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As far as ice-skating movies go (or those that prominently feature the cold-bladed sport), this romantic movie is one of the best, thanks to utterly charming performances by underrated actors D.B. Sweeney and Moira Kelly. The couple play, respectively, a washed-up hockey player and a prima-donna skater who end up in doubles figure skating together at the Winter Olympics. Of course, the mismatched pair fall in love. In between, there's a lot of verbal sparring, talk of toe picks, and surprisingly skillful directing by Paul Michael Glaser (Kazaam, The Air Up There). Direction here is critical--unlike in Flashdance, where the dancing was done in the shadows, face and feet obviously shot separately--and credibly highlights the actors and their professional stand-ins. This is such a fun, sweet story that the facts the film takes liberties with--including the alacrity with which a hockey player takes to Olympic-level figure skating--are easily forgivable. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (117)

One Of My Very Favorite Movies!
I LOVE this movie. It was the first vdeo I ever bought for myself and is one of the sweetest, most romantic, and funniest movies I've seen. DB Sweeney is gorgeous as the loveable, girl chasing,less than brilliant ex-hockey god, and Moira Kelly plays an excellent, evil, spoiled typical rich primadonna figure skater from Connecticut. Techncally, it is hard to believe a hockey player could be transformed into a figure skater, but view it with an open mind and you will fall in love with this movie too!

Entertainment at its finest
Kate Mosley, a tempermental figure skater without a partner, and Doug Dorsey, a former hockey player knocked out of the game after taking a bad shot to the head, team up to become a pair of figure skaters with hopes of going to the olympics. That, in a nut shell is the basic premise behind this movie, but the journey of getting there is the real heart of this movie.

The romance which develops between the two lead characters adds nothing new to the genre and follows the standard formula almost to the letter. The initial hostility they shared towards one another at the beginning, the byplay that develops as they get to know one another, the leading towards romance, the inevitable misunderstanding, and then finally getting together. However, the two leads are both attractive people, and they have a strong onscreen chemistry together which makes their romance seem believable, and a joy to watch.

The figure skating in the movie is highly enjoyable to watch, even for someone like me who isn't into figure skating as a general rule. I do have to wonder whether the finishing move they use at the end of the movie is really possible to pull off though. It might have just been me, but I couldn't see how they could have pulled off enough momentum to really do the move, because it didn't really look like it could have worked to me. However, that's only a minor complaint, and the move did look good, so whether or not it's physically possible isn't only a secondary concern.

So, if you enjoy romance movies, and have some liking for figure skating, I recommend you check this movie out for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

LOVABLE COMEDY
The movie was so great for.. it make me inlove specially to KATE(D.B. SWEENEY. She is so beautiful on that movie.. It is the movie that touch me a lot, the soundtracks of a movie and the story. the couple which they fall inlove with each other are mostly common in the movie, but this movie is such thing that u will touch ur heart.. "TOE PICKS".....!

A Disappointment
Having done figure skating for many years of my life, I was looking forward to seeing a movie about the sport, but this one definitely failed to deliver. When it origianlly premiered in the movie theaters back in 1992, I was 12 and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread, so about 10 years later I decided to buy it on DVD. That was definitely a mistake! This movie lacks a lot of the sophistication that an adult viewer may appreciate. After seeing it again as an adult I realize how unrealistic, over dramatic and predictable this film is. I mean to start with, how and why did an Olympic level pairs skater become partners with an injured hockey player to begin with? In real life that would obviously never happen. The movie has a few funny moments, however it's very cheezy. Truly a disappointment. If you insist on seeing this movie, I would highly recommend renting it first.

Funny and not too saccharine
This movie has the best of intentions, and I'm glad to see a little grit and sexiness thrown into the mix. There are not many movies on figure skating, or good ones, so I'm glad to have run across this. Some of the verbal exchanges and put-downs will crack you up: 'Why don't you just chuck it all and open up a think tank?' Very funny. And a little something for both sexes. I don't know how the average female feels about D.B. Sweeney, but Moira Kelly definitely gives the guys something to think about. This movie clips along at a brisk pace and while the drift of the plot is pretty conventional, it has a couple surprises and is a pleasure to watch. ... Read more

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In 1985, Steven Spielberg launched the anthology TV series AmazingStories, directing one of the early episodes, "The Mission," a taut, emotional story set during a World War II combat flight.

Kevin Costner plays the pilot of an American bomber running raidsinto German airspace. During a dogfight with Nazis, a piece ofenemy aircraft wedges itself into the hull of Costner's rig and jams thehatch of the ball turret gunner. The shootout cripples the landing mechanism,and the net effect is that the gunner (Casey Siemaszko) is stuck in histransparent shell, unable to get back up into the body of the plane andcertain to die horribly during an imminent, emergency landing.Spielberg keeps tightening the screws, brilliantly directing a handful of goodactors (Kiefer Sutherland is in the mix) in a tight spacerapidly filling with dread and grief. While it has to be said that theresolution of "The Mission" may well be the most improbable turn of events in television history, everything up to that point is as exciting as TV can get.

Also on Book 1 is "The Wedding Ring," starring real-life spousesDanny DeVito and Rhea Perlman as a married couple who spice up their 10thyear together after DeVito, playing a costumer in a wax museum, gives hismousy bride a ring that belonged to a black-widow killer. Perlman, cast as a beleaguered waitress exploited by a callous boss, gets a personality makeover whenever she dons the ring, becoming insatiable in bed and a convincing femme fatale everywhere else. The only problem is that she's soon chasing herterrified husband around with a large kitchen knife, imbued with more thanthe sexy spirit of the ring's previous owner. Directed by DeVito, this cute episode works best as a different kind of vehicle for Perlman, who reallydoes make the screen sizzle. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best hour of TV ever
I remember watching this Amazing Stories premiere and being
rendered slackjawed for the entire episode. I can remember no
better television, ever. It was like watching 'Raiders of the
Lost Ark', '1941', and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' all
wrapped up in an hour of tension. This is a masterpiece worthy
of film.

...and the DeVito episode is pretty good too.

:)

With dream's, You live
I can seriously relate to the characters in the mission. My grandfather was a tailgunner during WWII. Once he was sick and unable to go on a mission. His entire crew and plane were destroyed on take-off. And where would I be? Out of existance. Steven Spielberg directs the first in a series of Amazing stories, a story about heart and survival. Kevin Costner is the captain of a crew of airmen in WWII. The Bellygunner dreams one day of drawing for Disney, and hopes as soon as the war is over, to work in the land of magic.

Kiefer Sutherland, a more serious character and close companion, always keeps an eye out and protects his friend nomatter the cost. On one mission in flight over enemy lands, the plane is hit my enemy fire. The good news is they can make it back to base. But the tragedy is, the door to the bellygunner is stuck and the landing wheels are jammed. Sutherland has a tremendous decision to make, and is faced with a hard decision of his life.

In a tension mounting climax, you see how the dreams and ambitions of one man can change the lives of the others around him forever. Absolutely great.

The other story, The Ring, is funny as all get out. If the decision had been left to me, I wouldn't have stuck these two stories together because they are so different. I would wait a half an hour between the two so you can get the most out of them. Devito and Pearlman have a hard lesson to learn about love, and what it takes to rekindle it. Good stuff.

The First Episode Reviewed, not the second!
The first episode, "The Mission", is a very enetertaining tale that anybody under the age of 20 would enjoy. I consists of fighting in WW2 and of the lives of B-17 pilots. It is a miniature "Memphis belle" yet is in its own class. A B-17 has many gun turrets on it, and one is located on the bottom of the plane. In this episode of Amazing stories, the belly gunner's bubble is damaged, and he cannot get out. To make matters worse, the bombers landing gear will not go down, so the crew has to risk a belly landing, which would spell the end of our cartoon-drawing, luftwaffae-fighting, and caring hero, Kevin Costner. The ending is surprising, and has a bit of magic to it. This is, of course, my opinion. And the music by John Williams! WOW! amazing, to say the least. Especially when the AS theme surges as the gunner frantically creates his solution to the problem. If you wanna know how it ends, scroll down as far as you can go

The gunner, being a cartoonist, frantically draws his airplane, while John Williams them races and flares. He draws his plane, and adds a pair of balloony, cartoon tires to the landing gear, which results in an impressive bending of animation and live action, for the time. And thus, the B-17 lands safely, and the gunner is united with his lady, and the crew lives happily ever after.

First in the series of Amazing Stories videos not so strong.
This tape includes both "The Mission" and "The Wedding Ring." The Mission is helmed by Steven Spielberg. This special one-hour episode has his style written all over it. The cinematography is a gorgeous sepia and the winning score by John Williams is properly heroic. The whole episode is very grand for television including the superstar casting (Kevin Costner, Kiefer Sutherland). Even the screenplay is a direct, no-nonsense approach to the situation. However, the magical ending is a major letdown and is totally removed from the earthly tension Spielberg builds up through that point. In fact, one of the attempted solutions to their problem, involving passing an opened parachute through a little window to the belly gunner for him to use after he kicks out of his plexi-glass cock-pit would make for a more promising, dare I say 'Amazing' ending. Next on the tape is Danny DeVito's "Wedding Ring." This was the second season opener and, other than the star power of Rhea Perlman and husband Danny DeVito, is an un-Amazing whimper. DeVito and Perlman do portray a cute couple and the musical score by Craig Safan is enjoyable, but otherwise, this is a tired, boring story. ... Read more

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Most of this second volume of stories from the 1985-87 televisionanthology series is a middling offering from former Steven Spielbergprotégé Robert Zemeckis, who later won an Oscar for directingForrest Gump. (Spielberg was the creator of Amazing Stories.)Zemeckis's episode is a bit of schlock horror called "Go to the Head of theClass," and while itstars Christopher Lloyd in a fiendish role as a decapitated teacher, and an atypical part for Mary Stuart Masterson as a manipulative teenage babe, there isn't much that sticks to the ribs.

The real treat on Book 2, however, is the animated "Family Dog,"directed by the little-known Brad Bird but supervised by Tim Burtonlong before he became a household name. A witty and observant satire on familydysfunction as seen through the eyes of a pet pooch and perennial scapegoat,"Family Dog" follows the misadventures of a sweet-natured mutt just trying tofit in with his human housemates but betrayed at every turn. Tormented by abratty boy, prodded by an exuberant toddler, and an easy target for an unhappymom and duplicitous dad, the dog can't get a break. Burton's dark sensibilitiesare certainly in play, and the animation--while owing something to Warner andDisney--is novel and expressive. One needn't worry about young viewers watchingthis one: there's no physical brutality and the comedy always prevails. Plus,the ending proves, definitively, that every dog does indeed have hisday. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Family Dog Takes the Cake!
The Family Dog is absolutely the funniest cartoon I have ever seen. We wore out our copy years ago, and I'm so grateful to find that it's here for sale. Although we haven't seen it for eons, my family still quotes from it, and we never fail to crack up in giggles at even the memory! I can't speak for the Christopher Lloyd portion, but Family Dog is WELL worth the investment, for the youngsters as well as the adults in the family!

Family Dog is the head of its Class! But, Class is a Dog.
This tape consists of "Go to the Head of the Class" and "Family Dog." Team Robert Zemeckis with his 'Back to the Future I, II, & III' & 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' star, Christopher Lloyd and you are bound to get a hysterically funny, creative tale. But, that did not happen here. Nothing of Zemeckis' (Used Cars, Contact, Forrest Gump) film making know how is evident here and Lloyd has never been more annoying. Additionally, this hour long episode has a half hour story-line stretched way too thin. Even Coffey and Masterson have no charm here. On the positive note, some of Stan Winston's (Terminator, Jurassic Park) headless effects are very impressive for 1980's television. BUT Family Dog!This could be the most successful of the entire series. After all, it spawned a spin-off series! (Very short lived). But, it is meritous. The animation is great fun. The dog's nose floating an inch off his face is hysterical and his reactions are obvious without being human. The stories themselves are smartly paced with 'real' dialogue and each is balanced with humorous music by Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo fame. Enjoy!

OH MY GOD!!!
The cartoon was unbelievably funny! That rotten little boy and the smartass dog was too too funny for words.I RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANYONE WITH AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS MOVIE WILL GET RID OF IT TEMPORARILY. JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TO FORGET WHY YOU WERE MAD IN THE 1ST PLACE

Amazing Stories Review By MaxS. McPike
When I first watched the Amazing Stories TV show I was just
stunned ,I loved it and I even thought it was better than
the Twilight Zone movie and also it was a lot different than other movies and TV shows . What I also liked about it was that it had a lot of famous people in it like: Kevin Kostner, Pat Hingle, Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Stuart Masterson,Christopher Lloyd, Rhea Perlman, and many others. I think it is fun for the whole family. P.S. I think they should put it on DVD.

THE BEST ANIMATION SHORT OF ITS TIME
BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT, just for the short, "Family Dog" I have been looking for this cartoon for years!! I knew of someone's household that was similar to this short! My family and I used to watch this everytime it came on cable, before the series came out. ... Read more

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Kevin Bacon stars in this quickie sports film that's really more a culture-clash comedy. He plays an assistant coach at the college-basketball level who's looking for that big, big recruiting score and finds it in a distant African village. But his quarry, a seven-footer (Charles Gitona Maina) he spots in an anthropology film, turns out to be the prince of his tribe who's in line for the crown and has no interest in becoming fodder for Sports Center. So it's up to the callous American to convince him that he wants to give this all up to live in a dorm and chase coeds (while, of course, honoring his ancestors). Unfortunately, the jokes are stale and the basketball footage is nothing to get excited about. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (16)

I Hate Basketball And Love The Movie
I'm a pretty well educated film goer--took film courses in college, read much, understand the vocabulary and history of film. AND I have a secret, forbidden list--a list of films I really love but critics didn't. Such gems as Gung Ho! (with Michael Keaton) and The Golden Child (Eddie Murphy) grace this list. Out with snobbery, in with fun I say!

The Air Up There is definitely on my list. I hate basketball--I'm bored by sports in general. But I love this movie. It makes me feel good. Kevin Bacon is at his brash and cocky best as an assistant coach for a Catholic college team which apparently is expected to win big. When his personal pride costs him the loss of a promising prospect, he journeys to Africa to recruit a VERY tall fellow he saw in a home movie from a priest doing Good Works out there. When the basketball prospect turns out to be a prince and some tribal rivalry and mining interests complicate matters, the brash assistant coach has to find out what really matters.

Cliched? Sure. Predictable. I hope to tell you. But I love it anyway. The acting is amiable, the characters fun, the setting just exotic enough, the writing sure-handed, the story uplifting, and I got excited watching the basketball sequences even though I hate the game.

So what can I tell you? We talk now about not letting terrorists run our lives. I say don't let critics run your life either. I watch this movie at least twice a year and feel a whole lot happier when it's over. Try it.

AMAZING ! ! ! ! !
This has got to be one of the best movies I have watched in a long time! At some point in time, you have to get tired of all the synthetic and predictable stuff that hollywood spews and this movie is the break that hollywood needs ! The setting is spectacular, done in Kenya and I personally fell in love with Kenyan cheerleading; the maasai dances, the passion and energy of the people are all so refreshingly different ! I would recommend this to anyone who wants to watch a fantastic movie !

AMAZING !
This has got to be one of the best movies I have watched in a long time! At some point in time, you have to get tired of all the synthetic and predictable stuff that hollywood spews and this movie is the break that hollywood needs ! The setting is spectacular, done in Kenya and I personally fell in love with Kenyan sport cheerleading; the maasai dances, the passion and energy of the people are all so refreshingly different ! I would recommend this to anyone who wants to watch a fantastic movie !

The Best Movie!
I First saw the movie with my cousin & Mother in a hotel it was the best movie then i saw it again today 1/14/04 on TNT right now i want to buy it for DVD. it is the best movie i ever saw i give it 5 stars:) even though i don't have it on VHS or DVD

Airs on Air
How did they do that? The most heart warming story about basketball ever. Did the actor really score or was it a basketball player that did a great job of acting? I guess we'll never know. Worth the price for the DVD. A must for your collection. ... Read more

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This junk-candy movie stars Shaquille O'Neal as a genie who not only becomes a little boy's protector but also a problem in his oversized ubiquity. Kids will enjoy the concept and the ongoing visual joke of juxtaposing a small child with O'Neal, but the film (directed by Paul Michael Glaser) isn't always particularly wholesome. It also has that messy, semiliterate storytelling look where editing logic goes out the window in favor of a more impulsive style of throwing out one busy image after another. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Great flick!!!
I don't understand why people keep giving this movie bad reviews! Kazaam is pure fun!!!

The story is very well-written - it's about a genie, a very large genie. This movie would have been good even without Shaq. However, with him as the star, Kazaam is a fantastic movie.

This is the movie that made Shaquille O'Neal a huge movie star. The script is very well-written, and accentuates Shaq's acting abilities. Every time Shaq speaks, you'll realize just how intelligent he is - it's kind of like listening to Einstein lecture.

Also, I think it is hilarious (you will too!) that he's so much bigger than the kid who rubbed the lamp! Everytime they are both standing, I almost lose it - it's gut-bustingly funny!

My only complaint is the lack of a DVD! Why isn't this already out on DVD? The studio could make so much money!

ok...
if shaq didn't try and rap, this movie would get one more star! haha im serious... his singing is atrocious! anyway's the kid in this movie is precious! i feel soo bad for him that his dad is a jerk ball! it's a cute movies im sure the kids will love. i would only buy this on video not dvd. or rent it. i don't have any little kids in my house, but this would be a perfect movie for 9-14 ages. i liked it when i was that age

Action Packed Thriller of the Season!
For years the pundits said he would never make it. "go home" they said, "your finished in this buisness."

But being the fighter he was, Shaq carried on.

When he announced to the world he would begin a career in acting, the world thought he could never make it. But make it he did. His debut movie, Kazaam, proved once and for all that Basketball players can act.

His star performance in Kazaam was topped only by his rap career.

Silencing his critics, Shaquille went on to perform in many great commercials, such as Burger King and Radio Shack.

Shaq is such a great actor and Basket ball player. I am glad he is my friend.

This movie rocks
Shaq is a genius. I've seen him play basketball and his acting skills are far superior. If he's a method actor, he has successfully demonstrated a new method that no one has ever seen before. I also went to NYU film school and this movie was used in class as an inspirational tool. Forget about the whole genie aspect. I mean, a seven-foot black dude comes out of a bottle and grants wishes! This movie deserves 30,000 stars. If I had a genie I would wish for Kazaam II.

KAZAAM IS OFF THE FASHIZZLE DIZZLE
this is cleary the best movie ever created, by humans (that would exclude good burger, which of course was made by kaola bears). Shaquille O'Neal is a very talented actor and rapper, plus i heard he plays a little basketball. I wonder if he's any good. There are many hilarious scenes in this instant classic. My favorite part is when shaq makes it rain candy. I LOVE IT!!!
i own 13 copies (no joking here) in short its a hilarious tale of a genie played by shaq. ... Read more

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The third volume of collected episodes from Steven Spielberg's mid-1980stelevision series Amazing Stories includes three memorablestories. First up is "The Amazing Falsworth," a cat-and-mouse thrillerstarring Gregory Hines as the title character, a nightclub psychic whose act includes reading the minds of audience members by merely touching them.During a performance Falsworth comes into physical contactwith a serial killer; he sees the monster's most recent victims in his mind and grows terrified for his own safety. Enter a skeptical police detective(Richard Masur) whose real identity is so obvious that director Peter Hyams doesn't bother to mask it well. One complaint: theepisode begins with some truly grisly and gratuitous violence that, inretrospect, had no place in a fantasy series squarely aimed at families and boasting Spielberg's involvement. Kids should notsee "The Amazing Falsworth"--or anything else on Book 3, for that matter.

The second episode is certainly one of the most thoughtful in the series:"Life on Death Row," starring Patrick Swayze in an interesting performance as a convicted murderer. Scheduled to die imminently in the electric chair,Swayze's character, Eric Peterson, joins an escape effort and is hit bylightning during a storm. The freak accident bestows on him the power toheal the sick and wounded--a cruelly ironic development, given Peterson'sforeshortened destiny.

The final story, "No Day at the Beach," begins the day before the D-Dayinvasion of Normandy by allied forces, and concentrates on a handful ofsoldiers as they ready themselves psychologically for this turning point in the battle. Charlie Sheen is the best-known name among the cast in thisblack-and-white, Twilight Zone-like drama directed by Lesli LinkaGlatter. Sheen's character stands outas the one guy in his company refusing to taunt a simple-mindedGI who later becomes a hero at Normandy--or is it someone else besides that poor sap boldly taking out Germans left and right? --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Kind of Amazing
Being a Patrick Swayze fan, I purchased this video to check out his vignette. All of the stories in this video are interesting and well acted, but I wouldn't place the movie on my list of all time favorites.

Falsworth worth its weight and Death Row worth living for.
This tape consists of three episodes: 'The Amazing Falsworth', 'No Day at the Beach' and 'Life on Death Row.' Peter Hyams (Running Scared, 2010) presents the suspense yarn 'Falsworth'with definate, economical camera work and 2 very respectful performances by GregoryHines as the magician and Richard Masur as the psychopathic killer. Like a well-paced short story, the viewer is presented with information only when needed. Mix this in with some of the best 'Alfred Hitchcock' mysteries. Leslie Linka Glatter (Deep Impact, Without Diana) delivers the lopsided drama 'No Day at the Beach'. It does boast gorgeous black and white photography, a slick short story, a performance by post 'Platoon' Charlie Sheen, and a strong re-creation of D-Day. Okay, it is no 'Saving Private Ryan' but Linka Glatter masterfully uses stock WWII footage edited with new footage to create a reality that would otherwise destroy an entire series budget! However, the nebbish Arnold is a cartoon character in this otherwise real story. It serves as a major distraction, especially in the early scenes. Also, the manipulative reading of the letter is very off-focus and stands as an obvious emotional ploy even with Sheen in good form. Finally, Life on Death Row. The only problem with this episode is that it is too darn short. The story just moves along too quickly and doesn't allow the viewer to experience some of the interesting concepts. And the episode could be filled with them. Patrick Swayze and Hector Elizondo give strong performances. Once again, prison proves to be a cinematographer and lighting directors best friend. ... Read more

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This fourth volume of collected episodes from Steven Spielberg's 1980santhology television series begins with some heavyweight talent. MartinScorsese directs "Mirror Mirror," arguably the most frightening andaccomplished episode from the show's entire run. Sam Waterston plays a wildly successful horror novelist who claims never to be frightened of the samescary stories that unnerve ordinary mortals. So he begins living one of his own, and terrifying it is: whenever he looks in a mirror or other reflective surface, Waterston's character sees a hideous ghoul stalking him,prepared for murder. The trouble is that there is no corresponding danger in the real world, although the ghoul is determined to get its hands on thebeleaguered author.

Also on tap is "Blue Man Down," a solid action piece with supernaturalovertones, written by Spielberg. Max Gail stars as a traumatized,guilt-ridden cop who blames himself for the murder of his young partner. His confidence shot and his nerves a wreck, the suffering heroattempts to hide within the lesser duties of traffic detail, only to findhimself partnered with a compassionate, attractive female officer (KateMcNeil) who helps him get back on his feet and pushes him toward full duty again. The downside: no one else appears to see her. Actor-director PaulMichael Glaser does some of his best behind-the-camera work on this show.

Finally, Sid Caesar stars in "Mr. Magic," a sentimental tale of anaging, washed-up nightclub magician who purchases a set of cards withmarvelous powers of flight. Rescued from the trash heap of small-timehas-beens, Caesar's character gets a new lease on life when his cards takeover the act, twirling, flying, mimicking people, and astoundingaudiences--with no help from Caesar. --Tom Keogh. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Bringing out the dead...of the mind...
Remember when you were young and you were told not to watch a movie, or read horror or comic books because they would warp your mind. Here, chillingly is that saying realized. Imagine a writer of horror, a successful person that has had his novels plastered on the big screen. He is the person everybody is talking about, and in the book world he is what every writer wants to be. While on a talk show he is asked whether or not he fears his influence has endangered the minds of youngsters. He replies rather smerkly, "How could something not real hurt the minds of children."

Is it true that your own mind can punish you for damage done? Is there any escape? These questions are answered as the main character takes a spiraled decent into the darkness that he has created. He himself has to deal with the damage his imagination has summoned - To pay the price for what he has released into the world.
Real great story, that you won't forget any time soon.

A Genuinely Frightening Excursion
It was probably "Amazing Stories" schizophrenic nature - amusing family-oriented fare coupled with more mature offerings - that led to the show only lasting one season. An example of the latter is "Mirror, Mirror," a scary story about a Stephen King-like author "stalked" by a mystery figure similar to one of the characters of his novels. Only the author, well-played by a pre-"Law & Order" Sam Waterson can see the spectre until the story's final few seconds. If the show had stuck to one genre, say of the horror/thriller vein, then it may have had a longer run. This reviewed story is, undeniably, one of the program's best.

The second installment in this tape benefits by being paired with this one.

I can't believe this is television!
This tape consist of three stories, 'Mirror, Mirror','Blue Man Down' and 'Mr. Magic.'Martin Scorcese(Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas) makes a directing appearance in the stylish little horror "Mirror, Mirror". The portrayal of the estranged relationship with his ex-girlfriend is very smart and economical, especially for television. The antiseptic white home is a unique environment to have a horror story played out. The phantom, played by Tim Robbins in unrecognizable make-up is appropriately menacing to Waterston, but only in reflections. The concept does become frightening and the musical score by Michael Kamen joins in the fun. Next, Blue Man Down...This strong episode is also one of the most unique in the series. Max Gail does a great job with 22 minute character building and Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky and Hutch) handles directing this mini cop drama very well. It is easily defined and yet, could actually warrant second viewing surprises. Finally, 'Mr. Magic'.This impressive piece stars Sid Caesar as Lou Bundles, a slight of hand magician who's slight of hand has slid. His understanding of the character is wonderful and Petrie does a great job of letting Sid go. This is one of the few episodes that actually tugs at you emotionally. Very powerful. Of the 5 tapes, this has the most consistent work. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Not a good DVD, but a Good Arnold flick
The Running Man tells of a future world where convicted fellons are put on a game show "The Running Man" and are placed in arenas along with psychotic stalkers who are there to kill these guys in record time all for the entertainment of the American people.
The film is great but not perfect. I love the way the film portrays society, as basically a bunch of mindless and gullable media slaves. Which some would argue is true for our society today, where we believe everything served to us on television and radio, not considering that maybe the people behind these stories are money hungry, heartless liars. It was almost like a future version of the Roman Empire, where upper class Romans found the most violent and bloody sport with slaves getting butchered in an arena as pure entertainment. This film uses the likes of rich corporate adults as the shows mainstream audience loving fellons get butchered the same way.
The films special effects are ahead of its time, with believable gore and movie props like futuristic cars and buildings.
Richard Dawson is great as the gameshow's host, as a lovable teddy bear on screen, and a greedy, self-involved liar backstage. The remaining cast do thier jobs well, although they could have found more talented actors. Arnold is Arnold, without him, this movie wouldn't have the box-office appeal that it did, nor would it have the appeal on todays audience that it did. And even though his one liners after each death border on stupidity in this film (with a lot of the other dialogue), his Arnoldness simply makes up for it.
This movie was a great and unique idea and it was executed just fine, I own this dvd and like it a lot. Although, giving us simply a trailer as an extra simply sucks. I wouldve like to hear some commentary on it at least. Oh well...

Mediocre, but strangely likable and memorable 3.,5 stars
It's the future, and the world is in a violent, poverty-stricken mess. The biggest entertainment around is . . . a reality show. A very brutal reality show. Convicted criminals become contestants in a game-show where they either get killed as they run a gauntlet against a bunch of thugs, or they survive and get to move to Hawaii.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a man wrongly convicted of a crime and chosen as a contestant in the lovely game-show described above. Of course, Ahnold can't take that lying down, so he proceeds to not only survive, but try to break this ugly set-up. Richard Dawson plays the host of the show, which is broadcast everywhere, and hams up it to perfection, as the ultimate it's-all-about-ratings smarmy egotist-with-a-smile.

I didn't like the repetitiveness at times of the action scenes, nor the bad, cheap settings somewhat hidden by bad lighting. I did like the general sense of tension created, as well as Arnold's genuine good-guy versus Dawson's completely-fake bad-guy. Not a movie to rave about, but fun to watch if you don't have much else to do.

Perhaps more topical now
While in 1987 this may have been simply another action star for Governor-to-be Schwarzenegger, viewed today this film offers more layers of meaning.

"The Running Man" is a reality show in which criminals are forced to run from bounty hunter-types who are given WWF wrestling style introductions and use a myriad of weapons to kill their prey. The audience cheers and boos mercilessly as the real-life people meet tragic ends. Seen today in the era of "Survivor" and "Fear Factor," among other reality shows, this movie offers much in the way of questioning the direction of such television. Is this the direction reality TV is going? Also good for a look at mass media and people's belief in what is told to them.

The movie is what it is. Fist-pumping commando, guns and heavy artillery. Schwarzenegger is wrongly framed for a crime he didn't commit and made a criminal in this Orwellian society in which the mass media is everything. He's forced into The Running Man world. There's some throw-away jokey lines after disposing of the heavy villains, but the real treat is watching real-life game show host Richard Dawson playing the slimy, evil host of The Running Man - the real villain in this movie full of larger-than-life killers.

Read the book instead
I read the book by Stephen King and I loved it! This movie is NOTHING like the book. The basic plot (and I mean VERY basic) is the same, but the events that take place aren't even close. I'm sorry I wasted my time with this sad excuse for a movie. I was very disappointed and I recommend to everyone READ THE BOOK INSTEAD!

Another great piece of 80s Arnie action megacheese!
Although I don't consider 'The Running Man' to be one of Arnie's best bits of action fare, it does have more than its fair share of those silly cheeseball moments that I ofttimes crave. I especially enjoy the part where our hero and his fellow contestants/captors take out the first obstacle: Sub-Zero, a deadly blade-wielding hockey goalie who looks a lot like that Odd Job guy. His referring to the late SubZero as "Now, just PLAIN zero!" is a prime example of bad action one liners at their best (worst?)!

Then there's Richard Dawson as the main heavy: a futuristic game-show host with all of the fake glee and smarmy oiliness you can bear! He also gives the best rebuttal to our hero's famous "I'll be back!" here, so be on the lookout for it! And not to go off on a tangent, but does anybody out there imagine how 'The Running Man' would've looked like had present 'Family Feud' host Louie Anderson played Killian, or am I the only one? Um... anyone? A little help here...?

Oh yeah, let's not forget future Minny guv Jesse Ventura as one of the game announcer/enforcers. His raucous, obnoxious blather and uber-macho posturing really adds a pro-wrestling feel to the competition as it unfolds! You'll definitely be feeling Minnesota (or is it FLEEing Minnesota?) after watchin' "The Mind's" performance here!
All in all, 'The Running Man' is one enjoyable waste of an hour-and-a-half for all you testosterone-driven action megacheese buffs out there!

As for the Special Edition extra features: Along with the usual director/producer commentary tracks-- both of which I bailed out on after the first fifteen minutes because they were so inane and uninteresting-- and such are a couple documentaries dealing with the movie's subject matter. The first is a half-hour-long talk about Constitutional rights and freedoms following the 9/11 attacks and the passing of the Patriot Act, and the other dealing with reality TV shows. I found both reasonably informative, although the former show had some of creepiest-looking interviewees I've ever seen in a documentary. Both of these were included to reflect the movie's central "duel-to-the-death-game-show" premise and dystopian backdrop, as well as its 'prediction-of-the-future'-style prescience. Personally, I think they're giving this over-the-top actioner a bit too much credit in being a mind-opening mirror of modern society. I mean, let's face facts: since when has the term "high-concept" and Arnold Schwarzenegger gone together in a movie? Is that the smell of overheating brain matter from you pondering my question that I'm smelling, or is it just me?

'Late ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this action thriller based on an early story by Stephen King, Los Angeles in the year 2017 has become a police state in the wake of the global economy's total collapse. All forms of entertainment are government controlled, and the most popular show on television is an elaborate game show in which convicted criminals are given a chance to escape by running through a gauntlet of brutal killers known as "Stalkers." Anyone who survives is given their freedom and a condominium in Hawaii, so when a wrongly accused citizen (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is chosen as a contestant, all hell breaks loose. Cheesy sets and a slimy role for game-show host Richard Dawson make this violent mess of mayhem a candidate for guilty pleasure; it is the kind of movie that truly devoted Arnold fans will want to watch more than once. And check those credits--choreography by Paula Abdul! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Not a good DVD, but a Good Arnold flick
The Running Man tells of a future world where convicted fellons are put on a game show "The Running Man" and are placed in arenas along with psychotic stalkers who are there to kill these guys in record time all for the entertainment of the American people.
The film is great but not perfect. I love the way the film portrays society, as basically a bunch of mindless and gullable media slaves. Which some would argue is true for our society today, where we believe everything served to us on television and radio, not considering that maybe the people behind these stories are money hungry, heartless liars. It was almost like a future version of the Roman Empire, where upper class Romans found the most violent and bloody sport with slaves getting butchered in an arena as pure entertainment. This film uses the likes of rich corporate adults as the shows mainstream audience loving fellons get butchered the same way.
The films special effects are ahead of its time, with believable gore and movie props like futuristic cars and buildings.
Richard Dawson is great as the gameshow's host, as a lovable teddy bear on screen, and a greedy, self-involved liar backstage. The remaining cast do thier jobs well, although they could have found more talented actors. Arnold is Arnold, without him, this movie wouldn't have the box-office appeal that it did, nor would it have the appeal on todays audience that it did. And even though his one liners after each death border on stupidity in this film (with a lot of the other dialogue), his Arnoldness simply makes up for it.
This movie was a great and unique idea and it was executed just fine, I own this dvd and like it a lot. Although, giving us simply a trailer as an extra simply sucks. I wouldve like to hear some commentary on it at least. Oh well...

Mediocre, but strangely likable and memorable 3.,5 stars
It's the future, and the world is in a violent, poverty-stricken mess. The biggest entertainment around is . . . a reality show. A very brutal reality show. Convicted criminals become contestants in a game-show where they either get killed as they run a gauntlet against a bunch of thugs, or they survive and get to move to Hawaii.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a man wrongly convicted of a crime and chosen as a contestant in the lovely game-show described above. Of course, Ahnold can't take that lying down, so he proceeds to not only survive, but try to break this ugly set-up. Richard Dawson plays the host of the show, which is broadcast everywhere, and hams up it to perfection, as the ultimate it's-all-about-ratings smarmy egotist-with-a-smile.

I didn't like the repetitiveness at times of the action scenes, nor the bad, cheap settings somewhat hidden by bad lighting. I did like the general sense of tension created, as well as Arnold's genuine good-guy versus Dawson's completely-fake bad-guy. Not a movie to rave about, but fun to watch if you don't have much else to do.

Perhaps more topical now
While in 1987 this may have been simply another action star for Governor-to-be Schwarzenegger, viewed today this film offers more layers of meaning.

"The Running Man" is a reality show in which criminals are forced to run from bounty hunter-types who are given WWF wrestling style introductions and use a myriad of weapons to kill their prey. The audience cheers and boos mercilessly as the real-life people meet tragic ends. Seen today in the era of "Survivor" and "Fear Factor," among other reality shows, this movie offers much in the way of questioning the direction of such television. Is this the direction reality TV is going? Also good for a look at mass media and people's belief in what is told to them.

The movie is what it is. Fist-pumping commando, guns and heavy artillery. Schwarzenegger is wrongly framed for a crime he didn't commit and made a criminal in this Orwellian society in which the mass media is everything. He's forced into The Running Man world. There's some throw-away jokey lines after disposing of the heavy villains, but the real treat is watching real-life game show host Richard Dawson playing the slimy, evil host of The Running Man - the real villain in this movie full of larger-than-life killers.

Read the book instead
I read the book by Stephen King and I loved it! This movie is NOTHING like the book. The basic plot (and I mean VERY basic) is the same, but the events that take place aren't even close. I'm sorry I wasted my time with this sad excuse for a movie. I was very disappointed and I recommend to everyone READ THE BOOK INSTEAD!

Another great piece of 80s Arnie action megacheese!
Although I don't consider 'The Running Man' to be one of Arnie's best bits of action fare, it does have more than its fair share of those silly cheeseball moments that I ofttimes crave. I especially enjoy the part where our hero and his fellow contestants/captors take out the first obstacle: Sub-Zero, a deadly blade-wielding hockey goalie who looks a lot like that Odd Job guy. His referring to the late SubZero as "Now, just PLAIN zero!" is a prime example of bad action one liners at their best (worst?)!

Then there's Richard Dawson as the main heavy: a futuristic game-show host with all of the fake glee and smarmy oiliness you can bear! He also gives the best rebuttal to our hero's famous "I'll be back!" here, so be on the lookout for it! And not to go off on a tangent, but does anybody out there imagine how 'The Running Man' would've looked like had present 'Family Feud' host Louie Anderson played Killian, or am I the only one? Um... anyone? A little help here...?

Oh yeah, let's not forget future Minny guv Jesse Ventura as one of the game announcer/enforcers. His raucous, obnoxious blather and uber-macho posturing really adds a pro-wrestling feel to the competition as it unfolds! You'll definitely be feeling Minnesota (or is it FLEEing Minnesota?) after watchin' "The Mind's" performance here!
All in all, 'The Running Man' is one enjoyable waste of an hour-and-a-half for all you testosterone-driven action megacheese buffs out there!

As for the Special Edition extra features: Along with the usual director/producer commentary tracks-- both of which I bailed out on after the first fifteen minutes because they were so inane and uninteresting-- and such are a couple documentaries dealing with the movie's subject matter. The first is a half-hour-long talk about Constitutional rights and freedoms following the 9/11 attacks and the passing of the Patriot Act, and the other dealing with reality TV shows. I found both reasonably informative, although the former show had some of creepiest-looking interviewees I've ever seen in a documentary. Both of these were included to reflect the movie's central "duel-to-the-death-game-show" premise and dystopian backdrop, as well as its 'prediction-of-the-future'-style prescience. Personally, I think they're giving this over-the-top actioner a bit too much credit in being a mind-opening mirror of modern society. I mean, let's face facts: since when has the term "high-concept" and Arnold Schwarzenegger gone together in a movie? Is that the smell of overheating brain matter from you pondering my question that I'm smelling, or is it just me?

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Not a good DVD, but a Good Arnold flick
The Running Man tells of a future world where convicted fellons are put on a game show "The Running Man" and are placed in arenas along with psychotic stalkers who are there to kill these guys in record time all for the entertainment of the American people.
The film is great but not perfect. I love the way the film portrays society, as basically a bunch of mindless and gullable media slaves. Which some would argue is true for our society today, where we believe everything served to us on television and radio, not considering that maybe the people behind these stories are money hungry, heartless liars. It was almost like a future version of the Roman Empire, where upper class Romans found the most violent and bloody sport with slaves getting butchered in an arena as pure entertainment. This film uses the likes of rich corporate adults as the shows mainstream audience loving fellons get butchered the same way.
The films special effects are ahead of its time, with believable gore and movie props like futuristic cars and buildings.
Richard Dawson is great as the gameshow's host, as a lovable teddy bear on screen, and a greedy, self-involved liar backstage. The remaining cast do thier jobs well, although they could have found more talented actors. Arnold is Arnold, without him, this movie wouldn't have the box-office appeal that it did, nor would it have the appeal on todays audience that it did. And even though his one liners after each death border on stupidity in this film (with a lot of the other dialogue), his Arnoldness simply makes up for it.
This movie was a great and unique idea and it was executed just fine, I own this dvd and like it a lot. Although, giving us simply a trailer as an extra simply sucks. I wouldve like to hear some commentary on it at least. Oh well...

Mediocre, but strangely likable and memorable 3.,5 stars
It's the future, and the world is in a violent, poverty-stricken mess. The biggest entertainment around is . . . a reality show. A very brutal reality show. Convicted criminals become contestants in a game-show where they either get killed as they run a gauntlet against a bunch of thugs, or they survive and get to move to Hawaii.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a man wrongly convicted of a crime and chosen as a contestant in the lovely game-show described above. Of course, Ahnold can't take that lying down, so he proceeds to not only survive, but try to break this ugly set-up. Richard Dawson plays the host of the show, which is broadcast everywhere, and hams up it to perfection, as the ultimate it's-all-about-ratings smarmy egotist-with-a-smile.

I didn't like the repetitiveness at times of the action scenes, nor the bad, cheap settings somewhat hidden by bad lighting. I did like the general sense of tension created, as well as Arnold's genuine good-guy versus Dawson's completely-fake bad-guy. Not a movie to rave about, but fun to watch if you don't have much else to do.

Perhaps more topical now
While in 1987 this may have been simply another action star for Governor-to-be Schwarzenegger, viewed today this film offers more layers of meaning.

"The Running Man" is a reality show in which criminals are forced to run from bounty hunter-types who are given WWF wrestling style introductions and use a myriad of weapons to kill their prey. The audience cheers and boos mercilessly as the real-life people meet tragic ends. Seen today in the era of "Survivor" and "Fear Factor," among other reality shows, this movie offers much in the way of questioning the direction of such television. Is this the direction reality TV is going? Also good for a look at mass media and people's belief in what is told to them.

The movie is what it is. Fist-pumping commando, guns and heavy artillery. Schwarzenegger is wrongly framed for a crime he didn't commit and made a criminal in this Orwellian society in which the mass media is everything. He's forced into The Running Man world. There's some throw-away jokey lines after disposing of the heavy villains, but the real treat is watching real-life game show host Richard Dawson playing the slimy, evil host of The Running Man - the real villain in this movie full of larger-than-life killers.

Read the book instead
I read the book by Stephen King and I loved it! This movie is NOTHING like the book. The basic plot (and I mean VERY basic) is the same, but the events that take place aren't even close. I'm sorry I wasted my time with this sad excuse for a movie. I was very disappointed and I recommend to everyone READ THE BOOK INSTEAD!

Another great piece of 80s Arnie action megacheese!
Although I don't consider 'The Running Man' to be one of Arnie's best bits of action fare, it does have more than its fair share of those silly cheeseball moments that I ofttimes crave. I especially enjoy the part where our hero and his fellow contestants/captors take out the first obstacle: Sub-Zero, a deadly blade-wielding hockey goalie who looks a lot like that Odd Job guy. His referring to the late SubZero as "Now, just PLAIN zero!" is a prime example of bad action one liners at their best (worst?)!

Then there's Richard Dawson as the main heavy: a futuristic game-show host with all of the fake glee and smarmy oiliness you can bear! He also gives the best rebuttal to our hero's famous "I'll be back!" here, so be on the lookout for it! And not to go off on a tangent, but does anybody out there imagine how 'The Running Man' would've looked like had present 'Family Feud' host Louie Anderson played Killian, or am I the only one? Um... anyone? A little help here...?

Oh yeah, let's not forget future Minny guv Jesse Ventura as one of the game announcer/enforcers. His raucous, obnoxious blather and uber-macho posturing really adds a pro-wrestling feel to the competition as it unfolds! You'll definitely be feeling Minnesota (or is it FLEEing Minnesota?) after watchin' "The Mind's" performance here!
All in all, 'The Running Man' is one enjoyable waste of an hour-and-a-half for all you testosterone-driven action megacheese buffs out there!

As for the Special Edition extra features: Along with the usual director/producer commentary tracks-- both of which I bailed out on after the first fifteen minutes because they were so inane and uninteresting-- and such are a couple documentaries dealing with the movie's subject matter. The first is a half-hour-long talk about Constitutional rights and freedoms following the 9/11 attacks and the passing of the Patriot Act, and the other dealing with reality TV shows. I found both reasonably informative, although the former show had some of creepiest-looking interviewees I've ever seen in a documentary. Both of these were included to reflect the movie's central "duel-to-the-death-game-show" premise and dystopian backdrop, as well as its 'prediction-of-the-future'-style prescience. Personally, I think they're giving this over-the-top actioner a bit too much credit in being a mind-opening mirror of modern society. I mean, let's face facts: since when has the term "high-concept" and Arnold Schwarzenegger gone together in a movie? Is that the smell of overheating brain matter from you pondering my question that I'm smelling, or is it just me?

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Band of the Hand
Let me start by saying I love this movie. I first saw this film in the theatres during it's original theatrical release. I have this film on vhs. I have been waiting for the past few years for this film to be released on DVD. Finally it has arrived. I wish they had preserved the original theatrical aspect (widescreen), but at least they remastered the audio and video. The film itself stands as one of the best and most entertaining action films of the 1980's. This largely overlooked classic embodies the look, the feel and the attitude of 80's cool and features the most memorable soundtrack of this era. The story centers around a group of juvenile delinquents who have committed serious crimes and are given one last chance at rehabilitation.
This last ditch effort begins in the Florida Everglades and culminates in the "program" relocating to Miami. Once in Miami the ever reforming juveniles have to learn to work together, resist the temptation of their former lives and also confront the harsh realities of their past. Each character undergoes personal growth and ultimately they decide on their own to wage war on the local ... cartel and the action really heats up. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes action movies with humor and substance. Band of the Hand has excitement and flair to spare, considerably more than the standard fare.

Pure 80's goodness!
So long.....I have waited so long for this movie to be released on DVD. Last year, I was forced to buy a well used and badly warn VHS copy on Ebay. Forced, you say? Yes, Forced. This movie is goodness. That's all there is to it. I saw it on cable when I was a kid and it quickly became one of my favorite movies of all time.
Please, do yourself a favor and buy this movie. As some people have said above, they really do not make them like this anymore. It's got that special something that modern movies lack...and I'm not just saying that because I'm older now, and that's what older people are supposed to say about things from their chldhood. It's a fact. My praises cannot do this movie justice. You have to watch it to understand. Band of the Hand is hidden and forgotten treasure. Those who call it corny, or say the acting is "bad" simply do not get it. I get it, and I hope you do too.

Finally, on DVD.
One of the many movies I thought worthwhile, but unavailable on DVD.

Until now...

Glad to see "Band of the Hand" is finally out. Far from a perfect film, it captures a bit of those heady 1980s in a time capsule.

I saw this film when it originally came out - one of the few who did - and I've always refered it to friends as Miami Vice's "What I Did on Summer Vacation" movie.

Now, if we can only get the Miami Vice series out on DVD...

Great 80's time capsule even if it's not great
Band of the Hand is one of those movies that you can watch as a time capsule of teen-focused films of the 1980's. Rather than focus on the angst of upper middle class kids and their love lives, Band of the Hand looks at the criminal element of the era. Directed by Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky and Hutch) and produced by Michael Mann (Miami Vice), this film is more visual than visceral. The premise is only slightly realistic (and only more recently so, as rehab programs vaguely similar have cropped up in the 90's), but it's fun to watch.
The characters are sinister bad boys, but not so much so that you can't love them. There's the drop dead handsome drug dealer, a new wave looking kid who committed patricide (but only because the guy beat his mother and sister), two gang members (one Puerto Rican and one black), and a rough uneducated car thief.
We see these boys commit their crimes and then get busted - all done in a very Miami Vice sort of way. They are all relegated to a new experimental rehab program that involves them surviving on their own in the everglades. If they graduate (which you know they will) they'll move into a really rough area of Miami and learn to live in the city.

Not only do these boys succeed, they do so with flying colors. Rehab is a wonderful thing! This is obviously a liberal conscience at work - none the less it is fun to watch.

I won't spoil the film (because I do enjoy the film even if it is trite and overly empathetic to the characters), but suffice it to say there is a lot of excitement and eventually - intrigue and action in this film.

My complaint is that the film is very uneven. It seems to be bits of several films stuck together. There's a sense of a three act play at work - and the third act is where the fun is.

The acting is good and the interaction of the young and older actors is believable, even if the script is silly.

In the end, you'll enjoy this bit of escapist 80's fun.

Finally!
This is a great movie. At the time, Miami Vice was king (still is to me)and this has the same flavor, just with a coming of age storyline. The charachters are kind of like a group from the Magnificent Seven and the Dirty Dozen combined. All in all, a fun action movie with some good messages just under the surface. Biggest thing about this movie is the incredible soundtrack! Used to have the tape, and would kill for a cd. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Great flick!!!
I don't understand why people keep giving this movie bad reviews! Kazaam is pure fun!!!

The story is very well-written - it's about a genie, a very large genie. This movie would have been good even without Shaq. However, with him as the star, Kazaam is a fantastic movie.

This is the movie that made Shaquille O'Neal a huge movie star. The script is very well-written, and accentuates Shaq's acting abilities. Every time Shaq speaks, you'll realize just how intelligent he is - it's kind of like listening to Einstein lecture.

Also, I think it is hilarious (you will too!) that he's so much bigger than the kid who rubbed the lamp! Everytime they are both standing, I almost lose it - it's gut-bustingly funny!

My only complaint is the lack of a DVD! Why isn't this already out on DVD? The studio could make so much money!

ok...
if shaq didn't try and rap, this movie would get one more star! haha im serious... his singing is atrocious! anyway's the kid in this movie is precious! i feel soo bad for him that his dad is a jerk ball! it's a cute movies im sure the kids will love. i would only buy this on video not dvd. or rent it. i don't have any little kids in my house, but this would be a perfect movie for 9-14 ages. i liked it when i was that age

Action Packed Thriller of the Season!
For years the pundits said he would never make it. "go home" they said, "your finished in this buisness."

But being the fighter he was, Shaq carried on.

When he announced to the world he would begin a career in acting, the world thought he could never make it. But make it he did. His debut movie, Kazaam, proved once and for all that Basketball players can act.

His star performance in Kazaam was topped only by his rap career.

Silencing his critics, Shaquille went on to perform in many great commercials, such as Burger King and Radio Shack.

Shaq is such a great actor and Basket ball player. I am glad he is my friend.

This movie rocks
Shaq is a genius. I've seen him play basketball and his acting skills are far superior. If he's a method actor, he has successfully demonstrated a new method that no one has ever seen before. I also went to NYU film school and this movie was used in class as an inspirational tool. Forget about the whole genie aspect. I mean, a seven-foot black dude comes out of a bottle and grants wishes! This movie deserves 30,000 stars. If I had a genie I would wish for Kazaam II.

KAZAAM IS OFF THE FASHIZZLE DIZZLE
this is cleary the best movie ever created, by humans (that would exclude good burger, which of course was made by kaola bears). Shaquille O'Neal is a very talented actor and rapper, plus i heard he plays a little basketball. I wonder if he's any good. There are many hilarious scenes in this instant classic. My favorite part is when shaq makes it rain candy. I LOVE IT!!!
i own 13 copies (no joking here) in short its a hilarious tale of a genie played by shaq. ... Read more

Reviews (117)

One Of My Very Favorite Movies!
I LOVE this movie. It was the first vdeo I ever bought for myself and is one of the sweetest, most romantic, and funniest movies I've seen. DB Sweeney is gorgeous as the loveable, girl chasing,less than brilliant ex-hockey god, and Moira Kelly plays an excellent, evil, spoiled typical rich primadonna figure skater from Connecticut. Techncally, it is hard to believe a hockey player could be transformed into a figure skater, but view it with an open mind and you will fall in love with this movie too!

Entertainment at its finest
Kate Mosley, a tempermental figure skater without a partner, and Doug Dorsey, a former hockey player knocked out of the game after taking a bad shot to the head, team up to become a pair of figure skaters with hopes of going to the olympics. That, in a nut shell is the basic premise behind this movie, but the journey of getting there is the real heart of this movie.

The romance which develops between the two lead characters adds nothing new to the genre and follows the standard formula almost to the letter. The initial hostility they shared towards one another at the beginning, the byplay that develops as they get to know one another, the leading towards romance, the inevitable misunderstanding, and then finally getting together. However, the two leads are both attractive people, and they have a strong onscreen chemistry together which makes their romance seem believable, and a joy to watch.

The figure skating in the movie is highly enjoyable to watch, even for someone like me who isn't into figure skating as a general rule. I do have to wonder whether the finishing move they use at the end of the movie is really possible to pull off though. It might have just been me, but I couldn't see how they could have pulled off enough momentum to really do the move, because it didn't really look like it could have worked to me. However, that's only a minor complaint, and the move did look good, so whether or not it's physically possible isn't only a secondary concern.

So, if you enjoy romance movies, and have some liking for figure skating, I recommend you check this movie out for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

LOVABLE COMEDY
The movie was so great for.. it make me inlove specially to KATE(D.B. SWEENEY. She is so beautiful on that movie.. It is the movie that touch me a lot, the soundtracks of a movie and the story. the couple which they fall inlove with each other are mostly common in the movie, but this movie is such thing that u will touch ur heart.. "TOE PICKS".....!

A Disappointment
Having done figure skating for many years of my life, I was looking forward to seeing a movie about the sport, but this one definitely failed to deliver. When it origianlly premiered in the movie theaters back in 1992, I was 12 and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread, so about 10 years later I decided to buy it on DVD. That was definitely a mistake! This movie lacks a lot of the sophistication that an adult viewer may appreciate. After seeing it again as an adult I realize how unrealistic, over dramatic and predictable this film is. I mean to start with, how and why did an Olympic level pairs skater become partners with an injured hockey player to begin with? In real life that would obviously never happen. The movie has a few funny moments, however it's very cheezy. Truly a disappointment. If you insist on seeing this movie, I would highly recommend renting it first.

Funny and not too saccharine
This movie has the best of intentions, and I'm glad to see a little grit and sexiness thrown into the mix. There are not many movies on figure skating, or good ones, so I'm glad to have run across this. Some of the verbal exchanges and put-downs will crack you up: 'Why don't you just chuck it all and open up a think tank?' Very funny. And a little something for both sexes. I don't know how the average female feels about D.B. Sweeney, but Moira Kelly definitely gives the guys something to think about. This movie clips along at a brisk pace and while the drift of the plot is pretty conventional, it has a couple surprises and is a pleasure to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Great flick!!!
I don't understand why people keep giving this movie bad reviews! Kazaam is pure fun!!!

The story is very well-written - it's about a genie, a very large genie. This movie would have been good even without Shaq. However, with him as the star, Kazaam is a fantastic movie.

This is the movie that made Shaquille O'Neal a huge movie star. The script is very well-written, and accentuates Shaq's acting abilities. Every time Shaq speaks, you'll realize just how intelligent he is - it's kind of like listening to Einstein lecture.

Also, I think it is hilarious (you will too!) that he's so much bigger than the kid who rubbed the lamp! Everytime they are both standing, I almost lose it - it's gut-bustingly funny!

My only complaint is the lack of a DVD! Why isn't this already out on DVD? The studio could make so much money!

ok...
if shaq didn't try and rap, this movie would get one more star! haha im serious... his singing is atrocious! anyway's the kid in this movie is precious! i feel soo bad for him that his dad is a jerk ball! it's a cute movies im sure the kids will love. i would only buy this on video not dvd. or rent it. i don't have any little kids in my house, but this would be a perfect movie for 9-14 ages. i liked it when i was that age

Action Packed Thriller of the Season!
For years the pundits said he would never make it. "go home" they said, "your finished in this buisness."

But being the fighter he was, Shaq carried on.

When he announced to the world he would begin a career in acting, the world thought he could never make it. But make it he did. His debut movie, Kazaam, proved once and for all that Basketball players can act.

His star performance in Kazaam was topped only by his rap career.

Silencing his critics, Shaquille went on to perform in many great commercials, such as Burger King and Radio Shack.

Shaq is such a great actor and Basket ball player. I am glad he is my friend.

This movie rocks
Shaq is a genius. I've seen him play basketball and his acting skills are far superior. If he's a method actor, he has successfully demonstrated a new method that no one has ever seen before. I also went to NYU film school and this movie was used in class as an inspirational tool. Forget about the whole genie aspect. I mean, a seven-foot black dude comes out of a bottle and grants wishes! This movie deserves 30,000 stars. If I had a genie I would wish for Kazaam II.

KAZAAM IS OFF THE FASHIZZLE DIZZLE
this is cleary the best movie ever created, by humans (that would exclude good burger, which of course was made by kaola bears). Shaquille O'Neal is a very talented actor and rapper, plus i heard he plays a little basketball. I wonder if he's any good. There are many hilarious scenes in this instant classic. My favorite part is when shaq makes it rain candy. I LOVE IT!!!
i own 13 copies (no joking here) in short its a hilarious tale of a genie played by shaq. ... Read more