Reviews

I commented on "Deep Red" quite a while ago here on IMDB under the name of Modrock62. Now, all these months later, I am commenting again as a sort of retraction of my earlier views if that makes any sense at all. Up until last night, the only version of this Dario Argento murder/mystery I had ever seen was the mutilated 98 minute version that originally made it to U.S. shores. As a matter of fact in 1975, when I was 13, my parents took me to see this film upon it's original U.S. release. At that time, the film frightened me so much and gave me nightmares for so long, I never forgot it. As the years passed, I saw it on late night horror TV shows and then again through video rental, always viewing the edited cut of the film. And the movie always impacted me even on repeated viewings. Then last night I watched it again but with an added bonus. This was Anchor Bay's release on DVD of the Dario Argento colection, Volume 3. A double bill of "Deep Red" and "Tenabre". Finally I was going to see this remarkable film in it's complete 126 minutes form as Argento originally filmed and envisioned it.

The picture was crystal clear and gorgeous! The colors were unreal. The sound was awesome. The fact that parts of the English dubbing were either never recorded or lost and replaced by Italian with English subtitles didn't bother me one bit. Music by Goblin was still as intense as ever! And..................I WAS BORED!!!! It is very difficult for me to say that considering I have always trumpeted this as THE greatest Horror/Mystery/Suspense film of all time! But for some strange reason, the complete 126 minute version came off as extremely boring to me and I found myself at times fidgeting in my seat waiting for the action to get started! And when it did, it didn't have the same effect on me as it did in previous viewings even though I haven't seen the film in a very long time! The "violent action" was almost like a release from boredom to me as opposed to scary, nervous and jumpy that it always used to be. The running, boring dialogue and extra scenes actually in my case, took the jolt and terror out of the frightening scenes and actually made me sigh in relief from sitting thru the extra dialogue. For me, all this lessened the impact of the film.

And the impact was not lessened because of repeated viewings, because I hadn't seen the movie in a long, long time and no matter how many times I saw it before, it always impacted me. Not this time. Could it be that I alone may actually prefer the cut, 98 minute version better? Possibly. The cuts in the "short" version certainly do leave holes in the story but at 28 minutes shorter then the DVD version, it makes the film flow swiftly and the jolts and shocks more genuine, leaving you barely any time to settle down and catch your breath before the next jolt comes. The 126 minute version gives you a "downtime" to recover and sit thru brutal dialogue before it revs up again. Maybe it's just me, I am sure it is and that I am in the minority, but the shorter version is a much more breathless film. Believe me, I am not knocking DVD or Anchor Bay. DVD is a boom and breath of fresh and much needed air to the Horror genre. DVD allows us to view restored films, digitally re-mastered films, original European release versions, complete versions and director's cuts, etc... DVD also allows for superb sound, loads of extras and on and on and I love it. DVD will be my source for entertainment from now on. And Anchor Bay must be applauded for their efforts to bring "classics" back and release them in DVD form. A job well done if you ask me but in the case of "Deep Red", it seemed to have the opposite effect, at least on me.

I still love this film, and it will always hold a place in my heart, but I just didn't get the same feeling of dread and excitement that I did with the shorter, faster paced version. It's great to have a complete film just as the Director inteneded it to be but for my money, the 126 minute version of "Deep Red" turned into a tedious, often yawning experience. OUCH!!! You have NO idea how much it hurt to say that!

Simply put, this is a gorgeous film to look at. From the spellbinding camera work, the atmosphere, the use of light(very little) and shadows to the famous Universal expressionist sets it's just a joy to behold. The creepy German countryside swathed in rain and thunder and lightning is a truly wonderful sight to see. Add to that fine performances from Rathbone, Karloff, Lugosi and especially Atwill as the bitter but dutifull Police Inspector you have what is the most literate Universal film in the Frankenstein series. And oh yes, IT'S A HECK OF A LOT OF FUN TOO! Buy it for your collection and watch this wonderful film over and over again. A classic!

Though not nearly up to the standards and fun level of "Ghost Of Frankenstein", this neat little Universal gem has it's heart in the right place! Wonderful opening sequence in the graveyard, plenty of atmosphere, typically gorgeous Universal studio sets and it's famous monsters! What more can you ask for? Chaney is superb as the tormented Larry Talbot but Bela leaves quite a bit to be desired as the monster. Universal would have been better off using Glen Strange one film earlier instead of waiting for 1944's "House Of Frankenstein". All in all, a fun film that staggers a bit after a rip-roaring start!

......emotional and tear-jerking movie ever made! Brian's Song will have you weeping and an emotional wreck regardless of how many times you see it! Simply put, the greatest TV movie ever made and some of the finest performances ever put on film. "Nuff said!

While not nearly as good as "King Of Kings" or "Jesus Of Nazareth", this film still takes it's place among the top 5 films ever made on the life of Christ. While you will not come away with that "uplifting" feeling you would get from the aforementioned movies, it will still stay with you for a long time after seeing it. This is one of the most bizarre and unusual films of the genre simply because of the way it was photographed and because of it's obvious shoe string budget. Dialogue is at a minimum as are the special effects but that only adds to the "uneasiness" one feels while watching this movie. You get the feeling that a documentary camera crew armed with a 16 millimeter camera actually followed Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the Apostles around to film them during their day! Weird camera angles, abrupt cuts, odd fade outs and fade ins all add to the unique look and feel of the movie, as does the grainy black and white film. No large scale, big budget scenes with 1000's of extra's here, just a simple technique of storytelling though certain scenes appear rushed and hastily done like Christ's journey to Mount Cavalry, the Crucifiction and his ressurection. Certain differences in presentation also will tell you that this is no "ordinary" film on the life of Christ. When Jesus goes to the desert, he is not tempted by satan's voice or a snake but by an unassuming man like you or I. And don't expect to see a white, long haired, bearded, blue eyed man as Christ. Here he is presented as a man who is caucasian but darker, with shorter hair and only remnants of a beard but it works to the overall effect of the movie. Here also, Jesus is presented more as a revaloutionary then as a prophet. Overall a unique presentation on the life of Christ that will leave a lasting impression on you for better or worse. See it!

Growing up as a young boy in the early 1970's and attending catholic school you weren't assured of many things but you could always count on your Mom making sure that at Easter and Christmas time you were parked in front of the television watching "King Of Kings" in two parts on channel 7's "4:30 Movie"! Now in my late 30's I own a copy of this film on video and watch it much in the same manner with my young daughter who is so eager to learn about the life of Jesus Christ. I'm no religious fanatic but I am as good a catholic as I can be and must say that this is one of my all time favorite movies and certainly THE classic among all biblical epics! The photography is gorgeous, the direction tight and often seamless and the musical score will raise goosebumps on the most hardened person. Clocking in at 3 hours the film not only details the life of Christ but also focuses on Roman rule and it's politics as well as the turmoil of Judas and the radicalism of Barabbas among other things. Directed by Nicholas Rey, the unusual cast does it's best led by Jeffrey Hunter as Christ and including veteran actor Robert Ryan as John The Baptist. Most of the rest of the cast seems to have their dialogue dubbed in but I am not sure that is the case, though that is the way it appears. There are many emotional highlights in the film such as Johns first meeting with Christ at his baptism. No words are spoken between the two but the intercutting camera work of both mens eyes as they stare at each other with that wonderful background music puts a smile on your face before you even realize it. Other scenes of note include the healing of the paralyzed boy who emerges from his bed and walks towards the door which is bathed in bright sunlight. Also powerful is Christ calming the raving mad man by simply holding him in his arms and staring into his eyes. There are many wonderful scenes throughout the epic film and of note is the "battle" scene between Barabbas and his followers and the Roman army whcih for 1961 comes off quite violently. There are also some vital scenes that are not in the movie which may leave you with an "empty" feeling. Scenes that should have been included I feel are Christ calming the raging sea and walking on water and the incident where just before he is arrested an apostle lops off the ear of a roman soldier to whcih Christ picks up the ear and repairs it. This would have made the film even more powerful. Overall this is a wonderful, uplifting movie that is truly a classic of it's genre. And then of course there is Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus Christ. Though his performance is a bit understated, he does fine and gave many of us baby boomers the ultimate "image" of Christ with his handsome features, long hair and the incredible, piercing blue eyes. for many of us, we were convinced that when we went to heaven, Hunter would be there with a white robe and arms outstretched. See this wonderful film or better yet, share it with your family and young ones and help pass on a wonderful tradition.

I'll spare you the details and plot of this neat little movie because they have been outlined before by some pretty narrow-minded, holier-than-thou, so called "horror fans" who can't see the noses in front of their faces. This is a pretty good little film that really has nothing to do with the 1962 original, which is the way the film makers intended it to be I am sure. Obviously, they were hoping to cash in on the name of the original and you really can't fault them for that but it is obvious this is not a remake or follow up but just the same premise of "dream world" and "reality". Good special effects, tight little story, plenty of atmosphere and a few scenes that will make you jump even if the horror "pros" who reviewed this film here say otherwise. This film is worth the price of a rental and you will find yourself surprised at it's effectiveness and the hold it has on you which will make you watch to the very end. Do yourself a favor and look past the negative reviews here and judge for yourself. If your expecting to see an updated version of the original, you won't but if you watch it, just for what it is and forget about the original, you will enjoy it. The "reviewers" here obviously didn't have enough brain capacity to judge something on it's own merits and watched this movie with the original in mind and hoping to see a remake. They couldn't get off their high-horses because they are obviously so pro 1962 "Carnival" that if it wasn't anything like the original, the 1998 film had to be trash because they can't admit to themselves this version is pretty good and gives their "original" a run for it's money! What hindsight and blindness they have! Talk about pompous attitudes and closed minds! Don't make the same mistake, watch this film on it's own and you'll be happy. Forget about the original because that was a once in a lifetime film. Trust me, you'll enjoy this little beauty!

OK, I make no bones about it, I love this movie! Maybe it is because I don't take it as seriously as others seem to, but to me it is 100% fun and one of those guilty pleasures we love so much! Sure, the dialogue is trite and maybe corny at times but the action, the scenery, the production values and the characters all over come that one minor problem to deliver a fun and exciting movie with an incredible rock and roll soundtrack. What guy among us has never thought about being the type of guy Cody is? Silent, fearless, tough and good looking. And who wouldn't want a chance to save Diane Lane in a pinch??? Lane, Pare, Moranis, Madigan all give film noir type performances that are fun to watch and Wilhelm Dafoe as the biker heavy is a joy to watch. Don't bother trying to figure out where and when the movie takes place because you can't. 80's outfits combined with 50's outfits. Neon, MTV-like lighting combined with 50's cars and motorcycles. You get the picture. Half the fun is trying to figure out where it takes place but the images are striking and the action is nearly non-stop. All in all a fun movie that will have you coming back for me provided you don't take it too seriously! Just watch and enjoy because we all will "take it anyway we can get it".

I'm not going to give anything away for those who for some reason have yet to see this masterpiece so don't worry! What I will say is that this is THE best Horror/Suspense movie ever. Outstanding script and story. Unforgettable moments. Breathtaking performances and very chilling. See it! Rent it! BUY IT! You will NOT be sorry!

This is more then a routine mystery/suspense film when taken in the entire context of horror movie history. Ok, it's not a classic and it's not a film many people will remember but it is a neat little chiller from a much maligned and ridiculed film company. In the 1930's and 1940's Universal Pictures was Hollywood's "Horror Factory". Columbia Pictures, RKO Pictures and even MGM released fright flicks fairly regularly during those two decades. Then there was PRC or Producers Releasing Corporation. The "Ed Wood" of Horror movie studios in the 1940's. This was the black sheep of the family, the dirt poor Uncle no one really cared about. The studio regularly released cheap, quick and fairly awful Horror flicks to try and cash in on Hollywood's Horror boom. For their efforts, the studio was ridiculed and laughed at and would resort to releasing films the "bigger" studios made but were ashamed to release. 1946's "The Brute Man" with Rondo Hatton was a prime example. It was made by Universal who upon seeing the final results of the film and realizing they were exploiting Hatton' real life disease wanted no part of the film and sold it to PRC who of course quickly released it in theaters to much backlash. Anyway, to make a long story short "Strangle Of The Swamp" is regarded as the studios finest work and maybe it's only quality release. The film is moody, atmospheric, well made though it was hampered by PRC's usual small budget. Charles Middleton plays a murdered ferryman who comes back for revenge. Entirely studio bound as most PRC films were, it still gives off a big budget look and feel. Generally speaking and enjoyable and breezy movie that was PRC's best. So taking the history of horror films and PRc studios in context, this was no routine movie. Especially to PRC.

This is one of the funniest and saddest movies to come out of the 1980's. I watch it constantly and it never fails to leave me in hysterics and then touch me with sadness. I happily added this to my video collection and it is one of the best things I have done. Critics praised this movie when it cam out for it's adolesent charm and abundant wit and as a result, the movie did quite well at the box office. The story is all too familiar, three pals in the life long quest for sex but one of them, has a spot in his heart for the right girl. Too bad she gets mixed up with his not so soft hearted friend. Anyway the scenes that will have you wetting your pants with laughter include the threesomes adventures with the nympho Spanish lady Carmella and the boys quest to find a cure for the "crabs" they caught from the local hooker. An incredible 80's soundtrack dominates the film and makes it a joy to watch. The ending takes on a serious tone as one of our heroes tries to do the right thing when the girl he loves becomes pregnant by the young mans "friend". The scenes of this one youth scrounging everywhere for money to help his love "fix" her problem is unforgettable especially with U2's jarring "I Will Follow" wailing in the background. And the ending, has to be seen to be believed! A highly recommended, one of a kind film! Get it!

It amazes me how people who love "suggested" horror films like Val Lewton's "Cat People" or Robert Wise's "The Haunting" ridicule this film when it is the same thing only quite a few notches above those two movies. This truly is a masterpiece of "suggested" horror where you don't see what is terrorizing these young filmmakers but you know that whatever it is must be truly frightening and extremely cruel. As a result your imagination begins to run away with you. you find yourself wondering what could be after these kids. you wait nervously as you peer through their video camera into the dark wondering what if anything will come out and attack them. All these things work for the film as does the "documentary' aspect where you are looking through the cameras of these kids. As for the acting being amatuerish, well that is exactly what is so powerful! It reminds you that these are just ordinary people like you and I caught in a horrific situation. I think the overall presentation is outstanding and for some reason that ending, gives me the creeps! Come on people, use your imaginations! If you could do better, why aren't you filmmakers instead of out there hustling 9-5 everyday? This is a classic! See it!

I have been watching horror films since I was a kid in the late 60's. I have never seen this particular version of Richard Matheson's novel though I read countless reviews on it and heard so many good things about it. Finally I purchased a copy last week from Movies Unlimited and sat down this past Saturday night to watch it. All I can say is that I was very, very disappointed in the film and that is being too kind! I found the movie to be boring, dull and extremely slow moving. The acting was incredibly bad and believe me I am being nice about it. The dubbing was so off, the actors mouths were moving and then the words came out. I understand that the film was produced on a miniscule budget, but so were classics like "Carnival Of Souls", "Night Of The Living Dead" and "Strangler Of The Swamp". These three films blow the doors off of "Last Man On Earth". There were some eerie scenes and the grainy black and white photography added to the effect. All in all, a film that was not very terrifying, not well done and terribly slow paced. And let's be honest, who likes their living dead, be it vampires or zombies, to be able to talk? And now the worst for last. What was Vincent Price thinking about when he signed on for this one? I love the actor but I must tell you that his performance was a combination of dull, hammy and over the top. This is a great actor who put in his worse performance in this one. Please, pass it up at the rental counter and whatever you do, don't waste 12.99 to buy it like I did.