jack-smales Reviews

Them! (1954)

Eight Legged Freaks meets Antz

[25 October 2003]

Terror Horror Excitement Mystery Them!

I wanted to see this film ever since I heard about it,so I was very,very excited when I was given the DVD for my birthday:-)

I wasn`t at all disappointed when I saw it,although it wasn`t quite what I thought.The film was incredibly slow starting and it wasn`t scary,but it worked.

The special effects were very good and personally I never once thought that they were bad.The picture was very sharp.Strangely enough,it said on the back of the case that it won Academy Awards for special effects.

See this as soon as you can.They often have DVDs on ebay.

****1\2 out of *****

Wuthering Heights (1998 TV Movie)

Flawed,but still a brilliant adaptation.

[20 October 2003]

Emily Bronte would have been proud of this version of Wuthering Heights.While it is rather rushed,it makes up for it by sticking to the nature of the story.It still bears resemblance to the book. Orla Brady was a superb Cathy.She looked and acted just the way she should.Robert Cavangh did not really look like a good Heathcliff,but his acting was good and I suppose that is what mattered.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

The part where Cathy and Heathcliff were children was rushed.They were still children when Cathy stayed at the Lintons and so were Edgar and Isabella,but here they were all adults.Also Nelly was an adult all through the film,but she was supposed to be a child.I think what they should have done was have 2 young actors for Cathy,Nelly and Heathcliff and young actors for Edgar and Isabella.I also think that the Christmas bit was not how it should have been.

Anyway,this is a very accurate version and sticks to the nature of the story.I think if it did not it would have been awful. This is a superb version.

The Willows in Winter (1996 TV Movie)

A beautifully animated cartoon.

[7/10 · 16 October 2003]

The Willows in Winter continues the story of Ratty,Mole,Toad and Badger and the other animals.We are also joined by moles nephew.Mole goes missing and the animals look for him.Toad also gets an airplane but crashes it on to someones conservatory.It turns out the persons conservatory is the judge who put him in prison in the last story.I will not give away too much of the plot and leave that for you to see what happens.

The animation in this is beautiful.It is very charming,enjoyable and funny.The character voices are well chosen,especially Rik Mayal as Toad,he is a winner.

E.T. (1982)

Pure overrated trash

[10 October 2003]

Apologies to fans of this film(and I realise that thereare loads of them from reading the reviews on here,but personanly I think that this is a stupid,dumb,overrated family film.

Live action family films I think are like the little girl with the curl ryme.When they are good they are briiliant(like Oliver!,102 Dalmations and Cats and Dogs)and when they are bad they are either stupid or awful.This is one of them along with Free Willy.That was really dumb!

Perhaps it just me,but I just think it is shallow.

Still,others may like it.

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

My favourite Disney film.Cute,funny and full of enjoyable songs.

[10 October 2003]

On my list of favourite Disney films,Lady and Tramp is at the very top.I just love it.The songs are some of the most enjoyable Disney has ever composed.The film is cute but not in a soppy,drippy way,like say Bambi.Bambi is a classic,but it is too sentimental.

I love the song Bella Note.

We used to have the video but then chucked it out.After a while,I felt that I had to see it again.So I looked in the library.Would you believe it,they seemed to have every Disney film you could think of except this one,I mean why????????

I had to request it from another library and then wait a week for it to arrive(sigh)But it was well worth the wait and I loved seeing it again.

Barbra Luddy and Verna Felton who voice characters in this film also voice many other Disney characters.They were both in Sleeping Beauty as well.Sadly they are both dead.

Out of 5 stars.Lady and the Tramp deserves 5.It will always be a classic and one everybody will love.Shame about the sequel.

Treasure Planet (2002)

Excelent

[6 October 2003]

***SPOILERS***

Treasure Planet is one of Disneys best films.It is rather funny and the animation is amazing at times.It is very enjoyable to.

It is clever the way the makers have altered elements from the novel to give it a space theme.

Robert Loui Stephenson would have been proud.It is much better than Muppet Treasuer Island.

Time will tell weather it will be a classic,but it is a great film.Perfect family fun.

I often cringe when I hear about Disney making sequels to their films,but I hope they are going to make a sequel to Treasure Planet.

Out of 10 stars I give it 8 and a half.

Fireball XL5 (1962–1963)

One of the best

[4 October 2003]

Fireball XL5 is one of my favourite Gerry Anderson shows.The theme tune is a great one as well.It took along time,but I managed to find a copy on ebay.They tend to be rather expensive as they are rare.I was very glad when we won it.It was well worth the wait.

In the library,the only copy they had had gone missing.I can`t remember when but I was dissapointed. It speaks the same for other little known Gerry Anderson shows.They had all gone missing in the library for years and there were not any copies anywhere.Thankfully,a lot of Gerry Anderson shows are now being released on DVD.That goes for Fireball XL5 to. It is being released on DVD the 20th October.

Yippee!

The Protectors (1972–1974)

In the Avenues and allyways .....

[3 October 2003]

I hope I never grow up enough to think this show is awful.I can see why people think it is dated,but I like it.The first episode is one of the best,it was very exciting. The theme tune is great as well as catchy.I often find myself humming it. Gerry Anderson fans might like it,but I think other people will think it is terrible.

It is one of my favourite Gerry Anderson shows.

101 Dalmatians 2: Patch's London Adventure (2002 Video)

Grreat sequel to a 1960s classic

[7/10 · 29 September 2003]

***minor spoilers***

With the exception of the fact that the puppies get caught,this film is not the same as the original.It is funnier and more delightful than the the first film. This goes just well with the first film to,I think it was saved by going direct to video and not in the cinema. Recommended to fans of 101 Dalmations.

7\10

Mulan (1998)

A surprisingly decent Walt Disney film

[9/10 · 29 September 2003]

I and my sister are taught at home and we were doing a topic about China.My Mum said about seeing this film so we rented a copy from the library.I agreed to watching it,but to tell you the truth I was dreading it.I expected it to be like Aladdin,really iratating! BUT,I was so surprised.It was funny,witty and there was a good twist of Chinese culture.I read in a book that the Disney team went to China to do research for the film so that was good. Mulan was not your typical Disney heroine,she was likeable and you felt sorry for her. The songs were very enjoyable and so was the film.

Well done Disney:-)!

Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

Terrific sequel:-)

[10/10 · 29 September 2003]

As a science fiction film it falls short,but it is a great sequel.Some bits are funnier than the original and sadder. It is just as fun as the fist film,but its story is even better. If you like the first film and have not seen this,see it as soon as you can.

Tom's Midnight Garden (1999)

Poorly done

[25 September 2003]

It is surprising that the makers of this film thought it was good enough to show on the big screen. It is like they have scraped away to get to the basic material that makes up Tom`s Midnight Garden and then just strung it together. It is as weak and rushed as the TinTin adventures.Some things are still enjoyable if they are rushed but this isn`t one of them. The cast was terrible,the performances wooden,and some of the storylines different from the book. The script is also a problem.It comes in chunks so like you will have a chunk and then none at all and then a chunk and so on. People who like the book will find it a let down. And now we have got a version of Carries War in 2005.I really like the book,so I hope it is of better quality than this awful and shallow film.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Pure slow,boring,dumb fun

[25 September 2003]

My dad really likes this film and I am BAFFLED!I watched although he said I probably would not like it and he was right.The film is sooooooo snail-paced. My mum said that she feel asleep when she went with him to see it at the cinema,and I don`t blame her. I gave up after the first 10 minutes,so there you have it. If you want a science fiction film you will enjoy,watch Planet of the Apes and Escape from the Planet of the Apes.

2\10

Scooby-Doo (2002)

Just a few things

[24 September 2003]

SPOILERS!

I used to watch the cartoons when I was little,but when I stopped watching them I sort of forgot everything about them(apart from Scooby and the theme tune) I then saw the film when it came out on video.Then I watched some more of the cartoons.Now I think I can see why some fans hate it. SPOILERS The characters are ruder and violent,Scrappy is the villan and the monsters on Spooky Island are real. END OF SPOILERS I think that it should appeal to Scooby Doo fans if they can look over the things listed above.Some bits are pretty stupid but come on aren`t the cartoons? In any case the characters natures are well emphasised apart from the things listed above,and the part at the begining and when the gang investigate Spooky Island are just like in the cartoons(again apart from the things listed above) The cast look just like the gang in the cartoons and Velma and Shaggy sound like the characters they are playing,so do Scooby and Scrappy. It is rather funny even for people who are not familiar with the cartoons.For me the toilet humor just falls through. To round my review of,if you are fans of the cartoons and are not put off by what I have written,watch this film.I can`t say it is my favourite film but neither can I say it is unwatchable.

Planet of the Apes (1968)

910

[9/10 · 23 September 2003]

I saw this film as well as the third film when they were shown on the TV earlier this year. I was not expect much when I started to watch it as I am not really a fan of science fiction films indeed I just watched it because I was bored.But watching both of them really made the day for me.They were both very fun and entertaining.Some bits were rather brutal but that did not spoil it. Unmissable.Watch it!

The Animals of Farthing Wood (1993–1995)

Great show

[22 September 2003]

I first watched this when it was on the TV.Then when I was about 11 we found a copy in the library.It had several of the original episodes crushed together with some of the story lines taken out but we still wanted to see all of the videos.It was nice for me to see it again and to see the parts I remembered. It is not like Percy the Park Keeper where the animals are babyish and silly.Call me horrid,but personaly I couldn`t care wether the rabbit stayed down the well.Let her stay there! Unlike some things that are not like the books,this show is not awful. The first series was great but the second series was fantastic!It was very exciting and sadder than the first series.I felt like crying at some bits.There third series was weak.It just wasn`t gripping. This is still a classic show.Very endearing. I would give it 10\10 if it wasn`t the third series so I will give it 8\10

Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001 Video)

Rubbish

[22 September 2003]

This film is an insult to the original.Although the plot is different from the first film,it is flat and weak.The songs are unbearable.Well,perhaps that is too strong a word but they aren`t as enjoyable as the first film,and it isn`t as cute as the original either. All in all it has been stuck on the end of the original.If you like the first film don`t watch this.

Young Winston (1972)

Magnificent

[9/10 · 22 September 2003]

This is incredible.The Churchhills look just like the real people.The acting is brilliant and so is the music. I am very surprised that on the Rotten Tomatoes there were no comments for it at all. I recommend this film.

Station Jim (2001 TV Movie)

Outstanding

[10/10 · 20 September 2003]

My Nan taped this for us when it was on the TV.I can`t think why,but I am not at all sorry she did.I loved it,so did my brothers and sister. It should appeal to dog lovers,Jim was soo sweet:-) I wish it would turn up on video.Why hasn`t it?

10/10

Cats & Dogs (2001)

Hilarious,fast-moving,cute and original

[20 September 2003]

Cats and Dogs is one of those films that are silly,but at the same time hilarious.The first time I watched it,I really laughed because I laughed at the general silliness of it.The second time some bits were not so funny,but it was still hilarious. Purrfect family entertainment.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1996)

Belongs with the great BBC dramas

[7/10 · 20 September 2003]

CONTAINS SPOILERS!

I saw an advert for this on a video.Then my sister discovered that we had the book so I read it.I rented the video on the same day I finished the book.I thought it was very memorable as was the book. The cast was brilliant.Tara Fitzgerald was excellent as Helen and Rupert Graves was hateful as Arthur.The costumes,music and settings are stunningly beautiful.

WARNING!DON`T READ ANY MORE IF YOU HAVEN`T WATCHED THIS

On the downside there are some sex scenes that have been added in and some violence.This is why the video is rated 15. There are some other things that have been thrown in.After the first part,I felt that the accuracy went downhill. While the book is better than this,I am glad I have seen it and would reccomend it to people who have read the book,are fans of Bronte or like costume dramas(I am all 3!)as long as you fastforward through the sex scenes. The book is rather underated.Anne Brontes books don`t seem to be that widely read or well known as Jane Erye or Wuthering Heights which have made it into television and film several times. Another thing.When I read the book ,I was surprised at how much religion ther was in it,but here they had axed that all out!

7\10