Reviews (556)

Heeeere's Johnny! A modern horror classic on DVD
It's tough to believe that Stanley Kubrick received a Worst Director Razzie nomination for "The Shining." While "The Shining" may not be given the classic status of some of his other films like "Dr. Strangelove" and "2001", it's actually the least polarizing of this highly-praised and atypical filmmaker's work.

This atmospheric thriller is sure to creep you out with its pacing, eery editing and cinematography (those tracking shots are highly effective), and Jack Nicholson's powerful performance as Jack Torrance. Horror films often tend to divide audiences into genre fans who follow the gore and those who laugh in the face of so-called scares, insisting their own resiliancy to cheap thrills and lamebrain plotting.

Fortunately, "The Shining" doesn't make you take sides, because its chills come from plotting and character study as much as they do from odd sights that will make you jump. It may stray from Stephen King's book and not all of it may make sense, but "The Shining" has so much going for it that you won't mind. It's a gripping and satisfying film experience, and in my opinion, one of the best films of the '80s.

This Warner DVD re-release is definitely the version to get. The fullframe presentation comes at the wishes of Kubrick and the video and audio offer significant improvement over the drab initial release. (Unfortunately, the original Mono audio track has been dropped altogether in favor of an effective 5.1 remix. They could have included both with no problem.)

In the way of extras, there is an engaging half-hour on-set documentary, filmed by Kubrick's daughter Vivian. It provides a candid experience of the film's creation, and interviews with some of the actors. In addition, this DVD re-release includes an audio commentary on the documentary (sort of a "making-of the making-of") by Vivian Kubrick. There's also the spooky trailer, which shows how a movie preview can perfectly pique one's interest in a film, without spoiling (or even saying) much.

Possibly the Best Horror Movie Ever
This was a spectacular piece of work. It had a chilling soundtrack, and had some very good camera work. In the case of the Shining, a movie has finally exceeded the book upon which it was based. Things that would normally make a movie terrible have made the Shining a spellbinding movie. For example, the dialogue throughout the entire movie seems forced and unnatural. Another example is during an argument between Jack Nicholson (who performs incredibly well throughout the entire movie) and Shelley Duvall, after which Jack storms out of the room and glances at the camera as he goes by. If you're a horror fan, or just into movies, this is definetely one to see again and again and again.

A great horror movie..
This film slowley but shorley creepes you out, I don't think any one but Jack Nicholson could have played this role that well, and Krubrick has the best feal in the world, and the score is one of the best ever put in a movie. The movie is really scary.
It all starts off kinda slow thenwe see Dany talking to himself, and then there's a few images that are veary frightning, the holtel gives you a veary creepy isalated fealing, like if something were to happen there'de be no way out. Jack slowly starts going crazyer and crazer, and the hole time creepy images are appearing in the hotel, and the last half hour of the movie is trueley scary, a must see.

267
When i first saw this movie i was scared to death. realy it may have beeen the scariest movie i have ever seen. i also read the book but the movie was even scarier.
i realy recomend you this movie.
maby it had beeen the scariest movie i have ever seen...you are going to love this movie.

Another Kubrick Classic
I loved this movie. It freaked me out I must say. Jack Nicolson is the perfect crazy man in the movie. Another thing this movie possesed was great cinematography as any Kubrick film posses and great acting by all of the actors and actresses. Great movie deffinate buyer. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not the scary hit that The Ring was in 2002, but The Grudge makes a similarly convincing case for American remakes of popular Japanese horror films. Barely a year passed between the release of Takashi Shimizu's creepy ghost story Ju-On: The Grudge and the production of this American remake, set in Tokyo and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar in her first post-Buffy horror film. About the only significant difference between the two films is the importing of a mostly-American cast (including Bill Pullman, Clea DuVall and Grace Zabriskie), but The Grudge was reconfigured (by screenwriter Stephen Susco) to allow Shimizu to refine and improve the spookiest highlights of his earlier version, which enjoyed previous incarnations as a short film and two made-for-Japanese-video features. Surprising box-office analysts with a $40 million opening weekend, The Grudge may disappoint hard-core horror fans because it lacks gore and graphic violence, but as a creepy tale about a very haunted house, it's guaranteed to send a few chills up your spine. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (344)

I gotta hold a "Grudge" here...
Let me just get this off my chest...for the love of God, just because the Ring was a surprise horror hit, could you please stop trying to copy it in every horror film! This film has the same cheesy lighting and imagery that 'the Ring' did. The main terror in this film is bottom line, a naked asian boy who meows. That scares me, but not in a horror way. Sarah Michelle Gellar is not bad nor any of the actors cast in here, they just weren't given much and unfortunately neither were we. Catch it on cable or satelite tv late one night, then forget it. Not one you want to waste adding to the collection.

Buffy - The Horror Genre Slayer
I couldn't wait to watch this movie. I thought the plot was superb. The acting was terrific. And the CGI and FX where the best I've ever seen. The main ghost women looked so realistic. And Buffy looked great. I haven't seen Sarah Michelle Geller play such a terrific role since Scooby-Doo. The ghosts in this film are so scary to look at.

Now I'll stop being sarcastic and give you the words to decode my review.

I couldn't wait to = I unwittingly suffered through this...
superb = crap
terrific = pathetic
best = worst.
realistic = s##t house
looked great = made me wanna puke as usual.
Scooby Doo = Debbie Does Dallas
are so scary = Are constipated looking dummies that should have been designed to look more like Michael Jackson if they wanted motionless, falling mannequins to look scary.

Wow, what a bad movie
I went to see the grudge in the theatres and I wasn't expecting a good movie because of the recent surge of poorly made PG-13 movies released. Unfortunately it was worse than I was expecting. I watched it and I kept thinking "what the hell is going on?" My biggest gripe of the movie was that things would happen that wouldn't be explained. Half way through the movie I kept debating whether or not to walk out. Three-fourths of the way in I wanted to gouge my eyes out. I gave it a 2 because it was, somehow and somewhat, better that other movies of it's kin (ie; Abandon, The Ring 2, etc.)

And Sam Raimi used to be such a good director too.

Scarier and Better than Original
I am, of course, a huge Sarah Michelle Gellar fan.I thought the initial, theatrical version of "The Grudge" was a very well done and original movie.It was scarier than "The Ring," it had better acting, better directing, and a more intriguing plot.My problem with the film was due to the fact that the filmmakers never really showed WHAT exactly happened in that house.The audience easily inferred what took place, but the audience was never explicitly told, "this is what happened, and why all this crazy, evil stuff is now happening."This version changes that.

I prefer this unrated, extended, director's cut, or whatever they are calling it becausethe include what actually happened in that house, and it is truly horrifying.The majority if the added scenes depict some pretty scary stuff that I think was important to the plot of the movie and should not have been cut.Thanks to this version, it has been added back in to the film.Now, we the audience, can truly understand how terrifying this movie is.

p.s.The terrifying aspect works best at home in the dark by yourself when you start the movie at around midnight or so.

Lost In Translation??
This movie was a remake of the Japanese Horror film Ju-On: The Grudge.In fact, it even has the same director.However, I think there are a lot of things taken for granted in Japan that Americans don't really understand.

So at the end of the movie I was left scratching my head thinking, "What did I just watch?"I understand how the killings started, so maybe a better question was, "What was the point of this?"The ending is not an ending at all, but more an opening for a possible sequel.

The strongest aspect of this movie was that the bulk of the gore was left to the imagination of the viewer.You don't see people getting killed, you see it coming and then the rest is up to you.I think this actually makes it more scary than seeing what actually does happen.

The best part is that it lowers the rating from an 'R' rating to a 'PG-13' so more people can see it.With an 'R' rating, this movie would not have made as much as it actually did.

However, if you like a scary movie then go ahead and watch this.If you don't like them as they keep you up for weeks with nightmares (and you don't want this) then stick with Mary Poppins.This movie will have you jumping a couple of times. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When you consider its unfortunate production history, Cursed turned out surprisingly well as a werewolf thriller that horror buffs will appreciate. It's hardly the disaster critics made it out to be, but extensive rewriting, reshooting, recasting, and lengthy delays in production and release (including the elimination of R-rated gore to earn a PG-13 rating) clearly took their toll. The result is a fun but flawed monster-show that begins when a young talk-show producer (Christina Ricci) and her teenaged brother (Jesse Eisenberg) are bitten by a werewolf, setting the stage for a horror-in-Hollywood scenario that reunites director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson, creators of the Scream franchise. What could have been a classic horror comedy is instead a fairly solid, if unremarkable, exercise in Los Angeles lycanthropy, featuring werewolf makeup by Rick Baker (combined with CGI transformation effects, of course) and some of Williamson's snappy dialogue and trademark pop-culture references. The title of Cursed doubles as a description of this movie's ultimate fate, but in a market filled with straight-to-video horror fodder, it's anything but a lost cause. The supporting cast includes Shannon Elizabeth, Portia de Rossi and Joshua Jackson, so genre aficionados should definitely check it out. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Description

A group is introduced to the supernatural through a 90-year old New England haunted house. Be prepared for hair-raising results in this classic horror film! ... Read more

Reviews (274)

I've eaten casseroles scarier than this
Refreshing as it is to see a horror film rely more on the power of suggestion than on buckets of blood, "The Haunting," Robert Wise's 1963 adaptation of Shirley Jackson's novel, never really becomes as frightening as it clearly wants to be. Occasionally tense and mildly spooky but more often talky, overly melodramatic, and just downright silly, this is one of those films that would benefit a great deal if its characters would just shut up once in a while.

Or at least stop thinking, so we wouldn't be forced to listen to their irritating voice-overs. Granted, there's only one character erring in that direction, but unfortunately, it's Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris), a whiny, disturbed, introverted old maid who's got some serious bats in the belfry--she's feeling (what else?) guilt over the recent "natural" death of the sick old mother she's nursed for the past eight years. Eleanor, of course, proves to be the most susceptible to the eerie but invisible apparitions of Hill House, an abandoned old estate where she and three other guests (well-played by Richard Johnson, Claire Bloom, and Russ Tamblyn) are embarking on a search for the supernatural.

Harris does the best she can, but watching her wander about like Alice in Wonderland on crack, murmuring awful dialogue like "The house wants me, the house is alive," is more likely to evoke laughs than chills. There's also a protracted early scene in which Harris is driving toward her unfortunate destination, plagued by anxiety, fear, and that ever-present voice-over, that is a complete rip-off of the same scene Janet Leigh did in "Psycho" (and I apologize for even mentioning the name of that superior film in this review).

The idea behind all this prolonged psychobabble, of course, is that "The Haunting" can be considered as either a genuine ghost story or simply a story of a woman's deteriorating psyche, and that the ambiguities of the human mind are ultimately far more frightening than the sight of actual spooks. It's an excellent idea, but there's also such a thing as being too vague; in fact, the scariest moment in the entire film occurs when it finally decides to actually SHOW us something scary, rather than anesthetize us with obtrusive close-ups and creaky music. (Humphrey Searle's score blares so incessantly it could turn you off to soundtracks altogether.) Certainly, an excess of gore isn't the recipe for a successful horror movie, but if there's one thing that "The Haunting" demonstrates, it's that an excess of anything else is hardly an improvement.

The Wise choice for the Occult!
Call it horror or a supernatural thriller, "The Haunting" (1963) ruled out the pitfalls that made others of the genre seem pretentious. On first sight you are treated to a mansion set in an evil aura with baroque décor and looming statues. Doctor Markway (Richard Johnson) presides over the investigation, supplying us with an excellent catalog of phenomena to fuel our apprehension. Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris) is the hysterical spinster whose emotional fears become bound with ours. Then there is the wild soundtrack. Humphrey Searle composed a creepy score with a strong arrangement of brass and strings, creating an abstract and crazy effect to attack the senses. A perfect plot, script, narrative and good casting builds the horror through the viewer's own imagination. The best example of a movie to triumph over gore, intense violence and CGI. More evidence that "black and white" is not an obsolete format but an underused film technique. Robert Wise is a versatile director who showed a genuine skill in fright. You will not find "The Haunting" in any shallow top ten list with other famous horror films. You will find it taking refuge in your personal list of what you fear. A movie with a formula to survive repeated viewing and perpetual quality on DVD.

One of the scarest 60's films in the world.
Most people see the remake and won't bother with this one, but this film is really truely pure horror unlike the remake, one of the scarest films ever made, it also tells a classic story of a repressed women and a house that makes her lose her mind, the film is so much more than all of that though, it has all the events timed perfectly as it keeps bulding more and more untill the frightning conclution, If you're a true horror fan give this one a shot, you'll love it.

A chilling movie about an evil house
HIll House has been standing empty for almost 90 years. Whipsers of strange phenomena have kept would-be ocupants away for a long time; not even the owners will live their. That is, until Dr. John Markway assembles a small team to invesitgate the supposed supernatural events of the house. He invites Theodora, a psychic who lives a very different lifestyle; Eleanor, a sheltered young woman who recently lost her canterkaerous mother and has had experienece with poltergeist phenomena; and Luke Sanderson, soon to inherit Hill House and acting as the family's representative. Together, they begin to study the house, it's history and architecture. Or, has the house chosen one of the team for its own purposes?

Horror film director Robert Wise does a magnificent job with this adaptation of the Shirley Jackson novel. Very few visual effects are used, instead relying on lighting (the one scene with the wallpaper in Eleanor's room is eerie), atmosphere, sound and the viewers own fear to create a creepingly chilling film. They make the viewer feel like actors in the movie instead of bystanders. All the actors give fine performances: Clair Bloom as Theo, Russ Tamblyn as Luke, and Richard Johnson as Dr. Markway. But, Julie Harris' performance of Eleanor makes the film. Her almost childlike confusion, fear and determination to stay the course keep you enrapt in the film.

It's very refreshing to see a horror film that doesn't rely so much on expensive special effects to get the chills across, instead using acting, lighting and story to convey terror and fright. This is a classic horror film that still delivers to this day.

Good, but lacks the depth of the novel
I probably would have liked this movie a lot better if I hadn't read Shirley Jackson's brilliant book first. The Haunting is a decent haunted house film, not terrible by any means, but it is an inadequate adaptation. Maybe a more faithful adaptation of the book would have been impossible, since the novel depends so much on psychological suggestion and an unreliable (and possibly deranged) protagonist. That sort of subtlety is more difficult to express on film: there is the truth of what the camera is seeing, that is all. Ambiguity of perception cannot be easily communicated on film.

The most crucial change (to me, anyway), and one that makes me wonder if the screenwriters really read Jackson's book at all, is that Theo is made into a stereotypical "predatory lesbian" character. Eleanor's relationship with Theodora is more layered and complex in the novel, and her conflicts with Theo have a lot to do with her increasingly fragile mental state. In the book, /Eleanor/ pursues Theo. Theodora's rejection of Eleanor (directly or indirectly) leads to the outcome of the story. The "manifestations" in the house are more about Eleanor's essential loneliness and need for belonging than ghosts. The filmmakers of The Haunting definitely grasp this (unlike the filmmakers of the completely awful remake), but removed from its context, Eleanor's sense of rejection in the film is hard to understand. I suppose the filmmakers transferred Eleanor's romantic interest to the doctor rather than Theodora due to the controversial nature of homosexuality, but by doing this, the context of Eleanor's breakdown is removed, and movie Eleanor is a lot harder to relate to.

I'd suggest that you read the book *and* watch the movie, to give yourself some basis for comparison. Ordinarily I don't think it matters if movies are not faithful to the books they were adapted from, but in this case I think it significantly alters the essential meaning of the story (and The Haunting of Hill House is more than simple genre horror, no matter what anyone might say.) ... Read more

Description

Two Discs Of Mind-Blowing Mayhem From The Director Of THE EVIL DEAD And SPIDER-MAN! The one and only Bruce Campbell stars as Ash, a hapless housewares clerk time-warped back to the Dark Ages by the demonic power of the Necronomicon. Now armed with only a '73 Oldsmobile, his trusty chainsaw and a 12-gauge double-barreled S-Mart shotgun, our knuckleheaded hero must battle vicious she-bitches, a diabolical Evil Ash and the relentless hordes of the medieval dead in the most outrageously spectacular horror comedy every made. Get ready for some sugar, baby: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS - THE BOOMSTICK EDITION! By overwhelming fan demand, this groovy double-disc set presents the U.S.Theatrical Version complete with its notorious original ending and the Director's Cut with over 15 minutes of additional footage. There's also deleted scenes, a wild audio commentary with Bruce Campbell, writer/director Sam Raimi and co-writer Ivan Raimi, an exclusive featurette, storyboards and much more. So listen up, you primitive screwheads: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS like you've never seen it before!Includes an 8-Page Collector's Booklet with all-new liner notes by star Bruce Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (477)

A great modern adventure!
This is the last entry in the "Evil Dead" series, but folks, this is NOT a horror flick, it is a fantasy comedy adventure. This deals with "Ash" ( Bruce Campbell) who was sucked into another time, in the medieval times. Now he must get a unholy book called " The Necronomicon" so he can get back home but when his idiocy gets in the way, he unleashes a army of the dead and now Ash with the rest of King Arthur's men must fight back.

A brilliant, entertaining and hilarious final in the awesome Evil Dead series with wit, humor, skill, good special effects and great battle scenes. Sam Raimi is a genius of a filmmaker, Bruce Campbell is definitely a great actor portraying a lovable moronic hero. Like i said, this movie isn't a horror flick, it's really a Fantasy comedy adventure and doesn't have gore like the last two flicks but this movie is also enjoyable for the whole family. I own this movie on DVD in 2-versions such as the Cut U.S. version with happy ending and the Director's cut with alternate ending, this is a must see movie.

Also recommended: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Conan The Barbarian, The Crow, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, In The Army Now ( Pauly Shore), The Flight of Dragons, Return of the King, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator, The Wizard of Oz, Excalibur and Mulan.

Great, Fun Film.
ARMY OF DARKNESS is the third film in the EVIL DEAD series. The first movie in the series, EVIL DEAD, was a strictly horror film containing a humorous moment every now and again. EVIL DEAD 2 was basically a dark comedy interlaced with a few moments of horror. ARMY OF DARKNESS is neither; it's an action/adventure flick filled with comedy and just a touch of gore.

The movie begins where EVIL DEAD 2 ended: Ash has been transported to the 13th century and is surrounded by the Army of King Arthur. He is assumed to be a member of a rival army and is taken prisoner. After defeating a couple of Deadites in the pit, he is declared to be the prophecized hero who will rid the kingdom of the evil that has befallen it. However, Ash, being the befuddled hero he is, makes things worse and almost destroys any chance he has of returning home.

ARMY OF DARKNESS is hilarious. It's filled with comedy and all sorts of literary and pop culture references from The Three Stooges to Gulliver's Travels to JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS to Frankenstein. I found myself laughing about every three minutes and some of the one-liners just rock: "Give me some sugar, baby" and "I'm going to cut your gizzard." Of course, this movie isn't for everyone. There are some people who would be offended and some who would see this movie as garbage. However, I see the movie as pure genius and great fun. Whatever.

A Bad and Tasteless Film
This by far is the worst film I have ever seen. Sure, I've had my fair share of bad films, but this one tops them off. The acting stunk in a very big way. I expected this film to scare the socks off of me, but, instead I was shaking my head in full on disgust at the Comedy Relief Film instead of being a true horror flick. Don't waste a second of your time on this film and don't waste your money on it either.

Great cheesy cult horror film - choose the edition wisely
I've seen the U.S. theatrical cut of this film a number of times, so I bought the Director's cut (ASIN B00005QW4K) when it first came out. I finally got around to watching it recently, and I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this particular edition. If you want to see the director's cut, I'd recommend you go with the "Boomstick Edition", which also includes the U.S. theatrical release.

There were a number of flaws in this particular DVD. The first thing I noticed was really bad pixellation in many scenes. They did a great job in many cases of cleaning up any scratches or flaws in the source film, but then they did a really bad job of DVD compression. I'm sure the other editions aren't any worse on that score, and hope that they're better.

Also, this cut is actually missing some of my favorite scened and lines. The worst offense is that the line "Good, bad - I'm the guy with the gun" (which for me has always epitomized Ash) was replaced by "I'm not that good". In the commentary, Campbell and Raimi actually note that they prefer the "Good, bad" line... So why not include it in the "director's cut"?

They also deleted an early fight scene, just after Campbell's arrival, and went back to what was apparently the original ending. I really liked the ending in S-Mart, though. I also found the editing on the windmill scene in this edition less cohesive than the theatrical release.

The commentary by Campbell and Raimi was very good, since those two have a long history together, and really seem to have loved making this movie. Still, though, it was clear that they could see some of the same issues I mentioned above, leaving me baffled as to why they didn't work together to make this edition a true reflection of what they think the "best" version of "Army of Darkness" would be.

Good bad im the Ash with the gun.
Army of Darkness is such a fun movie to watch, What more could you want from a movie. I first became a fan of this movie because of Evil Dead 1&2, they where pretty good movies but when Army of Darkness came out it was five times better than the first two movies put together. The real reasson this movie did so well is because Bruce Campbell a.k.a Ash played his part damn well, and because of that we the fans of his movies where happy to see him come back to the big screen. If you don't like slap-stick comedy or horror movies you will not like this film, but if you do your in luck because Army of Darkness is the cult classic movie you've been waiting for. ... Read more

Description

With its alluring tales of Gothic mystery and supernatural intrigue,Dark Shadows became one of the most popular daytime series of all time.Since first airing on ABC-TV from 1966-71, Dark Shadows has earned thereputation as being one of the most unusual and enduring programs intelevision history. The character of Barnabas Collins, a guilt-ridden175 year-old vampire, brought the show tremendous success.

Dr. Julia Hoffman promises Barnabas that his secret is safe if he willallow her to conduct experiments to cure him of his vampirism. Jealousof Victoria Winters' engagement to Burke Devlin, Barnabas plans revengeagainst Burke, who becomes suspicious of Barnabas and begins toinvestigate him. While trying to hide from Barnabas, David Collinsbecomes trapped in the secret room of the Collins Mausoleum. Thefrightened boy pleads with the ghost of Sarah Collins to rescue him.Barnabas realizes that David may hold the key to finding his latesister's spirit. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Dark Shadows Lives!
I received Collection 3 on Thursday and can't wait for Collection 4 which is tentatively set for February 25 according to Shadowgram. The quality of the dvd's is more than I expected. As a long time Dark Shadows fan, I am looking forward to future releases. MPI is doing an admirable job with their dvd release of Dark Shadows. For anyone contemplating buying the series on dvd-GO AHEAD AND DO IT! You will be happy you did. I have all the episodes on vhs and the dvd's are worth it. LONG LIVE DARK SHADOWS!

Dark Shadows Returns
The first two DVD sets are outstanding. I can hardly wait for subsequent volumes. Overall the quality is high-- given the amount of time since these episodes first aired. With each set you are given 40 episodes, which despite one reviewer's comments is a bargain. This really brings back memories -- coming home from elementary school in the afternoon and switching on the TV to watch Dark Shadows. Jonathan Frid is compelling as Barnabas. I had forgotten how frightening and yet strangely vulnerable he was in this series. Now I've introduced my kids to DS, and my eleven year old daughter is absolutely hooked!

DS Color Episodes on DVD!
The Dark Shadows saga is back for DVD Collection 3! The 3rd Collection (VHS Volumes 13-20) pretty much begins the countdown to the first flashback in 1795 (which begins in Collection 4). In these episodes, we see the introduction of Dr. Julia Hoffman, who discovers Barnabas's secret and offers to cure him of his vampirism. Although he is reluctant, he lets her try. The ghost of Sarah Collins appears to David several times, and the rest of the family and friends try to search for her, for she knows about Maggie's disappearance. Also in this Collection, episodes in color begin (about 5 episodes into the first disc) but every now and then an episode in black and white will occur. As usual, we have 5-minute interviews at the end of each disc with a member of DS, including Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins), Sharon Smyth (Sarah Collins), Louis Edmonds (Roger Collins), and Lela Swift (director of the show). Great episodes as always, and I'm looking forward to Collection 4 which includes the start of the 1795 Flashback.

SINK YOUR TEETH ... YES, AGAIN!
There are grand operas, horse operas and soap operas. But we're not horsing
around when we say that there's only one grand, gothic soap opera --- the
indestructible Dark Shadows.
Premiering on ABC in 1966, it ran for five years, chalking up 1,225
episodes. And now it's time, once again, to sink our teeth into one of TV's more
quixotic offerings. Pass the garlic, please.
And pass the DVD sets issued by MPI Home Video, dedicated folk who
have worked tirelessly to bring the series out of its forgotten shadows and into
an era of rediscovery. Each of the 5 DVD sets contain 4 discs, a chronicle of
Dark Shadows episodes --- approximately 75 hours of our favorite fanged ghoul,
Barnabas Collins, and the dark doings set in the small fictional fishing village of
Collinsport, Maine. Be forewarned, however, that as much as we have a stake in
the revival of the series, we question why MPI only included episodes #211 to
#412. (We asked the question, but they never answered. Talk about being kept
in dark shadows.)
The late '60s were an odd time in our cultural history, a kind of a
maturation into reality after the bland '50s and a precursor for the entitlement
and permissiveness of the '70s. Violence permeated our society and its
entertainment ... and escape was the order of the day. Dark Shadows brought us
to a strange set of performers playing even a stranger set of characters.
Grayson Hall and Joan Bennett came from the movies, Jonathan Frid and David
Selby came from the stage, and they were supported by actors and actresses
who had spent literally decades gracing some of the most popular soap operas
from radio and television.
Adding to the escapism was the time element. You were never quite sure
what century you were in while visiting the New England branch of Transylvania.
It could be modern-day Collinsport, or it could be the late 18th century.
Performers could be playing the present-day characters, or their great
grandparents. Still, one thing was sure: High on Windows Hill stood the family
manse, Collinswood (the name most likely came from Wilkie Collins, the author
whose gothic gems graced book stalls in late Victorian times), and, regardless of
the century, it was here that the haunted Collinses plied their depraved trade.
Dark Shadows had a narrative link in a way, but the performers never
seem to know exactly where they are, were they've been, or, most importantly,
where they were going. To be sure, there were the normal and accepted gaffs of
daytime television, such as a boom mike boinking a performer on the head or
people tripping over cables. But, there was the added zest of poor Joan Bennett
looking confused, calling performers by their real names, and trying to cover
rising panic with a look of sheer exotic boredom. Bennett made her first film well
before the talky revolution, but she hadn't seen or heard everything yet, until she
sojourned into daytime television.
As a matter of fact, the growth and development of the television show
parallels to a greater or lesser extent the growth and development of theater of
the absurd in America. The players and the set remained basically the same, but
the period and action varied wildly. And, ultimately it didn't matter where you
were, or where you thought you were, or where you thought you were going,
because you were under the spell of the Collinses, in Collinsport, and they were
in control. If the reality seemed fractured, hallucinatory and vaguely scary, well,
then, wasn't life exactly like that?
Dan Curtis, who also brought us War and Remembrance, The Winds of
War, The Night Stalker, Dracula and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (both with Jack
Palance) and the cult film Burnt Offerings, spawned the series. But the greatest
success of this veritable one-man cottage industry is undoubtedly Dark
Shadows. The brooding gothic setting, the sprawling, elephantine plot twists and
the idiosyncratic, not to say colliding, acting styles come together to create
something unique and strangely satisfying.
For the last 20 years, there has been an annual Dark Shadows Festival,
held either in the Los Angeles or New York area. This year, it will be held in
Brooklyn at the end of August. An ominous press release informs us that this
year marks the final full fledged festival, the last of its line.
Knowing the denizens of Dark Shadows, we don't believe it for a moment!

Counting down to 1795.
Dark Shadows was perhaps the most memorable daily soap opera of the era of the 60's. It influenced our culture and brought to teens and stay at home mothers countless afternoons of Gothic horror and romance. There was even a religious tract produced which warned of the dangers of watching this show due to the portrayal of the powers of darkness and use of magic and witchcraft. (These people obviously never saw the bloopers and mistakes that were so frequent on this show that it made you laugh, especially when they were trying to be serious!)This DVD set gets closer to the answers of what happened in the past that so influenced the future concerning the characters at Collinwood. Victoria Winters is still the center of attention and Maggie Evans shares the spotlight as the victim who can't remember her captor, who naturally was our familiar vampire, Barnabas Collins. I would like to note and call your attention to an actor who deserves recognition in this series for an excellent performance in a continuing role. Mr. Karlen, who played the helpless "Willie", Barnabas's slave/servant at the old house, should have received an Emmy award for his believable portrayal of a man heading toward and eventually having a nervous breakdown. I have never seen a better display than Karlan's characterization and he is a standout in this series (apparently others thought so too and he survived later in a role on "Cagney and Lacey" as a husband.) This is also where "color" became a regular for the show, although they still press a black and white show each week. It should be taken as "entertainment" rather than serious gothic horror and Dan Curtis helped give this show atmosphere by inspiring music that is drawn from his early "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" starring Jack Palance (still viewed as the best Jekyll and Hyde ever made!) and the cues before commericals as well as the errie opening melody are memorable and can now never be associated with anything other than "Dark Shadows". Goths will of course, love this series. After all, these characters were the epitamy of "cool" back then and they would certainly be "in" today,though I can't imagine Josette with Purple hair. Or Barnabas sporting tatoos or lip rings. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With dizzying cinematic tricks and astonishing performances, Francis Coppola's 1992 version of the oft-filmed Dracula story is one of the most exuberant, extravagant films of the 1990s. Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder, as the Count and Mina Murray, are quite a pair of star-crossed lovers. She's betrothed to another man; he can't kick the habit of feeding off the living. Anthony Hopkins plays Van Helsing, the vampire slayer, with tongue firmly in cheek. Tom Waits is great fun as Renfield, the hapless slave of Dracula who craves the blood of insects and cats. Sadie Frost is a sexy Lucy Westenra. And poor Keanu Reeves, as Jonathan Harker, has the misfortune to be seduced by Dracula's three half-naked wives. There's a little bit of everything in this version of Dracula: gore, high-speed horseback chases, passion, and longing. ... Read more

Reviews (345)

The Best Dracula Movie I've Ever Seen!
Francis Ford Coppola does an excellent job retelling the Dracula tale using actual history blended with legend. Gary Oldman is excellent as the Count. Oldman's portrayal of the Count as a tortured man longing for the lost love of his life acutally had me feel sorry for the man. When he observes the portrait of Mina(Winona Ryder) and remembers his lost bride it is truly an awesome scene. Oldman's Count can also be bloodthirsty as well! Sir Anthony Hopkins as Professor Van Helsing is very fun to watch. To say that Van Helsing is a little nuts is an understatement! The music is also classic and it really sets the mood during the entire film. Winona Ryder as Mina playing a woman torn between the Count and her intended husband(Kneau Reeves) is well done. The most awesome scene is when the Count receives Mina's letter saying that she'll never see him again. You can feel the heartache and pain in the Count and also feel his anger. Awesome! A must see for the true Dracula fan!

16:9 HDTV/480p DVD/5.1 sound = SUPERBIT DRACULA !!!
This review is about "SUPERBIT COLLECTION" an outstanding Home Theatre version of Bram Stokers Dracula, a Francis Ford Coppola film.

Columbia Pictures has raised the bar on DVD video and sound quality with the new "SUPERBIT" series movies. This feature improves the picture by doubling the bit rate digital transfer. Simply, twice the picture quality of existing DVD transfers. Also the sound has been enhanced equally in performance.

NOTE: GOODS NEWS - All this can be enjoyed on existing DVD players with noticeable improvements. BAD NEWS - Its not really bad news its really the "BOTTOM LINE NEWS" - the "SUPERBIT COLLECTION IS FOR YOU IF" you have; a Home Theatre, HDTV WideScreen (Enhanced 16:9)w/Component Video, Progressive Scan DVD (480p) w/Component Video & DTS or 5.1 Sound environment. IF you have this then the "SUPERBIT COLLECTION" Dracula explodes of the screen!!!!!!

Summary: SUPERBIT Dracula directed by Francis Ford Copplola is a very beautiful photographed eerie love story. With a story line more to the tragedy of Dracula (brillantly played by Gary Oldman)than the viciousness of vampires. The detailed scenes & colors explode off the screen with this "SUPERBIT" version film. The 5.1 sound is crystal clear and adds immensely to the eeriness of this dark gothic horror film. This SUPERBIT detailed film makes for an unbelievable visual experience. Coppola does a grand job providing us with an unsusual twist in the story of Dracula.

This is the best "SUPERBIT" transfer so far in the Columbia Pictures Collection. Just remember, "SUPERBIT" was developed to give the Home Theatre owner a new improved DVD experience and they have done this with "Bram Stokers, Dracula". Enjoy.

Bram's Stoker's best
You can't go wrong with Drakula, and this is the best translation to film of Bram Stoker's Masterpiece to date.

A classic telling of a classic tale
Francis Ford Coppola breathed new life in to the classic vampire story by Bram Stoker, keeping faith with much of the original novel while adding his own touches that made it an artistic wonder.

The best parts of the movie are those that remain true to the book: Jonathan Harker's travel to the castle and fateful meeting with the Count; Harker's confrontation with Dracula's three vampire lovers; the newly arisen Lucy Westenra confrontation as a vampire with her loved ones in the cemetery; and the exciting race with the sun and the gypsies taking the coffin-bound Dracula to his castle.

The script follows Dracula's strengths and vulnerabilities faithfully. The Dracula of this movie walks in the daylight -- just as in the novel.

Even when the movie departs from the original and the plot lags with the romance of Dracula and Mina, Coppola creates breathtaking images with their own potent spell that held me enchanted.

Overall the performances are well done with one or two notable exceptions. Sadie Frost, however, steals the movie in the role of Lucy Westenra.

The movie, in my opinion, would have been better with more emphasis on horror. Dracula should be more scary than sympathetic.

Still, this is one of my favorite vampire movies ever and well worth repeated viewings.

The best vampire movie ever!
Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse now) delivers the best vampire movie ever. "Dracula" has great performances from Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and Monica Bellucci (!). The only bad performance comes from Keanu Reeves -- everytime time he's on screen he looks like a pale moron. Anthony Hopkins role is even shorter, yet, he's great, as always. "Dracula" is very well written and directed, it has great sound & visual effects, a haunting soundtrack and it is very scary and erotic(!), see Monica Bellucci (Irreversible, The Passion Of The Christ) as one of Dracula's sexy undead brides.

This version of "Dracula" is fascinating because it's so different from the Bram Stocker famous novel. In the novel there was no mentioning of a love story between Dracula and Mina. In this film exists a sad love story.
There is a scene where Dracula and Mina drink Absinthe. That scene is hypnotic. It proves the film's tagline to be right: love never dies. See it for yourself if you don't believe me. ... Read more

Description

Travel into the fifth dimension once again with The Twilight Zone, testing the limits of reality and exploring the mysteries of the universe. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Completing your New Twilight Zone Collection
This collection completes the NEW TWILIGHT ZONE run during the '80s (Season 2 & 3 had 51 episodes).

Some of the outstanding episodes were "AQUA VITA" (about a "fountain of youth" w/ side effects), "SHELTER SKELTER" (w/ Joe Mantegna & Joan Allen, an abusive man and his neighbor is trapped in his bomb shelter), "THE HELLGRAMMITE METHOD" (an alcoholic has an alcohol tapeworm in his body which threatens to kill him unless he starves it), "THE COLD EQUATIONS" (an astronaut must decide between ejecting an innocent stowaway into space or risk the lives of the colony which needs an emergency vaccine), among some other gems.

The picture quality may not be HDTV but it's still crisper and more clear than when it was broadcast back in the '80s (and definitely better than even SuperVHS quality.)

SEASON 2 & 3 Episode List:
* The Once And Future King
* A Saucer Of Loneliness
* What Are Friends For?
* The Storyteller
* Nightsong
* Aqua Vita
* The After Hours
* Lost and Found
* The World Next Door
* The Toys Of Caliban
* The Convict's Piano
* The Road Less Travelled
* The Card
* The Junction
* Joy Ride
* Shelter Skelter
* Private Channel
* Time And Teresa Golowitz
* Voices In The Earth
* Song Of The Younger World
* The Girl I Married
* The Curious Case Of Edgar Witherspoon
* Extra Innings
* The Crossing
* The Hunters
* Dream Me A Life
* Memories
* The Hellgrammite Method
* Our Selena Is Dying
* The Call
* The Trance
* Acts Of Terror
* 20/20 Vision
* There Was An Old Woman
* The Trunk
* Appointment On Route 17
* The Cold Equations
* Stranger In Possum Meadow
* Street Of Shadows
* Something In The Walls
* A Game Of Pool
* The Wall
* Room 2426
* The Mind Of Simon Foster
* Cat And Mouse
* Rendezvous In A Dark Place
* Many, Many Monkeys
* Love Is Blind
* Crazy As A Soup Sandwich
* Special Service
* Father And Son Game

Underappreciated seasons...
The Twilight Zone aired on CBS from 1985 to 1986 as a normal Friday primetime series.Though ratings were decent enough to warrant a fullscale renewal, in the fall of 1986 it was obvious things had changed:advertising plummeted, the show moved to Saturdays at 10(a death knell), and episodes aired infrequently.Still, the second season has some great episodes:"The Storyteller" is haunting and worthy of the original series, "Aqua Vita" was deadly appropriate for the image-conscious mid-80s and still packs a punch, "Nightsong" is an eerie, captivating character study dominated by the always wonderful, understated Lisa Eilbacher.Season 3 was actually a syndicated response to the need to make more episodes in order to sell the show into syndication.Here the quality falls, to be sure, but again, some episodes stand out..."Cat and Mouse" has one of the finest endings of any Twilight Zone.All in all, this is a worthy collection to consider buying.Image Entertainment is to be praised for putting these episodes out:we might have expected never to see them on DVD.The first season was met with a lot of whining about "picture quality"(as if these episodes were digitally perfect in 1985), but these three seasons are worth owning as a worthy part of the Twilight Zone library.Would that we could say the same about the disgraceful 2002 series. ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Pulp Fiction Meets Fright Night
I'm a big fan of Tarrentino's work, though he gets alot of bad rap I believe him to be one of the most talented writers alive, starting with Resevoir Dogs, he wrote Natural Born Killers, and Four Rooms, Desperado, and finally coming to From Dusk Till Dawn. This movie was a rocker, holding any clues or hints that there would be deradful horror in the last hour. Teaming up with horror man Robert Rodriguez, they put together this very well made horror movie about two criminal crazy boys [George Clooney, Quentin Tarrentino] who are on the run for Mexico, They kidnap a family on road [Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and the son]and they come to a bar called the T**ty Twisters, they find that the bar is infact an eledged trap for feeding time for the vampires that inhabit it, they have to become a team with their hostages to survive, not to mention a couple other cast members; Fred Williamson, and the Sex Machine. You actually grow to admire the Gecko brothers [Clooney, Tarrentino]and Tarrentino's fine writing, alot of sick and twisted but also real features you'll see, along with bloody vampires nawing on humans, and a sided 4 man battle over a bloody severed body part battle ground, that turns to chaos. The movie was very well put together, starting out with 2 Pulp Fiction guys that run into a bunch of Fright Night vampires, the idea was to act upon the impressionable idea that Stephen King does himself in his novels, that to draw the audience into the story so that they indeed care about the characters and them BAM! vampires come along, you put the characters in this altered world of life and death. This movie is especially good on DVD, the sound is ausome along with the bonus materials, and the wide screen.

Vampires Might Be Hear To Stay With Cult Classic
In the early months of 1995, talented Mexican director Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Desperado, The Faculty) and cunning cinematic guru Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown) merged artistic passions to compose an intricate genre hybrid that evokes both the artists unique sensibilities, emanates mind-bogglingly unthinkable comical insights, and reveals an abrasively hip yet sophisticated screen persona that supplies unforeseen drama within the forum of an exploitation film. Surging with distinctive Tarantino culture dialogue and references, Rodriguez's go-for-broke action sequences, marvelous performances from Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis, Salma Hayek, John Saxon, Tom Savini, and Cheech Marin (in three supporting roles!!!), an unyieldingly concentrated pace, spectacular comedic splicing with its horror elements, splendid gore and make-up effects, and a predominantly mischievous ambiance of unpredictability that leaves any first-time viewer totally in hands of Rodriguez and Tarantino, From Dusk Til Dawn persists in being a heavily entertaining dual genre piece that attains dramatic grandeur, profound performances, and even moving pathos within the framework of exploitation piece.

The film depicts the story of the infamous Gecko Brothers', Seth (George Clooney) and Ritchie (Quentin Tarantino), odyssey from their violent southern Texas exploits to their arrival at the unforgettable Titty Twister bar. Along the way, the Gecko brothers inadvertently blow up a liquor store, hallucinate flirtations and verbal taunts, "accidentally" rape and murder a seemingly docile hostage, and kidnap a disillusioned pastor's family and their motor home on their way to their bar rendezvous across the Mexican border. Though these characters may seem to be the most unsympathetic characters to be rooting for. Tarantino's knack for instilling humanity into his criminals is second to none, and along the way towards the bar and the film's personality switch, through absorbing dialogue, gritty performances, and realistic plot developments (in the Tarantino half), we are given unusually affable characters that allow the audience just enough audience identification with the characters before they are literally placed into hell incarnate. While watching From Dusk Til Dawn, it crucial to note the film's story arc is essentially one-half Tarantino crime tale/ one-half gory horror gore opus. This was done I believe to introduce the characters, personality dynamics, and innate personal tendencies of the people in their real environments before establishing the horror. What happens quite often in horror films of the last two decades is we, the audience, are immediately transported to the improbable before we even really know our characters. The characters of a movie are our conduits into the realm and the story of a movie. Doesn't it seem probable that if we have an enhanced understanding of the characters we might enjoy the film's narrative a lot more? From Dusk Til Dawn follows this mentality to its most logic summation as character and style overcome commercial convention.

Since it release, From Dusk Til Dawn consistently besieges it audiences with an intoxicatingly visceral affront of violence, mayhem, elaborate chaos, and inventive havoc that entertains and delights beyond anyone's expectations. Though definitely not Academy Award material so to speak, From Til Dawn remains a superlative horror extravaganza.

As for the film's new DVD Collector's Series edition, FDTD contains an informative Rodriguez/Tarantino commentary track, a feature length documentary entitled "Full Tilt Boogie", extensive outtakes, deleted scenes, two music videos, the theatrical trailer, and much much more. A Definite Must for any Horror Fan.

Tarantino and Rodriguez? Excellent!
I've watched a couple Quentin Tarantino movies, and I absolutely loved them. I also liked 'Once Upon A Time In Mexico' from Robert Rodriguez. So as you can imagine, when I heard about this movie, I was very excited. Tarantino is a masterful screenwriter, and Rodriguez definitely has decent skills behind the camera.
After watching the movie, I have to criticize one thing. The first half (about) of the movie was flawless, with QT and George Clooney as two Convicts, the Richie and Seth Gecko. When they embark from the first scene on, it seems as though the movie could go any direction and still be entertaining. However, when you throw in a night club that is flocking with vampires (fitfully so, the club is open dusk till dawn), you can't keep the same movie that you had. I give the story a lower score due to the fact that it doesn't fit well. If you couldn't guess from the title, and you hadn't seen the trailer, you would be oblivious to the fact that the second half of this movie is all vampires. I believe it would've worked better as a full movie of either type. Crime or Horror. But nevertheless, I couldn't resist the acting from QT and Clooney, along with Harvey Keitel and Juliette Lewis. Other than my single complaint, I really enjoyed this movie. As bloody and violent as it is, it's just so fun.

queten tarentino-another excellent director
3 people get abducted by an escaped con and his brother and go to mexico.they hang out in a bar full of vampires all night.george clooney is in it.he does an outstanding job as a escaped prisoner.then theres some freaky sex offender type-not necessary!and the 3 hostages.they are some old preacher dude,juliette lewis and some mexican kid.this is not for children.it is by far and away the best of the from dusk till dawn set.there is a post rape scene at the front that could turn a few heads.thier is a mexican stripper who.........well.....strips and of course the always awesome julieete lewis to look at.every role ive ever seen her play she did an excellent job.she is my favorite actress.the hype says this movie rocks and it does.there is a special apperance by cheech also.filthy and brief.juliette lewis and george clooney both do an excellent job but have better films out there.

sucked
this movie was good for the first 40 minutes....after that it just blew REALLY hard. vampires? come on! i felt like i was watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." it had the potential to be a very good movie, but instead pussied out. don't even bother renting this. or option number 2: rent it for the first forty minutes of it, and laugh at the rest. ... Read more

Reviews (217)

Amazing....but missing something
I eagerly bought this movie after finishing the novel. I know that a lot of movies based on books are different from the original story, but this really isn't one of them, at least not exactly. Almost all of the main and important aspects of the novel are included in the movie. The time constraints obviously play a part of the limited detail, at least compared to the novel, but what seems most annoying is the fact that different characters play the parts of characters in the book. For example, Susan Stern, who travelled in Stu Redman's group originally suddenly is part of Mother Abigail's group. It's small differences like this that get to me in this movie.

Other than that, the movie is awesome. The makeup effects used are amazing. The actors chosen to portray the characters seem perfect, especially Gary Sinise, Adam Storke, Ray Walston, Bill Fagerbakke, Jamey Sheridan and particularly Rob Lowe, who plays a wonderful Nick Andros. I've already watched this movie a number of times, and there are scenes I can't get enough of. I really like it, but I'm going to have to say, read the book first, because it will not only help you keep better track of what's going on in the movie, but it will you keep you informed on the characters as well. Plus, the book is definitely worth it's 1141 pages and you'll be really missing something without it!

Greatness Has a Name
First off, I'd like to say I have never read the book. But I will soon. Even though, I absolutely LOVED this movie. The acting was amazing, especially the performances by Gary Sinise (can that guy play a bad role? Knock on wood) and Rob Lowe, supposedly in a comeback role. It was probably very hard for poor Rob to play a deaf mute! Anyway, the story goes that a virus created by the Army gets loose at it's base and spreads through the United States. Only a few people survive, and the ones that do are separated into two groups. One group is called in dreams by Mother Abigail (played by Ruby Dee) and the other is called by Randall Flagg, the devil (played by Jamey Sheridan, who did an awesome job). Mother Abigail's group is led by Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Adam Storke, and Rob Lowe (although he didn't lead the group, he played an incredibly important part as a retarded man named Tom Cullen. I'm talking about Bill Fagerbakke). The bad guys, led by Flagg, flock to Las Vegas (yes, Sin City itself) and the good guys go to Boulder, Colorado. I won't give away the ending, but it is truly a wonderful movie with many twists and surprises. It made me jump, scream, say aww, and at times cry ew! It is incredible!

It's not the book, but what movie is?
I was disappointed in the amount of changes in the mini-series; I found the book much more filled out. However, this movie brings about all my greatest fears about the end of our way of life. I have worked in the medical field for a number of years and I have often imagined this kind of scenario. Many people focus on the religious aura of this film, but I enjoyed the all encompassing nature. Stephen King did not write about religion, or how one faith survived while all other belivers died. He wrote a story about good versus evil. Don't look for a hinted meaning and enjoy the movie; it's well worth it.

Religious propaganda - cheap and blatant
I feel that I genuinely wasted my time watching this excessively long DVD (TV series).
It is a cheap production, proving how celebrity does not equate to talent.
Worse of all is the blatant religious "stand" which the story takes... It reminds me of the awful movie productions used by missionaries uninvitedly imposing their beliefs upon others.
Oh! And it is worth pointing out that Mr. King should stick to writing and NOT acting....
Although, it would probably appease many, and reinforce their monochrome ideas and perceptions of good and evil.....

Worth it
I am a relatively new fan of Mr. Kings work. My first exposure to his material was when The Stand miniseries aired. I recently read the book and find the movie adaptation to be just about as complete as you could hope for.

The performances are good, with some nice peaks into the early works of some now well known actors.

The only disappointment for me... in both the book and the miniseries.... is that ending. Won't spoil it here. For me it was a sort of "thats it?" moment. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The recipe for Blade is quite simple; you take one part Batman, one part horror flick, and two parts kung fu and frost it all over with some truly campy acting. What do you get? An action flick that will reaffirm your belief that the superhero action genre did not die in the fluorescent hands of Joel Schumacher. Blade is the story of a ruthless and supreme vampire slayer (Wesley Snipes) who makes other contemporary slayers (Buffy etal.) look like amateurs. Armed with a samurai sword made of silver and guns that shoot silver bullets, he lives to hunt and kill "Sucker Heads." Pitted against our hero is a cast of villains led by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), a crafty and charismatic vampire who believes that his people should be ruling the world, and that the human race is merely the food source they prey on. Born half-human and half-vampire after his mother had been attacked by a blood-sucker, Blade is brought to life by a very buff-looking Snipes in his best action performance to date. Apparent throughout the film is the fluid grace and admirable skill that Snipes brings to the many breathtaking action sequences that lift this movie into a league of its own. The influence of Hong Kong action cinema is clear, and you may even notice vague impressions of Japanese anime sprinkled innovatively throughout. Dorff holds his own against Snipes as the menacing nemesis Frost, and the grizzly Kris Kristofferson brings a tough, cynical edge to his role as Whistler, Blade's mentor and friend. Ample credit should also go to director Stephen Norrington and screenwriter David S. Goyer, who prove it is possible to adapt comic book characters to the big screen without making them look absurd. Indeed, quite the reverse happens here: Blade comes vividly to life from the moment you first see him, in an outstanding opening sequence that sets the tone for the action-packed film that follows. From that moment onward you are pulled into the world of Blade and his perpetual battle against the vampire race. --Jeremy Storey ... Read more

Reviews (499)

Move over Buffy
Wesley Snipes is every vampire's worst nightmare in the fantastic comic book actioner "Blade". Legendary "Day-Walker" Blade (Wesley Snipes) uses his lethal skills in his quest to exterminate the vampire underworld from the face of the earth. When the rogue vampire Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) plots a vampire uprising against all humans, humanity's only hope for survival lies in the tortured vampire hunter Blade. Based on the Marvel Comics hero, "Blade" is an exciting, action-packed comic book film that contains extreme action and rich characters. The storyline moves quite fast and the action sequences are fierce and quite dazzling. Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff deliver some wildly effective performances. The cast also includes N'Bushe Wright, Donal Logue, Udo Keir, Traci Lords and Kris Kristofferson.

New Line gives "Blade" an outstanding "Platinum Edition" presentation. The film is presented in its original 2.35:1 widescreen format. The DVD has a fine video transfer with rich colors and excellent sharpness. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is truly clear with amazing surround effects. Its supplemental features include a detailed audio commentary by cast and crew, deleted scenes, behind-the-scene featurettes, production designs and DVD-ROM extras. With such winning presentation and great supplements, "Blade" earns a solid "B+".

Blade kicks butt
Finally a mainstream vampire flick that is cool and delivers the action. Right away it is established that this is going to be different from every other vamp. movie you've seen before. I don't mind big budget Hollywood productions as long as they are somewhat creative with the storyline, don't bore me with endless dialog/build up and provide lots of action and fun. Blade was a real surprise, as I wasn't expecting much but it really blew me away with spectacular visuals, chase scenes that get your heart racing, a badass hero (Snipes' character Blade), stunning action and an overall ultra sleek feel with tight pacing and a real lack of dullness (how refreshing). The gory death scenes are a nice treat as well, this is the advantage with cg effects: you can do pretty much anything if you can imagine it. Villains are sliced to pieces and spray geysers of blood similar to Shogun Assassin (another cool movie people should check out).

Wesley Snipes is not one of my favorite actors but he did a great job playing the role of a dark and mysterious warrior, he is almost bounty hunter like. Blade is a major vampire hunter, and has a really deadly arsenal of weapons, mainly consisting of a big sword that he uses to slash vamps. Blade prowls the city streets and underworld at night seeking the growing number of vampires that are planning to rule the earth. His strength and skills are heightened because of his genetics- he is part vampire. This idea works well for me, you have to be able to explain how he is able to be so successful as a hunter, how he can identify the vamps and over power them.
Blade's strength is also his weakness though, he must take a syrum that controls his thirst for blood. This is gonna tie into the story for a nice little twist toward the end. Anyone who liked Interview With the Vampire will enjoy it.

Along with a new found female companion, Blade is lured into the final confrontation that will determine the fate of the world. Nothing new here, but the big showdown is well done and holds your attention till' the cliffhanger climax. When these vampires die they puff up and explode,
spraying blood and guts into the air. This alone is worth seeing the film.

I've seen a few vampire movies, and I would have to say that Blade easily beats "John Carpenter's Vampires" and "Fright Night" which are two of the most popular ones, but it's not a fair fight since Blade is more action than horror.

Blade is a movie that oozes coolness, I would describe it as a mix of the Batman films, The Matrix, Highlander, Fist of the North Star, and From Dusk Till Dawn. I highly recommend it.

Marvel was still in bankruptcy proceedings..
In 1998, when Amen Ra (Wesley's production company) and New Line agreed to do this first Marvel Movie, they had limited budget, resources, and time to do it. So the whole thing was shot in Europe and from start to finish, it'a a very cheap looking movie. Lots of fake CGi effects, guns going off everywhere, and somewhere there is supposed to be a plot here (but there isn't). I don't think it even had a script. They only made two sequals to this movie because each film cost only $1.98 to produce. Marvel and New Line do not mix.

From The Comics to The Screen -- Vampires Beware!
This is a pretty good film but is not as good as the Buffy television series.

The world is secretly under the control of vampires (much like in the Vampirella stories). Blade was born of a woman who was dying from vampire bite. Thus he has many of the vampire advantages without the limitations. He has teamed up with Kris Kristofferson who was also a vampire hunter and has weapon making skills. Together they are waging a war against the vampires.

The vampires are led by a council of vampire family heads. There are two types of vampires: those born as vampires and those turned from humans by a bite. The leader of the made vampires is tired of ruling from behind the scenes and is pushing for vampires to take overt control. The ancient leaders are very wary of such actions. But the made vampire has a plan for vampiric triumph.

Some ancient vampire texts hold amazing secrets but the secret of translation has been lost long ago. Computers have made it possible to learn these secrets a la Jennie Calendar. The text reveals the existence of an ancient vampire device that can bring about the Blood God. It is to this end that the head of the made vampires is striving. With the sacrifice of the heads of the ancient vampire houses, he can become indestructible. His plans are carried out and Blade must find a way to defeat him.

While this movie has the trappings of vampires and vampire slayers, it is really an action flick with the emphasis on Blade's fighting style. There really are some very good moves here. The rest of the film is pretty good but not excellent.

I am usually pretty indifferent to most of Snipe's movies but he seems to be well-cast in this role. There are many good reasons to see this film but it is on the violent and gory side so be warned.

Nice!
This is the greatest comic adaptation ever made. It has action, great actors, sript, and well made plot. A must see for all action fans and comic book fans! ... Read more

Description

This collection includes: FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: George Clooney (THE PERFECT STORM, THREE KINGS) and Quentin Tarantino (PULP FICTION) star as the Gecko brothers –- two dangerous outlaws on a wild crime spree! FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 2: TEXAS BLOOD MONEY: It’s nonstop action when a bank-robbing gang of misfits heads to Mexico with the blueprints for the perfect million-dollar heist! FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 3: THE HANGMAN'S DAUGHTER: The riveting prequel -– set 100 years before the original! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

a bit slow...but kept my interst....
this film was definitely better than other vampire movies that I've seen... not as good as the original...but we all knew it wouldnt be...but good.... It took a while for the vampires to show...just like in the first...but it was all worth it....the film does get a bit cheesy towards the end and it does end pretty abruptly, but overall, the film is good, even though it could have been better. The film was shot for theatrical release, but the made-for-video quality is evident. Rebecca Gayheart is a beauty, but she doesnt act her best in this film...basically, the film is good, low-quality, but still interesting....if u loved the original but hated the second, you'll like this....

Four Films In One Box
This is a bundled set. That means three DVDs have been placed in a bundle in their original packaging. That means three boxes, not one box with multiple disks. That also means you will net get any material on the disks that you wouldn't get separately. There is a small pamphlet with some behind the scenes notes on the films. The three DVD's are as follows:

From Dusk Till Dawn Collectors Edition (includes the full-length feature Full Tilt Boogie and plenty of other extras)

From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (no extras)

From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (1 deleted scene)

Each of the films follows a formula of combining outlaws and vampires. The first has a violent team of brothers running for Mexico where they run into a nest of vampires. The second has a team of bankrobbers becoming vampires as they try to rob a Mexican bank. The final film is a prequel to the series and has outlaws and posse run into a nest of vampires.

A nice collection of three good movies. But since this is a bundle you won't save any space by buying them this way (although you may save some money).

Don't Buy It Here
I got it at Best Buy for $35

This is a ripoff explantion below
Why pay $80.99 for a box set when you can get them one by one for only $13.99......i mean what a rip off....

Number 1 is just sooo cool, but the rest is [boring]..!
The first movie is a splat-movie at the best! Thats a thing i know... But they other movies, 2. 3. Is just boring... I can see number 1 soooo many imes, and i like it as much as the first time i saw it..! It must be the ruffest splat-movie that ever have been made in this world! Then i talking about number 1... ... Read more

Amazon.com

What a combo! Tobe Hooper, the director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, teamed up with family-oriented producer Steven Spielberg to make Poltergeist. The film is about a haunted suburban tract home in a development very much like the Arizona one in which Spielberg was raised. (Because it came out the same summer as Spielberg's E.T., it was tempting to see both movies as representing Spielberg's ambivalent feelings about childhood in suburbia. One was a fantasy, the other a nightmare.)Spielberg also cowrote the screenplay, which taps into primal, childlike fears of monsters under the bed, monsters in the closet, sinister clown faces, and all manner of things that go bump in the night. At first, some of the odd happenings in the house are kind of funny and amusing, but they grow gradually creepier until the film climaxes in a terrifying special-effects extravaganza when 5-year-old Carole Anne (Heather O'Rourke) is kidnapped by the spooks and held hostage in another dimension. Though not nearly as frightening as Hooper's magnum opus, or the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, which came along two years later, Poltergeist is one of the smartest and most entertaining horror pictures of its time. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (147)

Haunting.
Steven Spielberg doesn't just make great family films and moving dramas. He also can help make a great horror movie. Of course, he had some help from famed horror director Tobe Hooper. However, make no doubt the hand of Spielberg is all over POLTERGEIST and the movie wouldn't be the classic it is without his guiding vision.

The movie is about the Freeling family, a typical suburban family living in an above average suburbs. Everything about the Freeling's life seems normal. That is until the youngest daughter, Carol-Anne. (Heather O'Rourke) starts hearing voices late at night from the television. She wakens the family late one night to announce that, "They're heeere." From there the Freeling's lives are slowly turned upside down as small ghostly pranks such as moving chairs and breaking glass snowball into more and more frightening incidents until young Carol-Anne is kidnapped into the neatherworld by forces from beyond.

JoBeth Williams pulls off a wonderful performances as the distraught mother and Craig T. Nelson is a joy to watch as the family's patriarch.

POLTERGEIST is a horror movie that is remininscent of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but with an extra heaping of Spielbergian special effects. The movie is full of suspense, yet actually contains very little violence, hardly any foul language, and no sex. If the film wasn't so frightening, it could be a family film.

A HORROR CLASSIC--AND RIGHTFULLY SO
What sets Poltergeist apart from the usual banality of other horror films is quite simple: this one actually has a story.