The Dentist 2: Brace Yourself

Customer Reviews:

Good as the first.......2007-09-08

Bersen again delivers in this movie. As I said for the first Dentist movie, he's a man you can trust. He then slowly goes mad and back to his killing ways. I loved the two movies and probably some of the most underrated movies in horror. Bersen does survive at the end but this was the end of the franchise. I guess people didnt want anther movie about Dentist. Who can blame them? The dentist around here are scarier.

High camp.......2005-03-10

My girlfriend and I were sitting around one day recently discussing the weird and wacky world of television. The topic of medical/surgery shows came up, mainly because we stumbled over a particularly gory operation while flipping through the channels. Why, I asked, do we see plenty of gluey open-heart surgeries and other graphic operations yet there isn't a single show dealing with the stuff that goes on at a dentist's office? My girlfriend suggested that such a program might exist, but that we just don't see it where we live. I doubt it, though. There is something so unpleasant about the dentist and the painful atrocities that unfold there on a daily basis that any program based on such nastiness would sink like a stone in the ratings. Who wants to watch someone scraping plaque off of teeth? Or root canals? Or bone cracking extractions? Or see someone open wide to reveal teeth and gums caked in gingivitis? Not me; I spent six years wearing braces, had several teeth pulled over the years, and know intimately the sound that drill makes as it punches holes in enamel. All of this brings me to "The Dentist" films.

The first film in this grotesque duology introduced us to Dr. Feinstone (Corbin Bernsen), a dentist clinging to the last vestiges of sanity. Problems with the IRS, an adulterous wife, and a tendency to extend the idea of tooth decay to society at large led Feinstone to a murderous rampage and eventual incarceration in a mental asylum. "Dentist 2: Brace Yourself" sees the titular tooth doctor escaping from the nuthouse and moving to a small town under the name Laurence Caine in order to once again ply his trade. He's at first reticent to resume his former occupation since he knows that working as a dentist led to major problems in the first place, but circumstances soon emerge that find him once again donning a white coat. The local dentist is a small town doctor who can't seem to do his job as well as Feinstone thinks he should. Next thing we know, this guy topples down the stairs and Caine takes over his practice. A host of issues soon emerge that put extreme stress on Feinstone/Caine's tenuous mental state. First, a nosy local gal named Bev Trotter (Susanne Wright) has suspicions about Caine's background and starts digging around for information. Second, Caine strikes up an association with Jaime Devers (Jillian McWhirter) that resurrects memories of his previously failed relationship. Third, ex-wife Brooke Sullivan (Linda Hoffman) hires a private detective to track down her husband.

Feinstone/Caine soon cracks under the pressure. At first he just barks at people, or gives folks a nasty look that sends chills down their spines. Devers's budding relationship with Caine seems promising, and even seems to have a calming influence on the insane dentist--at least at first. Then Feinstone notices that the guy he hired to refurbish his office has a thing for Jaime. It turns out that the two, Devers and Robbie Mauro (Lee Dawson), are childhood friends who've always played a little game in which he proposes marriage and she refuses to accept his advances. It means nothing, but Caine doesn't know this. He goes ballistic over what he perceives as a repeat of the same situation that sent him over the edge in the first place. And once Feinstone/Caine cracks up, no one is safe. Before you can say "Open wide" the dentist is back to his old tricks again. Patients strapped down in the chair shriek and moan as drills and other shiny metal tools scrape, tear, and punch holes in teeth, tongues, and gums. It's a truly nightmarish experience to watch the close up shots of Feinstone's bloody handiwork. Will anyone emerge to stop this demented doctor's gory rampages? Watch, if you dare, and see.

I quite enjoyed the first film due to the graphic carnage and Bernsen's frenetic performance. "Dentist 2: Brace Yourself" isn't as good as its predecessor. It's still disturbing to watch Feinstone operate on the unfortunate wretches caught in his web, and Bernsen's performance rates high as the actor throws all caution to the wind and goes for high camp, but the second installment drags a bit. I found the pacing of the film ponderous; it takes far too long for the story to unfold and far too long for Feinstone to crack up. The gore isn't as quite over the top in this entry, unfortunately. Remember what the dentist did to that guy from the IRS in the first film? I don't remember seeing anything as remotely disturbing here. The special effects depicting oral pandemonium aren't much better than the stuff we saw in the first film either, but perhaps that's to the good. If any of these scenes looked more realistic these two films would probably be unwatchable. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first film you will probably want to give this one a spin. Heck, veteran character actor Clint Howard turns up in an enjoyable sequence as one of Caine's first victims. Any film with Clint Howard hamming it up deserves a watch.

Extras on the DVD are sparse: trailers for "The Dentist," this film, Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive," and cast and crew filmographies take only a few minutes to work through. I don't think we're likely to see another "Dentist" film in the near future, sorry to say, but Brian Yuzna or other horror filmmakers ought to make more. Dental torture films are massively disturbing and could very well constitute an effective and profitable subgenre within the larger horror film field.

"It's been six months... Time for your check-up!".......2004-06-09

The HBO network revived the popular horror movie by bringing back famous actor Corbin Bernsen as everyone's favorite maniacal dentist! While not as good as the first one, "The Dentist 2: BRACE YOURSELF" is still a pretty scary (and at times, funny!) blood splattering, scream frenzy sequel. Made two years later after the original low-budget masterpiece, 'Brace Yourself' (clever title) obviously did not stand out as well with the critics and sadly this neglected gem was long forgotten for quite some time.

Now that it's made it onto DVD, we can all experience this fun and thrilling so-bad-it's good rollercoaster ride and come to realize that not everything is as bad as we may think it is. Continuing where the first one left off, Allan (Corbin Bernsen) escapes the mental institution and makes his way to the beautiful, small town of paradise where he continues his practice as the local dentist.

However, when a few of the townsfolk suspect something about the poor doctor, Allan's sanity cannot be maintained and his haunting past won't stay buried! Once again, it's time for a check-up and this time, there are NO RULES!!!! Can Allan be able to pull through and remain anonymous, or will his alter ego get the better of him?

A nicely done B movie and even though it didn't make it to the theaters back in 1998, it was a pretty decent sequel nevertheless! Only one con I've noticed about this was that there are very few clever ways Mr. Bernsen tortures the patients and some of them are similar to those that have been done before in the first. The ending had quite a bizarre twist to it, but it had me laughing my head off at how bad something may seem can actually turn out to be so funny! This is a MUST HAVE to add to your horror collection, especially for all you gore hounds out there! BRACE YOURSELF FOR NON-STOP FUN!!!!

GGGRRRROOOOSSSSEEEE!!!!!!!!!.......2004-05-31

AAAHHH!!!! This movie is even worse than the 1st. Its sooo bad, it doesnt even deserve a review. Definitley not one for squemish.

Boring story line & poor acting.......2004-05-30

Corbin does a miserable job of acting in this one. If you like gore, there is plenty of that in this film, but if you prefer scary movies to contain interesting story lines and reasonably decent acting, you may want to look elsewhere for your entertainment. If you are going to actually buy a DVD, there are better films available here on Amazon. Rent this if you must, but don't buy.

Average customer rating:

IT'S NOT THAT BAD!
Miscast, miscued and misses by a mile
Starring body doubles for Kensit and Sheedy
So-so story with some fairly erotic moments!
Not What I Expected

Shelter Island
Starring: Ally Sheedy , Patsy Kensit , Stephen Baldwin , Chris Penn , and Mimi Langeland
Director: Geoffrey Schaaf
Manufacturer: Showtime Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00022FWQS
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Customer Reviews:

IT'S NOT THAT BAD!.......2006-02-07

OKAY IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE SEEN THIS BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT I LIKED IT. IT'S ABOUT A LESBIAN COUPLE WHO GO OFF TO AN ISLAND FOR A VACATION AND THE TROUBLE THEY ENCOUNTER WHILE THERE. THERE ARE MANY PLOT TWISTS AND TURNS AND THERE IS A SURPRISE TWIST AT THE END THAT WAS A VERY NICE TOUCH. IT KEPT ME GUESSING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE MOVIE AS TO JUST WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON AND WHO WAS REALLY DECEIVING AND BACK-STABBING WHOM. IT REALLY IS WORTH A WATCH. IT'S NOT THAT BAD!!!!

Miscast, miscued and misses by a mile .......2005-08-13

"Shelter Island," a 2003 offering starring Ally Sheedy, is worse than a complete waste of time; it is also an insult to the intelligence of almost everyone. The setup is common enough: a wealthy former golfer is apparently the target of some skullduggery. But the film cannot even accomplish its opening sequences without giving viewers a reason to head for the exits. Sheedy, when we meet her, is now some sort of motivational speaker. Unfortunately, instead of simply giving us this information as background, the film shows us Sheedy in her motivational mode. The problem is that, in a scene taken from the same page at Nicole Kidman's opening sequence in Stepford Wives, Sheedy is spouting nonsense that would not convince -no less motivate- a gerbil. OK...fast forward to Sheedy's opulent Manhattan apartment for an intimate dinner with a handful of beautiful people. It immediately becomes apparent that any male in this film is going to be an idiot, a sophomoric sexist or the bad guy. There are two men at the party and both offer ample justification for their immediate execution. Meanwhile, significant glances are traded among Sheedy and two attractive females, one of whom is apparently stuck in bitchy overdrive. When this confusing tango is over and the guests leave, we realize that Sheedy's character, apparently designed to evoke Nancy Lopez, is a lesbian who lives with one of the aforementioned attractive women. A brief but soft-core lesbian scene arcs into the next day when we are firmly told that Sheedy wears the pants in the family and that the other woman is, in fact, her Stepford Wife.

So far, we are about 30 minutes into the film and we have no idea where it is going or why we are watching it. To remedy this, the film has the ladies go out jogging, whereupon Sheedy becomes the victim of an unprovoked, inexplicable and far fetched beating in the middle of broad daylight in the middle of Manhattan. No answers are offered as the ladies use the attack as an excuse to get away to their vacation home on the Shelter Island of the title.

Arriving on the Island, the ladies come across the local sheriff, one of the idiot/sophomoric sexists we have already been warned to expect. Escaping his drooling presence, they make their way to their house, where we again encounter the bitch from the dinner party and wonder why Sheedy suffers her presence at all. Thereafter, we get to see a few more soft-core lesbian scenes and watch Sheedy, WAY past her prime, work out in the nude. From here the film goes downhill fast. From Central Casting comes the BIG STORM that knocks out the power and telephone, thereby isolating the ladies. A noise at the door deposits MYSTERIOUS STRANGER on their doorstep and, since he is a male, we KNOW he is the bad guy, in addition to being an idiot and a sophomoric sexist. The contrivances that keep this stranger in their home are bad enough, but Sheedy's interplay with him is inane. Alternating between going mano a mano with him and engaging in the sort of sexual double talk one hears in pick up bars, the Sheedy character quickly loses whatever shreds of audience sympathy it still enjoys. The whole mess wraps up fairly quickly after that, and the "surprise" ending, oddly and strikingly misogynistic, drives home the point that the female is indeed the deadlier of the species. Rumor had it that Sheedy wanted to present a strong lesbian movie; if so, she missed by a mile. Never mind that the lesbians portrayed were all straight out of a teenage boy's masturbatory fantasies, or that real life lesbian erotic sensibilities were nowhere to be seen. Ignore too the stereotyping of female athletes (after all, aren't they ALL gay?). As a suspense movie this thing was a flop, the only suspense coming from trying to guess precisely which stupid "victim's move" the ladies were next going to borrow from all those Freddie and Jason movies. This movie is a perfect argument for turning off the TV and finding a good book

Starring body doubles for Kensit and Sheedy.......2004-12-14

Whatever happened to Eighth Wonder singer Patsy Kensit after she appeared in the high voltage, high energy thriller `Lethal Weapon 2'? Well, she went on to appear in a number of okay pictures (the acclaimed `Twenty-One' and the sweet romantic comedy `Does This Mean We're Married') and some truly terrible TV-movie-type fodder such as `Kill Cruise.'
Unfortunately, this crass production falls into the latter camp and, despite some good talent and a serviceable script, the movie is betrayed and let down with an overabundance of (blatently obvious) body-double nudity (that would seem more in place in a soft porn production) and a (supposidly) "surprise twist' that is telegraphed early in the movie.
Kensit plays the lesbian girlfriend Alex, to Alley Sheedy's motivational speaker character, who persuades her girlfriend to escape the big city after she is brutally attacked. The two seek the solitude on an island and tension arises with the arrival of an injured man, a violent storm that knocks out the phone lines and ferry services to the mainland and the almost voyeuristic fascination with the girls displayed by the local sheriff.
Kensit was the reason why I picked up this movie, that and the promise of an okay suspense thriller, but her talent is once again squandered in a movie that fails to deliver any real tension.

So-so story with some fairly erotic moments!.......2004-08-04

I would have enjoyed this film so much more if there was less Stephen Baldwin in it and more Ally Sheedy, Patsy Kensit, and Mimi Langeland. Not that I particularly hate Stephen Baldwin, but I really loved seeing the erotic chemistry between Sheedy and Kensit. Sadly, most of their hottest moments together apparently ended up on the cutting room floor. And that meant this one was less of an erotic thriller and more of a what-the-heck-is-going-on-thriller.

Not What I Expected.......2004-07-24

I expected this movie to be something like the Dead Calm. It was not. See the Dead Calm. That's a must see, suspensful movie. This movie was not and also slow moving. I'm not saying not to watch it. It is interesting, and thank goodness it is a short movie.

Average customer rating:

Definitely worth a look
Reconnecting with all the aspects of yourself
loved it loved it loved it!
Suprisingly Good
Easily, Demi Moore's best movie

Passion of Mind
Starring: Eloise Eonnet , Hadrian Dagannaud-Brouard , Chaya Cuénot , Demi Moore , and Julianne Nicholson
Director: Alain Berliner
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004W5UC
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Customer Reviews:

Definitely worth a look.......2007-04-10

I bought this movie on the spur of the moment -because my favorite actor, William Fichtner, is in it- and actually enjoyed it. The plot (other reviewers have done a great job of describing it) is developed slowly and methodically, which gives the viewer time to care about the characters and their choices. I have never seen Demi Moore in this type of role (the last movie I saw her in was "G.I. Jane") and I think she did a pretty good job. I normally have zero patience for female characters who have the "problem" of deciding between two men but "Passion of Mind" had such an interesting twist that I didn't mind. The scenery of France is absolutely gorgeous and made the slooooowwww scenes set in France a little easier to sit through. Of course, in the real world a choice between any other man and William Fichtner is a no-brainer, but in this case, I'll make allowances for mental illness, scarred childhoods, and parallel universes. I would recommend "Passion of Mind" if you enjoy movies that take a while to unfold and if you are more interested in psychology of love than the usual zippy romantic comedies. If you are looking for a more fast-paced, less psychological romance, definitely pass this one by for "Sliding Doors" with Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah.

Reconnecting with all the aspects of yourself.......2007-03-21

It took awhile for me to realize what a powerful film this really is....Demi in her character is reuniting all those aspects of herself that got split away in her growing up. The final scenes where she has a conversation with her inner child, the tenacious teen and herself promising to always be there for each other is such a healing moment.
A must see for those seeking wholeness in themselves.

loved it loved it loved it!.......2006-08-26

I have been wanting more movies like this. It is intelligent, intriguing, mystical, and thought provoking. I just wish more producers, directors, actors, etc. would realize there is an audience for movies that aren't just by men, for men. Not this men wouldn't love this movie as well, (my husband did) but there are so many books out there about supernatural experiences, time travel, love relationships, etc. that you'd think people would get the hint that there may be an audience for movies about the same types of things. Good job Demi Moore for making this movie. This is my favorite of your movies! Amy

Suprisingly Good.......2006-04-10

...especially after all the critics totally panned it. I just got around to watching it broadcast on television. I found it well-acted and a refreshing break from mainstream movies these days. Demi Moore displayed some serious acting chops and never overacted her role. William Fitchner was absolutely wonderful in his role, as was Stellan Skaarsgard. This movie was a very different sort of psychological thriller(?). Watch it if you enjoy romance, the French countryside and good rainy day movies. You will not be disappointed.

Easily, Demi Moore's best movie.......2005-06-01

I first saw this movie on a flight from Denver to Boston. You know what they say about in-flight movies. But I was fortunate enough to see it again....this time without the background noise of a jet, or the numbing feeling of being stuck in an aisle seat. Fortunately too, I saw it in HD. This is a beautifully photographed movie - with visuals that are simple, and at the same time, utterly stunning. The writing is top notch. You will be confused, bewildered, awe-struck - and then ultimately.....well....I don't want to give it away. This is a keeper. While you may not want to watch it more than once per year...it's a keeper.

Average customer rating:

Hey buddy, you're two-timing me!!!

Wicked Ways
Starring: Rebecca De Mornay , Michael Rooker , and Lisa Zane
Director: Ron Senkowski
Manufacturer: Allumination
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002T7YQW
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Description

Matt Draper is a man leading a double life. Sexy wife number one lives in a quiet town while wife number two is miles away in the middle of the city. When his secret starts to unravel, all the players become unpredictable competitors in a warped game that turns into a life-or-death affair.

Customer Reviews:

Hey buddy, you're two-timing me!!!.......2006-08-31

I found it unwatchable (and I love to watch Rebecca De Mornay). A B-film which is at the bottom line distressing, rather than disturbing. This latter is what I presume its makers wanted it to be. The cast is formidible, lead by the always extrodinary De Mornay, still an exquisite beauty at 39, and Mickey Rooker in a particularly, perhaps incredibly, sinister role. There is a certain contrived, credulity straining atmosphere to the goings on - which are - to my eye - revolting. What these characters do to each other in this film - is - in a word - revolting - and difficult for me to understand: 1) why people enjoy watching this sort of negative human interaction in the first place? - and, 2) how they could possibly anticipate watching it? Although De Mornay and Rooker put on a good show of passion - the way Rooker's character is scripted - one wonders if a flesh and blood human being could actually exhibit and sustain deep passion from such seemingly shallow intentions. This contradiction is very uncomfortable, even more so to watch. The flow of the film is further hampered by the incessant drone of dirge-like music which combines with a heavy-handed, rather bathic, sense of impending doom for one or another or all of the characters spelled out like alphabet soup in what one takes to be preminitory dream sequences - all of which makes one feel like reaching for the tums or at least the remote every five minutes or so - especially when Ms De Mornay is not revealing anew some feature of her magnificent anatomy or brilliantly articulating yet another aspect of the eternal feminine insecurity which our rapine and patricial society continues to engender, with and without remorse. She wants to be barefoot and pregnant. Get it?

Average customer rating:

One of Jess Franco's best
Strange and beautiful
Slow moving, but a good movie to think about...
Mega crap !
Very boring !

Succubus
Starring: Michel Lemoine , Janine Reynaud , Jack Taylor , Howard Vernon , and Adrian Hoven
Director: Jesús Franco
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000G1QU8O
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Amazon.com

Va-va-voomish Janine Reynaud (Kiss Me Monster) plays Lorna, the star of an underground nightclub's Grand Guignol theater who harbors a dark, haunting secret. She performs elaborate S/M fantasies nightly with a bound naked couple before she pretends to kill them, but she's losing her grip on reality. Dreams, flashbacks, and erotic fantasies blur with her waking world and pretty soon she's murdering her sexual partners for real... or is she? The answer may have something to do with a furtive stranger on the fringes of her consciousness and a plot to drive her insane, but it's hard to tell for sure. Sexploitation master Jess Franco creates an alienated but gorgeous vision of the decadent grotesque-chic world of European high society with oblique camera angles, distorted images, and disorienting editing, turning a kinky erotic thriller into a heady (if abstract) psychological fantasy. If it's ultimately too obscure to make sense, it's nonetheless an ambitious, intoxicatingly dreamy piece of Eurotrash cinema. German leading men Howard Vernon and Adrian Hoven lend their aristocratic bearings in costarring roles. --Sean Axmaker

Description

THE SENSUAL EXPERIENCE OF '69

At a chic nightclub for jaded jetsetters, a simulated snuff performance is the main attraction, and Lorna, its leading lady, is the obsession of men and women alike. Little do they realize that Lorna's Mephistophelian manager has transformed her into "the essence of evil...a devil on earth!" Soon the sensuous starlet's stage persona possesses her entirely, thrusting Lorna into a hallucinatory world of sadomasochistic excess and drawing everyone she touches into her debaucherous delirium. Can anyone stop Lorna before her perverse stage show becomes a murderous reality?

Starring the beautiful Janine Reynaud (TWO UNDERCOVER ANGELS, KISS ME MONSTER), Jack Taylor (THE GHOST GALLEON, THE NINTH GATE) and Howard Vernon (THE AWFUL DR. ORLOFF, DELICATESSEN), Jess Franco's (99 WOMEN, VAMPYROS LESBOS) Faustian fever dream provides the blue-print for the erotic horror that has become the infamous director's enduring legacy. Newly remastered from original vault materials, SUCCUBUS features exclusive Extras, including revealing interviews with Jess Franco and Jack Taylor!

Customer Reviews:

One of Jess Franco's best.......2007-06-28

Loved this Franco flick. LOVED it. After watching the original Anchor Bay version a few years back, and didn't think much of it - this new Blue Underground transfer is a whole new experience of cheesy 60's psychedalia from the master of Spanish sleaze, and more than worth the double-dip for Franco fans.

Strange and beautiful.......2006-07-10

Succubus is back, thanks to Blue Underground. Though this is the cut U.S. version it is at least in widescreen this time around and with a much improved picture. As for the film, what can one say about it except the old cliché--you'll literally either love it or hate it. It's not an out-and-out horror film, though it contains many horror elements; it's actually more of an art film, the result of Jess Franco finally having been given complete control over the production. Because of this, the man's odd and unique vision really comes through here, possibly more so than in any of his other films. Succubus is one odd, beautiful, and ambiguous ride. Viewers who demand a coherent storyline with a clear resolution of all plot elements achieved by the end of the film will likely be greatly disappointed, if not aggravated, as what is going on throughout the film is really never made clear. What is clear, however, is that the characters are living in a hazy, blurred reality, both because of their own psychological quirks, and because of their lifestyles. Franco pays homage to some of his inspirations here, such as La Dolce Vita, and does so in a way that both recreates some of the mood of his inspiration as well as pokes fun at it at the same time. The viewer will watch a woman in an abyss of psychological confusion, and whether she is in some way possessed and truly evil or merely insane is never resolved. The goal is not cohesion here, but merely to draw the viewer into the characters' insane realities. We witness bizarre murders, LSD parties, and tormented couple that dwells in Franco's twisted universe, part horror, part exploitation, part art-house pretension, and pure Franco. What is going on we'll never really know, whether supernatural or purely natural, but viewers who are able to appreciate the film for what it is, a visual smorgasbord and a tour of a splintered mind, may come away loving it, as I did. The film is anomalous and strange, and also achieves scenes of great beauty, especially towards the end. One scene in particular, of the male supporting lead driving around and listening to his own internal mental narrative, has stuck with me since I originally watched the film years ago. Hooray for Blue Underground for releasing obscure films on DVD that would otherwise perhaps end up lost to time.

Slow moving, but a good movie to think about..........2005-09-22

I wonder who Jess Franco was trying to appeal to with this movie. Supposedly, it is a horror movie about a women who may or may not be possessed by the devil, but it isn't really scary. It might have been a sex film, as we see copious amounts of Janine Reynaud's breasts and bum, but it wasn't really erotic. It might have been an art film, but it wasn't really good enough.

Janine Reynaud plays Lorna Green, a stripper who is disengaged from reality. Her boyfriend William seems to understand something of her sinister existence, but it is not revealed what he really understands. Together, William and Lorna (it might not be her real name, it is left ambiguous in the movie) go to bizarre parties (complete with midgets, dog masks, and drunk cross dressers), Lorna's S&M show, and so on... But, at night it seems that Lorna seduces people and kills them inside a seaside mansion.

What is really going on is never explained... it doesn't really have to be. Reality and fantasy are completely interchangable, and both of them move at more or less the same pace and have more or less the same feel to them. Some scenes move slower than others, but all of them are filled with a slew of imagery and symbolism, which seem almost pretentious on Jess Franco's part. He constantly goes through names of writers and film makers and has characters provide a one word description for them... Most people would be lost with all the references, showing that Franco was aiming for a better read audience.

Yet, at the same time, Franco could be losing that very same audience. The voice overs that narrate each characters thoughts are painful. Jack Taylor's (William) acting is perfectly one dimensional, seldom changing... even when his life is in incredible danger. Perhaps Jess Franco wanted it that way... but it certainly was not impressive. So the people that are familiar with the people that he mentioned (most notably Lang, Bunuel and Godard) would be more accustomed to the more refined styles of the aformentioned directors and see this movie as B-grade tripe.

This movie seemed to defy categorization and at the same time defy every potential viewer. Everyone can find something in this movie that they do not like, but not everyone can find something that they do. I did. I thought that the movie presented interesting ideas and as pretentious as it was the symbolism was entertaining to identify and deconstruct.

Mega crap !.......2005-07-16

This movie is very pathetic! It is confusing, boring and..... boring. It isn't scary at all, in fact this can't be called a
"horror movie", it would be a terrible mistake!!!!!
During the movie i fell asleep for a few times and my father waked me up!
You can buy any other movie instead of it and you will be satisfied with your choice!

Very boring !.......2005-07-16

"Succubus" is incoherent, confusing, and, above all, very very boring. I mean i like weird, surreal movies, movies when it's very hard for the viewer to separate the reality from the dream, but this movie sucks big time!!
And even though i thought it will be at least a horror movie, well i was wrong! In fact "Succubus" is NOT a horror movie at all.
My advice is: Avoid this at all coasts!!!! Only recommended for those who suffer from insomnia!!!!

Average customer rating:

the late Zoe was sooo beautiful...
A disappointing Cohen film.
Very Little Effect!
Rough-hewn movie buoyed by great lead performance.

Special Effects
Starring: Zoë Lund , Eric Bogosian , Brad Rijn , Kevin O'Connor , and Bill Oland
Director: Larry Cohen
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001VTPVI
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Description

From the mind of Larry Cohen (Phone Booth) springs this kinky (Chicago Reader) thriller about voyeurism, filmmaking and murder. Starring Zoe Tamerlis (Bad Lieutenant) and Eric Bogosian (Wonderland), Special Effects is a searing exploration of human nature's darkest depths! She was young. She was beautiful. She was primed to be a star. But now she's dead, and the morally bankrupt director who strangled her is intent on covering up his crime by shrouding its details in the plot of his next movie! By convincing the homicide investigators to consult on his film, director Chris Neville (Bogosian) successfully alters the course of the investigation. But when the movie make-believe becomes too hauntingly similar to reality, Neville finds his plot unraveling in the final reel.

Customer Reviews:

the late Zoe was sooo beautiful..........2007-07-27

FIrst I really loved Zoe Tamarlis...she is such a unique beauty and rail thin...like a model...she may not be the best actress but she truly was an artist..the movie is cheesy but Zoe maked up for that...

A disappointing Cohen film........2006-09-03

Larry Cohen usually made entertaining movies based on interesting concept, and there's nothing wrong with the concept here; a film director makes a movie about the murder that he himself committed. Unfortunately, a good idea isn't enough to make a good movie and the script here is much below average for Cohen and the pace is much too slow. The soundtrack distracts from the suspense rather than add to it. Don't bother with this movie unless you feel you need to see all of Larry Cohen's movies.

Very Little Effect!.......2006-04-06

Genere favorite Larry Cohen wrote and directed this film, which offers a little more than your typical slasher pic from the 80s. In this movie we follow a husband as he goes to the big city in search of his wife,whom moved from the country in hopes of making it big as an actress. Clues lead the husband to a known director, whom apparently was the last to see his wife. Little does he know that the director actually murdered the wife and caught it on film, which also bcame the inspirationof a new movie featuring the deceased woman's characterand guess who plays the husband inthe film. Yes the real husband actually plays the woman husband in the movie, and the girl they got to playthe role actually looks a lot like the original girl. A case of deja-vu occurs when the director attempts to recreate the actualmurder in his film, where he begins to question fantasy from reality, and ultimatley putting the new girl and husband life in danger. Although the movie does bring an intresting formula to film, the low budget, poor performances,and unintresting characters cause the project to suffer.The film has its up and downs, but do to the slow pacing and seemingly clueless characters, we're left rolling our eyes more than pondering what will happen next. Had they gotten better actors and fxed the script up, then maybe we could have a tense picture.Overall we had poor acting and low budget,it could have been an intresting hitchcockian- thriller was nothing more than a dull interpretation of a would be fake snuff film.

Rough-hewn movie buoyed by great lead performance........2004-10-25

The presence of Ms. .45 star Zoe Tamerlis was what made me rent this DVD in the first place. Unfortunately, since her role in Ms. .45 was as a mute, I had no idea how bad her dialogue delivery could be. She has physical presence and an unusual beauty, but her performance in Special Effects is simply amateurish, like watching an acting student in class. This effectively ruined her character, no matter how much flesh she was willing to show and how victimized the character is.

Luckily, bug-eyed Eric Bogosian delivers the goods big-time as an obsessive, borderline psychotic film director who recreates his murder of an actress in his own film. Bogosian doesn't overdo the mental instability of the character (unlike, say, Joe Spinell in Maniac), relying on low-key menace and internal intensity to do the job, and it succeeds grandly. Fortunate for the film, because Special Effects is an otherwise rough, oftimes pretentious movie with a laughable music score that makes the whole thing look like a porn parody. However, one or two effective thrill sequences (the lights-out ending is great, as well as the murder by film strip) added to Bogosian's terrifically unnerving presence make for a watchable thriller whose strong moments do reward you for enduring through the weak ones. Worth a look.

Average customer rating:

One of Jess Franco's best
Strange and beautiful
Slow moving, but a good movie to think about...
Mega crap !
Very boring !

Succubus
Starring: Eva Brauner , Pier A. Caminnecci , Américo Coimbra , Lina De Wolf , and Adrian Hoven
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305183376
Release Date: 1998-10-27

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

One of Jess Franco's best.......2007-06-28

Strange and beautiful.......2006-07-10

Slow moving, but a good movie to think about..........2005-09-22

Mega crap !.......2005-07-16

Very boring !.......2005-07-16

Loving With Passion: Sexual Positions for Lovers

Average customer rating:

Loving With Passion: Sexual Positions for Lovers
Starring: Loving With Passion-Sexual Positions for Lovers
Manufacturer: Body Mind & Intimacy
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009A40MK
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Product Description

Couples can learn to create greater satisfaction with the lovemaking positions demonstrated in this sensual guide. Enhance your sexual pleasure with positions offering more stimulation of the clitoris, deeper penetration, oral love and extended intercourse. Program highlights include romantic music and the classic poetry of love.

Average customer rating:

Coen Brothers meets David Lynch
Average movie. Great perfromance by Rebecca De Mornay.
Oh Rebecca say it ain't so
my view
Edge of your Seat Movie

Wicked Ways
Starring: Rebecca De Mornay , Michael Rooker , Mark Rolston , Lisa Zane , and Shareen Mitchell
Director: Ron Senkowski
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00003G4J6
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Description

She'd kill to be loved. Matt Draper (Michael Rooker) is a man with a double life. Nestled in a quiet town lives Ruth (Rebecca DeMornay), sexy wife number one. Miles away in the middle of the city lives the second wife. Both are unaware of the other until the secret starts to unravel and Ruth's passion becomes a threat. As Matt plots to escape, Ruth seduces another man into her deadly scheme to keep Matt to herself. Nothing is what it seems when you underestimate a woman scorned.

Customer Reviews:

Coen Brothers meets David Lynch.......2003-02-08

Wasn't expecting much knowing the producers do mostly straight to video, but was surprised by the camera angles and dialogue. Very fun and unpredictable. Get to see DeMornay with biggest bust she's had in any movie. Heard she was nursing during this one. Not that that matters for film geeks, but, well, they are sitting out there in most of the scenes. Okay then.

Average movie. Great perfromance by Rebecca De Mornay........2001-11-01

Rebecca De Mornay makes a great job as usual in this average thriller. She plays a very confused and not quite sane wife of a man who's always "working" (=having a second family in another city). Her character, Ruth, is an interesting character. The movie, however, feels like a made-for-TV-movie. It is an average movie and with another lead actress it would probably be quite forgettable. But still, it is something about it that makes it quite appealing and enjoyable. I recommend Rebecca De Mornay fans to at least rent it. She's a very talented actress, and beautiful too.

Oh Rebecca say it ain't so.......2001-09-12

Well, we all know Michael Rooker is sometimes in good
stuff ( like "The Bone Collector" ) and more often in
very ropey stuff like this, but to see Rebecca DeMornay
in such a bad bad movie is just too much. I can hardly
believe this is the same woman from "Feds", "Risky Business",
"The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" and the underrated "Dealers".

She is too beautiful to get stuck in B-movie dreck like this.

Please Rebecca, get back in a good movie soon.

my view.......2001-07-17

I really saw alot in the this movie. A guy who married the right woman to enhance the career but needed something spicey on the side,someone who started out being controlled by lust,then he had to gain his control back by ... induced mind games.Ruth was fighting for her sanity and to be loved completely i.e. baby.I liked the performance of Rebecca DeMornay in this because of the complicated character she played. A stripper,humorous,insecurity,fighting for her husbands attention,bored housewife with a troubled past,not a ozzie and harriet type of family childhood. I would have liked to have seen the shift of power,matt being controlled by Ruth in the beginning but Matt tries to use ... on Ruth to control her.That Rebecca DeMornay is one intelligent actress capable of playing any role. She might be one woman who could tell me something I don't already know.Watch this one! Jim

Edge of your Seat Movie.......2001-03-30

This movie is an edge of your seat movie that keeps you watching from start to finish. This is about a man who says he is going on field trips for work, but instead is going to the house of his other wife, which wife #1 does not know about. I could not stop watching this. I tried predicting what was going to happen next, but I was wrong, and I loved that I was wrong. Too many movies are too predictable and this one is not at all. This is easily the best movie I have ever seen. Rent it or buy it today. It is more than worth it. The ending is shocking. I could of never guessed what was going to happen, and this movie is full of surprises. I love it. Wicked Ways is an A+ movie! I was extremely impressed the first time I watched it. This movie deserves five stars. Any movie that can hook me into it so good that I do not want to leave my seat, deserves the honor of me writing this review to tell everyone else out there, that this is not just anyone predictable thriller, it is one of the best movies out there! I haven't told you much about the plot and the shocking surprises, and that is because I want you to see it for yourself. Go see it!! Trust me, there are a very few amount of movies I actually like, and I more than liked this one, I loved Wicked Ways!

Average customer rating:

Passion of Mind
Starring: Joss Ackland , Sinéad Cusack , William Fichtner , Peter Riegert , and Stellan Skarsgård
Director: Alain Berliner
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004WMG2
Release Date: 2000-09-19

DVD:

DVD

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