Reviews (5)

A wonderfully dark film!
Blade Runner tells of human-like robots which are in danger of gaining emotions and becomming too human to exhist by human laws. I loved this movie when I first saw it and I find it wonderful to notice in the background the company logos (which at the time were powerful up and coming companies) of which most are out of business (though Atari has made a comeback). The soundtrack sets the tone and the weather (which it always is raining in the film except for the very ending) also keep things looking bleak. I do enjoy the directors cut cause I am a big fan of Widescreen... but that is the only reason I like it. I wish they had kept the narration (or at least had a two sided disk so a person could chose to have the original unedited narration or the directors cut version). I know some people think the narration is the studios way of saying that the audiance cannot understand the film without dumbing-it-down with narration. This is definitily not the case. The narration reminds me of those old TV Cop dramas where the cops thoughts are always stated as the action is happening. I do feel that it adds to the film. I highly recommend the movie regardless of which version you see. Rutger Hauer is my favorite.

A Dirty Future run by Businessmen and Politicians
It is never enough for the powerful: in this film they manufacture people and then "recall" them like Chevy did the Vega... but we find that people aren't machines even when they are manufactured. The man who is called to track down the last of the androids falls in tough love with the last best of her breed!

Dark Sci Fi at its best
A truly fabulous cinematic work, I only wish it was still available for purchase. Philip Dick would be proud of the adaption of his novel. Vangelis renders a beautiful score. No one does it better than Rutger Hauer.

A depressingly dark moody film that makes you think.
I have both versions, the original release with Ford's voice over, and the "Director's" cut (which is surprisingly, shorter than the original). Of the two, I tend to prefer the original.

Purists tend to find the voice over of the original distracting and un-necessary, but I find it adds to the mood.

I love the cinematography.

It also sports early or first appearances of many now well known actors.

I would consider this movie to be within my top favorite movies.

The very best science-fiction/action/romance ever made.
Okay, the voice-over detective's dialog is hokey, but I love it; it's Sam Spade with smog. Years after the original release, the movie isn't dated or tired. It may always be my favourite flick. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A Forgotten Classic...
Corvette Summer may seem like a cheesy 70's made-for-tv movie, but it is, in fact, an enjoyable little film. Essentially, the story revolves around a car freak by the name of Kenny Dantley (played by Mark Hamill). He spends the entire summer tracking down a stolen Corvette that he helped build in his shop class. There are many familiar faces: Annie Potts from Designing Women (who received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance), Danny Bonaduce from The Partridge Family, etc...

70's preservationists as well as Las Vegas desert enthusiasts will be quite impressed. The story has a decent moral message as well. You may ask yourself through the film whether or not Kenny takes a real shower, but, overall, it's definitely at least a rental.

Love it!
Corvette Summer is one of my favorite movies! One thing I like about this movie so much, is how much I can relate to it. I really wish this movie could have been a huge success at the box office, because it really is a great movie that deserves to be appreciated. Mark Hamill and Annie Potts have an hilarious chemistry! Everytime I watch this movie I love it even more than the last time I watched it!

So do yourself a favore, go out and rent, or better yet, go buy Corvette Summer! You'll thank me later!

pretty good film for it's time
i use to watch this film all the time whenever it would come on&it was catchy for it's time period.Vettes were cool rides from the late 70's through early 80's.this film will take you back.

Let's see this on DVD (Widescreen)!
I loved this movie as a kid, and bought the VHS! I've owned three Corvette's in my life so far, and this movie was definitely an inspiration to the obsession. The quality of the VHS is not so great, and the audio is starting to go bad. With all the older movies now being re-produced on DVD, I wonder how this one was missed? I wish MGM would release this on DVD.

It's not Star Wars, but Mark Hamil still delivers
This movie is hilarious! Don't no why this didn't do well in theatres, this is a very very funny. This is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. You just have to see this. It's hard to give a helpful review on this film, because it is one of a kind, so all I can say is just see this movie, I promise that you won't regret it. 5 STARS is perfect for this gem. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Please, release it on DVD!
I saw this movie on TV once, Way Back When. I didn't understand it then, and I still don't now, but one thing's for sure; this movie *must* be released on DVD! It's a cult classic, right up there with "Plan 9 From Outer Space" in its' (unintentional) badness. KISS fans, unite; petition the band to get this movie released on Special Edition DVD--featuring a "making of" documentary, of course!!! 'Nuff said.

"The Phantom"
There is only about 30 minutes worth of actual KISS members in the film, but there is some outstanding live in-concert film from the show at Magic Mountain in the spring of 1978. Some of the show is the actual live recording, not dubbed music. This is the made for TV movie that came out on Halloween of 1978.

I believe this video is out of print, so grab it if you can find it somewhere. A must for any diehard KISS fan.

"Its the cosmic forcefield that protects our talisman."
I think it helps if you're a KISS fan to enjoy this movie as much as I do, but I loaned it to a friend who was never into them at all and it became a cult favorite of his which he quotes to this day. This 1978 masterpiece was directed by Gordon Hessler who did tv shows like Hawaii 5-0, Kung Fu, and Wonder Woman and I think the influence is apparent. Also, the film is produced by Hanna-Barbera (as in Yogi Bear & the Flintstones) and that influence is extremely present!

The plot! involves KISS playing live at Magic Mountain where there is lots of cool things going on like a Peter Criss look a like contest! Anthony Zerbe (Omega Man, First Deadly Sin) plays the mentally unstable Abner Devereaux (the Phantom), creator of all the rides at the park and also the machanical apes. Anyway, he starts losing it when some biker dorks mess with his ride so he sends them to his haunted house to get sucked down these big pipes and....wo! My brain stings...hang on. Ok, so Abner ends up losing his job and he totally flips out and creates a little microchip thing that fits behind the ear and turns whoever is wearing it into a mindless robot. He's also jealous of KISS, not to mention hates their music so he creates a duplicate KISS to destroy the original KISS. Whew!

Watching KISS try to act is endless fun. Gene has a few lines like "Starchild!" and other times just opens his mouth and a prerecorded animal growl comes out! Paul says stuff like "Easy Catman, these guys are serious." and shoots a laser beam out his eye so he can listen to what people are saying far away. Ace says "Ack" and can teleport the whole band out of sticky situations (like when be attacked by samurais or cat people in disco suits, stuff like that.). I never found out what Peter's power was but I know his real voice isn't in the film, its a famous cartoon voice like Aquaman or something. He does have some great lines like "without them we'd be ordinary human beings." This is in response to a question about their talisman, which are these little glowing objects they keep in a little briefcase in their apartment. They get their powers from these things you see. Anyway lots of KISS tunes and scenes that are pricelessly cheesy and unintentionally (I think) hilarious. Like when the cops go to question KISS about a Gene look alike bashing up property in the park and all 4 of them are sitting on high lifeguard stools at their pool dressed in their normal black leather and also silver hooded robes sweating their butts off! This scene always gets me. "Rock and rollers don't bathe."

I found this at a dept. store for cheap on VHS and now I wish I would've bought more copies because it's very out of print. I hope it comes to DVD someday but KISS aren't very proud of it so they probably want it to be buried. However, since KISS will usually sell anything for a buck including a big coffin with their autographs on it, maybe their greed will make them put this timeless cheezeball from 1978 on special edition DVD with interviews about why they hate it! I love this movie! "Rip & Destroy!"

kiss meets the phantom of the park
loved this movie as a kid and wants to share the experence of it with her kids!

KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Camp?
Anyone who is a KISS fan will tell you this is not the greatest effort they've ever done. KISS themselves will tell you that, and they take pride in the fact that they don't own the rights to it. When asked, they say, "we don't own that one, fortunately!" But to needle it down to what appears to be racist and predjudiced remarks (Paul's double with a double chin and Ace's double a "kungfu black man") shows no real merit. What makes a double chin and BLACK SKIN on the doubles so bad? The cool thing about KISS is they can do these kind of things and get away with it. The possibilities are endless, and that is something we should all enjoy. I'm a lifelong die-hard myself, and there are points in the movie that I would love to crawl under the seats in the theaters right along with KISS. Fortunately, there are markers in life by which we grade our accomplishments and make adjustments where necessary. I think for no other reason, this was a great movie to really gaze at the costumes and effects (albeit cheezy) and be taken away. It's a FANTASY, not reality. What does it hurt? Nothing. People can say what they want negative about the movie, but it STILL SELLS like wildfire and the demand has YET to slow down for it. Long live the KINGS OF ROCK! ... Read more

Reviews (746)

THE FUTURE IS DISMAL - SO IS THE TRANSFER!
Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" is an apocalyptic postmodernist vision of the future. The story involves a bounty hunter, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) who is assigned to kill three replicants - android style robots that look identical to humans, but who have come to earth to seek revenge on their creator - Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel). Sean Young costars as Rachel, the latest model of replicant who is so incredibly life like that not even she knows that she's not human. Also in the cast are Rutgar Hauer as Roy Batty - the ultimate killing machine, Edward Olmos as a drugged out police detective, Gaff, and Darryl Hannah, as the psychotic replicant, Pris. Flawed in its narrative, but visually stunning, "Blade Runner" has developed a cult following - and it is easy to see why. The production is layered with multi-references to the steady moral and social demise of our own society that stir the mind into rethinking this movie as much more than a sci-fi adventure. This version of the film is the re-edited director's cut that audiences were never shown in 1982. The subtle tweaking of story and plot elements really doesn't enhance one's viewing experience so much as it just alters the story in a different direction.
But what a shame about the transfer! Though the general color balancing and attention to fine details, even in the darkest scenes, is adequate, there is simply NO EXCUSE for leaving the chips, scratches and in some cases, tears in this DVD transfer. Pixelization crops up now and them, but the most disturbing part of the transfer is that it fails to pay attention to the dirt and (in some cases) hair, stuck to the film negative. The result is a dirty looking picture that, while perhaps in keeping with Ridley Scott's vision of a dank, hard universe of the future, is most definitely not what the director had in mind. Saving grace: the transfer is anamorphically enhanced for widescreen televisions. The sonic characteristic of the 5.1 audio is rich, though dated. Strong bass and reasonably well balanced dialogue and effects, though there are a few perceived occasions where dubbing in of dialogue sounds possible. And one final insult from Warner Brothers, this disc has NO extras - not even a theatrical trailer!

Stunning - The Best Sci-Fi Film Ever Made
Directed by Ridley Scott, possibly the best director in Hollywood, Blade Runner: The Director's cut is an outstanding medley of action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense. Robots have been taken to a new level - Nexus 6 Generation Robots called "replicants", which outmatch humans in strength and ability and equal in intelligence, but lack one human quality - emotions. They were used for "slave labor" to work in places too hazardous for humans. However, replicants after a few years begin to develop their own emotions, which causes them to rebel against their masters. Special cops, called blade runners, were assigned to exterminate criminal replicants. Eventually replicants were declared illegal on earth, and were banished to a shuttle in space. LA, 2017. Rick Deckard, (Harrison Ford) a retired blade runner, is forced to "retire" five replicants that have escaped from the shuttle, but winds up falling for one, Rachael. (Sean Young) Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) leads the other three replicants to find their creator, Eldon Tyrell, to expand their short four-year life span. Incredible action scenes, dark, brooding noir, creeping suspense, and excellent sci-fi, Blade Runner: The Director's Cut will please fans of any of these genres. The Director's Cut offers production notes, subtitles, added character developement, the original ending, a unicorn dream sequence, and the deletion of unnecessary scenes and the annoying voice-overs. Plus, it is digitally restored to excellent picture and sound quality. Some "sensitive" viewers might find the plot and noir atmosphere cold, but action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense fans will enjoy it very much. With stunning special effects, incredible cinematography, compelling plot, and rich, incredible characterizations (esp. Rutger Hauer), I strongly recommend Blade Runner: The Director's Cut to action/sci-fi fans.

Not quite the Blade Runner I remember
After purchasing and viewing the DVD director's cut release, all I can think is "where can I find the original theater release version". I sat my family down to watch it two nights ago and they lost interest very quickly. While it is still visually stunning to watch, it is not enough overcome the seeming lack of narrative/plot. In fact, one of the key things removed from the director's cut version is the voiceover narrative by Harrison Ford's character Deckard. For those that know the original version, it can even be a challenge to remember the significance of each scene. For new viewers of BR, they're left wondering, scene after scene, "OK what just happened and what relevance does it have to anything?". Bring back the voiceover!

The Director's Cut is AWFUL.
Compared to the original version the Director's Cut is awful. Background narration has been removed; the ending has been changed. Don't waste your money.

this is still a good DVD
but not as good as the original release. I preferred the narration and for that reason, I probably don't watch this movie as much as i did when I had it on VHS. I really don't understand why they don't make both versions available. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie? Luc Besson's high-octane film incorporates presidents, rock stars, and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman)and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. --Geoff Riley ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

Star Wars Fans can love this movie too!
I grew up with Star Wars, and still love it today, but times, tastes and styles do change. It doesn't make one "better" than another, just different. I, for one, absolutely love this movie! It's fun, flashy, thin in spots and hopelessly romantic, but also very positive about the future (if a bit crowded). Futuristic New York is enough to give you vertigo! The visuals, set designs, aliens and costumes are amazing - if you don't like this movie's look, you are probably dead.

Mila makes Leeloo "perfect" as the Supreme Being out to protect all mankind - innocent and wise all at once; and you just can't fault Bruce for doing what he does so well, a cynical wisecracking working stiff just looking for that "one perfect woman". But the secondary characters are what truly makes this one fun: "Weddings?" - Ian Holm delivers classic straight lines and Chris Tucker is just high-energy comedy as Ruby Rhodd (that trashy radio guy) - I roll on the floor every time I watch this - and it's definitely one to watch over and over for the incredible detail and sheer visual magic.

Buy widescreen and see the whole thing!

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Read the book too!
Great film, thoroughly enjoyable. However, even more enjoyment can be had by understanding the entire story to be found in Americo Paredes' book "With a Pistol in His Hands." Here you will find out that fact can be more amazing than legend.

6 star rating.
I have seen The Gregorio Cortez Movie probably about 20 times. I was good friends with Dr. Americo Paredes, the writer of the book and live very close to the area that Senor Cortez lived and worked. This movie should be made a standard in every school in America. It was very dramatic, sensitive, and a eye opener.

Bravo to MGM/UA for re-releasing this hard-to-find classic!
Probably the most authentic Western ever made, this gripping adventure film recounts the true story of the largest manhunt in Texas history. In June 1901, six hundred Texas Rangers chased Gregorio Cortez, a Mexican-American ranch hand, for ll days across 450 miles of terrain. Was Cortez a cold-blooded killer or an innocent man fleeing injustice? You decide. Starring Edward James Olmos ("Miami Vice", "Stand and Deliver"). Based on the book by folklorist Américo Paredes, "With A Pistol in His Hand" (1958, Austin: University of Texas Press). Olmos, who met this author in February 2000, told her in person he has two favorite films from the many he has made--this one and "Caught" (1996). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

James Bond wannabe movie.
This is an embarassing excuse for a James Bond flick. It tries to be a globe-trotting, fast-paced action movie, but winds being too slow, poorly directed, & not worth viewing again to me.
It stars Kristie Phillips as Charlie Case, a gymnast turned spy when her family is kidnapped by a Soviet spy & forced to reveal some secret codes. Lance Henriksen is Charlie's dad, an ex spy who is tracking Ukranian missles on the black market. He is kidnapped Sarah Douglas, Carla Davis, a Soviet spy who is the villian of the flick.
The pace is slow, it takes too long to develop fully into something exciting. I almost felt like turning it off when I first watched it.
It is directed by Albert Pyun, who tries to have some good camerawork at times in the movie, but his inexperience shows here. Several of the shots are okay, but look like they rushed it through. The special effects are not too great & the action is hardly memorable also. There are no high-tech weapons, special gear, or cool fight scenes. Just Kristie showing off her martial arts skills at times.
The movie shows some good points though, it has some good scenes, the cast has good chemistry, & the acting is pretty good. Though, it should've been redone as a comedy/action movie to get some better reviews.

James Bond wannabe movie.
A globe-trotting action flick featuring a sultry assasin targeted by two separate operatives. It stars Lance Henriksen as Richard Charles who is a spy that is hunting down Ukranian missles that are on the loose. Sarah Douglas is Carla Davis, a Soviet spy who kidnaps Richard & threatens his life if he doesn't surrender info to her. Kristie Phillips is Charlie Case, a gymnast turned spy who is forced to track down both Richard & Carla.
The movie does only a few things right, it keeps you guessing what is gonna happen next because it plays out very much a James Bond-inspired film. Kristie & Sarah do pretty gooed jobs of being actresses, though both have more sex appeal than anything else.
The major flaws of the flick are numerous, for one the camera work is crappy most of the times, sometimes it seems like the camerawork was forced to be done by Pyun, the decent director, who bombs this job. The special effects are below average for an action flick, especially because there are few explosions, chase scences, & high-tech weaponry. Thankfully, the fighting, guns used, & chemistry of the cast is decent enough to make it somewhat entertaining.
This should've been done instead as a comedy/action flick to get some more appeal & a broader fan base. There is more comedy than action here. Kristie has no acting skills other sex appeal & gymnastic talent. Sarah has sex appeal & some acting skills.

Henriksen, Tomerson true good sports in making "Spitfire"
This movie is so bad it's hilarious! Every new scene will leave you hysterical. Lance Henriksen (Aliens) plays a James Bond knock-off and Tim Tomerson (Trancers) a drunk sports reporter who are both somehow involved with a gymnist. How they keep it together has to be the fact they are getting paid to. And I'm not so sure of that from watching their faces. I know I see them smiling when they can't help themselves. They are the saving grace of this "no way" movie. Another plus is a scene where Robert Patrick (X-Files) is a gum-chewing agency man with a gun pulled on Mr. Henriksen's spy guy character. He has no lines but he is definitely grinning. If you can see this movie free, good. If you want to make it a financial tryout, make it a cheap one. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Lizard-like Draconian Louis Gossett Jr. and his mortal enemy, earthling Dennis Quaid, crash-land on a hostile planet during a brutal space battle. Forced to rely on one another for survival, they overcome their differences and become fast friends. You can almost hear them break into an off-key version of "It's a Small World." German director Wolfgang Petersen, so brutally honest with his film Das Boot, turns warm and cuddly on us with this intergalactic buddy movie. Much of the problem, though, is that the script sets us up for an intriguing encounter, then settles for a simple and sentimental resolution. Noteworthy set design and strong performances, especially by Gossett, push this beyond mere mediocrity. His performance is fascinating, as he must speak in an alien tongue, which he maintains with artistry and consistency. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A new twist on sci-fi
Enemy Mine is a great depiction of what we would do when confronted with our greatest fear/hate/loathing and forced to deal with or die.

Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. are fantastic in this film! Quaid as the human astronaut is great, and gives a real sense of his loathing for the Drac species. His character's growth and change in attitude is very well done and a believable performance. Gossett is also remarkable as the Drac, and his portrayal of an asexual creature so different (and yet similar) to us is nothing short of extraordinary. He also grows, learning to love the human Quaid as a friend/brother and giving him the ultimate gift: his child.

The special effects may not be Academy-material, but they do the job well for this film. While this is science fiction, the story is what makes this film so great. I don't know if it would work in any other setting/genre, but it certainly works here. If you haven't seen this, watch it!

Good movie, a true tale of friendship
"Enemy Mine" was one of the good movies of the 80's. It's about an alien called a Drac (Louis Gossett, Jr.) and a human (Robert Quaid), who's species are brutal enemies. But they must learn to cooperate with each other to survive on the barren planet that they both crashed on.

"Enemy Mine" is a good movie in just about every way. The special effects, landscapes, and aliens are great. Quaid and Gossett Jr. also do a good job of acting. The movie drastically changes when one of them has a baby. If you like sci-fi movies, "Enemy Mine" would be a good movie to get. My only complaint is that it didn't have much action in it like many other classic sci-fi movies, but it's still a good movie.

Interesting but disjointed film.
Well into filming of "Enemy Mine",the director was sacked and replace by Wolfgang Peterson whom had the previous director's footage destroyed as to avoid comparisons. A pity as that footage would have made an interesting extra as that film was said to have some good footage.
This unwarranted sacking has resulted in a disjointed film which has had major parts ommitted. There is also an attempt at humour that doesn't work such as a creature burping and a Mickey Mouse joke. Such stuff does not work in a serious science fiction film which this attempts to be .When I saw this in the movie theatre,there was sniggers as Dennis Quaid's character goes from regarding his opponent as his mortal enemy to talking as if they were old friends.
Despite this,the production values and set design are outstanding and it ends up being a warm-hearted story reminiscent of "Robinson Crusoe On Mars". A disjointed and uneven story,but still entertaining.
The "extras" on this DVD consist of a paltry 3 photos and a scratchy 4X3 trailer. Not much there.
Fortunately,the film is in widescreen.

Boy, this premise sounds familiar! Rehash, anyone?
I haven't seen this in a long time, but isn't this basically the same idea as the 1968 Lee Marvin/Toshiro Mifune war drama "Hell in the Pacific?"

Another Classic Sci-Fi Flim For Anyone
What if two enemies both from alien races crash landed on a deserted planet in the middle of a waging war? Would they work together as a team to survive long enough to be rescued? Or would they not be able to settle their differences and wage their own war? Enemy Mine starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. gives us this very scenario. Enemy Mine's story is great, and the special effects and makeup are great for their time also. I'd suggest this movie for anyone who is looking for more than just a "Shoot em' up, Blow em' up" type Sci-Fi movie. Three stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Before the action-oriented "buddy movie" formula settled into place in the 1980s and 1990s with the Lethal Weapon films, Walter Hill's 48 HRS. presented a much more irreverent and politically incorrect version of the genre. Eddie Murphy made an auspicious film debut alongside veteran Nick Nolte's consummate performance as a worn cop. Murphy plays a convict on a two-day furlough from prison to help capture his former partner (James Remar). The intense animosity between his character and Nolte's impatient detective is rude and violent--albeit in a comic way--and the film's racist and sexist banter is so ubiquitous that some viewers might be turned off. (This early, raw Murphy is not the Murphy of The Nutty Professor.) Then again, sometimes deliberate overkill is funny in itself, which is certainly closer to Hill's intention. There are a couple of scenes for the ages in this film, especially Murphy's single-handed shutdown of the action in a redneck bar. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (25)

This is the REAL thing. Accept no imitations.
In order to appreciate this film fully, you hafta turn yourself back in time to 1982, an' try an' remember the political an' social mindset of the day. Then imagine watching '48 HRS.' an unabashed an' raucous cop thriller that breaks the very foundation of political correctness. Now how does that make you feel? If you say, sick to your stomach, then maybe you needa loosen your jock strap an' try it again. E'ybody knows the plot, the hard-drinkin', chain-smokin' San Francisco cop Jack Cates, played by Nick Nolte (who looks almost TOO comfortable in the role of a wasted, burn-out), is lookin' to put two recent prison escapees an' vicious cop killers away after he tried an' failed to apprehend them. In going over the case he comes across several members of their old gang an' decides to go talk to one'a the incarcerated ones. Here's where Eddie Murphy comes in. Reggie Hammond is the smooth an' dapper, fast-talking convict who convinces Cates to get him out of jail an' on the street to help him solve this case. Cates reluctantly does so, an' from there is' jus' the two of them together goin' from place to place, crook to crook, bar to bar, lead to lead, tryin' to keep from killing each other in the process. Cates is a rough-edged, semi-bigot with an apparent vendetta toward these crooks (though apparently jus' for stealing his gun), Reggie is the charming, jive-talking criminal, with a more obvious vendetta toward the crooks (they dropped the dime on him, got him locked up, an' are now tryin' to steal a half a million dollars of his hard-earned, er, um, hard-stolen cash). Both are on the same mission, but with two TOTALLY different personalities an' when they mix it up, oh, is' gunpowder. E'ybody talks about the scene with Murphy in the country-western bar playin' cop ("Alright listen up. I don't like white people. An' I HATE rednecks. You people're rednecks. That means I'm enjoyin' this s---.") an' although it is funny, my favorite scene comes right after they question the two ladies who were s'posedly in cahoots with the killers, when Nolte an' Murphy finally drop the trash-talkin' an' jus' have a drunken brawl in the street only to be broken up by two cops on the beat.

This is the original buddy cop flick. With two guys who're ironically ANYTHING but buddies. Depending on the way you've come up watching movies, this one will either be a wonderfully offensive cop thriller, or a horribly offensive cop thriller. Of course, no matter how you look at it, '48 HRS.' will forever be a hallmark, because it was one'a the first movies of its kind: a rough-edged, blatant politically-incorrect film centering on characters that are so sleazy at times you hafta force yourself to like them, an' revolving around racial stereotypes an' sexist banter thas' thrown around like it's nothing, not to mention some brutal violence. Now it'd be much harder to overlook all the coldness if it wasn't for the charm an' appeal of Eddie Murphy, in his film debut. He is the main reason to watch the flick, although Nolte's character also provides the perfect counterbalance. Directed by Walter Hill, '48 HRS.' set a new standard for the way action flicks were to be played for the rest of the 1980s. With laughs, wit, chemistry, an' a not-so-serious attitude set against a very serious backdrop.

Fun cop buddy flick
Eddie Murphy made his debut in this Walter Hill film, and he is really the star here, even though Nick Nolte gets top billing. Nolte does a fine job, but his part is not as showy, and one's eyes are not drawn to him as much as Murphy, at his best in the country-western bar scene.

You probably know the story, but I'll summarize it here by saying that this is simply a buddy movie with an antagonistic twist. Murphy is the con, in for three years with six months left. Nolte is the cop on a search for James Remar, who stole a lot of money with Murphy long ago.

The story is set up as a mystery, with the pair questioning several possible connections, but the story doesn't really matter. The main attraction is the relationship between Murphy and Nolte and the slow growth towards friendship.

One complaint is that since this was filmed in 1982, they had a different idea of gritty police drama than today. The police department's atmosphere is incredibly tame compared to shows like NYPD Blue. Nolte does his best, chain-smoking and nipping from a flask (I read once you could tell an '80's movie by how much they smoked), but he still doesn't come across as jaded as any scene with Andy Sipowicz.

It's still fun and good entertainment, especially if you are looking for a film with an American Indian character that dresses like a '50's relic.

Wonderful
This is Eddie Murphy in is prime, when he was at the height of his acting career. He is so wonderful in this movie. He steals the show from Nick Nolte.

Worth Owning on DVD
At less than $15, this movie should be flying off the shelves. Both Nolte and Murphy are great. Their characters are are perfectly scripted to each actor's abilities and personality. Murphy plays a loudmouth penny ante punk. Nolte plays a grumpy, rascist tough guy. They, of course, learn to respect and like each other as they chase down the bad guys. The story isn't bad either. The soundtrack is good and 48 Hrs is set all over San Francisco. If your a fan of either or of comedy action or movies set in SF, you can't go wrong. My favorite Eddie Murphy movie.

Murphy's best is his first
Some of the best 1-liners ever reside in this film. Simply put, its a great comedy with a flare for drama, and in the cop buddy genre. Lots of cursing, some nudity, but ultimately, a great flick. It kicks today's cop buddy flicks in the Mother F-ing Aholes Mother F-ers! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

'Conquest Of The Earth' AKA 'Galactica-1980'
Well... The series was Ok... It might have survived better with all the original cast seeing as it was only made a year after ABC axed the original Battlestar Galactica. The only episode I really liked was with Starbuck and a few of the original cast that returned for that episode. 'Conquest of the Earth' is good as a collector's item for any BG fan... But it is such a chopped up and pieced together video of the 13 episodes they made. They should have just released them all uncut on Video than take them all and cut them up for a movie. It's about as bad as when they took the TV Show 'Voyagers!'(That I really liked) and re-edited and changed the effects and cut up shows to make a 'Voyagers!' movie for VHS back in the 80's.
So if you liked BG then buy it if nothing more than to see how they tried to return the show to TV. But fan's try hard to forget the 'Galactica 1980' version... Probably as much as we are not looking forward to the Dec.2003 mini-series "BattleStar Galactica' that is being hailed as 'Reimmagined' for the Sci-Fi channel....Seeing as StarBuck is a female character now, and there will be no Daggit 'Muffit' as well as the mythology background of the original BG. I'll peek in on the Mini-series... Maybe Ronald D. Moore will make it as true to the original as he can? After all... A lot of old Trek fans were up in arms over the thought of Star Trek:TNG at first...But I gave it a chance! And loved it!!! But I think taking a loved male character that worked well with Apollo and making it female would be like Star Trek:TNG being remade with Data and Riker as females, and changing Gene Roddenberry's entire premise of Star Trek. In other words... Don't mess with what works. :-)

They finally made It!!!!
I loved the original when it first started. When they finally reach earth its kind of cool. They got new flying bikes and stealth technology..I just wished the movie was edited better. But its one every collector must have....long live battlestar galactica............

So bad it's... well, it's just bad.
Why on earth didn't they let the Cylons kill Wolfman Jack? OK, this isn't exactly Shakespeare, but you know what - neither was the original Battlestar Galactica, which had to hold the record for most sf/x stock footage ever used in one series. This bizarre combination of "Galactica: 1980" footage and other bits 'n' pieces is worth a look for camp value for any "Battlestar" fan with a sense of humor - besides the aforementioned totally wacked-out cameo by Wolfman Jack, you have the never-explained "human" Cylons, the so-bad-it's-laughable f/x for the "sky bikes," a funky disco soundtrack, the really lame "Dr. Zee" character who's never fully explained, played by two actors in the course of the show (one of them Robbie Rist, lionized as the "ninth Brady!"), and to top it all off, a somnabulent Lorne Greene with a beard looking like nothing so much as a mummified corpse that walks. ("Just gimme the check, and let me go home..." he seems to be thinking.) I have fond memories of the original Battlestar although these days I can see what a fairly dated, hokey piece of work it is (still fun though), and this "Conquest" makes that stuff look like "2001." Get it if you're a fan who never saw the lamentable "Galactica: 1980" series and are trying to remember why it was an even more terrible "TV sequel" than "AfterMASH."

Make it go away!
Ok, everyone close your eyes, tap your heels together three times, and say "There is no Galactica 1980, there is no Galacatica 1980!" This pitiful half hearted, half budgeted attempt to revive Battlestar Galactica in the 80's was so terrible that everyone wants to pretend it never happened. Even Richard Hatch (Apollo) ignored this short lived series when he co-wrote his two BG novels. Basically, this flick has horrible effects, very cheesy acting, and at least a quarter of the movie is clips from the old Galactica series. Take my word, don't waste your money. You can buy all the episodes from the original series and be entertained for a long time, but this one will put you to sleep.

A kind of "best of" Galactica 1980
Though, I do agree that the G'80 series was horrible, it did have some interesting moments. "The Return of Starbuck" was obvoiusly the best episode. "Conquest of Earth" starts off with the first part of "Galactica Discovers Earth" , then skips the stupid subplot and goes right into "The Night the Cylons Landed". Thank goodness they edited all the stupid scenes from it though. I think maybe Glen Larson released "Conquest" to kind of squeeze something good out of G'80. One review on here said that there was no explanation as to the two Dr' Zee's. Actually there is a redub in "Conquest" that mentions that one is Dr. Zee and the other is his brother Dr. Zen. For the most part, "Conquest" is not a great movie, but it's much better than the entire series of Galactica 1980. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

When Ridley Scott's cut of Blade Runner was finally released in 1993, one had to wonder why the studio hadn't done it right the first time--11 years earlier. This version is so much better, mostly because of what's been eliminated (the ludicrous and redundant voice-over narration and the phony happy ending) rather than what's been added (a bit more character development and a brief unicorn dream). Star Harrison Ford originally recorded the narration under duress at the insistence of Warner Bros. executives who thought the story needed further "explanation"; he later confessed that he thought if he did it badly they wouldn't use it. (Moral: Never overestimate the taste of movie executives.) The movie's spectacular futuristic vision of Los Angeles--a perpetually dark and rainy metropolis that's the nightmare antithesis of "Sunny Southern California"--is still its most seductive feature, an otherworldly atmosphere in which you can immerse yourself. The movie's shadowy visual style, along with its classic private-detective/murder-mystery plot line (with Ford on the trail of a murderous android, or "replicant"), makes Blade Runner one of the few science fiction pictures to legitimately claim a place in the film noir tradition. And, as in the best noir, the sleuth discovers a whole lot more (about himself and the people he encounters) than he anticipates.... With Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah, Rutger Hauer, and M. Emmet Walsh. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (746)

THE FUTURE IS DISMAL - SO IS THE TRANSFER!
Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" is an apocalyptic postmodernist vision of the future. The story involves a bounty hunter, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) who is assigned to kill three replicants - android style robots that look identical to humans, but who have come to earth to seek revenge on their creator - Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel). Sean Young costars as Rachel, the latest model of replicant who is so incredibly life like that not even she knows that she's not human. Also in the cast are Rutgar Hauer as Roy Batty - the ultimate killing machine, Edward Olmos as a drugged out police detective, Gaff, and Darryl Hannah, as the psychotic replicant, Pris. Flawed in its narrative, but visually stunning, "Blade Runner" has developed a cult following - and it is easy to see why. The production is layered with multi-references to the steady moral and social demise of our own society that stir the mind into rethinking this movie as much more than a sci-fi adventure. This version of the film is the re-edited director's cut that audiences were never shown in 1982. The subtle tweaking of story and plot elements really doesn't enhance one's viewing experience so much as it just alters the story in a different direction.
But what a shame about the transfer! Though the general color balancing and attention to fine details, even in the darkest scenes, is adequate, there is simply NO EXCUSE for leaving the chips, scratches and in some cases, tears in this DVD transfer. Pixelization crops up now and them, but the most disturbing part of the transfer is that it fails to pay attention to the dirt and (in some cases) hair, stuck to the film negative. The result is a dirty looking picture that, while perhaps in keeping with Ridley Scott's vision of a dank, hard universe of the future, is most definitely not what the director had in mind. Saving grace: the transfer is anamorphically enhanced for widescreen televisions. The sonic characteristic of the 5.1 audio is rich, though dated. Strong bass and reasonably well balanced dialogue and effects, though there are a few perceived occasions where dubbing in of dialogue sounds possible. And one final insult from Warner Brothers, this disc has NO extras - not even a theatrical trailer!

Stunning - The Best Sci-Fi Film Ever Made
Directed by Ridley Scott, possibly the best director in Hollywood, Blade Runner: The Director's cut is an outstanding medley of action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense. Robots have been taken to a new level - Nexus 6 Generation Robots called "replicants", which outmatch humans in strength and ability and equal in intelligence, but lack one human quality - emotions. They were used for "slave labor" to work in places too hazardous for humans. However, replicants after a few years begin to develop their own emotions, which causes them to rebel against their masters. Special cops, called blade runners, were assigned to exterminate criminal replicants. Eventually replicants were declared illegal on earth, and were banished to a shuttle in space. LA, 2017. Rick Deckard, (Harrison Ford) a retired blade runner, is forced to "retire" five replicants that have escaped from the shuttle, but winds up falling for one, Rachael. (Sean Young) Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) leads the other three replicants to find their creator, Eldon Tyrell, to expand their short four-year life span. Incredible action scenes, dark, brooding noir, creeping suspense, and excellent sci-fi, Blade Runner: The Director's Cut will please fans of any of these genres. The Director's Cut offers production notes, subtitles, added character developement, the original ending, a unicorn dream sequence, and the deletion of unnecessary scenes and the annoying voice-overs. Plus, it is digitally restored to excellent picture and sound quality. Some "sensitive" viewers might find the plot and noir atmosphere cold, but action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense fans will enjoy it very much. With stunning special effects, incredible cinematography, compelling plot, and rich, incredible characterizations (esp. Rutger Hauer), I strongly recommend Blade Runner: The Director's Cut to action/sci-fi fans.

Not quite the Blade Runner I remember
After purchasing and viewing the DVD director's cut release, all I can think is "where can I find the original theater release version". I sat my family down to watch it two nights ago and they lost interest very quickly. While it is still visually stunning to watch, it is not enough overcome the seeming lack of narrative/plot. In fact, one of the key things removed from the director's cut version is the voiceover narrative by Harrison Ford's character Deckard. For those that know the original version, it can even be a challenge to remember the significance of each scene. For new viewers of BR, they're left wondering, scene after scene, "OK what just happened and what relevance does it have to anything?". Bring back the voiceover!

The Director's Cut is AWFUL.
Compared to the original version the Director's Cut is awful. Background narration has been removed; the ending has been changed. Don't waste your money.

this is still a good DVD
but not as good as the original release. I preferred the narration and for that reason, I probably don't watch this movie as much as i did when I had it on VHS. I really don't understand why they don't make both versions available. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Very Intelligent and Entertaining Thriller
"The Player" is one of those fascinating comedic thrillers with one defined dramatic plot, and various subplots dealing with the movie industry. Player is not a fast paced thriller, but rather an intelligent and laid back story surrounded by Hollywood and the business of film making. Tim Robbins plays Griffin Mill, a studio executive whose main job is to decide which scripts make it to the big screen. When he starts receiving threatening postcards, he suspects they come from a writer whose script was turned down. Hence, he tries to identify the writer in order to pay him off and stop the blackmail. Apparently he found the writer , apparently not. Murder. Whoopi Goldberg's performance as detective Avery, investigating the murder, is simply wonderful and provides humor with her spicy language. For the rest of the plot, you must see the movie. Directed by Robert Altman (Gosford Park), Player's cast include Greta Scacchi, Peter Gallagher, Fred Ward, Lyle Lovett and numerous cameo appearances by familiar faces such as Lily Tomlin, Bruce Willis, Robert Wagner, Susan Sarandon, Julia Roberts, Nick Nolte, Andie McDowell, John Cusack, to name a few. Besides the main plot, this is certainly a good perspective of how decisions are made in Hollywood, and the dynamics and politics of movie making . Player views the "film noir" and independent film making alternatives, and flirts with the concepts of dissociation of the big studios with the artistic ("Ars Gratia Artis") philosophies of the old days, those being replaced with the "money-making-happy-ending" driving forces of modern day Hollywood. DVD version.

Hectic Life of Hollywood Wheeling & Dealing
This film has the most unique opening scene (which lasts about 8 or 9 minutes in a single frame!) I have ever seen in a movie! Tim Robbins plays the role of a producer who "just does his job", which includes brushing off hopeful screen writers and being nasty to his assistants. Little does he know, that others are good at back-stabbing too, and that his name is about to be dropped. All depends on his next project; if it stinks, he sinks! -- A few clever twists, including black-mail and manslaughter, keep the viewer interested, right up to the surprise ending. Watch for Whoopi Goldberg and Lyle Lovitt as police detectives (I couldn't picture either of them in such a role, but they did surprisingly well!). This is a very good film, but I still have a problem with how everything turns out (which I can't dwell on, or I'd spoil it for those who haven't seen it). See for yourself!

Gripping & Hilarious!
Only Robert Altman could make a movie like this. With its huge, sprawling cast of talented actors and famous people dropping by for cameos, Altman has created one of the best Hollywood satires ever made. I think the only other movies gunning for this title would be "The Day of the Locust" and Steve Martin's "Bowfinger."

Recent Academy Award winner Tim Robbins plays a sleazy movie exec who deals with the writing talent. A bunch of mysterious and threatening postcards show up at Robbins's office, and a tense thriller unfolds. Interspersed between the classic thriller elements, Altman stuffs a making-the-movie subplot in there which pokes fun at Hollywood producers and actors, as well as developing a convincing and warm love story. How does he do it? He's Robert Altman, for Christ's sakes. And he does it seamlessly - by the time the movie is over, you're wishing it had just begun.

Altman uses text messages to get points across to the viewer, and the background becomes almost as important and pertinent to the plot as the physical action unfolding before you. Perhaps this is a comment on our celluloid-dampened minds and our inability to see, as it were, the "writing on the wall." For if the characters in this film stopped for a moment and saw where they were, what they were doing, and why, perhaps none of those people would be in trouble. It's a nice jab at our MTV attention spans, and hilarious when foreign films are mentioned Hollywood Types, who immediately clam up and say, "Haven't seen it."

Good times, indeed. You'll have tons of fun just pointing out the celebrity cameos in "The Player." Altman probably did this to give the audience the same awe-struck sensation they would get if they were amongst those power players. You find yourself pointing at the screen and saying, "Hey, that's Susan Sarandon!" or "That's Jack Lemmon playing the piano there!"

So not only is "The Player" an excellent and biting comedy, it's a convincing thriller as well. And nobody could've guessed the ending, which leaves you ... well ... it's difficult to describe how "The Player" ends without giving too much away. So rent it, buy it, spin it on your finger and give props to one of the greatest living American directors.

"IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT, GRIFF..."
This is one of my all-time favorite films, a scathing, paced look at inside Hollywood that deciphers the netherworld of studio execs, producers, directors, actors and, most importantly, those over-abused prostitutes of the industry, screenwriters. Tim Robbins is Griffin Mill - smarmy, corporate and slick as cat manure on a vinyl floor. Robert Altman brought in an array of big names to lend this film their aura. Everybody was in it. Buck Henry pitches the best film idea that never happened, "The Post-Graduate", which is the sequel to "The Graduate".

Grif is getting poison pen mail and he explores it a little too much, leading him to an art house in Pasadena where he accidentally kills a teed-off scribe, then into the man's ice queen girlfriend. Plot twists and studio politics intersect, and Whoopi Goldberg is insane as the cop who knows Grif got away with murder, which he does.

There is no morality, just cold-hearted realpolitik. Do not miss Altman's interview at the end. Like "Sunset Boulevard", this one captivated and irritated this closed industry which still believes its press releases. Robbins is as good as it gets. This is sex and power, the ultimate aphrodisiac.

The plot twist that ends it is one of the best ever devised, with Grif and his blackmailer suddenly co-producers "if the price is right..."

As Matthew says in the Bible, "what does a man profit if he has the world but loses his soul?"

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
...

A Keeper!
This is a great movie! I usually shy away from Tim Robbins' work, ever since "Bull Durham" anyway. His politics are the reason, I cannot stand the sanctimonious "message" movies he and others such as Oliver Stone repeatedly assault the general public with from their pulpits of privelege. All that aside, Mr. Robbins is quite great in this movie, treading the line of being a typical Hollywood ahole yet still evoking sympathy from the audience for his tenuous hold on his studio position. At least that's what I felt. I was glad when he "got away with it". All in all this is a really good movie and it really gives one the sense of being "in the scene" much like a documentary does. My one fault is the way the crowd scenes, such as in restaurants were handled, from a sound standpoint. I'm sure the overlapping dialogue was intentional but it was distracting more than anything. Great Movie...did I say that enough times? And where has Greta Scacchi gone? She is sexy as heck here. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Mayhem and Carnage and Arnold!
Arnold Schwartzenegger in the role of humorless, ultra-disciplined Soviet police-captain Vanya Danko, teamed with Chicago PD screw-up Art Ritsek (Jim Belushi), to track a Georgean drug kingpin... this is one of Arnold's greatest, but least-appreciated, action-films. The best scenes take place in Russia, in the banya (public bath), over the rooftops around Red Square, in the mafiya cafe. Arnold's Russian, spoken with his Austrian accent, is pretty terrific! What impressed me was the film's close attention to detail: Even Danko's handwriting and numbers were authentically Russian-style. The machismo of the personal battle between Ivan Danko and the smuggler was intensely Russian, as was Danko's unswerving conviction of Soviet superiority. His terse correction of the hotel clerk's question "Is [Viktor] another Russian, like you?" Danko: "Soviet.", is right-on -- Georgeans are not Russians, although many Americans don't know that. The scripting of a Georgean as the loathesome criminal is actually quite revealing, and surely a reflection of the film's "official" Russian input . Despite the grimness of the plot and Arnold's character, there is plenty of dark humor, mainly provided by Belushi's portrayal of undisciplined officer Ritsek. The humor frequently contrasts the strictly indoctrinated Soviet structure with the (to Danko) near-anarchy of American freedom. Much of the mayhem and carnage wrought during the process of Danko's personal war defies credibility; as Ritsek puts it: "Why aren't there any cops around when you need one!" The action genre's obligatory high-speed chase scene was ludicrous, yet appropriately Russian (everything Russian always seems so much "bigger"...). And the protagonists' exchange in the end, in which Vanya gets the better deal, is also typically Russian -- and proves that Danko is not so humorless after all. By the way, this movie (like all of Arnold's action-films) is extremely popular here, where it has been dubbed into the Russian language. Ironically, in the russkiy version, all the obscenities have been deleted from the dialogue.

Not the Team I would have Picked, but....
Not a team I would have chosen, but that is why I am not the casting director. Arnold Schwartzenegger plays the role of a humorless, over-disciplined Soviet police officer Vanya Danko. He is teamed with a Chicago Police Department screw-up Art Ritsek (Jim Belushi). Together the must track a Georgean drug kingpin. This is probably one of Arnold's greatest films even if it may be one of his least talked about.

This movie has it all. Humor, action, and what seems to be a budding romance. It won't dissapoint.

But it's a FUN "Heat"...
Ahh... nothin' like an over-the-top Schwarzenegger vehicle to get me over my 80s action flick D.T.s! And ya gotta admit, 'Red Heat' can be pretty hokey at times. Take Arnie's weird attempt at a Russian accent, for example. Except for switchin' his Vs with Ws like Chekov from 'Star Trek' (bet'cha ten-to-one Walter Koenig actually helped him out with his "accent"), he sounds pretty much the same as he always did... only with more of a monotone, if such a thing is possible. And his emoting of anger (the only emotion most of his characters seem capable of doing) is just as bad as ever. Needless to say, I love every campy moment of it!

Then there's Jim Belushi, the comedic side of this preposterous fish-out-of-water buddy-cop story as he plays the kinda character he does better than almost anybody: a wise-@$$ who's always got some kinda smart-aleck comeback for everything. Ya know, kinda like Bill Murray, except a bit beefier, thereby making him a more suitable action-film sidekick. Not only does he help the main man out by tracking down a Soviet drug dealer through the mean streets of Chicago, he also helps set up the smattering of culture-clash gags going throughout the movie for his stoic partner to knock down... and vice-versa. And just when ya thought all that 'glastnost' and 'perestroika' stuff wasn't gonna work out...

And what's an Arnie flick without a few hilariously implausible action scenes? They save the best for last here as both the bad guy and the good guys do a charter bus chase & game of 'chicken' through a seedy area of the windy city, with one of the buses meetin' up with a train. Warner Bros. would lift the latter part of this action sequence from this flick and do it a lot better in "The Fugitive" movie several years later. Which I'm sure was their revenge for 'Red Heat' lifting the infamous 'back-lit Dirty Harry emerging from the shadows to take on the bad guys at the amusement park' climax from "Sudden Impact" and using it as part of Arnie's one-on-one "High Noon"-type shootout with the main heavy. Adding to this amusing development was the fact that our Austrian hero used a .44 Magnum revolver to mete out final justice. Coincidence? I think NOT...

Speakin' of the .44 Magnum: there was one shootout scene where Arnie fired off more than six shots with the gun without reloading once! Even Dirty Harry hadda reload every once in a while! How d'ya think he came up with that "Did I fire six shots... or only five?" routine?! Sheesh-- whatever happened to realism in action flicks, huh?! I swear...

BTW this DVD includes the movie both in widescreen and pan-&-scan aspect ratios. Personally, I could care less whether or not I watch this in one format or the other, but at least the disc's producers had the common courtesy to give you, the Arnie-action-movie-loving DVDphile, a choice in the matter. And if you're deaf or hard of hearing, here's a bit of warning: the subtitles don't always completely match the spoken dialogue. So if ya really wanna know what's bein' said, you'd better have the screenplay handy, or learn to read lips...

'Late

An excellent action comedy.
In "Red Heat", Arnold Schwarzenegger plays an iron-man Russian police officer who chases a rather nasty drug czar to Chicago. There he is partenered with James Belushi, a good, but sloppy cop. The two shoot up half the city as they close in on Vicktor Roskov. This movie is pretty much what you'd expect out of an '80s action comedy, vulger and bloody. Walter Hill basicly reworks the same formula from "48 Hours", but he knows what he's doing. I think that it is funnier and more excellerating. There is even an air of mystery and clues that have to be figured out, so it's marginally smarter than your average action thriller. It also has a few future stars, Gina Gershon and Laurance Fishburne. But it is definatly Arnold and Jim's show all the way. It will not change your world, but it is good (not clean, though) entertainment

This is an awsome movie
This is an awsome movie. It stars Jim Bekushi and Arnold Schwarenegger. I like the part where they chicken with a bus and almost kill the bad guy. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

TIME RUNNER- (...) Sci-fi Action Adventure Move
The story of the future. Aliens are trying to blow up the world in 2022. Scientists send a space commander back in time after the satellite he occupies is blown up. He ends up in 1992 and learns that is his chance to prevent the alien invasion from happening. What a sorry movie. It is a good idea about a man going back in time to save the future. But I think it is slow happening and spends too much time on details that are not that important. I wish the story had happened quite differently than it did. I have been trying to think up a better story than this ever since I saw this movie on TV. I did think it was amazing how the aliens tried to kill his mother before she had him. Most bad guys would try that to stop a time-traveler from undoing their work. All I've got to say is, if I were the writer of this story, things would have been entirely different. This movie (...) and needs a lot of improvement. Do better than using aliens for the bad guys. And don't make the hero seem so wimpy and always getting wounded.

Bad....but amusing
I saw this movie because it had Mark Hamill in it. This movie is forced, poorly plotted, and has ok acting. The only redeeming point was the good music. Save your money and time...don't get or watch this movie!

This movie is cute, but far from original
Don't get me wrong, I love Mark Hamill, in fact he's my all time favorite actor, and I thought the movie was cute, but it did nothing to help his career. When he goes back in time to save the human race, is far from original. Sorry, Mark!! Love ya, but this movie is not one I would pay to see in a theatre.

ok:not as good as Star Wars
mark hammill is a good actor, but this just isnt his best movie.but i liked it

What the heck is this?!
What kind of stupid movie is this? Very bad plot, though the part about Michael Raynor trying to save himself as a baby was good, it isn't original. I hope Mark Hamill got payed well for this one, because it sure didn't help his career (no offence Mark, you're a great actor.) ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Unpretentious Scifi/action fun
OK - so the 5th Element isn't 2001, or even Aliens. As noted in other reviews, there's certainly a lot in this movie that seems to be superfluous or never adequately explained. This is a fantastic ride, despite these minor flaws (if, unlike me, you see these things as flaws).

If you hate Bruce Willis, then take a pass on this one. "Corbin Dallas" is a mix of his roles in Die Hard & The Last Boyscout, but much, much lighter in mood. Think "Hudson Hawk suffering from depression."

Gary Oldman does his usual bang-up job as villain, and Milla-whatshernameovich's Leelo stands out from her initial introduction until the final minutes of the film. Their strong performances more than compensate for the bizarre and fortunately brief appearance of Luke Perry.

There's a bit of a forced moment when Leelo "realizes the horror of human war" by speed-viewing Time-Life magazine photographs, but this is fortunately over fairly quickly. Despite this attempt to inject some sort of meaning or conscience into the movie, the fun soon resumes.

The visual effects are quirky but excellent, ranging from the cheesy "Taxis of the Future" to the ethereal "Cruise Ship of the Future." The opera scenes also carry a heavy visual impact. I must admit, however, that I may feel this way due to my affinity for the color blue, and the fact that this scene arrived just as the majority of the Christian Brother's kicked in.

The soundtrack has to be mentioned. I would despis