Volcano Disaster

Starring:Chris Martin (II), Antonella Elia, Marnie Alton, Sarah Malukul Lane, Joe Beattie, Philip Dunbar, Meglena Karalambova, Velichka Georgieva, Aleksandar Dikov, Hristiania Turieva, Margariat Bojilova, Georgy Kermenski, Andrey Slabakov, Simeon Alexiev, Ventselav Kisyov, Ivailo Samev, Georgi Gatzov, Sara Merheb, Svetlana Smoleva, Violeta Simeonova
Director: Mark Roper
Studio: First Look Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

A Decent Volcano Movie.
Volcanic delight
Brosnan's Peak
Dante's Peak
Catastrophe-Action Done Right; A Whopping Great Thrill Ride With Feeling

Dante's Peak
Starring: Pierce Brosnan , Linda Hamilton , Charles Hallahan , Jamie Renée Smith , and Jeremy Foley
Director: Roger Donaldson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Disaster Films | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Volcano
Twister
Deep Impact (Special Collector's Edition)
Outbreak
Armageddon

ASIN: 0783225547
Release Date: 1998-02-10

Amazon.com

The first of 1997's volcano disaster movies (the second being Volcano) was arguably the better of the two, but both of them made for passable entertainment with some spectacular special effects to serve as icing on the stale cake. After all, Dante's Peak doesn't pretend to be anything more than an updated variation on a whole catalog of disaster movie clichés. Despite all that, it's reasonably enjoyable. It's an added bonus that the script is just smart enough to allow Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton to play their roles with straight faces, never condescending to the audience of the formulaic story. He's a volcano expert from the U.S. Geological Survey, and she's the mayor of a cozy Washington State town perched beneath a volcano that's about to blow. Telltale signs are everywhere, so evacuation must be carried out immediately. Of course, not everybody's eager to leave, and even some of Brosnan's colleagues think his alarm is premature. This sets the stage for massive ash clouds, rivers of raging mud and molten rock, flattened forests, and death-defying escapes by Brosnan, Hamilton, and some (but not all) of her family, friends, and townsfolk. So what if it's all pretty flaky... and can a four-wheel-drive vehicle travel over fire and molten lava without bursting its tires? Don't ask too many questions, and you'll find Dante's Peak to be (if you'll pardon the pun) a total blast. The Collector's Edition DVD includes a documentary about volcanoes, Getting Close to the Show, in addition to behind-the-scenes footage, exclusive coverage of the creation of special effects, and audio commentary with director Roger Donaldson. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A Decent Volcano Movie........2007-06-14

An interesting story with its moments. The build up to the eruption was great! All the little momments like the too hot hot springs! Though once the lava starts to roll, the script gets a bit unrealistic. I guess it builds suspense. All in all, a good volcano flick.

Volcanic delight.......2007-05-08

I've always been fascinated by volcanos, and have always like Pierce Brosnan doing his thing on screen also. Linda Hamilton is pretty good, though a little lost at times. The others, I hate to say, were just filler. They were never allowed to really fly, or even be more than scenery. Effects are solid, but overdone in some spots. The lead up to the actual blast is the best half. It's an ok film.

Brosnan's Peak.......2007-05-04

This is the most absorbing film I've ever seen! You have a whole town trying to evacuate and all of them are thinking about Number 1. This is also one of Brosnan's best films - and you don't think about Bond when you're watching it. Tremendous.

Dante's Peak.......2007-01-12

This is a wonderful movie. Unfortunately it came out at a bad time and never got the recognition it should have. It had adventure, suspense, and a lot of action, along with an offbeat love story. It's a great movie for all.

Catastrophe-Action Done Right; A Whopping Great Thrill Ride With Feeling.......2007-01-11

"Dante's Peak" is one of the disaster movies that really brings the genre to a super peak, with a realistic and thrilling earth-shaking (in this case literally) catastrophe, high octane action, glorious cinematography capturing great natural beauty, and high-quality characters and relationships. It is, of course, about a volcano, one of the most powerful forces in nature, and it successfully captures the grandeur and terror of such an event. I've always found volcanoes fascinating - they're terrifically destructive, and of course tragic for the havoc they wreak, both when they're near human habitation and when they're in the 'isolated' wilderness where the other creatures are the sole recipients of their explosive force. And yet they're undeniably beautiful, like a sunset or a howling snowstorm, and they're in fact an essential part of the inner workings of the earth. Also, although there is often a lot of death associated with volcanoes as acre after acre gets burnt up or covered with ash, they're also, paradoxically, major bringers of life. Even extremely barren, infertile lands with usually burst forth with new life within a few years of a volcano, because they bring forth such rich new nutrients in their lava.

"Dante's Peak" is smart by not having the disaster hit five minutes after the opening credits have finished rolling; there have been some movies of this nature over the years that have made just that mistake. This one though is perfectly paced throughout. There is plently of tight build-up and a couple of tragic harbingers of the bigger calamity to come. The action in the latter parts of the movie is explosive and exhilirating, among the best. It's interesting that "Dante's Peak" has managed to position itself as one of the greatest action movies without any real bad guys. There are some unlikable characters - short-sighted, arrogant, condescending - but that's all. They're jerks, but they're not characters who are going to go out and kill somebody. So in this tremendous action movie there's no one shooting at each other, no swordplay, no high-impact kick battles. Don't get me wrong - I love the kind of movies represented by "Lethal Weapon", "Timebomb", "True Lies", "Out Of Time", all that; and I generally even more love the more fantastical, really grand movies like "Superman Returns", "Star Wars", "Lord Of The Rings", "Spider-Man", all that stuff. But it's neat that a movie missing so many of the great staples of action fare has also brought itself up into the cream of the crop.

The visuals of "Dante's Peak" are awesome. The volcanic effects are extremely realistic, and just the natural splendor is great. As mentioned, the cinematography is incredible, although there is admittedly one wonderful shot that was promising to be truly spectacular but gets hampered a bit by the camera being in the wrong angle to capture it all. A very minor quibble. It would also be an extremely minor quibble if one was to spend too much time focusing on the improbably high number of razor-thin escapes by some of the characters. Movie makers Are allowed some artistic licences even in realistic scenarios after all, and besides, in a case where two outcomes are possible but one quite a bit more likely, you don't have to go with the most likely one Every time. You shouldn't also go with the most unlikely every time either or it loses its believability and tension, and "Dante's Peak" doesn't do that. It stays on just the right tip of the balancing scale.

Excellent stuff; for more disaster-oriented greats I also recommend "Deep Impact" and "Titanic".

Average customer rating:

A fun film to watch.
it has Tommy Lee
Good Movie, Crap DVD
Annoying
action packed

Volcano
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones , Anne Heche , Gaby Hoffmann , Don Cheadle , and Jacqueline Kim
Director: Mick Jackson
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Disaster Films | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Dante's Peak
Twister
Deep Impact (Special Collector's Edition)
Armageddon
The Core (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: 630528072X
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Amazon.com

Get mindless for awhile with this 1997 disaster flick, starring the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles as a funky place for lava to spew, plus Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche as the brave souls who know how to shut off the spout. Director Mick Jackson (The Bodyguard) wastes no time getting to the good stuff--it's happening even before opening credits are over--and neither should anyone in the mood for technical efficiency without the burden of art. --Tom Keogh

Description

Something unspeakably chilling is heating up The City of Angels. Beneath the famed La Brea Tar Pits, a raging volcano pushes to the surface, raining a storm of deadly fire bombs and an endless tide of white-hot lava upon the stunned city. Experience the pulse-pounding thrills as the dream capital of the world erupts into the stuff nightmares are made of.

Customer Reviews:

A fun film to watch........2007-06-22

When it comes to having a volcano erupt in the middle of a city, it can't get any more un-real than that. With that being said, once you manage to suspend your disbelief it's actually a pretty fun movie to watch.

The acting is definetly over the top, even Mr. Lee Jones himself manages to over-do his character. You learn very quickly while watching this movie that the characters are not worth caring about! They make very stupid decisions that show they have no common sense whatsoever, and its hilarious watching it happen.

The plot itself is very basic and follows the sterotypical Hollywood "survive a natural disaster" storyline. Complete with the lead character who is usually a male coming to the aid of the city (Jones) his sidekick which is generally a female (Heche) and the annoying son/daughter of the main character. All is done perfectly cliche' which makes this movie (in my opinion) a fun and adventurous comedy.

I recommend this movie for some good laughs and a fun time pointing out the sad mistakes Hollywood makes when it comes to these type of movies.

it has Tommy Lee.......2007-05-22

What else can I say? It has Tommy Lee Jones in it, LA is on fire and I used to shop there.
Get out the pop corn and enjoy.

Good Movie, Crap DVD.......2007-05-14

Honestly I like the movie, that's one of the reasons I pay for the thing, but when I sat back and watched it I was very disappointed. I was expecting this movie to have it 16:9 Enhanced so when I watch it on my widescreen TV I don't have to play around the with the aspect ratio to enjoy it. This got to me so much because the Australian version which was released after the US version is enhanced. This is something that people with the traditional square TV will not have to worry about but should you be the owner of a widescreen TV be warned, you may become frustrated.

Annoying.......2007-05-03

The only reasons I'm giviing it 2 stars is that there are some very cool special effects and Tommy Lee Jones is a great actor.

My biggest problem with this movie is the contant "We survive anything" and the "I sacrifice myself so others can live / I Will die with you" crap.
It happens to the point where you don't feel sorry for people anymore, because it's so cliche. There's not emotion, just "I'm so stupid, I'll die anyway".
There are also way too many scenes where the characters do impossible things to save the day.

I also have some problems with two of the characters, which for me, ruins the movie...

--Kelly--
Kelly is the protaginst daughter and unfortunately has a lot of parts in the movie. She's supposed to be 12, but is portrayed by a 15 year old bad actor. This girl is spoiled, stupid and never uses her brain for anything, add the bad acting and you never feel bad about her.
Example, Kelly gets out of the car, lava is BEHIND the car. Does she run to safety? "DAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!" Nope, she stands there until dad CARRIES her away. And then they are in even greater danger than to begin with.

--Stan--
Stan is portrayed as a man who would do anything to resque another human, but his role is insanely exagurated, he has the personality of a comic character while his buddies acts like normal people.
He screams, shouts, barking out orders like a maniac to appear even more caring, but it just becomes how obviously he's the only one who cares, because the others don't say a thing.
And this isn't even the protoganist of the movie, Stan is just a filler to show how kind (stupid) some people are.
The whole train scene was the stupiest thing I've seen, I didn't feel sad about it, I laughed because it was so stupid.

I don't recommend this movie at all, there's just so much stupidity going on that ruins the flow of the movie.

action packed.......2007-03-04

A volcano erupting in the middle of a city is a pretty interesting decision on the part of the story writers, seeing as how it's never been done before. At least, not that I know about. I remember back in the day thinking "wow, that's cool" as I watched the special effects and sat back amazed at them.

While some of the scenes were obviously not very believable, the fact is, a volcano exploding in the city streets is guaranteed to excite action fans and keep their attention, along with the people who want something different from the "same old same old" disaster films. The movie really works. Just don't expect everything you see to make sense.

Average customer rating:

Formula disaster movie

Dante's Peak [HD DVD]
Starring: Pierce Brosnan , Arabella Field , Charles Hallahan , Linda Hamilton , and Grant Heslov
Director: Roger Donaldson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Horror | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Bourne Identity [HD DVD]
Daylight [HD DVD]
The Frighteners: Peter Jackson's Director's Cut [HD DVD]
The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]
Shaun of the Dead [HD DVD]

ASIN: B000Q66QAG
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Description

Without warning, day becomes night, air turns to fire, and solid ground melts beneath white-hot lava. From director Roger Donaldson comes an adrenaline-pumping adventure starring Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton. Welcome to the town of Dante's Peak, where a long-dormant volcano is about to erupt with devastating force. Who will survive when the inferno unleashes its fury? the answer will leave you breathless, and the special effects will blow you away!

Customer Reviews:

Formula disaster movie.......2007-06-04

This movie is a good disaster movie with all the elements of a disaster movie. There are all the stereotype disaster characters form the "I'll ride it out" to the "You are scaring my customers".

Naturedly the person that knows what will happen (Pierce Brosnan) has no credibility with the authorities. Then the disaster happens and he must save the beautiful (Linda Hamilton) and family. At first indifferent soon to become enamored.

I do not want to go too much into detail as you will lose the shock value. I can tell you it involves a volcano and a budding love story.

Average customer rating:

Gwangi in a scorpion suit
1950'S BLACK SCORPION ROCKS
Excellent queso!
Typical silly 50's scifi with uneven special effects
Pure Awesome

The Black Scorpion
Starring: Richard Denning , Mara Corday , Carlos Rivas , Mario Navarro , and Carlos Múzquiz
Director: Edward Ludwig
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Horror | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms
Beginning of the End (Special Edition)
Cult Classics: Earth vs. the Spider/War of the Colossal Beast
Target Earth
Day the World Ended/She Creature

ASIN: B0000B1OGC
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Amazon.com

Fans of '50s science fiction should be pleased by this "big bug" chiller, which offers a fine showcase for the talents of special effects master Willis O'Brien (King Kong). The Black Scorpion follows closely in the multiple footsteps of Them!, produced three years earlier by the same company (Warner Bros.)--again, giant insects threaten mankind, though here a volcano is responsible for unleashing them, and the metropolis in peril is Mexico City. Though direction, acting, and scripting aren't on par with Them!, O'Brien's title creatures (which sport implausible yet creepy faces) are memorably monstrous, especially during hero Richard Denning's visit to their nightmarish underground lair. Warner Bros.' DVD features a surprising amount of extras for an older title. "Stop Motion Masters" is a short tribute to O'Brien by his famed student Ray Harryhausen; also included is O'Brien's dinosaur-laden opening for Irwin Allen's The Animal World documentary, and legendary test footage for two unfilmed monster projects by O'Brien's assistant, Peter Petersen. --Paul Gaita

Description

They're big. They're bad. They scuttle along in caverns miles beneath the Earth - until an earthquake opens paths to the surface. Now these monsters of genus Arachnida are invading our world with deadly force. With top special effects co-designed by King Kong's Willis O'Brien, The Black Scorpion is horror with a sting more lethal than the king-sized ants that overran Los Angeles's sewers in the classic Them! Can humankind survive these invincible juggernauts? That fate rests on the shoulders of Hank Scott (1950s monster movie stalwart Richard Denning) as the creatures rip a train from its tracks, snatch a helicopter from the sky and, in the film's most gripping sequence, battle each other in their subterranean lair. Watch out!

DVD Features:
Featurette:Stop-Motion Masters with Ray Harryhausen; Never-before-seen test footage of the Las Vegas monster and beetlemen; Harryhausen-animated dinosaur sequence from Irwin Allen's 1956 The Animal World
Theatrical Trailer:Giant monsters trailer gallery featuring this film, The Beat from 20,000 Fathoms, Clash of the Titans and The Valley of the Gwangi

Customer Reviews:

Gwangi in a scorpion suit.......2007-04-09

Yep it is the standard big bug 50's sci-fi with a Mexican twist.

We start with the obligatory narrative and a description of what may come. The narrator thinks that volcanoes are evil and bring destruction to farm land. To this land comes a pair of archaeologically strange doctors. They discover a fallen girl (that was just horsing around) and one of the scientists falls in love. The other states "man is born single."

I will not reveal the ugly threat that you already see on the cover. However I think they used them again in "Attack of the Giant Crabs". Also it is fun to look at the technology of the time; they use huge walkie-talkie's, flash cameras (out of flash range), and Bakelite phones. The annoying part of the movie is the kid that will not stay in the car; we all hope he gets eaten early in the story.

1950'S BLACK SCORPION ROCKS.......2007-03-08

The 1950's Black Scorpion rocks,if you are a 1950's science fictionaholic. This one's got all the bells and whistles of the premo black & white science fiction era. It's fun, its campy, it's a classic!

Excellent queso!.......2007-02-26

Yes, that's some high quality cheese. A giant bug movie set in Mexico and for the most part, the Mexicans are treated with respect and dignity. For the most part. So here's what happens. An earthquake/volcano montage of exploding volcanoes from all over the world occurs in Mexico, near the village of San Lorenzo. Two geologists, one from Mexico and one from the USA travel long and hard to "study" the effects. Along the way, the rescue a baby from an empty, thrashed house with a dead policeman in it! They arrive at San Lorenzo where everyone miraculously speaks perfect English. Thank goodness for us viewers! Anyway, the rumbling earth is not the only thing the locals have to deal with...something is picking off folks one family at a time! So the geologists venture forth, rescue a beautiful woman, discover the giant, scary scorpions, go into a cave full of them ("stay, Juanito, stay!"), get tricked back to Mexico City, devise an electric prod to kill the giant bug and a Mexican Army General in the only laugh-out-loud scene in the movie, kill the bug and all ends well. The American leaves early with the girl and everyone else has to stay behind to clean up.
Not bad at all, really, considering that they re-used a lot of footage and the bug scenes were either pretty good or laughably bad. My six year old declared it "The best movie EVER" so there you go. He was quite concerned about the giant bugs and how to kill them, as they were not effected by bullets. He especially liked the final scene where they get the bug into an arena and attack from all sides. Recommended for Family Night!

Typical silly 50's scifi with uneven special effects.......2006-11-10

I bought this dvd only to get the only remnants of the 50's movie "Animal World" which has dinosaurs, which I remember being thrilled with when I saw it as a kid in the mid 50's. The Black Scorpion wasnt too bad as these giant insect/reptile due to atomic bombs experimentation, etc...
The scorpions were sometimes animated in the Ray Harryhausen style and other times by some lousy cartoonish method, probably when they ran out of money or schedule.
The girl was hot though, as usual she becomes a love interest for the guy who figures out how to kill the damn things.
Lessee, kill a monster, get the girl (kinda like knights slaying the dragon and getting the chick in distress).
One hilarious scene is when the giant scorpion decided to derail and bust up a train. I did a video capture on it and found printed on the locomotive tender.......Lionel Lines...
So you get the picture.
Fun to look at but only once and for laughs.

Pure Awesome.......2006-11-10

This movie was awesome on every level. It had a great cast, great story, and great effects. The transfer and sound on this dvd is top notch as well. If you enjoy old monster movies you'll love the Black Scorpion!

Average customer rating:

terrific!
Excellent DVD
Hot, Hot, Hot
Real Toasted Coast!

National Geographic - Volcano!
Starring: National Geographic
Manufacturer: National Geographic Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

DVDs as Low as $9.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Volcano - Fountains of Fire
National Geographic - Tsunami: Killer Wave
National Geographic - Forces of Nature
Ring of Fire - IMAX
National Geographic's Nature's Fury

ASIN: B00009B8FB
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Description

Travel around the world for a firsthand look at volcanoes - perhaps the most dazzling but destructive natural force on earth. Massive volcanic eruption can turn day into night, releasing the power of an atomic blast, spewing toxic avalanches of lava, gas, and ash. National Geographic Video transports you to some of the world's most notorious volcanoes, including Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines and Japan's Mount Unzen. Join volcanologists in their dangerous quest to forecast eruptions and save lives and experience the explosive excitement and human drama surrounding volcanoes.

Customer Reviews:

terrific!.......2007-01-29

This is absolutely the best DVD on volcanoes out there because it shows the impact on human life - not only on the people who live in the shadow of an active volcano, but on the people who study or chase volcanoes.

Even though it covers many different eruptions (both old and new), it is well organized and effective.

Highly recommended.

Excellent DVD.......2007-01-09

I bought this for my six year old daughter, who has an interest in Volcanoes. It was a little much for her, but I really enjoyed it. Stunning images and very informative. I highly recommend it.

Hot, Hot, Hot.......2005-02-24

Explosive. Engaging. Horrific. Packed with amazing tales and footage, this DVD has even got a true Romeo and Juliet love story in it about two volcanologists who fall in love, chase eruptions around the world and are finally killed by a volcano. Some of the blazing images will make your skin tingle in awe, in beauty, in fright, in amazement. Nature DVDs don't get any better than this!

Real Toasted Coast!.......2003-12-31

This is one of NGs better productions - partially because the subject itself is so fascinating - partially because of the spectacular footage of the eruptions of Mt Unzen (Japan) and the famous blast at Mt Pinatubo some years ago. Overall, the program gives a good general description of the geological issues, the different types of eruptive activity, as well as larger historical and disaster mitigation subjects. The material is well organized and presented. The DVD version is much better than the original VHS release, and has some additional programming of particular interest.

For all the "sound and fury" of some of Hollywood's recent forays into Volcano disaster movies - this one has the best "special effects" - it's all real!

For further reading (notwithstanding the technical nature of the contents), you should definately aquire the recently published Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (Haraldur Sigurdsson, et al. - Academic Press). Here's what truly lies beneath!

Product Description

A volcano beneath New York City seems unlikely...yet nothing else can explain the bizarre tremors and terrifying explosions wreaking havoc on the city. Tunnel digger Matt MacLachlan and his team of "Sandhogs" have witnessed lava seeping into the city's aqueduct system and know the unimaginable truth. A secret, geo-thermal experiment has triggered the volcanic activity; and now Matt, his geologist ex-wife, and a team of unlikely heroes are the only ones who can save the city from volcanic apocalypse.

Customer Reviews:

THAT ONE STAR REALLY MEANS NEGATIVE 1.......2006-12-27

JESUS HELP ME! THIS MOVIE WAS SO CORNY, I SHOULD FIND THE DIRECTOR AND PUT HIM IN JAIL! WHAT MAKES THIS MOVIE SO EWW, THEY DIDN'T EVEN FILM THE MOVIE IN NEW YORK! ALL THEY DID WAS SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF FOOTAGE OF A EVERYDAY NEW YORK STREET, THEN IT WILL CUT OFF QUICKLY OF THE NEW YORK STREET AND HAVE THE CHARACTERS STANDING IN BUILDINGS! WHEN THEY DID SHOW THE VOLCANO ERUPTING IT SHOWED PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND IN A CITY THAT LOOKED LIKE BOSTON OR PHILLY! PLUS WHEN THEY SHOWED THE CHARACTERS STANDING OUT SIDE OF THIS NOT NEW YORK STREETS THEY HAD POLICE SIRENS GOING OFF IN THE BACK GROUND THE WHOLE TIME! TAKE IT FROM ME PEOPLE I LIVE IN BROOKLYN, YOU DON'T HEAR SIRENS LIKE THAT ALL DAY! PLEASE DO NOT BUY OR RENT THIS GARBAGE!

LAVA IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING.......2006-11-10

Yep, that's right...a volcanic eruption in NYC is the premise for this hokey but mildly diverting disaster flick. Seems like nasty doctor Michael Ironside is trying to develop a source of geothermal energy and doing so he starts a volcanic rift under the Big Apple. Dedicated tunnel worker Costas Mandylor is the first to discover the lava flow but of course no one believes him. Enter Alexandra Paul as his geologist ex-wife who is called in to find out what's going on. The FBI is certain it's the work of terrorists, while a high city official is secretly funding Ironside's experiment.
The movie is nowhere as intense as the earlier VOLCANO, as it's pending doom never seems large scale enough for a good disaster movie, and the effects aren't that impressive.
Diverting entertainment for fans of the genre.

Average customer rating:

stunning imagery, but...
Good Imax Film
Very educational, not so entertaining.

Ring of Fire - IMAX
Starring: Robert Foxworth , Gary Rosenquist , Lawrence Blair , and Dr. Norman Banks
Director: George Casey
Manufacturer: Vista Point Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

IMAX | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

National Geographic - Volcano!
The Eruption of Mount St. Helens (Large Format)
Volcanoes of the Deep Sea (IMAX) (2003)
SolarMax (Large Format)
Grand Canyon - The Hidden Secrets (Large Format)

ASIN: B000FI8MNE
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Customer Reviews:

stunning imagery, but..........2007-06-09

Yes, the footage is stunning, huge and colorful. However, the presentation of information is not really compelling. The topic is interesting, but what's its relationship to everything else? I was disappointed. If you're a teacher, and you're teaching about volcanoes, this is a good one for one period, because it's short. But actually not that thought-provoking. For my money, I'd still prefer to show Dante's Peak, even though the filmmakers have taken some artistic license to tell the story.

Good Imax Film.......2001-05-30

I have purchase several Imax DVD'S. I would rank this film better than most(Grand Canyon and Niagra) and below (The Liveing Sea and Alaska. It is more educational but it does not lack spectacular photography. That is one of the reason I buy Imax is to see thing's you do not ordinarely see. Some Imax films try to tell two to four short stories in a film; to me those film's don't work. I do not buy Imax to see pedestrian plot's; I buy to learn and enjoy the photography. This film fits the bill. If your interested in volcanoe's I do not think you could buy a better film.

Very educational, not so entertaining........2000-08-24

The standards for documentaries nowadays are very high. You need to succeed not only in the educational side of the story but also in entertaining the viewer. As an example, Greg Macgillivray's work in The Living Seas, Stormchasers or The Magic of Flight does everything in order to keep you on the edge of your seat without loosing the story's edge. Here, you can learn a lot from the sysmic and volcanic activities that determine most aspects of the people that live inside the Pacific Rim. Nevertheless, you never feel quite engaged and/or commited to the story as you do with the formerly referred work. The story starts with a visit to Chile's newly born Navidad crater and leads us through a journey that involves San Francisco, the Aleutian Islands, the coasts of the former U.S.S.R., Japan, Hawaii and Indonesia. Anyhow, some shots are impressive- like San Francisco's earthquake recordings- some are really dull. The video and audio quality are very good, though not impressive. Unless you want to complete your dvd collection, try other stuff such as the discs referred above or Africa-The Serengetti or Imax-Alaska.

Average customer rating:

You have to know what you're picking up
This Ain't "Jurassic Park," Folks!
Pterodactyl (2005) - Cameron Daddo
pretty cool flick, but...
Pterodactyl? Pah! More like one big turkey!

Pterodactyl
Starring: Coolio , Cameron Daddo , Steve Braun , and Amy Sloan
Manufacturer: Showtime Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Sci-Fi Action | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Caved In: Prehistoric Terror
SnakeMan
DinoCroc
Deep Evil
Komodo vs. Cobra

ASIN: B000BNX3BE
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Description

Two expeditions make their way into the heart of a forest near Mt. Ararat in Turkey - home of a dormant volcano that holds within itself a deadly secret that's been asleep for millions of years: un-hatched pterodactyl eggs! On a man hunt for a dangerous terrorist, Captain Bergen (Coolio) leads his military Special Ops unit deeper into the forest, while Professor Lovecraft (Cameron Daddo) and his team of scientists search for clues to the past when they make a dangerous discovery. Faced with the threat of the flesh eating predators, both groups come to the realization that they must rely on one another if they plan to make it out of the forest alive! With non-stop action and explosive graphics, Pterodactyl will make your fear take flight!

Customer Reviews:

You have to know what you're picking up.......2007-05-08

When you pick up a movie to watch and on the back cover is a pterodactyl chasing a white SUV and on the front is a dinosaur eye and a reptile hatching from an egg, you kind of have to know what to expect here. Yes, there are some cheesy special effects, but the pterodactyls are actually done pretty well. Sure, there is some weak acting, but then there is some pretty sincere acting too. There is plenty of gore, probably more than necessary but hey..I could forgive that. The film delivers in what it tries to do. Gore, thin plot, action and a romance. Oh, and the possibility of a sequel...that's important. Then there is Angie. I kind of hoped Angie would survive the film just because I thought she might just be dumb enough to. How could you not love Angie? She was beautiful, obnoxious and completely in love with herself. There is even a scene where she looks into a mirror and says: "I love you." And then I wondered why she became pterodactyl food. Well, duh. I was tempted to give this one 4 stars just because it was exactly what I expected it to be when I picked it up. The only reason it didn't get 4 is because I kept figuring out what was going to happen next a couple minutes before it happened. It was almost like a time warp where I came up with ideas and the film replicated them...hmmm, this could be a film in itself. A couple things: What was Angie thinking when she takes her clothes off in the wilds of a foreign country to go for a swim in an unknown and unexplored pool of water. Forget the pterodactyl circling overhead, what about snakes and leaches and a hundred other things that could be lurking. Not to mention the male students who get to ogle her in her underwear. What about the trained soldiers when killers from the sky came swooping down on them? Nobody ever learned how to duck? What were those two in the cabin thinking? They should have just hung a sign on the door: Pterodactyl Diner Now Open for Lunch. And of course, that rope crossing anchored by a sheep. Talk about an idea right out of the mind of a screenwriter! No one in real life would think of something like that and if they did think of it, no one in real life would actually suggest trying it. Did that soldier really think about the possibilities when he went out there to use the rope crossing? Finally, there was Coolio. He might be worth an extra star by himself. Without much to work with he gives a pretty decent performance. Caneron Daddo, Amy Sloan and Mircea Monroe make this watchable. All in all, this is a pretty typical Sci-Fi channel movie, better than most, not as good as some, but overall pretty entertaining if you're not looking for a serious dramatic sci-fi movie. Worth a viewing.

This Ain't "Jurassic Park," Folks!.......2007-03-25

Nope, this is "Pterodactyl," a film where a group of American college students under the guidance of Cameron Daddo and a US Special Ops force headed up by Coolio (yeah, Coolio) become unlikely teammates when they faceoff against "terror from above." In all honesty, the flick isn't very bad. The students are in Turkey looking for fossils. The soldiers are out to nab some terrorists. When a local volcano rattles loose a few old dinosaur eggs, they hatch and become very mean, very hungry pterodactyls. The two groups come together and work as a team to eliminate the pterodactyls and try to get back to civilization before they all become bird food.

It's campy, silly, and very bland at times, but the film does move at a decent pace and never really lost my interest. The CGI dinos and gore are fake-looking. Some have said that the gore is excessive, but who hasn't watched a B-movie that went too far with the gore? Daddo and Coolio really do an excellent job, but Coolio's musical escapades make it hard to believe him as a Special Ops captain. The supporting cast, comprised of unknowns, was sufficient. Only Amy Sloan was mildly recognizable. The terrorist group was their primarily for the body count but one of them does have a key role late in the film.

Overall, if you're looking for "Jurassic Park," you've taken a wrong turn. If you enjoy B-flicks like "Frankenfish" or any of the other cheese-tastic SciFi channel films, this movie will be right up your alley.

Pterodactyl (2005) - Cameron Daddo.......2007-01-15

I brought this DVD from Amazon.us last year. I have just got round to watching it while on a break from work.
Well I really enjoyed the film, the effects were a bit naff at times but all in all they were good and real life most of the time. There is a bit of blood and guts shown when the Pterodactyls attack, but otherwise the film has a good storyline to it.
The storyline is based on Professor Lovecraft (Cameron Daddo) taking a team of students on an expedition to a dormant volcano where they come across Pterodactyl eggs which have hatched. In other areas of the dormant volcano there are a team of military special ops headed by Captain Bergen (Coolio) hunting down a dangerous terrorist. So not to spoil the storyline it ends up with them all getting together to fight and destroy the Pterodactyls or do they!!!! This is a must buy if you are a fan of movies like Jurassic Park, Godzilla and King Kong.

pretty cool flick, but..........2007-01-06

ok, lets start with the enormous amount of (fake)gore there is in this movie, i mean i dont think dinosaaur flicks nead that much gore in them, do u ? any way the sfx in this 1 r pretty good (exept for the close ups)and the acting is pretty solid and they added a bit of comedy in the mix. But, i didnt understand the plot at all, i mean a bunch of pterydactyl eggs roll in 2 a volcanoe (i think)and suddenly you've got flying pteradactels every were? i dont think so !!!!! now lets go back 2 the gore, do u think that with 1 swoop of the pteradactyl, that it could ether, decapitate or tear u in half spilling all ur insides? again, i dont think so. About 10 minutes in 2 the movie, a guy gets torn in half AND decapitated. when they shoot a pteradactyl it falls 2 the ground and dies, and within 5 minutes there r flies swarming around it? any way, despite all my crittisism, i recomend that u giv this movie a shot.

Pterodactyl? Pah! More like one big turkey! .......2006-12-15

This movie started off with a promising atmosphere which hinted at fun and thrills to come, but is let horribly down by laughable special effects, paper-thin cliché'd characters and some cringingly awful acting. The students (blonde bimbo, geeky nerd and sincere young thing with a crush on the stereotypical workaholic prof) heading off in their jeep into the wilderness certainly had potential, but any attempts to build a creepy atmosphere of isolation is diluted and spoiled by the intrusion of the weak and pointless sub-plot about an army special forces unit battling against insurgents. This military operation (think Arnie's team in Predator meets the marines in Aliens) gives Coolio the stage to strut his stuff. But, I'm sorry to say, convincing he ain't. Obliged to join forces with the students, the remainder of the film is basically a series of action set-pieces in which the humans battle it out with the pterodactyls. The ensuing gore is laid on in a very OTT style reminiscent of the Evil Dead series (but nowhere near as stylish) and creates a few (unintended?) laughs. The 18 rating is certainly undeserved too - there are far more effective and scary 15's out there. Even as straight to DVD `B' movies go, this is pretty poor fare. The final scene hints at a sequel - they really shouldn't bother.

Average customer rating:

Very Informative
Not enough
Excellent!!

National Geographic - Forces of Nature

Manufacturer: National Geographic Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

IMAX | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

DVDs as Low as $9.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

National Geographic - Tsunami: Killer Wave
National Geographic - Volcano!
The Weather
National Geographic's Nature's Fury
National Geographic's Restless Earth Collection (Asteroids Deadly Impact/Volcano/Nature's Fury)

ASIN: B0002CHIM4
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Customer Reviews:

Very Informative.......2007-01-10

Excellent footage, scene set up, and computer graphics. You are "there" for each event. The computer graphics allow you to "see" what is happening beneath the surface during an earthquake, as well as educating you on volcanic activity. The narrative was very informative, however for some inexplicable reason the volume starts dropping at a certain point for a few minutes. A tad annoying, but easily fixed, though you might miss the first few words. There could be a tendency, when putting together a film like this, to over-dramatize, however, the filmmakers resist and we get a reasonable presentation of the facts. I would highly recommend this well done documentary. Be sure to watch the bonus features.

Not enough.......2005-03-10

This video is very short and doesn't have a lot of content. Thier are some great sceens but overall its nothing you havn't seen before. I would have liked to see some avalanches and better explanations of all natural disasters with more depth.

Excellent!!.......2005-01-12

Saw this at the Milwaukee Public Museum on IMAX screen. Oh, the wonders of nature! It will give you a deep respect for the power and the fury of Mother Nature!

Average customer rating:

Bad, bad, bad
Very Disappointing
MUSHY MAGMA
Typical Made for TV Disaster Movie

Magma: Volcanic Disaster
Starring: Xander Berkeley , Amy Jo Johnson , Michael Durrell , Jonas Talkington , and Doug Dearth
Director: Ian Gilmore
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York
Solar Attack
Category 7: The End of the World
10.5: Apocalypse
Absolute Zero

ASIN: B000JJ4W3I
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Product Description

An action-filled sci-fi disaster film in the vein of Dante's Peak, Magma: Volcanic Disaster centers around unexplainable volcanic activity which threatens the world's population. A team of scientists set out to gather the evidence needed to convince government officials that the end is near and devise a plan to potentially prevent Armageddon.

Customer Reviews:

Bad, bad, bad.......2007-07-01

I am horrified by the thought that somebody might take those "scientists" seriously and actually believe in what this movie tries to tell. Let me pick just two of the many utterly wrong things: 1. Yellowstone sitting on the continent's biggest fault zone? I don't think so. Yellowstone is a hot-spot, like Hawaii, thousands of miles away from fault zones and anybody who took geology 101 would know the difference. 2. Black smokers in the Mariana Trench? So far, black smokers have been found on the ocean plateau, at about 6,000 ft depth but nowhere near the trenches. Oh, one more thing: the Virginia Class submarines shown in the movie have a maximum diving depth of 800 feet, nowhere near the depth of oceanic trenches. Enough.
I understand that a B-Movie's budget doesn't allow for a high-class scientific advisor, but any college student could have done a better job than whoever authorized this piece.
One scene I really liked: "There was a time when the scientific community unanimously agreed with the flat earth theory." Apparently, we didn't go very far ever since. If this movie had claimed our earth is a cube, it wouldn't be much further from the truth than the story of this sad piece of entertainment.

Very Disappointing.......2007-01-22

I am notorious for liking bad natural disaster movies... but this is awful, even for me. The effects were awful (the opening sequence is just ridiculous), the acting very poor, the overall effect is not very interesting. The best acting was done by Xander, but this performance was mediocre for him. I just wasn't impressed at all. I'd rent this before thinking of buying it. I'm sure glad I did.

MUSHY MAGMA.......2007-01-01

Originally airing on the Sci-Fi channel, this is another one of those disaster movies with a wholly illogical scientific basis and mediocre special effects. As a disaster movie, it also fails to deliver any real scenes of personal crisis or danger, leaving us with a talky treatise on governmental incompetence.
Xander Berkeley is quite good as the heroic scientist whose theory of cataclysmic disaster is rejected by other scientists; Reyko Aylesworth is very good as his estranged wife whose own life may be in peril; and Amy Jo Johnson is the oh so bright graduate student.
While certainly not a classic disaster flick, it's an okay timepasser.

Typical Made for TV Disaster Movie.......2006-12-15

I won't spoil this movie for anyone who hasn't seen it so this review will be short. Having seen this movie on the Sci Fi Channel, I can say it is about average for a made for TV disaster movie. It starts off good with an interesting premise and quickly goes downhill as the plot become cheesier and cheesier.

The only bright spots in the entire movie are the characters played by Xander Berkeley and Reiko Aylesworth who most people probably know from the Fox show "24." Despite the mediocre script and ridiculous plotline, both manage to shine in their roles. If you're a fan of either Xander or Reiko, the movie is worth purchasing.

DVD:

DVD

Golden Years/The Langoliers [2 Discs] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Puss in Boots

Savage Garden - Superstars & Cannonballs - Live on Tour