Lee-Evans Movie Reviews

I happened upon this movie on cable the other night and was truely blown away by it. I've been an admirer of both River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, and this is definitely there best work. The movie was less to me about male hustlers and more about the beautiful friendship between Mike (Phoenix) and Scott (Keanu's character). My two favorite scenes in the movie are 1). The campfire scene where River's character soulfully and painfully shares his love for his friend...braving rejection.

It was incredibly believable and River's emotions were overflowing with reality. It appeared to me that both River and Keanu had developed a strong bond in this movie. It showed in this very beautiful scene. 2) The trailer scene where River's character meets with his older "brother". It was so heartbreaking! It was pretty obvious to me where Mike (River) developed his narcolepsy...incredible scene. I give Gus Van Zant a standing ovation for this movie...well done!

This is a grim tale about 2 male hustlers. It's gritty and disturbing...and brilliant. Two of my favorite actors, River Phoenix(RIP) and Keanu Reeves star in it. Now I am sure many will find it laughable to pair those 2 together, but I enjoyed seeing them interact. Reeves acting skills may not be comparable to Phoenix's by any stretch of the imagination, but I find his charisma carries him. And what can you say about River? He was amazing in everything he did. He had a sweet, angelic quality that he could not hide behind a character, it always came through. His character in "Idaho", Mike, suffers from a disease called Narcolepsy, in which he unpredictably falls asleep whenever and wherever he happens to be. These scenes turned out to be prophetic and are now difficult to watch, seeing him lying asleep in the middle of the highway, or other various places in the film. I particularly found the scene when Mike proclaims his love for Keanu's character(Sorry, I can't recall his name) very touching. There is nothing pretty or glamorous about this film...it's not typical...it is not for the average movie buff. So don't be attracted by the stars in it if you can't handle anything without a happy ending, this one's not for you. But if you are willing to experience the seamy side of life, give it a chance. It's worth it. It's probably River's finest work. He didn't get to do much, but I hope he will always be rememebered, and fondly. (River...I miss you.)

Most people seem shocked when I tell them that "My Own Private Idaho" is one of my favorite movies ever, though I don't see why. One of Gus Van Sant's lower budget films, this melancholic adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry IV" to the American West (chiefly Portland, Oregon and all around the western states) follows the adventures of a road-tripping prodigal son of wealthy and powerful politician (played to perfection by a reflective Keanu Reeves)and his best friend, a narcoleptic prostitute (a visionary performance by the late River Phoenix).

"My Own Private Idaho" is a marvel: dreamlike, eerie, haunting, constantly engaging, often surreal. There are a handful of films I have seen that completely transport me out of the feeling I'm seeing a film: this is one of them. The film's first haunting image of River Phoenix, alone, on a desolate stretch of Western highway, taken by his sickness, has to be seen to be believed; the eerie "Riding the Prairie" is a perfect complement to this movie about two strangers in a very strange land, journeying among the hustlers, hookers, con-men, schemers and bon vivants in the modern American West.

The plot is loose and rangy, and like its subjects, Van Sant uses it as needed to move the story along: Phoenix's character wants a reconciliation with his estranged mother, and certainly peace with himself. Keanu, sensing debauchery and fun, tags along, and the movie rambles about with them, taking note of their adventures and their pursuers (particularly delightful and outre is their awkward and funny tryst with an older woman, spoiled by Phoenix's narcolepsy, and a splendidly funny turn by Udo Kier as Hans, an unbearably kinky German john who simply will not be left behind).

For all its strangeness, there is a rich, empathetic core at the heart of this movie. Interviews with the film's young, hip, pierced and tattooed street prostitutes are funny, free-form, almost documentary in style, and often surprisingly moving, but the film is not hackneyed or saccharine; Van Sant has too much respect for his characters to ever stray into preachiness or movie-of-the-week ("this week: battling child prositution!" tone is not to be found here) territory.

The cinematography of "My Own Private Idaho" is lush and alluring, and the story and travels of its young and naive (albeit experienced) protagonists are fresh and intriguing enough for Van Sant to have neglected the tie-in with Shakespeare. That said, the allusion to Keanu as a treacherous Prince Hal, ready to sell out his friends to take up his destiny, doesn't harm the movie, and even accentuates its tragic tone---not to mention that indie-director William Richert is amusing as a latter-day Falstaff.

"My Own Private Idaho" is certainly not for everyone, and to many will seem contrived and inaccessible. But for the discriminating viewer who welcomes the opportunity to have River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves serve as tour guides into a strange and unsettling landscape, it will very likely prove unforgettable.

The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

It's up to Bruce again to save the wolrd from destruction. It's in the furture and Bruce is a taxi driver/ex marine commando who needs to help out our military cause they don't know what's going on. Mia gets naked and can't speak a lick of English. There's a priest and he thinks he knows it all but in the end Bruce saves the day, Duh!

Absolutely fabulous. Dazzling scenery and effects. Amazing vision of the future. Stellar casting. Brilliant soundtrack. Wonderful story (when isn't love wonderful). Unless you look for the GErman release of this which has a number of documentaries on it and an English 5.1 track, you will not find ant extras whatsoever on the DVD's released in North America. For this reason you may as well get the Superbit version - especially if you have a home theatre. The DTS 5.1 track is stunningly brilliant!

This 1989 sequel follows up immediatley where the 1985 original left off. The team of Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas Wilson, and Robert Zemeckis return. In this dizzying, and visually brilliant and stunning follow up, Marty McFly(Fox) and Doc Brown(Lloyd)travel into the future(complete with flying cars) to save Marty's out of control son from going to jail. They head back to 1985 after they are done, and something has gone terribly wrong. 1985 wasn't the same 1985 they had left. Everything is different. Marty's dad is dead and his mom is married to Biff, who's a big casino owner. Marty and Doc realize what the problem is, and what caused it, and set out to right the wrong to make everything right again in the past. Am I making sense?. I'm starting to confuse myself. Lol. The effects are dazzling and total eye candy. The flying hoverboard sequence is great. The set design and clothes are all well done for the future scenes. Some people complain that this movie had too much going on, and it gave them a headache. Well, I'll let you be the judge on that one. The script is exceptionally written and crafted together. It's incredibly structured and thought out. You have to sit and watch all three films together to really get the full impact of the brilliant storyline the writers have concocted. The best part is Michael J. Fox playing 4 different roles. He plays the Marty we all know and love, plus he plays himself in the future, his son, and his daughter. Yes, I said his daughter. That wasn't a typo. It's a real fun segment and Fox pulled it off. No, this film isn't as monumental as the classic original. What sequel is?. It's very well done and is just one hell of a great ride!!!!.

If you've seen the original, then you need to see this one. If you haven't, don't see this one until you've seen the original. Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox are back with the sequel that will not disappoint. Good family entertainment. The future that is shown in this film is just as exciting as when the film was released in the mid 1980's. The end of the film forces you to have to see Part III (unlike the ending of the first film which just teased you about a sequel), which was the least memorable of the 3 films.

I thought this sequel was way too cool! When I first saw this movie in the theater and when they were traveling to 2015 in the time machine I was wondering if that's what the future is going to be like with the flying cars, hoverboards, and a Jaws 19 which I think that won't happen. Because there are only four Jaws movies and they hadn't made another sequel since 1987. Today is 2003 and there hasn't been in any change yet but it could happen with all those flying cars and hoverboards. It would be really cool if there was a future like that. But they used it for special effects and it kind of sucks that it won't happen. It also happens in Minority Report too with those flying cars. That was a cool movie too. I also think the DVD set is way too cool! It has 10 hours of features throughout all 3 films which is like the oriignal trailers, making, deleted scenes, and hilarious outtakes. There's only one mistake in this film it made me mad it also made me not like the first Back to the Future for some reason because he was going back to 1955 and it showed some segments from the first flim which completely ruined the whole movie I thought. I also think that if you watch this film and hadn't seen the others and just watch it because you really want to you will not understand it. Go see the first one first then the other two and you will get the picture. I also don't like the way that they put in different actress for Elizabeth Shue as Jennifer. I mean if that other actress had to leave they should have just stopped at one then making other sequels. But I'm glad they completed the whole trilogy and there really is a Deolorean that's just like the car in the movie except you can't go back in time because time travel is possible. That was just used for special effects also. I didn't really like the 3rd one that much because it was a western spoof. I am not much of a big western fan. It was also kind of dumb too. The only cool thing in that movie was the train at the end and that was awesome it made me think that they were going to make a Back to the Future IV which I think there not because Steven Speilberg is probably too tired of making a fourth one. There is not really a hoverboard either just used for special effects unless if someone's really smart to make one they could be a famous inventor. Get the DVD set it's way too cool you will like it!

'Dressed to Kill', best described by Pauline Kael as a 'suspense comedy about sex and fear' and 'one of the most sheerly enjoyable movies of the 80s' is finally available on VHS in its wide-screen, uncensored version. Director Brian De Palma employs the entire screen to tell his lurid, scary, and often amusing tale of sex and slashers in Manhattan, using many almost subliminal images of menace as well as some humorous sight gags that were completely lost in the formatted version. Thus viewing this movie in wide-screen is essential for getting the full effect of a visually dazzling thriller, especially during the museum and subway cat-and-mouse sequences, the final restaurant scene, and, of course, the infamous elevator ride (DTK does for elevators what 'Psycho' did for showers). I have one complaint (hence the 4 star rating): the picture quality of this video can be grainy at times, and the sound isn't anything stellar either. Why would GoodTimes treat this film to a wide-screen release but skimp on basic picture and sound quality? (At times it feels like a bootleg recording). And where the heck is the DVD? Still, I am happy to finally view an old favorite of mine in its full-screen glory. It's like seeing it for the first time!

Brian De Palma's 1980 thriller Dressed To Kill, in my opinion, ranks among his best films. It's a suspenseful murder mystery that plays in Hitchcock's territory. It seems very much like a Hitchcock movie, only with graphic violence and nudity. There are traces of Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, Shadow of a Doubt and many others. I'm not sure if De Palma was intentionally referencing Hitchcock or these aspects just came out sort of subconsciously in his script. I don't think that De Palma was "ripping off" Hitchcock in any sense with this movie. I don't think it's really possible for anyone to make a movie in the suspense genre nowadays without having some elements of Hitchcock's work come out. There are indeed some close similarities to Psycho, in particular, but I think De Palma is really just paying homage to the master. His earlier film Obsession (1976) paid homage to Vertigo, now with Dressed To Kill, he sets his sights on Psycho.

The film has a good enough story, but the style is really the star here. Everything from the cinematography to the editing to the use of clever, subtle touches (such as Michael Caine looking in the mirror in several scenes). There's the whole museum sequence, brilliantly shot and acted (without dialogue), the elevator murder scene, and a couple of dream sequences. It's incredibly well crafted altogether, but the film is not just an excuse for nice camera work. There's an incredible amount of suspense and terror. There are many wonderful suspenseful scenes, such as the Nancy Allen shower scene at the end. And of course, great performances from Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, and Dennis Franz.

Dressed To Kill is a must-see for anyone who likes Brian De Palma or just likes suspenseful murder mysteries. It's probably one of the best suspense films of the past 20 years. Accordingly, it has a great DVD edition which presents the proper widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio and gives the choice of R-rated or unrated versions. Some trims had to be made to the film for theatrical release. The film is pretty much the same (and still great) in either version, but the unrated version is more explicit. There are also some good supplemental materials including a documentary on the making of the film and several shorter featurettes (including comparisons of the R-rated, unrated and network TV versions of the film). Unfortunately, Brian De Palma has not recorded an audio commentary for the film. This is a DVD that can be had pretty [reasonablel priced], so De Palma fans or suspense thriller fans are strongly advised to pick this one up.

Meet Bobbi. She's just the kind of woman who can get insanely jealous at the flick of a switch. And then she'll turn deadly. She's one of therapist Dr Elliot's clients. Meet Liz Blake. She has clients of her own. She's a hooker and a key witness to the murder of one of Elliot's clients. A mother and a woman who likes to sleep around. The son of the murdered woman and Liz team up to hunt for the killer Bobbi and put a stop to all the madness and confusion...that is if they know who they're really dealing with...

I really really liked DTK....it had something more. It feels like atmospere but most likely it's because of the story line. It may feel like a nasty rip-off od PSYCHO but in fact, it's much more. You see, in PSYCHO there is the whole backstory told at the end. But in DTK the story is told little by little until the last scene...

RECCOMENDED TO FANS OF:
Psycho (1960)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Basic Instinct (1992)

CAST
Michael Caine .....Doctor Robert Elliott
Angie Dickinson ..Kate Miller
Nancy Allen .........Liz Blake
Keith Gordon ......Peter Miller

THE MOVIE: 4/4

THE PICTURE QUALITY: 10/10 Fantastic! 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen is just how I like it. With little grain.

THE AUDIO QUALITY: 10/10 Here we have an option of either 5.1 surround or 2.0 mono. I perfer the 5.1 and so will you. There is a French language track presented in 2.0 mono.

THE SPECIAL FEATURES: Unrated version option (a minute or so longer than the theratical version), SEVERAL featurettes, a fantastic documentary, "Unrated Vs. R-Rated Vs. TV Rated comparison featurette, menu-based ad-gallery, booklet, trailer and another gallery (animated)

SUBTITLES: French and Spanish

The master of the psych-erotic thriller, Brian De Palma, truly came into his own with this provocative piece of filmmaking. He does something unique, however, that sets him apart from other writer/directors, and that is he creates a work of pastiche, lovingly imitating and paying tribute to past masters of the genre, i.e., Hitchcock et al, though stamps his own inimitable signature, enabling anyone viewing the film to know without a shadow of a doubt that it is a Brian De Palma film. De Palma loves mixing dream sequences with reality. He uses this technique to shock, surprise and frighten the audience, and it works every time. In the opening scene of ~Dressed to Kill~, for example, Angie Dickenson is in the shower watching her husband shave through the glass. The eroticism begins slowly, the music is easy listening, lulling us into a sense of relaxation, while Angie starts to reach the inevitable conclusion from her actions, suddenly the woman is attacked from inside the shower, her husband oblivious to her screams for help. This technique pulls us into the film, keeping us on our toes at all times, because we never know what to expect next. Even though I have seen this film several times, this high suspense has not diminished in the slightest, because I still jump from my seat every time the killer appears from the shadows or is seen through the glass in the door.

Michael Caine plays the young psychiatrist, who discovers that one of his patients has been brutally murdered, slashed to death from a razor, and the perpetrator could well be one of his other patients. A beautiful prostitute, (Nancy Allen) witnesses part of the crime and sees the slasher in the mirror of the elevator. She herself becomes a suspect and finds herself followed by the killer. The ending is very clever and quite surprising because, as with all horror films, when you think it's over and can finally sit back and relax, it isn't over al all...

If you haven't had the opportunity to see this picture before, and you're in the mood for some erotic, psycho/slasher fun, by all means do so...and if you've seen it before, see it again, for the years have not lessened its impact in any way. Excellent viewing.

Meet Bobbi. She's just the kind of woman who can get insanely jealous at the flick of a switch. And then she'll turn deadly. She's one of therapist Dr Elliot's clients. Meet Liz Blake. She has clients of her own. She's a hooker and a key witness to the murder of one of Elliot's clients. A mother and a woman who likes to sleep around. The son of the murdered woman and Liz team up to hunt for the killer Bobbi and put a stop to all the madness and confusion...that is if they know who they're really dealing with...

I really really liked DTK....it had something more. It feels like atmospere but most likely it's because of the story line. It may feel like a nasty rip-off od PSYCHO but in fact, it's much more. You see, in PSYCHO there is the whole backstory told at the end. But in DTK the story is told little by little until the last scene...

RECCOMENDED TO FANS OF:
Psycho (1960)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Basic Instinct (1992)

CAST
Michael Caine .....Doctor Robert Elliott
Angie Dickinson ..Kate Miller
Nancy Allen .........Liz Blake
Keith Gordon ......Peter Miller

THE MOVIE: 4/4

THE PICTURE QUALITY: 10/10 Fantastic! 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen is just how I like it. With little grain.

THE AUDIO QUALITY: 10/10 Here we have an option of either 5.1 surround or 2.0 mono. I perfer the 5.1 and so will you. There is a French language track presented in 2.0 mono.

THE SPECIAL FEATURES: Unrated version option (a minute or so longer than the theratical version), SEVERAL featurettes, a fantastic documentary, "Unrated Vs. R-Rated Vs. TV Rated comparison featurette, menu-based ad-gallery, booklet, trailer and another gallery (animated)

SUBTITLES: French and Spanish

A remarkable thriller that's as funny, nerve-wracking and exciting as ever. So beautifully crafted that I wish more thrillers were like this.

MGM has done a spectacular job... the making of and still galleries are a class act... now if only they'd do one for DePalma's "Blow Out".

'Dressed to Kill', best described by Pauline Kael as a 'suspense comedy about sex and fear' and 'one of the most sheerly enjoyable movies of the 80s' is finally available on VHS in its wide-screen, uncensored version. Director Brian De Palma employs the entire screen to tell his lurid, scary, and often amusing tale of sex and slashers in Manhattan, using many almost subliminal images of menace as well as some humorous sight gags that were completely lost in the formatted version. Thus viewing this movie in wide-screen is essential for getting the full effect of a visually dazzling thriller, especially during the museum and subway cat-and-mouse sequences, the final restaurant scene, and, of course, the infamous elevator ride (DTK does for elevators what 'Psycho' did for showers). I have one complaint (hence the 4 star rating): the picture quality of this video can be grainy at times, and the sound isn't anything stellar either. Why would GoodTimes treat this film to a wide-screen release but skimp on basic picture and sound quality? (At times it feels like a bootleg recording). And where the heck is the DVD? Still, I am happy to finally view an old favorite of mine in its full-screen glory. It's like seeing it for the first time!

Brian De Palma's 1980 thriller Dressed To Kill, in my opinion, ranks among his best films. It's a suspenseful murder mystery that plays in Hitchcock's territory. It seems very much like a Hitchcock movie, only with graphic violence and nudity. There are traces of Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, Shadow of a Doubt and many others. I'm not sure if De Palma was intentionally referencing Hitchcock or these aspects just came out sort of subconsciously in his script. I don't think that De Palma was "ripping off" Hitchcock in any sense with this movie. I don't think it's really possible for anyone to make a movie in the suspense genre nowadays without having some elements of Hitchcock's work come out. There are indeed some close similarities to Psycho, in particular, but I think De Palma is really just paying homage to the master. His earlier film Obsession (1976) paid homage to Vertigo, now with Dressed To Kill, he sets his sights on Psycho.

The film has a good enough story, but the style is really the star here. Everything from the cinematography to the editing to the use of clever, subtle touches (such as Michael Caine looking in the mirror in several scenes). There's the whole museum sequence, brilliantly shot and acted (without dialogue), the elevator murder scene, and a couple of dream sequences. It's incredibly well crafted altogether, but the film is not just an excuse for nice camera work. There's an incredible amount of suspense and terror. There are many wonderful suspenseful scenes, such as the Nancy Allen shower scene at the end. And of course, great performances from Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, and Dennis Franz.

Dressed To Kill is a must-see for anyone who likes Brian De Palma or just likes suspenseful murder mysteries. It's probably one of the best suspense films of the past 20 years. Accordingly, it has a great DVD edition which presents the proper widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio and gives the choice of R-rated or unrated versions. Some trims had to be made to the film for theatrical release. The film is pretty much the same (and still great) in either version, but the unrated version is more explicit. There are also some good supplemental materials including a documentary on the making of the film and several shorter featurettes (including comparisons of the R-rated, unrated and network TV versions of the film). Unfortunately, Brian De Palma has not recorded an audio commentary for the film. This is a DVD that can be had pretty [reasonablel priced], so De Palma fans or suspense thriller fans are strongly advised to pick this one up.

Meet Bobbi. She's just the kind of woman who can get insanely jealous at the flick of a switch. And then she'll turn deadly. She's one of therapist Dr Elliot's clients. Meet Liz Blake. She has clients of her own. She's a hooker and a key witness to the murder of one of Elliot's clients. A mother and a woman who likes to sleep around. The son of the murdered woman and Liz team up to hunt for the killer Bobbi and put a stop to all the madness and confusion...that is if they know who they're really dealing with...

I really really liked DTK....it had something more. It feels like atmospere but most likely it's because of the story line. It may feel like a nasty rip-off od PSYCHO but in fact, it's much more. You see, in PSYCHO there is the whole backstory told at the end. But in DTK the story is told little by little until the last scene...

RECCOMENDED TO FANS OF:
Psycho (1960)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Basic Instinct (1992)

CAST
Michael Caine .....Doctor Robert Elliott
Angie Dickinson ..Kate Miller
Nancy Allen .........Liz Blake
Keith Gordon ......Peter Miller

THE MOVIE: 4/4

THE PICTURE QUALITY: 10/10 Fantastic! 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen is just how I like it. With little grain.

THE AUDIO QUALITY: 10/10 Here we have an option of either 5.1 surround or 2.0 mono. I perfer the 5.1 and so will you. There is a French language track presented in 2.0 mono.

THE SPECIAL FEATURES: Unrated version option (a minute or so longer than the theratical version), SEVERAL featurettes, a fantastic documentary, "Unrated Vs. R-Rated Vs. TV Rated comparison featurette, menu-based ad-gallery, booklet, trailer and another gallery (animated)

SUBTITLES: French and Spanish

A very good movie with perfect actors for the parts that they play. Steven Seagal does an out- standing job as the Seal who saves the day. Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey are excellent villains. The action is nonstop. Seagal uses his Seal skills to handle the forces of evil. Tommy Lee Jones plays the bad guy very well. The bad guys fall in droves when Seagal makes his move. The movie has an exciting ending. This is a must buy movie.

THis is an outstanding flick. Not so much because of Seagal's action but because of TOmmy Lee Jones and Gary Busey roles as villians. THey steal the show and make it worth watching. The need for a good villian to counter the hero is something often missed in Hollywood but this time, they got it right.
Seagal is a cook, former SEAL, on the battleship Missouri on its final cruise (which is a damn shame). Terrorists, not really (more like mercenaries), take over the ship and its skeleton crew. Only Seagal can save the day. Plenty of action and great dialogue from Jones and Busey.
I don't know what Erika is doing there. She adds nothing to the flick. Sometimes, you just don't need a female role.

Overall, its a good flick. Probably his best. Much better than the sequel.

Ryback ! Who's a simple chef aboard a gigantic vessel in the deep-sea is almost invisible when he fight its enemys, because AIKIDO is a curious discipline witch represent the better martial art ! HOW MANY DANS HE HAS ? It's not important ! He is swift rapid and mostly effective with only its hands and his mind UNDER SIEGE PROVE THAT : " IT'S NOT OBLIGATORY TO BE AN ASIATIC TO BE A MASTER OF AIKIDO " A VERY GOOD STORY MOVIE DVD SURELY !!!

I'm sorry, but anyone who is a fan of the Tobe Hooper (look it up teeny boppers) classic "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" should NOT see this movie. Why? Because it's awful! There was no point to remaking this fine film other than some producer said "Hey, I need more money for my Scrooge McDuck money bin....let's remake "T.C.M.!" I almost wish that I had never seen this movie. The theater was full of teenagers, who had quite obviously never seen the original, much like the people writing reviews here on Amazon, and they were scared out of their wits. I, along with the fellow Hooper fans in the theater, laughed our way through this horribly unscary and horribly unnesscessary remake of an already scary film. The original film make me sick and stayed on my mind for days after I had witnessed it. The original was scary because it didn't try to come up with some half-assed explanation for why Leatherface was insane...he just was. Oh, and R. Lee Ermey in a horror film? Don't think so. He's just too damn funny to scare anyone. Where was the canabalism? Where was Leatherface's f'ed up brother, and his crazy Pa? Where were the scary moments? Tobe Hooper showed us that what you don't see is FAR scarier than what you do see. To the people who disagree with this statement - you have no imagination. Pass this one over, as its just another reason with what's wrong in Hollywood - recylced ideas and unoriginal remakes. Oh, and I almost shot myself when I saw the preview for the "Dawn Of The Dead" remake - where does it end? Is nothing sacred?! What's next? "Suspiria?" To those of you who call yourselves 'Horror Film' fans and don't know "D.O.T.D." or "Suspiria" - you should be ashamed of yourselves. Much like the people who think that this film is better than the original. For shame!

I honestly don't understand how anyone who has actually SEEN this movie can trash it. I can describe in one word: Incredible. This isn't "Psycho 1999." This is a tasteful remake that actually turns out to be just as scary and brutal as the movie it's based around. As a fan of the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and it's sequels (well, part 2 was good anyways), I'll admit I had my doubts about this movie. I'm not a fan of remakes in general and it seemed like sort of a waste of time. But believe me when I say this, this movie will blow your mind. Leatherface isn't the coward he was presented as in a few of the sequels and the family is far-less cartoony. In fact, the whole movie is very loosely based on the first; it only shares a few common factors. The characters are very strong and very well "fleshed" out. This is the key to a good horror movie. When you care about the characters, you are in suspense when their lives are in peril. There are several gripping moments that completely lock you into this movie. Even when you may want to look away, you just can't. The story revolves around a group of five young adults, strangers to each other, on their way back from Mexico with a giant stash of marijuana, on their way to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert (this, like the original, takes place in 1973). As it would happen, a series of events (which I shouldn't go into detail about) puts their lives in peril. This movie has everything: suspense, plot-twists, great characters, top-notch gore, good acting. The bond that is made and the unconditional friendship between the characters glues this movie together. I honestly can't think of a flaw. This movie just grabs you for the whole 100 minutes it stays on screen. I now sit here, after seeing the original dozens of times, and I can honestly tell you: this remake needed to be made. As much as I love the first, and even though I still prefer it, this "up-dating" was sorely needed. And maybe this is a bold statement, but this is, hands down, the best horror movie we have seen so far this millennium. And with plenty of other excellent horrors behind us this year (Freddy Vs. Jason, House of 1000 Corpses, Final Destination 2) I think it's safe to say that horror is alive (errr...dead) and well, and ready for business again.

The texas chainsaw massacre remake is what I think the best movie ever. It has got everything a movie needs. Horror, chills, suspence, gore, and a lot of violence. It is even better then the original. It totally deserves 5 stars.

23. MANIAC (horror, 1980) A killer stalks the streets of New York City. He brutally kills women and takes their scalps (along with other articles) as souvenirs. The Maniac (Joe Spinell) uses the scalps to put on mannequins he has all over his dingy, claustrophobic apartment. His fixation with these lifeless puppets is the only real link between him and the outside world. He nonetheless meets, on a friendly basis, a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro). Just when you think he has reformed, the maniac turns against her in a psychotic rage.

Critique: A truly gruesome, sick picture makes other of its kind pale in comparison. The film creates a terribly real, decadent look of what evil beings are really up to. The locales of rubbish infected alleyways, deserted parks, stations and so on is truly nerve-wracking. This study into the mind of a serial killer is given 'weight' by Joe Spinell's considerable performance. His sweaty, sex-obsessed pervert can't help himself from committing such horrid murders (after each kill he laments and moans for not being able to sedate his sick urges). Like others of his ilk, he suffers constant mental disillusions and schizophrenic flashbacks. Film is very disturbing even when it's trying to be natural, and definitely not for the faint minded.

Funny, scary, and disturbing are the 3 words I;d used to describe this film. Overated it may be, but it is certainly worth a look, I'm not dissappointed. I'd made it more violent and more gory, but that's just me. Gosh I'm sick. Anyway, Frank Zito is your average, everyday sort of loser. He lives in a total dive of an apartment, surrounded by decaying memories of his childhood and his long dead mother. Moreover, Frank's physical appearance leaves a lot to be desired: he's overweight, sweaty, with a pockmarked face and greasy black hair. He bears a striking resemblance, in fact, to adult film star Ron Jeremy. Frank's biggest problem in life concerns his relationships with women. He doesn't have any, for one thing, and the interactions he does have with the opposite sex would set the teeth of the worst among us on edge. For Frank Zito is a serial killer goaded into the darkest crimes of the human mind by the memory of his mother and a voice in his head that drives him to wanton acts of violence. Frank is remorseful after a murder; he knows what he is doing to women causes others to recoil in horror, but he just cannot help himself. Frank placates his inner demons to some extent by scalping his victims and hammering the hair on mannequins he stores in his apartment. As Frank's shenanigans plunge the city into fear stricken turmoil, he continues his bloody reign of carnage while always carrying the knowledge that the authorities stand a good chance of catching up to him. But will they? Well you have to watche the film. No it's not perfect, but why are you being harsh on a slasher film? Honestly, it's not Citizen Kane people! Watch this one alone in the dark!

In May of 2002, I went to the Dover Mall during a long break between my classes at Delaware Tech and bought a VHS copy of MANIAC, a movie which has piqued my curiosity for a long time. So when I came back to Delaware Tech, I watched MANIAC on one of the TV/VCR machines in the library (with headphones), and I was hooked. Weeks later, I started watching it late at night when nobody was around; it became my new horror movie addiction, with my first being THE EVIL DEAD. About a year later, the Limited Edition DVD became my very first purchase from Amazon.com (and what an exciting Saturday morning it was when I received it in the mail!).
Having studied abnormal psychology during my first two years at Delaware Tech, I found MANIAC to be more intelligent than all the other slasher movies in its time. Joe Spinell did an excellent job at portraying Frank Zito, the title character; the monologues and soliloquies throughout the movie are exactly what goes through the mind of any serial killer out there. Also, the child abuse subtext of the movie (a subtle one, thank God) is perfectly tangible, as any child who experiences any kind of emotional, physical, or worse mistreatment might be shaped into becoming a murderer or criminal. Plus, the gory set-pieces, courtesy of the great Tom Savini (who I met in August at the Horrorfind convention in Maryland), are among his greatest work and they fit perfectly with the tone of the movie (Just check out the scene where his head gets blown off!). The highlight is the subway sequence, which rivals any one of Brian DePalma's constant Hitchcock homages (1980 was the year of DRESSED TO KILL, his greatest Hitchcock homage!), and the scene following it when Frank is dressing another mannequin, which is a great example of black humor. All told, MANIAC is like a hybrid of FRIDAY THE 13TH and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE; it was too strong for some to stomach in 1980 and remains potent today, thus MANIAC is an acquired taste.
The DVD is one of Anchor Bay Entertainment's greatest efforts (after all, the director of the movie was working for the label). The commentary, by said director, Savini, the editor, and Spinell's best friend and personal assistant, is very enlightening to those familiar with the controversy surrounding the movie even today and amusing at times. Plus, "The Joe Spinell Story" is one of Anchor Bay's greatest documentaries ever assembled for supplemental material, as it provides real insight as to the distinguished career of this late, great character actor. Also, there's every trailer, TV spot, and radio spot for this movie, along with a radio interview with Spinell, Caroline Munro, and the director. The Limited Edition is definetly a MUST for the real fans out there, mainly for the excellent soundtrack CD (shaped like Spinell's head!) and tin case; you get to hear one of Zito's soliloquies on one of the tracks! A brutal and ground-breaking horror movie, MANIAC is a definite must-watch for horror buffs!

I read the customer reviews for this movie and I was so excited about watching this. I had such high hopes, what a HUGE disappoinmet this movie was. Seeing that is is a cult classic, I expected that there would be no plot, which that held true, but I was prepared for this movie to turn my stomach. This is the unrated version so I am curious as to what the "R" rated version would have been like. There were maybe one or two really good gore scences that is even worth watching, however it did not turn my stomach. I personally thought Final Destination 2 had more of a gore factor than this did. Maybe the fact that this was made in the 80's might make a difference, but all in all I felt that I wasted money on a movie that is not worth seeing again let alone owning.

Funny, scary, and disturbing are the 3 words I;d used to describe this film. Overated it may be, but it is certainly worth a look, I'm not dissappointed. I'd made it more violent and more gory, but that's just me. Gosh I'm sick. Anyway, Frank Zito is your average, everyday sort of loser. He lives in a total dive of an apartment, surrounded by decaying memories of his childhood and his long dead mother. Moreover, Frank's physical appearance leaves a lot to be desired: he's overweight, sweaty, with a pockmarked face and greasy black hair. He bears a striking resemblance, in fact, to adult film star Ron Jeremy. Frank's biggest problem in life concerns his relationships with women. He doesn't have any, for one thing, and the interactions he does have with the opposite sex would set the teeth of the worst among us on edge. For Frank Zito is a serial killer goaded into the darkest crimes of the human mind by the memory of his mother and a voice in his head that drives him to wanton acts of violence. Frank is remorseful after a murder; he knows what he is doing to women causes others to recoil in horror, but he just cannot help himself. Frank placates his inner demons to some extent by scalping his victims and hammering the hair on mannequins he stores in his apartment. As Frank's shenanigans plunge the city into fear stricken turmoil, he continues his bloody reign of carnage while always carrying the knowledge that the authorities stand a good chance of catching up to him. But will they? Well you have to watche the film. No it's not perfect, but why are you being harsh on a slasher film? Honestly, it's not Citizen Kane people! Watch this one alone in the dark!

Joe Spinell ( Co-writer/Producer/Actor) stars as "Frank Zito", a madman who lives in New York City and along time ago his mother use to punish him whenever he was bad, now that she's dead he vows revenge on society by stalking the city at night for victims to murder and scalp them so he can keep their scalps for his mannequein collection. He one day falls for a lovely young British photographer ( Caroline Muro) and dating with her but she soon discovers his dark secret.

A highly underrated yet suprisingly good supernatural slasher horror drama that is probably the best film Joe Spinell has done in his career with spectacular gory make-up effects by Tom Savini, the infamous exploding head scene, good acting, great music score and tons of scares that will send shivers down your back.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is excellent with such extras like Commentary, Joe Spinell documentary, Gallery of Outrage featuring the negative reviews from the critics, TV Spots, Trailers, Radio Spots, Poster and Still Gallery, and more. This movie is quite an interesting yet sleazy and gory at times horror flick that will definitely scare you.

Similar Movies Recommended: The Evil Dead, Halloween, Friday The 13th, Last House on the Left, Ted Bundy, I Spit on Your Grave, Riki-Oh, One Hour Photo, The Shining, American Psycho, Scream, Urban Legend, Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday, Re-Animator, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Scanners, City of the Living Dead ( a.k.a. The Gates of Hell), House By The Cemetery, Perfect Blue, Suspiria, The New York Ripper, Evil Ed, Henry: Portriat of a Serial Killer, Happy Birthday to Me, House of 1000 Corpses, 8MM, Psycho ( 1960), Dawn of the Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 & 3, and The Beyond ( a.k.a. The Seven Doors of Death).