Reviews (3)

Memories of Midnight
This movie was terribly dissapointing. The Other Side of Midnight is one of my all time favorites and I could not wait to see this movie. The characters and story line are weak and unsophisticated compared to OSOM. I loved Jane's business attire, she dressed to the T in this movie and the scenery in Greece and Venice were lovely and that's about it. I would not watch this mini series again. Jane Seymore was wonderful in "Somewhere in Time".

Interesting Sheldon Thriller, But Too Long
Jane Seymour and Omar Sharif make this sequel to "The Other Side of Midnight" come alive, but they can only hold it together for a limited time. Seymour plays the amnesiac victim and Sharif is the badguy. When the are together this crackels, but unfortunately that isn't often. This film would have been much better with some judicious editing.

P.S. There is a very sexy scene at the end that unfortunately is covered by the end credits. Didn't the producers feel that they could have spared an extra five minutes for something interesting?

Terrific! Reunion of Sharif and Seymour like H is to O H2O
Jane Seymour is at it again as an innocent victim. She plays a great role alond with Omar Sharif who puts the icing on the cake. I suggest this mini-series to anyone and is definitely worth the price! It kept me in suspense 99.9% of the time. Sheldon is a true master! Also suggested with Seymour: Somewhere in Time, Matters of the Heart, Dr. Quinn, Onassis, and Live and Let Die. With Sharif: Dr. Zhivago, Oh, Heavenly Dog! (he plays the same type of villain only not as powerful but still high in the ranks). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disney's foray into big-budget science fiction, close on theheels of Star Wars, had some of the most impressive special effects to gracetheater screens in the 1970s. Graced by handsome production design--mostnotably a glass and latticework interstellar craft that looks like a battleship crossed with a modern skyscraper--The Black Hole is in many waysthe most beautiful science fiction film of its era. Unfortunately, the graceful and gorgeous picture is jarred by dialogue that wouldn't pass muster in a comic book and a silly conclusion that plays like a murky,dime-store knockoff of 2001. Too bad, because the visualrealization of the film is a veritable haunted house of futuristic phenomena, from the cloaked zombie-like drones shuffling through corridors to the devilish, crimson robot Maximillian, the strong arm of the mad scientist playedby Maximilian Schell (a kind of wild man Captain Nemo with an even more ruthless temperament). Only the way-too-cute robot V.I.N.CENT (voicedby Roddy McDowall), a merchandising gimmick that looks like a Fisher-Price toy,mars the technological landscape.Robert Forster is the quietlyauthoritative captain of an exploration ship that stumbles across the seeminglyderelict ship, and Anthony Perkins, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Joseph Bottoms fill out his crew. This is one case of a triumph of artdirection and special effects over story--it's worth sitting through it to seethe magnificent scene of the fireball rolling through the ship's enormoushull alone. The rest is just atmospheric gravy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (123)

Not Bad...and leave Vincent alone!
Ok, so the dialogue isnt the greatest, the acting is a little stiff, and sometimes you can see the strings holding up Vincent and his Texan counterpart, but this is one of those movies that shouldnt be taken seriously anyway! Speaking of Vincent, quit picking on him! I thought he was cool, a lot less annoying of a kid's immick than Jar-Jar! (if maybe a tinge too philosophical...) Even into the new millenium I think most of the FX and set designs hold up very nicely to today's movies (the black hole itself and the meteor are still stunning). This is really more of a kid's sci-fi movie, and truthfully it made me feel like one again watching it! Mix together Lost In Space (for storyline and characters) , 2001 (for visuals) , and Star Wars (set/costume design) and you get the Black Hole. Also worth watching to see Norman Bates and Ernest Borgnyne as astronauts! Dont take this movie too seriously and you'll love it...trust me! DVD version picture was nice and crisp, sound was as good it probably was in its day, but a la cheap-o Disney, don't expect any worthwhile extras (like all their other dvd's). I think this movie was more enjoyable and better than the Phantom Menace...honestly!

My Guiltiest Of Pleasures
People would kill me if they read what I'm writing about "The Black Hole". However that's the way I feel about it. This movie was a flop at the box office and most critics weren't so gentle with it. But I really enjoyed this campy sci-fi flick from the Walt Disney Studios for many reasons:
1. I was overwhelmed by the teaser trailer (too bad it's not included on this DVD) where the green grid is moving all over the screen, ending with the Black Hole logo swifting and twisting in black. Awesome!!
2. The black and yellow logo in some of the posters, the one shown on the DVD case.
3. The U.S.S. Cygnus. WOW!!! What a beautiful ship.
4. The robots. Maximillian truly looks menacing. And V.I.N.CENT and Old B.O.B.; the cutest robots since "Star Wars"'s R2-D2.
5. The cast of outstanding performers: Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Roddy McDowell as the voice of V.I.N.CENT.
6. John Barry's majestic score.
7. The final scene, inside the black hole. Those images. Those visual effects. John Barry's music.

This movie might have had some flaws at describing a space version of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", but this is my most cherished guilty pleasure of all time.

A forgotten, gothic sci fi epic from the 1970s
OK let's get the bad things about the Black Hole out of the way first of all. Some of the dialogue is unbelievably naff. It has an overtly judgemental morality which runs throughout the film from start to finish. Very occasionally the SFX slip, and you see wires holding up robots etc. Some of the scenes are cloying, particularly involving the antics of the overly cute, heroic robots... Also the makers would have done better to remember what effect the vacuum of Space would have on people NOT wearing spacesuits...

Put all that aside though and you are left with a minor sci fi masterpiece. Atmospherically the film is an outright winner - it is just so gothic, from its' sets, robots, and cowled and hooded undead crew. It also boasts one of the very best musical scores by John Barry. Visually it is stunning, Space has seldom looked this good. The blue/black background of space with its' dense clusters of stars looks as good as it did on the day that it was released. Unlike Star Wars and its' visibly dated mattes, this film has more than withstood the test of time.
The film's visual pinnacle though is the giant space ship Cygnus.
A cross between Brighton Pier and The Eiffel Tower, this gothic behemoth is like no other. The scene where its' lights are switched on suddenly and unexpectedly, is one of awe and beauty.
The exploration of the ship, culminating in the arrival in the control tower is stunning. Ditto the firing up of the ship's Frankenstein Lab like reactors and huge engines for its' final journey to the Black Hole. Even in its' death throes, this huge vessel retains a sad dignity.
Acting honours go to Maximilian Schell as an intergalactic Captain Nemo. Ernest Borgnine, Anthony Perkins, Yvette Mimeux, and Robert Forster all provide very able support though.
The blood red robot Maximilian (I wonder how that name was arrived at...) is an inspired creation, and has a temperament to match its' colour scheme...

The dvd is great, picture and sound are both superb. Playing the film in 5.1 Dolby Digital on your home cinema is something else, especially when your memory of the film in the cinema is in mono. All sound channels are free of distortion and nicely separated. Both Surround channels in particular are superb.
Get this dvd if you can (it is due to be re released anyway) and add one of sci fi's most underrated films to your collection.

Worst Sci-Fi film ever!
How can anyone claim this film has any redeeming value? There are so many problems with it that it would be impossible to enumerate in less than a 1,000 words!

The ending is utterly unbelievable and contains Christian symbolism evoking the Dark Ages! Ewwwwww! I'm scared!!

Disney is about to release this film themselves in August, 2004. Two things: it should definitely be an anamorphic transfer in order to attain much better picture quality than this release and it should have the symbols of "hell" etc. edited out!

all right, let's get this straight:
Okay, people, let us please understand something. The Black Hole started production before Star Wars was released. It was not a Star Wars rip off or something that was rushed out to capitalize on the Lucas craze. It's a completely different film. It has lots of problems, obviously, but you know what? It's *still* better than the Star Wars films. I'll let you figure out why. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

a nearly pointless sequel
despite what a lot of people may think about the 1985 version of "king solomon's mines" starring richard chamberlain and sharon stone, i thought it was a very good, and entertaining movie. definitely one deserving of a sequel.

but folks, let's face it, this is certainly no "indiana jones and the temple of doom". "Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold" (and i apologize for listing it as "allan QUARTERMAIN and the lost city of gold" in my review of "king solomon's mines")is an almost pointless sequel that does not do justice to its predecessor. yes, it does have its good moments but they are few and far between. the musical score is once again incredible, but not enough to carry the weight of the entire film.

if you are ever able to find a copy of this film, do not purchase it. i wouldn't even suggest renting it. you might sit through it once, though, if it comes on HBO, cinemax, or showtime, but those would be the only channels i would recommend watching it on. any other network would have to stretch the already ridiculous hour and forty minute film out to an absurd two and a half hours. certainly too much time to spend watching a piece of cinematic rubbish like this.

More comic book fun
If you don't like humorous action adventures or comic oriented films then you will most likely hate this film. If you can have fun watching a "fun" film then this is an addition to you. It is more of the same from the original "King Solomon's Mines" with Sharon and Richard. Its a fun film in the vein of Indiana Jones and the bond films. It unfortunately was always deemed an Indiana knock off when it is based on novels written in the 1800s. The films are fun from days long lost and gone forever! No sex, pg violence and fun.....

my sides really hurt now
I rented this one with it's prequel King Solomon's Mines, but I watched them from the floor since they had me rolling with laughter! WOW!!

very funny
This DVD is worth picking up for the first half which is a riot! The entire journey to the Lost City is the best part and incredibly amusing and it's just one crazy thing after another! Very very funny!

LAUGH YOUR [...]OFF!
KING SOLOMON'S MINES AND ALAN QUATERMAIN ARE JUST TOO MUCH FUN TO WATCH BACK TO BACK!! THANK GOD THEY ARE ON DVD! I'M IN B-MOVIE HEAVEN! BLESS YOU CHAMBERLAIN! SHARON STONE IS "GREAT" IN IT TOO! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Unexpected pleasure
This is a well done made-for-tv movie from the early 80's. The movie is faithful to the source material, namely a book of the same name. Th story is a true tale of a man who was the king of a county in rural Georgia in the latee 1940's. The trial aspect of the film raises the question of whether a man can be tried for capital murder without a body. True, this is not bizarre in today's world but it was 50 years ago.

The performances of both Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash are fun to watch. Andy Griffith plays against form as the amoral and ruthless John Wallace. No Andy Taylor and Opie here. Johnny Cash puts in a fine performance as Sheriff Lamar Potts, the hero of the story. Look for Earl Hindman, Wilson of "Home Improvement", to step out from behind the fence.

Murder in Coweta County
This is an excellent movie. Both Andy Griffin and Johnny Cash are excellent actors in this movie. I think this is one of the best I have seen Andy act in with the exception of the Andy Griffin Shows. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Misadventures of Opie
I bought it because it claimed to be uncut, but the episodes were cut. It was nice, however, to not have to fast forward through commercials. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Johnny Cash plus a bonus!
As a Johnny Cash fan for longer than I care to remember I think this video was excellent. Johnny Cash played a difficult part convincingly and the story suited his style superbly. The accompanying CD is a must for every Johnny Cash fan. I've played it over and over.

Johnny Cash - the Pride of Jesse Hallam
EXCELLENT! This is a very warm movie, one that should be shown at public schools. No, it's not a concert or biography, rather it is a movie about a grown man (Cash) who never learned to read/write & stumbles thru life without admitting it. Watch this one with your family. Cash was made for this part, and plays it naturally.

Definitely a very good movie
I saw this many years ago when it originally came out. This may not be a Johnny Cash concert, but it is an extremely good movie which stars him. I'm sorry the previous 2 people did not enjoy it, but it sounds like they weren't looking for a movie, but instead a concert or biography of this man. This isn't misleading advertising at all... it is a video of the MOVIE entitled The Pride of Jesse Hallam. It's about a man who is illiterate and his family and how they cope after his wife dies. It goes through this man's experiences of learning to read among other things. It is an amazing movie. Judge it on what it is instead of what it is not.

This is not a video??
I wanted to buy a tape of johnny cash, this one said VHS and has a picture of a tape beside it. Now I read the above review and this customer says this isn't even a video, like it appears to be. That is not right to do people that way. I was ordering this for my friend, who is dieing of cancer. He wanted to watch anything with johnny cash, this was a gift I was trying to get him. Thank God I didn't order it and it not even be what it appears to be, a tape! Please, would someone fix this problem? When a person orders, it should be very clear what they are going to get in the mail. In my case, my friend doesn't have long to wait. S.D.

Read the information CAREFULLY!!!!!
This is NOT a tape about Johnny Cash!! It is a CD interview with him, along with a movie, the Pride of Jessie Hallam. I bought it thinking it was about Johnny. WRONG. I waited 6 weeks and paid 18 bucks for it, only to be disappointed! You have to read the info carefully to see that. Don't make the same mistake I did! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must See Superb Andy Griffith Collection of Barney Fife!!
In this classic 3 show Andy Griffith Collection starring 5 time Emmy winner Don Knotts as Barney Fife is as follows,1.The first show has Barney fixing up Andy with the fun girls that ends with hilarious results,2.This show has Barney becoming jealous of Opies affections with his girlfriend Thelma Lou again with hilarious results3.This show has Barney jealous of Gomer courting Thelma Lou and ofcourse agin resulting with hilarious results which makes this video overall a must see,superb Andy Griffith Collection of Barney Fife!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disney's foray into big-budget science fiction, close on the heels ofStar Wars, had some of the most impressive special effects to grace theater screens in the 1970s. Graced by handsome production design--most notably a glass and latticework interstellar craft that looks like a battleship crossed with a modern skyscraper--The Black Hole is in many ways the most beautiful science fiction film of its era. Unfortunately, the graceful and gorgeous picture is jarred by dialogue that wouldn't pass muster in a comic book and a silly conclusion that plays like a murky,dime-store knockoff of 2001. Too bad, because the visual realization ofthe film is a veritable haunted house of futuristic phenomena, from the cloaked zombie-like drones shuffling through corridors to the devilish, crimson robot Maximillian, the strong arm of the mad scientist played by Maximilian Schell (a kind of wild man Captain Nemo with an even more ruthless temperament). Only the way-too-cute robot V.I.N.CENT (voiced by Roddy McDowall), a merchandising gimmick that looks like a Fisher-Price toy, mars the technological landscape.Robert Forster is the quietly authoritative captain of an exploration ship that stumbles across the seemingly derelict ship, and Anthony Perkins, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Joseph Bottoms fill out his crew. This is one case of a triumph of art direction and special effects over story--it's worth sitting through it to see the magnificent scene of the fireball rolling through the ship's enormous hull alone. The rest is just atmospheric gravy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (123)

Not Bad...and leave Vincent alone!
Ok, so the dialogue isnt the greatest, the acting is a little stiff, and sometimes you can see the strings holding up Vincent and his Texan counterpart, but this is one of those movies that shouldnt be taken seriously anyway! Speaking of Vincent, quit picking on him! I thought he was cool, a lot less annoying of a kid's immick than Jar-Jar! (if maybe a tinge too philosophical...) Even into the new millenium I think most of the FX and set designs hold up very nicely to today's movies (the black hole itself and the meteor are still stunning). This is really more of a kid's sci-fi movie, and truthfully it made me feel like one again watching it! Mix together Lost In Space (for storyline and characters) , 2001 (for visuals) , and Star Wars (set/costume design) and you get the Black Hole. Also worth watching to see Norman Bates and Ernest Borgnyne as astronauts! Dont take this movie too seriously and you'll love it...trust me! DVD version picture was nice and crisp, sound was as good it probably was in its day, but a la cheap-o Disney, don't expect any worthwhile extras (like all their other dvd's). I think this movie was more enjoyable and better than the Phantom Menace...honestly!

My Guiltiest Of Pleasures
People would kill me if they read what I'm writing about "The Black Hole". However that's the way I feel about it. This movie was a flop at the box office and most critics weren't so gentle with it. But I really enjoyed this campy sci-fi flick from the Walt Disney Studios for many reasons:
1. I was overwhelmed by the teaser trailer (too bad it's not included on this DVD) where the green grid is moving all over the screen, ending with the Black Hole logo swifting and twisting in black. Awesome!!
2. The black and yellow logo in some of the posters, the one shown on the DVD case.
3. The U.S.S. Cygnus. WOW!!! What a beautiful ship.
4. The robots. Maximillian truly looks menacing. And V.I.N.CENT and Old B.O.B.; the cutest robots since "Star Wars"'s R2-D2.
5. The cast of outstanding performers: Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Roddy McDowell as the voice of V.I.N.CENT.
6. John Barry's majestic score.
7. The final scene, inside the black hole. Those images. Those visual effects. John Barry's music.

This movie might have had some flaws at describing a space version of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", but this is my most cherished guilty pleasure of all time.

A forgotten, gothic sci fi epic from the 1970s
OK let's get the bad things about the Black Hole out of the way first of all. Some of the dialogue is unbelievably naff. It has an overtly judgemental morality which runs throughout the film from start to finish. Very occasionally the SFX slip, and you see wires holding up robots etc. Some of the scenes are cloying, particularly involving the antics of the overly cute, heroic robots... Also the makers would have done better to remember what effect the vacuum of Space would have on people NOT wearing spacesuits...

Put all that aside though and you are left with a minor sci fi masterpiece. Atmospherically the film is an outright winner - it is just so gothic, from its' sets, robots, and cowled and hooded undead crew. It also boasts one of the very best musical scores by John Barry. Visually it is stunning, Space has seldom looked this good. The blue/black background of space with its' dense clusters of stars looks as good as it did on the day that it was released. Unlike Star Wars and its' visibly dated mattes, this film has more than withstood the test of time.
The film's visual pinnacle though is the giant space ship Cygnus.
A cross between Brighton Pier and The Eiffel Tower, this gothic behemoth is like no other. The scene where its' lights are switched on suddenly and unexpectedly, is one of awe and beauty.
The exploration of the ship, culminating in the arrival in the control tower is stunning. Ditto the firing up of the ship's Frankenstein Lab like reactors and huge engines for its' final journey to the Black Hole. Even in its' death throes, this huge vessel retains a sad dignity.
Acting honours go to Maximilian Schell as an intergalactic Captain Nemo. Ernest Borgnine, Anthony Perkins, Yvette Mimeux, and Robert Forster all provide very able support though.
The blood red robot Maximilian (I wonder how that name was arrived at...) is an inspired creation, and has a temperament to match its' colour scheme...

The dvd is great, picture and sound are both superb. Playing the film in 5.1 Dolby Digital on your home cinema is something else, especially when your memory of the film in the cinema is in mono. All sound channels are free of distortion and nicely separated. Both Surround channels in particular are superb.
Get this dvd if you can (it is due to be re released anyway) and add one of sci fi's most underrated films to your collection.

Worst Sci-Fi film ever!
How can anyone claim this film has any redeeming value? There are so many problems with it that it would be impossible to enumerate in less than a 1,000 words!

The ending is utterly unbelievable and contains Christian symbolism evoking the Dark Ages! Ewwwwww! I'm scared!!

Disney is about to release this film themselves in August, 2004. Two things: it should definitely be an anamorphic transfer in order to attain much better picture quality than this release and it should have the symbols of "hell" etc. edited out!

all right, let's get this straight:
Okay, people, let us please understand something. The Black Hole started production before Star Wars was released. It was not a Star Wars rip off or something that was rushed out to capitalize on the Lucas craze. It's a completely different film. It has lots of problems, obviously, but you know what? It's *still* better than the Star Wars films. I'll let you figure out why. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Fun from start to finish
Freaky Friday is a hilarious film. It is filled with funny, quotable dialogue. The script is great, and what makes it all come together are the performances by it's stars. Jodie Foster is very good and entertaining as Annabel. Barbara Harris as Mrs. Andrews is so wonderful she steals the show. Her transformation into her teenage daughter trying to be a wife and mother is a blast. Barbara Harris has a wacky, rebelliousness that comes though in her performance. It's perfect. Her scenes with Boris (Annabel's teenage crush who lives across the street) and her son Ben, are especially funny.

The young Sparky Marcus as little Ben Andrews is adorable. His scene of confiding in his "mother" about his true feelings for sister Annabel is very touching. Marc McClure as Boris Harris (who makes a cameo appearance in 2003's Freaky Friday as Boris making a delivery) is great in his role as the allergy-prone object of Annabel's affections. Another standout character is Mrs. Schmauss the cleaning lady. Her interactions with "Mrs. Andrews" are side splitting.

The title song, "I'd Like To Be You For A Day", is really beautiful and compliments the sentiment in the film. Freaky Friday is a feel good film with a message that is obvious, but also has a subtle message throughout that reminds us not to take life too seriously. It seems to say "Enjoy the people you love, appreciate their individuality and struggles, and most of all, allow yourself to have fun on this crazy journey."

Original 1977 FREAKY FRIDAY Is The Best!
For a guy who likes Ingmar Bergman and other indy, artsy films, I guess it seems weird that I bought the DVD of the original FREAKY FRIDAY the minute it hit amazon. But, this film was made in the good old days of Disney, before they lost focus of their business and started behaving like most other monster corporations. This story has had at least 3 lives: the 2003 version (enjoyable), the 90's TV version (I never saw that one), and the one at hand. The original 1977 release gives us the unique pleasure of seeing two wonderful performers, Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, going through their paces in this mother-daughter-switch tale. Barbara Harris is one of the great performers who never quite made the level of fame she deserved. Whether in her Broadway turns in ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and THE APPLE TREE, to several good films, she had an amazing ability to be vulnerable in one moment and seamlessly turn into a glamourous, gutsy bombshell in the next. And her voice! This film and, perhaps, Hitchcock's FAMILY PLOT are nice samplings of her skill. Add in the very young Jodie Foster and you can't lose. (The DVD has a nice on-screen commentary by Foster, which proves how spontaneously articulate she is. Too bad they didn't get Harris to discuss her part.) As an added benefit, the screenplay is by source book author, Mary Rodgers (Richard Rodgers' daughter and author-composer in her own right). For those who like THE GILMORE GIRLS, which is a tremendous and enjoyable example of an almost-impossibly-idealistic relationship between a mother and her daughter, this film will be a nice reality check. Here the mother and daughter can't relate to each other at all until they go through the fiery baptism of spending a day in each other's body. Ultimately, this film provides us with 90-plus minutes of enjoyment and humor in the hands of the very talented cast.

Extremly Funny!!!!!!!!
I like this one MUCH better than the remake! Although the remake was still good. It is MUCH closer to the book. It was also more funny and I thought that Jodie Foster did an excellent job as Annabel! MUCH better than Lindsey Lohan. I also thought that Barbara Harris did a great job as Ellen. The Remake is not close to the book at all. After you see the orginal one, you'll probaly think that the remake isn't as good!

The best nothing beats a classic!
I grew up with this movie. I think I saw it for the first time on the wonderful world of Disney. Either that or Mom got it for me at the library & even she likes it.
Jodi foster is both brilliant & lovable! She's believable and as the child her issues where at least believable & somebody I could sypathise with. As an adult in a childs body well hillarious! By the way Ben or Ape Face really showed talent. What happened to that kid? He was cute & delivered a preformance of giant perportion that added dynamic to both mother and daughter. Plus that ball game scene & his love & envy of his big sister. The kid had a real talent for delivering dialog, yet also proved though he first apears a little geek that he had a real little boys spirit.
The jokes where clean & in good taste. Yet timeless & funny. Nothing beats a great chase scene & that car chase was both exciting and funny.
I seached long & hard for a copy of the vhs but it'd been vaulted. just when I bought it used My VCR broke & I got a DVD player for my birthday. A week later the DVD came out. Purchase of that DVD is one of the first things I'll do with my next paycheck. It will be money well spent on a classic disney movie I could watch again & again.

Thank you, Disney
At last, Disney DVD presents a fine, widescreen print of one of its '70's classics with an accompanying twenty-minute recollection by Jodie Foster of her formative years on the Disney lot. Although this DVD of the original "Freaky Friday" is not a special edition, it is exactly the kind of product we Disney fans and DVD purists have been begging for. Hopefully, good sales will lead to new widescreen releases of previously botched fullscreen DVDs of "Follow Me, Boys," "Son of Flubber," "The Gnome Mobile" and "Blackbeard's Ghost," among others.

One of the first of the popular body-switching genre, 1977's "Freaky Friday" is a fast-paced, perceptive comedy about a typical mother-and-daughter relationship and how the two react when they literally switch personalities for a day, with Foster's Annabel trapped in her mother's body, and Barbara Harris' Ellen going to junior high as Annabel. The complications are obvious but nonetheless funny and engaging, with Harris proving herself a skilled physical comedienne while skateboarding, playing baseball, and suffering through numerous pratfalls and humiliations. My only problem with Harris' performance is she seems to be playing Annabel too young--perhaps as a nine-year-old instead of a bright thirteen-year-old, so she's never entirely believable in the role. (Jamie Lee Curtis, on the other hand, nails the teenager-in-a-grownup-body role in the remake.) Foster, on the other hand, is just about perfect in her characterization of daughter/mother Annabel. Even in 1977 it was easy to see this phenomenal young talent was destined for great things as an actress. Indeed, "Freaky Friday" was part of an incredible string of top-notch performances Foster gave from 1973-1977 ("Tom Sawyer," "Echoes of a Summer," "Bugsy Malone," "Taxi Driver," "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" and "Candleshoe") that turned her into one of the finest (if not THE finest) child actresses of all time.

Rounding out the cast is a fine group of veteran actors: John Astin as Bill Andrews, Annabel's confused father; Patsy Kelly as the family's grumpy and unlikeable housekeeper; Dick Van Patten as Bill's boss; and Ruth Buzzi, in a funny cameo as a field hockey coach (her strategy: "Get Annabel Andrews and get her good!") Gary Nelson's direction is crisp, and the script by novelist Mary Rodgers perceptive for the time, although she was forced to change the plot somewhat to include that tired Disney '70's staple: a protracted slapstick car chase involving Ellen/Annabel outracing several police cars without facing any consequences whatsoever. Like most Disney films of the era, the production values are stellar and the film is colorful and reminiscent of a live-action cartoon. Even the opening cartoon-credit sequence is engaging.

Yes, there are some creepy sexual subtexts here (which Foster amusingly comments on in the documentary) involving Bill and neighbor-teen Boris (Marc McClure) both coming onto Ellen/Annabel, but they will go right over younger kids' heads and older kids will be as amused by it as their parents. Regardless, this is perfect family entertainment and will make a fine double-feature with the 2003 remake, which is equally good with its own merits. (I prefer Jamie Lee Curtis over Harris, and Foster over Lohan and think the remake is more successful in dealing with the sexual subtexts; i.e., the makers wisely scuttle the father's role and make Curtis a widow with a fiance played by Mark Harmon, which was the smartest of many changes made in the plot.)

So, once again, thank you, Disney, for a fine DVD of one of your best '70's films. Please, please, please follow this one up with more widescreen releases. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best supporting character in television history
Don Knotts' character Barney Fife, as good as the other elements of the show were, made "The Andy Griffith Show" perhaps the best sitcom ever. Any package featuring Barney Fife should be an excellent one. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Of course this video is child appropriate!
The Andy Griffith Show is THE finest T.V. series ever made. And how anyone could even think, mind you, just think anything else is beyond me and mine!

Story Line-Content
I just want to review to see if this video is child appropriat ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Unexpected pleasure
This is a well done made-for-tv movie from the early 80's. The movie is faithful to the source material, namely a book of the same name. Th story is a true tale of a man who was the king of a county in rural Georgia in the latee 1940's. The trial aspect of the film raises the question of whether a man can be tried for capital murder without a body. True, this is not bizarre in today's world but it was 50 years ago.

The performances of both Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash are fun to watch. Andy Griffith plays against form as the amoral and ruthless John Wallace. No Andy Taylor and Opie here. Johnny Cash puts in a fine performance as Sheriff Lamar Potts, the hero of the story. Look for Earl Hindman, Wilson of "Home Improvement", to step out from behind the fence.

Murder in Coweta County
This is an excellent movie. Both Andy Griffin and Johnny Cash are excellent actors in this movie. I think this is one of the best I have seen Andy act in with the exception of the Andy Griffin Shows. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Molly and Lawless John
It's a good old "B" western with Sam Elliot as the bad guy.

Very good for all Sam Elliot fans and Good for all cowboy movie fans.

Bad Language
I like Sam Elliott movies very much. This one was BAD!!! A lot of Bad Language. Every couple of words. It should be rated R. I think instead of PG.

A WESTERN FROM THE GENRE'S TWILIGHT YEARS
Had this movie been made a dozen years earlier, it might have found an audience. By 1973, however, the Hollywood western was riding into the sunset and the studio hardly bothered even releasing this admittedly-minor production.

Vera Miles plays the shy, quiet wife of a blustery frontier lawman who clearly doesn't appreciate her. On impulse, she helps a handsome, sweet-talking young prisoner escape from her husband's jail. The bulk of the movie then follows this mismatched pair as they flee across a desert landscape.

The dialog between the runaway wife and the outlaw isn't sharp enough or observant enough to lift the proceedings above the ordinary, but the femininist tone of the script is a pleasant surprise and Vera Miles makes for an appealing heroine.

Sam Elliott, virtually unknown at the time, plays the escaping prisoner. His screen personae hadn't yet developed and so his character never quite comes into focus. At times the movie simply uses him for "beefcake" value and he has several scenes in which he gets to show off that gloriously-hairy chest.

While not a notable contribution to the genre, "Molly and Lawless John" at least brought no shame to the once-proud American western. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A pair of first season episodes of the classic idiot sitcom
This videotape has a couple of first season episodes of "Gilligan's Island," including only the second appearance of a guest star. In Episode #15 "So Sorry, My Island Now," Vito Scotti, the Italian character actor who would go on to appear in "The Godfather," plays a Japanese sailor (I know, it strikes me as especially odd too) who shows up on the island in his one-man submarine and thinks World War II is still going on since his radio broke in 1942. Of course, Gilligan (Bob Denver) initially mistakes the submarine for a strange creature in their lagoon and it is not long before the visitor has captured most of the Castaways. Then, in Episode #16 "Plant You Now, Dig You Later," Mr. Howell (Jim Backus) hired Gilligan to dig a barbecue pit. When Gilligan hits a buried treasure chest, a custody battle ensues over ownership, which comes down to the principle of "finders keepers" versus the "out of court" settlement approach of paying off the jury. Both of the episodes are standard fare for the classic "idiot" sitcom, certainly representative of the first season but not classic episodes by any means.

what a great tape of Gilligan's Island
this tape is so so great... i loved it. in your local video stores these tapes are out of print so BUY IT NOW from amazon.com !!! these episods are funny and they look great in color. best thing you dont have those commercials ! i love Gilligan's Island and this is a MUST for any Gilligan's Island fan out there.... hury !!! these videos might be gone soon so buy it now while you have the chance!!

japanese sailor on gilligan's island
is cool the first time seeing the japanese it was in black and white on nick at nite but on this tape it is in color wan giligan was in the lagoon a peasocp came out of the wather gilligan ran a way gilligan thinks it is a seasurpint wan it was a japanese sailor from ww2 the japanese sailor dos not kown ww2 is over the japanese sailor capsers the castways to find out what happans next you must buy this video

Excellent colorized version of episodes 15 and 16
Excellent true-to-life colorized version of episode #15 (first aired on January 9, 1965) and #16 (first aired on January 16, 1965). Contains original music and scenes not shown in re-runs. END ... Read more

Description

The Andy Griffith Show: Great Special Collection contains the following episodes:

The Loaded Goat
The Class Reunion
Rafe Hollister Sings
Aunt Bee's Medicine Man
The Darlings are Coming
Barney's First Car
The Rivals
Dogs Dogs Dogs
Mountain Wedding ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Andy and Barney are always great
Just want to assure you that this is a good video. It does have the silly whistling song, instead of the original Andy Griffith theme, but we didn't really mind that. We quit watching tv because it was just getting too obscene, so this was a real find for us, and truly enjoyable.

Where's the theme song?
I guess the video company that purchased the rights to these episodes decided it would be less expensive to compose their own theme music instead of paying the copyright holder to use the familiar "whistling" tune on the tape. Whatever the reason, it doesn't work.

The episodes are the same great shows we all remember, but the music isn't the same and the visual quality of the tape itself is a little bit shaky. Be aware of this if you're considering a purchase of this cassette.

A great collection of Andy!
We are very pleased with this collection. We are really big Andy fans and this is a very nice collection of episodes. 2 thumbs up!

No Stop Andy!
You can never get enough of those old-time classics. This Andy Griffth tape features 10 episodes that will entertain you for hours. I found this tape and I could not pass up a deal like this. I received this tape 1 week ago and I have already watched every episode atleast 2 times. The quality is great and it has all the best episodes. If you like the Andy Griffth Show Gang, you'll love this Video. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great shows,but very dissapointing video!!!
"The Andy Griffith Show" is perhaps one of the absolute best and very entertaining shows of its time.However,there are 16 episodes of the series,mostly from the 3rd Season,that have end up in the public domain and that means that there are many different companies out there that are releasing the shows often at times with poor picture and sound or even removing the classic original theme music.But this UAV video package is one of those few.This video contains 10 out of the 16 public domain episodes of TAGS and all of the shows contain very innapropriate stock keyboard music,which makes the opening theme look like something off of Saturday Morning TV for Kids and it also ruins the whole atmosphere of the series!! I give this two stars,because both the picture and sound quality are superb,but ZERO for the opening and end credit music.Some years ago,UAV released a series of AUTHORIZED "Andy Griffith Show" episodes such as "A Christmas Story","Haunted House",and many other episodes and yes,all of those releases did contain the original theme music.Unfortunately,these videos are now out-of-print and are often considered collector's items! So I urge the AGS fans to avoid this tape at all costs and I strongly recommnend either the Platinum Disc or Brentwood DVD's of the series as they do outstanding jobs using better quality opening and closing music compared to this version!! I will never buy these shows from either UAV or Madacy or any other crappy distributor that puts out these great shows!! Avoid this and or any other AGS titles from UAV,period!!!

Good except for intro music
The episodes listed are good choices as the episodes are interesting and they span the main cast. The video quality is excellent, as is the sound. This can not be said of all Mayberry videos. The only detraction is that the video producer chose different but similar sounding intro music, presumably to avoid paying royalties on the music. This is practical, but how many of us buy Mayberry video's for practical reasons? My kids think this is the original music - a small but disappointing fact.

Overall, with well-chosen episodes, great quality images and sound, this is a good video for Andy fans and those with kids who want quality entertainment with traditional values. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Gilligan wins $3 million and has to guard the water supply
This video tape offers up a pair of episodes from the first season of "Gilligan's Island." First up is "Three Million Dollars More or Less" (Episode #13, December 26, 1964), where Gilligan wins $3 million from Mr. Howell in a golf game. Mr. Howell then tricks Gilligan into buying a worthless oil well that he owns. Of course, then Mr. Howell hears on the radio that the oil well is a gusher and now he needs to find a way to get the productive well back. Unfortunately he is going up against Gilligan. This episode was written by Bill Davenport & Charles Tannen and directed by Ray Montgomery. Then in "Water, Water Everywhere" (Episode #14, January 2, 1965), the castaways have to deal with the fact that their supply of fresh drinking water is running out. This forces the group to strictly ration what little water they have, which simply means they wait until Gilligan is on guard to get themselves some more. Written by Tom Waldman & Frank Waldman and directed by Stanley Z. Cherry, I appreciate the fact that this is one of the few episodes that actually deals with one of the "real" problems the castaways would have confronted. While neither of these are classic episodes of "Gilligan's Island," they do show why the series is usually considered the epitome of the "Idiot Sitcom" that dominated television in the middle-1960s.

Gilligans Island One of the greatest shows of all time!
In this episode of Gilligan's Island Mr. Howell is getting tired of playing golf by him self so he askes Gilligan to be his partner. Mr. Howell realizes that Gilligan is an excellent player. Mr. Howell bets Gilligan that he can't play better than him and Gilligan beats him every time! Mr. Howell still doesn't give up and he keeps playing and playing until he loses three million dollars in gambeling against Gilligan! Gilligan is so happy that he became a millionaire he is confident that he can win more of Mr. Howell's money so he plays another game and bets all of his money. Unfortunatly Gillligan plays a game he is not all good at and loses and Mr. Howell becomes the millionaire on the island once again! This episode is full of laughs! See it now and witness the luaghs and comedy of the castaways on Gilligan's Island! ... Read more