Amazon.com

Wes Craven's horror pictures always have a few wild ideas knockingaround inside them, and this 1989 slashfest is no exception. The electrocution of a mass murderer turns into a kind of cosmic jump-start:evil Horace Pinker is reborn as an elusive electronic phantom, capable of leaping from one body to another. (This trick is also used to good effect in The Hidden and Fallen.) Pinker's a stinker, and Craven was clearly trying to set up another franchise villain in the vein of his Nightmare on Elm Street champ, Freddy Krueger--perhaps a bit too baldly. However, amidst the mayhem, the film's real subject is the poisonous presence of mass media, as Pinker (played by The X-Files' Mitch Pileggi)insinuates himself as a free-floating spirit run amok in television itself. In its own pulp way, Shocker gets at the heart of media-culture inanity quicker than a ten-week college class on the subject, and although Craven occasionally lapses into generic bloodletting, he always snaps right back with some crazy angle on the TV nation. The hero is played by a young Peter Berg, the Chicago Hope star who would go on to direct his own shocker, Very Bad Things. Shocker failed to catch on with audiences (somewhere there's a warehouse full of unsold Horace Pinker action figures), but it's definitely worth a look for horror fans. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (31)

The Movie Isnt As The Name Says!!!!
Even with the title SHOCKER, it has nothing to do with the rating of the film! I like it. Sure, it's not the best thing Wes Craven has done, and it's very hard to scare me at all, and nothign about this film is scary to me, probably not to anyone else either. But I think it is a pretty cool movie.

Horace Pinker I think his name is? Is played by the bauld guy from X-Files (Skinner) who is a phychopath, killing not just people but entire fammilys, and some how a kid is having dreams of seeing him doing the murders, and eventualy helps in the capture and arrest of Horace.

But Horace has made a pact with the devil or somthing? and when Horace is sent to the electric chair, it dont kill him. Horace becomes a ....well, a spirit type/electrical/ghostly kind of monster who has the ability to jump into other peoples bodys! Which pre-dates that idea in "Jason goes to hell" But the cool stuff is the FX, there not super great, but there fun to watch as Horace is able to get into TV's and shows and things. I really think it's a pretty funny horror-ry/comedy.

It probably wont be for all tastes, I really like the soundtrack in the movie too. bit of Hard Rock and Metal went pretty good with it. I'm not sure if i'd recomend it to you or not? If you havent seen it, and happen to see it , then I urge you to consider giving it a glance.... But I guess it depends on everyones personal likes and dislikes really.

The bonus features are nothing to praise. Just some production notes, biographies, and trailers... be cool if there was some deleted scenes or somthing? even an Audio commentary maybe? But if you wanna see a slahery kind of flick that isnt just a mistery guy walking around cutting people up, and want to venture to a funny sort of wacko who becomes an electrical ghost type of guy, then give it a rent if you can find it?

Not Craven's best, but worth a look
This 1989 horror flick directed by Wes Craven (Last House on the Left, Hills Have Eyes, Nightmare on Elm Street) is far from Craven's finest hour, but it is still worth a look for horror fans. The story revolves around a serial killer (Mitch Pileggi, Skinner from The X-Files) who is re-born as a spiritual, electrical force which can jump from one body to another. His target: a young athlete (Peter Berg from TV's Chicago Hope and the director of The Rundown) who shares a link with the killer. Full of uneven pacing and more than a few loose ends, Shocker still manages to be entertaining despite it's faults, and thanks to the oddball, colorful casting and Craven's directing, Shocker avoids being the piece of horror shlock it seemed destined to be. The film is backed by a rocking metal soundtrack, highlighted by Megadeth's headbanging cover of Alice Cooper's "No More Mr. Nice Guy".

Entertainment for the retarded
I remember seeing this film in theaters way back in the day. I laughed then. I saw it recently at a friend's house and can't believe Wes Craven's career didn't end with this schlock. I don't know what kind of movie this was meant to be. It was too lame to be scary and too stupid to be funny. Running from an 'electronic phantom' through scenes from 'Leave it to Beaver' is enough to make you roll your eyes in disbelief. But diving through a camera lense to end the movie is rock bottom. Wes Craven has had hiots and misses in his long career. Of all his films, this is somewhere at the bottom.

Awsome 80's horror flick. Loads of fun & great music score!
Whenever I see a film that's lots of fun but reletivly obscure I feel kind of sad, in a way, as I feel such a film deserves better recognition. That's how I felt when I saw this film. It was Wes Craven's attempt to create a new horror movie franchise as he did with A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, with Horrace Pinker, a very Freddy Kruger-esque villian. Since everyone, even people who never watch horror movies, have heard of Freddy Kruger but Horrace Pinker is a much more obscure name, this film failed to catch on. That does make me sad, in a way, but then again if this movie had been a hit like ELM STREET was, they probably would have made a slew of sequels and Pinker would have become every bit as invincible as Freddy. I've always felt a sense of hopelessness when I'm watching a slasher movie series and the undead killer keeps coming back to life. Much as I do love this movie, I appreciate the fact that, from a story telling perspective, this is a stand-alone film.

Ahem. Anyway, the plot: Horrace Pinker is a T.V. repairman by day, serial killer of whole families by night. He also walks with a limp (we find out later in the movie why that is). High school football player Jonathan seems unconnected to all this, until he has a dream where Pinker murders his family, and then finds out that it has really happened, leaving only Jon and his police leutenant foster dad left. Jonathan's dreams lead police to finding out the killer's identity, but that doesn't save Jon's girlfriend Allison, whom Pinker later kills. Finally Pinker is captured and sentanced to death by electric chair...and the film's second act begins. You see, Pinker practices black magic, and after his execution he becomes an evil spirit with the ability to jump into other people's bodies...

I love pretty much everything about this movie. It's got an awsome 80's metal sountrack that you can really bang your head to, some really cool kill scenes and gore (the lip-chewing scene is probably the most shocking thing in the film) the killer is certainly Freddy-like in many ways, yet still different, in that he invades people bodies rather than their dreams. The good characters are also interesting enough and easy to root for. I especially liked the bit where Allison's ghost comes back to warn him that Pinker may be dead but isn't gone. I also like the thing where Pinker practices black magic, thus giving us an explanation as to how he's able to come back after death; Freddy was able to, apparently, just because he wanted to badly enough. I love the film's climax, and one other thing.

(WARNING! MAJOR PLOT SPOILER!)

I like how this film DOESN'T have one of those "Oh my God the killer/evil spirit's STILL ALIVE!" endings. Pinker is vanquished at the end, and since there were never any sequels, we know he's been permenantly laid to rest. If you like horror movies check this one out!

An underrated classic!
Wes Craven's renown for many of his classic horror films, but Shocker is one of his better movies, despite getting little accord from most critics. It's got great thrills throughout, especially considering that the psychotic Horace Pinker (played by then-unknown Mitch Pileggi) can transform his spirit into other people to do his bidding, including at one unnerving point a police officer. This is a horror film for sure, but there are also some elements of dark humor thrown in for good measure. As if Pinker's unhinged persona wasn't a captivating proposition enough, "Shocker" even features cameos by Timothy Leary, Eugene Chadbourne (of underground band Shockabilly, oddly enough) and the godlike John Tesh. I couldn't ask for much more than that.

The budget for this film, in retrospect, does appear to have been somewhat low, but it only enhances the experience, giving it a street-level power. It's like comparing a lean 1980s Megadeth album to a one of the more recent, bloated Metallica albums. (Speaking of which, Megadeth offers up a pretty rocking rendition of an Alice Cooper song in the soundtrack; Iggy Pop and Paul Stanley contribute some songs as well.) Those high-production 1990s weren't a very good time for horror films anyway. Although this is an oversimplification, consider "Shocker" to be an indie-ish alternative to the glossy self-consciousness that's marred the horror genre of late. It should also be noted that the 1998 movie "Fallen" lifted more than one plot device from this film, so it's not like this film went unnoticed upon release. I'd definitely recommend that you buy "Shocker," or, if you're unsure, at the very least rent it. You will then know your destiny. ... Read more

Reviews (200)

Meh... It was okay...
I love A LOT of Wes Craven's work, but this had to be his greatest failure! The plot itself seems somewhat rather interesting, but the movie just couldn't cut it! The acting was pretty good but the music score was poor, the colors were grainy looking, and the picture quality has got to be the WORST I've ever seen in DVDs!! (not to mention it really wasn't that scary.) We could at least have a better transfer of this, right?! What's even worse about this movie is that at SOME times it tries to be funny and scary at the same time, which is definetally not a good mix depending on the type of film it's made out to be. (Heck, alot of these 70s films don't really make much sense huh?) The only part I'd have to say I liked was at the very end where the parents get revenge on the killers with the booby-traps and stuff.

OVERALL: I would NOT recommend this movie if you are looking for an Oscar-winner or whatever unless you are a B-movie collector who likes this stuff. I give it 4/10 for a good idea in story but poor sound and picture quality.

How could Wes Craven do this?!!!!
This movie is nothing like people say it is. It is the worst movie I have ever seen. The only part good about it was the breasts( I say breast I was afraid I wouldn't get posted) and nothing else. I didn't even finish watching it.

completly stunk
this movie really sucked, nothing more. I gave it one star because Wes Craven is my favorite movie writer/director.

Wes Cravens first...
Last House On The Left shocked a hardened horror/exploitation fan like me. I couldn't believe that this was made in 1971. The sadistic way Krueg and company acted and how they tortured poor Mari and her friend was nothing short of vile, but the way Craven shot these scenes of torture made your stomach churn twice as bad. The revenge of the parents also made this film something to behold. Last House is classic exploitation. Viewing it is a must.

Clever clever..! -Movie..!! -For a really low budget.
One of Wes Craven's.. -Early film's.. -Has this old
sinnister tale of good old rappe and torture.. -I've
bought this DVD and not half two worry about any
more dang VHS.. -Lucky.. -I am glad that a friend
of mine.. -Bought it for me.. -Becuase..! -I've sold
DVD'S I did not like any more..

I've think.. -Wes is worth it two sell your DVD'S
and respect the man for his buck.. -Craven did a
excellent job.. -I've totally of Wes about all of
his film's.. -The Catholic may condemmed. -Me..!
but Wes will alway's be known as the king of grade
B horror film's.. -In my mind.. -Sean Cunningham..
the Veteran of the Friday the 13th.. -Flick's help
Wes two do this movie in Connecuite..?

Craven.. -Is a cheap cheap film maker..? -And taken
his blood and gut's too serious for this kind..!
Sean did a great job with production value's..!
their is a glimpse as the future Friday the 13th
Steve Minor jumps at the end as he rides with some
drunken roadie's.. -Never mind..!

This movie may disturbed a lot of people..! -But
their is a story two just being a horror film..?
this one did not cost Wes any thing.. -The film
went two their back yards.. -Did something
they've cooed acheived for them selve's..?

Two girls go into a night in town..! -As they've
are hunted by some rapest's..! -The girls get trapped..
after they where headed two a concert.. -Then their
taken two the dimmwitted wooed's two be rape..?
then the movie turn's out a longer for the too ho
have kiddnapped.. -Rape; -and killed these poor
innocent women.. -Then..! -The next day; -the
parent's of the girl.. -Mari Collingwood.. -Goe's
out jogging.. -They've find the girl..?

But the same rapest's go too the house..! -Have
dinner.. -The mother learns that they are the
real killer's.. -So they've plot some fantastic
peice of cinema history.. -Revenge..! -Their are a
lot of disturbing images in this movie.. -And
don't let any one watch this with a bad heart
condition.. -I love the special feature's with

Wes Craven.. -and; -the introduction.. -Which
he explains that he have put back some of the old
violent footage in this flick..?

Wes Craven.. -Shooed of gane an oscor.. -But he
is known as a low budgetted filmmaker..? -You
never guest your going out.. -Two make a low
budget feature.. -Play with stuff that no one
has ever tried.. -And don't win an oscor..?

This is my Grade -A.. -Horror flick.. -Some say
it is not a horror flick..

Wes had a nice try with this..!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Best series on television ever!
This is definitely the series that started it all...American Gothic, X Files. They have nothing on David Lynch. These last few episodes are amazing, but you must see them all. Talk about bizarre. They had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next episode. I watched them all in a week!

Love Twin Peaks, but video quality is ATROCIOUS
I'm a big twin peaks fan, but the quality of these videos is absolutely horrible....episode 24 was totally unwatchable, it was mostly static, and the other tapes are also of similar quality. Unfortunately it seems that these poor quality videos are the only release of TP currently available, which is really too bad.

A Big Dip in Quality
I hadn't seen "Twin Peaks" since the episodes first aired. While I enjoyed the earlier second season episodes much more the second time around, these particular episodes (especially 21-23) are still as bad as the first time I saw them.

One subplot, with James Hurley helping a hot blond woman fix her car, plays like a overwrought fifth season "Twilight Zone." Another embarrasing plot deals with Ben Horne and the Civil War. And Kenneth Welsh goes over the top playing Cooper's former partner, Windom Earle.

There are good parts even in these five episodes, including a wonderful performance by David Duchovny in episode 20 and continued strong acting from Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean and many others.

Episode 24 is vastly improved over the previous three and the plots become stronger as the season (and series) wound down, but I suspect the poor quality turned many viewers off. The writers didn't seem to be ready to fill the gap once Laura Palmer's murder was solved, and that probably doomed the series.

DOWN....DOWN.....DOWN....
ENTER THE DEEP DARK WORLD OF DAVID LYNCH! DO NOT WATCH THE EPISODES BY THEMSELVES OR OUT OF SEQUENCE AS THIS CAN LEAD TO SEVERE CONFUSION AND HAND-WRINGING. WATCH THE PILOT FIRST (PREFERABLY THE NON-EUROPEAN ONE WITHOUT EXTRA CONFUSING SCENES), THEN EPS. 1-29, THEN THE FILM TWIN PEAKS:FIRE WALK WITH ME. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. COMMENTS WELCOME AT nick82e@hotmail.com

pure curiosity kept this series alive
Twin Peaks was already losing steam long before the 20thepisode [but]I couldn't help but watch to see where Lynch would go with it. Lynch's murder mystery started off with a terrific bang that created so much interest you couldn't help but continue watching. The last episodes tend to be a bit over the top, but it is worth watching atleast once. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The videos are not what they seem
Remember those homemade tapes you had of the series when it aired originally? Unless your cable went on the fritz or you forgot to hit the record button after the commercial break, the copies were good enough to satisfy your cravings for cherry pie, a cup of joe and the whole wacky Twin Peaks gang. Hopefully you never lost them but if you did...Hurray! Because someone found your copies and dubbed them and over dubbed them and packaged them into this really poor quality set from some company called "Worldvision" A company who likes to re-sell garbage from your curb back to you. If you're desperate like me, don't have a DVD player, and are wary of e-bay, this unfortunately is your only alternative.

Warning - Garbage Alert - Peakers Beware
Geez, $$$ for 5 episodes sounds like a bargain huh? Don't fall for it. I love Twin Peaks, but I was shocked to see how [bad] the quality is. I was dumb enough to buy the entire series in this 6 hour format, so it took a little while before I got to watch enough to see how horrible the quality is. I am surprised to see that they are still selling this. I am hopeful that the series will be available on DVD in the future and if it is I hope they do a decent job of digital remastering.

THE FASCINATING WORLD OF DAVID LYNCH....
THE SERIES LOSES A LITTLE BIT AS IT TRIES TO FIND A NEW DIRECTION POST-LAURA PALMER. BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF GREAT MOMENTS AND DAVID DUCHOVNY (EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT AN X-FILES FAN) STEALS PRETTY MUCH EVERY SCENE HE IS IN. ALSO, THE SERIES TAKES ON AN INTERESTING QUALITY RIGHT ABOUT HERE -- MORE HUMOR AND LIGHT-HEARTED MOMENTS. BUT I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE FLIRTATION WITH SPACEMEN. COMMENTS WELCOME AT nick82e@hotmail.com

More owls
Ep. 15-19 are as good as it gets - just like the episodes befour and after.

Buy this item, and enter the universe of David Lynch.

Welcome to Twin Peaks - welcome to the 90's! ... Read more

Reviews (344)

...Let's go carve ourselves a witch.
Evil Dead 2, while technically a sequel, holds very little in common with "Evil Dead." Evil Dead was one of the scariest, creepiest, and grossest films I've ever seen. Evil Dead 2 is one of the funniest!

The gore in Evil Dead II is WAY over the top. (If you've seen Arthur's battle with the Black Knight in "Monty Python's Holy Grail"... THAT'S the sort of gore I'm talking about.) Campy lines are thrown around in here the like you've not heard since the Batman TV series.

The Premise: Ash (Ashley Williams for those who saw the first one) and his girlfriend drive up to a secluded cabin in the woods for a weekend of fun. They come across a tape recording of ancient incantations...that, when played, release an unseen evil that stalks them. When the cabin owner's daughter and team show up, the evil comes for them all!

If you don't try to take this movie seriously, you won't be dissapointed. One of the film's scenes was once rated in the top ten fight scenes of all time: Ash versus... his hand.

Now, for the DVD goodies!
First, the DVD and "booklet" come in a tin! I was impressed by the tin and the arwork on it, but the booklet is a bit of a let-down. The pictures in it are simply screen grabs (and not very good ones) from the movie.
THX and Widescreen add back what's been missing all these years. It's nice to see (clearer!) all of the bits we've been missing and the 5.1 audio tracks make those chase scenes sound like you're right there!
The featurette 'The Gore the Merrier' is fantastic and left me wanting more! It would be great to see more of the behind the scenes antics of this crew, as it's plain to see (hear in the commentary) that they had fun making the film.
And, the teaser for the video game "Evil Dead: Hail to the King" has me chomping at the bit! I can't wait to play a game as Ash! "You want a little??"

If you're an Evil Dead fan, this Limited Edition MUST be in your collection. If you just like slapstick/comedy/horror, you can't lose with this one.

When it comes down to it, if legions of undead started roaming the Earth, I'd want Ash nearby! Not just for protection, but also for comic relief!

Demon Madness
Evil runs wild in the exciting comedy-horror favorite "Evil Dead: Dead by Dawn". In the deep woods, an unspeakable evil force has been unleashed and torments a traveler (Bruce Campbell) and those around him. Director Sam Raimi's horror spectacle is an amazing combination of creepy stylish horror and hilarious slapstick comedy. The movie contains some terrific camerawork, effective visuals effects and memorable gross-out scenes. Bruce Campbell's vivid performance as unlikely hero Ash is another good highlight of the film. The cult favorite is presented in both standard full screen and 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen formats. Its picture quality is reasonably sharp with good contrast. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is enjoyable with lively surround effects. This DVD contains audio commentaries with filmmaker Sam Raimi and cast member Bruce Campbell, an amusing behind-the-scenes featurette and original theatrical trailer. The animated menus are excellent. Overall, "Evil Dead II" scores a "B+".

Back To The Cabin...
Bruce Campbell returns as Ash, the sole survivor of the first EVIL DEAD demon fest. This time out, he must battle the evil spirit in himself! Sam Raimi pulls out all the bloody stops to unleash a tale of possession gone mad! Campbell's solo performance during the first part of the film is a total trip! He is chased, flattened, thrown, carried through the air, and indwelt by that accursed horror from the blood-inked pages of the Book Of The Dead! This movie is either hilariously scary, or Terrifyingly hysterical. A perfect follow up to it's more serious predecessor. Would make an excellent triple feature with DEAD ALIVE and RE-ANIMATOR. Highly recommended...

fun x2
The thrills have increased, and so have the chills. This is by far the scariest movie out of the triology. In a way, i dont fully understand it, because why would Bruce Campbell venture with his new girl friend all the way back up to the cabin where the original massacre happened? I mean its not like you would forget something like that so easily, i mean come on! But besides some incredibly stupid moves, this movie is still pretty good.

Much Better Than The First
Gorier, better, and over all a much better movie than the First. Bloody stabbings, chainsaw action, rotting corpses, removal of body parts, decapitations and lots of blood and green goo. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Classic Hitchcock Double Bill
It would be hard to beat this video package for value for money - two Hitchcock British classics for a very low price. Thankfully, in spite of the bargain price and the age of the films, the sound and visual quality are very good.

The 39 Steps is perhaps not very faithful to the John Buchan book it is based on, but it is rather more enjoyable. Hitchcock maintains all the mystery of the Buchan original, but he adds his own brand of suspense and humour. With the obligatory added love interest, Hitchcock maintains the humour of the film and adds a degree of salaciousness and even sado-masochistim in the plight of the potential lovers handcuffed together. Of course they can't stand each other, but their experiences lead them to fall in love. The 2 travelling lingerie salesmen who share the train carriage with the fleeing Hannay are wonderfully funny, but also menacing, as they hold the newspaper that declares his "crime" on the front page. The film has several great set pieces which are justifiably famous in cinema history - including Hannay hanging from the Forth railway bridge, the evening at the mean Scottish crofter's house and the Music Hall finale.

The Lady Vanishes also blends mystery and suspense with romance and humour, based around a paper thin plot of "spies". The story is a classic journey on a train in "middle Europe" at some point where Europe is on the brink of war and the vanishing governess who is really a spy. Of course noone believes her companion that she was on the train, but we and she know that she was and that she will be found and rescued. The plot is engaging and some of the clues tantalizing, but the real joy comes from the eccentric cast of British characters.

As the main coup takes place at 5 in the afternoon in the refreshment car, the British are all trapped together having tea. They behave with typical British phlegm and courage for the most part, apart from the cowardly adulterous barrister, who tries to surrender to the enemy rather than fight to protect his mistress and fellow characters. He is, of course, shot.

Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave are entertaining as the sparring lovers who start off hating each other and end up in love. And Dame May Witty is so delicious as the spinster spy you really could eat her.

But y favourite characters are Charters and Caldecott two dim-witted Englishmen abroad whose only interest in life is cricket. Their cameo performance was so popular they later appeared in other British films, not directed by Hitchcock. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Inspired by the controversial E.C. Comics of the 1950s--which also provided the title and inspiration for the popular Tales from the Crypt TV series--director George Romero and screenwriter Stephen King serve up five delightfully frightful stories. Utilizing comic-book panels, animated segues, and exaggerated lighting and camera angles, Romero and cinematographer Michael Gornick come very close to replicating a horror comic in film format. The results mix fine acting with the morbid sense of humor and irony that made the E.C. books so popular in their heyday.Actors such as Leslie Nielsen, Hal Holbrook, Ted Danson, Adrienne Barbeau, Ed Harris, E.G. Marshall, and even King appear in the stories, which include tales of a sinister father's day celebration, a mysterious meteor, seaweed-draped zombies, a monster in a crate, and a cockroach-phobic millionaire. Fiendishly fun fare from one of horror's most famous directors. --Bryan Reesman ... Read more

Reviews (87)

Spooky fun
Director George Romero (Night of the Living Dead) and horror author extraordinairre Stephen King teamed up for this adaptation/homage to the classic 1950's horror EC Comics, and while the film as a whole has it's share of creepy moments, it's more of a fun horror film, and a labor of love for Romero and King. Five tales are told, beginning with a dead, rich father coming back to life for his birthday cake (yes, you read that right), a simplistic farmer finding a strange meteorite, an insanely jealous husband taking vengeance on his cheating wife and her lover only to get it back to him, a mistreated husband discovering a box containing a monster which he unleashes on his drunken wife, and a man with a severe cockroach problem. Featuring Adrienne Barbeau, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, and even King himself, plus great gore and makeup effects by the always excellent Tom Savini; Creepshow is a real treat.

Great Original Horror Film!
In this collaboration with Stephen King, director George Romero assembles a distinguished cast and pays vividly hued homage to the E.C. horror comics of the 1950s. (This film appeared years before the TALES FROM THE CRYPT series.) Five creepy tales are strung together by a framing story involving a young boy being punished by his father for reading the gruesome, titular comic book. "Father's Day" tells the tale of a family patriarch exacting beyond-the-grave revenge on the daughter who murdered him. In "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill," a Maine hayseed (King himself in a ridiculously over-the-top performance) is overtaken by a meteor-based plant growth. A cuckolded husband exacts watery revenge on his cheating wife and her lover in "Something to Tide You Over." A hairy beast in a box is used for nefarious purposes at a university in "The Crate." Finally, in "They're Creeping Up on You," a wealthy, arrogant New Yorker with a fear of germs has a disturbing run-in with cockroaches during a blackout.

While the stories are a bit brief, the style is appropriate for the anthology format. Romero's use of garish colors to mimic the ink in comic books is visually appealing, preventing the gore on display from being too off-putting. Featuring early appearances by actors such as Ed Harris and Ted Danson, CREEPSHOW is eerie, engaging entertainment.

There are so many reasons why I like this film. The length of the film. 120 minutes. That's two hours of horror stories. If you notice lately, any movie that has more than two stories is usually about an hour and a half. Stephen King and George A. Romero on the other hand, were able to put together a two hour film.

It's mostly the suspensful scenes, that get you asking, "what if that was me?" Seeing people suffer in this movie, adds a great effect on the audience. Most of the time I could feel the pain they were going through. Like Ted Danson's story, or when Ed Harris was under that grave. Stephen King was funny as he acted as a retarded farm boy.

If you haven't seen this film, then do so. If you get the same effect I did, then my review should be helpful to you.

Oh yeah! if you're one of those guys who like having snacks and pop during a scary movie, then I would suggest you eat up fast before the last story. Trust me on this one!

I hope my review was helpful to you!

Creepy and cool, the best short story horror movie
This is, for me, the best short story horror film i seen so far. I seen a good amount, i am not going to say all but i seen enough to know what is good and not good. This is the best. I love all the stories, some have there weak moments but the one wih the moster in the box and the roaches are the best. I dont want to type a lot but pure in simple this movie is a good rental and worth 10 or 15 bucks in my book.

it has its charm
What can you say about this movie? It isn't the best movie King has written, not by far. Romero has given us better films--Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead. It has bad animation. Bad effects (even though I am a Savini fan). Bad acting, though we get a young Ed Harris and Leslie Nielsen does put in a surprisingly good performance. And it has those annoying comic book frames within frames. There is a lot to hate about this film. But it does have a certain charm to it. Ted Danson helpless and not so suave or in control. A gruesomeness to it. King plays the hokey hick very well. You can't help but to like this movie, bad as it is.

For TALES FROM THE CRYPT fans everywhere!
The film tells the story of a young boy whose comic contains five stories told in the same vein of early 50's horror comic stories. The film is written by Stephan King (who also appears in the second story in his only starring role,) and directed by George A. Romerio (origonal LIVING DEAD trilogy). Included also are a few brief animated sequences.

A man pays a visit to his family from beyond the grave...

A farmer finds a meteorite that, when broken, spills fourth a strange moss that grows on everything, including his own flesh...

A man and his lover seek revenge on her husband AFTER they've been murdered...

A mysterious crate found in the basement of a college hids some thing that should never be let out. You're about to find out what...

Finally, a cold-hearted billionare with a horrible fear of germs and insects finds his penthouse apartment infested with nine hundread QUADRILLION cockroaches! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

You are now entering Interzone, William S. Burroughs's phantasmagorical land of junk, paranoia, and crawly things. Best travel advice:"Exterminate all rational thought." In David Cronenberg's superbly shot, unnerving warp on the Burroughs novel, the novelist himself becomes a main character (played in an implacable monotone by Peter Weller), with elements from Burroughs' life--including the shooting of his wife during a "William Tell" game, and bohemian friends Kerouac and Ginsberg--added to frame the book's wild visions. This is, ironically, a somewhat rational approach to an unfilmable book (and it makes a hair-curling double bill with Barton Fink, another look at writerly madness, with both films sharing Judy Davis). Cronenberg is a natural for oozing mugwumps and typewriters that turn into giant bugs, of course. But in the end, this is really his own vision of the artistic process, rather than Burroughs's hallucinatory descent into hell. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (62)

It's a literary high
Cronenberg's version of Naked Lunch is a brilliant combination of Burroughs' novel and Burroughs' life. He blends the true story of Burroughs life (and his reason for writing) with the surreal dark-comedy 'routines' of the novel until they become one story. The story is a quiet hallucination featuring exterminators, addiction, typewriters in the form of insects, typewriters that grow genitals, a global conspiracy of intelligence agents, the drug trade, homosexual ambiguity, writer's block, accidental murder, and literary paranoia. None of these elements is explored completely. Instead, Cronenberg touches on each one until they form some strange, underlying logic.

This edition of the DVD has enough extras to make it the only version of Naked Lunch you'll ever have to buy. (They won't release a bigger, better edition later.) The BBC documentary is okay. It's about 45 minutes long, giving Cronenberg and William Burroughs a lot of time to speak. (Burroughs is particularly good, with a dry sense of humor and a habit of saying obvious truths that make people uneasy.) The second disc also has stills from the special effects team, showing how the various creatures and organic typewriters were developed.

But it's the first disc --- the movie itself --- that makes it worth buying and watching. The special audio track, shared by Peter Weller and Cronenberg, adds a lot of useful background information. The film itself is bright and sharp, a perfect example of DVD clarity. I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who is interested in the best films of the 1990s. Naked Lunch didn't make as big an impact in theaters as it did in book stores, but it should have.

"It's time to do our Wiiliam Tell Act"
Talking slithering strangely sexual typewriters, addicts of cockroach-exterminating pyretheum powder (who like to breath on cbugs and watch them die while on it), thick-fluid sipping mugwhump creatures, an assortment of strange parasitic characters to represent the sinister parts of you you never knew ere there, and a high as a kite protagonist to narrate it all. What more can I say? This is both a brilliant representation of William S. Burrough's no-holds-barred dark imagination and director Cronenburg's as well, both with the twisted audascity to take all these horrific atroscities of reality and fantasy and breath eroticism & mystery into them...

Impossible to describe or even explain (almost but not quite as incomprehensible as FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS), the movie is not exactly a telling of the book Naked Lunch (even though some characters, namely the vile mugwhumps, show up) as it is a telling of Burroughs writing the book and what he may have imagined while writing it.

THe film starts out with the main character William Lee and his even more "creepy" (if anyone in the Burroughs line ever wanted to label what's inside themselves) wife, Joan, are addicted to the roach powder pyretheum, which Lee obtains thru his job as an exterminator. After playing a drunken William Tell act with his wife and blowing her head off so to say (which actually happened to Burroughs and his wife, and is said to have sparked the writing of Naked Lunch), he escapes to Tangiers, Mexico (with a "ticket" which actually appears to be a syringe). There he flows into a seemingly hallucinatory Interzone--a place populated by all the things mentioned above and tons more weirdness. He also meets the wife of a bisexual author who looks almost identical to his wife...and they engage in a particularly freaky sexual practice in which a typewriter tries to join in. If I say any more, the plot will be totally given away, so just watch, and compared to all the elaborate twists and turns on this unreal path to hell, I've said very little.

Great performances from Roy Sheider (who plays Dr. Benway, another character direct from the book), Paul Weller as Lee, Judy Davis as Joan and the other Joan, and Robert A. Silverman as a truly unique black centipede meat salesman with a disquieting manor (the black centipede meat, as well as Burroughs' thoughts on how centipedes controlled many Interzone lives, were from the novel). You'll either be completely confused or completely tripped out of yr. mind, but you won't leave the film unchanged...just like Burroughs' writings.

welcome to interzone!
In my opinion, Cronenburgs best film, or at least that i've seen. Amazing movie, Peter Weller (robocop) does an awesome job too. One of those joints you pop in the player and are thinking about it a week after you've viewed it. Runaway to Interzone with talking typewriters, giant sea centipedes, and the innermost sanctum of paranoia, bizarre eroticism, delusion, hallucination, and beautifully depressing schizophrenia. It's something else. Tough movie to describe, definitely required viewing for anyone with oddball tastes like mine and a good respect for a true artists unique vision (in this case two artists, Cronenberg and Burroughs). p.s. (just don't ever try the William Tell party trick)

Out to Lunch
If you're going to watch this film then you pretty much already know what you're in for. Take Cronenberg and Burroughs, mix them together and you've got yourself a pretty weird film. And it is weird, but it's also so much more. It deals with addiction like no other film has. Specifically how addiction effects the creative process. This is far from youre average nice Saturday night film viewing, but it's a real treat nontheless. Criterion has once again done an amazing job. I'd be surprised if there's ever a better release of the film.

David Cronenberg's Very Best
Before you even try to watch this movie, realize that David Cronenberg's films are among the most bizarre and perplexing films you will ever see. If you like your films to stick to traditional narratives and standard plot devices you will probably hate 'Naked Lunch' (and any other David Cronenberg film you chance to come across). If, however, you are extremely open minded (as in, "I'm open to watching a movie where people have sex with typewriters that turn into giant insects") you may find yourself addicted to Cronenberg's surreal style of film making.

'Naked Lunch' follows the story of a bug-exterminator-cum-secret-agent who...you know what, forget it...because the plot in 'Naked Lunch' isn't really what this movie is about. I'm not going to say that the movie is plot-less (it's not), but the story (an insane organic blend of sections from Burroughs's novel and episodes from his life) exists mainly as an alibi for Cronenberg's signature style of subconscious imagery; more specifically, for his metaphoric exploration of writing as an erotic addictive binge to "exterminate all rational thought." If that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, don't blame me. The fantastic thing about this movie is that it has a twisted logic that is entirely of its own making, and it sits with you. 'Naked Lunch' is a film that is difficult to deal with. It's a movie that I love, and I don't know if that's going to come across in this review. But, 'Naked Lunch' is nothing if not ambiguous, and that's what makes it great art. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even more than most of David Lynch's deliberately bizarre and idiosyncratic movies, Dune is a "love-it-or-hate-it" affair. An ambitious, epic, utterly mind-boggling--and, let's admit it, all-out weird--adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune remains one of the most controversial films in the director's exceedingly provocative career. The story (if Dune can be said to have just one story) is complex and convoluted in the epic tradition; it has something to do with political intrigue and a planet that is home to a precious spice and gigantic sand worms. Think Shakespeare's Henry IV with a dash of Tremors, and set in another galaxy. But despite plenty of strangely whispered voice-overs that explain the characters' thoughts (and endlessly detailed exposition), storytelling is not really among the film's strong points. There are, however, a lot of memorably fantastic/grotesque images, an extraordinary cast, and a soundtrack featuring Toto. I told you it was weird. Among the stars are Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, Sting, Kenneth McMillan, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, and Linda Hunt. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (435)

Dune: the sleeper has awaken.
David Lynch's (Eraserhead, Twin Peaks) adaptation of Frank Herbert's defining saga 'DUNE' may very well be, if truth be told, the most epic enterprise, and in many ways the most rewarding, of Lynch's work thus far.

Dune is a difficult movie to review, if only because there is no easy (or maybe I should say simple) way to look at it. At its core though DUNE tells the story of Paul Atreides, a young man whose destiny as a Messiah of worlds echoes that of such classics like Brazil or Spartacus, where seemingly ordinary men become extraordinary beings. This however is an over-simplification, DUNE is built from a collection of stories and legends that form a unique whole -perfectly captured by Lynch.

Make no mistake, this movies begs to be seen in its original 2,35:1 widescreen format. Freddie Francis' photography of the barren Dune world is simply amazing, and even though some of the special effects may seem old when compared to today's standards, the amazing designs by Anthony Masters will simply take your breath away. The DVD edition, while not anamorphic, is very well presented, sporting a very high quality video transfer and excellent sound. A brief, if yet interesting, collection of production notes are also included, as well as cast and crew bios and the original theatrical trailer in widescreen format.

DUNE seems slow at times and it may not be for everyone -but then that's always been the trademark of Lynch's work, I think. Still, DUNE is an excellent example of how a complex story can make a Sci-Fi movie be truly epic. Couple that with the amazing designs and the beautiful photography and you got a winner here. Highly recommended.

Lynch's Dune leaves lasting impressions
Oil planets, rubber suits, flying Buicks and lots of industrial images and soot...
Who else could come up with a vision like this for the Frank Herbert novel other than David Lynch?
This so-called box office disaster has to be one of the most controversial sci-fi films to ever grace the silver screen, and though it has been repeatedly bashed by sci-fi buffs and Dune purists, the two-hour-plus feature always manages to surface either on television (in a hastily- and carelessly-edited extended cut), in conversations among admirers of sci-fi or cinema, as well as in personal movie collections worldwide.
So why was it scorned during its initial release?
Expectations of the film adaptation were high. The film hardly captured every facet of the novel. But how could it?
Also, many theatergoers and sci-fi fans were expecting, well, more of a futuristic approach to Dune as opposed to Lynch's industrial vision. A spaceship with plush leather interior lacking any flashy computers just didn't do it for the Star Trek/Star Wars crowd.
However, Lynch's script remains faithful to the story and its characters. The first-rate casting, combined with (undeniably) Lynch direction, pack enough flair to make the film more than worthwhile viewing and certainly worthy to own on DVD.
The entire cast give first-rate performances, most notably Kenneth McMillan, Jose Ferrer, Sian Phillips, Francessca Annis and, of course, Patrick Stewart.
Toto, the 80s rock band that proved to everyone that musicianship isn't everything, contribute a worthy score, though it steers toward a Flash Gordon-esque style in the film's finale.
In sum, Lynch - like a true visionary - leaves us with more fantastic impressions of the enigmatic Dune world than he does comprehensive storytelling. The impressions, however, are lasting. They are the key to why this sci-fi flop survived the relentless criticism and has proved, repeatedly, to be in demand among consumers.
Note: Lynch withdrew his screenwriting and director's credit from the extended TV version of the film, and for good reason.

Duned
Woh! I didn't know what to expect when I first sat down to watch 'Dune'. Not having read the novel, the first hour of the movie made me think I had Attention Deficit Disorder, I didn't know what was going on. After that first hour, I gradually left my efforts at understanding behind and just revelled in its sheer spectacle.

Poor David Lynch was driven to the brink of suicide while making this picture. The success of 'The Elephant Man' must have made him believe that adapting other people's work would be a much more successful venture than trying to develop anything on his own at this stage of his career. 'Dune' is full of Lynchian touches even if his commanding vision is sadly missing. The Emperor's court looks like something out of pre-industrial Europe in contrast to the Harkonnen culture of brutal industry and festering disease (Lynch would have been in his element here). Indeed the Baron Harkonnen's face bears some resemblance to John Merrick's in 'The Elephant Man', biological explosions bursting through the skin.

'Dune' would have made a pretty good T.V. series if it had been directed by Lynch, there certainly would have been wider scope for plot and character development. As it was left in it's 137 minute version Lynch had to cut entire scenes and have them explained in one line of voice-over dialogue instead. This makes much more of the profound elements of the film seem like excerpts from a daytime soap opera, the slow zoom into the static face as the voice-over speaks the thoughts of the actor.

Locked into producer Dino De Laurentiis's and writer Frank Herbert's vision, it's not surprising that Lynch returned to small-time film making as a way of retaining artistic control.

Generally, I liked it
Yes, the movie is weird; yes, they changed a lot from the book, like another movie which shall remain nameless (*cough*"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"*coughcough*), and yes, it borders on the incomprehensible at times. Still, IMHO, it beats the hell out of the later remake, which is twice as long and half as interesting. The actors in this movie have great charisma, and besides, who can beat Patrick Stewart as Gurney Halleck? I ask you!

The main flaw (again, IMHO) is that the "long version" has yet to be released on video or DVD, although it can be seen about once a year on the Sci-Fi Channel. The shorter version is just not enough; write your congressman and DEMAND the full-length extended cut of "Dune". 'Nuff said.

Oh Lordy
Well. Time to write a review of this on Amazon. So many things to say. A beginning is a delicate time. Well, lets state the obvious first and foremost.

This movie was a flop. A bomb. A disaster. It cost a great deal of money to make and it made almost nothing at the box office. This was due to a number of reasons. One, in the early eighties, science fiction was considered very uncool. So that any young dude in the early eighties worth his salt wouldn't be caught dead going to this movie. The other matter is that any of those young dudes who DID happen to wander into this movie probably had to wonder just what the hell was going on.

Dune is very challenging science fiction that almost might be considered the work of a genius. It is far more complex and interweaving than the plot for something like "Star Wars" for example. By that, I'm not saying that Star Wars was a bad movie, indeed, it was a very profitable one (unlike Dune). It is just that from my viewpoint, it is incredible that this movie was even created at all, considering the usual attitude of movie studios toward complex plots of any kind whatsoever. In fact, I would go so far as to venture the guess that this movie being a flop set a standard for one dimensional movie plot lines for years to come. A movie must make a profit, the dumber the movie, the bigger the profit.

Anyway, the point is this movie somehow, against all odds, WAS made. And the director, to add to the weirdness, was that master of weirdness (the weirding way?) himself, David Lynch. Lordy, this movie is a miracle against all odds.

The thing to keep in mind is that this movie didn't have an immediate impact when it was first released. However, slowly, over the years, it gained a massive cult following. It has become known as that "other" sci fi movie, alongside Star Wars and Star Trek. And indeed, I believe Frank Herbert wouldn't have had it any other way. On the video shelf, Dune has become the "underground" sci fi epic loved by a select few - who rent it very often.

The movie has had a sweeping impact upon culture, regardless of who hates it or loves it. If you have seen it, you will never forget it. Some scenes remain breathtakingly modern with incredible special effects, others are rough edged with some editing that could use something to be desired. Yet despite it all, it remains powerful today (especially when compared to the awful tv miniseries version). ... Read more

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The first of Alfred Hitchcock's World War II features, Foreign Correspondent was completed in 1940, as the European war was only beginning to erupt across national borders. Its titular hero, Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea), is an American crime reporter dispatched by his New York publisher to put a fresh spin on the drowsy dispatches emanating from overseas, his nose for a good story (and, of course, some fortuitous timing) promptly leading him to the "crime" of fascism and Nazi Germany's designs on European conquest.

In attempting to learn more about a seemingly noble peace effort, Jones (who's been saddled with the dubious nom du plume Hadley Haverstock) walks into the middle of an assassination, uncovers a spy ring, and, not entirely coincidentally, falls in love--a pattern familiar to admirers of Hitchcock's espionage thrillers, of which this is a thoroughly entertaining example. McCrea's hardy Yankee charms are neatly contrasted with the droll, veddy English charm of colleague George Sanders; Herbert Marshall provides a plummy variation on the requisite, ambiguous "good-or-is-he-really-bad" guy; Laraine Day affords a lovely heroine; and Robert Benchley (who contributed to the script) pops up, albeit too briefly, for comic relief.

As good as the cast is, however, it's Hitchcock's staging of key action sequences that makes Foreign Correspondent a textbook example of the director's visual energy: an assassin's escape through a rain-soaked crowd is registered by rippling umbrellas, a nest of spies is detected by the improbable direction of a windmill's spinning sails, and Jones's nocturnal flight across a pitched city rooftop produces its own contextual comment when broken neon tubes convert the Hotel Europe into "Hot Europe." --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (15)

One Of Hitchcock's Best
"Foreign Correspondent" was Alfred Hitchcock's second American feature made in 1940, the same year as his first feature "Rebecca", and surprisingly both were up for "best picture". In fact "Foreign Correspodent" was nominated for 6 Oscars. But even so, the movie is rarely regarded as one of Hitchcock's best, and that's a shame. "Foreign Correspondent" ranks up there with the best Hitchcock films such as "Rear Window", "Psycho", and "Vertigo". The "master of suspense" displays all the talents that have made him one of the finest film-makers of all-time (at least in my opinion).

"Foreign Correspondent" has Joel McCrea as John Jones, an American reporter sent over to Europe to cover the beginnings of WW2. And, as you can probably guess, Jones will stumble upon a big story and soon become a man who knows too much.

Van Meer, a man Jones was sent to interview (Albert Basserman, in an Oscar nominated performance) is on a council to prevent WW2, but he is soon murdered, or is he? He was the only person who knew of a secret clause that was to be written in a peace treaty.

A lot of people speak highly of the assination scene with the umbrellas, and Edmund Gwenn's scene on top of the tower. Most of you will know Gwenn as Santa Clause in "Miracle on 34th Street". But I have to admit some of my favorite scenes deal with the more comedic aspects of the film such as Robert Benchley's scenes, as an on-the-wagon reporter just yearning for one more drink, who has no idea what is going on around him. I also enjoy a scene dealing with George Sanders (Scott ffolliott) as he explains why he his name is spelled with two lower case "f's", McCrea responds with "How do you pronouce it? With a stutter?"

I've always felt Hitchcock's early work sometimes allowed the dry wit to get into the way of his movies. They could be seen as comedy\mystery movies in the vain of "The Thin Man" series. But in "Foreign Correspondent" I absolutely didn't mind. I enjoyed it greatly. Benchley was actually allowed to write his own lines and Ben Hechet, who helped co-write (he wrote the play "The Front Page", as well as two other Hitchcock movies, "Notorious" and "Spellbound") are without doubt why this movie actually does make us laugh. Benchley really is a highlight for me. Please pay attention to his dialogue. It's a shame so many people don't remember him nowadays.

And, there's more more thing I feel the need to comment on. What an amazing cast this film has. I've mentioned some of them already, McCrea, Sanders, and Benchley, but Herbert Marshall is also in this movie as Stephen Fisher, Van Meer's partner. Everyone does a wonderful job.

Bottom-line: Sadly not as popular as some of Hitchcock's other films, but, it deserves to be. It really is one of his best works. Great moments of suspense and wit.

Hitchcock at the top of his game
Despite being nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture, Alfred Hitchcock's second American film, "Foreign Correspondent," has received little notice through the years. Critics gush, and rightly so, over "Rear Window" and "Vertigo" but scarcely breathe a word about this masterpiece. Released in 1940, the same year as "Rebecca," it has been left to languish in the graveyard of late night television where its very lack of promotion no doubt leads many a Hitchcock fan to believe it must be one of the master's lesser films, something on the order of "The Paradine Case" or "Under Capricorn."

"Foreign Correspondent" is, in fact, one of the director's greatest films, every bit as good as "The 39 Steps," "North by Northwest" and other famous Hitchcock classics and far superior to "Rebecca," a film that Hitchcock himself described as belonging more to Selznick than to him. The Master of Suspense's trademark touches are very evident in this exciting suspense adventure in which Joel McCrea (chosen after Gary Cooper passed on the project), a lightweight reporter for a New York newspaper, is given a plum assignment that leads him into international intrigue involving a kidnapped scientist.

Hitchcock may have been disappointed in McCrea (labelling him "too easygoing") but the often underrated actor is excellent and is aided by one of Hitchcock's most perfect casts. As fellow reporters, George Sanders provides plenty of world-weary wit and the great Robert Benchley, who also wrote some of his own dialogue, adds a light touch in what is otherwise a fairly grim thriller. Herbert Marshall is on hand as the elegant villain, and Edmund Gwenn who would define "warm and cuddly" as Santa Claus in "Miracle on 34th Street" a few years later, exudes evil as an assassin.

There are many standout scenes, all every bit as imaginative as the cropduster attack on Cary Grant in "North by Northwest" or the shower murder in "Psycho." Note the ominous mood in the windmill where the kidnapped scientist is held captive, or the plane's plunge into the ocean just before the finale. The moment when the aged scientist (perfectly embodied by Albert Basserman, an Oscar nominee for his role) is tortured in a hotel room while a helpless Sanders looks on can make you squirm more than anything in "The Birds."

In short, this is Hitchcock at the very top of his game. The only thing "Foreign Correspondent" lacks is the acclaim and notoriety it deserves.

Good.
'Foreign Correspondent' is yet another fantasic mystery from Alfred Hitchcock. Although I don't remember the storyline too much, I remember liking it enough to give it a four-star review.

Not a Bad Propaganda Film
Released in 1940 by the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, this movie (although somewhat fictitiously) explains the beginning of World War II. This is one of Hitchcock's spy thrillers, complete with his man-in-the-middle and MacGuffin storylines.
Huntley Haverstock (Joel McCrea) is a newspaper reporter from New York who is sent to Europe to meet with the Dutch Professor Van Meer, who holds a secret clause in a peace treaty that may avert the coming war. After witnessing Van Meer's death, Haverstock becomes embroiled in an elaborate scenario in which the Nazis play a pivotal role.
In Haverstock's adventure, he meets up with the lovely Carol Fisher (Laraine Day)and her father, Stephen Fisher (Herbert Marshall). Are the Fishers really who they say they are?
The movie has many plot twists and exciting sequences that have become so memorable in Hitchcock lore.
The scene with the windmill's blades rotating backward has become classic, as well as the bobbing umbrellas in the rain as the murderer of Van Meer escapes through them. And also watch for the spectacular plane crash at the end of the film.
And who can forget seeing Edmund Gwenn, the man known forever to film buffs as Santa Claus from Miracle on 34th Street, playing here the sinister hit man, Rowley.
Clearly a great storyline, Foreign Correspondent is a must-see for any Hitchcock fan. This was his second film he made in America after David Selznick brought him over from England, and probably the best piece of propaganda to get the American public more interested in war looming on the horizon.

Another Hitchcock classic!
This movie is great. It deserves five stars. This movie is a wonderful drama and chase movie. Only the Master of Suspense could only direct such a great film. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (35)

This movie is better then most people say it is.
Hitchcock traded horror and suspence for more humor and wild adventure in this movie made in 1966 where Paul Newman and Julie Andrews play a couple of scientists who semmingly defect to the Russians, but are in actually trying to uncover a new screat Formula that will revolutionize the nuclear arms race. The movie mainly deals with how they can get out of the Iron Curtain once they get their hands on the numerical formula. The film then goes to rather intense lengths to show them on the run from the police, trying to find the needed contacts, and then make it across the border without getting shot. Except for one long fight scene, this is a rather exciteing film and is in keeping with many of Hitchcock's style of film making.

For completists only... (and spoilers, spoilers, spoilers)
I've read a lot of reviews trying to rehabilitate this mid-60's Hitchcock film from the dustbin into which history has thrown it. The film has all the elements that go into a Hitchcock classic: that high-toned gloss that he perfected in such 50s films as "Vertigo" and "Rear Window"; a servicable plot that allows for potential suspense set pieces; and the sure use of location which made "Psycho", "North by Northwest" and "Vertigo" so intriguing.

But the film is like soda pop left open too long: all the ingredients, no fizz. Hitch's staging is way off here - the film is slow at the start and it never shakes this lethargy. Paul Newman plays an American scientist defecting, supposedly, to East Berlin and Julie Andrews, his financee, follows him there. There's no banter or rapport between these two, unlike say Robert Donat and Madeline Carroll in "The 39 Steps" or Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in "North by Northwest." Newman looks miserable here; he's drawn-in and remote; naturally, his character has to remain guarded but Newman closes the audience off too. It was rumored that he and Hitchcock frequently fought on the set and Newman, who can be sly and witty, is defensive throughout. He seemed a lot happier working on a prison farm in his subsequent film, "Cool Hand Luke."

As for Julie Andrews, she has nothing to do. Hitch sets us up to believe that her pursuing Newman into East Germany will trigger the action but its really an event totally unrelated to her - the murder of Gromek - that sets the story off. While Janet Leigh was cleverly set up as a MacGuffin in "Psycho"; here this strange enervation of Julie Andrews' role seems like poor plotting (and the interview scene at Leipzig Univ. a paltry attempt to correct this).

Hitchcock piles up the bad calls throughout. In his best films, you may have seen how Hitchcock was manipulating the story (and your emotions) but his style made it a perverse pleasure - witness Grace Kelly's breaking into Raymond Burr's apartment in "Rear Window." Here the wit and style are missing so the suspense mechanisms are laid bare. When Newman is racing against the clock to obtain a secret formula from an East German scientist, you know your heart should be pounding. But all I was thinking was... you mean that's it? Two actors writing mathematical formulas on a blackboard? And in the big escape from Leipzig, Hitchcock shows that it would take another 28 years, with "Speed", for a bus to be used as a dramatic intensifer.

Despite what its defenders claim, "Torn Curtain" is a failure; only the incomprehensible "Topaz" is worse. Its not just that this Cold War story seems especially moldly today; but what really kills it is the lack of any apparent conviction by anyone involved. A couple mildly suspensful scenes - and I'm sorry, the murder of Gromek is *not* the masterly set-piece that its often claimed to be - do not compensate for this thin gruel. Buy it if you're a Hitchcock completist but you're money would be better spent buying a second copy of "North by Northwest" (or "The Rules of the Game.")

The Master's Worst
Every genius is entitled to one fall from grace...& this is definitely Hitchcock's. Paul Newman(looking absolutely beautiful here)& Julie Andrews are shockingly miscast, the suspense is minimal & Hitch himself was obviously bored. For true auteurs, you all know what that means. We'll be bored too...

An Exciting Cold War Drama!
Amazon's own reviewer says this is one of Hitchcock's "lesser efforts"... I disagree. There are some amazing scenes in this film, gorgeous cinematography, stunning action scenes, a great chase and tension everywhere. This is not "North by Northwest" or "Vertigo".... but it is just as exciting, if not more so than "The Man Who Knew Too Much", "39 Steps" and "Rear Window". Julie Andrews is stunning and superb as the wife who does not know who her husband seems to be working for. Paul Newman is perfectly cast as the mysterious and secretive husband... and the supporting cast is incredible.... especially Wolfgang Kieling was "Gromek", the relentless and sadistic kidnapper. Real life ballerina Tamara Toumanova who dances beautifully, but who comes complete with an "evil eye" on things. Lila Kedrova whos words "Will you be my sponsor?" will haunt you long after the movie ends.... and Carolyn Conwell, who is amazing along with Paul Newman's character in the farm scene! Wow!! The DVD transfer is superb and this film is a sure winner all the way.

Suspensefull
I thought this was a great movie.I enjoyed the chemistry between Paul Newman and Julie Andrews.I think it added to the frustration that she felt,not knowing what her Fiance'was up to.I felt the murder scene of Gromeck was very shocking or at the very least grisly and graphic.I enjoyed the bus scene and the scenes where the older woman was trying to help the two lovers escape from their captors .
This is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When you've got Vincent Price, Basil Rathbone, and Peter Lorre all inthe same movie, how can you go wrong? Tales of Terror is a trio of Edgar Allen Poe stories, starring three of horror's greats and produced and directed by the immortal Roger Corman. The first story, "Morella," involves a girl (Debra Paget) who returns to her isolated, spooky family home to see her estranged father (Price) for the first time in 26 years. He's let the housekeeping slide a bit--cobwebs abound and, oh, yes, his dead wife is still upstairs. Peter Lorre joins the fun for "The Black Cat," a piece with comic flavor that allows Price to show his rarely seen silly side, and then it's Basil Rathbone's turn to be creepy in "The Case of M. Valdemar," the tale of a mesmerist who decides to experiment with the unknown (bad idea). The movie is well paced, and makes good use of comedy without undercutting its chills. It's a rare treat to see this many masters of the genre working together and so clearly enjoying themselves. Don't miss it. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (19)

One of the Creepy Corman Classics
Directed by the venerable king of quality low-budget filmmaking, Roger Corman, and scripted by the prolific and popular SF and horror writer Richard Matheson, TALES OF TERROR is comprised of three vignettes based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe. The incomparable Vincent Price stars in all three, with Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone each co-starring (separately, alas) in one of the others. Any knowledgeable horror fans should be nearly euphoric after reading the credentials behind this flick--and they won't be disappointed!

The first story is based on Poe's "Morella," but Corman and Matheson take great liberties to make the tale darker and scarier than the original. Unfortunately, the altered plot and its resolution (?) are a bit hard to follow, and it is therefore the weaker of the three plays.

The second--and best!--vignette, "The Black Cat" is actually a composite of Poe's story of the same name and his "The Cask of Amontillado." Peter Lorre hilariously hams it up as the cuckolded Montresor Herringbone, and Vincent Price is also a riot as Herringbone's nemesis, Fortunato. In spite of the humor, however, there are still plenty of chills when Lorre builds a wall around his "problems."

The final vignette, based on Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar," features the wonderful Basil Rathbone as the hypnotist who uses his powers to put the titular character, Valdemar (portrayed by Price), in a sort of limbo between life and death. Again, Corman and Matheson have taken liberties with the original story (e.g., making the hypnotist malevolent and self-serving), but this time it's to great effect, as Rathbone makes a delightfully devilish villain. The make-up job on Price in the final scene is pretty creepy, too, in spite of the film's low-budget effects. Good old-fashioned frights in this one.

The DVD edition of TALES OF TERROR is short on extras (trailer only)--it would've been great to have a Corman commentary on this one, which many of the other MGM releases of Corman's films DO have--but seeing this film in widescreen makes it well worth the reasonable cost. A worthy addition to any fan of classic horror.

Five Stars...
Being a fan of Vincent Price and Peter Lorre for that matter, this was just priceless (no pun intended). Aside from Peter Lorre not aging well at all, this just makes his "tale" all the more realistic.
The first tale is called Morella where Vincent Price blames his visiting daughter for the death of his wife. Yet there is a twist to the story regarding the daughter. Really well done.

The second tale is The Black Cat with Peter Lorre as the main character here in one of the best parts I've seen him play.
He puts pathetic, mean and humorous into one role and is hysterical doing the classic wine testing scene with Vincent Price. I was truly laughing out loud. The facial expressions that Price has in this one when acting with Lorre are worth this DVD alone.

The third and last tale is the scariest in my view. It is called the Case of M. Valdemar where Basil Rathbone plays a man who tries to gain control over a dying Vincent Price. This is a pretty scary one, and Rathbone completes his role nicely.

The ladies in these tales (Maggie Pierce, Joyce Jameson and Debra Paget) are all absolutely stunning. You just can't compare the beauty of that day with today.

Get this DVD, especially if you like Price and Lorre....not to mention Poe. I promise you it is something you will watch over and over again.

A wonderful horror anthology
Vincent Price leads an all-star cast in this horror film. Price appears in all three segments. In the first, he plays a man named "Locke" who blames the death of his wife on his daughter who's just came back after 26 years. This is great, verbal horror sort of like a throwback to "Night Gallery" or other dramatic anthology shows, where the horror is in the character's personality and not in the graphics. only the final minutes does the story turn into what AIP movie goers expect. The second story, as has been voted by mostly all on here, is the stand-out. Peter Lorre and Joyce Jameson team up with Vincent in a re-telling of "Cask of Amontillado" but re-titled "The Black Cat". If you've heard or read the story, you pretty much know what's going to happen...the wine tasting scene is hilarious. The final segment offers Basil Rathbone and Vincent although Rathbone has the most action as Price's character, Valdemar, is bed-ridden. Rathbone plays an evil mesmerist who mentally tortures Valdemar's wife and keeps Valdemar in suspended animation you could say in an effort to kill him and run off with the wife! The segment ends with a memorable scene that isn't really sick...but it's not for the squeamish, either! It's one of Rathbone's finest roles, aside from Sherlock Holmes and the hilarious nut-case character in "Comedy of Terrors". This film came along in 1962. At 85 minutes in length, it's short for a feature-length film...but the material and the first-rate acting by everyone make it seem even SHORTER!!

GARBAGE
Don't waste your time or money with this DVD. The best part of the DVD is probably the Trailers and most of those are Garbage also. My DVD came loose in the package and scratched, too bad it didn't do any damage to ruin the Movie. I couldn't wait until the Movie was over, I would have stopped it earlier, but wanted to see if any damage was done. You'll be counting the minutes and seconds after watching the first half or even earlier. The last story was stupid and horrible and should have been left off. Don't waste your money, spend it on the cheap $5-6 horror DVD's, because at least those can be somewhat entertaining.

Tales of tepid terror
What happens when you take great actors (Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone), a great writer (Richard Matheson), great source material (E.A. Poe) and a passable director (Roger Corman) and have them make a movie? Nothing very good, as it turns out.

This movie is actually three short movies linked by Price's narration. The first story deals with a young woman who returns to the home of her father, a recluse tormented by the death of his wife; how she died is not really clear, but she is nonetheless intent on revenge. The second story - the best of the three - is a take-off on the Cask of Amontillado with Lorre as a murderous drunk. The final story has Rathbone as a mesmerist who traps Price in a state between life and death.

All three stories have potential, the first and last for horror, and the middle one for humor. Unfortunately, none of the stories are executed well, a fault that seems to lie primarily with Corman. For fans of the Poe movies of the sixties (directed primarily by Corman), this might be worth watching, but for horror fans, it is best to look elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (87)

Spooky fun
Director George Romero (Night of the Living Dead) and horror author extraordinairre Stephen King teamed up for this adaptation/homage to the classic 1950's horror EC Comics, and while the film as a whole has it's share of creepy moments, it's more of a fun horror film, and a labor of love for Romero and King. Five tales are told, beginning with a dead, rich father coming back to life for his birthday cake (yes, you read that right), a simplistic farmer finding a strange meteorite, an insanely jealous husband taking vengeance on his cheating wife and her lover only to get it back to him, a mistreated husband discovering a box containing a monster which he unleashes on his drunken wife, and a man with a severe cockroach problem. Featuring Adrienne Barbeau, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, and even King himself, plus great gore and makeup effects by the always excellent Tom Savini; Creepshow is a real treat.

Great Original Horror Film!
In this collaboration with Stephen King, director George Romero assembles a distinguished cast and pays vividly hued homage to the E.C. horror comics of the 1950s. (This film appeared years before the TALES FROM THE CRYPT series.) Five creepy tales are strung together by a framing story involving a young boy being punished by his father for reading the gruesome, titular comic book. "Father's Day" tells the tale of a family patriarch exacting beyond-the-grave revenge on the daughter who murdered him. In "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill," a Maine hayseed (King himself in a ridiculously over-the-top performance) is overtaken by a meteor-based plant growth. A cuckolded husband exacts watery revenge on his cheating wife and her lover in "Something to Tide You Over." A hairy beast in a box is used for nefarious purposes at a university in "The Crate." Finally, in "They're Creeping Up on You," a wealthy, arrogant New Yorker with a fear of germs has a disturbing run-in with cockroaches during a blacko