Showing posts with label childhood memories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label childhood memories. Show all posts

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (30th Anniversary Edition) (1971) Review

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (30th Anniversary Edition) (1971)
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In 1971, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, a film many call a Mary Poppins rip-off, premiered at Radio City Music Hall, but in a version in which nearly half an hour of footage, including full songs, was removed. For its 25th Anniversary in 1996, Disney re-inserted all of the deleted footage except for one musical number in which the picture was lost. The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences screened this in 1996, but it didn't get a theatrical release, and for years, the only way Americans could get it was either by the 1997 laserdisc release, an import of a European video, or by catching it on occasion on the Disney Channel.
Finally, in 2001, for the film's 30th Anniversary, Disney released a DVD with this extended version of the film. Restored and remastered, the film now has a clearer plot, extended musical numbers, and songs previously deleted. The brilliant "Portobello Road" number is now restored to its original running time, as well as Miss Price's response verses, titled "Don't Let Me Down" during Mr. Browne's song "Eglantine," and the previously entirely deleted songs "With A Flair" and "Nobody's Problems" are restored to the film.
The DVD is a mixed bag. The transfer is quite nice, but Lowry Digital, who did the recent Mary Poppins, Bambi, and Cinderella DVD restorations, could punch it up a little, as on occasion, I saw a bit of grain, and the occasional film artifact, especially during the closing credits and Walt Disney Pictures logo. However, this film has still never looked better on home video, so it's fine with me.
The extras could have been better. An actual making-of on the film would have been nice, including footage used in the Music Magic featurette. While that featurette does give some nice insight on the restoration, there's nothing behind-the-scenes about it except for the creation of the music score. Nothing about the effects, actors, nothing. But it's worth a look for info on the film's 1996 restoration. A larger gallery would have been nice. I do like the inclusion of the two cartoons. And of course, I'm happy to see that they have included theatrical trailers.
The best supplement, however, is the deleted song A Step In The Right Direction. That song was the catalyst that jump started this restoration project to begin with, so there's a bit of irony here in the fact that they couldn't find the footage of the song. So the supplement on the DVD, which is ported over from the 1997 laserdisc and was shown after the movie when the Disney Channel aired the restored version, is reconstructed using still photos of the scene and the original soundtrack. Hopefully one day, the footage will be found and they will be able to reinstate the number into the film, or at least they'll decide to include the photo reconstruction a la the restored version of A Star Is Born with Judy Garland.
Some have complained that there isn't an option to watch the original, shorter version due to its length and/or the poor dubbing of the voices in deleted scenes. (For much of the non-musical deleted footage, original dialogue soundtracks could not be found, so many of the deleted scenes had to be re-dubbed.) While I prefer the restored version despite the dubbing flaws, I think it would be wise of Disney to release both versions on DVD. Next year is the 35th Anniversary - maybe Disney will make a 2-disc DVD featuring both editions, with bonuses spread out on each disc, to appease all fans. Or better yet, a 3-Disc Collector's Edition, with discs 1 and 2 containing both cuts of the film and disc 3 with all the supplements. While neither edition is likely, the 2-Disc is a more likely option.
In conclusion, I can heartily recommend this DVD. The film has been lovingly restored and remastered, featuring almost all of the footage left on the cutting room floor in 1971, and features a nice handful of bonuses.

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An Academy Award(R) winner for Best Visual Effects (1971), BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS is a magical blend of live action and animation that makes it one of Disney's most enduring classics. This magical 30th anniversary edition version of the film is now yours to enjoy in digital splendor on this remastered, fully restored DVD! BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS is the enchanting story of an amateur witch who, along with three precocious orphans, flies into one fantastic adventure after another aboard a bewitched bed. The legendary Angela Lansbury is charming as the witch, and the inimitable David Tomlinson (MARY POPPINS) delights as the amusing professor whose help Lansbury and the children enlist in order to find an ancient incantation that will save the country from hostile invaders! This special edition BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS DVD includes many bonus features and is sure to be a film the entire family will want to watch again and again!

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The Goonies (1985) Review

The Goonies (1985)
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Director Richard Donner has gone into his wine cellar, retrieved this vintage flick, and poured it out for today's kids who might enjoy it along with a serving of Spy Kids and Harry Potter.Now, what is a goony, they might ask? Well, in this case, it's one of seven kids who find themselves searching for buried pirate loot, and running from the villainous Fratelli family. It's Saturday-matinee serial redux; SEE the Goonies escape from Steven Spielberg death-traps and Rube Goldberg booby traps! LAUGH at the unforgettable 'Truffle Shuffle!' APPLAUD as our heroes save the day, and WISH they'd made a sequel.Donner's wine has improved with age. The rapid pacing, the unraveling mystery, the over-lapping dialogue...and the incomparable Anne Ramsey as Mama Fratelli. Ahhhh, what a great actress. She scared the lice off of me as a kid, and can still do it, sixteen years later. And Sloth, cousin to the Incredible Hulk. How much can one love a misunderstood movie mutant? And Jeff Cohen as Chunk, possibly the greatest juvenile scene-stealer in motion picture history, (although, unlike most kid actors, you WANT him to do it).OVER 21 ALERT: It's not just a kids' movie! Oh, no! There's plenty for the big kids, really! This DVD has for example, several deleted scenes, including the infamous and mysterious 'octopus' scene, subject of much discussion and speculation. Well, now you can see for yourself why it was cut...We have here also the complete two-part Cyndi Lauper "Goonies R Good Enough" music video, guest-starring the Goonies cast, the Bangles as lady pirates, the hibachi chefs, the professional wrestlers, the plastic cow, Dave and Wendy and...(drum roll)...Andre the Giant! Yes, it's all here...the 12-minute video that was almost long enough (and funny enough) to be Goonies II.But never mind all this. What the grown-ups REALLY want to see is the Director's Commentary. That's right, SEE. This special edition DVD occasionally allows you to see the stars and director chat and reminisce about the picture, and...WOW. ALL SEVEN Goonies are here! Chatting, bickering, laughing, remembering. And I KNOW you all want to see how well the Goonies aged over 16 years. Very well, actually. And it's funny to note that Corey Feldman's character was called "Mouth," as he blabs away, hogging most of the commentary himself, (with Martha Plimpton in second place for the Chatterbox award). Interestingly, Sean Astin simply gets up and walks out halfway through the movie. Why? No one could say. Perhaps that will someday be as big a mystery as the 'octopus' scene...

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Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden dubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys... and a mild-mannered monster with a face only a mother could love.DVD Features:Audio CommentaryDeleted ScenesDocumentaryMusic VideoOuttakesTheatrical Trailer


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Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season (1976) Review

Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season (1976)
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I have 4 kids ranging in age from 9 down to a newborn but this year for Christmas I was the one screaming and jumping up and down more than any of the kids. When I opened up the Wonder Woman season DVD I almost passed out. I just couldn't believe it. I was a HUGE fan as a kid. I had wonder woman barbie, towels,etc. I used to love to pretend that I was Wonder Woman with all my friends. I even had told my kids all the stories of Wonder Woman that I could remember so that even THEY were excited when they realized they woudl finally get to watch the show and not just hear about it. I don't think my kids knew how to react seeing their mom so hyped about something!!!! When my husband hit play and the Wonder Woman song came on it all came back to me. I was absolutely in heaven!! I was dancing and rocking out to "You're a wonder, Wonder Woman!!!!" All my kids were dancing with me and I was so excited to see my kids being introduced to the greatest tv show of all time! Ok....well that could by my nostalgia from childhood but no matter how hokey this show was (and now as an adult I realize it was pretty hokey) I just don't care. As far as I am concerned Wonder Woman is still the best tv show ever made. I love Lynda Carter. I was such a loyal devoted fan that even when she starred in that one hour show with Lonnie Anderson later in the 80's that got cancelled quickly I still watched the show out of loyalty to Lynda Carter. The show she was in with Lonnie was not a good show but I was a devoted Wonder Woman fan to the end. I hope they come out with every single episode ever made. I will buy every one.

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Meet the United States' secret and most beautiful weapon in the fight against tyranny: Wonder Woman!Season One of Wonder Woman (the Pilot Movie and 13 regular episodes) retains the World War II era of the super heroine's early comic book adventures. Also captured is the exuberant tone of a comic book come to screen life as the warrior princess, empowered by her sense of a woman's worth and by the mysterious substance Feminum that's found only on her remote native isle, battles a succession of Nazi baddies. Former Miss USA Lynda Carter stars as the heroine who hides her identity behind the oversized glasses of a War Department functionary. But when duty and danger call, she transforms. And the wonders never cease.

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The Neverending Story (1984) Review

The Neverending Story (1984)
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In 1994, Wolfgang Petersen directed the film adaptation of the German novel "Die Unendliche Geschichte", which was written by Michael Ende (1929-1995). The film/novel is better known in the U.S. with its English title of "The Neverending Story". It was also the first film that Wolfgang Petersen filmed in English. The story begins with a troubled boy named Bastian (Barret Oliver), who is being raised by his father (Gerald McRaney). An avid reader with an active imagination, Bastian walks into a used bookstore owned by Mr. Koreander (Thomas Hill) and finds a mysterious book that captures his curiosity. Mr. Koreander seemingly doesn't want to sell the book to him, but Bastian manages to run from the store with book in hand. Bastian takes the book to school with him, where he is tormented by three bullies (Drum Garrett, Darryl Cooksey & Nicholas Gilbert). To avoid the bullies, Bastian finds refuge in a rarely-used attic within the school and begins to read from the book about a magical land called Fantasia. Fantasia is a wonderful place with many unusual characters and is ruled by the Childlike Princess (Tami Stronach), but something terrible is happening to Fantasia as parts of it are disappearing by an unknown force referred to only as "the nothing". The Childlike Princess calls upon the strongest warrior to find a human child to stop "the nothing". The warrior, a boy named Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) of a tribe similar to Native Americans, takes the protective signet that the Childlike Princess gives to him and sets off to find a human child, which can only be found beyond the bounds of Fantasia. To his astonishment, as Bastian reads the book and the many adventures, challenges and dangers and Atreyu faces, Bastian slowly begins to realize whom Atreyu and the Childlike Princess are actually seeking.
With imaginative characters, good cinematography & special effects and an endearing & well-written story, "The Neverending Story" is a wonderful and engaging film that not only captures Bastian's imagination in the story, but the audience's imagination as well. Other memorable characters in the film include Teeny Weeny (Deep Roy), Night Hob (Tilo Pruckner), Cairon (Moses Gunn), Engywook (Sydney Bromley), Urgl (Patricia Hayes), Falkor (voice of Alan Oppenheimer), Rock Biter, the Racing Snail and the Bat. Overall, I rate "The Neverending Story" with 5 out of 5 stars and very highly recommend it to both young & old alike. It's a wonderful film that can be watched time and again without becoming tiresome. Sadly, the film's two sequels (produced in 1990 & 1994) were far less memorable. Other films directed by Wolfgang Petersen include "Das Boot" (1981), "Enemy Mine" (1985), "The Perfect Storm" (2000) and "Troy" (2004).

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JOIN THE YOUNG ATREYU AND THE FAITH OF A YOUNG BOY, BASTIAN, AS THEY BATTLE THE UNKNOWN OF THE NOTHING TO SAVE THE CREATURES OF FANTASIA AND THEIR CHILDLIKE EMPRESS.

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The Goonies (1985) Review

The Goonies (1985)
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Director Richard Donner has gone into his wine cellar, retrieved this vintage flick, and poured it out for today's kids who might enjoy it along with a serving of Spy Kids and Harry Potter.Now, what is a goony, they might ask? Well, in this case, it's one of seven kids who find themselves searching for buried pirate loot, and running from the villainous Fratelli family. It's Saturday-matinee serial redux; SEE the Goonies escape from Steven Spielberg death-traps and Rube Goldberg booby traps! LAUGH at the unforgettable 'Truffle Shuffle!' APPLAUD as our heroes save the day, and WISH they'd made a sequel.Donner's wine has improved with age. The rapid pacing, the unraveling mystery, the over-lapping dialogue...and the incomparable Anne Ramsey as Mama Fratelli. Ahhhh, what a great actress. She scared the lice off of me as a kid, and can still do it, sixteen years later. And Sloth, cousin to the Incredible Hulk. How much can one love a misunderstood movie mutant? And Jeff Cohen as Chunk, possibly the greatest juvenile scene-stealer in motion picture history, (although, unlike most kid actors, you WANT him to do it).OVER 21 ALERT: It's not just a kids' movie! Oh, no! There's plenty for the big kids, really! This DVD has for example, several deleted scenes, including the infamous and mysterious 'octopus' scene, subject of much discussion and speculation. Well, now you can see for yourself why it was cut...We have here also the complete two-part Cyndi Lauper "Goonies R Good Enough" music video, guest-starring the Goonies cast, the Bangles as lady pirates, the hibachi chefs, the professional wrestlers, the plastic cow, Dave and Wendy and...(drum roll)...Andre the Giant! Yes, it's all here...the 12-minute video that was almost long enough (and funny enough) to be Goonies II.But never mind all this. What the grown-ups REALLY want to see is the Director's Commentary. That's right, SEE. This special edition DVD occasionally allows you to see the stars and director chat and reminisce about the picture, and...WOW. ALL SEVEN Goonies are here! Chatting, bickering, laughing, remembering. And I KNOW you all want to see how well the Goonies aged over 16 years. Very well, actually. And it's funny to note that Corey Feldman's character was called "Mouth," as he blabs away, hogging most of the commentary himself, (with Martha Plimpton in second place for the Chatterbox award). Interestingly, Sean Astin simply gets up and walks out halfway through the movie. Why? No one could say. Perhaps that will someday be as big a mystery as the 'octopus' scene...

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Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden dubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys... and a mild-mannered monster with a face only a mother could love.

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V: The Complete Series (1984) Review

V: The Complete Series (1984)
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In 1985, I didn't have a VCR. I loved "V" in 1983 and enjoyed "V The Final Battle" in 1984. I was really happy to hear that the struggles of Mike Donovan and the rest of the resistance were coming back as a series. At the time I worked at a local grocery store and, as fate would have it, I was usually scheduled when V the series was on. As a result I only caught a few episodes here and there when I had a day off. It was not as good as the two mini series but I thought it was entertaining. After a mere 19 episodes the show was cancelled and V was gone forever.
Since that time, I ran across friends who didn't like the series. Whenever I found articles about "V", the series follow up was always dismissed as crass exploitation of the franchise. Last week, WB released the series (possibly to test the wind for a new mini series) on DVD for the first time. Finally, after nearly two decades (can it be that long?) I have been able to finally discover what the series was all about. Here are my impressions:
There will be many SPOILERS so please do not read further if you want to be surprised.
1. This series isn't bad. It is not as good as the two mini-series but it is entertaing in its own right. I also think that this show was innovative in the field of TV Science Fiction. Prior to "V", Science Fiction was very episodic. Star Trek, Space: 1999, Logan's Run, Planet of the Apes, Buck Rogers and to a certain extent, Battlestar Galactica all told self contained stories. The plot was resolved by the end of the hour. "V" The series was different in this respect. It had story arcs and continuing plot threads. Every episode ended in a cliff-hanger and it left you wanting more. In this aspect, it has a modern flavor. Like Babylon 5, StarGate SG 1 and Season 3 Enterprise, it tells a big story over a run of several episodes.
2. People could die on "V". For most TV shows, you know that the heroes will make it in the end. Not on "V". Over the 19 episodes, long-standing characters like Dr. Maxwell and Elias Taylor buy the farm surprisingly abruptly. This raised the stakes dramatically and kept the viewer involved in the narrative.
3. The cast was great. Marc Singer was perfectly cast as heroic Mike Donovan. Micheal Ironside ruled as perfect tough guy Ham. Jane Badler was very memorable as Uber-B**ch, Diana. June Chadwick was suitably catty as Diana'a rival Lydia. Duncan Rehgar was fantastic as Charles, the leader's envoy. His fight with Donovan in "The Hero" is classic. He was a great villain and it is a great shock when he is killed after a mere 4 episodes.
4. There is a sense that this is merely a peek at a global war with the Visitors. For the first 12 episodes or so, The Freedom Network newscaster, Howard K. Smith ( A real journalist by the way) reads the headlines on the state of the war. We learn that the Visitors are sweeping through Spain and so forth. This makes us understand that The resistance in LA is only one story in this global conflict. It really gives the story a certain gravitas.
5. The stories are often action adventure tales that are on par with anything that was on the air in the mid 1980s. Unfortunately, the sociological aspects that made the first mini series so memorable are ignored completely. The show, evan though it is watered down, is entertaining in its own right.
There are some things that are unfortunatle about this show:
1. All the SFX are recycled from the two mini series. (I think one new shot was filmed for "The Dreadknot.") Even entire sequences are lifted from the minis. Remember when Donovan is on horseback and is being chased by a skyfighter? Well, the entire sequesce appears again in "The Champion." After a while, it becomes really grating to see the same shots over and over. I know that SFX on TV was really expensive back then but WB should have spent some money on new shots.
2. As the series goes on, it is clear that there was less and less money bugeted for each episode. The first episode, "Liberation Day" has an outdoor crowd scene with hundreds of extras. By the last episode, we only have the main characters walking around on the standing sets. By the end, the production valules of the show looked rather thread bare.
3. The producers decided to exploit the alien lizards by showing them without their Human masks. This was a mistake. The people who created the lizard makeups were not as artful as John Chambers. As a result the lizard appliances were very stiff and immoble. By showing the Lizards in their natural state too often, it undermined their credibility as a frightening threat. The full face lizards were about as scary and convincing as a halloween slip on mask. It became a bit silly.
4. I hate cliffhangers that are unresolved. I can't understand why they would create a cliffhanger for a show that was doing poorly in the ratings. It is really unfair to viewers who watched every episode.
5. The Star Child. One of the big weaknesses of "The Final Battle" was the ending where Elizabeth gets all glowy like Decker in Star Trek the Motion Picture. Elizabeth uses some kind of super powers that come out of nowhere and saves the day. In the series, the Star Child goes through some type of metamorphosis and comes out of a cacoon as a 17 year old love interest. Elizabeth's powers become a crutch that the writers could use to solve any problems that face the main characters. This undermines the drama of the series and cheapens the series. The powers were kind of kooky. The Star Child could levitate objects and people, mimic voices, had a photographic memory, raise the dead etc. She could do whatever the plot required. It was strange that they spent so much time on her character. I guess, as a writer with a deadline, she was really handy to have around.
Well, thats my take on the series. I reccomend that if you like V, chances are you will like the series. It is a more cartoony version of Kenneth Johnson's creation but is worthy as entertainment and a nostalgic trip back to the 80s.


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They came for water. And for food. And as it turned out, we were the food. But humanity bravely resisted- a struggle seen in the hit miniseries V and V: The Final Battle. Yet the war continues.The heroic conflict comes to a surprising outcome in V: The Series, presented complete and uncut in this 3-disc, 19-episode set. Once again, Earth is the main battleground. But now the aliens whose human guise hides their true reptilian natures are wiser. They believe the secret to their survival on Earth lies in the DNA of the newly born half-human, half-spaceling Starchild. They intend to capture her. But that's something the world's Resistance Fighters cannot allow.

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Buck Rogers In the 25th Century: The Complete Epic Series (1979) Review

Buck Rogers In the 25th Century: The Complete Epic Series (1979)
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The shows are uncut and look better than you've ever seen them. Thank goodness, they've also included the original theatrical version of the pilot (released to theatres several months before the series aired) which has the most hilarious open credits scenes ever.
Don't worry about the "broadast" version of the pilot not being included; it is mostly just an *edited version* of what was shown in theatres anyway. A brief scene or two were added in the NBC aired version, but these were brief and didn't amount to much. Yes, they would have made a nice extra, but I for one am glad they went with the *original theatrical version* in the set, as it came first anyway.
I never much cared for the second season, but it is also included here! The entire series in one set...who can ask for more?

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BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY - DVD Movie

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The Last Starfighter (Widescreen Collector's Edition) (1984) Review

The Last Starfighter  (Widescreen Collector's Edition) (1984)
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Has it really been 25 years since this movie was released?
That was my first thought when I heard this movie was being released on Blu-ray. My second thought was that my ever burgeoning Blu-ray collection would be increasing by at least one more movie in August.
I will discuss the plot later in this review but I am suspecting that most customers checking this Blu-ray catalog item out on Amazon are perhaps more interested in the Picture and Audio and the special features.
I have never seen the HD-DVD but have read that the HD-DVD transfer was simply horrible and was bracing myself to be disappointed with the quality of the Blu-ray release.
While the transfer is a far cry from anything that anyone would cite as reference quality with a lot of the scenes suffering a smoky look at times, the colors are OK with some distinct black and white levels, but on other occasions muted too much. Still it is an improvment over the previous DVD release, though it''s questionable if this should be enough to double-dip.
The audio has some nice surround and great bass but again is also somewhat average, so if you are expecting an audio track to rival more recent movies you will likely be disappointed.
The highlight of rhe special features is the audio commentary between director Nick Castle and production designer Ron Cobb. This is evidently an old audio track but the two seem to have an enjoyable time. There is also a Making of featurette called "Crossing the Frontier" and, as one would expect with a movie touring itself as a 25th Anniversary Edition, a new featurette that includes cast and crew looking back on the movie and their roles as mentors.
The movie follows the adventures of Alex Rogan (played by Lance Guest). Living in a trailer park and with a beautiful girlfriend Alex spends his time mastering a video arcade game in between doing oddjobs for his neighbors. However, after a particularly successful game at the controls, he is visited by a mysterious character. It turns out that the video game is used as a recruiting tool of sorts to locate those who would be great intergalactic fighter pilots.
Before Alex knows what has hit him the bewildered teen is whisked off across the galaxy and discovers that what was once just a video game is now all too real.
Yes, it's good old 1980s cheese and the early CGI effects are much less impressive now than they were 25 years ago, but for a pure fun movie that does not take itself too seriously you can do much worse :)

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At the time of its original release in 1984, this modestly budgeted sci-fi excursion had the distinction of offering some of the first examples of purely computer-generated animation, an apt (and frugal) special-effects solution for a movie with a plot line rooted in computer games. Both the computer-generated visuals and the arcade game now look quaint, but writer-director Nick Castle's affable, good- hearted adventure holds up nicely, thanks to a clever premise--the title game is actually a test for prospective starship pilots, planted by embattled aliens under siege from an evil invader. When a restless teenager (Lance Guest) racks up an impressive score, he finds himself spirited away to the besieged planet and thrust into the midst of an intergalactic war. Apart from Castle's skill at contrasting his extraterrestrial settings with the mundane details of his hero's earthbound life, the movie gets lift-off from two thorough pros, Robert Preston, who makes the alien recruiter, Centauri, a planet-hopping cousin to "The Music Man"'s Harold Hill, and Dan O'Herlihy, the alien copilot, who suggests a scaly Walter Brennan. Older fans will snicker, but kids and young teens will find this rite of passage absorbing, while their folks will savor Preston's brash charm. "--Sam Sutherland"

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The Black Hole (1979) Review

The Black Hole (1979)
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People would kill me if they read what I'm writing about "The Black Hole". However that's the way I feel about it. This movie was a flop at the box office and most critics weren't so gentle with it. But I really enjoyed this campy sci-fi flick from the Walt Disney Studios for many reasons:
1. I was overwhelmed by the teaser trailer (too bad it's not included on this DVD) where the green grid is moving all over the screen, ending with the Black Hole logo swifting and twisting in black. Awesome!!
2. The black and yellow logo in some of the posters, the one shown on the DVD case.
3. The U.S.S. Cygnus. WOW!!! What a beautiful ship.
4. The robots. Maximillian truly looks menacing. And V.I.N.CENT and Old B.O.B.; the cutest robots since "Star Wars"'s R2-D2.
5. The cast of outstanding performers: Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Roddy McDowell as the voice of V.I.N.CENT.
6. John Barry's majestic score.
7. The final scene, inside the black hole. Those images. Those visual effects. John Barry's music.
This movie might have had some flaws at describing a space version of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", but this is my most cherished guilty pleasure of all time.

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BLACK HOLE - DVD Movie

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The Last Starfighter 25th Anniversary Edition (1984) Review

The Last Starfighter 25th Anniversary Edition (1984)
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Has it really been 25 years since this movie was released?
That was my first thought when I heard this movie was being released on Blu-ray. My second thought was that my ever burgeoning Blu-ray collection would be increasing by at least one more movie in August.
I will discuss the plot later in this review but I am suspecting that most customers checking this Blu-ray catalog item out on Amazon are perhaps more interested in the Picture and Audio and the special features.
I have never seen the HD-DVD but have read that the HD-DVD transfer was simply horrible and was bracing myself to be disappointed with the quality of the Blu-ray release.
While the transfer is a far cry from anything that anyone would cite as reference quality with a lot of the scenes suffering a smoky look at times, the colors are OK with some distinct black and white levels, but on other occasions muted too much. Still it is an improvment over the previous DVD release, though it''s questionable if this should be enough to double-dip.
The audio has some nice surround and great bass but again is also somewhat average, so if you are expecting an audio track to rival more recent movies you will likely be disappointed.
The highlight of rhe special features is the audio commentary between director Nick Castle and production designer Ron Cobb. This is evidently an old audio track but the two seem to have an enjoyable time. There is also a Making of featurette called "Crossing the Frontier" and, as one would expect with a movie touring itself as a 25th Anniversary Edition, a new featurette that includes cast and crew looking back on the movie and their roles as mentors.
The movie follows the adventures of Alex Rogan (played by Lance Guest). Living in a trailer park and with a beautiful girlfriend Alex spends his time mastering a video arcade game in between doing oddjobs for his neighbors. However, after a particularly successful game at the controls, he is visited by a mysterious character. It turns out that the video game is used as a recruiting tool of sorts to locate those who would be great intergalactic fighter pilots.
Before Alex knows what has hit him the bewildered teen is whisked off across the galaxy and discovers that what was once just a video game is now all too real.
Yes, it's good old 1980s cheese and the early CGI effects are much less impressive now than they were 25 years ago, but for a pure fun movie that does not take itself too seriously you can do much worse :)

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\'Greetings, Starfighter! You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the frontier against Xur and the Kodan Armada."So begins an adventure of galactic proportions in The Last Starfighter. After Earthling Alex (Lance Guest) conquers the Starfighter video game, he is recruited by alien Centauri (Robert Preston) to be part of an elite legion of fighters.Leaving behind his trailer park home for the outer regions of space, Alex becomes the last hope for the beleaguered Star League and hundreds of worlds – including Earth.Loaded with out-of-this-world bonus features and digitally remastered for optimum picture quality, The Last Starfighter 25th Anniversary Edition is the ultimate video game fantasy come true!

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