Amazon.com

Writer-director Paul Schrader is best known for dark examinations of the human soul; he wrote Taxi Driver and wrote and directed such austere character studies as Mishima and Affliction. So it's not surprising that when he made a comedy it turned out to be a little off kilter. What may catch fans off guard is the sweetness and gentle rhythms of Touch, adapted from Elmore Leonard's novel about an unassuming faith healer. Down-on-his-luck evangelist Bill Hill (Christopher Walken) discovers Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich), a former monk with a gift. Hill swiftly enrolls his former assistant Lynn (Bridget Fonda) to get close to Juvenal and discover if his healing touch is for real. After witnessing Juvenal's power--and the stigmata that accompanies it--Lynn feels drawn to and frightened of the low-key healer, who slowly courts her as he in turn is wooed by Hill and a number of other religious and media vultures, culminating in a confrontation on a talk show hosted by Gina Gershon (Showgirls). Touch features quirky cameos by Janeane Garofalo, John Doe, and Lolita Davidovich, but the real juice of the movie comes from the likeable, assured, and surprisingly subtle performances of Ulrich and Fonda; their chemistry gives them both a relaxed sexiness that some of their other movies lack. Despite being a bit miscast, Walken comes up with some surprising and very funny moments of mischief. The movie also gets a boost from a crackling soundtrack by Dave Grohl of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Just A "Touch" Off Center
A sometimes amusing but somewhat dark satire of faith, miracles, fundamentalism, and media exploitation is served up by writer/director Paul Schrader in "Touch," adapted from the novel by Elmore Leonard. Laced with subtle humor that seems somewhat contradictory to the serious subject matter, this is a film that is quite interesting without being too compelling. After seven years in South America studying to be a monk, a young man returns to the States and the anonymity provided him by his work as a counselor at a Catholic rehab clinic. Far from your normal, would-be cleric, however, Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich) has a unique gift: he can heal people by touching them, at which time he exhibits the stigmata. It's something he cannot explain, and somehow manages to take in stride. Inevitably, word leaks out about it, and scam artist Bill Hill (Christopher Walken) is right on it when it happens. Currently an RV salesman, he is an ordained minister and former evangelist who once performed fake healings and had a huge, blue neon cross above his "church" that could be seen for miles from the interstate. And he sees great things in Juvenal's future, and a lot of money for himself. First, however, he must get close to the stigmatic, while sidestepping a friend of Juvenal's, one August Murray (Tom Arnold), a Catholic on a quest to revert the Mass to Latin and do away with guitar masses altogether. For help, Hill turns to his assistant, Lynn (Bridget Fonda), who must try to gain access to the elusive Juvenal; together, they concoct a plan to get her into the clinic, where she can make contact and put him together with Hill. To tell the tale, Schrader put together an excellent cast and seemingly has all the ingredients for a successful project; somehow though, it all comes off as fairly lackluster, but interesting nonetheless. Ulrich does a good turn as Juvenal, capturing the sincere ambiguity of the character's view of his own ability to perform miracles, and makes it convincing with his grounded approach and by underplaying rather than trying to make him into something more enigmatic than he really is. He makes it a very real study of how someone would possibly react upon being visited with the wounds of Christ. Walken does a passable job as Hill, but there's not a lot of depth to his performance, and for a character that should have been quite flamboyant, he seems rather subdued. Fonda, too, gives something of a one-note performance as Lynn, who is likable enough, but tends to come off as uninteresting. Tom Arnold comes away with the most memorable performance, playing the obsessive August in a straight forward manner that makes him convincing and humorous, while making you take pause to reflect about what kind of a guy this really is and wondering how many people like him are actually running around loose in the world today. The supporting cast includes Gina Gershon (Debra Lusanne), Conchata Ferrell, John Doe (Elwin), Janeane Garofalo (Kathy), Anthony Zerbe (Father Donahue), and Paul Mazursky (Artie). There are a lot of nice touches to this movie, and though it may not be one of Schrader's best, "Touch" is entertaining and somewhat thought provoking; one of the problems is that there are times when you don't know whether to laugh or simply ponder, which comes from the light approach to what is essentially a pretty heavy-duty subject. All in all, it's a decent movie and well worth a look; this is the kind of film that videos were made for.

Some good laughs...and Christopher Walken!
"Touch" is a funny movie with off-beat casting, such as Christopher Walken as a Televangelist and Skeet Ulrich as the recipient of Stigmata, not to mention Tom Arnold as the head of the Ultra-Conservative Catholic "Gray Army". Music by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters makes for a great soundtrack as well. This movie provides some good laughs and is as off-beat as another film by Paul Schrader..."Get Shorty."

Interesting...
This is not the kind of movie which is destined to break box-office records.

I'm going to start in a pessimistic sort of way, by saying that almost every character in the film is a caricature of some sort. There's Christopher Walken as a money-vampire who looks at a miracle and starts making plans to exploit it. There's Tom Arnold, the religious fanatical - enough said. There are Gina Gershon and Janeane Garofalo in supporting roles as an incisive talk show host and a cynical newspaper reporter, respectively. And then somehow, caught in the middle of all this is a shy, confused, tender young man with the power to heal.

Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich) is not one of the booming, preaching images that many people have come to associate with saints. We don't learn how he got his powers - which makes sense, because he doesn't know either. He is not flawless; he is attracted to women and does not necessarily agree with the philosophies of the church. And rather than being a pure white winged angel with a golden touch, he bleeds profusely from the marks of the stigmata as he performs his miracles.

We meet him as a woman named Lynn (Bridget Fonda) is roped in by money-grubbing Bill Hill (Walken) to try to find out if Juvenal is for real. He sees through her straight away, remarking casually that she was going to tell him that she had a tumour in her breast. Their relationship blossoms, which angers church leader August (Tom Arnold) who would prefer Juvenal to remain pure and holy.

We could perhaps have done without some of the supporting characters. Wonderful as Gina Gershon is, especially as you watch her accent become suddenly cultured when the cameras switch on, both her and Janeane Garofalo's characters would probably not have been missed. I'm not sure whether to recommend this film or not. If you're looking for a raucous comedy or a big-action thriller, this isn't the one for you. I loved it - but rent it first, and make up your own mind.

A Refreshing Look at God, Faith, Love and Media
Don't be fooled by the subject matter - an ex-monk, who can heal the sick by touching them, but suffers stigmata each time, gets caught up in a whirl of religious fanatics, big-business evangelists and ratings-hungry media - this is a sweet and touching romantic comedy! Leave it to Paul Schrader to find a way to do some heavy soul-searching without getting heavy-handed, yet always remaining quirky as we know him from his dramas. A wonderful supporting cast (Christopher Walken, Tom Arnold, Janeane Garofalo, Lolita Davidovich and Gina Gershon) adds color and texture to the story without detracting from the quiet chemistry going on between Skeet Ulrich and Bridget Fonda. When Ulrich says without grandeur that he believes in God and miracles, you don't even think twice about it - you believe every word he says at face value. A rare performance.

I finally found what I was looking for and Love it!!!
I have been looking for this movie since I saw it on a cable channel some time ago. I was looking for a movie titled "Hands", I had no idea it was called "Touch". A perfect title for a perfect movie. I love Skeet Ulrich in all his performances. Just one date. :)~ I enjoyed the way that Skeet had to portray a "Holy" man and yet he wasn't a "Holy" man. This leads to the idea that "The Powers that Be" could use anyone at anytime. The movie offered hope and faith. This is a must see if you haven't!! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A Holiday Classic...
In 1984, another Christmas classic was released: "The Night They Saved Christmas." This movie of full love, giving and holiday fun. This movie has a great cast of chracters and is sure to get you into the holiday spirit and it will remind you how important Christmas really is.

As we start out, we meet Mr. Baldwin, a professional oil rigger who has been dynamiting ice fields near the north pole. This smells trouble for Santa and the elves. So Mr. Balwdin and his wife Claudia go home and there we meet his kids, David(oldest), Marianne (middle), and C.B. (youngest). David is basically a good kid that is sort of a suck-up to his parents. Marianne is an average yound girl with a heart of gold. Their youngest son C.B. is a trouble maker. He's always getting into fights with bullies who parade around saying, "There's NO Santa Claus." So C.B. is having trouble getting into the holiday spirit.

The next day Mr. Baldwin meets Santa's chief elf named Ed. He warns Mr. Balwdin that he has to stop the dynamiting because he will eventually blow up the North Pole. He breaks out in laughter and doesn't believe any of this. So Mr. Baldwin goes home and relays this whole story to his family and everyone laughs except C.B. because he's the only one that believes it.

The next day when Mr. Baldwin goes to work, Ed (Chief Elf) visits Claudia and her kids at their house and brings them to the north pole in a motorized Reindeer sleigh. There Claudia and the kids meet all the elves and SANTA! Then they go visit Santa's house where he has a talk with Claudia as to why they should stop the dynamiting. She is convinced that this tragedy will happen if they don't stop now. So she and the kids go home and she tries to get her husband to stop right away. Finally he stops the dynamiting.

This is movie is full of love, laughter and joy and is a Christmas classic. The movie has great visual effects and the setting of the North Pole is unbelievably stunning. This movie should be the next Christmas movie in your collection.

A real "Feel Good" movie!!
This movie is the best Christmas movie I have ever watched. I like it better than "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street". I bought it and watched it so much that I wore the tape out. It took a lot of searching to find this movie about 5 years ago and I finally found one place who could order it, so I ordered 2 just in case I wore the new one out, but ended up giving one away because I wanted to share this awesome movie with a friend! Buy it - You will not be disappointed! Makes me believe all over again!!

great film
Ever since I remember my family has watched this movie every christmas season. A long time ago my family taped it on tv and we've watched it ever since. everytime we watch it we have to fast forward through the commercials, so I am happy I've found it on vhs. I'm going to buy this movie and I recomend eveybody else does too. It's a great classic family film.

Absolutely Magical!!!
I saw this movie for the first time, when I was probably about 5 years old. Me and my family would watch it before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. Although it is make believe, it is not over the top or terribly far fetched. I recommend this to anyone with kids, looking for a great Christmas movie. To this day, I watch it every Christmas Eve, and the best way I can describe The Night They Saved Christmas.......Absolutely Magical!!!

The Night They Saved Christmas
I bought this movie not having ever seen it. It should be a Christmas movie everyone should have. I rate it up there side by side with Miracle On 34th St. The family that didn't believe, the Santa, played by Art Carney, and Mrs. Santa, played by June Lockhart, surely will give you a warm Christmas feeling. It is a must have for a truly magic, nostoligic Christmas. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Beautiful, Magical Animated Story
If this is the film featuring the voice of the lovely Didi Conn as Raggedy Ann, then it is the children's masterpiece i was thinking of. i remember seeing this movie MANY times as a child, and it was always a joy to watch. The music is heartfelt and sincere, not an ounce of pretense. This movie should DEFINITELY be made available again, not just on VHS but DVD as well. This treasure for children of ALL ages (girls AND boys) deserves as much, if not more.

A New Generation deserves this enchanting musical!
I loved watching this movie as a child and would love for my own children to share my memories of Babette, the Pirate King, the camel and Rageddy Ann and Andy among others. In this Disney dominated era it would be nice for my kids to have something "new" to watch.

Nearly 20 years later...
...I can still quote this movie.

This was the most fantastic movie I'd ever seen as a little girl. My mother and I saw it about 5 times in the theater, and I haven't heard anything about it since. Guess what I'm buying for Mother's Day?

This should be on DVD!

raggedy ann
this movie is great it is hard to find...i hope to see it again .

Ahead of it's time, a work of animation art...
I can only hope that the wonderful people who created this beautifully animated movie will get it out of archives, clean it up and re-release it someday in the future to theaters and DVD before I'm too old and my VHS copy finally stops working. It far reaches any expectations of any Disney movie from the same time era. I compare it to sleepers such as "Iron Giant". It truly deserves recognition. I was dazzled by it as a child in the theater, and at 33 years old, I am still amazed how good it is. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Just as intriguing as the original
Of course seeing the original your are not surprised at the primes. However the acting is just as good and it contains many of the "stay in the car" nail biters.
A TV reporter (female of course) is doing a part on "Ideal" towns. Naturally Stepford is the one where see meets a kindred spirit. Soon things take on a strange change and a few weird accidents lead the reporter to suspect something is amiss. Is it too late for the reporter?

Be sure to take your thyroid pills when the alarm sounds.

Cheesy, campy, what more could you ask for?
I happen to like "bad" movies...this is a really good bad video. Julie Kavner (aka Marge Simpson), Sharon Gless, and, of course, Don Johnson star in this sequel to the creepy Stepford Wives film. The movie appears to have been made in the late seventies to very early 80's, though the release date is '86. Call in sick to work, lay in bed and watch this really bad movie over and over again.

BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL
Normally, made for TV movie sequels fail to live up to the original. However, The Revenge of the Stepford Wives is a thoroughly enjoyable film in its own right.

Whereas the original was slow-moving yet layered with social commentary, Revenge of the Stepford Wives moves fast and doesn't try to make a statement.

Sharon Gless is tremendous as are Julie Kavner and Don Johnson. A top notch cast, well executed story and fast pace make this film a good time. In my case, I liked it better than the original -- a rare thing indeed. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

BEST MOVIE EVER MADE!!!
This is absolutely the best film in history. Don't pay any attention to what the editorial reviewer said. It isn't nonsense at all. It was well constructed, well written, well thought out, and realistic. Sean Astin is an awesome actor. Did he get an Oscar for this? I hope he did because he deserved it as well as the rest of the cast, Keith Coogan, Wil Wheaton, and Louis Gassett. I remember watching this on tv years ago. I finally bought it on DVD at the mall. That was the only place I could find it. It was 20 bucks but well worth it. I bought it 3 days ago and I already watched it four times. It's intense, dramatic, sad, touching, thrilling, entertaining, funny, scary, unpredictable, and realistic. The reason why it was so realistic is because the military helped out in the making of this film. And in the movie nothing went perfect. I don't want to give it away for those who havent seen it. If you havent seen it you're really missing out. I highly recommend picking it up. It doesnt seem like it was made it 91. It's one of the best actions films ever made. It's intelligent and one of a kind. I don't think they have it for rent anymore. I hate when good movies aren't appreciated or remembered. This film is truly unforgettable and my movie collection is nothing without it.

Oh, Those Daring Young Men . . . .
For action, teen hijinks and heroism, this movie is hard to beat. "Toy Soldiers" is full of boyish bravado and humor mixed with taut suspense and even tragedy. The writing is fine, the plot well-woven, and the acting terrific on the part of both the teenage and adult members of the cast.

A Colombian drug lord is extradited to America and his son is determined to get him back---at any cost. Luis Caldez hatches a cold-hearted scheme to kidnap the son of the man who will be the judge in his father's case. The boy attends a private school called St. Regis Academy, headed by Louis Gosset, Jr. as its dean.

The school, nicknamed The Rejects' Academy, contains a student body that consists of boys tossed out from other schools for disciplinary problems. These kids hate and defy authority routinely. Chief among the troublemakers are Billy Tepper(Sean Astin) and Joey Trotta(Wil Wheaton), who hatch a clever scheme to free the school from the terrorists. The ensuing twists and turns and near-misses work well to maintain the adrenalin level, which heightens when the bad guys kill one boy, whose father just happens to be the head of the New Jersey Mafia. This tragic event pushes the action up to a fever pitch as the angry mobster exacts his revenge in a fitting way. Some of the action seems a bit implausible, but that doesn't take away from the joyride of watching the boys defy their odious captors. The viewer almost pities the terrorists for what they've gotten themselves into by ticking off these toy soldiers.

The movie is enjoyable, with plenty of heart and fine acting. Sean Astin and Wil Wheaton are great as the head rebel and his partner in crime. Louis Gosset, Jr. demonstrates why he's an Oscar-caliber performer. Denholm Elliot is endearing as the gentle headmaster who maintains dignity throughout the menace. Andrew Divoff is creepy as the calculating and ultimately psychotic Luis Caldez. An uncredited Jerry Orbach gives an intense performance as the slain boy's father, evoking both loathing for his criminal career and compassion for his pain over the loss of his son. The rest of the cast is in excellent form, too, and carries the story forward.

All in all, this is a great flick for those who enjoy action, especially teenagers. There's plenty of foul language and graphic violence that are not for the sensitive of ears or stomach, but most viewers should find this one a great ride. Enjoy the exploits of those daring young men!

A fan of Sean Astin
I just love Sean Astin & he should have been awarded for his work on this film. I've been looking for this film on DVD for a long time! Thanks, Amazon. Also,after watching Return of the King, recently released, He really deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of Sam!!!!!!!

A fan from Illinois
I just love Sean Astin & he should have been awarded for his work on this film. Also after watching Return of the King, recently released, He really deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of Sam!!!!!!!

THIS MOVIE IS WORTH THE WATCHING!!
I own this movie on dvd and absolutley love it. I first saw it on t.v. and couldn't stop watching it. I looked everywhere for the movie and couldn't find it so I had to order it online. It was worth getting and sean astin and the other actors are very good and has great action. If you haven't seen this movie SEE IT! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Awesome Cast for moive
One night I was browsing in the drama section at Hollywood videos looking for a good movie starring a well known black actor (Samuel L. Jackson is an excellent choice). Well to make a long story short, the moive was excellent the cast was put together well for a historical account of the incident at West Point in the 1880's.

Average acting, good story line. History of West Point
This video is a good historical story line regarding the court marshal of a West Point black Cadet. It is a true account of what took place at that time. Interesting for those interested in history. Not very good acting. We enjoyed the movie, but we are also interested in West Point history. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even with Pauly Shore as the "star," this 1993 comedy is a bit better than you might think. Shore plays an insouciant college student asked by a friend (Carla Gugino) to pretend to be her fiancé over Thanksgiving break, thus discouraging a jerk back in her hometown from proposing. Shore's character agrees but is given a hard time by the girl's salt-of-the-earth family of farmers. The hero and Gugino's character actually have a crush on each other, and now that they have an opportunity to explore romance, their relationship is threatened by poor Pauly's tests of rural manhood. Shore aside, the strong cast--including Gugino and Lane Smith--lend this thing some credibility; and the script doesn't take any shortcuts in moving the characters beyond their assumptions about one another. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (35)

"Munch On Some Grindage," And Watch This Movie
My review really would classify this at a rating of 3.5 stars. I'm really not a Pauly Shore fan, but this is probably his best movie.

My kids wanted to watch this on Thanksgiving, and now that we've finished, I realized that it really is a fairly decent film. Besides its somewhat predictable plot, the story is quite funny. Pauly Shore plays a California college student, nicknamed Crawl, who goes home over Thanksgiving with his friend, played by Carla Gugino, to her parents' farm in "middle America," as he puts it. Crawl pretends to be his friend's fiance so she doesn't have to face her high school sweetheart, and proceeds to help out at the farm. Throw the California city boy into farm life, and you can only imagine what type of trouble he gets into.

Shore seems to be at his best in the role, and Gugino adds a lot of flavor to the film as well. The acting on the whole was pretty good, and overall, it was a pretty enjoyable film to watch with my family. It's funny and leaves you with a warm feeling in the end. This is a nice family film.

Great film
I'm not that much of a Pauly Shore fan, but when I first saw this I loved it. Now, years later, I saw it on TV and still loved it. It's a funny film. I'd say it's Pauly Shore's best film. Everyone in the family will enjoy it.

Excellent comedy that will be a modern cult classic.
Pauly Shore's best role since " In The Army Now" has him as a city boy from L.A. in love with a Farmer's daughter and joins her for Thanksgiven and wants to be part of the family but he sometimes screws things up.

Very entertaining, funny and sometimes heartwarmining with fine performances, a must see movie.

The DVD looks good with picture and sounds great with it's sound.

Son in Law
All I can say about this movie is if you have a daughter going off to school then this is a must see movie ! And God help us all if "Crawl" is the one in charge. Full of laughs and suprizes. A must see movie if you are in the mood for laughs

One of the best comedies I've ever seen
I'm not saying that Pauly Shore is a great actor, but Son in Law is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Shore plays a Shore-like resident assistant named Crawl at the California university chosen for matriculation by Rebecca of some farm (probably not Sunnybrook) in South Dakota. Her jock boyfriend Travis, who apparently spends all of his free time trying to look more and more like Tom Cruise, doesn't want her to go, afraid she will change out there on her own. Becca, as Crawl calls her, has a hard time adjusting to college life and is ready to quit and come home when Crawl convinces her to stay and try a little harder to fit in with the crowd. Soon, shy little Rebecca has been shorn of her long hair, clothed in "weasel ware," and tattooed, allowing her to mingle easily on the beach and at mud wrestling bars. When she learns that Crawl is going to be alone during Thanksgiving, she invites him home with her. Her parents and Travis are shocked when they see Becca's new undeniably hot look, but they are even more shocked when a lunatic in the form of Crawl shows up with her. He takes to country life in his uniquely Shore-ian way, horrifying just about everyone in the state of South Dakota. This is before Crawl announces that he and Becca are getting married, a lie engineered on the spot to forestall Travis' own marriage proposal to the new and improved Becca. Dad decides to show Crawl what farming is like, trying to drive him away with the nastiest farm chores known to man, at which point much hilarity ensues. In time, Crawl begins to win over Becca's family and even becomes a star attraction on the local square dance circuit, inspired by such songs as the theme to Green Acres and John Denver's Thank God I'm a Country Boy. Travis has his own plans for getting Becca back, though; feathers fly, and not just those from the turkey that gets loose in the house.

Pauly Shore is in full Pauly Shore mode in this movie, but it works tremendously well here. The acting is great all the way around, Carla Gugino is adorable, Shore is hilarious, and there's not a dull moment to be found from beginning to end. I've watched this movie several times, with no noticeable decrease in the enjoyment factor from one viewing to the next. My parents, who haven't been to a movie since I was a kid dragging them along with me, actually borrowed this movie from me; some of their friends had been trying to find this hilarious movie they had seen but could not remember the name of for some time, and I recognized the plot as soon as they got around to asking me about it. It's a pretty unforgettable movie that appeals to a wide audience. If you have avoided Son in Law like the plague just because Pauly Shore stars in it, I urge you to reconsider and give this movie a chance. This is a very funny film the whole family can enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"F/X" is Hollywood-speak for "special effects," those often-bloody tricks that fool us into believing a gun has been fired or a head has been blown off. Bryan Brown plays a freelance effects wizard who arrives for each job fully equipped in a customized truck, making it easy for him to roll from one gig into the next. Accepting a hefty chunk of change for one such job, Brown stages the death of a gangster for the Witness Protection Program. At least, that is what he is led to believe. Illusion, it turns out, is everything. Not knowing whom to trust or what to think, Brown soon finds himself playing a vicious game of cat and mouse with the bad guys. What gives this an added thrill is that Brown is not sure exactly who is the villain in his own personal mystery movie. It could be the gangster (Jerry Orbach), the government agents, or the police officer (Brian Dennehy) with whom he joins forces. Evenly paced and surprisingly cunning, this is will leave you guessing until the last squib has been fired. Brown and Dennehy were reunited less successfully in the 1991 sequel, F/X2. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Refreshing Suspense Movie
F/X is an abbreviation for movie "special effects." Bryan Brown plays a special effects creator who unwittingly becomes part of a conspiracy. He is supposed to be a pawn who is to be eliminated. Instead of despairing and panicking, he uses his wits and his effects to elude his pursuers, who are not even identified until the end. F/X was produced in 1986, long before the sophisticated computer generated effects ubiquitous today. Yet the movie is not outdated. Rather, it is a classic that will leave you smiling. The clever, maze-like plot, and the great team of Bryan Brown and Bryan Dennehy add up to a refreshing, surprising classic of the 80's.

Sadly, the sequel - FX2 - is a big letdown.

Good Low Budget Fun!
Me and my brother were flipping through the TV channels, and nothing was on, I mean nothing. Anyway we got to the Movie Channel (STAR Movies) and saw what looked like the opening credits, and then big blue words came across the screen reading "F/X." So we watched it, saw if it was any good. Let me say we were pretty surprised! It was pretty obvious that it was shot on a low budget. That made me like it all the more! Becuase you usually get a famous rich director and writers to put together a good action/suspense movie. But those movies, sience the director has alot of money he just figures he'll blow the hell out of everything. It gets pretty annoying. But that is what I love about this movie. Sense they didn't have a lot of money they kept the movie good was the writing and directing. Dispite the name (F/X) it is not what the movie reliys on. It relies on a smart plot and even smarter plot twists. You never know who the villian is. Plus the well mantled suspense is a plus. I cant say the biggest part of the plot, but I can sya what it starts with. This aussie dude who makes special FX for movies (hense the name) is assigned to stage an assination on a gang member (but not really kill him, just make it look like he got killed with his special effect tricks. But after that it just takes so many turns, it makes it into a fantastic whodunit. I reccomend this for anyone who enjoys a well written and directed whodunit that will keep you thinking and guesing till the last bullet is shot.

F/X is a great movie with clever ideas in plot and action!
F/X starring Brian Brown and Brian Dennehy is a great Action/ Suspense thriller! This is about a special effects man who is hired by the Witness Protection program to stage an assination of a crime lord. Rollie Tyler(Brian Brown) was baited to take the blame for the assination and now he must prove his inoccents and must confront the man who framed him. Mason is the guy who hired Rollie Tyler (Brian Brown) to take the fall. Leo McCarthy(Brian Dennehy) is the tough Cop who must find Rollie and figure out who resposible for these deaths. A very ingenious movie! Clever plot with suprises and tricks! Highly Recommended!

A lot of fun
F/X was one of my favorite thriller of the '80s, a genuinely fun action film that takes itself just seriously enough to make its story credible but at the same time remains blissfully free of the delusions of grandeur that have led to so many overproduced, ultimately empty headed and painfully dull "thrillers" over the past couple of years. In short, F/X is the type of unpretentious, engaging film that could never be made by a Michael Bay or most of the other directors produced out of the Jerry Bruckhiemer School For Technocrats Who Like To Blow Things Up Real Good.

The always underrated australian actor, Bryan Brown, plays Rollie -- an independent special effects artist who specializes in creating gore effects for cheap horror and action films. Indeed, when we first meet him, he is working on a film that bares a hilarious resemblance to Brian DePalma's Scarface which, whatever its qualities, is most definitely represenative of the type of film that F/X strives not to become. Brown is recruited by an uptight but reassuringly paternal federal agent (Mason Adams) to help fake the death of a mobster (Jerry Orbach) about to go into the federal witness protection program. Once Brown agrees to help, he finds himself being targeted and pursued by mysterious killers who might be the government, might be the mob, or might be something else.

The film's main selling point is that, in order to protect his own life and clear his name once the police become convinced that he's a murderer, Brown is forced to rely on his expertise in hollywood special effects. While that certainly is true, it also makes the film sound a lot more gimmicky than it actually is. As opposed to its sequel, F/X never allows itself to become reliant solely on that gimmick. Instead, the film concentrates on presenting its fast-paced plot which, over the course of many twists and turns, avoids the common action film fate of collapsing on the wieght of its own complications. That said, the F/X sequences are pretty cool and the film's conclusion provides perhaps the wittiest advertisement for superglue that I've ever seen.

The film's main strength comes from the cast who all seem to be having a good time on screen and bring a surprising sense of conviction to roles that could easily have been played as B-movie stereotypes. Bryan Brown is one of those charismatic, obviously talented leading men who rarely gives a bad performance yet for whatever reason (though making movies like Cocktail probably didn't help) has never become a bona fide star. Playing the lead in this film, he proves that he did have the talent and the charisma to be a leading man and indeed, his low-key but likeable lead performance is reponsible for a great deal of F/X's strength. As the gruff police detective who becomes Brown's ally, Brian Dennehey is -- well, he's Brian Dennehey and, as always, that's more than good enough. That said, he also brings a welcome sense of humor to the proceedings and he proves once again that nobody in the '80s delivered profanity as wittily and skillfully as Brian Dennehey. The rest of the cast is full of character actors who all turn in nicely quirky performances with the standouts being Diane Venora who is sweet as Brown's girlfreind (whose ultimate fate -- if predictable -- is also well handled and rather sad), Cliff De Young who gives perhaps his best variation on his standard Yuppie henchman role in this film, Joe Grifasi as Dennehey's put upon partner, Mason Adams who perfectly captures the essence of everyone's kindly but kinda strange uncle, and the great Jerry Orbach who, playing a mobster with an all-important pace maker, overacts as if the world depending on it but is still a lot of fun to watch because, afterall, he's Jerry Orbach. They all come together to create (without any trendy angst or computerized special effects to show us what animated human beings look like when they get blown up) one of the most purely enjoyable movies of the '80s.

Starts well, meanders into blandness.
Bryan Brown is a special effects man who is caught up in a government conspiracy after a major mishap. This "high-tech" thriller begins fairly well before falling apart with badly choreographed action scenes, predictable twists, and a very underwhelming finale. ... ... Read more

Reviews (20)

ONE OF THE BEST COMEDIES EVER
Definitely one of the most underrated films, "Houseguest" is laugh out loud funny! Sinbad is utterly hilarious and works harmoniously with Phil Hartman.

It's about a man named Kevin Franklin (Sinbad), who owes money to a couple of loansharks. After threatening to kill Derek, he runs to an airport desperately trying to find a way to make it out of their alive, and happens to hear Gary Phil Hartman describing to his kids what his long-lost friend Derek Bond looks like, as they stand there waiting for him. Conveniently, Kevin happens to fit the description perfectly, and jumps up, taking on Derek Bond's identity.

One of my favorite things about Sinbad comedy is that he is able to be extremely funny without being provocative. He doesn't rely in sex to sell, which is quite different from most comedians these days.

If you read the back of the movie, you may think, "Wow, this sounds like it has a lot of potential to be funny. But does it?" And to sum it up in one word: YES! Not too slap-stick, not to talky, just perfect. Give it a shot!

HILARIOUS!
In "Houseguest," Kevin Franklin (Sinbad) stars as a houseguest that wasn't supposed to be a houseguest. Kevin is in trouble with a few people and they threaten to kill him if he doesn't give them $50,000 the next day. Kevin ends up pretending to be a long lost friend of Gary (Phil Hartman) and his family. Kevin is going to be a houseguest for awhile just so he can stay away from the madmen that he's in trouble with. But to be the family's houseguest, he has to pretend to be the REAL long lost friend of Gary, and also pretend to be what Gary's real friend is known for, for being one of the best dentists there are.

I don't see why "Houseguest" isn't a lot more popular than it is, it's one of the funniest movies I've ever seen without a doubt, and I've seen a lot of great comedy movies. Sinbad provides most of the laughs with his crazy antics. I couldn't quit laughing at the part when Sinbad washes his hands with novacaine and he finds out that his hands are real numb while he's pretending to be a dentist. But that's far from being the only hilarious part of the movie. "Houseguest" is hilarious all the way from when he first becomes the houseguest at the beginning of the movie all the way to the song that talks about food in the credits after the movie.

I recommend "Houseguest" to anybody who likes hilarious movies. Whether you like Sinbad or not, you should be able to enjoy this movie a lot.

"I wish I had some Dairy Queen!"
This movie is irresistable! One of the funniest movies ever! Kevin Franklin(Sinbad)is a person who always wanted to be a millionaire, but he ends up owing 50 grand to the mob and he is about to be killed! So he poses as a businessmans(Phil Hartman) "oldest friend" and the laughs begin. One example is : Phil Hartman starts singing the song,"Good Night Irene" and then he points to Sinbad to sing and Sinbad says,"I wish i had some dairy queen!"

houseguest dvd
for anyone wondering about technical/bonus features on this dvd. there are no bonus features. however, it is in widescreen, not full(16x9). as buena vista(disney)seems to like witholding this kind of info about their releases, it may help you make your purchasing decision.

Houseguest
Sinbad and the late Phil Hartman team up for this comedy about mistaken identity. I like the theme of mistaken identity, because it almost always leads to something funny and can be stretched through the entire length of a book or a movie.

The acting was pretty good. There are several scenes in the movie in which Hartman's character is having a row with his wife--and that I could not watch without a heightened sense of realism and an almost grotesque and somewhat sickening dark feeling, in light of what would happen to Phil Hartman in real life not long after the movie was released.

Anyway, Sinbad and Hartman made the movie fun. And I certainly enjoyed the fast pace. The Italian gangsters the movie portrays may appear flat, stereotypical, and silly, but that's not necessarily a bad thing in the context of the whole movie. The gangsters are a prop, a background, they were not meant to be these grand characters. They are simply there so that Sinbad could run away from were he was and end up in Hartman's family. It is a comedy, after all, and it calls for comical characters, not grand characters; for exaggeration and misunderstanding, not for hard core realism and clarity.

I definitely recommend Houseguest. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A Holiday Classic...
In 1984, another Christmas classic was released: "The Night They Saved Christmas." This movie of full love, giving and holiday fun. This movie has a great cast of chracters and is sure to get you into the holiday spirit and it will remind you how important Christmas really is.

As we start out, we meet Mr. Baldwin, a professional oil rigger who has been dynamiting ice fields near the north pole. This smells trouble for Santa and the elves. So Mr. Balwdin and his wife Claudia go home and there we meet his kids, David(oldest), Marianne (middle), and C.B. (youngest). David is basically a good kid that is sort of a suck-up to his parents. Marianne is an average yound girl with a heart of gold. Their youngest son C.B. is a trouble maker. He's always getting into fights with bullies who parade around saying, "There's NO Santa Claus." So C.B. is having trouble getting into the holiday spirit.

The next day Mr. Baldwin meets Santa's chief elf named Ed. He warns Mr. Balwdin that he has to stop the dynamiting because he will eventually blow up the North Pole. He breaks out in laughter and doesn't believe any of this. So Mr. Baldwin goes home and relays this whole story to his family and everyone laughs except C.B. because he's the only one that believes it.

The next day when Mr. Baldwin goes to work, Ed (Chief Elf) visits Claudia and her kids at their house and brings them to the north pole in a motorized Reindeer sleigh. There Claudia and the kids meet all the elves and SANTA! Then they go visit Santa's house where he has a talk with Claudia as to why they should stop the dynamiting. She is convinced that this tragedy will happen if they don't stop now. So she and the kids go home and she tries to get her husband to stop right away. Finally he stops the dynamiting.

This is movie is full of love, laughter and joy and is a Christmas classic. The movie has great visual effects and the setting of the North Pole is unbelievably stunning. This movie should be the next Christmas movie in your collection.

A real "Feel Good" movie!!
This movie is the best Christmas movie I have ever watched. I like it better than "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street". I bought it and watched it so much that I wore the tape out. It took a lot of searching to find this movie about 5 years ago and I finally found one place who could order it, so I ordered 2 just in case I wore the new one out, but ended up giving one away because I wanted to share this awesome movie with a friend! Buy it - You will not be disappointed! Makes me believe all over again!!

great film
Ever since I remember my family has watched this movie every christmas season. A long time ago my family taped it on tv and we've watched it ever since. everytime we watch it we have to fast forward through the commercials, so I am happy I've found it on vhs. I'm going to buy this movie and I recomend eveybody else does too. It's a great classic family film.

Absolutely Magical!!!
I saw this movie for the first time, when I was probably about 5 years old. Me and my family would watch it before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. Although it is make believe, it is not over the top or terribly far fetched. I recommend this to anyone with kids, looking for a great Christmas movie. To this day, I watch it every Christmas Eve, and the best way I can describe The Night They Saved Christmas.......Absolutely Magical!!!

The Night They Saved Christmas
I bought this movie not having ever seen it. It should be a Christmas movie everyone should have. I rate it up there side by side with Miracle On 34th St. The family that didn't believe, the Santa, played by Art Carney, and Mrs. Santa, played by June Lockhart, surely will give you a warm Christmas feeling. It is a must have for a truly magic, nostoligic Christmas. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Re-mastered, but not restored!
The case boasts of the shows being re-mastered, but there are streaks in the backgrounds from negative fading.
These are the later 1980's Depatie-Freling TV specials, not the classic Chuck Jones cartoons. (The Jones toons are issued by Warner Brothers). They have their creative moments, but much of the time they feel like cheap imitations of Dr. Seuss.
The Hoober-Bloob Highway is the superior of the two shorts.

Why only two 22 minute shorts? Universal could have gotten all four of their Dr. Seuss DVD releases on one DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Something for the whole family
This is one of the very few videos that the whole family enjoys. At 30 minutes it's long enough for a pre-bedtime viewing, short enough for the 2 year-old to watch but long enough for the 4-year old to feel satisfied. The story is fun, the animation is trippy and inventive. There are a few hidden gems that the grown-ups can chuckle at and the rest is funny for the children. The dialogue between the Cat and the Grinch is pretty witty and amusing. This is definitely one that the adults and kids can enjoy at the same time. I am not driven insane by repeated viewings!

A Great video...Find Out Who Wins the Battle
Dr. Seuss works his magic in this wonderful film full of songs and lively rhymes. We even see the Grinch and the Cat In The Hat drive a car. It's really a good movie, and it helps to show the folly of evil.

Good
Very animated. Music. My granddaughter, (almost 3 years old)loves this video and watches it repeatedly.

A Must See For Grinch Lovers
If you've seen The Grinch That Stole Christmas, or It's Grinch Night, you know that the Grinch was one of Dr. Seuss's greatest creations. In this movie, the Grinch completely lives up to the viewer's expectations. I've only had the pleasure of seeing this classic, and It's Grinch Night, a few times, and I'm very disappointed that I haven't seen it in so long. It's basically about The Cat In The Hat and The Grinch almost having a battle with each other, to see who is the more audacious. I said it in the title, and I'll say it again, this is A MUST SEE FOR GRINCH LOVERS.

Money well spent
I've been looking everywhere for this movie and when I saw it here I decided to buy it. I watched this when I was a kid and haven't seen it in at least 8 years. I just got it and I was just as delighted with it as when I was younger. It's very interesting to see the Grinch and the Cat in the Hat together and the animation easily rivals that of a lot of animation today. Whether you like the Grinch, the Cat in the Hat, or Dr. Seuss, this is a real gem for any video collection. And I'll admit, I don't have any kids and I bought this just for myself! ^_^ ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Omen series concludes with this second sequel, starring Sam Neill as the adult Damien--a.k.a. the son of Satan--in a battle with the heavens for control of mankind. The film ends up depending more heavily on effects and spectacle than on the kind of basic horrors that made the first movie in the series so unsettling, but at least this one gives some closure to the seemingly endless saga. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Trashy fun
I expected Damien the anti-Christ to be further along in his diabolical plans before he would die. Damien is just an ambassador to the UK when he is killed. Instead of bringing the world to the brink of an apocalypse, he is out fox-hunting in the English countryside. With so little of importance at stake, the "final conflict" between Damien and Christ is rather feeble and anti-climactic, like getting a Pinto when you expected a Porsche.

This is especially disappointing because the second film was setting up a plot line in which Damien's company would have a strangle-hold on the world's food supply. I was hoping for global chaos in Omen III -- food riots, revolutions, etc. Omen III briefly reminds us of what Damien's company is trying to do but then drops that plot line completely. Hence the third film does not seem to be organically connected to its predecessor. Indeed, no characters from Omen II except Damien get screen time in Omen III. It's as if with Omen III someone else took over writing the screenplay and decided to take it in a different direction.

It also is odd that Damien was supposed to be such an assiduous student of biblical prophecies but overlooked the prophecy that appears on the screen at the end of the film. What, was Damien's bible missing a few pages of Revelations?

There are some well done scenes, but this film does not measure up to the first two films. Still, it is fun in its own trashy way.

Frankly? - More beliveable than the "Left Behind" movie
I saw "The Omen" on July 4, 1976, with my brother's fiance and her best friend. The movie scared - literally - the mortal hell out of me. So much that I, in pouring rain, emptied my VW of every conceivable upper, downer, laugher, screamer, etc. Now: Skip ahead 4 years: I've just gotten fired from a great, well paying modeling job, and I'm living with a Brooke lookalike. So what do we do? Yup. Go see "The Final Conflict." Sam Neill is indisputably the most frightening, insidious character in any movie I've ever seen (with the exception of that terrifying bald woman who played Satan in "The Passion"). And the scene where the priest tries to stab Damien with one of the "holy knives," and gets caught in a blazing inferno....this is one frightening film, folks. But you know what I like most about it? At the end, Jesus kicks Damien's @$$. Watch these flicks, especially the first and third (everybody says that the fourth installment ruined the integrity of the series). And I can't stop without a warning: PLEASE, folks, remember that somewhere in the world right now, whatever "Damien's" real name is, he's getting ready to start all this. We are living in the end times. You allright with The Lord?

Like A Trip To Hell
After 1978's "Damien: Omen II" gave insight to his plan to take over the family business, you'd think 1981's "Omen III: The Final Conflict" would have Damien Thorn wreaking havoc all across the world. Instead, he's not. He's hunting for foxes in the English countryside, leaving his dirty work to an evil rottweiller.

There are several reasons why this sequel doesn't work. First, the actors are terrible. Sam Neill, a versatile British character actor who can usually be counted on to create top - notch roles, is wooden as Damien. It was obvious this was not his starmakiing vehicle. He had to wait until Steven Spielberg cast him in "Jurassic Park" to become a familliar name. Veteran character actor Rosanno Brazzi fairs only slightly better as the leader of a group of monks out to kill Damien once and for all. Unknown British actress Lisa Harrow is trechorous as a news reporter who romances Damien until she finds out his true indentity.

Adding to this, Jerry Goldsmith's score is lackluster, the direction is awful, and there is not one scary moment in the entire film. A big mar on a classic film series.

Interesting, but Not as Good as Omen I and II
The Final Conflict continues to carry the theme from the first two movies although the 'power' of this movie seemed diminished from the first two installments. I would have thought Damien would have ascended to a higher station in the world (e.g., President, leader of the UN) in the 'final conflict' between the forces of good and evil. The absence of an Armageddon type of scenario also took away from the magnitude this movie could have possessed. I wonder if a limited budget affected how the sreen play was developed? The sex scene was unnecessary although it appeared that Damien's relationship with the woman was part of his undoing. If one is interested in seeing an Armageddon version of Omen III go and rent Omega Code II - Meggido. David York plays a reasonable anti-Christ role and the special effects are somewhat more modern.

Maltin Type Review
A slight tad worse than its two predeccesors, this film involves once devil child Damien Thorn (Sam Niel) thirty-two and ambassador to great Britain. However, unknown to his partner and hypnotized people, he is thwarting a revenge against Jesus. however, he must get rid of the priest's on his tail. This film is nicely entertaining, but SO WIERD! Many things are left hanging. Some (though not many) eerie moments and good acting help what could have been mess. New title: Omen III The Final Conflict. Next, and last, chapter: Omen IV The Awakening. Rated R ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Refreshing Suspense Movie
F/X is an abbreviation for movie "special effects." Bryan Brown plays a special effects creator who unwittingly becomes part of a conspiracy. He is supposed to be a pawn who is to be eliminated. Instead of despairing and panicking, he uses his wits and his effects to elude his pursuers, who are not even identified until the end. F/X was produced in 1986, long before the sophisticated computer generated effects ubiquitous today. Yet the movie is not outdated. Rather, it is a classic that will leave you smiling. The clever, maze-like plot, and the great team of Bryan Brown and Bryan Dennehy add up to a refreshing, surprising classic of the 80's.

Sadly, the sequel - FX2 - is a big letdown.

Good Low Budget Fun!
Me and my brother were flipping through the TV channels, and nothing was on, I mean nothing. Anyway we got to the Movie Channel (STAR Movies) and saw what looked like the opening credits, and then big blue words came across the screen reading "F/X." So we watched it, saw if it was any good. Let me say we were pretty surprised! It was pretty obvious that it was shot on a low budget. That made me like it all the more! Becuase you usually get a famous rich director and writers to put together a good action/suspense movie. But those movies, sience the director has alot of money he just figures he'll blow the hell out of everything. It gets pretty annoying. But that is what I love about this movie. Sense they didn't have a lot of money they kept the movie good was the writing and directing. Dispite the name (F/X) it is not what the movie reliys on. It relies on a smart plot and even smarter plot twists. You never know who the villian is. Plus the well mantled suspense is a plus. I cant say the biggest part of the plot, but I can sya what it starts with. This aussie dude who makes special FX for movies (hense the name) is assigned to stage an assination on a gang member (but not really kill him, just make it look like he got killed with his special effect tricks. But after that it just takes so many turns, it makes it into a fantastic whodunit. I reccomend this for anyone who enjoys a well written and directed whodunit that will keep you thinking and guesing till the last bullet is shot.

F/X is a great movie with clever ideas in plot and action!
F/X starring Brian Brown and Brian Dennehy is a great Action/ Suspense thriller! This is about a special effects man who is hired by the Witness Protection program to stage an assination of a crime lord. Rollie Tyler(Brian Brown) was baited to take the blame for the assination and now he must prove his inoccents and must confront the man who framed him. Mason is the guy who hired Rollie Tyler (Brian Brown) to take the fall. Leo McCarthy(Brian Dennehy) is the tough Cop who must find Rollie and figure out who resposible for these deaths. A very ingenious movie! Clever plot with suprises and tricks! Highly Recommended!

A lot of fun
F/X was one of my favorite thriller of the '80s, a genuinely fun action film that takes itself just seriously enough to make its story credible but at the same time remains blissfully free of the delusions of grandeur that have led to so many overproduced, ultimately empty headed and painfully dull "thrillers" over the past couple of years. In short, F/X is the type of unpretentious, engaging film that could never be made by a Michael Bay or most of the other directors produced out of the Jerry Bruckhiemer School For Technocrats Who Like To Blow Things Up Real Good.

The always underrated australian actor, Bryan Brown, plays Rollie -- an independent special effects artist who specializes in creating gore effects for cheap horror and action films. Indeed, when we first meet him, he is working on a film that bares a hilarious resemblance to Brian DePalma's Scarface which, whatever its qualities, is most definitely represenative of the type of film that F/X strives not to become. Brown is recruited by an uptight but reassuringly paternal federal agent (Mason Adams) to help fake the death of a mobster (Jerry Orbach) about to go into the federal witness protection program. Once Brown agrees to help, he finds himself being targeted and pursued by mysterious killers who might be the government, might be the mob, or might be something else.

The film's main selling point is that, in order to protect his own life and clear his name once the police become convinced that he's a murderer, Brown is forced to rely on his expertise in hollywood special effects. While that certainly is true, it also makes the film sound a lot more gimmicky than it actually is. As opposed to its sequel, F/X never allows itself to become reliant solely on that gimmick. Instead, the film concentrates on presenting its fast-paced plot which, over the course of many twists and turns, avoids the common action film fate of collapsing on the wieght of its own complications. That said, the F/X sequences are pretty cool and the film's conclusion provides perhaps the wittiest advertisement for superglue that I've ever seen.

The film's main strength comes from the cast who all seem to be having a good time on screen and bring a surprising sense of conviction to roles that could easily have been played as B-movie stereotypes. Bryan Brown is one of those charismatic, obviously talented leading men who rarely gives a bad performance yet for whatever reason (though making movies like Cocktail probably didn't help) has never become a bona fide star. Playing the lead in this film, he proves that he did have the talent and the charisma to be a leading man and indeed, his low-key but likeable lead performance is reponsible for a great deal of F/X's strength. As the gruff police detective who becomes Brown's ally, Brian Dennehey is -- well, he's Brian Dennehey and, as always, that's more than good enough. That said, he also brings a welcome sense of humor to the proceedings and he proves once again that nobody in the '80s delivered profanity as wittily and skillfully as Brian Dennehey. The rest of the cast is full of character actors who all turn in nicely quirky performances with the standouts being Diane Venora who is sweet as Brown's girlfreind (whose ultimate fate -- if predictable -- is also well handled and rather sad), Cliff De Young who gives perhaps his best variation on his standard Yuppie henchman role in this film, Joe Grifasi as Dennehey's put upon partner, Mason Adams who perfectly captures the essence of everyone's kindly but kinda strange uncle, and the great Jerry Orbach who, playing a mobster with an all-important pace maker, overacts as if the world depending on it but is still a lot of fun to watch because, afterall, he's Jerry Orbach. They all come together to create (without any trendy angst or computerized special effects to show us what animated human beings look like when they get blown up) one of the most purely enjoyable movies of the '80s.

Starts well, meanders into blandness.
Bryan Brown is a special effects man who is caught up in a government conspiracy after a major mishap. This "high-tech" thriller begins fairly well before falling apart with badly choreographed action scenes, predictable twists, and a very underwhelming finale. ... ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Beg, borrow or steal the 1957 original
Don't waste your time or money with this awful remake. The version with Traci Lords is OK.. but the original is one of the forgotten classics of the 1950's.. There are often DVD or VHS copies available on EBAY. The quality of these transfers is not wonderful... but the movie is great.

Not of this earth- Again??
I have seen both remakes of Roger Corman's Not of this Earth, and I must say his 1957 version with Paul Birch and Beverly Garland was better! I'm truly not a supporter of remakes, because they never capture in my opinion, the original director or author's "touch of class." I also don't understand why they haven't released Mr. Corman's 1957 version? Two remakes, but not the original on VHS? I think somebody has it backwards. Besides, Mr. Birch and Miss Garland have my vote any time.

INTERESTING EFFORT
Interesting remake of the 50's Roger Corman SCHLOCK CLASSIC.

One of my favorite horror movies as a kid, complete with Beverly Garland!

Mr. Corman serves as exec-producer of this most recent film version of a man (?) from another world, whose planet of inhabitants is dying off from a airborne blood disorder. Excellent performance by Michael York as the sunglassed alien Paul Johnson, whose eyes could flame broil a steak at THE OUTBACK. The rest of the cast is mostly forgettable (including Parker Stevenson, who looks pretty young these days. Wouldn't you if you never worked?).

Though the direction is a bit lackluster, the story line holds up with interesting references to modern day. The script takes itself too seriously though, and even though the subject is "serious", adding some witty/funny dialog would have made this a version a winner!

My main question is, since there have been not one but TWO remakes... WHY ISN'T THE ORIGINAL AVAILABLE ON HOME VIDEO AT ALL? May I suggest a deluxe boxed set complete with a pair of those cool RAY BANS?

KFL

Not Corman...or Corman,s Corman.
This film has nothing to do with the Traci Lords remake or " Not of This Earth" 1957/

The 1957 film starred Paul Birch and Beverly Garland.The only interesting point here is the 28 years between the Corman film and his own remake.( exposing a true sign of the times)

Not of This Earth
Had only Traci Lords been in this re-make it might have been a little better movie. As it is the special effects are hohum and ordinary even by 1995 standards. The cast do a acceptable job with what they have to work with. Some bad writing and directing in this version brings up the question. Did any of the producers stop by the sets during the filming of this opus? Bottom line. Poorly done movie even for a re-make. Save your money on this one. Rent it if you must see it. Suggest the original R. Corman movie, or wait for the re-issue of the 1988 re-make just to see Traci in that little yellow (or was it blue) bikini. Cheers! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A prank gone horribly wrong resurfaces decades later to haunt the participants in this compelling little indie suspense flick, told with an unusual double-flashback technique. In the first flashback, Ivan, Frank, George, and Derek reunite for the first time in 22 years. In the second, we witness the deadly chain of events that drove the friends apart. Back in the first flashback, we learn that the police have at last turned up evidence that points to Derek. The dual structure of the movie makes for anengaging parallel rise in suspense: just as events spin out of control for theteenagers, their later selves descend into a chaos of mistrust and dividedloyalties. Not once, but twice the four friends must learn that gunplay andthreatened manhood don't mix. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (12)

An intelligent thriller
I was fortunate enough to see "The Lesser Evil" at a Chicago film festival featuring great independent films. It is an intelligent dramatic thriller in which four high school friends are faced with the consequences of their actions. They are all involved in a couple of killings and the film slowly reveals who is really to blame and who should pay for their mistakes. Its also about how people change as they grow up and live with a dark secret. Arliss Howard, the guy who played Cowboy in "Full Metal Jacket" is a priest troubled by guilt. Paymer, who's in just about everything these days, is a bitter lawyer. Goldwyn, who is now making a name for himself as a director, is a cop with a criminal past. And Feore is a trouble maker without a spine. The film has some good twists and while it ties up well, it doesn't do so cleanly for the characters which makes it feel more real. Ultimately its the kind of film that you talk about long after its over.

Great Movie!
A prank gone horribly wrong returns to haunt four boys in their adult life.

This movie was really a pleasant surprise. Good story, great acting. If you like stuff like "A Simple Plan", then you'll like this. A real little-known gem.

Left me thinking
An intricate plot. A narrative that weaves back and forth between past and present in order to unmask the characters. A moral decision was made twenty five years ago that haunts the ensemble cast. Now they find themselves faced with a similar moral crises as adults. Each characer is both protagonist and antagonist. Ultimately good and evil is defined as matters of degree. An excellent film that left me thinking.

Well crafted psychological drama
This film was one of the best I've seen of its kind in quite some time. This is a psychological drama about four friends, who 22 years ago unintentionally committed a double homicide and then successfully covered it up. Now the police have discovered one of the bodies and a gun they can link to one of the four. The story unfolds as the friends, who haven't spoken since the event, come together to decide how to handle the situation. Throughout the drama, the story flashes back to the original story when they were teenagers, so you really have two suspenseful interconnected stories unfolding simultaneously.

The film shows the twisted judgments made by desperate men