2010: The Year We Make Contact

Amazon.com

No director could ever have hoped to repeat the artistic achievement of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, and nobody knew that better than Peter Hyams, who made this much more conventional film from the first of three sequel novels by Arthur C. Clarke. Whereas Kubrick made a poetic film of mind-expanding ideas and metaphysical mysteries, Hyams shouldn't be blamed for taking a more practical, crowd-pleasing approach. In revealing much of what Kubrick deliberately left unexplained, 2010 lacks the enigmatic awe of its predecessor, but it's still a riveting tale of space exploration and extraterrestrial contact, beginning when a joint American-Soviet mission embarks to determine the cause of failure of the derelict spaceship Discovery. Having arrived at Discovery near the planet Jupiter, the American mission leader (Roy Scheider) and his Russian counterpart (Helen Mirren) must investigate the apparent failure of the ship's infamous onboard computer, HAL 9000, as well as the meaning of countless mysterious black monoliths amassing on Jupiter's surface (an interpretation Kubrick originally left up to his viewers). Meanwhile, Earth is on the brink of nuclear war, and an apparition of astronaut David Bowman (Keir Dullea) appears to repeatedly promise that "something wonderful" is about to happen. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Good movie but............2007-08-20

...what you get will not resemble the product shown. The product shown has a picture of the planet Jupiter and one of its moons in the background, Discovery floating in the foreground, with the monolith (full of stars) in between, movie by MGM studios. What you'll get will be the el cheapo snap case with Jupiter and the infant on the cover, movie by Warner Bros., which you can typically find at WalMart for $7.50.

I thought I would get a decent copy of 2010 in a keep case, what I got was the bargain bin copy in a snap case that I paid too much for.

The 3 stars is for the deception, not the movie. The movie rates 4 stars, with 2001 a strong 5. -kd5-

When all else fails, blow up Jupiter!.......2007-07-16

I think my first review writing on this film lost the one person who decided to respond to my short write up, feeling my write up didn't help them. After thinking this through a little further, I'm taking time to expand on this write up, as I feel my first attempt to express myself made for an ambiguous writing in need of clarification. So let's start over shall we?

I remember the day when I sat in the theatre as a young boy and the opening for the film "2001 A Space Odyssey" appeared on the silver screen. All of us kids were not only stunned by Trumball's great and real like special effects, but by the subtle message Stanley Kubric and Arthur C. Clarke worked to deliver in that film's simple story line. The appearance of the star child in the end, suggestive of reincarnation or rebith or neverending life, was an intersting concept to give Christian dominant America back in those days. Many Christian parents didn't want their kids seeing this film because of the controvery of faith it created for stout Church attending believers back in the early 1960's.

When you thought the film makers of 2001 couldn't say anything further, out comes 2010, with not only a great story line, but even more awesome special effects to help tell the story.

Most people don't realize that the original 2001 story was drawn from premises found in Hindu religion as revealed in the Upanishads of India. It's clear Arthur C. Clarke was versed in these religious studies as you watch both films. The overtones of what God might really be as the formless light holding the creation inside his being; as captured in Hindu & Buddhist writings, not to mention the Christian Bible, takes on form as the Monolith in this film, a life giving force, representing the Creator; who is formless: A message that is made clear at the end of this film if you just listen to what is said at the end. Not to know this is to interpret the message in 2001 incorrectly concerning the issues of the Universe, eternity, physical life and the existence of parallel expressions of the one Universe scientists call "parallel Universes".

From the Latin, the word "Universe" means "One Word" and you find Jesus Christ in the Bible always refering to Himself as the "One Word". In John the Apostle's writings we find the location of the Universe given in John 1:1-3, which reads from the Septuigent Greek into the English; "In the beginning was the One Word; the One Word was with God and the One Word was God". If you insert the word "Universe" for every instance of the passages where it reads the "One Word", you get the true location of the Universe and what God was talking about concerning the Tree of Life spoken about in the Garden of Eden as you read Genesis of the Bible. The passage now reads; "In the beginning was the Universe; the Universe was with God and the Universe was God". We then learn the creation is suspended inside of God made out of the pure white light stuff of God's being.

E=MC2, which Albert Einstein discoverd via the Bible codes he was playing around with back in the 1940's actually read from God's point of view as m=E/C2. What this tells any scientist is that God created mass, i.e., planets and stars with the byproduct revealing time and space as we know it and this was done by slowing down His white light energy (E) by the speed of light squared (C2) which condensed down into gross solid matter. Scientists call this the "big bang theory", but this revelation well supports the law of the Conservations and transferance of energy in physics. The result was the revealing of time and space as you look up into the night sky making it possible for God to create a physical creation suspended inside of his being. These overtones are throughout the 2010 film, especially the message given at the end of the film.

Man reads the equation as E=MC2, because that is the process needed to turn all energy, which has been slowed down into solid mass, back into God's pure white light stuff, the first demonstration of that being revealed with the building & detonating of the first atomic bomb. One of the fears the scientists had when detonating the first atomic bomb is that the chain reaction of energy released might go on indefinitely converting the whole planet into the pure white light you see released from the detonation. Fortunately that didn't happen, since the strength of the reaction lessened as it came in contact with the atoms of our atmosphere slowing down and limiting the chain reaction we classify as an "explostion" for lack of a better word to call it in layman's terms.

From the Upanishads, the same revelation, hiding in the Bible, reads as follows: "Enumbete then realized 'I am indeed this creation. For I have poured it forth from myself and in that way He became the Creation. Verily, He who knows this, becomes in this creation, a creator". The Bible reveals that man is made in the "image" of God, meaning God is a creating force and as a result we see man expressing this ability in all he raises up from the ground as he creates on this earth. Even the soul takes its origins from Kabbalist teaching out of the pure white light stuff of God's being while God separated his consciousness into individual consciousnesses called souls. In short, you are not a body with a soul upon knowing this, but a soul having been given a body in order to take presence on the earth and participate in it. Knowing all of this makes it easier to understand what the monolithe is in both films and the purpose it serves in its appearance in both films.

You also find the same revelation given in Jewish Kabbalist teaching. In fact, an excellent book I purchased off of Amazon earlier this year, written by Rabbi Moshe Hayim Luzzato; entitled "The Kabbalah of the Ari Z'al", starts with the first chapter of his book assuming that the reader/student already knows this absolute truth about the Universe. Not to know it is to get lost with even the first chapter of his book, which would then appear abstract to the more earthly minded who might not know this simple basic absolute truth of how the Creation was done. God certainly didn't make everything out of nothing. That doesn't make any sense to any reasonable thinking person, espeically if you can see by God's laws, even with the help of Man's science that God is a logical thinking God, perfect in all His thinking and expression in working with the Creation. However, God did have plenty to draw from out of His own being, when He became the Creation itself suspended as the Tree of Life inside of Him, if you can even use gender to qualify God at this point of understanding. Knowing this also makes is easy to read and understand the deeper revelations of the Holy Bible, if you are a Christian believer who is well beyond fundamentalism in your studies.

While 2010 does not have the esoteric ambiance felt in 2001 with its final revelation discourse, this is still a well done story, following along the lines of the spiritual premise revealed in 2001 concerning the story; with excellent acting and great special effects helping the new story along.

This is really great for the whole family and a must see in my book. No real violence to speak of in this film; just good character development, balanced with good action working to reveal a mystery in the end. It will give you pause to think of the Universe in a way you never thought of before just watching both films and it helps to know the things I know about the religions of the world along with man's science if you really want to understand the message being given in both of these films.

Decent but Clunky Move with No Sense of Wonder.......2007-06-18

First off, the original movie 2001 is in a league of it's own, and few movies can or will ever acheive it's lofty heights.

Having said that, 2010 is a decent movie in the vein of "Alien" or a standard Star Trek movie, but it comes off as very 'clunky' and does nothing to stir our imagination. One reviewer said it plays like a TV-movie, and they're absolutely right. Something about it just seems "off", with abrupt scene cuts, scenes that go nowhere and just end, and absolutely no sense of wonderment or excitement.

The editing is infuriating too. We're jarringly thrown from one scene to another with absolutely no attempt at a smooth transition. One example that dove me nuts - they'll show the monolith floating by Jupiter with the great music playing, then cut to inside the ship with no music, then back outside with music, then inside with no music, etc. Talk about clunky - it gets pretty damn annoying after a while.

The narration by Roy Schieder makes you think you're watching "SeaQuest" and is a bit of overkill as this movie just has to explain EVERYTHING. This movie tells you exactly what's happening before, during and after it has happened, which dilutes any or all excitement. You can definitely check your brain at the door for this one, because it doesn't require you to think about anything - it's all table-spoon fed to you constantly during the film, and that becomes annoying as well.

And there is absolutely no sense of awe or wonder in this film. I do think it's a good Arthur Clarke story, and his stories usually end with Man or another race ascending to a higher plane of existence, and the ending here is similarly along that vein.

It was nice, however, to see Keir Dullea and hear Hal again and to re-visit some of those sets.

Another nitpick - they got the read-out screens wrong in the Discovery. In the scene in the pilot's chair of the Discovery, when they show Hal's eye flanked by the screens, you can see that they used simple CRT screens instead of the flat screens used in 2001. Because there is so much glare on the CRTs, the read-outs don't pop out brightly like they did in the first film. Again, everything just seeme a little 'off' in this film. And the awesome Centrifuge set is nowhere to be seen.

All in all, it's a decent, clunky, un-exciting journey, worth a look or two but destined to collect dust in your DVD collection. By contrast, how many times have you seen 2001?

A Sci-Fi Classic That Deserves More Respect Than It's Gotten.......2007-06-03

True, this movie could never compare to Kubrick's "2001," but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. Perhaps it's because I was in high school when "2010" came out, but I relate a lot more to the sequel than the original, which I think could have shed the beginning and final acts and still been a coherent movie.

As a stand-alone movie, it's one of the more thoughtful sci-fi films I've ever seen, and the performances are quite good, especially Dame Helen Mirren and John Lithgow. And the vidual effects...Richard Edlund does a sublime job of following in Douglas Trumbull's footsteps.

The only fault I found with the film, and this is mainly in retrospect, is Peter Hyams' choice to have the US and Russia at loggerheads, considering that no such conflict existed in either the books of "2001" and "2010," nor in the film version of "2001." It dates the film somewhat, but it's still a good movie.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the transfer. "2010" has never had a decent transfer to video, and the DVD version is about as bad as it gets. Surely a better print exists of this film, and while the sound doesn't have the same "shuddering" quality the earliest VHS release had, it's still sub-par.

Hopefully either Warner or MGM will remaster this film for HD-DVD and/or Blu-Ray.

Good sequel Hal.......2007-03-19

2010 is a good sequel to 2001. 2001 is better but the way the Russians Americans and Hal work together makes a good point. Visually 2010 is close at times but not breathtaking. 2010 has elements 2001 didnt have that make it an interesting watchable sequel.

Average customer rating:

An interesting and sexy movie
Potent combination of sex and melodrama
Better than I expected
The Skull Beneath The Erotic Skin

Macho Dancer
Starring: Jacklyn Jose , Daniel Fernando , Princess Punzalan , Allan Paule , and William Lorenzo
Director: Lino Brocka
Manufacturer: Strand Releasing
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ASIN: B00005KCB7
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Customer Reviews:

An interesting and sexy movie.......2007-05-08

This movie does an excellent job of portraying the gay world of Manila (or at least one aspect of that world). Manila follows the general Asian pattern of male clubs which provide hosts to entertain the older males.

During most of the film, the camera is focused where it should be: the charming and sexy young dancers, and the world they live in.

If you can't actually afford the plane ticket to the Philippines, buy the DVD and let your imagination run wild!

(PS. I have heard that the Philippines have gone way downhill as a destination for gay men. Evidently entrapment abounds on every hand, or so I have heard.)

Potent combination of sex and melodrama.......2004-02-27

MACHO DANCER (Philippines 1988): Deserted by his American lover, a naive country boy (Alan Paule) seeks his fortune in Manila, where he's drawn into a world of erotic dancing, prostitution and drug running, leading to betrayal and murder.

Combining elements of melodrama and social commentary, MACHO DANCER marks a return to the subject of male prostitution which highlighted director Lino Brocka's most famous - and controversial - film, MANILA IN THE CLAWS OF NEON (1975). Ever the political activist, Brocka paints a picture of the Filippino sex industry as a dangerous arena, fuelled by drugs and police corruption, where innocents must compromise their virtue in an effort to stay alive. The densely plotted screenplay (co-written by Ricardo Lee and Amato Lacuesta) is filmed with genuine gusto, though the plot is a little too familiar for comfort (see also MIDNIGHT DANCERS and BURLESK KING, both directed by Mel Chionglo). As the gullible waif who struggles to keep his head while all around him are succumbing to the worst excesses of their unhappy lifestyle, Paule - a non-actor whose lack of charisma is painfully obvious throughout - makes no impression at all. More successful is ultra-sexy Daniel Fernando (star of Peque Gallaga's influentual erotic drama SCORPIO NIGHTS [1985]) as a veteran 'macho dancer' whose association with a crooked police officer (Johnny Vicar) results in tragedy and horror, and Jacklyn Jose (YOUR WIFE, MY WIFE) as the sterotypical 'tart with a heart' who succumbs to Paule's dubious charms (yes, another 'gay' film in which the leading man falls for his leading lady!). The running time is padded with lengthy excerpts from the various stage performances, in which naked young guys oil each other up and gyrate to synth music, and while the film's sexual content is prolonged and generous (Fernando's dance sequence with co-star William Lorenzo is worth the price of admission alone!), it's also fairly coy by western standards. Some of the dramatic sequences are allowed to overrun, and the climax is predictably ironic, but the narrative still packs something of an emotional wallop, and while production values are modest, the film is lively and competent, and the potent mixture of beefcake, sentimentality and violence is frankly irresistible.

Strand Releasing's DVD is taken from what the package describes as 'the sole surviving 35mm print of Lino Brocka's original version, uncut and uncensored'. Despite its rough edges, especially around reel changes, the presentation is acceptable. There are no extras, except trailers for other Strand releases.

NB. Anyone tempted to sample First Run Features' DVD version of MIDNIGHT DANCERS (1994) should be warned that their 'full, uncut' disc is incomplete, running 10 minutes shorter than the UK video print.

134m 53s
1.33:1 [slightly cropped from 1.37:1 theatrical ratio]
Mono 2.0
Optical mono [theatrical]
Tagalog soundtrack
Permanent English subtitles
All regions

Better than I expected.......2002-09-02

I've been wanting to get this movie since reading a rather breathless review on Planet Out a couple of years ago.

It's a better movie than I expected, but you should know it's not a gay love story. Our hero, Pol, played by Alan Paule, is determinedly hetero but turns to hustling to raise money for his impoverished family. To this end, he goes to Manila and becomes a male (macho) dancer in a sex club. You may make of that what you will, the film, is non-judgmental. Pol maintains a certain detachment from his chosen craft; the cover art for the CD is taken from the one scene in which he genuinely seems to enjoy being erotic with another guy and Pol's lovemaking scene with Bambi, a cute, sassy young female Philippino in the same situation, is the hottest scene in the movie.

There's only one character in the film who appears to have homo-erotic tendencies, Noel, played by Daniel Fernando, and he ends up tragically. His was the more interesting and attractive character to me. There's only one gay kiss that isn't just for the sake of the show at the sex club and Pol is genuinely surprised that Noel would kiss him on the lips other than when they're on stage.

There is a lot of simulated eroticism and near total male nudity, even a little total male nudity (one brief scene in which a bunch of the dancers are on stage masturbating - shot from across the room, not close up) and a lot of simulated sex acts. Pol is pretty good at undulating and gyrating in a g-string; Noel is even better.

Maybe as much as a third of the movie consists of these scenes of male dancers, serving as backdrop for a morality tale involving Pol and Noel and Noel's sister in which the heavy is the police official who "protects" this aspect of Philippino society. To the extent the film is a commentary on social conditions which give rise to all of this prostitution, it paints a much direr picture of the young Philippino girls who are drawn into this trade than of the young men. I've read the film is a searing indictment of the corruption that existed under the Marcos and Aquino regimes. I lack the knowledge of Philippino society to judge this statement, but "The Comedians" with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor was a searing indictment of life in Haiti under Papa Doc and this film has nowhere near the power of that one.

So much of the film is devoted to the scenes at the sex clubs it's difficult to believe the filmmaker was simply producing an indictment of political corruption but I'm not sure what else to make of it.

The acting is better than I expected, as is the filmmaking, but this DVD was produced from a very old and scratchy copy of the film and is the worst visually I've ever seen.

Planet Out is incapable of giving anything less than a breathless review to any film in which at least one male
character takes his shirt off but I give this film only 3 stars.

The Skull Beneath The Erotic Skin.......2002-05-18

Like the later and much glossier MIDNIGHT DANCERS, MACHO DANCER depicts the lives of male prostitutes in Manilla; unlike MIDNIGHT DANCERS, however, it is considerably more gritty and disquieting. The story concerns Pol (Alan Paule), a young man in the Manillian provinces who has drifted into prostitution with an American G.I. in order to help support his impoverished family. When his patron finishes his tour of duty, Pol's friend Greg (Bobby Sano) urges him to try his luck in Manilla.

Once in Manilla, Pol becomes a "Macho Dancer," working as a preformer and prostitute at a police protected club in the tourist belt--and becomes friends with fellow club worker Noel (Daniel Fernando) and upscale call-girl Bambi (Jacklyn Jose.) Although we realize they are motivated by poverty and lack of other skills (time and again the characters simply state "I was hungry"), the film paints itself in extremely tantalizing, erotic colors--and much more explicitly so than MIDNIGHT DANCERS--but as the story progresses the eroticism of the film seques into an extremely dark story of the foundations of the sex-trade: youth, poverty, hunger, and a corrupt police and economic system that preys on all three. By the film's conclusion one feels extremely guilty for having, perhaps, salivated a bit over the boys and girls--for it is precisely that reaction that creates the marketplace which so brutally preys upon them.

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Customer Reviews:

Good movie but............2007-08-20

When all else fails, blow up Jupiter!.......2007-07-16

Decent but Clunky Move with No Sense of Wonder.......2007-06-18

A Sci-Fi Classic That Deserves More Respect Than It's Gotten.......2007-06-03

Good sequel Hal.......2007-03-19

The James Cagney Collection: The Time of Your Life/Blood on the Sun/Something to Sing About

Average customer rating:

GOOD ROAN QUALITY

The James Cagney Collection: The Time of Your Life/Blood on the Sun/Something to Sing About
Starring: James Cagney , William Bendix , Wayne Morris , Jeanne Cagney , and Broderick Crawford
Director: H.C. Potter , Victor Schertzinger , and Frank Lloyd
Manufacturer: ROAN
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305436460
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Customer Reviews:

GOOD ROAN QUALITY.......2004-09-07

These movies are issued by a myriad of companies. I only have this set so I can't comment on the comparative quality. I can state that I am satisfied with the quality of this Roan set. That is, the images are mostly crisp and there wasn't much hiss. The price is a plus also.

I Liked "Time of Your Life" best. It has a good quirky cast and plot. The acting is also first rate. It has a certain stage play feel to it.

"Blood On The Sun" is a more than adequate suspense yarn.

"Something to Sing About" is a fun movie. Its kind of a comedy-musical-drama. Nothing too serious.

Average customer rating:

"Night of the Living Dead (1968) ... George A. Romero ... 20th Century Fox (2004)"
Not Free SF Reader
Top ten horror films of all time
The Zombie Crunch
The one ,the only.

Night of the Living Dead
Starring: Bill 'Chilly Billy' Cardille , Charles Craig (II) , Frank Doak , Marilyn Eastman , and Jack Givens
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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ASIN: 6304610130
Release Date: 1997-07-15

Amazon.com essential video

We can hardly imagine how shocking this film was when it first broke into the film scene in 1968. There's never been anything quite like it again, though there have been numerous pale imitations. Part of the terror lies in the fact that it is shot in such a raw and unadorned fashion that it feels like a home movie, and is all the more authentic because of that. It draws us into its world gradually, content to establish a merely spooky atmosphere before leading us through a horrifically logical progression that we hardly could have anticipated. The story is simple: Radiation from a fallen satellite has caused the dead to walk, and hunger for human flesh. Once bitten, you become one of them. And the only way to kill one is by a shot or blow to the head. We follow a group holed up in a small farmhouse who are trying to fend off the inevitable onslaught of the dead. The tension between the members of this unstable, makeshift community drives the film. Night of the Living Dead establishes savagery as a necessary condition of life. Marked by fatality and a grim humor, the film gnaws through to the bone, then proceeds on to the marrow. --Jim Gay

Amazon.com essential video

George Romero's classic 1968 zombie-fest (shot in black and white) offers some disturbing images, even decades later. In a Pittsburgh suburb people are being stalked by zombies ravenous for human flesh. In a house whose occupant has already been slain, two separate groups of people unite and board themselves in, hoping to fend off the advancing ghouls. Through radio and TV reports they learn that radiation from outer space is thought to be responsible for the wave of zombie attacks all over the eastern United States. Once the humans are trapped, Romero shifts the focus to the internal feuding between them as they decide how to handle their dreadful situation. What unfolds is an examination of human nature, and of the fear and selfishness that keep many citizens from getting involved in the world's problems. Appropriately, both the zombies and the authorities who later hunt them are equally soulless. This film could also be read as a criticism of white males--it is not merely a coincidence that the film's two most rational, constructive characters are a woman and a black man. It is also no coincidence that the sequel takes place in a mall infested by the undead--a perfect analogy for consumer culture. --Bryan Reeseman

Customer Reviews:

"Night of the Living Dead (1968) ... George A. Romero ... 20th Century Fox (2004)".......2007-09-17

20th Century Fox presents "NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD" (Released: 1 October 1968) (96 mins) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in COLOR and Glorious Black and White --- Night of the Living Dead is a seminal 1968 black-and-white independent horror film directed by George A. Romero --- Early drafts of the script were titled Monster Flick, but it was known as Night of Anubis and Night of the Flesh Eaters during production --- The film stars Duane Jones as Ben and Judith O'Dea as Barbra --- The plot revolves around the mysterious reanimation of the dead and the efforts of Ben, Barbra and five others to survive the night while trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse.

Under George A. Romero (Director / Screenwriter / Short Story Author / Cinematographer / Editor), Karl Hardman (Producer / Makeup), Russ Streiner (Producer), John A. Russo (Screenwriter), Vincent Survinski (Production Designer), Marilyn Eastman (Makeup), Tony Pantanello (Special Effects), Regis Survinski (Special Effects) - - - - The story line and plot, Zombies represent a slow moving enemy --- It is easy to escape them, just watch out for your own mistakes, as the zombies will capitalize on them --- One of the best aspects of this film is the lead character, as director Romero presents an intelligent non stereotypical black actor in this cult favorite ---. this is one of the best horror films ever. Romero's direction is outstanding --- His ability to take a small budget and turn it into a stratospherically giant film is unparalleled.

the cast includes:
Duane Jones - Ben
Judith O'Dea - Barbara
Karl Hardman - Harry
Marilyn Eastman - Helen
Keith Wayne - Tom
Judith Ridley - Judy
Kyra Schon - Karen
Russ Streiner - Johnny
George A. Romero - Washington Reporter
John A. Russo - Zombie in House (uncredited) / Washington Military Aide
Charles Craig - Newscaster
Rossie Harris
Bill Hinzman - Cemetery Zombie
John Simpson

Romero produced the film on the small budget of $114,000, but after a decade of theatrical re-releases it had grossed an estimated $12 million in the United States and $30 million internationally --- Night of the Living Dead was strongly criticized at the time of its release for its graphic content, but three decades later the Library of Congress entered it into the United States National Film Registry with other films deemed "historically, culturally or aesthetically important."

The culture of Vietnam-era America had a tremendous impact on the film --- It is so thoroughly laden with critiques of late-1960s American society that one historian described the film as "subversive on many levels." --- While not the first zombie film made, Night of the Living Dead influenced countless films and is perhaps the defining influence on the modern pop-culture zombie archetype --- The film is the first of five Dead films (completed or pending) directed by Romero --- It has been remade twice, in 1990 and in 2006.
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

SPECIAL FEATURES
1. Includes All-New Color Version and Resored Black and White Version.
2. Audio Commentary byt Mike Nelson of TV's "Mystery Science Theater 3000"
3. "Separated at Death" - Celebrity Zombie Game
4. Vintage Horror Trailers

Legend Films can restore, colorize and release many of the classic earliest black and white films --- a patented coloring and remastering process makes each film picture perfect plus more vivd than ever --- no one can resist collecting every title that Legend Films releases --- The Legend Films edition of the film contains both colorized and black and white versions of the aforementioned director's cut and a humorous audio commentary track by Michael J. Nelson, a former writer and host of Mystery Science Theater 3000 --- The comedian mocks the low budget film's flaws in the style of an episode of the series.

Hats off and thanks to Barry B. Sandrew Ph.D. (Founder, COO & CTO) and his Legend Films Staff --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '20s, '30s & '40s --- order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Legend Films where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.

Total Time: 96 mins on DVD ~ 20th Century Fox. ~ (9/07/2004)

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Zombies! Brainssssss! Run away. Aim for the head.

You get the picture.

Top ten horror films of all time.......2007-08-11

The definitive edition of this film. Avoid colorized or "30th Anniversary Edition" versions. Sequel, Dawn of the Dead, is equal in greatness.

The Zombie Crunch.......2007-08-06

Okay, I finally reached the mountaintop, the mecca of horror, the zombie garden of Eden, the Brady Bunch of brutality...

It's the story
of some lovely ladies
who were hiding with
some very lovely guys
All of them were f&%#in' scared
and missed their mother
the youngest one will cry

It's the story
of some f%#@in' zombies
who were busy
with appetites of their own
They were once men
dead and buried
now they scream and moan

Till the one day
when the zombies smelled these people
and they knew it was much more
than just lunch
That the undead must get into that farmhouse
That's the way they all
became the zombie crunch

The zombie crunch

Okay sorry, I'm jacking around with this review, but I assure you this movie is no joke. It does have a level of humor, ("they're coming for you Barbara!") but it's a far cry from Shaun of the Dead. It shows some extremely brutal scenes, zombies devouring human flesh and a young girl zombie getting crazy with a shovel. The ending is also a disturbing suprise, especially for a film made in "68.

My horror collection feels more respectable now that I've added this to it! The gorehound led me to gory glory.

The one ,the only........2007-07-14

This is the movie that turned me into an obssesed horror fan. My friend told me about it and let me borrow it and I had no idea this movie would effect me the way it did. Ever since Iv'e been trying to get my hands on any old/underground horror flick I could find. At the beginning of the movie I was thinking "oh god,this is going to suck" and by the end I was convinced that this was one of the best horror films ever made.(*Spoilers*)The idea of somebody making a movie where a little girl eats her mother in 1968 was unbelievable to me. The extremely ironic ending was the icing on the cake and IMO is one of the best endings in horror history. My favorite in the "dead" trilogy by far.

When I first seen this colored version on Amazon I thought it was a disgrace(this movie is made to be watched in B&W and should be watched that way for the first time)but when I realized it contained both versions I had to have it. The commentary is pretty annoying and very insulting to fans of the movie(its done by the guy from "mystery science theater" and he doesn't take the movie seriously at all,it really pisses me off)but if your a fan of the movie and always thought "I wonder what color barbara's shirt is,what color is the car" ect.,ect. I highly recommend this version. If you've never seen this movie I still recommend this version but WATCH THE B&W VERSION FIRST, I repeat WATCH THE B&W VERSION FIRST, its the way it was meant to be seen for the first time.

Horror Classics 08 - Dead Men Walk / The Monster Maker

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alpha is not
Terrific Double Dose of Creepy Horror From Poverty Row's "Producer's Releasing Corporation"
Chilling Fun!
DEAD MEN WALK and THE MONSTER MAKER make a fun time!

Horror Classics 08 - Dead Men Walk / The Monster Maker
Starring: George Zucco , Mary Carlisle , Nedrick Young , Dwight Frye , and Fern Emmett
Director: Sam Newfield
Manufacturer: ROAN
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305636435
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Description

Dead Men Walk--In dead men walk we are treated to two George Zucco's, as he plays twin brothers; one being a doctor, and the other a student of the occult. Dwight Frye plays the vampireâ€™s assistant. Frye would later go on to fame as Renfield in the classic Tod Browning version of Dracula. Monster Maker--Mad Scientist J. Carrol Naish exacts his revenge by injecting victims with acromegaly. Also stars future Frankenstein Glenn Strange.

Customer Reviews:

alpha is not.......2006-08-30

i will never buy an alpha product again. this is very poor quailty as are all the alphas i have bought. this is a good movie, but the picture is so poor it is not worth it..

Terrific Double Dose of Creepy Horror From Poverty Row's "Producer's Releasing Corporation".......2006-04-08

What a joy it is to finally come across these two formally hard to find releases from the infamous "Producer's Releasing Corporation", or "PRC", as it was commonly known during it's heyday in the 1940's. Famed for being the lowest of low of poverty row studios in Hollywood, PRC was considered even a step down from the equally infamous Monogram Studios, and was regarded as basically the end of the line for any actors forced to work for them. I am a big fan of their horror efforts however and in actual fact they produced some interesting low budget horror efforts starring such horror veterans as Bela Lugosi and George Zucco, in among their speciality which was "B" westerns. Here we have two very creepy efforts in "Dead Men Walk", and "The Monster Maker", that make for a most entertaining chilling double and were originally designed to take war time audiences minds off the horrors occuring all over the world. Both films have good casts for such "B", efforts and star the likes of horror stalwarts George Zucco (a PRC regular in among his "A" efforts at the major studios like MGM), who in "Dead Men Walk", plays very different twin brothers, and Dwight Frye, forever known from his role in the original version of "Dracula". While certainly produced on low budgets and shot in record time by veteran "fast", director Sam Newfield, both efforts are well worth checking out with the makeup in "The Monster Maker", being of an especially high quality for such an effort as this.

"Dead Men Walk", (1943),is a vampire story, a subject not usually tackled by PRC however don't expect a typical vampire character as horror lovers have all grown used to in the Hammer Studio efforts. Shot in an amazing six days here George Zucco plays very opposite twins; Dr Lloyd Clayton a kindly small town doctor, and his unbalanced brother Dr. Elwyn Clayont who lost his mind while delving into occult research during a stay in India. The story opens at Elwyn's funeral where it is revealed that Lloyd was forced to kill his insane brother in self defence. All does not run smoothly after the funeral however when Lloyd is clearing out Elwyn's possessions when he is cursed by Elwyn's unbalanced hunchbacked assistant Zolarr (Dwigth Frye), who states that his master will take revenge on Lloyd and his niece Gayle (Mary Carlisle) from beyond the grave. Very soon a strange murder takes place in the area where a woman is completely drained of blood and Lloyd soon gets the fright of his life when his supposedly dead brother appears to him very much alive and threatening him. Zolarr in fact has stolen Elwyn's body from the crypt and he has been revived as a vampire who is now determined to reek vengenance on Lloyd and his family no matter what it takes. Very soon Gayle begins to fall ill from what looks like anemia and it is revealed that Elwyn is preying on her, slowly draining her of blood. Despite Lloyd's best efforts to stop Elwyn's attacks he has a hard time stopping his deranged brother or gettign anyone to believe him uncluding Gayle's fiancee David (Nedrick Young), who begins to suspect Lloyd of the murders. When local busybody Kate (Fern Emmet),learns too much of Elwyn's activities and is also found murdered the local townspeople take the law into their own hands believing that Lloyd is responsible for all the deaths and must be stopped. Lloyd however convinces David of his innocence and of his brother's sinister plan and with his help Lloyd finally tracks down the location of Elwyn's body at Zolarr's house. In a final fiery confrontation both men fight to the death in the flames of the burning building ending the story with another funeral, this time it being Lloyd's.

"The Monster Maker", (1944), is a surprisingly nasty little effort and outlines the story of a decidely unbalanced scientist (J. Carrol Naish), who steals another scientist's research into the baffling disease of acromegaly, murders him, and then assumes his identity as Dr. Igor Markoff. One night at a piano recital he sees beautiful Patricia Lawrence (Wand Mckay), in the audience who is the daughter of renowned pianist Anthony Lawrence (Ralph Morgan). Struck by her resemblance to his late wife Dr. Markoff begins to pursue her despite th efact that she is engaged to Bob Blake (Terry frost). When Anthony visits Dr. Markoff to warn him to stay away from his daughter a fight breaks out and Anthony is knocked unconsious. While he is out the deranged Markoff injects him with the acromegaly virus and very soon Anthony is displaying all the symptons of the disease such as rapidly swelling limbs. Consulting his doctor he is referred to the supposed "expert", in the field Dr.Markoff who not only straps Anthony to a table not allowing him to leave but uses blackmail to force Anthony to give him his daughter in return for saving his life from the disease now turning him into a grotesque monster. With the help of Markoff's spurned assistant Maxine (Tala Birell), who against her better judgement actually loved Markoff, Patricia and Bob come to Anthony's rescue who then breaks loose and in the fight with Markoff kills the mad scientist. Maxine is aware of Markoff's cure for acromegaly and then assists in injecting Patricia's father with the vaccine that is the cures which gradually restores him to his former self. At the conclusion we see Patricia, Bob, and Maxine attending Anthony's first concert after the restoration of his health.

Certainly the storylines for these two PRC efforts could be called loopy and inconsistent however they both make for very enjoyable viewing. Aside from the extremely nasty element present as the basic premise of 'The Monster Maker", that film's production values are surprisingly good with the makeup for Ralph Morgan's transformation courtesy of Maurice Seide, who's wizardry was responsible for transforming Orson Welles into an old man in "Citizen Kane", and for the outstanding makeup transformations achieved in such efforts as "I Walked with a Zombie", and "First Yank into Tokyo". As with all "B" or "C" efforts such as these there are numerous continuity errors in the stories, and unexplained loose ends to the story but they are actually fun to look for such as when George Zucco's eye glasses in "Dead Men Walk", disappear and then reappear again in the one scene or where in the film's fiery climatic scene suddenly a whole group of villagers appear near the open window looking in at George Zucco fighting with his brother that weren't there in the last angle shot.

Hollywood's "Poverty Row", studios are most certainly a thing of the past but their product with time has developed a real cult following among "B" movie enthusiasts. This particular double is one I'm very fond of and is well worth exploring. It constantly amazes me that such enjoyable results, whatever their debatable artistic merits, were often achieved with mere six or seven day shooting schedules. It says alot for talented actors such as George Zucco that no matter how absurd the material he had to work with he always manged to pull off good performances even under such rushed conditions as he does here which still manage to intrigue viewers to this day. Enjoy!

Chilling Fun!.......2002-01-06

Well worth the money.These two lesser known horror features from the forties are just the thing to satisfy those looking for vintage chills.
Fun movies, well presented.
Lets see more like this on DVD.

DEAD MEN WALK and THE MONSTER MAKER make a fun time!.......2000-12-19

Roan Archival presents perhaps one of its most entertaining, if not distateful, volumes of "Horror Classics" devoted to preserving the "Poverty Row" pictures of Monogram and PRC. THE MONSTER MAKER is a particularly enjoyable (if not tasteful) hour of sick fun. J. Carrol Naish is superb as Dr. Markoff, a specialist in an elepantitis-like disease. Markoff uses his knowledge to gain control of his foes. In this particular story, he desires the hand of the daughter of brilliant pianist Frank Morgan. When Morgan refuses, he is injected with a virus that turns him into a deformed mess. When Naish discovers a cure, he uses it as a bargaining tool in a very sick and twisted way. This particular films is full of "mad scientist" cliches, yet I couldn't help but be utterly enthralled, especially by the higher-grade casting. As for the techincal side of this film, the print is a better than average one in quality. For the most part, THE MONSTER MAKER looks and sounds beautiful. But like most Poverty Row flicks, it is met with scrathes, speckled and at least one minor film jump. These are not distracting, however. The other side of the disc contains the campy DEAD MEN WALK with menacing George Zucco and the brilliant Dwight Frye (1931 DRACULA). What we have here is basically DRACULA told for the umpteenth time. The similarities in plot and in characters are oh so obvious. What saves this film are superb performances by Zucco as twins (one, if you haven't guessed, is cursed with VAMPIRISM!)and by Dwight Frye in one of his final roles. As for the technical side of this film, you get about the same quality as MONSTER MAKER print wise. DEAD MEN WALK seems to be more frequented by scracthes, splotches and speckles and a couple of film jumps, but overall its not distracting. Both films have attractive menus that are easy to navigate. This is definitely a GREAT value and highly recommended to those interested in this genre

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GARMIN GPSMAP 2006/2006C and 2010/2010C
Starring: Instructional - Live Action
Manufacturer: Bennett Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000LZ59NM
Release Date: 2006-12-14

Description

Getting started with your Garmin GPS unit has never been easier! This is the most comprehensive, instructional, training DVD to teach you all the features & functions & HOW TO USE your Garmin unit. This step-by-step instructional training DVD walks you through the key features of the Garmin units from the basics to advanced operation. Learn everything you need to know to begin using your new satellite navigator, from projecting waypoints to mapping fishing areas and setting up routes.

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honeyboy edwards shake'em on down (DVD)

Shake 'Em on Down
Starring: David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Manufacturer: Analogue Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004RGIF
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Customer Reviews:

honeyboy edwards shake'em on down (DVD).......2000-09-19

Having seen David Honeyboy Edwards many times live and in intimate settings at Buddy Guys' LEGENDS and the Chicago Blues Festival, I know this will be an excellent addition to my blues collection. I am buying this sight unseen. Honeyboy is a national treasure.

Average customer rating:

Good movie but.....
When all else fails, blow up Jupiter!
Decent but Clunky Move with No Sense of Wonder
A Sci-Fi Classic That Deserves More Respect Than It's Gotten
Good sequel Hal

2010 [Region 2]
Starring: Roy Scheider , John Lithgow , Helen Mirren , Bob Balaban , and Keir Dullea
Director: Peter Hyams
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004R84H

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Good movie but............2007-08-20

When all else fails, blow up Jupiter!.......2007-07-16

Decent but Clunky Move with No Sense of Wonder.......2007-06-18

A Sci-Fi Classic That Deserves More Respect Than It's Gotten.......2007-06-03

Good sequel Hal.......2007-03-19

Star Trek: The Original Series, Vol. 10: Arena/Alternative Factor

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Star Trek: The Original Series, Vol. 10: Arena/Alternative Factor
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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DVD

DVD