Don Movie Reviews

Mitchell, like Manos: The Hands of Fate, is a classic example of how NOT to make a movie, this time in the cop thriller genre. Mitchell (Joe Don Baker) is a slob and a cop (makes me feel better about who our police picks to be on the force), who stumbles into a drug caper executed by lawyer John Saxon and millionaire Martin Balsam, who send a hooker (Linda Evans) to try and get Mitchell to stay away. Amatuerish direction, bad writing, and subpar acting doom this one. The MST3K version is hella funny, with the cracks on Joe Don and the movie itself (Joe Don hated the MST3K version so much, that he threatened to beat up any of the crew if he saw them. Whatsa matter, can't take a joke?). the host segments involve a Three's Company-like misunderstanding that has Gypsy believing that the Mads want to kill Joel, so throughout the episode she tries to come up with plans to free Joel. Memorable quotes: "Mitchell, even his name says, 'is that a beer?'", "My, my, my, my apartment", and "MITCHELL!!!". The only redeeming quality to this piece of crap is the title song by Hoyt Axton, who probably needed the paycheck. The song is just catchy, and I find myself humming it quite often. If the plot seems totally confusing, get the unMSTied version, as it clears up most of the confusion.

The DVD is a mixed bag: the host segments are crisp and clear, while the movie itself is scratched, dirty, and a bit faded, which is what MSTies, like myself, like. The supplement on this disc is the trailer for the feature, which makes this look like an enjoyable movie. Oh, Hoyt, how could you? (Even though the MST3K version is good, I will be rating based on the movie alone. MST3K gets 5 stars, while Mitchell gets 1).

MITCHELL
(1975, R)

Mitchell: Joe Don Baker
James Arthur Cummings: Martin Balsam
Walter Deaney: John Saxon
Greta: Linda Evans
Benton: Merlin Olsen
Salvatore Mistretta: Morgan Paull

Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Writer: Ian Kennedy Martin

MOVIE: 1

VIDEO: 3
AUDIO: 2
EXTRAS: 2
MENUS: 3
OVERALL: 2

Make a good movie, say "Dirty Harry", and a thousand bad imitations will follow. Mitchell is a rather dull and formulaic cop drama about yet another police officer who "doesn't play by the rules", but the gang at MST3K manage to provide entertainment where the movie fails. The host segments really shine and are cleverly scripted to remove Joel Hodgson as the host and insert head writer Mike Nelson as his replacement. Although fans of the show at the time (myself included) were most sad to see Hodgson leave his brainchild, it doesn't diminish the quality of the laughs scripted in this episode. Not the funniest MST3K episode ever, but definitely worth repeated viewing. Look for Linda Evans in the film, but you may wince when she's "makin' it" with Joe Don Baker!

A hilarious episode.
Sort of reminds me of Final Justice (also with Joe Don Baker), in that the seemingly same scene gets repeated about three or four times - Mitchell showing up at Martin Balsam's house. (In Final Justice, the repeated scene is Sheffif Geronimo Jefferson [Baker] getting up from his jail cell cot.)
If I remember right, the climactic (term used loosely) scene at the end of Mitchell is a fight on a boat between Baker and Balsam; that very, very closely resembles the fight between Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson at the end of Key Largo.
Hmmm.... Anyone else notice this?

ROCKY UN BOXER IN THE UNITED STATES

HE GET TO BE A BOXER IN GYM UN TRAIN TO FIGHT ZE BOXERS ROCKY VERY STRONG UN FAST DRINKS PROTEIN UN EGGS UN JOGS TO BECOME FIGHTUER PUNCHES MEAT IN DA FREEZUR TO BE BIG UN STRONG HE GOES "HUMPH-HUMPH-HUMPH-HUUUUMPH!" WHEN PUNCHES MEAT

APOLLO CRIED DA BOXER IS OPPONENT UN CHAMPION UN FIGHT DA ROXIE BALBOA

ADRIAN LADY IS FRIEND UN LOVELY GURL FOR THE ROCKEE

APOLLO UND HIM FIGHT AN FIGHT LOTS OF PUNCH
MICK IS DA TRAINUR UN GET ROCKY ALL PUMPED UPS

LIKE THE BOXING MATCH VERY BIG

ROCKY IS A GREAT FIGHTUR UN BEAT UP ANYBODY WHO CHALLENGE

ROCKY GO-GO-GO! PUNCH-PNCH-PUNCH NOCK OUT UN WINNER!

I can't believe that Sly wrote this one. Kudos to Sly. He really did a great job with Rocky Balboa who was a south paw with a drinking habit and a two bit hustler who never had a chance at nothing. Then along comes his big chance and he's on top of the world.

This is one of the best movies ever, far better than the four sequels, although they are worth checking out as well.

It takes an actor, only the rank of Robert De Niro, to perfectly play the role of a violent, mercurial guy, who has no clue whatsoever of what he has to do with his life. Moreover, only an actor like De Niro can play the part of a well toned, energetic boxer, and also fatten himself up at the same time, to play the role of the same well toned energetic pugilist when all he cares about is glutting himself up and being slothful to the point of being indifferent. All the more, it takes a director, the caliber of Scorsese to make De Niro do all of these things.

Scorsese is a master of disturbing movies. His movies are subtle, yet disturbing. In "Raging Bull", he has perfectly captured the deranged character of Jack La Motta, and has chosen the perfect person to enact this character. The movie is uncomplicated, but the fights are not. Each moment of La Motta's various fights seems to be crafted diligently and with perfection. The fights are violent, but not gory. But, the blood-spills of the fights, even in black-and-white seem quite distressing. Of course, De Niro acts fantastically, even, and especially during his boxing scenes.

The black-and-white look of the movie, enhancing the subfusc nature of it, actually helps one, focus fully on the intensity of the characters, especially since everything else around them seem so livid and wan. As a matter of fact, colors are used symbolically by the artful Scorsese. The majority of the movie is pretty depressing. Hence, the movie is colorless, for the major part of it. However, the movie has a five-odd minute patch, which is shot in color. In fact, the 'colored' part, is the only positive part of the movie, which actually is a phantasmagoria of shots, showing positive things happening to lives of the Motta brothers.

"Raging Bull" is quite a depressing movie; there is no doubt about that. But, it is one of those movies, which is ought to be 'studied' for its brilliant direction (especially the non-usage of color producing greater effect) and the acting, especially of Robert De Niro, who did seem to actually put a on lot of weight for the movie.

I went to the video store, plucked this off the shelf, rented it, and popped it into the VCR expecting it to be Rocky. In fact, I didn't even look at the box when I rented this, I associate all boxing movies with Rocky. Rocky this ain't, but De Niro's an okay actor. He's no Stallone, but held his own in his scenes with Pesci, a much more talented, gifted actor. Pesci is the best thing about this flick; if it concentrated more on boxing and less on soul searching it would be okay. In the future, biopicks are only good with fast cuts and in color. This movie moved as slow as molasses. Again, it was decent, and I give it five stars because of Pesci, but where are the cuts?

*Scorcese's not that bad a director check out his masterpiece, the Cape Fear remake, his best film.

Yes, I'm taling about the mole on his right cheek. It has to be the most famous mole in movie history ; ) I LOVE Robert De Niro, so I am probably biased a bit w/this review, but there are so many other noteworthy details about this film I will mention. I never got to see this film on the big screen (as its meant to be watched) when it debuted in 1980 & missed a cinematic masterpiece! I actually remember reading in a magazine back in the 80's how Raging Bull was in the top of critics' lists worldwide when they took a poll of what they considered to be the best movie of the 1980's in American cinema. This movie book-marked the decade of the 70's where movies had more meaning before charater-depriving special effects techonology took over. But this is not just the best of the 80's, I would say R. Bull is up up there w/the best of the past 30 years. It was also voted only 24th in the AFI top 100 but what do they know? I don't believe in comparison to judge a film's worth and movies will mean something different to the indiviudual and this movie meant something to me.

The cinematography of the film overall is stunning and shot in majestic 1940's-evoking gorgeous black & white & especially masterful in the boxing sequences. Incedentally, De Niro made another boxsing-related movie "Night and the City" that is nowhere near the briliance of this film marvel. Raging Bull is the stellar moment of DeNiro's career when he was in a string of exciting, high-quality 1970's/early 80's films and then sadly, he chose assembly-line films ater that for a whole decade until the champ made a comback w/"Heat" and "Caino" in the mid 1990's.

The cinematography (by MIchael Chapman), choreography, editing, slow motion & sound in the hyper-kinetic fight senes is like nothing I've ver seen or heard! A technical marvel, it all comes together magickally. I love Martin Scorcese's camera work! Many directors who try to copy his style, but none as masterful . Here its just right, not overdone & frenzied ala that awful editing where every scene is a milisecond, but here its well-paced. Notice the good use of dynamics in the motion of the camera! Sorcese "dances" w/the camera. The flashbulbs, the sweat, the footwork, and his innovative use of real animal sounds on the soundtrack heightens the terror. This masterpiece was nominated for Academy Awards and won only 2(best actor for De Niro and best editiong). The Oscars is just and industry popularity contest anyway. This movie is above that.

The musical score can make or break a film & I enjoyed the theme music, the "Intermezzo Sinfonico" from cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagani although me & my mother were puzzled as to why he chose melancholy stings for boxing, except that this film is not about boxing really, its about the human spirit & one persons' journey from achieveing the American Dream to losing everything that mattered.

Much as been written about DeNiro's gaining 60 lbs! for when his Jake La Motta has becomes a sleazy nightclub performer & lech. This severe weigt gain ocmpromised his health to the point DeNiro sounded like he had asthma & raise blood pressure. To me, that is just plain stupid to have done this. I thought the point of acting was that you become another person from the isnide out where you do not need the externals. Its more like becoming that character rather than acting. He did not have that many scenes where Jake is overweight & that could have been done by him wearing a fat prosthetic! This does show his dedication to his art, but its painful to watch his transformation from being in the best shape he ws ever in to the worst.

Amajor theme in is Jake's sexual jealoush (& maybe sexual inadequacy). Bobby D can sure amke awhite t-shirt talk! He has a hot scene w/Cathy Moriarty who plays his wife. He sees her as a possession, not a companion or friend, unfortunately. I don't feel he is being paranoid but that he has insecurities (they dont tell us why) and that causes him to constantly question 2nd wife Vicky to the point he becomes abusive and drives her and brother Joey (excellently layed by Joe Pesci) away. Jake may be taking his personal demons out in the ring. I only saw that in one scene, deNiro's most ferociously ugly moment where he brutally fists his opponent's face to deliberately ruin his looks . DeNiro loks very differnt in R. Bull as they curled his hair and gave him some nose prosthetic to wear and a mouthpiece. But the mole remained!

The viewer might feel they have been through a visual beating from the steady intensity, profanity & fighting for Jake takes the ring home w/him where he has an awful temper & disrupts his home life. This man needed some therapy! One hard-to-watch-scne is where he questions Joey if he slept w/his wife. Jake is not satisfied no mater how may tiems he asks saying "You're a smart guy. You're giving me all these answeres but not the right answer". The look in these 2 actors' eyes is believable as deNiro shows his characer may not be bright, but can read between the lines. The film did not make clear whether Vicky did sleep w/Joey or not. Jake years later tries to make it up to Joey by hugging him repeatedly & its a tender moment to see. So this "bull" does have a human side to him but you have to dig deep to see it.

The most heart-breaking moment is where DeNiro is bload soaked, face pulverized, a truly horrifying moment and he hobbles over to his nemesis saying "YOu didn't get me down, Ray" as there is a terrifying closeup of blod dripping for the ropes. Scorcese has said "Jake fought like he didnt deserve to live". Why? I wished they had explored w/a longer film the psychology behind his only expressing himself through violence. Anoher hard-to-watch scene is where he asks Joey to hit him in the face. This movie pulls no punches.

The very begging has one of the most beautiful, poetic moments in film. DeNiro is framed by the ropes, shadow boxing/dancing in the corner in artistic slow mtion as the "Intermexzzo" swells. Another classic DeNiro moment, this one of pure grace coming from a beast.

Method actor DeNiro has a complex mirror scene, a layered performace of DeNiro as Jake as Brando as Terry Malloy. Another important scene is hwere Jake pounds the cell walls screaming "I am not an amimal" I think realizing that he is in part and doing some needed self-examination. This was writen by Paul schrader w/a controversial masterbation scene that ends in metaphorical impotence but was left out as it was too much for the studio. Raging Bull was origianlly set to be a play called "Prizefighter" before it became film but that never materialized. My only beef (no pun inteneded) is why wasn't the artistic talent, direction and acting spent on a more intersting subject matter that more people could relate too? Again, Bobby D and Scorcese have made a film that bursts w/testosterone that is mroe easily relatable to by males than femles but is the height of their aritstic collaborations. This is worthy of a pecial edition 2-dvd set, insead you get none! Why no commentary no delete dscenes, making of? At least w/the dvd you can zoom into his mole.

Hollywood werewolves have long been characterized as serious creatures who lope after their victims like an hirsuit Groucho Marx. The image of this loping werewolf was originally etched by Lon Chaney and succeeding generations of actors merely continued his style. But with AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, director John Landis not only pushed the werewolf back down on all fours so it would resemble nothing less than a bristling mobile lycan tank but he also added a much needed touch of humor to force viewers to stand apart momentarily from the gore to contemplate what they had just seen. David Naughton and Griffin Dunne are two Americans backpacking their way through a gloomy English moor right out of Heathcliffe's WUTHERING HEIGHTS. They are attacked by a howling werewolf who kills Dunne but merely bites Naughton before it itself is shot by villagers. This introductory scene in which Naughton and Dunne are banished by an unfriendly group of pub drinkers is an unsettling mixture of creepy fear leavened with biting wit. It is precisely this same melding of horror and humor that suggests that the viewer engage in extremes of emotions that range from laughing to choking, with the viewer sometimes not sure which one to choose.

Jenny Agutter is a much underappreciated actress who shines as a nurse who falls for Naughton, and cannot understand a radical change in his eating habits as he increasingly comes to prefer his meat extra rare. Agutter adds an unexpected dimension to a role that in another and less competent director's hands might have relegated her to little more than a fetching piece of English eye candy. Griffin Dunne supplies visceral humor as a corpse that keeps popping up, like Hamlet's father's ghost, at opportune times to remind Naughton that the price to pay to be free from lycanthropia may be a tad too high. And then there is the music, played in much the same vein as Simon & Garfunkle's lyrics from THE GRADUATE, but here Credence Clearwater Revival's lilting "Bad Moon Rising" punctuates the eye popping transformation scenes that a bad moon leads to bad vibes. Finally, the special effects of Rick Baker are stunning in that you can see bones elongating, fur sprouting, and nostrils stretching as Naughton is seen scaring himself as much as the audience. Ultimately, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON is a ground breaker in the werewolf genre in that sight and sound combine to present creatures as helpless in their own way as their victims are in their own.

May turn into a snarling hell-hound that boogies down to Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" while tearing up yuppies in Kensington and uptight bankers in the London Underground---all when the wolvesbane blooms and the Moon is shining bright, of course.

Made in 1981 (a great year for movie Lycanthropes on both sides of the Atlantic) Landis's "American Werewolf" is for my money the greatest werewolf movie ever made, and coincidentally marks Landis's directorial high-water mark.

While backpacking across the UK, and shortly after a pit stop at the inhospitable Inn of the Slaughtered Lamb, American friends David Kessler (a fine role by the underrated DAvid Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne)are attacked by a mysterious beast on the moors.

The dimly glimpsed beast tears Jack's throat out and savages David, who is hospitalized and London, cared for by a pretty English nurse (nicely played by Jenny Agutter). Tormented by increasingly horrific dreams and plagued by ghoulish visions, David soon realizes that he has problems far worse than the cancellation of his summer-long EurailPass.

"An American Werewolf in London" has long been regarded as a comedic horror film, and it's not hard to see why. The title is campy and glib, the film itself has a cocky and sarcastic air about it, and the dialogue between the increasingly Lupine David and his ghastly revenant friend Jack is wickedly, blackly funny.

But "American Werewolf in London" is not a funny movie; it is far more of a classic evocation of the black, wild terror you feel when you find that the hungry, uncontrollable beast that stalks the night and slakes its thirst with the blood of innocents---is you. Landis, who had a fine touch for the comedic, sarcastic flair, uses funny barbs and witty dialogue to heighten the terror, the mounting horror, of David's plight.

Landis has created a work of sheer, diabolic genius, channeling the stuff of pure nightmare: think of the stalking scene where a City banker is pursued by something---something too awful for the camera to show, we feel---through the anonymous, antiseptic, endless tube-like passageways of the London Underground. From the moment we hear the snarling, coughing bark coming from the darkened tunnel to the second some brutish thing comes slouching upon its cowering victim, we have left the world of film and entered the world of nightmare.

Rick Baker's special effects are outstanding: the prosthetic and gore effects are so shocking, so gruesome, and so organic that the film (especially on the crisp Special Edition transfer) looks like it could have been made yesterday.

But when all is said and done, the real credit for this masterwork comes back to Landis: here is the work of a director in the prime of his career, finely balancing comedy with terror, and willing to take a chance. Those inured to its shocks from having watched the film hundreds of times may not realize what an insidious, subversive little piece of grue this is, but think about it: Landis zigged where a lesser director would have zagged, and the result is the stuff of nightmare. Where did those squealing Nazi pig-soldiers come from, anyway? I don't know, but thanks to Landis they have been regular guests in more of my nightmares than I can remember.

Dreamy, surreal, hysterical and terrifying, modern and classical at once, "An American Werewolf in London" is the greatest werewolf film of all time, and a fitting meditation on the Beast within.

...May turn into a snarling, drooling, hungry hell-hound that boogies down to Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" while tearing up yuppies in Kensington and uptight bankers in the London Underground---all when the wolvesbane blooms and the Moon is shining bright, of course. .............. Landis's "American Werewolf" is for my money the greatest werewolf movie ever made, and coincidentally marks Landis's directorial high-water mark.

"American Werewolf in London" wastes no time sharpening up its claws, slicking back its hair, and heading out for a gory good night on the town---Merry Olde London Towne, to be exact. .............

"An American Werewolf in London" has long been regarded as a comedic horror film, and it's not hard to see why. The title is campy and glib, the film itself has a cocky and sarcastic air about it, and the dialogue between the increasingly Lupine David and his ghastly revenant friend Jack is wickedly, blackly funny.

But "American Werewolf in London" is not a funny movie; it is far more of a classic evocation of the black, wild terror you feel when you find that the hungry, uncontrollable beast that stalks the night and slakes its thirst with the blood of innocents---is you. Landis, who had a fine touch for the comedic, sarcastic flair, uses funny barbs and witty dialogue to heighten the terror, the mounting horror, of David's awful, lonely plight.

Make no mistake about it, this is a terrifying movie, one of the scariest I have ever seen. Landis has created a work of sheer, diabolic genius, channeling the stuff of pure nightmare.......................

Underneath the gaudy veneer of modernism Landis has mastered all of the classic techniques of lycanthropic legend: the windswept and haunted moors, the chilly streets of London, the darkened mews and haunts of Knightsbridge, the candle-lit claustrophobia of The Slaughtered Lamb---all of the sets are deliciously atmospheric and serve to accent the film's growing sense of unease. Landis is a master with some truly stunning shots here, particularly David's dream sequences shot from the perspecting of a beast loping through a dark, foggy forest.

The acting here is also top-knotch, rounded off by some fine English character actors, including John Woodvine as a London doctor (Woodvine played the fascistic Marshal in a 1979 Doctor Who episode "The Armageddon Factor") and the late great Brian Glover, who plays a grumpy chess player and "Slaughtered Lamb" denizen. Elmer Bernstein's haunting, brooding score is also a nice touch, swelling when you need it to, circumspect when you don't.

Naturally, Rick Baker's special effects are outstanding............. The effects are so shocking, so gruesome, and so organic that the film (especially on the crisp Special Edition transfer) looks like it could have been made yesterday.

But when all is said and done, the real credit for this masterwork comes back to Landis: here is the work of a director in the prime of his career, finely balancing comedy with terror, and willing to take a chance. Those inured to its shocks from having watched the film hundreds of times may not realize what an insidious, subversive little piece of grue this is, but think about it: Landis zigged where a lesser director would have zagged, and the result is the stuff of nightmare. Where did those squealing Nazi pig-soldiers come from, anyway? I don't know, but thanks to Landis they have been regular guests in more of my nightmares than I can remember.

Dreamy, surreal, hysterical and terrifying, modern and classical at once, "An American Werewolf in London" is the greatest werewolf film of all time, and a fitting meditation on the Beast Within.

Hollywood werewolves have long been characterized as serious creatures who lope after their victims like an hirsuit Groucho Marx. The image of this loping werewolf was originally etched by Lon Chaney and succeeding generations of actors merely continued his style. But with AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, director John Landis not only pushed the werewolf back down on all fours so it would resemble nothing less than a bristling mobile lycan tank but he also added a much needed touch of humor to force viewers to stand apart momentarily from the gore to contemplate what they had just seen. David Naughton and Griffin Dunne are two Americans backpacking their way through a gloomy English moor right out of Heathcliffe's WUTHERING HEIGHTS. They are attacked by a howling werewolf who kills Dunne but merely bites Naughton before it itself is shot by villagers. This introductory scene in which Naughton and Dunne are banished by an unfriendly group of pub drinkers is an unsettling mixture of creepy fear leavened with biting wit. It is precisely this same melding of horror and humor that suggests that the viewer engage in extremes of emotions that range from laughing to choking, with the viewer sometimes not sure which one to choose.

Jenny Agutter is a much underappreciated actress who shines as a nurse who falls for Naughton, and cannot understand a radical change in his eating habits as he increasingly comes to prefer his meat extra rare. Agutter adds an unexpected dimension to a role that in another and less competent director's hands might have relegated her to little more than a fetching piece of English eye candy. Griffin Dunne supplies visceral humor as a corpse that keeps popping up, like Hamlet's father's ghost, at opportune times to remind Naughton that the price to pay to be free from lycanthropia may be a tad too high. And then there is the music, played in much the same vein as Simon & Garfunkle's lyrics from THE GRADUATE, but here Credence Clearwater Revival's lilting "Bad Moon Rising" punctuates the eye popping transformation scenes that a bad moon leads to bad vibes. Finally, the special effects of Rick Baker are stunning in that you can see bones elongating, fur sprouting, and nostrils stretching as Naughton is seen scaring himself as much as the audience. Ultimately, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON is a ground breaker in the werewolf genre in that sight and sound combine to present creatures as helpless in their own way as their victims are in their own.

May turn into a snarling hell-hound that boogies down to Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" while tearing up yuppies in Kensington and uptight bankers in the London Underground---all when the wolvesbane blooms and the Moon is shining bright, of course.

Made in 1981 (a great year for movie Lycanthropes on both sides of the Atlantic) Landis's "American Werewolf" is for my money the greatest werewolf movie ever made, and coincidentally marks Landis's directorial high-water mark.

While backpacking across the UK, and shortly after a pit stop at the inhospitable Inn of the Slaughtered Lamb, American friends David Kessler (a fine role by the underrated DAvid Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne)are attacked by a mysterious beast on the moors.

The dimly glimpsed beast tears Jack's throat out and savages David, who is hospitalized and London, cared for by a pretty English nurse (nicely played by Jenny Agutter). Tormented by increasingly horrific dreams and plagued by ghoulish visions, David soon realizes that he has problems far worse than the cancellation of his summer-long EurailPass.

"An American Werewolf in London" has long been regarded as a comedic horror film, and it's not hard to see why. The title is campy and glib, the film itself has a cocky and sarcastic air about it, and the dialogue between the increasingly Lupine David and his ghastly revenant friend Jack is wickedly, blackly funny.

But "American Werewolf in London" is not a funny movie; it is far more of a classic evocation of the black, wild terror you feel when you find that the hungry, uncontrollable beast that stalks the night and slakes its thirst with the blood of innocents---is you. Landis, who had a fine touch for the comedic, sarcastic flair, uses funny barbs and witty dialogue to heighten the terror, the mounting horror, of David's plight.

Landis has created a work of sheer, diabolic genius, channeling the stuff of pure nightmare: think of the stalking scene where a City banker is pursued by something---something too awful for the camera to show, we feel---through the anonymous, antiseptic, endless tube-like passageways of the London Underground. From the moment we hear the snarling, coughing bark coming from the darkened tunnel to the second some brutish thing comes slouching upon its cowering victim, we have left the world of film and entered the world of nightmare.

Rick Baker's special effects are outstanding: the prosthetic and gore effects are so shocking, so gruesome, and so organic that the film (especially on the crisp Special Edition transfer) looks like it could have been made yesterday.

But when all is said and done, the real credit for this masterwork comes back to Landis: here is the work of a director in the prime of his career, finely balancing comedy with terror, and willing to take a chance. Those inured to its shocks from having watched the film hundreds of times may not realize what an insidious, subversive little piece of grue this is, but think about it: Landis zigged where a lesser director would have zagged, and the result is the stuff of nightmare. Where did those squealing Nazi pig-soldiers come from, anyway? I don't know, but thanks to Landis they have been regular guests in more of my nightmares than I can remember.

Dreamy, surreal, hysterical and terrifying, modern and classical at once, "An American Werewolf in London" is the greatest werewolf film of all time, and a fitting meditation on the Beast within.

...May turn into a snarling, drooling, hungry hell-hound that boogies down to Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" while tearing up yuppies in Kensington and uptight bankers in the London Underground---all when the wolvesbane blooms and the Moon is shining bright, of course. .............. Landis's "American Werewolf" is for my money the greatest werewolf movie ever made, and coincidentally marks Landis's directorial high-water mark.

"American Werewolf in London" wastes no time sharpening up its claws, slicking back its hair, and heading out for a gory good night on the town---Merry Olde London Towne, to be exact. .............

"An American Werewolf in London" has long been regarded as a comedic horror film, and it's not hard to see why. The title is campy and glib, the film itself has a cocky and sarcastic air about it, and the dialogue between the increasingly Lupine David and his ghastly revenant friend Jack is wickedly, blackly funny.

But "American Werewolf in London" is not a funny movie; it is far more of a classic evocation of the black, wild terror you feel when you find that the hungry, uncontrollable beast that stalks the night and slakes its thirst with the blood of innocents---is you. Landis, who had a fine touch for the comedic, sarcastic flair, uses funny barbs and witty dialogue to heighten the terror, the mounting horror, of David's awful, lonely plight.

Make no mistake about it, this is a terrifying movie, one of the scariest I have ever seen. Landis has created a work of sheer, diabolic genius, channeling the stuff of pure nightmare.......................

Underneath the gaudy veneer of modernism Landis has mastered all of the classic techniques of lycanthropic legend: the windswept and haunted moors, the chilly streets of London, the darkened mews and haunts of Knightsbridge, the candle-lit claustrophobia of The Slaughtered Lamb---all of the sets are deliciously atmospheric and serve to accent the film's growing sense of unease. Landis is a master with some truly stunning shots here, particularly David's dream sequences shot from the perspecting of a beast loping through a dark, foggy forest.

The acting here is also top-knotch, rounded off by some fine English character actors, including John Woodvine as a London doctor (Woodvine played the fascistic Marshal in a 1979 Doctor Who episode "The Armageddon Factor") and the late great Brian Glover, who plays a grumpy chess player and "Slaughtered Lamb" denizen. Elmer Bernstein's haunting, brooding score is also a nice touch, swelling when you need it to, circumspect when you don't.

Naturally, Rick Baker's special effects are outstanding............. The effects are so shocking, so gruesome, and so organic that the film (especially on the crisp Special Edition transfer) looks like it could have been made yesterday.

But when all is said and done, the real credit for this masterwork comes back to Landis: here is the work of a director in the prime of his career, finely balancing comedy with terror, and willing to take a chance. Those inured to its shocks from having watched the film hundreds of times may not realize what an insidious, subversive little piece of grue this is, but think about it: Landis zigged where a lesser director would have zagged, and the result is the stuff of nightmare. Where did those squealing Nazi pig-soldiers come from, anyway? I don't know, but thanks to Landis they have been regular guests in more of my nightmares than I can remember.

Dreamy, surreal, hysterical and terrifying, modern and classical at once, "An American Werewolf in London" is the greatest werewolf film of all time, and a fitting meditation on the Beast Within.

I must say that I didn't even see this film until I purchased this DVD, and I'm happy to say that it's worth EVERY PENNY I spent on it. I really don't want to give any of the plot away, but let's just say it doesn't take much BRAINS to figure out that this film's a winner in the comedy-horror genre. I almost feel ashamed that I didn't catch this one back in the day, but it still has an impact now. If you haven't seen this and are into zombie flicks, this one is totally awesome and worth adding to your collection.

Upon hearing the title, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, the first thought most people probably have is that RETURN is a sequel to George Romero's beloved classic, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. While it's easy to see why one would assume such a thing that is not the case. RETURN is, instead, a sort of spoof on the zombie genre that came about when the creators of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (George Romero and John Russo) parted ways. You see both men agreed that they could each use the LIVING DEAD titles as they wished. Romero, as most zombie enthusiasts already know, went on to create his zombie trilogy (including DAY OF THE DEAD and DAWN OF THE DEAD), while Russo went on to create this and it's sequel, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD PART II. So what does that make RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD?

RETURN OF EH LIVING DEAD is a gory comedy that will entertain you from start to finish. It'll make you laugh and, at the same time, terrified to go outside for the fear of zombies charging at you from out of the darkness. Admittedly a huge fan of the zombie genre, (and not as big of fan of Romero's final two films in the dead trilogy as the majority of zombie lovers), I think RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD is a fun horror comedy equipped with corny dialogue, black humor, a fair amount of gore, and the most gratuitous nudity I've ever seen in a film. While the RETURN films have understandably been endlessly compared to Romero's films, I think they are really both two totally separate groups of solid zombie films. You see, Romero's films are all about mood and gore and even some drama while RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD is a fast paced joke of a movie and I mean that as a compliment. While both Romero's films and the ROTD films feature zombies, Romero uses them for scares and to conjure up human emotions while ROTD (this one and the second one) uses them to eat the brains of punk rockers and to make us laugh.

All in all, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, is the perfect movie to sit around and watch with your friends and a case of beer (maybe even a bottle of Jagermeister?).

B-

Flesh-rending and brain-eating has never been so cool since the glory days of "Return of the Living Dead", Dan O'Bannon's first foray into directing (he wrote the script for "Alien" and later helmed the underrated "The Resurrected") and an homage to Romero's classic zombie films that would come close---very close---to surpassing the works of the Master in their ghoulish, brain-chomping goodness.

Remember that movie they made, years ago, about the living dead wandering about rural Pennsylvania, hungry for human flesh? Well, turns out that's a true story---but according to medical device factory supervisor Frank (played by the immortal James Karen, who sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for being in every cool film ever made), They (you know, the Army, the Pentagon, the CIA, the Scientists, the Guys in Charge) made the filmmakers change names and places around a little. As it turns out, Frank confides in rookie co-worker Freddy (played to the hilt by then-newcomer Thom Mathews), the army transported some of the zombies to a little medical products plant in Louisville, Kentucky---why, the very medical products plant our two heroes are sitting in. The zombies, of course, are downstairs in special sealed containment barrels.

Could you resist? Frank and Freddy can't, and head downstairs for a little face time with the safely entombed zombie. Turns out those old Army Corps of Engineering barrels weren't nearly as fail-safe as Frank thought, and a nasty, greenish, zombifying gas pours out---and it has very specific, re-animating qualities. Seeing as the gas spreads quickly through a building stocked to the gills with cadavers and split-dogs (just see for yourself), this is a very bad thing.

Add to this Frank and Freddy's decision with the help of an eccentric mortician Ernie (was that a Horst Wessel tune playing on his headphones while he was embalming that corpse?) to burn the zombified evidence (smoke spreads the pollutants, guys...to the local cemetery), throw in a pack of punkers who decide to 'hang out' in the aforementioned cemetery, and you have the makings of what I consider to be one of the very best zombie movies *ever* made.

"Return of the Living Dead" is sick, funny, benefits from a great eighties punker score (including songs from The Cramps and SSQ), well-paced, beautifully shot and rippingly directed by O'Bannon: not content to rest on its hysterically funny laurels, the movie ups the ante by really try to scare the bewhooskers out of you. Yes, the "Wee Chapel of the Dawn" is a whimsical and truly funny touch, as is the eviscerated woman's corpse, strapped to a gurney in the mortuary, that howls "brains...brains...BRAINS"---but the gallows humor is tied to the horror, and "Return of the Living Dead", even all these years later, is a terrifying film. The dead here don't amble or lurch, they run---and they talk, yell, taunt and scream, as well ("I love you Tina...and that's why you need to let me EAT YOUR BRAINS").

The special edition DVD is sorely needed, and restores "Return" to all its brain chewing glory. The extras, including a wry and amusing commentary by O'Bannon and conceptual art of the undead, are worth the price of admission alone.

Make sure you've secured all the doors and windows, don that spiked dog-collar, put a cassette of The Cramps in the hopper, and remember to shoot those zombies in the head---and then sit back and enjoy "Return of the Living Dead", one of the finest zombie flicks ever made.

"Ladyhawke" is sort of a poor man's "Princess Bride." It by no means surpasses the latter in terms of fans or pure enjoyment, but it should be fun enough to entertain even the casual viewer. The love story is sweet, and the storyline is unique and manages to make you actually care about the characters involved.

Matthew Broderick, especially, gives a great performance as Mouse, a young thief. He has plenty of one-liners in the film and some innocent philosophy to charm his way into your heart.

The only downturn may be some of the violence found within, but it is in no way graphic, just there more than "Princess Bride."

Overall, a good film.

My inspiration for writing this review was reading how much critics hated the sound track. Man, what a bad rap!!! In my opinion, the movie had comedy, romance, action, a sexy female lead, spirituality...and the soundtrack just set it off. Set it off, mate!!! I am not necessarily a fan of all of Alan Parsons' projects, but he really did this movie justice. The musical score is excellent Alan!!! I wish I had written the damn thing.

LadyHawke is a movie that will always be in my collection!Its a wonderful tale of a boy who escapes from an unescapable prison only to end up helping out two lovers who are cursed.The man turns into a wolf during the night and the woman,a hawk during the day.Its a beautifully done story of how faith keeps us going so that we may face the ones who would try to stop us from getting what it is that we deserve.

I can't believe people actually like this movie. It was as about as dumb as they come. That's all I can say about it. I read everyone's reviews, was expecting to watch a great movie and it was so stupid I had to log on again and make sure I was watching the same movie everyone else on this page was. Like I said...As bad as they come!

Gruesome, quirky and highly inventive low budget horror film from the late 1970's has definitely achieved cult status amongst terror aficionado's , spawning multiple sequels over the past quarter century, and a legion of loyal fans to the battle between good & evil at Morningside Funeral Home. Young director Don Coscarelli's horror cheapie was a surprise hit globally in 1979, and like other inventive low budget horror films "Night of the Living Dead" and "The Blair Witch Project", it has become a pillar outlining the trends of modern horror movies of the past 25 years.

( Interestingly, Coscarelli's celluloid life has been virtually consumed by "Phantasm", in much the same way as George Romero's onscreen output has been dominated by the "Living Dead" since 1968. Coscarelli has directed all the subsequent sequels to the original "Phantasm" !! )

Innovative, and often humorous plot has two orphaned brothers ( Mike & Jody ) , and their ice cream selling buddy ( Reggie ) investigating unusual phenomenon at the nearby Morningside Cemetery. Mike witnesses all manner of strange happenings including malignant, grunting dwarfs ( looking suspiciously like Jawa's from "Star Wars" ), a stunning lady in lavender wooing amorous males to their death, and a deadly chrome sphere that drills the brains out of those unfortunate enough to forget to duck !!

The gatekeeper ( literally ) to all this evil, is the Tall Man....a malevolent alien robbing the graveyard's of recently deceased to supply bodies for his nefarious purposes.

This DVD package is excellent value with a wonderful introduction by the Tall Man ( Angus Scrimm ) to a top quality print of the feature film. In addition, there is an insightful audio commentary with the director and all key cast members, deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage with commentary, TV & theatre trailers, TV interviews, a booklet.....and much, much more !!

When "Phantasm" was released in Australia in 1979 the distributors changed the film's name to "The Never Dead". And the reason why ??? Well, in 1977 a soft porn film with plenty of onscreen nudity was made & released in Australia with the title "Fantasm" ! And the distributors of "Phantasm" in Australia obviously did not want horror fans accidently walking into the wrong theatre.....

Arguably, "Phantasm" hasn't aged brilliantly since it's initial release in 1979, and it looks quite hokey in some places by current horror standards. However, the film's raw unpolished style and it's effective combination of a truly eerie soundtrack, believable heroes, a dominating onscreen villain and scarey jolts combined with injections of humor still make it an enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes. Fans of modern horror should have this imaginative film in their inventory !!

Yeah, before "Alien" came along and people actually spent MONEY in the making of horror movies, this is pretty much the way it was done. You'd have the same guy that wrote the screenplay be the director and probably the producer as well. There wouldn't be any kind of a budget involved, so you'd have actors that were more likely the writer/director's film school (or drinking) buddies, and these actors would have varying degrees of acting skill, usually ranging from sub-par to non-existant (Shakespeareans need not apply). What special effects that could be afforded generally tended to be home-made and as simple as possible. With any luck the writer/director would already have a distribution arrangement in hand by the time shooting began, with most of the run to be held at drive-in movies over the summertime. All that you needed to make this dream a reality was a good story.

And that's what makes "Phantasm" so good. The acting isn't all that, there are absolutely dreadful moments for pretty much all of the main characters. But the characters themselves are endearing enough so that you DO make the connection; Reggie with his ponytail and his ice cream truck, Mike with his very real fears of abandonment (instilled first by the loss of his parents and then by the possibility of his older brother leaving town), and of course Mike's older brother Jody with his Plymouth 'Cuda (not actually a Hemi Cuda, as sadly confirmed in the magnificent DVD commentary track) and that "I'm-really-doing-all-I-can-to-look-like-Han-Solo" '70's blow-dry haircut.

The story is original enough for its time...beings from another dimension are posing as morticians and stealing and reanimating dead bodies from a small town in Anywhere, USA to use as slave labor in their home world. Our heroic trifecta discover the plot and attempt to stop them. The embodiment of the plot, "The Tall Man" possesses supernatural powers (including a form of mind control as well as a telepathic link to several metallic spheres which perform work similar to that of the ancient Egyptians who removed organs from bodies slated for mummification). Our heroes have only their own friendship, a few small arms, and a bad-ass car. And that's it; from that story this drive-in movie flooded its banks and escaped into mainstream release to become one of the top-grossing movies of 1979 and the inspiration for a further flood of sequels (most of which, admittedly, go straight-to-video).

This is where I say the movie is worth buying just on the basis of it being an archival example of the 1970's horror movie (the only thing separating them from the pornography of the same era was the violence in one and the sex in the other) that actually happens to be a good movie on its own merits. But for the sake of the movie fan who enjoys a well-loaded DVD at a good price, "Phantasm" is really hard to beat. The standard widescreen presentation/5:1 sound ratio would be enough for the offered price for someone who just had a fond memory of the movie itself, but the Commentary track is outstanding, the deleted scenes are entertaining (nice to see I'm not the only one who appreciates the healing properties of Dos Equis beer), and the interviews with Angus Scrimm at the FantasyFest and with Don Coscarelli by Mr. Miami Leisure Suit are just fantastic. Consider also that there is an audio track including Bill Thornbury ("Jody") singing and playing "Sittin' Here At Midnight" in its entirety and a pop/disco take of the movie's memorable main theme, you really can't go wrong. This is one of the few DVD's that doesn't need a re-release; they couldn't possibly add any more to it. Definitely check it out...but don't be expecting "Hamlet".

First of all i would like to say that people either love this film or hate it. That is what i got by reading all 109 reviews which came before this one. I thought it was odd that all of the bad reviews received virtually zero 'was this helpful to you' yes votes. Some of the negative reviews were thoughtful and insightful. Most of the positive reviews seemed to rehash the same things and some of them lacked any substance (yet most of these were 'very helpful'! Go figure.). I wanted to see what the fuss was all about so i rented this film from my local video store.

Oh what an atrociously bad film. My date and i laughed hysterically throughout most of the movie (and i don't think it was supposed to be comedy). Scary? My scum-filled tub is scarier than this light opera. Mesmerizing? I suppose, if you count falling asleep between laughing fits as being under mesmer's spell. Haunting? Unforgettable? Uh, what was this film about again?

Now that i have seen it, i find myself in agreement with several of the earlier pans listed below. The acting really was amateurish. The editing turned the film into a quagmire of choppy scenes in which the viewer is constanting getting lost. I really loved the arty look of the film (the cinematography was very good - several scenes were visually stimulating, but such diamonds in such a rough desert sand!).

Overall, a mess. You would do well to steer clear of this film unless you want something to have to which you can compare well-made, tightly-structured, professionally-made films. This movie has the annoying resonance of fingernails on a chalkboard.

For those of you who cherish this film or simply love it, there is little to say. Some people aspire to shovel manure for a living. Some would like nothing better than to guzzle pabst blue ribbon. And even more root for the arizona cardinals (alas, I am guilty as charged on this one). And then there are those who can actually sit back and get gratification from watching 'night of the hunter'. What poor souls.

For those of you intrepid enough to have the courage of your convictions to post a negative review with your own name, kudos to you. Even roger ebert is off is rocker once in a while. Sorry rog.

For those of you on the fence as to whether or not you wish to buy this film, you may want to take the time to read through the myriad of reviews and inspect closely those who had only good things to say and those who did not. If you detect a hint of sterility from the 4 and 5 star reviewers, you may be closer than you think to the truth. Then again, maybe the real ringer is the price of the movie. There is little wonder that this is one of the cheapest buys out there. Maybe that ought to be the deciding factor, one way or the other, you know?

Cheers.
Ken

Forget the hype - it's not one of the greatest films, and it's not particularly scary. But it is a thoroughly engrossing movie to watch - not a wasted frame here... and the creepy style is much more interesting to watch than the modern-day digital gore.

And it has fine performances from the main cast - and an interesting portrayal of the American South in the depression era - compare it for fun's sake to the Coen Brothers' O Brother, Where are You?

There is a relevant moral as well - the blood-thirstiness of 'false prophets' is as relevant today in every religion, as it is in this movie...

The best reason to watch however is the depiction/portrayal of the child character Pearl - one of the 2 kids being 'hunted'. If there has been a more delightful and authentic child character in film, I haven't seen it. And there are no gimmicks used here - none of the syrupy cuteness a la "Sound of Music", nor sitcom style clever lines, nor any attempt to string tears out of the viewer.

No - "Pearl" steals every scene she is in - at least for me - simply by being there - and being the kid she is supposed to be - utterly naive, trusting, greedy for candy, and so on. Whether it is her Southern curls - or her baby face in a bonnet, or simply her nodding to acknowledge she is making a promise, the way she drags her doll, or naively adopts a song that other children sang that actually mocks her hanged father - she is priceless.

To get this kind of natural, unaffected 'performance' from a seven or eight year old child is a work of genius by Charles Laughton.

No - this movie hasn't aged - it is still great!

Charles Laughton, one of the greatest actors of Hollywood's Golden Age, made his directorial debut at age 56 with "Night of the Hunter." The film flopped so badly with critics and public that Laughton was never allowed to direct a movie again. It's hard to tell which is worse: the tragedy for the cinema, or the idiocy of the critics and the public. "Night of the Hunter" deserves to be ranked with "Citizen Kane" and the works of Pabst and Murnau among the great Expressionist film masterpieces. Its artiness probably meant it would never be a great popular success, but it deserves to be more than a cult favorite. Its combination of stark realism and extreme stylization, of magical beauty and Hitchcockian suspense, has never been replicated in any other movie. The performances are all superb and, in the cases of Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish, extraordinary. Mitchum pushes the envelope just enough as the evil preacher Harry Powell, giving a performance that might seem way over the top if a scene were taken out of context, but which masterfully evokes diabolical menace as a whole. As for Gish, she creates an unforgettable character in Rachel Cooper, whose prim, strict exterior barely conceals a combination of wisdom, backbone and moral splendor rarely found in the cinema. Shelley Winters is also very fine as a woman blinded by desire and guilt. Too little, I think, has been said of the supporting players in "Night of the Hunter." Billy Chapin is very touching as the little boy Powell menaces, but the standouts have to be Don Beddoe and Evelyn Varden as Walt and Icey Spoon, a sort of Richard and Hyacinth Bucket gone to seed. Icey is all idiot compliance with the loathsome Powell, taking his protestations of piety at face value while imagining herself the arbiter of morality and common sense. Walt, her henpecked husband, occasionally voices doubts but is quickly brought into line. So when Powell is revealed as the murderous monster he is, who leads the lynch mob? Why, Walt and Icey, of course! There are hundreds and hundreds of Walts and Iceys in small-town America. I know that firsthand.

I've seen this film a lot of times, more than I'd care to admit to, and I never tire of it. The first five minutes are pretty dull, so I tend to skip past them, as it really starts when the plane crashes into the house.

Christopher Walken & Sissy Spacek are the perfect people to play Brendan Fraser's parents, both as quirky as each other. Sissy plays the perfect wife, drinking to escape her husband and life below ground. Christopher is perfect as the Dad, teaching his son everything he knows.

Alicia Silverstone is kooky, "psychic", and is a perfect match for Adam's character, and of course she has to be called Eve. How original.

Troy's character is brilliant, playing the stereotypical gay guy, which Adam thinks means "happy". Troy and Eve live together, and have a very similar relationship to Will & Grace in the TV show. The girl who has a gay guy for a roommate - tell me, how many times has that been done?

The first fifteen minutes go quickly through the first 35 years of Adam's (Brendan Fraser) uneventful life, cutting back and forth between what's going on above the family.

I couldn't imagine anyone else in the part of innocent Adam, apart from Brendan. He comes out with the funniest expressions! He is brought up to be the perfect gentleman - opening doors for women, calling them ma'am, doing all those things, the guy who every girl would like but then quickly get fed up of!

Some parts of the film aren't explained, leaving you wondering how they had enough supplies to last 35 years, how none of them got seriously ill, until the dad does twenty minutes in, forcing Adam to go up into the big bad world, and how the money hasn't changed in 35 years!

The funniest bits of the film are when Adam talks to complete strangers, in his off-hand way. The best sequence in the whole film is The Mask-reminiscent dance scene, when Adam goes to a club and dances with the two women. It's very similar to when Jim Carrey & Cameron Diaz dance together in The Mask; both are great & memorable. And like any dance scenes in films (Grease, The Mask, Saturday Night Fever) the crowd instantly makes a circle around the main people dancing and watches them. This wouldn't happen in real life, so why do they keep repeating this in films?

The storyline is pretty predictable: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and boy gets girl back.

There aren't many extras on the DVD. There are trailers; cast & crew biographies; deleted scenes and a B-roll. They're your basic extras - not worth watching more than once, if you can last through them. According to the back of my DVD, there's a "Love Meter" but I can't find it amongst the extras so god knows where it is.

This is definitely for sentimental fools, like me, who love a good romance, and think Brendan Fraser is so cute - just not when he sings!

We are now all familiar with "situation comedies" that are forced to use a soundtrack due to the inability to arouse any response - particularly laughter - from a live audience. Then we were faced with a barrage of film "comedies" in which the only common themes were grossness, an inability to act and universal idiocy.

BLAST FROM THE PAST is indeed a blast - a full-throttled engine for enticing laughs from the viewer. An eccentric Sacramento Valley man (played to perfection by Christopher Walken) builds an enormous underground fallout shelter and the expected event happens: Thinking a nuclear war has started he locks in his wife, Sissy Spacek, who would have stolen the show if not for the dazzling performance by Brendan Fraser who stars as the son raised for 35 years underground.

Upon surfacing he goes forward with baseball cards (originals of the greats) and stock certificates and through a series of hilarious events slowly convinces the girl of his dreams (Alicia Silverstone) that he is who he says and in the end, they all live happily ever after.

It is hard to select favorite scenes but the double entendres and new jargon (for our hero) are favorites as well as his introduction to new technology. The over-the-top jitterbug with two ladies was worth the price of the movie. This is one for the collection.

and I have to disagree with the reviewer who said that the foul language wasn't necessary. It provided a stark cultural contrast between Adam, who didn't talk that way, and most of the modern people who did. We also got to see Adam's reaction to it. Unlike most movies that use foul language, the use of such language in this film was used very effectively to allow Adam to stand out from everyone else, and to tell us something about his character. It was used for characterization, and not gratuitously. Overall, it was very funny-which is always a good thing- and as usual, Brenden Fraser is hot!