Reviews (16)

A classic horror film lost to time finally on DVD!
From the opening breathy synth flutes of Bill Conti's score and the black and white image
of a faceless solitary Eskimo standing on a desert of ice. . .to the night-time
anthropological/photographic hunts of the obsessed Jean-Charles, Nomads draws you in
as you watch, and haunts you when it's over.

This movie, similar to it's subject matter, is like a ghost; for some reason it slipped
between the cracks in horror movie history. I have seldom, if ever, heard it referenced in
articles, fiction, or any other media. And I don't think it has anything to do with people
dismissing it as a bad film, because I think that on a purely comparative basis, the acting
writing and directing in Nomads is at the very least average in the horror genre, if not
above average. So why is it some movies, like this movie, go unnoticed? Well, it looks
like someone somewhere finally noticed as we now have a DVD release (and my thanks
goes out to whomever that is). It is nice to see that after years of dealing with blurry vhs
copies and a substandard mono laserdisc version (both pan&scan) that a proper stereo
widescreen version is being released on dvd. Perhaps this film will finally be discovered
as the hidden ghost of a cult-worthy classic that it is and at last achieve some kind of cult
status deserving of its caliber of talent (in particular McTiernan's writing and directing,
and Brosnan's acting) and sheer uniqueness. Remember the 80's? Back when Michael
Mann and MTV had a strangle hold on visual style. Just before the "quick-cut" style came
about, back when long slow shots created mood and atmosphere and contrasts between
slow synthstrings and driving African beats punctuated scenes. I happen to like that style
now as I did then, and McTiernan's Nomads fits into that category keenly. Movies like
The Keep, TV shows like Miami Vice. Soft focus and dreamy twilight cityscapes. Mood!
That's what Nomads has, and plenty of it.

Jean-Charles, a world known anthropologist who specialized in the field study of
nomadic tribes, becomes obsessed with a group of punks who stalk the streets of
California 24-7, no sleep, no food. A group that has no ties to the static culture it moves
through, not even to its laws. They kill for fun and with no remorse. And they seem not
only to be attracted to places of past calamity, but also to revere these sites as holy
shrines. Places like Jean-Charles's new house where a murder took place, or a derelict
convent which hides a terrible past.

And Jean-Charles is attracted to these wandering punks, these city nomads, the same way
they seem to be attracted to chaos. He is drawn into their world further and further until
his world becomes such an enclosed box that he may not be able to escape.

He develops his photographs only to find that the nomadic punks don't appear in any of
them. Is he going insane? Constructing a bizarre fantasy hunting these Nomads to avoid
the inevitable boredom he knows will settle in once he becomes a professor at the local
university tied to an office and a classroom, running from the ball and chain of the normal
American life his young wife craves. Is he chasing them towards the ultimate escape;
insanity? Or has he discovered an alternate real yet dreamy world of immortal ghosts?
Has he discovered the ultimate group of Nomads, wandering not only from place to place,
but world to world?

Okay, so I have yet to mention the parallel plot of the female doctor. A recently divorced
doctor has moved out to LA to build a new life, but while working the night shift at the
hospital she comes in contact with a beaten, bruised, and ranting man the police picked
up of the beach (Jean-Charles) who whispers something in her ear as he bites her and so,
somehow transfers the memories of his last days to her, the doctor.
The entire movie intercuts (distractingly so upon repeated viewings) between the doctor
walking around town looking dazed, and the real meat of the movie which is
Jean-Charles' pursuit of the Nomads. The only real use for this parallel story that I can see
is to inform the character of Jean-Charles' wife of what happened to her husband and so
set us up for the surprise ending. However, this could have just as easily been
accomplished through other means (like unfilmed scenes where Jean-Charles consults the
police concerning the Nomads).

The female doctor plot is the only reason that I give this film 4 stars. That aside, I don't
really think most people will find the parallel plot that annoying (I didn't the first few
times I saw it). And it doesn't distract enough from the movie to make it unbearable to
repeat viewings (I've watched this movie at least 25 times and read the book twice!).
If you like moody bizarre unique movies like Jacob's Ladder, or the style of 80's films in
the vein of Michael Mann, or if you're just really into films that deal with horror and the
supernatural, this film won't disappoint.

Nomads: an eerie tale that isn't easily forgotten
This is an 80s sleeper flick starring Pierce Brosnan with a very unusual plot. Cinematic and accompanied by a driving rock and roll score featuring Ted Nugent,you'll find you have to keep your eyes open with this one to catch the subtleties of its abstract plot. There are also some interesting symbols about life in California that continually pop up through out the movie. If you like supernatural thrillers that make you work for the answers, you'll love this movie.

This one haunts me
I first saw this movie about 10 years ago on VHS. I could not watch it alone or in one sitting. It scared the stuffing out of me. No, it doesn't serve up every answer neat and clean, it forces you to think. I don't care much for Adam Ant as a musician, but I think his casting here as an evil entity was inspired. The role played by Lesley Ann Downs would have been better served with a man in the role, making the blending of minds/spirits much smoother and the interactions a little cleaner. But overall, I've loved this movie and am happy to find it on DVD.

Interesting Thriller!
Pierce Bronson plays as a French Anthropologist in this 1986 supernatural thriller who was attacked by a mysterious street gang, now he is stalking them and discovers the shocking truth about them, is that they are nomadic spirits.

Well-made if complicated movie with little horror to it, it does have some decent scares and good acting, the ending is preety much twisted!

Worth checking out if your into "Sixth Sense".

Clearly anthropological science fiction
This story concerns an anthropologist (played by Pierce Brosnan) moving to Los Angeles with his French wife (Anna-Maria Monticelli) to teach at UCLA. His professional interests soon trap him into observing (not realizing the inherent dangers until it is too late) what appears to be a band of nomads (hence the film's name) following classical rules of such behavior, in the modern day big city setting. For some reason, these nomads are attracted to the locale of the house he and his wife are renting.

Classifying this movie as horror or supernatural is mischaracterization; I contend one should think of it as in a special class of "anthropological science fiction", anthropology relating to this type of storyline as the physical or biological sciences relate to such science fiction films as "EXistenZ", "Bladerunner" or "Gattaca". Anthropological science fiction has very few representatives. The most notable other cinematic example is Peter Weir's truly outstanding "The Last Wave" dealing with Australian aboriginals and a lawyer (with anthropology interests) who unknowingly gets into a dangerous situation way over his head (sound familiar?). There have been several fairly major science fiction authors that have written in this genre: Chad Oliver was a professional anthropologist by trade, and wrote perhaps half a dozen such science fiction novels, but none made into movies. G. C. Edmondson produced a real classic; "Chapayeca" (AKA "Blueface" in its' paperback incarnation), dealing with an extra-terrestrial being in a northern Mexico religious/cultural setting, also unfortunately never filmed. A case could even be made for some of Stanislaw Lem's writings, e.g. "The Invincible".

It's not clear whether or not there was a book separate from the film's production. The film credits say the story was written and directed by John McTiernan. But supposing there was, as one reviewer discusses, and having never read it, perhaps I'm out of line in saying that casting Lesley-Ann Down in the role she plays was the single down-side of this movie. While Lesley-Anne Down is very likeable (she is a great actress here and elsewhere), the plot would have been better served if that character had been the male doctor in the hospital: The frequent transitions between this character's perceptions and that of Pierce Brosnan's would have been smoother and allowed other quite interesting cinematic angles. Then too, the relationship with the Anna-Marie Monticelli character would also have been better served. The acting of three of the nomad band (Mary Moronov as Dancing Mary - wow!, Adam Ant as Number One, and Hector Mercado as Pony Tail) is truly outstanding. They steal the show whenever they are on-screen and give, in their relatively rare appearances, convincingly chilling and absolutely unforgettable performances as members of this nomadic band!

This film presents extremely fine anthropological science fiction of the highest quality, with first class direction (John McTiernan), great cast ( Pierce Brosnan; Lesley-Anne Down; Anna-Maria Monticelli; the nomads; and Fances Bay as the nun Bertril) , good photography, and the throbbing Bill Conti / Ted Nugent rock score that really gets things going. Having seen the original in 1985/6 when it was playing in theatres, and having owned and often viewed both the grainy VHS and laser disc pan and scan versions, it was a pleasure to see and hear the restored wide screen quality presented by this DVD. This DVD is a great buy for any fans of the science fiction genre, especially with a side interest in anthropology. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A classic horror film lost to time finally on DVD!
From the opening breathy synth flutes of Bill Conti's score and the black and white image
of a faceless solitary Eskimo standing on a desert of ice. . .to the night-time
anthropological/photographic hunts of the obsessed Jean-Charles, Nomads draws you in
as you watch, and haunts you when it's over.

This movie, similar to it's subject matter, is like a ghost; for some reason it slipped
between the cracks in horror movie history. I have seldom, if ever, heard it referenced in
articles, fiction, or any other media. And I don't think it has anything to do with people
dismissing it as a bad film, because I think that on a purely comparative basis, the acting
writing and directing in Nomads is at the very least average in the horror genre, if not
above average. So why is it some movies, like this movie, go unnoticed? Well, it looks
like someone somewhere finally noticed as we now have a DVD release (and my thanks
goes out to whomever that is). It is nice to see that after years of dealing with blurry vhs
copies and a substandard mono laserdisc version (both pan&scan) that a proper stereo
widescreen version is being released on dvd. Perhaps this film will finally be discovered
as the hidden ghost of a cult-worthy classic that it is and at last achieve some kind of cult
status deserving of its caliber of talent (in particular McTiernan's writing and directing,
and Brosnan's acting) and sheer uniqueness. Remember the 80's? Back when Michael
Mann and MTV had a strangle hold on visual style. Just before the "quick-cut" style came
about, back when long slow shots created mood and atmosphere and contrasts between
slow synthstrings and driving African beats punctuated scenes. I happen to like that style
now as I did then, and McTiernan's Nomads fits into that category keenly. Movies like
The Keep, TV shows like Miami Vice. Soft focus and dreamy twilight cityscapes. Mood!
That's what Nomads has, and plenty of it.

Jean-Charles, a world known anthropologist who specialized in the field study of
nomadic tribes, becomes obsessed with a group of punks who stalk the streets of
California 24-7, no sleep, no food. A group that has no ties to the static culture it moves
through, not even to its laws. They kill for fun and with no remorse. And they seem not
only to be attracted to places of past calamity, but also to revere these sites as holy
shrines. Places like Jean-Charles's new house where a murder took place, or a derelict
convent which hides a terrible past.

And Jean-Charles is attracted to these wandering punks, these city nomads, the same way
they seem to be attracted to chaos. He is drawn into their world further and further until
his world becomes such an enclosed box that he may not be able to escape.

He develops his photographs only to find that the nomadic punks don't appear in any of
them. Is he going insane? Constructing a bizarre fantasy hunting these Nomads to avoid
the inevitable boredom he knows will settle in once he becomes a professor at the local
university tied to an office and a classroom, running from the ball and chain of the normal
American life his young wife craves. Is he chasing them towards the ultimate escape;
insanity? Or has he discovered an alternate real yet dreamy world of immortal ghosts?
Has he discovered the ultimate group of Nomads, wandering not only from place to place,
but world to world?

Okay, so I have yet to mention the parallel plot of the female doctor. A recently divorced
doctor has moved out to LA to build a new life, but while working the night shift at the
hospital she comes in contact with a beaten, bruised, and ranting man the police picked
up of the beach (Jean-Charles) who whispers something in her ear as he bites her and so,
somehow transfers the memories of his last days to her, the doctor.
The entire movie intercuts (distractingly so upon repeated viewings) between the doctor
walking around town looking dazed, and the real meat of the movie which is
Jean-Charles' pursuit of the Nomads. The only real use for this parallel story that I can see
is to inform the character of Jean-Charles' wife of what happened to her husband and so
set us up for the surprise ending. However, this could have just as easily been
accomplished through other means (like unfilmed scenes where Jean-Charles consults the
police concerning the Nomads).

The female doctor plot is the only reason that I give this film 4 stars. That aside, I don't
really think most people will find the parallel plot that annoying (I didn't the first few
times I saw it). And it doesn't distract enough from the movie to make it unbearable to
repeat viewings (I've watched this movie at least 25 times and read the book twice!).
If you like moody bizarre unique movies like Jacob's Ladder, or the style of 80's films in
the vein of Michael Mann, or if you're just really into films that deal with horror and the
supernatural, this film won't disappoint.

Nomads: an eerie tale that isn't easily forgotten
This is an 80s sleeper flick starring Pierce Brosnan with a very unusual plot. Cinematic and accompanied by a driving rock and roll score featuring Ted Nugent,you'll find you have to keep your eyes open with this one to catch the subtleties of its abstract plot. There are also some interesting symbols about life in California that continually pop up through out the movie. If you like supernatural thrillers that make you work for the answers, you'll love this movie.

This one haunts me
I first saw this movie about 10 years ago on VHS. I could not watch it alone or in one sitting. It scared the stuffing out of me. No, it doesn't serve up every answer neat and clean, it forces you to think. I don't care much for Adam Ant as a musician, but I think his casting here as an evil entity was inspired. The role played by Lesley Ann Downs would have been better served with a man in the role, making the blending of minds/spirits much smoother and the interactions a little cleaner. But overall, I've loved this movie and am happy to find it on DVD.

Interesting Thriller!
Pierce Bronson plays as a French Anthropologist in this 1986 supernatural thriller who was attacked by a mysterious street gang, now he is stalking them and discovers the shocking truth about them, is that they are nomadic spirits.

Well-made if complicated movie with little horror to it, it does have some decent scares and good acting, the ending is preety much twisted!

Worth checking out if your into "Sixth Sense".

Clearly anthropological science fiction
This story concerns an anthropologist (played by Pierce Brosnan) moving to Los Angeles with his French wife (Anna-Maria Monticelli) to teach at UCLA. His professional interests soon trap him into observing (not realizing the inherent dangers until it is too late) what appears to be a band of nomads (hence the film's name) following classical rules of such behavior, in the modern day big city setting. For some reason, these nomads are attracted to the locale of the house he and his wife are renting.

Classifying this movie as horror or supernatural is mischaracterization; I contend one should think of it as in a special class of "anthropological science fiction", anthropology relating to this type of storyline as the physical or biological sciences relate to such science fiction films as "EXistenZ", "Bladerunner" or "Gattaca". Anthropological science fiction has very few representatives. The most notable other cinematic example is Peter Weir's truly outstanding "The Last Wave" dealing with Australian aboriginals and a lawyer (with anthropology interests) who unknowingly gets into a dangerous situation way over his head (sound familiar?). There have been several fairly major science fiction authors that have written in this genre: Chad Oliver was a professional anthropologist by trade, and wrote perhaps half a dozen such science fiction novels, but none made into movies. G. C. Edmondson produced a real classic; "Chapayeca" (AKA "Blueface" in its' paperback incarnation), dealing with an extra-terrestrial being in a northern Mexico religious/cultural setting, also unfortunately never filmed. A case could even be made for some of Stanislaw Lem's writings, e.g. "The Invincible".

It's not clear whether or not there was a book separate from the film's production. The film credits say the story was written and directed by John McTiernan. But supposing there was, as one reviewer discusses, and having never read it, perhaps I'm out of line in saying that casting Lesley-Ann Down in the role she plays was the single down-side of this movie. While Lesley-Anne Down is very likeable (she is a great actress here and elsewhere), the plot would have been better served if that character had been the male doctor in the hospital: The frequent transitions between this character's perceptions and that of Pierce Brosnan's would have been smoother and allowed other quite interesting cinematic angles. Then too, the relationship with the Anna-Marie Monticelli character would also have been better served. The acting of three of the nomad band (Mary Moronov as Dancing Mary - wow!, Adam Ant as Number One, and Hector Mercado as Pony Tail) is truly outstanding. They steal the show whenever they are on-screen and give, in their relatively rare appearances, convincingly chilling and absolutely unforgettable performances as members of this nomadic band!

This film presents extremely fine anthropological science fiction of the highest quality, with first class direction (John McTiernan), great cast ( Pierce Brosnan; Lesley-Anne Down; Anna-Maria Monticelli; the nomads; and Fances Bay as the nun Bertril) , good photography, and the throbbing Bill Conti / Ted Nugent rock score that really gets things going. Having seen the original in 1985/6 when it was playing in theatres, and having owned and often viewed both the grainy VHS and laser disc pan and scan versions, it was a pleasure to see and hear the restored wide screen quality presented by this DVD. This DVD is a great buy for any fans of the science fiction genre, especially with a side interest in anthropology. ... Read more