Black Mask

Starring:John DeMita, Jet Li, Ching Wan Lau, Matt McKenzie, Karen Mok, FranÃ§oise Yip, Kong Lung, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Xin Xin Xiong, Winston Ellis, Russ Price, Michael Ian Lambert, Moses Chan, King-fai Chung, Suk-yee Chan, Roy Szeto, Ken Lok, Henry Fong (II), Mei-Yee Sze, Lawrence Ah Mon
Director: Daniel Lee (II)
Studio: Live / Artisan
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Take the art direction and set design from The Crow and Batman. Add a male-bonding element reminiscent of The Killer or Hard-Boiled. Stir in a plot line about some top-secret near-invincible bionic-man superwarriors taking over the drug trade in Hong Kong, with only one man who can stop them. Season with a high body count, lots of explosions and running gun battles, and spectacular hand-to-hand fight sequences. Top off with a soupÃ§on of cheesy comic relief and a generous helping of atrocious dubbing. Bake for too long, then remove from oven and allow to cool until thoroughly stale. The result: Black Mask. Sure, it's a preposterous recipe (bet you didn't know that LED readouts will show up on an X-ray), but it's stylishly prepared and presented, with high-octane editing, wild camera angles, and a neo-Goth feel all around. Of course it's all about the remarkable Jet Li, the fight scenes, and the postindustrial art direction. Those who come expecting a high-concept, intelligent thriller will be left with indigestion, but Hong Kong action fans who live and die for insane stunts and head-spinning martial arts scenes will have their appetites sated by this dish. It's very interesting to see the influence that John Woo's hand continues to have on American and HK action thrillers, years after his seminal films with Chow Yun-fat. It'll be even more interesting to see how films like Black Mask hold up in the future. Just don't take it too seriously and this movie works just fine. Oh, and the title? It comes from when Jet Li switches from his mild-mannered librarian persona to butt-kicking superhero, complete with mask and hat Ã la The Green Hornet's Cato. --Jerry Renshaw

Nacho Libre (Special Collector's Edition)
Average customer rating:

great fun

GOSH DARN FRIGGIN' FUNNY!

Funny Movie

Chancho, I need to barrow some sweats!

dreary

Nacho Libre (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Jack Black , Ana de la Reguera , Héctor Jiménez , Darius Rose , and Moises Arias
Director: Jared Hess
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HRMAPO
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Amazon.com

This Jack Black vehicle seems, on the surface, like a perfect fit for the actor: an opportunity to showcase Black's unique style with the extreme facial gestures and exuberant physicality that have become his forte. Black plays Ignacio, a lowly cook in a monastery in central Mexico who feeds orphans by day, and wrestles in the town square at night. Ignacio teams up with Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez), a street urchin who tormented him, to form a tag-team duo that goes up against the strangest wrestlers Mexico has to offer. Besides doing it for money to feed the orphans, Ignacio is also fighting to win the forbidden affections of Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera) with predictable difficulty. While the movie has likeable characters and the plot is enjoyable enough, it can't overcome its plodding pace and formulaic structure enough to keep the movie interesting throughout. Jack Black is a very strong comedic actor, and the wrestling scenes offer plenty of chances for slapstick, physical comedy, but watching him run around in red briefs and blue tights amounts to half the laughs in the movie, and there's just not enough here for him to really work with. When he plays a more well-formed character, as in School of Rock and High Fidelity, his strengths really show. But in Nacho Libre he's saddled with a caricature. Weighed down by too much low-brow humor and a script that goes nowhere, Nacho Libre just can't make full enough use of Black's talents to overcome the obstacles. --Daniel Vancini

Description

Jack Black is at his comic best as Ignacio, a disrespected cook at a Mexican monastery that can barely afford to feed the orphans who live there. Inspired by a local wrestling hero, he decides to moonlight as the not-so-famous Luchador "Nacho Libre" to earn money for the monastery -- not to mention the admiration of beautiful nun Sister Encarnacion.

Customer Reviews:

great fun.......2007-06-27

This movie is hilarious, from beginning to end. It's so much fun to watch I had to get it for my Husband for Father's Day. He loved it. Makes us laugh just thinking about it. This is a must own.

GOSH DARN FRIGGIN' FUNNY!.......2007-06-13

This movie made me laugh my butt off, I even laughed so hard in the CORN-THROWING part, friggin' heck'a funny! Anyway, the picture is good but not at its best. More like 6 or 7 out of 10. But I can see more detail than on DVD that I didn't noice it in first place until I watched the HD-DVD version on my Optoma HD70 projector on 25 ft widescreen, yep! on XBOX 360 add-on HD-DVD drive. And the sound... sound pretty good, I enjoyed some funny music and singing is kinda a goofball in a good way! Good movie for family, I got this HD-DVD brand new for [...]vand its was friggin' worth it!

Funny Movie.......2007-06-12

If you like Jack Black or Napolean Dynamite you will love this movie. It's FUNNY!

Chancho, I need to barrow some sweats!.......2007-05-28

Admittedly I did not voluntarily watch this film. Instead I was forced by my brother-in-law who swore it would be funny. Even after the first viewing I was only mildly entertained. I have no idea how I ended up watching the film again, undoubtedly by my sneaky brother-in-law, but I was surprised to find myself enjoying the film I had previously not cared for. Slowly but surly I have watched the film several times over, always accompanied by my husband who absolutely loved the film. In fact, it is large part due to his constant mimicking of the film that I probably now find so much humor in it. How very Monty Python of him!

dreary.......2007-05-03

What can I say? I have looked through the other reviews and can hardly disagree with the consensus. Therefore I will unnecessarily write yet another review that will simply repeat everything that's already been said.

Yes, what a slog. Though a fan of Jack Black, I was both shocked and saddened to see him in this tedious tripe.

I suppose the script's premise must have seemed a lot more hilarious on paper than it turned out to be once they hitched Black up in those turquoise tights.

There are very few laughs. I think in large part this is because Black is harnessed: forced to deliver all his lines through his clenched and rigid Mexican accent.

But whatever your theory is, you gotta agree: there are very few laughs.

Nacho Libre (Full Screen Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

great fun
GOSH DARN FRIGGIN' FUNNY!
Funny Movie
Chancho, I need to barrow some sweats!
dreary

Nacho Libre (Full Screen Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Jack Black , Ana de la Reguera , Héctor Jiménez , Darius Rose , and Moises Arias
Director: Jared Hess
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Cars (Widescreen Edition)
Mission Impossible III (Widescreen Edition)
Click (Special Edition)

ASIN: B000HRMAP4
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

great fun.......2007-06-27

This movie is hilarious, from beginning to end. It's so much fun to watch I had to get it for my Husband for Father's Day. He loved it. Makes us laugh just thinking about it. This is a must own.

GOSH DARN FRIGGIN' FUNNY!.......2007-06-13

Funny Movie.......2007-06-12

If you like Jack Black or Napolean Dynamite you will love this movie. It's FUNNY!

Chancho, I need to barrow some sweats!.......2007-05-28

dreary.......2007-05-03

Average customer rating:

Black Mask...
Not Jet's worse, but man was that bad
good action with a dash of plot.
Hong Kong Superhero movie done good
wow

Black Mask
Starring: Jet Li , John DeMita , Matt McKenzie , Ching Wan Lau , and Karen Mok
Director: Daniel Lee (II)
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005OOQ1
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Amazon.com

Take the art direction and set design from The Crow and Batman. Add a male-bonding element reminiscent of The Killer or Hard-Boiled. Stir in a plot line about some top-secret near-invincible bionic-man superwarriors taking over the drug trade in Hong Kong, with only one man who can stop them. Season with a high body count, lots of explosions and running gun battles, and spectacular hand-to-hand fight sequences. Top off with a soupçon of cheesy comic relief and a generous helping of atrocious dubbing. Bake for too long, then remove from oven and allow to cool until thoroughly stale. The result: Black Mask. Sure, it's a preposterous recipe (bet you didn't know that LED readouts will show up on an X-ray), but it's stylishly prepared and presented, with high-octane editing, wild camera angles, and a neo-Goth feel all around. Of course it's all about the remarkable Jet Li, the fight scenes, and the postindustrial art direction. Those who come expecting a high-concept, intelligent thriller will be left with indigestion, but Hong Kong action fans who live and die for insane stunts and head-spinning martial arts scenes will have their appetites sated by this dish. It's very interesting to see the influence that John Woo's hand continues to have on American and HK action thrillers, years after his seminal films with Chow Yun-fat. It'll be even more interesting to see how films like Black Mask hold up in the future. Just don't take it too seriously and this movie works just fine. Oh, and the title? It comes from when Jet Li switches from his mild-mannered librarian persona to butt-kicking superhero, complete with mask and hat à la The Green Hornet's Cato. --Jerry Renshaw

Customer Reviews:

Black Mask..........2006-12-21

I enjoyed Jet Li in this movie...never mind the dubbing, I can look past that and enjoy the move for what it is...fantasy/action. Four stars...

Not Jet's worse, but man was that bad.......2006-07-08

Now obviously the new rap music and great american voices they put on make it as bad as possible. But then again, the movie certainly is no gem in it's original language version, that is for sure.

The whole movie had above average action sequences, but the story was unbearable. Not the story itself, but the execution of it is the worst possible. It goes from sickening moments to almost little kid parts between Jet and teh girl. Just freaking horrible.

So the dvd is full screened, music is stupid, voice dubbing is almost as bad as the "jet li collection" movies, but you will get a few good points one or two good laughs, and a decent finale.

good action with a dash of plot........2006-05-23

First off, the action in this film is great. Jet Li can kick some major butt, and the scenes with him and Françoise Yip are very good.

The detective friend is funny, the dub is amusing, they went with a kind of Bogart vibe on the voice.

The dub for the girl Tracy is annoying... high pitched and whiney, but she's a plucky enough character to not be completely irredeemable.

All in all, good action movie, and Jet Li is pretty studly as the Black Mask. (although corrugated cardboard is not what I'd have pictured as good mask material)

Hong Kong Superhero movie done good.......2006-03-10

I can’t remember ever seeing a superhero Hong Kong action movie. You would think it would be something obvious to do considering the dynamic action styling of Hong Kong action films. Sounds like a good idea? Well The Black Mask delivers on that idea. Combine insane stunt work and martial arts choreography along with a masked crime fighter and you get a superhero movie with action that will put Hollywood to shame.

As with many superhero movies the plot isn’t what you call complex or involved. It is just a simple super-villain-with-a-master-plan kind of affair here. The interesting thing about Black Mask is what they do in between the fight scenes and evil plots. You get a good look at the relationships between our hero and his friends and co-workers. Things like a fledgling romance and conflicts of interest with friends actually work here. After a bit of character development the plot thickens and the bullets start to fly. This isn’t high art on the script side, but then again if you shouldn’t be expecting that in the first place. Hong Kong action films aren’t known for gripping stories, just high-flying action. At least here you get a solid story, solid back story, with all the action goodness.

Okay lets get to the nitty gritty. The Black Mask is a martial arts film at its core, and I gotta tell you the martial arts rock. The choreography done in the fight scenes are not only tight but they are fast and furious. Jet Li definitely shows his stuff on this one along with a few other martial artists. It puts just about every fight scene from Hollywood to shame. This movie obviously pays homage to Bruce Lee’s Kato character from the Green Hornet television shows. The special effects do go crazy at times with all the explosions, blood and body parts flying around. Even crazier are seeing some things like colored smoke for no reason and Silly String (yes… Silly String). The English dubbing isn’t great, but to be honest it’s not any worse than your average foreign film dub.

Basically this movie is for action fans and fans of Hong Kong martial arts movies. It’s an entertaining blend of science fiction, police drama, kung fu and of course superhero genres that make this an enjoyable popcorn movie. Granted it’s not going to look polished for the average viewer, but if you like martial arts and cool superheroes I recommend The Black Mask.

wow.......2005-10-10

i'm shocked that this movie is rated only three stars here on amazon. it might be the greatest action movie ever. it's one of jet li's finest. the action is unbelievably good.

Average customer rating:

Just Brainless...
Good if you like Jack Black

Nacho Libre [Blu-ray]
Starring: Richard Montoya , Peter Stormare , Craig Williams , Jack Black , and Lisa Owen
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000HDZK1Y
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Description

Customer Reviews:

Just Brainless..........2007-02-02

Nacho Libre brings to the screen the story of a cook working at a monastery in Mexico who decides to follow his dream and become a wrestler. Had enough yet?
Jack Black (who seems to be going back and forth between a Mexican accent and an Italian accent), and most of the rest of the cast, are pretty weak and unconvincing in their respecting roles.
In short, the music is bad, the plot/setting is rather uninteresting, while the dialogues and the acting are average and sometimes below average, and then there is Ana de la Reguera! WOW!!! A little "exposure" wouldn't have hurt, but anyway she does have POTENTIAL!
It seems as though the actors/directors/producers went on vacation separately, while there they met up with each other at the hotel lounge over drinks, and then decided, on the spot, to make the best of their stay by doing a quick and easy film on the side for some extra cash/spending money.
That said, at times it's so silly that it gets to be amusing...
In a nutshell, it's an ok movie if you're under 13 and/or are heavily intoxicated, and that's about it; no masterpiece here... Wait till they show it on TV. 2.5 stars

Good if you like Jack Black.......2007-01-17

I thought the movie was OK and the Blu-Ray transfer is good but nothing spectacular about either. The humor just seemed really uneven, like the movie was relying more on Jack Black being Jack Black than actually having a good, funny script.

Average customer rating:

Classic horror plot - amazing expressionistic cinematogrphy
A Good Intro To Bava
BLACK SUNDAY
Seek the Les Baxter version.
Mood Piece

Black Sunday (aka The Mask of Satan)
Starring: Barbara Steele , John Richardson , Andrea Checchi , Ivo Garrani , and Arturo Dominici
Director: Mario Bava
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00002NDM3
Release Date: 1999-12-14

Amazon.com

The reigning masterpiece of Italian horror cinema, Mario Bava's Black Sunday remains one of the most stylishly photographed of all horror films, ranking with any other black-and-white film of lasting repute. This was the master cameraman's official directorial debut, and his striking compositions are the work of a genuine artist in peak form. Loosely adapted from a story by Nikolai Gogol, this chilling vampire tale begins in 17th-century Moldavia, where the evil Princess Asa (Barbara Steele) is executed for witchcraft and vampirism, along with her brother Javutich (Arturo Dominici). Two centuries later, a pair of traveling doctors discover Asa's crypt and inadvertently revive the evil princess, whose scheme of vampiric revenge is aimed at her own identical descendant Princess Katia, an innocent beauty (also played by Steele) whose lifeblood will ensure Asa's immortality.

Influenced by Universal's classic horror films of the '30s and British Hammer films of the late '50s, Black Sunday (released in Italy as The Mask of Satan) is a dark fairy tale, with horror queen Steele as the definitive embodiment of erotic horror. With shocking violence (tame by today's standards) and visual emphasis on tombs, secret passages, ominous castles, and unseen forces, the film offers a wealth of memorable imagery and inventive technique. Redubbed, rescored, and harshly edited for its American release in 1961, Black Sunday is presented on DVD in the original English-language director's cut of The Mask of Satan, never before available in the U.S. The perfect movie to watch on a dark and stormy night, this timeless classic is the Citizen Kane of horror films, entirely worthy of its lofty reputation. --Jeff Shannon

Description

From the Mario Bava Collection comes his most frightening masterpiece, a tribute to the classic horror of Universal Pictures. In 17th Century Moldavia, the evil Princess Asa is condemned to death for witchcraft and vampirism, along with her brother, Prince Igor Javutich. Two hundred years later, two doctors en route to a medical convention discover her crypt and accidentally set her resurrection in motion! With the help of Javutich and others whom she enthralls with her cold, dead kiss, Asa sets her sights on her ultimate victim--Princess Katia, her own twin descendant. Filmed in gorgeous black & white by the director himself, "Black Sunday" is a stylish and relentlessly visual film of undiluted violence starring cult film star Barbara Steele (Shivers, 8 1/2). The uncut European version--first time on video in the United States!

Customer Reviews:

Classic horror plot - amazing expressionistic cinematogrphy.......2007-04-18

First off this film is not in color. Its not a torture slasher film. DOnt be fooled by the lame cheesey packaging.

Its a B&W 30s/40s dracula/frankenstien's castle type of film but executed with AMAZING skill. It goes the extra mile and then some. THe sound the look the plot are all within that classic hokey range - but done with brilliance and a true gift for horror.

I dont know if I saw the Les Baxter version (whoever did the sound it was awesome!). But I love Les Baxter so now I have to go back and make sure I see his version.

Im not familiar with Barbara Steele (sorry) but her performance was phenomenal.

A Good Intro To Bava.......2007-02-10

The word "atmospheric" comes up alot with Mario Bava and probably most of all with this film. It is true. Bava makes the most out of a low budget(as usual) and turns Black Sunday into a great film to look at. Lots of gothic imagery, castles, graves, trees, fog...you know, good stuff. It's like an Italian Hammer film in alot of ways. A tad more blood than you're used to seeing in this kind of a film from this time period. Not a gorefest by any means, but a bit icky at times. Plotwise it concerns a witch who places a curse on the family of her enemies before she's branded and burned. Two hundred years later she's awakened and is still a bit pissed about the branding and such and decides to make good on that curse with the help of her resurrected lover. A heroic doctor comes to the aid of the cursed family and the battle begins. The plot's not fantastic, but good, and Bava's visuals suit it to a T. It's a bit different from Bava's later work, but it makes a good introduction if you're curious about checking out his stuff. It's good if you like gothic horror. It's just good any way you wanna slice it.

BLACK SUNDAY.......2007-01-11

The movie was ok, and probably as good as most horror films of it's genre'. It still had that "low budget" look, however, despite good props and some decent acting. The film just wasn't up to par with a Vincent Price or Christopher Lee film from that era, no matter how you slice it. Probably the BEST thing was the storyline itself. If more had been spent on the production and it had been filmed in color with some REAL actors and actresses, it could have been a truly GREAT film instead of the cult film it is. Ms. Barbara Steele was compelling in her appearance, but didn't have the acting depth or talent to take her role above the cheap production she was cast in.

Seek the Les Baxter version........2006-05-31

By all means seek out the version of this film as scored by Les Baxter for release stateside by American International Pictures.

Mr. Baxter, then heavily involved in scoring the Poe series for Roger Corman, understood perfectly the musical needs of a Gothic supernatural melodrama par excellence--such as this beautifully photographed film assuredly is.

Baxter not only provides all the aural excitement to accompany the film's many thrilling sequences but provides lovely alternative counterpoints for the films broodingly romantic and triste subtext.

His accompaniment to Princess Asa's unholy resurrection seethes with orchestral malevolence in perfect accord with Miss Steele's writhing frame. His wildly pitching and rolling tempo seems to actually hurdle the baroque carriage forward through the fog laden forest as the doctor is driven to the castle, and the introspective piano version of "Katia's Theme" hauntingly captures the melancholy of John Richardson's attraction to Katia after having just met her in the ruined chapel.

And to top all there is the sumptuous, full orchestral reprise of "Katia's Theme" as played under the closing credits.

This film is the ultimate "blood and thunder" epic which owes as much to Gottfried Burger's "Lenore", Ludwig Tieck's "Bride of the Grave," and the Brothers Grimm as it does to Gogol.

And it is to his everlasting credit that Mr. Baxter understood this genre well. As such his music not only serves Mr. Bava's vision but frequently augments it.

The Roberto Nicolosi score might best have worked for some other film, say Visconti's "Conversation Piece."

Mood Piece.......2006-05-02

I was very encouraged during the opening sequence of this movie. The opening scene involves the unique and horrifying execution of an apparent witch. But then we are quickly off to the land of 18th century carriages and castles. There are some amazingly chilling visuals and the cinematography and production design are first rate. But the story and the godawful dubbing are what ultimately sinks this movie. Call it heresy, but this movie is over-rated.

Average customer rating:

great fun
GOSH DARN FRIGGIN' FUNNY!
Funny Movie
Chancho, I need to barrow some sweats!
dreary

Nacho Libre [HD DVD]
Starring: Richard Montoya , Peter Stormare , Craig Williams , Jack Black , and Lisa Owen
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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Click (Special Edition)

ASIN: B000HDZK28
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

great fun.......2007-06-27

This movie is hilarious, from beginning to end. It's so much fun to watch I had to get it for my Husband for Father's Day. He loved it. Makes us laugh just thinking about it. This is a must own.

GOSH DARN FRIGGIN' FUNNY!.......2007-06-13

Funny Movie.......2007-06-12

If you like Jack Black or Napolean Dynamite you will love this movie. It's FUNNY!

Chancho, I need to barrow some sweats!.......2007-05-28

dreary.......2007-05-03

Average customer rating:

Zorro's Black Whip
Starring: Roy Brent , Tom Chatterton , Fred Graham , Duke Green , and Herman Hack
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet , and Wallace A. Grissell
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001GOHCA
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Average customer rating:

I love it
It's BAD but that's ok. It's supposed to be bad.
You gotta love that bowtie.
Long, Hard Ride
Horror Hilarity

Transylvania Twist
Starring: Robert Vaughn , Teri Copley , Steve Altman , Ace Mask , and Angus Scrimm
Director: Jim Wynorski
Manufacturer: New Concorde
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000058TIH
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Customer Reviews:

I love it.......2006-03-16

A fine low budget comedy that pokes fun at just about any horror film you can think of,The dvd looked better than I expected since it came from concorde which is known for bad transfers, over all a fine film.

It's BAD but that's ok. It's supposed to be bad........2005-11-22

Plot

Dexter Ward (Steve Altman) comes to see his Uncle Ephram (Jay Robinson) who has recently died. It turns out that Uncle Ephram is not dead and needs to get a huge, yet very lightweight, book called "The Book of Ulthar". Somehow this book can raise 'The Evil One' to come forth and conquer the world. It turns out that this evil book was checked out of Ephram's library several decades ago by Marinas Orlock (Howard Morris), who looks like a cross between Sigmund Freud and Colonel Sanders... in other words VERY SCARY LOOKING. Dexter goes to find Marinas's daughter, Marissa Orlock (Teri Copley), and together they travel to castle Orlock in the most obvious of horror places... Transylvania.

Acting

This is one of those movies where you really cannot tell if the acting is intentionally bad or just bad in general. Steve Altman does several pretty good impersonations. Teri Copley plays two people that look and act exactly the same, but with only a slightly different voice. The vampire girls act like they're in a medium-quality porno flick. The people at the tavern don't really sound like they're from Transylvania. They sound like a mixture of people from all over Europe, and all with pretty bad accents. You do see appearances from other mainstream horror movies including Freddy Kreuger, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and Hellraiser's Pinhead.

Sound and Music

The movie has a distinct musical theme running through it. The title music makes it's appearance in different forms throughout the movie. The score is a mixture of cellos, clarinets, singing voices and what sounds like a harpsichord. I think the music is done quite well for a cheesy horror spoof.

Special effects

The effects are pretty good. There's your standard fake movie blood, but not too much of it. There are intentional bad props, such as a rubber bat and clearly-visible string in the dungeon. Special effect lighting is good, for what little there is of it. The only major effects I saw were cartoon stars swirling around Dexter's head when he was knocked out, as well as a room in 3-D. Sadly, there were no 3-D glasses included in the box. That would be icing on the cake for wackiness.

Overall

This movie is good for parties, especially if you have your own "Bad Movie Night". If you like cheesy vampire flicks such as "Transylvania 6-5000" and "Blood & Donuts", then you'll love this movie. People who don't like intentionally ridiculous and campy humor will certainly be turned off by this movie. So you do have to be in the right mindset to enjoy it.

You gotta love that bowtie........2002-12-23

This movie is what you'd get if Airplane! had crash-landed in Transylvania. The general plot: A young man must fulfill his Grandfather's dying(?!?) wish to hunt down a rare and dangerous volume of Occult rituals with the aid of a plucky young actress descendant of the man who'd checked out the book. Together, the trio must brave the Transylvanian countryside and the vampiric Count Orlock along with his Tall Man servant (played by Angus Scrim) to regain the book before the count can use it to reserect an ancient, world destroying demon. Lots of site gags, sound gags, bad jokes and psuedo-cameos; more than enough to choke a Frankinstien.

Long, Hard Ride.......2002-06-22

Imagine a movie like Airplane, only with a change of setting. Oh, and the jokes aren't funny. Here's a clue, folks: wacky doesn't equal funny without a little help, and this movie could use more than a little help. It has it's moments, but they aren't worth waiting for.

Horror Hilarity.......2001-10-03

This movie had me hooked from the very beginning with "amateurs." After that I never stopped laughing. The horror puns, spoofs and cliches abound.

I couldn't believe that they had finally released a DVD version. It seems like it had been an eternity waiting for a version that I could keep.

Description

Ride the trail to whip crackin' excitement with Zorro's Black Whip. This 12-chapter serial is the follow-up to 1940's The Mark of Zorro and the sixth film in the Zorro saga. It's the 1880s and Dan Hammond (Francis McDonald) is hellbent on blocking a proposal for Idaho's statehood. To not be opposed, he murders political rival Randolph Meredith (Jay Kirby). Randolph's sister Barbara (Linda Stirling, Tiger Woman in Perils of Darkest Jungle), stealthy with a bullwhip and six-shooter, dons a black suit and mask, becoming the titular "Black Whip". As the avenging vigilante female succesor to the world-renowned hero Zorro, Barbara sets out to foil the evil Hammond and his henchmen at every turn.

Customer Reviews:

Hero Gets Killed in First Chapter!.......2006-01-08

Just be aware that this has absolutely nothing to do with the Zorro character. Not only is Zorro not present, he isn't even mentioned. They really should have called it "The Black Whip," but apparently they wanted the name recongition for the box office.

That said, it's a terrific Western. The Black Whip is a black-costumed vigilante who's talented with a whip and rides madly around saving people in the nick of time--more reminiscent of the Durango Kid than of Zorro. The Black Whip is a woman, no less, but no one realizes it. This is the only serial you'll ever see where the hero gets killed in the first chapter! He's immediately replaced by his sister, who seeks revenge.

While William Witney was away in the service during World War II, Spencer Bennet and Wallace Grissell did a good job of keeping up Republic's tradition of great fistfights and chases--hardly a piece of furniture is left standing after these fights. The cliffhangers are very good as well; I particularly liked the explosives thrown down into a tent, the pitchfork on an unconscious victim, and the creeping flames in the mine tunnel. I also like the way the villain got taken care of at the end.

The beautiful Linda Stirling (real name Loraine Schultz, 1921-1997) earned her title "Queen of the Serials" doing a whole bunch of them for Republic in the 1940's. George J. Lewis, who usually played villians, is a questionable choice for Linda's leading man--he's okay, but I could have thought of several who would have been better for the part of hero. Francis McDonald is an excellent villain, and the ever-present Hal Taliaferro is good as Baxter, one of his henchmen. Yakima Canutt is listed as second unit director, so you can bet he either did some of the stunts or at least set them up.

And by the way, can someone tell me how the bad guys can do hand-to-hand combat with the Black Whip and not realize there's a woman under that costume?

"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection".......2005-11-28

VCI Entertainment and Republic Pictures present three outstanding serials with 36 Chapters starting with "Zorro Rides Again" (1937)..."Zorro's Fighting Legion" (1939) and "Zorro's Black Whip" (1944) (Dolby digitally remastered), exciting Chapters of vintage serials loaded with thrilling drama and high adventure sequences....there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there... It has more of everything with lots of action, hard riding chases and plenty of shootouts...Republic Pictures stuntman assistant director Yakima Canutt and his department of stunt people Tom Steele, Dale Van Sickel, Babe DeFreest, Helen Thurston, James Fawcett, Ted Mapes, Ken Terrell make every scene and episode a cliffhanger...each episode gets closer to the climatic ending, watch this and relive those thrilling yesteryears of the Saturday Matinee.

First up with Disc One is "Zorro Rides Again" (1937)...12 Chapters under director's John English and William Witney, producer Sol C. Siegel, with screenplay by Franklin Adreon, Johnston McCulley, Morgan Cox, Barry Shipman...the cast include John Carroll (James Vega/Zorro), Helen Christian (Joyce Andrews), Reed Howes (Phillip Andrews), Duncan Renaldo (Renaldo), Noah Beery (J.A. Marsden), Richard Alexander (Brad 'El Lobo' Dace), Bob Kortman ( Trelliger - Henchman), Jack Ingram (Carter - Henchman), Edmund Cobb (Time-bomb - Henchman), Tom London (O'Shea), Lane Chandler (Malloy)...one of the best serials that Republic Pictures produced during the '30s...loaded with six gun action, railroad explosions and airplanes...a winning combination as this formula worked very well...the musical scores are wonderful and John Carroll is great as the Zorro of today... the rest of the cast gives their all especially Duncan Renaldo (Cisco Kid of the '50s TV series) playing an older servant of the Vega family, when he was the same age of our hero John Carroll...after watching this DVD there is no doubt that Republic Pictures was the King of Serials.

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc One) (Zorro Rides Again)
1. Death from the Sky
2. The Fatal Minute
3. Juggernaut
4. Unmasked
5. Sky Pirate
6. The Fatal Shot
7. Burning Embers
8. Plunge of Peril
9. Tunnel of Terror
10.Trapped
11.Right of Way
12.Retribution

SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc One)
VCI BIOS:
1. Reed Howes
2. Helen Christian
3. William Witney (Director)
4. John English (Director)
VCI SERIAL TRAILERS: (Disc One)
1. Zorro Rides Again (John Carroll)
2. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)

Disc Two and second the this triple bill is "Zorro's Fighting Legion" (1939), 12 episodes of the best of Zorro chapterplays with the great directing team of John English and William Witney, producer Hiram S. Brown Jr, screenplay by Franklin Adreon, Ronald Davidson, Morgan Cox, Barney A. Sarecky, Sol Shor...the cast include Reed Hadley (Don Diego Vega/Zorro), Sheila Darcy (Volita), William Corson (Ramon), Leander De Cordova (Gov. Felipe), Carleton Young (Benito Juarez), James Pierce (Moreno - Henchman), Guy D'Ennery (Don Francisco), John Merton (Commandante Manuel ), Charles King (Valdez - Henchman), Bud Geary (Dungeon thug), Reed Howes (Trooper), Clayton Moore (Fernando), Yakima Canutt (Trooper, also the ace stuntman coordinator of Republic)...the story line has our favorite legendary masked swordsman Zorro escaping a variety of deathtraps, including exploding barns, runaway elevators and avalanches...will Zorro thwart the evil leader Don Del Oro from taking over and ruling Mexico...who is this mystery villain that will keep us guessing until Chapter 12...awesome stuntwork, veteran villians and character actors abound...exciting screenplay with a catchy musical score that stays with you for days...don't pass this one up.

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc Two) (Zorro's Fighting Legion)
1. The Golden God
2. The Flaming "Z"
3. Descending Doom
4. The Bridge of Peril
5. The Decoy
6. Zorro to the Rescue
7. The Fugitive
8. Flowing Death
9. The Golden Arrow
10.Mystery Wagon
11.Face to Face
12.Unmasked

BIOS: (Disc Two)
1. Reed Hadley
2. Sheila Darcy
3. John English (Director)
4. William Witney (Director)

VCI Promos: (Disc Two)
1. Stories of the Century (featuring Jim Davis - based on official newspaper files & records)
2. I Married Joan (Joan Davis & Jim Backus)
3. Terry & the Pirates (TV Series)
4. My Little Margie (Gale Storm as Margie & Charles Farrell as Vern)

Disc Three and the final feature of this triple bill is "Zorro's Black Whip" (1940), another great directorial team of Spencer Gordon Bennet and Wallace Grissell, producer Ronald Davidson, screenplay by Basil Dickey, Jesse Duffy, Johnston McCulley, Grant Nelson, Joseph F. Poland... the cast include Linda Stirling (Barbara Meredith - The Black Whip), George J. Lewis (Vic Gordon), Francis McDonald (Dan Hammond), Lucien Littlefield (Tenpoint Jackson), Wally Wales (aka Hal Taliaferro - is Baxter), John Merton (Ed Harris - Henchman), Tom London (Commissioner James Bradley), Jack Kirk (Marshal Wetherby), Jay Kirby (Randolph Meredith), Tom Steele (Ed - Henchman, also double for Wally Wales stuntman), Dale Van Sickel (Rock, also double for George J. Lewis), Helen Thurston (stunt double) and Babe DeFreest (double for Linda Stirling stunt woman)...the plot goes something like this will Idaho become a state of the union or can Hammond stop this with violence and bloodshed...after Randolph Meredith is killed will his sister Barbara take up "The Black Whip"...can government agent Vic Gordon shut down the efforts of Hammond and be of service to "The Black Whip"... a few behind the scenes info with leading the call for justice is serial queen Linda Stirling (Tiger Woman 1944), Mexican born George J. Lewis was picked for the male lead (who mainly play villians throughout his film and television career) and Francis MacDonald who appeared in numerous Hopalong Cassidy, Red Ryder and Rocky Lane films as an outlaw, sheriff, banker and Indian...in any Republic Serial it's always nice to have second unit direction by stunt-man extraordinaireYakima Canutt...this is the type of Saturday Matinee serials I ran to the local theater to see everyweek and came home with the neighborhood kids and played out "Zorro's Black Whip" the rest of the week...gotta love it!

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc Three) (Zorro's Black Whip)
1. The Masked Avenger
2. Tomb of Terror
3. Mob Murder
4. Detour to Death
5. Take Off That Mask!
6. Fatal Gold
7. Wolf Pack
8. The Invisible Victim
9. Avalanche
10.Fangs of Doom
11.Flaming Juggernaut
12.Trail of Tyranny

BIOS: (Disc Three)
1. Linda Stirling
2. George J. Lewis
3. Spencer Gordon Bennet (Director)
4. Wallace Grissell (Director)

VCI CliffHanger Promo: (Disc Three)
1. Zorro's Black Whip (Linda Stirling & George J. Lewis) (Previews & Coming Attractions)
2. S.O.S. Coast Guard (Ralph Byrd as Lieut. Terry Kent, Bela Lugosi as Boroff and Richard Alexander as Thorg)

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '40s vintage serial days...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch serial from VCI...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 603 mins on 3 DVD's ~ VCI Entertainment 8342 ~ (12/16/2003)

GREAT SERIL WITH LINDA STRILING AS A FEMAIL ZORRO!!!.......2003-07-12

THIS SHOW IS EATHER 12 OR 15 CHAPTERS AND A LOT OF FUN!!! SEE IT HAVE YOUR KIDS WATCH IT TOO YOU WILL ALL ENJOY IT!!!!

A very long look back........2002-03-01

Zorro's Black Whip(1944)With Linda Stirling is a (Classic.)The Black Whip inspired me and hundreds of other kids in Trenton.NJ. and surrounding areas in the mid 1940s.It showed at a theater called the Riottoe, later came to be called the Ranch. 11 Pennington Ave, Trenton.NJ. For kids under twelve a nickel over twelve a dime.We never related the Black Whip with Zorro.I am sixty five and I was seven when I first saw the Black Whip,fifty eight years ago and today I still would like to see Zorro's Black Whip. The theater was demolished in 2001.

Linda Sterling at her best.......2001-12-23

This is among the best of the western serials. It doesn't really follow the Zorro tradition either storywise or in geographical setting. But it has some of the best western serial action you'll find. As far as having a female Zorro type character, why not? Hey, Linda does quite well for herself as a dashing heroine. And the minor characters, such as the newspaper editor, add much to the fun. This is for enjoyment and not for nitpicking.

Average customer rating:

ZORRO'S BLACK SLIP
BONUS ZORRO FEATURE FILM INCLUDED

Zorro's Black Whip / The Bold Caballero
Starring: George J. Lewis , Linda Stirling , Lucien Littlefield , Francis McDonald , and Wally Wales
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet , Wallace Grissell , and Wells Root
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Zorro's Fighting Legion
Zorro Rides Again: 12 Chapter Serial
The Mark of Zorro (Special Edition) (Colorized / Black and White)
The Bela Lugosi Collection (Murders in the Rue Morgue / The Black Cat / The Raven / The Invisible Ray / Black Friday)

ASIN: B0002EJ7ZI
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Description

In new twist on the classic tale, Zorro's Black Whip is wielded by a strong-willed woman, Barbara Meredith (Linda Stirling), who dons the famous black outfit to stop the gang who killed her newspaper editor father. Filled with derring-do, close calls, and white-knuckle escapes, these are two adventures you'll want to relive again and again!

Customer Reviews:

ZORRO'S BLACK SLIP.......2007-02-04

Female cowboy rider dressed in black whips outlaws into submission. What is this, kinky vintage pornography from the 1940's? Shoot, it's just another western serial, and a rather lame one at that. When crime fighter The Black Whip dies, his sister discovers his secret identity, and assumes the black outfit, whip and horse of the famed do-gooder. The poor beautiful and bland girl assumed none of his better acting style. Horses and third string outlaws upstage her.

Trip wire horses, trot-galloping turned up fast speed, a movie-set hideout underneath a waterfall, and an earnest history lesson on fighting for justice to insure Idaho becomes a state. Where do I get the medal for sitting through all twelve episodes? The best thing, the only thing about it, is the assured camera work of close-up stunt riding.

But hold on, partner. There's gold in these hills in the form of bonus feature, "The Bold Caballero", a 1936 Zorro classic with Robert Livingston as the legendary crude artist, and Heather Angel, as his royal seniorita, dabbling in daring escapes, sassy swordplay, slapstick humor and yes, enough romance to snap a whip at.

BONUS ZORRO FEATURE FILM INCLUDED.......2004-07-22

Although only briefly noted in the title heading of the Amazon.com (and Image Entertainment) rundown, this Hal Roach Studios 35mm nitrate DVD restoration of ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP contains, as a special bonus, the complete and long-unseen original "talking" Zorro feature film, THE BOLD CABALLERO. Personally produced by Zorro creator Johnston McCullough for Republic Pictures in 1937, this 68 minute film is essentially the "first version" of the Zorro feature made by 20th Century-Fox a few years thereafter which starred Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell. This bonus feature stars Robert Livingston (Of "Three Musqueteers" fame) and Heather Angel, and tells the basic Zorro fable still familiar today after many re-makes. Mastered from the surviving red element of the original primitive two-color negative. Not available elsewhere! The DVD runs over four hours in length.

DVD:

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