fivefids Reviews

Out to Sea (1997)

Trying to attract the a young audience and missing the mark

[27 June 2021]

If you're into septuagenarians trying to talk and act like 20 year olds, then this is your movie. If you loved the great Mathau / Lemmon classics The Odd Couple, The Fortune Cookie, Grumpy Old Men then pass this one by. It's a sad commentary on Hollywood trying to cash in on a profitable pair from the past and aiming the "humor" at the youngsters. Not much of a plot and the producers clearly tried too hard to get these two in front of a younger audience and it just didn't work.

Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash (2020)

Should have been called 'Nuthin' Fancy'

[12 August 2020]

As a fan of the real Lynyrd Skynyrd (the version from 1973 - 1977) and someone who truly enjoyed their music, I waited for 40+ years for someone to make a movie about them. I've seen all of the documentaries but I wanted a real movie. After seeing this one, I have to say I'm still waiting. My heart goes out to Artimus because the plane crash was truly something that had an enormous effect on his life. Unfortunately he lacked the funding and or the backing to make this movie right. Others have criticized it for being all about Artimus but hey, he made the movie so I don't blame him for focusing on his own point of view. The problem is, he likely could not secure rights to names, songs etc. To do this right. Most members are addressed by their first name only and it's hard to tell who is who. The scenes of the airplane in flight are so phony they're almost laughable. It also seems no one will ever get the truth about Skynyrd. Gene Odom, Ronnie's childhood friend wrote a book and also provided interviews for the documentaries and his version has Ronnie sleeping on the floor of plane, sedated by sleeping pills. Odom claims he had to pull Ronnie up and strap him in his seat while fighting off his resistance. Artimus, on the other hand, in an episode of Behind The Music, states that as he was walking to the back the plane to take his seat he stopped at Ronnie's seat and they shook hands. I don't see how both of these things could've happened but of course in the movie they do. I also think it's ironic that Artimus for years was very angry with Billy Powell for lying about the way Cassie Gaines died in the episode of Behind The Music. I don't know why he would get so upset about that yet in this movie, after the plane crashes, it is he alone that goes for help. I still have the UPI clipping of the story the next day and it clearly states that "Three bloody survivors (Artimus, Ken Peden and Mark Frank) emerged from the woods screaming for help." All other news accounts, and several times Artimus himself, have claimed the same. Also why did the UPI article not mention that Artimus was shot? I believe it's because he wasn't. The man who's land they were on always claims he fired a shot in the air and I find it strange that no contemporary accounts that were out at the time mention him being shot. There is an interview with Artimus on youtube that was conducted Oct 24, 1977, four days after the crash. Artimus talks about his injuries and makes no mention of being shot or sustaining a gun shot wound - seems strange that he wouldn't even mention it. Also, Artimus was interviewed shortly after the crash and it was published in the Feb 1978 issue of Musicians Guide. He gives reports on all the survivors health, including his own and as he goes through his own injuries he made no mention of being shot or how his gunshot wound was healing. That seems a bit strange to me. Surely he would have mentioned this but somehow 25 years would go by before he would. Also, the plane crash took place at dusk (Billy Powell claims 6:48p, most other accounts say 6:50p but no matter...) as it was getting dark. This portrayal appears as though it took place at high noon! Also there were witnesses to the crash that came to the rescue on their own yet no portrayal of that at all. I also find it ironic that in his opening dialog Artimus states the story is "...not just about the plane crash. It's about the music..." and yet not one bit of Skynryd music is in the movie. Call Me the Breeze was a JJ Cale cover and the version featured in the movie is not even Skynyrd's version! Regardless of these nit-picky things, it's overall a low budget affair about a band and a story that deserves better.

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971 TV Movie)

1970s Hairstyles in 1930?

[23 November 2012]

I watched this again after not seeing it in almost 40 years. A good / enjoyable movie which served as the pilot for the Waltons TV series. With so many other Christmas/Holiday specials and stories now available this one seems very dated now. Veteren actress Patricia Neal does not get the majority of screen time. In fact the big names (which also include Cleavon Little and veteran character actor Ellen Corby) are not the main characters in most of the scenes. I remember watching this when in aired in 1974 (not the original airing which was 1971) and I couldn't believe I was hearing the now, younger Walton children using the words "poop" and "piss-ant" which still were quite taboo on TV in 1971, especially in a movie that was aimed at children and families. Today it's no big deal but I remember hearing Mary Ellen call her siblings "piss-ant" and thinking isn't that one of the 7 words George Carlin said you could never say on TV? Details aside, I found the whole premise of waiting for their daddy and worrying about him tended to make the movie drag on even though viewers are given a lot of info on why he might be late. Despite this the pace just built a lot of anxiety - we simply lost interest halfway through it. Also by this time we were familiar with the Walton family because of the now popular series and seeing Olivia and John Sr. portrayed by different (albiet well known and seasoned) actors was a big let down for us. Upon watching it again this year, I actually liked it but mostly due to the nostalgia and not because of the story, which is actually better than I remembered. The one aspect that I found a bit annoying was the hair on Ben, Jason and Jim Bob. It was so 1971. This movie, based on references made to President Hoover, supposedly takes place in the early 1930s and any young boy that had hair over his ears at that time would've been ostracized to say the least. Thirty years after the movie takes place, the Beatles became popular and people thought their hair (which at the time was shorter than that of said characters) was too long. But it is a made-for-TV movie so details are often ignored and it really doesn't add to or detract from the story. I just found it interesting. Anyway, it is not a 'sit down with the family and watch' movie by today's audience standards. Many of the people who would remember the times in which this movie takes place are now long gone and it will not connect well with parents and grandparents of today as it did in 1971. It is now good for serving as a nice memory to the baby boomers but not much beyond that.

John and Yoko: A Love Story (1985 TV Movie)

Pretty good effort but a reflection of the times in which it was made.

[8/10 · 20 April 2010]

I remember hearing about this movie when it was in the planning stages and one news agency was reporting that Mark Lindsay Chapman was turned down for the part of John Lennon, as was Julian Lennon. I saw the last half of this when it originally aired in December 1985 and have wanted to see it again ever since. I purchased a copy on ebay in 2005 and have viewed it several times since. For a TV movie, I'd say it was better than average as far as acting and technical aspects are concerned, with the exception of the actors who played the other 3 Beatles which I felt fell into caricatures of Paul, George and Ringo with obvious fake mustaches, but other than that, overall pretty good. Mark McGann looked a lot like John Lennon but Kim Miroyi really does not look at all like Yoko Ono. I think this was a pretty objective portrayal as far as specific events and characters but overall, I think it falls into the same trap many Lennon tributes do and that is they leave the viewer with the impression that he was more 'saintly' than he really was. John Lennon was not a martyred saint but rather the victim of a random and tragic act of violence. John's ex-wife Cynthia has often stated "He's no saint, never was" but the way this movie raps up you could be left with that impression. Perhaps because it was made in the mid-80s, this movie portrays John Lennon as having changed into "Mr. Conservative" toward the end of his life. While he had matured and embraced and espoused family values, the portrayal of him with short hair and conservative dress toward the end of the movie may be a bit inaccurate. Lennon's untimely death was/is indeed a tragedy and overall this movie is pretty fair in its portrayal but the transformation at the end seems out of place. I still feel that watching it is time well spent.

Zero Hour! (1957)

It's an entirely different kind of movie... altogether!

[8/10 · 6 March 2010]

I love the old disaster/horror B&W movies from the '50s and this one would certainly stand among the best if... not for 'Airplane!' I had the mis-fortune of seeing 'Airplane!' numerous times (yes I'm a big fan) before seeing this movie which is quite good on its own. The problem is, as other reviewers have stated, you can't help but be reminded of 'Airplane!' when viewing this picture now. Many of the same character names, the same basic theme - flight crew and passengers stricken with food poisoning and a passenger, who's best flying days were behind him, must heroically land this plane while an Ex-CO, whom he hates, talks him down. It's unfortunate that this film was intended as drama but any baby-boomer or next-genner who sees it will be laughing all the way through it (just as I was) because they can recite most of the dialog and pretty much predict the outcome. It was intended as drama but it has evolved into an entirely different kind of movie, altogether... Everyone: 'It has evolved into an entirely different kind of movie.'

The Thanksgiving Treasure (1973 TV Movie)

Check your pockets when you leave for home

[23 November 2006]

I remember seeing this "Special" when it first aired in 1973. Some 30 plus years later I tried to recall what it was called but I could not. However, there were several things about it that stuck out in my mind: The main character was a little girl named "Addie", the father had a nemesis named "Mr. Rhenquist", the story took place in rural Nebraska, and there was a great scene where Addie filled her cousin's jacket pockets with mashed potatoes! With that information, I logged onto IMDb.com and did a search for characters named "Addie" and I found it. I also recalled that I had seen the same characters in another holiday special, and thanks to IMDb, I learned that one was "House Without a Christmas Tree." I found VHS copies of both on ebay. Watching this again 33 years later was very enjoyable and I really remembered what it was I liked about it. Unlike sappy shows like the Brady Bunch where everyone gets along and loves everyone, Addie is portrayed as a bossy, sometimes obnoxious, yet always lovable little girl. This seemed much more realistic, especially the tension between her and her younger cousin Henry. She gets him in the end though. Jason Robards does a fine job of playing the, often stern, widower father and Mildred Natwick provided the compassion Addie so needed but never seemed to get from her father. This movie was clearly geared toward children and it was the first special of that type that I recall seeing which used the words "hell" and "damn" (even said once by 10 year old Addie!) in it. In 1973, it seemed much more realistic than the sap that TV was offering at the time. In 2006, this movie now seems sappy too but enjoyable just the same. It has that atmosphere of the "cheap set CBS movies" that many TV movies had in the mid 70s. Much of the acting isn't that good and the sets are not that convincing either but the story still stands. The story is also told with much more humor than I remembered. There are a lot of laughs to be had while watching it. All in all a touching story but today, the settings and characters likely would not connect well with the 21st century audience. One of the reasons it was so popular in 1973 is because most baby boomers had relatives that still lived in small towns, and had parents that grew up on farms and therefore spent time in the rural Midwest - they could relate to the sets and characters. The MTV generation has no clue about any of this so it probably would not work well today. If you saw it in 1973, you'll likely enjoy it again today. If you were born post Watergate, you'll likely find the humor pleasant and the story poignant but it may be difficult to sit through as the sets, and overall atmosphere are very dated which makes it most suitable for nostalgia as opposed to pure entertainment.

It's About Time (1966–1967)

It's About Sherwood Schwartz

[8/10 · 29 July 2006]

I remember watching this show every Sunday evening during the 1966/67 TV season. I still remember the theme song as most who have seen it do. I recently bought the dubbed DVD set on ebay as I wanted just to see this show again. What amazed me the most after having not seen it in 40 years since it originally aired, is how much of it I remembered. I always remembered the characters - Heck, Mac, Gronk, Shad, Breer, Mlor, Boss and Clon. In fact, there is a fellow I encountered at work who is of French origin and his first name is Shadd. I could not help but remember this show every time I had connected with this person. Of course, when I mentioned the show to others, they just thought I was strange as no one else remembered it. As a result of watching this show I became very intrigued by cave men and did a lot of reading on the topic. At 6 years old, it did not occur to me that cave people likely did not speak in 20th century English as they did on this show. I recently viewed all 26 episodes and I was amazed by how many lines, scenes and characters I remembered from 40 years ago. The power of television! After viewing the show again it is so obviously Sherwood Schwartz. It is remarkable how much it parallels his other show Gilligan's Island which was in its third season run when this show was on. It's About Time used the same sets, the same background music, the same effects music and the exact same bumper music as Gilligan's Island. The character of Heck is clearly modeled after the character of Gilligan. Heck's speech, mannerisms and physical comedy are dead-ringers for Gilligan. Schwartz even used many of the same story lines and synopsis for this show that were used in episodes of Gilligan's Island - the belief that evil spirits turned a person into a monkey (actually, it was a chimpanzee), the women leaving the village because their work is not appreciated, primitive people's superstitions, a volcano threatens the village (same footage used!), the village holding an election, using modern technology to frighten primitive peoples etc. Seems the writers didn't have to work very hard on this one. I remember recognizing the space capsule in the episode of Gilligan where the cosmonauts land on the island, as being the same one used in this show. I also recall the dinosaur scenes which I thought were very realistic in 1966. Upon seeing them again, they're cheesy and contrived and clearly borrowed from low-budget movies. Even as a 6 year old, I knew that there was never a time when people and dinosaurs both inhabited the earth - the dinosaurs were gone before the first people appeared but I didn't care, I liked the show and watched every week. The thing I remembered most though, is when Heck and Mac brought Gronk, Shad, Breer and Mlor back to the 20th century! I remember Gronk clubbing a Volkswagon Beetle and Breer being laughed at in school (where all the kids were white, well groomed, hair combed and nicely dressed, ah the 1960s...) and picking up the pointer to use it as a spear. I also remember Gronk and Shad trying to get back to "Heck and Mac's cave" in a "car animal." All of this is on the DVD set and much the same as I remembered. I must admit, Sherwood Schwartz did have a knack for educating viewers. It was this show where I first heard, and learned the terms "Prehistoric", "20th Century", "Primative" and "BC" (in the days before politically correctness). For those who haven't seen it in a while, the copies currently being sold on ebay are not good quality but are definitely watchable. I can tell you, the show is typical Sherwood Schwartz so if you liked the Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island (come on, admit it, I know many of you did), you'll definitely like this one. If you didn't then you likely won't. It is pretty much the same show as Gilligan's Island, just a different setting, but an interesting setting to be sure. I too remembered the term "Gnook" from that episode and still think of it when I see a small dog. Glad I got see this again. It's About Time is likely the only show to actually become one of the props used in the show; a time capsule. It is not only very Sherwood Schwartz, it's also very 1960s. All good fun in this reviewer's opinion.

Our World (1986–1987)

For the next hour, think of your television set as a time machine

[10/10 · 16 June 2006]

"For the next hour, think of your television set as a time machine." That was lead-off line on most episodes. I really enjoyed this history program. It was always an interesting look back. For someone who had gone through school in the 1970s, much of the history from the 1950s and later was not taught in our schools yet. It was on this show that I learned of Little Rock (1957), the Rosenbergs(1954), Francis Gary Powers and the infamous "U2 incident"(1960), the March on Washington (1963), Brown verses the Board of Education (1954), the great GM strike (1936/37), Jonas Salk, the McCarthy era, the "War of the Worlds" broadcast (1938), Gold Star mothers, the Tet Offensive, Levittown, Detroit race riots, Kent State and countless other events that have now become well known. When Billy Joel's song "We didn't start the fire" came out in 1989, I knew just about every event mentioned in that song, mainly because I had watched this show. The show would take a period in time and review the events/news of that period, for example, "Fall 1973" they reviewed the Tennis match between Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs, the Yom Kippur war, the Saturday Night Massacre etc. all of which occurred during that period. The time periods featured ranged from 1936 - 1975 and it was amazing what they could pack into an hour. As the closing credits rolled, the hosts (Ray Gandolf and Linda Ellerbee) would rattle off the more obscure events that happened during that period and often tied them to modern day figures ("Also in 1952, Ronald Reagan married Nancy Davis..." etc). I wish there was a show like this on today. Unfortunately, ABC put this show on opposite The Cosby Show which was the most popular TV show on the air at the time so Our World had a hard time finding an audience. I watched, and taped Our World every week. I still enjoy watching the episodes and often watch them with my children when discussing their history lessons. It is sad that the term "Educational TV" has now become an oxi-moron. Shows such as this educated a lot of viewers. Thank you Linda and Ray! You did the job my history teachers did not do. Linda Ellerbee is still a prominent figure in TV, however, Ray Gandolf seems to have disappeared. Both did a fine job on this show. It truly is a forgotten jewel of the 1980s. Our World itself could now be a topic for a modern show looking back on 1986/87 - I wonder how many would remember it?

In Search of Noah's Ark (1976)

Unconvincing

[10 April 2006]

I have this on tape and I'm not sure why. I enjoy watching it but I don't believe it. I do find it amusing how several other reviews refer to it as "Christian" when the story of Noah predates Christianity by 2 thousand years or more and is included in the Jewish and Muslim teachings as well - shows what they know (or do not know)about the bible and theology. In any case, whether or not you are a believer, this movie is totally unconvincing. I do not understand how so many people could have climbed the mountain with the sole purpose of finding the ark, and yet not one photograph or piece of video of the ark, exists after all of these endeavors. Oh the movie claims a guy found it and drew maps but he died, a guy photographed it from a helicopter but he was murdered etc. but the most amusing story is that of two atheists that were led up by a Christian and saw it. They became so outraged they wanted to destroy it and kill the Christian! But... one asked the other "If we kill him how will we find our way back...?" so they spare this hapless person's life in exchange for his guidance and silence! Yea right! "How will we get back?" - let's see, you're up on a mountain... seems to me you head in a downward direction and you'll be "back" when you get to the bottom! The man finally breaks his silence on his deathbed. Right! I think Bill Cosby's story of Noah is more credible than this one. This movie could not convince even the most gullible viewer but for some reason I find it entertaining. Perhaps the absurdity of it amuses me, I don't know, it might be convincing if we were still living in 1976 when it was made but not today.

Apollo 11 (1996 TV Movie)

One enjoyable leap

[13 January 2006]

I watched and taped this movie when the Family Channel originally ran it in 1996. They (the Family Channel) promoted it pretty heavily and had trivia questions during the commercial breaks. It was an event geared for family viewing, something the Family Channel has lost site of lately. I recently viewed my tape to see how I would react to it almost 10 years after its release. My opinion has not changed; It is an enjoyable movie but it is what one would expect from a made for TV movie. I don't think the makers of this film can deny that they were cashing in on the waves created in the wake of the successful Apollo 13 which was released the previous year (1995). There was some good information conveyed in the movie, however, it did borrow a number of snippets from Apollo 13 - the wrist watch being put on over the astronaut's space suit, the close up of the traction belt on the tractor moving the rocket to the launch pad (almost the exact same shots used in Apollo 13) and Gene Kranz stating "Work the problem..." The actor who played Gene Kranz seemed to be trying harder to be Ed Harris than Gene Kranz. I like the scenes that showed the astronauts at home with their wives/families before the flight. I felt they were done very well and added some good contrast to the goings-on at NASA. I also found one scene somewhat out of place - Micheal Collins makes a comment which alludes to receiving a T-shirt that says "My husband went to moon and all I got was a lousy..." I doubt that saying was around in 1969. Despite these factors, I would definitely recommend this film as it is well made and informative. It is also a great story about American triumph, something badly needed in a post-9/11 world. I will point out that I too agree - the song at the end is beautiful.

Pistols 'n' Petticoats (1966–1967)

Henrietta could fire a gun with one hand milking a goat...

[10 October 2005]

I'm surprised by how many others remember this show. I still remember most of the theme song "Here's the legend about the Hanks..." and I remember the line "Henrietta could fire a gun with one hand milkin' a goat, and hit a coyote on the run in Pistols'n'Petticoats." A very catchy tune to the theme song and I remember my father started whistling it after watching the show. To this day he still whistles that tune and I recently asked him if he remembered where it came from. He had no clue! The show itself was a comedy/western and full of laughs each week. I remember watching the news one evening, in an era when they seldom showed footage, and they showed a photo of Ann Sheridan in her Henrietta Hank garb. The announcer said she had died that day and mentioned she was currently starring as Henrietta in Pistols 'n' Petticoats. I remember tuning in the next time it aired and the opening credits still showed the footage of Ann Sheridan, as Henrietta, driving a buggy. I thought they had simply replaced her with a look alike. Unfortunately, after the season run, Ann Sheridan was irreplaceable and the show went off the air. The theme song is a very catchy tune and I'm surprised it was not released on its own. "Here's the Legend about the Hanks in Pistols'n'Petticoats. Henrietta could fire a gun with one hand milkin'a goat and hit a coyote on the run in Pistols'n'Petticoats. They say that grandma was the best at shootin' buttons off a rustlers vest, grandpa kept his gun in trim, nobody messed around with him." Others have commented that they'd like to see this on DVD - well it is. It was released a couple of years ago by Platinum Disc as part of their TV Classic Westerns series. You can get four episodes of Frontier Doctor and six of Pistols 'N' Petticoats on the DVD. Search on ebay under Pistols 'n' Peticoats, not Pistols and etc... and you'll find it. Great to see it again.

Sunshine (1973 TV Movie)

Not quite like I remembered

[6/10 · 1 October 2005]

I remember seeing this movie the first time it aired in 1973. I actually watched it with my parents who did not like hippies at all yet they were quite moved by this story. I remember discussing it with friends at school and all the young girls commenting on how they cried at the end. Most of us made sure we saw it again when it was rebroadcast a few months later. The movie made such a splash that Cliff Deyoung actually performed "My Sweet Lady" on the Midnight Special around that time. When I learned of IMDb in the 90s, I was surfing around and happened upon a reference to this movie and recalled it and what it meant in 1973/74. For several years I tried finding it so I could see it again. I eventually found a copy on ebay and bought it. I watched it again in June 2005 and it just didn't hold up. It was not at all like I remembered. The story was not as moving as I remembered; the interaction between characters was not what I remembered. Seems Sam and Kate were always fighting, the harmony I thought I remembered wasn't there between them. As with many fond memories of another time, perhaps they're best left as memories. The recent viewing of this movie was quite a disappointment.

Jambo (1969– )

Remember the theme song but not much else

[2 September 2005]

"Jambo, jambo means 'hello' in a happy kind of an African way. Jambo, jambo means 'let's go' have a happy kind of an African day!" I remember my brother and I used to watch this every Saturday morning when Saturday morning cartoons were king. The Groovy Goulies, Hotwheels, Skyhawks, Smokie the Bear etc. each Saturday morning. Jambo was not a cartoon but we liked it just the same. I still remember that theme song some 36 years later which shows how effective a catchy tune can be when advertising or promoting a product. The opening sequence featured scenes from each episode and I tried to keep track of each one I had seen as they went through them. Each episode featured a different animal and often focused on the plight of a particular species. If nothing else, I did learn that "Jambo" really does mean "hello" in African. Whether or not it's in a "happy kind of way" I guess is up to who says and/or hears it.

Kennedy (1983)

One of the best TV movies I have seen.

[8/10 · 2 May 2005]

I remember when this movie was first aired in 1983 on the 20th anniversary of JFK's assassination. I was fed-up with all the Kennedy-mania at that time and I normally don't care for Martin Sheen. I remember seeing the ads for this movie on TV and I recalled that Martin Sheen had portrayed Bobby Kennedy in The Missiles of October, which was a very dry, 1974 TV movie that I couldn't sit through. Based on those factors, I decided not to watch this one when it originally aired. A few years later it was rerun on the 25th Anniversary of the JFK assassination. Between the time it first aired, and the 1988 rerun, I had seen a TV movie called Hoover Versus The Kennedys – the Second Civil War with Jack Warden and was very intrigued by it so when this one aired in 1988, I decided to watch it, and tape it, and I was not disappointed. As I pointed out, Martin Sheen is not my favorite actor but he is absolutely superb in this mini-series. This mini-series was very well done and has some big name actors in it which you do not normally see in made for TV movies. Historically and objectively, the movie is pretty good. As one reviewer stated, it shows "their warts" as well as their triumphs. A couple of historical mistakes – there are cars from the 1980s seen on the street as Jackie is conversing during a car ride. Also, Ethel Kennedy makes a reference to Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to JFK during a family event that takes place in 1963. I do not recall which event it was in the movie but Monroe actually died in August 1962 so it could not have happened the way that it is portrayed. Perhaps the writers just had to fit it in where they could. E.G. Marshall was stunning as Joseph Kennedy Sr. and Geraldine Fitzgerald was excellent too. The entire supporting cast was great and I really liked Vincent Gardenia's J. Edgar Hoover. The fact that Hoover's scenes were usually done in low light perhaps portrayed him as more sinister than he was but hey, it's a TV movie. I agree with the other reviewer who calls it "The Best Kennedy movie ever." It is very good. I believe the History Channel now owns it. Definitely worth taking the time to watch.

The Crawling Hand (1963)

I'll give the makers of this one a hand

[25 April 2005]

I saw this movie on the Saturday night "Sci-Fi Movie" when I was a kid in the mid to late 60s. It scared me then. I had to find a copy and watch it again almost 40 years later. Upon this second viewing, the part that scared me the most is that there may have been people who took this seriously! I can't believe grown men (OK people for the PC world we now live in) could actually invest time and money on a project like this but I'm glad they did because I must admit that I am a fan of "bad horror movies." They don't get much worse than this so of course I enjoyed it. As another reviewer pointed out, there is almost no acting. Also, there isn't much of a plot, the special effects are terrible, if not, non-existent. All of which adds up to one of the best bad horror movies I've ever seen. Very entertaining in that regard.

Behind the Music (1997–2021)

Enjoyable but became very predictable

[24 March 2005]

While I really enjoyed this show, I found one thing about it quite amusing; with the exception of Ted Nugent and Jim Croce, they could have filmed one synopsis, or template, with a place-holder that said "Insert artist name here." Seems every famous rock star from the 60s and 70s has almost the same story - they have talent and as a result they get very rich and famous in their early 20s. They begin using drugs, as a result they lose their families then eventually their band breaks up. Fueled by that, they sink further into chemical dependency and almost die. Then they meet a new wife, go through treatment, make up with their old friends, put their band back together and are now struggling desperately to re-capture the fame and prestige they once had. It fits for most artists and I find that quite amusing. An amazing testament to the power the record companies and promoters had in the 1970s. Very enjoyable to watch just the same.

A Very Brady Christmas (1988 TV Movie)

Could only watch it once

[5 August 2004]

I was a big fan of the Brady Bunch show when it was on and I was young and naive. I, just as most who watched it, knew it wasn't realistic. We knew it wasn't how most families interact etc. but we liked it just the same. When I watched this in 1988, I was disappointed. It was very well done but I guess the Brady Bunch, as many shows, was good only in its time so when reunions/updates are done, it does not have much impact - at least that's how I felt about this one. The best part was seeing (hearing) a Brady use the the word "hell!" Christopher Knight, as Peter, tells one of his siblings (I don't recall which) "That's a hell of a way to greet your brother" or something to that effect. Way to go Peter! That added some much needed realism to a show that even the most ardent fans will concede lacked realism. If I see it in my listings during the holiday season, I may check it out again but I did not care for it the first time so I doubt that will change.

Hot Wheels (1969– )

Long lost but memorable cartoon from the 60s

[8 July 2004]

I still remember this cartoon that I never missed on Saturday mornings. The characters were the hero Jack Wheeler, Ardeth the tomboy, Kip, the minority rep of the gang who drove an MG and "Tank" the big guy. Each week they were involved in a different race scenario. Each time they were tormented by their arch-nemesis Dexter, the bad guy. Had that great 60s underpinning where the good guys always won and Dexter left in shame. Jack Wheeler always drove one of two cars, the Jack Rabbit Special or the Sand Crab. Both cars were white, probably to indicate the "good guy." Each episode featured lots of good information regarding automotive mechanics and motor mania in general. At the end of each episode, Jack Wheeler always gave the young audience a driving safety tip. He even did an anti-smoking commercial, which was aired during other Saturday morning cartoons. Its companion cartoon was "Sky Hawks" which had a similar theme but featured airplanes instead of cars. I still remember the Hot Wheels theme song - "Hot Wheels, Hot Wheels, always racing always chasing. Hot Wheels, Hot Wheels, keep a-turning now, keep a-burning now, keep a-turnin' Hot Wheels! Daytona, Indianapolis and Bonneville! Dune buggies, keep a-climbin', up the sandy hill! Hot Wheels, Hot Wheels, keep a-turning now, keep a-burning now, keep a-turnin' Hot Wheels!"

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Ahhhh...

[21 March 2004]

Although I believe there were definitely enough laughs in this one to justify the price of admission, it is quite obvious that it won't ever become the classic the original is. The original featured a great plot, great characters and actors who played them, portrayed social commentary on humans and humanity in desperate situations and a zombie whose head gets sliced up by a helicopter blade. This version has absolutely none of that and that's a disappointment right off the bat. It seems Universal just wanted a more politically correct cast and characters with less shock value than the original. The cinematography was a bit irritating too. Fast camera swings, vague images of zombies really detracted from it. On the other hand this version, unlike the original, had one character providing comic relief which was quite good and provided much needed laughs we all came to expect from these "Dead" movies originally done by George Romero. All in all, the original version was a very well made movie that was not in best taste for most audiences so it developed a hardcore cult following. This version seems to be geared at selling tickets to the 18 - 22 crowd and, therefore, lacks depth. The ending was a bit strange too. Worth seeing once if you're a fan of the original trilogy. It will be interesting to see how it resonates with the new audience it was designed for.

Office Space (1999)

Um yeah, I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of rate this one a 9

[9/10 · 9 February 2004]

If you work in a cube, and love satire, this is your movie! Those who would slam it probably do not get it and that's fine but those of us who do will see it multiple times. This movie does for office workers what "This Is Spinal Tap" did for musicians. That means it may not be a movie for everyone but for those chosen ones, it means getting together with friends a couple of times a year to enjoy a classic and quote it constantly on those other 363 days when they're not watching it! If you are a cube dweller, then I need you to go ahead and check out this movie, uh that would be great. I too rated it a 9 because of the gangster-rap soundtrack. Save for that, I would've gone ahead and rated it a 10.

Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story (1992 TV Movie)

Still not the true story

[20 October 2003]

While this movie portrayed several events that were not included in the 1967 movie "Bonnie and Clyde," calling it the "True Story" is a mis-statement. As is often necessary in the confines of a two hour TV movie, characters and events are combined for dramatic purposes. I think the way Bonnie and Clyde are portrayed in this movie is more appropriate than the glamour that Beatty and Dunaway gave these killers in 1967. Blanch Barrow is definitely portrayed in a different light. The scenes where Clyde and W.D. Jones brutally kill two law enforcement officers at a dance in OK as well as the car accident that left Bonnie near death with two severely burned legs (two true events) seem conspicuously absent from the 1967 version after seeing this one. The method in which Bonnie and Clyde are executed is more accurate in this picture as, unlike the original, they never stopped their car or got out when it was hit with the hail of bullets. This movie also provides a bit better ending than the 1967 version. Not a great movie, but it is what one would expect from an early 90s TV movie. Worth watching once but not exactly the "True Story" as the title suggests.

The Legend of the Boy and the Eagle (1967)

Would love to see it again!

[15 September 2003]

As the other reviewer commented, I would love to see this again. I saw it in the theater as an opening short to another Disney film in the late sixties. I forget which film that was, but I certainly remember this one. I do recall seeing this movie on the Sunday evening broadcast of "The Wonderful World of Disney" at least twice after having seen it in the theater. The boy's name is Tutuvina (not sure if I spelled it correctly) and the movie was/is very enjoyable. I would love to see it again!

The Pennsylvania Miners' Story (2002 TV Movie)

Not bad but why didn't they film an ending???

[25 November 2002]

OK TV Movie, actually refreshing to have a positive story and family oriented characters as opposed to the trash that's usually thrown at the public in the form of a TV movie.

It did give the viewer a look at what it must've been like for those 9 workers. I wish they would've added, or informed the viewers of the actual dates. If this movie is viewed several years from now, it would be nice to inform new viewers when it took place. It does have that "Get the TV movie out there right away..." feel to it as you watch but it isn't bad at all.

Could've been a lot better and the abrupt ending was a disappointment.

Scooby-Doo (2002)

Writers had to resort to "pottie humor" again.

[12 November 2002]

Bad movie. Seems that when writers can't come up with anything clever in a "Kids movie" they have to resort to farting, belching and scatological references. Well, this piece of garbage is no exception. The cartoon was really good, this movie is really bad. This type of humor worked well in Blazing Saddles when it still contained some shock value but now it's commonplace in so many movies (especially "kids" movies). Gas-passing and bodily functions are now necessary to make kids laugh. There's no shock value in it any more, and the humor is "playground humor" or "bathroom humor." Whatever happened to clever wit? Surely it could not have completely disappeared... I hope not, and I won't call you Shirley...

The Space Children (1958)

Proof that actors from "Dragnet" could get other roles at one time

[24 October 2002]

What can you say about a film that features Uncle Fester, Mr. Drysdale, the Professor, Mark McCain and the re-occurring "ornery lady" (Peggy Webber) featured in so many episodes of Dragnet? Well... I really enjoyed it! Russell Johnson is great as a mean, drunken, stepfather and, in a departure from her many roles on Dragnet, Peggy Webber's character is very personable. I think the picture is a great commentary on the type of science fiction that was popular after Sputnik but before the US manned space missions. Is it a "good" movie? Probably not. Is it enjoyable? It was to me! Reminded me of the typical Saturday afternoon movies I enjoyed as a child on TV during the 60s. Had I seen none of those types of movies, my commentary would probably be less favorable. It's not the acting, directing, production quality or even the plot of this picture that I liked - it's merely the nostalgic effect it has. This means, it's not a picture for everyone. It's a short film, so there's little to lose in watching it, which I'll probably do again someday!