DVD Collectors Online

Creature From the Haunted Sea, a review by Danae Cassandra

Creature From the Haunted Sea
Year of Release: 1961
Directed By: Roger Corman
Starring: Antony Carbone, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Edward Wain, Beech Dickerson, Robert Bean
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Rating: NR

Overview:
A government agent learns that a Caribbean island is in revolt and a mobster is shipping off with fellow criminals and the treasury loot.  The agent decides he must infiltrate the gang to try to steal the booty, but first he has to invent a deadly sea creature so that he can more easily attain the treasure.

My Thoughts:
I love the creature!  He's absolutely great!  Beyond that, this was a pretty funny film, with Carbone doing an impression of Bogart as the gangster through the whole film, the secret agent is completely clueless and the rest of the gang are the most improbable group of criminals you could imagine.  There's a subtle political critique too, since the "good guy" is an idiot American spy, the bad guys are trying to rob Cuban military men who, in turn, stole the gold from the Cuban treasury.  Ultimately you gotta root for the monster!  He's the best!

I think if you like Roger Corman you'll like this film. 

Bechdel Test:  Fail

Overall: 2.25/5

(From B-Movie mini-marathon on March 19th, 2013)

Hide and Seek, a review by addicted2dvd

Hide and Seek
'Robert De Niro' and 'Dakota Fanning' send pulses racing in this "genuine scare-fest" ('The Calgary Sun') that delivers terrifying twists and a shocking surprise ending.

At their new home in upstate New York, newly widowed psychologist David Callaway (De Niro) tries desperately to help his traumatized daughter Emily (Fanning) deal with her mother's death. But before lone, both David and Emily are being terrorized by someone - or 'something' - named Charlie: a "friend" who may or may not be imaginary but is definitely the stuff nightmares are made of! Ready or not... "you'll be jumping out of your seat!" (Richard Roeper)

My Thoughts:
According to some reviews and sites I read this movie seems not to be very popular. I, myself enjoyed it. Granted it is not the best suspense thriller I ever seen.. and the ending was fairly predictable... but it did keep my interest through-out the whole movie. On this DVD you can watch the movie with any of several alternate endings. I chose to watch it this time with the theatrical release ending... but I didn't watch any of the other endings as of yet because I would rather be able to watch it on the movie the next few times I watch the movie... this way I can have a somewhat new experience each time I watch it. Anyway... good movie... but not the best the genre has to offer... so a Thanks to my friend that sent this one to me... will definitely be getting watched again!

(From Weekend Movie Marathon: Unwatched DVDs on December 21st, 2007)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

What's the show about?
Young cops in their early twenties - who look even more younger than they are - are going undercover in high schools to investigate crimes that happen there - drug dealings, extortion, car thefts, ... The unit works out of an old chapel on Jump Street. Sometimes they go into a school alone, sometimes as buddies, sometimes as enemies. But in the end they bust the bad guys.

"Pilot"
Officer Tom Hanson has a problem: He looks younger than he is and his colleagues and (what's worse) criminals don't take him seriously. Even though he has now a partner who is willing to work with him the captain can't risk his officers getting hurt or killed. But he has a solution: Hanson is transferred to an undercover unit where he meets his future partners: the officers Doug Penhall, Harry Ioki, the beautiful Judy Hoffs and their captain who was in Woodstock.

My Opinion
It was a cool show for its time but I bought the first season only for sentimental reasons. Now and then an episode is ok, but I wouldn't watch the entire show again. Still I enjoyed seeing Johnny Depp and Peter DeLouise in their early roles again. DeLouise (son of Dom DeLouise) has mostly stopped acting but instead became a director and producer, most notably on Stargate SG-1 where he has the occasional cameo.

And I don't think I have to say much about Depp:



(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on September 11th, 2009)