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When the radiation-spawned giant ants of Them! swarmed over American screens to become one the most successful films of 1954, it didn't take long for the rest of the insect kingdom to follow suit. The best of these mutant bug movies is Jack Arnold's giddy Tarantula, with Leo G. Carroll as a scientist whose experimental, radiation-treated nutritional supplements transform the title creature into a rampaging monster. The hungry arachnid graduates from rabbits to cattle to people as it grows and creeps across the barren countryside in search of food, dwarfing the desert hills in simple but unsettling special effects shots. John Agar plays the square-jawed doctor who tries to warn the local populace of the impending menace and Clint Eastwood has a bit as an Air Force pilot called in to bomb the now mountain-sized spider. It's an essentially silly story with plenty of heroic dashing about and monster-movie tropes ("See its mandibles crush cars like a tin cans!"), but Arnold, one of the most talented and thoughtful genre directors of the 1950s (It Came From Outer Space, The Incredible Shrinking Man), creates a surprisingly eerie mood with his austere visual style and winds the film up with his tension-building rapid pacing. Composer-playwright Richard O'Brien liked thefilm so much he immortalized it in the Rocky Horror Picture Show: "Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when the Tarantula took the hills." The film still straddles the line between nostalgic goofiness and smart sci-fi thrills. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (27)

"Tarantula" Has Plenty Of "Bite"! A Fun "Huge Insect" Film!
Many people categorize 1955's sci-fi film "Tarantula" as a "B" picture or a "cult" flick for just sci-fi buffs. While this may be true to some degree I suppose, I believe this little chiller rises above the average "B" movie, and reaches a loftier status.

It's a very re-watchable film, with some pretty good acting and well-drawn characters. Plus a plot that's not totally off-the-wall. Well, yeah, it's out in left field (somewhat), but not so much as to be considered completely ludicrous in every sense.

Leo G. Carroll does a fine job as the bio-chemist whose experiments with a new "growth formula" on animals (including our menacing friend, Mister "Tarantula") go terribly wrong when the multi-legged beast escapes Carroll's laboratory.

I truly enjoy watching this movie -- no matter how many screenings I give it. The atmosphere, characters, and storyline have me "locked in" from the very start.

And the special effects don't look too bad either -- considering it's from 1955 and well before "CGI" type beasts & explosions.

I even kind of like the rather corny (and, I assume, not realistic) "hissing"/"rattling" noises that emanate from the super-sized spider during the film. LOL!

Also on the humorous side of things -- I've always thought it was mighty cooperative of our giant-sized, venom-spewing beast to "follow the road into town" at the end of the film, thereby making the townspeople's job of setting up the dynamite a great deal easier. (Since when do spiders follow the 'rules of the road'? Oh, well, I guess we'll just assume that our Tarantula here owns a '55 Chevy, and is familiar with the desert highways that surround him. LOL!)

This whole movie is great fun from start to finish. Plus -- There's a fun "Theatrical Trailer" for the film included on this VHS version.

If you like really big hairy spiders, then look no further than 1955's "Tarantula".

CLASSIC SPIDER FILM
It's been almost 50 years since TARANTULA first hit the big screen. Having seen the movie when I was a little kid running around to all the monster double-features, I have to say this one remained with me through all these years. Watching it was like spending time with an old childhood friend. Considering it was 1955, the effects in this movie are pretty frightening, especially when viewing the entire real tarantula that was superimposed. The closeups are cheesy, but we didn't have CGI then. John Agar, Leo G. Carroll (who would go on to be the boss for the man from UNCLE), Mara Corday (Black Scorpion), Nestor Paiva, Hank Patterson (Green Acres), and yes, even Clint Eastwood are around to flesh out the characters. Arnold was smart in doing a lot of the effects at night, giving us a shadow of the spider to boot. This is much better (I think) than THEM or THE BLACK SCORPION, and it deserves to be on DVD, so let's get with it, Universal!
A classic film of the 20th century horror genre!

Ultimate 50s sci fi!
Tarantula is a highlight of the continuous stream of monster B movies produced in the 50s and 60s. This is the story of a lifelong scientist (Leo Carroll), who is attempting to produce technology for the world to benefit from. When he is attacked one night by one of his former partners, a mutated tarantula is set loose in an Arizona town. The town medical doctor (John Agar), realizes that life is at stake, and must find a way to destroy this creature before it is too late. The formula used to mutate the arachnid has produced fatal effects on humans, deforming and killing them in a matter of 4 days.
Jack Arnold's edge of your seat lore did not need to be remade several years ago. If they are planning to outdo the 1950's "Tarantula", they should forget the idea right now. Movies just are not made like that anymore, and it just cannot be equaled by modern technology. Pick this horror film up, and you will discover why so many of these type of films were made in that time.

The original eight legged freak takes to the hills
If you know that Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when tarantula took to the hills but are not sure exactly what that means, then you simply need to add "Tarantula" to the list of classic science fiction monster movies you need to see that are mentioned in "Science Fiction Double Feature" during the opening credits of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." This 1955 film was directed by Jack Arnold who also helmed "It Came From Outer Space," "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," and "The Incredible Shrinking Man." That means that Arnold is taking the story seriously even if the rest of us are not. Yes, it is hard to believe that a giant tarantula three-stories tall is prowling around the desert eating horses and such and nobody notices (ditto for the giant ants in "Them!"), but that it standard suspense for 1950s black & white monster movies. The special effects are good for the most part, although there are a couple of moments where none of its eight legs are touching the ground, but the big complaint is that there is not enough destruction, which is to be expected when you monster is roaming the desert rather than Tokyo.

The starting point for the fun is a couple of scientists who are playing god by trying to perfect a growth serum. Having had success in making a tarantula the size of sheep (which begs the question of why this would ever be seen as a good idea as opposed to say, oh, I don't know, something that could feed starving people?), Professor Deemer (Carroll) tries the serum on himself. The result is not increased size (like being 50 feet tall works if you are a man instead of a woman) but acromegaly, which is an actual disease caused by the overproduction of growth hormones in the body (you have to admire the idea that somebody did some actual scientific research for this film). Consequently, Deemer ends up looking like a cousin to the Elephant Man. The Professor is doomed to die, but not before the tarantula escapes, goes its own way, and continues to grow larger and larger. John Agar is the hero, Dr. Matt Hastings, and Mara Corday is Stephanie "Steve" Clayton, who shows up to study with Professor Deemer, only to discover he has other problems. Yes, "Tarantula" requires you to take a deep breath to provide the requisite willing suspension of disbelief, but come on: we are talking a giant spider movie here and not just any giant spider movie here. This is the original eight legged freak.

Giant spiders!!!
When I first saw this movie, I thought John Agar was a hunk (still do) so when he has to figure out what is killing people and livestock in his small town and save the girl - well - nothing could be better. With the 'mad scientist' and the giant tarantula and all, what more could you want in a plot. So what if the big spider looks fake sometime and the acting is not Harrison Ford. It is still a fun monster movie and I love watching it. I am on my third copy of this one and watch it often enough that I will have to have another one soon. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Two episodes
It should be noted that this 95 minute video contains two episodes: "To Reign in Hell," (the episode described by the professional review) and "Orphans," one of the best eps of the series. The compelling stories, the consummate acting of Ron Perlman and Tony Jay, the beautiful sets, and the whole concept of B&B are all great reasons to own this video.

super
i think that this is the best show in the whole wide world. It was on the Sci-Fi channel but they took it off. I think they should bring it back because this show is so good and awesome and ragin'. Please e-mail me if you agree and don't say that this show no good b/c it doesn't ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wonderful!
This is a great tape and has the first epiode the pilot Once Upon A Time In The City Of New York and is wonderful it is about how Catherine Chandler is attacked and Vincent finds her and brings her to his underground home to recover and soon a bond develops, a soul mate kind of love! I think this particular tape may only have the pilot but the tape we have also has an episode called A Happy Life and is about Catherine dealing with the anniversary of her mother's death. Both are great episodes but my favorite is the pilot episode! Linda Hamilton from the Terminator movies plays Catherine and Vincent is played by Ron Perlman. I highly recommend this video to fans of Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast - the dream lives on.
This first part to the series is the one so many people fell in love with and it is a must if you have never seen Beauty and the Beast before. For from that first episode so starts the relationship between the man beast Vincent Wells and the beautiful district attorney Catherine Chandler. From the very first this couple captured our hearts, especially Vincent, who soon had his own following - as everyone that watched the series wanted to take him home. Soon he became every woman's dream as to the perfect man, and it became apparent that outward appearances are not important, it is the beauty of the inner self that shines through any differences. That and the fact that Vincent has the most gorgeous blue eyes, gravelly sexy voice, a marvelous physique and a love of the finer things in life such as good music and literature. And Vincent made us review our own life and made us better people. Vincent was played to perfection by the man behind the makeup - Ron Perlman. And there is a marvelous chemistry that exists between Mr Perlman and Linda Hamilton the actress that plays Catherine Chandler, that made their roles oh so believeable. Buy it, watch it and you will be forever pleased that you did. There is a huge fan following for this show who are campaigning to have more episodes made and hopefully a movie too.

PLEASE release this on DVD
I grew up watching this show and loved every episode. I've been trying to find them for years. Ron Perlman is amazing as Vincent and the actor who played Father was everything a kid could want. You really rooted for Perlman and Hamilton. PLEASE release this series on DVD.

Dvd
This was one of the best shows out there... I highly recommend it being put on dvd

This Show Should Have Complete Season DVD Boxsets!
Beauty and the Beast is a great show and Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman gave amazing performances as Catherine and Vincent. I used to watch Beauty and the Beast when it was on CBS and I also used to have this tape. There used to be reruns of this show on cable but it never seems to be shown anymore and I would like to see Beauty and the Beast put out on DVD in complete season DVD boxsets. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Stands with the Best
Featuring a no-name cast, a ludicrous title, and coming at the height of 50's camp, it's understandable how this little gem got lost in the shuffle. Nevertheless, the story continues to unnerve after all these years, reaching down to deepest fears about ordinary processes gone suddenly awry. Seldom has middle-class complascency been so eerily attacked as when we witness the husband's role and breadwinner's status shrink slowly out of sight amid an Ozzie and Harriet living-room. Cult director Jack Arnold makes the most of a modest budget, deploying the special effects in highly suspenseful fashion. Here the effects mean everything as Robert Scott Carey's descent into ever smaller worlds exposes him to fresh terrors among the commonplace, and it's truly odd to transition from normal surroundings into a subterranean world at the same time the former becomes alien to both him and us. Other sci-fi classics of the period threatened us with external enemies to which the military was an appropriate response. A few threatened internally with a loss of personal identity. This movie, I believe, is the only one to threaten with a loss of significance. It's horrifying to think that physical size is more important to our evaluations than simple humanity. Yet this is what we experience as Carey grows ever smaller and less significant to the normal sized world. We are glad when the wife is finally rid of him. Like Hitchcock, this film confronts us with our own deeper and less desirable emotions.

The battle with the spider is an epic one, showcasing effects that continue to impress, now as then.The central performances are quite good, with Randy Stuart's anguished wife a standout. However, Grant Williams as Carey, deserves special mention. He brings just the right combination of grit and melancholy to a role that demands equal parts of both. Judging from other performances in a brief career, the melancholy came natually to one of the most blandly handsome faces in the business. The scene that lingers for me is of Carey's running through a gantlet of lawn sprays, having learned that the process has started again and knowing that the sprays can soon drown him. Though less well known than other 50's classics such as The Thing or Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Arnold's film (minus the rhapsodic ending) is at least their equal and ranks with the very best of any period.

Sci-Fi Classic
When I was about to see this first time around I thaught it would be childish and a little boring but how wrong I was.

This movie's about a buisness man who gets shrunk by a mysterious radioactive myst. Everyday he gets smaller and smaller and his relationship with his family goes on the rocks and finds everyday household objects a struggle. Firstly it's just embrasment of walking down the street and then it turns much worse from his cat to a spider.

At the start it's a little boring as not a lot happens, but it starts to get really intresting when he gets chased by his cat into the celler.

The special effects are stunning for its era and the storyline gets you involved.

A part where the effects really shine is when there's a flood in the celler and Scotts brother and his wife come downstairs. They persume Scotts dead. Scott trys to get his brothers attention when he comes downstairs. He almost steps on his own brother in the process and the scale between the shoe and Scott's pretty stunning.

If you can see this film, do. It's well worth watching especially the later half

Gripping Journey Into A Frightening Oversized World
"The Incredible Shrinking Man", is one of the great Sci Fi movie titles from the 1950's thats not as well remembered as other landmark efforts of that time like "The Thing From Another World". That is unfortunate as here we have a really ground breaking effort that not only boasts stunning special effects, but also restrained performances and an interesting premise that is handled with integrity by director and cast. The film of course will always be talked about for the innovative and at times quite frightening process by which the main character shrinks away to practically nothing. Equally amazing in my mind after a viewing of "The Incredible Shrinking Man", is how this film gives us a view of the "normal", everyday world suddenly becoming a dangerous and potentially lethal environment where everyday things like the family pet or a spider in the basement take on life threatening personas.

The story starts out innocently enough with young couple Scott and Louise Carey (Grant Williams and Randy Stuart), who are spending some time on Scott's brother's boat. While Louise is below getting some refreshments Scott notices a strange mist approaching the boat and before he can take cover it envelopes the whole boat and he is covered in a strange glittery substance. It is just passed off as some unexplained happening and then the story jumps ahead six months to when strange developments start to occur. One morning Scott notices that his shirt seems too big for him and blames it on the cleaners. However it is not long before many other strange things begin to happen that arouse real fears in him. Going to his local doctor (William Schallert), Scott gets a clean bill of health and Louise feels that it is simply a lack of proper diet that is effecting her husband. To be sure however Scott is referred to a specialist Dr. Silver (Raymond Bailey), who gauges that Scott is actually loosing height over a number of weeks of examination and tests. The source of this strange occurance is narrowed down to the now forgotten glittery mist on the boat which further testing reveals to be some sort of radioactive body that causes the body to shrink. Dr. Silver injects Scott with a serum that will hopefully stop the shrinking process. Meanwhile the media have latched onto the newsworthy story of the "incredible shrinking man" and Scott and Louise become prisoners in their own home as curious busybodies begin making their life a misery. Scott is replaced in his employment which makes it dificult to live and causes further friction between he and Louise. Soon Scott's shrinking begins again and he experiences a rapid and terrifying drop in size. Back at the house Scott is reduced to living in a doll's house and one day when Louise by mistake leaves the door open and the family cat gets inside a new nightmare begins as Scott is hunted by the now "Giant", cat and after falling into the cellar having to face terrors like a hungry "Giant Spider". Everything in Scott's existence now holds unknown terrors and after Louise believes that Scott has been eaten by the cat he is now all alone with no assistance from anyone. After facing all of these terrors in his own home Scott does make his escape and now too small to be detected by any human beings begins a new existence where survival is his sole aim.

The story of "The Incredible Shrinking Man", may read like your usual sensationalist 1950's science fiction however it is far from that. It presents a quite thought provoking idea that we could all possibly imagine ourselves in. Noticeably absent in this film are the usual 1950's invading aliens or oversized creatures. Instead here the really frightening elements in the story are the simple household features that we encounter everyday like the family cat, a stray spider in the room or a leak in a water heater. Because of the shrinking of the main character these elements take on quite terrifying proportions. Director Jack Arnold wisely stays away from the more sensational potential of this story and in his direction even makes the scene where Scott's wedding ring rolls off his finger a seemingly frightening occurence. The performances here are first class and Grant Williams does a sterling job as the young husband who finds himself fighting for survival in his own home. His fear mixed with developing personal strength intent on survival makes for a great performance. Randy Stuart as wife Louise also deserves special mention as she delivers a well thought out performance as the first disbelieving wife who has to take over the leader role in the household as her husband literally shrinks before her eyes. The cast also features supporting performances from future comedy series regulars in Raymond Bailey and William Schallert who will always be rembered for their work in "The Beverly Hillbillies", and "The Patty Duke Show", respectively. "The Incredible Shrinking Man", contains many memorable scenes that boast special effects achievements that even today still cause amazement. Foremost among them of course are Scott's ongoing battle with the ferocious spider in the celler and his terrifying flight from the clutches of the family cat which is now 10 times his size. Those scenes present images that have rightly gone down into Science Fiction folklore.

Despite the films almost surreal ending which plays almost like a sermon delivered by Grant Williams the rest of the film dates amazing well despite the passage of over 47 years. Even the introduction of computer technology to achieve incredible special effects in my belief has not dulled the sheer genius evident throughtout this gripping sci fi tale. It certainly is one of my favourites of these efforts in the 1950's and deserves to be better remembered. For a thrilling piece of sci fi action from the golden era of these movies in the 1950's you can't get better than Jack Arnold's "The Incredible Shrinking Man".

THE GREATEST SCI-FI/FANTASY FILM OF ALL TIME!!
THIS MOVIE IS VERY IMPRESSIVE IN THE SPECIAL EFFECTS DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT IT WAS RELEASED IN 1957!!
FROM LOOKING AT THIS MOVIE, YOU'D NEVER THINK THAT IT'S THAT OLD!!
IT HAS AN OLD-MOVIE QUALITY TO IT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, MOVIES LIKE THIS DON'T EXIST ANYMORE!!
THE ACTING IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE AND THE BELIEVABILITY FACTOR IS QUITE CONVINCING.
IT IS A FANTASY FILM, HOWEVER DUE TO THE GREAT ACTING AND FANTSTIC EFFECTS AND SETS, WE CAN'T HELP BUT BELIEVE WHAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
THIS IS MOST DEFINETELY THE GREATEST SCI-FI/FANTASY FILM OF THE 50'S AND 60'S BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT IS SO MUCH MORE BELIEVABLE THAN IT'S COMPETITION!!
SEE THIS CLASSIC AS SOON AS YOU CAN!! ENJOY!!

HONEY THEY SHRUNK YOUR MAN .
If you ever applied for an overdraft, you'll know how THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN feels . The poor guy only wants some sun and sugar , alone with his honey ,out at sea . When he gets sprayed with a strange mist , plus a letter with a key informing him that he's in line for a large cash amount, if he buys a toaster . Back home he starts to notice suttle differences in him self . His shirts are too big , his slippers fall off his feet , he can no longer reach his secret magazines on top of the wardrobe . At first he puts it all down to a head cold , but when he has to wear high heals ( and he's not at the club ] to kiss his wife . He decides to see the doc . At first the non addictive antidepressants appear to do the trick , but unfortunately its a brief respite , and all too soon he's falling down the pot again . His shrinking continues until he is forced to move in with a plastic doll , this is fine until her G I JOE boyfriend ,beats the tar out of him .Later he is attacked by a cat , a spider ,and a very nasty letter from the electric company . Smaller and smaller until he as no alternative , but to wander in the great unknown . Earth, space , cleathorps ? who knows . ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The two classic Brady Bunch Marcia, Marcia, Marcia episodes
We are not talking lofty standards here when we recognize the fact that this particular set of episodes from "The Brady Bunch" contains two of the show's signature episodes from the perspective of American pop culture. The common denominator here is the oldest female Brady, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), in what are clearly her two most famous misadventures. "Getting Davy Jones" (Episode #61, December 10, 1971) has Marcia promising to get teenage hearthrob Davy Jones of the Monkees to sing at her school prom. Unfortunately, this appearance is news to Davy. Good thing this is a television comedy otherwise this would end badly for Marcia. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia gets her comeuppance in "The Subject Was Noses" (Episode #90, February 9, 1973), when she gets hit in the nose with a football. The nose swells up like a balloon and because of the disfigurement Marcia's boyfriend Doug Simpson (Nicholas Hammond) ditches her. Obviously no great loss, but it sure bothers little miss vanity. For fan's of neglected sister Jan this has to be the most popular episode of "The Brady Bunch" ever. You do not have to like these episodes let alone "The Brady Bunch," but you do have to at least know about them as touchstones of pop culture. P.S. Pay attention to the guest stars besides Davy Jones on these episodes and their importance in television history. The first one has Marcia Wallace, who went on to success on "The Bob Newhart Show" as receptionist Carol Kester and who know provides the voice for Bart's teacher Edna Krabappel on "The Simpsons." Nicholas Hammond from the other episode ended up as television's "Spider-Man" after being one of the Von Trapp children in "The Sound of Music."

Girl, look what you've done to me ....
Classic Brady! Do you know any girl who, not only got a rock star to play at her prom, but got a date out of him? Only Marcia could pull this off! I remember when it originally aired in the 70's and had dreams of meeting the infamous Monkee (OK, I was 6 years old and hadn't discovered "Tiger Beat" yet). The clothes and hairdews alone make the episode (check out Davey's dorky mananger and Marcia's groovy poncho). On a footnote: did actually meet Davey 15 years later during a Monkees Reunion, a disappointment. Better on tape, than in person.

Of course it's stupid fantasy...
and this video is worth the money just to hear the black girl in the Davy Jones episode ask Marcia (referring to Davy) -- all excited and bubbly -- "is he as neat as he looks?" Yeah, right. I like the end of the episode when Marcia and Davy stand side by side, and you can get an idea of just how short Davy is - he is shorter than Maureen McCormick. The "oh my nose" episode is pure fantasy -- and as for Marcia episode it's right up there with the Romeo and Juliet and braces episode --the family that paints together? Marcia's swollen nose disappears overnight? The Big Man on Campus asks Marcia out? She ultimately chooses Charlie the awkward delivery boy? And in the former episode, Marcia enters Davy's recording studio -- while he's recording no less -- without any problems? If you ask these questions then you definitely won't enjoy it. If you don't care about reality...then this is the best! Crank up "Girl" and drive your neighbors nuts!

A Great Show For Its Pure and Utter Stupidity
The Brady Bunch is a guilty pleasure of mine. It's ridiculously cheesey and stupid and unrealistic, but it's a great show to watch and make fun of. Plus it's a good show to help cheer you up, or to watch when you're sick.

Still, it's pretty stupid. I mean (everyone knows this already) the Brady family is SO perfect, what with the dad always giving horrible speeches everytime the kids say something mean to each other (they don't much, though), but most of the time he just does the ridiculous speeches for no reason. The kids are terriblly happy all the time, and the situations they always get themselves into are just plain dumb!

Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) is only there to say stuff like "Oh, Mike," or "Your father's right." The kids are all very one dimensional yet fun to watch. Alice does nothing but say dumb jokes however I respect Ann B. Davis as an actress (not that she is one anymore).

Of course everyone also know that the late Michael Reed dispised this show, and he had good reason, especially with the way his character acts. Everyone seems to regret starring on this show! Serious. Just watch the E True Hollywood Story on The Brady Bunch, and see. Susan Olsen (Cindy) sais she's been stereotyped ever since. Barry Williams (Greg) claims it's now very hard to get a job, and Florence Henderson sais the show was to unrealistic, and so on.

Still, you gotta love the show. How can't you? The people that hate this show have no heart. I'm mean, it's a horrible show, but it's a wonderful show! Sound strange? Sorry, but come on, even you people who bash it here really love it, and you know it. Why? Because it's really entertaining, and some episodes are actually GOOD (the Hawaii episode early in the show).

Don't buy these DVDs, the show is on all the time. But do buy the Brady movies, they're hilarious!

Later

Don't knock him!!
For Pamela, I'm sorry David didn't fulfill your dreams. He is really a wonderful guy - YOU should try to make EVERYONE happy for a while and see how you do at it! David would feel terrible that he hurt your feelings. I've gotten to know him in the last few years, and he is sweet, charming, kind and considerate. Whatever happened at the concert you attended, he had his reasons for his behavior. He's not perfect - but then neither are ANY of us!! Please don't defile his character. He gets enough S**t from fair-weather fans who don't "know" him . He's a very special guy!! Give it another try - things will work out better next time!! Believe me, it's worth the effort!! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

May be Peter Seller's best movie.
In this hilarious film Peter Sellers plays three roles (one a duchess) and plays them superbly. Perhaps one has to have a taste for understated British humor to fully appreciate this film, but I'm not British and I love it. If you like Peter Sellers -- or just good comedy -- please give this delightful film a try.

Funny story, but bad DVD
The Mouse That Roared is a funny satire that is boosted by the excellent performances of Peter Sellers. Set in the fictional country of Grand Fenwick, the story tells of their plans to invade America, lose the war, and then reap the benefits as the USA tries to rebuild their country just like after WWII with the Marshall Plan. Unfortunately, the whole plan goes awry setting the whole story into motion. This is a funny movie but there is nothing here that is great humor. The idea of it all is pretty good, but the story never really takes off.

Peter Sellers is great as the Duchess of Grand Fenwick, the Prime Minister of Grand Fenwick, and also the Field Marshall of Grand Fenwick. He has most of the good lines in the movie although even he is not at his best. The film also stars Joan Seberg as the daughter of a doctor that the Field Marshall falls in love with. The DVD does offer widescreen presentation and several theatrical trailers but there is a problem here. Maybe its just my own DVD but the sound is off so that when people talk their mouths move a second or two after the actual dialogue has been spoken. This may just be my DVD, but it is distracting nonetheless and very obvious. The Mouse that Roared is still a funny movie with three good performances by Peter Sellers.

" But what if we win?...."
A fellow graduate school student and I saw this film in New Haven when it was first released and had no idea what to expect, except that it starred Peter Sellers whose work we both admired very much in earlier films such as The Ladykillers (1955), Tom Thumb (1958), and I'm All Right Jack (1959). So we settled back in our seats and were immediately enchanted by Grand Fenwick and its monarch, Grand Duchess Gloriana (Sellers). The best way to enjoy this film now is to see it as a whimsical fantasy rather than as a serious satire of the Cold War and the widespread concern then about thermonuclear weapons. Its greatest strength remains the same as it was 45 years ago: The talents of Peter Sellers. He plays three quite different characters, the aforementioned Grand Duchess as well as "Field Marshal" Tully Bascombe (who leads a 20-soldier invasion of the United States) and Count Mountjoy, the devious prime minister.

The plot (such as it is) consists of a series of humorous incidents prior to, during, and then following the invasion. As directed by Jack Arnold, the film focuses on the implications of a basic conceit: Declare war on the United States (as did Japan and then Germany), lose the war, and then have your economy restored to greater health than ever before (e.g. Japan and Germany). Count Mountjoy's strategy fails for reasons best revealed in the film. One of the several brilliant elements is Arnold's use of Professor Kokintz (David Kossoff) who has invented the "Q Bomb," a weapon whose nuclear power (he claims) is "approximately" equal to 100 hydrogen bombs. Better yet, it has the size and shape of an American football and thus can easily be tucked under an arm until activated. Presumably the straight-faced silliness throughout this film made a favorable impression on members of the Monty Python Flying Circus.

Regrettably, the DVD version I have offers no special features other than clearer image and sound. Those who enjoy this film are urged to check out Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) in which Alec Guinness plays eight different roles.

Disappointing
To save its failed economy, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick declares war on the United States with the intention of losing and receiving millions of dollars in aid. Unfortunately, Grand Fenwick's invasion force accidentally wins by seizing control of the experimental Q-bomb.

The premise of this cold war farce is funnier than its execution. Jack Arnold's direction is uninspired and the whole enterprise creaks along rather mechanically. Peter Sellars appears in three different roles, but he seems to be holding back. Although I found the film clever at times, I did not find one genuine laugh.

An okay movie, but it is...
I first saw this movie many years ago from a friend of mine who recommended it. I thought it was very funny about the premise, where the US always loves to rebuild countries that it defeats in wars. So this country of Fenwick decides to declare war on the US and lose so they can get money, as that their requests seemed to fall on deaf earsin Washington.

Anyway...There really isn't any war in the movie, nor any real violence in it. Peter Sellers does a great job playing 3 different roles too. William Hartnell (the first Doctor of Doctor Who) also is in the movie, as a supporting actor to one of Peter Seller's many roles.

Could have been better, but I still love it. I own the DVD and liked it. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Bitter-sweet triumph
This video, although beautiful and astounding cannot be watched without seeing the episodes surrounding it: "What Rough Beast" , Ceremony of Innocence" , and " The Rest is Silence" . Once you have seen these Though Lovers be lost will steal your heart and capture your soul.

Beauty & The Beast-Though Lovers Be Lost
I love all of the Beauty & The Beast episodes from the TV series. I have most on VHS. To Peggy Hendershot, I may have the ones you are looking for. I tried to never miss an episode!

Wonderful show
I have loved this show since it orginally aired. I used to have all of them, but moving so much, I have lost most of them. I would love to get the complete set if anyone can help me. This show really should be reaired. ecb612@hotmail.com

Though Lover's Be Lost
This is for Dawna and Peggy. I have 20 episodes on tape, and looking for more. I would be interested in sharing what we all have.
Tina
ldy8legs@aol.com

Great show, looking for all the videos
I was in my first year of middle school when this show came on and was absolutely enthralled. All the episodes were great, but I missed the last season (punishment for a bad report card, lol). Would desperately love to get the complete set from someone! ... Read more

Reviews (41)

They Came From Outer Space is a bit more accurate
I love old movies. They are an entertaining glimpse into who we thought we were filtered through a fun house history mirror. It Came From Outer Space was a great movie when I was a kid. Like The Day The Earth Stood Still Bradbury's original film treatment focused on character and suspense at the expense of bug eyed monsters. The final film (changed from the original conception of Bradbury and director Jack Arnold) does have the BEMs but, luckily, Universal didn't evisorate the characters and thought provoking plot that drove the film.

Amateur astronomer John Putnam (the reliable and stoic Richard Carlson)witnesses what he believes to be a meteor striking the desolate desert surrounded his small town. It turns out to be -- surprise!--alien's with a major blow out that has incapacitated their space ship. These Xenomorphs begin to kidnap the locals and replacing them so that they can get the materials to repair their ship and keep a lid Carlson's wild story about their arrival.

Jack Arnold's subtle direction works wonders with the budget and the 3-D format. He manages to create a film that has aged exceedingly well. Bradbury's original concept is mostly intact as well. In fact, it sounds like screenwriter Harry Essex may have incorporated dialog from Bradbury's treatment largely intact during a number of important scenes.

It benefits from being create in the wake of The Day The Earth Stood Still and it also benefits from its unusual setting (the Desert). Sadly, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this DVD. Universal has done a great job of restoring this classic film. Unfortunately, they don't offer the option of viewing it in 3-D. That's a pity as Arnold made effective use of the gimmick using a number of subtle tricks (and a couple of dramatic ones as well) to artfully blend the 3-D format with the narrative of the film. Since It is presented on a dual layer disc, I'm surprised that Universal didn't figure out a way to present the film in it's element. Unfortunately, some of the film's most powerful sequences suffer from the flat presentation here. Given the extra effort that went into the restoration and the extras, it's a pity that Universal didn't go the extra mile and present this fine film in the format it worked best in.

The extras including the documentary (The Universe According to Universal)includes interviews with illustrator/collector Vincent Di Fate, film historians and collectors (such as Bob Burns). All discuss the circumstances around the making of the film as well as the impact it had when it was presented in its original format. Additionally, they bring up the little known fact that the creatures were never seen in the original cut that Jack Arnold prepared. Universal executives went back and took reshot a couple of sequences with shots of the aliens. While this doesn't work against the film, it would have been much more powerful with the aliens presence only suggested via Arnold's idea of showing the alien-human encounters from the alien's point of view.

The photograph and poster gallery is interesting but hardly essential and the production notes informative about the cast and Arnold. The documentary will probably show up in a number of variations on other Universal science fiction and horror thrillers coming to DVD. Perhaps This Island Earth (Universal's attempt to make a picture on the scale of MGM's Forbidden Planet)will eventually be re-released to DVD with the same care. A bit of trivia on This Island Earth--Jack Arnold isn't credited but he directed many of the scenes involving the aliens and their world.

Regardless of this reissues shortcomings, It is an impressive package for the most part. It's a pity that Universal missed their opportunity to reissue this minor classic the right way the first time on DVD.

Hey, Goober - Could You Pass Me That Lug Wrench?
Ray Bradbury pens passable '50s sci-fi fare, but it's not what everyone cracks it up to be. The movie is more fun than actually good, but definitely worth a watch.

B-movie vet Richard Carlson has his not-quite-love-match with the always wonderful Barbara Rush interrupted by a flaming meteorite, near his gorgeous desert home. Faster than he can light a pipe and don a houndstooth jacket, professorly Carlson goes out to investigate. The thing is too hot to approach - and big, too.

But that's hardly the greatest of his worries. Before long, many of the townsfolk are acting unusually, and Carlson finds his tracks dogged by these zombie doppelgangers of their former selves (including the Professor from Gilligan's Island, Russell Johnson, himself). He figures out that the meteorite was actually a crashing space ship, and eventually manages to meet face-to-face with...well, a pretty horrible 3-D thing, living with its buddies in a nearby abandoned mine shaft. The aliens really aren't all that friendly - they're just not hostile, eager to get their ship repaired with their rented zombie-human space-car mechanics and escape this backward berg. The usual "Earthling, Beware!" zany hijinks ensue.

This is not a great movie. But it is a good one. The cast is good, the script adequate. The special effects aren't great, but they are at least interesting, and the atmosphere is pretty spooky. It's a lot of fun in 3-D, if you ever get a chance to see it in its original format.

Surprisingly Good!
When I first saw this film last November, I was expecting your average alien film where people are attacked by hostile aliens. Was I ever wrong! Instead of hostile aliens, you have aliens who landed on earth by mistake and have to shapeshift into human beings so they can get the necessary tools and supplies they need to repair their ship.
The acting is very good although Carlson's acting seems to get a little low at some points. Overall, a great film that is worth at least a look.

An early Sci-Fi Gem from the fifties...
The great thing about 1950's sci-fi movies is the way in which they took the psychological fallout from the Soviet-USA Cold War confrontation that dominated the decade (paranoia, McCarthyism and the "Red Scare", fear of the atomic bomb), and turned it into edgy science fiction that's unlike any present-day moviemaking. Some of these relatively low-budget films were awful, but others have stood the test of time to become classics of the genre. One of the best is 1953's "It Came From Outer Space", which features a great plot, solid acting, and is based on a story created by the great Ray Bradbury, one of the best sci-fi writers of his generation. Richard Carlson, who also starred in several other classic sci-fi films of the fifties, is John Putnam, an amateur astronomer and scientist who lives in the desert outside a small town in Arizona. The townsfolk consider John to be a loner and something of an oddball, but he does enjoy the love of Ellen Fields (Barbara Rush), a pretty schoolteacher who thinks that he can do no wrong. John's relationship with Ellen has earned him the ire of the town's sherriff (Charles Drake), a down-to-earth, cowboy-type fellow who can't understand Putnam's interest in "weird" things like science and astronomy and who wants Ellen for himself. One evening both John and Ellen watch as a huge meteor crashes near an old mine outside of town. The next day they investigate the meteor's crater, but only John makes it to the bottom, where he sees a large spaceship which is promptly buried in a landslide which nearly engulfs him as well. Ellen believes his story, but others are doubtful and laugh at him, and even the local radio stations make fun of him. However, events soon begin to convince even the skeptical sherriff that something odd is afoot, especially when several townspeople begin to act in bizarre ways, such as speaking and behaving in a zombie-like manner and staring directly at the sun for long periods of time. As it turns out, the "townspeople" are actually aliens from the buried spaceship, and the real humans have been abducted by them - including Ellen! Although the sherriff and some other townsfolk wish to attack the aliens (out of fear and paranoia), Putnam suspects that the aliens are actually peaceful and only want to repair their spaceship and leave. I won't give away anymore of the plot, but the storyline of "It Came From Outer Space" actually is decades ahead of its time, and strongly resembles modern sci-fi (such as "Star Trek") in showing that even strange "aliens" are not always hostile and can be peaceful if given a chance. This attitude comes directly from the stories of Ray Bradbury (for example, "The Martian Chronicles"), where aliens aren't always the bad guys and humans aren't always the good guys. It's this moral complexity that makes "It Came From Outer Space" stand out from the other (and often more simplistic) sci-fi films of the decade. As an added bonus, the DVD set of this film will be a delight to all fifties sci-fi movie buffs. It has a short documentary entitled "The Universe According to Universal" showing how "It Came From Outer Space" and other fifties sci-fi movies were made, the theatrical trailer, and a commentary by film historian Tom Weaver. Overall, this DVD set is well worth the money, IMO. Recommended!

It Came, It Saw, It Left...
Richard Carlson (Creature From The Black Lagoon) stars as an intense astronomer who witnessess a "meteor" crash in the desert near his home. Along with Barbara Rush, he investigates the crater left by the impact. In it he finds a hexagonal doorway, that belongs to a now buried spacecraft. In the craft is a being, best described as a giant, hairy, big-toe with an eyeball where the toenail should be. Carlson's character gets out as an avalanche almost crushes him with it's paper-mache boulders! No one believes him (duh) and he is soon regarded as a nut. Two telephone co. linemen (one played by Gilligan's proffessor Russell Johnson) are possessed by the alien presence, and become monotone-speaking zombies. It turns out that rather than an invasion, the extraterrestrials are simply lost. They're just trying to fix their ship before we locate it and destroy them! Can Richard Carlson save them from the angry mob, including a hot-headed sheriff? ICFOS is a classic 50s paranoia gem. Extra points for Barbara Rush in her ... evening-wear! And, check out that blonde in the sheriff's office (whose boyfriend comes up missing). I'd watch her in anything... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Can't Live with Him, Can't Live without Him
This episode deals quite seriously (and often in a lovely lyrical fashion) with the serious consequences (for Catherine) of her relationship with Vincent. On the 20th anniversary of her mother's death, Catherine is overcome with a sense of hopelessness about her life. The problem seems to be...Vincent. She must confront the fact that their relationship is closing her off from life possibilities for which she has always longed. As he tells her, "Our dream exists at the cost of all your other dreams." Her pain is so great that (in an extremely powerful scene) the superhumanly chivalrous Vincent gives her the breakup she so desperately needs (though doing so, for him, is akin to ripping his heart out of his chest). It is a breakup she could never, ever, bring herself to directly ask for. It takes time away from Vincent for Catherine to come to a realization of what in her life is indeed "worth everything." She makes her choice, and she and Vincent (and we) derive great joy from that decision. I've never (before or since) experienced such joy at the finish of an episode of a TV series!

Linda Hamilton is so good here that she gives us an empathic connection to Catherine that is stronger than Vincent's. "A Happy Life" is a thing of stunning beauty and power, and I don't think there is a significant misstep in it. This episode and the magnificent "Orphans" are by far the highest pinnacles of achievement for this series.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "A Happy Life" finished 1st out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "A Happy Life" 1st in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes.

One of the series finest episodes.
Twenty years after her mother's death, Catherine re-evaluates her life and her relationship with Vincent. Beautifully written and acted, Linda Hamilton gives an amazing performance as her character sinks deeper into despair as she is slowly torn between two worlds. This is a must-see episode for anyone who has watched (or is even familiar with) Beauty and the Beast.

Intro episode to a fabulous new version of an old faerytale.
A modern day woman is drawn into a world of fantasy and things that cannot be possible, yet are oh, so very real. Injured and left to die in Central Park, Catherine Chandler is rescued by Vincent, a very unique, gentle being, who brings her to his world, to heal. His world consists of a labyrinth of subterrean tunnels, peopled by those society has either discarded or left to die alone and in poverty. Here, Catherine learns the true meaning of caring, committiment, and love. She also learns that a person's looks are truly 'only skin deep', and it is ones soul which gives an inner beauty and strength which is both lasting and incorruptable. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Mixed Review - 4 stars, but really a 2
I have mixed feelings about this movie. I really thought when I bought it it was just going to be that first episode which started the tv series. I loved that first episode. But what I found was that it was a compilation of several episodes. It flowed smoothly, but I am really not a Linda Hamilton fan. I had only watched the show for Vincent - certainly not for Katherine who I might have liked if the character was played by someone other than Linda. Linda Hamilton played the role too crybaby dramatic and she always got on my nerves even back when I was watching the series. I just wish there was more Vincent in the movie instead of it being mostly her.

One of the most important television series ever produced...
And this is the first episode! Beauty and the Beast, the romatic story of a beast who loves in the tunnels beneath New York City, is a beautiful combination of Sci-Fi, fantasy, action and romance. The pilot episode is heartfelt and tender. What a great program. This is a show that changed many lives, and still does. See for yourself--do a search on the web. There are more fans now than there were 15 years ago when the show was still on the air!

Vincent rescues Catharine and an epic romance is born
"Beauty and the Beast" was one of the most unusual and most beloved romantic fantasies every shown on network television. In the pilot episode, "Once Upon a Time in New York" (September 25, 1987), Catherine Chandler (Linda Hamilton) was a young attorney who was attacked and left to die in Central Park, only to be rescued by Vincent (Ron Perlman), a powerful but sensitive man-beast with the facial features of a lion. Vincent lived in the caverns and tunnels deep below Manhattan, where he had been raised by Jacob Wells (Roy Dotrice), the man he calls "Father." After nursing Catherine back to health, she returned to the surface world and became an Assistant District Attorney. Like the fairy table Catherine and Vincent fell in love, a result of which was a strong psychic bond: when Catharine was in danger Vincent would sense it and come to her rescue. This pilot episode sets the tone for the series, which is dominated by the marvelous performance of Perlman, who turned Vincent into the most romantic figure on television. The series only aired from 1987 to 1990 and failed to survive the departure of Linda Hamilton from the cast. "Beauty and the Beast" is one of those television series that is not on the air for a long time, but which burns very brightly. Final note: I always thought the name Vincent came from Don MacLean's song, which has the lyric, "But I could have told you Vincnt, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you." Makes sense, right?

Splendid, heartwarming, suspensful
I was very interested in this show from the very first pilot show. Some shows you just know that it touches your heart and soul forever, and this one did it for me. I remember a time when these shows could take me back to a world that surrounded us in all kinds of emotions. We really need an escape sometimes because the real world is terribly insane right now. Beauty and The Beast gave me a great pleasure in my life and I will never forget it as long as I live!!!

The seasons with Catherine were masterpeices!
I am a huge B&TB fan. Though I know not where to buy any of the videos in stores I am in love with the theme. I have watched them over and over. The show gives me dreams and hopes. When the Diana series started I begin to fade away. I am not to fond of those, but Cat and Vince, Truely a work of HEART!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Seige
I always enjoyed watching this show and this is one of my favoret eposides. When Vicents thinks he's losing Cathering it seem to tear him up on the inside. I wish this show was availble on DVD!!!!

Beauty & the Beast: Siege
We in England have had this series back in the Eighties but are unable to get VHS tapes over here.
WE can not see them because we use PAL system.
But if they were on DVD we would buy every single Episode ever made as we are AVID fans

Is Catherine Falling for Someone Else?
Vincent goes through considerable emotional agony in this episode as Catherine appears to be falling in love with the handsome, extremely wealthy businessman, Elliot Burch. Meanwhile Vincent tries to assist some old people who are being threatened with violence as they stand in the way of some big real estate development plans. He enlists Catherine's help in defending the old people. While the way in which Catherine's relationship with Elliot Burch is resolved is something of a cop-out, it does not detract much from the power of the ending, which utilizes a Shakespeare sonnet that one could think (if one didn't know better) was written for the series.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Siege" finished 15th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Siege" 18th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

More Fifties sci-fi fun from auteur Jack Arnold (director of Creature from the Black Lagoon).The body of a celocanth, long thought to be extinct, is brought to a university for study.This particular prehistoric fish, though, was exposed to gamma radiation; contact with its blood turns a German Shepherd into a slavering, snarling wolf-dog.The fish juice makes a dragonfly roughly the size of a radio-controlled model plane; when Professor Franz gets the stuff in his pipe (go figure) and smokes it, he turns into a hairy, cranky wolfman who wants to kill everyone and break everything in sight.The effects wear off, though, and Franz is compelled to try it again, in the interest of science, of course.When the Neanderthal version of Franz gets ahold of an axe, all bets are off.So…you've got coeds, an antediluvian dragonfly, a primitive, irritable dog, a snarling, ugly troglodyte in a plaid work shirt, all owed to that ever-popular plot device, Gamma Radiation.What more could you ask from a Fifties drive-in feature?--Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Monster on the Campus
For starters, let me say that I first saw this movie when I was a teenager way back in 1972 on the late-night "Creature Feature." Once again, the movie was good, but since they showed it on TV they cut out many parts. And now almost 30 years later-and thanks to the invention of the VCR I am able to see this movie again and again not only because the acting and the special effects are superb, but because it brings back many pleasant memories of my teenage years. And as far as the movie is concerned, the best parts are at the beginning of same when the professor is accidentally bitten by the prehistoric fish and turns into a monster. And the other one is when the giant dragonfly knocks on the window and is later caught and killed by the professor.

Camp Horror Classic
This is a classic forerunner of the teenage horror genre. A college professor sensitively and believably played by Arthur Franz is exposed to a blood specimen of a thought to be extinct prehistoric fish, which unknowingly turns him into a dangerous bloodthirsty Neanderthal. This is actually a fun and entertaining movie that holds your attention. Competently directed by Jack Arnold (from New Haven). Good cast includes Troy Donahue, Joanna Moore and Whit Bissell.

As good as any monster movie ever made.
For my money this is one of the if not the best monster movies ever made. You got the best transformation from human to creature that will rival LON Chaney JR.s Wolfman. This movie was one I had not seen in over two decades. I can remember this movie from when I was very little, back when parents were not afraid to let kids watch scary movies like this with the giant dragon fly and the monster itself. Great film all the way through,good story line fine camara work and good acting. I recomend this film to anybody who likes this type of movie. To end this review all I have say is PLEASE PUT IT OUT ON DVD!

Jack Arnold Rules!
Definitely lack-luster if you're comparing this film to Jack Arnold's best genre films, but this one still has its charms. Biggest problem might be the rubbery mask/make-up, poiting up one of the few, and I mean FEW, advantages today's films have over yesteryear's. Still, not without its moments of tension. Might I make a suggestion? Watch this film as a double feature with Altered States, the Ken Russell film starring William Hurt & Blair Brown. Both film share the same basic story, though with vastly different details. Still, same story in both. College professor brainiac vanguard at the outer edge of scientific research plays with dangerous, mysterious substances and ends up devolving himself, Jekyl/Hyde style, learning an important lesson in the process, or something like that.

Evolutionary Horrors!
Another 1950s example of what happens when men of science go too far....I love this movie, even though it's not the best of the lot. The "caveman" that the professor turns into is gaunt and scary. When he starts picks up an axe and starts swinging it, I still shudder a little!
There's a giant dragonfly and a German Shepherd that reverts to his wild ancestors. And the first killing in this movie is actually pretty creepy for the time.
If you like 50s science horrors, you'll like this one! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A mysterious, pilotless plane carries scientist Rex Reason to a colony of America's best and brightest minds. They've been kidnapped by a dying alien race, the Metalunians, to repair their defense shield before their enemies destroy their world completely, toiling under their spying eyes and futuristic security cameras (two-way TVs that dominate every room). Jeff Morrow, under a raised forehead, bronze tan, and snow-white hair, philosophizes as Exeter, the thoughtful Metalunian torn between his duty and his morals as he forces the plucky humans to labor in his race's defense. The moody mystery of the first half turns to pure pulp adventure when the humans are transported across the galaxy to the battle-scarred world of Metaluna, under the threatening watch of a monstrous bug-eyed monster with a giant brain for a head and massive claws for hands. There's a genuine sense of wonder to Joseph Newman's intergalactic adventure, one of the most ambitious science fiction films of the 1950s. The story is simple space opera, but the futuristic designs of glass and metal, the marvelous alien makeup, and grandstanding special effects invest the film with a Technicolor splendor. Faith Domergue co-stars as a nuclear physicist and Gilligan's Island's Russell Johnson makes his first professorial appearance as a scientist. Science fiction auteur Jack Arnold was an unbilled codirector. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (59)

A 50's Magazine Cover Brought To Life!
THIS ISLAND EARTH is a 1950s science-fiction pulp magazine cover brought to life: clunky spacecraft, battling planets, evil aliens, and screaming heroines in distress. The special effects are 1955 state-of-the-art, and they still hold up very well today, for unlike ultra-realistic computer generated graphics they have a fantasy feel that is very, very entertaining--a sort of "Wizard of Oz goes sci-fi" look that is very appealing to the eye.

As already noted, the story concerns several of earth's best minds who are kidnapped by aliens and ordered to create an endless source of energy for a dying planet. The script is laced with 1950s sexism--one line, for example, is "Don't tell me that as woman you're not curious?"--but this is actually less offensive than it is rather amusing, in keeping with the magazine cover sensibility that pervades the piece. The cast plays with great sincerity: Rex Reason is appropriately heroic, Faith Domergue screams the house down, and the aliens all have high foreheads--excepting, of course, that really evil looking one with claws for hands!

Some humorless-type science-fiction fans won't enjoy it, and if you're not the type to get a kick from period visuals you might want to give this one miss. But for pure 1950s matinee fun, you can't do better than THIS ISLAND EARTH.

Outdated, but excellent for its time!
This film starts out very poorly, (I didn't know nuclear scientists were that young...). Anyway, it transforms into a movie with an interesting plot, but really bad carry-through, acting, and script, but what do you expect from a sci-fi flick from 1955? However, the visuals (striking for it's time although laughable by today's standards) are what really save the movie.

The downside to the film is the fact that it's just old. The visuals, lines (such as: "We come from Metalunia." -Exeter. In response Rex quips: "That's not in our solar system." How would he know? The names would certainly not be the same...) and the overall feel to the film make me want to bust up laughing (which I'll admit I do everytime I see it, especially after I saw MST3K: The Movie). But really though, this film is just a great old Saturday sci-fi flick that you must remember was an excellent breakthrough in 1955!

A Classic Of Early Science Fiction
It has taken me a few decades but I have finally seen the film This Island Earth (I had to buy it first). I must say that I was not disappointed by this well-crafted tale.

A physicist working on new power from uranium and the transmutation of elements to create more uranium, gets involved in a project of a far grander scale. Replacement parts are ordered for the lab but the parts that arrive seem far superior to anything that should be available. Then a catalogue of other equipment arrives and soon the lab is set on building a strange device.

The device is a communications console which puts the scientist in contact with a white-haired man seeking out talented scientists to tackle the issue of world-wide peace. The scientist joins a small think-tank of top researchers who are working on increasing the energy available from nuclear reactions. But it soon becomes apparent that all is not what it seems. The head of the project, and his assistant, are actually aliens. They are hoping that the human scientists can come up with a way to save their home planet.

The story then escalates to include the alien world and their plight at the hands of a second, and vicious, race of aliens. We learn of motives, deceits, and how far the peaceful will go to save their own home. Distrust and compassion struggle against one another until the film's conclusion.

This is not a typical B-movie of alien invasion. Unlike most of that type this film was not a quick project. Two and a half years were spent in the making so that the film is pretty well consistent within itself. The pacing of the plot's revelations is well handled and almost resembles a classic tale of A.E. van Vogt. This is definitely a film for fans of the great black and white science fiction films.

"The two of you are about to take incredible journey"
I'm so glad I picked this dvd up when it was a reasonable price tag
I don't know how "Goodtimes" gets the rights to release "Universal"
prints but I'll take what I can get.

If you had to timecapsule any techincolor sci-fi film from the 50's
it would be a toss up between this and "Forbidden planet". Would we
go to see this at a big screen film revival...sure we would,classic
sci-fi never gets old (just recycled)

The story is that of "Carl"/Atomic researcher/(jetpilot?)
and his assistant who come across a weird energy in the form of a
condenser that's more stronger than anything they've seen from a
company they cant contact except thru mailorder. Curiously enough
they order an 'interosetor" a device in which few men are capable
to construct. These are the words spoken to them after they plug
in the contraption to reveal on its screen the highbrowed'xceter'
The strange man offers an invitation to learn more at his mystery

location and the Scientist Carl (minus assistant) accepts.

Upon arriving at the Xcetor's grounds via remote controlled plane
He is promply meet by an old fellow grad student "Ruth" who oddly
enough doesn't remember him even though he remembers a passionate
"swim" some years back. The Scientist is introduced to the staff including one other scientist who is wary of the whole set-up.

After meeting Xceter & Brac(his right hand man) who explains that
that his plans are just to research new applications for newtreno
rays a beam that can pass thru mountains of solid rock, The three
scientist become become nervous and plan an escape,discovered the
three try to drive to safety but are almost force off the road by
the destuctive newtreno ray developed earlier. Carl & Ruth escape
just in time to see the car and thier fellow friend destroyed and the unbelievible vision of a flying saucer rising in the distance

Taking control of one of the small passenger planes the scientist
look in awe as the saucer destroyed the mansion and staff inside
The saucer then catches up to them as they are beamed up into the
craft's belly. They agian meet xcetor who in a vain attempt tries
to explain his "actions" and tells them that they are being taken
to his world of Metaluna.

And so sets the groundwork for what was probably the biggest film
event of 1955 "2-1/2 years in the making!" the ads would boast on
what is to this day still a joy to watch.With a casting call that
includes Rex(Rhodes)Reason,Jeff Morrow,Faith Domergue,Lance Fuler
and Richard Johnson. This film is must to have in any true sci-fi
collection My 4 star was decided by lack of a trailer (but at the
cover is the original poster art) the overall quality & sound are
great but I wish Criterion would get a hold of this gem.

"They're pulling us up!"
About a year ago when suddenly there were no copies of this available through the retail market, I took notice of the incredibly high asking prices that some individual online sellers wanted. I knew there was no way I would spend big bucks for something that was originally worth a lot less. Then I happened to find a brand new copy of the DVD in a local record store. I bought it cheap, never opened it and sold it on the Internet for a huge profit. I believed a lot of the reviewers on Amazon that the DVD transfer of"This Island Earth" was nothing to write home about so had no problem with making a little money on it. The problem is, where is a re-release of this film from Universal? What's taking them so long? Are they planning to wait until the film is destroyed? This is an important science fiction classic that needs and deserves to be preserved and presented on DVD. "This Island Earth" is arguably the most imaginative science fiction film of the 1950s and it seems Universal is brushing it aside. C'mon, get with the program, Universal. You got this film and a whole bunch more from the fifties like "Tarantula," "Monster on the Campus," and "The Mole People" that a lot of fans would like to see offered on DVD. Let's get rolling on this stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Most Romantic Halloween!
Vincent (without a costume!) crashes a Halloween party. He does so in the hope of meeting the guest-of-honor, a writer named Brigit O'Donnell whose work has meant a great deal to him. Vincent and Brigit hit it off quite well, "escape" the party, and movingly communicate about the things that are very important to them. They do run into Catherine along the way. Some bad folks are after Brigit, and the episode mixes gritty violence with romantic elements. It is a powerful episode, and Brigit O'Donnell is one of the most compelling guest characters the series ever created. There is a beautiful romantic finish between Vincent and Catherine.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Masques" finished 5th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Masques" 6th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes.

Vincent meets a woman whose book has strengthened him.
On Halloween (Samhain) the one night a year when Vincent can walk "our" world in relative safety, he attends a party, hoping to meet Bridgit O'Donnell, a writer whom he admires. There, Catherine sees him, and follows he and Bridgit when they leave, which sets in motion a chain of events both despairing and enheartening. ... Read more