Reviews (34)

I've loved this movie for over 20 years and now I own it!
This movie had characters that were very human and even the "wicked" mother had redeeming qualities. You looked for reasons which drove her to behave the way she did. Kathleen Quinlan, a very beautiful and emotion-envoking actress, has stayed in my mind for twenty years! Stephen Collins is always a pleasure to see. Beatrice Straight did the mother with such emotion in her face. This is a movie to watch again. I hadn't seen it for 20 years, I just bought it. Some critics would rather see all the war and killing movies and not appreciate "A Genuine Love Story"!

An original love story overlooked by the press
I remembering seeing this movie, years ago. I was so impressed with the originality that was created in this love story. I remembered the name, and when I saw it in the video store, I was so happy. I immediately rented it.

There is no comparison of this to Love Story, or even Gone with the Wind. This movie is far better. It keeps you cheering for her lover, her husband to find her. You can not help but feeling the mother in law needs to allow her son a life. She has the "you are not good enough for my son, blues." All the actors and actresses were so great. I recommend this to everyone.

The Promise
I saw the movie - I want the video but I don't know how to get it. Please help me to purchase this on line. PLEASE PLEASE HELP
It is absolutely the best book I have ever read and ultimately the best show I have ever seen.

One of the Best!
I read the book by Danielle Steele some twenty years ago and then saw the movie. I am such a romantic that I still go back and read the book again and again. Well written book and wonderful movie! I thought Stephen Collins was hot then and still is. Great love story with twists and turns....And true love always wins!

Get out the hanky
Not since the 5 star hanky movies from Lana Turner will you see such a romantic cry-you-eyes-out movie. This movie is GREAT and one of my all time favorites. This movie proves that if you are ment to be together,,,,,your ment to be together.The acting is wonderful, costumes great and the music score is unforgetable. The opening and closing scene standing by the rock has got to be the most romantic scene ever filmed. It is also the most gut-grabbing. I'm a guy and i still can't help getting all teary eyed especially during those scenes. Just wish this was on DVD and stereo sound. A great film for your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Classic 80's Horror movie makes for a wonderful DVD.
Im a child of the 80's. I love just about everything the 80's had to offer. The toys were better, the cartoon's were better and the horror movies were better. Sure, the special effects might seem a little crude to the crowd of today. But I think its more the idea's and story lines that make them alot better than horror movies of today. "Scream" and "I know what you did last Summer" just don't cut it as good horror movies. Its just a bunch of pop teen idols getting slashed up by the "who done it" killer. *yawn* BORING! 80's horror movies had interesting plots, creepy idea's, dark and brooding camera work, scary bad guys. The list could go on and on. C.H.U.D is one of the 80's classics and one of my own personal favorites. Its about homeless people who live under the steets of New York. Soon the hobo's and city people come up missing. As it turns out, the city has been storing toxic waste drums beneath the streets and the hobo's are turning into horrible, mutant undead monsters! Most people pass off the monsters as "corny" looking, but I would rather see make-up special effects than CGI special effects. Don't get me wrong, I like CGI special effects. Im a fan of the Jurassic Park movies because the CGI is so sweet! But you can't beat all the hard work and morbid detail that went into movies like C.H.U.D, Hellraiser and Friday the 13th. Anyways, the rest of the movie is a cat and mouse chase beneath the city streets to escape before its too late. I don't want to get into too much detail about the movie, you'll just have to see it for yourself. Take my word for it, C.H.U.D is what horror movies are all about.

This is what DVD is all about
I am proud to say I took part in an Anchor Bay poll that led to them picking up the rights to this movie. They did a splendid job. The digital transfer is beautiful... almost too beautiful. And the widescreen picture allows you to see everything as the director intended (in this Director's Cut!)...

Some might argue that this film is a slap in the face to the digital medium. Maybe. But this film represents to me the tongue-in-cheeck bad horror movies of yesterday.

If you're a fan of C.H.U.D., the commentary alone is worth the purchase price. Just picture John Heard, Daniel Stern, and director Douglas Cheek arguing back and forth about who ruined which scene. They didn't even realize it was the director's cut they were watching until about halfway through!

And if you own the DVD, there is an Easter Egg worth checking out. From the Special Featurs menu, press the up arrow on your remote and the C.H.U.D.'s eyes should light up. Hit enter and it will take you to that oh-so wonderful shower scene, only this time uncut. I wonder if the actress knows they re-instered her breasts into this DVD?

Yeah, this is what DVDs are all about.

More fun than a barrel of toxic waste
When you think of the 1984 horror movie "C.H.U.D.," try and think of an old 1950s or 1960s atomic bomb crazed monster movie. The only difference is that they updated the concept to fit the late 1970s and early 1980's fear of nuclear waste. Most long time fans of horror-I'm talking about fans old enough to watch this junk on cable television around the same time MTV appeared on the scene-have seen this movie before. In some ways, it's a classic even though it isn't particularly gory or scary. I can't tell you how many people I have ran into in the intervening years who have mentioned this movie when a discussion turns to horror films. I always nod my head in understanding and then try to drop in a few titles that better represent the horror franchise. Still, "C.H.U.D." is a charming little film that every new aficionado of shriek cinema should see, and since good old Anchor Bay released it on DVD with a great picture transfer and several fun extras, there's simply no excuse not to watch this one in the near future. It's been years since I saw it, and I was greatly surprised at how much I had forgotten. It's always nice to revisit old friends, eh?

Set in the gritty and grimy streets of New York City, "C.H.U.D." We soon learn something isn't quite right in the city that never picks up after itself. George Cooper (John Heard), a big shot photographer working on a new project concerning the homeless, starts hearing things about missing people. Intrigued, and worried considering some of the vanishing are people he has worked with recently, he decides to quietly start investigating the disappearances. Meanwhile, a city cop named Bosch, whose own wife vanished without a trace some time before, begins assembling reports on sudden disappearances. His superiors could care less since nearly all of these people are vagrants and similar forgettables. Captain Bosch perseveres, always remembering the grief and horror over his own personal tragedy. In order to get information, the good cop pays a visit to A.J. Shepard (Daniel Stern), affectionately known on the street as "The Reverend," a man who runs a soup kitchen to feed the poor. Shepard isn't happy about seeing Bosch, and only reluctantly agrees to help when the cop emphasizes he is truly sincere about solving the mystery. It isn't too long before Cooper, Shepard, and Bosch join forces to defeat an evil lurking under the streets of the city. What could possibly dwell in the sewers under New York City? Why, something called C.H.U.D., of course! When Cooper goes underground to check on one of his pals, he discovers that monsters have been preying on the homeless. These people are so scared they've started arming themselves in order to fend off the evil ones.

The photographer takes a picture of one of the mutilated corpses he finds in the sewer, pictures that ultimately end up in the hands of Shepard and Bosch as they take their case to the chief of police, the mayor, and the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, a guy named Wilson. After an attempt to stonewall these three heroes fails (Shepard threatens to go to the newspapers), Wilson reluctantly reveals that the C.H.U.D. are something called cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers. Wilson claims a small amount of nuclear waste leaked into the sewers of New York and turned a few vagrants into ravenous, glowing eyed monsters with a fondness for human flesh. A mission to flush out the monsters with flamethrowers fails miserably, so it's up to our three heroes to do the job themselves. The C.H.U.D. aren't about to take any attempts to eradicate them lying down, and eventually move aboveground to wreak mayhem on the innocent residents of the city. More painful truths come out when Shepard and Cooper discover that Wilson lied about the toxic waste leak, a truth that is much worse and one that paints the bureaucrat in an extremely unfavorable light. Expect to see plenty of explosions, fires, and general carnage before the credits roll.

"C.H.U.D." is one of those fun movies you just can't help but chuckle over as you watch. The success of the film is mostly due to the cast, especially Daniel Stern as the frenetic A.J. Shepard. The Reverend is a cranky, anti-authoritarian type who just loves to cause trouble. His haircut, a cross between Mark Twain and Don King, adds to the general sense of ridiculousness. When he goes mano a mano with the evil Wilson, you know the common man will finally get his due. Of course, John Heard isn't a slouch either as the outraged George Cooper. Christopher Curry adds a bit of seriousness as the inquisitive Captain Bosch. Be sure and look for John Goodman and Jay Thomas as two cops unfortunate enough to have an encounter with a C.H.U.D. in a diner. The only disappointments in the movie are the lack of gore and the short screen time allotted to the creatures. More C.H.U.D. and fewer messages about the threat of bureaucratic conspiracy and nuclear waste disposal would have made for a better horror film.

Once again, Anchor Bay turned out a great disc. There's a trailer, special effects stills, and an excellent commentary track from director Douglas Cheek, John Heard, Christopher Curry, and Daniel Stern. These guys have a lot of fun taking potshots at the movie and it's amusing to listen to them. Another plus is the amazing picture transfer and audio quality (crystal clear, folks). You just gotta love that cheesy '80s synth score! If you haven't seen "C.H.U.D.," get cracking. This movie definitely falls quite high on the "must see" list. It's not gory and not scary, but it is loads of fun.

C.H.U.D. DVD Review!
Of all the great "guilty pleasure" Saturday afternoon monster matinee features I watched when I was growing up, Doug Cheek's "C.H.U.D." remains one of the most memorable. While it's not quite on the entertaining level of cult classics like "Return Of The Living Dead" and "Alligator", both of which it bares similiar resemblances to, though to be fair, "Return" did come after it, "C.H.U.D." is a fool's treasure in cinematic cheese.

This B-movie gem revolves around a top secret batch of toxic waste that the government goons have disposed of in the city sewers. This little secret is causing some of the city's underground inhabits to mutate into flesh-eating monsters known as C.H.U.D. (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers). It's up to "Home Alone" alumni John Heard and Daniel Stern to stop this menace before it's too late. It's easier said than done though as the police department and an alleged N.R.C. representative want to put a lid on things.

"C.H.U.D." opens up somewhat slowly with a lot of pointless back story but the final half-hour is its "bread and butter". Stern and Heard get chased through the city's crappy sewer system full of toxic waste and decapitated heads while Greist is trapped in her apartment by one of the title monsters, complete with glow in the dark eyes. This movie also boats cameo appearances from such diverse talent as John Goodman, Patricia Richardson, and Jon Polito, to name a few.

"C.H.U.D." actually gets some decent treatmant with this DVD release. You get the movie in its original 1.77:1 aspect ratio with all of the television footage inserted back into it (though it says nothing about that on the cover packaging). There's also an easter egg with an alternate take of Kim Greist's shower scene complete with a nice little breast shot. But the best bonus of all has to be the full-length commentary with the film's director, writer, and actors John Heard, Daniel Stern, and Christopher Curry. These guys literally have a blast ripping into the movie. It's good stuff. If you see only one film about radioactive sewer creatures, make it this one.

Monster movie with a message
Many movies try to teach you important, preachy lessons and disguise them in the trappings of fantasy. CHUD is one of those. Here it is: Homeless people are people too and should not be treated as throw away citizens. But wait! There's more! CHUD manages to squeeze in two lessons for the price of one! Lesson two: Our dependency on products made with toxic chemicals combined with our innate greed is going to be our eventual downfall. Now that we have learned our lesson, start the DVD and just enjoy the fantasy trappings. Because CHUD is a monster movie. A good one.

John Heard (Cat People, Pelican Brief) and Daniel Stern (Home Alone, The Wonder Years) headline a decent cast occupying a New York neighborhood where people have started disappearing. Oh, people have been disappearing for a while, but those others were just homeless people (see Lesson One), but now "important" people are coming up missing. And soon it becomes apparent that creatures in the subways and sewer systems of the city are dining out on the local passersby.

It takes a while before you get a good look at one of the CHUDs (c.h.u.d. representing "canniballistic humanoid underground dwellers"). When you see them though, they are good, original looking monster freaks with glowing eyes and snaggly teeth. Add to that image the fact that they live in those dark places underground and the creep factor is complete. We all know that there are miles of tunnels and passages under our big cities, but no one wants to go down there. In our minds, we see THESE things jumping out at us. A monster movie has to appeal to one of your fears and I guess this is one of mine.

People tend to condemn CHUD for some reason or another. I think it does a good job at creeping you out while providing a solid 90 minutes of entertainment. It won't be shown in your American Cinema 101 class though.

DVD special features include some cool production photos and pre-production looks at the design of the creatures. Audio commentary includes the director and 3 lead actors. Always a plus when they can get the actors to come in and chat. Buy CHUD and I think you will enjoy it. HOWEVER, avoid the sequel "CHUD 2: Bud the CHUD" at all costs. It has almost nothing to do with this film and it is horrible. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the early spring of 1993, a year before the series was launched, the two-hour movie and series pilot Babylon 5: The Gathering appeared. This proto-Babylon staked out the initial territory for the series (some of which would change by the first episode), introducing primary characters and sketching out the alliances and rifts in interplanetary diplomacy. Some of the primary characters bowed out after their initial appearances (Tamlyn Tomita's Lt. Commander Laurel Takashima and Johnny Seka's Dr. Benjamin Kyle never returned; Patricia Tallman's telepath Lyta Alexander made periodic revisits beginning in the second season, eventually rejoining the cast permanently). Set on the first anniversary of the Babylon 5 (none of the first four stations survived even a month), the central story involves the attempted assassination of the newly arrived Vorlon, the mysterious Ambassador Kosh, at the hands of (perhaps) Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare). Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle, a smart-aleck tough guy in the Bruce Willis vein) investigates and uncovers a web of conspirators, a portent of things to come. When TNT picked up the series for the fifth season Straczynski reedited the pilot, weaving back in a dropped subplot while cutting the rest of the film more tightly, tweaking special effects, and commissioning a new score from Christopher Franke. This is the cut released on video, a stronger, more engaging film, but still a broad first stab at characters that would redefine themselves through the course of the show's run. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Babylon 5 -- And So It Begins
I still remember the first time I saw this pilot episode on television. Having watched the Star Trek franchises for many years, I thought they were the benchmark against which all other science fiction storylines would be compared. My first impression of the B5 pilot, "The Gathering," seemed to bear that out.

I felt this B5 storyline was too dark, and I especially disliked the make-up of Mira Furlan's character, D'Lenn. She looked TOO evil, especially her chin. How could a prominent character like hers project a sense of compassion for the human race? "Humans form communities, and from that comes a strength that no race can defeat." She would make a statement like this later in the series. So, it would do her character an injustice to make her look like an evil and malevolent person.

Then there was G'Kar -- he, too, had an evil look to him. Granted, his race is malevolent and seeks only to advance its personal agenda, and it has suffered dearly at the hands of its former masters, the Centauri. But I got no sense that there was any redeeming quality in G'Kar, and that he would just be a stereotypically evil person.

Then there was Londo Mollari -- I thought of him as a "Broom Head." He looked like all he was good for was sweeping up messes. Nor did he project a sense of authority that was due his position. In effect, he was nothing more than a clown.

I also didn't like the musical score for the original pilot episode. It made Babylon 5 feel like a funeral parlour, rather than "Our last, best hope for peace."

In essence, I felt that "The Gathering" was a waste of time, and that it had no future on television.

However, having seen how the five-year storyline unfolded after that pilot episode, I really started to appreciate JMS's vision.

In addition, when the new version of "The Gathering" came out on DVD in 2001, I felt that JMS had really done a good job of cleaning the pilot episode up. There was a new sound track that didn't feel as depressing, although it still retained that dark nature that I came to appreciate even better than I originally did. Then there are the additional scenes that were put in, especially those with Sinclair and his girlfriend. These added more depth to the plot.

I was also happy to see in the series that Mira Furlan lost the evil chin and that the facial features of Andreas Katsulas' character were also softened to make him look less malevolent.

All in all, this new version of the pilot episode is much better than its original broadcast in 1993. While I cannot give it five stars out of five, it definitely deserves four stars for having been cleaned up.

Not the best, but still an intriguing start to Babylon 5
This series pilot does a very good job introducing the major alien races, their history with the Earth Alliance, and their diplomats, all of whom will play an important part in the unfolding Babylon 5 saga. This updated, revised edition of the pilot gives a darker, more sinister edge to some of the plot and main characters, most notably, Lieutenant Commander Laurel Takashima (Tamlyn Tomita) and Minbari ambassador Delenn (Mira Furlan). Anyone who expects "Star Trek" may be disappointed, since the story is far more complex and thoughtful than almost anything I have seen in all the versions of "Star Trek". While this is not "Babylon 5" at its best, it offers the viewer much promise, along with tantalizing hints as to what will follow over the course of the five year-long saga.

Not as advertised, not the best
As you have no doubt already read, this is *not* the premiere movie from 1993 but rather the 1998 TNT version. That irked me, and I hope that the distributors of this movie and amazon.com correct this mistake.

This DVD literally contains an ad for Season 1 on DVD and the TNT version of "The Gathering". Nothing else. There's not even a menu on this DVD. This is as bare-bones as it gets, but then again, you are paying a few bucks for it so you get what you pay for.

The only reason this merits two stars is literally the content. This is a editing of the movie that started it all for Babylon 5, laying the groundwork for a five year storyline. While it can seem a bit drab and drawn out, if you watch the show you will return to this movie and see things you never saw before.

For completists, get this. For everyone else, wait until the Babylon 5 movies set comes out and buy that instead. You will get a much better experience with the same movie as part of that set.

Babylon 5's pilot TV Movie The Gathering now in WIDESCREEN!
I bought this DVD in the store even though I have the original two-story release DVD The Gathering/In the Beginning and am planning to get the movie box set.

The reason I did so was because that it said on the label that it was the original pilot episode from March 8, 1993. That version was only ever released on VHS not DVD. I was skeptical but for a few dollars I decided to take a chance.

Not to my surprise it was the TNT Special Edition not the original. The Gathering Special Edition much like the Star Wars Special Editions added scenes, deleted scenes and redid effects and dialogue. Strangely the creator of B5 J. Michael Straczynski was praised by his fans for doing so whereas Lucas was condemned for his changes.

The thing though that made this DVD worth getting after all was that they have reformatted the movie which was only made in 1:33:1 fullscreen to a widescreen presentation like they did the Kung Fu TV series DVD's even though the labeling on the back says it is in standard format like it's original exhibition.

Don't buy this
This is not a wide screen version on this, because unlike the rest of the show, the pilot was not shot in wide screen. There will not be a wide-screen version unless they crop it down. Don't buy this unless you are a collector, because they are about to release a box set with all the movies including this one with commentary. This is a waste of a few bucks unless you are going to buy everything b-5 that was ever made. If not hold out for the Movie Box set due out soon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

At its best, Babylon 5 functioned more like chapters in an epic than stand-alone episodes in the Star Trek vein of science fiction shows. These initial episodes, like much of the first season, are in that latter tradition: short, mostly self-contained stories that nonetheless serve to expand our understanding of the Babylon 5 universe. The series pilot "The Gathering" is a conspiratorial adventure with a futuristic twist, set in the murky web of alien alliances and intergalactic political tensions. "Midnight on the Firing Line," set six months after the pilot, is the first broadcast episode of the series proper and introduces five new series regulars. As deadly raiders plunder space freighters around the galaxy, the Narn invade a Centauri colony in an act of revenge for wrongs done to their race decades ago, hinting at the blood fury that will drive these races to even greater evils against one another. "Soul Hunter" introduces a race that imprisons the souls of great artists and leaders at the moment of death. When one of them arrives on the station, it sets off a near panic in the alien races and an emotional response from the usually circumspect Delenn (Mira Furlan) that borders on homicidal. "Born to the Purple" plays on the weakness of Ambassador Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik) for pretty young women and drink, in a plot by a manipulative information peddler (guest star Clive Revill) to secure secret blackmail files (which, we find out, is the only coin worth anything in Centauri politics). "Infection" stars David McCallum as an archeologist who draws his former protégé Dr. Richard Franklin (Richard Biggs) into a scheme involving a technological find that carries a deadly secret. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Must-Have for Collectors and Fans
First of all, you have to understand: This box contains the first four one-hour episodes of Season One and the two-hour pilot episode, The Gathering, for only $35 dollars. Considering the pilot as 2 episodes, that's less that 6 dollars a shot. (Other popular SF shows sell single episodes for $15. Or 2 for $20.) Secondly, it is the Special Edition pilot episode - complete with new score by Christopher Franke and missing footage. The result is a tighter, faster paced, more staisfying introduction to the complex world of Babylon 5. Thirdly, each video jacket has it's own individual cover design. One gets the feeling that each video is a special part of a much greater whole. Fourthly, it's just good TV - arguably the most compelling SF TV ever. Midnight on the Firing Line goes for your throat right at the beginning and doesn't let go. Other episodes include, in order, Soul Hunter, Born to the Purple, and Infection.

The only deterrent may be a desire to wait until the entire series appears on DVD. But... well. I'll let you decide.

The Best Sci-Fi series, ever!
Babylon 5 easily buries any television science fiction series. Star Trek is nothing to it, Battlestar Galactica ended very badly, and all the Star Trek spin offs make me sick. Babylon 5 is an epic. Babylon 5 is indeed a rare gem. Bravo jms!

Babylon 5 is what Sci Fi was meant to be!
When Babylon 5 first came around, I thought, bah, just another sci fi show. I'll just go watch DS9. Eventually, my friends talked me into watching it. Fortunately, a friend had copied all the episodes to tape. Thus, I was able to view them in sequence from the beginning, to what was then current...without commercials. I was HOOKED. I now own a complete set of episodes (or at least, very close)... Political intrigue, characters with depth, POWERFUL story, no "perfect" society. And a side comment, though the picture on the box appears to be the station "upsidedown". There is no "up" in space, and therefore, it cannot be upsidedown. :)

Beginning of a very deep rich sci-fi experience
I could write a review of each B5 video, but instead I decided to consolidate my thoughts into 1 review at the start of the published series. As a 48 year old professional man who has historically had little interest in sci-fi, I was deeply touched and engrossed in B5, when it originally aired on UPN, and subsequently moved to TNT. This is a series written by a master story teller, mapped out with great detail and depth with a 5 season plan. Not like your typical TV sci-fi show (e.g., the perennial Star Trek derivatives that seem to often rely on the "monster/alien invasion/crisis of the week" and contain characters who march around in skin tight military body suits doing their non-thinking duty like the personified ideal of some totalitarian society of the future), B5 portrays a world of real human beings. There is still poverty, corruption, back biting, political pressure, dirt, grime, swearing, humor, mourning, hope, charity and kindness. In other words, the future is still a REAL PLACE, not a white washed Disney Land where high technology has somehow solved all mankind's problems so we can focus on testosterone goals, such as boldly going where we were not invited!

Instead, B5 (in a sense a huge metaphor for our times), shows a cosmos populated with the self-interest of bickering alien races and the attempts of the crew of B5 to maintain a space station created by earth (after a devastating war that almost destroyed human kind) to bring them all together to discuss peace (yet another attempt at a UN that works?). The eventual acknowledged failure of that goal leads to interplanetary war between 2 "older races", the Vorlons and Shadows with the younger races being caught in the middle, (a metaphor for the cold war when America and Russia were at each other's throats and the other nations of the planet were pawn pieces?).

If you are looking for an ADULT sci-fi masterpiece that evolves via a continuing connected story line over 5 seasons, try B5. Although not a rich man, I have bought ALL the published videos to enjoy the greater visual quality, even though I taped many of them from the original live TV broadcast.

My only complaint is much of seasons 3 and 4 are not available via Amazon.com. I would hope this will be remedied at some point in the future. If you did not have access to these seasons of B5 on TV (now showing them on the sci-fi channel), you may be a bit lost if you must rely only on the tapes available on Amazon.com for the complete story line.

Final note: do not judge the series by the first tape in this series. I understand it was originally a made-for-TV movie that was later transformed into the weekly series. Characterizations were still weak at that point, the scenery was much more murky (dark) than what became standard in the series, and some of the major characters (who I also saw as weak) were replaced by the first episode of the TV series. So much the better! Evolution is the word that springs to mind for this series, not filler between internet provider commercials (casting a final aspirsion upon Star Trek, the boom-bam show that high tech advertisers cattering to yuppie boredom love...).

Masterpiece of Fiction
Having long been a fan of the early and newer Star Trek shows,I was somewhat apprehensive about this series when it first premiered...HOWEVER,boy was I floored!!..This show is what Star Trek never really was.While Star Trek always seemed to present the future in rose colored glasses,with thouchy feely episodes.Babylon 5 offered a more REALISTIC view of the future..And more importantly,the series had a beggining and end..From the very first episode to the last,the series was building charachter and plot lines that would lead to its 5 year conclusion...Simply outstanding actors and performances,allowed for the viewer to become part of this universe,and learn from both its good and bad personalities..Everyone in this show had a purpose,and every episode,(unlike many Star Trek)was fascinating..Actually,you really couldnt miss an episode because of the many subtle hints that were key to the finale...This show probably offered the best view of ourselves and our "growth" as a species,and didnt resort to gimmicky "beam me up" and "hollow deck" technological fantasies...Ok,yes Im being hard on what was considered the best sci-fi of all time..However,after experiencing the run of Babylon 5,I now KNOW that the best vision,storytelling and charachter developement in a sci-fi drama belongs to Babylon 5.....I have all the old and new Star Trek shows,(voyager also) recoreded...However,I only find myself drawn back to view my collection of Babylon 5 episodes...I think you will also..! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Transitional Pre-"Batman" Comic Book Adaptation
I was 19 years old when this tv special first aired on NBC. It was just a few months before the Nicholson/Keaton "Batman" came out, so I think it provides a good look at the way comic-book characters have been adapted for movies & tv. It's a transitional piece.

In the '70's (and the Incredible Hulk tv show was from that time), lots of liberties were taken with comic-book adaptations for television & movies. Colorful villains were always non-existent. The individual personality traits of the original comic-book characters were never explored. And worst of all, the costumes were usually cheap & innaccuarate.

After 1989's "Batman", that all changed. Now film-makers & tv producers try to make their adaptations of comic-book heroes as faithful as possible to their original source. (That's why "Spider-Man" is such a hit. It's true to the comic-book!)

Well, "The Trial of The Incredible Hulk" is kind of in-between those two periods...and it shows! This tv movie has singer Rex Smith doing a very good acting & fighting job as Daredevil, the blind lawyer & acrobatic superhero, making a sizeable guest appearance. John Rhys-Davies brings Wilson Fisk ("the Kingpin") to life as the villain. Daredevil's background, as portrayed in this show, is pretty faithfull to the comic-book original (though in this show, he has a Gordon/Batman relationship with a cop named "Tendelli", which is non-existent in the comic-book.) Even the character of "Turk" is portrayed in this show. (Too bad there's no Karen Page or Foggy Nelson.) It's obvious that the writers had been inspired by the Frank Miller Daredevils where the Hulk had made a guest appearance. So in that sense, this show is a glimpse of things to come.

However, this show is also a glimpse of things that should have been left in the '70's, particularly the bad costuming! Daredevil's signature red-devil acrobat uniform with a cowled-mask complete with devil horns is missing in this show. Instead, what we have is Rex Smith dressed in a black cat-burgler's outfit!

Oh well, the story & acting are good, Rex Smith handles the martial-arts fight scenes adequately, & as always, Bill Bixby captures the tortured persona of Dr. Banner to a "T."

I recommend it, but in light of the new Spider-Man movie, as well as the anticipated movie releases of the Incredible Hulk & Daredevil next year, I also recommend that you don't expect too much from "The Trial of The incredible Hulk."

Bill and Lou-The Indredible Hulk
I remember as a kid watching the Hulk series. Tis is a typical follow up of the series starring Bill Bixby as the human form sort of speaking, and Lou Fierrgo as the monstrous Hulk. Any fan of the hulk or marvel comic book series should enjoy this story about Bill Bixby's challenge to control the Hulk within. I dont feel i should include any spoilers since this is a classic worth seeing and two thumbs up for it anyday. The reason for a 4 star rating is due to the lack of the suspence and a too predictable story line. Like the series you can always sort of forsee the plot before it happens, but never the less its worth viewing for fans of all ages. Cheers

Another Classic Adventure
"The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk", is definately another fine installment in the series. In this made for television movie we see a side of David Banner that we haven't witnessed before. This time we see a person who has lost faith and belief in himself. Definately one to look into. "Daredevil" another marvel character also makes an appearance. The only thing that was disappointing was the fact that there wasn't enough "hulk-outs" in this movie as we have grown accustomed to and the breakout scene was also totally ignored. Nevertheless this is still a great movie and just watching the "Incredible" one totally destroy a court room and send a lawyer through a window will bring a smile to anyones face.

the movie was great
i thought it was great they even cut down the part where he busted through the prison wall to save all in all a good movie for the hulk fan and non hulk fan

Blind Rage
This movie was a decent watch. Purists once again got uptight about Daredevil's suit, which wasn't too bad. Still, Daredevil, the Kingpin, Hulkie, that's enough for any Marvel fan. (And this movie is dirt cheap!) ... Read more

Amazon.com

While the series pilot Babylon 5: The Gathering establishes the characters and introduces the conflicts that will become central to the series, it also draws upon a rich history that is continually alluded to but never fully explained. Babylon 5: In the Beginning, produced in the hiatus between the fourth and fifth seasons of the series, packs all that history--and more--into a prequel stuffed to the hatches with the epic doings of Earth, Minbar, Narn, and Centauri in the days before the Babylon stations were built. Told in almost fairy-tale fashion by Londo Molari to a pair of children, the movie explicates the ill-fated first meeting between representatives of Earth and Minbar, the devastating war, the sudden surrender, and the universe-altering secret of Jeffrey Sinclair. It also gives the early histories of characters who will become central to the series, in particular Londo and G'Kar. Ostensibly created to catch recent converts up with the series as it made its transition to a new network, the movie is infused with the epic sweep and storytelling confidence producer-writer Michael J. Straczynski and his cast and crew had developed by the fourth season. It's an elegant, compelling addition to the Babylon 5 universe and a dramatic highlight of the series. As an introduction, though, it gives away the mystery that pervades the shadowy history slowly revealed through the first three seasons--it's actually better seen from the vantage point of the fifth season. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The official "prequel" to the saga of "Babylon 5"
I just started watching "Babylon 5" from the beginning, which means that I get to watch this 1998 television movie prequel from a different vantage point from those fans who watched the science fiction series from the beginning. Which means that what little I had heard or seen about the series distorted my perceptions a bit since I and did not understand the relative importance of Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) versus John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) during the first couple of seasons of the show. The primary purpose of this prequel is to tell the story of the Earth-Minbari War that took place about a decade before "The Gathering," the two-part "movie" that starts off the series.

"In the Beginning" starts off on Centauri Prime, where outside the royal palace the city is burning. A young boy and girl intrude upon Emperor Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik), who gives the boy an opportunity to issue one order. "Make it good," the old man advises, and the boy does, saying, "Tell me a story!" The Emperor does, going back to the start of the Third Age. This would be the year 2243, when a young Londo arrived at the Earth Dome as liaison to the Centauri delegation. Earth had recently won the Dilgar War and the government of Earth is now expanding its sphere of influence. Earth is having some success in its attempt to make treaties with the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, and now Earth is sending an expedition to make contact with the mysterious Minbari. Londo advises General Lefcourt to send only one ship and to be wary of the Minbari, but, of course, the military of Earth is nothing if not arrogant. Even not knowing the "history" of the series, it was clear that when Londo mumbles something about Earth not waking up the dragon it foreshadows hard times for Earth. Any and all doubts disappear when Lt. Cmdr. John Sheridan (Boxleitner) shows up and calls Captain Jankowski, the leader of the expedition, "a loose canon."

Before the Earth ships reach Mindari space we learn something about the warrior caste of these people and Lenonn, the leader of the Anla'shok (the Rangers). Lenonn is worried about the prophecies of Balen, which indicate that a time of crisis is coming during which the Anla'shok will play an important role. We also hear about the Vorlons for the first time. Then Captain Jankowski shows up and despite having been warned not to make first contact (which begs all sorts of questions about why this particular captain was sent with a fleet on an intelligence gathering mission) gets close enough for the Mindari to engage their senses. This begins a chain of events with tragic consequences, as both Jankowski and the Mindari prove equally adept at having no understanding of cross-cultural communication.

The importance of this exchange is that this little encounter is the spark that ignites the Earth-Mindari war, and the importance of that war is that the forces of Earth are no match for the Mindari. It is ironic to watch "In the Beginning" today, a year after the war with Iraq, because it is hard not to see strong parallels between the one sided wars. The great strength of this story is the idea that there is nothing Earth can do to stop the Mindari from destroying the Earth and ending the human race, a far cry from the superiority of the species that is a constant in the vast majority of science fiction (e.g., the "Star Trek" universe.

The problem is that just as the cause for the war was a bit far fetched (one of the first things you learn in encountering another culture is that symbols do not mean the same thing; e.g., do not hitch hike in central Africa because that gesture is their version of flipping somebody off), so is the end of the war, where a convenient bit of information pretty much pops out of nowhere. Still, on balance, there is a clear sense that in the universe of "Babylon 5" that humanity is occupying one of the lower rungs on the intergalactic totem pole, which is a decidedly different premise from what we are used to in the realm of science fiction series. Those of us who start the "Babylon 5" experience at this point also get to watch those first season episodes knowing all about the "hole" in Commander Sinclair's mind.

Ironically, while "In the Beginning" does a nice job of filling in the back story of the Earth-Mindari war, it also raises a new series of questions with regards to how we get from the end of this prequel to the start of the official "Babylon 5" series. It might be just me but I think the Minbari should be a bit more proactive in their relationship with the humans given the big surprise of this storyline. If it is big enougth to suddenly bring a war to a screeching halt, then it should lead to something more substantial in the diplomatic realm as well.

Not a stand-alone.
You can see it as a pilot to the Babylon 5 series, or as a sidekick during the watch of the entire series, at the least - after the end of season III. Avoid seeing it as a stand-alone. I stress this advise because I had seen it two years after seeing the complete saga, a fact that caused this TV-movie to lose impact. It's a pity, remembering how much I had waited for this to come, watching the series for the first time. At last, when I saw it, everything was 'know this, know that...' like seeing something the was taken out of context, when the content itself is old news.

As to the plot itself, the film deals with the Earth-Minbari war, that its consequences resonated for years afterwards, deep into the series. As you've probably imagined, we're dealing with the main cast of B-5, that are 10 years younger ( an antithesis to the episode "Sleeping in Light", which I reviewed in the past).

Some of the curiosity of the enthusiastic fans is satisfied regarding the past of part of the main cast of 'Babylon 5': Lando, G'kar, Susan Ivanova, Sinclair, and of course John J. Sheridan, as a promising young lieutenant, and the way he got his infamous nickname "StarKiller". The whole setting is advancing toward the dreadful "Battle On The Line", which does not let down in presentation, but due to time limits is shorter than it should have been.

Last word, remember that in order to completely enjoy the whole thing, you'd want to be 'inside', really live the events - and that is best achieved by watching the series - for the first time, or all over again.

A Perfect B5 Fix
This movie is everything a tv movie should be. All our favorite characters appear and answer many questions raised during the series while raising still more that the series later tackles. Beautifully done as always with B5, with realistic characters, gorgeous CGI, and an engrossing plot. Whenever I pine for the series, I can pop this video in the VCR and indulge.

An Extraordinary Look at the Earth-Minbari War
Without a doubt, "Babylon 5: In The Beginning" is a great prequel to the "Babylon 5" saga, replete with great acting, cinematography and special effects. I have yet to see anything on "Star Trek" which remotely comes close to the grandeur and broad canvass of J. Michael Straczynski's epic tale. Although I recommend viewing this film after seeing the first three seasons of "Babylon 5", newcomers to "Babylon 5" will not be left in the dark, watching this drama of miss opportunities, tragic errors, and the unrelenting, brutal war which ensues between the Minbari and humanity. Theodore Bikel is splendid as Lenonn, the leader of the Rangers. Ditto for Raynor Scheine as Dukhat, the Minbari leader of its Grey Council. And so are series regulars Bruce Boxleitner (Sheridan), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar), and of course, Peter Jurasik (Mollari), in their respective roles. And in his few brief moments on screen, Michael O'Hare is quite good as Sinclair, revealing how his character will play a momentuous role in the subsequent history of Babylon 5. I am stunned by how well Straczynski, his actors, and crew, were able to tell the story of the Earth-Minbari war in the short span of 93 minutes. But then again, I shouldn't be surprised; especially this is what I came to expect after watching countless episodes of "Babylon 5". Hopefully Warner Brothers will release a DVD version of this splendid film soon.

Babylon 5's version of the apocalypse!
Babylon 5 is easily one of the best sci-fi series ever made. Unlike Star Trek, where the "good guys" almost invariably win, no matter what the odds (as with the Borg), one of the strengths of B5 is that the humans don't always defeat the odds or find some miraculous "technobabble" way to stop a superior alien race. This B5 film, "In the Beginning" shows the events of the great and bloody Earth/Minbari War, which happened about ten years before the timeline of the "Babylon 5" TV series. The makers of this film have done a great job of showing most of the familiar (and even less-familiar) characters of the B5 universe. Without giving away too much of the plot, the war begins when an arrogant human starship captain opens fire on a warship from a (then) mysterious and little-known alien race called the Minbari. As it turns out, this is a fatal mistake, not only for the starship captain but for the entire human race. The Minbari are centuries ahead of Earth in weapons and technology, and in revenge for what they see as a sneaky, "Pearl Harbor"-style attack they start a war to exterminate humanity. The people of Earth and her colonies fight bravely, and they do manage to slow down the Minbari offensive, but the Minbari are so advanced in terms of technology and firepower that nothing can permanently stop them, and by the end of the film it looks as if the Earth is doomed to total destruction. How the story plays out is wonderfully done, and this film shows the answers to many of the questions and stories which are often discussed on the television series but never shown: How did Captain Sheridan destroy the Minbari's flagship, the "Black Star" (one of Earth's few victories in the war)? How did Commander Ivanova's beloved older brother die in the war? What role did G'Kar, the Narn Ambassador to Earth, and Londo, the Centauri Ambassador to Earth, play in the war? If you're not a fan of Babylon 5 then this movie may well get you hooked, but if you are a fan and you haven't seen this film, then by all means you should buy it, as it's one of the best sci-fi "TV" movies ever put on film. Watch it! ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Classic 80's Horror movie makes for a wonderful DVD.
Im a child of the 80's. I love just about everything the 80's had to offer. The toys were better, the cartoon's were better and the horror movies were better. Sure, the special effects might seem a little crude to the crowd of today. But I think its more the idea's and story lines that make them alot better than horror movies of today. "Scream" and "I know what you did last Summer" just don't cut it as good horror movies. Its just a bunch of pop teen idols getting slashed up by the "who done it" killer. *yawn* BORING! 80's horror movies had interesting plots, creepy idea's, dark and brooding camera work, scary bad guys. The list could go on and on. C.H.U.D is one of the 80's classics and one of my own personal favorites. Its about homeless people who live under the steets of New York. Soon the hobo's and city people come up missing. As it turns out, the city has been storing toxic waste drums beneath the streets and the hobo's are turning into horrible, mutant undead monsters! Most people pass off the monsters as "corny" looking, but I would rather see make-up special effects than CGI special effects. Don't get me wrong, I like CGI special effects. Im a fan of the Jurassic Park movies because the CGI is so sweet! But you can't beat all the hard work and morbid detail that went into movies like C.H.U.D, Hellraiser and Friday the 13th. Anyways, the rest of the movie is a cat and mouse chase beneath the city streets to escape before its too late. I don't want to get into too much detail about the movie, you'll just have to see it for yourself. Take my word for it, C.H.U.D is what horror movies are all about.

This is what DVD is all about
I am proud to say I took part in an Anchor Bay poll that led to them picking up the rights to this movie. They did a splendid job. The digital transfer is beautiful... almost too beautiful. And the widescreen picture allows you to see everything as the director intended (in this Director's Cut!)...

Some might argue that this film is a slap in the face to the digital medium. Maybe. But this film represents to me the tongue-in-cheeck bad horror movies of yesterday.

If you're a fan of C.H.U.D., the commentary alone is worth the purchase price. Just picture John Heard, Daniel Stern, and director Douglas Cheek arguing back and forth about who ruined which scene. They didn't even realize it was the director's cut they were watching until about halfway through!

And if you own the DVD, there is an Easter Egg worth checking out. From the Special Featurs menu, press the up arrow on your remote and the C.H.U.D.'s eyes should light up. Hit enter and it will take you to that oh-so wonderful shower scene, only this time uncut. I wonder if the actress knows they re-instered her breasts into this DVD?

Yeah, this is what DVDs are all about.

More fun than a barrel of toxic waste
When you think of the 1984 horror movie "C.H.U.D.," try and think of an old 1950s or 1960s atomic bomb crazed monster movie. The only difference is that they updated the concept to fit the late 1970s and early 1980's fear of nuclear waste. Most long time fans of horror-I'm talking about fans old enough to watch this junk on cable television around the same time MTV appeared on the scene-have seen this movie before. In some ways, it's a classic even though it isn't particularly gory or scary. I can't tell you how many people I have ran into in the intervening years who have mentioned this movie when a discussion turns to horror films. I always nod my head in understanding and then try to drop in a few titles that better represent the horror franchise. Still, "C.H.U.D." is a charming little film that every new aficionado of shriek cinema should see, and since good old Anchor Bay released it on DVD with a great picture transfer and several fun extras, there's simply no excuse not to watch this one in the near future. It's been years since I saw it, and I was greatly surprised at how much I had forgotten. It's always nice to revisit old friends, eh?

Set in the gritty and grimy streets of New York City, "C.H.U.D." We soon learn something isn't quite right in the city that never picks up after itself. George Cooper (John Heard), a big shot photographer working on a new project concerning the homeless, starts hearing things about missing people. Intrigued, and worried considering some of the vanishing are people he has worked with recently, he decides to quietly start investigating the disappearances. Meanwhile, a city cop named Bosch, whose own wife vanished without a trace some time before, begins assembling reports on sudden disappearances. His superiors could care less since nearly all of these people are vagrants and similar forgettables. Captain Bosch perseveres, always remembering the grief and horror over his own personal tragedy. In order to get information, the good cop pays a visit to A.J. Shepard (Daniel Stern), affectionately known on the street as "The Reverend," a man who runs a soup kitchen to feed the poor. Shepard isn't happy about seeing Bosch, and only reluctantly agrees to help when the cop emphasizes he is truly sincere about solving the mystery. It isn't too long before Cooper, Shepard, and Bosch join forces to defeat an evil lurking under the streets of the city. What could possibly dwell in the sewers under New York City? Why, something called C.H.U.D., of course! When Cooper goes underground to check on one of his pals, he discovers that monsters have been preying on the homeless. These people are so scared they've started arming themselves in order to fend off the evil ones.

The photographer takes a picture of one of the mutilated corpses he finds in the sewer, pictures that ultimately end up in the hands of Shepard and Bosch as they take their case to the chief of police, the mayor, and the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, a guy named Wilson. After an attempt to stonewall these three heroes fails (Shepard threatens to go to the newspapers), Wilson reluctantly reveals that the C.H.U.D. are something called cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers. Wilson claims a small amount of nuclear waste leaked into the sewers of New York and turned a few vagrants into ravenous, glowing eyed monsters with a fondness for human flesh. A mission to flush out the monsters with flamethrowers fails miserably, so it's up to our three heroes to do the job themselves. The C.H.U.D. aren't about to take any attempts to eradicate them lying down, and eventually move aboveground to wreak mayhem on the innocent residents of the city. More painful truths come out when Shepard and Cooper discover that Wilson lied about the toxic waste leak, a truth that is much worse and one that paints the bureaucrat in an extremely unfavorable light. Expect to see plenty of explosions, fires, and general carnage before the credits roll.

"C.H.U.D." is one of those fun movies you just can't help but chuckle over as you watch. The success of the film is mostly due to the cast, especially Daniel Stern as the frenetic A.J. Shepard. The Reverend is a cranky, anti-authoritarian type who just loves to cause trouble. His haircut, a cross between Mark Twain and Don King, adds to the general sense of ridiculousness. When he goes mano a mano with the evil Wilson, you know the common man will finally get his due. Of course, John Heard isn't a slouch either as the outraged George Cooper. Christopher Curry adds a bit of seriousness as the inquisitive Captain Bosch. Be sure and look for John Goodman and Jay Thomas as two cops unfortunate enough to have an encounter with a C.H.U.D. in a diner. The only disappointments in the movie are the lack of gore and the short screen time allotted to the creatures. More C.H.U.D. and fewer messages about the threat of bureaucratic conspiracy and nuclear waste disposal would have made for a better horror film.

Once again, Anchor Bay turned out a great disc. There's a trailer, special effects stills, and an excellent commentary track from director Douglas Cheek, John Heard, Christopher Curry, and Daniel Stern. These guys have a lot of fun taking potshots at the movie and it's amusing to listen to them. Another plus is the amazing picture transfer and audio quality (crystal clear, folks). You just gotta love that cheesy '80s synth score! If you haven't seen "C.H.U.D.," get cracking. This movie definitely falls quite high on the "must see" list. It's not gory and not scary, but it is loads of fun.

C.H.U.D. DVD Review!
Of all the great "guilty pleasure" Saturday afternoon monster matinee features I watched when I was growing up, Doug Cheek's "C.H.U.D." remains one of the most memorable. While it's not quite on the entertaining level of cult classics like "Return Of The Living Dead" and "Alligator", both of which it bares similiar resemblances to, though to be fair, "Return" did come after it, "C.H.U.D." is a fool's treasure in cinematic cheese.

This B-movie gem revolves around a top secret batch of toxic waste that the government goons have disposed of in the city sewers. This little secret is causing some of the city's underground inhabits to mutate into flesh-eating monsters known as C.H.U.D. (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers). It's up to "Home Alone" alumni John Heard and Daniel Stern to stop this menace before it's too late. It's easier said than done though as the police department and an alleged N.R.C. representative want to put a lid on things.

"C.H.U.D." opens up somewhat slowly with a lot of pointless back story but the final half-hour is its "bread and butter". Stern and Heard get chased through the city's crappy sewer system full of toxic waste and decapitated heads while Greist is trapped in her apartment by one of the title monsters, complete with glow in the dark eyes. This movie also boats cameo appearances from such diverse talent as John Goodman, Patricia Richardson, and Jon Polito, to name a few.

"C.H.U.D." actually gets some decent treatmant with this DVD release. You get the movie in its original 1.77:1 aspect ratio with all of the television footage inserted back into it (though it says nothing about that on the cover packaging). There's also an easter egg with an alternate take of Kim Greist's shower scene complete with a nice little breast shot. But the best bonus of all has to be the full-length commentary with the film's director, writer, and actors John Heard, Daniel Stern, and Christopher Curry. These guys literally have a blast ripping into the movie. It's good stuff. If you see only one film about radioactive sewer creatures, make it this one.

Monster movie with a message
Many movies try to teach you important, preachy lessons and disguise them in the trappings of fantasy. CHUD is one of those. Here it is: Homeless people are people too and should not be treated as throw away citizens. But wait! There's more! CHUD manages to squeeze in two lessons for the price of one! Lesson two: Our dependency on products made with toxic chemicals combined with our innate greed is going to be our eventual downfall. Now that we have learned our lesson, start the DVD and just enjoy the fantasy trappings. Because CHUD is a monster movie. A good one.

John Heard (Cat People, Pelican Brief) and Daniel Stern (Home Alone, The Wonder Years) headline a decent cast occupying a New York neighborhood where people have started disappearing. Oh, people have been disappearing for a while, but those others were just homeless people (see Lesson One), but now "important" people are coming up missing. And soon it becomes apparent that creatures in the subways and sewer systems of the city are dining out on the local passersby.

It takes a while before you get a good look at one of the CHUDs (c.h.u.d. representing "canniballistic humanoid underground dwellers"). When you see them though, they are good, original looking monster freaks with glowing eyes and snaggly teeth. Add to that image the fact that they live in those dark places underground and the creep factor is complete. We all know that there are miles of tunnels and passages under our big cities, but no one wants to go down there. In our minds, we see THESE things jumping out at us. A monster movie has to appeal to one of your fears and I guess this is one of mine.

People tend to condemn CHUD for some reason or another. I think it does a good job at creeping you out while providing a solid 90 minutes of entertainment. It won't be shown in your American Cinema 101 class though.

DVD special features include some cool production photos and pre-production looks at the design of the creatures. Audio commentary includes the director and 3 lead actors. Always a plus when they can get the actors to come in and chat. Buy CHUD and I think you will enjoy it. HOWEVER, avoid the sequel "CHUD 2: Bud the CHUD" at all costs. It has almost nothing to do with this film and it is horrible. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Classic 80's Horror movie makes for a wonderful DVD.
Im a child of the 80's. I love just about everything the 80's had to offer. The toys were better, the cartoon's were better and the horror movies were better. Sure, the special effects might seem a little crude to the crowd of today. But I think its more the idea's and story lines that make them alot better than horror movies of today. "Scream" and "I know what you did last Summer" just don't cut it as good horror movies. Its just a bunch of pop teen idols getting slashed up by the "who done it" killer. *yawn* BORING! 80's horror movies had interesting plots, creepy idea's, dark and brooding camera work, scary bad guys. The list could go on and on. C.H.U.D is one of the 80's classics and one of my own personal favorites. Its about homeless people who live under the steets of New York. Soon the hobo's and city people come up missing. As it turns out, the city has been storing toxic waste drums beneath the streets and the hobo's are turning into horrible, mutant undead monsters! Most people pass off the monsters as "corny" looking, but I would rather see make-up special effects than CGI special effects. Don't get me wrong, I like CGI special effects. Im a fan of the Jurassic Park movies because the CGI is so sweet! But you can't beat all the hard work and morbid detail that went into movies like C.H.U.D, Hellraiser and Friday the 13th. Anyways, the rest of the movie is a cat and mouse chase beneath the city streets to escape before its too late. I don't want to get into too much detail about the movie, you'll just have to see it for yourself. Take my word for it, C.H.U.D is what horror movies are all about.

This is what DVD is all about
I am proud to say I took part in an Anchor Bay poll that led to them picking up the rights to this movie. They did a splendid job. The digital transfer is beautiful... almost too beautiful. And the widescreen picture allows you to see everything as the director intended (in this Director's Cut!)...

Some might argue that this film is a slap in the face to the digital medium. Maybe. But this film represents to me the tongue-in-cheeck bad horror movies of yesterday.

If you're a fan of C.H.U.D., the commentary alone is worth the purchase price. Just picture John Heard, Daniel Stern, and director Douglas Cheek arguing back and forth about who ruined which scene. They didn't even realize it was the director's cut they were watching until about halfway through!

And if you own the DVD, there is an Easter Egg worth checking out. From the Special Featurs menu, press the up arrow on your remote and the C.H.U.D.'s eyes should light up. Hit enter and it will take you to that oh-so wonderful shower scene, only this time uncut. I wonder if the actress knows they re-instered her breasts into this DVD?

Yeah, this is what DVDs are all about.

More fun than a barrel of toxic waste
When you think of the 1984 horror movie "C.H.U.D.," try and think of an old 1950s or 1960s atomic bomb crazed monster movie. The only difference is that they updated the concept to fit the late 1970s and early 1980's fear of nuclear waste. Most long time fans of horror-I'm talking about fans old enough to watch this junk on cable television around the same time MTV appeared on the scene-have seen this movie before. In some ways, it's a classic even though it isn't particularly gory or scary. I can't tell you how many people I have ran into in the intervening years who have mentioned this movie when a discussion turns to horror films. I always nod my head in understanding and then try to drop in a few titles that better represent the horror franchise. Still, "C.H.U.D." is a charming little film that every new aficionado of shriek cinema should see, and since good old Anchor Bay released it on DVD with a great picture transfer and several fun extras, there's simply no excuse not to watch this one in the near future. It's been years since I saw it, and I was greatly surprised at how much I had forgotten. It's always nice to revisit old friends, eh?

Set in the gritty and grimy streets of New York City, "C.H.U.D." We soon learn something isn't quite right in the city that never picks up after itself. George Cooper (John Heard), a big shot photographer working on a new project concerning the homeless, starts hearing things about missing people. Intrigued, and worried considering some of the vanishing are people he has worked with recently, he decides to quietly start investigating the disappearances. Meanwhile, a city cop named Bosch, whose own wife vanished without a trace some time before, begins assembling reports on sudden disappearances. His superiors could care less since nearly all of these people are vagrants and similar forgettables. Captain Bosch perseveres, always remembering the grief and horror over his own personal tragedy. In order to get information, the good cop pays a visit to A.J. Shepard (Daniel Stern), affectionately known on the street as "The Reverend," a man who runs a soup kitchen to feed the poor. Shepard isn't happy about seeing Bosch, and only reluctantly agrees to help when the cop emphasizes he is truly sincere about solving the mystery. It isn't too long before Cooper, Shepard, and Bosch join forces to defeat an evil lurking under the streets of the city. What could possibly dwell in the sewers under New York City? Why, something called C.H.U.D., of course! When Cooper goes underground to check on one of his pals, he discovers that monsters have been preying on the homeless. These people are so scared they've started arming themselves in order to fend off the evil ones.

The photographer takes a picture of one of the mutilated corpses he finds in the sewer, pictures that ultimately end up in the hands of Shepard and Bosch as they take their case to the chief of police, the mayor, and the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, a guy named Wilson. After an attempt to stonewall these three heroes fails (Shepard threatens to go to the newspapers), Wilson reluctantly reveals that the C.H.U.D. are something called cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers. Wilson claims a small amount of nuclear waste leaked into the sewers of New York and turned a few vagrants into ravenous, glowing eyed monsters with a fondness for human flesh. A mission to flush out the monsters with flamethrowers fails miserably, so it's up to our three heroes to do the job themselves. The C.H.U.D. aren't about to take any attempts to eradicate them lying down, and eventually move aboveground to wreak mayhem on the innocent residents of the city. More painful truths come out when Shepard and Cooper discover that Wilson lied about the toxic waste leak, a truth that is much worse and one that paints the bureaucrat in an extremely unfavorable light. Expect to see plenty of explosions, fires, and general carnage before the credits roll.

"C.H.U.D." is one of those fun movies you just can't help but chuckle over as you watch. The success of the film is mostly due to the cast, especially Daniel Stern as the frenetic A.J. Shepard. The Reverend is a cranky, anti-authoritarian type who just loves to cause trouble. His haircut, a cross between Mark Twain and Don King, adds to the general sense of ridiculousness. When he goes mano a mano with the evil Wilson, you know the common man will finally get his due. Of course, John Heard isn't a slouch either as the outraged George Cooper. Christopher Curry adds a bit of seriousness as the inquisitive Captain Bosch. Be sure and look for John Goodman and Jay Thomas as two cops unfortunate enough to have an encounter with a C.H.U.D. in a diner. The only disappointments in the movie are the lack of gore and the short screen time allotted to the creatures. More C.H.U.D. and fewer messages about the threat of bureaucratic conspiracy and nuclear waste disposal would have made for a better horror film.

Once again, Anchor Bay turned out a great disc. There's a trailer, special effects stills, and an excellent commentary track from director Douglas Cheek, John Heard, Christopher Curry, and Daniel Stern. These guys have a lot of fun taking potshots at the movie and it's amusing to listen to them. Another plus is the amazing picture transfer and audio quality (crystal clear, folks). You just gotta love that cheesy '80s synth score! If you haven't seen "C.H.U.D.," get cracking. This movie definitely falls quite high on the "must see" list. It's not gory and not scary, but it is loads of fun.

C.H.U.D. DVD Review!
Of all the great "guilty pleasure" Saturday afternoon monster matinee features I watched when I was growing up, Doug Cheek's "C.H.U.D." remains one of the most memorable. While it's not quite on the entertaining level of cult classics like "Return Of The Living Dead" and "Alligator", both of which it bares similiar resemblances to, though to be fair, "Return" did come after it, "C.H.U.D." is a fool's treasure in cinematic cheese.

This B-movie gem revolves around a top secret batch of toxic waste that the government goons have disposed of in the city sewers. This little secret is causing some of the city's underground inhabits to mutate into flesh-eating monsters known as C.H.U.D. (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers). It's up to "Home Alone" alumni John Heard and Daniel Stern to stop this menace before it's too late. It's easier said than done though as the police department and an alleged N.R.C. representative want to put a lid on things.

"C.H.U.D." opens up somewhat slowly with a lot of pointless back story but the final half-hour is its "bread and butter". Stern and Heard get chased through the city's crappy sewer system full of toxic waste and decapitated heads while Greist is trapped in her apartment by one of the title monsters, complete with glow in the dark eyes. This movie also boats cameo appearances from such diverse talent as John Goodman, Patricia Richardson, and Jon Polito, to name a few.

"C.H.U.D." actually gets some decent treatmant with this DVD release. You get the movie in its original 1.77:1 aspect ratio with all of the television footage inserted back into it (though it says nothing about that on the cover packaging). There's also an easter egg with an alternate take of Kim Greist's shower scene complete with a nice little breast shot. But the best bonus of all has to be the full-length commentary with the film's director, writer, and actors John Heard, Daniel Stern, and Christopher Curry. These guys literally have a blast ripping into the movie. It's good stuff. If you see only one film about radioactive sewer creatures, make it this one.

Monster movie with a message
Many movies try to teach you important, preachy lessons and disguise them in the trappings of fantasy. CHUD is one of those. Here it is: Homeless people are people too and should not be treated as throw away citizens. But wait! There's more! CHUD manages to squeeze in two lessons for the price of one! Lesson two: Our dependency on products made with toxic chemicals combined with our innate greed is going to be our eventual downfall. Now that we have learned our lesson, start the DVD and just enjoy the fantasy trappings. Because CHUD is a monster movie. A good one.

John Heard (Cat People, Pelican Brief) and Daniel Stern (Home Alone, The Wonder Years) headline a decent cast occupying a New York neighborhood where people have started disappearing. Oh, people have been disappearing for a while, but those others were just homeless people (see Lesson One), but now "important" people are coming up missing. And soon it becomes apparent that creatures in the subways and sewer systems of the city are dining out on the local passersby.

It takes a while before you get a good look at one of the CHUDs (c.h.u.d. representing "canniballistic humanoid underground dwellers"). When you see them though, they are good, original looking monster freaks with glowing eyes and snaggly teeth. Add to that image the fact that they live in those dark places underground and the creep factor is complete. We all know that there are miles of tunnels and passages under our big cities, but no one wants to go down there. In our minds, we see THESE things jumping out at us. A monster movie has to appeal to one of your fears and I guess this is one of mine.

People tend to condemn CHUD for some reason or another. I think it does a good job at creeping you out while providing a solid 90 minutes of entertainment. It won't be shown in your American Cinema 101 class though.

DVD special features include some cool production photos and pre-production looks at the design of the creatures. Audio commentary includes the director and 3 lead actors. Always a plus when they can get the actors to come in and chat. Buy CHUD and I think you will enjoy it. HOWEVER, avoid the sequel "CHUD 2: Bud the CHUD" at all costs. It has almost nothing to do with this film and it is horrible. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Classic 80's Horror movie makes for a wonderful DVD.
Im a child of the 80's. I love just about everything the 80's had to offer. The toys were better, the cartoon's were better and the horror movies were better. Sure, the special effects might seem a little crude to the crowd of today. But I think its more the idea's and story lines that make them alot better than horror movies of today. "Scream" and "I know what you did last Summer" just don't cut it as good horror movies. Its just a bunch of pop teen idols getting slashed up by the "who done it" killer. *yawn* BORING! 80's horror movies had interesting plots, creepy idea's, dark and brooding camera work, scary bad guys. The list could go on and on. C.H.U.D is one of the 80's classics and one of my own personal favorites. Its about homeless people who live under the steets of New York. Soon the hobo's and city people come up missing. As it turns out, the city has been storing toxic waste drums beneath the streets and the hobo's are turning into horrible, mutant undead monsters! Most people pass off the monsters as "corny" looking, but I would rather see make-up special effects than CGI special effects. Don't get me wrong, I like CGI special effects. Im a fan of the Jurassic Park movies because the CGI is so sweet! But you can't beat all the hard work and morbid detail that went into movies like C.H.U.D, Hellraiser and Friday the 13th. Anyways, the rest of the movie is a cat and mouse chase beneath the city streets to escape before its too late. I don't want to get into too much detail about the movie, you'll just have to see it for yourself. Take my word for it, C.H.U.D is what horror movies are all about.

This is what DVD is all about
I am proud to say I took part in an Anchor Bay poll that led to them picking up the rights to this movie. They did a splendid job. The digital transfer is beautiful... almost too beautiful. And the widescreen picture allows you to see everything as the director intended (in this Director's Cut!)...

Some might argue that this film is a slap in the face to the digital medium. Maybe. But this film represents to me the tongue-in-cheeck bad horror movies of yesterday.

If you're a fan of C.H.U.D., the commentary alone is worth the purchase price. Just picture John Heard, Daniel Stern, and director Douglas Cheek arguing back and forth about who ruined which scene. They didn't even realize it was the director's cut they were watching until about halfway through!

And if you own the DVD, there is an Easter Egg worth checking out. From the Special Featurs menu, press the up arrow on your remote and the C.H.U.D.'s eyes should light up. Hit enter and it will take you to that oh-so wonderful shower scene, only this time uncut. I wonder if the actress knows they re-instered her breasts into this DVD?

Yeah, this is what DVDs are all about.

More fun than a barrel of toxic waste
When you think of the 1984 horror movie "C.H.U.D.," try and think of an old 1950s or 1960s atomic bomb crazed monster movie. The only difference is that they updated the concept to fit the late 1970s and early 1980's fear of nuclear waste. Most long time fans of horror-I'm talking about fans old enough to watch this junk on cable television around the same time MTV appeared on the scene-have seen this movie before. In some ways, it's a classic even though it isn't particularly gory or scary. I can't tell you how many people I have ran into in the intervening years who have mentioned this movie when a discussion turns to horror films. I always nod my head in understanding and then try to drop in a few titles that better represent the horror franchise. Still, "C.H.U.D." is a charming little film that every new aficionado of shriek cinema should see, and since good old Anchor Bay released it on DVD with a great picture transfer and several fun extras, there's simply no excuse not to watch this one in the near future. It's been years since I saw it, and I was greatly surprised at how much I had forgotten. It's always nice to revisit old friends, eh?

Set in the gritty and grimy streets of New York City, "C.H.U.D." We soon learn something isn't quite right in the city that never picks up after itself. George Cooper (John Heard), a big shot photographer working on a new project concerning the homeless, starts hearing things about missing people. Intrigued, and worried considering some of the vanishing are people he has worked with recently, he decides to quietly start investigating the disappearances. Meanwhile, a city cop named Bosch, whose own wife vanished without a trace some time before, begins assembling reports on sudden disappearances. His superiors could care less since nearly all of these people are vagrants and similar forgettables. Captain Bosch perseveres, always remembering the grief and horror over his own personal tragedy. In order to get information, the good cop pays a visit to A.J. Shepard (Daniel Stern), affectionately known on the street as "The Reverend," a man who runs a soup kitchen to feed the poor. Shepard isn't happy about seeing Bosch, and only reluctantly agrees to help when the cop emphasizes he is truly sincere about solving the mystery. It isn't too long before Cooper, Shepard, and Bosch join forces to defeat an evil lurking under the streets of the city. What could possibly dwell in the sewers under New York City? Why, something called C.H.U.D., of course! When Cooper goes underground to check on one of his pals, he discovers that monsters have been preying on the homeless. These people are so scared they've started arming themselves in order to fend off the evil ones.

The photographer takes a picture of one of the mutilated corpses he finds in the sewer, pictures that ultimately end up in the hands of Shepard and Bosch as they take their case to the chief of police, the mayor, and the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, a guy named Wilson. After an attempt to stonewall these three heroes fails (Shepard threatens to go to the newspapers), Wilson reluctantly reveals that the C.H.U.D. are something called cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers. Wilson claims a small amount of nuclear waste leaked into the sewers of New York and turned a few vagrants into ravenous, glowing eyed monsters with a fondness for human flesh. A mission to flush out the monsters with flamethrowers fails miserably, so it's up to our three heroes to do the job themselves. The C.H.U.D. aren't about to take any attempts to eradicate them lying down, and eventually move aboveground to wreak mayhem on the innocent residents of the city. More painful truths come out when Shepard and Cooper discover that Wilson lied about the toxic waste leak, a truth that is much worse and one that paints the bureaucrat in an extremely unfavorable light. Expect to see plenty of explosions, fires, and general carnage before the credits roll.

"C.H.U.D." is one of those fun movies you just can't help but chuckle over as you watch. The success of the film is mostly due to the cast, especially Daniel Stern as the frenetic A.J. Shepard. The Reverend is a cranky, anti-authoritarian type who just loves to cause trouble. His haircut, a cross between Mark Twain and Don King, adds to the general sense of ridiculousness. When he goes mano a mano with the evil Wilson, you know the common man will finally get his due. Of course, John Heard isn't a slouch either as the outraged George Cooper. Christopher Curry adds a bit of seriousness as the inquisitive Captain Bosch. Be sure and look for John Goodman and Jay Thomas as two cops unfortunate enough to have an encounter with a C.H.U.D. in a diner. The only disappointments in the movie are the lack of gore and the short screen time allotted to the creatures. More C.H.U.D. and fewer messages about the threat of bureaucratic conspiracy and nuclear waste disposal would have made for a better horror film.

Once again, Anchor Bay turned out a great disc. There's a trailer, special effects stills, and an excellent commentary track from director Douglas Cheek, John Heard, Christopher Curry, and Daniel Stern. These guys have a lot of fun taking potshots at the movie and it's amusing to listen to them. Another plus is the amazing picture transfer and audio quality (crystal clear, folks). You just gotta love that cheesy '80s synth score! If you haven't seen "C.H.U.D.," get cracking. This movie definitely falls quite high on the "must see" list. It's not gory and not scary, but it is loads of fun.

C.H.U.D. DVD Review!
Of all the great "guilty pleasure" Saturday afternoon monster matinee features I watched when I was growing up, Doug Cheek's "C.H.U.D." remains one of the most memorable. While it's not quite on the entertaining level of cult classics like "Return Of The Living Dead" and "Alligator", both of which it bares similiar resemblances to, though to be fair, "Return" did come after it, "C.H.U.D." is a fool's treasure in cinematic cheese.

This B-movie gem revolves around a top secret batch of toxic waste that the government goons have disposed of in the city sewers. This little secret is causing some of the city's underground inhabits to mutate into flesh-eating monsters known as C.H.U.D. (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers). It's up to "Home Alone" alumni John Heard and Daniel Stern to stop this menace before it's too late. It's easier said than done though as the police department and an alleged N.R.C. representative want to put a lid on things.

"C.H.U.D." opens up somewhat slowly with a lot of pointless back story but the final half-hour is its "bread and butter". Stern and Heard get chased through the city's crappy sewer system full of toxic waste and decapitated heads while Greist is trapped in her apartment by one of the title monsters, complete with glow in the dark eyes. This movie also boats cameo appearances from such diverse talent as John Goodman, Patricia Richardson, and Jon Polito, to name a few.

"C.H.U.D." actually gets some decent treatmant with this DVD release. You get the movie in its original 1.77:1 aspect ratio with all of the television footage inserted back into it (though it says nothing about that on the cover packaging). There's also an easter egg with an alternate take of Kim Greist's shower scene complete with a nice little breast shot. But the best bonus of all has to be the full-length commentary with the film's director, writer, and actors John Heard, Daniel Stern, and Christopher Curry. These guys literally have a blast ripping into the movie. It's good stuff. If you see only one film about radioactive sewer creatures, make it this one.

Monster movie with a message
Many movies try to teach you important, preachy lessons and disguise them in the trappings of fantasy. CHUD is one of those. Here it is: Homeless people are people too and should not be treated as throw away citizens. But wait! There's more! CHUD manages to squeeze in two lessons for the price of one! Lesson two: Our dependency on products made with toxic chemicals combined with our innate greed is going to be our eventual downfall. Now that we have learned our lesson, start the DVD and just enjoy the fantasy trappings. Because CHUD is a monster movie. A good one.

John Heard (Cat People, Pelican Brief) and Daniel Stern (Home Alone, The Wonder Years) headline a decent cast occupying a New York neighborhood where people have started disappearing. Oh, people have been disappearing for a while, but those others were just homeless people (see Lesson One), but now "important" people are coming up missing. And soon it becomes apparent that creatures in the subways and sewer systems of the city are dining out on the local passersby.

It takes a while before you get a good look at one of the CHUDs (c.h.u.d. representing "canniballistic humanoid underground dwellers"). When you see them though, they are good, original looking monster freaks with glowing eyes and snaggly teeth. Add to that image the fact that they live in those dark places underground and the creep factor is complete. We all know that there are miles of tunnels and passages under our big cities, but no one wants to go down there. In our minds, we see THESE things jumping out at us. A monster movie has to appeal to one of your fears and I guess this is one of mine.

People tend to condemn CHUD for some reason or another. I think it does a good job at creeping you out while providing a solid 90 minutes of entertainment. It won't be shown in your American Cinema 101 class though.

DVD special features include some cool production photos and pre-production looks at the design of the creatures. Audio commentary includes the director and 3 lead actors. Always a plus when they can get the actors to come in and chat. Buy CHUD and I think you will enjoy it. HOWEVER, avoid the sequel "CHUD 2: Bud the CHUD" at all costs. It has almost nothing to do with this film and it is horrible. ... Read more