Amazon.com

Produced in 1982, Savannah Smiles tells the story of Savannah, a girl of privilege who runs away from home. She ends up in the company of Boots and Alvie, two ex-convicts on the run. This bumbling duo soon realizes who Savannah is and that a large reward has been offered for her return. They try to give her back, but instead of the parents being grateful, they accuse the two of kidnapping. Boots and Alvie have no choice but to go underground with Savannah, and the three soon become a family whose days are filled with kite flying, home-cooked meals, bedtime stories, and a puppy. But Boots and Alvie know in their hearts they must do the right thing and return Savannah to her parents. For its time, this is a sweet movie filled with innocence and fun. However, in a time when children are told never to go off with strangers, it is hard to justify a movie that glorifies that very thing, no matter how goodhearted the two felons are. (Ages 6 and older) --Peggy Maltby-Etra ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Laughs, Tears and A Lasting Memory
I recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it. It will make you laugh and even cry. Bridgette Andersen portrays Savannah, a child who runs away from home and ends up in the back seat of two criminals' car. Although she seemed to be neglected at home, after she is found by these men she learns to love them and they learn to love her. For two people who didn't do anything honest, they both loved and cared for her as her parents should have. They love her so much, that they must give her back. A wonderful film with a wonderful story and cast!!

When Savannah Smiles I hear The World Saying Hey Loser You W
This is so heartwarming. You'll laugh and cry and just want to snuggle with the kids. Your kids will want to snuggle with you. It's just one of the great films of the 80's. I had seen it, as a child loved it had to find it as an adult to show to my girls. I searched far a wide for a copy and I'm pleased to see they've re-released it. It took me a long time to acquire it but so happy with it. You can get for 17.99 on Amazon. I paid close to 40 dollars for it before the re-release and I'd pay that much for a used copy again in a heart beat. It's just that good. Fall in love with Bootsie, Alvie, and of course Savannah.

Wonderful!
This movie is a must see for everyone. It is an incredibly touching story. I saw this movie when I was 10 years old (I am now 30)and it has remained a favorite.

Savannah Smiles on PFE
I bought this movie because I loved it as a kid and now have 4 girls, I read that the Pacific video was awful, it was certainly not DVD quality but it was like a good VHS video and the sound was kind of low thank Goodness for Bose.... All in all I still cried at the end and I would recommend this video to anyone with a heart....

Not bad guys
The review I just read made it sound as if Savannah just bumped into and left with Boots and Alvie, but she didn't. She was hiding in the back seat of their car, and these two(who are rather short on brains) don't know what to do with her. So in my opinion this isn't suggesting to children that it's o.k. to go off with strangers. Also, kids need to be taught that what happens in movies and in real life are 2 entirely DIFFERENT things!!! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Mirale of the White Stallions
I am a ridding instuctor and have been searching for this video to show my students. It is a wonderful way for them to see some of the greatest riding in the world in a story every horse lover should know! These precious animals are braught to such vibrant and beautiful light by Disney in this movie. A REAL MUST SEE!!!

White Stallions Dancing
I have been trying to track down this movie for a long time. It was a movie from my childhood and I loved it dearly, I simply could not remember its title. I remember the heroics of the rescuers and the beauty of the Lipizanner horses. This is a movie that would still entrance all viewers, but especially those with a passion and love of horses. I wish Disney would release this on video for the children of today and tomorrow. This movie reminds us that war is not just about people but treasures and animals as well.

Miracle of the White Stallions
"Don't give a hoot about Joe Public" seems to be the mantra these days at Disney when it excitedly releases classics on DVD.

Why don't they take a little more care and issue these films in widescreen format in the way they were supposed to be seen. Its just another way the public has been hoodwinked by a greedy mouse. I wouldn't purchase any of these "new" re-releases until they put product of an acceptable - as opposed to half-assed - quality. Shame on you!

Again, the "new" Disney shows no respect for their heritage
No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. It's a crime against these wonderful films, films that are a credit to the "old Disney" -- the wonderful, family-friendly Disney. And what, exactly is the point of pan-and-scan? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it.

THE DVD VERSION
Several of the reviews on this site ask the Disney studio to release this film on DVD. Well, they have and this review refers to the DVD version.

I have been familiar with this movie since I worked at the Disney studio in 16mm film distribution in the 1970s (about 7 years before the VHS blockbuster years began), and am familiar with the original negatives. In what I am finding to be typical of the Disney folks, this film is presented in a 'full frame' version, rather than a WIDESCREEN version. The film was shot for a 1:85x1 projected ratio (known as Academy Flat) which presents the picture in a slight retangular format. However, a full frame, 4x3 video transfer of such a negative isn't all that bad, although it would have distinguised it from the normal VHS format.

Also, I am very surprised that the Disney people didn't make an effort to 'clean up' the original negative, which contains a great amount of negative dirt and scratches. The DVD does preserve the original look to the film (color and tint), but there has been so much technology invented to digitally reproduce an almost flawless image, that I am surprised it isn't been used. It is one of trhe major reasons that people have switched to DVD.

Also, look for a mistake in the original negative. Just after the horses board the train, there are reddish, flash frames (possibly an overexposure to the camera original negative) which could easily have been removed digitally.

A few "extras" would have been nice, such as behind-the-scenes material. This stinginess is becomming something notorious with recent Disney DVD releases. Walt Disney shot tons of background footage for every movie he made, and this is stored in the studio vaults. I've seen it in 16mm, although it was shot on 35mm.. You can ignore the lack of a WIDESCREEN image if the DVD contained these precious extras. Otherwise, it's just a transfer of the old VHS image. What's the point of that?

As far as Robert Taylor's performance, far from being 'wooden' (as one reviewer wrote) I agree with another reviewer who said that he was protraying a real man (who was also alive at the time and a hero in Europe), and the script and direction decided to present a truthful, realistic portrrait of him. Don't forget that this movie, and many others (BALLERINA, HORSE WITHOUT A HEAD, ALMOST ANGELS) were shot in Europe after World War II. They were made chiefly for a European theatrical audience and were intened for an American TV audience on THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY. So, you'll find a different style of acting and presentation: a bit slow for us, but perfect for their intended audience. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Sweet Bird of Youth has the Tennessee Williams penchant for provocation and Southern depravity--although at this point, the bloom is somewhat off the hothouse flower. Paul Newman is a cad who dreams of glory; he's returned to his hometown towing a dissolute, over-the-hill Hollywood star (Geraldine Page re-creates her Broadway role), certain she'll be his meal ticket. He's ruined the only girl he really loved (day-dreamy Shirley Knight), who just happens to be the daughter of the town's boss (Ed Begley, in an Oscar^®-winning role). The play's more shocking elements have been euphemized, in the custom of the era's Williams movie adaptations. Director Richard Brooks handles it with intensity, and Rip Torn (who was married to Page) has some wicked moments, but the movie is bound to its theatrical roots and its inability to mention racism, syphilis, or castration. And that's Tennessee Williams without the hot sauce. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Censorship didn't stop anything.
Based on the hit Tennessee Williams play, this exciting drama stars Paul Newman as a slick young opportunist who returns to his home town with an ageing movie queen(Geraldine Page), but runs head-on into trouble with the town's corrupt boss(Ed Begley in an Oscar-winning performance). As is the case with his 1958 film version of Tennessee Williams' CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, director Richard Brooks was forced to clean up this Williams play for the movies. But those blasted censors didn't hurt anything. Like CAT, SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH is still a gritty, powerful, and brilliant film. Every one of the performers delivers a top-notch portrayal. But the film ultimately belongs to Geraldine Page whose funny and touching portrayal of the fading star is, quite simply, one of the greatest performances ever captured on film.

GERALDINE! BRILLIANT GERALDINE!
THE STUDIO MAY HAVE CLEANED UP AND SANITIZED THIS FILM LIKE THEY DID WITH ALL OF TENNESSEE'S WORK BUT IT IS STILL A WONDERFUL FILM. PAUL NEWMAN AND ED BEGLEY ARE JUST GREAT AND SHIRLEY KNIGHT AND MADELINE SHERWOOD ARE TOP NOTCH BUT ONCE AGAIN THE DIVINE GERALDINE PAGE COMMANDS THE FILM! WHAT A SPECTACULAR ACTRESS THIS WOMAN WAS!!!

"Easter? How appropriate. I feel positively resurrected!''
Another of Tennessee Williams great plays skillfully adapted for the screen. Geraldine Paige is simply brilliant as the faded star, and Paul Newman gives a powerful performance as her companion. Ed Begley is wonderfully sinister, and Mildred Dunnock has the best line:"You? You can go straight to hell!"

a must see.
If you are interested in great acting and a great movie, watch this one. Geraldine Page, Madeline Sherwood, Ed Begley and Paul Newman are all first rate. The story was sanitized a bit so as not to shock an early 1960s audience (or lose Southern box office receipts), but it is still ripe with sleaze. If you miss Sweet Bird of Youth, don't profess to be a film buff.

Another fabulous performance by Page
As in her portrayal of Alma in Tennessee Williams' "Summer and Smoke," Geraldine Page is electrifying, recreating the role she originated on Broadway. This time, however, she has a leading man worthy of her talents. Paul Newman proves he has more than his looks to rely on; it is to his credit that Page never overshadows him in their extended scenes together. The rest of the cast is excellent as well. The film itself strays from Williams' stage version (which included such topics as venereal disease and castration) in several respects, but also has some intriguing additions, especially the scene between Ed Begley and Madeleine Sherwood. But the real reason to watch this film is for Geraldine Page -- what an actress. She is missed. ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Laughs, Tears and A Lasting Memory
I recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it. It will make you laugh and even cry. Bridgette Andersen portrays Savannah, a child who runs away from home and ends up in the back seat of two criminals' car. Although she seemed to be neglected at home, after she is found by these men she learns to love them and they learn to love her. For two people who didn't do anything honest, they both loved and cared for her as her parents should have. They love her so much, that they must give her back. A wonderful film with a wonderful story and cast!!

When Savannah Smiles I hear The World Saying Hey Loser You W
This is so heartwarming. You'll laugh and cry and just want to snuggle with the kids. Your kids will want to snuggle with you. It's just one of the great films of the 80's. I had seen it, as a child loved it had to find it as an adult to show to my girls. I searched far a wide for a copy and I'm pleased to see they've re-released it. It took me a long time to acquire it but so happy with it. You can get for 17.99 on Amazon. I paid close to 40 dollars for it before the re-release and I'd pay that much for a used copy again in a heart beat. It's just that good. Fall in love with Bootsie, Alvie, and of course Savannah.

Wonderful!
This movie is a must see for everyone. It is an incredibly touching story. I saw this movie when I was 10 years old (I am now 30)and it has remained a favorite.

Savannah Smiles on PFE
I bought this movie because I loved it as a kid and now have 4 girls, I read that the Pacific video was awful, it was certainly not DVD quality but it was like a good VHS video and the sound was kind of low thank Goodness for Bose.... All in all I still cried at the end and I would recommend this video to anyone with a heart....

Not bad guys
The review I just read made it sound as if Savannah just bumped into and left with Boots and Alvie, but she didn't. She was hiding in the back seat of their car, and these two(who are rather short on brains) don't know what to do with her. So in my opinion this isn't suggesting to children that it's o.k. to go off with strangers. Also, kids need to be taught that what happens in movies and in real life are 2 entirely DIFFERENT things!!! ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Laughs, Tears and A Lasting Memory
I recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it. It will make you laugh and even cry. Bridgette Andersen portrays Savannah, a child who runs away from home and ends up in the back seat of two criminals' car. Although she seemed to be neglected at home, after she is found by these men she learns to love them and they learn to love her. For two people who didn't do anything honest, they both loved and cared for her as her parents should have. They love her so much, that they must give her back. A wonderful film with a wonderful story and cast!!

When Savannah Smiles I hear The World Saying Hey Loser You W
This is so heartwarming. You'll laugh and cry and just want to snuggle with the kids. Your kids will want to snuggle with you. It's just one of the great films of the 80's. I had seen it, as a child loved it had to find it as an adult to show to my girls. I searched far a wide for a copy and I'm pleased to see they've re-released it. It took me a long time to acquire it but so happy with it. You can get for 17.99 on Amazon. I paid close to 40 dollars for it before the re-release and I'd pay that much for a used copy again in a heart beat. It's just that good. Fall in love with Bootsie, Alvie, and of course Savannah.

Wonderful!
This movie is a must see for everyone. It is an incredibly touching story. I saw this movie when I was 10 years old (I am now 30)and it has remained a favorite.

Savannah Smiles on PFE
I bought this movie because I loved it as a kid and now have 4 girls, I read that the Pacific video was awful, it was certainly not DVD quality but it was like a good VHS video and the sound was kind of low thank Goodness for Bose.... All in all I still cried at the end and I would recommend this video to anyone with a heart....

Not bad guys
The review I just read made it sound as if Savannah just bumped into and left with Boots and Alvie, but she didn't. She was hiding in the back seat of their car, and these two(who are rather short on brains) don't know what to do with her. So in my opinion this isn't suggesting to children that it's o.k. to go off with strangers. Also, kids need to be taught that what happens in movies and in real life are 2 entirely DIFFERENT things!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Outstanding acting and writing
Paddy Chayefsky amazes me. I always knew he could write larger-than-life satires of just about anything--satires that end up seeming much more realistic years after they're made--but, with this screenplay, he crafts completely down-to-Earth characters whose problems are so heartbreakingly "everyday" that you're heart goes out to them as you see yourself in them. The acting here, too, epitomizes the "Playhouse 90"-type realism that makes you forget that you're watching acting at all. This movie is a true, understated gem that refuses to call attention to itself. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Very Imaginative
This was a wonderfully imaginative movie. What an idea, if one of the greatest artists in history came back in modern times. An artist that was shunned and reaped no rewards for his life's works returns to find that his paintings are now worth 10's of millions of dollars (or 100's of millions). If you have the ability to enter into the third party of film; to believe the unbelievable, you'll like this movie. It's not a "solid" movie. Some of the acting leaves want for more, as does the cinematography. However, it was thoroughly enjoyable. All round, I liked it.

Torn between one star and five...
Dear Reader,
Was this the worst movie I've ever seen? Yes! Do I highly reccomend seeing it? Yes! The movie was so bad it made me laugh. I especially loved how all the backgrounds were actually pictures of cafes with heads in front of them. I didn't appreciate at all. I mean, I don't even think if it had been produced by and insanely rich person and given a huge budget it would have survived, but its poor quality makes it quite amusing. So go ahead and see it, but I see no reason why you should buy it.

Sincerely,
Me, tears of disgust and joy

STARRY NIGHT
STARRY NIGHT is amazingly magical. It resonated to the artist in all of us who have struggled with art all of our lives and have not been recognized in our lifetimes. It gives hope. Abbott Alexander's fanciful portrayal of Vincent is wonderful -- you can't keep your eyes off of him. He is intensely charismatic. I bought many copies to send to family back home -- as this is a must see for all families to watch together -- and there are not many films out there like that.

Light and fun. Gives a bit of sunshine to the way people....
Light and fun. Gives a bit of sunshine to the way people invision Vincent van Gogh. I think that if you see this movie with knowing that is fantasy and a kind of what if story line...
Then en you will smile and feel got at the end.

Enjoyable Light Movie/VVG Returns...to LA!
I've seen all the "serious" Van Gogh movies extant as he is one of my very favorite painters. It would be silly to try and compare this movie to any of them as it has a very different aim. This is a very whimsical fairy tale based on the idea of what would happen if Vincent came back. What would he think of the prices that his art now goes for? What would he think of the buyers of his work? Would he ally himself with starving artists needing the help he needed in his own lifetime? I found these very provocative questions and the movie examines how Vincent would answer those questions if he had 100 days to live again in modern day LA. Don McLean sings his ode to Vincent over the credits and that is very nice too. I'm sure this was shot on a shoestring budget but that adds to its rather offbeat charm. I'm an artist and that may have influenced my liking of this film. An art collector might not like this film much though as Vincent does not think much of them (which is fairly consistent with his view in his own time). If you have Van Gogh high up on a pedestal, I would advise you to skip this movie. There is nothing exalted about this movie at all and that's why I liked it. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great chiller
Lou Diamond Phillips plays an LAPD detective who pursues a serial killer who has somehow obtained "The First Power". Though Phillip's character has nabbed the guy and ensured his execution, a string of brutal murders suggests the perp has come back from the dead. With the help of a psychic and a nun with an agenda of her own, Phillips comes to realize that the killer has obtained the power to become anybody, go anywhere, and scariest of all - attained immortality. (The flick tosses in an added chilling detail - the killer communed with the powers of darkness, but it was his execution that sealed his link with the ultimate power. Phillips tracks the killer with an anonymous tip, one that refuses to cooperate unless he can guarantee that the killer won't face execution.)

This flick is much better than it has the right to be. The plot tosses in the indestructible annihilator, yet doesn't do much with him - he'll just keep on killing, keeping the heroes alive long enough for them to appreciate his brutality. The flick tosses in a mystical icon with the power to destroy the first power, but doesn't define what it can do, and spend little time with it.

Still, "Power" was a lot of fun. Good use of mood music and heavy atmospherics create true tension, even in scenes when there shouldn't be any. (One excellent scene has Phillips visiting the home the killer shared with his elderly mother, one in which he learned the secret root of the killer's evil). If you want something that will keep you up for a long night, the "First Power" can't be beat.

Unforgettable
This film is one that I'd never forget. The story is very intriguing and really gives you the creeps. The idea of having these kinds of powers is really creepy. A classic must have DVD for horror and suspense lovers!

THE FIRST POWER
I LOVED THIS MOVIE, AS A MATTER OF FACT I JUST WATCHED IT YESTURDAY. LOU IS A GREAT ACTOR AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I HAVE ENJOYED ALL OF THE MOVIES I'VE EVER SEEN HIM IN. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME REVIEWING A MOVIE BUT NOT MY LAST!!

sEE yOu aroUnd buDdy Boy
this movie is with out a doubt one of the most unique films i ever seen..well at that time. its about a detective on the hunt after the pentigram killer. after the detective ruins the killers ritual before killing the victim they capture him and later on he gets the gas chamber..after that his demented soul lurks around jumping through bodys basicly making the detectives life a living hell..now thats all im going to say on that. but the thing that i really like about this movie is the fact that it was orignal at the time.. and its wicked..

see you around buddy boy

The perfect killer is one who cannot be stopped
Writer director Robert Resnikoff's action thriller is about the battle between Lou Diamond Phillips as a LA cop and a serial killer who's mark is the inverted pentagram, which he knives into the flesh of his victims. LDP thinks he has the upper hand when the killer is captured and executed in the gas chamber, not knowing that he will return as an entity with "the first power" ie the ability to inhabit the body of others. Therefore the problem arises - how do you stop something that is techically dead? The killer feels a personal connection between LDP and himself and chooses his future victims as people associated with LDP, that is when others with a "lesser sense of reality" like the homeless, junkies and drunks, aren't available. Resnikoff gets his biggest laughs when a baglady is possessed and taunts LDP with "Give us a kiss" and "It's not nice to hit a lady". Resnikoff makes good use of the atmospheric Stewart Copeland music score (nearly as effective as the one he did for Frances Coppola's Rumble Fish) and moves things along pleasingly, taking great satisfaction in the stuntwork, since the killer is remarkeably agile, and adding more of the supernatural in the form of LDP's helper Tracy Griffith as a smarmy red-headed psychic, with partly overcomes the general silliness of the concept. Resnikoff also scores laughs from the killer's grandmother, with Julianna McCarthy giving lines like "He was not illegitimate" and "You're that cop" a comic hiss. There is also much hissing of cats, optical and aural hallucinations, a demonstration of Griffith's predictive vision and then the playing out of it, an unsafe abandoned water sewer with an available waterslide, and a nun brought in to explain the differences between the first and subsequent powers which hold the key to the destruction of the demon. One might question the logic of running from a being that is able to transport itself to your destination before you can get there, a kind of anti-chase joke, and also firing into a fan when the bullets ricochet off the spinning blades, and Resnikoff overplays the animosity with matching eye closeups. LDP is said to be "surrounded by a shell", cynical and nihilistic after the death of his father and perhaps rather burnt out from his third serial killer. However that still doesn't excuse LDP's pugnacious attitude or flat acting. He's the kind of protagonist that you enjoy seeing hurt, and I was grateful that Resnikoff cut his romanctic scene short. However the ending is left unresolved, as if a setup for the sequel. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Watergate + "2001" + "Close Encounters" = HANGAR 18
The Utah-based Schick Sunn Pictures corporation, known for churning out highly speculative documentaries, turns to science fiction for this interesting conspiracy sci-fi drama. The question: What would the U.S. government do if it suddenly had an alien spacecraft in its possession?

Two shuttle astronauts (Gary Collins, James Hampton) are in the process of launching a military satellite from the shuttle, when they encounter a UFO in orbit. When the satellite is launched, it hits the UFO with explosive results, killing a third man who was inside the shuttle's cargo bay watching the satellite's progress. The UFO, however, makes a controlled landing in the Arizona desert.

When they get back on the ground, Collins and Hampton soon find themselves the target of charges that the incident in orbit was their fault, and are forced to clear their names by finding the right evidence, all the while being tracked by government agents. Meanwhile, a team of scientists, led by Darren McGavin, are ensconsed at Hangar 18, located on the grounds of an Air Force base in Texas, trying to learn everything possible about the UFO and its occupants...whose appearances bear an all-too-uncanny resemblance to humans.

Thought I dock this film one star because its special effects aren't exactly up to snuff (a lowered budget is the reason), HANGAR 18 is otherwise a very good film. In basic terms, it combines a Watergate-style political scenario with elements from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, and Steven Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. This is not to say that HANGAR 18 is a masterpiece like those two films are. But the combination of such elements manages to work in a fairly narrow framework. The cast is also quite good, with McGavin giving one of his most memorable and stimulating performances. Robert Vaughn is equally good as the President's devious chief-of-staff, who concots the cover-up to get his boss re-elected.

To sum it up, HANGAR 18 is a somewhat imperfect movie, but it still holds up well despite its flaws.

Pre-X Files, but only better and much more exciting!!
I remember when this classic movie came out in 1980. I really enjoyed seeing the previews and what the film was all about. Surprisingly, my parents took me to see the film, and all of us really enjoyed this science fiction/conspiracy thriller classic. All of us even jumped when that alien environment suit popped out of the UFO's closet by accident. Nevertheless, the movie was in a way like an earlier version of The X-Files. Only just as better and more exciting than the series that would come some 13 years later.

Hanger 18 tells the story of how a satellite, launched by a NASA space shuttle/orbiter, collides with an Unidentified Flying Object, causing the death of an American astronaut in the process. When the UFO crashes on Earth, the U.S. Air Force and NASA recover it, and take it to a manned lunar receiving station in Texas. There, they uncover some hidden secrets that soon take the scientists by surprise. And makes the Government nervous. At the same time, two of the shuttle astronauts who witnessed the incident in space, are "blamed" for the other astronaut's death, and try to clear up the situation, by hunting for the UFO. The government tries to prevent the two from locating the UFO, but to little or no avail. That situation leads to something even more drastic made by the CIA and The Department Of Defense.

Like the classic film Capricorn One, Hanger 18 does a remarkable job of playing on the government conspiracy angle, and at the same time, deals with the ancient astronaut theory. The subplot involving the two astronauts trying to clear their names is also good, as is the storyline about the scientists trying to unlock whatever secrets are in the flying saucer.

And it also had a wonderful cats of veterans. Darren McGavin, Gary Collins, James Hampton, Pamela Bellwood, Robert Vaughn, William Schallert, Joseph Campenella, and Bill Zuckert among others. Though one wishes that James Brolin, Roy Thinnes, or Tom Berenger had been in the role played by Collins. Collins did a good job, however, if I had been the casting director, I would have picked one of those three.

Overall, a very good and entertaining film. One of the best in the hall of science fiction. If you enjoy watching the X-Files and other films about flying saucers, then you will definately enjoy this film.

hanger 18
I love this movie its a must see. the starteling truth behind this could be so scary. I was a little girl when this movie was made in my home town. I remember getting to stay up and watch them film this movie. my father was an extra in this movie too. I always loved this movie and now that i am an adult i still love this movie

This is a must-see.
See this. It is self-explanatory. As far as reality is concerned, I place it right up there with the book "Psychic Warrior". If you don't think our government is capable of such deception, think again!

interesting
I liked it as with any movie you have to suspend reality and just sit back and enjoy the ride. I read Leonard Maltins review and do nort agree. Lets review Leonard Maltin he gets paid to watch movies then tell us what we should think this is a man with a beard that he can not trim straight and who wears crooked glasses. Make up your own minds. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Actually, this is about an evil super computer (and Robby!)
Yes, that is Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet" who falls under the control of a superhuman computer that gains consciousness and is intent on conquering the world by taking over a satellite. Think of this as sort of a junior version of "The Forbin Project." So how on earth do we get from that to the title "The Invisible Boy?" Well, that is because Dr. Tom Merrinoe (Philip Abbott) a scientist gives his ten-year-old son Timmie (Richard Eyer) a potion that turns the boy (you guessed it) invisible, so that he can stop the robot and save the world. This is pretty good since Dad starts the movie grumbling that his son cannot even play a decent game of chess, which is why he pairs the boy up with the Super Computer, which is how the Big Brain wakes up and decides to take over the world and hypnotizes the aforementioned boy to activate the robot and put its evil scheme into action. Yes, "The Invisible Boy" is aimed mostly at kids, but some of the scientific aspects are pretty inventive and smack of good old Fifties paranoia. There are some missed opportunities here which make the film worth one look for those of you interested in the genre in that particular decade of earth history. Besides, this film was ahead of its time in one regard: early on the mother of this fun little household asks her husband, "Well, did you have a tiring day at the computer, dear?" I figure that has to be the first time anybody said that line. Final Note: It took me a while to figure out where I had seen Richard Eyer before: he was the son in the original version of "The Desperate Hours" with Humphrey Bogart.

Mainly For Kids
Kids will probably enjoy this adventure of a boy and his robot (which looks suspiciously like Robby the Robot from FORBIDDEN PLANET). The story has very little to do with the boy's invisibility, but focuses more on a computer which takes control of the plans of a group of scientists. Very dated, but somewhat entertaining. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jason (Christopher Ogden) used to love Halloween, when he wouldscare the town together with his dad. However, this year is differentbecause his dad has left home after divorcing Jason's mom (DeniseCrosby). Jason's friends help him get over this hump, but it's hisgranddad (Philip Abbott) who teaches him about how imperfect parentsare and manages and how the holiday can still be awe-inspiring. Soon,spooky things happen to this bunch of trick-or-treaters. Like an old ABC Afterschool Special, Pumpkin Man is a well-constructed tale that teaches a quick, solid lesson to kids. Althoughthe 30-minute short is an outstanding tool in helping adolescentsunderstand one aspect of divorce, it has enough Halloween fare to be agood holiday treat for kids ages 6 to 12. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great for kids, not too scary, has a good message
This is a great story showing how a family and community can come together and help a child in need. And this, unlike most Halloween fare, really illustrates the good natured spirit of Halloween the way it's suppose to be for kids. Thank you.

A sweet and haunting coming-of-age Halloween story
This is a wonderful Halloween tale centered around a teenage boy who's very distraught by his parents' divorce. As he reluctantly goes trick-or-treating with his friends, he comes upon the magic spirit of Halloween in the form of a Pumpkin and a scary but kind neighborhood hermit who offers understanding and guidance to our young hero. I highly recommend it - it is one of my children (8 & 12) favorite videos and very uplifting. ... Read more