White Sands

Starring:Willem Dafoe, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, M. Emmet Walsh, James Rebhorn, Maura Tierney, Beth Grant, Alexander Nicksay, Fredrick Lopez, Miguel Sandoval, John Lafayette, Ken Thorley, Jack Kehler, Royce D. Applegate, Megan Butler, Lisa Cloud, Steve Cormier, J.D. Garfield, Steve Tyler
Director: Roger Donaldson
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

There aren't many funny, pre-Pufnstuf era monster movies suitable for the family, until one remembers the Munsters, who beyond their two-season television stint, made two feature films, albeit fifteen years apart. Both filmed in Technicolor, the vibrance of the Munsters' spooky lifestyle is most apparent in Munsters, Go Home (1966), far superior to the cornier Munsters' Revenge. A true '60s relic, Munsters, Go Home begins when Herman's deceased relative bestows him with Lord status, necessitating the Munsters' trip to England to claim his title. There, he meets other Munsters, Lady Effigy and Freddie Munster, whose jealousy results in frightening antics that only thrill Herman, Grandpa, Lily, Eddie, and Marilyn (with Pat Priest replaced by Debbie Watson). As the plot thickens, Herman faces other threats to the family honor with his classic innocent bravado. In Munsters' Revenge, a wax museum criminal circuit sends Munsters' imposters out to commit crimes, so it's up to the real family to solve the mystery. Different Eddies and Marilyns slightly spoil the family reunion's ambience, though ample physical comedy--for example when Herman's bee sting causes him to destroy the police precinct where he's being held as a criminal suspect--makes the film authentic to its original characters. Moreover, watching this double feature is an inspiring reminder of what props used to look like, like George Barris's Munster Koach, not to mention those that grace the entire Munster Mansion. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews:

I really liked it........2007-05-14

I was pleased that the sender took the time to make sure the DVD was seated properly. If you seat the DVD down right no amount of shaking it around is going to dislodge the DVD. Which is the excuse some use when I receive one that is flopping around in its cover and getting scratched. I would order from this sender again. Sincerely Wanda Dixon

Corn and horror?.......2007-02-17

Nostalgia can sum up the two movies here. You either enjoyed the Munsters or you did not. If you grew up with "them" you will appreciate the first movie. The second has less of Lily and Eddie is not the same character, ( Butch was in his 20's at this time if I am correct). All in all not a bad regrouping of the actors and characters. Take the trip down memory lane.

Munsters fan from Oz.......2007-01-03

I just love the Munsters. I am glad they have released these two flicks on DVD. Corny but adorable. I wish they had more seasons but it seems to be that way with cult series'. They seem to become very popular years later. Can't beat them I say.

Great set.......2007-01-03

This DVD package is a two movie set that gives us the final bow of the original cast of the Munsters. In the first film "Munsters Go Home", we see a movie that was released right after the final season of the original show. Although it has a few funny scenes, it is not even close to as funny as the original TV series. But the whole cast is there except for Pat Priest who played Marilyn in the TV series.
The second movie was made a number of years later. It is the last time we get to see Fred Gwynn play Herman Munster. Although the movie itself is not very funny, it is nice to see the original Herman, Lily, and Grampa. It's obvious that all of the original cast has gotten older, particuarly Lily. But all in all, it's a nice way to finish the TV set if you are a true Munsters fan.

Very Good Re Release.......2006-10-03

I have both movies Munsters, Go Home (1966)(full screen) and Munsters' Revenge on DVD. but Munsters Go Home the new release is in 1:85 widescreen and both movies look much better on the new Munsters - Two Movie Fright Fest.
It was well worth buying this movie collection! Also the book Munsters: A Trip Down Mockingbird Lane came out Sunday Oct 1, 2006. It is a Munster fan must have.

Average customer rating:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blastoff to hilarity
Classic Don Knotts
Pingo Loves Cake
Lighthearted space program fun, typical of the era.
One of Don's Best!

The Reluctant Astronaut
Starring: Don Knotts , Leslie Nielsen , Joan Freeman , Jesse White , and Jeanette Nolan
Director: Edward Montagne
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009VU0F
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Customer Reviews:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blastoff to hilarity.......2004-11-28

The Reluctant Astronaut is one of the truly classic Don Knotts films, consistently hilarious while also sporting some touching scenes between a father and his son. Roy Fleming (Knotts) is just about the last person you would want to shoot into space: I seriously doubt he could pass NASA's physical requirements, for one thing; he knows next to nothing about the requisite technology; and he is so terrified by heights that he can't even stand in a chair by himself. Fleming is just a below-average regular guy simulating space flights for kids at a carnival, trying to win the heart of the hot dog girl, and still living with his parents at the age of 35. His father has what you might call a dominating personality, and poor Roy proves unable to convince him that he does not want to be an astronaut. His father submitted the application for him, though, and he has already spread the word all over town that his son has been accepted. With great trepidation, Roy leaves for Houston (which is a funny bit all by itself), meets up with famous astronaut Fred Gifford (Leslie Nielsen), and is more than a little surprised to find out that he is actually going to be an assistant janitor. He tries to tell his father the truth, but the old man is so proud of his astronaut son that Roy begins living a lie. Of course, the truth will out in the end, and it looks like there will be no happy ending in sight. Then, in the depths of failure, a light of opportunity suddenly shines on Roy, and he gets the chance to make things right- if he has the courage to do what is asked of him.

This was a role seemingly tailor-made for Don Knotts. He's thoroughly convincing as the small-time loser pretending to be something he is not. While the film itself is openly silly, Knotts plays the scattered serious moments in a wonderfully sympathetic way and transforms his character into a hero of sorts even before he sets foot in the space capsule. It goes without saying that he is a comic genius, as well, so you can imagine just how funny his outer space scenes are. I wish I could catalogue every funny moment in the film, but that would deny viewers the pleasure of experiencing them all for themselves. Suffice it to say that The Reluctant Astronaut features one of history's funniest actors in one of his funniest movies - and it's good, wholesome entertainment, to boot.

Classic Don Knotts.......2004-06-27

Great movie. This is for all fans of Barney Fife and Don's previous films like Ghost and Mr. Chicken. My favorite part is when Don comes back home after some training at NASA and he is at home with friends and family who are congratulating him. A little kid is the only one in the room who isn't buying Don's astronaut exploits. He grills Don about certain specifics and the rest is classic. PHONY!

Pingo Loves Cake.......2003-12-18

The Reluctant Astronaut is as worthy of repeated viewings as The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. I watched both of these films thanks to a summer movie program offered in my town during my childhood. Both films were written by people who wrote the classic Andy Griffith Show episodes. Classic character actors from the Andy Griffith Show appear throughout both films as well. You should own these two finest of Don Knotts' movies.
My favorite moment from The Reluctant Astronaut (as a child AND as an adult) is the absolutely surreal scene where Royal Fleming (Knotts) has a welcoming home party, and Pingo the dog jumps in the cake and starts eating it. Everyone at the party is shocked except the lady who owns the dog. She seems delighted. When I saw this scene again for the first time in 25 years, I laughed so hard I cried! This is great writing, a great cast, and CLASSIC Don Knotts!

Lighthearted space program fun, typical of the era........2003-09-14

One of the all-time classic Don Knotts films from his heyday in the mid-to-late 60s, "The Reluctant Astronaut" is reliable family fare on a Sunday afternoon.

Knotts plays Roy Fleming, a lovable loser who suffers from vertigo, but ironically runs a moonshot kiddie ride at the town park. When his ex-military and hyper-controlling father submits an application for his son to become a real astronaut, havoc ensues when Roy is accepted! But not is all as it seems when the newly-minted town hero finds that he is not actually an astronaut trainee, but a custodial trainee! Naturally, the kindly Roy is under pressure not to hurt his father and the whole hometown crowd by revealing the truth.

The plot and it's solutions are hardly a surprise to anyone by the time the picture ends. In fact, the only standardized element missing here concerns Roy Fleming's girlfriend. She starts out by ignoring the hapless Roy because he's a nobody, but when he becomes an astronaut, she's all attention. Pretty shallow, but so far so good. What's missing is the alternate/new girlfriend, who likes Roy for himself, not for his fame. That's usually the way romantic entanglements work out in this kind of picture, and it's kind of disappointing that Roy winds up with the "fair weather" gal.

But while the movie is fairly standard, the "space fever" and intense interest in the space program the characters display at every turn clearly reflects just how Americans felt about the program and its astronauts at the time (unlike today!). The movie will be a fun ride for those who recall those heady days as America's pride was in full force, and we good guys were battling Russia for control of space.

One think I liked here was the interesting and relatively rare NASA footage that pops up from time to time. The rocket sled sequence is especially notable for space program afficianados, as we get a good pilot's eye view of what it looked like to run down the sled track. We also get to see a few early rocket booster launches in real time, as opposed to the super-slow motion shots we're more familiar with.

If anyone threatens to steal the picture, it would have to be Arthur O'Connell as Roy's dad, Buck Fleming. Gruff, boisterous, and ultimately poignant, O'Connell gives the character just the right amount of stature and sympathy to compliment the awkwardness and desperation of Knott's Roy Fleming.

Jesse White (probably most famous for his role in "Harvey"), plays Fleming's gruff boss, and "Wagon Train" alum Frank McGrath is on hand as one of Buck Fleming's pals. Jeanette Nolan plays a relatively small and understated role as Roy's mother.

Fans of Leslie Neilson will get a kick out of his presence in the picture as the good-natured pilot and astronaut, Major Fred Gifford. In a way, his inclusion in the cast seems like a friendly wink to his landmark space role in "Forbidden Planet".

I have to ding the DVD one star for the lack of extras. We get the trailer, and while fun (and containing original material shot for the promo), that's about it. Some production notes on the crew's NASA interactions while filming would have been a huge win, but it's missing here.

While the film is typical of light space program comedies from the time, "The Reluctant Astronaut" is probably the best of the bunch, and certainly better than most.

One of Don's Best!.......2003-08-13

This great movie played in theaters as a double bill with THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN in its second run. Naturally I went back to see it again. I will also watch the DVDs this way to re-creat the original effect.

Amazon.com

Set in the cinematically picturesque Southwestern desert, Willem Dafoe plays a small-town lawman called out to a remote location after a dead body is found by some tourists. Along with the body, there is a briefcase with half a million dollars in it. Well, he becomes absolutely obsessed in solving the case. The audience never knows why he feels the need to solve this case instead of turning it over to the federal authorities, other than to spice up his otherwise boring job. Judging by his muscle car and quest for adventure, and despite being happily married with a kid, he seems to be going through a bit of a mid-life crisis. He gets his adventure when he finds a phone number on (actually in) the dead man's body, calls it, gets some instructions, and decides to go undercover as the dead man. Pretty soon he's meeting up with a shady Mickey Rourke and falling for Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Meanwhile, the script goes through plot twists and double and triple crosses. The strangest thing is that the movie works. It's a lot of fun, and Dafoe plays the most difficult and unbelievable character with such an easy charm it's hard not to go along with him. --Andy Spletzer

Customer Reviews:

Good plot and cast.......2006-11-05

Willem Dafoe at the time of this release was not a big star. The location helped make the movie good. Set in and around White Sands New Mexico. Directed by Roger Donaldson whose other credits included Dante's Peak,The Getaway(1994 version),and No Way Out. This is a good action and suspense movie. Samuel L. Jackson gives an excellent performence as a misguided FBI agent. This is a good addition to your DVD collection.

Good Cast, Good Action.......2006-03-04

I bought this movie because I really like William DaFoe and Sam Jackson and they both deliver in this movie. Micky Rourke plays a slick role with a surprising twist. Take all three of these guys and independently they produce a great movie. But, put DaFoe, Jackson and Rourke together, and you have a killer movie!

great cast no logic.......2005-12-20

We have a lawman who for no explained reason starts to investigate the cause of death of a man with 500,000 on him and it all goes down hill from there. There is no rhyme or reason to the story. I gave it two stars because the landscape is great.

White Sands, Classic Rourke and Defoe.......2005-09-04

White Sands is Micky Rourke and Willem Defoe in classic style. I think this was the first movie I saw with both of them and I've been a fan ever since. The suspense keeps your attention from the beginning of the movie. Willem Defoe is a small town Sherriff's deputy in Colorado who finds a dead body with a briefcase filled with money. The adventure only starts there as he finds himself in New Mexico meeting an arm's dealer (Micky Rourke) and eventually winding up in White Sands, NM. Samual L Jackson is in this flick as well and as I said, all afore mentioned are in classic form. A great movie for mystery/adventure seeker.

A forgotten film with a great cast.......2004-02-15

I bought White Sands in the cheapy bin at my local DVD retailer. I never heard of the film but I decided to buy it because I like both Willem Dafoe and Mickey Rourke. Upon viewing the film, I was only glad I payed $5.50 for it. Though it is far from bad, it's not all that great either. William Dafoe is a small Texas town sherriff that goes undercover when he finds a man dead with a half a million dollars in a briefcase. Not a bad story but all I could think is "what is this guy doing!" throughout this film as he goes deep undercover. He must have been bored with his small town life. There's plenty of twists and turns in the plot throughout the film but after awile one won't care. The film itself is also far from exciting. Mickey Rourke gives a fine performance but Willem Dafoe is a little below par. I'm sorry but he failed to convince me of his role in this film. After viewing theis film, I could see why it has been forgotten over the years because it is just not that memorable. White Sands ends up being a good way to waste an afternoon and is worth a buy if you can find it cheap. You also get to see Samuel L. Jackon early in his carrier as he is credited as Sam Jackson.

Average customer rating:

The last nail in the Munsters coffin by NBC
A Very Good Comedy
Fred Gwynne, Yvonne DeCarlo, and Al lewis, REUNITE!!!
Surprisingly Good!
The Munsters - My Mistake

The Munsters' Revenge
Starring: Fred Gwynne , Al Lewis (III) , Yvonne De Carlo , K.C. Martel , and Jo McDonnell
Director: Don Weis
Manufacturer: Good Times Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

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The Munsters: Two-Movie Fright Fest - (Franchise Collection) - (Munster, Go Home! & The Munsters' Revenge)

ASIN: 6305137358
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Customer Reviews:

The last nail in the Munsters coffin by NBC.......2007-05-31

This is the last time the Munsters were seen together, and in a very bad NBC 'Made for TV' movie at that (shame on you NBC!!).

In a Nut Shell...

Munsters are honored in a wax museum, but the evil owner of the wax museum decides to incorporate robotics into the wax figures of the Munsters and the rest of the exhibits and have them perform criminal activity. And when the police go looking they arrest the real versions.

The make-up is nowhere as good as the 1960's "Munster Go Home" movie, but if you are Munster fan like myself, you need to have this in your collection.

A Very Good Comedy.......2006-07-03

This Munster movie is nearly as good as "Munsters Go Home!". There are quite a number of hilarious scenes in this film that make it a timeless work of comedy. This movie is funny!

The film begins with the Munster family checking out the local wax museum, where Herman tells his wife Lilly - "Dear, you can get some good decorating ideas for our house". When they see their replicas, they like them. But Lilly laments - "Everybody's here except poor Marilyn". Herman remarks "You can't blame them, they don't want to scare away the customers".

A series of small robberies are later blamed on the Munsters, because the robbers look just like them. The cops arrest Herman and Grandpa. They later escape. Driving in a car, Grandpa tells Herman that somebody that looks just like them is doing these crimes. Herman says nobody is as handsome as he, except his reflection and his likeness at the wax museum. Grandpa shouts "Herman, you got it". Herman replys "Got what"? Grandpa explains that their answers are likely to be found at the wax museum.

They go to the wax museum and learn about the crime ring that has produced wax models that are also robots, and those robots are doing the crimes. Kinda like Marvin Bush blowing up the Twin Towers and blaming it on alleged Arabs - the baddies are having their robots do crimes and the Munsters are getting the blame.

The bad guys are planning a big robbery of an ancient Egyptian mummy's coffin. The Munsters foil the crime with a little help from Marilyn and her new beau - the police detective, and alot of help from The Phantom of the Opera. A good ending to a good movie.

Fred Gwynne, Yvonne DeCarlo, and Al lewis, REUNITE!!!.......2005-10-15

Fred Gwynne, Yvonne DeCarlo, Al Lewis, and Sid Caesar, all combine into one munstrously good time! This is a great follow-up movie to the original series!

DVD info for The Munsters' Revenge
Spoken language: English
Captioning: English, Spanish, French

Don't forget to check out:

The Munsters The Complete First Season
The Munsters The Complete Second Season
Munster, Go Home!

... which are all on DVD!

Surprisingly Good!.......2005-08-18

At first, I was disappointed that Marilyn and Eddie were to be played by different actors, but I guess it was inevitable as they had aged too much to stay "in character". I was also put off by the sharp colored makeup (the series was in BW), but these are minor quibbles.
Herman and Grandpa have such amazing chemistry here. In the series, I never sensed the warmth between these two as I do here.
A special treat is comedy great Sid Caesar (Your Show of Shows). He plays Dustin Diablo, an evil genius from ANCIENT EGYPT!
I won't give away too much plot, but it is basically a "mistaken identity" comedy, as Herman and Grandpa are framed by Diablo and arrested while Diablo's "men" are free carry out their elaborate heist.
If you love "Phantom of the Opera", he's in here too!

The Munsters - My Mistake.......2004-09-17

When I wrote my letter I was going strictly on memory. When I watch the repeats of "The Munsters" on Cable TV I never notice that were very many episodes except the first 37. So, I am sorry I was wrong because I must have seen the second season when I was 11 years old and forgotten it. Jonny Quest I know for a fact only lasted one season.

When it comes to the movies, there appears to be a lot of movies release on DVD that I simply didn't know about. I also found out that "The Munsters' Revenge" 1981 also star the original cast. So, thank you for pointing this out to me. Now, I have found a movie I never seen before.

Average customer rating:

I love this movie!
Box of Delights

The Box of Delights [Region 2]
Starring: Bill Wallis , Simon Barry (II) , Paul Wilce , Philip Locke , and Charles Pemberton
Director: Renny Rye
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Miniseries | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

One Magic Christmas
Philips DVP5140 Multiformat DVD Player with DivX, MP3, Windows Media Support
Midsomer Murders - Set Eight
A Christmas Carol (Original B&W Version)

ASIN: B00067IEGY

Customer Reviews:

I love this movie!.......2006-11-25

I taped this mini series off tv in 1984, and every Christmas season my family and I love to watch this. (I bought newer better copies when they became available.) Set in the English country in the early 1930's, it is very charming. A young boy's magical experiences and how he saves everyone, including the town's 1000th Christmas celebration in the Tatchster Cathedral. It's alot like an early Harry Potter, but with the snow and Christmas music. I have found 3 different versions of this movie---depending on how much they edit and shorten it. I prefer the long version, 165 minutes, with all the details, quirky characters, quaint scenery and settings, and lots of charm.

Box of Delights.......2003-12-08

The Box of Delights is a fantastic television programme. As a little girl, I remember watching the programme every christmas in Britain and was a childhood tradition. In Canada, however, it is not available. The show is brilliant, full of magic and myth. Both parents and children will love this programme, I definitely recommend The Box of Delights for anyone who enjoys Arthurian Legend or British/Celtic mythology.

Average customer rating:

Good plot and cast
Good Cast, Good Action
great cast no logic
White Sands, Classic Rourke and Defoe
A forgotten film with a great cast

White Sands [Region 2]
Starring: Willem Dafoe , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Mickey Rourke , Samuel L. Jackson , and M. Emmet Walsh
Director: Roger Donaldson
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Good plot and cast.......2006-11-05

Good Cast, Good Action.......2006-03-04

great cast no logic.......2005-12-20

White Sands, Classic Rourke and Defoe.......2005-09-04

A forgotten film with a great cast.......2004-02-15

Average customer rating:

Good plot and cast
Good Cast, Good Action
great cast no logic
White Sands, Classic Rourke and Defoe
A forgotten film with a great cast

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Johnny Handsome
Desperate Hours
A Prayer For The Dying
Year of the Dragon
To Live and Die in L.A. (Special Edition)

ASIN: B00005TNYX

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Good plot and cast.......2006-11-05

Good Cast, Good Action.......2006-03-04

great cast no logic.......2005-12-20

White Sands, Classic Rourke and Defoe.......2005-09-04

A forgotten film with a great cast.......2004-02-15

white sands national monument, new mexico

Average customer rating:

white sands national monument, new mexico
Starring: dr reese
Director: dr reese
Manufacturer: j david productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Science & Technology | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blastoff to hilarity
Classic Don Knotts
Pingo Loves Cake
Lighthearted space program fun, typical of the era.
One of Don's Best!

The Reluctant Astronaut
Starring: Don Knotts , Leslie Nielsen , Joan Freeman , Jesse White , and Jeanette Nolan
Director: Edward Montagne
Manufacturer: Umvd
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Family Films | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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The Shakiest Gun In The West
The Ghost And Mr. Chicken
The Incredible Mr. Limpet
How To Frame a Figg
The Apple Dumpling Gang (Special Edition)

ASIN: B0000AZT1A

Customer Reviews:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blastoff to hilarity.......2004-11-28

Classic Don Knotts.......2004-06-27

Pingo Loves Cake.......2003-12-18

Lighthearted space program fun, typical of the era........2003-09-14

One of the all-time classic Don Knotts films from his heyday in the mid-to-late 60s, "The Reluctant Astronaut" is reliable family fare on a Sunday afternoon.

While the film is typical of light space program comedies from the time, "The Reluctant Astronaut" is probably the best of the bunch, and certainly better than most.

One of Don's Best!.......2003-08-13

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Hercules Series

Jerry Maguire / Cocktail

Foxfire [WS] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Enough

Heilige Strasse