price：$4.99
Warner Home Video
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Giant Ants!) 『"We shall visit the desert now." -- Edmund Gwenn "It's getting pretty late, Doctor." -- James Arness "Later than you think." -- Edmund Gwenn
One of the few bright spots during the decline of quality films in American cinema after the 1940's was the sci-fi genre which developed in the 1950's. At it's best it was both fun and entertaining, as well as thought provoking. Them! does all that and more. A great film for late at night cuddled up with your Baby or a Saturday morning when you're being lazy, it's loads of fun. Star Trek fans might even get a glimpse of a young Leonard Nimoy at a teletype machine if they look fast enough. Those who grew up watching Daniel Boone will enjoy Fess Parker minus his coonskin cap as a pilot who has seen THEM so is presumed bonkers.
It all begins in White Sands, New Mexico, as cop Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) patrols the unending desert with air support above. They find a young, traumatized girl wandering nowhere, in shock and unable to speak. Following her trail to discover what has transpired, a ravaged trailer and a general store in shambles are just the beginning. Bob Graham (James Arness) is called in from the F.B.I. and when a strange acid is found in a body, both men realize they are in over their heads. What neither can understand is why, once those results are sent to the government, the response is to send two scientists and the Army.
Edmund Gwenn and Joan Weldon are father and daughter, and have a theory they don't want to reveal until they're sure. Bob and Patricia (Weldon) hit it off as that strange and eerie sound in the desert winds is revealed to be a product of atomic testing by man; ants having grown gigantic and mutating until they have no choice but to find the only source of food available--man! They prove hard to destroy, and the heroes must follow escaping queens all over the US, culminating in an exciting battle in the storm drains of Los Angeles with the lives of two frightened children and an anxious mother hanging in the balance.
Ted Sherdeman's screenplay adaptation of George Worthing Yates' story has a message about man's interfering in the natural course of nature while director Gordon Douglas never forgets this is supposed to be fun as well. Just good clean fun for a rainy night. Highly recommended.』
(One of the greatest Sci-fi movies of all time!) 『 It seems during the first test of the atomic bomb in 1954 in New Mexico, the radioation has affected the blood of Ants mutating them into giantic creatures with colonies that seem to attack human beings. After several folks are found dead in the desert, FBI Agent Sgt. Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) with FBI agent Bob Graham (James Arness) to investigate these strange occurances. They discovers that hordes of mutated ants are the cause, Dr. Harold Medford (Edmund Gwenn) and his daughter Patrica (Joan Weldon) help them try to solve a solution to get rid of the ant problem before they spread to the world.
A brilliant and thrilling 1954 Sci-fi horror classic that is one of the most cautionary movie tales of all time is one of the best Sci-fi movies around. The performances are nothing sort of outstanding and for it's time the special effects are quite dazzling even with chilling scenes of Ants attacking people. This movie is like a warning about the effects of radiation and what they can do to some animals who want vengence on the human race, a classic all the way that never gets old.
This DVD contains great picture and sound quality with extras like behind-the-scenes archieval footage, Trailer, montage and cast film highlights.』
(Rick 43530) 『I loved this movie I saw it in the theater as a kid ,I watched it hiding behind the seat in front of me,it was great then and great now the special effects were crude by todays standard but it is a good time』
(cool old Movie) 『I remember this movie when I was growing up in the 50's. It's low tech, but who cares....it's OLD SCHOOL. Now my little girls enjoy it.』
(Beware of...the spiders?!) 『When this movie was released in Sweden about 45 years ago, it was retitled "Spindlarna", which means "The Spiders". It still bore this title when it was first shown on TV years later, but recently, it's simply been called "Them" (the original English title).
The Spiders?! Why on earth would a horror movie about gigantic ants be called "The Spiders"??? There's not a single spider in the entire movie!
The retitling was either a joke, or a crude way of hiding the real plot. After all, you're not supposed to know that the monsters are ants, until they SHOW THEMSELVES. I was certainly surprised when I saw "Them" the first time. In fact, I was even a little bit irritated. I mean, I had expected large, woolly tarantulas! Besides, I happen to *like* ants. (I hate spiders.) Nuking a bunch of Black Widows would have made my day!
But yes, the movie is surprisingly good for a black-and-white production from 1954 (I didn't even know it was *that* old).
Therefore, I give it five stars.
Besides, ants in California or Arizona are probably nastier than the coy, peaceful garden ants we have in our Swedish rosebushes...
Beware then...of the ants.
;-)』 『Radiation from bomb tests creates giant, mutant ants that descend upon a town.』 『That ol' cinematic devil the A-bomb has spawned a colony of giant murderous ants bent on destroying humanity in this, the seminal big bug movie (an obvious and oft-credited influence forAlienamong countless others). The special effects may be dated, but this brilliantly rational-sounding film has held up wonderfully in all other regards, including some starkly effective location work in the high Arizona desert, a genuinely inspired sound design guaranteed to bring on the creepy-crawlies, and an unexpectedly dry sense of humor (mainly personified by Grade-A egghead scientist Edmund Gwenn). This is essential viewing for all those who consider themselves science fiction or horror fans. Heroic hardcase James Arness previously played for the other team as the titular character inThe Thing from Another World.--Andrew Wright』
price：$2.00
Trinity Home Ent
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great) 『I was pleased with this product. I was unable to find it in stores. Luckily, I found it on Amazon.com.』
(ARE YOU DEAD?????) 『THis is a blast from my past! I used to watch this over and over, and sing all the AC/DC songs! This is a amazing film telling the story of what would happen if Electronics took over the world!! Fun Story!』
(Interesting Movie) 『I would love to give an honest review for this movie, however, I cannot. I can say that my husband had been talking about this movie for months, and wanted to see it again. So of course, I thought of Amazon. He was thrilled when the movie came, and has watched it over and over......』
(Great movie!) 『Some may not like this movie because of the vulgar language&graphic pictures, but besides that this a great movie overall. Great sci-fi movie =)』
(Maximim Satisfaction) 『This movie is a classic 80's flick. What I mean by that is it is so bad that its funny. Worth every penny.』 『Get ready for the ultimate battle of man vs. bloodthirsty machine in this terrifying Stephen King classic! For three horrifying days the Earth passes through the tail of a mysterious comet. The skies glow an eerie green as humanity waits to see what the fallout will be. But what they imagine is nothing like the nightmare they find - the comet's magnetic fields cause all of the machines on Earth to suddenly come to life and terrorize their human creators in a horrific killing spree. Now its up to a small group of people trapped in a desolate truckstop to defeat the killer machines - or be killed by them!System Requirements:Runnign Time: 81 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: R UPC: 692865147336 Manufacturer No: T-1473』
price：$4.99
BIG VISION
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (This show has gotten really boring) 『All the team members remind me of dry toast, boring with no personalities at all. They all seem to be going through the motions these days. I won't waste my money on any more of these sets.』
(Never received again!) 『This and part 1 were never received from the seller. I am talking to Amazon to get my money back from the Seller』
(My Review) 『The show is GREAT. The only reason I give 4 stars is the DVD setup and audio. First off in earlier seasons you weren't FORCED to watch the DVD manufacturers Logos at the startup of EVERY DVD you start. Then the audio seems to drop low at times and you have to crank up the volume especially on the outtakes they are lousy at times on audio. They really should get another DVD manufacturer to do their videos. Oh yeah the packaging on all of them, really hate STACKING DVDs one on top of another this can lead to scratching.』
(Awesome) 『I am a huge Ghosthunters fan and I love to watch them when I travel. Great product.』
(Prepare to be Scared!) 『I purchased "Ghost Hunters: Season Four: Part 2 from Amazon. My sons are big fans of this series and watch it every week on the SCI-Fi CHANNEL. I however am a skeptic and I don't believe in ghosts. The Ghost Hunters Series introduces Roto Rooter Plumbers Jason and Grant who are plumbers by day and real life ghost hunters (TAPS) by night. In every episode, the Ghost Hunters visit places that are supposedly haunted and search for evidence using scientific technology. In the fourth season, they investigate Fort Delaware, a brothel, people's homes, a plantation and the USS Hornet. This DVD also contains several bonus features: Deleted scenes, behind the scenes action and a live roundtable discussion interview. Prepare to be scared and amazed at what TAPs finds.』 『Ghost Hunters has become one of TV' most popular shows and in Season 4, Jason, Grant, and the rest of the TAPS team are back investigating claims of the paranormal throughout the United States! Join them as they travel from haunted army forts with spirits from the Revolutionary War, to libraries that contain more than books, to asylums, to a theater where Harry Houdini once performed, now the scene of endless paranormal happenings. Among the many incredible events on this journey, the TAPS team will experience the "Fear Cage" and hear the voices of ghosts in their attempts to shed light on the questions which rise from seemingly unexplainable activity! Investigations include: Fort Mifflin Two to Tango Words From Beyond The Fear Cage Ghostly Bounty Hunter Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Ghostly Conversation Spirits of the Old West Haunted Asylum House of Spirits Widow's Watch Garden State Ghosts』
price：$9.99
Universal Studios
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (LOVE MY KOLCHAK) 『RECEIVED THIS VIDEO PACK, ALL 20 MOVIES, SEASON 1 AND ONLY FOR THE PRICE OF 1 KOLCHAK MOVIE FROM COLUMBIA HOUSE. LOVE MY KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER.』
(A Sentimental Favorite) 『I just found some interesting trivia about KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER that I never knew (and I see some other reviewers have mentioned it too).
David Chase, who would go on to create one of the greatest shows on TV, THE SOPRANOS, got his first Hollywood job as a story editor for THE NIGHT STALKER! Not only that, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale (USED CARS, BACK TO THE FUTURE) wrote one of THE NIGHT STALKER's wildest episodes, "Chopper," a modern-day update of the headless horseman legend (only now he rides a motorcycle).
This was my favorite show as a kid. The TV movies were written by Richard Matheson, who wrote I AM LEGEND, HELL HOUSE, and my favortie TWILIGHT ZONE episode, "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet."
Although this series would lapse into a "Monster of the Week" formula that exhausted its concept (something THE X-FILES learned to avoid), the show itself did a great job of developing the office and its quirky reporters around the supernatural goings-on. Vincenzo the screaming boss with an ulcer, "Uptight" the snooty rival, Miss Emily the doting grandmotherly presence. And Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak, a wise-guy reporter who believes more in the paranormal than the business-as-usual beauracrats he's forced to deal with.
Too bad the show didn't last more than one season, but everyone remembers that one season!』
(FINALLY!) 『It's nice that they FINALLY release this DVD. The down side being it states that it has been digitally enhanced, but my VHS tapes have a better picture quality. Still, it's Kolchak on DVD.』
(Spooky Nostalgia) 『I remember when this show used to come on... when I was a kid our local channel would put it on after midnight on a Friday. Now, today this show may seem a little hokey but back then it was really creepy.
I was very pleased by the DVD set. The episodes are intact and I got to watch several that I've never seen before. It was also interesting to see how reporting used to be done... you had to get out from behind your big steel desk and go to the library or go to the morgue or find a subject matter expert. You had to develop photos and print them. You put stories "on the wire" so it could be picked up by news services via teletype. I don't think you could do the Night Stalker today. In this way it's as if it's preserved in amber.
Sure, some of the special effects were hokey back then (I recall how incredibly unconvincing the headless biker was) but the stories made up for them. Of course, you had to wonder why these things always happened to Kolchak and how he managed not to end up in jail for destruction of public property, slander, misuse of a body, public nuisance, impersonating a doctor, etc. etc.
Definitely worth watching!』
(Thanks) 『Thank you for the speedy delivary. It made an awesome and easy birthday gift for my Dad1』 『Kolchak: The Night Stalker the uniquely eerie mystery series that paved the way for The X-Files comes to DVD for the first time with all 20 original one-hour episodes of the 1974-1975 series. Emmy nominee Darren McGavin stars as Carl Kolchak a headstrong investigative reporter on the trail of the paranormal: zombies vampires werewolves ghosts succubi and even aliens. No matter how unnatural or unbelievable Kolchak is there to uncover the truth one supernatural threat at a time. Join the hunt in the dark alleys and creepy hidden lairs of Chicago with such sensational guest stars as Scatman Crothers Antonio Fargas Sharon Farrell Dick Van Patten Jamie Farr Larry Linville Jim Backus and more. Kolchak: The Night Stalker is finally on DVD digitally restored to capture every shiver every scream and every bump in the night.System Requirements:Running Time 413 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES&SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 025192226526 Manufacturer No: 61022265』 『The acknowledged inspiration forThe X-Files, and the basis for an updated 2005 network version,Kolchak: The Night Stalkerwas a short-lived 1974 series spun off from a pair of extremely popular made-for-TV movies about the supernatural adventures of dogged newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin). Though plagued by low ratings and critical brickbats, the show has cultivated a huge cult following over the past three decades, which has given rise to this three-disc set, which compiles all 20 episodes of the show. Though none of the episodic stories matches the suspense and writing strength of theNight StalkerorNight Stranglermovies, TV horror fans will appreciate the parade of interesting and inventive monsters encountered by Kolchak (including a witches' coven in "The Trevi Collection"; an Aztec cult in "Legacy of Terror"; a Hindu Demon in "Horror in the Heights," which was penned by Hammer Films scribe Jimmy Sangster; and a headless biker in "Chopper," an episode deemed in extreme poor taste by Stephen King and co-written by Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, andSopranoscreator David Chase). McGavin is of course topnotch as Kolchak, and he's well-matched by Simon Oakland as his hot-tempered boss; guest stars include Scatman Crothers, James Gregory, Phil Silvers, Eric Braeden, Tom Skerritt, and Richard Kiel as the monster in two back-to-back episodes. Sadly, no extras accompany this fun collection of Kolchak's creepiest cases.--Paul Gaita』
price：$9.99
Universal Studios
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (underappreciated series) 『Earth 2 was a great TV that never got a fair chance. It had great characters and many intriguing subplots. It's a shame it was cancelled after only one season.』
(Earth 2) 『A must buy if you are a scifi fan. They should continue the series with todays technology in the film industry, it would be awesome.』
(Decent show despite its flaws; spotty DVD quality) 『I missed this when it first ran in the early nineties, but I was always curious about it, especially since one of the Lone Gunmen from "The X Files" made a comment about it. Ever since then I had to check out "Earth 2."
Although I'm a big science-fiction fan, "Earth 2" is not quite engaging enough. It's not horrible, but it's not great either. If you watch it after 10 P.M. and you find yourself falling asleep, you might conclude that you're just tired. Or maybe it's that coupled with the subconscious realization that the "Earth 2" story isn't moving along with anything remotely akin to rising action. It sort of plods along, telling an interesting story, but never quite gripping your attention enough to say, "Wait until you see what happens next."
All the complaints about the show are valid. These include but are not limited to:
1) Too much focus is placed on the girl and boy in the first few episodes, leading to the suspicion that this is a kiddie show; 2) Clancy Brown needs to get his Kurgan (sp?) on, whip out a broadsword and take charge (Tim Curry: "Charge!"); 3) Group leadership is weak and unfocused, or as Higgy Baby would say, "Sorely lacking"; 4) No one is especially cautious when exploring "Earth 2" (I mean, beings pop out of the ground all the time!); 5) Camp security is abysmal (that one guy is ALWAYS asleep with his gun); 6) Cacti (or cactuses, if you prefer the new English) are on "Earth 2" (well I'll be!); 7) The captain of the ship in episodes one and two has white hair and black eyebrows and doesn't exude "captain-ness" at all; 8) The stories do not usually make for compelling viewing (sorry about putting two "ings" next to each other); 9) Anthony Sabato Jr. exudes the early nineties (really, check his hair), giving the show a somewhat dated look (if you think that's bad, check out the "Starlost" series). 10) No one seems to realize that they'd all be dead without Danziger (the Clancy Brown character). Show some appreciation.
Good things about the show: 1) Terry O'Quinn (a favorite actor of mine); 2) Clancy Brown (another favorite actor of mine); 3) Debrah Farentino (although not as "hot" as she is now [OLDER!]; see "Eureka" the TV series); 4) The Terrians are very well-done alien life forms; 5) Tim Curry chews up the scenery and brings the acting level up a bit.
Finally, a note regarding the packaging. The DVDs do not have full-disc labels on either side, so it's all silver here, silver there. Also, shows like this make me question whether or not my DVD player/recorder is about to give up the ghost. A double-sided DVD is never desired, as far as I'm concerned, because you've always got to worry about fingerprinting either side, plus there's always the "which is Side A and which is Side B?" or, instead, "if I put the disc with the little "Side A" label facing up, will the Side A shows come on or the Side B ones?" These "Earth 2" discs seemed to stick much more frequently than other shows I've seen (which generally don't stick at all).
Enjoy the show.』
(Loved it when it aired and still do.) 『I'm not really a sci-fi lover except for this show! I'll have to look for a fan club!』
(Earth 2 complete series) 『Great story. Order of episodes is a bit weird, though. Disc 1 sticks at same place every time, too.』 『A science-fiction series with an ecological theme, EARTH 2 only ran for one season on NBC, and all 22 episodes of the program are collected here. In the distant future, the surface of the Earth has been largely destroyed, and mankind lives in space stations orbiting the planet. A group of space colonists, led by Devon Adair (Debrah Farentino) and John Danzinger (Clancy Brown), are sent to a far off planet to prepare it for colonization by the surviving population of Earth. But a mishap sends them careening off-course, crash landing thousands of miles from the proper camp site. EARTH 2 follows the band of colonists as they traverse the planet, encountering dangerous aliens and other humans who view them with distrust and suspicion. By tackling issues like ecology and colonization, EARTH 2 engages important ideas and themes in an entertaining fashion.』
price：$15.00
Dreamworks Video
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (What's so scary about this????) 『I had heard a great deal about how frightening this movie was. I guess the concept is a bit scary, but in this day and age, it's not nearly as scary as a madman with nuclear weapons, or people walking into shopping centers or classrooms with automatic weapons. I know that the play was a musical, but it would have been a great deal more frightening if the characters hadn't burst into song periodically. On the plus side, this proves that Tim Burton can sing.』
(My favorite horror-drama-musical. (Revised review)) 『Tim Burton has directed some scary movies before, such as Sleepy Hollow and Corpse Bride (both starring Johnny Depp), but his adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical Sweeney Todd is by far the most violent, morbid, and disturbing thing he has ever done. Johnny Depp plays the title character, the 'Demon Barber of Fleet Street', who only becomes a murderous mad-man after life has been 'unkind' to him. The first several songs in the movie explain in detail how a man named Benjamin Barker became Sweeney Todd. Benjamin Barker was a simple London barber with a beautiful wife and new-born daughter who would never dream of bringing harm to anyone. But soon the jealous and villainous Judge Turpin takes it all away from him. First he places a false charge on Barker and has him deported, and then makes the young girl his own, leaving her mother to become a beggar on the streets. Barker learns of his wife and daughter's fate when he returns to London 15 years later, with the new identity Sweeney Todd, upon meeting a woman named Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter). Mrs. Lovett is a lovely but lonely woman struggling to run a meat-pie restaurant amidst the city's poverty, who happens to be an admirer of Benjamin Barker. Sweeney Todd vows his revenge and Mrs. Lovett vows to help him. Together they begin to run a business where Todd slits the throats of men who come to get a shave, while Lovett grinds these men's dead bodies into meat pies to be served to the unsuspecting public. This systematic murder and cannibalism will obviously repel many people from wanting to see the movie, but the rest of us can appreciate it for the beautiful music and strong message it contains. Not all of the songs are about revenge and murder; some are actually quite pleasant. Also, there is a love story subplot between Todd's daughter and his young friend. The New York Times proclaimed the film as "A work of extreme genius" and it won the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy. Johnny Depp also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor and was nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a superb film for adults who can handle it and appreciate it and therefore I highly recommend it. It is a movie you will understand and enjoy more each time you watch it.』
(Pales in Comparison to the Show) 『Hard to say whether this would have seemed better had I not seen it in such close proximity to the touring production of John Doyle's drop-dead-amazing, even-better-than-the-Angela Lansbury-version revival. Sweeney Todd is a Sondheim show, near operatic. Sondheim shows require hard-core singers. Johnny Depp is not a bad singer. He'd be an acceptable front man for any number of today's alt-rock bands. Helena Bonham-Carter tries gamely. Sadly, they lack the technique and gravitas to put the material over as it should be done, and as you know it can be done if you are lucky enough to have seen Judy Kaye on stage as Mrs. Lovett. And how can you have Sweeney Todd without "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd"? I understand they did not want "show stopper" songs that work on stage to slow the narrative drive of a film, but they could have at least played it over the credits. A disappointment given the talent involved and the quality of the source material.
I did use Helena Bonham-Carter's look as the inspiration for my Halloween costume last year.
』
(A grand celebration of the Grande Guignol) 『Tim Burton is a visionary genius, there's no doubt about that and he prefers to showcase his vibrant imagination through practical special effects, rather than CGI. He's a rare director that prefers powerful performances and atmosphere over style and with Sweeney Todd, this is his grandest gesture yet.
Benjamin Barker is a barber who has a beautiful wife and daughter but is naive. The most powerful judge in all of London city is jealous of barker's life and decides to incriminate him on a false charge. Locked away for 15 years, Barker returns to London with a grim look on his face like that of a ghost and a white streak in his dark hair, here Tim Burton channels The Bride of Frankenstein. Barker calls himself Sweeney Todd and secretly opens another barbershop exactly where he used to live. He overhears that his wife had killed herself and that his daughter had become the judge's ward and grows homicidal with rage. He begins his bloody, murderous mission of developing a popularity, being an expert barber he is now the best barber on Fleet Street, and he slits many throats on the road to having the judge in his chair.
Johnny Depp was rightfully nominated for an Oscar because his performance is frighteningly ferocious and he pulls off the Buster Keaton "Great Stone Face" effectively. Tim Burton's use of blood is similar to that of the blood seen in his previous masterpiece "Sleepy Hollow (1999)", a slightly faded orangey red and the violence is gruesome in an appropriate Grande Guignol manner.
This is a great musical written by Stephen Sondheim, being famous mostly for West Side Story (1961). Tim Burton's traditional (as in old-school) direction and cinematography, and a creepy atmosphere are developed expertly throughout this gruesome and intriguing tale of revenge. This is Burton's greatest masterpiece since Ed Wood (1995) and it stand alongside "Sleepy Hollow" as a visually grande retelling of classic tales of the creepy and awesome.
- Nir S.』
(Amazing!) 『This is one of my favorite movies of all times. Johnny's voice is spectacular. If you're a fan of Tim Burton or Johnny Depp, and definitely if you're a fan of both, this movie is for you!!!』 『Johnny Depp and Tim Burton join forces again in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical thriller "Sweeney Todd." Depp stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who "shaved the heads of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard from again." Joining Depp is Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney's amorous accomplice, who creates diabolical meat pies. The cast also includes Alan Rickman, who portrays the evil Judge Turpin, who sends Sweeney to prison and Timothy Spall as the Judge's wicked associate Beadle Bamford and Sacha Baron Cohen is a rival barber, the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli.』 『After years of rumors, it turns out that Tim Burton was the perfect visionary to filmSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Stephen Sondheim's Broadway masterpiece, and the result is a macabre and moving musical movie as enthralling as anything Burton has ever done. The show's mix of gothic horror, Grand Guignol,verydark humor, and witty and beautiful music never was the stuff of traditional musical comedy, but it's a powerful work, and perhaps the richest of the late 20th century. In the movie, Burton's frequent collaborator, Johnny Depp, plays Todd, a wronged man whose lust for revenge drives him to murder (an 19th-century legend who has been traced to a real-life barber). Helena Bonham Carter, another Burton mainstay, is Mrs. Lovett, the barber's partner-in-unspeakable-crime. It's no surprise that Depp is an excellent choice to convey Todd's brooding intensity and volcanic rage, but he can also sing a score that is so challenging it has often played in opera houses (though not with the same style as the Broadway original, Len Cariou, and he occasionally lapses into pop style). Bonham Carter is small of voice and lacks the humor of the original Broadway Lovett, Angela Lansbury, but she sings on pitch, in rhythm, and in character at the same time, which is no small feat for a Sondheim show. Aficionados will regret the loss of certain musical passages--"The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" is just an instrumental overture and the chorus is gone altogether, among others--but the reassuring presence of orchestrator Jonathan Tunick and conductor Paul Gemignani ensures that the music feels right and sounds great. And the film's depiction of a Victorian London hellhole--with cinematography by Dariusz Wolski and costumes by Colleen Atwood--also looks and feels right.
The excellent cast is filled out by Alan Rickman as the villainous Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall as his seedy Beadle, Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) as a rival barber, Jamie Campbell Bower as the young lover Anthony, Jayne Wisener as his object of affection, and Ed Sanders as the young Toby. For fans of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp who don't think they like musicals,Sweeney Toddshould be a revelation (though not for the squeamish, as the gore is intense and completely appropriate). For fans of Broadway and Sondheim, it's hard to imagine getting a better adaptation than this. The fact that there's no newly composed Oscar-bait song sung by a Josh Groban-type over the end credits only makes it better.--David Horiuchi』
price：$1.50
Dimension
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Walken is the Funniest) 『Interesting concept that perpetuates Gabriel's bad rap. A funny movie, and the Native American Shamanism mixed with Judeo-Christian beliefs are very interesting. Walken makes good movies period.』
(Walken Makes This Preposterous Story Fun) 『This was a different kind of horror movie with bad angels as the main attraction. Actually, the main attraction is Christopher Walken in the role of "Gabriel." He's extremely entertaining with his mixture of humor and evil. He eveen admonishes people for using profanity!
Of course, the theology in this movie is so preposterous it's hilarious. At least in the end, the hero of the film correctly identifies the warring angel as one doing so strictly out of jealously for God. That's Bibically accurate, but the rest of the theology here is totally bogus. A lot of people probably don't know there are such things as bad angels, so that part is true.
Theology-aside, this is a very entertaining movie. The language is tame but beware there are a couple of very gory scenes that might offend. The special- effects are good. Walken is a "trip" to watch and Virginia Madsen looks beautiful.』
(Worst movie I've seen in a long time) 『You have to be kidding me, the acting, plot, everything about this so called movie made me ill. This is probably the worst movie I've ever seen! I can't believe that people got paid from this trash. What a mess.』
(Prophecy) 『The package was received with the product inside. This item was given out for Xmas, so I have NO real idea if the product works or not.』
(A true classic) 『I haven't watched this in years. I love the story line. When Gabriel (Christopher Walken) is on screen it's pure magic. I had forgotten Viggo Mortensen is in this film. This is long before his Lord of the Rings Fame. The plot is after Lucifer and his angels were cast down a second war broke out in heaven lead by Gabriel. This war was due to some angels resenting humans being elevated above them. Gabriel refers to them as "Talking Monkeys". Gabriel believes since humans are so much better at warfare if he can capture the darkest human soul that ever existed he can win the war against God. Watch this one only. The others in the series are pretty bad.』 『Big-screen favorite Christopher Walken (PULP FICTION, BATMAN RETURNS) heads an all-star cast in this chilling and suspenseful thriller! At the scene of a bizarre murder, L.A. homicide detective Thomas Dagget (Elias Koteas -- EXOTICA) discovers a lethal heavenly prophecy now being fulfilled on earth! Yet in his fight to stop the forces of evil -- led by the powerful angel Gabriel (Walken) -- Dagget finds an unlikely ally in an elementary school teacher (Virginia Madsen -- CANDYMAN). Together they race against time and terror to save the world as we know it! Also starring Eric Stoltz (PULP FICTION) -- critics everywhere praised THE PROPHECY for its high-powered thrills and knockout performances -- don't miss it!』 『A prime candidate for cult status (it even spawned a sequel), this apocalyptic 1995 horror flick belongs in the darker corners of the comedy-horror sub-genre that includesBuffy the Vampire Slayer,Mimic, andPhantoms--and like those movies it's a mixed blessing with some highlights worth savoring.
This one's got Christopher Walken in its favor, starring as the Angel Gabriel, who's really mad at God for allowing humans into heaven (because, you see, humans have souls and angels don't, and God plays favorites). Gabriel takes his anger out on the human race, coming to Earth to capture the soul of the most evil human alive in an effort to defeat the "good" angels that remain in God's good graces. One of the good angels is played by Eric Stoltz, who captures the evil soul before Walken does and transfers it into the body of a little girl. Are you with us so far? Don't worry if you're not, because writer-director Gregory Widen filledThe Prophecywith so many wild ideas that he didn't bother to connect them to a coherent plot.
Add Viggo Mortensen as the devil and Elias Koteas as a priest-turned detective who's tracking Walken and it's clear that Widen was attempting something ambitious here. He nearly succeeded, sinceThe Prophecyjumpstarts its heaven-and-hell rivalry with enough action, humor, and intelligence to make the movie sufficiently entertaining. It was enjoyable enough to entice Walken back for the sequel, so if you're into this kind of thing, this one's a keeper.--Jeff Shannon』
price：$20.46
Sony Pictures
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Special features are excellent) 『Castle freaks will want to have this collection for obvious reasons, but the best thing about it is the special features, which include a fifth bonus disk with an excellent full-length documentary about Castle's career.
The documentary features interviews with Castle's daughter, as well as Leonard Maltin, John Waters, John Landis, and others who provide intelligent commentary and insight. It's not surprising to learn that Castle admired Hitchcock, and there was a bit of professional jealousy on Hitchcock's part as Castle became increasingly famous and was ultimately proclaimed the "master" of horror. It's also interesting learn about the making of _Rosemary's Baby_.
On the other disks, aside from the films, there are documentaries about the making of _The Tingler_ and _Straight Jacket_. There are also a couple episodes of _Ghost Story_, a TV series which Castle produced in the early 70's. One, featuring John Astin as a security guard at a horror movie studio, has a great cameo by Castle as--what else?--a horror film producer. There was always something so great about seeing Csatle himself on the screen. He had such a presence.
I can find only two flaws in this collection. The first--unavoidable, I suppose--is that the films are only the ones made for Columbia. _House on Haunted Hill_ and _Macabre_ are conspicuously missing.
The second flaw is a bit of a soundtrack synchronization problem at the beginning of _Homicidal_. But it only lasts for a couple of minutes.
One thing I realized when watching these films again is that Castle was technically an excellent director. His use of light and shadow, framing of scenes, and camera work is really good--not "B" at all. And Von Dexter's music is perfect--I guess he was Castle's Bernard Hermann.
Overall, this is a must-have for fans of the man who "scared the pants off America."』
(Worth watching? Absolutely. Worth buying? Not on your life!) 『Sony's latest attempt to cash in on the king of gimmick-driven theatrical showmanship is a quality effort, but its title is misleading; perhaps "The Columbia Castle Collection" would have been more appropriate. Then again, although Columbia distributed all of these titles, the famed studio only produced one of the films in this set (the incomparably silly "Zotz!"), while the rest were products of William Castle Productions.
At the very least, this can't really be THE William Castle Film Collection without "Macabre" and "House on Haunted Hill," and while the former has never been released on any home video format to my knowledge, the latter is widely available in well over a dozen low-budget DVD editions, some of which are of very good quality. "House" belongs on the same disc as "The Tingler" - Castle signed Price to a two-picture deal for both, and shot and released them back-to-back. As a result, they retain a common zeitgeist, and as two of Castle's best pictures, it's absurd that one is included without the other. Sony has some of the deepest pockets around; why couldn't they obtain a good print of "House," which has been in the public domain for years? Nonetheless, this does include Castle's adaptation of "The Old Dark House" and "Zotz!" While "Zotz!" was at least granted a VHS release some years ago, "The Old Dark House" has never been released on any home video format until now. This is a film that's never received the respect it deserves: it's been unjustly dismissed in comparison to both the novel on which it's based and James Whale's superior adaptation released over thirty years prior; furthermore, it wasn't actually released to theaters until 1966 - four years after it had been filmed. Not a great picture by any means, it's still a fun and intriguing alternate take of its much more famous predecessor.
Anyhow, the audiovisual quality of the features in this set is uniformly excellent. Despite a few rough sequences (most notably, the especially grainy colorized scene that seems to be endemic of all existing copies of "The Tingler"), picture and sound alike have been remastered as well as could be expected. Scene selection menus for all of the features are comprised of 12 untitled thumbnail film stills spread over three screens. Despite the lack of titles, these are very easy to navigate.
All of the featurettes and trailers of the previously-released Sony DVDs are included on their respective discs, and while "13 Frightened Girls!," "Homicidal" and "The Tingler" enjoy the wealth of special features, all of these pictures' over-the-top trailers are enclosed. For Castle fans, the featurettes are a treat - comprised of interviews with cast and crew members, Castle enthusiasts and film historians, footage from the movies and plenty of publicity photos, they convey quite a lot about Castle's promotional hijinks and immersive, ludicrous brand of entertainment. However, they also further emphasize the absence of "House on Haunted Hill," which deserves the same treatment! All four alternate opening scenes for "13 Frightened Girls!" are included, as is the very silly alternate "scream" audio for "The Tingler," some of which was recorded specifically for drive-in theaters!
It should be noted that the multitude of subtitles and alternate dubbed language tracks on the DVDs are not available on this set.
Another particularly interesting inclusion is "Graveyard Shift," a 1973 episode of the short-lived "Ghost Story" TV series. Highlights of this episode starring John and Patty Duke Astin (who appropriately play a husband and wife) include the aged Castle performing a small role as a weathered old film producer and the Royal Warlocks: the oldest, most dapper gang of teen thugs ever provided by Central Casting! While this cheesy episode does has a place in this set, I have no idea why it's included as a special feature for "The Tinger."
So, is it worth fifty to eighty dollars? Certainly not, especially for those who own at least some of the individual DVD editions of the films in this set. Fortunately, you won't have to pay that much to see it, anyway - all of these discs are available via NetFlix. Enjoy!』
(Columbia does it again) 『Another almost perfect release from Columbia! Following the Toho and Hammer collections, this set for William Castle fans is almost perfect. All the movies look fantastic, much improved over their last releases. New to DVD are ZOTZ!(a personal favorite), THE OLD DARK HOUSE(really good) and 13 FRIGHTENED GIRLS (fun!). Even if you have the last releases it is great to have them again and they all look really good. The only down side is the trailer for HOMICIDAL is I believe a tv spot without Castle, and the OLD DARK HOUSE is a British one that plays up Hammer and no Castle (the Allday release HAMMER HORRORS has the Castle one). The only other bad thing is even though 13 GHOST is the one with the red and blue colors, no Ghostviewer is included ( it was in the single release). Trailers for all movies are included as is the entire HOMICIDAL release feature (thank god, I hate when they include clips from something, but do not include the whole feature). The documentary SPINETINGLER is very well done, but they don't say what happened to the other daughter, which had me wondering. She is talked about on the commentary track, but it seem odd they don't say anything about what happened to her in the doc. A very nice set, this is how it should be done!!』
(We wish there were more Ghost Story/Circle of Fear on it) 『Please come out with the whole seasons of Ghost Story/Circle of fear and don't just tease us with two!!! As a child i loved that show and have wished to see it on dvd for some time now. Please Sony make it happen!!!』
(Great collection of Columbia Bill Castle films) 『Gang, this is a collection of William Castle films that were theatrically released by Columbia! Sony/Columbia doesn't deserve criticism for not releasing films owned by other studios. It would be up to the individual studios who own the other pictures to release them. So, Universal should release THE NIGHT WALKER and LET'S KILL UNCLE, and possibly reissue I SAW WHAT YOU DID. Warner should release MACABRE, which is part of the Allied Artists catalog that Warner owns. HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL has been released by Fox. Are we together on this? As Ronald Reagan once condescended, "Let's keep this simple, so that we can all understand."
The Sony collection is a treasure trove of Castle's best work. Particular treats are an anamorphic widescreen reissue of HOMICIDAL (which had been previously released in full frame on DVD), and the full-length 82 minute documentary SPINE TINGLER, which deals with Castle and his horror pictures. Most of the transfers have been remastered and are somewhat better than the previous DVDs.
13 FRIGHTENED GIRLS and THE OLD DARK HOUSE are new to US home video, while ZOTZ is new to DVD.
The only disappointment to me was the absence of Ghost Viewers for 13 GHOSTS. However, I still have a couple of those from the earlier DVD release of the film.
Overall, this is a wonderful collection of spook shows, with plenty of entertaining featurettes. Perfect for Halloween!』 『Iconic horror director William Castle created a simple, but winning formula for his films: a little comedy, a lot of scares, a preposterous gimmick, and a clear sense that fright films should be fun. This even meant Castle would, like Hitchcock, appear in his trailers and even the movies themselves. Though his career spanned 35 years and included everything from westerns to crime thrillers, he'll always be remembered for his horror films from the late 50s to the mid-60s. And now Sony presents all eight of his Columbia features - three making their DVD debut, the rest newly-remastered - in one "spook-tac-ular" collection. And as a bonus, it includes the award-winning feature-length documentary,Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story.』 『"Eight tales of tongue-in-cheek terror from one of the movies' masters of ballyhoo await classic horror fans in the lavishWilliam Castle Film Collection. The five-disc set represents some of the high points of the producer-director's career at Columbia Pictures, after he'd established himself as a maverick with a taste for eye-popping promotional gimmicks with the Allied Artists hitsMacabre(1958) andHouse on Haunted Hill(1959), neither of which is included here. The set kicks off with the obscure13 Frightened Girls(1963), a lightweight thriller about espionage at a girls' school, but soon launches into high gear with13 Ghosts(1960), a terrifically fun chillfest about a family that inherits a haunted mansion and the title gaggle of spooks, which can only be seen (by characters and audience alike) via a special ""Ghost Viewer."" Castle's homages toPsycho--the grislyHomicidalandStrait-Jacket, which stars an unrestrained Joan Crawford in a tale of ax murders penned byPsychoscribe Robert Bloch--are partnered on a second disc, while a third features Castle's team-up with England's Hammer Films for a darkly comic remake of the Boris Karloff classicThe Old Dark House(1963) and an adaptation of Ray Russell's grisly Gothic chiller,Mr. Sardonicus(1961). The final double feature pairs one of Castle's most offbeat titles--the fantasy-comedyZotz!(1962), which, likeOld Dark House, stars Tom Poston as a nebbish who discovers a magical coin--with one of his best loved and most outrageous efforts,The Tingler(1959), with Vincent Price as a scientist who discovers a creature that feeds on human fear. While by no means a complete collection of Castle's film output--he continued to direct and produce well into the late '60s and '70s, most notablyRosemary's Baby(1968)--theFilm Collectionis a fine presentation of some of his most memorable projects, with a few enjoyable oddities thrown in for good measure.
Were theFilm Collectionsimply the movies themselves, it would be a solid addition to any cult collector's treasure vault, but what makes the set truly special is the wealth of extras that accompany the features. Brand-new making-of documentaries are offered for each of the films saveZotz,13 Frightened Girls, andThe Old Dark House; each discusses Castle's elaborate promotional gimmicks in detail, fromThe Tingler's ""Percepto"" (electrically wired seats) toSardonicus's ""Punishment Poll"" (cards given to audience members to decide the fate of the title villain). Extensive news clips, photographs, and comments from a host of fans and critics, including David Del Valle, David Skal, Bob Burns, Castle's daughter Terry,Strait-Jacketstar Diane Baker, andThe Tingler's Darryl Hickman (who seems bemused by the film's favored status), make these featurettes invaluable to Castle completists. The gimmick in13 Frightened Girlsis given plenty of coverage in its extras--its cast of schoolgirls was culled from an international contest, and each was featured in a special intro shot for their respective country--whileStrait-Jacketoffers Crawford's costume screen test as well as a trial run at lopping off costar George Kennedy's head (!), plus an amusing promo clip in which Castle, Bloch, and their star plot out the perfect murder. There are also two episodes from the Castle-produced supernatural TV anthologyGhost Story(one under its retitle,Circle of Fear), both of which feature the man himself in typically grandiose cameos, as well as original U.S. and some international trailers for each title. And if that's not enough, there's also a fifth disc devoted entirely to the 2007 documentarySpine Tingler! The William Castle Story, which details his life and career of making people scream, via archival footage and a who's who of horror and science fiction, including Joe Dante, John Landis, Roger Corman, Fred Olen Ray, the late Forrest J. Ackerman, and countless others, each weighing in on the joys and thrills of William Castle's feature films.--Paul Gaita"』
price：$2.96
Sony Pictures
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Enjoyable remake.) 『
Barbara (Patrica Tallman) and her brother Johnny (Bill Moseley) are just out from the city to visit their mother's grave in the countryside until they get attacked by a ravenous rotting man that looks like a ghoul and it kills Johnny. She escapes into an isolated farmhouse where she joins up with a large black man named Ben (Tony Todd) to keep her company away from some of the vicious flesh-eating ghouls that are outside and there seems to be some kind of phenomenon going around in the state of Pennslyvania of the dead coming back to life. Some other human survivors like the Coopers (Tom Towels and McKee Anderson), Tom (William Butler), and Judy (Katie Finneren) join up with them as they must try to survive a living nightmare of pure horror.
Gory remake from director Tom Savini based on George Romero's timeless masterpiece is quite an enjoyable one but not quite nessecery one. Romero steps as executive producer of this movie with make-up effects artist Tom Savini as director as this one remakes the original in color with a few different things then in the original including the ending. The acting is quite good and the casting is well done, i'd say this is inferior to the original classic and i still think "Dawn of the Dead (2004)" was a more successful remake cause that did something different then just the same old thing like this one.
This movie is presented in a great transfer with sound quality that is awesome and the extras are nice too like audio commentary, featurette, trailer, production notes and talent files.』
(I like this remake) 『When I compare this 1990 remake of Night Of The Living Dead to the original from 1968, I actually like this remake better. This movie really holds my attention more than the original movie from 1968 did. Not that the original movie is a bad movie. It's not. In fact, it's great. But I like this remake better.
The story basically is this: Zombies have risen to feed on living humans. They are chasing people all over about 1/3 of the country. One of these people being chased is Barbara, who comes across a farmhouse where the residents are not there. She hides inside. Soon after, Ben arrives at the farmhouse in a pickup truck for shelter and a safe haven as well. Before you know it, there are seven people seeking refuge in this farmhouse to try to get away from the swarm of zombies outside. Ben had arrived at the farmhouse in a pickup truck, but the truck's gas gauge is on empty. The people inside the farmhouse board up the place and look for an escape route when the opportunity presents itself. Some of the people who came in contact with the zombies become zombies themselves. That's the story in a nutshell. I don't want to give away too much.
This movie's special effects/makeup/gore were done by the legendary Tom Savini, a master of special effects involving blood and guts, etc. His resume includes such movies as this one, Dawn Of The Dead and Friday The 13th. He's well known and respected in the horror movie business. And did I mention he directed this 1990 remake of Night Of The Living Dead? This was his first shot at directing and he did a great job.
Why do I like this remake better? For one thing, the acting is better. The characters are more believable. The special effects are better. The action seems to be non-stop. Never a dull moment. The movie holds my attention and keeps me interested. The character "Barbara" (Patricia Tallman) seems more intelligent and less ditzy in this movie compared to the original. She also seems a lot more brave, courageous and....... talkative! The character of "Ben", played by Tony Todd, is much like the original. Tony Todd did a great job in this movie. Overall, this movie pretty much follows the original story, only with a few minor changes made along the way (and yes, there still is that back and forth blowout regarding the cellar). A lot of the horror movie remakes out there deviate from the original too much because the director wants to put his own spin on it and make it different. Too often this results in changes that frustrate the viewer and make the viewer say that the original movie is better. This happens so often. But you won't experience this when you watch this 1990 remake.
If you like zombie movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat with good acting and great special effects, then this is your movie. Highly recommended.』
(classic) 『This and the Exorcist are the only two horror films that still scare me. Night Of The Living Dead for different reasons.
If black and white was ever essential, it is here. Even in the opening scene, the cloudy, grainy cinamatography gives the absolute creeps. The plot-which I won't deal with-only gets doomier, and so the tention gets heavier throughout the film. The lights go out, it is dark outside, and the camera makes the house look claustraphobic. Shadows, big, deep ones, lurk all over this film: the icing on this nuance cake. In color, you could not achieve this effect with this ecconomy.
The acting is great. From what I know, these were not professionals. So Ramero is able to set up an unthinkable situation, then see how ordinary people would react.
Subtext also adds to creepiness here. 1968: race riots, slaughter in Vietnam, nuclear threat. Is it accidental that Night Of The Living Dead has a black and a white antagonist, random killing in open fields, radiation induced madness? Absolutely not.
Watch how, in the TV sequences, the news reader reports with cold, old style objectivity. This makes the events just out the window all the more chilling.
You could write a book on this film. See it.』
(Great Remake) 『Tom Savini ruled as "the king of splatter" during the eighties...why not give him a shot at directing George Romero's 1968 classic "Night of the Living Dead". Savini's revision is an honorable remake. The special effects are great. Savini captures the creepy mood and atmosphere of the original. The cast of characters are likeable. Great job by Tom Savini. This remake should stand the test of time.』
(Remake better than the original a rarity) 『I love the original "Night of the Living Dead," finding it one of the funniest films ever (considering when I saw it, it was the second feature of a double bill with the original horrific "Last House on the Left"). When Tom Savini announced he'd be directing the remake, we fans of the horror film community looked forward to it, and he delivered big time. Also written by George A. Romero, the storyline deliberately tweaks a number of story and character aspects from the original film, making having seen the original almost a prerequisite, but not completely. this version even comes across as far more "believable" regarding the group's situation. This remake stands alone well, but I must stress it does stand up Even Better when the viewer has full knowledge of the original, mostly to spot various homage nods.』 『Its a ned dawn for terror when the dead come back to feast on the living in this contemporary version of the horror classic. Special features: full screen and widescreen versions subtitles: english spanish portugese chinese korean thai directors commentary talent files theatrical trailers&more. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 09/27/2005 Starring: Tony Todd Patricia Tallman Run time: 88 minutes Rating: R』
price：$4.49
Lions Gate Films
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The Descent) 『What is better than a bunch of bada** women stuck in a cave with man eating monsters? I'll tell you...watching them kick a** back! I love the movie and the quality was great!』
(a smart horror film? who would've thought!) 『9.5 THE DESCENT 9.0 VISUALS 9.3 SOUND 7.5 PACKAGING 8.0 EXTRAS
Most horror movies are not kind of women. Just look at the Carmen Electra scene from Scary Movie and you'll understand why such a statement is one of the truest in all of cinema. Women in horror movies are usually dumb, clumsy, get injured easily and die extravagant deaths - unless your a virgin (like we learn in Scream).
But The Descent doesn't follow the normal guidelines for a horror film. I was hestitant to see The Descent because I thought it was going to be another lackluster cheap thrills horror movie. Boy was I wrong...
Without giving to much away, the story is based around a group if adrenaline junky females who after one suffers a terrible accident they decide to cave dwelling in the Appalacian Mountains. There are no dumb blondes here, no ridiculous dialogue and no men. This is an all woman cast with an intelligent script! But things quickly go wrong and our band of smart, fiesty female warriors must do anything in their power to survive. But the best part is the way the film is played out. It starts out as a pyschological thriller when mother nature is the first negative of the trip. And while that is bad enough, things get much, much worse.
Where most horror films have some intense scene, then it dies off, then picks back up, then dies off again (and again and again and again) The Descent doesn't break its hold. Once the terror begins, it continues until the film ends. And at only 96 minutes, little space is wasted to catch your breath once the insanity begins.
I wish more horror films were this smart and well put together. Maybe in time the genre will pick itself back up from all these terrible PG-13 bores (I'm looking at you The Ring and The Grudge), but until then, I will thoroughly enjoy The Descent, knowing someone got it right.
9.0 VISUALS I actually have watched The Descent on blu-ray and DVD and there were alot of details in the blu-ray version that I didn't see in the DVD release. But again, this film does take place in dark, damp caves, so not alot of visuals to base this score off of.
9.3 SOUND The eerie sounds of caves, women howling in a frenzy and creepy creatures make this a treat for the sound geeks. Echoes are realistic and you get the sense they filmed this in an actual cave (newsflash: they didn't).
7.5 PACKAGING I like the cover, but the main screen is just okay. I flashlight shines on each option while a few lines of dialogue run on repetition until you choose an option.
8.0 EXTRAS The Descent comes with 2 commentaries. One is a cast commentary, which has most of the main characters and the director as they talk about a varied of things (such as the "vagina cave") and have a blast as they laugh over anything and everything. Not as annoying as it sound. The second is the crew commentary which is obviously more detail oriented. It plays a bit slower, but still an interesting listen.
"Descending: An Underground Experience" is a PiP type feature that runs through the whole film with production videos and designs for different sets.
"Descending" (yes, it is called this) is an interview with the director. A neat little look at the original title of the film, why he chose to make it and other assorted goods.
"The Descent: Beaneath the Scenes" A 40-minute documentary type piece where the cast and crew talk about their favorite sci-fi / horror films and behind the scenes moments.
"Deleted and Extended Scenes", there's not much to see here. Nothing too different from how the movie plays out.
"Caving: An HD Experience" is an odd look at caving. It's just shown through the camera's view and has no dialogue as we wonder through a cave for about 7 minutes. Fans of cave dwelling with find joy here, but without any commentary, the res of us will be bored by this.
"Storyboard to Scene Comparisons" is just like every other of these types of features. A few minutes of watching the storyboards compare to the actual film.
"Still Gallery", this has some great pictures which actually makes it wortwhile.
"Outtakes" is a short piece of bloopers and falls along with the crazy creatures tapping their man-jibblets. For some I could see people laughing hysterically at this, but I only found it mildly amusing.
IN CLOSING The Descent proved me wrong in every way I imagined. I thought it would be dumb, typical and not scary at all - but it proved to actually be quite frightening and instantly has become one of my favorite horror movies of all time. The bonus features are impressive, but I feel there's nothing superbly substantial here, but alot of good and decent featurettes. But that can't ruin a great looking film for its blu-ray release.
9.6/10 "INCREDIBLE"』
(Read the book by Jeff Long) 『I read the book The Descent by Jeff Long first, and LOVED IT! I was excited to find out there was a movie based on the book, until I watched the movie. I was convinced that the screenwriter did not actually read the book, but just heard about the story from a friend of a friend, and kind of made something up around the idea. The movie is good, but really has nothing to do with the book other than some demon like creatures in a cave- and I must say again, the book is such a great read. I might have rated this movie with more stars if I had not had such high expections unmet by comparing it to the book for the duration.
The Descent (the book) by Jeff Long one of those stories that you'll want to tell everyone about as you read it, and you'll be loaning out your copy to everyone that you can convince to take it. Tell then that if you're not a reader, read the first chapter. SO FREAKY! If you "kind of read sometimes", read the first three chapters. The first chapter is about some mountain explorers, the second chapter is around legends from a native african tribe, and the third chapter is from a military perspective. The rest of the book goes in to connecting the three perspectives (individual explorers, legends, and military involvment) into a thrilling story that will stick with you. If you're an avid reader, read all of The Descent and then it's sequel, Deeper. Deeper starts with some missing trick-or-treaters, and goes more into scientific and religious discussions around Long's idea of devils.』
(A movie that explores the dark recesses of the subconscious) 『First off I have to give credit to someone on IMDB (grayden1977) who mentioned the symbolism in this film. Prior to reading that review I found this to be an average movie. But once you realise the importance of metaphors, this turns out to be a great horror story.
Basically, this movie explores the dark side of the human psyche - the side that we don't show and find hard to confront. Nonetheless it's the part of us that is roused when we need to conquer our demons and set things right. This movie could be summarised as an allegorical telling of a particularly nasty argument between two friends - one where no punches are pulled and everything is dragged into the open.
The film begins with a group of friends who are whitewater rafting. The husband and daughter of one of the women (Sarah) stand nearby watching. On the drive back, Sarah's husband seems distracted by something and ends up crashing the car leaving Sarah as the only survivor. We then skip to a year later. The five friends have planned another trip with Sarah, in part to lift her spirits but also to bring them together again (we find out that certain girls haven't visited her since the accident). The trip is headed up by Juno, a risk-taking, adrenaline junkie who's planned out a caving expedition for them. She continually states that the trip is for Sarah. We soon learn that Juno had been having an affair with Sarah's husband, which may have been why he was distracted on the day of the accident - it is not clear if Sarah is aware of the affair. The day of their trip starts slowly but the pace soon picks up and they're quickly within the cave. It doesn't take long for the girls to get into trouble but it's just the start of their nightmarish ordeal. The cave is a metaphor for Sarah's subconscious, which is still troubled by the death of her family. What happens within the cave is how her morality manifests itself in the physical world.
Throughout the movie, the viewer is challenged with claustrophobia-inducing camerawork, an inventive use of colours, light and darkness and a good deal of gore. But the scariest part is being let into the mind of a grieving woman looking for solace who finds something truly horrifying.
*** SPOILERS ***
I hate to mention spoilers in a review but this stuff is just too good to pass up. Since it is Juno that leads Sarah and the girls into the cave (and ultimately gets them trapped and lost), we can assume that she is the reason Sarah has been forced to confront the death of her family and the possible causes for it. We get plenty of hints that Juno was having an affair with Sarah's husband and this may have been why he was distracted that day. I interpreted Sarah's morality as somewhat twisted by this point (hence the dark cave, collapsed tunnels and strange monsters) and this is why she feels that Juno is responsible for her family's death. Juno was definitely selfish, neglected to bring a map and left one of their friends to die, but she also tried to save Holly from being dragged away. It's interesting that she tries to save Holly without anyone else around but then leaves the other girl (whom she accidentally killed) to die by herself. Later, when Sarah is separated from the group, Juno makes a "public" show of "not leaving without Sarah". I didn't really like the way the monsters looked but I think they were intentionally humanoid because they represent Sarah's "demons"; specifically, they represent Sarah's evil desire to kill Juno.
The ending might be seen as cliched, especially since it involves a dream-like sequence, but I think it works in this case and it wasn't a cheap way of tying up loose ends (as is the case in many other movies).』
("Six Chicks with Picks") 『Six women go spelunking...and find flesh-eating beasties.
Such is the basic gist of THE DESCENT. The film is very-well done; the cast of relative unknowns are all believable and relatable, and writer/director Neil Marshall certainly knows what he's doing. The atmosphere is prevalent and truly frightening; while the film isn't necessarily claustrophobic (maybe it is; I've never been very claustrophobic myself), it is certainly a "close" picture, thrusting you right in there with the characters as they go through this living hell. You're on the edge of your seat the whole picture, never quite knowing what'll happen next, and it all leads up to a truly haunting finale.
Then why the three stars? Because it bugs the hell out of me whenever a movie shirks its potential greatness to become something less than what it is. There is tremendous talent behind this film--the cast, the cinematography, the writing, the directing--which makes its shortcoming all the more regrettable. The film's first half is fantastic--part Tarantino, part "Alien." The cave system itself is terrifying, and the audience is frightened right alongside the cast. And then...it becomes something of a zombie film set underground. Not to say these creatures are zombies; but that's what they come off as--flesh-eating, fast-moving, blind (yet somehow with functioning eyes?) zombies. It's a terrible shame; if there weren't so many of the creatures, or if the emphasis wasn't so fully upon them in the second half, their presence could be justified (if if there existence never truly is; there are a few hints as to their origins, but honestly, the film would have been more believable if the creatures' origins were left completely unspoken).
Thus, THE DESCENT is a great film that winds up being only a mediocre one. It's still a must-see for horror fans, as the first half of the movie especially is truly outstanding. Certainly it's worth watching to reassure yourself that there is true talent working in the horror industry today, with a writer/director (and cast) who knows how to relate to you, to entertain you, and to terrify you.』 『On an annual extreme outdoor adventure six women meet in a remote part of the Appalachians to explore a cave hidden deep in the woods. Far below the surface of the earth disaster strikes when a rock fall blocks their exit and there's no way out. The women push on praying for another exit but there is something else lurking under the earth. The friends are now prey forced to unleash their most primal instincts in an all-out war against an unspeakable horror - one that attacks without warning again and again and again.Special Features: Audio Commentary with Director Neil Marshall and Crew Audio Commentary with Director Neil Marshall and Cast "Making of THE DESCENT" Deleted and Extended Scenes Storyboard and Scene Comparison Still Gallery Cast and Crew Bios Outtakes DesEnding - An Interview with Director Neil Marshall TrailersSystem Requirements:Running Time: 99 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: UNRATED UPC: 031398206422 Manufacturer No: 20642』 『Claustrophobia and bloody mayhem collide in the high-adrenaline horror flickThe Descent. Six women (including one who lost her husband and child the year before, and one who harbors a bitter secret) spelunk in an unexplored cavern system that turns out to harbor mysterious, predatory creatures. That sums up the story, but--as with writer-director Neil Marshall's previous low-concept movie,Dog Soldiers--the plot doesn't begin to describe the riveting, stomach-lurching thrills this movie provides. The script affords the relatively unknown cast (led by Shauna Macdonald and Natalie Mendoza, both excellent) just enough room to make their characters distinct and genuine, so that when they're dropped into utmost peril our empathy is engaged as much as our fear. The dynamic direction and editing make the cavern a palpable, physical presence, even before the creepy beasts crawl out of their nooks. This is not a movie for everyone; it is extremely gruesome and will induce panic attacks in anyone with even a mild fear of closed spaces. But for anyone seeking something smarter, faster, and more wrenching than static torture-fests likeSaworHostel,The Descentwill draw you into its unsettling ooze.--Bret Fetzer』
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