Reviews (16)

nice action movie
this is my second young indy-movie(my first was treasure of the peacock's eye),and i have all the 3 Harrison ford Indiana movies,and i must say that this movie is a well acting adventure,with nice action,and a exciting fight between Indy and Schiller,the German's officer at the end. Indy must save the live's of a troop of Australian's Horseman,by keep the drink-places saved,in the WW1. Indy meets a dancer(C.Zeta Jones)who is a German's spy,but he don't no this. here in holland are not all Young Indy movies for sale,but the 2 i have are so exciting,that you will never forget this history adventure!

If adventure has a name, it's Young Indiana Jones...
This is an amazing Young Indy episode not previously aired on television. Like the whole series, this episode balances history with adventure in a way that is entrancing and exciting. It co-stars Catherine Zeta-Jones. You'd be surprised to see the list of once little-known actors who appeared in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles who later became big-time stars.

Aussies show the way with a little help from Indy
A great yarn with a little bit of poetic licence. Although based on a true theatre of operation in the Middle East, Indy gets involved with the Aussie "Diggers" of the Australian Light Horse. He befriends them and become great mates. A ripping yarn with great excitement and well put together. The action could have been a little more intense as it was in the Australian Movie "The Lighthorsemen". Albeit, I enjoyed it and found it pretty accurate for its historical content. The only thing thing it doesn't show is how the British stuffed up, like they did everywhere else during WW1.

Warning: NOT for children
Although this movie has no rating, (and why is that?) I would say it is the equivalent of a PG-13. The film contains quite a bit of violence and violent themes. War scenes. Guns firing. Man falling off cliff including hitting the ground. And the scene that made me turn it off showed a close up of Young Indiana stabbing a man including close-up of knife going in and out of his stomach. Parents beware. "Not rated" does NOT mean it didn't deserve one!

bad
they are insulting other nations in this film. As a turkish youth I felt myself very bad. This is a political film it only aims to insult other nations.. Americans and British people are hero in this film of course.. According to them other nations are natural disasters.. Too bad for human beings.. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A somewhat contrived screenplay doesn't stop this thriller from serving up some of the most spectacular fire sequences ever committed to film. Like any Ron Howard production Backdraft is impressively slick and boasts a stellar cast, including Kurt Russell and William Baldwin. The actors play sibling rivals who have been at odds since the death of their firefighter father years earlier. Robert De Niro is the veteran fire inspector who is tracking a series of mysterious and deadly arsons, and Donald Sutherland is effectively creepy as the former arsonist who understands the criminal psychology of pyromaniacs. Rebecca De Mornay, Scott Glenn, and Jennifer Jason Leigh are featured in supporting roles. Backdraft is a triumph of stunt work and flaming special effects. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Firehouse Fairy Tale...
Ron Howard's Backdraft, is a film that centers on the lives of two brothers. Their father, a Chicago firefighter, was killed on the job when they were young boys. As adults, the McCaffreys, are both members of fire department. The elder brother Stephen (Kurt Russell), nicknamed "Bull", is a veteran firefighter, who prefers taking on a fire head on. His younger brother Brian (William Baldwin), is a recent graduate into the department, and though he seeks to serve out of his brother's shadow, he finds himself assigned to Bull's stationhouse. While Bull is something of a legend within the department, all is not perfect in his life, as estranged from his wife (Rebecca DeMornay), he lives on his father's old dry docked boat.

The family drama is set against a subplot, involving a series of suspicious fires that are being investigated by the fire department's arson specialist, Lt. Rimgale (Robert De Niro). A local Alderman (J.T. Walsh) responsible for budget cutbacks to the department, is pressing Rimgale for answers. After another clash with his big brother, Brian transfers to Rimgale's arson investigation unit.

Once this occurs, the story expands to become more than just a sibling rivalry, as the focus shifts to the investigation of arson and other matters. De Niro, Baldwin, Walsh and Donald Sutherland, who plays a crazed imprisoned arsonist, then assume more primary roles. The physics of a backdraft are quite fascinating, and the results spectacular and explosive. The film does feature some fine special effects and stunts, related to the fire fighting scenes. The identity of the arsonist, and the reasons for the crimes, may not be very credible, but the film proceeds towards a spectacular and emotional finish. In the end, it all comes back to the two brothers, and the special bond between firefighters.

The film does have its flaws. Baldwin (28) and Russell (40) are a bit of a mismatch as brothers, with more of an age difference as adults, than it appeared when they were children. The incident where Brian mistakenly rescues a mannequin is simply ridiculous. And the attempts to attribute to fire almost metaphysical qualities, may be something only firemen can truly appreciate. While the film's focus does bounce around a bit between drama, adventure and suspense, overall the presentation is still worth seeing. The DVD however offers very little in the way of extras.

Great special effects, plus a moving ending
"Backdraft is the story of two brothers. After the death of their firefighter father, older brother Steven (Kurt Russell) follows Dad's footsteps into the Chicago Fire Department. Younger brother Brian (William Baldwin) bounces from one scam or get-rich-quick scheme to another. But Brian eventually winds up back in Chicago in the Fire Department, and in Steven's Co. 17, no less. They go back and forth for a while, until finally Steven drives Brian out of the department and into arson investigation. Brian winds up working for an arson investigator (Robert De Niro) investigating a series of murders-by-arson.

This movie features a stellar cast, giving mostly excellent performances. Special notice should be given to Russell, in what I think is his best performance ever. J.T. Walsh gives an excellent supporting performance as the sleazy Alderman Swayczak, as do Rebecca De Mornay as Steven's estranged wife and Scott Glenn as Firefighter "Axe" Adcox. Donald Sutherland is especially creepy, yet charming as an imprisoned arsonist to whom De Niro and Baldwin go to for advice on identifying the arsonist. Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh (playing Brian's girlfriend and Swayczak's aide) could have held up their parts better, but that doesn't detract from the movie as a whole.

The fire is the real star of this movie. The special effects are truly incredible, and have to be seen to be believed. This movie boasts the best effects I've ever seen in a non-science-fiction movie. Whoever the effects man is should have won an Oscar for the fire scenes in this movie.

Some may criticize the ending for being overly sentimental, but every single time I see this movie, I get choked up during Steven's last scenes. As an older brother, I really identified with Steven and how he wants the best for his brother, but he isn't quite sure of the line between pushing him to improve and pushing him down.

The special effects alone are worth getting this movie, but director Ron Howard put together an all-star cast that (mostly) managed to put together a movie in which the plot isn't entirely overshadowed by the effects. All in all, a very good movie that's well worth your $15.

Predictable but watchable
Backdraft sticks to convention and only innovates in its special effects. The plot is rather contrived and provides the excuse for the filmmakers to play with fire -- lots of it.

Hollywood inferno.
"Backdraft" is Hollywood's version of the firefighter's life. The men are blue collar, ordinary guys who are at times heroic and other times cowardly, men who fight fires because it's their job. Being a Hollywood movie, however, most of the men are in-shape, rugged masculine types who cruise to an alarm call with rock music blasting from the fire engine stereo system and who fight fires that contain surprisngly little smoke. Kurt Russell is not altogether likeable in this film, and yet he carries his two roles off successfully with his familiar macho persona. William Baldwin is the standout character, and shows a vulnerable side to the world of firemen that is usually not seen on film. Pyrotechnics are first rate, although there are many more explosions and a lot less smoke than in real-life fires. Another slick film from Opie Taylor.

respectable movie
I was a fire fighter 82-83, and i seen the movie when it was in the theatre, i liked it a lot, in fact i used to work but a few blocks away from the china town station on cermak road where some of the footage was shot, it dealt with fire house comrades, dealt with " hero syndrome", i was not expecting a techical as it really suppose to be movie, but the heroism displayed by
the fire fighters are 5 star commendable. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This 1969 film has never lost its popularity or its unusual appeal as a star-driven Western that tinkers with the genre's conventions and comes up with something both terrifically entertaining and--typical of its period--a tad paranoid. Paul Newman plays the legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy as an eternal optimist and self-styled visionary, conjuring dreams of banks just ripe for the picking all over the world. Robert Redford is his more levelheaded partner, the sharpshooting Sundance Kid. The film, written by William Goldman (The Princess Bride) and directed by George Roy Hill (The Sting), basically begins as a freewheeling story about robbing trains but soon becomes a chase as a relentless posse--always seen at a great distance like some remote authority--forces Butch and Sundance into the hills and, finally, Bolivia. Weakened a little by feel-good inclinations (a scene involving bicycle tricks and the song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" is sort of Hollywood flower power), the movie maintains an interesting tautness, and the chemistry between Redford and Newman is rare. (A factoid: Newman first offered the Sundance part to Jack Lemmon.) --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (93)

"You Just Keep Thinking, Butch...!"
This film truly deserves the description of being a "Classic." Paul Newman and Robert Redford (in the company of Director George Roy Hill and a particularly appealing Katharine Ross), take the history of the bloodthirsty "Hole-in-the-Wall Gang," and turn it into an affectionate cinematic portrayal of male bonding and cultural change.

Taking place at the end of the 19th century, Butch and Sundance are, as veteran actor Jeff Corey, playing a sympathetic sheriff and accidental existentialist, snarls, "two-bit outlaws on the dodge!" They spend much of the movie dodging a posse hired to hunt them down and kill them in the wake of a series of amusing train robberies. The location shooting of their escape is breathtakingly beautiful.

Ultimately, they have to flee the closing frontier, and end up in Bolivia, which is portrayed as a kind of low-rent version of the Old West. Their trip to South America is an intermezzo, done in sepia tint, focusing on their stay in New York, which, with its (relatively) modern conveniences, underscores how anachronistic their lifestyle has become.

Their inability to rob banks in Bolivia without using Spanish-language crib sheets is both hilarious and touching, a kind of paradigm of cultural and technological dislocation.

In keeping with its 1969 release date, the film has a strong antiestablishment cant to it: Authority is faceless, unyielding, and, mostly, inept. It is telling that Butch and Sundance kill no one until they "go straight" as payroll guards. Their criminal lifestyle is romanticized as a kind of "On The Road" on horseback. That this doesn't offend the audience is a measure of how fine this movie is. The warmth and humor overcome both the moral relativity of the characters and their sad ending.

Newman and Redford are wonderful together as the affable outlaws. Newman's Butch is a charming, flaky visionary who is trying desperately to cling to the past. When confronted with the new alarms and teller's cages at a favorite bank, he dismisses the guard's explanation of, "People kept robbing us" with a wistful, "It's a small price to pay for beauty."

As Butch says: "The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles!" In a sense: the Western Outlaw was succeeded by "Public Enemy Number One" when cars succeeded horses, and train and bank robberies became Federal crimes. "Your times is over!," Jeff Corey insists, and he's right.

Redford plays Sundance as the stylish straight man, never quite falling prey to Butch's dreams, but never able to dismiss them utterly: "You just keep thinking, Butch, that's what you're best at!" The onscreen chemistry between Newman and Redford is so palpable that although they only made two films together ("The Sting" in 1973 is a modernized version of "Butch & Sundance"), they can easily be considered one of the finest comedy duos ever, anywhere. The dialogue between them is banter between two very good, very old, very comfortable, friends. Maybe there was a script involved, too.

"Butch and Sundance" may be short on facts, but it speaks a kind of truth for which facts are not needed.

Newman & Redford's First Film Together
Paul Newman and Robert Redford are two of the biggest movie stars of all time. They are also the best of friends and that friendship shines through on their first film together, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid. The film is set in the old west, but it has a definite 60's feel to it. Butch and Sundance are anti-heroes who defy the "establishment" by robbing trains. Finally the train company gets fed up and sends an elite team of bounty hunters to track them down. This inspires the film's classic catchphrase, "who are those guys" as Butch & Sundance can't shake their pursuers. The film has a light comical side to it as Mr. Newman is at his charming best as Butch and Mr. Redford elicits laughs as the uptight Sundance. Katherine Ross provides a pretty diversion as Sundance's beautiful schoolteacher girlfriend, Etta Place. Mr. Newman & Mr. Redford are instantly likable in the lead roles and you can feel their real affinity for one another come through in the film. The movie was a major box office hit and won and William Goldman won an Oscar for his crisp and witty script and But Bacarach and Hal David won an Oscar for the film's theme song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" which B.J. Thomas took to number one in late 1969.

Style and Substance
I remember seeing this movie at the cinema as a kid (many years ago)and being knocked out by how COOL Redford and Sundance were. You know the scene in Blues Brothers, the doorway of the transient mens refuge and the rocket launcher, and they just get up, brush themsleves off, music resumes and go on as if nothing happened. That cool. And so when they get to the stage of being concerned "who ARE those guys" we have substance for the actions they take afterwards. Now watching this movie on DVD with my kids, they didn't get enraptured as I did at their age. As you might guess, not enough action for their generation - and yet, when there is action, it plays with as much emotion as the best of hollywood today. A tremendous cast delivering a tremendous performance, this will always be one of my favorite movies.

Sticks pretty well to historical fact
For one when Butch and sundance are being chased up the mountain by the posse Butch mentions Joe LaFors (sp?). I checked a while ago. LaFors really existed as a lawman at the time. But Etta Place (Kathryn Ross)though she really existed was actually not a school teacher. More likely she was a prostitute.

Butch & the Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of the best movies (if not the best!!!) I have ever seen. The action, the interplay and the chemistry between the 2 leading stars (Newman, Redford) is like "poetry in motion". The action is non-stop, as well as the comedy, especially of Newman. Even though there is quite a bit of violence throughout the movie, I would recommend that everyone buy the video!!! ... Read more

Description

Originally broadcast in the UK in 1966, The Tenth Planet marks the last appearance of the highly popular first Doctor, William Hartnell. In the 1970's the final episode of The Tenth Planet was lost, so this story never aired in the U.S. However, this specially reconstructed version of the missing episode contains the first regeneration sequence. The story centers on the return of the tenth planet to Earth's solar system. The planet's inhabitants, the dreaded Cybermen, who make their first appearance in the Doctor Who series, may prove too much for the ailing Time Lord. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

At long last...
If you only own one other Dr. Who video, your collection is incomplete without The Tenth Planet. It depicts, of course, the most significant turning point in the history of the show, the departure of William Hartnell as the Doctor. That, in itself is more than enough reason to buy this video.

As a special bonus, there are the Cybermen. Don't be fooled as I was by the still photos which gave them a cheesy appearance. They don't appear terrifying at all until you see them in action. The lip action and voice characterization are nothing less than chilling. I first saw the Cybermen in "Revenge" then later in "Earthshock" and "Attack" and found them scary enough then. Now that I've seen "Tenth" I realize that they actually got less and less scary as time went on, which makes this one the scariest ever.

The reconstruction of the unfortunately missing final episode is surprisingly and absolutely brilliant. The audio track is complete and there are stills that refresh every couple of seconds. The only times that I was reminded that it was a reconstruction was when lines of text would scroll across the bottom of the screen to depict what was happening or when brief clips of actual film would delightfully appear. And the regeneration scene is complete. So there is not much that is missing after all.

Bottom line, get this one.

A Historical Moment in Doctor Who Finally Available!!!
Sure the Cybermen look crude, the scenes of them communicating through just opening their mouths at times are laughable and the sets are cheap. Still, if you are a fan of Doctor Who "The Tenth Planet" is an absolute must for several reasons.
1) This was a corner stone moment in Doctor Who where the Doctor suffers his ultimate fate, then regenerates into Pat Troughton.
2) Its the first Cyberman story.
3) It's actually is a damn good story, well written by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis and further enhanced by William Hartnell's superb swan song as the cranky Doctor.
4) The incredible reconstruction of the missing fourth episode. Through still photos, the preserved audio recording, rediscovered missing footage and preserved "regeneration scene", the people in charge of reconstruction did an outstanding job.
The final episode alone is worth the price!

Missing for 20 Years - A Must Have For Who Fans
What can I say. When I finally sat down to watch The 10th Planet, I was truly excited. I've been a Dr. Who fan for the past 15 years, and have always enjoyed the early black and white Who's; that's why I couldn't wait to see The 10th Planet. The 10th Planets plot is very simple, Doctor #1 lands at the South Pole with companions Polly and Ben only to discover that the missing sister planet to Earth, Mondas, is coming back and that its inhabitants are the Cybermen. Anyone familiar with the Cybermen will have a little chuckle when you see their first incarnation. William Hartnell, still one of my favorite Doctors is great, but you can tell that he was getting tired and probably glad that this was going to be his last story. The fourth episode is a rebuilt version since most of it is still missing, but it was enjoyable to be able to finally see the First Doctor regenerate. Perhaps not the best of the First Doctor, but The 10th Planet is a must have for Dr. Who fans. Lets hope the BBC is out there trying to find other classic Dr. Who for true blue fans!

A 5 star for true fans, for everyone else a 3
As is usual in older Doctor Who episodes (and some of the later ones as well), you have to ignore the bad special effects and use your imagination. If you can do that in this one, it becomes one of the better episodes of the William Hartnell era, not to mention an intriguing look at all of the hopes and fears of America's then (1966) burgeoning space program and technological advances. The travelers have arrived at an arctic, military run space station in the year 1986. Fascinating to see how the folks at or working for the BBC in the '60's imagined what space travel would look like in 20 years. They obviously couldn't have imagined the advances in technology that would exist in a mere two decades. Even the cybermen, former humans who have technologically adapted themselves so as to have superior strength and no emotions, bear bulky technology, have difficulty speaking anything like normal humans, and are surprisingly easy to defeat. Yet they are, at the same time, if one uses one's imagination, as terrifying as the Borg of Star Trek Next Generation and even more alien than the Vulcans. Even the Cybermen's claim that "resistance is useless" seems to predict the Borg.

Technically speaking, this series is a little rough, particularly the sound, so careful viewing is required. But in many ways, it seems a more modern series of episodes than some of the later ones, as it still seems to be a realistic view of a remote space station, and the general who runs it, although seemingly a bad caricature of John Wayne, represents all too well the kind of cowboy American thinking to which many people can still relate to all too well! The sets are wonderfully realistic and claustrophobic, and the existence of a national agency run by a Swiss man whose native language is French seems a precursor of how in the future the world would need to work together more as one body and those bodies would not necessarily be run by England and America.

I agree with the other reviewers that it would have been nice to see more of William Hartnell in his last episode, but it's kind of exciting to see the first regeneration in the show, even though it's in the lost episode which is mostly just audio of the show over stills, with descriptive information in text at the bottom of the screen. By the time of the last episode, however, one is so into the story that it's easy to ignore the fact that it isn't playing out with full video.

If you're new to Dr. Who, this isn't the place to start, but for Who fans, this is really a must episode as it's not only a well-told story, but has the first appearance of the Cybermen and the first regeneration. It's a fitting final episode for William Hartnell, who really remains the quintessential Doctor. He may not be everyone's favorite (personally I find Tom Baker much more fun and warm), but he's what the creators had in mind and every other Doctor draws from him.

Quite good!
Though one of the most important adventures in the entire history of Doctor Who, "The Tenth Planet" doesn't immediately spring to mind when you think of a 'classic' story. And I admit... it's no "Caves of Androzani" (but what other regeneration story is?), but it's tremendously entertaining and I had a fine time watching it. In fact, I ended up viewing all four episodes in one sitting... I didn't want to stop!

The story is a good one, though it was rather disappointing to see so little of the Doctor. In fact, that's the real reason why this misses that one final star from me... I loved Hartnell's portrayal of the grouchy old eccentric time traveller and I wasn't happy at all to learn that we'd have to sit through one whole episode (part three for those of you who didn't know) seeing nothing of him but a couple brief scenes of him asleep in a bed! I know, Mr. Hartnell was ill at the time, so it couldn't be helped... It's just that knowing that doesn't take away my disappointment.

Still, it's not a total loss... episode three focuses quite a bit on the Doctor's young companion, Ben, and I ended up liking him quite a lot. Polly too... a very pretty girl, very sweet. I'd never seen either of them before, as the first six years of Doctor Who are sort of my 'final frontier' as far has viewing goes (while I remain very familiar, for the most part, with the 1970-1989 years)

Even though I know many have mocked them for their appearance, I found the Cybermen to be very very creepy, not silly at all. From the bandages that seem to hold their heads together, to the bare fingers of their hands (if this story were in colour, what would those fingers look like? Would they be flesh coloured, or blue from lack of circulation? Just how alive are the flesh parts of the Cybermen? I'm under the impression that the Cybermen, at least here in their earliest incarnations, were basically cadavers animated with mechanical parts). The thing I will always get me, though, was the way they spoke... I mean, the head Cyberman drops open his mouth, holds it open, and words come out of it till he shuts it again **shudder**.

The fourth episode of this four-part adventure, sadly, no longer exists, as it's one of the many 'lost episodes' of the early seasons of Doctor Who. In its place, the kind folks at the BBC have provided us with the complete soundtrack of the episode (all dialogue, music, and special effects), and have supplemented this visually with surviving still photographs taken from the episode. It's not the same, but it works... I wasn't distracted by the change, and after a little while I was so into the story that I hardly noticed it.

I'll finish up by saying that "The Tenth Planet" is a highly enjoyable adventure with the Doctor (well, a highly enjoyable adventure with the Doctor's companions), and definitely worth a look. It's one of the very best Cyberman stories, in my opinion sharing the top spot in that category with the Sixth Doctor adventure, 1985's "Attack of the Cybermen", which I'd recommend you buy together with this story, if of course you've got the cash.

Carry on Carry on,

MN ... Read more

Reviews (47)

One Crazy Summer
What did Christina Applegate do during her 1990 summer hiatus from television's popular series, "Married...with Children"? Well, she made this charming, highly entertaining comedy of a Los Angeles teen that finds herself in a tough predicament one summer. After her mother leaves on a two-month trip to Australia, Sue Ellen (Applegate) finds herself taking care of her four siblings after the mean, elderly babysitter that was hired by their mother for the summer drops dead from natural causes. Unwilling to put a dent to their summer fun, the kids decide to rid the body and take care of themselves for two months without having to tell their mom. Only problem is that when they dropped the body off at the local mortuary, they forgot to check the babysitter's pockets for the money their mother left for groceries for the entire summer.

Determined to keep the fun and food flowing, Sue Ellen decides to look for a job. After not having too much luck at a fast food restaurant, she applies for a receptionist position at a clothing company. When a resume mix-up gets in the way, Sue Ellen becomes a career woman in order to pay the bills and keep their summer alive. Meanwhile, she develops a blossoming relationship with a fast-food worker she once worked with (Josh Charles of "Threesome") and is being hounded by two office workers who want to wreck her reputation (Concetta Tomei & a very, very young-looking David Duchovny of "X-Files fame).

Featuring a great cast of actors such as Joanna Cassidy and Keith Coogan ("Adventures in Babysitting"), "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead" is a grown-up version of "Home Alone" for teens. Amusing, funny, and entertaining, it was Applegate's only feature-film hit. While she made other low-cost films such as "Streets", this film happens to be her best work outside from her work on "Married...With Children.." If you are looking for a great flick for the family this is it. Please be aware that the film contains scenes of drug use (marijuana) and might be unsuitable for children under the age of 13.

Manages to entertain most of the time.
"Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead" is supplied with a plot so unbelievable, yet manages to entertain on a marginal level. After a short-lived theatrical run, the movie made its way to cable channels, where it found a much less aggressive and forgiving audience, one that was willing to accept it as little more than a rainy-day diversion from reality.

The film's sense of smarts is seriously off kilter, telling the story of four kids, all various ages, who are left by their vacationing mother with a babysitter who makes Satan seem like Betty White. The oldest of the children, 17-year-old Sue Ellen (Christina Applegate), is defiant of the rules, so when her siblings look to her for a solution, she marches straight to the sitter's room, only to find her dead in her rocker.

Instead of calling the police, they tuck the corpse into a trunk and leave the cargo on the steps of a funeral home, only to discover that the money supply left by their mother was stashed in her pockets. Without any source of income, Sue Ellen takes charge by getting a job, first at a fast food joint that looks like something out of every clown-fearing person's worst nightmare, and then at a clothing manufacturer, where she manages to make her way to the top in less than two minutes of air-headed dialogue exchanges.

After the babysitter dies, any and all plausibility goes right into that trunk with her body. Accepting that any situation that will take place during this film is purely fictional and outright idiotic will save you much time and frustration; they only get in the way. Sue Ellen's rise to the top seems written by preteen girls for preteen girls, eager for a success story that has some added elements of soap opera (sleazy coworker Gus making moves on Sue Ellen as well as her boss, Rose), and revenge (the spurned receptionist who sets out to ruin Sue Ellen's career and claim it for herself).

But in the end, it's not all that bad after all. The movie does have a degree of lightheartedness about it, and its whimsy and delight in breaking all the rules of logic and intelligence is strangely refreshing. It's an ideal star vehicle for Applegate, and also showcases some good comedic relief from actress Joanna Cassidy, who becomes the sole reason to see the film. While the story has the freshness of a corpse, "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead," likes its main character, manages to con its way to our fancy.

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is an okay movie; it is different and that makes it different from any other slapstick comedy.The cast isn't that big besides Applegate.The old lady in the beggining is really funny.It is full of funny moments, but the plot is to different and that is what made me give it a lower rating.The is definetly a perfect six.The children in this film are so trashy and realistic in that kind of setting and I think that's hilarious.Applegate does a great job and serves up quiet a few laughs.The pothead older brother is kind of annoying along with some other characters.One of the main promlems is that the film is so predictable.The outfits and hair cuts are fun to make fun of when there is nothing really important is going on.If you are up for a good laugh and something deifferent check it out, but don't expect to much from this little comedy.

Christina Applegate, who plays Kelly Bundy in the hit TV show "Married With Children," is the star of this wacky comedy about a group of kids trying to cope with a very weird situation.While mom takes off for a trip to Australia with her boyfriend, the kids are left in the care of the elderly babysitter from hell. Then things go from bad to worse: the old lady dies, leaving them without a cent to their name. Teenager Sue Ellen, the oldest sibling, realizes that they'd better do something fast if they want to eat. Because one thing's for sure: no one wants to let mom know that the babysitter's dead...

"Predictable, but not wholly unlikable."
-- Ken Hanke, MOUNTAIN XPRESS (ASHEVILLE, NC)

WOW Christina Applegate is HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a movie worth owning, it's funny, charming, witty, and has the BABE from married with Children CHRISTINA APPLEGATE! WOOHOOOO!!! Buy this one right now!

review
hi. i never went so school and i dont know how to write reviews and i run sentences together and dont capatalize my i's. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

my favorite episode
this is one of the best episodes. i love it because it mainly focuses on my favorite ranger adam- the black ranger. this was the first episode taped where adam, aisha, and rocky were actually rangers. it is one of the best a must own for any pr fan

The White Ranger Series : Goldar's Vice Versa
This video is really awesome! It is one of the shows that comes from the best series of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and includes the Thunder Ultrazord that is rarly seen on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bubblehead waiter Elmo tires to serve food at Planet Storybook. While hobnobbing with Little Miss Muffet and others, he introduces several Sesame Street songs, including "Cereal Girl" (a satire of "Material Girl") and "The Most Important Meal of the Day." Best bit is Cookie Monster singing about things other than cookies that are good for you.--Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (5)

VERY FUNNY FOR KIDS AND GROWNUPS ALIKE
Grover is at his best in this hysterical video. With his typical humor, he teaches us how to eat more wisely. There are alot of great inside jokes for the parents, too. The "Planet Storybook" restaurant he works on is a funny spoof of "Planet Hollywood", complete with memorabelia (from stories, of course).

My 2 1/2 year old loves this video, and has learned alot from it. I bought it for her because she's a picky eater. I think it has helped alot -- she's more willing to try new foods now (not that she always finishes them!)

I highly reccommend this video! Buy it for yourself, even if you don't have a picky eater in your house! It's that funny!

Planet Storybook Awaits!
Remeber Grover the Waiter and his chubby blue customer? This video is a great chance to visit them again - Grover has "worked his way up in the food business" to become a Planet Storybook (read Hollywood) waiter and change the unhealthy eating habits of his favorite customer. Along the way are lots of gags about storybook characters (Grover trips over Jack Be Nimble's candlestick, for instance - and the restaurant is decorated with memorobilia like Cinderella's glass slipper) Very cute.

I think I'm not cool enough to enjoy the song clips, but if you and your kids enjoy spoofs, you'll like them: "Cereal Girl," Cookie monster rapping about "Healthy Food," and bologna, cheese, and bread singing "Telly's Lunch" (Brady Bunch Theme) I liked "Blueberry Mouth," a Leon Redbone style (?) tune about blueberry picking.

I don't know that it made any difference in eating behavior with my son, but he's a pretty good eater anyway. He enjoyed it, though: particularly the singing broccholi.

Let's Eat a big hit!
My son was 21 months when his aunt bought him this video and he loves it! Like a previous reviewer, I'll admit there is fewer muscial puppet numbers than other Sesame Street favorites, but truly my son adores this video! He gets very animated when watching it. He's also learning the names of his vegatables faster, and when I'm cooking them he makes the connection, and sometimes even gets a little excited. (I wonder how long that will last) Anyway, what's the harm in singing vegatables and fruit? I have no reservations in recommending this one.

Let's Eat Has Lots of Entertainment Value
My 22 month old daughter has been faithfully watching this video for months and it is one of her favorites. It is one that I don't mind watching either.

For older kids
I bought this video for my 19-month-old son who is a Grover fan. (Note to previous reviewer - Elmo is the red one - this video is hosted by Grover.) Although he still finds it somewhat entertaining, the songs are a little few and far between and it's pretty preachy about trying lots of types of foods. Unless you're having this problem with your child, I'd recommend something else. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

A-w-w-w-fully Cute!
My pug and I watched "Milo and Otis" with the same interest my sisters and I used to watch "Lassie" and "National Velvet". I used to sit as close to the TV as I could get making sure Lassie made it safely through his adventures. The natural environment of "Milo and Otis" is beautiful; the animal characters, delightful; the dialogue, clever; and the music, both beautiful and fun. It would be my hope that children of the new millenium feel the same sense of adventure while watching "Milo and Otis" as I felt while watching "Lassie". The themes of loyalty, friendship, heeding the advice of your parents, etc. are the same. The piece is not educational TV, fragmented into lessons repeated by muppets or purple barnies. Nor is it cartoony. It is, instead, one simple, attention-holding story of a young kitten and pup who get separated, then reunite at the end, each having their own new adventures and families to share. Animals teach people, old and young. This movie was filmed with great sensitivity. Pugs in the snow? Tabbies floating in the river? Not too real, but believable in this film. Hope they WERE closely supervised during the filming and not made to suffer. Thumbs up to the Japanese for going back to the farm, nature, and animals. Now I want a Tabbie.

A Great Story and Wonderful Animal Actors
I just watched this movie today and had seen it before. I had always loved this movie and still love it. This movie has a great plot- a dog and cat who are best friends that get seperated and try to find each other. The animals act great too. Any kid between the ages of two and twelve would find this movie amusing and it is great to watch on a rainy day while cuddling up with your cat or dog.

Many people think that making this movie was abusing the animals in it but these animals were trained. I know that they wouldn't just make a cat fall of a cliff into the ocean! They probobaly just used a fake cat stuffed animal or somthing.

I always have enjoyed this movie and you will too, even if you are and adult.

Disturbing Scenes Cast a Pall Over Otherwise Charming Film
Using different narrators to voice the film around the globe, THE ADVENTURES OF MILO AND OTIS was an immediate family favorite when it was first released--and even today it remains a charming film, beautifully filmed with an engaging story and characters. Even so, children and adults may well leave the film with very different responses.

The story is light and amusing. A mischievous orange cat, Milo, and a stalwart pug dog, Otis, are raised together on a farm and become best buddies. When Milo is swept downriver in a wooden box, Otis quickly follows in attempt to rescue him, and the two experience many adventures as they search for each other and for home. The English-language narration by Dudley Moore is a shade sticky at times, but the animal cast is charming and the visual story telling is remarkable. Children will likely adore it.

But MILO AND OTIS was created by Masanori Hata and filmed in Japan, and there can be significant differences between Asian and Western ideas about what constitutes animal abuse. The film is repeatedly marred by scenes in which the lead animal actors are clearly terrified by what is happening--and occasionally in obvious pain as well. While children are not likely to spot this, adults very likely will, and quite possibly to the point of absolute revulsion.

Contrary to folklore, cats do not always land on their feet, much less easily survive extremely long falls. It is also worth noting that Pugs are notoriously poor swimmers, and it is hard to imagine how any one could "train" a sea turtle short of harpooning one and pulling it along via block and tackle. Scenes such as these cast a dark pall over an otherwise charming film.

Animals are not actors in the sense that they make a career choice, and performing animals must rely on the integrity of their human handlers and trainers for care and safety. For all its great storytelling and memorable cinematography, I cannot recommend a film in which it seems very obvious that the animal performers have been abused in order to achieve cinematic effects.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

From the animal rights activist & pug fanatic.....
This movie has great cinematography but if you own a pug or know anything about them, you know that pugs are not good swimmers. The scene where Otis was in the river with the bear put me on the edge of my seat!! THE POOR THING WENT UNDER LIKE 3 TIMES!!!
I wanted to jump through the screen and save him! And when he was on a rock in the middle of the ocean, you could tell he was scared!!
I'm not saying there was any abuse per se but animals shouldn't be put in situations where they are scared!! And the poor things look scared in several scenes.
"Animals are reliable, most all full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to."
~Alfred A. Montapert

amazing nature photography
I didn't know what to think before seeing this movie. The opinions were so disparate. Now that I've seen it, I find I agree with both camps. It is a delightful AND troubling film.

This is a simple but timeless story of adventure and friendship. Milo the mischievous kitten and Otis the pug puppy are best friends. Otis even pursues his friend when he's carried down the river after jumping into a wooden box. Soon, both of them are lost as well as separated from each other. The adventures they have with other animals are amazing, numerous and varied. They interact with a bear cub, raccoon, fox, seagulls, a turtle, a fawn and many others. The interactions will amaze you -- I couldn't believe a pug was riding on a turtle's back!

The footage is incredible, and does make one worry about the animals. While the director has said that the animals were raised together and are friends, and this is believable, it cannot account for the cat being attacked by seagulls and later falling from a very high cliff into the ocean. This troubles me.

Dudley Moore's narration is flawless. He captures every voice perfectly. Background music is gentle orchestral pieces. You will be amazed (and maybe a little troubled). Your children will definitely enjoy it, and adults will, too. ... Read more

Description

A machine that drains evil from criminals' minds is the secret weapon in a plan to destroy the Doctor and doom world peace.Includes a bonus clip of the only surviving color footage of this historic 6-part adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Intriguing evil, somber tone, great suspense
This is my all-time favorite Dr. Who story. The evil of the prisoners is quickly dwarfed by the rapacious evil of the hungry creature inside the Keller Machine. Given that it soon learns to move right through walls, the suspense factor increases, as you never know where it will show up next to gobble up the minds/life forces of a few victims.

This classic Pertwee story includes a good moral look at what evil is and what it fears the most. And the fact that it is all in black and white keeps the story gritty, displayed in muted tones against sufficiently dull backgrounds to keep the look and feel of the prison real. In this one instance, I can forgive the BBC for having trashed the color copy. I think B&W improves this one.

Add to this mix the current (at the time) tension with communism, the fear of nuclear war, and you've got an interesting, thought provoking Doctor Who classic.

Doctor Who The Mind of Evil
This was a very good set of episodes of Doctor Who
entitled "Mind of Evil" which had an interesting
premise the Doctor (Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning) investigate a machine that feeds of evil and kills
those who are consumed by it. Very neat. Now throw in
some special effects, and the menacing character
of the Master (Roger Delgado), a murder conspiracy,
the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney) and there you
have a great story.

If you don't know who "The Master" it was an evil and
rather brilliantly created arch enemy to rival that of
the Doctor. Just like Lex Luthor was the arch enemy to
Superman, "The Master" was the nemesis to "The Doctor". He had special powers such as hypnotism, and the power to change form. Also like "The Doctor" he could also travel through time. Roger Delgado did a great job establishing the role, before he unfortunately he died in a car crash.

As stated The Doctor and Jo Grant are investigating
a machine that feeds of evil, although they dont know
it yet. They receive an invitation to a mental prison
where a new machine is being used to try to rehabilitate criminals, the Keller Machine, created by Professor Kettering (Simon Lack). However, the machine does not help the prisoners, but it kills them. At first Professor Kettering does not know what to make of it. When Doctor and others investigate the murder they find the victims are being killed by their own fears , which are in part fed of the evil inspired by the victims.

Meanwhile Unit and Brigadier are hosting a peace
conference that has gone wrong when certain important
delegates are missing. The Brigadier thinks these
mishaps might be due to a sinister female Chinese
Captain named Chin Lee (played by a real life Asian
woman named Pik Sen Lim). I don't know too much about
Miss Sen Lim, but she looked like a great actress
(and she was pretty too). This was a big deal because
Asian actors were practially nonexistent in the
1970's up until now. The only Asian persons that
got speaking acting roles were action stars and celebrities like Bruce Lee. Take into consideration that these episodes were done in 1971, right in the middle of Vietnam, so there
was a considerable amount of hate and racism toward
Asian people and actors in general, but the BBC prooves here that they weren't one of them, so in that regard the BBC deserves alot of respect and credit.

Anyhow, the Doctor himself tries to find out how to stop
the Keller machine and is almost killed himself (in a
rather badly special effected, but otherwise entertaining scene). However, that's the start of the problems for Doctor and Unit as it's revealed that the Master (Roger Delgado, one of the best actors in Doctor Who) has been playing a hand in the machine, the mishaps of the peace conference, and the mysterious Chinese
Captain.

Overall, this is one of the most interesting Pertwee episodes out there, but it has been somewhat overlook by Who fans. However, you should definitely check it out. It has
a rather great story, the effect ain't bad, and theyre
is much action and the episodes are unpredictable.
You should definitely watch this episode "The Mind Of Evil".

Harbinger?
All I can say is that President Bush would love this Who story. It involves concealing weapons of mass destruction, but not by Iraq. The guilty nation happens to be one of our strongest allies, BRITAIN!!! The rest of the story is quite appealing and keeps the viewer's interest throughout.

Is this the lost plot for Batman and the Riddler?
Quite an eye opener for fans of the Doctor.

The premise of the story lies in the ability of the Keller machine to remove evil impulses from men's minds. It is thus seen as a beneficial aid to social development and the answer to the dreams of penal reformers. Alas the situation is much more complex.

At the same time there is another peace conference in prospect while the plot is complicated by UNIT having to move a nuclear missile while the conference is in session.

The writers of this Doctor Who adventure were clearly cognisant of contemporaneous world events and had no hesitation in including them as an integral part of this youth orientated show.

The Doctor is portrayed as a sceptic and this alone ensures his attendance at the prison where the Keller machine is based only to experience the first indications that something is seriously wrong.

The plot has been well documented elsewhere among these reviews so I will not repeat it here.

This particular adventure is one of the more overtly political of the series, exploring issues of crime and punishment and war and peace. There are some stereotypical views portrayed, with the Chinese, not the Soviet Union being exposed as the villain of the piece and of course it is the American delegate whom the Master is attempting to assassinate.

The question of penal reform is clearly a central concern as is the obvious conflict between the call for peace and the ownership of nuclear weapons.

As far as the actual production is concerned there is some good footage of action shots on location but these are undermined to some degree by the ineffectual studio portrayal of the prison.

Overall this is a steady performance, not one of the best but one certainly with some provocative and controversial ideas.

We believe what our minds tell us to, Jo.
The initial scene in The Mind Of Evil is reminiscent to that of A Clockwork Orange, the controversy of aversion therapy. In the Mind Of Evil, the theory is that "anti-social behavior is governed by negative impulses." The Keller Machine removes those evil impulses, "leaving a rational, well-balanced individual who can take his place as a useful if lowly member of society."

The Doctor visits Stangmoor Prison, the site of the Keller Process, because he is worried about it. His worries appear to be justified. First, the machine overreacts when treating Barnham, a convict. It turns him into "an idiot or a saint." Then, two people die in rapid succession under weird circumstances. A medical student dies of heart failure along with rat-like bites and scratches, and the machine's operator, Mr. Kettering, "drowns in the middle of a perfectly dry room."

It turns out that the machine houses a Mind Parasite that lives off people's phobias and kills them. It even attacks the Doctor by plucking his fiery experience from the doomed parallel Earth in Inferno.

Meanwhile, the Brigadier has to deal with the disposal of a nerve gas missile, the Thunderbolt, and the World Peace Conference. Things worsen when first, documents are taken from the Chinese delegates' quarters, and worse, the delegate ends up dead. A young Chinese captain is at the bottom of the latter, but who's her controller? Yes, the Master.

There's a funny scene when the Doctor and the Brigadier visit the delegate Fu Peng. The Doctor quickly wins over the forbidding Fu Peng by speaking to him in the Hokkien dialect, while the poor Brigadier, left out, watches them chatting over tea. The British may think they are civilized, but to the Chinese, they are barbarians. It's a classic example of Occident versus Orient. We also learn that the Doctor once met Mao Tse-tung, presumably during the Long March.

Jo proves herself resourceful when Mailer, a nasty piece of work, organizes a prison uprising. At first at his mercy, she uses her UNIT training to knock the gun out of his hand. Once Mailer's down, the uprising collapses. And she's ever the gentle caretaker of the oversized Barnham, whose usefulness in dealing with the Mind Parasite emerges in Episode Six.

The Master shows himself to be a strategic and tactical genius here. He plans to steal the Thunderbolt and launch it, creating a world war. In the chaotic interim, he takes over. For this, he stages a second uprising, which succeeds, and hires Mailer and his thugs to hijack the Thunderbolt. He also succumbs to the Keller Machine, and guess what he sees as the embodiment of his fears?

This isn't a good story for Sgt. Benton, who is mentally attacked by the Mind Parasite and is clubbed by Mailer during the hijacking, or Captain Yates, who's injured in the same ambush, then captured at the hangar housing the stolen missile. Speaking of the ambush, the camera angle and the approaching motorcade reminded me of how Kennedy was assassinated and how the Grassy Knoll gunman must have been positioned, ready for a turkey shoot.

This is the only Pertwee story on video not available in colour, as those prints got trashed in the BBC purge. It's still enjoyable, though.

Result: A well-done James Bond-ish story crossed with a bit of international relations, and the human mind. Chinese Captain Chin Lee's accusing the "imperialist Americans" of stealing top secret Chinese documents is a well-timed and still relevant dig at us and our militant foreign policy. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

When the totalitarian planet of Mongo decides on a whim to obliterate Earth, it's up to the lunk-headed quarterback Flash Gordon and his oddball companions to make the universe safe for democracy. Based on the classic (and infinitely more reputable) comic strip and its '30s screen serialization, this cotton-candy-colored trash classic deserves immortality for Queen's unforgettably pulsating soundtrack alone. The legendary Max von Sydow appears to be having a blast as the evil Ming the Merciless, while Ornella Muti, as his daughter, is the living embodiment of what attracts adolescent boys to comics in the first place. (She makes Barbarella look mundane.) One of the most shamelessly entertaining movies ever made, this is a knowingly absurd sensory freak-out that'll have the viewer blissfully checking the sky afterward for signs of Hawkmen. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (99)

An overlooked classic from the 80's
Sometimes certain films end up being much better than they have any right to be. Flash Gordon is one of those films. It is, in fact, and I say this in mortal fear of being mocked and shunned by my peers, one of my all time favotite movies. I can watch this film endlessly, and every time I see it I walk around smiling for the rest of the day... it's just that kind of movie.

The cast, first and foremost, is excellent. They work wonders with the material they're given... admittedly this isn't Shakespeare, but it plays remarkably well, with very few cringe-worthy moments. Standout performances include Max Von Sydow as the astoundingly evil Ming, Peter Wyngarde as the almost equally evil Klytus, Brian Blessed as the leader of the Hawkmen, and Topol(?) as an eccentric Dr. Zarkov. Then, of course, there's the absolutely stunning Ornelia Muti as Ming's beautiful daughter Aura... she's wonderful to look at, and has an exotic accent to boot. When I saw this film in the theater as a wee lad, I had quite the childhood crush on Miss Muti... sigh. Anyway, all of the actors seem to be having a grand time with their roles, and it definitely shows.

With all due respect to the actors, however, I really think it's the brilliant soundtrack that makes Flash Gordon stand out most in my mind. Queen, near the peak of their popularity, provided a wonderful, throbbing, highly eccentric collection of songs and instrumental bits that fit the film perfectly. I badgered my poor mother to buy me the 8-track, in fact, and then proceeded to play it at every opportunity... a very patient woman, my mother. She probably still hears "dumdumdumdumdumdumDUMDUM **FLASH!!** ah-AHH!..." in her sleep. Sorry, mom.

The special effects are actually still pretty impressive, as well... bear in mind, however, that I have a soft spot for 1980's effects. I really miss the days when the answer to "How'd they do that?" wasn't always "With computers." There's a certain mystery to these old effects, and I always respect the effort and creativity that went into making things happen with such limited technology. Sigh... Still, the film is very,very colorful, and there are a LOT of costumes, backgrounds, etc. Everything has a very shiny, surreal sort of look to it, in stark contrast to the realistic, worn-out look of the Star Wars films. It's pretty neat in its own way.

In the end, though, Flash Gordon is just plain entertaining. There's hardly ever a dull moment, and the film's almost 2 hour running time goes by in a flash (pun fully intended, with all apologies to the reader). You get a lot of action in those 2 hours... there are laser battles, lots of starships, hand to hand combat on a floating spike disk(?), catfights (in a harem, no less), flame-throwing rings, dominatrix henchladies, evil Space People, a surprising amount of implied sexuality, and the list goes on and on. Just put it in, turn off your brain, and for God's sake HAVE FUN!

On a side note, I have to say that the DVD release is a bit disappointing. The five star rating is strictly for the film itself, not for the disc. Although the video and audio quality is fine (easily the best version currently available), there is absolutely nothing in the way of extras. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Not even a trailer, for crying out loud. Here's hoping that someone, perhaps Anchor Bay (king of the cult classic), will have the good sense to release a Special Edition. I would love to see outtakes, trailers, making of bios, commentary, etc. This film certainly deserves better treatment than it's given here.

Still, this DVD is currently the best edition of Flash Gordon you're going to find (and it's WIDESCREEN!). Plus, it can be picked up pretty cheaply, if you can actually find it. I wholeheartedly recommend that you search it out, watch it over and over, and then join me in waiting patiently for a collector's edition to come along. Even with its shortcomings, Flash Gordon on DVD most definitely deserves a spot in your collection. Just file it under "Guilty Pleasures." :)

Goofy but Affectionate Escapism
"Flash Gordon" has more in common with 1968's "Barbarella" than the comic strip hero of the same name, but still manages to deliver many of the goods expected of campy adult fantasy. Sam Jones is a dopey version of Buster Crabbe's dashing serial hero--fittingly, an over-hormoned football star with a heart that works faster than his brain. Lovely Melody Anderson embodies Dale Arden as a spunky 1930's girl-next-door transplated into the plastic, "modern" 1980s, while sultry Ornella Muti, as Princess Aura, is every adolescent boy's imagining of sex. International stars Topol and Max Von Sydow chew up the scenery as astrophysicist Zarkhov and evil Emperor Ming, respectively, and Peter Wyngarde and ex-James Bond Timothy Dalton do dark turns in secondary roles. The story, laced with PG-rated violence and sexual innuendo, is a tongue-in-cheek rehash of the serials, as Ming ravages Earth until our intrepid heroes rocket to his kingdom to set things straight. This time, they find worlds created with the most elaborate visual effects of the day, some convincing, many not, but all strangely beautiful. If you liked the original, you'll see that most of the swipes are gentle and that as juvenile as the script is, the movie is really aimed at grown-ups. A spirited performance by British TV veteran Brian Blessed and a thumping soundtrack by rock supergroup Queen help make this one memorable.

Cool Movie, Lousy DVD
This review applies to the current Image DVD release. Most people who purchase Flash Gordon remember it from their childhood and wish to relive a part of it. No complaint there! Unfortunately, the DVD is now out of print and a copy can be expensive. About the only thing commendable about the disc is its widescreen aspect ratio. The soundtrack clearly warbles in places, the sound mix is not in 5.1 and generally lousy, and the video is grainy throughout. This is quite a shame, because the soundtrack and effects lend themselves to a great presentation. There are no extra features at all.

The DVD release rights were licensed by Universal to Image Entertainment. I have purchased 3 Image DVDs and they have all been massive disappointments. Fortunately, Universal re-released Sixteen Candles and I hope they will eventually do the same for Flash Gordon.

Flash Gordon and Max
Many reviewers have focused on how fun this movie is. Others have commented on Princess Aura who is...very fine indeed. However, I enjoy the performance of Max von Sydow. As Ming, he is perfect. Max has a sneer that meets if not beats that of Harry Potter's Professor Snape. Ming is amazing to the end...or did he end?

Classic filmaking
It's ia classic right up there with Star Wars. The acting isn't all that great but, it deserves credit for great scenery and costumes. It is definitely worth buying. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins andBlind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterizations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of Robert Newton's much-imitated Long John, one of cinema's most boisterously crowd-pleasing villains ever. (Proving that you can't keep a good--er, bad man down, Newton would return with director Byron Haskins for the enjoyable sequel, Long John Silver.)Watching this classic is like having a flashback to some perfect Technicolor childhood. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Swab the deck, me matey!
The Disney studios first official full length, live-action feature, TREASURE ISLAND is good fun. Although it lacks the slick story-telling flair of recent family films, the story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, is precise and fluid. Robert Newton chews up the scenery as Long John Silver, paving the way for many lovable villains. Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South) plays the brave little Jim Hawkins (or "Jim Harkins" if you speak pirate) who gets involved in a treasure seeking adventure of good vs. evil. In the end, like the viewers of the video, the line between the two is not so well defined. That is a clever twist, especially for a Disney family film. The VHS format already shows some deterioration after a few viewings so I look forward to a DVD release but in the meantime. Yo ho yo ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

All Aboard With Long John Silver
Jim Hawkins is a tavern owner's son who acquires a map showing the location of buried treasure. He shows it to an adventurous squire who recognizes its value and outfits the good ship Hispaniola to set off in search of the prize. The squire hires Jim as a cabin boy and persuades his own physician to join the crew as ship's doctor. The gullible squire's first big mistake is to sign up a rascal named Long John Silver as ship's cook. His second mistake is to allow Silver a chance to recruit some of his old shipmates from his pirate days as members of the Hispaniola's crew.

TREASURE ISLAND is an excellent movie with plenty of realistic action and convincing settings. Robert Newton is brilliant as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll shines as young Jim Hawkins. A strong supporting cast includes Basil Sydney, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Walter Fitzgerald, Finlay Currie and Geoffrey Wilkinson.

Director Byron Haskins also directed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Old memories
Emotions ran high when I saw this movie again after more than 50 years. It was as exciting now as when I was a young child. Robert Newton's performance is a classic. After half a century, he is still the baddest (best) pirate ever.

"The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.

The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.

Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?

Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.

Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)

Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.

Arr, maties! Climb abord for a rip-roaring adventure!
The first time we watched this movie I watched it for about five minutes before walking away, because it wasn't interesting to me at the time. But when I caught the last twenty minutes of it, I decided that it was interesting after all and watched it from the beginning again.

I loved it! Bobby Driscoll was wonderful as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton gave the performance of his life as Long John Silver. The rest of the cast was also tremendous.

I had tried reading the book before, but it hadn't been interesting to me, and I ditched it before I was halfway done. Now, because of this movie, I think I'll dust it off and have a go at it. Who knows, I might even like it enough to review it! :) ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A solid member of the Charlie Chan series
This is a terrific film that shows the quality of the Charlie Chan series. Set in a theatre showing an opera, Chinese private detective Chan and his son solve a baffling murder mystery with plenty of false leads.

The opera being performed was actually written for the film by Oscar Levant and the recording is still available today. One of the main suspects Karloff seems to have wondered in from a Universal horror film, but it does not detract from the overall quality of the film. It is great fun.

It is not possible today to watch Charlie Chan without seeing some racial undertones. It is worth noting that it is an Asian character who is mentally faster and far more polite than his counterparts that solves the mysteries. He never resorts to violence and is calm in all situations. Rather than being racist, perhaps the films were a slap in the face to those who considered whites to be superior. But it must be said some scenes do jar a bit.

The mystery is played fair. All the clues are there. So go and enjoy it.

Karloff Used His Own Singing Voice
Warner Oland played Chan for the thirteenth time and Boris Karloff co-starred in this somewhat overrated film. Music credits were shared with two others by none other than Oscar Levant. Boris Karloff's role was that of an operatic baritone. He actually used his own singing voice. Lee Chan was again played by Keye Luke.

One of the finest in the series
Charlie Chan films are frequently accused of pandering to racial stereotypes. There is a certain truth to this, but Charlie Chan and company were neither more nor less stereotypical than such other popular series as the "Blondie" or "Dr. Kildare" series, and--while we may occasionally roll our eyes at a few 1930s sensibilities--its stereotypes are never mean-spirited and Charlie (along with his various sons) is always presented in a positive light.

CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA is certainly one of the finest--and some argue the single best--of the series for the film was not made as quickly or inexpensively as most in the series. OPERA is given the first class treatment, and producers even went so far as to have Oscar Levant write an opera ("Carnival") for use in the film. The film pits Warner Oland's Chan, played with typical drop-dead aplomb, against none other than Boris Karloff, who plays a mysterious patient escaped from an insane asylum and now haunting an opera house during a stellar performance. Keye Luke appears as Chan's "number one son" Lee, and the supporting cast also includes such notables as Netta Harrigan and the always welcome William Demarest. The story and script are slight, but every one concerned is clearly having a terrific time with the project, and the result is quite a bit of fun. Fans of the series will enjoy it, and it is a recommended introduction to Charlie Chan for newcomers as well.

Boris Karloff makes this the best of the Charlie Chan films
"Charlie Chan at the Opera" is one of the best films in the series starring Warner Oland as the great sleuth, with Keye Luke as his Number One Son. The reason is that the villain this time around is played by Boris Karloff, who plays the great operatic baritone Gravelle. Everyone thinks the singer died in a theater fire, but he survived and ended up as an amnesiac in a mental asylum. One day he sees a newspaper photo of his wife, the soprano Lilli Rochelle (Margaret Irving), and suddenly Gravelle remember that she and her lover, Enrico Barelli (Gregory Gaye), tried to murder him by locking him in his dressing room when they set the place on fire. When Lilli learns her life is in danger, she calls Charlie Chan to save her. During a performance of "Faust" the two lovers are stabbed to death on stage. Is Gravelle the murderer or does Chan have another suspect?

Seeing Karloff dressed up as Mephistopheles is a treat, but what I like best about "Charlie Chan at the Opera" is that the script, by W. Scott Darling and Charles S. Belden, actually makes good use of the opera "Faust." Oland and Luke continue to work well off of each other, but the scenes between Oland and Karloff have a nice spark. This 1937 film was directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, who directed three other films in the series. But this one is the best, even taking into account the inherent racism of these films. Ironically, the following year Karloff made the first of his movies as the other great Chinese detective of cinema James Lee Wong in "Mr. Wong, Detective."

good mystery//great music
This Charlie Chan entry is 1st rate.The racial slurs might offend some people///remember it was made in the 30's//. The original operatic music was composed by Oscar Levant and it is quite good. Boris Karoff is an extra added attraction. The production is excellent and the supporting cast is in top form. This is an enjoyable 30's who done it..Sit back and enjoy this film ... Read more