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Here's a Broadway musical about a young man who sets out to discovertrue meaning in his life, dabbling in war, sex, and politics before findinglove. That may sound conventional, but it isn't. The title character ofPippin is the son of Charlemagne, the 9th-century emperor of the HolyRoman Empire, and when Bob Fosse directed the original Broadway production in1972, he transformed what had begun as a fairly innocent college project forcomposer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz into a burlesque filled with broad comedy,bawdy characters, and magical but dark situations. Pippin (played by WilliamKatt, of TV's The Greatest American Hero) embarks on his quest, all theway coaxed and goaded by a narrator figure known as the Leading Player (BenVereen) while his stepmother (Chita Rivera) schemes.

Schwartz's pop-rock score maynot be as recognizable as his work for Godspell and various animatedfilms (The Prince of Egypt, Disney's Pocahontas), but it doesinclude the soul-driven opener "Magic to Do" (showing off Fosse's signaturewhite gloves), the soaring "Corner of the Sky," the lovely ballad "With You"(indelicately presented in a brothel), and the romping "No Time at All" (byMartha Raye as Pippin's grandmother). Not as technically polished as newer showspreserved on video (Into the Woods, Joseph and the Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoat), this live 1981 performance of Pippin is probably ofgreatest interest to Fosse fans as a record of his striking vision. (Theoriginal show won five Tony Awards, including for Fosse's direction andchoreography and Vereen's performance.) Note, however, that this Canadiantelevision production was supervised, not directed, by Fosse, and is missingsome numbers from the original show. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Pippin
Bob Fosse's masterpiece Pippin is the tony award-winning Broadway musical starring the incomparable Ben Vereen. The show was written by Stephen Schwartz, the Academy-award winning composer of Godspell and The Prince of Egypt. Also stars William Katt as Pippin, Benjamin Rayson, Martha Raye, and Chita Rivera as Pippin's relatives. The video has amazing dancing and singing, as well as some hysterical comedic moments. Anyone who enjoys the theatre will love this video.

Video to remember Ben Vereen on Broadway
In 1973, I was able to see the almost orginal cast(missing Irene Ryan, our dear Granny, who passed away while production was on Broadway.) Ben Vereen was unbelievable as was John Rubenstein. Now, we can't go back to 1973 and we can't all fit in a live theatre. This video records a live performace, so that we can remember how Ben Vereen was in the show, with all his energy, wit and power of dance. Having seen other videoed shows, however, the values are not as good on this one. It serves as a record of what was. Perhaps, Pippin will live on Broadway again. Otherwise, here is a taste, from Canada, of what the show was like, with Bill Katt as Pippin and Ben Vereen as the Leading Player. All the songs are here, including the smashing finale, but some of the more intimate moments (a severed head in conversation) is missing. This is a Bob Fosse show, so the dancing is definately Fosse. The sound is good, though upstage sounds are not as good as could have been recorded. If you're looking for a sense of what Pippin was, this is it!

The cast is better than the CD
That's right! I said it! John Rubinstein's voice is not strong enough to play Pippin. He sounds like Henry Gibson singing...anyone? Henry Gibson? "Laugh-In"? He was the voice of Wilbur in "Charlotte's Web?" No one? Okay, moving on...William Katt however not only sings "Corner of the Sky" he relishes it. He savors every note, and that's the way it must be sung. You wouldn't sing "Do You Hear the People Sing" unless you can handle it and you shouldn't sing "Corner" without some serious chops....or props...or snaps, or whatever the hell else it is that means "talent, abilities." I also think that Ben Vereen does better live than in the studio. That's right, I think Ben Vereen gave a better performance than Ben Vereen! Not even Ben Vereen could've matched Ben Vereen as a...no, this is silly. Look, the CD's fine, but the movie's better. The arrangements, the performances, and the fact that they cut my least favorite song "I Guess I'll Miss the Man."

Despite the quality a MUST have
I have been reading the many good and bad reviews and thought I should add something. I am an expert on Bob Fosse and his work. This particular production was pulled together by Kathryn Doby (Bobby's assistant for years). It was rather hasty in putting together as it was meant for a television broadcast. In the process of setting the time format for television many cuts were made to the original script, which unfortunetly are now not available. What is important about this version is it allows the closest view of Bobby's original work that we may ever have. Bob worked on this show while at great odds of the composer (Schwartz), to the point of having him barred from rehersals. It is amazing the show ever made it to where it got. The fact that we can still see the original art that was the choreography of Bobby, is the ONLY reason that this video should be in your collection. He won the Tony award for his work on this show (he also won the oscar for Cabaret and the Emmy for Liza with a Z this same year, the ONLY director to EVER do that) Enjoy!

Good record of 1981 made for television performance...
I had never seen Pippin before, so I don't have a stage comparison. Most of the complaints are about the video quality and the sound. First, this was filmed as a television production, not for screen or home video. Some of the reviewers have forgot that fact when complaining about the video and sound. VHS was just beginning to take off and very few cinemas had multi-channel sound. I have a VHS tape of a concert film made at that time, "The Last Waltz" and the sound from those live performances aren't too good either. If they ever release the video TV special "Liza with a Z", it will probably be of this quality too. But, it's the performances that are worth watching. Just seeing Ben Vereen's dancing in "Glory" makes this DVD worthwhile. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Joyce Hyser is the only reason to watch this precursor to..
(as I was saying before the box so rudely ran out of room) Joyce Hyser is the only reason to watch this precursor to "The Wedding Singer." --- If you like fluffy romantic comedies, you will probably like this movie, despite what I have to say about it... --- One can't help but notice the basic similarities in premise, and sometimes strong similarites in situations, between "Wedding Band" and "Wedding Singer" although this film, "Wedding Band," predates "Singer" by about 8 years. --- This movie is light, and mildly amusing. But it is mostly embarasingly amateurish and even, well, depressing considering the potential that it had to be a great romantic comedy. If this had had a decent rewriting by a competent screenwriter, and if it had had a competent director, the movie would be well known instead of unknown. --- Overall, the cast is competent enough, but Joyce Hyser is the only star here, she is the only actor who seems to be putting in any effort. She plays her scenes as if it's the role of a lifetime, and what does she get for her effort? she's consigned to a forgotten film. --- William Katt, in the hands of a motivated director, could have done very well opposite the amazing and criminally under-rated Joyce Hyser, but in this film he seems to be asleep. It's as if he's showed up for his paycheck and is sleepwalking through his scenes. --- Pauly Shore's quirky talents (hate him or not) are wasted, they cast Jim Belushi in a role that a mannequin could have played, a stoney Amish priest (who cast this movie anyway?). --- The potential contained within each scene makes watching this move almost depressing. But it is kind of fun for someone interested in screenwriting or directing to see just what not to do with a great idea. When you're given the ball (money and opportunity to make a film) don't drop it on the ground and kick at it a little, run with that puppy all the way to the goal line! --- I'll repeat, if you like fluffy romantic comedies, you will probably like this movie, despite what I have to say about it. --- But the main reason to watch this movie, in my opinion, is to see Joyce Hyser. I've said this in another review and I think it bares repeating, Joyce's acting skills are only matched by her beauty. And why she did not become a major star will always be a sad mystery to me. --- In one heartbreaking scene, Joyce (as Karla) is trying to have a romantic evening with her boyfriend Marshall (played by William Katt). She wants everthing to go perfectly as she is about to propose to him. But Marshall is such a doofus that he tromps over her romantic mood and reacts to her wedding ring as if he'd just been given a dead mouse. The way Joyce plays the scene makes you want to cry. Oh I hope she does more movies! --- (We love you Joyce!) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Cyborg 3-Recycler
Lucas Wiman in the opinion of the present reviewer should get himself a brain with a little more appreciative intelligence. From his personalia it is obvious that anything outside the extreme of the highly specialised academic nothing else is worthwhile. At 18 he doesn't seem to appreciate that entertainment is entertainment. I found the video presents some unusual facets of life expressed by scenarios that in our present way of thinking or experiencing are just not around. The acting was more than adequate and special effects are there to stimulate which not only adds to the story but also give that extra zing. As entertainment I consider the video is good entertainment and also good value for money.

A study in bad acting
This movie is really, profoundly bad. Not only are the special effects horrible (a given), but the acting is really, really, really, very bad indeed. If you are teaching an acting class, buy this video, show it, and tell your students not to do what those actors did. After that treatment, they should be wonderful. Highpoints include "cytown", the town of cyborgs and the pregant cyborg. Also included are Malcolm McDowell (for about 3 minutes), and the actor who played Jesus in Pulp Fiction.

...I certainly didn't consider this movie a waste of my time! I really enjoyed it. It's my hobby to watch really horrible movies, and I think this one certainly qualifies. Perhaps I'm shallow, but I didn't find any great insights into the human condition in this movie. I did, however, find it highly entertaining. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

When Cousin Harry comes to visit...there's no escaping
When a distant relative and his fiancee comes to visit Richard and Kate Sullivan, getting re-aquanited turns into a life-and-death struggle for survival in this terrifying suspense thriller.

Escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane, Harry (David Keith, Firestarter) and Connie (Merg Helgenberger, China Beach) are determined to start a family - even if they have to assume the identities of a long lost cousin (william Katt, House) and his wife (Mel Harris, Thirtysomething).

With calculated deception, Harry and Connie begun to take over the Sullivan's lives-their credit cards, home, and young son Alex (Brian Bonsall, Family Ties). But the desire to be a happy family turns into a desperate motive for murder when one final obstacle stands in their way... Richard and Kate are still alive. ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Naahhhhh
I liked this movie better the first time I saw it, when it was called HEATHERS. Seriously, Rose McGowan tried, but couldn't carry the movie. One good thing about her is she is built like a real woman with hips instead of the usual anorexic standard for actresses these days. Kind of like the feminine ideal from the 50's, except all the tattoos kind of ruin that effect. The cameo by her boyfriend, Mr. Manson, was kind of amusing. But the movie seemed like they were making it up as they went along, and very predictable. Terrible script, and your beleivability is stretched way too far. After Courtney (McGowan) and her clique kidnap one of their pals, things go awry and she (the pal) ends up dead. They drive around, freaking out, all except for Courtney, who has the brilliant plan to call the high school, pretend to be the dead pal's mom, and call in sick for her. OK, what is one of the first things the police would ask the kid's mom after she turned up dead? Sheeeesh. Rebecca Gayheart's acting is slowly improving. I give this movie two stars, one for Pam Grier, one for the sheer mean-spiritedness and bad taste of it. But that's not enough to save this dog of a movie, and the Donnas weren't enough to save it either. Oh, and I liked the Donnas better the first time I heard them, when they were called The Ramonas and The Runaways. I wouldn't bother, unless you are a big Rose McGowan fan.

A highly entertaining dark comedy
I can understand why some people don't particularly like this movie, but I enjoyed it immensely. Of course, I enjoy anything featuring Rose McGowan, but the movie itself is actually a lot of fun. If you tend to take movies seriously and have trouble suspending your disbelief, this movie isn't for you, and a short description of the movie should easily convince you to take your cinematic interests elsewhere. I happen to like over the top movies about high school life, and Jawbreaker takes the stratification of high school society, something we are all acquainted with in one form or another, and runs with it. Rose McGowan plays Courtney Shane, considered by some to be "Satan-in-heels." She is your ultimate clique queen, operating the controls of high school popularity and approachability with the help of faithful and reliable henchbabe Marcie Fox (Julie Benz) and two goody-goodies who somehow manage to stay cool despite hobnobbing with their social inferiors from time to time. Rebecca Gayheart (who finds herself in the odd situation of being rather invisible whenever McGowan shares the screen with her) plays Julie Freedman, and she is in fact complicit in the unusual death of Elizabeth Purr, sweet little angel and fourth member of the ruling babes of Reagan High School. Courtney, Marcie, and Julie celebrate Liz's 17th birthday by disguising themselves, sneaking into her room, tying her up and gagging her, throwing her into the trunk of their car, and eventually releasing her to enjoy the hilarity of their innocent little prank. Wouldn't you know it, something goes awry. The insanely large jawbreaker that Courtney stuffs in her mouth before taping it closed manages to work its way down Liz's throat. With their friend dead, the three girls must take action quickly to avoid detection; Courtney is a natural at evil plotting and quickly enacts a plan. Unfortunately, class geek Fern Mayo happens along and overhears the big secret, prompting Courtney to take drastic action; in return for Fern's silence, she will transform Fern into the beautiful, popular girl she has always wanted to be. Julie wants no part of it, but her own guilt and complicity leads her to do little more than go schoolmarm and reject her evil friends.

This movie does raise issues about high school life, but it does not attempt to make some meaningful statement . The common stereotypes are presented but not dwelt on. Those who would not understand how nice, sweet Fern could be enticed into going over to the dark side were obviously not among the nerds and geeks of their own graduating class. Even though Courtney was hated as much as she was loved, the vast majority of her peers wanted to be like her, immensely popular, beautiful, intimidating, and awe-inspiring. Sure, she is selfish, evil, and uncaring, but that's part of her charm. I personally prefer her to Julie, who pretends to be something she is not and blames Courtney alone for an act she herself played a large part in.

Don't even try to think about this movie; you're not supposed to learn anything here. This is entertainment and nothing more, and I for one was greatly entertained. The ending leaves a little something to be desired, but all in all this is a marvelous dark comedy. Rose McGowan makes this movie cool all by herself, but the kicking soundtrack is more than ready to assist in this endeavor whenever called upon, which is quite often. The music is almost a character in and of itself, beautifully assisting in the creation of whatever atmosphere is required for each scene, and its incessant energy never allows for a moment of drag as the story works itself out. There is quite a bit of profanity in the script, and it is this much more than Rose McGowan's all-too-brief yet sizzling nude scene that earns this one its R rating. I seem to take delight in praising movies of this type, and I take great delight in praising this one. Jawbreakers is a very entertaining dark comedy.

EYE CANDY
There's a demonic undertone to this black comedy that delineates the cruelty of teenagers; and also, their lack of self-understanding, and their commitment to only please themselves. For instance, the scene where hunky Ethan Erickson is waiting for his beloved Rose McGowan to arrive, he tries several different poses on the bed; resorts to stripping to his underwear, and then when she arrives, she baits him with a popsicle. You can tell he's uncomfortable in licking the popsicle, but you can also see the delight in McGowan's eyes in making him suck the popsicle. When she uses this to bait him as to what he would like done, we can see the cruelty in McGowan's character.
The idea of having someone die from choking on a humongous jawbreaker is original, but at the same time, the coolness and nonchalance the girls display in their friend's death is frighteningly realistic ... to a point. Not one to bash teenagers, we do need them after all?, the movie still makes us see all the things we hated about high school.
While McGowan is excellent in her bitch queen role, her destruction at the prom is almost as devastating as Carrie's in the well known horror book/flick. Rebecca Gayheart as the tried and true Julie sinks to McGowan's level in this destruction. Julie Benz is appropriately ditzy as Foxy and Judy Greer as Fern Mayo/Vylette also well cast. Erickson is a perfect choice for the self-absorbed and hedonistic Dane. Chad Christ as Julie's dramatic boyfriend does well, and once again shows how in high school, if you are a drama freak, you're probably homosexual.
The movie falls apart in several places, but does have some good cameos from Pam Grier as Det. Vera Cruz; Jeff Conaway as Foxy's dad, who does a cute Tiffany impersonation; and wastes William Katt and PJ Soles as the victim's parents. (Ironic, they both appeared in the original CARRIE).
Not a classic, but does pack some punch in what it's trying to say, it's just afraid to come out and say it: teenagers are cruel.

"Jawbreaker" has a good hook but then bait & switches on us
"Jawbreaker" begins with the accidental death of Liz Purr (Charlotte Ayanna) as the result of an encounter with the titular confection. That act is the hook for a young audience to watch this 1999 black comedy but it is really just an excuse for yet another rather lackluster version of the movie where the elite young girls at a high school savage each other (i.e., "Mean Girls" without Tina Fey's wit). The problem with this movie for most people is going to be that it is going to strike them as a case of bait and switch. You think this movie is going to be something along the lines of "Scream" or "Carrie" and it is really more like "She's All That" and "Can't Hardly Wait."

The accidental death sets up three plots lines. First, Queen "B" Courtney Alice Shayne (Rose McGowan) is on a mission to make sure that nothing happens to her position atop the school hierarchy. Second, good girl Julie Freeman (Rebecca Gayheart) feels badly about killing their best friend and rethinks her membership in the elite group. Third, wallflower Fern Mayo (Judy Greer) is transformed by Courtney into the vivacious Vylette, who gets to replace Liz. There is a fourth member of the group, Marcie "Foxy" Fox (Julie Benz), but she is Courtney's loyal stooge and is incapable of independent thought. Meanwhile, Detective Vera Cruz (Pam Grier) is investigating Liz's death and is questioning the girls.

The character of the detective is a pivotal one in the film because she reveals the flaws of this film. I mean, come on, we are talking about Pam Grier playing a hard-nosed detective, and she gets taken for a ride by a bunch of teenage girls who do not break a sweat. There is some confusion as to circumstances of Liz's death, thanks to Courtney's efforts, but the disturbing fact that somebody called the school pretending to be Liz's mother to explain she would be home "sick" seems to get forgotten by the time the police haul in a suspect. These are not the brightest kids to begin with and their effort to cover up their crime only works because in the end this drama has to be played out at the high school prom and not in some precinct house or juvenile court.

McGowan was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for this film and she has a fine time being the cold-hearted queen of the school the story requires. But the more over the top she goes in terms of being so nasty to those she demands bow down before her that you end up wondering what is wrong with them rather than with Courtney. Gayheart does a good job of playing her uncomfortableness with what is going on, thereby grounding the movie from time to time in something resembling reality, while Benz vacillates between frightened fool and sarcastic sidekick. The cast and the performances are good, but not good enough to cover the problems with the basic story and in the end "Jawbreaker" does not finish as strongly as it started.

Just When I Thought Rebecca and Rose Had True Potential
This film alone is the number one reason Rebecca Gayheart and Rose McGowen will never become top actresses or earn the respect of Hollywood. While young actresses like Julia Stiles, Kristen Dunst, Claire Danes, Christina Ricci and Jennifer Love Hewett have branched out to make films people can take seriously, actresses like Gayheart and McGowen give the " teen " scene a bad name. And that's terrible considering these so-called teens were in their thirties when this film was done. The problem is not with Jawbreaker. Yeah the movie is stupid and as entertaining as an engrown toenail, still Rose and Rebecca have kissed their futures as serious actresses gone forever. I used to enjoy both of these ladies in previous films. But once I saw this I realized they weren't even trying to be noticed as serious actresses. If they were they wouldn't have even looked at the Jawbreaker script ONCE. Jawbreaker is terrible but it's the lead actresses that should be embarrassed. Not the filmmakers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Bye bye snake...bye bye snake....bye bye snake..."
The characters are all fairly innocent - a construction company is just blowing away land to make way for a luxurious neighborhood project. Unfortunately, a den of rattlensakes are disturbed right where the explosions go off.

However, these are no ordinary rattlesnakes - no sir! These are super-intellegent ninja snakes! They not only know how to move in large numbers and catch rides on trucks to different parts of the town, but they can also easily sneak up on people with out any one noticing them beforehand, and they're able to sneak in and out of houses, killing their foes with out leaving a trace!

And they are led by one snake. I know not a name for this fellow, but I can only call him the "Master Snake." You can easily identify him by the striped part of his tail, just before his rattler, and the black beady eyes on his head. You can also see him through out the movie, invading homes and leading his snake bretheren in their unholy quest to rid their den of the human scourge. It is he who attacks the yard worker, eats the young boy's gerbil, and at the end of the movie, even though he is frozen and then thrown against a wall twice, still manages to hound the stepdad and bratty son, attacking them again and again with renewed strength.

His finest hour comes when the daughter tries to flush him. Sure, flushing a large rattler down the toilet usually works - but not this time, for this is the Master Snake! He manages to make the toilet overflow and swim to the surface. With the spirit of vengeance, he crawls out of the bathroom and corners the daughter in the bathtub. Though she some how gets away, it is only because of bad editing...but our Master Snake won't let bad editing get him down, for he warps back to the rattlers' new lair where he prepares his defense against the well-meaning but misunderstood stepdad.

Yes, see this movie for the Master Snake...because you surely won't care about the other characters.

Not for the ophiophobic!!!
William Katt and Shanna Reed star in this silly little thriller about a town being terrorized... by rattlesnakes!
Apparently the rattlesnakes are disturbed by the dynamiting at a nearby hillside. The final confrontation will leave some viewers gasping, not for the ophiophobic!!!Average acting, nothing much of a story. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nevermore!!!
This movie is so off target. It wants to be a clever thriller/mystery but there are no thrills and the only mystery is when will this junk end. It was written by William Katt who's claim to fame is the 80's TV show greatest america hero. Unless you thought that was great emmy worthy TV you will not want to see this. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Interesting.....
This movie was recommended to me by a relative. It was well written I admit & also well filmed. However, it had its "letdowns" (e.g. I think it was quite obvious that Jodie was faking her unhappiness about her Grandma's coma & her teacher's death).

The ending, in my opinion, was quite poor. They could've extended the movie & done something more interesting, like put Jodie on trial.

It really didnt deserve the R rating. The violence was actually quite mild and infrequent, and in my books, only earned a PG13 rating.

Not the best thriller/drama ever, but does deserve more credit than its been getting (Especially for Gabrielle Boni, who was very good as 10-year-old sociopath Jody).

Thrilling, suspenseful and terrifying !!!
This is an excellent movie for those who like movies which live you scared to death on the edge of your seat. It is about a psychopathic girl who will do ANYTHING to keep her father close to her, even if it involves multiple murders, of even members of her own family This evil child is like a Ted Bundy incarnate. Brutally hurting, and killing people with no remorse or regard. She is the true embodiment of a child sociopath Watch this movie, I guarantee that the ending will leave you sitting on the edge of your seats. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

From the back cover - just the facts (plotline) -
Sam Paxton (Ernest Borgnine) is devastated when he returns home to his ranch to find his only son murdered and his daughter apparently kidnapped by Army deserters. On a mission of revenge, Sam gathers a small posse and seeks the help of an old friend, a tracker, to locate his daughter. Zeke Smith (Sammy Davis Jr.) an experienced frontier scout with a will of his own, shows up instead of Sam's friend. Sam questions enlisting Zeke, fearing that they will disagree on how to find his daughter but, despite Sam's reluctance, Zeke joins the posse. Soon the posse deserts Sam after learning that the kidnappers are not Army deserters but renegade Indians. Sam is left to depend solely on Zeke to help him retrieve his daughter. Produced by Sammy Davis Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great 80's cheese
I watched this movie when it was first on tv and later taped off the tv. I loved the schmaltzy-ness of it and was overjoyed to find that I could buy a good copy. My younger brother used to watch it over and over too even years later. It is a funny, silly movie just right for when you want some fluff to watch. I recommend it!

A pathetic T&A TV movie that fails at every turn
This lame attempt to cash in on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit craze is neither a comedy nor a drama. It is not sexy enough to attract jiggle fans and it is not barbed enough satire to actually explore this "genre" of cultural exploitation. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Bear facts
This is a great family movie with excellent actors and a good, clean storyline. Breath taking scenery as well - I recommend it highly for both children and adults.

Gentle Ben is an Entertaining Movie
I found that Gentle Ben was an entertaining movie. I must say what I have read by another reviewer is not correct in the least.
This movie is in no way meant to go along with any book. It was an attempt to make a movie based on the 1950's TV Series Gentle Ben. If anyone saw & liked that series you will enjoy the movie.

Well.......
I've never seen this movie, but Reiley McClendon is in it so therefore I give it as many stars as possible.

Not what we expected
We ordered this movie after reading the book with our daughter, expecting the movie to follow the story at least a bit. We were very disappointed to see that the only things the book and movie had in common were 2 character names, and a bear (which was not even the same kind of bear.) We were expecting a movie about fishermen in Alaska, not a city kid stuck in the woods with his ranger uncle. The movie was okay, but if you are expecting a story anything similar to the book, don't waste your money. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

When Cousin Harry comes to visit...there's no escaping
When a distant relative and his fiancee comes to visit Richard and Kate Sullivan, getting re-aquanited turns into a life-and-death struggle for survival in this terrifying suspense thriller.

Escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane, Harry (David Keith, Firestarter) and Connie (Merg Helgenberger, China Beach) are determined to start a family - even if they have to assume the identities of a long lost cousin (william Katt, House) and his wife (Mel Harris, Thirtysomething).

With calculated deception, Harry and Connie begun to take over the Sullivan's lives-their credit cards, home, and young son Alex (Brian Bonsall, Family Ties). But the desire to be a happy family turns into a desperate motive for murder when one final obstacle stands in their way... Richard and Kate are still alive. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Tim Corrells Prianha Remake Review
As good as this made for TV remake was, I still think the original Piranha was a bit better even though I rate both this and the original 5 stars. I thought the prettiest female in this movie was Kehli O'Byrne (who did the part of the boss at the kids camp Gina Green). Too bad she was killed by the Piranha. Soleil Moon Frye (who did the part of the Gina's employee Laura) was also very pretty. Too bad she was killed by the Piranha, too. Oh well. If you liked the original Piranha, see this remake as well. Even if you don't like this movie it will be worth the time. Too bad it was never in the movie theater. Oh, well.

Some Classics Weren't Meant To Be Tampered With
The original "Piranha" was an entertaining cult classic but the decision by Roger Corman to remake it, nearly twenty years later, must have entirely been for finacial reasons because this straight-to-video retread is about as half-baked as it gets. Aside from a few changes of some character's ethnicities and gender, this is almost an exact copy of the first film.

As was the case in the original, two troublesome kids decide to go swimming at a government test site and end up "fish food". Enter Alexandra Paul as a very butch-looking P.I. who is hired by one of the kids' legal guardians who also happens to be the owner of a new resort that is opening up. With the help of overacting hillbilly hermit, William Katt, she ends up at the test site and drains the pool causing the piranha to run amok in the local river system. Of course, the greedy resort owner isn't going to let something like giant man-eating killer fish ruin his plans to open his resort.

This new "Piranha" offers very little added value aside from possibly a little bit more gore and nudity but not even enough to really make it worth your while. Of course, we get to see a grown-up "Punky Brewster" as Soleil Moon Frye shows up as a summer camp counselor with Mila Kunis (many years before she broke out on "That 70's Show") as Katt's hydrophobic daughter. Alex Simon's screenplay should barely qualify as a "studio rewrite" as it is practically a word-for-word duplicate of the original John Sayles script. Even worse, the severe overacting of the cast really kills the memorable dialouge. Only Roger Corman would save production costs by recycling the underwater photography from the original for a remake. Needless to say if the producers of this film wouldn't waste their money on it then you probably shouldn't either.

Mini Jaws!!!
A community is terrorized when hundreds of spawning genetically-mutant piranhas are accidently released from an isolation pool and into a river used by the community for boating, fishing, and SWIMMING!!! These things are so violent and aggressive, they may as well be consitered "Mini-Jaws's". They attack anything that moves and chews it up until it's practically gone!

I'm a star!
I really love this movie for one reason: I was in it. I play one of the kids in the summer camp (I'm wearing green and blue shorts). I've even got pictures with Solie to prove it. The funniest part about making this movie was that in the trailer that I would get dressed in, they kept a bloody skeleton prop that looked like it was eaten by piranahs. Everyday as I would change into my wardrobe, that stupid thing would be staring right at me. I really hated that.

piranha
Some of you may think that it is a terrible film, but i think it is so funny!! It's such a good film.... ... Read more

Reviews (211)

Unique blend of horror and sentiment.
There's one thing I specifically like about certain horror films, and that is those that contain the horror elements, yet have a story that allows you to feel a great deal of emotion for a main or secondary character, depending on the focus of the plot. When Stephen King wrote his first novel, Carrie, it was shocking as well as emotionally heart-stopping. Brian de Palma's film, following soon after, is groundbreaking and intense, and captures the horror of the character's actions as well as the horror of her secluded and alienated school and home life.

Carrie White has never been popular in school, and the verbal and physical abuse has apparently gotten worse with each year. One day, she gets her first period in the showers of the girls locker room, and frantically running to everyone for help, she is bombarded by shouts of banter and flying tampons. After it is learned that she was never told by anyone about this process of life, we soon learn the reason why: her mother is a Bible-thumping embodiment of a true maniac, who believes that every action committed by man is a sin in the eyes of God. Her treatment of her daughter is extremely harsh, but only until Carrie learns that she possesses a special gift, the ability to move objects with her mind. Meanwhile, Sue Snell, one of the girls involved in the malicious locker room incident, feels guilt over her actions and asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the prom. Carrie accepts, and attends the event despite her mother's warnings of doom and sin. But something much worse will happen, something more terrifying than Mrs. White could ever imagine.

"Carrie" is one of the most well-known horror films of all time, and has set the standard for many later films of the genre. The entire premise for the movie is quite original, and the execution of the material is even more powerful and emotional than the novel itself. What makes it so emotional is the fact that there is a human story that happens everyday around the world. Carrie is constantly bantered and teased about every aspect of her life: her home, her mother, her apparel, and her demeanor, and it is done in such a manner that you cannot help but feel a great deal of sorrow for her when she commits the ultimate act in the finale of the film.

De Palma's camera angles and cinematography add an immense amount to the overall effect. Many of his shots usually center on someone in the foreground, while Carrie is somewhere within the near background, making her appear minute and small among everyone else. His use of the two-window effect for the prom sequence helps us to see more of the destruction and the reactions people have to events going on around them. One more notable sequence is opening scene, in the girls locker room, where we see the rest of the girls having fun and making merry while Carrie is alone and singled out in the shower stall. Throughout the movie, De Palma does a spectacular job in making Carrie seem insignificant when put with a group of people.

Sissy Spacek was brought to the project to play the title character, and does a top-notch job. She is the perfect "ugly-duckling" type for the role, and she is able to play out all of the emotion and terror that Carrie experiences throughout the novel. Amy Irving is does a credible job as Sue Snell, and her performance makes us believe that Sue really does feel sorry for what she has done to Carrie. The rest of the ensemble makes the movie believable, and never is there a moment where you will question the authenticity of a performance.

Certain to remain a hallmark of moviemaking, "Carrie" will shock, scare, and incite emotion for years to come. It is a movie that operates on many different levels, each beginning at separate times of the film, yet converging in the end to sweep us up in horror and sorrow.

Here's to the Devil with false modesty...;)
Released in 1976, "Carrie" is a disturbing horror film that's generously fueled by psychological tension and religious iconography. Unlike the decade's other two occult works, "The Exorcist" and "The Omen," this is not a tale about the Devil's chicanery. Although it overlaps ominous images of Christ with the raging feminine hormones of teenagers, the film actually decrys the tragic reality of school bullying; as an underrated form of child abuse, this so-called "rite of passage" involves a youth culture so cruel and thoughtless that it drives its victims to suicide or murder.
Actress Sissy Spacek portrays Carrie White, a shy and lonely misfit who is constantly harrassed by her classmates. After another strenuous game of vollyball, she begins to mensturate in the girls' shower. Terrified at seeing the blood running down her fingers, Carrie hysterically cries to the other students for help. But instead, all of the girls corner her in the locker room, jeering and tossing tampons at her. From that moment on, viewers are introduced to the appalling ignorance of the high school staff; not only do the teachers refuse to take Carrie's word seriously, but even Principal Morton (Stefan Gierasch) can't seem to remember her first and last name. The only official to pity her is gym teacher Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), who realizes that she was never taught how to deal with PMS. Fiercely determined to protect Carrie's well-being, Miss Collins punishes the class with a week's worth of brutal, boot camp athletics; anyone who refused to attend detention was excluded from the senior prom.
Meanwhile, behind closed doors, Carrie is tortured and chastised by her Mother (Piper Laurie), a straitlaced Christian fanatic who corrupts every passage in the Bible, blatantly accusing her daughter of being sinful. After hearing about her first period, Margaret White assumes that Carrie is inflicted with the curse of blood, and that she's tempted by the Antichrist's lust. Forcing her to pray for strength, Margaret drags her helpless daughter into a tiny closet, where a gaunt effigy of Jesus stares into a dark void of nothingness. It seems that all hope is lost for this little girl, but that mood eventually changes. Through library research, Carrie discovers she possesses telekinetic powers; whenever she gets angry or afraid, she can flip an ashtray off a desk, shatter a mirror, or make doors open and close unaided. Eventually, this is the weapon she uses to fight back against her Mother's assault.
Seeking revenge, one of Carrie's most hateful bullies, a spoiled and nasty girl named Chris (Nancy Allen), cajoles her drunk boyfriend Billy (John Travolta) to play a sadistic prank on her. On prom night, after Carrie and poet Tommy Ross (William Katt) are crowned King and Queen, Chris dumps a bucket of pig's blood on her head. Drenched and degraded, she is surrounded by a kaleidoscope of laughing spectators. In an act of murderous rage, Carrie unleashes her telekinetic anger upon the crowd. With her cold and blank stare, she showers water from a firehose, electrocutes the microphone, and engulfs the entire school in flames. In perhaps the most shocking split-screen sequence in history, this unforgettable night of terror is shot through multiple perspectives, while glowing a grisly, hellish red.
If you are seeking a horror classic for your DVD collection, I strongly recommend this film, as well as "The Exorcist," "Evil Dead," and "Nightmare on Elm Street."

Classical
Carrie White is a bit strange. She is friendless, her mother is obsessed with worshipping god, and sin, everybody at school harrases her, and to top it all off, she gets asked to the prom by the "hottest" guy in school, which also happens to be the guy Carrie has "special feelings" for.

Now, when you mix all those things together, do you come to the conclusion that Carrie might be under a lot of pressure? Well sure you do, cause she is. And to her horror, when she and Billy or whoever it is, i forget his name, starts to dance to the school song, a huge bucket of pigs blood is poured on her.

Blood, guts, gore...not really, but during the last half hour or so, the violence is pretty strong, not too graphic, but there are some graphic scenes of violence. When a girl gets crushed by a basketball hoop thingy, and when Carries mom gets killed by knifes being stabbed in her. I am sure there are some other ones, but those are the most graphic that i Can remeber right now.

Not too sexual, but there are definatly some sexual scenes, after all, this IS stephen king we are talking about, read this book and that will be enough dose of sexuality for you for one day, guarenteed.

Chilling ever time I see it
This movie is a very rare type of teen horror moive. It perfectly balences our fears and teen angst with phenominal acting at the same time. I think the reason why Carrie is still so fresh even today is because we all have a little bit of Carrie in all of us. All of us at one point in our lives have been teased, beaten up, or felt like you didn't belong at some point in our lives. We all know exactly how Carrie feels when all the girls laugh at her at the prom, or the excitment she felt when the most popular guy in schol askes her to the prom. We have all experienced these feeling throught out our teen years. Pino Donaggio did a superb job with the sountrack. Its so simple yet so effective. The music playing just before the blood is dumped still gets me everytime. It sounds almost like a clock ticking. Almost as if itsticking away the time that the kids have left to live. Even though I know whats gonna happen that scene never fails to scare me to death. This movie is a must see. Even todays teens will love this movie.

Steven King at his best
Probably the best translation of a Steven King novel into a movie. You can't miss this one. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Tweed and Katt Sizzle in a hot thriller
Last Call Colour 1990 Erotic - Thriller Shannon Tweed, William Katt Rated : Unrated Version Reviwed This steamy thriller has plenty of love scenes to keep you satisfied and entertained. When a deal goes sour the real fun begins as the lovers play a twisted game of revenge. Review : *** Out Of 5 ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Naahhhhh
I liked this movie better the first time I saw it, when it was called HEATHERS. Seriously, Rose McGowan tried, but couldn't carry the movie. One good thing about her is she is built like a real woman with hips instead of the usual anorexic standard for actresses these days. Kind of like the feminine ideal from the 50's, except all the tattoos kind of ruin that effect. The cameo by her boyfriend, Mr. Manson, was kind of amusing. But the movie seemed like they were making it up as they went along, and very predictable. Terrible script, and your beleivability is stretched way too far. After Courtney (McGowan) and her clique kidnap one of their pals, things go awry and she (the pal) ends up dead. They drive around, freaking out, all except for Courtney, who has the brilliant plan to call the high school, pretend to be the dead pal's mom, and call in sick for her. OK, what is one of the first things the police would ask the kid's mom after she turned up dead? Sheeeesh. Rebecca Gayheart's acting is slowly improving. I give this movie two stars, one for Pam Grier, one for the sheer mean-spiritedness and bad taste of it. But that's not enough to save this dog of a movie, and the Donnas weren't enough to save it either. Oh, and I liked the Donnas better the first time I heard them, when they were called The Ramonas and The Runaways. I wouldn't bother, unless you are a big Rose McGowan fan.

A highly entertaining dark comedy
I can understand why some people don't particularly like this movie, but I enjoyed it immensely. Of course, I enjoy anything featuring Rose McGowan, but the movie itself is actually a lot of fun. If you tend to take movies seriously and have trouble suspending your disbelief, this movie isn't for you, and a short description of the movie should easily convince you to take your cinematic interests elsewhere. I happen to like over the top movies about high school life, and Jawbreaker takes the stratification of high school society, something we are all acquainted with in one form or another, and runs with it. Rose McGowan plays Courtney Shane, considered by some to be "Satan-in-heels." She is your ultimate clique queen, operating the controls of high school popularity and approachability with the help of faithful and reliable henchbabe Marcie Fox (Julie Benz) and two goody-goodies who somehow manage to stay cool despite hobnobbing with their social inferiors from time to time. Rebecca Gayheart (who finds herself in the odd situation of being rather invisible whenever McGowan shares the screen with her) plays Julie Freedman, and she is in fact complicit in the unusual death of Elizabeth Purr, sweet little angel and fourth member of the ruling babes of Reagan High School. Courtney, Marcie, and Julie celebrate Liz's 17th birthday by disguising themselves, sneaking into her room, tying her up and gagging her, throwing her into the trunk of their car, and eventually releasing her to enjoy the hilarity of their innocent little prank. Wouldn't you know it, something goes awry. The insanely large jawbreaker that Courtney stuffs in her mouth before taping it closed manages to work its way down Liz's throat. With their friend dead, the three girls must take action quickly to avoid detection; Courtney is a natural at evil plotting and quickly enacts a plan. Unfortunately, class geek Fern Mayo happens along and overhears the big secret, prompting Courtney to take drastic action; in return for Fern's silence, she will transform Fern into the beautiful, popular girl she has always wanted to be. Julie wants no part of it, but her own guilt and complicity leads her to do little more than go schoolmarm and reject her evil friends.

This movie does raise issues about high school life, but it does not attempt to make some meaningful statement . The common stereotypes are presented but not dwelt on. Those who would not understand how nice, sweet Fern could be enticed into going over to the dark side were obviously not among the nerds and geeks of their own graduating class. Even though Courtney was hated as much as she was loved, the vast majority of her peers wanted to be like her, immensely popular, beautiful, intimidating, and awe-inspiring. Sure, she is selfish, evil, and uncaring, but that's part of her charm. I personally prefer her to Julie, who pretends to be something she is not and blames Courtney alone for an act she herself played a large part in.

Don't even try to think about this movie; you're not supposed to learn anything here. This is entertainment and nothing more, and I for one was greatly entertained. The ending leaves a little something to be desired, but all in all this is a marvelous dark comedy. Rose McGowan makes this movie cool all by herself, but the kicking soundtrack is more than ready to assist in this endeavor whenever called upon, which is quite often. The music is almost a character in and of itself, beautifully assisting in the creation of whatever atmosphere is required for each scene, and its incessant energy never allows for a moment of drag as the story works itself out. There is quite a bit of profanity in the script, and it is this much more than Rose McGowan's all-too-brief yet sizzling nude scene that earns this one its R rating. I seem to take delight in praising movies of this type, and I take great delight in praising this one. Jawbreakers is a very entertaining dark comedy.

EYE CANDY
There's a demonic undertone to this black comedy that delineates the cruelty of teenagers; and also, their lack of self-understanding, and their commitment to only please themselves. For instance, the scene where hunky Ethan Erickson is waiting for his beloved Rose McGowan to arrive, he tries several different poses on the bed; resorts to stripping to his underwear, and then when she arrives, she baits him with a popsicle. You can tell he's uncomfortable in licking the popsicle, but you can also see the delight in McGowan's eyes in making him suck the popsicle. When she uses this to bait him as to what he would like done, we can see the cruelty in McGowan's character.
The idea of having someone die from choking on a humongous jawbreaker is original, but at the same time, the coolness and nonchalance the girls display in their friend's death is frighteningly realistic ... to a point. Not one to bash teenagers, we do need them after all?, the movie still makes us see all the things we hated about high school.
While McGowan is excellent in her bitch queen role, her destruction at the prom is almost as devastating as Carrie's in the well known horror book/flick. Rebecca Gayheart as the tried and true Julie sinks to McGowan's level in this destruction. Julie Benz is appropriately ditzy as Foxy and Judy Greer as Fern Mayo/Vylette also well cast. Erickson is a perfect choice for the self-absorbed and hedonistic Dane. Chad Christ as Julie's dramatic boyfriend does well, and once again shows how in high school, if you are a drama freak, you're probably homosexual.
The movie falls apart in several places, but does have some good cameos from Pam Grier as Det. Vera Cruz; Jeff Conaway as Foxy's dad, who does a cute Tiffany impersonation; and wastes William Katt and PJ Soles as the victim's parents. (Ironic, they both appeared in the original CARRIE).
Not a classic, but does pack some punch in what it's trying to say, it's just afraid to come out and say it: teenagers are cruel.

"Jawbreaker" has a good hook but then bait & switches on us
"Jawbreaker" begins with the accidental death of Liz Purr (Charlotte Ayanna) as the result of an encounter with the titular confection. That act is the hook for a young audience to watch this 1999 black comedy but it is really just an excuse for yet another rather lackluster version of the movie where the elite young girls at a high school savage each other (i.e., "Mean Girls" without Tina Fey's wit). The problem with this movie for most people is going to be that it is going to strike them as a case of bait and switch. You think this movie is going to be something along the lines of "Scream" or "Carrie" and it is really more like "She's All That" and "Can't Hardly Wait."

The accidental death sets up three plots lines. First, Queen "B" Courtney Alice Shayne (Rose McGowan) is on a mission to make sure that nothing happens to her position atop the school hierarchy. Second, good girl Julie Freeman (Rebecca Gayheart) feels badly about killing their best friend and rethinks her membership in the elite group. Third, wallflower Fern Mayo (Judy Greer) is transformed by Courtney into the vivacious Vylette, who gets to replace Liz. There is a fourth member of the group, Marcie "Foxy" Fox (Julie Benz), but she is Courtney's loyal stooge and is incapable of independent thought. Meanwhile, Detective Vera Cruz (Pam Grier) is investigating Liz's death and is questioning the girls.

The character of the detective is a pivotal one in the film because she reveals the flaws of this film. I mean, come on, we are talking about Pam Grier playing a hard-nosed detective, and she gets taken for a ride by a bunch of teenage girls who do not break a sweat. There is some confusion as to circumstances of Liz's death, thanks to Courtney's efforts, but the disturbing fact that somebody called the school pretending to be Liz's mother to explain she would be home "sick" seems to get forgotten by the time the police haul in a suspect. These are not the brightest kids to begin with and their effort to cover up their crime only works because in the end this drama has to be played out at the high school prom and not in some precinct house or juvenile court.

McGowan was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for this film and she has a fine time being the cold-hearted queen of the school the story requires. But the more over the top she goes in terms of being so nasty to those she demands bow down before her that you end up wondering what is wrong with them rather than with Courtney. Gayheart does a good job of playing her uncomfortableness with what is going on, thereby grounding the movie from time to time in something resembling reality, while Benz vacillates between frightened fool and sarcastic sidekick. The cast and the performances are good, but not good enough to cover the problems with the basic story and in the end "Jawbreaker" does not finish as strongly as it started.

Just When I Thought Rebecca and Rose Had True Potential
This film alone is the number one reason Rebecca Gayheart and Rose McGowen will never become top actresses or earn the respect of Hollywood. While young actresses like Julia Stiles, Kristen Dunst, Claire Danes, Christina Ricci and Jennifer Love Hewett have branched out to make films people can take seriously, actresses like Gayheart and McGowen give the " teen " scene a bad name. And that's terrible considering these so-called teens were in their thirties when this film was done. The problem is not with Jawbreaker. Yeah the movie is stupid and as entertaining as an engrown toenail, still Rose and Rebecca have kissed their futures as serious actresses gone forever. I used to enjoy both of these ladies in previous films. But once I saw this I realized they weren't even trying to be noticed as serious actresses. If they were they wouldn't have even looked at the Jawbreaker script ONCE. Jawbreaker is terrible but it's the lead actresses that should be embarrassed. Not the filmmakers. ... Read more

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From the back cover - just the facts (plotline) -
Sam Paxton (Ernest Borgnine) is devastated when he returns home to his ranch to find his only son murdered and his daughter apparently kidnapped by Army deserters. On a mission of revenge, Sam gathers a small posse and seeks the help of an old friend, a tracker, to locate his daughter. Zeke Smith (Sammy Davis Jr.) an experienced frontier scout with a will of his own, shows up instead of Sam's friend. Sam questions enlisting Zeke, fearing that they will disagree on how to find his daughter but, despite Sam's reluctance, Zeke joins the posse. Soon the posse deserts Sam after learning that the kidnappers are not Army deserters but renegade Indians. Sam is left to depend solely on Zeke to help him retrieve his daughter. Produced by Sammy Davis Jr. ... Read more