Description

As the millennium draws to a close, civilization is on the verge of collapse. Gangs rule the streets. Books are burned for fuel. And a monstrous force from outer space is destroying the world's youth. Planet Earth is in dire need of a hero. Enter the world's greatest rocket scientist--Professor Bernard Quatermass. Fresh out of retirement, the aging Quatermass is as brilliant and plucky as ever. While London crumbles under anarchy, the professor uses his powerful intellect to marshal assistance from American and Russian quarters and combat what could be the planet's final enemy. Along the way, he hopes to be reunited with his missing 16-year-old granddaughter. One of sci-fi's most original creations, inspiring favorites like The X-Files, this classic 1970s production of QUATERMASS stars Academy Award®-winner Sir John Mills (Ryan's Daughter, Gandhi) and features all fourepisodes, plus the rarely-seen theatrical version, on DVD for the first time ever. DVD Features: THE QUATERMASS CONCLUSION--The Rare, Feature-Length Theatrical Version; "Enduring Mystery of Stonehenge" episode from THE HISTORY CHANNEL®'s award-winning series In Search of History; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Last of Quatermass
Enjoyable but in some ways the weakest entry in the Quatermass series.Certainly not as fearsome or disturbing as the earlier three films.As the film opens, most of the world has plunged into anarchy and decay.Hordes of young people in hippie garb start gathering at ancient stone rings throughout the world expecting to be teleported to some better planet.When the groups start vanishing in blazes of light, Quatermass begins a plan to stop what he sees as an alien assault.The 2-DVD set includes both the original TV version and the shorter theatrical release as well as a TV documentary about the mystery of Stonehenge.Both versions are much the same except for length as certain elements of the series were excised from the film.The TV version seems superior and will be welcomed by those only familiar with the earlier VHS release of the theatrical film.The gradual escalation of the alien menace is much more vivid.John Mills is effective as Quatermass though not quite as good Andrew Keir.Neither is the story quite as strong as Quatermass and the Pit.Still it is fun viewing with heavy overtones of Charles Fort.The film clearly did not have a huge budget but does make effective use of what they could get.The print looks good and the sound is ok.There are no subtitles available, no commentary, and no trailers.For those new to the series, The Quatermass Xperiment or Quatermass and the Pit are probably better starting points.For fans of the series, this is a must-see.

Gripping, intelligent science fiction.
It's a given among science fiction aficionados that the three theatrically released Quatermass films are among the best of British science fiction.This rarely seen, final installment of the series does nothing to tarnish its reputation. Available up till now in a severly truncated version, the complete 4-hour mini-series is now available, and well worth getting.
The premise of 'Quatermass' has to do with an alien 'force' (a beam of energy), originating from a distant part of the universe, which "harvests" human beings.It seems that the beings behind this 'force' visited Earth 5,000 years previously, leaving a collective fright among the human population.As a result of that event, the early peoples constructed megaliths (Stonehenge, Ringstone Round, etc.) to mark places where the aliens landed, and where they left transmitters or beacons under the earth.As the film begins, we see a world in decay.Social and environmental calamaties have been rife, with barbaric tribalism resurgent.Young people seem to be in the grip of some kind of collective madness, compelled to mass at these megalithic locations.It seems that that the alien 'collectors' are drawn to the physiology of younger humans (this assumes great significance as the film progresses).The young, anxious to leave behind this bleak environment, believe they will be taken to another planet (they call themselves 'Planet People').
When large crowds of the young arrive at the various locations, a strange beam emanates from the sky to the location. Puff, they are all gone, leaving only charred dust. This is, as we learn, the "gathering time" for this 'harvest'. Quatermass (well played by John Mills) discovers the truth, and and sets out to combat the malevolent force.He's also searching for his granddaughter, who has run away and joined the Planet People. This subplot assumes a key role during the film's ending.
While this was a television release, it does an outstanding job (within its budgetary limits) of depicting an unsettling world.Nobody does a better job of creating a socially and environmentally depressing setting than the Brits.Reminiscent of the milieu portrayed in such films as 'A Clockwork Orange', the ominous feel generated by the film is hard to match.While much of the film occurs during daytime, this simply adds to the unnerving effect created.
This is the kind of science fiction that does not rely on glitzy special effects or fast-paced action.Rather, it draws the viewer in and dispenses the chills slowly, building the suspense and horror methodically.This is truly the thinking person's science fiction.
I agree with another reviewer that it would be nice for Anchor Bay to release this on DVD.However, even within the technical limitations of videotape (and the age of the production itself), the film transfer is remarkably good.Scenes where the sky is "sick", for example, show subtle transitions from blue to a putrid green. If it ever is released on DVD, I'll snatch it up.In the meantime, however, it is enough just to be able to finally see this engrossing film in any format.If you're a fan of the other Quatermass films, you will want to add this to your collection.

Huffity Puffity Ringstone Round!
This is a haunting 4 episode BBC television show from 1979.A true classic with Quatermass back for his final & most difficult task.As with all of Nigel Kneal's Quatermass works this has great imagination and depth. As far as production values, I believe that Hammer and the BBC worked harder and were more creative due to lack of big budget funding. They make great use of their budget and allow the characters to develop. Hollywood's mega-budget, computer generated effect-laden, unimaginative refuse will never stand up against movies like this one (or Quatermass and the Pit or Quatermass II). Ideas, imagination and substance are what we need today not bland Lucasfilm special effects and Hollywood movies that pander to today's tasteless moviegoers. Bring back Eastmancolor & Technicolor 35mm 70mm film; it looks 100% better than anything released within the past 20 years!!

This 2 VHS set should be given to the folks at Anchor Bay for DVD release.They are the only people who know how to handle this type of film. The VHS looks very good but a Anamorphic DVD transfer would do it justice.Go buy this VHS set and all of the Hammer Anchor Bay releases today and enter the world of true filmaking and imagination!!

A dose of Quatermass
"The Quatermass Conclusion" is the fourth movie-length installment in the long-lived "Professor Quatermass" series of films, the first of which appeared fifty years ago with Brian Donlevy in the title role. That was "The Creeping Unknown," which remains scary even after the sad jading of our collective special-effects appetite. Donlevy reprised the Quatermass character in the 1958 sequel, known in the United States as "The Enemy from Space." Andrew Keir took over for the 1967 "Quatermass and the Pit," called "Five Million Years to Earth" for transatlantic audiences. It wasn't until 1979 that screenwriter Nigel Kneale managed to get a fourth Quatermass story on film, this time as a BBC "mini-series" in four parts featuring John Mills as a by now aged protagonist. This is conceptually the most ambitious of the Quatermass stories: Kneale sets it in a world afflicted everywhere by social and economic collapse and - this is a key element in the unfolding story - the withdrawal of young people, especially adolescents, from all communal ties. The landscape swarms with packs of juvenile "Space People," as they call themselves, dressed in flower-child fashion awaiting their deliverance to a paradise planet. They believe that their redemption will occur at the ancient megalithic sites and it is to these that they gravitate. Redemption it is not. Quatermass, coming to London from the countryside to seek a lost grandchild and drawn into the investigation of events, theorizes about "the harvesting of mankind." He is aided by an astrophysicist played by Simon McCorkindale, whom many viewers will recognize as a screen presence of the time. This is the most apocalyptic of the Quatermass stories, more so even than "Quatermass and the Pit," with its mass revival of ancient Martian "race memories" in the human population of London, and with its subsequent mad "cleansing of the Martian hives." The images of British society - and by implication all societies all over the world - in its material and moral downward-spiral are stark and disturbing. A few scenes of a near-earth space station and of a space shuttle in distant orbit are unnecessary in that they look toy-like and detract from rather than add to the verisimilitude of the production, but this is quibbling. The atmosphere over the four hours of the story becomes increasingly desperate and grim. Essential equipment breaks down and is irreparable; key people die in riots. The climax smacks of the nihilism that I associate with the 1970s, but it could be interpreted as throwing Quatermass into the role of redeemer, complete with martyric self-sacrifice. A brief epilogue seems tacked on, as though the producers could not accept the uncompromising final scene of Kneale's script - but it does allow for some détente, which might be needed in the moment. Recommended for its far-above-average intelligence: "The Quatermass Conclusion" refreshingly does away with the hoary cliché that the young, and only the young, can save the world.

This is the one!!
........yep! this is the one, at age 8yrs, turned me on to real science fiction!
The thinking man's Dr.Who... This is real enough to be disturbing, even today. One can see this happening, some 35+ years after it was filmed.
Society hasn't changed that much, the concepts are brilliant, even the link back to the Middle Age nursery rhyme....

Go on!! Buy it!! You'll see what REAL science fiction should be!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Following Albert Finney's quirky and compelling performance as Agatha Christie's Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, in 1974's Murder on the Orient Express, Peter Ustinov capably took over the role in this 1978 adaptation of Christie's river-bound whodunit. While on a pleasure cruise along the Nile with a taciturn companion (David Niven), Poirot slips into action following the murder of a much-despised heiress (Lois Chiles). There's no shortage of suspects... until, that is, they also start dying off, obfuscating the investigation by suggesting that several killers may be at work. With a disciplined screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, the film is solid enough (certainly better than its 1981 follow-up, Evil Under the Sun) and is graced immeasurably by a glittery cast including Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Mia Farrow, Olivia Hussey, Jack Warden, and Angela Lansbury. Directed with customary efficiency by John Guillermin (King Kong, The Towering Inferno). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Spectacular!
The novel Death On The Nile ranks as my favorite of all of the Christie novels I've read, and so I was hoping that this movie was faithful to the original material. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed.

The performances of the many actors are great. Simon MacCorkindale's portrayal of Simon Doyle is wonderful, and Angela Lansbury as Salome Otterbourne is very entertaining. Maggie Smith and Bette Davis as Miss Bowers and Miss Van Schuyler, respectively, have some wonderful scenes together and have great chemistry. David Niven as Colonel Johnny Race is great and makes for a good Watson to Poirot. Jack Warden as Dr. Bessner and Jon Finch as Jim Ferguson, while don't have a ton of screentime, still portray their characters perfectly, and of course Peter Ustinov as the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is great.

The scenery is beautiful. The scene where Simon and Linnet Doyle are climbing the pyramid is simply breathtaking.

The extras on the DVD are pretty good. The 24-minute featurette "The Making of Death On The Nile" is interesting, and the interviews (both in French with subtitles) with Peter Ustinov and Jane Birkin (who plays Louise Bourget), while not extremely interesting, are still a nice addition.

There are a few flaws in the movie. The largest one is the fact that they cut out Tim and Mrs. Allerton. For those of you who have read the book, you'll know that cutting out Tim Allerton changes a few important things. Cornelia Robson is also cut out, as well as James Fanthorp and Signor Richetti (which again changes a few things). While I did like these characters a lot in the book, during the movie, these characters were hardly missed.

The movie runs approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, and despite the PG rating, has some slightly graphic violence in it.

I would highly reccomend buying this DVD, however, I would suggest reading the book first.

Christie goes to Egypt
This big screen treatment of mystery author Agatha Christie's best-seller is dinstinguished by the first appearance of Peter Ustinov as the world famous sleuth, Hercule Periot. Though the film version of "Death on the Nile" doesn't rise to the quality of its immediate predecessor, "Murder on the Orient Express," it is still a worthy trip with a boatful of nouveau rich upper classers who all have a motive to kill a filthy rich heiresss (Lois Childs). When she actually come up with a bullet to her head while sleeping, suspicion falls on her husband's spurned ex-fiancee (Mia Farrow, in a slightly nerve-trying overacting job) and an all-star passenger list headed by Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury and Olivia Hussey. Enter Inspector Periot and David Niven as another sleuth aiding in the investigation. Though the "who did it" isn't a surpise, the "how they did it" is, and that solution makes the film an enjoyable watch. Additionally, there's some stunning scenary of Egypt and along the Nile, and Ustinov's personification of the fabled detective is worthy. He shows up again in subsequent film versions of some of Christie's other novels, and this is one of Ustinov's better efforts.

The MAID did it!! Or did she??
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I watched this 1978 movie of 140 minutes without first reading the 1937 Dame Agatha Christie novel (of the same name) that it was based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was.

As a brief synopsis, the movie begins with "Jacquline ('Jackie') De Bellafort" (Mia Farrow) telling her very wealthy friend "Linnet Ridgeway" (Lois Chiles) about the man "Simon Doyle" (Simon MacCorkindale) she has fallen in love with. Linnet falls for Simon and they eventually marry. Their honeymoon is on a riverboat (technically called a 'paddle steamer') called the "S.S. Karnak" that takes then down the Nile River in Egypt. Aboard the boat, besides the three mentioned above, are "Hercule Poirot" (Sir Peter Ustinov) and his good friend "Colonel Johnny Race" (David Niven). There are other passengers on board who all dislike Linnet.

Linnet is murdered. Eventually two other passengers are also murdered. Poirot has to solve who the killer is. For both Poirot and the viewer, it's obvious that the killer is either male or female or, as Poirot might say, either a "beau" or a "belle." It's also obvious that the killer is no "Simple Simon."

Who are these passengers? Besides the five mentioned above, they are as follows:

(1) Louise Bourget, Linnet's Maid (Jane Birkin)
(2) Socialite Marie Van Schayler (Bette Davis)
(3) Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith), Aid to Marie
(4) Marxist James Ferguson (Jon Finch)
(5) Romance Novelist Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury)
(6) Rosalie Otterbourne (Olivia Hussey), Salome's daughter
(7) Lawyer Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy), Linnet's uncle
(8) Dr. Ludwig Bessner (Jack Warden)
(9) Manager of the Karnak (I.S. Johar)

Of the fourteen actors mentioned above, Ustinov's performance stands out. This was his debut performance as Poirot and I feel he does a stellar job being both serious and comical at the same time. Other performances to look for are Mia Farrow as the ex-fiance and Angela Lansbury as the perpetually drunk novelist.

The cinematography of this movie is visually stunning. We especially get to see the Sphinx, the Pyramids, and the ancient ruins of Egypt. The costume design is elegant. The main background music adds to this movie as well.

Listen for gags that run throughout this movie. For example, Poirot is Belgian but is always confused as being French. One of my favorite pieces of dialogue is where a passenger gets angry at the great sleuth:

Van Schayler: You perfectly foul French upstart!
Poirot: Belgian upstart, please madam.

As Poirot attempts to solve the crime, we are shown what might have happened. Unfortunately, there is some unintended humor as Linnet continually gets shot (in the head) as Poirot goes through each possible scenario. I found this somewhat distracting.

Finally, the DVD (which has the movie in widescreen format) has five extras. I found that the only one that was interesting was about the making of this movie. It lasts about 25 minutes.

In conclusion, this is a fun movie, even if you have read the book. For those who haven't read the novel, I have left clues in the above review as to the possible identity of the killer. If you think you know who it is, then watch this movie to find out if you're right!

<=====>

A Mysterious Movie and a Superb Tale!
It begins with a rich woman who gets EVERYTHING SHE WANTS and when her best friend Jackie's new fiance meets her. The rich woman immediatly steals Jackie's hunk and in a matter of weeks they are married and set off for their honeymoon in Egypt. Poor Jackie. Her only love has been stolen for her BY HER BEST FRIEND! But Jackie is determined and follows the new couple to Egypt. After meeting a host of new characters, the couple plus Jackie boards a little Nile tour thing. But suddenly the rich woman is dead (shot). Who could it be?

All Star cast who-done-it in Egypt.
The second lavish all-star Agatha Christie adaptation. This is the first film with Peter Ustinov as the Belgian Detective, Hercule Poirot. If you love a who-done-it mystery, this one will keep you thinking and stimulate your brain to the very end. Please watch it to the very last second. What may be so one minute may be different the next second. This all-star cast is wonderful, especially Angela Lansbury. Olivia Hussey, Peter ustinov and Simon Corkindale had just finished the NBC tv-miniseries movie "Jesus Of Nazareth" (1977). Also in the cast is Bette Davis, David Niven, Mia Farrow, George Kennedy, Maggie Smith (California Suite [1978], Jack Warden, Lois Chiles (Moonraker [1979]), Jon Finch, Jane Birkin, Harry Andrews and I.S. Johar. Warning: This is not for children to watch. very Grusome and graphic violence. There are many Agatha Christie movies from film and television. Here are some worth watching. Those with an "*" include Peter Ustinov as "Detective Poirot". And Then There Were None (Ten Little Indians) (1974), Murder On The Orient Express (1974), The Mirror Crack'd (1980), *Evil Under The Sun (1982), *Thirteen At Dinner (1985-tv), *Dead Man's Folly (1986-tv), *Murder In Three Acts (1986-tv), *Appointment With Death (1988).
For a lighter comedy, may I suggest MURDER BY DEATH (1976). ... Read more

Reviews (123)

good plot but horrible outcome
Jaws 3 had a very good story line plot.

Mike Brodie, played by Dennis Quaid, works at Sea World and his brother, Sean comes over to visit, and that's when the fun happens, sort of.

first, a baby great white is caputured and placed in captivity. the park immmediately gains fame as being the only park to hold a live great white shark in captivity, but the fame quickly dies out as the baby shark dies.

then, Momma comes to town. the shark for jaws 3 is the biggest in the series. huge monster shark that swallows people whole.

what really killed Jaws 3 to me, was the cheap special effects at the end, when the shark attacks the main control center of the under sea kingdom. the shark never moves, and the effect is that of a cheap B movie. i realize that this effect is probably better appreciated in 3-D, but watching it in 2-d is just flat out horrible.

the ending also suits the special 3-d version, where the 2 jaws explode in front of the camera.

i like Jaws 3 for the simple fact that Jaws is Jaws, but it had so much more to offer.

Should have included a Field Seqential 3-D version!
Not that many people are aware of the Field Sequential 3-D.
This is a 3-D TV system that uses special shutter glasses that can be purchased here through Amazon in a set that includes 3 DVD's using this process. This system Is the only way to view a 3-D film effectively on TV to date. The result is about 90% close to the effect you will see in a theatre showing.. like IMAX and Disney and Universal.
These glasses are made of sturdy plastic and clear not these cardboard red and blue pieces of garbage, so you can view the film without constricted to seeing red and blue colors and with this system you will see more actual 3-D depth with the films true colors.. It's really amazing!
For some add reason the big studios haven't adapted to include a separate version of a 3-D title in this great format.
Films like:
"House of Wax","Kiss Me Kate","Friday the 13th Part 3", "Robot Monster, "Cat Woman on the Moon", "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "Jaws 3" are all now in 2-D DVD, but were originally shown in 3-D and could have been included using the Field Seqential 3-D system on the same disc with the 2-D version.
In Japan in the late 80's there were a few 3-D titles released using Field Sequential and can be found on e-bay converted to DVD and VHS.
Why aren't the studios producing these now!
I boycott any film DVD release that was originally intended to be seen in 3-D that's only presented in a 2-D version or anaglyph (Red and Blue Glasses).

Especially this terrible movie should have included 3-D!
The studios should really be awaken to this great 3-D system.

Not bad for a 3rd sequel
I saw this movie yesterday and it is really good. Part of it was 3D and part of it wasn't. Some of it scared me so much I left the room!! Great film, if you think about it. For my rating, the fourth Jaws was good. Keep shopping!!!!

Unworthy of the original.
I've read very few good reviews of this "Jaws" sequel, but decided to check it out for myself anyway. All I can say is that this is a pretty lousy addition to the series.

To maintain some relationship with the first two films, this sequel centers on Mike and Sean Brody, the sons of Sheriff Martin Brody. Mike is an engineer working at Sea World and he's just helped build the park's latest venue: a series of underwater tunnels that allow tourists to get closer to the marine life. But the Brody boys hard luck around water soon catches up with them when a baby Great White and its 35-foot mother get into the park via lagoon. The baby is caught and put on display but it soon dies and its mother (which, initially, nobody knows is around) begins to wreak havoc on the park.

"Jaws 3-D" is a cheaply made film to be sure. And it certainly isn't worthy of Steve Spielberg's original classic. One thing that really stuck out for me in this sequel was that, unlike the first two movies, it wasn't well acted. That's lame considering the good cast, which includes Dennis Quaid, Louis Gossett Jr., and Lea Thompson. The characters were underdeveloped and uninteresting too, which made the human side of things even worse. Joe Alves' didn't help matters with his shoddy direction either. Much of film seemed to lack focus and the scares, which were so powerful in the first movie, were cheap(though they were probably more effective in the 3-D format, which is no longer there on the video). From what I can see, the biggest complaint people have with this film is the special effects, and I can partially see why. The blue screen techniques are pathetic, but the shark, which is sorely hated by a lot of viewers, isn't totally bad; it actually LOOKS decent. The problem is it's as stiff as a two-by-four when it moves (not to mention that it roars and swims backward).

"Jaws 3-D" stands as a cheesy movie in the end. Given it's sub-par acting, direction, and effects, the only people who are going to really like it are fans of B-movies and diehard "Jaws" freaks. See this if you like but don't be surprised if you're shaking your head when it's all over.

An okay sequel.
This may not live up to the reputation of the first two Jaws series, but it is still good to watch. Dennis Quaid has done a good job with the performance as Mike Brody, along with co-stars
Bess Armstrong and Louis Gossett,Jr. For all Jaws fans, this will satisfy your collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lean, lanky Lee Horsley (TV's Matt Houston is hardly the iconicimage of a medieval warrior, but in this cheesy Conan the Barbarianknockoff he makes his swaggering, mercenary Talon a genial smart aleck of abarbarian hero. The plot is pure pulp clich&eacute;: evil Cromwell (Richard Lynch)raises a demon to conquer a peaceful kingdom, kill the rulers, and imprison theroyal heirs, and the son of a murdered patriot returns to take his righteous vengeancewith a projectile-loaded, three-bladed sword. First-time director Albert Pyun apprenticedunder Akira Kurosawa and brings with him an eye for handsome images and a fluid senseof action that helps overcome B-movie dialogue ("Unlock this door, wench, and leavethat to us!"), scenery-chewing performances, and bargain-basement budget. In one fightsequence a guard punches a rock wall--and dents it! Kathleen Beller (the dark-eyedbeauty of The Betsy) is the rebel princess who enlists Talon to the cause,Route 66's charming wanderer George Maharis is a conniving traitor under anunflattering mop of greasy hair, and Richard Moll dons a latex monster mask to playthe double-crossed demon. It's utterly silly and often awkward, but it does haveenergy to spare. The sequel promised at the end of the film was never produced andPyun went on to direct some of the best straight-to-video action films of the 1990s,including Nemesis. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Talon on DVD!
Summary: An Evil King seeks the aid of an evil sorcerer in order to conquer a peaceful kingdom. One of the good king's sons escapes and later seeks vengeance as an adult.

My Opinion: This is a very fun movie. I loved at when I saw it years ago and I'm very glad to have it in my collection now. I loved Lee Horsley as Matt Houston and he is great here as well. This movie is one of those guilty pleasures for Fantasy fans. It may be cheesy and silly but it's so much fun that I don't even notice.

DVD Quality: Pretty much bare bones with a couple of trailers. Hey at least it's on DVD!

What You Should Do: If you are a SciFi or Fantasy fan and a collector, you should buy this DVD. I can't imagine them putting out a Special Edition of this one, so there's no need to wait. If you liked Beastmaster, Krull, Dragonslayer, Conan or anything along those lines, then give it a rent. Otherwise skip it.

Entertaining and action-packed fantasy flick.
This is one of the best, and surprisingly underestimated, fantasy movies of the 80's. It goes along the lines of classics like Beastmaster, Conan, Dragonslayer, Krull and Legend. Its best features are the great dialogues and solidly written characters, the marvelous sets, a surprisingly coherent and original plot, and an excellent soundtrack. The acting on the movie is not so good, but the story is so entertaining and funny that you won't really mind.

Talon, the son of a murdered King, turns into a barbarian hero who tries to end the rule of an evil conqueror and his allied demon. To achieve his goal he must free the heirs of the kingdom and avenge his father. In his quest he will encounter all the elements common in most fantasy stories: sword battles, powerful demons and treacherous villains, beautiful and exotic damsels in distress and dark ancient rituals and magic spells.

After the credits roll by, you will probably be left expecting to see the second installment of this movie: Tales of the Ancient Empire, which unfortunately, was never made.

A word of warning: the image quality of the DVD is not great, nor does this movie have any Special Features, but it's very unlikely it will ever get a better edition.

A must for fantasy film buffs.

A blast from the past
I cannot believe the bad reviews about this film. This was the most entertaining film during the 80's Conan era. What I enjoyed most was that it wasn't all gloom and doom like some of the others, it is, after all, a fantasy film. It has all the sorcery and wizardary of the times and still had it lighthearted moments. I remember watching it over and over. I'm going to order it now so I can watch it again.

Yikes
The opening scene of this fantasy film, in which the sorcerer of the title is called back from the dead, shows promise. But then it's all downhill from there. Every aspect of this terrible production screams amateur-hour, despite the Amazon reviewer's assertion that director Albert Pyun apprenticed under Akira Kurosawa. Richard Lynch makes a reliable villain, and Kathleen Beller is very easy on the eyes, but otherwise the flick is pure torture.

Sucks. Bad,
If you like movies like "Krull" or "Beastmaster," this movie will NOT amuse you. I could barely tell one character from another; the plot was so stupid, at an hour and forty minutes, it felt like work finishing it. There's action, sure, and a few nude scenes to keep morons occupied for a few minutes.

I love sword and sorcery movies, and while this looks like a gem for your DVD collection, belive me, it is not. This is just as bad as "Dungeons and Dragons." I guess I should add, for the sake of fairness, if you liked "Dungeons and Dragons," you'll love this. But if you thought it was another tired attempt by corporate Hollywood to suck dollars from your pockets, stay away from this loser.

Let me put it this way: "Gor" is a better movie than this one.
Luckily, I rented the film, so I could return it. You'd be better off drinking the fifteen bucks you'd spend on this sucky movie. At least you'll feel magical.

My advice, watch Krull 20 times before you see this p.o.s. once. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Video games are interesting because they're interactive, and movies because they aren't. In a video game, you're the actor; moviegoing depends on your connecting with those people up on the screen;.There's really no easy crossover.

That's the problem with Wing Commander, based on the bestselling computer game series created by Chris Roberts. Roberts helms the film, too, having previously directed "cinematic" sequences for the game, starring Mark Hamill from Star Wars, no less.But a feature-length story is something else again.Maybe gamers will find something to enjoy here, but that sets the rest of us adrift.

There's war between the Terran Confederation and the evil Kilrathi, who are so evil they want to destroy the whole universe.(They probably aren't thinking that through very clearly. But then they're evil.) They've stolen the Pegasus Navicom A.I. device that enables them to "jump" behind enemy lines and destroy the Earth part of the universe.Freddie Prinze Jr. stars as Blair, a Pilgrim, which means he's hated by everybody for having this film's answer to the Force.His pal Matthew Lillard plays Maniac (his usual role).So you've got two guys with a Top Gun complex, bent on preventing the Kilrathi from destroying Earth.You'd expect lots of action from these combat-ready flyboys.But there's scantlittle of that, and lots of static dialogue scenes, including one cinematic quote of Howard Hawks's classic Only Angels Have Wings to explain how pilots handle the death of one of their own.Presumptuous.All it would have taken to make this film a success is a series of action set pieces and a thin plot to hang them from. What director Roberts needed was a Navicom deviceto help him "jump" behind Hollywood lines.That and a decent script. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (168)

A Star Wars fan speaks out.
All right, the first reason I saw this movie was to only see the 2nd trailer for Star Wars EP1. After that I figured I'd leave the movie and blow some money in the arcade. But as the EP1 trailer ended, I felt I should at least try to get the feel of Wing Commander. And as I sat there in front of the screen, I realized I didn't regret seeing the movie. Wing Commander reminded me of the WWII era of our century, where people died left and right to protect their homeland. I also liked the fact that the carriers and fighters did look like those of WWII. This was not a bad quality of the movie, it gave it a sense times gone by. The special effects did stand on equal with those of EP1, (and that coming from a Star Wars fan tells you they were good.) The cast performed a little stiff, but it didn't really take away from the movie. (I'm sure they didn't have the sense of storyline that the WC games had.) All in all this was a good Sci-Fi flick of the summer that wasn't Star Wars.

Great
Funny that some people are not smart enough to understand this movie. I watch this movie over and over again, and I never get tired of it. To me it is probably much more realistic than any trek or star wars movie. Gee, going faster than light is not possible but going through wormholes could very well be possible.
I think the ships are what they will probably be like 500 years from now, if we ever decide to really explore space. The fighters need not be fancy but effective. Welcome to the real world. I would recommend this movie to anyone with the capability of understanding even the simple things.

One of the worse sci-fi movies ever.
This movie was one of the worse sci-fi films I had ever seen.The acting was boring and so was the storyline.Where were and who are the bad guys during most of the movie?I like Battlestar Galactica and the two earlier Star Wars movies better because they tell more and give more exposure to the bad guys than Wing Commander.Only the special effects gets high marks.In an earlier review I announced I am working on my own space war epic and had I written Wing Commander I would had done a better job not only with the writing,but the casting.

Tchéky Karyo
Worth watching to see Tchéky Karyo as "Paladin". It's a shame he doesn't get to play an even stronger part in the movie.

Decent Movie
I got this movie ...on VHS. Yeah its a good watch,... ... Read more

Description

The clearest and most understandable Shakespeare productions ever made. Staged as seen in the 16th Century, featuring award-winning performers. A tale of murder, greed and untimely death. Starring Jeremy Brett, Piper Laurie, Simon MacCorkingdale and Barry Primus. 150 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

APPALLING DVD despite great actors
I love Jeremy Brett and Piper Laurie. Their combined talents offer what few enjoyable moments there are to be found in this Macbeth, but they unfortunately can't salvage this atrocious production. Seeing it is enough to turn someone off Shakespeare. (Should that happen, Al Pacino's delightful LOOKING FOR RICHARD is the perfect antidote to restore passion for the Bard). But I digress. I want to issue a warning to all who might assume the DVD version of this Macbeth would be superior to the VHS. In this instance, tape was simply transferred unto disk with no remastering or enhancements, and there are no extra features. The visual and audio quality is appalling. I regret buying this DVD when I already owned the VHS (..like I said, I love Jeremy Brett...) The only advantage is being able to skip the boring parts to get to the monologues. But that isn't saying much.

It was ok.
I'm not going to say that this is the best version of Macbeth that I have ever seen. I'm just saying that it was ok. In my opinion, whoever made this production should have cast someone who actually did Shakespeare. I don't even know if Jeremy Brett and Piper Laurie have ever done Shakespeare. The set is gorgeous. Something tells me that you had to be brave to stand on the ramp above the stage. Macduff Jr. is so adorable. I was saddened when the Murderers killed him offstage. I was so sad when I heard him crying offstage at the end of the scene. The biggest highlight of the video (I rented it from the library) was the Witches. I liked the Witches even more when I found out that one of the actresses playing the Witches also played Bianca in this series' production of Othello. She's better at being evil than good. What especially charmed me about the witches was their costumes. I was expecting old chambermaid costumes or rags. I was also expecting old women, not sexy women. Then, there were the three demons, or apparitios as they are credited. They were freaky. I was especially charmed because the witches and the apparations appear more than once. Watch for them. They're pretty prominent. Other than that, just rent the DVD for the Witches, Macduff Jr. and the set. There is too much overacting from the leading players. They almost killed this DVD. Everyone else is good except for Malcolm. They obviously hired this guy because his chest is sexy.

This is horrible
I teach this play in High School and was looking for an alternative to the Welles and Polanski versions to help my students understand the play. This is not it. This one is horrible. Badly acted and directed and very difficult to follow. If anyone is looking for a video version of this play that is easy to understand and useful for teachers, there is a pretty new version of the play on DVD available on this site directed by J. Bretton Truett and E.J. Kerwin ( B0000639O1 ) that is outstanding for educators. They perform most of the play and include a great deal of video analysis as well. The performances are very good and they use a modern setting which is very effective. There is also a wonderful feature that lets you get right to the text from the video and back again.

Tragic Production of a Great Tragedy
Unfortunately, I have to agree with just about everyone else who has reviewed here this film production of "Macbeth." I found the video in my local library and was eagerly anticipating another fine performance by two of my favorite actors: Brett and Piper Laurie, especially Brett. I've seen and thoroughly enjoyed every one of the BBC Sherlock Holmes productions numerous times, and just recently was impressed with Brett's interpretation of Bassanio in the '73 TV production of "The Merchant of Venice." So, imagine my great disappointment when I was amazed by how awful this "Macbeth" really is. I would prefer to not fault the actors, but can only think that the director and producer were responsible. Not to mention the costumer and the "set" designer. I would strongly advise anyone who loves Shakespeare, Brett or Laurie, or all of the above, to avoid a most unpleasant experience.

Pass by this one and don't look back
With so many good versions of Macbeth out there with such great actors as Orson Welles and Judi Dench, why waste your time and ruin your mind by watching this. This film was but a waste of money. I would reccomend not watching it and instead watching one of the other, good, versions of Macbeth. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

..
Wow... I was in this movie when I was a little kid... I can't believe it's actually on websites.. Scary. Oh well. Uh, to the review... it's an ok movie, not one of my favorites, but hey.. It was more fun filming it.

Best of the 3 movies
This is the only "Family Of Cops" movie you really need. I wonder if the sequels were planned at this point, because the performances seem to have more juice here. The action scenes are pretty good, especially the one in the woods. Bronson's involved in a couple of shoot-outs, but they're practically identical to similar scenes in the other two movies. (-Notice in particular the shoot-out by his character's house; arms stretched out in trademark "Telefon" aiming position, shooting at a car.) Forget about the two uninvolving ones that followed, and stick with this one.

Ok Bronson Film
This Bronson film was ok, not his best work though, rent one of the Death Wish movies to see Bronson at his best. I used to Enjoy Bronson films quite a bit, but he needs to stop. The man is way to old, and its hard to believe that a man his age, would be running around shooting people. He Belongs in a wheel chair and a nursing home, not making movies anymore, sorry Mr. Bronson its time to Retire. Watch the movie if you absolutely love Charles Bronson! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Modest but pleasing modern noir
Henry Czerny plays a married Doctor ,asked by his vacationing neighbours to keep an eye on their nubile teenage daughter,who is being harrassed by a fellow student unable to accept the end of their affair.An affair develops betweem them and she films him getting dressed afterr a sex session,which is somewhat unfortunate as she is shortly afterwards murdered,placing him in an invidious position as he wrestles with both conscience and adesire to protect his freedom,marriage and social standing.

The plot is well worked out although the murderer is easily spotted.Good acting and direction make for a pleasing time passer

I disagree....
I first saw this movie last fall on one of the pay movie channels and enjoyed it. While it certainly is not a work of artistic genius, it's a fun movie to watch late at night and I thought it had sufficient eroticism and suspense to keep me watching. It is the sort of movie that won't require much thinking but it fulfills its purpose of entertaining and I tend to be one that is very critical of the mindless material the movie industry now releases.

Predictable, Boring, and Stupid
This movie is predictable right from the start and really stupid in places. The plot is simple enough, middle aged man with pregnant wife becomes infatuated with neighbors' 18 year old daughter. The man has a very brief affair with the girl after which she turns up dead and the man is now a prime suspect. What is stupid about the whole mess is the fact that nobody seems to be suspicious of the girl's boyfriend, someone who had been stalking her before the affair, everyone is more suspicious about the girl's new mysterious lover. To make the entire mess even more unbelievable, the girl took a video of the single night of passion that she had with her neighbour and he now has to get his hands on it.

The movie is also listed as an "Erotic Thriller". Well, there is very little erotic about the movie at all, in fact there are only two semi-sexy scenes in the movie. The first features the girl taking a skinny dip in the pool and the second is the girl and man having sex for the first and only time. Both times the scene is shot in darkness and you cannot see anything worthwhile to suggest any real nudity or eroticism.

The DVD is also very bare bones. There is very little extra on it. My advice, avoid this movie at all cost and instead consider one (or all) of the Poison Ivy movies.

A pleasant , suspenseful surprise
I viewed this movie with some trepidation, given the title and the somewhat lurid box art. I've followed Henry Czerny's career with interest, and have found his career choices intriguing, so I thought, what the heck. In brief, I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of performances, production, and particularly the direction. In less talented hands, this could've been movie-of-the-week schlock, but here, it's quite effectively presented. Very little that could be called gratuitous...nicely atmospheric...something of a "neighborhood noir." Again: a pleasant surprise, and kudos to Czerny, an excellent supporting cast (who ARE those guys? ), and a director who bears watching. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A good movie about animal treatment.
Besides the dashingly handsome Gregory Harrison's great acting, the story moves quite well in this film. The cinematography is beautiful with scenes of the African desert and animals.

Much action, some romance and lots of thrills in this film. Check it out!

A very dull movie.
Gregory Harrison is Matt Robinson, a retired major and widower trying to bond with his kids so he takes them to Africa where poachers are killing elephants. His 14 year old daughter Angela acts like a snob and her little brother Nicky is just an average annoying little brother. Matt meets Rachel (lori Hallier) who works at the orphanage for animals and he takes a liking to her whilst Angela gets saved by an Englishman named Walton and she gets a crush on him God knows why. Then they find a wounded baby elephant and Angela bonds with it naming it Dandy, but there are still poachers around hunting for elephants. I only got this movie because I am a fan of Greg, but I must admit the kids casting was terrible except from Munyaradzi Kanaventi who plays Isaac the son of the ranger who works with Matt. Okay so it wasn't a love story, but if it was it would've have been worth watching. It's just a bunch of people walking around in Africa or flying in a helicopter. There are 2-3 action scenes, the last one was okay, but the others lasted a few seconds. You never get to understand the story of Matt and Rachel, all he gets at the end is little peck on the lips and that's it. So are they supposed to be in love or something? Recommended only if you're a BIG fan of one of the actors in this movie.

A GREAT MOVIE!
It is a wonderful movie for the whole family. Brooke Nevin who plays Angela was wonderful. It was sweet, yet it was action packed. I recomend this movie to everyone. There is not a person who won't like it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Modest but pleasing modern noir
Henry Czerny plays a married Doctor ,asked by his vacationing neighbours to keep an eye on their nubile teenage daughter,who is being harrassed by a fellow student unable to accept the end of their affair.An affair develops betweem them and she films him getting dressed afterr a sex session,which is somewhat unfortunate as she is shortly afterwards murdered,placing him in an invidious position as he wrestles with both conscience and adesire to protect his freedom,marriage and social standing.

The plot is well worked out although the murderer is easily spotted.Good acting and direction make for a pleasing time passer

I disagree....
I first saw this movie last fall on one of the pay movie channels and enjoyed it. While it certainly is not a work of artistic genius, it's a fun movie to watch late at night and I thought it had sufficient eroticism and suspense to keep me watching. It is the sort of movie that won't require much thinking but it fulfills its purpose of entertaining and I tend to be one that is very critical of the mindless material the movie industry now releases.

Predictable, Boring, and Stupid
This movie is predictable right from the start and really stupid in places. The plot is simple enough, middle aged man with pregnant wife becomes infatuated with neighbors' 18 year old daughter. The man has a very brief affair with the girl after which she turns up dead and the man is now a prime suspect. What is stupid about the whole mess is the fact that nobody seems to be suspicious of the girl's boyfriend, someone who had been stalking her before the affair, everyone is more suspicious about the girl's new mysterious lover. To make the entire mess even more unbelievable, the girl took a video of the single night of passion that she had with her neighbour and he now has to get his hands on it.

The movie is also listed as an "Erotic Thriller". Well, there is very little erotic about the movie at all, in fact there are only two semi-sexy scenes in the movie. The first features the girl taking a skinny dip in the pool and the second is the girl and man having sex for the first and only time. Both times the scene is shot in darkness and you cannot see anything worthwhile to suggest any real nudity or eroticism.

The DVD is also very bare bones. There is very little extra on it. My advice, avoid this movie at all cost and instead consider one (or all) of the Poison Ivy movies.

A pleasant , suspenseful surprise
I viewed this movie with some trepidation, given the title and the somewhat lurid box art. I've followed Henry Czerny's career with interest, and have found his career choices intriguing, so I thought, what the heck. In brief, I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of performances, production, and particularly the direction. In less talented hands, this could've been movie-of-the-week schlock, but here, it's quite effectively presented. Very little that could be called gratuitous...nicely atmospheric...something of a "neighborhood noir." Again: a pleasant surprise, and kudos to Czerny, an excellent supporting cast (who ARE those guys? ), and a director who bears watching. ... Read more

Description

The tragedy of a king so blinded by ambition and paranoia that he senselessly murders those in his path--eventually leading to his own demise. Macbeth encounters three prophesying witches on his journey home from battle. Macbeth's ambitions are kindled by the witches' prediction that he will someday be king. In an effort to hasten the prophecy, he and Lady Macbeth plot the murders of those in the way. Under the strain of the heinous crimes, Lady Macbeth dies, and Macbeth edges toward insanity. Macduff organizes a force to overthrow Macbeth. In the tragic climax, the two duel, Macbeth is killed, and King Duncan's eldest son, Malcolm, becomes king. Featuring Jeremy Brett as Macbeth and Piper Laurie as Lady Macbeth. ... Read more