Ray Bradbury's Chronicles: The Martian Episodes (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)I remember the "Martian Chronicles" with Rock Hudson, Maria Schell and others and I'm still waiting for a re-release of this mini-series. I bought "The Martian episodes" instead and it's nothing but a cheap and unnecessary remake. Sci-Fi Fans will maybe enjoy it, but there is certainly better stuff on the market !

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The Blob Review

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(More customer reviews)When I saw that the CRITERION COLLECTION was bringing THE BLOB to DVD - I have to admit I was shocked. This effective and classy little 1950's monster flick was getting the kind of star treatment that most films released on DVD are begging for. And for good reason... THE BLOB is an excellent movie. It hits all the marks, it stands it grounds, it never bores you and it provides you with a original (and even credible) monster that to this day is still more sinister than most that cross the screen (and yet remains the most fun - really, if gum chewed back, it would look like the BLOB). CRITERION again shines here... period style box art (including in the lower left corner a warning that the producers of THE BLOB can not be held libal for heart attacks or faninting from watching the film), a fact based booklet featuring the orginal poster art from the release for it's cover, plus a half sheet poster of the box art that is high quality and all glossy... a beautiful touch. The disc features an excellent transfer of the film. The colors are crisp and the sound is still effective and well balanced. Two audio commentaries are included with the disc, and each are insightful and entertaining. Both remain pretty much screen specific, but do branch out from time to time to explain a host of inside details (like why McQueen wished had had taken a percentage of THE BLOB, and how the leading lady wasn't cast until the very last second... which was the very first day of shooting). Trailer is included, as well as what is really a excellent addition... a photo collection of behind the scene stills, effects (even what the real BLOB looked like off camera and just how big it really was... little hint: not very), and rare BLOB props and BLOB memorabilia - overall CRITERION has given us yet another must have for DVD owners. If you're a fan of the period and the genre, then THE BLOB is a must, I can not recommend it enough... it's pure fun. And if you know someone this holiday season that is getting a DVD and into 50's shockers... start them off right and pick up the BLOB.

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Alien From L.A. (1988) Review

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(More customer reviews)I remembered seeing this on Mystery Science Theater 3000 a long time ago, so I thought it might be interesting to get the original movie and see how it stands up.
It doesn't.
We start with Kathy hanging out on Malibu Beach (wearing a big oversized T-shirt), getting dumped by her boyfriend. Then she gets a letter informing her that her father (who she hasn't seen in 10 years) has been killed. He was an archaeologist working in Africa. He had a theory that Atlantis was a giant spaceship that sunk to the center of the Earth after a volcanic eruption. So, Kathy goes to Africa and ends up falling down the same bottomless pit her father fell into. (It's about 30 feet deep, all the way to the center of the Earth!). Anyhow, she finds Atlantis and the government puts a price on her head - they don't like "aliens" from the surface. So various people chase her around while a couple of guys she meets defend her.
Overall, this movie is just silly and boring. Imagine "Space Hunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone", except instead of being done for a teen audience it's done for an audience of nine year old kids. You can't take any of the action the least bit seriously because it's all done in such a silly way. Really, this would make a great double-bill with "The Goonies". What the heck is the point in hiring a supermodel to star in a film for little kids?
Overall, very disappointing. If you wanna see Kathy, but one of her exercise videos instead. They're much sexier than this silly thing.

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Mole People (1956) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Mole People is an interesting movie. John Agar is the leader of an anthropological expedition looking for another lost tribe somewhere in the mountains of the Middle East. The expedition (includes Beaver's dad Hugh Beaumont) accidentally find the lost Sumerians (Batman's Alfred, Alan Napier is the high priest). The Mole People can't stand the sunlight, offer sacrifices, have a terrible dance scene, and end the end appear to be destroyed. It's not a bad movie and the Mystery Science 3000 version is even better.

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Martha Graham Dance on Film: The Criterion Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD was absolutely outstanding for me (unfamiliar with modern dance) and exceeded my wife's expectations (very knowledgeable and familiar with modern dance). The reasons for this very positive impression were: Martha herself narrates and explains the whole DVD, the film producer also provides insights into Martha's life and personality, and original dancers performing the original productions.
Very enjoyable either as an expert or as a beginner.

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The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection, Vols. 1 & 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Universal has finally seen the folly of their ways in selling this set exclusively via Best Buy and is re-releasing both volumes 1 & 2 in one set. Included are all ten films in the original sets, but once again there will be no extra features - just the films themselves and some trailers. If you love the great campy horror films of the 1950's you'll love this set. The following is from the press release on the new combined set:
Tarantula (1955, 81 min.)
An experiment to create a growth formula that could end starvation evolves into a nightmare when a contaminated spider grows gargantuan - with an appetite to match!
The Mole People (1956, 78 min.)
Deep below the surface of the earth, three scientists stumble upon a tyrannical tribe of albinos who have enslaved a mutant - and dangerous - race of mole people.
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957, 81 min.)
After encountering a mysterious radioactive mist, an ordinary businessman finds his physical size diminishing as his ordinary household becomes a terrifying trap of doom. By the way, who keeps a cat in the house with a six inch tall husband around?
The Monolith Monsters (1957, 76 min.)
In a desperate race against time and nature, a geologist and a scientist must find a way to stop effects of killer outer-space rocks that are literally petrifying people with fear!
Monster on the Campus (1958, 76 min)
Terror sweeps a college campus after the discovery of a prehistoric fish that turns animals and humans that come into contact with it into bloodthirsty monsters.
Dr. Cyclops (1940, 78 min) in COLOR!
A brilliant but deranged physicist shrinks his enemies to one-fifth of their normal size when they begin to challenge his unconventional experiments.
Cult of the Cobra (1955, 80 min)
Vengeance is sworn against six American GI's after they witness a clandestine ceremony worshiping beautiful women who can change into serpents.
The Land Unknown (1957, 79 min)
When a navy expedition crash-lands in a crater thousands of miles below sea level, they encounter a hot, tropical landscape of prehistoric terror filled with ferocious dinosaurs.
The Deadly Mantis (1957, 79 min)
A paleontologist teams up with the military to battle a huge praying mantis when it goes on the attack in metropolitan cities after being released from an Arctic iceberg.
The Leech Woman (1960, 77 min)
Determined to recapture her beauty, a woman discovers a compound that will restore youth - but only when it's combined with fluid taken from bodies of the newly dead.

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The Ray Bradbury Theater, Vol. 1 (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you like "the Twilight Zone" then you will probably like "the Ray Bradbury Theatre". This bargain priced DVD offers 13 episodes of the show that ran on HBO in the mid-80s. HBO did not skimp on production costs either. Great sets and effects for the era, HBO recruited the likes of Peter O'Toole, Jeff Goldblum, Drew Barrymore Leslie Neilsen, and even William Shatner to star in the episodes. All the shows are based on short stories written by Mr. Bradbury who we see in the opening credits typing away and telling us how he comes up with his ideas. Some of the shows are horror, some sci-fi, some just kind of fun. You cannot go wrong with this one. Some of the best stuff produced for TV in the 80s. "The Town where nobody got off" is a personal favorite.

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The Ray Bradbury Theater, Vol. 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Ray Bradbury has written some of my favorite "science fiction" stories, although he is not limited strictly to the rockets and space genre. He also writes some creepy drama stuff, which is the main content of this TV-produced series.
Each one is a half hour (or 24 minutes in this case), and normally features a single big-name actor (Donald Pleasence, David Ogden Stiers, etc) surrounded by mostly unknown Canadian or British actors.
Picture is only VHS quality, sound is OK. I had no operational problems as mentioned by the other reviewer.
The performances are nothing special, however, and in general the story on screen is not as powerful as the written word. This is due of course to Bradbury's story-telling ability and talent as a writer.
The episodes are mostly so-so, and include "The Dwarf", "The Lake", "Tyrannosaurus Rex" and "The Veldt".
I generally liked volume 1 better, and thus gave that one an extra star.
If you've never read any Bradbury, this series probably will not encourage you to do so, but I do. Some of his books are legitimate candidates for "best ever". Here are some I like best:
Novels include:
Fahrenheit 451 (mind control and thought suppression)(also movie)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (boy and fantasy carnival)(also movie)
The better short story collections:
"The Martian Chronicles" (exploration and settlement of Mars)(TV movie on DVD).
"R is for Rocket", or "S is for Space" are early collections of short stories ranging from true science fiction (collecting a portion of the sun) through fantasy (love-lorn sea monster meets lighthouse/foghorn).
"The Illustrated Man" (a man's tattoos have a "mind of their own" and tell 19 stories about rains on Venus, strange children's nursery, etc)(movie with Rod Steiger.)


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