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The facts have become legend. Star Trek, the NBC series that premiered on September 8, 1966, has become a touchstone of international popular culture. It struggled through three seasons that included cancellation and last-minute revival, and turned its creator, Gene Roddenberry, into the progenitor of an intergalactic phenomenon. Eventually expanding to encompass five separate TV series, an ongoing slate of feature films, and a fan base larger than the population of many third-world countries, the Star Trek universe began not with a Big Bang but with a cautious experiment in network TV programming. Even before its premiere episode ("The Man Trap") was aired, Star Trek had struggled to attain warp-drive velocity, barely making it into the fall '66 NBC lineup.

The series' original pilot, "The Cage," featured Jeffrey Hunter as U.S.S. Enterprise captain Christopher Pike--a variation of the role that would eventually catapult William Shatner to TV stardom. Filmed in 1964, the pilot was rejected by NBC the following year, but the network made a rare decision to order a second pilot. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was filmed in 1965, and only one character from the previous pilot remained--a pointy-eared alien named Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), whom Roddenberry had retained despite network disapproval. The second pilot was accepted, and production on Star Trek began in earnest with the filming of its first regular episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver."

Never a ratings success despite a growing population of devoted fans, Star Trek was canceled after its second season, prompting a letter-writing campaign that resulted in the series' third-season renewal. It was a mixed blessing, since Roddenberry had departed as producer to protest the network's neglect, and Star Trek's third season contained most of the series' weakest episodes. And yet, the show continued to "to explore strange new worlds…to seek out new life and new civilizations…to boldly go where no man [a phrase later amended to "no one"] has gone before."

There were milestones along the way. The first interracial kiss on network primetime TV (between Shatner and series co-star Nichelle Nichols) furthered a richly positive and expansive view of a better, nobler future for humankind. The series offered a timelessly appealing balance of humor, imagination, and character depth. And at least one episode (Harlan Ellison's "The City on the Edge of Forever") ranks among the finest science fiction stories in any popular medium. Beloved by long-time fans in spite of its cheesy sets and costumes, and the now-dated trappings of late-1960s American culture, "classic Trek" has aged remarkably well, and its sense of adventure and idealism continues to live long and prosper. --Jeff Shannon

The three 2004 DVD sets collect all 79 episodes of the show, including "The Cage" in both a restored color version and the original, never-aired version that alternates between color and black and white. Each set is supplemented by over an hour of featurettes incorporating new and old interviews with Shatner, Nimoy, other cast members, and producers, and there's also some vintage footage of Gene Roddenberry. Accompanying the 20-minute seasonal recaps ("To Boldly Go...") are a number of interesting featurettes: "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy" examines the two pilot episodes and the development of the crew; "Sci-Fi Visionaries" discusses the series' great science fiction writers; Nimoy debunks various rumors in "Reflections of Spock"; "Kirk, Spock & Bones: The Great Trio" focuses on the interplay among Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley); and, in what is probably his last Star Trek appearance, James Doohan (Scotty), slowed by Alzheimer's but still with a twinkle in his eye, recalls his voiceover roles and his favorite episodes.As they've done for many of the feature-film special editions, Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda provide a pop-up text commentary on four of the episodes filled with history, trivia, and dry wit. It's the first commentary of any kind for a Star Trek TV show, but an audio commentary is still overdue. The technical specs are mostly the same as other Trek TV series--Dolby 5.1, English subtitles--but with the welcome addition of the episode trailers. The plastic cases are an attempt to replicate some of the fun packaging of the series' European DVD releases, but it's a bit clunky, and the paper sleeve around the disc case seems awkward and crude. Still, the sets are a vast improvement both in terms of shelf space and bonus features compared to the old two-episode discs, which were released before full-season boxed sets became the model for television DVDs. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

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Saved from the brink of cancellation by its loyal fanbase, Star Trek's third and final season rewarded them with a number of memorable episodes.Tight budgets and slipping creative control, however, made it the series' most uneven season, though it did have some of the coolest episode titles ("For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky," "Is There in Truth No Beauty," "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield").Some of the best moments involved a gunfight at the OK Corral ("Spectre of the Gun"), a knock-down drag-out sword battle with the Klingons aboard the Enterprise ("Day of the Dove"), the ship getting caught in an ever-tightening spacial net ("The Tholian Web"), TV's first interracial kiss ("Plato's Stepchildren," and it should be easy to guess who participated), Sulu taking command ("The Savage Curtain"), and Kirk's switching bodies with an ex-love interest ("Turnabout Intruder").

Also appearing in the set as a coda are two versions of the series pilot, "The Cage," a restored color version and the original, never-aired version that alternates between color and black and white.Starring Jeffery Hunter as Captain Pike, Leonard Nimoy as a relatively emotional Spock, and Majel Barrett (the future Nurse Chapel and Mrs. Gene Roddenberry) as a frosty Number One, this pilot was rejected, but a second was commissioned, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," now considered the "official" beginning of the series.But "The Cage" is very recognizably Star Trek with its far-out concepts (telepathic aliens collecting species samples), sexy humanoid women, character development, and of course cheesy costumes and special effects.Footage was later reused in the season 1 two-parter, "The Menagerie."

The best of the 63 minutes of bonus material focuses on three of the actors: Walter Koenig, George Takei, and James Doohan.Koenig discusses how he was cast and shows off his various collections, one consisting of Chekov figurines.Takei speaks movingly about the Japanese American internment and, in what is probably his last Star Trek appearance, Doohan, slowed by Alzheimer's but still with a twinkle in his eye, recalls his voiceover roles and his favorite episodes.The Easter eggs are amusingly called "Red Shirt Files" in tribute to those poor saps who everyone knew were only in the landing party so they could die.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Third Complete Season in an 8-DVD Set! Fantastic!
When Paramount Home Video first started to release the original series of "Star Trek" in 1999, I was aghast at the fact that only one DVD with two episodes per DVD were being released one DVD at a time at a very high cost. The cost to own all 40 volumes (DVD's) was staggering. Of course, this doesn't even address the amount of shelf space required for all 40 DVD's.

Now, with this repackaged version, all 24 episodes of the third season are being released together on 8 disks. It will probably also include both versions (color and black-and-white) of the unaired original pilot "The Cage". This is the packaged version of the original "Star Trek" that I fully intend to purchase because even at full list price, the cost of owning the third complete season is less than half the cost of owning its earlier cousins on an equivalent 13 DVD's. Also, the packaging itself has been designed similarly to the packaging used for other "Star Trek" series released in complete seasons, meaning that it will only require a small amount of shelf space. It is also possible that extra documentary and commentary material not released originally will be included in this complete third season box set.

The original series of "Star Trek", that ran for three complete seasons between 1966 and 1969, started a franchise that has included six television series and ten big screen motion pictures. The main original characters of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Lt. Commander/Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard H. 'Bones' McCoy (DeForest Kelley, 1920-1999), Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott (James Doohan), Lt. Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Ensign Pavel Chekov (Walter Keonig from 1967-1969), Yeoman Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney from 1966-1967) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett) have become an inseparable part of Americana. Though series creator Gene Roddenberry (1921-1991) was not able to keep the original series alive for five seasons as originally envisioned (it was cancelled after its third season), he, along with the countless series fans, was able to resurrect it in the form of six motion pictures beginning in 1979 and the first series spin-off, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987, which ran for seven years and had spin-offs of its own. There was also a 22-episode animated version based upon the original series that ran from 1972 to 1974.

In spite of receiving five Emmy nominations during its life and several previously successful efforts (including letter-writing campaigns) that had saved the show from cancellation on more than one occasion, the combination of poor Nielsen ratings, a shrinking budget and too-often weak episode writing made the third season of "Star Trek" its last. The most memorable episodes of the third season include "Spock's Brain", "The Enterprise Incident" (using Klingon ships for Romulans), "The Paradise Syndrome", "Is There No Truth in Beauty" (with guest character Dr. Ann Mulhall as played by Diana Muldaur, who had previously guest acted in the second-season episode "Return to Tomorrow" and also played the unpopular character Dr. Katherine Pulaski in the second season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"), "For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky", "The Tholian Web", "Plato's Stepchildren" (which had the first inter-racial kiss on televsion), "Wink of an Eye", "The Empath", "Elaan of Troyius", "Whom Gods Destroy", "The Mark of Gideon", "The Lights of Zetar", "Requiem for Methuselah", "The Cloud Minders", "The Savage Curtain" and "All Our Yesterdays". Arguably, the worst episode during the third season was "The Way to Eden", about a group of hippies searching for Eden (the probable inspiration for the worst-ever "Star Trek" film, "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" in 1989). Other particularly weak third-season episodes include "And the Children Shall Lead", "Spectre of the Gun" featuring a re-enactment of the old-West shoot-out at the O.K. Corral, "Day of the Dove", "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" about racism, "That Which Survives" and the final episode "Turnabout Intruder" that showcased some of Shatner's worst acting abilities.

Ironically, six weeks after "Turnabout Intruder" aired on 6/3/1969, Neil Armstrong and 'Buzz' Aldrin became the first human beings to land and walk upon an extraterrestrial body, Earth's moon, on 7/20/1969. Shortly thereafter, interest in "Star Trek" grew considerably. Paramount Pictures nearly resurrected the television show in 1977 (called "Star Trek: Phase II") after all but Leonard Nimoy had signed on, but the project was abandoned shortly after George Lucas' 1977 film "Star Wars" blew audiences away. Fans had to wait another two years when the disappointing film "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was released. It is interesting to note that two of people (Jo and John Trimble) who started one of the successful letter-writing campaigns that had once saved "Star Trek" from cancellation in 1968, were the same people that started a letter-writing campaign to convince NASA to name the first space shuttle "Enterprise" in honor of "Star Trek".

Overall, I rate the 8-DVD set of "Star Trek: Original Series Season 3" with an anticipatory 4 out of 5 stars. Clearly, this is how Paramount should have released the original series to begin with. Though the third season suffered from more poor episodes than the previous two, I continue to thank Gene Roddenberry for taking all of us "where no man has gone before".

Only a small handful of good shows.
Thrid Season of Star Trek was it's last and it was marked by both a feud between Gene Roddenbery and a new producer over the show's budget. Somewhat more cheaper production values, decreaaed visual effects work, and poore writing. The few Exceptions were "The Enterprise Incident, The Tholian Web, Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, That Which Survies, The Lights of Zetar, and the Savage Curtain

ST's final frontier
Barely getting renewed for a third season,Star Trek had two disadvantages when it returned.First was executive producer Gene Coon's departure from the series, as well Gene Roddenberry's decreased involvement.The other was a new timeslot on Friday at 10:00 PM, a slot known to bury flagging shows by the networks.
Over the years, many blamed the new producer Fred Frieberg for the lacking quality of the show. Freiberg's only sin was coming aboard a sinking ship which was suffering budget cuts as well as weak stories and it's creator's lack of interest due to the networks total disregard of the show.
Even with the few brilliant episodes (Empath, Paradise Syndrome,Enterprise Incident, Tholian Web, Requium Of Methuselah,All Our Yesterdays), season three is notorious with two of the worst ever in the history of Trek (The Way To Eden, and Spock's Brain).
By the end of season three,ST was finally cancelled after 78 aired episodes in 1969.Even fans couldn't save it, as NBC buried the show.But thanks to syndication, ST became even more popular than when it originally aired and build upon a growing franchise (Conventions, Saturday Morning cartoons,toys, etc,).The ten years after the end of the series,Star Trek The Motion Picture premired.And that was just the beginning. ... Read more

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Something the Lord Made recounts the relationship between Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivian Thomas (Mos Def). It begins in 1930s Nashville when imperious cardiac surgeon Blalock hires Thomas, an African American carpenter, as his janitor. When the latter reveals a passion for medicine and facility with surgical instruments, Blalock promotes him to lab tech. Thomas isn't given a raise, works side jobs to make ends meet, and is expected to be grateful. Along the way, he follows Blalock from Vanderbilt to Johns Hopkins, where they save thousands of lives through their pioneering work, but will Thomas ever get any credit? The film provides a satisfying answer to that question. Joseph Sargent (A Lesson Before Dying) directs with subtlety and intelligence, while Rickman and Mos Def are in top form, often underplaying where most actors would do otherwise. Something the Lord Made won the 2004 Emmy for outstanding made-for-TV movie. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Very Well Made Science Fiction
By the early 1970's some science fiction films started trying to tell more serious stories and try to get away from the campy B-movie production values that was so evident in most movies of the genre in the 1950's, this movie was a good effort in production. Film maker Joseph Sargent made Colossus as a serious film, when a super-computer is developed and takes over the missile systems of first the United States and then the world. Eric Braeden and Susan Clark play the scientists who try to save mankind from a future where the super-computers will run everything. The production values and the sets are well constructed, the acting is very good, and the screen play is intelligently done. This movie makes many of today's big budget films as more style rather then substance.

Underrated technological thriller still carries a punch
Regardless of how dated its technology or special effects are, COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PORJECT is still a very well made science fiction/suspense drama with a very chilling punch.

America and the free world have put its nuclear defenses in the hands of a supercomputer, designed by Dr. Charles Forbin (Eric Braeden) called Colossus. But not long after that, the Russians switch on their own machine for similar purposes, this one called Guardian. And when the two machines develop an intersystem language for communication (one previous reviewer said this was a dry run for the Internet, and he may have been more right that he thought), soon they develop into one technological behemoth that believes it can preserve the future of the human race better than fallible humans.

This precursor to such technological thrillers as WESTWORLD, JURASSIC PARK, and A.I. has gone underrated for years for various reasons. Its cast wasn't exactly well known in 1970. Its story has a very downbeat and chilling coda. Furthermore, Universal did not know how to effectively promote the film in the wake of Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY; the Colossus/Guardian entity in this movie, like HAL in the Kubrick film, becomes a central part of the story.

Now, however, COLOSSUS can be seen as a highly suspenseful prelude of things to come. It is superbly directed by Joseph Sargent, with a script by James Bridges (who later directed and co-wrote THE CHINA SYNDROME) from D.F. Jones' 1967 novel "Colossus." Albert Whitlock's imaginative special effects top off things. Though not widely seen in 1970, COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT should now stand as a very pointed message film about technology overtaking and possibly even enslaving Man.

Geeks only
In this modern age of ultimate computer technology, Colossus: The Forbin Project stands out amongst the 1960s masters of how computers were completely misunderstood. In an attempt to curb human emotions in the use of nuclear weapons, Dr Forbin creates a supercomputer which will control all of the United States nuclear arsenal.

Much to the surprise of its creators, Colossus (as the machine is called) has a counterpart in the Soviet Union and when the two combine forces the result is a super-supercomputer which then seeks to take over the world (which, of course, is not difficult as much of the infrastructure of such world domination had been handed to them on a plate).

We who work with computers on a daily basis realize that this is as silly a premise as the average household toaster taking over the planet, but to those in 1970, when the film was made, this illustrated a definite possibility (unless you actually worked with computers at that time, in which case the premise was as silly then as it is now).

However, technical nitpicking aside, Colossus: The Forbin Project should earn a place in techno-cultural history, not for its prediction of the future (or a potential one), but as a masterpiece of the mentality of the time. Films of a similar calibre in relation to "computers-gone-mad" include 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Invisible Boy (for a really stupid 1950s perspective) and The Day the Earth Stood Still (also from the 50s).

A four star movie, not for technical wizardry, but as an example of how misunderstood computer technology was at the time. Oh, and it's fairly well acted, produced and directed. The opening sequence of the "closing" of Colossus shows some excellent cinema art work while imparting the drama that will ensue (if you can avoid laughing).

An excellent film, but let's face it, it's really for geeks only.

Fabulous, Little Known Sci-Fi Flick
While Colossus: The Forbin Project may not have aged well in terms of some of the computer technology displayed in the film, it is nonetheless an excellent movie.

The premise is similar to the Terminator movies. All of America's defense capabilities are wired into a defense computer called Colossus. One of its first acts is the discovery of its Russian equivalent, named Guardian. In an ill-advised move, the political powers that be allow the two computers to talk to each other. They quickly decide that man is both a threat to them and a temporarily necessary evil. When the leaders of America and Russia decide to pull the plug on their chit-chat, the two machines set about asserting their will (by launching missiles at each other's country).

The remainder of the movie details the efforts of humanity to outwit and disarm the machines. The outcome is solemn and very serious.

This is one of those terribly unappreciated movies that is almost never shown on television. Fortunately, I bought the tape several years ago and have enjoyed many times since purchasing it.

Highly recommended.

The best of the "computer that ate the world" movies
Colossus: The Forbin Project is based on the first book in a trilogy by D. F. Jones. Other reviews have given you the plot. What I would like to point out is that 1) this movie is sparing on special effects, and this helps keep the movie from looking too dated. It just looks like a movie that takes place in the 70s. For example, in the book when Colossus and Guardian (and by the way I used to work for a computer company that had an operating system named Guardian which gave me no end of amusement)start communicating at high speed, their teleprinters stop. In the movie, they use a monitor instead, which shows communication at the then lightning speed of about 1200 baud(!) 2) The real story in this movie is of course the humans fighting this monster, and it is there that this movie really shines. There are intense scenes where the dialog is as tight as a 40s film noir. Note, for example, the juxtaposition of Forbin's chess game with Colossus, while Colossus calmly does some very, very bad things and you get some intercut scenes that are pretty jarring. And the final scene with Eric Braeden? Yikes. The guy delivers a one-word line of dialogue with as much emotion as you'll ever see in this kind of movie--made all the more effective by Braeden's restrained performance throughout the rest of the movie. 3) Besides Braeden, the cast is extremely effective including Susan Clark as a shy computer scientist. 4) The ending of the movie is gutsy. In the second and third books of the trilogy things get even more outrageous, but I can't hint at it without giving away the end of this movie. 4) OK rights owners, I've given up EVER seeing the other Colossus books made into a movie, but can you PULEASE release this on DVD? 5) If you like science fiction at all, or even if you don't, give this superior movie a shot. If you stay with it through the chess scene, I'm betting you'll be riveted to your chair for the rest of the movie. And HEY--unplug your PC or Mac while you still can. ... Read more

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The critical and popular success of the Lonesome Dove miniseries just about ensured a sequel or three. The first spinoff,Return to Lonesome Dove, was rushed out without author LarryMcMurtry's input, but Streets of Laredo, which McMurtry scripted from his own novel, returns us firmly to his brutal West. Legendary Texas Ranger Captain Woodrow Call (James Garner, who steps into the boots left by Tommy Lee Jones with comfortable assurance and understated courage) has turned bounty hunter, and he heads off on the bloody trail of vicious Mexican gunman Joey Garza (Alexis Cruz), a sadistic, angry south-of-the-border rebel without a cause. Lonesome Dove echoes through the story: Call's former trail hand Pea Eye Parker (Sam Shepard) is enlisted in his posse and Parker's wife, Lorena (Sissy Spacek in the role Diane Lane created in the original and the desert-worn soul of this story), follows in their wake with news that the psychopathic renegade Mox Mox (Kevin Conway), who once held her captive, is alive and back on the warpath.

McMurtry's Old West is not a pleasant place, and Streets of Laredo is not for the faint of heart. It's a lawless, racist, brutal world where might may not make right, but it certainly holds sway in isolated desert towns and lonely trails. Yet for all the tragedy and violence, McMurtry finds hope in the love and respect that breaks down racial barriers, holds families together, and creates new ones. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (27)

The Real Sequel to Lonesome Dove.
This is the real, Larry McMurtry written, sequel to Lonesome Dove (not Lonesome Dove II), and it has all of McMurtry's specialities: well-drawn characters, absolutely viscious and unredeemable villains & murderers, and complex protagonists with a hell of a tale to tell.

Tommy Lee Jones was the perfect physical embodiment of hard-bitten Texas Ranger Woodrow Call. A small man, ramrod straight with a ferocious temper and will of iron that made him SEEM like a bigger man. But TLJ didn't make this trip for whatever reason. Instead, we have James Garner taking over as Woodrow, and he IS a big man and inately likeable. No matter, Garner is too good an actor not to win you over, and we quickly adjust to him as an older, more tired, laconic, but still mean as hell Woodrow Call.

Peaeye is now Sam Shepard and Lorena is Sissy Spacek and she has passed by all her would-be suitors and married the taciturn Ranger, become a school teacher, and together they have 5 children. Peaeye is called out of domesticity by Woodrow to chase down a teenage psychopathic killer, Joey Garza, with a sidetrip to chase down another bad bad man named Mox Mox whose specialty is burning men, women, children & animals alive for the fun of it.

And so it begins, with much emphasis on character and wild "characters" and with a casual understanding of the hard lives and brutality of the Texas of that time.

If you liked Lonesome Dove, you will like this. The cast changes were made with excellent people stepping into the familiar roles, and you will soon accept them and be caught up in the story. If you didn't like Lonesome Dove, too bad for you, and you definitely will want to skip this.

Wasted potential
Although cast in the mighty shadow of Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo had the potential to be another great Western based upon Larry McMurtry's beloved series. Unfortunately, it failed to live up to that potential. While Lonesome Dove was a sprawling epic steeped in the mystique of the American frontier, Streets of Laredo is a crime drama. Instead of a cattle-drive across a thousand miles of harsh country, we get a hunt for a pre-pubescent brat with a taste for blood. That in itself could have made for some compelling film making if the pace wasn't so slow. There was also the failure of any of the faces from Lonesome Dove to return. This gives Streets of Laredo a disappointing lack of continuity.

No doubt the biggest disappointment was Tommy Lee Jones's failing to return to the role of Captain Woodrow F. Call. Although James Garner is talented, he is too sympathetic, too personable to be such a brooding loner. Shepard's Pea Eye is too smart, too, well, handsome. Cruz's portrayl of the murderous Garza was far too tame, too detached. Big mistake. Randy Quaid's John Wesley Hardin was interesting, but a total waste of film. There was no reason for him to be here. George Carlin was a surprise, one of the few bright moments. Also worth noting is that the sepia tones of Lonesome Dove have been replaced with rich, vibrant colors straight out of the Technicolor Westerns of yore. As far as the DVD itself: much less care was put into the making of this DVD than its predecessor. It's basically bare bones. That pretty much sums up the film itself.

WORTHY SEQUEL TO LONESOME DOVE
STREETS OF LAREDO has taken considerable heat for missing Tommy Lee Jones as Woodrow F. Call. Yes, the film would have benefited from a reprise by Mr. Jones in the role that he created but don't write it off because of that. There are aspects of this adaptation that are actually stronger than LONESOME DOVE.

After reading the book and watching STREETS OF LAREDO numerous times, I have to admit that, in his own right, James Garner does well as Captain Call, bringing his own enterpretation to the part and departing from most of the mannerisms that Jones brought to LONESOME DOVE.

Sam Shepard as Pea Eye Parker is a considerable improvement over Tim Scott, the original Pea Eye. I like Shepard's honest performance as a simple man rather than Scott's as a moron. Shepard's Pea Eye, while simple and slow is nonetheless tough and steady.

Sissy Spacek is terrific as Lorena (Wood) Parker. In fact I find that she fits the role far better than Diane Lane, the original Lorena from LONESOME DOVE and provides a tough and gritty performance as Mrs. Parker here.

Ned Beatty stars portrays the crochety, self-appointed Judge Roy Bean and Randy Quaid is darkly hilarious as the western outlaw John Wesley Hardin.

Other stars include Wes Studi as tracker Famous Shoes, George Carlin as Billy Williams and Sonja Braga as Maria Garza, a good woman trying to keep her world from coming apart while hoping to love her son-gone-bad back into the fold.

STREETS OF LAREDO is a great film. Don't miss it just because it lacks Tommy Lee Jones.

THE HORSEMAN

The Author's Finale
Not only is Larry McMurtry an excellent storyteller, but he's also somewhat of a literary genius. He could've written a sequel to Lonesome Dove that would've been satisfying and cliché, but he left that to Hollywood. I don't know if Streets of Laredo happened because of or in spite of the farce that is called, Return to Lonesome Dove, but Streets is definitely the better offering. McMurtry took the story in a completely different direction. In doing so, he cheated us out of certain things that we'd hoped for after finishing Lonesome Dove. There is no final conversation between Woodrow and Newt about Newt's heritage. The fate of July Johnson is a tragic and useless one. The Hatcreek Ranch in Montana goes bust and that's why Call becomes a bounty hunter. Those who enjoyed the book won't be disappointed in the film adaptation. Many have stated that James Garner's interpretation of Woodrow Call doesn't live up to that of Tommy Lee Jones and I cannot disagree. But Garner is a talented actor and he stayed true to McMurtry's character of Call. McMurtry wisely chose not to do "just another Lonesome Dove." Again, he left that to the shallower Hollywood crowd. While Lonesome Dove was a sweeping epic of a cattle drive, Streets of Laredo was simply the story of a chase to track down a young, brutal killer. McMurtry is a master of authentic dialogue and character development and he doesn't fail to deliver with his vast cast. Judge Roy Bean, Brookshire, John Wesley Harden, Billy Williams, Mox Mox and Famous Shoes all add to the texture of the movie. The most tragic figure is the long-suffering mother of Joey Garza, Maria, who defends her son in spite of his misdeeds. There are some details that are hard to swallow, such as the marriage of Lorena and Pea Eye, but the overall story still stands. This is certainly a darker offering than its predecessor considering that Gus supplied most of the mirth in Lonesome Dove. Still, it's worth watching for those who appreciate McMurtry's ability to tell a good story. The DVD is desolate when it comes to bonus material, but the sound and picture quality are far superior to the VHS version. It's also worth noting that the DVd version is uncut, offering scenes that do not appear in the VHS. No, Streets of Laredo does not live up to Lonesome Dove, but I don't think McMurtry meant for it to do so and the story stands on its own as a good one.

Stay away from this disgusting Western concoction!
Imagine taking the worst of the Spaghetti Westerns,
give it an illustrious cast (James Garner, Sam
Shepard, Sissy Spacek, and on and on) and pour
a heavy dose of gore, rape, and an endless stream
of meaningless sadistic violence: what do you end up
with? "Streets of Laredo"

The above excellent actors and actresses should feel ashamed
of being seen in this awful and disgusting concoction. There
are no discernible redeeming elements in this carnival of
gratuitious violence!

Even you "Lonesome Dove" fans should stay away from this one! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Very good movie, grab a box of tissues.
This movie was excellent, very sad but realistic about racism and how African Americans were not treated equally in the South. A great line from the movie that sums up the entire film is "when a white man dies, a black man has to pay for it", in summary. No matter who is actually guilty, whether there's proof or not, a black man must die. I don't think I'd want to see this movie again because it was very, very sad, but powerful. A great movie and I'm glad I watched it.

Faithful to the book
This movie faithfully captures the essence of the book and brings it to life. When I read the book I just loved it. Shortly after I finished reading the book, I found out that HBO was going to show the movie, but I didn't have HBO. So when I saw that it had come out on DVD, I knew I had to buy it. When I got it, I popped it in right away and WOW, I was pleasantly surprised. It followed the book very well and wasn't "Hollywood-ized".

I warn that this movie isn't very action-packed, but it's a great intriguing drama. I recommend it to anyone looking to see an intelligent, well-made movie.

Deals With Issues Much Deeper That Skin Color
I missed the first few minutes of this film, so I watched the rest not knowing if the convicted man was guilty. By the end of the film, it was no longer an issue...
The same appeared to happen with the racial issues presented. The open demoralizing of the blacks (by the whites) was soon overshadowed by the more personal issues of spirituality and self-esteem. One of Cheadle's finer performances, in my opinion, with equally impressive supporting performances.

This is a wonderful film, with a "Lesson" or two for us all.

Dreadful PC Propaganda
I'm a huge Don Cheadle fan, but this film is unworthy of him. [People] who claim that it's a story about racism either don't understand the film or don't understand racism. Basically, here's the plot: The character played by Mekhi Pfeiffer is an unwitting accomplice in a botched armed robbery that leaves three people dying on the floor of a grocery store. Rather than summon help for the others, all Pfeiffer can think to do is help himself to the money in the cash register. He is caught, and in the ensuing trial the prosecutor calls him an animal because of his depraved indifference to human life. That is supposed to be the psychological turning point in the film, because Pfeiffer's family insists on proving that he's no animal and can take his punishment -- in this case, death -- with his head held high. Yeah, right. Guess what? He is an animal, and if the story had involved all-black or all-white characters, racism wouldn't be an issue. A more compelling question: if Pfeiffer's family was so concerned with his "dignity," why didn't they teach him moral values in the first place?

Great Film Adaptation!
This was one of the best film adaptations of a book that I have seen in a long time! The film had a great cast and managed to capture the essence of the book. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Between the politics and love
This a nicely made movie based on the life of Arturo Sandoval, a Cuban (-American) jazz musician. Between his love for jazz and for his wife the great musician is stuck between international politics.

Great Jazz performances (including Dizzy G.) and beautiful photography, Andy Garcia is being a great actor that he is shows a great performance in this movie.

Little bit of propaganda has slided in but the good music makes it possible to stay blind to that aspect.

Entertaining, enlightening drama!
Entertaining, enlightening drama! This artistic production (originally an HBO tele-film) presents a touching love story shown against a colorful visual backdrop set to vibrant music. Great acting! I was an admirer of Andy Garcia's talents prior to viewing this piece, which has only increased my appreciation of his abilities (he is also executive producer). Mr.Garcia's love for Cuba and passion for music (jazz) are present throughout as the story, which is predictable (and told in flashbacks) unfolds. The viewer senses the rising frustration of musician Arturo Sandoval (Garcia) at the conflict presented by his human need to freely express his love (music),which is increasingly blocked by the repressive political regime in power, without losing his lover (who becomes his wife) and son. As political developments occur (which are depicted through newsclips viewed by characters), he sadly concludes that he must leave his native Cuba. Mia Maestro as Mrs. Sandoval, a Cuban supporter of the Castro regime at the beginning (a government employee, in fact) similarly experiences an emotional journey which eventually leads her to realize she must follow her husband (and her heart) by agreeing to defect with him. The complications of carrying out this effort provide the essence of the story. Charles Dutton, as Dizzy Gillespie, plays a colorful character who has a pivotal part as the plot unfolds; Gloria Estefan also appears. The story is more poignant because we know that it is a biography, and that Mr. and Mrs. Sandoval provided technical advice. Thank you to Mr. Garcia and to Mr. Sandoval for giving us this story! The sharp technical quality of the DVD format enhances the colorful recreation of 1970's Havanna (the production was actually shot in Puerto Rico and Miami); the edition also includes interviews with cast members.

An amazing story, incredible music
This movie has all it needs to make it worthy of a spot in your video library. Wonderful characterizations by gifted artists, beautiful staging and scenery, a fabulous soundtrack, and a story that made me wonder, "What do I hold so fundamental that I would be willing to risk everything to keep it?" After renting the video, I recommended it to a jazz-music-loving friend, who, in turn, bought me the DVD for my birthday (knowing he can borrow it!). Watching it again motivated me to splurge on tickets to Arturo Sandoval when he came to our area, which was the best night of music I have ever heard. Each time I watch this movie, the story and the music move me. You will not be disappointed.

Escape to Freedom
FOR LOVE OR COUNTRY is based on the true story of Arturo Sandoval who finally cooperates with the Cuban government and even joins the communist party in order to have the freedom to travel internationally. He was living in a country where there was no respect for human rights, let alone freedom of expression in music.

Arturo Sandoval is one of the most brilliant musicians of our time and is known as a protégé of the great Dizzy Gillespie. He was born in Artemisa on November 6, 1949. Artemisa is a small town on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba.

He realized he was a trumpet player when he was eleven. He began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve. He is now known as one of the world's most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn. As a Professor, Sandoval has lectured internationally.

Filled with a virtuoso capability, he had an intense desire to share his musical gift with those who share the same love for music. Arturo Sandoval appears on the tracks "Moonglow" and "That Old Feeling" in Rod Stewart's release "It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook." His diverse style can be heard on albums like Gloria Estefan's "Into the Light." He also has made a contribution on albums by Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra and Paul Anka.

This movie emphasizes his virtuoso technical ability and his specialty in high notes. He also is shown playing the piano and is known for lyrically improvising a ballad. He also had the privilege of creating and performing the score for this movie. The story of his own life. He explains:

"When the idea for the movie came up, I was happy to be able to tell my story, but even happier to write the film score," he says. "Music for movies has been my life's passion, and this was my first and biggest step in that direction........."

In the movie, Arturo (Cuban-American actor Andy García) is thinking about defecting when he meets Marianela (Mia Maestro). She becomes more important to him than freedom. Their beliefs are on the opposite sides of the political spectrum and yet their love binds them to one another as they try to overlook their political differences.

Marianela represents family loyalty and the way people who live in Cuba really think. It shows how Marianela goes from being completely loyal to a dictator to having her eyes opened to the reality of the situation. She falls completely in love with this talented musician but fears he may leave her like her first husband. Arturo has also been married before and while he is willing to spend his entire life with Marianela, she has her doubts and issues with trust. She has been betrayed by the government she supported.

"What I feel about you. I've never felt it before ... I don't trust it." -Marianela

This movie is at times so romantic. Especially the scene where Marianela and Arturo are dancing and when she wakes him up after he spends the night sleeping on a grave. The scene overlooking the ocean is so pristine.

After performing with the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music, he was allowed to start a group called Irakere that promoted a combination of Cuban music and jazz. In 1981 he then leaves Irakere to form his own band.

He believes he has a gift to give the world and is fighting a force that threatened to drown his true love, music.

After living with his wife in Cuba and starting a family, he decides it is time to leave. He believes that by defecting to the United States he is rejecting a system that kills confidence and personality. Rejecting a government that controls everything to the point that people lose their desire to achieve.

The government finally tries to control Sandoval's music and his dream for greater artistic expression. While on a European tour, he leaves for a secret meeting at the U.S. Embassy.

Sandoval was granted political asylum in July 1990. Since his defection, Sandoval has increased his classical performances world wide including performances with the National Symphony, L.A. Philharmonic, National Symphony of Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh Symphony.

"This was such a blessing for me. I thank God everyday for being here in this wonderful country and sharing my music. This experience has been very rewarding. I hope that our modest musical contribution here today shows we stand united and strong and that we are America the Beautiful." ~Arturo Sandoval speaking of his opportunity to share his music at the White House

Even Arturo says he would like to go back to visit his homeland, but under a different government.

"Flight to Freedom" was his first recording immediately following his defection.

An emotional movie about the desire to use your God-given talents without repression from those who don't see beauty in the soul. This movie really is about having a dream and finding your true purpose in life. This is a movie about beauty and sadness with a happy ending.

Life is truly a dream for those who are free and yet at times even if you are free, you can feel that you are in a prison of yourself. There are times when a person feels they have so much to give and they can't find an outlet for their gift to the world. In such a case a person can at times risk everything for the freedom of expression and the freedom to grow as a person, as a soul.

If you never follow your dreams, you might not be really free.

A movie about Romance and Freedom everyone should see! Especially romantics and those who love Jazz.

I love you Arturo
This movie is just brilliant I love it. the scene in the club were he is playing with dizzy gilespy is awsome. Salt penuts Salt penuts! ... Read more

Description

In Out of the Ashes, one woman is forced to choose between two horrifying acts of evil, and ultimately finds the courage to make the right choice.Based on actual events that occurred during World War II that chronicles the life of Dr. Gisella Perl, a woman who lost her entire family and was forced to start life over in America. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Powerful
This is a not-to-be-missed movie. Exceptionally moving and powerful. Lahti is extraordinarily wonderful in her portrayal of Dr. Perl. Ultimately, this is a movie about life, hope, atonement, and courage.

A Dark and Moving Moment of History and Consequences
OUT OF THE ASHES was released last year as a film for television and fortunately it is now available on DVD for extended audience exposure. Directed by Joseph Sargent and based on the autobiography of Dr. Gisella Perl, this film is about the survival of a physician (Dr. Perl) so compassionate in her dedication to her fellow inmates at Auschwitz that, knowing pregnant Jews were among the first to be cremated in the Nazi ovens, knowingly performed numerous abortions and in doing so saved the lives of countless women. As if her rigors of survival in the concentration camps and her loss of her family to the Nazis weren't enough, she immigrated to the United States for refuge, served in menial medical tasks until she was able to take and pass her exams for medical licensure only to face a panel of folk who declare her a criminal for her role in the concentration camps and make every attempt to prevent her from practicing medicine in the USA. How she survives all of this constitutes the message of this powerful film, but to divulge the ending would diminish the impact for the new viewer. As Dr. Perl, Christine Lahti (one of our most underused and finest actresses) gives a wholly credible, sensitive portrayal: her character remains etched on our minds long after the film is finished. Also in this excellent cast are Richard Crenna, Bruce Davidson, and Beau Bridges among many others in small but pungent roles. Highly recommended.

Christine Lathi Gives A Moving and Powerful Performance
This made-for-tv movie by Showtime is based on the autobiography of Dr. Gisella Perl, a Holocaust Survivor who lost her husband, her son, and along with her entire family when they were deported to Auschwitz from Hungary in 1944. Ms. Lahti give a powerful pand moving erformance portraying Dr. Perl who risked her life to secretly perform abortions on expectant mothers to save them from being sent to the gas chambers at Auschwitz only to have her actions questioned later on when she is attempting to gain citizenship and be able to practice medicine in America. Ms. Lahti turns in an outstanding performance and this is one movie not to be missed. ... Read more

Description

"Turnabout," Ep.79 - A female scientist, jealous of Kirk's career, uses an ancient alien device to trade places with him and take command of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The series' final episode! "The Cage," Ep.99 (B&W and color) - The two versions of Star Trek's rarely seen pilot star Jeffrey Hunter as captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. On an earlier voyage of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise, Kirk's predecessor Captain Christopher Pike tries to rescue an Earth crew that disappeared eighteen years earlier. But it's a trap! Pike is imprisoned in a zoo-like cage and studied by a mysterious higher life-form. "The Cage" Ep.99 was reconstructed with black-and-white footage from Gene Roddenberry's work print and color footage from "The Menagerie" Ep.16. "The Cage" Ep.1 (Color) - This episode includes the long-lost color footage (believed to have been destroyed) from Gene Roddenberry's pilot episode. 185 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Bowing In/Bowing Out
In 1964 Gene Roddenberry pitched his Star Trek idea to NBC executives as "Wagon Train to the Stars." Expecting a western set in space, they gave Roddenberry the go-ahead and set him to work. When they viewed The Cage in early 1965, they must have been surprised. After complaining it was "too cerebral," the suits issued a litany of other complaints: the female second in command (Number One) was unacceptable, and there were too many females in general on the ship ("people will think there's a lot of fooling around going on up there"); the presence of minorities would offend NBC affiliates in the South, who would refuse to air the program; and "that guy with the ears" had to go. Roddenberry was willing to concede the female second in command, but thereafter he dug in his heels: minorities and aliens continue to be a presence in Star Trek to this day.

Watching The Cage from a 21st Century perspective, one wonders what the NBC suits were in a ringer about. The episode is not appreciably higher in concept than many original series episodes, and the whole affair has an appealing "New Frontier" Kennedy-esque flavor.

Somewhat like an Ed Wood movie, Turnabout Intruder is unintentionally humorous. The story idea is ludicrous, the dialogue cringeworthy, and the acting has to be seen to be believed. William Shatner's realization of Kirk's body under the control of Janice Lester (which includes filing his nails and walking with a mincing gait) is the single most over the top performance in all of Trek. He comes across as Joan Crawford on Psilocybin. How his intensely homoerotic moments with guest actor Harry Landers got past the network censors will forever remain a mystery. This story is the greatest camp masterpiece since Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?.

How does this DVD look? The full color version of The Cage is a true restoration, not merely a remastering. The print has been carefully cleaned and color corrected, and various sound elements (dialogue, music, and sound effects) have been remixed from the original sources. Generally it wears its age well, although portions of the dialogue sound fuzzy. The Black & White/Color amalgamation of The Cage is also included. This version has had no rework done, which makes the restoration of the all-color version all the more stunning. Gene Roddenberry's introduction from 1986 is also included, a nice touch.

Saving the first and last for last... um, yeah.
As a final treat for the Trekkies, we see Shatner display Kirk's feminine side in the series swan song, 'Turnabout Intruder', as an old flame takes revenge-- and control of the Enterprise-- by trading bodies with our esteemed starship skipper! Granted, it's sortuva psycho 'Fatal Attraction'-style feminine side, but at least he finally got a role with some real acting range... heh. Sadly, Uhura's absent from the final go-round, and Nurse Chapel has suddenly become a brunette (which I believe is Majel Barrett's natural hair color)! Fortunately, Spock is as logical as ever in this not-half-bad third season eppie. True, it still has a certain degree of hokiness & cheese that makes Star Trek's final year so memorable, but I think it holds up fairly well. It's definitely worth a watch!

Then there's most-anticipated eppie on this platter: the original pilot that didn't quite make the cut. 'The Cage' features a crew of completely-different folks, save for a certain pointy-eared individual. In this adventure, retro-Spock displays a small bit of emotion-he cracks a smile when he touches some vibrating plants, and shouts in surprise when the Talosians steal the women away from the stranded landing party. Nimoy's Boston accent also pokes through on occasion-- listen for his pronunciation of "can't" at the beginning right after the opening credits. This little linguistic characteristic would pop up from time to time in the first season, but eventually waned as the series went on.

Both the black-and-white and full-color versions of 'The Cage' are available here. Although the full-color show is the one I prefer to view, the B/W eppie includes an intro by Gene Roddenberry. I found his anecdotes regarding his early struggles with the networks regarding the pilot to be amusing and informative. His spoken memories kinda reminded me of grampa tellin' the young'uns stories of the good ol' days. It's also interesting to see what 'Star Trek' might have been like had NBC given the series a green light with the first pilot. Oh, the unrealized possibilities...

'Late

STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES ENDS WITH A WHIMPER!
The final DVD of The 40 volume Star Trek DVD series contians the series incredibly weak and uneven finale and special treat: the unaired original pilot that NBC rejected which is what really sells this one.

It's a real shame that the Star Trek series couldn't have ended a little better than TURNABOUT INTRUDER but sadly it's this awful episode that ends a TV series that still had a ton of promising aspects left in it. Looking back it's easy to say that Star Trek should never been cancelled so early. It's also easy to say that an episode this bad should have never ended the series. TURNABOUT INTRUDER does have to be one of the worst Star Trek episodes to go into production. The plot is simply goofy and weak. A deranged woman swapping her soul into Kirk's body in order for her to fufill her dreams on running a starship is a bad enough idea. However having William Shatner act like a lady trapped inside a man's body is just a sad joke. Shatner (who at the time was suffering from a severe fever during the filming of this episode) turns in perhaps his worst acting performance ever in the series. It's so bad that it's laughable but this episode is downright boring and I wouldn't doubt that poor William Shatner (who I feel is generally a decent actor) begged for another episode of Star Trek to end the series on a stronger note. Unfortunetly this never happend.

The real reason to buy this DVD is of course the unaired pilot THE CAGE. It's not really available anywhere else and has never been included in the TV reruns. It's interesting to watch and see Jeffrey Hunter as Cpt.Pike and a younger more emotional Spock. The episode is pretty good but is ment more for historical or cult purposes. Still it what saves this DVD from being awful.

In conclusion this DVD is still a must despite the awful sad finale. The pilot is essential for Trekkies and is a must see anyways for fans of the Original series like me. This is classic Trek despite the depressing ending of the series so it's recommended but mainly for the Pilot.

*I can't believe I reviewed all forty volumes!*

Worth the Price of Admission for Historical Value!
I'm just gonna go ahead & skip any kind of review of "Turnabout Intruder". More eloquent slams of this episode have been made by others, so there's no need to go into it again.

The primary reson to buy this DVD (whether you're a die-hard Trek geek or just a casual sci-fi fan) is to see the unaired, uncut 1964 pilot, "THE CAGE", and Roddenberry really had it on the money with this one.

Jeffrey Hunter's turn as Captain Christopher Pike exudes the stern, stoic demeanour that would become such a trademark of Jean-Luc Picard, yet he does manage to showcase a glimpse into his humanity, which he keeps hidden from most of the crew, as every good captain must. There are moments in this pilot that act as harbingers of things that audiences would take for granted some thirty years hence on other incarnations of TREK, but they'll more than likely fail to remember or appreciate that it ALL began here. Without this pilot, there would be no Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, or Archer.

The SPFX in this show, while cheesy by today's ILM-on-Steroids standards, were surprisingly good & still manage to impress, even today. This pilot, which was ultimately refused by NBC (Shatner's "WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE" was what finally sold the suits on the show), is TREK at its most distilled. There was really no guideline to go by, no Prime Directive, no purists' / revisionists' history, no continuity to adhere to, no writers' staff to make sure everything fit in the box -- just plain ol', good character-driven science fiction TV.

It's a shame that there wasn't an opportunity to see where Jeffrey Hunter & HIS Enterprise crew would have gone, but thank goodness he was there at all.

Not too bad
I only give this one four stars because the final episode--"Turnabout Intruder"--was pretty lame. Bad way to end the series. The inclusion of two versions of "The Cage" makes the DVD worthwhile, however, along with Gene Roddenberry's little featurette. One point of contention with Jared's review: "The Cage" has, in fact, aired during reruns. While I still have my "all-colour collector's edition" VHS copy, it was played at least once on the Sci-Fi Channel, back when Sci-Fi ran sort of a 23rd-century two-hour program block (Star Trek the first hour, and Babylon 5 the second, which is when I actually got into J. Michael Straczynski's television gem).

I only watched the the B&W/Color version of "The Cage," once for the novelty of it. ... Read more

Reviews (187)

Shark Revenge??
Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary) is convinced that the same kind of shark that attacked her husband and kids in the past is out to finish her family off in this mediocre third sequel to the 1975 Steven Spielberg classic. When he youngest son, now taking over for his father as sheriff of Amity Island, is killed by a shark while investigating wreckage in Amity Harbor on Christmas Eve, Gary escapes with her other son Mike (Lance Guest) for the Bahamas, and meets up with a congenial local airplane pilot (Michael Caine).

But Mr. Whitey isn't through with the Brody family just yet. The result is a series of admittedly scary but otherwise thoroughly pedestrian shock sequences, topped off by flashbacks experienced by Gary to events that she never even witnessed (!!) and a climax that is both totally unbelievable and rather disgusting.

JAWS 4 does boast a good music score by Michael Small, and is directed well enough by Joseph Sargent, a journeyman director who has made at least two great films prior to this--1970's COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT, and 1974's THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE-TWO-THREE. But his cause is hindered by Michael De Guzman's inert screenplay, which simply uses the revenge format as a raison d'etre for the scares and the killings. Like JAWS 3, its immediate predecessor, this film is admittedly watchable. But that is ALL it is.

JAWS4 SWEEEET!!!!!
This was AWWWWWWSOME!!!! No wonder it got a PG13 rating, BLOOOD. New invention, SOME FLASHEY THINGEY.That Jaws in this movie looked scarier than Jaws 1, 2 and ,3! New place, BAHAMAHS BABY!! keep shopping!

Best Michael Caine comment
Cheesy schlock that, like the other sequels, buys into the horror cliches that Spielberg so brilliantly subverted for the first movie (does not the scene in the origninal Jaws where a child and a dog get eaten by the monster in broad daylight at a crowded beach right in front of the hero break every horror movie rule?).

However, it did produce one great moment. When asked by an interviewer about this movie, Michael Caine said, "I have not seen the film, but I hear it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it paid for, and it is superb."

Amazing, simply amazing.........
....amazing that the great Michael Caine would associate himself with such a dreadful movie. This is among the worst movies I've ever seen.

Please do not buy this movie
Let me start off by saying sorrying if my spelling is incorrect and oh yah this is the most terrible jaws movie I have ever seen and it is a disgrace to the first movie and how dare the women who played Brodys wife could ever sign a contract wanting to be in this movie. Second of all throughout the whole movie the shark is "supposibly" trying to track down the Brody family and trying to eat every one of them like it did to one of Brodys sons in the first scence of the movie. And throughout the whole movie Brodys wife some how has some sort of psychic ability to know if the shark is close or something bad is happening that has to do with the shark its a know doubt one 100% quality corny movie. And another thing when they are killing the shark the shark is making loud moaning noises which really goes to how how much the director knows (hey a little hint sharks don't have voice boxes so they cant make any type of noise what so ever). The movie is terrible so please I beg the people who read this review please and i mean please dont buy this movie it is a huge disapointment to all you shark movie fans because I am a shark movie fan myself but in final words don't by the movie ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Brought The Black West to Life Before Posse
While I liked Posse, This was the film that brought the Black West to a wider audience. Sidney Poitier as Buck is exciting and Harry Belafonte and Cicely Tyson give him a big helping hand.

Yahoo! Great shoot-em up fun!
Looking for fast, shoot-em up fun with a little morality tale attached..this is it! Sidney Poitier is terrific as Buck, the former slave now gun slinger who helps newly freed slaves to homestead out west and guards them night riders trying to bring them back to a dying, post civil war south. Belefonte is charming as the Preacher who gives the good word as well as sling a colt .45. Don't miss Belefonte's terrific "fornication" speech scene. It's topped off with a stellar supporting cast including Ruby Dee as Buck's wife. This movie would be great fun to watch back to back with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid just to compare the relationships between the four characters. So sorry this movie is hard to find. It's great fun, especially for western fans. Happy watching!

Reconstruction.... Western style!
Although I originally viewed this film as a child and viewed it then just as a comedic western I have in more later years come to know and understand this story as just one of the many injustices done to black americans after slavery had ended. The events portrayed dramatically and I must assume all too accurately reflect the open hostility and lawlessness that was too often visited upon a people simply in search of a better life.

Historic, dramatic, and comedic... Buck and the Preacher illuminates, educates, and entertains all at the same time.

The struggle for a fair life.............
I thought that this movie should have been a little longer. Actually I wished that it had been a little longer. This movie marks more of the heroic deeds done by African Americans that went unmarked and ignored by this "Glorious Country". This movie takes place after slavery had officially "ended". Many, African Americans desired to head out west to find better lives in the open country. But, they were often harrassed, beaten, and, sometimes, killed along the trail by racist whites. Many had no ideal or sense of direction how to get where they wanted to go. There were African American "wagon masters" that knew the countryside well and often lead fellow African Americans to their destination regardless of the possible death that lie ahead. Native Americans proved to be very important allies in the struggle. Excellent job by Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Ruby Dee. Great job on the video and audio transfer for a movie that hit the big screen in 1971. I also liked the menu audio which was done in dolby digital 5.1. However, the soundtrack for the movie is 2 channel dolby didgital. But, it is ample and satisfying. If you are a fan of African American westerns and or cinema, then this is a good movie to sit down and enjoy on a sunday evening. ... Read more

Description

"The Way to Eden," Ep. 75 - Kirk and crew must deal with the insane leader of a band of rebellious idealists who are searching for the fabled planet Eden. " Requiem for Methuselah," Ep. 76 - An outbreak of Rigellian fever aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise forces Kirk to find an antidote on Holberg 917-G, where he meets the mysterious genius Flint. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Enterprise encounters two wise men seeking paradise
Volume 38 in the Star Trek DVD series offers up a very uneven pair of episodes from the show's final season. "The Way to Eden" is probably the episode that most smacks of the Sixties in a blatant attempt to be groovy, hip, cool, whatever. The Enterprise intercepts a stolen spacecraft carrying Dr. Sevrin (think Timothy Leary) and his followers, all young futuristic hippie types. There are seeking the legendary planet Eden in an attempt to get away from it all and back to paradise. After Spock locates Eden on the ship's computer, Sevrin and his followers take over the Enterprise. However, when they arrive at Eden they find that the planet is as deadly as it is beautiful. The storyline in "The Way to Eden" is okay, it is the transplanted hippies following their guru that grates a bit. It was bad enough when Chekhov showed up with his Beatles/Monkees wig to cater to the younger generation. I do not see any reason to have these people be earnest seekers of a more pastoral lifestyle instead of anti-establishment types. At least they groove on Spock.

On the other hand, "Requiem for Methuselah" is one of my picks for Top 10 Star Trek episodes, although admittedly it might be my most idiosyncratic selection. Rigelian fever has broken out on the Enterprise and the crew discovers the necessary antidote, ryetalyn, on an uninhabited planet in the Omega system. However, the landing party discovers a man named Flint, his robot M4 and his ward, Rayna Kapec. Slowly but surely Kirk and Spock put together the pieces of the mystery--e.g., a "new" work written in the hand of Johannes Brahms--and Flint finally tells them his fantastic story. Born on earth in Mesopotamia in 3034 B.C., he was Akharin, a soldier who was pierced in the heart in battle but did not die because of instant tissue regeneration. Apparently immortal he has lived dozens of lifetimes as Brahms, da Vinci, Solomon, Alexander, Merlin and many others (he claims to have been both Methuselah and Lazarus, and let us just ponder the implications of the latter claim, which is probably the biggest gaff in Star Trek history). Having outlived countless female companions he has constructed a woman equal to himself: Rayna is an android. However, Kirk has fallen in love with this perfect woman and refuses to let Flint have her, with tragic results. The epilogue to this episode, in which Spock seeks to ease Kirk's pain, is one of the most touching of the original Star Trek. James Daly plays Flint and brings a nice sense of weariness to the role of a man almost 6,000 years old. I have always liked this episode and Flint is one of my favorite characters from the Star Trek universe. As much as I have ambivalent feelings towards "The Way to Eden," I hold "Requiem for Methuselah" in high enough regard to end up rounding this one up on my magic scale.

Third-season 'Trek: good for geekin' AND goofin'!
If ever there was a nice, creamy (yet sharp), salaciously-melting, pleasantly-pungent-aroma-producing (whoa- for some strange reason, I've got a sudden hankerin' for clabbered & processed dairy products!) chunk off the cheese ball that was the third season of Star Trek, 'The Way To Eden' is it! Along with 'Spock's Brain', this little misadventure proves that even at its worst, classic 'Trek is pretty freakin' entertaining! Even the squarest 'Herbert' will enjoy goofin' on this one! Space hippies takin' over the Enterprise, and a 'paradise' planet that's not as idyllic as it seems is what awaits you in this cornball 'Trek!

Then there's 'Requiem for Methuselah', featuring yet another version of the "would-be-romance-between Kirk-and-the-show's-babe-of-the-week-going-tragically-awry" plot element. Speaking of tragic Kirkian romances, I heard rumors about William Shatner insisting on doing take after take after take of the kissing scenes until he felt he'd gotten it just right! Who knew the man behind Jimmers was a perfectionist with a strict work ethic? I tell ya, if it were me, I'm not sure I would've been able to endure that much punishment! But Shatner managed to take it like a man, and his extra effort really paid off!

'Late

A Pale Flicker In A Dark Season
I'm not a big fan of Star Trek's 3rd season. Even when I saw the original broadcasts (I was barely a teenager) I sensed the degradation of the show. I was completely unaware of the 'back story' - the 'Save Trek' campaign. There were a rew exceptions.

The Way to Eden - One of the most 'dated' of episodes, it should have been down without the obvious bow to the 'sixties hippy movement'. Spock was definitely 'out of character'in this episode. Walter Koenig got a decent piece of on air time for Chekov, one of the few pluses in the episode.

Requiem for Methuselah - Another episode that had a lot of promise, the writers fell back on a 'mountain of cliche's' in this story. Extending the story by staging accident's while allowing Kirk to romance an android?

Side Note: The Star Trek Universe has a big flaw when it comes to androids. In ST:Next Generation they make it look like Data was the first sentient android? What? Come on fans, would could forget Rayna?

This only the 2nd time a Kirk romance had any substance. But Spock should have used his "Forget" mind meld with Kirk in "The Paradise Syndrome", Shatner's best performance of the series.

More camp, plus one thoughtful show
The Way to Eden-The notorious hippie episode is-like many Treks-best watched with tongue-in-cheek. Few episodes offer stronger proof of just how stodgy many of the older white men behind the scenes must have been. Plenty of episodes are sexist, but this one is decidedly anti-youth. On the other hand, if these youths are representative of the 23rd century, who could blame them? There is hardly a tint of idealism present, and they are lead by a madman (although I have no idea how Spock came to this-ultimately correct-conclusion so quickly.

This is one of the most embarrassing examples of just how easy it is for an outsider to take control of the Enterprise. Equally implausible are Chekov's lack of loyalty to his insignia (although Irina was attractive), and Spock's participation in the jam session. Skip Homeier, who we last saw in Patterns of Force, is no more believable here as an insane Dr. Severin. The ending on the planet 'Eden' is also extremely rushed (and why? so many earlier scenes were begging to be snipped), although honestly I was ready for the episode to end.

One a positive note, this episode is different and it is campy, and those are both things that many of us look for in Trek TOS. Kirk's perturbation at being labeled a Herbert, and Spock's subtle enjoyment of the Captain's insecurity, also make for a few (hard earned) laughs. (2.5 stars)

Requiem for Methuselah-This episode, which features the immortal Flint, is one of the stronger late shows. The premise is interesting, and Flint's performance is nuanced and convincing. Reena is also a sympathetic character, and her conflict in the romantic imbroglio is the most plausible. Granted, love can do strange things to people, but both the otherwise-refined Flint and the always-vulnerable Kirk really act like cavemen here. Ri-talin certainly seems to be the furthest thing from Kirk's mind for much of the episode. Reena ends up being the most tragic and sympathetic figure (ironically enough), but it is Kirk who ultimately receives the salve from Spock in one of Trek's oddest scenes.

Tidbits: By looking closely at Shatner (not his face) you can tell that he enjoys the Waltz with Reena. (3.5 stars)

"I'M TALKIN 'BOUT YOU!...I'M TALKIN' BOUT ME!..."
Volume 38 of The Star Trek DVD series contains one decent third season episode and one of the most infamous episodes in the entire Star Trek series.

THE WAY TO EDEN has to be one of the worst Star Trek episodes ever. By 1969 it was obvious that Star Trek's ratings had hit rock bottom. In order to appeal to the younger generation and the fast growing hippie culture. A bunch of very unhip network executives came up with the idea of bringing flower power to Star Trek. This was a blatant and weak attempt to try to make Star Trek hip. The results are completely laughable. This episode basically finds the Enterprise picking up a band of space hippies. Led by the mad Dr.Sevrin (played quite well by Skip Homeirer) these hippies basically run around the ship singing awful songs about the legendary planet they want to venture to called Eden. Eventually the hippies take control of the ship when their demands are not met but in the end Eden proves to be as deadly as it is beautiful. This episode is really bad. Chekov's relationship with his old flame is totally unconvincing and the acting is so bad it's laughable and the hippie songs will make you cringe. In fact this episode is so bad it's great. This may well be the (unintentionally) funniest Star Trek episode ever! Ungroovy people trying to make something groovy. This episode is a campy joke but that's what makes it a hilarious classic.

The other episode here, REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH is actually better but it's overshadowed by the colourful campiness of THE WAY TO EDEN. This episode however has a plausible plot about control and the value of life in general. Good acting and nice plot twists an