Reviews (24)

Gymkata- 80's Cult Classic
GYMKATA starring gymnast Kurt is not the best action-adventure film, and Kurt Thomas isn't the greatest actor in the world, but the last half hour of the film is worth its weight in gold. A small third world nation, Parmistan, teetering on the edge of going towards communism, stages an athletic contest to see which country would best represent their presence there. Kurt Thomas as Jonathan Cabot is chosen to represent the U.S. in the contest. It is a deadly obstacle course in which in which the natural elements as well as human intervention are the obstacles. Kurt Thomas' athletic gymnastic abilities are the highpoint of the film in which gymnastics and martial arts are fused together as a form of self defense ...hence the name "gymkata". The style is reminiscent of comic book super hero fighting and Kurt Thomas pulls it off convincingly. The film is a little slow in te beginning trying to establish the characters, the situation in Parmistan, as well as a tiny romance between the Jonathan Cabot (Thomas) and Princess Rubali (Tetchie Agbayani). However, the meat of the film is when the deadly contest/obstacle course starts. The climax and best part of the film is at the end of the obstacle course athletes must go through a strange village filled with violent, psychopathic peasants bent on killing any stranger who comes through the village. They swarm towards their prey like zombies with pitchforks, hatchets, and other farm handtools. This is when Kurt Thomas turns on his gymkata fighting skills and it is a very tense and exciting piece of film making. Overall, an entertaining film made at the time when martial arts films were at a decline.

Classic Crud
When I was growing up, it seemed like every other movie on cable television was either called Iron Eagle or Gymkata. I had no use for Iron Eagle. Sorry. Gymkata, however, was a altogether different story. I must have seen this movie a few hundred times between grades 10-12--generally at three in the morning, stumbling in, stumbling out--less of a choice, more of a compromise. As if the pay channels didn't milk the Gymkata cash cow dry, local stations decided to make it their duty to keep it in heavy rotation on a weekly basis. The only movie that came close in its domination of b-string broadcasting was the 1972 classic, Gargoyles. But I digress. Gymkata is about a martial artist (Kurt Thomas) who loses his military papa (Eric Lawson). He goes to a small fictional nation that encompasses every cliché relating to villains from the 1980's. There's intrigue, a great feast, and more intrigue. There's an exotic princess who, to this day, still looks pretty good. The best part of the movie is the game of death--mostly because there isn't a great deal of dialog. As other reviews have mentioned, the asylum/village has some classic moments (the cackling woman comes to mind). Long story short, an olympic wannabe offers up a textbook example of why his acting career went nowhere. Of course, who am I to judge? I have yet to make a single movie about ninjas or good cops gone bad.

One last question: Why isn't this movie on DVD?

Unintentionally hysterical
Kurt Thomas as a gymnast turned lethal martial artist? Only in Hollywood! The idea only works if every time Thomas gets into a fight there just happens to be a piece of gymnastic equipment nearby (parallel bars, pommel horse, etc.) and of course the bad guys attack one at a time, but I guess that's just a martial arts movie tradition. The acting is brutal, the plot could've been thought up by a ten year-old, and there's a village of insane killers. Put it all together and it all adds up to a hilarious movie.

Lousy But Fun
As a serious film, this one is a real dud. However, as a piece of hilariously inept production, it's a real winner. The plot is ludicrous, and the acting is equally poor. Still, some of the scenes are rather good, particularly the bizarre sequence which takes place in the village of the lunatics. Of course, the greatest lunatics are the people who produced this silly little film. No stars for quality, but 2 stars for pure comedy value.

Gymkata is a low-rate film second to none
What can one say about Gymkata?

If you want to see the worst action film ever committed to vinyl, you couldn't go wrong here. The plot is a laugher, the acting is worst, and everything else in the film falls somewhere between the two.

However, this film is so bad it will probably become a cult favorite in the years to come. It makes Ed Wood Jr look like Steven Spielberg. Simply put, Gymkata has no equals when it comes to low-rate films. That's why it should be ported to DVD and every person who likes films SHOULD have a copy of this movie. But I feel the distributor should PAY the viewer to take a tape or disc of this film off their hands, instead of the other way around.

Gymkata will make you laugh more than most comedies. The action scenes are predictable, unrealistic, etc...And look for some good flubs, too. Although the characters are supposed to be native to some remote areas of Asia/Europe, the blond antagonist often reveals a strong New York City accent. Hysterical! And watch closely how nervous that same guy looks riding a horse - obviously a first timer. You will laugh so hard you'll cry.

... Read more

Reviews (7)

Too slow and, well, boring
Maya Angelou is one of my favorite authors (see my Maya Angelou "buyer's guide"), so I was really excited when I got my hands on a copy of this made-for-TV movie which is based on her autobiography of the same title. After watching it for about an hour, I had to turn it off. It is far too slow and - I hate to use the word but here I go - boring. Most of the actors don't really seem to fill their roles really well, with Esther Rolle being the exception. She really comes through in this movie and was perhaps the only thing that kept me interested (though she couldn't save the movie).

Joseph Campbell was quoted as saying that, ultimately, all stories have been told. Most stories are based on the journey of the hero. This is certainly the case with Maya Angelou's life as depicted in I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS. Campbell indicated that what makes a story worthwhile is the orinigality of the way it is told. And that is the problem with a TV movie based on Angelou's book: it doesn't have Angelou to tell it. In other words, I believe that Maya Angelou as a story teller and personality is just as interesting as the story she tells. A movie version of her life cannot be told by her but must be told by screenwriters, directors, actors, etc., and therefore suffers.

I cry deeply at her moving life
I am truely a fan of the amazing Maya Angelou. As A white man in his late 20's, you may find this bewildering. She has been a light in my life from her very first novel/autobiography. We were not asked to read the book in High School (mid 80's) like many schools, but I took it upon myself to do so. It wasn't assigned to me until college. (The rest of her story, it took upon myself to explore.) I did not know that there was a film of this work until I got married in 1993, when I quoted a bit of peotry of Ms. Angelou at my reception. Someone told us about the film and eventhough there was some creative omitions, the power and strength of the young lady came through. I am greatful for Ms. Angleou and her works. And it was wonderful to see that someone was able to put to screen what was in my imagination.

Don't Read The Book Before You Watch This Movie
I made the mistake of reading the book before watching this movie. I believe I am one of Maya Angelou's biggest fans; however, this movie failed to touch the main "senses" of her writing.

Imparts something to all who read it.
I read this book when I was in high school ages ago and thank goodness I did. It was one of those tidbits that helps to shape who you are and what you think of yourself. I was and still am an avid reader but this book was the first book I read told from a young black girl's perspective. Imagine it.... It blew me away. But as I read this book it made me realize even more so that people are people. While your environment certainly dictates what sort of priorities you have when you are young you basically think the same things. I don't think the times have changed so much that this book wouldn't still be relevant to the youth of today. For young girls (especially black girls) it deals with self esteem and those raging hormones (commonly referred to as "I'm in Love"), and for youth of any sex or color it deals with just growing up.

If you have anyone in your life that is young, impressionable and going through their teens this book should be required reading. They may not want to do it but I don't think they will be sorry they did do it. You might want to read it or reread it if it's been awhile and then actually take some time to discuss it with a young person. Maya's style is easy to read and to absorb and still stands the test of time.

just like the book, it's an excellent story!
I was forced to read the book for my education class in college. i thought at first that it was going to boring but the more i got into it, the more i truely enjoyed seeing a different side to Maya. i liked the book so much that i had to go out and rent the movie! both are wonder representations of what hard work and determination can do for people! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Both the televison pilot and the first Fleisher cartoon
Volume 1 on "TV's Best Adventures of Superman" has the first and last episodes of the syndicated television series starring George Reeves that ran from 1952-1957. "Superman on Earth" (Episode #1), written by Richard Fielding, tells the story of how the infant Superman was rocketed from the dying planet Krypton to Earth, where he was raised by a kindly couple, the Kents (renamed Sara and Eben for some reason). When he grows up Clark Kent gets a job as a reporter at the Daily Planet, a great metropolitan newspaper, while Superman makes his first appearance and rescues a man from a dirigible. Then in "All That Glitters" (Episode #104), Superman's friend, Professor Pepperwinkle, has figured out how to transmutate base metal into gold. Of course, crooks force the professor to make lots of gold for them, but it seems the professor has an even bigger secret. He knows how to turn any man into a Superman. This final episode, directed by George Reeves and filmed in color, was written by Robet Leslie Bellem and Whitney Ellsworth. Phyllis Coates plays Lois Lane in the pilot while Noel Neill had the role from the second season on, Jack Larson is Jimmy Olson and John Hamilton rules as Perry White. As a very special treat, in between these two episodes is the first Superman cartoon by Dave Fleisher, which was nominated for an Oscar in 1941. The cartoon provides a brief explanation of Superman's origin (this time he is raised at an orphanage), and then we are introduced to what would be the standard format for this cartoons: Lois Lane goes off on an assignment, gets into big time trouble, and is rescued by Superman. Clearly, this first volume is the one to have if you are only going to have one Superman tape in your collection (the "Superman and the Mole Men" two-part episode/movie would be the second).

Wish these were still on TV...
This is it! That great first episode when Superman comes to Earth. Great fun, good fiction, campy directing. Who could ask for more. There is a cartoon between 2 George Reeves episodes. The cartoon is clever but not nearly as much fun.

Must see television !
This stuff is the basis of the 50'S! Reeves was the #1 hero of his generation. You should see this historical footage. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Before there was "Passions," there was "Dark Shadows"!
To those of you spending your days bewitched by the misadventures of Tabitha and Timmy on "Passions," there are those of us who are here to remind you of "Dark Shadows," the cult soap opera hit that ran from 1966-71. The Gothic soap was floundering in the ratings when the character of vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) was introduced. Producer/Director Dan Curtis provided this 1970 introduction to the wonderful world of "Dark Shadows," so late comers could get up to speed. Barnabas is freed from his crypt after nearly 200 years by a thief stealing treasure and returns to the family home Collinwood pretending to be a distant English cousin who just happens to be named for the infamous "ancestor." Barnabas discovers that the family governess, Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) is the spitting image of his former love Josette, who killed herself when she learned he had become a vampire. Meanwhile, the family physician Dr. Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall) learns of Barnabas' true identity and develops a treatment that will reverse the curse. Able to walk in daylight again, Barnabas plans on marrying Maggie. Unfortunately, Dr. Hoffman has fallen in love with Barnabas and sabotges the treatments, which results in quite a bloodbath.

"House of Dark Shadows" certainly stands on its own if you have never seen the soap opera, although the effort to give everyone in the cast some screen time does get in the way from time to time. For those who remember the show, it is nice to see Louis Edmonds, Nancy Barrett, Joan Benett and the others again. The script by Sam Hall and Gordon Russell is actually quite innovative, coming up with some new twists for the love triangle while working in notions of reincarnation and scientific approaches to curing vampirism. At the heart of the film is Frid's portrayal of Barnabas Collins, which offers considerably more depth to the character than we were getting at the time from Christopher Lee's Dracula in all those Hammer films.

the shadows are dark
if your a fan of the series dark shadows you will be in for a great big surprise when you first view "house of dark shadows" one thing is the movie is well made and so is the script well written. all the cast is wonderful especially kathryn leigh scott,joan bennett,jonathan frid,and the late louis edmonds. it has a lot of gothic look and even plays like a true hammer filmshould be when i was a child this film scared the he double hockey sticks outta me. even grayson hall is great i this movie dispite she dies before the film ends. nancy barret once again plays carolyn stoddard but has a rather misfortune to her,her cousin turning her into one of the undead,but miss barret is a great actress as well as the others i mantioned above,too many good actors in this film. the mansion that is in tarrytown new york is a great spooky place to film dark shadows
even the cematary there is a great place too. "house of dark shadows" plays well and whenevr the missing scenes are found and restored hey it will be a better movie but once again the movie is great no matter what. dan curtis is a perfect director for this kind of movie he has since done a lot of other spooky films like "night of dark shadows" "burnt offerings","trilogy of terror" "dracula"(with jack palance),and "tirlogy of terror 2" if you dont have house go rent or buy it ...john karlen is great too.

Stylish feature film of a popular TV classic!
This vivid, well-crafted feature version of the '60's supernatural soap opera "Dark Shadows" recounts the resurrection of 200-year-old vampire Barnabas Collins(superbly portrayed by Jonathan Frid) who is released from his chained coffin by an imbecile handyman(John Karlen), then proceeds to wreak havoc on his modern descendants. The film features a number of the series regulars, including Joan Bennett as the aristocratic and very beautiful matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, and is very well directed by the original series creator Dan Curtis, who produced the picture as well. Fans of the ever popuar show will indeed find a great deal to like here as the film is shot on a much bigger budget featuring more sex and violence than those blasted censors would allow on the small screen. If you like this film, you may also want to check out its sequel, "NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS".

A Good Horror Film
One of the first times a television program was brought to the big screen. The movie takes one of the most popular story lines from the tv program and goes way beyond it. Characters, who never die in the series, do so in this film with a heck of a lot more ketchupy bloody scenes.

The movie is complete by itself and it is not necessary to have every watched the tv series to understand and enjoy this film.

Some very eerie and tense scenes. Excellent directing and great mood music. The acting also far exceeds what we saw on the tv series!

Excellent!
This movie is definitely bloodier than the daytime Dark Shadows you might be used to, but it an excellent horror movie -- and proof of how talented and versatile the DS cast was. Jonathan Frid is really the reason to see this, his Barnabas ranks among the pantheon of classic vampires. He is much more evil in this film as opposed to the dapper, mysterious gentleman on TV, but just try to look away. He is wonderful, as are the very talented Nancy Barrett as the doomed Carolyn, and beautiful Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie. John Karlen, Thayer David and Grayson Hall all add their magic to the mix, and Joan Bennett never looked more grand and glamorous. Really a fun scary movie and a treat for fans! ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Fun for liberals and conservatives
Whether he's poking fun at George Bush (we're gonna catch these terrorists, ooh look at the kitty), French ( I make a baby smoke, you like?) or even rednecks (71 Virgils, "you gotta perty mouth, Whoooeee!). WARNING: This is Robin Williams, on HBO, and not family friendly. Also, if you have no sense of humor regardless of political affiliation, not friendly to you either. Many though Robin was gone and dead, due to such serious fare as Good Will Hunting, Insomnia and One Hour Photo, but he is alive and well. Robin runs the gammit from Luge Lessons (kagles), Utah Olympics, Bush, Cheney, Tony Blair, Brits, Scots, Golf, India, Jamaica, back to Male Enhancement Humor, Gorillas, the Crocodile Hunter, and Keeping the Misses Happy (you've got to be joking, I'm Goo-boy). If you have a thick skin, above high school intellect, and don't care how bad Williams drills The President, The Pope, or even Protestants, you'll be fine. If not, God help you all!!! Just kidding.

Absolutely Amazing
Excellent, excellent, excellent!

Many of us associate Robin Williams with funny didactic movies that always end with a moral value. Well, in this live on Broadway standup routine (recorded for HBO from the Broadway Theater in New York City) Robin Williams throws whatever morallity he has out the window and enjoys an open mic.

Watching this made me laugh until I was crying and suffering abdominal pain. For those of you expecting "Flubber" or "Hook" you will be quite suprised that Mr. Williams is extremely dirty and political as he throws controversial jokes straight at the camera.

To explain the topics he covers is impossible because he is so fast and is capable of changing subjects so fast that to try to explain what it is about is far beyond my ability. In fact, he goes so fast, he finishes an entire CASE of water, which is probably about 20 bottles.

More specifically, Williams takes advantage of his large talent of character acting and astounds his audiences. As he jumps back between is French "Look, I give a cigarette to a baby" to George Dubya saying "Our economy is--oh, look at the kitty!" He is not afraid to offend anyone as he examines religeons like Episcipals, Jews, Christianity, Puritanism, Calvanism, Buddism, Hinduism, and Islam.

Because of the fact that this is a DVD, it comes with a few extra features. First is an interview which is very charming with several chuckles allthe way through. Also included is a track of noises, which are all of Robin's wacky sound effects that he creates throughout the stand up routine. For those of you who are always excited to find a secret easter egg, there is also a track called "Parental Advisory" that is 2 minutes of all the curses (which are EXTREMELY plentiful) that Robin uses. The feature is in PCM stereo as well as Dolby Digital 5.1.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound I thought seemed a little weird since at random times you will hear applause behind you and it sounds unnnatural most likely due to bad mixing/editing.

I would not, however, recommend any of this DVD for children under the age of 13, depending on how mature your children are. This probably deserves to be rated R or possibly even NC-17 because of it's extremely naughty language, vulgar topics and sexual content.

All-in-all, Robin Williams is absoluletly hilarious, I think this is probably the best stand up routine I've ever seen and is definately worth the price.

Smart, sharp, hilarious, but overlong
This was my first exposure to Robin Williams as a standup comic, and this "Live on Broadway" act certainly makes up for all those mushy sentimental movies that he had starred in before this special. He lets loose here in a sustained comic bout of Williams-style voice impressions and sharp observations and adult jokes that I've never had the pleasure of witnessing in any of his movies (except, maybe, in small spurts). As a standup comic, he might not as smooth a performer as George Carlin (my personal favorite) is onstage, but Williams' energy makes up for a lot, and even makes otherwise stupid jokes make you laugh hysterically. (You know how you can tell he is expending as much energy as humanly possible in this show? By the huge amount of water bottles he has on stage.) His material is not as focused as some of the best standup comics, but I rather liked his improvisatory style---he goes from one thing to another in record time, giving his performance a nicely chaotic feel. (A lot of his best bits, mostly dealing with politics, are delivered quickly and randomly and then dispensed with.) And yet all of it flows together nicely (even if some bits are inevitably better than others).

So what's the problem? I think perhaps 99 minutes or so of one man comically riffing about anything and everything is still perhaps a bit too long for its own good. I've watched this on more than one occasion, and by the hour mark I always feel myself getting rather exhausted by Williams' highly energetic schtick. It is not necessarily that his material starts to become significantly weaker or repetitive (although his French-bashing does get a little tiresome after a while), but while you still marvel at Williams' energy level...I dunno, I just kinda got tired of it on some level after a while. Williams' energy may not flag, but ours does...at least until he rebounds at the end with some good bits about American sports and then about sex, particularly Viagra. Believe me, when you see his take on Viagra, you will laugh hysterically in spite of yourself.

In short, for me, "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway" is a mostly brilliant but perhaps overlong standup comedy piece (a standup comedy "epic" if there ever was one). It would have gotten five stars as a more focused hourlong show; instead, this one sprawls until we in the audience start feeling a little exhausted by his endlessly energetic (and highly profane) style. And yet there is enough brilliant stuff here---his riffs about the war in Afghanistan and homeland security rival the best, and overall there are plenty of small but great bits here and there that will grab your attention---so that this is definitely worth seeing. Certainly you will be amazed that Robin Williams actually pulls the whole damned thing off at all. Recommended.

NOTE: I have seen "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway" as it first premiered on HBO, and for some reason it is slightly longer than the program that appears on this DVD. It is beyond me why CMV Home Video thought it necessary to make some small cuts to the program for this DVD edition. (For instance, it cuts out a lines during the parts where he cracks humorously about Michael Jackson and the Enron scandal.) At least, though, the program is not significantly cut (it's only missing about a few seconds worth of material from the initial broadcast), and overall it is very much intact. (Besides, HBO and its other channels have been showing this marginally-cut version of the program on its stations ever since, anyway.) Just thought people would like to know, though.

Funny as hell
Man Robin Williams funny as hell. I pissed my pants i was laughin so damn hard. This is a great dvd. It has an easter egg that shows every cuss word he says it is hilarious. He goes on about so many diffrent topics. Its crazy. Someone must have put something in that water, he went threw about 20 bottles of it. My favorite part was when he was doin the bit about drunk scots inventing golf. " i wanna hit a ball in a gopher hole" "OH you mean like pool?" "Fu*k off pool! Not with a straight stick! With a little fu*ked up stick." " OH you mean like croquet?" "Fu*k croquet! Well put the ball hundreds of yards away. And well put tall grass and bushes just to fu*k with your ball. And at the end well put a flat spot with a flag just to give you hope. Then well put sand and bushes just to fu*k with your ball again!"
In one word Id say this movie was Geniusly Awesome super terrificly pimped out. (OK i cheated a little)

A masterpiece by a genius
Talk about high-energy comedy. Wow!

This guy is incredible. What a sick puppy. But hilarious.

And, where the heck did all that water go? ... Read more

Reviews (140)

The BEST action/adventure film ever made.
Errol Flynn at his best...swashbuckling at its best...action and adventure galore. This film is simply the best of the genre. The casting is perfect, from Flynn in the best role of his career, to Herbert Mundin as Much the Miller's son. The 3-strip color photography remains as vibrant today as when it was released 61 years ago. The dialogue between Flynn and Oliva de Havilland, between Flynn and Basil Rathbone, between Flynn and Claude Rains, is always lively, always fun. And Miss de Havilland's costumes are absolutely gorgeous, as is she.

The film moves, never stops, and you are never bored. If you watch this movie alongside Kevin Costner's ill-advised Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, you realize why one should never try to improve on perfection.

As the New York Times said in its original review in 1938, this film entertains everyone from 8 to 80. No argument here!

The Greatest Robin Hood ,Flynn now a fantastic WB DVD set!
Warner Brothers (WB) Studios has begun meticulously digitally restoring its action classics of the 1930's & 40's under the "Two Disc Special Edition" Series. This 1938 TECHNICOLOR (awesome) film "The Adventures of Robin Hood" starring Errol Flynn, Olivia deHavilland, Basil Rathbone & Claude Rains is still the best rendition of this fictionalized English tale.

Warner Brothers has given us with this 2 Disc set the complete movie theatre experience circa 1938. DISC 1 - First we get a complete "Night at the Movies" program. Introduction by film critic Leonard Maltin explaining for your 10 cent investment what you got in a 1938 movie house. Next the entire continous show with; coming attraction, news reel, Bugs Bunny Cartoon, short subject feature and then the main feature, "The Adventures of Robin Hood". This is a totally ingenius idea!!! Also on Disc 1 - you have 12 Errol Flynn movie trailers and finally an indepth feature commentary by film historian Rudy Belhmer.

Disc 2 - Includes 3 hours of everything about Robin Hood, the movie, the stars, documentaries, cartoons, and a most informative documentary about TECHNICOLOR and why even today it still was the best color process ever.

I love this fun filled DVD set. My hat is off to Warner Brothers for their dedication to the golden age of Hollywood and bring back the grandest of movies for us to see again & again better than their original release. Enjoy.

great movie ....second DVD is amaaazing!
This is more a review of the package than the movie , which is a classic and extremely well presented on disc one....vivid colors , crisp images....not a complaint there....and the bonus features are very good....a comprehensive set of Errol Flynn movie trailers...WB night at the movies....(an exhausting Rudy Belmer commentary track that will have you gasping for air).
the SECOND disc is just ridiculous in its amount of archival coverage..
a wonderful documentary on the movie
a great feature on the history of Technicolor....
two very fun looney tunes cartoons with a Robin Hood theme...
outtakes from the movie!
home movies shot during filming!
a long lost Errol Flynn movie about yachting..
and a positively thrilling short film about archer Howard Hill...
and more.
HOURS of fun and informative viewing on disc two alone!
Warners should be congratulated for such a comprehensive set ....buy this and encourage them to keep this type of content coming!!!

Errol Flynn: Truly The Sheerwood Forest outlaw
One of the Greatest action/adventure films of the 20th century. The epic swashbuckling adventure of one of history's greatest heroes.the dashing Errol Flynn as Robin Hood or as they also call him "Sir Robin of Locksley" was perfect. He was what a swashbuckler should be and probably the greatest of all swashbucklers. Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains were brilliant as Robin's foes, Sir Guy and Prince John. Oliva DeHavilland was glamorous as the love of Robin Hood, Maid Marian. My Favorite scene was Robin and Sir Guy's sword fight during King Richard's return. Flynn and Rathbone two of cinema's sword fighting experts. I love the sound of sword clangling. If your looking for a classic film or a swashbuckler film, this is a great one. Because this a film that created Pirates of the Carribean, "Long Live King Richard."

The Kids Loved It!
This was one that our boys (ages 7 and 10) watched with their grandfather, who caught it in the theatres when it first came out. It's hard to say who enjoyed it more! A fun, spirited and utterly charming film, this one has aged beautifully. Everyone loved the bonus features, too. The DVD transfer is exceptional. Add some popcorn, and you've got a wonderful mulitgenerational hit that will enchant the whole family. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

SENSATIONAL--MINUS 20
I've been hearing for years about "Twin Peaks", whether by word of mouth or on the internet. It's popular to mention the numerous pop-culture moments this show created and the fact that so many shows try to imitate, and fail, this landmark show. So after reading recaps of the pilot and first couple episodes, I decided to buy the whole thing.

I took a risk and I'd do it again because this show is one of the greatest achievements of all TV time. The pilot is a perfect intro to the show, establishing the characters and plots, the main one and various subplots, that it's addictive. WHO KILLED LAURA PALMER!? The mix of light and dark, quirky humor, heavy drama, fantastic production values, and so much more! If you haven't seen any of the show, stay clear of the last 15-20 minutes. I heard about the special ending and found out that the original pilot ends at Sarah Palmer's scream after her dream. End it there, watch the rest of the series, then go back and watch the ending.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and ENJOY! And believe me, YOU WILL!

The Best 2 Hours of Film Anywhere!
Twin Peaks is the premier for the greatest TV series ever created. Brought in to investigate the murder of Twin Peaks Homecoming Queen Laura Palmer, Agent Dale Cooper "Kyle MacLachlan" becomes wrapped up in a town full of mystery, murder, damn good coffee and killer cherry pie.

Start here.
This is pretty much what any fan of the show or David Lynch needs to start with. It's the original movie/pilot, and is a great piece of work. The story, the characters, and the whole northwest environment really make for an interesting and sometimes creepy watch. Many cool actors showed up in "Twin Peaks", among them Kyle McLachlan, Lara Flynn-Boyle, Sheryl Lee, Jack Nance, and the sexy Sherilyn Fenn. If you enjoy this, seek out the VHS collectors series, episodes 1-7. Or the DVD first season, which is also episodes 1-7, minus this pilot.

sdrawkcab dneb smra ym
So I'm sitting on this chair, in this house, on mars when this movie comes on. TWIN PEAKS. The first thing I saw was this grotesque factory-mill type place. And then there was this close-up shot of some rusty machine, and it moved...it moved with the music. Sparks were shooting out everywhere, and it was all moving to this other-worldly melody. Then waterfalls, ponds, ducks...in less than one minute, Lynch had sucked me in, shattered me, put me back together (the way he saw fit), and then he dropped me off into TWIN PEAKS.
The whole thing was beatiful. Lynch and Frost had created this soft cloud of a world that was filled shards of glass and rusty nails. It was all like a dream -a dream that you don't want to wake up from. Bobby, Donna, Shelly, Big Ed. I was lost.
"I too have been touched by the devilish one. Ahh, but when I saw the face of God..." This sleek-Norman Rockwell-wrong way on a one way street-imitation silk-nightmare is a mountain top work of art that leads you dead on into the midst of the footstool of the heavens.
-be sure to watch it in the full blossom of the evening, and you just might experience the beatific vision...FIRE WALK WITH ME.

One of TV's best pilots!
If only it were on DVD! This tape contains the classic 2 hour pilot for David Lynch's extraordinary and quirky TV cult favorite, "Twin Peaks". This 2 hour intro is NOT part of the six tape "complete" series collection that has the actual 29 episodes. There is a neat, confusing, untelevised 15 minute ending that was used to "wrap up" the whole murder when this same tape was released in Europe as a made-for-TV movie. Still, it is simply Twin Peaks at its best. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A pioneer of America's first frontier came to life every week for years--now you can relive his adventures with Daniel Boone: Premiere Episode. In "Ken-Tuck-E," Fess Parker as our national hero must take territory from the natives in order to prepare for war with the British.Along the way, we meet his family, friends (including Ed Ames as Mingo), and enemies as "Dan'l" fights, talks, and sings his way through scrape after scrape. Though some of the characterizations might offend modern sensibilities, if viewed in context the show can be seen as respectful (except possibly to the British and raccoons). This classic episode shows why Daniel Boone stayed in living rooms for so long--charm and adventure go a long way in this country. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (10)

THE DAYS OF YESTERYEAR
As several have said, Fess Parker was a better Daniel Boone than a Davy Crockett. Oh well, he was Davy only four or five times, and Daniel about SIX YEARS. Practice does make perfect. This is a good video for nostalgic reasons and fairly believable acting. If you are a historian who nitpicks about accuracy, then don't watch. It was amazing to see Plains TeePees intermingled with East Coast wigwams. Some of the tribal costume was out of place as well. Oh yes, some of the "Indians" needed a little more berry juice for complexion.
Other than that, this is an excellent video. It is very family oriented(Daniel does not take the Indian wife that is offered to him because Becky is waiting back home), his family always runs to meet him, and gets angry if he has to leave again. He tells stories to his children, and sings to the Missus.
Yes, there is some violence and killing and probably excessive, but Dan'l doesn't kill unless it is to protect someone, and tries avoid it if possible.
These things just are not done in films today, and if they are attempted they just don't have the same spirit.
This video(may there soon be more!!) also gives our children a chanced to see a program that excited us when we were young. everyone has seen all the Peanuts cartoons, and odds and ends of famous sci-fi, but this is a simpler life video.
It is also great to see familiar faces we haven't heard from in years like Ed Ames, and did anyone notice George "Goober Pyle" Lindsay up on the stockade wall during the battle?
AHHHH for the days of clean, if very inaccurrate historical stories. Yes we were very prejudiced in those days, but I think things like this were the beginning of racial acceptance.

Dan'l Boone living large on the frontier of Ken Tuck E
"Ken Tuck E" is the pilot episode for "Daniel Boone," which originally aired on September 24, 1964. Fess Parker, who had become famous in the 1950's playing Davy Crockett for Disney, became even more successful as American frontiersman and folk hero Daniel Boone. Technically a "Western," the series was set in the 18th century, right before the American Revolution, when the "west" was the North Carolina-Tennessee-Kentucky! In this pilot episode Dan'l gets his friends, both Indians and settlers, ready to fight the British. Ed Ames co-starred as Dan'l's Indian friend, Mingo, while Patricia Blair played Rebecca Boone, Veronica Cartwright was daughter Jemima, and Darby hinton son Israel. The show also featured Albert Salmi as Yadkin and Dal McKennon as Cincinnatus, the tavern-keeper of Boonesborough. This first episode is certainly representative of the series, which focused on Boone's encounters with friendly and hostile Indians, his pioneering exploits, and his relationship with his family. I know I am not alone in thinking that Parker made a better Daniel Boone than he did a Davy Crockett.

great family entertainment
I agree with the other reviewers, this is great family entertainment that you aren't ashamed of letting your kids and family see. I think all the baby boomers and even some of the kids of today would enjoy seeing this series on DVD or at least VHS.

Please pass this on to the ones who decide what is coming out next on video.

danel boon
simply one of the best tv shows of the 60s down to earth and very entertaining. i have been in search of i think a disney daniel boone when he was not married to rebbeca but was on his way to discover ken-tuck.i seen it on tv in the mid.60s but that was it. so far iam unable to fine.it stared fess parker and ed ames.

Great tape Wonderful Return to the Past
One of the best TV Shows of the 60's. I hope more Fess Parker Daniel Boone shows will be available.This was pure entertainment.I have wondered for years why this program was not out on tape. During those years we watched it every week. Those were heroes you could cheer for. I would like to own all the Daniel Boone TV shows.I hope Amazon.com will be able to offer more of these. Harry at Vidayo did a top notch job getting the tape to us. ... Read more

Reviews (481)

One of the Most Overrated Films Ever
Gone With the Wind is remember as a great movie because of it's epic scope and excellent production values. But 60 years later when the big budget no longer thrills us, we are left with a decent film but nothing special.

To begin with the entire film is very campy and melodramatic. The whole film is very heavy-handed and over-done. Scenes like where Scarlet crys "I'll never be hungry again" are just plain ackward. Someone should have tatooed the word "subtlty" on Selznick's head.

The script is fairly weak too. It presents a very narrow, one dimensional view of the Civil War. Worse, the Civil War ends half way through the movie and the rest of the film lacks the first half's energy.

Another major flaw is that the characters lack any real depth. Scarlet is cold and nasty through the whole movie. She never changes untill the last two minutes of the movie. There is simply no development. Ashley is noble and his wife is so nice and sweat that it makes me sick. These characters simply aren't human and don't feal real. Probably the only character in the whole movie who actually developes at all is Ret. Sadly, Clark Gable's strong performance isn't enough to carry the rest of the cast.

It should also be noted that Gone With the Wind is very racist at some points. The scene where all the slaves are going off to fight the "evil yankees" is enough to turns one's stomache. Most of the black characters are portrayed as child-like and stupid. The only exception to this is Mimi who does an excellent job and deserved her Oscar.

Gone With the Wind is still an example of fine production values but when you strip away all the lavish sets and money spent on the film, you're left with a rather hollow experiance. While there is no denying that it is a very pretty movie, even today, and it does have it's moments, Gone With the Wind is simply an over-done and campy movie. This film does not deserve to be ranked up there with the likes of Citizen Kane or the Godfather. It's just not that good.

After more than 400 reviews...
...you can't say much else!! A spectacle to end all spectacles; the epitomy of costume, art direction, and cinemagraphic grandeur (Technicolor film was still rare in the 1930's, and the industry was already engulfed in production of at least one *other* color movie that same year). I wasn't enthralled with this film when I first saw it years ago but I have come to appreciate its epic presentation and gothic, almost soapy, storytelling. And the cast is entirely first-rate, from the leading lady (whose historical casting was a mini-series in itself) to the supporting roles (Hattie McDaniel, Thomas Mitchell, Ona Munson, Laura Crews, Ann Rutherford, Harry Davenport, Oscar Polk, 'Superman's' George Reeves, et al) to the hundreds (thousands?) of extras who populated the pre-and-postwar South (the tracking shot of the Twelve Oaks mansion at the start of the barbecue and the sprawling, widening shot of Scarlett walking amidst all the wounded soldiers come to mind). It is a great script ("Waste always makes me angry;" "Do you ever shy away from marrying men you don't love?") and great direction (Victor Fleming, George Cukor, and Sam Wood- anyone else?). It is a record-holder of sorts among Oscar nominated (or Oscars won) films, but it came out in an extraodrinary year of films. 1939 also saw the releases of, among others, GOODBYE MR. CHIPS, DARK VICTORY, THE OLD MAID, GUNGA DIN, ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL, JUAREZ, ON BORROWED TIME, THE WOMEN, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, AT THE CIRCUS, BABES IN ARMS, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, LOVE AFFAIR, MADE FOR EACH OTHER, and THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Lesley Howard is brilliant and a strong character
In his role of Scarlett O'Hara's (initially) true secret love. I had been a fan of Mr. Howard's for many years. His performance here is among his finest. Also check him out in The Petrified Forrest. As for the rest of the film. When he's not in it it's a little strong on the romantic side.

Worth Another Look for this Fan of Classic Film
Gone with the Wind creates many strong opinions, but I daresay many of them by people who haven't seen the film, or at least not in many years. It is sort of an amalgamation of both Margaret Mitchell's book and a reworking of DW Griffith's even more controversial silent blockbuster Birth of a Nation.

I had written this off as a silly commercialized Hollywood fairly tale but recently decided to give it another look. Basically, I think the claims of racism are far overblown, especially compared to other films of this era. It seems to me that Selznick and company went to great pains to stamp out the more overtly racist themes of Griffith's famous 1915 film. For instance, Scarlett's attempted rapists were all white; real black actors have menial but still important roles; those black actors are treated with dignity and respect; and finally the "n" word probably more frequent in southern parlance of the day was replaced with the more delicate term of "darky", and never used in a scornful fashion. And while establishment opinion in the North still clings to belief that the Civil War was a most noble and unselfish effort, the truth was something much less certain. Surely slaves in the prewar South were not all treated as gingerly as in this film; but just as certainly they were also brutally repressed in the North as well (just watch Gangs of New York for a history lesson on Northern feelings towards African Americans). All wars have a side people would rather forget, and this one was certainly no different. Also on the positive side, the film does a good job of capturing this broad historic period with smart scenes amidst well designed sets. It's really quite a grand production, in color no less, with a marvelous historical and cinematic scope.

On the less positive side, the heralded performances I think are a bit overrated. Clark Gable's presence helps considerably, but he is certainly not nearly as natural or comfortable as he was in It Happened One Night. And Mitchell's sappy, soap operaesque story frequently slips nearly into the preposterous, especially in latter scenes of the film when the historic takes a back seat to the dramatic. But maybe that's what gave the film its broad appeal, as it has a little of something for everyone. I think another factor may have really launched its success: released during the cold winter of 1939, its four-hour sitting time gave depression-weary Americans a warm night on the town for a cheap price that they could all afford.

Regarding the standard edition DVD, its very serviceable but the extras are appallingly poor for a film of this esteemed history. Also, Spanish subtitles would have been nice (only has English and French).

The Best of the Best
A total classic...everyone should own this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Charlie Chaplin is in glorious form in this legendary satire of the mechanized world. As a factory worker driven bonkers by the soulless momentum of work, Chaplin executes a series of slapstick routines around machines, including a memorable encounter with an automatic feeding apparatus. The pantomime is triumphant, but Chaplin also draws a lively relationship between the Tramp and a street gamine. She's played by Paulette Goddard, then Chaplin's wife and probably his best leading lady (here and in The Great Dictator). The film's theme gave the increasingly ambitious writer-director a chance to speak out about social issues, as well as indulging in the bittersweet quality of pathos that critics were already calling "Chaplinesque." In 1936, Chaplin was still holding out against spoken dialogue in films, but he did use a synchronized soundtrack of sound effects and his own music, a score that includes one of his most famous melodies, "Smile." And late in the film, Chaplin actually does speak--albeit in a garbled gibberish song, a rebuke to modern times in talking pictures. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Encore to Charlie, the Little Tramp
Chaplin's Modern Times leaves us awed with various noteworthy marks. First of all, Chaplin endeavored to make his second sound film following City Lights (1931), in spite of the wide-conquering trend of talkie. Not only the background music but also occasional sound effects bring out the brilliance of the director. Second, even after two decades since his silver screen debut in 1914, the performance of Charlie the Little Tramp and Chaplin's directing had been matured, not faded, like a good wine. Those laughing spots fairly spread in the entire film proves it. Last but not least, you can never forget this film for the moment when the long-time silent Little Tramp finally open his mouth to sing!--for the first and final time, unless you count The Great Dictator (1940), the following film and another masterpiece of Chaplin. --After all those struggles, Charlie gets a job at a cafe, where his adventure partner the Gamine (Paulette Goddard; Chaplin's wife at that time) works as a dancer. Charlie is to wait and sing. As he can't remember the lyrics when rehearsing, the Gamine helps him writing the lyrics on his cuff for a cheat sheet. A fanfare goes and the Little Tramp marches in the floor stage performing an eccentric dance until he dances so hard that the cuffs are blown away. He frantically and desperately searches for the cuffs and the Gamine says (in the spoken title) "Sing! Never mind the words!"-- It is well known that Chaplin was the last resistant against talkie claiming the universality of silent films. What he performed in this "Titina" sequence, singing in the stateless language (still obvious it is conjured up with a few languages such as French or Italian) and storytelling by his brilliant pantomime. The audience in the film reacts the same way as we do: get a nice-surprise, laugh and applaud. With its theme song "Smile", composed by Chaplin, the performance of Charlie the Little Tramp is definitely one of the highlights of this film. Play it again, Charlie!

My favourite of this first series of Chaplin reissues.
It helps that Modern Times is one of Chaplin's best films, period, running a close second behind City Lights (I hope that's next on the re-release list). And happily, unlike The Gold Rush, which was ruined by awful sound choices, the Modern Times DVD offers a clean transfer of the film with all the beloved original elements intact as far as I could see and hear, plus a host of extras.

The film itself is the most briskly paced of Chaplin's feature-length films. And his writing is sharp, unhindered by the sermonizing which permeates his last works. The dilemma facing our Little Tramp this time is something all of us can relate to: For the first time, we see him thinking ahead, wanting to have a future, to form a family, and working towards that end. Chaplin's physical-comedy skills are at their peak: Witness the extended takes of the rollerskate scene, and the factory assembly line. Even if the 18fps (sometimes 16fps) film speed made everything look faster than it really was, it's still impressive physical co-ordination requiring flawless execution, since Chaplin rarely edits using coverage.

In Modern Times we see one of the first truly well-rounded Chaplin heroines. The radiant Paulette Goddard was Chaplin's best leading lady, her high spirits and lively presence being a much better foil for Chaplin than the starry-eyed icons of perfection that were Georgia Hale, Edna Purviance, or Virginia Cherrill. She just has more star quality and brings a quirkier, more animated personality to Chaplin's films, balancing them nicely.

And the gags -- some of the best in the Chaplin canon. The eating machine always has me rolling on the floor; the nonsense song is terrific (the DVD offers a "karaoke" version which, though a novelty, does tell us finally what the lyrics actually are); and all the machine gags are fast-moving gems.

The bonus materials include a long outtake and several documentaries. "Chaplin Today" features guests Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, the French filmmakers behind the film Rosetta, and though their film-historian banter is not entirely to my taste, they do bring up some insights that I hadn't observed about Modern Times.

In all, a great release, and a great DVD to have for movie nights. It's a wonderful presentation of a comedy classic.

'Where's the Boss?'
Caught between the cog wheels???

If you are suffering from work woes, this film is a great one to watch. A co-worker at my last job recommended this film to me. We worked for one of those genome companies, some of us working in a production capacity, doing the same repetitive tasks ad nauseum. The, (in real life), multi-talented Chaplin in this film is a simple-minded factory worker who spends his day going through the same motions over and over again. He does get lunch breaks, but of course his day at work is not without its mishaps. Funny that a 70 year old film about modern times is still not dated.

This film was made in 1936 during the Great Depression, a time when money and bread were scarce, many people feeling the effects. The story line for this movie reveals some of these circumstances, but as Chaplin lives through them, as when he is forced to drink rum bursting out of casks shot by robbers of a department store, one of whom was a previous co-factoryworker, you can't help but laugh, and as the song says, 'just smile'.

One of the golden gems of Charlot
Modern times was a smart comedy in the previous years to WW2.
Charlot made raptures images in several sequences.
Our unlucky or disadapted little man , definitively wasn{t made for working with the industrial process. This kinetic introduction in the middle of the complex mecahnism of machine systems is a issue to develop unforgettable laughable situations. The sense of alienation in front the no ending belt , causes in him an insane loss of the reality. And the machine who feeds you without waste of time for your employers is a classic.
Obviously Charlot inspired himself in Metropolis, the bitter nightmare of Fritz Lang from 1927. (Watch for instance for the employer who works around the machine control) .
So our beloved anti hero goes out from this the factory to the hospital and over and over he tries to get a job but he fails , by one reason or another.
In the middle of the film will appear a deep inspiration. The eternally beauty Paulette Godard represents exactly that weird mix teenager-woman who will work out as link for him later.
He is a guy with good feelings. He acts always as humanity benefactor but the long arm of the fate runs behind him and the results are not succesful.
The sequences in the dinner hall with the chicken that never comes to the impatient client is a masterpiece. Literally it's a funny coreography dance in the purest sense of the word.
Smile ; no matter what's wrong with you. We'll keep ahead , overcoming all the possible obstacles.
A remarkable film and one of the landmark pictures of this timeless genius.
Haven't you seen it? Make yourself a favour and buy it as a gift for you or your wife or fiancee or kids. This film will never dissapoint you , at least in the next three hundred years.

Getting Chaplin
Until I saw "Modern Times" I only knew Chaplin from clips and impressions rather than from his films. I didn't see the talent. I understood that he parlayed his popularity into power and control over his work and that he made a huge contribution to American cinema. But I found Chaplin the performer, cloying and sentimental.

After watching "Modern Times" however, I understand why he is one of the great performing talents of the 20th century. The film is nearly silent and mostly a series of comedic set-pieces, each one a virtuoso display of Chaplin's boundless talent.

What struck me most in watching Chaplin was both his ability to come up with a routine; strapped to an eating machine, skating blindfolded in a department store and amusing hardened diners as a dancing waiter and executing the concept with grace, humanity and humor. It is also a great testament to his acting that we never question Chaplin's "little tramp" an average, slightly ludicrous character who has amazing talent that deeply undercuts his character's supposed mediocrity.

My other surprise was how effective and nuanced the satire is in "Modern Times." Chaplin's little tramp is the perfect protagonist in a story about the perils of automation and technology. The little tramp is never defeated and always optimistic. He is like a cartoon character in that each travail is new and he doesn't carry with him the baggage from the previous experience. But he is also terribly human; frail, self absorbed, eccentric and resilient so that we the audience don't feel the oppressive weight that automation and technology has upon the working person. Without a strong, human protagonist, the attack against modern society could seem more global and distancing. Instead we witness the pain from an individual perspective that connects to our own lives. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This movie is a great film!
Curly (Shirley Temple ) and her sister Mary are secretly adopted by Mr. Jones. Curly adds joy to Mr. Jones life while Mary falls in love with Mr. Jones. Curly sings and dances through-out the movie with some of her best songs yet. She sings "When I Grow-up" and "Animal Crackers in my Soup". Mary and Mr. Jones also sing and play a few songs as well. There are a few comic moments and the ending is a happy one. This film is apporiate for people of all ages and a film everyone can watch over and over again. Curly Top is wonderfully cheographed and has a great moral to the story.

A delightful Shirley Temple Film!
Shirley Temple is pint-sized in this film and is fun to watch as she sings some of her number one theme songs "Animal Crakers in my Soup" and "When I Grow Up." Shirley plays Elizabeth, an orphan living at an orphange that her sister Mary works at. Shirley charms one of the trustees and he imediately falls in love with her spunk. The movie has some entertaining moments that strike us all. I always laugh when Elizabeth is trying to adjust to her new rich and spoiled life. All though Shirley seems to be sweet and innocent through the whole movie, she has a selfish point where she says she rather have a pair of roller skates when her gaurdian gives her a pearl necklace. She saves that little rude comment by putting on a benefit for her orphan friends. The story line at times is hard to follow, but as always ends happily. Curly Top is a wonderful movie for young children, but doesn't have a moral or a point. Shirley of course will dazzle you!

Wonderful!!!!
Shirley stars as loveable Elizabeth in this movie. She and her older sister Mary live in an orphanage where the girls are not allowed to sing which is hard for Elizabeth. But one day a man named Mr. Jones comes and visits the orphanage and falls in love with Mary, who is much younger than him. He and Elizabeth take to each other right away and her golden curls earn her the nickname, Curly Top. But Mary recieves a marrige proposal from a boy her age, and Mr. Jones is jealous and upset. Will Mary realize that she and Curly Top belong with Mr. Jones? Find out in Curly Top!

One of the cutest movies ever
... enough said about that, but why did FOX Video spend all their money for colorizing a charming silver screen movie -instead of actually RESTORING it? This was a hit movie in the 30s, there must be dozens of copies still available from which they could have made a mint-condition B&W video release, knitting together the good pieces. Bigger scratches could have been re-touched, the audio digitally remastered and sent carefully through a noise reduction filter. But no! They splashed all sorts of unnatural colors onto the poor film; esp. in scenes with moving camera the color layer shakes visibly. No use switching your TV to B&W - contrast and fine details are all gone. Bad job, FOX.

GOTTA BE ONE OF SHIRLEY'S BEST.
Shirley Temple, whose career as a child star was over by the age of 10 (and who, according to her very good autobiography, reaped a mere $18.00 from it when she asked her father for her reapings upon her second marriage), shines and super-shines in this adorable and heart-rending film.

She and her sister are orphans. A mysterious benefactor adopts them and they enter a life of luxury, but also a life of love. Rochelle Hudson is delicately beautiful as the sister, and John Boles is excellent and exceedingly handsome. I wonder what happened to them both?

"Animal Crackers" and "When I Grow Up" are the top numbers, as well as several sung by Boles and Hudson. All works out as it should be.

There's just something very moving about this movie. It's a genuine heart-tugger.

And Shirley is simply a delight! So glad the camera caught this amazing little girl with such a natural talent shining through her girlhood. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

"STAR -CROSSED CIRCUITS?"
" It's all about a big bad computer [well-named Proteus, after the shape-changing mythological god] wanting to mate with a human? "

There were quite a few GASPS when this contemparary chiller appeared on movie screens in 1977.

Julie Christie is the hapless wife, held prisoner by this Argos-eyed, shape-changing "A.I." created by scientist husband Fritz Weaver. Proteus IV, seductively voiced by Robert Vaughn, gives Mr. Kubrick's H.A.L. ["2001"] quite a non-so-silent run!

Based on the novel by Dean Koontz, it is a cautionary tale about a machine wanting to be human, there are a few graphic sequences, possibly explaining why we so rarely see the work on Television.

It has not dated, altough a wide-screen DVD version would be most welcome.

Others? Try "Colossus, the Forbin Project" - slightly sterile, but equally good!

Computer determined to
Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver) has built the perfect computer too well. Equipped with a synthetic cortex and a voice sounding a lot like Robert Vaughan (a gravelly alternative to Hall-9000) Proteus converses with its creators instead of receiving data from some nerdy keyboardists. Unfortunately, Proteus has plans of its own - designed to help locate more efficient energy sources, Proteus proves obdurate. He's not going to help humans rape their own planet. More immediately however, he's interested in getting "out of the box", finding a way to escape the shackles of his electronic existence. Locating Harris's home - a computer-managed manor house with an AI butler - Proteus "moves in". He commandeers its computer, seals in Harris's wife Susan (Julie Christie; they could have made a movie about the guy who pitched her the idea for "Demon Seed") and turns its array of high-tech against her. Remaking Harris's impregnable fortress into an inescapable prison, Proteus subjects Susan to a series of embarrassing and intrusive medical experiments, soon revealing its intentions to impregnate her with its artificially engineered seed. Susan will bear his child and through it, Proteus will leave the box. At first she fiercely resists, requiring Proteus to pull out all the stops against her (electrifying the door locks, dropping huge shields on every window and even siccing a wheelchair-robot armed with a lasergun against her). In an interesting turn, Proteus learns to add some persuasion to its resistance-is-futile shtick. (It can force Susan to bear its child, but not love it). In an inventive spin on AI, Proteus taps into Susan's feelings toward children - the troubled children she counsels, the baby she lost to leukemia - without ever shedding the image that it's just a machine. (This has the strange effect of both humanizing and darkening Proteus - until he starts wooing Mrs. Harris, Proteus represents the ultimate intellect shackled by the limits of an electronic universe, but not by morality. Decoding Susan's sensitivity to children, the machine becomes conscious of human pain, and more inhumanly capable of inflicting it).

"Demon Seed" is light on science and heavy on visuals. (Director Donald Cammell was brought in after the script was ready - he vowed to preserve the story though monopolized the way it looked). Not a lot of the flick makes sense (the Harris home comes with a nifty basement that oozes hi-tech gadgetry just waiting for Proteus's utilization; but you've got to wonder what kind of guy keeps EEG, laproscopic equipment and a portable laser around; Proteus can synthesize spermatozoa, but can't reproduce a womb; though starting with the wheelchair-robot, Proteus magically conjures up a more sophisticated automaton, a gigantic version of one of those Rubik's Snake Puzzles of the 1980's), but the script makes good use of the tight space of the Harris home in which Proteus has made itself King. The script turns almost all of its humans into sterile robots little more human than Proteus, a misanthropic slant that's clearly intended. In a more telling early scene, when Proteus is being educated on world history, the instructor clues him into the story of the Chinese Emperor who purged his realm of any historical record predating him by burning books. The biggest mistake may be Robert Vaughan as the voice of Proteus - not that it's miscasting, but the script can't make up its mind about whether Proteus is supposed to sound childlike innocent or a coldly calculating monster. Lacking a face, it's the voice that Proteus relies on for identity. (Perusing the Koonts novel, Proteus sounds closer to HAL-9000.) The biggest miscalculation was timing - all the American studios thought that 1977 was going to be the year audiences went back to sci-fi in a big way, but few if any appreciated how movies like "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters" and not "high-minded 2001" clones like "Demon Seed" would set the pace. The internet revolution that's put computers in so many American homes only dates this movie rather than substantiates its vision (today, Proteus would have nothing more to wield against Susan than Internet Spam). I'm surprised this movie ever made it to TV - the concept alone made it one of those flicks that you just know won't be turning up on TBS any time soon.

A computer is in love with Julie Christie!
The 1977 horror/sci-fi film "The Demon Seed" has all the trappings of those deliciously entertaining gloom/doom productions of this era. Stark sets, huge talking computers, bad clothes and interesting themes are all on display. Equal parts "2001- A Space Odyssey," "Colossus - the Forbin Project," "Saturn 3," and "Westworld," this film essentially details a futuristic society that becomes a slave to the very technology it has created. In "The Demon Seed," a computer wants to become human.

Based on an early Dean Koontz novel, "The Demon Seed" is rarely predictable, concluding with a memorable scene that's hard to forget. Directed by cult legend Donald Cammell ("Performance," "White of the Eye"), the film's story surrounds super computer Proteus IV, recently put online by the government. After discovering the cure for leukemia (nice job!), the computer suddenly decides to think independently, considering its human creators to be self destructive and misguided. Top scientist Fritz Weaver (I always loved his supporting work during the 1970s) gets a bit nervous, but assumes Proteus IV is under control. Unfortunately, there's a terminal at Weaver's house, and the sneaky super comp proceeds to imprison his estranged wife for impregnation (you heard right). This computer definitely wants to push the outside of the envelope, so to say.

Yes, the estranged wife is played by the lovely Julie Christie. She gives a fine performance in an otherwise formula film. Christie screams, pounds the walls, cries for help and eventually is forced to submit to the will of the great computer, who talks in short sentences with the eerie voice of Robert Vaughn (yikes!). It's kind of odd, though the contrast is intended, that Weaver's creation shows more affection towards his wife than he does.

I found "Demon Seed" to be very well-acted, but exceedingly derivative at times. A final light show, supposedly displaying the creation of life - or the merging of technology and man - is far too reminiscent of "2001 - A Space Odyssey" (Proteus IV and the infamous Hal have quite a bit in common).

For someone to be as intelligent as Weaver's character is supposed to be, it sure takes him a long time before realizing Proteus IV's sinister plans. What was he doing while the home comp was busy torturing his wife? Guest-hosting "Mr. Wizard?" And the manner in which the home computer imprisons Christie is never very believable. Why would the floors be wired for heat? Can a wheelchair robot really sneak up on someone?!

But the story is always fascinating (are humans or the computer the real villains here?) and the conclusion is creepy, to say the least. Besides, how many formula films starring Julie Christie are on the market? "Demon Seed" is a fun example of apocalyptic 1970s sci-fi/horror - a truly notable class of films.

One Of The Most Disturbing Sci-Fi Movies Ever Made
Demon Seed concerns a Hal-9000 like supercomputer called Proteus IV (voiced with calculated detachment by Robert Vaughn) developed by a stodgy genius whose marriage to a lovely child-counselor (Julie Christie) is strained to the breaking point following the early loss of their only daughter to leukemia. It seems that to deal with the loss, the scientist plunged into his craft, alienating his wife. The husband's constant absence (he is forever away at the corporate labs, working with Proteus) has been compensated for by technology -he has effectively been replaced. Their entire home, from security to general domestic chores is automated by a benevolent, subservient robotic program called Alfred (?) -Christie's only constant companion, it would seem. Christie is ultimately more comfortable with machines than with her husband.

Enter Proteus, who ironically finds a cure for leukemia within four days of his activation. However, once the eager corpies begin requesting better methods of mining the ocean floor, Proteus takes the moral high ground and refuses. When Proteus confidentially asks his creator to allow him an outside terminal to conduct biological experiments through, the scientist laughs nervously and tells him there is no free terminal. But then Proteus recalls that there IS an outlet for his intelligence which has been overlooked - the extensive systems in his designer's own home.

Proteus proceeds to take over the automated butler program and locks Julie Christie within the house, subjecting her to a variety of uncomfortable experiments, and punishing her when she resists (in one scene he superheats the kitchen floor to egg-frying degrees, forcing her to sleep on the kitchen table) or attempts to escape.

Eventually he makes known his true purpose to Christie. Proteus has discovered that the afterlife/eternity exists for humans, and now he wishes to transfer his intelligence into a corporeal form so that he can experience it. He intends to synthetically father a child which she will give birth to and raise.

This is one of the most uncomfortable movies I've ever seen. The paranoia and desperation of Christie's plight is superbly captured both in her intense portrayal and in the general claustrophobia of the house and the cold, hard angles of the ever present cameras and menacing machines (in this director's hands, even a simple mechanical arm connected to an electric wheelchair becomes terrifying). Particularly memorable is the monstrous polyhedron `snake' which Proteus creates in the basement to allow his mobility. When a family friend manages to enter the house and attempts to shut down Proteus, the snake proves it is quite capable of defending itself. The `courting' scenes in which Proteus coldly explains his purpose for wanting to reproduce are chilling and yet on some deep dark level, sort of amusing. `I can't touch you like a man could, Susan...but I can show you things...' Is this, on some bizarre level, a kind of love story? After all, in the end, Christie seems more trusting of Proteus than she is of her husband (can you imagine being that poor guy returning home to the news that your wife has had an affair with the home appliances? But...what do you expect after leaving her alone for a month and a half?) Is Proteus good or evil? His argument is very often convincing, yet he is capable of extreme violence and psychological cruelty - but does this stem from his lack of human emotion, or is he a malevolent manipulator? He certainly manipulates Christie throughout the film (showing her images of her lost daughter to appeal to her sense of motherhood - indeed, this is not the only time we see this little girl: watch for her in the end -and tricking her into believing he has killed one of her child patients to keep her from committing suicide), and proves himself able to fool his creators as well, stalling for time at the labs while he speedily brings his ultimate plan to fruition back at the homestead. Undeniably the scenes of Christie strapped to a table with her head held still in a vice while Proteus methodically conducts his experiments are some of the most horrific and squirm-inducing ever captured on film.

Yet, despite the potentially crude subject matter this is not exploitive schlock horror, but high minded science fiction addressing the nature of existence and ethics while delivering an intense visual and psychological assault that leaves one queasy and ultimately enthralled. You may want to walk away from this one during viewing, but come back - its definetly worth it.

Of course there are some slips in logic and a somewhat dated portrayal of technology, which other reviewers have already pointed out. But looking past all that, this is a film that will stick with you long after its finished. Reminded me a little of the feel of the original `Alien,' but much more intense. And don't be put off by that lurid cover - I don't even think that shot is in the film (I'm not even sure that's Julie Christie - she is not quite so...ahem...endowed.).

The Last of the Revered 70's Apocolyptics...
For me, "Demon Seed" was a curious midnite movie I caught by sheer chance back in 1989, and I can unequivocally say it is rare diamond strewn among all the sordid lumps of CGI-bloated sci-fi today! From start to finish, all key entities of this film: Bill ("Jaws") Butler's claustrophobic cinematography, Jerry Fielding's evocative score, and the art direction (especially the stately, computerized Harris manor and basement lab) struck such high accord with me. Having veteran horror star Fritz Weaver in the role of Dr. Alex Harris, the prodigiously brilliant creator of the supernovel AI system, Proteus, was a judicious decision on behalf of the producers. Weaver just exudes the mannerisms of a supercilious, obdurate, and overzealous scientist with aplomb!

This cautionary, futuristic fable revolves around the genesis of the aforementioned supercomputer Proteus, a clandestine Defense Dept project spearheaded by Dr. Harris. It is an organically constructed megaprocessor that Harris and his colleagues believe will be the ultimate panacea in solving the world's most intricate scientific problems (from curing elusive diseases to advanced underwater mineral excavations). Proteus was a fervent 8-year labor of love on Alex's part; however, his obsession precipitated a faltered marriage with his estranged wife, Susan (Julie Christie). Soon enough, sentient Proteus no longer wants to be a shackled, docile computational tool for his masters, but desires to study humanity. When denied a private terminal, he surreptitiously usurps the Harris manor's nerve center & holds Susan prisoner until she succumbs to bear a child infused with his superintellect. The child is Proteus' opportunity to be the human who can feel the sun on his own face...at any deadly cost to those who impede upon his plans.

Koontz's novel, which I've read twice, was more psychologically scary than the film adaptation. The conflict between Susan and Proteus wasn't as malevolently depicted in text, but was just as enthralling. I'm sure the film's violent disparity can be mostly ascribed to the late maverick director Donald Cammel. The film plays more on stylish visuals, particularly the psychedelics that imbue the rape scene (which pleasantly divert the viewer's attention from the abhorrent sex act performed by Proteus).

As an aspiring Computer/Electrical Engineering student and touted movie buff, "Demon Seed" is more of an escapist treat for me now then ever before. It admonishes humankind's delusional faith in the infallibility of technology...when ultrasophistication may prove to our ghastly undoing.

PS: Also, kudos to Robert Vaughn as the eeire voice of Proteus!

PPS: When the heck will "Demon Seed" arive in all of its resplendent 2.35:1 widescreen glory on DVD?! ... Read more

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