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A milestone of the silent film era and one of the first "art films" to gain international acclaim, this eerie German classic from 1919 remains the most prominent example of German expressionism in the emerging art of the cinema. Stylistically, the look of the film's painted sets--distorted perspectives, sharp angles, twisted architecture--was designed to reflect (or express) the splintered psychology of its title character, a sinister figure who uses a lanky somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) as a circus attraction. But when Caligari and his sleepwalker are suspected of murder, their novelty act is surrounded by more supernatural implications. With its mad-doctor scenario, striking visuals, and a haunting, zombie-like character at its center, Caligari was one of the first horror films to reach an international audience, sending shock waves through artistic circles and serving as a strong influence on the classic horror films of the 1920s, '30s, and beyond. It's a museum piece today, of interest more for its historical importance, but Caligari still casts a considerable spell. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (56)

There is something frightful in our midst!
Filmed way back in 1921, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" is perhaps one of the oldest horror films ever made. As a viewer, I see this film as a macabre, magnificent work of art. It was probably intended to be that way, since director Robert Wiene was heavily inspired by the German Expressionist movement. With its skewed and handpainted scenery, crooked angles, looming shadows, and ghostly aura, this feature film is an Edvard Munch painting brought to life. More importantly, its simple yet terrifying plotline helped give birth to early cinematic horror, which would forever place Lon Chaney, Bela Legosi, and Boris Karloff on pedestals.
Here is the synopsis: A young man named Francis (Friedrich Feher) plays the narrator, opening his story at a carnival sideshow that opened in the town of Holstenwall. Francis and his best friend Alan (Hans Heinrich Von Twardowski) attended the show to witness a truly strange attraction: An aging scientist named Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss) unveils to an astounded audience a ghoulish sleepwalker named Cesare (Conrad Veidt), who the Doctor solely commands through the power of hypnotism. Under his control, Cesare awakens from his coffin-like box to prophesise people's fates. When an excited Alan asks Cesare, "How long shall I live?" he grimly utters, "The time is short. You die at dawn!" Meanwhile, the town police investigate a string of bizarre murders. Not surprisingly, Alan would end up becoming the killer's next victim!

Devastated by the sudden loss of his friend, Francis seeks aid from the town police. Together, they find clues linking the cold-blooded killings with Dr. Caligari's priceless freak of nature. In the film's latter half, Francis and the authorities read through the Doctor's notes and discover his most fiendish, insane ambition: The old man gleefully named himself after an 11th century monk who once toured across Northern Italy with a somnanbulist at his side. Dr. Caligari's studies reveal how he recruited poor Cesare from an insane asylum and forced him to commit acts of murder and terrorize innocent people! After the awful truth is exposed, justice prevails as the wicked Doctor is bound in a straitjacket and dragged away. Or is he?
I really love how Conrad Veidt's Cesare character is both terrifying and sympathetic. Although he basically wears a black bodysuit, his figure somehow provides the illusion of inhuman strength, like he was carved out of stone. However, that changes later on when Cesare breaks into the bedroom of Francis's betrothed Jane (Lil Dagover). In a state of torment, he raises the knife over his head and stops himself from stabbing the sleeping woman. In that instance, a viewer can realize that Cesare is only human, and that the Doctor is the true monster. The way actor Werner Krauss portrays him, by the way, is quite marvelous. He's clearly the manipulator of the story; a dangerously clever individual who tries desperately not to get caught. Finally, Friedrich Feher's Francis is a not a typical hero, but rather a traumatized young man seeking the truth; it's obvious that he's overcome with grief and driven almost mad. Did I say almost? As a participant in the movie's main action, Francis is both horrified and curious about the Doctor's motives.
This is a movie I definitely recommend to the openly artistic. The DVD is the perfect gift for Tim Burton fans!

The classic German Expressionist horror film of 1919
When we talk about the history of the "movies" it is "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" ("Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari") that has almost always represented the first prime example of the "cinema," where we treat films as art. This is the best example of German Expressionism with angular sets and exaggerated performances by the actors that represented the dementia of the title character. Werner Krauss is the mad doctor, who uses his somnambulist Ceasar (Conrad Veidt) from his carnival sideshow to do his evil deeds, with Lil Dagover is the damsel in distress. The film is framed by a rather clever plot device that turns the narrative upside down in the end, as a young man (Friedrich Feher) tells the story of Dr. Caligari's visit to the small German town of Holstenwall to an older one, as they sit together on a park bench. There is also a strong sense of how the film serves as a metaphor for the destruction of post-war Germany.

Whatever the films shortcomings, the classic status of this 1919 film directed by Robert Wiene is assured by the striking art direction. The abstract, expressionists designs provide severely angled corners, crooked lines, and objects highlighted by decorative stripes. If "Then Battleship Potemkin" opens us up as students of cinema to the possibilities about montage, then "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" does the same for mise-en-scene. The film also establishes many of the conventions of the horror film (e.g., the mad scientist, beauty and the beast), although, surprisingly enough, the basic storyline has never been remade.

Brilliant film but an explanation for all!
It has been rumored for years that when the producers set out to make The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari they intended to end the film with Caligari getting captured and no framing story. Wrong! A first draft of the film's script shows there was always intended to be a framing story. But the one that was first intended was different than the one presented on film. Originally Francis and Jane were supposed to be at a picnic years later and reminiscing about their days in the town when murderer Caligari showed up. This was changed to the looney bin frame story probably so authority woudn't be depicted quite so negatively. Agreed the film is brilliant and powerfully scarey in it's final execution (no pun intended).

A gothic omen
The cabinet was one of the most remarkable films of the german expressionism.
The bitter gaze about a hollow-eyed sleepwalker (Cesare) who commits murders underthe influence of Dr. Caligary was a clear methapor about what's going on in that dark times. After watching this film , please get the famous Edward Munch's painting titled The scream and establish the underground roads.
The hopeless and the horror are depicted in this movie with a clear message behind the score. Beware about the hidden demons in your mind .
Twelve years before the rise of Hitler, Caligari means obviously the word hypnotist who changes to Cesare in a murder; the anlogy is more than obvious. Don't you?
The world evidently was in another mood , but this warning call from a bizarre film concerned to a few people. Today we are capable after eighty five years , of feel the message.
Robert Wiene established a real pattern around the new possibilities of expression for the movies. He made The hands of Orlac also with Conrad Viet a legendary actor , and won too with that.
But Caligari shocked the destiny of a whole generation of directors (Howard Hawks in Scarface , for instance , Freaks of Tod Browning , Edgar Ullmer, Andre de Toth , James Whale's Frankenstein , and more recently Werner Herzog , Roger Corman or Lars von Triers ) to name just a few , but specially to a young english film maker called Alfred Hitchcock and another giant Orson Welles . If you remember the chase sequence in The third man under the streets of Vienna , or countless sequences employed as dramatic visuals resources and narrative devices of the English master , remember that Caligari was the sparking light.
A cul movie and one of the pioneers jewels of the german expressionism!

"special" edition? - how so?
I am a very ticked off customer... This is an excellent movie indeed, and I'll let the other reviews speak for themselves in that respect. My question is... how is it that a SPECIAL EDITION of a DVD (and not a cheap one, by the way! It's not like it only costed five bucks or something; I paid 17.39 for it) does not even let you WATCH the original movie??? I just received it, and I haven't opened it yet, because I plan on returning it, since from what the back of the DVD says, I'm pretty sure that's it's in ENGLISH ONLY, even though this is a GERMAN film.

I am so sick of Americans being so full of themselves! Would it kill us to be a little cultural for once? My god - how hard is it to have an option to watch it either in the original german, or in English? It's a DVD, for cripes sake! DVDs can easily be dubbed or subtitled in a million languages, so why not the original language of the film? I've seen the film on VHS before, but I wanted to see the original german, so I figured a "special edition" DVD would be the way to go, but apparently not. For all the good (or lack thereof) that this DVD was worth, I might as well have made a copy, for free, from the library VHS! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Destined for cult status!
The Rockwell family of four board their minivan and head cross-country through the desert for a family vacation.All is well until they get a flat tire and are forced to stop and find help.They end up in this little roadside diner where Southern hospitality prevails.The old pleasant lady working at the diner invites them over to her house for supper and the family accept.Big mistake.The house is occupied by a bunch of homicidal freakshows.Within minutes they slay the entire family leaving only teenaged Tina alive.They trap her in a small square room, making Tina wonder why she is being spared her life.Simple: They want to make her a part of their family.

Make no mistake about it: Skinned Deep is dirt cheap.The acting for the most part is horrendous, the audio quality is awful and the special effects are laughable at best.To illustrate how cheap the effects are: early in the movie there is a scene where a madman uses a jackhammer to smash through what is meant to be a car’s windshield.Closer inspection however shows that the jackhammer is really tearing through a sheen of cellophane wrap, you know the type we use to pack lunch sandwiches with!But director Gabriel Bartalos is clearly onto something bigger here.I’m not sure where or how he thinks up these things, but there is enough oddities and twisted situations to make anyone shake their head in disbelief.His house of horrors puts Rob Zombie’s to shame as do his freaks.We get a guy with a gigantic 2-foot-high brain on top of his head, a carnivore-like freak with hooks for hands, 3-foot-tall Warwick Davis and a mild-mannered grandma.

It’s not like we haven’t seen this kind of stuff before.Like many other modern-day horror flicks, Skinned Deep lifts heavily from classic 70’s horror such as TCM and The Hills Have Eyes.Other notable influences are The Road Warrior (!) and Mother’s Day.But trust me, you’ve rarely seen an imitation done as well as this one.What makes Skinned Deep so great?Oh, let’s see.First there’s the unrelenting pace that never lets up, then the ridiculous over-the-top gore squirting all over the place and other assorted wild absurdities that even a horror vet like myself had never seen before.If anything this movie is worth the price of admission just to see a makeup-free Warwick Davis hurling plates across a room while screaming at the top of his lungs and finishing it off with a celebratory jig.Priceless.

I can’t get over the fact that I managed to rent this baby at Blockbuster and in an uncut version no less!If you’re a b-movie fan who loves gore and offbeat humor you owe it to yourself to watch this.I even recommend buying the sucker.This is redneck horror at its best!

Absolutley awesome, BUY it NOW
This movie has been summarized already so with that all i can really say is buy this movie. A great movie, it is Twisted,Unique,Wierd, Silly, Strange,Gory,Bloody just an amazing movie. I will say though, I kind of look at this movie not only as a Horror but also a bit Sci-Fi. This movie would be loved by any fan of the horror genre. If you like independant films you will love this one. I find it to be pretty wierd you cant not like it. Basically any fan who likes horror weather it has a budget or not this movie i feel if watched enough will become a cult classic, I am definbitly not overrating this movie, i just really enjoyed watching and will watch it plenty of more times.

And Plates is just an amazing dancer, dont let any one tell you other wise.

The Griswold family goes to hell
The horror genre has always brought us movies that are recycled copies of something else.You sit down and you press play and you start to watch a movie and within the first 5 minutes find yourself going "Not again."People take a wrong turn somewhere and end up dying---
This movie breaks that horror cliché in many ways.

What starts off as a nice little trip for a family (mom, dad, brother, sister) quickly turns into a blood bath after they are a little to trusting of the locals (sorry no real spoilers here).Some decent acting by the actors (especially the girl who played the daughter and of course Marvin the depressed android from the new flick "Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy" he also did some little indi. flicks, you might have heard of them the "Leprechaun" series Warwick Davis) And some gore very reminiscent of a Takashi Mîke movie (especially Ichi the killer).Kudos to the special effects people as well as the sound engineer.

A movie with exploding heads, severed limbs, Warwick Davis in one of the most interesting fights I've seen in any horror flick and a cool character twist at the end, isn't all that bad in my opinion. Well worth the purchase price.

I Was a Victim of Skinned Deep!
Yes, that's right. I now have the distinct dishonor and displeasure of saying that I died a slow and sandy death in the horror/action/comedy SKINNED DEEP.

I play the part of a construction worker who, with his three rotund buddies, are side swiped ala' Road Warrior in the desert by the maniacal dwarf Plates and the freak with a bear trap for a jaw, The Surgeon General. I won't reveal too much, but suffice it to say, I get an oral taxidermy that leaves me stuffed to the gills and baking in the L.A. desert sun.

SKINNED DEEP is the most original and surreal horror film you'll ever see. It's a madcap, underground comic book slasher thrill ride with a bizarre tripped out feel to it. I predict SKINNED DEEP parties all over the planet once this DVD hits homes.

I met writer, director FX madman Gabe Bartalos back in the 80's while shooting the classic homegrown horror epic SPOOKIES. Since then we've remained close buds and was stoked to appear in this filmed excursion through his warped, genius mind.

SKINNED DEEP combines elements of Texas Chainsaw, The Hills Have Eyes, Brain Damage, Road Warrior, and every damn family gets tormented by demented desert freaks and then some into one mind numbing, laugh filled epic. You'll watch this one over and over again until you find yourself begging for Part II or the Prequel. This is the stuff cult films are made of.

So grab some big old porcelain plates and fling them your best friends' heads .. it's time to enjoy, SKINNED DEEP!

Adventurous. Absurd. Amazing!!!!
Yes, Skinned Deep has horror. Yes, it has blood. Yes, it is violent. So if you're a fan of smart and well done horror then you'll love this movie. But if you're not a horror fan or have problems watching violence you should see Skinned Deep anyway.

Why? Quite simply, Gabe Bartalos' directorial and writing debut is so mesmerizingly original and fresh that its intensity and unbridled exuberance reach places that few film makers can (save a Kubrick or Lynch). To simply call this a horror flick totally misses the point. Cinematic invention in overdrive is more like it.

Although Bartalos has earned his well deserved fame in the FX department (working on Matthew Barney's Cremaster series as well as several of the Leprechaun films and the awesomely huge dinosaur for Universal's Back to the Future -- The Ride) he is certainly upto the task of writing, directing and doing the FX for his own feature film. The FX remain key -- and impress as much as ever -- and Warwick Davis (of Willow) is absolutely riveting on screen as the maniacal plate throwing character Plates.

The humor is absolutely bent too. When I saw Skinned Deep as part of the "Another Hole in Head" Film Festival in San Francisco the audience went nuts laughing and applauding. It was amazing how people were so into it --especially when Plates started to rifle porcelain dishes at his intended victims (yes, he usually hit them).

To be clear, this movie is not for everyone. But if you appreciate adventurous film making and have a well developed sense of humor, then Skinned Deep should be in your cart. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Definately NOT the Myron Healey version!!
This DVD release is the original Japanese version and not the butchered American version with added scenes of Myron Healey
as a US soldier investigating a salty island lake. This version is so
differentyou wont believe it.The plot is completely different.It
takes place in the mountains, not on an island.There is just no comparing the two versions. They are nothing alike.It would have
been nice if they had included the american TV version on this
disc for comparison, but alas.They don't even kill the monster in the american version. Come to think of it, They really didn't even use
very much of the original footage in making the American version.

What you should know about this DVD release for Varan.
This is not the American version titled "Varan the Unbelievable" that was released in the USA in 1961.This will be the original 1958 Japanese version "Daikaiju Varan" (Giant Monster Varan), so none of the edited footage and story involving the American naval officer on the "island of Kunish Hiroshima" will be present in this.Also, for those that're only familiar with "Varan the Unbelievable", since this will be the original Japanese version there will be lots of footage you've never seen such as Varan's flying sequence, and you will also get to hear Akira Ifukube's original musical score.And just so you know, this DVD will more than likely be bilingual so there will likely be a dub, though it's possible it'll be a brand new English dub recorded in LA by studios and actors that most often dub anime (Japanese animation) as was the case with the recent DVD of The Mysterians.There'll also likely be a few nice extras on this like Media Blasters'/Tokyo Shock's impressive DVDs for The Mysterians and Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People.

Never Thought This One Would Be on DVD
A U.S. Navy Commander is on the island of Kunish Hiroshima to do anti-saline experiments in a salt water lake. The locals believe that the lake is the home of a monster which they fear and worship. As the experiments proceed, Varan is awakened and goes on a rampage.

I recorded "Varan the Unbelievable" many many years ago from one of the local late shows and pull it out every once in a while when I in the mood for an old Japanese made movie. It is pretty much the remake of Godzilla with some elements of Rodan thrown in.

I like these old "Godzilla like movies" and probably rate them higher than most other would.

I never thought this one would ever come out on DVD.
... Read more

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Considered by many to be Dario Argento's first masterpiece, Deep Red recalls his first hit, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. British star David Hemmings (Blow-Up) plays an American jazz pianist who witnesses a brutal, bloody murder from afar and turns detective to find the killer. Kooky Italian journalist Daria Nicolodi (Argento's wife and cowriter on Suspiria) joins him as comic relief and tepid romantic interest, but the real costar is Argento's high style: gliding camera, razor-sharp editing, and gorgeous but gruesome set pieces. The story is convoluted, to say the least--plotting was never Argento's strong suit and the unnecessary exposition often drags the film down--but his vivid, horrific imagery is perfect for a thriller driven by haunting memories. Deep Red was originally released in the U.S. in a severely cut version retitled The Hatchet Murders (odd since the killer uses a butcher's knife). Producer Bill Lustig has restored the film to its originaltwo-hour-plus running time, though some scenes exist only with Italian-language soundtracks (which are subtitled). It's a bit jarring at first (it makes for an unintended joke when a man suddenly checks his hearing aid after a language switch), but it's the only way to see Argento's original cut. There's also a brief 25th anniversary documentary with Argento and cowriter Bernardino Zapponi, and the DVD offers a choice of English and Italian language versions. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Scary, Stylish, Superb
A title that cannot miss in your Italian thriller collection! A movie that cannot be left unseen. A soundtrack that whips your spine cord. The ultimate masterpiece of Argento is a mixture of gore effects (last Italian work by Carlo "ET" Rambaldi), bedtime lullabies, screaming queens, supernatural atmosphere and memory games, supported by a perfect plot and a series of great Italian theatre actors whose only function in this film is to be killed in sequence, in a crescendo of ultraviolence.
The DVD edition of PROFONDO ROSSO is presented in widescreen 2.35:1 enhanced for 16x9 TVs, giving the audience all but the impression of a movie directed 27 years ago. The audio tracks are in Dolby Sorround 5.1, in Italian and in English, but portions of the English soundtrack were either never recorded or lost. These scenes are therefore presented in Italian with optional English subtitles. The extra features show the Italian and U.S. theatrical trailer and a featurette, 25th Anniversary, with an interview with director Dario Argento, writer Dardano Sacchetti and the Goblin, the group responsible for the nightmarish soundtrack which is part of the worldwide success of Argento's movie. Watch it alone, in the dark...

A Deep Pool of Red
Deep Red is a classic Italian suspense tale involving a witness overseeing a murder, rushing to the scene of the crime to help, and then finding himself ensnared in Argento's classical psychological/some physical torment web that engulfs both himself and the killer. There are a lot of layers circulating throughout the movie, giving it depth beyond the normal genre "slasher" flick. That said, its also one of the more gruesome films that Dario directed. With killings involving cleavers, oddly conceived decapitations, and other unique methods of murder that I won't mention for fear of spoiling them, it manages to keep the gore lover's attention without insulting them.
With film restoration adding to the movie, you are given a clearer overall picture of what Argento wanted to present as well, despite language switches causing the need for subtitles throughout the movie. (And, if you have the chance, pick it up in the Dario Argento Collection set. Its a fine deal for Tenebrae and Deep Red.)

Horrible
The movie is long and slow. The uncut version is about 2 hours. The music sounds like it came from a 70s porn movie. The only good part were the original murders.

A remarkable Argento classic
To make this review shorter, I won't go on about the plot or the plot twists and the characters and such. I'll just say that this easily ranks amongst the top 10 Argento films ever. What I really like about Deep Red is that unlike some of Dario Argento's other movies (like Stendhal Syndrome), the ending was completely unexpected and nobody expected it. That plot-twist was brilliant and very well concealed. Anywhom, this is an incredible giallo. For the starting Argento fan, I'd reccomend this, his first film "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage", "Tenebre". I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RECOMMEND "Suspiria", IT IS NOTHING LIKE ARGENTO'S OTHER WORK, AND IS DEFINATELY NOT AS GOOD.

Uh...strange!
When a psychic mind reader picks up on the thoughts of a murderer, little did he know that he'd soon become a victim! An english pianist gets involved in solving the murders, but finds many of his avenues of inquiry cut off by new murders, and he begins to wonder how the murderer can track his movements so closely... ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Walken from Heaven with a taste of Hell
I am a die-hard Christopher Walken fan and this is by far the best movie of his career (the 2nd best being Prophecy 2). Sure this movie is about the battle between Heaven and Hell for the destiny of the entire human race, but who cares? It's Walken that matters. As the holy-turned-evil angel Gabriel he is extremely creepy and powerfully scary, but the awesome twist is that he is hilarious as well. Some actors have good scenes and some actors can steal certain scenes, but Walken is so twistedly diabolical and shockingly funny that he steals the entire movie. So much that you find yourself dying for the next scene to happen just so you can see more of him. I was very surprised at how Biblical the film is without being Biblical at all. It's very smart that way. Very spiritually exciting in an epic Biblical possibility kind of way. And the action sequences and effects are charged with power. This is truly a masterpiece and the best "Biblical-esque" science fiction action/horror film I have ever seen. GOD and the Devil and the End of the world. But who cares? It's all about Christopher Walken!

Very interesting and thought provoking film
Throughout this decade I've watched some pretty horrible horror films. The only good films I could find were Candyman and Event Horizon. But then I came across The Prophecy, which is one of the best horror films of this decade. It's not frightening in your usual horror film sense, but has more of an intellectual feel to it. It's not an insult to your mind as most slasher films are. This film is full of intriguing thoughts and ideas, especially with writer-director Gregory Widen's version of how an angel's physical form on Earth would be like. The film starts off a bit confusing but becomes more easy to understand as the film goes along. There's the soon to become priest named Thomas Dagget, played very well by Elias Koteas who now has a high-profile due to his role in The Thin Red Line. You can also catch Koteas' role as a demon in Fallen in which he is even better at it than Christopher Walken! Anyway, Thomas sees visions of angels being killed, he loses his faith and becomes a cop. This might sound kind of funny on paper but watching it is pretty serious. A good angel named Simon (portrayed perfectly by Eric Stoltz) murders another angel, Usiel who is one of Gabriel's men, in self-defense. Autopsy reports show Usiel has the physical attributes of an aborted fetus, has no eyes and never did, and is a hermaphrodite. Thomas investigates on this case and discovers a bible on Usiel that has a 23 chapter of Revelations that states of the Second Coming, another war between angels. It states the war occurs because angels are jealous of the fact God loves humans more than angels because humans have souls. In order for this war to begin, the bad angels, led by Gabriel in an unforgettable performance by Christopher Walken, need the soul of a recently deceased Colonel Hawthorne, who is supposed to be the most evil person on Earth. Simon manages to steal Hawthorne's soul before Gabriel and places it in the body of a young girl named Mary. Thomas and Mary's teacher, Katherine (in a fine performance by Virginia Madsen) get caught up in this storm of events and must find a way to prevent the apocalypse from occuring.

What I've just typed down about The Prophecy must be very confusing. It's actually a lot easier to understand then it seems. The acting in this film was very good. The lead performances by Koteas, Madsen, Walken, and Stoltz were excellent. I liked Stoltz's character the most but he left the movie too early. The overall plot idea was great and had an epic feeling. There was one particular scene where we see a vision of hundreds of angels impaled that I found very disturbing. It's one of the more haunting images on film these days. This film is also very humorous with most of the comedy supplied from Walken.

There were a couple of things I didn't like too much about this movie. Why did Simon visit Thomas? That seemed more of an excuse to get Thomas even more involved in the war. The fact that this movie is very short. It left some interesting ideas or scenes that could have easily fit in. The ending, but it's a very minor problem, isn't as great as the rest of the movie. Without giving too much away I feel a downbeat ending like in The Exorcist and The Omen would have worked better in The Prophecy. After all, a prophecy is something you can't prevent. But the ending's somewhat made up for with Koteas' thought-provoking final words and the musical score. Some people may not like the fact that Gabriel is portrayed as a jealous celestial being. All in all, The Prophecy is a supernatural thriller that should not be missed if you enjoy movies like the Exorcist or if you're a fan of the cast. There is a sequel to The Prophecy and another one in the works, but I don't plan on watching them simply because I am mostly content with the way the first film ended.

Not worth it
As I watched the movie I couldn't help but feel that the director was just stabbing out at a few concepts, rather than character development and story line. 2 bad angels and 1 good, what kind of a war is going on here? Seems pretty week to me. How is one human soul going to help them in their great battle anyway? Is this war going to somehow change God's mind? Can these evil angels who are obviously acting against the the will of God, aka sinning really expecting to have things return back to the way they once were? What is the purpose of an angel, and even more important, What is the purpose and meaning of life for humans in this movie. What motive is there to be a good angel? There has to be some kind of reward. Why do we only get the perspective from the devil and evil angels? Where is the word of God during the movie, and what of his worshipers? Not worth your time or waste of thought.

Yup :-)
I'm speaking of the 3 movies I've seen in this series of movies, Christopher Walken is one of the best actors I have seen and this roll is his apex in my mind, totally funny + he gets weirder as the movies go along, the writers know what they are doing + christopher playes it perfectly + adds his amazing performance in a perfect roll for him. Top Rate!

excellent and thrilling.
Excellent, intelligent movie. Christopher Walken was superb in this apocolyptic thriller. His charecter Gabriel chills the bones. Liked the way it showed Angels as things to be feared rather than fat babies or woman. Judgement is coming people! ... Read more

Reviews (46)

A MUST HAVE for all DVD collectors and movie lovers!
Lady In White is a true cinematic masterpiece, and one of the greatest horror films ever made. In this haunting, surreal ghost story, writer/director/musical composer/costar Frank LaLoggia gives us chills, chuckles, and a wonderful sense of nostalgia. Horror novelist Frankie Scarlatti (LaLoggia) returns to his small Upstate NY hometown for a visit, where he remembers the Halloween of 1962 - "the year that *she* came into my life." Ten-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) lives a carefree life with his brother, father, and grandparents. On Halloween, Frankie gets locked in his classroom closet by his practical-joking classmates. That night, he sees the ghost of a little girl, Melissa (Joelle Jacobi) and a ghostly recreation of her murder. He also sees, but not clearly, her killer, who has come back looking for evidence he left behind. The psycho strangles Frankie, and he has a near-death experience, where Melissa's troubled spirit pleads for him to help her find her mother. Frankie survives the attack, and determines to help Melissa, having lost his own mother earlier. He learns that several children, in addition to Melissa, have been molested and killed by the same man over a ten-year period. The overzealous DA, anxious to solve the murders, decides to indict an innocent black janitor, but the Grand Jury won't buy it. Frankie discovers a link between Melissa, the town madwoman (Katherine Helmond) and the legendary Lady In White, who supposedly prowls the cliffs every night. What Frankie doesn't know is that the real killer is hot on his heels. An excellent script, terrific ensemble acting, and great special effects make this a truly magnificent, unforgettable movie. This film will be with you for a long time after you see it! Though rated PG-13, Lady In White is scarier and more disturbing than most R-rated movies. It is NOT for children under 13. The DVD package is a masterpiece unto itself - the video is a GORGEOUS wide-screen transfer, the sound full and downright 3-dimensional. The print is LaLoggia's director's cut and runs 6 minutes longer than the theatrical and videotape versions. Other great extras include the COMPLETE soundtrack, still picture gallery, seven minutes of deleted scenes, theatrical, TV and radio trailers, and a "Behind the Scenes" featurette. A textbook example of what a DVD release should be. BUY IT!

BRILLIANT---NEEDS TO BE RE-RELEASED
I would LOVE to have this movie on DVD, but it's out of print and now going for a princely sum on the secondary market. This great period piece of early 1960's nostalgia is one of the better ghost stories you will ever see.

It pops up occasionally on TV still. Lukas Haas plays a young boy...perhaps around 4th or 5th grade maybe, who gets locked in his schools cloak room around Halloween. While locked inside he is terrified to see a spectral play acted out before him as a little girl is murdered by an unknown man.

The killer returns to the cloak room to look for something and finds Haas and tries to kill him as well. He's rescued but now he is haunted by the little girl who wants him to find her killer.

He receives messages from her typed out on his typewriter and the record player goes on by itself much to the terror of Haas. Then there is the mysterious Lady in White, living in the old, run down home who seems a ghost herself.

As Frankie (haas) and his older brother try and solve the mystery, somewhere the killer knows who he is and is waiting.

Wonderful piece. Great 1960's midwest nostalgia. Fantastic performances and a genuine feeling of dread make this a great ghost story.

GREAT FILM
I REALLY LIKED THIS FILM I THINK ITS THE BEST HORROR MOVIE MADE, THE ONLY PROBLEM IS IT HASNT BEEN IN THE UK FOR A WHILE AND WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHEN IT WILL COME THIS END AGAIN OR IF THERES ANY WEBSITES THAT I CAN BUY IT ON!!
pLEASE EMAIL ME ON FUNLOVIN_AMY@YAHOO.CO.UK IF YOU HAVE ANSWERS!!

A Terrific Ghost Story
I'm not the type who succumbs much to movie presentations -- but when I saw this in the theater during its first run, the scene in the cloak room literally caused chills. It's time for a re-release of the DVD.

YAY! This movie is good!
OMG I watched this movie like every halloween when i was a little kid, i thought it was like sooo scary, but not scary enough to scar me for life like "chucky" did. it's a really cool movie and now that im older i still like it! It's a great movie for kids like 6 and up and for adults! ... Read more

Amazon.com

After establishing his signature style with such moody classics as Cat People and I Walked with a Zombie, Jacques Tourneur returned to peak form with the first-rate supernatural thriller Curse of the Demon. It's a horror-noir set in England, adapted from the M.R. James story "Casting the Runes" and built around the ominous notion that black arts--particularly the use of ancient runic symbols--can summon a deadly beast from hell. Dana Andrews is the stubborn American skeptic, determined to debunk a genteel occultist (Niall MacGinnis) whose evil powers are ultimately incontestable. The briefly seen demon may be cheesy by latter-day standards, but its nightmarish appearance--and Tourneur's masterful use of subtle suggestion, threatening atmosphere, and eerie special effects--make Curse of the Demon one of the best horror films of the 1950s. This splendid DVD offers the longer British version Night of the Demon for film-buff comparison; it's essentially the same film with a few extended scenes. Both are highly recommended. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (61)

By the Pricking of my Thumbs Something Wicked this Way Comes
I am a sucker for old B&W horror films, and Jacques Tourneur was the best, rivalled only by maybe Mario Bava. Both men understood that shadow and light and the grey/silver play in between could set the mood as no colour film movie could. The black and white film could be lensed at such lower light settings, they achieve spooky shadows and the looming sense that something could be hiding in them as no modern colour film ever could.

And Night/Curse of the Demon is the genre at its best. This movie takes a premise that demons can be called forth and 'sicked' upon a person by the mere passing of a slip of paper of runic symbols - and proceeds to make believers of the audience. The only sour note in the wonderful production is the monotone perform by Dana Andrews who seems determined not to take the role serious. It is quite a shame it could not have had an actor with the deftness of Ian McShane give breath to the doubting thomas professor. Still, even Andrews lack luster performance cannot sink this marvellous film.

Andrews plays a parapsychologist who has come to England to debunk a witch-cult. Once he arrives, he finds the man who asked him to come has been killed under very mysterious circumstances. His niece is convinced he was killed by Carlson, the head of the witch, for she finds a reference in her uncle's diary saying Carlson passed him the slip of paper with runic symbols and then he found his diary had all the pages torn from them after a certain date - the date Carlson said something would come for him. Andrews is a confirmed doubter, but even his faith in logic is rattled has he comes face to face with people of the Auld Ways. He also have been passed a slip with the symbols and Carlson has informed him his time allotted nears - and his diary is found with all the pages torn from it.

It is horror films at their best, Jacques Tourneur the master showing how it was done. Be sure to keep an eye out for his I Walked with A Zombie - another masterpiece despite it stupid title.

One the great turning points in horror films
The distributor advertising this DVD as a "Double Feature" stretches the truth a bit. "Curse of the Demon" is merely the shortened American version of the British film "Night of the Demon." The American version runs thirteen minutes shorter and is by far the weaker cut of the film, if still a fine piece of work. It's a nice feature to have the complete American cut on this disk for the sake of comparison with the original, but this is hardly a "double feature." And there's no reason to watch the edited, shorter version when you have the superior British original of one of the seminal horror movies of all time on the same DVD.

"Night of the Demon" hit theaters in 1957 and marked a turning point in macabre cinema. Director Jacques Tourneur had made some important 1940s horror films ("Cat People," "Leopard Man," and "I Walked with a Zombie," as well as the film noir classic "Out of the Past") that moved against the grain of the gothic fantasies that Universal produced during the 1930s. With "Night of the Demon," Tourneur cemented the idea of the modern horror film, where the terrors of the gothic, demonic, and supernatural appear within the realm of the modern, everyday world -- the essentially rational setting of the contemporary times. The success of this film would eventually lead to such movies in the following decades as "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Exorcist," which took place in the recognizable contemporary world, where the invasion of supernatural forces seemed all the more ghastly.

The screenplay comes from the short story "Casting the Runes" by master Victorian ghost story writer M. R. James. (You can find this story in an excellent and currently in-print volume of the same name.) In the story, a professor and practitioner of the black arts, Karswell, has found a way to send demonic forces against his academic foes by passing them a slip of paper covered with magical runes. The movie expands the premise: Karswell (Niall MacGinnis, who played Zeus in "Jason and the Argonauts") leads a witchcraft circle and uses his rune-tracker to send a demon after his opponent, professor Harrington. After Harrington's death, his American friend, psychologist Holden (Dana Andrews), comes to America to learn more, but scoffs at the idea that anything supernatural could lurk behind Harrington's death. Unfortunately for Holden, Karswell feels threatened enough to decide to send his murdering monster after the American.

Tourneur brilliantly films the movie in a split style, dividing between realistic, bland daytime scenes, meant to have an almost documentary feel, and increasingly warped and bizarre nighttime scenes as the curse of the demon moves closer and closer to Holden and it becomes harder for him to deny the truth of what is occurring. The demon itself is a point of controversy among film students. Tourneur was famous for keeping his horrors hidden, and some people believe that he never planned to show the demon at all, but the producer forced him to shove it up front. The appearance early in the film of the full demon might have been an error (it would have worked better to save it for the finale), but its materialization at the end is pretty incredible and it's hard to believe that Tourneur wouldn't have wanted the ending any other way. This is (excuse the pun) one hell of a demon. Designed by Ken Adam (who would later create the sets for most of the James Bond films, as well as "Dr. Strangelove"), the monster looks like it leaped from the freakiest medieval woodcut representation of Hell. The special effects and sounds accompanying it are also eerie and disturbing.

Andrews is a bit stodgy in his part, but Niall MacGinnis makes up for it with his scene-stealing role as Karswell. MacGinnis is both a bumbling, whimsical British professor (complete with a doting and scolding mother), and a cold-blooded sorcerer -- often both in one scene. The ending of the film, involving the passing of the runes, is both funny and incredibly tense, leading to one of the most stunning climaxes in horror films. Peggy Cummins as the love interest is delightfully perky and intelligent, much more so than female leads in most horror films.

The only extra on the disk is the inclusion of the American cut. However, the film is in perfect condition, and is finally shown in the original aspect ration of 1:1.66 (a typical European screen format infrequently seen in the U.S.; it's halfway between the shape of a TV screen and the typical 1:1.85 that most American movies are shot in today). "Night of the Demon" is essential horror film viewing for anyone who wants to understand the development of the genre into its current form. (And I have to repeat it, that's one helluva demon!)

Good for the Era
I enjoyed this movie not because it was such a good horror film but because it was representative of the era, the time it was made. Predictable and not horrifying. It is a good addition to my film library. I'm glad these oldies are making it to DVD.

Why did I Laugh during a Horror Film?
I read some of the previous reviews of this film right here on Amazon. I read the reviews and I was excited about seeing the film. I had not seen the film before I read the reviews. I was very excited to see the film, I was.
My first comment is this matey, I think it was wise to show the demon at the beginning of the film, as so many of you have objected to. It was wise because otherwise I may not have made it to the end of the film when they showed the demon again. Yes, it looked fake, but it was effective.
The film starts out waaaaay too sloooow. So at least by showing the demon you know you may get more action.
My second comment goes a little something like this, I laughed my little clover leaves off during the seance. When the "medium" starts speaking in tongues and moaning like he is going downhill on a bike on a bumpy road. I don't mean to offend the fans of this movie, but that scene was too much camp, too funny, when the little child's voice started, I almost choked.

I got a bigger laugh though when the central character, Dana Andrews goes to Stonehenge, and my friend said "Oh he's at Stone hedge."
I had such a good time watching this film.
Let me see, I do have a good point of the film. During the doctor convention, it was kind of spooky, you know? There is a bunch of students sitting watching a doctor and his patient. The patient is comatose because he had once seen the demon. The doctor shoots the patient up with "amphetamines" (um hum we know what he pimping in that needle). The patient jumps up and runs into the audience, then runs and jumps out of a window to his death. Well it takes him 2 times to get out of the window, the first time he just runs into it and falls down.
Oh I did laugh again during the big finale, when the demon shows up again, picks up the "satanic cult leader" and starts smacking him around. Whew.
Do I recommend this movie? I don't know. I do know I had a good time watching it though.

One of the best
Without a doubt this is one of the best movies of all time.
I was on the edge through the whole movie. Great camera work,
great scenery with that dreary English landscape. Rent it, but it, you'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Description

Once upon a time in the 18th century a beast lived in the woods of an aristocratic estate. And this beast, possessed of a giant phallus and an insatiable lust, set upon the beautiful young lady of the house. Two centuries later, the tale of the beast would return in the dreams of an American heiress contracted to carry the male descendant of the same crumbling aristocratic family and their secret.

Controversial rework of "The Beauty And The Beast", which was forbidden for 25 years, Walerian Borowczyk's erotic masterpiece receives its definitive presentation on three discs, including a brand new widescreen (16x9) transfer with optional French and English dialogue, two Hours of Behind The Scenes, and the rare rediscovered Complete Version.

DISC I: THE BEAST (Director's Cut)
Widescreen 1:85.1 (16x9 Enhanced)
French and English language
Optional English subtitles
Theatrical Trailer
Stills
94 Minutes

DISC II: BEAST BIS
Biography
Interview (2003)
The Making of (1974)
French with Optional English subtitles
Stills
117 Minutes

DISC III: THE BEAST (Complete Version)
Widescreen
French with English Subtitles
Lobbycards
98 Minutes

Limited and Numbered Edition of 10,000 copies, includes the 52 page book: Beast Bis ... Read more

Reviews (26)

should have been left in Immoral Tales
As legend has it, Walerian Borowzcyk originally intended the short version of "The Beast" to be part of his compilation film "Immoral Tales". Due to the nature of "The Beast", it was cut from the original film and put on the back-burner till Borowczyk decided to turn it into a full-length feature. I feel this decision was a poor one. The short version of "The Beast" is the best thing about this film, which essentially tries to pad out the original's 20 minute running time to an hour and a half. This wouldn't be so bad if the padding weren't so boring. Aside from the rose-masturbation scene, which is intercut with "flashbacks" to the short film, there really is not much else that would make this a worthwhile purchase for fans of erotic cinema. The notorious scenes of horse-copulation are distasteful and verge on disgusting for anyone not turned on by beastiality. Instead of this "hype" film, I would recommend you take a look at Radley Metzger's "The Image", another controversial film that actually goes beyond "The Beast" as far as inclusion of graphic content. As an added bonus, all the sex in "The Image" is of the human variety.

Sexy...Steamy...DEFINITELY NOT FOR KIDS
WOW! Though this DVD is "UNRATED", don't let it fool you. It is "X" rated all of the way...even more so than many 21st Century flicks. Created more than 25 years ago, this foreign masterpiece is steamy, sexy...beautifully edited and should become a period classic. Yes...it is billed as a horror film...but it is an adult experience in erotica, beastiality, and compassion. I really don't want to give the plot away...even though it is simple and explicit. If you were a teenager or young adult in the mid-seventies you will appreciate the erotic approach to this film...flimsy nightgowns, aggressive self-indulgence and gratification...a burning desire...WOW! Buy this DVD for your "ADULT" collection and keep it away from the kids. I believe AMAZON should restrict its sale to adults only. Need I write more??? Buy it...turn down the lights...enjoy. In this genre, whatever it may be, it is a 5. If you have seen this DVD and have other recommendations in its class...please refer them to me. "The Beast" is definitely a charismatic "beast".

Delivers much more than expected.
Okay, the first, what, 15 minutes is spent watching horses copulate. Not quite my cup of tea, but the rest of the film is.
Anyone who gives this film a low rating obviously was not aware of the director's genre. As a euro-sleaze film, it delivers up the goods way better than most others in its class. W. B. (the director) finally goes where his "Immoral Tales" failed, and by that I mean filming an erotic sequnce to completion (and boy did The Beast complete himself....many many times). It's actually quite hilarious how the beast just has to find whatever it can to rub itself against. But the beautiful lady it gets to have its way with--and the lady fantasizing the whole thing while explicitly romancing the flower--make this an erotic winner. Excellent quality picture for its age, as well. If you're into nude women and just-short-of-porn behavior, it doesn't get any better than this. This is the definitive Euro-sleaze title. Like I always say, if American actresses went this far it would be a much better world. This sort of film is--or was--apparently the norm across the water, while this is hardcore compared to what we call erotic over here.

What a piece of garbage
This is truly one of the worst movies ever made. It was not daring and provocative more gross and pointless. The dubbing
made the dialogue stupid. The plot was just plain idiotic.
It was as erotic as a hangover. Add to that several scenes
of horse copulation and this is one of the worst movies
of all time. Don't buy this it will only annoy you and make
you sick. A complete piece of garbage. It got one star only
because I couldn't give a lower rating.

Garbage!
I don't know what the director was thinking when he made this film. Who produced it? These guys must have been dropping some serious acid! The horse copulation scene was a bit too much. But the beast copulation scene was nauseating to say the least. The film had absolutely no plot whatsoever. The characters were wooden nymphos with serious psych problems. This film is wierd and one of a kind but the novelty wears off pretty quickly. In other words: AVOID AT ALL COST! ... Read more

Description

Night Train Murders

You can tell yourself it's only a movie... but it won't help!

It was released as SECOND HOUSE ON THE LEFT, NEW HOUSE ON THE LEFT and TORTURE TRAIN. The ads screamed, "Most movies last less than two hours! This is one of everlasting torment! It remains one of the most graphically fiendish films in exploitation history, the story of two teenage girls traveling through Europe, forced into a nightmare of sexual assault and sadistic violence. Irene Miracle (MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, INFERNO), Flavio Bucci (SUSPIRA), Macha Meril (DEEP RED),and Marina Berti (WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO OUR DAUGHTER'S) star in this depraved shocker directed by Aldo Lado (SHORT NIGHT OF THE GLASS DOLLS, WHO SAW HER DIE?) and featuring a haunting score by Ennio Morricone. Experience evil gone off the rails: NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS is now presented uncensored with all-new Extras for the first time ever in America. ... Read more

Reviews (416)

The League of Extrodinary Gentlemen
A horribly burned madman, known as the Phantom/Fantom, is making very powerful weapons, is creating a world war and worst of all, it's not even the 20th Century yet! To combat this Phantom of the Opera wacko, "M"(Richard Roxburgh) has recruited 7 literary characters, each with their own special abilities and talents, to stop this madman. This team, which includes the Hunter Allan Quartermain(Sean Connery), the Rouge Rodney Skinner aka Invisible Man(Tony Curran), the Scientist Captain Nemo(Naseeruddin Shah), the Vampire Mina Harker(Peta Wilson), the Immortal Dorian Gray(Stuart Townsend), the Spy Tom Sawyer(Shane West), and the Beast Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde(Jason Flemyng and ugly CGI). Together, they form the League of Extrodinary Gentlemen.

This looked like a really fun movie. But in the end, it could of been done better. Now, I'm not very familiar with the comic book so I don't know how true this is to the material, but this film's weakest points are the script, which is terribly silly and pointless, and the horrible special effects. The action scenes were clumsy and you don't find any big suprises out of this film.

The actors range from good to bad. Sean Connery's a great actor, but he's just not believable as Quartermain because of his age. He seems too old to be able to do the physical things he can. Tony Curran is never given a chance to make us like his character. Skinner's a jerk most of the time and going back and forth between an actor in makeup and CGI effects is tedious. Naseeruddin Shah, as Captain Nemo, is fun to watch, but his fighting abilities seem a little hard to swallow. He's one of the better characters in the film. Peta Wilson does a fine job as Mina Harker. Her character is one you're really able to like. Stuart Townsend is great as Dorian Gray. He pulls the role off very well and has some pretty good lines. Shane West is good enough to make us like Tom Sawyer. He's got some really cool moments. Jason Flemyng is perfect as Dr.Jekyll, though the Hyde character looks really stupid(Facial expressions and deformations all over him.)

Overall, I'd say see it at least once. You might like it, you might hate it. Decide for yourself.

OK for hard core Connery Fans only!
No matter how many average, weird, or downright awful movies Sean Connery makes, he'll always command an audience. In this film, Connery plays a retired British explorer roped into preventing WW I by leading a team of misfits in a vaguely Bondian adventurer. As a nice twist, most of the misfits consist of 19th Century British villains such as Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man, and Captain Nemo. Of course, no one bothers to explain why such villains would agree to unite for any cause other than, well, villainy. The film is comic book-y in a bad way, with ridiculous dialogue and a poor sense of continuity, and the effects are frequently unintentionally funny, especially Mr. Hyde's appearance. Connery makes the film work as a throwaway action film, but it's clear from the extras that the cast and some of the crew were deluded into thinking this was something more. Not surprisingly, this movie plays much better on DVD than it did in the theaters. If you're a die-hard Connery fan, you'll like this one. If not, and you want to see Connery at his best, you'd be better off with Goldfinger.

not terrible - it's fun
You probably know that LXG has the Invisible Man, Alan Quatermain, Captain Nemo and company in it. You can read the good and bad reviews. I haven't anything to report other than that I enjoyed it and LXG doesn't deserve it's bad rep.

LXG is GREAT!
I love LXG! It's cartoony and action packed and has so many of my favorite fictional characters in it. Most importantly it's got Peta Wilson in a perfect role for her. Ultra-sexy Peta is one hot vampire chick! The reviewer who said she didn't do any vampire stuff must not have really seen the flick. She drinks human blood! What more do you want dude? She flies and turns into bats too! That's not vampire stuff? Stop smokin' and WATCH THE MOVIE!
Don't let bad reviews written by people who didn't see LXG turn you away. It may not be your thing or it might be. I had a ball watching LXG. Give it a go, have some fun with it, enjoy the characters, watch Peta do vampire stuff,.. and hell just watch Peta! She's HOT!

One very poorly polished turd...
Everyone I know who's seen this film, myself included, hated it!! It's an interesting concept, but none of the actors really shine here and the look of certain things, such as the ship, are totally overdone and stupid looking. You'd think a movie with a vampire chick in it would be good, but she doesn't do any vampire-like things. I appoligize if anyone "doesn't find this review helpful," but seriously, I TRIED trading this DVD in to a local DVD store and they turned me away. This is no lie, they had 17 used and unsold copies already. Please don't waste your time on this flick. ... Read more

Description

Dark Shadows Collection # 8 Hoping to free himself and the entire Collins family of Angelique the witch's evil schemes, Barnabas hires artist Sam Evans to age her portrait, causing Angelique to rapidly age into a 200-year-old woman. The ghost of Reverend Trask appears at the Old House to seek vengence against Barnabas for the tragedies in Collinsport of 1795. Professor Stokes questions Victoria Winters about her trip back in time and what she knows about Angelique. A mysterious stranger named Nicholas Blair arrives at Collinwood and claims to be Cassandra Collins' (alias Angelique) brother. Bonuses: Includes exclusive interviews with creator/executive producer Dan Curtis, former network executive Leonard Goldberg, actor John Karlen and video producer/publicist Jim Pierson. Starring: Jonathan Frid, Joan Bennett, Louis Edmonds, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Nancy Barrett, Thayer David, Lara Parker, Joel Crothers, Grayson Hall, Roger Davis, Clarice Blackburn, Jerry Lacy, David Henesy, David Ford, Robert Rodan, Humbert Allen Astredo and Alexandra Moltke ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best Dark Shadows
While I would recommend a newcommer to start with Volume Four, where the complex story line really begins to gain momentum, I would rate this volume as the very best Dark Shadows of all time.

The Dream Curse/ Adam and Eve Continues....
I found Set 8 to be entertaining in many ways. If you enjoy the storyline that is started towards the middle of Set 7, you should definetly get this Set. Watching each character have the Dream Curse was truly great. I do admit there are some boring parts, such as Adam learning how to talk to interact, but if you are a true Dark Shadows fan, you should purchase this Set. Victoria Winter's only has three more Sets until she leaves. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's something inescapably appealing about this camp 1983 StarWars-meets-The Lord of the Rings knockoff that encourages the viewerto overlook its many silly shortcomings and simply enjoy the fun. James Horner'srollicking music score certainly helps, as does the epic-scale CinemaScopephotography of the breathtaking Italian landscapes. The costumes and extravagantproduction design are also great to look at, and much of Derek Meddings's visualeffects work still looks striking. Freddie Jones stands head and shoulders abovethe rest of the cast as the wise Ynyr, while the two romantic leads, KenMarshall as Prince Colwyn and Lysette Anthony (with an overdubbed Americanvoice) as Princess Lyssa, are mere formalities on which to hang the plot. Theall-British supporting cast includes Todd Carty, Bernard Bresslaw, RobbieColtrane, Liam Neeson, and the gorgeous Francesca Annis. If you feel the needfor some escapist sword-and-sorcery fantasy, then Krull delivers in fullmeasure. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Krull: A great masterpiece of science fiction films
Krull is one of the greatest science fiction films, a true masterpiece. The amazing special effects are really impressive! The movie takes us into the planet Krull. Young prince Colwyn is getting married the beautiful princess Liza in an attempt to face better the Beast - a monster looking creature who wants to rule the world of Krull with the help of his army. During their wedding, the Beast's army attacks and takes Liza away into the Black Fortress (Beast's home). Colwyn, with the help of Inir, starts his journey to find and free Liza. The first thing he has to do, is to find the powerful Glaive, a really unique weapon. Soon, he will realize that his mission is more difficult than he thinks. He will get some more friends and all together, they will live a great adventure... The story of this film sounds and it IS exciting. Ken Marshall acts perfectly as Colwyn as well as other actors (including Lysette Anthony in the role of Liza). Some of the actors have probably the best performance than any other moment of their career. Freddie Jones and Liam Neeson (Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace) make the film even more brilliant. Krull is really unique, you have never seen a weapon like Glaive, it is probably the most impressive weapon that appears in a science fiction film. Also the soundtrack is a great synthesis by the great and very known composer James Horner, much better than Titanic's one... Totally, this film is amazing and will keep your interest until the end... I suggest it to everyone! I hope in the near future to be released in a hi-fi sound, widescreen version, in DVD format if that's possible and -why not?- to have a special version just like Star Wars trilogy! Krull exprerience is unforgetable!

Watch it for the music; laugh at the dialog.
Krull grows on you, but it's pretty juvenile stuff.

Even in 1983 the effects were not too special. and the dialog sounds as though it was written by a pre-teen who is as pretentious as he is precocious. How did the director let his cast get by delivering lines with the lingering gravity of Shakespeare? The film takes off a little bit after the opening 10 minutes and the actors loosen up slightly, but they take everything so Seriously! This film could have been much better if it had been played as was The Princess Bride. Both films are sword-wielding fairytales, but Krull makes the mistake of conciously trying to achieve "epic" status.

On the positive side is the musical score by James (Titanic) Horner. A year after he wrote the score for Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan he was back with similar sounds, but an even more heroic theme. I was familiar with the music well before I ever saw the movie and had visions of stirring action behind the opening credits. It was a surprise to see that virtually Nothing is happening during the rousing strains at the beginning of the film! Perhaps the score is TOO good for the movie. It belongs in a true epic, not a wannabe.

There's plenty to look at and listen to, but don't expect depth of plot. Boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy gets girl back with the help of friends with mystic powers, bandits with swords, and a magical sword/frisbee called the "Glave".

There is plenty to wonder about...the real motives of the evil "Monster", the fate of slain "Slayers", how one captures a "fire mare" so easily, and why the heroine is allowed to wander through the stronghold of the villian without supervision.

However, if you can forget logic and enjoy the swords and sorcery genre, you could do worse to than watch KRULL. Worse examples are......well, I'll get back to you.

Retro Fantasy Classic
This movie is one I grew up on in the 80's. I was pleased to find it on DVD, It is worth owning just for memories of retro special effects and just basic escapism.

Fantasy and Sci-fi meshed together
When I was young, this was one of the first films I remember seeing at the drive-in, and it was fantastic. It had your fantasy (heroic warrior to save his betrothed, a lovely princess, battling and recruiting a band of brigands, a wizard, mythical creatures AND a legendary weapon, the Glaive.)mixed in with sci-fi (powerful aliens bent on world domination.) Compared to today's special effects, this movie is quite dated, but is still enjoyable in my book.

Pisses all over LOTR
Great rollicking adventure/fantasy in the tradition of dragonslayer, ladyhawke and star wars. Beautiful cinematography, great effects, cool weapons and amazing set design. Some genuinley creepy parts. Still holds up today. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With its disturbing images and a few good shocks, The Ring is the kind of frightfest you'll watch to set a chilling mood or spook your susceptible friends, but when you try to sort it out, this well-mounted American remake (of the 1998 Japanese hit Ringu, based on Koji Suzuki's popular novel) becomes a batch of incoherent parts. The negligible plot follows a Seattle reporter (Naomi Watts) as she investigates the death of her niece, the victim of a mysterious videotape that, according to urban legend, causes the viewer's death seven days later. (Fear Dot Com borrowed the same idea while avoiding this film's lofty pretensions.) The countdown structure follows the reporter, her son, and her estranged boyfriend into deepening layers of terror--all quite effective until the movie attempts to explain itself. At that you're better off shutting down your brain and letting the creepy visuals take over. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (893)

The Curse of 'The Ring'
Gore Verbinski's American remake of the Japanese modern horror masterpiece replaces the original's raw horror and nightmarish intensity with elegant atmosphere and elegiac, contemplative pacing.

'The Ring' is a vivid, menacing, and somber mood film.

Naomi Watts carries the film as a emotionally detached journalist and mother whose niece dies from a supposed cursed videotape that allegedly kills whoever watches it seven days after its viewing. Watts gets her hands on it, watches it, shows it to some loved ones, and goes on an investigation, racing to cure herself from the curse before her seventh day deadline (pun intended).

Verbinski shows weaknesses (but still succeeds) with the character drama and emotion, but excels with the film's haunting visuals and atmosphere. Ehren Kruger's thoughtful and grim screenplay is a masterful adaptation of the original Japanese film.

'The Ring' is a bleak, beautiful, and breathtaking horror film with a strong emotional core. It also raises some very powerful and evocative themes about parents and children, compassion and the media's lack thereof, grief, tragedy, and the film goes full circle with them (pun still intended).

Don't forget to watch the original Japanese film 'Ringu,' which is being released simultaneously with the American remake on March 4, 2003.

A new horror classic has been born!
Every year close to the end of October the studios offer at least one film that happens to fall into the genre of movie horror. Last year "From Hell," "13 Ghosts," and "Bones" filled our trick-or-treat bags, and with Dreamworks "The Ring," this year is no exception. From the opening scene, during which my girlfriend grabbed her mouth as she gasped at the horrific image that her eyes had caught a glimpse of (and I have to admit it was a rather shocking sight), "The Ring," based on the novel by Koji Suzuki, kept me entertained as I waited for more chilling moments to arrive. They were moments that weren't overdone with special effects. They scared us because of the atmosphere in which they were presented, which included settings like old barns, run down mountain cabins, and late night living rooms. The film starred Naomi Watts as Rachel Keller, a reporter who became entangled in her own investigation of a mysterious videotape, which after watching lets you know via a phone call that you will die in seven days. The Ring's suspense was heightened after Rachel herself watched the tape out of curiosity, and soon afterward found her young son Aidan (David Dorfman) watching the tape also. Then came an eerie seven-day journey during which Rachel uncovered clue after clue with the help Aidan's father Noah (Martin Henderson) who lived separately from the two of them. Her investigation led her to a remote island horse ranch where a retired widowed horse trainer played by Brian Cox, lived alone. How this and other elements came to make up "The Ring" was as mysterious as it was at times frightening. However, the most mysterious question that the movie posed involved uncovering the tapes origin. This question of how the tape originated and where exactly did it come from was never answered completely. We knew that the retired trainer's deceased daughter was somehow the cause of its existence, but how she exactly brought it to be was never made known. This didn't bother me too much in the end as most of the other lingering questions that I had were answered, but it would have made "The Ring" fit a little tighter. "The Ring" had certain similarities to 1999's "Stir of Echoes," and even this year's less than entertaining "FearDotCom." It involved a spirit of the dead contacting the living in an attempt to make known the mystery of her death. "Stir of Echoes" worked well because the supernatural force of the deceased only brought true harm to those involved in her murder. We sympathized with her and even cared about her in the end while still being frightened throughout. In "The Ring" we sympathized less with the deceased young girl because she seemed to take no liberties in who ended up dead from the videotape through which she reached her victims. This didn't necessarily act to scare us less. It just kept us more emotionally removed from her character who was much more an element of horror than Samantha was from "Stir of Echoes." Would the spirit of the young girl in "The Ring" have worked better having possessed some good? Probably not since the film was more about Rachel trying to save her and her son's life, and beat the cycle that the tape had set in motion. As a result the movie was more frighteningly entertaining than it was emotionally moving. Naomi Watts, who in appearance looks like a cross between Laura Linney and Nicole Kidman, gave a good performance as Rachel. She gave Rachel the right mix of curiosity, strength, and fear, which worked well for the movie.

scariest movie ever
The Ring is about a freaky little girl that kills you seven days after you watch her messed up video.This movie is so screwed up that it'll make you go under your covers with a flashlight and make you want your mommy.P.S. you'll have to find the ending out yourself.

Viscerally creepy, but not a whole lot more than that
Gore Verbinski's THE RING is the classic example of a film that is all style and very little, if any, substance. Verbinski certainly knows how to make a creepy horror film: this film is laced with atmosphere and drea