Roller Boogie (1979) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Hey, the fact that I'm actually reviewing Roller Boogie surprises me as much as it does you. I sort of have this thing for Linda Blair, you see, and she was twenty years old when this film was released in 1979 - instead of turning her own head around (The Exorcist), she was now old enough to starting turning guys' heads instead. Unfortunately, all of the guys in this film are full-fledged, knee-high-tube-sock-wearing products of that awful decade called the 1970s, but Linda was looking fine from start to finish, and that's really all that matters.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually liked this movie. It doesn't look good on paper, though. You basically have the world's most ubiquitous cookie-cutter plot, a good deal of bad acting, tons of terrible disco music, awful 70s attire, and about ten times more skating than you find in the film Xanadu. You could give yourself a lobotomy and still predict everything that is going to happen in this movie, yet for reasons I can't explain, Roller Boogie isn't that bad. Linda Blair plays Terry Barkley, a poor little rich girl whose parents ignore her and thus drive her to rebel; she doesn't enjoy being a musical prodigy, and she certainly doesn't want to go to Juilliard. What does she do? She goes roller skating and, after meeting up with local roller boogie whiz kid Bobby James (Jim Bray), she announces her new ambition in life is to win the roller boogie dance contest down at Jammer's skating rink. You see where this is going? It's your classic poor boy-rich girl love story. Something is still missing, though. Oh, I know, let's throw in a sleazy businessman and his two goons, and - yes, I've got it! - let's have them threaten to burn down Jammer's skating rink as part of their evil plan to put up a shopping mall. Obviously, those crazy kids are going to have to come up with a plan to save their beloved skating rink. We cannot possibly let this movie end without that big roller boogie dance contest we were all so looking forward to.
As you can see, apart from Linda Blair's starring role, there is no discernible reason for me to have enjoyed Roller Boogie, but I did. That doesn't mean I want to watch it again any time soon, though. For my fellow Linda Blair fans, I say go ahead and bite the bullet and watch this movie; you'll be glad you did - maybe.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Roller Boogie (1979)

Love is born to boogie in this electrifying andenjoyable(The Hollywood Reporter) romantic adventure about a Beverly Hills teen who takes love for a spin with a boy from the wrong side of the roller rink! Starring Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Roller Boogie is the ultimate fast-paced, freewheeling70s roller rompfull ofhot bodies(Variety), cool skating andhard-driving disco music(Film Journal)!Terry Barkley (Blair) has a talent for the flute, a scholarship to Juilliard and her whole future planned outuntil she falls head over wheels for a roller-boogie bad boy (Jim Bray). But Terry may lose more than her bearings when the local roller park is threatened by a shady development dealand the mob threatens to turn her boogie hot spot intoa disco inferno!

Get 17% OFF

Click here for more information about Roller Boogie (1979)

Support Your Local Sheriff (1969) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)James Garner stars as Jason McCullough in this hilarious Western spoof. This was the era of John Wayne westerns, and this movie came about at just about the right time to make fun of the western and what it had become, often scarcely more than a cookie-cutter production with a predictable plot, scowling gunfighters, and the same basic storyline. McCullough is a wandering frontiersman on his way to Australia, and happens upon a small mining town which has sprung up overnight and become too big for its laws. He decides to earn a little extra money before moving on, and takes a job as the sheriff of the town. Consequently he's forced to deal with the Danby bunch, a rancher family who's swindling and intimidating the mine owners. Between dealing with the Danbys (headed by the very funny Walter Brennan), trying to keep his prisoners in a jail with no bars, and fighting off the advances of the hapless mayor's daughter, McCullough has his hands full.
Garner is great in his role as the opportunistic, but effective, sheriff. Jack Elam co-stars as his deputy, and the antics of this pair are enough to keep anyone entertained throughout the movie. Anyone familiar with Westerns from this era will appreciate the humor of this parody on Hollywood's Wild West.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)

Armed with a wry sense of humor and a straight-shooting sidearm, James Garner (Maverick, My Fellow Americans) fights for peace, justice and fun in this outrageous, irreverent and "very funny" (Los Angeles Times) farce co-starring Joan Hackett, Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan and Jack Elam. Support Your Local Sheriff is "sheer entertainment from start to finish" (Boxoffice)!On his way to Australia, frontier opportunist Jason McCullough (Garner) stumbles into a small gold-rush town and decides to earn a little extra pocket money by accepting a temporary assignment as its sheriff. Happily applying himself to his new position, McCullough manages to turn the town derelict (Elam) into his deputy, outsmart the dreaded Danby clan (led by Brennan in a hilarious comic performance), and fend off the lusty advances of the mayor's daughter (Hackett) all without breaking a sweat or dirtying his shiny black boots!

Get 17% OFF

Click here for more information about Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)

The Mechanic (1972) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Charles Bronson (1921-2003) left us a legacy that spanned nearly five decades of acting, in many different styles. Though good at comedy as well as drama, he will mostly be remembered as a tough and gritty man of action, remaining very macho and attractive way into his gnarled, craggy later years, never losing that perspicacious glint in his eyes, or his masculine appeal.
"The Mechanic" is one of his best; a unique film with a taut script by John Lewis Carlino, that remains interesting after many years and many viewings.
The first memorable 15 minutes of this film are silent except for the tense, eerie score by Jerry Fielding, and set up the character of Arthur Bishop, who is a hit man with expensive tastes and a heart of steel. It is a part that fits Bronson like a velvet glove, with its complexity, bravado, and action sequences, which are well paced by director Winner, and photographed by Richard Kline. Jan-Michael Vincent is excellent as the cocky, cold-as-ice young man Bishop takes on to teach his "trade", and Jill Ireland (who was married to Bronson for many years) does well in a miniscule part.
Michael Winner made several films with Bronson, another favorite being "Chato's Land", which is an unusual, and very special Western.
The intricacy of the plot will keep you guessing; this is not your typical, predictable action movie, and like most films made in the '70s, it is fun to watch, with its nifty fashions and slightly tacky décor.
A must see for those that like intelligent thrillers, and a great film to celebrate Charles Bronson's life and talent

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Mechanic (1972)

Charles Bronsondelivers[in this]action-drenched(Variety) gangster thriller that delves into the dangerous minds of the underworld's most elite killers.Visually alive(Cue) and 'totally engrossing(The Hollywood Reporter), The Mechanic is a movie you won't want to miss!Arthur Bishop (Bronson) is a mob hit man who operates in a world of his own an uncompromising world where conventional rules of morality don't apply and where one wrong move could cost himhis life! He's always worked alone but, as age catches up with him, Bishop takes on a competent andruthless apprentice (Jan-Michael Vincent) and teaches him everything he knows. Together they becomean unmatchable team of globetrotting killers until the pupil's ruthlessness puts him on a collisioncourse with his teacher!

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about The Mechanic (1972)

The African Queen (1952) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'll spare the review of the movie itself. If you're reading this, you probably already know this movie is an absolute classic.
There's been some confusion about this release, so let me clear things up.
Because of some of the things I read, I waited for a long time before finally ordering one of these for myself. Now I see there was no reason to hesitate.
This is a "just fine" print of the movie. There's nothing "wrong" with the picture or sound--aside from simply being a dated production that has not been "remastered" in any way.
It's basically the same thing you would get if you carefully dubbed a very good copy of the VHS tape to DVD (which may actually be what they did!).
The picture and sound are basically as good as what you would have seen on your TV set back when this was first broadcast on network television. In other words, there are no "flaws" that would in any way distract from the enjoyment of the drama.
Contrary to what another reviewer reported: Yes, the Chinese subtitles are on by default--BUT THEY CAN BE TURNED OFF. It's easy to do.
Someone was wishing that this release was "wide screen." Sorry, but this would be IMPOSSIBLE. The movie was ORIGINALLY FILMED IN 4:3 RATIO. ("Wide screen" ratios did not exist until a few years after this movie was made.)
I'd gladly give this title SIX STARS! But since I'm reviewing the technical merits of THIS SPECIFIC DVD RELEASE (rather than the artistic merits of the movie itself) I gave it four.
Is this version a Chinese bootleg? I suppose it's possible. These are put out by a small company in Hong Kong. But I took a chance, because unfortunately, it's the only REGION-1 version of this movie on DVD right now. So until they come out with a better version, I'm glad I've got this one.
Before Hollywood starts b****ing about bootlegging, they need extricate their heads from their collective ***es and get classics like this back in print. Until then, they should expect to get bootlegged, and it's their own d*** fault.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The African Queen (1952)

AFRICAN QUEEN - Blu-Ray Movie

Get 55% OFF

Click here for more information about The African Queen (1952)