of dubious merit and possibly ignoble feelings into a tragic hero/victim of classic proportions. If the whole luminous poisoning thing doesn't make you sympathize with the character, the neurotically suffocating burden of love he has to deal with continuously from Paula will. Other films have taken this idea of a poisoned man hunting down his murderer in his dying days and hours, but none has produced such a gritty tale that drips with realism and builds to the type of crescendo found in this remarkable film noire classic. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

BORING!!!!!!!!!
Okay, what IS with all these dogs dieing? And if the mother is supposedly indian then WHY does she have blond hair? The dogs are cute,and the second movie is a slight improvement but other then that...

Disappointing
As an animal lover and a fan of such great tear jerker films such as The Yearling, Black Beauty and Old Yeller, I was sadly disappointed in this film. I found the actors were not that charismatic. Their clothing, hairstyles, and the sets appeared to be very 1970's(supposed to be depression era),and damn if that wasn't my 1964 Schwinn bike one of the kids in town was riding! When I finally turned it off, the kid was cutting down a beautiful old tree just so he could kill the 'coon that was hiding in it. Sorry, guys, but even the voice of Andy Williams singing original songs by the Osmonds couldn't do much for this cheesy redneck flick! Two stars for the cute puppies.

A man's Movie about a Boy and his Dog
A straight transfer to DVD from video but a very good cut. Where the Red Fern grows takes place in the Depression Era Oklahoma. The kid is absoultely dying to own a set of hunting dogs. He works his put off to earn the [amt] dollars that these 2 red tick hounds, Old Dan and Little Ann and then they become the top coon dogs in that part of the state. While I won't spoil the ending I will say as a dog owner I cry every time I watch with the love that those dogs show for there master and friend. A must have DVD for any dog lover. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A Coon Dogs Friendship!
This story is quite simple and is for both children and adults. The story is about a boys wish to get a coon dog. He lives in a part of the country where coons abound and its just natural to have coon dogs. The coons can be sold to England for money, so it is a trade for some. For others it is a contest to show how many coons there dogs can catch. Competition and sport becomes important to many who own coon dogs. The young boy is the main character in the story and his relationship to two dogs that he saves money to buy and than train is mostly half of the movie. The next half is a competition between other coon dogs to see who can win prize money and the trophy by how many coons the dogs can catch. The last part of the movie is sad and sort of hokey. I don't particularly like hunting as a sport so maybe that is why I couldn't get into this movie. The story revolves around animals being chased into trees and up roofs, etc. The cinematography is just beautiful and I would have loved to have seen this on the big screen. It sort of reminds me of the landscape in Songcatcher. That movie was based in the Applacians. The acting in the movie is pretty dry and not alot of affect in put into their characterizations. Overall, I rated it three stars. I love animals and this movie is all about the relationship about the boy and his pets but it just doesn't show that bond that I wanted to see. There were some scenes where the dogs looked so cute, especially when they were first learning to hunt coons. But that was not enough for me to up this to four stars...

The Worst Movie Ever
Wow! They can turn one of the best books ever into the worst movie I think I've ever seen. I read the book in my Language class. I thought that the book was alright for something that we had to read. But then when we watched the movie, it changed my whole perspective on Where The Red Fern Grows. The actors were horrible, the same with the special effects. And if you get this movie to watch what you read, you need to find something else. It leaves out some of the best parts of the book. I was disgusted with this movie. It may be the worst movie I've ever seen.

One of the best movies about friendship
I first saw this movie when I was in third grade and it is still one of the most heartwarming movies I have ever seen. About a boy who, during the great depression, skrimped and saved to buy a pair of coon hounds. After he finally got them he raised them to become the best pair of coon hunters in the county. What the dogs do for him proves an unconditional friendship to the end. I never fail to cry at the end. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

So good I wish I could give it 10 stars ! - by Damaris
Now after all the movies I saw I have to say that Where the Red Fern Grows was the BEST one.I have never seen anything like it before.I thought the movie was very strong.The movie had a lot of emotional parts in it.I thought the boy who played Billy was the kind of boy who always agreed with his dogs and who never gave up on them. Now I've been reading other people's review of the movie, and most of them wrote that the movie was bad because it was not the same as the book.Well, I thought they were wrong. There might be someone who didn't like the book, so they'd want to see the movie and if it was exactly the same as the book, they want to see the movie! I am Happy the way the movie is.The people who made the movie did a great job.

Where the Red Fern Grows
Our seventh grade just read Where The Red Fern Grows. It was the best book ever and the rest of my friends think so too. It just became our new favorite book and then our teacher, Mr. Cutlip, asked us if we wanted to watch the movie. We said yes -- we were so excited and when we first starting watching it we were so excited but the more we watched it, the more we did not like it. We got so mad at it because it was leaving some real good parts out because the book was just so good we all figured the move was going to be real good. We all were wanting to know if you could go back and remake the movie all over BUT this time make it as close to the book as you can -- then you will have the best book and movie ever. And trust me everybody would buy it -- I would be the first one to buy it because your book is so good my mom is going to buy the book for me and there is not one book that I liked to read until now and it is Where The Red Fern Grows. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Takes you back to the days of the drive-in theatre
Lots of 50's "horror" shows are "comedies" when compared to today's fright flicks. "The Alligator People" is a perfect example. This movie "swamps" you with its plot (a doctor experimenting with alligator serum turns humans into alligator people) and effects (you have to laugh at the alligator costumes). I rate it 4 Stars because it classically fits the mold of the 50's horror, giving it cult appeal.

Lon Chaney, minus a hand bitten off by an alligator, tries to take advantage of Beverly Garland.

Secrets in the bayous of Louisiana.

A cool all-terrain (including bayous) vehicle.

Seventy-four minutes of B&W fun!

Appropriately included in "Trapped in Paradise", another 20th Century Fox film. Check the flick on the TV behind Nicholas Cage.

Rainy Night in Louisiana.
A scientist tampers in God's domain and experimental benevolence leads to tragedy in this '50s sci-fi thriller. A serum derived from the common alligator can repair the disfiguring injuries suffered by accident victims. Granted, this is a new wrinkle in an old garment. The cure includes unforeseen after-effects over time, as the patients change into "alligator people." The science is pretty fuzzy, but it serves as an excuse for the plot. Beverly Garland is the determined wife, searching for answers to what is tormenting her husband. He survived a plane-crash because of the miracle serum. The guy skips out on their honeymoon after receiving a distressing telegram, and disappears. The film brings Lon Chaney, Jr. back from career oblivion as a drunken Cajun who lusts after Ms. Garland, hates 'gators, and generally raises hell. Lon's acting shows he sees the bizarre humor of it all. The setting down in the swamp heavy with Spanish moss is a weird touch. The fright makeup is a crocodile-shaped head mask and a rubbery lizard sweatshirt. Notice the gap between the shirt collar and the neck of the head mask. The interim stage of metamorphosis is more eerie. It consists of scaly skin and twisted human features. Except for Lon, the cast and director grimly proceed with a straight face. As old sci-fi flicks go, this one is less familiar, but collectors need it to complete their home library. Others, beware 'gators in the night. ;-)

BRIDE OF RE-ALLIGATOR....
A doctor uses a serum on his nurse, Jane (Beverly Garland) to get her to re-live a trauma she has no memory of. A very strange tale emerges: When her husband Paul disappears on their honeymoon, Jane traces him to a Louisiana plantation deep in the swamps where no one will tell her what happened to him. She insists on staying and discovers Paul is around but can't find him. Why? Because mad doctor George Macready is performing bizarre experiments with alligators (and people) and Paul is turning into an alligator! Lon Chaney Jr. co-stars as a hook-handed assistant with a hatred for "gaters" because one bit off his hand and Frieda Inescourt ("Return of the Vampire") is the mistress of the plantation trying to cover up the awful horrors as Garland gets more and more inquisitive. There's Deep South atmosphere to spare and creepy crawlies in the swamp as Garland runs around screaming. She's good as Jane and really put through the mill here. Obviously, this is no classic but it's a fun 50's creature feature for collectors with laughable make-up effects and a fun turn by Chaney Jr. with that hook-hand. No wonder Jane developed amnesia after this experience...when you see the "alligator-man" you'll know why. Gotta love it.

Minor Thrills in Gator Country...
The Alligator People is an interesting little tale of suspense and misguided science. Lovely Beverly Garland is a nurse, who under hypnosis recounts the tale of the mysterious disappearance of her husband, to a pair of dead pan psychologists.

The story unfolds in flashbacks, and begins on a train, with newlyweds Joyce and husband Paul Webster (Richard Crane) celebrating their nuptials. Their happiness is short lived, when after receiving a telegram, Paul suddenly departs the train, and disappears into the night. Joyce's search for him is fruitless, until months later she uncovers a lead that takes her to a Louisiana plantation know as "The Cypresses".

The atmosphere in the muggy, muddy bayou is full of danger and foreboding, as Joyce arrives there with a creepy caretaker Manon, played by Lon Chaney Jr. The lady of the manor claims to know nothing of her husband, and an apprehensive Joyce is instructed to spend the night locked in a guestroom.

There really isn't much action, but there is some suspense, as what we all suspect has happened, is slowly revealed (remember the title?). Husband Paul, suffering the side effects of an experimental medical treatment, has acquired reptilian characteristics.

Beverly Garland's performance holds your attention. Her character is intelligent and determined. Richard Crane is sympathetic as Paul, but it is Lon Chaney Jr's "electrifying" performance that puts some spice and sparks into the picture.

Definitely a B movie, but not a bad one. For a taste of old time horror, you could certainly do much worse.

Awesome!
This movie is good, because it is old, and black and white. Plus it has a cobalt bomb, and an angry cajun! The angry cajun tries to take advantage of the not so hot black and white chick. I give it the "Most secure radioactive material award"! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Twice watched flick
Nice flick, and yes, reminicent of Corman in a slightly more straightforward way. Not only does it lack Corman's dreamy camerawork, but the picture also seems by bits to be suffering from too much bright lighting, where there should be shadows and mid-tones. The film is well presented, the copy is very good, with probably the best picture / sound quality available. Definitely not terryfying to modern viewer, but worth buying, if you have all the Corman films, and still want more!

On the original movie.
Scoff all you want to about whether or not this movie is scary by todays terms. I haven't see the DVD but I saw the original movie back in 1963 as a six year old. First movie I think I ever saw in a theater and it gave me nightmares for YEARS. I have searched for this movie for years in ANY format to see (as an adult) what so terrified me in my youth. After 40 years I have finally found it available in a format I can purchase and view - and have just ordered it. After a long search, glad I finally found it.

worth watching
The movie suffers ironically from the "House of Green Gables", the most well known story in the movie. It dragged along, even Beverly Garland and Vincent Price's charisma couldn't hold the story together and that's saying a lot.
But I do recommend it. The first two stories were imaginative and well done.

THREE TIMES THE PRICE
While all of these tales might have been mildly scary back in 1963, the only saving grace for them these days is the fact that all three star Vincent Price. I applaud MGM's Midnite Movies for bringing us more of Price's work on DVD. While I consider this film weaker than a Corman flick, I still had to add it to my collection on the strength of it's star. Two thumbs up (and 3 stars) to Vincent Price.

Terror Times Three.
This is an obvious attempt by another filmmaker to copy the success of the Roger Corman/American International/Edgar Allan Poe tales starring Vincent Price. They even went so far as to cast Price in the lead role. The anthology of three tales based on the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne is worth viewing, but you have to be a determined collector of gothic horror flicks to take an interest in this one. The movie suffers in comparison with the Poe product. Instead of Corman's creepy camp worthy of multiple viewing, we have straight-faced tales of the supernatural. The first story, "Dr. Heidigger's Experiment" fares the best. Price and Sebastian Cabot discover the secret of rejuvenation and resurrect Cabot's love of 38 years ago. Instead of a dusty skeleton in a grungy gown, we now have a dishy blonde in a plunging negligee. Combined with the color photography and period detail, the mood here begins to resemble the heaving bosoms of Hammer. "Rappacini's Daughter" plods along, slow paced and poisonous, with its tragic romance. "The House of Seven Gables" tries to capture the mood of the classic novel, but it only achieves modest results before it collapses on itself. The supernatural overtone of the stories is subdued. Vincent Price grimaces and tries to look tragically sorrowful. The no frills Midnite Movies edition of the DVD includes the original trailer, but no bonus extras. Proceed at your own risk. ;-) ... Read more

Reviews (5)

What the?!
The original Vacation and Christmas Vacation have to be two of my most favorite movies ever. Why would the network even air this movie?! Anyone could have come up with a more creative script and idea than that! It will go straight to the discount bins, just like European Vacation.

Aw ....cut poor cousin Eddie some slack,
After all, he does have that steel plate in his head! Yes, Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase will forever live on as a classic for most of us but knowing that Randy Quaid has the guts to walk around in his skivies was worth viewing this made for television movie. I watched it, I laughed but we all know that rarely does a sequel compare to the original. Not sure I will reserve a copy of the forthcoming DVD (only because 2010 is a bit of a wait) but I will continue to hold Randy Quaid in the highest of regards for his unique portrayal of cousin Eddie. P.S. I think Snot did a fantastic job of reviving his role..LOL

Terrible Movie!
I was looking forward to seeing this movie when I saw that it was coming out. Boy, was I dissapointed! I can't believe that National Lampoon even put it's name on it. It was terrible! I am truly embarrased for everyone that was envolved with this movie!

They ruined the series
I really do not know at this point if the National Lampoon's Vacation movie series will ever recover from the HORRIBLE tasteless movie this was. Christmas Vacation 2 or that is what the writer called it is a disgrace it had nothing and I mean nothing to do hardly with Christmas the least they could have done was be someplace where it snows then maybe this film would have worked. Don't these directors and writers get it tropical islands and christmas time just do not blend together well it's like mixing Soda and Beer. The recent movie with Vegas Vacation was a failure but I mean this Christmas Vacation 2 Cousin Eddie's lame adventure really takes the cake of the worst one made yet. Randy Quaid and his wife in the movie Catherine were there and Audrey about 20 years later from the original was in it along with that guy Ed Asner who decided to show up for this geek fest. The plot was not funny the acting was sad and the location stunk! Maybe you get it by now Christmas Vacation 2 stinks! Don't waste your time or your money there is a reason why Chevy Chase was not in this one.

Needs to be a ZERO!!!!!
This movie [is bad] beyond anything. It is a total embarrasment to the Vacation films. It had nothing to do with christmas, all it was, was they were stuck on a stupid island, like gilligan or something big deal. This movie [is bad] dont watch it, nor buy it. ... Read more

Description

The classic suspense film that inspired the 1980’s remake which featured Dennis Quaid, the original 1949 D.O.A. still makes the blood pulse with intrigue and excitement as vacationing CPA Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien) becomes the recipient of a deadly poison known as iridium. Told by a doctor that he only has a few hours to live, Bigelow desperately retraces his movements of the previous 24 hours, trying to locate his murderer.See the one that started it all, a tense and gripping classic noir suspense film! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A great exhibit for the Film Noir Museum
It's a clever idea, really -- a man who sets out to solve his own murder before he dies. A businessman in San Francisco for a good time is given a poison for which there is no treatment. He has only a day or two to live. Driven by the need to know who did this and why, he uncovers a convoluted plot involving stolen iridium, false identities, and a cast of colorful characters whose motives I had trouble following. The protaganist's character is a bit fuzzy (the exaggerated portrayal of his compulsive girlwatching is just silly), and the dialog between him and his secretary/girlfriend is sometimes downright weird. What's really interesting about this movie is seeing how much certain styles -- at least as portrayed on screen -- have changed in just a generation. All the men wear suits and ties all the time, even while enjoying that crazy "jive" music in a wild jazz club. Edmond O'Brien is an out-of-shape, middle-aged chain smoker with a puffy face and a Ricky Ricardo hairdo, but several attractive women find him irresistable. The women, then as now, are thin and pretty, but hampered by elaborate hair, stiff clothes, and very strange hats. By today's standards, everybody looks old. And the police are polite to everyone!

An unusually cynnical film noir
The concept of a murder victim who functions as his own detective, gives to D.O.A. a unique point of view and also gives it a major status.
The inspiration for D.O.A. comes from a 1931 german film entitled Der mann, der seinen morder sucht, directed by Robert Siodmak (The dark mirror).
People manipulated by forces they are unable to control and comprenhend; that's a another important component of the film noir's profile.
This film, altogether with Kiss me deadly (Robert Aldrich, 1955) are the best exponents in remarking this point, because also establish a crossroad about the unknown consequences derivated from the technology.
Don't miss this weird story; an unvaluable gem and also well done film of Rudolf Mate.
Edmond O' Brien is top-notch.

based in false facts but superb
This movie is a clear demonstration of how it's possible to make excellent cinema based on premises frontally opposite to the movies of today. We will see the protagonist to react as a madman when he finds out that someone has poisoned him with an terrible, fluorescent, imaginary toxin. Also I doubt very much that can be real the attitude of the physicians dealing with such a case in saying crudely to the patient that he has only a few hours of life, and I don't dare to enter in ethical considerations. This movie doesn't admit microscopic vision.
And nevertheless and against all these, the spectator follows this unreal plot and remains magnetized by the movie. How is this possible? The response only can be one: an enormous amount of talent. Let's rest in peace the unfortunate DOA, he has deserved it after 90 minutes of a nightmare that we do not understand but fascinates us. Today, with all the special effects and computers of the world the same results aren't reached.

Forces Beyond Our Control.
A man named Frank Bigelow (Edmund O'Brian) shows up at Los Angeles police station to report a murder: his own. Frank is dying of luminous toxin poisoning. He recounts to police the incredible story that brought him to be at the brink of death in this police station in a strange city. Just a few days ago, he was a small business owner in a little town called Banning. He had an adoring girlfriend, Paula Gibson (Pamela Britton), who was also his personal secretary. But Frank had cold feet about marrying Paula and decided to take a little vacation to San Francisco to give himself some air. Paula called to tell him that a man named Phillips was desperately trying to reach him, but the name didn't ring a bell. The next day, Frank found out that he had been fatally and irreversibly poisoned. Frank's increasingly frantic search for the identity and motivation of his murderer takes him to two cities, into the criminal underworld, and onto the wrong end of several pistols before all is done.

Rudolph Mate's "D.O.A." is a film noir classic. And it takes the cynical view typical of the genre. Frank is a man whose fate is entirely beyond his control. As the audience roots for Frank to solve the mystery and find his murderer, fate unabashedly mocks his efforts. Frank is a dying man; what earthly difference will it make if he finds his killer? Whatever Frank does, the result will be the same. And it's all because he notarized a bill of sale...one out of hundreds of bills of sales. Who knew what being a notary could lead to? But for a movie with such a cynical story to tell, "D.O.A." has always been immensely popular. I think that's because Frank Bigelow is an "everyman" who rises to the occasion when difficult circumstances require it. He's not too smart and not too dumb. He has a nice girlfriend...to whom he isn't entirely faithful. He's basically a good guy, works hard, but imperfect. And when fate deals him a bad deal, he finds within him a strength and determination that even he may not have known he had. He's going to solve the mystery if it's the last thing he does. Even though it will be the last thing he does. Edmund O'Brian does an admirable job of conveying Frank's imperfection, his initial incredulity at his predicament, and then his determination when he stares reality in the face and decides to take matters into his own hands, to the extent that he can. The opening scene in which Frank enters the police station to report his own murder is a stroke of genius. What a way to hook an audience! The only fault that I find with the film are the ridiculous noises that we hear every time Frank spies an attractive woman. Their tone is completely inappropriate to the film, and they are a real blot on Dimitri Tiomkin's otherwise excellent score.

The DVD (This refers to the Roan Group DVD only): This film looks too contrasty and lacking in subtle tonality to me. Not having seen the film on the silver screen, I don't know if it was originally like that, if there was a problem with the print, or if it's a bad transfer. But the film stocks available in 1950 were technologically much better than this DVD would lead you to believe. The main menu on the disc doesn't show up before the movie. The disc starts to play as soon as it is inserted into the player, so you have to either hit the menu button on your remote or get yourself onto your couch quickly. There are two bonus features: An interview with actress Beverly Campbell (now Beverly Garland) in which she describes her experience being blacklisted by the Hollywood studios for several years following her appearance in "D.O.A." And there are a few pages of text that you can read about film noir in general and "D.O.A." in particular. Beverly Garland's story is interesting, but the DVD seems to be put together in a slipshod manner.

A film noire classic in every sense of the word
1950's D.O.A. is classic film noire, one of the true classics of the genre. The characters are intense, everyone is up to something, and the clock is ticking for one Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien), who must attempt to find his own murderer before his last grain of sand trickles to the bottom of the hourglass. Bigelow is an accountant who up and takes a week off to visit San Francisco, ostensibly to get away from his secretary and incredibly needy, codependent, marathon-talking girlfriend Paula (Pamela Britton). Once he arrives at the hotel, he's like an elephant in a peanut factory, trying to go every direction at once in order to have a good time with every woman he sees. While the neurotic Paula broods, Bigelow goes out to paint the town red with a gang of his hotel neighbors, only to wake up the next morning feeling less than healthy. A trip to the doctor's office instantly changes his entire perspective on life, for he finds out that he has been poisoned with a luminous toxin, for which there is no cure whatsoever. With anywhere from a day to two weeks to live, he starts off on a relentless quest to discover his murderer. The plot takes a number of twists and turns, and it can get a little confusing at times because of all the characters and all the shenanigans each of them are pulling. Bigelow has nothing to lose, though, and he refuses to give up as long as he has a breath in his body.

D.O.A. starts off a little slow, and the fact that a silly musical wolf call greeted the appearance of any woman early on had me doubting the merits of this film, but when things really get going, they really get going. The action and suspense build inexorably with each passing minute of the film, and the background music only reinforces the gripping effect upon the viewer. The camera work is also quite effective, strongly conveying the increasing alienation Bigelow is faced with as the Grim Reaper makes plans to pay him an imminent visit. It is easy to become mesmerized by all of the story's twists and turns, as on top of the great atmosphere, you have to think about each new clue and surprise that Bigelow encounters on his mission. You have to admire Bigelow's relentless determination and quick-thinking mind, and he quickly transforms himself from a character of dubious merit and possibly ignoble feelings into a tragic hero/victim of classic proportions. If the whole luminous poisoning thing doesn't make you sympathize with the character, the neurotically suffocating burden of love he has to deal with continuously from Paula will. Other films have taken this idea of a poisoned man hunting down his murderer in his dying days and hours, but none has produced such a gritty tale that drips with realism and builds to the type of crescendo found in this remarkable film noire classic. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Boggy Babes Battle For Ill-Gotten Booty...
I'm not a big fan of Roger Corman's cheaper-looking monsters (as in "the creature from haunted sea" et al), however, SWAMP WOMEN could certainly have used one of Corman's 8' styrofoam space-turds to spice things up a bit! Instead, we've got four women, consisting of 3 "hardened" criminals and one undercover cop, floating trough the bayou. We've also got Mike Conners and his half-wit girlfriend as hostages. It seems the "Nardo Girls" have escaped from prison in search of $200,000.00 in stolen diamonds. Unbeknownst to them, a policewoman is posing as their partner in crime. We get to see Conners tied to several trees, and his dopey girlfriend gets (mercifully) eaten by alligators. Eventually, the diamonds are found, the girls have one catfight after another (the only real highlight), and one decides to sneak off with both the diamonds and Mike Conners! This leads to her demise at the end of a spear. Beverly Garland is tough as Josie, and stands head and shoulders above the material. This film is 70 minutes long and would have been much better at 50 or so. Watch it if there's nothing else to do... ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A great exhibit for the Film Noir Museum
It's a clever idea, really -- a man who sets out to solve his own murder before he dies. A businessman in San Francisco for a good time is given a poison for which there is no treatment. He has only a day or two to live. Driven by the need to know who did this and why, he uncovers a convoluted plot involving stolen iridium, false identities, and a cast of colorful characters whose motives I had trouble following. The protaganist's character is a bit fuzzy (the exaggerated portrayal of his compulsive girlwatching is just silly), and the dialog between him and his secretary/girlfriend is sometimes downright weird. What's really interesting about this movie is seeing how much certain styles -- at least as portrayed on screen -- have changed in just a generation. All the men wear suits and ties all the time, even while enjoying that crazy "jive" music in a wild jazz club. Edmond O'Brien is an out-of-shape, middle-aged chain smoker with a puffy face and a Ricky Ricardo hairdo, but several attractive women find him irresistable. The women, then as now, are thin and pretty, but hampered by elaborate hair, stiff clothes, and very strange hats. By today's standards, everybody looks old. And the police are polite to everyone!

An unusually cynnical film noir
The concept of a murder victim who functions as his own detective, gives to D.O.A. a unique point of view and also gives it a major status.
The inspiration for D.O.A. comes from a 1931 german film entitled Der mann, der seinen morder sucht, directed by Robert Siodmak (The dark mirror).
People manipulated by forces they are unable to control and comprenhend; that's a another important component of the film noir's profile.
This film, altogether with Kiss me deadly (Robert Aldrich, 1955) are the best exponents in remarking this point, because also establish a crossroad about the unknown consequences derivated from the technology.
Don't miss this weird story; an unvaluable gem and also well done film of Rudolf Mate.
Edmond O' Brien is top-notch.

based in false facts but superb
This movie is a clear demonstration of how it's possible to make excellent cinema based on premises frontally opposite to the movies of today. We will see the protagonist to react as a madman when he finds out that someone has poisoned him with an terrible, fluorescent, imaginary toxin. Also I doubt very much that can be real the attitude of the physicians dealing with such a case in saying crudely to the patient that he has only a few hours of life, and I don't dare to enter in ethical considerations. This movie doesn't admit microscopic vision.
And nevertheless and against all these, the spectator follows this unreal plot and remains magnetized by the movie. How is this possible? The response only can be one: an enormous amount of talent. Let's rest in peace the unfortunate DOA, he has deserved it after 90 minutes of a nightmare that we do not understand but fascinates us. Today, with all the special effects and computers of the world the same results aren't reached.

Forces Beyond Our Control.
A man named Frank Bigelow (Edmund O'Brian) shows up at Los Angeles police station to report a murder: his own. Frank is dying of luminous toxin poisoning. He recounts to police the incredible story that brought him to be at the brink of death in this police station in a strange city. Just a few days ago, he was a small business owner in a little town called Banning. He had an adoring girlfriend, Paula Gibson (Pamela Britton), who was also his personal secretary. But Frank had cold feet about marrying Paula and decided to take a little vacation to San Francisco to give himself some air. Paula called to tell him that a man named Phillips was desperately trying to reach him, but the name didn't ring a bell. The next day, Frank found out that he had been fatally and irreversibly poisoned. Frank's increasingly frantic search for the identity and motivation of his murderer takes him to two cities, into the criminal underworld, and onto the wrong end of several pistols before all is done.

Rudolph Mate's "D.O.A." is a film noir classic. And it takes the cynical view typical of the genre. Frank is a man whose fate is entirely beyond his control. As the audience roots for Frank to solve the mystery and find his murderer, fate unabashedly mocks his efforts. Frank is a dying man; what earthly difference will it make if he finds his killer? Whatever Frank does, the result will be the same. And it's all because he notarized a bill of sale...one out of hundreds of bills of sales. Who knew what being a notary could lead to? But for a movie with such a cynical story to tell, "D.O.A." has always been immensely popular. I think that's because Frank Bigelow is an "everyman" who rises to the occasion when difficult circumstances require it. He's not too smart and not too dumb. He has a nice girlfriend...to whom he isn't entirely faithful. He's basically a good guy, works hard, but imperfect. And when fate deals him a bad deal, he finds within him a strength and determination that even he may not have known he had. He's going to solve the mystery if it's the last thing he does. Even though it will be the last thing he does. Edmund O'Brian does an admirable job of conveying Frank's imperfection, his initial incredulity at his predicament, and then his determination when he stares reality in the face and decides to take matters into his own hands, to the extent that he can. The opening scene in which Frank enters the police station to report his own murder is a stroke of genius. What a way to hook an audience! The only fault that I find with the film are the ridiculous noises that we hear every time Frank spies an attractive woman. Their tone is completely inappropriate to the film, and they are a real blot on Dimitri Tiomkin's otherwise excellent score.

The DVD (This refers to the Roan Group DVD only): This film looks too contrasty and lacking in subtle tonality to me. Not having seen the film on the silver screen, I don't know if it was originally like that, if there was a problem with the print, or if it's a bad transfer. But the film stocks available in 1950 were technologically much better than this DVD would lead you to believe. The main menu on the disc doesn't show up before the movie. The disc starts to play as soon as it is inserted into the player, so you have to either hit the menu button on your remote or get yourself onto your couch quickly. There are two bonus features: An interview with actress Beverly Campbell (now Beverly Garland) in which she describes her experience being blacklisted by the Hollywood studios for several years following her appearance in "D.O.A." And there are a few pages of text that you can read about film noir in general and "D.O.A." in particular. Beverly Garland's story is interesting, but the DVD seems to be put together in a slipshod manner.

A film noire classic in every sense of the word
1950's D.O.A. is classic film noire, one of the true classics of the genre. The characters are intense, everyone is up to something, and the clock is ticking for one Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien), who must attempt to find his own murderer before his last grain of sand trickles to the bottom of the hourglass. Bigelow is an accountant who up and takes a week off to visit San Francisco, ostensibly to get away from his secretary and incredibly needy, codependent, marathon-talking girlfriend Paula (Pamela Britton). Once he arrives at the hotel, he's like an elephant in a peanut factory, trying to go every direction at once in order to have a good time with every woman he sees. While the neurotic Paula broods, Bigelow goes out to paint the town red with a gang of his hotel neighbors, only to wake up the next morning feeling less than healthy. A trip to the doctor's office instantly changes his entire perspective on life, for he finds out that he has been poisoned with a luminous toxin, for which there is no cure whatsoever. With anywhere from a day to two weeks to live, he starts off on a relentless quest to discover his murderer. The plot takes a number of twists and turns, and it can get a little confusing at times because of all the characters and all the shenanigans each of them are pulling. Bigelow has nothing to lose, though, and he refuses to give up as long as he has a breath in his body.

D.O.A. starts off a little slow, and the fact that a silly musical wolf call greeted the appearance of any woman early on had me doubting the merits of this film, but when things really get going, they really get going. The action and suspense build inexorably with each passing minute of the film, and the background music only reinforces the gripping effect upon the viewer. The camera work is also quite effective, strongly conveying the increasing alienation Bigelow is faced with as the Grim Reaper makes plans to pay him an imminent visit. It is easy to become mesmerized by all of the story's twists and turns, as on top of the great atmosphere, you have to think about each new clue and surprise that Bigelow encounters on his mission. You have to admire Bigelow's relentless determination and quick-thinking mind, and he quickly transforms himself from a character of dubious merit and possibly ignoble feelings into a tragic hero/victim of classic proportions. If the whole luminous poisoning thing doesn't make you sympathize with the character, the neurotically suffocating burden of love he has to deal with continuously from Paula will. Other films have taken this idea of a poisoned man hunting down his murderer in his dying days and hours, but none has produced such a gritty tale that drips with realism and builds to the type of crescendo found in this remarkable film noire classic. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Television's first "Police Woman"
Pre-dating the Angie Dickinson series "Police Woman" by nearly two decades, "Decoy" starred Beverly Garland as Patricia "Casey" Jones, an undercover police officer with the New York Police Department. The series had a total of 39 episodes and was broadcast in the 1957-1958 season. The series had its interiors filmed at the Production Center in New York City and there are usually several exterior scenes of New York City locales in each episode, including one episode that's set at Coney Island. Beverly Garland is great as the no-nonsense cop.

Alpha Video's DVD release is a mixed bag. The first episode on the disc, "First Arrest" looks very good and is of near-broadcast quality. From there, however, things go down hill. The next two episodes, "High Swing" and "Saturday Lost," are of considerably less visual quality, yet are still watchable. Things rebound a bit with the final episode "To Trap a Thief." Given the relative rarity of this series on video/DVD, Alpha's release is certainly acceptable, though one wishes that Alpha had used better source materials. This series is highly recommended for fans of classic/vintage police dramas like "Dragnet" and "The Naked City." Look for guest stars like Larry Hagman, William Hickey and Simon Oakland, among others, in these episodes.

The episodes included are:

First Arrest (Episode #38)
High Swing (Episode #25)
Saturday Lost (Episode #24)
To Trap a Thief (Episode #4)

***** for the "Decoy" series; *** for Alpha's DVD presentation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

WHY WERE THEY RUNNING SCARED?
Dub Farley (Rip Torn) is a rough-minded mustang wrangler. He lives his life hard and fast, always on the edge. An outlaw in a civilsied world, Farley is able to find a friend in Mae Baxter (Beverly Garland). When Farley decides to break his old time friends, Halstead Johnson (Robert Blossoms) out of a security hospital, it is Mae who offers her assistance, unaware of the dangerous chain of events to follow... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Guys 'n' Thighs
Phantom from 10,000 Leagues is the only one of these features that deserves a single star. It at least tries to be straightforward sci-fi, even though its monster is so atrociously ill-made that it looks like a cousin of the Creature from the Haunted Sea--which is intended as parody. The latter has as much satirical savy, however, as a film scripted and shot by second-graders. Swamp Women, meant as jailbreak drama, should be of interest only to those who enjoy ogling short-shorted, cat-fightin' floosies--or maybe Mike Connors perpetually tied to a tree! Many of the players in the trio are competent actors (seeing them in other films proves this), but the sandwiching cinema is so shoddy that one would be better served acquiring Phantom as a single. It at least has a plot more expansive than that better suited for a short!

Quantity and price make it worthwhile for bad movie lovers.
None of the movies here represented can individually redeem a purchase, even for camp aficionados, but together on one disc you can hardly go wrong. Additionally, the prints are average at best, but come on... these movies are not likely to receive Criterion Collection treatment anytime soon. So for the price, they're fine.

As with a lot of the dvds in this "horror classics" series, the inclusion of at least one of the movies is questionable. Here that would be the crime-based Swamp Women. Yet, I'm glad, because it exists on dvd nowhere else. The other films exist in other formats, and have been amply reviewed, sometimes by me, so I will constrain my comments to Swamp Women. (Phantom gets a dull 2 stars, Creature gets a sometimes-good 3 stars.)

Swamp Women itself is no great shakes, earning a shaky three stars. You need to know little besides "1955" and "Corman" to figure that out. His movies from this early period are gratingly inept, but without a lot of the goofy charm that they possessed just a few years later. The draw is the cast: Beverly (Pretty Poison) Garland, Marie (The Killing) Windsor and Mike "Touch" Connors, of Mannix renown. The story involves a butchy policewoman going undercover in a Louisiana jail to infiltrate a gang of broads (led by Windsor, whose screen name is Josie. Would that make them Josie and the Alleycats?) who know where their former boyfriends hid a cache of stolen diamonds. The hard-bitten ladies take her into their confidence at once, as they perform "hard labor" in what appears to be a cigarette warehouse. They escape easily by climbing out a window, and run to a waiting car. None of this arouses any suspicion.

They change (offscreen) into pastel shirts, then commandeer a motorboat which holds Connors and his girlfriend ("Hey, baby, wanna tour the swamp?"), and a guide, who is shot dead so that penny-pincher Corman could pay him only for an hour's work. Connors, the nominal hero, is knocked cold by one weenie Windsor punch. The policewoman must then balance her hardened criminal act with her attempt to keep the hostages alive.

They all head toward the diamonds, inserting lots of padding and filler and stock footage, making time for bickering and cutting off the women's jeans to make them into short shorts. This meager bit of cheesecake helps the movie a whole bunch. They fight over Connors' affections as he is tied to a tree, and Garland has a nice wrestling match with the Jan Sterling-esque Jill Jarmyn (If you're familiar with Jarmyn's history, you know she's had practice). Plus, Connors, who earlier had been KO'd by Windsor, battles an alligator and kills it quite simply. Yet not before the budget-conscious Corman allows it to bloodlessly kill the girlfriend, who was flailing in clearly much bluer, cleaner water. (Personally, I think this scene was inserted later only at the behest of Connors and his agent, so Touch would not be the most worthless "hero" in the history of cinema.)

The movie tries hard to be tough and mean, like the caper films of the period, but it doesn't walk the walk, and it certainly can't talk the talk. Windsor's main hard-boiled line (over and over) is "Cut it out, you two!" The Asphalt Jungle this is not. Eventually they reach the "buried" loot, which appeared to be no more than delicately wrapped in dry reeds, rather like a tamale. More squabbling occurs. Then the group begins their trek back out of the swamp. Ill-planned double-crosses, a shootout that wouldn't have needed to happen, a javelin toss, a rattlesnake, a poignant death, catfights, oarfights, headbutts and a circling police helicopter ensue before a romantic fadeout that is just ... yucky.

Now I shall cowboy up and admit my particular bias. Beverly Garland was one of the few B Scream Queens who could act, really act. But it gave me no great pleasure to see her acting like a kill-crazed Bayou Barbie. And although her rassling matches with Jarmyn made me wish this had been made 10 years later, they were somewhat offputting, in part because they were quite convincing. I also did not like her playing second banana to Windsor. I won't even begin to discuss Garland's demise.

In fact, the whole cast is decent. But the script and direction are so bad and unambitious that they annoy, rather than elate. Not enough happens to be truly, memorably terrible. (I find bad noir less appealing than bad sci-fi.) A felt-and-rubber Blaisdell monster would've helped.

As always, when I describe early Corman, I like it better now, having reviewed it. Writing all the silliness down gives me a chance to process it; what was merely blah before brings chuckles in retrospect. But I don't know that it would help on repeated viewings.

Still, the three mediocre movies combined make for a dvd worth owning. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A great exhibit for the Film Noir Museum
It's a clever idea, really -- a man who sets out to solve his own murder before he dies. A businessman in San Francisco for a good time is given a poison for which there is no treatment. He has only a day or two to live. Driven by the need to know who did this and why, he uncovers a convoluted plot involving stolen iridium, false identities, and a cast of colorful characters whose motives I had trouble following. The protaganist's character is a bit fuzzy (the exaggerated portrayal of his compulsive girlwatching is just silly), and the dialog between him and his secretary/girlfriend is sometimes downright weird. What's really interesting about this movie is seeing how much certain styles -- at least as portrayed on screen -- have changed in just a generation. All the men wear suits and ties all the time, even while enjoying that crazy "jive" music in a wild jazz club. Edmond O'Brien is an out-of-shape, middle-aged chain smoker with a puffy face and a Ricky Ricardo hairdo, but several attractive women find him irresistable. The women, then as now, are thin and pretty, but hampered by elaborate hair, stiff clothes, and very strange hats. By today's standards, everybody looks old. And the police are polite to everyone!

An unusually cynnical film noir
The concept of a murder victim who functions as his own detective, gives to D.O.A. a unique point of view and also gives it a major status.
The inspiration for D.O.A. comes from a 1931 german film entitled Der mann, der seinen morder sucht, directed by Robert Siodmak (The dark mirror).
People manipulated by forces they are unable to control and comprenhend; that's a another important component of the film noir's profile.
This film, altogether with Kiss me deadly (Robert Aldrich, 1955) are the best exponents in remarking this point, because also establish a crossroad about the unknown consequences derivated from the technology.
Don't miss this weird story; an unvaluable gem and also well done film of Rudolf Mate.
Edmond O' Brien is top-notch.

based in false facts but superb
This movie is a clear demonstration of how it's possible to make excellent cinema based on premises frontally opposite to the movies of today. We will see the protagonist to react as a madman when he finds out that someone has poisoned him with an terrible, fluorescent, imaginary toxin. Also I doubt very much that can be real the attitude of the physicians dealing with such a case in saying crudely to the patient that he has only a few hours of life, and I don't dare to enter in ethical considerations. This movie doesn't admit microscopic vision.
And nevertheless and against all these, the spectator follows this unreal plot and remains magnetized by the movie. How is this possible? The response only can be one: an enormous amount of talent. Let's rest in peace the unfortunate DOA, he has deserved it after 90 minutes of a nightmare that we do not understand but fascinates us. Today, with all the special effects and computers of the world the same results aren't reached.

Forces Beyond Our Control.
A man named Frank Bigelow (Edmund O'Brian) shows up at Los Angeles police station to report a murder: his own. Frank is dying of luminous toxin poisoning. He recounts to police the incredible story that brought him to be at the brink of death in this police station in a strange city. Just a few days ago, he was a small business owner in a little town called Banning. He had an adoring girlfriend, Paula Gibson (Pamela Britton), who was also his personal secretary. But Frank had cold feet about marrying Paula and decided to take a little vacation to San Francisco to give himself some air. Paula called to tell him that a man named Phillips was desperately trying to reach him, but the name didn't ring a bell. The next day, Frank found out that he had been fatally and irreversibly poisoned. Frank's increasingly frantic search for the identity and motivation of his murderer takes him to two cities, into the criminal underworld, and onto the wrong end of several pistols before all is done.

Rudolph Mate's "D.O.A." is a film noir classic. And it takes the cynical view typical of the genre. Frank is a man whose fate is entirely beyond his control. As the audience roots for Frank to solve the mystery and find his murderer, fate unabashedly mocks his efforts. Frank is a dying man; what earthly difference will it make if he finds his killer? Whatever Frank does, the result will be the same. And it's all because he notarized a bill of sale...one out of hundreds of bills of sales. Who knew what being a notary could lead to? But for a movie with such a cynical story to tell, "D.O.A." has always been immensely popular. I think that's because Frank Bigelow is an "everyman" who rises to the occasion when difficult circumstances require it. He's not too smart and not too dumb. He has a nice girlfriend...to whom he isn't entirely faithful. He's basically a good guy, works hard, but imperfect. And when fate deals him a bad deal, he finds within him a strength and determination that even he may not have known he had. He's going to solve the mystery if it's the last thing he does. Even though it will be the last thing he does. Edmund O'Brian does an admirable job of conveying Frank's imperfection, his initial incredulity at his predicament, and then his determination when he stares reality in the face and decides to take matters into his own hands, to the extent that he can. The opening scene in which Frank enters the police station to report his own murder is a stroke of genius. What a way to hook an audience! The only fault that I find with the film are the ridiculous noises that we hear every time Frank spies an attractive woman. Their tone is completely inappropriate to the film, and they are a real blot on Dimitri Tiomkin's otherwise excellent score.

The DVD (This refers to the Roan Group DVD only): This film looks too contrasty and lacking in subtle tonality to me. Not having seen the film on the silver screen, I don't know if it was originally like that, if there was a problem with the print, or if it's a bad transfer. But the film stocks available in 1950 were technologically much better than this DVD would lead you to believe. The main menu on the disc doesn't show up before the movie. The disc starts to play as soon as it is inserted into the player, so you have to either hit the menu button on your remote or get yourself onto your couch quickly. There are two bonus features: An interview with actress Beverly Campbell (now Beverly Garland) in which she describes her experience being blacklisted by the Hollywood studios for several years following her appearance in "D.O.A." And there are a few pages of text that you can read about film noir in general and "D.O.A." in particular. Beverly Garland's story is interesting, but the DVD seems to be put together in a slipshod manner.

A film noire classic in every sense of the word
1950's D.O.A. is classic film noire, one of the true classics of the genre. The characters are intense, everyone is up to something, and the clock is ticking for one Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien), who must attempt to find his own murderer before his last grain of sand trickles to the bottom of the hourglass. Bigelow is an accountant who up and takes a week off to visit San Francisco, ostensibly to get away from his secretary and incredibly needy, codependent, marathon-talking girlfriend Paula (Pamela Britton). Once he arrives at the hotel, he's like an elephant in a peanut factory, trying to go every direction at once in order to have a good time with every woman he sees. While the neurotic Paula broods, Bigelow goes out to paint the town red with a gang of his hotel neighbors, only to wake up the next morning feeling less than healthy. A trip to the doctor's office instantly changes his entire perspective on life, for he finds out that he has been poisoned with a luminous toxin, for which there is no cure whatsoever. With anywhere from a day to two weeks to live, he starts off on a relentless quest to discover his murderer. The plot takes a number of twists and turns, and it can get a little confusing at times because of all the characters and all the shenanigans each of them are pulling. Bigelow has nothing to lose, though, and he refuses to give up as long as he has a breath in his body.

D.O.A. starts off a little slow, and the fact that a silly musical wolf call greeted the appearance of any woman early on had me doubting the merits of this film, but when things really get going, they really get going. The action and suspense build inexorably with each passing minute of the film, and the background music only reinforces the gripping effect upon the viewer. The camera work is also quite effective, strongly conveying the increasing alienation Bigelow is faced with as the Grim Reaper makes plans to pay him an imminent visit. It is easy to become mesmerized by all of the story's twists and turns, as on top of the great atmosphere, you have to think about each new clue and surprise that Bigelow encounters on his mission. You have to admire Bigelow's relentless determination and quick-thinking mind, and he quickly transforms himself from a character of dubious merit and possibly ignoble feelings into a tragic hero/victim of classic proportions. If the whole luminous poisoning thing doesn't make you sympathize with the character, the neurotically suffocating burden of love he has to deal with continuously from Paula will. Other films have taken this idea of a poisoned man hunting down his murderer in his dying days and hours, but none has produced such a gritty tale that drips with realism and builds to the type of crescendo found in this remarkable film noire classic. ... Read more