Poltergeist II/Poltergeist IIIPoltergeist II/Poltergeist III
POLTERGEIST 2 POLTERGEIST 3As sequels go, Poltergeist II has the advantage of retaining most of the original film’s cast (although the absence of the actress Dominique Dunne, a murder victim, is not explained). It’s still not enough to turn this dreary outing into a passable horror movie. The terrorized Freeling family has moved from their haunted house, but the bothersome ghosties are not finished with them yet. The lame scares include a sequence built around Craig T. Nelson swallowing a demon
Rating:  List Price: $ 14.98 Price: $ 7.00 Nightmares & Dreamscapes – From the Stories of Stephen King
This hair-raising miniseries is comprised of 8 mind-bending stories each featuring an all-star cast and cutting-edge special effects. Each episode is adapted from on of King’s short stories and will feature such notable performers as Oscar nominees William H. Macy, William Hurt, Tom Berenger and other favorites as Kim Delaney, Steven Weber, Henry Thomas, Samantha Manthis, Claire Forlani and others. The series will premiere this summer in a 4-week television event on TNT starting July 12, 2006.DV
Rating: List Price: $ 19.98 Price: $ 4.88 Find More Dvd Products |
(out of 47 reviews)
(out of 35 reviews)
Review by Jeffrey Leach for Poltergeist II/Poltergeist III
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I thought the original “Poltergeist” an amazing film full of great atmosphere, likeable characters, and nicely done frights. Remember the paranormal researcher pulling his face apart in the mirror? The crawling slab of steak loaded with maggots? The corpse filled pit in the backyard? The young son counting the seconds between booms of thunder and flashes of lightening? The original “Poltergeist” had thrills aplenty. And then it all fell apart. Hollywood, in its inimitably greedy style, promptly laid the groundwork for a sequel. Why not? The suits knew the dupes would line up at the box office like good little sheep, willing to shell out millions of dollars for what is essentially a rehash of the original effort. Well, “Poltergeist II” is better than your average sequel to a smash hit, but just barely. What will really feel like a stone in your shoe is the sequel to the sequel, the heap o’ screeching metal and flaming wreckage that is “Poltergeist III.” The final entry in the series is so bad, so utterly devoid of any of the elements that fueled the success of the original, that my DVD player loudly protested–with sounds I will not recreate here–my efforts to watch it. “Poltergeist II” reacquaints us with the hapless Freeling family several months after the nightmare depicted in the first film. Still homeless after watching their spacious, modern abode implode into thin air, Steve and Diane Freeling (Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams) along with their children Robby and Carol Anne (Oliver Robins and Heather O’Rourke), now live with Diane’s mother Jess far from the tainted ghost and corpse filled suburbs. Steve now sells vacuum cleaners for a living instead of real estate, and the couple spends most of their time fighting with the insurance company over compensation for the disappearing house. Grandma Jess likes the idea of the family staying with her even as she notices Carol Anne’s amazing clairvoyant powers. When Grams dies in her sleep, the nightmare begins anew as the poltergeists from the first movie track down Carol Anne. The spirits seek to find a way to the “light” (don’t we all?), and won’t rest until they get their way. Meanwhile, psychic investigator Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) and an Indian shaman named Taylor (Will Sampson) investigate the site of the Freeling’s destroyed home. It turns out that a religious zealot named Kane brought a bunch of followers out to California in the 19th century and promptly killed them in the name of utopian glory. It is the ghosts of Kane and his followers who seek the attentions of Carol Anne, with Kane himself turning up in the flesh to torment the Freelings.We should rightly classify “Poltergeist III” not as a horror film but as a disaster epic. On this outing, Carol Anne (once again played by the indomitable Heather O’Rourke) turns up in a Chicago high rise where she lives with her Uncle Bruce (Tom Skerritt), her Aunt Pat (Nancy Allen), and her obnoxious cousin Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle doing her best to look like Winona Ryder). Zelda Rubinstein reprises her role as the psychic Tangina for a third time. Sure enough, weird things start happening when a nerdy school counselor hypnotizes Carol Anne and opens a doorway through which the dauntless Kane returns. That’s about all that happens in this schlockfest, although director Gary Sherman tricks up this installment with lots of dry ice and mirrors that provide little in the way of chills or thrills. “Poltergeist III” is a cheap, cheesy movie that deserves the obscurity in which it currently resides.Fans of the original movie will appreciate the reappearance of Craig Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Oliver Robins, and Heather O’Rourke in the second entry. I always thought some of the charm of the original came from the slightly bawdy antics and great chemistry of this cast. Nelson and Williams in particular have great presence onscreen, and truly do come off as a married couple just trying to raise their family in peace. Will Sampson’s often humorous Taylor character is greatly appreciated, as is the downright sinister Julian Beck as the evil Reverend Kane. Beck’s emaciated appearance and creepy accent do much to elevate this sequel from the realm of mediocrity. As for the spooky paranormal encounters, Nelson coughs up a mutated tequila worm, Robins battles his braces in the bathroom, and Williams shrieks her way through a couple more corpse scenes. Overall, “Poltergeist II” is good. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about “Poltergeist III.” Nancy Allen and Tom Skerritt have the all the allure of speed bumps, Boyle grates as a giggling teenybopper airhead, O’Rourke is wooden as Carol Anne, and Rubinstein’s hammy performance attains epic proportions. The effects are acceptable, but the dialogue is clumsy and the pacing slow. What really killed the movie for me were the late 1980′s fashion styles seen throughout the film.Thanks (I think) to MGM for releasing these films in their praiseworthy double feature collection. As usual, the only extras for both films are a trailer and scene selection menu. The disc presents both films in widescreen formats with excellent picture transfers. I think it would have been nice to have a commentary track with the actors for the second film; I would have liked to hear Nelson and Williams talk about their roles. Two actresses associated with the “Poltergeist” franchise, Dominique Dunne and Heather O’Rourke, have since died. Dunne’s boyfriend murdered her after the first film and O’Rourke died during surgery. If you have seen the first film, you will probably want to watch these two as well. Just exercise extreme caution with “Poltergeist III,” a movie so bad it has caused extreme cranial trauma to those poor souls who watch it.
Review by E. Valero for Poltergeist II/Poltergeist III
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I’ve been really disappointed at the way MGM has treated the POLTERGEIST trilogy on DVD. First things first, the original POLTERGEIST was a MEGA-hit grossing over 70 million in the US alone and eventually grossing over 150 million in the international BOX OFFICE. So it’s fair to say that MGM made ALOT of money on that particular film, so why is it that it was given shoddy treatment when released on DVD? It was released only with a theatrical trailer as an EXTRA. The first sequel, POLTERGEIST 2 was a decent-sized hit in 1986 grossing over 40 million in the US alone and let’s not forget that the Special Effects were nominated for an OSCAR. Again, this film was released only with a theatrical trailer as an EXTRA. The least succesful film of the series was POLTERGEIST 3 which opened in the top 5 the first week but went downhill after that. However the film does have a CULT and fanatical following – many (dare I say it) have liked it even more than the original to the dismay of “original” POLTERGEIST loyalist. Again, it is presented along with P2 with only a theatrical trailer as a bonus. Why is MGM being so stingy? ? Especially when other horror movies that weren’t as popular are being released in awesome DVD packaging and loaded with extras. That said, I must say that I’m glad to see both of these movies FINALLY released on DVD. Despite the LACK OF EXTRAS they are both presented in WIDESCREEN format and the picture quality on both films is EXCELLENT. Movies that are heavy in special effects need to be seen WIDESCREEN because you realize how much you DON’T see when it’s formatted to fit your T.V screen. This is specially evident in P2. Let’s just hope that MGM decides to re-release these films in a more deserving DVD package. POLTERGEIST 2 was originally released in 1986 and did pretty good business at the BOX OFFICE. Although many dismissed it as just another “pointless” sequel, it has stood the test of time due to it’s elaborate (and spectacular) special effects and the performance of a very talented actor named Julian Beck who gives one of the creepiest performances EVER in a horror movie. Although he does not get much screen time, the character of REVEREND KANE will send chills up your spine especially during the scene in which Craig T Nelson and the sinister Minister have a few words on the patio of the family’s Arizona home. Kane’s demeaner changes from friendly to absolutely menacing. Evil emanates from his stare and if you scare easily, he will burn a permanent image of grotesqueness and horror in your sub conscious. Truly eerie. Other highlights include the now infamous VOMIT CREATURE scene and the hilarious (but dazzling) BRACES scene. POLTERGEIST 2:The Other Side is a spectacular and creepy excursion into the supernatural. It may not be as good as the original but it does have a darker, more menacing atmosphere than it’s predessesor and it moves at a faster pace.POLTERGEIST 3, as previously mentioned was the only film in the franchise that did not RAKE in the BIG BUCKS but has since it’s release in 1988, obtained a loyal following. P3 is a LOVE IT or HATE IT type of experience. Those who hate it view it as an INSULT to the original and curse the film for existing (I always laugh at the way it’s so unfairly crucified by lover’s of the original. Was the original POLTERGEIST THAT GOOD that any movie that pretends to equal it IS STONED TO DEATH?? Whatever!) Others however, enjoy it for what it is- an imaginative ghost story set in an unconventional setting and with some very creepy and inventive mirror effects. I give P3 alot of credit for trying something new and steering the series in a new direction. The Special effects are quite good. They were filmed live mechanically and it does give the film a rather GHOSTLY and MYSTERIOUS atmosphere. Anyone who states today’s CGI effects look better are sadly mistaken. Computer Generated Special Effects look good in a fantasy element such as The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter etc, but it has no place in a horror movie. I have said this before and I’ll say it again, CGI effects makes today’s horror movies look like video games and cartoons. They’re just not scary and I know many horror movie buffs will agree. I’m starting to loose hope with today’s horror films. I have yet to see a GOOD, SCARY movie ( I think THE RING was the last scary movie that I actually liked). Getting back to P3, the mechanical effects are creative, imaginative, ingenious and quite fun. There are no floating phantasms or monsters like the earlier films but you do get fingers poking out of mirrors, a frozen swimming pool, a breathing door, a ghostly mist freezing everything in it’s path and a fantastic and slimy BIRTH scene. POLTERGEIST 3′s main flaw however is in it’s weak and unsatisfying climax. Especially when compared to the original’s nail-biting and dazzling climax and even POLTERGEIST 2′s surreal, fantasy inspired ending. However, we now know that this was due to Heather O Rourke’s untimely passing before the film wrapped. Gary Sherman who didn’t want to continue filming without Heather, had to re-write the ending and a body double (or “dummy”- I can’t remember which one) was used in Heather’s place. So if the ending feels rushed and uninspired- it was but P3 does move along at a great pace up until that final frame. And one final note to P3 haters- give the film a break. Many will agree that P3 doesn’t even come close to the original but not many horror movies do- Let’s not forget that the HORROR GENRE only has a few movies that are considered TRUE CLASSICS. And POLTERGEIST 3 looks quite good especially when compared to the other GA-ZILLION horror movies released throughout the 70′s, 80′s and even 90′s- most of which were brainless slasher fares that had nothing more than excess violence and nudity on display. The POLTERGEIST films never stooped down to that level. And I have shown P3 to several of my friends and family members and many of them have enojoyed it and YES original POLTERGEIST fans, I know this may sound hard to believe but many of them have liked it EVEN MORE than the Speilberg/Hooper classic. Even my picky 15 year old niece states it’s the “BEST IN THE SERIES” and has watched it at least 10 times.Anyone wanting to add 2 enjoying and quite frightening films to their DVD collection should get this MGM double feature. Although lacking in EXTRAS, the films look and sound GREAT and you can’t beat the price. Let’s just hope MGM releases these films in a more worthy and satisfying DVD. They’re haunting additons to a CLASSIC CHILLER.
Review by A. Gammill for Poltergeist II/Poltergeist III
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I’m glad to have Poltergeist 2 on DVD, as it’s one of the better horror sequels. Most of the cast is reunited, and it somewhat succeeds at taking a minor point from the first film (the Native American burial ground) and creating the interesting character of Taylor, played by the late Will Sampson.But it’s Julian Beck as the super-creepy Kane that makes this one worth seeing. You just might have nightmares after watching him do his best to cajole Carole Anne to the “other side.”On the flip side, the whole clairvoyant thing is overdone (Carole Anne has a connection to the spirit world, so her mother AND grandmother must have one too? Yeah…), and the ending is a pretty big letdown.And speaking of letdowns, just try to get thru Poltergeist 3. Poor little Carol Anne has been shipped off to Chicago to live with relatives (Nancy Allen and Tom Skeritt. Yawn.) but Kane (played by another actor since Beck had passed away) finds her. What then ensues are a bunch of cheap effects and ridiculous plot turns that insult rather than frighten. As you’re popping the disc out after watching (or abandoning) the film, just remember: you got the infinitely superior Poltergeist 2 for a great price!
Review by Santeria for Poltergeist II/Poltergeist III
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POLTERGEIST II works brilliantly. The original cast is there, and the addition of the Medicine man, and Julian Beck makes for a brilliant combination. Grandma makes the most subtlest contribution in the initial story arc, but is most apparent in the spiritual denoument.
Beck is the most malevolent character in this film, and is truly an original. For a man as talented as he is, he just makes the reverend work as a character.
POLTERGEIST III is a weak script that works thanks to Skerrit, and a good supporting cast. The theme of the spirits on the other side of the mirror is worked out well. What few people seem to have noticed is just how much this theme has been worked into other horror films.
I have enjoyed all two of these films. Heather O’Rourke works hard to make her role happen. It is very sad that she passed away before the film’s release, and in true sordid PR fashion. Heathers death was milked for all the publicity they could get.
Brilliant films
ENJOY.
Review by M. Ryan Fairbanks for Poltergeist II/Poltergeist III
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Poltergeist was one tough act to follow, but in 1986 they decided to go for it and make Poltergeist 2: The Other Side. As you could guess, it’s not quite in the same league as the orginal, but it is surprisingly good for what it is.
The Freeling family is now residing with Diane’s mother in a peaceful little suburban home and recovering from the supernatural phenomena that took place at their home in Cuesta Verde. Life is slowly returning back to normal until grandma’s death triggers the spirits once again, this time in the form of the creepy Reverand Kane, the leader of a religious cult that he led to death with his false predictions of the apocolypse. With the help of a Native American medecine man and Tangina Baron, the Freeling’s struggle to keep the family together and defeat the spirits.
Poltergeist 2 has a lot of good things going for it, namely the return of the original cast, minus Dominique Dunn of course. A lot of the slightly dysfunctional, but tight knit suburban family feel that made the original so great carries over into this sequel. Will Sampson is also fantastic as Taylor the medicine man, and Julian Beck is amazing in the role of Reverand Kane which he delivers with unparalleled creepiness. Once again, the chemistry of the cast is what makes this stand out.
However Poltergeist 2 differs from the original in that the comedy is largely replaced with a much darker and more sinister mood with a modest increase in the gross out special effects. There are quite a few memorable scenes during the bulk of the movie including zombies, a braces attack, and a mutant tequila worm. Unfortunately all this great build up goes to waste due to the ultra lame ending, where it looks as if they simply told the special effects crew to go crazy. The shorter run time also causes Poltergeist 2 to lack the epic feel that the original had. Overall an above average sequel that’s certainly worth a look, just don’t expect anything as great as the original. I’d generously give it *** 1/2 stars.
As for Poltergeist 3, it’s a movie so bad that the only way they could possibly sell it is to package it along with part two.
Carol Anne now lives with her aunt and uncle in a Chicago high rise, but Kane has somehow returned and is able to cross over into our dimension via mirrors…Or something. Movies such as this often contain a few plot holes that we, the horror audience, simply have to overlook. But it’s a rarity when literally nothing about the story can be explained at all, and Poltergeist 3 achieves just that. There’s no point in rambling on about it any longer, simply let it be known that the events of this movie don’t make a lick of sense whatsoever, nor do they try.
Poltergeist 2 was undoubtedly a few notches lower than the original, but Poltergeist 3 is like a made for television sequel. Heather O’ Rourke and Zelda Rubinstein are the only returning cast members this time around, so automatically you can write off any of the great cast interaction of the previous films. It’s more or less a assembly of unlikable characters running around a labyrinth or mirrors screaming the name Carol Anne for 90 minutes. A completely unremarkable movie that doubles as one of the worst sequels of all time for any genre. I’d give it * 1/2 stars.
Overall that would bring the average of this set to about 3 stars, but since you’re technically getting two movies for for the price of one, it deserves a fourth for value. Poltergeist 2 is definietly worth the price for hardcore fans of the original.
Review by H. Bala for Nightmares & Dreamscapes – From the Stories of Stephen King
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Stephen King, in the course of 30 years, has become a gargantuan commercial success. And why not? He is wicked scary and chillingly entertaining. But part of King’s success is attributed to his ability to raise common, fundamental truths and write characters with universal human flaws in his warped, fantastical stories – truths which any audience can latch onto and flaws which everyone can identify with. It’s no different with the fabulous TV cable rendition of his Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Themes of isolation, alienation, mortality, the human condition, and social disintegration are touched on.
This lavish, all-out TNT production doesn’t stinge in its mini-series adaptation. I was amazed by the acting talent brought on board: William Hurt, William H. Macy, Kim Delaney (still sexy), Tom Berenger, Samantha Mathis… Stephen King’s stories are magnificently and thoughtfully realized by wonderful, fully committed acting, production values of superb quality, and across-the-board earnest efforts by the writers and directors, who honor Stephen King by cleaving close to the spirit of the author’s works. The 8 episodes are selected for their diverse storylines and are uniformly excellent. They are, in turn, comedic, meditative, tense, gentle, allegorical, apocalyptic, and, YES, scary. Personal favorites of mine are “Battleground,” “Umney’s Last Case,” and “You Know They Got a Hell of a Band.”
For the completists, of the eight episodes, only five are actually from King’s Nightmares and Dreamscapes short story collection. “Autopsy Room Four” and “The Road Virus Heads North” are from Everything’s Eventual, while “Battlefield” is from Night Shift. TNT’s motto is “We know Drama.” But, it seems, they also know horror.
Here are the 8 episodes:
“Battleground” – In this terse, funny, cool f/x-laden episode, William Hurt stars as an icy professional hit man who assassinates the CEO of a prominent toy company and ends up waging a one-man war against living plastic toy soldiers from a Jungle Army Footlocker. The little Savage Commando at the end is awesome! No dialogue in this one, which, in a way, enhances Hurt’s acting even more. This episode, pretty much a one-man show, pays homage to the 1975 horror movie Trilogy of Terror, which starred Karen Black and the Twilight Zone’s classic “The Invaders.”
“Crouch End” – A newlywed American couple, superstitious Doris and the more practical Lonnie (Claire Forlani and Eion Bailey), honeymooning in London, are invited to dinner in the neighborhood of Crouch End. A London cabbie earnestly warns Lonnie not to go there but of course, the couple pays no heed. In Crouch End, strange things begin to happen – and weird, scary denizens begin to menace them – and, gradually, they come to realize they’ve ended up in a “thin spot” – an alternate world. This is an unsettling, spooky tale, as the more they get lost, the more desperate the circumstances become. Another instance of a normal, initially happy couple being faced with weird events and having their personal relationship gradually fall apart.
“Umney’s Last Case” – Clyde Umney is a private eye plying his trade in 1938 whose world is upended when a man who looks just like him, named Sam Landry, shows up, claiming to be from the future of 2005. Sam has been writing a series of detective novels, with Clyde as the leading character. Sam and his wife Linda are suffering from the loss of their child, and Sam can’t handle it; so he swaps places with Clyde. Everyman William H. Macy, as usual, is superb in both the roles of Clyde and Sam.
“The End of the Whole Mess” – Ron Livingston plays an award-winning filmmaker who, in his final hour of life, narrates the story of how his altruistic brother (Henry Thomas), by chemically finding a cure for all violence, instead brought about the end of the world. This is probably my least favorite story. It has its merits, but it moves at a plodding pace.
“The Road Virus Heads North” – Richard Kinell (Tom Berenger) is a famous horror writer shockingly diagnosed with a form of cancer. When driving to Boston for a book-signing event, he chances upon a garage sale and purchases a painting of a car travelling on the road. Eerily, this painting gradually changes and grows more menacing as Kinell goes along. Now, is the painting real or is Kinell delusional? Or is the painting, in reality, controlling his destiny? The painting is obviously a metaphor for Kinell’s suddenly shortened mortality, but knowing that doesn’t diminish the viewing of the episode.
“The Fifth Quarter” – Willy Evans (Jeremy Sisto) just never has any luck. Caught in a vicious loop of always making wrong choices, he repeatedly ends up in jail. Finally released but desperate to land that one big score and provide for his hardluck family, he goes in search of a treasure’s burial site, aided by one quarter of a treasure map. Will his luck change this time? I couldn’t help but root for Willy and his wife Karen (Samantha Mathis), who are inherently good people, but who are stuck in an impoverished situation, with no other recourse but crime. I mean, what would you do? Very good, dramatic character study.
“Autopsy Room Four” – King does his version of the “buried alive” scenario with this “bottle” episode. The story is mainly told thru the eyes of Howard Cottrell (Richard Thomas), who is bitten by a snake and pronounced dead. He is taken to the autopsy room, where the coroners begin talk of cutting him open. But here’s the thing: Cottrell isn’t dead, merely paralyzed, and desperately trying to let the coroners know it. Richard Thomas does a very good job conveying vulnerable, stark terror while – due to his frozen position on the slab – unable to properly emote. This is nerve-wracking stuff.
“You Know They Got a Hell of a Band” – This is a very cool episode. Kim Delaney and Steven Weber star as a troubled couple on a road trip thru Oregon who get lost and end up in a quaint little town called Rock & Roll Heaven, where the great musical icons of the ’60s and ’70s are alive and well. It seems like Shangri-La, there’s a free concert every night. But, admission comes at a cost: once you enter, you can’t leave. Uncanny resemblance between the actors and the musical legends they portray.
I only wish other stories from the Nightmares & Dreamscapes collection had been adapted to the small screen. It would’ve been interesting to see these following stories interpreted on television: “Suffer the Little Children,” “The Ten O’Clock People,” “The House on Maple Street,” and “The Doctor’s Case” (a kind-of posthumous Sherlock Holmes story). *Sigh* but you can’t have everything. And what we do have, in these 8 stories, are certainly good enough and thought-provoking enough to tide us over until the next Stephen King project.
From what I understand, extras on this beautiful, slipcase three-disc set include additional scenes, featurettes, interviews and production sketches. Running time: 480 minutes. Screen aspect: Original Aspect Ratio – 1.78, Widescreen (16:9 Transfer).
Review by K. Harris for Nightmares & Dreamscapes – From the Stories of Stephen King
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Anthology series are problematic at best. There will always (hopefully) be episodes that you love, but also those that strain even the most patient of viewers. I don’t care if it’s “The Twilight Zone,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “The Outer Limits,” “Tales From The Crypt,” “Masters of Horror” or any of the many others I could list–it’s always true. So, it’s with trepidation that I approach this review. With 8 episodes, I have 8 chances of making someone angry! However, the one thing of which I am certain–this series, while ambitious, is not a 5 star review!
I would categorize only one episode as a five star rating. This honor belongs to a familiar story that’s done extraordinarily well. In “Battleground,” William Hurt gives a memorable, intense performance as a hitman battling a squadron of toy soldiers come to life. This is done brilliantly without dialogue–part of what makes it so dynamic. We’ve seen this concept before, but here it is expertly executed.
Three episodes qualify as four stars. “Umney’s Last Case” stars a terrific William H. Macy and works as a comedic detective noir as an author battles his fictional character. “End of the Whole Mess” is perhaps the most complicated and intriguing tale. It’s an intelligent script thoughtfully performed by Ron Livingston about no less than the end of the world. And “Fifth Quarter,” with Jeremy Sisto, a criminal double-cross story that’s entertaining and twisty.
One episode ranked at three stars. “You Know They Got A Hell of a Band” depicts a rock and roll heaven (or is it Hell)? I admired much in this tale with Steven Webber and Kim Delaney–it’s a great concept, but ultimately a little uneven.
One episode ranked at two stars. “Road Virus Heads North,” with Tom Berenger, is an interesting failure. I liked Berenger’s performance, but the overall concept never really gelled for me. I felt like I’d seen it before, only better.
And lastly, there are two legitimate one star messes! “Crouch End” is an incoherent and uninteresting look at a couple trapped in an alternate reality. Supernatural hokum with no real logic, I found the whole escapade to be tedious and tiresome. But nothing could prepare me for perhaps the worst hour of TV I sat though last year! That dubious distinction will have to go to “Autopsy Room Four” with Richard Thomas. The characters in this are so silly, and the ongoing, insufferable and ridiculous narration by Thomas was a disaster in scripting. After 10 minutes of listening to it drone on and on and on and on, saying the same thing over and over and over–I wanted to scream, “OK, I get it!!! Now put me out of my misery!”
Look, I had no intention of writing about this show–but reading other effusive customer reviews, I didn’t want anyone to get blindsided by the inconsistencies between episodes. I’d recommend the show–definately–but it’s hit or miss just like any other anthology. KGHarris, 10/06.
Review by Michele A. Thompson for Nightmares & Dreamscapes – From the Stories of Stephen King
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I have most of Stephen King’s major movies so it was a very pleasant surprise to find this gem. The tape with the same title was incredible with all the creepyness and spell binding abilily typical of campfire stories. I was not sure that the suspense and “chills” could be adequately reproduced on the screen. This collection of several short stories–some from the tape and some from his book was no disappointment.
The special effects are high end- easily matching the theater of the mind for those who enjoy King’s books and tapes. Major actors are involved and the performances are great. Because it is a collection of short stories you can pick and choose what and when to watch. Although it is hard not to want “just one more.” I was messmirized by the segment involving toy soldiers in a bizzare battle against a hitman played by William Hurt. In another story, a couple steps out of a taxi ride and ends up in a new world of increasing horror. I found myself whispering don’t go there to the characters on screen. Typical of King, all characters are well developed even the tiny toy soldiers. You can’t help but like or hate them. You are quickly engaged. King has no road map for his stories and there are multiple surprises and twists from his seemingly bottomless bag of plots. The mounting terror so typical in Kings stories is never lost on this smaller scale. The segments are short i.e. 30+ min but they have the same impact as a 2 hour movie. As an added bonus there are features with the actors commenting on the roles as well directors on how some of those special effects were done. Great acting, special effects and the always talented writing of Stephen King make this video well worth seeing.
Review by Kevin Alekna for Nightmares & Dreamscapes – From the Stories of Stephen King
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I must admit to being a little disappointed that there were not more stories from the book in this series of short films. I was particularly looking forward to seeing Dolans Cadillac and Chattery Teeth on the smal screen. However, all eight of the chosen subjects were great. We watched them all over a 3 night sitting and loved them. Battleground (*****), Umney’s Last Case (****), The Fifth Quarter (****) and Autopsey Room 4 (*****) are the pick of the bunch. The rest get *** from me.
Review by D. Mckenzie for Nightmares & Dreamscapes – From the Stories of Stephen King
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AS an avid reader of King’s book for the last 20 years i have read pretty much everything he has written, my favourite books are the dark tower books and his short story collections.Technically only 5 of these stories were from knightmares and dreamscapes but all 8 were of a very high standard.