Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood held the dual role of director and star of this 1975 spy thriller, which makes up for sluggishpacing with a breathtaking climax on a treacherous peak in the Swiss Alps. The plot kicks into gear when Eastwood,playing a retired assassin, is recruited back into a secret organization to avenge the murder of an old friend. He's thenblackmailed into making a second "hit"; this time his target is one of three men who will be attempting to conquer theEiger, a dangerous peak in Switzerland. Himself an accomplished climber, Eastwood's character joins the expeditionwith George Kennedy as leader of the ground crew. Shifting loyalties, apparent betrayals, and paranoid suspicion factorinto the suspenseful climax on the sheer face of the mountain. This memorable sequence--for which Eastwoodperformed his own mountain-climbing stunts--is effectively intense, built on a standard plot of double-cross andintrigue that was intended to combine Eastwood's screen persona with the global adventure of the James Bond films.For the most part it works--it's not one of Eastwood's better films, but it's got some first-class thrills (and a slyperformance by Jack Cassidy) to grab and hold your interest. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Dr. Hemlock...I Presume???.....
This review refers to the Universal DVD edition of "The Eiger Sanction".....

Dr.John Hemlock(when Clint gets a name in a movie it's really a doozey!)...Professor of Art,Collector of Fine Paintings,handsome,has a weakness for beautiful women...and oh yeah...Assassin! But don't worry he works for the government. His superiors may be dangerous,they may be insane, but hey, they're on our side! Well.. maybe!

When our agents are being killed by the other side, Hemlock is coerced out of his retirement to "sanction" these killings. Or in a word..REVENGE! He is reluctant but when he learns one of the killings was of his friend, he dons his assassin outfit and goes back to work. The outfit is mountain climbing gear. The killer he is after is one of a party of climbers who will tackle "The Eiger" a dangerous peak in the Alps. Which one is the killer? That's for our guy Clint to figure out.

Although an intiguing mystery with some wonderful cinemagraphic scenes of the desert and the Alps,this one is not the usual above average to excellent film we are usually treated to by Eastwood. It's a good story, but at times slow(for an Eastwood flick) and somewhat predictable.

Eastwood directed as well as stars and by the way did all of his own climbing and stunts(gotta give him credit for that).
It also stars George Kennedy,Vonetta McGee, and Jack Cassidy.
The music by John Williams is one of the best parts of this film. It adds just the right flavor to this Europeon adventure.

It may not be one of Clint's best, but it's still an Eastwood film,an intriguing story, and worth the view. And being that it is and Eastwood film, I felt the DVD transfer deserved better.
First of all the sound...Dolby Dig 2.0 MONO! What's up with that? The picture, presented in widescreen(2.35:1)looked good in most of the outdoor scenes(although a bit grainy), but some of the indoor scenes were dark and undistinguishable.The colors looked almost artificial(I can hardley bring myself to talk about it) The special features are in the form of production notes, telling about how Clint did his own stunts, etc. There is captioning for hearing impaired viewers, which is nice and clear and is in the black bar area, and there are subtitles in Spanish and French.(it may only be viewed in English).

If you are are collector of all things Clint(like me), at this price you may want to add this one to your collection until a better edition comes along, if not and you just want to check it out, maybe renting it first may be better.

Universal.....please update this for Clint fans!..Thank you...
enjoy....Laurie

sweeeeet
DUUUDE!! This movie is so cool. OK, this one was directed by dirty harry himself, and as such its so funny to watch. Clint Eastwood, perhaps one of the lankiest and funkiest-looking action stars ever gets in the sack with extremely hot girls for no apparant reason, beats [...] people twice his size, and has more "I'm a raw [...]" one-liners than I have ever seen in a movie. Aside from that, it does well from the technical climbing perspective in that it didn't show all that much of the gear. In fact, the only obvious farce was when he was supposedly leading a sandstone pillar somplace in the southwest US, he was shimmying up a chimney on a top-rope. Not possible, but oh well. The movie has some really nice shots during the actual Eiger climb, and the green pastures so many thousands of feet below are a very nice touch. Reminds me of how it really feels to be that high off the ground on the end of a skinny rope. Good stuff man, two thumbs up!

The reasons why
There are several reasons I like this movie. 1) Trevanian wrote the book (trashy, pulp spy fiction...great for a mindless romp into the 60's), Clint Eastwood is in it (not the greatest actor, but he's got a good track record, and he enjoys the craft) 3) The Eiger has always intrigued me 4) I used to climb (age has curtailed my abilities) and 5) My 3rd cousin (Heidi Bruhl) is in it, albeit she plays a trampy wife, but she's my 3rd cousin nonetheless. I like Lee Marvin "flicks" too, my taste in music is much better. Oh sure I enjoy the Hamlets, and Much ado's etc... but we're talking American genre "flicks", not works of cinema etc... flicks.. you know EZ rider, Bronson movies stuff like that. That said... (SERIOUSLY) I remember a climbing book about the making of this movie... and the technical challenges for making some of these scenes on cliff faces and on the Eiger itself were well documented. The challenges were overcome, which and certainly took a bit of skill and logistics to pull it off. Not bad for a "B" movie as described by several reviewers... taking everything into consideration this movie was quite an undertaking, Eastwood didn't write it, he just made it happen. Guy flick? okay, whatever.

Clint Eastwood is my idol
And when I grow up I wanna be just like him. Doesnt everybody?

My 'superior' wants to see you!
Eastwood sarcastically answers "Well that doesn't narrow the field much, does it?".

The plethora of wity expressions & humor in this fantastic spy thriller makes it amgonst other things really a classic. It was made back in the 70's when men were men and women were named 'buns' How some of us miss those days....sigh ;-)

But wait, you get lots lots more! There is breathtaking cinematograqphy ranging from an assination in Zurich to incredibly realistic mountain-climbing footage from Southern Utah and the Swiss Alps.

Provided that one tries not to take this movie dead seriously, this classic will provide you with great entertainment. It might to be fair to say this movie might be more appealing a male gender audience. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

THANK GOD IT FINALLY MADE ITS WAY TO DVD!!!
This is one the best (and most profitable) of all of Clint Eastwoods movies. It has everything, comedy (Ruth Gordon alone is worth the price) action, a great soundtrack, and yes Clyde the Orangutan, But never let this be seen as just a "Guy with an Ape" movie, that would really do it an injustice, it has SO much more to offer than that. An absolutely great movie. ...

One of Clint Eastwood's most successful films!!!!
Like "Smokey & the Bandit" before it, this movie had the same kind of charm, & despite being set in Los Angeles, it had a down home southern feel to it, offered to Clint to give to his pal Burt Reynolds, Clint liked it so much he asked Burt why he should do it, Reynolds told him to do one, & like "Bandit" did for Reynolds, this one did for Eastwood, who stars as Filo Beddoe, a truck driver who falls for a local singer in a nearby bar only to discover that she has a questionable past, this is pretty much the plot that has a series of running gags where Filo pals around with an ape known as Clyde who basically steals the movie as does Ruth Gordon as Filo's mother who constantly curses Clyde, Filo's run-in with a local motorcycle gang is funny to watch as the leader has a look on his face as to how he ended up with such misfits, as Filo searches for love he encounters all kinds of misfits, in addition to the gang, he runs afoul two idiot cops, & bar room brawlers, a fun movie that was a change of pace for Eastwood, & featured his then-girlfriend Sondra Locke who has a secret all her own, if you liked "Smokey & the Bandit", you will love this one!!!

Great Film. Ape Death Story Is Bogus
Fantastic film which represents a by-gone era in films. The films of the 1970's were simply better because while Hollywood was still interested in making a buck, they still wanted to make good films. Now it's all about the buck, who cares if it's good as long as it turns a profit. Pick this one up and keep it in your library as a monolith of better times gone by.

By the way, it is my understanding the original Clyde died of natural causes. The "donut beating" story has been circulated by the PETA Extremists for their hate filled fodder.

Good Film and it works in my Region 2 players!!!!
One line to sum the film up - "This film is a classic"

I have been waiting to get it for ages, and I finally bought a Multi Region player (We have 3 Region players as well). The film arrived, I watched it - and then decided to try it on the other players - and to my amazment it worked. I tried Any Which You Can in the Region 2 players as well and it worked.

I got another R1 DVD and that didnt, so I guess its a one off of this DVD.

Poor "Clyde"
Interesting that none of these reviews mentions the fact that Clyde (who was named Buddha by his trainers) was beaten so severely (for stealing doughnuts on the set) by his trainers that he died of brain hemorrhage. They replaced him, quietly, for the sequal. Primates are brutally dominated by their trainers in order to do the smallest actions (like smiling, which is a sign or fear in the wild). It isn't entertaining, it's cruel. Don't spend money on films that exploit animals. Grow up. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Rae of Hope
Sally Field gives a career turning performance in 1979's Norma Rae. Up to that point, Ms. Field was better known as a TV actress who starred in fluffy comedies like Gidget, The Flying Nun & The Girl With Something Extra. In 1976, she showed a more serious side, taking home an Emmy for her work as a young girl with multiple personalities in Sybil. After Sybil, she proceeded to star in more fluff pieces like Smokey & The Bandit, Hooper & The End with her then boyfriend Burt Reynolds. Norma Rae was a film with much more substance. In fact after reading the script, Mr. Reynolds advised her that she would win an Oscar for the film. He turned out to be quite prophetic. Ms. Field is superb in the title role. Norma is an unassuming factory worker from a small town in the South, who is widowed and has two kids with two separate fathers. That is until she meets Reuben Warshawky (Ron Liebman). Reuben is an Union organizer from New York City and he is trying to get the mill workers to set up a union. Most people ignore as they are fearful for their jobs, but Norma is intrigued and she starts meeting with Reuben to try and start a union. She is met with resistance and is bullied by her bosses, but Norma is not persuaded to quit. She feels that she has stood by her whole life without making a difference and this is her chance to actually matter. There is of course the famous scene where Norma is about to be removed from the mill and she defiantly stands on a table with the Union sign. Her co-workers one by one realize the chances she's taken for them and they shut off their machines in support. The film has some excellent supporting work from Mr. Liebman, Beau Bridges and Pat Hingle, but this is Ms. Field's film all the way. She proved Mr. Reynolds right and took home the 1979 Best Actress Oscar and set forth on a path that would add another Oscar to her collection and feature some of the best films of 1980's & 1990's.

A stunning achievement!
Director Martin Ritt reportedly commented that his film of a mother working in a southern textile mill was flawed but that he hoped it was a realtistic portrayal of life and its flaws. It's tough to find the flaws in this superb film that earned Sally Field the first of her two Oscars ("Places in the Heart" won her the second five years later). As mill worker Norma Rae, Field's character lands the reluctant role of union organizer but in the process uncovers the essence of her own character and courage. The latter is no better conveyed than in what turned out to be one of cinematic history's most memorable images when the near-beaten Norma Rae stands on a table in front of 800 co-workers and, in so doing, becomes her own person. The film expertly conveys life in a southern town, but its devastating impact is Norma Rae's gradual emergence as a truly courageous person who is willing to risk it all to literally stand up for what she knows is right. Field's riveting performance reeled in every major acting award the year the film was released, and justly so. It may well remain her best work ever.

A textbook example of how to organize in your workplace!!
I finally got the chance to watch this movie after missing out for almost 20 years. I should have watched this film years ago. Not only is Sally Field's acting great, but the screenplay was just as great as well. My only problem was the length of the movie as I thought 20 minutes could have been chopped off. With that said, this movie should be mandatory watching for all workers. If you care about the conditions in your workplace, watch it and learn how to organize your workplace!! It's a film much needed for required viewing in our society today!

One of the 10 Best Performances by an Actress Ever!!!
"Norma Rae" contains the thrilling performance by Sally Field as a woman on the wrong side of the tracks of life who decides it's time to stand up for the rights of her co-workers at a small textile plant.

She is offered and accepts a promotion when the plant's management tries to divert her, but a supervisory role doesn't appeal to her when her mother loses her hearing and she has to chastise her father for poor performance. Logically, inevitably she becomes more committed to fighting for a better life for herself and her loved ones and joins forces with a union organizer who came down from NYC. She ends up sacrificing all, including her self esteem, to give the workers more control over their working conditions.

Chills ran down my spine during the scene where she held up the "union" sign and another where she rebuked her husband for being non-supportive of her union efforts. I am not a union supporter, but I know good drama, strong performances, and a logical and interesting plot when I see it, so I recommend this fine film to all.

Hopefully they will give as much time and attention to dubbing and subtitling this movie into languages of third world countries because that's where this textile plant probably relocated a year after the events this film portrayed. A sad, sad outcome to an ideal.

No matter what the outcome, Sally Field delivers one of the finest performances in film history so "Norma Rae" gets only my highest recommendations!

TWO THUMBS UP! FIVE STARS OF EXCELLENCE!!!!
This movie is definitely a monster of a hit. Sally Field was great playing the single mother who wouldn't let unsafe conditions go undetected. This movie was Oscar material. It was strong, smart, and very uplifting. I like the part when she had the black men in the meeting and she told her husband played by Jeff Bridges that "they didn't give me a hard time". Whatever you say about it, but it's AWESOME! 10+ ... Read more

Reviews (17)

CLINT Does it Again!
Clint Eastwood portrays a robber ( John Thunderbolt Doherty ) who takes on a side-kick played by Jeff Bridges (Lightfoot ). There is money to be found in an old church. Trouble is, the church has been moved. Also: Geoffrey Lewis ( Goody ) and Gary Busey (Curly) and Catherine Bach (Melody). There is action in this film. But, I wouldn't consider it an action film. It is more of road chase with subtle dramatic elements. Great film. ***Note, we had no problems playing this DVD on our JVC DVD player.

Clint Eastwood And Jeff Bridges Make One Heck Of A Pair!
Released in 1974, "Thunderbolt And Lightfoot" starring Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy and a host of other actors, is one of those movies that will have you glued to your seat (or couch) for the entire movie. Eastwood plays a bank robber named "Thunderbolt" and Bridges plays "Lightfoot" a young drifter. The beginning of the movie has Eastwood (who is giving a sermon in a small church) running from an old ex-con buddy and literally bumps into Lightfoot, driving a stolen white '73 Pontiac Trans-Am. The two of them are followed by yet another ex-con named Red Leary (played by George Kennedy) and his sidekick named Eddy Goody (played by Geoffery Lewis)who wants to get even with Thunderbolt for hiding some stolen cash from a heist that Leary and he had done years ago. Both Leary and Thunderbolt settle their differences and together the four end up planning on robbing the Montana Armory again the second time around. Who would ever suspect Leary And Thunderbolt? The movie is full of car chases and laughs (ex. Jeff Bridges is a riot dressed in drag in one scene) and the ending is quite a surprise. An all around excellent movie which has finally made it's way onto dvd. Recommended!

Eastwood's most underrated film!
In 1974, director Michael Cimino, who had helped write the script for MAGNUM FORCE, made his debut as director for THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT. The result is a surprised combination of action, suspense, and comedy. Clint Eastwood plays John Doherty, a bank robber who is hiding from other members of his gang who think he ran away with the loot,(it is actually hidden behind a blackboard in a schoolhouse). After nearly being gunned down in his own church, Doherty takes off across a wheatfield, and literally runs into drifter Jeff Bridges,(Lightfoot) , who has just stolen a Pontiac. After getting Doherty out of trouble, the two begin a friendship that involves hookers, stealing cars, and running from Doherty's enemies.

George Kennedy plays Red Leary, a member of Doherty's gang who eventually catches up with him. Geoffery Lewis plays Goody, Leary's sidekick. After cornering Doherty,(nicknamed Thunderbolt) and Lightfoot, Doherty convinces them that the money is gone, although he is unaware the schoolhouse had been moved. They all then decide to rub off the same bank because no one would suspect them of doing it again. The plans leading up to it are funny. I always liked the part where Kennedy tells off the snotty kid while they are planning their route in the ice cream truck. Bridges dresses in drag to fool the security guard. When the whole operation is done, the police still catch up with them, and all hell breaks loose.

Still, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot escape and find the money stashed behind the moved schoolhouse on the side of the road. They then buy an expensive convertible and light victory cigars. What happens next is very sad, although I won't give that away. The movie is highlighted by beautiful Montana scenery and long quiet periods with no music, creating a relaxing and peacful setting that will please any action buff. Cimino was obviously off to a good start, and he would win an Oscar for DEER HUNTER 4 years later. This is the most underrated movie of Eastwood's career, and it shows him on the other side of the law and doing a very good job of it.

A rousing action film that is also supremely funny
Before he destroyed his career with the excess of Heaven's Gate, Michael Cimino, the screenwriter of Eastwood's second Dirty Hary flick Magunum Force, created this wonderful caper flick, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, under the discipline of producer and star Clint Eastwood. The cast is excellent, with Jeff Bridges first rate in his Oscar nominated role as Lightfoot, and Oscar winner George Kennedy and Eastwood regular Geoffrey Lewis (father of Juliette) both very memorable as Red and Goody.

The scene of Red and Goodie in the ice cream cart confronted with an obnoxious lad is a classic in cinema.

The climax of this film is superb. A definite MUST SEE for all Eastwood fans!

Auspicious debut for Cimino...
Buddy films are always fun, and this is no different. The exotic American locales of Idaho are every bit as unique as the Bolivian settings in "Butch Cassidy". As in "Butch Cassidy", the script (by Cimino) is character-driven, and you'll find yourself cheering on the bad guys. Jeff Bridges Oscar nomination (Supporting) surprised a lot of people, but it was most deserved. His role was really equal to Eastwood as far as importance (and screen time). Eastwood was, well, Eastwood. That's not a bad thing. I always thought he was underrated. The DVD transfer is excellent, with a wide 2.35:1 letterbox that shows off some of our country's best scenery. There's action, humor and great chemistry between our buddy-heroes. George Kennedy is about as nasty as they come, though he somewhat copied his nasty performance in "Charade" (10 years earlier). The most interesting thing about this film is that it is the debut of "wunderkind" Cimino. The strength of his work on this film allowed him to create his masterpiece, "The Deer Hunter". No doubt the man has vision and talent. Too bad he over-indulged himself in the dismal "Heaven's Gate" and ruined a studio with his excesses. ("Heaven's Gate" really wasn't that bad, except for the first hour). I think of "Thunderbolt & Lightfoot" as an up-dated version of "Butch Cassidy". Though the music wasn't as frivolous and the script not as taut, there are definite comparisons. Not bad. Check it out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sometimes a movie achieves such legendary status that it can't quitelive up to its reputation. Plan 9 from Outer Space is not one of thesemovies. It is just as magnificently terrible as you've heard. Plan 9is the story of space aliens who try to conquer the Earth through resurrectionof the dead. Psychic Criswell narrates ("Future events such as these will affectyou in the future!") as police rush through the cemetery, occasionally clippingthe cardboard tombstones in their zeal to find the source of the mysteriousgoings-on. More than just a bad film, Plan 9 is something of a one- stop clearinghouse for poor cinematic techniques: The time shifts whimsicallyfrom midnight to afternoon sun, Tor Johnson flails desperately in an attempt torise from his coffin, and flying saucers zoom past on clearly visible strings.Fading star Bela Lugosi tragically died during filming, but such a small hurdlecould not stop writer-producer-director Ed Wood. Lugosi is ingeniously replacedwith a man who holds a cape across his face and might as well have "NOT BELALUGOSI" stamped on his forehead. Plan 9 is so sweetly well- intentioned in both its message and its execution that it's impossible not tolove it. And if you don't, well, as Eros says, "You people of Earth are idiots!"--Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (166)

Out of this world!
"Plan 9 From Outer Space" has been dubbed the worst film ever made. I can't disagree with that. Here are just a few of the things that qualifies it for that title.

- When the police drives from the town to the cemetary time somehow switches from night to day back to night.

- The Swedish accent of wrestler Tor Johnson, playing a police officer / walking corpse.

- The six feet tall, blonde chiropractor that replaced deceased Bela Lugosi.

- The plates-glued-together UFO's with strings completely visible.

- The cardboard tombstones that wiggle.

- The cemetery ground, obviously a piece of fabric covered with leaves.

- The plot, or rather lack thereof.

- The dialogue, hilariosly funny only because it's meant to be serious.

- The actors. Nuff said.

Still, it's also one of the best films ever made. Ed Wood Jr. was a filmmaker with a passion. He wanted to make films, so he made films. You can't help but respect that. That's why this movie deserves five stars, and "Deathstalker III: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell" deserves none.

Future events such as these...
Uttery obscure until the Medved brothers' 'Golden Turkey Awards' highlighted it as the 'Worst Film Ever Made', this is not so much a 'bad' film as a hysterically incompetent one. Consistently failing to triumph over the lack of money, resources and technique available, it quite neatly shows how films should not be judged in terms of 'bad' or 'good', but in terms of 'entertaining' or 'not entertaining'. Whilst 'Plan Nine' is clearly the work of bungling, but enthusiastic incompetents, it's hugely entertaining in a way that the professionally-done 'Speed 2: Cruise Control' is not. Only 'Robot Monster' comes close the the tone of insane incoherence. Where else can you see such a diverse, iconic cast (featuring the recently-deceased Bela Lugosi, a late-night-television horror movie hostess, a wrestler, and a minor celebrity hypnotist) deliver dialogue such as 'Inspector Clay's dead, murdered, and somebody's responsible'?

Note that there are two DVD releases - this one has a lengthy (longer than the film, in fact) documentary, whilst the other has a plug for Tim Burton's equally-good 'Ed Wood'. This one is slightly more expensive, but worth getting, as the documentary is excellent. Commenting on picture and sound quality seems somehow inappropriate, really.

Well it ain't the worst
In fact besides I'd go as far as to say this is perhaps the most competent Ed Wood movie around. Sure there are glaring errors such as Bela running back and forth to the grave in broad daylight ( when it's supposed to be night-time ) and his replacement is obvious ( come on, he's at least 4 inches taller I reckon ). And indeed the last 20 minutes descended into a farce that unfortunately sunk the film. Yes, it shows a degree of ineptitude on Ed's part but for most of the film there was an almost professional air to how the actors acted.

Ed thought that he'll be remembered for this film. This was his big one and he's right, it's the one we remember him most for. However I don't think he would have liked the tag it's been given but if you want to be remembered he certainly went about the right way in doing it ( even if the results were all wrong )

But if we start at the start with Bela's last real scene where he mourns his lover's death - that was a really touching scene. The emotion in that looks too real that it can't be described as fake or cardboard cut out. If anything that was the most poignant scene Ed ever captured on film. He may have been an inept film-maker but that was a stroke of genius - no kidding!

I get the feeling Ed cast Vampira as Lugosi's wife mainly because if you've seen the Tim Burton movie you'll know that Lugosi thought she was " a honey " and it was certainly a nice gesture to Bela to do that. Vampira doesn't have to do much in this film. Just walk really slowly and look ominous whenever the camera is on her. Looks beautiful while doing so I have to admit. I'm almost certain that she inspired George Romero to make Night of The Living Dead by her walking alone.

Criswell makes his appearance in this film and you have to say, him, along with Vampira and Tor, got almost uncanny lookalikes in Tim Burton's biopic that it seems almost spooky.

Hats off to whoever had the idea of using saucer lids for um the use of flying saucers. Really neat and easily identified even if it was black and white. Still not too bad a job. Oh and who could forget Saturn as a ballbearing - Top Class!

The last 20 minutes are a farce as I've said before mainly because it's supposed to be a showdown between the humans and the aliens....or to be more precise 3 men with guns and a man and a woman in funny clothing that are supposed to be aliens. The acting here is horrifically poor and despite it all being passionately acted it just seems.....well a bit silly. And whatever niggling doubts you had about the film leading up to the last 20 minutes, will no doubt be exposed by the end. A shame because the film showed Ed at his most coherent. And that sadly was the pinnacle of Ed's career.

So all in all it's not the worst movie of all time and certainly not the worst you'll ever see ( unless you're a connoisseur of good taste and in that case what the hell are you reading this for ). Definitely his most enjoyable film. Now if someone could only just tell Criswell to shut up ( I wish Ed had tried, honestly try to do that ).

But for Ed, this would be his shot at greatness and while it backfired, it was about as good as he could make it. Perhaps if he were making these now and not 40 years ago he might have gotten away with it. And I'm sure Ben Affleck would have been great as the dumb pilot if it were made now. Think about it

Here's to Ed though - he may not have been the greatest but he sure knew how to entertain us

Bela Lugosi Lives! (Just not in this film)
How does one describe a movie such as this? Like "Robot Monster," it is a masterpiece, and like "Robot Monster," this is not because "Plan 9 From Outer Space" has even a shadow of an ounce of quality to it. Rather, this is an example of just how wrong everything in any creative project can go if it is in the hands of the right angora-wearing genius.

For nothing (and I mean NOTHING) came out right in this movie. Continuity? Hah! Realistic dialogue? Pish! Convincing acting? Gah! Remotely realistic special effects? Heaven forbid! No, what Ed Wood gave us with "Plan 9" is quite simply a cinematic failure that not even Orson Wells could have duplicated if he had tried. In what other movie is one of your stars dead even before the script is written or shooting begins?

No, "Plan 9" is unique, a thing that we mere mortals can only begin to try and understand. Instead we can only watch, transfixed and trembling in awe that Wood's vision was transmitted so perfectly to the silver screen. This is a movie that well deserves to be ranked among the immortal creations of motion picture history, despite or perhaps because of the fact that it completely lacks any of the features that would normally merit such an inclusion.

To think otherwise can only be the result of stupid minds. Stupid! Your stupid, stupid minds!

"You see. You see. Your stupid minds. Stupid. Stupid."
Also known as "Grave Robbers From Outer Space", Edward D. Wood's masterpiece of horrific filmmaking has been called the "worst movie ever made" by more than a few critics and movie fans. This hasn't kept this unintentially hilarious sci-fi dud from becoming a massive cult classic. And rightfully so. Ed Wood's art for making movies so bad that they're actually good has never been more apparent than it is here.

"Plan 9" revolves around a couple of space invaders in bad suits who fly around in spaceships on strings and resurrect the recently dead to haunt the inhabits of a small town where it seems to go back and forth from night to day a lot. The humans aren't having it though as a joint team of the local police, military, and an overacting airline pilot refuse to be terrorized by the undead creatures (who can't decide whether they're ghouls or vampires). But these visitors from a badly-drawn planet resembling Saturn have their own intentions. They're hear to warn us of a new solar-powered weapon that the Earth will eventually create and wipe out the universe. But our heroes aren't going down without a fight. They've got enough army movie stock footage to send them aliens back where they came from.

What makes "Plan 9" so entertainingly terrible? Where do I start? There's the overly-descriptive narration of Criswell who practically gives play-by-play for every action in the film. You've got Bela Lugosi who appears courtesy of silent footage recorded before his death and with the help of a stand-in who looks nothing like him. And who could forget those cooky cops who don't allow the discovery of their Captain's horrifying death to damper their moods any? Also there's Duke Moore's hards-as-nails detective who fearlessly uses his gun to fix his hat when necessary.From the bargain basement graveyard chalk full of cardboard headstones to the hungry young overactors spitting out silly dialouge, "Plan 9" is truly the "Citizen Kane of bad movies".

For those looking to pick this gem up on DVD, the Image edition is the only way to go. Not only is the picture the best that it's ever looked but it comes with a feature-length documentary, "Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion" and the trailer for the movie. Avoid the Passport version which has a company logo imprinted in the bottom corner similiar to the ones that TV networks use. ... Read more

Description

In PRIME CUT, a Chicago mob enforcer (Marvin) is sent to Kansas City to settle a debt with a man called Mary Ann (Hackman) who sells women as sex slaves ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Grade A
They don't make 'em wilder than this.

"Prime Cut" is essentially the ancient fairy tale about the ogres preying on innocent maidens until the knight comes to town updated to a rural Kansas mob-war milieu. The chief ogre here is Mary Ann (not "Mother") a Great Plains gang leader played by Gene Hackman with the relish of a man who knows he may never see a role quite like this one again. His shaven-headed brother Weenie (Gregory Walcott) does things like run rival mobsters through meat-grinders and attack limos with pitchforks. The representative maiden is played by Sissy Spacek, back when she looked cute rather than merely odd. Lee Marvin plays the knight, flourishing a submachine gun while wearing a pricey 70s-style silver-gray suit.

None of which goes anywhere near far enough in relaying the serious strangeness of the thing. For that you need scenes like the one introducing Mary Ann tucking into a plate of beef guts ("I like 'em!"). Or the young gangster eagerly introducing boss Marvin to his mother. Or the shootout in a field of enormous sunflowers. Or Lee's visit to ex-mistress Clarabelle (I swear I'm not making up these names) who lives on a houseboat that looks as if it was designed by Christo collaborating with Heidi Fleiss. And I could go on.

Ritchie later made a number of innocuous comedies and Robert Redford vehicles of the "Downhill Racer" variety. But just once (the very late "Alleged Cheerleader-Murdering Texas Mom" being a partial exception), he got out of the cage and ran wild, and "Prime Cut" is the result. Compare it to Tarantino if you must, but if he or any of the other bravos has ever matched this, I haven't heard about it. "Prime Cut" is sui generis. They don't make 'em like this any more for the very simple reason that they never did in the first place. That's our loss.

...and oh yeah, I'll have mine well done.

Is this what they mean by"grindhouse cinema"?
An entertaining but oddball choice for its two stars (Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman) and for its director (Michael Ritchie). Hackman and Marvin play Kansas City and Chicago gangsters, respectively, who go face-to-face for control of the Midwest syndicate. Hackman's truly vile enterprise features a slaughterhouse that doubles as a handy body disposal service for his slain rivals and (literally) a stable of young women who are kidnapped from orphanages and then raised to be auctioned off as sex slaves when they reach womanhood (how did Russ Meyer miss this one?) The film is so over the top that I have to believe director Ritchie was going for an ultra-violent black comedy(does "Pulp Fiction" seem so original now?) Marvin plays the role of the city boy in the country with his patented stoic cool. Not a lot of plot development involved, but the film is notable for some interesting set-pieces like a memorable thresher machine chase and the opening slaughterhouse sequence, which is sure to put you off eating sausage for quite a while. "Prime Cut" also introduced audiences to Sissy Spacek, who gives much more depth to her character than you would expect. The film is quite an anamoly for its director, who went on to give us more low-key satires like "Smile", "Downhill Racer" and "The Candidate". I think a lot of movie buffs would rejoice if this one were re-issued in widescreen on DVD (the heartland backdrops are well-utilized) and it would certainly be an easy sell with the Tarantino crowd. Revel in the sleaze!

modern classic
Lee Marvin is on top form in this fantastic film from director Michael Ritchie.Sissy Spacek gives an affecting performance asone of the girls trapped in Gene Hackman's white slave trade ring.Some fantastic location photography in America's mid west makes this an unusual addition to the modern gangster film.
It's a shame the video uses a cropped image as this superb film would really benefit from a proper widescreen transfer.

A Family Favorite
As a teenager of the 70's, my family used to attend movies together and we would often go to the latest John Wayne movie.Well, one double feature later we were watching Prime Cut.We were captured by the grittiness and good ol' boy syndrome of this film.The first part caused my family to give up hot dogs for about 10 years!!!!The action was so fascinating, for that time period, that you found yourself running across that wheat field with Marvin & Sissy.And Violet's nickels, the part they always cut out of TV showings.I know they tried to put out a series after the film, with Lawrence Luckinbill (Mr. Lucy Arnez)as the lead character, but it never really caught on.But we loved it then and we love it now.Hope you will too.

Lee Marvin Is Prime Cut When it comes to Action
A ENJOYABLE FILM DONE WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ACTION AND COMEDY.Lee Marvin one of the all time greats plays a chicago hitman who is hired to take down an old nemesis from kansas city, who has been invovled in theslave trading business. This film even by today's standards can still beconsidered a delight to see. the old time dixie music and the farmlandscenery is a throwback to what life was like a long time ago.Gene Hackmanplays "mary ann" the one who tries to compete in the slaveindusty. another standout was this was Sissy Spacek's film debut. As forlee marvin Hollywood lost an icon when he passed away. There will never beanother Lee Marvin as far as i'm concerned. And when you see this film orany other of his films you'll see why. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood's stardom was supernova, thanks to Dirty Harry; John Sturges, the man behind The Magnificent Seven and a dozen other memorably leathery Westerns, was directing; and Elmore Leonard was the screenwriter.It just goes to show.Joe Kidd is a muddle and a drag, the shoddiest Eastwood vehicle since Rowdy Yates trod in his last cow flop.Kidd, first seen as a duded-up drunk sleeping one off in jail, is supposed to be a horse rancher and an expert tracker--just the fellow a rapacious land-grabber (Robert Duvall committing lazy villainy) needs to chase down the uppity Latino (John Saxon) who's trying to reclaim the grabbed land for its rightful owners.Neither the characters nor the overland pursuit makes any sense, thanks to chasms in the continuity and no direction to speak of.An absurdly arbitrary assault-by-locomotive provides the climax; as Eastwood observed, "Jesus, anything at this point--let's end it."--Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Just Okay
I really wanted to like this film a lot: what with Clint and Robert Duvall starring together.

But it's just not a very good film. It has the flavor of classic Clint and the western drama but lacks the substance. The story line is too improbable for even the most ardent fan. The dialogue and action are slow and drawn out. Like molasses.
And the climax is just plain limp.

Fortunately, there are so many great Clint westerns to choose from - Hang'em High, Good, Bad, and the Ugly trio, The Outlaw Josey Wales (one of Clint's favorites) that the viewer can still enjoy wonderful westerns of the highest quality - but this isn't one of them.

Three stars.

Sober & Conservative Eastwood Western, still worth the Money
Another sober and conservative Eastwood Western, directed by John Sturges this time... Although not as captivating or as intriguing as the following High Plains Drifter, it nevertheless has all the classic ingredients, absolutely great sceneries, a relatively modest story, and a rather fine cast (including Robert Duvall). The existential themes are a bit in the wake and following of Hang 'Em High, i.e. the question of Justice, Right and Wrong, etc. (themes that were to be omnipresent in all of Eastwood's subsequent Westerns). Of course it isn't a truly Fantastic Western, at least by the standard of his following ones (High Plain Drifters, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Pale Rider), but it's nevertheless still worth a cool watch, if only for the extremely beautiful outdoors...

Not one of my favorites, but a good performance by Duvall
Joe Kidd is not one of my favorite Eastern westerners (and Eastwood is my favorite, hands down, when it comes to films, and the Western is my favorite genre), but it does feature a good performance by Robert Duvall as the heavy. Clint's character is a little too reigned in in this one for my taste, until at the end he runs a steam engine through the town in order to extract some vengeance from Duvall's baddie.

A good supporting cast (as is typical in an Eastwood flick), also featuring John Saxon and Don Stroud.

Robert Duvall sings!
He cant act, so he figures hed try singing his lines- listen for when he breaks out with "I wanna see a man by the name of Joe Kidd" sung in a sing-song South Sea style.

A Little Stale
Clint Eastwood rarely stars in a bad movie, but that's not to say this is bad, it just falls a bit flat. A good cast, including a deliciously villainous Robert Duvall unfortunately fail to lift this picture above mediocrity. Add to this, it's relatively short running time (just under 90 minutes), fans of the genre, and Clint (who have been spoiled by great movies before) will feel a little let down. It's probably fair to say that a lesser known cast, and director wouldn't even have got this movie off the cutting room floor. All this said, any Clint collector will probably want it in his/her collection, and the usual amount of dry humor, and Eastwoodesque rationality does make this watchable, if not that memorable. ... Read more

Description

How could it be that Ed Wood, Jr., the young man who wore a woman's bra and panties at the Battle of Tarawa in World War II, went on to become the Orson Welles of low-budget films? Through film clips, still photos and extensive interviews with the bizarre cadre of actors, ministers and girlfriends who were involved in such projects as Woods' "Plan 9 from Outer Space" and "Glen or Glenda?," this feature film explores the man and the cult legend that has sprung up since his death. Wood's status as the Worst Filmmaker of All Times has brought him posthumous acclaim in both the film and art worlds--a recognition hardly imaginable to the man who died penniless and unknown in the late 1970s. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

one for the completionists
'Haunted world' was made in 1996, two years after the Tim Burton movie and consists mainly of (unbelievably staged) interviews with a select few people. Oddly enough did those who get the most airtime (Vampira, Gregory Walcott, Rev. Lynn Lemon) work with Wood on 'Plan 9' only, while the people who worked with Wood throughout his career (make-up artist Harry Thomas, actors Paul Marco and Conrad Brooks) are largely ignored. Sleaze-director Steven Apostolof with whom Wood worked for many years does not appear, and the entire 10-year decline into soft core porn is covered with a single cut from "Orgy of the Dead", never to be mentioned again.

Haunted World boldly claims that these people haven't spoken out for 20 years. Obviously this is wishful nonsense, since most of the actors appeared in the four year older Ed Wood bio-pic "Flying saucers over Hollywood", and were also interviewed by Rudolph Grey for his book. Haunted World does not mention any of these, and those of the cast who mention Tim Burton's movie do so only to complain about their own portrayal. One gets the uneasy impression that the main motivation behind "Haunted World" is to allow the actors to paint a more flattering picture of themselves than Burton did.

Haunted World never really takes off. It does not have the spontaneity of "Flying saucers" and has a strange phobia of leaving the studio. Where "Flying Saucers" took us on location, 'haunted world' has only miniatures of the exact same locations.

It must be noted that the main reason for making this movie was Crawford Thomas' initiative to release the 22-minute "Crossroads of Laredo". Co-produced with, and directed by Wood. It was never finished and the fragments were stored in Thomas' garage. Interviews with Ed Wood's friends and actors were meant to pad out the release, but quickly ballooned into a separate feature.

Haunted World covers familiar ground and is not an essential buy as such. It attempts to be a serious homage to Wood, yet lacks the structure of Grey's book and the chirpy enthusiasm of "Flying Saucers", but the Wood completionist will want this for "Crossroads of Laredo".

The Haunted World of Ed Wood -- worth watching
Anyone who has ever seen or heard of Edward D. Wood, Jr. knows what he or she is getting into before the opening credits. "The Haunted World of Ed Wood" does a credible job of portraying the man as well as his manic life. Whether it's Gregory Walcotts' condescending nastiness or a funny, insightful Vampira (who, by the way is "hotter" at 80 then she was at 25!), I appreciate the inclusion of the good as well as the bad. For Ed Wood fans, this little gem is well worth seeing.

At the end of the "Plan 9 Companion" the narrator says, "Ed Wood did his best to make an entertaining film and succeeded-if not exactly in all the ways he may have intended." I think that says it all.

Welcome To Ed Wood's Wacky World
It's clear that Brett Thompson's documentary about Ed Wood was thoroughly researched and well made. Ed Wood comes across as a director with limited talent but unlimited enthusiasm, who had a real love for making movies. Most people remembered Ed fondly, but a few did not have kind things to say about him. Bela Lugosi, Jr. called Ed a user and a loser, who put his famous father in his movies just to capitalize on Lugosi's celebrity status. What he fails to mention is that, by the time Ed Wood met him, Bela Lugosi was a has been that nobody else would even hire. Gregory Walcott, who played the pilot Jeff Trent in "Plan 9 From Outer Space," likened the movie's production to a grade school play. I give Brett Thompson credit for including those interviews, to balance the documentary with those who only praised Ed's efforts. The biggest complaint I have about this documentary is the fact that it doesn't include Ed Wood's work in soft-core pornographic movies, acting in "Pretty Models All In A Row" and directing "Necromania," his final film. While it's sad to see what depths Ed had sunk to in his later years, it was an important part of his life that is entirely omitted. The highest praise I have is for one of the DVD's many bonus features. They managed to find and restore "Crossroads Of Laredo," Ed Wood's very first directorial effort. That alone is worth the price of this DVD.

Can your mind stand the shocking truth?
Crafted with great respect, director Brett Thompson has fashioned a smart, sentimental journey back into the mind and movies of one Edward D. Wood, Jr.. He's done it rather well. Ed Wood and Orson Welles used their own money and private resources to finance the original "Independent Movies" of the 1950's and 1960's. Welles you've heard of. And today, we also remember Ed Wood. He directed the still humorous classic "Plan 9 From Outer Space". Ed Wood was so broke he couldn't pay the lab to develop the film on his last movie. "We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives". Those were his words. This is his life. A complete work of love, "The Haunted World of Ed Wood" reviews his first 5 movies, his amusing Hollywood antics, and his own personal decline. Bulging with special features, easter eggs, interviews, premieres, and memorials, "The Haunted World of Ed Wood" chronicles the now famous B-picture director and casts bright lights on a 1950's Hollywood we can no longer find. From Vampira to Bela Lugosi(including rare 1932 interviews), actors living and dead are interviewed(where possible) for this tribute to the sexually ambiguous Wood. This brand new DVD enhances the original 1995 documentary and includes the first complete release of Wood's 22-minute western, "Crossroads of Laredo(featuring director Wood acting in 3 small parts)". Somewhere in another dimension, in a place known as B-picture heaven, the fog is starting to lift. The lights have flickered on. The camera box is dirty. There's dust on the lens. The actors flub their lines. The cardboard set shakes a little. Somebody mutters about getting paid. Ed Wood is making a movie.

Touching bio
A very touching film about a very nice man,who happened to be a lousy director..but he had heart,and he was a decent fellow,it seems.I have laughed myself silly watching his movies,and maybe I shouldn't have..but he was so awful,I couldn't help myself. That's not to say his films aren't entertaining.They most certainly are,and I think this film is a nice tribute to the man who never gave up,despite the cold-shoulder he got from mainstream Hollywood .
It's too bad he is famous world-wide now,and he isn't here to know it.Maybe he is up there,dressed in his angora wings,sitting on a satin pillow,smiling down on those of us who have come to love his weird little films. ... Read more

Reviews (166)

Out of this world!
"Plan 9 From Outer Space" has been dubbed the worst film ever made. I can't disagree with that. Here are just a few of the things that qualifies it for that title.

- When the police drives from the town to the cemetary time somehow switches from night to day back to night.

- The Swedish accent of wrestler Tor Johnson, playing a police officer / walking corpse.

- The six feet tall, blonde chiropractor that replaced deceased Bela Lugosi.

- The plates-glued-together UFO's with strings completely visible.

- The cardboard tombstones that wiggle.

- The cemetery ground, obviously a piece of fabric covered with leaves.

- The plot, or rather lack thereof.

- The dialogue, hilariosly funny only because it's meant to be serious.

- The actors. Nuff said.

Still, it's also one of the best films ever made. Ed Wood Jr. was a filmmaker with a passion. He wanted to make films, so he made films. You can't help but respect that. That's why this movie deserves five stars, and "Deathstalker III: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell" deserves none.

Future events such as these...
Uttery obscure until the Medved brothers' 'Golden Turkey Awards' highlighted it as the 'Worst Film Ever Made', this is not so much a 'bad' film as a hysterically incompetent one. Consistently failing to triumph over the lack of money, resources and technique available, it quite neatly shows how films should not be judged in terms of 'bad' or 'good', but in terms of 'entertaining' or 'not entertaining'. Whilst 'Plan Nine' is clearly the work of bungling, but enthusiastic incompetents, it's hugely entertaining in a way that the professionally-done 'Speed 2: Cruise Control' is not. Only 'Robot Monster' comes close the the tone of insane incoherence. Where else can you see such a diverse, iconic cast (featuring the recently-deceased Bela Lugosi, a late-night-television horror movie hostess, a wrestler, and a minor celebrity hypnotist) deliver dialogue such as 'Inspector Clay's dead, murdered, and somebody's responsible'?

Note that there are two DVD releases - this one has a lengthy (longer than the film, in fact) documentary, whilst the other has a plug for Tim Burton's equally-good 'Ed Wood'. This one is slightly more expensive, but worth getting, as the documentary is excellent. Commenting on picture and sound quality seems somehow inappropriate, really.

Well it ain't the worst
In fact besides I'd go as far as to say this is perhaps the most competent Ed Wood movie around. Sure there are glaring errors such as Bela running back and forth to the grave in broad daylight ( when it's supposed to be night-time ) and his replacement is obvious ( come on, he's at least 4 inches taller I reckon ). And indeed the last 20 minutes descended into a farce that unfortunately sunk the film. Yes, it shows a degree of ineptitude on Ed's part but for most of the film there was an almost professional air to how the actors acted.

Ed thought that he'll be remembered for this film. This was his big one and he's right, it's the one we remember him most for. However I don't think he would have liked the tag it's been given but if you want to be remembered he certainly went about the right way in doing it ( even if the results were all wrong )

But if we start at the start with Bela's last real scene where he mourns his lover's death - that was a really touching scene. The emotion in that looks too real that it can't be described as fake or cardboard cut out. If anything that was the most poignant scene Ed ever captured on film. He may have been an inept film-maker but that was a stroke of genius - no kidding!

I get the feeling Ed cast Vampira as Lugosi's wife mainly because if you've seen the Tim Burton movie you'll know that Lugosi thought she was " a honey " and it was certainly a nice gesture to Bela to do that. Vampira doesn't have to do much in this film. Just walk really slowly and look ominous whenever the camera is on her. Looks beautiful while doing so I have to admit. I'm almost certain that she inspired George Romero to make Night of The Living Dead by her walking alone.

Criswell makes his appearance in this film and you have to say, him, along with Vampira and Tor, got almost uncanny lookalikes in Tim Burton's biopic that it seems almost spooky.

Hats off to whoever had the idea of using saucer lids for um the use of flying saucers. Really neat and easily identified even if it was black and white. Still not too bad a job. Oh and who could forget Saturn as a ballbearing - Top Class!

The last 20 minutes are a farce as I've said before mainly because it's supposed to be a showdown between the humans and the aliens....or to be more precise 3 men with guns and a man and a woman in funny clothing that are supposed to be aliens. The acting here is horrifically poor and despite it all being passionately acted it just seems.....well a bit silly. And whatever niggling doubts you had about the film leading up to the last 20 minutes, will no doubt be exposed by the end. A shame because the film showed Ed at his most coherent. And that sadly was the pinnacle of Ed's career.

So all in all it's not the worst movie of all time and certainly not the worst you'll ever see ( unless you're a connoisseur of good taste and in that case what the hell are you reading this for ). Definitely his most enjoyable film. Now if someone could only just tell Criswell to shut up ( I wish Ed had tried, honestly try to do that ).

But for Ed, this would be his shot at greatness and while it backfired, it was about as good as he could make it. Perhaps if he were making these now and not 40 years ago he might have gotten away with it. And I'm sure Ben Affleck would have been great as the dumb pilot if it were made now. Think about it

Here's to Ed though - he may not have been the greatest but he sure knew how to entertain us

Bela Lugosi Lives! (Just not in this film)
How does one describe a movie such as this? Like "Robot Monster," it is a masterpiece, and like "Robot Monster," this is not because "Plan 9 From Outer Space" has even a shadow of an ounce of quality to it. Rather, this is an example of just how wrong everything in any creative project can go if it is in the hands of the right angora-wearing genius.

For nothing (and I mean NOTHING) came out right in this movie. Continuity? Hah! Realistic dialogue? Pish! Convincing acting? Gah! Remotely realistic special effects? Heaven forbid! No, what Ed Wood gave us with "Plan 9" is quite simply a cinematic failure that not even Orson Wells could have duplicated if he had tried. In what other movie is one of your stars dead even before the script is written or shooting begins?

No, "Plan 9" is unique, a thing that we mere mortals can only begin to try and understand. Instead we can only watch, transfixed and trembling in awe that Wood's vision was transmitted so perfectly to the silver screen. This is a movie that well deserves to be ranked among the immortal creations of motion picture history, despite or perhaps because of the fact that it completely lacks any of the features that would normally merit such an inclusion.

To think otherwise can only be the result of stupid minds. Stupid! Your stupid, stupid minds!

"You see. You see. Your stupid minds. Stupid. Stupid."
Also known as "Grave Robbers From Outer Space", Edward D. Wood's masterpiece of horrific filmmaking has been called the "worst movie ever made" by more than a few critics and movie fans. This hasn't kept this unintentially hilarious sci-fi dud from becoming a massive cult classic. And rightfully so. Ed Wood's art for making movies so bad that they're actually good has never been more apparent than it is here.

"Plan 9" revolves around a couple of space invaders in bad suits who fly around in spaceships on strings and resurrect the recently dead to haunt the inhabits of a small town where it seems to go back and forth from night to day a lot. The humans aren't having it though as a joint team of the local police, military, and an overacting airline pilot refuse to be terrorized by the undead creatures (who can't decide whether they're ghouls or vampires). But these visitors from a badly-drawn planet resembling Saturn have their own intentions. They're hear to warn us of a new solar-powered weapon that the Earth will eventually create and wipe out the universe. But our heroes aren't going down without a fight. They've got enough army movie stock footage to send them aliens back where they came from.

What makes "Plan 9" so entertainingly terrible? Where do I start? There's the overly-descriptive narration of Criswell who practically gives play-by-play for every action in the film. You've got Bela Lugosi who appears courtesy of silent footage recorded before his death and with the help of a stand-in who looks nothing like him. And who could forget those cooky cops who don't allow the discovery of their Captain's horrifying death to damper their moods any? Also there's Duke Moore's hards-as-nails detective who fearlessly uses his gun to fix his hat when necessary.From the bargain basement graveyard chalk full of cardboard headstones to the hungry young overactors spitting out silly dialouge, "Plan 9" is truly the "Citizen Kane of bad movies".

For those looking to pick this gem up on DVD, the Image edition is the only way to go. Not only is the picture the best that it's ever looked but it comes with a feature-length documentary, "Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion" and the trailer for the movie. Avoid the Passport version which has a company logo imprinted in the bottom corner similiar to the ones that TV networks use. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great sequel
This non-related sequel is so sweet-natured, so tame and family orientated that to assume otherwise is completely ludicrous. There is nothing in this movie that could possibly rate it above a PG, max. I wouldn't even have reservations letting younger children watch House 2.

A new house has a 20-something yuppie called Jesse (Arye Gross) move in with his girlfriend Kate (Lar Park-Lincoln). His friend Charlie (Jonathan Stark), a music agent, arrives with his new diva discovery Jana (Amy Yasbeck) to help him thru the unfamiliar first few days. The house is where Jesse's parents were killed when he was just a baby and it full of many curiosities.

Crafted in a bizarre gothic-Aztec style the house itself is a marvellous set and the many rooms and passages are as mysterious to us as they are to Jesse. Sitting on one of his many mantelpieces is a crystal skull that fascinates him for some reason. He even misses his housewarming party while studying the skull's history.

His studies lead him to dig up the grave of his great, great grandfather, or Gramps (Royal Dano), where he discovers the old coot isn't dead just in limbo. The person who possesses the skull is granted eternal youth but it also warps the space-time continuum within the House.

Gramps comes home with Jesse, is more enthralled by Kleenex boxes and TV than the mysteries around him and ducks for cover whenever someone from another time comes to steal the skull. Just like the first movie different rooms lead into different time zones. Jesse and Charlie have many hilarious adventures battling caveman, dinosaurs, Aztecs an evil cowboy called Slim. The one that killed Jesse's parents and betrayed Gramps over a century ago.

House 2 has so much careless abandon and zany plot twists that it is totally impossible not to love this movie. The huge success of the first movie meant that this one was put into production literally and hour later and Ethan Wiley was given the budget and green light to do whatever he wanted. How often does happen today? Usually it would make for a bad movie considering this was the first movie Wiley directed. But it makes for an unusually cute and light-hearted supernatural romp.

One of the weaker aspects of this sequel is that it has more SFX and animation by Phil Tippet's stop-motion workshop and less by Dreamquest. The matte paintings are gorgeous but the dated dinosaurs look hokey in a few shots. If you can just squint during these moments you won't notice.

Bill Maher from TV's "Politically Incorrect" even manages to show up as a music producer who is interested in Yasbeck and mighty suspicious of Jesse's antics. John Ratzenberger (this makes both movies star one of the "Cheers" barflies) appears as a repairman/adventurer who assists Jesse and Charlie battle some Aztecs. Look out for Kane Hodder (Jason) in an ape costume. Jesse adopts a fluffy, little baby pterodactyl and a strange creature called a Caterpuppy, a cross between...well you know. You need an open mind and a suspension of disbelief to swallow the outrageous goings on in this movie.

The commentary is better than the one on the first movie. Ethan Wiley and Cunningham get on well and have no quibbles pointing out how crazy the film is. They discuss the budget, tell tales of the late Royal Dano and explain how many of the effects were pulled off within the constraints of the budget. One of the most interesting things they mention is that even tho the movie was stuck in between The Color Purple and Beverly Hills Cop II the kids still preferred House 2 as their fave movie of the summer. But because the movie didn't have it's own opening weekend, unlike the original, it wasn't as successful. Didn't stop 2 more sequels being made. A theatrical trailer is also included.

Much like the first film the picture has been brilliantly transferred onto DVD. The 1.85:1 anamorphic picture looks super with very few glitches. Colors are rendered with pleasant accuracy and you wouldn't believe the low-budget origins when judging this picture. There is some grain during darker scenes but other than this the movie is looking great.

The Mono soundtrack is not terribly engaging and most of the film's sound is centre-channel biased. But there's no hiss or pop to worry about. It may be Mono but it's clean and fresh sounding to me.

Basement Cult Classic
Okay - Inheritence time. Man with new wife moves into old family home. A weird party. GGG Grandpa is an old time Indiana Jones. Him and a partner make and amazing find in the form of an old crystal skull with jewled eyes.
The young man reads g-grandpa's journals and decides to dig the old man up - after thinking that the treasure is buried with him.
So, he goes out and digs up the old fart - who turns out is not too happy to have been disturbed. The Grandpa cusses and shouts and almost kills his g-grandson. In the end, they become friends and the grandpa is in posession of the skull - it gives immortality to its posessor. Grandpa hasn't exactly held up all that good while in the coffin... I think he was supposed to have been dug up shortly after being buried, but his buddy was killed before it happened. Anyway, there is a thing with dimensional portals and all kinds of people trying to grab the sacred skull.
John Ratzenburg (the postman from Cheers) is an electrician who happens to sideline as a trans-dimensional adventurer. The Evil mean old partner of grandpa comes to get it. FUN FUN FUN.
This movie kicks much ... Funny, not scary.

he he.. they just keep cummin n cummin
House 2 was an OK movie, it was more silly than scary but still an OK flick. Story is This guy goes not to the original house but
a different one. He sees a picture of his G G G Great grandfather on the mantle next to a placeholder that once held a mystical glass skull.
The movie is kind of quirky and it tries to explain what exactly
the power of the glass skull does, (I think it brings the dead back to life)
Anyway Royal Dano plays grandpops and I forget the name of the other guy who play his mean double crossing partner
Anyway the movie jumps back and forth in time zones with bizarre
looking characters and don't forget the cute lil dinosaur bird that stole the skull
I recommend it ... Read more

Reviews (8)

On The Road To SUGARLAND
It was thirty years ago this very month that Steven Spielberg made his official big-screen directing debut (his 1971 film DUEL being an excellent made-for-TV offering) with THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS. Even at this early stage in his career, Spielberg's directoral instincts were extremely sharp, and his concentration on the characters is masterful. It's amazing how people sell Spielberg short in this area simply because so many of his films seem to be all about special effects and gee-whiz heroics.

Loosely based on events that occurred in Texas in the spring of 1969, the film stars Goldie Hawn as an ex-con mother who springs her reluctant husband (William Atherton) from a prison farm so they can get their infant son back from a foster family that has refused to return custody to Hawn. But when they hijack a Texas state trooper (Michael Sachs) and force him to driver them to the town of Sugarland, they attract far more attention than they bargained for: mass media, hundreds of onlookers, and nearly half of the total number of law enforcement officers in Texas. Veteran character actor Ben Johnson is the lead lawman in this relatively slow-speed chase, occasionally punctuated by redneck sniper gunfire, who sympathizes with Hawn's and Atherton's plight but who also must still perform his duties. It all comes to a climax at Sugarland with a jarring result.

Although made for relatively little money (just three million, as opposed to the tens of millions Spielberg would spend on his films in ensuing decades), THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS was still only a modest box office hit. Part of that could be attributed to audiences' expectations of seeing Hawn in a frothy comedy following her turn on TV's "Laugh-In" and instead getting a real live actress with intensity. And part of it could also be attributed to the fact that this film's ending isn't exactly sweetness and light. Still, Hawn's performance here is arguably the best she ever gave on the big screen, and Atherton and Sachs do good turns. Equally reliable is Johnson, remembered for his Oscar-winning turn in Peter Bogdanovich's 1971 classic THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, but also as a familiar presence in the westerns of John Ford and Sam Peckinpah.

Filmed completely on location in Texas, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS features great cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond, taut editing from Verna Fields, and an excellent Americana score by John Williams (his first for Spielberg). It is a film that can be enjoyed many times over, as is the case for almost everything Spielberg has ever done.

I Liked This Movie!
I remember first seeing The Sugarland Express in a movie theater on Long Island New York with my family when I was around 8 1/2 years old, and really liking this movie and I thought Goldie Hawn ( Foul Play) and William Atherton (Ghostbusters, and Bio-Dome) were really good and I was totally impressed with all of the action and adventure with those thrilling police car chases and there was one police chase that was so thrilling and amazing it had me on the edge of my seat I'm sure this movie is probably a little dated in the year 2003 but It would be interesting to watch it again especially to see those amazing chases! If I remember correctly I think I remember hearing on TV that parts of this movie were based on a true story and I think this was the first movie that Steven Spielberg ever directed.

Might be worth a look.
Steven Spielberg;s first movie was done on a moderate budget but it shows his then growing ability as a film maker to cast and work with the best actors for the roles. Produced by Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown, First movie where the music was scored by John Williams, great camera work by Vilmos Zsigmond, and edited by Verna Fields.

Spielberg movie with a great story and excellent acting
This movie had a compelling story and excellent acting with the added bonus of Steven Spielberg as the director. The story centers around a young woman named Lou Jean (Goldie Hawn), who has lost custody of her baby son because of her criminal record. She decides the only way to get him back is to convince her husband Clovis (William Atherton) to escape from the Pre-release Center where he is serving the final four months of his prison term. Clovis reluctantly agrees after Lou Jean threatens to divorce him if he doesn't go along with her plan. Unfortunately after Clovis escapes, the two only have bad luck. The older couple they hitch a ride with get stopped by Highway Patrol Officer Slide (Michael Sacks). Lou Jean and Clovis then steal the older couple's car, wreck the car and kidnap Officer Slide and force him to drive them to Sugarland, where their son is living. The remainder of the movie chronicles what happens to the three on their trip. How the media transforms the couple into a cause celebre and how the police have to not only deal with the fugitives but with the media and the public, who have rallied behind the pair. As Lou Jean, Goldie Hawn gives a heartfelt and sympathetic performance to the role of a women who refuses to see the futility of her actions and is blinded by her desire to get her son back at any cost. William Atherton does a good job with a difficult role. He conveys the fact that Clovis did what Lou Jean wanted becasue of his love for her and his fear of losing her. Michael Sacks gave diminsion to a character which in lesser hands might have come across as your basic by-the-book-cop. (It's a mystery to me why he disappeared from acting.) Spielberg's direction gives you a real feel for the expansive Texas countryside which contrasts with the fact that for most of the movie these characters are confined in cars. Spielberg uses evrything at his disposal to highlight and backdrop his story - the sunsets, the open highway and local color are all used to optimum effect. Overall - A MUST SEE

No sharks, no raptors, just plain folks.
Spielberg will never make a darker film than his debut, "The Sugarland Express". In order to execute her "foolproof" plan to kidnap her baby back from the state, "unfit mother" Goldie Hawn busts hubby William Atherton out of the county prison farm and impulsively hijacks a young deputy (along with his police vehicle) to be thier reluctant "chaffeur".The desperate couple are soon leading an army of law enforcement and TV cameras on a long, slow, doomed-from-the-start pursuit. Speilberg borrows some of the "existential car chase" elements from "Vanishing Point", as well as the media circus scenario of Billy Wilder's cynical "Big Carnival" to tell his inevitably tragic tale. Hawn and Atherton offer ultimately heartbreaking, naturalistic performances as the noirish protaganists. Michael Sacks (who made an impressive starring debut in the cult-classic "Slaughterhouse Five", then mysteriously dropped off the radar after "Sugarland")also shines as the hostage officer. Ironically, this is precisely the type of character-driven, "edgy" film that Spielberg is so desperately trying to convince us he is capable of making these days--perhaps he, like most of the viewing public, has forgotten all about this movie! Worth "re-discovering". ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Last American Hero
This is 5 stars if you are a true race fan. Otherwise, it's still an interesting story. This film is loosely based on Tom Wolfe's essay about the younger days of Junior Johnson, although for some reason they changed his name for the film. (Notice, though, that Junior himself was a paid racing consultant on the film.) The race footage is very well done and there is some good footage from the old Southern 500. Bridges and Busey are a lot of fun to watch together as well.If you like stock car racing and wonder what the old days were like when the sport was still developing, you'll love this film. Only pity is it's not on DVD.

(Also another great film (although a little cheesy) about the old days is 43 The Petty Story starring Darren McGavin as Lee Petty and Richard Petty as himself AND Dale Inman AND Buddy Baker!!! It is a classic look at the old values that are still carried forward in the sport to some degree. It also has some insight to what NASCAR was and what it has become..Some really good vinatge racing footage is also included.) Also a pity it's not on DVD...We need to prolong the life of these smaller "special interest" films. Anyway have fun, great summmer stuff.

the last american hero
This is a classic movie about moonshing And small town life. It was the best when he went on to racing,It was great . I bought 3 copies and it's worth it. If you like muscle cars you love his black mustang. Great T.I.G.R

Best behind the scenes look at early NASCAR
I absolutely loved this movie!If you have an interest in real life drama, getting over obstacles and above all RACING, then this movie is for you!It shows the everyday struggle one goes through in their personallife, as well as one's pursuit towards a dream.This inspirational storyshows you the everyday obstacles someone in this sport may go through andincreases your interest and excitement with the sport as it is in today'sworld.I recommend this to everyone who lives and breathe NASCAR and otherforms of racing.

Wonderful Film
This film show what a stock-car goes through to get from track to track and what he does when he joins another team ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good for a few laughs
Detective:
"It looks like the tombstone has fallen into the grave"
Patrolman (in over-pronounced diction):
"I guess that's why you've got the Detective badge"

You can't deny it's bad. You can't deny that Ed makes you laugh with the ineptitude of the entire production. Vampira had dialog in the original script but it was so bad she asked to do it mute, so she has no speaking parts!

A gloriously bad movie. Can you prove it DIDN'T happen?
Ed Wood's "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is a legendary film, not because it is great cinema but because watching it is an unforgettable experience. In that respect it is more comparable to a midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" than anything else within the realm of contemporary cinematic experience. I am perfectly comfortable with the oxymoronic notion that the film is so gloriously bad that it becomes transcendent in a way "Reefer Madness" and other notable "bad" films are not. I have shown "Plan 9 From Outer Space" to many an unsuspecting audience and all of them have enjoyed the experience. There is such an audacity to Wood's film that you have to smile if just to keep your jaw from dropping all the way to the ground. The only other explanation is, as the head alien says in the film, "Because you earth people are all idiots!" I am comfortable with either one of these explanations.

Just count all the things Ed Wood gets wrong in this film. After eight disastrous attempts to take over the planet, the aliens invoke "Plan 9" wherein they raise the dead as foot soldiers. Vampira and wrestler Tor Johnson become zombies. You have a flying saucer that look a lot like a Cadillac hubcap held up by string. You have a star, Bela Lugosi, who died before filming started but who appears from beyond the grave, not to mention his stand-in, the chiropractor of the producer's wife. You have cops who scratch their noses with loaded guns, Dudley Manlove as the unforgettable leader of the aliens, sets that are about to tip over, plus a chilling introduction and postscript from the Amazing Criswell!

Is this the worst film of all time? What difference does it make? Do you really want to keep looking after you have experienced the two-time Golden Turkey Award-winning "Plan 9 From Outer Space?" You owe it to yourself to watch this movie at least once. It is part of our cultural legacy. ... Read more