George-Miller Movie Reviews

Blake 7 is a wonderful BBC t.v. production. Many Doctor Who fans should note that Terry Nation was head writer for many of the epsiodes. Anyway on to the first installment of Blake 7 entitled "The Way Back". We are given the setting of earth in the distant future where most of the human population live inside of domes due to the severe radiation outside of the domes. The domes are run by the federation a world goverment whose hand has reached to the stars themselves and has much influence. We are intoduced to a man called Roj Blake who from watching the first few minutes is a rather normal person. However when he meets a few of his freinds his life takes on a new twist. He finds that the earth has never had radation and that the human population insdie of the dome is a lie. He then finds out that he was once the leader of a rebel band bent on stopping the true agenda of the Fedeartion total domiantion of the universe. Soon freinds turn into false memories his future uncertain his life is without meaning and then the Federation find him with the new rebels. He is soon brought on false charges and a mockery of a trail sends Blake to the penal planet to live out the rest of his life. This is the first installment of the Blake 7 story. Although this is by no means the first epsiode. In the next epsiodes to come Blake has his fighters and a reason to stop the Federation.
In the Epsiode entilted "Space Fall" Blake is being shipped to the penal planet Cygnus Alpha. Along with Blake he meets Avon the egocentric computer genuis, Jan the tough as nails female piolt, Villa the cowardly safe cracker and Gan the brutal yet computer controled chipped prisoner. Blake trying to find a way to take over the ship and start his plans of stopping the Federation. The captain of the prisoner ship finds a large ship dirfiting unkonwing it would be the doom of most aboard. He sends men over to try and take over the ship. They end up mad or dead. The captain sends Blake over along with Jan and Avon. Soon Blake is confronted by the ships computer called Zen who tries and kill those with false images. Blake overcomes and takes over the newly dubbed ship the Liberator. Now with a ship and gathering a crew is easy. But the captain has written off Blake and the others dead and heads on to the penal planet to drop off the remaining prionsers. Blake speeds off to try and save those others and begin his plans to stop the Fedeartion. ...

Blake 7 is the tale of a man who was once a rebel leader who was trying to stop a goverment called the Federation whose grip on earth has gone to the stars and beyond. In this first epsiode we are given a bit of back history of a simple man called Blake. He is unaware that the events to follow would lead him back to where he was five years ago. Blake has found out that his life or what was manufactred by the federation on his capture is a lie. His family is dead thinking they were still alive living in the forinter of space. Old freinds turn out to be false memories. His true freinds turn out to be rebels trying to stop the Federation. Before Blake can do anything the rebels on earth are killed. Only Blkae is alive. The Federation decide to frame Blake and send him to a penal colony for the rest of his life. Once the mockery of a trial is over he along with many other prisoners are sent into space. This epsiode while not action packed is the start of a long story about Blake his decsion to stop the Federation and the crew of prionsers that would follow him into the fight.
The second epsiode on this tape brings us to a ship floating in space with no crew and no reason why its out thier. The ship carrying Blake and the other prisoners to the penal planet stop and tries to take the other ship. Countless crew members from the ship go missing and found dead. The captain wanting this strange ship sends Blake and two others who would form his crew. Avon a egocentric computer genius and Jan a pilot who takes [nothing] from others. They get aboard the ship later to be called the Liberator and be the key tool used by blake and the others. Once agin like the first episode this is being used as a ground to intorduce the charaters and give the viewers a good look into thise that would fight the Federation.

For any fans of 60's B-type science fiction, this stuff is classic!

I must rate "All the Rivers Run" as one of my favorite mini-series. I like it so much that I tracked it down on VHS, and proceeded to buy a copy. To my complete disappointment, it has been drastically edited (over 100 minutes cut out, and that really altered the quality of the entire movie)compared to the original version (which I saw on HBO). I was so disgusted that I gave it away, and decided to wait for (hopefully) the complete version to become available. Now I am waiting for that version to appear on DVD; if the complete, original version does - I will purchase it.

I saw All The Rivers Run as an HBO mini-series in the 80's and loved it. It was the type of movie that you couldn't wait to see the next installment. A very well made and acted movie with a great story. It's made like movies should be made. One of my all-time-favorites!

I really enjoyed this original mini-series, but I am waiting for it to become available to own on DVD! So far it only seems to be on VHS format.

When I review these Laserlite Hitchcock DVDs, I tend to put more empphasis on the film transfers rather than the film itself, mainly because every other film review available talks the plot to death. So I write my reviews with the assumption that the reader already knows the plot of the film.

...As far as the film goes, this is one of my personal favorite Hitchcock films. It's a terrific re-working of The 39 Steps about a man who is accused of a murder he didn't commit and must flee from the law and find the real culprit in order to prove himself innocent. It was a formula that would become a regular part of the Hitchcock canon for years to come.

...As far as the DVD goes, it's just okay. Once you get past the mediocre Tony Curtis intro, you get enjoy the crackles and pops, light-to-dark contrast jumps and cut-off lines of dialouge and jump-cuts resulting from missing frames that most any other home video edition of the film will provide to you. This isn't to say it's a terrible and unwatchable transfer. This is definately no "Murder" or "Skin Game," but it's also a disappointment when compared to Laserlite transfers of "Sabotage" and "Rich and Strange." The movie never at any point becomes unbearable from the transfer, but Laserlite has done better....Still, it's probably the best copy available so far on DVD, but I would ultimately recomend Criterion's Laserdisc, if you still have a laserdisc player, until Criterion reissues this on DVD.

extra features include a trailer for a later Hitchcock film and a foregettable episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents that he did not direct. Laserlite cannot be bashed for this, as it is a better bonus than just nothing.

4 1/2 stars to Hitchcock for an excellent film, 3 stars to Laserlight for trying hard, but not hitting the mark every time.

YOUNG AND INNOCENT was an interesting movie where a writer is accused of murder and attempts sereral daring escapes to find the real murderer and prove his innocence. This movie sort of reminded me of one that I saw but didn't review, MURDER.

As the stroy reaches the ending, it gets really "moody", and then the real murderer is uncovered in a unique way, so I think you should watch this and see what happens.

"Young and Innocent" is not one of Hitchcock's best-known films, and this is a shame. It is one of his most entertaining films from the 30s, featuring suspenseful situations, charming characters portrayed by excellent actors, snappy, witty dialogue, and fabulous camera work. This under-appreciated film deserves more viewers!

The story revolves around a destitute writer who is accused of murdering a truly bitchy movie star. Locating his missing raincoat seems to be the key to proving his innocence and finding the real killer, but between an incompetant attorney and policemen wanting a quick end to the case, he seems destined to hang. But that is until he slips from the courthouse during a moment of confusion. He is joined in his mad dash for evidence by the domestic, yet-tomboyish and strong-willed daughter of the local chief of police. Will the unlikely pair manage to clear our hero's name before he is recaptured by the police?

This film shares a number of similar elements with the better-known "The 39 Steps." Unlike that film, in which the modern viewer is able to see the end coming about twenty minutes before it arrives, however, "Young and Innocent" keeps the viewer on the edge of his seat up to the very end. The climactic nightclub scene is particularly well-done and thrilling.

When I review these Laserlite Hitchcock DVDs, I tend to put more empphasis on the film transfers rather than the film itself, mainly because every other film review available talks the plot to death. So I write my reviews with the assumption that the reader already knows the plot of the film.

...As far as the film goes, this is one of my personal favorite Hitchcock films. It's a terrific re-working of The 39 Steps about a man who is accused of a murder he didn't commit and must flee from the law and find the real culprit in order to prove himself innocent. It was a formula that would become a regular part of the Hitchcock canon for years to come.

...As far as the DVD goes, it's just okay. Once you get past the mediocre Tony Curtis intro, you get enjoy the crackles and pops, light-to-dark contrast jumps and cut-off lines of dialouge and jump-cuts resulting from missing frames that most any other home video edition of the film will provide to you. This isn't to say it's a terrible and unwatchable transfer. This is definately no "Murder" or "Skin Game," but it's also a disappointment when compared to Laserlite transfers of "Sabotage" and "Rich and Strange." The movie never at any point becomes unbearable from the transfer, but Laserlite has done better....Still, it's probably the best copy available so far on DVD, but I would ultimately recomend Criterion's Laserdisc, if you still have a laserdisc player, until Criterion reissues this on DVD.

extra features include a trailer for a later Hitchcock film and a foregettable episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents that he did not direct. Laserlite cannot be bashed for this, as it is a better bonus than just nothing.

4 1/2 stars to Hitchcock for an excellent film, 3 stars to Laserlight for trying hard, but not hitting the mark every time.

YOUNG AND INNOCENT was an interesting movie where a writer is accused of murder and attempts sereral daring escapes to find the real murderer and prove his innocence. This movie sort of reminded me of one that I saw but didn't review, MURDER.

As the stroy reaches the ending, it gets really "moody", and then the real murderer is uncovered in a unique way, so I think you should watch this and see what happens.

"Young and Innocent" is not one of Hitchcock's best-known films, and this is a shame. It is one of his most entertaining films from the 30s, featuring suspenseful situations, charming characters portrayed by excellent actors, snappy, witty dialogue, and fabulous camera work. This under-appreciated film deserves more viewers!

The story revolves around a destitute writer who is accused of murdering a truly bitchy movie star. Locating his missing raincoat seems to be the key to proving his innocence and finding the real killer, but between an incompetant attorney and policemen wanting a quick end to the case, he seems destined to hang. But that is until he slips from the courthouse during a moment of confusion. He is joined in his mad dash for evidence by the domestic, yet-tomboyish and strong-willed daughter of the local chief of police. Will the unlikely pair manage to clear our hero's name before he is recaptured by the police?

This film shares a number of similar elements with the better-known "The 39 Steps." Unlike that film, in which the modern viewer is able to see the end coming about twenty minutes before it arrives, however, "Young and Innocent" keeps the viewer on the edge of his seat up to the very end. The climactic nightclub scene is particularly well-done and thrilling.

A small town girl marries the trumpet player of a travelling swing band. A very popular film in its day, this movie is infinitely more enjoyable than the title - which sounds like a statistical classification - would suggest. The cast is fun if eclectic: George Montgomery, Carole Landis, Cesar Romero, Ann Rutherford, Lynn Bari, Jackie Gleason & the Nicholas Brothers! Numbers include the zany I'VE GOT A GAL IN KALAMAZOO. ORCHESTRA WIVES was the second and final film made by the famed band leader Glenn Miller who disbanded his civilian band in September of 1942 and entered the military. Miller's Army Air Force band was astonishingly modern for its day with a much more sophisticated sound with lush arrangements accompanied by strings and superlative solos from the best sidemen in the pop music business. Miller disappeared during his flight over the English Channel on December 15, 1944: the world mourned this most popular of all Big Band leaders of the fabled Swing Era.

Swing king Glenn Miller plays himself (sort of) as a bandleader with woman problems... problems with women married to his musicians!! A mildly interesting attempt to introduce some melodramatic social commentary about the strains that life on the road can impose on even the best marriages... A few campy catfights don't keep the wives' club scenes from dragging down the script, but the music is great. Highlights include the opening number, "People Like Us," which gives us a good look at the whole band, and a typically dazzling tap routine by the Nicholas Brothers, during the "I Got A Gal From Kalamazoo" medley finale. Miller plays his role with a surprisingly hardbitten edge; Cesar Romero, Jackie Gleason beef up the cast, and it's always a hoot to see Harry Morgan in one of his early roles as a teenage geek. Some funny references to the wartime swing scene.

A lot of people who commented focused on the musical numbers in the films, but I want to focus more on the cast. There were some great numbers, but my favorite scenes were the scenes that involved the "Orchestra's Wives" (hence the title!), who were really a group of catty, gossipy women--Carole Landis plays one of the these woman, and it's a switch because usually she doesn't play those kinds of roles. However, she does it wonderfully here, and it is a must for any Carole Landis fans!

This is a very enjoyable adaptation of the classic story, and Anne Shirley is absolutely wonderful as the title character. However, I think the film probably would have been a little stronger had it been made four or five years later when Hollywood filmmakers had really mastered their craft. This version still shows the theatrical influence left over from the silent era (note the focus on facial expressions and the heavy eye makeup on Marilla). Nonetheless, it's still a fine little movie for kids of all ages.

As for this DVD edition, the film appears to be taken from an old television print rather than the original negative. The picture quality is acceptable, but there is no evidence of any restoration work and there are gray bands that scroll down the screen throughout the movie. In other words, don't expect the crisp image quality you'd expect from a DVD released by one of the major studios.

This is the 1934 black and white version of Anne Of Green Gables and it's as good as the the 1986 version that stars Megan Follows. Actress Dawn O'Day like so many others found the character of Anne Shirley so charming and delightful and a kindered spirit that she changed her name to Anne Shirley, not sure if she legally changed it to Anne Shirley or just used it as her stage name but all I know is that she was just as good as Anne as Megan Follows and really captured the charm and spunk of Anne that L.M. Montgomery created in her wonderful novels! The actress who played Marilla though giving a fine performance wasn't quite as good as Colleen Dewhurst but then who could possibly be a better Marilla then her? This movie is definitely recommend to fans of the novels and of the Anne movies that star Megan Follows and I wish they would transfer this on to DVD!

L. M. Montgomery's beloved classic novel "Anne of Green Gables" was first filmed as a silent movie in 1919 with Mary Miles Minter and was a very successful television movie in 1985 with Megan Follows. But this 1934 film directed by George Nicholls, Jr. is capable of standing on its own as a charming version. The film stars Anne Shirley as Anne Shirley, because actress Dawn O'Day changed her professional name to that of the spirited orphan when she made this film. The only problem with this film is that the ending is a bit rushed, but otherwise it captures the wonderful story of how an imaginative red-haired orphan changed the lives of the people who lives at Green Gables. Co-starring Tom Brown as Gilbert Blythe with O.P. Heggie and Helen Westley looking like they were born to play the parts of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. In 1940 a sequel, "Anne of Windy Poplars" was made, but it was definitely inferior to this effort. If you are a fan of Anne of Green Gables, then see if you can track this one down. You can never get too much of Anne.

3 brothers (Nicholas Cage, Dana Carvey, and Jon Lovitz) heist a bank in a little town known as Paradise. After robbing the bank, Cage, Lovitz, and Carvey find it rather difficult to leave with the money due to the FBI, their kidnapped mother, and two local police officers whose liscence plate begins with DUH! They constantly run into the locals who live a quaint little lifestyle and are always willing to lend a helping hand. With the starring of Cage, Carvey, and Lovitz, you'd think that it would be a hysterical movie. After watching it, the movie does have some funny moments,and the entire idea is kind of quirky, but overall it's not as funny as one would project. However, the movie is very compelling and it sucks you in. It really makes you want to move to Paradise!!! Overall it's a fun and chrarming movie that you could watch snuggled up to your loved one or with your kids.

This movie was absolutely hilarious from start to finish. Jon Lovitz is a riot, and his partners in crime Nicolas Cage and Dana Carvey are not to be missed! A bank-robbing plan gone wrong finds these three trapped in a small Pennsylvannia town, and every attempt at escape finds them in a devious and comical scenario that tries both patience and morals.

If you like any of these actors, or just comedy in general, this flick is a must-see!

This Christmas season, throw a log on the fire, make a nice batch of egg nog and gather the family around the screen to enjoy a very funny, light-hearted and warm feel good family movie. A fast paced gem, with fine performances from all the characters. In the same comedy genre of "groundhog day", just a good movie to make you feel good.

3 brothers (Nicholas Cage, Dana Carvey, and Jon Lovitz) heist a bank in a little town known as Paradise. After robbing the bank, Cage, Lovitz, and Carvey find it rather difficult to leave with the money due to the FBI, their kidnapped mother, and two local police officers whose liscence plate begins with DUH! They constantly run into the locals who live a quaint little lifestyle and are always willing to lend a helping hand. With the starring of Cage, Carvey, and Lovitz, you'd think that it would be a hysterical movie. After watching it, the movie does have some funny moments,and the entire idea is kind of quirky, but overall it's not as funny as one would project. However, the movie is very compelling and it sucks you in. It really makes you want to move to Paradise!!! Overall it's a fun and chrarming movie that you could watch snuggled up to your loved one or with your kids.

This movie was absolutely hilarious from start to finish. Jon Lovitz is a riot, and his partners in crime Nicolas Cage and Dana Carvey are not to be missed! A bank-robbing plan gone wrong finds these three trapped in a small Pennsylvannia town, and every attempt at escape finds them in a devious and comical scenario that tries both patience and morals.

If you like any of these actors, or just comedy in general, this flick is a must-see!

This Christmas season, throw a log on the fire, make a nice batch of egg nog and gather the family around the screen to enjoy a very funny, light-hearted and warm feel good family movie. A fast paced gem, with fine performances from all the characters. In the same comedy genre of "groundhog day", just a good movie to make you feel good.

This was a drive-in movie classic from the late 50s. John Hoyt plays the somewhat-benevolent mad scientist with pathos as he shrinks people he likes, stores them in a display case of dolls, and brings them out at night for entertainment.

If you enjoy cheesy B-movies, or if you have fond memories of this or other old b&w 'scary' movies, you will enjoy this nice print of Bert Gordon's (The Amazing Colossal Man) classic, with little people dialing a (rotary!) phone, being chased by a dog, and acting out a scene in a puppet theatre.

DVD extras are sparse: a trailer, and subtitles in French or Spanish -- hey, it's educational!!

Attack of the Puppet People is no more than a mediocre B-movie made primarily for the drive-in market of the late 1950s. The investors didn't even deem it worthy to be filmed in color. Director Bert I. Gordon and the American International studio instead focussed their lukewarm efforts and severely limited budget on some modest special effects. John Hoyt portrays the self centered doll maker Mr. Franz who turns the people he likes into miniature size. In other words, it's best to be on his bad side. Everybody else is essentially ignored and left alone. Mr. Franz is something of a benign dictator who claims to care for his victims, but refuses to allow them to choose their own destiny. John Agar, better known as the former real life husband of Shirley Temple is Bob, and June Kenny stars as Sally. The plot revolves around the attempt of these doll size folks to escape their current irritating predicament. Please note that I describe their reaction as merely irritating and not existentially horrifying. Alas, do I really need to add that none of the actors in Puppet People were nominated for any acting awards? The dialogue is wooden and embarrassing to watch. It is doubtful if the actors spent even five minutes rehearsing their lines. Far better acting is normally found in one's local high school theater group. The movie's theme song utters the ridiculous lyrics "You're my living doll." Admittedly, though, the song is so banal that you might find it hysterically funny. I still burst out laughing when thinking about it. This 79 minute long flick probably took no more than two weeks to complete. Attack of the Puppet People is definitely a strong competitor for the worst movie ever released.

The reader up to this point might assume that I am discouraging them from viewing Attack of the Puppet People. Nothing could be further from the truth. This movie earns a five star recommendation, but not for its dubious artistic quality. It inadvertently is the reason why Richard M. Nixon eventually resigned from the presidency. The lookout for the Watergate burglars was suppose to use his walkie-talkie to warn those inside if the police were entering the building. However, this less than brilliant individual got distracted watching Attack of the Puppet People on television. Perhaps no other movie has ironically so impacted the history of the United States. That is reason enough to own a copy---and prominently place it in your own personal film collection.

I love this movie! I have loved this movie ever since I was a kid, and watched it whenever it would play on tv in the early 70s...so I was very pleased to see that a major video company (in this case MGM video) was finally releasing it for all to see once again! The story is about a lonely doll store owner, Mr. Franz (played by John Hoyt), who creates very realistic mini-versions of people he likes...the same people who have all also disappeared under mysterious circumstances! A very ambitious little film from AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL PICTURES with some absolutely flawless oversized props and some fairly good performances too! John Hoyt as the desperate doll maker is at his best in this one, and June Kenney (my all time favorite actress...really!) also does a fine job as his slightly suspicious and frightened secretary who eventually finds herself becoming one of the little people! Several other AIP regulars fill out the cast and make this one heck of a fun film! I highly recommend it! The picture quality is crystal clear and the video box artwork is fantastic too! Let's hope MGM Video decides to release some additonal titles from AIPs horror and sci-fi film vault!

It pains me to see quality classics destroyed by garbage studios such as Columbia Tristar. They release horrible reproductions of your favorite classics only to re-release them one year later as a special edition. Do you think if write Santa this Christmas I might be able to get a widescreen release of this film or one with a better picture. The pigs at Warner are infamous for crappy reproductions. Is it time to feed the pigs more money and buy this release? No way, get yourself a good DVD decryption program, rent this DVD, and copy it! Thank GOD for piracy, the studios have been ripping off the consumer for years and now it's time to fight back! Also download the lastest movie release's off your favorite newsgroup.It's time to send the studios a meesage. Hail Criterion for there restoration work on some of my favorite films. The films from Criterion are worth every penny you pay for them!

By 1946 Humphrey Bogart had become one of the most commanding screen stars in Hollywood. Having been featured in a string of critically acclaimed films such as: Casablanca, To Have and Have Not, and The Big Sleep, Bogart often breezed through some forgettable pictures as Conflict, The Two Mrs. Carrolls, and Tokyo Joe. John Cromwell's Dead Reckoning is one such film in which Bogart gives a mediocre performance as WWII paratrooper Rip Murdock who investigates the death of his buddy John Drake ( William Prince)who was about to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Even the casting of luscious Lizabeth Scott who had become a sexy noir staple did nothing to elevate the film to a notable hierarchy. Rip Murdock ( Bogart) deadpans through most of the script by Oliver Garrett without the appeal and freshness exhibited by former personas such as: Sam Spade, Harry Morgan or the indelible cafe owner Rick. The chemistry betwee Carol Chandler ( Lizabeth Scott) and Rip is tepid. Maybe Bogart's recent marriage to beautiful actress and three time co-star Lauren Bacall dimmed the sexual innuendo that Bogart usually shared with his leading ladies. Although Bogart's narrative voice-over, borrowed shamelessly from Double Indemnity describes Coral Chandler as "Cinderella with a husky voice" , the two characters never break through the pretense of refinement. The film does contain essential themes of noir- murder, deceit, and betrayal. These ingredients are played against a backdrop of glistening city streets, casino-nightclubs, and shadowy hotel rooms, but even the cast of nefarious figures fails to free the film from its own trappings. Probably one of the most inexcusable scenes ever shot for a noir film occurs during Scott's hospital bed plea for redemption. After being involved in an eighty mile an hour, window shattering, car accident, Scott's beautiful face does not contain a single cut, scrape, or bruise. Scott is bandaged in a white head wrap and highlighted by a halo of light which only enhances the unbelievable state of her physical condition. What was director Cromwell thinking about? At least when Bogie enters the hospital room Cromwell had the sense to fit him with an arm cast. Dead Reckoning is worth owning, but only to complete a Bogart or Scott video collection.

Quite good, actually really good. The only real problem is the lack of decent vhs transfers and a good dvd recording. One version of the vhs copies is good, the other terrible.

On to the movie, Lizbeth Scott really heats up the screen, but she has a chill, distant quality to her at times on the screen that suits the tone well.

The rest of the supporting cast is really good, and the plot moves along crisply. It is well scripted, and Bogart submerges himself in the character (something he doesn't always do in later movies) and gives an interesting twist on his burnt out romantic image.

Some imaginative scenes and images will haunt you, and the ending is perfectly noir. Excellent use of shadows and light, though a dvd would show this off better.

Worth viewing.