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 (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 (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

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

Reviews (3)

Looking for this tape
Hello, I'm a new fan of this series and I'm trying to get this episode on tape without spending a fortune. If you can help please leave a message at this site. I will check back. This is a great series, I think they should rerun it!

Vincent and Catherine Attend a Wedding
A friend of the tunnel dwellers is being forced into an arranged marriage with a man she doesn't love, and kept away from the man she does love. For helping her out the tunnel dwellers face the wrath of an organized crime faction from Chinatown. For invading the tunnels the criminals face the wrath of Vincent. Through watching a couple in love battle obstacles to achieve their union, Vincent and Catherine have occasion to ponder the circumstances that keep THEM apart, not least of which at a wedding where they pay a lot more attention to each other than to the bride and groom. "China Moon" finishes strongly with an emotional scene between Vincent and Catherine (not unusual 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. "China Moon" finished 32nd out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "China Moon" 22nd in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes.

Set in Chinatown, this episode involves love and salvation.
This story centers around Lin, the daughter of a Tunnel Helper, when a Tong leader insists she will marry not the man she loves, but his son. When the son is accidently killed, Vincent must defend his world from an invasion of vengeful murderers, men will stop at nothing in their quest to retrieve Lin, one way or the other. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A very suspenseful vehicular stalker movie
You know, the phrase 'this movie will have you sitting on the edge of your seat' gets thrown around a lot to the point of being cliché, but it really does seem to apply to this movie. Not in the literal sense, mind you, as I was lying down when I saw it, but figuratively speaking, that is, unless you are prone to sitting on the edge of your seat anyway in which case forget what I just said and move on. (seems like a dumb place to sit anyway...I mean, aren't you just asking for trouble?) Road Games, released in 1981 and directed by Australian born director Franklin Richards and starring Stacy Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis, is an excellent little movie I had heard absolutely nothing about until it was recommended to me on this website.

The story follows an American truck driver working in Australia, hire to drive a load of slaughtered hogs from Melbourne to Perth across a desolate stretch of highway. Stacy Keach plays Quid, an intelligent, self-educated man who is keenly observant of his surroundings, trading quips with his companion, a pet dingo that travels with Quid in his cab. Seems there's a serial killer stalking female victims, and Quid begins to suspect a green van he's seen on the roadways. Soon Quid picks up Hitch (Jamie Lee Curtis), and things begin to unravel at an alarming pace. Quid quickly finds himself a suspect, set up by the real killer, in the spate of grisly murders, and must not only clear his name, but also save his own life, as the mysterious stranger in the green van soon goes from being pursued to being the pursuer with the backdrop being some really beautiful wide-open Australian scenery.

Think this sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock movie? Well, that's exactly what the director was going for and he achieved his goal very nicely. He manages to build the suspense and maintain it throughout the movie, driving it to one of the more exciting conclusions within a film I've seen in a long time. Another nice touch is the way he directly avoids showing the violently visceral aspects of the killer's crimes, only alluding to them. There are many wonderfully, slyly humorous moments littered throughout the film as the director gradually tightens the screws on the viewers. I found the scene with Quid and Hitch at the rest stop/gas station especially grueling.

Along with a beautiful, wide screen presentation, Anchor Bay provides a number of interesting features including an audio commentary by producer/director Richard Franklin, a 20 minute featurette with the director and actor Stacy Keach, a trailer, talent bios, original storyboards, a poster and still gallery, a wonderful five page insert on the movie, and even the original screenplay available on DVD-ROM. If you enjoy thoughtful, well-directed thrillers chocked full of suspense and a minimal amount of violence, then see this movie. It'll be worth your time. If you like this one, I might suggest Duel (1971), Breakdown (1997), or Joyride (2001).

Very likable Hitchcockian thriller!
It's amazing how many pleasant treats you'll find on TV Friday nights at one o'clock in the morning. Take "Roadgames" (or "Road Games") for example: The Hitchcockian story of a trucker delivering meat across Australia who becomes entangled in a possible mystery involving an unapprehensible serial killer who may or may not have murdered a helpless hitchhiker traveling the roads he's driving on.

Often referred to as "Rear Window" on the road, self-proclaimed Hitchcock enthusiast Richard Franklin has directed a quaint, low-budget thriller with a likable (although quite unusual) lead actor in the role of Frustrated Hero.

Pat Quid (Stacy Keach--who is indeed a man) is driving across Australia in a meat truck when he thinks he's noticed a strange happening--a man in a van seems to be burying a bag in the middle of a desert in Australia, and when he is noticed he climbs back into his blue van and speeds away into the distance.

Pat puts this event into the back of his mind when he decides against regulations to pick up a wandering hitchhiker named Pam Rushworth (Jamie Lee Curtis), who has run away from home in an effort to escape her famous father's life. The two bond together on the road and have some fun playing various games--until she is kidnapped by the same strange man in a van. At first, Pat thinks he's just being paranoid--he even starts to think that Pam left him for the man.

But then he realizes that Pam has indeed been kidnapped, and he suspects that the strange man in the van might be a notorious serial killer who has been killing young women and scattering their body parts miles apart from each other.

After the police offer no help, Pat takes matters into his own hands and sets off on a quest to bring back Pam to safety and apprehend the killer before he can strike again. Some twists and turns ensue, although nothing very surprising.

If this were a mainstream horror film with an overblown budget and big-name actors, I'd probably give "Roadgames" a bad rating. But this is the type of pleasant, likable low-budget thriller that is easy to watch and knows it's nothing more than a shadow of greater film noir mysteries/thrillers like "Rear Window" or "The Third Man"--the type of film that thrusts its hero on a one-man venture into the heart of darkness in order to find out the truth.

Stacy Keach is strikingly likable as the lonely trucker who talks to his own pet dingo as he drives along, contemplating all types of conspiracy theories about serial killers and mysteries. What could definitely become tiring--listening to a man talk to his dingo for the majority of a movie, that is--actually becomes quite fun. Keach is funny, nice, and just...likable! Too bad his career was put on hold years later after he got arrested for smuggling cocaine...

The director, Richard Franklin, is a huge Hitchcock fan--and it shows. This film is like a sort of remake of "Rear Window" and other such mystery-thrillers. It's loads of fun and an easy watch. (Trivia note: Franklin directed "Psycho II," the sequel to Hitchcock's 1960 classic original.)

I can definitely say that this film is most like "Breakdown," the Jonathan Mostow movie starring Kurt Russell as a man who loses his wife to a trucker and tries to get her back, even though there seems to be no evidence of her disappearance. But unlike the great "Breakdown," this film doesn't wither away in the second half and turn into a disappointing movie--it remains strong throughout, and yes, it has plenty of nods towards Hitchcock. (Check out the magazines Curtis starts sorting through--there he is!)

I Have Seen Better Horror Movies!
I was looking up some horror movies that we can watch on Halloween and this movie came up and it's definitely not a movie I would want to buy. I was watching a movie on tape that I rented from Blockbuster and when that movie was over and I turned the VCR off this movie Road Games was playing on cable and I watched it. Yes, Stacey Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis are terrific actors but I didn't find the movie so terrific. I'm sure this movie has it's fans but I just don't happen to be one of them but that is a matter of my own personal opinion.

I Personally Just Didn't Like This Movie!
I like scary movies too and I really liked Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween her best Scream Queen flick and I like Stacy Keach, I had seen a couple episodes of a TV show of his when I was a teenager but when it comes to Road Games I didn't find it all that scary and I just didn't like the movie. Just a personal opinion.

a classic
I saw this in fangoria magazine,picked it up and have watched it about 10 times now.The tone of the movie is up my alley,kinda like a road movie mixed with a slasher flick mixed with a pinch of The road warrior.I have never realized how great stacy keach can act until I saw this.besides, who wouldnt like a movie about a truck driver and his dingo hauling pigs across australia VS. a psycho killing hitchhikers? My mistake,just because he drives a truck it does not make him a truck driver. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"I Hate You! I Hate You!"
So says Catherine to Vincent after she falls under the influence of a nefarious voodoo practitioner who has plans for her that definitely seem hazardous to her health. All of this leads to a lively rescue, and eventually, some intensely passionate eye contact between our favorite couple. "Dark Spirit" is certainly watchable enough, but it seems much less substantive than most of the episodes.

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. "Dark Spirit" finished 42nd out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Dark Spirit" 36th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Clever if not Brilliant Lies
This absorbing film is one that I highly recommend to anyone that appreciates raw and unfettered emotion.

The majority of the cast is well placed, and any limitations or shortcomings by the actors are mitigated through the cumulative effort and expressive force as a whole - in particular the stunning Gia Carides - who projects an intensity and ambiguous "quality" that is quite admirable and beguiling.

Anthony LaPaglia is also attractive - odd, considering the greasy, and at times gross character he is suppose to embody.

Although I do take issue with some points of this film,(particularly with scene construction and the dynamic of the father towards his children - his oration, although he is a wonderful force) I feel that it "cliks" as a piece of true entertainment, with the added benefit of the depth and severity of male/female dynamics, class and of course sex - this film has entertainment, social comentary and a more complex, rich identity than one would initally imagine - and that cumulative pay off is your just reward for any misguided construction.

Also, the manner in which this film was shot struck me as unattractive at first, but I think in the end it added a dimension that was a true benefit to everyone concerned - particularly the viewer. The spartan and flat images are what is needed to set off the complex and at times sophisticated plot, and the individual characters as you are chartered through the course of this film.

Many of the scenes are memorable to the point of distraction, and quite a few acrimonious articulations stay with you far after the film is finished.

All in all I think this film has accomplished what every truly good film is suppose to do - make you long for more after the screen has gone blank.

A memorable film - one that I am sure you will have enthusiasm for, good or bad.

the battle of the sexes is now all out war
Director Richard Franklin's adaptation of the Australian playwright David Williamson's play may not be as dire as Franklin's previous Hotel Sorrento, but it also still can't conceal the stage origins. The title is explained by Williamson's cynical/pragmatic philosophy that to survive in the 1990's, one must either be "lucky, rich or a brilliant liar", and the plot centres on a sexual harassment and wrongful dismissal charge filed by Gia Carides against her employer Anthony LaPaglia. The flashbacks which Franklin films as if a horror movie with stylised lighting, reveals that neither version of the culminating incident which lead to Carides being fired, is believable, so we have some pleasing ambiguity. It's one's word against the other, and both having incriminating reputations, with LaPaglia a womaniser and Carides a tramp. Unable to settle in a private conciliation hearing since Carides asks for $40,000, the case goes to public trial. The screenplay has it's share of memorable lines including gayness being viewed as "a fashionable pose", "There is no God because if there was he'd be bright enough not to recruit the like of you", "Do you always spit when you say the word feminist?", a referral to "feminist mafia", "Please don't be penitent. Your remorse is more nauseating than your crimes", but also a lesbian told she can't even "spot your own species" and "This is very very counter-productive" as an observed response to "You're very very wrong". As the father of Carides, Ray Barrett's heightened comic drunk and a long speech he delivers seems like neither has been tempored for the film, as is Franklin's occasional attached sets for change of scenes. As Carides' brother, Michael Veitch also delivers a theatrical cartoon performance though his banter with Barrett is at least funny. Franklin uses Billy Wilder's The Apartment on TV for Carides to watch, and opening credit Esquire magazine cartoons and Harassment Tango by Nerida Tyson-Chew. Thematically, it's a pity the material gets sidetracked by the issue of child abuse, since this and LaPaglia's business machinations show Williamson at his weakest. The family squabbles in particular become earnest and trite, providing for an unconvincing conclusion. Thankfully, the cross-cutting between Carides' testimony at the trial, where strangely LaPaglia never gets to testify, and flashbacks to the incident are in normal lighting, presumably so we understand that this version is what really happened, and that's why we don't need LaPaglia. He is rather likeable in spite of the claim made against him, with Carides more believable as a "sex goddess", the ferocity of their animosity no doubt aided by them being a real life couple. Carides' real life sister Zoe also plays her screen sister, and we get glimpses of her Cher-like beauty (ie the pre-surgically enhanced Cher). ... Read more

Reviews (4)

OK Aussie horror/ thriller in the "Carrie" vein.
Directed & Co-Produced by Richard Franklin who would later go on to direct PSYCHO 2, PATRICK is a watchable but unremarkable Aussie thriller which is loosely in the vein of CARRIE.
As a child Patrick murders his mother & one of her male friends by electrocuting them in the bathtub via telekinesis.
For some reason, after this Patrick is rendered comatose with massive damage to his cerebral cortex (the film doesn't even explain any of this) & for the last 15 years he has been in hospital (Well he wouldn't be surfing at Noosa, would he?).
Kathy Jacquard (Susan Penhaligon) is recently out of nursing school & one of her first patients is Patrick (Robert Thompson- who bears a remarkable resemblance to the US actor Gerrit Graham), described by a doctor as "160 pounds of limp meat hanging off a comatose brain". But Kathy soon discovers that Patrick is fully aware of what is going on around him, & communicates by spitting (once for yes, twice for no). The only problem is Patrick doesn't want the other staff to know he is aware of his surroundings.
To try & prove to her collegues that Patrick can "speak" Kathy has him telepathically type messages on a typewriter, but of course she is unable to use this as proof as well & soon Kathy's friends and family are questioning her sanity. But not for long, as Patrick soon confesses to being in love with Kathy & is not happy to learn she is happily married to Ed (Rod Mulliner).
So from the comfort of his warm, cozy bed the wide-eyed, spitting coma patient uses his powers to murder those close to Kathy, with methods ranging from a messy electrocution to one of the dopiest drowning "deaths" ever caught on film.
PETA will be unimpressed with the scene in which a live frog has a metal rod inserted through its body as part of a medical demonstration. Personally, I'm not sure where I stand on this: the scene didn't bother me, but there's no way I could do a thing like that to a live creature.
While it is mildly watchable, PATRICK doesn't really deliver many genuine chills & thrills, is relatively tame in terms of gore & violence, and isn't terribly memorable. Its still a good movie to watch in the wee hours of the morning if you're suffering from insomnia & need to kill a couple of hours. The only extra on the DVD I watched was the trailer.

Epitome of Suspense
This film is one of the creepiest, most suspenseful films you will ever watch. The "comatose" reviewer below must have been just that, because he needs to change his bong water. I would defy anyone to watch this movie and not be engrossed. Fine acting throughout, this isn't some chessy film by any stretch. If you liked a movie like "Dead Calm", for instance, you'll like this one.

A blast from the past; Franklin's homage to Hitchcock
FINALLY! The complete Australian language version of Richard Franklin's gem from 1978!

An enigmatic young man kills his mother, and winds up in a coma in a private hospital. Enter the pretty nurse who discovers Patrick has capabilities no one seems to know (or admit) about.
For those that are thrill seekers, this film is not a fast-paced action-packed story. BUT, for those of us that appreciate characters over wild thrills, and enjoy careful buildups to a final reveal, this one is nicely done. There IS a reason it was an initial success and has gained a big cult following, people understood Franklin's intentions.

Sure, Patrick is not Citizen Kane, but it is a nice mystery with great performances, a keen sense of humour ("self-referential humour" as it has been described), and some rather strong adult content for what was supposed to be a PG-rated film, even back in 1978. I first saw it theatrically and was surprised by its content, but appreciated the homages to Hitchcock (which Franklin carefully points out in many scenes on the DVD's commentary), and Brian May's score has a nice Herrmann-esque feel. I was only disappointed that it was dubbed with American actors. Finally seeing this film in the original Australian language version on DVD made me like this film a lot more 25 years later.

Elite's DVD has the basic extras: two theatrical trailers, a commentary by Franklin and writer Everett De Roche. There's an easy to find easter egg that features cover art for different soundtrack releases as well. The filmographies are quite thorough, for fans of Australian cinema.

While this film is not extremely original, it still provides enough intrigue for those who look deeper into films that the general public would brush off. Patrick could be considered an acquired taste, so those who are familiar with it and liked it will find this DVD a very satisfying purchase and a nice surprise to see it in its original form. Others be warned, you might stick with more familiar "blockbuster hits."

Comatose
This is a weak Australian horror about a man (Patrick) who has some telekenetic powers after he is put in a coma. Whilst in a coma he lets havoc reign in his hospital.

There is not much more to say about this film. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Catherine wonders if Vincent is "the bad guy"
A vigilante reported to have beast-like features is on the prowl in New York's subway trains. Catherine has suspicions the vigilante may be Vincent. There is some interesting interaction between Vincent and Catherine very early in their relationship, as Catherine doesn't seem to be fully comfortable with him (this was the 2nd episode to be broadcast). The "villain" in this episode is a little more complex and interesting than most.

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. "Terrible Savior" finished 40th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Terrible Savior" 35th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

CHEESY...but
Yes the movie was cheap, and yes it was kind of pointless & unrealistic, but Billy Zane made it worth while. He looked HOT in this movie (not that that's important) and his acting was good, not his BEST, but good! Its a change to see him play this type of role rather than a crazy/jerk/bad guy or whatever... If your not a fan of Billy Zane, or low budget movies then I wouldn't expect too much out of this one...Overall, I wouldn't pay 9 bucks for it, go rent it!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Melancholy Remembrance of Things Past
Catherine is introduced to a new hire at the District Attorney's Office. One evening she sees him go to the tunnel entrance in Central Park. It turns out that the man (named Devin) was Vincent's closest boyhood friend. He has returned after a decades-long absence from the tunnels. Making extensive use of flashbacks, this well-crafted episode gradually reveals to us details of Vincent's relationship with Devin, and details behind friction between Devin and Father. We learn of childhood dreams, never realized. The final shot, a flashback moment involving Vincent and Devin, is quite moving.

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. "Promises of Someday" finished 11th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Promises of Someday" 20th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

it may be a nice place to visit ...
The play Hotel Sorrento by Australian writer Hannie Rayson was successful enough to ensure interest in a film adaptation, however the film gives you no clue as to why the play was so popular. Set in a Victorian seaside town, it centres on the return of one of three sisters (Chekhov anybody?) who has published a thinly disguised autobiography, Melancholy. The title is enough to warn you that she isn't going to be much fun, and that her reasons for returning aren't sentimental. The title also makes you never want to read the book. Director Richard Franklin's translation is rudimentary - people talk incessantly in that over-analytical way that the theatre loves so, actions occur offscreen, and even the house's front door squeaks histrionically. He overcompensates by having the radio blaring during conversations (or confrontations as they are known on stage), and in the worst scene, drums are pounded! Is he daring us to stay, or just a mad Beatnick? The film manages to come to life in a full-cast lunch mostly because of John Hargreaves' performance as a local journo, and Joan Plowright as a pixie neighbour. (Plowright's appearance is the international market concession, and perhaps it was thought her marriage to Olivier adds some pedigree). As the writer, Caroline Goodall has a bad case of the Streeps. She is so busy you want to hit her. Caroline Gilmer comes off better as a shop owner, the hometown voice of reason, though make-up has turned her into Roseanne post-surgery. Best of the three sisters is Tara Morice, probably since she has the least to say - she's practically furniture - but still does some clever things. Franklin films pelicans in the bay and succeeds with a silent shot of Gilmer holding her son, during a beach tragedy, but his last image is so derivative of Bergman and so obvious in the set-up, that the audience laughs in recognition.

Three sisters confront their past
This film was known as "Hotel Sorrento" in its original Australian release, and as "Sorrento Beach" in the US. The depiction of the difficult relationship between the three sisters in this film is wonderful. Joan Plowright's performance is excellent. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Father, Looking for a Lost Love, is Charged with Murder
Father receives a message from Above, and tells Vincent he must venture there briefly. The message has led Father to believe that the love of his life, a woman named Margaret with whom he hasn't communicated in decades, is looking for him. When Father doesn't soon return to the tunnels, Vincent enlists Catherine's aid in finding him. Catherine finds that Father is in jail and charged with murder. Father, in seeking out the source of the message he received, has inadvertently managed to FRAME HIMSELF for the murder of Margaret's lawyer. Catherine goes to great lengths to clear him of the charges and help bring about a bittersweet reunion between Father and Margaret. The episode achieves some emotional power, with regretful thoughts over lost opportunity. Vincent and Catherine, witnessing this, must wonder if THEIR opportunity will be lost.

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. "Song of Orpheus" finished 16th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Song of Orpheus" 19th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

A darn fine (and worthy) sequel
How can you top the original PSYCHO?

You can't.

But you can do it justice, and PSYCHO II accomplishes that. Its most important key to success, coming over 20 years after the first film, is the return of the same performers - Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, and the HOUSE. Using the same exact house/motel set lends this sequel incalculable credibility and continuity. Without it, the movie probably would have been "just another sequel."

Perkins is simply outstanding as Norman (gotta love the way he says "cu- u- utlery") and Meg Tilly and Robert Loggia are nicely cast in their roles. The plot has a nice handful of twists throughout, and a whopper of an afterthought ending. Jerry Goldsmith provides a fine score, wisely avoiding the temptation to mimic Herrmann's original.

The DVD presentation is full-frame, but DON'T let that stop you from buying it. The film is open-matte, which means a widescreen version would simply MASK the top and bottom. In other words, this is NOT a pan-and-scan presentation. There is nothing chopped off at the sides. Instead, you're seeing MORE picture here than you would if it were presented in widescreen format.

Picture and sound quality are good, and the lack of extras is not too disappointing, really, and it's a decent price.

To sum up: great acting, good direction from a Hitchcock apprentice, good score, good plot, good picture and sound, and excellent continuity from the original film. If you're a devotee of Hitchcock's film and you've never seen this, I urge you to give it a try. It really does do justice to the original.

Outstanding!
Hitchcock's Psycho starring Janet Leigh and Antony Perkins was a massive success, we all know that! The shower scene is probably one of the most memorable scenes imaginable as well as classic dialogue. Was a sequel ever an area of discussion? Certainly not for Hitchcock. The fear of continuing a movie so successful must have been immense but some brave so and so decided to continue the legacy and does so brilliantly.

The year is 1982, 22 years after Norman Bates was convicted of murder. Now, after years of psychological tests he is released much to the protests of Marion Crane's (shower victim) sister Leila (Vera Miles). Furious at the news of his release she, together with her daughter attempt to put Norman back in prison by making him go crazy. However someone is also leaving Norman a few notes from his dead mother. But if it's not Norman who could it be? This film is an early version of a guess who murder mystery and works extremely well.
Perhaps the only thing that is missed is Bernard Herrman's original musical score which could have given this film the extra lift. However, despite all this, Psycho 2 is a worthy sequel and well worth the watch. Watch out for an exciting ending and a twist with a difference!

He's BACK!!!
Psycho II is a good follow-up to the Hitchock classic. It's not a masterpiece by any means, like its 1960 predecessor, but it does a decent job of re-introducing audiences to Norman Bates for a bloodier, more violent film that delivers decent suspense. A terrific cast, which includes pre-fame Dennis Franz (NYPD Blue) and the wonderful Meg Tilly, as well as the return of Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates and Vera Miles as Lila, add to the fun. Wish Janet Leigh had somehow made a cameo.

This is the plot in a nutshell: Norman Bates has been locked away in a mental institution for over 20 years, but is finally released. Lila Loomis, Marion Crane's (Janet Leigh) sister, protests his release, but her arguments fall on deaf ears. Now Bates is back in town and trying to do right by working in a small diner. Soon he starts to see his long-deceased mother in the Bates Motel window and brutal murders start once again. Could it be Bates or is someone else feeding their deviant need to kill?

Psycho II starts off with the famous shower scene from the original Psycho and holds interest. The film could have resorted to the cheap slasher techniques of the day, but instead it concentrates on developing the character of Norman Bates--a sympathetic soul who is fighting to overcome his past and live as a normal person. Norman is a victim of crazed people who insist on persecuting him and, as a result, seems incredibly sane by comparison. Unfortunately the end to Psycho II contradicts this development, turning Norman into a leering loon in preparation for another sequel.

It would impossible for Psycho II to live up to the original, but the cast and crew give it their best shot. The film is actually pretty competent throughout, though the silly finale ruins what is otherwise an interesting and suspenseful (if totally unnecessary) sequel. Overall, this is a decent sequel with a great cast, and worth seeing for fans of the original, who may or may not like it. Either way, it's good to see and compare.

Psycho II
I must admit I was most displeased with the movie Psycho II. It gives Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1960 film a very bad name. For one thing, at the end of the first film, the psychiatrist said that the mother side of Norman's brain was now dominant. In the sequel you wouldn't even think he ever had a problem. Also, there should not have been any nudity and very little blood. The makers of this film must not truly appreciate what Alfred Hitchcock was trying to do when he made the original Psycho over 40 years ago.

Excellent Sequel 4.5 stars
Smart, entertaining and creepy sequal to the masterpiece Pyscho. Stars anthony perkins in his returning role as Norman Bates. Very clever plot and really good acting. Norman is coming home after being declared sane nearly 22 years later but marion cranes sister isnt to happy about that so her and her daughter devise a plan/ wont say what it is cause i dont want to give story away but the movie is excellent and more murders happen. The ending is also clever. Meg Tilly is excellent as Lila loomis's daughter/ all the actors in the movie are good but she stands out and norman is excellent as always. Dvd also includes the shower scene from the original psycho. This is probably the best sequal to a horror film ive ever seen. First rate thriller. Highly recomended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who should a kid's hero be? In this underrated adventure-comedy, that's the central issue. Henry Thomas, fresh from E.T., plays a San Antonio kid whose father (Dabney Coleman) doesn't spend nearly enough time with him. So the boy loses himself in video games--and even has an imaginary friend (also played by Coleman), a super-resourceful secret agent. When he accidentally comes into possession of a spy group's secret plans, and winds up on the run from them, he must learn to rely on himself (and his imaginary pal) to save his skin. But, in the end, Dad proves to be his real hero in this engaging and solid family film. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Cloak & Dagger-Henry Thomas-(1986)
When a 11-year-old boy(Henry Thomas-E.T.-The Extra Terrestrial) witnesses a murder and a strange doctor gives the boy a video game cartilage, a group of spies want the disk back and try to kil the boy,tough the game cartilage "cloak & dagger" has very important goverment plans in it.With the help of a friend, Kim Gardner(Christina Nigra), and his imaginary pal Jack Flack(Dabney Coleman-Wargames) who plays two roles as Davey's father and Jack Flack.David G. Osborne(Henry Thomas) sets off with Kim,Jack Flack,and the spie's buddy(Micheal Murphy) with an adventure of their own with all the action and adventure.The film was filmed in San Antonio, Texas, on the riverwalk, S.A. airport,S.A. Mall, The Alamo, and S.A.'S biggest buissiness building.Watch cloak & dagger yull' love it, because it is my favorite movie.

mpaa rating :pg, for violence.

Also recommended : Mercury Rising-(action/adventure), The Client-(drama), FROM:MCA Universal Pictures,

Comments & Questions? Please mail to : Chad Nicholson 2203 Apricot Glen Austin, TX 78746

Spy Kid
"Cloak & Dagger" is one of those movies that was clearly made for the sole purpose of the audience to have fun. And on that level, it succeeds perfectly. This is a great movie to put in one night when you just want to relax, have fun, and not have to use your brain to understand the movie.

Henry Thomas plays Davey Osborne, a kid whose whole world revolves around his spy toys. He even has an imaginary friend, super-spy Jack Flack, who assists Davey on all of his assignments. One day, Davey witnesses a real murder. Before the victim dies, he hands Davey a Cloak & Dagger video game and gives him a number that Davey believes to be the score to beat to find out its secret. Unfortunately for Davey, the body is gone by the time he gets back with the cops and no one believes him. Soon, Davey is playing spy for real with the help of his imaginary friend, Jack.

The movie is fairly predictable, but is fun and engaging nonetheless. The villians are over the top, the imaginary friend is full of himself, and the heroes are kids who have no one else to turn to.

As I said before, this is a great movie to plug in after a hard day at work when all you want to do is unwind.

When the game becomes reality
Surprisingly, the reason why the boy who plays Davey Osbourne on this highly underrated kids movie may look familiar because he was Elliot on the movie E.T. Filming right where he was from, Henry Thomas was given the choice to film in San Antonio, taking that oppurtunity to be making a film in his own back yard. Maybe it was for the better considering it was made very well with good acting to it.
Davey just wants to have a little fun while the summer is still at large. His disciplining father (Dabney Coleman) doesn't exactly help to stimulate his imagination either. the only one who seems to understand him is his imaginary friend Jack Flack (also Dabney Coleman) who came right out of a video game to give Davey a little company. But when Davey and his friend Kim (Christina Nigra) are out to do a little errand when Davey witnesses a murder, and may have just escaped one himself, leaving with a mysterious video cartriage that the murdered man gave him. It is soon clear that someone else after the video game, and will stop at nothing to get it. As they chase after him for the seemingly innocent tape, Davey realizes he, and Kim are stuck with only one choice, and that's to run for their lives and figure out what is so important about this game to where people would as high as murder to get it.
This should really come out on DVD like others have suggested. I'll still wait for it, but until that time, Jack Flack will always escape.

Henry Thomas's best after E.T. waiting for DVD hopefully
I love this movie for Nostalgic reasons plus I used to play the actual game "Cloak & Dagger" at my local arcade and sometimes at the candy store.
Rented it back in the summer of '84 at my local video store
and me and my younger brother loved it and watched it tons of times.
It's the second BEST film Henry Thomas has ever done of course next to E.T.
He was a great child actor: cute, and never over acted, and when he cried it was always believable and that's why E.T. went on to become what it is now.
Well anyways regarding the movie it's a great family film with adventure,action,and a bit of mystery and suspense all rolled up into one. I just purchased it recently on VHS (can't seem to know why no DVD out yet?) I give it 4 stars...for the one reason being that the time factor in the movie concerning the bomb in Kim's walking talkie...everytime Davey (Henry Thomas)
looked up in worry to see if the time was ticking down to the bomb blowing up, time would stand still in terms of it'll be on 11:45pm for like 5 minutes in between him busting shots at bad guys, talking to "Jack Flack" his imaginary mentor spy friend, running, talking on the pay phone, trying to find a cab (with no money in his name) to get to the airport in time, going through the detectors, getting kidnapped by the old folks, and getting on the plane....all this was done in like10 minutes (in the movie) I looked at my watch and it was over 15-20 minutes that had passed!
But that is minor, I am a hard person to please when it comes to movies (at least nowadays movies) and I pretty much bomb most of the movies I see in my reviews but this a rare gem that I HIGHLY recommend.

Please Release This On DVD!
As a teenager in the 80's I watched Cloak and Dagger on HBO with my niece and nephew and we all liked the movie and watched it several times. Dabney Coleman and Henry Thomas were both great in this fun movie and I'm waiting for it to be released on DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Fatal Attraction" in Beauty and the Beast
An ex-fiance comes back into Catherine's life. Catherine is not terribly comfortable with this as we see from flashbacks that the breakup up was not particularly amicable. Vincent is very uncomfortable with this as he battles feelings of jealously. He also worries for Catherine's safety as he is haunted by ominous dreams of Catherine being in danger.

The notion of an ex-fiance coming back into Catherine's life could potentially have made a compelling episode, but unfortunately this episode goes off into an unimaginative "fatal attraction" direction.

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. "Down to a Sunless Sea" finished 36th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Down to a Sunless Sea" 37th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more