Carrie (1976)

Seeing this movie on cable is nothing compared to actually seeing it uncut and rated R. Unlike the ludicrously-conceived sequel, which hit theaters in 1999, this movie does not have a strong emphasis on blood or gore, and there is an evident emotional factor as well. The viewers can actually sympathize with Carrie White as she goes through her adolescent period, endures the hardhips of being the center of ridicule and banter, and her feelings of happiness when Tommy asks her to the prom. Sissy Spacek plays her character to a T, making the emotions believable and realistic. Piper Laurie, who plays her mother, is the pinacle of the tight-fisted parent who allows for nothing degrading to enter into her child's life or mind. Brian de Palma has truly done a marvelous job in recreating the Stephen King classic, and while some factors of the movie and the book differ at different times, there is still a remaining quality of justice done to the novel. This movie will also make some people think twice before making fun of anyone again. To all who see this, I hope you enjoy it.

The legendary CARRIE in High-Definition! This classic Cinderella story with a dark, supernatural twist to it has been a favorite of mine since I first saw it. It has it all: An emotionally-driven story (unlike most horror films) that takes you to highs, lows, and everything in between, mesmorizing performances by the charismatic Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie, and artistic cinematography by director Brian DePalma. It is surely the Ultimate Revenge film with exceptional acting and craftsmanship that puts our more modern movies to shame.

**Video and Audio Quality**

To keep it plain and simple: Carrie on DVD looks more like VHS quality, and Carrie on Blu-Ray looks more like DVD quality. So it never reaches the crisp, crystal clear look of today's Blu-Ray releases, but it is definitely cleaner and finer quality than the DVD. So if you want the best Carrie experience then watch it on Blu-Ray!

**Special Features**

The Blu-Ray disc contains only the theatrical trailer. The DVD, however, is loaded with interviews by all the main cast members, director Brian DePalma, and others who worked on the film. There's a lot to learn from watching the interviews, including the conflicts and challenges they all underwent to make the film, a behind-the-scenes look on the special effects, and a deleted scene that was to be the prologue of the movie. There's also a photogallery and comparison between Stephen King's version of Carrie and Brian DePalma's version of Carrie, plus more.

**The Combo Pack**

It would have been better for everyone had they included the DVD special features on the Blu-Ray disc, but having it all on a combo pack is the next best thing, so if you're a Carrie fan or just love a beautifully crafted classical tale, this is a must have! Own this unforgettable drama/horror movie on Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack today!

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This is one of my favorite films. If you've never seen it how lucky you are to still have it ahead of you! If you haven't seen it for years, and remember it as just a dumb teen horror movie, you have the pleasure of discovering how well made and acted it is.

I was one of those who just thought this was a dumb teen horror movie, and was thus surprised when it was the first film we studied in one of my college film courses. Learning how deftly layered and brilliantly directed this movie is was in large part my first awakening to how interesting and well-done horror and other dismissed genres can be.

Although this film was considered horror when it came out, now, more than 20 years later, I think you have to look at it as more of a macabre tragic drama, because certainly no one will be scared by it. Many on the IMDb complain that "nothing happens" in the first hour, which I blame on its continuing place in the "horror" genre. Unfortunately, those people are missing all of the character development and thematic content that makes the ending so moving to those who have followed it.

The film is unflinching in its portrayal of female jealousy and sublimated sexual rage. The appearance of Carrie's powers coincides with her first period, i.e. the onset of sexual maturity. The following events are all about sexual attraction and jealousy, following Carrie's emergence as a woman, the dynamics of the other girls at school and their sexual/romantic intrigues, and the White family's bizarre sexual mores. The drama with the girls at school is all about dates and sex and going to the prom. Carrie's sympathetic gym teacher tries to get her to wear makeup and pay more attention to her hair. Meanwhile, Carrie's mother equates her menstruation with acceptance of sin, and later refers to her breasts as "dirty pillows." Once you start to look at it this way, you'll be surprised at the number of incidents and bits of dialogue that relate to this theme, and how carefully focused the entire screenplay is.

Sissy Spacek's performance really is multi-layered and heartbreaking, and gets better the more you get into the film. The early scenes at the prom, when you see her trying her best to get out of her shell, and how scared she is of being hurt, are all the more tragic knowing what is going to happen to her a few minutes later. When she is announced as Prom Queen, you see from the look on her face that she has finally come to believe that she has been accepted and liked. That the image of her walking silently through the burning school still remains so iconic and startlingly creepy is testament to her performance and this film's power.

The other amazing thing is DePalma's direction. The sequence beginning with the announcement of Carrie as Prom Queen is a masterpiece of building tension -notice the music and editing as the sequence gathers speed, culminating with the spilling of the blood. You will also notice that this entire sequence is dialogue-free. It is so tight, audacious and over-the-top that you have to admire it. I know DePalma later expressed regret over the split screen effect, but I remember how effective it was when I first saw the film -it left me feeling like so much is happening at once that you couldn't possibly take it all in. It's really overwhelming and distancing at the same time -as opposed to most horror films that try to bring viewers INTO the terror.

The mere fact that this movie is still around almost 25 years later is a testament to its brilliance. It is much more respected now than when it first came out-in part I think because the "horror" label worked against it. Look at the horror aspects the way they should be -as a metaphor-and you'll start to get into it. The closer you look the better it becomes.

Read Best Reviews of Carrie (1976) Here

Steven King's novel depicting the trials of a bullied girl blossoming into womanhood while being victimized by a deranged mother is a masterpiece.

At school, the misfit Carrie White is friendless. Her feminine beauty is invisible to her classmates, who view only her inability to meet the standards of adolescent society. At home, the harassment tears her soul apart. Her mother is a deluded, man-hating and sexually repressed sociopath who unleashes her repressed sexuality by sadistically inflicting punishment on her blossoming daughter in the name of "Jesus."

When Carrie, ignorant of the facts of life, experiences the onset of her period at school, the scene is set for the perfect storm in horror movie history. Carrie believes that she is dying. Her classmates, like the pack of animals that they are, sense blood and go on the attack. At home, it becomes yet another means for the sadist to humiliate her prey. The school is ultimately clueless as to how to address the issue, thereby providing the perfect battlefield for the Armageddon to come.

Carrie is emotionally powerful horror film, an outstanding metaphor for the trauma of adolescent change, and no other film matches it's perfection.

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If you enjoy this film as much as I do, I have bad news: The Blu-ray transfer is mediocre at best. Scenes are soft and often grainy, lacking any of the real clarity high def can bring. Sound also doesn't really benefit; it's slightly sharper but that's about it. Unless you don't already own the film, stick with the regular DVD. The upgrade, even at such a low price, isn't really worth it.

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The Expendables 2 (2012)

Let's get one thing straight. You don't go into a movie like The Expendables without knowing what you are getting yourself into. If you've seen the first film and enjoyed its larger-than-life salute to big 80's action stars then you know exactly what you should expect from the sequel. It's more of the same formula: Big on star power machismo, ammunition, and one-liners and simple on plot, exposition and intelligence. The bottom line is; you don't watch The Expendables expecting any Academy Award winning performances. If this doesn't sound like kind of movie that you would normally enjoy watching then you came to the wrong party.

The Boys are BACK: Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross, Jason Statham as Lee Christmas, Dolph Lundgren as Gunner Jensen, Terry Crews as Hale Caesar, Randy Couture as Toll Road and Jet Li as Yin Yang while Mickey Rourke is out as Tool but the testosterone meter is still off the charts. Liam Hemsworth joins the team as the youngest "expendable" Bill the Kid. The Expendables have been recruited by Church to stop weapons-grade plutonium hidden in a Albanian mine during the Cold War from falling into the wrong hands and it's time to bring in the Dirtier Dozen.

The muscle and all-star power are man-uped the second time around. There's much more Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis this time who only appeared in smaller cameo roles as Trench and Church in the first film and there's more iconic 80's action stars that the fans have been begging to see like Chuck Norris as Booker a.k.a. the "Lone Wolf" and Jean Claude Van Damme as Vilain, and what an apropos "villain" he makes. It seems Steven Seagal is still the odd man out due to a publicized disagreement with the producer Avi Lerner, although when asked if he would be in Expendables 3 his response was "We'll see." Rumor has it that Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford have already been approached for the third one as well with plans to acquire Nicholas Cage and Wesley Snipes to the Expendables 3 dossier.

Expendables 2 is a blast if you can appreciate it for what it is; it's the guiltiest kind of guilty pleasure and it makes no apologies for being what it is. The first one feels almost like a dress rehearsal but the sequel is bigger and a lot more fun. There are hilarious one-liners and bad puns aplenty and the chemistry between these legendary screen icons takes badassery to a whole new cinematic level. The epic showdown between "The Italian Stallion" Stallone and the "Muscles From Brussels" Van Damme makes it worth the price of admission alone.

Bring on Expendables 3! Yippee ki yay!

When Sylvester Stallone dreamt up the original EXPENDABLES film, it was designed to be a throwback to the cheesy 80's shoot-'em-up spectacles that were low on plot and character and high on action and adrenaline and combine many of cinema's greatest (or at least somewhat famous) action stars in one film, and it succeeded in some ways and failed in others. The biggest problem that I had with the original is that there were too many patented Stallone-As-Screenwriter moments when he tried to make the film more serious than it EVER needed to be. But when the action was on, it was really glorious to watch all of the over-the-top silliness explode like a Wile E. Coyote cartoon on crank. Fortunately we're treated to much more of that silliness and much less of the seriousness in the Simon West (CON AIR, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER) directed EXPENDABLES 2.

As the film opens with a terrific opening set piece of an assault on a fortified bunker, we are reintroduced to our team of Expendables: Barney (Stallone, not losing a step), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham, he of the mighty chin and eternal 5-O'Clock-Shadow), Gunnar (Dolph Lundgren, who's gone from potential villain to one of the good guys again), Yin Yang (Jet Li, still short), Caesar (Terry Crews and his loud auto-shotgun), Toll Road (Randy Couture... who's barely there), and the new kid on the block, Billy (Liam Hemsworth). The whole opening sequence is an orgy of heads and limbs popping off, kung-fu butt-kicking, geysers of digital blood, and big BIG explosions. It also reveals another bit player with a much larger role in this film, and that is the character of Trench, played by none other than the former Governator himself, looking to get back into film in a big (and fun) way. After a brief interlude, Yin Yang departs the film for... really no particular reason, and they're down a man. When they arrive home, Barney in confronted by the mysterious Company man Mr. Church (played with much more relish this time around by Bruce Willis), who orders his merry band to go and intercept a "package" that's been lost in a plane crash in a faraway land. Church also insists that one of his people, Maggie (the lovely and lethal Nan Yu, whose only other "major" Hollywood role was in SPEED RACER), goes along for the ride in order to secure the package. Before you can say "Time for the big villain entrance", it's time for the big villain entrance, and that is in the personage of Vilain (yes, that's his character's name) as portrayed by Jean-Claude Van Damme (clearly having a good time playing the bad guy). Vilain and his crew rather shockingly kill one member of the team, and that leads our Expendables on a path to vengeance. Vilain leads a vicious group of mercenaries and other cut-throat types whose current objective is to steal five tons of old Soviet weapons-grade Plutonium and sell it to the highest bidders. Church, Trench and another player who appears on the board named Booker (Chuck Norris, playing up his "Lone Wolf" image... get it? "Lone Wolf"?) all come together to take down Vilain and his operation and his seeminlgly endless parade of cannon fodder.

Basically everything that was good about the first film is better here. West has a much better and more dynamic style than Stallone does when it comes to having some flair about the action sequences. The film also knows when to lay off the more serious moments to create more forward momentum. Some may find this to be a disservice to the character, but believe me, if this film had gotten bogged down in this death and the reflection/meditation on life and death that the first film had, it would have done the film a greater disservice. The whole cast, particularly the old-timers, seem to be having a really good time here, even if some of them have less to do because of the inclusion of Schwarzenegger, Willis and Norris getting in on the action. The second act does plod on a little, but the film, coming in at a brisk 103 minute run-time, doesn't allow the film to plod for very long.

The other thing that is much more evident in this film is its self-awareness. This film, unlike the first film, is VERY aware that it takes place in "Action Movie/Video Game Land", as opposed to a semi-realistic setting. Just look at the opening sequence; the good guys fire their weapons with unfailing accuracy as they travel at fifty miles per hour while the throngs of bad guys couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. The sea-plane used in the first film has been retrofitted into an airborne tank. In the second act, one man is able to take down a few dozen bad guys AND a tank in a matter of about seven seconds. By the third act, you have our heroes crashing planes into the ground with no real consequences, drilling machines coming out of nowhere, and people RIPPING THE DOORS OFF CARS. This same idea also applies to the character motivations and dialogue: Vilain is evil because he's the villain and he knows it (It's in his name, for God's sakes), and even has the line "No loose ends" at one point. The good guys are super-quipping machines. Willis and Schwarzenegger share a scene where they throw each other's movie catch-phrases in their faces. This film has abandoned all pretense of reality and that makes it work SO much better than the first film. It's also a real thrill for those of us action fans who were coming of age in the 80's to see Sly, Bruce, Ahnuld, and Chuck killing dozens of bad guys together. The only notable absence from the first film is that of Mickey Rourke, who, admittedly wasn't much of an action star anyway, unless you want to count HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THE MARLBORO MAN or the Van Damme/Dennis Rodman action film DOUBLE TEAM. I think those films are better off forgotten, though, don't you?

The best sequels are the ones that learn from the mistakes of the previous films and improve on what made the original entertaining in the first place, and THE EXPENDABLES 2 absolutely does all of that and ends up being one of the more entertaining, if least substantial, films of the summer.

4/5 Stars.

Buy The Expendables 2 (2012) Now

Expendables 2 is rife with gun play, stabbings, explosions and fun one-liners. Frankly, this is exactly what the movie presented it to be. If this comes across as indicative of the kind of movie that of movie entertains you then please note that Expendables 2 a genre archetype.

If you expect a deep plot and a layered story then look elsewhere. Frankly, it's hard to imagine someone that would look for this approach here. Such criticisms that speak to this are unfounded as they do not actually review the product as advertised.

I don't want to spoil the film. Let me just say though that Chuck Norris plays a Messianic figure a la Judah Maccabee (obviously not like the suffering servant Yeshua Messiah). He has an almost otherworldly indestructible attribute. This alone made the movie worth a viewing.

Bottom line: If you are an American male with a good amount of testosterone in you veins you will enjoy this film.

Read Best Reviews of The Expendables 2 (2012) Here

For some reason I have found it difficult to like the first film, Stallone & Lundren's fued & Dolph's betrayal, then being shot & living, was just unnecessary & slowed the pacing down in the first film, although Eric Roberts & "Stone Cold" Steve Austin were effective villians, they were a bit underused in the first film, but with this second film, we get a better pace & everyone this time around get equal screen time it seems, plus we get more Arnold & Bruce here, like many people in my age group I grew up watching Arnold, Stallone, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, & Jean Claude Van Damme, to have them all in the same movie is somthing I never thought I would see & I have to say this made the film for me, you don't have to like the first to like this one, this one carefully avoids the mistakes of the first film, Stallone, Jason Stathom, Dolph Lundren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, & Jet Li all return here, although Li bails in the first 15 minutes, everyone else is in on the action more this time around, not just Stallone & Stathom, & Arnold & Willis get to do more, & Chuck Norris does his trademark character, the "Lone Wolf' type character very well, & you just can't help but laugh a bit, Willis' character Mr. Church sends Stallone & Co. to stop a mercenary (Van Damme) from getting nukes, & mayhem ensues with guns blazing & explosions galore that really take you back to the 80's, there isn't much I can say that others haven't already covered, except to say that even though everyone is showing their age, they all still have it, & reminds us viewers how it is you do an action film, today's studio executives & the younger action stars they are trying to push could learn a thing or too here, this is old school & it is still the best, & it is clear that everyone is having a good time doing just that, reminding Hollywood how it is done, I loved it, I just wished the first could have been this good, if they do a third film, they really need to get Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, & the godfather of them all...Clint Eastwood, imagine Clint as Stallone's mentor & former teacher, these three have to do a thrid film, they had just as much influence as Stallone, Arnold, & Willis in the 80's & 90's, many have mentioned Kurt Russell, I agree, however I would not be as disappointed if he didn't do it as I would be if they can't get Mel, Ford, & Clint, all in all, this is a good soild action film that will make you yearn for the 80's & 90's all over again.

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This is a classic throwback to all the 80s and 90s action movies. A total compilation of all the scenes and actors you could hope for. The acting...come on now...what in the world do you expect? These guys are freakin' fighters...not Broadway. Bloodiest first 5 minutes of any movie ever...even more than Hot Shots Part Deux. Haha. Hands down the best $3.99 you can spend...other than a gallon of milk...sorry sweetie.

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The Gold Rush (The Criterion Collection) (1942)

Surprise came to this reviewer when he realized that the main feature on this DVD is the 1942 re-issue version of THE GOLD RUSH (with added music, narration, and sound effects) rather than the 1925 silent original. Fortunately, the silent version is available on the second disc as an extra. Seems like an odd decision to make though; I would have reversed that, as I much prefer the original. For one thing, the title cards are much more lyrically impressive than the rather strained narration. Pictures speak louder than words, and the images Chaplin created on the soundstage simply don't need a voice-over. And the rather drastic cuts (the original film runs 96 minutes, the later clocks in at 69) leave out a lot of good stuff. Still, both versions are included anyway, so I can't complain too loudly.

I watched a battered old VHS copy of this film many, many times as a child in the 1980s. It was a delight to get this film on DVD, not just for the impressive extras, but to have the picture looking crisper than ever. While I'll admit to preferring the musical score they used on that VHS release, the stunning restoration work more than makes up for it. Jokes that I had missed because of the fuzzy picture were suddenly revealed to me (I had never realized that the building that Chaplin inadvertently covers with snow is the town's jail). And although this has nothing to do with the picture quality (though it does come from seeing scenes that had been cut from my VHS copy) I also never really noticed how awful Georgia is to the tramp. Sure, she's a bit regretful about her pranks, but she never really apologizes or makes up for her behavior. I wonder if that was part of Chaplin's decision to modify the happy ending.

Watching this film for the first time as a child, I'll admit that it didn't quite live up to all of my expectations. But while I'm not sure that I'd place this as Chaplin's best films, it's still pretty damn good. His comedy is, of course, excellent -well conceived and extraordinarily executed. Yet his directing is also worthy of mention. I love they way he lets the camera linger. Look at the pan across the faces of the partygoers at the New Years bash inter-cut with the shots of the lonely tramp. It's difficult for a director to accomplish this without being corny, but Chaplin pulls it off successfully.

THE GOLD RUSH is a film made up of several now-famous set pieces. Most of the sequences are now so ubiquitous that people would recognize them even if they'd never seen a silent film before. The movie's successes are too numerous to mention. The dance of the dinner rolls, the Thanksgiving shoe, the cabin on the edge of the clip. These are all unforgettable scenes that deserve more than to be simply listed in an on-line review; they deserve to be watched by everyone. The "Chaplin Today The Gold Rush" documentary (quite good overall) shows a room full of young school children enjoying this film for the first time. They laugh at all the right places and stay glued to the screen throughout. Chaplin still has it.

I cannot agree more with "A viewer from Dallas, TX" -this 1942 version lessens the whole "Gold Rush" experience, even though the video quality is astounding. Having just watched "The Kid" and "City Lights", I found the commentary on this version most annoying and distracting from Chaplin's fantastic pantomime. While in the other films one becomes engrossed in the visual elements, in this version of the film it is impossible to become fully involved, as the commentary actually distances you from what is going on. It would be such a grave mistake if this version would be the only one available for today's audiences, so I urge and plead: Image, please release the original 1925 version on DVD too, please!

Buy The Gold Rush (The Criterion Collection) (1942) Now

This has been a long time coming but we now finally have Chaplin's 1925 original release in a form that does justice to what many feel is his masterpiece. Kevin Brownlow and the late David Gill have worked many years on gathering the material from archives and collectors that would allow for a decent reconstruction of THE GOLD RUSH as it was originally shown. In 1942 Chaplin prepared a sound release in which he removed the titles, added a delightful narration that he spoke himself (at least in the English language release) and composed a music score that is perfect for the film. In doing so he went back to his vaults and chose different takes that played better at the 24fps sound speed. In the process the original 1925 negative was partly used and the sound version became the version that Chaplin preferred. In 1942 audiences were delighted with the new approach as films from the silent era as a rule were not being reissued. Over the years interest in silent films has made a come back and there are many who regret not being able to enjoy THE GOLD RUSH as it was original shown. Now on the Criterion release we have a beautifully restored copy of both releases. Criterion has gone the extra mile with the 1925 version and removed scratches and dirt so that the film looks the best it has since its original release. Now thorough the efforts of Timothy Brock, who has reconstructed Chaplin's music from the 1942 release, we can watch the film with the music that it should be heard with. With the excellent extras, booklet and restoration there is no question that the Criterion release is one of the most important releases ever. While the Blu-ray is marvelous the DVD release will also be a big improvement over any previous release. And even if you are not a fan of the 1942 release you can use this version to introduce younger children (who do not yet read well enough for silent titles) to the art of Chaplin. I've done this and their response is wonderful. And yes there are some differences between the two releases. Take a look at the letter Georgia Hale writes after not showing up for the New Year's dinner that Charlie has worked so hard to prepare. And for my money the ending of the film works far better in the 1925 release. Judge for yourself.

Read Best Reviews of The Gold Rush (The Criterion Collection) (1942) Here

The real news here isn't the second video release of Chaplin's 1942 talkie reissue of the 1925 film, with narration in his plummy later voice detracting from much of the fun. What's significant here is on Disc 2-the first video release of a definitive version of the original silent classic, which has been restored by Kevin Brownlow and David Gill from Chaplin family material and is about 14 minutes longer and noticeably better quality than the best previous version, the Killiam print which had seen assorted releases on tape and laserdisc. The Chaplin family had previously refused to release that version, believing that the 1942 version represented Chaplin's final thoughts on the film, when what it in fact represented was Chaplin's best idea of how to make an old silent film seem relevant to Casablanca-era audiences. Now it's the '42 version which seems old fashioned, while the '25 one is timeless as ever. Be sure you get this new Warner/MK2 version.

Want The Gold Rush (The Criterion Collection) (1942) Discount?

The four stars goes to the DVD I give the original silent version of GOld Rush 5 stars, and the re-edited sound-era version 2 stars. This DVD edition lost a star for putting the inferior remake on the first disc. I am mainly writing this review to urge Chaplin newcomers, or anyone for that matter, to watch the original 1925 version first. The re-release has highly distracting and tedious narration throughout the entire film, as all the intertitles have been deleted. At times this narration comes across as bad dubbing, as the words are very roughly synced up with characters talking on the screen. Even though Chaplin himself did the narration, the effect is very cheesy and amaturish, and makes the film MUCH more dated, while taking away much of the emotional effect of the original film. I also prefer the slightly longer, more dramatic 1925 edit, and the original ending, which is just perfect. It seems like the 1942 re-release was more of a gimmick and a chance to make an extra buck than a serious artistic endeavor (kind of like the Star Wars "special editions"). Some would say that at least the re-release had Chaplin's own score. However I think the piano score for the silent version is excellent, despite reviews here to the contrary. First off, the score is based on the original cue sheets, so it is quite authentic to the time. It is played excellently, is well recorded, and is very fitting to the overall mood of the film.

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Night of the Creeps (Director's Cut) (1986)

1986 was a pretty good year for horror films. There were stellar, undeniable classic releases like ALIENS and The Fly. Gore soaked goodies such as From Beyond and Demons. And then there was a severely underrated gem called Night of the Creeps.

A skin crawling tale about parasitic alien slugs accidentally unleashed from a cryogenic state of suspended animation, wrecking havoc on a college campus by way of invading the student bodies bodies through the mouth, effectively turning them into kill-happy zombies. The infesting parasites incubate in the brain long enough to spawn another generation. When the alien slugs are born, the host's top pops!

This is a endearing homage to everything from 50's B-movies, George Andrew Romero's zombies, silly teen/early twentysomething movies, slasher flicks and much more, wonderfully directed by Fred Dekker.

If you enjoy watching college frat boy wannabes screaming like banshees, a cool, catch phrase spewing detective settle old vendettas with an ax wielding reanimated corpse, gratuitous scenes of slugs violently and graphically erupting from peoples heads, and a little T&A to arouse your eyes...well this movie's for you. I know it's certainly for me. I've seen it so many times(lost the exact count)and it never losses it's appeal. The biggest draw in this movie is unquestionably venerable character actor Tom Atkins performance of a lifetime as Detective Cameron. Trust me you will hang on every word Atkins utters.

If you have not yet viewed this cult fave stop for a moment and give this one the chance to creep up on 'ya!

"In the words of Detective Cameron..."Thrill Me!" And for 23-years, this film has continued to thrill fans and has literally become a film that has achieved cult status. Director Frank Dekker gets his wish for a release of a Director's Cut with his original intended ending and fans of the film are treated to a reunion by the original cast 23-years later and also a tribute to the career of Tom Atkins. Definitely an enjoyable DVD release and a great tribute to one of the more hilarious comedy horror films ever created. Highly recommended!"

In 1986, a horror/zombie film called "Night of the Creeps" became a cult hit among fans due to the film's comedic nature but also how it pays homage to the horror genre.

The film is written and directed by Fred Dekker ("The Monster Squad", "RoboCop 3', "Enterprise"), produced by Charles Gordon ("Field of Dreams", "Die Hard", "Hitman"), music by Barry De Vorzon ("The Twilight Zone", "Tatoo", "Private Benjamin) and cinematography by Robert C. New ("So Weird", "Blade: The Series").

Although never considered a scary, horror film, "Night of the Creeps" was a film that caught attention for its screenplay, its special effects and its campiness but it was one of those 80's films that continues to be a fan favorite and for many years, many fans have waited for the film to be released on DVD. On Oct. 27th, the film via a director's cut receives a DVD and also a Blu-ray HD treatment and comes with the ending that Fred Dekker originally wanted and also a reunion of the cast 23 years later.

The film kicks off in a space ship where two aliens hunt down one of their own who has stolen an experiment. The alien in pursuit manages to rid of the canister and launches it out into space.

The film then transitions to 1959 where a sorority girl goes out on a date with a guy and the two go out to a make out point. The two are warned by a police officer, a young Ray Cameron (who dated the sorority girl) that a man has escaped from a mental ward and has hacked a few people with an ax. The two ignore the officer but then see a falling star which crashes near them. The guy and the girl drive to the area of where the meteorite may have crashed and the guy leaves the girl in the car. The guy discovers a canister and a slug from the canister jumps into his mouth. Meanwhile, the girl left alone in the car hears reports that the killer is headed towards their direction. While screaming for the guy to get back into the car, she is unaware that the killer is about to slaughter her.

We are then taken to 1986 where two nerdy college students: Chris (played by Jason Lively, "Mancuso, FBI", "Maximum Force", "Monday Morning) and J.C. (played by Steve Marshall, "Night Heat", "Sleeping in a Dream") are walking around the fraternity and sorority section and see a girl across the street that captures his attention. Chris is the silent type while his best friend and roommate J.C. (who has a disability and walks with crutches) is a lively jokester and tries to get the girl's attention for his buddy.

Because Chris is so shy, J.C. manages to introduce the girl named Cynthia (played by Jill Whitlow, "Mask", "Thunder Run", "Twice Dead") to his friend. But she happens to be dating a frat guy and thus, Chris's hopes are dash. Chris comes up with an idea that they should join a frat and when they try, in order to join, they are told to take a body from the science lab and drop it in the front porch of another frat.

When Chris and J.C. go to the lab to retrieve the body and releases it from its incubator, the body (which happens to be the guy who discovered the cannister back in 1959) has awaken. Startled by the body moving, Chris and J.C. run away in fear.

Meanwhile the scientist in charge of maintaining the body is killed by the zombie man and immediately, the zombie walks to the sorority where he went to visit the girl he was dating back in 1959 (the room of the girl is where Cynthia is now staying in). Immediately, the man's head blows up and slugs are released into the public. The slugs tend to possess a person's body, kills them from the inside and takes over their brain where they can breed and make more of their kind and continue the process of finding a body to breed in.

With murders happening on campus, detective Ray Cameron (played by Tom Atkins, "Halloween 3', "The Fog", "Bruiser") remembers back in 1959 of how his girlfriend was hacked into pieces by the axe murderer who was never caught and worries that these killings may be the work of the killer. He has suffered nightmares in which he sees a skeleton or zombie murdering his ex-girlfriend and with news from Chris and J.C. that the body inside the incubator moved, he worries about what is going on.

With zombie infestations now happening, the friendship of Chris and J.C. is tested, and Chris and Cynthia are brought closer together. But will they be able to survive the onslaught of the zombies during the night of the big dance?

It's important to note that "Night of the Creeps" is a Director's Cut version and that it features the original ending that Director Fred Dekker wanted (the reason why it wasn't used was because Dekker who was a new director at the time, showed an incomplete test screening to an audience and execs without the special effects and the audience and execs wanted a new ending). The original theatrical ending is included on the DVD.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Night of the Creeps" is featured in 1L85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. For a 1986 film, I have to say that the picture quality is pretty good and I didn't see any major compressions or massive warping. I can only comment on the DVD version but it doesn't look like Sony Pictures Home Entertainment used any major Digital Noise Reduction in the release, so I wonder how nice the Blu-ray transfer may have been. But for the DVD itself, fans should be happy to know that this 23-year-old film looks good.

As for the audio, the audio is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital. I was noticing mainly front and center channel dialogue and the music but nothing that caught my attention via the surrounds. So, I ended up switching the audio to "Stereo on All Channels" on my receiver for a more immersive sound. But for the most part, dialogue was clear and understandable and that 80's new wave electronic music is clear as well.

Subtitles are presented only in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Fans of "Night of the Creeps: Director's Cut" will definitely enjoy the special features included on the DVD. Included are the following:

* Commentary with Writer/Director Fred Dekker An audio commentary with Michael, the DVD producer and Writer/Director Fred Dekker. Dekker gives a more technical insight about the film and how certain cuts were made. Especially certain scenes that Dekker enjoyed.

* Cast commentary (Jasone Lively, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow and Tom Atkins) A lively, hilarious and insightful commentary by the four talent of the film. What's even more interesting is to hear the cast see the original Fred Dekker ending for the first time.

* Original Theatrical Ending (:30) The original theatrical ending. Which one do you think is better? It's important to note that the Director's Cut ending was shown on television while those who saw the original theatrical cut, own the VHS and LD saw this ending.

* Deleted Scenes (7:45) Seven deleted scenes: The Girls Meet Johnny, J.C.'s Positive Thinking, Cameron vs. Raimi, Making cookies, Raimi Follows Protocol, Cameron Spies Spanky, Chris Stays Behind

* Birth of the Creeps (10:43) Director Frank Dekker, the Cast and crew talk about Frank Dekker and how the film became a reality.

* Cast of the Creeps (15:56) Featuring a reunion of the cast (Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow and Tom Atkins) who talk about their involvement in the film and working with each other.

* Creating the Creeps (10:31) How the special make-up FX was created and interviews with David B. Miller (Special Make-Up FX Supervisor), Howard Berger and Robert Kurtzman (Special Make-Up FX Creator) talk about their involvement of the film, the challenges due to the short pre-production schedule and more.

* Escape of the Creeps (11:35) Charles Gordon (Producer), Michael Knue (Editor) and Director Frank Dekker talk about how the film became a hit with fans. But also why the ending was changed and how they didn't like the ending the execs wanted.

* Legend of the Creeps (10:59) How over 23-years later, the film has a cult following and Director Frank Dekker and the cast talk about why they think the film has done so well with the fans. Fans talk about why they love the film. And how this film is so different from today's horror films.

* Tom Atkins: Man of Action (19:53) A celebration of Tom Atkins career and talking about his film career and tidbits of the talent he worked with in various films. And how fans love to ask him questions about "Night of the Creeps".

* Trivia Track Fans can watch the film via trivia utilizing subtitles.

* Original Theatrical Trailer (1:32) The original theatrical trailer

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Night of the Creeps: Director's Cut" is a film that has become a cult phenomenon. Over 23-years later and fans continue to enjoy this classic zombie/horror film and it hearkens back to the days when horror films were allowed to have its share of humor and not always were created to frighten the viewer. One of the things that I enjoyed about the film is for the fact that it's hilarious, campy but I feel that in this day and age, horror films have become more or less studio cash cows and writers wanting to create the the most horrific and dark film.

Although, I'm not a horror fan by any means, I can easily remember films such as "Poltergeist", "The Monster Squad" or "The Lost Boys" and although not necessarily horror films in today's standards, back in the 80's, they were very entertaining to watch and the films had its share of scary moments. You were allowed to laugh and be entertained but the clever writing knew when to scare the hell out of you. These were films that families brought their kids out to see and a whole family can be frightened together. "Night of the Creeps" was one of those films that can easily be enjoyed by families and a lot of those kids who watched it back then, are now enjoying it today as adults.

"Night of the Creeps" is a film that pays homage to classic horror films and is a part of Frank Dekker's passion for sci-fi and horror films in the past. The film also has that 80's campiness that some have found enjoyable and some may find it not their cup of tea. But it all comes down to the viewer and if one is wanting a comedy horror film, "Night of the Creeps" is definitely one of the best out there.

As for the DVD release of "Night of the Creeps: Director's Cut", I'm sure people will have their say on what their favorite ending will be but for Frank Dekker, he never was a fan of shock endings and although losing the battle to have his original ending featured in the final theatrical cut, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has given him the thumbs up for a DVD release featuring his original intended ending for the film. Also, I found the reunion by the cast and crew to be wonderful and also fun and enjoyable to not just listen to the commentary but also to see them goof around during the interview portion of the special features. Also, Tom Atkins fans will definitely enjoy a tribute to his career and an interview where Atkins discusses his films and the talents that he has worked with. So, I have no doubt in my mind that fans will find this DVD release to be entertaining and fun to watch. It's a solid DVD release!

Overall, if you are a big fan of this film, I highly recommend "Night of the Creeps: Director's Cut" on DVD or Blu-ray. And yes, you will definitely be "thrilled".

Buy Night of the Creeps (Director's Cut) (1986) Now

An under-appreciated gem of campy sci-fi-tinged horror, this directional debut from director Fred Dekker has everything from a busload of frat-guy zombies to an undead killer puppy to an amusing death by lawnmower rampage that foreshadows Peter Jackson's over-the-top finale to Dead Alive. Virtually unnoticed during its brief theatrical run, this wildly entertaining horror-comedy achieved a cult status following its home-video release. This low-budget effort throws alien monsters, axe-wielding killers, flesh-eating zombies, nudity, and drunken fraternity pranks into a blender, spiced with witty one-liners and references to dozens of horror classics.

The result is a satisfying treat that will tickle the tastebuds of horror fans. The film's nominal protagonists are a pair of randy fraternity pledges who open a can of worms when they steal a corpse from the campus medical facility and release a horde of space-leeches, which proceed to infest the bodies of everyone in sight. The host bodies subsequently become homicidal zombies with a penchant for popping in on unsuspecting sorority girls. The town's only hope seems to be a hard-boiled ex-cop who has uncovered the secret link between the zombie invasion and a 30-year-old axe-murder case... and who's also several sandwiches shy of a picnic. Dekker keeps things moving at a brisk pace thanks to some outrageous set-pieces ,some of which happen so quickly they'll have viewers reaching for the pause button, and clever dialogue, particularly for Atkins ("Girls, the good news is your dates are here; the bad news is, they're dead"), who dives into his crusty character with relish

Not only does director/screenwriter Dekker keep things moving along nicely by offering some exciting and bloody thrills, but he also makes some interesting choices with the portrayal of his main characters as well. In addition to offering a social misfit protagonist who remains uninterested in the usual college party scene, the inclusion of a handicapped sidekick who isn't defined by his disability shows a director unafraid to offer real, identifiably human characters; a refreshing change of pace compared to the all-too-perfect teens that populated horror films throughout the following decade. Along with character names that offer sly nods to numerous famous horror directors, Dekker also includes a beyond hard-boiled police detective hilariously cocksure swagger provides much of the film's effective gallows humor. Sure Dekker includes such college horror film mainstays as the obligatory love interest and the spoiled jock who gets his rocks off humiliating the nerds, but once he turns up the heat during the final act, cinematic clichés take a backseat to fast-paced zombie head-bursting fun.

Now that i've widely spoke my mind, i must turn the table in a violent fashion and speak this out loud, to the top of my lungs: 11 years for the DVD release of one of the funniest, most entertaining campy B-flicks of the 80`s? An extended director's cut in Blu-ray only covers 50% of the misery we've suffered over the years, trying to get a decent version of this deliriously entertaining classic.

BLU-RAY edition of "night of the creepsDirector's cut".

Intro: The sound/video quality is very decent with bright colors and compressing, and good depth for the only audio channel. Below blu-ray standards because there is not much to enhance after all, this is a great work considering the fact that this movie never had an official dvd release untill October 2009 and was available only on VHS since 1987. The movie is restored at the best possible from the original tapes. Grainy on big tv sets, must look great on 21 to 26" tv sets.

The director's cut feature is the adding of the original ending Fred Dekkar planned for this movie, instead of what he calls a popular "cheap scare" for the current horror B-movies back in the middle 80's.

Features:

1-Commentary with writer / director Fred Dekkar:

2-Cast commentary.

3-Original theatrical ending: Less effective and corny in my opinion, glad he put the original ending the company didn't wanted for reasons you will know.

4-Deleted scenes: Little gems that should have been included, specially the phone conversations alerting dead bodies.

5-Five Featurettes: Birth / Cast / Creating / Escape / Legend of the Creeps: These featurettes are very recent interviews with the director, cast and crew and the promotion of the 2009 director's cut. Because of the very little amount of behind-the-scenes footage (only a few pictures), these featurettes are almost entirely based on conversations.

6-Tom Atkins, man of action: An interview with actor Tom Atkins.

7-Trivia Track.

8-Original theatrical trailer.

9-Previews: Blu-ray and 4 special editions of other releases.

10-English language and subtitles.

11-BD live

The Blu-ray Menu features are very simple and not exactly according to the movie's gory humor: Just a bar with a blood stain as an indicator and the sound of what could be a blade. Never the less, this is a very satisfactory edition for fans who waited 20 years for this classic. The 80's feel of the movie is priceless.

Read Best Reviews of Night of the Creeps (Director's Cut) (1986) Here

While Sony Pictures has given "Night of the Creeps" fans a lot to cheer about, they still managed to skimp on the DVD disc packaging, disc & cover artwork and disc features. The DVD case is flimsy and cheap looking and it's missing portions of the plastic on each side. In my opinion the final artwork cover chosen isn't as nice as the Blu-ray edition and this cover artwork doesn't do the film justice. Sony Pictures should have just used the original VHS cover artwork instead. As for disc artwork, well they're just isn't any. The disc is as plain as can be with just the title printed on it and personally I expected a much better effort from Sony Pictures. As for disc features, where are the chapter stops?

Well enough of the bad, now for the good. The widescreen picture is absolutely fantastic and Sony did a great job with the transfer. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is really good, but I preferred the stereo mix much better. The bonus features more than make up for the cheap disc packaging and lack of disc artwork from Sony Pictures and fans will enjoy what they see and hear from Dekker and the gang.

The year is 1959 and a young man spots a mysterious canister after it has crashed nearby, he leaves his date alone in the car while he sets out to investigate the crash site. After opening the canister the young man is infected with a mutant slug creature which transforms him into a zombie; now the real nightmare begins!

The mutant slug creatures contained in the canister were never meant to be released but one of the aliens during a battle on the spacecraft ejected the canister and it fell to earth. Luckily for the rest of the town the infected young man turned zombie has been captured and he has been cryogenically frozen in the basement of Corman University where he is being studied and monitored by a scientist played by veteran character actor David Paymer.

Everything has been quiet in the basement of Corman University for years until two students J.C. (Steve Marshall) and Chris Romero (Jason Lively) accidentally stumble across the frozen body in 1986 while trying to pull off a school prank and they unknowingly unleash the slugs on the University campus. Now that the terror has started up again it's up to J.C. , Chris , Cindy and everyone's favorite cop of course Detective Ray Cameron to save the day. Thrill Me!

Bonus Features plus 60 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes material Include:

"Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project

"Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow

"Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman

A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man of Action"

"Escape of the Creeps" a detailed look at the post-production.

Deleted scenes

Fred Dekker solo commentary

Cast commentary featuring Atkins, Whitlow, Marshall and Lively

The original theatrical ending

Trivia Track

Want Night of the Creeps (Director's Cut) (1986) Discount?

It all starts out with a beautiful black & white prologue at Corman (nudge nudge) University in 1959. Some "creeps" (disgusting little things) come to Earth and attack a young man (they get in through your mouth, turn you into a zombie and plant other "creepers" that shot out of the mouth to infect people). He is caught and frozen solid and (for some reason) kept at the university. Then, in 1986, two friends Chris Romero (nudge, nudge)(Jason Lively) and J.C. (Steve Marshall) unwittingly revive him. He wakes up and attacks the university. Soon, it's overrun by the things--it's up Chris, J.C., Cynthia Cronenberg (nudge nudge) and Detective Cameron (nudge nudge) to battle them.

As you can see this movie doesn't take itself seriously for one moment. Heck, there's even a cameo from Dick Miller! And it IS very funny (especially some of J.C.'s lines). But it doesn't shy away from blood and gore--there's PLENTY of that. And it is creepy (sorry) more than once. They even break one of the rules of horror films--POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD--a sympathetic character (I won't say who) dies and it's actually one of the film's more unpleasant moments (you don't see it but you HEAR it). As 83 minutes it doesn't overstay it's welcome and ends with an all out massacre (I'm REALLY surprised--and pleased--that this got an R rating). There are some gaps in the plot (things happen way too quickly and characters just automatically correctly guess what's going on) but this is a small quibble.

I saw this back on video in 1986 after Fangoria magazine raved about it. I loved it--then it disappeared. I never even saw it again until today! Here's another great movie awaiting rediscovery. From what I heard Sony owns the rights--hopefully we'll see the DVD someday.

A fun, scary, gory movie. A 10 all the way! "The good news is that your dates are here. The bad news is they're dead!"

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Cape Fear (1962) (1962)

This review refers to the "Cape Fear"(1962) Widescreen DVD edition by Universal.....

"Cape Fear" from 1962 is a terrific example of great film noir. Filmed in black and white, director J.Lee Thompson uses shadows and light, and the art of suggestion(the censors were pretty tough back in the 60's), to bring us this bone-chilling and suspenseful classic that over fourty years later, still, has not lost it's draw. Not unlike many of Hitchcock's films, Thompson has the audience on the edge of their seats,our hearts in our throats, and in fear for the hero.

It's good vs. evil, as Greogory Peck and Robert Mitchum, put their immense talents together for this spine tingler. Max Cady(Mitchum) has just been released from 8 long years in prison. From the moment we meet him, we KNOW this is one bad hombre. He is bent on revenge, and Sam Bowden(Peck) is the man who must pay. Sam's young daughter and beautiful wife are the targets of Max's obssession. He is slick and devious and will stop at nothing to get even. Sam does everything in his power legally to try and stop him, but must take matters into his own hands to protect his family.

Mitchum is simply powerful in his performance of this menacing threat, and Peck as always is perfect in his portrayal of the family man whose life has just turned into one big nightmare!

The film is also helped by the wonderful talents of Telly Savalas and Martin Balsam. Polly Bergen and Lori Martin are magnificent as the terrified wife and daughter.The talent doesn't end there though, the haunting music was scored by Bernard Hermann(who worked with Hitch on several films), and Sam Leavitt does a fabulous job with the black and white cinematography.

The transfer to DVD is crisp and sharp. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen(1.85:1)and barely shows it's age. The sound is in Dolby Dig 2.0 Mono. The dialouge as well as the music and background noises are all clear and distguishable.

There is a terrific featurette on the making of the film,production photos, a trailer, and DVD ROM. It may only be viewed in English, but has captions in English and subtitles in Spanish and French for those that may need them.

A thriller that stands the test of time. One that esteemed Director Martin Scorsese chose to pay homage to with a wonderful remake.

Get the popcorn ready and enjoy......Laurie

Prior to his Oscar-winning role as lawyer Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird", Gregory Peck portrayed another attorney in 1962's "Cape Fear", a psychological thriller also starring Robert Mitchum in one of his most despicable roles.

No two actors were better suited than these two. Their characters are a definite study in contrast. Peck's Sam Bowden is a civilized intellectual forced to resort to some underhanded means to protect his family and himself from the treacherous taunts of Mitchum's crude, rude antagonist. Tension builds as the two men make a final confrontation at the location of the film's title.

Polly Bergen and Lorie Martin as Peck's respective wife and daughter are quite good a show a strength of character rare for women in the early 60's. They are not just "screaming Mimi's".

Martin Balsam, Jack Krushen and a pre-Kojak Telly Savalas round out a superlative cast; Barrie Chase is also quite memorable as a woman that runs afoul of the Mitchum's sadistic Max Cady.

Southern locations and crisp cinematography provide a picturesque yet menacing background and look.

To top off the film off is another remarkable score from Bernard Herrmann. Music by the late composer elevates this already superior thriller to a higher level.

Buy Cape Fear (1962) (1962) Now

The late great classic acting talents of Robert Mitchum are showcased in this 1962 classic, reproving his ability to play the villain with unsurpassed expertise, as in the former 1955 classic "Night of The Hunter".

Here, Mitchum plays Max Cady, a menacing figure with a perpetual lit cigar and Panama Hat. He has come to town after being released from jail to visit and wreak revenge on the man who put him there, enter Sam, played by Gregory Peck. From their initial reunion in the town parking lot, Cady lets Peck have a peek at what's on his mind. From that moment on, there are grippingly suspenseful encounters between the two men and even worse, threats to his wife played by Polly Bergen, and his daughter, in a rather ineffectual role considering what she goes through when encountering Cady. Particularly amusing is a scene in the beginning of the film. Cady casually watches the family bowl, while harrassing a waitress and having a beer. The expression on Pecks face as his Sam character looks up, and spots those sinister leering eyes peering from a nearby table at his family, is classic.

What needs to be mentioned more than the great direction, pacing and script, is the believabilty of the sociopath depicted, that Mitchum brings to startling low-life on the screen. He is truly mesmerizing in his sleepy-eyed evil countenance. His gaze, cigar in mouth, hat pulled low, will raise your hair as you watch him. He moves toward his victims in a slow and deliberate manner, and speaks his lines with that commanding voice that he was so famous for. When picked up for questioning, he hilariously mocks Pecks' Sam, calling him casually by name, "Why, Say-im..." and then as "counselor" refering to his lawyer status. My favorite Mitchum line here?"You might want to look closer, I've got a few jolts of horse stashed under the collar." as he hands over his shirt to the police. The other great line is to Peck in a bar, as he lets him know that he can't be bought off. When speaking of his dear ex-wife, "Pumped a quart of whiskey in her, tore off her dress, threw away her shoes, and gave her a fair chance to work her way home..." Needless to say, pretty daring for it's time. You will have to find out the rest for yourself, like the scene with the drifter girl Mitchum picks up, and of course, the showdown.

Don't even think that Martin Scorcese's subsequent remake comes close to this classic. The excessively demented southern accent and preponderance of large tattoo's on DeNiro, don't make him more frightening than Mitchums' original take on the Max Cady character. Mitchum's subtle style of menacing, which seems paradoxical, but works, is far more effective at eliciting the viewers rapt attention. Besides, the Scorcese version got mired in outside subjects like infidelity from Nick Noltes version of Sam, what for? Let's face it, the original doesn't need any additional subplots to be entertaining.

"Cape Fear" is a strange title, refering to the very real location of the story, while it also serves as a perfect double entendre for the utter fright Robert Mitchum delivers within, in an unparalleled style. Don't miss this classic.

Read Best Reviews of Cape Fear (1962) (1962) Here

"Counselor, you really stepped on it this time, didn't ya? I don't know what the Bar Association thinks about its members compounding a felony -but I do know what the law thinks about it. You just put the law in my hands! And I'm gonna BREAK YOUR HEART WITH IT!! Ain't nothin' can stop me! You understand that, don't you?!"

The above words were spoken by a bloodied "Max Cady" in the original (1962) version of "Cape Fear", which is a suspense-filled masterpiece that remains one of my favorite movies of this genre. The film, which was known as "The Executioners" during the actual shooting of the picture (the title of the 1957 John D. MacDonald novel on which the movie was based), first appeared on American theater screens on April 12th, 1962.

That Max Cady is one scary dude! No doubt about that. Portrayed to perfection by 44-year-old Robert Mitchum, Cady is presented with full intensity in "Cape". We get the impression, and rightly so, that Mr. Cady is relentless in his pursuit of "Sam Bowden" and his family. Nothing is going to stop him. And Sam (Gregory Peck) knows this too.

Therefore, drastic measures are needed to fight this awesome menace. Watch and see how it suspensefully unfolds. Many memorable scenes await the viewer here -scenes that look all the greater thanks to the handsome Anamorphic Widescreen print of the movie that has been encoded onto this DVD. The black-and-white photography looks solid as a rock on this disc.

As the film opens, we see a cigar-smoking Max Cady walking toward the courthouse to meet his "prey" (Bowden). Cady's self-assured gait and somewhat cocky manner, as we watch him leisurely making his way down the street, give us a good indication as to the kind of man Cady is. He leers lustfully at a couple of women who are leaving the courts building; and he shows us his self-absorbed demeanor when he walks right past a woman on a staircase who has just dropped one of the many books she is carrying (without Cady offering even a cursory glance of care or concern). These silent and subtle initial "Cady touches" in the James Webb screenplay provide the audience with a perfect "introduction" to Cady's character.

Bernard Herrmann composed the magnificent music score for the 1962 version of "Cape Fear"; and Mr. Herrmann's mood-enhancing themes greatly add to the atmosphere of the picture (as is always the case with any of his musical arrangements). Yet another stellar effort by Bernard H.

The 1991 remake of "Cape Fear" (starring Robert DeNiro) is very nearly as good as this 1962 original. The remake features additional layers to the already-competent plot that add to the enjoyment of that picture.

However, I think that the original film still outshines the remake. The combination of Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Polly Bergen provides this film with a very good trio of actors to build a picture around.

I've always liked Polly Bergen in everything I've ever seen her in -from her always-delightful and witty appearances on TV's "To Tell The Truth" game show, to this role in "Cape Fear", to her comedy roles as well.

Gregory Peck had a good calendar year of 1962. He made "Cape Fear", plus two other big-name films that same year: "How The West Was Won" and the incomparable "To Kill A Mockingbird". Not a bad year's work for any actor.

Keep an eye peeled for some other fine supporting players dotting the cast of "Cape Fear" -like Telly Savalas, Martin Balsam, Edward Platt, and Will Wright. For Wright, who was in literally hundreds of TV shows and feature films, "Cape Fear" would mark his last movie appearance. He died on June 19, 1962, very shortly after this movie was filmed.

This excellent "Cape" DVD presentation comes to us via Universal Studios Home Video. The Region 1 (USA) disc was first streeted by Universal on September 18th, 2001. The '91 version of the film came out on DVD the exact same day, too.

This single-sided DVD isn't a "Special Collector's Edition" by name, but some really good bonus supplements adorn the disc nevertheless, including a satisfying Making-Of program, along with the Theatrical Trailer, a Photo Gallery, DVD-ROM features, plus some Cast-&-Crew text-only information and Production Notes.

The behind-the-scenes featurette ("The Making Of Cape Fear") runs for 28 minutes. This mini-documentary contains film clips and contemporary interviews with star Gregory Peck and the film's Director, J. Lee Thompson. These interview segments with Peck and Thompson must have been recorded just shortly before both of these men passed away. Mr. Thompson died on August 30, 2002; and just ten months later we lost the great talent of Mr. Peck (on June 12, 2003 -which was a terrible month in this regard, with several big-name Hollywood stars slipping away from us during that very same month of June 2003).

The section of the disc labelled "Production Photographs" (the Photo Gallery) is a unique DVD bonus, in that it presents the Photo Gallery in an unusual fashion, with clips from the film mixed in with the still photographs. Portions of the chilling musical score are also utilized as a backdrop to the clips and photos. This "Gallery" of pictures and movie snippets is on a timed track (lasting 4:48), and the remote-control "pause" button has not been locked out, which enables the viewer to freeze any of the images for a longer look at them. Nicely-done bonus.

Some Additional DVD Specs.....................

> Video is 1.85:1 Widescreen (enhanced for 16x9 television monitors).

> Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English only).

> Subtitles in English and Spanish and French.

> Menus are static, silent, and simple.

> Sub-Menus provided for "Scenes", "Bonus Materials", and "Languages".

> Film length is a tad shy of 106 minutes.

> Paper insert is included, with a Scene Index for the 18 chapters on the DVD.

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"Cape Fear" (1962) should certainly keep any first-time watcher on pins and needles; and towards the end of the movie there will be no need for the bulk of your chair at all -just the "edge" of the seat will be required. The film holds up very nicely the 23rd time it's viewed as well. A 'classic' always does.

Want Cape Fear (1962) (1962) Discount?

When I first saw J. Lee Thompson's film I was on the edge of my seat. It is a scary thriller without showing buckets of blood, graphic violence, monster make-up, or even using the word "rape".

A bitter, amoral, psychopathic ex-con, Max Cady (the incomparable Robert Mitchum), recently released from an eight-year prison term, is out for revenge against the man who testified against him at his trial, lawyer Sam Bowden (the late, great, Gregory Peck). He infiltrates into Sam's life, stalking his lovely wife, Peggy (Polly Bergen, no shrinking violet), and his pretty, innocent teenage daughter, Nancy (the appropriately sweet Lori Martin). Sam does everything legally possible (for the time, before anti-stalking laws came into place) to protect his family, but he finds he is powerless under the law, and Cady is very intelligent in his planning. It all ends in a showdown on the river Cape Fear.

Let me just say that this movie has an advantage over the 1991 remake. Cady doesn't have to be covered in tattoos or act like Freddy Krueger to be terrifying. The word "rape" doesn't have to be mentioned nor does the offense have to be shown to us graphically (since the censors of the time forbade it) for the viewer to understand and comprehend what is going on. The performances are all right on, and even when Barrie Chase's Diane Taylor is assaulted, we don't have to be told that she was raped, because it's implied and it's written all over her bruised, traumatized face. Her portrayal of this victimized and frightened young woman is impeccable why didn't she have a longer career?

Gregory Peck is compelling, and the scenes where Nancy is pursued by Cady outside her school and she escapes inside, only to fear that he has also followed her in (and she is mistaken) is absolutely nail-biting, as is the final showdown. Cady's devious plan to accost Peggy on the boat in order to "trade" her for Nancy is gut-wrenching and extremely watchable. We now have a names for guys like that rapist, stalker, pedophile, murderer but the first three were either not used or hadn't been made a term yet. A classic, don't accept any substitutions. As I usually give so much away in my comments, I'll leave the plot details at that. Bernard Hermann's score for the film is perfect, and ranks right along with his score for Alfred Hitchcock's "PSYCHO" a masterpiece. And so is the movie. Don't watch it alone or in a dark room!!!!!!!! 10/10.

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Redbelt (+ BD Live) (2008)

You can hardly go wrong with someone who has given us the insouciant variety of Glengarry Glen Ross or Wag the Dog. Redbelt is a classic of the same cadre, hands-down the best martial arts movie you have seen in a decade, if not the very best of all time.

Without any flying dragons or crouching whatchamaycallits, mind you. Without even the guttaral shrieks of your standard issue kung-fu flick. So don't be going seeing it expecting your typical jumping jacks and shenanigans from Hong Kong.

It starts in what looks like your average ramshackle dojo teaching Brazilian Judo tricks. The authenticity of the maneuvers is instructive, and gripping. But this soon builds into a thrilling rumination of our common human tussle between staying true to our integrity and giving in to the practical conveniences of the moment.

The screenplay is vintage Mamet. We get a steady dose of one-liners ("I don't teach people to fight. I teach them to prevail.") The narrative offers some unexpected twists but exhibits a gentle unaffected beauty, an austerity that seems almost effortless. You'll watch it in one swoop.

For some inadequately explored reason Amazon and various other sources insist on billing this as a Tim Allen starrer, which is puzzling. He fritters a guest appearance at best (what happened--not enough dates?) and is basically quickly forgotten.

See it instead for the irrepressible tenacity of Ejiofor. He's one of those actors you have seen in strident supporting gigs before, but handed his first meaningful protagonist role here, he brings quite a spine to the film. His character calmly copes with the insidious commercialism and scheming all around him, but his resolve is not without its frailties. Still, we root for him from basically the first ten minutes onwards.

The ending may feel a trifle pat, or at least sudden, but this is undeniably a memorable work of art. Even for people without a flair for martial arts. A highly recommended keeper.

REDBELT is a mesmerizing tour de force. There are so many story elements intricately tied together. Causal action relationships bump up against arbitrary chance events. The honor code of the Samurai warrior meets up and does battle with the criminal scams of a greedy Hollywood film and sports culture. Mamet frames his film with the world of martial arts and yet it is at the same time the classic Greek warrior's noble struggle, "arête", which thus becomes a fascinating fusion of Eastern and Western cultural traditions. The jiu-jitsu instructor's (Mike Terry) caveats to his students in the opening scene in how to marshal their forces and extricate themselves from entrapment by their opponent ("There is always a way out, you just have to find it") all return to test him as the movie unfolds and he becomes ensnared in the dishonorable world which surrounds him. The acting throughout is marvelous with a cast that reflects Mamet's refined sense of individual characters. Chiwetel Ejiofor is superb. While he dominates the film, the other members of the cast are more than impressive, especially Ricky Jay who plays a scumbag fight promoter. If I were to have any criticism, it would be that Mamet sometimes moves too quickly in the exposition of his "magnificent puzzle" and at times during the film, I felt a bit frustrated and confused. But that is a small price to pay for such a challenging artistic experience. The camera work is fascinating. Mamet uses lots of unusual close-up shots, not just of faces but also segments of the landscape in which significant action is occurring. It's a very painterly approach to film. This is a film that stimulates one to see it several more times, hopefully on the big screen. I've not elaborated on any specific scenes, as I don't wish to spoil the challenging denouement of the film. REDBELT is brilliant filmmaking.

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Mixed Martial Arts have been in the spotlight ever since the emergence of UFC and some Hollywood films such as the Karate Kid clone "Never Back Down" (which I have also reviewed) have attempted to capitalize on its popularity. Writer/director David Mamet's "REDBELT" may well be the best U.S. filmmakers have come up with in regards to the world of Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. The film is about honor and integrity, it cleverly blends the Japanese "code of the Samurai" into the dark side of the world of corruption in competitive sports. The film offers something to think about and for martial artists, it can get under your skin.

Mike Terry (Cheitel Ejiofor) is a well-respected but struggling teacher of Jiu-Jitsu. Terry has his own code of honor and would rather be poor than to compromise his integrity, much to the dismay of his wife Sondra (Alice Braga). His life intertwines with a student/policeman, a fragile young attorney (Emily Mortimer) and a hotshot actor named Chet Frank (Tim Allen). Frank becomes a witness to Terry's fighting skills when he assists him resolve a barroom brawl, and offers him and his wife a business arrangement. However, things go from bad to worst, his ideas are stolen and certain things may well force Terry to compete for money--something he does not believe in.

Rather than focusing on dynamic, jaw-dropping action sequences, "Redbelt" is more a riveting character study of one man. The film may be simple in terms of plot and some key elements may be a little unoriginal, but the storytelling is structured well and the script does provide the necessary emotions to add to its effectiveness. The old adage; "Good Guys finish last..." may come to mind, but what that phrase doesn't complete is that "..but good guys also guarantees their soul.." and I believe in that. The film is nicely paced and the proceedings does exactly what it is trying to say. While Terry is admired by students and other folks, his strong integrity may just hamper his success when it comes to the real world of money and material needs. Mike Terry is a man torn between his principles and his obligations. I truly love his principle of "competition is not a fight, I teach my students to prevail but not necessarily to fight". I also admired Mamet's definition of what exactly a "black belt" represents philosophically and that a belt is just something to hold up your pants.

The film is a real densely executed character study and the spirit of martial arts, and of course, textbook manipulations would occur that would lead to its gripping encounter. The film does offer some of the most realistic fight sequences I've seen on camera. The moves are on display as Terry fights for his goal, although Asian martial arts films will provide a more entertaining experience. I've read that actor Cheitel Ejiofor trained in London, under Carlos Gracie in his academy, and the man definitely owned his role. This was a very good advantage as it did help the actor be more convincing in his role, since he did train in one of the best schools of Jiu-Jitsu. He knows the moves and it showed that he does, I bet the stunt coordinators appreciated this fact as it would be easier to choreograph the art's very complex moves.

REDBELT also delves into the spirit of Jiu-Jitsu as well as the way of the samurai, and it also explores the corruption of money-driven competition; "everything that involves money is fixed" (we all know this but we just tend to deny it). The film shows money-driven competition's ugly face, and it is a very bleak view that is similar to the world of boxing. Quite a real gutsy move in the part of David Mamet. Surprisingly, Tim Allen does a great job as Chet Frank, at first impression, I thought he was miscast but he fit his role. Emily Mortimer may seemed a little "doopie" in the beginning but she also contributes to the film's emotional impact. The film does have a solid cast that reflects its solid direction.

Mamet definitely knew what he wanted to do with the film, the man wants to communicate the integrity and honor of a good man in a very cynical and materialistic world and he does so; the film is structured well and the writing is sharp. The circumstances that led to Mike being pushed to a corner was convincing enough and the links between the characters were credible. The spirit of Jiu-Jitsu is treated as if it is "hallowed ground" when it is within the confines of Terry's school; men and women can find themselves inside while leaving the real world behind.

The film's climax may leave some audiences asking for more and some may even say it seems a bit too cheesy, but if you were paying attention to its entirety, it does make a fitting ending. The climactic fight that occurs outside the ring does effectively represent just what Mike Terry stands for. "RedBelt" may not have that many sequences of fisticuffs and those who are looking for an abundance of choreographed martial arts are better off looking elsewhere. However, if you are looking for a character-driven, thinking man's martial arts drama, then this film will not disappoint.

REDBELT effectively portrays the beliefs and the philosophy of martial arts. As someone often told me; "the measure of a man is not to be judged with the size of his wallet, but what he holds in his heart; if he works hard enough and never compromises his beliefs and integrity, then he is beautiful..."

Recommended! [4Stars]

Read Best Reviews of Redbelt (+ BD Live) (2008) Here

Spoiler Free Review...

I own every Mamet play and dvd and I found Redbelt thrilling. Mostly because he was able to craft a killer story structure. A protagonist with a noble pursuit, in the shadowy underworld of the MMA.

But like most Mamet films, this is not an action movie, it's suspense-drama.

The dialogue is brutal, and the subtext is deep. This movie hits the viewer on a physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual level. It's a demanding film. If you watch and you only half pay attention, when the plot twists happen, you'll be struggling to understand.

I watched this with a group of seven, half Mamet fans, half virgins. We all watched the same movie, together, and three people just didn't get it... One fan, two virgins. The other four loved it.

The video and audio quality make this one of the best looking Blu-rays. It's razor sharp, deep black, rich color. Everything looks better and sounds better in HD, and, at least for me, Mamet in HD is wicked sweet.

I highly recommend Redbelt on Blu-ray.

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Redbelt is a the best martial arts movie I've seen in quite a long time. There's not a great deal of action in it, but it explores the philosophy and principles behind the main character's (Mike Terry) Jiu Jitsu training/teaching. He's a man who lives by a warrior code, and tries to uphold such principles as honor, loyalty, and integrity inside and outside his gym. In the end, the movie is not about Terry's physical fighting, but about his personal struggle to survive and succeed in a modern world that does not seem to share or reward his values.

Be warned that any casual fan of action flicks who goes into this film expecting a lot of over the top butt kicking and spectacular Jackie Chan-esque fight sequences will be sorely disappointed. There are no acrobatic stunts or flying tornado kicks here. The few fight sequences there are in the film mostly involve Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. And even in a choreographed fight scene, real Jiu Jitsu technique is not the prettiest thing to look at from the perspective of a casual observer. However, those who have some knowledge and appreciation of martial arts will greatly appreciate the realism and expertise demonstrated in Redbelt's fight scenes. Another treat for martial artists and MMA fans is that many small roles in the film are played by world reknowned fighters and masters such as Randy Couture, Enson Inoue, the Machados, Ray Mancini, and Dan Inosanto.

Redbelt is not perfect by any means. Similar to other Mamet works such as Spartan, the film does suffer from some convoluted storytelling and ridiculous plot twists that defy any sensible logic. The ending seems like a lazy cop out, and offers no resolution for all the issues that Mamet confusingly brought up earlier in the film. But even if the storytelling loses some steam by the end, there is still much to be appreciated in Redbelt. Its a throwback to such great films such as Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, in that it explores the principles and philosophy of the warrior code and martial arts, rather than just using them as an excuse to beat people up.

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Day of the Falcon (2011)

Imagine my surprise when this past weekend, out of the blue, this movie appeared (on a single screen) in the theatre here in Cincinnati, almost a year and a half after it was first released in Europe. I figured this would not be playing very long, and went ahead and saw it.

"Day of the Falcon" (2011 release from France/Qatar; 130 min.) is also known as "Black Gold" in certain markets. The epic desert-and-oil story is set in the 1930s in a fictional Middle East area where two tribes are dealing differently with the unexpected windfalls of crude oil discoveries. As the movie opens, we see how, in order to preserve peace, the Amar tribe leader sends off his two young sons to live with the rival Nesib tribe leader, with an additional agreed "no-man's land" area called the Yellow Belt between the two tribes. Skip 15 years forward and we now see the sons are grown men, and a Texas oil company strikes it big in the Yellow Belt and approaches the two rivaling tribes. The Nesib tribe decides to work with Big Oil while the Amar tribe rejects it out of ideological/religious considerations. Will the two tribes fight it out? Will the two sons eventually return to their original tribe? To tell you much more of this plot-heavy movie would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several comments: first and foremost, the main reason I was interested in seeing the movie is because of its director Jean-Jacques Annaud, veteran of a number of great movies (none more so than "Quest of Fire" from the 1980s). Second, this movie is a French-Qatar co-production, with most of the financing from the Doha Film Institute. Why is this releveant? A number of elements in the movie feel more "Arabian" than French (such as: complete modesty in showing women and when filming love scenes). Third, the feel of this movie is one of 'big production' all the way, with elaborate staging throughout, including a number of the desert fighting scenes which are quite impressive. The producers also enlisted a big name, James Horner, for the soundtrack (which is quite lovely). Last but, alas, not least: while the movie oozes ambition from start to finish, it falls short in character development and I rarely felt emotionally invested while watching this. Given Annaud's footprint, this came as a surprise and disappointment to me. Incidentaly, the screening where I saw this movie here in Cincinnati this past weekend was very poorly attended (only one other person besides myself) so I am quite sure this will not stick around long. Bottom line: while this is not a bad movie per se, ultimately the movie's grand ambitions are not realized and the end result is simply uneven.

While most of us are quite aware of the fact that the main source of oil these days comes from the Middle East most of us have no idea how it came to be discovered there or what brought about a change that allowed the oil to flow to the rest of the world. Many of the answers to these questions can be found in the new DVD release DAY OF THE FALCON.

The film opens with two warring leaders coming to terms with their boundaries. Sultan Amar (Mark Strong) is the more traditional of the two, following the guidelines of his religion as much as possible. Emir Nesib (Antonio Banderas) is a more forward thinking ruler wishing more for his people. The two agree to keep the Yellow Belt, the land between their two countries, as neutral territories. To seal the deal Amar's sons will go with Nesib and be raised as his own to insure the peace.

Fifteen years pass and the peace holds until the day a Texas oil company official approaches Nesib. He tells him there is oil in the Yellow Belt. Nesib has always thought of himself as a ruler who has nothing and no way to provide for his people in a desert covered land. He sees this as an opportunity to grow incredible wealth and in return advance his people by building schools, hospitals and more. The only problem is that in mining these oil fields he has broken the peace agreement and the possibility of war opens once again.

When one of the two princes held as hostage for the peace is killed, his brother Prince Auda (Tahar Rahim) sets out to set things straight. What follows is his adventure in both worlds as he tries to find a compromise that will settle old scores, revenge the deaths in his family and create a world that will have both peace and prosperity.

The beginning of the film sets the stage for what follows so if you find it a bit tedious give it some time. Once Auda heads out to fulfill his destiny things begin to pick up and the action flows with the story rather than the story around it. The role of Nesib seems like a beneficent father figure for his people but of course too much power seems to lead to corruption and poor decision making. The clash of cultures attempts to explain how things have turned out and in some ways does so, in others not so much.

The end result is an entertaining and informative film. In looking deeper you may find that the story has been tweaked a bit here and there to make it more film worth, but the gist of the story remains. While not quite LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, the film is worth watching.

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This review does contain spoilers!

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this film to review. Day of the Falcon is a "well-oiled machine" that moves along fairly fast given the 130 minute run time. Within this movie, you can expect to see some romance, action, betrayal, and violence. This movie pretty much gives you all the drama you crave and can handle.

Day of the Falcon takes place in the early 20th Century in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, which are divided by feuding tribes and where there is basically no loyalty. It starts out with a meeting between two tribe leaders, Emir Nesib (Antonio Banderas) and Sultan Amar (Mark Strong) making peace after a battle between the two, which Nesib won. Nesib has Sultan hand over his two sons, Auda and Saleh, to make sure he will not battle against him again and they both promised the area of that land would not be claimed by either tribe.

The film then progresses in time and an American named, Thurkettle, shows up on an airplane. Thurkettle works for Texan Oil and he meets with Nesib to tell him there could be a lot of oil on the unclaimed land and this could make him rich. Nesib thinks about it and let's them drill and, sure enough, they find oil on the land. After finding oil, they make an oil field in that area and Nesib gets rich. Sultan objects to this because Nesib is basically breaking the truce they made at the beginning of the film. As Nesib is getting rich, he starts to improve his tribe, or kingdom, by making schools, a library, and even bringing electricity to the area. Prince Auda, who was raised by Nesib and not his real father, was forced to marry Nesib's daughter, Princess Leyla (Freida Pinto).

Within the battle scenes, or when the action begins to pick up over an hour into the film, you will see many dead camels and dead people as well. These battle scenes are pretty well done and keep you at the edge of your seat the whole time. There is, however, a bit of a disappointment with the final battle scene because it wasn't as "grand" as one would expect. I was expecting a longer battle scene, but this one seemed to be a little too short and quick. In my opinion, it could have been better as this was, for me, the climax of the whole movie.

Overall, Day of the Falcon was an enjoyable movie. Like I stated before, it seemed to move along pretty fast given the runtime, in fact, that last battle scene may have been a bit too fast, but given the battle scenes throughout, it is one small aspect one can look over. There was even a bit of comedy in this movie as well where Nesib makes improvements to his kingdom, although I don't believe this movie was intended to be a comedy. If you appreciate a movie with drama, romance, and violence, then this movie is for you and must be watched. I would recommend this movie for anybody's movie collection. Overall, this movie isn't perfect, but I still give it a 4/5 star rating.

Day of the Falcon will be available to purchase in stores on DVD and Blu-ray March 26th, 2013!

Overall rating: 4/5 stars

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DAY OF THE FALCON is an old-fashioned action/adventure epic that evokes memories of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA.

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, the film is set in the Middle East during the early part of the twentieth century when oil is discovered in a "no man's land" that divides two warring tribes. The forward-thinking ruler of one tribe (Antonio Banderas) embraces the finding, realizing that the accompanying wealth can help his people, while the other sultan (Mark Strong) despises any influence from the outside, modern world, claiming that such amenities are against the Koran. War is re-ignited, and the principal player in the conflict turns out to be the studious son of Strong (Tahar Rahim), who is now also the son-in-law of Banderas, having married his daughter, played by Freida Pinto.

DAY OF THE FALCON is a handsome, well-directed picture, filled with exciting action sequences and beautifully photographed desert vistas. The story is certainly involving, and the actors are more than equal to their roles. It is a movie well worth seeing.

Question: If this picture is so good, why did it not get any sort of meaningful release in the United States where it virtually went direct-to-video?

Possibly for two reasons:

First, the producers, in an effort not to offend anybody, took a middle-of-the-road approach to the material. Are we, as an audience, supposed to be cheering for Bandaras, who wants to bring his people into the modern world, or should our sympathies lie with the more traditional Strong? Even when Rahim starts leading his father's military, we are not sure as to where his true loyalties lie.

Secondly, although I understand the producer's reasons for wanting to cast Arab actors, I think that, in order to attract a worldwide audience, this is a movie that required internationally known stars.

Don't misunderstand. The actors in the picture are all very good, but with the exception of Bandaras, none of them are really that well-known, and none of them generate an on-screen excitement that a high budget film like this requires in order to pull in audiences.

True, when they made LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif were also unknown quantities, but the producers of that classic surrounded them with a sensational cast of supporting players that included Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Claude Rains, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quayle, Jose Ferrer and Arthur Kennedy.

DAY OF THE FALCON could have used some of that star quality.

The DVD from Image Entertainment includes three excellent "making of" featurettes, one of which describes how the cast and crew fared shooting in Tunisia while a government coup was in progress.

© Michael B. Druxman

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This is the story of how the Arab tribes became united by war, to become Saudi Arabia. Antonio Banderas stars as Emir Nesib who bartered a deal with the United States for the oil. He was able to buy off most of the other tribes except for one, who believed the infidels of the west should leave their land.

While the movie is fictional, it reflects the conflict that goes on within the world of Islam today. Antonio Banderas, with his Spanish accent was as convincing as an Arab as Sean Connery with his Scottish accent was as convincing as a Russian submarine captain. In other words, he pulls it off.

The characters are western stereotypes of Arab culture. They are played well, if you are into the stereotype.

What was with the harem outfit on Frieda Pinto?

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, nudity. I saw this film under the title "Black Gold."

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