Amazon.com

Despite the critical drubbing and box-office failure of King Solomon's Mines (1985), Cannon Films released this sequel two years later, again featuring Richard Chamberlain as adventurer Allan Quatermain and a pre-Basic Instinct Sharon Stone; the result is marginally better than its predecessor, and may please "bad film" fans. This time around, Quatermain is seeking his brother (Martin Rabbett), who has disappeared while on an expedition to locate a legendary white tribe in Africa. Quatermain's search leads him to the title city, which is controlled by evil Henry Silva (overacting with relish). Director Gary Nelson and returning writer Gene Quintano achieve a few more half-hearted laughs here than in its predecessor, and the cast, which includes James Earl Jones and Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson, do their best with the material, but this can't hold a candle to the 1937 and 1950 film versions of King Solomon's Mines. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (11)

a nearly pointless sequel
despite what a lot of people may think about the 1985 version of "king solomon's mines" starring richard chamberlain and sharon stone, i thought it was a very good, and entertaining movie. definitely one deserving of a sequel.

but folks, let's face it, this is certainly no "indiana jones and the temple of doom". "Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold" (and i apologize for listing it as "allan QUARTERMAIN and the lost city of gold" in my review of "king solomon's mines")is an almost pointless sequel that does not do justice to its predecessor. yes, it does have its good moments but they are few and far between. the musical score is once again incredible, but not enough to carry the weight of the entire film.

if you are ever able to find a copy of this film, do not purchase it. i wouldn't even suggest renting it. you might sit through it once, though, if it comes on HBO, cinemax, or showtime, but those would be the only channels i would recommend watching it on. any other network would have to stretch the already ridiculous hour and forty minute film out to an absurd two and a half hours. certainly too much time to spend watching a piece of cinematic rubbish like this.

More comic book fun
If you don't like humorous action adventures or comic oriented films then you will most likely hate this film. If you can have fun watching a "fun" film then this is an addition to you. It is more of the same from the original "King Solomon's Mines" with Sharon and Richard. Its a fun film in the vein of Indiana Jones and the bond films. It unfortunately was always deemed an Indiana knock off when it is based on novels written in the 1800s. The films are fun from days long lost and gone forever! No sex, pg violence and fun.....

my sides really hurt now
I rented this one with it's prequel King Solomon's Mines, but I watched them from the floor since they had me rolling with laughter! WOW!!

very funny
This DVD is worth picking up for the first half which is a riot! The entire journey to the Lost City is the best part and incredibly amusing and it's just one crazy thing after another! Very very funny!

LAUGH YOUR [...]OFF!
KING SOLOMON'S MINES AND ALAN QUATERMAIN ARE JUST TOO MUCH FUN TO WATCH BACK TO BACK!! THANK GOD THEY ARE ON DVD! I'M IN B-MOVIE HEAVEN! BLESS YOU CHAMBERLAIN! SHARON STONE IS "GREAT" IN IT TOO! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Babe IS in WIDESCREEN.... Sort of
A previous reviewer (Peter Schlosse) made the only partially correct observation that Babe is in Full screen.

The reason for this is the 2-Pack actually has two editions... one where Babe comes in Widescreen and one where it comes in full screen. The sequel, Pig in the City, contains both Widescreen and Full Screen on the same disc.

The versin Peter obviously wanted is attainable... though since I did not buy it through Amazon, I am unfortunately unable to instruct as to how to make sure you get the version you want.

As for the quality of the films themselves, the only real things they share in common are sublime production design. The content itself is almost polar opposite.

And this is the part where you'd expect me to say that Babe is superior, but it's actually a pretty close call for me. The first is better, but the extra 5 bucks you'll be paying for the sequal is certainly worth it. The second is more mean spirited than the first but both have lessons for everyone.

Kudos to all involved.

Great Set Of Films
I watched the first Babe with apprehension but was pleasantly surprised at how well it was told. It never talks down to the audience and this is a quality that I find extremely important in children's films.
Then I watched the second movie, Babe: Pig In The City and thought it was two times as good as the first. I did not think it could be possible but it improved upon the original and surpassed it in terms of originality.
Ignore negative reviews in regards to the second film from people who would be much better suited watching Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True (a movie which contained everything I hate about childrens shows/movies). The Babe series is chocked full of fantastic situations and wonderful lessons for everyone.

Bizarre, Weird, Waste of Time and Money, Disappointing
The first was great. This second one is simply bizarre and lacking in every aspect. Probably one of the worst children;s movies ever.

A great double features films.
Babe:When a Little Pig named Babe (Voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) has been adopted by the Hoggett`s Family (James Cromwell & Magda Szubanski). Babe found a Apopted Mother by a Dog named Fly (Voiced by Miriam Maygolyes) and then Babe finds his dreams to becoming a Sheep Dog!

Babe:Pig in the City-When Babe has become a sheep dog. The Hoggett`s Family having problems, that they could lose thier land and farm. Hoggett`s wife, along with Babe travel in a Mythical Metropolis, so she could get the loan. When the two gets separted, Babe meets a family of Animals in a Motel, which Babe helps them.

Babe:Directed by Chris Noonan. Produced by George Miller (The Mad Max Trilogy). This is a amazing, live-action barnyard fable from Australia. This film pushes the envelope on both Animatronic Effects and Family Storytelling. It`s a Great Family Film and It`s also one of the Best Films ever made. Nominated for Six Academy Awards including:Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporitng Actor-James Cromwell, Best Music Score and Best Editing. Oscar Winner of Best Visual Effects. Grade:A+.

Babe:Pig in the City-This is a Very Dark Sequel. The film was a Huge Box Office Flop in 1998. This is not Successful loved by Modern Audiences but Fans of the Original and Critics (Who, most of them, deeply loved this more than the Original) will enjoy this one. Oscar Nominated for Best Song. This film has Superb Production Design by Roger Ford. This Sequel is a Very Underrated Film. Grade:A-.

Babe is NOT Widescreen
The movie "Babe" is a big hit in our family, having rented it (VHS) several years ago. The sequel, "Babe - Pig in the City" is very good, too. We recently purchased a widescreen HDTV, and I was on the prowl for widescreen DVDs the entire family could watch and enjoy. The "Edition Details" for "Babe" (the single) clearly state the movie is full-screen. However, the details for this two disk set, "Babe" and "Babe - Pig in the City" led me to believe BOTH titles were widescreen. They are not. Only the latter, "Babe - Pig in the City" is widescreen. Although I still love the movie, I am disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sean Connery leads a team of asteroid-battling astronomers in Meteor, one of the last and most unusual examples of the disaster movie craze of the 1970s. In this one, a killer asteroid named Orpheus threatens to collide with the Earth, and Connery must come up with a plan to stop it. Cold war politics date the picture a bit, but they also add some weight to the impending doom facing humanity. Like any good disaster flick, it's populated by an all-star cast, including Karl Malden, Martin Landau, Natalie Wood, Richard Dysart, Henry Fonda, and Trevor Howard.Brian Keith plays Connery's opposite number in the U.S.S.R. While the pacing and special effects are weak compared to similar celestial menaces depicted in Armageddon and Deep Impact, Meteor displays all the benefits of its more powerful cast… not to mention Hank Fonda as President. --Mark Savary ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The first meteor-hits-earth movie - solid performances.
This is the first movie (1979) to deal with the subject of a meteor hitting the earth and what the scenerio or consequences might be like. For its day, a very well done film. The acting is very good with performances by many well known experienced actors and actresses. By today's standards the special effects seem a bit like spliced in stock footage, but is convincing enough not to distract from the performances of the stars. The story is believable and engaging, as well as the realism the actors and actresses portray. The art direction is superb, as you feel you are really at the places the scenes depict; subway tunnels, missle control centers, etc. Though not a high-end "Sci-Fi Special Effects Thriller" like we may see today (sometimes devoid of believable or understandable plot and full of bad acting!), Meteor is very entertaining and generally a good watch; an example of solid filmaking where all the parts come together harmoniously...and who knows, it may have stayed within budget!

Superb forerunner of recent hits
When you see this, you may learn where some of the inspirations for ARMAGEDDON and DEEP IMPACT came from. Sean Connery gives a strong performance as a scientist trying to convince the military and government that a giant meteor five miles wide(apparently a rock from the producer's back garden was used and it shows!) is heading for Earth, preceeded by deadly fragments. After the talk comes some action and effects which were good for the time, and sometimes still look great even now. An avalanche in Switzerland, a tidal wave flooding Hong Kong, and as a preview of ARMAGEDDON, a huge fragment demolishes New York(although you can tell it's stock film in parts, even though it's kept to a minimum). And the space scenes towards the end of the movie are great! The characters are much more well-created and acted than in many films of this genre from the 1970s, particularly Connery(he makes anything worth watching when he's in it, with the obvious exceptions of ZARDOZ and HIGHLANDER 2: THE QUICKENING), Henry Fonda(as the President), Brian Keith not speaking a word of English except when he mocks the Brooklyn Dodgers(!), Natalie Wood as his interpreter and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE's Martin Landau as a caricature hot-headed Air Force general! Altogether, if you enjoyed DEEP IMPACT and ARMAGEDDON, don't miss METEOR. You'll be just as entertained!

How The Heck?
In 1979, I would probably guess that big name studios like MGM would have better morals than to put out this pathetic excuse of a movie. Boring, unintriging, and badly acted, this movie will have you on the edge of your seat, to run into the next room covering your eyes at it's badness.

I don't mean to diss, but man. This movie is awful. Why would I recommend this? How can I? I'll just simply put it like this. I'm not.

Cooperating to Save the World
This 1979 movie presents a real threat from Outer Space. An asteroid is hit by a comet and explodes into a million pieces. One piece destroys the observing space shuttle; another is heading for earth - a big one. Orpheus is five miles wide! Even if it only hit the Atlantic, the result would be a cataclysm creating another Ice Age and the possible extinction of most life. The problem is that destroying the asteroid would reveal the presence of nuclear rockets in space, a violation of numerous treaties!

The President addresses the nation to tell of this emergency, and Project Hercules as the solution. Cooperation with the Soviet Union is needed to destroy this meteor. But it is hard to change old ways. The film shows a meteor striking in Siberia, and creating earthquake-like tremors. (Something like this did happen circa 1911.) The first meteors enter the atmosphere and burn up harmlessly. But a bigger chunk hits a snow mountain, causing an avalanche that destroys a small village. One hits the Pacific and creates a tidal wave that wipes out Taiwan. The threat is real and imminent. There is one political problem: because of the difference in orbits, the Soviet rockets would have to be fired first. Trust is needed.

But a new threat arises: a "splinter" is headed for the Eastern Seaboard of the US. It strikes Manhattan, damaging the Twin Towers and other buildings. The command center is damaged, but most survive to escape by a subway tunnel. Then the river starts to break through and threaten the survivors; they muddle through to hear that Orpheus was destroyed.

This story recalls "Ragnarok" by Ignatius Donnelly which analyzed the common legends of mankind and explained them as the remembrance of a comet hitting the earth and causing great climatic changes. Read this 1883 international best seller for its pioneering story.

GREAT MOVIE!
I love this movie! It is a great "feel good" movie. The Russians and Americans working together to save the world. What could be a better movie concept in the Cold War era in which this movie was made. Two great ideas for an exciting movie are brought together beautifully: a meteor five miles wide striking the Earth and a satellite orbiting the Earth armed with the devestating destructive power of nuclear missles now forced to be used to save the planet. If you want great special effects, forget it. This move was made in 1979 when special effects were still in their infancy. But, I still think the special effects are more than adequate and quite believeable. The makers of Meteor did a fine job. The story is believeable and the director lets you feel the emotions of the moment through the characters involved using the little side stories without making the movie to complex. In short, Meteor is one of my favorite movies and one I enjoy watching again and again. If you want to see a lousy movie, try one of the new Star Wars films. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Andy and Barney at their funniest!
From the fall of 1960 when the Andy Griffith Show premiered to spring 1965 when Don Knotts left the series,Mayberry sheriff Andy Taylor(Griffith) and deputy Barney Fife(Knotts) were in constant partnership when at the police station in Mayberry. This package contains the first humorous police work on screen,big or small. Later there would be humorous police work on "Barney Miller" and the "Police Academy" movies. Giving Griffith and Knotts moral support are Ronny Howard as Andy's son Opie and the late Frances Bavier as Andy's aunt Bee. Howard later would star as Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days" and become one of Hollywood's best-loved movie directors. Griffith would star on "Matlock" and Knotts would join the "Three's Company" cast as landlord Ralph Furley. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Nick of Time" (Ep. 43, November 18, 1960) - A superstitious newlywed (William Shatner) becomes obsessed by a penny fortune-telling machine. But are his pennies revealing his future--or determining it? "The Prime Mover" (Ep. 57, March 24, 1961) - Ace Larsen has discovered that his business partner (Buddy Ebsen) can move things with his mind! They set out for Las Vegas and win--for a while anyway. "It's a Good Life" (Ep. 73, November 3, 1961) - He knows your every thought, can feel your every emotion. He can eliminate all you hold dear. Who is he? A 6 year old boy (Billy Mumy) from Peaksville, Ohio! "The Mind and the Matter" (Ep. 63, May 12, 1961) - A book on the power of thought enables an irritable worker (Shelley Berman) to re-create the world exactly as he wants it. But what he wants and what he gets are two different things! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Excellently Conceived Volume
THE PRIME MOVER from the Second season aired on March 24, 1961 and was written by Charles Beaumont and is an episode that deserves repeated viewing. Dane Clark and Buddy Ebsen operate a small diner. When Clark discovers that Ebsen has telekinetic powers he drags him off to Vegas to make a killing at the casinos. This is a good-natured episode as opposed to THE FEVER on the allure and pitfalls of gambling. What really makes this episode so repeatedly viewable are the performances of Dane Clark and Buddy Ebsen. It's like water and oil. Clark is the "fly by the seat of your pants - happy go lucky guy" who will try anything for a dime. Ebsen stands for reason and patients. Ultimately we learn to use the tools we are given with a sense of responsibility tempered with passion. This is an excellently conceived and delivered episode. IT'S A GOOD LIFE from the Third season aired on November 3, 1961. It was written by Rod Serling and is one of the most famous episodes of the series. Serling's introduction, which leads up to Billy Mumy's wide-eyed stare into the camera, is an indelible and disturbing image. The jack-in-the-box scene is also unforgettable and equally disturbing. Even Serling's dialogue is so memorable and conjures up images of fear. Just the mention of "the cornfield" sends chills down the back. Anyone who has seen this episodes knows what I am referring to. Anyone who has not must see it! The excellent cast includes John Larch, Cloris Leachman, Tom Hatcher and we must not forget Billy Mumy. Director Jim Sheldon really captured the fear and terror of the captive inhabitants of this rural community. NICK OF TIME from the Second season aired on November 18, 1960 and was written by Richard Matheson. Traveling newlyweds William Shatner and Patricia Breslin stop in a luncheonette while their car is being repaired. While in a booth an ever-confident Shatner puts a coin into a fortune-telling machine adorned with the bobbling head of a smiling plastic devil. Each question and answer begins to make Shatner question his fate to the point that he becomes unraveled about his future. Thematically this is similar to THE FEVER where just one more coin in the machine may give you solace. This is a fascinating episode that bears repeated viewing just to observe the ease at which one can be drawn in. However, the denouement makes the morality of the story clear. THE MIND AND THE MATTER directed by Buzz Kulik from the Second season aired on May 12, 1961 and was written by Rod Serling. Clerk, Shelly Berman eliminates people from the face of the earth by using the power of thought that he mastered from a book given to him. He soon repopulates the planet with people who look exactly like him with disconcerting results. Though lighthearted in nature this episode attempts to reveal life as others view each of us. Be careful of what you wish for. Volume 9 is a good well-balanced representation of THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

The power of the human mind unleashed in the Twilight Zone
The power of the human mind comes into play in the four episodes included on Vlume 9 of "The Twilight Zone" DVD Series. First up is Richard Matheson's "Nick of Time," which stars William Shatner and Patricia Breslin as newly weds Don and Pat Carter. The honeymooners are waiting for their car to be repaired in Ridgeview, Ohio when the superstitious Don becomes obsessed with a tabel top fortune-telling machine that dispense little cards answering yes or no questions. A classic "Twilight Zone" episode with a wonderful performance from a rather restrained Shatner. Buddy Ebsen stars as Jimbo Cobb in "The Prime Mover," written by Charles Beaumont and based on an unpublished story by George Clayton Johnson. Jimbo has psychokinetic power and when his friend compulsive gambler Ace Larsen (Dane Clark) learns about this, he takes Jimbo to Las Vegas to make big bucks. But while Ace is getting Jimbo to manipulate the dice in the craps game, he is blowing off his girlfriend Kitty (Christine White). That is when Jimbo blows a fuse. A nice little story, one of the few to actually show some heart in the Zone. "It's a Good Life," adapted by Rod Serling from Jerome Bixy's short story, is one of the most horrifying Zone episodes and features Billy Mumy as Anthony Fremont, the monster who is terrorizing Peaksvillle, Ohio. You see, Anthony can not only read minds, he has enormous power and no restraints. That is why all the adults in town always tell him, whether he turns someone into a huge jack-in-the-box or kills the crops by making it snow, "That's a good thing you did." "It's a Good Life" is an absolute classic that was unnecessarily redone in "Twilight Zone--the Movie," which only proved that imagination is more terrifying than special effects. Finally, in "The Mind and the Matter," also written by Serling, Archibald Beechcroft (Shelley Berman), reads a book on mind power that allows him to do whatever he wants just by concentrating hard enough. Unfortunately, what Archibald wants to do is make every person on Earth disappear. While it has some nice moments, this is an average episode at best. But this volume clearly has two of the greatest Zone episodes ever, so it is a must have for your collection.

Behold the power of the mind¿ only at the Twilight Zone.
This is one of the few DVD's in the collection that you could actually consider conceptual: somehow all episodes deal with the powers of the mind. Who wants to know the future? William Shatner's character does, but does he realizes the price? Find out in "Nick of Time" (Season 2). "The Prime Mover" (Season 2), is about telekinesis at the service of a gambler... and that equals risky business. "It's a Good Life" (Season 3), stars a very young Billy Mummy with incredible and dangerous powers. Finally "The Mind and the Matter" (Season 2) shows a guy how the power of thought can create his perfect world. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Third from the Sun" (Ep. 14, January 8, 1960) - With all-out nuclear war about to ignite, William Sturka (Fritz Weaver) and a friend steal an experimental spaceship, load their families, and set out for an unknown planet. "The Shelter" (Ep. 68, September 29, 1961) - When a UFO invasion appears imminent, several suburban friends and neighbors are reduced to selfish, conniving animals in a fight over one family's bomb shelter. "To Serve Man" (Ep. 89, March 2, 1962) - The Kanamits, 9 foot tall aliens, arrive on Earth with one lofty goal: To Serve Man. They end war. They end famine. Theymake the military wonder: What's the catch? "The Fugitive" (Ep. 90, March 9, 1962) - Old Ben is a fugitive from outer space with a heart of gold. He risks it all to help a crippled little girl--without fear that alien pursuers from his home planet will find him! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great DVD
Third From the Sun- I really wanted to like this episode... but my dad just had to blab the ending! Oh well it was good. (****)

The Shelter- I liked it, but it kind of reminded me of Monsters are Due on Maple Street. (***)

To Serve Man- Wow, a great episode. The end really freaked me out. Probably my favorite episode. There are only a few episodes I'll give five stars, the others being "Time Enough at Last" and "Walking Distance" (I've only watched so far to this volume.) (*****)

The Fugitive- many people seem to not like this episode. I thought it was cute. It calmed me down after watching "To Serve Man" (***)

Mostly so-so
"To Serve Man" is a favorite of mine, though it is kind of funny to see Richard Kiel in costume with the big head - and he never speaks.

"Third From the Sun" has a neat twist, but is otherwise not special. I like Fritz Weaver in almost everything, especially the movie "Fail Safe".

"The Shelter" is a formulaic plot that seems well-used. This was probably much better when it was first shown, because of the political time-frame.

"The Fugitive" is pretty light and a little fluffy for my taste, almost like Disney wrote it.

I think there are better collections. I like #7.

Amazing!!!
Volume 8 of the twilight zone dvd series is one of the best. Four great episodes, cool special features, and it's not that expensive. Let's start with Third From the Sun. William Sturka, played by Fritz Weaver, is a scientist. A fellow scientist, Carling, tells him that th large nucular war that is about to happen will happen in 48 hours. So, William and a friend get ther familes steal a spacecraft and fly into space. A nice twist of an ending but I shouldn't tell you it. Next, The Shelter. When it seems there is going to be a alien invasion a neighborhood of friends get crazy over one family's bomb shelter. Next, To Serve Man. This is one of the Twilight Zone shows that are great, chilling, and have a shocking twist at the end. It all starts with aliens landing on earth. One of the aliens, played by my faviorite actor Richard Kiel tells everyone thre purpose on earth is to serve man. The twist comes when they find out that they misinterpretated the phrase to serve man. Finally, The Fugitive. This one is very awesome but very confusing and you have to see it for your self. ...

"It's a Cookbook!"
This eighth installment in the Twilight Zone DVD collection is all about To Serve Man, as far as I'm concerned. That is the episode that I most remember from when I watched this series as a kid (not in the sixties, I saw the repeats and the annual marathon on the Sci-Fi Channel). I remember that those tall aliens scared the cr*p out of me! I used to "see" them in my room while lying in bed at night (which sucked if I had to go to the bathroom, seeing as I was too scared to move). And yet, this was always my favorite episode. The plot is just so cool! Aliens come to Earth to "help" humans, they teach us to efficient ways to farm and things like that. They even take some of us back to their home planet (as dinner guests perhaps?-ha ha). A couple of U.S. code breakers get a hold of one of the aliens' books and try to crack the code. They figure out the title "To Serve Man" (which they naturally assume means to help man, since that's what the aliens appear to be doing), but can't figure out the rest. Until one of them decides to go on one of the many trips to the aliens' home planet. Just as he's getting on the spaceship, his partner figures out the meaning of the book... God! Now that is television!
Oh yeah, the rest of the episodes are great(as Twilight Zones episodes all tend to be). "Shelter" is another one that I can remember watching as a kid. It's about this family who obviously has a bomb shelter, and when a UFO invasion seems eminent, the whole neighborhood is fighting to get in. (This was also spoofed by the Simpson's.) The other two are also very good and definitely deserve a place in this collection, but aren't "classics".
The DVD is great, too. The picture is of course great, but it also has a cool extra. It has commentary on each season, information on the brilliant Rod Serling, and reviews of each episode.
If you like these Twilight Zone collections, I suggest that you also get the movie Requiem for a Heavyweight. It was written by Rod Serling and stars TZ regular Jack Klugman and Jackie Gleason, and is about a washed up boxer.

Aliens and the end of the world are offered up from the Zone
Aliens abound in the first pair of episodes of "The Twilight Zone" on Volume 8 in this DVD series. "The Fugitive," written by Charles Beaumont, features J. Pat O'Malley as Old Ben, an alien who befriends a lovely little girl named Jenny (Susan Gordon). "To Serve Man," adapted by Rod Serling from Damon Knight's short story, is one of the most famous Zone episodes with its "Solyvent Green" ending. A Kanamit (Richard Kiel) has come to earth to create a golden age with the advanced technology of his race. Michael Chambers (Lloyd Bochner), a government decoding expert, learns to learn the true meaning of the title of the book left by the Kanamit. In both of this episodes we learn appearances can be deceptive.

The second set of episodes focuses on the end of the world (almost). "Third from the Sun." adapted by Serling from Richard Matheson's short story, tells of scientist William Sturka (Fritz Weaver), who is convinced the world is about to end in a nuclear war. Along with test pilot Jerry Riden (Joe Maross), they escape with their families to a new planet. My favorite, and the best episode on the disc, is "The Shelter." This is one of Serling's "preachy" scripts where he hits the mark perfectly. The neighborhood is gathering for a surprise party for Doc Stockton (Larry Gates), when the radio announces radar has detected what appears to be incoming missiles. Doc, his wife and young son go to the shelter he has built in his basement. His unprepared neighbors beg to be let it, but there is not enough room or supplies. That is when things get ugly. Some people consider "The Shelter" to be melodramatic, but I always found it rather chilling. So three of the episode included her are well above average, making this one of the better volumes in "The Twilight Zone" DVD series. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Mr. Dingle, the Strong" (Ep. 55, March 3, 1959) - A timid salesman (Burgess Meredith) is given super strength by a Martian experimenter. He eventually returns to normal--briefly. For the experiments have just begun! "Two" (Ep. 66, September 15, 1961) - Two lone survivors (Elizabeth Montgomery, Charles Bronson) of a nuclear holocaust must start the world anew--a difficult prospect since they are from opposing sides in the war! "A Passage for Trumpet" (Ep. 32, May 20, 1960) - After committing suicide, an unsuccessful trumpet player (Jack Klugman) is given a second chance at life. But first he must learn what it means to be dead in a world full of life. "The Four of Us are Dying" (Ep. 13, January 1, 1960) - Gifted with the ability to change his face, Arch Hammer devises a plan to elevate himself. The plan works perfectly until he's caught with the wrong face at the wrong time! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great DVD!
More great episodes!

Passage for the Trumpet- Best on the disk. great episode. (****)

Mr. Dingle the Strong- This was a fun episode. It was kind of funny. (***)

Two- Didn't care for this one too much. It was ok I guess, but I kept wondering when it would be over. (**)

The Four of Us are Dying- Didn't like this one too much either. It probably would have been better if it were longer. (**)

Good but not Compelling
Volume 4 features the various twists and turns that made the Twlight Zone famous, but this DVD does not impress as much as others will. In "Mr. Dingle, the Strong," a saleman played by Burgess Meredith, realizes that he has been blessed with awesome strength (from Martians). The story fails, however, when the Martians take back the powers they gave only to give Dingle new powers that will lead to predictable results. "Two" is very interesting dramtically. Two survivors of a nuclear holocaust, Elizabeth Montgomery and Charles Bronson, find themselves alone in a barren town. Unfortunately, there is little conflict here, and while the Bronson and Montgomery do a fine bit of acting, there is not much story for them to perform; the ending is rather anti-climatic. In "A Passage for Trumpet," Jack Klugman plays a trupet player who learns what it is like to be dead. This is possibly the best episode of Vol. 4. Possibly the most disappointing episode is "The Four of Us are Dying." Arch Hammer is able to change his face at a moment's notice, but in the Twilight Zone, such "talent" brings unexpected consequences. The ending is somewhat predictable and there is little to care for in the characters.

Overall the stories on this DVD have potential, but one suspects that given more time, they could have been polished further.

Burgess Meredith and Jack Klugman revisit the Twilight Zone
When all of the reviews for several DVDs of "The Twilight Zone" disappear, should we be surprised? In "Mr. Dingle, the Strong," written by Rod Serling, Burgess Meredith returns to the Zone as a mousy little salesman who is given the strength of 300 men by a double-headed Martian as an experiment. When his super strength goes to Dingle's head the Martians abandon the experiment, which is not the end of the story. "Two," written by Montgomery Pittman, stars Charles Bronson and Elizabeth Montgomery as the last survivors from the two sides of a nuclear war. Bronson gets all of the dialogue except for a single word in Russian by Montgomery in this surprisingly realistic and gritty little tale of survival. There is also the wonderful reversal of stereotypes: the rugged Bronson is the pacifist and the lovely Montgomery who turns to violence. The first episode of the show's third season, this is a top-rate tale.

Another familiar face in the Zone, Jack Klugman, plays Joey Crown, a down on his luck musician who decides to commit suicide in "A Passage for Trumpet," written by Serling. However, after throwing himself in front of a truck, Joey discovers he has a second chance to choose which way to go. This episode features a nice turn by John Anderson as "Gabe." Finally, we have "The Four of Us Are Dying," written by Serling from an unpublished story by George Clayton Johnson. Arch Hammer (Harry Townes) can make his face change into a trumpet player (Ross Martin), a murdered gangster (Phillip Pine) and a boxer (Don Gordon), all in order to take advantage of people. But this is the Zone and Fate conspires against Hammer in a most satisfactory manner. Volume 4 of "The Twilight Zone" DVD series has at least one outright classic episode with "Two," while "Mr. Dingle, The Strong" and "A Passage for Trumpet" are well-above average and even that last episode has some nice moments, as when Hammer's face changes while he is shaving. As a rule of thumb anything in the series with Meredith or Klugman is worth having and this disc has them both. ... Read more

Description

Nominated for an Academy Award™, The Day of the Dolphin stars George C. Scott as a scientist who trains dolphins to speak, only to find them kidnapped for use in a vicious assassination plot. This beautiful production of an exciting adventure was executed by one of the only creative teams that could pull it off: writer Buck Henry and director Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Catch-22). Based on the novel by Robert Merle, the film is a nostalgic favorite of the generation who grew up with Flipper.An effective and at times amusing action flick, the film is available for the first time in a special edition DVD featuring an astounding new digital transfer enhanced for 16x9 televisions and a slew of charming supplements.

Academy Award™ is the registered trademark of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Eccentric But Powerful Conspiracy Thriller
DAY OF THE DOLPHIN (1973): In a Florida research compound, Dr. Jake Terrell (George C. Scott) and his marine biologist associates devote years secretly teaching two dolphins, Fa and Bee, how to speak a simple form of English. The sweet and loving dolphins are incredibly intelligent and have developed an intense devotion to Dr. Terrell. Word of the success of Terrell's project is leaked to the outside world, and the skills of the easily trained dolphins are eventually sought by a well financed, shadowy consortium with evil intentions.

Arguably the last great film directed by Mike Nichols, DAY OF THE DOLPHIN is a classy, beautifully produced science fiction/political conspiracy thriller with a heart. Despite its potentially maudlin storyline, Buck Henry's serious, unironic screenplay and Nichols' graceful direction carefully avoid sentimentality at every possible turn. Initially the story concentrates on Terrell and his relationship with his coworkers as their long work with the two dolphins is revealed to have achieved truly astounding results. Fa and Bee are lovely and enchanting creatures with very sweet, babyish voices. Things become deadly serious in the film's relentless second half, but because the conspiracy theme has been introduced so gradually the change in tone and the orchestrated melodramatics are perfectly acceptable.

George C. Scott plays the bad tempered Terrell with the actor's trademark intensity. Its a passionate and powerful performance, and its perfectly easy to see why the dolphins look at him like some kind of god who towers above the other humans. Scott is the main show here, but the superb supporting cast, led by Paul Sorvino, Edward Herrmann, Fritz Weaver, Severn Darden and Scott's wife Trish Van Devere ably bring a strong sense of realism to all of the fantasy on view.

Georges Delerue's stirringly emotional music adds immeasurably to the effectiveness of the film; his sad, lovely score turns the deeply moving climactic sequence into a heartbreaking apocalypse of despair. This utterly bleak finale is one of the most potent and uncompromising endings in the fantasy genre.

William A. Fraker's gorgeous cinematography makes the sparkling, shifting waters and deep blue skies breathtakingly luminous. Fraker's stunning imagery alone makes the movie a total pleasure to watch. The underwater scenes, shot by Jordan Klein, contain absolutely some of the finest such work ever seen.

The Home Vision Entertainment DVD is highly recommended for fans of this wonderful film. Presented in the film's original theatrical release aspect ratio (2.35:1), its a spectacularly perfect transfer, with vivid, lush colors and no noticeable speckles or flaws of any kind. A skimpy assortment of extras include an interview with writer Buck Henry, who is clearly and bizarrely embarrassed by his association with this great film, additional interviews with cast members Leslie Charleson and Edward Herrmann, and a trivia gallery. The liner notes are incredibly silly and juvenile. Despite its disappointing array of mostly worthless extras, this DVD is a spectacularly worthy investment for any serious movie fan, the definitive presentation of one of the most exciting and thought provoking of all conspiracy thrillers.

Entertaining political thriller
The Day of the Dolphin was savaged by critics when it was released. They saw the film as nonsense that made an important issue trivial. While it isn't a perfect film, the adaption by Mike Nichols and Buck Henry (Catch 22) is an entertaining adaption of the popular novel. At one time it showed up fairly frequently on network television but has been forgotten over the years. In some respects, Dolphin is a far more successful film adaption than Nichols' and Henry's film version of Catch 22. They were trying to turn a popular satirical novel turned cultural icon into an entertaining film satire. Many fans of the novel were disappointed and critics were, at times, less than kind to it. Here at least the two were working with a lesser novel and there wasn't as much baggage to go with it.

George C. Scott gives a passionate performance. In fact, one thing that you'll note about Scott is whether or not he appeared in trash (The List of Adrian Messenger) or treasure (Patton), his performance is alwasys powerful and committed. Trish Van DeVere also gives a strong performance. She was always underrated as an actress because 1) She was married to Scott and 2)she was always in his shadow. Her performance helps ground what was at the time a farfetched scenerio in reality.

Buck Henry's intelligent screenplay does have some narrative problems but, on the whole, he cleans up the novel's unbelievable plot and jumpy narrative. His screenplay is crisp, clean and his characters strong. An interview with Henry is provided as an extra and his comments demonstrate that he doesn't hold his work on the film in very high regard. It's a pity as he does wonders with the material.

Nichols always straddled the fence between being an actor's director and a film director. As in his past efforts, this pays off handsomely. His work with Scott and the strong supporting cast (including the marvelous Fritz Weaver, Paul Sorvino in one of his early film roles, Edward Herrmann among many other fine character actors)shines.

The plot is fairly straight forward; Scott plays a scientist that has been able to teach Dolphins English and train them to do a number of compliated tasks. He's unaware, though, that the organization funding his efforts has plans to use his research in an assassination attempt on a highly placed political figure.Given what we've learned about the CIA and other organizations over the past decade, it's plot isn't so far fetched. After all, it's certainly more believable than using a powder to make Castro's beard fall out so as to undermine his political power.

The superior DVD transfer surprised me given the age of the film. Virtually free of all analog artifacts, this enhanced transfers looks marvelous. It's a pity that Nichols couldn't provide a director's commentary (or Buck Henry for that matter). Since Scott is gone, it would have been fascinating to get Nichols' take on the film and the performances. While is isn't a 5 star film, it's an engrossing and enjoyable bit of entertainment with a cautionary tale at its core.

MIND IN THE WATERS
THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN (Home Vision Entertainment), released thirty years ago, is as timely as ever. Recent reports of dolphins as underwater spies in the Middle Eastern waters mirrors the plot. George C. Scott is a scientist who teaches dolphins to speak, only to discover them kidnapped in a government conspiracy. Directed by Mike Nichols from Robert Merle's novel, this beautiful-looking, entertaining, adventure-thriller reflects the ground-breaking dolphin research of Dr. John Lily. Cool interview with writer Buck Henry. Great family film. Recommended.

Oowie!
It's a good DVD, but what I like best are the liner notes!

The Day of the Dolphin
Great storyline, scenery, human interests and actors. A real "sleeper" of a movie. High technology for the time it was filmed. I've watched it over and over. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Barney Is Back
This is a great Set of 8 of the best Andy Griffith Show featuring the unforgettable Barney Fife.

The only down fall is that they don't include the origional theme song.

At Least it Has Barney
Call me a crybaby, but I couldn't get over the fact that the music is not the original music. I had to fast forward each intro due to the horrible tune. Yuck! At least the shows feature Barney.

One thing to look out for is that many if these DVDs have the same episodes, just recycled into different packaging. I found this out after I bought "The Best of the Andy Griffith Show" and "The Best of Barney" in an Amazon package deal. Those 16 episodes are the same as the 16 on "The Best of the Andy Griffith Show 16 Episodes". Oh well. (The later DVD set is much better.)

Horrible DVD
Please do not waste your time buying this DVD! Half of the feature would not work, the episode would skip and the theme song is some cheap knock-off. I was very disappointed with the whole DVD. I wish someone would come out with the Andy show in seasons like any other respectable show. Please give this show some dignity and respect.

The Almost Best of Barney
This DVD has a few bonus features but once you do it once it gets boring I hope this review was helpful to you. NNOOOOOTTTT

The best televison show ever made!!!!!!!!
This DVD is one of the best quality Andy Griffith collection out there. I have seen a few other DVDs that the picture and sound quality is so poor its hard to enjoy. The quality here is great considering how old AG Show is. Plus if your a Barney Fife fan like me, you'll enjoy every one of the episodes. This DVD takes you back to the simple life in Mayberry NC, and is one the whole family will watch over and over again. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Good Fun
I have the video version of this film. The dialogue is suprisingly well written for a low budget movie, though attitudes toward women are old fashioned. Does anyone know if the scene with Sid Melton, after he is attacked by the triceratops, is in the DVD version? It was stupidly dropped from my video version which is in otherwise excellent shape. I don't want to purchase the DVD version if that scene is still missing.

Excellent for its time (1951)
Considering the time in which this movie was made (1951) and considering the limitations on budget, actors, special effects, etc., this film is probably one of the best science fiction films per cost that has ever been made.

Above-average Image DVD of crude, enjoyable dinosaur flick
Not the greatest Sid Melton science fiction movie (that would be The Atomic Submarine), Lost Continent is still lots of cheesy fun, one of those "cross-genre" flicks that should appeal to pretty much any B-movie fan. You get SF, war movie, and jungle adventure cliches neatly combined with some of the most pitiful stop-motion dinosaurs ever. The quintessential B-cast includes Cesar Romero (TV's Joker, Week-end in Havana, Captain from Castile), John Hoyt (When Worlds Collide, Attack of the Puppet People), Whit Bissell (Teenage Werewolf & Frankenstein, Time Tunnel), Hugh Beaumont (Ward Cleaver, Michael Shayne), Chick Chandler (Music Man, Blondie), and Sid Melton (Make Room for Daddy, Green Acres), with Acquanetta (Captive Wild Woman, Tarzan & the Leopard Woman) and second-billed Hillary Brooke (Ministry of Fear, Invaders from Mars) in cameos. To the movie's credit, the plot moves at a brisk pace (except during the seemingly interminable 'climbing scenes'), Romero and Chandler execute some great flyboy banter, and the earthquake stock footage from One Million B.C. is actually pretty well integrated into the movie, particularly during the surprisingly exciting (if rather implausible) climax. The script by Richard Landau (Girl in Black Stockings, TV's Wild Wild West) and direction by veteran PRC schlockmeister Sam Newfield (Nabonga, White Pongo, Flying Serpent) are also slightly above-average for this type of thing. Unfortunately, when we eventually encounter the extremely lame stop-motion brontosaurus, pterodactyl, and triceratops (and one live lizard for laughs), any semblance of credibility generated up to that point is completely destroyed, leaving the movie dangling on the edge of "so-bad-it's-good" rather than "really-not-half-bad". Still a great Saturday-afternoon time-waster for the low-budget cinema set. Serious stop-motion fans beware.
Image upgrades their typical DVD package a bit with this release (perhaps feeling the heat from Anchor Bay?). The disc comes in the superior 'keep case' box and the main menu is animated (not that I really care that much). Twelve chapter stops, five trailers in an Easter egg, and a very good-to-excellent if rather scratchy LC trailer are the usual extras, plus you get informative Tom Weaver liner notes, and an isolated music and effects track so you can listen to Paul Dunlap's rousing score minus the wisecracks. Source print quality is generally excellent with terrific grayscale, brightness, contrast, sharpness, and detail. There is some light speckling and blemishing (some sporadic horizontal 'banding' toward the beginning of the movie), but otherwise there is no major damage. The plateau scenes are tinted green as in the original release. While I commend Image for presenting the movie in its original format, these scenes are not as easy on the eyes as the crisp B&W of the rest of the movie. The only sour note in the whole shebang is the extremely hyperbolic commentary ("beautifully crafted," "excellent production values") by Wade Williams on the box. Pity the fool who purchases based on his glowing review. Overall a step up from Image's usual offerings and as close to a definitive release as this film is likely to see. Three stars for the movie, 4 or 5 for the DVD. Cheese-lovers, go for it.

Good stop motion includes Pterodactyl!!
Surprised to see a stop motion Pterodactyl in this one. Great scenes of attacking dinosaurs killed violently by bloodletting gunfire. I found the story to be boring but the dinosaur scenes were green tinted, exciting and also greatly scored. Not sure who did the music but it was first rate!! Better than 'Unknown Island' but I still prefer 'The Land Unknown' or 'The Land That Time Forgot' for a good, cheap dino-adventure. Gee Wally, that Eddie is such a creep...

Hey! Romero did a dinomovie!
This is a typical 50's atomic era adventure/sci-fi film. Ceasar Romero leads a military expedition toa ridiculously high mountaintop to find a lost rocket. And I do mean RIDICULOUSLY high. About 1/3 of this movie is footage of them climbing the mountain. Atop the escartment, they find a green-tinted world inhabited by play-doh dinosaurs. One of the few dinomovies not to have a predatory dinosaur. An entertaining movie nonetheless. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Classic "Eye of the Beholder" and the Zone pilot
"Where Is Everybody?", written by Rod Serling, was the premier episode of "The Twilight Zone," so it makes perfect sense that it is on the last volume in the DVD series. Earl Holliman plays Mike Ferris, who finds himself wearing an Air Force jumpsuit in a deserted town and no clue who he is or why he is there. While this episode was obviously good enough to get the series on the air, it ends up being a lesser effort given what is to come. Compare it, for example, to the classic "The Eye Of The Beholder," also written by Serling, where we have the story of Janet Tyler, a woman whose hideously deformed face has made her an outcast all of her life. Now she faces her eleventh and final operation in a last chance to look normal. Maxine Stuart plays Janet under the bandages, and Donna Douglas plays her as revealed. This is one of the show's finest episodes and it is nice to see they saved a gem for this late in the DVD series. "A World of His Own" was the final episode of the first season, which was actually written by Richard Matheson despite the fact Serling makes an appearance IN the episode! Keenan Wynn is Gregory West, a writer who has a wonderful dictation machine: whatever he describes, from beautiful women to elephants, materializes. A cute little episode for which Serling's appearance is a fitting punch line. Finally, "A Thing About Machines" is a nice coutnerpart to the previous episode. Writtten by Serling it tells of Barlett Finchley (Richard Haydn), a man who really, really hates machines. What he fails to realize, however, is that they hate him back. However, there is really nothing special to this episode beyond that idea. So when all is said and done this is an above average volume in the DVD series, which probably deserves a 4.5, but gets rounded up because even if two of the episodes are average, one of them is historically important.

What's on #43?, and 2 "lost" episodes...
I don't own this DVD yet, but I wanted to find out what are the Episodes included on it -- NONE of the previous reviews, despite lengthy numerical analyses of how many episodes are included in the series, mention the simple fact of "what's on #43"!! Secondly, I browsed thru all the Amazon descriptions, and could not find on ANY Volume the following 2 Episodes: "The Masks", and "The Howling Man". Where are these two?? -- HELP!! (thanks...)

Wish they were in order
Got all 43 DVDs (45 if you include the 2 "Treasures"). They are great and ALL 156 episodes are represented. The last reviewer somehow miscounted and thought two were missing. They are not missing. The "Passersby" is on DVD #6 while "Come Wander With Me" is on #41. Its terrific to finally have this great series on DVD, I just wish they appeared in order of release.

Repetitive, but still one of the best....
This is the last volume in the series. For those of you still looking for episodes not in the numerical series, they may be on "More Treasures of the TZ" or "Tresures of the TZ" which were produced prior to Vol. 1.
While two of the episodes on this DVD are found elsewhere in the series, the other two are not. However, there are a couple of surprises on this disc which make it important to history buffs and die-hard fans. "A World of His Own" is one of my personal favorites. It has the most "unique" ending of any episode, as it should -- it was the final episode of the first season.

Does Anybody Know What Episodes Are On This DVD?
Am I the only person who knows what episodes are on this DVD. All the reviews I have read doesn't mention the episode that are on this volume. Well I guess I will have to give them. Below are the episodes of this volume: 1)"Where Is Everybody?" (Episode 1- Oct. 2, 1959) 2)"The Eye Of The Beholder" (Episode 42- Nov. 11, 1960) 3)"A World Of His Own" (Episode 36- July 1, 1960) 4)"A Thing About Machines" (Episode 40- Oct. 28, 1960) Those are the episodes in this volume. This is a great volume of the Twilight Zone. It is so great that we should at least let people know what episodes are on this volume. ... Read more

Description

As of June 2000, experts had documented two hundred twenty five haunted houses in the United States.Almost half can be found... in St. Francisville, Louisiana.

Deep in the heart of the south, at the end of a long, dark road, stands a very old house... shrouded in mystery and veiled in secrets.When the door opens, you will be sent back by the stench of death.On dark stormy nights, you can hear a young girl screaming in the courtyard. You always heard the rumors, but you never knew if they were true.

Now, four strangers will spend an entire night in that very house. What you will hear is true.What you will see is real.What you will feel is absolute terror.

... Read more

Reviews (62)

A Most Chilling Tale
Remember The Blair Witch Project? Good. Now forget about it. TSFE exceeds it in every way. That aside this is a great movie to watch at nite, or in the daytime(My mom watche it while she was doing laundry and still got the bejeezus scared out of her)

The plot basically centers on four college age kids who spend, or attempt to spend a night in a St. Francisville plantation. These four are: Madison, Paul, Tim, and Ryan. By the way, Madison is psychic. After an informational beginning, in which the true story of Madame Lalaurie is told, we finally came to the house. While exploring the house, some very interesting things happen. A chadelier falls as the team leaves an anonymous room. The ghost is obviously a fan of Phantom of the Opera. Then while in the attic a light mysteriously flickers, and a chair hurls itself across the attic. Creepy. After an interesting Ouija board session with a spirit named Charlie, and a few cold spots and closing doors, Madison decides the team should cleanse the house. With the "white light of heaven" no less. Unfortunately some of the spirits of the house aren't to happy about this, included a tortured slave, and supposedly Madame Lalaurie herself. (gasp)
You'll have to watch the movie to find out if the team escapes.

This is one of my favorite horror films of all time, mainly because I am one of those silly people who have trouble deciding whether or not the movie was real. At any rate Madison's new world psychic crap certainly makes her character believable. The other characters, if they are actors, certainly portray fear well. And for those of you who dislike the ending I'll say this much. It definetly got my attention.

I Like All The Ghosts
If you loved The Blair Witch, you'll like this movie.
This a pleasant little movie. Yes, it was designed ( and that's how I think of it: designed ) to mimmick the success of The Blair Witch Project. However, it is not a bad little movie. There were moments that were genuinely scary. I know it's even less real than The Blair Witch but if you watch it with an open mind you'll probably have a good time. If you hated The Blair Witch and thought it was a hokey piece of garbage you'll hate this one even more and turn it off in disgust five minutes in. If you thought The Blair Witch was the best horror movie ever made then you might want to watch this movie on a dark and stormy night... This movie is proof that sometimes you have to look good and hard on your video store's shelves to find a satisfingly creepy movie.

Not great, but not terrible
Well, I'm not sure this movie deserves to be lampooned. It certainly isn't terrible. The background and intro to the house is pretty shallow. In fact, the initial time spent inside the house seems almost casual and silly at times.

Things finally start to get rolling after the group visits the attic. When the group splits up, the movie is at its best; just being creepy enough to stay within the "this isn't a movie but real" mold.

There are the usual cliches and the acting can be described as amateurish, but at least it fits in with the premise that these are supposed to be normal people. I honestly felt like this movie tried, it's a far better attempt at a film than the cookie cutter action flicks or romantic comedies that Hollywood seems to think we never get enough of.

A hair-raising, spine-tingling, goosebump filled fright-fest
This is by far one of the best movies I have seen. In the days of all the other cheesy horror flicks.....can we say Nightmare on Elm St?.....this one truly takes the cake for being a true horror flick. Granted, it follows in the footsteps of Blair Witch, but at least the actors in this movie do not show up in the Steak and Shake comercials. This movie explores the true possibilities of the after-life by not revealing a sketchpad monster but yet leads you to make up you own conclusion on who or what is in the mansion. Many people have experienced paranormal experiences in their life and this movie in my opinion shows what some of those experiences could materialize as. From the shackles in the fireplace, to the chair in the attic, to the mirror in the bedroom, I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie. And the fact that it takes place in such a historic area of our country adds to the spook element. Whether or not this documentary was real or staged, they did one hell of a believable job. I mean if I were in the house I'm not sure if I would materialize as "all knowing" Madison, or "cry-baby" Ryan, or steriotypical "macho men" Paul and Tim whose sarcastic comments cover the fact that they are scared ****less. This is definitely one movie that I never tire of. Every time a friend comes over that has not seen the movie, it's number one on the playlist for the evening. Some may say it's cheesy, but if you get past the slow beginning and go into the viewing experience with an open mind, you may be surprised to find yourself jumping and screaming just like I did.

Blech
This movie is so pointless. They say it is real, but the only thing real about this crapfest is the fact that it is an idiotic Blair-Witch rip-off that couldn't generate any chills evan if it had the chance to. I saw this movie 2 days ago, and I'm still washing the taste out of my mouth. AVOID. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great DVD
More great episodes!

Long Distance Call- This one freaked me out. It was a great episode though. (****)

I Sing the Body Electric- Didn't like it too much. Felt like one of those 50's family sitcom's and not Twilight Zone. (**)

The Lonely- great episode. better that the previous. (****)

Probe 7 Over and Out- Great episode with a great and surprising ending. (****)

Grandmothers, Robots and War
Volume 5 of Collection One features four good episodes. "Long Distance Call" is somewhat predictable, but the acting makes it entertaining. "I Sing the Body Electric" was written by Ray Bradbury and is about the newest member of the family: Grandmother/Robot. The story focuses on family as its theme, however, not science fiction. "The Lonely" is the best episode of Volume 5 and involves a convict in years of solitary confinement. "Probe 7" is initially suspenseful, and ends with an interesting twist. Overall this collection is quite good and recommended.

Grandmothers, Androids and Love in "The Twilight Zone"
There are some interesting links between each set of episodes in Volume 5 of "The Twilight Zone" DVD series. Billy Mumy makes his first appearance on the Zone in "Long Distance Call," written by William Idelson and Charles Beaumont. Billy gets a toy telephone for his birthday from Grandma Bayles (Lili Darvas), who promptly gets ill and dies. Sad for a while, Billy suddenly spends all his time on the toy telephone, claiming Grandma is on the other end. When Billy tries to kill himself because the voice on the phone told him to, his father (Philip Abbott) grabs the phone and begs his dead mother to let Billy stay in the land of the living. Josephine Hutchinson plays a kinder, gentler but android Grandmother in "I Sing the Body Electric," written by Ray Bradbury from his short story. David White plays a widower who buys Grandma to take care of his three children and the focus of the story is on Anne (Veronica Cartwright), who refuses to accept the substitute for her dead mother. Hutchinson's performance is on target from start to finish.

Androids are also featured in "The Lonely," where Jack Warden plays Corry, a convicted murderer sentenced to fifty years on an asteroid in this story by Rod Serling. Captain Allenby (John Dehner) of the supply ship that stops by leaves him a present: an android named Alicia (Jean Marsh). But when Corry is pardoned, he is told he must leave the "woman" he loves behind. The idea of being in love while stranded out in space is also found in Serling's "Probe 7, Over & Out." Colonel Cook (Richard Basehart) learns that a nuclear war has destroyed his planet. Exploring the new world on which he is stranded, he discovers a footprint that leads him to Norda (Antoinette Bower), the sole survivor of her own planet, which went out of orbit. Together they will start over. And you will never guess what their first names happen to be. The linkage of these episodes is certainly creative and these are four solid episodes even if none rise to the status of certifiable classics (i.e., 4.5 stars to be completely accurate).

Richard Basehart is the best actor you will see !
No matter what anyone says about this volume, watch it for the benefit of seeing the actor Richard Basehart in "Probe 7-Over and Out". He went on to star in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and that was the most sucessful action series on television in the 1960's. David Headson did the series entirely because of him. Another note worthy episode is "I Sing the Body Electric" starring Veronica Cartwright. On her webpage she says it was the most successful episode of her appearance on the series.

Watch it !

The Meaning of Love and Attachment
I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC was Ray Bradbury's sole contribution to the "Twilight Zone." One of the more subtle episodes, this story is strong on characterization and reaches out on an emotional level rather than to any notion of scientific curiosity of the introduction of a robot grandmother, beautifully played by Josephine Hutchinson, into a family (including Veronica Cartwright). This is a very good episode and is one of my favorites. THE LONELY is one of Rod Serling's classics from the series. Jack Warden convincingly plays a convict sentenced to forty years alone on a distant asteroid. A periodic supply ship commanded by John Dehner one day leaves him a companion, a robot played flawlessly by Jean Marsh. Bernard Herrmann's poignant score evokes the enigmatic inner feeling of Jack Warden's love for his companion. And subsequently Herrmann's score captures the human quality of this female robot as she reciprocates that love. The combination of scripting, acting and scoring realistically captures our perceptions of loneliness, love, loss and reality. PROBE 7 - OVER AND OUT leisurely written by Rod Serling for the 5th Season examines the relationship of two beings, Richard Basehart and Antoinette Bower, the sole survivors of their respective annihilated planets. Basehart and the much underrated and forgotten Bower give good performances. LONG DISTANCE CALL written by Charles Beaumont and William Idelson is one of the six episodes recorded directly to videotape instead of being photographed on film. The story concerns a little boy played by Billy Mumy who communicates with his dead grandmother over his toy phone. Thematically it rounds out this volume as it examines our attachment to those we love. ... Read more

Description

SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON
Digitally Restored in 35mm
The master detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his faithful cohort Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) are back, preserved and digitally restored in 35mm to original condition by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. This newly restored version of the classic film includes the period war bond tag, studio logo and credits from its original theatrical release. Filled with ominous shadows and interesting camera angles, the visual beauty of the film in 35mm is stunning.

A British secret service operative, carrying top-secret microfilm from England to Washington, disappears while traveling to his destination.Fearing for his safety just before his disappearance, he passes the microfilm, ingeniously hidden, to another passenger on the train without her knowing.The agent is reported missing and Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate.

Filmed during World War II, SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON pits Holmes and Watson against Nazi enemy agents.The British government asks Holmes and Watson go to Washington to recover the missing documents before they fall into the wrong hands, which would be disastrous for England and her allies.Holmes is up against an international ring of spies in a race against time to piece together the clues and discover the whereabouts of the microfilm before it is too late.Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Classic Sherlock Holmes
I loved this entry in the series. It was full of pithy, classic, Holmes deductions and Watson wise cracks. I enjoyed the other two WWII movies that were part of the Sherlock Holmes series and highly recommend this one as well. I thought it was excellent!!!! This movie is homeschooler friendly!

Enjoyable curio
Other than "Dressed to Kill," the last entry in Universal's 12 film Sherlock Holmes series, "Sherlock Holmes in Washington" may be the weakest effort but it remains an enjoyable curio.

In this third film, the attempt to update Holmes for the 20th century reached its zenith as the producers sent the great detective into the very center of the New World, Washington D.C., in another episode devoted to espionage and criminal activity related to World War II. The novelty is tolerable if only because we know there are less gimmicky, superior entries to come, but anyone whose love of Holmes came from the original Conan Doyle stories rather than the film adaptations will wince at this film more than any other. Basil Rathbone entertainingly overplays the role this time, and with his eccentric hairstyle and wardrobe looks less like Sherlock Holmes than my tenth grade high-school English teacher, the one everyone suspected of being gay (not that there's anything wrong with that).

What makes this entry worthwhile, aside from the always entertaining emoting of Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (more bumbling than ever as he discovers the Sunday newspaper comics and chewing gum) is the supporting cast. The superb George Zucco, whose Satanic presence enlivened many a B horror movie and who already appeared as Professor Moriarty in 20th Century Fox's "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," comes slithering back, not as Moriarty but as another demented creature, and Henry Daniell, who would be the best Moriarty of all (in Basil Rathbone's opinion, as well as mine) in "Woman in Green," is also on hand with his share of villainy.

This film may have greatest value for history buffs and sociologists than for Holmes fans, however. It remains fascinating to see how a major Hollywood film studio converted a beloved literary figure into a special agent as a way to contribute to the United States' propaganda campaign during WWII.

A Big Country, Watson, and a Small Match Folder
When I was a wee lad steeped in Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories, this movie struck me as plain awful. It was painful to see Sherlock as a tourist in a wildly inappropriate DC milieu (the back-projected crazy quilt of Washington monuments on his drive around town makes it seem the chauffeur is on crack), spouting pax Americana patriotism and even paying tribute to the crime-fighting superiority of the FBI (??!!). Nigel Bruce was a particular affront as a doddering Dr. Watson, noisily sucking down ice cream sodas and struggling to read 30 pages on a 10-hour transatlantic flight.

But time has been kind to "SH in Washington." This was the first of these movies written by Bertram Millhauser, who always came up with witty dialogue for Rathbone and Bruce and snarky bits of malice for the supporting cast. Basil Rathbone gives a hopped-up performance as Holmes, barking out ludicrously improbable deductions and even reprising his Louis XI imitation as a limp-wristed "eccentric" collector. There is a small gem of a performance from Gerald Hamer (unbilled, sadly) as the master spy who sets the plot in motion -- he gives the movie a few whiffs of danger, intrigue and poignance. And it's hard to dislike a movie with two Moriartys: silky sadist Henry Daniell and glittery-eyed psycho George Zucco. By the way, the suspense hinges on the fate of a fast-dwindling book of matches, so if you're trying to quit smoking, this is not the movie for you.

Washington never looked so good!
I am writing this pre-review to express my Great Expectations and excitement over the upcoming DVD release of the 14 Sherlock Holmes movies made by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.
For those of us who have loved and worn out