Reviews (120)

Good Remake!
"Their coming to get you Barbara", but this time Barbara is ready for them. A remake of the original classic "Night of the Living Dead". A modern retelling based on a updated scripted by George Romero and directed by Tom Savini.

This is pretty much the same story as NOTLD '68, but with better effects and a few new twists. The recent dead have returned to life and now seek the flesh of the living. Seven strangers are trapped in an isolated farmhouse struggling with the horror that awaits them on the outside and the tension that will eventually destroy them on the inside. Romero re-introduces all our favorite character: Ben (Tony Todd), Cooper (Tom Towles), etc. There are even striking reminiscences between the cast in 68 and 90, and that wasn't a coincidence. Barbara (Patricia Tallmen) has been miraculously been transformed from a comatose broad into a female Rambo. She seemingly being the only one with any grasp of the situation and this time she's not waiting for Johnny.

Not overly gory, but the zombie make-up was fantastic. The twists breath new life into this classic movie. Tom Savini did an exceptional job in his big screen directorial debut and maybe someday we'll be lucky enough to see his director's cut of this modern classic.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD - TONY TODD
DEFINITELY A GOOD ZOMBIE MOVIE AND VERY WELL DONE,BUT NOT A GOOD REMAKE OF THE ORIGINAL.THE BARBARA CHARACTER WAS A BIT ANNOYING, AND NOTHING LIKE THE ORIGINAL,THE STORYLINE WENT OFF SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY. ASIDE FROM THAT, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD ZOMBIE FILM AND IS WORTH A WATCH.

Excellent remake!
I felt compelled to comment on this flick. I loved the first one. And, I love the remake. The addition of color and a bolder, sexier Barbara only adds to the film. They didn't change the original theme of the movie. Just enhanced it! I own the Millenium edition of the first film. And I own the 1979 remake. Lov'em both, but prefer the remake!!!

A Fairly Pointless Remake
It's been said before but, just for the record, I'm gonna say it again: If it ain't broke, don't bother fixing it. In other words, if you've already got a movie that's widely regarded as a classic of the genre it can safely be said there is little point in trying to improve upon it. So quite why anyone thought Night of the Living Dead needed a remake is beyond me, especially when you consider the iron clad rule that applies to remakes as much as it does to movies with a '2' in the title: nine times out of ten, it's gonna suck.
However, to its credit, NOTLD remake is at least done with the support and input of those assosciated with the original film (including Romero), unlike the recent spate of Hollywood remakes, which seem to almost take perverse glee in undermining the original film without any consultation to, or recognition of, the original film makers (stand up Texas Chainsaw Massacre). Yet, despite Romero's input, the film is still just not terribly good.
The main problem with this remake, in my opinion, is the new portrayal of the characters. In the first film, you could sympathise with, to some degree, all these people trapped in the farmhouse, you felt sorry for them, and understood their actions because of the predicament that was facing them. In the remake, they're all a bunch of whiny bitchers, and any remaining sympathy is gone; every single one of them is shown to have a mean or annoying streak a mile wide and it comes as something of a releif when one of them gets killed. Also gone is any semblance of intelligence: what kills the characters in this remake is, more often than not, their own stupidity. Maybe that's the point, but still, it makes you feel as if they deserved to die, not something good for character empathy, which is a nesscessary ingredient of a horror movie.
The ending, too was a dissapointment, especially compared to the extremely downbeat, depressing ending of the original. That ending left you with a feeling of hopelessness and a question mark over the fate of humanity. The new ending leaves you with little doubt over how humanity will fair in the struggle against the undead: We'll win, no question.
My final major gripe with this movie is with the zombies themselves. In the original, they were terrifying and mysterious, unstoppable killing machines. In the remake, they seem comically weak and monumentally useless. As Barbara says at one point (an intensely annoying version of the original character, by the way, i spent the entire movie hoping her fate would be the same as that of the original): "they're so slow... we could just walk past them, we wouldn't even have to run.". You see the problem? how are you meant to be afraid of something that couldn't pose a serious threat to a three year old on a trike?
However, despite all the above, and the monotony of some of the zombie attacks (how many times can you watch the undead come smashing through a window the heroes were JUST about to board up? Well, if you want to watch this movie through, make sure it's at least four) Night of the Living Dead the remake is still a watchable film, a much shallower version of the first, that requires much less attention or thought. As a popcorn zombie movie, it works very well, and, it goes without saying, the special effects are quite fantastic for this version, though perhaps not used to their full potential.
Overall, this film is one to watch if your looking for a quick splatter-horror film and is reasonably entertaining. However, if your looking for a horror film with some depth, or one that creates a genuine feeling of unease and tension, then watch the original. There is a reason, afterall, why that is considered a horror classic and this isn't.

Night of the living remake
Ok, this is a rather pointless remake of the original classic. What makes it so bad is that it was directed by Tom Savini, who collaberated with George Romero on "Dawn of the Dead" and Day of the Dead". Savini, a noted make-up artist specializing in gore and blood, left this movie pretty dry. The plot is the same, a group of strangers are wholed up in a farm house that is besieged by zombies. There are no big stars here, except Tony Todd, who went on to be the Candyman. He is obviously the hero, or so you'd think. The end is different, and not for the better. The acting is pretty wooden, but you were expecting that, weren't you? The gore is graphic, but like I said, I was expecting more from Savini. The moral of the story is pounded home too hard. But it's fair, and not too long, so it's barable. It is a good movie, just not great. I only wish that they would stop remaking the classics and give Romero the money to do the fourth 'Dead' movie. ... Read more

Reviews (477)

A great modern adventure!
This is the last entry in the "Evil Dead" series, but folks, this is NOT a horror flick, it is a fantasy comedy adventure. This deals with "Ash" ( Bruce Campbell) who was sucked into another time, in the medieval times. Now he must get a unholy book called " The Necronomicon" so he can get back home but when his idiocy gets in the way, he unleashes a army of the dead and now Ash with the rest of King Arthur's men must fight back.

A brilliant, entertaining and hilarious final in the awesome Evil Dead series with wit, humor, skill, good special effects and great battle scenes. Sam Raimi is a genius of a filmmaker, Bruce Campbell is definitely a great actor portraying a lovable moronic hero. Like i said, this movie isn't a horror flick, it's really a Fantasy comedy adventure and doesn't have gore like the last two flicks but this movie is also enjoyable for the whole family. I own this movie on DVD in 2-versions such as the Cut U.S. version with happy ending and the Director's cut with alternate ending, this is a must see movie.

Also recommended: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Conan The Barbarian, The Crow, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, In The Army Now ( Pauly Shore), The Flight of Dragons, Return of the King, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator, The Wizard of Oz, Excalibur and Mulan.

Great, Fun Film.
ARMY OF DARKNESS is the third film in the EVIL DEAD series. The first movie in the series, EVIL DEAD, was a strictly horror film containing a humorous moment every now and again. EVIL DEAD 2 was basically a dark comedy interlaced with a few moments of horror. ARMY OF DARKNESS is neither; it's an action/adventure flick filled with comedy and just a touch of gore.

The movie begins where EVIL DEAD 2 ended: Ash has been transported to the 13th century and is surrounded by the Army of King Arthur. He is assumed to be a member of a rival army and is taken prisoner. After defeating a couple of Deadites in the pit, he is declared to be the prophecized hero who will rid the kingdom of the evil that has befallen it. However, Ash, being the befuddled hero he is, makes things worse and almost destroys any chance he has of returning home.

ARMY OF DARKNESS is hilarious. It's filled with comedy and all sorts of literary and pop culture references from The Three Stooges to Gulliver's Travels to JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS to Frankenstein. I found myself laughing about every three minutes and some of the one-liners just rock: "Give me some sugar, baby" and "I'm going to cut your gizzard." Of course, this movie isn't for everyone. There are some people who would be offended and some who would see this movie as garbage. However, I see the movie as pure genius and great fun. Whatever.

A Bad and Tasteless Film
This by far is the worst film I have ever seen. Sure, I've had my fair share of bad films, but this one tops them off. The acting stunk in a very big way. I expected this film to scare the socks off of me, but, instead I was shaking my head in full on disgust at the Comedy Relief Film instead of being a true horror flick. Don't waste a second of your time on this film and don't waste your money on it either.

Great cheesy cult horror film - choose the edition wisely
I've seen the U.S. theatrical cut of this film a number of times, so I bought the Director's cut (ASIN B00005QW4K) when it first came out. I finally got around to watching it recently, and I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this particular edition. If you want to see the director's cut, I'd recommend you go with the "Boomstick Edition", which also includes the U.S. theatrical release.

There were a number of flaws in this particular DVD. The first thing I noticed was really bad pixellation in many scenes. They did a great job in many cases of cleaning up any scratches or flaws in the source film, but then they did a really bad job of DVD compression. I'm sure the other editions aren't any worse on that score, and hope that they're better.

Also, this cut is actually missing some of my favorite scened and lines. The worst offense is that the line "Good, bad - I'm the guy with the gun" (which for me has always epitomized Ash) was replaced by "I'm not that good". In the commentary, Campbell and Raimi actually note that they prefer the "Good, bad" line... So why not include it in the "director's cut"?

They also deleted an early fight scene, just after Campbell's arrival, and went back to what was apparently the original ending. I really liked the ending in S-Mart, though. I also found the editing on the windmill scene in this edition less cohesive than the theatrical release.

The commentary by Campbell and Raimi was very good, since those two have a long history together, and really seem to have loved making this movie. Still, though, it was clear that they could see some of the same issues I mentioned above, leaving me baffled as to why they didn't work together to make this edition a true reflection of what they think the "best" version of "Army of Darkness" would be.

Good bad im the Ash with the gun.
Army of Darkness is such a fun movie to watch, What more could you want from a movie. I first became a fan of this movie because of Evil Dead 1&2, they where pretty good movies but when Army of Darkness came out it was five times better than the first two movies put together. The real reasson this movie did so well is because Bruce Campbell a.k.a Ash played his part damn well, and because of that we the fans of his movies where happy to see him come back to the big screen. If you don't like slap-stick comedy or horror movies you will not like this film, but if you do your in luck because Army of Darkness is the cult classic movie you've been waiting for. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Camelot is a State of Mind
A film that incorporates Arthurian legend within a modern day Renaissance Faire that has knights doing battle on motorcycles? Directed by famed horror director George A. Romero? It may seem like a silly concept, but you know what? It worked, for this viewer, at least.

Knightriders (1981) stars Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Tom Savini, and Amy Ingersoll. Harris is Billy, the king and inspiration behind the Faire, believing and living the noble ideals of a time long since past. Problem is, these ideals often conflict with the present, and especially when it comes to paying the bills.

This epic tale (it runs almost 2 ½ hours) details the relationships within this seemingly tight knit group, the conflicts that develop as commercialism tries to creep in by means of a sleazy promoter wanting to take the 'act', as he calls it, to bigger, more theatrical venues, which threatens to spoil the noble ideals Harris tries to put forth and live on a daily basis. Things start to fall apart as the conflict between the members grows worse, and outside pressures force decisions to be made.

In a really gutsy move that I don't think paid off in terms of financial success at the time of the films' release, Romero breaks out of his the genre he's become known and respected for, delivering a lavish tale, one that I found interesting, although a tad drawn out, at times. The character Harris plays seems like a kook, but you may begin to understand his beliefs, what he's trying to put forth, creating a community of not just entertainers, but a family of different peoples who believe in themselves and what they do. The action is quite thrilling as the knights ride around on motorcycles instead of horses, doing battle using jousting poles, broadswords, battle-axes, and maces. There is plenty of action, and the stunt work is quite excellent, adding a realistic flavor throughout.

Some of the drawn out plot threads seemed a bit odd to me, like the one involving a rather minor male character and questions that arose with regards to his sexual preferences. I didn't have a problem with the material, but just how the subject came out of nowhere and continued to linger on for quite awhile. It just seemed too much attention was focused on this minor plot point, and thereby causes it to stick out against the rest of the film. I think this tact was followed in a move to try an develop at least a passing interest in as many of the characters as possible, allowing for the viewer to take a real interest within the group, and thus feel the difficulties as the characters did at the fragmenting of the group, but it was just taken a bit too far at a couple of points, in my opinion. Harris is great as the ideal driven leader, fighting a seemingly losing battle of trying to hold the group together and keep the spirit alive. Tom Savini is also wonderful. Usually known more for his work on special effects, he shows he can really act playing the character of Morgan, the Black Knight, whose main reason for participating is for the thrills and excitement. Appearing as only a two dimensional character in the beginning, Savini really infuses much into Morgan throughout the film, providing a great deal of depth.

Presented here is a really good looking wide screen print and special features include a commentary track by director Romero, stars Tom Savini, John Amplas, Christine Romero, and film historian Chris Stavrakis. Also included are behind he scenes home movies, a theatrical trailer, and television spots. Some notable appearances to look for are Stephen King and his wife Tabitha as spectators (actually, they're credited as Hoagie Man and Hoagie Man's Wife as King is seen chowing down while spouting off how fake the fighting is), and a young Patricia Tallman as Julie, a love interest to Gary Lahti's character. While not a starring role here, she later did star in Romero's 1990 remake of his classic Night of the Living Dead, as Barbara. Knightriders is a fun, drawn out tale with lots of action and a lot of heart. The ending seemed a bit hokey, but really, looking back on it, I wouldn't have expected different. Fate and destiny, at least in the movie world, just cannot be denied.

Cookieman108

One of Romero`s Best Work as a Director.
When a Troupe of Motorcyclists, who are members of a Traveling Renaissance Faire. They move Town to Town with Great Audiences Each Time from Oridinary People. They used Amor, Wielding Lances, Battle-Axes, Maces and Boardwoods. They are the Perfect Medieval Jousting Tournament Group. The rule of the Game, if Someone of the another Gang lead by Arthur (Tom Savini), if they win, He will become the new King of Camelot, if he doesn`t win. Billy (Ed Harris) will always stay King of Camelot. But Billy almost believes too real about the real world of today society of Camelot is being Renewed. While they get national attention much to the dismay of the Current King of This Camelot and the Crew asked themselves, Why they are There doing, What they Loved in the First Place.

Written and Directed by:George A. Romero (Creepshow, Monkey Shines, The Dark Half) shows a unique style and flair to this Ambitious Unusual Film. It was a flop in Theaters but the Movie gained a Cult Following on Video. Ed Harris (The Right Stuff, Apollo 13, Pollack) gives a Strong Performance in his first lead role. DVD`s has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and An clear Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Sound. DVD`s Extras are:An running commentary track by Director:George A. Romero, Make-Up Artist and Actor:Tom Savini, Film Historian:Chris Stavrakis, Brief Commentary by Christine Romero (Monkey Shines) and Even Briefer one by Actor:John Amplas (George A. Romero`s Martin) and more Extras. While this film is not for all tastes but is Still a Stunning Film. Great Score by Donald Rubinstein. Watch for Stephen King and His Wife:Tabitha King in Cameos. Grade:A-.

Romero's Take on the King Arthur Legend
After huge success with "Dawn of the Dead," independent filmmaker George A. Romero signed a 3-picture deal with United Film Distribtuion Company, the studio that put "Dawn" in theatres. Instead of playing safe with another horror film, Romero jumped genres to the adventure/drama "Knightriders" concerning a traveling fair that live by the code of King Arthur, Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. Basically think "Easy Rider" meets "Excalibur."

Life is great for this large family until the outside world steps in with promises of fame and fortune. King Billy (a fantastic Ed Harris!) wants to live a simple life free from money and greed. However, others led by the black knight Morgan (special effects artist Tom Savini in an equally good performance) simply want to survive. Soon, this family unit splits in half with those devoted to Billy and others to Morgan.

Writer/director Romero has said in the past that "Knightriders" is his favorite of his films. It shows when watching the film. This is Romero's epic filled with great scenery, scope and performances. The film's premise is a bit odd, but it's best strength is it's ability to come off as believeable. Also worth noting are the well-filmed scenes involving the knights jousting.

However, one can't help but complain towards the film's length. At 145 minutes, it's just too long. Sure it's an epic, but you can only have so much in one film. A good 20-25 minutes could have been dropped and would have made "Knightriders" a better film. Despite the argument for the length (and a few too many B-plots), "Knightriders" remains one of Romero's best films.

The DVD is a nice presentation with an anamorphic widescreen transfer showcasing the lush cinematography of D.P. Michael Gornick. It's hard to believe a film mostly seen on home-video and over 20 years old(!) looks this good. On the bonus matertials section, there's a great commentary track featuring writer/director Romero, actors Savini, Christine Romero (Romero's wife), John Amplas (of Romero's vampire film "Martin") and film historian Chris Stavrakis. Add 15 minutes of silent "home-movies," (minus any commentary track sadly), the theatrical trailer and two tv spots and you have a nice package for an under-appreciated film.

Never heard of George Romero!
I never heard of George Romero, and vaguely know of his day or dawn of dead series.

I loved this movie because it was a great movie...the story, the characters, the music, especially the beautiful song during Ed Harris's (King Billy) funeral.

I was just browsing in the Video Store and came across this gem. (am a fan of Ed Harris).

Truly a great movie, it you love movies.

Sometimes you get lucky.
Sometimes you get lucky, and are a fan of a great filmaker, and on the hunch that anything they make will be gold, you go out and get a film and are treated to a gem like this.

No this film is not for everyone. Yet perhaps it is? I know all about where the movie came from and what inspired it. I belong to the SCA. This film captured, at least for me, exactly what I joined the SCA for. A kind of escape from reality, without being totaly delusional and dysfunctional.

It's a joyride into many peoples ideals of getting away from it all, and doing your own thing. At the same time the ideals of Arthurian legends are lived, not just imagined.

As movies go it is quite possibly the best example I have ever seen of what a truly gifted writer/director can do with the least amount of money and hype. Nothing else I could say would do justice to this film. It's now one of my favorites of all time, and I don't need to justify why. Simply pick up this movie, give it a good sturdy chance at winning your heart, and you will find something about this movie that will really pull you in. Nuff said, what are you waiting for go get this movie :) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

DOUBTING AMY
Since her breakthrough role as Carrie's friend in the classic Brian De Palma CARRIE, Amy Irving has played a variety of roles, most noticeably her Oscar nominated turn in YENTL and her spirited turn in CROSSING DELANCEY. Donald Sutherland, never Oscar nominated, but definitely a should have been for ORDINARY PEOPLE, also has taken a lot of chances in his long career. Together you would expect a great chemistry and fireworks to light the screen. Sadly to say, this doesn't happen in this by the book thriller. Even stalwarts such as Christopher McDonald, Theodore Bikel and Graham Greene don't ignite any sparks. The scenery is gorgeous and the plot does take an unexpected twist towards the end, but all in all, director Jonathan Heap doesn't build enough tension and suspense to make this anything more than an okay thriller. McDonald's death scene is almost funny as one other reviewer notes and Greene's dispatch is cruelty to the max. Rider Strong (Cabin Fever) in his first role shows the potential talent he will realize in future films.
You can do worse, but you can definitely do better--catch Sutherland in THE PUPPET MASTERS or EYE OF THE NEEDLE; see IRVING in THE CONFESSION.

Puzzling little yarn
I wasn't sure if I should give this flick 1-star for being so bad or 5-stars for being so bad it's good, so I went for the happy medium of 3. If you enjoy poorly scripted, odd, formulaic thrillers like I do, then this is right up your alley.

Donald Sutherland plays a man who has just been relased from jail after 22 years spent there for the murder of his wife (although he says it was an accident... and you should hear the speech about loving America he makes to obtain his parole... very ironic in hindsight...har har). He goes back to his hometown, where he tries to reconcile with his daughter (played by Amy Irving) and his grandson who want nothing to do with him. At first I thought, this movie is called "Benefit of the Doubt"...maybe it's about an innocent man who has to try to win his daughter's trust back, and she won't give him the benefit of the doubt so he has to keep on keeping on until they can be all lovey-dovey again and live happily ever after. Maybe his suspect behaviour was the filmmaker trying to make Sutherland look suspicious so we'd be as leery of him as she was. About a half-hour in I began to have doubts that that was the case. The only reason I did all this musing is because it was Donald Sutherland, so I naturally assumed it would at least be somewhat intelligent. Wrong! From the time Frank (Sutherland's character) offed the daughter's fiance (in what is probably the funniest scene in the movie), it was official: this was one of those laughably bad films that fans of the genre crave.

It's not the best of the worst, but if you appreciate this sort of thing there's plenty to make you chortle and snicker. There's even an incestuous relationship (complete with an attempted rape) between father and daughter. And the ending- what a spectacular work of genius! It must have taken a true artist to think that one up. But poor Donald Sutherland! He's such a talented thespian (and U of T alum...yay!), it's a shame to see his gift go to waste acting in this type of movie, although if it was anyone else playing the part it probably wouldn't be nearly as funny.

benefit of the slouch
This by-the-numbers thriller is elevated by better than average direction by Jonathon Heap and the performance of Donald Sutherland, as a sly gentlemanly criminal recalling his Nazi undercover in Eye of the Needle. Here he is released from prison having been convicted of murdering his wife and now intent on rekindling a relationship with the daughter (Amy Irving) who testified against him. Irving appears to be slumming, playing the daughter as a foul-mouthed white trash waitress in a topless bar, but she adds nothing that any number of actors could bring to the part. Sutherland's first obstacle is to convince Amy that her mother's death was an accident, and once that is overcome, then he must confront anyone that threatens his idea of family, which includes Amy's gratuitous son. Heap actually makes Sutherland's pathology amusing in a perverse way, though we know what to expect when the father's first action is to smash in a window, since behaviour defines character. Sutherland looks heftier than usual though perhaps that's in direct ratio to Amy's anorexia, recalling her bulemic in Kleptomania. Location footage was done at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona where we see beautifully eroded rock formations, and a cave with an eroded interior. ... Read more

Reviews (477)

A great modern adventure!
This is the last entry in the "Evil Dead" series, but folks, this is NOT a horror flick, it is a fantasy comedy adventure. This deals with "Ash" ( Bruce Campbell) who was sucked into another time, in the medieval times. Now he must get a unholy book called " The Necronomicon" so he can get back home but when his idiocy gets in the way, he unleashes a army of the dead and now Ash with the rest of King Arthur's men must fight back.

A brilliant, entertaining and hilarious final in the awesome Evil Dead series with wit, humor, skill, good special effects and great battle scenes. Sam Raimi is a genius of a filmmaker, Bruce Campbell is definitely a great actor portraying a lovable moronic hero. Like i said, this movie isn't a horror flick, it's really a Fantasy comedy adventure and doesn't have gore like the last two flicks but this movie is also enjoyable for the whole family. I own this movie on DVD in 2-versions such as the Cut U.S. version with happy ending and the Director's cut with alternate ending, this is a must see movie.

Also recommended: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Conan The Barbarian, The Crow, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, In The Army Now ( Pauly Shore), The Flight of Dragons, Return of the King, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator, The Wizard of Oz, Excalibur and Mulan.

Great, Fun Film.
ARMY OF DARKNESS is the third film in the EVIL DEAD series. The first movie in the series, EVIL DEAD, was a strictly horror film containing a humorous moment every now and again. EVIL DEAD 2 was basically a dark comedy interlaced with a few moments of horror. ARMY OF DARKNESS is neither; it's an action/adventure flick filled with comedy and just a touch of gore.

The movie begins where EVIL DEAD 2 ended: Ash has been transported to the 13th century and is surrounded by the Army of King Arthur. He is assumed to be a member of a rival army and is taken prisoner. After defeating a couple of Deadites in the pit, he is declared to be the prophecized hero who will rid the kingdom of the evil that has befallen it. However, Ash, being the befuddled hero he is, makes things worse and almost destroys any chance he has of returning home.

ARMY OF DARKNESS is hilarious. It's filled with comedy and all sorts of literary and pop culture references from The Three Stooges to Gulliver's Travels to JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS to Frankenstein. I found myself laughing about every three minutes and some of the one-liners just rock: "Give me some sugar, baby" and "I'm going to cut your gizzard." Of course, this movie isn't for everyone. There are some people who would be offended and some who would see this movie as garbage. However, I see the movie as pure genius and great fun. Whatever.

A Bad and Tasteless Film
This by far is the worst film I have ever seen. Sure, I've had my fair share of bad films, but this one tops them off. The acting stunk in a very big way. I expected this film to scare the socks off of me, but, instead I was shaking my head in full on disgust at the Comedy Relief Film instead of being a true horror flick. Don't waste a second of your time on this film and don't waste your money on it either.

Great cheesy cult horror film - choose the edition wisely
I've seen the U.S. theatrical cut of this film a number of times, so I bought the Director's cut (ASIN B00005QW4K) when it first came out. I finally got around to watching it recently, and I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this particular edition. If you want to see the director's cut, I'd recommend you go with the "Boomstick Edition", which also includes the U.S. theatrical release.

There were a number of flaws in this particular DVD. The first thing I noticed was really bad pixellation in many scenes. They did a great job in many cases of cleaning up any scratches or flaws in the source film, but then they did a really bad job of DVD compression. I'm sure the other editions aren't any worse on that score, and hope that they're better.

Also, this cut is actually missing some of my favorite scened and lines. The worst offense is that the line "Good, bad - I'm the guy with the gun" (which for me has always epitomized Ash) was replaced by "I'm not that good". In the commentary, Campbell and Raimi actually note that they prefer the "Good, bad" line... So why not include it in the "director's cut"?

They also deleted an early fight scene, just after Campbell's arrival, and went back to what was apparently the original ending. I really liked the ending in S-Mart, though. I also found the editing on the windmill scene in this edition less cohesive than the theatrical release.

The commentary by Campbell and Raimi was very good, since those two have a long history together, and really seem to have loved making this movie. Still, though, it was clear that they could see some of the same issues I mentioned above, leaving me baffled as to why they didn't work together to make this edition a true reflection of what they think the "best" version of "Army of Darkness" would be.

Good bad im the Ash with the gun.
Army of Darkness is such a fun movie to watch, What more could you want from a movie. I first became a fan of this movie because of Evil Dead 1&2, they where pretty good movies but when Army of Darkness came out it was five times better than the first two movies put together. The real reasson this movie did so well is because Bruce Campbell a.k.a Ash played his part damn well, and because of that we the fans of his movies where happy to see him come back to the big screen. If you don't like slap-stick comedy or horror movies you will not like this film, but if you do your in luck because Army of Darkness is the cult classic movie you've been waiting for. ... Read more

Reviews (477)

A great modern adventure!
This is the last entry in the "Evil Dead" series, but folks, this is NOT a horror flick, it is a fantasy comedy adventure. This deals with "Ash" ( Bruce Campbell) who was sucked into another time, in the medieval times. Now he must get a unholy book called " The Necronomicon" so he can get back home but when his idiocy gets in the way, he unleashes a army of the dead and now Ash with the rest of King Arthur's men must fight back.

A brilliant, entertaining and hilarious final in the awesome Evil Dead series with wit, humor, skill, good special effects and great battle scenes. Sam Raimi is a genius of a filmmaker, Bruce Campbell is definitely a great actor portraying a lovable moronic hero. Like i said, this movie isn't a horror flick, it's really a Fantasy comedy adventure and doesn't have gore like the last two flicks but this movie is also enjoyable for the whole family. I own this movie on DVD in 2-versions such as the Cut U.S. version with happy ending and the Director's cut with alternate ending, this is a must see movie.

Also recommended: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Conan The Barbarian, The Crow, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, In The Army Now ( Pauly Shore), The Flight of Dragons, Return of the King, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator, The Wizard of Oz, Excalibur and Mulan.

Great, Fun Film.
ARMY OF DARKNESS is the third film in the EVIL DEAD series. The first movie in the series, EVIL DEAD, was a strictly horror film containing a humorous moment every now and again. EVIL DEAD 2 was basically a dark comedy interlaced with a few moments of horror. ARMY OF DARKNESS is neither; it's an action/adventure flick filled with comedy and just a touch of gore.

The movie begins where EVIL DEAD 2 ended: Ash has been transported to the 13th century and is surrounded by the Army of King Arthur. He is assumed to be a member of a rival army and is taken prisoner. After defeating a couple of Deadites in the pit, he is declared to be the prophecized hero who will rid the kingdom of the evil that has befallen it. However, Ash, being the befuddled hero he is, makes things worse and almost destroys any chance he has of returning home.

ARMY OF DARKNESS is hilarious. It's filled with comedy and all sorts of literary and pop culture references from The Three Stooges to Gulliver's Travels to JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS to Frankenstein. I found myself laughing about every three minutes and some of the one-liners just rock: "Give me some sugar, baby" and "I'm going to cut your gizzard." Of course, this movie isn't for everyone. There are some people who would be offended and some who would see this movie as garbage. However, I see the movie as pure genius and great fun. Whatever.

A Bad and Tasteless Film
This by far is the worst film I have ever seen. Sure, I've had my fair share of bad films, but this one tops them off. The acting stunk in a very big way. I expected this film to scare the socks off of me, but, instead I was shaking my head in full on disgust at the Comedy Relief Film instead of being a true horror flick. Don't waste a second of your time on this film and don't waste your money on it either.

Great cheesy cult horror film - choose the edition wisely
I've seen the U.S. theatrical cut of this film a number of times, so I bought the Director's cut (ASIN B00005QW4K) when it first came out. I finally got around to watching it recently, and I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this particular edition. If you want to see the director's cut, I'd recommend you go with the "Boomstick Edition", which also includes the U.S. theatrical release.

There were a number of flaws in this particular DVD. The first thing I noticed was really bad pixellation in many scenes. They did a great job in many cases of cleaning up any scratches or flaws in the source film, but then they did a really bad job of DVD compression. I'm sure the other editions aren't any worse on that score, and hope that they're better.

Also, this cut is actually missing some of my favorite scened and lines. The worst offense is that the line "Good, bad - I'm the guy with the gun" (which for me has always epitomized Ash) was replaced by "I'm not that good". In the commentary, Campbell and Raimi actually note that they prefer the "Good, bad" line... So why not include it in the "director's cut"?

They also deleted an early fight scene, just after Campbell's arrival, and went back to what was apparently the original ending. I really liked the ending in S-Mart, though. I also found the editing on the windmill scene in this edition less cohesive than the theatrical release.

The commentary by Campbell and Raimi was very good, since those two have a long history together, and really seem to have loved making this movie. Still, though, it was clear that they could see some of the same issues I mentioned above, leaving me baffled as to why they didn't work together to make this edition a true reflection of what they think the "best" version of "Army of Darkness" would be.

Good bad im the Ash with the gun.
Army of Darkness is such a fun movie to watch, What more could you want from a movie. I first became a fan of this movie because of Evil Dead 1&2, they where pretty good movies but when Army of Darkness came out it was five times better than the first two movies put together. The real reasson this movie did so well is because Bruce Campbell a.k.a Ash played his part damn well, and because of that we the fans of his movies where happy to see him come back to the big screen. If you don't like slap-stick comedy or horror movies you will not like this film, but if you do your in luck because Army of Darkness is the cult classic movie you've been waiting for. ... 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 (17)

Romero's best
I never cared too much for Romero's zombie movies, but I've always thought "Monkey Shines" is an extremely good movie. -His best, actually. It's a brilliant script, and the acting is superb. A very suspensful movie from start to finish. I have the first of its two DVD releases from MGM, but unfortunately the piture quality is not all that sharp (-only slightly better than VHS, I'd say), and therefore no more than acceptable. This is not the first somewhat sloppy disc from MGM, so they better shape up if they want happy costumers. -In their defense I must add that I haven't seen the newest edition, but this Hitchcock-like thriller deserves to look a lot better than this.

One of the forgotten gems of the 80's
"Night of the Living Dead" fanatics will disagree, but in my opinion "Monkey Shines" represents George Romero at the top of his game. (Okay, I love "Creepshow", too.) It is one of the most well-crafted suspense movies I have ever seen. It takes a potentially ludicrous scenario and knocks your socks off with it. A quadriplegic law student named Alan (excellently played by the underrated actor Jason Beghe), develops a psychic bond with his nurse-maid monkey, Ella. Alan understandably has a short temper and no sense of humor about his condition; he's not aware, however, that the confused but well-meaning Ella has been acting upon his violent revenge fantasies. It all comes to a head one dark and stormy night when Ella finally goes over the edge and menaces her master endlessly, despite vain rescue attempts by his pals.
How many ways can a little monkey torment a grown man? Plenty, it turns out, if you can't move like Alan. His claustraphobia and terror are wonderfully and effectively splashed across the screen by both Beghe and Romero's camera. The supporting cast, especially the two actors playing his overbearing mother and his best friend Geoffrey (forgive me, I can't remember their names at the moment), is superb. And if the suspense-packed final 30 minutes of this movie don't give you goosebumps a-plenty, you'd better check your pulse.
A couple flaws:
1. An overly cheesy ending preceded by a lame "final scare" (which I hear was forced upon Romero by the studio).
2. A bizarre sex scene which induces either head-scratching confusion or incredulous laughter.
3. The whole "mad scientist" aspect of the plot: WHY exactly does Geoffrey's intelligence-boosting potion wind up linking Ella to Alan psycically? Not explained.
But these flaws are far from fatal. They can be easily ignored, in favor of the immense enjoyment factor of the movie as a whole. Spooky, suspenseful, and frequently touching, it's a great "popcorn" movie. Bravo, George!

Killer Psycho Monkey
This is actually one of the funniest movies ive ever seen in my life. From the killer psycho monkey to the man in the wheelchair, this movie will have you roaring in laughter. Although this movie is disguised as a horror, it is actually a comedy(not meant to be a comedy.) When you see this little monkey kill someone it is so funny that if your parents walked in on you theyd think you are on drugs because you are laughing so hard at something so stupid.But this is whats so great about the movie, its so stupid that its funny. I mean they never even explain why this monkey testicals kills people, it just goes on a killing rampage and doesn't stop until it feeds it thirst for blood. This is definately a must see movie.Everyone who talks negatively about this movie is either blind or has no sense of humor.

The greatest movie since Tremors
I was blown away by this movie. This is a very artsey movie and the screen play is fantastic. I laughed through a lot of the movie, but it was filled with suspense. I recommened this movie to everyone, it is a great movie. Yale is better then Harvard Will, yes it is.

Holy Monkey!
This was the funniest movie I have ever seen and should definitely be re-released in the movie theaters so the younger generations can experience the wonderful tale of "Monkey Shines." While select scenes are a tad on the vulger side (a.k.a. the sex scene--what was that!?)the rest of the movie is burned in my mind forever as the best movie ever to play in the theater.
P.S.-Shout out to the swim team-I know all of you truly love "Monkey Shines" ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Fun fantasy
A fun light hearted and entertaining movie. Idealistic and romantic. Great for watching David in a romantic setting, in a castle atop a hill, on a motorcycle, a poetic movie.

The funniest movie of all time
With characters such as "Johnny D'Artagnan" (Hasselhoff), "Burt Aramis" (Cheech Marin) and "Peter Porthos" (no idea), need I say more? One of the best scenes is where Hasselhoff has to create a distraction by...performing a free live concert in the street in front of hundreds of screaming fans, complete with wrap-around mike and about four keyboards. It's well worth the money.

Pretty good, but not the finest
This is mostly a comedy piece and delivers on that account, but doesn't have the best kind of story. The camera angles in some scenes didn't need to be diagonal either. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

superb
I have piranhas and there was not a misfit piece of info in this entire documentory. Take it from a 13 year old piranha expert with three of his own, this is the best sorce for piranha info on all spieces.

piranha's in the wild
basically this movie is a one hour documentary that looks like one of those shows you would see on the discovery channel or maybe in high school biology class. its not bad, but its not great. nothing suprised me in it. its scenes of the jungle while a narrator says something every few moments or so. if you think this video is something out of a horror film where the piranhas kill everything in sight then you will be disappointed. they only eat a catfish alive, everything else is already dead. if you own piranhas,like me, and can appreciate them, then buy this video. but if your just a regular person and want to see piranhas kill things then i wouldn't. the finish it up, this slow pace film is average and i think the producers got most of the footage by recording clips off the learning channel or maybe even animal planet with the crocodile hunter.

FoxForce 6!
Who knew this was really a movie!

An Awesome Movie
Well, I bought the DVD for this film, and it was great! Anacondas are the largest predators in the New Kingdom. Learn how the people of the Amazon are influenced by this giant. Learn the Anaconda's hunting habits and find out how on earth the Anaconda swallows a large bird with a beak over 3 and a half feet long! You won't regret buying this one, so take my word for it. Buy it NOW!

Good Video, Piranha as seen in the wild
This video was pritty good.It shows Piranha as they are in Brazil. I found this video worth the money. There are a few dry spots when they are talking about other animals, like birds and such. If you are interested in learning more about Piranha, this video is for you. This video is only for the Piranha lovers who appriciate them, and respect them. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

pleasant surprise
I was shocked to find this movie was released on DVD. I've had a crappy VHS copy that I recorded off USA up all night probably 10 years ago. This movie is about two people who are going to get divorced, but an angel is sent to try to help them reconcile. Seriously, I don't know how this movie is not more well known. I die everytime I watch it. I'd rank it up there with Animal House and Fast Times. It's hard to believe it even came out on Troma when you compare it to the other movies they've made.

The best of Lloyd Kaufman's early comedies!
Greetings from Tromaville!

A couple are in a legal battle over palimony, and a judge/angel Gabrial (Professor Irwin Correy)helps them resolve their problems by taking them through a tour of historical disfunctional couples.

This brilliant satire is very well done and contains the first rapping rabbis! It also contains more laughter and foxy ladies than your average Troma film, plus a little gore for you gorehounds out there!

A must buy! Fans should seek out Lloyd Kaufman's "The First Turn-On", "Squeeze Play!" and Mick Napier's "Fatty Drives The Bus!"

...

This wasn't a good Troma Film
I'm sorry but this movie was not good Troma work, it should of had more skin and a lot more humor. ... Read more

Reviews (477)

A great modern adventure!
This is the last entry in the "Evil Dead" series, but folks, this is NOT a horror flick, it is a fantasy comedy adventure. This deals with "Ash" ( Bruce Campbell) who was sucked into another time, in the medieval times. Now he must get a unholy book called " The Necronomicon" so he can get back home but when his idiocy gets in the way, he unleashes a army of the dead and now Ash with the rest of King Arthur's men must fight back.

A brilliant, entertaining and hilarious final in the awesome Evil Dead series with wit, humor, skill, good special effects and great battle scenes. Sam Raimi is a genius of a filmmaker, Bruce Campbell is definitely a great actor portraying a lovable moronic hero. Like i said, this movie isn't a horror flick, it's really a Fantasy comedy adventure and doesn't have gore like the last two flicks but this movie is also enjoyable for the whole family. I own this movie on DVD in 2-versions such as the Cut U.S. version with happy ending and the Director's cut with alternate ending, this is a must see movie.

Also recommended: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Conan The Barbarian, The Crow, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, In The Army Now ( Pauly Shore), The Flight of Dragons, Return of the King, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator, The Wizard of Oz, Excalibur and Mulan.

Great, Fun Film.
ARMY OF DARKNESS is the third film in the EVIL DEAD series. The first movie in the series, EVIL DEAD, was a strictly horror film containing a humorous moment every now and again. EVIL DEAD 2 was basically a dark comedy interlaced with a few moments of horror. ARMY OF DARKNESS is neither; it's an action/adventure flick filled with comedy and just a touch of gore.

The movie begins where EVIL DEAD 2 ended: Ash has been transported to the 13th century and is surrounded by the Army of King Arthur. He is assumed to be a member of a rival army and is taken prisoner. After defeating a couple of Deadites in the pit, he is declared to be the prophecized hero who will rid the kingdom of the evil that has befallen it. However, Ash, being the befuddled hero he is, makes things worse and almost destroys any chance he has of returning home.

ARMY OF DARKNESS is hilarious. It's filled with comedy and all sorts of literary and pop culture references from The Three Stooges to Gulliver's Travels to JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS to Frankenstein. I found myself laughing about every three minutes and some of the one-liners just rock: "Give me some sugar, baby" and "I'm going to cut your gizzard." Of course, this movie isn't for everyone. There are some people who would be offended and some who would see this movie as garbage. However, I see the movie as pure genius and great fun. Whatever.

A Bad and Tasteless Film
This by far is the worst film I have ever seen. Sure, I've had my fair share of bad films, but this one tops them off. The acting stunk in a very big way. I expected this film to scare the socks off of me, but, instead I was shaking my head in full on disgust at the Comedy Relief Film instead of being a true horror flick. Don't waste a second of your time on this film and don't waste your money on it either.

Great cheesy cult horror film - choose the edition wisely
I've seen the U.S. theatrical cut of this film a number of times, so I bought the Director's cut (ASIN B00005QW4K) when it first came out. I finally got around to watching it recently, and I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this particular edition. If you want to see the director's cut, I'd recommend you go with the "Boomstick Edition", which also includes the U.S. theatrical release.

There were a number of flaws in this particular DVD. The first thing I noticed was really bad pixellation in many scenes. They did a great job in many cases of cleaning up any scratches or flaws in the source film, but then they did a really bad job of DVD compression. I'm sure the other editions aren't any worse on that score, and hope that they're better.

Also, this cut is actually missing some of my favorite scened and lines. The worst offense is that the line "Good, bad - I'm the guy with the gun" (which for me has always epitomized Ash) was replaced by "I'm not that good". In the commentary, Campbell and Raimi actually note that they prefer the "Good, bad" line... So why not include it in the "director's cut"?

They also deleted an early fight scene, just after Campbell's arrival, and went back to what was apparently the original ending. I really liked the ending in S-Mart, though. I also found the editing on the windmill scene in this edition less cohesive than the theatrical release.

The commentary by Campbell and Raimi was very good, since those two have a long history together, and really seem to have loved making this movie. Still, though, it was clear that they could see some of the same issues I mentioned above, leaving me baffled as to why they didn't work together to make this edition a true reflection of what they think the "best" version of "Army of Darkness" would be.

Good bad im the Ash with the gun.
Army of Darkness is such a fun movie to watch, What more could you want from a movie. I first became a fan of this movie because of Evil Dead 1&2, they where pretty good movies but when Army of Darkness came out it was five times better than the first two movies put together. The real reasson this movie did so well is because Bruce Campbell a.k.a Ash played his part damn well, and because of that we the fans of his movies where happy to see him come back to the big screen. If you don't like slap-stick comedy or horror movies you will not like this film, but if you do your in luck because Army of Darkness is the cult classic movie you've been waiting for. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Romero's best
I never cared too much for Romero's zombie movies, but I've always thought "Monkey Shines" is an extremely good movie. -His best, actually. It's a brilliant script, and the acting is superb. A very suspensful movie from start to finish. I have the first of its two DVD releases from MGM, but unfortunately the piture quality is not all that sharp (-only slightly better than VHS, I'd say), and therefore no more than acceptable. This is not the first somewhat sloppy disc from MGM, so they better shape up if they want happy costumers. -In their defense I must add that I haven't seen the newest edition, but this Hitchcock-like thriller deserves to look a lot better than this.

One of the forgotten gems of the 80's
"Night of the Living Dead" fanatics will disagree, but in my opinion "Monkey Shines" represents George Romero at the top of his game. (Okay, I love "Creepshow", too.) It is one of the most well-crafted suspense movies I have ever seen. It takes a potentially ludicrous scenario and knocks your socks off with it. A quadriplegic law student named Alan (excellently played by the underrated actor Jason Beghe), develops a psychic bond with his nurse-maid monkey, Ella. Alan understandably has a short temper and no sense of humor about his condition; he's not aware, however, that the confused but well-meaning Ella has been acting upon his violent revenge fantasies. It all comes to a head one dark and stormy night when Ella finally goes over the edge and menaces her master endlessly, despite vain rescue attempts by his pals.
How many ways can a little monkey torment a grown man? Plenty, it turns out, if you can't move like Alan. His claustraphobia and terror are wonderfully and effectively splashed across the screen by both Beghe and Romero's camera. The supporting cast, especially the two actors playing his overbearing mother and his best friend Geoffrey (forgive me, I can't remember their names at the moment), is superb. And if the suspense-packed final 30 minutes of this movie don't give you goosebumps a-plenty, you'd better check your pulse.
A couple flaws:
1. An overly cheesy ending preceded by a lame "final scare" (which I hear was forced upon Romero by the studio).
2. A bizarre sex scene which induces either head-scratching confusion or incredulous laughter.
3. The whole "mad scientist" aspect of the plot: WHY exactly does Geoffrey's intelligence-boosting potion wind up linking Ella to Alan psycically? Not explained.
But these flaws are far from fatal. They can be easily ignored, in favor of the immense enjoyment factor of the movie as a whole. Spooky, suspenseful, and frequently touching, it's a great "popcorn" movie. Bravo, George!

Killer Psycho Monkey
This is actually one of the funniest movies ive ever seen in my life. From the killer psycho monkey to the man in the wheelchair, this movie will have you roaring in laughter. Although this movie is disguised as a horror, it is actually a comedy(not meant to be a comedy.) When you see this little monkey kill someone it is so funny that if your parents walked in on you theyd think you are on drugs because you are laughing so hard at something so stupid.But this is whats so great about the movie, its so stupid that its funny. I mean they never even explain why this monkey testicals kills people, it just goes on a killing rampage and doesn't stop until it feeds it thirst for blood. This is definately a must see movie.Everyone who talks negatively about this movie is either blind or has no sense of humor.

The greatest movie since Tremors
I was blown away by this movie. This is a very artsey movie and the screen play is fantastic. I laughed through a lot of the movie, but it was filled with suspense. I recommened this movie to everyone, it is a great movie. Yale is better then Harvard Will, yes it is.

Holy Monkey!
This was the funniest movie I have ever seen and should definitely be re-released in the movie theaters so the younger generations can experience the wonderful tale of "Monkey Shines." While select scenes are a tad on the vulger side (a.k.a. the sex scene--what was that!?)the rest of the movie is burned in my mind forever as the best movie ever to play in the theater.
P.S.-Shout out to the swim team-I know all of you truly love "Monkey Shines" ... Read more