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In 1985, Steven Spielberg launched the anthology TV series AmazingStories, directing one of the early episodes, "The Mission," a taut, emotional story set during a World War II combat flight.

Kevin Costner plays the pilot of an American bomber running raidsinto German airspace. During a dogfight with Nazis, a piece ofenemy aircraft wedges itself into the hull of Costner's rig and jams thehatch of the ball turret gunner. The shootout cripples the landing mechanism,and the net effect is that the gunner (Casey Siemaszko) is stuck in histransparent shell, unable to get back up into the body of the plane andcertain to die horribly during an imminent, emergency landing.Spielberg keeps tightening the screws, brilliantly directing a handful of goodactors (Kiefer Sutherland is in the mix) in a tight spacerapidly filling with dread and grief. While it has to be said that theresolution of "The Mission" may well be the most improbable turn of events in television history, everything up to that point is as exciting as TV can get.

Also on Book 1 is "The Wedding Ring," starring real-life spousesDanny DeVito and Rhea Perlman as a married couple who spice up their 10thyear together after DeVito, playing a costumer in a wax museum, gives hismousy bride a ring that belonged to a black-widow killer. Perlman, cast as a beleaguered waitress exploited by a callous boss, gets a personality makeover whenever she dons the ring, becoming insatiable in bed and a convincing femme fatale everywhere else. The only problem is that she's soon chasing herterrified husband around with a large kitchen knife, imbued with more thanthe sexy spirit of the ring's previous owner. Directed by DeVito, this cute episode works best as a different kind of vehicle for Perlman, who reallydoes make the screen sizzle. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best hour of TV ever
I remember watching this Amazing Stories premiere and being
rendered slackjawed for the entire episode. I can remember no
better television, ever. It was like watching 'Raiders of the
Lost Ark', '1941', and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' all
wrapped up in an hour of tension. This is a masterpiece worthy
of film.

...and the DeVito episode is pretty good too.

:)

With dream's, You live
I can seriously relate to the characters in the mission. My grandfather was a tailgunner during WWII. Once he was sick and unable to go on a mission. His entire crew and plane were destroyed on take-off. And where would I be? Out of existance. Steven Spielberg directs the first in a series of Amazing stories, a story about heart and survival. Kevin Costner is the captain of a crew of airmen in WWII. The Bellygunner dreams one day of drawing for Disney, and hopes as soon as the war is over, to work in the land of magic.

Kiefer Sutherland, a more serious character and close companion, always keeps an eye out and protects his friend nomatter the cost. On one mission in flight over enemy lands, the plane is hit my enemy fire. The good news is they can make it back to base. But the tragedy is, the door to the bellygunner is stuck and the landing wheels are jammed. Sutherland has a tremendous decision to make, and is faced with a hard decision of his life.

In a tension mounting climax, you see how the dreams and ambitions of one man can change the lives of the others around him forever. Absolutely great.

The other story, The Ring, is funny as all get out. If the decision had been left to me, I wouldn't have stuck these two stories together because they are so different. I would wait a half an hour between the two so you can get the most out of them. Devito and Pearlman have a hard lesson to learn about love, and what it takes to rekindle it. Good stuff.

The First Episode Reviewed, not the second!
The first episode, "The Mission", is a very enetertaining tale that anybody under the age of 20 would enjoy. I consists of fighting in WW2 and of the lives of B-17 pilots. It is a miniature "Memphis belle" yet is in its own class. A B-17 has many gun turrets on it, and one is located on the bottom of the plane. In this episode of Amazing stories, the belly gunner's bubble is damaged, and he cannot get out. To make matters worse, the bombers landing gear will not go down, so the crew has to risk a belly landing, which would spell the end of our cartoon-drawing, luftwaffae-fighting, and caring hero, Kevin Costner. The ending is surprising, and has a bit of magic to it. This is, of course, my opinion. And the music by John Williams! WOW! amazing, to say the least. Especially when the AS theme surges as the gunner frantically creates his solution to the problem. If you wanna know how it ends, scroll down as far as you can go

The gunner, being a cartoonist, frantically draws his airplane, while John Williams them races and flares. He draws his plane, and adds a pair of balloony, cartoon tires to the landing gear, which results in an impressive bending of animation and live action, for the time. And thus, the B-17 lands safely, and the gunner is united with his lady, and the crew lives happily ever after.

First in the series of Amazing Stories videos not so strong.
This tape includes both "The Mission" and "The Wedding Ring." The Mission is helmed by Steven Spielberg. This special one-hour episode has his style written all over it. The cinematography is a gorgeous sepia and the winning score by John Williams is properly heroic. The whole episode is very grand for television including the superstar casting (Kevin Costner, Kiefer Sutherland). Even the screenplay is a direct, no-nonsense approach to the situation. However, the magical ending is a major letdown and is totally removed from the earthly tension Spielberg builds up through that point. In fact, one of the attempted solutions to their problem, involving passing an opened parachute through a little window to the belly gunner for him to use after he kicks out of his plexi-glass cock-pit would make for a more promising, dare I say 'Amazing' ending. Next on the tape is Danny DeVito's "Wedding Ring." This was the second season opener and, other than the star power of Rhea Perlman and husband Danny DeVito, is an un-Amazing whimper. DeVito and Perlman do portray a cute couple and the musical score by Craig Safan is enjoyable, but otherwise, this is a tired, boring story. ... Read more

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Most of this second volume of stories from the 1985-87 televisionanthology series is a middling offering from former Steven Spielbergprotégé Robert Zemeckis, who later won an Oscar for directingForrest Gump. (Spielberg was the creator of Amazing Stories.)Zemeckis's episode is a bit of schlock horror called "Go to the Head of theClass," and while itstars Christopher Lloyd in a fiendish role as a decapitated teacher, and an atypical part for Mary Stuart Masterson as a manipulative teenage babe, there isn't much that sticks to the ribs.

The real treat on Book 2, however, is the animated "Family Dog,"directed by the little-known Brad Bird but supervised by Tim Burtonlong before he became a household name. A witty and observant satire on familydysfunction as seen through the eyes of a pet pooch and perennial scapegoat,"Family Dog" follows the misadventures of a sweet-natured mutt just trying tofit in with his human housemates but betrayed at every turn. Tormented by abratty boy, prodded by an exuberant toddler, and an easy target for an unhappymom and duplicitous dad, the dog can't get a break. Burton's dark sensibilitiesare certainly in play, and the animation--while owing something to Warner andDisney--is novel and expressive. One needn't worry about young viewers watchingthis one: there's no physical brutality and the comedy always prevails. Plus,the ending proves, definitively, that every dog does indeed have hisday. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Family Dog Takes the Cake!
The Family Dog is absolutely the funniest cartoon I have ever seen. We wore out our copy years ago, and I'm so grateful to find that it's here for sale. Although we haven't seen it for eons, my family still quotes from it, and we never fail to crack up in giggles at even the memory! I can't speak for the Christopher Lloyd portion, but Family Dog is WELL worth the investment, for the youngsters as well as the adults in the family!

Family Dog is the head of its Class! But, Class is a Dog.
This tape consists of "Go to the Head of the Class" and "Family Dog." Team Robert Zemeckis with his 'Back to the Future I, II, & III' & 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' star, Christopher Lloyd and you are bound to get a hysterically funny, creative tale. But, that did not happen here. Nothing of Zemeckis' (Used Cars, Contact, Forrest Gump) film making know how is evident here and Lloyd has never been more annoying. Additionally, this hour long episode has a half hour story-line stretched way too thin. Even Coffey and Masterson have no charm here. On the positive note, some of Stan Winston's (Terminator, Jurassic Park) headless effects are very impressive for 1980's television. BUT Family Dog!This could be the most successful of the entire series. After all, it spawned a spin-off series! (Very short lived). But, it is meritous. The animation is great fun. The dog's nose floating an inch off his face is hysterical and his reactions are obvious without being human. The stories themselves are smartly paced with 'real' dialogue and each is balanced with humorous music by Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo fame. Enjoy!

OH MY GOD!!!
The cartoon was unbelievably funny! That rotten little boy and the smartass dog was too too funny for words.I RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANYONE WITH AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS MOVIE WILL GET RID OF IT TEMPORARILY. JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TO FORGET WHY YOU WERE MAD IN THE 1ST PLACE

Amazing Stories Review By MaxS. McPike
When I first watched the Amazing Stories TV show I was just
stunned ,I loved it and I even thought it was better than
the Twilight Zone movie and also it was a lot different than other movies and TV shows . What I also liked about it was that it had a lot of famous people in it like: Kevin Kostner, Pat Hingle, Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Stuart Masterson,Christopher Lloyd, Rhea Perlman, and many others. I think it is fun for the whole family. P.S. I think they should put it on DVD.

THE BEST ANIMATION SHORT OF ITS TIME
BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT, just for the short, "Family Dog" I have been looking for this cartoon for years!! I knew of someone's household that was similar to this short! My family and I used to watch this everytime it came on cable, before the series came out. ... Read more

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Burt Reynolds directed and stars in this dark comedy, which suffers from diminishing returns the longer it goes on. He plays a fellow who discovers that he has a terminal illness and wants to spare himself and everyone he knows the seemingly unavoidable end of a painful malady. So he decides to kill himself. But he proves surprisingly inept at it and after several tries winds up in a mental hospital, where he meets a cheerfully homicidal inmate (Dom DeLuise). The suicide stuff was handled more imaginatively and with greater flair in Harold and Maude; the film has very few real jokes and only comes to life twice: when Burt tries to confess to an easily impressed young priest (Robby Benson) and when the lunatic DeLuise is onscreen.--Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (8)

GOD MAKE ME A BETTER SWIMMER
this is one of the funniest movie of all time. it was crazy but cute. if anybody is reading this do yourself a great favor and buy this on dvd or rent it first because it is very funny.

I wish it would end!
What did I think was so funny about this movie back in the 70's?....must have been the substances I was on....this movie stinks....it's just bad!.....I couldn't wait for it to end!(actually couldn't make it all the way through!)

Funny but Not For The Easily Offended!
The End is a dark comedy about a man played by Burt Reynolds who has had a extremely bad day including being told by his doctor that he has a terminal ilness and is going to die so he tries to kill himself but is discovered by a cop and taken to a mental hospital where he meets a deranged patient played by Dom Deluise.

Burt Reynolds was very good and of course so was Dom Deluise in his hilarious scene stealing performance and also very good are Joanne Woodward as Burt Reynold's ex-wife, Sally Field as his ditzy girlfriend and Kristy McNichol as his daughter but unfortunately she only had a tiny cameo.

The subject matter of this dark comedy may offend some people so I would definitely not buy this or recommend this to anyone who you think may get upset at the humor in the movie and have a hissy fit, but anyone who likes a good dark comedy should be able to enjoy it.

Side-splitting hilarity abounds
I have not laughed this hard in ages. Ok the premise is that a man is dying and wants to spare his family, by killing himself. On the surface that's not funny, but this movie had me in stitches. Burt Reynolds plays bumbling very well. Joanne Woodward is a riot as the liberated ex-wife! Her scenes are not to be missed. ~ (comedy, drama, the woman is a genius!) Sally Field is neurotic and kooky. Dom Deluise is deranged. Oh boy did I have a ball. Recommended viewing for those with a twisted sense of humour.

An underrated masterpiece
Burt Reynolds directs and stars in this much underrated black comedy which also features Dom DeLuise, Sally Field and Carl Reiner. Reynolds plays Sony Lawson who is diagnosed as having a toxic blood disease. From this rather bleak premise stem a series of hilarious sequences, including the diagnosis itself by a very unsympathetic doctor, and Reynolds confessing his sins in church to a juvenile priest. Adamant that he'll die with dignity, Reynolds resolves not to tell his daughter, parents, girlfriend or ex-wife about his terminal illness, and he tries to cope with it himself by committing suicide. But his plan goes wrong and he finds himself in a mental hospital where he meets DeLuise (in a performance tour de force)who agrees to 'help' him. The resulting scenes of DeLuise's failed attempts to kill Reynolds are brilliantly executed moments of comedy. Tiring of these failures, Reynolds escapes from the mental hospital and again decides to do the job himself. It is really quite a shame that this film has been virtually forgotten. The concept of someone facing such monumental adversity is a universal theme, and this work is much better and more intelligent than higher-profile Burt Reynolds outings such as 'Smokey And The Bandit'. Perhaps this video release (is a UK version in the works?) and Reynolds' recent success in'Boogie Nights' will help gain this film more than just a cult following. It certainly deserves it. And there's even some atmospheric music from Frank Sinatra and Glen Campbell to enjoy too. ... Read more

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Good, heartwarming baseball movie.
This was the best baseball movie I've ever seen. It's like what would happen if you crossed "The Sandlot" and "The Bad News Bears" then added Hallmark Hall of Fame sentiment. My opinion may be a bit biased since one of my friends was in this movie. But it was a great film nonetheless. :-) ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Burt Reynolds classic
Sharkey's Machine... A classic. At least if you like Burt Reynolds or the Atlanta of years past. I saw this film for the first time at the theater and have liked it ever since. It paints a picture of the Atlanta I knew as a teenager and miss. The movie is full of witty humor and good old fashioned action. Several co-stars including, Brian Keith, Bernie Casey, Charles Durning, Rachel Ward, Henry Silva and Vitorio Gassman help to make this a believable film, when so many unbelievable films are being made. Reynolds plays the tough "Sergeant Sharkey" opposite a very convincing Italian Drug Dealer(Gassman) as they clash in this good cop verses the bad guys flick. The movie soundtrack is a refreshing Jazz make up and suits the style of the film well. All in all, a winner.

A good break for Burt
Sharky's Machine is a classic thriller, which says a lot considering who the star of the movie turned out to be. I always associate Burt Reynolds with movies like Smokey and the Bear and Cannonball Run - fun, but stupid. This one actually made him think a little bit. The cop-prostitute love affair is just one slice of this complicated tale, and there are some great secondary characters, like the seedy old cop played by the late great ``Uncle Bill'' from Family Affair (I forgot his name, sorry)and the head detective who flies into a rage whenever Sharky gets too close to solving the crime. The whole corrupt politician story line is also a great addition to the drug-crazed murder plot. When Rachel Ward comes off the elevator and gives Sharky that smoky smile she's so well-known for, as he pretends to be a repairman, and the light shines straight through her skirt, you know Sharky is a goner. Also, the investigation of the murder, after Dominoe's friend is mistakenly blown to bits by the pcp sniffing brother, is a cool addition to the story line. It makes you think and keeps you completely in suspense. And the soundtrack is great. Overall, a great flick. It's the kind of movie to watch while nursing a cold one in the bar, or an afghan and a cat on the couch, on a rainy day.

"Do You Think I'll Live?"
I have always been a fan of Burt Reynolds. Sure, the guy has made some of the biggest bombs in Hollywood history, such as "Stroker Ace," "Cop and a Half," and several others too painful to mention. When I say I am a fan, I am not necessarily referring to his best known films like "Smokey and the Bandit,"...or "The Longest Yard." I like Reynolds's seedy looking films, those low budget action flicks that look like they cost five dollars to make. "White Lightening," "Heat," and "Gator" are always worth watching. I used to list "Sharky's Machine" as one of Reynolds's best efforts until I watched it again recently for the first time in many years. This 1981 action/thriller should give the viewer the best Reynolds has to offer: he directed it, starred in it, and made sure to assemble a stellar cast including Richard Libertini, Brian Keith, Charles Durning, Rachel Ward, Vittorio Gassman, and Henry Silva. In fact, you will recognize so many faces in this movie that you will start to wonder how Reynolds got all of these guys together without spending his entire budget on salaries. Unfortunately, Reynolds's directorial debut drags in spots due to the inclusion of decidedly non-action elements and slow pacing. "Sharky's Machine" is the film version of a book written by author William Diehl.

Reynolds plays Atlanta police detective Tom Sharky, a tough as nails cop attempting to crack down on the city's heroin trade. After a failed drug buy results in the death of an innocent bystander, the department ships Sharky off to the vice department as penance for his reckless heroics. Located in the dingy basement of police headquarters, the vice room is about as filthy as you could imagine. The other police officers consider vice as the bottom of the barrel, and so does Sharky until he uncovers a prostitution ring with links to a gubernatorial candidate...

The cast is the main reason to watch "Sharky's Machine." Libertini is a hoot as the scatterbrained Nosh, Durning plays Sharky's supervisor Friscoe with lung shattering intensity, Brian Keith is the always hungry Papa, and Bernie Casey plays the philosophical Arch. Rachel Ward is effective as Dominoe, and Vittorio Gassman oozes his way through the role of crime kingpin Victor. Henry Silva steals the movie as the ominous killer who possesses no scruples whatsoever. Silva was born to play bad guys on the silver screen, and that is what he has done throughout his career, but in "Sharky's Machine" he turns in the performance of a lifetime. It is regrettable that Silva does not get more screen time. Until I rewatched the film, I thought Silva appeared in nearly every scene but that's only because his performance is so over the top that it dominated my memories of the movie. If you watch "Sharky's Machine" for no other reason than Henry Silva's performance, you will still get a thrill out of this movie.

With the exception of a few of the characters and a several gritty scenes of violence including chopped off fingers, a gory shotgun blast to the head, and some shootouts, "Sharky's Machine" is a good, not spectacular, movie. I took particular offense with the romantic subplot between Sharky and Dominoe. These scenes seemed to drag on forever, with heavy doses of melodrama piled on top of a mountain of implausibility. Are we really supposed to believe that these two will get together? I recognize that most films always rely on a romance to help propel the narrative, but in a sleazy story like "Sharky's Machine," I want that interaction minimized. Too much emphasis on the relationship between Dominoe and Sharky seriously hampers the flow of this movie.

The DVD version is weak, with zero in the way of extras and a full screen picture transfer. How about having Burt Reynolds do a commentary for a widescreen edition? Since Reynolds directed and starred in the film, I am sure his insights would be more than sufficient in explaining the nuts and bolts of the movie. I would secretly appreciate a contribution on a potential commentary track from Henry Silva, but that will surely never happen. If you can stomach the cheesy disco soundtrack and the large injections of romantic interludes, you will probably enjoy watching "Sharky's Machine." At the very least, you get to see Burt Reynolds crack some heads and that is always fun.

Atlanta gets the major city treatment!
Burt Reynolds continued his love affair with Georgia's capital by setting his ultraviolent crime saga in the city of the South. The Atlanta background is only window dressing for a tale that could occur in any metropolis in the U.S.

Reynold's directing is tight and he does well in the title role. Great support comes from Rachel Ward, Brian Keith, veteran heavy Henry Silva, Bernie Casey, Reynold's longtime friend Charles Durning, and the always reliable Earl Holliman.

The film may not make any "best of" lists, but it is still an enjoyable cop drama, with exciting twists and turns, plus it provides an early '80's glimpse of crime in urban America..

Burt's Machine Keeps On Rolling
In "Sharky's Machine" Burt Reynolds plays Sgt. Tom Sharky, a case-hardened (tough outside, soft inside) Atlanta vice cop investigating the possible extortion of a gubernatorial candidate. During wiretaps and stakeouts Sharkey falls in love with Dominoe (Rachel Ward), the candidate's spoiled call girl girlfriend. When the candidate offers to take Dominoe out of 'the life' and to support her, Dominoe's gypsy owner/trainer Victor feels his control over the candidate threatened. Victor arranges for Dominoe's murder. By coincidence Dominoe escapes, Sharkey hides Dominoe, and they work together to end Victor's reign of terror.

Burt Reynolds directed "Sharkey's Machine" and he plays Tom Sharkey with his "Deliverance" bravado but without the hard edges. Burt assembled a strong cast. Rachel Ward is *stunning* as Dominoe. Brian Keith, Bernie Casey and Richard Libertini are Sharkey's police buddies -- his 'machine' which is destroyed in the process of bringing down Victor. Vittorio Gassman plays cold threatening Victor and Henry Silva plays his Dilaudin/cocaine-wired shootist associate -- both deliver extremely strong performances. And Darryl Hickman effectively uses brother Dwayne's 'Dobie Gillis nice guy' persona in an interrogation/torture scene.

Years have passed since Burt Reynolds' football days and Burt has played many characters. Burt still plays rough today. "Sharkey's Machine" is a superior showcase for Burt Reynolds' many talents. ... Read more

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The third volume of collected episodes from Steven Spielberg's mid-1980stelevision series Amazing Stories includes three memorablestories. First up is "The Amazing Falsworth," a cat-and-mouse thrillerstarring Gregory Hines as the title character, a nightclub psychic whose act includes reading the minds of audience members by merely touching them.During a performance Falsworth comes into physical contactwith a serial killer; he sees the monster's most recent victims in his mind and grows terrified for his own safety. Enter a skeptical police detective(Richard Masur) whose real identity is so obvious that director Peter Hyams doesn't bother to mask it well. One complaint: theepisode begins with some truly grisly and gratuitous violence that, inretrospect, had no place in a fantasy series squarely aimed at families and boasting Spielberg's involvement. Kids should notsee "The Amazing Falsworth"--or anything else on Book 3, for that matter.

The second episode is certainly one of the most thoughtful in the series:"Life on Death Row," starring Patrick Swayze in an interesting performance as a convicted murderer. Scheduled to die imminently in the electric chair,Swayze's character, Eric Peterson, joins an escape effort and is hit bylightning during a storm. The freak accident bestows on him the power toheal the sick and wounded--a cruelly ironic development, given Peterson'sforeshortened destiny.

The final story, "No Day at the Beach," begins the day before the D-Dayinvasion of Normandy by allied forces, and concentrates on a handful ofsoldiers as they ready themselves psychologically for this turning point in the battle. Charlie Sheen is the best-known name among the cast in thisblack-and-white, Twilight Zone-like drama directed by Lesli LinkaGlatter. Sheen's character stands outas the one guy in his company refusing to taunt a simple-mindedGI who later becomes a hero at Normandy--or is it someone else besides that poor sap boldly taking out Germans left and right? --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Kind of Amazing
Being a Patrick Swayze fan, I purchased this video to check out his vignette. All of the stories in this video are interesting and well acted, but I wouldn't place the movie on my list of all time favorites.

Falsworth worth its weight and Death Row worth living for.
This tape consists of three episodes: 'The Amazing Falsworth', 'No Day at the Beach' and 'Life on Death Row.' Peter Hyams (Running Scared, 2010) presents the suspense yarn 'Falsworth'with definate, economical camera work and 2 very respectful performances by GregoryHines as the magician and Richard Masur as the psychopathic killer. Like a well-paced short story, the viewer is presented with information only when needed. Mix this in with some of the best 'Alfred Hitchcock' mysteries. Leslie Linka Glatter (Deep Impact, Without Diana) delivers the lopsided drama 'No Day at the Beach'. It does boast gorgeous black and white photography, a slick short story, a performance by post 'Platoon' Charlie Sheen, and a strong re-creation of D-Day. Okay, it is no 'Saving Private Ryan' but Linka Glatter masterfully uses stock WWII footage edited with new footage to create a reality that would otherwise destroy an entire series budget! However, the nebbish Arnold is a cartoon character in this otherwise real story. It serves as a major distraction, especially in the early scenes. Also, the manipulative reading of the letter is very off-focus and stands as an obvious emotional ploy even with Sheen in good form. Finally, Life on Death Row. The only problem with this episode is that it is too darn short. The story just moves along too quickly and doesn't allow the viewer to experience some of the interesting concepts. And the episode could be filled with them. Patrick Swayze and Hector Elizondo give strong performances. Once again, prison proves to be a cinematographer and lighting directors best friend. ... Read more

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This fourth volume of collected episodes from Steven Spielberg's 1980santhology television series begins with some heavyweight talent. MartinScorsese directs "Mirror Mirror," arguably the most frightening andaccomplished episode from the show's entire run. Sam Waterston plays a wildly successful horror novelist who claims never to be frightened of the samescary stories that unnerve ordinary mortals. So he begins living one of his own, and terrifying it is: whenever he looks in a mirror or other reflective surface, Waterston's character sees a hideous ghoul stalking him,prepared for murder. The trouble is that there is no corresponding danger in the real world, although the ghoul is determined to get its hands on thebeleaguered author.

Also on tap is "Blue Man Down," a solid action piece with supernaturalovertones, written by Spielberg. Max Gail stars as a traumatized,guilt-ridden cop who blames himself for the murder of his young partner. His confidence shot and his nerves a wreck, the suffering heroattempts to hide within the lesser duties of traffic detail, only to findhimself partnered with a compassionate, attractive female officer (KateMcNeil) who helps him get back on his feet and pushes him toward full duty again. The downside: no one else appears to see her. Actor-director PaulMichael Glaser does some of his best behind-the-camera work on this show.

Finally, Sid Caesar stars in "Mr. Magic," a sentimental tale of anaging, washed-up nightclub magician who purchases a set of cards withmarvelous powers of flight. Rescued from the trash heap of small-timehas-beens, Caesar's character gets a new lease on life when his cards takeover the act, twirling, flying, mimicking people, and astoundingaudiences--with no help from Caesar. --Tom Keogh. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Bringing out the dead...of the mind...
Remember when you were young and you were told not to watch a movie, or read horror or comic books because they would warp your mind. Here, chillingly is that saying realized. Imagine a writer of horror, a successful person that has had his novels plastered on the big screen. He is the person everybody is talking about, and in the book world he is what every writer wants to be. While on a talk show he is asked whether or not he fears his influence has endangered the minds of youngsters. He replies rather smerkly, "How could something not real hurt the minds of children."

Is it true that your own mind can punish you for damage done? Is there any escape? These questions are answered as the main character takes a spiraled decent into the darkness that he has created. He himself has to deal with the damage his imagination has summoned - To pay the price for what he has released into the world.
Real great story, that you won't forget any time soon.

A Genuinely Frightening Excursion
It was probably "Amazing Stories" schizophrenic nature - amusing family-oriented fare coupled with more mature offerings - that led to the show only lasting one season. An example of the latter is "Mirror, Mirror," a scary story about a Stephen King-like author "stalked" by a mystery figure similar to one of the characters of his novels. Only the author, well-played by a pre-"Law & Order" Sam Waterson can see the spectre until the story's final few seconds. If the show had stuck to one genre, say of the horror/thriller vein, then it may have had a longer run. This reviewed story is, undeniably, one of the program's best.

The second installment in this tape benefits by being paired with this one.

I can't believe this is television!
This tape consist of three stories, 'Mirror, Mirror','Blue Man Down' and 'Mr. Magic.'Martin Scorcese(Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas) makes a directing appearance in the stylish little horror "Mirror, Mirror". The portrayal of the estranged relationship with his ex-girlfriend is very smart and economical, especially for television. The antiseptic white home is a unique environment to have a horror story played out. The phantom, played by Tim Robbins in unrecognizable make-up is appropriately menacing to Waterston, but only in reflections. The concept does become frightening and the musical score by Michael Kamen joins in the fun. Next, Blue Man Down...This strong episode is also one of the most unique in the series. Max Gail does a great job with 22 minute character building and Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky and Hutch) handles directing this mini cop drama very well. It is easily defined and yet, could actually warrant second viewing surprises. Finally, 'Mr. Magic'.This impressive piece stars Sid Caesar as Lou Bundles, a slight of hand magician who's slight of hand has slid. His understanding of the character is wonderful and Petrie does a great job of letting Sid go. This is one of the few episodes that actually tugs at you emotionally. Very powerful. Of the 5 tapes, this has the most consistent work. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Gotta Get GATOR!
Gator is pure guilty pleasure. Burt Reynolds directed and stared in this 1976 follow up to the excellent WHITE LIGHTNING. This time the feds don't want Gator for running moonshine, but to go undercover to get evidence on his boyhood pal Bama McCall (Jerry Reed). Lots of action , fighting, boat chases and Reynolds signature style. The movie gets 5 stars but not the DVD. The transfer is incredible compared to the old VHS tape, but sadly the DVD is only FULL FRAME the movie was shot in SCOPE, so most of the picture is cropped off. It would have been nice to have a commentary track from at least Burt Reynolds, since this was his first directorial debut.

Badly directed, unfocused mess
After his success in "White Lightning," Burt Reynolds decided to make his directing debut with the sequel "Gator." While Reynolds would eventually prove to be a competent director with "The End" and the excellent "Sharky's Machine," he blew it with this unfocused mess. A clumsy mixture of light comedy and violent action, with ridiculous characters and a midsection that moves like molasses, "Gator" would have derailed the career of a lesser star, but Reynolds was so big in the '70's that this film represents merely a mild career bump between early '70's highlights like "Deliverance" and "The Longest Yard" and late '70's triumphs "Smokey and the Bandit" and especially "Starting Over."

The problems are numerous: To begin with, the script is poorly constructed. It begins with an exciting boat chase as moonshiner Reynolds eludes authorities and then doesn't offer any further action sequences to top it off later in the film. Further, several characters are played strictly for laughs throughout the film and then killed off in the most violent ways imaginable. While violent deaths in serious action fare can be cathartic to the audience, (especially that of a heinous villain like Scorpio in "Dirty Harry") here it is jarring and disturbing. And Reynolds the director shows no clue whatsoever as to how to end a scene, letting some ad-libbed schtick (especially his own) run on forever until it ceases being funny and simply becomes annoying. And while the supporting cast (Jack Weston, Lauren Hutton, Burton Gilliam, Alice Ghostly) is impressive, nobody gives anything close to their best performances for their friend, er director, who doesn't exactly encourage anybody to stretch. But don't miss the first five minutes, which contains the single worst performance in the history of film: talk show host Merv Griffin (!) as a bigoted, ambitious good-ole-boy governor with presidential aspirations (!!!)

Actually the only good thing about "Gator" is the performance of Jerry Reed as the villain "Bama" McCall. Best known as Reynolds' sidekick in the "Bandit" series, Reed is cast perfectly against type and creates a memorably heinous villain. Watch his performance here and you'll understand why some of us think if his career hadn't evaporated in the early '80's he could have developed into an excellent character actor. And his title song (played over the opening credits) is also a highlight--a bouncy and fun romp in the "Amos Moses" tradition--that sets just the right tone for what should have followed: a well-paced and slightly mean action comedy, which was clearly what was intended but was ruined by amateurish adlibbing and ham-fisted attempts at comedy.

Burt Reynolds is a frustrating figure in movie history: extremely talented when guided by good directors (John Boorman, Alan J. Pakula, Robert Aldrich and "Boogie Nights"'s P.T. Anderson) but frustratingly self-destructive and ill-served by the typical B-level hacks and yes-men that he surrounded himself with. "Gator" is a perfect example of everything that was wrong with a superstar career that flamed out spectacularly in the mid '80's. If he had trusted his talent and picked his projects more wisely, who knows what might have been?

Incidentally, the DVD is presented in pan-and-scan instead of widescreen, which matters since the film was filmed in Panavision and suffers greatly when cut up for fullscreen presentations. Why Reynolds films, no matter what studio releases them, seem to be exclusively presented on DVD in pan-and-scan is beyond me. Even weak films like this should be seen in their original format. That's why this DVD rates * instead of **. Thanks for nothing MGM/UA.

Gator
This was one of those movies I enjoyed watching, and would watch over again and again, it's quick paced, full of action, and light comedy, I would suggest this to anyone. I would have bought this along with White lightning, which came out before Gator. But Alas the Studio's blew it again, by only releasing this and White Lightning in full screen format.
So out of my basket they went. My message to the powers to be at the studio's if your going to release DVD's such as these good fun movies, release them in both widescreen and fullscreen, you might sell more copies. But what do I know I am only a consumer.

This review is for "Floridians" only.
Once upon a time, "Buddy" Reynolds, star footballer for Florida State was recuperating from an injury at home in Riviera Beach and attending Palm Beach Junior College to keep up with his studies. The head of the English department, Watson B. Duncan III, saw him one day on campus and asked him to read for a role in a play that P.B.J.C. was doing. According to Duncan, this was the beginning of Burt Reynolds' acting career. Years later, Burt honored his beloved teacher (Duncan was beloved by all who knew him) by having him play the press secretary to the Governor in his movie "Gator." The movie is a fun movie. All are having a great time. The cast is a hoot. Easy going Jerry Reed plays the heavy, Burt, the hero (of course), and the rest of the ensemble is a delight. This is light fair with a moral and it is a lot of fun to view.

Enjoy the movie, not the format
I have always enjoyed Burt Reynolds movies and "Gator" is no exception. Oh sure, don't expect any of Burt's offerings to be placed in nomination for any awards, but they are extremely entertaining and always action oriented.

I'm however saddened that the powers-to-be have again chosen to put yet another Burt Reynolds DVD movie out in that dreaded "full screen" format. I just don't understand the rational for some of his best movies like "Sharky's Machine" and "Hooper" and now "Gator" to be released like this. To me, it is akin to buying a "Rolls Royce" with a VW engine.

You will thoroughly enjoy the movie if don't have any preference as to it's format, but I will never again knowingly purchase a DVD in full screen format when it should be in it's theatrically released format, because for me, that is one of the important reasons I am buying DVD's in the first place. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good, heartwarming baseball movie.
This was the best baseball movie I've ever seen. It's like what would happen if you crossed "The Sandlot" and "The Bad News Bears" then added Hallmark Hall of Fame sentiment. My opinion may be a bit biased since one of my friends was in this movie. But it was a great film nonetheless. :-) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Gotta Get GATOR!
Gator is pure guilty pleasure. Burt Reynolds directed and stared in this 1976 follow up to the excellent WHITE LIGHTNING. This time the feds don't want Gator for running moonshine, but to go undercover to get evidence on his boyhood pal Bama McCall (Jerry Reed). Lots of action , fighting, boat chases and Reynolds signature style. The movie gets 5 stars but not the DVD. The transfer is incredible compared to the old VHS tape, but sadly the DVD is only FULL FRAME the movie was shot in SCOPE, so most of the picture is cropped off. It would have been nice to have a commentary track from at least Burt Reynolds, since this was his first directorial debut.

Badly directed, unfocused mess
After his success in "White Lightning," Burt Reynolds decided to make his directing debut with the sequel "Gator." While Reynolds would eventually prove to be a competent director with "The End" and the excellent "Sharky's Machine," he blew it with this unfocused mess. A clumsy mixture of light comedy and violent action, with ridiculous characters and a midsection that moves like molasses, "Gator" would have derailed the career of a lesser star, but Reynolds was so big in the '70's that this film represents merely a mild career bump between early '70's highlights like "Deliverance" and "The Longest Yard" and late '70's triumphs "Smokey and the Bandit" and especially "Starting Over."

The problems are numerous: To begin with, the script is poorly constructed. It begins with an exciting boat chase as moonshiner Reynolds eludes authorities and then doesn't offer any further action sequences to top it off later in the film. Further, several characters are played strictly for laughs throughout the film and then killed off in the most violent ways imaginable. While violent deaths in serious action fare can be cathartic to the audience, (especially that of a heinous villain like Scorpio in "Dirty Harry") here it is jarring and disturbing. And Reynolds the director shows no clue whatsoever as to how to end a scene, letting some ad-libbed schtick (especially his own) run on forever until it ceases being funny and simply becomes annoying. And while the supporting cast (Jack Weston, Lauren Hutton, Burton Gilliam, Alice Ghostly) is impressive, nobody gives anything close to their best performances for their friend, er director, who doesn't exactly encourage anybody to stretch. But don't miss the first five minutes, which contains the single worst performance in the history of film: talk show host Merv Griffin (!) as a bigoted, ambitious good-ole-boy governor with presidential aspirations (!!!)

Actually the only good thing about "Gator" is the performance of Jerry Reed as the villain "Bama" McCall. Best known as Reynolds' sidekick in the "Bandit" series, Reed is cast perfectly against type and creates a memorably heinous villain. Watch his performance here and you'll understand why some of us think if his career hadn't evaporated in the early '80's he could have developed into an excellent character actor. And his title song (played over the opening credits) is also a highlight--a bouncy and fun romp in the "Amos Moses" tradition--that sets just the right tone for what should have followed: a well-paced and slightly mean action comedy, which was clearly what was intended but was ruined by amateurish adlibbing and ham-fisted attempts at comedy.

Burt Reynolds is a frustrating figure in movie history: extremely talented when guided by good directors (John Boorman, Alan J. Pakula, Robert Aldrich and "Boogie Nights"'s P.T. Anderson) but frustratingly self-destructive and ill-served by the typical B-level hacks and yes-men that he surrounded himself with. "Gator" is a perfect example of everything that was wrong with a superstar career that flamed out spectacularly in the mid '80's. If he had trusted his talent and picked his projects more wisely, who knows what might have been?

Incidentally, the DVD is presented in pan-and-scan instead of widescreen, which matters since the film was filmed in Panavision and suffers greatly when cut up for fullscreen presentations. Why Reynolds films, no matter what studio releases them, seem to be exclusively presented on DVD in pan-and-scan is beyond me. Even weak films like this should be seen in their original format. That's why this DVD rates * instead of **. Thanks for nothing MGM/UA.

Gator
This was one of those movies I enjoyed watching, and would watch over again and again, it's quick paced, full of action, and light comedy, I would suggest this to anyone. I would have bought this along with White lightning, which came out before Gator. But Alas the Studio's blew it again, by only releasing this and White Lightning in full screen format.
So out of my basket they went. My message to the powers to be at the studio's if your going to release DVD's such as these good fun movies, release them in both widescreen and fullscreen, you might sell more copies. But what do I know I am only a consumer.

This review is for "Floridians" only.
Once upon a time, "Buddy" Reynolds, star footballer for Florida State was recuperating from an injury at home in Riviera Beach and attending Palm Beach Junior College to keep up with his studies. The head of the English department, Watson B. Duncan III, saw him one day on campus and asked him to read for a role in a play that P.B.J.C. was doing. According to Duncan, this was the beginning of Burt Reynolds' acting career. Years later, Burt honored his beloved teacher (Duncan was beloved by all who knew him) by having him play the press secretary to the Governor in his movie "Gator." The movie is a fun movie. All are having a great time. The cast is a hoot. Easy going Jerry Reed plays the heavy, Burt, the hero (of course), and the rest of the ensemble is a delight. This is light fair with a moral and it is a lot of fun to view.

Enjoy the movie, not the format
I have always enjoyed Burt Reynolds movies and "Gator" is no exception. Oh sure, don't expect any of Burt's offerings to be placed in nomination for any awards, but they are extremely entertaining and always action oriented.

I'm however saddened that the powers-to-be have again chosen to put yet another Burt Reynolds DVD movie out in that dreaded "full screen" format. I just don't understand the rational for some of his best movies like "Sharky's Machine" and "Hooper" and now "Gator" to be released like this. To me, it is akin to buying a "Rolls Royce" with a VW engine.

You will thoroughly enjoy the movie if don't have any preference as to it's format, but I will never again knowingly purchase a DVD in full screen format when it should be in it's theatrically released format, because for me, that is one of the important reasons I am buying DVD's in the first place. ... Read more