Science Movie Reviews

This is a very silly movie that hasn't aged well since its release in 1975. It has aspirations of being a clever social satire, but it's really just low-brow entertainment, often not too far removed from the "Skinimax" flicks of the late-80's. That may be a good thing if you're into cult flicks and B-movies, but for most viewers this is too cheesy to even be mildly amusing.

In "Death Race 2000", David Carradine stars as national hero and veteran racer Frankenstein, while Sylvester Stallone plays Machine Gun Joe Viterbo, his biggest competitor. They compete against three other drivers in a transcontinental road race where extra points can be earned by running over pedestrians. One by one, the five cars fall victim to a group of rebels who are intent on putting a stop to the gruesome sport.

The violence, of which there is very little, is played for comedic effect. However I think the intended reaction was more along the lines of "oh man, that was BRUTAL, haha!" rather than "oh man, that looked so cheap, haha!" Low budget film-lovers rejoice! This is your movie.

Interested parties should be prepared for Carradine's "dominatrix" outfit, complete with mask and cape. I think it was supposed to make him look sinister, but instead he comes off looking rail-thin and ridiculous. Stallone, in a supporting role as a stereotypical Italian tough guy, steals the movie.

The beautiful supporting actresses also overshadow the star, Carradine. Anyone familiar with producer Roger Corman knows that, in his world, fast cars and gratuitous violence go hand in hand with bare-breasts and the occasional catfight. "Death Race 2000" is no exception.

If you've seen this before and decided it's your type of film, then this is definitely version to get. Stay clear of the 1998 release by Digital Multimedia, a very poor transfer with blurry, grainy images and an ever-present hiss. This 1999 release by New Horizons looks infinitely better and the sound has been digitally re-mastered. It also has a few extras, like the theatrical trailer, bios and an interview with producer Roger Corman.

"Death Race 2000" is an incredibly entertaining movie on various levels. You can sit back and just enjoy the over-the-top acting, amazing cars, and bloody violance, or you can actually get into the story a little deeper, of how America is run by Mr. President and how various people (including, as we eventually find out, Frankenstein) try to take him down for the good of the country.

The film is filmed beautifully, especially when the cars are on the road. There's a lot of action as the cars run over people for points and battle each other to win the race.

The biggest regret I have about this DVD is that it is not in widescreen. This is a shame because, well, if it isn't in widescreen, you are being cheated. And this great film deserves to be in widescreen. (Let the VHS fans have the fullscreen.) Some deleted scenes would have been nice as well, as I have seen photos of action not in the final print, and even in the trailer on the DVD there is a line not in the film ("This is a death race," as said by Frankenstein). Despite no widescreen, still a must-buy.

This look at the year 2000 from the 70's, point of imagination, is just as funny as it is disturbing. This movie is for the hit and run junkie, only you get paid for vehicular murder. The drivers race cross country in an all out frenzy to collect as many points as possible running people over. From the young to the old, rich to the poor, no one is safe on the streets of the future. So the next time you cross the street you better think twice about it, because Frankenstein ( David Carradine) Or Sly Stallone's car just might mow you down. The quality of this flic is a little distorted, and cheaply made, but is worth it's weight in gold, and should keep you amused the whole way through.
So grab the gear shifter and hang on For Dear Life, this is one crazy ride. Beep Beep The KritiK

This is a very silly movie that hasn't aged well since its release in 1975. It has aspirations of being a clever social satire, but it's really just low-brow entertainment, often not too far removed from the "Skinimax" flicks of the late-80's. That may be a good thing if you're into cult flicks and B-movies, but for most viewers this is too cheesy to even be mildly amusing.

In "Death Race 2000", David Carradine stars as national hero and veteran racer Frankenstein, while Sylvester Stallone plays Machine Gun Joe Viterbo, his biggest competitor. They compete against three other drivers in a transcontinental road race where extra points can be earned by running over pedestrians. One by one, the five cars fall victim to a group of rebels who are intent on putting a stop to the gruesome sport.

The violence, of which there is very little, is played for comedic effect. However I think the intended reaction was more along the lines of "oh man, that was BRUTAL, haha!" rather than "oh man, that looked so cheap, haha!" Low budget film-lovers rejoice! This is your movie.

Interested parties should be prepared for Carradine's "dominatrix" outfit, complete with mask and cape. I think it was supposed to make him look sinister, but instead he comes off looking rail-thin and ridiculous. Stallone, in a supporting role as a stereotypical Italian tough guy, steals the movie.

The beautiful supporting actresses also overshadow the star, Carradine. Anyone familiar with producer Roger Corman knows that, in his world, fast cars and gratuitous violence go hand in hand with bare-breasts and the occasional catfight. "Death Race 2000" is no exception.

If you've seen this before and decided it's your type of film, then this is definitely version to get. Stay clear of the 1998 release by Digital Multimedia, a very poor transfer with blurry, grainy images and an ever-present hiss. This 1999 release by New Horizons looks infinitely better and the sound has been digitally re-mastered. It also has a few extras, like the theatrical trailer, bios and an interview with producer Roger Corman.

"Death Race 2000" is an incredibly entertaining movie on various levels. You can sit back and just enjoy the over-the-top acting, amazing cars, and bloody violance, or you can actually get into the story a little deeper, of how America is run by Mr. President and how various people (including, as we eventually find out, Frankenstein) try to take him down for the good of the country.

The film is filmed beautifully, especially when the cars are on the road. There's a lot of action as the cars run over people for points and battle each other to win the race.

The biggest regret I have about this DVD is that it is not in widescreen. This is a shame because, well, if it isn't in widescreen, you are being cheated. And this great film deserves to be in widescreen. (Let the VHS fans have the fullscreen.) Some deleted scenes would have been nice as well, as I have seen photos of action not in the final print, and even in the trailer on the DVD there is a line not in the film ("This is a death race," as said by Frankenstein). Despite no widescreen, still a must-buy.

This look at the year 2000 from the 70's, point of imagination, is just as funny as it is disturbing. This movie is for the hit and run junkie, only you get paid for vehicular murder. The drivers race cross country in an all out frenzy to collect as many points as possible running people over. From the young to the old, rich to the poor, no one is safe on the streets of the future. So the next time you cross the street you better think twice about it, because Frankenstein ( David Carradine) Or Sly Stallone's car just might mow you down. The quality of this flic is a little distorted, and cheaply made, but is worth it's weight in gold, and should keep you amused the whole way through.
So grab the gear shifter and hang on For Dear Life, this is one crazy ride. Beep Beep The KritiK

It's about time that this movie gets a fantastic dvd treatment. I read the book back in the late 80's during Banned Books Week, and I found it the most bizarre and fasinating novel that I have ever read. Then in '91 when I heard that David Cronenberg was making a movie out of this novel, I thought that there is no way that this can be turned into a movie. I saw this movie opening week and sat there in stunned silence during the end credits. And though "My God, he did it."

Watch this film, and don't try to figure it out in the fist sitting. Instead watch this film for what it is. That is a wonderful film by a truely gifted and brilliant filmmaker.

All I have to say is this: IS THERE NOTHING CRITERION CANNOT DO? FOR FANS OF THE FILM, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR BY BUYING THIS DVD. IT WILL BE THE CROWN OF YOUR COLLECTION, NO DOUBT.

In NYC, 1953, married couple Bill and Joan Lee are addicted to a narcotic roach powder Bill has access to through his job as an exterminator. When he's arrested by narcotic agents, they introduce him to a giant talking bug kept in a suitcase that informs Bill he is being recruited by a subversive agency and must kill his wife as she is an enemy agent. Bill breaks free and returns home where he "accidentally" shoots Joan in the head playing their usual game of "William Tell". He panics and escapes to a seedy waterfront bar frequented by gay men and meets a humanoid bug creature that tells him he must go to Interzone where he will learn more about his situation. Interzone is an exotic, North African type city where the most seductive of drugs is manufactured from centipedes. There, he meets writers whose typewriters morph into typewriter size talking bugs. One of the writers is Joan Frost, a doppelganger for Bill's "late" wife Joan. Once ensconced in Interzone, Bill is confronted with his personal demons: drug addiction, paranoia, conspiracy theories, repressed homosexuality and his own frustrated desire to write...specifically, a novel to be called "Naked Lunch". David Cronenberg wrote and directed this incredible film based on writings of William S. Burroughs and patterned the character of Bill after him. The film is hallucinatory, strange, with grotesque elements involving giant mutated bugs that may disgust those with lesser tolerance for challenging viewing. However, it's extremely well made and acted with Peter Weller as the numb and dazed Bill, Judy Davis as both Joans and Julian Sands, Ian Holm in odd character roles, and Roy Scheider in a bizarre role as Dr.Benway. The ending brings the film full circle as you come to understand the tortuous process of writing a novel and how one man's drug experiences apparently produced a masterpiece of underground literature during an age when normality seemed to be the only option. That is until the beat writers paved the way for future writers to explore the dark aspects of the human psyche. "Naked Lunch" is required viewing for Cronenberg fans and for those familiar with Burroughs and the beat writers of the 50's. References to a couple of those underground writers appear as friends of Bill's. There's an excellent moody progressive jazz soundtrack by Howard Shore that's true to the era and great 50's period design and atmosphere with faithfully recreated costumes by Denise Cronenberg. DVD package includes a good booklet with essays on "Naked Lunch" and a second supplementary disc that includes a documentary on the film's making. I can't recommend this package enough. It's in a league of it's own...if you understand the subject matter. For those enthusiasts, exterminate all rational thought and enjoy.

I think there's already enough reviews on this complaining about the lack of DVD features, the quality, and the awfulness of the movie (that's the POINT, people!!!). But I LOVED IT! It was hilarious! Except...my roommate and I were disappointed that there was no making out at the end...only the beginning, which was COMPLETELY irrelevent to the rest of the movie.

As a pretty well-versed fan, i tend to get more easily bored by the typical mst3k-type movies. you know what i mean: black and white, 50s, mutants/radiation/radar-something-or-other. i prefer the more unusual movies like manos or skydivers or catalina caper even!

but for what it is, the beginning of the end is a funny episode featuring one truly genius skit: "peter graves at the university of minnesota."

if you're new to mst3k and want to experience the show in it's purest form, this is it. a bad sci fi movie augmented by classic riffing and funny skits. if you're already experienced in the realm of mst3k, try something else first, but of course buy this to add to your collection!

Unfortunatley every time I watch this I become less interested. I think I need to keep an open mind. I love the short of Crow's movie "Just plain Peter:the U of M years,or "Peter Graves goes to the University of Minnesota". I think by the title, you know what happens in the skit. Not as absolutley funny as it could be, but who am I to critize MST3000?

Ghidra, my favorite evil monster! I remember hopping all over the familyroom whenever he battled Godzilla! In MONSTER ZERO, we've got tricky aliens from planet X who try using Godzilla (Monster Zero 1), Rodan (Monster Zero 2), and Ghidra (Monster Zero) to take over the earth. They control Godzilla and Rodan's tiny minds, and almost succeed in their nefarious plot, if not for the kooky invention of one goofball scientist. With his machine, the aliens lose control of Godzilla & Rodan, who turn on Ghidra for a rubber-suited battle-royal! I just watched this with my 7yo and loved watching him bounce around like I once did...

This was always one of my favorite films as a kid: a classic midnight matinee. The plot generally has fewer holes than a typical monster movie, and for the most part you can believe what is going on. After watching this film as "an adult" and not a kid I became aware of the following:

In my opinion there is one fatal flaw in the editing of this movie: When astronaut Glen and Fuji lift off after having met the controller of Planet X and hearing his plea to "borrow" Godzilla and Rodan, there is a cut to the shot of the controller making a sinister laugh. Prior to this, we, the audience, at this point have no reason to believe that Planet X is not being sincere, so this just kills the story in terms of revealing the plot way too soon. When they play the tape of the "miracle drug" formula, we already pretty much know that whatever's going to happen won't be good. Anyway that's just my pet peeve about this movie, otherwise I like it.

I was finally able to get a copy on DVD and the widescreen presentation rocks. Nick Adams makes this movie a real treat with his "hip" one liners and be sure to check out how many times Nick hitches up his pants before delivery of one of these classic lines. What this movie lacks in special effects it more than makes up for in its enduring charm. I never get tired of watching this movie. Remember folks, they will never make movies like these again so enjoy the cheeze and remember a time when things were a bit simpler and movies were meant to be fun instead of a vehicle for some all important message which i am never able to quite grasp or perhaps do not care to.

Ghidra, my favorite evil monster! I remember hopping all over the familyroom whenever he battled Godzilla! In MONSTER ZERO, we've got tricky aliens from planet X who try using Godzilla (Monster Zero 1), Rodan (Monster Zero 2), and Ghidra (Monster Zero) to take over the earth. They control Godzilla and Rodan's tiny minds, and almost succeed in their nefarious plot, if not for the kooky invention of one goofball scientist. With his machine, the aliens lose control of Godzilla & Rodan, who turn on Ghidra for a rubber-suited battle-royal! I just watched this with my 7yo and loved watching him bounce around like I once did...

This was always one of my favorite films as a kid: a classic midnight matinee. The plot generally has fewer holes than a typical monster movie, and for the most part you can believe what is going on. After watching this film as "an adult" and not a kid I became aware of the following:

In my opinion there is one fatal flaw in the editing of this movie: When astronaut Glen and Fuji lift off after having met the controller of Planet X and hearing his plea to "borrow" Godzilla and Rodan, there is a cut to the shot of the controller making a sinister laugh. Prior to this, we, the audience, at this point have no reason to believe that Planet X is not being sincere, so this just kills the story in terms of revealing the plot way too soon. When they play the tape of the "miracle drug" formula, we already pretty much know that whatever's going to happen won't be good. Anyway that's just my pet peeve about this movie, otherwise I like it.

I was finally able to get a copy on DVD and the widescreen presentation rocks. Nick Adams makes this movie a real treat with his "hip" one liners and be sure to check out how many times Nick hitches up his pants before delivery of one of these classic lines. What this movie lacks in special effects it more than makes up for in its enduring charm. I never get tired of watching this movie. Remember folks, they will never make movies like these again so enjoy the cheeze and remember a time when things were a bit simpler and movies were meant to be fun instead of a vehicle for some all important message which i am never able to quite grasp or perhaps do not care to.

This tightly paced 1950s sci-fi, horror movie was the main inspiration for "Alien." "It!" is not bad, even though the special effects, sets, and acting are cheesy. The movie is not really scary, but it does have some suspense. If you're expecting a movie on par with today's horror movies, then you'll be sorely disappointed. See this movie with an open mind and enjoy the 1950s vibe, and you'll probably end up enjoying it. As a bonus, one of the characters is played by Dabbs Greer, who was Reverend Alden on "Little House on the Prairie."

The one thing that stands out about this film unlike many of films of this type is the speed at which it moves. For an older film this movie wastes no time getting started and the action doesnt really stop. This may very well be the best Sci Fi monster flic of its time. Dated effects, sure - but unlike most of todays films this has a story that works. Alien borrowed the story from this film but not the pace. To bad for Alien.

This movie was actually the inspiration foe Alien. A captain is rescued in space. His crew is killed. Of course the blame falls on him.He tells that his crew was killed by a monster.You
have scary situations and some fleeing from the actual monster.
The rubber suit worn by the monster is very original also.All
in all this was not a bad movie.I ceretainly enjoyed it.

This is about as silly as SF gets, although it's a better than average conspiracy flick. Okay, you can no longer watch the scenes with O.J. Simpson without cringing, but that's not the movie's fault. The key plot device is, unfortunately, ludicrous (no, I won't give it away) because (1) NASA could not have possibly overlooked such an obvious giveaway and (2) every teenage geek and nerd in the country would have caught it way before the intrepid reporter finally puzzles it out. (Speaking as a former teenage nerd, trust me on this.)

The story of a faked mission to Mars, "Capricorn One" is the ultimate '70s conspiracy movie and, by a twist of fate or marketing genius, its release on DVD is perfectly timed to capitalize on a resurgent interest in claims that the moon landing was staged. Very much a product of its day, Hyams' 1978 feature is crying out for a remake with a tighter, more sophisticated script, greater suspense, livelier characters, updated music (though Jerry Goldsmith's overblown score is a classic of '70s sci-fi) and a more satisfying ending - Hyams drops the curtain just when the drama is about to escalate to an entirely different level. But for all its faults, the film's sheer strength of concept still carries it through. The performances are strangely stilted, but even veterans like Elliot Gould are bad in this, so we can presumably blame the direction. Only Hal Holbrook stands out with a wonderful soliloquy in the opening act: it's four-minutes long, but he has you hanging on every word - which nicely disproves the Hollywood theorem that big slabs of dialogue just don't play.

This flick is a lot of fun. Considering they made the film on $5 million dollars, it's even more amazing. And there's quite a few stars from 1970's television and movies, so it's an all-star cast. The film has been preserved in excellent condition. The cinematography is crystal clear throughout. I own the film on DVD and I'll mention the additional features.

As you know, the guys were going to Mars when something funny happened. Like their boss asking them to fake the mission. But it's all to save the space agency. Will our heroes cooperate and cover up the fake mission? You gotta order the movie to find out! But here's a few things for you to watch for.

I've never been a big Elliott Gould fan, but I like him here. He's perfect as the conspiracy-nut reporter barely able to keep his job. His boss, David Doyle (Charlie's Angels) is here as a skeptical assignment editor. Karen Black (Airport 1975) loans Gould a beautiful red Datsun 280Z 2+2 after his blue 1965 Mustang goes for a swim. Robert Walden (Lou Grant) is a NASA console operator who makes an issue about the unusual TV signals from the spacecraft. Hal Holbrook is the brother-in-law for James Brolin but I'm not sure you'd invite him to the family reunion after this flick. Sam Waterston (The Killing Fields) and O.J. Simpson (The Naked Gun) are the other two crewman in the spacecraft with Brolin (sure the spacecraft is a bit small to take to Mars, but hey, it's a MOVIE ... just enjoy it).

James Brolin's character (Brubaker) has a bit of a problem with a snake in the desert ... he had a similar problem with a snake in the desert in "Westworld" in 1973 ("Capricorn One" is a 1978 film). Sam Waterston's character likes to tell jokes, though his last joke is a bit ironic. Brenda Vaccaro (Airport '77) is Mrs. Brubaker, James Brolin's movie wife. James B. Sikking ("Hill Street Blues") is here, as are Telly Savalas ("Kojak") and David Huddleston (the mayor from "Blazing Saddles").

Telly Savalas is a crop-duster who helps Caulfield (Elliott Gould) search for the missing astronauts. The chase sequences, especially between two Hughes 500 attack helicopters and a crop-duster plane are just great. The chase sequence is several minutes long and includes some dramatic low-level and close-canyon-wall flying. The camera work for the flying sequences is simply breath-taking. Perfectly executed in my opinion.

Regarding the film, there is a bit of language and a small amount of innuendo, so a PG rating is about right. On the DVD you get optional Spanish subtitles, a teaser and a theatrical trailer, production notes and a bit about the cast and crew. Fortunately, the film is widescreen which is much appreciated during the flying sequences.

This is a great film... Perfect for your collection. Don't let them mislead you on the picture quality; it's very, very good on the DVD I can assure you.

"Godzilla vs. Mothra" is probably my all-time favorite Godzilla movie, mostly because it has better-than-average special effects and an ecological angle to the storyline--don't exploit the environment, or there will be dire consequences--that still resonates today.

This DVD reissue, though, is woeful, especially in comparison to the Simitar DVD put out a few years ago. That DVD gave viewers the option of widescreen and fullscreen images, though it was light on extras. This reissue from Sony only offers the fullscreen version, and a scratchy print of it at that. And the extras? Nothing but a commercial for the "destroy All Monsters" video game.

Go find a copy of the Simitar DVD instead and avoid this one unless, like me, you're fond of wasting money.

The movie was okay. It's one of the better Godzilla films.
The one thing that REALLY makes this movie stink is that the unstoppable Godzilla was beaten by bugs! That SUCKS!

Godzilla vs. Mothra (aka) Godzilla vs. The Thing is unquestionably
The best Godzilla movie ever made.
This one has it all. Good characters, Paganistic savages worshiping idols on a remote island, the twins fairies, army tanks and army men being squashed like bugs, plus lots and lots of explosions.
Any serious Godzilla fan would argue that if they were stranded on a desert island and could only have one Godzilla movie- This would be it.
The story is fast paced, the characters are interesting and you actually feel remorse for Mothra when Godzilla defeats her. (Thats not the end of the movie-trust me there is more to come)
Unfortunately this release is not letterboxed and has no extras, but for the low price it deserves a place in any monster movie fans library.
Put the wife and kids to bed early on a Friday Night, order yourself a totally cheesy pizza and grab a cold one so you can totally kick back and enjoy this nostalgic masterpiece from a simpler time. Enjoy and let Godzilla rule!!!

"Godzilla vs. Mothra" is probably my all-time favorite Godzilla movie, mostly because it has better-than-average special effects and an ecological angle to the storyline--don't exploit the environment, or there will be dire consequences--that still resonates today.

This DVD reissue, though, is woeful, especially in comparison to the Simitar DVD put out a few years ago. That DVD gave viewers the option of widescreen and fullscreen images, though it was light on extras. This reissue from Sony only offers the fullscreen version, and a scratchy print of it at that. And the extras? Nothing but a commercial for the "destroy All Monsters" video game.

Go find a copy of the Simitar DVD instead and avoid this one unless, like me, you're fond of wasting money.

The movie was okay. It's one of the better Godzilla films.
The one thing that REALLY makes this movie stink is that the unstoppable Godzilla was beaten by bugs! That SUCKS!

Godzilla vs. Mothra (aka) Godzilla vs. The Thing is unquestionably
The best Godzilla movie ever made.
This one has it all. Good characters, Paganistic savages worshiping idols on a remote island, the twins fairies, army tanks and army men being squashed like bugs, plus lots and lots of explosions.
Any serious Godzilla fan would argue that if they were stranded on a desert island and could only have one Godzilla movie- This would be it.
The story is fast paced, the characters are interesting and you actually feel remorse for Mothra when Godzilla defeats her. (Thats not the end of the movie-trust me there is more to come)
Unfortunately this release is not letterboxed and has no extras, but for the low price it deserves a place in any monster movie fans library.
Put the wife and kids to bed early on a Friday Night, order yourself a totally cheesy pizza and grab a cold one so you can totally kick back and enjoy this nostalgic masterpiece from a simpler time. Enjoy and let Godzilla rule!!!