Reviews (31)

HYGIENE HORRORS
Anyone who has always harbored a fear of the dentist will certainly cringe at the goings on in this over the top, but effective, horror thriller. Corbin Bernsen sinks his teeth (no pun intended?) into the role of Dr. Alan Feinstone, a dentist who seemingly has it all, including a beautiful wife messing around with the hunky poolboy; an IRS man on his tail; and a history of some kind of mental distress. Once he discovers his wife's cheating (on their anniversary, no less), Feinstone goes off his bean, and takes revenge not only on his wife, but on anyone who happens to cross his path, including his staff.
Brian Yuzna directs with a keen eye on the gore, punctuating it with the sound of drills and teeth crashing, etc., etc. Bernsen is perfect for the role, and so good it spawned a sequel which I've yet to see. Notice talented actor Mark Ruffalo (You Can Count on Me) as the studly advertising man paired with the delightfully inane April Reign.
Although a low budget film, it carries itself with dignity and a fine sense of tongue in cheek. It is bloody and disturbing, so be warned. And get out the Ipana now!!!

One of the BEST (and scariest!) horror movies of the 90s...
WOW! I remember the first time I saw this movie back in the 8th grade. It was on network television and CUT! (Therefore meaning that some of the gore may have been left out of the T.V. version) Nevertheless, it STILL scared the hell out of me! Two years later, I watched it again on HBO as a midnight cinema event. It was UNCUT and scared me even more!

Corbin Bernsen ("Major League") plays Dr. Allan Finestone, a man who's got it all; a beautiful wife (Linda Hoffman), a luxurious estate, and a fine practice as the Beverly Hills Dentist. However, after catching his wife cheating on him, Finestone goes over the edge and begins a day treating (or should I say TORTURING?) his patients in numerous bloody ways. Eventually, he gets even with his love as well, by pulling out all her teeth WITHOUT NOVACAINE! (Here's where things REALLY get freaky!) Next in line for an appointment... a snobbish IRS agent, two picky dental assistants, and the poolman! Each one met with their own unique ways of demise for a horror flick. Low-budget has never been THIS good!

(WARNING: This movie contains shocking material of blood and gore involving dentistry and may be too scary for minors. Do NOT see this movie before you go to the Dentist or you may be diagnosed with dentaphobia! However, if you are a gore hound, this is definately the one to own in your horror library! But remember, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!)

All actors (especially Bernsen) and actresses did an excellent job with their roles and it all almost seems and feels so realistic as if this could really happen! The music is also very stylish and creepy and fits quite well with this very rare gem. Every time I watch that one scene with the little boy though, I start to shudder by the experience of how even a normal appointment can be a nightmare! That's why I thought it was good and original that the filmakers chose the dental category in order to make a horror movie, considering that most of us are afraid to go to the Dentist as it already is!

OVERALL: I GIVE IT A 10/10 FOR THE NIGHTMARISH AND GROSTESQUE ATMOSPHERE SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF YOUR EVERYDAY DENTIST. (Not to mention the clever plot) You want a movie that will frighten you and keep you up all night trembling in fear, watch this film alone! (I DARE you!) I also reccomend it's sequel, "The Dentist 2: Brace Yourself" while not being as good as the first, it makes a fine addition for a good sequel. And remember, "Brush three times a day and no candy!"

Gonna make an appointment anytime soon?
OMG! This has got to be the most disturbing movie I have seen in a LONG time. I love it!

Alan Phinestone is teetering on the edge of insanity. But after he catches his gorgeous wife Brooke messing around with the pool guy, it pushes him over the edge. He cuts his wife's tongue out, yanks out all of her teeth (with no painkillers, OUCH) and then starts in on his regular patients, in particular the cute little preteen who has been waiting for a long time to get her braces taken off.

I refused to even THINK about going to a dentist for about 7 years after seeing this and there is still a few parts of it that I cannot watch to this day.

Excellent!

Fairly decent
This is a mediocre, low-grade attempt at a horror flick, but it does pretty well. Perhaps worth the rent.
But the acting and plot are both very thin, weak and poor.

You haven't been brushing, have you?
Out of all the horror movies made in the last twenty to thirty years, I suspect that "The Dentist" is one of the few films capable of hitting a viewer where it hurts. Think about it for a second. How many horror films go completely over the top, completely into the realms of bizarre fantasy, to deliver the shocks? Quite a few. Let's face it; the chances that a killer in a hockey mask will bury a hatchet in your head are probably significantly worse than winning the lottery. When was the last time a pack of bloodthirsty demons from the netherworld accosted you and yours? Or a fairy tale creature-a leprechaun, for the sake of argument-appeared on your doorstep to wreak havoc because he thinks you stole his gold? There's nothing wrong with fantastical horror movies; fans of the genre eagerly suspend disbelief as a matter of course. Unfortunately, you'll have a tougher time getting the unpleasant "The Dentist" out of your head. Here's a horror movie that hits too close to home. Everyone goes to the dentist, or at least has once in their life, so the idea of a practitioner in the fine art of arresting tooth decay going completely insane should scare the bejeezus out of anyone. And it will. "The Dentist" comes from the wonderfully warped minds of Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna, they of such classics as "The Re-Animator" and "From Beyond."

Dr. Feinstone (Corbin Bernsen) appears to have the perfect life. He owns a thriving practice in the suburbs, drives a nice car, is married to a beautiful woman named Brooke (Linda Hoffman), and works hard to earn the respect of his many patients. You couldn't ask for a better existence, yet sinister seeds of discontent begin building in the mind of Dr. Feinstone. Little things, like a lost pair of cufflinks, send him into a dither. Too, the threat of an impending IRS audit conducted by the seedy Marvin Goldblum (Earl Boen) weighs on the dentist's mind like an anvil. What's worse, Feinstone concludes that his wife is cheating on him with Matt (Michael Stadvec), the guy who comes around to clean the pool. Any two of these problems could easily send the most even keeled amongst us shrieking into the abyss, but Feinstone has another problem, a problem that he thinks about aloud only when alone in the car or safely ensconced in his plush office. Apparently, the idea of decay is starting to assume a sublime importance in the mind of our fair dentist. He's beginning to understand that plaque often clings to every aspect of the human condition, that cavities can affect the soul as often as it does teeth. Feinstone, as a trained dentist and healer, soon believes he must do whatever is necessary to remove the decay afflicting the people around him.

Healing is often a painful process. When the dentist confirms that his wife is indeed cheating on him, he takes steps to insure that such acts will never happen again. When Agent Goldblum insists on receiving a free checkup as part of a far-reaching bribe, Feinstone teaches a lesson the G-man will not soon forget. And for all those employees with the temerity to question the boss's directives, well, there are ways to deal permanently with such insolence. What Feinstone doesn't seem to realize, much to the everlasting chagrin of those individuals around him, is that the decay he so fears has effectively sunk its wormy tendrils deep into his mind. Take the case of April Reign (Christa Sauls), a beauty queen seeking advice on how to brighten her smile. Feinstone's actions towards this ravishing woman are so despicable, so outside the boundaries of what comprises a healer, that we immediately recognize the dentist has lost his battle against decay before the war has even started. In a way, we should pity Dr. Feinstone even as the police uncover the bloody horrors in his office and his house. Very few of us appreciate the role dentists play in society. We fear them or make fun of them instead of lauding the brave men and women who undertake such a taxing occupation.

"The Dentist" is a remarkably fun film as well as an effective horror picture. Corbin Bernsen, never a personal favorite of mine, does an amazing turn as the deranged dentist. Even better are the grotesqueries parading across the screen, the reckless drillings, scrapings, extractions, and other assorted dental skills employed to gory effect by Feinstone as he attempts to stem the spread of decay. What he does to Agent Goldblum is downright horrific. "The Dentist" succeeds in many respects, none more so than in writer Gordon's and director Yuzna's brilliant maneuver to extend the idea of tooth decay to society at large. Isn't every nasty attribute of the human race really in essence a form of decay? And if it is, how does a healer go about eradicating the tartar of immorality? It must drive physicians, dentists, and other health care specialists utterly bonkers when they see patients refuse to follow advice that keeps a body and mind fit. Feinstone is obviously insane, but it's to the film's credit that we see why he loses his mind.

Don't expect to see much in the way of extras on the DVD of "The Dentist." Two trailers, for Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive" and one for this movie, and cast filmographies are the only things you get. Too bad. A commentary track from Yuzna, Gordon, and Bernsen might have been a nice touch. If you fear the dentist, this movie will probably give you the sweats. Personally, I'm thinking of giving the film to my dentist as a Christmas present. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Two inept cops who frame An Innocent Man
This is the story about two inept cops who frame AN INNOCENT MAN named Jimmie Rainwood(Tom Selleck). The two plain clothes police officers deviously plant drugs inside Jimmie's home,also using his mailing address. The cops spot a shadow of what looks like a pistol,but is actually a hair dryer. Jimmie was drying his hair after taking a shower. After other officers discover the drugs in Jimmie's home,he is arrested,arraigned,convicted and sent to prison for six years. After Jimmie is released,he and a few friends scheme to incarcerate the drug-planting cops. The cops end up in jail. Jimmie's buddy(F. Murray Abraham),who's still in prison,says at the end of the film,"Ain't life a motherf---er?". This film was not as great as THREE MEN AND A BABY and HER ALIBI,but I loved it.

AN EXCELLENT SELLECK MOVIE
As long as I can remember I've always immensely enjoyed/loved Tom Selleck movies. This is defintely one of his best(as well as 'Her Alibi'). This is a very enjoyable prision movie with a range of emotions. This film as always been on my DVD wishlist so I'm very excited that it's finally on DVD. I highly reccomend this film, you won't regret it.
By Justine Ryan

An Entertainingly Uncomfortable Film
Even though you know what's going to happen to Tom Selleck's character, and you know that the ending will be happy, watching the process is enjoyably discomfiting. This is a plot film -- stuff keeps happening to the main character, things he appears utterly incapable of controlling, and everything spirals right into disaster. Great Friday night fare. Make a lot of popcorn and savor it.

an excellent movie
Very entertaining movie. The characters are all great, the plot and the suspense are terrific.

Best Selleck Drama
I always like Tom Selleck movies. Some are actually very entertaining. This is by far his best dramatic role. I was very impressed how well he played the part of a framed Airline crew chief Jimmie Rainwood. F. Murray Abraham gives a great performance as one of the prison inmates, Virgil Cane, that befriends him. It has all the elements for some good drama, bad cops, drugs, decent and really bad convicts, attractive loving wife, and motive for revenge.

David Rasche and Richard Young do a fine job as the crooked detectives that frame him. I have recommended this to many people since many Selleck fans are not even aware of it. Whether you like Selleck or not you will enjoy this film if you like movies like "The Fugitive","US Marshals", and "Shawshank Redemption". It is being released on DVD soon and you can bet I pre-ordered a copy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cynthia Khan excels in superb historical kung fu adventure
DEADEND OF BESIEGERS is a 1992 kung fu film starring Yu Rong Guang (the "Iron Monkey" himself) and Cynthia Khan (IN THE LINE OF DUTY 3, 4 & 5), two fine fighting stars who are in peak form here. Yu stars as a Japanese martial artist visiting China to learn Chinese kung fu. Cynthia plays a village girl and expert in Dog Fist style, who, with the other villagers, mistakes Yu for one of the Japanese pirates who have raided their village. Only when Cynthia's adolescent sister intervenes on behalf of Yu, who saved her life, does Cynthia gradually accept the idea of his innocence. Eventually, he joins Cynthia and the other villagers in fending off a renewed attack by the pirates.

It's a well-told, refreshingly original story, backed up by frequent, expertly staged fighting, all shot amidst picturesque locales and settings in Mainland China. The actors are all excellent, especially the girl who plays the younger sister, a character who spends all her free time caring for and feeding the Japanese outcast, even going so far as to teach him enough of her language to get by.

The DVD includes three language tracks: Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. The Japanese-speaking characters speak Japanese on both the Cantonese and Mandarin tracks. This reviewer prefers the Cantonese track because the Cantonese voice actors are livelier and more expressive, particularly the actress who voices the young girl. ... Read more

Description

Ash finally battles Azalea Town's gym leader Bugsy and his bug Pokemon for a Hive Badge!Can Cyndaquil light its flame in time to help Ash win?And, lost in the Ilex Forest, Ash comes across a Farfetch'd trainer who needs a lot of training himself before he can help Ash fight off Team Rocket!Plus, in the seaside town of Palmpona, Ash takes a Pokemon swap meet by storm!But is there any market for a young trainer's Wobbuffet? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Britain is isolated from new Pokemon stuff...
So I was overjoyed to be able to get Johto videos. Johto episodes are only on once a week. At seven in the morning on Sunday, and by the time you look round the episode's finished and you have to wait another week.

I like battles most, so I choose videos with Gym battles in them, like this one and Flying Ace video. With the books about them, and screenshots from the episode, it makes them impossible to miss! I'll certainly wait two weeks for this chance.

I hope I'll enjoy it. Reviews sound good, too.

Enjoyable series but too expensive
Pokémon is the story about Ash Ketchum and his friends, Misty Williams and Brock Harrison. Ash's goal is to become a Pokémon Master. Misty's goal is to be "the best at everything" but, more specifically, a Water Pokémon Master. Brock's goal is to be the world's best Pokémon breeder. Pokémon are the animals that inhabit their world. They come in many different species (mouse, cat, dog, etc.) and types (electric, grass, water, fire, etc.). Each Pokémon trainer trains his or her Pokémon to battle other Pokémon and win badges to compete in Pokémon Leagues. Ash, Misty, and Brock must deal with Jessie, James, and Meowth of the evil Team Rocket, who want to steal Ash's first Pokémon, Pikachu, and usually other Pokémon as well. This Japanese animation series is an advertisement for the Pokémon video games, and the episodes' plots are usually simple, but this is actually an enjoyable series. Common themes are friendship, not giving up, parting ways with a dear friend, and other good morals. Parents and guardians that are concerned about the violence need not worry. Yes, the kids have their pets fight each other, but they also must learn to take care of and love their pets. Girls will find a strong female role model in Misty. Overall, this is a fun, simple, warm-hearted, rather repetitive series. However, despite how much I like the anime, the DVDs are not worth your money. Each episode is probably less than twenty minutes long, and there are only three episodes on each DVD. You would be paying the price of this DVD for around one hour of Pokémon. That's ridiculous. They don't even include the Japanese vocal tracks with English subtitles or the fun music videos from the TV airings. You can rent these same English-dubbed episodes on VHS. If you really want this series on DVD, my advice to you is to buy the movies and the special, "Mewtwo Returns", and wait for box sets of the series.

The king of Kids' WB! Watch out for killer bees!
Even though Nintendo Power will no longer sell the Pokemon comics any more, I'm going to love this volume just like you told me. They contain the following:

Gettin' the Bugs Out: Featuring a battle with the Azalea Town Gym Leader, Bugsy. And we all know who really hates bug-type Pokemon. By the way, back in the G/S versions of the game, Bugsy used Metapod, Kakuna, and Scyther did he?

A Farfetch'd Tale: Featuring an old Pokemon called Farfetch'd. A little boy has lost his Farfetch'd and Team Rocket is trying to catch it so they can sell the poor thing for money to buy food. Now who would play such a dirty trick in making money?

Tricks of the Trade: Featuring a strange new Pokemon called Wobbuffet from, er, Pokemon Gold and Silver. There's this big trading thing going on and there is a boy who wants to trade away his Wobbuffet. But the way, Jessie accidentally traded Lickitung for Wobbuffet. What a goofball.

Now, thank you all once again on your cooperation on what to rank, and good luck to all you Pokemon trainers out there. For Volume 11 and Volume 12, I will be seeing you all in January 2002. But be careful with those thieves who try to steal items from you.

The King of Kid's WB! Lots of Bugs!
Even though the Nintendo Power Magazine type people will no longer be selling Pokemon TV Animation type Comics any longer, I will be adoring this video just like all of you fellow ... viewers have been telling little old me. Oh, wait a second, did Nintendo Power Magazine really ever sell those comics? Oh well, here are the episodes in this video:
Gettin' the Bugs Out: Featuring a battle with the Azalea Town Gym Leader, Bugsy. And we all know who really hates bug-type Pokemon...Funny, Funny, Funny!
A Farfetch'd Tale: Featuring an old Pokemon called Farfetch'd. A little boy has lost his Farfetch'd and Team Rocket is trying to catch it so they can sell the poor thing for money to buy food. Poor Farfetch'd :(
Tricks of the Trade: Featuring a strange new Pokemon called Wobbuffet from, er, Pokemon Gold and Silver. There's this big trading thing going on and there is a boy who wants to trade away his Wobbuffet.
Now, thank you all once again on your cooperation on what to rank, and good luck to all you Pokemon trainers out there. For Volume 11 and Volume 12, I will be seeing you all in January of the year 2002. ... Read more

Description

Journey into the pit of hell with horror master H.P. Lovecraft (Jeffrey Combs) in this chilling thriller. An intoxicating thrill ride filled with gruesome special effects, Necronomicon combines the classic horror of Evil Dead with the gothic pleasures of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Year: 1993 Director: Brian Yuzna, Christophe Gans, Shsuke Kaneko Starring:Bruce Payne, Belinda Bauer, Bess Meyer ... Read more

Reviews (25)

H.P. Lovecraft Lives!
What a film. While not a great film in Acamedy Award level production values, this is a really good movie. Seldom has this reviewer seen the power and atmosphere of Lovecraft's work placed on film. HPL purists have good reason to complain that the 3 stories in this anthology style treatment have very little to do with any specific Lovecraft work, but the overall chemistry of the film has captured the distilled essence of HPL even better than Re-Animator did. It is as if HPL himself was left to do the cinematography, set decoration, casting, foley, ADR and scoring to this film. Those not familiar with Lovecraft might be quite confused, but more open-minded fans of his work will recognize elements from a dozen or more HPL stories permiating the film. The venerable Jeff Coombs plays HPL himself who locates the evil book in a library. Other great faces include David Warner in an unforgettable role as well as Richard Lynch and Bruce Payne. SFX are above passible and the whole film is a gory joyride. Necronomicon is an overlooked gem of a horror film that deserves a view. Can't wait till it makes it to DVD!

Entertaining
This has all the makings of a good Lovecraft adatpion, namely Jeffery Combs and the Necronomicon. 3 stories linked together by the mysterious black book called Necronomicon. Really gory, but doesn't take itself too seriously. Combs is the actor king of H.P. Lovecraft adaptions and Brian Yuzna is also a really good contributor to Lovecraft films, namely his skills as a producer and the more recent Beyond Re-Animator. Worth a look for anyone even casually interested in modern horror films.

Entertaining B Movie
I got this on the cheap, and if you're a fan of cheesy, B movie horror with lots of gooey special effects and can find it cheap, do so. Don't expect a legitimate Lovecraft tie-in: Lovecraft appears as a character in a "wraparound" uniting three unrelated stories, but it's not Lovecraft the historical character--there's a disclaimer at the end of the film admitting as much--nor do the stories themselves reflect Lovecraft's ethos. Lovecraft was about understatement and suggestion; this film takes the opposite track with dripping gore and monsters in full view. To me, that's no bad thing, but as you can tell from the reviews here, plenty of hard-core Lovecraft fans disagree. What the movie does offer is plenty of slime covered latex masks and monsters, and you get good views of them; one pretty good story, one mediocre story, and one gross-out fairly stupid story; lots of mediocre to bad acting, and a quick, totally gratuitous and titillating (so to speak) shot of one of the actresses naked in the shower. If that's what you want to pay your money for, go for it. I admit to my own amusement and entertainment.

Good Entertainment
Aside from the Lovecraftian aspects, this movie is good for entertainment value. If you want to watch a horror movie that is different from the rest, Lovecraftian adaptations seem to be a lot more interesting than the average flick.

However, on the Lovecraftian aspects, the movie title is misleading. The plot may be constructed around the book itself, but the movie gives absolutely no audience to the story Lovecraft put behind it. I give it three out of five - the movie impliments Lovecraftian ideas, but does not deliver the actual story Lovecraft wrote about the Necronomicon.

The Harsh Hands of Lovecraft Fans
For some reason, people give this movie such low marks without giving actually viewing the movie as a movie. Perhaps its because the name HP Lovecraft was attached to yet another adaptation failure, and they thought, quite foolishly, that this meant that there would be a Lovecraftian film that was actually Lovecraftian. Well, that never happens and the H.P. is almost always attached to sell more movies and to get more bad reviews. Still, while not a standout jewel in the forum of monster movies (and what really is in the true monstrosity arena?), it does hits 4.5 star highs and 2.2 star lows to make it worth seeing. You just have to forget that nefarious little label.
This movie is set in 1932 with everyone's favorite actor, the immortal Jeffrey Combs, as a strangle Indiana Joneseque version of H.P. Lovecraft. In it, Lovecraft decides to steal a view (and the book itself later) of the infamous Necronomicon despite the wishes (and warnings of its keepers). Taking a key from one of its monk keepers, he finds his way to a secretive chamber where he finds the book and begins to transcribe three stories - The Drowned, The Cold, and The Whispers - from what he sees here.
The Drowned, a story borrowing from Lovecraftian themes and mingling in some ideas from differing stories, is about a man returning to an inherited hotel and finding more than he bargained for. Our main character looks over a letter from his Uncle that, in flashback sequencing, finds his family dead and denouncing God for it. After throwing his bible to the ground, he is visited by a good looking Deep One who replaces the book with another. Reading from it, he finds his family returned, but only in a small sense of the word. Well, our main character, seeing only the "raising the dead" and not the lesson in the tale, decides to liberate the book from its hiding place and resurrect his long lost wife, leading us to a showdown with a huge one-eyed monster (I can't call the thing great cthulhu).
The Cold, a good piece adapted from Cool Air, begins with a reporter who is investigating a series of murders going to a house and speaking to the current owner. After loosing her tongue her with a series of threats, she reveals a story involving her mother and a doctor with a "Skin condition" that first owned this place. This story's ending is actual good, plus the body of the tale is also an interesting piece. I would have to say it also pulls its weight with a 3.5 to a 4.0 rating.
Wanting to forget The Whispers, I'll only break it down briefly. Here is a tale about a female officer chasing a criminal who turns out not to be a criminal unto a cavern (more like an abandoned sewer) of terror (and yawning). It has a little gore, some scary homeless people - one of which is blind -, a lot of crawling and chasing, and some really, really bad acting. I would give it a 2.2 only because I had to spit on the other two pieces here.
If you haven't seen this movie before, its not really a bad addition to anyone's growing horror selection. Just don't build a house of expectations on it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Cartoonland...
"The Fiction Makers" originally was a two part episode from "The Saint" TV program, later packaged as a feature. By 1968, the series was winding down. Most of the original Saint stories had been adapted for the program, and the writers had been creating new original adventures for the character for some time. By then, most of the Saint's hard edge was gone, and what was left was just a shell, at times almost a cartoon character, especially in the hands of screenwriter John Kruse. There has always been an undertone of humor to the Saint, but here much too much is just played for laughs. For fans of the original Saint found in literature or even from the early days of the TV program, it is sad to see the decline of a once proud character.

That said, this comic book adventure, written by Kruse, features Roger Moore as Simon Templar, AKA "The Saint". "Amos Klein" is the reclusive author of James Bond type spy adventures. When a deluded band of crooks seek to make Klein's fictional world a reality, the Saint finds himself kidnapped, and mistaken for the famous author. The real Klein is actually a woman (Sylvia Syms), who is imprisoned with the Saint in a country manor. There, the gang plot the their upcoming caper, the robbery of a facility where valuables are stored. All that is needed to insure their success is the expertise and guidance from their creator (Klein). The Saint plays along with the deception until he can turn the tables on the gang and foil their criminal plans.

This is strictly lightweight entertainment. Fun, if your expectations are low. Production values are TV quality. Edwin Astley's main title music is good, and the opening credits are amusing. This adventure will be part of an up coming DVD boxed set of The Saint TV program, so if you are interested you may want to look there for it. If you are a fan of the Saint, you may want to see my other reviews of the DVD boxed sets of this program.

Ever So Saintly was Roger Moore...
While most remember Moore as Ian Fleming's super spy, James Bond, Moore was playing The Saint while Sean Connery hit the big screen as 007. This film was originally broadcast as a 2 part episode during the TV series. Then it saw release as a motion picture in several countries. Author & creator, Leslie Charteris, actually re-wrote the screen play into a novel by the same name in 1968.

Roger Moore's rendition of Simon Templar (The Saint) became the most famous. His tongue and cheek style was perfect for television (although he was never as ruthless as he was in the books).

In The Fiction Makers, Templar is hired by a publisher to protect his best selling authour, Amos Kline. Kline's books are a direct spoof of Fleming and Charteris' own stories, and the opening scene depicts Moore at a movie premiere poking fun of how predictable the "007-like" character was (how ironic).

Kline and Templar get kidnapped by S.W.O.R.D. (Secret World Organization for Retribution & Destruction) a take off on Fleming's "Spectre" organization and must write a plan for S.W.O.R.D. to break into the world's strongest bank (how very Goldfinger-esque...)

The film flows very well, with plenty of humour and Moore's perpetual raised eyebrow wit. A perfect addition for fans of the TV series, or fans of Moore in general. Great 60's spy soundtrack courtesy of Edwin Astley. My only complaint is that we only see Templar's car (his famous white Volvo 1800) for a few minutes.

The VHS transfer is excellent and the sound and picture quality are first rate. A steal at the price. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good solid acting by the leads and great production value
This has very good production value for a very low budget independent film. Worth seeing for the acting by the leads. The script is at times a little mixed but shows ability. The line producer and the director of photography did a great job to give this a very rich look. Worth the time to see what you can do with just a little money. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jeff Daniels Rules!! Nicely Done Comedy/Drama!!
Jeff Daniels rules in this film about a man and his strained love and family relationships.It's a nicely done comedy/drama that's well worth watching!! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

a victim of sequalitis
this movie was a pretty good sequel to the first one. but it should have been better. i think that if it werent for the acting ability of brigitte lin this movie would have been a flop. dont get me wrong its a good movie but when you compare it to the first one you can tell it falls short and carries all the symptoms of sequalitis. the best part of the whole movie, which about 90 min. in length, is the end scenes. even though i give it a lower rating i would recommend getting this one, or you will never know how the story ends.

What was this
Bride with the white hair had hardly any action and really disappointed me. I like the story line and everything and it's pretty sad, but I wanted to see more fight scenes. Don't get this movie is you are expecting action.

Mindy's Review
well as a Brigitte Lin Chin Hsia Fan, i would say that part 2 wasen't all that cause part 2 can't even compare with part 1 but, the story line is kinda dull but, this movie is sooo dam worth siting and staring at the screen just to see the end. where Brigitte and Leslie comes back together as Brigitte white hair turn back to black (cause they forgave each other and kiss while i guess they died while makine out haha) so worth sit through all them exta stuff just to see the end! but, if you haven't seen part 1 then i really suggest that you should see part 1. well if you didn't like part 1 then you souldn't get part 2 just think of it as leslie died in the moutain waiting for the rose! haha And of course you should see Brigitte Lin other movies such as Peking Opera Blues......etc

Mindy Yang

Great Movie..but watch Part 2 first..
This is a great movie and well done. The only bad thing here is that, Part 2 was suppose to come out before part 1. Becuz after watching part 1, you get the feeling you want to watch part 2 with hopes of the characters continuing just like that.. Trust me, this is one of the great movies ever, watch 2 first, you would be craving to watch part 1.. And there ya go, you would watch it over again.. Well Done..

Not as bad as everyone makes it out to be
While it certainly isn't up to par with its predecessor, Bride with White Hair 2 is not an awful movie. I admit that I bought the movie because of the sheer beauty of the first; and it did try its best to rectify the open ending that the original had.

The fighting scenes were bizarre and interesting to say the least, with Brigitte Lin's white hair strangling and piercing bodies all over the place, and the story was, while not terribly engaging, was not tepid enough to be utterly uninteresting. While the relationship between Sunny Chan and Joey Maan is not as interesting as that of Leslie Cheung and Brigitte Lin (hence the four stars, though I wish I could give 4.5 stars..), the young couple were somewhat convincing. Veterans, Brigitte Lin and Leslie Cheung electrifies in their wondrous renditions of the two doomed lovers. Too bad there's only a few minutes of screen time for the pair ;-(

Bride with White Hair 2 certainly is not a bad movie; living up to the original Bride with White Hair's greatness was not an easy task mind you, so the sequal did a decent job. Comparing BWWH2 with other HK wuxia flicks, this one is solid. If you want BWWH2 to give you the same, mind-numbing experience that the original delivers, you're going to be in for a disappointment. Watch the movie on its own, without comparing it to the magnificence of the original. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

"Don't let him down."
In retrospect, it isn't hard to understand why Barbra chose to make this limp, embarrassingly unfunny farce. The arty UP THE SANDBOX had just flopped and the future prospects of the just completed THE WAY WE WERE were unknown. Deciding that her reputation as a movie superstar couldn't take another project that was a commercial risk, she agreed to star in FOR PETE'S SAKE, a woefully misguided attempt at modern screwball comedy. Basically, everything that WHAT'S UP, DOC? succeeded at brilliantly, FOR PETE'S SAKE fails at miserably. Not only are the characters annoying and the puns infantile, but FOR PETE'S SAKE commits the biggest crime known to comedy: it just ain't funny. Throughout all of the typical comedic mix-ups and chases, the viewer will find his or herself moaning rather than laughing.

Barbra tries her best to pump the film up with her undeniable comic gifts, but there's no inspiration in this sitcom-level script, so even her earnest portrayal gets lost amid the murk. Michael Sarrazin fares even worse due to his badly underwritten character, and he has no chemistry with Streisand. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast doesn't fare much better. True, veteran comedic actress Molly Picon has a few amusing bits as Ms. Cherry, but none of the other supporting players are able to break out of their one-note characters. However, when a screenplay is this labored and unfunny, you can't really blame any of the actors - they obviously did the best with what they were given. It's certain that Barbra wouldn't have made this film had she known that THE WAY WE WERE was going to be a blockbuster hit, however that is not a good enough reason to excuse the poor execution behind this picture.

There are fans who like to say that the contrived box office hit THE MAIN EVENT or the off-beat box office flop ALL NIGHT LONG are Barbra's weakest films, but I must strongly disagree. THE MAIN EVENT may have been tired and predictable, but at least it was funny overall, and Streisand did had chemistry with her leading man in that one. And though ALL NIGHT LONG may have not been a perfect film (the film's soggy mid-section is it's biggest flaw), but it had a charmingly odd-ball perspective that made the movie seem bizarrely endearing. FOR PETE'S SAKE has none of the things that make THE MAIN EVENT or ALL NIGHT LONG entertaining. It just stumbles on to the finale, getting progressively worse as it goes. While FOR PETE'S SAKE was actually a box office hit in it's day, in the end it no doubt had a more damaging effect on Barbra's career. It did nothing but provide fodder for the people who never liked her to begin with.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, much better that I expected, and the sound is also fine. Yates' commentary track isn't very interesting (and has some long silences), but it's still a nice addition.

Barbra Arrives on DVD
It's nice to see more Barbra Streisand titles appearing on DVD. FOR PETE'S SAKE has arrived and although it is not one of Streisand's "classic" films, it is certainly entertaining -- and the DVD makes this 1970's film look great!

For starters, the disk comes with a letterbox presentation on one side and a full-screen presentation on the other. The menu is colorful and a funky 1970's design. The trailers included (WAY WE WERE, PRINCE OF TIDES, and the PETE'S trailer) are interesting. The Talent Files are brief. The colors and clarity of the picture look great to me.

As for the film, Barbra is very funny. She's in her fast-talking Brooklynese mode here. The plot is barely realistic, but that doesn't really matter because this is a romantic, screwball comedy. Actually, when you think about it, the story of a wife who prostitutes herself to pay for a loan is quite horrendous. But director Peter Yates somehow makes you forget this -- in his commentary (an extra audio track on the disk) he keeps saying "This movie is entertainment, it's supposed to be fun and not taken seriously."

Barbra sings the title song (the lyrics are a bit dated, but the song is fun) and wears a short Jon Peters-designed wig. Look for Barbra's longtime manager Marty Erlichman in a cameo. Also, praise should be given to Gene Callahan's production design. Streisand's apartment (although clearly out of her character's means) is gorgeous!

My favorite scene is when Barbra gets licked by the bull while driving a trailer. Barbra's laughs of disgust and amazement are quite hilarious.

Enjoy FOR PETE'S SAKE!

Aptly Titled
Avoid at all costs. Streisand at her most obnoxious, weaker material than a Nick-At-Nite "Facts Of Life" marathon. Wear a life preserver if you have to sit through it because it starts sinking right away.

For God's Sake!
Okay, what were the film folks thinking with regard to this picture? The commentary by the film's director was fun; the film in two formats was nice; but after almost 20 years, there is nothing new to this piece. The only upside is being able to burn on your personal CD player the opening title song, "For Pete's Sake" sung by Streisand. Where is the creative genius' behind these releases?

Barbara chewing scenery
This is not one of my favorite Barbara films. It's ok to watch on a dreqary Sunday afternoon. I'd much rather watch "What's Up, Doc?" or "Funny Girl" the latter of which has finally made it onto DVD.
This little film is basically about the bonds of marrriage and how love overcomes everything, including prostitution, larceny, goodfellas, porkbellies, stocks, snotty family members and Molly Picon!
Barbara plays Henry, whose husband Pete drives a cab by day and plays the stock market putting their savings into porkbellies. The stocks go belly up and Babrba is determined not to let Petes dreams join them. So, she goes from one silly plotline to another to try and get him the money, all the while putting them further in debt. Until the end when the porkbelly stock finally brings them their dreams.

AA sweet comedy with Barbra acting her face off trying her best to make the most of it. I truly hate her short hair in this movie, it distracts me. I hope that "What's Up, Doc?" and "On a Clear Day" get a great DVD treatment. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Fans of the comic will not be disappointed
Based on the excellent Faust: Love of the Damned comics from David Quinn and Tim Vigil, this film version won't disappoint fans. Brian Yuzna has some decent horror films under his belt, many considered cult classics, and he is at the top of his game here. In his screenwriting debut, David Quinn does a surprisingly decent job, and Yuzna works well with it. Production values are low, as could be expected with a budget of $2 million, but it all comes together. I saw this film at an art house a few month ago, actually, and was pleasantly surprised, especially being a reader of the comics. The look and feel is relatively the same, and the overall style matches well. The graphic sex and violence will no doubt be cut a bit (or a lot...) in this "R" version, which pretty much guarantees an unrated/cut version in the future. Overall, Faust is a decent horror movie, with symbolism and style.

Faust: Love it, hate it, or both
OK, here's my thoughts on the movie adaptation of the famed gothic-horror-erotica comic book:

In order for a movie to truly capture the essence of Faust: Love of the Damned, the movie would have to be a freaky XXX adult movie. No ifs ands or buts about it. This version was either rated R or UNRATED. I think it would have been much better if it was Japanese animation! I've read the comics and quite frankly, David Quinn, the author of the comics, couldn't put every detail into the film script: some stuff was added, some was left out, and some was a jarbled confusing mess!

The movie could have been a WHOLE LOT BETTER, but if you read the comics, you'd probably figure that if Faust was made true to the comic, it would have been probably banned in 80 countries around the world (or probably even more!).

The only character I felt they at least got partially right was Clare, M's "wife" (the woman with the two-toned hair). Many reviewers felt confused as to why M melted Clare. Well, in the comic, Clare insults M's authority and basically tells him that without her he's nothing. Well, M shows her who's the boss!(...) She was just melted, but M revived her after she learned "humility". That's about it. Jade, I felt so-so about.

Goodness, they really messed up John!!! In the comic, he's portrayed as a sympathetic, yet dealy insane, kinda guy. His love for Jade comes through in the comic. But in both movie and comic, the costume is downright laughable! So Faust came out before Spawn but I really couldn't stop laughing at John's costume which is a crazy funny hybrid of Spawn/Wolverine and Batman!!!! Even as I type this review, I start cracking up!

So remember folks,Faust: Love of the Damned is just an extremely poor adaptation of an EXTREMELY ADULT comic that depicted bestiality (Clare did a snake for Christ's sake and demons!), devil worship, blood drinking, loads of dismemberment, gratuitous sex, cannibalism, gay sex and the list just goes on and on!

Like Spawn......but not good.
This is the story of a resurrected artist who is reborn to kill evildoers every where!...or any one that happens to be in the same room.

When they showed the guy at the embassy with two long claws growing out of each of his hands, I thought he was a Wolverine rip-off. Things got worse when we see what he looks like fully formed...I didn't know what the hell he was. He's like a devil, but he looks more like a Batman wannabe at a comic book convention; you'd think the devil would have given him horns that didn't shake like rubber. His special powers include jumping on top of stuff and acting like he's flying, and licking cops in the ear.

Reading the other reviews, it would seem this is based off a comic series. So I would like to ask those comic fans...just what WAS this movie about? This reminds me of anime films that are based off manga and begin the story in the middle of the series. There was a pact with an evil being, then suddenly a conspiracy where all the big-wigs in the town are behind evil, and some how this "Faust" guy is the one being that can stop all evil...though I don't know how he can save people when he keeps killing them! How many cops did he kill that thought they were just doing their job? And again...why did he LICK THEM?

"Hellboy" is coming out tomorrow. I used to have reserved feelings about that, but after watching this any superhero movie I see will appear to be the greatest film ever.

Damned bad.
This flick fails in every aspect. The plot is jibberish. The acting non-existant. The special effects laughable. The action still-lifed. Ranks up there with CAPTAIN AMERICA for worst comic book movie of all time. DAREDEVIL was better than this mess, and that's saying a lot. If you enjoy good comic book films (even the smaller, independant type), avoid this tripe at all costs. If you like the darker, more violent heroes watch the excellent BLADE again and revell in the fact that good, bloody horror/action films still need writitng and acting to entertain. FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED is so damned bad it qualifies as anti-entertainment.

Disappointing
I was hoping for a faithful rendition Tim Vigil's Faust comic, which in and of itself is horror at it's finest. It saddens me actually to see such a great story as presented in the comic twisted in this way.

The acting is less than interesting, the only redeeming feature I found to this move was having Jeffery Coombs in it. For anyone that's a J.C fan he once again presents a character that is subtle and shakey, and yet just horrifying in his insanity. You got to love the guy. In addition, Isabel Brook ( Jane) has great legs, and we get to see them a lot.

Aside from these two points, I left the credits feeling very disappointed. I agree with a reviewer above that the comic should have been much more in the way of it's sexuality ( at least a light X ) and the drizzling insanity of Jasper should have been delved into much deeper. I wouldn't buy it.

And for gosh sakes, they don't even have Jasper quoting or singing 'Papa Has a Brand New Bag'. That was Jasper's trademark in the comic. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Maybe I Am Easily Pleased
I just watched this movie again last night, having watched it before when it was first released. My motive for writing this review is to add one positive contribution to this collection of downward pointing thumbs.

Well, yes, it is sort of an ordinary cloak and dagger film, but I enjoyed seeing a female lead character who was gutsy, a lady who didn't follow the stereotype of the ankle sprainer who has to lean on the big strong man for protection. Actually it is a good thing that Kelly McGillis isn't prone to ankle injuries, because she certainly does a lot of running in this flick. She just seems to be in a hurry wherever she goes, and trots along at a good clip even when she isn't being chased. Sometimes I felt I was watching another version of Run Lola Run.

Anyway the time period is the Joe McCarthy era, and Kelly loses her job because she refuses to name names to Congress. By chance she discovers some strange happenings that indicate maybe there are some ex (current?) Nazis inflitrating her pleasant neighborhood. Well the FBI is involved, too, and the chase is on. Evil people flit in and out, and surprises happen when people open doors.

Admittedly the tale is sort of muted Hitchcock, and not particularly exceptional in its plot, but I found it to be a pleasant thriller to watch. I must also confess that I was mesmerized by Ms McGillis's breathtaking beauty. She was about 30 when this movie was made, and, gosh, I just fell in love with her.

Disappointing
I agree with the Leonard Maltin review. This starts off well, but becomes a very ordinary, unexciting melodrama, that tries to have some Hitchcock tension, but it doesn't work very well. Towards the end of the film, I was muttering, "what a waste of time."

The reviewer Peter(can't remember the rest of his or her name) should have his or her review REMOVED, for revealing too much of the plot of the film. I'd write to Peter, if there were an e-mail address. Do NOT reveal too much about plot details. It's nice to be surprised when you see a film, Peter.

For the price, a best buy at 3 ½ stars
Though the Australian reviewer's comments are too harsh, they are entertaining with some points well-taken. But this reviewer would move the overall rating up to 3 ½ stars out of 5 possible.

Having purchased the DVD and seen it without any preconceptions or prior reviews, this reviewer was pleasantly satisfied: not a classic film, but quite entertaining, keeping one on the edge of the seat pretty much throughout. There is never a dull moment, but not overly so as is too often the case in today's hyperactive and mindless 'action and adventure' flicks. This film was definitely not written by 13-year-olds for 13-year-olds and contains a lot of well-presented material. Kelly McGillis gives a credible performance as a balanced and generally level-headed woman being persecuted by governmental agencies. Her portrayal is not the weepy, hysterical and too-vulnerable type that can find its way into films like this. Mandy Patinkin does well as a chilling, oily and thoroughly corrupted and unscrupulous politician/attorney (or whatever) with too much power in the wrong places. Jessica Tandy is good in what few scenes she has; too bad she couldn't have had a more central role.

As to the production values, the film is the letterboxed theatrical presentation at 1.66:1 (as stated on the case, and this seemed about right.) The picture, for a 1988 film, while not exceptional, is mostly clear, though with suggestions of fuzziness for purists. Overall, the image is on the dark side and there is some loss of detail in deep shade scenes, though not annoyingly so. Color fidelity of details in some scenes struck this reviewer as almost exceptionally good. The Dolby Digital mono sound is strong and clean.

There are no annoying advertising impositions or preliminary and unrelated material to try to get around (something becoming increasing annoying in many new DVD releases, sometimes necessitating drastic action to curtail!) The DVD is well-packaged in a quality case. If you like a thriller in the Hitchcock vein with reasonable and well-restrained message content that doesn't get in the way of the story, this DVD is a good buy for the price, and recommended.

who's in the house
This Peter Yates directed thriller was written by Walter Bernstein, who had been blacklisted in the McCarthy era, and had written about it for The Front. Here Bernstein takes his anti-McCarthy paranoia one step further by suggesting that Roy Cohn tried to illegally smuggle former Nazis into America, posing them under the name of dead Jews. Yates' underrated skill manages to overcome this somewhat far-fetched premise, providing a woman in peril drama with various Hitchcock-ian setpieces - a wedding reception, a church, a bookshop, a theatre, and the climax at Grand Central Terminal. He also attempts a romance between the woman targetted by the FBI and an FBI agent who feels guilty about her harassment. While the romance is aided by the score by Georges Delerue, and Jeff Daniels is acceptable, if a bit comically light, to play the male lead, Yates has more trouble with Kelly McGillis as the woman. In spite of her skill, McGillis isn't a romantic actress. No matter how effectively she is styled for the period, she lacks vulnerability so that we never feel she will be defeated. Pauline Kael memorably compared McGillis to Charlton Heston. Yates partially compensates by having her silent and on the run, but when in one scene she is naked in the bath being menaced by Mandy Patinkin as the Roy Cohn figure, while she acts vulnerable, it's not truthful. Patinkin playing his menace with musical comedy timing doesn't help either. Perhaps if he sang to her in his terrifying falsetto, McGillis would be truthfully frightened. Jessica Tandy appears briefly as a woman McGillis is paid to read to, and I was disappointed that Bernstein found no way to bring her further into the plot. Even the Carroll Street house (though I don't recall hearing the name Carroll Street ever mentioned) is disposed of quickly. And Patinkin has an odd speech where he demonstrates the logic of his shenanigans by splashing ketchup on a white tablecloth. The Grand Central climax is handled awkwardly when everyone is climbing the belfry (why do people being pursued always go up and no down?!), but Yates comes off better with a chase in a bookshop, and the wedding reception, with Daniels and McGillis dancing and spying. It's a pity Bernstein decided to take on this comic book style approach to an abhorrent moral and political time in history. You would think that someone who was blacklisted would not pander to such a base Hollywood aesthetic. McCarthy was scary enough without making him and his pals neo-Nazis. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Femme fatale.
End of summer is really the story of two peoples affection for each other, but the plot can stir up emotions in those of us who are over jealous, as the two people almost by misunderstanding, doesnt get each other. And (so it can seem) tries to make each other jealous by "adultry". The film also contains other emotional stiring situations, as young girl trying to commit suicide since they got pregnant with the priest etc, -excuse my english I havent slept in 22 hours. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

DVD Version is a MUST for Fans of This Film!
"The Bride With White Hair" is the film that turned me on to Hong Kong cinema. If you are one of those Hong Kong aficionados who has enjoyed this movie on VHS, I highly recommend the DVD version because of its subtitles. Now---while I admittedly enjoy the awkwardly translated English subtitles in Hong Kong films, this is one film that I love enough that I've always wanted to see the grammar, spelling and sentence structure cleaned up! That is the wonderful surprise I found when I saw this flick on DVD! In addition, if you want to turn friends on to this film, and they're the crowd who just doesn't enjoy a flick with subtitles, then this DVD has an English dubbed version that is fairly good (especially compared to badly English dubbed jobs of great Hong Kong films like "A Better Tomorrow"). For those unfamiliar with this film, "Bride With White Hair" is one of those rare fantasy features that actually makes my eyes a bit misty. What initially strikes me about the movie is the way the story is set up; we see Leslie Cheung (who starred in "Farewell My Concubine"), having sat hunched in desolate state of guard over a healing plant for many years, wondering if "a woman" knows that he regards her as holding great importance, even greater than that of the emperor. A great and tragic story is then told as a recollection, beginning from his childhood when he firsts encounters the mystical girl who saves him from a pack of wolves by charming them with her song. They are drawn together again as adults (Bridgette Lin is both gorgeous and fantastic as The Bride!). The complexities come as both characters are torn by devotion to their clans, barters they have made with others, and by their vow of love to each other. This is beautiful and well told story, visually astounding, and the surreal nature of the film works. I highly recommend you treat yourself to this DVD!

Phenomenal Movie!
This movie completely took my breath away! I am rarely impressed by anything, but this film really moved me. Both the tragic plot and the fighting scenes had me completely engaged in the story and the characters from beginning to end. Both Leslie Cheung and Bridgitte Lin gave amazing performances. The climactic scene of ultimate betrayal at the end -- the slap, the sword, the look, the hair -- managed to do what Steel Magnolias, Terms of Endearment and even Titanic couldn't accomplish: make me CRY! (I was sobbing like an infant at that point...) This is a movie for everyone because it has so many elements to it: good cinemetography, a touch of folklore, romance, tragedy, action, swordfighting , etc. It's become one of my favorite movies of all time. The sequel is just as amazing, and ties up the story very well. There was no better way to end such a beautiful yet tragic love story.

Funky
What a weird film. Who thought of this? A girl raised in the mountains by wolves, possessing magical hair?

What a bloody freak show.

there goes the bride....
iv'e heard a bit about this movie, but to be honest after watching bride, i was slightly disapointed, the story is dull and so is the pacing of the film. and i thought battle royale 2 was slow.
but the fight scenes were top notch. the lead actor leslie chung
gave a great performance. unfortunetly he passed away almost a year ago. (a sucide jump from a hotel balcony in hong kong)
i have yet to see the sequel but i doubt it'll surpass this one as most sequels fail to succeed their predescessors.
anyway yun has gone on to bigger if not better things like freddy vs jason, although sluggish on plotbut more entertaining than bride. IMHO

Mindy's Review
as a big Brigitte Lin Chin Hsia i would say this is one of the good movies she stars in out of her 100's movie she stars in...... well this movie is so romantic.... the forbidding love eh...... hahaha and ever since their childhood (wolf girl) well yeah this movie is great.....the kungfu in this movie is so and so a litte but, not that much compare to Dragon Inn......

++if your looking for a more like crouching tiger h.d movie then naww this is not the type for you..... you should check out Dragon Inn then.....

++if you don't like this part (1) then you souldn't get part 2 cause, part 2 just Su&^K ai ya but, worth siting through till the end......

++this movie is GREAT two TUMBS UP! ... Read more

Amazon.com

All in the Family didn't feature a typical sitcom family. Indeed, no TV family prior remotely resembled the Bunkers, who were more likely representative of the average American family than those portrayed on the tube. What would Archie (Carroll O'Connor) have been without Michael Stivic, a.k.a. Meathead (Rob Reiner)? Certainly, in later episodes, after Gloria (Sally Struthers) and Mike moved away and then divorced, Archie had to find other liberal nemeses with which to do battle. But it was his early conflicts with the son-in-law he dubbed "Meathead" that set the tone for the series (based on a British sitcom), defined Archie's distinctive personality, and established the watershed issues that executive producer Norman Lear and his talented team brought to the small screen.

In "Meet the Bunkers," Archie and Mike have plenty to argue about during a surprise anniversary party. Meanwhile, Archie's put-upon wife, Edith (the brilliant Jean Stapleton), and daughter Gloria try to keep things upbeat. Archie likes Lionel (Mike Evans) just fine--but then Archie finds out that Lionel's parents, George and Louise (Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford), are the black family he's trying to prevent from moving in next door. Another wedding anniversary--this time that of the Stivics--offers a flashback of when Archie first meets Michael. Each episode encapsulates some of the series' finest elements: its ability to intrigue audiences through the irrepressible archconservative Archie Bunker, its ability to get its message across clearly, its intelligence, and never underestimating its audience. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Meet Archie, Edith, Gloria and the Meathead
With the passing of Carroll O'Connor, this collection of three episodes of "All in the Family" from 1971 provides ample proof of why Archie Bunker is one of the most significant characters in television history. The eternal battled between Archie and his son-in-law Mike begins in "Meet the Bunkers" (Episode #1, 12 January 1971), which was actually the third pilot episode shot for what would become the only television show to finish #1 in the Nielsen ratings five seasons in a row. "TV Guide" described this landmark episode as "A Lighthearted Look at Prejudice," and warned viewers that the sitcom was taking a giant stup with this adult social satire. "Mike Meets Archie" (#18 16 October 1971) tells us in flashback of the first meeting between Archie and the then fully bearded Mike. This episode features Michael Conrad as Mike's Uncle. "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood" (#8 2 March 1971) finds Mike enjoying Archie's discomfort when the Jeffersons move into the house next door. "All in the Family" is one of the most influential shows in television history, ushering in the era of relevant programming. Before AITF we had "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Gilligan's Island" and afterwards we had "M*A*S*H" and "Hill Street Blues." Norman Lear and his writers deserve credit, but so does the talented cast headed by O'Connor and Jean Stapleton. Every time I teach television, "Meet the Bunkers" is one of the shows that I always show to my students. Every show you enjoy today can be traced back to this pilot episode.

Brilliant Comedy that Refuses to Age
Though it's riddled with references to Watergate, Vietnam, inflation, and Nixon, "All in the Family" is still as fresh and thought-provoking today as it was in the early '70s. Based on the British comdy "Til Death Do Us Part", AITF is a rare example where an American adaptation of a British property, where the American version is actually better than the show that inspired it.

The show exists on several levels. As a political forum, it bought many issues into our living rooms, smartly diffusing them with comdey, and in the process, made us laugh and think; in addition it revolutionized the entire concept of "sitcom".

But the show also exists on a human level. Were Archie, Edith, Mike and Gloria not fully realized, tangible characters, the political content of AITF would have been hardly memorable. The characters are real, and the emotional content completely honest. When Archie ridicule's Mike's long hair, his taste his music, his choice in political candidates, or his entire ideology, he's really saying, "How dare you step in an 'steal' my little girl?"

As far as the topical nature of AITF goes, many of the issues the Bunkers argued about (what seems like) so long ago, we're still dealing with today: abortion, religion, homosexuality, racism, affirmative action, and the day-to-day struggle to keep a roof over one's head and on top of one's bills, that a large segment of our population struggles with just as it did twenty0five years ago.

Gloria's miniskirts may have gone out of fashion, but very little else about "All in the Family" has.

One Of The Best Sitcoms On TV.
"All In The Family" Is 1 Of The Best Sitcoms Ever. On This Cassatte It Has Lional From The Spinoff "The Jeffersons". Archie Meets His Future Son-In-Low Mike "The Meathead". Gloria And Mike Put On A Anniversiry Party For Edith And Archie, Lional From "The Jeffersons" Visits The Bunker House, And Gloria And Mike Celebrate Their Wedding Anniversiry. This Is A Funny Tape. You Must Buy It.

SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO FUNNY!!!!!!!!
Have you ever seen such a look on anyones face like the one you see on Archie's when he first saw "Meathead"? I would admit, Mike did look sort of like a friek!