Aliens in the Attic (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2009)

I absolutely loved this movie! I loved the comedy, the storyline, the action, the effects, everything! This may be my 4th favorite movie of 2009 behind Friday the 13th, Land of the Lost, and Halloween II! I've seen a lot of negative reviews toward this movie, but some people take things a little too seriously. This movie is for the kid in all of us. While on summer vacation, the Pearson family go to three-story holiday house in the middle of nowhere. The kids; Hannah, Tom, and Bethany don't wanna go, but they are forced to. They meet more family members like Jake, Art, and Lee. When Bethany's boyfriend forces Tom to the roof, they see the aliens who want to take over the world. Throughout the day, the kids try to stop them, without their parents finding out. One alien, Sparks is not a threat to the humans and decides to become friends with Hannah. Sparks is a cute little alien, unlike Skip, Tazer, and Razor. Will the Pearson children stop the evil aliens from taking over the world? I highly recommend ALIENS IN THE ATTIC!!!

My almost 9 year-old son and I saw this together. It was VERY, VERY funny. We both thought so. (There were way too many male crotch gags, in my opinion, and of course, the law enforcement representative was an idiot. However, we didn't see his underwear; so, this movie was superior to other kid flicks.) Robert Hoffman is outrageously funny as Ricky the lying-loser boyfriend turned robot alien minion. Ashley Tisdale carries off another major role with credibility, humor, and grace. The DVD is already on my son's wish list for Christmas, and I will be recommending Aliens to my friends to watch with their kids. I will also recommend it to parents of teenage daughters who need a laugh, a break, or a reminder that Eddie Haskell didn't die with the Cleavers.

Aliens in the AtticAliens in the Attic[Blu-ray] [Blu-ray]

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Before I saw this movie the previews gave me the impression that this was just another computer animated and effects driven films trying to exploit a kid's inherent interest in this stuff. It turns out this movie has more thought put into it and a good deal more heart than I assumed (that's what I get for assuming). Aliens in the Attic isn't an instant classic by any means. However it delivers on what you want in a family sci-fi film. Cute enough in some places, witty enough in others.

So yeah, the plot isn't Shakespeare. You have a family on vacation that gets visited by some diminutive (and not too bright) aliens bent on taking over the world. This plot is very close to the same vein as the 80's movie Spaced Invaders. The difference, and it is substantial enough to keep the two movies from being similar, is where the focus is. Where Spaced Invaders put all of its attention on the wacky Martians, Aliens in the Attic puts its focus on the kids and how they deal with the invaders. For this movie it makes all the difference.

You see, the chemistry between the kids is tight. The main boy and his crazy cousins, lovelorn big sisters and a cute little sister all mesh their respective personalities into a coherent plot progression rather well. There isn't a whole lot of character development once the individual players have been established, but you don't need that much since the script capitalizes on the interactions. I'm not talking about two dimensional character clashes sort of capitalization. This movie shows a good example on how differing personalities can work together.

The acting is surprisingly good for these kids. All of them play their parts solid with nary a bad scene in the bunch. Ashley Tisdale is not the main focus of the movie, but her star quality wasn't wasted on. Although she is swimming in familiar waters with her character good acting is good acting. SNL alumnus Kevin Nealon and Tim Meadows both hit high marks in their comedic timing, even though Kevin mainly plays the straight man in his role. The big kudos, however, go to Robert Hoffman. He plays the jerk boyfriend to Ashley's character, and while the jerk scenes make you love to hate him the real joy in his performance come after the aliens take over his mind and Robert goes off on some of the craziest pratfalls and other physical humor with a hilariously crazy grin on his face. It's comedic gold!

The aliens are funny in a kids will get giggly kind of way. Sometimes they say something funny enough for the adults to snicker (include a funny observation on kissing). But mostly the aliens are for the kid's entertainment and are mostly two dimensional characters with very little to no depth. The CG animations for the aliens aren't bad, but they aren't going to really impress anybody on the technology either. Basically it's serviceable special effects for a production company that likely couldn't pull this off with puppets.

The Bu-Ray for the movie looks really great. Details pop out with a lot of clarity on both the CG aliens as well as the gorgeous backdrop of the vacation spot. Sound is also top notch with the DTS-HD 5.1 audio, but it's not exactly an audiophile reference kind of movie so don't expect to be blown away. Here's a quick rundown of the extras:

Introduction to Film with Ashley Tisdale Just a quick hello from the move famous actress in the film. No big deal.

The Ashley Encounters A short promo of the movie from actresses Ashley Tisdale and Ashley Boettcher. I wouldn't be surprised with this aired on the Disney Channel before the movie came out.

Alternate Ending It's an unfinished product with the CG kind of in the middle phase of production. Not exactly a complete change from the actual ending, but it is different enough. Prefer the real ending anyway.

Behind the Zirkonians It's a pretty long comic short story about the origins of the aliens. It's not exactly adult fare, but your kids will enjoy it.

Meet the Zirkonians A little biography of the four aliens in the movie that you can browse through.

Lights, Camera, Aliens! A short "making of" featurette that's pretty light on details. Feels like another promo for the movie more than an informative documentary.

Kung Fu Grandma This is funny and weird at the same time. It's like a video game commercial using footage of the movie. The title of this featurette is kind of a spoiler for the movie and I'm glad I didn't know about it before I saw the flick.

Brian Anthony "Electricity" Music Video It's a music video with clips of the movie. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Fox Movie Channel Presents Life After Film School with Barry Josephson This is the REAL "Making Of" documentary. It has more details on the film's production than the other fluff featurette, but it's not an all-inclusive thing.

Deleted Scenes and Gag Reel Didn't get a chance to see these yet. They run about four minutes each and are self explanatory.

If you have kids ranging from grade school to the tweens I believe this film will keep them entertained provided they enjoy watching light science fiction to begin with. Others may enjoy it too for the other fun stuff, but maybe rent first to test the waters. For the adults it really depends on your threshold for this kind of entertainment. The aliens will annoy most of you, but the kids and grown ups in the movie will entertain. If you have a Blu-Ray player it's definitely worth getting if on BD if for nothing else so you can see the beautiful landscapes in high definition.

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This was a good movie. My 6 year old son really enjoyed it. There is not any crude language or bad messages included in the movie. The humor is very clean and funny. Would recommend you watch this movie.

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This is not a film most adults would enjoy as it is designed for kids. Two families go away to the country for the Fourth of July. The kids need to get out and do something away from all their electronic gadgets.

While they are there,small green unfriendly aliens take over the attic and plan on taking over the world. The aliens have devices that can control adults, but not kids. So now it is up to the kids to save the planet using the skills they learned from video games along with modified toys. Ashley Tisdale (Miley Cyrus light) does give the young male viewers a glimpse of her in a bikini.

Acting is bad, script is bad, plot is bad, humor is bad, unless you are under age 13. 5 STARS on the tween scale.

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It's in the Bag (1945)

Addendum 6/8/13: This new Blu-Ray reissue IS the preferred non-voiceover version, read on.

Where to start? First, there are two versions of this hysterical farce but one of the versions is severely hampered by Fred Allen's voice overs through many of the best comedy segments. The other, and I'm guessing, "original" version involves no voice overs and this version is an unmitigated classic for which we can give a big thank you to producer Jack Skirball.

It's in the Bag is one of the screwiest comedies ever. It's the story of Fred F. Floogle(Fred Allen)an unsuccessful flea circus exhibitor and his madcap family; devoted and wholly unsatisfied wife Eve(Binnie Barnes), soon-to-be-bride daughter Marion(Gloria Pope) and genius son Homer(Richard Tyler)who is given many of the best lines though there are zillions of funny lines and millions of gags in this one-of-a-kind romp. Exterminator(Robert Benchley)is determined to not let his son Perry Parker(William Terry) marry into such an inferior family as Fred's, that is until Fred's millionaire uncle dies leaving his entire fortune to his long lost nephew, or so everyone thinks. Everyone thinks it enough to extend Fred and his family whatever they wish and they're wishing the moon. But when Fred and Eve meet with his uncle's former business partners(headed up by John Carradine in a rare, intentionally comedic role)they find that there's "no money", only a set of chairs.(This is where Mel Brook's "Twelve Chairs" may have found it's basis or vice versa if the period piece is actually from that period.)Of course Fred sells the chairs only to later dicover there's a fortune and the name of his uncle's murderer hidden in one them and now they must be retrieved. Along the way we run into Don Ameche, Jack Benny, Rudy Vallee, William Bendix, Jerry Colonna, Sidney Toler and Victor Moore to name some of the bigger names but there are what seems to be hundreds of well known faces of comedic character actors in tons of riotous bits. This movie is a real hoot. If you're old enough to understand that phrase, then this movie might be for you.

As I've said in past reviews, the fact that this and Champagne for Caesar, Ball of Fire, The Male Animal, The Senator Was Indiscreet, Cold Turkey, The Loved One, A Slight Case of Murder and Larceny Inc. plus many, many more have not been restored and tranfered to DVD format IS A CRIME.

Oh, that's Joe.

There have been numerous attempts at fashioning movie vehicles for radio stars:most of them failed to work,or work consistently well,but It's In The Bag is something of an exception.Starring Fred Allen-who had a great face for radio-and featuring cameos from Jack Benny,Robert Benchley,Don Ameche,Rudy Valee,and William Bendix,this is a simple,plot-driven movie packed full with in-jokes and tried-and-tested routines.Mel Brooks would return to the source material a Russian short story for the 1970 movie The Twelve Chairs,but the pretentiousness of that version is missing here.If you like Benny(who is on fine form) and Allen(who is at his most appealing,or least unappealing,depending on your perspective)then It's In The Bag is well worth a look.

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It's a shame that only a chosen few REALLY KNOW who Fred Allen is. In the 1940's his popularity was that of names we still cite today Jack Benny, Abbott & Costello, etc.

But in his day Fred's radio program was incredibly popular, as well as his "fued" with Jack Benny. If you love old radio, or old time comedy you will enjoy IT'S IN THE BAG. Fred Allen was, as still is, one of the smartest writers of comedy there was even today great legends such as Mel Brooks and George Carlin cite his influence.

One drawback with the film is that to get all the jokes you will need to be familiar with "the age" when the film was released since some of Fred's jokes are dated (commentary about crowded theaters comes to mind), but some of the jokes are just as fresh today as they were 56 years ago (commentary on how relatives get in the picture, why do we need to watch credits, psychoanalists, etc.)

In some ways it's a very "da-da-ist" film -as in the vein of W.C. Fields' INTERNATIONAL HOUSE. You can read the film synopsis above so I won't waste time with that I'll just say, see it for an enjoyable, smart comedy.

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this is a funny movie, though under-rated. this and what i call the companion movie called "It's a Joke, Son!" starring Kenny Delmar as 'Senator Claghorne' are must-have films for Fred Allen fans (even though Fred isn't in the second film with Delmar, it's based on a character created by Fred all the same.) On this "It's in the Bag" film, the one and only Fred Allen stars as Fred Floogle, a flea circus showman. The film is about a guy who has a wealthy relative who passes away. Fred follows human nature and starts buying expensive things and puts money on stocks. Fred thinks he's inherited his uncle's $12 million fortune but all he gets is 12 chairs after the will is read. angry, Fred has his son sell the chairs. It's only later that a vinyl record surfaces with Fred's uncle instructing him to claim the $300,000 he hid in one of the chairs! Too late...they've been sold to countless people all across town. this causes Fred to go on a wild goose chase tracking down the 12 chairs. This is where the film starts to pick up speed. An array of '40s radio stars make cameo appearances: Rudy Vallee, Don Ameche, William Bendix, and the immortal Jack Benny. Bendix spoofs his "tough-guy" build by being a cowardly leader of a gang of muggers. Ameche and Vallee hit the stage in a night-club but the bass singer is missing. Fred joins them on stage as an imposter who sings a terrible bass section {by this time in the film he's running from the police because they think Fred is working for the Bendix Gang!}. Along the way Fred encounters Mrs. Nussbaum (Minerva Pious, the same woman who played that character on Fred's radio programs) in an eerie segment that allows the viewer to see what "Allen's Alley" would've looked like had Fred went into TV. Jack Benny's scene is the stand-out of course. Cheap jokes are here...Fred acts like he's the president of a Jack Benny Fan Club and needs an item for display. Fred, of course, wants the chair that Nussbaum sold Jack. an assortment of sight-gags follow (including a cash register inside his living room and wax paper to wrap the chair in!). all the while he's being chased by a detective trying to prove that Fred is in ca-hoots with the Bendix gang. Walter Tetley has a memorable role as an elevator operator. The "immediate seating" gag is hilarious as well. Jerry Colonna, the wide mustache maniac side-kick of Bob Hope, has a zany appearance as a psychiatrist who slaps himself across the face numerous time thinking a tsetse fly is swarming his face! Victor Moore plays the campy Chef and others making cameos are John Carradine, Robert Benchley, and Binnie Barnes. Fred finally tracks down the chair with the money but reality sets in...and you'll never believe what happens next...the film is an overall lesson in greed and irrational behavior. Fred Allen was a radio comedian from 1932-1949. He's famous for his topical humor, battles over censorship, battles with network executives, the "Allen's Alley" routine that ran from 1945-1949, and his false feud with Jack Benny. Allen wrote all of the material that made it to the air...he employed several writers but they served as leg-men and joke finders, nothing more. It's said that Allen read up to 100 newspapers for material. His leg-men also scoured the headlines and back-pages of newspapers for potential material. Fred Allen hated TV...we don't really know why but some have speculated that Fred didn't have a face or a delivery for TV. to see for myself I taped a TV game show Fred hosted...i did this on a cassette and i played it back and i was amazed to hear how great it SOUNDED but it didn't feel so great WATCHING it! Due to Allen's inability to make it on TV with a major hit, the TV generation doesn't know him at all. In 1954 Allen headed to the fourth chair on the panel of "What's My Line?". Ironically, Fred died in 1956 of a heart attack amidst his popular run as a panelist on "What's My Line?"...a TV show of all things!! But, "It's In The Bag" might well be the greatest thing to showcase Fred, visually, aside from his "What's My Line?" years.

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DO NOT BE Fooled!!!! The original Fred Allen movie 'It's In the Bag', had Fred 'narrating' through the movie. This has been entirely cut out The worst cut is the Quartet of Rudy Vallee, Don Amache, Fred Allen & Victor Moore. It is only HALF there. The original had Fred narrating about "this group breaks windows..."

I have tried to get an original uncut but it is apparently no longer available.

DO NOT THINK YOU ARE GETTING THE ORIGINAL MOVIE...

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Reign Over Me (2007)

My wife wanted to see this movie so I went not expecting much. I was really suprised at how much I liked the film. For those of you who hate Sandler's comedy, he is going for a full dramatic role in this film and he is quite good. Yes there are some humurous moments and Sandler does have a funny line or two, but this is truly a drama. The story is about friendship. Even though it appears it is about how Sandler can't handle the grief over the lose of his family on 9/11, it is also just as much about Cheadle coming to grips with his own life which is not where he wants it to be. It is about them helping each other. Not a perfect story, but a tale well told and well acted all the way around.

This is probably one of the underrated movies of the year. Personally, I never liked the previews of this movie and I did not expect that Adam Sandler can deliver solid performance outside of comedy realm. Although his performance is in fact uneven at times, his co-star Don Cheadle is like a solid rock in his delivery of the decent New York dentist who in mid-life crisis seeking for his true purpose in life. There are funny and sad moments in this movie, all characters are carefully developed and one only wishes we could all have friends around us that are decent, loyal and caring, like the ones in this movie. That is what makes this feature almost fairy tale like -one does not expect people like that in NYC, so their humanity is very refreshing. Film is multilayered and it addresses the issues that we all face in our lives at one point: how do we deal with boredom, guilt, grief, marriage? What is the best escape when repressing sadness and anger atempt to reconnect with people who remind us of our youth and what we used to be, taking advanced photography lessons, or playing video games hours at the time? Marvelous casting, great music score picks, reality of NYC living with all its curiosity and drag at times. Oh and on totally unrelated note -it is almost strange how maturing Adam Sandler looks so much like young Bob Dylan! Their physical resemblance is eerie.

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While I am personally disappointed at the amount of people that require bombs and crotch jokes to keep them entertained. I have read every review to this point and I find that everyone that doesnt like the movie is upset that a story about real life drama is actually (wait for it) real. The subtle storyline of a broken man whose only hope and solice is a friend that he can't even remember shakes the very foundation of what is considered to be normal. We all wish for a great story were the guy gets the girl and everyone lives happily ever after. The truth behind this movie is that it is honest to life and shows just that. That not everyone is always happy and not every person goes through a horrible situation and comes out on the other side with a smile.

Adam Sandler does a terrific job of showing the subtle nature of just who a person can become. To go from being a well respected dentist to being a closet hermite crab. If you truely do not understand this, than please send 5 minutes and watch when Sandler finally explains his family. The emotion, the pain and the thoughts. While this scene is happening you think of how you would reply to such a travesty. How you would cope with life.

Excluding the main storyline, this movie is still a great story. A husband lost in life, scared to fully to commit to his wife of many years. Even more terrified of show his actual weakness to anyone let alone himself. So scared infact that he will not see a psychologist but, hides outside of one's office for a few minutes of conversation.

I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone. I am still not an Adam Sandler fan but, this movie shows me he can actually show emotion.

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I loved the fact that at the end of this movie there was no attempt to make everything end on a "happily ever after" note like most movies. I think the topic of this movie was a very heavy one and so for that this movie isnt for those who are looking for a "feel-good" movie...If you want that, look elsewhere...I love that at the end, it pretty much leaves things as some would call with no resolution...but thats life...real life cant be wrapped up in a pretty package with a nice bow and everythings peachy....Especially with a subject matter of loss of a loved one...It was a real movie with a real ending...I loved it...

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Many people I know who saw this movie think its very depressing. Yes it is. But its a great uplifting movie about communication and friendship. I cried a bunch and laughed a bunch too. For me I had to watch it at least twice. I watched the bonus features with the behind the story bit with the Director Mike Binder. Mr. Binder explains some things which helped me understand more about the story and that prompted me to watch a second time. I appreciated it more. Yep, I still cried again. And I found more parts to love too.

I guess some people expect ah, Adam Sandler then there must be laughs. There were some great Sandler moments in here. He really surprised me with his range of sanity and emotions. This is one thats going into my collection.

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Elephant Man

"Time hath not altered" the emotional impact this movie has on me when I watch it. The word "poignant" has grown hackneyed from overuse, but it certainly applies to this great film. Few films can equal it in terms of dramatic artistry and pitch perfect performances. There's not one maudlin note in a film that could easily have descended into bathetic melodrama in lesser hands.

Lynch was practically a neophyte at the time he directed this movie, yet to many (and to most, for that matter, save the true believers) THE ELEPHANT MAN is his magnum opus. I believe this is because of the mostly Britsh, classically trained actors that made up the cast. Hopkins and Hurt excell. Anne Bancroft (who I believe is the only American in the cast) delivers a flawless performance. Freddy Jones, as Bytes (this was before the internet, remember) is simply uncanny in his tour-de-force portrayal of arguably the vilest villain in cinema history. Who cares that the character was totally innacurate, historically? He chews up the scenery in true Grand Guignol fashion. Gielgud and Wendy Hiller are also on hand to provide levitas. One can't find a better ensemble. It's criminal that at least one of them weren't awarded an Oscar, but that's just another example of how meaningless those little gold statuettes are, more often than not.

Though this is a lot more linear than most of Lynch's movies, there is enough of the surreal on hand to keep the die hards happy. But the surrealism doesn't get in the way of the plot. Christopher de Vore and Eric Bergren, who collaborated with Lynch on the screenplay, can take some credit for that. Veteran cinematographer, Freddie Francis did perhaps the best work of his career here. The black and white images are as good as it gets. The sets are unforgettable. Victorian London has never looked so convincing on screen, yet with that nightmarish quality that defines most of the movie.

If you've never seen this movie, get your hands on a copy, soon. It couldn't be described as "weepy," by any means. But if you're not reaching for the kleenex at some stage in this marvellous film, I'd ask the Wizard for a heart, if I were you. For those of you who haven't seen it in a while, give it a re-viewing. It absolutely holds up, particularly in comparison to 1980 Best Picture, ORDINARY PEOPLE...and Best Director, Robert Redford? Hopkins didn't get nominated, but Jack Lemmon did for TRIBUTE? Anyone remember that one? Gotta go find some Maalox.

BEK

As I sit down to write this review, my experiences with it from my youth came flooding back. I first saw it as a 17 year old high-schooler at my local movie theater, late one evening. I had seen, and enjoyed, the Broadway play a few months earlier, and wanted to see how the movie compared. The play, I should say, was very moving and had a certain spareness in its production design that was very effective. I had left the theatre with a moist eye and an interest in learning more about John Merrick, The Elephant Man (who had neurofibromatosis, NOT elephantitis, as is so often attributed to him).

Anyway, when the movie concluded, the ENTIRE audience of 150 or so sat in its seats, numbed and unmoving. It was one of those experiences where you fight back your tears, because you're worried if you let go, you'll start bawling like a baby! The film was so profoundly moving to me and so artistically brilliant, that I went again the very next day, dragging reluctant friends with me. They were all stunned. I watched it AGAIN later that week.

I've watched it on video a couple of times years ago, but until I rewatched it recently on DVD, it had been nearly 10 years since I'd seen it.

The story is set in the early turn-of-the-twentieth-century London. John Merrick (John Hurt) is, for lack of a better word, enslaved as a sideshow freak. He has the most hideous growths on his bones, which give him a frightening appearance. His head is probably three times bigger than a normal human, and the shape resembles a lumpy dirigible. His limbs are mostly tangled messes. Noted physician Dr. Treves (Anthony Hopkins) hears of this "elephant man" and is fascinated so greatly by his condition that he brings him to his hospital for study. Everyone has always assumed this man must be a mute "idiot." Turns out that Merrick is a gentle, thoughtful and almost unbearably forgiving soul. The relationship that emerges between Treves and Merrick, as well as with Merrick and virtually everyone he encounters, is at the heart of this film.

(Note of caution: The movie does not follow John Merrick's life terribly accurately...neither did the play. When I read the biography of Merrick that his doctor, Treves, wrote, I got his "true" story, which is just as moving in its own way.)

David Lynch, we all know, is a "difficult" director, at least when it comes to narrative continuity. This movie, however, is his most accessible (along with THE STRAIGHT STORY, which doesn't even feel like a Lynch movie). It tells a straightforward story...no dancing dwarfs, no little people behind radiators, no Wizard of Oz references, etc. etc. No Laura Palmer. However, the touches he brings to it are pure Lynch, and they serve the movie profoundly.

For example, the movie takes place in the midst of the early Industrial Revolution, when science was becoming more "popular" or "glorified" by the masses. It was also a time when London was awash in factories, and all the noise and pollution they wrought. If you've seen ERASERHEAD or DUNE, you know that Lynch likes to have lots of background noises of machinery. Often, those sounds are distracting. In ELEPHANT MAN, we are constantly aware, through these sounds, that we are in a very specific time and place, where the lifeblood of society was machinery, but big, dirty, unsubtle, dangerous machinery. This, coupled with the glorious black and white cinematography, truly create a mood that is unequaled.

Also, there are some brief dream sequences in which Merrick sees his mother. She flits in and out of his dreams in a manner only Lynch can evoke. No one has ever been better at capturing on film the elusive nature of dreaming...that dreams are a crazy combination of good things and bad things happening all at once. These dreams are not a "device" but a window into Merrick's soul.

Those of us who remember when the film first came out remember the constant rehashing of the "I am not an animal, I am a human being, I am a MAN!!" line that Merrick yells out when cornered in a train station. This howl of despair is one of the most gripping moments EVER put to film. I tear-up just thinking about it.

The makeup is incredible. Having seen photos of the real Merrick, I can state that the makeup crew got it right! And the black and white helps to mask any imperfections. And underneath the makeup...

...is John Hurt, a fabulous actor in the role of his lifetime. He brings a delicacy and gentleness to the part that has to bee seen to be believed. I guarantee you'll be moved.

Hurt is ably assisted by Anthony Hopkins in a role which calls for restraint, and he delivers, which is unusual for Hopkins, who can overact at the drop of a hat...I love him, but sometimes he can overdo it, you must admit. The rest of the cast is full of familiar British character actors, as well as a brief but incandescent appearance by Anne Bancroft. Everyone is at their very best.

Initially, the film snags the viewer because of our fascination at seeing a human being so horrifically monstrous. It holds a lurid fascination that fades into compassion and empathy. If a person as horribly mistreated by his fellow man, as well as by fate, can find beauty, forgiveness, tenderness and love flowing from him and to him...well, the film leaves you to draw your own personal conclusions.

I know that Lynch receives more ongoing accolades for his disturbing BLUE VELVET, and of course, for the groundbreaking TWIN PEAKS...but THE ELEPHANT MAN is the one I'm always drawn back to.

I simply cannot recommend this film highly enough. Moviemaking doesn't get any more heartbreaking and effective than this masterpiece.

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Despite the fact that "The Elephant Man" is about a grossly deformed man, it is truly one of the most beautiful movies ever made. Director David Lynch has peered into the souls of both the "outcasts" and those considered "normal" in our society. Lynch has never been better, and the same may also be said about actors John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins.

Would-be circus man Bytes has put The Elephant Man/John Merrick (Hurt) on display in the freak show, attempting to profit from another man's misery. Dr. Frederick Treves (Hopkins) "saves" Merrick from the evil Bytes, but what does he do with Merrick? Puts him on display in another freak show of sorts for a panel of doctors. Treves has again stripped Merrick of his dignity and tried to to profit from his misery. So who is worse? Bytes or Treves?

And this is only the first 15 minutes of the film...

What eventually saves Treves is that he actually gets to know Merrick. Behind the deformity he discovers a human being.

There are so many beautiful and touching moments in this movie: Merrick's awe at watching the play, Merrick removing the pillows from his bed so he can sleep like a normal person and, of course, Merrick trapped at the train station and shouting out "I am not an animal!"

But my favorite moment comes when Merrick's fellow "freaks" in the circus help him escape. As they put him on a ship so he can hopefully find his way back home, the dwarf (Kenny Baker) says to him "Good luck, my friend. And who needs it more than us?"

Filmed in gorgeous black and white. They don't come any better than this.

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The Hughes Brothers' recent release FROM HELL includes a brief (and surely unexpected) appearance by one John Merrick, better known as 'the Elephant Man'. Merrick's inclusion in a movie about Jack the Ripper points up the odd connections between these two figures. Both represented extremes of degradation (moral in one case, physical in the other) that had never been seen before; both aroused horror and fascination in equal degrees; and both were major press sensations all in the same district of London at roughly the same time. Indeed, John Merrick and Jack the Ripper might even be seen as yin and yang: while the Ripper's (presumably normal) exterior masked a heart of the blackest evil, Merrick's hideous body housed one of the kindest and gentlest souls ever to grace this planet.

This beautiful soul is the focus of David Lynch's magnificent film, THE ELEPHANT MAN. Broadly speaking, the film is a true story; while a fair portion of the details are either totally fictitious or conflated from several real-life sources, the general outline of the script is true. It follows Merrick from his first encounter with Dr Frederick Treves (Hopkins), the man who helped him regain his dignity, until his death trying to "sleep like normal people" this final scene being only one of many unforgettable moments in the film.

The cast of THE ELEPHANT MAN is utterly top-notch. With only his eyes visible beneath Christopher Tucker's extraordinary makeup, John Hurt manages to give a tremendously moving performance in the title role. You won't soon forget his recitation of the 23rd Psalm, his heartbreaking teatime visit to Treves's wife (a fine cameo by Hannah Gordon), or his reading of Romeo to Anne Bancroft's Juliet (another great cameo). Anthony Hopkins once again proves himself to be among the greatest actors of our time; his performance as Treves is nicely nuanced, evincing subtle and deeply human contradictions, where a lesser actor might have portrayed a mere two-dimensional Virtuous Leading Man. John Gielgud is his usual brilliant self, Freddie Jones is excellent as the sinister yet somehow tragic Mr Bytes, and the various supporting roles are all up to the very high standard set by these leading players.

Since 1980 was the year of RAGING BULL and ORDINARY PEOPLE, it is perhaps understandable that THE ELEPHANT MAN didn't win any of the 8 Academy Awards for which it was nominated though in my opinion it is every bit as good as either of those films. What is scandalous, however, is the fact that Freddie Francis's stunning black-and-white cinematography wasn't even nominated. (Francis did pick up his second Oscar, for Edward Zwick's GLORY, a few years later.)

Lynch's direction, finally, is a revelation. This was only his second film, and he was working with some of the greatest actors living at the time, but his hand has never been surer. Not until THE STRAIGHT STORY (also, incidentally, photographed by Francis) would he again attempt so direct a presentation, but the results here are simply superb. There isn't a hollow note or an empty image in the entire film, which is more than one can say for some of Lynch's later efforts.

The DVD's picture quality is excellent, the sound likewise. Extras include the theatrical trailer, some interesting bits concerning Christopher Tucker's makeup, and a brief documentary featuring comments from Tucker, John Hurt, Freddie Francis, producer Jonathan Sanger, and (uncredited) executive producer Mel Brooks (yes, that Mel Brooks). It would have been nice to hear something from David Lynch as well, but all things considered, this is a fairly minor quibble. A great film and a great DVD pick it up today.

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I first saw this film back in 1981 at the theater when I was 12. It frightened and saddened me though I cannot say I was really traumatized by it. However, it must have made some sort of emotional impact before I have always been terrified of viewing this film in the 20-plus years that have past since then. The most disturbing aspect to me was the inhumane treatment John Merrick received. Just today I got up my courage and bought the DVD at the music store. I sat, white knuckles and all-expecting the worst. Well, I got through it. For one thing, it didn't seem as ominous this go-round. (Funny how your perceptions change as an adult). The fact that this was a period piece works to the film's benefit in that it hasn't dated at all. I am glad the producers and director agreed to use black-and-white film because it adds to the authenticity. What surprised me most was how much I had actually forgotten: the scene in the monkey cage, the fact that Anne Bancroft appeared, and more. What did always stick in my memory was what I refer to as the "raid" scene. (When the sleazy Night Porter brings his "customers" from the pub to Merrick's room, carrying John around, forcing the cheap tarts to kiss him, and then holding a mirror up to his face to purposely shock him.) Upon viewing The Elephant Man as an adult, my favorite scenes are now the most beautiful yet the saddest ones: when John meets Treeves' wife and says he never meant to be a disappointment to his mother, and the final scene as Merrick carefully takes the pillows off the bed and places them on the table. This film should be mandatory study for all North American high school students. Though even then, I am sure there would be more than a few jaded teens who would find some sort of comedy in it. Those kind are the real freaks.

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Lone Wolf & Cub Complete (1972)

For pure, unadulterated, visceral entertainment, the "Lone Wolf and Cub" series can't be beat. The acting, directing, the screenplays, and the cinematography are all top notch. The action sequences have to be seen to be believed. Each and every film feature loads of "money shots". Fans of Tarantino will immediately see where he drew much of his inspiration for the "Kill Bill" series. I suspect that these movies were an influence on "Mighty Python and the Holy Grail" as well. Another little known fact is that the manga that this is based upon was also the inspiration for "Road to Perdition".

People with no experience with Japanese cinema will probably find these movies to be very bizarre the first time they see them. They depict a culture whose morals and values are quite different from Western standards. Its not uncommon in these movies for someone to kill, or commit suicide, for reasons not easily comprehended. Examples: in Volume 2, a cult of female ninjas brutally dismember and kill one of their allies, just to prove a point (that they're superior fighters). In volume 6, one thug after another joyfully sacrifice their lives in order to help a princess perfect her killing technique. In volume 3, following a brutal rape and murder, a Samurai attempts to help the criminals cover up their atrocity. His actions are depicted as honorable behavior.

The main character, Ogami Itto, can only be described as an anti-hero. An assassin by trade, he describes himself as evil, a demon, "one who walks along the crossroads of Hell". He will kill anyone for 500 pieces of gold, even women and children. The opening scene in the first film sets the tone of the series, when Ogami, the official executioner of the Shogun, brutally decapitates a toddler. Even so, he is portayed throughout the series as a very sympathetic, honorable character. You will find yourself rooting for him and his son.

I can't say enough good things about these movies. They are so satisfying on every level. You'll get a rush at the over-the-top scenes of violence. You may even begin to question your Westernized notions of morality. Be cautioned though: these movies are not for the squeamish. Volume 1 and 3, in particular, feature very disturbing depictions of rape and murder. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Lone Wolf and Cub is a series of films from 1970s Japan.

The story goes that Ogami Itto is Second to the Shogunate. He falls from grace due to some backstabbing and plotting. As his wife has been killed, he offers his son the option of joining his mother, or joining him in his path to Hell. His son, a toddler, takes the latter. Ogami becomes an assassin for hire, and as he has his son with him, they are the Lone Wolf and Cub.

You can read more about the movies themselves on the Internet. All you need to know for this review is that there are 6 films in total and you get all six in this set on 2 Blu Ray discs.

Video-

This is... a bit of a mixed bag. The transfer, overall, is very crisp and clean from what I can tell. The issue comes in with what is known as DNR (Digital Noise Reduction). Animeigo has made the decision to tweak the quality levels using DNR and as a result, some of the finer details are lost. Over all it doesn't seem TOO over used, but it IS used and there are occasions when it is noticeable if you know what to look for.

The video is n 1080p HD, of course. And it looks good, but could have been "better," in my opinion, had they left out the DNR or dialed it down a little. In comparison to the DVD, which is obviously SD, there is still a lot of extra quality in the Blu Ray.

Audio-

LPCM. Completely uncompressd audio taken from the source. You won't find a better sounding version of LWC's films.

It also needs to be noted, in case there is confusion, that this is in Japanese language ONLY. There is NO OPTION for spoken English language. There are, of course, English subtitles are obviously provided and, if you so choose, can be turned off. However, the subtitles can ONLY be controlled through the remote there is no subtitle option for on the menus.

If you want spoken English and don't mind the films being edited together, check out the Shogun Assassin 5 Film Collector's Edition [Blu-ray] set instead. The edited films are the reason you can't have spoken English with this set.

Menus -

Uhm... what menus? When you put the discs in, you see the Animeigo logo, a disclaimer that if you want subtitles on/off you have to use the remote and then... you're presented with a still shot of Ogami with a menu along the bottom with a choice of which of the 3 films you would like to watch. The option under each film is for chapter selection and an option to look at liner notes about each film.

I guess you don't need menus, really, since the films are what matters.

Packaging-

Kind of lame, but I think this has more to do with the age of the film and lack of more materials.

You have the image on the front, shown on the Amazon page, and a few screen shots on the back. A short description is included as well.

Final thoughts-

These are some of the finest Samurai films ever produced. Animeigo has done a good job with the Blu Ray transfer, though the extra DNR caused me to drop the ranking to 4 stars instead of 5. If you don't care about DNR or won't notice it, then this is a 5 star release.

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"Lone Wolf and Cub" is the pinnacle of Asian grindhouse cinema and the most action-packed and downright cool series of samurai films ever made. The violence is brutal, the sex (both forced and consensual) is plentiful, the characters are memorable, and there is a lot of subtle humor and beautiful Japanese culture to be enjoyed as well. I cannot recommend these six films enough.

Beginning as the Shogun's personal executioner, our anti-hero Ogami Itto is framed by the jealous and ambitious Yagyu clan's shadow ops; his wife murdered in the process. In his rage, Itto takes his young son, Daigoro, and declares them to be demons, apart from the world of men to live as assassins for hire. His primary target: the head of the Shadow Yagyus, a decrepit old warrior known as Retsudo. Along the way he encounters hidden ninja and other Yagyu warriors, deadly kunoichi, clan heads in need of his services, friendly villagers, prostitutes, yakuza, Retsudo's skilled offspring, and many more, most of whom will either be diced up by his sword, or by his enemies'. Thankfully, Lone Wolf and Cub are more than ready for whatever comes their way. Ogami Itto pushes his son around in a modified baby cart that is packed full of hidden surprises for anyone who wishes to take his head. And nobody is his equal with a sword. Nobody. Amusingly, Daigoro manages to rack up a little body count of his own and embarks on his own little adventures from time to time too.

The first film "Sword of Vengeance" focuses on Ogami Itto's first clashes with the Shadow Yagyu clan; playing a bloody game of chess as the disgraced samurai embarks upon his demon's journey by outwitting Retsudo and escaping to the open road. "Baby Cart at the River Styx" is my favorite film of the series and features a deadly band of lady shinobi (kunoichi), and a mission which pits Lone Wolf and Cub against a trio of skilled and honorable warriors with brutal weapons who have been hired to protect his target. "Baby Cart to Hades" (best title ever!) has Itto sacrificing his own body to protect a lowly prostitute in need and features one of the greatest action sequences ever filmed as our (anti)hero single-handedly battles an entire force of Yagyu troopers and kills ever last one. Awesome. "Baby Cart in Peril" features a heroic female samurai with tattoos who fights topless (for distraction, see?). In order to retrieve the information vital to his mission in "Baby Cart in the Land of Demons" Lone Wolf and Cub must past the deadly tests put forth by five of the clans retainers who can appear anywhere at any time. Lastly "White Heaven in Hell" pits Ogami Itto and son against a Yagyu clan desperate to finally avenge their shame by ending their lives. Lord Retsudo orders every person who helps or even speaks to them to be put to death. As Itto flees civilization into the frozen mountains, Retsudo sends his supernaturally-powered ninja to stalk him while the remainder of the clan's army is brought up for the end game. All of these films are must-sees for martial-arts and action fans.

The bonus features include many trailers, particularly for Zatoichi films (Shintaro Katsu -who played the legendary blind swordsmanproduced the first three films and cast this brother, Tomisaburo Wakayama, as Ogami Itto). Each disc also features extensive and informative notes about Japanese history and culture to help put some of the events in the films in perspective. Good stuff.

If you're looking for unrelenting action, brutal gore, a protagonist who is an unstoppable bada$#, and a story that has coolness around every corner then this is a series you must look into. It's a great place to start if you're looking to get into samurai films and this set belongs in the DVD library of all professing to be fans of the genre. Buy these films and enter the Crossroads to Hell.

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I'm a huge fan of martial arts films in general, samurais in particular. Part of the problem, for me, in finding samurai films I'd like is the tendency of Japanese filmamkers to include odd humor and action scenes that are too unbelievable. Now, I like unrealistic action fights, I can watch Drunken Master 2 or Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon all day, but sometimes you can take fantasy too far--in the anime version of Samurai Showdown, Haohmaru the samurai defeats a swarm of bees with his sword by chopping them up. A bit too much.

The reason I bring this up is to let anyone who has the same taste as I do in martial arts films (fantasy fighting with some gravity to it) know that they'll enjoy these movies as much as anything they've seen.

First off, the story is just great in each film. You really can't predict the actions and decisions that lead hero, Ogami Itto, will make. He's the perfect samurai character, grim, silent, and ruthlessly efficient. I was a bit leary about Tomisaburo Wakaya, as he's not the vision of the ultimate samurai, but his fine acting and martial arts chops make you forget about his double chin. Upon first seeing him, I wished they had cast an actor who looked mroe like the comicbook Ogami Itto--twenty minutes into a film, I forgot all about the comics.

The action is just incredibly well done. It's not the beautiful, agile swordplay of the Chinese sword films, but it has an elegance to it. Whereas the Chinese like to draw out a fight and have both warriors display every move in their arsenal, the Japanese directors tend to focus on a single, perfect stroke. The fights are fast and furious, with limbs and fountains of blood. For those seeking to avoid blood and guts, you might want to rethink getting this. Just think of the final action scene in the phenomenal Kill Bill Vol. 1, where the bride decimates the Crazy 88. Now imagine that scene with someone who actually knows martial arts, and you'll get the idea.

Anyway, let me just say that these six flicks are MY Star Wars. The ultimate samurai saga, bar none. If only Kenji Masume and Kazuo Koike would ahve made a Musashi film.

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)This "Lone Wolf and Cub Complete Series" release from Animeigo is one of the best arguments for changing over to Blu Ray that I have ever seen. It isn't that it is stuffed full of extra features and funky junk that you will look at once and then never again--it's how all six films in the series have been put on two disks, then packed into a single, slim box.

Seriously, I panicked a little when I got this in the mail. I figured something was wrong, that maybe they had only sent me the first flick instead of the complete series. I couldn't believe it until I popped the disk in my player; This set is actually all six films--with the best quality releases ever seen--packed efficiently into a tiny little package. As someone who is a bit of a film junky, and whose house is overflowing with giant, six film box sets, I really appreciate the space. I want to convert everything I own to little packages like this.

That's the packaging; now how are the films? Obviously, the Lone Wolf and Cub series is a bonafide classic. Adapted from the comic series by Koike Kazuo and Kojima Goseki, "Lone Wolf and Cub" may be one of the first comic-to-film adaptations to really nail it. No surprise since Koike also wrote the screenplays. Produced Katsu Shintaro--flush from his Zatoichi fame--who hired his brother Wakayama Tomisaburo as the assassin Ogami Itto, Some might see a bit of nepotism there; tubby, middle-aged Wakayama is hardly anyone's idea of a dashing action hero. But Wakayama is well known as being one of the best true swordsmen to make a career as an actor. Most actor's just faked it. With Wakayama, you are getting something closer to the real deal.

But that is about where reality ends. Lone Wolf and Cub are what I think of as "Cinematic Samurai." Far from the considered humanism of Kurosawa or the socio-political commentary of Kobayashi, these flicks are full-on over-the-top ultra-violent unapologetic male power fantasies. They eschew any form of realism. Blood doesn't trickle from a wound, it bursts forward like a geyser, and with enough blood to paint a house red. Swords can be thrown like darts and never miss their mark. People don't stand still and fight, they leap and bound with superhuman vigor. And one man can cut down an army, so long as they aren't named characters. These are the kind of flicks that inspired Tarantino and Frank Miller. They are a hell of a lot of fun.

The six films are:

Sword of Vengence 1972 Any movie that starts out with the beheading of a 3-year old child is making a statement as to where it stands. If you can't get by that scene, best to just pop the disk out and never watch the series again. The first "Lone Wolf and Cub" flick is a solemn, gloomy affair. Ogami Itto and his child Daigo are on the run for a crime they didn't commit, and wind up with a troop of mountain bandits who want to sport with the father and son before killing them.

Baby Cart at the River Styx 1972 The unquestioned best film in the series. Elite squads of female assassins, the three Lords of Death, and--best of all--Daigo gets into the action. When that cherubic little face hits a button on the baby cart and a big spear comes shooting out, you know this series has leapt beyond it's humble beginnings an into something spectacular.

Baby Cart to Hades 1972 Ruminations on the Way of the Warrior and a concealed Gatling gun are the memorable moments of the third Lone Wolf and Cub flick. There is a danger of escalation, of films going so over-the-top that they move into parody, but the fine balance is still maintained no matter how wild the action gets.

Baby Cart in Peril 1972 Daigo is getting a little too big for his famous baby cart in this film, and decides to head out for some adventures on his own. Meanwhile, Ogami is engaged in a battle with the beautiful--and perpetually topless--female assassin Oyuki. Nice showdown in this film, with no easy win for Ogami.

Baby Cart in the Land of Demons 1973 Name aside, the baby cart is mostly gone now as Ogami and Daigo head out on their separate adventures. Ogami proves he is no hero as he takes on the assassination of a young girl fated to succeed the local daimyo.

White Heaven in Hell 1974 The last film in the series takes some new twists and turns, including supernatural elements and a final showdown with Ogami's longtime enemy who has pursued him throughout the series. The famous baby cart returns with a vengeance, and Ogami manages to slaughter an entire army. He pulls off 150 on-screen kills in this film, the most of any individual character in a movie.

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Get the Gringo (2012)

With Mel Gibson doing himself no favors in the public media over the last six years, GET THE GRINGO is a much-needed reminder of why we loved him so much. While it was greatly refreshing to see Gibson on screen again in EDGE OF DARKNESS and THE BEAVER after an overbearing eight-year absence, GET THE GRINGO does the best of capturing everything we truly loved about Gibson's performances: charm, wit, humor, edge. The script by Gibson, director Adrian Grunberg and producer Stacey Persky is an original and tight balance of humor, edge, and danger that can very easily be considered an unofficial sequel to the theatrical cut of Gibson's cult favorite, PAYBACK. While the character of GRINGO's Driver never reveals his actual name, he possesses a lot of the same qualities as PAYBACK's Porter, including a U.S. military tattoo, a chain-smoking habit, sticky fingers, an iron jaw, and a penchant for bloodshed. Grunberg's direction is also solid with an obvious love for Sam Peckinpah paraded throughout.

For those of us who endured so many years of understandable negativity towards Gibson for his personal troubles, GET THE GRINGO is the film we've long awaited. It's truly a shame this film won't be seen wide in the U.S. It would've been a better comeback vehicle than EDGE OF DARKNESS was meant to be. GET THE GRINGO practically screams, "Remember me? I'm still here, and I still got it!"

But if one thing is certain, it is that in the age of home entertainment, every good film gets discovered by an audience. Sooner or later...

Now THIS is how you make a proper action-thriller! "Get the Gringo" is one hell of a film; a stripped-down, gritty actioner reminiscent of the kind of dark, no-nonsense thrillers we saw back in the '70s and '80s. With so many glossy, CGI-laden blockbusters hitting screens these days, it's invigorating to see Mel Gibson who grows more badass with each passing year doing what he does best in his first true action-thriller since 1998's "Payback". Gibson may be controversial, but those who are open-minded enough to watch "Get the Gringo" will be rewarded with a visceral, lively motion picture featuring Gibson back at the top of his game.

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"To the untrained eye it looks as if crime pays doesn't it, but bear in mind for guys with my particular set of karmic could-be's there was bound to be a bump or two down the road." After a car chase ends with Driver (Gibson) being caught be the Mexican police he is thrown in to their prison. Able to come and go as he pleases within the town he meets a nine year old boy who fills him in on the local people and problems. Wanting to get his money back from the corrupt cops Driver also decides help the young boy and his mother. I have to admit that I am a Mel Gibson fan. His last movie, "The Beaver" was outstanding and really was in unison with his personal meltdown. This movie, while not as good as that one still has some similarities to his life. This is about a man trapped and trying to not only help himself to straighten out, but also realizing that helping others is just a fulfilling. I may be reading too much into this and it may be just me though. The only down side is that after a string of great movies like "Edge Of Darkness" and "The Beaver" this one isn't quite that caliber. This is a good and entertaining movie though, just not at that level. Overall, a movie that has the feel of an Oliver Stone type movie that is fun to watch and is entertaining as well as violent. I recommend this. I give it a B+.

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Ah, how the mighty have fallen. Mel Gibson, once the world's highest-paid actor (after receiving an at-the-time-record-breaking $30 million payday for his role in THE PATRIOT) and beloved by millions, got drunk one night, said some bad things, was drowned in REALLY negative press (some very deservedly so), and he went from superstar to pariah in just a few weeks. And here, he's co-written his own (essentially) Direct to Video star vehicle called GET THE GRINGO, a return to form into the kind of role that made him famous: The Violent Rascal. This is the type of role he helped to create the archetype for in the LETHAL WEAPON series and that he brought to many other films as well. But his character here is a little edgier, a little darker, a little more clever if not as violent and incendiary as Martin Riggs.

The film opens with a car chase through the desert along the American/Mexican border. Two police cars are chasing a car driven by a character only known as "Driver" (Gibson). Seeing no way out on this side of the border, he crashes through the fence onto the Mexican side of the border, but it's straight out of the frying pan and into the fire as the corrupt Mexican federales see bags loaded with millions of dollars in the car and they dump Driver, obviously a career criminal, in a prison referred to El Pueblito, which is NOT like the prisons you see in The U.S. of A; in The Driver's words, "Is this a prison, or the crappiest mall on Earth?". There are non-prisoners amongst the population, such as wifes and children and some are allowed to come and go. There are also small but lucrative businesses in the prison; drugs, guns, prostitution, but also little food stands and bodegas that sell cigarettes, candy, soda pop and beer. The Driver is a man constantly on the move and on the make. He makes the observations of a thief and of someone intimately familiar with the prison system and hierarchy and sees the easiest way to get at the goods. It is during one of these observations that he sees Javi (Daniel Gimenez Cacho), the kingpin of El Pueblito and also during one of his thefts that he finds an ally in a tough 10-year-old boy, simply called "Kid" (Kevin Hernandez) who lives in the prison with his equally-tough mother (Dolores Heredia, also simply credited "Kid's Mom"), an inmate busted for drug trafficking some time before. Kid and Javi are on a collision course for reasons that I won't spoil here, but with Driver finding a friend in the kid and the mother, Driver has more personal reasons for staying.

There are other fun sub-plots involving a corrupt U.S. Consulate official, the mobster Driver stole the money from, and various other shady individuals doing various shady things. The major cast is made up mostly of unknowns to American audiences and the performances by Kevin Hernandez and Cacho are pretty layered and exciting, but it is also populated with various other character actors, such as Dean Norris, Bob Gunton, Patrick Bauchau and Peter Stormare in very small roles. The director is Adrian Grunberg, a former assistant director making his feature directing debut. He's worked with Mel in the past on films like APOCALYPTO and EDGE OF DARKNESS, but his influence from others is more felt from his work on films like MAN ON FIRE, TRAFFIC and JARHEAD. Grunberg directs the film with some gusto and urgency, but make no mistake though: this is Mel's movie through and through. The character of Driver is very similar to his likable bad guy Porter in the original cut of 1998's PAYBACK (because the "Final Cut" released a few years back on DVD, his character is much darker). It's obvious that Mel's having a really good time making this film, and it's obvious that he co-wrote this (with director Grunberg and co-producer Stacy Perskie, a PA who worked with Grunberg on a few other films) to give himself a star vehicle that felt more like what we used to see him in, as opposed to the extremely dark EDGE OF DARKNESS or the heavier drama of THE BEAVER. All of the violent acts he commits have a cartoony action film feel to them and they're mostly committed with a glint in his eye, particularly a bravura sequence with two hand grenades and an umbrella.

Despite what you may think about Mel Gibson personally, it hasn't diminished his capabilities as a consumate performer who does his best to engage the audience in his films. This film shows how much of a badass Mel can still be, but he's also gotten to a point where he's starting to wear his age well. I know (and I believe Mel knows as well) that he will never get back to where he was with star vehicles like GET THE GRINGO, but at least we can still get films where we get to see Mel kick some tail and have some fun with him along the way.

3.5/5 Stars

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The title of this review pretty much sums up GET THE GRINGO: a violent, darkly humored noir piece. (A friend of mine described it as PAYBACK'S "spiritual prequel.") The film starts with a masked thief (Gibson) making his getaway across the desert. He ends up crashing (literally) across the border, and winds up stuck in El Pueblito, a Mexican prison run more like a small town. He befriends a kid (the excellent Kevin Hernandez) and his mother (Dolores Heredia), while at the same time trying to get his money back, protect the boy (who is basically a living organ farm), dealing with a corrupt U.S. official (Peter Gerety), and the mobster he stole the money from in the first place (Peter Stormare doing his crazy thing).

As you can tell, there's a lot going on here. Too much so, perhaps. The film feels too much like Gibson's previous PAYBECK (basically, it's the same thing, except half the film is in Spanish); this is both in terms of tone (very dark in spots, very humorous in others) and plot. Gibson is great, as usual; say what you want to about the man, but as an actor, no one does likeable sleaze better. He's still got some bite to him, and there's never any knowing what his character will do next. The direction, too, is solid; the problems lie with the script, which tries to do too much. The subplots stumble over each other; this is, at its core, a simple story, like PAYBACK (I'm thinking the Director's Cut here), and should not go off on so many tangents. Still, in terms of grit and fun, GET THE GRINGO offers plenty of both. And, let's face it, it's nice to see Mel Gibson sinking his fangs into a dirty role again. Who knows--if he somehow cleans up his public image, he could be having blockbusters again. (Well, maybe not; but at least he's still got the chops to pull them off.)

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On The Bowery - The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Vol. 1 (1956)

The Blu-Ray and DVD editions contain two feature films: ON THE BOWERY and GOOD TIMES, WONDERFUL TIMES as well as Rogosin's "lost" film, OUT.

For songwriter Woody Guthrie, his guitar was a machine that "kills fascists." For Lionel Rogosin, the weapon of choice was a movie camera, and his first battle was waged on the streets of New York City.

Exploring the underworld of the city's skid row, Rogosin developed his signature style. After months drinking with men he met on the Bowery, Rogosin worked with his buddies to write a screenplay that reflected their lives--and then cast them as themselves. This technique of making films "from the inside" allowed Rogosin to film ordinary people caught up in universal problems. His films explored alcoholism, homelessness, racial discrimination, war, labor conflict, and poverty with great compassion and honesty.

On the Bowery chronicles three days in the drinking life of Ray Salyer, a part-time railroad worker adrift on New York's skid row. When the film opened it 1956, it exploded on the screen, burning away years of Hollywood artifice, jump-starting the post-war American independent film movement and earning an Oscar nomination. Now gloriously restored by the Cineteca di Bologna, On the Bowery is both an incredible document of a bygone era and a vivid and devastating portrait of addiction that resonates today just as it did when it was made.

Good Times, Wonderful Times was Rogosin's powerful response to militarism and fascism. For two years, Rogosin traveled to twelve countries, amassing footage of war atrocities from national archives. He then interspersed these harrowing images with scenes of a London cocktail party's inane chatter. The juxtaposition satirizes the tragic irresponsibility of modern man. Good Times, Wonderful Times, released at the height of the Vietnam conflict, became one of the great antiwar films of the era.

Out, a documentary by Rogosin made for the United Nations, tells the plight of Hungarian refugees fleeing to Austria in the aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

The collection features:

1. On the Bowery. Directed by Lionel Rogosin. United States. 1956. Mono sound. Aspect ratio 4:3. Restoration by the Cineteca del Comune di Bologna. Mastered from the 2K restoration. (65.00)

2. Introduction by Martin Scorsese. Produced for Milestone's release.

3. The Perfect Team: The Making of "On the Bowery." Directed by Michael Rogosin. (46:30).

4. A Walk Through the Bowery. Directed by Michael Rogosin. (12:12).

5. Street of Forgotten Men. United States. 1933. Courtesy of Oddball Film + Video, San Francisco (2:12).

6. Bowery Men's Shelter. Directed by Rhody Streeter and Tony Ganz. United States. 1972. Courtesy of New York Public Library Film and Video Collection. Restored by Colorlab. (10:19).

7. On the Bowery. Theatrical Trailer (2:12).

8. Good Times, Wonderful Times. Directed by Lionel Rogosin. England/United States. 1964. Aspect ratio 4:3. Restoration by the Cineteca del Comune di Bologna. Mastered from the 2K restoration. (69.00)

9. Man's Peril: The Making of "Good Times, Wonderful Times." Directed by Michael Rogosin. (24:15)

10. Out. Directed by Lionel Rogosin. 1957. United States. Aspect Ratio 4:3. Courtesy of United Nations Multimedia Resources Unit. (25:33).

I am 63 years old, and the product of an alcoholic father. Though it skipped me in some ways--I am not addicted to the usual substances or behaviors--addiction has had a devastating effect on my life. My daughter was in the throes of drug and alcohol addiction for ten years, from age 13 until 23. This caused untold pain and misery in our family.

I am also a movie fanatic. I've seen literally thousands of movies. In particular I admire and deeply appreciate documentary films, because they show us reality, and, more than fiction films, they have the power to influence our thoughts and actions. They often shine a light into the dark corners of this world. This is such a film. I watched it last night on Turner Classics. I was astounded. I am embarrassed and reluctant to admit it, but prior to last night, I had never heard of Lionel Rogosin. Based upon this single film, I would rate him as one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time. This is a truly singular, extraordinary piece of work, simply amazing. It is tremendously sad and moving, frightening film, because while I watched it I could not help but think "there but for the grace of God."

There was a movie made years ago called The Exiles which came close to this. Then there is the monumental Eugene O'Neill play, The Iceman Cometh, which could have inspired, or was inspired by, this film.

Rogosin lived and drank with these alcoholic men of NYC's Bowery for many months, his aim being to befriend the men and to be accepted by them. I am sure he bought plenty of drinks in this time. None of these guys were actors; they were real people, real 'winos' and boozers who lived on those mean streets. They got so used to him that when he started filming them, they didn't bat an eye. No doubt he came up with a 'story', and discussed it with the three guys who are featured in the movie. Every cent that came into their hands ended up in the hands of the bartenders or cashiers who manned the dives and liquor stores in that seedy district. The main character, Ray Salyer, is a tall, lanky youngish fellow, a good-looking guy who had a kind of Gary Cooper/Henry Fonda quality to him. After the movie on TCM, host Robert Osborne said that this chap was actually offered a $40K acting gig by a studio, but he turned it down, saying that booze was the only thing he cared about. Ironically at the end of the film, his character actually turns down a drink, saying that he intends to get cleaned up and get a job. Gorman, the older white-haired man who swipes Ray's suitcase, died of cirrhosis before the film was even released.

The movie is full of fantastic scenes, but of course, absolutely none of them are what you would call uplifting. You sit there in open-mouthed amazement, in a way, like looking at a train wreck or a burning building. It has been beautifully restored and the glorious black and white images of old NYC are simply incredible. Nothing like this has ever been done. But the truly amazing images are those faces....craggy, wrinkled, battered, ravaged by alcohol and beatings, lack of food and care, from sleeping rough on cold concrete. These poor men are sons and husbands and fathers, many no doubt WWII vets, and they are on a slow path to death and destruction. For them, the numbness of that boozy high is the be-all and end-all. But the sad saga repeats itself day after day.

The movie takes place over three days, presumably in the summer, which makes you wonder how these poor fellows survived in the cold months. One incredible scene actually shows, in close-up detail, the legendary process of straining Sterno--canned heat--through an old sock, then drinking it. That could not have been good for your health. These guys were so alcohol addicted that they would have done liquid shoe polish, rubbing alcohol, radiator fluid, you name it. Like many homeless alcoholics, there is a preference but mostly a compulsion for the cheapest drunk possible, and so, cheap, fortified wines like Muscatel and White Port are a good route to getting 'comfortably numb'.

I've known men like this. Most of them are long dead. They 'chose' booze over family, job, home. This is a cautionary tale. I have always been very careful about drinking, because of what it did to my father, who died of cirrhosis, as did his sister. My paternal grandparents, my daughter, my sister and brother and several nephews have all been hit by "The Curse". I never drink alone, and when I drink, I have one or two beers. That's it. I go to a church which is full of alcoholics and addicts. I am going to recommend that we show this film. It is that powerful.

Buy On The Bowery - The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Vol. 1 (1956) Now

"On the Bowery" is one of those movies that will not ring a bell for most audiences, but may be recognized by true film connoisseurs. I certainly didn't know about it, and I have to thank the hard-working folks at Milestone, folks that truly love films and try to preserve some of the best ones before there are sent to oblivion. Thanks to them, we got to see restored versions of such classics as "I am Cuba," "Killer of Sheep," "Araya," and many others. Now we have the historically important and remarkable "On the Bowery," helmed by Lionel Rogosin, who was described by John Cassavettes as "probably the greatest documentary filmmaker of all time."

"On the Bowery" is one special film, in which it is a documentary, with a scripted and improvised story, and with some willingly and unwillingly unprofessional actors. Makes sense? It shouldn't, but it does. Director Rogosin tried to show to the world life at New York's Bowery area, kind of what we today refer to as skid row, an area inhibited by what appears to be unemployed men and women mostly men --, who are either waking up each day on its street or having "breakfast" at a bar. Sadly, alcohol is the common factor. For this noble purpose, Rogolin enlisted some of the men that actually frequented the bowery. The main one, Ray Salyer, plays himself, and we see him arriving to the bowery with just a suitcase and some money; he claims to be a railroad worker. He looks fine and well-kept, and, for some reason chooses to go to a bar as his first stop. Even though he has seen and felt the evil of booze, he is weak and agrees to have a drink with some fellows that he meets in the bar. He befriends two of them, who happen to be older: Gorman Hendricks and Frank Matthews, who, like him, live day by day looking for one-day jobs and some quick money, which, sadly, will end up in the bar's cash register. The movie consists mostly on the daily activities of Ray, from the moment that he wakes up from sleeping on the street, to how he is able to get a job for a day, and getting back to the bar at the end of the day quite a repetitive and destructive cycle. We only see Frank for about half of the film, as he mysteriously disappears. Gorman, on the other hand, is quite a character; he is dishonest, but can also have a good heart. We follow their daily struggles until the very end... almost. With good reason a pastor at a local church, which is the gate to get food and shelter for some nights, said that the Bowery was "the saddest and maddest street in the world."

"On the Bowery" is slow but it surely penetrates your soul, and, in the end, you will conclude that it is quite a powerful film. For good reason it earned an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary in 1958, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary in 1957, as well as was included in the National Film Registry by the National Film Preservation Board USA in 2008. Personally, what I will mostly remember about this film is the faces and the eyes. They spoke a world about the lives at this side of the United States. I shall also mention that all three main characters had great faces for film. Salyer reminded me of a mixture of Mike Wallace with John Cassavettes, while Gorman reminded me of Keenan Wynn. It is said that Salyer was offered roles in Hollywood, but he chose to keep drinking. Gorman, on the other hand, lived enough to the end of production of the film, and Frank died somewhere in-between. Needless to say, this is one of the best movies about alcoholism that you will ever see. It will stay with you for quite some time. The wonderful two-disc Blu-ray edition includes a Martin Scorsese introduction to the film, a making-of documentary, as well a the documentaries "A Walk Through the Bowery" and "Bowery Men Shelter." It also includes "Good Times, Wonderful Times," a 1964 film by Rogosin, a making-of documentary of the movie, and much, much, more. (One the Bowery: USA, 1956, B&W, 65 min plus additional material; Good Times, Wonderful Times: USA, 1964, 69 min plus additional materials)

Reviewed on March 13, 2012 by Eric Gonzalez for Milestone Film and Video Blu-ray

Read Best Reviews of On The Bowery - The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Vol. 1 (1956) Here

These are 2 amazing films/documentaries. Especially On The Bowery.

I remember those days as a young kid. Brought back memories of a very sad time and place.

Well done, a must see for those he like reality.

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Distinctly authentic, unrehearsed, true-to-life documentary where the participants seem totally unaware of the camera.The second DVD,of insipid behavior at a London cocktail party in stark contrast with atrocity of war crimes, is stirring in it's own right.

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Let the Right One In (2009)

Do not buy this movie yet. Magnolia butchered the subtitles and will be releasing a version with the theatrical subtitles in the near future. Magnolia will not replace this disc with the fixed one, so hold off on your purchase. You will know the correct version when you see "subtitles: English (theatrical release)" in the specs on the back.

I was very disappointed with this DVD. So much so that I'm returning my copy of it. I saw the movie in theatres, and found it masterful. The amazing tone is part of the beauty of the film, and the subtitles on the US DVD release are a travesty. They remove most of the subtlety from the tone and characters (see for examples). The movie I saw in theatres was a masterpiece; the movie on this DVD (using subtitles) is a mediocrity. If you are going to buy this DVD, either download and use the theatrical subtitles or use the mediocre dubbing track. As for me, I'm going to look for another region's copy or wait for a re-release.

In the end, this DVD is a masterclass on why good subtitle translations are critical in foreign films.

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THE DVD SUBTITLES ARE POORLY, POORLY TRANSLATED AND RUIN THE MOVIE!!!!

Magnolia/MAGNET refused to pay for the original translations and hired there own in order to cut costs. I encourage you to write Magnolia/MAGNET and demand a re-issue with the correct subtitles, and a refund for your defective DVDs and Blu-rays

Read Best Reviews of Let the Right One In (2009) Here

I too bought this film from amazon and wish that Magnolia had disclosed a change in the subtitles from original release of the film. This change completely worsens a great foreign film.

Buyers beware of this problem with the release. Hopefully we can expect Magnolia to own up to their decision and replace what i consider defective copies.

MY thoughts echo another commenter:

Unbelievable. Just read the comment saying that they WILL REISSUE the disc but that they WILL NOT HAVE AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM for those who purchased their DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. So let me get this straight; those of us who love this film, preordered it, then pointed out their mistake, thereby saving others from a mutilated film end up being PUNISHED because of it? Magnolia, you're a real class act.

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There is no excuse for this pitiful translation regardless of whether you speak Swedish or not the dvd subtitle track is awful. Wait for the new edition.

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Twins Of Evil (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

"Twins of Evil" is a Hammer vampire classic of note for several reasons. First, it is the conclusion of the Carmilla trilogy which began with my favorite of all Hammer's works, The Vampire Lovers -which closely followed the original novellaand continued with the lame cash-in Lust for a Vampire, which relied entirely on sex appeal. "Twins of Evil" was also notable in that it combined two different horror genres (witchhunting and vampires) into one seemless entity. Then there is the fact that the horror studio's premiere hero, Peter Cushing, played a character whose righteousness was dubious at best. While the film itself may not thrill or chill as much as Hammer's best, it still stands as a solid entry to their (un)hallowed pantheon.

While it is generally implied that this film is sexploitation, that is not at all the case. But considering the twins in question were Playboy playmates and given the rife sexuality and lesbianism present in the preceding films of the series, it is an easy thing to assume. There is actually only one nude scene and the film often deliberately cuts away from unclothed ladyparts, which is actually quite annoying in a film from this era where the girls were so impossibly beautiful and charmingly seductive. But in the end, it helps the film that you stay focused on the central conflicts of the story rather than when the next sex scene is coming up. There is a rather suggestive shot involving a candlestick that will raise eyebrows, but gratuitous nudity is pretty nonexistent. But there is some decent blood, violence, and miles of cleavage so straight exploitation fans need not pass this by.

Cushing plays a fanatical witchhunter terrorizing the women of a town where Count Karnstein openly worships Satan under the protection of the emperor. Since the Count himself is untouchable, Cushing's character tries to find solace in purifying the young girls he feels may have been corrupted by his influence with fire. Meanwhile, Karnstein sates his increasingly vile appetite by offering a human sacrifice to The Devil, who in turn sends him an apparition of his ancestor Mircalla (check the anagram), who bestows upon him eternal unlife. The wicked Count then sets his sights on the witchhunter's beautiful twin nieces whom nobody can tell apart but are as different in personality as they are similar in appearance.

The main theme of the film is the grey area in the conflict between good and evil. While Cushing's character feels he is doing God's work in purifying corrupted souls, he knowingly allows the source of the corruption to thrive, fearing the consequences. This makes him a hypocrite and as good as a murderer as he waits for each victim to take out his personal anger on young girls. The Collinson twins play their parts well (though their voices were dubbed), and make for a mesmerizing onscreen pair. The cast is solid all around.

The region 2 DVD release features a lame musical deleted scene, a very cool image gallery, and extensive liner notes chronicling the film's history and even features some actor bios. Not a ton of special features, but better then most Hammer films get treated over here. "Twins of Evil" is not must-see material, but it is certainly a decent addition to any vampire fan's collection.

3 1/2 stars, rounded up for originality.

Director John Hough steers this Hammer Films Classic with absolute relish ~ The film stars Hammer Master 'Peter Cushing' as Gustav Weil, leader of the 'Brotherhood', a Puritan Witch-hunting vigilante group determined to stamp out vampirism ~ the 'Twins' are played by identical twins Mary & Madeleine Collinson, born in Malta in July 1952 ~ they were the first twins to appear in Playboy ~ like many Hammer films, sex was always an underlying theme used to sell the production, & explicit pre-production artwork made the film more like an expensive X-movie ~ much of which showed up in the films publicity shots, depicting the female cast clad in very loose nightgowns & less ~ even so, the film is stubborn in its anti-pleasure theme ~ ...'Twins' was to be the last round in the "Mircalla Trilogy", based on characters & settings by le Fanu ~ Mircalla is mostly absent, as Hammer concentrates on decedent Count Karnstein, praised as perhaps the most promising successor to Christopher Lee's Dracula ~ of great worthy note is the fact that just two months earlier Cushings wife had passed away, & yet he continued on, giving possibly his hardest & most gritting performance ever, casting himself fully into the role ~ he left production of Blood From the Mummy's Tomb due to her illness, & such a return makes the film even more important ~ though looking taunt & tired his performance alone makes the film worth watching ~ dark moody & atmospheric settings, horrifying special effects, & great acting by all involved make it a winner ~ Fun Stuff!

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When Synapse Films announced that they would be releasing the Hammer Films which I always eluded to as the elusive three, I had great reservations. The titles were only available on Japanese Laser Discs and were promised to be released many times over the years. Anchor Bay Entertainment released many of the 20th Century Fox titles, Warner Home video and Universal Pictures released their output, Paramount sporadically released a handful and finally Sony/Columbia released their titles. But what about 'VAMPIRE CIRCUS', 'TWINS OF EVIL' and 'HANDS OF THE RIPPER'? 'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS' and 'COUNTESS DRACULA' were released by MGM as part of their Midnight Madness series and finally Synapse took up the gauntlet and came through with the DVD/BLU-RAY release of Director Robert Young's 'VAMPIRE CIRCUS'-1972 last year. It was an incredible set which destroyed my doubt about their announcement of the other titles. Now they have come through with their promise once again with Director John Hough's 'TWINS OF EVIL'1971, a prequel to the Mircalla Karnstein characters derived from screenwriter Tudor Gates and a film in Hammer's horror canon that was severely butchered by Universal Pictures when released in the US making it look like a costume picture peppered with the occult resembling Director Michael Reeve's 'WITCHFINDER GENERAL' aka 'THE CONQUEROR WORM'-1968 and a few fangs showing up amongst the characters. Synapse has gone back to the original negative released by the Rank Organization in a gorgeous high definition transfer and restored the film to its erotically bloody glory. After over 40 years, the film shows why any release by Hammer was an anticipated event at that time. The film has also one of actor Peter Cushing's greatest performances as the tortured Gustav Weil who appeared in the film after the death of his beloved wife, Helen. It is an astonishing characterization and he incinerates the screen every time he appears. There is also an appearance from past vampire femme fatale Isobel Black who erotically charged another Hammer opus, Director Don Sharp's 'KISS OF THE VAMPIRE'-1964' which also deals with a vampire cult. The highlight of the set is an excellent documentary called 'THE FLESH AND THE FURY: X-POSING TWINS OF EVIL' clocking in at over 85 minutes and gives you the history of Author Sheridan LeFanu's character Carmilla and how Hammer adapted the character within their trilogy of films. It explains everything about the state of eroticism and horror of that period with interviews with many top horror writers and critics and we also have interviews with Director John Hough and actor Damian Thomas who played Count Karnstein. There is also an extra on the rescued props from Hammer sets by Mr. Wayne Kinsey from his personal collection , a deleted scene which should have been deleted, two theatrical trailers including the double feature with 'HANDS OF THE RIPPER', and a stills gallery. Synapse promises the release of 'RIPPER' next year and also a BLU-RAY release of Director Peter Sasdy's 'COUNTESS DRACULA'-1970(will it contain a longer version?). Every Hammer Horror fan living or undead deserve to have this in their collections. Bravo, Synapse.

Read Best Reviews of Twins Of Evil (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) Here

This region free DVD offers just the film in an enhanced anamorpic presentation. This transfer won't blow you away like some of the recent Hammer film releases via Sony. Some digital artifacts are present but overall this is a decent if unremarkable transfer.

It should be noted that my DVD arrived without a DVD case! It was mailed flat with just the DVD and the DVD insert. However, I did buy a used copy. No playback issues to report.

Rumor has it that Synapse films has aquired the rights to VAMPIRE CIRCUS, HANDS OF THE RIPPER and TWINS OF EVIL for release on DVD and Blu-ray(!) in the United States by the end of 2010! So you might want to hold off on this title for a bit longer.

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I recently received TWINS OF EVIL as a gift in the form of a DVD not yet available in this country. I must admit that I was not particularly enthusiastic, for I typically find "Hammer Horror" more than a little too obvious in style--but this particular title surprised me with its understated atmosphere, and was all the more effective for it.

Loosely based on characters created by author Sheridan Le Fanu, TWINS OF EVIL concern twin sisters Maria and Freida (Mary and Madeline Collison) who have been recently orphaned and are sent to live with their guardian and uncle Gustav Weil (Peter Cushing.) Gustav is a most unpleasant man, the leader of a religious "brotherhood" whose ideas of salvation and repentance involves routing out every attractive woman in the district and burning them alive at the steak. Ironically, Gustav's hapless victims are innocent, and he finds himself unable to attack the real evil of the locality: the devil-worshiping Count Karnstein (Damien Thomas), who enjoys the protection of the Emperor.

Needless to say, it is not long before the sisters catch the attention of the Count, who has now been transformed by the black arts into a vampire--and one of the sisters soon falls under his sway. But truth be told, Gustav is such a distasteful creature himself that it becomes difficult to know which of the two men is worst.

Like most Hammer Horrors, TWINS abounds with well endowed women in plunging necklines and enough colorful gore to float a small boat. But in this instance, the splashes of blood are all the more effective for the muted background against which they are seen. The usually baroque settings of most Hammer films is not in evidence here, little is romanticized, and the atmosphere is quite tense.

The Collison twins (whose last film this was) give reasonable performances and are so attractive that you do not mind the fact they have very obviously been dubbed by English-speaking actors. Damien Thomas makes for an impressively suave vampire, and David Warbeck is appealing as the hero of the piece. But the real drive of the film comes from Peter Cushing, who gives a surprisingly powerful performance as the maniacal Gustav; if given the choice between facing him or trying to ward off Thomas' vampire, well, most of us would probably feel we had a better chance against Count Karnstein! It is an unexpected effect, and it is quite powerful.

This is not to say that TWINS OF EVIL is without flaws, and now and then some pretty big ones. The script is no winner, and the details of the story are a bit loose, to say the least. The sisters are supposed to be from Vienna, but they somehow wind up in what seems to be a very unappealing area of Germany where the men all dress like American Puritans! There are also one or two scenes that border on the unintentionally comic. But most viewers will be able to suspend disbelief for the film's duration. Recommended for fans of both Hammer and gothic horror.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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