Reviews (23)

Better Than The Movie!
There is something compelling about the movie version To Hell And Back which I first viewed as a boy in the 1950s. Perhaps it was the fact that the star was the hero himself "replaying" some of his own wartime experiences. Over the years, the movie has appeared repeatedly on television, and almost routinely on the History Channel. I've watched it many times. The movie, however, pales by comparison to Murphy's actual Medal of Honor citation. Now that I finally have read his book, the citation itself seems to offer only a fraction of the story behind his guts,determination, and eventually the horrible memories he endured until his untimely death in a plane crash. It makes me shutter to think of myself as a combat veteran from Vietnam compared to what men like Audie Murphy had to endure for the duration of their tours in World War II. But, it also makes me realize that war for frontline troops has changed little from one generation to the next. This ought to be REQUIRED READING for everyone who send others to war!

Surprisingly Good Hollywood Take On Murphy's War
The single biggest reason to watch this movie is that the star himself was in fact the single most decorated war hero of World War Two, and he is convincing here playing himself with dignity, sincerity, and humility, which, of course, Audie Murphy always had in spades. The movie was adopted from his best-selling autobiography, which my Mom let me read after blackening out all of the four letter slang (as she called it). Perhaps it shows that he was my childhood hero, and I still have a personalized autographed photo somewhere reading "Thanks, Barry, for being my fan" that a friend's mom got for three or four of us ten year olds at the time this movie was released in the mid 1950s. It was the first movie I saw ten times. And I wasn't alone; Murphy was a national icon.

The movie truly is a classic; tightly directed, poignant, honest, accurate, and showing gripping combat without being gory or maudlin. It sometimes decends into travelogue movie-theater type newsreel moments, but these are thankfully rare and forgiveable. On the other hand, this is an interesting and absolutely true story of a common and uneducated boy from rural Texas who wanted more than anything to be a soldier and serve his country, and his subsequent deeds and patriotism above and beyond the call of duty inspired a whole generation of us who wanted to imitate his call to country. Unfortunately we walked into another time and the miasma of Vietnam. But that's another story for another time. Escape back to a time when the moral choices were clearer, and a real live hero was available to act his way memorably through an accurate recounting of his extraordinary if abbreviated military career. He may be gone too soon, the victim of a plane crash in the early 1970s, but his lifetime admirers remain. Enjoy!

Very good
Hey its a good movie....but one thing that the movie compresses to the extreme is his act that won him the Medal of Honor. Its EXTREMELY downplayed in the movie. In reality he held off a German advance from 3 directions for over an HOUR....an hour!!! Then just seconds after he jumped off the tank it blew up.

Just wanted to set the record straight on that....

A Real American
My father enlisted in the Army in 1949 at the age of 18 while inspired by the actions of Audie Murphy. He went to Korea and fought bravely for the USA. I enlisted in the Army in 1992 at the age of 17 for the same reason. This movie not only makes you think but also inspires.

I'm embarassed
I have to say that after I saw this movie, I was a little embarassed that I had never heard of Audie Murphy before, especially since I'm 37 years old. This guy epitomizes the term "war hero" and his story needs to be retold. I'd love to see this remade so that more generations of people would know about him. The current version was great, especially because Audie plays himself. A must watch, especially for anyone who doesn't know anything about him. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Good, But Flawed
Although I have seen this picture well over a dozen times and although I think it's basically a good movie, I must be objective and admit that "The Green Berets" is basically a propaganda piece that at the time of its filming was an attempt to change public sentiment about our country's involvement in Vietnam. For this reason, as well as the healing period our country went through after Vietnam, the movie seems rather archaic and naive today. Those on the far left ridicule it. Those on the far right treat it with the reverence of a Biblical tale. The truth about "The Green Berets" is that it lies somewhere between these two extremes.

The Fort Benning, Georgia filmed training sequences appear to be as real as anything I ever saw while I was in uniform. The combat sequences, however, contained a fair share of errors, most notably the well-known "sun setting in the east" flub. The acting was rather wooden, especially from Wayne as well as Jack Soo, portraying the ARVN officer, and the plot meandered from being quite good in some parts to being downright silly in others.

The most important thing to remember about this movie is that it should be taken for what it is...a good war movie. To casually dismiss it as irrelevant or hopelessly out of step with the truth simply doesn't do it justice. In similar fashion, it's rather stupid to portray it as an homage to the American way of life and characterize those who point out this picture's many flaws as "un-American", as one previous review did. This picture is best enjoyed with the viewer's bias, be it liberal or conservative, turned off.

from a patriot who was not afraid.
if John Wayne had made something like this today he would be ostracized from all of Hollywood and from about 2% of this nation. he was a man, a patriot and he wanted to show the good of our struggle. vietnam was a war that was not unlike every other war, the only difference was our citizens. the baby boomers grew up spoiled (founding fathers of the modern left). they didnt understand hard work and what a country need's to do for freedom. the left will today say freedom is a slogan, that we will always be free, they will say bush's war is for oil or some uneducated and clichéd response, but freedom is not just about a war or occupation, it's the freedom to not be afraid to get on a airplane, the freedom to not fear going into tall buildings, the freedom not to fear gathering large groups in public. and for the arab world it means to not be afraid to have your wife drive your car, or wear a dress in public, or to question a religious authority. the whole idea of vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism, it was a war that transcended vietnam itself, it was a war to measure our country and our people's resolve. vietnam taught our enemies (and todays modern terrorists) that if they can scare us, horrify us or kill enough of us that we will cower and not fight. Stalin, Khrushchev, khadafi, Usama, and hussein thought this, and we taught them all a lesson through might.

just because liberal's think war is not the answer it does not mean that our enemies do also. we are not europe, if we do not spend money on our military, flex our muscles, set deadlines and take action no one ele will. we do not have anyone to protect us like europe and the world have us. terrorist do not seek peace, they do not hate us because we are us they hate us because of hollywood, because of our freedom from starvation, our comfort in life and from our belief that we can live life any way we want without regard.

John wayne in his portrayal of vietnam was not "propaganda" it was to boost moral for the country, to support our efforts in defeating communism. i read before someone said john wayne was no patriot, what is a patriot if not to support the united states and to keep it's moral up? john wayne did that, ask any soldier from WWII to the present day. i feel bad for the liberal's they hate everyone, stand for everything while believing in nothing and really do not know anything of history or of humanity.

THE DUKE HAS THE LEFT TIED IN KNOTS
In 1969, John Wayne infuriated the Left with "The Green Berets", a film that made no apologies in its all-out support of America's effort in Vietnam. It was lambasted by critics, but in a very interesting sign, sold out at the box office. It plays today and while it is heavy-handed, there is little about it that rings untrue. The soldiers do not swear, complain or bastardize their uniforms like the actual guys did, but their patriotism and military professionalism was the real deal. The Communists they fight in the film are shifty little pissants. This does not deviate from the essential truth.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

bad propoganda but a couple of gem performances
the performances of david jansaan and jim hutton stand out in this really blatant propoganda piece.
wayne the director and producer is not someone i empathize with but i do believe wayne the actor was vastly underrated.
too many people, myslef included, often let waynes politcs get in the way of acknowledging his acting powers.
this film is that in a nutshull.
his politics are unavoidable but the scen in which he wells up, on the verge of tears, trying to tell the young boy of huttons death is powerhouse acting pure and simple.
try to appreciate it.

A solid, well-made film
John Wayne like any other American had the right to promote his opinion. Period. ...

Now, the film is as accurate as any other Vietnam film made in that last 30 years because films are created to promote an opinion. (I've known Vietnam Vets who were not dope smoking, gun-totting genocidists.)

As far as action and commitment, the Green Berets succeeds as a solid "war film." No one who cares about good film making can argue that, unless they believe in censorship. The film is panoramic and energetic in cinematic quality. The characters are strong male types (like Vets I've known.) The film chose its side and promoted it. There is one strong element that the film brings home. The US military was better at killing, and it had to be. Most US detachments were generally outnumbered, fighting an opposition armed by numerous totalitarian countries from Europe to Asia. That is a historical fact, which interestingly enough, was introduced into a film over 35 years old.

The Green Berets, again, is a solid war-film and interestingly enough, is less fancifully than Platoon. The Green Berets is worth the time to see. ... Read more

Description

Three American astronauts are stranded in space when their retro engines won't fire. Can they be rescued before their oxygen runs out? Stars screen greats Gregory Peck, Gene Hackman, Lee Grant and Richard Crenna. Directed by John Sturges (The Eagle Has Landed). ... Read more

Reviews (16)

That Gene Hackman sure uses a lot of oxygen...
While watching Marooned (1969), one can't help but make comparisons to Ron Howard's much more successful and popular Apollo 13 (1995), but, as the latter was based on real life events, Marooned supposes a very likely scenario, one that asks what would happen if astronauts were stranded in space, unable to return to Earth. Oddly enough, similar events did occur in 1970, a year after Maroon's release, events that eventually became incorporated into the film Apollo 13...sweet irony...

Written by Martin Caidin, who also created the Bionic Man, and directed by John Sturges, who did films like Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Great Escape (1963), and Ice Station Zebra (1968), Marooned enlists a highly capable and talented group of actors including Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, James Franciscus, Gene Hackman (with hair even), and Lee Grant.

The film starts off with a seemingly routine launch of Ironman One and three astronauts, Jim Pruett (Crenna), Clayton Stone, or Stoney (Franciscus), and Buzz Lloyd (Hackman) into space. Their mission is to dock with an orbiting station, remain there for about seven months, and then return. The basic goal is to evaluate the effect of keeping men in space for long periods of time, with an eye towards manned space missions to other planets within our system. After about five months (in movie time, of course), the men begin to show fatigue, getting a bit careless with some of the non-vital equipment, and the decision is made to have them return a bit early. They return to the capsule, begin their preparations to return to Earth. Everything seems to be going alright, that is, until the computer fails to fire rockets meant to push them into their descent. Nothing appears to be malfunctioning, but the rocket won't fire. Well now this is a pickle...returning to the space station isn't an option as it's too far away. What to do? Charles Keith (Peck), head of manned space missions at NASA, comes to the conclusion that the situation is what it is...the men, having limited oxygen (we learn that the capsule will probably return to Earth under the natural pull of gravity in about five to seven years), that they are pretty much doomed, as there isn't time sufficient to launch a rescue operation. You see, all these scenarios have been developed, and the men who go into space are 'professionals' as Keith put it, and full on knew the inherit risks in their particular occupation. Ted Dougherty (Janssen), second in command behind Keith, is a bit more emotional about the situation, pushing for a rescue operation, despite all the data supporting the fact that it can't be done. So the fate of these three men is sealed? It would seem so, until Keith gets a call from The President...that's right, the big cheese, the head honcho, the main man...who tells Keith that it's all of their best interests to attempt a rescue operation. Not doing so would not only be the equivalent of political suicide for the president, but also it would effectively curtail, maybe even end, any future manned space missions. Given his orders, Keith gives the order to go ahead with the manned rescue mission, piloted by Doughtery. Will he succeed? Unlikely, as the amount of time involved in prepping a manned launch into space is extraordinary, and given the amount of oxygen the three men have left, it seems futile at best. Oh yeah, on top of everything else, a hurricane is approaching the launch site at the very time the rescue ship is to be launched...when it rains, it pours...

The film is a bit dry at times, given to so much technical information related throughout the film, but it really seemed the makers of the film focused on trying to make everything as realistic as possible. I wouldn't have thought a manned space mission could be put together so quickly, but it was made to seem almost possible here. Crenna, Franciscus, and Hackman are great as the three marooned astronauts, each reacting in their own particular ways to not only the claustrophobia of the tiny capsule, but also the knowledge that they are basically dead men floating, and their time extremely limited. I did feel Hackman's character, especially when he started losing it, seemed a bit out of character, as I would have thought dispositions to that kind of thing would have been screened out in the selection program, but who knows? Even the hardest egg can crack, given the right amount of pressures. Peck was great as the calm, cool, logical, seemingly detached from humanity man in charge, making the difficult decisions, keeping everything on track. He played the role of the pragmatic perfectly, appearing to be the 'bad guy' at times, but ultimately coming through as the perfect man to be in charge, especially at a time like this. This comes through the most when Keith informs the three man crew of a particularly difficult decision that they have to make, one you wouldn't wish on anyone. Janssen was also very good, but again, another character that seemed out of character, especially when he went off on Peck's character in their dispute over mounting a rescue operation. Flying off the handle doesn't seem like a characteristic I would want in someone in such a position, especially given the nature of the circumstances, but hey, I'm only along for the ride...

Anyway, is this movie any good? I thought so, despite it's over two hour run time (I think it ended up being like 130 minutes). I did feel a slight lack of chemistry between some of the characters, especially the astronauts, compared to those in the film Apollo 13, and there was less character development, too, but I still enjoyed the film.

The wide screen print is really sharp, along with the audio. No special features except a few trailers for other science fiction films.

Cookieman108

Good Film, But An Even Better Prognosticator
Though not an unflawed work like Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY was, the 1969 sci-fi drama MAROONED manages to overcome its obvious flaws. The film concerns itself with the crew of Ironman One who, after having spent seven months in a converted Apollo capsule (a precursor to Skylab and the international space station) to test Man's endurance in space, find themselves trapped in their capsule some 300 miles above Earth when the craft's retro-rockets refuse to fire. This forces NASA to try and mount a last-ditch rescue effort before the oxygen inside Ironman gives out and the crew suffocate. Complications involve having to launch the rescue craft through the eye of a hurricane passing over the Florida launch site, but the rescue pilot (David Janssen) gets some unexpected help from a Russian cosmonaut orbiting in a nearby Voshkod spacecraft.

MAROONED is, as I've said, not an unflawed film. The dialogue that the fine cast, which includes Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, and Gene Hackman, has to deal with is arguably quite banal. Another complication that arises is that the film's director, John Sturges, was better known for his work in the western genre (including THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN) and was thus not totally comfortable in the sci-fi genre. The third problem is that the special effects, which won a justly deserved Oscar in 1969, are obviously dated in ways in which those of "2001" aren't.

As a pre-cursor of things to come, however, MAROONED is unbelievably prescient. The film was released in December 1969. Four months later, in April 1970, the film's situation was echoed almost directly by the real-life saga of Apollo 13, whose three-man crew was almost stranded permanently in space when one of their oxygen tanks exploded on their way to the Moon. And like the 1995 film APOLLO 13, MAROONED shows NASA trying to come up with the right solutions to a very difficult situation. On that score alone, even though thirty years of cinematic advancements have rendered it dated to a certain degree, MAROONED still has considerable weight to it.

Just how bad is it?
Well, it's very slow. The movie actually has no real music. Just a electric hum. The special effects are very weak compared to 2001. Hard to believe both won Oscars for special effects. In widescreen, the special effects actually get worse. The story seems to take forever. And now lets start on the acting. Gregory Peck is featureless, Richard Crenna is dry and don't get me started on Gene Hackman. I love astronaut films like 2001, The Right Stuff and Apollo 13, but this movie left me bored. Are we sure that this was directed by John Sturges, director of the Great Escape, Magnificent Seven and Bad Day at Black Rock?

Kudos to MST3K for lampooning this movie (shown as Space Travelers). Now I'll watch it that way.

"we have negative retrofire"
Three astronauts, already debilitated after five months in the Saturn Orbital Laboratory space station, are stranded in their return vehicle, when the engines fail to fire up. The film consists of the efforts to rescue them, the air that is measured out by the minute, the tensions that arise between the astronauts in the small capsule, and their wives, who bravely try to cope. The plot could get predictable were it not for the taut, plausible script, the well-paced direction by John Sturges, the marvelous acting, and the sound. This is the only film I can remember seeing that has no musical soundtrack, just gripping sound effects that add so much to the tension. Even after repeated viewings, this film has an edginess, and it owes much of it to its imaginative use of sound.

Gregory Peck puts in another stellar performance as Chief of Manned Space Charles Keith, who is strong, decisive, and thoughtful; the conversation he has with the stranded crew about oxygen is memorable, and as the commander, Richard Crenna is terrific, and Gene Hackman, an astronaut with a high strung temperament, and James Franciscus are also excellent, as are their wives, Lee Grant, Mariette Hartley and Nancy Kovak, and David Janssen, as a fourth astronaut.

Four months and 2 days after this film was released, Apollo 13 was plagued with its problems, and went through a similar scenario; for those who believe in the powers of the mind, some could argue it was predictive, and others say life imitated art...at any rate, the coincidence is interesting, and one imagines that either the Apollo 13 crew or their families might have seen this film before their mission, and pondered the possibilities.
This film is classified as "sci-fi", though in spirit it is perhaps closer to the disaster films that would become so popular in the '70s. Panned by many critics, it is still alive and breathing well after all these years and the special effects, which won the film an Oscar, retain their freshness and are excellent. It received nominations for Best Cinematography (Daniel Fapp) and Best Sound.
Total running time is 134 minutes.

Unfairly bashed film!
This represents a look into the inner workings of the space program. It's an insight into the types of decisions people must make under extraordinary circumstances. This is one of the best depictions of the Apollo program until Ron Howard's, Apollo 13. I too saw this film during its first release and it has influenced my support for our space program from a very early age to this day. I'm very pleased that a DVD is finally being released!!! I have not been "fortunate" enough to see the MST3K version of it but I hear it was harsh. Please don't let this be your only exposure to this good film. The technical accuracy and level of detail alone should be praised. Also the actors could not have been better suited for their roles. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Unfairly dismissed by a number of critics, Two Minute Warning isan absorbing contemplation of the phenomenon of violence. Based on a novel by George LaFountaine, the story concerns an anonymous (and, until the very end, faceless) sniper perched above the scoreboard at a championship football game in Los Angeles. His lack of identity and unstated motivation is key to the film's air of cautionary fable, in which the killer's rage is one end of a continuum that includes many different kinds of violence among numerous characters: emotional withdrawal, police brutality, subtle racism, chips on various shoulders. Produced in 1976, the movie has all the hallmarks of the decade's vogue for disaster flicks: an ensemble cast, a web of story lines, and a lot of people contained in one place where something awful happens. But it is also something more: a successful exercise in plastic storytelling, a clever interweaving of a dozen discrete subplots with a mix of documentary and original action footage. The explosiveness of the football game itself becomes a refrain of ritualized mayhem in director Larry Peerce's patchwork film, but without beating us over the head with its metaphorical obviousness. Two Minute Warning may not be a great or classic work, but it is far more than the sum of its many parts and does leave a lasting impression. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Super thriller will disturb viewer
The teaming of Charlton Heston and John Cassavetes seems about as unlikely a cinematic match as one could imagine. So it comes as a terrific surprise when watching "Two Minute Warning" to see these practically opposite veterans working together so well.

We've seen Mr. Heston tread through such territory before ("Earthquake," "Airport 1975," "Gray Lady Down"), but Cassavetes as an especially intense SWAT team leader provides a unique presence that raises the level of this disaster/thriller several notches. There is practically smoke flaring from his nostrils as he puts his comrades into position to stop a sniper dangerously perched above the scoreboard at the Super Bowl.

The sight of Heston and Cassavetes staring each other down in a match of wills (Chuck is a veteran Los Angeles policeman who seems to love knit ties) would almost be comic if not for the intensity both actors bring to the table. These scenes are some of the strongest in the film.

"Two Minute Warning" has been conveniently placed into the "Disaster" genre of the 1970s for a number of reasons. Mainly the large cast of supporting players (Martin Balsam, Gena Rowlands, Jack Klugman, Beau Bridges, David Janssen) and the eventual riot at the Super Bowl which does indeed lead to a disaster of epic proportions. But calling "Two Minute Warning" a simple disaster film is not entirely correct.

What makes "Two Minute Warning" stand apart from this specific genre is the uncomfortable realization most viewers will encounter while watching the violent proceedings play out. For better or for worse, snipers do exist in our society. Acts of random violence are commonplace. Innocent bystanders catch stray bullets in the streets of our cities often.

What happens in "Two Minute Warning" has happened before and will definitely happen again. In fact, this film has now taken on an entirely new meaning with the recent terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

(...)

"Two Minute Warning" is extremely watchable due to a glittering cast, taut direction (Larry Peerce) and what-is-becoming a timeless screenplay. But such a guilty pleasure will cause the viewer to feel just that. Guilty. It hits too close to home.

It only takes one sniper...
It only takes one sniper to cause mayhem at a jam-packed Los Angeles Coliseum in this terribly underrated film that was wrongly tagged as an assembly-line disaster pic or a violent big-budget exploitation film. TWO-MINUTE WARNING gets good performances from leading actors Charlton Heston, Martin Balsam, and John Cassavetes in this well-made suspense thriller of police forces trying to stop a mysterious psychotic sniper from shhoting into a crowd of between ninety and one hundred thousand at a championship football game in the Coliseum. The film concludes with a horrible stampede of panic and horror that has all too accurately been repeated in real life in European soccer violence.

Although it has certain melodramatic elements and an all-star lineup (Brock Peters, Gena Rowland, David Janssen, Jack Klugman, etc.), TWO-MINUTE WARNING mostly avoids the pratfalls common to the disaster genre. And the climax, while indisputably violent (earning the film its 'R' rating) is never strictly speaking an overt case of blood and gore. And like Steven Spielberg with the psychotic trucker in DUEL, here director Larry Peerce decides to keep the sniper's identity a secret (until the end).

Since TWO-MINUTE WARNING is on both DVD and VHS, there is now no longer any need to see the butchered, watered-down version that ended up on television. It is in the original director's version that this film should be seen; it is well worth it.

GREAT S.W.A.T TUTORIAL
What is there not to like about this film? Merv Griffin sings the national anthem, Joe Kapp shows why his acting career went nowhere, Howard Cosell with the play by play.TWO MINUTE WARNING was released during the decline of the disaster film craze and the start of America's (at the moment) fascination with S.W.A.T. (the TV show, 2 classic episodes of POLICE STORY, the SLA Gunfight). As a disaster film, TMW is mislabled and unfairly bashed. TMW is a mover, there are few slow spots. As a S.W.A.T tutorial, it's great. John Cassavettes as Sgt. Chris Button, is dogged, sullen, realistic. When he arrives in the sea green AMC Matador, it's a minor highlight. I would have gladly suited up and followed him and the platoon into the kill zone.

This Movie 25 Years Ahead Of It's Time - Highly Recommend
The Two Minute Warning was a movie that seemed to have been forgotten about by most people that saw it at the movie theater back in the 70's. America did not want to accept this movie like they did all the Rocky films because everyone likes happy endings. People even accepted the Godfather which was filmed 4 years prior to the Two Minute Warning. There were many violent killings in the Godfather but people accepted the movie and it is still selling to this day. I saw the Two Minute Warning at the theater when it was released. I later watched the same version I saw at the theater on HBO. I was 20 years old when I first saw this movie and it stuck out in my mind and it was a movie I never forgot about. Nobody wanted to really accept this movie back then because they felt it was violent. Others felt that it was far fetched and this could never happen in America. Well whether they didn't want to face it back then or even today this movie was the wake up call which was ignored clear back in 1976. This is our society today!!!! If this movie would have been made 2 years ago everyone would take note and be serious about it. I have read other peoples reviews about this movie and they feel that stadium security at the championship game would have grabbed this guy. If you pay attention to the time when this movie was made security back then was laxed and nobody ever dreamed that this was possible. It is this same feeling of taking for granted that this could never happen that led America to 9-11 and the sniper killings in the D.C. area a couple years ago. I would highly recommend anyone who thinks you are safe everyday of your life to WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!! I am not a violent person and I don't condone the violence in this movie. However if you watch this movie you'll see how any screen writer in Hollywood could pick up a copy of the USA TODAY in the last 2 or 3 years and write the script for the Two Minute Warning. THIS IS A MOVIE EVERYONE IN AMERICA NEEDS TO SEE AND TAKE SERIOUSLY. DON"T EVER TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THIS MOVIE IS FAR FETCHED AND COULD NEVER HAPPEN. OPEN YOUR EYES. IT'S HAPPENING AROUND US EVERYDAY!!!!!!!

Watch this 3 hours before the real SuperBowl Football Game.
It's Super Bowl Sunday at the Los Angeles Coliseum and there is a sniper ready to shoot. This movie has an all-star cast: Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes and his wife, actress Gena Rowlands, Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, Marilyn Hassett, David Janssen, Jack Klugman, Walter Pidgeon, David Groh, Pamela Bellwood, Ron Sheldon and many more. The sniper is ready to shoot at one person sitting in the stadium. (Which Hollywood star will be the one he shoots?) Watch the film to know the secret. Who is the sniper? When will he shoot? Who will he shoot? All these secrets will be revealed as the suspense builds. This DVD version is the original theatrical version. This is not the NBC Network version were 63 minutes of new footage was added and the sniper storyline changed. NBC also cut out some of the shooting. This original version on DVD may be okay to watch three hours before the real Super Bowl Football game in January. ... Read more

Description

The saga of the Titanic has captured the world's imagination for almost a century. Its story of greed, loss and survival remains as fascinating today as it did on that fateful, moonless night in April, 1912. Long before James Cameron's blockbuster "Titanic," "S.O.S. Titanic" meticulously recreated the world's most lavish luxury liner and its sumptuous, gala atmosphere during the four-day journey leading to the disaster. The all-star cast includes Harry Andrews as Captain Smith, Cloris Leachman as the unsinkable Molly Brown, Susan Saint James, Ian Holm, Helen Mirren and David Warner. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

"S.O.S. TITANIC" (UK/USA 1979)
If you've seen "Titanic" (1953), "A Night To Remember" (1958) and "Titanic" (1997), but not "S.O.S. Titanic" (1979), you are likely to be disappointed with the latter, but not eveybody is. It is true, "S.O.S. Titanic" is not very accurate in its historical representations of the Titanic story, but the effects (especially the sinking models of the ship) are very good indeed. In my view, the characters are well developed, although (with the exception of the costumes) it feels as though you are looking at life in the late seventies and not 1912. It was the first Titanic movie to be filmed in colour, and I think the producers did a good job: after all, "S.O.S. Titanic" is only a made-for-TV movie. Stars include: David Janssen, David Warner, Cloris Leachman, Susan Saint James, Ian Holm and Helen Mirren. Not at all bad, but not in an accurate, historical sense.

Great Cast wasted by bad script.
I saw this movie recently on an old VHS release, and boy it is terrible. I saw so many wonderful actors wasted on a bad script that looked like it was originally written as an episode of the Love Boat.

It Is Edited!
This movie conveys the feel of ocean travel more than any of the others, including A Night To Remember, which was about the most British feeling movie.

S.O.S. Titanic gives more spotlight to steerage than any of the others, and endless scenes that are absent of music, other than what would have been the tunes of the time, also makes this one effective.

But scenes are cut! Scenes removed are:

*The opening scene of the Carpathian rescue (several of these scenes are spliced onto the end)
*The delightful sauna scene -- "I'll give you, 'Sheharrazade'!"
*Yes, the boot shine lads are deleted!
*Mrs. Harris' fall down the stairs and her standing ovation when she next enters with a cast on her arm (for the record, this did indeed happen, her fall and the cast. I don't know about the ovation).

*The steerage sing along of "Isn't she grand, boys? Isn't she grand?"

*Beesley observes the snoozing librarian and quips "there I sit thirty or forty years on."

*When Beesley jumps to the lifeboat, Fred Barrett asks him why he has his night clothes still with him in his hand, and Beesley laughingly replied "I don't know. I don't know."

*The sinking was longer (I recorded it off onto an audiotape years ago and still have it)

*Mrs. Astor's weeping scene was longer. It's cut here.

Thankfully we do get to see young Mr. Long and his companion, I believe, Jack Thayer, who had both been spying on the ladies sauna, when they jump off the ship.

We also see our boot shine lads debating prayer. "YOu a Catholic? Me neither. What difference does it make now?"

It seems like there was also a longer stretch of a steerage dance that was removed.

The movie is inaccurate in stating that Fireman Fred Barrett perished. It was Fred Barrett who was manning the lifeboat that Laurence Beesley leapt into.

If ever the complete version is released, I would be very interested in obtaining it. As it is, it had been so long since I had seen this movie, I didnt care.

The re-editing job was done wrong or the original movie was done wrong, as we see Helen Mirren observe Ian Holm as he enters the lifeboat, she is already aboard, then we get Mirren talking to architect Thomas Andrews.

It really does look like there has been a severe re-editing job. The scenes of the overturned lifeboats should have occurred after the ship sank, not just before. This is also when David Warner is trying to bring someone into their lifeboat.

For some reason, this is pieced together as taking place just before the sinking.

S.O.S. Titanic
Although a TV movie and looking very much like it, this Titanic picture is quite entertaining and leaves the audience with an accurate emotional impact of the tragedy. The acting, especially from Cloris Leachman as Molly Brown, is most excellent. The script is nicely paced and organized to create high sympathy for the likeable people who died in the sinking of the unsinkable ship. One of the most heartbreaking sequences is when the crying baby is sitting on the wet floor of the Titanic while it's sinking. High quality entertainment.

A good film that was the first Titanic movie I ever saw
I've been a Titanic enthusiast for years, and this was the first Titanic-related film that I ever saw. I'm very glad to see that it has been released on DVD, which I purchased a few weeks ago. I really like the music without voices feature, as the music used in the film is gorgeous at times. If ANYONE can name that slow Irish tune that Gerard McSorley ("Martin Gallagher") and Antoinette O'Reilly ("Irish Beauty") dance their first dance to (April 13), please e-mail me the name of it!! Although not 100% accurate on facts or people, it is still worth the watch. One downside to this DVD has already been pointed out by a previous poster, and that is the fact that several minutes of several scenes have been cut out. There is a scene with those boot cleaners that is axed, as well as a rather stirring dance in steerage on the last night, with the song "The Irish Washerwoman." There are other missing scenes, as well, but those are the main ones that come to mind. Maybe TCM will air the full movie someday, since it used to air all the time on TBS years ago. Anyway, this DVD is worth buying overall! ... Read more

Description

In a small Cajun town on the Louisiana bayou, a pack of wild dogs howla in the night. The body of a young girl is found viciously murdered on the property of a wealthy family. The townspeople belive the feral dogs are to blame, but as the killing increase, it becomes evident this is a mystery that holds long buried secrets. Andrew Rodanthe(Bradford Dillman) and his wife Louise(Barbara Rush)are the owners of the back woods home of the murder girl. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Moon Of The Wolf
Beginning with the murder of a young girl, a small cajun town in the Lousiana bayou runs rampant with accusations and suspicions! is there a vicious pack of killer dogs on the prowl? or, does the wealthy family outside of town have a terrible, oge-old secret? VERY GOOD STORY! WORTH YOUR $$$

David Janssen: Sheriff...
David Janssen is the sheriff of a small Louisiana town. When a girl is found murdered (was it a man or wild dogs that killed her?), things look like they're going to get exciting. But then, looks can be deceiving. Everyone sort of stands around talking. And talking. Sheriff Janssen investigates by driving to the homes of various suspects to... talk. And talk. A posse is formed to hunt down and kill any stray dogs roaming around. Finally, the dead girl's brother ends up in jail for slugging the town doctor, who had gotten the girl pregnant. The werewolf shows up, tears the bars off the window, kills the deputy, and murders the brother in his jail cell. Now we're getting somewhere! Well, not really. Nothing else happens that could be described as remotely interesting. The werewolf (Bradford Dillman) looks like a man with a dirty nose who needs a shave. His sister (Barbara Rush) spends most of the movie talking with David Janssen. And talking. And talking...

MOON OF THE WOLF
This movie is CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For being one of those 1972 horror classics, it definitely isn't! It is so boring and the wolf doesn't come till the end of the movie. In the future I hope movies never ever turn out to be as bad as this one!

How's it bayou?
Based on a novel by Leslie Whitten, this made-for-TV thriller blends a murder-mystery with an old-fashioned werewolf story. David Janssen is the southern sheriff with a string of bloody murders on his hands. An incoherent, bed-ridden old man down on the bayou babbles in a Cajun dialect of something that sounds like "luke-a-ruke." As the victims pile up, the sheriff finally learns that the old man is saying "Werewolf!" (loup garou). This movie is a mixed blessing. Most of the script devotes itself to fathoming the mystery, and red herrings abound. Time is also spent on the subplot of a mild flirtation between Janssen and Barbara Rush. She is of the local gentry, and her brother disapproves of Janssen's attentiveness. About 59 minutes into the 73-minute film, the movie shifts gears and the horror elements finally kick in. The local Larry Talbot suffers a peculiar genetic malady that usually can be controlled by drugs. Things get serious one night when the moon is full, and a young girl is brutally murdered. The fright makeup looks as if it came from a shopping mall Halloween shop. Where is Jack Pierce when you need him? Nevertheless, there is some suspense. As the werewolf pounds on the door, Rush barricades herself into the spooky antebellum mansion. There are no silver bullets to report, but there is a handy pistol with sanctified cartridges that have been blessed. Great foresight on someone's part. The '70s cars and clothes add to the modest budget look of the movie. Die-hard fans of horror thrillers should be pleased. Others beware. ;-)

David Jannsen Rules!! Nice Film!!
Set in Louisiana,after several people are brutally murdered,the local sheriff(David Jannsen)strongly suspects that the murder was done by a werewolfe.It's a very nice,must see film!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Deserves zero stars.
What a ... I wish I had read reviews about the DVD first. I just purchased this ... in a 2-pack for one dollar at Sam Goody (the second was a Jeff Fahey flick...don't ask). That means this film cost me 50 cents and I still got taken. First of all, warning about 2-pack DVD's marked "Value Priced Action Movies." Mine came wrapped in a carboard sleeve so you couldn't see the actual DVD cases. My DVD case for THE SWISS CONSPIRACY was a "second" with the title missing from the front and a thumbnail of the cover superimposed where it shouldn't have been. Instead of rejecting and replacing the sleeve (or DVD) they just repackaged it in a two-pack with a cardboard cover! For fifty cents I thought I could at least frame the sleeve like a mini-poster and use the disc as a frisbee, but nooooooo........even the disc broke after I flung it onto the freeway. Regarding the dreck within....it was edited for TV!! Repeat...edited for TV you ... ... What ... is wrong with Simitar, those major ... I've seen that once before with a film called THE KINGFISHER CAPER and now here we go again ... ...

Only If You Have to Have the Stars
This dvd would be an okay runthrough of 60's drek if not for the jerky editing and the bleeped words. The film was apparently obtained from a tv distribution company which has bleeped out some of the words for a tv showing. It may not bother all, but I find it maddening. None of the stars is at their best here. In fact, I've never seen John Saxon this bad. I wish more care had been taken with the release--as it is, I keep wanting to pitch my copy out. Simitar has done much, much better elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Moon Of The Wolf
Beginning with the murder of a young girl, a small cajun town in the Lousiana bayou runs rampant with accusations and suspicions! is there a vicious pack of killer dogs on the prowl? or, does the wealthy family outside of town have a terrible, oge-old secret? VERY GOOD STORY! WORTH YOUR $$$

David Janssen: Sheriff...
David Janssen is the sheriff of a small Louisiana town. When a girl is found murdered (was it a man or wild dogs that killed her?), things look like they're going to get exciting. But then, looks can be deceiving. Everyone sort of stands around talking. And talking. Sheriff Janssen investigates by driving to the homes of various suspects to... talk. And talk. A posse is formed to hunt down and kill any stray dogs roaming around. Finally, the dead girl's brother ends up in jail for slugging the town doctor, who had gotten the girl pregnant. The werewolf shows up, tears the bars off the window, kills the deputy, and murders the brother in his jail cell. Now we're getting somewhere! Well, not really. Nothing else happens that could be described as remotely interesting. The werewolf (Bradford Dillman) looks like a man with a dirty nose who needs a shave. His sister (Barbara Rush) spends most of the movie talking with David Janssen. And talking. And talking...

MOON OF THE WOLF
This movie is CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For being one of those 1972 horror classics, it definitely isn't! It is so boring and the wolf doesn't come till the end of the movie. In the future I hope movies never ever turn out to be as bad as this one!

How's it bayou?
Based on a novel by Leslie Whitten, this made-for-TV thriller blends a murder-mystery with an old-fashioned werewolf story. David Janssen is the southern sheriff with a string of bloody murders on his hands. An incoherent, bed-ridden old man down on the bayou babbles in a Cajun dialect of something that sounds like "luke-a-ruke." As the victims pile up, the sheriff finally learns that the old man is saying "Werewolf!" (loup garou). This movie is a mixed blessing. Most of the script devotes itself to fathoming the mystery, and red herrings abound. Time is also spent on the subplot of a mild flirtation between Janssen and Barbara Rush. She is of the local gentry, and her brother disapproves of Janssen's attentiveness. About 59 minutes into the 73-minute film, the movie shifts gears and the horror elements finally kick in. The local Larry Talbot suffers a peculiar genetic malady that usually can be controlled by drugs. Things get serious one night when the moon is full, and a young girl is brutally murdered. The fright makeup looks as if it came from a shopping mall Halloween shop. Where is Jack Pierce when you need him? Nevertheless, there is some suspense. As the werewolf pounds on the door, Rush barricades herself into the spooky antebellum mansion. There are no silver bullets to report, but there is a handy pistol with sanctified cartridges that have been blessed. Great foresight on someone's part. The '70s cars and clothes add to the modest budget look of the movie. Die-hard fans of horror thrillers should be pleased. Others beware. ;-)

David Jannsen Rules!! Nice Film!!
Set in Louisiana,after several people are brutally murdered,the local sheriff(David Jannsen)strongly suspects that the murder was done by a werewolfe.It's a very nice,must see film!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Deserves zero stars.
What a ... I wish I had read reviews about the DVD first. I just purchased this ... in a 2-pack for one dollar at Sam Goody (the second was a Jeff Fahey flick...don't ask). That means this film cost me 50 cents and I still got taken. First of all, warning about 2-pack DVD's marked "Value Priced Action Movies." Mine came wrapped in a carboard sleeve so you couldn't see the actual DVD cases. My DVD case for THE SWISS CONSPIRACY was a "second" with the title missing from the front and a thumbnail of the cover superimposed where it shouldn't have been. Instead of rejecting and replacing the sleeve (or DVD) they just repackaged it in a two-pack with a cardboard cover! For fifty cents I thought I could at least frame the sleeve like a mini-poster and use the disc as a frisbee, but nooooooo........even the disc broke after I flung it onto the freeway. Regarding the dreck within....it was edited for TV!! Repeat...edited for TV you ... ... What ... is wrong with Simitar, those major ... I've seen that once before with a film called THE KINGFISHER CAPER and now here we go again ... ...

Only If You Have to Have the Stars
This dvd would be an okay runthrough of 60's drek if not for the jerky editing and the bleeped words. The film was apparently obtained from a tv distribution company which has bleeped out some of the words for a tv showing. It may not bother all, but I find it maddening. None of the stars is at their best here. In fact, I've never seen John Saxon this bad. I wish more care had been taken with the release--as it is, I keep wanting to pitch my copy out. Simitar has done much, much better elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Great movie
Really interesting movie about the papacy, inner Vatican turmoil, philosophical aspects of Christianity, and maintaining your principles in a morally complex, often violent world. That might sound off-putting, but it's anchored by exceptionally strong, moving performances by the late Anthony Quinn, Leo Mckern, Oskar Werner, and others. Kind of old-school Hollywood, with bittersweet rewards--it's pleasing in the manner of 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' or 'Ben Hur.' It looks and acts like a movie made in the late 60's, but that's a definite plus in my view. Leonard Maltin's review is unnecessarily harsh--he must have been having a bad day. Or sore at the pope or something. Don't let it deter you from enjoying a very colorful, well-acted, thoughtful and old-fashioned movie.

The Authenic Christian Revolution of a Russian Pope
This 1968 film, based on Morris West's novel, has Anthony Quinn as Kiril Lakota, released after twenty years in a Siberian work camp to become a Cardinal and then Pope at a time when the Soviet Union and a starving People's Republic of China are about to go to war. The idea that the first non-Italian pope in centuries would be from a Communist country certainly seems prophetic today. Lakota is released by the Soviet Premier (Laurence Olivier), who is taking a chance that a sympathetic Vatican might tip the balance towards peace. Lakota emerges from imprisonment as something of a saint, admired by the Elder Pope (John Gielgud) for having refused to deny the faith even when seven priests were brought before him and shot.

Although the obvious comparison is to John Paul II, Quinn's pontiff is actually more like John Paul I, who was considered a "pastoral" Pope, capable of relating to the people more on the level of a parish priest. When he is elected and has to change into his papal robes, he introduces himself to his new valet saying simply,"I am Kiril Lakota." The politically charged atmosphere is a bit melodramatic, but the strength of this film is in its portrait of the inner workings of the Vatican where both politics and personalities come into play. My favorite scene is when the college of Cardinals are deadlocked, repeated votes having been "insufficient for election," and one of the elder statesmen of the church stands up to declare his belief that God has sent them the man intended to be the next Pope. With growing horror, Lakota watches as the momentum builds for his stunning election (Now if somebody could just explain to me, when reporter David Janssen announces "They have elected a Russian Pope" is the word "Russia" an adjective or a noun in that sentence? This has been driving me crazy for other 30 years).

Of the two subplots the romantic estrangement of Dan Janssen, the reporter covering the Vatican and his doctor wife, Barbara Jefford, is trivial soap opera nonsense, although it does lead to a nice scene where the Pope sneaks out of the Vatican disguised as an ordinary priest. The doctor sends him to the pharmacy for medicine and is stunned when he returns and is able to do prayers in Hebrew over the dying man. The other, with Oskar Werner as Father David Telemond, is much more provocative and provides an interesting counter-point to the main story line. Telemond has written several books, none of them published, dealing with what he calls the "Cosmic Christ." A Pontifical Commission is investigating his writings as being heretical. Certainly there is a sense in which this film, in the wake of the Vatican II Council, was trying to confront the Catholic Church with certain issues. Ultimately "The Shoes of the Fisherman" is a much more subversive film than "The Last Temptation of Christ."

Quinn's dignified performance holds "The Shoes of the Fisherman" together, aided by Leo McKern and Vittorio De Sica as a pair of Cardinals seated high in the Church hierarchy. This is not a great film by any means, but it is certainly thoughtful even without the provocative final scene in which the new pope proposes to actually implement "the authentic Christian revolution: work for all, bread for all, dignity for all men." Certainly it treats it characters and its subject matter with great seriousness. Michael Anderson's direction is hampered by the film's 157 minute length, but it is still worth the viewing.

Quinn and Werner make this a winner
This epic film has a few bumpy moments, but overall, it's vastly entertaining, with its fascinating cast, interesting premise, excellent cinematography and art direction.
Anthony Quinn is fabulous as the Russian Pope. It's a powerful portrayal, and not the type of role one would normally associate with him. Oskar Werner, in a part based on Teilhard de Chardin, is absolutely superb.

Other notable performances come from Laurence Olivier (as the Soviet Premier), John Gielgud (former Pope), Leo McKern and Vittorio de Sica (Cardinals), and Arnoldo Foa (the Pope's valet).
The part of a journalist (David Janssen), is used as a narrator, to move the plot along, and explain certain Vatican procedures, like how a new Pope is elected. I only wish less time had been spent on his petty romantic problems...the film feels more like an "Airport" movie while these scenes are taking place.

This is a sprawling 60's Hollywood treatment of Morris West's best seller, and I think it succeeds. It's thought-provoking, good for several viewings, and Quinn and Werner are riveting.

A Movie Every Religious Person Should See
This movie was great and I am not a Catholic, I am a Protestant minister. Even though this was just a novel and pure fiction, I learned more about the inner workings of the Catholic Church than I had ever learned from my years of reading about all the "Bad Things" in the history of the Catholic Church. Protestant history, and no other religion's history is "pure white" either. I'm talking about such things and the Inquisition burnings at the stake, and other hedious torture methods that only a feind from hell could think of.

See this movie, meditate on it, and realize the horrendous impack all religions have on Planet Earth for both good and bad. It has been said that if you know only one religion, you really don't know much about any religion--- I agree!

See the struggle in the Church to know God, to understand God's will, to choose its leaders, to be loyal to its leaders, to reach conclusion about all moral, ethical, and social questions. All religions go thru this same process to one degree or another, even your local church. Compare your Minister and the problems in your Church to the the problems of the Pope and the Catholic Church. They are not really all that different. We all have a duty and a tremendous responsibility resting on our shoulders.. We must try to understand each other, love one another, forgive one another, pray for each other, and work together in every way possible......

.....If we will do this then we can help Planet Earth and its people take a "Quantum Leap" up and forward in spiritual consciousness and awareness - where The Word(or Love) becomes Flesh in us - which will usher in a New Day, a New Level of the Kingdom Of God On Earth, that is beyond words to describe. Planet Earth People, are you with me, will you join me in this glorious effort? We all have a Divine Mission and Destiny to fulfill while on Planet Earth. Ken Pamplin, 4504 N.W. 11th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73127

Favorite Movie
This film is inspirational. The scene where the new Pope is proclaimed, against his wishes, he only wants a humble servent life is excellant. To watch Anthony Quinn's expression change when he hears that the Cardinals are talking of him is a classic. lso, his roaming the streets of Rome in a black cassock shows is humanity, wanting to get to know his flock. I think is conseling David Jansen's wife is important. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Magnificent epic equals magnificent story
As a longtime fan of James Michener I have enjoyed many of his works but none of them has been so well represented on film as Centennial. The book was super but was erratically paced and jumped back and forth in history. The miniseries, however, is wonderful. The casting of the characters was right on in both the main and supporting roles. Robert Conrad gave his best performance as the complicated French trapper Pasquinel. Richard Chamberlain was the perfect Alexander McKeag and Gregory Harrison did a terrific job in his ability to cope with his character's aging from a inexperienced farm boy to a likable everyman to an aging hero. Michener's story explores the discovery of the west and shows us heroism and cowardice, greatness and pettiness and is a superb history lesson which everyone will enjoy. The series presents this story in the form of characters you will grow to like, admire, love, hate and remember. People I've watched the series with have shown deep emotion and cried through the depiction of the Indian massacre (actually the Sand Creek Massacre but renamed for the story). They came to admire Dennis Weaver as the cattle drive boss R.J. Poteet and the young cowboys he helped turn into men. You will see characters grow and change. You will identify with many and feel sad as they age and die. Throughout, however, you will be entertained and you will have a greater appreciation of the people who framed the American West.

Memorable, if overlong western epic
The mammoth western epic "Centennial" has always deserved a storied place in television history.

This ambitious effort, based on the James Michener novel of the same name, attempts to cover the history of the state of Colorado, from the days of the Native Americans to the political/environmental dealings of modern times. Clocking in at 24 hours, it's probably safe to say that rarely has so much effort been put into the television medium. Unfortunately, "Centennial" would have been better served to cut it's running time in half.

The first five episodes of "Centennial," dealing with the settling of the American frontier and the eventual clash between pioneers and Native Americans, are some of the finest hours ever produced for television. This 1978 miniseries provides an early sympathetic view of the Native American, from the appealing chief Lame Beaver, played convincingly by Michael Ansara, to his daughter Clay Basket sympathetically played by Barbara Carrera. Throw into this mix the stormy relationship of trappers Pasquinel (Robert Conrad) and McKeag (Richard Chamberlain), and you have great drama on the untamed frontier. Their lives, and the rustic, changing world in which they live, makes for terrific historical fireworks.

Of course, Conrad's performance as Pasquinel, a colorful and memorable character if ever there was one, is one of the finest of his erratic career. As soon as his character leaves the film, there is an emptiness to the drama which is never quite replaced. And this emptiness damages the overall memory of this western epic.

Episode five, which details the disturbing true-life incident of the Sand Creek Massacre, in which hundreds of Native Americans were brutally murdered, is probably the last hurrah of "Centennial." The film soon switches gears to detail ranching life, farming struggles and the Depression. But the sense of wonder and awe seems to disappear, as the film wallows in a series of cliches (Brian Keith as the town sheriff is almost laughably bad) which resembles poor soap opera. The characters are not as multi-dimensional, and certainly not as inspiring.

"Centennial" rebounds somewhat during the twelth and final episode in which the valid question is raised as to what type of industry is best for the state of Colorado -- living off the land as our ancestors did, or mining the countryside for its resources. David Janssen is superb as a ranch owner and descendent of Pasquinel. His brooding intensity practically washes away the bad taste left from the frustrating boredom of the previous four episodes.

"Centennial" boasts one of the most extraordinary casts ever assembled for a motion picture. Almost too many to mention, some nods of respect must be given to Conrad, Chamberlain, Janssen, Chad Everett, Richard Crenna (in a particularly villainous role), Carrera, Lynn Redgrave, Gregory Harrison and Dennis Weaver (absolutely terrific as trail boss R.J. Poteet).

Appropriate kudos must be given to the beautiful cinemaphotography and the exciting musical score of John Addison.

"Centennial," essentially is a television history of the United States, from the early settlers to modern times. No stone is left unturned in this epic journey, and if the ambition was a bit more than these filmmakers could actually achieve given the restraints of the budget and the limitations of its marathon length, one can forgive these starry-eyed dreamers for losing steam during the final episodes.

Based on the first five episodes (11 hours) alone, "Centennial" is one of the finest works in television history. As a whole, the film sputters to a three-star rating. But for patient viewers, there are many diamonds to discover in the rough, unforgiving land known as "Centennial."

PLEASE HURRY WITH THE DVD!!!!!
THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST INTERESTING,WELL MADE, DYNAMIC
WORK ON THE HISTORY OF THE THE WEST EVER MADE. NOT ONLY DOES IT SHOW THE MOVEMENTS OF THE DIFFERENT MEN AND WOMEN WHO HELPED MAKE THE AMERICAN WEST, BUT IS SHOWS IT IN A WAY THAT IT IS HARD FOR ANYONE NOT TO GET WRAPPED UP IN IT. IT IS REMARKABLY CLOSE
TO JAMES MICHENER'S WONDERFUL BOOK. IT WOULD BE A GRAVE MISTAKE
NOT TO PUT THIS MOVIE/MINI-SERIES ON DVD. TO ME THIS RATES WITH
"THE LORD OF THE RINGS" AND "HARRY POTTER" FOR INTERTAINMENT.
THIS A REAL WINNER.........

DVD NOW PLEASE!! C'mon Universal!
In my opinion the finest mini-series in the history of TV. Universal Home Video must give this the attention it so richly deserves!

Centennial
This TV series was screened once in the UK on Sunday afternoons. It was an epic of it day. It was and is a must view program for all the family. Once you start watching you'll be hooked. The first 3/4s of the series are definately the better part. There is lots of lush scenery and a stronge flowing story with plenty of action.

We seem to have been waiting for ever for it to come out on DVD anyone any idea who we can chase? The money is burning a hole in my pocket. Obviously this is based on the video ... Read more