Amazon.com

One of the most absurdly violent films ever made, this outrageous comic book of a movie is short on style but makes up for it in sheer audacity and excess. Brooding street kid Ricky Ho (Fan Siu Wang, playing the part of avenging angel with self-righteous earnestness) walks into the corrupt corporate prison system with superpowered martial arts skills and proceeds to punch his way through every bullying thug and sadistic guard who comes his way. Literally. His fist puts a gaping hole through the stomach of a giant sumo-wrestler-sized thug and the jaw of a pompadoured bully, and turns the skull of a pathetic guard into a bloody stump. As Ricky becomes a hero to the downtrodden prisoners, the assistant warden (who keeps breath mints in his removable glass eye) organizes the dreaded "gang of four," the cell block gang leaders, to take Ricky down. Fat chance!

There's nothing realistic about the bone-shattering, blood-splattering spectacle of crushed heads and snapped limbs, but the unrestrained display becomes so preposterously grotesque it hardly matters. You'll be convinced that the "Oh" in Riki-Oh stands for "Oh my God, did I really see that?" Yes, Ricky really does tie a sliced tendon with his teeth, a thug cuts open his gut and uses his own intestines to strangle Ricky, and the warden (for no apparent reason) puffs himself up into a giant rubber ogre. Ricky's curvy, feminine nemesis Rogan is played by Yukari Oshima, the butt-kicking, all-woman star of Angel and others. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A movie so bad that it's entertaining.
....Riki-Oh: The story of Ricky is a B movie beyond any B movie I've ever seen.As a movie, it gets 1 star,as a form of visual entertainment for the morbid,and/or people with strong stomachs looking for a movie to make fun of,a full 5 stars.The dubbing is bad,the music is bad, the plot is full of holes,and ridiculous things happen in his movie that could never occur in real life,but all this does not matter,because the gore and violence are so over the top. If you have a morbid sense of humor, this movie will definitely do. There are tons of graphic scenes of major mutilation and death.I found it so funny that I often had to replay the scenes in slow motion to see how they did it,and when you slow it down,it looks even funnier.This movie is crazy,and doesn't make a ton of sense,but I find it very entertaining.If you've got that "special sense of humor",you owe it to yourself to buy this DVD,and gross your friends out with it.I have to find/make a T shirt that has the DVD box art on it! Too funny.

Ridiculously violent masterpiece of bloodshed and mayhem.
OK, this is either the worst movie ever made, or the best, depending on how you look at it. By normal standards upon which most movies are reviewed, it doesn't get much more terrible than this. However, based upon sheer violent content that reaches such an unbelievably, unimaginably, outrageously graphic level it achieves comedic sickness whether its meant to or not, it is the best movie ever. Riki Oh is by far the bloodiest, goriest, and sickest film ever concieved. Imagine the game Mortal Kombat... and make it 50x bloodier. Holes are punched through people, heads are crushed, tendons are ripped and tied, intestines are pulled out and used as weapons, body parts fly, eyes shoot out from the sockets, and people are shoved into meat grinders. That is only half of it. Blood flows like water. Watch it, you'll have a good time doing it. You'll be watching the fight scenes over just to make sure that, yes, you really saw Ricky tie his own tendon with his teeth. Watch it with a group of friends, you'll all be laughing your butts off, either that or vomitting profusely. Riki Oh is a tremendously enjoyable experience, however those who are weak of stomache should stray away from this movie at all costs. If you are a gore freak, or just looking for a good distraction from your woes, by all means get Riki Oh. If you are looking for depth of plot and heartfelt acting, avoid Riki Oh no matter what. Again, it cannot be stressed how insanely violent this movie is.

So bad it's funny
Story of Riki is a must see.
It is so bad it's funny. Especially the laughable dubbed version of the film.

The plot is pretty dull but still holds a grudge.
The film is very very Cheesy too.

The violence is over the top but very unrealistic but Still over the top such as the part were Riki pumbles through a guys stomach or of course the part were riki smashes through a guys hans. This film is very very violent and graphic but in a funny way.

The music was acctually pretty good! The story of Riki Rules! And I recomend this too some one who just wants to see some thing F-d up.

Over all this is a horrbily but funny movie even though it's not tended to be funny.

Get it...NOW!!!

Later

Ricky's Great! Ricky's superb!!!!
Recently I've been reading up on Horror movies while on the internet, which naturally leads to discussion of gory films. Not too many non-horror movies would generally come up, except for this one, which was referred to repeatedly. Still, I wasn't too interested til I came across it in a store, and noticed the 'features the hilarious exploding head from the daily show' sticker.

Clearly, this was a film I had to see.

Normally, I write long, tedious reviews, but really what can you say about Riki-Oh. This is the height of camp entertainment. It is compulsively watchable, including the non-action scenes which still have immeasurable camp appeal. The ultra-cheap, inappropriately brightly colored sets are delightful, and the subtitles are absolutely atrocious, both of which add to the film's appeal. Honestly, this movie would be pretty damn amusing even without the delirious effects.

The effects are the real star, and they are fall-down hilarious. Contrary to what you may think, there isn't much kung-fu in this film, especially on the part of Ricky, who generally just lands a single, explosive deathblow with his mighty fist. There isn't all that much variety in the gore fx, but the sheer absurdity and audacity of the bare-handed-explosive-mutilations maintains interest throughout. Despite the general technical incompetence of the film they manage to pace it pretty well, not overdoing the violence early, but not having too little happen either, so it entertains well continously.(And they still save most of the best effects for the final act) Personally, I found the funniest effect one to be the least graphic one: Ricky's girlfriends staggerinly unrealistic plummet from a rooftop. The film falters slightly at the very end. The fight with the warden goes too far over the top, but their doing so was pretty much inevitable considering the nature of the film, so I applaud them for managing to delay this inevitablility until the very end.

This is an utterly bare-bones dvd, which looks pretty much like a tape. A nice digital make-over wouldn't be appropriate for this picture, but it's annoying to have to pay nearly 30 bucks for something so cheaply done. Really, this should only cost half of it's suggested price. But what can I say, it's worth it.

RIKI SET ME FREE!!!
If you deal opium, oppress old men who build toy trains, fillet the skin off of poor mutes, get in Riki's business, or otherwise piss Riki off: YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!!! This movie is totally ridiculous and wild! Bad dubbing, cheesy fx, and over-the-top gore will have you rolling! The only reason this isn't getting five stars is because of my dissappointment that the warden's fat, annoying boy didn't get pummeled. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Excellent Animated Martial Arts Action!
If you are a fan of Japanese animation and Hong Kong kung fu movies, this movie will be a pleasure to watch. It stays true to the original video game, it shows the awesome skills of Ryu as he teams up with his long lost fellow student Ken Masters, who almost is the equal to Ryu, to fight the evil Bison with his collection of fighters. The animation is very well done and the movie has a cool soundtrack, if you like rock and alternative. I'm a big Bruce Lee fan, so I wanted Fei Long, the mirror image of Lee, to have had a bigger part in the movie. The fight between Ryu and Fei Long had to be one of the best, it's one of my favorite scenes in the movie. I hope, if it's not out already, they will have a sequel to this anime. So if you haven't seen it yet and you like the video games that it is based on, I would highly recommend it.

Only for less-picky Street Fighter Fans
There are three reasons to view this anime (and possibly own it): 1) you are an avid fan of the Street Fighter videogames and want to see some well-animated anime versions of the fighting 2) you enjoy only anime that has lots of action but is limp in story, plot, and everything else that should be expected of a good feature 3) you unfortunately feel the need to see Chun Li in her oft-exposed animated underwear

I bought this movie because I'm a bit of a Street Fighter fan (keeping and often playing the Dreamcast Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Street Fighter 3 series in my videogame collection; played then-new Street Fighter II arcade when in college); but I must fairly criticize it because I'm not a prejudiced fan.

This American version DVD is like a big old American muscle car, a simply silly, nonsensical machine by current standards but one which packs a serious punch when the loud pedal is pressed. This movie has a disorganized, sub-amateur storyline; excessively forced and lengthy dramatic character exposition; and even in some areas subpar animation. But it does excel when the fighting happens (unfortunately between stretches of awful, token character development).

Highlights are few but notable, such as Ryu v. Sagat, Chun-Li v. Vega, Fei Long v. Ryu. It is for occassional views of these sequences that I keep this movie on hand. But when I look at my DVD collection (Bugsy, LA Confidential, Perfect Blue, Ghost in the Shell, errr Street Fighter II), this one is always close to a trade.

Not too bad at all
Being a big fan of the Street Fighter video game series, I naturally had to check out this anime that was released way back in 1995. The story revolves around M.Bison, leader of Shadaloo (along with his henchmen: Sagat, Vega, and Balrog), and his search for the ultimate warrior: Ryu. Unfortunately, Ryu is a hard man to find, so Bison kidnaps Ryu's childhood friend Ken Masters in an attempt to lure Ryu over to the dark side. Other Street Fighter favorites like Guile, Chun-Li, and E.Honda have some big roles to play, while we get to see cameos from Zangief, Blanka, Cammy, T-Hawk, Fei Long, Dhalsim, and Dee Jay. The animation itself is very nicely done (action and fighting scenes are great), and the voice acting is surprisingly well done as well. All in all, while Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie isn't the best anime I've seen, it is pretty good, and fans of the video game should be pleased. And by the way, it is a lot, LOT, better than the live action Jean-Claude Van Damme debacle.

One of the best martial Arts anime.!
Unlike the live-action movie of street fighter with jean claude van damme this one had a better storyline and it sticked with the real main charcter "Ryu" rather then guile. If you are a street fighter fan I highly recommend this one and Street Fighter Alpha.This movie starts out with Ryu fighting against Sagat or someone that looks like him anyway, it's a great scene by the way.Also a great fighting scene to is ryu and ken fighting against the boss of all street fighter games.DVD or videocasste it doesn't matter it will turn out great in the end besides the DVD version really does not have many extras just some stuff. Anyway I hope you buy because I did.

This Kicks The Van Damne Film's Butt!
This animated version more than made up for that terrible live action version that was put out about a few years before this! The artwork and animation is incredible! All the fights are great but Chung Li Vs. Vega is easily the show stealer on this DVD! Get this DVD but be warned! It does contain some language and lots of violence!

By the way, for those that have kids that like anime but don't want them to see all that, there is an edited version of this same film available but I think its only on VHS. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Great Kung Fu story and excellent scenes of Shaolin life.
Shaolin Master Killer is the movie I was looking for! The star, Gordon Liu, gives a great performance as the aspiring monk Sante. As opposed to most Kung Fu films, this one is right on the money as far as the story goes. Sante was a famous Shaolin Monk whose exploits rival those shown in the film.

The scenes in the Shaolin Temple alone are more than worth the price of the video. The training methods, although dramatized, give a feel for the steadfastness of Shaolin training, and display the creativity of the monks in developing unique training methods.

The traditional one man against an army, can be forgiven as a stylistic tool of the Chinese cinema, but the scenes are beutifully staged and the choreography for the duels within Shaolin are some of the best ever seen.

Enjoy Shaolin Master Killer for what it is. The best of the genre.

VERY DATED BUT WELL WORTH THE MONEY
The Master Killer is (sort of) a martial arts version of Tom Browns "School Days." Essentially a revenge story, the bulk of the film takes place in Shaolin Temple where the protagonist trains himself in Kung Fu in order to take revenge against those evil Manchus who butchered dear old dad. Unfortunately, the training sequences are so emphasized that they eclipse the fight scenes that theoretcially should be the climax. Still, the movie is definately a mouldy oldy and should be viewed if you're serious about kick flicks. I wouldn't advise it for those who have just "discovered" Hong Kong Cinema after seeng Crouching Tiger, because it's obviously not meant for the self-styled high brows that make up the art house crowd, but for for martial arts fans, it's worth your time. On a more personal note.....although I've heard all the arguments about why Shaolin monks train in martial arts, I never really understood how Buddhism can be reconciled with killing people. Well, it's a martial arts film, not a debate on practical theology.

Amazing.........A must own............!
Movies like this makes you appreciate the amazing talents of the martial actors of years past. People like Jackie Chan, Gordon Liu, Phil Kwok, TI Lung and many others of that time will never be seen again. Only by owning these wonderful DVD's, will we preserve there amazing talents. This is one of the best. This Work of art is more amazing than any CGI movies out today. Movies back then had heart. This movies kicks butt, one the best of all time. You cant go wrong with this DVD.

Boring training movie
From all the great reviews for this movie, I was expecting a classic movie. This movie is very boring. I slept in three different occassions throughout the movie. If you want to see a martial arts training movie, then pick this up. If you are looking for some good kung fu ass kicking, look elsewhere because this movie has virtually no kung fu action! It's all training in some fake shaolin temple in Hong Kong. If you want great kung fu flicks check out Fist of the White Lotus and Mystery of Chess Boxing.

(dont) Try this at home!
I'm 37, saw back in 70's, have watched and studied since. This was back in the days of "grasshoppers" big fight scene being a punch followed with kick...hy-ya. Boy, I was truely inspired by this film as a child, leading the way for my pre-training in White Tiger. I set up head bags, long poles, and held my head still while watching tennis. While working, I carried things arms length and even tried to jump over floating things by running atop them. I have yet to see another flick that shows off the skills of such an artist as Mr Liu. His fight scene with master yul-ya, using 3 sec staff, is incredible to slow down and watch. I cant even tell you how many times I did this with the night group fight. there are no cuts, special effects, or fast blurred scenes, only coreagraphed moves that no one less than Mr Liu could perform...dont believe me?..try it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though it wasn't Jackie Chan's first film, Drunken Master is the film that cemented his stardom. Jackie plays the rebellious son of a kung fu master. To teach Jackie the value of discipline, his father apprentices him to another master named So Hi, who has a unique "drunken" fighting style. Jackie chafes at So Hi's rigorous exercises and runs away--only to be brutally humiliated at the hands of a hired killer named Thunderleg. Chastened, Jackie becomes So Hi's devoted student. He soon discovers he will need everything he's learned when Thunderleg is hired to kill his father. In Drunken Master, Jackie is only beginning to cultivate his mixture of action and comedy; here the emphasis is on kung fu acrobatics. But the kung fu is astounding. The final fight is dizzying and amazingly choreographed by director Yuen Woo-ping (now famous as the fight choreographer for The Matrix). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Great Release, but with a few problems...
Finally, one of Jackie's best movies comes to DVD in the US. This version is supposedly uncut but I really cant say since I saw it for the first time quite a while ago and I can't remember. Picture quality is great for a film of its age, especially an HK film (many old HK films are very poor quality because of bad storage conditions) and the sound is about as good as it could be. As has been stated here before, the Cantonese audio track sometimes switches back to english for a few lines which is quite annoying. But seriously, 5 minutes of English dialogue doesnt ruin the whole movie.

Overall, I'd say that this is a pretty high quality DVD release except for the audio problem and the lack of any real extras (aside from the awesome full length commentary by Ric Meyers and Jeff Yang). However, for the best version of this movie on DVD check out the Hong Kong Legends version or wait for their 2-disc Platinum release(!)

Chomping at the bit!
I just can't wait for this DVD! As I'm writing this review, I still have to wait 2 months for its release. I'm hoping it's a Columbia Tri-Star DVD, after the bang-up job they did with "Fearless Hyena." I'm hoping for the remastered widescreen transfer this classic deserves, as opposed to the ... Front Row release I've had to do with for the last 2 years. For those who don't know, this was Jackie Chan's breakout movie, choreographed and directed by Yuen Wu Ping, known to the majority of Western audiences through "The Matrix," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and "Iron Monkey." Also, it's the predecessor to what we know in the US as "The Legend of Drunken Master," which is actually the second part of a trilogy. I also hope that this DVD includes the original language track, as the Columbia releases of "Fearless Hyena" parts 1 and 2 did. If these hopes don't come to fruition, and this isn't a Columbia DVD, then this review will look pretty dated and stupid. Maybe then a distributor will wise up and give this great flick the respect it deserves.

The Best Kung Fu Comedy
This movie made me a fan of JACKIE CHAN just like Enter the Dragon made me a fan of BRUCE LEE.

AWESOME FIGHT SCENE POETRY

This started it all for me
This movie was made in 1978 i was only one year of age but 25 years later I have found were Kung Fu really began.With fight chor. and directed by the great Yuen woo Ping and staring Jackie Chan it is flawless.This has more fights than any movie ive ever scene and they are all terriffic,its worth mentioning that i believe what makes the movie is Yuen woo Pings father whos name is Yeun Hsiao Tieng,he plays a drunken master and Jackies Mentor he's also his mentor in another movie i recommend Snake in the Eagles Shadow where he also plays Jackies mentor.The comedy is great and not stupid like alot of asian comedy/kung Fu films.An instant and long runnig classic!

One of JC's Best Films, but I HATE this DVD's newer Eng dub!
DRUNKEN MASTER is one of Jackie Chan's all time greats (the film itself is a 5 star film, only this DVD gets a 3 star rating). He plays a naughty little rascal named Huang Fei Hung (yes, the same character Kwan Tak Hing made famous in a series of nearly 100 films and later by Jet Li in the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA series of films) who's sent by his father to the famous Sam the Seed (the old Drunken Master himself, Simon Yuen) to learn discipline. Huang Fei Hung can't take the torturous training and runs away, but after getting beat up and humiliated by a wicked kicking Master (he burns the kid's pants, badmouths his father's kung fu, and makes him crawl between his legs like a dog) he quickly repents and begs Sam the Seed to take him back. The film is a delightful mixture of kung fu, comedy, and drama with enough dazzling displays of martial arts and acrobatics to keep viewing fresh time after time.

My gripe with this DVD is that the English language track is NOT the wonderfully fun one released previously on VHS featuring those loveably familiar English dubbed kung fu movie voices of the 1970s-80s. Some people hate those English dub jobs and will always prefer the original Chinese language tracks (which fortunately ARE on the DVD with choice of subtitles), but there are those of us who also enjoy watching the old English dubbed versions for their sheer camp value and cartoon-like energy. Those same voices (found on almost all exported kung fu films of that time period) have become like family members (the ones you want to have visit!). The voice actors then may have switched roles from picture to picture, not ALWAYS voicing the same onscreen actors as you saw and heard them do before, and they may not have been of Royal Shakespeare Company standard, but they always brought with them a smile of recognition and often livened up otherwise dull proceedings.

Some simply don't like English dubs. "The words don't match their mouths and it's always the same voices!" Well, guess what? That's the case even in the original language. The Chinese tracks are almost always dubbed in afterwards by actors other than the ones onscreen. Sure they may come a little closer to matching the lips since the actors words are closer to the words dubbed in later, and some of the voice artists may be familiar with and try to sound similar to the real actor, but it's still nowhere near to perfect lip-synching. Even when the audio is recorded live in synch-sound, the English subtitles still differ from the actual words spoken due to the complex nature of translation (and by golly, what do you do if you're eating, and don't catch all the words during the dialogue driven portions of the film while you're looking at your plate?).

For myself, I will admit that there IS something about original language tracks and subtitles that DOES work better for the more serious pictures as they lend a kind of authenticity and intelligence to the viewing experience (after all we are forced to READ during them which IS a scolarly endeavor, isn't it?), but for the comedy laden kung fu flicks of the 70s and 80s it's nice sometimes to just sit back and relax to the goofy sounds of the old English dubs. The voice-over actors of HK films of the 90s and today just don't cut the mustard. Most sound like second rate actors trying to sound like first rate actors, the result being a bore. The old dubbers may have been third rate actors, but at least they were having fun and the voices they chose matched the pictures. There's nothing more enjoyable, or appropriatly matching in sound and sight, than the old voices used for the weasel characters of Dean Shek or the interpreter found in FISTS OF FURY (aka THE CHINESE CONNECTION). Back then the villains sounded like creeps, the good guys sounded like heroes, the rascals sounded like wiseguys, and the big guys sounded like Bullwinkle!

After all of that then, this DVD release of DRUNKEN MASTER does NOT feature the original English dub and its loveable voices of the 70s. It has a newer, unimproved English track, and quite a bit of the dialogue is different as well. The English dub here is simply NO FUN. Maybe whoever redid the track wanted it to sound less cartoon-like and more natural, but you can't voice a comedy using serious voices that don't match the comedic energy of the performers onscreen! The old crew had that energy (and even the times that they lacked it was fun, too, because when they lacked it back then, boy, they REALLY lacked it!). The remastered DVDs of SNAKE AND CRANE ARTS OF SHAOLIN, FEARLESS HYENA, and DRAGON FIST all contain those wonderfully voiced original English dubs (as well as the original Cantonese or Mandarin track depending on the film). Why was DRUNKEN MASTER, one of the GREATEST kung fu movies ever, not treated the same? Were they trying to give it a new respect after the success of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON? They should have realized that DRUNKEN MASTER already HAS respect here, and in part because of the wonderful sense of fun found in the original English dub. I wish those old actors would get more credit for bringing such wonderfully guilty pleasure to so many fans.

Oh, and for those wanting to know more about the film itself, it contains Simon Yuen's defining performance as the charismatic old Drunken Master, Yuen Wo Ping's masterful direction using action and comedy to propel the story along, one of Hwang Jang Lee's most villainous performances and some of the greatest kicking abilities ever displayed onscreen, and a young Jackie Chan's complete devotion to character, pushing his body and comedic talents to the limits.

Watch it in Chinese with subtitles on this DVD and then listen to Ric Meyers' wonderful commentary, but for English dub lovers I HIGHLY recommend finding a copy containing the original English dubbed version and watching that version over this one. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

CW Thompson
The best sailing movie I've ever seen. The action sequences were thrilling and makes you feel like part of the race. I've been waiting for the DVD release for some time now, we've almost worn out our VHS copy.

Adrenaline rush on the water.......
To start out with, like other reviewers have stated, it is terrific to see this movie out on DVD after so long. I realized, when I watched this movie for the first time, you don't have to be a fan of boat racing to love this movie.

The cinematography just can't be beat with absolutely wonderful shots putting you dead center in the action. It's a great experience in how the filmmakers shoot you back and forth onto the boats and then create sweeping panoramic views of strategic boat maneuvers. Top notch sailboat racing, bar none.

The DVD is remastered in high definition and is crystal clear with superb detail and color. As for sound, Dolby 5.1 or DTS would have been the icing on the cake but I won't sell this DVD short. The Dolby Surround it does have still gets the job done just fine and sounds excellent.

You can't go wrong with Wind and I recommend this movie to anyone who likes great racing and sporting competition.

Even the hard-core AC snobs and fanatics will admit --
...that they secretly love this movie. Despite its cheesy, Hollywood take on the America's Cup and its retelling of Dennis Conner's adventures 'on-the-other-side-of-the-pizza' this movie is not only beautiful eye-candy but more importantly it is exactly what they say in the movie: its good, clean fun.

If you're trying to get friends and family intersted in taking a sail, this is one of the best tools to get the blood following -- yup, there are a lot of yachts, but there is the scene with the 14s. Enough excitement to dispell the idea of sailing as a laid-back sport.

For the AC die-hards, its a chance to see the 12-meters in action once again, to hear the legendary PJ Montgomery comment on the races and read the tech/advisory credits which reads like a AC who's who list. So it isn't "real" or even possible (the 'whumper' is what kills it for some) but after all, you're looking at a movie. Enjoy it for what it is and appreciate the fact that this movie is the product of a love of sailing!

A must have in your DVD collection!
I got my DVD version from Amazon yesterday (3/13/03), a replacement for my battered VHS tape. I've noticed some scenes in the movie trailer that were not in the movie, and I don't know why they were excluded from it.

The digital enhanced video is overwhelmingly better than the VHS, but I wish the digital cameras were available back when they filmed this movie. The digital audio really puts you in the middle of the actions.

One regret, I wish I had seen this movie in the theater when it came out.

I can't wait to go sailing in a laser this summer...

1 of the 10 best Sports Event Movies EVER... On DVD AT LAST!
It's been more then a decade since this sleeper cult hit was in the theaters and an equally long period of time that this film was only available on VHS and Laserdisc.

Now, at long last, the wait is over!

Wind appeals for a number of reasons.

Primarily its a very human story of ambition, competition, love, loss, and redemption. What makes the film work is fantastic photography/camerawork by Mata Yamamoto, a soaring/pumping soundtrack by Basil Poledouris, and a compelling drama played out by some very brainy characters played by some very good actors.

Think of it as "The Cutting Edge" and "Strictly Ballroom" with a little more testosterone and in a sailboat!

The DVD is pretty bare-bones, but a Digital Widescreen Hi-Definition Remastering and Dolby surround make up for it. A Special Edition would have been nice, but, considering how long we had to pray for this one it's hardly required. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Escaping? Why Not Take the Train?
A lot of effort went into this 1965 military war film classic. Now you don't have to wait for the movie on American Movie Classics to see it in wide-screen. The DVD version was released in Summer 2001. Frank Sinatra, playing the part of a downed American pilot, leads hundreds of POWs on a dash for the Swiss frontier in this action packed movie. Most of the action takes place on a hijacked Italian train, formerly commanded by the German military, as it winds its way ever deeper into enemy territory. Trevor Howard and Edward Mulhare (Known best for his roles in American television shows such as The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and Knight Rider)co-star. Also, look for Wolfgang Preis reprising the role of a German officer for the un-teenth time in his long career (The Longest Day, Anzio, Raid on Rommel, A Bridge Too Far, Battle of the Commandos, The Train, Is Paris Burning?, Ike the War Years, etc.). This film has nonstop action, train chases, aerial attacks and scenic Italian locations. If you haven't seen this film in wide-screen, now's your chance.

Frank Sintatra Express
Von Ryan's Express is a somewhat unheralded -- yet must see -- film for WWII fans and Sinatra fans alike.

Granted, the movie is a smidgen below The Great Escape, but not by much. If you liked that movie, and who didn't, then you are sure to like this one. Instead of Steve McQueen this has Frank Sinatra who carries this role off to perfection. What makes Von Ryan's character so appealing is the believable character growth. Ryan begins appeasing his captors in exchange for fairer treatment; but over the course of the movie this changes radically and he leads a prison escape on a hijacked train through the spectacular Alps of Northern Italy.

The movie also offers fine acting by Trevor Howard, and an unknown Italian beauty. The costumes and sets are perfect recreations and of interest to people who reminisce or read about that era. Dialogue is excellent. And scenery is of sweeping beauty. I also loved the old trains.

This movie is an unheralded gem. Recommended.

outstanding WWII action film
Easily one of the best action movies I've seen, and it just goes to show you that action movies don't need gratuitous violence to be awesome (it's rated PG). If this had been made today, it would have probably starred Brad Pitt and would have been gruesome just for the sake of being gruesome, but instead it stars Frank Sinatra (?? didn't know he could act well, this was first movie I saw him in) and most violence is implied, making it seem almost more intense. Awesome and highly recommended.

Surprisingly good
My apologies in advance to the legion of fans out there, but somehow the idea of a "good" Frank Sinatra film seems oxymoronic. But this is a fine film, with Sinatra believable as the American martinet, and a simply outstanding supporting cast. I must single out for special mention the wonderful performance by Edward Mulhare, a much underrated actor, who rarely had the opportunity to show what he could do. His performance as Father Costanza is a gem, and one of the elements that makes this movie really work (and his German is excellent!).

Top Quality
This is a great WWII movie with a wonderful storyline. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Yet another great Misumi Kenji production
Although I heard 1 & 2 were the cream of the crop (cooked down further into "Shogun Assassin") -- it really pays to see all of the director Misumi Kenji's work on this series. #3 is quite good as it spirals out ever wider and wider telling the story of a series of job Ogami must perform to repay a debt. The way the director handles action and gore is simply stunning -- poetic but fun. Sadly, Misumi does not work on the next, 4th installment.

One story (the farmer girl) is adapted from Vol. 3 of the manga, story "The Virgin and the Whore". As with the comic, the movie provides information and insight into the Tokugawa Period and its customs. Those who enjoy this movie series should pick up Dark Horse Comic's manga series (28 volumes, each at $9.95, 300 pages each) -- the manga is beautiful and exciting reading.

The Way of the Warrior...
This 3rd entry in the Series is one of the best. There are several plots involved, more or less revolving around the Bushido code and what are the correct actions and responsibilities of the true Warrior, the true Samurai.
Ogami states that he and his young son, Daigoro, "live the life of Demons, without rules" but in truth, Ogami Itto is a true warrior and, although an implacable and remorseless assassin, he strictly follows the Warrior's code of behavior.

This is demonstrated in this film when he, at the outset, declines to duel with another honorable, though disgraced, Samurai; and later, when Itto saves a farm girl from servitude as a prostitute and indures the Water & Buri Buri torture (don't ask) in her place.

Very stylized and as bloody and violent as the rest, I found the six-gun packing villain a bit incongruous (six guns in the 17th Century?), and the series steps far into the fantastic with Itto literally slaying an army of opponents with a trickier than we supposed Baby Cart and a two-sword frenzy of slashing and stabbing, chopping and skewering dozens of enemies (with the by now familiar gushes and sprays of blood).

But, what the hell, James Bond can kill em by the dozen, so why not our Master of the Suiouryu Horse-Slaying Technique, Ogami Itto? And in the end, there is an elegant duel with the disgraced Samurai and we learn the true Way of the Warrior is to "live to die". Great liner notes, and good subtitles help to explain what you need to know as background to the story.

Best of the Series
This entry into the Lone Wolf and Cub series, was quite simply, excellent. From baby Daigoro, who is truly a son that any father could not help but be proud of for his uncommon coolness and spiritual strength, to the Samurai of great personal skill who was unjustly banished from his clan. After showing superior skill and loyalty, he's cast out of his respectful samurai position and ultimately gets caught up against Ogami Itto after being forced to work a less than dignified job to survive. Through his trials, he still seeks to know the true Way of the Samurai, since he's confused as to what that means. As fate would have it, the actions he thought epitomized a Warrior were the very actions that got him banished in the first place. I thought that this conflict and his "High-Noon" Showdown with Ogami near the end where Ogami finally answers his questions about what being a Samurai is all about and Daigoro's continued coming of age made this film most memorable, along with the skills displayed by Ogami Itto. The man doesn't miss any tricks. If a great action/Martial Arts flick with lessons in honor are for you, You won't want to miss this one.

Best Of the Series
This was quite simply, an excellent movie. There were two story-lines in it that sealed it up for me. The first involved a Samurai that comes up against Ogami after being banished from his clan after committing an act of unbelievable courage, loyalty and skill. He then has to take menial jobs, keeping his honor and personal dignity intact to survive and is confused about the Way of the Samurai. As fate would have it, the very acts that he committed that he thought were the epitomy of true Samurai Behavior, is what got him banished in the first place. His "High-Noon" showdown with Ogami where Ogami finally answers his burning question about the true Way of the Warrior, as well as Daigoro's continued coming of age and uncommon spiritual and emotional strength were the highlights, along with the incredible skill displayed by Ogami Itto. The man is simply awesome. If great Martial Arts action as well as lessons in personal honor and dignity are for you, then you won't want to miss this one.

ALMOST INDESCRIBABLE AS TO HOW COOL THIS MOVIE IS
Its the only Lone Wolf with Cub movie I've been able to get my hands on so far; and I've heard this one isnt even the best in the series, and its fantastic. I look forward to seeing the other films. Its nice to know that there is a series of movies with style and substance about the samurai. Seven Samurai and the Yojimbo are great movies, but the tone of Lone Wolf with Cub is different.

Here, you get a samurai movie as if Sergio Leone settled down and lived in Japan for a period of his life. Its got power and flair in its visuals and the characters breathe. The relationships dont ring a false note. You believe that he loves that little boy, and you know that little boy looks up to him. And, you damn well know that if anyone messes with either one of them, heads are going to roll.

This movie was just absolutely outstanding from start to finish. I look forward to owning and devouring the entire series. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kirk Douglas produced the trendsetting barbarian epic The Vikings and took the showiest, most aggressive role: lusty Viking prince Einar, the "only son in wedlock" of King Ragnar (a cackling, wild-eyed Ernest Borgnine). With jagged scars down his face and a milky-white blind eye that almost glows in his skull, Douglas has a rowdy time battling defiant slave Tony Curtis (the long-lost heir to the British throne) for the hand of the beautiful princess Janet Leigh. It's pure Hollywood hokum, sure, but spectacular hokum: the great cinematographer Jack Cardiff turns his Norway locations into a lush Valhalla on earth. Faced with an absurd story, journeyman director Richard Fleischer goes for the gusto in brawling Viking parties, furious sieges, and clanging broadsword battles. An enormous hit, the film spawned a huge wave of Viking movies, some perhaps smarter but none as much fun. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Great Fifties Vikings Tale!
Ah, a personal wish fulfilled is the re-issuing of this film onto the DVD format. Although I have long had the older VHS version of this classic fifties romantic sword and sorcery trendsetter, I was recently amused to find it now listed in the DVD catalogue. Odin be praised! This was a formative film in my childhood, a monstrously popular box office hit that had all of us pre-adolescents entertaining ourselves for months clashing in back yards using make-shift stick swords and purloined garbage-can covers for shields as we fought out our own imagined action sequences. Indeed, everything about this film is attractive and appealing; the wonderfully photographed sequences along the fjords, the jaunty and majestic music, and the quite authentic long ships and settings.

The cast adds to the fun with a star-packed line-up. Kirk Douglas looks appropriately Nordic (neat trick for the son of Russian Jewish immigrants), and more than acts out the part of the Viking prince, Einar, the eldest son and heir to the barbarian legacy of his outrageously roguish father, Ragnar, played masterfully by a full-bearded Ernest Borgnine. Tony Curtis adds a little blue-eyed soul to the cast as the star-crossed illegitimate heir to the English throne, and the quite lovely Janet Leigh (who at the time was Mrs. Tony Curtis) is the prized after English princess both the male principals have the urge to merge with. The scenes inside the Viking lodges are hilarious; the sequences in which a drunken Douglas has to successfully cut off a lover's braids from twenty yards with a battle axe without decapitating the lady in question to prove she wasn't unfaithful is spell-binding to experience. Terrific vicarious excitement for all of us overgrown kids in the audience.

The bottom line is that although none of it makes a whole lot of sense, just remember; we're talking serious action-adventure here! It is deliciously exciting fun and gives full disclosure of all the rowdy Viking boys having a rousing good time raiding, raping and pillaging, robbing and sinking other ships and finally storming a castle. And we find ourselves going along for the ride. Why not? The cinematography is superb, as is the musical score. Although not terribly accurate historically, the film does give us an intriguing look at primitive lifestyles in terms of different cultures cohabiting not so peacefully in the north Atlantic long ago, circa the fourteenth century or so. It is a great way to spend a couple of hours being entertained by some real Hollywood masters of the genre. Enjoy!

Great action/adventure with Douglas and Curtis
The Vikings is a great historical epic that is just a lot of fun to watch. Viking chief, Ragnar, leads a raid on the British coast and rapes an English woman who births a child, Eric. However, upon his birth Eric is sent away and captured by Vikings where he is brought up as a slave. Flash to 30 years later, with Eric all grown up. After a brief battle with his unknowing half-brother, Einar, the hatred between the two begins to grow. Along the way, the Vikings kidnap the princess of Wales, Morgana, whom both of the men fall in love with. Eric and Einar must fight it out not only for the love of the beautiful Morgana, but must also worry about their attack on the English king, Aella, to avenge the death of Ragnar, the father of both warriors. This movie has a plot that drifts along, but the whole thing is fun to watch. The cast does great, the action scenes are spectacular, especially the Viking attack on the english castle), and the cinematography is beautiful. As well, the Vikings theme by Mario Nascimbene is perfect for the movie with its horns and trumpets. This is a great movie full of action and adventure that should not be missed.

Kirk Douglas gives an excellent performance as the ultimate Viking warrior, Einar. With his blond hair and scarred face complete with milky left eye, Douglas looks and acts like a Viking would have. Tony Curtis is also very good as Viking slave, Eric, who unbeknownst to him is Einar's half-brother. The beautiful Janet Leigh plays Morgana, the woman who is loved by two men who despise each other. Ernest Borgnine is great as Viking chief, Ragnar, the loud, boisterous father of Eric and Einar. While watching the movie, it looks like the cast had a lot of fun making the film. The Vikings also stars James Donald as Egbert, Alexander Know as Father Godwin, Frank Thring as Aella, Eileen Way as Kitala, and Edric Connor as Sandpiper. The DVD offers the widescreen presentation, making of featurette/photo gallery with director Richard Fleischer, and a theatrical trailer. Filmed mostly in the fjiords of Norway, the movie looks great, especially in the letterbox format. For a great action adventure with Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis, don't miss The Vikings!

Blimey! It's the Vikings!
As many reviewers have observed, the best reaction to this movie is to sit back and enjoy it. Douglas and Borgnine are just great as comic-strip Vikings. Why Tony Curtis, perfect as "the cookie full of arsenic" in The Sweet Smell of Success, was ever thought suitable to play a slave-boy in sword epics like this and Spartacus, completely beats me. Janet Leigh, perfect in Psycho, is a little too 20th century for all this more general kind of blood and guts, but everything else is terrific, and most of it is almost authentic. A lot of the dialogue is superb: "I'm a lady, and I just won't row a boat to save my life". I can't remember the exact words. The scene where the wimpy Anglo-Saxon peasants vamoose the fields, crying "It's the Vikings, It's the Vikings" has remained memorable for 45 years. The DVD quality is excellent.

"Odin! Odin! Bring the wind and turn the tide!"
I remember as a small child watching this magnificent epic adventure on the big screen at Rockefeller Center in New York, in 1958. The music in this film is truly magnificent and effectively reinforces the audience's emotional reactions to dramatic scenes. Three musical high points are particularly potent. First, when a Viking utilizes a mammoth tusk as a horn to welcome returning warriors; next: when a Valkarie's voice heralds the coming of the North Wind to save an important character; and finally, when an unseen choir sings the triumphant welcome of another important character into heavenly Valhalla.

UNDERWHELMING ACTION - NICE LOOKING TRANSFER!
For some reason "The Vikings" is fondly remembered as one of the bloodiest films in cinema history - certainly from the 1950s. That's odd, because aside from Kirk Douglas getting his eye pecked out by a hawk (which is rather violently depicted) there are no other moments of extreme bloodshed in this film. Yes, there are epic battles, but these are all shot through the glamor and gauze of pre-Braveheart euphoria for guts and gruesome carnage. Douglas stars as Einar, an "I'm too sexy for my breast-plate" pin-up of a viking, whose way with the ladies is forever shattered when his face is deliberately disfigured by Eric's (Tony Curtis)pet bird. This attack stirs up a life-long hatred that is strengthened by both men's love of the princess (Janet Leigh). You would think with Norsman and kidnapped royalty the plot would be rather vibrant but actually its dull and uninspiring from this point onward.
TRANSFER: MGM gives us a handsome looking transfer. Colors are rich and vibrant. The travelogue footage of the Fiords is surrealisticly gorgeous. Black levels are solid. Contrast levels are bang on. Only occasionally does the original negative betray the vintage of the film. Age related artifacts are kept to a bare minimum. There is no edge enhancement, pixelization or shimmering of fine details in this presentation. The audio is MONO (I thought all Cinemascope films were stereophonic?!?)and somewhat of a disappointment. The audio is generally balanced though there are occasions where it seems muffled and lacking in treble tone.
EXTRAS: A featurette with the director, Richard Fleischer that is remarkably useful and engaging - if all too short.
BOTTOM LINE: It's not a great film but it is a fairly wonderful looking transfer. And hey, any film with Kirk Douglas is never all bad! ... Read more

Reviews (373)

We Will, We Will, Rock You!
The vision of a remarkably authentic looking 14th c. tournament audience chanting and clapping to Queen lets you know right off this is *not* a serious historical film but a fantasy set in a land-of-fable fourteenth century complete with punk dressing lady-fairs, disco dancing at banquets and jousting fans who paint their faces with the armorial devices of their favorite champions and do the wave. Geoffrey Chaucer must be spinning in his fancy, Westminster Abbey sarcophagus - or maybe not, his Canterbury tales aren't exactly noted for historical accuracy or logical consistancy either. This movie is eye candy for the ladies: the hero is blond and gorgeous; the villain dark, sinister and gorgeous; the humorous sidekicks are cute and cuddly and the gallant Black Prince noble and beautiful. 'Lady Jocelyn' isn't bad either, and her costumes get progressively more outrageous as the movie goes on. But the best joke is who the *real* Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein was, (yes there was a real one!)

A fun, quirky film
I thouroughly enjoyed A Knight's Tale. It had all of the components one needs for an enjoyable film: action, romance, drama(and not to mention extremely good looking guys) I loved the seventies music mixed with a medievel setting(some people say that that's what ruined the movie for them, but I though it worked) Basically the movie is about a young man(Heath Ledger, gorgeous!) who is a peasant, but dreams about changin his stars. His opportunity comes about when his master dies at a jousting tournament and he has to fill in for him. He meets a writer along the way, none other than Geoffrey Chaucer(played by a hilarious Paul Bettany) who agrees to forge his...papers(I can't remember what they're called), anyway, he enters in a jousting tournament, and what do you know, turns out to be a natural. However, he must compete with Count Adhemar(Rufus Sewell, who is just as gorgeous as Heath and boy, can he play a spectacular villain) for the title and for the princess(played by a stiff as a board Shannon Sossomon) Yeah, yeah, good guy defeats bad guy and gets girl. So it's a little cliche, but it's pure fun. I though the suporrting cast was excellent also. I was rather hoping that Heath would fall for the female blacksmith rather than the haughty princess, but I suppose the masses wouldn't like that as much. Also, James Purefoy who plays the Black Prince is extremely good looking also. There's pleny of eye candy for the girls, and plenty of action for the guys.

Fun, if you still know how to have fun.
A Knight's Tale is what you get when you cross underdog sports drama, comedy, medieval knights, and a healthy dose of Gen X attitude. William Thatcher is a nobody, son of a peasant, fascinated with knights. When the knight he's serving dies before the final round of a joust, William takes a chance and assumes his identity.

The show wastes no time whatsoever getting straight to the fun stuff. The above paragraph is the very first thing you'll see in the movie, and the very next is the movie's first joust set to Queen's We Will Rock You. The twist here isn't just a cheap soundtrack, but the fact that it's interwoven into the movie itself. The jousting audience is more of a football crowd, clapping along to the legendary beat and having fun. The herald trumpet players are even shown to belt a few notes, while the guards step along.

The best example I can think of this previously is Robin Hood: Men in Tights. A Knight's Tale takes it one step farther however by taking it all very seriously. By the end of the show you could almost believe it. Heralds that sound more like boxing announcers, armor with famous looking logos, ultra modern hair and outfits, and even an amazing dance sequence that blends classical with modern set to David Bowie. It's a highlight of the movie and worth watching just for that scene alone.

The best thing I can say about A Knight's Tale is how real it all is, despite it's theme. The modern aspects are blended into the events with real tact, the comedy is honestly funny, and the drama is in no way cheapened by the lightheartedness. It's not exactly Oscar material, but the show has a few honestly dramatic and heart touching moments that are go over extremely well to anyone but scoffing critics.

If you've ever had even a slight fascination with Knights and the joust, give this a watch. It's a great movie filled with all the fun and wit one could ask for. The Gen X attitude may seem like a gimmick, but if you're as tired as I am of lame actors speaking in extremely poor old English, this movie is for you.

Will rock you
This movie was great fun and entertaining. Great film? Nah. Great way to spend an afternoon with some popcorn and Junior Mints? Oh yeah! I enjoyed everything about this movie. I thought it was well cast, well played and well paced.

Fun fluff but poor history
A lot of people seem to like this movie. I can't help but go against the grain here. As an action movie, it seems entertaining enough. As an historical action film, it left me feeling cheated.

The primary reviewer here said: "Upon witnessing a crowd of peasants at a jousting match, singing and clapping to the beat of Queen's "We Will Rock You," you're either going to love this movie or dismiss it altogether." I was one who dismissed it at that point. The "jarring anachronisms" were not only out of place, but they were unneeded and did nothing to benefit the film. The rock music is fine in itself, but did they really have to simulate the crowd dancing to it? Perhaps if they had just had a more "tongue in cheek" approach to this... witness Moulin Rouge and how they played up their use of modern song and dance in the late 1800's. But here the production seems to imply either one of 2 things: you the viewer are either so savvy about historical details that the anachronisms add a light-hearted comic touch, or the producers do not care a whit about how historical details may be judged by the viewer. Had this been a very funny movie I think I could have dealt with it better. ... Read more

Reviews (203)

This movie rules!! Long live Jack Burton!!
John Carpenter once again teams up with Kurt Russell to direct this awesome action/kung-fu/comedy. This is not your typical John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing, The Fog, etc.) flick, but I can't get enough, I've literally seen this over 100 times. Don't take this movie seriously, just sit back and enjoy the fun. Kurt Russell stars as Jack Burton a trucker who stops in Chinatown for a little wholesome gambling. After winning everything but the kitchen sink from his buddy Wang Chi, Jack Burton goes for a ride with Wang expecting to collect his winnings. They stop at the airport to pick up Wang's girlfriend with green eyes, Miao Yin. Miao Yin gets kidnapped by a group of kung-fu thugs, and Jack Burton is forced to go along with Wang Chi to try and save her. They end up in the middle of a gang war in Chinatown, meet the main villain "undead" Lo Pang and his three spirit warriors: Rain, Thunder, and Lightning. (they inspired Rayden, the Mortal Kombat video game character) After running over Lo Pan, leaving Jack's truck and escaping Lo Pan and his cronies, Jack teams up with Wang, green eyed reporter Gracie Law, (Kim Cattrell) and friends Eddy and Egg to save Miao Yin and Jack's truck. (the Porkchop express) Many wacky and supernatural things happen along the way, and the plot just gets crazier and funnier. Kurt Russell is the standout in this movie, he has some incredibly funny lines, but the other characters especially Lo Pan are funny as well. Highly recommended to any Kurt Russell, 80's comedy, or kung-fu fan with a sense of humor. Just remember have fun!

What more can I say but, DAMN!
Listen. Stop right now and definitely don't even think about buying this if cheesy acting, even cheesier visual effects and music as well as gaping plot holes greatly affect your movie-viewing experience.

Kurt Russell, with his loud mouth antics and John Wayne swagger plays Jack Burton, a California truck driver who, as it turns out, really doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. It gets him into a whole mess of trouble (hence the title) in San Francisco when his little Chinese buddy Wang loses his girl to a bunch of thugs.

Wouldn't you know these thugs happen to be the minions of an ancient evil spirit, and when Wang and Jack, with a little help from some friends, try to take down this evil sorcerer with a little magic of their own, all hell breaks loose and the results are electrifying and hilarious.

Definitely for fans of the Troma genre, Big Trouble in Little China demonstrates that all you need is some kick-ass fight scenes, Kurt Russell with a knife, and Kim Cattrall in a wet shirt and you have what I am proud to say is my favorite movie to watch on "a dark and stormy night."

The Ox (the_ox@hungover.com)

Greatest movie ever made
This is the single greatest movie ever made. Kurt Russell is a demi-god. All of his movies kick ass and when he teams up with John Carpenter, it's twice the action. David Lo-Pan is the greatest villain of all time. See this movie now

Double-disc edition is the only way to go for "Little China"
This is one of those movies that just holds such a special place in my heart that I couldn't even try to play this review from an impartial standpoint. When I found out that they were putting out a double-disc special edition of it, I raced out and bought a DVD player. John Carpenter's modern-day Western with Russell as a big-mouthed hog trucker who gets caught up in San Fransico's Chinatown is just a tour de force of martial arts fantasy that never tries to take itself too seriously. Russell's Jack Burton is the hero who doesn't quite have what it takes to be a hero (ala Bruce Cambell's "Ash" from the Evil Dead movies) and he plays it perfectly. When his buddy's fiancee is kidnapped by Chinese mobsters and sacrificed to Little China's overlord, the evil David Lo Pan (a tremendously over-the-top James Hong), it's Jack to the rescue. If nothing else, "Little China" is a movie that knows how to have fun. It is an absolute blast from start to finish.

A Carpenter-Russell collaberation.
John Carpenter's "Big Trouble In Little China" is an odd ball film in the Carpenter collection. It is a comedy first of all. Kurt Russell plays Jack Burton, a truck driver who's ego far exceed his skills. He is always in way over his head as the very anti-Ramboish hero. The film involoves Burton and his Chinnese-American friend going into San Francisco's Chinatown underworld looking for two kidnapped women. Burton, as I said, is the bumbling hero, and Kurt Russell is great at it. The movie is funny from beginning to end. It is also very ahead of it's time as far as kung-fu and Eastern Mystisism in American culture (way before "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). Kim Catrall also dose a pretty good job as the romantic interest with a suprise at the end. The commentary is very funny to litsen to as John Carpenter and Kurt Russell talk about everything from the movie in question, to the TV mini-series they did together in 1980, "Elvis", and some slightly less relevent trivia. Their converstaion is very easy to listen to. They are friends and you can tell they really like each other, and that explins why their frequent collaberations are pretty good, if not always successful. But this is one of Carpenter's more underrated movies, and that isn't fair. They did not set out to make a serious movie, just a goofy, fantasy kung-fu adventure, and they pulled it off well. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

ON DVD AT LAST
This is very good movie and much better than typical swordtype movies. Marc Singer is very good..then again when isn't he good. He is in incredible shape and handles the stunts well. The camera work is outstanding and the locations are beautiful. The only weak point in the movie is Tanya Roberts' acting. She is much better these days on her sitcom, "That 70s Show". The BeastMaster is very different that the two sequels that followed. This movie is more of an epic while #2 was camp and forgettable and #3 was shot like an episode of Xena. Get this and you will find out why so many people love The BeastMaster and Marc Singer.

Still a Decent Classic
I have recently purchased the DVD of The Beastmaster and have watched the movie for what was probably the first time since 1983 when it was on HBO. I had forgotten about the bad acting and cheesy lines, but also about how impressive Marc Singer is for such a small man compared to other big screen heros of that day (Arnold Schwarzeneggar and Sylvester Stallone). I also forgot about how gorgeous Tanya Roberts is. Ah, the good old days when PG-13 flicks gave us a peek (we get a nice long google in this one). Despite the low-budget production, The Beastmaster is a rock-solid feast for the imagination. It has all the right elements of a fantastic fairy tale: a vile dictator who epitomizes evil, witches, mysterious flesh-eating humanoid flying beasts, a cool black tiger, bodies impaled on poles, and so on. The imagination that went into this film is really much larger than the budget that produced it, so if you can get past the goofy acting you could really enjoy this story.

As for the DVD, Anchor Bay just wanted to get something released for a quick buck. Half of the scenes are crystal clear and the other half are grainy with poor color. The enhanced soundtrack does little to improve the story. The disc also had a habit of seizing up toward the end of the movie. I thought it was my player so I tested it with another disc then replayed the segments from the Beastmaster disc to confirm my suspicion. It seized up again. But when I tracked backward for a few frames it cleared up. The extras are extremely poor in quality and hardly worth watching unless you just have to know the history of the film. The 16-page booklet is quite nice, though. I cannot rate this story any more than 3 stars because it is just another fantasy film regardless of the potential it could have had. The DVD will have to rate 1 star. I can live with the quality, but Anchor Bay has made outstanding discs with older films like Halloween. Too bad only the wildly popular classics get first class attention.

Bonus star for not being as bad as I remembered
Come, let us be honest. You love this movie. You know it's bad, but you love it anyway. I'm like that too. But the thing is, it's not *that* bad.

In fact, this may be the most fun movie you've ever watched. I have hazy memories of 4th-grade birthday parties when we begged to stay up all the way until midnight so we could watch Beastmaster on cable...again and again... And now that I have the DVD, I find myself staying up all the way until midnight so I can watch Beastmaster again. Not to recapture my childhood, of course, but because it's the kind of movie that is at its best when you decide to just waste a couple hours of your life.

Also, the DVD version is excellent. The picture quality is much better than I had expected, and there are even a few extras, which is unusual with B-movies, and even more unusual with 80's B-movies.

But, hey... you're not buying this movie for the extras. You're buying it so you don't have to wait for it to show up on cable again.

Better then Tarzan
THis DVD was a great find. I classic film I grew up oninthe 80's. This movie is the basis for the television series now.

80's masterpiece.
Oh boy, the nastalgia runs thick in this one...

This movie was easily one of my favorite movies as a kid and its still very enjoyable and watchable today.

What little kid didnt want a huge sword, a man eating panther, two cute little ferrets, an eagle that you can see through, and a hot red headed girlfriend?

If you didnt grow up in the 80's then you probably wont care for this movie. But if youre like me, and did, then this is a must buy from our childhood. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the opening scene of this thoroughly mindless action flick, a psycho holds a group of terrified hostages in a grocery store, and yells to renegade cop Marion Cobretti (Sylvester Stallone) that he's going to blow the place to kingdom come. "Go ahead," says the cop nicknamed "Cobra," presumably because he's tightly coiled and strikes with deadly force. "I don't shop here." And so it goes with this brutal and for the most part disgusting Stallone showcase, in which Sly's then wife, Brigitte Nielsen, provides bad acting and ample cleavage as a fashion model (what else?) who's the only witness against a crazed cult of serial killers. Cobra likes to kill first and leave the questions to his disgruntled superiors, who call on the maverick lawman when all other options have failed. This movie does have a modest following, and for what it's worth, a few of the action sequences are disjointedly exciting. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A movie for guys who like violent 80s movies
If you tried to be serious, Cobra would not be considered a good film. But if you want to talk about the movies you grew up with, the 80s cheese, the movies where the bad guy was just so evil you knew he was gonna get it but good?

That's where Rambo director George P. Cosmatos comes in and delivers Cobra. Stallone mumbles a lot and chews on a match like toothpick. He drives an incredible classic souped-up Mercedes (with nitrous boosts) and brandishes a submachine gun. When normal cops can't get it done, the Captain calls in the Cobra.

Do I need to talk about the story? Well, okay. Remember the punk from the opening of The Terminator--the guys who gets Arnie's fist put through him? He's the head of some evil cult here. You never find out what they're about, but they just like killing people sadistically with axes and knives, etc. They're just really evil, bad people.

Anyway, Stallone gets on the case, and dozens of corpses later he faces off with The Night Stalker, or Slasher, and...well, I'll let you find out.

This DVD actually has some decent extras. I'm impressed. Tailor-made for the dedicated violent 80s movie fan, including commentary from the director(!) AND a documentary.

You either know you're gonna love Cobra or hate it just by looking at the box cover art. So there you go.

A classic action movie...
This is a classic Sylvester Stallone action movie. It's one of the best he ever made. Cobra was mostly known for the number of people killed during the movie. It far exceeded any previous record for an action movie...bordering on the comical. Some of the things you'll remember... The match he keeps in his mouth. His awesome gun. His Mercury which is painfully destroyed during the movie. And the most memorable moment is when he meets up with "Night Slasher" (Brian Thompson) at the end and gets an earful about the judicial system. "They'll say I'm insane. Won't they...PIG!?" If ever there was a classic piece of film it's this encounter. Me and my friends still joke today about how spittle and sweat comes from his mouth when he says, "PIG!". It's hilarious. That alone is worth owning this movie. In all, it's typical of 80's action films. Sylvester's films always seem to have a fair amount of cheese in them. It's a given. At the same time tho, they don't make films like this anymore. The days of the action hero seem over, but they can be relived with movies like Cobra.

The Zombie Squad?
When people watch the recent "action" movies that have been released in theaters, they definitely are not getting what film-goers got out of action movies in the 80's. What makes action movies, "Action Movies", is the obvious lack of story, poor acting, and endless amounts of cheese. Cobra has it all...and much, much more! From the group of psychos that are bent on creating "The Way of the New World" to Marion Cobretti, Stallone, and his Zombie Squad, Cobra never lets you forget that it is a terrible movie, which means it is awesome. The Zombie Squad is supposed to be the misfit cops who do the jobs the "real" cops won't do. Stallone heads this rag tag crew, which involves only Poppy from Seinfeld fame, against the dirtiest man alive, who leads...the group of men and women who kill hot chicks. Are you following me? No? Good. Some highlights, the soundtrack...trust me, pure cheese, and the give and take between Cobretti and the Lieutenant who disagrees with Cobra's methods, riveting stuff. The fight at the end between Cobretti and the whole Attractive-Girl Slaughtering Gang deserves an award. I am not sure what award, maybe a bucket of KFC? Any way, this movie is atrocious...so buy it to annoy your friends or your girlfriend.

A piece of entertainment
This movie lingers between the lines of being the worst movie ever made, and the funniest.
Don't get me wrong on this, the film is crap, no dought about it, the film is crap, but it will have you in hysterics from beginning to end. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense but you don't really care, it's full of some of the stupidest things I've ever seen (Like when the bad guy dies his hair black. Like it really makes any difference to a guy as hefty as that.He looked exactly the same.)
Basically you can't go on about it for too long but it's worth renting if your looking for a comedy that will really make you laugh out loud.
Saying that I would love to see the directors commentary. He might be as funny as the film itself?

ILOVEITILOVEITILOVEIT!
Anyone who grew up in the 80s saw this film, you had no choice. I remember seeing it at the drive-in on a double bill with Road House. This is a fun Cannon/Stallone collaboration. Yeah, it's oozing with cheese and cliched as can be, but it wouldn't be half as fun if it weren't. Stallone's in tough guy mode again(it seems like he never set off to be an action hero, but ended up one), this time around as a Dirty Harry-esque cop, who's naturally hated by the force and considered a "loose cannon". He's out to stop a wacky death cult and protect their next victim at the same time. Not to mention romancing her. The cult's motivations are never totally explained, they just go around slaughtering women. Brian Thompson is scary looking and menacing as the cult leader with that cool knife we all remember. We get a big showdown at the end where Stallone really gets into Stallone mode. He takes on the whole cult(who REALLY must want to kill this woman considering they all come out of hiding to get her) Rambo style. I must say that Cobra is one sadistic mother-most of the cult members he likes to set on fire in various ways! Try watching it again and relive the cheesy fun. If you haven't seen it(shame on you), you must, must, must!! ... Read more

Description

When his daughter is kidnapped and held in exchange for diamonds, the leader of a crew of highly skilled urban thieves (DMX) forges an unlikely alliance with a Taiwanese Intelligence officer (Jet Li) to rescue her. Their race against the clock to find the precious stones ultimately unravels a plot to distribute a deadly new weapon of war. ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Plot finally outweighs the action.
'Cradle 2 the Grave' looks like it would be the typical martial arts action flick. But there is very little martial arts, and I thought the action was rather laid back as well. Seems that the Hollywood people are beginning to realize that there is room in the industry for action films with good stories and plots.

In 'Cradle', DMX portrays Tony Fait--a high-tech thief who goes into a building one expects to be well-guarded and steals fifty black diamonds. Of course, he has help. This is one of the best opening sequences I have ever seen. Perfectly timed.

Jet Li plays Su, an agent from Taiwan. He also wants the weird, black diamonds. So does everyone else. Fait and Su team up when Fait's daughter is kidnapped. All of this leads to the climax--another well timed cut between three fight sequences.

The movie only goes bad during the end credits. But I am giving this film five stars because I really enjoyed Anthony Anderson, who finally tones down and plays a more serious role--and he is able to remain funny at the same time.

Like action flicks? C2G does not disappoint!
Popular rapper DMX has teamed up in an earlier martial arts film with Steven Segal, and has stepped his role in action films up a notch with martial arts superstar Jet Li, who has (to my mind)established himself as one of the greatest martial arts stars of our time.

DMX's role is Tony Fait, a smooth (but somewhat excitable)master thief. He and his crew (including the lovely Gabrielle Union and his partner-in- crime from the afore-referenced "Exit Wounds" Anthony Anderson) break into a diamond exchange, and steal a cache of black diamonds. They were created by the Taiwanese government, and when agitated (kinda like what we saw as the principal weapon in the fifth Bond flick "Diamonds Are Forever") unleash incredible energy. They were originally stolen by the real bad guy Ling (Mark Dacascos), who intends to auction them off to a room full of worldwide nogoodnicks. Ling then abducts DMX's baby girl to ransom them back. And as they say, it is ON.

You cannot have these guys together without great fight scenes, and this movie does not disappoint. Li has an incredible nonchalance about himself, and actually fights (and easily handles, of course) his first few adversaries with one hand in his pocket! He has to use both hands, though, when he ends up in the middle of a brawl with a crew of Ultimate Fighters. Of course, he can, and does, without raising much of a sweat (but he does get around to tossing around a midget as a "weapon").

Just as he did in Exit Wounds, Tom Arnold provides some comic relief (among his best lines: "I cannot read Chinese, but I know cop in every language").

Forget about the folks who dog out this movie. The acting is just fine. This script does not call for Meryl Streep, and neither is it incredibly thought provoking screenplay. It does not need to be. It doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is, a slammin', ultra-violent, retribution filled, sexy action film. While I thought at first that the one-handed fight scenes were a bit much, as another reviewer noted, it does show another side of the virtuosity of Jet Li. And I don't really care whether Kelly Hu (bad-guy Ling's equally ultra-fine sidekick) would have beat down Gabrielle Union in two seconds "in real life". The two of them on the screen is worth seeing, in my humble opinion.

Like action movies? Then this one is for you. Enjoy it for what it is, and you will have spent a great ninety minutes.

yawn............................................
dmx knows his tired rap act is through,so