DVD Collectors Online

The Deadly Mantis, a review by GSyren

Title	The Deadly Mantis (The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection Volume 2. 025195-011686)
Director	Nathan Juran
Actors	Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Alix Talton, Donald Randolph, Pat Conway
Produced	1957 in United States
Runtime	79 minutes
Audio	English Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles	English, French
Overview	The calving of an Arctic iceberg releases a giant praying mantis, trapped in suspended animation since prehistoric times. It first attacks military outposts to eat their occupants, then makes its way to the warmer latitudes of Washington and New York. A paleontologist works together with military units to try to kill it.
My thoughts	Still being in a 50's mood I decided to re-watch The Deadly Mantis
My rating

(From Reviews and ramblings by Gunnar on February 24th, 2014)

The Mummy, a review by GSyren

Title	The Mummy (085392-203420)
Director	Terence Fisher
Actors	Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Yvonne Furneaux, Eddie Byrne, Felix Aylmer
Produced	1959 in United Kingdom
Runtime	88 minutes
Audio	English Dolby Digital Mono, French Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles	English, French
Overview
My thoughts	Anytime you put on a Hammer movie with their two greats, Michael Ripper and George Woodbridge, you know you're in for a treat. And this one also got some fellows by the name of Cushing and Lee. I remember well the first time I saw this film in the cinema. That iconic poster (same art as the DVD cover) sure looked promising. I was a little bit disappointed that the mummy didn't actually walk around with a great gaping hole in his body, though. But apart from that, I loved it. Seeing it again this many years later, I'm a bit surprised how obvious it is that "Egypt" is really a studio set. I guess I'm not quite as easily fooled any more. Not that I think that I actually ever believed that they had gone to Egypt to film. Just as in The Curse of Frankenstein, Christopher Lee doesn't get to speak as the monster. He does speak, however, in the flashback as Kharis before he gets mummified. Actually, you never see him getting mummified. He's just wrapped in gauze and made to stand in a hidden compartment in the tomb. I'm not sure how that kept him from decaying. Must be some kind of magic. Or - a curse? It's said that Kharis is put there to guard the tomb. But in order to wake him one has to read from the scroll of life. That doesn't seem to be a very effective way of guarding. What if the people opening the tomb just took the scroll and didn't read it out loud...? Well, I guess you shouldn't look for too much logic in a film like this. But all that means nothing. The film has all the Hammer style you've come to expect from the early Hammer horror films. And Cushing and Lee are great as always. Not to mention... (so I won't, again). A strong 4 out of 5.
My rating	4 out of 5

(From Reviews and ramblings by Gunnar on July 21st, 2013)

Doctor Who Marathon, a review by Tom

Doctor Who
Series 1.05 World War Three
Writer: Russell T Davies (Writer)
Director: Keith Boak
Cast: Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), David Verrey (Joseph Green), Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler), Penelope Wilton (Harriet Jones), Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith), Rupert Vansittart (General Asquith), Morgan Hopkins (Sergeant Price), Andrew Marr (Himself), Annette Badland (Margaret Blaine), Steve Speirs (Strickland), Jack Tarlton (Reporter), Lachele Carl (Reporter), Corey Doabe (Spray Painter), , Elizabeth Fost (Slitheen), Paul Kasey (Slitheen), Alan Ruscoe (Slitheen)

I liked this conclusion to the two-parter episode (Aliens of London being the first). What is strange though is that Mickey turns out to be a computer expert. This episode seems to be the turning point for him. He is more couragous here. But not yet courageous enough to travel with the doctor.




(From Doctor Who Marathon on January 11th, 2014)