The Philadelphia Experiment

Starring:Michael ParÃ©, Nancy Allen, Eric Christmas, Bobby Di Cicco, Louise Latham, Kene Holliday, Joe Dorsey, Michael Currie, Stephen Tobolowsky, Gary Brockette, Debra Troyer, Miles McNamara, Ralph Manza, James Edgcomb, Glenn Morshower, Rodney Saulsberry, Vivian Brown, Stephanie Faulkner, Ed Bakey, Michael Villani
Director: Stewart Raffill
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The Philadelphia Experiment takes as its jumping-off point an incident that is now paranormal legend, the U.S. Navy's supposed 1943 induction of an extremely powerful electromagnetic field around a destroyer in Philadelphia, causing its crew to become transparent, go insane, burst into flames, and so forth. The movie takes the tack that this was to render the ship invisible to radar, because of the war that was on. The test goes awry, however, and two of the crew leap forward in time to the filmmakers' present tense, 1984, where a similar experiment has caused a vortex that has trapped the 1943 ship and its crew along with a small Nevada town. The key to unbollixing this sad time-fracture lies in our heroes, the two time-travelling crew members, David Herdeg (Michael ParÃ©) and Jim Parker (Bobby Di Cicco), whose electromagnetic instability keeps drawing them painfully back to the vortex to set things straight. This is silly stuff, but it's very fun silly stuff. One might cavil at gaps in plot logic, such as when Michael ParÃ© seeks out the '80s version of his partner and finds more or less a trauma patient, while subsequent action contradicts this characterization. Still, there are plenty of still-worthy special effects, creating the requisite sense of awe and wonder. And for romantic interest, there's Nancy Allen's '80s girl paired with Michael ParÃ©, affording plenty of amusing occasions for culture comparisons, most notably when ParÃ© sees Ronald Reagan on TV, says, "Hey, I know that guy!" and refuses to believe he's president. --Jim Gay
Description
The experiment that should never have happened 41 years ago...is still going on.

Philadelphia, 1943: A top-secret experiment is underway to make U.S. Navy ships invisible to enemy radar, but something goes horribly wrong, and the Battleship Eldridge disappears. Two sailors jump overboard...and are mysteriously transported 41 years into the future. On the run and trapped by the past, can they stop the experiment that has torn a hole in time?

Amazon.com

The Philadelphia Experiment takes as its jumping-off point an incident that is now paranormal legend, the U.S. Navy's supposed 1943 induction of an extremely powerful electromagnetic field around a destroyer in Philadelphia, causing its crew to become transparent, go insane, burst into flames, and so forth. The movie takes the tack that this was to render the ship invisible to radar, because of the war that was on. The test goes awry, however, and two of the crew leap forward in time to the filmmakers' present tense, 1984, where a similar experiment has caused a vortex that has trapped the 1943 ship and its crew along with a small Nevada town. The key to unbollixing this sad time-fracture lies in our heroes, the two time-travelling crew members, David Herdeg (Michael Paré) and Jim Parker (Bobby Di Cicco), whose electromagnetic instability keeps drawing them painfully back to the vortex to set things straight. This is silly stuff, but it's very fun silly stuff. One might cavil at gaps in plot logic, such as when Michael Paré seeks out the '80s version of his partner and finds more or less a trauma patient, while subsequent action contradicts this characterization. Still, there are plenty of still-worthy special effects, creating the requisite sense of awe and wonder. And for romantic interest, there's Nancy Allen's '80s girl paired with Michael Paré, affording plenty of amusing occasions for culture comparisons, most notably when Paré sees Ronald Reagan on TV, says, "Hey, I know that guy!" and refuses to believe he's president. --Jim Gay

Description

The experiment that should never have happened 41 years ago...is still going on.

Michael Pare (Eddie and the Cruisers) and Nancy Allen (Carrie, Dressed to Kill) star in this provocative sci-fi action hit, executive produced by Halloween creator John Carpenter!

Customer Reviews:

Generally Speaking, the "Experiment" Still Holds Up.......2007-05-14

I've always liked the two lead actors in this film, Michael Pare of "Eddie and the Cruisers" and "Streets of Fire", and Nancy Allen (wife of Brian DePalma) of DePalma films "Carrie", "Blow out", and "Dressed to Kill." Neither actor ever made it really big and were more flashes in the pan than anything else, but they both should have more success as they are decent actors. Allen had played rather slutty characters with conviction for much of her career, but here she is disarmingly sweet and innocent in spite of her 80's hairdo. Pare built a short-lived career playing James Dean-like roles. He's mostly tough, but can be sensitive too. The scenes where he learns of his father's passing and when he must say good-bye to both his best friend and Allen are quite touching. He's a tough guy who isn't afraid to cry on-screen. He was refreshing as an actor and his full range of talents were not nearly tapped enough.

The story has been explained to death already here in other reviews and Amazon's synopsis, so I'll suffice to say that the script is faulty at times, but the story is satisfying enough and based upon an ill-conceived military experiment to cloak our ships that supposedly was really done and had back-fired. The special effects are very dated in this film, but they are watchable nevertheless. In fact, the entire film is rather dated, but still enjoyable.

Weaknesses: The film is rather dated and the effects clearly demonstrate that. The time-travel storyline has some flaws in it. Things don't always add up right. It's annoying at times when people who knew Pare's character in 1943 don't recognize him in 1984 although he hasn't changed in 40 years. I might be shocked that he hadn't aged, but I would certainly recognize him nevertheless. How come Pare's and his friend, who are naval men, do not have miliatry haircuts. Pare looks the same as he did in "Eddie and the Cruisers." One final flaw worth mentioning is how Pare's character, a civilian in 1984, can take two hostages at gunpoint into a highly restricted secret naval base with little to no opposition. It's just too implausible. Why not just have him be caught instead of the elaborate and silly break-in to a place the government wanted him at in the first place?

Strengths: Overall, the film still holds up and is fun entertainment as long as you don't question things too much. The actors are very engaging to watch and the plot, in spite of its flaws, is clever at times. There are a few needed and carefully written sensitive scenes that assist us in really feeling for these characters. It's fun watching Pare's character adjust to "future" things we take for granted like automatic transmissions in cars, flip-top soda cans, talking digital alarm clocks, color TV, and Ronald Reagan being president.

Fictional reality.......2007-02-14

This is a type of Film/Fiction which I personally like very mucht. The Possibility of Time Travel which is very real in this movie. Plus the option of evtl. Dimensional contact between tow Time Continuem which is a possible danger in such a sitation. All Fictional but>>>>>.
Very realistic and with the nessecary proof that one cannot change the future by going back in time. Even though we would very much like to change it in some sitations as in the Movie.

It's just plain fun!.......2006-11-10

Okay, by today's standards, the special effects are a little on the hokey side, but, considering its age, the movie does just fine. If you want to just sit back, relax, and escape for awhile, this movie fills the bill.

Very Good for 80's.......2006-11-02

Michael Paré("Into the Sun""Space Fury"), Nancy Allen("Limit up" "Robocop"),two famous star in 80's, made this a five-star Sci-Fi movie. But no subtitle or Closed Captioned , so I will give it 4.5 star.

The Experiment works!.......2006-10-09

Michael Pare never really made it to the big time, which is too bad, because I always thought he had what it took to be in the Hollywood big leagues. He was good looking, had that tough guy way of delivering his lines, and this no-nonsense demeanor. Yet, in his scenes, he unveiled a certain sensitivity and accesibility. He proved to me, with his movies, that he could emote well enough. In the 1980s, he starred in several movies which I really enjoyed: STREETS OF FIRE, EDDIE & THE CRUISERS 1 & 2, and THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT.

I love time travel stories and I had tremendous fun watching THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT. Supposedly drawn somewhat from true events in World War 2, this sci-fi film tells the tale of a WW2 naval experiment (an attempt to make our ships invisible) gone awry. The USS Eldridge, instead, vanishes, not only optically but physically. At the same time, Navy sailor David Herdeg (Michael Pare), along with his squid buddy Jim, are transported 41 years into the future, to the year 1984. They reappear in Nevada and are immediately attacked. I'll try to curb the spoilers, but I will mention that the experiment which began in 1943 is apparently still ongoing in 1984, and that this begins to influence the meteorological fields, in effect, giving rise to massive, progressively worsening electromagnetic storms, which could threaten the whole planet if left unchecked. David and Jim, with the help of a girl they shanghai, Allison (Nancy Allen), attempt to make sense of things as they continue to evade their pursuers. In the end, it all falls on David Herdeg to make things right. How will it end, and which world will he choose to be in?

So, watching this movie from a contemporary 2006 perspective, I couldn't help but notice a certain 1980s cheesiness inherent to this film, as well as the gap in special effects technology from then to now. Yet, there's something still fresh and charming about THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT. Part of it, admittedly, is nostalgia. I remember really liking this movie back then, and I undoubtedly re-screened it thru rose-colored eyeballs. But you can't deny the earnest acting efforts of the cast, especially of Pare and Allen. Pare plays David Herdeg as angry, hard-headed, and understandibly confused, yet his vulnerability is shown in several quiet scenes, as when he discovers the fate of his father and when he was saying farewell to Allison. Nancy Allen is sweetness personified as the trusting, kind-hearted Allison Hayes.

Part of the allure of a time travel story is the displaced traveler's reactions to the new realities of the temporal setting in which he finds himself. It was fun watching David and Jim try to fathom the workings of a modern vehicle, a color television, a Coke can, an alarm clock, etc . Not to mention, it must be weird watching a 1940s B actor suddenly as the current president (Reagan). The issue of time paradoxes isn't delved into, as much as barely skimmed. Oh, there are people from the past who encounter David in the future, but it was mostly ado about nothing much. The requisite chase scenes and gun plays are all here, of course. This isn't really a thinking man's movie, as much as an action film where you sit back, have fun, and try to suspend all analytical thinking. There are some holes here, but I choose to overlook them. It's entertaining, sci-fi, popcorn fare.

There's a sequel, PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT 2, which again showcases David Herdeg, but 10 years later after the events in this film, and with Brad Johnson, not Michael Pare, playing the Herdeg character. It's also worth checking out.

Average customer rating:

THIS IS BRAD JOHNSON'S MOVIE ---- AND TIME TRAVEL?
Lousy Film
Very well Written, but can be a little confusing.
Philadelphia Experiment II

The Philadelphia Experiment 2
Starring: Brad Johnson (II) , Marjean Holden , Gerrit Graham , John Christian Graas , and Cyril O'Reilly
Director: Stephen Cornwell
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Release Date: 2005-03-15

Product Description

In the hit sci-fi thriller "The Philadelphia Experiment" the sole survivor of a wartime experiment is captured 41 years into the future and must race to save the world as we know it.

It's now 10 years later - 1993. David Herdeg (Brad Johnson), the surviving hero, has built a life for himself and his young son that's unraveling fast. The U.S. military is conducting another Experiment - one that not only alters Herdeg's DNA makeup, but also threatens the fabric of the entire universe.

The Experiment's goal is to transport a Stealth Fighter back to 1943ito use as the ultimate war machine, but its effect hurls Herdeg into another time warp - still 1993, but a 1993 where Germany won the war.

Can Herdeg win the race against time and save his son and the world from a terrible future? Or will the future be a twisted reality distorted by the Philadelphia Experiment?

System Requirements:

Running Time 98 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

THIS IS BRAD JOHNSON'S MOVIE ---- AND TIME TRAVEL?.......2007-06-11

It is probably hard to place David Herdeg [Brad Johnson] in the previous movie -- but he is living now in 1993 with his son -
But someone is conducting another experiment that is altering Herdeg's DNA makeup and zapps him into the future where he sees the way life is likely to end up.

The Philadelphia Experiment is being implementing to transport a Stealth Fighter back to World War II to alter the outcome of the War.
The son of the German Nazi experimentor has stolen some of Herdeg's blood so that he can be transported to 1943 with the plane and meet his father.
How can a man meet his father before he was even born? Quite a mind boggler.

I liked the way the events of time were knocked back into place [so to speak] -- I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Philadelphia Experiment movies and didn't find any of them hard to understand. Probably understanding that anything is possible, especially in the mind of men.

Definitely Recommend this good clean? movie [future looked a bit dirty] especially if you like Brad Johnson. Great ending.

Lousy Film.......2007-05-21

Don't waste your money on this film, the first one was alot better than this, I recommend that one.

Very well Written, but can be a little confusing........2005-03-02

This movie is a suspenseful cliffhanger, for sure the WWII tie with the German Nazi Party winning the war and turning the United States of America into the United States of Naziism (????) and using its military prowess with the help of the Lockheed Martin F-117 Stealth Strike aircraft and what ramifications endue from it sure are interesting to watch. The movie did not cover the ensueing battle to deal with the "final Solution" of which I am glad since I would be very dismayed as such a graphic protrayal.

Philadelphia Experiment II.......2005-02-19

This movie did NOT star Michael Pare. The movie was O.K. The first time I watched it...I did not get it at all! It can be very confusing. If you are a philadelphia experiment/Montauk project buff and have read a lot of books on this subject, you will enjoy it. It has a lot of what if's having to do with time travel. I plan on buying it. The first P/X was the best of the two movies.

Average customer rating:

Philadelphia Experiment II [Region 2]
Starring: Brad Johnson (II) , Marjean Holden , Gerrit Graham , John Christian Graas , and Cyril O'Reilly
Director: Stephen Cornwell
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Generally Speaking, the "Experiment" Still Holds Up
Fictional reality
It's just plain fun!
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The Experiment works!

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Starring: Michael Paré , Nancy Allen , Eric Christmas , Bobby Di Cicco , and Louise Latham
Director: Stewart Raffill
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Binding: DVD

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Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Generally Speaking, the "Experiment" Still Holds Up.......2007-05-14

Fictional reality.......2007-02-14

It's just plain fun!.......2006-11-10

Very Good for 80's.......2006-11-02

The Experiment works!.......2006-10-09

Average customer rating:

Generally Speaking, the "Experiment" Still Holds Up
Fictional reality
It's just plain fun!
Very Good for 80's
The Experiment works!

The Philadelphia Experiment [Region 2]
Starring: Michael Paré , Nancy Allen , Eric Christmas , Bobby Di Cicco , and Louise Latham
Director: Stewart Raffill
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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