Reviews

Well, well, well. I claim the very dubious honour of having watched this...er...movie twice. Once with a friend and her kids; And again with my 14 year old.

Of course it's a stinker. But then many movies that managed to attain cult status have been worse stinkers than this one ('Attack of the Killer Tomatoes' for example).

One method whereby movies rise to cult level is by negative recommendation. People tell friends how bad it is, and the friends watch it to see why. And I've certainly noticed a whole lot of negative comments regarding this movie. For a long time 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' was regaled as the worse movie made. I and many of my acquaintances watched it just to see why it got that reputation. 'Plan 9' now enjoys a modest cult following.

Another contributing factor is unintentional humour. My second viewing of this movie had me chuckling at Lavagirl's constant Cheshire grins, and at some of the tacked in nonsense to show off the 3d effect (Sharkboy throwing a glass of water toward the audience during his "dance" routine, for example).

Sometimes deviating radically from the "norm" can project a film into the realm of cult status also. This movie, while not engaging in major deviation, still has enough strangeness about it to give it a little push in that direction.

Who knows. Perhaps in the future, droves of teenagers (and maybe adults too) will throng to theatres late at night, 3d glasses in hand, to see this little piece...as they do now for 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

Right now the future looks grim for this oddity, but I would certainly not be surprised to see it pop up out of nowhere sometime down the road.

Upon reading comments of earlier reviewers of this title, I find myself in an unusual situation...I totally agree with them all! This is a wonderful movie. And excellent for all ages (except maybe for very small children due to the banshee scenes).

I'm very impressed with the effects considering when this was made. Almost flawless! And the story is so delightful and engaging, I can't imagine anyone not getting a lift from this hour-and-a-half of leprechaun fantasy.

Sean Connery is a little weak on the singing, but it certainly doesn't detract from the movie.

I've had this movie on VHS since way back, but recently I upgraded to a DVD. There are some interesting supplemental items on the DVD: Including a 'making-of' that explain the effects; And there is a "Wonderful World of Disney" excerpt with Darby O'Gill, King Brian, & Walt Disney that's cute.

I was surprised how much my teenage boys liked this movie. Usually they are too 'cool' to watch 'kids' movies (as they call them). And they were stodgy at first, but soon they were totally enrapt.

This is one of the best family movies I've seen. Get this one and hold onto it because they just don't make em like this anymore.

Since I live in Cheyenne, WY this type of movie really appeals to me. As all historians know, various towns along the route of this railroad (which coincides quite closely to interstate 80 in Wyoming) were made during its construction. Cheyenne and Rock Springs (because of its coal mining) were especially notable.

I had seen this movie several years ago and was delighted to see it being broadcast on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Perhaps they will re-broadcast it again in the future.

This movie, while not completely accurate historically, certainly gives an idea of the magnitude of the endeavor being undertaken. And it does feature a real locomotive which operated on the railroad during the period portrayed. Historical buffs definitely should not be swayed from enjoying this title simply because it may not strictly conform to history.

I won't go into the story except to say that the various sub-plots keep the viewer very entertained. This was a very well-done movie in my opinion. Acting was very good. And the cinematography was very impressive.

Fans of either westerns or silent-era films certainly should not miss this one.

My main concerns with this series are that it lacked decent characterisation and plot line. The family was far too 'normal' for the show to be exciting. And the plots seemed to be similar with a couple of exceptions.

Some comic-relief type character (along the lines of Dr. Smith from 'Lost In Space') would have added so much to this series. And the younger boy did absolutely nothing! They could have at least had him stir up trouble, get lost, or whatever now and then.

It seemed they tried to imbue a seriousness that just couldn't be carried by the plot or actors. Kroll and his sim-Nazi goons were way too obsessed with getting the Hardin family (or whatever the name was---I think they changed it frequently) to be believable. I mean they weren't leading a rebellion or anything. (Now, had they started a rebellion against the Zone Troopers, the show might have been much more interesting.).

Personally, I enjoyed watching these, but not nearly as much as 'Sliders' or 'Lost In Space'. My wife particularly liked the 'beauty and the beast' and the 'princess from the balloon' episodes. (I can't think of the real titles right now.) I had recorded these on VHS and dug them out the other day. Much to my regret, I couldn't find my favourite episode...the one where they have the motorcycle duel and the biker guys all take some powder drug. Seems I only have 6 episodes left.

As with any opinion, mine may not necessarily be consistent with our readers'. But, if you really liked stuff like 'Lost In Space', 'Sliders' or 'Dr. Who', you might like this series. I rate it a generous 6/10.

These are for the most part really good shows. They teach values which isn't done much these days in kids' shows. Safe for anyone to watch...And interesting too. For some reason, I liked Graves in this series more than 'The Rifleman'.

The pilot episode starts off with the kid Joey (B. Diamond) getting into trouble and Jim Newton (P. Graves) taking him home to the Broken Wheel ranch. Joey then encounters Fury...and the adventures begin.

Some of my episodes show Joey as a small boy, and later ones show him older with a buddy, PeeWee, with whom he gets into many adventures. Sometimes they get involved with crooks. And sometimes it's more of a dramatic episode...like cheating at gokart races. And, of course, Fury usually takes a hand somehow...one smart horse there eh.

For some reason my kids don't care to watch these shows. Although they seemed to like Sergeant Preston (another good oldie). Maybe it's the black and white syndrome. Also, the episodes on tape are pretty bad quality and the 16mm films are full of splices. As another reviewer mentioned, I'd really like to see this series on DVD.

If you can find this series, it's definitely worth your time. If you liked stuff like Lassie, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Rin Tin Tin and the like, you should have a go at this.

I chanced upon this series in an odd way: I had a foster boy who the kids called 'Clements' (his name was Jesse Martin) and I didn't know why until I saw this show. He was a dead ringer for Jerry O'Connell at that age. (He doesn't look like him any more---thank God!).

We all started watching this series (and ribbing Jesse as much as possible). Rarely did we miss an episode. And, although it seemed to decline some in the last season, it had a spirit not found in similar type shows. In my opinion, the first season seemed to be the best. I wasn't overly fond of Bolton who played O'Connell's best friend in the 2nd and 3rd season.

Personally, I like Jerry O'Connell (esp. Sliders). His kid movies have always had a special presence that stood out. (Even to the singing cockroaches in 'Joe's Apartment'.) The kid was a good actor---unlike most kid actors these days.

Also, the combo of O'Connell and Derek McGrath (Dr. Jeffcoat) was ideal and kept this series from ever being boring. For a low-budget production, they did a fantastic job.

The only faults I can find with this series are that there should have been more use made of O'Connell's super powers. (Some episodes had only a brief, almost unnecessary, use of his powers.) And, some of the guest actors were horrible!.

This series is now running on the Space channel (from Bell Expressvu). It airs on Monday mornings at 4:30am Mountain Time. As of the date of this review they have just started the first season again.

Brief synopsis: Baxter (Dean Jones) inherits a hotel in Silver Hill, Colorado and quits his New York job to take up proprietorship. Although he discovers the hotel is no longer profitable as such, he sees the potential of converting it to a ski resort. Of course, as you can guess, all sorts of humorous mishaps befall the poor man and his family before he can realise this dream.

This movie was filmed on location in beautiful Crested Butte, Colorado, thinly disguised as Silver Hill. Fantastic scenery here. Crested Butte has changed a lot since this movie was made, but you can see some of the landmarks still.

For many years we had only reel 2 of this movie and never could seem to find a VHS copy. To my great elation, I came across a DVD version a few weeks ago, along with a couple more of my old favourites 'Gus' & 'Big Red'. It was wonderful. They just don't make movies like this any more. I would love to see Disney do more movies like this; but I suppose they are not profitable.

Now, this movie is by no means a masterpiece, but it's so much fun to watch. I like stuff like the tree made of rubber that Dean Jones gets caught on; And the double-tipped skis he (or his stunt double) wears when skiing backwards. That kid's goofy snowmobile was a riot.

Even my teenage kids liked this movie. And I didn't have to worry about objectionable material like I do more recent movies (even from Disney). I figure if it makes me and my kids laugh it's worth it.

I recommend you check this out if you have kids and like to watch movies with them. My rating was a 7 on this one.

Ever wanted to eat worms? Here's a 'documentary' to show you how! Yeah...The kid eats live worms! And that's about the most interesting part of the movie.

This movie has been pretty well summed up by previous reviewers as rather boring. I'm totally in agreement here. The movie just doesn't go anywhere....unless you're fond of worm eating! This is one movie it's almost impossible to write a spoiler for....because nothing much happens.

Now on the technical side: They should have given that kid a haircut. Who's he trying to look like anyway...Bozo the Clown. It was almost comical...I almost expected him to turn into the shaggy dog or something.

And on top of that; the kid was way too chunky to ever look hungry! Should have kept him off the junk food for a couple of weeks before filming.

All in all, this movie nearly put me to sleep. And my kids could only handle about 15 minutes before they left the scene for something more interesting.

I will admit that the scenery was very impressive. And had there been a decent story to go with it, it might have made a hit.

It did seem safe enough for kids to watch: The bear scenes and the 'oddball' eyeball were too weak to frighten most kids, and the brief 'skinny-dipping' scene didn't show anything.

I gave this one a very generous 3.

I remember watching reruns of 'The Terrific Adventures of the Terrible Ten' on TV when I was a kid. I grew up in Canada so I don't know if this show played in the U.S. or not, but it was definitely broadcast in Canada.

I have only 3 episodes of this programme on 16mm film in my collection so my comments are based on these episodes...I can't remember much about the ones I saw as a kid.

First: I'm very impressed with the production values of this programme. The musical score is excellent and the photography is well done also.

Second: The stories are juvenile, but appropriately so as this was a kids' programme. I found them cute and suitable for any age kids. All the kids have noticeable Australian accents.

The stories centre around ten kids who have established their own town (Ten Town) and run it themselves. It has its own hospital, town hall, radio station, bank, general store, etc. It looks like a bunch of clubhouses kids would build and is very cute.

Now where these kids' parents are is another story. But who cares when you're a kid watching this stuff!

Another mystery: In all 3 of my episodes there are never 10 kids present. Where are the rest of them?

My episodes are:

'Two Days To Zero' deals with a stolen rocket fuel formula. The formula is made up of, among other things, bicarbonate of soda and hot tea (and they make it on a kitchen table...oh boy!). The kids save the day by making their own rocket fuel and naturally foil the thief too.

'Marooned' in which the kids go to an island to cut Christmas trees and their boat drifts off. A raft is built and the kids calculate currents and such to get to their lost boat.

'Mystery At Wallaby Creek' Wallaby Creek is a town a few miles from Ten Town. A burglar/firebug is plaguing the town and everyone thinks a person who dresses up as a cat is the culprit. The kids from Ten Town help prove otherwise.

Each episode was originally made in two parts. Later (for reruns I imagine) the two parts were combined to make each story complete in itself. The original episodes were approximately 15 minutes. The combined ones run at around 25 minutes...Hey! 5 extra minutes for advertisers you know! IMDb has erred slightly on the title of this series. All three of my films state the title as 'The Terrific Adventures Of The Terrible Ten'.

The programmes were made in Melbourne, Australia by Pacific.

I've never seen this on video ever. Maybe I'll have to transfer some of my films one of these days. Copyrights are probably expired by now.

If there were an EPA for film, then this movie would get their most sincere approval. If we all recycled our "stuff" to this degree, we'd never run out of anything.

Funny how I was reminded of this movie when I first saw Starwars I: The Phantom Menace. At least Lucas didn't recycle his old footage.

This is a dud. But it's a nice dud. Cute in spots (I liked when the kid said, "damn rocks"). And, if you like explosions (even recycled ones) you will get your fill.

Actually for an obviously "no budget" film, it makes out fairly well. Acting is weak, but there is a little characterisation here and there. Story is predictable, but will lead you along anyhow.

This is an "everybody chases the kid" type of movie which probably will appeal mostly to younger audiences. I gave this one a 2 out of 10.

I dug up my old VHS copy of this film. I don't think it's on DVD.

The creators of this little gem seemed to be more interested in giving the viewer a tour of Holland than in telling a story.

It reminds me of those old educational films that tried (nearly always unsuccessfully) to add a story to some academic subject to make it more interesting. There are however many impressive scenes of Holland in this film.

The plot consists of three kids (a Dutch boy, his sister and their guest from England) who happen upon a stolen diamond bracelet. A gang of jewel thieves then chase the three throughout Holland trying to recover their prize.

Obviously, this was a low-budget production as witnessed by the weak plot and poor acting; Its one redeeming feature being the scenery. I also especially liked the houseboat the Dutch kids called home.

Although this film is suitable for all ages, I doubt that most kids today would find it watchable...My 14-year-old summed it up as "boring." But, if you'd like a peek at picturesque Holland 40 or so years ago, then this film would fit the bill.

Of course McHale's Navy didn't appear until over a decade after this movie was made, but there are elements of this movie that remind me of McHale's Navy...stealing supplies, crewmen horsing around. The attempts at comedy were largely unsuccessful however.

This movie involves the implementation of Commander Talbot's (Glenn Ford) vision of missiles being launched from submarines. And he, and his crew, go through major contortions (a la McHale's Navy style) to get this accomplished. Of course, while so occupied, romance intervenes. And the girl's (Viveca Lindfors) father is a major stumbling block. He is a pacifist who is strongly against the commander's efforts.

Although slow moving, this film is still quite watchable. The acting is fair and the story is reasonable. It is obviously pro-military and I'm sure heartily embraced by the Dept. of Defense. For the amount of money which appears to have been spent on this production...very little...it turned out fairly well.

Although this is not a war movie per se, fans of WW2 era material will probably enjoy this one. My vote: 6 out of 10.

This film is in my 16mm collection and is quite old with various splices which makes it difficult to do a decent technical analysis. Additionally 16mm films are generally limited to mono sound tracks and substandard sound fidelity. If this film is available on video or DVD, I am unaware of it.

This is a cute little film about a stuttering farm boy with few friends who becomes a figure skater. Very moralistic but nice wholesome entertainment.

I have to admit I am biased in this case because I am a figure skater (not too good) and I also play hockey (not too good either).

The acting was mediocre, but not bad. Jerry Dexter who plays Pete Degley was rather good...and he skates fairly well also. The stuttering boy, Tucker (played by Stewart Peterson) could have used some improvement...and he obviously couldn't skate very well! Lilly Degley (Devon Ericson) was attractive skated decently and she's appeared quite a few times since, mostly in TV shows. Even with the somewhat lukewarm acting, the story moved well and is totally suitable for all ages. For a low-budget TV production it's a very good family film.

The setting is obviously in the southern U.S. because of the accents and the tone of the musical score. You also get a sense that maybe the story took place in the 40's or so although this is not at all firmly established.

In 1975 when this film was made, hockey had not really become the main attraction of ice rinks yet (hockey skates didn't yet have any ankle support either). Nowadays, very few boys are interested in figure skating so this film will probably not appeal to males. (From a selfish standpoint I am ecstatic over this situation as male figure skaters have an unlimited supply of girls to skate with.)

This film is in my 16mm collection and has begun to fade to red slightly making a decent cinematographic analysis invalid. Sound is mono only.

I've never seen this film on video or DVD, but if you get a chance to watch or record it, it would make a nice addition to a family film collection. I rated this 7 out of 10. It was good, but could have been a lot better with a little extra work.

This is a typical coming-of-age movie; Nicely done however. Tom's travels to reach his father involve him in rather stereotypical adventures so you certainly can predict what's coming, but it's fun...and CLEAN, which is nice in this day and age.

Acting for the most part is lukewarm, except for Nick Mancuso who plays his Mountie roll well. I'm surprised he did not get top billing. It moves pretty well though and will keep average kids interested.

If you and your family like the boy, dog, growing up, frontier type of movie, you'll enjoy this one. It's well worth watching.

This movie may be hard to find. I've never seen it on tape or DVD. My oldest kid taped it off TV when he was little.

Without going into points covered by earlier reviewers (with which I am in agreement), I really encourage anyone who enjoys old movies to see this one. I rate this one a "6" because of its unique blend of genres and because I enjoyed it.

SOME TECHNICAL INFO:

Unfortunately the DVD version is VERY bad. Source material was substandard and encoding was outrageous. They also cut the "Mascot" leaders from each chapter.

I have this serial on quite old 16mm film and (splices, scratches and all) it's better than the DVD.

You may actually have better luck purchasing this on VHS...I never thought I'd ever make THAT recommendation!

Having read the earlier reviews of this movie, I do agree, in part, with some of them. But would like to give my two cents anyway.

This movie was based on a quite good 1898 novel by John Meade Falkner. Unfortunately Hollywood thought they could improve on the story line---with bad results (why am I not surprised).

Where did they ever come up with the name Jeremy Fox to replace Elzevir Block? And why did they make the boy so young? Not to mention the many other plot deviations (i.e. devious woman) which detracted from the tale. This could have been another 'Treasure Island' had the producers been a little less prone to taking liberties with literature.

Now this movie is still very watchable mind you. And Granger is not too bad in his role. But if you want an idea of what the movie could have been, read the book!

Brief synopsis: Francois is a brooding boy mourning the loss of his mother who becomes fatally attached to his uncle's English mistress.

I enjoyed this movie simply because it's a very human tale and depicts well the heightened sensitivity of a child. And I enjoy movies which deviate from the standard plots as this one did.

This rare look at a child's impressions & reactions stresses the impact small lies and thoughtless actions can have on a child---especially one who has suffered a loss. And also how much joy simple attentions can bring.

If you're wanting any action or simple romance, you'll have to look elsewhere. Fans of American movies may not care for this selection.

Brief synopsis: Norwegian children smuggle gold out of Norway under the noses of the occupying Germans.

It's a kids movie and the theme is somewhat outdated for today's youth, but its watchable and enjoyable. I can't really give it any special recommendations as the acting is very mediocre and if you have read the book, you'll notice major deviations. The main plot is intact however.

If you like seeing the Nazis made fools of (not a hard thing to do) you may like this title.

This movie was released on video at one time.

If trees could talk, there'd be some breaking of limbs.

Brief synopsis: Nuclear fallout brings a dead islander to life as a malevolent, walking tree with the usual attacks on the young girl, etc.

This has to be one of the most ridiculous horror films it's ever been my displeasure to see. This is the one you took your girl to at the drive-in as a teenager because you knew neither of you could possibly stand to watch it.

Not much more to say except: bad acting, poor story. What the HELL! It was a good laugh.

It's my misfortune to own this on 16mm film. I don't know if it was released on video.

Starting with the highlights: Absolutely superb effects all through the movie! My favourite was Yoda's light sabre duel. The depth & detail of the scenes was almost unbelievable it was so realistic. This film was a definite improvement on Episode 1.

A bit on the negative: Too much romance! In the words of my son: "It was Star Wars for women." Anakin & Amidala gave fine performances; But we don't go to a Star Wars movie for love scenes. (At least he didn't say "yippee" this time.)

The ending sort of left you hanging. But then so did The Empire Strikes Back. This is not necessarily a bad thing; but unlike "Empire Strikes Back" it seemed there should be a bit more wrap up.

I didn't notice anything spectacular about the acting. But the major actors carried their roles well (as usual). The new Anakin did much better than I expected.

All in all, I really liked the movie. It had all the requirements for the classic Star Wars movie: Plenty of action, lots of impressive effects, fantastic scenes (the best ever) and more exotic characters....And Jar Jar wasn't a major presence to my great relief.

My youngest kid got all of these Josh Kirby titles and this review is based on all 6.

Storyline is definitely for juveniles: Josh encounters time traveling pod and its occupants (Irwin, Azebeth & Prism) and is pursued by Dr. Zoetrope who is trying to obtain the crystal pieces of a time nullifier device. At least the ending (in episode 6) has a twist. Azabeth is a headstrong girl who eventually likes Josh. Prism is a cute little alien who reminds me of a cross between gremlins & yoda. Irwin is the professor running the time pod trying to get the nullifier pieces before Zoetrope can. Each episode leads into the next just like old time serials did.

Zoetrope!...At least let's be original here. Effects are what you'd expect if you did this on your PC (except the costumes---they weren't all that bad). Acting...well they train dogs too.

Make no mistake; these are good movies for kids (younger kids of maybe 6 to 12). But if you're going to watch them with your kid you may want to catch a nap instead.

I gave these movies as a whole an 8 out of 10 because they are totally suitable for the audience they were intended to entertain. Kids will like them. My kid has watched them several times. If your kids like "The Clockmaker", "The Shrunken City", "The Borrowers" and similar titles, they will like the Josh Kirby series.

Although some might call this "Xanadon't" it has redeeming qualities. The music is the most redeeming. I've always liked ELO and their music carries this film.

Several movies of this type were made about the same time: "Roller Boogie", "Skatetown U.S.A.", etc. If you liked any of these you'll most likely like Xanadu.

This is one of those films you just have to watch and decide for yourself. As you can see just by what's been written here, opinions vary tremendously. And all are valid.

I gave this movie a 6 of 10 because I liked the music and sets.

Just try it. You may like it.

As with "Xanadu", "Roller Boogie", etc. you have to watch this one and decide for yourself. If you liked those other disco movies, you'll very probably like "Skatetown U.S.A."

The basic plot consists of clashing roller skate gangs and who's going to win the contest.

Actually it's not bad in some respects. Much better skating sequences than Xanadu for example. And the cast combined a lot of teen talent of the time; Baio, Swayze, etc. (In fact I believe this was Swayze's first film). The story is predictable and weak, but it's the music that makes this type of film. I also liked the wild-haired DJ!

I wish this film would be released on video. My copy is a 16mm print with mono sound. I'm sure a stereo track would enhance it quite a bit.

Skatetown U.S.A. has never been released on video and I've never heard of it being aired on TV so it might be tough to find a copy.