Reviews (1)

Noteworthy Entry for the Mission: Impossible Collector
THE CONTROLLERS is the first entry in Mission: Impossible's fourth season and features a semi-plausible plot and a somewhat larger cast than the previous seasons. In the two-part episode, the IMF must prevent a scientist from unleashing a mind-controlling drug. THE CONTROLLERS is a good edition to the post-Bain/Landau Mission: Impossible T.V. series, but there is a chemistry that seems to be missing. From a technical standpoint, the series stands out as the first appearance of Dina Merrill as Meredyth and a post-Star Trek Leonard Nimoy as Paris. An enjoyable edition to the series. ... Read more

Description

"These human beings will die as they have lived-in a sea of their own blood!" The year is 2084, and two power-blocs are poised on the brink of war. Using a series of undersea complexes and deep-space satellites, each bloc carefully monitors the other?s movements, slowly edging towards the moment when one will launch an all-out nuclear attach on the other. Arriving on Sea Base Four, the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough are rapidly drawn into the web of intrigue which enmeshes this era?s paranoid political maneuverings. Not everyone on board the base is working for the same team, and the officer directly responsible for implementing the bases nuclear capability has died in mysterious circumstances. Amid this already tense atmosphere, the crew of Sea Base Four faces an even greater threat to mankind. The Silurians and Sea Devils, prehistoric reptile men who went into hibernation millions of years before, have reawoken and intend to launch another attempt to reclaim the Earth from humanity. The Doctor must tackle enemy sabotage and face the Myrka, a giant marine monster. But can he prevent the Silurians from implementing their "final solution"-launching the missiles to start a war that threatens to wipe out the human race? ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Must Be Seen To Be Believed
'Warriors Of The Deep' is absolutely every bit as bad as it has been made out to be. The acting is absurd, the costumes terrible, the direction flat and the poor production values brightly lit for all to see. As a piece of unintentional comedy, 'Warriors' works rather well even though the cast takes itself so seriously.
On paper, this is actually an interesting story. Set on a seabase during a futuristic cold war being attacked by two popular monsters from the Pertwee era and complete with devious double agents and a hideous, unstoppable cybernetic creature, this story has plenty going for it. Unfortunately, the Silurians and Sea Devils are pale imitations of their 70s predecessors, the double agents are served by wooden actors with bad accents and the hideous unstoppable cyborg turns out to be a bug eyed, slow-moving pantomime thing with two guys inside it fumbling to get it to lumber menacingly. On top of that the sets are so white & brightly lit and the direction so indifferent, nothing - not the loose Silurian costumes nor the hilarious Myrka creature or the foam mattress walls that get torn down at a cliffhanger - nothing is obscured or left to the imagination.
The regular cast isn't given much to do of any consequence but should be applauded for keeping so many straight faces. Tegan runs around a bit, Turlough mopes and the Doctor plays the pacifist for too long even as the Sea Devils and Silurians show no mercy. The human characters are universally dull and serviced by utterly forgettable and/or over-the-top performances.
In the end, 'Warriors of the Deep' is worthwhile only as a dose of comedy. The appearance of the Myrka, the poorly constructed sets, props and costumes and the bad acting are all worth quite a few chuckles. The best scene is when evil agent Dr. Solow tries to engage in a kung-fu fight with the Myrka. What had some potential as a script ends up being massacred by bad production values and clueless direction. The Doctor was right about one thing: there -certainly- should have been another way. As a DW story: 1 star. As a piece of comedy (and taken with a stiff drink): 2 stars.

Not for the cynical.
This story has a lot to attract viewers. Despite its dramatic-sounding name, it heralds the return of the Silurians and Sea Devils, and is set in a not-too-distant future of political tension between two super-powers. The problems lie in its execution. The Silurians now talk like Cybermen, have flashing light-bulbs in their foreheads and are actors in baggy ill-fitting costumes complete with flares (!?) The Sea Devils are now parrot-faced beanpoles with stiff necks. And why do they call themselves Silurians and Sea Devils, when these were inaccurate names coined by humans? These faults might be forgiven if it weren't for the story itself. The Doctor spends this tale telling everyone how they should respect the reptiles. But the Silurians and Sea Devils have been reduced to bog-standard 'evil monsters', who are characterless clones, think of nothing but killing and destroying others. The humans are a dull lot, and the base never gives the impression of being underwater. With its bright lights, there's nowhere anything nasty could be lurking. Thing go from bad to worse, with the appearance of the Myrka. This is Dobbin the pantomime horse disguised as I-don't-know-quite-what, seems to be wearing washing-up gloves with claws (they even hired the two men who operated Dobbin in 'Rentaghost'). Scenes of the 'tough lady' kung-fu fighting the Myrka, and of actors trying desperately to make it look like obviously-fake rubber doors are actually very heavy, are in the realms of the spoof. In fact, if the Myrka had starting doing a funny dance, accompanied by jolly music, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised. The only good set is the interior of the Silurian ship, which is quite dark and looks genuinely sinister. If only all the sets had been like this. Despite the above, I'm giving this story three stars, as I actually quite enjoyed it. Fans of serious science-fiction, however, would be better off with the seventies 'Dr Who and the Silurians' and 'The Sea Devils', which are much better. In fact, 'Silurians' is an all-time classic. Shame nobody involved with the making of 'Warriors' watched it properly.

There should've been a better way
In Warriors Of The Deep, which follows the 20th anniversary story, The Five Doctors, the Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough land on a Earth Sea Base in the year 2084, which comes under attack of two Earth Reptile races he encountered before in his third incarnation--the misnamed Silurians and the Sea Devils. This time, the Earth Reptiles have abandoned the way of mediation and are out to reclaim the Earth, which was theirs when man was just an ape. To them, men are "ape-descended primitives, an evolutionary error they obviously mean to correct."

The Earth Reptile attack is not the only crisis. As in Tegan's era, the 1980's, there are "still two power blocs, fingers poised to annihilate each other." And there are two members of the Sea Base, Nilson, the second-in-command, and the psychosurgeon Dr. Solow, who have an agenda of their own involving Maddox, the base's synch-operator, the person who links up to the computer to fire the base's missiles. Maddox's mental state is such that he'll suffer a mental collapse if untreated. To that end, they brainwash him to do their dirty work.

Playing Dr. Solow is Hammer star Ingrid Pitt, who is stout and bearlike here. I was shocked--this was the sensual Elizabeth Bathory in Countess Dracula and Carmilla/Mercalla in The Vampire Lovers? She also came out as Galleia in the Who story The Time Monster in 1972.

The action starts when the Earth Reptiles and the Myrka, a giant quadrupedal sea dragon that has been modified into a cyborg, invade the base and with their superior technology, start killing the base's personnel. It is up to the Doctor to simultaneously save the Base and to negotiate with the Earth Reptiles.

The tension of nuclear war explored in Fail-Safe and Wargames is touched on here. There are three stages, green alert, yellow, alert, and red alert, with two possibilities, a computer-simulation to keep the personnel on their toes, or worse, a real attack. Maddox, the sensitive synch-operator, tells Lieutenant Karina in a stricken voice that yes, it is the commander who gives the orders, "but I still have to press that button." He simply finds the prospect of pushing the button impossible for his conscience.

The design and continuity people should've watched The Silurians story, as the third eye on the Silurians' forehead was a weapon. Here, it's a light that blinks on and off when they speak. And they speak in a more mechanized voice here. Also, they are tan rather than green. Icthar, the leader of the Silurians, says "twice we offered the hand of friendship." He can't count the Sea Devils encounter, so there must have been an untelevised second encounter with the Silurians. And the Myrka is clearly a variation of a pantomime horse, requiring two people, one playing the front, the other the back.

The Doctor keeps referring to the Silurians as a noble race, but here, they have had enough. "There can be no alternative to peaceful coexistence," says Icthar, who horrifically adds in a reference to the Third Reich, "There is a final solution." Humans too have their good and bad sides. When one of the crew sees the Silurians as invaders rather than the noble race the Doctor knows them as, the Doctor bitterly says "I sometimes wonder why I like the people of this miserable planet so much", yet later, when Tegan and the others decide to risk a rescue of the Doctor, Turlough says in exasperation, "What is it about human beings that make them think a futile gesture is a noble one?"

Influences include The Manchurian Candidate (Maddox's brainwashing), and nuclear war films like Fail-Safe. The appearance of the robot weapons system in space at the beginning echoes Reagan's SDI plan of an anti-missile system. And the invasion of the base's airlock doors is reminiscent of the stormtroopers attacking Princess Leia's Blockade Runner at the beginning of Star Wars.

This has one of the highest bodycounts of all Dr. Who stories, with only one character other than the Doctor and his companions surviving. While continuity lapses and design flaws abound, Warriors Of The Deep is a worthy story with Cold War influences and race relations. The final line, spoken in an angst-ridden voice by the Doctor, is tragic but universal: "There should have been a better way."

Obviously I disagree with the reviewer below
Yes, props and costumes may have been poor, but that is what made DOCTOR WHO what it is...the longest running sci fi show EVER. Peter Davison greatly portrays the Doctor, which would be hard to do, since he played the part after Tom Baker, the longest ever to play the Doctor. Peter Davison GREATLY deserves admiration for his acting capabilty and his ability to prove he could play the Doctor just as good as Tom Baker. I do love his earlier episodes, but this one was not to bad. Turlough is naturally a mopey character so of course he should be that way; Tegan is BRILLIANT as always and deeply shows her concern for the Doctor when it appears he has drowned in one scene. I loved it, and I don't care for these new shows with CGI graphics .. you want to stick to REAL and GREAT acting, REAL efforts put into the show, and great storylines, Doctor
Who is just right for you!

There should have been another way.
The five star rating is more personal than objective. Objectively, I would have to give the story only two stars as it first runs too long for a story with little depth to it and the costume design was terrible. But I still have a soft spot in my heart for this story. The performances are good, Peter Davison is at his best as the Doctor trying to convince everyone he's their friend, and despite the impracticality of the well-lit underwater base, I liked the look. In the end, we see the Doctor can't always save the day as he stands around the massacre that has occured with Sillurian, Sea Devil and Human and proclaims, "There should have been another way." ... Read more

Description

Go with Pinky and The Brain on 2 world dominating adventures in space and on the high seas! Year: 1997 Starring:Pinky, The Brain ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Landmark in Animated Christmas Videos
The test of a truly extraordinary production, long or short, is its ability to evoke a broad range of human emotions, and that is exactly what "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas" does. From the opening scene, in which Pinky gleefully sings "Deck the Halls" while sliding down a decorative Christmas ribbon, to the ending, when they exchange gifts, our little mouse friends take us on an emotional journey. We laugh hysterically as they are flown to the North Pole by a character strangely similar to "Large Marge" in "Pee Wee's Big Adventure". Later, we are captivated by Brain's brilliant pitch and Pinky's familiar, delightful giggle, as they interview to become new elves in Santa's workshop. Then, in the the end, when Brain exasperatedly begins to read Pinky's selfless, innocent letter to Santa, we are moved to tears right along with him.
In many ways, this episode is like any other charming, thought-provoking "Pinky and the Brain" offering; Brain conceives a brilliant plot to take over the world and Pinky laughingly assists him along the way, sometimes for better and sometimes times for worse. This time, however, Brain's plan "fails" by his own choice.
It is Pinky's innocence and loyalty to his friend that make this episode such special and touching Christmas fare. Watch it and you are guaranteed to fall in love with these little "rodents", if you haven't already.

Christmas
awww, its touching, and so cute! A great xmas video too, especially for you Pinky and the Brain fans!

It's a must have for Pinky and the Brain fans!
This video is so touching, I wanted to buy it immediately! It will have a place of honor in my Christmas Video collection! There aren't many animated features on TV today that I like. This video I love! I'm 47 years old and I adore Pinky and the Brain!

For any Pinky and the Brain fanatic!
A touching story that involves the mice actually coming closer and realizing what's really important as they try to take over the world. I can see why it won an Emmy! Great video! A must see! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Good, but the ending spoiled it.
I watched this movie after reading the book it was based on (also called The Chocolate War). The movie was good. The people who played Brother Leon and Archie Costello did terrific jobs, although tall and thin John Glover didn't look at all like the book's Leon. The dialogue was played almost word-for-word from the book. But the ending spoiled it all. The Chocolate War, the book, had a very unhappy ending in which Jerry was beaten to a bloody pulp by Emile Janza. In this case Archie drew the black marble and it was him that was defeated. Fine for some, but not for me, because I prefer the book's unhappy ending. The director of the movie attempted to make it a little unhappy after Archie was defeated, but it was a half-hearted effort and missed the mark. I wish they had just stuck with the ending they already had.

ANOTHER LOOK
HE FELL INTO A VAT OF CHOCOLATE.....
AND HE YELLED "FIRE!"
ASKED WHY HE YELLED FIRE,

HE SAID "WHO WOULD HELP ME IF I YELLED 'CHOCOLATE'"

smooth ride
The score was great, and the boy who played Archie was terrific.
If I had not read the book, however, I would not have been interested in this movie. The ending was completely different from that in the book. In the book, there was no resolution! The bad guys were not punished! No black marbel was pulled out! And Archie did win. I don't know how I feel about the film versions's ending. But I was very impressed with Archie's character's entire performance.

It's NOT what you think...
If you've read Robert Cormier's most famous foray into subtleties of teenage sadism(which his writing endlessly evokes)you WON'T be surprised other than by a "punch-pulling" finale...which remains,nonetheless,bitterly pessimistic. If you haven't read THE CHOCOLATE WAR,prepare to meet two(2!)of young adult literature's arch-villains: ARCHIE COSTELLO...superbly and smarmilly essayed by Wallace Langham; and BROTHER LEON...perfectly played by John Glover,SMALLVILLE'S smoothly repugnant,24/7/365 master of manipulation, LIONEL LUTHER.

The story begins harmlessly with typical prank/initiation ordeal engineered by VIGILS, a pseudo-tough band of preppie wanna-be's in a Milton,Massachusetts all-boys Catholic high school(scenery is shot at the Academy attended in boyhood by T.S.Eliot). Archie is leader of the Vigils; formulator of trials in petty perversion and punk violence foisted (primarily)on Freshmen to "edify" this rather effeminate band of Posers and Player-Haters. Brother Leon raises stakes (the Vigils comical if twisted self-regard)by enlisting them as pursuader/enforcers in the yearly CHOCOLATES Sale. Because of Leon's Head/Power tripping(he wants desperately to be School Rector)these boys...who if they tangled with real Down Town Homies would get hell whaled-out of them...become genuinely cruel and dangerous.

Their "target of opportunity" is Jerry Renault. Renault is sympathetically characterized by Ian Mitchell-Smith as average, somewhat withdrawn, student(because of recent death of his mother and alienation from his despairing,weak-sister widowed,father)who just wants to play football and "fit-in". After Assigner Archie initially presents him with ostracizing task of ritually refusing (until VIGILS "graciously"grant permission)to sell Chocolates...incurring genuinely fierce wrath of should-be priest and teacher,Leon...Renault surprises everyone--especially himself--by refusing to sell anything: What begins as exercise in(childish)petulance and cruelty evolves into REBELLION with serious moral(& financial)consequences.

Cormier cuts no slack in his book about Yuppie-puppie viciousness. The film tries(fails)to imply redemptive RENAU-el in Jerry's unsupported courage and subsequent fall. But THE CHOCOLATE WAR is successful in being annoying. Too much is real about these kids(misguided by a pathetic,tyrannical adult)"Will to Power" chocolate drive to blow-off as Mickey Mouse shenanigans. Real war requires courage...often heroism.(Bad men become worse;good men better)In the CHOCOLATE WAR there are no heroes. Deceit and shame,essentials of cowardice,are the only outcomes Cormier's work seems to allow and illuminate. Is this entertaining? Is it truth? Quien sabe? One thing certain about this cult classic:IT'S NOT WHAT YOU(first)THINK...

Lionel Luthor as a monk!!!
John Glover can play a nefarious villain whether it is the bearded Lionel Luthor of Smallville or here, as Brother Leon, a cleanshaven robed monk. In a Catholic high school in the 1980s, the school is having a fundraiser by selling boxes of chocolates. They have bought a bunch of Mother's Day chocolates at a bargain price, cut off the Mother's Day ribbons and assigned each boy to sell 50 boxes.

There is a sort of high school fraternity called the Vigils and they have assigned one boy, Renault, to NOT sell the chocolates for 10 days. Renault, whose mother has recently died, takes it even further and blatantly refuses to sell any boxes even after the 10 days is up. This starts a political battle of wills as the Vigils realize their name is tied to this one-man uprising, and the school is afraid of losing control.

There is a horrible climax at the end (you know it's coming).

I was a little annoyed by how Renault kept seeing his dead mother everywhere. It was cloying and a very clunky plot device, but keeping with the cheesiness of 1980s high school flicks. ... Read more

Description

Orson Welles narrates an incredible look at the prophecies of Nostradamus, whose amazing accuracy in predicting the future compels us to consider what his writings foretell us. Year: 1981 Director: Robert Guenette Starring:Orson Welles: Narrator ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Nostradamus predicts a nuclear war in the year 1999...
The 16th-century French physician Michel de Nostradamus wrote a book of 1000 quatrains predicting the future. This 1981 feature-length documentary has narrator Orson Welles examining both those prophecies of Nostradamus that have supposedly already come true, from the death of Louis XVI to the assassination of the Kennedys, as well as those that might be fulfilled before the end of the century. Nostradamus' prophecies were couched in symbolism, wherein it is left to the reader to determine what is meant by "the lion," "the great city" or "the rose" in any given situation. His reputation hinges more on the fact that he wrote several times about the rise of an anti-Christ type figure named "Hister," an "obvious" reference to Adolf Hitler (during World War II both Hitler and the Allies used propaganda leaflets and films to argue Nostradamus had predicted their military successes). However, in one of his few predictions to name a date Nostradamus had declared that in 1999 "the King of Anglomais would descend from the sky." This documentary takes that to mean a nuclear war would take place in that year, contending that some Middle Eastern madman (looking a lot like the leader of Libya in fact) would start the fire. Almost as much fun now as it was then, "The Man Who Saw Tomorrow" is one of the great schlock documentaries, presided over by Orson Welles, who might have said about the film's subject, "Nostradamus will reveal no prophecy before its time" (Sorry, couldn't resist that one).

Not for the faint of mind
This movie is a tad creepy, given Orson Wells' solemn narration, but I would warn those with weak minds and a poor grasp on history and current events to leave this movie alone. It was made in 1981 and tells how Nostradamus supposedly predicted past events and the future.

These guys got a lot of stuff wrong. They predicted that Ted Kennedy would become president (Lord help!)and that a nuclear war would take place in 1999, after some massive earthquakes.

This is where stuff really gets wild. They show a Bin-Laden like antichrist rising in the east (remember, this was made in 1981) and vague references to what we now know as 9-11 are discussed. To the weak of mind, this is scary stuff that will cause them to misinterpret this film as prophecy, instead of the conversational piece that it was obviously intended.

Just like with people like Jack Van Impe and Louis Farrakhan do with things like the book of revelations, the cryptic passages of Nostradamus could easily twisted by the clever to manipulate the credulous.

One of the more unforgettable movies I have ever seen
First off, TMWST is a documentary. However it mixes two subjects that have often fascinated people from the beginning. Prophecy and History. Although today Nostradamus is a household name by and large, when this movie came out he was little more than a obscure name to most.

Orson Welles narrates the story of the French Psychic Nostradamus ,beginning with his work as a doctor in France. Early on the signs of Nostradamus's "gift" begin to become apparent. The early life of Nostradamus is far more interesting then one would think with the movie's opening doing much to build interest. The story goes from Nostradamus's early adulthood, to his tragic later years as he loses his family to the plague. However from the seclusion of his life as a widower, some of the more shocking predictions in history are produced by the Frenchman.

The documentary begins to illustrate Nostradamus's prediction of the French Revolution, American Revolution, American Civil War, and even World War 2. Of course most of the predictions are what people interpret him to mean.. but never the less the film does a good job at mixing in the words of nostradamus with recreations of these historical events. Other predictions are highlighted with the film even suggesting that Hitler was nearly predicted by name by the psychic.

However once the predictions of the past are covered.. the movie moves into the future. As in.. our immediate future(or at least of that time). This part of the movie gave me nightmares for weeks and talked of World War 3, the emergence of a Antichrist, etc. Although most of these predictions have proven to be untrue(information I would have loved to have in the early 80s), they are never the less entertaining for the viewer. The film ends on a nice note, aside from Nostradamus's prediction of the actual year of the end of the world.

Although this is a documentary, it comes across more as a movie. Either way I would recommend it. Makes a good watch. Although the fact that its 19 years old has taken away much of the "scare" factor from the later predictions.. at least you can watch it now without worrying about "The Bomb".

WATCH THIS MOVIE
And I mean, buy it, pass it around, donate it to the local library or try to get your a video rental store to stock it. I'm mostly a realistic person and I am ordinarily too skeptical of any prophecy. However, I saw this film as a child and it remained a memory. This film must be passed around.

After 9/11 it instantly flooded back to me. I'm horrified as to how many people go out to deny Nostradamus's vision. Regardless of the "45 degrees/ forty and five 40.5 degrees" types of arguments, the worst is NOT over yet. "The third Antichrist very soon annhilated Twenty-Seven years his bloody war will last. The heretices are dead, Captives exiled, Blood soaked human bodies, and a reddened, icy hail covering the earth."

The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
This is a very interesting movie. I seen it a couple of times and it is almost right on the dot what he has to say. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here's a perfect movie for kids, who never seem to tire of John Hughes's sure-fire slapstick formula. Working yet another variation on his mammoth 1990 hit, writer-producer Hughes (regarded by many as Hollywood's antichrist) strands a youngster in his own home with the chicken pox in this 1997 retelling. While his parents go to work, he sees a team of burglars invading the neighborhood houses; in fact, they're spies, looking for a toy containing a stolen microchip. The inevitability of the finale--one kid holding off four professionals with toys and garden tools--will do nothing to lessen the amusement of youngsters, who love to see the bad guys get creamed. Adults may pause at the sadistic nature of some of Hughes's pranks, but kids will eat up the image of one of their own outwitting all the adults. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (74)

This Movie Rules!!!!!
When I was 6, I was hoping there would be a Home Alone 3, and now here it is. It's just as cool as the first 2. But this time, it's Alex Pruitt, not Kevin McAllister, who defends his home. Also, instead of being left home by accident while his family's vacationing, Alex's father is on a business trip, his mother's at work, and his brother and sister have after-school sports. Also, instead of being robbed by Harry Lyme and Marv Murchen, 4 new crooks, Petr Beaupre, Earl Unger, Burton Jernigan, and Alice Ribbons take on the house trying to find a computer chip worth 10 grand. If you liked the first 2 Home Alones, buy this one!!!!!!!!!!

This one just ruined the whole entire series
the series would have been fine if they wouldn't have made this one. it's not even close to what 1 and 2 were! and what now? they made a 4th one?! i don't know about you guys but i thought the movie sucked big time. they could have put Macaulay Culkin in this one! he only would have been about 11 or 12 if he would have played in it.

This was the worst movie I've ever seen
No offense Alex but you will never be as good as Macualay Culkin is. He has that special kind of touch on people that you will never have. Actually there was no point in making this movie some things you just need to leave alone and Home Alone Is one of them. I own both 1 and 2 of this well saga now. And there was no point to make Home Alone 4 either. Macualay Culkin is a classic and there will never be another boy with his touch.

Home Alone 3 is better than 1 and 2
I was little sceptical in watching Home Alone 3. Because the reviews and ratings at amazon.com were not as good in comparison to the previous two movies.

However, I enjoyed it even more than the earlier ones.

It moves at a fast pace. It is fresh. New kid. New villains. High tech Gadgets. What is common is that the villains have a tough time here too.

If you have liked the previous two movies, there is no reason why you should not like this one.

HORRIBLE!! TERRIBLE!!
This has got to be the biggest rip-off ever. There are two words to describe this.....HORRIFIC and DESCUSTING! They can't just throw any garbage out like this!!! Home Alone one and two are the best movies EVER in my book!! Don't waist your money!! There will never be another Macaulay Culkin!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (78)

A Must for the Study of Southern Culture.
To preserve Southern culture is to preserve a culture with strong roots for many Americans. Just as this film depicts an attempt to preserve old English ballads that have survived nearly intact because of the isolation of the mountain people, the film itself is important because it, itself, is an attempt at cultural preservation. The mountain setting of the film is extraordinarily rich, the characters are thankfully more real than stereotypical, and the story is rich and fullfilling. Pat Carroll's performance is exceptional.

One of the major plusses of this movie is the way the set design and cinematography contributes to the story. In one key scene shot inside a cabin, the crude conditions are clearly shown by the daylight winking through the walls. The plight of the characters' living conditions is certainly obvious in the story, but that cabin told the rest of the story. In another scene, several people are dancing outdoors and the camera is positioned so that the viewer seems to be standing in the crowd. The scene develops as all but two of the characters dance and the movement of the camera around the dancers to a high angle shot from the trees stretches and isolates the scene so that the dancers are shown to be some distance from the two non-dancers. This shot establishes not so much a rift between the characters, but a separation.

This film is very similar to Donald Davidson's novel, The Big Ballad Jamboree (University Press of Mississippi), and I strongly recommend both the movie and the book to everyone wanting to enjoy the richness of true "hillbilly" life and music.

A FILM TO BE TREASURED...
This is a beautiful and unusual film, made even more so by its joyous celebration of folk music. Beautifully nuanced, well paced, and highly absorbing, this haunting film is an absolute gem. It is no wonder that it won the 2000 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. The performances in this film are simply stellar and worthy of recognition.

The year is 1907, and the highly independent and intelligent Dr. Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer), a noted musicologist, has once again been passed over for promotion by the college at which she teaches. Angry, she decides to pull up stakes and go and visit her sister, Elna (Jane Adams), who is one of two women teaching at a settlement school in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.

When Janet arrives, she hears one of her sister's helpers. Deladis (Emma Rossum), singing an old folk song that she recognizes. It is being sung in a way that she has never before heard it sung. Upon discovering that the song was handed down generationally in this insular community, she realizes that she may actually be hearing the song as it may originally have been intended to be sung. Excited by her discovery, she sets about capturing as many songs as she can from these fiercely proud, mountain people. In effect, she is memorializing a rich, oral, musical history.

Her project takes Janet on a voyage of self-discovery, both personal and professional. Along the way, she becomes immersed in the the lives and traditions of these mountain people, realizing what an integral part music plays in their lives. While poor in terms of creature comforts and leading a harsh, hardscrabble sort of life, these mountain folks have a culturally rich, oral tradition and are a veritable treasure trove of old songs.

While catching the music and lyrics of these old songs for posterity and wider appreciation, notating her discovery of these songs for a book that she hopes to write, Dr. Penleric makes the acquaintance of a number of mountain men and women, including a tough old bird, Viney Butler (Pat Carroll). This leads to meeting with her suspicious but intelligent, talented, and good looking grandson, Tom Bledsoe (Aidan Quinn), with whom she ultimately developes a passionate relationship that correlates nicely to her passion for music.

A number of other subplots are woven throughout this film. One involves her sister, Elna, who becomes involved with a love that dare not speak its name. There is also a love triangle between two of the mountain woman and the husband of one of them. Young love and coming of age is also a theme touched upon. Meanwhile, a mining company seeks to buy out the land from under these people for a mere pittance. All of these subplots serve to illustrate the often harsh reality of life in the mountains. The only problem that I found was with the subplot involving Elna and her lover, Harriet, in terms of the complacency that surrounds what ultimately happens to Harriet. It was a most disturbing resolution that did not ring altogether true. Still, the overall strength of the film is such that it overcomes this, overall.

Janet McTeer gives a no nonsense performance, and the way that the music seems to transfix and transform her is a joy to behold. Jane Adams, as the sister who is having a same sex love affair, gives an exquisitely beautiful and sensitive performance, as does E. Katherine Kerr in the role of Harriet, the settlement school teacher with whom she is involved. Aidan Quinn gives an intelligent and thoughtful performance as a mountain man who has been to the outside world and found it wanting. Pat Carroll is sensational as Viney Butler, the mountain woman who takes the vicissitudes of life in stride and wears many hats: mother, grandmother, midwife, musician, singer, and oral historian. Emma Rossum, however, is positively radiant as the young, fresh faced, mountain lass with a smile and voice that will tear your heart apart. She is a wonderful, young performer with operatic training and the ability to sing like Dolly Parton. What a find!

Cameo appearances by Taj Mahal, Iris Dement, and others serve to further enrich this film. The music and songs are played and sung live, which makes them resonate with authenticity and adds a vibrancy that might otherwise be lost. The folk dancing is a joy to watch, as the mountain people gather aound for a jamboree. The film, shot on location, captures all the physical beauty of the terrain, as well as the rusticity and harshness of life in the mountains. This is simply a great film that is well worth having in one's personal collection.

All in all, it is a must have film for music lovers, as well as for those who simply enjoy a well made and beautifully acted film. Bravo!

A confusing piece
Quite often while watching this film I was left wondering what the director was really trying to convey. A interesting look into the lost songs carried to America? A woman coming to terms about her life and purpose? A look into the lives of lesbians at the turn of the century? Loss of Appalachian culture to the coal industry and modern society? A social commentary on culture exploitation? There are so many doors this film opens, yet refuses to step inside one and explore anything deeper than it's emotional surface. The storytelling in this movie feels like it took a second place to the "gimick" of the actual songs.

...and music is the real star of this film and would be better served with a good soundtrack, a book about these folk songs and people, and a good documentary.

What's left is a mediocre and only mildly passionate love story between two people, surrounded by events that don't lead to anything specific or profound. The "climax" of the story does not have any lasting resonance in the main character's lives and feels random.

The acting, mostly by Janet McTeer is acceptible, given the whirlwind she's been thrown into. The supporting cast are also great/charming, especially those who give performances of the more musical sort.

Hopefully someone will revisit this topic with a more serious statement and explore it a little more deeply than what has been done here. Somewhere in this mess is a great historical biopic or even a small quite film/documentary here that got muddled by late 20th century political ideals concerning religion, homosexuality and stereotyping that really do this topic, the music, and all the characters involved a disservice.

Pleasantly surprised!
I wasn't really expecting much when I first rented this movie because I had never even heard of it, but boy! was I surprised! I absolutely loved it! Bluegrass music doesn't really do much for me, but I wouldn't really call this bluegrass. The songs and music are more earthy and emotional. The characters are so down to earth and real. I loved these people--I wanted to go to the mountains and find people and music like this. I got on the internet and bought a copy of the movie and the soundtrack. I have watched this movie more than any other movie that I own.

Dr. Quinn, Music Woman
OK, so maybe it's not THAT bad. Still, I was so disappointed by the second half of this film that I can't find a four-star rating in me.

It's a gorgeous film set in the Appalachian Mountains, an early 20th century story of a highly intelligent lady musicologist who is obsessed with capturing the history of the folk music of the British Isles. When she hits the glass ceiling of her day, her college passing her over yet again for a man in spite of her extreme qualification, she heads for the hills. Literally.

Her younger sister runs a school in the mountains among that most derided minority, the hillbillies (or, more properly, "mountain folk"). Big kudos to this film for playing more or less fair with the poor people of the mountains, with few caricatures and mostly just good-hearted people who distrust "the world beyond." Here the good doctor finds a wealth of old British folk music that has been handed down from generation to generation, as the ancestors of these folk came from the islands themselves.

"Songcatcher" is well worth seeing, due to its brilliant handling of its unique subject matter. It is also a cautionary tale for filmmakers who think they have to throw too much into their story. It could be said that the multiple tragedies in this film are a way of thematically representing the repetitive theme of tragedies in the old folk music the doctor is collecting, but it's overkill, pure and simple, and further ruins such effect with a silly ending. I'm glad I saw it, but would prefer to have an edited version featuring only the musical performances, which are stunning.

There is a lot to love about "Songcatcher." It's a treasure trove for an education in how music was developed in those pre-commercial days, and the lengths to which its devotees had to go for its preservation. If you love any kind of music, you owe a big debt of gratitude to people like this. It is mesmerizing to see the mountain people performing the music of their heritage in its natural setting.

Beyond that, it's a typical formula story, and that's what leaves me cold about this confused film. Formula element 1: The Outsider who learns to communicate with and appreciate a society in which she is initially very uncomfortable, while said society learns to deal with her as well. Some will not accept her, but she wins most of them over. Formula element 2: A forbidden romance causes serious unrest and, ultimately, tragedy. There are actually two such story lines in this film. Formula element 3: An ambitious woman, living in less rational times, deals with the frustration of being thwarted in her dreams. Formula element 4: The happy ending you could see coming a mile off.

I really hate that the filmmakers felt they had to throw so many elements into what could have been an excellent little film. Most unsettling is that they set up several confrontations that all reach a climax within a minute or two of each other, completely fouling up the otherwise nice pace they had set to that point in the film's final half-hour. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Daleks" (sometimes called "The Dead Planet") is the second-ever Doctor Who serial, presented with all seven unedited episodes on one tape. First broadcast between December 1963 and February 1964, the story ensured the program's success by introducing the Doctor's most iconic enemies. Five hundred years after a nuclear war has devastated the planet Skaro, the Doctor (William Hartnell), Barbara, Ian, and Susan materialize in a petrified forest where the pacifist, and decidedly camp, Thals face starvation. Our heroes visit a nearby city that is home to the last remaining Daleks, terrifyingly cold-blooded mutants encased in armed, pepper-pot-like shells, and become involved in a desperate battle for survival. Given a nightmarish atmosphere by Tristram Cary's surreal electronic score, "The Daleks" proved the template for many a future Doctor Who adventure. Hartnell's Doctor is a surprisingly self-serving hero, and the ambitious storytelling, which reflects the cold war fears of the time, belies a tiny budget. The story, remade for the cinema as Dr Who and the Daleks (1965) and starring Peter Cushing, is still both an effective, if at times unintentionally hilarious, entertainment and an essential piece of television history. A superior sequel, "The Dalek Invasion of Earth," was screened in late 1964. --Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (19)

This episode should be exterminated
First let me state unequivocally that I love the Daleks. I have Dalek wav's on my computer and a little Dalek figure action on my desk. And William Hartnell is, as far as I'm concerned, the quintessential Doctor. So I was quite excited to get this rather long series, the second ever Doctor Who series and the first ever featuring the Daleks. And it took me forever to get through it! While it's historical value to the evolution of Doctor Who is enormous, the fact is that these episodes are mostly a snooze.

For starters, the Daleks are awfully talky, which kind of minimizes the effect (not to mention that they are a bit hard to understand what with the Dalek voices and 1960's era sound quality). Susan, again, is frequently hysterical, which just seems odd for a character who is supposed to be so brave and who has traveled throughout time and space. The Thals (...) are too one-dimensional to hold one's attention for this many episodes, even taking into account that Doctor Who was, at the time, a children's program.

The one truly interesting part of this set is the fairly in-depth look at how the Daleks function. At least we get an acknowledgement about the Daleks' mobility issues and weaknesses and a sense of what makes them work. Unfortunately, the humans are far less interesting, especially the Thals, although the romantic tension between Barbara and one of the blonde Thal he-man is sort of interesting as well, although not nearly as interesting as watching the white shirts and dresses of all the characters stay perfectly white as they tramp through the mud and the swamp over the course of several days, suffering through the early stages of radiation poisoning without a dry cleaner in sight.

These episodes gain a little in impressiveness when you realize they were done around the same time that Star Trek was taking off in the states, and the comparison is fun to watch, although here there is something to be said for the usually annoying American habit of wrapping everything up in one tidy hour. This story arc deserves more than an hour, but could have easily been finished in 4 episodes. Instead, it just drags on. Get it for the historical value, but don't expect to be riveted.

'The Daleks¿ is a must to own.
This is my favorite Doctor Who tape. It has a great combination of original ideas, good effects and suspense. This is definitely an item with collector value.

The story contains all the original cast, being only the second adventure in the entire Doctor Who series. It is also includes the first appearance of the Daleks.

The story effects are impressive for their time. I particularly like the dead forest and the view of the Dalek city. One other memorable aspect is the eerie metallic sound used in the scenes shot within the Dalek city.

There were few disappointments for me with this story, apart from William Hartnell having trouble with some of his lines. I understand however that this was a continuing problem throughout his tenure.

One thing to bear in mind for this and all the Doctor Who stories is that they were originally designed as a television serial. Individual episodes were screened each Saturday afternoon. It therefore inevitably alters the viewing experience to watch each story as a complete series of episodes on one tape. Individual perceptions of each Doctor will also be influenced by personal history. I grew up in the sixties and prefer the early Doctors. Other people that I know grew up in the seventies and prefer the Tom Baker years. Notwithstanding the above there should be a reason for all Doctor Who fans to own this tape.

Unwilling Adventurers
"The Daleks", the second-ever "Doctor Who" story, is a brilliant example of world building. The TARDIS's first flight away from the Earth is accomplished without flying saucers and without children on board: ground-breaking, for the science fiction of its day. 40 years later, "Doctor Who" is still traveling through time and space, because "The Daleks" got there first.

In retrospect, "The Daleks" is helped by its seven-episode length. Half an hour goes by before we even see a Dalek and an hour before we see a Thal, and those are the first two alien races the show ever gave us. But there's something even better in their place: sets. Even though it's confined to studio, Skaro is a thoroughly alien world. The establishing shots are overexposed, making everything look "white and ashy". There's also a creepy alien corpse and a pristine flower (that, naturally, the Doctor ignores). When we finally get to the Dalek city, the doorways are weird and angular. Tristram Cary's unnerving score further sets the mood.

While Skaro looks more impressive than you'd expect from the story's 1963 vintage, here's a TARDIS crew completely at odds with each other. William Hartnell's Doctor is as selfish as he ever got, sabotaging his own ship just so he can lure the others down to the city. After Ian and Barbara (who calls herself an "unwilling adventurer") demand food, he takes them to his food machine... and doesn't offer them a thing. When he learns that Skaro's air is poisonous, he's ready to run back to the TARDIS and take off... leaving the missing Barbara behind. He's a childish old man, and, thanks to a daring script, is on death's door 20 minutes later.

Although the story takes seven episodes to tell, each individual episode is built entirely around one key concept. Though all of the third episode is devoted to "The Escape", for example (events which in the show's later years could be compressed to eight minutes), it's very carefully done. There's innocence, for example, when no-one realizes that the Daleks are monitoring their cell. The Daleks' interrogation of the Doctor is creepy, as the ailing Doctor is forced to kneel in a pool of harsh white light, with the Daleks willing to let him die since they can't spare anti-radiation drugs.

Once the TARDIS crew escapes, the Thals (withheld from view until the third episode) take over the story. We're told the natural history of Skaro -- a war waged with neutron bombs which ended thousands of years in civilization in a single. The Dals, the philosopher-kings, became twisted creatures living in metal shells, dependent on static electricity. The warmongering Thals became tall, elegant farmers, whose onscreen presence is even more imposing thanks to shrewd direction -- when Susan meets the story's first Thal, Alydon, he appears to be ten feet tall, until we see he's just standing on a ledge.

The story's moral centerpiece is the debate about pacifism versus non-violence. How far will the Thals go to keep their core values while fighting off the Daleks? The Daleks, merely paranoid in the first episodes (killing the Thals' pacifist leader, wrongly believing him to be a spy), quickly become ruthless when they realize that they'll have to flood Skaro with more radiation in order to survive... even though all the Thals will die. Most of episodes four and five are concerned with Ian's attempts to teach the Thals that "some things are worth preserving". On the flip side of that argument is the Doctor (and a vengeful Barbara), who merely want to turn the Thals into disposable shock troops, so the Doctor can retrieve his lost equipment from the city and leave the Thals to chance. It's a long argument, and a risky one, and, in the end, neither side is right, and he Thals' death toll mounts quickly. However, Ian's plan (stealth and intelligence, not violence) wins the day.

It's been said that the final "Doctor Who" TV story, 1989's "Survival", featured a "harsh" repudiation of Ian's morality. I don't think this a good idea, or even an accurate one. More important by 1989 was the realization that Susan didn't have to be a screaming teen afraid of walking alone outdoors. On the whole, Ian's morality remains intact under today's scrutiny; the Thals would have all died, without it. Even so, we're not meant to applaud Ian's simulated kidnapping of a Thal woman. At any rate, Hartnell's Doctor was not a pacifist, and without the human element of Ian and Barbara, would never have become the hero the series later needed him to be. When the Dalek plan is halted, a dying Dalek approaches the Doctor for mercy: "Stop our power from wasting." His response? "Even if I wanted to, I don't know how."

The story ends with an extended dialogue, as the Thals mourn their dead and the Doctor, a hero at least, offers benedictions (with a grim warning of "other wars to fight"). There aren't too many light moments in the story (apart from the exchange where Ian finally nails the Doctor for getting his last name wrong), but it's all very pleasant at the end, and we even learn a little more about the Doctor's past.

You could believe, from watching "The Daleks", that "Doctor Who" was built to a careful master plan. Each character (even Susan) was allowed room to grow and regress, early on. By the show's third season, the creation process was more haphazard, with things made up as they went along -- witness the Daleks' descent into comedy villains. However, "The Daleks", in spite of being only the second show, is quite possibly as good as "Doctor Who" gets.

The most evil creatures ever in the universe!
I must admit, when I first heard of the Daleks, I did NOT expect them to look like trash dispensers with plungers attached to them. In fact when I first watched this adventure, I laughed at the sight of them, because by today's standards they look somewhat ridiculous... at first. But after seeing just how cruel, vicious, and deadly they can be, I changed my tune considerably.

This was the good Doctor's first of many encounters with his arch-enemies, the Daleks. This was the second Doctor Who adventure, and it would be something that would solidify the show's popularity for years to come.

It is in this adventure that TARDIS crew land on a eerily deserted planet, a planet that had gone through a devastating neutronic war between the two races, the Thaals and the Daals. Soon they are being affected by the radiation fallout, are captured by the Daleks, they make their escape and meet the Thaal people. Soon a final battle is engaged, and the Thaals are victorious over the Daleks.

I enjoyed this adventure, for it is a prime example of intelligent writing and powerful acting. This story is very multi-layered as it serves as a sort of social allegory for what could happen as a result of the use of nuclear weapons for war. In addition, it serves up a fair amount of drama in regards to how far can one stay the course of pacifism before taking action. Some other great points are the Thaals themselves, the males in particular, the wardrobe makes them look as if they are part of the Kevin Sorbo Appreciation Society. but seriously, this is a great adventure and very essential for any Doctor Who fan.

One of the Best of the Hartnell Era
This, the 2nd story of the series is quite cinematic and grand in scope. And it is great to watch the evolution of the series as the production team started to get a feel for the format of the series. Having said that, this is one of the best of the Hartnell years. Hartnell himself is always charming, if not short-tempered and sometimes meanspirited. In these older episodes Ian and Barbara are the heroes. Also, let me say I am not a Dalek fan, but as far as those pesky creatures go this is one of their better showings. The story is very atmospheric and dark, though it does run a bit long. Overall, great stuff and some of the best Hartnell had to offer. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hardbodies
My four star rating of Hardbodies should include a disclaimer for all those considering purchasing this movie. If you're looking for a deep, meaningful film with stellar acting, fascinating and complex characters, and brilliant writing, then save your money. Whoever wrote the script for this film certainly wasn't striving to make Citizen Kane or The Graduate.

My positive rating for this film is for those guys out there who want to see a bevy of beauties flaunting their breasts, mixed with a little bit of humor ... This film is pure 80's T&A, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. They certainly acquired some very beautiful "talent" for this film that is certainly worthy of wearing out the Pause button on your VCR.

The synopsis of the film is three middle aged men in mid-life crises rent a beach house and are having absolutely no success in scoring with the beautiful young women on the beach. So they acquire the help of a young stud to show them how to succeed with these hotties. But one of these guys turns into a jerk and puts the moves on the young stud's girlfriend. Eventually the jerk gets his [come]-uppance, and our hero(?) gets his girl back. Quite a fascinating storyline, huh? The only actor of any note whatsoever in this film is goofy looking redheaded Courtney Gaines, who also starred in Children Of The Corn and Can't Buy Me Love, and had a small part in Back To The Future. Also, there's an early appearence by girl rock group, Vixen, before they grew their hair out and had some success as a metal act in the late 80's!

Beautiful girls and their beautiful breasts are the selling point of this film. Look elsewhere if you want more.

IT'S PARTY TIME!!
"WE GONNA PARTY! IT'S PARTY TIME!!" TRUE WORDS SUNG LOUD AND CLEAR BY THE AWESOME ALL-GIRL BAND VIXEN IN THIS HILARIOUS LAFF-A MINUTE MOVIE. GREAT MUSIC AND GOOD TIMES FOR SURE!

80'S HAIR-METAL GODDESSES VIXEN MAKE SEVERAL ROCKIN' CAMEOS IN THIS CLASSIC 80'S FLICK ABOUT THREE MIDDLE-AGED GEEZERS WHO LEARN THE ROPES FROM BEACHBUM AND LOCAL SCAM ARTIST SCOTTY PALMER, WELL-PLAYED BY GRANT CRAMER. HE SHOWS THESE BORING BUSINESSMEN THE TRICKS NEEDED TO BED DOWN AS MANY NUBILES AS POSSIBLE DURING THEIR SUMMER VACATION. THERE IS A COOL LITTLE PLOT TWIST AND GREAT ACTING AND MUSIC FROM A FUN AND ATTRACTIVE CAST. A BLAST FROM START TO FINISH!!

Well worth the purchase it stands up well to repeated views every 3 months. A sequel was made but with an entirely different cast and plot. Don't buy the lousy sequel.

Totally Classic '80s Beach Movie!
It's movies like "Hardbodies" that made an evening out at the drive-in so much fun! I saw this movie back in 1984, and countless times on TV and still really enjoy it. I bought a VHS copy of this movie 2 years ago, and it's been replayed on a regular basis. The California sunshine, the beach, lots of bikinis and the funny characters make this a memorable movie. Basically the plot consists of 3 middle-aged men renting a beach house, and the local dude shows them how to "dialogue" bikini-clad babes known as "hardbodies" on the beach. It's not a serious movie, just lots of fun. It's a movie that you can watch over & over again which makes it a great choice for buying. If you are looking for some light entertainment, and you are a fan of '80s movies, then this one will not disappoint! I hope one of these days that it's released on DVD!

Hard 4 Bodies
Growing up 80's had to be the the greatest era of them all. Amongst movies like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Last American Virgin and Hollywood Knights, this movie had my motor rrrrrvn'!!! You could only appreciate it though if you grew up as an 80's teen film buff. Don't bother if your looking for serious acting. Grant Cramer will never be a household name. Between he and his "Carrot Top" look-alike side kick, they manage to convince you through enough "BS" to get you to
watch 3 over-the-hill, never-gonna-get-it, well-to-do, old men; rumble, stumble & bumble their way to more unforseeable lonely nights. Might I add, he gets pa-aid for it too...handsomely. Remember sitting up at night watching "Friday Night Videos"? Well afterwards, this was the kind of movie that kept you up until dawn. Hardbodies is only for the hard charging, nastalgic, hair band era (Prince & the Revolution, Bon Jovi). No acting skills necessary! Have busts, will travel! This movie is for you. Just Don't forget where you come from...Tom Hanks, not included.

I Love This Movie!
I got to tell you that this is the funniest movie after Life of Brian. I know the critics hate this movie but if you watch it with an open mind you will be cracking up and spitting milk through your nose. The jokes never stop and the Ragger gets laid. Can you imagine Rags with a set of 48 DD dugz? Does it get any better than that? Yes! The Ragger flipping off the beach geeks in 47 different languages. I agree the old BBD is the best part of this flick. I wonder what ever happened to the old dude that played "Southern Comfort" or the fat dude. ... Read more

Description

The Doctor, Sarah Jane and Harry uncover a plot by the Cybermen to destroy all gold in the solar system. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

One of the best Cyberman stories.
The Doctor and his companions return from Skaro after 'Genesis of the Daleks' to Nerva Beacon, which is in isolation due to a mysterious plague. Before long the remains of the Cyberman army is on the scene.

This is a well-written and interesting story - it is here that we discover the effect gold has on the Cybermen, who are at their menacing best. The characters are well-thought-out, there are some memorable scenes, the cybermats are finally creepy rather than comical and there is a nice doom-laden soundtrack. Seeing the Doctor arriving in the past of a location he visited in a previous story is also an interesting idea.

A much maligned classic!
Okay, I admit I gave this episode four stars just to catch your eye. I'm that kind of deceitful, attention-grasping loser. But now that you're here, I'll be honest and say that I do indeed consider this an episode scorned by vengeful fans, who hate it for all the wrong reasons. I would give it a solid three and a half stars, or better.

"Cybermen" is Tom Baker's only tangle with this staple villain of the Dr. Who series; the clanking, droning, mechanical men bent on...gasp!...conquest of the universe (why do machines always want to conquer the universe?) He twice battled both the Daleks and the Sontarans, and crossed swords with the Master at least three or four times, but for the tin men, this his is his sole contribution. Apparently, fans of previous doctors found the Cybermen as they are portrayed in this episode to be extremely lame and toothless, and felt a good villain had been wronged with a weak portrayal. I have admittedly little interest in the other doctors, being a Baker freak, so I can't really say, though I admit the more mobile (and combustible!) versions I saw in "The Five Doctors were more threatening.

"Revenge" is an underrated episode for several reasons. First off, it makes excellent use of the underground caves in which it was primarily shot; given the show's modest (meaning pathetic) budget, Dr. Who episodes were generally stronger when shot on location than when they were entirely confined to sets. The costume design is very good, the script clever and full of double-crosses, the villains suitably evil (excluding the admittedly boring Cyberleader), and the plot imaginative and well-developed. I also thought the regular cast (the Doc, Harry & Sarah) and the guest starts worked very well together.

The story is, I think, one of the better and more inventive of the series, since it does not depend on the standard formula of A) the Doctor delivering some or other race from oppressive masters or B) the Doctor foiling yet another conquest of Earth by aliens. "Revenge" is about an earth beacon designed to monitor space traffic around Jupiter is quaranteened when a plague breaks out on board. Only three crewmen and a smarmy scientist named Kellerman, who is on board to study a newly discovered moon of Jupiter, remain alive on the dismal space station. Cue the Doctor and friends, who as usual arrive just in time to be blamed for causing the plague. Of course, the Doc quickly figures out that the plague is not a plague at all, but a poison delivered by a nasty mechanical slug which, as it turns out, answers to Kellerman, who controls it like a homicidal radio-controlled car (but then he's a homicidal guy). The Doc recognizes the technology as that of the Cybermen, and when he realizes Jupiter's new moon is in fact the blasted remains of planet Voga, whose population are the Cybermen's natural enemy, he puts two and two together: the tin men, still smarting from the beating they took in their last war with the Vogans, have arrived to wipe them out once and for all. Unfortunately, he does not do his addition in time to stop the Cybermen from showing up and knocking everybody cold with their silly head-mounted stun guns, and then forcing them to carry into the planet core the bombs which the metalheads plan to use to blow the planet to bits, thus eliminating the universe's most ready supply of gold (which said Cyberman find lethal) and allowing the Cyber army to, well, conquer everybody.

The story moves to the planet, where it turns out a scheming Vogan bigshot named Vorus has been planning all along to lure these last remnants of the Cybermen back to Voga and then blast them into tin foil with a big ass rocket. This is the story's nicest twist, and features a very unexpected double cross, but Vorus' scheming backfires all the same, and now it is a race to see which side's ultimate plan will carry the day.

This episode has some silly moments (those head-mounted guns are as intimidating as slingshots that shoot marshmallows), the Cybermen are indeed dull villains with their plodding gait and monotone voices, and there are some logical inconsistencies you can drive a truck through (if gold kills Cybermen, why are guns which fire gold bullets useless against them but handfulls of gold dust thrown into their chest apparatus fatal?...why isn't the gold-dust-laden air poisonous to them? Why don't the Vogans, the arch-enemies who defeated them in the space war, have weapons that would kill them?) But I feel none of these things does enough to drag "Revenge" down. It is a good, solid, fun episode from, if you will pardon the pun, the show's "golden age" and it deserves a second chance.

THE CYBERMEN ARE BACK!
The Cybermen return after a long absence to pose more havic for the Doctor and his companions. The story is a bit of a mystery as the Doctor , HArry and Sarah return to Nerva Beacon. They have traveled back in time to find the station used as a ... This is an excellent Doctor WHo story

Welcome back, Cybermen. Has it really been 7 years?
It's been seven years after the 1968 story The Invasion that the Cybermen put in a full appearance, apart from a cameo in The Mind Of Evil and Carnival Of Monsters. As the Cybermen were overused in the Troughton era, coming out in four stories in three years, perhaps a long absence was necessary. But guess what? It would be another seven years until Earthshock in the Peter Davison era.

The adventure starts aboard the space station from The Ark In Space, where the TARDIS crew are waiting for their wayward time machine. The Doctor opens a door and a body leaning on the other side falls toward him. But in a sterile atmosphere, with "no sign of injury" and "nothing to indicate a cause of death," what could have happened? The Doctor, Harry, and Sarah have to tiptoe through a trail of bodies sprawled along the corridor. Captured by Commander Stevenson and his second-in-command Lester, they learn that a plague is responsible. With the discovery of a Cybermat, the Doctor realizes who's behind the deaths of 47 crewmen.

Key to this is Voga, the legendary planet of gold instrumental in wiping out the Cybermen in the Cyber Wars centuries ago. Two factions, the long-haired Councillors wearing tatty fishnet robes, and the Guardians, with clipped shorter hair and wearing black vests with gold pinstripes, are at odds with each other, although the cautious but kindly Councillor Tyrum is clearly the wiser as opposed to the audacious and ruthless Guardian leader Vorus.

A Cyberleader makes his first appearance here and this is one of the most curious ones ever. He has an obvious non-British accent and speaks of Voga in a hateful tone. How can creatures of logic use words like "unhappily," and "it is good"? Even the Doctor says, "For a moment, I thought he was going to smile."

The Doctor also has fun taunting the Cybermen: "You have no home planet, nothing. You're just a bunch of tin soldiers skulking around the galaxy in an ancient spaceship." And thanks to the glittergun, Cybermen were nothing but "gold-plated souvenirs that people used as hat stands." Ouch and double ouch!

The Cybermen are the same as in The Invasion, with the handlebars on both sides of their heads, but with slight modifications.

One item of curiosity: the Seal of Gallifrey is apparent in Councillor Tyrum's chamber, appearing on his table, and on Vorus' uniform. Was there a Gallifreyan influence on the Vogan civilization, i.e. a time agent of the Celestial Intervention Agency? The symbol later appears in The Deadly Assassin so I wonder if the series producer coopted it to become the Seal of Gallifrey. Interesting. Another is Sarah's remark of travelling for weeks, meaning that there were further adventures after Genesis Of The Daleks, the previous televised story.

Michael Wisher who plays the worrying Magrik, has an offscreen role as crewman Colville. Busy guy, considering he was Davros in the previous story, Genesis Of The Daleks. Kevin Stoney (Tyrum) also appeared in another Cybermen story, The Invasion, playing Tobias Vaughn.

Goof: English words on a Cybership's screen? Uh, hello?

Revenge Of The Cybermen is a perfect season closer and was the last story of Tom Baker's debut season, but as the second Nerva Beacon story, was filmed back-to-back with The Ark Of Space so they could continue using the same set before it was taken down.
Some have criticized this for story weakness, but in terms of story entertainment, it works.

bbc golden period
tom baker was good in this production defeating the cybermen who where like margarat thatcher bad and made of steal a good story of cheating and revenge you have to watch it to get the idea this was the first video of docter who to be released by the bbc in 1985 ... Read more

Reviews (28)

This is a really good movie!
I enjoyed this movie so much. It touches on the "first love" thing without being too sappy. You can really feel for the young men at the "boys camp". You can see that they aren't all bad and beyond redemption. Best of the "80s" movies I watched, and I'vve seen them all. I have one questions though - I just love the song "I'm in it for love" by James House. Does anyone know where I might be able to get it?

What a great love story
I loved the 80's feel of this movie! I saw it the first time in the 80's and I have loved it ever since! I just wish it would come out on DVD!!!!

Great romance film.
Just love this Craig Sheffer/Virginia Madsen film and a reminder of the power of love. Highly recommended for those with romance in their hearts. I've seen the film a long time ago, and been wanting to own a copy. It's still one of the best love films to come out of that decade, not to mention some of the best songs of those years, most of them featured in the dance scene.

James House: I'm In It For Love
John Waite: If Everybody Had A Heart
Wild Blue: Fire With Fire
Prince: Computer Blue
Stephanie Mills: Bit By Bit (Theme From Fletch)
Huey Lewis and the News: Heart Of Rock And Roll
Bryan Ferry: Slave To Love
Winston Sharples: From Nags To Witches
Harry Manfredini: Music from Friday The 13th: A New Beginning

Couldn't find the soundtrack though...

One of the best
This is definitely one of my all time favorite movies. I never could fathom having someone love you so much to go through all that they did together. A truly romantic movie that I still place at the top of my list!

My favorit movie of all time
What can I say the two leads have soooo perfect cemistry. It is VERY cheesy. but good if you need to feel good. a lovely movie that should have made more attention. ... Read more

Description

Zoinks! Two years after a clash of egos forced Mystery Inc. to close it's doors, Scooby-Doo and his clever crime-solving cohorts Fred (FREDDIE PRINZE JR.), Daphne (SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR), Shaggy (MATTHEW LILLARD) and Velma (LINDA CARDELLINI) are individually summoned to Spooky Island to investigate a series of paranormal incidents at the ultra-hip Spring Break hot spot. Concerned that his frightfully popular resort might truly be haunted, Spooky Island owner Emile Mondavarious (ROWAN ATKINSON) tries to reunite those notoriously meddling detectives to solve the mystery before his supernatural secret scares away the college crowds. Scooby and the gang will have to overcome their personal differences and forget everything they think they know about fake ghouls and phony creatures to crack the case, save themselves and possibly...the world! Ruh-roh! ... Read more

Reviews (295)

Zoinks!! Its Scooby Doo!!
This movie is based on the highly successful Hanna-Barbara cartoon series. It stars Freddie Prinze Jr. as Fred, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, and Linda Cardellini as Velma. The plot revolves around the group's mystery solving team, Mystery Inc. The group has split up after differences among the members surfaced. However, two years later, each receives a letter from the owner of Spooky Island, a hot spring break resort. Apparently, some supernatural forces have been at work on the island, and the group has been summoned to see if they can help. However, each does not know that anyone else has been invited, so its a shock when everyone arrives at the airport and discovers that they're all going to the same place. Will everyone be able to put their differences aside and solve the mystery?

I thought the acting in the movie was pretty good overall. However, I thought Fred's character was too preppy and self-involved. Sarah Michelle Gellar does a good job as Daphnie, and Linda Cardellini makes a perfect Velma, but this movie belongs to Matthew Lillard. His portyayal of Shaggy is top notch. He even sounds like the old Saturday morning character that we grew up with. His relationship with Scooby is just like I remember as a child. The computer animation is well done, and Scooby Doo seems almost life-like. This is a fun movie and brings back a lot of childhood memories.

Fun and Funny movie
Before I saw the movie, I was skeptical of the cast selections of Freddie Prinze Jr and Sarah Michele Geller, but after seeing it, I think they did a great job. Linda Cardellini made Velma more than a brain and Matthew Lillard IS Shaggy. The entire cast did an incredible job of bringing to life some beloved cartoon characters.

The movie itself was like a longer, live-action, episode of the classic cartoons. Some people would say that some of the action was predictable, but when have you watched the cartoon and not known when the gang was going to split up, or Shaggy and Scooby were going to run away from a ghost, etc? The cartoons followed a formula, and the movie doesn't change it.

And it was funny. Though the kids and adults in the audience had different degrees of laughter at different jokes, they were all laughing.

A lot of people have made a big to-do about the "in jokes" of Scooby Doo. When I was a kid watching the show, the only thing I understood that was never said was that Fred and Daphne were boyfriend/girlfriend. And that's all I got from the movie. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough, or I didn't want to see anything else. In any case, I'm glad the movie makers kept the spirit of the cartoons unchanged.

The only negative thing I can say about this movie is that I was somewhat disappointed by the ending. I won't give it away, and I'm sure some fans of the show will cheer at it, but I thought it was a little out of spirit.

When I was in elementary school, I knew a girl who had nightmares from the cartoon. I think the movie could have the same affect on littler kids. I would compare the scariness to the green minions in Anastasia (I thought those would be quite scary to a little kid, but I don't have kids so who knows what they think is scary these days).

So, to sum up, go see it, take your kids (if they don't scare easily), and be ready to laugh.

Okay at best, but it doesn't beat the original series
"Scooby-Doo" is okay. It's not that great of a film and it's not that bad. As much as I despise him, I have to say that Matthew Lillard does an excellent job as Shaggy. He's the best character in this flick. Linda Cardellini is good as Velma, but she has a couple of lines(ex. "Let's get jinky with it") that are just atrocious. Freddie Prinze, Jr. wasn't necessarily miscast as Fred, but the character was portrayed in a way that doesn't really reflect the character from the original show. Sarah Michelle Gellar was annoying as Daphne. Nevermind the fact that she pulled out the old kung-fu ala "Buffy," she's just not convincing enough in this role. The CGI Scooby was just that, a CGI Scooby. He looks fake, but dogs can't talk either, so I'm okay with that. His character is actually pretty good.

The best part of this film is the opening scene with the Luna ghost. It looked as if it were straight out of the old series. Everything heads south from there. The characters, excepting Shaggy and Scooby, are weightless. The nasties are just plain silly and the jokes resort to sophomoric humor. I'm sure every thirteen year-old boy in the crowd got a laugh from the farting contest between Shaggy and Scooby. A few cuss words were thrown around, and Daphne puts a whipping on a wrestler-type baddie.

Overall, this film works well with kids between the ages of eleven and sixteen. Younger kids MIGHT get scared by the bad guys, and the language can get a little rough for the really young'uns. For us older folks who grew up with the series, it's nice to see Scooby and the gang in a live-action format. However, I feel that this movie tries too hard to make itself appeal to all age groups. I also think that the director should have decided on whether he was making a nostalgic flick, a spoof, or an updated version using potty humor.

It's watchable and somewhat funny, but you might want to rent this one before laying any money down for it.

Scooby Dooby Doooooo!
After a classic Scooby Doo mystery being solved, Velma gets tired of Fred always taking the credit for her work and quits the gang. Fred and Daphne follow suite and the now lonely duo of Shaggy and Scooby go off on their own.

About a year or so later, they meet up again at the airport where, unbeknownst to them, they are all invited to the newly opened Spooky Island theme park to solve a myst