Description

Radiation from bomb tests creates giant, mutant ants that descend upon a town. ... Read more

Reviews (100)

Best of the Big Bad Bugs!
Yes, the special effects are very much of the 1950s, but those effects are fun to watch--and unlike most other 1950s sci-fi/horror films, THEM! has a lot more going for it than special effects alone: sharp and aggressive performances, a cast of truly memorable supporting actors, a witty and intelligent script, and best of all (unlike many other films of its era) a story that can still generate plenty of suspense.

The grand-daddy of all mutant-monster movies, THEM! concerns a colony of A-Bomb-created giant ants that have lurked in the desert unnoticed until the colony begins to divide. When newborn queen ants take flight, the world is in danger--particularly Los Angeles, where a nest establishes itself in the city's largely forgotten storm drains. Edmund Gwynne and Joan Weldon give strong performances as the father-daughter scientific team sent from Washington to investigate, and James Whitmore and James Arness give able support as the action-heros of the piece. Fess Parker is also very effective in a small supporting role.

The real winner in the film, however, are the clever cinematography and sound effects that build tremendous suspense, particularly when investigators must enter the desert ant nest and later track the ants to their Los Angeles lair. These scenes possess a claustrophobic feel not seen again in any sci-fi/horror flick until ALIEN. Without graphic gore but more than a few serious thrills, THEM! is a film the whole family can enjoy.

Finally this 1954 scifi landmark Classic comes to DVD!!
In the 1950's the world was testing A-bombs, Hydrogen Bombs, strange results were beginning to appear & Hollywoods imagination was added to the theories. The results a series of movies about radioactive mutated creatures. The first was "THEM".

"THEM" (1954) is a landmark movie about giant radiation-mutated ants that gets better with age and boasts remarkable, Academy Award-nominated special effects.

Summary: Our story begins in a New Mexico desert with a shocked wandering child, destroyed general store & battered corpse full of enough formic acid to kill 20 men. The search begins to find & destroy these menacing insects. The giant mutated ants are on the move and the climatic battle is in over 700 miles of Los Angeles sewers.

An ALL-STAR cast led by James Whitmore, James Arness and Edmund Gwenn.

Special Features include; Behind the Scenes Archive footage, Montage & Operation on the Giant Ants, & film trailer.

This was the first and probably the best movie featuring the worlds & Hollywoods take on the possible results of radioactive mutation.

"THEM" in a great Black & White Standard version (Original theatrical exhibition) digitally restored presenting a very exceptional picture & sound. This sci-fi classic is worth the price of addmission so get out the popcorn and ENJOY!!

You Can't Stop "Them"!
In the late 1940's and 1950's the USA and the Soviet Union repeatedly tested nuclear bombs. In the USA the early tests were done in the desert southwest, and the mushroom clouds could be seen for dozens of miles (and the noise could be heard for hundreds of miles). As scientists measured the increased levels of radiation in milk served to schoolchildren and their parents built bomb shelters in their backyards, Hollywood decided to take the cold war paranoia which made the fifties so unique and create a new type of sci-fi/horror movie - the "mutant monster" film. Along with the original "Godzilla", 1954's "Them" is one of the best of the lot. It starts out in the New Mexico desert, where two state troopers discover a mobile home that's been ripped apart by some unknown animal. The adults are missing, but they do find a terrified little girl (a creepy Sandy Descher) who's so shocked that she can't talk and simply stares wide-eyed and zombie-like at the policemen. A fierce sandstorm blows up, and the troopers then arrive at a local general store that's been ripped apart like the trailer. Curiously no money or valuables were stolen, but sugar has been spread everywhere, and the owner's corpse is found. He had emptied his shotgun at his attacker before being killed with a massive injection of acid. The troopers also find some tracks from an "unknown" large animal. Baffled by this turn of events, one trooper takes the mute little girl to a hospital. The other trooper stays behind to guard the store, but he is attacked and killed by an unknown assailant. The next day Robert Graham (a pre-Gunsmoke James Arness), an FBI agent, arrives to help with the investigation. Soon they are joined by two scientists from the Agriculture Dept. in Washington - the eccentric but brilliant Dr. Harold Medford (a scene-stealing Edmund Gwenn) and his lovely daughter and assistant, Dr. Pat Medford (Joan Weldon). The scientists have a hunch that the "unknown" animal that killed the storeowner and destroyed the buildings was - a giant ant! The ants had been at the site of the first atomic bomb test in New Mexico in 1945, and the radiation has caused them to mutate to an enormous, man-eating size. Soon our heroic quartet is involved in a race against time to find and destroy the ant's colony before they can reproduce and spread across the world. When the queen ant and some male escorts escape the search becomes even more frantic, and leads to a final showdown in the vast sewers of Los Angeles. This film features fine performances by all three of the male leads - James Whitmore as the gruff-but-warm-hearted New Mexico cop, Arness as the quintessentially stern and macho 1950's movie hero, and Gwenn as the quirky ant expert. Although the special effects are obviously primitive by today's standards, "Them" actually had a larger budget than most fifties sci-fi movies, and the ants themselves were an impressive creation for their time. This film also features an impressive number of cameos by future celebrities, including Fess Parker of "Davy Crockett" fame in a hilarious role as a hillbilly pilot who sees three "ant-shaped" UFOs buzzing his airplane. When he tells his story he is declared "crazy" and locked in a mental hospital. Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek's "Mr. Spock") also has a tiny cameo. "Them" was so successful that it was followed by a string of imitators, but it remains superior to all of them. This DVD offers a neat featurette on how they made the giant ant puppets work, but it has few other "extras". However, the film itself is more than worth the relatively cheap sticker price, IMO. Recommended!

A great 1950s horror classic
This adventure was perhaps the best of the mutant-insect monster films that were so popular in the 1950s. In this story, huge, fearsome eight-foot ants were spawned as a result of nuclear testing in the New Mexico desert, and they wreak havoc in the White Sands area, where several people are missing or found dead under mysterious circumstances. The FBI enters the case and they enlist the expertise of two entomologists to help uncover the disappearance of missing persons and the awful realization of what has been taking place in the desert. A nest of the mutant ants is found and destroyed but the queen has already taken flight and must be found before she can hatch another batch of monsters. Eventually, the nest is discovered in a system of storm drains below the streets of Los Angeles, and sets the stage for a tense finish. The black and white cinematography is moody, and the good music score has an eerie, haunting quality that suggests a terrifying, unknown evil.

Great Film For Fans Of The Genre!
Them! has always been one of my favorite 50's American monster flicks. The story and the human drama are very well done and do not overdo themselves.
Really the only sour part about this film is the ants' screen time is very limited, but sweet when they are on screen!
A must have for those who are fans of the genre! ... Read more

Reviews (31)

REALLY HOLLERIN' OVER OLD YELLER!
"Old Yeller" is the heart-wrenching family drama about two kids and their faithful dog. Dorothy McGuire gets top billing but, like Tommy Kirk, plays second fiddle to that darling golden retriever. "Here Yeller - come back yeller, best doggon dog in the west!"
This isn't Disney's best on DVD. In fact it's not even close to what a film like "Old Yeller" truly deserves. For starters, the print used to master this DVD is very softly focused while still managing to be riddled with edge enhancement, aliasing and shimmering of fine details. There's a lot of pixelization throughout that really breaks up fine detail. Color is improperly balanced in many of the outdoor scenes, with greens, in grass and trees shifting color from brownish beige to muddy green and then back again. Flesh tones often appear too, too orange. Fine detail is generally lost in the darker scenes.
The audio has been remixed but is very, very strident and forward sounding. At times its painful to listen to and really doesn't hold a candle in comparison to fidelity of the day from other films of "Old Yeller"'s period.
Extras: Disney gets top marks for their supplimental package on this and their other three "Vault Disney" releases. We get documentaries, isolated scores, vintage advertising and short subjects, a gallery of stills, trailers and television spots and interviews with the surviving cast members. What more could anybody ask for?
BOTTOM LINE: The print is disappointing. The extras are amazing. Decide for yourself and then buy - or not.

Great family movie
I hadn't watched this movie for many years, but I still remembered the basic story as I watched it again recently trying to get my 18 month old to be interested in the big yellow dog, the horses, cows and pigs. She was only vaguely interested. It is hard for this type of movie to compete with Toy Story and other modern movies that start and finish with lots of action and special effects.

But the story here, a well done coming of age story, is timeless and classic and well worth sitting down with the kids and a bucket of popcorn to watch. There are lots of things this kind of movie can bring for topics of discussion, and unless one has seen it a few times, the emotional parts should stir up at least some feelings (even for non dog lovers).

I give a strong recommendation for this movie, it is a simple and straight forward story, and what it lacks in action and effects, it makes up for in it's timelessness and powerful story line.

Yet another in a long line of bad DVD's from Disney
It's almost hard to fathom a studio having so little respect for its classic movies. This "Vault Disney" release of "Old Yeller" is a perfect example.

The "Vault Disney" releases are promoted as "high end", supposedly better than the cheapy "movie-only" releases of many of Disney's live action movies.

From the initial opening credits, with the worst example I have seen of "grain" in a picture outside of a non-major-studio release, I knew this was going to be another Disney disaster. Though the grain subsided SOMEWHAT, the softness of the picture throughout was not even close to what I would expect of a classic movie release. While my widescreen television is relatively small, I'd hate to see how bad this picture would look on a large widescreen display.

In addition, the chintzy packaging for these movies is hardly up to "special edition" quality either, and the majority of the extras are nothing more than more "Disney" horn-blowing.

I will commend them for the inclusion of one of Pluto's best cartoons {"Bone Trouble"}, and for the current-day interview with Tommy Kirk {whom I would have NEVER recognized}.

However, all in all, Disney should be ashamed at the quality on such a classic film release.

A BOY AND HIS DOG....
I first saw this as a kid and nearly never saw another movie again. Especially one with an animal in it. For anyone who has ever bonded with an animal (especially a dog), "Old Yeller" strikes a nerve or two. The was also the first time I ever heard the phrase "It's only a movie!" after I saw "Old Yeller" because I cried so hard. This is probably one of the finest family films ever made by the Walt Disney people. It's a simple tale of a frontier boy who bonds with a stray dog (that more than proves it's loyalty) and the boy's final realization that he has to grow up. Dorothy McGuire is the steadfast mother and Tommy Kirk is the boy who must make a gut-wrenching decision that will start him on the road to maturity. I hated this movie for years but as an adult I more than see the beauty of it now and highly recommend it all round. But keep those kleenex handy because if you're like me, you'll need 'em.

Stop killing dogs
I can't stand it when dogs die in the movies.

I'd much rather watch people die before dogs.

I could laugh my butt off watching Meryl Streep in pain from cancer in that dumb movie with Renee Zellweger before I can stand to see a dog suffer.

Just tears your heart out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Available uncut for the first time, the five episodes of DavyCrockett that aired on Walt Disney's "Disneyland" show (1954-55) launchedone of the great pop culture crazes of the '50s. An estimated $300 million worthof Crockett merchandise was sold during the first eight months of the craze,including 10 million "coonskin" caps. Disney didn't spend a lot on theoriginal episodes, but as host Leonard Maltin observes, the colorful locationand matte shots distinguished Davy Crockett from the cheesy-lookingwesterns of the 1950s. The three original episodes were later recut into thetheatrical feature Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955); themore comic adventures from the second season that introduced the flamboyantriverman Mike Fink (Jeffrey York) became Davy Crockett and the RiverPirates (1956). Tall and ruggedly handsome, if somewhat limited as an actor,Fess Parker was effective as the laconic frontiersman. The more experiencedBuddy Ebsen (playing sidekick Georgie Russel) carried many of their scenes.Fifty years later, Davy Crockett remains an engaging example of nationalmyth making. Younger viewers may be surprised to find this straightforward heroretains much of his appeal in an uncertain time. --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Davy Crockett: Nearly 50 years old and still good.
I was born nearly 20 years too late to enjoy the Crockett Craze, but I still enjoy this DVD set. I have seen the movie versions; seeing them as originally presented, but colorized, was a treat. I find the 2nd Disc better than the first, as I prefer the Davy/Fink relationship as well as the beautiful river scenery. It does seem odd when the show slips from color to an odd black & white, but I feel it just reminds people of how it was originally shown.

I was disappointed in the Fess Parker interview. Perhaps Fess was not up to it the day he talked.

I did enjoy the talk about the Crockett Craze, as I found it fascinating. I did feel it was too short, however.

I also don't understand how come 2 discs were necessary; 1 disc should have held all 5 episodes plus the additional commentaries.

Still, a wonderful DVD.

Now, if only they will releaee "Follow Me Boys" on DVD.

Fantastic DVD with all five episodes
The Walt Disney Treasures- The Complete Davy Crockett Television Series is a great DVD that is a must have for fans of the show. Telling the adventures of frontiersman Davy Crockett and his sidekick Georgie Russel, the five episodes follow the two men through the Creek Indian War, Davy's trip to Congress, the battle of the Alamo, a keelboat race with Mike Fink, and a showdown with river pirates. All five episodes look great. I never saw the original episodes so after seeing Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier for so many years, it was great to see the episodes as they were originally presented. This is a great DVD that tells the story of a larger than life frontier hero.

Fess Parker is the image many people think of when they hear the name Davy Crockett and its for a reason. Parker's performance is truly great as the frontiersman, hunter, adventurer, and Congressman, Davy Crockett. Equally as good is Buddy Ebsen as Georgie Russel, Davy's loyal sidekick. The relationship the two men have is what holds all of these episodes together. The series also starred William Bakewell as Major Norton, Basil Ruysdael as Andrew Jackson, Pat Hogan as Chief Red Stick, Mike Mazurki as Bigfoot Mason, Hans Conreid as Thimblerig, Nick Cravat as Busted Luck, Kenneth Tobey in two roles as Jim Bowie and Jocko, and Jeff York as Mike Fink. The DVD offers all five episodes(Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter, Davy Crockett Goes to Congress, Davy Crockett at the Alamo, Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race, and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates), introductions by Leonard Maltin, an extensive photo gallery, an interview with Fess Parker, and a mini-documentary about the Crockett craze. Fans of this great tv series should have this DVD in their collection. Check out this DVD!

Disneyland USA: One to Really Look Forward To!
Walt Disney Treaures Review 4 of 11

Sorry, no easter eggs on this set. (hidden DVD features)

Disneyland USA, the fourth and final volume of wave 1, is probaly the most important. Here, as with all the others, the DVD is enclosed in a numbered tin, along with a lithograph of the poster for Autopia, and a program booklet with a list of features and a letter from Leonard Maltin, the host of the series. On disc 1, we trace the early years of Disneyland with two complete episodes from the original TV show. Each have an intro by Maltin

The Disneyland Story: The very first episode of the Disneyland Television series, which give clips of whats to come in each section of the Disneyland television series anthology. There is a sneak peek of Disneyland, a peek at the new Davy Crockett series, and a tribute to Mickey featuring two entire cartoons.

Dateline Disneyland: Join your hosts Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and Bob Cummings as they cover live, the inagural day at Disneyland, with the late Reagan covering the dedication. This is the most important of the set, and is a treat for Disneyland film buffs and fans alike.

On disc two, there are two more shows in full color, with intros by Maltin.

Disneyland After Dark: Here, we get to meet amazing stars from the sixties, journey through Disneyland after dark, and meet a couple of the famous "Mouseketeers," including Annete Funicello.

Disneyland 10th Anniversary: This piece has two parts. One showing new attractions at Disneyland, mainly the then in progress Pirates of the Carribean, Haunted Manision and Its a Small World. Then the history of the park, during construction, new attractions and a lot of other juicy stuff.

Finally there are the bonus features.

The Magic Kingdom and the Magic of Television: This documentary gives a short history of the park and the Disneyland TV Show with Leonard Maltin

Gallery: A gallery of photographs and posters, as well as merchandise.

The smallest of the four in wave 1, Disneyland USA could have a little more material. However, that is a small price to pay for the historical broadcasts in this wonderful set. I'll write the reviews for Wave 2 tomorrow. See you then.

List of Reviews of Walt Disney Treasures:

Silly Symphonies
Mickey Mouse in Living Color
Davy Crockett
Disneyland USA
Mickey Mouse in Black and White
The Complete Goofy
Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studios
Mickey Mouse in Living Color Volume 2

The Chronological Doand Volume 1
On Front Lines
Tomorrowland

All with the complete list of features, including Easter Eggs! (hidden DVD features)

Davy Crockett: The Complete Televised Series
Walt Disney Treasures Review 3 of 11

This review tells you where to find the Easter Eggs! (hidden DVD features)

The third Walt Disney Treasure of Wave 1 is Davy Crockett, the Complete Televised Series. Here, there is a showcase of the complete episodes, with Walt's intros on the set. As all of them, this set features a limited numbered tin, a lithograph of the movie poster Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, and a program booklet with the list of features and a letter from Leonard Maltin, host of the series.

On disc 1, there is an into that both discs share, then the fun begins. Each episode includes an intro by Leonard. Most of the show is in color, but there are parts where color footage could not be located.

Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter: This is the show that started it all. Basically all Davy does in this episode is fight indians, which results in piece with the Creeks at the end.

Davy Crockett Goes to Congress: Here, Davy tends to be more peaceful towards the indians. His whole amazing career begins when moving to find a cabin, buys the land, and fights Bigfoot Mason, who stole a piece of indian land. He gets elected to the state legislature and later to congress. He defends the indians in his brief stint there.

Davy Crockett at the Alamo: Walt admitted he would not kill of his hero here if he didn't know how popular he would be. This is one of the most accuracte portraits of a great moment of American history. (Unlike the crappy new Alamo Disney pumped out)

Well, that's disc one. 3 hours of fun. On disc 2, we get into a couple of legends of Davy.

Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race: The first of two films with Mike Fink, King of the River, Crockett race Fink to keep his furs he hunted for over a year that his partner, Russel, bet they could win while drunk.

Davy Crockett and the River Pirates: The indians are going to hit the warpath if they do not find out who the pirates hiding out in the cave are. Davy, along with Mike Fink, set out to kill the pirates.

EASTER EGG! On the bonus features menu, click on Davy's hat and see a clip from "The Disneyland Story" TV Show about Crockett.

The Davy Crockett Craze: Maltin is joined by Paul Anderson, auther of the book The Davy Crockett Craze, and talk about how successful and amazing the series was.

A Conversation with Fess Parker: At his winery in California, Leonard joins Fess Parker, the actor who played Davy in the series, to talk about his role in the series and the history of it.

Gallery: As with the otheres, here is a gallery of production photos and merchandise.

That is a smaller DVD and didn't take up as much space. I could tell you one thing, the quality is stunning, and the features are amazing. Now onto the final set in Wave 1.

Definitive Disney Entertainment!!
Davy Crockett is sometimes cheesy but it never fails to entertain. It has that Disney magic to it that we dont see anymore and probably never will see again from Disney. This collection of all of Davy's adventures gets its deserving treatment in the Walt Disney Treasures series and it truly is just that. I will admit, I bought this really to just complete my Treasures collection, but when I first saw it I was wowed. I was born a long time after this first aired, yet I could imagine what it would have been like. A great hero of American history coming to the tv screen on Sunday night back in the 60's. Davy Crockett, played by Fess Parker, starred in 5 features, all presented uncut as they were seen then, only now they are in color. That is a good thing though. All of the features have the original Walt Disney introduction from "Frontierland" and it is great to see classic footage restored this beautifully. The episodes included are:
Davy Crockett Indian Fighter
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Davy Crockett at the Alamo
Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates

Davy dies in the third installment, only to return in two more adventures. Walt Disney explains why this is, as he was brought back due to the popularity of the character. This, along with the extras make this a great set to own, or at least watch once. Extras include:
"A Conversation with Fess Parker" Leonard Maltin & Fess Parker
"The Davy Crockett Craze" with Leonard Maltin
Easter Egg: "The Ballad of Davy Crockett"
Still Gallery

Normally I dont like watching cowboy/frontier/indian movies but I instantly loved these episodes. It is pure and simple entertainment that you wont see in today's more complicated time. But this is a great set, and also has a cool collectible tin to hold the case. This is a nice set, and although out of print you can find this without paying too much for it. No complaints on this dvd from me though, and I highly recommend it to Disney fans or anyone else in general. All I can say is check it out for yourself. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

History, Disney style
Walt Disney loved trains. He took the "Andrews Raiders" incident from the Civil War (that involved Union spies hijacking a Confederate train) and turned it into a movie. It has it's inaccuracies, but overall it gives you an idea of what really happened. What really makes this movie is that Disney contacted the B&O train museum in Baltimore, and borrowed some of their period locomotives and equipment. Portraying the hijacked locomotive "The General" is the "William Mason" from the museum. She's a fine lady of a locomotive, who appeared not only in this movie, but the recent flop "The Wild Wild West" as "the Wanderer". Fess Parker gives his usual wooden and stilted performance as Andrews, and being a Disney film there's singing (but no dancing) in the movie. But Jeffrey Hunter does a great job as Fuller, the Confederate conductor of the hijacked train. Most men would have been alarmed as they watched their train pull away without the regular crew, but how many would run after it like Fuller did? And run and run, commandeering a rail car and 3 locomotives before finally catching up with the stolen train. Hunter captures the determination of this man who is the single reason the plan of the Andrews Raiders failed.

Fine Civil War Adventure
It's been many years since I had seen "The Great Locomotive Chase", and it was a real pleasure to watch it again. With so many other reviews, I don't think I need to summarize the plot.

Anchor Bay, as usual, has given us a DVD that is beautiful to look at, with only a few areas where the age of the film is apparent. This is widescreen and I can't imagine watching this film any other way. The sound is pretty much what you would expect for a 1956 release.

Fess Parker and Jeffrey Hunter are fine as the lead protagonists, with Jeff York also registering as one of Andrews' Raiders who would rather fight, than follow the "cloak and dagger" routine. Of course, York played Mike Fink--"King of the River"--opposite Fess Parker's Davy Crockett.

This movie is a dream for railroad buffs--old steam trains still provide a thrill for many people. It is also noteworthy for people interested in the civil war, being based on actual events, although I suspect history scholars might find it too superficial. However, the purpose of this movie is to entertain fans of all ages--not to get bogged down in too much detail.

Parents should find this movie a delight to watch with their children, especially young boys. The plot is not complicated--there is plenty of action--and while shots are fired, and some fists fly, there is none of the more graphic violence that today's films seem to wallow in.

Like other reviewers, I would have liked some "extras". Comments from Fess Parker--now a successful California wine-maker--added a lot to Disney's Davy Crockett collection. Mr. Parker's memories of this film would have been a nice plus. Sadly, Jeffrey Hunter passed away at a young age, during the 1960s.
Perhaps some day there will be a "deluxe" edition from Disney--but, in the mean time, we must thank Anchor Bay for giving us this highly watchable version.

Again, recommended viewing for the whole family.

Review of Disney May 2002 release
After two previous releases by Anchor Bay, one would assume this release by the movie producer, Disney, would be the ultimate issue of this film. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Besides having zero....none, nyet....bonus features....not even a trailer, this release is riddled with problems. While the menu and FBI warnings are anamorphic, the movie itself is not. If the transfer had been halfway decent, this would be somewhat forgiveable. However, the transfer is grainy, the color pulses, and edge enhancement is frequent throughout. Certain portions of the movie even appear to be in the wrong ratio....as if the screen were squeezed top to bottom.

Another problem I encountered....and basically the last straw....was the random appearance of foreign subtitles as I watched the movie. Whether this is a problem with all DVD players, I do not know [mine is a Toshiba]....but on a quality product, this should never be a problem on any player.

While the movie is somewhat enjoyable [typical 50's Disney-style drama], I'd avoid this DVD [wish I HAD] based purely on the lack of effort Disney put out in assembling it.

Figures....Disney finally releases some of its movies in their entirety [not the destructive pan & scan], and they still put out a lousy DVD.

Excellent Film, Disappointing DVD
Read the other reviews for a plot synopsis. Be aware that this film is presented in "Letterbox" widescreen, not anamorphic (although the menu pages & even the copyright warning page are anamorphic widescreen). The picture quality is mediocre, as is the sound. I thought that Disney (who released the original film to the theaters in 1956) would treat this film with some respect, but alas, as seems to be happening with all major studios' DVD releases now, they appear to be taking the cheapest way out. The film is a very good historical action piece that deserves better, especially from Disney. I just hope they treat the upcoming Davey Crockett release better.

re: new version dvd
the new version dvd (with the painting of the locomotive cover) is a full-frame only version. knowing this would've saved me some heartache (and money) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Don Siegel brings his tough worldview and crisp, no-nonsense direction to this quintessential World War II drama of an undermanned American platoon in France holding off a German advance through sheer bluff and bravery. Steve McQueen is curt and surly as the insubordinate loner whose tactical skills and soldiering savvy make him indispensable to his new unit. His reputation precedes him, but commander Fess Parker is in no position to be choosy when he learns that his tired platoon will not be shipping home as rumored, but tossed into a ragged new offensive. Harry Guardino costars as the soulful Sarge; James Coburn is the slow-talking, forever-tinkering mechanic; Bobby Darin is the scavenger with a small fortune in trinkets; and Nick Adams is the Polish orphan and unit mascot. Bob Newhart makes his feature debut as a hopelessly lost typing clerk drafted into the undermanned unit and re-creates his nightclub shtick making phony phone calls near a Nazi listening post in the pillbox. Like Pork Chop Hill, this film is less a patriotic flag waver than a "war is hell" drama that frames the battle not in its tactical importance (which is negligible) but in its cost in human life. McQueen's taciturn performance as a ruthlessly effective soldier and Siegel's tough, lean direction make it a modest classic of the genre. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (21)

McQueen Brings It To Life
Gritty realism and a riveting performance by Steve McQueen highlight the World War II action/drama "Hell Is For Heroes," directed by Don Siegel. The setting is France, 1944, and American troops are spread thin across a sector of the Siegfried Line. When heavy action in another area precipitates troop movement, a squad of six men is left behind to hold the position until reinforcements arrive, which means a day or maybe two of making the Germans believe they are actually up to strength with a full complement of men. Not an easy task, but like the man said, war is hell. With Sergeant Larkin (Harry Guardino) in charge, and left to their own devices for survival, the men of the 2nd Squad dig in for what just may be the longest night of their lives. And for some, it will prove to be not only the longest, but their last. In the shadow of a murderous pill box held by the enemy, the soldiers make their stand and add yet another footnote to another chapter in the history of the eternal struggle for freedom.

Filmed in stark black&white, Siegel's film succinctly captures the fatal brutality of war, in terms perhaps not as graphic, but every bit as effectively as Steve Spielberg would do some thirty-six years later with his monumental film "Saving Private Ryan." Siegel may not have had the special effects in 1961 that Spielberg had at his disposal in 1998, but he did have an excellent screenplay (by Robert Pirosh and Richard Carr) from which to work. He tells his story in a direct, unromanticized way that maintains the focus and conveys the sense of urgency of the moment, through which he builds the tension and suspense that makes the peril of the situation immediate and real. Siegel had two predominant elements going for him that helped him achieve success with this venture: One was an instinctive knowledge of what works and how to deliver it; but most of all, he had Steve McQueen to sell it.

McQueen plays Pvt. John Reese, a veteran soldier who transfers into this particular outfit on the very day they are ordered to the front line. And that's just the way Reese wants it. When he reports for duty (three days late), he runs into Sergeant Pike (Fess Parker), who had served with him in another campaign. It's late evening, and the troops are assembling at an old church outside of town that now serves as a makeshift barracks; Pike sees Reese and asks him how he is. "Thirsty," Reese replies. "Town's off limits," Pike tells him. The very next scene shows Reese walking into town and finding what appears to be the only bar on a lonely street. Stepping up to the counter, Reese asks the bartender (a woman) for a bottle. "One pack or two?" he asks. "We aren't allow to serve soldiers--" she says. "Two," he replies, and setting the cigarettes on the counter, he walks around and takes a bottle. And now, without a doubt, we know exactly who and what Reese is; the personification of the iconoclastic loner, embodied to perfection in the form of Steve McQueen.

By all accounts, McQueen was not only a tough guy on screen, but in real life as well; tough meaning that he was always up for a challenge of any kind, and determined to live by his own set of rules, no matter what the cost. But he was a complex individual, and that was but one side of his true persona. To play Reese, McQueen went to that dark, stoic side of himself, exaggerated it, and the result was one of the most intense characters he ever created. Reese is a force of one, adamant and relentless, single-minded and fatalistic. At the moment he's on the Siegfried Line, but for him it's just another battle in a war he's been waging with life since the day he was born. And he knows deep down that it's a war he's never going to win; it's just a matter of time before his hand plays out, and being on the line is just as good a place as any. For him, it's not a matter of options, but of inevitability. It's an exemplary performance, and one for which McQueen never received the acclaim he was due, which unfortunately was not an isolated instance in his career. There was Vin in "The Magnificent Seven," Frank Bullitt in "Bullitt" and Tom Horn in "Tom Horn," as well. And that's but a sample of the work he did for which he never received enough recognition. His only real acknowledgement came with his creation of Jake Holman in "The Sand Pebbles," a role for which he was nominated and should have received the Oscar for Best Actor. But Reese was one of his first, and one of his best.

The supporting cast includes Bobby Darin (Corby), James Coburn (Henshaw), Mike Kellin (Kolinsky), Joseph Hoover (Captain Loomis), Bill Mullikin (Cumberly), Nick Adams (Homer) and Bob Newhart in his film debut as Pvt. Driscoll. Hard-hitting and with unforgiving realism, "Hell Is For Heroes," though on a smaller scale, perhaps, than Spielberg's "Ryan," is one of the most effective and memorable war films ever made; Siegel gave it direction and focus, McQueen brought it to life. And it's quite simply one of the best of it's kind you'll ever see.

One of the all-time greatest War movies! Not to be missed!!
I was born in 1954 and went to see this one when it first came out. I was all of eight years old. What an extremely profound impact it would have on my life. I eventually went on to serve as an officer in the USMC, partly because of the heroism depicted in this movie. Each time that I watch it now, I sympathize with the characters that are sent to cover a sector of the Sigfried line and one morning wake to find that the rest of the company has pulled leaving only their squad to defend the company-sized front. How desperate their reaction! They do the right thing - they go on the offensive! I won't spoil it for you. It is an excellent movie well worth adding to any collection. No war movie collector would be without it. Great performances by Fess Parker, Steve McQueen, Nick Adams, Bobby Darin, James Coburn, Bob Newhart, Harry Guardino and others who also went on to become famous character acters. Well worth owning at any price!!!

"You show up on the line.....I'll blow your head off."
4.5 stars. This is the sort of War film I wish they would make more often. Where the story centers around a platoon of characters, all of which are memorable with depth of individual character. A movie with the same type of ensemble acting in a War film is Olver Stone's "Platoon." The fact that this particular film predates "Platoon" by 24 years is remarkable. This is a story about a small, 6-man platoon left to hold a mile-wide stretch of ragged countryside until reinforcements arrive; but there is no telling if or when they will. It's that sort of tension that is held all the way to the explosive finale. But it's the journey that makes this film worthwhile. The entire cast is excellent, with Steve McQueen heading the list with another of his under-appreciated performances. He is one of those rare types that is a movie-star that can act; it's the ones who can do both who become legendary. The plotting in this film is also noteworthy, with ingenious ideas and interesting characters joined together to hold the line. The script is both sharp and intense. There were a couple of extreme moments, one of which I actually exclaimed aloud. However, there are two reasons why I just can't give this film 5 stars. The first happens in the final, climactic battle, where many of the extras fall over (shot dead) so badly and with such fake screaming that I was crestfallen. All the scenes leading up to the end are well-done and authentic, so it was a let-down to see mediocrity of any kind, particularly during the climax. The second and last thing I didn't like was the splicing of real War footage in with the final assault. All the voices are obviously dubbed, which was another moment to shake my head in dismay. There are some great moments during that last battle, so take my criticism with a grain of proverbial salt. "Hell is for Heroes" is nearly a great film, if not for those two inconsistencies. This film has great acting, a solid script with more humor and intelligence than I would have imagined, and another legendary turn by Steve McQueen. I should mention that I first saw this on VHS, then later rented it on DVD. The transfer to DVD is pristine, and the sound quality is excellent. Take it easy.

Taut Combat Drama
From Don (Dirty Harry, The Shootist) Segal comes this engaging World War II combat drama with an all star cast including Steve McQueen, Harry Guardino, James Coburn, Bobby Darin (!), Bob Newhart, LQ Jones and Nick (`Godzilla vs. Monster Zero') Adams.

The story begins when a squad of combat-weary GI's is sent back to the front and then left behind by the rest of the Company to defend an insignifigant portion of the Siegfried Line. Then the Germans decide it is not so insignifigant after all. The hook is the diminutive squad must convince the company of Wermacht soldiers that they are facing a much larger force. They employ a variety of illusions to keep up the charade (James Coburn runs a backfiring jeep in low gear in a circle to make the Germans think they have a tank, Bob Newhart sits in a pillbox making up radio traffic, and they string up rocks in empty ammo cans to make it sound like troop movement), but eventually the Germans begin to figure it out. The only thing left for them to do is hit the enemy hard and without warning to discourage their advance until the company returns.

This is an engrossing small scale drama with some intense action (despite a liberal use of wartime stock footage, mostly of artillery crews, to give us a sense of place) - the scene where the German patrol charges McQueen's foxhole with fixed bayonets is pretty desperate, with McQueen resorting to throwing his helmet to beat down their advance!

Without a doubt this movie is carried by the skillful gritty direction of Segal and an awesome cast. McQueen comes on strong and early as the grizzled vet busted down from Master Sergeant for trying to run down a colonel with his jeep. Little details hint toward a bloody and intriguing past - he favors a captive Schweisser German machinegun and keeps a butcher knife strapped to his hip. This is just about the toughest I've ever seen him. Guardino as the Sarge is paternal, Newhart endearing as an inexperienced typist who stumbles onto the squad and gets his jeep requisitioned, and Nick Adams is pretty authentic as a Polish D.P. desperate to prove his worth and go back to America with the squad - I didn't even know it was him till the credits rolled. James Coburn is reserved as a tinkering engineer, and Bobby Darin is fine too as a profit-minded procurer. All the cast gives standout performances, never once blurring as individuals in my mind - which makes the impact of some of their deaths all the more real and shocking.

Little details about the movie help to sell it - the toilet seat hung on the base wall as a frame for a picture of Der Fuherer, Newhart talking into a radio-phone with the severed chord dangling there, and that nerve-wracking night crawl through the minefield! Plus, what a climax! Great movie.

A war film ahead of its time.
Like Citizen Kane this movie plays more like a movie made yesterday that just happened to be in black and white.

Cheesy musical scores, guns that never run out of bullets, and ...Germans are WWII movie elements this one leaves out. Like Saving Private Ryan, there is little music and very realistic fighting that detail the horrors of war.

Certainly dark, this movie consists almost soley of 5 characters on one set. But there's still plenty of action and suspense. Although no really large battle scene, we really feel for these characters and understand the dispare of their position. ... Read more

Description

Van Heflin, Aldo Ray and Tab Hunter in Raoul Walsh's hard-hitting-action epic of Marine Corps heroism in the WWII Pacific, based on Leon Uris' gritty best-seller. Year: 1955 ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Battle Cry
This movie is based on Leon Uris' best seller, and while it does not strictly adhere to the plot/timeline, it is still a relatively faithful treatment of the book. For those of you with short attention spans, this isn't the movie for you. It requires an investment in time and emotion to see the characters develop, in the movie and as friends of each other, culminating in the final battle scene, at Saipan. It is enjoybale, believable, and yes...a movie from the Fifties with all its good and bad points.....only a boorish or immature person would judge the movie because of that though....See for yourself, if you enjoy a great yarn, this movie is for you...and...if you don't think this is how barracks life really is.....you aint been in the Corps...Semper Fi

I have a better name for this movie..
Instead of "Battle Cry", how about naming the film "Cry Over My Love Life"! Who made this movie anyway? The same people who made "Pearl Harbor"? This action COMEDY stars Van Heflin as the commander of a company of marines in WWII, from it's early days of basic training through its last battle in the closing months of the war. It's not a bad film actually if you like cheesy acting, boring and overbearing narration, and don't mind that there's only 20 minutes of actual fighting during its almost 2 and 1/2 hour length? In fact, the war seemed to be almost a bother to the makers of this film, who for whatever reason believed that moviegoers would prefer to see exciting moments of a kid cheating on his girlfriend with a woman old enough to be his mother? Of a nerdish bookworm who falls in love with his buddy's weekend plaything? Or a macho lumberjack who considers desertion to make his new war widow wife happy? Sprinkle in a couple more tragic love stories, and you have most of what this long, insufferable movie is about? As for the acting..FORGET IT! And could anyone who grew up in the 50's please explain to me what the big deal was with Tab Hunter? I've seen porn actors do a better job of acting? I've heard it said that this was a box office hit? WOW! lol The bottom line is..if you're buying this movie because you think it's a war movie, you better keep your finger on the fast forward button, because the action scenes are few and totally far in between! I give it 2 stars for what little action actually made it onto the screen? As for the rest..ANNOYING!

Semper Fi !!
Panned by reviewers at the time of it's release, but a box office hit, nonetheless. In some respects, Battle Cry is not much more than a soap-opera type presentation, but a bunch of good acting and sympathetic characters helps sell it.
As pointed out by another reviewer, this movie was ALWAYS in color, and as far as it not running very frequently on TNT or elsewhere, that's because of economics and availability, not content.
James Whitmore turns in a fine job as the stalwart Sarge, and minor roles by Fess Parker, and L.Q. Jones (the character's name, as subsequently actor McQueen's name), and others help make this a worthwhile viewing experience.
Sure, the Danny [Tab Hunter] character is pure mush, but even there, it's probably his best acting and kudos also goes to Aldo Ray, as a hardass lumberjack who finds true love along the way.
Certainly not on the level of From Here To Eternity as a "war" movie, this IS enjoyable viewing.

Battle Cry ¿ there¿s a lot to see here.
It is surprising how a sprawling war film like this contains so little action. But, don't be disappointed. This film focuses on characterization and characters are plentiful be they ever so stereotypical. James Whitmore as Sgt. Mac, Aldo Ray, Tab Hunter, L. Q. Jones and Perry Lopez as Marine recruits and Dorothy Malone, Anne Francis and Nancy Olsen as their love interests all give standout performances. Max Steiner's patriotic and rousing score is in its full glory. This film is high on good old-fashioned sentimental entertainment. By the film's end the viewer comes to realize many of the sacrifices that were made during this time in history and some of the gloss wears off. As an aside, a deceased acquaintance of mine who served in the US Army 1st Division during the Second World War from North Africa, D-Day to Germany's surrender, found this film to be the best representation of W.W.II military life. That was an exceptional compliment and recommendation for this film from a veteran who was not a Marine and one who fought in the European theatre. This is a good film. This VHS recording sounds very good in stereo.

Excellent adaptation of Uris novel
An outstanding motion picture which deserves a widescreen release on VHS. By the way, viewer from Minneapolis, the film was originally released in Warnercolor and CinemaScope not in black and white. (Fox, the owners of CinemaScope, didn't allow black and white releases in the process in 1955) ... Read more

Reviews (22)

History, Disney style
Walt Disney loved trains. He took the "Andrews Raiders" incident from the Civil War (that involved Union spies hijacking a Confederate train) and turned it into a movie. It has it's inaccuracies, but overall it gives you an idea of what really happened. What really makes this movie is that Disney contacted the B&O train museum in Baltimore, and borrowed some of their period locomotives and equipment. Portraying the hijacked locomotive "The General" is the "William Mason" from the museum. She's a fine lady of a locomotive, who appeared not only in this movie, but the recent flop "The Wild Wild West" as "the Wanderer". Fess Parker gives his usual wooden and stilted performance as Andrews, and being a Disney film there's singing (but no dancing) in the movie. But Jeffrey Hunter does a great job as Fuller, the Confederate conductor of the hijacked train. Most men would have been alarmed as they watched their train pull away without the regular crew, but how many would run after it like Fuller did? And run and run, commandeering a rail car and 3 locomotives before finally catching up with the stolen train. Hunter captures the determination of this man who is the single reason the plan of the Andrews Raiders failed.

Fine Civil War Adventure
It's been many years since I had seen "The Great Locomotive Chase", and it was a real pleasure to watch it again. With so many other reviews, I don't think I need to summarize the plot.

Anchor Bay, as usual, has given us a DVD that is beautiful to look at, with only a few areas where the age of the film is apparent. This is widescreen and I can't imagine watching this film any other way. The sound is pretty much what you would expect for a 1956 release.

Fess Parker and Jeffrey Hunter are fine as the lead protagonists, with Jeff York also registering as one of Andrews' Raiders who would rather fight, than follow the "cloak and dagger" routine. Of course, York played Mike Fink--"King of the River"--opposite Fess Parker's Davy Crockett.

This movie is a dream for railroad buffs--old steam trains still provide a thrill for many people. It is also noteworthy for people interested in the civil war, being based on actual events, although I suspect history scholars might find it too superficial. However, the purpose of this movie is to entertain fans of all ages--not to get bogged down in too much detail.

Parents should find this movie a delight to watch with their children, especially young boys. The plot is not complicated--there is plenty of action--and while shots are fired, and some fists fly, there is none of the more graphic violence that today's films seem to wallow in.

Like other reviewers, I would have liked some "extras". Comments from Fess Parker--now a successful California wine-maker--added a lot to Disney's Davy Crockett collection. Mr. Parker's memories of this film would have been a nice plus. Sadly, Jeffrey Hunter passed away at a young age, during the 1960s.
Perhaps some day there will be a "deluxe" edition from Disney--but, in the mean time, we must thank Anchor Bay for giving us this highly watchable version.

Again, recommended viewing for the whole family.

Review of Disney May 2002 release
After two previous releases by Anchor Bay, one would assume this release by the movie producer, Disney, would be the ultimate issue of this film. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Besides having zero....none, nyet....bonus features....not even a trailer, this release is riddled with problems. While the menu and FBI warnings are anamorphic, the movie itself is not. If the transfer had been halfway decent, this would be somewhat forgiveable. However, the transfer is grainy, the color pulses, and edge enhancement is frequent throughout. Certain portions of the movie even appear to be in the wrong ratio....as if the screen were squeezed top to bottom.

Another problem I encountered....and basically the last straw....was the random appearance of foreign subtitles as I watched the movie. Whether this is a problem with all DVD players, I do not know [mine is a Toshiba]....but on a quality product, this should never be a problem on any player.

While the movie is somewhat enjoyable [typical 50's Disney-style drama], I'd avoid this DVD [wish I HAD] based purely on the lack of effort Disney put out in assembling it.

Figures....Disney finally releases some of its movies in their entirety [not the destructive pan & scan], and they still put out a lousy DVD.

Excellent Film, Disappointing DVD
Read the other reviews for a plot synopsis. Be aware that this film is presented in "Letterbox" widescreen, not anamorphic (although the menu pages & even the copyright warning page are anamorphic widescreen). The picture quality is mediocre, as is the sound. I thought that Disney (who released the original film to the theaters in 1956) would treat this film with some respect, but alas, as seems to be happening with all major studios' DVD releases now, they appear to be taking the cheapest way out. The film is a very good historical action piece that deserves better, especially from Disney. I just hope they treat the upcoming Davey Crockett release better.

re: new version dvd
the new version dvd (with the painting of the locomotive cover) is a full-frame only version. knowing this would've saved me some heartache (and money) ... Read more

Reviews (22)

History, Disney style
Walt Disney loved trains. He took the "Andrews Raiders" incident from the Civil War (that involved Union spies hijacking a Confederate train) and turned it into a movie. It has it's inaccuracies, but overall it gives you an idea of what really happened. What really makes this movie is that Disney contacted the B&O train museum in Baltimore, and borrowed some of their period locomotives and equipment. Portraying the hijacked locomotive "The General" is the "William Mason" from the museum. She's a fine lady of a locomotive, who appeared not only in this movie, but the recent flop "The Wild Wild West" as "the Wanderer". Fess Parker gives his usual wooden and stilted performance as Andrews, and being a Disney film there's singing (but no dancing) in the movie. But Jeffrey Hunter does a great job as Fuller, the Confederate conductor of the hijacked train. Most men would have been alarmed as they watched their train pull away without the regular crew, but how many would run after it like Fuller did? And run and run, commandeering a rail car and 3 locomotives before finally catching up with the stolen train. Hunter captures the determination of this man who is the single reason the plan of the Andrews Raiders failed.

Fine Civil War Adventure
It's been many years since I had seen "The Great Locomotive Chase", and it was a real pleasure to watch it again. With so many other reviews, I don't think I need to summarize the plot.

Anchor Bay, as usual, has given us a DVD that is beautiful to look at, with only a few areas where the age of the film is apparent. This is widescreen and I can't imagine watching this film any other way. The sound is pretty much what you would expect for a 1956 release.

Fess Parker and Jeffrey Hunter are fine as the lead protagonists, with Jeff York also registering as one of Andrews' Raiders who would rather fight, than follow the "cloak and dagger" routine. Of course, York played Mike Fink--"King of the River"--opposite Fess Parker's Davy Crockett.

This movie is a dream for railroad buffs--old steam trains still provide a thrill for many people. It is also noteworthy for people interested in the civil war, being based on actual events, although I suspect history scholars might find it too superficial. However, the purpose of this movie is to entertain fans of all ages--not to get bogged down in too much detail.

Parents should find this movie a delight to watch with their children, especially young boys. The plot is not complicated--there is plenty of action--and while shots are fired, and some fists fly, there is none of the more graphic violence that today's films seem to wallow in.

Like other reviewers, I would have liked some "extras". Comments from Fess Parker--now a successful California wine-maker--added a lot to Disney's Davy Crockett collection. Mr. Parker's memories of this film would have been a nice plus. Sadly, Jeffrey Hunter passed away at a young age, during the 1960s.
Perhaps some day there will be a "deluxe" edition from Disney--but, in the mean time, we must thank Anchor Bay for giving us this highly watchable version.

Again, recommended viewing for the whole family.

Review of Disney May 2002 release
After two previous releases by Anchor Bay, one would assume this release by the movie producer, Disney, would be the ultimate issue of this film. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Besides having zero....none, nyet....bonus features....not even a trailer, this release is riddled with problems. While the menu and FBI warnings are anamorphic, the movie itself is not. If the transfer had been halfway decent, this would be somewhat forgiveable. However, the transfer is grainy, the color pulses, and edge enhancement is frequent throughout. Certain portions of the movie even appear to be in the wrong ratio....as if the screen were squeezed top to bottom.

Another problem I encountered....and basically the last straw....was the random appearance of foreign subtitles as I watched the movie. Whether this is a problem with all DVD players, I do not know [mine is a Toshiba]....but on a quality product, this should never be a problem on any player.

While the movie is somewhat enjoyable [typical 50's Disney-style drama], I'd avoid this DVD [wish I HAD] based purely on the lack of effort Disney put out in assembling it.

Figures....Disney finally releases some of its movies in their entirety [not the destructive pan & scan], and they still put out a lousy DVD.

Excellent Film, Disappointing DVD
Read the other reviews for a plot synopsis. Be aware that this film is presented in "Letterbox" widescreen, not anamorphic (although the menu pages & even the copyright warning page are anamorphic widescreen). The picture quality is mediocre, as is the sound. I thought that Disney (who released the original film to the theaters in 1956) would treat this film with some respect, but alas, as seems to be happening with all major studios' DVD releases now, they appear to be taking the cheapest way out. The film is a very good historical action piece that deserves better, especially from Disney. I just hope they treat the upcoming Davey Crockett release better.

re: new version dvd
the new version dvd (with the painting of the locomotive cover) is a full-frame only version. knowing this would've saved me some heartache (and money) ... Read more