Reviews (2)

Two episodes
It should be noted that this 95 minute video contains two episodes: "To Reign in Hell," (the episode described by the professional review) and "Orphans," one of the best eps of the series. The compelling stories, the consummate acting of Ron Perlman and Tony Jay, the beautiful sets, and the whole concept of B&B are all great reasons to own this video.

super
i think that this is the best show in the whole wide world. It was on the Sci-Fi channel but they took it off. I think they should bring it back because this show is so good and awesome and ragin'. Please e-mail me if you agree and don't say that this show no good b/c it doesn't ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wonderful!
This is a great tape and has the first epiode the pilot Once Upon A Time In The City Of New York and is wonderful it is about how Catherine Chandler is attacked and Vincent finds her and brings her to his underground home to recover and soon a bond develops, a soul mate kind of love! I think this particular tape may only have the pilot but the tape we have also has an episode called A Happy Life and is about Catherine dealing with the anniversary of her mother's death. Both are great episodes but my favorite is the pilot episode! Linda Hamilton from the Terminator movies plays Catherine and Vincent is played by Ron Perlman. I highly recommend this video to fans of Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast - the dream lives on.
This first part to the series is the one so many people fell in love with and it is a must if you have never seen Beauty and the Beast before. For from that first episode so starts the relationship between the man beast Vincent Wells and the beautiful district attorney Catherine Chandler. From the very first this couple captured our hearts, especially Vincent, who soon had his own following - as everyone that watched the series wanted to take him home. Soon he became every woman's dream as to the perfect man, and it became apparent that outward appearances are not important, it is the beauty of the inner self that shines through any differences. That and the fact that Vincent has the most gorgeous blue eyes, gravelly sexy voice, a marvelous physique and a love of the finer things in life such as good music and literature. And Vincent made us review our own life and made us better people. Vincent was played to perfection by the man behind the makeup - Ron Perlman. And there is a marvelous chemistry that exists between Mr Perlman and Linda Hamilton the actress that plays Catherine Chandler, that made their roles oh so believeable. Buy it, watch it and you will be forever pleased that you did. There is a huge fan following for this show who are campaigning to have more episodes made and hopefully a movie too.

PLEASE release this on DVD
I grew up watching this show and loved every episode. I've been trying to find them for years. Ron Perlman is amazing as Vincent and the actor who played Father was everything a kid could want. You really rooted for Perlman and Hamilton. PLEASE release this series on DVD.

Dvd
This was one of the best shows out there... I highly recommend it being put on dvd

This Show Should Have Complete Season DVD Boxsets!
Beauty and the Beast is a great show and Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman gave amazing performances as Catherine and Vincent. I used to watch Beauty and the Beast when it was on CBS and I also used to have this tape. There used to be reruns of this show on cable but it never seems to be shown anymore and I would like to see Beauty and the Beast put out on DVD in complete season DVD boxsets. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Bitter-sweet triumph
This video, although beautiful and astounding cannot be watched without seeing the episodes surrounding it: "What Rough Beast" , Ceremony of Innocence" , and " The Rest is Silence" . Once you have seen these Though Lovers be lost will steal your heart and capture your soul.

Beauty & The Beast-Though Lovers Be Lost
I love all of the Beauty & The Beast episodes from the TV series. I have most on VHS. To Peggy Hendershot, I may have the ones you are looking for. I tried to never miss an episode!

Wonderful show
I have loved this show since it orginally aired. I used to have all of them, but moving so much, I have lost most of them. I would love to get the complete set if anyone can help me. This show really should be reaired. ecb612@hotmail.com

Though Lover's Be Lost
This is for Dawna and Peggy. I have 20 episodes on tape, and looking for more. I would be interested in sharing what we all have.
Tina
ldy8legs@aol.com

Great show, looking for all the videos
I was in my first year of middle school when this show came on and was absolutely enthralled. All the episodes were great, but I missed the last season (punishment for a bad report card, lol). Would desperately love to get the complete set from someone! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Can't Live with Him, Can't Live without Him
This episode deals quite seriously (and often in a lovely lyrical fashion) with the serious consequences (for Catherine) of her relationship with Vincent. On the 20th anniversary of her mother's death, Catherine is overcome with a sense of hopelessness about her life. The problem seems to be...Vincent. She must confront the fact that their relationship is closing her off from life possibilities for which she has always longed. As he tells her, "Our dream exists at the cost of all your other dreams." Her pain is so great that (in an extremely powerful scene) the superhumanly chivalrous Vincent gives her the breakup she so desperately needs (though doing so, for him, is akin to ripping his heart out of his chest). It is a breakup she could never, ever, bring herself to directly ask for. It takes time away from Vincent for Catherine to come to a realization of what in her life is indeed "worth everything." She makes her choice, and she and Vincent (and we) derive great joy from that decision. I've never (before or since) experienced such joy at the finish of an episode of a TV series!

Linda Hamilton is so good here that she gives us an empathic connection to Catherine that is stronger than Vincent's. "A Happy Life" is a thing of stunning beauty and power, and I don't think there is a significant misstep in it. This episode and the magnificent "Orphans" are by far the highest pinnacles of achievement for this series.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "A Happy Life" finished 1st out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "A Happy Life" 1st in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes.

One of the series finest episodes.
Twenty years after her mother's death, Catherine re-evaluates her life and her relationship with Vincent. Beautifully written and acted, Linda Hamilton gives an amazing performance as her character sinks deeper into despair as she is slowly torn between two worlds. This is a must-see episode for anyone who has watched (or is even familiar with) Beauty and the Beast.

Intro episode to a fabulous new version of an old faerytale.
A modern day woman is drawn into a world of fantasy and things that cannot be possible, yet are oh, so very real. Injured and left to die in Central Park, Catherine Chandler is rescued by Vincent, a very unique, gentle being, who brings her to his world, to heal. His world consists of a labyrinth of subterrean tunnels, peopled by those society has either discarded or left to die alone and in poverty. Here, Catherine learns the true meaning of caring, committiment, and love. She also learns that a person's looks are truly 'only skin deep', and it is ones soul which gives an inner beauty and strength which is both lasting and incorruptable. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Mixed Review - 4 stars, but really a 2
I have mixed feelings about this movie. I really thought when I bought it it was just going to be that first episode which started the tv series. I loved that first episode. But what I found was that it was a compilation of several episodes. It flowed smoothly, but I am really not a Linda Hamilton fan. I had only watched the show for Vincent - certainly not for Katherine who I might have liked if the character was played by someone other than Linda. Linda Hamilton played the role too crybaby dramatic and she always got on my nerves even back when I was watching the series. I just wish there was more Vincent in the movie instead of it being mostly her.

One of the most important television series ever produced...
And this is the first episode! Beauty and the Beast, the romatic story of a beast who loves in the tunnels beneath New York City, is a beautiful combination of Sci-Fi, fantasy, action and romance. The pilot episode is heartfelt and tender. What a great program. This is a show that changed many lives, and still does. See for yourself--do a search on the web. There are more fans now than there were 15 years ago when the show was still on the air!

Vincent rescues Catharine and an epic romance is born
"Beauty and the Beast" was one of the most unusual and most beloved romantic fantasies every shown on network television. In the pilot episode, "Once Upon a Time in New York" (September 25, 1987), Catherine Chandler (Linda Hamilton) was a young attorney who was attacked and left to die in Central Park, only to be rescued by Vincent (Ron Perlman), a powerful but sensitive man-beast with the facial features of a lion. Vincent lived in the caverns and tunnels deep below Manhattan, where he had been raised by Jacob Wells (Roy Dotrice), the man he calls "Father." After nursing Catherine back to health, she returned to the surface world and became an Assistant District Attorney. Like the fairy table Catherine and Vincent fell in love, a result of which was a strong psychic bond: when Catharine was in danger Vincent would sense it and come to her rescue. This pilot episode sets the tone for the series, which is dominated by the marvelous performance of Perlman, who turned Vincent into the most romantic figure on television. The series only aired from 1987 to 1990 and failed to survive the departure of Linda Hamilton from the cast. "Beauty and the Beast" is one of those television series that is not on the air for a long time, but which burns very brightly. Final note: I always thought the name Vincent came from Don MacLean's song, which has the lyric, "But I could have told you Vincnt, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you." Makes sense, right?

Splendid, heartwarming, suspensful
I was very interested in this show from the very first pilot show. Some shows you just know that it touches your heart and soul forever, and this one did it for me. I remember a time when these shows could take me back to a world that surrounded us in all kinds of emotions. We really need an escape sometimes because the real world is terribly insane right now. Beauty and The Beast gave me a great pleasure in my life and I will never forget it as long as I live!!!

The seasons with Catherine were masterpeices!
I am a huge B&TB fan. Though I know not where to buy any of the videos in stores I am in love with the theme. I have watched them over and over. The show gives me dreams and hopes. When the Diana series started I begin to fade away. I am not to fond of those, but Cat and Vince, Truely a work of HEART!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Seige
I always enjoyed watching this show and this is one of my favoret eposides. When Vicents thinks he's losing Cathering it seem to tear him up on the inside. I wish this show was availble on DVD!!!!

Beauty & the Beast: Siege
We in England have had this series back in the Eighties but are unable to get VHS tapes over here.
WE can not see them because we use PAL system.
But if they were on DVD we would buy every single Episode ever made as we are AVID fans

Is Catherine Falling for Someone Else?
Vincent goes through considerable emotional agony in this episode as Catherine appears to be falling in love with the handsome, extremely wealthy businessman, Elliot Burch. Meanwhile Vincent tries to assist some old people who are being threatened with violence as they stand in the way of some big real estate development plans. He enlists Catherine's help in defending the old people. While the way in which Catherine's relationship with Elliot Burch is resolved is something of a cop-out, it does not detract much from the power of the ending, which utilizes a Shakespeare sonnet that one could think (if one didn't know better) was written for the series.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Siege" finished 15th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Siege" 18th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Most Romantic Halloween!
Vincent (without a costume!) crashes a Halloween party. He does so in the hope of meeting the guest-of-honor, a writer named Brigit O'Donnell whose work has meant a great deal to him. Vincent and Brigit hit it off quite well, "escape" the party, and movingly communicate about the things that are very important to them. They do run into Catherine along the way. Some bad folks are after Brigit, and the episode mixes gritty violence with romantic elements. It is a powerful episode, and Brigit O'Donnell is one of the most compelling guest characters the series ever created. There is a beautiful romantic finish between Vincent and Catherine.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Masques" finished 5th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Masques" 6th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes.

Vincent meets a woman whose book has strengthened him.
On Halloween (Samhain) the one night a year when Vincent can walk "our" world in relative safety, he attends a party, hoping to meet Bridgit O'Donnell, a writer whom he admires. There, Catherine sees him, and follows he and Bridgit when they leave, which sets in motion a chain of events both despairing and enheartening. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

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

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

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "China Moon" finished 32nd out of the 44 episodes.

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

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

Reviews (4)

A personal cult fave
This movie is up there with Plan 9 from Outer Space; it's so bad, it's great. First the many bloopers: there are visible boom mikes. One can see a safety rope tied around Missy's ankle when they're on the widow's walk at the climax of the film. When Parrish "locks" Missy in the bedroom, she pounds on the door and cries ... yet she could easily unlock the door and escape just by turning the lock's knob that's right next to her face! Elements like this make the film an unintentionally hilarious pleasure.

My other favorite aspect of the film is the atmosphere. The day on the Cape is mostly overcast and rainy, and the soundtrack music somehow catches the feel of this atmosphere and compliments it perfectly. Kudos to the music director of this film.

But what makes this movie so exquisitely entertaining overall is Frederick Forrest's portrayal of Courtney Parrish. This movie singlehandedly made me a Forrest fan. He brings a campy, sardonic comic relief to the whole affair; he always has some wacky quip. A highlight is when he's trying to get the kids to sing along with him while he plays the piano. He sings Mary Had a Little Lamb to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy, and when the boy points out the fact Parrish is singing to the wrong tune, Parrish gets angry and leaves in a huff with the words, "And no more jelly beans!!!" Forrest's portrayal of Parrish is ironic - because instead of coming off as a disgusting child murderer, he succeeds in making the character funny and endearing.

God help me, I love this stupid little flick.

Even My VCR Couldn't Take It
I spent a great deal of time trying to find a copy of this movie (perhaps that alone should have warned me it wasn't worth watching) because I couldn't rent it anywhere. However, I didn't expect it to be any good. I just wanted to satisfy my curiousity, and I did. The only good thing about this movie is the cover. The villain in this movie was very annoying (the way he talked), and I thought I would throw up. The only thing is though that he was like a car wreck. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him because characters or people who irritate me sometimes also draw my attention.
Jill Clayburgh is not exactly my favorite actress. The only other movie I saw her in was The Face on the Milk Carton, and I didn't like that book adaptation either. I thought she was too old for the part in this movie. Her character was supposed to be in her early thirties at most but look like a teenager or a woman in her twenties. I'm sorry, but she didn't.
My VCR broke not long after I watched this movie. Was it trying to tell me something?

wet
This adaptation of the best selling novel by Mary Higgins Clark features more rain scenes than Se7en, since the story is located at Cape Cod during a thunderstorm. It's only a pity director Bruce Malmuth can't match the storm in narrative excitement. The source material has lurid pulp potential, with Jill Clayburgh as a former accused child murderer (the conviction was overturned because of an undisclosed "technicality") whose 2 new 9 year old children go missing. In flashback, Clayburgh in an awful wig has an amusing disdain for the TV camera, but when faced with this new predicament, so acts like she's doing Chekhov, with pauses and half-choked utterances. When she calls for the children, her repetition is like an actor's nuanced recital, though I did like the way she lets her body go as limp as a ragdoll in hysteria. Malmuth presents the family scenes with husband Max Gail as so blissfully idealised that it's like a TV commercial, and we tend not to wish the best for a woman who names her child "Missy". Clayburgh's past naturally makes everyone believe that she has done it again (though Sharon Stone's alibi in Basic Instinct of announcing the intention being stupid, comes to mind), and though the audience is way ahead of the police, poor Clayburgh has to endure the clumsiest psychoanalysis I've ever been witness to. Barnard Hughes is typecast as the psychiatrist (retired but he's still a big man in the community), and Gail as an onlooker gets to deliver the howler "Doc, will you get to the point?!" However since the result is a delicious flashback of an adult dressed as a child, it's worth it. Frederic Forrest steals the movie as a funny child-like bad guy with a huge belly, and Elizabeth Wilson is around to look worried and give us plot summaries - she gets an unintentional laugh when she bursts with information at one point. Sylvester Levay provides a bad horror movie score which is inappropriate for most of the time, and we expect the climax to take place on the widow's walk roof of a lookout when we hear that it is unsafe.

Edge of your seat suspense!
This is truly a great movie! So, why only four stars and not five? Well, I only give truly great classics such as "To Kill A Mockingbird" five stars. So, four stars in my book is about the best you can get. Many movies based on books lose something in the translation. Not so here! This movie is based on the best-selling novel and both Jill Clayburgh and Max Gail bring life to the characters brilliantly. It is a shame we have not been blessed with Max Gail's acting more often. He is a great, warm, funny and real actor. This movie deals with the tragic issues of child aduction in a way that will have you on the edge of your seat. Frederick Forrest plays the villian quite well also. You'll want to kick the crap out of him by the end of the movie. This movie has supense as well as heart. Many twists and turns in this one. A fine movie indeed! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

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

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Dark Spirit" finished 42nd out of the 44 episodes.

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

Amazon.com

After making his action-hero debut in 1988's Above the Law, Steven Seagal followed up with this typically formulaic action thriller, in which the ponytailed crime fighter is shot full of bullets and left for dead after he uncovers a powerful circle of corrupt politicians. After seven years in a coma, he returns to consciousness and is nursed back to health by--surprise, surprise!--a gorgeous woman, played by Seagal's then wife Kelly ("don't hate me because I'm beautiful") LeBrock. Once in peak condition, snarlin' Steve sets out to satisfy his hearty appetite for revenge, and the bone-crunching action kicks into high gear with the requisite chases, hand-to-hand combat, and escalating body count. This is one of Seagal's best vehicles, establishing the star's screen persona before it grew stale in later films. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (19)

THE GOOD OL DAYS OF STEVEN SEAGAL
AFTER SPENDING 7 YEARS IN A COMA, A COP [STEVEN SEAGAL] GOES AFTER SOME CORRUPT PEOPLE THAT KILLED HIS WIFE. THIS MOVIE SHOWS THE OLD STEVEN SEAGAL THAT ACTION FANS REMEMBER AND LOVE. THIS MOVIE HAS GOOD ACTION AND A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, WHICH IS MISSING FROM A LOT OF SEAGAL'S RECENT MOVIES. FOR FANS OF SEAGAL, THIS SHOULD BE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE.

Best Seagal flick of all time
Many reviewers will not give credit where credit is due. Seagal is a master in his art, and a good actor with great on screen presence. Hard to Kill is Seagal's best film ever. This is an action film, when was the last time an action film was supposed to be completely realistic. In this movie Seagal's character is Mason Storm, a high ranking detective who is violently murdered along with his wife by hitmen (fellow LAPD detectives) whom are corrupt and close-knit with an up and coming senatorial candidate Vernon Trent, after he learns of Seagal secretly taping a planned hit of his while undercover at a dock (beginning of the movie). The bad guys think Storm is dead when he suddenly appears to be alive but in a coma. Storm's best bud and fellow detective keeps it a secret for 7 years until Storm awakens from the coma. From there it's pure action as he both tries to escape the grasps of the bad guys once again and heal, and deliver some much deserved payback. Hence the name "Hard to Kill". To any Seagal fanatic, this is his best film ever, hands down. Everyone else who is just an action movie buff might not think so, but then they truly don't understand what Seagal is all about including his great martial arts backround and poise. This flick is great suspense and adreneline with a stupendous story, so grab the nachos, popcorn, snowcaps, goobers, sodapop or whatever, and hit the lazyboy and relax, and get ready to see an awesome film. If you're new to Seagal, start with his first flick "Above the Law", then this one, and go from there. If you want to see a most horrible Seagal film, see one of his latest flicks "Half Past Dead" Seagal gets a bad rap due to his more recent films in the mid 90's till now when he gained a lot of weight and picked and directed bad scripts and screenwrites while resting on his early accomplishments. Hard to Kill, however is pure action, and you can take that to the bank!

Hard to Watch...
Don't get me wrong, I love these types of films but this one took WAY too long to get going. Once it did nothing great really happened. LOTS of broken wrists and arms but no really interesting action sequences. This director is no substitute for Andrew Davis. From what I've seen of Seagals movies, I rate Under Seige and Above the Law as his finest moments, and both were under the direction of Andrew Davis...

Great Action Scenes!
Hard to Kill is an entertaining movie filled with some very impressve action scenes, ok acting and an interesting story though sometimes the dialogue is a little corny but the action scenes are the best part of the movie and I recommend Hard to Kill to fans of action movies.

Not what I remembered, but...
I had these memories of Hard to Kill being an awesome movie. Back in the late 80's it was, but according to today's standards it's pretty tame stuff. Maybe we're all spoiled. I no longer consider this one of his best movies (-1 star). I liked him in The Patriot and Glimmer Man, for instance. Nevertheless, this movie has a place in action film history. Back in the late 80's, early 90's Steven Seagal was the premiere action star. So this movie is a must-have as one of the better Seagal films (4 stars). It's a classic action film of days gone by. Although you can still see Seagal in his latest efforts playing the same role, this file was his second and was one of the two that put him at the top. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

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

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Terrible Savior" finished 40th out of the 44 episodes.

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

Reviews (1)

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

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Promises of Someday" finished 11th out of the 44 episodes.

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

Reviews (1)

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

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Song of Orpheus" finished 16th out of the 44 episodes.

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

Reviews (1)

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

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

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Down to a Sunless Sea" finished 36th out of the 44 episodes.

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

Reviews (1)

"Because it's Been the Most Wonderful Year of My Life"
So says Catherine to her plastic surgeon when he expresses surprise after she declines his suggestion that he remove a scar from the side of her face. It is the only remaining visible scar among those she acquired one year ago on the night Vincent discovered her, bleeding and left for dead. She apparently cherishes it. This episode has a rather unremarkable main plot wherein Catherine's boss is victimized (and Catherine endangered) by a conspiracy of unscrupulous (to put it mildly) lawyers. But there is a nice subplot involving preparations leading up to, and the culmination of, Vincent and Catherine's one-year anniversary celebration.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Temptation" finished 27th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "Temptation" 29th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Clumsy Episode with Dubious Moral Wisdom
Catherine befriends a gypsy boy who has been disowned by his grandparents and turned out into the streets due to an alleged misdeed of the boy's deceased father. Vincent and Catherine help the boy clear his father's name in order to facilitate reunification with the grandparents. This is a questionable goal considering their values are such that they were willing to disown the boy based on something his FATHER had supposedly done. An all-around clumsy episode relying on such things as doltish villains to reach its "happy" ending.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "Everything is Everything" finished 37th out of the 44 episodes.

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

Reviews (2)

Vincent Searches Below for a Kidnapped Catherine
Paracelsus (arch-nemesis to the tunnel dwellers) kidnaps Catherine in order to lure Vincent into a trap. Vincent and friends encounter some (perhaps overly) fanciful settings as they venture deeply below ground in seach of Catherine. We eventually get a WWF-style wrestling match between Vincent and a very large man as a chained damsel-in-distress (Catherine) looks on. What Paracelsus wants to achieve by setting up this whole thing is not entirely clear. Paracelsus' actions are particularly puzzling when one considers his behavior in later episodes (when Vincent seems to be the apple of his eye). "To Reign in Hell" does have some good moments, including some mournful ones.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "To Reign in Hell" finished 25th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "To Reign in Hell" 34th in my own personal rank-ordering of the episodes.

To Reign in Hell is boring as hell.
Paracelsus, an old enemy of Vincent's, kidnaps Catherine and Vincent goes in search of her. She is being held deep down in the sewers, a few days travel for Vincent. Most of the show is about Vincent's journey which is mind-numblingly boring. I found myself fast forwarding through much of it. Catherine is hardly in the show at all, and she is the main reason I watch. Please do not buy this video. It is sorely disappointing. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A small gem
This film plays a bit like an 80s French Connection. Sylvester Stallone stars in a low-key role that works very well but didn't seem to resonate with audiences the way his Rocky did. He's quieter, human, and intense.

Nighthawks (a rather nonsensical title) concerns international terrorist Wulfar (Rutger Hauer's American film debut), now persona non grata among major terrorist networks after an overdone IRA-commissioned bombing in London, fleeing to New York in order to garner maximum publicity and sell himself back to major terrorist organizations. Sensing the terrorist-for-hire's power play hopes, and guessing that New York would be the likely target, a British Interpol officer travels to the city in order to brief chosen police officers in counter-terrorist tactics as part of ATAC (Anti-Terrorist Action Command).

Part of the chosen officers include Sgt. Deke DaSilva (Stallone) and his partner Sgt. Matt Fox (Billy Dee Williams). Both are reluctant to change duties and are not serious about training, and DaSilva has reservations about risking civilians in a hostage situation.

What follows is a cat-and-mouse through New York that features a couple of exciting and well-filmed sequences. While it seems a bit far-fetched that DaSilva and Fox would bump into Wulfgar one night in a crowded disco, the action scenes make up for it and highlight New York locations well. Especially memorable is the hijacking of the Roosevelt Island tram car. (I can't look at it today without thinking of this film).

The performances are solid across the board. Stallone is engaging in the lead and is quieter than we're used to. The supporting cast includes veteran character Joe Spinell as a surly police lieutenant, Lindsay Wagner as DaSilva's estranged wife, the dusky Persis Khambata as Wulfgar's ruthless aid, and Nigel Davenport as Hartman, the Interpol officer. Rutger Hauer is perfect as the sly and suave terrorist. His talents would be highlighted in films like Blade Runner, Flesh and Blood, and The Hitcher over the years, though unfortunately he seems to have fallen to straight-to-video material in the last 10 years.

The DVD is a little bit underwhelming. For one, it's not in widescreen, which is a real shame. The full-screen treatment does not do justice to the NYC locations, especially the aerial shots of the tram and the ATAC chopper, or the opening subway encounter. The picture is good but rather grainy, and the sound is fine, better than the VHS version. The extras include some cursory production notes and the original, rather underwhelming trailer. Overall, I'd recommend this DVD for fans of the film because of the very reasonable price. The picture and sound are better than the VHS, and it's a good pickup for a small early-80s gem. Keith Emerson's score is easily one of his best. Hopefully it will one day be released to CD.

One of the few gems in Stallone's action film catalogue
A first-rate thriller 'Nighthawks' begins with a bang (literally!) and never lets ups. A top-notch cast, great use of New York City locations and a story that becomes more riveting as it develops further distinguish it. This film was made and released in 1981, a few short years before Sylvester Stallone would begin making his blockbuster mainstream action films like 'First Blood', 'Cobra' and continuing the 'Rocky' series. He has portrayed a variety of "heroes" on film but all of them pale in comparison to the character of Deke DaSilva, the New York City policeman he brings to life here. 'Nighthawks' has a plot that is timelier than ever before and DaSilva is the kind of hero that everyone is hoping for amidst all the concern over the threat of terrorism striking again in America - or anywhere else for that matter.

Stallone is aces as DaSilva and Billy Dee Williams as his edgy partner Matthew Fox is equally as good. DaSilva and Fox are fervently committed to their assignment to the NYC police force's decoy unit working the graveyard shift. Rutger Hauer plays a consciousless terrorist named Wulfgar who in the beginning of the movie plants a bomb in a London department store during midday. Moments after the bomb explodes he calls the international press to claim responsibility for his terrorist faction. Days later, when Wulfgar is considered more of a liability than an effective member of the team by his faction, he relocates to NYC to demonstrate his own brand of intimidation through violence. Interpol agent Peter Hartman, played by the British film actor Nigel Davenport, arrives in NYC to train a newly organized anti-terrorist task force of the city's police force. DaSilva And Fox are assigned to the unit and they initially object vehemently to it but later accept it after a few trials and tribulations with Hartman. Eventually the two policemen pick up the trail of the murderous and destructive Wulfgar who continually evades capture until the climax of the film - one of the best surprise endings you'll ever see in a movie.

The story is the real star here with action taking a secondary stage. In the beginning we see DaSilva and Fox in their urban setting capturing some deadly would-be muggers then switching immediately to London and Wulfgar planting a bomb in a busy store during the same day. The parallel we're supposed to draw is that the pair of gritty and municipal minded police officers will face their biggest challenge in attempting to capture the slick, conniving and elusive international terrorist. And the story's progression is perfect, never moving too quickly or filled with illogical leaps of reasoning. Each filming location is well chosen and used to great effectiveness, with the tramcar sequence a memorable standout. Despite being made in 1981 'Nighthawks' contains no noticeable elements that date it too terribly, even the disco scene remains surprisingly contemporary in appearance (except for the fashions maybe).

Other noteworthy items include the then hugely popular Lindsay Wagner, of television's "The Bionic Woman", who appears briefly in the beginning as DaSilva's unlikely love interest, an upscale clothing fashion designer; character actor and cult favorite Joe Spinell is cast as DaSilva's and Fox's superior, Lt. Munafo, appearing in some of the film's key scenes. For a double feature pair this with either 'Cliffhanger', another superior Stallone action vehicle, or 'The Package', a Gene Hackman and Tommy Lee Jones movie with a vaguely similar theme.

WARNING: Soundtrack altered for Universal DVD release!
This happens to be one of my favorite films/guilty pleasures (the flick on its own easily rates 5 stars), but just wanted to make sure that fans knew that this new Universal DVD release has a *severely* altered soundtrack from the theatrical and earlier home video/DVD releases. This is so unfortunate, as I was excited about finally (for the first time ever) being able to see 'Nighthawks' in widescreen. While the picture hasn't been remastered for this edition, it is a noticeable improvement over the 2001 GoodTimes DVD full-screen release. However, in one of the truly key scenes of the film - where DaSilva (Stallone) discovers Wulfgar (Hauer) in the club - the songs 'Brown Sugar' by the Rolling Stones and Keith Emerson's amazing cover of the Spencer Davis Group's 'I'm a Man' are completely removed and replaced with the lamest possible generic, 70's-era stock music. Words cannot describe how this soundtrack change alters the entire mood of the scene ... it's simply not pretty to watch and is a painful bastardization of the original release. Just wanted everyone to be aware of this change on the new DVD release - I had no idea until it was too late. For those looking for the intact original, theatrical release on DVD, I would sadly still have to recommend seeking out a copy of the (now out-of-print) GoodTimes release. The picture may not be quite as clear as the new Universal DVD, but at least you're getting the Director's complete version of the film. Apparently, the world STILL awaits a definititve DVD version of this minor masterpiece ...

Get this new Widescreen version.
Stallone has some of his best work here. A good movie with a view on terrorism that was ahead of it's time. Most of the other reviews refer to a substandard release from another company called good times video, that is full screen and often comes in a musty DVD case, bad times. This one is a nice new widescreen release.

One of Sly's best (No cheeky comments in this review!!)
NIGHTHAWKS has got to be one of my fave Stallone movies. I know I've taken the mickey out of him on numerous occassions, but this is pretty good, despite being a bit dated. Directed by Bruce Malmuth (HARD TO KILL) and with music by Keith Emerson of ELP, NIGHTHAWKS is a fast paced and exciting thriller which will have viewers overlooking its plot inconsistancies.
Rutger Hauer plays Wulfgar, a terrorist who heads to NYC to play a game of cat and mouse with the cops. Cops Deke DaSilva (Sly) and Matt Fox (Billy Dee Williams) are assigned the task of tracking him to London and New York to stop his reign of terror. Unfortunately Wulfgar always manages to remain a step ahead of them... most of the time.
There's not much of a plot, but from the opening credits NIGHTHAWKS hooks the viewer. Early on we get to see the almost unrecognizable Sly in drag... until the beard gives him away. There are also some great stunts at the climax where Wulfgar has a group of cable car passengers held hostage. The movie also co-stars the late Persis Khambatta (best known as the bald alien Ilia in STAR TREK 1) as Wulfgar's partner; an especially delectable Lindsey Wagner as Sly's girlfriend and last but not least; as a fashion designer, Jamie Gillis; ... Why he hasn't won a slew of Oscars is beyond me.
The DVD quality is actually pretty good, the picture is sharp and the sound clear. The few extras include the movies trailer and subtitles. But at this price it's a good bargain for those who want to update their VHS copies. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Nothing Ugly About Him; He's Just...Different"
So says a female member of a youth gang that has kidnapped Vincent. Vincent has been badly-injured in an explosion and, now chained, is being cruelly taunted and tortured by the gang. Vincent manages to make his escape, killing one of the gang members in the process. Suffering from badly-blurred vision and other injuries, he must try to find his way to safety Below, all the while being sought by the youth gang who are now seeking revenge against him. As bad as his plight is, one can envy him one thing: there is a woman desperately seeking him, seeking to help him, ready to lay her life down for him. Her name...is Catherine.

In 1998 I conducted a poll among Beauty and the Beast fans asking them to rate the 44 episodes of the first two seasons on a 1-to-10 scale. 31 fans participated. "No Way Down" finished 34th out of the 44 episodes.

I placed "No Way Down" 26th in my own personal 1-through-44 rank-ordering of the episodes.

Moving, emotionally charged
Vincint is captured by a ruthless gang after following Catherine to an explosive witness meeting. The episode tells of Vincint painful search for a way back to his home after escaping the gang. It is slightly violent, but has some touching moments. If you like emotionally charged shows then this is for you. ... Read more