Amazon.com

Straight Time is notable for one of Dustin Hoffman's best--and least-seen--performances, as a lifelong criminal who, as a parolee, struggles to go straight. But it's a losing battle right from the jump. In less than a week, he's had a scuffle with his parole officer (M. Emmet Walsh) and is on the dodge, looking for a score. But you know that this guy has only two directions he can go in life--and that's either back to prison or into an early grave. A startling depiction of a surprisingly likable sociopath, this Ulu Grosbard film is a dark meditation on one man's firm--if skewed--values and features Hoffman in a relentless, wiry portrayal. The rest of the cast is equally strong, including thealways-reliable Harry Dean Stanton, then-newcomer Gary Busey, and an unknown Kathy Bates. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (11)

perhaps dustin hoffman's finest performance
I last saw Straight Time several years ago, on television (with commercials and overdubbed swearing, of course). Yet this film has lingered in my memory - every time I think of Hoffman, I think of this film. Others here have reprised the general storyline. I've seen most of Hoffman's films, the great to not so great (thankfully I've never been subjected to 'Hook'). Most films with DH in them are indeed "Dustin Hoffman" films. In Straight Time however, he dissolves into the character of Max Dembo. You forget that it's Dustin Hoffman - you see a pathetic little guy, locked in his pathologies, with just the faintest glimmer of self-recognition, enough to despair for knowing that he'll always follow these lost paths. It is indeed one of the best films - and best performances - you've likely never seen. Beware - this ain't no 'Tootsie'. This is gritty and dark in tone, and will not leave you feeling uplifted. Then again, the same can be said for "Midnight Cowboy", and that doesn't make it any less worth the time viewing it. See it.

Fan of the actors
A great film, what attracted me to it was the supporting cast. M. Emmet Walsh, Harry Dean Stanton, and Gary Busey give truly mesmerizing performances that make this film special. Dustin Hoffman is very good in the lead though I think he makes the character a little too sympathetic. The screenplay is good and it demands the supporting cast to be realistic and multifaceted. Another great M. Emmet Walsh performance is in the Coen brothers film Blood Simple, another great Harry Dean Stanton performance is in Rancho Deluxe (another film with great cast and script), and another great Gary Busey performance is in The Buddy Holly Story.

Great Movie, Un-salvagable Character
Dustin Hoffman did a fine job portraying a low-life career thief who deserved nothing more than to be locked safely away in prison for 100 years. Goodness knows we don't need this type of criminal running free in society, stealing from honest people.

Brains and Balls
Welcome my friends to Bunker's universe. EUNUCS NOT ALLOWED. Great story, superb acting, a real crime-human drama. Existential, uplifting, and above all, life-right-in-your-face.

'70s seediness at its best
A grim, rigidly understated, crime flick, featuring Dustin Hoffman as a tight-lipped, ill-fated career criminal. His onscreen transition from a docile but dignified parolee to a cold, calculating man of action is surprising and effective; the second half of the film is a dry-mouthed slow-drip of adrenaline and dread. Plenty of gritty '70s ambiance, and strong performances by Harry Dean Stanton, Gary Busey and a young Kathy Bates. Theresa Russell is absorbing as the good girl gone wrong who has a puzzling attraction to a very dangerous man. Worth checking out. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An outdated hippie movie from 1971
This movie's plot which revolves around the tormented existence of a songwriter is not really engaging or important to me. I bought this video because I was curious to see what things were like in New York circ. 1970. This movie was filmed in July-September 1970 and contains some really vintage footage of the Big Apple. In one scene, we get to see inside Bill Graham's Fabled Fillmore East, which was from 1968-71, New York's prime rock venue. In the scene, Georgie (Dustin Hoffman) joins the band Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show (w/ guest vocalist Shel Silverstein) onstage for a jam session. On the actual night of filming, the Grateful Dead performed (9-18-70 was the date of the concert, and is available on bootleg). In the audition scene, we see inside the glorious Lunt-Fontainne Theatre (filmed in July 1970). Another interesting scene is the view above Manhattan (July 1970) where you can actually see the Twin Towers under construction. Also, you can see Dustin Hoffman wearing ridiculous hippie garb & buckskin. By the way, there's a plot, but as I said, it's not important.

A great movie with a lousy title
Barbara Harris gives her best performance in the audition scene. The veteran actor was never so vunerable, so delightful and so beautiful. Hoffman played fantastically to her tenderness. And Gabe Dell,so many years ago and the Dead End Kids and in this movie, a swinger. Doesn't the man ever age, whatever the guy is eating and drinking, let me know. It took me about 15 years before I found a tape and now it's #1 on my list. I feel very fortunate to have it. Hell, I even liked Dom and that's going the whole nine yards. Great show to watch on a dark and stormy night.

i have waited 28 years for this one....
i first saw this movie when it was released in 1971 and it blew me away. i have waited 28 years to find it on video. in around 1985 i stumbled on it on late-night tv, about a third of the way thru and taped what was left....the movie had that much of a pull on me. hoffman is brilliant as a bob dylan-like, aging rock star who has everything and nothing. terrific writing all the way thru, the film blends music, psychoanalysis, lament and comedy.

A comic masterpiece
Dustin Hoffmann gives a rare, little known performance as a manic depressive schizoid rock star but the movie's magic comes from its superb character actors (the shrink, the Bronx mother and so on) and from its visual drama, such as Hoffman's jump off the GM tower on 5th avenue and the ending in lower Manhattan. Not for the middle of the road crowd, this one calls for a bit of verve in the viewer's noggin.

The saddist movie I ever saw. Dustin Hoffman is tormented
This is the story of George Soloway ( Dustin Hoffman ) a sucessful songwriter who despite his financial sucess can't get the bugs out of his head. All he asks for is " Just 1 minute without fear "which his shrink considers a ridiculas request. A good study on tormant and maybe we are that much alone. A self absorbed, self centered self destructive song writer who can't even sleep. We've all had those moments but not lived that life. This movie always made me wonder ... should I feel blessed or just jump off a bridge. Well you won't get any answers here. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Man from uncle are great
The first one is a little more wild than i like but the second on is the best I have seen.They are great guys I like it that the good guys always win at the end.

George Sanders steals Vol 2 in great dichotomous style
Why 5 stars you may ask? This volume really shows us the dichotomy that existed between the First and Second Seasons of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." television series. "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." was a great extension of the James Bond cinematic phenomena created in the 60s. "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" and the follow-up "The Yukon Affair" couldn't be more different in tone. But that's what made this series so dynamic. George Sanders steals both episodes.

An UNCLE classic
The first show on this video is the sparkling Gazebo in the Maze affair, featuring the talented George Sanders as Squire G. Emory Partridge. This one is a classic example of how good this show was to begin with. The dialogue is crisp, and not to be missed are Jeanette Nolan's wacky Edith Partridge and Leo G. Carroll in biking attire! Written by Dean Hargrove, who should've done more episodes, this one has the kind of dialogue in it that made the show so popular. Illya is kidnapped by the Squire, who has a grudge against UNCLE, and it's Napoleon to the rescue (well, sort of, since he promptly gets captured as well). The classic line from this one is when they are escaping through the maze, while being chased by a gamekeeper and a very large, nasty looking wolf. When the gamekeeper accidentally is attacked by the wolf, Illya murmurs, "bon appetit!" Definitely a keeper!

The second title brings back the squire, minus his wife, for a less clever episode. It's okay, but it definitely lacks the sparkle of the first. However, Illya manages to kiss the cute little Eskimo, and both agents wind up in the hospital. Not as clever or as imaginative as the Gazebo affair, but not as silly as some of the third season episodes, either.

Gazebo in the Maze and Yukon Affair
Though "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" and "The Yukon Affair" are something like a two part episode, "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" appeared in UNCLE's first season while "The Yukon Affair" appeared in UNCLE's second season. If you read on you'll find out why I'm only giving this volume only 3 stars.

Episode 27 "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair": A long time ago, Napoleon and Illya stopped the plan of Squire G. Emory Partridge (George Sanders) to control a small country in South America. Now he wants revenge. He kidnaps Illya and lures Napoleon to his manor in Eastsnout. He captures Napoleon and wants to have Napoleon and Illya convince Mr. Waverly come to Eastsnout to try to bring UNCLE down. They refuse though and Partridge, together with his wife Edith (Jeanette Nolan), torture Napoleon and Illya. Peggy Durance (Bonnie Franklin) helps them escape fortunately. The only thing is, the dungeon is right in the center of a maze in which it is filled with all sorts of deadly traps.* Great episode with a great plot. In the second season of UNCLE, they made it so Partridge returned again, in The Yukon Affair. I definitely prefer this first one with Partridge though. The part when Napoleon, Illya, and Peggy are trying to get out of the maze is really exciting, especially with Partridge, his henchman, and a wolf looking for them.

Episode 43 "The Yukon Affair": Sqire G. Emory Partridge (George Sanders) has returned and has acquired in Alaska a large quantity of Quadrillenium X, a very heavy metal with high magnetic powers which THRUSH wants. Napoleon and Illya are sent there to try to stop him but are immediately captured by Eskimos, but are saved by the chief's daughter Murphy (Tianne Gabrielle). Partridge and his niece Victoria (Marion Thompson) again capture them though. Will Napoleon and Illya be able to escape and find the cache of Quadrillenium X? * Weak and stupid plot, not very high up in my list of favorite UNCLE episodes. The scene in the beginning where Illya and Napoleon are in UNCLE headquarters is the best part of the whole episode, the rest is just too silly.

George Sanders returns twice as G. Emory Partridge
Volume 2 in the "Man from U.N.C.L.E." video collection features George Sanders as that most urbane bad guy, G. Emory Partridge in a pair of episodes from 1965. First up is "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" (Episode #27: April 5, 1965), where it turns out that Partridge has not really been dead these seven years since last the boys saw him. Partridge kidnaps Kuryakin as a trap for Solo, with the aid of his strange but deadly wife, marvelously played by Jeanette Nolan. Dean Hargrove and Antony Ellis wrote the script for this above average episode, based on a story by Ellis, while Alf Kjellin was the director. Partridge returns in "The Yukon Affair" (Episode 43: December 24, 1965), although I am sad to report Mrs. Partridge does not make an appearance this time around. Like most sequels it is somewhat disappointing, especially since Sanders and Nolan were such an interesting tag team. Anyhow, Partridge tries to kill Solo with a big rock and then Waverly sends the boys off to the Yukon to track him down. While this certainly gives a whole new meaning to the idea of the Cold War, this is an okay episode that is just not as good as "Gazebo." In both of them the cheif charm is the way Sanders proceeds to do his evil deeds with such charm and grace. Marc Siegel wrote the "Yukon" episode, which was also directed by Kjellin. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

World War One's Answer to "Top Gun"
Rarely has the Great War ever been expressed on the wide screen as done in THE BLUE MAX. The air war is viewed from the German point of view with George Peppard in the starring role. Peppard portrays German lieutenant Stachel, the son of a working class family who rises from the mud-soaked enlisted infantry ranks to that of the privilaged pilot officer corps. Ruthless in his pursuit of Germany's highest decoration, the Pour Le Merit known as the Blue Max, Stachel violates the chivalrous confines of the air war to the point of insubordination. Stunning aerial combat sequences and beautiful Irish countryside (doubling for the front lines in France 1918) make this definitely a film worth watching. A great supporting cast, many of whom are regulars in war movies of the 1960's and 1970's, add considerable talent to this bold film. Indeed, Jeremy Kemp and George Peppard previously costarred in 1965's OPERATION CROSSBOW. Kemp would again play the role of a German officer in the 1980's television miniseries WAR AND REMEMBERANCE. Actor James Mason already perfected his recurring film roles as a German General in two previous films (in both of which he played German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel) and adds a powerful performance in THE BLUE MAX. Jerry Goldsmith's soundtrack is nothing less than spectacular. This World War One classic ranks highly with ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT and WHAT PRICE GLORY.

A German anti-hero determined to be a flying ace
"The Blue Max" is a film that keeps its hero at a distance from the audience. Although it contains absolutely stunning footage of aerial combat between World War I bi-planes we never really developing a strong rooting interest in the main character, Bruno Stachel (George Peppard). This is not just because Stachel is a German, who is gunning down British and French pilots throughout the film; films like "Das Boot" have managed to gain out compassion and concern for Germans during times of war. But Stachel is very much an anti-hero, who's passion for shooting down the enemy is for personal glory (symbolized by the military award, the Blue Max) rather than as part of the Fatherland's war effort. This is rather ironic because one of the major sub-texts of "The Blue Max" puts Stachel in the mode of the traditional American rags to riches success story: German fliers are mostly members of the aristocracy and Stachel had served two years in the trenches before transferring to the luftwaffe. Yet because the character does not have the moral attitude required of a great warrior, we are compelled to watch his story play out but are not persuaded to be moved. In fact, the ending of the film is decidedly different from Jack Hunter's novel, but in does conform to the character of Bruno Stachel developed in the film. The problem is not with Peppard's performance (he played a similar sort of heel in "The Carpetbaggers"), but rather with the character he plays.

"The Blue Max" has a historical accuracy that is rarely seen let alone truly noticed in a war movie and there is something about those World War I aircraft, the way they move in the air, that makes the metaphor of knights of the air more potent. The metaphor also matters because of the idea of chivalry that Stachel rejects throughout the film. James Mason plays General Count von Klugermann, who sees Stachel's exploits as a propaganda tool which will help make das volk happier to shed their blood in the trenches and Ursula Andress plays his wife, the Countess Kaeti von Klugermann, who is dangled as bait to get Stachel to play along. My favorite performance is Karl Michael Vogler as Otto Heidemann, the group commander and arguably one of the few real warriors in the film. "The Blue Max" has great aerial sequences that have to balance the more plodding action on the ground. This was one of the first movies I had seen after reading the book and it is interesting to reconsider the film today and finally articulate why I was so disappointed with it way back when.

Visually stunning, convincing, treat for Aero buffs.
Reading the other reviews, several of which were very impressive, wouldnt find much to disagree in MrGalatis comments, I was taken back to my own last viewing of this movie, a VHS, havent seen the DVD. I also had read the book, though after my first view of the film in my childhood. Its a thick book, and several sordid sub-plots including the blackmail attempt on Stachel by a member of groundcrew and a pilot which Stachel deals with murderously would have made the movie overlong, but the fatal low-level buzzing of the bridge seen in the movie resemble that bookplot in part. I wasnt surprised to read right here that the aircraft were specially constructed for this big-budget epic, let me point out there are no deHavilland Tiger Moths with Maltese crosses on them to appall the buff-viewer here, a convincing-looking legendary 'Richtofen' even puts in a brief 'cameo-appearance' in an impressive looking triplane, in what must have been chronologically Richtofens final days before death.Most of the British planes are SE5a's. The movie captures the WW1 atmosphere from the early gloomy morning scenes at the airfield and the German pilots ordering pink champagne at the mess-bar. This film is from the German viewpoint, and several sequences depicting the destruction of Allied troops or airmen may disturb some somewhat, there are a couple of graphic and convincing sequences depicting grim hand to hand between the ground forces that our characters soar above. The sequence where Stachel 'captures' a British two-seater and escorts it back to his base and what occurs there is grim and war-authentically brutal and insightful into wars moralities, to me, Peppard is accused of cold-bloodedness maybe even a war-crime for his handling of a situation which changes suddenly to foil his chivalrous attempt to capture rather than destroy a British two-seater, alas the situation looks like one thing to the witnesses on the ground who cannot see crucial events unfolding 20 metres ahead of Stachel high in the air, the real situation that only Stachel can see is quite different.Of course, Stachels reasons for attempting to spare the helpless British plane and its occupants are not entirely selfless either.

Peppards eventual engineered fate is a further comment on war and the people who run it, as well as what can happen to you if you assume to fool around with other peoples women, even if they dont seem to mind up front.I think the concept and background of this final scene is based on the story of a late-war German type, the Fokker D-viii monoplane and the problems encountered with that.More for the aero-history -buffs.

For the kids whove seen rubbish like 'Top Gun', or worse still 'pearl harbor', come see a movie with real aeroplanes doing real flying probably also actual life and death in the stunts themselves, no foxy ladies in leather jackets telling you how to handle Russian MiGs here, and no American fighter-pilots flying B-25 bombers to China and taking on Japanese infantry hand-to-hand either, or P-40s and Zero fighters that move like F-16s either.No CGI,no boy-band looking cast, just grim ambitious though courageous anti-heroes,with some conniving, breathtaking real aeroplanes and grim real-looking aerial killing. Top 60s-movie Vid or DVD, really, if your an aeroplane or war-movie person and havent seen it, chances are youll be blown away, or rather shot-down!

The importance of esprit de corps
As stated in other reviews here, the movie is excellent in many dimensions - characters, historic realism, action. I would like to discuss an aspect not covered elsewhere.

One of the main themes of the movie is the conflict between Stachel's personal ambition and the squadron's cohesion as a fighting unit. Stachel is (with the possible exception of Willie Klugermann) the best pilot, but he's newcomer to the air war, and he realizes he has only a short time to prove it. He's starting out with zero kills and he needs to catch up.

The interesting thing is that Stachel's ambition leads to various decisions that enhance his reputation as a pilot, but hurt the goals of his squadron. The tragic flaw is that he's too able a pilot to be forced to leave, and his value as a propaganda weapon only gives him more opportunity to hurt the squadron. This leads to a predicament where they can't court-marshall him when he obviously deserves it (in fact they are forced to reward him with the Blue Max), and this leads to the squadron commander's resignation - thus has Stachel's ambition damaged the squadron's integrety.

This individual vs. group conflict is a universal one (you see it all the time in the real world), and it's well shown in this movie.

Don't let this awesome movie fade away!
Why is this amazing and significant film still not available on DVD? I have a VHS copy and watch it regularly, year after year. I will purchase the DVD just as soon as I can get my hands on one, but what is taking so long? I saw this movie as a child when it first ran in theatres and have loved it all these years since; every time I watch it I reach a new level of historical, cultural and political understanding. The aerial combat scenes are breathtaking, the historical accuracy is very commendable and the music supports the imagery beautifully, as well as being superb on its own merits. Let's get this movie available on DVD before VHS truly becomes obsolete! ... Read more

Description

Join the Kidsongs Kids for a musical day on the farm and meet all of their animal friends. Milk the cows, feed the piglets, cuddle the ducklings and meet Mary's famous lamb as you sing the songs we all know and love. Bounce along on an old-fashioned hayride and sing around the campfire in this music adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Best video ever!
My 19 month old son stops for nothing...except this video. He was mesmerized from the first time he saw it, and he begs to watch it at least once a day. We have other videos that we've borrowed, but he doesn't even act like they're on. Old MacDonald's Farm is great! Kids, songs, animals, dancing...it's got it all! I highly recommend this to anyone with kids!

* Magical *
I got this music video for my son who is 2 years and 10 months. He loves going to the farm and looking at farm animals. I read the reviews and decided to give it a try. Christmas morning my son opened his present and demanded to watched it right away. He could not stop. He absolutly loves it and gets very excited every time he watches it. It truly brings the magic of going to the farm. I love to watch my little one when he watches his video and see how his eyes glow of delight.

Kidsongs - A Day at Old MacDonald's Farm
Highly Recommended! My 18 month old daughter just loves this DVD. Lots of good music, dancing and fun. A must have for any children's dvd collection.

A winner!
My 1 year old twins generally need to watch a new video at least twice before they like it but they were enthralled by this video from the beginning. Perhaps it is because they were already familiar with some of the songs, and perhaps it is also because they see lots of children singing in the video. Whatever the reasons, my girls really enjoy this video, and personally I think it is great too, and very suitable for the little ones. I highly recommend this video to anyone with infants and young children.

wonderful dvd
this kidsongs dvd is great my 11 month old grandson loves it,we
also have several others so far this one very silly songs and
boppin with the biggles seem to be the ones he likes best. I even
enjoy watching them with him. I would recommend these . ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the rarest of the early Doctor Who series, with William Hartnell as the crusty old Doctor, "Edge of Destruction" is entirely based in the Tardis, which has stopped somewhere between worlds and times. The Doctor blames Ian and Barbara, the two teachers who came aboard in search for answers about his granddaughter Susan, assuming they have committed sabotage in an attempt to return to their own time. They, in turn, in spite of recent shared escapes from cavemen and Daleks, have no particular reason to trust his sanity. Something is causing one after another of them to act with violent irrationality, and the clock is ticking toward their destruction... This is a claustrophobic two-episode plot in which the series examines closely some of its more beloved assumptions. For example, who, in this situation, is good and who is dangerous? The restriction to a single set may have started as an economy measure but virtue is made of necessity.

Also included is the original pilot episode, "An Unearthly Child," with several retakes. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (14)

"Nothing in ze world can stop me now!!"
After waiting months to finally obtain the "correct" release of this video, the Warner snafu is over, for now. I can't say it was worth the wait, but I am pleased with the contents on them. The remastering of both "The Edge of Destruction" and the original "pilot episode" look beautiful, magnificently cleaned up by the Restoration Team. Although, don't look at the story too much, as it was originally conceived to fill time between "The Daleks" and "Marco Polo"(the sets weren't ready!). "Edge" itself is incredibly bizarre, but things start ot feel a little normal during "The Brink of Disaster". The original pilot is also very enjoyable. Love Susan's little jig in classroom. But the Highlight of the release, at least for North Amercian viewers, is "The Missing Years". A 30 minute special made by the Restoration Team about various Doctor Who episodes that might be missing forever. Also included, are various extracts and clips from missing episodes. Well researched, well made, these people know what they're talking about, very informative. And let's not forget the bonus episode: Episode 3 of "The Underwater Menace"! It has to be seen to be believed! Absolutely wonderful! The Doctor in disguise is NOT to be missed. A must get for any Doctor Who nut.

Buy for 'The Missing Years'!
Most die-hard Doctor Who fans have seen 'The Edge of Destruction' and 'An Unearthly Child' enough times not to be dazzled by this release. 'Edge' is not one of the best episodes in Doctor Who's history. This release, however, does contain the unaired version of 'An Unearthly Child,' and it is somewhat interesting to note the differences between this version and the actual aired version. However, nearly all Doctor Who fans should purchase this video for the 'Missing Years' footage, which is about an hour long including the dialogue by Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling. Most fans can gloss over the dialouge about how the BBC lost the episodes. But there are good clips of all three missing Daleks stories, a few moments of Patrick Troughton's recovery from his regeneration, and weird moments from 'Fury From the Deep,' to name some highlights. The entire episode 3 on 'The Underwater Menace' is presented, although the story and special effects are campy. If nothing else, 'The Missing Years' provides some good visuals for episodes now released as audio soundtracks: 'The Highlanders,' 'The Macra Terror,' and a lengthy clip from 'Galaxy Four' are featured. This is not the best of Doctor Who, but it is a must for every Doctor Who fan.

Entertaining
"The Edge of Destruction" is obviously low-budget filler in between the bigger stories "The Daleks" and the lost "Marco Polo." For fans of the underrated Hartnell years, though, this is a great one and at times bizaree. Written by David Whitaker, original script editor for the series, this one is filler (both of the episodes of the story feature just the main cast of the show totally isolated in the time machine), but it's still lots of fun. Hartnell's Doctor again plays the angry and mean side, but this is a turning point in that in the end we see he is finally starting to warm up to the schoolteachers Ian and Barbara who have thusfar been the heroes of the series.

"The Pilot Episode" is a fun watch for die hard fans, as is the missing years tape which almost makes a fan like myself sad at the prospect of all of these lost classics. Some of the best DW? No. Enjoyable? Yes.

Inside The Spaceship
This particular adventure is very claustrophobic, as well as being very intense, and atmospheric. In a way, it's almost Hitchcockian in its execution. For this adventure takes place within the confines of the Doctor's ship, the TARDIS. Some sort of intense shockwave has knocked the crew unconscious, and something seems to be wrong with all of the systems within the ship. Not only that, but paranoia, moments of insanity, as well as suspicions and accusations run rampant among the four companions, as no one is sure who to trust, for rational thinking and understanding are thrown out the window, at least, until the climax of the final episode, as the Doctor finally realizes what has happened. This adventure was really cool, and very intense, as the Doctor faced off with both Barbara and Ian, in an intense scenes of wild accusations and mistrust. But ultimately, it was this adventure that marked a turning point for William Hartnell's Doctor, for it was here that the Doctor showed signs of being less harsh, and more likeable, especially towards Ian and Barbara.

The recap
The "first" pilot episode included on this set was never aired apparently due to dissatisfaction on the part of production team -- they felt that Hartnell had played the part too aggressively, there were problems with some line flubs, a few technical glitches; this was flying by the seat of their pants as it was. Thus, this was left in the can and the "second" pilot (is that like being a virgin twice?), the one shown on television in those flickering, far off days, was the one most known to Whovians and other dimensional travelers until this video was put together. I enjoyed this particular version after seeing the second one (!) - Hartnell does play his part aggressively, rather than the more enigmatic reading he gave it second time around. His impatience with these dense, arrogant humans is obvious; as far as he is concerned, they are a tremendous threat, and for good reason. Were the knowledge of dimensional time and space travel to become developed among this half-barbaric civilization, it would be disasterous. Susan in vain begs him to leave these humans behind - their minds, says she, reject anything they cannot understand (that would have been balm to me as a grade schooler, struggling with what seemed like impossibly unimaginative teachers). It will therefore be presumably a mind-expanding experience for Barbara and Ian (who turn out to be excellent companions) to be literally hijacked to 100,000 BC.

The Edge of Destruction, originally called Inside the Spaceship, owes its claustrophobic studio-bound setting to producer Verity Lambert's desire to save a bit of money and show off the interior of the TARDIS, a 2000 pounds sterling staging that set this cash-strapped show back a fair bit. All I can say is the thing works - hastily put together it may have been (Hartnell had a tough time remembering these long speeches he had to memorize in next to no time and flubs a bit - who cares, it made it seem more realistically frantic, anyway), but the surreality of the whole episode is unsettling - this seeming creeping insanity, the breakdown of trust among four people trapped inside a space ship headed towards its own disintegration, the desperate need to grasp onto some sort of reality, however slippery.

Teased with the thought of all of those missing episodes (110 to be exact), I'm not sure I'm glad or frustrated that I have now seen these excellent out-takes in The Missing Years segment, presented by a peppy, well-preserved Frazier Hines (Jamie) and an equally peppy, endearing Deborah Watling (Victoria, in an awful haircut) with a somewhat wide-eyed narration that is all in good fun. They present a selection of Dr. Who clips and short interviews with the film collectors who found them, and where and how they were found is both amusing and interesting. The censored bits from the Australian collector especially are vivid and shockingly modern; missing the rest of the various episodes made me want to weep. Notable is the intriguing regeneration scene from Hartnell to Troughton -- the fact that someone had probably shot this bit of film by training their old 8mm on their television screen gives it a very creepy, shadowy, telescopic view that I rather liked. Also contained in this segment is the suriving complete third episode of The Underwater Menace, which was great camp.

Unfortunately, the film collector who admitted that after 30 years the chances of finding any more viewable Dr. Who's are very slim may be, I fear, correct. Like the TARDIS, however, hope is eternal... ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Flynn in Excellent Drama of WWI Aviators...
THE DAWN PATROL, Errol Flynn's final film of his busiest year as an actor (1938), is a fascinating counterpoint to his usual swashbuckling and light comic roles. A remake of Howard Hawks' 1930 classic, this is a tale of war-weary WWI aviators, called upon to risk their lives daily, in broken-down aircraft, on missions they consider impossible (a timeless war theme that would reappear in such WWII classics as COMMAND DECISION and TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH). Directed by WWI veteran Edmund Goulding, best known for his big-budget romances (GRAND HOTEL), the film counterpoints the gritty, harsh realities on the ground with the nearly surreal quality of early air battles, as bi-planes with open cockpits whirl and swoop like insects, and enemy airmen would occasionally drop out possessions of dead pilots over airfields, in a chivalrous gesture.

Fellow pilots Courtney and Scott (portrayed by real-life friends Flynn and David Niven, again showing the rapport they had demonstrated so effectively in 1936's THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE) are battle-tested veterans, hell-raising survivors of a squadron decimated by the war. Seeing a constant influx of 'green' kids replacing lost friends, and knowing too well that the rookies' inexperience will quickly cost them their lives, the pair vent their anger against their commander, the coldly 'by-the-book' Maj. Brand (in a remarkable performance by frequent Flynn nemesis, Basil Rathbone). Courtney constantly condemns and belittles Maj. Brand, accusing him of placing 'The Mission' over the lives of the men under his command, which makes Courtney a hero in the eyes of the fliers.

Finally, Brand cracks, and is approved for reassignment, and Courtney is chosen to replace him. In a powerful scene, Brand lets his cold 'facade' down, and reveals, bitterly, to the younger man that seeing his men sent on suicide missions, daily, had literally crushed him. Unknown to the squadron, Brand had constantly begged HQ to ease up, but had been 'shot down' each time, as the missions were essential. "Now it's YOUR turn," Brand sneers, "See how YOU enjoy it!"

Brand's words are prophetic, as Courtney quickly discovers himself in the same situation, as the despised scapegoat, with Scott assuming the role of spokesperson and savior to the squadron. And the most dangerous mission yet has just come down from HQ...

DAWN PATROL is a powerful film, with great performances from the entire cast, particularly Flynn, who had often begged the WB to give him roles beyond his 'swashbuckler' image. The critical praise it garnered proved Flynn's versatility as an actor (although public demand would keep him 'locked' into adventure films), and raised David Niven up to 'star' status.

It remains one of the BEST films about the 'Great War', and shouldn't be missed!

A play that is neatly turned into a great film
The Dawn Patrol is a good film. It appears to be based on a play as most of the real action takes place in the barracks of an air corp in France during the first world war. Basil Rathbone is the commander who sends untrained boys off to the death in hopeless battles. Flynn and Niven play more senior officers who try to kep them alive amid the slaughter.

Despite its morose sounding material, it has many funny incidents. Flynn and Niven play airman who face death at any day and enjoy each moment of life. The film reaches a climax when Rathbone is promoted and Flynn is given command and friction erupts between him and Niven as they send more young boys to the their death.

The resolution is implausible and contains some of the most ludicrous bombing scenes imaginable. But the action scenes are really window dressing for the action below. A fine film that would be a precursor for Command Decision and Twelve O'Clock High. The film Aces High also owes a great deal to this film.

A fantastic story on the futuility of warfare
There have been many films made about the nature of warfare, about its futility, and about the effects that it can have a on a person. But this has to be one of the greatest.

Strangely, what I love most about this movie is what it has in common with one of my favorite westerns, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". You may wonder what these two movies could possibly have in common. Well...

In "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", there's a part toward the end of the movie where we see that the North and South are fighting over a bridge. Every day, the same thing. Both sides rush it, many die, and then both sides retreat. It never ends. Like some sort of twisted warrior's hell, people are doomed to suffer and die. For nothing. That was a great movie because of that part. Now imagine an entire movie about that one battle. That's just what "The Dawn Patrol" is.

Errol Flynn and his best friend David Niven are in the middle of a seemingly endless war, fought in their case with planes over the same stretches of land. Again and again they fly out on their patrol. Again and again young innocent men die. For a strip of land. For nothing.

And because they must continually fight these battles, they eventually lose all their fear. It all becomes quite unreal. They start fooling around and having fun on their missions, showing off. In short, viewing it like it's just a job they have to do, nothing more. And Errol Flynn excels at playing a ruffian who cares for nothing. But then...

The commander of the base (played to perfection by Basil Rathbone) where he and his friend live gets promoted because of a stunt he pulled. And guess who gets to fill his hellish job of sending young fools to a quick, painful death. When the stress starts to build, and circumstances pit our hero against his best friend, and when honor forces him to do what he feels is right no matter what the cost...

This movie is truly the finest hour of Errol Flynn, David Niven, and Basil Rathbone combines. All shine in this movie. It's great suspense, great drama and great film-making. If you love war movies, or just good movies in general, BUY THIS MOVIE.

A WONDERFUL VEHICLE FOR ERROL FLYNN.
The performances of Flynn and Rathbone shine in this fine remake of the 193O original - which conveniently used much of the same aerial footage. Major Brand (Basil Rathbone), the commanding officer of a squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps stationed in France, has been called a butcher by his top officer, Captain Courtney (Errol Flynn) - because of his hardened attitude toward sending inexperienced young flyers to their death. Courtney and his best friend, Lieutenant Scott (David Niven), have their own way of coping with the constant death of new recruits; they drink a toast to the dead, sing a song, and then go back to devising diverting, thrill-seeking pranks...It has been implied that Howard Hughes sued Warner Bros. claiming that certain story ideas and techniques which were used in this film were curiously similar to some of those used in his 193O production HELL'S ANGELS. Hughes lost the suit when it was determined that the disputed ideas originated with John Monk Saunders via his personal experiences in the air service: it WAS the basis for the first AA-winning film, the 1927 silent WINGS. In 1941, Warners blended aspects of their 1936 film CEILING ZERO and this one & came up with FLIGHT PATROL (!). Among the musical numbers which are heard in this vastly entertaining film include such vintage goodies as PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES IN AN OLD KIT BAG & POOR BUTTERFLY.

Forget "Top Gun"... here's the best aviator film ever made
An outstanding, and rather bleak, war movie, featuring Errol Flynn and David Niven as two dashing but harrowed, hard-drinking WWI fighter pilots, whose front-line unit is a constant revolving door of fresh-faced "replacements," new cadets who lack the basic skills to keep them alive for even a day or two, against the seasoned German pilots based only miles away. Basil Rathbone plays the British base's high-strung commanding officer, who feels every death as a personal blow -- following heartless orders, he sends boy after boy to an inevitable death. The worm turns when his promotion comes in, elevating the hotheaded and resentful Flynn to his position as commander, and Flynn's grief takes on an added dimension, as he becomes the one responsible for issuing the orders that transform eager young men into mere cannon fodder. The film is a typical interwar mix of pacifist-tinged pessimism and old-world chivalry: the men are gallant and brave, but resentful of the higher-ups who created and orchestrate the wars they have to fight in. The script is fascinating, with the action of the first half taking place entirely on the base. Rather than see the aerial combat, we see the psychological after-effects of the heavy personnel losses. When we do see combat, it is deflationary, either a framework for tragedy or a curse disguised as a giddy triumph. It's also well presented: the feel of the ungainly, canvas-clad prop planes that men went to war in is made palpable, as the ricketty machines bounce along the runway and sputter to life in the skies. A very good film, definitely worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A MUST HAVE!
This story was written by Douglas Adams who also wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and all of it's sequels. It is very humorous as well as intriguing. This is the second story to the six part Key To Time series, but it stands by itself perfectly. K-9 even gets into a fight with a robotic parrot. Oh, and the wound on Tom Baker's lip was inflicted by a dog previous to filming. I only mention that because when i first saw the video i thought it was a cold sore. END

Has anyone seen a video called The Pirate Planet?
The second story of the Key To Time series, The Pirate Planet, is a winner just like its predecessor, The Ribos Operation.

In the opening titles for every episode, the viewer will notice that the writer is Douglas Adams. Yes, it is THAT Douglas Adams, who was taken away from us this summer, so the viewer will know what to expect. The dialogue here is superb as a result, especially those of the Doctor, Pirate Captain, Romana, and Mr. Fibuli. Example: the Doctor while jetting from one end of a corridor to another via a linear induction corridor: "I'll never be cruel to an electron in a particle accelerator again!" And he makes an entrance on the bridge, with a rapid fire introduction delivered to Mr. Fibuli. "Hello, I'm the Doctor. I've heard what a wonderful chap you are. I see you've met my assistant Romana. Getting on like a house on fire, are we? What a splendid place you have here!"

Calufrax is the destination of the second segment of the Key, but somehow, the TARDIS lands on Zanak, a planet that somehow occupies the coordinates of Calufrax. The planet is ruled by the Captain, a big yelling bully of a pirate whose entire left side is mechanical, all due to when he crashed his vessel on Zanak long ago. But what exactly is he up to? The truth later becomes apparent, as he and Romana have "stumbled upon one of the most heinous crimes in the Galaxy."

There's a silly moment where the Doctor steals an aircar by tossing a bag of jellybabies on the hood of the aircar, distracting the guard with a trail of jellybabies, and then taking off, waving bye to the guard.

Tom Baker gets upstaged here as he did in The Ribos Operation, but only once. His attempts to contact the citizens of Zanak as to the whereabouts of the planet Calufrax come to naught, as they either ignore or run away from him as if he is deranged. "Excuse me, have any of you seen a planet called Calufrax? 14,000 kilometers wide, oblate spheroid?" Exasperated, he spreads his arms out and yells, "Has anyone seen a planet called Calufrax?" To add insult to injury, Romana succeeds in striking a conversation with a citizen of Zanak on her first try. However, he does burst into the house of Balaton and says, pop eyes and all, "Excuse me. Are you sure this planet is supposed to be here?"

Bruce Purchase is well-cast as the shouting Captain, and like Garron in Ribos, has a fair share of good lines. "Find him and destroy him, or by all the suns that blaze, I'll tear you apart... molecule for molecule." That is followed by a silly, insane giggle. He works best with his first mate, the timid and bookish Mr. Fibuli. "Excellent, Mr. Fibuli. Your death will be delayed." Fibuli says, "Oh, thank you again and again, sir. Your goodness confounds me." And his oaths: "By the left frontal lobe of the Sky Demon", "by the great parrot of Hades." Silly silly silly!

Mary Tamm shines again as Romana. When ordered to get into an air car by a guard, she says, "I'll take that as an invitation." She hands him her telescope, thanking him, and as she's getting in, asks, "Will you drive? I assume you know where we're going." All of this said in an unruffled, dignified, but casual manner. Now that's class! Her outfit consists of white slacks, heels, and blouse, over which she wears a pink tunic. And her hair, parted in the middle, is a wave of curls framing her classic features.

By the spleen of the Sky Demon, another shining story in the Doctor Who canon!

"They slammed him to the wall with good vibrations?"
This adventure, penned no less by Douglas Adams, is a zany, over the top romp. It has lots of inexplicable technobabble, machines and gadgets with absurdly long names and a blustering cyborg pirate Captain, complete with robot parrot. It's also lots of fun! With Douglas Adams you know to expect it to be completely over the top, and he certainly delivers! The second story in the Key to Time series has the Doctor, Romana and K9 arrive at the exact moment in space and time they are supposed to - but the wrong planet! The plot of the story is not really feasible sci-fi; many of the concepts are incomprehensible and sometimes downright silly. But the story is so enjoyable, who cares? Everyone looks as though they're having fun; some of the characters are plain and bland, but the Captain and Mr Fibuli are an excellent pairing. I also love the close-up on the Polyphase Avatron when K9 appears on the bridge's monitor! Despite its deliberate humour, "The Pirate Planet" has its serious moments. I don't think I've ever seen Tom Baker's Doctor so passionate when he confronts the Captain about the immorality of his actions in episode three. The story also has plenty of pace and an exciting, tension filled final episode. It's terrific!

This Douglas Adams script holds up well over time...
I love the Tom Baker Dr. Who, but not all episodes are equally good. This series is one of the better ones -- not unexpectedly, since Douglas Adams wrote it.

The plot involves a sinister Captain who brings prosperity to his people by doing something really evil -- and I won't tell you what it is for fear of giving away the plot.

The budget for special effects and sets for this series must have been about fifty pounds per episode (makes the original Star Trek series look slick in comparison) but for a true Dr. Who fan, the cheesiness of the sets only adds to the charm. This video has a classic laughably funny scene, with a ride in an "air car" that is obviously a cheaply constructed prop tilted to one side, with a blue back drop, and a fan blowing on the characters to imitate flight. But there are also some very witty lines, beautifully delivered by Tom Baker and others in the cast.

If you collect Dr. Who videos, this one is a "must have."

MR. FIBULI!!!!!!
You hear, "Mr. Fibuli!!!!" alot in this excellent Dr. Who adventure. Out of my vast collection of Dr. Who tapes that I own, this adventure has to be the most watched. This entire story is so well done and it is such a unique tale that you will want to watch it again and again. The story starts with the Doctor in search of the 2nd key to time, which takes him to the planet Calufrax. Calufrax is actually a planet this is just about to be consumed by the very evil Pirate Planet. The captain of the pirate planet and the evil queen Zansea move about the cosmos eating other planets for their minerals. (Our Earth eventually becomes one of their targets... YIKES!!!) Of course, this is completely unexceptable to the good Doctor and the ever lovely Romana. After landing on the Pirate Planet they quickly become involved in aiding the mentiads in overthrowing the evil captin and queen. This story has a lot of adventure and excitement. The story is very engrossing and the special effects are actually not to bad this time around. The acting is well done and you will fall in love with the captain, queen and the comical Mr. Fibuli as they race toward their inevitable destruction. I won't tell you how this ends but I will tell you that it is an amazing surprise! Definately get this episode for your collection and you, like me, will find yourself walking around your house yelling ... MR FIBULI!!!!!! MR. FIBULI!!!!! hehe. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For an entire generation who hid behind the sofa during the scary bits, jokes about Doctor Who are almost inescapably funny. "The Curse of Fatal Death," an extended sketch for Comic Relief, stars more unlikely actors and comedians as the Doctor than anyone could have imagined plausible--Rowan Atkinson, to begin with, and both Hugh and Richard E. Grant. The last-named performance indeed gives one uncomfortable thoughts about roads not taken, as does Jonathan Pryce's remarkable tribute to Roger Delgado as the Master. The tape is filled out with an informative behind-the-scenes documentary and three Doctor Who-related sketches by Victoria Wood and Jim Broadbent, by Lenny Henry, and by French and Saunders. This last sketch, never before shown, with French and Saunders as extras playing reptilian aliens, is particularly hilarious. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Parody very short in length
The parody, 'Curse of Fatal Death', is only about 15 minutes long! The rest of the video is dedicated to how the parody was made which, in my opinion, was boring and tedious. There are three other parodys of Dr. Who at the end of the tape (about 5 mintues each) which are Ok. Although Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Grant are seen in the spoof, I was very disappointed that there wasn't much substance in the parody. The skit is well made, using some orginal Dr. Who visual and audio effects and music, but not enough substance. I probably would not have purchased 'Curse of Fatal Death' if I knew how short it would be.

I Laughed Till I Dried...
I just bought this tape yesterday afternoon, and I'm still chuckling over it. I had heard about this British Comic Relief special over a year ago, but never thought it would be released in the U.S. -- first of all because Doctor Who is considered something of a cult here (i.e., there's little or no money in it), and second because most American fans of the show take it so bloody seriously, they'd probably consider "Fatal Death" as an affront (as witness Star Trek fans' virulent reaction to Shatner's "Get a life" bit on Saturday Night Live). I'm overjoyed to see I was wrong on both counts. Not only have the BBC and Warner Bros. seen a profit potential in a U.S. release, but the reaction I've seen on this page is overwhlemingly positive. As to my reaction? Well...

Being a Blackadder fan as well as a Doctor Who Fan, I was delighted to see Rowan Atkinson in the title role here. He captures the Doctor's spirit perfectly -- sort of a cross between Paul McGann's look, John Pertwee's warmth and charm, and just a little bit of Pat Troughton's naughty-little-boy attitude. And what a brilliant coup, getting Jonathan Pryce to play the part of the Master! Not only is he a great actor (one of the most underrated British actors working today, and one I wish I could see more often), he is also great at playing villains (which you can see in both the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, and in Something Wicked This Way Comes, which has Pryce as the devilish Mr. Dark -- his confrontation with Jason Robards in this film is both chilling and electrifying). Here he gives the Master a perfect blend of Anthony Ainley's over-the-top bravado and Roger Delgado's brilliant, jovial menace -- yet Pryce puts just enough of his own not-inconsiderable talent in to make the role his own. Julia Swahala makes a creditable companion to the Doctor, though I can't quite understand why the Doctor would marry her -- she's got nice legs and everything, but they should have brought back Romana if they wanted to go that route. The other guest actors they brought in to play successive Doctor regenerations were all spot-on, from Richard E. Grant's "lick-the-mirror-handsome" incarnation to Hugh Grant's less-conceited-but-still-quite-handsome version. I also loved the use of Joanna Lumley at the end ("Oh, it's got three settings!"); it's a brilliant twist, and one can't help but wonder why they never tried it on the original series (as opposed to, say, Colin Baker).

As to the humor quotient -- well, I think my review title (which I quite frankly stole from Eric Idle) pretty much describes it. There are dozens of in-jokes here, craftily designed for longtime lovers of the show and its conventions/cliches ("Doctor, what's happening?" "I'll explain later."); there are a brilliant series of time-travel gags early on, worthy of Douglas Adams at his most intricate -- and a few (ahem) "bottom-burp" jokes worthy of The Young Ones at their dirtiest. There are also some fine moments regarding the Master being "augmented" by the Daleks -- "You don't even know what it does, do you?" -- and a brilliant twist ending that echoes, of all things, the end of "Some Like It Hot"! Overall, it's a riot.

If I have any complaints, it's that the darned thing is too short! At (barely) twenty minutes, it seems more like a tease than an actual program. If the humor content wasn't so rich, I might feel cheated...however, given the fact that the producers were working under a limited budget, using borrowed sets and busy actors, I guess I can understand the reason for "Fatal Death's" brevity. The BBC must have realized this too, for they've been generous enough to include a documentary about the making of the special (which is actually pretty good, though a bit superficial), as well as three Doctor Who spoofs from other sketch-comedy shows, the funniest of which is the last. (The first one is a French & Saunders sketch which was never aired, and it isn't hard to see why -- it's painfully unfunny. Still, it's better than Spike Milligan's terrible, racist Pakistani Dalek sketch from M6.) It all makes up for the shortness of "Fatal Death", though if the sketches had been less uneven I would be giving five stars here instead of just four. Even so, I'm just glad "The Curse of Fatal Death" was finally released, and as a longtime Doctor Who fan I'm proud to include this in my collection.

Definitely worth a DVD release.
Maybe a DVD release would be a great time to release this show unedited? Since the VHS copy is butchered it would make sense now that this is rereleased in a new unedited DVD. If someone needs me to sign a petition please email me. I'll gladly sign.

The Sofa of Reasonable Comfort
Rowan Atkinson stars in this parody of the long-running Doctor Who. Joanthan Pryce makes an execellent Master.
The Doctor meets with the Master and tells him he has fallen in love with his lovely companion and says he will travel in time no more. The laughs come fast in this parody! Also on the tape are behind-the-scences taping of the parody and 3 comedy sketches.

The Curse of Fatal Editing
The earlier reviews posted here have pretty well covered the merits of the plot, but a brief note is needed on the technicalities, as this story has been re-edited for video.

When it was shown on television, "The Curse of Fatal Death" was in four parts, each one ending in a cliffhanger. But BBC Video, always happy to throw in a spoiler where it can, has chosen for no good reason to pointlessly spoil this story by re-editing it into a 2-parter.

So do be aware that this video is not what was presented on television. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Quatermass Experiment aka THE CREEPING UNKNOWN
Fans of Doctor Who, Blake 7, and later BBC ventures will love this older U.K. science fiction. Unfortunately the British were not very good about recording their television programs, or keeping the tapes afterwards, and thus we will not be seeing the televised original for this story. The original live six-part 1953 TV production went some 200 minutes. The Quatermass author, Nigel Kneale, was not too happy about the new version's reduction to 82 minutes. Most who saw the TV version thought that it was superior to the movie.

Kneale wrote a number of TV programs that were eventually adapted to film. However, he will always remain famous for Quatermass. The movies would parallel a series of TV productions: Quatermass II (1955) and Quatermass and the Pit (1958-9). Kneale would conclude the series with Quatermass/The Quatermass Conclusion (1979).

The UK theatrical remake of The Quatermass Experiment (1955) was directed by Val Guest and the screenplay was written by Val Guest and Richard Landau. The part of Professor Bernard Quatermass was played by Brian Donlevy. Donlevy was chosen because it was thought an American in the role would give the film more box office appeal in the U.S. However, in hindsight, it was a little like giving the role of Doctor Who to an obvious Texan or person from the Bronx. Sometimes accents are important. Donlevy did a professional job, although a few cast members complained that he had a drinking problem.

The experimental rocket Q1 crashes in England. Quatermass, the somewhat reckless creator of the ship races to the site. Only one of the three astronauts is found alive, Victor Carroon (played by Richard Wordsworth). The other men have vanished.

This mystery drives the first part of the film. Later it becomes clear that Carroon is not only sick but dangerous. Something has come back with him, something that absorbs the flesh of living creatures and appropriates it into itself. The second half of this film is a somewhat typical man turned into monster drama.

It grows and goes on a rampage of destruction. Can it be caught? How will they stop it?

This early Hammer Film, and their first international success, was filmed in black-and-white. While the film has been released as one of MGM's Midnight Movies, it is only available on VHS. This is quite unfortunate given the fact that the later films are available on DVD. However, the transfer to video is excellent.

Would you believe that this film was given a British "X" rating certificate? There are no sexual situations, no romance, and no nudity. The language is fairly tame. Even the supposedly horrific scenes of mayhem from the monster are a mild PG by today's standards.

While it lacks some of the intensity of the later films, it is a good story. I would recommend it for fans of science fiction, British or not.

Good Story & Solid Acting
This is a well written story about a space flight gone wrong. It is well acted, the special effects are excellent for their day, and the main character in the story (Quartermass)is a strong and almost hartless man who is driven to achieve his goals no matter what the cost.

The supporting characters are good as well, but the mainstay of the movie is the strong story line which flows from event to event almost flawlessly.

An excellent effort for all science fiction fans - especially those who enjoy the older B&W versions of the future of science and space travel.

Excellent first Quatermass Shocker !!!
The ultimate in man into space-man returns-man mutates into alien movie,and although not as good as the second and third Quatermass stories,it still holds the attention some 46yrs later,and being also considering that Hollywood seem over-run with re-makes I believe this would make a good one for a change. Although Donlevy's performance is a little stiff,Margia Deans is dire,and her voice on this edition has been dubbed,probably to make her seem less automaton like,but I believe it is Richard Wordsworth's performance that truelly delivers the goods,truelly a classic of it's day,shame a DVD hasn't been announced of the movie,come along MGM how about it?

Initial entry in the greatest science fiction series ever
There's simply no equal to the Quatermass films in the effects-driven "science fiction" foisted on today's public. These films, adapted from much longer BBC television "miniseries", rely on intelligent plot development and attention to detail that is notably lacking in anything done in the genre lately.

In this film, the first of the series, Quatermass's experimental rocket crashes to Earth after having been out of contact. Three people went up - but there's only one person aboard now. The others.....? Ah, that would be telling!

Originally titled "The Quatermass Xperiment", the movie played on its "X" rating from the (remarkably timid) British film review board and helped open the door for Hammer Films' later bloody epics. There's nothing here that you couldn't see on television today, but the horrific *implications* of the plot are what give you the shivers. Special effects are crude by today's standards - a remake would surely improve on that aspect of the film, but the writing more than makes up that.

Brian Donlevy really makes a poor Quatermass, but he's all we have. He seems to confuse bullying and shouting with projecting authority and confidence, and you end up somewhat surprised no one decks him. (Andrew Keir's interpretation in "Quatermass and the Pit" is a lot more palatable.)

But that said - see this one. One of the true greats of the genre.

a.k.a. THE CREEPING UNKNOWN
I first saw the movie in broad daylight on an Admiral portable 19 inch B+W TV -with commercials- and, indeed, as a kid of ten I was troubled. DO N O T let little kids watch this! This one and the sequel, QUATERMAS II a.k.a. ENEMY FROM SPACE are the epitome of the genres (1) Man Transformed... [others in the category z.b. THE FLY (58) and THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN]; (2) Alien Takeover...[others in the category z.b. INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS or VILLAGE of the DAMNED] I wholeheartedly agree with the first reviewer that the transformation of the poor astro'naught' is tragic to behold, even if the final, tentacled incarnation {the thing absorbs a ZOO! }leaves something to the imagination... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun & catchy. Warning: it may take over your brain!
I'm not a big fan of the Animaniacs TV show, but these songs are lots of fun! If I'm bored, or having a bad day, this tape always cheers me right up. I often find myself humming bits from The Quake Song, The Big Wrap Party, and others. Recommended for anyone, of any age, who appreciates inspired wackiness, bad puns, and silly rhymes. :) ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Great Halloween Tape
This is my favorite video, I love it! I watch it over and over- not just at Halloween. A lot of the narration is quoted from the book. I love everything about it: the story, the characters, the animation... It's a great video for people of all ages.

Beware the Headless Horseman!
This classic cartoon features the voice of Bing Crosby in Washington Irving's tale of the schoolmaster who loved the fair Katrina, but also believed in spooks! Children over age 7 will love to be scared by this funny Halloween tale...but keep the lights on! 5 stars!

Sing it again Bing
"The Old Crooner" himself, Bing Crosby, narrates and sings this cartoon classic based on Washington Irving's All Hallow's Eve tale. Extremely exomorphic educator Ichabod Crane is competing against Brom Bones ( an ancestor to Gaston in Beauty and the Beast?) for Katrina, the wealthy farmer's daughter. So is it Brom or the Legendary Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow pursuing Ichabod through the perilous forest?

Disney set the high standard in animation. Here, the initial and moonlit views of Old Baltus van Tassel's farm and the woods are reminiscent of Van Gogh's Starry Night. This is a must-have Disney Classic.

Very Good!!!
Usually I don't care for Disney Flicks but this one I fell in love with! Even though educational it was very funny! The whole family loved it! It is espeacially good during the season of fall! I would recommend it to anyone!!!

very good and atmospheric
a disney classic suitible for both adults and children.The fables centerpiece is ichabod(voiced by Bing Crosby)whose surreal air binds the cartoon.His frame and persona are both vintage disney.The final 10 minuets are still unserpassed for atmospheric quality as the haunting tunes ebb further into the dark night sky.A sadly under-publisised masterpiece.They don't make 'em like this anymore!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

After a government-spawned "superflu" wipes out more than 90 percent of the earth's population, the devastated survivors must decide whether to support or resist the advances of a mysterious stranger from way down South (heh-heh) who wishes to claim this new world order for himself. Although the six-hour length makes it nigh-impossible to digest in one sitting, this well-paced adaptation of Stephen King's apocalyptic magnum opus ranks among the best adaptations of the author's work, with strong performances from Gary Sinise, Miguel Ferrer, and especially Jamey Sheridan as a good-old-boy version of Old Scratch. The opening scene, set to the strains of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper," is one of the most chilling things ever shot for television. Director Mick Garris is no stranger to King's world, having also helmed Sleepwalkers, the recent television remake of The Shining, and the upcoming Desperation. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (217)

Amazing....but missing something
I eagerly bought this movie after finishing the novel. I know that a lot of movies based on books are different from the original story, but this really isn't one of them, at least not exactly. Almost all of the main and important aspects of the novel are included in the movie. The time constraints obviously play a part of the limited detail, at least compared to the novel, but what seems most annoying is the fact that different characters play the parts of characters in the book. For example, Susan Stern, who travelled in Stu Redman's group originally suddenly is part of Mother Abigail's group. It's small differences like this that get to me in this movie.

Other than that, the movie is awesome. The makeup effects used are amazing. The actors chosen to portray the characters seem perfect, especially Gary Sinise, Adam Storke, Ray Walston, Bill Fagerbakke, Jamey Sheridan and particularly Rob Lowe, who plays a wonderful Nick Andros. I've already watched this movie a number of times, and there are scenes I can't get enough of. I really like it, but I'm going to have to say, read the book first, because it will not only help you keep better track of what's going on in the movie, but it will you keep you informed on the characters as well. Plus, the book is definitely worth it's 1141 pages and you'll be really missing something without it!

Greatness Has a Name
First off, I'd like to say I have never read the book. But I will soon. Even though, I absolutely LOVED this movie. The acting was amazing, especially the performances by Gary Sinise (can that guy play a bad role? Knock on wood) and Rob Lowe, supposedly in a comeback role. It was probably very hard for poor Rob to play a deaf mute! Anyway, the story goes that a virus created by the Army gets loose at it's base and spreads through the United States. Only a few people survive, and the ones that do are separated into two groups. One group is called in dreams by Mother Abigail (played by Ruby Dee) and the other is called by Randall Flagg, the devil (played by Jamey Sheridan, who did an awesome job). Mother Abigail's group is led by Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Adam Storke, and Rob Lowe (although he didn't lead the group, he played an incredibly important part as a retarded man named Tom Cullen. I'm talking about Bill Fagerbakke). The bad guys, led by Flagg, flock to Las Vegas (yes, Sin City itself) and the good guys go to Boulder, Colorado. I won't give away the ending, but it is truly a wonderful movie with many twists and surprises. It made me jump, scream, say aww, and at times cry ew! It is incredible!

It's not the book, but what movie is?
I was disappointed in the amount of changes in the mini-series; I found the book much more filled out. However, this movie brings about all my greatest fears about the end of our way of life. I have worked in the medical field for a number of years and I have often imagined this kind of scenario. Many people focus on the religious aura of this film, but I enjoyed the all encompassing nature. Stephen King did not write about religion, or how one faith survived while all other belivers died. He wrote a story about good versus evil. Don't look for a hinted meaning and enjoy the movie; it's well worth it.

Religious propaganda - cheap and blatant
I feel that I genuinely wasted my time watching this excessively long DVD (TV series).
It is a cheap production, proving how celebrity does not equate to talent.
Worse of all is the blatant religious "stand" which the story takes... It reminds me of the awful movie productions used by missionaries uninvitedly imposing their beliefs upon others.
Oh! And it is worth pointing out that Mr. King should stick to writing and NOT acting....
Although, it would probably appease many, and reinforce their monochrome ideas and perceptions of good and evil.....

Worth it
I am a relatively new fan of Mr. Kings work. My first exposure to his material was when The Stand miniseries aired. I recently read the book and find the movie adaptation to be just about as complete as you could hope for.

The performances are good, with some nice peaks into the early works of some now well known actors.

The only disappointment for me... in both the book and the miniseries.... is that ending. Won't spoil it here. For me it was a sort of "thats it?" moment. ... Read more