Reviews (28)

A Great Old Time Chick Flick!
I admit that I am a fan of old time movies and this one counts as one of my favorites. It takes me back to my younger years and that bittersweet time of finding the right guy with whom to start a relationship with. Four young girls decide to use Spring Break from college to take advantage of the sun and excitment of Fort Lauderdale. Dolores Hart and Paul Prentiss do a fine job as the Beauty/Brains "responsible" girls while Yvette Mimmiuex plays the fresh stars in her eyes, new to the scene girl. She soon learns the hard way that there are decent guys out there and not so decent. Connie Frances plays a athletic-type girl just looking for someone to ask her on a date and charms everyone with her terrific voice and comedic comments. Catching some sun and having the time of their lives, the girls learn many things about themselves and their new found independence. While this movie is not like the movies of today, it still leaves you with a smile and a sigh. Something all us girls can relate too!
The movie sets remind me of times when my friends and I could not wait to get to the beach to catch a tan and check out the guys! Pat on some tanning oil, grab your favorite swimsuit, and round up your girlfriends for some movie fun in the sun.

Good entertainment
I have to admit I liked this movie. Sure, the premise was great, and it looks great too. But that could be said about a lot of movies, and eventually few of them live up to the expectations. This ain't no masterpiece, but it is very funny, has quite a lot of great location shots, especially the last one on the beach (adding a great title tune with great voice, courtesy of Connie), and great scenes like the one where Connie Francis and girlfriend go to the bar and order hot water because they can't afford anything else and slip tea bagas into them, or when all the cast jumps/falls into the saloon acquarium. I was unsure whether Yvette Mimiuex was raped or not because for 1960 I have rarely seen in movies, but after reading some reviews I was right. And the scene where she zombie-walks into traffic is very good (to look at).
All in all, a good movie.

Where the Boys Are" 1960 version
ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES EVER. EXCELLENT CAST, EXCELLENT STORYLINE, EXCELLENT ACTING, EXCELLENT PICTURE, HONEST!!!!!!!!!

Where the Boys Are
"Where the Boys Are" has many things going for it and at the top of that list would be Paula Prentiss who makes her film debut here. In fact, it was her interview in the DVD extras that so enchanted me that it colored the whole film in an even rosier light. She is fun, ebullient, warm, and has nary a bad word for anyone, but she is also so unpretentious and open that it really provided a lot of insight into what it was really like to work on a film, fresh out of college and ironically at a location which she had missed on her own spring break.

The film tells the story of a group of girls on spring break in Ft. Lauderdale and the romances they encounter there, but as one reviewer here pointed out, it's not exactly "Beach Blanket Bingo." There's the fun 60's comic side of the film similar to "Beach Blanket Bingo" and other "madcap" comedies of that era, but there's also a deeper side with some serious issues raised about "date rape." The film is fairly well cast and pleasant to watch. It also has a real jazz score and Connie Francis performing and singing the title tune. Additionally, it's easy on the eye with great, candy-colorful costumes; beautiful on-location scenery including a panoramic shot of Ft. Lauderdale in full swing; a silly climax in a fish tank with the whole cast practically getting wet; and some unusual names for characters.

All in all, I'd say this one is a keeper and a classic in its own right. It may not be quite an "A" picture, so I didn't give it 4 stars, but it is a really fine film of its kind, mixing breezy, silly, 60's comedy with issues that were going to explode in the coming decade. And the stars are just great. I thoroughly enjoyed all the extras -- not only the wonderful, refreshing Paula Prentiss commentaries, but also a documentary that highlighted both Prentiss and Francis interviews. The film manages to address its heavier issues without having the shift in tone sink the picture in any way, so it's done rather seamlessly.

Again, I highly recommend this film and feel it's probably one of the best of the beach flicks.

The sixties begin.
Suntans, first love, jazz, date rape. And all in one film. "Where the Boys Are" ushered in the 60's, perhaps unwittingly, with its portrayal of half a dozen teens on Spring Break and their new attitudes about sex, life, and sex. Dolores Hart (now a Mother Superior in real life) plays a privileged Midwestern girl with very progressive ideas about interpersonal relations, while Yvette Mimieux's tragic character learns the hard way the lessons of promiscuity, at least according to Hollywood at the time. A very enjoyable film, and a nostalgic final glance back at the fading 1950's, as a new generation was about to make its mark on the social mores of Spring Break and the new world of the 60's. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"Jolson Story II": script only OK but Parks better than ever
"Jolson Sings Again" picks up where "The Jolson Story" left off and takes the singing star into the 1940s, when he finds himself in professional decline until his movie biography comes out. Because this sequel covers far less territory than the original, "Jolson Sings Again" lacks the stature and story values of the earlier picture. But in many ways it's even more fun to watch.

By this time Larry Parks, already impressive in "The Jolson Story," was in full command of the role. Parks is often very amusing and inventive here, adding little bits of business to his performance. As for his song scenes, this writer submits "Sonny Boy" for special praise. Parks is letter-perfect, so much so that the film editor doesn't cut away from Parks's face as he delivers one long, flawless take. Barbara Hale is excellent as the romantic interest, and Ludwig Donath and Myron McCormick are fine in support. (Look quickly for "Gong Show" bandleader Milton Delugg as a young accordionist.)

Fans of Al Jolson will enjoy hearing many popular hits, and movie buffs will especially enjoy the scenes showing the preparation and filming of "The Jolson Story." You don't have to know the original to enjoy "Jolson Sings Again."

JOLIE SINGS AGAIN
My favorite of the two Jolson Movies. Watch this wonderful DVD and be brought back to a time of Inocents. When movies really were Spectacular....Get the popcorn ready..Put your feet up and get ready for a wonderful Experience...........Enjoy !!

Never get tired of this one!
Larry Parks is incredible once again as Al Jolson. Sure, its kind of predictable, and some of the more popular scenes from "The Jolson Story" are redone here, but I could watch this movie every day and not get tired of the music, story, and especially Larry Parks! Would LOVE to have it in DVD if/when that happens!

Big Shock! Jolson's voice was not used on all songs!
Columbia Pictures was not happy with at least three of the tracks Jolson sang. He was older and not well so they brought in Jolson "sound-a-like" singer Norman Brooks to sing them. If you ever heard Mr Brooks you would be amazed! He HAD AL Jolson's voice!!
Once source told me that Jolie never knew the difference.

Entertaining sequel to "The Jolson Story" with Larry Parks
"Jolson Sings Again" is a worthy sequel to "The Jolson Story" with Larry Parks repeating his amazing portrayal of the sensational Broadway entertainer Al Jolson. The film takes up where the original ended with Jolson singing in a night club then he goes home to find that his wife Julie (Evelyn Keyes) has left him. William Demarest is back once again as Steve Martin (Jolson's friend and manager) with Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne repeating their roles as Jolson's parents. Jolson is only happy when singing on stage to a live audience but finds that he is now no longer in demand and it is difficult to get work. Steve Martin tries hard to discover some Broadway producer who will put Jolson into a show but no one is interested. Jolson then volunteers to entertain the troops abroad and is one of the first of the big stars to do this. While on one of these Tours he meets Col. Bryant (Myron McCormick) who is a big Jolson fan. On another Tour Jolson contracts an illness and is taken to hospital. Ellen Clark (Barbara Hale) is a nurse at the hospital where he is recovering and they fall in love and get married. Jolson still pines to be singing again and Steve Martin manages to get him a spot in an all star benefit show. The show is extremely long and Jolson doesn't appear until the finale by which time many people have left. However, Col. Bryant is in the audience that night and he stays to the end specially to hear Jolson sing. Bryant is now a Hollywood film producer and phones Jolson after the show with an offer to make a film of Jolson's life story. Much of "Jolson Sings Again" shows the background to the making of the earlier film which is fascinating - particularly when Larry Parks (as Jolson) is introduced to Larry Parks (as himself)!! "The Jolson Story" became a smash hit putting Jolson back on top and he went on to even greater success than before with another biographical film a few years later continuing his story in "Jolson Sings Again".

Some favourite lines from the film:

William Demarest (to Robert Emmett Keane): "I'm not going back to that guy with some lame excuse that adds up to only one thing - he's not wanted. I can't do it Charlie, and you're not going to make me do it".

Myron McCormick (to soldiers at Jolson troop concert): "I don't know what the name means to you. When I was your age it meant the world's greatest entertainer - Al Jolson".

McCormick (to Parks as Jolson): "Meet a young fellow named Larry Parks".

Barbara Hale (to Parks): "It's your right to hear those bobby soxers squeal".

It is interesting to note that the storyline in both films was not entirely accurate and took a few liberties with the facts. Jolson's mother died when he was eight years old yet in the films she lives on to see him become a big success on Broadway and in talking pictures. Many people who played active parts in Jolson's real life story did not even get a mention in the film versions. His long time manager Louis Epstein, his dresser valet Frank Holmes and his brother Harry Jolson were all eliminated!! The character of Steve Martin excellently played by William Demarest did not actually exist and it has been suggested that this role was probably a composite of the three men referred to above plus several other people. Jolson's first two wives were not even mentioned in "The Jolson Story" and Ruby Keeler (Jolson's third wife) would not allow her name to be used in the picture so attractive Evelyn Keyes had to play the fictitious Julie Benson instead.

Harry Cohn (the notorious head of Columbia Pictures) is to be congratulated for going ahead with Jolson's life story when all the other major Hollywood studios had turned it down. Even Warner Bros. (for whom Jolson had starred in several films) were not interested. Filming was started on a small budget and in black and white. When Harry Cohn saw the early rushes he decided to film in colour and make "The Jolson Story" a major prestigious production. This certainly paid off in a big way for him as the film became one of Columbia Pictures top money earners and led to this sequel "Jolson Sings Again". James Cagney and Danny Thomas were both offered the part of Jolson and surprisingly both of them turned it down! Jolson desperately wanted to play the leading role himself and was opposed to another actor portraying his life. Unfortunately for him the studio decided that Jolson was too old (he was 60 at the time of the first film) but Columbia could not have found anyone better than the young Larry Parks (31) who perfectly captured the Jolson style and threw himself into the part with relish. However, Jolson did manage to play himself in one scene of "The Jolson Story" singing "Swanee" on the Winter Garden runway (all filmed in longshot with no close-ups). A clip from this scene was also shown in "Jolson Sings Again" so he did manage to appear in both films after all. Following the completion of "Jolson Sings Again" Larry Parks only made another four films due to the McCarthy communist "witch hunt" which was a shame as he was a very talented performer. He died in 1975 but will always be remembered for these two magnificent Jolson films. It is remarkable that over 50 years after Jolson's death there is an active "International Jolson Society" still in existence which has hundreds of members worldwide and publishes regular illustrated journals. "The Jolson Story" and "Jolson Sings Again" are two of my favourite musicals and I can watch them over and over again. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Flawed but fascinating
George Pal, one of the most underrated filmmakers who worked during the Golden Age of Hollywood, made his most ambitious film, this, in 1962. Running 135 minutes with overture and intermission, it's a very curious project that seems especially incongrous in Cinerama. At times it drags and seems a bit silly, but it comes off as one of those films which seem detached in time, as it does not seem dated, but never would have been made today. The three fairy tale sequences are the film's highlight, with top-notch Puppetoon animation. Watch this on TCM, and petition for a DVD release. This needs a good DVD, AND NOW!!!

Jamie Teller

Terrific
This film is cute without being syrupy. Harvey and Boehm are
excellent. The fairy tales are wonderful. I love the German
scenery--the Grimms' "hometown" scenes were filmed in Rothenburg
ob du Tauber, Bavaria. As of 1995, the town still looked exactly
as it does in the movie. My favorite scenes--Laurence Harvey as the cobbler. What a transformation from Harvey as Wilhelm Grimm!

Every kid will want to see it dozens of times.
I saw this film when it first came out in the 1960s. For some reason, what stuck with me from the moment the theater lights turned back on, to the present era, was the catchy theme tune. The tune is still there, as one might expect. I recently took a few moments to learn the song of the elves from the cobbler sequence. Although the lyrics are a bit awkwardly written, the tune is fun to sing now and then. The storylines for each tale seem intact. (They're not extensively modified as in the Disney style) The connecting sequences, which comprise a biography of the Grimm brothers, is cleverly written. The somewhat different personalities and career goals of the two brothers are wonderfully related. Children might be especially amused by the scene where one brother leans on a suit of armor, causing the entire suit to collapse. The "voice" of the singing bone is exquisite. Another clever moment is the means by which the cobbler addresses a hunter, i.e., "Your Marksmanship." Another memory that stuck with me from my first viewing in the early 60's, was the effect of a sleeping potion on a plant, causing the plant to whither. The conclusion of the film, featuring masses of children cheering in a railroad station, is ideal for this story. What a great ending! The print is more than adequate, unlike, for example, the Beatles' Help, and Disney's Darby O'Gil and the Little People, which seem only available on blurry videotape prints that are difficult to endure. I can think of only one real complaint -- the dragon's fire looks like it was put on the film with strips of cut out colored paper.

An Odd, Pleasant Little Film
I have no idea where my Mom got a copy of "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm", but my family has been watching this movie since I was a young girl. A fictionalized account of the adult life of the Grimm Brothers, the story revolves around their transformation as writers of dull, patron-sponsered biographies to chroniclers of the world's great fairy tales. In between the telling of their story, 3 fairy tales are spliced into the narrative.

The Grimm Brothers segments were directed by Henry Levin in a semi-dull but ultimately servicable manner. The fairy tales, however, were directed by the imaginative George Pal , who also directed "The Time Machine" and "Tom Thumb" in the sixties.

"The Cobbler and the Elves" comes first, and is the weakest of the three, although it does have some good claymation. Next comes "The Dancing Princess", and as a ballet dancer, I can tell you the choreography in this segment is absolutely first-rate. The Gyspy dance performed by the wonderful Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story) is among the best onscreen pieces of its kind.

Finally, there is the eerie "Singing Bone" which features Buddy Hackett and the English comedian Terry-Thomas together with a stunning jewel-encrusted Claymation dragon. These three segments are well worth the price of the video and very entertaining for childen. You may also enjoy this movie if you are a dancer or a animation fan.

All in all, "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" is a slightly odd curio, but suitable entertainment for the whole family.

A DVD in proper format is desperately needed
I saw this in the current pan & scan (or as is euphemistically appropriate now, full screen) a few years back and found it to be a painful experience. Adding insult to injury was the condition of the print; faded, washed out, and subject to the ravages that plague single strip colour prints of this era. The movie itself is entertaining enough, but what I'd really like to see is a DVD done in anamorphic widescreen in the Smilebox letterboxing process. This would preserve the original look of the Cinerama process and reduce the amount of distortion normally associated with those tiny lenses Cinerama used. MGM's been doing well with its rereleases on DVD; here's hoping this one will get on the list at some point. ... Read more

Amazon.com

James Mason plays Professor Oliver Lindenbrook, a scientist hoping to find the world's core in this 1959 adaptation of the Jules Verne novel. He leads his unusual party on an expedition to the center of the earth, by way of a volcano in Iceland. On the way, they encounter enormous mushrooms and giant prehistoric monsters. Produced by Michael Todd with then-spectacular special effects, the story was modernized to 1950s sensibilities. Mason gives this class, while Arlene Dahl and Diane Baker are the romantic interests. And Pat Boone is more palatable than you might expect as a secondary lead. You can watch this with your children and not be bored, and they will surely love it. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Solid, entertaining classic restored
It's a fun movie. You can argue with the the "science"; you can argue with some of the optical effects (the use of poorly matted lizards vs. stop motion animation is a minor drawback to the film)and you can argue with some of the deviations from Verne's classic novel but none of this off sets the sheer aura of fun that surrounds this 50's classic. Made at the tail end of the science fiction boom that made the cinema profitable again during the threat of television, Journey succeeds through the top flight direction, witty dialog and performances of the cast.

James Mason is perfectly cast as Professor Lidenbrook and Arlene Dahl plays his spirited romantic interest. The plot is fairly well known so I'll stick to the quality of the film, restoration and DVD transfer. Pat Boone's career as an actor was often blighted by his singing career. He wasn't considered a "serious" actor. He gives a energetic performance that counter balances Mason's intense take as Liddenbrook.

The direction by Hollywood vet Henry Levin sparkles with a number of inventive set pieces. Michael Todd's spare no expense production allows this lavish production to continue to shine nearly 45 years later. The art direction is often imaginative and, despite the limitations of the time, manage to convey the wonder of Verne's original novel.

The optical effects are quite good half a century later. The matte paintings and miniatures still allow one to suspend disbelief and sink into the world portrayed here. The use of redressed lizards for the grand finale does undermine the conclusion a bit. Surprisingly, Todd and director Levin opted for using this approach instead of the more time consuming stop motion animation of Ray Harryhausen or Willis O'Brien. Although it would have delayed the film a bit and increased the budget as well, this brief sequence would have been more believable and lively if it had been made using O'Brien or Harryhausen.

All of this would have been to no avail if not for Bernard Herrmann's moody, inventive and idiosyncratic score for the film. Herrmann's best scores (North by Northwest, Psycho, Citizen Kane among many other classic scores)helped elevate the quality of many films. Hitchcock, Welles, Ray Harryhausen, Brian DePalma and Martin Scorese all recognized that Herrmann's scores were important characters in the films they directed.

The transfer is beautiful given the age of the original negative and condition of many of the films from this time frame. While the restoraation isn't as rich as that given to cinematic classics like Vertigo and Spartacus, the film benefits from the restoration efforts. The colors are vibrant and rich and, with few exceptions, the transfer is sharp and not as grainy as one would expect (particulary during the optical effects sequences).

The DVD transfer is quite good as well. Again, grain problems to crop up now and again and the widescreen transfer isn't flawless but these are fairly minor complaints. Fox has, on the whole, done a marvelous job restoring this classic adventure film. Sadly, Mason, director Levin and Todd are all deceased so we don't get any first person observations about the production of the film on a second audio track. Since Pat Boone is still very much with us, it would have been interesting to hear his memories on the production of this fine film.

I have very fond memories of watching this on the 3:30 Afternoon movie on KGO-TV in San Francisco (and, if memory serves, a couple of times on John Stanley's Creature Feature program as well). It's a perfect rainy day Saturday movie. It's enjoyable for the kids and, yes, even for this adult despite the wonderous explosion in visual effects over the years. While you're at it, you might also enjoy Jon Amiel's The Core an update of sorts of this classic film. Amiel's film vividly recaptures the sense of wonder and power of this type of film with his modern day take on the same theme.

Grand "Cinemascope" family entertainment from the 1950s!
OK, there's been some controversy here about the quality of this release, so let me put it to rest. This DVD is spledid! I think this adaptation of Jules Verne's 1864 French novel is a prime example of 1950's wide-screen motion picture family entertainment -- it's wholesome and has a little something for everyone. This is the best film version of this story, the most recent of which was done for the USA Channel on cable in 1999 and was very campy. They couldn't match the 1959 production values of this 20th Century-Fox film that has excellent color photography and art direction, and Bernard Herrmann's wonderfully atmospheric music score. These elements have continued to make it a favorite with fantasy film fans who can appreciate older movies, though it's true that some of it is silly at times, but I don't think the film's makers were trying for a serious movie. It also contains one of James Mason's best performances (He was always good). It's wonderful "Cinemascope" escapism from the bygone Eisenhower-era of the 1950s. Even though I've been watching it on TV since I was a kid in the sixties, I'd only seen pan&scan versions, and it wasn't until I got it letterboxed on laserdisc that I finally saw what a big-screen entertainment this movie was meant to be. It has splendid scope and a score by Bernard Herrmann that takes you right down into the bowels of the earth. Listen to it and you'll notice what I mean, as the movie progresses the music keeps going into a lower and lower register. Five organs were used, including one meant for a Cathedral. (The complete original recordings of the score are available on CD from Varese Sarabande.) Sure it's long in the telling and takes a while to get you down that extinct volcano in Iceland, but it's fun all the way with great special effects work by L.B. Abbott and matte paintings by Emil Kosa Jr. It's been a long wait for this to come out on DVD but it's now worth it. Although Fox should have known that fans would want more extras, including a production and poster still gallery and audio commentary by Pat Boone and Arlene Dahl perhaps?, or an expert on the production? (Perhaps we'll get it in a future release?), they have thankfully included the original theatrical trailer, whic is a lot of fun. They've also gone to great efforts to restore the color negative, and this 16X9 ANAMORPHIC TRANSFER has been struck from a newly made interpositive print, and has been further enhanced with digital video. The original 4-track MagOptical soundtrack is here offered in Dolby Digital 4.0 surround. Although the directionalized dialogue is often off the mark, the aged soundtrack sounds great and will really rumble your room if you've got a subwoofer. If you are a fan of 1959's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, you'll be very happy with this DVD. I'd give this DVD five stars but for Fox skimping on the extras. Boy, you people at Fox can be real dummies!

A film for the whole family
Fox Studios was so successful with this film that they immediately made another Verne classic, "The Lost World" with Claude Raines as Professor Challenger. "Lost World" didn't fare as well. The reasons were obvious.

"Journey" was put together by a team of Hollywood professionsls at all levels: script, direction, actors, production deisgners. They were all dedicated to one goal: to entertain the audience while not pandering to them. The actors take their roles seriously, bringing them to vivid life.

This is a long film for a general release, family oriented project. It goes into good, solid character development, rather than settling for action over story, as they did with "The Lost World." The only thing both films have in common appear to be dinosaurs.

The special effects are excellent. Try not to compare them to what can be computer-generated today. Matte painting artists of the old Hollywood studio system could truly be called artists; this film is a prime example of this art.

Bernard Hermann's score is one of the true stars of the picture. It supports the film; it is like a character all its own; it complements the story rather than overpowering it.

This is a movie that can be seen over and over through the years and it still appeals. Once again, the DVD format presents the film in its original CinemaScope aspect ratio, which is the only way to appreciate a truly excellent example of the old Hollywood in its finest form.

all time classic
i remember seeing this movie as a re-release in t he 1960's
these are the type of movies that should never be put to dvd,
instead released to the theatres every so often where
mom's can drop off the kids for saturday afternoon fun.
james mason did a great job
alene dahl was hot to trot
pat boone played a 2nd fiddle good performance
thayer david ( what a wimpy creep..!)

Rated "G" for "Great"
This movie captured my imagination as a child, and I'm pleased to say that it retains all its adventurous charm twenty-five years later.

Based loosely on the Jules Verne novel, the movie tells the story of a group of scientists (and a scientist's widow ... and a hunky Icelander ... and a duck) as they follow the trail of a long-dead explorer into - wait for it - the center of the Earth. The film is partly a vehicle for Pat Boone's singing career, partly an excuse to design one fantastic set after another (partly filmed in Carlsbad Cavern National Park), but it's mostly a decent adventure story with the ever-wonderful James Mason leading the way. Sure, some effects are poorly done with blue screens, matte paintings, and miniatures (not bad by late '50s standards, though), but it doesn't take much suspension of disbelief to get into spirit of the thing (my 4-year-old screamed at the Dimetrodons), and an emotional connection is built between the audience and the characters (Count Saknussem's fate is richly deserved). Be sure to watch for Alfred the Butler (Alan Napier) as a University of Edinburgh dean.

The limited bonus materials are all worthwhile (as opposed to DVDs that cram in the extras, mostly mediocre). Included are movie trailers for nine Fox sci-fi movies (Sean Connery's Zardoz must be seen to be believed) as well as the trailer for Journey. The only other bonus is a before-and-after comparison of how the film was restored. There's no documentary showing the process, but the side-by-side and split-screen comparisons help you realize how close this treasure was to being lost.

This is a great film that deserves to be part of anyone's collection. The effects may be dated, but the adventure and characterizations are as powerful today as they were in 1959. If you're looking for a film the whole family can enjoy that isn't so sugary sweet it necessitates a visit to the dentist, Journey to the Center of the Earth fits the bill. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Smile & prepare to snicker constantly throughout! :-)
Dean Martin as super cool, super lover, super boozer, super slick, super spy Matt Helm, aka Eric, aka James A. Peters, aka Lash Petrone, Beverly Adams as his secretary Lovey Kravezit, Karl Malden as arch villain and arch enemy of Matt, Julian Wall, Camilla Sparv as his assistant Coco Duquette, Tom Reese as his, snicker, hard-headed muscleman 'Ironhead', Corinne Cole as 'Miss January', James Gregory (I) as Matt's boss MacDonald and director of I.C.E. (Intelligence Counter Espionage), Ann-Margret as Suzie Solaris and Richard Eastham as her poppa and inventor of the super gizmo, Dr. Norman Solaris, in a fun little film that to watch you must first park your brain, your cynicism and put a smile on your face and prepare to snicker endlessly throughout! A delicious little spoof of the James Bond genre has Martin doing what he and the rest of the 'Rat Pack' did so well, drinking and wooing the ladies despite those pesky villains trying to take his mind off his favorite hobbies. This rates a solid 2.5 stars out of 4.

Dino still Cool
Ok,I realize that by any normal standard this would qualify as a bad film. The production values are as poor as you can imagine and the plot (something about retrieving a flying saucer from the clutches of the enemy) pretty damn ridiculous. Yet, the first time I saw this film several years ago I absolutely loved it. The jokes center on booze and sex,and needless to say,Dean Martin handles them as only he can. As far as Matt Helm films go,"The Silencers" and "The Wrecking Crew" qualify as better "spy" films,yet for pure trashy fun nothing beats the "The Ambushers". The babe factor is over the top, and the ribald humour of this film makes James Bond seem stilted and serious. From its cheesy theme song right down to the Slaygirls,this is politically incorrect sixties camp to the max. Watching it now you'll lament the fact that nobody can make a film this light hearted anymore. Dean and the rest of the cast treat the whole thing as a put on. A real drive in treat from the go go era; if this film actually had great action sequences I'd have died.

Double Disaster
If you ever heard that the Matt Helm series was entertaining, believe me, it wasn't these two entries. They, especially "The Ambushers", are just plain bad. Funny thing is, the other two Helm movies, especially "The Wrecking Crew", offer fine entertainment. It had to do with the directors, as Henry Levin directed the two bombs, and the guy, who would go on to direct the classic "Walking Tall", the others. There is nothing whatsoever redeemable about the Ambushers, and Murderers' Row is noteworthy simply for the appearance of Ann Margeret and an over-the-top performance as Karl Malden as the villian. Neither makes much sense at all.

A Great Bad Movie
A great many of us will be familiar with the image of Hugh Hefner (Founder and Publisher of Playboy magazine) at one of his famous parties. We can picture in our mind's eye Hef walking around Playboy Mansion in his robe and pajamas, cocktail in one hand, cigarette in the other. (Actually, Hef usually smoked a pipe. But for the sake of argument, we'll say it was a cigarette.) He's smiling. He's mingling. He's making small talk, with amusing bon mots and double entendres.

Now imagine that, instead of a robe and pajamas, Hef is decked out in attire that would have been fashionably casual for an affluent male in the 1960s. And while keeping everything else the same (the cigarette, the cocktail, the utterly casual attitude), imagine Hef in the underground lair of an evil Arch-Villain who is ready to visit death and destruction across the globe. Oh, and make Hef a James Bond-esque spy.

You now have the basic feel for the four Matt Helm movies, of which "The Ambushers" (1967) was the third. (The others were "The Silencers," "Murderer's Row," and "The Wrecking Crew.")

The Matt Helm movies were made as star vehicles for Dean Martin. By the mid-60s, Dino had cemented his reputation as a boozing playboy, and the Matt Helm role was written with this in mind. In the movies, Matt Helm is a boozing, affable, world-famous photographer of beautiful women who works for "Slaymate" magazine (which fits in nicely with the Hugh Hefner analogy...). BUT THAT'S JUST A COVER! Helm is REALLY a boozing, affable super-competent secret agent for the Intelligence Counter Espionage (ICE) organization. And in all four movies, he casually wanders his way through whatever the bad guys have to throw at him as though he were looking for the nearest bar.

I should point out that the Matt Helm movies are all pretty bad. But they're wonderfully bad, and they're great, cheezy, campy fun. I tend to speak glowingly of the Matt Helm movies because I enjoy them for their over-the-top campiness, but more serious-minded viewers will probably be turned off.

And let me tell you: THE AMBUSHERS spares *no* expense in the "campiness" department. Try this plot on for size:

The ICE organization is testing out a new, super-secret flying saucer. That's right, a flying saucer. As MacDonald (James Gregory), head of ICE points out, if it works it will put the other planets "right next door," and the rest of the universe will be "just around the corner." It's never sufficiently explained why a counter-espionage organization would need to go to other planets (much less the rest of the universe), but no matter. They've made it and they're testing it.

The test works fine, until the saucer is forced to land by Mysterious Bad Guys. The leader of the Mysterious Bad Guys enters the saucer, and the pilot (a female) screams. Fade to black. This all takes place within the first 10 minutes of the movie.

Cut to Matt Helm, in Matt Helm heaven. He's helping to train a cadre of new ICE agents who, coincidentally enough, all happen to be gorgeous, scantily-clad babes. Go figure. But he runs into a white-haired, crazed woman who thinks all men are out to kill her. It's his old partner! It's also the woman who piloted the flying saucer! Will wonders never cease? (Answer: Of course not! This is Matt Helm!)

Naturally, Helm is assigned to find the saucer, and he has to take his former partner (who's now recovered) because only females can fly the saucer. The reason is because the saucer uses "electromagnetic fields" to propel itself around the neighborhood. And, according to the movie, electromagnetic fields are lethal to males. No, I never learned that in my basic physics classes either, but there you are.

You can guess the rest. Typical spy-movie stuff with the usual Matt Helm twist. Helm still wanders from place to place as though he's looking for the nearest bar. During one fight scene he gets knocked into a huge vat of beer, much to his obvious delight. And in a send-up of his singing career, the very final scene shows him trying to teach an attractive new recruit how to make love while on the job. The recruit is cold and unresponsive, even after Helm puts on a Dean Martin tune. But when he puts on Frank Sinatra, she responds amorously, much to his chagrin.

High points of the movie:

* The whole "electromagnetic fields are lethal to men" bit, which had me rolling on the floor.

* A couple of male bad guys dying from, as near as I can tell, turning completely red all over. Even their clothes. This is, apparently, the inevitable consequence of exposing men to electromagnetic fields. (Now you know why your Mom always told you not to sit so close to the TV...)

* The obvious set pieces when Helm is supposed to be outdoors.

* A set of railroad tracks which leads right up to the very edge of a cliff, apparently for no other reason than to allow a railroad flatcar to careen dramatically off said cliff.

* The *incredibly* cheesy effects, which include ray guns that emit sparks, and radar towers that emit obvious "radar" noises.

* Helm turning his belt into a sword by the simple expedient of getting it wet.

It's true that none of the other Matt Helm movies are pinnacles of the film-maker's craft. But the plot and cheesy special effects make THE AMBUSHERS a cut below the others. In ranking the four Matt Helm movies in terms of overall quality, this would be #4 on my list. But in ranking them in terms of laughs (both intentional and otherwise), this is easily #1.

Matt Helm makes Austin Powers look like Smiley
Hopelessly cheeseball, sexist comedy, but entertaining in a creepy, pathological, what-were-they-thinking-back-then kind of way. The smarm content is high, but this is one for the 60's time capsule. Prepare your jaw for much dropping. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Let's not forget chrome-dome
The villainous henchman with the black chrome-plated head was a formidable nemesis. And how about near the end when Karl Malden shot his own mistress with the harpoon. You could feel the air hissing through her lips as she fell dead to the floor. Dean Martin was always cool and any movie with a vivacious, young Ann Margret is worth watching.

THE STORY OF SECRET AGENT MAXWELL BOND
Hopelessly dated, Dean Martin's foray into spy satire is often funny. A cool car that seems to bend around corners, odd gadgets like a bed that dumps the occupants into a pool, Vodka dispenser, reverse gun, beautiful women, corny dialougue, etc, do make this parody an amusing ride in a MAD MAGAZINE kind of way. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Solid, entertaining classic restored
It's a fun movie. You can argue with the the "science"; you can argue with some of the optical effects (the use of poorly matted lizards vs. stop motion animation is a minor drawback to the film)and you can argue with some of the deviations from Verne's classic novel but none of this off sets the sheer aura of fun that surrounds this 50's classic. Made at the tail end of the science fiction boom that made the cinema profitable again during the threat of television, Journey succeeds through the top flight direction, witty dialog and performances of the cast.

James Mason is perfectly cast as Professor Lidenbrook and Arlene Dahl plays his spirited romantic interest. The plot is fairly well known so I'll stick to the quality of the film, restoration and DVD transfer. Pat Boone's career as an actor was often blighted by his singing career. He wasn't considered a "serious" actor. He gives a energetic performance that counter balances Mason's intense take as Liddenbrook.

The direction by Hollywood vet Henry Levin sparkles with a number of inventive set pieces. Michael Todd's spare no expense production allows this lavish production to continue to shine nearly 45 years later. The art direction is often imaginative and, despite the limitations of the time, manage to convey the wonder of Verne's original novel.

The optical effects are quite good half a century later. The matte paintings and miniatures still allow one to suspend disbelief and sink into the world portrayed here. The use of redressed lizards for the grand finale does undermine the conclusion a bit. Surprisingly, Todd and director Levin opted for using this approach instead of the more time consuming stop motion animation of Ray Harryhausen or Willis O'Brien. Although it would have delayed the film a bit and increased the budget as well, this brief sequence would have been more believable and lively if it had been made using O'Brien or Harryhausen.

All of this would have been to no avail if not for Bernard Herrmann's moody, inventive and idiosyncratic score for the film. Herrmann's best scores (North by Northwest, Psycho, Citizen Kane among many other classic scores)helped elevate the quality of many films. Hitchcock, Welles, Ray Harryhausen, Brian DePalma and Martin Scorese all recognized that Herrmann's scores were important characters in the films they directed.

The transfer is beautiful given the age of the original negative and condition of many of the films from this time frame. While the restoraation isn't as rich as that given to cinematic classics like Vertigo and Spartacus, the film benefits from the restoration efforts. The colors are vibrant and rich and, with few exceptions, the transfer is sharp and not as grainy as one would expect (particulary during the optical effects sequences).

The DVD transfer is quite good as well. Again, grain problems to crop up now and again and the widescreen transfer isn't flawless but these are fairly minor complaints. Fox has, on the whole, done a marvelous job restoring this classic adventure film. Sadly, Mason, director Levin and Todd are all deceased so we don't get any first person observations about the production of the film on a second audio track. Since Pat Boone is still very much with us, it would have been interesting to hear his memories on the production of this fine film.

I have very fond memories of watching this on the 3:30 Afternoon movie on KGO-TV in San Francisco (and, if memory serves, a couple of times on John Stanley's Creature Feature program as well). It's a perfect rainy day Saturday movie. It's enjoyable for the kids and, yes, even for this adult despite the wonderous explosion in visual effects over the years. While you're at it, you might also enjoy Jon Amiel's The Core an update of sorts of this classic film. Amiel's film vividly recaptures the sense of wonder and power of this type of film with his modern day take on the same theme.

Grand "Cinemascope" family entertainment from the 1950s!
OK, there's been some controversy here about the quality of this release, so let me put it to rest. This DVD is spledid! I think this adaptation of Jules Verne's 1864 French novel is a prime example of 1950's wide-screen motion picture family entertainment -- it's wholesome and has a little something for everyone. This is the best film version of this story, the most recent of which was done for the USA Channel on cable in 1999 and was very campy. They couldn't match the 1959 production values of this 20th Century-Fox film that has excellent color photography and art direction, and Bernard Herrmann's wonderfully atmospheric music score. These elements have continued to make it a favorite with fantasy film fans who can appreciate older movies, though it's true that some of it is silly at times, but I don't think the film's makers were trying for a serious movie. It also contains one of James Mason's best performances (He was always good). It's wonderful "Cinemascope" escapism from the bygone Eisenhower-era of the 1950s. Even though I've been watching it on TV since I was a kid in the sixties, I'd only seen pan&scan versions, and it wasn't until I got it letterboxed on laserdisc that I finally saw what a big-screen entertainment this movie was meant to be. It has splendid scope and a score by Bernard Herrmann that takes you right down into the bowels of the earth. Listen to it and you'll notice what I mean, as the movie progresses the music keeps going into a lower and lower register. Five organs were used, including one meant for a Cathedral. (The complete original recordings of the score are available on CD from Varese Sarabande.) Sure it's long in the telling and takes a while to get you down that extinct volcano in Iceland, but it's fun all the way with great special effects work by L.B. Abbott and matte paintings by Emil Kosa Jr. It's been a long wait for this to come out on DVD but it's now worth it. Although Fox should have known that fans would want more extras, including a production and poster still gallery and audio commentary by Pat Boone and Arlene Dahl perhaps?, or an expert on the production? (Perhaps we'll get it in a future release?), they have thankfully included the original theatrical trailer, whic is a lot of fun. They've also gone to great efforts to restore the color negative, and this 16X9 ANAMORPHIC TRANSFER has been struck from a newly made interpositive print, and has been further enhanced with digital video. The original 4-track MagOptical soundtrack is here offered in Dolby Digital 4.0 surround. Although the directionalized dialogue is often off the mark, the aged soundtrack sounds great and will really rumble your room if you've got a subwoofer. If you are a fan of 1959's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, you'll be very happy with this DVD. I'd give this DVD five stars but for Fox skimping on the extras. Boy, you people at Fox can be real dummies!

A film for the whole family
Fox Studios was so successful with this film that they immediately made another Verne classic, "The Lost World" with Claude Raines as Professor Challenger. "Lost World" didn't fare as well. The reasons were obvious.

"Journey" was put together by a team of Hollywood professionsls at all levels: script, direction, actors, production deisgners. They were all dedicated to one goal: to entertain the audience while not pandering to them. The actors take their roles seriously, bringing them to vivid life.

This is a long film for a general release, family oriented project. It goes into good, solid character development, rather than settling for action over story, as they did with "The Lost World." The only thing both films have in common appear to be dinosaurs.

The special effects are excellent. Try not to compare them to what can be computer-generated today. Matte painting artists of the old Hollywood studio system could truly be called artists; this film is a prime example of this art.

Bernard Hermann's score is one of the true stars of the picture. It supports the film; it is like a character all its own; it complements the story rather than overpowering it.

This is a movie that can be seen over and over through the years and it still appeals. Once again, the DVD format presents the film in its original CinemaScope aspect ratio, which is the only way to appreciate a truly excellent example of the old Hollywood in its finest form.

all time classic
i remember seeing this movie as a re-release in t he 1960's
these are the type of movies that should never be put to dvd,
instead released to the theatres every so often where
mom's can drop off the kids for saturday afternoon fun.
james mason did a great job
alene dahl was hot to trot
pat boone played a 2nd fiddle good performance
thayer david ( what a wimpy creep..!)

Rated "G" for "Great"
This movie captured my imagination as a child, and I'm pleased to say that it retains all its adventurous charm twenty-five years later.

Based loosely on the Jules Verne novel, the movie tells the story of a group of scientists (and a scientist's widow ... and a hunky Icelander ... and a duck) as they follow the trail of a long-dead explorer into - wait for it - the center of the Earth. The film is partly a vehicle for Pat Boone's singing career, partly an excuse to design one fantastic set after another (partly filmed in Carlsbad Cavern National Park), but it's mostly a decent adventure story with the ever-wonderful James Mason leading the way. Sure, some effects are poorly done with blue screens, matte paintings, and miniatures (not bad by late '50s standards, though), but it doesn't take much suspension of disbelief to get into spirit of the thing (my 4-year-old screamed at the Dimetrodons), and an emotional connection is built between the audience and the characters (Count Saknussem's fate is richly deserved). Be sure to watch for Alfred the Butler (Alan Napier) as a University of Edinburgh dean.

The limited bonus materials are all worthwhile (as opposed to DVDs that cram in the extras, mostly mediocre). Included are movie trailers for nine Fox sci-fi movies (Sean Connery's Zardoz must be seen to be believed) as well as the trailer for Journey. The only other bonus is a before-and-after comparison of how the film was restored. There's no documentary showing the process, but the side-by-side and split-screen comparisons help you realize how close this treasure was to being lost.

This is a great film that deserves to be part of anyone's collection. The effects may be dated, but the adventure and characterizations are as powerful today as they were in 1959. If you're looking for a film the whole family can enjoy that isn't so sugary sweet it necessitates a visit to the dentist, Journey to the Center of the Earth fits the bill. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Glenn Ford as a killer judge in a psychological Western
Glenn Ford and William Holden team-up again in another off-beat Western. Ford plays Colonel Owen Deveraux, a sadistic ex-Civl War colonel who kills for the love of killing. Somehow after the war is over he gets an appointment as a federal judge in Colorado, where he finds new ways to satiate his bloodlust by sentencing everyone to death. Holden plays Captain Del Stewart, Deveraux's former adjutant who tries to help as the judge's marshal. Eventually Stewart quits and joins the ex-soldiers forced to become outlaws because the Judge has taken away their gold-mining claims. Even Devereaux's wife Caroline (Ellen Drew), leaves the judge for Stewart. In the end there is a violent confrontation between the two parties. This 1949 film, directed by Henry Levin, represents one extreme of the adult/psychological Western best represented by "Shane" and "High Noon." The problems with this film owe as much to the script as Ford's performance. It is just hard to buy Glenn Ford as psychopath lets alone the fact that his character gets appointed a judge, no matter how corrupt the Republicans were during Reconstruction. Holden, of course, is perfectly cast as the decent but tough good guy. Not a classic Western, but certainly an interesting one overall. Certainly a lot different from "Texas," the film the two made in 1941.

Good, but...
Being particularly partial to both Holden and Ford since the early 1940's I might have been influenced by that background in giving this 4 stars. There was nothing wrong with the acting, but I really had a problem with Ford's make-up! He began with a slightly grayish color which became increasingly grayer and darker before the film ended. I assume that it was to exaggerate the whites of his eyes when he opened them widely to portray the extent of his mental illness by the film's end. They should have left that to his usual sensitive acting. Also, I think that the main theme (what happens to some men who fight wars) was short-changed in order to bring in too many other story lines. I would have thought that, being so soon after World War II (1949), the director would have been more sensitive to that aspect of the story. Otherwise, a good, unusual western worth seeing for anyone attuned to that genre and either or both of those excellent actors. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

what the deal is
I thought this movie was preety good. Fred did a great job with his charater Jefferson Bolt,and the story board was as good as his former 70's movies' like hell up in harlem, and black Ceaser. If your a Fred Willaimson fan, then this is difinitely one of his movie's you should add to your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Canal girl Grable falls for earthy farmer Dale Robertson
Colorful remake of the 1935 Fonda-Gaynor drama, this 1953 Technicolor musical comes across as fresh, vibrant and as American as apple pie.The story is based on fact - when the Rome Canal, NY, is under threat from the advance of the railroads. When farmer Dale Robertson is hired to work on the canal, Betty Grable falls for him, but their romance is in conflict with his interest in the land, and her loyalty to the canals. Betty Grable - in her first film after a year-long suspension - is excellent as the feisty canal boat cook and showed she had lost none of her glamour during her long absence. A tuneful show, with lots of homespun comedy numbers, the Grable leg show suffers due to the 1850s costumes, but she does manage a number or two with Broadway dancer Gwen Verdon as they dance to choreographer Jack Cole's tune. Great support from love rival John Carroll, and some excellent comedy from scene-stealers Thelma Ritter and Eddie Foy junior. Spectacular outdoor settings, for which the studio built a complete working canal, including locks, on their backlot. Glorious piece of Americana! Well worth having if only to watch Grable singing the opening number "Today I Love Everybody" - a breath of fresh air.

A classic Betty Grable slice-of-life on the Erie Canal.
This is a classic Betty Grable movie. Betty plays a lovable and cheerful young cook on an Erie Canal boat. As usual, her love life is giving her troubles. This movie is a slice-of-life about living on the Erie Canal, just as Oklahoma was for homesteading in the west. It is a treat to watch with just enough tongue-in-cheek to keep it from taking itself too seriously. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Movie fine but Video transfer AWFUL!!!
THE WARRIORS was the great ERROL FLYNN's last swashbuckler, made while he was a down and out drunk living on his yacht. However, his performance is fine, and the picture is fun. But the print quality and the transfer are AWFUL!!-- making this video extremely painful to watch! The film is in widescreen but the video transfer is the worst pan-and-scan mess I have ever seen! The colors are washed out and the sound is dreadful! ERROL FLYNN, the greatest swashbuckler of all time, does not deserve to be represented by this piece of junk! Again, good movie, LOUSY VIDEO! BEWARE!

Wonderful telling of history
This movie is based on history of England's fight against France for Aquitaine during the 100 Years War. 'Errol Flynn' in the role of Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Knight) is England's greatest hero of the period. 'Peter Finch' is Comte Robert de Ville the Frenchman who refuses to surrender. Joanne Dru is Lady Joan Holland (playing the love interest). I love this movie. It is "Flynns" last romantic swashbuckler. Unfortunately "Flynn's" drinking has taken it's toll on his health. Even so I find this to be a great movie, well told & "Flynn" is great in the role. I recommend this movie to all who are either fans of "Flynn" or in history. The actors bring this little bit of history to life in wonderful detail. The sets & costumes are beautiful. The musical score is magnificent. Yvonne Furneaux is perfectly charming as Marie. Don't allow others who look only for perfection to sway you. You will love this movie & will watch it again & again. When I saw this movie for the first time the screen stated that it is recommended by the National Education Association.

Flynn's 'Last' Swashbuckler
This was in fact the last cinema outing for Errol Flynn as a swashbuckler.(there did lay ahead a few television appearances during the period of 1956-7 where Flynn played various costume roles).

No one would deny that this is the least of Flynn's costume dramas. Although he is playing an actual historical character, Flynn, who was 45 at the time, does appear bloated and somewhat tied in several scenes. In particular his sword fight with a young Christopher Lee, is a sad reminder of his previous encounters with Basil Rathbone and Henry Daniel.

However, there is still much to enjoy in the film. The cast is good, featuring Peter Finch and Michael Horden. The picture is well mounted (at least for a British picture of the 1950's) with excellant exterior shots.

Although not hugely successful when it was first released, the film did gain some respectful reviews (particularly in the New York Times).

The film is not as enjoyable as the 'Master of Ballantrae' made in 1953, however it is by no means disgrace and is worthy of respect by any Flynn fan.

Beware
Do not be misled by the star and the title... this is a dreadful late-50s adventure "epic" featuring a paunchy and bloated Errol Flynn in his very last stab at playing a swashbuckling hero (he played only drunks after this). One more movie for "Hollywood Babylon," but don't make the mistake of paying money for it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Subliminally Sensual
This fantasy film contains a great deal of implied sensuality, especially for the time it was made. Viewers have oblique access to a pool of bathing beauties trying on jewelry being sold by a vendor who must keep his eyes shut because they wear no clothes; a lethal, life-sized mechanical doll is topless, her hair strategically placed; the film's female lead is captured and shackled nude (not shown onscreen) on display in a royal courtroom -- all somewhat daring in the early 1960s. And of course, Donald O'Connor dances. You know, we always have to hear Alfalfa sing a song and Harpo play the harp.

Actually, a lot of fun
Donald O'Connor plays Aladdin as both the hero and comic relief in this arabian nights fantasy. Conspicuously American in a cast that seems largely European, O'Connor's Aladdin is of humble origins but never allows his lack of means (or any concrete ideas for acquiring any) dampen his dreams of grandeur. When he finds that his new lamp contains a genie who'll grant him three wishes, his chance for greatness may have finally come true. Nobody believes him, least of all the lovely Djalma, who has spent years waiting for him to give up his dreams, settle down and marry her. Assured of his deepest wishes, Aladdin travels to Basorah, a great city nearby, which already celebrates the impending marriage of the Sultan's daughter to the young but wise Molook. Meanwhile, the prince's wicked Vizier conspires to kill Mollook and steal both his crown and his bride and, with no male heirs of the Sultan, the Sultan's crown as well. When blundering across the plan, Aladdin rides to an unlikely rescue with the help of the wily prince and Basorah's population of fakirs and beggars.

This was a fun flick and for some reason overlooked. It's okay for kids, not really violent (except for two scenes, both involving a doll made to look like a real and exotically beautiful woman, and designed to crush to death those who blunder into its embrace) and manages to look both very Hollywood and also very convincingly Arabian at the same time. Donald O'Connor manages to steal every scene he's in. This was the sort of flick that used to be on TNT every couple of months, but hasn't been on in years, so get this tape. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jack Palance at his best!
In this western, the only real format to aficianados, Jack Palance displays every ability expected of the finest actors. He is gracious, honest, even having been one of the bad guys. He is courageous to a fault, facing down a number of bad people at once at terrible odds. He even rates a traitors loyalty.

This movie is a must-see if you liked "SHANE", and are tired of "RIO BRAVO" reruns, but like the genre.

Someone in those days actually knew all the classic elements of a good story, and it's obvious when you see this flick. Todays special effects, with bullets whizzing by, would be the only possible improvement for this film. Don't miss it if you like westerns!!! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Smile & prepare to snicker constantly throughout! :-)
Dean Martin as super cool, super lover, super boozer, super slick, super spy Matt Helm, aka Eric, aka James A. Peters, aka Lash Petrone, Beverly Adams as his secretary Lovey Kravezit, Karl Malden as arch villain and arch enemy of Matt, Julian Wall, Camilla Sparv as his assistant Coco Duquette, Tom Reese as his, snicker, hard-headed muscleman 'Ironhead', Corinne Cole as 'Miss January', James Gregory (I) as Matt's boss MacDonald and director of I.C.E. (Intelligence Counter Espionage), Ann-Margret as Suzie Solaris and Richard Eastham as her poppa and inventor of the super gizmo, Dr. Norman Solaris, in a fun little film that to watch you must first park your brain, your cynicism and put a smile on your face and prepare to snicker endlessly throughout! A delicious little spoof of the James Bond genre has Martin doing what he and the rest of the 'Rat Pack' did so well, drinking and wooing the ladies despite those pesky villains trying to take his mind off his favorite hobbies. This rates a solid 2.5 stars out of 4.

Dino still Cool
Ok,I realize that by any normal standard this would qualify as a bad film. The production values are as poor as you can imagine and the plot (something about retrieving a flying saucer from the clutches of the enemy) pretty damn ridiculous. Yet, the first time I saw this film several years ago I absolutely loved it. The jokes center on booze and sex,and needless to say,Dean Martin handles them as only he can. As far as Matt Helm films go,"The Silencers" and "The Wrecking Crew" qualify as better "spy" films,yet for pure trashy fun nothing beats the "The Ambushers". The babe factor is over the top, and the ribald humour of this film makes James Bond seem stilted and serious. From its cheesy theme song right down to the Slaygirls,this is politically incorrect sixties camp to the max. Watching it now you'll lament the fact that nobody can make a film this light hearted anymore. Dean and the rest of the cast treat the whole thing as a put on. A real drive in treat from the go go era; if this film actually had great action sequences I'd have died.

Double Disaster
If you ever heard that the Matt Helm series was entertaining, believe me, it wasn't these two entries. They, especially "The Ambushers", are just plain bad. Funny thing is, the other two Helm movies, especially "The Wrecking Crew", offer fine entertainment. It had to do with the directors, as Henry Levin directed the two bombs, and the guy, who would go on to direct the classic "Walking Tall", the others. There is nothing whatsoever redeemable about the Ambushers, and Murderers' Row is noteworthy simply for the appearance of Ann Margeret and an over-the-top performance as Karl Malden as the villian. Neither makes much sense at all.

A Great Bad Movie
A great many of us will be familiar with the image of Hugh Hefner (Founder and Publisher of Playboy magazine) at one of his famous parties. We can picture in our mind's eye Hef walking around Playboy Mansion in his robe and pajamas, cocktail in one hand, cigarette in the other. (Actually, Hef usually smoked a pipe. But for the sake of argument, we'll say it was a cigarette.) He's smiling. He's mingling. He's making small talk, with amusing bon mots and double entendres.

Now imagine that, instead of a robe and pajamas, Hef is decked out in attire that would have been fashionably casual for an affluent male in the 1960s. And while keeping everything else the same (the cigarette, the cocktail, the utterly casual attitude), imagine Hef in the underground lair of an evil Arch-Villain who is ready to visit death and destruction across the globe. Oh, and make Hef a James Bond-esque spy.

You now have the basic feel for the four Matt Helm movies, of which "The Ambushers" (1967) was the third. (The others were "The Silencers," "Murderer's Row," and "The Wrecking Crew.")

The Matt Helm movies were made as star vehicles for Dean Martin. By the mid-60s, Dino had cemented his reputation as a boozing playboy, and the Matt Helm role was written with this in mind. In the movies, Matt Helm is a boozing, affable, world-famous photographer of beautiful women who works for "Slaymate" magazine (which fits in nicely with the Hugh Hefner analogy...). BUT THAT'S JUST A COVER! Helm is REALLY a boozing, affable super-competent secret agent for the Intelligence Counter Espionage (ICE) organization. And in all four movies, he casually wanders his way through whatever the bad guys have to throw at him as though he were looking for the nearest bar.

I should point out that the Matt Helm movies are all pretty bad. But they're wonderfully bad, and they're great, cheezy, campy fun. I tend to speak glowingly of the Matt Helm movies because I enjoy them for their over-the-top campiness, but more serious-minded viewers will probably be turned off.

And let me tell you: THE AMBUSHERS spares *no* expense in the "campiness" department. Try this plot on for size:

The ICE organization is testing out a new, super-secret flying saucer. That's right, a flying saucer. As MacDonald (James Gregory), head of ICE points out, if it works it will put the other planets "right next door," and the rest of the universe will be "just around the corner." It's never sufficiently explained why a counter-espionage organization would need to go to other planets (much less the rest of the universe), but no matter. They've made it and they're testing it.

The test works fine, until the saucer is forced to land by Mysterious Bad Guys. The leader of the Mysterious Bad Guys enters the saucer, and the pilot (a female) screams. Fade to black. This all takes place within the first 10 minutes of the movie.

Cut to Matt Helm, in Matt Helm heaven. He's helping to train a cadre of new ICE agents who, coincidentally enough, all happen to be gorgeous, scantily-clad babes. Go figure. But he runs into a white-haired, crazed woman who thinks all men are out to kill her. It's his old partner! It's also the woman who piloted the flying saucer! Will wonders never cease? (Answer: Of course not! This is Matt Helm!)

Naturally, Helm is assigned to find the saucer, and he has to take his former partner (who's now recovered) because only females can fly the saucer. The reason is because the saucer uses "electromagnetic fields" to propel itself around the neighborhood. And, according to the movie, electromagnetic fields are lethal to males. No, I never learned that in my basic physics classes either, but there you are.

You can guess the rest. Typical spy-movie stuff with the usual Matt Helm twist. Helm still wanders from place to place as though he's looking for the nearest bar. During one fight scene he gets knocked into a huge vat of beer, much to his obvious delight. And in a send-up of his singing career, the very final scene shows him trying to teach an attractive new recruit how to make love while on the job. The recruit is cold and unresponsive, even after Helm puts on a Dean Martin tune. But when he puts on Frank Sinatra, she responds amorously, much to his chagrin.

High points of the movie:

* The whole "electromagnetic fields are lethal to men" bit, which had me rolling on the floor.

* A couple of male bad guys dying from, as near as I can tell, turning completely red all over. Even their clothes. This is, apparently, the inevitable consequence of exposing men to electromagnetic fields. (Now you know why your Mom always told you not to sit so close to the TV...)

* The obvious set pieces when Helm is supposed to be outdoors.

* A set of railroad tracks which leads right up to the very edge of a cliff, apparently for no other reason than to allow a railroad flatcar to careen dramatically off said cliff.

* The *incredibly* cheesy effects, which include ray guns that emit sparks, and radar towers that emit obvious "radar" noises.

* Helm turning his belt into a sword by the simple expedient of getting it wet.

It's true that none of the other Matt Helm movies are pinnacles of the film-maker's craft. But the plot and cheesy special effects make THE AMBUSHERS a cut below the others. In ranking the four Matt Helm movies in terms of overall quality, this would be #4 on my list. But in ranking them in terms of laughs (both intentional and otherwise), this is easily #1.

Matt Helm makes Austin Powers look like Smiley
Hopelessly cheeseball, sexist comedy, but entertaining in a creepy, pathological, what-were-they-thinking-back-then kind of way. The smarm content is high, but this is one for the 60's time capsule. Prepare your jaw for much dropping. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Somebody better do a reprint on this one!
I think it would sell well. In my humble opinion this version of Genghis Khan's life, while probably inaccurate historically, is the best one made. It got the main point of this Conquerers life across with splendid costume, scenery, and action. It had a really honest personal combat scene in which one of the antagonists actually got kicked in the reproductive sector. Real blood and sweat! The only thing missing was Horse Archery.
Please bring it back!? I want a new copy of it.

Good Cinematography -- Goshawful Historiography
There have been two movies about Genghis Khan, this one and the Howard Hughes stinker "The Conqueror" starring John Wayne. Sharif makes a better Khan than Wayne. The acting is better. The costumes are more colorful. The cinematography is better. Why, then should I like "The Conqueror" better? It at least makes a nodding attempt at historical accuracy.

Epic
This movie is an epic in the true sense of the word, about a man from humble beginings who unites a nation through shear willpower. The cast led by Omar Sharif is excellent (watch in particular Telly Savalas). From Mongolia to China through the Persian empire, the movie also serves as a lesson in history, love, family ties and justice. In the movie, Omar Shariff begins what many feel is his destiny which is the unification of the Mongol tribes so that they are no longer petty in the eyes of their neighbors who think of them as just savages. The costume designs are unequaled (Chinese & Persian), and the war scenes are brilliant. A date movie for both people.

Hey--Bring This One Back!
I'll confess up front--I loved this movie! I thought it would be just another Hollywood botch-up of history--and it did take some liberties--but as an adventure and costume epic, it certainly delivered. Omar Sharif and Stephen Boyd seemd to be having a grand time playing their larger-than-life characters; James Mason and Robert Morley were unconvincing as Chinese, but turned in their usual fine performances. The late Francoise Dorleac, sister of Catherine Denueve, is touching and believable as Genghis Khan's beautiful and intelligent wife. This one deserves to be brought back. Don't expect the level of "Lawrence of Arabia" or "Gandhi" but as an adventure movie, it's colorful and lots of fun.

Colorful epic about the life of Genghis Khan.
This film, made in 1965, is a colorful epic starring Omar Sharif as the powerful ruler. This film begins when the main character is just a young man, and tells about his rise to power, and also his pursuit of the love of his life. It is a powerful movie, with an excellent score. Hard to find video, but well worth it! ... Read more