Description

In TOP GUN, Tom Cruise stars as Maverick, a talented training pilot in an elite U.S. school for fighter pilots. When he stumbles upon some MiG's over the Persian Gulf, and his wingman panics, Maverick cleverly talks him through the situation to safety. Consequently, he is moved up in rank and sent to the Top Gun Naval Flying School. There he has several conflicts with other students while trying to live up to his deceased father's reputation.Unable to cope with the death of his best friend, and fellow pilot, Goose, Maverick contemplates dropping out, but follows through with his dream and ultimately becomes one of the "best of the best." ... Read more

Reviews (209)

Fun, but not realistic.
"Top Gun" is not the movie to watch if you are looking for authentic military activities. It is, however, a showcase for Tom Cruise to show how hot he and his band of young stud actors are. Cruise plays Maverick, a crack Navy pilot who get the chance to go to the elite Top Gun Avaiation School. There he is placed in competition with other excellent pilots, but his cheif rival is Iceman (Val Kilmer). This is your standard story of a boy wonder trying to prove himself to a father figure. The romance with his instructor is also sort of superficial. It is, however, very funny to watch all the bloated egos trying to function, resulting in very funny lines of dialog. Also the dog fights are very cool and exciting. Good job Tony Scott. I have met a lot of pilots who act just like these guys, but it didn't seem as funny at the time, though.

Top Gun
This movie is an awesome hit from director Tony Scott (also directed Beverly Hills Cop, Enemy of the State,and much more) dense with fun and excitement that will keep you FLYING for as long as you like. Tom Cruise (Days of Thunder, Jerry Maguire, etc.) stars as hotshot fighter jet pilot "Maverick" Pete Mitchell, who is elected with his partner "Goose" (Anthony Edwards) to enter the Navy's very competitive "Top Gun" program, where many comparible opponents challenge him to win the top rank, including "Iceman" Tom Kusansky (Val Kilmer) and "Slider" (Russ Rossovich). Stars Kelly McGillis as Mitchell's girlfriend, with appearances by Michael Ironside, Clarence Gilyard Jr., Meg Ryan (as Goose's wife), and Tim Robbins. A great action film.

Top Gun baby!
TOPGUN..wat can i say. i grew up watchin this film ,its fun, exciting,thrilling and above all SEXY..tom cruise has never looked soo hott...this movie has given a new meaning to the song 'Youve lost that loving feeling' youd be surprised how many pilots, footballers sing this to girls in bars...it has an amazing soundtrack. 'take my breath away' performed by berlin is a wonderful emotional lovesong that truly melts your heart. so if your a fan of a little romance then this will be a movie top of your list. i know a lot of my boy friends have enjoyed this film so its not just a sloppy romance for girls. the boys get a kick out of 'Maverick' the stud played by Cruise who is 'one hell of an instinctive pilot' who learns never to leave his wing man. His best friend 'Goose' is the coolest character hes so entertaining. there are really fun sexy catchprases, such as 'goose ya big stud take me to bed and loose me forever' and 'son your ego is writing checks your body cant cash'
Top gun is a great movie to just chill out with some popcorn on the sofa and watch with your best friends. ill guarantee you will definately enjoy it.
"there are no points for second place in Topgun." (girls checkout the volleyball scene...mmm)

Awesome Movie!
This movie is a definate classic. The story line is interesting and not mindless like many of hollywoods other movies. Plus we have a beautiful guy with a smile that will make you melt playing the sensitive yet daring main charecter; need I say more? Be careful about chosing when to watch this though, you may have trouble focusing your brain on anything other than Tom Cruises amazing smile.

Top Gun Favourite.
Absolute cheese on a stick, but Top Gun proves that that's not always a bad thing. This movie's got everything - an arrogant prodigy who'd be out on his ass if he wasn't so good, a sensible, more down to earth best friend, a love interest, an arch nemesis and his dumb sidekick, a few cool high fives and catchphrases, the emotional death scene, a euphoric victory act and of course, some unforgettable action sequences. What more could any red-blooded child of the eighties ask for?

Anyone born around 1980 will remember how everyone was doing that double high five and saying 'talk to me Goose' to the kid next to them in class. Certainly one of my all time favourites - entertaining stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A Better Tomorrow is the John Woo gangster classic that started it all, a romantic, violent, swirlingly stylish melodrama about dueling brothers--with a mesmerizing lead performance by Hong Kong's favorite actor, Chow Yun-Fat. In repose, Chow's sleepy magnetism recalls the glory days of Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, and Takakura Ken; when he's stepping high, Chow has a unique, ebullient star presence, a man who embraces life so unselfconsciously that he becomes vulnerable to all kinds of suffering and heartache (he endures masochistic megadoses of violence here). The sequence in which Chow's Mark avenges his betrayed best friend---by blasting his way into, and then out of, a Chinese restaurant, twin .45s blazing---is a swashbuckling standout. Woo's film technique may have been more polished in later efforts, but Tomorrow has a direct emotional power that is still unique. Kung fu star of the 1970s, Ti Lung is also terrific here as the 40ish established mobster, relied upon by all, who allows conflicting loyalties toward Mark and toward his younger brother, now a cop, to undermine the stability of his position.

"I won't give you nothing, man; I give you shit," sneers charismatic superstar Chow Yun Fat, speaking English (with a De Niro accent) in his role as a New York restaurateur who won't knuckle under to the (Italian) mob in A Better Tomorrow II. Chow plays the twin brother of the character he played in the original, and the blatancy of that device is a fair indication of the sequel's shortcomings--and of its screwy charm: this is a film that knows no shame. The bond between the natural siblings played by Ti Lung (as a reformed mobster) and Leslie Cheung (as a hot shot cop) still resonate tellingly. As a good-guy ex-thug driven batty by the slaying of his only daughter, real-life Cinema City studio chief Dean Shek gets to play a garishly extended "mad scene," foaming at the mouth, chewing on soup bones. A later episode in which a dying man crawls to a phone booth to call his wife (and newborn daughter) in the hospital must also be some kind of lurid first in the soap sweepstakes. The final 15 minutes could be the bloodiest single shoot-out sequence ever committed to celluloid. The story line hasn't been shaped to any particular purpose here, but the images have a golden Godfather-like glow, and this faintly anachronistic, all-stops-out wish-fulfillment approach to moviemaking still has a lot of power. --David Chute ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Miniature" (Ep. 110, February 21, 1963, 50 min.) - Robert Duvall is a shy bachelor who discovers a miniature doll apparently alive inside a 19th century dollhouse. Fascinated, he whiles away the hours peering into this little world and wishing he were part of it. "The Jeopardy Room" (Ep. 149, April 17, 1964) - In a deadly game of cat and mouse, Soviet defector Major Ivan Kuchenko (Martin Landau) has three hours to escape from a room with a ticking bomb and a gun pointing at his head. "Stopover in a Quiet Town" (Ep. 150, April 24, 1964) - Bob and Millie Frazier wake to find themselves in a strange town where everything appears to be fake. There are no other people, though they can hear the giggling of a little girl... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Robert Duvall in Charles Beaumont's classic "Miniature"
A charming little fantasy with Robert Duvall is the highlight of Volume 31 in "The Twilight Zone" DVD series. Duvall stars as Charley Parkes in "Miniature," an hour-long episode written by Charles Beaumont. Charley is a shy bachelor who still lives with his mother (Pert Kelton). In a museum he discovers a 19th-century dollhouse with a tiny mechanical doll (Claire Griswold) playing the harpsichord, only to be told the doll is carved from a single piece of wood and does not move. Charley does not fit in the real world and becomes obsessed with life in the dollhouse. "Miniature" is a beautiful love story by Beaumont with a touching performance by Duvall. "The Jeopardy Room," written by Rod Serling, features Martin Landau as Major Ivan Kuchenko, a defector from the Soviet Union, who is tracked down by an assassin, Commissar Vassiloff (John vanKreelan). Vassiloff has planted a bomb in Kuchenko's room: if her finds it within three hours he is free to go; if he triggers the bomb it will explode; if he stops looking for it or tries to leave the room he will be shot. No fantasy elements here, just good old fashion suspense. "Stopover in a Quiet Town," written by Earl Hamner, Jr., tells the story of Bob and Millie Frazier (Barry Nelson and Nancy Malone), an unhappy couple who get drunk at a party and wake up in a strange house where everything is fake. The "2001" twist on this one has little impact because these are such unpleasant people that you cannot identify with their plight. Actually, until you get to the very end of the second episode, this is a very good disc. On-balance this one ends up being slight better than average.

Good Episodes from the 4th and 5th Seasons
The 4th and 5th seasons of the "Twilight Zone" always seem to get poor marks for originality and production values. This DVD can testify to the contrary. 'MINIATURE' written by Charles Beaumont is a tour-de-force of underplaying a role by Robert Duvall. This is a beautiful story of an introverted man that escapes the real world into a fantasy one when he becomes intrigued by a museum's miniature replica of life in the 1890's. 'THE JEOPARDY ROOM' written by Rod Serling and directed by Dick Donner seems more akin to "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" but is a good play on words and strategies between Martin Landau and John VanDreelen with it 'cold war' views and interpolations. It is still a story of the individual who must emerge from a society that would suppress personal freedoms. 'STOPOVER IN A QUIET TOWN' is one of the most memorable episodes from the series. The Earl Hamner, Jr. story starring Barry Nelson and Nancy Malone as the stranded couple who wake up in a deserted middle class neighborhood returns back to the very origins of the series with a quite innovative ending. These are all well produced episodes and are very representative to the theme of the series.

GREAT DVD
This DVD features "Miniature" with Robert Duvall as Charley Parks. This one is such a sweet episode because he falls in love with this doll!

"The Jeopardy Room" is the best one on this DVD. It features Martin Landau trapped in a room with a ticking bomb and a gun pointing at his head. It's a great episode and I love it.

"Stopover in a Quiet Town" is one of the most remembered episodes of the series. It's when two people go to this town but everything is fake. There's no sign of anyone, except the evidence of the laughter of a little girl.

It's the best one released so far next to More Treasures, two, and fifteen. ... Read more

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The four episodes included on The Twilight Zone, Vol. 26focus on characters who inevitably pay a price for their tragic flaws. In "TheBig Tall Wish," an aging boxer (Ivan Dixon, later to costar in TV's Hogan'sHeroes) can't comprehend the influence of a little boy's magical wish thatbrought him a surprise victory--a victory that's sacrificed to the fighter's owncynicism. (The twist is nothing new for TZ fans, but the episode's mostlyblack cast was a noteworthy breakthrough for 1960 television.) "Showdown withRance McGrew" is an amusing send-up of pampered actors, in this case amilquetoast TV cowboy whose comeuppance arrives in the form of the real JesseJames--in a real Western town--whose attitude toward phony cowboys is anythingbut tolerant.

Fine performances by Barry Morse and Joan Hackett highlight "A Piano in theHouse," in which a sadistic critic uses a magical player piano to expose thehidden truths of several party guests, only to be himself revealed as morepathetic than any of his victims. "Night Call" is a classic episode combiningterror and human weakness in the story of an elderly woman (Gladys Cooper) whoreceives phone calls from beyond the grave, realizing too late that the callermight have brought happiness to her final days. When viewed together, these fourepisodes demonstrate how The Twilight Zone often recycled themes andbasic plots with admirable ingenuity, thus defining the series' overall missionas set forth by Rod Serling. Some episodes work better than others, but they allilluminate the complex faults, foibles, and grand ambitions that makeTwilight Zone characters so timelessly appealing. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The best of the Twilight Zone dvds.
I have most of the TZ dvds and plan on getting them all. This one marks the 30th I've bought and I have to say it's the best so far. All four episodes are strong and good, and there's something for everyone. For the fun-lovers, there's "Rance McGrew" - a light-hearted TZ episode that's really funny in certain parts. For the child in all of us, there's "The Big Tall Wish", which tells us to never stop believing in the magic. For the more serious-minded traditional TZ lovers, there's two excellent episodes in "Piano in the House" and "Night Call" - both excellent in every way! While most TZ dvds suffer from a slow episode or two thrown in with a few strong ones, this dvd has nothing but goodies on here. A great one to start your collection with!

Four tales on the ways of magic in "The Twilight Zone"
Magic makes its presence known in the four episodes from "The Twilight Zone" collected in Volume 26 of this DVD series. Ivan Dixon has a nice role as Bolie Jackson in "The Big Tall Wish," written by Rod Serling. Just about washed up as a prizefighter, Jackson wins his fight because little Henry (Steven Perry), used magic to help. But Jackson refuses to believe in the magic. In "Showdown with Rance McGrew," written by Serling and based on an idea by Frederic Louis Fox, temperamental television cowboy star McGrew (Larry Blyden) suddenly finds himself in the real Old West where the real Jesse James (Arch Johnson) has a complaint about the way he and his fellow outlaws are portrayed on television. "A Piano in the House," written by Earl Hamner, Jr., stars Barry Morse as Fitzgerald Fortune, a cynical theater critic who uses a magical piano player to get his party guests to reveal hidden truths about themselves. Fortune is an unpleasant man who meets a deservedly unpleasant fate. Gladys Cooper makes a return visit to the Zone as Miss Elva Keene in "Night Call," written by Richard Matheson and based on his short story "Long Distance Call." Miss Elva, who is crippled, keeps getting strange phone calls with a man's voice saying, "Where are you? I want to talk to you." She is already scared, but when she learns the phone calls are coming from a fallen wire lying atop the grave of her long-dead fiance Brian, who was killed in the car crash that crippled her. This episode is another minor masterpiece from Matheson. This is an above-average volume in the series, which just happens to have three of my favorite "non-classic" episodes of the Zone.

"Night Call" Makes it All Worthwhile!
"Night Call" is one of the top 2 or 3 creepiest Twilight Zone episodes ever!! Superbly written script with excellent plot development (it gets more than the allowable number of "stars")! A great acting performance, and gradually mounting tension throughout! The other episodes are much less effective although "Piano in the House" is actually a very good script-- Unfortunately, superficial character development diminishes some admirable acting performances--It gets "2 1/2 stars" but the remaining two episodes are below average (by Twilight Zone standards). By today's standards, they are above average!

One for the fans
Although I write this under one particular DVD in the series, these comments apply to each and every one of the DVD releases.

Twilight Zone? On DVD? In Black and White? What were they thinking of?

They were thinking of me and others just like me who loved this classic old science fiction program and longed to have the entire collection in a compact, guaranteed to last collection.

Although the entire set is not yet released (they are up to volume 31 at the moment), I'm sure it will be -- not many more episodes are left to do and the sales appear to be good.

This show is the 1950's anthology that started it all. Began as an experiment in the late 50's by Rod Serling, it has become a classic and is still enjoyable 40 years later.

The DVD collection is crisp and clear both for audio and video, and thankfully still in the original black and white. Each DVD features three or four of the original uncut television programs plus a history of the Twilight Zone and a short bio on Rod. Treasures and More Treasures of the TZ also include an interview by Mike Wallace (quality of this is only so-so due to technology of the time) and the orgininal marketing trailer made by Rod to sell his brain child to potential sponsers.

The series itself is being released in what seems to be no particular order (talking about the episodes here), with each DVD containing either four 1/2-hour shows or 2 1/2-hour episodes and one of the fourth season hour-long programs. This collection also includes the installments which were not syndicated and are almost impossible to find on broadcast television.

This is a 'must have' for anyone who enjoyed the program while growing up -- or for anyone of any age who appreciates a good SF show. Naturally some episodes are better than others, but most will agree that the overall quality of the series clearly stands out.

Take one for a test drive -- then order them all. You'll be glad you did.

~P~

Twilight Zone Rules!
This tape was excellent, especially "A Piano in the House." The whole tape was spooky and creepy, but it makes you think, too. These are certainly some of Rod Serling's Best. Volume 25 was super as well. Everybody should own the Twilight Zone! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Another Frankenheimer winner
"Birdman of Alcatraz" is another fine movie directed by John Frankenheimer. His next 3 movies were "The Manchurian Candidate", "Seven Days in May", and "The Train". I have seen the first 2 and gave them 5 stars, and I've got "The Train" on order. As is Frankenheimer's style, there is great depth of focus from foreground to background, but his "big head/little head" wide-angle shots are not as pronounced as in "The Manchurian Candidate" or "Seven Days In May".

Burt Lancaster earned an oscar nomination for his role of Robert Stroud, a convicted killer who was sentenced to solitary confinement while awaiting execution. His impending hanging was subsequently commuted, but he did spend over 50 years behind bars, with very little contact with other people and even less with the outside world. The movie presents Stroud in a pretty benevolent light, although in reality he was apparently very strange and disliked by most others.

Originally banned from having nearly any kind of activity as a hobby, Stroud eventually begins to raise sparrows and other birds while imprisoned in Leavenworth prison (he never had any at Alcatraz). Although Stroud only had a few years of grade school education, he teaches himself several languages and many sciences while in prison. As a result of making "home remedies" to treat his birds when they begin to die off, he eventually writes some well-regarded books on bird diseases and their treatment.

The black-and-white movie was released while Stroud was still alive in 1962 but he never saw it. He died of natural causes on November 21, 1963, just one day before president Kennedy was assassinated, and his death went largely unnoticed.

Co-starring Karl Malden as the warden, Neville Brand as a guard, and Telly Savalas (oscar nominated) as a fellow immate, it was well-acted through out. The 149 minute film has French and Spanish subtitles, chapters and a trailer.

Good picture, but need to really separate facts from fiction
Finally, after 4 decades, I got to see Birdman of Alcatraz. And a year ago I visited the island for the first time.

This is definitely a high-quality film, with a mixture of fact and artistic license. The rangers at Alcatraz still put emphasis on the dark side of Robert Stroud,and the role played by Burt Lancaster succeeds in offsetting this to a great extent.

Reviewer "silentscott" points out that the rangers have been promoting the idea that the movie says that Stroud had all his birds at Alcatraz, while the fact is that they were at Leavenworth. I got the same impression in my own tour. But actually the movie makes it very clear that the birds were left behind at Leavenworth (fate unstated), and that he had none at Alcatraz. Maybe it's time for the otherwise capable guides on the island to review the film again and see where it does diverge from the truth.

I was a young adult when the movie came out in 1962. Although I didn't get to see it until this past week (July 2004), I still remember the haunting Elmer Bernstein theme song that I would hear on the radio in the early 1960s. I now have that song in my own collection. But I am puzzled that while I watched that movie I did not hear any of the melody that was played on the air. Does anyone have an explanation for that?

A must-have for your dvd collection!
Not the most accurate depiction of the "Birdman" Robert Stroud, but this is still one of the best films ever made. Burt Lancaster is incredible and Telly Savales adds a lot as well. Like Cool Hand Luke, this movie is about a prisoner that refused to give in to the system. An amazing prison drama that everyone should see.

slanco
I really think that this is a great anti death penaly movie - It was also a very interesting movie for its time- Burt Lancaster was often known for playing unsympathetic charaters. Some think that Strouds character was portrayed too soft i.e. that he was much more of a psychopath with not one shred of humaness- But that is drama! If you want a totally factual film make a documentary- movie making is notorius for humaninzing bad people to make the charater have more universal appeal and make it easier to connect to the audience.I really think the film is more about how a man could do something quite extraordanary in prison( i.e.) become such an expert on birds under such horrible conditions. Stroud was also a man who would not give in to anyone, a charateristic that I know personally was very appealing to Burt Lancaster. This movie is really well acted and directed, well worth seeing!

excellent film and acting
I think this movie was extremely well directed and acted- Yes Stroud may have been a really lousy guy, a disturbed psychopative killer, but the movie is really more about how Stroud or anyone for the matter could do something with themselves in prison (i.e. become a world authority on birds) under such horrible conditions- I also think it is interesting that Stroud would not give in to anyone an aspect which I personally know was very intriging to Burt Lancaster about Strouds character. As for whether this movie was over dramatized, so what! that is what movies are about , it you want all truth go see a documetary. For movies to have and audience appeal the charater has to be likeable or appealing on some level or its hard to connect- This movie is also a great anti- death penaly movie - this film is well worth seeing and an unusual film for its time! ... Read more

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Tales from the Crypt is no Sopranos, but in its day it was HBO's most popular original series. Based on the EC Horror comics of the 1940s and 1950s, these short shock-and-suspense stories with twist (and often twisted) endings weren't exclusively horror tales, but they consistently mined, in a comic sort of way, the dark side of human nature. The three episodes directed by series coproducer Robert Zemeckis are among the most memorable. In "All Through the Night," perhaps the single most famous story from the original comic book series, a psychotic killer dressed as Santa escapes Christmas Eve and terrorizes a middle-class home where murder has already made a holiday appearance: a homicidal wife plunges a fireplace poker into her husband's skull. (It was also adapted in the 1972 British anthology movie Tales from the Crypt). Kirk Douglas stars as a blood-and-thunder World War I general who discovers his son is a coward in the grim "Yellow," the most dramatically acute of the trio. Digital magic morphs Humphrey Bogart into "You, Murderer," a high-concept, rather gimmicky tale of murder, double crosses, and poetic justice as seen through a dead man's eyes. Isabella Rossellini (daughter of Bogie's Casablanca costar Ingrid Bergman) and John Lithgow costar as plotting lovers. Zemeckis has a great deal of fun with the first and last films, giving them a flamboyant comic book exaggeration, but the underplayed irony of "Yellow" makes it one of the darkest, most affecting stories in the series' run. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Lights! Camera! Hack-tion! Zemeckis Directs CRYPT!
Based on stories from the deliciously depraved E.C. horror comics (TALES FROM THE CRYPT, VAULT OF HORROR, HAUNT OF FEAR) of the 1950s, TALES FROM THE CRYPT was a TV horror anthology that, like most TV anthologies, had a lot of both hits and misses. Some of the stories really stank, but when a story was a hit, it was usually dead on (excuse the pun). This DVD represents three episodes that HBO execs apparently consider hits, probably because they were all directed by the renowned and Oscar-winning (1994's FORREST GUMP) Robert Zemeckis. And though CRYPT fans would like to see more episodes made available on DVD, the execs made pretty good selections with this lot.

The first story, "And All Through the House," is definitely the scariest of the three. It's about a disgruntled wife who murders her husband on Christmas Eve, only to have a madman dressed in Santa garb show up to deliver her just deserts. It is a particulary frightening morality play not only because it warns that "what goes around, comes around"; it also makes a multi-faceted statement about innocence and youth, as it is the murderous woman's little daughter who ultimately lets "Santa" into the house. Larry Drake delivers a delectably deranged performance as the insane Saint Nick. (This has proven to be one of the most enduring stories from the original E.C. Comics series, as it was also previously dramatized in 1972 as one portion of an excellent five-part British flick entitled TALES FROM THE CRYPT. In that version, Joan Collins--DYNASTY's Alexis Carrington Colby--played the part of the homicidal wife.)

In the second story, "Yellow," Kirk Douglas is a stone-hearted, by-the-book WWI General and, his son, Eric Douglas, is a craven Lieutenant under the General's command. Embarrassed by his "yellow" progeny, the General engages his son in an insidious course of action that will save the young man's reputation as well as allow the General himself to save face. Although the ending is easily predictable, the acting is top-notch and the depiction of WWI is fairly gruesome (for TV, anyway), and it all adds up to an engaging and suspenseful drama. This is definitely the strongest episode of the trio, though not as scary as the first.

The last of the three offerings, "You, Murderer," is also the weakest. It covers the last day in the life of a business exec who, altered via plastic surgery to hide from a dark past, is blackmailed and then offed by his cuckolding wife and her lover. Though the plot is a bit cliche and its ending predictable, the episode does, nonetheless, have a few interesting aspects: one, the story is told via flashbacks from the point of view of the already-dead exec; two, á la plastic surgery, the exec is the spitting image of Humphrey Bogart; and three, great performances are delivered by Isabella Rossellini (daughter of the real-life Bogart's CASABLANCA costar Ingrid Bergman) and character actor John Lithgow. The episode's biggest flaw is the special effects, which are primarily computerized insertions of Bogart film-clips á la FORREST GUMP. Unlike in GUMP, the effects come across as embarrasingly cheesy, and the manner in which they are utilized is very awkward to the flow of the narrative. Still, it's an entertaining entry for CRYPT, just one that is not up to par with the other two on this disc.

One minorly disappointing aspect to the DVD overall is the fact that there are no extras on the disc. Some HBO or syndication promotional spots or an interview with Zemeckis would've been nice, or maybe even a behind-the-scenes short featuring our gregarious host, The Crypt Keeper. Still, this DVD is well worth the expense, especially for fans of TALES FROM THE CRYPT or fans of the horror genre in general. At Amazon.com's asking price, the cost is less than $5 per episode, and that's cheaper than the cost-per-episode charged for many TV shows in either VHS or DVD format!

Yellow Shines, More Tales Please!
Of all the television series I want on DVD, Tales From The Crypt is it!

I hope this is just the first in a long running set for this series, but it doesn't look like it.

This DVD contains the three episodes done by Robert Zemeckis.

And All Through the House" (1989), remided me of the 'Tales From The Crypt - Have A Scary Little Christmas' CD I've had for quite a while. Basically the same backdrop of the story told on the CD is here, except for the 'Mother' killing her husband. Anyhow, that's how it starts, but what the poor mother does not know is that an escaped lunatic is on the prowl.

"Yellow" (1991), A dang good yarn if I do say so eh kiddies? Martin Sheen's excellent in this story of a san who cannot live up to his father's aspects of courageousness.

"You, Murderer" (1995), is really wierd. Stars Humphrey Bogart, Sherilyn Fenn, and some other famous personalities and basically the tale is in Bogart's voice. He is dead (murdered actually) but can still see what is happing around him, hear everything, and worse feel everything!

Pretty good set. Some great stars in these episodes and I really loved the episode 'Yellow'.

Hopefully more will be produced as I love the whole series.

great. but only 3 of the episodes.
this is worth buying if you are even a remote fan of tales from the crypt, however; it's only has 3 of many episodes on it. "yellow" is my personal favorite. they need to release more of the episodes on DVD so i, and everyone else who wants it, could have the complete collection. ... Read more

Reviews (279)

not the best by james cameron
but quite the adventure for sure. it isn't james cameron's best work. i don't think it deserves five stars just because it played too much on the cold war, which just ended after the movie came out. that's all.

Incredible movie, fantastic Special Effects, Excellent Story
This was and is an excellent movie. The special effects are absolutely fantastic. Several plot lines weave together to make this movie riveting, surprising, and fast paced. Its only drawback is the length, it is over 3 hours. If you have the time then spend it on this movie, it is just well worth the investment.

Better ending, better movie
The Abyss fell into the Abyss because it was chopped to fit the time length of movie theaters, making it another ho-hum trapped-under-the-sea flick, with some aliens.

When you finally see that the world is on the verge of nuclear destruction and that the ocean-bottom aliens are fed up, that the movie makes sense and takes on an entirely epic meaning. Now it becomes a GREAT movie.

There are 2 scenes in the movie that are noteworthy, one belongs as one of Hollywood's single most powerfullest, perhaps it is THE most powerful single scene ever filmed.

That is when Mary E. M drowns herself to save her husband played by Ed Harris and he wills her back to life in a flood of tears. This scene alone, even if the rest of the movie is truncated, makes it worthwhile.

But the director's cut then shows why later on when Harris dives into the Abyss--a metaphor on life----to deactivate a nuclear bomb with no chance of getting back before his air runs out, this is the second most powerful scene.

As Harris descends, deeper, deeper, Mary E. M in tears says goodbye to her husband.

The Aliens see this unselfish courage and love and decide to give mankind a second chance. I second the motion. Real people do such things in real life.

They call of their imminent destruction by tidal waves etc.

Buy the director's cut, watch the film as it should be seen and enjoy.

Deep Sea Adventure for True Romantics
James Cameron has developed a reputation for turning out first rate action films. OK, on one level, he does that. However, if one examines his total output, it becomes obvious that the man likes love stories. I haven't been able to find one of his films that does not fit that description.

Case in point: THE ABYSS. The movie opens as a nuclear submarine is caught in the wake of an object moving at incredible speed through the water. The sub regains navigational capabilities too late to prevent disaster. Since a hurricane is on the way (Mr. Cameron does lay it on pretty thick), timely rescue from the surface is impossible, so an underwater drilling rig is dispatched to provide assistance. The crew of the rig is to be under the supervision of Navy SEALs.

Sounds like a pretty good premise for an action movie so far, doesn't it? Well, the SEALs arrive with the soon-to-be ex-wife of the drilling rig commander and the story takes a turn from that point.

I won't give away too much. Just know that I don't shed too many tears in action films as a rule. This is an exception. Get it. You won't be sorry.

When will the special editions stop?
James Cameron is clearly the Werner Herzog of today's modern action film. He never does things halfway and weather you like his films or not you have to respect his courage. I personally love "The Abyss". It's my favorite Cameron film because it typifies his work. The acting is top notch and all out heart. You never hesitate for two seconds when Ed Harris or Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio step onto the screen. That's because Cameron creates the most realistic environment for his actors to work in. If your characters supposed to be stressed then he's gonna make sure to do something that reflects that on the screen. He dosen't pull any punches and I think that's why he's such a love him or hate him kind of filmmaker. In the case of "The Abyss" I got both sides. The original film is offered on the first disc. It's a great movie about and underground oil facility that has to rescue a downed American sub. The military gets involved and like most movies that's when things go wrong. I won't go any further than to say that the film does enter "E.T." terrain. The performances are outstanding and the cinematography and effects are Cameron's typically brillant standard. The second film....well, here's the delima. Every time a special edition comes out you get a taste of the good and the bad. A lot of times the extra footage is great, but there's always that one scene that just dosen't fit and you think to yourself "That should've stayed on the cutting room floor!" With the special edition of "The Abyss" I thought I had finally found the perfect special edition. That was until the end. I won't tell you what happens but it angered me so much that I hated the rest of this film. I will say this. The last guy I need telling me that we are a waring race and that peace is the only way possible is James Cameron. This is the guy who made "True Lies" and "The Terminator". He's killed more men than Cecil B. DeMille. I know I shouldn't be angry when someone offers hope and peace to the world but I can't help but wish it wasn't Cameron. Also, like the thumbs up at the end of "T2" this was just way too sappy for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If Sylvester Stallone plays the world's number one assassin in this thriller, that must make Antonio Banderas, well, number two. The two are competing to hit the same target for a $20-million payoff, and their challenge takes them from explosion to explosion on a cat-and-mouse chase from Seattle to Mexico. Julianne Moore plays the cagey cat fancier and computer hacker who possesses a stolen computer disc that makes her a prime target for bad guys, and Robert Rath (Stallone) is only too happy to come to her defense. Director Richard Donner handles action sequences with adequate flair and has a good time blowing things up. Banderas has fun with the nonsensical plot, and Moore is enjoyable in one of her big-budget mainstream roles. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Lucas' Nostalgia
American Graffiti was the movie that broke George Lucas into the mainstream. The movie is based on his teenage days growing up in the early 60's in a small Northern California town. The movie starred virtual unknowns who went on to big Hollywood careers. Ron Howard was the only well known actor and the role of Steve was his first chance to play a more adult role. The film takes place over the course of one night where Mr. Howard's Steve and his best friend Curt are preparing to leave town and head off to college on the East Coast. Richard Dreyfus plays Curt and Cindy Williams plays his sister and Steve's boyfriend. Paul LeMat plays John Milner who is the cool guy in town with the fastest car around. He gets tricked into picking up the 13 year old MacKenzie Phillips and spends the night driving around with her. Charles Martin Smith plays the nerdy Terry the Toad. Steve entrusts him to watch his car while he's away. he cruises around and picks up Candy Clark and through a series of elaborate lies, gets her to park by the lake. The car is stolen, but they get it back with the help of John. The movie closes out with a drag race between John and Harrison Ford's Bob Falfa. The movie is spiced up by its soundtrack which helped bring back the 50's nostalgia that permeated the 70's. The film also introduced the infamous DJ Wolfman Jack to the country. The film is an unapologetic feel good, warm movie and its major success allowed Mr. Lucas to make another little movie by the name of Star Wars.

A classic film gets a good DVD.
George Lucas's "American Graffiti", more than any other film, captures what its like to be teetering on the brink of adulthood after school is over. Steve (Ron Howard) only wants to be with the love of his life, Laurie (Cindy Williams), but almost blows it with her completely. Her brother Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) isn't sure if he wants to leave for college. He becomes attracted to a blonde (Susanne Summers in a cameo) he briefly sees in a car, but doesn't know who she is. He winds up spending half the night with a street gang (led by Bo Hopkins). John (Paul LeMatt) loves to race cars, but ends up driving around with an underage girl (Mackenzie Phillips). Terry the Toad (Charles Martin Smith) is a nerd trying to impress a girl (Candy Clark, who earned an Oscar nomination) that he's just met. Of course, it ends in disaster. All of this is observed in a funny, heart-felt way. Memorable moments include Curt's meeting Wolfman Jack, John's ongoing fued with another racer (Harrison Ford in a small part), John and the young girl demoiishing a car with with shaving cream, and Toad's fight with the guys who stole his friend's car. George Lucas captured it all nicely with a top notch soundtrack of early rock and roll classics in the background, which enhances the period detail. Nearly the entire cast prticipates in an excellent "making of" documentary that it is included with the DVD. Lucas and producer Francis Coppola are interviewed as well. The documentary runs about 80 minutes, and everyone involved has an interesting story to tell. It also includes screen tests that were done for some of the cast. It more than makes up for tha lack of any commentary track on this DVD. This DVD is a worthy purchase for any fan of "American Graffiti".

The 'forties were even better, except '41-'45

Director: George Lucas
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: December 26, 2001

Cast:

Richard Dreyfuss ... Curt Henderson
Ron Howard ... Steve Bolander
Paul Le Mat ... John Milner
Charles Martin Smith ... Terry 'The Toad' Fields
Cindy Williams ... Laurie Henderson
Candy Clark ... Debbie Dunham
Mackenzie Phillips ... Carol
Wolfman Jack ... XERB disc jockey
Bo Hopkins ... Joe Young
Manuel Padilla Jr. ... Carlos
Beau Gentry ... Ants

Harrison Ford ... Bob Falfa
Jim Bohan ... Officer Holstein
Jana Bellan ... Budda
Deby Celiz ... Wendy
Lynne Marie Stewart ... Bobbie Tucker
Terence McGovern ... Mr. Bill Wolfe
Kathleen Quinlan ... Peg
Tim Crowley ... Eddie
Scott Beach ... Mr. Gordon
John Brent ... Car salesman
Gordon Analla ... Bozo
John Bracci ... Station attendant
Jody Carlson ... Girl in Studebaker
Del Close ... Guy (man at bar)
Chuck Dorsett ... Man at accident
Stephen Knox ... Kid at accident
Joe Miksak ... Man at liquor store
George Meyer ... Bum at liquor store
James Cranna ... Liquor store thief
Johnny Weissmuller Jr. ... Badass #1
William Niven ... Clerk at liquor store
Al Nalbandian ... Hank Anderson
Bob Pasaak ... Dale
Chris Pray ... Al
Susan Richardson ... Judy
Fred Ross ... Ferber
Jan Dunn ... Old woman
Charlie Murphy ... Old man
Ed Greenberg ... Kip Pullman
Lisa Herman ... Girl in Dodge
Mark Anger ... Mr. Kroot
Kay Lenz ... Jane (girl at dance)
Caprice Schmidt ... Announcer at dance
Joe Spano ... Vic
Debralee Scott ... Falfa's girl
Ron Vincent ... Jeff
Donna Wehr ... Carhop
Cam Whitman ... Balloon girl
Jan Wilson ... Girl at dance
Suzanne Somers ... Blonde in T-Bird
Warren Knight ... Herby And The Heartbeats
Sam McFadin ... Herby And The Heartbeats
Kris Moe ... Herby & the Heartbeats
Linn Phillips III ... Herby and the Heartbeats
George Robinson ... Herby & the Heartbeats saxophonist
Linda Christensen ... Girl

A classic depicting the youth of the 1950s as they would like to have been. They are sooo young! One especially good scene is where the kids chain the rear axle and differential of a parked police car to a fixed pole, the draw the cops into giving chase.

This is the story of young people who are faced with great changes--heading for college, leaving their childhood behind, giving up old relationships including "puppy love", and facing the future, with all of the pain, humor, hubris, pathos and pain that follows.

This is really a great film with, just maybe, a hint of what the 'fifties were really like.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Alive and Well At the Dawn of Rock
Its all about the music. Nearly every song in American Graffiti has stood the test of time and established itself as classic rock. In 1962, rock n' roll was still in its formative stages. The Beatles were just a promising British pop band and The Beach Boys were still a famous garage band singing surfing songs. The 50's were a great decade for getting rock off the ground. In the mid to late 50's the emergence of Elvis as the 1st rock god established rock once and for all as the pulse of the teen generation. Rock has changed very much since then but its appeal to teens hasn't. Rock is an expression of freedom. Too mature for little kids and too edgy for mature adults. Teens have long since claimed rock as their own domain. Of course, before the 50's, teens didn't really exist. Not as they do today. Then they were just older children. From the 50's on they were the marketing target of every savvy business and businessman in America. Teens had money and freedom in a way they had never had before. They drove around, necked, went to drive-ins, ate burgers, drag raced and mostly just cruised. Amer Graffiti is a cheerful celebration of teen freedom.

Nostalgia and Fun
This piece of nostalgia is both entertaining and sentimental. Humor and emotion play an equal roll in this movie, making it heart touching to all audiences.
For those of us who are too young to have experienced the early 60s this film is the next best thing. We get to see the styles of cars, clothing, and hair as well as hear the music of the era. We get to see many of todays most recognizable faces long before they were famous. It's also fun to chuckle at how very little teenage life has actually changed.
George Lucas is a fabulous director,and the actors all deliver convincing performances. Whether you're laughing with them or feeling the sting of their heart break, we can all relate to what they're going through.
Regardless of your generation, watching this movie is sure to bring back a flood of memories of first loves and old friends. ... Read more

Description

A former FBI profiler who has recently undergone a heart transplant comes out of retirement to track down the serial killer who has recently begun killing victims with the former agent's blood type. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

MediaGab Review
Dirty Harry meets Grumpy Old Men, really that about sums up this movie. Blood Work is a detective movie that Clint Eastwood is at the heart of. A FBI Profiler Terry McCaleb (Eastwood) tries to runs down a suspect outside of a homicide crime scene but has a heart attack before he can catch him. He has to have heart transplant in order to live. He learns that the heart he got was from a murdered woman.

The sister of the murdered woman tracks Terry, who is now retired from the FBI down and pleads with him to look into the investigation. So with a license or the authority he takes on the investigation. The investigation goes from one unbelievable twist to another.

I found this movie to move way to fast. The twists and the conclusions that Eastwoods makes from the clues are really hard to swallow. In particular the part when the sister asks for his help. He basically jumped to this womans rescue without even thinking about what he was getting himself into. He was only sixty days post-op from his transplant surgery.

I think this was Eastwoods last hurray at a detective movie. At least I hope. He should stick to directing as he states he wants to do more of in the making of special feature. I think he wanted one more Dirty Harry moment before he stepped behind the camera.

blood work
this is the worst detective movie i have ever seen. in twenty minutes i solved the crime that it takes clint eastwood's character the rest of the movie to solve. the motive, the crime, etc., are completely given away by the first clue. yet the movie keeps draging on as clue after redundant clue fail to yeild any progress. it's like watching wheel of fortune and all but one letter has been revealed, yet the contestant can somehow not solve the puzzle. absolutely horrendous, please don't waste your money.

Decent crime-thriller flick but awkward at times.
I happened to have had a fascination with the whole way that forensic investigators have used unusual evidence to track down and find who the real criminals behind crimes really are. 2002's Clint Eastwood directed "Blood Work" for the most part does succeed in being a really good and sometimes challenging movie for crime-drama thriller moviegoers.

Terry McCaleb is a former FBI agent Miami who recently retired after a minor heart attack forced him to retire from the job of police investigator until after a string of killings, he comes out of retirement and goes back on the job when the sister of a murder victim is desperate to have her sister's killer brought to justice. Terry McCaleb has had a hard life because of the frustration of letting the killer slip through his hands due to the heart ailment that he suffered just as he was about to catch him. Even more daunting is that the victims' blood matches McCaleb's and he in fact got a heart transplant from one of the murder victims but defies the health effects of his heart transplant to bring down the killer before he strikes again.

This movie is a really good thriller for the most part but the movie does have it's share of flaws like even a lot of positive reviews have emphasized. One of the is that the acting by the entire cast, while decent, does from time to time, drift off in all directions. However my favorite one was actor Paul Rodriguez. While he doesn't have a whole lot of acting time on this film, he is so funny as the hot-tempered chief who has had a long standing semi-rivalry with McCaleb. Seeing his character go ballistic all the time is so funny and to be honest, besides Clint Eastwood, Paul Rodriguez really is the shining star for me.

"Blood Work" is also marred somewhat by a slow moving storyline and it drags on in places and as a result it's sometimes hard to watch the movie without sitting still or getting bored but it does pick back up before you would fall asleep. One lovemaking scene between Gracielle Rivers(Wanda De Jesus) and McCaleb was somewhat iffy in my opinion due to their age differences and it felt cold to me.

However, The idea of the killer targeting individuals with the same blood type is in my opinion quite original and keeps this movie from being totally predictable. This is not an essential movie by any stretch of the imagination but for those who like shows like "CSI" as well as "CSI: Miami", then this film is worth a look or two. The DVD has offers no worthy extras in my opinion.

Read the book...
I give kudos to Mr. Eastwood for seeing a great book in the novel - Michael Connelly is a gifted writer - and developing a movie, however, the movie does not have the suspense of the book.

As a devout reader of crime mystery, I had to have this movie for my library because it was a Michael Connelly novel - no other reason. It was distressing not to at least have an interview on the DVD with Mr. Connelly. The acting is mostly mediocre, with the exception of Eastwood. Buddy is miscast with Daniels, as is Graciela with DeJesus. I like the work of Daniels, and he would have been better in the cop role.

If you want a good cop movie, by another great writer, try the Onion Field.

Not all that great but far from bad.
This movie is a rather average crime drama about a retired FBI agent who recieved a heart transplant from a murder victim and is now on the case of solving the murder and finding who is behind the heinous crime that took place at a convenience store.

He gets out of retirement after being asked by the sister of the murder victim to help her track down the one responsible for the crime. This serial killer targets individuals who have blood types that match that of the former retiree.

This movie is good to a degree but the whole thing is just watered down by a very predictable outcome and does nothing to make it very memorable. The acting has seen better days as well.

Not a bad film but this could really have been a lot better in my honest opinion. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood is a down-and-out cop who is sent on a routine mission to pickup a witness and deliver her to the Phoenix courthouse.Sounds easy until herealizes he's been set up by the man who gave him this simple assignment. Theinterplay between Eastwood and the witness, a clever prostitute played by theactor's former girlfriend, Sondra Locke, is tough and playful.They obviouslyhad strong chemistry.The story is highly implausible at times, but theaction sequences are satisfying. Eastwood directs The Gauntlet verymuch in the style of his Academy Award-winning Western Unforgiven. Although the body count is surprisingly low for an Eastwood action film, ahouse, several cars, and a large bus get shot through with more holes than a big wheel of Swiss cheese. For Eastwood fans, this is the laconic hero at hisprime. --Richard Natale ... Read more

Reviews (24)

oh go polish your badge Shockley
This film gives a whole new meaning to the term "Treachery".
Clint Eastwood & Sondra Locke team in this cops against cops against the mob movie
Locke plays a supposedly "no nothing witness to a no nothing case"
Sure.until the bullets start to fly a little over 2 million dollars worth according to Malpaso, Eastwoods'production company if I have my fact straight about that.
Eastwood plays Ben Schokley a "drunken bum of a cop" for the Arizona PD who gets the dubious task of taking Gus (Locke) to trial.
The bets begin with 100-1 odds of them making alive to trial.
The two best scenes are when Gus's house gets about 11,349 bullet holes in it then collapses..almost on Eastwood's head. The other scene is the bus they hijack when Sondra Locke's character tells the passenger's on board to politely "HAUL [behind]"!!. This where they drive thru "The Gauntlet" heavily armed cops on both sides who promptly shoot about 17,209 bullets into the bus as it drives by them.
I won't go into the showdown on the steps but it's a cool ending
I'm giving this movie 5 stars because I'm a Clint eastwood fan

"Oh go polish your badge Shockley"
This film gives a whole new meaning to the term "Treachery".
Clint Eastwood & Sondra Locke team in this cops against cops against the mob movie
Locke plays a supposedly "no nothing witness to a no nothing case"
Sure.until the bullets start to fly a little over 2 million dollars worth if I have my fact straight about that.
Eastwood plays Ben Schokley a "drunken bum of a cop" for the Arizona PD who gets the dubious task of taking Gus (Locke) to trial.
The bets begin with 100-1 odds of them making alive to trial.
The two best scenes are when Gus's house gets about 11,349 bullet holes in it then collapses..almost on Eastwood's head. The other scene is the bus they hijack when Sondra Locke's character tells the passenger's on board to politely "HAUL [REAR]"!!. This where they drive thru "The Gauntlet" heavily armed cops on both sides who promptly shoot about 17,209 bullets into the bus as it drives by them.
I won't go into the showdown on the steps but it's a cool ending
I'm giving this movie 5 stars because I'm a Clint eastwood fan

The Cop and The Pro....
This review refers to the Warner Bros. DVD edition of "The Gauntlet"....

From the moment Ben Shockley(Clint Eastwood)steps out of his car and an empty booze bottle falls out, we know this is not the usual "Dirty Harry" character we'd been used to up to now. Ben is a cop who's chances for greatness seem to be fading with him.
Eastwood directs as well as stars in this film and we see his brillant directoral style taking hold here.

The Phoenix P.D. seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel when they assign Shockley the job of escorting Gus Malley, a seemingly unimportant witness from Las Vegas back to Phoenix for a trial. Ben's been looking for his big break on a big case and it doesn't look like this will be it with this guy. Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Ben discovers that Gus is no guy. Gus Malley(Sondra Locke), is a local prostitute and unwilling partcipant in the journey back as well. This is not "a hooker with a heart story" though, this pro is as hard edged as they come, but she does have a brain!

The action starts as soon as they leave the jail. Someone is going to make sure that these two never make it to trial. Vegas is even giving odds against them. Everyone's after them..the mob, the cops, they even made the mistake of angering a group of bikers along the route and they're out for revenge as well. They hardly know who to trust, as they get shot at from all angles, cars blow up, they are set up and beat up. What Gus knows can cost them their lives, but Shockley is now determined to bring his prisoner in at all costs and rises to the occassion and must break through an impassable barrier set-up to keep him at bay.

It's edge of your seat drama, thrills, and fun, as Gus and Ben trade quips and get in a little romance(we couldn't expect any different with Eastwood and Locke)along the way.As usual Clint surrounds himself with the finest talent. Pat Hingle, William Prince, and Bill Mckinney turn in excellent performances as well as Eastwood and Locke. There's also a terrific jazzy score by Jerry Fielding.

The film made in 1977 looks great on this DVD transfer. It is in a widescreen on a dual layer format. The picture looks good. Clear and sharp with good color. There was occasionally a little purplish tint in places, but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the film. The soundtrack remastered in the 5.1 Dolby Stereo was also good. The music sounded great and the dialouge always crisp. Not too much in the way of bonus material if that's what you're looking for, there's a filmography on Eastwood(his was the only one I was able to access) and a theatrical trailer. It may be viewed in French(Mono) and also has subtitles in English and French as well. You can bet on this one!

5 stars to a great Eastwood action film that can be watched again and again.

Get the Popcorn ready for this one and enjoy.....Laurie

Weak crime drama
There are a lot of good Clint Eastwood movies out there, but this is not one of them. Instead, this is one of the weakest of his seventies crime drama movies, an ineptly written and generally boring movie.

Eastwood plays Shockley, a Phoenix cop assigned to extradite a prostitute from Las Vegas. As a bit of silliness right off the bat, it turns out that there is even a wager at the sports books that he will not make it back to Phoenix alive. From that point on, the dumbness continues, with Shockley blindly going from one trap to another, hardly piecing anything together without being led by the hand. On the other hand, all the other cops are equally dumb, willing to shoot first and ask questions later.

There are lots of bullets flying in this movie, but interestingly, Eastwood does not fire a single one at a person. Instead, he shoots doorknobs and motorcycles. Actually, Eastwood doesn't get more than a few punches in; those expecting Eastwood kicking butt will be sorely disappointed.

This movie is strictly for Eastwood fans only; all others should go elsewhere for a good crime movie.

Nag, nag, nag...
At this point in his career, Clint Eastwood was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. With his own production company (Malpaso), Eastwood had firm control over the projects he became involved with. His choice as a follow up to The Enforcer, the third Dirty Harry film, was The Gauntlet. This cartoonish adventure, directed by Eastwood, features a poorly written story, huge doses of excessive violence, and bad dialog with liberal doses of profanity. It is another opportunity for Clint to operate against overpowering odds, and team with then girl friend, Sondra Locke, for the first of several films in which they would star together.

Once again Clint is a cop. Ben Shockley, one of Phoenix's finest, is assigned to bring back a prisoner being held in a Las Vegas jail, to testify. Sondra Locke is the prisoner, her character Gus Mally is a prostitute, who happened to have as a client, a certain high police official with usual sexual preferences. This apparently, is sufficient reason to want her dead.

The story is a simple double cross, as forces behind the scenes manipulate various agencies of law enforcement, to turn against Shockley and his tough-talking prisoner, to prevent her from testifying. The pair is forced to make their way from Nevada back to Phoenix via a circuitous route, evading the forces of the law and other dangers.

Excessive gunfire is the featured event several times. The first time, enthusiastic Vegas cops destroy a house, while Shockley and Mally barely scurry to safety in a most implausible manner. Then a police car is thoroughly ventilated. The final and most outrageous example is the film's finale, in which Shockley drives a tour bus through a "gauntlet" of police, lined up on both sides of the street. The film's ending is an unbelievable, extended exercise in gratuitous excess. Shots are fired at close range, and the crowd of police officers behave like zombies. Violence just for violence sake can have a purpose, but this is pretty dreadful. Calling this bad writing, is a gross understatement.

Throw logic totally out the window, go along for the ride, and you can still be entertained. Although the plotting is spotty, and the dialog unpolished, there are some decent action scenes, particularly when Shockley takes to a motorcycle, and is chased by a chopper. Clint's quiet macho swagger, contrasts with the free spirited, and spunky Locke. Their relationship, both on and off screen, is really at the heart of this movie. Romance, Eastwood style, has its rough edges, and is at times almost painfully awkward. Warts and all, this film was done per Eastwood's specifications.

Though part of the "Clint Eastwood Collection", the DVD offers only a trailer as an extra. From here, the collaboration with Sondra Locke would continue for several more films, as Eastwood's career took a turn. The Gauntlet, Clint's last true action film in the 70's, is far from his best work, and is best suited to his true fans, and those who appreciate excessive gunfire ... Read more

Amazon.com

A widower rancher and single father ain't your typical TV Western hero. But put a Winchester in his hands and he becomes the Rifleman. Chuck Connors may have struck out as a major-league baseball player, but he was a hit as Lucas McCain in this classic 1958-1963 series that was reportedly Leonid Brezhnev's favorite American TV show. When the former Russian leader visited the U.S. in the early 1970s, he requested to meet Connors. This DVD contains the series' first four episodes, in which McCain and his idolizing son Mark make a fresh start in the "new and mighty fine country" of North Folk, New Mexico. The Wild Bunch director Sam Peckinpah wrote the first two episodes. In "Sharpshooter," McCain takes on the corrupt businessman who has rigged a turkey shoot (that's Dennis Hopper as McCain's competition). In "Home Ranch," henchmen of cattleman Oat Jackford drag McCain from a horse and burn his ranch to run him off his property. Peckinpah is at the reins of the episode "The Marshall," which introduced series regular Paul Fixx as redeemed sheriff Micah Torrance. The Peckinpah touch: one character is blown away with wind-tunnel force, and McCain himself is gunned down. "End of a Young Gun" guest-stars a pre-Bonanza Michael Landon as a bank robber who re-evaluates his life while recuperating from an injury at McCain's ranch. A bonus episode features veteran character actor Jack Elam as a local bully who is taught a lesson by a visiting Italian count. These episodes are surprisingly gritty and brutal. When McCain gets fired up, he goes ballistic. "I'll kill your stock and burn your barns," he threatens Jackford in "Home Ranch." But when things really get tough, he still takes time to teach Mark the story of Job. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Rifleman Vol 1 - A Revisit after forty years
I first saw " The Rifleman " series in Singapore in the mid 1960s. My family enjoyed watching this show. In particular, my elder brother and I grew up with the western films - on screen and TV. After more than 40 years, I still remember vividly Chuck Connors as the super-hero Rifleman. I really enjoyed this DVD and saw all 5 series in a row. I long for more, as the Rifleman is a different kind of hero from the modern hero I see today. The Rifleman balances both compassion with justice in withholding right values against wrong.There is a sense of genuinness when he fought for justice compared with today's heroes.
The 5 shows are very clear with superb sound and voice clarity. Till today, Chuck Connors remains my favourite hero and justice icon.

Terrific, Peckinpah-Directed Episodes Best
The first episode (pilot episode) is the best. Episodes handled by Sam Peckinpah are the best because they have a somewhat harder "edge" and never get "sappy" as this series did in its last year or so (this DVD has the most Peckinpah episodes).

Too bad we get shortchanged, this DVD needs at least two more espisodes. DVD's longer service life makes it worthwhile to upgrade to have the best episodes of the best western series.

"The Rifleman" is superior to the other westerns of its era, nearly 30 years after its debut, this series was a prime component of one cable channel's lineup. Surprisingly, Conners began a short-lived attorneys series immediately after "The Rifleman" went off the air. This series was a coming together of talented actors with good chemistry together, mostly good scripts, and the best music of any TV show ever.

The Rifeman...The story begins.
"The Rifleman" was on TV before I was born, and though I dimly remembered the show growing up, I really became acquainted with the program when it was carried for a time on the Family Channel a few years ago. I enjoyed the program immensely, attracted by the relationship between Lucas McCain and his son Mark. Wonderful acting by the tough as nails Chuck Connors, and the adorable Johnny Crawford. Time really flies watching this program, it seems that it has only just begun, and then suddenly it's over. The same can be said of this DVD, as the episodes seem to quickly slip by one after another.

McCain is a single father, trying to find a new life with his son in North Fork. His goal is to teach his son what he needs to know to survive in the old wild West. McCain's methods are basic "tough love", and may seem harsh by today's standards. But underneath the gruff exterior, is the true warm love of a father for his son. A similar treatment is applied to others undergoing life crisis, like the alcoholic Micah Torrance, and Michael Landon's outlaw character, as well as many others in future episodes in order to help them see the error of their ways.

Issues of morality are typically presented as black and white, compromise is usually out of the question. Justice is often administered by McCain's tricked out Winchester lever-action rifle. Some episodes (particularly Peckinpah's), not necessarily in this collection, are particularly violent. The violence is treated as necessary, but the dead are not dwelt upon, and therefore the effect is softened, and passes as we fade to the commercial break. McCain kills only when forced to, and as a last resort.

Others may not agree, but "The Rifleman" is a show about men, primarily for men. Sure, it will find an audience with some women, but this show definitely has a masculine view of the world. In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks, there may more of an audience for a program where moral issues are clear, and justice is swift.

My only complaint is that there is not enough material included. Five episodes is good, but six, seven, or eight would have been better. Sorry, but I'm greedy, and don't want to buy an excessive