Jim-499 Reviews

Wiener-Dog (2016)

Writer/Director infuses his politics unnecessarily

[2/10 · 10 August 2020]

I saw this movie was available in 4K/UHD for free on AmazonPrime. Having recently returned from a multi-year job in the remote Outback of Australia looking forward to spending a year or two with our beloved family dachshund Molly-only to have her diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure the day after I got back and see die right in front of my eyes 3 weeks later...and having entered Molly in the 2009 Los Alamitos Weiner Dog Nationals...I was looking for some emotional healing and therapy from this film.

The film captured me enough to continue watching, however at the 0:32 (32 minute) mark, the screenwriter shot us point blank in the faced with a sawed-off shot gun when he forced his own personal politics on us when two European Americans pick up two Mexican hitchhikers from Mexico.

The dim-witted European American female ***character*** (no doubt a good actress) asks the two Mexican nationals if they are afraid of all the violence and drug cartels in Mexico. The two Mexicans say they are NOT afraid to live there and describe the United States of American as a "bloated elephant..."

I turned "Weiner Dog" off at this point before I heard any more. I tuned into "Weiner-Dog" to see a movie about dachshunds or even a movie about how dogs and pets are treated or mistreated in our great country, or perhaps how therapeutic dogs are to us humans...not to have the author force his narrow-minded, personal politics on us and down our throats with a line that had absolutely nothing to do with the plot or dachshunds.

A shame because I later find out the screenwriter wrote "Welcome To The Doll House" that I came across on Showtime nearly 20 years ago and found very unique and eclectic.

I don't like bait and switch movies: If the screenwriter/director wanted to make a movie where he professes his views on illegal immigration and how bad the USA is then advertise the movie up front as such. Then the viewer can decide whether or not to watch it...or whether or not to waste 32 minutes of their time on it.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Inaccuracies

[3/10 · 13 May 2017]

1. The ship is caught in a "Neutrino storm" that causes great damage to the ship. Neutrinos are virtually massless particles that can pass through long, very dense mass without colliding with a single atomic nucleus. In astrophysics class, as an example, the instructor said neutrinos could pass through a lead pipe for the entire length of the Galaxy (100,000 light years) and have no collisions. A neutrino storm would not cause the damage it did to the ship in the movie.

2. The ship continues to hover over the same area on the planet where the away team landed-- first going down to an "80 km orbit" then a "40 km orbit." Kepler's 3rd law of orbital dynamics (equal area in equal time) states that the closer on orbiting object is to the celestial object it is orbiting, the faster it goes unless a LOT of constant energy is expended. To stay over the same spot, the ship would have to be at the geosynchronous altitude of the planet. On earth this is approximately 19,000 miles. Since the plant was said to be 96% the gravity of the earth, a similar altitude would be required to hover over the same spot on the planet.

Of course the inclination would have to be close to zero and the apogee and perigee very close (eccentricity close to zero) and the spot to hover over near the equator in order to to hover over the same spot on the planet but they could have had such orbital parameters on the spacecraft so we can give them a break on this last area.

However, I rated the movie 3 out of 10 for other areas I did not like: Plot including an obligatory PC scene that was pointless.

Robbed (2014)

Biased Account Of Ali-Norton III Fight

[3/10 · 18 January 2015]

The director of this film is too young to have actually seen the fight on which this film is partially based. Seems like he just jumped on the Norton-was-robbed bandwagon without actually watching the fight so that he could have a nice, catchy double entendre title. The film is also about people who were "robbed" in and around the arena due to a local New York police strike at the time.

As for the actual fight, I watched the fight live on closed circuit at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium and felt confident Ali would win a close decision at the end. I scored it 8-7 Ali in rounds. I even watched the Dick Emberg special that was on national broadcast television a week later where they showed every round and had a panel of experts vote at the end of each round. At the end of the fight, just as many experts had Ali winning the fight as Norton. (At this point, at the end of the show, Dick Emberg looked into the camera and said, "You know what his means? It's YOUR vote that counts.") If Norton was "robbed" all the experts would have scored the fight for Norton.

The footage of the fight was also edited in biased manner to show mainly Norton highlights and to only hear the pro-Norton commentary. Also, it was not all original commentary. ESPN had a boxing series where they took old fights and had Ferdie Pacheo do the fight call with overdub years later. Ferdie Pacheco could be heard calling parts of the Ali-Norton fight in this film which is interesting because Ferdie Pacheco was actually in Ali's corner for this fight as his personal physician which he had been since 1962.

I believe the origins of the "Norton was robbed" myth in the third Ali fight stems from the fact Ali had come off two impressive KO's of Joe Frazier and European Champion Richard Dunn going into the Norton fight. Ali was sitting down on his punches more at this point in his career, exhibiting more power, yet still had that unbelievable speed (actually timed to be faster than the lighter Sugar Ray Robinson and Leonard). Ali had predicted, and many experts were agreeing, that he would stop Norton within five rounds (at the end of the fight, Norton can be heard to yell at Ali over and over, "Five rounds!? Five rounds!?"). So fighting Ali to a stand still instead of being KO'd in five rounds was a major upset and accomplishment for Norton which somehow over the years morphed into "Norton was robbed."

In conclusion--Ali-Norton III: Close decision that could have gone ether way? Yes. Robbery? NO!

If one wants to watch a documentary about the 1976 New York police strike and the robberies that apparently took place in and around Yankee Stadium the night of the fight, maybe this film is worth a look. On the other hand, if its reporting of the strike is as biased as its reporting of the fight, maybe not.

Route 66 (1960–1964)

I just finished watching all four seasons in chronological order

[7/10 · 28 December 2013]

I just finished watching the entire series in chronological order. It took me almost two years to the day to watch them.

I bought the first three seasons on DVD one season at a time.

Season 4 was not available on DVD unless you bought Route 66 The Complete Series but they did not make the entire series available until after I bought the first three seasons on DVD.

BUT, MeTV was showing the entire series in chronological order so I just waited until the fourth season started.

Within the last hour I watched the final episode. Is was part 2 of 2.

Route 66 ran from fall 1960 to spring 1964. The premise of the series was Tod Stiles father passed away who owned a large business but was in tremendous debt. So his business had to be liquidated and sold. By the time all his debt and creditors were paid off, all his recent Yale graduate son (Tod Stiles) inherited was a brand new Corvette.

One of the guys that worked for his father was an orphan raised in the tough streets of Hell's Kitchen named Buzz Murdoch, who had to learn to fight in one of the worst crime-ridden areas in the country just to survive.

The two of them decided to take to the road and see the country in the new 1961 Corvette.

The first two seasons were very good.

At the end of the second season and at the end of the third season, George Maharis (Buzz Murdoch) missed several episodes. He was replaced at the end of the 3rd season with Lincoln Case (Glenn Corbett), a Green Beret/Vietnam Vet.

As a whole, by the third season, the stories some times had little to do with the main characters; they were some times incidental characters in the stories.

And the Lincoln Case character was not that well defined. They started off defining him well--a Green Beret that when attacked by four hoodlums, sends them all to hospital. Tod Stiles takes umbrage at this, thinking these hoodlums semi-innocent teenagers and challenges Case to a fight. Case agrees not to use his karate so they fight to a stand still. In fact, Case never uses his karate skills throughout the rest of the series taking away what could have been a character-defining gritty toughness.

By contrast, Buzz Murdoch had his tough street-fighter side that defined him and made him interesting with a razor-sharp temper.

Some of these episodes in the fourth season —and even the third--I had to suffer through. The music was sometimes contrived and corny, tried to make me feel differently than what the screen conveyed and oft times there were unrealistic characters that I could also care less about. And unrealistic dialog where one character goes on a poetic monologue.

In the final episode reality was transcended: A character played by Patrick O'Neal dies and it's a joke with no investigation, no sorrow.

A lot of these old shows did not have a definitive ending, perhaps because they did not know they were going to be canceled, one of the exceptions being "The Fugitive." But the final episode of Route 66 DID have an end to the series: Tod Stiles gets married (to Barbara Eden), Linc Case ships his stuff back home to Texas and when Stiles says, "Well we're going that way, straight to Houston"

Case replies, "That's a two-seater you've got there old buddy."

Case walks out to the Corvette, puts Stiles and Eden's luggage in the car, looks the Corvette over one last time, rubs his hands on it, smiles in reminiscing fashion then walks away into the sunset with the Corvette in the foreground and one final musical phrase of the Nelson Riddle/Gil Grau Route 66 theme song. Lincoln Case is saying goodbye to the road.

The character most prevalent in this final scene of the series before it fades is the character most prevalent in the series—the Corvette. Fade Out.

For the end credits, whilst the Nelson Riddle theme song played, Route 66 always showed a still from a scene from the episode. In this case it was the final shot of the episode/series—the Corvette but this time without Lincoln Case in the scene.

The four year road trip had come to an end.

Too bad they couldn't get a cameo by Maharis in the final episode.

PS MeTV started Route 66 over with the first episode. Just for the heck of it I watched it again. The contrast in tension, character development and writing in watching the final episode immediately followed by the first was like night and day. Those early episodes were so much better.

Executive Summary: First two seasons very good (inspired me to look up Maharis' work after Route 66). Third and fourth season hit and miss with the fourth season mostly miss even though I liked GLenn Corbett as an actor. He just did not get that many good scripts.

Hank (1965–1966)

Wish They'd Replay This Series

[9/10 · 20 September 2013]

I was researching director Leslie Martinson because I really liked his directing in an episode of Run For Your Life, came across Hank in a list of his directing credits and immediately remembered it.

I enjoyed this show a lot as a kid (3rd grade).

I distinctly remember one episode of this show where there was a Tom Boy like female character that was caught playing with dolls. She recovered from what to her was an embarrassing revelation by saying she used the dolls to practice "hand to hand combat."

Don't know if this was a guest star character of it was the Doris Royal character played by Linda Foster but I still remember that episode even though I probably only saw it once 48 years ago.

Too bad they never show this show in reruns but most shows that only lasted one season from that era do not get replayed.

So You Want to Be a Muscle Man (1949)

Clarence Ross Shines In This Short

[10/10 · 27 November 2010]

Clancy Ross costars in this short. He was the first truly massive body builder and beat Steve Reeves (who went on the play Hercules in several Italian movies) in the 1948 Mr. USA contest.

I first met Clancy Ross in the summer of 1978 in-between semesters at California State University, Chico.

I had gone to Chico State to box (as well as get a bachelor's degree) and realized after one year there that I did not want to continue boxing but needed something to take up the slack in the physical fitness department. I then ran into an old high school friend who was a body building instructor at Clancy Ross' Mr. America Club in Walnut Creek, CA. Arnold Schwarzenegger had come by for the grand opening a few months before. I've lifted weights to stay in shape ever since, achieving some impressive results at times, though not to the level of Clancy Ross.

I remember Clancy saying that he had acted, mentioning "So You Want To Be A Muscle Man" and a commercial where he was shoveling coal into a furnace. He said he also had an offer to play Tarzan but turned it down and for good reasons that out of respect for Clancy I do not think are appropriate to repeat suffice it to say as an on-line biography of him states "He did not like the prospects of the Hollywood lifestyle and returned to his roots in Oakland."

Last Sunday, 32 years after I first met him I finally got to see Clancy in "So You Want To Be A Muscleman" after recently purchasing The (Complete) Joe McDoakes Collection on DVD. I watched it with one of his former employees, my old high school buddy mentioned above. We were both surprised at not only how good the Joe McDoakes short was but also what a laid back sense of humor Clancy had in this short and his surprisingly good acting. He was the highlight of the short.

Clancy could have gone a lot further in Hollywood had he wanted to but as it was he opened several successful gyms bearing his name leading many to a lifetime of physical fitness, this author included.

Fury of the Wolfman (1972)

Don't Judge The Whole Daninsky Wolf Man Series By "Fury Of The Wolf Man"

[4/10 · 7 June 2010]

I recently discovered the Daninksy werewolf series when ThiS TV in the LA area showed "Frankenstein Vs Dracula" the second of the Daninsky werewolf movies (not taking into account his lost first movie). Afterwards, I went to IMDb.com and discovered the Daninsky Wolf Man character was recreated in many other movies until as late as 2004. I bought all the Daninsky werewolf movies on DVD that were available, one even on Blu-ray and thus far have seen four, "Fury OF The Wolf Man" being the fourth.

The first three were much better and there was continuity between them unlike between they and the fourth, this one.

I agree with most of the reviews--this is confusing and they even used a scene from the first Daninsky Wolf Man movie in this episode--were the werewolf bursts into an older couple's country home and murders both throwing the old man into the fire place--even though in the previous scene, the Wolf Man was in the city.

If this is your first venture into the Daninsky werewolf series, don't give up. This is the worst (so far). The third, "Werewolf Vs The Vampire Woman" is the best (but I have not seen the final six).

It was "Frankenstein Vs The Wolf Man (1943) that gave Paul Naschy the werewolf bug and the desire to make a series of movies on the subject. That movie had a profound effect on me as well when I was finally able to see it age 13; it was by far my favorite movie at the time. I'd since seen all the Lon Chaney Wolf Man movies so it is great to discover 10 more werewolf movies for another continuing character. It's like being 13 again.

Marnie (1964)

Interesting Movie

[10/10 · 11 February 2007]

I had never really seen "Marne" all the way through. What few times I saw parts of it I thought that Connery looked like he stepped out of the studio from Goldfinger and went directly to the sound stage for Marnie, that Connery was type-cast as Bond during that era. However, upon seeing the movie nothing could be further form the truth; I thought it a very interesting movie. I think the Bond type cast actually helped Sean's role here as the movie was showing that even James Bond can't suddenly cure a woman as mentally ill as the character Tippi Hedron played with just pure good looks and male charisma. I takes intelligence, depth of character and perseverance.

Also in the movie were small roles by Meg Wylie (AKA "The Keeper" from the 1964/6 Star Trek episode "The Cage"/"The Menagerie"), Alan Napier (Alfred the Butler from the 1966 Batman TV Series) and a cameo by a very young Bruce Dern.

The music by Hermann sounded familiar, as if he had done the score for other movies I have seen; it reminded me of "Portrait Of Jenny." I wonder if he did the musical score for that too?

Twilight Theatre (1982 TV Movie)

I Watched This On TV in 1982

[9 November 2005]

I watched this on TV in 1982 and still remember it. It was funny. One skit is like a public safety film on the dangers of drunk driving, with a voice over saying something like, "How many times have you seen this happen? A friend comes to your party, has too much to drink, and insists on during his steam roller home!" Steve Martin is the drunk, says, in a drunk slur, "I can drive. C'mon guys! Give me a break..." He then proceeds to run over a child who ran out in the street after his beach ball. Steve accidentally runs over him, runs back to see if the kid is okay only to find him literally flat as a pan cake with a Mr. Bill like, "No............" look on his face.

I seem to remember another skit about a cowboy rodeo rider that rides tortoises. "That's the way I want it...," says Martin the cowboy at the end of the skit.

A FUNNY show that I only saw once 23 years ago. Every one at work was talking about it the next day. They should release it on DVD or VHS.

Get Smart (1995)

Should Have Had Adams And Feldon As Main Characters

[28 September 2005]

I was a big fan of the original series. I was in third grade when it first came on and 7th when it ended. Our family watched it every Sunday night.

The problem with the remake, which was a new show trying to get the startup Fox TV Network going, was the main characters were not that exciting, one being the child of Maxell Smart. Frankly, Andy Dick who played smart's son, just did not have the charisma to carry the show. He's more like this annoying, contrived little twit you feel like smacking upside the head rather than laughing at.

What would have been the problem with Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 (Susan) as the main characters instead of just cameos at the beginning and end of each show, in 99's case just the first show? Better to watch funny older people than annoying young people. Maybe they would have made more than six episodes.

Gor (1987)

True To Book Would Be Great

[2/10 · 24 May 2005]

If they made a movie true to the book, it would have been great. This is the first science fiction series of books I ever read starting in 1973. Instead of the Priest Kings being immense, highly-intelligent sophisticated insects that communicate via smell, we get Jack Palace as a man. Instead of traveling via tarns (immense hawk-like birds) and tharlions (mini T Rex like lizards) we get horses. I think a limited budget might have played a large roll in all this.

I'm hoping they will remake these books into movies with modern special effects. The original story from the book is very well done too. In fact, the first 8 books are pretty good.

Not of This Earth (1957)

When Will This Be Available on DVD/VHS?

[25 November 2004]

I remember seeing this in the early 1970's on Bob Wilkins' Creature Feature on Channel Two from Oakland.

A good movie with a dark, scary atmosphere.

The part I found most unnerving was where the alien takes his sun glasses off, looks at a passing passenger aircraft with his "Man With The X-Ray Eyes" type eyes, causing the aircraft to explode in mid-air, killing all aboard.

I notice that it is not available on DVD or VHS. Too bad. Hope it is released soon.

If anyone knows where I can get a copy of this on DVD/Laser Disc/ or VHS, please let me know.

The Fantastic Four (1978)

HERBIE Is Star Wars Influence

[31 December 2003]

It seems almost certain that the addition of Herbie and the subtraction of Johnny Storm/The Human Torch from the 1978 version of the FF was the result of trying to cash in on the Star Wars craze that began the year before with the release of the first movie (Chapter IV). Herbie seems to be a flying, talking R2D2.

The same thing happened with Moonraker in 1979, first James Bond movie released after Star Wars, and in my opinion, the worst of the series. I even seem to remember the end of "The Spy Who Loved Me' in 1977 saying "But James Bond Will Return In." some other movie, perhaps "For Your Eyes Only" (the best of the Moore Bond movies in my opinion) then the producers and/or UA changing their mind.

There are probably other examples of the Star Wars influence but these are the first two that come to mind.

In conclusion, the FF was much better with The Human Torch as in the 1967 and 1996 series, and James Bond was better without Moonraker.

Having said that I seem to remember decent stories in the 1978 version, but substitute Herbie with Johnny Storm and the stories would have been even better.

Route 66 (1993– )

Sequel Not A Remake

[24 July 2003]

This was a sequel to the 1960s TV series, not a remake. I watched the first episode of the 1993 series, and in it, the main character discovers who his real father is--the character played by George Maharis in the original series, that he died, and left him with everything he's got. He had a lot of debt, so all that was left to the son was what was in the garage of his house. They actually used photos of George Maharis as the son looked at pictures of the father he never knew and of course he left him his 1960's red Corvette.

I remember the series from the sixties, mainly my parents watching it--I was nine when it went off the air.

Always liked the Nelson Riddle theme song, much better than the "Get Your Kicks" Route 66 song.

Treasure Planet (2002)

I loved it!!!!!!!!

[10/10 · 3 January 2003]

Treasure Planet was the best movie i ever saw!!!

It was Awesome!!!!!

Cool!!!!!!!!!

Unique!!!!

I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

White Comanche (1968)

AKA "The White Commanche"

[1 January 2003]

I watched this as a kid in Hacienda Heights, CA and enjoyed it only because I was a big, 11-year-old Star Trek fan at the time and this came on in the middle of the original series run. Have not seen it since it's original run but remember Shatter doing his Commanche war cry that sounded like the horse winnies that came form his mouth in the original series Star Trek episode "Plato's Step Children" where a midget was on his back.

Sinbad Jr. and his Magic Belt (1965–1966)

"A Mighty Sailor Is He"

[1 July 2002]

I watched this cartoon as a kid and liked it. I remember part of the theme song: "...he pulls it tight, and one, two three, a might sailor is HE, a mighty sailor is HE." Of course it is the BELT that he pulls tight!

One of the few actual cartoons I actually remember is when he was on Mars, and despite the strength of 50 men after pulling his belt tight, he still could not best them.

If it is ever available on VHS, LD, DVD, I would not mind buying a copy.

My Brother the Angel (1965–1966)

Liked This One The Best

[18 March 2002]

Tommy Smothers, lost at sea and dead for two years shows up at Dick Smothers doorstep (with a life saver around his neck) saying he is an angel, sent back to earth to perform angel assignments every week in the hopes he can get into heaven. They play Tom and Dick Smothers.

I remember watching this half-hour sitcom when in second or third grade. It was my favorite show at the time, and came out right about the time their "Mom Always Liked You Best" comedy album did.

I seem to remember my Mom telling me at the time that this was originally a "summer replacement" program for Summer 1965 that proved so popular, they extended it (apparently into 1966). The popularity of the show also fueled the creation of their Variety Show, but as a kid I did not like the variety show near as much as the sitcom.

I was finally able to see the show 25 years later on British Satellite TV ("Lifestyle"?), and still remembered the theme song. I would imagine the shows are quite rare in the states seeing as how they only made one season of the sitcom and most people remembered their variety show that immediately followed.

All in all a good show featuring Roland "Charlie Chan" Winters as Dick Smothers boss in the advertising business.

Dr. No (1962)

Realistic

[10/10 · 16 December 2001]

This is my second favorite Bond movie of all time, right after Goldfinger (1964). This is because, to me, it is the most realistic SPY movie of all the Bond movies. My thoughts when viewing this movie tonight at a local movie theatre that show old movies was, this must be what it is REALLY like working in the intelligence and spy world, at least in 1962. Here we see Bond relying on his experience and intelligence more than gadgets, outsmarting his adversaries on several occasions. I'd much prefer a movie like Doctor No to the new Brosnan movies where there are unrealistic gadgets and actions scenes just for the sake of action.

Friday on My Mind (1992– )

British Mini Series/Two Parter

[2 September 2001]

I saw this whilst living in England and recorded it off TV. It is about the wife (Maggie O'Neil) of a British pilot who dies in the Gulf War. The officer in charge of dealing with grieving widows (Eccelston), married with children himself, has an affair with her. I have not seen the show since its original airing circa 1992, and it is currently in storage, but I remember it being very well done.

The Magical World of Disney: Sammy, the Way-Out Seal: Part 1 (1962) Season 9, Episode 6

Childhood Favorite Revisited

[9/10 · 1 August 2001]

I remember watching this is its original airing in 1962 as a five or six year old and REALLY enjoying this. I recently had the opportunity to watch it again, for the first time since then, as it was aired on "Walt Disney Presents" on the Disney Channel. I'd forgotten most of it, and some of it was geared towards kids, but it was still enjoyable. I can't wait to show it to my niece and nephews.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

"You brought two too many!"

[10/10 · 8 June 2001]

Excellent, from the always-underrated, unique Sergio Leone direction, to the acting, to the story, to the always-excellent, passionate, haunting Ennio Morriconne (SP) music.

I always liked this movie, first viewing it on television sometime before 1971 as a young lad.

We also studied it in film class at Cal State Chico, 1981, myself writing the quiz. According to the highly-respectable instructor, the story goes that the three Clint Eastwood "Spaghetti Westerns" were so popular, that the movie studio gave Sergio Leone a blank check for what was considered a lot of money in those days, and said, essentially, "Go make the movie you want," and he made "Once Upon A Time In The West."

I notice that this movie is not yet available on DVD but I have it on Laser Disc, (though it is currently in storage) and I think the full, 165-minute version.

"Keep your lovin' brother happy."

Nowhere Man (1995–1996)

Unique

[6 April 2001]

WARNING: POSSIBLE SERIES SPOILER CONTAINED HEREIN! As I remember it, "Nowhere Man" was one of the unique new TV series meant to bring viewers in to the new UPN TV Network, along with "Markers" and of course Star Trek Voyager, though that was more cashing in on the Star Trek name. However, I thought "Nowhere Man" really WAS unique and interesting, with a strong dose of paranoia. I was most displeased when they canceled it. Unfortunately, I never saved any of the episodes I recorded as I usually just recorded them for time shifting purposes. However, I believe they DID rap things up in the final episode. Having only seen it once five years ago, as I remember, he was tied up and had an IV with some sort of mind controlling drug and was being brainwashed, some voice telling him his name was "Thomas Veil" and that he had a wife named such and such and a mother named such and such, was from such and such a town... His whole Thomas Veil life, his wife that appeared in a couple of episodes, were entirely made up and brainwashed into this memory. It also appeared that this was some sort of government experiment, a feasibility study to see if they could control the minds of every citizen. Of course we never really discovered who "Thomas Veil" was originally before the brainwashing, or what type of organization this was, so in that respect, there was still a lot of mystery out there. I guess we'll never find out.

Seems Like Old Times (1980)

Leonard Maltin's Wrong--This Is A GOOD Movie

[9 February 2001]

Though I agree with Leonard Maltin that after a fast start, Chevy Chase made some bombs, I DISAGREE with him in that I do NOT include "Seems Like Old Times" in that list of bombs as Maltin does. I think this is one of Chevy's best movies and features Chase in his prime. A well, written Neal Simon story.

It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)

Ray Storey: Narrator and "Reporter"

[8/10 · 18 July 2000]

I just watched this on video again after years and find the special effects very well done, especially when the creature attacks San Francisco. Interesting enough story. One thing I noticed, isn't the reporter (Ray Storey?) played by the same person as the narrator? Sounds exactly the same. Isn't this also the guy who narrated "Earth Vs the Flying Saucers" (another Ray Harryhausen's special effects movie) and "Atomic Submarine"?