GC-9 Reviews

2007 Taurus World Stunt Awards (2007 TV Special)

Great Awards Ceremony

[9/10 · 27 July 2007]

Hosted by The Rock, this 2 hour broadcast featured lots of great clips of movie stunts. Mr. T was the show's announcer. The show also featured a series of comedy sketches with The Rock and a number of people (Doris Roberts, Eric Estrada and Mr. T) trying to kill him- so they can host the next awards show. There were a number of celebrities on hand (Gov. Schwarzenegger, Dennis Hopper, Bruce Willis, David Spade, Burt Reynolds and more) who all had a lot of fun with the show and their own image. Schwarzenegger was seen in "actual" footage of his ski accident. The idea of using Mr. T as the voice of the stunt show was an inspired choice. Gerard Butler won Action Star of the year (presented by Dennis Hopper) and Gov. Schwarzenegger presented Burt Reynolds with a lifetime achievement.

The Camden 28 (2007)

Fantastic!

[10/10 · 24 January 2007]

This was an outstanding documentary that tells the story of a handful of Catholic priests and other anti-war protesters who broke into a draft board office in New Jersey to destroy files.

What I liked best about the film was how fair the documentary was to both sides of the story. This was not one of those films that tells you what to think on a subject, rather it lets you decide for yourself.

It was a subject that could have been dull in the wrong hands, but was engrossing throughout. Most interesting is the vast amount of vintage photos and audio shown on screen. The makers did a lot of research, and this shows.

There is also a great "twist" that shows up about halfway through the film. It really surprised me and the audience I saw it with.

If you get a chance to watch this, don't miss it!

Hollywood My Home Town (1965)

Lots of fun

[10/10 · 20 April 2005]

This documentary has been shown on TCM. It is entirely in black and white and made up of home movie footage shot by actor Ken Murray. Kenstarted making home movies when he came to Hollywood. He narrates the silent films and tells stories about "the old days". There is great footage of Hollywood Blvd., Chaplin Studios and Paramount.

The documentary also features many celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin and Bob Hope. Chaplin, ever the ham, tries to ride on one of those bicycles with the giant front tire.

Another great shot features two legends mugging for the camera: Jimmy Durante and Sid Grauman.

The documentary runs just under an hour and closes with a shot of Ken's star on Hollywood Blvd.

I would recommend this to any film who wants to look back at old historic Hollywood.

Puff the Magic Dragon (1978 TV Movie)

A wonderful children's classic

[26 March 2004]

Not many cartoons can be so touching in less than 30 minutes. Puff, manages to movie the audience a great deal despite its scant running time.

Jackie Draper is a young boy who wont communicate with anyone. Through wonderful images and the beautiful music Puff helps Jackie help himself. The cartoon is funny and follows the song very well. The late Burgess Meredith lends his voice to the green dragon. This was followed by 2 other specials "Puff The Magic Dragon and The Land Of The Living Lies" and "Puff and the Incredible Mr. Nobody". I highly recommend all three, not just for children but for everyone with an imagination.

NBC 75th Anniversary Special (2002 TV Special)

Shameless self-promotion, but oh what fun!

[10/10 · 6 July 2002]

This two-hour program originated from NBC studios in New York and featured an amazing list of current and former NBC personalities. The show featured several segments on different shows, genres and moments in NBC's 75 years. Some of the highlights of show included: Mr. T's NBC star pity list (`I pity ALF, you never did get to eat the cat; I pity Screech, because we all pity Screech), Conan O'Brien with a look at late night on NBC, and the cast of Cheers, E.R., the Cosby Show reunited on stage. Well worth a look if you can find it!

Now You Know (2002)

A nice funny film.

[10 January 2002]

I saw this film at a film festival and was floored by it. I laughed from start to finish, and found the ending touching. The highlight of the film were the duo of Buscuit and Gil(Trevor Fehrman and Jeff Anderson.) They spend much of the film bantering back and forth about pop culture topics, without seeming forced. The film featured some very funny scenes, amazing directing and camera work, and a great cast. Highly recommended.

Starrcade (1994 TV Special)

Average wrestling video, highlighted by Mr. T match.

[21 October 2001]

This was an average card with few matches of note. Particularly bad is the main event with the aging Hulk Hogan squaring off against the Butcher. The highlight of the card is the ONLY singles wrestling match ever for Mr. T. Mr. T battles Kevin Sullivan, it may not be a battle for the ages, but at least it is a good battle for the 5 or so minutes it is on the screen. Although he's tied up by his own sweatshirt for most of the match, as always Mr. T is fun to watch. If only you could say that about the rest of this tape.

I.Q. (1994)

A funny romantic comedy, with an unusual story.

[10/10 · 21 October 2001]

This film tells the story of a romance between Albert Einstien niece and a gas station attendant. In order to get the two together, Einstien agrees to help Ed(Hudsucker Proxy's Tim Robbins) learn to act more intelligent. This impresses Catherine (Meg Ryan). Unfortunately Einstien goes too far and Ed is considered to be a genius. Hilarity ensues. Not to be missed. Filmed in Mercer county New Jersey at Princeton University, Lawrenceville Prep School (doubling for Princeton University) as well as a beautiful vintage gas station in Hopewell.

The Toughest Man in the World (1984 TV Movie)

The Toughest Man in the World starring the Toughest Man in the World.

[10/10 · 21 October 2001]

This is a very cool film starring the Toughest Man in the World, Mr. T. Directed by Dick Lowry (Project ALF, Smokey and The Bandit 3) the film tells the story of Bruise Brubaker, a tough as nails bouncer with a heart of gold. Brubaker, played with gusto by real life tough-guy and former bouncer Mr. T, decides to enter a toughman contest, but it will take every thing he has to prevail. An exciting treat for fans of Mr. T. Hard to find, but if you do, check it out!

The Bees (1978)

The Bees is pretty bad, but a lot of fun to watch.

[28 September 1999]

O.K. heres the basic plot: we have been poisoning the air for so many years that nature has fought back by sending us KILLER BEES. Now if that doesn't grab you how about this: This film features a swarm of bees addressing the United Nations, as Angel Thompkin's screams "You have to listen! You have to listen (sic) what the bees are trying to tell you!" I really had fun watching this, but I am truly amazed at how bad it is. There are surprising continuity errors. (In one scene hit men shoot a man as he is sitting in a chair. In the next shot, it's a different older chair.) Many of the shot's of the bee swarms look like they are just clouds of smoke. However, Nightmare On Elm Street's John Saxon is in it, and Claudio Brooks gets hit in the head with a rock. All in all I highly recommend it.

The Kidnapping of the President (1980)

An explosive action film!

[9 July 1999]

This is a great flick. Full of explosive action, it's the kind of flick you never heard of, you watch it, and you wish you had heard of it sooner. Shatner is ultra cool as he plays the head of the FBI. There are plenty of great explosions, tons of action and a pretty tense storyline. The end is a bit predictable, but still leaves you cheering. Hal Holbrook plays perhaps the most believable president in film history. Most film presidents in this situation are either a wimp or a hothead jerk. Holbrook walks the line in between gracefully. Obviously the story revolves around a president getting kidnapped. The Kidnapping itself is a bit implausible. Worst of all Shatner wimps out and basically hands the President over to the thugs. But do not worry, he more than makes up for it later when he tosses around a kidnapper and the 'F word' all in the same scene. Ya gotta love the guy.

Dead End Drive-In (1986)

An explosive sci-fi thriller, above average.

[24 June 1999]

I really enjoyed Dead End Drive In. This is a sci-fi film with great looking sets, decent acting and an illogical story line. Put it all together and add a few explosions and you have a fantastic ride.

The film tells the story of Crabs a young man who borrows his brother's car and goes to the drive in with a date. Then the government steals his tires and he is forced to live at the Drive In with about a hundred other teens who are also stuck there. It is never clearly explained WHY the government wants them to stay there (or even which government). Director Brian Trenchard-Smith makes the most of the story and pulls off some rather clever camera work. An aside from a racism subplot that is never really resolved, the story never drags. The sets are very extravagant and include some very funny touches (a poster for Rambo 8 hangs in one scene). Overall, the film is fun and is really good for anyone who likes futuristic, tongue in cheek sci-fi flicks.

The Reptile (1966)

One of the best Hammer films, Reptile is worth a look.

[24 June 1999]

This film is one of the best period horror films of it's day. The costumes and sets are lavish and the acting is notable. The 'Reptile' itself is hinted at but not seen for most of the film, building suspense. It is a shame that the video box shows what the Reptile looks like, lessening the shock when you see it on the screen. The make up was very ahead of its time, much more realistic than other films of its day. The only problem about the film is that it plays like a mystery, but we already know what is going on. People die after getting on the neck. No one knows who or what is doing the killing. A good guess on our part would be, the Reptile. By the time the players figure that out, we have already have figured out who is the Reptile. The film is a little low on terror and gore for a Hammer film, but writing and effects more than make up for it. Plus the film boasts one of the best 'dead body POV shots' ever filmed. A must for any Hammer fan!

Great Movie Stunts: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981 TV Movie)

A unique look at the world of stuntmen, perfect for Indy fans!

[25 February 1999]

This is a neat little documentary, aired on television and released on video. It is hosted by a bearded Harrison Ford who does some of his own stunts in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Many of the stunts in the film are shown and discussed at length. Ford chats with other stuntmen on the set of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and one point boasts that he has to work harder then real stuntmen, because he has to stay in character during the stunts he performs. That aside, for most of the documentary Ford stays in awe of the stuntmen, as probably most viewers would be. The documentary is rather fascinating and features plenty of insight into the stunt world by not just the stuntmen, but Ford and even Steven Speilberg. This documentary also takes a look at the history of movie stunts and shows a few stunts dating back to the early days of motion pictures, and shows a few frightening stunt mishaps. While it is tough to find, I recommend it for anyone who is a Raiders of the Lost Ark fan, or is interested in movie stunts.

The Kindred (1987)

The Kindred is an exciting blend of Horror and Sci-fi!

[10/10 · 23 February 1999]

With a combination of gross-out effects and a solid, yet campy, screenplay Kindred delivers plenty of horror for your rental dollar. With a screenplay written in part by Psycho scribe Joseph Stefano and a wonderfully over the top Rod Steiger (who seems to be auditioning for Brando's part in Island Of Dr. Moreau, Kindred tells the story of a science experiment that went too far. A strong supporting cast helps round out the film. Most memorable is Kim Hunter (of Planet of The Apes fame) as the creator of 'Anthony' a hybrid who isn't much, but occasionally reveals his tentacles to kill a dog or eat a watermelon. The special effect highlight of the film is Melissa's (Amanda Pays) transformation into a fish-like monster.