Reviews (20)

The music's good. Videos...so so.
I'm one of them new U2 converts, and my first CD by them was the hits collection, so I was pretty happy when I got this music video collections.

GOOD
-The music's all top notch stuff.
-The Unforgettable Fire and New Year's Day...beautiful videos both.
-Sweetest Thing is funny, but also quite poignant if you know the story behind the song.
-It is kinda funny watching Bono dance in I Will Follow like U2 was a new wave/synthpop act (they even looked the part, the buttoned to the neck white suits...)
-Where the Streets Have No Name, what a heck of a video
-One Tree Hill
-Amazing version of Bad, from Rattle and Hum

THE BAD
-Unfortunately, the amazing version of Bad features Bono taking off his shirt...uh, I don't think I wanted to see that.
-'New wave' U2 in I Will Follow
-'Hair' U2 in With or Without You (Bono in sleeveless leather top with long ponytail, ugh)
-I kinda cringe with the whole 'Bono marching to the drums' and the 'white flag' in Sunday Bloody Sunday
-They made a video for 'Gloria' didn't they...I love that song, I want that video.

Good video compilation, but...
...not a complete one. Again, like the album of the same name, it's missing songs, it's not in chronological order, and - unlike THE BEST OF 1990-2000, it's not on DVD yet!!!!! Here's what could have been the tracklisting for the original VHS release and what should be for the DVD (and as a bonus, the UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY/LIVE AT RED ROCKS concert video should be included):

1. I Will Follow
2. Gloria
3. New Year's Day
4. Pride...In The Name Of Love (two versions)
5. The Unforgettable Fire
6. Bad (two "live" versions)
7. A Sort Of Homecoming
8. Where The Streets Have No Name
9. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
10. With Or Without You
11. Bullet The Blue Sky (LIVE)
12. One Tree Hill
13. The Sweetest Thing
14. Desire
15. When Love Comes To Town
16. Angel Of Harlem
17. All I Want Is You
UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY/LIVE AT RED ROCKS (bonus material)---------
1. Surrender
2. Seconds
3. Sunday Bloody Sunday
4. The Electric Co.
5. October
6. New Year's Day
7. I Threw A Brick Through A Window
8. A Day Without Me
9. Gloria
10. Party Girl
11. 11 O' Clock Tick Tock
12. I Will Follow
13. '40'

(by the way, the video for "Sunday Bloody Sunday" on 1980-1990 was taken from the LIVE AT RED ROCKS concert so that's why I didn't list it with the other promo videos)

DVD Must be released
This is another example of a music video that should be on DVD,
Please release it!

?????
Why isn't this available on DVD? When it is issued on DVD, they should include the unreleased Red Hill Mining Town video by Neil Jordan. Hopefully their merchandising team has thought ahead with Best of 1990-2000 and will automatically issue it on DVD as well as VHS.

Where are Gloria and Celebration?
Of course, whenever you are a "snob" who has liked something longer than most people you know, you tend to like the stuff that they all missed more than the stuff that made them jump on the bandwagon. I did not like Joshua Tree for several years because it made U2 a household name instead of a cult band. Yeah, only a couple of years later, after I hadn't listened to it a a while, I had to say, "This was the album of the '80's - well done."

But this isn't about that, it's about the vid collection. My point is that this is a collection for all of those who jumped on the bandwagon on or after Joshua Tree. For the "thousands" of us who rushed out to buy War in 1983 this collection is missing some relics. Most significantly, Gloria, the first song I heard by them on a Joliet, IL punk/new wave station, and Celebration - an early "single-only" (like Party Girl and 11 O'Clock) and never has appeared on an authorized album. It was probably the next best video to New Year's Day.

Nonetheless, any collection of U2 video's automatically gets at least 4 stars by default. Worth the money, of course, just disappointing by the lack of the relics. Maybe they will cash in by releasing a DVD with Celebration included! ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (30)

Stephen Hasn't Been This Hilarious Since, Candy Darling
Finally Stephen plays a role worthy of his talents. He is the perfect lead in a dramatic comedy and I love to see him in these types of roles. Entropy is a very entertaining film filled with cameos, music and even a talking cat.

Jake is a director pulled in ten different directions when he meets up with his soul mate, Stella ( Judith Godreche ) a flighty model who sticks by Jake no matter how daunting his career is. Once Jake loses his mind during his latest film, Stella opts they go their separate ways. This is when the movie lost some of its sense. Jake got married for no reason, and there were a lot of thrown in parts that didn't add to the story. Entropy is one of those films that moves so fast you'd better pay attention or you will get lost if you miss a scene. The characters shift from place to place so often you can't keep up. This keeps the film from getting boring but too confusing. Jake narrates the film and it's hard to tell what's truly happening compared to what he's just thinking about. Bono from U2, Lauren Holly have cameo roles. Stephen does a wonderful job playing Jake. It reminded me of his fantastic role as Candy Darling in I Shot Andy Warhol. I recommend this for lovers of high-tech romantic comedies of the 1990's.

Is this title out of print? Why isn't it available on DVD? What a waste.

This is a gem.
I don't really know where to begin. Maybe it's just the state of mind I'm in at the moment, but this film absolutely blew me away. I've never been a Stephen Dorff fan and I'll be honest, I only rented the movie because I am a die-hard U2 fan. Every single thing in this movie is so well thought out and performed by all the actors and the soundtrack is fantastic. I wish they would realse it on CD. Phil Jounou is a visionary and I will recommend this film to all my friends. The home movie segment in central park is one of the most beautiful moments in film that I have ever seen. This movie is excellent.

Sweet and loving!
This is a great movie. I fell inlove with it and have been trying to purchase it for awhile. I truly recommend it to you romance freaks!

My Favorite Movie
I have to say that this movie should be considered one of the greatest films of all time. It was story that was never thought of before and Phil Joanou did a great job of putting it to screen. It's a relatively underground flick, I'm a film student and no one including teachers that i have met have ever scene it. I wish it was available on DVD, but it'll make it there eventually. I thought Stephen Dorff did an excellent job, and I'm not a real fan of U2 but they were perfect in this movie. If you ever see this movie on the rack at your local video store pick it up immediately, you will not be disappointed.

Song list
I'm not here to write a review, you either like it or you don't. But I am here to help out a few of the song junkies like myself sooth that aching pain of not finding a certain song or soundtrack. I've only seen the movie once, so I'm pulling these out of my head of what I remember being in the movie - I don't have a complete list, I'll try and repost it if I ever find them.

The U2 Songs are easy to find, just scour the net a bit.
A few that come to mind are:

U2 - Mofo among the other harder to find ones.

Bran Van 3000 - Drinking in L.A. :: This is the haunting pulse song that seems to resonate during the movie, you'll know it when you hear it.

And..Im drawing a serious blank. One was titled Vultures, another Female Species, and Sea - those I remember reading during the credits. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Good luck on your search. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Oh those zany 80's
I remember seeing this in 1987 at the theater. It was kind of embarrassing because there were like only ten people in there.

If you're looking for the zaniness of Ferris Bueller, this is right up your alley. Jerry Mitchell has to fight a school bully at three o'clock. He tries to pay off a huge jock to protect him, which ends up being film history's largest domino demonstration. He tries to get detention, but just ends up turning on his English teacher. Throw in a bratty little sister, a new age girlfriend, the 'perfect girl' and a nerd sidekick, and you got yourself an hour and a half of decent entertainment.

Hey we all had those butterflies in our stomach when we knew we had a fight set for after school, it's all apart of growing up. It just sucked when it happened first thing in the morning, so you had to dwell on it all day. So there's a little Jerry in all of us. Of course those were the 80's. For those too young to remember, teenagers would settle their differences with their fists, not guns. Hard to believe but it's true.

Notice how at the end of the movie, the whole school looks like the Roman Collusium or a scene out of Mad Max. Outrageous.

Great Teen Film
Ask any "child of the 80's" and they'll give you the usual list of classic "teen films" - Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, etc... But there's a good chance they'll fail to mention one that really stands out: Three O'Clock High. It takes place over the course of a single school day. Jerry Mitchell (Casey Siemaszko) is a nerdy, wimpy kid assigned to tackle a frightening assignemnt: write a school newspaper story on an incorrigible badass bully names Buddy Revell (Richard Tyson). Not knowing Buddy's temperamental nature, and inability to forgive a grudge, he gets Buddy upset enough to make him set up a fight after school. At three o'clock, natch. Jerry spends the day trying to avoid the confrontation with Buddy, and everything he tries simply gets him in trouble with school authorities, and with Buddy himself. And the moment of truth draws closer... Three O'Clock High is basically High Noon in high school, but it's done in such a fresh and interesting way. The cinematography is spare and clean, with some deft camera moves. The dialogue is pretty crisp, and occasionally hits the mark dead-on. It's surreal, but any recent ex-high schooler will easily recognize the "types" depicted here. END

Great comedy-drama, even better than da BREAKFAST CLUB!
To make one thing clear in front; THE BREAKFAST CLUB is one of those films I'll even love and won't get enough of, when I've even seen a thousand times! Because of its typical 80s-flair, and the great intense actings, it is for me one of the greatest films ever made!
Wouldn't there be THREE O`CLOCK HIGH - a laconic highschool-comedy-drama with a hilariously extravagant story and a standout in acting-qualities!
Casey Sziemasko has to match Richard Tyson in a fight he can't win! So he does anything to prevent the fight - funny, but also dramatic situations follow and in the end anything has to come how it had to come!

GO WATCH IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

If you like the 80's and movies like the Breakfast Club.....
...then Three O'Clock High is for you. I have an old VHS copy that I taped off of Starz or Encore many years ago and I haven't seen it on any of the movie channels for quite some time. Needless to say, my old VHS copy is worn out and I've gone in search for the DVD and I've found it!

I've watched this movie countless times as I've introduced it to my friends who hadn't saw it or even heard of it before I turned them on to it. Everyone I've shown the movie to has liked it. Many of the other reviews do a good job of describing who's in it and what the story is about. It's a movie I think a lot of people can relate to with their own experiences of high school.

It'll become one of those movies that you watch while you're not so sober too! Enjoy.

High Noon at Three P.M.
THREE O'CLOCK HIGH is a forgotten gem and one of the better high school teen movies from the 80's. Casey Siemaszko (BACK TO THE FUTURE, STAND BY ME) plays Jerry Mitchell who inadvertantly gets challenged to an after school fight with the new kid in school, Buddy Revell (Richard Tyson -KINDERGARTEN COP, BLACKHAWK DOWN). Buddy is mean, moody, huge, and probably has a questionable past. This happens practically at the beginning of the school day so the film focuses on Jerry's activites the rest of the day leading up to the time of the fight. He gets in all kinds of funny predicaments (at some of his classes, and at the student supply store which he runs and operates) trying to figure out how to get out of the fight. In the meantime the rest of the school finds out and want to be there (at the school parking lot). The audience is allowed to watch, along with Jerry, the school clock(s)and see his 'life' ticking away. There are many twists and turns involved including a scene where the two meet up again at a math class (actually sitting next to each other) and Jerry helps Buddy cheat on a math quiz. The film could have been predictable, but the fight does insue and it is handled with good direction, care and timing. The filmakers let Jerry hold his own against Buddy with a great and amusing payoff. Then, part of the ending is taken straight out of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. Genuinely, a smart movie with some interesting camera work, good production values, a good performance by Casey Siemaszko and a good supporting cast which includes veterans Jeffrey Tambor (AND JUSTICE FOR ALL) and John P. Ryan (THE RIGHT STUFF). Note: Look for Mitch Pileggi (Agent Skinner from the X-FILES) as the school security guard. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Film noir in Technicolour
Fallen Angels 1 has three film noir -stories, each half an hour long, all created in the style of the 40's films. I got this because of Rickman (of course), but wasn't disappointed in any of the other stories either.

The first story stars Peter Gallagher as a conman/cardplayer, and reminds very much of the cheap detective stories my father had. In this world nobody really works, everybody cons, even the nice old sweet couple Gallagher meets in a train and tries to win their money. Wrong move, of course, he gets thrown out in the middle of a desert and later picked up by a car driven by a newly married couple: a man who is a Bible printer and his gorgeous wife, Isabella Rossellini, who nags and nags until than man stops the car and.... Gallagher in is the middle of another plot. Unrealistically beautiful and dangerous women, sadistic killers, organized crime - the lot. A real 40's B-movie in 30 minutes.

'Murder, obliquely' is why I wanted to see this. Laura Dern gets invited to meet a friend of her friends, Dwight (Rickman), and immediately knows, this is her first and final love. Though the man doesn't seem to be interested. They get interrupted by Rickman's lover, a well built redhead - and her new husband. In Rickman's mind the thing isn't over, so newlyweds exit after the woman has thrown all Rickman's gifts on his face. And a bit later they are again, apparently, lovers. Until Dern's innocent remark about a canceled concert breaks everything.

'Murder, obliquely', directed by Cuaron, is different from the two other ones. Everything really happens somewhere else. What we see and hear are Dern's narrative and a couple of people reacting to hints. They are always inside, in doorways, half letting someone in but still keeping them out. Very little is said but Dern's narrative. I've never really liked Dern, but this time she was good. And Rickman... There's again that odd mix of soft, slow sensuality, cunning, cold, calculating intellect and a touch of vulnerability and sincerity (which may be even real). One starts thinking: "OK, he's not young and handsome (though I must admit I find his profile intriguing), but he probably could charm you before you realized what is happening, and kill you without anybody noticing you are dead - and he'd probably have a very good and justified reason for doing it, damn it!" So you don't wonder Dern's choice in the end, though you yourself start speculating: what then? is he serious? is he planning something else? Dern's way of repeating: "My first and final love" leaves a whole lot of options. And to me it reminds the end of Francis Iles' novel 'Before the fact', which I've always liked very much. Yes, this is a good buy for a Rickman-fan, though it doesn't give that many minutes of him.

The third one is again a more active story, moving from city to city, from real live celebrities to the mob. Tim Matheson is Howard Hughes - an odd choice - and Gary Busey the guy, who works for him and Michael Cohen, hyperactivelly played by James Woods. Busey, too, is an odd choise for the guy who seems to have a decent heart somewhere, but everybody works rather fine.
The story moves around a blond bombshell, whom both Hughes and Cohen want to find. But she isn't what she appears to be, though she worked as a prostitute. All the marks of a Bogart-type movie are here; the cynical lead character, criminals, mobsters, dead men turning up from all sorts of places, a beautiful, elusive woman, wanted by many and yet seemingly capable to take care of herself and have her own, cunning plans.

Well, I liked these. I've always liked film noir and even with these modern actors (which sometimes make the stories come very close to a parody) and brilliant colours they were well made and amazingly loyal. I even liked the order, with calm, hinting 'Murder,obliquely' placed in between Bogart-style stories. A well deserved 4 stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (14)

MIND ALTERING TV ¿ NOT FOR TECHNOPHOBES!
The Wild Palms Mini Series first aired a few years ago, it was made for TV and it is based on the comic strip by the same name that appeared in Details Magazine in the early 90's. Its main audience was Generation X'ers, but I've heard that the comic strip became very popular with aging hippies, potheads, and the "underground" in general because of its offbeat pace and cerebral content. I taped it off the TV when it first aired and have watched it many, many times. I will definitely buy it on DVD when it comes out. The film stars Jim Belushi as Harry Wyckoff; Dana Delaney as Grace, his wife; Angie Dickinson as Josie, Grace's mother; Robert Loggia as Senator Tony Kreutzer, Josie's brother; and a few others like Kim Catrall, Bebe Newirth , and Ernie Hudson.

Wild Palms is a story that takes place in the year 2065, and shows how technology has advanced to the point of being at the verge of making hollographic images physically interactive with human beings. Senator Kreutzer is about to launch a new sitcom on Channel 3 called Church Windows which will project the characters into people's living rooms. It will make people "feel" like part of the TV program. The dark side of the plan is that in order for people to interact with the hollograms, they have to take the drug MIMIZINE. Prolonged use of the drug has a side effect...it causes the user to see hallucinations of cathedrals and churches and it is ultimately fatal. But Senator Kreutzer wants the whole world to get hooked on hollographic TV for his own purposes, but you'll have to watch the film to find out what that is.

Wild Palms is the first major production concerning VIRTUAL REALITY, though there was a kind of predecessor in TRON and in other lesser known films. The concept of VR has been used in movies again and again since Wild Palms in varying degrees of benevolence and malevolence (e.i. THE LAWNMOWER MAN, VIRTUOSITY, THE MATRIX), but when Wild Palms first came out the idea of VR was pretty fresh and open to exploration. The premise of VR is that human beings can communicate, interact, copulate, and in essence live and die in VR which is an extension of the real world within a network of computers (like the internet).

The conflict in Wild Palms begins with Senator Kreutzer, he is the founder of a group called "The Fathers" who epitomize capitalism and right-wing, traditional politics (their corruption notwithstanding). Their antagonists are "The Friends" whose founder is a political prisoner named Eli Levitz. Eli used to be married to Josie...their daughter is Grace.

Chickie Levitz (played by Brad Douriff) has the secret to the GO CHIP, which is the thing that will allow Senator Kreutzer to achieve his final goal once everyone is hooked into the Church Windows Sitcom.

Throughout the film there's betrayal, seduction, incest, murder, and torture. None of it is overly graphic as it is not a "gore" film as such. The atmosphere of fear and impending doom is created more by what it implies than by what it shows. Like when Josie pokes the eyes out the artist. Not much is shown in the way of gore, but the scene is pretty disturbing.... Later in the film, as he prepares for revenge ,he says to Josie, "...once I was a painter, and mixing colors was my joy...", he then pokes her eyes out, and as she's screaming on the floor he shoots her a number of times.

The film is very textural and warbles in and out of psychological focus. It mixes Oriental mysticism, politics, philosophy, hi-tech drugs, and the American Dream in a mish-mash so weird, you just have to watch it to understand it. Many of the scenes are reminiscent of Peter Greenaway films (a.i. A Zed and Two Noughts, Drowning by Numbers, etc.)

Prescient View of Future?
I view this mini-series at least once a year and find it eeriely prescient to the world we live in today and possibly the world we're creating.

With it's strange and (sometimes) confusing mixture of technology, twisted family trees, megalomania and rampant drug use, the story seems to be converging on real-world relationships between people and machines in the 21st century. Add in that it was filmed prior to the Internet boom/bust years, the themes of social and economic disruption because of revolutionary technology and processes (i.e. Napster and globalization) makes WP seem positively visionary.

There are many things not to like about W-P (primarily because of the limitations of the mini-series format) but looking beyond those shortcomings, people can find an imaginative, daring and provocative story about the world we live in and possibly the world we're creating.

Great show
I was impressed with this mini-series when it was shown on Dutch television 10 years ago. Finally I got to buy a good version on DVD from somebody on eBay. I can hardly wait for the official DVD-version.

When will this be on DVD ?
This is one of the most interesting series made. The version that made it on Sci-Fi channel a few years later with commentary should go onto the DVD. I really wish someone would get this out soon... the feel of the society portrayed here becomes more like reality. The Bush II era in a post-bin Laden/WTC world has takes on the atmosphere of politics as in Fathers vs. Friends in the world of this series more and more.

To the people who doesn't get it.
If you can't see what is so good about this series then you either don't like the setting or you're just one of the guys that doesn't like anything that messes with your mind. You'll probably hate David Lynch too. If you give this one star...well, then you're just being silly. Go watch armageddon or behind enemy lines, it's the only movies you'll understand. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When he emerged from film school in the mid-1980s, director Phil Joanou was touted as the next Steven Spielberg, perhaps because Spielberg took him on as a protégé briefly. Since then, it's been "Phil who?" thanks to a series of mediocre thrillers like this one. Based on one of a series of novels by James Lee Burke about a troubled ex-cop named Dave Robicheaux, this film sat on the shelf for a couple of years before finally being released in 1995. Alec Baldwin plays Robicheaux, a recovering alcoholic who has put life on the New Orleans police department behind him--until a plane crashes in the lake next to his house. He rescues a young Central American girl from the wreck and adopts her--and winds up involved in a gumbo of drug running and dirty dealing involving an old pal named Bubba. Tip-off that this movie should have gone straight to video: Bubba is played by Eric Roberts. Redeeming feature (at least for men, who are all dogs, as everyone knows): a Teri Hatcher nude scene. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A poor adaption of a very good book
My main problem with the movie is the casting of Alec Baldwin as the lead character. He is miscast, and should stick to the pretty boy characters he usually plays. His attempt at a bayou accent is ludicrous, for example. Surprisingly, Terri Hatcher does a convincing job in her role. My advice? Read the book, and skip the video.

A very underrated movie.
This is quite simply a 4-star production of a 5-star book. Many people only rented a copy to fast forward straight to the Teri Hatcher nude scene, while some actually wanted to see the screen adaptation of a wonderful book by James Lee Burke.

Many seem to attack Alec Baldwin's portayal of the lead character, Dave Robicheaux, but I actually think he did a very respectable job. Sure his Cajun accent wasn't 100% dead on, but that isn't all that makes a character. The Robicheaux character, throughout the series of books, is a flawed character that is full of heart and that is exactly how it comes across on-screen. It seems as if every other role was perfectly cast, especially the role of Claudette (played by Teri Hatcher). Every last detail is done perfectly, from the accent down to the sultry demeanor.

The plot brings plenty of action scenes, with many scenes that bring out emotion. If the production studio hadn't been nearly broke when this movie was made (and subsequently put on the shelf for a couple of years), therefore going vastly unpublicized, it would have been more successful at the box office. Don't let the numbers fool you, this is quite a film.

The Teri Hatcher balcony scene sure helps too!

Overlong but great acting and atmosphere
Not sure why this one was trashed by critics when it came out in 1996. I think maybe they were just looking for a reason to cut loose on Alec Baldwin. Who knows? While no one's idea of a classic, it's still a damn fine little neo-noir thriller.

Alec Baldwin does an excellent job in the lead and Eric Roberts just about steals the movie with a characterization that is at once frightening and goofily ingratiating.

It's a shame this one was thrown away and abandoned during it's theatrical release because it seems like director Phil Joanou hasn't done much of anything since. That's too bad because he's a great director (see his STATE OF GRACE and FINAL ANALYSIS also).

Give it a chance!

Give it a chance....
I for one love the flick. I thought that Alec Baldwin played Dave Robicheaux very well. Also I thought that Eric Roberts as Bubba Rock was an inspired choice. And it wasn't the actor's fault that the film sat on a shelf for years. They just got caught in the crumbling of Orion Studios. Thus no promotion was assigned to the film when it finally emerged. The saddest thing that may have occurred was that it cooled the creation of further films based upon the other Dave Robicheaux novels. I always felt that John Goodman would have made a grand Cletus Purcell!

Guys, Listen...
Sure, everyone buys the video for the Teri Hatcher nude scene. You might as well...it did such bad box office that it went straight to TBS (minus nudity)so you won't be recording the unedited original off cable. You could just download the pix from a hundred sites, but dang rabbit, Teri is so sexy in this film that you want to get the whole thing. And while everyone criticizes Alex Baldwin's Cajun accent, Hatcher gets it smooth as silk. Girls, Listen...I didn't read the book. My wife did. And we agreed to see the film after seeing the trailer. She votes thumbs up. As a licensed private detective, I'm not sure I buy the uncoastered Gin Rickey water-mark taste test but, as Johnny Carson liked to say "You buy the premise--you buy the bit." I bought it on VHS. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Excellent Gangster film
Terry Noonan (Sean Penn) returns to Hell's Kitchen after a ten year absence. He immediately falls back in with his childhood friend Jackie ( Gary Oldman), whose brother Frankie ( Ed Harris)is now running a powerful Irish mob. Frankie's organization is looking to make a deal with the Italian Mafia, and Jackie wants Terry brought in to make things run smoother. Unfortunately, Terry is also an undercover cop, and his sole purpose for coming back is to infiltrate Frankie's organization. Things become even more complicated, when Terry manages to rekindle an old romance with Jackie's sister Kathleen (Robin Wright). Now Terry is torn between his job, and remaining loyal to his friends and the woman he loves.

When people bring up the subject of mob films, State of Grace is never mentioned. The story behind the film is very captivating because it shows the fine line between standing by your friends, and doing what's right. The film does a very good job at masking Terry Noonan's intentions because you can never tell which side he is truly playing for. State of Grace is an original in the mob genre because it offers a look at the Irish mob, instead of the Italians. The Irish are natural born fighters and extremely violent. This is what made State of Grace such a powerful mob film. The cast is first rate in this film featuring Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Ed Harris, Robin Wright, John C. Reily, and John Turturo. Each actor involved was brilliant in their roles.

Overall, State of Grace is probably one of the best mob films I have ever seen, and one of the most underrated films ever made. The story was captivating from beginning to end, the entire cast did a first rate job, and you get to take a first hand look at the Irish mob.

A solid 5 stars...

An Irish "Novel" of friendship and betrayel
I watched this movie about ten times and think it's one of the most underrated movies around. Coming along with a great cast like Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Ed Harris and Robin Penn Wright, this movie caught me again and again from the first second to the last.
Set in Hell's Kitchen New York the movie let's you breathe in the Irish athmosphere and tells a bloodthirsty story of friendship & betrayel. Sean Penn plays Terry Noonan, an undercover policeman who was infiltrated in an Irish gang lead by the Flannery brothers ( fantastic play by Gary Oldman and Ed Harris ). The film reflects very good Noonan's split emotions beeing a cop investigating against his former friends and the growing love to the sister of the Flannery brothers ( above average play of Robin Penn Wright ).
The film combines a good story, great actors, silent and short eruptions of violence and maybe one of the most impressive shoot out final ever ! Fantastic camera work!
If you like films like "Good Fellas" and "Reservoir Dogs" you should not miss this one. If you hide yourself behind a pillow when violence comes into play, leave it.

Interesting
State of Grace is a good movie with great actors. The film follows a conventional storyline but is "buoyed up" by the novelty of the subject, the Irish Mob. About half way through the movie, the various characters start to interact in interesting ways, and the film acquires a momentum that it keeps until the end.

Unfortunately, none of the characters seems sufficiently developed to draw the viewer completely into the turmoil that is unfolding on the screen. Terry is the most complex character portrayed, but ultimately, at the end of the movie, I didn't really care what happened to Terry or his girlfriend, Kathleen. For me, becoming involved in a character's experience on screen is what separates adequate films from great films.

I give State of Grave three and a half stars. State of Grace is no Goodfellas, but watch it for compelling performances by Sean Penn and Gary Oldman, for the unique subject matter and for some fun action sequences. However, if you want to be inspired, or devastated, or watch a movie that conveys broader themes than what is happening physically on screen, I would recommend watching something else. This movie is a snapshot into a world, nothing more, nothing less. It left me with a vague feeling of emptiness and I won't be adding State of Grace to my DVD library anytime soon.

A GANGSTER FILM WITH A UNIQUE AND ORIGINAL STYLE.
*** ½ stars rating for this film. "State Of Grace" is not a copy of "The Godfather" or "GoodFellas", it's a story about a second-rated group of gangsters that are trying to gain respect and territory in New York. The first thing that you can notice in "State Of Grace" is the cast: Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Ed Harris, Robin Wright, John C. Reilly and John Turturro, among others.

In Hollywood there are three actors that can portray over-the-top villains, and still be believable and threatening. One of them is Gary Oldman, in a very convincing performance. The other two guys are Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper, but the role in "State Of Grace" was perfect for Gary Oldman.

"State Of Grace" is a movie that never is boring, these anti-heroes are so well portrayed by the cast, that the characters have a very human quality, they are very complex and multidimensional characters, and as a result, the audience is always interested in them. The biggest selling point of "State Of Grace" is the fact that the film never tries to imitate "The Godfather", and that originality is welcome.

A Turning Point in Gangster Movies
I first seen this movie soon after it was released (VHS) and was very impressed considering most people hadn't heard of it. It was refreashing to see a director who finally wanted to make a movie about the Irish Mob, who afterall were the longest established organised crime group in NY. I strongly disagree with a reviewer from Medford, NY who described Oldman's character as somewhat over the top. In my opinion, this is Oldman's finest performance to date! Having read many books on the Westside Irish Mob (as they refered to themselves) including The Westies by T.J English, Oldman brought the real life character Mickey Featherstone to life on our screens in Oscar style fashion! Believe me , these characters are not your average Italian style gangster; slick-back hair, well dressed killers. Most of these men had no such delusions of grandeuer when it came to how they looked. Many were hard drinking heroin addicts who if hadn't been shot, would have killed themselves anyway! These story lines have a much harder edge than your average Italian/Jewish gangster film because of a notorious drug and drinking culture that the other two etnic crime groups considered to be sloppy and unprofessional. Other films such as Southie have tackled these issues also, portraying a family from the projects coming to terms with alcoholism, drug abuse and gun culture. Don't get me wrong, I love Goodfellas and The Godfather but you have to admit, you won't beat the Irish when it comes to telling a story with typically unique ingredients. Jonau, indeed, could have been far more brutal in his portrayal of these men. Storys of a victem's head being taken on a pub crawl of the westside are now legendary. Ed Harris and Sean Penn turn in fantastic performances also, but Gary Oldman steals the show. I couldn't believe it when I found out shortly after watching the movie that Oldman is infact English. His portrayal of what is generally accepted to be Mickey Featherstone, is awsome! Those of you used to your typical Italian gangster movie be prepared for a crash landing into the world of psycotic, alcoholic, drug addicted killers! No dyed hair and flashy suits here! Just cold blooded, knee jerk reaction murder! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rattle and Hum is not a film for anyone looking for an introduction to Irish band U2's career in the 1980s, but it is a vibrant portrait of an established group making its musical pilgrimage through the America it has always imagined through blues, gospel, and early rock 'n' roll. Filmmaker Phil Joanou(Heaven's Prisoners), a veteran music-video director and maker of the distractingly kineticThree O'Clock High, finds a suitable outlet for his high energy in this juggernaut of a journey, which finds U2 collaborating with a black gospel choir and B.B. King, recording inside the legendary Sun Records studio, dropping by Graceland, and in a moment of fearlessness, performing the Beatles' "Helter Skelter" to exorcise Charles Manson's sick claim on the song.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (81)

A Truly Amazing Experience
Rattle and Hum is one of my two favorite U2 DVD's out there, tied with the excellent Best of 1990-2000.
While technically considered a documentary, Rattle and Hum is really a concert film, each song filmed during one of their live shows on their tour for the Joshua Tree album. But Rattle and Hum is a real movie, (it even has an MPAA rating). The directing is unbelievable, especially for a concert film. Instead of setting up cameras in the crowd and using a zoom lense, director Phil Joanou uses swooping cameras all over the stage, and it makes you feel as if you're on stage with them. Most of the film is in artsy black and white and it really brings out the emotion in the music, although there are three songs filmed in color.
The picture quality is very good, and although I won't claim to be an expert on sound quality, it sounds very good.
U2 are incredible live performers. These live versions of 'Exit, 'Where the Streets Have no Name', 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', and 'With or Without You' may very well be superior to the already excellent studio cuts. They even perform 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' with a gospel choir, and it is absolutely amazing. If you are a fan of U2's older stuff I suggest you purchase this immediately. Otherwise, it's definitely still worth checking out.

U2-The Birth of a Super-Band
U2--nothing more nothing less. This is U2 at it's best. No video screens. No Zoo-tv. No props whatsoever. Just a band that knows how to rock. And rock they do from the beginning with a version of The Beatles "Helter Skelter". They take you on a journey thru America in 1987 and 1988 during the Joshua Tree tour--perhaps the bands best years. Highlights include a version of "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" with a Harlem chior, and the recording of "Angel of Harlem" at Sun Studios in Memphis--same studio that Elvis used, and a blazing version of "Desire". Perhaps the most moving moment is the chilling version of "Running to Stand Still". Along the way Bono tries to educate, from the problems in Northern Ireland ("Sunday, Bloody Sunday") to the problems in Nicaragua ("Bullet the Blue Sky"). During one such moment, Bono uses one of the best lines I've heard in a long time when talking about money-hungry evangelists--"The God I Beleive in Doesn't Run Short of Cash". If you missed this defining moment, this is a great catch-me up.

a must
raw, powerful, u2 at their uninterupted best...clearly defines u2 as one of music's best live bands...a peek into their experiences on tour in the US...if you are a u2 fan you already have this, if you dont then you are not really a fan....

A Masterpiece
This is one of the ultimate rock movies for me. It ranks alongside The Beatles "A Hard Day's Night." It doesn't really have a story though. It's closer to a concert video, but instead of showing a single concert, it puts together some of the best performances of U2's Rattle and Hum tour. There are quite a few masterpiece performances in the movie. Of particular note is "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" which takes place in a Harlem church with a full choir. It's a very moving performance. Also I really loved "Angel of Harlem" which was performed in the Sun Studio in Memphis. It's the use of these kinds of unique performances that make this special. For fans of U2's 80's songs, this is the ultimate collection. It's a must have for every U2 fan.

Rattle and Hum
Looks like I have finally found what I was looking for...
Rattle And Hum on DVD is what every U2 afficionado cannot and will not do without! A travelogue of sorts for the irish band in the US, Phil Joanu's film captures the band's essence in the 80s, when they were essentially basking in the glory of Joshua Tree. Loads of attitude (Check out their interviews) but no pretensions here, its just the band at their musical best, as ordinary people who can be dazzled by the splendour of Graceland and get excited jamming with B.B. King and amidst their bantering admire with all honesty a roadside blues guitarist and do an impromptu session with a Church choir for I Still Havent Found What Im Looking For. In between all this is the exemplary courage shown by Bono to go public against the IRA in one of the bands concerts. If I had to look in perspective, this DVD serves as a perfect window to see the band as who they were and what they would be [As seen in Zorropa] before their radical Discotheque days. Right at the start of the film, you are treated to an exquisite vocal rendition by Edge of a song thats hauntingly familiar [I dont remember the name]. Gloria was not how I expected it to be, but in the larger scheme of things, it hardly matters. Though the entire format is in black and white, I would say this is an excellent decision taken by the director, because in a certain way it has added a subtle surreal atmosphere. All in all an hours worth of pure music fidelity... Sit back and enjoy... ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (9)

An extraordinary candidate for DVD publication!
Fortunately I was able to tape this out-of-this-world mini-series. But it appears to have disappeared from circulation of late. I, for one, would revel in seeing it again in a glorious remastered DVD edition... Remember Oliver Stone's cameo in a TV show of the future interviewed about the (then solved) Kennedy mystery? Not to mention John Belushi being introduced to William Gibson in a party. I believe that this TV series definitely has historic elements and that it MUST be immortalized on a nice DVD edition!

THIS MUST COME OUT ON DVD!!!!!!!!
This is a masterpeace!
Everyone who haven't seen it is really missing out on something great. Guess SOMEONE doesn't like this..anyhow...all the more reason to get it out! Free Wild Palms!

This MUST come out on DVD!!
This is a masterpeace!
Everyone who haven't seen it is really missing out on something great. Guess Hollywood doesn't like this..anyhow...all the more reason to get it out! Free wild palms!

the most important miniseries ever made
"No Longer Available"? "The studio is no longer releasing videos of this title"? This sounds awfully fishy to me. "Wild Palms" attacks the hypocrisy and bloodthirsty nature of Scientology with barely a veneer of fiction on top. Nonetheless, you'll notice that it's really hard to find, it's never been repeated, it was critically panned although everyone who saw it was amazed and pleased. I SMELL A RAT! C'mon, clams, let us have "Wild Palms" back. Someone needs to tell the truth sometime.

FAVORITE MOVIE
deep themes might cloud the publics mind.... but for the perceptive an introspective and awesome look into a possible future ... Read more

Amazon.com

This film, which again pairs Richard Gere and Kim Basinger (whostarredin 1986's NoMercy), offers up elements of classic noir: a hapless manbecomesintimately involved with a beautiful blonde who may or maynot be who or what she appears to be. Dedicated psychiatrist Isaac Barr(Gere) reluctantly, and then more obsessively, becomesinvolved with Heather Evans (Basinger), the sister of his patient,DianaBaylor (Uma Thurman). Evans is unhappily married to a gangster(appropriately played by a muscular and menacing Eric Roberts in atrademark role). Gere and Basinger make a credible, if dangerouscouple, and Thurman delivers a subtle,understated performance and demonstrates her range and potential.

The thriller is appropriately shot in gorgeous San Francisco, where theliteral and figurativecurving and hilly roads wind throughout. Credit legendary art directorDean Tavoularis for some amazingsets and scenes, notably the elegantly cavernous restaurant whereEvans and her husband have a fateful dinner.

This film is, in a way, glossy director Phil Joanou's Hitchcockian tribute--as a climactic lighthouse scenebest demonstrates. Final Analysis doesn't offer an intimate lookat its characters, but a beautifully stylized one, moody and gloomy. Theintricate plot experiments with the device of "pathologicalintoxication," in which the subjectcompletely loses control after drinking alcohol. And this doesn't meanaconventional ugly drunk; it meansa frightening psychotic. Good and evil, hope and despair, beauty andrepulsion are often juxtaposed in the film's complex world. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A TASTY BASIC INSTINCT KNOCK OFF
This video came out shortly after Basic Instinct and tries to bask in it's glow... a lot of plot twists and turns, tricks on the audience and sexual tension.

But since it has R.Gere and a fresh Kim B. it still rocks.

There's some funky "NYPD Blue" type characters - Gere's atty and the Detective after his a-s.

One very clean romantic scene with Gere and Basinger and one twisted implied sex scene btw Gere and her wacko hubby - Eric Roberts.

I actually think it's a great movie. It'll put any normal girl in the mood. Lots of surprise, suspense action and romance.

The D

Final analysis
A psychiatrist breaches professional ethics by falling in love and starting a romance with the sister of one of his patients.
The sister of his patient steals the psychiatrist heart by telling him that she's not happily married. Her husband is abusive - gangster kind of guy. Soon she kills her husband and her excuse is: she suffers from Pathological Intoxication.
And if she proves it she'll be safe. Isaac (Gere) believes all she's saying and helps her a lot but soon he discovers that she
was lying all the time and that she's dangerous - but it's too late now for Isaac to bring her to justice as he's already deeply
involved in her crimes.

Great classic thriller

Good Job Kim Basinger
I really enjoyed this movie. Suspense, many twists and turns and I have to say that Kim Basinger was awesome. I also thought Eric Roberts did an incredible job in the short time he appeared in the movie. If you like suspense and some surprises, you will enjoy it.

Terrible DVD, ok movie
The quality of this DVD is bad; that's being kind. It's a full-screen movie transfer, which some people actually prefer because they like to miss a lot of the movie. Also, the transfer is very grainy.

The actually movie isn't that much better. You see what could have been, but instead they try to throw around a few twists just because they think they should. Uma Thurman is wonderful. That's about all this movie has to offer. Very DUM ending.

Good movie -- bad DVD
This thriller was always an extremely entertaining Hitchcock knockoff (nothing at all like Basic Instinct, despite the other reviews here) -- if you could buy Gere as a therapist, and that's not hard, since he's not playing a *smart* therapist -- but a lot of the charm of the movie was how gorgeous it was visually, and this DVD does not give you the gorgeous anarmorphic widescreen picture you expect from a DVD. It's formatted to fit your (square) screen. I would much rather have paid 20 bucks for the expected widescreen version -- since I already had the VHS, this wasn't even worth 10. (Yes, I admit I should have read the product description more carefully, but I didn't realize people were releasing widescreen movies on DVD without a widescreen option -- why should they, for crying out loud? -- so I got blindsided. I post this to warn others like myself.) ... 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 (11)

A TASTY BASIC INSTINCT KNOCK OFF
This video came out shortly after Basic Instinct and tries to bask in it's glow... a lot of plot twists and turns, tricks on the audience and sexual tension.

But since it has R.Gere and a fresh Kim B. it still rocks.

There's some funky "NYPD Blue" type characters - Gere's atty and the Detective after his a-s.

One very clean romantic scene with Gere and Basinger and one twisted implied sex scene btw Gere and her wacko hubby - Eric Roberts.

I actually think it's a great movie. It'll put any normal girl in the mood. Lots of surprise, suspense action and romance.

The D

Final analysis
A psychiatrist breaches professional ethics by falling in love and starting a romance with the sister of one of his patients.
The sister of his patient steals the psychiatrist heart by telling him that she's not happily married. Her husband is abusive - gangster kind of guy. Soon she kills her husband and her excuse is: she suffers from Pathological Intoxication.
And if she proves it she'll be safe. Isaac (Gere) believes all she's saying and helps her a lot but soon he discovers that she
was lying all the time and that she's dangerous - but it's too late now for Isaac to bring her to justice as he's already deeply
involved in her crimes.

Great classic thriller

Good Job Kim Basinger
I really enjoyed this movie. Suspense, many twists and turns and I have to say that Kim Basinger was awesome. I also thought Eric Roberts did an incredible job in the short time he appeared in the movie. If you like suspense and some surprises, you will enjoy it.

Terrible DVD, ok movie
The quality of this DVD is bad; that's being kind. It's a full-screen movie transfer, which some people actually prefer because they like to miss