Michael-Bay Movie Reviews

To put it simple, this is one of THE funniest comedies ever made, and following the old Python tradition, it makes fun of everyone and anything. Also, if you didn't know it, this is the Python movie that also contains Eric Idle's now classic song, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life".

I recommend you get the Criterion collection if you're going to purchase this DVD. I got it today, and it has tons of extra features, plus it is a high-quality-transfer widescreen (I don't think the standard DVD is widescreen, but I won't bet money on it).

I haven't had time to hear the TWO, yes two, additional sets of audio tracks, with commentary from all of the five Pythons (sadly excluding Graham Chapman, for obvious reasons), but I can only imagine that they alone are worth the extra bucks you spend on getting the Criterion edition.

Go get yourself this DVD right away -- you won't regret it!

...and blessed are the Pythons, the crackerjack British comedy troupe creating one of the most funniest movies I have seen in a long time.

The Life of Brian has long been one of my most favorite comedies, and no matter how many times I watch it, I cannot help but break out into raucous laughter at the insanity of this film. Truly blasphemous, truly hilarous, John Cleese and his troupe of merry men leave no stone unturned poking fun at anything and everything religious. From brainless mobs finding shoes as signs from God, to a lisping Roman emperor, to the classic cruxifiction song, this movie is not for the religious light-hearted.

Even better, this Criterion Collection version has so many extras, the true fan will be preoccupied for many hours enjoying it all. Especially wonderful were the deleted scenes and the running commentary by members of the troupe. Also, I appreciated the subtitles. For once I was able to get more of the jokes due to the British accents hard to understand with this untrained ear. If all DVD's were this rich, I'd be a happy camper. You are getting your money's worth for the price!

Rent or buy "Life of Brian - Criterion Collection" immediately!!

Thank God, for Life of Brian. Holy Grail has been ruined through years of people endlessly quoting it, thankfully a majority of people, at least from what I've seen, haven't seen Brian. Beside having one of the greatest ending of any movie or book, Brian also offers a very funny look a religion. The only problem with this movie, may be that it's too short. But what's there is genius.

Some people might see it as offensive or blasphemous, but it's not. Brian is not Christ, their are similiarities, but that's it.

There are certain movies that stand out on the holidays. This is not one of them. It probably should be. You will find that many of the Python crew plays many different characters in the movie.
Now the truth can be told. It all starts with three wise men delivering gifts to young Brian. Oops they correct their mistake. Later, Judea, 33 A.D., on a Saturday afternoon, once again Brian (Graham Chapman) is a tad far down the mount when they hear what sounds as "blessed are the cheese makers" (it's not meant to be taken literally that could mean any manufacturer). That is where Brian first sees Judith (Sue Jones.) Later he shall be involved in the People's Front of Judea. Later still he will be mistaken for the messiah (it is a logical mistake). Two factions fight over who owns the messiah (the Shoe Followers and Gourd Followers.)
You will recognize many of your favorite vices and verses. One of the highlights of the story is the speech given by Pilate and Biggus Dickus.
As with most complex movies you will find the one you are looking for Python comedy, fanatic parody, or if you wish a deeper meaning.
If you enjoyed this movie the next on your list should be "Wholly Moses" (1983) with Dudley Moore and Laraine Newman.

No doubt the Monty Python group is one of the funniest tv-shows and movie-makers of all time. Their straight-faced, intelligent kind of humor is so everlasting that today, roughly 25 years after their three main movies were made, they still have a huge legion of worldwide fans, and among them very young people, some of them born after their movies were released.

In "Life of Brian", the setting is Judea, around 33 A.D. The movie is about Brian, a jewish man-boy, raised by a tough mother; Brian's life is seemingly meaningless, until he joins a hilarious group whose main task is to go against Roman domination. Suddenly, and unwillingly, Brian has an enormous set of followers that, based on strange omens, think he is the Messiah.

From beginning to end, "Life of Brian" is much more than just a bunch of nonsense scenes revolving around a common base-point. Of course, the characters are made and chosen to fit the Python actors, but that doesn't mean the acting is bad. John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones (among many others) are still active and very much well-known today or in recent years - 007 series, "A fish called Wanda", etc.

But "Life of Brian", more than a simple comedy, is a tremendous criticism of the society we live in. It is not blasphemous in any way. Countries and societies that have banned this movie on religious grounds completely missed the point. This is not about religion, it's about people's relationships. To criticize globalization, lack of individualism and misguided leaderships (if they were able to see the problem then, what can we say about nowadays, when it's even worse?) they took as an example the christian societies and religious movements because, being westerners, and making a movie mainly for western audiences, they thought this would be more simple to achieve their goal. Well, in the end it was proved they were really ahead of their time. Even today "Life of Brian" is not completely understood, and mistaken as a religious parody.

Congratulations for the Pythons, on the subject choice and on the intelligence with which the movie was made.

Grade 9.2/10

Ohhh all you 1-god religion people still waiting for your messiah to come after his death, it's been 2000 years for "heaven's sake"... get over it... he Isn't coming back.

As for the film, it's comical, amazing, and exactly what should be on film, everything that is depicted on the film, is in line w/the Roman occupation of Nazareth at the time of Jesus, with some social comentary of how things were in his time, numerous religions, ultra-pious jewish sects; who among other things would live in seclusion, with out ever reproducing offspring, are parts in it a little streched? Well sure, it's a comedy, it's I'd say streched a lot, but on the whole, it's all there.

this is all in the dead-sea scrolls people, wake up from your 2000 year decension, to the world of conformity, and forget your 1-god religions, like your 1-god religions left you, spread the word 1-god religions are going down.... ((( i believe in a 3-god system myself, then again christians worship the jesus and the god)))

WHEN I FIRST HEARD OF THIS MOVIE I THOUGHT "OH GOD ANOTHER DOROTHY MOVIE, HOW UNORIGINAL". I BELIEVE THE MARKETING OF THIS FILM WASN'T VERY GOOD. EVERYONE WAS COMPARING IT TO THE CLASSIC 1938 JUDY GARLAND VERSION OF THE WIZARD OF OZ & EXPLAINS SOME OF THE BAD REVIEWS.

WATCHING IT NOW WITH AN OPEN MIND I REALLY ENJOYED THIS LITTLE GEM. THE ACTING IS ALL VERY GOOD, EXCELLENT SPECIAL EFFECTS, HIGH QUALITY CINEMATOGRAPHY, GREAT SOUNDTRACK (ALBUM IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND). THE SCREEN PLAY IS VERY CLOSE TO FRANK BAUM'S ORIGINAL STORY BOOK.

SO WHILE IT'S A DRASTIC DEPARTURE FROM SEEING JUDY GARLAND, I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS FUN TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY GALE WHEN SHE LANDED BACK IN KANSAS.

ALSO, THERE'S A LOT OF POSTITIVE MESSAGES IN THIS FILM.
PARENTS SHOULD NOT BE TOO QUICK TO ENTRUST THEIR CHILDREN TO STRANGERS!!!!! HAVING CONFINDENCE IN YOURSELF & BEING TRUE TO YOUR FRIENDS IS VERY IMPORTANT. A WORD OF WARNING TO PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN, THIS FILM IS INTENDED MORE FOR THE 1O TO 15 YEAR OLD CROWD & ANY ADULTS WHO LIKE IMAGINATIVE STORIES. SOME OF FRANK BAUMS IDEAS ARE MORE LIKE GRIMS FAIRLY TALES/NIGHTMARES, SO PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN, MAKE THEM WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE OLDER TO WATCH THIS ONE.

One of the best films of all time, Disney's sequel to THE WIZARD OF OZ is a scary, deliciously malevolent story of a huge scale.

Fairuza Balk, in her film debut, plays Dorothy, who is still troubled from her last trip to Oz, losing sleep and driving Aunt Em (Piper Laurie) and Uncle Henry (Matt Clark) to distraction.

A sadistic doctor, Worley (Nicol Williamson), and a ghostly assistant (Jean Marsh), say they will "cure" the girl with a machine. They really are going to use electro-shock therapy on her. At the last minute she is saved by a mysterious girl, falls into a swollen river and wakes up back in Oz. But Oz has mysteriously changed. The Yellow Brick Road has been ripped up, Emerald City has lost its lustre, and all inhabitants have been turned to stone.

Dorothy finds that Oz is now ruled by the evil Nome King (Nicol Williamson) and the head-hunting Princess Mombi (Jean Marsh). Will she survive her return to Oz?

David Shire's music is wonderful, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Although RETURN TO OZ is a Disney film, it's not recommended for young children.

A modern classic.

I grew up on this movie and it still moves me. It has a colorful story line, and has a cheerful spirit. Do not expect hi-tech graphics, since this movie was released in 1985. However, one should enjoy the movie for the sentimental reasons and for an imaginative story.

Dr. Loomis is the lone voice against releasing psychotic killer Michael Myers from the asylum - Myers murdered his sister with a knife when he was five on Halloween night, and hasn't spoken a word since. Loomis' warnings don't matter anyway, since Michael manages his own way out. He's on his way back to Haddonfield, Illinois, his old haunt, to carve out a new name for himself, and teenager Jamie Lee Curtis and her friends have become his new target...

Considering John Carpenter made this movie for almost nothing, it's a masterpiece. The skillful direction and competent cast carry it all off, scaring the pants off the audience with old-fashioned tricks in fine style. Suggestion and stalking shots are the film's principal arsenal, with some good use of hand-held camera killer's POV shots. The movie is, in some places (especially toward the end), extremely violent, yet there is almost no blood anywhere. The photography is really quite good, given that most of the budget was eaten-up on star Donald Pleasance's salary, and the Carpenter and John Howarth theme music is hauntingly effective.

Especially high marks go to newcomer Jamie Lee Curtis and veteran horror actor Pleasance. Curtis wasn't yet completely comfortable in front of the camera, but that mostly works in her favor, here, lending to her besieged character's vulnerability, and she is naturally quite likeable. Pleasance graces anything in which he appears, and he was at his best in this ongoing movie series, making such lines as describing Myers as "evil on two legs" sing, instead of stutter.

In 1978, the world was introduced to a movie that has become a cornerstone in the horror genre. Independent filmmakers John Carpenter and Debra Hill, largely unknown at the time, shot a movie that would become one of the top money-making horror films of all time on a budget of just over $300,000.00. They hired a cast of unknowns, drawing on talent that would become some of the top names in Hollywood. They set out to make a simple film, about a group of teenagers being stalked by a serial killer, and what was born was a movie that has challenged all other films of its genre-Halloween.

Set in the small town of Haddenfield, Illinois, it is the story of Michael Myers, a boy who murders his sister on Halloween night in 1963. Incarserated within the confines of the mental institution Smiths Grove, he is treated by Dr. Loomis (played by Donald Pleasance) until he can stand trial as an adult for the criminal activities of that fateful night.

Fifteen years pass, and Myers is now grown. Loomis is assigned the duty of transporting Myers back to Haddenfield for his criminal hearing. On the eve of halloween, and badgered by a horrendous thunderstorm, Loomis travels the final distance to the gates of the institution with the aid of a nurse who has been assigned to him. Upon their arrival, they discover that the inmates have been set free to wonder about the confines of the sanitarium. Loomis, who has long since grown to believe that Michael Myers in the embodiment of pure evil, rushes to the gaurd post at the front gate. In his absence, Myers overtakes the nurse and steals the car.

Loomis cries out "He's gone..the evil has gone..."

And so begins Halloween.

The balance of the story takes place in Haddonfield, where a group of unsuspecting teens will have a fatal encounter with Michael Myers. Leading the cast is Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of veteran actress Janet Leigh (of "Psycho" fame), who plays Laurie Strode, a high-school student who begins seeing "The Shape", a non-descript man dressed in a blue coverall, wearing a white mask. She sees him again and again, through the classroom window at school, in her backyard, behind bushes.

For the majority of horror fans who have seen this film, I need go no further. For those of you who haven't, I should go no further, for the film is definitely more than the narrative I began above. It is a story that touches on the psychological truths that our society seems to function on. Whats more, it is a film that touches at our primal fears.

Unlike so many films in this genre, Halloween is genuinely frightening, not because of its use of graphic gore, or visually stunning effects (there really aren't any in this film) but because it plays on the things that scare us most. Whats more, Carpenter uses carefully placed light and shadow to really enhance the experience of his film. His soundtrack also underscores the film as a whole, bringing it to a level and intensity that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Carpenter went on to film two additional films in the franchise, the much more commercial Halloween II and Halloween III:Season of the Witch (the third installment having nothing to do with the Myer storyline). The Halloween franchise itself has given birth to a total of seven sequels, including the largely popular Halloween H20, in which Jamie Lee Curtis reprised the role of Laurie Strode. Still, it is this original film, a small budget, independent movie that was shot in the early spring (yes, leaves were brought in and scattered about to simulate the fall season) that has become a staple that is synonymous with the holiday which the movie was named after.

If you have reservations about this film, set them aside and watch it...but watch it with the lights on, because Michael Myers might be there, in the shadows, waiting. Halloween-the Night He Came Home-is worth the time and money. It is the film that really re-defined the horror/slasher genre, and it is the one film that really rises above the rest, setting a standard that no film that followed has ever matched.

Halloween singlehadedly set the bar for all other slasher flicks and still to this day continues to be viewed as one of the scariest movies of all time. With his creepy music and terrifying mask, he reeks havoc on all who oppose him. It scared me the first time I saw it and still scares me today. Don't watch it alone.

Dr. Loomis is the lone voice against releasing psychotic killer Michael Myers from the asylum - Myers murdered his sister with a knife when he was five on Halloween night, and hasn't spoken a word since. Loomis' warnings don't matter anyway, since Michael manages his own way out. He's on his way back to Haddonfield, Illinois, his old haunt, to carve out a new name for himself, and teenager Jamie Lee Curtis and her friends have become his new target...

Considering John Carpenter made this movie for almost nothing, it's a masterpiece. The skillful direction and competent cast carry it all off, scaring the pants off the audience with old-fashioned tricks in fine style. Suggestion and stalking shots are the film's principal arsenal, with some good use of hand-held camera killer's POV shots. The movie is, in some places (especially toward the end), extremely violent, yet there is almost no blood anywhere. The photography is really quite good, given that most of the budget was eaten-up on star Donald Pleasance's salary, and the Carpenter and John Howarth theme music is hauntingly effective.

Especially high marks go to newcomer Jamie Lee Curtis and veteran horror actor Pleasance. Curtis wasn't yet completely comfortable in front of the camera, but that mostly works in her favor, here, lending to her besieged character's vulnerability, and she is naturally quite likeable. Pleasance graces anything in which he appears, and he was at his best in this ongoing movie series, making such lines as describing Myers as "evil on two legs" sing, instead of stutter.

In 1978, the world was introduced to a movie that has become a cornerstone in the horror genre. Independent filmmakers John Carpenter and Debra Hill, largely unknown at the time, shot a movie that would become one of the top money-making horror films of all time on a budget of just over $300,000.00. They hired a cast of unknowns, drawing on talent that would become some of the top names in Hollywood. They set out to make a simple film, about a group of teenagers being stalked by a serial killer, and what was born was a movie that has challenged all other films of its genre-Halloween.

Set in the small town of Haddenfield, Illinois, it is the story of Michael Myers, a boy who murders his sister on Halloween night in 1963. Incarserated within the confines of the mental institution Smiths Grove, he is treated by Dr. Loomis (played by Donald Pleasance) until he can stand trial as an adult for the criminal activities of that fateful night.

Fifteen years pass, and Myers is now grown. Loomis is assigned the duty of transporting Myers back to Haddenfield for his criminal hearing. On the eve of halloween, and badgered by a horrendous thunderstorm, Loomis travels the final distance to the gates of the institution with the aid of a nurse who has been assigned to him. Upon their arrival, they discover that the inmates have been set free to wonder about the confines of the sanitarium. Loomis, who has long since grown to believe that Michael Myers in the embodiment of pure evil, rushes to the gaurd post at the front gate. In his absence, Myers overtakes the nurse and steals the car.

Loomis cries out "He's gone..the evil has gone..."

And so begins Halloween.

The balance of the story takes place in Haddonfield, where a group of unsuspecting teens will have a fatal encounter with Michael Myers. Leading the cast is Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of veteran actress Janet Leigh (of "Psycho" fame), who plays Laurie Strode, a high-school student who begins seeing "The Shape", a non-descript man dressed in a blue coverall, wearing a white mask. She sees him again and again, through the classroom window at school, in her backyard, behind bushes.

For the majority of horror fans who have seen this film, I need go no further. For those of you who haven't, I should go no further, for the film is definitely more than the narrative I began above. It is a story that touches on the psychological truths that our society seems to function on. Whats more, it is a film that touches at our primal fears.

Unlike so many films in this genre, Halloween is genuinely frightening, not because of its use of graphic gore, or visually stunning effects (there really aren't any in this film) but because it plays on the things that scare us most. Whats more, Carpenter uses carefully placed light and shadow to really enhance the experience of his film. His soundtrack also underscores the film as a whole, bringing it to a level and intensity that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Carpenter went on to film two additional films in the franchise, the much more commercial Halloween II and Halloween III:Season of the Witch (the third installment having nothing to do with the Myer storyline). The Halloween franchise itself has given birth to a total of seven sequels, including the largely popular Halloween H20, in which Jamie Lee Curtis reprised the role of Laurie Strode. Still, it is this original film, a small budget, independent movie that was shot in the early spring (yes, leaves were brought in and scattered about to simulate the fall season) that has become a staple that is synonymous with the holiday which the movie was named after.

If you have reservations about this film, set them aside and watch it...but watch it with the lights on, because Michael Myers might be there, in the shadows, waiting. Halloween-the Night He Came Home-is worth the time and money. It is the film that really re-defined the horror/slasher genre, and it is the one film that really rises above the rest, setting a standard that no film that followed has ever matched.

Halloween singlehadedly set the bar for all other slasher flicks and still to this day continues to be viewed as one of the scariest movies of all time. With his creepy music and terrifying mask, he reeks havoc on all who oppose him. It scared me the first time I saw it and still scares me today. Don't watch it alone.

a top notch action thriller is one of the best action movies of 1996. its about Ed Harris and hes fed up with crap so he organizes a team and they hold up Alcatraz because he's going to launcha missle that'll kill a lot of people. Nicolas Cage, with Sean Connery(a man who knows Alcatraz like he knows his foes), Michael Biehn and a team of professionals go to The Rock and try to get the missles and stop Harris from killing innocent people. some stupid oneliners but otherwise its great with a car chase, missles flying, people eating toxic green balls. it has everything a action movie cooks up. theres a great team of other actors like William Forsythe, John Spencer, Vanessa Marcil, Tony Todd, Bookem Woodbine, John C. Mcginley, Steve Harris and Anthony Clark(who is gay and funny in this movie) that cook up those ingredients and give us a good ride

Never a dull moment in this is a great action flick. This may be the best of its genre in a long, long time. Jerry Bruckheimer has outdone himself. The movie opens with the two great scenes, including the well planned (and almost perfectly implemented) break in at an Army arsenal and the disarming of a terrorist bomb by Cage at work. The action does not let up until the final climactic struggles.

Great casting, with Sean Connery as a political prisoner (and former member of the British elite Special Air Service, the only man alive to break out of Alcatraz). Add Nicholas Cage as FBI agent (and self-described biochemical "super freak", who of course is grossly overmatched among these hard guys. Their foil is Ed Harris, who is great as a highly decorated military officer, disillusioned by the betrayal of his men during Desert Storm, and his cadre of soldiers. The supporting roles include David Morse, John McGinley and Greg Collins as his loyal soldiers, and John Spencer as a less than honorable FBI director They are all joined at Alcatraz prison, taken over by Harris and his men. They hold a few hostages (irrelevant to the story), along with rockets filled with deadly poison gas. Unless the government pays the big bucks, they will unleash their deadly toxins. Only a sixty year old Connery can get them onto the Rock, with the support of a group of Navy Seals and fighter planes to save the day.

Of course, they do.

Not a dull moment in this movie.

Only Bad Boys comes close to this action extravaganza about a group of marines who take hostages on Alcatraz and threaten the San Francisco Bay Area with poison gas rockets. Sean Connery, Nick Cage and Ed Harris are in fine form supported by a great ensemble of actors, including the always excellent David Morse. This is Michael Bay's best. It has a good story (never mind some of the plot holes this is a movie!), tons of action and great shots that make it look very slick.

The DVD presented by those generous folks at Criterion is pretty good. The video transfer is exceptionally good with only a few artefacts here and there. The sound comes in DTS and Dolby Digital and both are loud and make full use of the surrounds. The score by Hans Zimmer just roars into action.

The special features are extensive with a commentary and several interesting documentaries. It is a pretty extensive (not more so than Armageddon) 2 disc set with a very interesting commentary on disc 1. The Hollywood Gunplay feature is one of the more interesting ones that deserve a mention

This movie with a running time over 2 hours goes by at a blistering pace. I highly recommend the Criterion Collection set of The Rock.

a top notch action thriller is one of the best action movies of 1996. its about Ed Harris and hes fed up with crap so he organizes a team and they hold up Alcatraz because he's going to launcha missle that'll kill a lot of people. Nicolas Cage, with Sean Connery(a man who knows Alcatraz like he knows his foes), Michael Biehn and a team of professionals go to The Rock and try to get the missles and stop Harris from killing innocent people. some stupid oneliners but otherwise its great with a car chase, missles flying, people eating toxic green balls. it has everything a action movie cooks up. theres a great team of other actors like William Forsythe, John Spencer, Vanessa Marcil, Tony Todd, Bookem Woodbine, John C. Mcginley, Steve Harris and Anthony Clark(who is gay and funny in this movie) that cook up those ingredients and give us a good ride

Never a dull moment in this is a great action flick. This may be the best of its genre in a long, long time. Jerry Bruckheimer has outdone himself. The movie opens with the two great scenes, including the well planned (and almost perfectly implemented) break in at an Army arsenal and the disarming of a terrorist bomb by Cage at work. The action does not let up until the final climactic struggles.

Great casting, with Sean Connery as a political prisoner (and former member of the British elite Special Air Service, the only man alive to break out of Alcatraz). Add Nicholas Cage as FBI agent (and self-described biochemical "super freak", who of course is grossly overmatched among these hard guys. Their foil is Ed Harris, who is great as a highly decorated military officer, disillusioned by the betrayal of his men during Desert Storm, and his cadre of soldiers. The supporting roles include David Morse, John McGinley and Greg Collins as his loyal soldiers, and John Spencer as a less than honorable FBI director They are all joined at Alcatraz prison, taken over by Harris and his men. They hold a few hostages (irrelevant to the story), along with rockets filled with deadly poison gas. Unless the government pays the big bucks, they will unleash their deadly toxins. Only a sixty year old Connery can get them onto the Rock, with the support of a group of Navy Seals and fighter planes to save the day.

Of course, they do.

Not a dull moment in this movie.

Only Bad Boys comes close to this action extravaganza about a group of marines who take hostages on Alcatraz and threaten the San Francisco Bay Area with poison gas rockets. Sean Connery, Nick Cage and Ed Harris are in fine form supported by a great ensemble of actors, including the always excellent David Morse. This is Michael Bay's best. It has a good story (never mind some of the plot holes this is a movie!), tons of action and great shots that make it look very slick.

The DVD presented by those generous folks at Criterion is pretty good. The video transfer is exceptionally good with only a few artefacts here and there. The sound comes in DTS and Dolby Digital and both are loud and make full use of the surrounds. The score by Hans Zimmer just roars into action.

The special features are extensive with a commentary and several interesting documentaries. It is a pretty extensive (not more so than Armageddon) 2 disc set with a very interesting commentary on disc 1. The Hollywood Gunplay feature is one of the more interesting ones that deserve a mention

This movie with a running time over 2 hours goes by at a blistering pace. I highly recommend the Criterion Collection set of The Rock.

There are two types of B movies.
One that is so bad, it is actually unwatchable,and closer to X Y Z than B.
The other type, is a film that does not take itself too seriously,made by talented filmmakers,and closer to A than B: Army Of Darkness,the third installment in the Evil Dead trilogy falls squarely in the latter type.
To describe the film as horror however is a bit far fetched. Army of Darkness is essentially a comedy, absurd, over the top,and chaotic, but a comedy nonetheless.Even the blood and gore and those evil skeletons chasing our hero Ash (an excellent Bruce Campbell) have a comic feel to them, and this is exactly why the film works so well.The horror/comedy genre is a very grey area, and many a director has failed to get the right balance between the two,and as a result his/her film would be lost in predictable suspense and cheesy one-liners added for humour.However Sam Raimi,(like Spielberg and Tarantino,a director who has started his career early, driven by his passion for cinema),succeeds in sticking to absurd comedy,all dressed up nicely in the tension of the 'horror' atmosphere.
This edition is the best to own, because it includes Raimi's original movie, butchered at the time of its release by the studio.This saddens me to no end, to see executives who have no artistic or creative bone in them, deciding what the audience would like or not, and tampering with the director's own vision,(sometimes relying on a 'test audience'-but they are to creativity what a mosquito is to a good night sleep, a bloody nuisance).A very recent example of this,on the set of Exorcist 4 :The Beginning,is replacing one of the best director/auteur in American cinema,Paul Schrader with Renny Harlin, because the studio and its test audience thought Schrader's copy was too psychological and did not have enough 'pea soups'!! what a scandal!
Anyway, back to Army of Darkness,
the studio version, which is 15 minutes less than the original film, has a sentimental happy ending, while Raimi's cut is more 'Planet of the Apes' apocalyptic, which gives an appreciative depth to the film.A lot footage was cut also from the battle scene, which although is not Lord of the Rings, it is quite well made for its budget.
So, Army of Darkness is a very good and hilarious B movie that you will immensly enjoy.Buy it and B entertained!

For the sake of clarity, I just want to say that there is no way I could review any version of Army of Darkness without giving it five stars. It is a modern classic which I can watch over and over again. Seeing the Tiny Evil Ashes take on Ash causes me to laugh out loud with every "My fair lady."

Having said that, I can't imagine why they are releasing yet another SE DVD set of it. I own the 2-disc Limited Edition which came out a few years ago. I can't find anything different about this new "Boomstick Edition" that isn't on the old Limited Edition. Both have the original theatrical release and the director's cut with 15 additional minutes of footage. Both have the Men Behind The Army featurette. Both have the Raimi, Campbell, Raimi commentary. The only thing I've noticed so far is that the Boomstick edition comes with some kind of 10 page collectible book which my LE set didn't have. But unless they made some drastic changes to either the video or audio to clear up imperfections which I never noticed in the first place, I couldn't justify buying this new edition. But if you don't yet own Army of Darkness, don't be a primitive screwhead. Click on the Buy It Now link and get it.

Above all else, remember that this DVD is a novelty item. I would not be dissuaded by any sly remarks about the supposed quality of this DVD. This release is a completely different version than the theatrical release. Some lines are different, the original ending and a lot of deleted material have been incorporated, and there are deleted scenes never placed in any cut of the movie that may be viewed separately (though you'll quickly be wishing that these scenes had been refined and added into this "definitive" DVD, as they, quite simply, explain a lot of things that just didn't make any sense).

I've seen this movie in several different formats, including this DVD and both VHS editions, for a grand total of.. uh.. well over 700+ times, so believe me when I say a true fan will find little lacking with this release. After all, once you've seen a movie that many times, you're probably going to notice if the sound, picture, or whatever is bad enough to where you wish you hadn't bought this cut in the first place, right? Unfortunately, however, if you wish to view the threatrical cut, you'll have to purchase the original DVD release (this being the one shortcoming of the director's cut, aside from not including the deleted scenes as part of the motion picture).

There are two types of B movies.
One that is so bad, it is actually unwatchable,and closer to X Y Z than B.
The other type, is a film that does not take itself too seriously,made by talented filmmakers,and closer to A than B: Army Of Darkness,the third installment in the Evil Dead trilogy falls squarely in the latter type.
To describe the film as horror however is a bit far fetched. Army of Darkness is essentially a comedy, absurd, over the top,and chaotic, but a comedy nonetheless.Even the blood and gore and those evil skeletons chasing our hero Ash (an excellent Bruce Campbell) have a comic feel to them, and this is exactly why the film works so well.The horror/comedy genre is a very grey area, and many a director has failed to get the right balance between the two,and as a result his/her film would be lost in predictable suspense and cheesy one-liners added for humour.However Sam Raimi,(like Spielberg and Tarantino,a director who has started his career early, driven by his passion for cinema),succeeds in sticking to absurd comedy,all dressed up nicely in the tension of the 'horror' atmosphere.
This edition is the best to own, because it includes Raimi's original movie, butchered at the time of its release by the studio.This saddens me to no end, to see executives who have no artistic or creative bone in them, deciding what the audience would like or not, and tampering with the director's own vision,(sometimes relying on a 'test audience'-but they are to creativity what a mosquito is to a good night sleep, a bloody nuisance).A very recent example of this,on the set of Exorcist 4 :The Beginning,is replacing one of the best director/auteur in American cinema,Paul Schrader with Renny Harlin, because the studio and its test audience thought Schrader's copy was too psychological and did not have enough 'pea soups'!! what a scandal!
Anyway, back to Army of Darkness,
the studio version, which is 15 minutes less than the original film, has a sentimental happy ending, while Raimi's cut is more 'Planet of the Apes' apocalyptic, which gives an appreciative depth to the film.A lot footage was cut also from the battle scene, which although is not Lord of the Rings, it is quite well made for its budget.
So, Army of Darkness is a very good and hilarious B movie that you will immensly enjoy.Buy it and B entertained!

For the sake of clarity, I just want to say that there is no way I could review any version of Army of Darkness without giving it five stars. It is a modern classic which I can watch over and over again. Seeing the Tiny Evil Ashes take on Ash causes me to laugh out loud with every "My fair lady."

Having said that, I can't imagine why they are releasing yet another SE DVD set of it. I own the 2-disc Limited Edition which came out a few years ago. I can't find anything different about this new "Boomstick Edition" that isn't on the old Limited Edition. Both have the original theatrical release and the director's cut with 15 additional minutes of footage. Both have the Men Behind The Army featurette. Both have the Raimi, Campbell, Raimi commentary. The only thing I've noticed so far is that the Boomstick edition comes with some kind of 10 page collectible book which my LE set didn't have. But unless they made some drastic changes to either the video or audio to clear up imperfections which I never noticed in the first place, I couldn't justify buying this new edition. But if you don't yet own Army of Darkness, don't be a primitive screwhead. Click on the Buy It Now link and get it.

Above all else, remember that this DVD is a novelty item. I would not be dissuaded by any sly remarks about the supposed quality of this DVD. This release is a completely different version than the theatrical release. Some lines are different, the original ending and a lot of deleted material have been incorporated, and there are deleted scenes never placed in any cut of the movie that may be viewed separately (though you'll quickly be wishing that these scenes had been refined and added into this "definitive" DVD, as they, quite simply, explain a lot of things that just didn't make any sense).

I've seen this movie in several different formats, including this DVD and both VHS editions, for a grand total of.. uh.. well over 700+ times, so believe me when I say a true fan will find little lacking with this release. After all, once you've seen a movie that many times, you're probably going to notice if the sound, picture, or whatever is bad enough to where you wish you hadn't bought this cut in the first place, right? Unfortunately, however, if you wish to view the threatrical cut, you'll have to purchase the original DVD release (this being the one shortcoming of the director's cut, aside from not including the deleted scenes as part of the motion picture).

the classic evil dead series comes into the trigyes most fun man i wish they made horror movie[some of them anyway] as fun as this its not as gory the second or the blooidiest movie of all time evil dead the efeects are good sometimes the skeltons look real some time they look clash of the titans ish otherwise veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy enetertaining very fun to watcyh over and over and has to of the best line ever

GIMME SOME SUGGA BAVY
AND HAIL TO THE KING BABY

Army of Darkness is a B-movie done with such style, humor and finess that it has attained cult classic status. The acting is goofy, the special effects are "Clash of the Titans"-esque, and Ash seems to get his shotgun out of nowhere after coming out of the pit; but, you love it anyway cause its funny and good for a viewing at anytime of the day or night.

This edition of Army of Darkness is particularly special because you get the full-length theatrical release of Army of Darkness and the full-length director's cut (and not just the ending to the director's cut) in addition to a gaggle of interesting extras.

In my opinion, I'm glad that the studio made the director go back and recut the movie. The theatrical ending is a lot funnier and more in line with the over-the-top tone of the movie. Moreover, forgoing the other footage from the director's cut helps the pacing of the film enormously... but that's just my opinion.

If you are a fan of silly, over-the-top comedy with a satirical bent, Army of Darkness is definitely for you!

Yes my name is really Ash but my last name isn't Williams. But Army of Darkness is a superlative example of a good sequel. It is hilarious and cool. Though problem is the chainsaw just wasn't seen enough or used. And another problem is that it was made by Universal and wasn't an independent film like the other two. But all in all the movie is good, Bruce Campbell rocks and couldn't be more at the top of his game. Though the Apocalypse ending absolutely sucks the S-Mart ending is the best