Amazon.com

When the radiation-spawned giant ants of Them! swarmed over American screens to become one the most successful films of 1954, it didn't take long for the rest of the insect kingdom to follow suit. The best of these mutant bug movies is Jack Arnold's giddy Tarantula, with Leo G. Carroll as a scientist whose experimental, radiation-treated nutritional supplements transform the title creature into a rampaging monster. The hungry arachnid graduates from rabbits to cattle to people as it grows and creeps across the barren countryside in search of food, dwarfing the desert hills in simple but unsettling special effects shots. John Agar plays the square-jawed doctor who tries to warn the local populace of the impending menace and Clint Eastwood has a bit as an Air Force pilot called in to bomb the now mountain-sized spider. It's an essentially silly story with plenty of heroic dashing about and monster-movie tropes ("See its mandibles crush cars like a tin cans!"), but Arnold, one of the most talented and thoughtful genre directors of the 1950s (It Came From Outer Space, The Incredible Shrinking Man), creates a surprisingly eerie mood with his austere visual style and winds the film up with his tension-building rapid pacing. Composer-playwright Richard O'Brien liked thefilm so much he immortalized it in the Rocky Horror Picture Show: "Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when the Tarantula took the hills." The film still straddles the line between nostalgic goofiness and smart sci-fi thrills. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (27)

"Tarantula" Has Plenty Of "Bite"! A Fun "Huge Insect" Film!
Many people categorize 1955's sci-fi film "Tarantula" as a "B" picture or a "cult" flick for just sci-fi buffs. While this may be true to some degree I suppose, I believe this little chiller rises above the average "B" movie, and reaches a loftier status.

It's a very re-watchable film, with some pretty good acting and well-drawn characters. Plus a plot that's not totally off-the-wall. Well, yeah, it's out in left field (somewhat), but not so much as to be considered completely ludicrous in every sense.

Leo G. Carroll does a fine job as the bio-chemist whose experiments with a new "growth formula" on animals (including our menacing friend, Mister "Tarantula") go terribly wrong when the multi-legged beast escapes Carroll's laboratory.

I truly enjoy watching this movie -- no matter how many screenings I give it. The atmosphere, characters, and storyline have me "locked in" from the very start.

And the special effects don't look too bad either -- considering it's from 1955 and well before "CGI" type beasts & explosions.

I even kind of like the rather corny (and, I assume, not realistic) "hissing"/"rattling" noises that emanate from the super-sized spider during the film. LOL!

Also on the humorous side of things -- I've always thought it was mighty cooperative of our giant-sized, venom-spewing beast to "follow the road into town" at the end of the film, thereby making the townspeople's job of setting up the dynamite a great deal easier. (Since when do spiders follow the 'rules of the road'? Oh, well, I guess we'll just assume that our Tarantula here owns a '55 Chevy, and is familiar with the desert highways that surround him. LOL!)

This whole movie is great fun from start to finish. Plus -- There's a fun "Theatrical Trailer" for the film included on this VHS version.

If you like really big hairy spiders, then look no further than 1955's "Tarantula".

CLASSIC SPIDER FILM
It's been almost 50 years since TARANTULA first hit the big screen. Having seen the movie when I was a little kid running around to all the monster double-features, I have to say this one remained with me through all these years. Watching it was like spending time with an old childhood friend. Considering it was 1955, the effects in this movie are pretty frightening, especially when viewing the entire real tarantula that was superimposed. The closeups are cheesy, but we didn't have CGI then. John Agar, Leo G. Carroll (who would go on to be the boss for the man from UNCLE), Mara Corday (Black Scorpion), Nestor Paiva, Hank Patterson (Green Acres), and yes, even Clint Eastwood are around to flesh out the characters. Arnold was smart in doing a lot of the effects at night, giving us a shadow of the spider to boot. This is much better (I think) than THEM or THE BLACK SCORPION, and it deserves to be on DVD, so let's get with it, Universal!
A classic film of the 20th century horror genre!

Ultimate 50s sci fi!
Tarantula is a highlight of the continuous stream of monster B movies produced in the 50s and 60s. This is the story of a lifelong scientist (Leo Carroll), who is attempting to produce technology for the world to benefit from. When he is attacked one night by one of his former partners, a mutated tarantula is set loose in an Arizona town. The town medical doctor (John Agar), realizes that life is at stake, and must find a way to destroy this creature before it is too late. The formula used to mutate the arachnid has produced fatal effects on humans, deforming and killing them in a matter of 4 days.
Jack Arnold's edge of your seat lore did not need to be remade several years ago. If they are planning to outdo the 1950's "Tarantula", they should forget the idea right now. Movies just are not made like that anymore, and it just cannot be equaled by modern technology. Pick this horror film up, and you will discover why so many of these type of films were made in that time.

The original eight legged freak takes to the hills
If you know that Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when tarantula took to the hills but are not sure exactly what that means, then you simply need to add "Tarantula" to the list of classic science fiction monster movies you need to see that are mentioned in "Science Fiction Double Feature" during the opening credits of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." This 1955 film was directed by Jack Arnold who also helmed "It Came From Outer Space," "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," and "The Incredible Shrinking Man." That means that Arnold is taking the story seriously even if the rest of us are not. Yes, it is hard to believe that a giant tarantula three-stories tall is prowling around the desert eating horses and such and nobody notices (ditto for the giant ants in "Them!"), but that it standard suspense for 1950s black & white monster movies. The special effects are good for the most part, although there are a couple of moments where none of its eight legs are touching the ground, but the big complaint is that there is not enough destruction, which is to be expected when you monster is roaming the desert rather than Tokyo.

The starting point for the fun is a couple of scientists who are playing god by trying to perfect a growth serum. Having had success in making a tarantula the size of sheep (which begs the question of why this would ever be seen as a good idea as opposed to say, oh, I don't know, something that could feed starving people?), Professor Deemer (Carroll) tries the serum on himself. The result is not increased size (like being 50 feet tall works if you are a man instead of a woman) but acromegaly, which is an actual disease caused by the overproduction of growth hormones in the body (you have to admire the idea that somebody did some actual scientific research for this film). Consequently, Deemer ends up looking like a cousin to the Elephant Man. The Professor is doomed to die, but not before the tarantula escapes, goes its own way, and continues to grow larger and larger. John Agar is the hero, Dr. Matt Hastings, and Mara Corday is Stephanie "Steve" Clayton, who shows up to study with Professor Deemer, only to discover he has other problems. Yes, "Tarantula" requires you to take a deep breath to provide the requisite willing suspension of disbelief, but come on: we are talking a giant spider movie here and not just any giant spider movie here. This is the original eight legged freak.

Giant spiders!!!
When I first saw this movie, I thought John Agar was a hunk (still do) so when he has to figure out what is killing people and livestock in his small town and save the girl - well - nothing could be better. With the 'mad scientist' and the giant tarantula and all, what more could you want in a plot. So what if the big spider looks fake sometime and the acting is not Harrison Ford. It is still a fun monster movie and I love watching it. I am on my third copy of this one and watch it often enough that I will have to have another one soon. ... Read more

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Big Jake is not one of the Duke's classics, but a diverting attempt nonetheless. Everyone seems to think that Jacob McCandles is six-feet under ("I thought you was dead" is a running line throughout), so some bad men kidnap his grandson. They want a piece of the family fortune and will kill to get it. Patrick Wayne, the Duke's own son, plays one of Big Jake's kids, and together they start out after the boy's abductors. Richard Boone makes a worthy adversary to Jake's larger than life figure, and the final confrontation between the two contains some great gritted-teeth dialogue. Maureen O'Hara is barely in the feature, sharing the same fate as Bobby Vinton as the boy's father. He seems to be onscreen just to get shot. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Big Jake, the man who put the bad guys in their place!
Big Jake has always been a family favorite. Whenever it aired on TV, we watched it. If it were played 3-4 times a year, we watched it. You just can't beat the all-star cast. John Wayne, Bruce Cabot(very famous in the 1930'3 and 1940's) Richard Boone, as the lead bad guy, was a great choice. PAtrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum were both excellent choices to be his sons. Maureen O'Hara, as the ex-wife, she is still as beautiful as ever. All-in-all, a great action-packed western that holds up to the best. Big Jake, a real treat for all.

don't call him DADDY!!!!!!!!!
This film is one of the better later-day John Wayne films, though strangely violent for a Wayne film. The Duke stars Jacob MacCandles (maybe a reflection of his real life family situation) as a tough man, estranged from his wife and grown sons. Bobby Vinton gives a quickie performance as Wayne's eldest son, shot when (the great) Richard Boone and his band of cutthroats nearly slaughter all on Jacob's ranch in the kidnapping of his grandson (played by Wayne youngest son Ethan). Patrick Wayne, his real son, plays second eldest son and youngest son, Michael, is played by Christopher Mitchum (Robert Mitchum's son!).

In tow are Wayne regulars, Harry Carey (disgusting tobacco chewing baddie), Bruce Cabot as the Indian tracker showing age with Jacob, Glen Corbett as breed the fast gun that faces off against Patrick Wayne in a gun fight, the most natural actor to ever grace the screen, the late Richard Boone, and a lovely appearance by the eternally beautiful Maureen O'Hara, once again playing John's long suffering wife whot loves him, but cannot live with him.

It is super to watch Wayne with Cabot, Carey, Boone and O'Hara, and Jim Davis (later rose to fame once more as Jock Ewing of Dallas) and though the film is intensely violent, I don't see it was gratuitous. The violence came from the end of a very violent era, times were changing, but not fast enough. The violence of the kidnappers had to be there to show Wayne's to-the-wall rescue of his small grandson was called for. Wayne's character was a violent man when the times called for it, but it was just as willing to let things go - if ONLY the other person walked away.

He worked well with his sons and Mitchum, and the interaction between Jacob and his two sons provides the Wayne brand humour in the film.

The times were changing for the code of the old west, and in the same way, times were changing for John Wayne....

I give Wayne credit for not pulling punches in a film that does him credit.

They made the mistake of kidnapping Big Jake's grandson
"Big Jake" is one of my favorite John Wayne movies, which is not to claim that it is a classic film. This film is directed by George Sherman, who first began doing Westerns back in the late 1930s, although Wayne is known to have directed some scenes as well. In retrospect I would argue that this 1971 film is the first of a trio of film that Wayne made at the end of his career reflecting the passing of the Western. The other two would be Wayne's next film, "The Cowboys," and obviously his final film, "The Shootist." Of that trio "Big Jake" is clearly the most fun and my biggest complaint about this film is that when it is shown on television they almost always have the first commercial break at the absolute worst moment.

The film begins with a raid on the McCandles Ranch where Little Jake McCandles (Ethan Wayne, the Duke's youngest son, named for the character he played in "The Searchers") is kidnapped by a gang of cutthroats led by John Fain (Richard Boone). Fain demands a ransom to be delivered across the border in Mexico. The Texas Rangers are willing to do it, but Martha McCandles (Maureen O'Hara), the boy's grandmother, announces that this is a disagreeable task and needs to be done by a disagreeable man. At this point the came cuts to a close up of John Wayne peering down the barrel of a rifle. It is a great introduction to Wayne's character in the film and a fitting counterpart to the moment in "Stagecoach" when we first see the Ringo Kid and his Winchester. But television stations keep putting commercials before the cut because the film's opening sequence, in which narrator George Fenneman, who went from being Groucho Marx's announcer and straight man on "You Bet Your Life" ended up doing the narration for Jack Webb's "Dragnet," introduces us to all of the members of the Fain gang runs on a bit before we have the raid and the decision of what to do next. So Act I runs out for a bit and if there is a good reason to have this movie on DVD or VHS it is because that way you miss this horrendous commercial placement.

"Big Jake" is basically a chase story as the title character goes after his grandson, heading out with the ransom with only his trusted Native American friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot) and a dog named "Dog." But there are several others things going on to make the proceedings more interesting. Big Jake did not even know that he had a grandson, and while the boy's father Jeff (Bobby Vinton, the singer) is wounded, his two brothers James (Patrick Wayne, another of the Duke's son) and Michael (Christopher Mitchum, son of Robert Mitchum who co-starred with the Duke in "El Dorado"). Clearly Big Jake has been separated from his family for a while and there are issues, particularly with James, who makes the mistake of calling his father "Daddy."

There is also a whole sub-text about relying on modern technology. While Big Jake heads off with horses the Texas Rangers take off in new fangled motorcars. Of course this is a mistake, but there is a recurring theme of the old ways being best. Michael has a motorcycle and James has a new fangled pistol, but they are able to overcome their reliance on modern technology. If the Old West is disappearing it is not disappearing until the Duke has his last fight.

Then there is the running gag that everybody seems to think Big Jake is dead. When we are treated to that great close up our hero is watching a group of cattlemen get ready to string up a sheep farmer. Big Jake does not want to get involved, not wanting to make a mistake of his youth that almost cost him his life. But then the leader of the lynch mob (Jim Davis) makes the mistake of kicking a boy ("Aw," says Big Jake, "why'd he want to go and do that for?"). There could be trouble but then it is discovered that the big man on the horse is Jacob McCandles, who apparently is not dead. This happens so often that Big Jake swears he will kill the next man who says that and, of course, he does.

Finally, this film has some great dialogue by Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink. This was their first film together (he did "Major Dundee" and "Ice Station Zebra") and after this they created "Dirty Harry" for Clint Eastwood (no wonder the choice lines in this movie are so choice). When James calls Big Jake "Daddy," the Duke knocks his son on his can and announces: "You can call Dad, you can call me Father, you can call me Jacob and you can call me Jake. You can call me a dirty old son-of-a-b***h, but if you EVER call me Daddy again, I'll finish this fight." But my favorite is when Fain first encounters Big Jake (not knowing who he is, of course) and gives a very serious warning. At the climax of the film Big Jake repeats the warning word for word with a grim earnestness that is quite impressive. That is why this is not a great film, but a great movie.

One of my Favorite John Wayne Movies
Big Jake, although not his best, was still one of my favorite movies. My own grandpa was a larger than life figure, and this movie rings true to what he was in the prime of his life. One of Wayne's last, and I think it has to be on everyone's list. The adversary is a tough nut to crack, and knows just how to hit the nerves. It's not over the top violent (I suppose that compares with today's movies). GOD i wish they would have picked anything else for that kid to wear but that girlish little jumper with the white collar!

Not as good as I hoped...
I'm giving this one four stars for the quality of the video, sound, and the fact that this movie has, for at least 90 minutes, everything you would ever want in a late-era John Wayne movie. The acting is not bad at all, the story is set up very well, the villians are believable, and you have the obligatory old codger showing up his estranged smart-aleck sons while he teaches them a thing or two.

After we've been through 90 minutes of establishing trust and killing a few bad guys along the way, we come to the big showdown where the Duke tries to bluff the kidnappers, and then kill them. It's a pretty good shoot-out, and of course the good guys win.

The problem I have is that the Duke loses his best friend and his dog in the fight, as well as getting shot twice himself. When it's all over, Big Jake, his two sons, and his grandson exit with big smiles on their faces. The camera freezes on this image while the credits are rolling. It was kind of like a bad 1970's crime drama. I expected to see in bold letters, "A QUINN MARTIN PRODUCTION." ... Read more

Reviews (40)

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS LOOKING DVD OF THIS JOHN FORD CLASSIC
"She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" is one of those glorious westerns, luminously photographed by director, John Ford. It stars, John Wayne, as a widower living at a military outpost with the cavalry and features some of the most gorgeously photographed exteriors ever captured on film. Monument Valley becomes a place of quiet, stoic beauty and the duke never gave a more impressive performance than he does here.
My hat off to the good people at Warner Home Video. This is a truly amazing looking DVD and one that should definitely be on every film buffs wish list to own. Colors are fully saturated, well balanced and incredibly life like. Contrast levels are on pitch as are black levels. There is a hint of edge enhancement and pixelization but really - it's just a hint. Chips, scratches and imperfections inherant in the original camera negative are kept to a bare, bare minimum. The audio is mono, as originally presented, but extremely well balanced, with low to non-existant background hiss in most scenes. No extras: a shame! One craves a documentary on either the making-of this movie or John Ford himself. We get neither. Still, it's hard to fault such a near pristine looking transfer.
BOTTOM LINE: Get this one before it goes out of print!

Yellow Ribbon
This is the second and ,as many have said, best in John Ford's famed cavalry trilogy. I go further in claiming for it high status in the genre of western films, it is one of the finest. Wayne wears makeup that ages him 20 years and his acting performance transforms him into that older man Captain Nathan Brittles, soon to be retired from the U. S. Cavalry. Captain Brittles talking to his late wife at her grave ,while he waters the plants he has placed there, with Monument valley in the background is one of the more moving scenes. This and "The Searchers" are Wayne's finest acting performances.
"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" won an academy award for it's color cinematography and it was well deserved. This is one beautiful film. Ford shot many of his westerns in Monument valley, this is his definitive Monument valley western, you really see alot of the landscape and clouds and it's glorious. The special features on this dvd has a short home movie of Ford and Wayne flying down to Mexico and hanging out back in the forties.
Own this one because it's one of those rare films you can, and will want to, watch over and over.

THE SECOND LEG OF GREATNESS
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON is the second leg of greatness in the John Ford Cavalry Trilogy. Cinematography-wise SWAYR is the jewel in the crown, it's much heralded Oscar winning celluloid images are breathtaking. All three films have their own moments of greatness, here it's John Wayne as Capt. Nathan Brittles, in make-up aging him 20 years no less "making his report" graveside to his wife and daughter; His receiving his silver watch from his troops ("Lest we forget,") and his negotiating Victor McLaglen's retirement ("A man of a thirst like that can't survive on less than a sergeant's pension!"). Of course there is the cavalry's march to their 3 theme songs: "Garry Owen", "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and "The Girl I Left Behind Me" (a constant in the trilogy). Sterling performances across the board. SWAYR is an all time classic.

John Wayne in his element
When this film was released I was six years old, living in grey, cold, bankrupt post war Britain, a world of food and clothing rationing. Cinema was pure escapism and I thank my parents for taking me there every week. Westerns were big in those days. They had titles such as "Broken Arrow" or "Winchester 73". As my love of cinema was slowly nurtured "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" left an indelible impression on my psyche. I loved every bit of it. The odyessic story, with its lack of 'white man good' 'red indian bad' stereotyping. The sophistication of Ford's direction with its cool appreciation of America's big country. The actors - Wayne, of course, towering above all, and decades before he blotted his copybook with his embarrasing gung-ho roles, to Victor McLagen's 'Oirish' knockabout sargeant, via the under-stated work of Joanne Dru and John Agar. "Never apologise, son. It's a sign of weakness." A simply unbeatable movie.

"Lest we forget!"
Capt. Nathan Brittles (John Wayne) is near retirement and looks at it with an unsure and heavy heart. After years in the U.S. Cavalry it is all he knows and is not sure what will become of him when he leaves it. Brittles knows that the Army and life will go on, but what will his role in life be, since he lost his wife years before. This is the second and best film in the John Ford cavalry trilogy. As it Brittles is not very keen on handing over command to younger soldiers who are yet to prove themself in leading other men and in combat. For all it's worth he has little to no say about what will happen to those who take over and what will become of the indian tribe that he has worked with and delt with for so long. Victor McLaglen is a great supporter in the film as he also faces retirement and enjoys his whiskey and fights along with the other men. A story about trust and service along with changing times, it features one of Wayne's best performances. An Oscar winner for best color cinematography (Winton C. Hoch) that features Monument Valley, this is a film to see as it is a western and war film wraped into one. It is simple yet not boring and it get's to the point when needed. Grade: B+ ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Wayne & McLaglen tackle the Lincoln County War
Based upon historical fact, this film follows the famous range war in which Billy the Kid made his name, but chiefly from the viewpoint of aging cattle baron John Chisum (Wayne in the title role). It's 1878 in New Mexico Territory, and Chisum rides into the local town of Lincoln to meet his niece Sallie (Pamela McMyler) off the stage. His foreman and long-time Good Right Hand, Pepper (Ben Johnson practically stealing the movie--he should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor), remarks upon the many acquisitions being made by would-be real-estate magnate Lawrence J. Murphy (Tucker in a cheerfully malevolent role), but Chisum isn't looking for trouble. Still, he is inexorably drawn into the escalating situation when lawyer Alex McSween (Andrew Prine), whom Sallie befriended on the journey, finds it impossible to turn a blind eye to Murphy's machinations, and helps stake the idealistic Easterner to a store to run in competition with the one Murphy bought out from under its original owner. Not until his friend and neighbor, Britisher Henry Tunstall (Patric Knowles), is murdered on the road by two deputies of Murphy's hand-picked sheriff (Bruce Cabot), does Chisum's temper finally come unglued, and the story continues through the siege (canonical) of the McSween store by Murphy's forces, the shooting down of McSween in the street, and at last a classic brawl (in an ultimately burning building) between Chisum and Murphy that always reminds me of two old range bulls butting heads. As always, the supporting cast adds immeasureably to the movie: Geoffrey Deuel as Billy Bonney; Christopher George (who also played a villainous role in the Duke's "El Dorado") as his old enemy, gimpy, half-crazy bounty hunter Dan Nodeen; Richard Jaeckel as Jess Evans, with whom Billy once rode; Glenn Corbett as Billy's friend (and future killer) Pat Garrett. The mild liberties that are taken with history (such as Sallie's attraction to Billy) only serve to fill out the characters better. There's plenty of classic Old West action and a good score (Merle Haggard's vocal, "Turn Me Around," should be released on a retrospective of his songs), and Chisum is portrayed as a decent man who loves the land and wants the best for the people who live on it (interestingly, he isn't expected to carry a romantic relationship at all, though it's strongly hinted that he came close to marrying Sallie's mother). A solid entry to the Wayne oeuvre and one well worth your time.

The Duke Rides again
Ok, so the historical aspect is questionable, so what? This is classic John Wayne, good guys against bad guys, and predictably great until the final reel. I always felt they left the door open a little for a sequel, or moreover that this was placing a John Wayne bootprint on the story behind the story of the Lincoln County War. Whichever way, I thoroughly enjoy this every time I see it. Probably not one of the "GREAT" John Wayne westerns, and I'm being a little generous with 4 stars, but the transfer quality to DVD makes it worth it, although there isn't any extra stuff. Just under two hours, and a little violent for very young children, otherwise Enjoy

Don't buy this Movie
I am a huge fan of almost anything with John Wayne in it, especially westerns. But this may be one of his worst. The Duke had a maddening habit of surrounding himself with bad actors. But often the movie was good enough to overcome this fault. This one is not. The music is flat out horrible, almost funny it's so bad, and the script is rediculous. It is historically inaccurate, and if you are going to make a movie with real charactors in it, then this is not a minor fault. The only good things in the movie are Ben Johnson and the Duke himself. Truly one of his worst.

A good John Wayne film but not very true to history
CHISUM is a solid film for its time period. Like always, John Wayne is at the top of his game. However, I'm still not sure why Hollywood felt inclined to make a movie that used John Chisum as its main character and Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett as supporting players. It doesn't really make sense. And while there is some truth to what happens in the film, for the most part it is historically inaccurate. For example, John Chisum never squabbled fist to fist with Lawrence Murphy in real life (as far as history has recorded anyway) but since Murphy was the villain and Chisum was the hero I see why it had to be done. It's just like I said though, why did they have to be called Murphy and Chisum? Why did the producers decide to make a John Wayne western based in realism using real characters when many of his more successful westerns were entirely fictional and used fictional characters? I guess we'll never know for sure. The end result seems to be more for John Wayne fans than fans of the Billy the Kid legend and the Lincoln County War.

C-

Western classic for your library
One of John Wayne's best Action Westerns. The acting is better than average and Ben Johnson actually talks in this movie! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Big Jake, the man who put the bad guys in their place!
Big Jake has always been a family favorite. Whenever it aired on TV, we watched it. If it were played 3-4 times a year, we watched it. You just can't beat the all-star cast. John Wayne, Bruce Cabot(very famous in the 1930'3 and 1940's) Richard Boone, as the lead bad guy, was a great choice. PAtrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum were both excellent choices to be his sons. Maureen O'Hara, as the ex-wife, she is still as beautiful as ever. All-in-all, a great action-packed western that holds up to the best. Big Jake, a real treat for all.

don't call him DADDY!!!!!!!!!
This film is one of the better later-day John Wayne films, though strangely violent for a Wayne film. The Duke stars Jacob MacCandles (maybe a reflection of his real life family situation) as a tough man, estranged from his wife and grown sons. Bobby Vinton gives a quickie performance as Wayne's eldest son, shot when (the great) Richard Boone and his band of cutthroats nearly slaughter all on Jacob's ranch in the kidnapping of his grandson (played by Wayne youngest son Ethan). Patrick Wayne, his real son, plays second eldest son and youngest son, Michael, is played by Christopher Mitchum (Robert Mitchum's son!).

In tow are Wayne regulars, Harry Carey (disgusting tobacco chewing baddie), Bruce Cabot as the Indian tracker showing age with Jacob, Glen Corbett as breed the fast gun that faces off against Patrick Wayne in a gun fight, the most natural actor to ever grace the screen, the late Richard Boone, and a lovely appearance by the eternally beautiful Maureen O'Hara, once again playing John's long suffering wife whot loves him, but cannot live with him.

It is super to watch Wayne with Cabot, Carey, Boone and O'Hara, and Jim Davis (later rose to fame once more as Jock Ewing of Dallas) and though the film is intensely violent, I don't see it was gratuitous. The violence came from the end of a very violent era, times were changing, but not fast enough. The violence of the kidnappers had to be there to show Wayne's to-the-wall rescue of his small grandson was called for. Wayne's character was a violent man when the times called for it, but it was just as willing to let things go - if ONLY the other person walked away.

He worked well with his sons and Mitchum, and the interaction between Jacob and his two sons provides the Wayne brand humour in the film.

The times were changing for the code of the old west, and in the same way, times were changing for John Wayne....

I give Wayne credit for not pulling punches in a film that does him credit.

They made the mistake of kidnapping Big Jake's grandson
"Big Jake" is one of my favorite John Wayne movies, which is not to claim that it is a classic film. This film is directed by George Sherman, who first began doing Westerns back in the late 1930s, although Wayne is known to have directed some scenes as well. In retrospect I would argue that this 1971 film is the first of a trio of film that Wayne made at the end of his career reflecting the passing of the Western. The other two would be Wayne's next film, "The Cowboys," and obviously his final film, "The Shootist." Of that trio "Big Jake" is clearly the most fun and my biggest complaint about this film is that when it is shown on television they almost always have the first commercial break at the absolute worst moment.

The film begins with a raid on the McCandles Ranch where Little Jake McCandles (Ethan Wayne, the Duke's youngest son, named for the character he played in "The Searchers") is kidnapped by a gang of cutthroats led by John Fain (Richard Boone). Fain demands a ransom to be delivered across the border in Mexico. The Texas Rangers are willing to do it, but Martha McCandles (Maureen O'Hara), the boy's grandmother, announces that this is a disagreeable task and needs to be done by a disagreeable man. At this point the came cuts to a close up of John Wayne peering down the barrel of a rifle. It is a great introduction to Wayne's character in the film and a fitting counterpart to the moment in "Stagecoach" when we first see the Ringo Kid and his Winchester. But television stations keep putting commercials before the cut because the film's opening sequence, in which narrator George Fenneman, who went from being Groucho Marx's announcer and straight man on "You Bet Your Life" ended up doing the narration for Jack Webb's "Dragnet," introduces us to all of the members of the Fain gang runs on a bit before we have the raid and the decision of what to do next. So Act I runs out for a bit and if there is a good reason to have this movie on DVD or VHS it is because that way you miss this horrendous commercial placement.

"Big Jake" is basically a chase story as the title character goes after his grandson, heading out with the ransom with only his trusted Native American friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot) and a dog named "Dog." But there are several others things going on to make the proceedings more interesting. Big Jake did not even know that he had a grandson, and while the boy's father Jeff (Bobby Vinton, the singer) is wounded, his two brothers James (Patrick Wayne, another of the Duke's son) and Michael (Christopher Mitchum, son of Robert Mitchum who co-starred with the Duke in "El Dorado"). Clearly Big Jake has been separated from his family for a while and there are issues, particularly with James, who makes the mistake of calling his father "Daddy."

There is also a whole sub-text about relying on modern technology. While Big Jake heads off with horses the Texas Rangers take off in new fangled motorcars. Of course this is a mistake, but there is a recurring theme of the old ways being best. Michael has a motorcycle and James has a new fangled pistol, but they are able to overcome their reliance on modern technology. If the Old West is disappearing it is not disappearing until the Duke has his last fight.

Then there is the running gag that everybody seems to think Big Jake is dead. When we are treated to that great close up our hero is watching a group of cattlemen get ready to string up a sheep farmer. Big Jake does not want to get involved, not wanting to make a mistake of his youth that almost cost him his life. But then the leader of the lynch mob (Jim Davis) makes the mistake of kicking a boy ("Aw," says Big Jake, "why'd he want to go and do that for?"). There could be trouble but then it is discovered that the big man on the horse is Jacob McCandles, who apparently is not dead. This happens so often that Big Jake swears he will kill the next man who says that and, of course, he does.

Finally, this film has some great dialogue by Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink. This was their first film together (he did "Major Dundee" and "Ice Station Zebra") and after this they created "Dirty Harry" for Clint Eastwood (no wonder the choice lines in this movie are so choice). When James calls Big Jake "Daddy," the Duke knocks his son on his can and announces: "You can call Dad, you can call me Father, you can call me Jacob and you can call me Jake. You can call me a dirty old son-of-a-b***h, but if you EVER call me Daddy again, I'll finish this fight." But my favorite is when Fain first encounters Big Jake (not knowing who he is, of course) and gives a very serious warning. At the climax of the film Big Jake repeats the warning word for word with a grim earnestness that is quite impressive. That is why this is not a great film, but a great movie.

One of my Favorite John Wayne Movies
Big Jake, although not his best, was still one of my favorite movies. My own grandpa was a larger than life figure, and this movie rings true to what he was in the prime of his life. One of Wayne's last, and I think it has to be on everyone's list. The adversary is a tough nut to crack, and knows just how to hit the nerves. It's not over the top violent (I suppose that compares with today's movies). GOD i wish they would have picked anything else for that kid to wear but that girlish little jumper with the white collar!

Not as good as I hoped...
I'm giving this one four stars for the quality of the video, sound, and the fact that this movie has, for at least 90 minutes, everything you would ever want in a late-era John Wayne movie. The acting is not bad at all, the story is set up very well, the villians are believable, and you have the obligatory old codger showing up his estranged smart-aleck sons while he teaches them a thing or two.

After we've been through 90 minutes of establishing trust and killing a few bad guys along the way, we come to the big showdown where the Duke tries to bluff the kidnappers, and then kill them. It's a pretty good shoot-out, and of course the good guys win.

The problem I have is that the Duke loses his best friend and his dog in the fight, as well as getting shot twice himself. When it's all over, Big Jake, his two sons, and his grandson exit with big smiles on their faces. The camera freezes on this image while the credits are rolling. It was kind of like a bad 1970's crime drama. I expected to see in bold letters, "A QUINN MARTIN PRODUCTION." ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Obvious Inaccuracies Bother Me
I found the movie enjoyable even though Jason Robards hardly resembles Al Capone. The movie has Al Capone slitting the throat of rival Joe Aiello on a train as he attempted to leave Chicago before the Massacre was even planned. However, Joe Aiello died from a hail of bullets on October 23, 1930, as he left an apartment building, more than a year after the Massacre took place. This would have been an easy fact to substantiate, yet the film contains this unnecessary error. The movie also has Albert Anselmi and John Scalise murdered by Capone with a baseball bat in "Capone's mansion" following a banquet honoring them. The killings actually took place in a Hammond, Indiana, road house. In addition, Joe Guinta was a third one clubbed to death at that time. Finally the movie includes Boris Chapman and Adolph Moeller as two who took part in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. That may or may not be, but no mention is made of Fred "Killer" Burke who it is widely believed to be one who definitely took part in the killings. The movie was very entertaining and worthwhile, but the inaccuracies that I have mentioned could certainly have been easily checked out.

Nice!
This is a classic. If you haven't yet seen it, I strongly advise that you should. It's a well known formula - bad guys fighting it out for control of a city. A few mistakes were made with the casting (whose idea was it to have Jason Robards playing Al Capone?) but nonetheless, it is a great film. That is, for a Roger Corman film.

one of the best gangster flicks ever
this movie with a few select scenes inaccurrate was not meant
to satisfy a few egg heads with true incidents as they happen.
we get the basic storey of 2 rival gangs trying to take over the rackets in chicago and the storey and back ground info to keep the viewer interested. one of the down points is that the real life gangsters, were in fact younger men between 25 and 35,
jason robards, may been pushing 50 when he was playing al capone in his 20's. john agar a noted ww2 vet who married
shirley temple plays dion obanion, who is portrayed as a mid 50's
business man instead of a manin his early 30's, the same with
earl hymie weiss, another guy in his mid 50's playing a man in his mid 30's, the gusenburg brother's and jack mcgurn were portrayed in the right age group, but they were older than al capone, as portrayed by jason robards.
well anyway i like the movie, plenty of background info
and a great storey.

A "Massacre" of the facts, but a fun one
"The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" is the kind of film that needs to be accepted on its own terms. To expect by-the-book authenticity, or post-1970 graphic violence, or extensive location shooting, is asking far too much. There's an early scene in which George Segal, as one of the murderous Guesenberg brothers, intimidates a speakeasy owner into buying beer supplied by Bugs Moran. His tactics are similar to those employed by James Cagney in "Public Enemy," and it is this little homage that should tell viewers that the film is going to make a mere pretense of accuracy - and that this is just fine. "Massacre" is a thoroughly entertaining film that never tries to be anything more or less than that.

Fred Steiner's jangling, dissonant score deserves a mention. It has a Charleston-like rhythm, dominated by a piano. It's an oddly effective thing, heard to best effect over the end title.

Among the cast, no one turns in what could be called a brilliant performance, but Ralph Meeker probably comes off best as Bugs Moran, particularly as he utters the crime boss' most famous quote, near the end. Jean Hale definitely got my attention as Segal's girlfriend, and Clint Richie is appropriately sly as Machine Gun Jack McGurn, who masterminded the title killings.

St Valentine's Day Massacre
This is one of the best gangster films ever, It is a gritty, in your face story of a true life event. True, there are some inaccuracies, what true life film doesn't have them, As far as I am concerned, they are insignificant and they don't take away from the film, the main context of the story is there, even with the inaccuracies it is still a top film. Shot documentary style, it is a film about the events leading up to the massacre. Jason Robards, though a fine actor, wouldn't have been my choice for portraying Al Capone, and is acting is a little hammie, George Segal did a fair job as Pete Gusenberg, after all, these were people who thought they could get away with anything, and most of the time, did. But this is not a film about any one person, it is a film about an event that still fasinates people today. I believe that the memory of the St. Valentines Day Massacre will live on forever. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

John Wayne's old studio home, Republic, made this 1949 drama about the heroic capture of an important island in the Pacific by marines in World War II. Director Allan Dwan (Brewster's Millions), a pioneering filmmaker from the silent days of cinema who easily crossed over into sound, handles the action sequences like a consummate pro, while Wayne works hard as the tough sergeant molding new recruits into fighters. John Agar plays a contentious surrogate son to Wayne, though the relationship is hardly the stuff of RedRiver. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A good movie about WWII, and a great performance by the Duke
John Wayne stars as Sargeant John M. Stryker in this very well-done movie about what is perhaps the most famous battle of the Pacific campaign--Iwo Jima. The special effects are good for the time (1950), and the scenery adds greatly to the overall effect of the film. Wayne does an excellent job as Stryker, the tough-as-nails marine who is hard on his men but soft at heart.

The most compelling thing about this film is Wayne's character. He is no great war-hero--in fact, he does very little on the battlefield of any great consequence. Instead, he does his duty, unglamorous though it may be. He is human, and this is what sets him apart from many war-movie heroes today. The movie lacks any intense combat or epic battles, but its strength lies in the character of Stryker and in his relationship with his men.

The reason I don't give this five stars is because it's scope pales in comparison with many other war movies. Part of this is due to technology, but much is also due to more action-intense films which (I think) help us understand better the battles and conflicts which the movies portray. Such movies as Gettysburg, We Were Soldiers, and even old films like All Quiet on the Western Front do a much better job than this film of showing the various positions of the battle, and of the obstacles the soldiers faced. The marines in this film have a relatively easy time getting to the top of Iwo Jima, but I would have liked to have had a little more information about the battle. Were it not for this, I would give the movie five stars without hesitation.

An Epic John Wayne War Film
Iwo Jima was one of the most bloody battles of the Pacific war. Thousands of Japanese and American soldiers lost their lives fighting over this island which was barely five miles long and two miles wide. Republic Pictures produced this timeless movie about that battle. John Wayne gives a stirring performance as Sergeant John Stryker, a tough-as-nails yet compassionate marine who is trying to mold his squad of raw recruits into a fighting machine. John Agar stars as PFC Peter Conway, a college-educated marine who truly dislikes Stryker and his tactics. However, over the course of the film, Conway develops a genuine respect and friendship for Stryker. Forrest Tucker does a marvelous job as PFC Al Thomas, one of the few combat veterans in the squad.

The movie begins with the marines training in Hawaii. After completing their training, the squad is sent as part of the invasion force of the island of Tarawa. I found some mistakes made by the producers dealing with this part of the movie. In the film, the landing craft are seen driving directly up to the beach and discharging their men. This is inaccurate. In reality, the marines who actually invaded Tarawa were forced to deploy from their landing craft as far as one half mile from the beach due to a low tide which didn't allow the amphibious craft to get close to the beach.

After the Tarawa invasion, the squad goes back for more training and replacements. Finally, it was on to Iwo Jima. The actual battle scenes on Iwo Jima only last about 15 to 20 minutes, but the fighting was very realistic, especially the flag raising on Mt. Surabachi. The three surviving flag raisers, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, and John Bradley, actually took part in the flag raising in the movie.

I enjoyed this movie very much. The colorized version was especially good, although some of the colors looked strange. John Wayne, John Agar, Forrest Tucker, and the entire cast helped bring the war in the Pacific and especially Iwo Jima to life. This rates as one of John Wayne's best performances. For more information about Iwo Jima, I recommend the books "Iwo Jima" by Bill Ross and "Flags of our Fathers" by James Bradley.

Poor DVD Quality
I bought two copies of this DVD before I decided that the transfer of this movie to DVD was defective. It has the same problem as "The Quiet Man". The scenes constantly drifts in and out into darkness, and constantly stalls trying to keep up with the audio. Whoever approved these products for market should be fired from their job, for they do an injustice to the customers. The rating system only allows one star as the lowest score. That is too generous for a DVD this poorly made. Otherwise, the movie itself is a classic. Too bad I cannot enjoy it on DVD.

Live action G.I. Joe
Macho macho man, when I grow up, I want to be a macho man. When I was a little boy, I collected the G.I. Joe action figures and watched the cartoon religiously. The simplistic plots and simpleminded flag waving along w/ the cool characters and frequent explosions was just what the dr. ordered for a ten year old. Then I got older and stopped watching the show and gave all my action figures away. Now, 20 years later, I'm intelligent and educated enough to see through the simpleminded jingoism and see Wayne's character as an empty-headed insecure tough-guy blowhard very much like my childhood cartoon heroes. I come from a military family. Members of my family were or are in the Army, Marines and Navy. Cartoonish and hollow representations of these men and women who serve and safeguard our country so ably and with such sacrifice is laughable at best and extremely disrespectful at worse.

Semper Fi
Although my first thought would not classify this as a recruiting film, the movie does just that. Within the story we see a few people who are trying to earn respect from loved ones, the fellow soldiers, or themselves. This fits most of the themes for WWII movies starring John Wayne. If the formula works, don't mess with it.

A hard-core Marine, played by John Wayne, has seen a lot of action, but he has also lost quite a bit of rank due to a problem with getting a bit too drunk on his off duty time. This drinking comes from his trying to deaden the pain from the estrangement from his young son.

One of his squad is having trouble dealing with his world also. His father was a famous commander who wanted to see his son be a brave soldier. His trouble with his family leads to friction between him and Wayne.

One soldier gets his buddies killed or injured due to his taking a break from the battle. From this, he must try to regain his respect for himself.

All these men fight their inner battles as they fight the outer ones. This movie is a tribute to duty and honor. I would recommend watching this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Wayne & McLaglen tackle the Lincoln County War
Based upon historical fact, this film follows the famous range war in which Billy the Kid made his name, but chiefly from the viewpoint of aging cattle baron John Chisum (Wayne in the title role). It's 1878 in New Mexico Territory, and Chisum rides into the local town of Lincoln to meet his niece Sallie (Pamela McMyler) off the stage. His foreman and long-time Good Right Hand, Pepper (Ben Johnson practically stealing the movie--he should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor), remarks upon the many acquisitions being made by would-be real-estate magnate Lawrence J. Murphy (Tucker in a cheerfully malevolent role), but Chisum isn't looking for trouble. Still, he is inexorably drawn into the escalating situation when lawyer Alex McSween (Andrew Prine), whom Sallie befriended on the journey, finds it impossible to turn a blind eye to Murphy's machinations, and helps stake the idealistic Easterner to a store to run in competition with the one Murphy bought out from under its original owner. Not until his friend and neighbor, Britisher Henry Tunstall (Patric Knowles), is murdered on the road by two deputies of Murphy's hand-picked sheriff (Bruce Cabot), does Chisum's temper finally come unglued, and the story continues through the siege (canonical) of the McSween store by Murphy's forces, the shooting down of McSween in the street, and at last a classic brawl (in an ultimately burning building) between Chisum and Murphy that always reminds me of two old range bulls butting heads. As always, the supporting cast adds immeasureably to the movie: Geoffrey Deuel as Billy Bonney; Christopher George (who also played a villainous role in the Duke's "El Dorado") as his old enemy, gimpy, half-crazy bounty hunter Dan Nodeen; Richard Jaeckel as Jess Evans, with whom Billy once rode; Glenn Corbett as Billy's friend (and future killer) Pat Garrett. The mild liberties that are taken with history (such as Sallie's attraction to Billy) only serve to fill out the characters better. There's plenty of classic Old West action and a good score (Merle Haggard's vocal, "Turn Me Around," should be released on a retrospective of his songs), and Chisum is portrayed as a decent man who loves the land and wants the best for the people who live on it (interestingly, he isn't expected to carry a romantic relationship at all, though it's strongly hinted that he came close to marrying Sallie's mother). A solid entry to the Wayne oeuvre and one well worth your time.

The Duke Rides again
Ok, so the historical aspect is questionable, so what? This is classic John Wayne, good guys against bad guys, and predictably great until the final reel. I always felt they left the door open a little for a sequel, or moreover that this was placing a John Wayne bootprint on the story behind the story of the Lincoln County War. Whichever way, I thoroughly enjoy this every time I see it. Probably not one of the "GREAT" John Wayne westerns, and I'm being a little generous with 4 stars, but the transfer quality to DVD makes it worth it, although there isn't any extra stuff. Just under two hours, and a little violent for very young children, otherwise Enjoy

Don't buy this Movie
I am a huge fan of almost anything with John Wayne in it, especially westerns. But this may be one of his worst. The Duke had a maddening habit of surrounding himself with bad actors. But often the movie was good enough to overcome this fault. This one is not. The music is flat out horrible, almost funny it's so bad, and the script is rediculous. It is historically inaccurate, and if you are going to make a movie with real charactors in it, then this is not a minor fault. The only good things in the movie are Ben Johnson and the Duke himself. Truly one of his worst.

A good John Wayne film but not very true to history
CHISUM is a solid film for its time period. Like always, John Wayne is at the top of his game. However, I'm still not sure why Hollywood felt inclined to make a movie that used John Chisum as its main character and Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett as supporting players. It doesn't really make sense. And while there is some truth to what happens in the film, for the most part it is historically inaccurate. For example, John Chisum never squabbled fist to fist with Lawrence Murphy in real life (as far as history has recorded anyway) but since Murphy was the villain and Chisum was the hero I see why it had to be done. It's just like I said though, why did they have to be called Murphy and Chisum? Why did the producers decide to make a John Wayne western based in realism using real characters when many of his more successful westerns were entirely fictional and used fictional characters? I guess we'll never know for sure. The end result seems to be more for John Wayne fans than fans of the Billy the Kid legend and the Lincoln County War.

C-

Western classic for your library
One of John Wayne's best Action Westerns. The acting is better than average and Ben Johnson actually talks in this movie! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Perfect Bride
Sammi Davis stars as a psycho bride who wants to prove to herself that her new husband is not like most men - piggish and self-occupied - and when she is eventually deceived, she plots his murder and the murder of friends and family of his who get in the way. Even the chase scene towards the end and the performances of Kelly Present and Davis can't make up for the otherwise bore and amateurish feeling of this film. The script is written as though it were a SCT skit, and the stunts are terrible. It's often entertaining in some ways, but the majority of the time, you're left sitting there looking at the screen and thinking: "Did I once have that sort of haircut?"

Very Good Suspense Movie
I really enjoyed it when it first came on the USA network 1990 i watched 3 different times. Sammi Davis is awesome as the Bride who kills people who gets in the way of her finace. If saw another one I recommend is Called Hush Little Baby it is the same type pf movie. There are some very talented people in The Perfect Bride like Kelly Preston (John Travolta's wife) Liden Ashby (from The defunct Melrose Place) Tamara Clatterbuck (Alice Johnson from The Young and The Restless. So i really hope u liked it like I did. It keeps u on the end of your seat. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The Creature from the Black Lagoon Strikes Back.
As a typical example of '50s Grade B sci-fi, this sequel meets most expectations. After an exciting start detailing the capture of the violent "gill-man," the plot drags a little during the creature's captivity in "Ocean Harbor," a forerunner of Sea World. As the man-fish languishes on display for gawking spectators, Professor Clete Ferguson (John Agar) moons around the delectable Helen Dobson. Both are academic types studying the creature, and each other. These romantic interludes (not to mention the pointless Flippy the porpoise segment) become tiresome, and one squirms waiting for the script to get back to the sci-fi/horror plot. Thankfully, the gill-man eventually breaks loose and typical monster-movie mayhem prevails. The panicked crowd fleeing Ocean Harbor in their best '50s summer-wear evokes chuckles. Rarely have we seen so many white shirts, crewcuts, and bobby sox in one place. And checkout those Panama hats. As the gill-man makes his way down to the sea through various canals and inlets, he brings dreadful death to clueless victims. They fatuously wander around at night, although there is a well-publicized monster on the loose. Feeling conflicted by freedom lust and other lusts, the gill-man stalks Helen, who lounges around in swimwear, underwear, etc. She obligingly stays by water, and leaves her doors and windows open and unlocked. The veteran Jack Arnold, who directed the classic "Tarantula" directed the movie. For those who enjoy old sci-fi/horror flicks, no matter how unlikely, this is a good one for you. Others beware. ;-)

UNDERWATER THRILLS ABOUND!
John Agar, Lori Nelson, and John Bromfield star in this movie that is an equal sucsessor to the original CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. A scientific team travles to the black lagoon to capture a very alive gill man. The expedition succeeds and he is brought to a florida aquariam, were it escapes and causes terrible havok all up and down the eastern seabourd. One of the best sequels ever, it ranks right up there with ALIENS, THE GODFATHER PART II, and THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK.

Is anybody awake at Universal?
Universal has released fancy new box sets of Dracula, Wolf Man, and Frankenstein with all the sequels. These excellent boxes are fairly priced and a genuine treat. But what gives with the Creature? Doesn't Univesal understand how much we love these three movies. Creature from the Black Lagoon was out on the last round of DVD releases of these classic horror films from Universal, but is now out of print. Alas, the two sequels, Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us, have never seen DVD, even though you can still find them from various sources on VHS. Better get one of those while they're still out there because Universal seems disinclined from giving them to us any time soon on DVD. Same for The Mummy and its sequels. Aw c'mon Universal. Give 'em up. It's time.

Hello Universal?!
Where's the DVD? Why not put "The Creature Walks Among Us" on it as well, like your other Classic Monsters?

Return to the Black Lagoon
Being the first of two sequels to a famous 1950's horror classic like "Creature From the Black Lagoon" any film would have its work cut out for it. Indeed "Revenge Of The Creature" certainly lacks that sense of confinement and eerie mystery that was so beautifully put across in the first film and which undoubtedly helped it become the great classic that it still is. The best way to view this film is to see it as an independant production and look at it for its own merits as entertainment.

"Revenge Of The Creature" picks up the story roughly one year after the conclusion of the earlier film. It has an entirely different cast with the exception of the River Boat Captain who was responsible for ferrying the expeditions in both films up to the far reaches of the Amazon Basin in search of the mysterious Gill Man. This time around B horror movie veteran John Agar stars as Professor Clete Ferguson who is in charge of research at Ocean Harbour aquatic resort in Florida where the Gill Man is taken after being captured and where he is placed on display in an aquarium for the general public to see. As opposed to the first film the creature in this instance is very much the one who has the audience sympathy. He is subjected to quite horrific experiemts in the name of research at the Aquarium and develops a strange fascination for Helen (Lori Nelson)the assistant to Professor Ferguson who he spies on through the portholes at the aquarium. At the first opportunity he escapes from his captivity and goes on a killing spree in Florida before abducting Helen and attempting to find his way back to safety.

While not a great story and while similiar themes have been explored elsewhere far more effectively "Revenge Of The Creature" does hold the interest. The scenes of the Gill Man underwater at the aquarium have that same stylish cinematography about them as the underwater sequences in the original film and the later sequences where the Gill Man escapes and causes havoc among the general public are quite exciting and well staged. The scene where he attacks two teenage boys by the water really has a very eerie quality to it and his attack does come as a bit of a surprise when it does occur. While John Agar might not be the best actor in the world he is quite believable here and despite the limited demands that the part calls for does a good job. "Revenge Of The Creature" is also famous for boasting the debut performance of later day superstar Clint Eastwood in the small role of a Lab technician in an early sequence of the film. Eastwood cut his teeth in 1950's horror tales and also had a tiny role in that other classic "Tarantula".

The Gill Man will always remain a classic creature and the makeup/suit for this creature is far and away the best of its kind. The more sympathetic slant that this movie takes on the creature is a welcome change and the film is a logical flow from the first film. For an excursion back to wonderfully innocent 1950's Sci Fi "Revenge Of The Creature" is an enjoyable viewing experience and a worthy successor of sorts to its classic parent. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Excellent post Civil War western
The Undefeated is an excellent western that teams John Wayne and Rock Hudson together for the first time. Set in the months after the Civil War, the story follows two groups as they venture into Mexico. One group led by Wayne's Colonel John Henry Thomas is driving 3,000 horses south to deliver to the forces of the French emperor, Maximillian. The other group is a wagon train of Confederate soldiers and their families who are moving to Mexico City under Maximillian's rule. Along the way, the two groups meet up and battle bandits, Juaristas, and even themselves. The action scenes are very well put together, especially the 4th of July fistfight and the bandit attack on the wagon train.

John Wayne and Rock Hudson are great as two rival leaders, one Union and one Confederate, who must work together if they are to survive in Mexico. Their relationship has several funny moments as they discuss their involvement during the war. The Duke's crew includes Ben Johnson as Short Grub, Dub Taylor as Mr. McCartney, Roman Gabriel as Blue Boy, and several other Duke regulars. The rest of the impressive cast includes Tony Aguilar, Bruce Cabot, Merlin Olsen, Edward Faulkner, Harry Carey JR, Marian McCargo, Lee Meriwether, Melissa Newman, and Big John Hamilton. It was great to see this on DVD which offers widescreen presentation, several theatrical trailers including The Comancheros and North to Alaska as well as two in Spanish and Portuguese. In the trailer, look for a scene of Blue Boy's fellow riders capturing Rock Hudson as he rides to Wayne's camp that did not make it to the final copy. This is an excellent post Civil War western that all Duke fans will love! Do not miss!

John Wayne and Rock Hudson togther for the first/only time
I have fond memories of this 1969 film because of the way that I first happened to see it. When my father was stationed in Japan we would have the opportunity every couple of months to go see a late show at the base theater. The movie to be screened was never announced; you just went and took your chances. One time it was "One More Time" (Peter Lawford plays Lord Sydney Pepper and Sammy Davis, Jr. was Charlie Salt) and another time it was "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" (I guessed the movie on the basis of the opening shot of the waves coming ashore). One night we went and the movie starts off with a bunch of Confederate soldiers waiting for attack and then along comes John Wayne leading a Union cavalry charge and we got to see "The Undefeated" weeks before its normal rotation to our theater.

Actually, John Wayne is not the best part of this film. The opening scenes deal with the end of the Civil War. Wayne plays Colonel John Henry Thomas, whose men have followed him from Texas to fight for the Union and are not sick of soldiering and ready to go home. The plan is that they are going to put together a herd of wild horses and sell them to representatives of the Mexican government, who are offering the best price. Of course, Mexico might be about to have its own Civil War. Meanwhile, the defeat of the Confederacy and the arrival of Northern carpetbaggers have convinced Colonel James Langdon (Rock Hudson) and his men that there is nothing left for them in the South. So his plan is to lead his men and their families to Mexico to serve in the military for the government of the Emperor Maximillian trying to hold onto power.

The two groups of former enemies meet along the way and after fighting Indians together achieve something of a rapprochement, mainly because Rock and the Duke are manly men and hit it off. They two big stars acting together, with Rock upstaging an amiable Duke at just about every opportunity. The idea of what expatriate Confederates during after the Civil War is an interesting one, but the script only deals with that as a means of setting up the rest of the film.

Of course since the former Confederates are traveling with women and the ex-Union soldiers only brought horses, the romantic subplots involve overlooking the minor past differences of the war that killed a half million Americans. Colonel Langdon's sister-in-law (Marian McCargo) grudgingly sparks to John Henry, despite the fact his unit was as Shiloh where her husband was killed. But it is hard to pay attention to any notion of a mature relationship when young Charlotte Langdon (Melissa Newman), the Colonel's daughter takes an interest in Blue Boy (L.A. Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel), John Henry's Cherokee Indian adopted son, which does not sit well with her beau, Lt. Bubba Wilkes (Michael Vincent before he was Jan-Michael Vincent, and I swear I did not make up that "Bubba" name).

Another NFL player, a then relatively unknown Merlin Olsen, plays Corporal Little George, a gentle giant for gets to fight for the honor of the Confederacy from time to time. You will also see former Miss America Lee Meriwether as Colonel Langdon's wife along with veteran character actors Ben Johnson as Short Grub, Harry Carey, Jr. as on of Thomas' riders, and Royal Dano as a dignified Confederate officer.

This is really a 3.5 star movie. It is not as good as I remember and there are all sorts of problematic elements to the film simply because "The Undefeated" is pretty much doing things by the numbers. There are no big surprises here once you know the players and it is simply a question of watching it all play out. In the end I round up simply because of the scenes between Wayne and Hudson, and that is without getting into the fascinating sub-text of the personification of American machismo acting opposite the biggest Hollywood star in the closet. I have seen some evidence that the Duke knew about Rock's secret, but there is nothing in the film to suggest it bothered him.

The Duke and the Rock Finally Together!
If you're a fan of either one of these late cinematic giants, you won't be disappointed by viewing this flick. Both Wayne and Hudson were quite versatile actors, but their roles in Westerns appear to be their most memorable. There's a fine supporting cast in this film which includes the two well-known former National Football League stars Roman Gabriel and Merlin Olsen making their acting debuts. Although the plot of this movie may not be historically accurate, the average fan of western films will find this feature entertaining. A western starring the Duke would not be complete without an elaborate donnybrook; the one in this picture doesn't disappoint. Overall, this film is worth a look-see.

Often overlooked is the GREAT MUSIC
Of course, I'm a John Wayne fan, so I probably can't be terribly objective about this movie. Obviously, there are serious holes in the story (a Confederate colonel will let his daughter ride off with a Cherokee????? Nahhhhhhh). What is often overlooked is the marvelous score by Hugo Montenegro. This is one of the great western soundtracks, just a step behind the all time greats (The Big Country and The Magnificent Seven). If you're into western soundtracks, you probably already have seen this movie, but if not, don't miss the marvelous work done with the trombone sections.

The movie is entertaining, and with a great deal of humor. Actually, this is probably one of Rock Hudson's better roles ( I can't bear him in those fluffy Doris Day comedies) in that his comedic talents are allowed to shine without being ridiculous. Loved Roman Gabriel as a football player.....but as an actor...well, um, noooooo.

BRAVO!!!
Definitely a great Post-Civil War Western and one of my personal favorites, The Undefeated, brings to the screen such heavyweights as John Wayne and Rock Hudson, whose performances are outstanding, making this movie one of the best of its kind. The acting, the battles and the costumes are all wonderful!
The Undefeated is a movie about honor, bravery, and heroes from a time long gone.
A great movie indeed! ... Read more

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Before John Hughes claimed the mantle of Hollywood's antichrist, that title was firmly held by producer Dino De Laurentiis, whose middle name may have been "hubris." He vowed that this remake of the 1933 horror classic would be a bigger hit than Jaws and that his Kong would be more sympathetic than the shark. But for all the money he spent on trying to make this monkey look real, the biggest special effect was making Jeff Bridges look like a monkey--and nearly destroying Jessica Lange's acting career before it started. The film was noteworthy mostly for how cheesy the ape looks, though this was one of the first films to be shot at the then-new World Trade Center. Even Charles Grodin, as the villainous promoter, can't get laughs in this idiotic film. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (91)

Great camp trash from the '70's
As many film fans are painfully aware, the sight of producer Dino De Laurentiis' name in the credits of any project virtually guarantees the stamp of mediocrity, and this 1976 version of "King Kong", less a faithful remake than a "re-imagining", doesn't escape that fate. With its leaden tone, wooden acting and creaky special effects (even by Seventies standards), it works best as unintentional high camp, and as such, has long since been relegated to the "so bad it's good" category. Properly viewed in that spirit, though, it is undeniably entertaining, and does offer at least two redeeming qualities: a superlative (and often overlooked) musical score by longtime James Bond composer John Barry, and the staging of the finale, which occurs not atop the Empire State Building but on the World Trade Center towers, one of the few films (along with John Carpenter's 1981 hit "Escape From New York") in which the late buildings actually played a key role rather than as background scenery. Though at the time the filmmakers obviously could not have forseen the two buildings' gruesome demise, it nonetheless makes for a strangely compelling, if extremely eerie, experience watching the movie today, as several scenes were shot inside the actual towers themselves.

That being said, however, the other aspects of the film are undeniably awful, and some that have posted reviews here have wondered how such talents as Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange could possibly been involved, obviously unaware that this was Oscar-winner Lange's very first film role, and that Bridges (who in my opinion has long been overdue for an Oscar) was at this point in his career still very much a B-list, journeyman actor. Considering the script he had to work with, he turns in a solid performance, and unlike other members of the cast, at least doesn't manage to embarrass himself (though I'm sure he's happy few people today probably recognize him under the wild unkempt hair and beard he sported at the time).

Of course, no discussion of up-and-coming talent in this film would be complete without mentioning the contributions of makeup artist Rick Baker, who would go on to become one of Hollywood's top designers of special makeup effects, winning several deserved Academy Awards for such films as "An American Werewolf in London", "Gorillas in the Mist", and "Ed Wood", among many others. Here Baker both created and wore the Kong "gorilla suit", to good effect, after plans to create a full-size, working mechanical Kong proved unattainable. (The full-size Kong does appear in two brief scenes: one late in the film and of course at the very end, looking equally dead in both.) As high camp goes, though, scenes like this (as well as the scene with the giant snake) are hard to beat, and overall the film is, for me, still a lot of good, cheesy fun. Paramount's DVD release at least allows the film to finally be seen in its original widescreen format, and includes the amusing trailer. Here's looking forward to "Lord of the Rings" maestro Peter Jackson's true-to-the-source remake of the 1933 original, set to wow us all in 2005!

Underrated 1970's Remake of 1930's Classic
1976's "King Kong" may not have the panache and legend assigned to the 1933 original, but it does have its share of moments. If a remake can be satirical, outrageous, and just plain different, then this one takes the cake. One recent criticism, but not in its time, was the unrealistic gorilla suit of Rick Baker's design. It may not be on par with the remake of "Planet of the Apes" (also by Baker), but just watch the Japanese movie "King Kong Vs. Godzilla" to see how GOOD Baker's design really is.
It is an interesting 70's time capsule, with Lange's Marilyn Monroe-esque acting, Jeff Bridge's hippie hair-do and "Greenpeace" attitude, and Charles Grodin's oil-obsessed hysteria. Remember the gas lines of the mid-70's? This movie will remind you.
Some of the special effects are dated by today's terms, but that's okay. Enjoy the 1976 version of "King Kong" on its own merits: just inoffensive good fun. After all, where else can you see King Kong blow the wet Jessica Lange dry? With puffy cheeks, no less?

Pales beside the '33 original
Like most remakes, the film exhibits good intentions and even starts off well. However, its fundamental production quality and even its special effects (!) are dwarfed by those of the 1933 original. The acting in the 1933 film is also much more convincing, in my opinion. I formerly owned the LaserDisc issue of the 1933 King Kong, and that edition was terrific, featuring the movie in its _unedited_ version as well as a director's commentary pertaining to the detailed aspects of the making of this great film.

I suggest that you _skip_ this mediocre remake and save your hard-earned bucks to purchase the upcoming DVD version of the original King Kong. If it is anything like the LaserDisc version (it actually should be more, regarding "extras"), you won't go wrong!

STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL!!
The thinking behind this remake escapes me. Why redo a nearly perfect movie, and leave out the dinosaurs? There is one encounter with a giant snake that's not bad, but that's it. The first half of this movie is an acceptable adventure story, but after Kong is captured, it goes downhill, becoming a politically correct monster movie(ie, Jeff Bridges cheers Kong as he defeats the military). Just stick with the 1933 movie, perfect in every way, almost, and keep hoping they find the lost footage of the spiders at the bottom of that ravine!!

King Kong
This is a movie that is a sit down family movie, all will enjoy.
I remember watching as a young teenager and now have purchased it to watch with my young teenagers.
After visiting Universal Studios and doing the backlot tour and seeing King Kong again it made me think about how to get hold of this wonderful movie. I rate it high on family enjoyment also prepare for the tissue boxes on the sad scene's