adrian2umortal Reviews

Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back (2000 TV Movie)

Good TV Movie but mixed up in some parts.

[26 April 2003]

Meat Loaf is by far the greatest rock star of the 1970s 80s 90s and beyond. This movie is based on his Autobiography of the same name. Although currently available on vhs format VH1 and Paramount Pictures are bound to give in to the demand for DVD format featuring all the promotional extras that went with it. This movie is good but as I stated in my headline summary it is mixed up in some parts. Certain people places and things did or did not happen. One piece of the book I wished they had filmed was Meat Loaf driving through Arizona to California during the mid to late 1960's and picks up a hippie drifter on the highway. It turns out in the book that Meat Loaf wound up giving a ride to Charles Manson. I don't know how fans of Meat Loaf would have taken it but it would have been one of those shock moments in Meat Loafs' life where everyone would have gone WHOOOOOAAAA dude that was unreal.

Caligula (1979)

When History meets Hardcore

[26 April 2003]

The real Gaius Caligula was a young boy thrust into power because the new order wanted to rid itself of Tiberius Caeser who represented the old decaying order. Caligula being the young boy he is goes about irresponsibly running Rome his way till he psychologically breaks down and soon after developes a nasty fever which sends him even further down spiraling into madness. His final days were closely monitored by his associates who eventually snuff him, his wife, and child out and place his stammering, limp walking Uncle Claudius into power. Claudius does bring peace to Rome but that is another story for another time.

Penthouse Films under the leadership of Penthouse Magazine Publisher Bob Guccione takes the sexually perverted murderous side of the Caligula story and thrusts it into the spotlight. So much has been said about this movie that I cannot even begin to think about what actually to say here on IMDB. Because of the MPAA and The Federal Government under fire from Right Wing Liberal Christians, this movie will never ever be fully and truly a "Director's Cut Edition" untill the Right Wing Liberal Christians stop jerking their knees about pornography and obscenity. Also the MPAA needs to go out of business so that Guccione and other film makers out there can release their movies totally uncut.

Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III (1994)

The End......

[11 April 2003]

In 1985 ABC TV debuted a tv mini series that garnered everyone's attention from all races creeds and colors. North and South made Patrick Swayze an overnight success as a leading male star. James Read was already a tv star wth NBC TV's Remington Steele. This mini series is the first in three mini series based on John Jakes's civil war novels. North and South ran one whole week as did the sequel North and South Book II, Love and War. Book III Heaven and Hell ran only 3 nights and was not that big a deal as the first two books in the series. It was as if though ABC TV wanted to wrap up all loose ends that went undone with the first two series. Time Warner Home Video has declined to transfer all 3 mini series to DVD format. It is always the same sorry excuse each and every time. There are currently no plans at this time to release this series on to DVD.

No Holds Barred (1989)

Oh Yeah Brother this movie stinks

[11 April 2003]

::Spoiler Alert::

Rip in mirror image of Hulk Hogan is WWF World Champion and is offered a chance to work for a big time cable television owner named Brell. Rip says "No" and Brell finds his own wrestler in the form of Zues. Zues and Rip start a fued that culminates in a showdown in Brell's Television Studio Arena. Rip wins, Zues loses, and Hulk Hogan goes on to fight Zues for real in WWF after the release of this boring piece of crap. Vince McMahon wasted his money on this movie. He made a better judgement call on making The Scorpion King with The Rock. Gratefully enough there has been no sightings of Mathias in WWE as of yet.

North and South, Book II (1986)

The Main Hazard Family Saga continues......

[11 April 2003]

In 1985 ABC TV debuted a tv mini series that garnered everyone's attention from all races creeds and colors. North and South made Patrick Swayze an overnight success as a leading male star. James Read was already a tv star wth NBC TV's Remington Steele. This mini series is the first in three mini series based on John Jakes's civil war novels. North and South ran one whole week as did the sequel North and South Book II, Love and War. Book III Heaven and Hell ran only 3 nights and were not that big a deal as the first two books in the series. It was as if though ABC TV wanted to wrap up all loose ends that went undone with the first two series. Time Warner Home Video has declined to transfer all 3 mini series to DVD format. It is always the same sorry excuse each and every time. There are currently no plans at this time to release this series on to DVD.

North and South, Book I (1985)

Good Mini Series

[11 April 2003]

In 1985 ABC TV debuted a tv mini series that garnered everyone's attention from all races creeds and colors. North and South made Patrick Swayze an overnight success as a leading male star. James Read was already a tv star wth NBC TV's Remington Steele. This mini series is the first in three mini series based on John Jakes's civil war novels. North and South ran one whole week as did the sequel North and South Book II, Love and War. Book III Heaven and Hell ran only 3 nights and were not that big a deal as the first two books in the series. It was as if though ABC TV wanted to wrap up all loose ends that went undone with the first two series. Time Warner Home Video has declined to transfer all 3 mini series to DVD format. It is always the same sorry excuse each and every time. There are currently no plans at this time to release this series on to DVD.

Shock Treatment (1981)

This is not the sequel just a continuing adventure.

[30 March 2003]

::Spoiler Alert::

Denton is not really the home of happiness but a television studio making millions of dollars off the misery of others live on the air. It is run by a man blindly corrupted by absolute power and wealth, Farley Flavors (played by Cliff De Young). Brad and Janet's (Cliff De Young and Jessica Harper) lives are interrupted by Farley Flavors unbeknownst to them. They go on a Marriage Show hosted by one Mr. Burt Schnik (Barry "Dame Edna" Humphries) and Brad gets committed to a Psychiatric Hospital Television Show called Dentonvale hosted by Doctors Cosmo and Nation McKinley (Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn). They are assisted by ditzy blonde Nurse Ansalong (Nell Campbell). Meanwhile behind the scenes Ralph and Bettie Hapschatt (Jeremy Newsome and Ruby Wax) are divorced and bickering while they work for Dtv. Bettie becomes friends with Judge Oliver Wright (the late Sir Charles Grey) They soon discover after Bettie has been released from her tv show that Farley Flavors and Brad Majors are in actuality brothers by birth. Farley wants Brad out of the picture for good so he can have Janet all to himself. Brad and Janet are drugged and lead astray. Brad's drugs make him totally oblivious and Janet's are making her very susceptible to suggestion and that leads her to being a power hungry, vain glorious person. By movies end Brad and Janet get "Drug Free" and they get back together and escape Denton once and for all.

This movie was slated as being equally good to Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1981 but it did not have the loyal following of the Rocky Horror Community at the time and was shelved supposedly forever. Lately since the re-discovery of Shock Treatment on both CD and Home Video. there is now a new fan base for Shock Treatment. Infact there are S.T. Fan Clubs cropping up globally. Here in the U.S.A. and over in Australia and Japan. Some theaters here in the states will do a rarity event and do what is called a "Shocky Horror Show" both movies play back to back starting at Midnight and ending somewhere around 3 in the morning. This is the "Ultimate Shocky Horror Experience" according to some who have had the pleasure of going to it. Richard O'Brien is currently and supposedly writing the actual sequel to Rocky Horror Show the original musical from which both movies spawned from. So untill then check out this movie about Brad and Janet's life after Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Midnight Movie Madness at it's very greatest.

[30 March 2003]

Everyone and their granny has been to this movie at one time or another and it still keeps getting bigger everytime you turn around. Despite all the commercialization from Television and Video, Rocky Horror Picture Show keeps packing them in every Friday and Saturday Night at midnight. People come dressed or undressed as it maybe in full blown "Rocky Gear". They know the Time Warp better than the Electric Slide. They shout obscenities at the right moments in the film that would make Satan himself blush. The Theaters get trashed wall to wall and the theater owners sit and count out the ticket sale profits on Sunday morning. Many movie companies have tried to make their films into cult movie hits by playing them at Midnight but they just don't got what it takes. 20th Century Fox originally wanted to scrap the movie after disasterous mainstream movie goers did not show up in 1975. In 1976 Fox gave RHPS a rebirth on the Art House Movie Circuit at midnight and from that day forward things just clicked. NYC Cast (The First Rocky Horror Audience Participation Cast) gave the world it's first Audience Participation Lines ever. Nowadays new and improved A.P. Lines are cropping up all over the globe in many different languages. RHPS has led to life long friendships and even marriages. RHPS's main ingredient for being the Number 1 midnight movie draw of all time is plain and simple. "Don't Dream It.... Be it !" RHPS has come along way since 1975 and will go on and on till the very last ticket is sold and the last curtain falls.

A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica (1992 Video)

Rockin out

[1 March 2003]

Metallica is one of the greatest rock bands in the late 20th Century. Here is the full document on the making of the Black Album. Pre Production to Black Album Tour. Only other DVD's worth checking out on Metallica is Cliff'em All which covers the years with original Bassist Cliff Burton and the newly remastered and remixed to DVD... finally, The Box Set: Live S**t Binge and Purge. When placed in a Multi Disc DVD Player this Metalli-collection should blow your mind completely.

Eastern Championship Wrestling (1993–2000)

The Best !!!!!!

[27 February 2003]

ECW is the best wrestling company that ever existed. ECW delivered what was only being seen in The Carribean, Mexico, Japan, and South America, Hardcore Wrestling ! Paul Heyman a.k.a. "Paul E. Dangerously" took control of what used to be N.W.A. Eastern Championship Wrestling, turned it around 180 degrees, deleted old school tradition, and added more sex and violence. This made ECW number 1 on the Indie Wrestling Circuit. Local broadcasts in Philly led to disputes between ECW and The FCC. When ECW was off the air due to a lesbian kiss between Buelah and another ECW Female, ECW shopped around for air time. They tried everyone in Television and got turned down left and right. Vince McMahon of WWE was supposedly the reason why ECW was being turned down so much. TNN during it's last days as The Nashville Network gave ECW air time for only one hour on Friday Night but each show was 1 hour and edited very badly. Matches were short and brief and were over dominated by long inring shoots and backstage banter. Heyman knew that the end was coming and washed his hands of the whole thing and joined the competition in WWE. He was put into position as color commentator alongside Jim Ross because Jerry Lawler had quit due to his wife being fired. On the final ECW Show which was untelevised, all the stars came out carrying trash cans full of ice and beer and toasted the fans as way of saying Thanks for the ride, it was fun. A majority of ECW talent were snagged to WWE and the soon to die WCW. WCW was bought out by WWE and all those stars were immediately transferred to WWE. Some stars made it, some stars didn't, and some stars quit the business all together. There was a brief ECW reunification in WWE. During the live Atlanta Broadcast of WWE Raw, Paul Heyman admitted that a few Raws before in NYC at The Garden he let the stars of both WCW and ECW into the Garden and that ECW was back ! Not only that but Stephanie McMahon was the new "Owner" of ECW. Vince looked like he crapped his pants as WCW and ECW Stars rallied together and defeated WWE stars left and right in 2001. Eventually that died out in 2002 and ECW and WCW went dead finally. Every now and then when WWE rolls through Philly there is a quasi reunification of ECW and fans still chant the company letters for old time sake. Lately you can find stars like Sandman lurking around NWA-TNA and XPW. Actual ECW Ownership is still being disputed by the courts as Vince McMahon is trying to buy out what is left of the company.

Tom and Huck (1995)

Good Movie

[26 February 2003]

Disney did good but still this version will never compare to the 1970's musical version. "Tom and Huck for a New Generation" is what this movie should have been called. The storyline stays true to the book but there is a modern day mid 90s feel about the relationship between Tom and Huck. Not unlike the old days when Tom and Huck in other filmed versions would simply drop what they were doing to go and play the ultimate prank on their unsuspecting prey.

Tom Sawyer (1973)

DVD This movie now !

[26 February 2003]

I love this version of the Tom Sawyer Story. I watched this movie as a kid and will still watch it today. Jodie Foster is really cute as Becky Thatcher. This movie was made and financed by Reader Digest but as I have seen it is now under ownership by MGM/UA Home Video and only available on the slowly decaying VHS format. Hey, MGM, get this movie digitally upgraded to DVD with all the bells and whistles digitally upgraded beyond what they originally were. DVD is the soon to be only video format and this movie needs to be on it. I also would like to see the musical sequel about Huck Finn done the same way.

Scariest Places on Earth (2000– )

Ok one tape is available when will the rest be ?

[16 February 2003]

OK so Blair Witch Mania is running wild in the late 1990s. You have a successfull Indie Movie making millions at both Art House and Main Stream Movie Houses around the globe. So now how do you top this madness off ? By making a tv show based on the concepted storyline, only this time use real people instead of actors and real locations that are haunted. Fox Family Channel debuted this series with a Halloween Special that eventually went on to churn out several episodes. Scariest Places was hosted by Linda Blair of The Exorcist 1 and 2. The narrator was Zelda Rubenstien of the Poltergiest Trilogy. This show covered several American locations and European locations as well. Most of the European locations were located in The United Kingdom including Chillingham Castle which became a fan favorite location of the show. Fox TV dared and paid 2 families of 5 people to go and determine if Chillingham was indeed haunted. Well as it turned out "YES" this Castle was indeed very haunted ! Both families failed to complete the challenge because one or more family members were just too plain scared to finish what they started. This show was great in it's initial run but was at the same time being ripped off by a copy cat show called FEAR. This Mtv show had the same storyline challenge only with a financial incentive of $10'000.00 to the surviving team members. FEAR and Scariest Places garnered a small following of fans both abroad and on the internet. Fox Family Channel by the turn of the century was bought out by ABC TV who is in turn owned by Disney. Disney being family friendly canned this show in 2001. There were a few designated replays of the show on Family Channel but that was just to finish out the obligations to the creators of the show. Today this shows' video tapes sits in the vault somewhere at Family Channel Studios collecting dust and waiting to be released on DVD uncut uncensored and unedited. But knowing Michael Eisner and Disney that ain't never going to happen.

The Phantom of the Opera (1990– )

Yestin and Koppit Version makes for good television.

[7 February 2003]

I saw this 2 parter on NBC back when Andrew Lloyd Webber was sitting on top of the musical world with his Phantom of the Opera. This is a decent musical story version of the Leroux tale. The year before in 1989 Golan and Globus hired up Robert Englund a.k.a. Freddie Krueger to do a slasher movie version of the story which was a total off the original storyline of the Phantom of the Opera. That movie in all honesty, sucks ! When Yestin and Koppit released this mini series they returned Erik to Paris, France and to his beloved Opera House and once again he is deeply in love with engenue chorus girl and understudy to La Carlotta, Christine Daae, who's beauty and angelic voice reminds him of his dead mother, a nice back story line added to the original storyline with one more family member added in for the first time, the Phantom's friend and father played by venerable veteran actor Burt Lancaster. The soundtrack to this movie is available on RCA C.D. and Tapes under the simple name Phantom. It is the original theatrical stage production that this mini series was based on by Yestin and Koppit.

Red Dawn (1984)

Best movie of the Cold War Era.

[23 January 2003]

::Spoiler Alert::

The Cubans and The Russians have landed in Middle America and all Hell is breaking loose. Jed and Matt Eckert (Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen) lead a rag tag bunch of High School students against the enemy forces. Naming themselves after their school mascot "The Wolverines" they kill enemy soldiers and take stock of the enemies weapons so they can fight back with force. Along the way two females (Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey) join The Wolverines and soon after they befriend a fallen Air Force Colonel (Powers Boothe) who also joins. By movies end only one male member and one female member are all that's left of The Wolverines. The quota at the end of the movie is almost prophetic but Thank God it never came to be for real.

Nowadays, Red Dawn is a history lesson showing people what life was like for America during the Cold War Era of the early 1980s.