Reviews for the week starting on November 13, 1995

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MOVIES ON VIDEO

Here are four movies on video and/or laserdisc.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

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Here is the film that has become the biggest cult film of all time. Nothing has topped this one in all around worship. The plot involves a mild-mannered couple (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon), who get stranded on a deserted road, during a rain storm. They journey to a huge castle, where Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) conducts his wild and untamed experiments. Other characters include Frank's henchman Riff Raff (Actor-Lyricist, Richard O'Brien), Riff's sister, Magenta (Pat Quinn), squeaky-voiced Columbia (Nell Campbell) and biker Eddie (Rock star, Meat Loaf).

See it in the theaters. It's a wild experience. However, watching it on video and TV, it's nothing big. It's still enjoyable and entertaining, and the performances are pretty good. The stand-outs are O'Brien, as the looney Riff Raff, Sarandon as the incredibly naive Janet Veise (oops, Weiss!) and especially Curry as the super-hip, super-wild, Frank. The film's songs aren't that bad either. My personal favorite is "Science Fiction/Double Feature". But the film should really be experienced in theaters, just for the thrill of it. The film made stars out of Curry, Sarandon and Meat Loaf. Meat Loaf was sort of famous at the time, but not as famous as after the release of this movie and subsequently his album, Bat Out of Hell. Rocky Horror is still a cool film, with or without the theater.

My Rating =

Rent

Watership Down (1978)

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Based on Richard Adams' popular novel, the story follows a group of rabbits, whose home is threatened by humans and who are forced to leave and find a new home. They eventually find a home, but there are no female rabbits to start a new burrow. So, the rabbits go out in search for females and end up having to fight the dictatorial, rabbit General Woundwort (voiced by Harry Andrews).

This is probably the best non-Disney animated film I've ever seen. Both adults and children will enjoy this. The comic relief is provided by comedian Zero Mostel (in his last role), as the voice of the looney Seagull, Kehaar. The film is full of famed British stars, doing the voices of various characters, amongst them John Hurt (The Elephant Man and Alien), Denholm Elliot and Ralph Richardson. The reason why the story is so good is because the rabbits seem so human. You actually care about them. This is one of the best animated films of all time.

My Rating =

Rent

Robocop 3 (1993)

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The second sequel story of the box-office hit centers around Robocop's joining a rebel group against a gestapo-like police force named OCP, who are forcing impoverished people out of their homes, and destroying their lives. Well, the violence of the first two have been toned down, but the action and the spectacle are toned down as well. The first Robocop was a spoof on comic book themes. This one is just a comic book. There are some funny moments involving Robocop (played this time by the wooden Robert Burke) and a Japanese android, but that's about it. The special effects are FAR from special. In one scene, where Robocop is supposed to be flying, you can see the strings that are holding him up. Let's just hope they've put a plug in this series.

My Rating =

Rent

Freejack (1992)

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The second sci-fi bomb this week is worse than the film above. The story is this. A race car driver (Emilio Estevez) is transported from the present, 1991, into the future, 2010. He is to be used to house the soul of greedy villain Anthony Hopkins (who's seen better days). However, he escapes and is hunted by evil bounty hunters. A good cast, that couldn't have been more ill-used by the filmakers. I've seen better special effects in a Pillsbury doughboy ad. Rock star, Mick Jagger (in his first acting role in 22 years) couldn't be any less dull in the role of the head bounty hunter. Estevez still needs to take acting lessons. Rene Russo (Outbreak, Get Shorty) is simply used as decoration. As for Hopkins? What's his excuse for being in this? That's a mystery I'd like to have solved.

My Rating =

Rent

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