I watched this for the first (and only) time last night, mostly to see Jonathan Frid. I kept waiting for Joel/Mike and the robots to yell at the screen. There were some good laugh-out-loud moments.
Overall, it wasn't as bad as some people say, but it definitely wasn't good.
I bought a very badly copied VHS of this about 6 or 7 years ago, more out of the curiosity of seeing Frid in something other than Dark Shadows than for any other reason. It's not what I would call a terrible film, but it sure wouldn't win any awards either. The presence of Martine Beswick along with Frid, makes this film watchable. I haven't watched it for a few years; maybe I'll give it another look if I get bored.
Carol lies like the rest of us breathe
I got the DVD from Netflix. I have a feeling the dvd was copied from an old VHS, because at times the color/resolution was awful. I kept wanting to adjust the tracking.
I can see why Jonathan Frid was a good Richard III. He just doesn't come across as a husband and father somehow. I found myself laughing out loud when he couldn't outrun Tattoo. I could have disarmed that little twerp in a heartbeat.
Carol, phone home. Your village misses you.
Herve V.---You of course remember Fantasy Island, but did you ever see the Bond film Man With the Golden Gun? Tall, thin Christopher Lee is an assassin living on a secluded Indonesian island, and Herve V. is his henchman "Nick Nack." Oddly, in this 1974 film, Lee wears an all-white suit and Roger Moore as Bond, arrives on their little island in a Seaplane.
Hmm, you don't suppose the producers of Fantasy Island could have borrowed a few ideas and images from there?
Also curious, is the fact that one year ealier (1973) Lee was the Lord of the island in The Wickerman, a film where Ed Woodward arrives to his doom in a seaplane. Odd, to say the least.
Nice signature line yourself.
Carol lies like the rest of us breathe
I don't think I saw Man with the Golden Gun. I'm not much of a Bond fan.
I think I saw every Fantasy Island ever made. I mean, in the 70s, as young marrieds with not much money, Saturday night was for Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Maybe FI did borrow some ideas.
Carol, phone home. Your village misses you.
Yes, every Saturday night all through high school and beyond, it was Love Boat and Fantasy Island. I never saw Man With The Golden Gun until about 1990 on tv, and I about fell off the sofa when I saw Herve standing next to Christopher Lee, with Lee in an all white suit. Then when Roger Moore drops in on them at their island by seaplane, I just knew I'd seen this somewhere before.
Carol lies like the rest of us breathe
Ummm, it didn't end up on MST3K because it's actually pretty good. Yes, the parts with Herve can make you chuckle a little bit, but overall this is a good little '70s thriller.
shareI'm glad this film never got the Mystery Science Theater treatment. If it had, then this board would be overrun by obnoxiously fawning jerks sharing their favorite quotes from the episode on this movie.
I am the Duke of IMDb bio writers! I am A#1!
I actually liked it. It's very bizarre but still pretty good. I especially loved the three villains and being a big Dark Shadows fan it was great to see Jonathan Frid and Henry Baker. I'm glad I got a copy of the movie and will likely watch it many times more.
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