When the public unwrapping of an allegedly ancient Egyptian mummy turns out to reveal the fresh corpse of a contemporary gentleman it is clear to Dr. Joseph Bell and Doyle that foul play is at hand. After a post mortem proves that the deceased was indeed the victim of a brutal murder the doctor and his friend resolve to discover the killer. In their search they become acquainted with a Canadian art collector who appears to be equally keen to solve the riddle of the mummy. But can
John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars attempts a productive combination of SF elements (a largely terraformed Mars with its long-lost civilisation) and horror (mass possession that turns the victims into rampaging, self-mutilating monsters that kill and burn). A police-force detachment turn up in a mining community to collect a bandit, whose last heist was uncharacteristically violent, and soon find themselves under siege from rampaging hordes who used to be solid citizens. This is a fairly simple set of variations on stock Carpenter elements--a hybrid between Assault on Precinct 13 and In the Mouth of Madness. However, there is some powerful chemistry between Nastasha Henstridge's icy, drug-abusing police lieutenant and Ice Cube's bandit, Desolation Williams, made stronger by the lack of sexual tension. Other characters, such as Pam Grier's tough commander and Clea Duvall's nervous rookie, are more or less defined by plot functions; the mobs never become more than faceless, or facially distorted, anonymous menaces. This is one for die-hard Carpenter fans only. On the DVD: Ghosts of Mars on disc comes with Dolby Digital sound and its original widescreen ratio of 2.35:1. A sparky commentary by Carpenter and Henstridge is included, which is informative, but otherwise there are uninspiring documentaries on the musical score, the special effects and the difficulties of shooting at night in the Mexican desert, as well as filmographies and the theatrical trailer. --Roz Kaveney
Director John Carpenter presents a romantic science fiction odyssey starring Jeff Bridges in his Oscar(R)-nominated role as an innocent alien from a distant planet who learns what it means to be a man in love. When his spacecraft is shot down over Wisconsin, Starman (Bridges) arrives at the remote cabin of a distraught young widow, Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen), and clones the form of her dead husband. The alien convinces Jenny to drive him to Arizona, explaining that if he isn't picked up by his mothership in three days, he'll die. Hot on their trail are government agents, intent on capturing the alien, dead or alive. En route, Starman demonstrates the power of universal love, while Jenny rediscovers her human feelings for passion.
Taken from a long-running DC Comics strip, Wonder Woman was made into a popular television series between 1978 and 1981, starring former Miss America, Lynda Carter. Capturing the hearts of TV audiences with her sexy outfit as much as her superheroine abilities, Wonder Woman quickly became a kitsch icon, battling the forces of evil with the unforgettably camp "garb of justice", including bullet-proof bangles, a golden lasso and the belt of strength built into her corset. She had an invisible plane, too. Originally Princess Diana of Paradise Island (an uncharted land of Amazon women in the Bermuda Triangle), Wonder Woman is sent as an emissary to the outside world to protect the human race from the forces of evil. And so she becomes Diana Prince, the geeky, bespectacled assistant to Steve Trevor of the Inter Agency Defence Command in Washington, whose father she assisted against the Nazis in the 1940s. --Laura Bushell
The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Since neither Kurt Russell nor James Spader would be able to commit, it gave the producers licence to tinker with the cast and the universe they'd explore. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaohnic Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. "The Serpent's Song" is a cry for help from the team's nemesis--Apophis--who they've been fighting since the beginning. It's a morality showcase all-round. Although deserving a "Holiday", the team just can't leave alien artefacts alone, which gets them into all manner of trouble playing with Ma'chello's body-swapping machine. This episode gives everyone a fantastic opportunity to impersonate one another. "One False Step" of another kind lays a guilt trip on them all for accidentally infecting a race with a disease. Then in "Show and Tell" the central story arc takes a dramatic turn when a child arrives to warn that some survivors of a Goa'uld attack are determined to eliminate anyone who might host their enemy--which means Earth as a whole. --Paul Tonks
The biggest change for Stargate's sixth season was its move to the Sci-Fi Channel. Financial rescue or genre haven from cancellation? Whatever the behind-the-scenes politics, the departure of Daniel Jackson (actor Michael Shanks) the previous year most certainly contributed to the need to run a tighter ship somewhere. With the addition of his replacement, Jonas Quinn, the new show dynamic (hinted at by the new title theme tune) meant far more convoluted arc-stories and less individual focus. One of very few solo spotlights came from Christopher Judge writing his own show, when "The Changeling" saw Teal'c act out a life as a fireman. One reason for being a fan favourite was its cameo from still-alive-after-all Daniel Jackson. There'd be several more through the year, culminating in a finale that tested how much attention you'd been paying to that all-important back-story. Other kooky cameos included Dean Stockwell in one of the many spotlights on the energy resource n'quadria, Ian Buchanan as one of the devilish Replicators (and hopefully the end of that plotline) and regular spots from John DeLancie, Ronny Cox and Tom McBeath as the Earth-bound series baddies. More pertinently, we also saw Byers from The X-Files (Bruce Harwood) as a scientist involved with the Antarctic Gate. Lest we forget, there are other portals on Earth. Is that an already planned spin-off on the horizon? --Paul Tonks
Fletch is a fairly sarcastic and occasionally very funny Chevy Chase vehicle scripted by Andrew Bergman (Blazing Saddles, The Freshman, Honeymoon in Vegas) from Gregory McDonald's lightweight mystery novel about an undercover newspaper reporter cracking a police drug ring. Enjoyment of the film pivots on whether you find Chase's flippant, smart-ass brand of verbal humour funny, or merely egocentric. If you don't like Chase, there's really no one else worth watching (Geena Davis is sadly underused). Chase seems born to play IM "Fletch" Fletcher, a disillusioned investigative reporter whose cynicism and detached view on life mirrors the actor's understated approach to comedy. Fletcher offers Chase the opportunity to adopt numerous personas, as his job requires numerous (bad) physical disguises, and much of film's humour centres on the ridiculous idea that any of these phoney accents or bad hairpieces could fool anyone. These not-so-clever disguises are put to use when Fletch becomes involved in the film's smart but continually self-mocking two-part mystery. As well as trying to gather drug-smuggling evidence against the LAPD for a long-overdue newspaper story, a rich and apparently terminally ill stranger also offers Fletch a large payoff to kill him. While the film does a fairly good job juggling both of these plots, not to mention tossing in a love interest as well, they're subservient, for better or worse, to Chase's memorable one-liners and disguises. Followed by two forgettable sequels that lack both the original's wit and Chase's attention span.--Dave McCoy, Amazon.com
A gradual shift in overall style, character homecomings and departures, and evolving on and off-screen roles for the major players are among the attractions of the complete seventh season of Stargate SG-1. Spread out over five discs, these 21 episodes are ample indication that changes notwithstanding--and admittedly, not all of them are for the better--the series remains arguably the best-made, most compelling sci-fi program on television. Perhaps most noticeable is the reduced role of star Richard Dean Anderson, who opted to limit his number of trips to Vancouver, where Stargate SG-1 is filmed. But that's not a bad thing. The show's ability to poke fun at itself has always been a strong suit, and while Anderson still brings a welcome sense of humor to his portrayal of wiseacre and loose cannon Col. Jack O'Neill, his act is getting a little smug by now. What's more, the other principal cast members have taken up the slack, both behind and in front of the camera: Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson, who rejoins the cast in episode 1) wrote one episode and co-wrote another; Christopher Judge (Teal'c) wrote one as well; Amanda Tapping (Lt. Col. Samatha Carter) directed episode 19, "Resurrection"; and even Corin Nemec (Jonas Quinn, who appears in just a few episodes) contributed one story. The seventh season also finds the series somewhat more earthbound than in the past; indeed, there are episodes in which the Stargate (the "wormhole" our heroes use to travel to different worlds) doesn't appear at all. On balance, the stories are more personal, and more political--especially the final two, with the newly elected U.S. President (William Devane) struggling to decide the fate of the Stargate program (and, of course, the fate of the entire known universe as well!). And then there's the ultimate villain, Anubis, who makes perennial nemeses the Goa'uld (of which Anubis is one... sort of) look tame. He's a combination of Star Wars' Darth Vader and evil Emperor, but hey, at least these guys borrow from the best. Stargate SG-1's production values remain first-rate. The bonus DVD features are also much better than they once were, with audio commentary (mainly by directors and writers) for every episode, as well as director profiles and "Beyond the Gate" featurettes focusing on individual characters. --Sam Graham
Laura has her degree her job in Silicon Valley and it's time to leave home. Everything is fine until she meets Richard Farley who will not leave her alone...
The Stargate is an intergalactic gateway developed by an ancient civilization that links other planets from other solar systems to ours. Boasting incredible special effects sequences rapid-fire pacing and awesome scenes of alien warfare Stargate SG-1 is your gateway to pulse-pounding sci-fi action! All the exciting adventures from the eighth season of the sci-fi series with a plethora of extra features. Episodes Comprise: 1. New Order (Part 1) 2. New Order (Par
Los Angeles 1991. It's been six years since Jack Deth wiped out the last of the Trancers zombie-like creatures whose mission is murder and he's happily settled with his new wife Lean (Helen Hunt). However his old adversaries are back and not content to let him rest...
Footballer's Wives returns to DVD with plenty more sex and scandal surrounding the gates of Earls Park F.C. Episode 1: The Sparks are on a relaxing team holiday in Spain but it's not all fun in the sun. When a poolside party gets out of hand the players soon find themselves in hot water with the police. Episode 2: It's a sad day for Conrad and Amber as they bury their dead son. Meanwhile Jackie and Roger tie the knot and the team and their wives flock to
Features the exciting episodes 'Fallen' 'Homecoming' 'Fragile Balance' and 'Orpheus'.
Collection of nine short animated films telling the backstory of the Matrix.
As The Flamingo Kid amply demonstrates, there's always room for one more rites of passage film if it's made with care and affection. Garry Marshall's 1984 study of a young Brooklyn poker player who thinks the grass is greener at a Long Island beach club, nails the bad guy, realises he got it wrong and returns to the bosom of his "humble" family certainly satisfies on both counts. It also has a strong cast: Matt Dillon as Jeffrey, whose niggling aspirations create the inevitable barrier between himself and his parents; Richard Crenna as his prospective role model who turns out to have feet of clay; and Hector Elizondo as his bemused father. But Jessica Walter (Clint Eastwood's stalker from hell in Play Misty for Me) almost steals the show as an acid-tongued beach-club wife. If the whole thing lacks the depth and warmth of, say, Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs, it succeeds on its own merits as an homage to a more innocent time when a young man didn't need to stray far from his own tenement block in order to find himself, with the help of a suitably nostalgic early-1960s soundtrack of course. On the DVD: As far as extras go, this is a budget offering. There are detailed actor biographies but precious little on the film itself, apart from the snippet that Richard Crenna earned a Golden Globe award nomination. There is an adequate scene index and, for those who want to study Dillon in detail, a reasonable stills gallery. The picture is presented in standard format, and hardly distinguishable from ordinary VHS or telecast quality, but the stereo audio certainly helps pump out the period soundtrack. --Piers Ford
Richard Gere stars in the true story of Clifford Irving, a writer who has the biggest scoop of the 20th century - or does he?
A struggling art student looks for quick money and finds some bad company and a dangerous situation.
Hold That Ghost: Two bumbling service station attendants are left as the sole beneficiaries in a gangster's will. Their trip to claim their fortune is sidetracked when they are stranded in a haunted house along with several other strangers. In The Navy: Russ Raymond America's number one crooner disappears and joins the Navy under the name Tommy Halstead. Dorothy Roberts a magazine journalist is intent on finding out what happened to Russ and she tries everything sh
This Stargate SG.1 boxset is a complete collection of the science-fiction based television show - featuring all episodes from series 1 through to series 10! The Stargate is an intergalactic gateway developed by an ancient civilization that links other planets from other solar systems to ours. The U.S. Air Force assembles a Stargate team headed by Colonel Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson of MacGyver) for interstellar peace-keeping missions. Boasting incredible special effects sequences rapid-fire pacing and awesome scenes of alien warfare Stargate SG-1 is your gateway to pulse-pounding sci-fi action. Stargate - Continuum: Following SG-1 and The Ark of Truth Stargate: Continuum is the latest chapter in this incredible series. The venerable Richard Dean Anderson returns to the fold whilst the late Don S. Davis makes his final appearance as General George Hammond. Spectacular sci-fi at its best! While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba'al the last of the Goa'uld System Lords Teal'c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. As they try to convince the authorities what's happened hundreds of Goa'uld motherships arrive in orbit led by Ba'al his queen Qetesh (Vala) and his first prime Teal'c. The remaining SG-1 members must find the Stargate and set things right before the world is enslaved by the Goa'uld. Stargate - The Ark Of Truth: In search of an Ancient artifact they hope can defeat the oppressive Ori the team learns that the Ori are set to launch a final assault on Earth and a double-crossing I.O. operative is aboard the Odyssey (This storyline wraps up the primary storyline of season 9 and 10 of SG1).
The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. --Paul TonksOn this DVD: This volume begins in confusion when the S.G.1 team discover a military camp training for "Rules of Engagement". All is not what it seems however. The same is true of "Forever in a Day", when Daniel's wife Sha're is killed by Teal'c. This episode begins an important storyline about her stolen child who is a "Harcesis", an illegal breeding between Goa'uld hosts. Then an earlier thread is picked up in "Past and Present" on planet Vyus whose people all suffer amnesia. Their leader Ke'ra (played by Megan Leitch who's portrayed Mulder's missing sister in The X-Files) is a link to the earlier "Prisoners" episode and the dangerous "destroyer of worlds". Closing the volume is a cliffhanger in which Sam must attempt to rescue her father, face Satan himself on a prison moon, and resurrect "Jolinar's Memories" from the Goa'uld she was briefly possessed by. Trapped in Hell, the team's escape seems impossible. As well as trailers for the next volume, the disc includes a 10-minute interview with Christopher Judge on his 97-year-old character Teal'c. He spends much of the time recalling plot points, but his philosophy of the show as a social allegory is refreshing. --Paul Tonks END
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