Collection ID 449
Director: John Harrison
Starring: William Hurt, Alec Newman, Saskia Reeves, James Watson, Jan Vlasák
Genre: Sci-Fi
Studio: Milk & Honey Pictures   Release date: 2000   Rated: Not Rated   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A three part mini-series based on Frank Herbert's classic Science Fiction novel entailing politics, betrayal, lust, greed and the coming of a Messiah.
My Rating:
My Review: Made for TV. A Sci-Fi channel mini-series production. This particular version is the directors cut. Three discs and 295 minutes of viewing. It's a good thing I'm on vacation! I love the Dune series of books. The absolute best books I've ever read (including the novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson). This epic series manages to capture a small piece of the rich tapestry woven by those books. In a far, far, future, mankind has colonized the universe, conquered space, and become a highly evolved, highly specieized race of beings, inhabiting all manner of environment. Despite the technological, psychological and physical achievements of mankind, the universe is still ruled by corruption, intrigue and deception. In this futuristic vision of mankind's fate, an obscure desert planet and it's hardy desert dwellers become the focal point for an evolutionary change in mankind's struggle. As man teeters on the brink of a new dark age, one man becomes the fulcrum, destined to tip the balance one way or the other. The series fulfills the pageantry of Frank Herbert's vision. Populated with a rich, colorful palette of characters, some excellent special effects (considering the budget for six hours of production) and acting. The story is epic, dramatic, and powerful. I love it. 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 1160
Director: John Harrison
Starring: William Hurt, Alec Newman, Saskia Reeves, James Watson, Jan Vlasák
Genre: Sci-Fi
Studio: Milk & Honey Pictures   Release date: 2000   Rated: Not Rated   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A three part mini-series based on Frank Herbert's classic Science Fiction novel entailing politics, betrayal, lust, greed and the coming of a Messiah.
My Rating:
My Review: Made for TV. A Sci-Fi channel mini-series production. This particular version is the directors cut. Three discs and 295 minutes of viewing. It's a good thing I'm on vacation! I love the Dune series of books. The absolute best books I've ever read (including the novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson). This epic series manages to capture a small piece of the rich tapestry woven by those books. In a far, far, future, mankind has colonized the universe, conquered space, and become a highly evolved, highly specieized race of beings, inhabiting all manner of environment. Despite the technological, psychological and physical achievements of mankind, the universe is still ruled by corruption, intrigue and deception. In this futuristic vision of mankind's fate, an obscure desert planet and it's hardy desert dwellers become the focal point for an evolutionary change in mankind's struggle. As man teeters on the brink of a new dark age, one man becomes the fulcrum, destined to tip the balance one way or the other. The series fulfills the pageantry of Frank Herbert's vision. Populated with a rich, colorful palette of characters, some excellent special effects (considering the budget for six hours of production) and acting. The story is epic, dramatic, and powerful. I love it. 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 478
Director: John Harrison
Starring: William Hurt, Alec Newman, Saskia Reeves, James Watson, Jan Vlasák
Genre: Sci-Fi
Studio: Lucasfilm   Release date: 2000   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A three part mini-series based on Frank Herbert's classic Science Fiction novel entailing politics, betrayal, lust, greed and the coming of a Messiah.
My Rating:
My Review: Made for TV. A Sci-Fi channel mini-series production. This particular version is the directors cut. Three discs and 295 hours of viewing. It's a good thing I'm on vacation! I love the Dune series of books. The absolute best books I've ever read (including the novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson). This epic series manages to capture a small piece of the rich tapestry woven by those books. In a far, far, future, mankind has colonized the universe, conquered space, and become a highly evolved, highly specieized race of beings, inhabiting all manner of environment. Despite the technological, psychological and physical achievements of mankind, the universe is still ruled by corruption, intrigue and deception. In this futuristic vision of mankind's fate, an obscure desert planet and it's hardy desert dwellers become the focal point for an evolutionary change in mankind's struggle. As man teeters on the brink of a new dark age, one man becomes the fulcrum, destined to tip the balance one way or the other. The series fulfills the pageantry of Frank Herbert's vision. Populated with a rich, colorful palette of characters, some excellent special effects (considering the budget for six hours of production) and acting. The story is epic, dramatic, and powerful. I love it.

Collection ID 1190
Director: John Harrison
Starring: William Hurt, Alec Newman, Saskia Reeves, James Watson, Jan Vlasák
Genre: Sci-Fi
Studio: Lucasfilm   Release date: 2000   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A three part mini-series based on Frank Herbert's classic Science Fiction novel entailing politics, betrayal, lust, greed and the coming of a Messiah.
My Rating:
My Review: Made for TV. A Sci-Fi channel mini-series production. This particular version is the directors cut. Three discs and 295 hours of viewing. It's a good thing I'm on vacation! I love the Dune series of books. The absolute best books I've ever read (including the novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson). This epic series manages to capture a small piece of the rich tapestry woven by those books. In a far, far, future, mankind has colonized the universe, conquered space, and become a highly evolved, highly specieized race of beings, inhabiting all manner of environment. Despite the technological, psychological and physical achievements of mankind, the universe is still ruled by corruption, intrigue and deception. In this futuristic vision of mankind's fate, an obscure desert planet and it's hardy desert dwellers become the focal point for an evolutionary change in mankind's struggle. As man teeters on the brink of a new dark age, one man becomes the fulcrum, destined to tip the balance one way or the other. The series fulfills the pageantry of Frank Herbert's vision. Populated with a rich, colorful palette of characters, some excellent special effects (considering the budget for six hours of production) and acting. The story is epic, dramatic, and powerful. I love it.

Collection ID 782
Director: Frank Henenlotter
Starring: James Lorinz, Joanne Ritchie, Patty Mullen, J.J. Clark, C.K. Steefel
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Studio: Levins-Henenlotter   Release date: 1990   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, Swedish (USA)
Summary: A medical school dropout loses his fiancée in a tragic lawnmower incident, and decides to bring her back. Unfortunately, he was only able to save her head, so he goes to the red light district in the city and lures prostitutes into a hotel room so he can get parts for his girlfriend.
My Rating:
My Review: Horror Comedy - A genre that's hard to do correctly. This movie is one of those rare exceptions where they get the formula just right. Directed by Frank Henenlotter, prince of low budget, b-roll horror movies (Basket Case and Brain Damage). Co-written by Henenlotter, the story is a bizarre twist on the classic 'Frankenstein' story. A young med school drop out is engaged to a hot girlfriend (Elizabeth Shelley, played by Patty Mullen), but his gift to her father turns a happy birthday party into a tragic disaster. His home-made, remote-control, super-charged, lawn-mower makes mince meet out of the fiancé and things take a downward spiral from there. Obsessed with recapturing his pre-nuptial relationship, Jeffery Franken (played by James Lorinz) keeps Elizabeth's body parts in his mother's garage where he's slowly unravelling. Things get even crazier when Jeffery rationalizes the death of prostitutes in order to bring his beloved back. That's when he launches his ambitious plan into action. The movie is filled with exploding crack crazed whores, sexy cadavers raised from the dead and loads of laughs. It left me breathless with laughter. The story was so preposterous, so over the top that I just couldn't stop laughing. Original, shocking and funny. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 1447
Director: Frank Henenlotter
Starring: James Lorinz, Joanne Ritchie, Patty Mullen, J.J. Clark, C.K. Steefel
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Studio: Levins-Henenlotter   Release date: 1990   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, Swedish (USA)
Summary: A medical school dropout loses his fiancée in a tragic lawnmower incident, and decides to bring her back. Unfortunately, he was only able to save her head, so he goes to the red light district in the city and lures prostitutes into a hotel room so he can get parts for his girlfriend.
My Rating:
My Review: Horror Comedy - A genre that's hard to do correctly. This movie is one of those rare exceptions where they get the formula just right. Directed by Frank Henenlotter, prince of low budget, b-roll horror movies (Basket Case and Brain Damage). Co-written by Henenlotter, the story is a bizarre twist on the classic 'Frankenstein' story. A young med school drop out is engaged to a hot girlfriend (Elizabeth Shelley, played by Patty Mullen), but his gift to her father turns a happy birthday party into a tragic disaster. His home-made, remote-control, super-charged, lawn-mower makes mince meet out of the fiancé and things take a downward spiral from there. Obsessed with recapturing his pre-nuptial relationship, Jeffery Franken (played by James Lorinz) keeps Elizabeth's body parts in his mother's garage where he's slowly unravelling. Things get even crazier when Jeffery rationalizes the death of prostitutes in order to bring his beloved back. That's when he launches his ambitious plan into action. The movie is filled with exploding crack crazed whores, sexy cadavers raised from the dead and loads of laughs. It left me breathless with laughter. The story was so preposterous, so over the top that I just couldn't stop laughing. Original, shocking and funny. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 49
Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Harrison Ford, Betty Buckley, Emmanuelle Seigner, Djiby Soumare, Dominique Virton
Genre: Crime
Studio: Warner Bros.   Release date: 1988   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A doctor and his wife go to Paris for a medical conference. While showering, his wife disappears. His lack of language, and the odd way she disappeared makes it nearly impossible for him to find any official help in his search as he enters the punk/drug culture to find out what has happened to her.
My Rating:
My Review:

Collection ID 322
Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Harrison Ford, Betty Buckley, Emmanuelle Seigner, Djiby Soumare, Dominique Virton
Genre: Crime
Studio: Warner Bros.   Release date: 1988   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A doctor and his wife go to Paris for a medical conference. While showering, his wife disappears. His lack of language, and the odd way she disappeared makes it nearly impossible for him to find any official help in his search as he enters the punk/drug culture to find out what has happened to her.
My Rating:
My Review:

Collection ID 44
Director: William Friedkin
Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi
Genre: Action
Studio: Philip D'Antoni Productions   Release date: 1971   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, German (USA)
Summary: A pair of NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection.
My Rating:
My Review: Wow, I'm blown away - I can't believe I haven't formally reviewed this movie previously. If you've never seen Gene Hackman at his best then this movie defines the career of this excellent actor. The supporting cast is great, but Hackman clearly shines in this award winning (best picture oscar in 1971) movie (directed by William Friedkin - The Exorcist, To Live and Die in L.A., Rules Of Engagement) as a NYC detective. 'Popeye' Doyle is paired with Det. Buddy Russo (played by Roy Scheider) in the city's narcotics division. Desperate to put a recent black mark behind him, Doyle pursues his instinct along a French connection in this single-minded quest to bag the biggest fish in his pond. Doyle as a character is flawed but honorable. A realistic, gritty portrayal of a man obsessed with justice but plagued by his personal demons. The car vs train chase scene was an adrenaline packed roller-coaster ride that left me white knuckled and breathless. The plot is a simple, single track, chase to catch the crooks - Just like the car chase, the outcome is inevitable, but the journey thrilling. The camera work (extremely realistic - a model for generations or 'realistic' cop dramas), pacing, musical score, editing (excellent mix of long shots and quick cuts) and direction were fantastic. I give it a 5 out of 5. I'm glad I own this one.

Collection ID 1051
Director: William Friedkin
Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi
Genre: Action
Studio: Philip D'Antoni Productions   Release date: 1971   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, German (USA)
Summary: A pair of NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection.
My Rating:
My Review: Wow, I'm blown away - I can't believe I haven't formally reviewed this movie previously. If you've never seen Gene Hackman at his best then this movie defines the career of this excellent actor. The supporting cast is great, but Hackman clearly shines in this award winning (best picture oscar in 1971) movie (directed by William Friedkin - The Exorcist, To Live and Die in L.A., Rules Of Engagement) as a NYC detective. 'Popeye' Doyle is paired with Det. Buddy Russo (played by Roy Scheider) in the city's narcotics division. Desperate to put a recent black mark behind him, Doyle pursues his instinct along a French connection in this single-minded quest to bag the biggest fish in his pond. Doyle as a character is flawed but honorable. A realistic, gritty portrayal of a man obsessed with justice but plagued by his personal demons. The car vs train chase scene was an adrenaline packed roller-coaster ride that left me white knuckled and breathless. The plot is a simple, single track, chase to catch the crooks - Just like the car chase, the outcome is inevitable, but the journey thrilling. The camera work (extremely realistic - a model for generations or 'realistic' cop dramas), pacing, musical score, editing (excellent mix of long shots and quick cuts) and direction were fantastic. I give it a 5 out of 5. I'm glad I own this one.