Description

In LIPSTICK, Chris McCormick (Margaux Hemingway), a high fashion and cosmetics model is brutally raped by her younger sister’s music teacher, Gordon Stuart (Sarandon).After pleading not guilty to the crime and being found innocent by a jury, Stuart finds a new victim in Chris’s younger sister and his own student, Kathy (Mariel Hemingway).Now even more enraged by the recent turn of events, Chris takes matters into her own hands as she seeks revenge for the crimes committed against both herself and her sister. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

I'm torn! Not a GOOD movie and a bare bones DVD ...
This was a 1976 drama that probably killed Margaux Hemingway's career as an actress and model, but oddly enough launched her younger sister Muriel into the spotlight! It's a rape drama about a victim (Margaux) who's rapist goes free (Chris Sarandon), and then attacks her younger sister (Muriel) and then all hell breaks loose!

The movie itself is a guilty pleasure - a potboiler melodrama done quite stlyishly, but somehow offensive and not well acted. Would fit in well with a double bill with EYES OF LAURA MARS! The fashion sequences are unique, and also the modern dance is neat to watch. And Margaux running in heels and a red sequin dress with a hunting rifle is a sight to see! I put it on my list of bad movies that I love. It has a SHOWGIRLS sensibility! Tried hard to be artsy and meaningful, but in the end was just too over the top to be anything but camp.

The DVD has a great transfer, but NO special features at all. Not even a trailer! Pity because Margaux died mysteriously, and this is her biggest movie. Memories of her would be welcome as well as why the movie was made. Credits show that a former DA of LA was an advisor, so somebody was trying to say something!

There's something about this movie ...
It's far from being the best film ever made, but LIPSTICK has some special quality about it. Let's first look at the exceptional performances from the cast:

Chris Sarandon - plays the school teacher of the younger sister (Mariel Hemingway) who rapes the older sister first and then the younger sister after being acquitted of the first crime. He really comes across as the creep he is intended to. You grow to hate him, which is the point.

Mariel Hemingway - her acting debut in which she shines. A great performance.

Ann Bancroft - plays the lawyer convincingly. An all round great actress.

Margaux Hemingway - the lead actress, and real-life sister of Mariel (unfortunately died tragically in mid 90's). Not a great actress by any means but she had her moments in the film. Pity about her voice. She was actually a model in real life then, rather than an actress.

The film bombed upon release in 1976 possibly because audiences couldn't accept Margaux trying to switch to acting. These days, such a movie would go straight to TV.

It is worth seeing at least once - The younger sister's performance is that good.

DVD SUMMARY - a bare bones release saved by an impressive transfer (and widescreen anamorphic too!). No trailer included.

strong stuff
This is one of my favourites from the 70's and it's great to see it finally appear on dvd. This is a hypnotic combination of cheesy exploitation and hard hitting drama that keeps you hooked right up to the explosive finale.
Margaux Hemingway is fantastic as the model who receives the unwelcome attentions of psychotic music teacher Chris Sarandon. Sarandon's character has to be one of the most loathsome ever put on film.
Mariel hemingway delivers a curiously affecting performance as the glamour model's younger sister.
After having only seen this before on UK tv in a cut version this nicely presented disc is a welcome addition to my collection.

Worst Movie Ever
...and boy am I glad it's finally on DVD. Can't wait to get my copy!

Delicious Trash
Oh how I love this film! Margaux is divine as a high fashion model who is raped by her teen sister's school music teacher! Well she is not just raped, she is completely brutalised! I swear some of those scenes looked a bit too realistic. Chris Sarandon is absolutely devilish in the role of the sadistic rapist. He doesn't just physically overpower Margaux, he also attacks her mentally. After the deed is done he slyly begs of her to "not do this with anyone else." During the trial he also torments her with late night calls playing selections of his Phillip Glass inspired music. While the subject matter is serious the film is also high camp & truely hilarious! In an emotional (or as emotional as Margaux can get) courtroom scene she shouts out "he tried to kill me with his c**k!" Let us also not forget lil sis Mariel who gets attacked at the end of the film...after a high speed chase through the Pasadena Design Center! This pushes Margaux over the edge so she grabs a shotgun and goes after Sarandon with a vengeance! After pumping him full of bullets she just keeps pulling the trigger...it is AMAZING! Francesco Scavullo must be so proud. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Universal's Incredible Hulk DVD will satisfy fans of the CBS television series by offering the two-hour 1978 pilot, as well as the feature-length second-season opener, "Married," and a commentary track by series creator Kenneth Johnson. In bringing the Hulk to TV, Johnson decided to focus on its human alter ego, scientist Bruce Banner (here renamed David), rather than its rampages. In the pilot, Banner (Bill Bixby) is haunted by the death of his wife and unleashes his untapped rage in the form of a monstrous creature (Lou Ferrigno) after experimenting with radiation. And in "Married," Banner falls for a researcher (Mariette Hartley in an Emmy-winning performance) who attempts to cure his "hulk-outs." Johnson's solid scripting and direction and fine performances from the leads made the series a critical and audience favorite during its network run, and the DVD--deceptive cover art aside (which features images from the 2003 Hulk theatrical feature)--should again please longtime fans and novice viewers alike. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (34)

"Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry"
"Within each of us, oftimes; there dwells a mighty and raging fury".
Thanks to the success of the HULK movie, the premiere of the original TV series has been released to DVD. Personally, I like the TV show better. I hadn't seen it since I was a little kid, and was surprised to find I enjoyed this DVD a lot.
The first episode on this is the series 1 pilot. As all fans of the show know, Bill Bixby plays Dr. David Banner; who is haunted by nightmares about the death of his wife Laura in a car accident after a tyre blows out and the car goes off the road. Banner escapes but is unable free Laura before the car explodes.
Later, Banner is conducting research for an experiment on superhuman strength. Interviewed is a woman recounting how she saved her son from burning to death in a car accident that is startlingly similar to Banner's own experience. After hearing more testimony, Banner seems to be the only one who has failed. Guilt and anxiety lead him to go one step further and become a guinea pig for his testing. He discovers that the source of this strength is gamma radiation, so he subjects himself to a course of it, but has no results. So he tries again- only this time exposing himself to seven times the amount. Nothing happens. At least... not immediately.
Matters come to a head when Banner, frustrated at his lack of progress is driving home in a thunderstorm and has to change a flat tyre in the rain; this combined stress leads to his first "Hulk-out"...

More intelligent than most TV movies, the pilot also has a memorable sequene paying homage to the drowning scene in James Whale's FRANKENSTEIN, where the Hulk tries to save a little girl from drowning but her screams alert her father who tries to shoot the hulk. Naturally the bullets just bounce off. Special mention must be made of the wig Lou Ferrigno wears- he looks like he should have a golf tee tacked into the top of his head. Also of note: Banner watches himself changing back through the reflection in the water. Strange considering in the 1990 TVM, DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK Banner comments he's never before seen the creature after watching a tape of his transformation!
The bonus episode on the DVD is the series 2 pilot "Married"; again Written, Produced and Directed by Kenneth Johnson, who also produced SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN and BIONIC WOMAN.
This installment has Banner, using the alias David Benton; in Honolulu seeing psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Fields (Mariette Hartley, in an Emmy winning performance) to try and control his "hulkouts".(He even shows her a newspaper photo of the Hulk and confronts the beast while under hypnosis! So that's three times on this DVD alone!) Banner falls in love with her and learns Caroline is terminally ill and has only 6-8 weeks to live. Of course, Banner is none too happy to discover his nemesis, tabloid reporter Jack Magee (Jack Colvin) is sniffing around trying to catch the creature.
MARRIED is an intelligent emotionally charged, (but not sappy) episode which is appealing to adults as well as kids. There are also a few laughs, most notably in the scene where the Hulk trashes a weasly bachelor's "swinging" pad! The bell bottoms are good for a giggle too. "Groovy" stuff. I hope more episodes of the show are released on DVD.

Excellent made for TV Pilot on DVD!
This is the pilot for the popular 70's classic show based on the Marvel comic books. It tells about Dr. David Banner ( Bill Bixby) who studys the hidden strengths that all humans have then he experiments on himself with gamma radiation but overdoses it. When he got angry after his experiment, he transforms into a raging green beast who's really gentle but misunderstood by society called " The Hulk" ( Lou Ferrigno).
This is an excellent pilot that tells the origin of everyone's favorite green giant, Bill Bixby is truly incredible as David Banner and Lou Ferrigino is great as Hulk with the make-up, wig and silver eyes. The DVD is great, it offers commentary by series writer, director and producer Kenneth Johnson, an introduction by Lou Ferrigno, a look in the making of the 2003 Hulk movie and a bonus episode " The Incredible Hulk Married" with commentary by Kenneth Johnson.
If you are a fan of the series, own this to know the origin of the Hulk.

A masterpiece
The pilot film of the Incredible Hulk tv series may very well be the most heartwrenching film ever put to film. To have "Married" (another heartbreaking moment realized by series developer Kenneth Johnson) on the dvd is just icing on the cake. If you love the Hulk, pick this up. It doesnt dissapoint.

The first episode is the best!!!!
When I saw the pilot episode I really hated it. I don't remeber why I hated it but now I love it!!!!! It's about a man named David Banner(Bill Bixby) who's wife died in a car acident. Angry that he was not able to save his wife, he finds out that the same thing has been happing to other people, only they saved the person in the person car. David finds out that it is the gamma energy that is helping the other people save the person in the car. David put gamma energy into his body, but so much that it made this creature called the Hulk( Lou Freggino). Great start to a great series. Better than the movie. This DVD has another episode called "Marride" which is very good and has lots of Hulk sceans. Well worth your money.

My favorite show is back on dvd!!!
In 1977,CBS introduced all of us to a great show based on the marvel comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962.We meet Dr.David Banner,a research scientist and physician,trying to tap into mans source of strength,Banner is trying to cope with the death of his wife Laura,played by Lara Parker of Dark Shadows fame,through this unfortunate accident,Dr Banner and a fellow scientist,Elaina Marks,played beautifully by the lovely Susan Sullivan interview people when in times of emotional stress display unusual strength,but Dr.Banner discovering that Gamma Rays are responsible for making them strong and because he could not save his wife because of low gamma activity decides to experiment on himself absorbing a massive amount of gamma radiation he fails in the experiment on himself and feels no effects at first,but when he becomes angry or frustrated,he transforms into a hulking monster with super strength,7 feet tall,green and powerful.Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk was magnificent and I think the best one in the world who played the role and also a bodybuilding champion.The late Bill Bixby in the role of Dr.David Banner will be truly missed,he was a wonderful actor and played the role of Banner with compassion and inginuity.The episode Married is a truly great episode of the series.Banner is trying to seek help for his condition with a physchiatist and doctor named Caroline Fields played marvelously by Mariette Hartley,who unfortunatly has an illness of her own.the both of them marry and Dr.Fields life comes to an untimely end.This dvd is a must have for every fan of the series,and has a great introduction by Lou Ferrigno who plays the hulk,I will always be a fan of this marvelous show which ran on cbs from 1978-82. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Eddie, Norby, and Veeko Should be Very Quiet Inmates
If I were in the shoes of the three thugs who kidnapped Baby Bink, I wouldn't want anyone to know how I was foiled by a nine-month-old, especially one who helped put me behind bars.
This is a hilariously funny movie about a wealthy couple(Lara Flynn Boyle, Matthew Glave), whose precious baby is kidnapped all because Mrs. Cotwell wanted her son's photo in the newspapers. The thugs disguise themselves as photographers and trick her into leaving them alone with her son. But in the hilarity that follows, Baby Bink proves that he is not so helpless as he leads his captors on a wild goose chase around Chicago.
The whole family can watch this movie together,with great scenes of Chicago, and a wonderfully acted morality tale showcased in one of the best ways possible.-- Through the eyes of a child.

Imagine that---a baby who's smarter than his kidnappers!
I remember seeing this movie in the theater when it came out and I finally managed to get it on tape this Thanksgiving. It's as funny now as it was back then. Why these three ditzes are holding a baby for ransom in the first place isn't really explained; it's pretty obvious that they don't know thing number one about taking care of a baby. But the scenes which make this movie one of my favorites include the incident involving the cigarette lighter, Joe Mantegna doing battle with the gorilla, and Nordby's completely off the wall rendition of "Mary Had a Little Lamb". (It followed her to work one DAY!!...and Mary lost her job!)

It's 12 noon, do you know where your baby is?
When baby Bink is kidnapped by three bumbling kidnappers posing as baby photographers, he manages to escape from their hideout and do all the things mentioned in his favorite story book.

Always one step ahead of his would be captives, he leads them through parks, construction sites and an ape house at the zoo. The best part of all is when they finally get their hands on him just as the cops come up to ask about their vehicle. Trying to hide baby Bink under his coat, Eddie gets a little warm downstairs. By the time the cops leave and he is able to remove his coat from his lap, he is on fire. His buddy stomps him out again and again ("THAT is how you put out campfires")

I laughed so hard at this movie I was crying. Not really for children, but a great comedy for teens and adults.

Not the best acting
This movie is cute, and that is why I rated it two stars. Otherwise, I would have given it a one. The baby in the
movie is not really acting. It is just simply following someone and smiling. The whole theme is just plain dumb
and stupid. A baby smarter and more durable than it's kiddnappers? HUH?! Who would want to watch some crazy baffoons waddle around with goop sliding down thier noses and arms? I'll tell you what, not me.

This Was So Funny I cant describe it
this is the story of 3 nitwits trying to kidnap a baby from his family after the family disapears and the baby is at the kidnappers apartment thats when the fun begins i love the end of the movie when the kidnappers got arrested "you little infent" if i was in those kidnappers shoes i couldnt get my hands on that kid i would be super mad ... Read more

Reviews (34)

I saw this in Paris in the 80's, and it just clicked
I was a lonely GI living in Germany in the early 80's and was in Paris for the weekend. A Parisian couple (Great folks, I've NEVER found Parisians to be anything but nice and warm people!) invited me to the film. We saw it near the George Pomp. (I can't spell...) center and it was marvelous. Enough has been analyzed about the film, but to me it struck a personal nerve/note on items of alienation, lonliness, and finally, warmth and acceptance. Screamin' Jay Hawkins "I put a spell on you" fits so well...it was genius to place it (and the boombox, in black and white on a lonely street corner...) in the film. I even bought his albums (that I could find).
Anyway, it's a slow movie, definitely art house, but if you're in a very expat (American) mood, or halfway intelligent, you'll get it. I think it would be interesting if the director did a more updated film on Imigrants. I have a friend who's parents are from Syria, who was brought up in the U.S. He is your typical (OK, well, we're like that) American, and when cousins visit from the Middle East they're in culture shock. I think if Jim J. did something with a Middle Eastern bent it would be interesting.

Mark

Tired of Hollywood Crap??? This is the Remedy.
What a refreshing change of pace this movie is from all those big-budget Hollywood bores. Finally on DVD, Jarmusch's great first flick is available once again to shine for movie lovers everywhere. It's basically just a slice of life piece on three characters: Willie, friend Eddie and Eva (Willie's cousin). Their lives are pretty much going nowhere, so they set out to Cleveland and later Florda to find paradise. But what they discover is that "whatever new place we go to, it all looks the same." There really is no message here, though, it's just a remarkable look into the lives of 3 real characters. Funny, touching and downright engrossing, it's a great little film. The DVD presents the B&W film in widescreen. The only "extra" is some soundless behind-the-scenes footage (in color) shot during filming. There is no trailer...(this is MGM you know).

A Perfect Movie
Maybe THE perfect movie, very funny, very close to the bone & improves immensely with each viewing.

Back when hip meant wise rather than trendy, I would have tagged it the hippest.

Paradise is in the wind
Brilliant deapan humor, slow timely dialog, low budget distinct look, raw though beautiful black and white production and stunning subtle performances by a small well placed cast. When Willie's (Lurie) Hungarian cousin Eva (Balint) comes to stay with him for a few weeks before retreating to Cleveland to stay with her Aunt, we experience, from a fly on the wall perspective, the boring lives of the two unfold. After Willie grows fond of her, he tracks her down in Cleveland along with his buddy Eddie (Edson) in search for something more in their dull existence. The three decide to voyage to Florida to escape the cold and dark environment, only to find similar dullness only in sunnier shades. Brilliant deapan originality and haunting story of three people looking for "Paradise" or any place that doesn't resemble hell. This is the greatest Indie flick ever made.. simple and honest the film's low budget production looks better than most. This one will stay with you and force you to look at our world differently from here on.

slowest film I ever loved
This is not an exciting film. It is a love story -- a platonic love story about an American, played by John Lurie, who "doesn't even consider himself part of [his] family anymore," who is forced by his mother to host a cousin who has just arrived from Europe. He wants nothing to do with her and her treats her [badly]. He's the kind of guy that wants to be cool, never show his emotions, you know the type. He and his best friend occupy themselves by cheating at poker and going to the track. As far as he is concerned, she's about as uncool as it gets. His cousin barely speaks English, and when she speaks she says what she thinks. That's how it starts out. I don't want to tell you the plot so... if you want to see where it goes check it out for yourself. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Special-effects legend Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion talents and "Dynamation" (rear-projection) process are the highlights of the '50s-era creature feature 20 Million Miles to Earth. An American spaceship returns to Earth after a mission to Venus and crashes into the sea near Sicily. A sole survivor (William Hopper) is rescued, along with a specimen that quickly grows into a reptilian biped called the Ymir. The being eventually grows to 20 feet high and escapes its confines, whereupon it rampages through Rome before a showdown with the military. Despite lacking much of a personality, the Ymir is a marvelous showcase for Harryhausen's skills. Unfortunately, the rest of the film does not match his level of excellence; direction by Nathan Juran is perfunctory (his later collaborations with Harryhausen, including The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, are more lively), and performances and scripting are flat. Still, Harryhausen fans should enjoy this opportunity to see this phase of his career before he created his most enduring works. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Great Monster Fun, 50s-Style
There's really not much to this one. Earth sends a spacecraft to Venus, it comes back with an alien life form that starts out at six inches high then grows into a 20-foot beast that wreaks havoc on the city, etc., etc. Character depth? Why bother, this monster has a lot of character on its own. Plot intricacies? What the heck for, the monster is on a rampage and has to be stopped, what more do you want?

That's 50s sci-fi for you. No frills storytelling, and it's darn good fun. But what makes this entry especially enjoyable is, you guessed it, the monster itself. The Ymir (curiously, that name is never mentioned in the film) is another in the long list of stop-motion wizard Ray Harryhausen's creations. Unlke many of the mythology-based creatures in his other films, this one was entirely his own design, and let me say this, it looks really great. It's a neat mix of reptilian features reminiscent of the dinosaurs and humanoid form with fully-developed and functional arms (a decidedly non-dinosaur feature). Now that's cool.

I mentioned earlier that the monster has a lot of character. It really does. This isn't your basic carnivorous beast that devours any living thing in its path. It feeds on sulphur (!), and is actually non-aggressive. In one unforgettable scene, the Ymir stops and growls at a grazing sheep, then walks right by, leaving the sheep unharmed. (The growl probably translates roughly as, "excuse me, do you know where I can find some sulphur? You don't? Ok, thank you.")

The problems start when the humans, in their typical fear of what they don't know or understand, set out to destroy the creature. Naturally, it becomes violent. What the humans don't know is, the big guy is really just an unfortunate victim of circumstances that wants to be left alone. But then again, how do you leave a 20-foot Ymir alone?

Speaking of leaving things alone, this was Harryhausen's last black-and-white film. Nobody better even think about releasing a computer-colored version. That would take away so much of the nostalgic enjoyment we classic sci-fi fans get from watching films like this.

The best of Harryhausen's early work
Released in June 1957, "20 Million Miles to Earth" is an important film in the canon of visual effects genius Ray Harryhausen. It was the last of the black and white science-fiction films he worked on during the 50s. It was also the first film based on one of his own ideas. It set the stage for his color fantasy films triumphs that would follow.

Harryhausen had originally developed a story about the frost giant Ymir from Norse mythology. He then changed the creature to a cyclops-satyr mix from another planet who rampages on modern Earth, but still kept the name Ymir. (The Cyclops-satyr would later show up in "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.") When the film finally went before the cameras, the Ymir had become a humanoid-reptilian beast from Venus. Brought to Earth in a crashed rocket, the Ymir emerges as only a few inches high, but starts growing rapidly in the Earth's atmosphere. Originally peaceful, the Ymir is provoked into violence by frightened humans. The movie climaxes in Rome when the captive Ymir bursts loose and starts smashing famous monuments in the Eternal City.

The parallels to King Kong are obvious, and Harryhausen intended the Ymir to also be a sympathetic, misunderstood creature. He succeeded grandly: "20 Millions Miles to Earth" is Harryhausen's best early film. The direction from Nathan Juran and the human actors are perfunctory and clichéd, but the effects are still stunning today, and the Ymir is a superb actor. Designed along human lines, but with dinosaur features, the Ymir elicits strong emotions and exudes tremendous personality. The scene of it hatching from its 'pod' (made of gelatin) and exploring the strange world around it for the first time is one of the high points of Harryhausen's career, and a sequence of which he rightly feels great pride. The scene of the full-sized, fifteen-foot Ymir wrestling an elephant (also animated) is also a stunning piece of work.

(Harryhausen's love of the Ymir extended to late in his career. In his last film, "The Clash of the Titans," he used the Ymir as the basis for the design of the multiple-armed monster the Kraken -- the heads and bodies are almost the same.)

The DVD presents the film in widescreen format for the first time since its theatrical release. The image is crystal clear and lets Harryhausen's work shine. There are a few extras. "The Harryhausen Chronicles," a lengthy documentary, does an excellent overview of the man's career. This same documentary appears on most of Columbia's Harryhausen DVDs, so if you're a fan of the animator you've probably seen this before. Also included is a vintage featurette about the animation process, called "This is Dynamation." It was made for the release of "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad," so it actually has nothing to do with "20 Million Miles to Earth."

This is a must-have DVD for any Harryhausen fan and any admirer of 50s science fiction. It's one of the highlights of giant monster cinema.

Definately One of the Best!
Really only one word can describe this film: awesome! Everything about this movie is awesome! And this is no ordinary monster movie from the 50s. Harryhausen and the film crew took very special care in making this film. While it is a B movie, it doesn't seem like it. The story is well written and the Ymir is a monster that you will love and sympathize for rather than hating him. The only complaint I have about the film is that the Ymir didn't get as much screen time as he should have. But the ending of the film is worth it since he is in just about every scene within the last ten or so minutes.
The acting is decent but nothing worth applauding about. A little Italian kid gets annoying during the first half of the movie.
Overall, it's a classic monster film that will really appeal more to die-hard fans of the genre, little kids, and people who grew up watching these movies.

WHEN IN ROME
This 1957 sci-fi thriller is most notable because of the continuing genius of Ray Harryhausen and the remarkable creature he gives us. William Hopper (of Perry Mason fame) is the sole survivor of a Venus expedition which has brough back with it a gellified glob that contains this remarkable creature. The monster is accidentally sold to a visiting scientist by a little boy (Bart Braverman in his first role). Lovely daughter Joan Taylor (Earth vs. the Flying Saucers) happens to be a medical student. The monster hatches, a cute little thing remarkable in its dexterity and in Harryhausens amazing muscular definition. Of course it grows, is captured by the army and sedated in Rome. An electrical malfunction occurs and the now gigantic creature is let loose on Rome. It fights a huge elephant and then meets its end in the Colosseum. Hopper is awful in his role, more artificial than the monster. But it's a fun ride, and what makes this DVD so special is the addition of "The Harryhausen Chronicles" which gives us a blow by blow glance at some of Harryhausen's magnificent creations: the horrifying Medusa in "Clash of the Titans"; the metal colossus in "Jason and the Argonauts"; the crab and bee on "Mysterious Island" and countless others.
Harryhausen was a genius, working pretty much on his own. In today's CGI special effects, it's hard to think of only one person being able to create such marvelous fx.
RECOMMENDED.

Harryhausen's Best B&W Film
After the success of "It Came from Beneath the Sea" and "Earth vs the Flying Saucers", Charles Schneer (producer) and Ray Harryhausen (effects) kept the ball rolling with this top notch sci-fi thriller. A Venus probe returns to earth with an alien egg. Once it hatches, the earth's atmosphere causes the alien to grow to gigantic proportions. Harryhausen's last B&W film contains his best effects up to 1957. The creature is believable and scary, especially in the barn sequence. The combination of animated monster and real backgrounds is impressive, especially when you consider when this movie was made.
Today teams of men and dozens of computers create effects. Back in 1957, Harryhausen alone created amazingly lifelike creatures. When you see one of his films, you'll want to see them all. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is the 1993 horror movie whose little Irish monster was frequently quoted by late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien: "I want me gold!" Sure you do, pal. Diminutive actor Warwick Davis (who played an Ewok in Return of the Jedi) plays a creepy, killer leprechaun wandering an American suburb in search of the gold stolen from him. Woe be to anyone who inadvertently gets in his way, including Tori (Jennifer Aniston) and her pals, who somehow have to get their hands on a four-leaf clover (what's wrong with a yellow moon or pink hearts?) to stop the dinky demon. Not exactly a promotional campaign from the Irish Tourist Board, Leprechaun is nevertheless good, silly fun. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Gosh and begorrah, this is one silly horror movie
The basic premise of this movie isn't that bad: a really ugly, mean leprechaun is robbed of his gold, forced to lie trapped in a crate for ten years, and then comes out willing and able to kill everybody who stands in the way of his recovering his gold. That could work. Unfortunately, it doesn't, not in this movie. Leprechaun is the sort of movie I might expect to see from someone who took a dare that he couldn't make a horror movie in less than seven days. The movie does have one good thing going for it, though, and it's not Warwick Davis' inane portrayal of the villain. Although you may never hear her mention this film among her credits, a young Jennifer Aniston glides enticingly throughout this entire film, making one forget at times just how silly and mediocre the movie actually is. Aniston plays Tory Reding, a spoiled young lady from L.A. forced to spend the summer with her father in an all but condemned house in North Dakota. She refuses to stay in the nasty new house only to run into a young painter outside who accuses her of being afraid, at which point she immediately decides to stay after all. What no one knows is that the house's former owner not only stole a leprechaun's gold, he trapped the little bugger in a crate down in the basement, sealed with the magic of a four leaf clover. Thanks to Ozzie, a backward but good-natured member of the far from talented Three Guys Who Paint, the little green guy escapes and goes on the rampage again. The brains of the painters' outfit, a 12 year old boy, actually finds a bag of gold at the end of the rainbow, yet still he (and everyone else) refuses to believe Ozzie's leprechaun story. The rest of the movie consists of your basic "when leprechauns attack" scenario, providing nothing resembling fright or dark comedy or anything else. There is a slight bit of blood and gore, but the leprechaun spends more time trying to be funny (with little success) than providing us with satisfying deaths. Far too many ridiculous sight gags and tricks are played, insulting the intelligence of even the youngest of viewers, and the climax occasions nothing more than a shrug of the shoulders on the part of the viewer. In the world of horror movies, Leprechaun is mediocrity personified.

This is the best horror movie I have seen since Halloween 8!
If you like low budget horror movies then this is the movie for you. This is the best horror movie I have seen since Halloween 8!If you have not seen it then this is what it is about: It's about this girl and her dad and they move into this house and it's disgusting. Then these painters get there and one of the painters hears something in a crate down in the basement of the house. So he brushes a four leaf clover off of the crate and he lets out a killer Leprechaun! And the Leprechaun threats to bite the painter's ear off if he does not tell him where his gold is. But the painter escapes. Then he and another painter find a bag of gold in a 50s truck. And then the Leprechaun goes on a murder spree. The first time I ever saw Leprechaun was one night Leprechaun was on the SCIFI Channel. so my mom asked: "Hey Tony want to watch Leprechaun?" So I said OK. And then my uncle gave me a copy on dvd cause I told him I want to own it. And I also bought a copy on tape too. And I am getting Leprechaun 2 from Netflix.com. But if you have not seen this movie and you want to see it's seqels don't bother with Leprechaun 3 because me and my uncle are Leprechaun fans and my uncle said that Leprechaun 3 was stupid and gross because the plot was stupid and it had gross stuff like fingers getting cut off. And my uncle said that Leprechaun and Leprechaun 2 were the best ones but my uncle remembers little about Leprechaun 2 but I don't think he's seen Leprechaun 4: In Space yet. And don't bother with Leprechaun In The Hood and Leprechaun Back 2 Tha Hood because my uncle says it is the same as Leprechaun 3. So if you haven't seen this film make sure you get it from here because it is a good film. But as I said don't bother with Leprechaun 3 Leprechaun In The Hood and Leprechaun Back 2 Tha Hood.

Waver B Davis best
In Leprechuan Irish men catches a leprechaun makes him get his gold. The Leprachun is partically imposible to kill. He can only be killed if a frehs pluck four leefed clover is placed on his body.

The Leprechaun tracks the man to his house where he kills his white. The Leprechaun is locked in a crate where he remainds traped for ten years. Later ozz fat dork guy is tricked into releasing the creature.

He leaves a trail of death and destructions. Like childplay has somecheesy death scenes. Like when the Leprechaun kills this guy with a Pog Stick by jump un and down on top of his lung. Than he takes the coin and steals a tinny toy car.

In the end the Leprechaun is killed she the movie and watch its explosive conclusion. If you like this see the five sequels to it.

IT'S OK
AN EVIL LEPRECHAUN [WARWICK DAVIS] GOES ON A GORY KILLING SPREE TO RETRIEVE SOME STOLEN GOLD. HAS COOL MURDER SEQUENCES. THE PLOT JUST GETS TOO THIN AFTER A WHILE. WARWICK DAVIS IS THRILLING AS THE LEPRECHAUN. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THIS MOVIE IS THAT IT SOMETIMES GETS BORING. BUT, IT DOES RATE AS AN ACCEPTABLE MOVIE. FOLLOWED BY FIVE SEQUELS, THE FIFTH SEQUEL WILL BE RELEASED ON VIDEO AND DVD ON THE 30TH OF THIS MONTH.

First One and Best of the Lot
We have Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Chucky, and Britney Spears; so why not have a malevolent leprechaun played by the minuscule Warwick Davis of "Willow" fame? Davis's turn as the evil Irish urchin in this film translated into four sequels with another one on the way at the end of this year. In fact, the "Leprechaun" franchise may rank as one of the most rushed series in movie history. The first one came out in 1993, meaning that the powers that be behind this series made six films in ten years. Not bad, I guess, unless you are one of the unfortunate viewers willing to watch all of the "Leprechaun" films as I did recently. While the first picture is watchable and interesting in a purely mindless, harmless way, the rest severely suffer from the dreaded law of diminishing returns. I can't begin to imagine in what odd directions they will take Davis's character with future releases, but if the folks at Trimark decided to make six films we can rest assured that they are planning a few more before the game is up. My recent "Leprechaun" marathon tells me that game should have been up long, long ago.

Nothing beats an original idea, and the first "Leprechaun" film does spark marginal interest about the shenanigans unfolding onscreen. The film opens with a drunken Irishman named Dan O'Grady managing to capture a leprechaun, thereby forcing the little monster to give up his pot of gold. Regrettably for this son of Eire, the evil fairy isn't about to give up his wealth without a fight, tracking down the man who robbed him just in time to open up a big can of hurt on the man's wife and inflicting a massive stroke/heart attack type illness on O'Grady. Before he does so, however, Danny Boy traps the leprechaun in a wooden crate and imprisons him there by placing a four leaf clover on the top of the box. It seems that Irish folk monsters cannot withstand this powerful charm, and it looks as though the leprechaun will be trapped forever in this abandoned house.

Not so fast. A few years later Tori Reding and her father move into the decrepit house. Tori hates the new digs but rapidly adjusts to her surroundings when she encounters the buff Nathan Murphy, a local fella hired by Dad to paint the house. Along for the ride is the overweight but mentally challenged Ozzie and a smart mouthed kid named Alex, both of who work with Murphy in his paint business. Predictably, it isn't too long before Ozzie inadvertently lets the leprechaun out of his prison. Despite dire warnings from Ozzie about an evil elf on the loose, everyone laughs at such a ludicrous idea and goes about their business. Not for long, though, because all heck breaks loose at incredible speed: Tori's father suffers a serious hand injury requiring medical attention, Ozzie and Alex discover the pot of gold the Irishman left on the property, and the leprechaun emerges out of the shadows for all the world to see. The small demon demands the return of his gold, and if he doesn't get what he wants he will kill everyone he can get his hands on. Lots of moronic stuff happens throughout the film, like the leprechaun riding around on some sort of go cart contraption he just happened to find in a barn and getting pulled over by a local cop, Tori incredibly managing to contact the ailing Irishman at the local old folks home before he dies, and the gang finding a four leaf clover just in the nick of time to stop the creature. If nothing else, "Leprechaun" is worth watching for a few good snorts and chuckles. Look for the shoe shining incident and try not to laugh. I dare you.

Of course, none other than Jennifer Aniston plays the role of Tori Reding. A close viewing of the film reveals many of the mannerisms this actress made famous in her later career, such as scrunching her face up, gasping, and acting flustered. She doesn't have a fancy coif here, though, and that will surely disappoint die hard fans. No, the real joy of seeing Aniston in this movie comes from watching her acting and reacting to Warwick Davis's hammy performance as the leprechaun. In Roman times, when a successful general came home from battle to have his triumph through the streets of Rome, a slave stood next to him on his chariot and whispered in his ear that all glory is fleeting. The same principle should apply to Aniston anytime she has a hit movie, except this time the attendant would remind her that she starred in "Leprechaun." Seriously though, most of the performances in this movie aren't all that bad for a low budget horror film. The thespians in this picture certainly stand head and shoulders above the wretched hacks that appear in the ham handed sequels.

The DVD is a pretty basic number: a trailer for the film and a few other trailers for other Trimark junk adorn the disc. All of the "Leprechaun" DVDs usually have the same sorts of trailers, namely a few "Leprechaun" trailers and perhaps a sneak peak at one or two of the "Warlock" films. As for the transfer, the picture quality is good even though its in full screen. The first film in this series will never win any awards, but it is probably the best entry in the franchise. Not very scary, not too gory, and full of Davis's trademark cackles; that is the best you can hope for from this seminal moment in cinematic history. Luck o' the Irish to ye with this one. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great story, very romantic, but man some depressing.
The acting was first rate, no complaints, especially William Forsythe's character. This was a very powerful movie about coming to grips with a life-altering accident, then learning to adjust and carry on. The movie is compared to "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" which it does resemble in some ways. Eric Stoltze is very good in the lead role. Helen Hunt is her beautiful self and exceptionally revealing in this movie, she is awesome!!! She is unbelievably gorgeous!!! Do not deny this movie, cause you could be missing something. Although extremely depressing at times, the ending will satisfy. A must see!!!

A life affirming movie worthy of Frank Capra!
If you have ever felt sorry for yourself, this movie will open your eyes to just how good you have it. The exploration of life's worth and how quickly we can lose sight of it is what this movie is all about. The ensemble cast of Hunt, Stoltz, Snipes, and, especially, William Forsythe, will bring you into a world of people you may never meet in real life, but perhaps you should. A must-see.

wow
i watched this finnally after my mom said it was good. i loved it. where were you all my life?

Realistic story and tremendous ensemble acting
This film never received the attention it deserved, although this is one of the finest pieces of ensemble acting, and one of the most realistic stories I have seen on screen. Clearly filmed on a small budget in a real V.A. Hospital, the center of the story is Joel, very well-played by Eric Stoltz. Joel has been paralyzed in a motorcycle accident, and comes to the hospital to a ward with other men who have spinal injuries. Joel is in love with Anna, his married lover, played by Helen Hunt, who shows early signs of her later Academy-Award winning work.

Although the Joel-Anna relationship is the basic focus, there are many other well-developed characters in the ward. Wesley Snipes does a tremendous job as the angry Raymond. Even more impressive is William Forsythe as the bitter and racist Bloss. I think Forsythe's two best scenes are when he becomes frustrated and angry at the square dancers, and, later, when he feels empathy for a young Korean man who has been shot in a liquor store hold up. My favorite scene with Snipes is the in the roundtable discussion of post-injury sexual options.

The chemistry between Stoltz and Hunt is very strong, and they have two very intimate, but not gratuitous, sex scenes. The orgasm in the ward is both sexy and amusing. There is also another memorable scene where Joel and Bloss and the Korean boy take the specially-equipped van to the strip bar. It's truly a comedy of errors as they make their feeble attempts to get the van going to see the "naked ladies."

The story is made even more poignant by the fact that the director, Neal Jimenez, is paralyzed in real life. This is basically his story. This film is real, not glossy or flashy. To have the amount of talent in a film of such a small budget is amazing. I recommend this film to everyone I see, because it is one of those films that even improves on a second look. It's a shame that such a great piece of work gets overlooked, but through video, perhaps it can get the attention it so richly deserves.

Helen Hunt is Fabulous!
The scene with Helen Hunt and Eric Stoltz at the motel made the movie for me. It was a bit brief but worth the price of the movie! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Good enough
A town marshal is shot and killed while pursuing a group of fleeing bank robbers.Community pillar Ben Cutler (Fred MacMurray) reluctantly agrees to become the new marshal.Cutler, a member of the outlaw-chasing posse, wounds and apprehends the trigger man, bad boy Eddie `The Kid' Campbell (Robert Vaughn.)
With Vaughn as a troubled youth - he never had a chance given the way he growed up - and MacMurray the middle aged, moral man at odds with the apathetic town he defends, think of GOOD DAY FOR A HANGING as a mixture of The Blackboard Jungle and High Noon, with a shady defense attorney and an extended courtroom scene thrown in for good measure.
The 1950s were the decade of message westerns, or a least westerns with a social sense and an accusatory finger to point.1959's GOOD DAY FOR A HANGING isn't as strident as some of that era, but it's serious in its way, flaying a bit of the flesh of the fickle and apathetic townfolks while deifying the last honest man.Fortunately, GOOD DAY possesses the reassuringly mellow presence of MacMurray as the man behind the badge, calming whatever worries we may have harbored that GOOD DAY will get too carried away with whatever message it's trying to deliver.
My expectations were fairly modest for GOOD DAY FOR A HANGING, and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed (wasn't pleasantly surprised, though, either.)A traditional western with a competent cast, recommended especially for fans of the genre.

A Solid, If Flawed, 50's Western
Good Day For A Hanging features Fred MacMurray in what is more of a character drama than a standard Western.MacMurray plays Ben Cutler, a former Marshall who gets caught up in the aftermath of a bank robbery gone wrong.A gang of bank robbers botches what was otherwise a well planned robbery of the town bank, only to be chased out of town by the Marshall and a makeshift posse.During the chase the Marshall is shot and killed, with all of the posse as witnesses.The shooter, Eddie "the Kid" Campbell,is wounded, but relatively unharmed before he is brought back to town.

It is here that the movie shifts to a solid character drama, as a prominent defense attorney shows up to take Campbell's case.Campbell grew up in the town and the attorney begins to plant the seed of reasonable doubt in the members of the posse - leading to a conflict with Cutler.Campbell is convicted on the strength of Cutler's testimony, but the townspeople begin to doubt Cutler's motives as they wonder if there really was enough evidence to convict the Kid.A movement in town grows to try to get the Kid's sentence commuted to life in prison, creating a conflict with Cutler, who is determined to see the sentence carried out.

Good performances from MacMurray and Robert Vaughan (as Campbell) help Good Day For A Hanging become as entertaining and engrossing as it is.The dialog and laid back style are very much in line with some TV Westerns, but it's all just a cut above that level.The direction from Nathan Juran is good, and sometimes inspired, and the cast does a good job of portraying a very tight-knit, family oriented town where everyone knows each other.

While Good Day For A Hanging isn't at the level of the best Westerns from the 50's (like Winchester '73, The Searchers, Warlock, Last Train from Gun Hill, The Man From Laramie, etc), it is still a good movie and well worth your time if you are a fan of the genre.

3 1/2 Stars.

A fine Western, underrated
At the end of the decade of the 1940s Columbia Pictures was producing and releasing both Gene Autry and Durango Kid series "B" Westerns, and doing well with them. During the 1950s, Columbia upgraded to more expensive fare, and produced a number of fine color Westerns with such solid actors as Randolph Scott, Fred MacMurray, and others. GOOD DAY FOR A HANGINGwas one of several that MacMurray did for Columbia (also notable is FACE OF A FUGITIVE), and it's a very good one. MacMurray has a unique style in just about everything he does (as anyone who remembers "My Three Sons" will recall!)--more meditative and quizzical, but always likeable. He shines in GOOD DAY FOR A HANGING, and manages to convey a resolve and determination that is also at the same time very human. This is no super-hero, but rather a man of real emotions, and thus identifiable with most viewers. In the end MacMurray's reasoned determination, albeit tested severely, is proven correct.

Production values and print quality are excellent; Columbia (Sony) continues to release some fine Westerns from the 1940s and '50s (e.g., THE VIOLENT MEN, LUST FOR GOLD, JUBAL, COWBOY, THE DESPERADOES, HANGMAN'S KNOT,several of the Durango Kid series, etc.), and GOOD DAY FOR A HANGING is one of the better ones.

Western Justice.
Fred MacMurray starred in several westerns in the fifties, and "Good Day for a Hanging", released in 1959, is an engrossing "duster" that holds your attention throughout. It raises issues such as capital punishment, loyalty, duty, family and the nature of justice.

A gang of outlaws holds up a bank and escapes, with the popular town marshall and a posse in hot pursuit. During a shoot-out in the hills, the marshall is shot dead by one of the gang. The youngest member of the gang, Eddie Campbell ( Robert Vaughn in a terrific performance ), is wounded and brought back to town by the posse. Posse-member, Ben Cutler ( Fred MacMurray ), is sure that young Eddie is the outlaw who shot the marshall, although he convinces townspeople that there should be a fair trial, rather that a quick lynching. Ben reluctantly agrees to take over as marshall, which soon causes problems with his bride-to-be, Ruth Granger ( attractive Maggie Hayes ), and his daughter, Laurie ( petulant Joan Blackman) who has a crush on Eddie
( Ben is a widower ). This, however, is a horse opera not a soap opera--there are fisticuffs, gunfights, a very tense trial scene and an excellent showdown at the end of the film.

Today I suspect most people remember Fred MacMurray as the affable and immensely likeable star of TV's "My Three Sons", and a number of Disney films. Film buffs know that,in fare such as "Double Indemnity" and "The Apartment", Mr. MacMurray could also be effective in less sympathetic roles. In "Good Day", he certainly has an edge to his performance, and gives us a convincing western hero. In addition to the intense Mr. Vaughn, we have a "pre-Virginian" James Drury as Dr. Ridgely, doting on Laurie Cutler, but unable to distract her from her obsession with young Eddie. Western fans will spot such actors as Denver Pyle, Gregg Barton, William Fawcett, Harry Lauter and the ubiquitous Tom London in supporting roles.

I see that the movie was produced by Charles H. Schneer and directed by Nathan Juran, better known for their collaboration with stop-motion effects master, Ray Harryhausen.

I found the widescreen, colour picture quality to be excellent--the sound typical for films of this vintage.

If you like westerns, Fred MacMurray may not be the first name you would think of. However, he was a fine actor, and was right at home throwing punches or lead ! "Good Day for a Hanging" delivers a "good" ninety minutes of western suspense and excitement. Recommended.

The Other Side of The High Noon Coin
A Good Day For A Hanging, a solid and entertaining Western, bookends nicely with a much more heralded 50's Western, High Noon. High Noon, in addition to dealing with courage and personal responsibility, dealt with the problems of enforcing law in a society that is afraid to protect itself from imminent criminal activity. This film deals with the frustrations of properly punishing criminals once they are caught.

Fred McMurray stars as a store owner who joins a posse chasing bank robbers. One of the bank robbers is a young punk played by Robert Vaughn, who also is very friendly with McMurray's young daughter. During the ensuing chase, the elderly and much loved town sheriff is killed by Vaughn, who is in turn shot and captured by McMurray and the posse.

McMurray becomes acting sheriff, and pushes forth the prosecution of Vaughn. But to McMurray's utter amazement, the town begins to sympathize with Vaughn,to the point that no one wants to believe that he is guilty. McMurray's dogged pursuit of justice causes him strained relations with everyone in the town (especially his daughter) except the young town doctor, played by James Drury.

Well acted and written, this film continues where High Noon left off by indicting those who are always screaming for law and order, but do not have the will to enforce it. It is great that this film is being released on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I love this movie
Yes, that's right: five stars. It's a five star B movie, and one of my favorites. My dream is that some day they will figure out a way to release these old 3-D movies on DVD for home viewing. But whether or not they get it in 3-D, I hope someday to see this on DVD. "Spacehunter" is a total cheesefest, but brilliant in it's own way. It's my favorite of all of the "forbidden zone" mutant type movies. There are all sorts of strange deformed creatures running around that were created by a mad scientist. The best part is Michael Ironside, who is awesome as the Overdog, who is the head mutant of this particular forbidden zone. He runs a death maze the he feeds beautiful women into to see if they can survive. Best line: "I like her. I like her for the maze!" Check it out.

I love this movie
Yes, that's right: five stars. It's a five star B movie, and one of my favorites. My dream is that some day they will figure out a way to release these old 3-D movies on DVD for home viewing. But whether or not they get it in 3-D, I hope someday to see this on DVD. "Spacehunter" is a total cheesefest, but brilliant in it's own way. It's my favorite of all of the "forbidden zone" mutant type movies. There are all sorts of strange deformed creatures running around that were created by a mad scientist. The best part is Michael Ironside, who is awesome as the Overdog, who is the head mutant of this particular forbidden zone. He runs a death maze the he feeds beautiful women into to see if they can survive. Best line: "I like her. I like her for the maze!" Check it out.

A superior film of the 80's
Ah, a classic movie that deserves nothing but praise. From the special effects, to the drama of a middle aged man and his relationship with a prepubescent girl.

Our hero (Peter Strauss) goes to a forbidden planet to rescue three space vixens from the clutches of an evil being that can only be described as monstrous. He is bald and attached by the head to something that looks like the mecahnical arms the paint cars at the GM plant. His hands are huge tri-claws. His only real purpose is to laugh a lot and look grimacing. In the end he dies while trying to 'steal the youth' of the young Molly.

In the beginning of the flick we have a real nice, low-budget 'Mad Max' type battle, but it picks up and moves on to greater things; a black dude joins up with them, but really has no purpose in the story, babies throw explosives down on them from the clifftops, the 'Death Maze' is the ultimate game show from hell, and our villian is a pervert who prefers his women to be undressed 'sl-o-o-o-o-wly' in front of him.

If this movie could possibly be any better, Mr. T and Nell Carter would have to do a cameo as guardians of the Neptune Moon Tressure.

One of the worst space movies ever made
I don't even understand why this movie was made. Don't buy this DVD. It only fans the flame for bad hollywood writing.

If you are looking for a movie that could be compared to the worse episode of the A-Team, then pick up this piece of junk.

Writing: poor
Special Effects: dismal
Acting: awful

Spazz-hunter...
Three years after "Facts of Life," but a year away from her triumphant role in "Sixteen Candles," Molly Ringwald finds herself the prisoner of some tricked-out bum named Overdog on a junk planet that looks like Fred Sanford's backyard. Peter Strauss, the poor man's Richard Chamberlain, plays the poor man's Han Solo (or Lone Starr, if you prefer) and tries to rescue her.

Yes, "Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone" is low-budget fun directed by Lamont Johnson. According to the IMDb, Johnson once played Tarzan on radio. With this movie, he shows a keen radio performer's eye for cinema. Ripping off "Star Wars" and "Road Warrior" and featuring more rickety metal garbage than any four episodes of TLC's "Junkyard Wars," this flick has a spunky little heart but little else to offer.

Ringwald would go on to become John Hughes' teen muse and the undisputed 80s teen comedy queen, usually playing upper middle class girls dating sexless, nonthreatening gimps like Andrew McCarthy. Here, she's a punky little spitfire who needs a bath and a shave. Come to think of it, she IS the spunky little heart of this movie. The rest of it can go to hell! But I kid "Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone." It's a silly movie with a clumsy title, yet worth watching with friends some drunken evening. But please- try not to confuse "Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone" with "Metalstorm: the Destruction of Jared Synn." They both have colons in their titles, and promise things like "adventures," "destruction" and "Jared Synn."

But only "Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone" has Molly Ringwald being tortured by Michael Ironside. Ask for it by name! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

One of Macaulay Culkin's last movies
The Pagemaster is a rare movie, that has both live action and animation. It's about a boy that hates heights (and who couldn't blame him). And is also a rare live action movie that has a G rating. The live action part of the movie was directed by Joe Johnston. And the animation part of the movie was directed by Maurice Hunt. As the movie opens, Ricard Tyler (Macaulay Culkin) is sent to get some nails for the tree house his father is bulding in a tree, Richard refuses to climb. But it starts to rain. So Richard takes shelter in a library, where a man (Christopher Lloyd) who claims that he has a talent for what people need. He ends up with a library card, and asks the man where the phone is. Christopher Lloyd also voices the title character. And when paint starts to fall from a picture of the Pagemaster, Richard tries to find the exit, but can't, and is turned into a cartoon character, and is visited by the Pagemaster, who tells him that he has to get to the exit to get back to a human character, which he is still in the library.

A Wonderful Story!
I first saw this movie with my own Mom when it first came out into the theatres. I am now 14-and I don't care what you think- and I absolutely loved this movie.

I agree with the review by amazon.com which declares the "animation to be middling, but what can you say about a movie that encourages a kid to pick up a book?" That is so true. In a way, this story reminds me of myslef...no, I'm not overprotective of myself or obsessed with statistics...but I do love to read...fantasy for that matter, and this pulls me back into another fantasy realms that I cannot explain.

Only other people who are like me in this way will enjoy this at older ages, but this is a must-see for all young children! They will love this! I personally think that it in itself is much better that some of Disney's stuff. Enjoy!

A terrible waste of talent...
---
...in terms of the actors and energy devoted to a potentially exciting idea, spoiled by lack of true imagination on the part of the writers, producers, and directors of this movie. When anticipating theatrical release, the kids in the family were excited by the trailers, but they were excruciatingly bored by the film itself, which proved to be unimaginative, uninspired, and without the sort of spark to be expected of the collection of voice and acting talents participating therein.

And I could determine in '94 why the movie was bound to suck. Note that the three genres of fiction instantiated in *The Pagemaster* were:

(1) Fantasy

(2) Adventure

(3) Horror

Not a whiff of Science Fiction, kiddies. Of course. Proverbs 29:18 all over the place ("Without a vision, the people perish"). The mark of the mundanes is all over this movie. Ostensible credits notwithstanding, if there was a genuine science fiction fan involved in the production of *The Pagemaster*, he was kept drugged and trussed up in a trunk somewhere on the set so he couldn't interfere with the process of turning perfectly good ingredients like these into a flat, uninteresting, drooling dollop of witlessness.

Beware the mark of the mundanes, my people! In this as in everything else in life, they are walking Black Holes of vapidness, guaranteeing in every spoiled celluloid square of *The Pagemaster* an overwhelming dose of major suckage.
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A Delightful Fantasy
Macaulay Culkin plays a young man named Richard Tyler, who, thanks to his obsessive calculations of the statistics of accidents caused by anything and everything, is afraid of everything including heights, darkness, fire, etc.,etc. One day, his father (after falling off a short treehouse he made for Richard) assigns him to go and buy some new nails for the completion of the house. Richard protests at first, but eventually, regretfully goes. On his way he encounters kid "bullies" (too bad acting for their own good) and speeds off on his bike through a tunnel, and due to the darkness the storm creates, crashes into a tree. He then seeks shelter in an old, deserted (for the night) library where he meets the head librarian, slightly-mad (as always) Christopher Lloyd. who immediately tries to find a way to get Richard to check out a book. Richard says he doesn't have a card, but Lloyd, like magic, whips up a brand-new library card for him to rent books with. Richard then goes looking around the huge library, almost just to get Lloyd off his back about it, and after getting turned around, slips on a little puddle of rain water, leaking in from the roof of the library. He gets knocked unconscious, and is greeted afterwards by the greatest man in the world of books: the Pagemaster, who explains to him he will have to conquer his greatest fears with the help of 3 types of literature: Fantasy, Adventure, and Horror. When he meets these 3 books he faces each of his fears by conquering over literatures' greatest and darkest characters including Long John Silver, Moby Dick, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, and a haunted cemetery. When he awakens from his unconsciousness, he checks out the 3 books that helped him during his adventures and lives without any fears, firstly by sleeping in his new treehouse. A charming, wonderfully crafted, however dull it may be, children's fable that never fails to delight. And will definitely cause any viewers to want to read more.

this is not bad definitly not bad at all
I like the part where tyler gets anamated i recomend this movie for people who like live and anamation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This one was a long time coming...
A mainstay on HBO in the 1983-84, "Lady Chatterly's Lover" is a soft-core romance, but not a sleazy one. It wasn't successful in theaters, maybe because nobody knew what audience it was targeted to(surely not literature addicts or art-house filmgoers; maybe Sylvia Kristel/"Emmanuelle" fans). Consequently, it was popular on cable and video, where viewing privacy can elicit whatever reactions necessary(mostly giggles). It's not a very well made movie, but the acting is surprisingly decent and the passion is convincing. It doesn't have good editing, with many scenes(and the ending)cut short, but it has steamy scenes, frisky nudity, and good location filming. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What a great treat to find so many beloved icons in Isaac Julien's excellent documentary about blaxploitation cinema: actors Pam Grier, Fred Williamson, and Gloria Hendry, among others, as well as directors Gordon Parks and Melvin Van Peebles. Through their piercing perspectives, plus commentary by the likes of film critic Elvis Mitchell and (of course) cult aficionado and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, Baadasssss Cinema makes a persuasive argument that 1970s blaxploitation was both an American achievement and a temporary fix for Hollywood's then-economic doldrums. Julien gracefully leads viewers on a tour of blaxploitation's aesthetic and social roots, including a desire by African American audiences to see black protagonists stand up to power. Baadasssss Cinema also explains the appeal of warhorse movie genres--gangster films, horror--to the blaxploitation industry, discusses African American ambivalence in the '70s toward the films' new racial stereotypes, and makes sense of blaxploitation's commercial burnout once Hollywood got hold of the formula. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Informative, but 2 short
At one point in this documentary, Fred(Hammer)Williamson makes a great point about the term "Blaxploitation". "Who was being exploited?", he asks. The black actors were getting paid and finally getting starring roles in movies and the black audiences were finally getting their own action heroes. He also points out that the term "Blaxploitation" came surprisingly not from the white media but rather from black journalists and organizations like the NAACP who accused these movies of glamorising pimps and drug dealers(which some of them did) and reinforcing negative stereotypes of the black community. There are plenty of film clips and some nice interviews but some major ommissions. Where's Ron (Superfly) O'Neal, where's Jim Brown, Isaac Hayes,Max(The Mack) Julien? Did they refuse to be interviewed? Also, the only people interviewed about the impact and influence of this genre are filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and film critic Elvis Mitchell. Where's John Singleton, the Hughes Brothers or some rappers like Ice-T? This documentary is too short(about an hour long) and just skimmed the surface of this beloved genre and left me wanting a lot more. Thank God I only rented it and didn't actually purchase it. I give it three stars because it is informative, entertaining and because at least someone actually made a documentary about these cool, funky, baaadasssss classics!

Good for what it suggested but it missed more
this is the kind of Dvd I was excited about because I love the films during that time period alot.there was so much going on that isn't fully told on this disc.you need 2-3 discs to tell the whole story&even then you are bound to leave something out because there was so many other details that came into play.these Films saved Hollywood back then until the BlockBuster films like Jaws,Star wars,etc... came along.Many actors&actress's from these films didn't get a fair shot in other films.the Cosmetic 80's downplayed this era as well.but thanks to the Hip-Hop Movement these films&Creative forces got a Bigger lift than ever.so many Great Talents that haven't gotten there full due to this day.

A FASCINATING DOCUMENTARY FILLED WITH GUILTY PLEASURES
"BaadAsssss Cinema" is not your usual dry, academic documentary. While the arrangement of material seems pretty random and scattershot, the clips are priceless as historical artifacts of the times and the prevailing social attitudes. The debate as to the potential racist tracts implicit and explicit in the movies is wisely avoided, and the importance of black visibility of any kind supersedes any moral judgment here. The place of blaxploitation films of this period in the overall history of Hollywood is examined very closely, with surprising results. If we are to believe it, these films saved Hollywood studios in the '70s --- only to have the studios themselves turn their back on black artists a decade later. However, political and financial debates about art only get in the way. What we really have here is a delicious compendium of scenes and interviews from one of America's most beloved cult genres. Pam Grier, the greatest Black Mamma of them all, is fascinating as she discusses the beginnings of her prodigious career. Melvin Van Peebles, one of the few black artists to retain complete control of his films, discusses his seminal "Sweet Sweetback's BaadAsssss Song," arguably the first film in the genre. Isaac Hayes, composer and actor and "South Park" scion, talks about the groovy music essential for these movies. Richard Roundtree, Gloria Hendry and Fred Williamson all discuss the trials and triumphs of black performers creating, for the first time, a complete black identity on film. Quentin Tarantino,looking strangely pale, displays his goofy charm as he waxes rhapsodic about his first experience as a child attending his first black exploit film. These movies have been called the original guilty pleasure, and they are all enormously fun. This documentary shows a great cross-section of the movies and the artists, retaining all of the energy, action, comedy and sex we associate with these movies. Although it may be less fun yelling back at your television set alone than being part of a crowd on a Saturday night, Superfly, Shaft and all them guys (and their gals) still pack a wallop. (Submitted by staff member Stephen J. Finn)

Uneven Attempt
Being a fan of the blaxploitation genre, I was excited to hear about the DVD release of BaadAssss Cinema. However, upon viewing it, I became very disappointed. First, let me start off by saying that the 56-minute running time does not justify the price being charged for this DVD. Second, this title is anything but a bold look at 70's blaxploitation films. The documentary is organized by years, which doesn't work well. It would have been more interesting and flowed better if it were organized by different styles of blaxploitation films, such as gangster films or horror films, or films featuring strong female leads. The documentary focuses almost exclusively on films starring people who were interviewed, such as Pam Grier, Fred Williamson, Gloria Hendry, Quentin Tarantino, and Melvin Van Peebles. A lot of time is devoted to Sweet Sweetback's BaadAsssss Song, Shaft, and Pam Grier's Foxy Brown and Coffy. There's no denying that these films played a pivotal role in the blaxploitation movement, but why isn't Dolemite included? Is it because Rudy Ray Moore wasn't interviewed? The documentary is astonishingly shortsighted. No mention is made of movies like Abby, the black rip-off of The Exorcist, or Darktown Strutters, or even the Shaft sequels for that matter. Were they left out because the filmmaker thought they were an embarrassment to the genre, or because they are too obscure for the target audience? Lastly, most people interviewed feel that the blaxploitation movement died out around 1976, so the remaining years of the 70's are left out. The only two post 1976 films featured are Original Gangstas and Jackie Brown, both made in the 90's. There is so much missing from this documentary, and the only people who will benefit from it are blaxploitation completists and people new to the genre. If you're looking for information on black cinema of the 1970's, I suggest the book "What It Is...What It Was!The Black Film Explosion of the '70s in Words and Pictures." Unlike BaadAssss Cinema, it features articles with insight and interviews that matter (ironically with many of the same people interviewed in BaadAsssss Cinema). Overall, BaadAssss Cinema fails to make the blaxploitation movement seem important. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Les Miserables: Literary Masterpieces
Many versions have been made by this classic tale written by Victor Hugo, but none does justice than the 1978 version of top-rated performances by Richard Jordan & Anthony Perkins. This classic story of "one man's search for freedom and another's quest for revenge" will be enjoyed and loved by both men and women. Life's lessons on forgiveness and the giving of oneself to another, portrays a heroic adventure that few dare to endure till the very end. A great paper to write about for school; a great movie to watch as a family and to open for conversation with parents and their children afterwards. A must see by all!

A Solid Adaptation
This was the fir